of the apartment. But here's the lot size, Mr. Chairman. It's gigantic. And basically,
we have a vacant commercial in the rear, restaurant in the front. And this is a
non-profit, which is taking up this entire parcel. And the one bedroom is above the non-profit.
So we are asking, again, just another site plan to show the board that there's a rather large piece.
We're asking that this property be legalized.
Again, with the first one, Mr. Chairman, we don't have any violations.
We're coming to the board with our arms out saying, look, here's what it's been used for,
and here's what we'd like to have legalized within the zoning records.
And I actually can show you the other zoning records from the past, which indicate that there have been zoning uses such as these projects in the past.
So with that, I would rest and ask that my client adopt my testimony or we hear from the Planning Commission.
All right. Mr. Snowden, just mention your name, please. You've already been sworn.
Mr. Snowden, can you raise your hand again?
Maybe you should just stay unmuted for everything.
All right. Mr. Clinton, you're the officer of the court. We will take your testimony.
Go ahead, Henry.
Mr. Snowden, again, have you been on the call during the presentation of 8624 Germantown Avenue?
Yes, I have.
If you had the opportunity to testify, would you adopt my testimony as your own?
Yes, I would.
Yes, I would, sir.
Thank you, Mr. Snowden.
Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
questions or comments from the virtual audience
planning commission thank you chair bergman ian hegarty for the philadelphia city planning
commission board members the comprehensive plan recommends a zoning map amendment to cmx 2.5 at
this location as well the proposed use conforms to the recommended zoning and so the city planning
commission recommends that the board grant the variance. MI 2021-003-131-8624-26
Germantown Avenue. I vote yes. Carol Tenneri, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
thank you my vote is yes
okay we have the votes mi 2021 004 356 18 hilltop road
morning again mr chair members of the board henry clinton on behalf of the applicant
Bowman Properties Limited. This request is to convert the entire commercial building,
which is a small building, and you'll see it really looks like a residential building,
into commercial use. Right now, the current use is first floor vacant office and has been vacant.
And the second floor is a two-bedroom apartment. We're asking basically to convert the commercial
on the first floor to a two-bedroom apartment. So we'll have two apartments at this location.
Again, my table of contents, AA through A10, I asked to be introduced into record as well
as my opening statement at the outset of the presentation of these nine cases.
This is the overview that we gave the community again.
I'll get right to the heart of the presentation.
Refusal, here's that reference I made at my opening statement.
this is cmx1 abutting rsa3 uh so we did get a review
This is CMX1, a budding RSA3.
So we did get a refusal saying you can't have two residential units in this particular space
because the first floor, or at least one floor, should be commercial, hopefully the first floor.
These are the letters of support from the various stakeholders, which we've spoken about before.
And this is the photograph of the front of the property.
Again, it looks like a house.
It really does.
It was a vacant, I mean, it wasn't an office for many years.
It's now vacant.
It's not on Germantown Avenue. It's off the Avenue. Difficult to rent as a commercial space.
So again, in line with Ms. McCauley, we thought this would be the time to make this
a fully occupied space and convert the first floor to a two-bedroom apartment.
We're going to raise the sill on the window, the proposed apartment. Entrance is over on
left-hand side. Again, some more photographs really to show the board that it really looks
like a house, not like a commercial space. It is not, definitely not a storefront.
Could you, could you have Mr. Snowden adopt your testimony?
Mr. Snowden, are you still on the call?
Mr. Clinton, you're an officer of the court.
Yes, I'm here. Yes, I adopt the testimony.
Okay, questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
No, Mr. Chairman.
And Mr. Chairman.
All right, questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Planning Commission.
Thank you, Chair Bergman.
Ian Hegarty for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
Board members, the comprehensive plan recommends a zoning map amendment
at this location from cmx1 to rm1 multifamily the proposed use is consistent with this
recommendation and so the city planning commission recommends that the board grant the variance
thank you mi 2021-004-356-18 hilltop road i vote yes
thomas my vote is yes james snell my vote is yes carol tennery my vote is yes
no shaheed my vote is yes okay thank you let's move on here to let's see here
um next one 7928 what number is that anybody have it in front of them
MI004 I have it yet MI2021 004 363 7928 Germantown Avenue
Letters of support from all the existing RCOs and the council person.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the board.
Henry Clinton for the applicant Bowman Properties Limited LTD.
Table of contents in my presentation package AA through A10,
which I ask to be incorporated into record,
as well as my opening statement at the outset.
This is the overview that we have for each project, and I'll get right to the heart of it.
Basically, we're asking for an addition of one apartment in this commercial space.
Refusal, again, CMX1 is abutting RSA3, and the refusal is multifamily household living is prohibited in this zoning district.
here are the letters of support from the stakeholders and this is a photograph of the
property retail is on the first floor this is what the properties used to look like before
mr snowden was able to reconstruct and make them look like they used to and here's the issue
this is an alleyway between the two buildings and this is where we're going to put an apartment
in the rear of the first floor.
The property was purchased in 1993,
and we just think it's time
to make the commercial space
a little bit shallower
and add the residential space.
Here's the view of the rear of the property.
There's already an apartment upstairs.
We're going to have another apartment
on the first floor.
and bring more vibrancy to the neighborhood,
bring more individuals to the neighborhood.
