And if you had the opportunity to testify, would you adopt my testimony as your own and as true and correct?
Thank you very much.
Questions from the board?
Question, what's the proposed basement slab level below grade?
Are you talking about the window well, Mr. Johns?
Yeah, how deep is the basement slab below adjacent grade?
I believe it's, I don't want to misquote.
Let's see a section I showed.
I'm looking at this.
I'm trying to get this dimension up for you, Mr. Johns.
Six feet from the top.
So the first floor is six feet above grade?
Correct.
Because we have steps up to a porch.
And then there are more steps?
The plan doesn't show that.
your plan doesn't show that i mean i see what the section says but the plan doesn't
right that number of steps that it would be another like three steps above there
also the section shows the first floor being above the first floor
right that's what i'm saying okay we're saying the same thing that's basically what i'm saying
and I don't because there are no additional steps oh I say they're inside correct I got it sorry
about that I got you okay they're inside Mr. Clinton can you make the image full screen it's
a little it's small on our end all right you know let me try you're sharing your whole screen
but only using a portion of your screen
right better yes a little bit that now we can zoom in though
so yeah your your elevation then is slightly off from your section and from your plan because
your plan does show you look like you're only about three feet below grade if that based on
this detail. All right. Thank you. That was it.
Thank you, Mr. Johns. Any other questions? Yeah. So
in your testimony, you said there's primarily a lot of duplexes on
the house. Is there any particular hardship
for trying to put three units here? Well, it is
a large lot. It's new construction. The depth of the homes next
were pretty deep. And certainly it would
accommodate three. And it was well-received the last time, six years ago, and also well-received
again because the client did make some commitments about having housing that is going to be
affordable for the neighborhood and the block. And he put that in testimony before the community
group. So the answer, not to give you a lawyer-like answer, yes, it could be single family
or could be two family, but we've opted for three, presented it to three, and the community was okay.
we've opted for three presented it to three and the community was okay with three
other questions but there are no other three family on that block
yes there's one uh directly across the street and then there's about on this particular block not
across the street but on that side of the block you're it's all two family on that side correct
Two on that side. This is three, directly right across the street. And then this one is four. So, on the block, but not on the same side. I agree with you.
Okay. All right. Thank you.
Questions from our attorney?
No, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, Chair. I have a hand up by the name of Charles Richardson. They are being promoted to panelists.
Mr. Richardson
Hello again, Mr. Chair
You were already sworn, sir
It's kind of early for you to be calling in
But please proceed
You know, this is my last case of the day
Thank you
Councilwoman is not opposed to granting the variance
and I wish you all good
night. All right. Thank you.
Anyone else in the virtual audience?
Yes, Chair. I have a
hand up with the phone number
ending in 3552.
I am allowed to speak.
Could you please state your name and spell
for the stenographer?
Yes, Adrian Fernandez
Swaputo Arcio.
That last name is spelled F-E-R.
Thank you, Adrienne. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed.
Okay. I submitted testimony late for this address, and that is for a letter of support with four provisos.
this block is mostly two they're mixed they're mixed together kind of not consistently on that
side of the street there's two-story and three-story houses but it's a single family attached
block rsa5 four multi-units as a fill-in property we have many in swamp little that
Usually, they'll put a single-family home there.
For apartments, there's an overuse of this type of variance on this type of block.
So the other concern is when it's fill-in, people are concerned about damage to their structures
and that engineering monitoring is actually going to happen, compliance with that,
and also other inspections.
Because on each side, there's a single-family home.
I believe one of them might be vacant.
As far as there being some buildings with three apartments or even two apartments on this block, because these are single-family homes, there's no testimony about which of those are legal.
So the illegal ones aren't really relevant.
The illegal multifamily uses are not relevant for two or three apartments.
So we're just asking for provisos.
First is a limit of two units, because usually people will build fill-ins as a single-family home in our area.
The next one is for trash and recycling stored indoors.
The next one is for no basement living.
And the last one is for a certificate of occupancy requirement.
And that's everything.
That happens anyway.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Anyone else that works for you?
