Our vice chair, Ms. Carol Tenere, has questions for you.
Sir, do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
yes we do have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance a copy
of the refusal or referral photos and or plans of the property five days in advance of this hearing
and have you met with the rco and do you have a letter yes we do to all those questions okay and
i might mention that brewery town sharswood rco supports this so you may continue thank you may
I share my screen? Sure. Mr. Chairman, is just before I start, is that screen view large enough
invisible? Maybe just a little bit larger. That's good. Yes. As mentioned, I am here on behalf of
the equitable owner, Matthew Lynch, for the property 1644 North 26th Street. We did, we meet
with the Brewery Town Sharsward organization, and there's a letter of support. The vote was pretty
overwhelming, 13 in favor, two opposed, and three abstaining. The property, we did have an issue,
there was additional exhibits that I provided to the board in advance of the hearing in terms of
ownership and tax clearance. We had an issue with obtaining a formal tax clearance, but that has
been obtained and provided to the board and that's at exhibit 16 of the exhibit packet.
The proposal that we're seeking is for a three-family dwelling at the subject property.
The only refusal at issue is the use refusal and the reason for that use refusal is the property
is zoned RSA 5. It is immediately abutting the RM1 multi-family property.
It is immediately abutting the RM1 multifamily properties and CMX2 commercial mixed-use properties at Cecil B. Moore Avenue on the 2600 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
The property itself is this two-story structure.
As you can see, the property currently has two mailboxes that's used as a two-family dwelling currently.
looking at exhibit four the second photograph just for context
Mr. McElhenney there's a background someone is speaking in the background I'm not sure if that's
Mr. Wooten or whoever would you please mute yourself please proceed Mr. McElhenney
as I was saying just for context the the subject property is the small red brick building to the
north is the large three-story building that you can see that is the men and women's for health
a human excellence building that is a mental health alcohol drug rehab treatment facility
to the south of the subject property are the residential buildings uh the property at 1642
and 1640 were last permitted for two units the property at 1638 is this three-story structure
that is currently used as a and approved for a triplex farther to the south on the same side of
the street as the subject property is a large 45 footish um church building the open door baptist
church farther down are other properties undergoing rehabilitation and in need of rehabilitation
and i'm going to turn to page five of exhibit four just for context opposite to the east of
the subject property is a large four-story multifamily building for seven approved for
seven dwelling units and to the south of that are other multi or single family buildings and then
an abandoned building at the corner of nicola street to the south of nicola street is a corner
property that is currently approved for and used for um to a two-family dwelling and those zoning
archives are attached as exhibit eight to the documents presented to the board so just for a
quick aerial view at exhibit five the subject property we're requesting for three-family use
we're opposite a large three-story building that our proposal will be comparable to in terms of
height we are fully dimensionally compliant we have the mental health building next door to us
other multi-family buildings to the south and the large church building to the south of that
the characteristics of this block are not single family in use it is more mixed use
and multi-family and requiring this property to be used as a single family
would be a hardship in this instance. I'd like to pull up Exhibit 7 to show a quick rendering
of what the proposed building will look like. So on your screen is a rendering of the subject
property. This exact building has been built by my client around the corner on the 2600 block of
Cecil B. Moore Ave. As you can see, the proposal is to use traditional red brick high quality
materials on the property, along with some metal accents panels. The RCO was the style and concept
of using the red brick was very well received by the community, which is one of the reasons we,
I believe we got a letter of support. I would like to note that the property is
separated from the properties on Cecil B. Moore Ave. with a three foot alleyway
that provides access to 26th Street for the subject property and also the properties on
Cecil B. Moore Avenue. If I can go back to the zoning plan, the property itself is a very large
parcel for a single family zone lot. It is 18 by 87 and a half feet. That's 1575 square feet.
the proposed structure that we're that we're proposing even after construct it would allow
for a backyard of 18 feet wide by 28 feet deep which is a quite sizable backyard one of the
characteristics that the architect and my client put into the project is to pull the project at
the rear off the property line to allow for more light and air and also more outdoor space
more open area and a spot for things that this property will require such as trash storage
that can be secured outside of the units that was a concern of the community that we wanted to
address and they were thankful that we have space to have secure trash storage so it's not just in
the units and not getting left out in the street prematurely as i mentioned there is a three-foot
alley to the next abutting our property to the north which allows for the any unit owners of
the subject property to easily take their trash out from the stored backyard into the
from the stored backyard into the front when necessary and appropriate.
front when necessary and appropriate.
