For community input.
We need a specific...
Oh, yes. So today is the 24th...
Tanya will tell us. Thank you.
Okay, so the earliest we will be able to do this
is December.
Okay, would December 2nd work or December 1st work?
We can do December 2nd at 9.30, Chair.
Okay, let's go proceed with the case
and then when we close out,
I'll put that in the record, thank you.
Thank you.
All right, may I share my screen?
Yes, please.
Again, my name is Allen Ockamson, I'm here to present 3929, 3931, and 3933-35, Ridge
Avenue.
And in front of you is a packet of materials which included eight exhibits.
The first exhibit are the deeds to the various properties.
The second exhibit, and an agreement of sale for 3933-35.
The second exhibit, let me just get through this, are the tax clearance certificates showing
that no taxes are due on count of any of these properties.
The third exhibit is the notice of refusal.
So these are RSA 5 properties. Even though we're at the corner of Ridge and Allegheny, where the property is currently being used as a one-story commercial unit, this is an RSA 5 property. It's over 4,000 square feet, a combined lot.
and originally we're proposing to put 14 units into this property and two commercial units.
We have had communications with the community where we believe that it's more appropriate based
on community input to have lesser units, so we're looking to put eight dwelling units.
In addition, we're looking to decrease the height in such a manner where it would be 35 feet,
six inches the building structure so we would be eliminating the height variance which is one of
the requests under the notice of refusal and we would also be eliminating the roof decks so that
would that would eliminate the second one the second refusals uh which is the minimum roof
deck access structure setback from the extreme rear building line we still have you're reducing
the residents from eight 14 to eight that's right and we have we have and with this what's the
commercial still staying at two it's still staying at two mr chair yeah i'm just giving you this a
little background yeah we're we're still here because this is an rsa5 property so the pre-existing
use is a commercial a one-story commercial unit uh the person who owns the property is a hair salon
they are going to remain after this building structure is built as one of the commercial
tenants. So we're asking for that variance. We're also asking, given the unique shape
of the lot, for the second variance, which is the minimum rear yard depth, nine feet
is required, zero is proposed. But as you'll see, it's appropriate under the circumstances.
The fourth exhibits are application for appeal along with the project information form and
then you'll see this is where we are in the neighborhood again we're in the corner of
Ridge and Allegheny and as you can see this is in a regular shape combined or proposed
combined lot.
And as you can see there is a hair salon right now on one of the parcels and beauty in
And as you can see, there is a hair salon right now on one of the parcels, N-Beauty, Inc. hair salon, which will remain as an occupant after the development of this building or proposed development of this building.
Here you'll see a picture of the property.
So, again, even though this is an RSA 5 property, it's nothing that you would expect from an RSA 5 property.
It's a one-story hair salon.
You'll see pictures from West Allegheny to the left and the right of the building as
well as to the left and the right on Bridge Avenue.
I will note that across the street, 4001 Ridge Avenue, there was a variance granted
for a 27-unit apartment building with a height of 43 feet high.
Also recently, during this past year, this board granted a 7-unit at 3915 Ridge Avenue
which was also an RSAFI property. I handed this revised proviso plan form completed and
signed by me to Ms. Saleta before the meeting so she's aware of this form that we completed.
And again this is our property again the one for the rear yard setback you can see why we're
having issues because of the unique nature of the configuration of this lot.
and you can you can see from the pictures just going through really quickly uh this is ridge
avenue the salon would be vacant non-residential space number one approximately 1700 square feet
uh vacant non-residential space two would be coming off of allegheny right here uh there's
an open area for the commercial you will also see for the apartment building that when you go in
here there's there's room for bikes as well as there's a trash room if you go up to the second
and third floors uh they're identical so we have four two bedroom two baths and four one bedroom
one baths and then there's the roof no deck any longer and again just you know so that the board
understands we're asking for the board to hold it under advisement to give us an opportunity to meet
with Ross Civic Association, the coordinating RCO for this project.
Now, I do have David Ross, one of the owner's reps on the line.
So, David, can you virtually raise your hand?
Hello, David Ross.
Good afternoon, Mr. Ross.
