community, he would know this. So there has been several meetings to pretty much improve the
corridor, and we're going to continue to have those. In addition to that community meeting
that Mr. Allen spoke about, we asked what did his advertising
that Mr. Allen spoke about, we asked, what did his advertisement look like? Because they claimed
they were struggling to rent this commercial space, yet we couldn't find any advertisement,
you know? So we're all on a Zoom meeting, and we're looking for these advertisements. And when
asked, well, who's doing the advertisement? We were told by the applicant that they hired a
third party. The question was, okay, well, where's your third party advertising that you're renting
the commercial space. They didn't know. They didn't know where the commercial space was being
advertised. So how are you trying to rent a space? And we can't find anywhere where this space was
advertised for rent. So with that being said, no, I am opposing to this as a lifelong community
resident. 60th to 63rd and Market is a business, a commercial corridor, and that's how we want it
to stay. We do not want it to be K&A. And again, as far as those petitions that he had done,
they are questionable petitions. Because on that meeting at 6104, the residents that did
send that a meeting, and it was about 15 to 16 of them, Achievability should have sent that also,
we voted no. So during the community meeting that we had, the community said no. So he went ahead
and got his petition um and again those those petitions are questionable they're not we don't
know those people they're not verifiable so um again but the issue is you're against it you're
saying um i'm i'm i'm i'm heavily against it okay thank you very much for taking the time to call
in do you have a question can i briefly respond uh why don't we do this why don't we wait to see
if there's anyone else in. Is there anyone else
in the virtual audience?
Yes, Bridget Powell
with her hand raised. I have allowed them to speak
at this time. Hi, could you state your name
please and spell for the court
stenographer?
Before I continue,
I have a gentleman
who has a business
on that commercial quarter.
Hold on.
Could you state your name and spell for the stenographer?
her Bridget Powell b-r-i-d-g-e-t p-o-w-e-l-l thank you do you swear or affirm to tell the
truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth I do are you a neighbor I am I live in a unit block
okay proceed um I was also at the community meeting on zoom and yes we did not vote for
approval of this variance. And yes, he did present the petitions. And I also emailed you
petitions that I went and got on those same blocks that the owner has here. And I got all
non-support. And I basically want to say is that for over 20 years, I've lived over here in the
unit block. And we've seen the L and the construction. But at the same time, I use the L
to get to work. I can get off and go to the supermarket. I can get off at 63rd Street and
my children go to dance class there. And I can also get my hair done. There's daycares here.
And he also mentioned, we asked him how much was he asking for the commercial building? And he said
$1,200. And there was a gentleman on who chimed in. He says, well, when we asked, you told us
$1,700. So to me, $500 is a big difference and can make or break whether someone wants to rent
out your property. Okay. So you're against this proposal? I am against this proposal. And I'm in
agreement with our councilman, Gaudier, who says that if this can't be provisional, then she's
against it also. All right. Thank you very
much for taking the time to call in. Is there anyone
else in the virtual audience?
I'm, yes, Chair. A person with the initial
LH with their hand raised. I will
allow them to speak at this time.
Hi. Could you state your name and spell, please,
for the court stenographer?
Richard Milton.
Say it again. Richard Milton.
M-I-L-T-O-N. Okay.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth,
the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Are you a neighbor?
Are you for or, listen, hold on.
Are you for or against the project?
Against it.
Do you have any other reasons than what's already been mentioned?
I actually live right next door to the property and cross the street from the other one.
And since he'd had them properties, I used to know the man that actually owned it.
And it definitely was a business before that.
And it definitely was a business before that.
But the man got sick.
But the man got sick.
So what says that man?
So since that man took over both of them properties, they don't took bodies out of the buildings.
So I don't know what y'all are talking about.
It's a good thing that he's doing because all he's doing is messing the neighborhood up because they've been putting bodies out of the building, both of them.
And I'm going to tell you something else.
If he don't watch what he's doing, he can bring another body out of the one next door to me, and it's going to be a baby.
Do you hear that?
And I'm telling y'all that can.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comment, sir.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
I see no further hands, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Knopkinson, do you want to respond?
So in terms of our petition, that's something we provided the community group at our community
meeting.
And I don't know, I don't think they took the vote in front of us, but we purposefully
put contact information like phone numbers or email addresses.
So it's verifiable.
I can't speak to whether or not they did that, but, you know, we intentionally reach out to the community in that respect.
So I can't tell you what the vote was for the people in person.
It sounds like some of the people that were in at that community meeting who are against it are also hearing against it.
But after hearing those individuals who are against it at the community meeting, the community group agreed to support this project without any provisional support.
planning commission
thank you chair bergman and good afternoon david effecto with the city planning commission
the comprehensive plan recommends a change in zoning at this location from commercial
mixed use two to commercial mixed use three the proposed zoning would not require ground
floor commercial space and would allow additional units beyond what the current zoning permits
the city planning commission recommends the board grant the proposed use variants from the commercial
ground floor requirements in the zoning code and the dimensional variance to allow three
dwelling units.
