33 East Woodlawn Street. We're here today with an application for construction of a self-storage
facility. I have with me today Randy Jones from JSF Management LLC, Equitable
Owner Developer, as well as Devin Gray of JKRP Architects, the project architect.
Mr. Grigos, you're swearing for him to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
I do. I'm going to try to shoot my screen.
Could you ask your witnesses to raise their hand, please?
yes Devin and Randy please raise your hands can everyone see my screen yes we
can yes we can and my email is not showing right look at the right thing
up. Okay, thank you very much. We're just waiting to promote Devin and Randy, but in the meantime,
I'll get started. This property is approximately 30,000 square foot lot at the corner of Woodlawn
and Kenyon Street, which is right behind the corner of Germantown and Chelten Avenue in the
city's Germantown section. Let's see if I can scroll. You can see the property here along
Kenyon and Woodlawn, and if you could see my cursor, Chelten and Germantown, to give you the
context, Cheltenham and Germantown, I'm sorry, Chelten and Germantown being a more commercial
corridor, and I'm just going to scroll all the way down to the, let's see, the
Let's see the zoning map. This is the corner. It's zone CMX3, CA1, down Cheltenham, Caddy Corner to I2, CMX2.5 around us. So Caddy Corner is sort of an industrial zone. I'm just going to give everybody that context.
So here's some site photos. As you can see, it's an open-air parking lot. We have a 10-story building directly adjacent to us, shown here, the Rolls building, which is at the corner of Germantown and Chelten.
and then across Woodlawn we have social services uses down Kenyan there's the industrial uses so
just to give you a sense of where we're at and of course the retail along Cheltenham and Germantown
when looking at the context developer thought this was a great location for self-storage use
the site is owned CMX3 which allows for dense and tall buildings consistent with the context
of the area development team felt it was a great location for self-storage as self-storage is a
great transitional use and buffer from industrial to retail as it's low impact but you know is
quasi-industrial and retail just want to get into the procedure we had a number of meetings with
faith and love rco which is the coordinating rco for the area we had two public meetings
which were well attended, as well as additional meetings with the leadership.
Other RCOs from the area also attended these meetings, and you will note from Faith and
Love's letter of support, there was overwhelming support.
The project went through CDR.
Changes to the plan that were requested as part of the process were reductions in setback,
changes to color, removing landscaping, and I'll get into those details.
I've submitted plans to the solicitor with those changes, and if the board is inclined to grant them, we'd ask that they approve that proviso plan.
Additionally, we've been talking to the neighborhood to try to, and to work with the trades, to hire locally from the neighborhood.
And we've also talked to the Germantown Historical Society to see if we can include some historic photos and incorporate that somehow into our project or some work in our glass.
So this is the property, as I said. Here's the site plan. This is Kenyon Street, and this is Woodlawn Street, the 10-story building being back here.
the red line shows the original plan and the setbacks that we created here's a
ground floor plan showing our parking loading as well as the storage as we go
up to the six-story building here we are in context the existing buildings to our
rear across woodlawn and then the large building at the corner of Chelten and
Germantown and additional views of that. Here is the rendering elevation showing addition of
additional glass panels and spandrel glass. And here we are in context. You can see the large
buildings in the area and we're sort of tucked back off of Chilton Avenue. Back here are the
industrial uses and sort of surrounded by some social service uses as well um here's the rendering
looking from chelton avenue um so we're set back off of chelton but you know uh we're prominent
and visible um you know well lit etc this was the original color scheme uh that was more of a gray
and charcoal um at the request of the neighborhood uh this more brown earth tones was requested and
change was made sort of consistent with the color and context of the neighborhood.