Again, Mr. Chairman, I don't want to belabor the point.
This is pretty straightforward.
And I would entertain-
On this one, you're reducing the size of the commercial.
on this one yes by about 810 square feet and then make a an apartment of a similar size
On this one, yes, by about 810 square feet.
this is really right here this is a synopsis we're reducing the size of commercial uh and
then taking the reduction in the commercial and converting it into a one bedroom one bath
no change in the apartments excuse me mr clinton this is hillary um just to clarify
by the commercial space is currently vacant.
Mr. Snowden, can you answer that question?
Mr. Snowden, you're available.
You just need to unmute yourself when a question is there.
I can answer that, I can answer that.
It's empty right now and it's gonna be marketed
as a retail shop or a gallery.
Thank you, Ms. Emerson.
Okay, thank you.
I have Mr. Snowden adopt your testimony, please.
Mr. Snowden, are you still on the call and can you adopt my testimony as your own and as true and correct?
Mr. Snowden, can you unmute yourself?
Mr. Snowden.
Mr. Flint.
Yes, yes, I can. It would help if you didn't mute me after each one of these because the unmute button doesn't come up.
But yes, I'm happy to adopt it.
That's the nature of it. We will meet you to prevent feedback and you can just unmute yourself when you're asked a question.
Yeah. Thank you very kindly.
I appreciate that.
Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
No, Mr. Chairman.
no mr chairman no mr chairman questions or comments from the virtual audience
planning commission thank you chair bergman ian hegarty for the philadelphia city planning
commission members of the board the comprehensive plan recommends a zoning map amendment here as
well from cmx1 to cmx2 the proposed use is consistent with the recommended zoning so the
City Planning Commission recommends that the board grant the variance. Thank you. MI 2021-004-363-7928
Germantown Avenue. I vote yes with proviso. Use registration required prior to occupancy for
commercial space. Carol Tenere, my vote is yes with proviso. Thomas Tollum, my vote is yes with
James Snell, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Shahid, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Thank you.
MI2021-004-360-8137 Germantown Avenue.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman.
I'm with the board.
Henry Clinton for the applicant,
Boomer Properties Limited,
concerning 8137 Germantown Avenue.
Again, my presentation package, ISB Incorporated, Exhibits AA through A10, as well as my opening statement at the outset of the presentation of these nine properties.
These are the introduction to the community that I've been through several times, and I'll get right to the heart of the matter.
the refusal again is a cmx1 abutting rsa3 and the proposed use three dwelling units is
expressly prohibited we're not we are having three dwelling units because there's three
separate buildings in this package and i'll explain to you why the refusal came back the way
it did nevertheless these are the letters of support from the community organizations
which are referenced in my table of contents and this is part of the property so basically
there's three properties on this one address and you can see this property is 8137 Germantown
Avenue this has an address of 1416 east to Hartwell and this is 10 east Hartwell but when
When you apply for this application, it has to go under the address of 8137 to 39 Germantown Avenue.
Nothing is being done with this building to the right.
Nothing is being done with the building in the middle.
The building at the end right now is first floor vacant, second floor vacant.
And it is a budding residential area, and it's more attuned for residential.
So the proposal before the board is to make this cottage, and that's really what it is, a residential cottage, and that it become an 805 square foot cottage.
cottage. It's really, again, if you look at it, you would think it's residential,
It's really, again, if you look at it, you would think it's.
it's perceived as residential, and it really should be residential.
So nice terrace in the back. So we're asking that the commercial nature of this building
be entirely switched to residential because it is vacant and it's difficult with all these
properties. It's been difficult to rent them, and that's why we're here. My client's in the business
of having people occupying the properties. He doesn't want vacancies. So again, a summation
converting the cottage into an 800-square-foot, one-bedroom, five-level home, deck, shared
courtyard, parking, and no change to the other properties, Mr. Chairman. So Mr. Clinton, the front
of Germantown Avenue would still be commercial? Correct. Okay. Have your testimony adopted,
please. Mr. Snowden, can you raise your hand? Mr. Snowden, you can unmute yourself, please?
Yes, I am unmuted, and I adopt the testimony on this property. Questions from the board?
no mr chairman questions or comments from the virtual audience
planning commission thank you chair bergman ian hegarty for the philadelphia city planning
commission board members the comprehensive plan recommends a zoning map amendment from cmx1 to
cmx2 at this location the proposed use is consistent with the recommended zoning and
And we also note that it's directly related to the existing physical configuration of the multiple structures on this lot.
City Planning Commission recommends that the board grant the variance.
MI 2021-004-360-8137, Durham Town Avenue. I vote yes.
Carol Tenere, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Ishmael Shaheed, my vote is yes.
number seven on our list mi-2021-004-361-101 bethlehem pike
letter of support from coordinating rco letter of support cheslin hill conservancy
letter of support from cheslin hill business district
what is your chairman members of the board henry clinton on behalf of bummer properties limited
I present my package of exhibits, AA to A10, which I asked to be incorporated into the record,
as well as my opening statement made at the outset of the presentation of these nine properties.
The first exhibit is the presentation that we made to the community group,
which I've already addressed in my opening statement.
Again, Mr. Chairman, I'm putting this in each package for the record