And to go through the floor plans of what we're proposing, as I mentioned, we are requesting
three residential dwelling units. The basement and first floor would be consisting of unit one,
the second floor of the property would be unit two, and the third floor, the third unit would be
unit third floor plus the mezzanine level. As you can see, the first floor unit or the unit one
is a three-bedroom, three-bath unit. It is sizable. We're looking at 1,621 square feet for
that unit. All units are accessed by the front door fronting on North 26th Street. The first
floor unit is accessed right off the front door. The other units are accessed through a central
stair tower the first floor unit we have full bedrooms uh full dining room kitchen and living
room space the first floor unit also has direct access to the rear yard and has use of the
basement space which has full two bed two bedrooms two baths large storage area and full washer dryer
mechanical space in the basement the second floor unit two bed is a two bedroom two bath unit that
comes out at approximately 817 square feet. Again, it's full living room, full kitchen,
full bath, quality living space. The third floor unit was a discussion point at the community
meeting. It is currently laid out as a three-bedroom, three-bath unit. However, as I mentioned,
my client just completed the same project around the corner, and it turns out that the community
was supportive of making the third floor really a two-bedroom unit with the third floor or the
fourth floor, the mezzanine level, I should say more of a den or office space, um, rather than
an actual bedroom space. And that's why it doesn't have a bed laid out in the, uh, the mezzanine
level. There is a roof deck that's accessed by the third floor unit only, um, that would be off
that den. So in summary, Mr. Chairman, the property, the proposal for this project is
the project is a dimensionally compliant building on a very oversized lot that leaves plenty of open
area, rear yard space. And given the characteristics of this property abutting the mental health
services facility and the other multi-family buildings and church building on this block
and with the community support we would request that the board see favorably on this request for
a three-family dwelling at this location and grant the requested variance. Do you have a client to
adopt your testimony? Yes Mr. Chairman. Matthew Lynch should be in the audience and I request
that he be promoted to panelists.
I'm here.
Mr. Lynch, please spell your full name for the record.
Matthew Lynch, M-A-T-T-H-E-W-L-Y-N-C-H.
Where to affirm the tell the truth, the whole truth,
nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Thank you, Mr. McElhenney.
Mr. Lynch, have you heard and viewed my presentation
to the board this morning?
yes I have were my statements true and accurate to the best your belief yes they are and would
you adopt those statements that I made to the board as your own yes I will no further questions
Mr. Chairman thank you any questions from the board no Mr. Chairman no no no thank you anyone
else would like to testify in this case if so please raise your hand no hands at this time
chair thank you planning commission good morning david vecto city planning commission mr chairman
members of the board the comprehensive plan recommends no change in the existing residential
single-family zoning this location this is a 1669 square foot lot there is nothing unique about this
property that would prevent it from being used in conformance with the zoning code 1638 1640 and
1642 north 26th street appear to have permits for two or three unit buildings the majority of the
rest of the homes on the block are single family several of which were built within the last three
years we recommend that the board deny the requested variance excuse me one minute david
you said that there are three other houses that have have application for multi uh for uh yeah um
So the ones that Mr. McElhenney called out, we found the same information, 1638, 1640, and 1642.
And then there are at least a couple of others, including...
And then there are at least a couple of others, including, I want to say, 1644, no, I'm sorry, 1621 and 1623 that got approval in 2019 for single families.
