We're having a hard time seeing it.
I sure can. That's much better. Thank you. And I would tell you, we have all your documents. So if you would, I think you should go to photos and plans. That was my plan. Right. Oh, thank you. Thanks. Well, I like we're on the same page.
I sure can.
That's much better.
Thank you.
Thank you.
okay so just as an obvious there's the certificate of tax compliance i'm going to scroll to exhibit
g which is listed as the scale drawings for the property uh as you'll see the first floor unit
is actually already uh rented um pursuant to legally rent it with a certificate of rental
suitability etc and what we'd like to do right now the second floor and third floor are exactly
the same with regard to the overlay with regard to the structure can can you okay
is that what you yeah can can we make it a little bigger a little little yeah
a little bit let me see something
thank you is that work is that good okay
i'm sorry i'm learning something from one of my fellow board take your time i don't have to get
you to do it you can expand but i'm happy to expand for you it's fine thank you yes ma'am
um so as you'll know the second and third floor which are currently vacant uh pending approval
are also consists of three bedrooms kitchen bathroom unit the basement itself is on the
plans but simply storage right there so I'm going to keep scrolling down to the exhibit H which
shows the property photos the first photo is just a time stamped confirmation that zoning was posted
it was a little difficult to see in our initial exhibit it so that was the supplemental one that
we exhibit it. These are the outside photos of the property. I'm going to scroll a bit
slowly. The area itself, the properties are the area that street is RSA 5. The area itself
is a combination of RM 1, CMX 2, CMX 3, and of course RSA 5. Following our internal photos
of the property, kitchen space, additional kitchen space, the view of across the street
from that unit bedroom closet storage just the stairwell
it's multiple photos the restrooms for the properties you'll see bathrooms and showers
throughout one of the bedrooms
And then one other just kind of additional note, the property already is set up with panels for each unit. So pointing that out that, again, it is already configured, Apartment 1, 2, and 3, for that setup.
and then if there are no current questions i'm just going to scroll down to the community
meeting handout which is my last exhibit that shows just what was presented to the community
why they requested which is essentially what we said the property has been historically used for
multi-family residents the first floor is rented this essentially allows us allows us to continue
to use the property in the most effective way while still maintaining the characteristics of
the neighborhood. There are no short-term rentals planned. There's no exterior expansion to the
building, no increasing building site or change to the residential character. And again, these
are the things that were committed at the community hearing, information regarding parking.
The applicant committed to a maximum of three dwelling units, no short-term rentals,
has already begun the property management and plans to continue that and of course
obviously full compliance with building fire and safety codes the meeting was held with
achievability on february 11th i believe apologies if i'm me speaking these are also signatures of
members of the community that mr etienne was just able to pull on his own just stating their support
of that they are in support of the project the change the use the addresses and then finally
the meeting summary from Achievability the coordinating RCO they were in support there
They were in support. There was no opposition. And specifically to quote, you know, one person thank the property owner for creating welcome changes and being present and invested in the neighborhood, which is Mr. Etienne's plan. And look forward to basically receiving any comments or thoughts and continuing to work with the neighborhood. That is essentially our proposal.
was no opposition and specifically
Why don't you bring him on to adopt your testimony?
I was going to say that is essentially our appraisal.
Please allow me to bring applicant on.
Mr. Etienne, if you can please raise your hand if you already have it.
It was Mr. Etienne.
Is that stuff with an E?
I don't see a hand raised.
Yes, it's Bernard Etienne, E-T-I-E-N-E.
Yes, ma'am.
Thank you.
I'm promoting now.
Okay, he has declined that first promotion, and I will try again.
