We have met with the PHA over about four years time as this project was developed.
We have informed the neighbors of each of those meetings.
And I'm here to say that we are excited to replace some of the original residents from the community, as well as to grow the community.
that's it thank you another witness we have nicole nicole please unmute yourself and wait
for the vice chair hello hi nicole can you put your name on the record and spell your last name
yes my name is nicole vane stock n-i-c-o-l-e last name v as in victor a y n as in november s-h-t-o-k
Do you swear if I'm to tell the whole truth and nothing about the truth?
Yes, I do.
Please state your, I assume, opposition to this?
Yes, ma'am.
Thank you.
I, my fiancé and I currently are renting at 2515 Ingersoll.
And I just, in conjunction with everyone else who currently lives on Ingersoll,
i just wanted to point out that on i feel like unless you live in this direct neighborhood
um you will the understanding of what we are trying to put out um it's one of those you have
to see it to understand we the issue is not with what type of housing it is it is just with the
sheer volume of residents this project would bring in. There's no opposition to bringing in
additional housing, but you have over 50 units that are one bedroom, two, three. There was a
four bedroom there. So the understanding is there is going to be over a hundred new residents
moving to this neighborhood within a three block radius. It's great for neighborhood growth.
However, consider that Ingersoll is a small yet unusually very busy street.
Cars come zooming down the street with no regard to anybody on the street.
You know, I personally have been almost sideswiped by a car trying to run down the road because everyone uses Ingersoll to cut across.
um on um in the on the 4th of july this past year the peak of the pandemic there were over a hundred
people on the corner of 25th and ingersoll blasting music and partying for many many hours
all the way up until two or three o'clock in the morning shooting off fireworks and yes celebrating
is fun but you this is just this was a party put together by existing residents of the neighborhood
multiply that by object to this this is completely irrelevant to our it is completely irrelevant
please let me continue um if you can eliminate that part from it you can continue
you can unmute yourself
nicole you can unmute yourself
Nicole are you there? Yes can you hear me? Yes now I can. I couldn't before.
nicole are you there yes can you hear me
Our concern is that I don't understand why this isn't a thing people are understanding. This
project aims to bring over a hundred to a hundred people to a three block radius. I don't understand
how people don't see this as potentially driving up additional traffic, driving up additional noise.
it's like we we already right now on the corner of this blog there's about 10 to 15 people
hanging out there which is a daily occurrence there's a new house that just got built there
and people are already hanging out on that doorstep of a building that's not there they are
utilizing i'm trying to explain here you know i understand that i live in the city and i
people are sitting on different people's stoops at all times during have you ever had a hundred
people on your door and partying until two o'clock do you have anything else why i'll do other than
this uh chair we can move on okay thank you vice chair sorry vice chair we have megan has been
unmuted please wait for the vice chair hello hi megan yes can you put your name on and please
spell your last name uh megan address sorry and your address megan poland m-a-e-g-a-n-p-o-l-a-n-d
I'm at 2444 Ingersoll Street. Okay. Do you swear to affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but
the truth? Yes. Thank you. You may proceed. I just have a quick addendum. My husband spoke earlier
about the parking lot, and I'll just make this quick, but I just wanted to add the consideration
that the street is incredibly narrow, and if people are utilizing that parking lot from other
streets, that does create, I think, a concern in terms of the traffic on such a narrow street.
it's one lane um you know and and so that's one of our our concerns about having that park parking
lot located there specifically thank you thank you so much madam chair we're finished with witnesses
at this time okay meredith madam chair i will be as brief as i can try and respond to as many of
these things as i can um first just a general note i think you've heard that most of the concerns here
surrounding the project overall, meaning the project that has been planned over the course
of many, many years, and not necessarily the specific refusals that are before this board
today. As far as density is concerned, this proposal is less dense than would be permitted
by right on these lots. And I would be happy to bring our witnesses back up to testify to that,
but I can represent to you that by right, you could build nearly double the number of units
that are being proposed with this proposal on these same lots. Right. And the parking lot is
an issue. The narrowness of Ingersoll Street is an issue. Sure. People hanging in the corner is an
issue. I'm sorry, I missed the corner comment. 10 to 15 people going to 100 people hanging on
the corner? Nards can be controlled, and they're not zoning related. They are not zoning related.
You know, I already gave argument about that parking lot. I will also say that it is somewhat,
you know, it's conflicting, because we have heard a lot of concerns about the parking in the area.
And in fact, you saw in the photographs that people park on the sidewalks here. And yet,
if that parking lot were not there it additional units could be built there so you know it's a
little bit conflicting um just in regards to the commercial you heard testimony about the fact that
you know the commercial is intended for ridge avenue this is consistent with the planning
commission's 2014 lower north district plan uh which i do have sections of up on the screen here
uh you heard where the commercial is going to be focused in fact the lots have now been rezoned and
the commercial would no longer be required now regarding the parking um again this is responding
to many years worth of community concern about parking in the area so this is specifically
responding to that um the parking was also specifically contemplated in the lower north
district plan in the locations that it is proposed and you can see up on the screen here
the lower north district plan contemplated parking areas to accommodate
the Lower North District Plan contemplated parking areas to accommodate this revitalization effort.
As I mentioned, if the parking were connected to other lots, we wouldn't even be here for that
refusal. The dimensional refusals are largely de minimis and result from unique PHA design
considerations, existing lot orientations, or particular code interpretations. None of these
refusals in any way result from the proposed density. I know somebody did mention that,
and that is not accurate. These refusals have absolutely nothing to do with the density of
the proposal today. A full analysis of all of these variances and the hardships is included
in our memorandum of law at tab 18 as always we submit these are the least minimum variances
um this will not increase congestion will will actually contribute to mitigating it
no negative impact will result and will positively impact the neighborhood
as we hope the board can see this project is a culmination of many years worth of planning
and many years worth of community input.
