go ahead eva there's self-wash but go ahead eva yeah i'm sorry uh there is a self i will be having
self dog washing stations where the owners will uh just clean their dogs themselves and will provide
us uh the amenities for them with like the towels and shampoo and the the shower station you can see
that in this rendering in the upper right hand corner okay all right okay and then uh i guess
my other question is about the um uh waste disposal and uh is there gonna be like exhaust
kind of um okay yeah it'll have it'll have to exhaust whatever you're gonna have because you
know you're going to have all these animals running around inside right um so uh what are we doing
about that so it will be my understanding is that it will be a climate controlled room i mean it's
not going to be there for that long because trash like we said is probably going to be picked up
every day for that very reason um and it will be climate controlled and in whatever it's internal
ventilation or ventilation that has to go up through a chase in the building to the rooftop
it would obviously we have incentive not to have the place think so I'm also
investing in the commercial grain HVAC diffusers that are safe for pet and
children feel like limit order as much as possible okay all right okay oh and
how how many did I I'm not sure if I asked this before how many square feet
we talking about here uh it is around what is it it's around i think around 2200 square feet um
something like it's like 22 to 25 yeah wow okay all right and that's gonna accommodate how many
how many dogs at a time i'm sorry so i think um at max we would probably have around
12 to 15 dogs at a time okay all right okay thank you any other questions yes i have a question
about insulation knowing that there's residential units above i just would imagine with 15 dogs in
a place if they start barking that it could be loud and i know with some of the other pet
facilities that we've had come before us that's been a primary concern from residential neighbors
or tenants that were in the surrounding building what's the plan here to reduce sound transference
here to reduce sound transference so so to the north of us i mean from for the residential or
so so to the north of us i mean
budding property concerns we have the noodle factory to the north of us and then to the east
of us there are three parking spaces and then an open area before you get to the residence
uh the residential units on ridge so there's a decent buffer there and then there are the
residential units above and the idea is to provide some type of sound provide soundproofing between
the units because obviously again it's not going to help the building owner or the property if
it turns out that it's they can't rent the units on the second floor totally understand it but
we're looking at the construction documents so i feel like there's two things that we've said
the intent is to but like what is the plan so i think both for the trash because i think it was
sort of like we intend to have we're assuming that trash is going to get picked up every day but
isn't that the business owners like don't they have to schedule that or pay for that and then
to what is the plan here for the sound attenuation going through the roof so so eva can speak to the
trash because she's already been talking to uh to a trash hauler correct eva yes uh i do have
a trash company that uh i have set up a contract with to be coming every day and for and for the
soundproofing um i was told by our contractor and architect that there's the ceiling above is um
um several inches of concrete so sound should be limited already in of itself but they did
say that we can add um soundproofing uh foam if anything yeah like to do insulation okay
other questions questions from our attorney Hillary Emerson um not a question but just to
clarify basically the provisos that are asked slash agreed to on this application so we always
already talked about the amended refusal so this use is just for the first floor correct correct
and then the retail sales element is is limited to pet supplies no sale of pets correct okay all
right thank you questions or comments from the virtual audience hi chair we have a hand up from
John Chen.
They're being promoted to panelists.
Sure, thank you.
Good afternoon.
Hi, good afternoon, John.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Sure, John Chen, J-O-H-N, last name C-H-I-N,
the director of the Philadelphia County Town Development Corporation,
which is the second RCO in the neighborhood.
All right.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, told truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
We provided a letter of support for this zoning use.
And just want to underscore the fact that we like the fact that this space will be occupied.
has been vacant for a long time it's actually also on the 10th street commercial corridor
and if you paid attention to the attorneys uh one or two of the photos on the awning
you could see that we always pay attention to the attorney john
when david talks we pay attention oh thanks if you don't fall asleep right now
um you would have seen the graffiti on the window so because of the vacancy uh on some stores along
10th street uh it does create a problem of safety and i think this use is uh not only will add to
the safety of the street but it's a welcome use uh there are a couple apartments uh west of it
east of it and our rco office is a block east of it um throughout the day we see a lot of dogs
so i would imagine that the local residents will be walking their dogs to this facility so
our standpoint of safety we like it from the standpoint of a use we like it thank you thank
you very much for calling we appreciate it anyone else in the audience no hands at this time chair
commission amy boyd with the planning commission the comprehensive plan recommends no change in
zoning at this location to the current rmx3 residential mixed use the proposed use is in
harmony with the mixed use character of the surrounding area will have minimal impact on
surrounding properties the planning commission recommends that the board grant their requested
variances for animal services and retail sales of pet supplies thank you mi2026
zero zero seven six nine six three three north 10th street i vote yes with proviso
per amended refusal dated april 16 2026 use limited to first floor
April 16, 2026 use limited to 1st floor retail sales limited to pet supplies. No sale of pets.
