um where the entryway is into the second floor of the building um the new lot would be in the
opposite side of the building and have an entrance accessible to the first floor
so just to confirm if approved you would now have three parking lots
at this intersection yes and that would be for a total of how many parking spaces
they're counting sorry um there's close to 50 um the lot on germantown has eight the proposed
new spaces are 13 um and i believe the back lot has 30 ish spaces and on an average day how many
people between um clients and employees are driving to your facility
um between um so between the um mental health outpatient program um as well as the physical
health program and all the other programs in the building um i believe we have close to 200
200 200 patients a day or people are in the building a day and how many of those have
uh are in a wheelchair or have some sort of limited mobility like a walker
scooter don't think i can provide a really accurate count of that
just give us a guess to get if you had a guess you had to go with a straddle average
i'm thinking uh wheelchair and mobility issues um i would say between 30 and 40 percent
Okay, questions from our attorney?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the audience?
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, Chair, I have Charles Richardson with her hand raised.
I have allowed them to speak.
They'll be back in Azepanama shortly.
Hello, Mr. Richardson.
Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, Mr. Richardson, could you please state your name and spell for the court sonographer?
Certainly. Charles Richardson, R-I-C-H-A-R-D-S-O-N, Office of Councilwoman Cindy Bass, room 508 City Hall.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Please proceed, sir.
I attended the RCO meeting. It was a very well-attended RCO meeting. Most of the participants were near neighbors, and everyone that voted voted in opposition to this proposal.
There are two RCOs that represent that area also are opposed to this proposal.
As Ms. Wynn just finished pointing out, there's a lot of parking in that area, and it seems to be that they're kind of making excuses as to why they don't use the back parking lot and the lot across the street.
back parking lot and a lot across the street and there's a lot of parking in that area already
and there's a lot of fun.
uh the councilwoman is supportive of the rcos and the near neighbors and she will be opposing
the uh special exception how do you have any questions i have no questions but i want to
make a statement to make it clear why don't we do this why don't we wait because i think there's
three other hands up all right thanks so next hand please yes chair i have a hand up from
jeremy gudgeon i'll welcome the panelist and they should be back in shortly
hello mr chair i could you please state your name and spell for the sonographer
Yes, my name is Jeremy Gudgeon. It's J-E-R-E-M-Y-G-U-D. Sorry.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Could you turn your video on, please?
Oh, yes, sir.
There we are.
Are you a neighbor?
Yes, I am.
Please proceed.
Thank you for the opportunity to share the statement today.
As a near neighbor, I request that the approval for this variance to enable a commercial parking lot be built in this residentially zoned parcel not be provided.
While we value the work that Meraki performs in our community, the creation of a parking lot at this location is contrary to the community's wishes, as shown via the RCO vote.
A citywide vision and residential zoning has been reaffirmed in the recent Philadelphia 2535 planning.
And in general, I think we do need to focus in on the options that are available.
Our neighborhood has discussed a multitude of other ideas.
Objection to anything about the neighborhood, he's going to speak for himself.
So what we want to know is where you stand, sir, and I think you're pretty much there.
So I believe then in that position that the handicap ramp, which has been shown in a couple of the photos so far,
does exhibit a path to be able to access from an existing parking lot that is on Germantown Avenue,
which is better scaled and scoped to enable the commercial activity that's being discussed.
I would also point to the fact that it is equidistant, effectively, in terms of travel.
The parking lot on the left side that exists today, effectively placed parallel to the one which will be on the right side,
would require travel from, let's say, the center point of that parking lot down across the front face of the building
into the main entrance i believe that's being equidistant travel and i believe that that could
be covered and enabled and made possible as the solution the discussion around options that are
existing with other parking lots leasing or making purchase of a space in an otherwise not used
parking lot that is adjacent to the building as well as an option objection the speculation that
we'd even be able to buy a lot owned by somebody else mr chairman i mean so what we want you to do
is just give us your views right now about what what what they've testified to okay sure i'll try
to stick within that parameter uh so again to the idea that there are i believe other options
available uh the concern we have around uh the i have around the residential space as well being
lost uh is a direct concern given the fact that if this were retained as residential space i believe
that this would be a win for the community.
It does not need to be owned and renovated by Merri-Key,
but rather could be sold as a windfall
for potential other opportunities.
Yeah, not speculation, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Goodwin, why don't you just concentrate on
not what you see in the future, but what you want now?
And I think we're pretty clear on where you stand,
and I think we understand, okay?
So I would want to maintain the current setup we have
with regard to the safety and the use of the space available to the community,
including traffic crossing across sidewalks and the noise,
as well as the abutment of a property that currently exists today,
a residential home within feet of the proposed commercial parking lot.
I believe that's going to cause a direct impact to their quality of life.
And I also would close in saying that as we consider the options available to us,
the good work being done can be sustained, I believe, through additional considerations besides
the erection of this parking lot. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next hand.
Yes, Mr. Chair, we have Brittany Libby. They have been promoted to panelists who will be allowed to speak.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
My name is Brittany Libby, B-R-I-T-T-A-N-Y-L-I-B-B-Y.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
I do. Are you a neighbor? I am. Are you for this project or against?
