uh that's fine but tiffany's not uh tiffany's uh organization is not the coordinating rco
okay so so the question is will you come back on and testify at the same time
myself or anybody from your organization well i'm from the council person's office
for me i'm from the council person's office can you honor john okay fine but we're going to go
with the case and we're going to take testimony from
whoever's in the audience willing to testify, okay?
The council has already asked
to go on with the case.
Okay, yeah, we would just object
to that and we would ask for them to
go back to the community so they can take an official vote.
Okay, thanks. We're going to go on with the
case and we'll bring that issue up to the table
and we take testimony. Thank you
so much, sir. Thank you.
Is there anyone else in the audience?
no hands, Chair.
All right. And I also have number 11, MI 2023-002-915-1813 North Van Pelt Street.
Jose Bardino is the listed applicant. No exhibits, first listing.
I see no hands, sir.
Okay. That's also the family first development. No one from there either?
no hands mr chair thank you so mi 2023 002 915 1813 north van pelt this is the first listing
next listing mark must be tried
Thank you
Number 9
MI 2023
East Ontario
Street
Solis is the
owner applicant
We also have
an interpreter
interpreter please been allowed to speak
interpreter please raise your virtual hand
Interpreter, please raise your virtual hand.
Almeida Salas has been allowed to speak.
Could you state your name, please, and spell for the court's sonographer?
Mr. Solis, could you state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Yeah, my name is Almedo Solis Torres.
I live in the 2018 E, Ontario Street, the first piece of Philadelphia.
Excuse me, Chase.
I know, I know, I'm aware.
Do we have our interpreter up yet?
I'm checking now.
Is the interpreter for this case available?
Please raise your virtual hand.
I am sorry, everyone, but I'm not seeing any hands raised.
Hillary, I think we'll have to continue this.
Yes, Mr. Chair, we will need to continue this. Apologies to the applicant. The staff will work on a new date.
We'll make sure we'll try to get you back in as quick as we can, and we'll make sure there's an interpreter here.
I'm sorry. This is Tanya, Chair. Do we have a couple cases scheduled for today? I can try to get someone right away.
We do have a couple cases, yeah.
Okay, let me see if I can try to get somebody right away.
All right, let's go to number two.
MI 2023, 002-920, 429 South 16th Street.
Letter of non-opposition from the Center City Residents Association.
and also
signed by approximately
33 people
and I believe Mr. Cook
Mr. Cook could you state your name please
you've already been sworn
good afternoon Mr. Chairman Harry Cook
for applicant
Mr. Cook could you identify your client
in relationship to the property
Sure. My client is RKPC LLC. And with me today is George Corrine, who is the managing member, as well as property manager, Anita Lance.
Okay. Our vice chair has just a few questions for you, sir.
Good afternoon, counsel. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal or stipulate towards accuracy?
Yes, I do, sir.
Have you emailed them and all the required documents and exhibits that is needed and required to proceed with this case five days in advance of this hearing?
Yes, sir.
Thank you. Please proceed and share your screen.
All right. Thank you so much.
All right. Can everyone see my screen?
Yes, sir.
All right. Wonderful.
So we're here today for 429 South 16th Street.
Everyone is aware of the refusal. It's identified as a use refusal. However, it is more akin to a
dimensional issue. This property is a CMX-1 property. It is located in a block that is
entirely RM-1. Caddy corner to this property is the Independence Charter School, and across the
street is a large physical rehabilitation, and directly across the street on the 16th Street
side is the Chabad Center. This property has two units, residential, second and third floor.
They are currently legal with valid rental licenses. In 1968, this property was granted
use to have a real estate office on the first floor. So we have a property that is demised
out with three units for decades. Let me move over to here is a copy of that use real estate
office and two family from 1968. We are seeking to change the use of that first floor commercial
space to a residential space. It has been on the market for rent as a commercial space since
been on the market for rent as a commercial space since 2020. We've had several showings
and between the size of the office, between post-COVID disinterest in renting space,
it just doesn't fit the Goldilocks zone for commercial space. In addition, folks that have
come to look at it are put off by the fact that there's a school next door etc with that said
many many inquiries have been made over the past several years for residential the space is vacant
it again is at the corner of 16th and Lombard it is a beautiful property
I'm going to go through some of the pictures just so you can see so again we're not here to discuss
the two units above it's just about this commercial space and it's rather de minimis
but for about 170 square feet of lot size this would be a buy right application 170 square feet
so this is the former uh real estate office it runs the first floor and the basement
and these are the current conditions and again it has been vacant and unletable
i'm going to take you up to the plans of what we're proposing
can everyone still see my screen
so first floor as as built presently you come in
It is an open space. You've been through the pictures. You go down to the basement. It's additional open space.