And here's another vantage point down Woodlawn and Kenyon. But I'll just go into project is
six stories, approximately 130,000 square feet. We're proposing 12 parking spaces, which is the
board I'm sure is aware is more than enough to handle the minimal traffic and parking needs of
self-storage facility. Additionally, we have three loading spaces. Hours of operation are approximately
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is where there is on-site management. There's also key card access from 6 a.m.
to 10 p.m. Access is not granted after 10 p.m. or before 6 a.m. In addition to lighting, there will
be security cameras which will improve security around the site. Typically, a site like this has
two to four employees at one time who handle everything from renting lockers,
We handle everything from renting lockers, selling boxes, to maintenance and cleaning of the facility.
selling boxes, to maintenance and cleaning the facility.
If I may go quickly through the refusals, I'll just scroll up.
And I'll just go sort of out of order here.
But I stated the site's own CMX3 self-storage is used.
It's not permitted.
However, as I've mentioned previously, we think this site is ideal for self-storage
as we're situated near tall buildings off the retail corridor and then industrial uses
adjacent to us. And we think the self-storage is a great buffer between those uses, especially
considering that it's currently used as just an open-air parking lot. There was a refusal for
van accessible spaces, as you can see. I believe this was always included in the plan, but it was
not well identified. So in our revised plans, we've identified the van accessible space. So
of the size of the building and CMX3 we're required to have three code compliant loading spaces which
need to be 40 feet deep. Our loading spaces are 30 feet deep which we think is more than adequate
for the type of use and loading that we have consistent with our broad self-storage experience.
Typically what you have is you know box trucks, U-Hauls, moving vans that utilize those loadings,
not 18 wheelers that are contemplated for this 40-foot deep loading.
Next, there's a variance for accessory parking, and as the board knows, in self-storage,
it's a one for 2,000 square foot spaces, which would require 66 spaces.
As you know from other self-storage projects, that many spaces is just not required.
we're providing 12 spaces plus the three loading, which is more than adequate. I think in the packet
that was submitted to the board, there is a parking study that confirms that just for the record.
Finally, we have variances for signage. And this is where I believe the refusal is an error. The
refusal states that signage cannot exceed 100 square feet. We're proposing 140 square feet.
However, I turn your attention to section 149042 of the zoning code that basically says
you're allowed six square feet per lineal foot on the long building frontage and four
on the short.
Quick math, I think that would allow us to have about 600 square feet of signage.
So I think this was just issued in error.
We're well below what we are permitted in a CMX3 for signage.
The final variance is for the signage being above the second floor, but we think it's appropriate to identify the building, especially with the uses in front of us.
And these signs, I think, are more like building identification signs, but visible from the street.
So we believe this is the minimum relief necessary will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood.
the mixed use of retail industrial and social services is a great buffer between those uses
will not impair appropriate user development or adequate light narrative adjacent property
nor will it substantially increase congestion will not be detrimental to the neighborhood
as evidenced by our letter of support and I'll just flip that up on the screen about 20 people
attended the voting RCO meeting and here are the facts it was a overwhelming support
and here's our letter which should be in the record
and I believe that we also
I believe the councilwoman's office is here and my understanding is they're
in support of the project as well but I will just ask Randy
Jones to be sworn
and ask him if he's heard my testimony and if he adopts it
as his own.
Raise your hand if you haven't already.
Yeah, sure. Randy Jones, R-A-N-D-Y-J-O-N-E-S.
We're infirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
I do, sir.
Thank you, sir.
Randy, have you heard my testimony, and do you adopt it as your own?
And Devin Gray is here to answer any questions, the project architect, if that's helpful for the board.
Any other witnesses at this time?
Anyone else wish to participate?
We have Charles Richardson from the council office.
Charles, you can unmute yourself and speak.
Morning, Mr. Chair.
Charles Richardson.
I'm sorry, you finish and then I'll swear you.
Sorry.
Charles Richardson, Office of Councilwoman Bass, R-I-C-H-A-R-D-S-O-N.
Richardson, you swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.
Thank you.
Please proceed.
