Yes, you can, Mr. Clinton.
Yes, sure.
Is that large enough or do I need to make that larger?
That's perfect.
So this is 1301 South Hanson Street, just over the Great Shrory Avenue Bridge in West Philadelphia.
Some call it Southwest Philadelphia.
you. This is my table of contents, which contains my exhibits AA through A10. My appearance statement
and refusal. This area is zoned RSA-3 and refusal says that attached structures
are prohibited in RSA-3 zone. It was always my understanding that a semi-detached structure
is permitted in an RSA3 zone, and that's what we're requesting today, and that's what every
other home on this side of the street is. They're twins, and they're considered semi-detached,
and I have a lot of photographs to show the board. I do not have a letter, and I'll explain that.
So this is the block. This is the 1300 block of South Hanson Street. My client
owns this lot. It's 17 wide by 80. All the lots on this street are that size. But you can see
that every house on the block is a twin. And in between the homes are four to six feet.
Here's an aerial view. We're looking east to the city. This is the
Greats Ferry Avenue Bridge, excuse me, Woodland Street Bridge, and this is the property. Again,
you can see that the whole block is our twins. This is the lot.
Our property or our project will be built directly against the existing home at 1303 Hanson Street.
This is a picture of some of the twins on Greenway Avenue, which is around the corner.
More photographs of the twins on Hanson Street with a gap in between the properties.
Again, more perspective and more views of the block.
So the plans are, this is the existing house.
Our proposal is to build a three-story property, trying to line up the windows with the house next door,
double hung windows trying to tie in the cornice line and then have a different material blend on
the third floor just to give some context to the front elevation we don't have any issues with
open space with height with rear yard the simple refusal was that a attached home is not permitted
in rsa3 zone which i indicated the outset i disagree with especially since every property
on the street is semi-detached. Here's another side perspective, just showing you the rooftop
deck and a cutaway of the house. This is the floor plan, basement area, first floor, second
floor will have two bedrooms, and there will be a third bedroom on the third floor with a rooftop
top deck. Now, to address the lack of a letter, I've met twice with the Southwest Philadelphia
District Services, and to be frank to the tribunal, they did not like the project.
They had a number of comments that they didn't want three stories. They didn't want new
construction per se. They wanted us to mirror what was on the block. We tried to mirror what
we could in terms of the facade. They thought there were too many bathrooms. So I don't know
if anyone from Southwest Philadelphia District Services is on the line, but they're certainly
welcome to speak. But after the two meetings that we had, I explained to the group, I said,
well, all of your comments are non-zoning related. I said, we're not, you can't regulate the number
of bathrooms. The height, we're under 38 feet. We have a nice rear yard. We have open space.
I said, and I understand that you may not like change, but I can't really control that because
my client is not asking for anything out of the ordinary. So that's the reason there is no letter.
I've been in contact with Franz Pierre. I believe he's on the call. They explained the situation to
him um and he may want to he may want to chime in on at the end of the presentation if the board
doesn't have any questions so i'm basically presenting this as a very very unique situation
where you have an entire block full of homes that are twins.
where you have an entire block full
And we're asking to put up a twin next to a home that is obvious at one time there was a twin here.
The side of the house is stuccoed.
So we're asking for its meat to be constructed right here so that it will be consistent with the rest of the block.
I mean, I don't know that I've ever come before the board without a letter from the community group.
So this is a really, really unique circumstance for me.
I want to make sure I'm totally transparent with everybody.
And I hope someone from Southwest is on the line, that they can respond to what my testimony has been.
So I'm asking the board to look upon this application kindly because it is a unique physical circumstance.
Our lot is 17 wide.
RSA 3 requires an eight-foot, typically, gap between the houses.
On this street, the gaps between the houses are about six feet.
If we were to put a four- to six-foot gap here, let's take the true, I guess, literal interpretation of the code.
