I'm also going through SAMS.gov, which is basically certifying my business as a veteran-owned business.
So once I get that certification, I'm able to have direct access through the VA system, and they will, you know, I have a preference.
I have a question.
So what do you understand as opposition to your proposal, right?
What is your understanding of the opposition, and what is your response to the opposition?
So as I went through, we had the meeting on November 11th.
As I went through, we had the meeting on November 11th, which was on Veterans Day.
I explained everything to the neighbors.
And the main thing, the main concern that I heard from all the residents that did oppose, because everybody didn't oppose.
There was maybe like 10, it was 25 people there, maybe 10 people opposed out of the 25.
and their main concern was they don't want these people around here and the reason why they say
they didn't want these people around here because they say that they have problems they they're
they're mentally challenged and they're drug they have drug problems this is what the residents
was saying so to me that sounds discriminatory because number one i'm a veteran and i'm not a
drug user I was in a bad situation but because someone didn't give up on me and they showed
they gave me hope so that's what I plan on doing and I feel as though we can't turn our backs on
these people because they're vulnerable and they should be protected because these people have
disabilities they're veterans and that doesn't seem like just because you don't want these people
around here doesn't seem like a legitimate complaint to me so let me ask you did you talk
to either side of your neighbors yes i did actually i did um after that meeting i actually
went to um all my neighbors homes and i actually knocked on everyone's door to meet them to let
them know what we plan on doing and just to find out if anyone else opposed the meeting because
again I sent out a hundred and about 180 mailings to my neighbors and out of 180 25 people maybe
showed up out of the 25 people that showed up 10 people opposed it and because they were the loudest
voices in the meeting it seemed like I guess everyone was opposed but they weren't okay after
I walked around I seen that a lot of people were for it instead of against it all right questions
or comments from our attorney?
Not at this
time, Mr. Barrett.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience or the current audience here?
Come on up.
Why don't we go one at a time? Is that okay?
Why don't you get it and turn it on, have it nice and close to you?
Is it on?
I believe it is on, yes.
Sir, could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer?
Damien Stewart, D-A-M-I-A-N as in Nancy, Stewart, S-T-E-W-A-R-T as in time.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Sir, are you a neighbor?
Please proceed.
First of all, I come in.
And by the way, you have two minutes.
So let's get to it. I commend I commend Ron and everything he's trying to do.
The neighbors, we respect veterans. We honor veterans. We want them to get what they need.
We do not feel as though that this is the place that it needs to happen.
This is currently zoned as residential. It would have to be rezoned as a commercial property.
um my mother and i went around to the neighbors we have a petition here that says uh people do
not want this to happen the majority of neighbors do not want this to happen on the immediate block
people do not want this to happen i was also at the meeting that ron is referring to
where the 25 neighbors showed up out of the 25 neighbors that showed up um there were
22 that were in opposition there was one or two people that were for it and it
was one person that didn't give an opinion because they wanted to think
about it so he misrepresented what happened at that meeting and the
neighborhood is just against it of course you know I'm hoping you know this
is the move the former move situation block and the neighborhood has been
through a lot and um there are certain aspects of this veterans home that ron is trying to do
that makes the neighbors uncomfortable as well as the fact even today some of the questions that
you guys have answered have asked him have not really been answered thank you very much for
your testimony is there anyone else does your mom want to testify all right
right there our attorney good morning good morning could you get closer to the mic
you don't have to it'll pull towards you you just bend it down that's it please state your
name and spell for the stenographer my name is sharon stewart s-t-e-w-a-r-t right do you swear
or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes i do um one of you
yes I do um why don't you testify where you are and if there if there's anything different than
testify where you are and if they're
what your son has said okay all right um I live directly beside him at 62 16 and he stated that
he contacted the neighbors to let them know what was going on he did not contact the neighbors
until maybe a week or two weeks before he was scheduled to have the meeting.
So we got together, we got a petition,
and we went around and we asked each neighbor what did they think.
And the majority of the neighbors were completely against it.
As my son stated, the move situation, you know, that played a lot into it.
But at the meeting, him and his wife were asked to leave
after everyone stated what they asked.
And in the midst of that,
they asked us how many neighbors were for this.
Not one neighbor raised their hand, not one.
So the neighbors are just,
and like my son said,
it's not that we're against veterans.
Neighbors just feel as though that this house
is just not the appropriate place at this time.
Thank you very much for your testimony.