Please identify yourself, name and address.
david ross at 2509 east norris street philadelphia pa 19125 and your position
uh i'm a part owner of the project thank you swear and affirm to tell the truth the whole
truth nothing but the truth yes thank you mr arkinson yes david you heard everything i stated
today correct and is it true and correct yes and would you adopt it as your own testimony yes
thank you any questions from the board
no no anyone else wish to testify on this in this case if so please raise your hand
no hands at this time thank you planning commission
good afternoon chairman members of the board ian litman planning commission staff
uh these properties are recommended for residential multifamily buddy don't forget
to put that uh that thing on my desk okay sorry professor you you forgot the mute
that's all right mr litman continue i'll start over uh these properties are recommended for
residential multifamily and commercial mixed use in the comprehensive plan accordingly we do not
oppose granting the variances for multifamily and commercial uses also given the non-rectilinear
shape of the lot and the fact that the overall open space requirement has been met we do not
oppose a rear yard variance either thank you mi-2020-000889 3929 ridge avenue this hearing
will be resumed on December the 2nd at 9 30 a.m at which time we will consider any feedback related
to the RCO's position. Okay next one up is MI 2020-001066 1605 East Pass Yonk Avenue.
anyone present for 1605 east pass yonk avenue yes i promoted joseph council the council
good afternoon board good afternoon sir please identify yourself for the record spell your name
it is joseph console that is c-o-n-s-o-l-e console madison llp the address is one west
third street suite 204 media pennsylvania one nine zero six three and you swear and affirm to
tell the truth the whole truth and nothing about the truth i do thank you mr you agree to wait
to read in of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy i do right have you emailed an exhibit
packet with the required documents, proof of ownership, proof of tax compliance, copy of the
refusal or referral, photos and plans five days prior to this, Aaron? I have. Also, have you met
with the RCO and have a letter? We have and we did and we do, yes. Thank you, please proceed.
Hey everyone, Joseph Consol, I'm here on 1605 East Paschunk Avenue. That used to be- Mr. Consol,
if I can interrupt you for just one minute, I wanted to let the board know that we also received
a letter of non-opposition from Councilman Squilla. Okay, great. 1605 East Paschalk Avenue,
this used to be a like a baby consignment store that closed my client Jasmine Rodriguez,
owner of Jasmine Ray & Co LLC. Is my screen sharing, by the way?
yes we have it okay uh is is with me today she uh is uh seeking a variance to to use this space
um as a beauty parlor with microblading and cosmetic tattooing uh also with traditional
beauty parlor services uh hairstyling waxing etc because microblading is considered body art
generates the same refusal as does a tattoo parlor. I've been in front of the board
on this kind of appeal a couple of times in the past. The property was refused because
body art services are prohibited within 1,000 feet of another existing regulated use, which
is a tattoo parlor, and also within 500 feet of the nearest lot line containing residential
So I'm sure everyone, at least some of you, know this property, so you can find my picture.
Here's the front of it.
Ms. Rodriguez, her company has a lease for three years on the commercial space at the
bottom.
um there we go
got a picture of the signs to give you an idea of the kind of work she does
i'll show you some photos some microblading work on eyebrows cosmetic enhancement work
we met with the rco two weeks ago we got full support i'll pull their letter up
They had asked that there be certain sunset provisions on this approval to prevent or at least allow them to deal with a potential transfer of a lease to an actual tattoo parlor.
And we were agreeable to what they had suggested.
I spoke to Sharon and I believe she had a recommendation for the board on how best to
handle this because I think that certain aspects of what the RCO wanted to do are not something
the zoning board can do. This is Sharon Saleta. I explained to Mr. Consul that the variants cannot
be linked to ownership, that you can do it for a definite period of time with a definite end date,
but it can't depend on who the lessee is yeah and what is the what are the terms of the lease
currently uh it's a three-year lease and that's going uh began in the uh the beginning of july
or end of july july 2020 july 2020 is when it started okay all right i believe that's also
mr consult told me a renewable lease it is yeah a period of uh it's renewable for a similar period
We suggested perhaps maybe a five-year variance that would allow her to operate and prove
to the community that she's a good neighbor.
all right anything else do you have a witness you want to put on yeah i would just uh briefly
call jasmine rodriguez just to attest to what i said hi i'm here good afternoon ma'am please
identify yourself with the record spell your first and last name sure it's jasmine j-a-z-m-i-n
last name rodriguez r-o-d-r-i-g-u-e-z and do you swear and affirm to tell the truth the whole
truth and nothing about the truth yes i do thank you mr council good afternoon jasmine uh did you
hear my testimony today yes i did do you adopt it as your own yes i do okay is there anything
you'd like to add to to the to the board uh no no i don't yeah okay uh thank you no further
Thank you. Questions from the board?