Excuse me, Chair.
I'm sorry to interrupt, but it was one more person that wanted to testify.
Thank you.
And, Miss, you can put the other person on.
Hello, this is...
Could you state your name, please, and spell for the court stenographer?
Name's Cleveland English.
C-L-E-V-E-L-A-N-D, English, E-N-G-L-I-S-H.
Right.
Do you swear for him to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Are you a neighbor?
Are you for or against the project?
I live at 6101 Market Street and against it.
Do you have any other reasons other than what's already been stated?
Yeah. Yes. He says he couldn't rent the place and he had it rented out as a barbershop. And then after that, someone was just living in the place. It wasn't a barbershop anymore.
So all we want is a business deal that doesn't matter what kind we want.
When you stop in that block, you know that there will be different types of business and you don't have to change everything to keep a business district business.
Just like in Chinatown, they don't want nothing changed down there, but they want to come in our neighborhood and change everything.
Okay, well, we're just going to concentrate on the property, sir.
Yeah, well, that's all I'm concentrating on.
We don't want it.
And if you already said that we did, definitely is not in communication with this neighborhood here.
Okay, thank you very much for taking the time to call in.
Mr. Nockmson, do you want to respond to that real quick, or are you okay?
No, I think the Planning Commission's recommendation actually speaks volumes that this is proposed to be a CMX3 property, which would allow our use as a break.
All right. So we've had a lot of testimony on this. What I'd like to really do is next Wednesday, vote at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. I want to take some time and talk to the group in an executive session about where we want to stand with this. Okay?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Mr. Chair, this is Hillary. We do not have hearings.
Yep. Yeah, we hear, yes. But we do not have hearings next week. So this would be voted Wednesday, September 13th at 2 p.m. Yes.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. Number four, MI-2023-002-233-9218 Frankfurt Avenue. David Orfanides is the attorney. Recommendation of non-opposition from the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association with a proviso.
Order Proviso.
Councilman Drish.
Councilman Driscoll is also in non-opposition with Proviso.
You're coming back in as a panelist, sir.
Hi, Mr. Orphanides.
Could you state your name, please, and spell for the court stenographer?
Certainly.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman.
David Orphanides, last name is spelled O-R-P-H-A-N-I-D-E-S.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Would you identify your client, the relationship to the property?
Certainly.
My client is the owner of the property, Pozell Partnership 2 LLC.
And our vice chair has just a quick question, sir.
Certainly.
Good afternoon, counsel.
Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Good afternoon, Mr. Shaheed.
I do, and I do.
Have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that are needed and required to proceed with this case five days in advance of this hearing?
Yes, I did, Mr. Shahid.
Thank you. Please proceed and share your screen.
Thank you.
Let's share.
All right. It's confirming you can see my screen?
We can, sir.
All right. Great.
So, again, my name is David Orfanides. I'm here on behalf of the Zelle Partnership 2 LLC, which is the current owner of the property, 9218 Frankfurt Avenue. You see a photograph of it up in front of you.
um my client again is the owner of the property as you can see from the photograph which i took
of the property from frankfurt avenue uh the property was available for lease um it was last
occupied in uh march of 22 by citizens bank uh it has been vacant since that time my client has
attempted to, is advertised, tempted to lease the property for uses that are permitted at the
subject property based upon its zoning classification. I have a copy of a flyer
that they have circulated to their network of regional brokers. They also advertised digitally
on costar and loop net and um other than i think uh and i have somebody um from the uh from the
client from the owner here um who can confirm my statements is that other than one or two smoke
shops or convenience stores that look toward the property but it never went any further
they had no interest in the property for a permitted use um that we have a tenant uh we
have a lease that's signed. It's contingent upon the zoning, and that is religious assembly use.
It's the Philadelphia Temple of the International Central Gospel Church. They're presently operating
up on Grand Avenue at 1840 Grand Avenue. I have photos of that, and they wish to lease this
property for more space than what they presently have for their church. It is not a use that's
permitted. The property, interestingly enough, is zone CA1. That is, and I'll show you with the
zoning map, that is a commercial area shopping center zoning district. You'll see from the
aerials and the photos that there is a bit of a strip group of retail stores and operations
to the left of the property here, but this isn't a shopping center parcel. I mean, it's really,
And when you take a look at the photos of what's across the street, we're in zone CMX2.
It's more of a local business type of property and where this use would be permitted.
But again, it's zoning classified CA1.
We do, as mentioned, you stated we have a letter of non-opposition from Councilman Driscoll.
Here is a copy of that.
It's at tab one.
And then we have a letter of non-opposition from UHCA, the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association, dated August 23rd, 2023. Councilman Driscoll's office is also dated August 23rd, 2023.
um they uh the community group well we had a meeting a community group meeting uh and just
so you know originally there was a different community group um the northeast community council
community alliance um northeast community civic alliance was originally identified