neighborhood it's going to be a combination based on what we presented
to the RCO and because we've had some neighbors that are interested in
parking and because the way parking is there in the community we're going to give you some of them
access and live in the neighborhood i don't understand yeah so precisely for that reason
miss gaston we really want to maximize in a in a low impact way okay so will this be
are you going to have um what do you call it like subscriptions or something for
parking people for people works with parkway corporation to manage and uh i included it in
the materials that i shared with ms emerson but i didn't want to take up the board's time
there's other there are there are some surface parking lots that people for people maintains
very close by that are in really fine shape take take a walk if uh in in your neighborhood as i
know and so uh the intention is is likely to work with uh parkway for the best practices in that way
they they have um apps that can be used for for safe in and out okay and such and we discussed
that with the community too all right and i guess my other question is about um i know for exterior
parking lots they have rules with respect to drive aisles and uh landscaping things like that
for interior lots like this um is this do the same rules apply are we I didn't think so but
at least in terms of like size of parking spaces and things like that yes to that to that Ms. Gaston
absolutely the streets department and the Philadelphia code have requirements that we've
met in terms of um typical parking space size aisle depending on whether it's one way or two
way and in this case it's one way uh ada parking which uh we meet and uh there is also um van
yes and room for bicycle one uh a one a uh class 1a parking which is there too to fulfill the code
requirement even though i don't know how much that will be used in this installation it will be there
okay all right uh thank you sure all the questions was a parking stuff i mean i'm sorry
was a traffic study done for this development um i'm just looking paris is one of the thinner
I'm just looking. Paris is one of the thinner streets in the neighborhood, and right now the primary entrance is off Paris Street, and there's like six other parking lots and other car oriented businesses within like a one and a half block radius.
streets in the neighborhood and right
So just wondering if any conversation had been had about the impact an additional one might bring to the surrounding bus.
There has been conversation, Ms. Wynn. There has not been a traffic study. We've spoken with, you know, and Reverend McFadden can speak to this if desired, but we've engaged in discussion with the community and interesting, not surprisingly, there are differing thoughts on best ways to manage traffic because people for people is part of the community and is such a presence in the community and cares about the community.
reverend mcfadden stated publicly several times that people for people would be pleased to work
arm in arm if you will with the community should there be a desire to have a meeting say with
council member jay young with representatives of the streets department because in some instances
as the board knows as development changes neighborhoods there can be better ways sometimes
it's changing a direction of traffic on a street or or traffic calming measures and then I think
the oh go ahead Parkway has consulted us on all of our parking which has and because they have
consulted most of the parking lots that you're referring to they've kind of given us some insight
and instruction in terms of the flow of traffic and thought it was you know favorable I don't
know if that helps but at least because of their experience and controlling most of the lots in the
area um we were kind of comfortable with trying to move forward with this opportunity okay i have no
further questions i have one quick question so i know you talked about the pedestrian experience
and looking at the rendering to see benches and trees which is really great but just in terms of
safety and the moving of the vehicles what type of uh interventions will there be for pedestrians
as they're walking down the street because there are residences all around the parking lot so you
know what other interventions will there be for as well a pedestrian know that a car is coming out
or about to enter so signage lighting whatever and other interventions well what we've decided
is not only parking there's also some uh mirroring mirroring that's being set up so that people can
have a visual as they're walking through um because that was one of our concern even with
park cars coming out of the parking lot. Everybody needed a visual to see what was going on.
So with Ian Smith, when he looked at what would be necessary, he thought the mirroring would be
a good approach so that people would always have a visual whether they're coming in or walking
past through the parking lot area. Do you know that that technology, I'm told, goes back to
Benjamin Franklin. Really, the mirrors, those particular types of mirrors. Other questions?
Yeah, I guess the other thing is the, what is it, the sound that you can have to, I don't know
whether you guys have thought about that. Yeah. It has been thought about. That's one of the
things that you speak to one neighbor, and they like it, and another is concerned about it.
that's not the noise right so right now in full disclosure there's not a plan to do that and
because there was some pushback on on that idea when we were brainstorming together about safety
measures it doesn't mean that together there it could end up doing it or maybe there's a
newer technology for a slightly softer or more pleasing sound I don't know Ms Gaston but I but
in full disclosure to the board that is not part of the proposal at this moment understood okay
thank you questions or comments from our attorney not at this time mr chair questions or comments
from the virtual audience i see no hands chair planning commission
good morning liz fusillade on behalf of the philadelphia city planning commission
Just for the record, spell your name.
