civus
Hearing video

ZBA Hearing - July 16, 2025

Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA)Jul 16, 20255h 36m

There is a note that says fourth number one, but no fourth number one.

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So, we want to know how many rooms will put there, how it will be put there.

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etc. Yes, that's what I want to build. One room, a kitchen, which is already existing

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there is already there a bathroom a um like the the the the room there and on the first floor

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the living room on the first floor how many bedrooms does he plan to have in the first

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apartment. What's the plan for the basement? There are no plans. I don't have any plans

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for the basement. That's a storage. Okay. Is there any other duplexes on the block?

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I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question, please? I'm asking if he knows of any other

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two family or two units on the block.

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¿Sabes si hay alguna otra vivienda de dos unidades en esa calle, en esa misma calle?

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Al frente sí, hay, pero al lado no sé exactamente si hay.

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Across the street, yes, but I don't know if there are any on the side, on either side.

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Any other questions from the board?

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Una otra pregunta.

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Why do you want to add a second apartment to this building?

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for personal use um because i want to be able to live like myself live on the second floor and my

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mom and dad who live with me, I want them to be able to be on the first floor.

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I have a question. Does he know why the RCO was opposed to him making this change?

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Una pregunta, ¿usted sabe por qué los del RCO se opusieron a realizar este cambio?

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yes uh they did not approve of the trash in the in the back in the back area

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okay so what's your plan for trash

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Well, that will be within the family because, you know, I'm going to be living upstairs.

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Well, that will be within the.

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My mom is going to be living downstairs.

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So as a family, we'll know how to make arrangements for the trash.

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Yeah, so typically that's now how it works when you subdivide a property.

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Like, I understand that he is seeking to do this for family, but this is getting legally subdivided.

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So there's no saying that it's his family living there in the future.

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and that this is the process like typically you're gonna have to come up with a trash plan

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as though you had tenants i think also in this instance for these plans there's no they have an

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interpreter oh sorry you're right it's okay so i don't know how it works normally when

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se subdivide una propiedad si entiendo que usted está buscando esto para el uso de su familia pero esto está solicitando que se haga o sea ya se haga una división de manera legal por ahora lo está lo habitará familia pero en el futuro no se sabe si será la familia la que lo habitará entonces ahí existe un proceso para lo de la basura porque dentro de sus planes no sé si en el futuro

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vaya a haber

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algún inquilino

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o algo así

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¿Preguntas o comentarios

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de la audiencia virtual?

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Tengo aquí

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un

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una hoja de información

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el chairman ya lo voy a ingresar

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en breve

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ok

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good morning again Mr. Chair

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just state your name Mr. Richardson

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and you've already been sworn

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Charles Richardson

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R-I-C-H-A-R-D-S-O-N

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Office of Council

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in the Cindy Bass room 508

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City Hall

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thank you Mr. Chair

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do I need to wait for the

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No, no, no. Please proceed.

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Okay. All right.

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The RCO did send a letter with regard to the reasons why they were not going to support the request to convert this to a duplex.

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They did voice concerns with regard to trash storage and debris removal.

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about the density of the area already

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and the fact that

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trying to turn it into a

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two family

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from a one family didn't seem to make sense

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and

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the councilwoman is concerned about

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some of those same things

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the plan doesn't seem to make sense

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he's given an opportunity

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given the drawings

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which pretty much show things as they exist

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And that has how he plans to actually accomplish these things.

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So the councilwoman is going to oppose granting the variance to change this into a duplex.

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Thank you very much for taking the time to call.

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Is there anyone else in the order?

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We don't see any further answers, Mr. Chair.

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All right.

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the interpreter, the council person's, the councilwoman's person who testified said the

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councilwoman is against the project. Could you tell him that?

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Señor, el concejal o la persona que habló a nombre de la persona que es la concejal

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Thank you, Chairman.

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Can I say something?

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Sure.

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Claro.

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Yes, thank you.

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But my best intention is to do it in a legal way and that's why I'm asking you to do the thing as it should be done.

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Well, I'm doing it because there's a need.

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My mom and dad, they live with me, and I just want to divide it up.

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I want to have an apartment upstairs and another apartment downstairs for my mom and dad.

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I'll be using the upstairs part.

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So if the community is against it, I will just do whatever they say,

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but i'm just trying to do everything the legal way and that's why i am approaching you

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thank you planning commission thank you chairman and good morning david effecto

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f-e-c-t-e-a-u with the city planning commission do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the

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whole truth nothing but the truth yes sir i do please proceed uh chairman and board members

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The comprehensive plan recommends no change to the RSA-5 residential single-family zoning at this location.