Michael Johns, my vote is yes with provides us.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes with provides a.
Tanetta Graham, my vote is yes with provisos.
Ryan McAdams, my vote is yes with provisos.
Taya Nguyen, my vote is yes with provisos.
Thank you. Thank you, counsel.
Okay. Thank you, ma'am. We're going to move to number eight and nine. We'll do it together.
Tadetta is recusing herself from this. So number eight is MI 2025-007-700-1953 North 31st Street.
MI 2025 007702 1955 North 31st Street um I believe we have letters of support am I correct
that is correct Mr. Chair yep from Strawberry Mansion CDC non-opposition
uh council could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer yeah alan knockamson
but i mean you like but spell it anyway go ahead a l-a-n last name knockamson n-o-c-h-u-m-s-o-n
do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth i do
um but you identify your client a relationship to the property yeah my client it's friends
rehabilitation program inc uh in the virtual audience is uh aleda zeldin director of development
and compliance for that organization board secretary has a few questions all right thank you
uh good afternoon council did you submit your documents and exhibits to five days in advance of
this hearing yes we have and do you waive the reading of the refusals and stipulate to their
accuracy. Yes, we do. Thank you. You may proceed with your case. So my internet service is not
working from my computer, but Mr. Goldberg is on there. I know it's a, I think I'm being
always prepared. I got that. So begged Mr. Goldberg to do this. I was like, I don't know
what's happening, but 1953 and 1955 North 31st Street. So the Friends Rehabilitation Program
is a nonprofit organization. They do both affordable housing as well as social services.
And, you know, they collaborate with many organizations, including the Strawberry Mansion
CDC over the years. So this block, they've developed, I think, approximately 20 single
family homes here. And there's two lots here that are vacant. And they're looking to put two duplexes
here where uh multi-unit uh usage has been in the past for both of these properties plus it's not
out of character to have multi-family usage and we have many examples in our materials
so we'll go first uh through um the table of contents there are 12 exhibits here um you know
aleda you know i'll probably have to present you know maybe even before the the architectural
plans and drawings just to give a little bit idea of like some of the social services they do
um you want to bring her on now yeah let's bring her on now okay what's your name aleda please uh
zelden they're promoted to panelists
hello everyone hi could you good afternoon could you please state your name and then spell it for
the stenographer elena zeladon a l e y d a zeladon z e l e d o n you swear or affirm to tell the
truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes please proceed counsel yeah elena can you just
uh summarize the board the uh your organization's mission and and your thoughts about uh how you're
using or proposing to use these two properties um uh do you want me to describe our mission
yeah your mission like you know i explained it generally that you know your organization does
affordable housing and social services um i think we can explain the affordable housing component
but some of your social services that you have um in your organization's mission yes we are the
city's largest provider for transitional housing program the thp program and we are also the
largest provider for the commonwealth of pennsylvania for the re-entry program
gotcha and so you have a homeless services program uh where you re-home individuals is that correct
uh where you re-home individuals is that correct correct and then you also have a re-entry program
correct and then you'll
uh transforming lives changing communities tlcc is that correct that is correct and then you
actually have a training program called grit program where it's part of the construction
trades and training individuals to uh to have those skill sets to enter the workforce
that is correct all right and then for this uh for this uh these two homes uh the goal
is is to have one of the units in each property uh be affordable housing for senior living
that is correct and the other one just to do lower market rate housing for the second unit
that is correct michael uh why don't we go to the exhibits exhibit one to notice a refusal so
So this is an RSA 5 property, you know, again, each property has a history of multifamily or multi unit use. And we have two refusals here, we have a de minimis refusal for maximum occupied area, where 75% is allowed where we're asking to occupy 76, 76.92%. So the minimis variance, in order to for us to put a functional floor plan here for those two units, and then the second
refusal has to do with the multifamily household living. I believe we have exhibits in that
respect by 1931, North 31st Street, 1928, North 31st Street, 1921, North 31st Street,
and 1917, North 31st Street, or all multifamily in nature. We met with the Strawberry Community
Development Corporation, who was the coordinating RCO. They gave us a letter of non-opposition.
