ZBA Hearing - October 20, 2021

the applicant uh hillock acquisitions mr george hillock is on the call as well as the architect

derrick spencer should we need his input this is my exhibit package containing table of contents

AA through A10 appearance statement. This is the refusal. So this is a commercial property,

generally commercial property on the corner of Hollywood and Teaster Street, right across from

Lanier Park, which is now a dog park and an exercise park. CMX2 requires, as the board knows,

commercial on the first and the permitted to have two units above. My client feels that the

commercial establishment in this area right now will not be a viable situation and I can show you

right at the corner of 29th and Tasker there's a long vacant commercial establishment at least

seven to eight years and that because a dog park is right across the street the area is becoming

more in tune with residential rather than commercial and also the board may recall down

the street, St. Gabriel's Convent, about two years ago, I was before the board, and that was converted

to residential. And then about a year ago, on the 1600 block of 29th Street, I was before the board

with regard to a garage and a CA1 zoning district. And that area was approved for 10 single family

homes. So in keeping with the trend that commercial and industrial is really not working, and this

property is surrounded by a dog park, residential seems the ideal way to go. And we're not asking

for a switch out of the commercial in the first floor with two units above. We're asking for each

parcel, just two residential units. So we don't feel that it is an overuse of the property in any

way. We met with the Graysbury Community Council, and here is their letter of support, supporting

the project. These are just aerial photographs to give the board some perspective. This was a long

time ago a printing establishment called BARNA, B-A-R-N-A, printing establishment. Recently it's

been used as a site to ship out packages like tasty cakes and pretzels to people throughout

the country, but the business really hasn't been that successful. And the owners, the Hillock

family actually grew up on this block and they still own property on the 1500 block of South

Hollywood Street. So they are trying to improve the neighborhood by demolishing this one-story

commercial establishment and then using the open area here to put some nice residential units on

the block. Again, another perspective, this is the convent I was talking to you about,

which is now all residential. And if I can go back to the prior photograph, this is at the corner of

29th and Tasker, used to be Tasker Cavern. It's been vacant for at least eight to 10 years,

has been purchased by new owners, but right now they're trying to determine what they're going

to do, either make it residential or commercial. But it's just an indication that commercial is

really difficult in the area. And right down here in the lower right-hand corner, this was the

former garage that I talked to you about, which has been approved for 10 residential units.

These are proof of the postings of the notices.

These are the plans.

So a little bit more perspective for the board.

Barner printing takes up the whole block, maybe a quarter of the block.

And this last parcel down here happens to be RSA five.

Everything else is CMX two.

And so what we're doing, we're asked that all these individuals,

lot parcels be consolidated into one

and that the proposed project be built upon it.

Again, just some more perspectives for you.

This is looking east.

This is the vacant commercial building here.

And this is looking north on Hollywood Street.

And this is what I was saying to the board is 1544 encompasses from this dotted line down to Tasker Street.

And 1542 is an RSA-5.

But everything is going to be combined for this project into one parcel.

into one parcel these are just some other perspective photographs so this is a site

These are just some other perspectives.

plan of the property again indicating there's going to be six structures each structure will have

two units in it the height is 35 feet and change just wanted to show if this was a

like a buy right project we could do a single family home on the one 1544 to the 1542 and then

we could have four mixed use commercial buildings two units in a commercial which would bring our

total unit count to 13 and what we're asking the board for is actually a 12 unit count

I can go through the floor plans but I wanted to show you the renderings

uh it's a pretty rich uh facade you can see there's a lot of use of brick there's corbelling

at the top at the bottom there's also a corbel brick here there's brick columns separating each

of the units with limestone at the bottom this is the perspective if you happen to be in the

dog park looking across the street this would be the corner unit that's the largest of the

of the 6th. And these are all duplexes, which continue down north on Hollywood Street.

Again, some just some more perspectives. I can go back to the floor plan in a minute,

but the rest of the documents are the pro forma documents that you would see in any presentation

are tax certification, proof of mailing, and notification to all the neighbors.

In terms of the floor plan, again, we're asking for two units.

First and second floor will be one unit.

Second and third floor will be another unit.

And then there will be a rooftop deck on six of the units.

So that floor plan basically plays out over the six duplexes.

And they're all a little bit the same except for the one on the corner.

So I don't know if the board has any questions of me or of my client.

that my client is on the call i also have the architect who's here to answer any questions from

the board or any members of the community henry let's get your client to adopt your testimony

and then i'll ask the board if they have any questions or mr hillock can you raise your hand

for the administrator

Hello. Hi, sir. Can you spell your full name?

My name is George Hillock, G-E-O-R-G-E-H-I-L-L-O-C-K.

Do you swear for him to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

Yes, I do.

Thank you, Mr. Clinton.

Good afternoon, Mr. Hillock. How are you today?

Good. How are you doing?

Good. And you were on the call when I presented the project?

Yes, I was.