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Do you want the interpreter?

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The interpreter, you want to?

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Oh, this is interpreting, yes.

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Planning, and I'm sorry, this is interpreting.

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Would you say that for me just one more time?

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Sure, certainly.

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Happy to help.

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The comprehensive plan recommends no change to the RSA-5 residential single-family zoning at this location.

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Señor habla la intérprete. Esto es lo que la persona está diciendo.

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La comisión de plan de la ciudad recomienda que no haya ningún cambio a la resolución RSA-5,

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The city rezoned this neighborhood in 2021 in accord with recommendations in the comprehensive plan.

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This is a single-family block face.

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There are no unique physical conditions or circumstances

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of this property that were prevented from being used

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in strict conformity with the zoning code.

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No hay ninguna condición física o circunstancial

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en esa propiedad que no permita

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que haya un cumplimiento estricto

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con el código de zonas.

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The City Planning Commission recommends

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that the board deny the proposed use variance

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for two dwelling units.

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La mesa recomienda,

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la comisión planeadora recomienda

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que la mesa deniegue esa solicitud

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del plan recomendado

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para que sea una unidad habitable

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por dos familias.

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So MI 2025 000 480 1513 West Butler,

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I vote no.

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Tendera Grant, my vote is no.

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Ryan McAdams, my vote is no.

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Ryan McAdams, my vote is no.

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Tyowin, my vote is no.

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Tyowin, my vote is no.

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Thank you.

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And Terper, thank you for an excellent job.

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You really did.

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I mean, we got to learn to slow down.

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But thank you very much.

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Thank you for using our services.

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Have a good day.

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Okay. Number eight, MI2025-000621-1541 Adams Avenue, David Garcia. Valerio is the attorney.

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Okay, Chair, they will be coming back in shortly as a panelist.

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You

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mr chair good morning david garcia good morning um counsel you've already been sworn

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um could you identify your client the relationship to this property

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yes it's elba yedling carolta which she should be on uh mr chair and she is a tenant on this

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property. It's a commercial space, open commercial space. Right. And all

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of your exhibits have been sent in five days prior?

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That is correct, Mr. Chair. Why don't you share your screen and start your

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presentation, sir? Very well.

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let's show me to start a little bit backwards so you're located at 1541 adam street this is an

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open commercial space uh presently it's approved for vehicle sales and rental and the variance we

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seeking is an extension of that used to add vehicle repair

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and maintenance. And there's a detached structure that I will show

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in a bit on one of the drawings in regard to

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that. For purpose of the variance,

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the vehicle maintenance and repair we're talking about is minor.

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It's tires, brake work, oil changes. Whoa.

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What happened here?

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I'm sorry. Can you hear me?

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I hear you.

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Okay.

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My screen went blank for a bit.

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There's not going to be an expansion of the space,

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and there will be about 10 parking lots at that location.

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On the application for appeal that I have in front,

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and I'm scrolling down,

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I'm scrolling down because here's the original application for the variants.

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And, of course, here that I just scrolled up is the appeal.

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and if anybody just wants me to stop

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we have all that

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why don't you start your

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the plans, the photos, etc

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oh very well, let me just move this

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over here

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and I'll just go directly to the drawing

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just to give it

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a perspective

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let's reduce this a bit

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this area that I'm scrolling

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at the time, this is the proposed area

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for the metal garage

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As you can see, we have Adams Street Avenue.

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The entrance would be here on Kensington, and there's Romaine Street.

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There is a trailer that is, I believe, located at this location,

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but it's actually a little more towards the middle,

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but obviously it will be moved at a later time.

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Here's a detail of that space.

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Let me just move this over.

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As you can see, it's just a steel structure that's going to be erected.

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It'll have two cars, no more than two cars that will have the availability of you to go in and make whatever repairs they are that will be needed.

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And, again, let me just go down.

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Again.

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Oh, there we go.

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Here's a tax clearance certificate.

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If I could just go to the photos real quick.

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That would be $39.

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The overhead view, and I'll just scroll over.

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Here's a lot in the exact location of where the attached structure is going to be placed.

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And as you can see, this is a little bit different than the rendering on the drawing with the office trailer.

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The posting photos for the hearing are here, and here's some close-ups as I'm scrolling.

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Now, in terms of the photographs, here is the location.

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oh by the way this is precisely looking from it's in this area where that

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with that detached structure is going to be located um is there any photo in particular

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