But in this instance,
in terms of the density,
we're proposing 16 homes
that meet an affordable price point
for those within the community
and outside of the community
looking for affordability
with a little bit more density
on a block that doesn't have a lot of density at all. So taking, balancing out some of the
existing homes, the uses like garages, mechanics, and neighborhood in transition to frontages so
that you have eight along 4th Street and eight along Leithgow. We believe that what we're
proposing is reasonable. And respect your comment and understand there's a diversity
of opinion. And I would actually say that you see that even in the feedback from the community,
which is split. Did you fill out a low income density bonus for zoning?
No. In fact, I'm glad you mentioned that, Mr. Holloman. This developer is not taking advantage of any of those types of code provisions to try to seek that type of opportunity.
Of course, we're dealing with RSA-5, which doesn't allow it in the same way as some of the other districts, but we felt it more important with the reputation of this developer and the projects that he's done before that have a good track record for actual market rate affordability, if you will, rather than legal guideline affordability, that we were achieving a worthwhile social purpose.
Thank you.
thank you for your comments thank you any other questions from the board
no anyone else would like to testify in this case please raise your hand
chair we have derek spencer you may unmute yourself sir and wait for the chair
morning mr spencer please i'm sorry sorry to speak over you mr spencer is the architect on
the project we can hold off on him for a moment anyone else would like to testify
yes chair we have sloan folks mr folks you've been unmuted
good morning chairman chico zba board uh sloan folks sloane fs and fire o lks office of council
and Maria Cayman-Sanchez.
Coach, you're still under oath.
Please proceed.
Thank you, sir.
The applicant and the RCL have met and have had at least two meetings
to discuss the present and future concerns regarding the development.
The community expressed a number of concerns,
which you have seen in their letter of non-support.
um one of the things that the councilwoman uh recognizes was that the community and the
developer uh through mr laver uh continue to um insist on having an open dialogue and having a
willingness to meet um the councilman recognizes that this is a high impact project and
The Councilwoman recognizes that this is a high-impact project and understands some of the concerns outlined by the RCO.
And she and this office will continue to advocate for mixed-income housing with an emphasis on affordability.
One of the things that Councilwoman hopes is that there could possibly be a two-week delay on a decision so that the community and the developer can be given one more opportunity to try to identify the issues and come to an agreement on this fairness request.
Thank you.
Mr. Laver, is there any objection to a two-week delay?
it sounds like the councilwoman wants to try to be helpful though both sides
it's the first that i'm hearing of it but uh i know that mr nadal has a lot of respect for
council member maria quinones sanchez and mr folks as well um we have engaged in uh i think
mr folks um referenced two open community meetings but we had at least two uh zoning
Committee leadership meetings. If the board is inclined to allow that to happen, again, out of
respect for a council member, we do not have an objection to that. Thank you. If we do a resumption
hearing uh fatina or tanya what would be the next date and this is
march 10th at 9 30. 3 10 at 9 30. sharon you were about to say something uh just that the hearing
would be limited to mr laver and mr folks if you'd like reporting on any progress made with the
community organization. So noted. So MI, I'll wait, we'll wait for the Planning Commission
until the next hearing. MI 2020-000711, I'm sorry, I got the wrong one here. MI 2020-002476-2214-22
North 4th Street. This hearing will be resumed on March the 10th at 9 30 a.m., at which time the
board will consider any feedback from the council person and the RCO. Thank you Mr. Chairman and
members of the board. Thank you. Calendar number 0711-2346 North 8th Street. Joseph Vaccaro.
Mr. Vaccaro you're you've been promoted to panelists
you may unmute yourself
there we go
Mr. Vaccaro can you put your name and address on the record please
good morning my name is Joseph Vaccaro attorney ID 83366
the address 5918 Torresdale Avenue in Philadelphia 19135 attorney for the applicant
Thank you. Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Do you also agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Yes, I do.
Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership, tax compliance, a copy of the refusal or 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.
You may proceed.
Thank you.
Good morning.
may it please the board. My name is Joseph Vaccaro, attorney for the applicant.
This is an application for a personal vehicle repair and maintenance in an existing attached
structure. There will be no spray painting and no signs to this application. The reason for the
refusal of this application was that this was a CMX-2 and the purpose of this application
is to essentially legalize and to formalize that which has been taking place at this lot,
at this lot consisting of 1,840 square feet for decades. For decades, there's been an auto,
small-scale auto repair shop at this location. The location is 16 feet wide by 115 feet deep.
It is small scale, no more than two vehicles being worked on at a time, with no more than three employees at a given time.
The hours of operation would be from Mondays through Saturdays from 8.30 a.m.
The hours of operation would be from Mondays through Saturdays from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Again, we're stressing that there would be no painting performed at this location.
On January 28, 2019, I had met with the Village of Arts and Humanities, the local RCO.
So there were 41 attendees at that meeting, 23 supported, one opposed, and there were three non-oppositions.
The rest of the attendees apparently did not vote.
There was a concern raised in the letter, and I quote,
a resident supplied the following information, quote,
attached to our photos showed that they have been operating as a business for several years
without proper licensing and permits. They also paint vehicles in the evening, causing pollution
to our community. They're asking for the zoning based on a small-scale personal vehicle repair
and maintenance when they have already using structure as a business, not just for personal
use, close quote. Again, my client has not performed any painting at that site, nor do they
intend to perform any painting at that site. I've submitted a copy of the refusal along with the
application for appeal. Plot plans that show the size of the lot in question, the area 16 by
115, along with the letter from the RCO, all of that has been submitted, along with photographs
of the site. Again, there would be no more than two vehicles being used at a time, so to reference
or to address on the refusal that four spaces would be required, my client does not need the
four spaces, given that my client would only be using two spaces, tops at a time, and obviously
no storage of any vehicles out on the street. As for the neighboring properties, to the immediate
south, there's a vacant lot, and the lot following that vacant lot, there's a marble cutting business
where they cut stone, granite, marble, etc. The building to the immediate north is a vacant
building. It's been vacant for many years. Focusing again on this lot, there are two bays.
