fact that they previously approved this project in 2006. Here's our notice of refusal in 2006
along with the letter from the Fishtown Neighbors Association, again, supporting this same exact project.
Maps of the area, again, we're in the heart of Fishtown.
We're on the corner of Susquehanna and Livingston.
The lot size is 9,279 square feet. The size of the combined buildings is over 13,000 square feet.
The lot size is 9,279 square feet.
And we're only looking to put three units in there with off-street parking and to allow Dominic to use his studio in the main sanctuary where he lives.
Maps of the area, photographs of the property, again, beautiful structure that he's maintained over the course of his ownership.
uh street views on east susquehanna avenue to left and right of the property
livingston to uh the left and right of the property and then our plans and drawings oops
so here's just our site plan uh you know here's our off-street parking here's the main sanctuary
and here's the adjoining structure which has two of the units the main sanctuary has
where Dominic lives, and he has his studio there as well.
And then there's just detailed drawings of the main sanctuary,
which is a substantial structure, again, where he lives and does his business.
Our application for appeal that we followed with the ZBA,
along with our notice of refusal, our project information form.
And then we met with the Fishtown Neighbors Association some time ago.
We just had to do some cleanup and trying to make sure that the parking space was properly reflected on our application.
We gave notice to 251 neighbors at Dominic's.
And our detailed property is showing that Dominic is the owner of the property.
He's owned the property since 2004.
With that being said, I'm going to stop sharing my screen, and I would ask that Dominic virtually raise his hand so he can adopt my testimony.
So, Dominic, please identify yourself for the record.
Hi, my name is Dominic Episcopo, D-O-M-I-N-I-C-E-P-I-S-C-O-P-O.
You sir, do you want to tell the truth, the whole truth for nothing but the truth?
Thank you.
Please proceed.
Oh, yes.
Dominic, you heard everything I stated today.
And is it true and correct?
And do you adopt it as your own testimony?
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Any more witnesses?
No, there's not.
Thank you.
Does the board have any questions?
No, Mr. Chair.
no thank you uh anyone else that would like to testify
i see no hands chair thank you planning commission good afternoon uh this is
greg waldman from the planning commission staff the comprehensive plan recommends no change to
existing residential single family use i was at zoning sorry at this location the proposed use
is in accordance with the district plan recommendation to accommodate adaptive reuse
options for underused places of worship the city planning commission recommends that the zoning
board grant this variance thank you mr chair before you vote i would just ask for proviso to
reference the updated refusal dated august 9th of 2021 yep will do okay so that means calendar
Count the number MI 2020-003416, 1345 East Susquehanna Avenue, my vote is yes as per
amended notice of refusal dated August 9, 2021.
Thomas Holliman, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Thank you, good luck.
Thank you.
Counting the number MI-2021-001113, 2000 South 12th Street.
Mr. Derizio is coming back in as a panelist.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, Mr. Derizio.
Please identify yourself for the record.
Yes. Good afternoon, Chairman, members of the board. Raymond D'Orizio, 2 Penn Center, Suite 520, Philadelphia, PA, 19102.
I'm here on 2000 South 12th Street, and that's calendar number MI2021001113.
Thank you. You spell your name for the scenario, please?
Thank you. You spell your name for the sonographer, please?
Yes. First name, Ray.
Yes. First name Raymond, R-A-Y-M-O-N-D.
Last name Dorizio, D-O-R-I-Z-I-O.
Thank you, Mr. Dorizio. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, for nothing but the truth?
And do you agree to waive the reading of its refusal and stipulate to attack her scene?
And have you emailed an exhibit packet with the required documents, proof of ownership, proof of tax compliance,
copy of the refusal over for photos and plans five days prior to this hearing yes and have
you met with the rco and have a letter we have yes thank you please proceed sure thank you i'm
just going to share my screen if you just give me one second i will grab that from my
uh sorry my ipad if you just bear with me one second
Maybe I should do this from my laptop next time, but okay.
All right. So this is basically 12th and McKean Street. This property is on the southwest corner of 12th and McKean.
And my client is not the owner of the building, but he is the proprietor and he is seeking to open a takeout restaurant pizza store there.
This is a zoning map. There are some CMX one buildings are on the corners of the property.
This is a photo. My client's property is to the far right there on the corner.
that's the 12th street side it's owned by Mr. Lou my client has a five-year lease
with the property here's a copy of his lease he's going to be leasing it for five years
so he can do his do the restaurant here's the copy of the plans just going to be the first
floor he'll have the basement here's a here is a photo of the McKean street side basically as
you see under the steps going up to the second floor there's a little fenced-in area where my
client can you know store some trash until that he's going to have a private pickup doing that
this is McKean Street looking east towards 11th so there there are some other businesses but no
restaurants around it's formerly was a restaurant like convenience store corner store many years ago
are called JoJo's. This is 12th Street looking south. Inside the property, it's kind of a mess,
but there's equipment all over the place. My client hasn't really taken any action to get
anything straightened up yet until the zoning is decided. But there is equipment there, pizza oven,
stove and range, and other items. These are photos of the basement where I'll have storage,
refrigeration. We have some utilities there. We do have a letter from East Pass Junks Crossing.
We did meet with them. They support our petition. My client, his hours of operation are going to be
around 10 to 10. It's going to be purely takeout, no indoor eating. He's going to have pizza,
sandwiches, cheesesteaks, pasta, things like that. He's been a chef and a cook for many years.