Is there anyone else in the audience?
Ma'am.
Come on.
Yep, sure.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
First name is Asha K-A-S-H-A-K-I.
Last name is Mitchell, M-I-T-C-H-E-L-L.
All right.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Could you give us your testimony and you have two minutes?
I'm the better half of Ronald Mitchell.
Well, I guess we'll accept that testimony.
Thank you.
And all I would like to say is the whole point of us doing this is because of our story and
what we went through.
As we stated, we had an Airbnb for three years.
So it's not like we can't do anything with the home or, you know, sell it or anything.
We chose to do this to give back. As he stated, he was homeless for years, but until he got his
mental together, I was able to come back. He's went through being homeless. So a lot of things
that he told me inspired us to open it up. When we were at the meeting, what we constantly heard
were negative, you know, things towards veterans. And it really bothered us because, again,
they're not the only ones who have issues or mental issues and as I try to explain to the
neighbors when you do the Airbnb you don't know who's coming in our home at least these people
that are coming into our home we can be there with them 24 hours and help them through when
you do an Airbnb you got to open your door and leave and that's not what we want to do we want
to be there for them and help them through the situation. We did provide a nuisance policy,
and we gave the book up front. It's actually on page 20, because that was their biggest issue.
How will you handle nuisance? So we put a policy in play to make sure there's steps. If it's
something major, automatically they have to leave the house. But if it's something that, you know,
a fallback and we can get them through then we will thank you thank you very much is there anyone
else in the virtual audience i see no hands at this time any commission i mean i'm sorry
attorney hillary emerson i did okay planning commission thank you chairman and good morning
david vector with the city planning commission chairman and board members the comprehensive
plan recommends a change in zoning at this location from rm1 residential multifamily
to RSA 5, Residential Single Family.
This neighborhood still carries its original 1933 zoning.
The appellant has shown that the proposed group living
will have no detrimental impacts beyond what might be expected.
The City Planning Commission recommends that the board grant
a proposed special exception for group living.
Mr. Mitchell, I appreciate your testimony
and also the testimony of the neighbors.
We're going to take this under consideration.
We will vote next Wednesday morning.
We'll come out here at 9.30 a.m. and vote.
thank you for your testimony thank you okay number 12 mi-2025-003-714-3062 richmond street
antonette williams is the tenant applicant
good morning members of the board
Okay. Why don't we sit down and get close to that mic for us?
okay why don't we sit down and get close to that mic for us i appreciate it thank you
I appreciate it. Thank you.
Just for clarification, my name's Angelina Williams. I'm the attorney for the applicant.
Oh, you represent her. Okay.
Good. All right. Spell your name for this.
Angelina, A-N-G-E-L-I-N-A.
This is better.
A-N-G-E-L-I-N-A, last name Williams, W-I-L-L-I-A-M-S.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
And identify your client and the relationship they have with the property.
My client is Antoinette Williams.
She's the CEO of Kids Play for Days.
It's an indoor playground that provides developmental support.
Right.
And I see there's a letter of support from the Port Richmond Civic Association and also a letter of non-opposition from Council Member Squillett.
Our vice chair has a few questions for you, okay?
Thank you.
Good morning.
Have you submitted your exhibits and documents five days in advance of this hearing?
And do you stipulate to the referral?
A way the reason that the referral is stipulated to is accuracy.
All right, thank you.
You can proceed with your case.
I'm going to apologize.
This is my first time here, and the technology is a little, I have a bit of a learning curve.
I don't know how to share the screen.
So there should be a green button, right?
You see a green button at the bottom somewhere?
Oh, here's our expert of everything, not just technology, everything.
Thank you so much.
absolutely oh yeah
so you're going to have to be
I'm going to handle this
I'm going to handle this and then
Ian I have
okay yep
All right, so now that you're in as a family,
I just lost it.
I'm sorry.
So now that I want to just do it.
I think this is just sharing.
okay i just did i just did okay i apologize for that i'm going to try and find here it is kids
for days okay um we have the why don't you get closer you have to get because we can hear you
okay i apologize okay so we did have the hearing as you noted on september 10th
and it was support by
i apologize so we have all your documents so what i would do is if i were you
i would show us some photos any plans you have right what it looks like and um we have we have
copies of the letters okay from the from the rco so that's that's the outside is that what you're
that is the exterior um the posting the posting zoning notice is posted here
this is another exterior photo okay apparently they like exterior photos um this is an interior