commercial uses on this block. This is the south end of the block. There's a laundromat
on the west side and to on the east side is the beauty salon and directly like zoom in is maybe
difficult to see here but this particular parcel here that I'm highlighting is actually a barbershop
as well just to highlight the you know commercial uses that are on this block and again that's another
view this is the north end of the block showing some more commercial uses
i just want to give the board a sense of what we're trying to do our property currently has a
a second floor roof deck and what we would like to do is build over that roof deck to complete
the the space for our programming currently the space is about 300 square feet and we would like
to add that additional space into our programming. I'll zoom in here so members of the board can see
what our proposal is. Currently, our building on the second floor does not sit, does not go
back to the property line on the 2416 side. However, on the other side of the building,
it goes directly back to a small rear yard, which I will show in a second.
So again, there's going to be changes to the facade.
We're just going to add some new windows, spruce up the building a little bit,
and again, add this 300 square feet of space for programming in our facility.
Again, this space will be used as a child care facility, as well as a community center.
Our first floor of the property has already been zoned for use as a community center and an after school program of up to 40.
for use as a community center and an after-school program for up to 45 kids.
So this particular use is one that is common to the neighborhood and has been this way since
about 2003. So our expansion of this particular use will not prove to be a hardship to the
community. And it's also the most minimal variance allowed that we need in order to, you know,
create the space that we're looking for. So with the addition, we will have on the second floor,
two playrooms, two offices, as well as this area here will be a kitchen area,
kitchenette area, as well as two ADA accessible bathrooms. As you can see, so this pink area here
is the new addition that is currently a roof deck that is underutilized at the moment.
This gives the board a rendering of sense of what the finished product will look like.
Here you can see wooden floors, partitions to separate the different programming spaces in the facility.
And this is just another rendering so the board can get a better sense of what the finished product will look like.
And as you can see here where this paneling is, this is where the addition will be created.
so again to talk about the use refusal back in 2005 there was a zoning permit on file for
a multi-purpose community center at this location as i mentioned for up to 45 children so what we're
trying to do is just expand this particular use to that second floor the second floor
previously had a variance granted in 2009 to use that second floor as accessory space to the
community center for office space. So what we're trying to do now is use this accessory space
that's used for offices, now use it for programming and still have those offices located
at this, on that second floor level.
To get a sense of what the hardship is
for the zoning variance,
you can see here there's a permit from 1955
where the prior owner erected a one-story addition
on the property
and also created a partition on that second floor.
So as they created the addition to move the property line back, they also then got a permit to demolish a portion of the second floor.
So what we're trying to do now is restore a portion, restore that second floor that was demolished and removed in 1955.
the five. Here is our letter that we sent to the neighbors, and we hosted a community
meeting with the Lower Moya Missing Civic Association held on June 27th. This is the
flyer that was sent out as well with our letter. Here's a letter of support from the Lower
Moya Missing Civic Association. As you can see, there were no one opposed or non-opposition
to our project.
As mentioned earlier, this is a letter of support
from State Rep. Elizabeth Fielder.
We also have a letter of support
from State Senator Sovall.
And with that, that concludes our presentation
and we haven't answered any questions that the board has.
Mr. Young, do you have anyone who wants to adopt your testimony?
Yes, I would like to call Ms. Samantha Kim.
Ms. Kim
Hello, how are you?
Hi, could you state your name and spell for the court reporter, please?
Yes, my name is Samantha Kim, S-A-M-A-N-T-H-A, last name K-I-M.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Proceed, Mr. Young.
Thank you.
Ms. Kim, are you authorized to speak on behalf of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia?
And did you hear my testimony presented this morning?
And do you agree with my testimony being accurate?
and uh would you adopt my testimony as it was your own yes thank you questions from the board
And would you adopt my testimony as it was your own?
no mr chairman no mr chairman mr chairman all right questions or comments from the virtual
audience i see no further answer mr chair planning commission good morning chair bergman ian hegarty
for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
That's H-E-G-A-R-T-Y.
Right.
Do you swear a firm to tell the truth,
the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir, I do.
Rasheed.
Thank you.
Good morning, board members.
The comprehensive plan recommends no change
to the existing CMX-1 commercial mixed-use zoning
at this site.
This proposal, as we've heard,
is for expansion of an existing non-conforming use,
and the City Planning Commission recommends
that the board grant the variance.
Thank you.
MI 2022-003-266-2416-18 South 7th Street.
I vote yes.
Harold Tenere, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holliman, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Ishmael Shaheen, my vote is yes.
Thank you, Mr. Young.
Thank you.
Case number four.
M-I-2022-001-550, 2940-42 North 5th Street, Rachel Pritzker is the attorney, letter of support from HACE, H-A-C-E, the coordinating RCO, letter of non-opposition from Councilwoman Sanchez.
Mr. Brandon, let's have an answer to the panelist, sir.
Good morning.
Good morning, Brandon.
and then state your name and spell for the court reporter, please. Sure. It's Brandon Saverin.
That's B-R-A-N-D-O-N. S as in Sam, A, V as in Victor, R-A-N. Right. Do you swear or affirm to
tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. Could you identify your
client and the relationship to the property? Yes. This application concerns two adjacent
properties. My client and the owner of both is Esperanza Health Center, Inc. Thank you. Our
Our vice chair has a few questions.