If we were to put a four- to six-foot alley here, our house would be 13 feet wide, and it wouldn't make any sense because it's obvious that a home should be attached to this home
so that then it's consistent with the rest of the block.
The house will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood.
My research indicates this lot has been vacant for some time.
We're not going to disturb anyone's light or air,
and it's basically in conformity with the code.
So with that iRESC, I would ask my client to adopt my testimony
unless there's some questions from the board, which I'll certainly entertain.
Let's get your client on and then I do have a couple questions.
Vadim, are you on the call? It would be Vadim Boryshev, B-O-R-I-S-O-V.
If he could be promoted.
He's been unmuted. He's able to speak. He has to unmute himself.
Good evening, sir. Please identify yourself for the record and I'll swear you in.
Vadim Borisov.
Spell your first name.
Mr. Clinton spelled your last name.
How do you spell your first name?
V is in Victor, A is in Apple, D is in David, I, M is in Mary.
And the last name is B is in Boy, O, R, I, S is in Sam, O, V is in Victor.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Vadim, have you heard my testimony throughout this presentation?
if you had the opportunity to testify would you adopt my testimony as your own and as true and
correct yes thank you mr chairman mr clinton uh the first the first floor of your recliance
project is it set back or what where does it begin uh the reason i'm concerned about is the
consistency of the house most of the house at least next door not blocking it the porch the
front porch is it set back or is it flush it's going to be flush with the front facade of the
house next door okay so you're not so if i the house next door you're looking either way in
either direction uh left or right uh you're not your view won't be blocked correct correct
i think that's my only question any other questions from the board
no no anyone else would like to testify in this case please raise your hand
no handshare thank you planning commission uh ron bednar city planning do you swear
and affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth I do thank you Ron please
proceed this property is indicated for residential use on the city plan given the surrounding
neighborhood use context we have no objection to the grounding of the variance thank you
MR MI 2020-001578 1301 Hanson Street my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes
My vote is yes.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the board.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Calendar number 0200180, West Girard Avenue.
Zin Jin has been promoted to panelists good evening good evening Mr. Jin I believe you're
then Jen has been promoted to
still under oath yes name and address for the record and please spell your last name
sure Zin Jin Z-H-E-N J-I-N 1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard suite 1838 Philadelphia PA 19103 here
on behalf of the applicant. Thank you. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and
stipulate to its accuracy? I would only say that it's a referral, not a refusal, but we would
otherwise stipulate. Thank you. And have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership,
tax clearance, refusal referral, photos and plans five days in advance of this hearing,
and have you met with the RCO, and do you have a letter? Yes, to all questions. Thank you. You may
proceed. Thank you. Good evening. I'm going to go ahead and share with the board the information
related to this case. So we have submitted the referral, community letter, photos, plans, tax
compliance, lease, application, PIF, and hearing notice. This is a referral notice because this is
a CMX commercial mixed-use property. It's essentially a neighborhood shopping center
was one of the units being the one that we're applying for, for an eating and drinking
establishment. A special exception is required in this case. The application is for a seafood
restaurant. We met with the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, and we provided them
a dedicated location within the planned restaurant to put refuse. That's one of their main requests,
because at the center while there are dumpsters they're concerned with the dumpsters becoming
overflowing with refuse and ask that we have at least some type of interior trash storage plan
along with the confirmation we will have it picked up seven days a week
and my client did agree to that and we will make such plans and I'll show the plan where we intend
to do that. So this is the photograph of the location as you can see it's one of the unit
spaces it will require full fit out but again the use is very consistent with the area and it would
only add to the area and would not cause any greater hardship than what is normally associated
with restaurants in a commercial corridor. The plans show that the space will be laid out with
seating and a open style kitchen in the back. We have marked out an area on the plan that was
satisfactory to the community for storage of trash. I'm going to go ahead and zoom in a little bit
so that the board can more easily see that. So there is actually a parking access entrance in
the back. The dumpsters are actually in this parking area in one of the corners. So the community
primarily just want us to have trash cans within the unit so that we're not overflowing. We're
using just a dumpster for trash. And this is obviously subject to potential change in the
location within due to health code requirements.
