and the side alleyway is depicted uh right where you're at where your hand is so that there is
access to get to the rear for uh any for the either the for the second floor property of course
as well as the first first floor property um al is there anything else that you want to point out
about this? I would like to point out, Steve, that we're on Cotman Avenue, which is also known
as the PA Route 73. It's a very large right-of-way. It's 100-foot right-of-way Cotman Avenue, which
has 60 feet of cartway and then 20 feet of footway or sidewalk on either side. Cotman
avenue is serviced by multiple uh public transit routes um set the routes uh 67 route 70 and
77 are serviced on cockman avenue okay all right i think that's all the questions i have
for mr tantel if i could just have mr uh tony or anthony ambrosini uh be able to
just briefly testify real quick so he confirms and affirms my testimony that would be great
if you could have your client raise their hand please
I'll have I think Mr. Ambrosini is together with Mr. Tantella so hopefully yes we can get him
yes I'm here there he is sir did they did you put your name and address on the record
No, he didn't yet.
Okay, name and address, please, and spell your last name.
Anthony Ambrosini, last name, A-M-B-R-O-S-I-N-I.
And your address?
Kottman Investments, 9989-Global.
Kottman Investments, 9989 Global Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19115.
Thank you.
And do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Thanks.
Thank you, Madam Vice Chair.
Mr. Ambrosini, I've done a lot of the talking, but you've heard what I've stated on the record.
Do you adopt that as your testimony here today?
Yes, I do.
And so what I said about, you're a plumber by trade, isn't that correct?
Yes, correct.
What was the, just real brief, what was the condition of 1325 when you bought it from the widow Gibbs?
It needed much repair.
She was living away from home for the past year before she confronted us that she wanted to, you know, get rid of it because she couldn't keep it up anymore.
So we did make a private sale. We have been involved in the community there for over 20 years.
And we'd like, like I said, we get along with the neighbors. They get along with us.
And we'd like to remain in the community. That's why people are not in opposition of what we want to do.
Al, if you could, could you put up the petition of support, which is at R16, Exhibit 16?
And that's a porch from the near neighbors?
Mr. Ambrosini, 1323 Cotman Avenue is the rectory.
Isn't that correct?
That's the rectory on our right-hand side or the eastern side.
That's 1323.
1317 Cotman Avenue is?
Yeah, that's the corner property.
That's the tenant in there, Maria.
who runs the uh the commercial space correct um 13 11 the 13 15 is yeah that's uh anthony's
appliances on the same side cotman avenue but he's on the other side of dungan road just two
properties in that we pointed out is that correct correct yeah 13 1331 cotman avenue is a house
that's what two doors down from the church correct correct same block face 1327 is the
representative from the church correct and uh 1335 cotman avenue is it's on the uh further down
from the church okay but still on your street block face yeah all on our side correct mr pollack
i have a question 1323 cotman avenue is the rectory yes no 1323 that's our that's uh the
building adjacent to ours it's oh i'm sorry the rectory at 1317 is the church right correct no
1317 is uh our corner there oh your corner right 13 i'm third 1327 is the church okay and 1323
isn't the rectory it can't be because there's no it isn't it isn't it isn't okay i'm getting
confused and have you met with the rco we did they did you you went to the meeting right tony
Yes, we did go to a meeting, and we thought it was held at the church, and we thought we gave our case, and they seemed like they were going to talk about it, but they didn't have any opposition to it, let's put it that way.
Excuse me, this is Sharon Saleta, Vice Chair Tenere. I just forwarded you an email from Alice Udovich with the RCO letter in opposition attached.
right right but at the meeting they didn't take a vote is that correct no no vote
and they and and okay so you didn't when you left the meeting and it was an in-person meeting you
had no idea what what was uh going to be the outcome is that correct now we had no idea no
okay okay well i do have a letter from them opposing this we we understand
um that's that's all i have for mr ambrosini members of the board in essence what we're
saying this is a mixed bag neighborhood uh with commercial and two family dwellings in the area
it's on a very busy street where a property stuck between two driveways it's good and bad news the
good news is if you're stuck between two driveways the property that we're adjacent to and our twin
has off-street parking spaces. The church also has off-street parking spaces when it's needed.