Bernard Etienne, can you accept a promotion?
the client once again oh so counsel um yes you went over this pretty well and i and i think as
an officer of the court we'll take your testimony questions from the board yes could you just uh
describe the trash plan for me for the three units uh yes ma'am so currently uh it's just
or private pickup for the one unit i believe that the applicant has a plan to put in a trash
management service that goes along with a normal pickup for the area on the property again where
would the trash be stored prior to pick up for each unit so what i can gather is that prior to
pickup there's initial space this is what i was actually hoping the client would speak to
but i'm going to scroll down to the photos
So in the property, if you see along the side, there's an area near the steps that I believe will work for trash storage at a larger rate or a larger unit outside of what the individuals have available in their homes.
So in that area available for pickup on the outside of the property.
So the second and the third floor would have interior trash storage as well as the first floor?
Yes, ma'am.
When you say outside of the property, what do you mean?
I'm sorry. Did I say outside?
I'm saying before they were put outside for trash pickup, they would be stored in these areas.
Well, that's your HVAC and your hot water. I don't think you want to store your trash in your HVAC closet.
I believe that's a fire waiting to happen.
note it note it i believe there is a space in here that the um that the client has specifically
referenced and i apologize for not having this exact answer that is the one thing i asked him
to come on and speak to just i was brought onto the project yes there we go here he is yeah sir
could you please state your name is spelled for the stenographer my name is bernard h-n-b-e-r-n-a-r-d
Last name is E-T-I-E-N-N-E.
All right.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
All right.
Counsel, you want to adopt your testimony first, then handle the question about the trash with your client.
Absolutely.
Mr. Etienne, were you able to hear and see my presentation to the zoning board?
Are you able to confirm that the statements I have made accurately reflect your request in the intended use of the property?
And you adopt my statements as your testimony before the Zoning Board of Adjustment?
Wonderful. Okay. In that case, for the record, could you briefly confirm
how you intend to handle the trash storage and basically maintenance for the property?
Yeah, actually, in the meeting, that was one thing we discussed, especially there's a little
yard in the back of the property. At first it was putting the trash right there, but there's
other people that was dumping the trash there. So we actually removed the container, the trash bin.
I removed them. The first floor actually right now, she's agreed to holding the trash into the
apartment because she said she's not willing to produce a lot of trash. And also calling the
And also, I also call in the sanitation, I had to talk with them.
sanitation, I had a talk with them, they say they all
They say they are also planning to do a two-week-day trash removal.
So that would make it much easier.
So if we have a two-day trash removal, because I've been talking with them regarding the dumping,
or there's other people that I was dumping in the thing, actually cleaning this area a couple of times.
And actually, this time, it's actually since I removed the trash bin, it's been cleaned and no dumping there.
and the first floor being uh will satisfy with the trash and they put it out whenever the trash day
is in so the question is trash will be stored inside and put out on trash day is that what
you're saying yes yes and the what i understand is that part of that is just confirming that i
didn't want to overly confirm but confirming that management plan with whoever the trash
company is going to be once the second and third floor are properly approved
no no that was that i that was that was me misspeaking right now what i meant is that
they're keeping it internally i know there was a side situation i know that they had something
outside but people that did not live there were using it so the idea was to come up with a
different plan that allowed a more control for the property thank you yes questions from our
attorney um i just noted that one of the provisors that was mentioned was a maximum
three dwelling unit just one point yeah thank you questions or comments from the virtual audience
there are no hands planning commission
good afternoon jonathan goins planning commission staff comprehensive plan recommends no change
to the RSA 5 residential single family zoning at this location the property has documented
historical use as a multi-unit building the city planning commission recommends the board grant
the requested variance MI 2025 006 709 101 North 60th Street I vote yes with proviso maximum three
units trash stored inside michael johnson my vote is yes with proviso cheryl gass and my
body chest with proviso tenetta graham my vote is yes with proviso mcadams my vote is yes with proviso
council thank you for your presentation you were you were quick and precise and we appreciate it
thank you i appreciate you guys thank you i know it's the end of the day so i appreciate your
everybody at this table just reacted and said it's not the end of the day
as soon as i said it i got it you're just taking a break so thank you guys very very much
have a good one um if you don't need anything else from me thank you thank you
I know he does. I know. Hillary knows that. I already.
