swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth yes please proceed
counsel thank you uh miss samuels did you have a chance to hear my presentation this afternoon
I did.
And do you adopt my statements as true and correct in your own if I'd given you a longer
chance to speak?
Thank you very much.
We don't have anything further, Mr. Chair, but we're happy to answer questions.
One quick question.
There's no parking here at all?
There is no parking here at all.
There is street parking on both sides of the street.
Thank you.
Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Very, very briefly.
Mr. Quine, Ms. Samuels, was her last name formerly Rooms?
Because that's what was on the deed that was submitted.
Correct.
Yes, that was her former name.
Thank you.
Absolutely.
I'll send your comments from the virtual audience.
Yes, Chair.
I have Kathy Dowdell with her hand up.
She will be allowed to speak.
Could you state your name, please, and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, my name is Kathy Dowdell, K-A-T-H-Y-D-O-W-D-E-L-L.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed.
I'm a member of the Cedar Park Neighbors Zoning Committee.
I just wanted to say, to clarify, we don't object to this in concept.
We are worried about a lot of these old buildings being, that have been multifamily for many years.
were very concerned about the life safety issues hence the um request that you hold this until
there's a certified fire alarm system if the zoning board feels that waiting for a certificate
of occupancy accomplishes the same thing um i think we're probably okay with that um i also
want to add i don't want to sound too frustrated here but the petition is baloney um you know
There's a public meeting held. All of the neighbors get notified. It's disappointing that we don't get better turnout at the public meetings, but to take a petition around without impugning the good faith of the neighbors, they don't see the full presentation.
They may or may not understand the issues. And so just sort of trotting a petition around to them is fine, but it's not something that we can really accept as evidence of neighborhood support.
That being said, I don't think there's a lot of opposition to this.
I don't think it's a particular problem.
I just would look at that petition with some skepticism.
Thanks.
Well, thank you for your comments, and we appreciate you calling us.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
There are no more hands, Chair.
Planning Commission.
Good afternoon, Chair and members of the board.
This is Greg Baldwin, City Planning Commission staff.
The comprehensive plan recommends no change to existing residential single-family zoning.
The applicant seeks to legalize an existing property with three dwelling units.
The proposed use variance would alter the essential character of the neighborhood, which is mostly the smaller-sized lots.
The appellant has not supported their hardship claim with evidence of unique physical circumstances or conditions of the property.
The City Planning Commission recommends that the zoning board deny the variance.
Number eight, MI 2023-006-566-917 South Bernard Street.
I vote yes, with proviso.
Must obtain a certificate of occupancy.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes, with proviso.
James Snell, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Thank you, Mr. Klein.
Thank you.
Have a good afternoon.
Okay. Number nine, MI 2023-005-372-2644-56 East Allegheny Avenue. Stephanie Boggs Magna is the attorney. Recommendation of support from the Southport Richmond Civic Association. Vote was unanimous. And there's also a letter of non-opposition from Council Member Squillard.
Stephanie Boggs Magna has been promoted.
Good afternoon, counsel. How are you? Could you please state your name and spell for the the sonographer?
counsel how are you could you please state your name and spell for the
Stephanie Magana, MAGAGNA. Could you identify your client in relationship to the property?
Sure. I'm here today on behalf of Fulton Bank. They're the owner of the property.
All right. Mr. Holman has just a few questions.
Good afternoon, madam. Excuse me.
uh do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its count its accuracy
yes i do did you email all the exhibits and documents as required five days in advance to
this hearing yes i did thank you please proceed and share your screen thank you
so this property is 26 44 to 56 east allegheny avenue um it's occupied by an existing building
that has historically been used as bank most recently prior to Fulton Bank coming into
ownership of the property by merger with Prudential. It was occupied as a Prudential
Bank location. Before that, it was a Colovia Bank location. There was existing signage and
connection with the prior tenant, but since my client purchased this property in 2022,
following that merger, they have been looking to replace the signage at this location to identify
this is now a location for Fulton Bank. Some signage that is permitted in compliance with
the zoning code has been installed to date. Other is temporary pending approval. But this application
is seeking to document an existing flat wall sign that was replacing a prior sign to identify Fulton
Bank, as well as we are seeking approval for a wall sign that will be located above the second
floor windowsill, which does require a variance in the CMX1 commercial zoning district where this
property is located. Again, here's a picture of the sign that's proposed that does require a
variance. A wall sign placed affixed to the brick of the building above the second floor windowsill,
similar to one that was here from Prudential Bank, similar in its size and its scope, its height,
its location, with the same intention. Its dimensions and its design vary slightly,
which is the reason that we're seeking additional variance approval, but it is intended to be
consistent with what was previously there, obviously in Bolton Bank's logo and its design,
for similar purposes of identifying this now as a Bolton Bank to function as a change of copy from
the prior bank. And I'll note too that this is another picture of the Prudential Bank sign that
was there previously. I'll note that this having a wall sign above the second floor windowsill
seems to be commonplace of this property here's a picture uh when it was up here's a polonia bank
location you can see a very similar side and design walls into the one that we're replacing
into the one that we're proposing as well as was mentioned um chairman thank you um the south port
richmond civic association has submitted a letter of support for this application we did meet with
them presented the proposed plans um and we're happy to have their support here um so with that
I'll call Mike Sondland. He's with the back of SignWorks, the sign company that's working with
Fulton Bank here to adopt my testimony. And counsel, if I'm not mistaken, you also have
support of the local councilman. Yes, you noted that. I had not received that prior. Okay, good.