There is space to park in front along Cotman Avenue. As Mr. Tantella pointed out, there are
at least three SEPTA bus routes that service this. And as you've heard, structurally, this place was
from Mr. Ambrosini and from Mr. Tantella was in bad shape. Mrs. Gibbs had, I guess, deferred
maintenance and had moved out and left the place unattended for about a year
and saw the Ambrosini's as a proper steward to preserve this property and use it in terms of
and saw the Ambrosini's as a proper steward.
we believe that having that that this is the least minimum variance that will afford relief
to be able to use the property as a two-family dwelling. There's ample rear yard space as you
see about 36 feet and with that we feel that it will not be detrimental to the health safety and
welfare of the neighborhood and we would move for all our exhibits to be accepted into the record
and we would rest does the board have any questions no no no okay do you think would
be helpful to go back and have another meeting i i wasn't there i mean i would have i would i don't
know if Alice is on I would defer to I would I would defer to Alice because she uh has a pulse
of uh every community that's in Councilman O'Neill's district so right yes I am name and
address please good morning Madam Vice Chair Alice Udovich from Councilman Brian O'Neill's office
and do you swear for him to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth I do do you think it
would be helpful to have another meeting i'm not i'm not sure i just want to put on the record that
burholm civic has a general policy of non-support of conversions to multifamily and therefore the
councilman supports them in their opposition okay as i said this is you know every every case is
different, every case is unique. If these were speculators who were just coming in to
try and turn something into a two-family dwelling and flip it, I would say no. I made a reference
to monopoly in the sense, but the Ambrosini's have shown that they have a deep investment
in this little part of Cotman and Dungan neighborhood in the Burlholm community. And
tough 10 pounds of sugar in a five pound bag, but it's with care and consideration of what's going
on in the neighborhood. So you have to think about all those considerations. And as I said,
I wish if I could, I would say, you know, we control the parking area next door, but I can't
in the sense that I've had it where this board has granted me with a proviso to provide parking
on the next door lot. And Ellen and I have said, well, the next door lot's zone residential,
so you need to go get another variance for that lot so that's our you know our our dilemma
in terms of trying to help out a little bit at this situation
okay board has no questions no i do i do uh vice chair uh jim snell here um
is this something we could always talk about at our next uh executive session
probably
okay just an idea sharon um yes you can hold it for discussion close the record
and um vote it following the next executive session we should get the planning commission
input now planning commission good morning vice chair tanari ian hegarty with the philadelphia
city planning commission staff do you swear for him to tell the whole truth and nothing about the
truth i do um so this property is indicated for residential single-family use as has been noted
but we believe the proposed two-family use is generally appropriate for the location
and we do not object to the granting of the variance
okay um does the board still see a need to discuss this at an executive session no
jim confessor
uh i'm okay i guess i'm okay if you are vice chair
okay the record is now open calendar number 1104 1325 Cotman Avenue my vote is yes
my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes
thank you members of the board Madam Vice Chair that completes my day
and hopefully you'll get done before 12 noon
thank you thank you very much thank you alice bye-bye calendar number zero
Thank you, Allison. Bye-bye.
Calendar number 0734-1542, North 59th Street.
The appellant in this case is the property owner, Valerie McRae, who is appearing pro se, and the RCO supports the application.
Ms. McRae, you may unmute yourself. You're free to speak.
Yes, good morning, Vice Chair, and everyone else.
Good morning. Can you put your name and address on the record, please?
Valerie McCray, 1542, Royal 59th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19151.
And do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Have you emailed your exhibit packet with the proof of ownership, tax compliance, refusal, referral, photos and plans of the property,
five days in advance of this hearing, and have you met with the RCO, and do you have a letter?
