Walder Street. I vote yes. Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes. James Snell, my vote is yes.
Ishmael Shaheed, my brother
chef. Thank you, counsel.
Thank you very much, chairman and board.
Have a great day.
All right. Number three,
2023-002-457-
Orthodox Street.
Sean Ward is
the attorney.
There's a letter of unanimous
support from the Bridesburg Community
Action Alliance.
Sean Ward has been promoted.
Mr. Ward?
I did promote. He should be coming in.
He's declining it for some reason.
Mr. Ward.
Mr. Ward?
He must be having technical difficulties.
All right.
So here's what we'll do.
Let's move on.
We'll come back to him.
Maybe by then he has it straight.
Number four, MI-2023-003-142-3111 West Montgomery Avenue.
Tameka McCoy is the attorney.
Letter of opposition from Strawberry Mansion CDC.
However, would support if it was a duplex.
Tameka McCoy has been promoted.
All right.
Sean, I'm going to come back to you.
I had a problem getting in.
That's okay.
We'll be back.
Counsel, could you state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Tamika McCoy, M-C, capital K, O-Y.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Could you identify your client, the relationship to this property?
i represent janae miller and arlene mills both are owners of the property they are mother and
daughter and our vice chair has just a few questions good afternoon council do you agree
to waive the reading of the refusal or stipulate to a democracy yes have you emailed in all the
required documents and exhibits that is needed to proceed with this case five days in advance
of this hearing yes thank you council please proceed and share your screen thank you i have
on my screen the materials that have been submitted in support of this application for
a variance. The variance sought essentially is one that had been previously granted first
back in 1945. I am moving to the page that delineates that initial variance, and it was
approved then for three apartments within the premises. This variance had also been one that
was supported by another request essentially in 1948. So the history of this property is that it
had previously been set up as a three apartment structure. It's two one bedrooms on the first and
second floor and an efficiency unit on the third floor. It's my understanding that the next door
to this facility is also set up in a similar way, three apartments, and it appeared that
three apartments and it appeared that at that time this was recognized to have been the history
at that time this was recognized.
and character of the neighborhood where this dwelling particularly lies. The request for
the variance does not increase any congestion to the area neighbors, does not pose any harm or
danger to any of the neighbors, and does not impair light or air to any of the neighbors.
A notice was sent to all of the effective residences, 139 in total, and that was done back in November of 2023.
There was a RCO hearing. In that RCO hearing, there was some confusion, it appears, on their understanding as to the use for the premises.
They submitted a letter, which was subsequently submitted. They essentially wants to approve two apartments rather than three, despite the history and character of the building and the fact that there are a number of other properties on the block.
that are situated for three apartment units.
What I can tell you is the owner, Arlene Mills,
occupied the first floor.
It was an owner-occupied premises for many, many years.
Actually, she lived there from 2009 for about 15 years
with her daughter, Janae Miller,
who also had previously occupied the property as well.
Ms. Arlene had experienced back surgery,
has some difficulties and so she occupies the first floor of the premises. Her daughter,
who is currently a PhD candidate, was recently diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia. And it's
my understanding that if they were not permitted the variance to continue having the property
situated with three apartments, they would not be able to afford to make any modifications.
I'm showing pictures of the interior of the apartment.
It was a very well-kept place that was done.
This is the first floor unit that Ms. Mills had lived in for many years.
She even put in a jacuzzi for her treatment for her back surgery.
The second floor has its own entrance.
And again, it's a one-story, one-bedroom part with a kitchen, living room, bathroom, separate from the first floor.
And the third floor is similarly situated.
All three of the units have access to a garage, which is accessible in the back.
And the trash plan encompasses them all essentially storing whatever trash inside of the garage
so that it could be taken out on the day that trash is due to be removed out.
There's also a separate side entrance for the same garage structure.
I'm showing you a photograph of the front of the building with the notice prominently affixed.
so that neighbors are able to see.
And as you can see, the mailbox on the notice
delineates the three apartments
that had already been in that facility since 1948.
Included with the plans that have been submitted
are the actual plan for each of the apartments
as it's currently set up,
as it has been set up since the 40s.
I believe it's been in the possession of this family
for approximately 80 years.
Again, this would be the trash plan
where on a day of trash,
the garage is accessible to Morris Street
and that is the block where trash is collected.
We have a picture of across the street
if you were standing on a porch,
that would be the depiction of the other houses
that are also on a block. And if you were looking to the right, you would see what's
shown on the image here. And if you were looking to the left, this essentially is what you
would see. It would basically be the street that proceeds onto 31st Street. Again, it
It is an existing dwelling. It had been configured in a three unit apartment for more than 80 years.
