Philadelphia PA 19146. Okay. Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but
the truth? I do, madam. Okay. You may proceed. May I be allowed to be bumped up to panelists? I do
have, I would like to share my screen if possible. Your screen? Tanya? I'm sorry. Mr. Richard,
What is it that you need to share, just to be certain first?
He's coming back in as a panelist, Ms. Sunken.
He's coming back in as a panelist, Ms. Sunken.
Mr. Richard, can you unmute yourself, please?
And just advise the board, please advise the board what you will be sharing at this time.
It's the document that I submitted yesterday.
Perhaps you do all have it with you in hand, but there are some pictures on there that I'm going to refer to.
And I just thought it would be easier if I share the document as well here now, in case you didn't have it.
Okay, Mr. Phillips, if you can unshare.
Thank you very kindly.
you can go forward Mr. Richard. And excuse me this is Sharon of the board if you are able to
access your email I did email those photos and letter. Okay thank you so much. And just for the
record I know I have not yet received a copy of anything but again I don't have any objection per
say. Just wanted to note that for the record. Thank you, Michael.
Okay, I don't, can you see, it says at the top, good morning, vice chair, members of the board.
Can everyone see that? Yes. Okay, thank you. And I guess now it's good afternoon,
vice chair, members of the board. You can skip that sentence. I've come before you today
with a number of hats on near neighbor who has lived in the affected community for 21 years
since 2001 sasna zoning committee member and elected democratic committee person
representing the affected 10th division that is adjacent to this 915 south 18th street property
in addition to these hats i also come before you wearing a back brace and suffering from a mild
brain injury to being hit by a car while bicycling. So please excuse me if I might sound a little
off today. You sound fine. You can continue. Thank you so much, Vice Chair. What I have here
in this appear, I'm sorry, what you have here in this appear appeal is a three-unit Cornell
rental LLC wanting to make their backyard a parking space where the driveway to this space
would go through a busy pedestrian walkway a pedestrian walkway sidewalk that is next door to
the historic and very busy christian street ymca on the drawings that were submitted they have that
ymca labeled as a commercial structure i guess that's what a ymca is but to me i don't feel that
it is a commercial structure anyway that christian street ymc daycare excuse me that sidewalk and
walkway is used, a pedestrian walkway sidewalk, that Christian Street YMCA daycare children use
multiple times a day during recess, getting to and from their YMCA playground just across the
street. If you look at this drawing here, the aerial view, there's 915 South 18th Street.
The kids come out of the back door of the Y, walk down to the crosswalk, and then walk over to the
YMC playground. The sidewalk is also used that other children use to and from Stanton Elementary
School and the Carpenter Green Park, both just down the block. This is Montrose Street. Just down
the block at the corner of 17th and Montrose are Stanton Elementary School and also Carpenter Green
Park. That is complete. The sidewalk and driveway is completely opposite to the principles and
efforts of the Susana's walkability plan and its safe pathways to our school initiative.
Some links there you can check on it. Part of that initiative at the crosswalks at Stanton
Elementary School, so that would be 17th and Christian and 17th and Montrose. We're going
to be painting the crosswalks where they are more visible to the vehicles that are passing
to vehicles that are passing through they're also doing that at the chester arthur elementary school
through. They're also doing that at the Chester Arthur Elementary School.
um here you see our councilman
also the sidewalk and driveway is opposite in principle to the city's vision zero action plan
2025 to reduce and prevent vehicle fatalities and and primarily it does that by just saying
And, you know, when pedestrians and vehicles, you want to reduce their interaction as much as possible.
Also, the sidewalk and driveway that's proposed here are used by many voters from four divisions used on election day to enter the YMCA polling place and vote.
The polling place right now goes through the back door, the same door that the children exit to go to their playground.
My division is over here, the 10th division, and so are all the other three divisions or the two of the divisions that I speak of.
So they all travel down this road, down this sidewalk, past this proposed parking space to enter to vote here in the YMCA.