So this is something that he's looking forward to do, and hopefully he can get, you know, the corner brightened up again and get the property in order.
And he is on the call, and he would verify my testimony.
He's available?
He is.
Mr. Romero, do you hear us?
If he could raise his virtual hand, please.
Mr. Bomero, if you can hit the raise your hand button, please.
Okay, he's been allowed to speak.
Okay, very good.
Okay, Mr. Bomero.
Can you file yourself for the record?
Yes, can you please identify yourself for the record, spell your first and last name?
Yes, my name is Bomero Medina.
can you spell it yes as a b-u-l-m-i-r-o medina's m-e-d-i-n-a thank you you saw affirm to tell
the truth the whole truth for nothing but the truth yes sir thank you please proceed okay
mr medina did you hear my presentation and testimony to the board yes okay and was it
Okay, and was it truthful and accurate?
truthful and accurate.
It's a truth.
It's the truth.
Okay, and would you adopt it as your own?
Do you adopt it as your own?
Okay, very good.
Thank you.
And I have nothing further, Chairman.
Thank you.
Does the board have any questions?
No, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you.
Anyone else that would like to testify on this matter?
Yes, we know he is here.
Thank you.
Planning Commission.
Good afternoon. Greg Waldman, Planning Commission staff.
The comprehensive plan recommends no change to the existing commercial mixed-use
one zoning at this location. This property has had established use as a food-serving business
with documented licenses dating back to 1998, which is what we found, or potentially earlier.
We believe that the proposed takeout restaurant would not alter the essential character
of the neighborhood. Accordingly, the Planning Commission recommends the variance request be
granted. Thank you. Calendar number MI 2021-001113, 2000 South 12th Street, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes. James Snell, my vote is yes. Thank you. Good luck.
thank you have a good afternoon you too uh real quick before we go into number four
there's been a request for uh three continuance real quick let me read that uh into the record
calendar number mi 2021-002655 2315 north 10th street also calendar number mi 2021-002656
546-2307 North 10th Street and MI 2021. That is 002-546-2303 North 10th Street have been requested.
It's been continued by attorney. Hi, Chair. This is Tanya, the administrator. We do have Mr. Ward
Ward with his hand up, but if you would allow him to speak to these cases.
Sure. Mr. Ward, good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. Sean Ward, S-H-A-W-N-W-A-R-D, attorney for the applicants
in these three matters, and I just wanted to confirm that that is correct.
Mr. Ward, you swear to affirm and sell the truth, the whole truth, for nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
Thank you.
just just confirming that we did in fact want to continue these cases thank you so noted have a
good day okay thank you you're welcome all right next one up it's uh mi 2021-003186 2039 east york
Street. Mr. Whalen is coming back in as it ends. Mr. Whalen, good afternoon. Please identify
yourself for the record. Sean Whalen, W-H-A-L-E-N. Thank you. You're still on the oath, is that
correct? As far as I know, happy to swear in again if you want me to. Thank you. You agree
to waive the reading of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy? Yes, I do. And have you emailed
an exhibit packet with the required documents, proof of ownership, proof of tax compliance,
copy of the refusal or referral, photos and plans five days prior to this hearing? Yes, I did.
And have you met with the RCO and have a letter? Yes, we do. Thank you. Please proceed.
Thank you. And I am very happy to tell everybody that I've got a much easier case in front of you
this afternoon than I did this morning.
We're more happier than you.
So this is 2039 East York.
Just to give you an example of where we're at, it's this property right here.
My clients purchased it about six years ago.
It is this one right here, an existing single-family home.
As you can see, this is a mixed-use area.
there's a number of properties up and down each of these blocks that are multi-family uses.
Contextually, these vacant areas right here, this is an older photo. You can see it's from 2020.
These are very large multi-family developments now, as are just off the screen up here and
another project over this way. So that was just for context. It's this property right here.
The application involves no new construction. It is an existing single-family home, and we are seeking to, again, RSA 5.
And we are seeking to, again, RSA 5, and we are seeking to convert it to a triplex.
Here's the one refusal we have.
Again, there's no new construction.
The property owners, husband and wife, are seeking to convert this to a triplex.
There's a picture of it, and I can walk through the rest of the neighborhood.
Essentially, Ramtin Sanikattam and Parida Mogadam, husband and wife, have lived here for about six years.
They purchased the property and have always intended on bringing Parida's parents over from Iran.
And now is the time that they're able to do so.
And they are intending on continuing to live on the first floor.
They will be turning the second floor into a single family unit for their in-laws and
their parents, respectively.
And the third floor will be a small 600 square foot one bedroom unit to kind of allow them
to do this, make this reconfiguration internally and try to bring their parents over from
Iran. And I know that Mr. Seneeketam is on the call, so he can speak more to that.
But essentially, that's our one issue. So we did get a letter of opposition from ECNA. However,
I would note the opposition was seven to six, and one person voted in non-opposition.
um we learned of this vote uh so essentially it was a split room we learned of this vote
only last thursday uh since that time my clients um started going door to door and they had
actually um all they have spoken with all six people uh all six people who voted in favor
reached out to them and uh there are actually two other people who voted in favor but apparently
their votes were not counted. They voted after the meeting via email. So they thought they were
doing it correctly. That is Jackie and Santo Perez. And so just in the last four or five days
that we've known about the opposition, my client went and again, just in very short time, was able
to pull, and I'm happy to focus on any of these, 11 additional signatures just from