Good afternoon, Mr. Reuter. Thanks for being here.
Ms. Sullivan, you've reviewed the submission that has been on record with the zoning board, correct?
But you were not at the March 19th hearing, correct?
And could you just make sure you're clear? Yep. Yep. Yep. Thank you.
Did you personally have the chance to read through the AKRF report?
I did not read the full report, but I did review the presentation slides from that March 19th
presentation. That's unfortunate. It's quite a detailed report with our findings. We'd be
happy to share a copy with you. We'd be happy to work with you. I'd like to point out, Mr.
Chairman and members of the board, that we are not seeking variance relief from floodplain
regulations. In fact, we are going above and beyond in that regard. I, you know, my style is
not to engage in extensive cross-examination, but I would like the opportunity to call back Kevin
Flynn to briefly rebut the statements of the chief resilience officer.
Okay. Abby, thank you very much. We appreciate your testimony. And we're going to have some,
and I'm sure you're done and Leonard's done. Yes. Okay. Leonard. That wasn't bad, Mr. Reuter.
It was fine. I'm still watching, but not on camera. Thank you, Abby. Okay. So how many more
after him how many more people would you have you're done i i could own i can give you a list
of the people who i believe are here to offer some public uh commentary but um i think that uh
kevin flynn will probably be all of two minutes okay good mr flynn mr flynn kindly raise your
virtual hand to be recognized by chairman bergman he's already been uh promoted to
panelist he'll be rejoining mr flynn could you please uh state your name and spell for the
sonographer he'll be back in control mr chair sure there he is mr flynn please unmute
now i don't see him good afternoon can you honor mr flynn could you please state your name and
Good afternoon.
Mr. Flynn, could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer?
spell before this
Yes, it's Kevin Flynn, A-E-V-I-N-F-L-Y-N-N.
Do you swear or firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Please proceed, counsel.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, Mr. Flynn.
You've been present to hear the testimony statement of Ms. Salvin, correct?
Yes, I have.
And Ms. Sullivan raised several points. Did any of this come up at the meeting that you had with the city's floodplain manager?
No, did not. The focus of the meeting was compliance with the floodplain regulations and zoning regulations.
So this is a surprise to you as our contact with the city's floodplain office, correct?
Yes. And in the interest of time, let me just ask you what your reactions are, if any, to Ms. Sullivan's testimony statement.
I'd like to say that we're being very realistic with the future risk.
Ms. Sullivan mentioned the 10-year floodplain, we've analyzed really all the flood events over the past 30 years and provided information to the design team that it's more than a 10% chance that those Main Street elevations could be induced with flooding in a flood event.
We're reporting, and it's been in our presentation materials, just looking at the past 30 years of flood events, there's potentially a 30% chance in any given year that those entrances could be inundated with floodwaters.
And we're providing this information very directly to the design team to help them design in a way that is as resistant to flooding as possible.
And one thing about this site that's been spoken about before is the changing grade along Shur's Lane, which allows the design team to include three additional points of egress along Shur's that are at much higher elevations.
And we've analyzed flood probabilities for those entrances as well to help the design team make the best decisions possible to keep future residents as safe as possible in this location.
And Mr. Flynn, you've also reviewed cleanup efforts and post-flood management. Could you speak to that? Because Ms. Sullivan presented a different understanding of past events, and I think that would be helpful to clarify from your perspective, sir.
Sure. The development team, they're taking flood response and emergency action planning for the building very seriously.
We're assisting in that by reviewing past storm information and looking in a lot of detail about timing and response time and potential response time to future events.
with Ida being the, it was the worst event that we've seen this century in terms of really the
rate of rise of the river. So really looking at the timing of that flood event and how it impacted
the site and would impact the future site to inform future planning for flood response for
the site and really to develop a flood response plan for the building with the goal of making
timely operational decisions. Thank you, Mr. Flint. In the interest of time, we can move on,
Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Sullivan. Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, Mr. Chair, I have Bob Williams with his hand raised. I will promote them.