And if you had the opportunity to testify, would you adopt my testimony as your own and as true and correct?

yes i would all right thank you mr lock i appreciate it thank you any questions from the

board no no mr chair no anyone else would like to testify in this case please raise your hand

here we have a carmine zulli with the hand raised i will allow them to speak this time sir thank you

carmine unmute yourself please

hi this is carmine zulli spelled c-a-r-m-i-n-e-z-u-l-l-i

are firm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth

yes thank you i will uh i would humbly make a request to have mr warren speak prior to i

if that's possible yes okay i'll raise my hand again thank you mr warren please raise your hand

i'm allowed to speak

uh thank you for allowing me to speak which i haven't been able to do before

first of all with carmine i called you twice to let you know that i had over 20 properties

20 houses so we could make some kind of vote with this zoom thing and i was never

never returned my calls and i went around the gregs ferry community council several times

no one was there. Mr. Warren, if you can speak to the issues of why you're either supported or

not supporting this project. I'm not in support of it for one main reason. The properties are

two stories and they're over 100 years old. They could not handle the stress of a large building

of a large building that is uh that they're rendering and i know because i work for the

that they're rendering.

border vision of taxes for 30 years and i live at 1540 south hollywood street mr clinton what

is the height of the proposed project uh 35 feet and change so mr warren so you understand if you

don't already know uh by right you can build in the city of philadelphia 38 feet so they're

actually three feet below what they have a buy right to build well i'm not aware of that i'm

just aware that how many of my neighbors on the block are against it parking is bad enough as it

is okay anything else and yes and uh the law firm uh the seniors law firm uh will be getting

involved with this because i had spoken to them and they asked me uh whatever has to be done they

will be appealing it okay so pardon i said okay we understand that but i just want to remind you

that you can build in the city of Philadelphia

to 38 feet as a by right.

I'm sure you may have other issues,

but as it relates to the height,

there is no issue because you're actually-

Oh no, I have no problem with that.

I have a problem.

I have a problem with changing,

what is it, 1542 to other than a residential dwelling.

That should not be changed.

Well, it's going to be multifamily.

What was that?

It's going to remain residential.

Oh, okay.

All right.

Okay.

Anyone else who would like to testify in this case, please raise your hand.

We have a Mr. Brian Yoak with his hand raised.

I will allow him to speak at this time, sir.

I'm sorry.

We were anticipating Mr. Carmine to go next.

Yes.

Thank you, Tonya.

Hi, this is Carmine Zouly.

Thank you, Carmine.

You're sworn in.

Please proceed.

I would just like to add for the record that we did host a community meeting via Zoom.

All required notices were sent by the applicant.

In addition, there were public notices posted to social media, and all participating applicants

were given the right to vote.

there was a question that came to me before this meeting that that might be in question

i just want to stay for the record that we hosted the meeting and the vote was taken

thank you appreciate it you're welcome anyone else to testify in this case

mr yoak has his hands has his hand raised good afternoon sir please spell your full name and

I'll swear you in.

Okay.

Mr. O'Brien, if you have two devices on, could you turn one off, please, or the volume all the way down?

we're getting feedback

and then you can attempt to

come forward and testify

again

we good? yes

all right

spell your full name and I'll swear you in

Brian

E-R-I-A-N

Y-O-A-K

You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

Yes, sir.

Please proceed, sir.

I mean, I got two concerns about this project.

I believe that it is too dense for the residential street.

And also, I got a real concern about the foundation of my property when they start digging next to me.

um and also and also drilling through a cement pad who knows how thick that is and all the

vibrations that it's going to do to my property i just think it's too dense of a project but

regardless of whether this application gets approved or not if someone were to put a single

family home there is going to require excavation and there's ways of well assuring that your

property should it get damaged uh the the developer would have to have some responsibility

so you would take photographs of your property inside and out prior to any

construction well how can you how can you take photographs of inside my property when my property

construction well how can you how can you take photographs of inside my property when my property

is is drywall you can't see the the brick wall

you can see well there are ways that which it can be done

so is anyone else to testify in this case

no further answer mr chair thank you uh planning commission

Good afternoon. David Fecto, City Planning Commission. Mr. Chairman, members of the board,

the comprehensive plan recommends no change in the residential and the commercial mixed-use

zoning for these lots. The proposed 801-square-foot lots are in keeping with the lots on the rest of

South Hollywood Street, which range from 600 to 700 square feet. We recommend the board approve

the subdivision. The applicant has demonstrated that commercial use is not viable at the corner

of Hollywood and Tasker, we recommend that the board approve the requested use variance.

Well, thank you. MI 2021-002, 626, 1542 South Hollywood Street, my vote is yes.

Harold Tennerin, my vote is yes.

Professor Plaza, my vote is yes.

James Snell, my vote is yes.

Thomas Harleman, my vote is yes.

Thank you. Case number five.

We've got some feedback out there.

New message is received.

Okay.

Case number five, MI 2021-002, 653-250 South 11th Street.

I don't know if it's Rachel Pritzker or is it Brandon Sovran or the attorneys of record.

uh rebecca have we received a letter from the rco wash square west

my notes indicate there was no letter received yet i have that same notation we do have a letter

and it's in support okay and i'll go further to say that councilman schooler sent a letter of

non-opposition and he refers to the rco letter which is in non-opposition attorney harry cook

represents a group of near neighbors who entered into an agreement with the applicant

and based on the agreement support the proposal. Having said that, Rachel, you've already been