Maybe I misunderstood you. I thought you said there were others that had applications for multifamily. Was that incorrect?
correct? That's incorrect. I think I meant to say 1621 and 1623 have applications that were
approved for singles. I believe Mr. Fecto referenced the multifamily for the abutting
properties at 1642, 44, and 38. Right. That's what I was saying. There have been a mix of
approvals recently. Okay. All right. And then we have the mental health facility, which obviously
is multi-family okay right um question from the board i think i asked uh mi 2021-001899
1644 north 26th street my vote is yes harold tenary my vote is yes excuse me confessor plaza
my vote is yes james snell my vote is yes thomas halliman my vote is yes thank you number six on
our list mi 2021-0019661926 cambridge street mr anastasio is an attorney of record
mr anastasio please identify yourself you're still under oath good morning mr chairman
bernard anastasio a-n-a-s-t-a-s-i-o 1315 walnut street philadelphia pa 19107
mary has questions for you sir do you also agree to wave the reading of the refusal and stipulate
to its accuracy i do have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance
refusal referral photos under plans the property five days in advance of this hearing have you met
with the rco and do you have a letter yes to all of that okay thank you one moment you do have a
letter? I have a meeting summary. All right, please proceed. Yep. Mr. Chairman, members of
the board, this is 1926 Cambridge Street. We met with the RCO. Overwhelming support for our
request for the variance. And let me walk you through what it is. It's pretty straightforward.
The application is for one accessory parking space in the rear of a single family home.
My client purchased the property in question recently and believing that there were in fact two off street parking spots.
Here's the plan.
Let me show you the photos.
um yep this is his side and when he purchased the property that he uh it was marketed and sold to
him for two car parking just like his immediate neighbor next door it turns out although just
about everybody in that rear lot that rear street parks their cars um this particular
parcel is not zoned for it. And let me show you the Zillow that says a beautifully appointed
house in Francisville offering a rare two-car parking. Turns out that was not properly zoned.
It was marketed and sold to my client incorrectly. We met with the community organization.
they gave us the um excuse me by the way here's a here's a permit for the installation of a
residential electric car charging equipment for that spot so i think everyone sort of
believed this to be a legalized off-street parking spot and as a result
um we respectfully request the variance excuse me mr anastasia this is sharon saletta i just
went through your exhibit packet again i don't see a copy of the um okay it's not sure if that
was yeah that must have been added after the yeah they were late on getting that to us
okay thank you could you would you mind forwarding me a copy of that after the hearing
I most certainly will. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Mr. Anastasia, do you have a client to adopt?
My client could raise his hand, please.
Her name.
your your clients okay john
Your client's name.
Okay, John.
we'll stipulate that you're a g a i think he's on mr chair can anybody hear me yep g-a-j-a-n
okay please spell your full name sir yep it's uh gudgeon jeganathan g-a-j-a-n first name last
name is j-e-g-a-n-a-t-h-a-n you swear affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing about the
truth i do thank you mr anastasio please proceed thank you gajan did you hear my presentation to
the board this morning yes and is it true and accurate to the best of your knowledge
yes and would you adopt it as your own testimony yes thank you very much thank you any questions
from the board no mr chairman oh no anyone else would like to testify in this case please raise
your hand i see no hands here thank you planning commission good morning david facto city planning
commission mr chairman members of the board the comprehensive plan recommends no change in the
existing single family zoning at this location we typically oppose curb cuts on residential blocks
However, George Street, at the rear of this property, has developed into something like a service alley.
Curb cuts and garages are the norm and not the exception.
We recommend that the board support the requested variance.
Thank you very much. MI 2021-001-966.
1926 Cambridge Street, my vote is yes.
Harold Tenneri, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holloman
James Snell, my vote is yes
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes
Confessor Plaza, my vote is yes
Thank you all
We will now go to cases 8 and 9
MI 2021-001962
2450 Kimball Street
and MI 2021-001-961.
Let me do that again.
MI 2021-001-961, 2452 Kimball Street.
Mr. Whelan is the attorney of record for both cases.
South of South's Neighborhood Association
supports both applications.
Good morning, Mr. Whelan.
excuse me good morning you're just so used to me presenting so late at night
please spell your full name and i'll swear you in sure sean whalen w-h-a-l-e-n vintage law
6 coulter avenue suite 1000 ardmore pa 19003 you swear a firm to tell the truth the whole truth
nothing about the truth yes i do thank you ms uh tenere has some questions for you sir do you
agreed away with the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy? Yes, I do. Have you
emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership, tax compliance, refusal, referral, photos, and or
plans of the property five days in advance of this hearing? And have you met with the RCO? And do you
have a letter? Yes, yes, and yes. Okay, you may proceed. Thank you very much. We do have full
support. So I will be brief and obviously just be willing to answer any questions that the board may