Who is it? They should be back shortly. Bob McWilliams.
mr mcwilliams yes hi mr mcwilliams could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
yes my name is bob mcwilliams b-o-b m-c-w-i-l-l-i-a-m-s i'm a resident at 186
levering street in mania yep okay do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and
nothing but the truth. I do. So, Mr. McWilliams, we've had a tremendous amount of testimony
today, both sides of this issue. Are you in favor of this project or against?
I'm in favor, and I just want to say that my wife and I live in Maniunk. We regularly frequent
We regularly frequent the restaurants and the businesses on Main Street.
the restaurants and the businesses on Main Street.
I go by this property probably four or five times a week as I go to the gym and do other things.
And I support Councilman Jones' attempt to revitalize that section of the street.
I think this is a good project.
I think, you know, you've heard a lot of testimony.
I don't have any title to my name other than resident.
Well, that's a defined title.
So I want to thank you for taking time to call us, but we have other people and I want to try to get other people's viewpoints, but thank you very much for your, for your time.
If I may, Mr. Chairman, Gwen McCauley, Executive Director of Mani Young Development Corporation and Mani Young Special Services District is available.
Ms. McCauley?
Is she, is she calling in, Ms. Labor?
with the telephone number ending in seven four zero three ending in seven four zero three is
my understanding there she is miss mccauley kindly uh i'm you could you please state your
name and spell for the stenographer please unmute ma'am and wait to be sworn in
is there there we go she's hello i'm here hi could you please state your name and spell for
the stenographer sure it's gwen mccauley gwen g-w-e-n mccauley m-c-c-a-u-l-e-y
you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
i do and just for so for a point of information we've had a tremendous amount of testimony about
this. I guess our question is, are you for this or against the project? So, there were two letters
of support given from both the Manionic Development Corp. and Manionic Special Services
District to support the project. I will tell you that Manionic Development Corporation's
support came with the caveat that they would support, that urban conversions would support
building on the river side of the properties that they own on the river side.
You know, I think I'm in support personally of development on the non-river side of the
lower main.
Something has to happen down there.
It's dark.
It is dangerous.
I think there's huge economic value for new residents moving to the corner of Shares Lane.
I am aware that the rear of their property is an egress that is outside the floodplain.
I've been here and through several floods, including Ida.
And while I think three days is, you know, ambitious, I do think that we recover after these flood events.
I think I respect the work of Mr. Flynn.
And, you know, we have done a flood study in combination with East Falls and looking for best ways to use our flood areas.
I think that there's concern from the neighborhood over the height of the project.
So, O'Brien had pointed out that Bridge 5 has sat there for many years, and it has many levels to it, and it hasn't really changed the scope of the district.
So I would, you know, I would say that the two organizations have put support behind it.
And personally, I would like to see some development down on that end of the road.
I think there needs to be a connection.
All right. Thank you very much. We have several other people.
How many more hands do we have up?
We have four more hands, Cher.
William O'Brien has been unmuted and allowed to speak.
Good afternoon, counsel.
Good afternoon.
Could you please just state your name and spell it for this sonography?
William O'Brien, W-I-L-L-I-A-M-O-B-R-I-E-N.
I'll be very brief.
I just want to point out, too.
Hold on.
Hold on.
Do you square or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
I do. Mr. O'Brien, so you know, we do have your letter of support. And I guess the main question
And Mr. O'Brien, so you know, we do have your letter of support and I guess.
is, are you either for this or against it? And obviously you're for it. Am I right?
I'm for it. I just want to point out briefly two inconsistencies that the Manioc Neighborhood
Council, their objection is with these two inconsistencies. 3750 to 78 Main Street was a
very similar situation. It was an industrial property in the floodplain. The Neighborhood
Council, the Whiz-Hick and Interested Citizens Association, and the Whiz-Hick and Neighborhood
Civic Association joined, all three groups joined in unanimous support for a seven-story residential
structure there. It's been there for 24 years. It's an important part of the community.
The other inconsistency is 3811 Main Street is a floodplain site that is approved with a variance for residential units.