Yes, sir. Sorry. I always forget to do that.
L-I-Z, last name is Fuseli, capital F-U-S-E-L-I-E-R.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, told truth, nothing but the truth?
I do, sir.
Please proceed.
The comprehensive plan recommends no change to the RM1 zoning at this location.
The proposed 45 space non accessory interior parking garage within a predominantly residential community is not within the purpose, nor the spirit of the zoning code. The planning commission recommends that the board deny the requested variance to create a 45.
the planning commission recommends that the board deny the requested variance to create a 45 space
interior parking lot mr chairman and members of the board rather than belabor the point i just
like to underscore that the city records show that hardship has been found at this location
previously we have an existing structure and for the reasons previously stated we respectfully
submit that the use of this uh for the purposes of a uh well-respected 501c3 is appropriate thank
you thank you mi 2025 0 0 5 3 8 0 14 29 to 35 paris street i vote yes michael johns my vote is
yes cheryl gaston my vote is yes tenetta graham my vote is yes ryan mcadams my vote is yes i win
my vote is yes thank you reverend i like the way you use the glass in the on the exterior too it
gives it a little bit like you go down and you see a garage it's all brick you go like it's
creepy looking i mean i gotta say it too so it's really nice thank you mr chairman members
of the board have a good day thank you so much have a blessed day okay here we go i need a
with. That's what I need on this day. Here we go. Number four, MI 2025 001 344 2267 East
William Street. Alexander Perry is the attorney.
alexander perry is coming in as a panelist thank you
good morning mr chairman good morning uh could you please state your name and spell for the
sonographer yes sir alexander perry a-l-e-x-a-n-d-e-r last name perry p-e-r-r-y i'm joined today
by dr meadows the owner as well as adib mahdi the architect all right do you swear or affirm to tell
the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth yes sir so i i see there's the letter of
support from the south port richmond civic association and a letter of non-opposition
from council member squilla um our vice chair has a few questions good morning
good morning submitted your uh documents and exhibits five days in advance of this hearing
yes ma'am okay and do you waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy
yes all right thank you you can share your screen and proceed with your case
there we go trying to make it as big as possible for you guys thank you um we have all your
documents so okay this is the uh letter of refusal we are trying to build a three-story
home in a residential neighborhood it has a unique zoning district it's RSA 6
which is primarily for two-story homes and we're trying to build a three-story
39-foot home in this area which is similar to many of the homes that have
been built in the last few years this block is underdeveloped and many of the
homes that are still there that have been renovated have bought two or three
side lots to use as yards. So we're trying to make the highest and best use of this space.
Here's the application for appeal for Dr. Brian Meadows. He is the owner of the property.
He bought the parcel as a vacant lot about three years ago. The refusal notes that in
the RSA 6 residential zoning district, the height limitation is 25 feet. The proposed
structure is 39 feet, three-story with roof deck. We have a tax clearance. There
were about $650 outstanding which have been paid. Here's the payment and here's
the deed from 2023 to Dr. Brian Menos. I'm going to zoom in on this for you. The
proposed home is a three-story home along the sidewalk. We're trying to keep as
home along the sidewalk. We're trying to keep as much brick facade as possible. That was the
feedback from the Neighborhood Association. They really wanted it to be a standard row home look,
none of this industrial steel that we're seeing in some of the neighborhoods now,
and the owner and architect are going to work to do that. There is a overhang, a second story
bay window basically that's been approved by the street department previously the only application
for appeal before the board is just the height limitation 25 feet in this neighborhood and it's
going up to 39 feet rather than the 25 foot again this is similar to the other properties in the
neighborhood which I'll show in a few minutes. This is the adjacent property
which this this house right here has been rehabbed recently within the last
five years and they purchased the the three lots to the uh i believe it's the south of the property
to use as a yard and parking which is similar to the next house my client's home is proposed on
this vacant lot right here which has been vacant for for years again here's a picture of the
adjacent parcel which is about three properties to the north and next to that is another rehab
which bought two parcels also to use as parking and a yard.
Further to the north, you can start seeing the recent development along the street,
all of which are three-story houses with roof decks.