Anyone else would like to testify in this case? If so, please raise your hand.
No hands at this time.
Thank you. Planning Commission?
Good afternoon, Chairman, members of the board.
Ian Litwin, Planning Commission staff.
The proposed use will not negatively affect the commercial corridor, therefore we have no
opposition to granting the special exception. Thank you. MI-2020-001066, 1605 East Passyunk
Avenue, my vote is yes with proviso, a five-year lease to end on in July, excuse me, August 1st,
2025. Yes, with Proviso. Yes, with Proviso.
Okay, next one up is MI 2020-000459 1620 North Bailey Street.
the attorney is alan knockamson
good afternoon mr knockamson just identify yourself with a record and you're still under
oath uh yes uh good afternoon mr chair members of the board alan knockamson of knockamson pc
123 south broad street suite 1600 philadelphia pa 19109
you agree to waive the reading of his refusal and stipulate to his accuracy
i do also have you emailed an exhibit packet with the required documents proof of ownership
proof of tax compliance copy of the refusal or referral photos and plans five days prior
to this hearing i have uh have you also met with the rco and uh have a letter we do and we have
we do thank you please proceed okay i'm going to share my screen
all right in front of you is a packet of exhibits which include eight of them the first one is the
deed to the property uh showing that 1620 barely street llc is the owner uh the second uh exhibit
is the tax clearance certificate showing that 1620 LLC is not, well, is tax compliant.
Third exhibit is the notice of refusal. So this is an RSA 5 property, but the lot is over 2300
square feet, exactly 2363. And we're seeking to put a six-unit apartment building here,
and we're being refused first for the use and then secondly what we're trying to do is there's
a pre-existing curb cut we're trying to leverage the fact that there is a pre-existing curb cut
by pushing the building back so we're being refused first for the off-street parking but
there you know again as of record there is off-street parking which currently exists and
then secondly because we're pushing the building back 21 feet we're also being refused for that
This board has heard different variance requests quite recently on this block and in the nearby
vicinity. I actually was in front of the board less than two months ago for 1633 North Bailey
Street and 1635 North Bailey Street, which this matter was heard at that same community meeting
for 1620 north valley street the community for 1633 and north valley street and 1635 north valley
street they supported those variances each for three units for a total of six for the same square
footage in terms of lot size you know so they had the the community agreed to six units you know for
you know for you know for 1633 and 35 north valley street for the same lot size with no parking
you know for 1633 and 35 north valley street for the same lot
we're proposing to put six units same lot size but we're including off street parking so at that
community meeting we did receive a letter of non-opposition for 1620 north valley street
Last year, I was here for 1616-18 North Valley Street, where the board granted variants for nine units.
So, and again, you'll see that, you know, for the Oxford Street properties, for North 27th Street properties,
this is a very multi-unit portion of the Brewery Town section of Philadelphia.
After that is the application for appeal for this project,
along with the project information form. And then you'll see where we are in the City of Philadelphia.
We're on North Bailey Street right next to Cecil B. Moore. You can see between Cecil B. Moore and
Oxford Street and then Bailey Street's between 26 and 27 streets. And then you'll see photographs
of the property. Currently it's a vacant lot but you can even see the pictures from the right and
the left this is even though this is an RSA 5 property this block says anything but and
then here are the architectural drawings again we're trying to make something unique and
interesting for the neighborhood again the most important thing is this you know pre-existing
curb cut we thought that this was an opportunity to take advantage of that and to provide some
off-street parking here and then you know here are the floor plans each floor has two units
so we have a common stairwell that's you know that will be accessed uh through the side of the
building and then again you'll just see pictures of the surrounding area you'll see that even though
a lot of these all these properties are designated as rsa5 they're anything but in nature
And then here's our letter of opposition from the Brewery Town Shardswood Civic Association.
So that is our presentation.
I have one of the principals of 1620 Bailey Street.
Can you virtually raise your hand?
You can talk, sir, or ma'am. You're unmuted, so, and I see you unmuted yourself.