It was done so with the support of the Neighborhood Council because there was a means of ecress that the owner got from a neighboring property.
um this application doesn't need that uh easement from a neighboring property because it already
includes a safe means of egress uh to shores lane that is not in the floodplain so for the
neighborhood council to support 3811 main street which has a safe means of egress by way of easement
but then to object here where there is a safe means of egress is it just seems very inconsistent
Mr. O'Brien, thank you for taking the time.
We appreciate it.
Next hand, please.
Kevin Smith has been unmuted and allowed to speak.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
My name is Kevin Smith, S-M-I-T-H.
Mr. Smith, do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Are you in favor of this project or against?
um i'm against the project and as the president of manioc number of council i also have oral
testimony uh directly addressing many of the things mr smith mr mr smith we we we took 18
minutes of testimony from your your expert on zoning i i i really i'm going to have to object
if you tell me you're against if you're against no i have i have specific information specific
rebuttals to statements made by adam laver and claims made by them and including bill o'brien
who gave you a very misleading statement just now uh mr smith it is not fair that i not be allowed
to mr smith i'm not going to allow the test money we took 18 minutes of your zoning person and we're
going to leave it at that next hand please we have a phone number ending in 3155 they have been
unmuted and allowed to speak hi could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
hello yes my name is alan southergill a-l-a-n-s-o-u-t-h-e-r-g-i-l-l you swear or affirm
to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do alan are you a neighbor
i live at 106 dawson street i'm the homeowner okay so alan we've had a tremendous amount of
testimony about this are you in favor of this practice or against i am against okay um what i
would direct what i would request is that some information be brought in from pendot and the
Streets Department, because where I live, at the end of Crescent, going up Dawson Street to Ridge,
this area has been deemed problematic. We are redirecting traffic to try to alleviate what is
happening on Ridge Avenue. Adding 162 residences, plus or minus whatever number of cars, would come
up shores, come across Crescent, come back up to Ridge, and that's a problem. So I think a study
should be done with what's happening from the new hub for SEPTA. Okay. The intersection of Maine
and Ridge. So that's the brand new hub. That's the brand new hub down the end of the street,
am I correct? That is correct. Okay. Thank you very much. So this area is becoming a traffic
issue not just shores and the waterfront but the actual impact of traffic thank you and i would
also mention quick
so we have i'd see what their hand up they have been unmuted and allowed
One quick point, if I may, Mr. Chairman and members of the board, the neighbor who just spoke lives about a half mile away, and we would like to clarify for the record that we are doing a transit study.
Okay, thank you.
Next hand.
John Godsey, please unmute yourself.
Hi, sir. Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, my name is John Godsey. I'm the owner of 3759 Main Street.
Hold it, Mr. Godsey. Spell your last name.
That's G-O-D-S-E-Y.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Please state your comments. Are you for this project or against?
100% for the project.
All right. Mr. Gotsi, I know where your place is down the street. We appreciate very much you taking the time, but we have several other hands.
Thank you.
Next hand, please.
There are no more hands at this time, Sheriff.
Okay. Hillary, will you get a position of Planning Commission?
Yes, I believe Planning is ready to present their position.
Planning Commission.
if the hearing is going to be re uh extended to another session we would like to hold our test
now okay
comprehensive plan recommends no change to the can you get on the record please
i swore i'm in before yeah yes yeah i swore you in before right correct sure yeah sorry
that's okay thank you chair the comprehensive plan recommends no change to the i2 medium
industrial zoning at this location the comprehensive plan recommends no zoning change to the
sorry however this was due to the inactive industrial usage of the property at the time
the city planning commission adopted the lower northwest district plan since then the industrial
uses here have ended similarly the character of main street has changed over time and the
industrial uses are more rare as a land use has primarily shifted to a mix of commercial
and residential uses this project has gone through extensive historical commission review
and through the civic design review process twice although the proposed development is partially
located in a flood plain area they have met the city's regulatory requirements for building in
the flood plain they have also included an evacuation route providing egress for vehicles
in a location unsure's lane that is outside of the flood plain additionally roof deck setback
and steep slope impact is minimal due to the disturbed areas appearing to be made ash piles