So we don't necessarily want the plan stamp,
but we will accept that as a proviso from the board
that trash would be stored, the applicant would make space
available within the premises for trash storage
and that it would be picked up seven days a week.
With that, the community gave us their support.
And given that this is a special exception,
They have raised no other hardship. I believe my client has met the requirements of such
a application and would ask for the zoning board's favorable adjudication in this case.
Have your client? Yes, my client is here as well. It's Mr. Lin. So it's Xionghua Lin.
Maybe you can spell it for us.
It's X-I-O-N-G space H-U-A, last name L-I-N.
He might be on a phone number.
So if he's here, please raise your hand.
He's been unmuted on our end.
He has to unmute himself.
Is the unmute using the phone a particular combination?
He's not calling from a phone.
Mr. Lenny, you have to click unmute on your screen.
I'll see you next time.
if it was safe mr jen mr jen your client apparently is having some technical technical
difficulties as an officer of the court will stipulate your client would be adopting your
testimony i do thank you any questions from the board no no no would anyone else like to
testify in this case? If so, please raise your hand.
I have someone by the last name of Wu. Please unmute yourself.
Same person, John? It's associated with my client as well.
All right, so we'll get his full name on the record.
i see their issues still with the uh unmute unmuting um again i don't want to take up too
much of the board's time well you again will stipulate that uh you're he would adopt your
testimony anyone else who wish to testify please raise your hand no other hands share thank you
planning commission so ron bednar city planning
this property is uh indicated for neighborhood commercial mixed use on the city plan
we propose uh the proposal is consistent with the site use context therefore we have no objection to
the granting a special exception thank you ron mi 2020-000200 180 west gerard avenue my vote is yes
with proviso commercial trash pickup and trash to be stored inside building my vote is yes with
proviso yes with proviso yes with proviso thank you calendar number 1205 209 delmar street
Mr. Whalen has been promoted to panelist
Mr. Whalen can you please state your name and address for the record?
Sean Whalen, W-H-A-L-E-N, 6 Coulter Avenue, Suite 1000, Ardmore, PA, 19003.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Do you agree to waive and stipulate?
Yes, I do.
And just to make this clear, this is a continued hearing, so I would continue and reaffirm
everything that I already agreed to and stipulated to in the first year. Okay, so the exhibit packet
has been sent in? Yes, correct. There are revised plans, is that correct? Yes, there are revised
plans that were submitted prior to the original hearing. How many pages? I believe it's just one,
but let me double check. Excuse me, this is Sharon Saleta. Sarah Alderfer is also in attendance.
she represents the RCO, if she could perhaps be promoted to.
And to answer your question, Chairman, two pages are the revised plans. Thank you.
Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Sarah Alderfer, S-A-R-A-H-A-L-D-E-R-F-E-R,
1500 jfk boulevard suite 800 philadelphia i represent uh the coordinating rco ridge park
civic association and do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but
the truth i do thank you please proceed um yeah so actually sir i'm going to jump in here be
before we get just so we get started um chairman uh just to uh give a very quick background i know
the hour is late I made sure all of my prior witnesses are here in case the board has any
questions to get caught up again but I just wanted because it's because it's been about
five and a half weeks I figured I'd give a extremely quick overview of where we were
where we left off and why we continued. We'll get thank you and Sarah we'll get back to
as soon as he's done. Thank you. Sure. So I hope that you are seeing my screen now. And again,
if you have any questions, please let me know. I want to be very quick just to give you some
background. You know, I know you already heard all this, as did Sarah, I believe you heard all
of this as well. So I'm not not trying to skip by anybody. This is the project. This is 209
Del Mar Street, right next to it adjacent is 211 Del Mar Street, two very large deep parcels.