received anything you know pertaining to that once again I'm just speaking for my community
and um we all are opposed to this and again we wish them luck if they found another location
but that particular area right there is just basically too congested and again it was a part
of the church a while ago when I've seen uh remodeling being done nothing was said and I
thought it was part of the church so again um we're opposed thank you anyone else like to
testify in this case please raise your hand and if you do testify something new and different please
chair we have a phone caller with the last digit last four digits seven six two five
caller you may speak now
caller please identify yourself with the record name and address
hello good morning my name is Karina Bowen my address is 6224 North Smedley Street
1-9-1-4-1
I actually live in
Ma'am excuse me hold on
Please spell your last name for the
Court reporter and I'll swear you in
B-O-W-E-N
You swear and affirm
To tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
Please proceed
I live on
The 6200 block of
North Smedley Street
And I do understand that this young man and his wife are trying to open a restaurant. I understand the obstacles that the persons that presented prior are saying that it is a congested area, but, and also the staircase, which I think, you know, are things that the stairs is something that could be fixed.
and you know be made more accessible um to my understanding from what was told to me
um this is going to be a restaurant there's not going to be any nightclub or bars i am opposed to
the multiple poppy stores that are in my neighborhood but i never received any information
about anybody fighting not to open one of these poppy stores that's selling you know cigarettes and
you know tobacco products you address your concerns as it relates to this application please
Okay. So I do not oppose the opening of this restaurant in the neighborhood. I think it would provide jobs, and it's also helping a member of the Philadelphia community to further their self in the city.
okay so i i i do not oppose the opening
Thank you very much. Anyone else would like to testify?
Chair, we have someone by the name of Lincoln Kerr. Mr. Kerr, you may unmute yourself and speak now.
Mr. Kerr, please identify yourself for the record, name and address, spell your last
name, and then I'll swear you in.
Mr. Kerr, you may speak now.
Can y'all hear me?
Yes, please identify yourself for the record.
Yes, my name is Lincoln Kerr.
I'm over there at 1500 West Champ Plus, just down the street.
and uh you swear to affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
yes yes i do and your address again 1500 west champ laws just down the street
right okay thank you please proceed all right yeah um i don't i don't i i'm okay with this
um restaurant being down the street um i i don't see the problem with it um i i hear what i hear
the concerns with coming from the uh the uh the other people that are opposing i i understand that
but where was all this opposition with with everything else and i just think this will
help this family i don't see i don't see why what the uproar is and and it's it'll be a good thing
for our block,
it'll just be
another good business
in our neighborhood, and I think we need
more than that. We need more of that.
For them to keep
saying
it's going to bring crime,
and I mean, all that's a matter
of opinion.
I don't see why they should
be rejected from
someone's negative opinion.
I mean, this family, I know them personally.
They're good people, and I think they would do good.
Andy himself is a good guy.
His food is delicious, and I know this whole neighborhood will like it if they just try it.
So that's my opinion on that.
I'm a little confused.
You said the food is delicious.
Where are they serving food from?
No, I know him personally, and I think...
Oh, you said the food is delicious.
is, I thought, I was just curious where you're getting the food.
No, you know, I had his food before.
He sees, him and his family does block parties, and then all, the whole neighborhood comes
out and tries his food, and I don't see, I don't see what the problem is.
I think the opposition just needs to just allow this to happen, and it's going to be
a good thing.
I mean, there's crime everywhere, but you don't, you don't, but there's, you said don't speak on other businesses, but there's crime everywhere, all up and down Oyelk Road or whatever, but that's, that's, that shouldn't deter this family from doing what's best for them and their family.
Thank you for your testimony. Anyone else?
Chair, we have Sandra Broadus.
Ms. Broadus, you may unmute yourself and speak.
Good morning, ma'am. Please identify yourself with a record name and address by your last name.
Ms. Brodus?
We can move on.
Okay, Chair, we have someone by the name of Robert Hope.
Mr. Hope, you can unmute yourself.
yes good afternoon can you guys hear me yes please identify yourself name and address
yes good morning my name is officer robert hoppy i'm uh part of the 35th police district over at
5960 north broad street please spell your last name it's h-o-p-p-e badge number one five two
eight you swear and affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
I do. Please proceed. Yes, I was just speaking in reference to the crime in that particular area.
The place in reference at 1530 Champloss Street is roughly about a quarter of a mile from the
35th Police District, which is technically right up the street from Old York and Champloss.
uh this knowing been a police officer for 14 years in the 35th district that i can actually
This knowing been a police officer for 14 years in the 35th District.
say that the crime in that particular area is not bad uh we do have some issues around
surrounding areas but within that radius of their establishment it is not anywhere near as bad as
other areas of the 35th police district so in my opinion that that restaurant being in that location
for safety-wise is going to be perfectly fine, and there would be no issues.
