what a proposed menu is a you know just preliminarily a chicken dish some vegetable
dishes some starches some kind of potato and or rice um a vegetarian option and you know
it'll rotate it won't always be fixed okay so the other question the when i look at the plan
And it's only seven feet by 13 feet.
So you're only going to be able to get maybe about three people, four people in there at one time, in and out, right?
How are you going to deal with one of the statements that one of the residents said that this will stop loitering?
I don't know that having the takeout restaurant is going to stop loitering if loitering is an issue.
How are you going to, what's your proposal to deal with that?
Well, I plan to have more lighting.
I think the lighting will help.
Um, I've been talking to the neighboring business about, um, putting some lighting
out and, you know, if it became more of an issue, hiring, uh, security to ensure that
that doesn't happen.
And also the use of signage because currently there is none.
Um, but I've been out there in the community, I've been talking to people and I do think
that, um, when people start seeing the activity in the revitalization, just the aimless hanging
around will, will cease.
what's your proposed hours
for the for the restaurant
this gas station is open
yes so maintaining the same hours
the food would probably stop around
10 11 but the gas station will remain open
yeah the gas station will remain coming but the gas station stays open all night
correct
other questions from the board
does the interior store sell anything other than
the hot food
I mean it sells like normal
stuff that a gas station sells
yeah that's my question
but it's all behind
so how many
employees are
going to be operating
in the space
it will add three
full-time jobs after the proposed renovation. So it'll also add work and plan to hire from the
community, which will also help. Is it all under one manager? So like the person managing the
restaurant portion or the hot food portion is the same manager that's managing the convenience sales
portion? Yes. I mean, it'll be a team. I'm sure it might work better where, you know, like when you
going to a 7-Eleven everybody kind of works together as a team depending on where they are
somebody might be doing um you know a drink while somebody might be getting somebody to hot food out
of it um you know that was not my question because at a 7-Eleven they're all employees of 7-Eleven
so I guess my question is are all of the employees that work at inside this building at the gas
station going to be under the same management team versus like if it was a sonoco and crunchy
versus like if it was a Sonoco and Crunchy Kitchen or Crunchy Chicken had rented out the
kitchen or crunchy
kiosk space to serve food? Is it all their one management team? Yes. I'm sorry. I misunderstood
your question. Yes. Okay. And then what's the plan? Because I know when you do have gas stations that
have hot food, they tend to also cater to people who are not coming by car and people who are not
coming to also receive gas so is there parking spaces on site for people who might be coming
just to do food pickup what's the plan for food pickup in line management i know across west
philly there's a few of these different types of restaurants that have opened up at gas station
sites and the traffic gets really really crowded some of them as much as a you know chick-fil-a
type takeout line. So what is the traffic management plan? The traffic management plan
is to have a really cohesive team if we need more employees to bring them on to make sure that we
move the line. But there is sufficient space in the parking lot currently. And I was talking to
the neighbor to the right. Their customers are currently using the parking lot to park. So
explaining to them that, you know, once we reopen, that kind of arrangement won't continue
to take place. We're going to have to have the parking lot available for the customers
of the gas station. I don't know if, Mr. Ucta, can you pull up the site plan again? I didn't
see dedicated parking spaces in the renovation plan for the gas station.
so it sounds like maybe a restriping yeah like i just want to understand so
so i can show it's actually when when we were looking at the pictures of the lot you actually
could see the cars that were parked there for a different business and they were lined up could
you show the photos yeah yeah but not the photos i'm talking about the actual plan that you have
for the new building did not it's bigger right so like there's going to be changes to the site plan
And it's not going to be based on what is currently there.
And I didn't see any dedicated parking spots on the site plan.
Sorry.
I think we're referencing this on this wall right here.
Rendering.
Devin, we can't hear you.
I said we're referencing is on this wall right here where my mouse is, this is another business.
So along this wall, when we're remodeling, you can do the dedicated parking.
So just restriping and painting right here.
And that's separate.
That wall is separate.
that area is separate from the actual parking
where people are getting gas.
It's also a spot where people are sometimes parking
their cars to go to the restaurant that's here.
This is what we're referencing, this area over here.
I got it. And that is part of
this parcel? Yes, correct.
But there's no site plan currently
for the whole parcel showing
car movement, the building,
and the pumps, and...
Well, these are pumps, and
I guess... Yeah, I know. I said a site plan.
This is a rendering. So there's no
No. No, it's not. Thank you. So I have a question about the dumpster. Just anticipating more trash with the takeout. The dumpster and any trash receptacles on the site plan.
Where is it located on the site plan? I'm sorry.
Other questions? I asked about the dumpster on the site plan.
Yeah, so basically it's going to be private dumpsters. So we would just also, the space is big enough that we can have dumpsters on site. And there's some already here now. So when we reopen back up, it'll also be dumpsters. And that's also something we mentioned in the RCO meeting that we were going to do and continue to do. We'll probably use dumpsters.
There's no RCO letter or summary. So what's the...
So the RCO submitted this morning a letter of non-opposition.
Right.
And the other RCO is against it.
Let's try to get through who else wants to testify.
Questions or comments from our attorney?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
What are your comments from the virtual audience?