Are you a neighbor?
Are you for this project or against?
I oppose this project. I'm against. Okay. Is there anything you can offer that
that we haven't heard? Well, I am very aligned with what Jeremy just shared. And I'm thankful
for Councilwoman Bass's statement in opposition. The only thing I would say is just I am a social
worker. I'm a licensed social worker. I very much support the efforts of Meraki. I strongly
disagree with the statement that was made that this variance to remove the trees will not hurt
our public health. I truly believe that removing these trees and adding cement would increase the
negative impact on our asthma rates in our neighborhood, would increase the heat in our
neighborhood. And I also want to mention that I am always out walking in the neighborhood. I
frequently enjoy walking over to the woods, to coffee shops, et cetera. And I have eyes on the
ground, I think in a way that the Merrikey team doesn't, as well as my- Speculation,
Mr. Chana, how she knows what Merrikey's thinking and what they see. What I want you to do is just
concentrate on what you observe, not what Merrikey does. Is that okay? Thank you.
Is there anything else you can add in other than what you heard?
Yes, what I was trying to get at was that I am out there in the mornings, during the afternoon, and throughout the day and see children walking to and from school on the sidewalks, sprinting across Chew Ave to ensure that they aren't crossing in front of cars.
I myself am trying to ensure I'm already safe crossing that street, and I truly believe that adding a parking lot and more traffic to that road on Mount Airy, to that intersection with Chu Ave, would be, would have a negative impact on the health and well-being of myself as a resident and potentially the children who walk to and from school.
Thank you. Next hand, please.
Yes, Mr. Chair, we have
Meg DeBrito
with her hand raised. I don't have them to speak.
Hi, could you please state your name as
Bell for the sonographer.
Hi, my name is Meg DeBrito.
M-E-G-D-E
B-R-I-T-O.
Do you swear or affirm
to tell the truth, to hold truth, nothing but the truth?
Are you a neighbor?
I am. I live two houses away from
the parking lot.
Are you for or against this?
i am against it is there anything at all that you can offer that we haven't heard and we've
we've heard quite a bit i know um so a couple things that i want to offer is one just the
increase in um the heat is going to i think we just had that testimony yep we also the increase
in light at the night times will affect the back of my house having a parking lot that goes
deeper in i'm going to be getting light in my back windows which is really not good i live in
a darker area. Last thing, we haven't looked at Chu Avenue and how long it is. It leads a lot of
cars traveling up Chu Avenue very quickly. My house was crashed into about four years ago in
the front wall as they were trying to make a turn to the left. I see this as a very difficult position
for other cars that are coming out and making a right and or cars that are coming down, more cars
that would be coming down Chew Avenue
to get into that parking lot
because you do have to enter from that side.
All right, thank you very much
for taking the time to call.
Okay, planning commission.
Amy Boyd with the planning commission.
The comprehensive plan recommends no change
to the RSA 3 residential single-family zoning
at this location.
The appellant is proposing to demolish
a building adjacent to a medical facility
to be used as parking for that facility.
They own both parcels.
The appellant could eliminate the non-accessory parking refusal
through a lot line adjustment to combine this parcel with 27 East Mount Airy.
The proposal includes the replacement of heritage trees
with the same number of caliper inches.
The Planning Commission recommends that the board deny the proposed variance
for non-accessory parking and grant the requested variance
for special exemption for heritage tree removal.
Thank you.
Counsel, we've heard a lot of testimony on this.
We're going to take this to executive session next Wednesday, and we will vote on it at 2 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Cohen.
Thank you, everyone.
Thank you.
Mr. Nakamura's in there.
mi20240047651264
north 26th street
alan knockamson is the attorney
we have a letter of opposition for brewery town chargewood community civic association
we have a letter of
and also a letter of opposition from council member young and the applicants provide support
with 20 a petition with 29 signatures
and mr knockamson just for the record could you please state your name and spell for the
court stenographer yes alan knockamson a-l-a-n last name knockamson n-o-c-h-u-m-s-o-n do you
swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do could you identify your
client a relationship to this property yes my client who's still left of me is gaziata seven
He's the owner's representative for Elite Electric AA, Inc., the owner of the property.
Okay, and Tanetta Graham, our board member, has a few questions for you, sir.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Did you just submit your documents five days in advance of this hearing?
Yes, we have.
Okay, and do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal, and do you stipulate to its accuracy?
Okay, thank you.
You may proceed.
Thank you.
Just make sure I have the right screen up.
All right. So I'm here to present 1624 North 26th Street. Originally, we proposed this RSA5
property, which is 1,370 square feet as a triplex, after hearing community input, our request would
be to reduce that unit count to two. There are no dimensional refusals as part of this
presentation. So during my presentation, I will first review the notice of refusal,
then the correspondence from the Brewery Town Shardswoods Community Civic Association.
I never received a letter of opposition from Council Member Young's office, but I will say this. If you look at the letter, the actual zoning board executive committee of the coordinating RCO unanimously supported this project.