And that if approved, as I stated above or as I'm about to state, would mean the permanent loss of one to two parking spaces for Montrose Street.
relative to the claim by the appellant last month at the sasna zoning committee meeting
that there already exists a curb cut that is not an accurate statement the appellant
strawlings also make that claim this is the curb cut or what i guess quote unquote what is claimed
to be a curb cut um for the 915 south 18 property this is montrose street this is the um what you
have here is not a curve cut this is just a worn down 130 year old blue granite stone curve and
it's actually similar to the stone curve that i have on my block it's just a worn down so you know
if that's a curve cut then my whole block is a curve cut okay and so and you see here in the
drawing that he just uh displayed it's claiming existing curve cut i i don't agree with that
Also in this drawing, and I guess you could say it might be a minor point, the drawing has the property at 18 feet.
The property actually should have been labeled 17 feet.
You can check that out.
Objection.
Objection.
Noted.
So noted.
In fact, you know, you might seem to be trivial, but if you use that parking space for a 20-foot pickup truck,
then it's certainly going to be extending out into the sidewalk and that might be an important
issue to consider. I'm sorry, Madam Chair, I hate to interrupt. This is Tanya and I just would like
to respectfully note that we're closing in on our hard stop time. I'll be finishing up shortly.
Shortly within a couple of minutes because we really do have to end the hearing. Yes, absolutely.
Thank you.
One thing, too, I also want to bring up is fact.
Yesterday, I reached out to the YMCA, and they were unaware of this appeal.
Objection to hearsay.
Well, I do have the email.
I can share that with you on this.
Still objection is hearsay.
All right.
All right.
All right. But I will say that, as she said, we are in support of opposing the zoning for this parking space.
How unfortunate it would be after hearing my testimony that you grant this appeal, even though the Sassana Zoning Committee voted no, and all near neighbors I have spoken to are against this backyard parking spot, which I said, if granted, would eliminate one to two parking spaces, as well as endanger the lives of pedestrians, especially the little ones.
objection to this uh this photograph which has nothing to do with it
no but it would be a similar photograph as what you're proposing if you're successful
that would occur for hundreds of children i'm sorry i'm sorry mr richard if i could
i hate to interrupt again but please note you are just testifying and you will not
enter a back and forth discussion with the attorney thank you very kindly oh my apologies
um so in in closing i will say i hope and pray for the safety of our children that you oppose
this backyard uh space being turned into a parking space and uh uh and as far as conformity
um i moved into the neighborhood and i just want to say i moved into the neighborhood in 2001 he
mentions about this has been a parking space since 2004 a lot of things went on in the neighborhood
in 2001 you know there wasn't and just because some
in 2001 you know there wasn't and just because something has existed for all long but I guess
what I'm trying to say when I moved into the neighborhood it was kind of like uh anything
goes kind of a neighborhood and so you know we had drug dealing in the corner and shooting and
all that kind of stuff just because we had all that for a long time doesn't make it legal so
I don't think this parking space should be legal as I said I was a person recently hit by an
automobile and i'm certainly passionate about that i don't think we in any way wherever we can
we should not have vehicles interrupting pedestrian walkways especially when these walkways
are being used by the ymc the historic ymca christian street right next door thank you so
much richard so what you're basically saying is you're opposed to this i am definitely opposed
okay thank you uh does anybody have any questions no is there anyone is there anyone in the virtual
audience madam chair we have france pierre please unmute yourself and please wait for the chair
Hello, Frantz Pierre, Council Member Johnson's office.
That's F-R-A-N-T-Z, last name Pierre, P-I-E-R-R-E.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, Frantz?
I certainly do, and good afternoon, Madam Chair and fellow board members.
Thank you. You may proceed.
yes uh due to the near neighbor opposition as well as the uh community at large the council
member does join the community in their opposition to the appeal thank you planning commission
good afternoon ian litwin planning commission staff comprehensive plan recommends no change
to the existing residential multi-family zoning at this location the code states that residential
parking shall be permitted in the required rear yard of an attached building when the parking is
accessed by a rear alley or shared driveway this parking space does not meet these standards
therefore the city planning commission recommends the board deny the variance
thank you and once again the board has no questions correct calendar number 1091
Madam Vice Chair, if I could just respond. Oh, there you are. Yeah. I forgot about you. I apologize. If I could just make one quick reply because I do respect the Planning Commission's position and it is not our position that under the current code that this would be permitted as this does not reflect a rear street.
However, I think it's important to note that this was a permitted condition under the prior code, which only required one family, existing one family properties and duplexes to obtain certificates from the zoning board in order to provide off-street parking.