Chair, I have a hand up from Evandeline Waring.
I will promote them, and they should be back in shortly.
Hello?
hi could you please state your name and spell for the sonographer
Uh, yes, it's Vandalin Waring. It's V as in Victor, A-N, D as in David, E-L-Y-N, last name W-A-R-I-N-G.
it's Vandalin Waring
it's B as in Victor, A-N, D as in David
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Are you a neighbor?
I am the generational RCO.
Okay, please proceed.
So, yes, I did submit a letter of opposition and speak to the neighbors over the last two
meetings. The near neighbors that were present on both calls were in opposition of the hot foods
being served. Unanimously, everyone on both calls, each call was in support of a brand new project,
new development, but not the serving of hot foods as it would not decrease the loitering.
It will increase loitering. It will maintain criminal activity that currently goes on at
that property, as some neighbors already mentioned. And they do not want the hot food served only for
this particular application regarding hot foods. In addition, the council submitted to you
petition signatures of neighbors that support the project. Council did also mention that they
were not near neighbors. I want to further explain that petition of 27 signatures
is in regards to a new construction, a new development,
not anything pertaining to this particular application regarding the serving of hot foods.
I also submitted a petition of near neighbors, 37 signatures total,
in opposition of the serving of hot foods.
Thank you very much.
Devin, do you have any questions?
No, I just want to reiterate.
The copy of the petition that I showed you, it does say on there, including my packet, that this is for a convenience store and hot food preparation on the top of the petition, not the new.
Okay, let me see.
Anyone else in the first audience?
Mr. Chair, I just want to note, I was able to pull a site plan from the city's Atlas website for the permit for the demolition and rebuilding.
So if it's okay with the board, I can share the screen.
I think that will help clarify something.
We're going to bring up the site plan.
You can look at it with your owner.
Go ahead.
Can I ask a question while she's doing that?
Is this the owner?
How long has this owner been the owner of this facility?
Since the beginning of the year, January of 25.
Okay, so you're a new owner.
Right.
So you're a new owner.
So I think that's important for me because the history of this facility
place. Your fault. Right. And I think that is right. Thank you so much for clarifying it
because it is new management and this new thoughts process. Yes. It will be a new day.
So Amina, on the screen is the site plan. Right. Could you take a look at that and then talk about
how and where you're going to put cars at dumpsters and things of that nature?
so there are currently dumpsters right now um it's a little yeah i can't difficult because it
it does okay can you you'll make it bigger where it says premise b on the top um
it's like the top like if you look where it says 56 where the opa number is if you look to the left
of that there's already dumpsters there so move them further back towards that back wall and then
there's a lot of space you know the gray areas where the gas station pump parking and all that
is but there's a lot of space between the neighboring business to the right and where
you pull it is a very wide gap at least 25 feet and like my counsel said I could stripe it and
make it very organized um and ensure even having security out there or somebody to help direct it
i have no problem with making sure that it runs i mean why don't you talk about how the cars are
going to go through the pumps what's the plan here so there's two entrances to pull in off of walnut
street so you could pull in in your immediate right and pull up to park when you're when you're
closest right or you could pull at the second right and pull to the pump right so there shouldn't be
interference between people getting gas and people coming into the store hoping to make it more like
you know how when you go to Wawa it's kind of sectioned off in a way right that they don't
When you go to Wawa, it's kind of sectioned off in a way that they don't bring into each other.
And striping helps a lot with that.
When I study how other gas stations do it successfully, it's the signage, and it's the stop, and it's the striping.
Any other questions for Amina?
Any other questions in the virtual audience?
We might see any further ask, Mr. Chair.
Yeah, I just want to note, if the parking isn't currently on this plan, you're probably going to need another zoning permit for any additional parking you plan to add, which will need reviews by streets department and probably planning as well, depending on how many spaces you're seeking to add.
Just wanted to be clear on that.
So the question would be, if we voted on this now, you got to come back.
Well, I don't know. I'm just saying that if there's, if they're proposing additional parking, more than what's already been approved, this is a plan that was approved with the other permit.
If they're proposing parking that's not on this plan, they're going to need to get another zoning permit, which is going to mean other reviews and could potentially mean a return to the zoning board if the parking was not code compliant.
Right.
Well, Mr. Chairman, we're okay with that.
say that again Devin I can't hear you Mr. Chairman we're okay with that we have to come back to
zoning to do additional parking after the development we're fine with that our planning
commission Amy Wood with the planning commission the comprehensive plan recommends a change in
zoning at this location from the existing CMX2 commercial mixed use to CMX3 the appellant has
demonstrated that the proposed use will not cause detrimental impacts beyond what would reasonably
be expected. Moreover, the proposed use would allow this use by rate. Just to note that this
is a use application only. Any development, including parking lot changes, must be made
under a separate application. The Planning Commission recommends that the Board grant
the requested special exception for takeout. MI 2025, 001-465-5651-63 Walnut Street, TA-55610.
I vote yes. Michael Johns, my vote is yes.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes. Tanetta Graham, my vote is yes.
Ryan McAdams, my vote is yes. Tywin, my vote is yes.
Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is there anyone in the virtual audience