My understanding is this organization has also collaborated with the Friends Rehabilitation Program over the years on programs within the Strawberry Mansion area, so they're quite familiar with my clients' good causes for housing in the neighborhood.
Next exhibit.
And then we also facilitated a petition for nearby neighbors who are in support of this project.
Again, my client basically redeveloped most of that 31st Street with 20 single-family homes.
What they see now is a need, because of the aging population in Strawberry Mansion, to provide affordable housing for seniors.
But with rising interest rates, cost of construction, and just the practicalities of things where older people may not want to use steps as much,
They thought that having two units with minimal steps for the lower level unit, plus having an affordable unit for the second unit, they could build that.
And so there's a diversity of housing they're proposing on this block, in addition to the 20 single family homes that they built over the years.
Did you mention Councilman Young has a letter here, too?
I don't know.
We have a letter.
Okay, is that a letter of non-opposite?
Okay, we didn't get that, but yes.
Yes. And then you can see just the history of the property. 1953 North 31st Street has had longer history, but had a history at one point of multifamily use.
My understanding is that 1955 was a fish market and a single family home at one point some time ago.
Just wanted to give you some information about my clients. You can go look on the Internet, but we wanted to summarize it.
I know that this is, you know, you know, we want to give you some information about them. Next.
Then maps to the area. While we're in the RSA 5 block, you can see there's a diversity of zoning classifications nearby, including RM1, what we're proposing. Next.
And there is ample public transportation nearby. The bus routes are 61, 7, 48, and 49.
next photographs of the property so this is two vacant lots it's been vacant for some time
i believe they built that one to the left but if you go back as google street view as far back as
2007 these have been vacant lots next and then proof of posting for today's hearing
north 31st street to the right of the property to the left of the property
are plans and drawings. So again, trying to mimic the architecture there,
flat building facades, you have lentils around the windows, you have a pronounced cornice line,
and you have windows that kind of match the architecture as well. We're slightly less
deep than the property to the right of us. I do believe we are deeper to the property up left of
bus there most of these single-family homes are really really short single-family homes that were
built uh so for minimal upkeep unfortunately given the current market conditions my client
Unfortunately, given the current market conditions, my client would be unable to build that and then actually have affordable housing, you know, based on their mission.
would not be will be would be
And then simple floor plans.
You just walk through a common, you know, front door.
You make a right.
You have one bedroom, one bath.
You know, kitchen, open floor plan in the rear.
the person who's living on the first floor we expect to be senior living they would have a trash
area in the rear and then the basement area not expecting to do much down there other than the
washer and dryer down there you go up a flight of steps you then have a three bedroom three bath
again open floor plan first floor is of that second unit on the second floor is a living room
kitchen bathroom bedroom there's a ventilated trash closet on that level too and then you go
up another flight of steps and there's two bedrooms and two baths importantly we did not
propose to have a roof deck access structure respecting you know the wishes of the strawberry
mansion community next we met with the community on april 23rd at 6 p.m i believe there were
multiple meetings here because you know people have questions about the organization and such
so we want to make sure we can answer all those um you know we emailed that notice uh you know
proof of notice uh showing that we mailed it to 151 addresses those are the addresses we mailed
it to proof of mailing to those addresses then for both separate properties we did that and then
our applications for appeal showing that we filed on behalf of friends rehabilitation program
following that are the deeds, the property, and tax clearance certificates. With that being said,
I think Aleta was sworn in, right? It was. Yes. So, Aleta, you know, in addition to your testimony,
you heard everything I had to say today about your zoning matter. Yes, I did. And is it true
and correct? Yes, it is. And do you adopt it as your own testimony? I'm sorry, couldn't hear that.
be adopted as your own testimony correct thank you questions from the board
questions or comments from our attorney not at this time mr chair questions or comments from
the virtual audience mr chair i do not see any hands raised for the matter planning commission
and we vote with the planning commission would you like the testimony for 1953 and 19 we do both