Here's seven here, and there's an additional three or four behind the parcel as proposed.
Here's a zoom in of those seven new homes that have been built
within the last two or three years along the block we posted the property 26 days
ago in the snow and there it is there's a zoom in and posting for all the
neighbors of the hearing date today again here's here's the block as it looks
when we posted it you can see the adjacent house and the undeveloped side
yard that's being made use in the neighborhood, with the exception of the three-story homes
that are being built, similar to ours proposed. And here's our notice of mailing. I'm joined
by Dr. Meadows and would take questions from the board after he adopts my testimony, if
that's okay, Mr. Chairman.
Dr. Meadows, can you raise your hand?
Dr. Meadows is coming in as a panelist thank you
good morning good morning Dr. Meadows could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
uh brian meadows b-r-i-a-n last name is m-e-a-d-o-w-s you swear or firm to tell the truth
the whole truth and nothing but the truth sir yes please proceed counsel thank you mr chairman
uh dr meadows did you hear my testimony before the board today yes can you adopt that testimony
and uh provide uh affirmation that is true to your knowledge and uh understanding yes
okay do you adopt the testimony yes your own thank you members of the board uh we're here
and we're here with the architect as well if we can take any questions for you questions from the
board okay uh my question is okay so you're 25 feet is allowed 39 feet is being requested
so you said that there were other properties that were built there
on the block? What kind of height are we talking about for those properties?
Thank you, Ms. Gaston. I will share my screen again. These are the homes along the block
that are built, I believe, to the code of 38 feet, same as in RSA 5 jurisdiction. I didn't
get my measuring tape out to measure them, but they're consistent with our property within
about a foot. They also have this setback roof deck. Every single one that's been built on the
Every single one that's been built on the property recently fits into this criteria, which would have fit into the RSA 5 zoning code, I believe.
the property recently fits into this criteria.
Our architect designed it with an extra foot in the basement, I believe, which is what put it over the 38-foot mark.
Could you show us the interior design, too, please?
That was my next question.
There you go.
Well, I knew you were going to do it.
Mr. Chairman, give me one minute to try to pull that up. I don't know if that was submitted with
the other documents, but I will try to find it for you right now.
It is designed as a single-family home, and we're not asking for any change from that
with two bedrooms on one floor and one bedroom on the third floor, I believe.
But let me pull that up. Give me one minute.
Or if the architect is here, I believe he has that too.
What do we bring? Is the architect here?
Mr. Adeeb are you here do we see the architect's hand
oh bye I have it I will share my screen right now okay thank you
Mr. Chairman and members of the board can you see this a little hard to see maybe you can
Yeah. Blow it up a little bit. Okay. I will do that right now.
Okay. Here we go. I will start with the basement and proceed upstairs. Okay. The basement
is proposed to have a bedroom or other room with a bathroom and a family room.
The first floor is raised up a few feet because of the basement space and it's a living room.
can you see this I'm sorry a living room and a kitchen space with access to the
rear yard the third floor again is it's listed as bedrooms but it's two bedrooms
or other office space with a shared bath and then the third floor would be the
master bedroom with a walk-in closet and master bathroom it is designed to be a
single family home with a basement a usable basement and two bedrooms or a bedroom in an
office and a master bedroom on the third floor with access to the roof it's set up similar to
the other houses on the block and it's not intended to be a rental unit for multi-family use
questions
can you go back to the basement plan again please
Yes. Here we go. Here's the basement plan. It's going to be a finished basement. And again, the extra foot on the plan that might be different from the adjacent parcels is because they lifted the basement from, I believe it was the seven foot to the eight foot.
What's the depth of the slab below grade?
That would be a good question for the architect.
Do you have a section, build a section?
I will try to pull up the other documents to see that.
Excuse me, what was your architect's name again?
His name is Adib Mahdi, M-A-D-I.
Hello, everyone.
Members of the board, here's the previously shown cross-section of the front.
And as shown, the basement slab is nine feet, nine feet below.
nine no no no no no can't be nine feet below grade i don't i hope not no is it
no no it's well it's nine feet below the first floor so you're so you're like
five eight feet it looks like yes exactly you're nine minus nine minus three
It looks like, yes, exactly.
Nine minus three is right.
Nine minus 3.3 looks like five and a two-thirds foot, sir.