Thank you. Mike Sondland has been allowed to speak. Sir, could you state your name,
please, and spell for the stenographer? Sure. Mike Sondland, S-O-N-L-I-N. Do you swear or
firm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do please proceed counsel hi mike
did you hear the statements i made to the board this afternoon i did are they correct and accurate
to your knowledge and would you adopt them as your own absolutely thank you um with that we're
happy to take any questions i'll know we also have mark medicola from fulton bank here if there are
any questions for fulton questions from the board no mr chairman no chair questions or comments from
our attorney hillary emerson not at this time mr chair questions or comments from the virtual
audience there are no hands chair planning commission good afternoon chair members of
the board this is greg baldwin planning commission staff the comprehensive plan recommends a zoning
map change to commercial mixed use two it's currently zones commercial mixed use one the
The proposed flat wall sign is consistent with documented prior use of this property.
The City Planning Commission recommends that the Zoning Board grant the variance.
Thank you.
MI 2023-005-372-2644 to 56 East Allegheny Avenue, I vote yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Counsel, could you stay on the phone?
I mean, yeah, could you stay on the line?
I mean, yeah, could you stay on the line?
We want to move to number 14.
We want to move to number 14.
Thank you.
So MI 2023-005-376-1834 Argonne Avenue.
Could you just state, you've already been sworn, could you just state your name for the record, please?
Sure, Stephanie Magana.
And for the record, identify who your client is.
My client is Fulton Bank. They are the owner of the property.
Okay. And Mr. Holloman has a few questions.
Good afternoon, counsel. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to his accuracy?
Yes, I do.
Did you email all of the exhibits and documents as required five days in advance to this hearing?
Yes, I have.
Thank you. Please proceed and share your screen.
And I would also mention that there's a letter of support from the 26th Ward RCO, Republican RCO.
Thank you, Chairman. So again, this is a location that was prior previously Prudential Bank. It was acquired by Bolton Bank by merger in 2022. It's an existing bank location. The building has been used as a bank for some years. And Bolton Bank is in the process, again, of updating the signage that was at this location to now recognize it as a location for Bolton Bank.
So here are some images of what the property did look like in the signage that was here as an accessory to the Prudential Bank location that previously operated here.
This is the front edge on Oregon Avenue.
This is the view of the parking area and the signage again on Oregon Avenue.
And here's again from 19th Street, the accessory signage that was previously located at this location.
In connection with updating the signage, Fulton Bank is seeking to document two compliant wall signs that have been installed, as well as a projecting sign that was approved by the Art Commission.
It's a copy of the wall signs that we're looking to document the change of copy.
Frennage on Oregon Avenue, this is the new sign.
Again, parking area along Oregon Avenue, you can see the change of copy.
um another picture um along oregon avenue there is also a projecting sign as i mentioned um facing
19th street that we're looking to the prior sign was located higher building it's been relocated
below the second floor windowsill um here and we do have our commission approval for that change
in design um the application we're seeking variance approval for that portion of our
application is for two wall signs that are listed above second floor windowsill. You can see the
proposed sign here on plans. Again, the point of this variance is to replace what was previously
a sign at the same location and height for Prudential Bank with their logo and copy with
one now that identifies Fulton Bank. The intention is the size and dimensions of the signs vary
slightly, but their intention is intended to be the same and within the same similar scope to
identify the building along Oregon Avenue. Here's the past conditions against what was proposed.
Here's a copy of the sign that's proposed against 19th Street, again, to replace the one that was
previously there for Credential Bank. Thank you for mentioning that we do have a letter of support
from the 26 Republican Ward RCO. I'll note that that RCO was just recently assigned as the
coordinating RCO for this matter at the very end of January. We shared our materials with
them given the limited scope of time um and we're happy to have their support here um we were
originally assigned as the coordinating rco gerard estate area residents we reached out to them
numerous times to try to set up a meeting from when this case was assigned to them in september
of last year with no success um ultimately leading to the council person to re designate
the coordinating rco in this matter um but in connection with trying to reach out to them we
we did send out an initial notice letter
more than 45 days in advance of this meeting.
So we do believe we've satisfied
the notice requirements under the code.
And again, we thank the F26 Award RCO
for their cooperation last minute
and for their letter of support.
And finally, and here's a copy of that letter for the record.
But with that, I'll ask Mike Sondland, again,
who is with Effective SignWorks,
the sign company working for Fulton Bank
to raise his hand and adopt my testimony.
sir yes could you state your name please again sure mike somlin s-o-n-l-i-n right and you've
already been sworn am i correct yes all right please proceed counsel hi mike did you hear the
statements i just made to the board on this matter i did are they correct and accurate to your
knowledge and would you adopt them as your own absolutely thank you right questions from the
board no mr chairman no chair questions or comments from our attorney not at
not at this time mr chair questions or comments from the virtual audience
this time mr. chair questions or comments from the virtual audience
no hands chair planning commission good afternoon chair and members of the board this is greg
waldman planning commission staff the comprehensive plan recommends no change to the existing
commercial mixed use zoning the proposed wall sign dimensions are consistent with nearby
properties they're also minimal and do not conflict with the purpose and spirit of the zoning code
The City Planning Commission recommends that the Zoning Board grant the variance.
Thank you. MI 2023-005-376-1834, Oregon Avenue, I vote yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes. James Snell, my vote is yes.
Thank you.
Thank you, Council.
So, number 10, MI2023, 006511, 248 Geiger Road.
Justin Crick is the attorney.