This is the next door to this property, which is also situated with.
The next door to this property, which is also situated with three units, and next door has also been situated that way since 1959 when a variance was approved for the next door's use.
Again, there are multiple properties that are configured in this matter on this very block, and it would not frustrate the purpose that it was originally intended.
And I believe there was a notation that was made that essentially indicated that the intention of the premise conforms to the neighborhood the way that the neighborhood is configured.
And I think that is important to note, though we are seeking a variance.
And so with that, I would ask for Ms. Arlene Mills to be admitted so that she could adopt the testimony that it is today.
Ms. Mills?
Ms. Mills?
Yes, hello.
Hi, could you state your name?
please and spell for the court stenographer. Yes my name is Arlene Mills and it's A-R-L-E-N-E
last name is M-I-L-L-S. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the
truth? Yes sir. Please proceed counsel. Good afternoon Ms. Mills did you hear the information
that had been presented to the board here today yes and would you adopt that testimony as
truthful and accurate yes and would you fully adopt it as if it was set forth by you yes
i have no more uh questions and i would submit questions or comments from the board
no mr chairman no mr chairman
no questions thank you questions or comments from our attorney hillary emerson
um just briefly um miss mccoy and i'm sorry if you stated this and i missed it um the garage
that's on the property is that used for accessory parking or is that just for storage no it's
actually used for storage and the trash plan takes into consideration that any occupants could
use or deposit trash there in um in advance of the actual trash day and it will be then
removed from the garage and placed out on morse street for pickup on the trash day
so it's used for storage primarily there is off-street parking on both sides of the block
Okay, thank you for the clarification.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, Chair, we have somebody by the name of Tyrone Williams with their hand raised.
They've been allowed to speak.
Mr. Williams, could you state your name, please, and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, good evening, Mr. Berkman and the board.
My name is Reverend Tyrone Williams, first name T-Y-R-O-N-E, last name W-I-L-L-I-A-M-S.
You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Yes, I do.
Please proceed, sir.
First off, hello, Ms. McCoy, first time I'm meeting you, because I've been dealing with
Mr. Dennis Lee on his property since November the 30th, when they first came before the
CDC. At that time, there was some questions and concerns
about trash playing, and I'm going to jump on
that in a minute. And there was concerns about
the studio apartment. Why couldn't it be converted,
combined to make it two families? There was no hardship
presented. Today is the first time seeing the trash
playing. The first time seeing that garage, which was
never presented with us. Ms. Arlene Mills told us there was a wall that led towards Morris Street
that all the residents put their trash behind that wall. And there's a business on the corner
that also used that same area for trash. And so there was no garage presented in either presentation
the first time or second time. Secondly, there was concern, and I noticed Ms. McCoy stayed away
from that there was concern that there's a bathroom and sink and everything in the basement
for a full bathroom with a tub and a sink and a toilet
A full bathroom with a tub and a sink and a toilet.
When we inquired about the basement, Ms. Arlene Mills let us know that that was for her storage.
Now today I'm hearing that she uses the garage for storage, which we've never seen.
I've never seen that garage.
That was never in their plans.
Nor that I get informed, I guess no one has to do that,
that Mr. Lee was no longer representing Ms. Mills, that's not my business. What is my business is
this. We've asked specific questions. I can appreciate Ms. McCoy's history lesson
that goes all the way back to 1945. Lord knows I wasn't born then. Neither was I born in 1948.
But I will tell you, even without being in those times, it was a different time. As you heard her
in our home testimony, the family utilized their home.
It wasn't being utilized to rent out to others.
This is what they're asking for now, and we at the CDC
is still in non-support of this project.
The residents is in non-support. They have been under assault
in their area with people
just putting up these buildings, single family
and putting three families in them.
They've been trying to fight back.
We're trying to support those residents.
We support this community.
The vote was seven no, I mean, seven yeses, one no, and two abstains.
It was about 13 people in the meeting,
and I wish I could have had a conversation,
as me and Mr. Lee has been doing through this whole process.
I wish I could have had a conversation with Ms. McCoy,
Prior to her being present here today, but that's for y'all to deal with, that's not my business.
But our position is still no, but we will support if it was two families.
We would not support three families.
Thank you.
Thank you, Reverend.
Anyone else in the virtual audience?
There are no hands, Chair.
Planning Commissioner.
Sorry, Ron Bednar, City Planning. Property is indicated for residential use on the city plan.
Given the documented use history, physical conditions of the site, we recommend the request of advance to be granted.
Thank you.
Ms. McCoy, how about if I hold the vote on this?