Good morning, Brendan.
Do you agree to wait the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Yes, with the caveat that this is actually a referral rather than a refusal.
But yes, I do.
It's accurate.
Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance, a copy of the
referral, photos and replants of the property five days in advance of this hearing?
And have you met with the RCO?
And do you have a letter?
Yes to all.
Okay, you may proceed, and please share your screen.
Thank you.
So, good morning, members of the board.
Again, my name is Brandon Saverin from Pritzker Law Group.
The properties we're here to speak about today are 2940-42 North 5th Street
and 2944 North 5th Street, which you can see here.
And my client, Esperanza Health Center, as indicated on the map,
has already occupied the 2940-42 building.
So that is marked on Atlas.
You could say we're famous.
Here is a shot of the outside of the 2940-42 building.
with Esperanza's awning on the left, and the second property, which I'll address in a minute,
2944 North 5th on the right, excuse me, I'm a little bit hoarse from allergies,
is currently vacant and was last used as a takeout restaurant. So we're here on a referral
for a special exception. There were no refusals issued. My client put in a zoning application
to accomplish two things. One is to consolidate that 2944 property with the metal grate on the
right into its existing health center on the left. So again, that would be a consolidation of lot
lines. And then after we obtain that, to connect the two buildings inside. That is by right.
In addition, the zoning application proposed to clarify that the use that will take place on these two combined properties is group medical practitioner.
That use requires a special exception in the CMX 2.5 district.
And that's why our zoning application for both the consolidation and the use triggered a referral to you today.
we obtained a letter of non-opposition.
We obtained a letter of non-opposition from Councilwoman Sanchez's office.
We also obtained a letter of support from HACE, who was the coordinating RCO on this matter, after my client met with them.
And you can see there that the zoning committee of HACE voted unanimously to support the continued use of this property when enlarged.
as a group medical practice. I wanted to walk you quickly through the permitting history of the
property. This property was called a health center and a medical center in some prior permits under
the old zoning code before 2012. So for instance, just to pick one as a sample, here's a permit for
assigned from 2007. You can see that this was issued to my client Esperanza Health Center as
the owner and applicant and the use registration at that time was existing medical center.
Fast forward to permits that were issued after the adoption of the new zoning code
and the use began to be referred to as sole practitioner. Here's why that matters. Under the
current zoning code. Health center or medical center, at least to my knowledge, is not a defined
use. The sort of two possible uses for an outpatient medical practice such as this are
sole medical practitioner and group medical practitioner. We are going to be in the
combined facility a group medical practitioner. So we felt it was important to have that exact
terminology placed on our new zoning permit. And that triggered the referral, and that took us
through the RCO and ZBA process. Briefly, to qualify for a special exception, one must essentially
demonstrate that the proposed use of the properties will not have negative impacts on the public
beyond what would typically be expected from a medical practice. In this case, what would
typically be expected from the subject use. So this is relatively straightforward to demonstrate
in this case, because Esperanza already operates a medical clinic in part of this location. So
the impacts that the code draws attention to are congestion in public streets,
impacts on other public facilities like utilities, parks, and schools, overcrowding of the land,
including the supply of light and air to adjacent properties, this existing health clinic does not
create any traffic issues or strain other public systems or harm the public really in any manner.
And I believe that's borne out in the RCO's unanimous support of the project. The enlarged
facility will not operate in such a different way that any of those negative effects would appear,
whereas they currently do not. Further, the proposed integration of that adjacent building
does not involve a significant expansion of either building as experienced from the exterior. This is
really interior work and also sort of a cleanup of the front facade of the 2944 building. So because
of that, because we're not enlarging the mass of the structures, we're not going to have a negative
impact on the adjacent properties, their use, their light or air, etc. So as such, I respectfully
request that the board grant a special exception to allow Esperanza Health Center to operate
both of these properties when consolidated as a group medical practice. And I do have the
proposed building permit plans, which sort of function as a floor plan, if the board would
like to see them. I have our architect who can walk you through them. And I have a client
representative to adopt my testimony. Whatever of those witnesses. Mr. Shadram, why don't you
have your testimony adopted? Sure. Okay. So the client representative's name is Justin Perry.
Justin, if you could please raise your hand.
Perry has been allowed to speak. Hi, could you state your name and spell it, please,
for the court reporter? Yes, Justin Perry, J-U-S-T-I-N-P-E-R-Y. Do you swear or affirm to
tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? I do. Please proceed, Mr. Saverin.
Good morning, Justin. Are you an authorized representative of Esperanza Health Center?
Yes. Okay, and were you able to hear the full extent of my testimony this morning?
Yes. And was it true and accurate to the best of your knowledge?
uh and was it true and accurate to the best of your knowledge yes and would you therefore adopt
yes and
it as if it was your own testimony yes okay thank you questions from the board no mr chairman no
mr chairman no mr questions or comments from the virtual audience
so you know that's mr chair planning commission thank you chair bergman
ian hegarty for the philadelphia city planning commission the proposed special exception will
not cause detrimental impacts to the neighborhood beyond what might normally be expected for this use
and so the city planning commission recommends that the board grant the special exception
thank you mi 2022 001 550 29 40 to 42 north this street i vote yes
Harold Teneri, my vote is yes.
Thomas Hallamon, my vote is yes.