that's correct
and that's
this is the app the zoning notice that went out
and we have proof of mailing as well because we have 35 immediate neighbors in support of this
conversion because it's 100 above grade on an unusually large lot with three dedicated
off-street parking spaces and because my client could really use that extra unit to help with his
adjustable interest rate for the mortgage,
we respectfully request the granting of the
variance. With that, I'd like to have Mr. Tawfiles raise his virtual
They have been allowed to speak.
Could you please state your name as spelled for the stenographer?
Fadi Tawfiles
F-A-D-Y
T as in Tom, A-W-F-I-L-E-S
We're a firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Yes, I do.
Please proceed, counsel.
Thank you.
Fadi, did you hear my presentation to the board this morning?
True and accurate to the best of your knowledge?
Adopted as your own testimony?
Do you adopt it as your own testimony?
Thank you.
Questions from the board?
this this conversion has already been done
no it's sort of it was i think mr uh not completely uh but mr
can we go back to the pictures what is it that isn't it's not done nothing nothing started yet
But just we haven't approved to extend the garage.
I'm sorry.
Can we go back to the pictures?
Yes, ma'am.
I think a portion of it is a washer-dryer area.
I saw that.
I also saw a kitchen.
Did I not?
I don't think it's in the...
You showed a kitchen with it, Vern.
Yes, you did.
That's for the second floor.
could be the upstairs units is that what you're saying here so this is the basement here where
the garage is this is the garage space that would be converted that's correct
burn do you have anything to show what it'll be like if you convert it
yeah i showed you the plans you want to go over that again let's see the plan sure
can we can we can we keep going with the pictures first please sure um i want to go through the
pictures more okay Mr. Chair oh yeah go ahead okay yeah I'm sorry Mr. Chair no no no so what
is this what is this living this is upstairs here this is upstairs yes okay so you didn't say that
Fadi is that correct is that your testimony yes this is starting the second floor uh picture
right here yep so this is the second floor unit yes you're saying okay and then what is
what is this next one and then where is this
kitchen that I saw
all these after
is the second and third floor
pictures
keep going
yes ma'am
refrigerator looks like somebody
has already got their stuff
second floor
this is the dining area
in the second floor. You're saying it's the second floor?
Yep. Okay.
And then this is what? The living space?
Living room in the second floor.
Bathroom.
And then kitchen.
Kitchen in the third floor.
Okay. And then these next
pictures are the third floor?
Yes. Is that what you're saying? Yes.
All right. Thank you.
You're welcome.
Why don't you show what it's going to look like again?
Show us the drawings, please.
I'll go back to the plans.
This is the site plan.
Again, this is the existing third floor,
existing second floor,
and then the converted rear.
It's a one-bedroom unit.
It's a one-bedroom unit.
Thank you.
And what's happening on the first floor?
What's happening on the first floor?
You said second floor, third floor, and then?
So this is the rear.
You're calling rear is the first floor?
Yeah, it's the first floor.
Yeah, because it's a walkout garage.
So, but it's completely 100% above grade.
This is going to be more of an official laundry room area, washer, dryer.
Here's the utility area.
And then the remaining portion is going to be the one-bedroom apartment with really ample living room, kitchen and dining area, and then a one-bedroom apartment, a one-bedroom with a full bath, five by seven.
Again, trash corral, three separate containers, one for each floor.
And this comes with three accessory parking spots.
So parking is not an issue here at all.
Is that a row with duplexes?
There are mostly duplexes.
There have been some other conversions.
I'm not quite sure that they've gone through this process.
But, yeah, mostly multifamily.
Which is why, you know, if you look at the petition, there were more than a half a dozen just right on that block that they didn't think it was much of an issue.
Other questions from the board?
yes was there any um in terms of the rco there was a a large number of folks that opposed um
is there any thing that came up um maybe they asked for some prevent frisals or what was what
was the rcos you know they were very nice none of them were from the immediate neighborhood
uh they really didn't ask many questions i explained to them that this would be fully
sprinklered that, you know, the size of the property was, you know, bigger than the adjacent
ones. But there were really not that many concerns other than make sure, are you going to have a
property management company? We were able to produce that contract that we submitted to you
all today. And obviously traffic parking didn't seem to be an issue with them either. And that's
why, because very few people from the immediate area showed up, we then went door to door
on the block and right in the immediate spot, showed them what we'd like to do, and was
able to get, although 22 people opposed at the RCO meeting, we had over 35 signatures
just on that immediate area who support it.
So access to this rear is going to be through the driveway.
way that's that's correct so there's no additional walkway that's planned out to the street
or out to the pavement fadi can you explain that a little bit more please i'm sorry can you repeat
the question well you know i don't don't the site plan you don't show like a walkway that's you know
and it's not a great plan so you don't show a walkway that's out to the street it's just that
i'm looking on google i see it's just a two-car garage yeah so the walkway is
is going to be on the driveway
and there is a walkway on the side
of the building
that's been made
recently.
This red thing,
the walkway on the side.
the door of the apartment will be
right on the front of the garage.
Right here?
Is that right?
this is
the extra space
it's 20 by 20
it will take actually two cars
not one
and the door will be
right in the corner
yeah right above that's it
and that I think that's shown on the plan
Mr. Johns if I can go
would you allow me to go back to that
yeah if you could
right here
isn't that the entrance though
just for the one bedroom apartment
that was the question
where would the entrance be
at Mr. John's question
that was the corner
for all of them
no no just that
No, no, just that, there's that apartment. Yeah, because the existing entrance already takes them up.
apartment yeah because the existing
entrance already takes them
Do the garage doors, do the garage doors remain in the back?
Right now, yes.
No, in the plan, Mr. Fadi.
Oh, in the plan? No.
No, you'll be sealing them up, of course.
questions or comments from our attorney
i mean just briefly i'm just a little bit confused based on the language of the refusal
um where it talks about three parking spaces one structured two surface but it appears that
the two structured parking spaces that are here both are being eliminated not just one of them
in this proposal is that correct so then you'd only have two two surface parking spaces left
no this is an old picture with the new picture the driveway it's uh the the width is 45 feet
by 20 feet so you're proposing three parking spaces on the garage i mean on the driveway
yes okay because that's not what the refusal says in the way that it's written it doesn't
include changes to parking so this is only it's written as a change it says no change to three
accessory off-street parking spaces two open one structured as previously approved so yeah the two
open one the two open one structured i think that was the examiner's language
Right. No, that's why I'm confused. But structure normally means like garage parking.
So it sounds like there's no garage parking proposed and there's three surface spaces proposed.
And so if there's if there's some reconfiguration of the parking being done, that's that's being proposed as part of this application.
It's not on the application, only the change of uses.
So, so, and if, yeah, so I'm just, that's why I'm a little bit confused, because what I'm seeing does not match what the refusal says, and so there may need to be a separate, you know, if this was approved, there need to be a separate application, I think, for the new parking spaces.
Parking spaces are done, and I have a permit with it.
It's been done already.
Okay, so that, so yeah, so that's, so that's not part of, so you already did, you already did the parking spaces?