Yes, I do. Okay, you may proceed.
Yes, well, I was, sorry, I applied for a license for an electrical permit, and that's when
it was poor that my house was zoned wrong.
Ma'am, you are muted.
Is Valerie still here? I mean, I'm sorry. Okay. So it's basically a zoning issue. That's
in City Hall. This is zoned incorrectly. So I'm just trying to get it zoned right.
So you're requesting a two family dwelling in an existing structure. What is that structure
now it's a two-family dwelling it's it was built as a duplex so it's a duplex now it's two-family
dwelling already but when was when was the property built in 1920 i believe 1920 yes
okay and you met with the rco yes i have yes ma'am
and i know they're supporting you is there anyone here on this case
i see no hands vice chair
okay does the ward have any questions no no no
Planning Commission.
Morning again, Vice Chair. This property, Ian Hegarty with the Philadelphia City Planning
Commission. So this property is actually recommended for residential multifamily use
in the comprehensive plan. And in addition, the proposed use is consistent with documented
previous uses at this property. And so we have no objection to the granting of the variance.
Thank you. Calendar number 0734, 1542 North 59th Street. My vote is yes.
My vote is yes.
My vote is yes.
My vote is yes.
Calendar number 2040, 2007 Addison Street.
VICE CHAIR, I HAVE NO RECORD OF HAVING RECEIVED EXHIBITS FOR THIS CASE.
I ALSO COULDN'T FIND ANY RECORD OF A PREVIOUS LISTING.
THERE ARE NO HANDS, VICE CHAIR.
Okay, calendar number 2040-2007 Addison Street. There are also no exhibits with this. This
case is dismissed. Dismissed. Dismissed.
Calendar number, I'm getting there, 1179-610-East Mount Pleasant Avenue.
Calendar number, I'm getting there.
This is Sharon.
The attorney is Darlene Threat and we have an RCO letter in support.
Ms. Three, please unmute yourself.
Darlene, are you there?
Good morning, Commissioner. Darlene Threat on behalf of Germantown Christian Assembly.
Okay, can you put your name and address on the record, please? Spell your last name.
Darlene Threat, I have a new address, Commissioner. 45 East City Avenue,
Ella Kenwood PA 19004. And do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do. Have you emailed the exhibit packet with required documents, including proof of
ownership, tax compliance, refusal referral, photos and plans of the property five days in
advance of this hearing? And have you met with the RCO? And do you have a letter? Commissioner,
I've sent all of those those documents to the board. It may not have been quite five days in
advance and i have met with the community and i do have a lot of support okay who is the rco
your rco is east mount airy neighbors okay miss saletta do you have any of the exhibits
i do i have all of the exhibits chair
okay um mr you may proceed oh good afternoon uh commissioners uh darlene three on behalf of
east mount airy neighbors i do believe that i have a mr calton henry the uh treasurer of the
church uh present today uh would you like to uh swear mr henry in yes name and address please
Sir, can you hear me?
Mr. Henry, please raise your hand so I can unmute you.
Mr. Henry, you've been unmuted. You're free to speak. You have to unmute yourself.
Can you hear me now?
Yes. Can you put your name and address on the record, please?
My name is Carlton Henry.
And your address?
At home, 1021 Arboretum Road in Wincote, Pennsylvania.
Okay, and do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Commissioner, we apply to the license and inspections basically to have an awning put
on to the back of the church. Can you see my exhibit package?
No, we can't.
How about now?
Hello?
Yes. Can you see the package?
now we can at the beginning of it. Thank you very much. Commissioner, I've submitted a package today
which contains a refusal, an appeal, a project information form, a tax clearance, property
information, zoning history, plans, pictures, certificate of mailing, and a community letter.
Basically, Commissioner, this church has been in existence in this neighborhood since 1974.
74. I'm going to go through the exhibits slowly. This is the refusal. Basically, we would like to
add an awning to the back of the church. We were refused because our awning is greater than the