I'll move back for one second.
hello this is a this is a three unit project not a four and i just want to say to the developer
that i appreciate how they laid out the front facade where they kept the elevations of the
porches consistent and they raised the they came into the porch and then raised the inside
to make to get that height that they wanted but they kept the basement high up uh not so deep
below grade so i think you did a great job and just sort of making it fit with the um rest of
the uh the block so thank you michael thank you mr johns that's well appreciated and i'll pass
that on to the architect and miss adrian you said mr johns it's it's not a proposal for four
its proposal for three thank you planning commission god bless you first thank you amy with the
planning commission god bless you first thank you amy with the planning commission um
now i've lost my place 15th street um the planning commission recommends no planned
change in zoning at this location from the existing single-family residential rsa5
the appellant has not demonstrated that there are unique physical conditions or circumstances
that would prevent the property from being used in conformance with the zoning code
The Planning Commission recommends the board deny the requested variance for multifamily household living.
Thank you.
Can I address that, Mr. Chairman?
Just briefly.
So, I mean, there's a reason that the lot has sat vacant for at least 20 years or longer.
There's a reason that the community supported this six years ago, and there's a reason they supported it again now, is that a single-family home, the cost of construction is going to exceed the sale price of the homes on the block.
That's just the reality.
And having multifamily, I agree it's an RSA 5 zoning district, but it's not the first multifamily on the block.
And directly across the street is a three-family dwelling, which has been there for a number of years.
And right down the street, Caddy Corner is a four-family dwelling.
So thank you very much.
Thank you.
MI 2024, 006-677-3028 North 15th Street.
I vote yes with proviso, trash to be stored inside.
Michael Jones, my vote is yes with proviso.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes with proviso.
Tana Graham, my vote is no.
Tywin, my vote is yes with proviso.
Is there anyone in the virtual audience whose case has not been called from the 2 p.m. list?
I see no hands up.
Okay, so we're going to take a five-minute break, and then we're coming back,
and I think we're going to get done a reasonable time.
Good afternoon. My name is Bill Bergman and I will be chairing this meeting of the Philadelphia
Zoning Board of Adjustment. With me is our board member, Cheryl L. Gaston. President, Mr. Chairman.
Or board member, Tenetta Graham. President, Mr. Chairman. Board member, Michael Johns. He's here
and our board member Taya Wynn. Present Mr. Chair. So present is our attorney Matthew Webster
and our executive director Ian Haggerty. A recording of this hearing will be posted on
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here's our schedule number one mi 2023 007 209 1625 north marshall street that case has been
continued attorney moving party number two chair can we put the date on the record please
for the continuance oh okay four eight wait a minute
for the continuance oh okay four eight wait a minute
oh you're i i got you i got it i got it i got it all right september 17th at 2 p.m number two
mi 2024 002 822 807 roosevelt boulevard this case is continued attorney moving party
scheduled to September 17th
at 2 p.m.
Number 4
MI 2020
633 Parlin Street
that case has been continued
are there any other requests for continuance
I see no hints at this time
chair we also have two cases without exhibits number three mi 2024 003 041 4832 carl street
carol white is the listed owner it's a pro se no exhibits second listing we do have
information that this case may be withdrawn is katherine white in the audience i see no one in
the audience with that name chair okay so this is the second listing we still have to have no
documents. So, MI 2024-003-041-2832, Carl Street, I vote to dismiss.
Well, John, my vote is to dismiss. Cheryl Gaston, my vote is to dismiss.
Tanetta Graham, my vote is to dismiss. Iowan, my vote is to dismiss.
MI 2024-007-285-610 Christian Street. Dawn Tangrady is the listed attorney.
We have no exhibits.
This is the first listing.
I see no one in the audience with that name, Chair.
Okay, so MI 2024-007-285-610 Christian Street.
As cases continue, Mark must be heard to September 17th at 2 p.m.
We're going to go to case number five.
MI 2024-007-282-10-784 Lockhart Road.
Ann Siegel is the owner, applicant, and it's a pro se.
This application is to convert an existing exterior parking space,
required accessory off-street parking space removed,
an existing two-family semi-detached structure.
No plan review associated with this application.
One off-street accessory parking space is required per unit in the RTA-1 Zoning District, whereas two spaces are required and none are proposed.