l and i records the the current use of the space um is a recreation space not a classroom space
so we just want to make sure all of the the fire code um requirements are being met um but we have
no objection to to this use moving forward thank you very much anyone else that would be all chair
planning commission this follow-up burns with the planning commission this property is indicated for
residential use on the comprehensive plan. Because it has a history of a long-standing
church with what was probably Sunday school classrooms, we have no objection to the granting
of the variance. Thank you. MI 2020-000722, 5900 North 5th Street, my vote is yes with
the proviso. A certificate of occupancy is to be obtained within nine months. Yes with
proviso yes with proviso okay um that concludes the two o'clock list anything left off of the
two o'clock list sharon and endorse tanya no chair we ready for the next all right i'm sorry
did we complete 100 herman street yes it's number 14 sorry yes yep no problem good does anyone need
a break uh yes i'll take a short break okay we'll be back in less 10 minutes we'll be back in 10
minutes thank you okay do we need to wait no my name is frank d chico i'm the chair of the zoning
board of adjustment i'll be participating in today's hearing along with our board secretary
Mr. Confessor Plaza and Board Member Mr. Thomas Holloman. Board Administrator Tanya Sunkit and
Board Attorney Sharon Saleta are also in attendance. For those of you who haven't
yet participated in our virtual hearing, 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, for the benefit of anyone participating by phone, we ask that attorneys and witnesses
identify themselves prior to speaking or testifying. Third, we'd like to advise everyone
that this proceeding is being recorded and that by participating you acknowledge your agreement
to be recorded. Fourth, 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
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'll repeat that also.
to enter an appearance statement call google 267-270-5548 and leave your email address
and the address of the property at issue with that said we can begin but before mr plaza calls
the first case we'd like to ask if anyone is requesting a continuance or withdrawal of an
appeal listed for this afternoon's hearing please raise your hand and in the meantime we've been
given notice that on mi-2020-000558 that's number two on our sheet confessor 1455 spark
street is being withdrawn and there's a request for a continuance for mi-2020-000853 231
Shurs Lane, S-H-U-R-S Lane. If anyone, if there's an attorney or an applicant present
for any of those two cases that I called out that you disagree with, a continuance or withdrawal,
please raise your hand. And as I said earlier, if anyone is requesting a continuance or withdrawal,
please raise your hand at this time also. So can we first have anyone for those cases raise their
James Lane and Sparks. Anyone in those cases? Anyone object to continuance or withdrawal?
Okay, now if we can ask for anyone with other continuances or withdrawals, now raise your hands.
We have Joseph Vaccaro.
Yes, good afternoon. Can you hear me?
Yes, please identify yourselves by your name and address. Give us your name and address for the record, please.
Certainly. My name is Joseph Vaccaro, V-A-C-C-A-R-O, attorney ID 83366, address 5918 Torresdale, T-O-R-R-E-S, D-A-L-E Avenue, Philadelphia, 19135, attorney for 2346 North 8th Street. It's number five on your list.
Okay. Do you swear to firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Please proceed.
This is a request for continuance.
Okay. Calendar number MI-2020. That's 000711-2346 North 8th Street. Is anyone objecting to the continuance of that case? If so, please raise your hand.
i have slung folks are you
speaking to this case no ma'am not this case hold on no other hands chair no other hands
anyone else requesting a continuance or withdrawal please raise your hand
okay we have slung folks for
mr folks good afternoon again chairman de chico and yeah i'm sorry please identify yourself you're
you're still sworn in yes sir my name is sloan folks um councilman maria canyones sanchez room
508 City Hall
I have two issues
my first is
we received a letter
from the attorneys
202000
167 West Susquehanna
Street for a withdrawal
of that case
just hold on
request for withdrawal for
167 west susquehanna avenue this is sharon seleta we also received that okay that case is withdrawn
so i'll read it back into the record mi-2020-000139 167 west susquehanna avenue is withdrawn
My second issue is MI-2020-000241-1227.
No, I'm sorry.
That's incorrect.
That's incorrect.
I apologize.
No problem.
MI-2020-000365-1065 East Erie Avenue.
We have not heard from either the coordinating RCO or.
We have not heard from either the coordinating RCO or the representation for the appeal, variance appeal.
If they are here and they met with the RCO, we'd allow that to go on.
But if they're not here and if they haven't met with the RCO, we would request a continuance.
This is Sharon Saleta. The attorney in this matter is Justin Crick.
Mr. Crick available.
Yes, I am. Yes. Members of the board, we did meet with the Juniata Park Civic Association.
Mr. Crick, just may interrupt you for a minute. Would you please identify yourself, spell your first and last name?
Yes. Justin Crick, K-R-I-K. My address is 1500 JFK Boulevard, Suite 630, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102.
And do you swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed.
Yes, we met with the Juniata Park Civic Association last week, and we did obtain their support at that time.
The head of that RCO did indicate she was aware of our zoning date and indicated that she would send the appropriate letters to both city council's office as well as to the board.
Given the short notice, I believe it was the intent for her to send them directly there.