I was I'm here to let let the board know that councilwoman has no objections
to this granting of this variance. Thank you very much. Thank you.
to this, granting of this variance.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Anyone else wish to testify in this case?
Please raise your hand.
We have Allison.
Allison, you can unmute yourself and testify.
We also have Inez Love. Inez, you can unmute yourself and testify.
Yes, I'm Inez Love from Faith Community Development Corporation. We're the coordinating RCO in the project.
Do you swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed. Thank you.
We're here to support the project as an RCO and representatives of the community.
We did have several meetings with the developer.
We discussed and the developer do up a CBA for the community.
My question is, does that CBA go into the record?
And if it does, does it go in as a CBA or as a provider?
All right, would you repeat that?
We entered into or discussed the CBA with the developer.
My question is, does that CBA go into the record as a CBA, or does it go in as a provisor?
My understanding is we did put together a community benefits agreement with members of the community.
and i believe that the the specific changes to the plan are reflected and i believe that the
other issues in the community benefits agreement or in that contract such as the local hiring etc
and other things that we agreed to in that cba but that's my understanding of how it works
i believe you're correct sharon any comment
We put all that writing and we stand behind it.
Does that go into the record?
I can say that the kinds of conditions that you're describing as being in the community
benefits agreement are not conditions that the board would be able to add as provisos
to its decision.
So the Community Benefits Agreement would be independent, but I assume enforceable.
Yes. However, the plan, the things that are in there, such as the increased setback that Ms. Love and her group asked for, they are in the record, in the revised plans.
The change in color, which is in the plans, are in the record.
So I think those items are reflected.
it the other non-zoning items are in the agreement. Yes, I agree, Herc. I misstated
that. Anything that is enforceable as a zoning issue is included in the revised plans, and
that will become part of the record, and you will be required to comply with that.
Any other questions from anyone? We have also Allison.
You can speak now.
Ma'am, we're having difficulty hearing you.
Yeah, Allison, you're breaking up.
So we're not going to be able to hear your testimony.
Maybe if you try to...
Allison?
You can call Sharon Saleta, and she can put you on speakerphone if you want to put your testimony on that way.
Otherwise, we cannot hear your testimony.
Yes, Allison, I'll be waiting for your call if you'd like to call me to have my number.
But we can't hear your replies.
Well, I'll just say for the record, we did have numerous discussions with Ms. Weiss as well, and she helped facilitate the discussions with the Germantown Historic Society, and we're continuing those discussions to see how we can incorporate some historic pictures, whether it's in our glazing or in our lobby, to have that as part of the fabric.
She also requested to see if it was possible to have maybe an Amazon box locker location.
to see if it was possible to have maybe an Amazon box locker location.
We reached out to Amazon.
They did not show any interest, and I think in speaking with the coordinating RCO,
they thought it was best to have any of those commercial uses on the commercial corridors on Cheltenham and Germantown,
which are probably feeling some pressure in the post-COVID world.
um uh additionally um i think she raised a question about a um a tree on the site
uh our engineers looked at that uh and confirmed it was not a heritage tree it didn't meet the
species etc so um those were issues that we did raise um and we did have discussions with miss
weiss and her group and i believe she attended one meeting and did not attend the second right now
I'll just do it by phone.
Sorry.
I have Ms. Weiss on the phone.
She is going to testify.
Allison, are you there?
Yes, I'm here.
Can you...
Ms. Weiss.
Yes, Allison Weiss.
Ms. Weiss, please spell your name for the record.
A-double-L-I-S-O-N-W-E-I-S-S-S-O-M-O-Germatown Civic Association.
Do you swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed.
I'm here to kind of question the development.
We have many questions on why, after the Northwest Comprehensive Plan 2035 identified this area as transit-oriented development because of its proximity to the commercial corridor and the downtown train station, which is less than 500 feet, that this development would be proposed and accepted.
Community members are concerned for the need of a storage facility, although it has assured us that there is need.