Good morning everyone. My name is Bill Bergman and I will be chairing the meeting of this
Philadelphia zoning board of adjustment. With me is our board vice chair Tanetta Graham.
President, Mr. Chairman.
Our Board Secretary, Sheila L. Gaston.
Present, Mr. Chairman.
Our Board Member, Michael Johns.
Present, Mr. Chairman.
Our Board Member, Taya Nguyen.
Present, Mr. Chairman.
And our Board Member, Ryan McAdams.
Present, Mr. Chairman.
Also here is our Board Attorney, Hillary Emerson, our Zoning Board Director, Ane Haggerty, and our Board Administrator, Lakeisha Dandy.
Recording of this hearing will be posted on the ZBA website.
By participating, you consent to be recorded.
This is an in-person meeting with remote capabilities, whether remote or in person.
If you're called to speak, you must state and spell your name and then wait to be sworn in.
Once you've been sworn in, please state your name each time before beginning your testimony.
Any person may enter their appearance to become an interested party in a case.
There are three ways to enter your appearance.
Identify the case property address on your Zoom webinar registration.
see a staff member or you can call the zba appearance line by the close of business tomorrow
call 267-270-5548 leave a message that includes your email address and the address of the property
of the appeal case following guidance is for remote attendees first when directed you must
raise your virtual hand in order to be recognized to speak second if you're called to testify you'll
be prompted to join as a panelist please accept the request and return on your camera third the
webinar Q&A is for questions about the hearing do not comment on cases in the Q&A and fourth if
you're participating by phone press star 9 to raise your hand and star 6 to unmute for our in-person
attendees refrain from talking eating or drinking during the hearings verbal and physical aggression
will not be tolerated restrooms are across on the elevators a water fountain is just outside the
room to the right once speaking on the record you must speak directly into the microphone
in order to be heard by all attendees and the court reporter in the event of emergency please
follow the directions given over the public address system or by the staff the main exit
is through the double doors at the rear of the room the nearest stairwell is to the left outside
the doors in case of an evacuation and rally point is love park directly across art street
please remain here so we can account for you so let's look at our schedule for today
number four mi 2025 004 106 53 30 north penn street that case is continued to 6 17 26 at 9 30 a.m
number five mi 2025 004 109 1930 spark street that case is continued to 16 6 17 26 number six
MI 2025-004-110, 2736 North Dover Street.
That case is continued to 6-17-26 at 9.30 a.m.
Number 8.
MI 2025-004-115, 1141 West Somerset Street.
That case is continued, attorney moving party.
And number 16, MI 2025-007-195-6134 Rear to 46 Wayne Avenue.
That case is continued until 6-17-26 at 9.30 a.m.
Any other requests for continuances?
let me see here good morning mr chair this is jason hannah will be a close for this session
i have a hand up from janelle alford i will allow them to speak yeah okay
hello good morning do you do uh good morning hi your name it's spelled for the sonographer please
No problem. My first name is Janelle, J-E-N-E-L-L, last name.
No problem. My first name is Janelle, J-E-N-E-L-L, last name Alford, A-L-F-O-R-D.
I just have one. Hold on, hold on one minute.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Absolutely. Yes. Could you tell me the case you're interested in?
The case that I'm interested in, it's at the street location 613 West Cortland Street in Philadelphia, PA, 191-401413.
There is a calendar number that is a reference to that, MI-2025-04116.
Yeah, well, tell me about the case.
oh well um just starting from the beginning or no no i mean are you okay is are you uh against
the project are you uh one of the owners no well at the moment i um was a tenant or um okay so
here's the thing this case will be coming up this morning that case will not be continued
so you'll have an opportunity to come on later and testify okay do you know when that will be
i just i would say um maybe an hour so around 11 o'clock ish so maybe a little bit before okay
thank you
is there any other requests for continuance yes sir i have a handle from susan ponson i've allowed
them to speak uh yes suzanne could you please state your name and spell it for the sonographer
suzanne s-u-z-a-n-n-e ponsen p-o-n-s-e-n i'm president of the uh rco west central germantown
neighbors hold on a minute do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the
truth? Yes, I do. What's the location? 6134 R-46 Wayne Avenue. Yeah, that case has been
continued. I understand. Okay. My question is, are we as neighbors able to see all the documents
that are involved in this case? And where would that be available? All right. Ms. Ponson,
um yes we need to direct that request to um zba to the zba executive director um zba executive
director at phila.gov if you would like to see documents related to the case this is an appeal
against lni so we will not be taking public testimony i understand i do understand okay
thank you very much is there anyone else in the audience
mr chair craig meladosian has their hand raised i have allowed them to speak
good morning craig c-r-a-i-g last name meladosian m-e-l-i-d-o-s-i-a-n do you swear or affirm to
tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do chair bergman what case craig
6901 Buist Avenue MI 2025 004 188 all right so we have no exhibits for that case I'm going
to get to that shortly thank you we'll be continuing the case okay is there anyone else
in the audience no further hands Mr. Chair okay so number 14 MI 2025 004 188 6901 Buist Avenue
We have no exhibits. This is the first listing. Darlene Treat is the attorney. Also,
Supplinder and Rahanjit Singh are the listed owners. First listing.
I do not see any hands raised for that matter, Mr. Chair.
So MI-2025-004-188-6901 Buist Avenue, this case is continued to 6-17-26 at 9.30 a.m.
Number 15, MI-2025-006-001-6327 Lambert Street.
Shellen Thomas is the listed owner.
It's a pro se.