Thank you, sir. Thank you for your service. Thank you. Anyone else?
Chair, we have someone by the name of Malenza Gordon.
Ms. Gordon, you can unmute yourself and speak.
Hello, good morning. My name is Malena Gordon.
can you hear me yes we can hear you can you swear her in please
yes do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing about the truth
i do and put your name and address on the record and spell your last name please
my name is melina gordon g-o-r-d-o-n
thank you you may proceed i reside at
we lost you we just hello miss gordon yes i'm here
can you hear me yes can you please proceed yes i reside at 1519 west champ plus
avenue so i'm on the actual block that the restaurant would be on and i am therefore
calling just because i i don't see why there is an opposition to this restaurant be there
i see where they have the opposing have voiced several reasons and i concur with the police
officer who spoke before me that I have been here for 18 years and I have not had the impact
of the crime infestation that the opposition is voicing. I, residing on this block, have
not had that i see this as a very quiet block there have been items around but on the actual
block for those who say high infestation of crime that is incorrect i also see about the stairs
and i have i also concur with someone who stated that if the stairs leading to the restaurant to
the property can be amended, can be fixed, then I think the opportunity should be given to the
restaurant owners for them to amend. If they oppose amending, then one can say that they are not
appreciating what needs to make them a better place. I see also about loitering. And I will
say that until one has that, and somebody might say, why wait to have it? But I don't see how
the restaurant would, in effect, take loitering. There are other places, I mean, beside it,
And I don't see loitering. So I just don't see why someone, in effect, is preempting that there will be loitering on steps.
I also hear one speaking about food in terms of smell.
I'm not sure what that means, because anyone who has a house and you're cooking and you have not, it's eating.
There is a difference, ma'am.
Excuse the interruption.
This would be a commercial kitchen.
I think the issue had to do with the exhaust system.
Is that a roof-mounted exhaust?
Could the applicant speak to that?
Would that be a roof-mounted exhaust?
Andrew?
Are you hearing me?
Yes, yes.
Is that a yes to...
There would be an exhaust.
Say that again?
Say that again?
There will be an exhaust.
There will be an exhaust.
And the roof.
And the roof.
Is it roof mounted?
Thank you.
Anyone else would like to testify?
Something new and different, please.
We have someone by the name, looks like Jody Edwards.
You may unmute yourself and speak now.
Hello, how are you doing?
My name's Jody Edwards.
Your name and address, sir?
My name is Jody Edwards.
Address, I live on the 1400 block of Grange.
You swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir.
Please proceed.
Okay, so I live not too far from where the 35th District is and where this restaurant is supposed to be going up.
And honestly, I don't see what the big problem is.
It will bring a new look to our community.
Yes, there's other restaurants in the area, but they're farther away from the community.
They're on a main street.
This new restaurant in the community will bring a new look and bring a better view to
our community because I'm pretty sure, I think the officer name was Officer Happy.
And if they're minutes away, not even a mile up down the block to say, okay, this neighborhood
crime rate is not as high as the opposition is making it seem, I live in that neighborhood.
that neighborhood is not that bad um it's it's a beautiful neighborhood yeah and this restaurant
will bring out more more in the neighborhood i think you know this this would be a great step
towards a better future for us in the neighborhood especially as a young african-american male it
will be great for us something new to look to a new job to look to look forward to hey you know
you hiring a dishwasher i'll take a dishwashing job there anytime so that that's my my view and
And I think this would be a great opportunity for our neighborhood and a great opportunity for the people in our neighborhood that's trying to make something of their lives.
Why fight another family down?
They're trying to make a future for themselves and a future for their kids if they have kids.
That's all I have to say.
Thank you very much.
We need to move on.
I'm going to add to the Planning Commission.
Morning, Chair.
Chico, Ian Haggerty.
on behalf of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
Megan, are you swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing about the truth?
I do, sir.
Thank you.
Please proceed.
So, Chair and Chico, members of the board, with all due respect to the family,
we don't find any evidence of unique physical circumstances or conditions peculiar to the
property, nor do we believe that there is no possibility that the property can be used
in strict conformance with the zoning code.
um furthermore the proposed use conflicts with the comprehensive plan which encourages
consolidation of commercial uses in this area to the more active corridors and so we would
recommend that the zoning board deny the variance
frank you're muted
i'm sorry i got ahead of myself i forgot to ask are the questions from the board