All other properties, including multifamily and triplexes, as this is, were permitted to have the off-street parking provided there was the rear yard.
It was behind the rear yard requirement.
We have shown that this was behind the rear yard requirement, and we've shown that this condition has existed since 2004 and has been utilized that way continuously.
Therefore, it is our position that this is a pre-existing non-conforming condition that is permitted under the zoning code, and it does not require a variance.
And I also lastly want to note that SASNA did not submit a letter of opposition.
they submitted a letter of deferral noting that there were various uh positions taken
at the community meeting including uh numerous people who are in support and who also empathized
with my client who purchased this property with this condition in 2016. i have nothing further
thank you calendar number 1091915 south 18th street my vote is no
professor plaza my vote is no james snell my vote is no thomas holliman my vote is no
thank you board this concludes the um i'm sorry madam chair this is tanya sunkett
if i may make a request yes i know i know the previous case that was continued um for attorney
Young has been listed numerous times. If I could request that we have that as a must be heard,
I would appreciate it. Certainly. Calendar number 1010-2608 West Dauphin Street.
This case is continued and it must be heard. Thank you very kindly. That concludes my business.
Thank you very kindly. That concludes my business.
Sure, and I think this concludes.
Sure, and I think this concludes our business.
Yes, Chair.
Thank you. Everyone, thank you so much.
Today was a technologically crazy day.
See you guys that too, okay?
Okay, thanks, Professor.
Take care.
Bye, everyone.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
Ms. Doyle, we'll...
Thank you. And before we begin, do we have a court reporter?
Yes, Chair.
I'm here. Thank you.
And just let us know if we run over and you need a break. Just let us know you need a break, please.
Thank you very much.
Thank you. Okay. We're ready to go, Tanya?
Yes, Chair. We're ready. You can begin.
Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Frank DiCicco. I'm the Chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
I'll be participating in today's hearing along with our board secretary,
Confessor Plaza, and board members, Mr. Thomas Holloman and Mr. James Snell.
Board Administrator, Ms. Fatina L., and our board attorney, Ms. Sharon Saletta,
are also in attendance, as is the zoning board's administrator, Ms. Tanya Sunkett.
For those of you who haven't yet participated in one of our virtual hearings,
I'll go through some of the basics of what you can expect.
First, we will be administering oaths to individual participants prior to their testimony.
Second, we'd like to advise everyone that this proceeding is being recorded
and that by participating, you acknowledge your agreement to be recorded
and that the recording will be made available to the public on the web or otherwise.
Third, for anyone participating by phone, if you wish to testify,
you must raise your hand by hitting star nine and then star six to unmute yourself. I'll repeat.
For anyone participating by phone, if you wish to testify, you must raise your hand by hitting
star nine and then star six to unmute yourself. Finally, to enter an appearance statement,
call Google 267-270-5548 and leave your email address and the address of the property at issue.
I will repeat that.
To enter an appearance statement, call Google 267-270-5548 and leave your email address and the address of the property at issue.
And I would like to remind everyone, please do not attempt to testify in the chat.
Any comments or concerns should be directed to Ms. Fatina L., our court administrator.
With that, I will read off a list of the cases that have been requested to be continued on our two o'clock list.
number two MI 2021-001108-2500 Wilmot, WILMOT Street, Attorney Moving Party. Case number four
MI 2020-002583-3959 Lancaster Avenue. I understand there was an agreement between the
attorney for the applicant and I believe the attorney for the protestants to continue this
case. So it was a joint agreement between both sides. Number five on our list. Is anyone here
for MI 2020-000299-4363 Main Street? We have no exhibits and this is the fourth listing.
I see no hands chair. Okay well I'll wait till we get down to that one just in case they're
getting on late. Having said that is there anyone who would like to request a continuance or
withdrawal at this time? If so please raise your hand. Chair we have Shoshana Bricklin.
Good afternoon Miss Bricklin please identify yourself with a record spell your full name
and i'll swear you in it's shoshana bricklin s-h-o-s-h-a-n-a the last name is b-r-i-c-k-l-i-n
i am the attorney for the um applicant in this case 7037 old ounce oh you want to swear me in
never mind chair this is number eight on your list okay do you swear for him to tell the truth
the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
I see there are no exhibits.
Are you requesting a continuance?
Yes, and by way of explanation,
the parties, the applicant and the community