And as the board can see,
and no disrespect to the new residents to the area,
but these residents simply were not involved
in that planning.
And that is unfortunate.
But as the board can see,
this is a lot of stakeholders
have gone into this project.
And this simply was not just put together on a whim
and has really resulted from a lot of stakeholder input
and do represent unique hardships that are minor and will contribute to long-plan revitalization.
If I can just have Nick quickly adopt my testimony. Nick Dima, if you can unmute yourself.
Hi, I'm here.
Nick, have you heard all of my testimony here today?
I have.
and would you agree that any testimony that i've given uh was true and accurate and would you adopt
that as if it were your own i would thank you thank you planning commission
miss chair lady yeah i'll i'll get to you next uh tom i just want to hear what the planning
commission has to say okay thank you good afternoon board peter bernard for the planning commission
these properties are indicated for multi-family and single-family residential use in the
comprehensive plan the proposal is consistent with the density allowed under the zoning code
and the proposed use is consistent with comprehensive and district plans policies
regarding affordable housing we feel the variances are minimum necessary accordingly we recommend
approval of these variances thank you um any questions from the board tom i know you do have
a question. Yes, I have a question, counselor. I have a counselor. I am in agreement that this
neighborhood certainly could use a lot of new housing. And I think the project that you plan
out is great. My concern is the parking lot. Well, who will maintain the parking lot? The residents
or PHA. Ken, are you still on here? Ken Granderson?
Mr. Granderson, you can unmute yourself and speak. Yes, this is Ken Granderson and PHA will maintain
the parking lot. As I reiterated with Valk School being across the street and the PHA headquarters
being within walking distance, this lot will be maintained by PHA. As additional information,
there's currently a house for sale across from PHA's headquarters valued at over a million dollars
and that house is using as one of its sale points that PHA maintains the shrubbery,
the landscaping, and has a lot of people out there picking up trash every, you know,
weekly. So because we have a vested interest in this neighborhood, PHA is committed to
his beautification. Okay, so let me understand, PHA hires these people to take care of the
parking lot? Yes, we have both the in-house crew and we have a subcontractor crew that takes care
of mulching, grass cutting, etc. Now let me ask you this the lighting is a solo lighting or regular
lead lighting? It'll be lead lighting which what's defined as cut off so that none of the light
spills over into anyone else's property. So you'll take care of changing the bulbs? Yes PHA maintains
So you'll take care of changing the bulbs?
Yes, PHA maintains the parking lot.
The parking lot will not be a burden to any of the residences in the neighborhood.
So you'll take care of snow removal?
Fencing?
Abandoned cars?
Fine, thank you.
Thank you.
Does any other member of the board have any questions?
We're all ready to vote.
Calendar number 2332, 2301 Master Street.
Calendar number 0660, 2401 Ingersoll Street.
Calendar number 3314, 2400 Ingersoll Street.
Calendar number 3386, 2415 Master Street.
Calendar number 0663, 2418 Master Street.
calendar number 3132-2421, excuse me, Ingersoll Street, calendar number 3387-2411-Master
Street, calendar number 0867-2448-Master Street, calendar number 0866-2450-Ingersoll
street and calendar number one two three eight 2453 ingersoll street excuse me my vote is yes
yes to all yes to all yes to all sorry you guys thank you madam vice chairman and members of the
board for your time today oh thank you meredith and thank you darwin be careful
thank you i know i started choking calendar number 1861-2442 north 54th street the attorney is verne
anastasio oh could we just take a quick um five minutes we can take a 10 minute break
that'll be um 625 okay thank you thank you thank you jim we're here yes we're here okay cool
um i'm gonna call the case again calendar number 1861 2442 north 54th street um mr anastasio can
you put your name and address on the record and spell your last name sure it's verne anastasio
A-N-A-S-T-A-S-I-O
1315 Walnut
Suite 1006 Philadelphia
Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing about the truth?
I'm already under oath from this morning
Okay, do you also agree to leave the reading
of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Do you email the exhibit packet with proof
of ownership tax compliance, refusal
referral, photos and or plans
five days in advance of this hearing
and have you met with the RCO
and do you have a letter?
Yes, to all that.
Thank you.
Please present your case.
Thank you.
I'm going to share my screen, okay?
Okay, great.
Madam Chair, members of the board, I'm going to open with a brief statement, run through
my exhibit packet, and then wrap it up, okay?
Okay, great.
I know you're on a time constraint.
Madam Chair, what we're proposing today is something novel. It's a new concept in visitor
accommodations. My client, Kiteville, is a hospitality company focused on taking formerly
distressed properties, fully renovating them, and then offering them to visitors for short-term
or sometimes longer-term bases, whichever fits the needs of the traveler. Unlike Airbnb or the
CRBO, Kiteville home is professionally managed. It's not managed by the owner, with daily
housekeeping, round-the-clock maintenance, private sanitation removal, with strictly enforced
occupancy limits. But like a hotel, all linens and towels are provided and changed on a regular
basis, and the properties come fully furnished. This model also solves the problem of new
since rentals because unlike a traditional rental agreement where an owner would rent out a house to
individuals, there is no lease. There are no occupancy rights by the people who occupy
the space. There's no lengthy eviction process where troubled tenants could stay on for months,
sometimes years. When and if there are terms of service breaches, occupancy is canceled
immediately, just like any hotel. You break the rules of a hotel, you're removed.
Just like any hotel, you break the rules of a hotel, you're removed.