What we're proposing is first floor, kitchen, living room in front, bedroom in the rear, mudroom.
There is an exterior, there's a rear egress going down to the basement, bedroom, front mechanical shared by all three units as it currently is now.
And I'll take you to that room for a better kind of perspective of that basement so you can see where that separation point is.
This is the mechanical room as it currently exists.
That's not going to be part of the living space.
You can see through here the area where that living area would be.
um i have with me um as i said before the property manager if the board is interested
in doing uh some more inquiry regarding um efforts to lease the property she can speak to that
um or the board can take my um my testimony as an officer we'll take your word for it why don't
you have the owner there your client sure sounds good uh i appreciate the brevity
um george korean can you raise your virtual hand and join the meeting
they've been allowed to speak thank you
hello hi hi could you state your name and spell please for the court stenographer
My name is George Corrine. My last name is spelled K-O-R-E-I-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Proceed, counsel.
Thank you. Mr. Corrine, did you hear and see my presentation to the zoning board today?
Was it true and accurate to the best of your knowledge and understanding?
do you accept do you adopt it as your own testimony yes thank you sir no more questions
um mr chairman yeah mr cook i i noticed here that the center city residents association have
non-opposition provide the applicant removes or legalizes a parking space i was i was just
going to bring that up oh thank you there is a long-standing um curb cut and space and i'll
show you the pictures below. Right now, there are no violations associated with this property.
It came to our attention at the RCO meeting and your neighbor doesn't necessarily oppose
the space being used, but asks us obviously to go and legalize it to make sure
we get proper permits. And we are going to do that. We committed to the RCO to do that
into the neighbor. And I don't believe there's a car in that space right now.
And I don't believe there is a car in that space right now.
So that's not, you're not doing that today?
No, that is not part of this refusal, sir.
All right.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Questions or comments from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
No, Chair.
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
I do not see any hands, Mr. Chair.
Planning Commission.
Planning Commission.
is the pun and commissioner still available
we've all had such connectivity issues today yeah a little bit a little bit
yeah uh good afternoon this is keith davis um i'm backing up ron um ron bedner and uh i'm not
sure that he's he did you hear it yes i did okay um well first of all what can can you are you
willing to vote can you vote uh i think after you swear me in i i can i can oh yeah i want to
yeah right so state your name and spell please for the court stenography sure so my name is
keith davis that's k-e-i-t-h-d-a-v-i-s right do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole
truth and nothing but the truth yes i do please proceed keith this property is currently
uh currently indicated for mixed use on the city plan uh in 2017 the zoning map was amended on this
block from arm one to to rsa five the proposed use is substantially similar um in configuration
to single-family use that is otherwise permitted in this zoning district.
City Planning Commission has no objection to granting this minor variance.
Thank you. MI 2023-002-920-429 South 16th Street, I vote yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
Ishmael Shaheed, my vote is yes.
Thank you, Counsel. You have your votes.
Thank you. Have a great evening, everyone.
We're going to go to number one.
MI 2023-002-923-1537-39 Deal Street.
Stephanie Boggs Magana is the attorney or Brett Feldman.
Letter of opposition from Frankfort NAC, no reason given.
Letter of opposition from Council Member Lozada.
The applicant has given us eight form letters of support, one signed by an individual.
Good afternoon. Thank you.
Hi. Could you say your name, please, and spell for the court stenographer?
Sure. Stephanie Magana, S-P-E-P-H-A-N-I-E, Magana, M-A-G-A-G-N-A, from the law of Claire Harrison.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Could you identify your client or relationship to the property?
My client is Frankford Creek Studios LLC here represented by Peter Crawford in attendance today.
And our vice chair has just a few questions for you.
Good evening, counsel.
Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal or stipulate to his accuracy?
Yes, I do.
Have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that is needed and required to proceed with this case?
five days in advance of this hearing yes i have thank you please proceed and share your screen
thank you
is my screen visible it is okay great thank you um sorry i know there's been connectivity issues
today so i wanted to check um as mentioned the subject property here is 15 37 39 deal street
This property is located about half a block from the L train station at Church and East