This is the first listing, no exhibits.
no hands raised either for that medicine so mi 2025 006 001 6327 north lambert street
this case is continued to 6 17 26 and i have a few requests for withdrawal
26. And I have a few requests for withdrawal here. MI 2024-005-636-812 McKean Street. This case has been withdrawn.
And number 11, MI 2025-004-124, 1920 Shelmar Avenue, K-Ming XO is the listed owner.
We have a request for withdrawal, but we do not have any proper mechanism yet.
Are they in the audience?
it's a chair i do not see them in the audience this morning okay hillary we want to continue
this okay so uh we mi 2025 004124 1920 shellmar avenue this is continued to 6 17 21 mark must
be heard okay we're going to go to our add-on cases
MI 2024-006-699-2021, Stanton Avenue, I vote yes per amended refusal, dated August 12th, 2025.
Michael Johns, I certify that I watched the video recording of the December 16th, 2025 resumption hearing for this matter, and my vote is yes.
With proviso, Mr. Johns.
With proviso.
Thank you.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Taya Nguyen, my vote is yes, with proviso.
is that it okay number two mi 2024 001 941 53 15 to 17 chancellor street i vote no michael johns
my vote is now cheryl gaston my vote is no sonata graham my vote is no ryan mcadams my vote is no
Hi, I win. My vote is no. Number three, MI 2024-006-946-5773, Kimball Avenue. I vote no.
Michael Johns. My vote is no. Cheryl Gaston. My vote is no.
Tana Graham. My vote is no. Brian McAdams. My vote is no.
Hi, I win. My vote is no. Number four, MI 2025, 00436, 1216 South 2nd Street, I vote no.
Michael Johns, my vote is no. Cheryl Gaston, my vote is no.
Tanetta Graham, my vote is no. Ryan McAdams, my vote is no.
I win. My vote is no. We're going to go to our regular list. Number one, MI 2024-005-624-2068 East Ann Street. Elliot Perez Barrios is the owner. This is a pro se.
And Mr. Chair, we also have a Spanish interpreter present if the applicant needs assistance.
Okay. Thank you.
We can just go ahead and square them in.
I see they have their hand raised, the Spanish interpreter.
The interpreter, please state your name.
Spanish interpreter will be back in shortly.
Good morning, Your Honor. Good morning, everybody.
Good morning. Could you please state your name and spell for the sonographer?
Yes, Your Honor. My name is Leonel, spelled as in L-E-O-N-E-L. Last name is Gillen, spelled as in G-U-I-L-L-E-N.
Do you swear or affirm that you will interpret accurately, completely, and impartially from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English to the best of your ability?
I swear.
All right, could you please call for us Elliot Perez Berrios?
Está el señor Elliot Perez Berrios.
Sí, buen día, aquí estamos.
Yes, good morning, here I am.
All right, could you please have him state his name and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, Your Honor. Muy bien, ¿me puede decir su nombre y deletrearlo para el stenógrafo, por favor?
Yes, my name is Elliot, E-L-L-I-O-T, Elliot.
What's your name?
Pérez, P-E-R-E-Z, Pérez.
Pérez. P-E-R-E-Z. Pérez.
Gracias. Yes, my name is Elliot Pérez. Elliot spelled as an E-L-L-I-O-T. Pérez spelled as in P, as in Peter, E-R-E-Z.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth?
Levanta la mano derecha, por favor.
Pura decir la verdad y toda la verdad, nada más que la verdad.
The whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Toda la verdad y nada más que la verdad, ¿sí?
Toda la verdad.
Yes, I swear, the whole truth.
Okay, this application is for use as a two-family household living in an existing attached structure.
Sí, correcto, así es.
That is correct.
whereas the proposed use a two-family household living is prohibited in the rs5 zoning district
sin embargo esta propuesta establece que el uso de un hogar para dos familias está prohibido en
el en la zonificación en el rs5 de la ley de personificación
There's a letter of support from the Somerset Neighbors for Better Living.
Hay una carta de apoyo de parte de los vecinos de Somerset de Better Living.
And there's a letter of non-opposition from Council Member School.
Y también hay una carta de no oposición de los miembros del Consejo.
Our vice chair has a few questions.
Nuestro vice, nuestro vice encargado tiene unas cuantas preguntas.
Sí, está bien, sí.
Yes, very well.
Good morning.
Have they submitted their documents and exhibits five days in advance of this hearing?
Buenos días.
¿Ya ingresaron los documentos y exhibiciones cinco días previos a esta reunión?
And do you waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Puede comenzar con su caso.
So turn the computer on.
there should be a green button at the bottom
there it goes, very good, thank you
very good, thank you
I want to have him start telling us what it is he wants to do
ok, if you like, can you start telling us what it is he wants to do?
Yes, my name is Eliott Perez and I am the owner of the property 2068 East Entry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19134.
The property was bought on December 5th of 2012.
Yes, hello, my name is Elliot Pérez. I am the owner of the property at 2068 East Entry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19134. The property was purchased on December 5th, 2012.
Okay, so first thing, could you make your exhibits a little bigger so we could see them?
You can make your exhibition a little bigger,
make the exhibits bigger.
For that you can see.
Your Honor, can I instruct them on the little loop?
Sure, why do you do that?
In the lower part, there will be a loop with a more and a less symbol.
Va a haber una lupita con un símbolo más y uno menos.
Abajo, abajo, abajo, abajo, abajo, abajo, abajo.
Ahí, ese mero. Sí. Delete, click.
Hola. Ok. Ahora sí lo ven.
Can you read it here?
Ahora sí.
That's better.
Está mejor.
Gracias.
Veamos los documentos primero.
the next document okay vemos ahí la parte de la transferencia de impuestos que de la propiedad
sigamos a la siguiente oh my god duplication
move it move the documents up
your honor if you want to can instruct on how to do it um
with the just point