The bays have been installed years ago, decades ago. And again, the purpose of our application
is to formalize and legalize that which has been taking place for decades at this spot.
Next to me, in my office, I have Ms. Evelyn Ortiz.
She's the president of New Era Auto Mechanics,
that's the corporation that is actually operating at this time.
Sir, Mr. Vaccaro?
Go ahead.
We lost your audio.
You said next to me is Ms. Ortiz, and then you faded out.
Okay, I'm sorry. I'll repeat myself. Next to me is Ms. Evelyn Ortiz. She's the president of New Era Auto Mechanic, Inc. That's the corporate entity that is operating at this spot at this time. I can turn it over to Ms. Ortiz unless the board or anybody has any questions of me at this time.
Well, if you want to get her to adopt your testimony, we'll do that first and then we'll ask for questions.
Very well. I'll just turn my computer. Ms. Ortiz.
morning ma'am name and address i'm sorry full name and i'll swear you in
evelyn ortiz e-v-e-l-y-n-o-r-t-i-z you swear and affirm to tell the truth the whole truth
nothing about the truth i do mr thank you mr vicaro
mr vicaro you're muffled you're you're fading out
can you hear me now a little bit try that again okay ms ortiz okay ms ortiz did you hear my
presentation yes did you hear that mr de chico yes yes okay and do you have anything to add or
subtract or anything to correct from my presentation no would you adopt my presentation as your own
testimony. Does the board have any questions? Yeah, I actually do. What were the hours of
operation? 8.30 to 5. And the days? Mondays through Saturdays.
And the days? Mondays through Saturdays.
Questions from the board?
Anyone else would like to testify in this case, please raise your hand.
Chair, we have Mary Jones. Ms. Jones, you've been unmuted. Please wait for the chair.
Good morning, Ms. Jones. Please identify yourself with a record and I'll swear your win.
Mary Jones representing Council President Darrell Clark, the 5th Council District.
We're in the firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.
I do. Thank you. Please proceed.
um i i actually um had first had a question um i did um review this property and we found um
three open l and i violations including one for unsafe structure um just like ask how those will
be dealt with you mr vicar are you aware of the l and i violations i was not aware of the l and i
violations but obviously um i'm going to have to now that i'm aware of these lni violations
i'm going to have to reach out to the landowner uh to see how what they are and how can they be
resolved i can ask uh ms ortiz if she's aware of the violation or if this is the first time that
that she's being made aware of them.
Ortiz,
are you aware of the
violations issued by
L&I? No.
Do you know,
Mary, do you happen to know
the violations are listed in?
I have
under the
owner is
Palmer Pedro.
4-6. And it just says
um violation it was open and on November 30th 2020. Okay so Mr. Vicara you're Mr. Ortiz is
the tenant? Yes Mr. Ortiz is the tenant. All right uh what I would suggest that Mary if there's no
objection to the use uh I'm not putting words in your mouth if there is no objection
uh we we can do a proviso uh in addition to the days and hours of operation that they must obtain
a co within a certain amount of time um yes that's fine um and the i guess in the no painting
and yeah yeah no painting and no body and fender no spray painting
yes that's that's that's um that's fine thank you thank you anyone else would like to testify in
this case. I see no more hands shared. Thank you. Planning Commission. Good morning. Brian
Wenrick for City Planning. This property is indicated for commercial use on the comprehensive
plan. This application matches the pattern of existing development on the block. Accordingly,
we have no objection to the granting of the variance. Thank you. MI 2020-000711 2346 North
8th Street. My vote is yes with the following provisos. Hours of operation 8 30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Days of operation Monday through Saturday. Use limited to no spray painting and no body and
Fender work, and a CO must be obtained within six months.
My vote is yes with proviso.
Yes with proviso.
Yes with proviso.
Okay, thank you, everyone.
Thank you very much.
Have a good day.
You have a good day, too.
Calendar number 2473-2401, South 61st Street.
Mr. Anastasio, you've been promoted to panelists.
Good morning.
Can you please put your name and address on the record?
Vern Anastasio, 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1006, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Do you also agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance, refusal referral,
photos under plans of the property within five days of this hearing and have you met with the rco
photos under plans of the property within five days of this hearing, and have you met
with the...
and do you have a letter yes to all that thank you you may proceed thank you mr chairman members
of the board good morning 2401 south 61st street is a corner property the application is for the
establishment of a unity of use with 2403 to create one parcel for zoning purposes only
And the use will be for takeout restaurant with retail sale of food, beverages, and groceries at the first floor with one single family household living above in the same building with personal care service, which would be hair braiding at the rear, which is what is now a garage at 2401.
There'll be vacant space at the first floor and a single family household living above at 2403.
The size and location will be shown on the plans, and my client is Mohamed Sinan, who is from Africa, and he'd like to have the...
Are you able to share, excuse the interruption, to share the exhibits?
Oh, yeah. I thought I did that. Sorry.
Here we go. How's that?
Got it now. Thank you.
Awesome.
Awesome. So let's go back so we know what we're doing. I want to show you the refusal.
Barge that a little bit. That would be helpful. Thank you. Yep. Here's the refusal.