For a point of information, we have one case left from this morning, and as soon as we handle that, we'll then go into the afternoon list.
So, number 16, MI 2026-00627-2250 North 16th Street. Jermaine Harris is the attorney.
Cher, I am allowing him to speak.
This is the end of the focus.
okay mr. Harris are you ready to proceed I am ready to proceed I think my clients
on the uh okay i think they're on the call hi jermaine could you please state your name and
spell for the stenographer sure my name is uh jermaine harris and that's j-e-r-m-a-i-n-e
and uh h-a-r-r-i-s and i am the attorney for the whatley blueprint who are the owners llc who are
are the owners, LLC, who are the owners of the property at 2250 North 16th.
the owners of the property at 22
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
And for a point, we don't have an RCO letter, but there was a meeting. Am I correct?
There was a meeting. There was a meeting on...
On the 14th, and they said they would submit a letter.
uh I got I got a correspondence from them this morning and they said they would send something
but you have submitted a petition that was signed by 71 people that's correct our vice chair has a
few questions yes good afternoon have you submitted your documents and exhibits five days in advance
of this hearing uh yes I have and do you waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its
accuracy I do okay thank you you can share your screen and proceed with your case sure
Thank you.
Okay. So this is for the property at 2250 North 16th Street. And what my clients are seeking to do is to legalize a four family for this building.
and what this is is this is a three-story building and this is the front of the building
another angle of the front of the building three stories
and my clients bought the property in july of 2025 and it was designated as a multi-family
they bought it um sight unseen they're they're from new york uh and they thought that this
property was legitimately a four-family a building um come to find out that it wasn't
but this is what was represented to them um when they purchased the property uh in july of 2025
five so this is the posting of the of the zoning hearing notice and the
property is basically was basically a shell I'm going to go through some
pictures just so you can see what the layout is this is the first floor front
room, the kitchen of the first floor, the basement. It's unfinished. It's the first
floor entryway. Walking into the building, going up to the second floor, first floor
bathroom uh second floor front room now this uh just so you know there is the four apartments are
comprised of first floor is a two-bedroom apartment the second floor and i'll go over
this with the plans the second floor are two studio apartments this is what was fitted out
um what it is uh one it's two studio apartments on the second floor one in the front one in the back
um one bedroom one bath and then the third floor is a one bedroom studio apartment
uh this is another uh this is for second floor hallway showing
showing it for the back of the uh the back studio apartment
hallway uh this is a third floor bedroom third floor bathroom
it's the kitchen
why don't you show plans yeah yeah i'm about to get to that right now sure uh let's see here
hold on let me get that sorry i just had those plans up
Sorry, I just had those plans up.
Come on.
Just bear with me.
I just had those plans up.
Oh, one other thing before we get to the plans.
I did want to just make a point that it sent an RSA 5.
zone. But this property, one side of the street, this is 16th Street, one side of the street
is RSA 5. The other side is RM 1. So I wanted to bring that, which is pretty strange, but
I just wanted to bring that to the panel's attention. Wait, hold on. Let me get these
plans. Just bear with me. Oh, okay. Here they are. All right. So again, we have, we have the
basement. Everything is just open with that. No plans for that. Then we have first floor
right here first floor uh bedrooms two bedrooms walk in first floor bedroom then you have the
kitchen living room then you have a bedroom going uh in the rear then you go up the stairs
go into the second floor, which is, excuse me, this is the studio apartment right here
with the kitchen and bath. And then you have the studio apartment, the rear studio apartment,
which is right here where i'm pointing in my cursor uh go through the kitchen bathrooms uh
behind there right here then you have the studio apartment right there
then you have the staircase you go up to the third floor and then that's an open that's more
of an open concept and it's the kitchen bathroom is right here and that's that
that's essentially what we're looking at as far as the plans of this building so
again one apartment on the first floor two-bedroom two apartments two studio
one-bedroom apartments on the second floor front and rear and then the third
is a studio apartment studio apartment let's get back to the to my packets