We would hope that we would not need a continuance, but I can represent that at that meeting, we did have support from the RCO.
Cameron, do we have anything in the file?
It'll take me a minute to find it if we do.
Sure, sure, sure.
Mr. Folks, I know you testified, but I just want to make certain you have not received
anything from the RCO.
Unfortunately, no.
we put a phone call and an email into their uh uh their uh president kate clark last week and this
week um i know she had an operation a while ago i don't know if she is still unwell or has going
undergoing some has some ongoing issues but we'd be we'd be other the counseling would be satisfied
if you would hear the case and hold off until you received a letter from uh the rca thank you this
And Sharon Saleta, I haven't received anything.
Understood.
This is Justin Crick.
I am very willing to go forward and then contact the RCO for their letter of support subsequent, as opposed to postponing this hearing.
We will hear the case.
So, confessor, we'll read this one in.
MI 2020-000365, 1065 East Erie Avenue.
Sir, you swear or firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
So we would have to wait a second.
Oh, okay.
Yes, I am here.
Are we ready, Tony?
Yes, confessor.
You can go forward.
You agree to wait to read in of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Mr. Crick?
Yes, members of the board.
Do you agree to wait to read in of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
yes i do thank you have you emailed an exhibit packet with the required documents proof of
ownership proof of tax compliance copy of the refusal order for photos and plans five days
prior to this hearing yes i have have you okay you may proceed thank you um members of the board
this is a matter uh involving the property at 1065-71 east erie avenue uh the property is a
bar and basically banquet hall. We are seeking an application for the banquet hall. This is a
referral to include music and live entertainment for more than 50 people. I'm going to share with
you the outline of this case. As with the refusal, referral, I apologize. Basically, this bar, JJ's
uh referral i apologize um basically this bar jj's cafe has been operating in this neighborhood
at this location for uh several years over a decade and more and my client has owned it since
2008 um there is just recently the concern that their ability to have a dj there and some music
has triggered the uh the need for this special license and the and the referral so i just want
to give you some perspective just to go through the documents very briefly. We have the refusal,
which was strictly limited to the special exception approval requirement. The deed will
show you that the property is owned by two individuals, Jose Sanchez and Maria Diaz.
Ms. Diaz is with us today on the call. Following the deed, just to give some perspective,
JJ's Cafe is located at Erie and J Street in the Juniata section of Philadelphia. And from a
satellite view you can see that Erie Avenue is basically a lot of non-residential uses on the
what I believe to be the south side of it and more commercial with residential use behind it
on the north side of Erie based on this layout. Some perspective again is right here the corner
of the property on Erie and across the street from the from the location another angled view
of the street. And then what is more important is I'm about to show you some pictures of the inside
other than the zoning poster right here. So this is the location that we're seeking to put or have
the live music and entertainment, mostly for private banquets, but to allow some of the
patrons to basically hear the live music. Interior photos continue. And if you'll take note,
there's basically a spot right here that I believe the DJ was and or will be going forward.
And then finally, simply a tax clearance certificate for the other owner. The property
seems to be listed under his name and not his spouse's name. But we have met with the RCO.
We've addressed their concerns regarding after hours complaints, which there haven't been any,
but they just wanted to preempt the situation. We have also incorporated security measures to
make sure that we take care of the neighbors with security staff on board. The property
is sufficient to handle the number of people that are requested on the permit
with the license. And again, the only other issue that we had at one point was some parking,
But as we discussed with the neighborhood, we believe there's ample parking up and down Erie Avenue for the project.
There was no opposition and no provisos necessarily placed on at the RCO meeting.
And so we believe that the referral should be granted.
Thank you.
Do you have a question you'd like to put on?
Yes, I do.
Ms. Diaz, if you're available and you're able to speak, or once you're let in.
No one has raised their hand.
I believe she was calling in on a phone.
So I can make sure that she's back around.
She was here at the 3.30.
Ms. Diaz, are you on the call?
We can't hear her.
They have to let you in.
What is the phone number you're calling from?
667-971-1558.
Is there a phone number ending in 1558 on the call?
Been unmuted.
They've been unmuted, okay.
hello just to press star six so yes please press star six to unmute yourself okay can you hear me
now barely you have to speak up so she has to press that on the device that she's using for
the zoom sorry yeah if you can hear this miss diaz please press star six on the device that
you're using for the Zoom call?
I will, what I will do is I can have her on speakerphone at my location, if that may
be acceptable.
hello yes miss diaz good afternoon miss diaz if you can hear me please identify yourself
for the record spell your first and last name
maria diaz m-a-r-i-a-d-i-a-c there's another device that's on that's causing
feedback. We're getting an echo.
Is that better?
I can hear you.
Why don't we do this?
Why don't we make light, please?
As an officer of the court, we'll
stipulate that your client would adopt
your testimony as being true and correct.
All right? Thank you.
All right. Questions from the board?
No. Is there anyone else
who would like to testify in this case
if so please raise your hand no hands at this time thank you planning commission
good evening chair members of the board ian hegarty philadelphia city planning commission
i need to spell you spell your first and last name and swear you in please yes sir ian hegarty i-a-n