Yeah, I kind of think that's not going to work for you, sir.
Yeah, I think you need to have a computer to do this.
Do you have a laptop or computer that you can get on?
No, I don't own a laptop.
I just have an iPhone.
I'm not sure how to direct you how to work an iPhone for a presentation.
I believe I emailed in all the exhibits.
Yes, but the job, when you come here to give the presentation, you have to actually present the documents that you submitted to us.
Let me just see.
One of you ladies, Latina or Lakeisha, would you be able to pull up his documents?
Maybe we can share.
we might be able to accommodate
you're sharing the screen it says
okay well can you see the photos yeah i can i can yep
We have all your other documents, so why don't we do this?
Why don't you tell us what you want to do and how you're going to do it?
For 1623 West Ritner Street, it's a duplex.
This is not a single-family house.
There's actually two entrances.
I live on the lower unit.
The upstairs has previously been used as an Airbnb.
However, I don't have a short-term guest accommodation license.
Apparently, they have my house zoned as single-family.
which when I purchased that house, it is zoned as multifamily.
I have evidence of that also.
How long have you had the Airbnb?
I've owned the house since 2008.
Right.
And how long has it been an Airbnb?
Since 2013.
I have zero for any tax liability also.
and you've not had no problems with the rental right zero the problems i've had with rentals
were long-term year-long rentals that's why i switched to airbnb and that was my primary income
before losing the license so
before losing the license so questions from the board
no mr chairman no chair questions or comments from um our attorney hillary emerson
just a clarifying question um sir are you seeking to have um the entire property both units
zoned for visitor accommodations or okay just no just just the second floor which i've okay
which i've done the lead certification for also i'm not sure if you had that but that's on the
screen okay okay so just the second so to be specific and this was an issue when i brought
up to the zoning board i'm sorry to the rco um this is an owner occupied duplex i am the owner
i live in the first floor they said they were unopposed to that as being a um owner occupied
duplex with a guest uh allowance i'm sorry the visitor accommodation allowance however because
i was listed as a single family house and they had uh one person was um objected to it when
everyone else was on board it's only three people at the meeting when i sent out 192 notices um
but it it was confusion over uh certifying two units which i wasn't applying for only the second
floor unit as an owner occupied unit so okay to clarify the question no no for the downstairs
Okay, now thank you for clarifying because the way the refusal is written is for the
entire building, but if you're just seeking it for one of the units, if the board grants
they would need to provide those specifying the unit.
Yes, so I was told that I needed to file for another variance for the duplex also, which
I have done also waiting for.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
There are no hands, Chair.
Planning Commission.
Ron Bednar, City Planning.
Properties indicated for residential use on the city plan or adopted district plan recommends no change to zoning at this location.
There's no evidence of unique physical circumstances or condition of the property that will prevent it from being used in conformity with the zoning code.
So City Planning Commission recommends that the board deny the proposed use variance for visitor accommodation.
Thank you.
Hillary, can we just do the second floor?
Yes, Mr. Chair.
We can specify that approval for visitor accommodations is for the second floor unit only.
So that would be awesome.
I didn't vote yet.
Wait a minute.
MI 2023, 006-300-1623, Rittner Street.
I vote yes, proviso.
Second floor only for visitor accommodation.
Thank you, sir.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes with proviso.
James Nell, my vote is yes with proviso.
Ismail Shahid, my vote is yes with proviso.
thank you sir you have your votes thank you very much for your time and everything i appreciate
you thank you thank you so number three mi 2023 excuse me mr chair um we had a we had a request
to actually um well so actually out of order to take number nine um next because the witness in
that case um is only going to be available for a short time more okay mi 2024 003
28 6109 market street al knockamson is the attorney this is a reconsideration hearing
um myself thomas hollman ismail are the three people in this case
Nockamson is coming back in.
Mr. Nockamson, just state your name, please.
Alan Nockamson.
And could you identify your client?
yeah my client is um winfield investments llc in the virtual audience should be len chang and
actually also uh len chang's uh the the landlord's uh realtor as well okay and um
uh realtor as well okay and um our vice chair doesn't have to do a file because we know that
all the information so why don't you just begin sir okay um mr chair sorry i just wanted to note
for the record that the evidence and testimony from the prior hearing on october 25th um is
incorporated into the record for today's hearing and the scope of this hearing is limited to a
discussion of the temporary variance for the proposed change of use at the subject property
Thank you.
All right, thank you.
I'll just give you a brief overrun just so like we just go really quickly.
So 6109 Market Street, you know, the only – so we're seeking three family dwelling units, right?
This is a three-unit building, commercial on the ground floor, two residential above.
This is a CMX2 property.
We're just trying to swap the commercial unit for a residential unit.
And, you know, I would just ask that my client's realtor virtually raised her hand, but they've made every effort possible to lease out this property.
They're asking for a three-year temporary variance to just get someone in here.
It's been a vacant storefront forever.
And, you know, the community under similar circumstances for 6104 Market Street did say yes to a temporary variance like the, you know, by way of a letter, they agreed to, not the community, I'm sorry, the council member on the other side of Market Street.
So it's kind of weird. UTA is a council person for 6104. Council member Jones is the council member for 6109. 6104, the council member said, fine, we understand that there's an issue with the commercial corridor here.
there's a ton of commercial space that's empty that's not that's not leasing will let you on a
temporary basis but um uh put like a commercial a residential space in there so that's what we're
asking for in 6109 three years so um you know i think we can keep it pretty short it's been a long
day uh so i would just ask that my real my my client's realtor virtually raise her hand and
she could just testify via narrative so okay what's your name um that's a good question
it's been a long day my mind is much uh so um i should have in my notes but it's okay hold on
alex goldberg's gonna save the day because he he's he's my brain right now who is it gail thinkpen
Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
B-A-Y-L-E-T-H-I-G-P-E-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed, counsel.
Oh, yes.
Ms. Thigpen, are you a realtor?
And you're a realtor for this property, 6109 Market Street?
Can you just, in narrative form, just explain why we've had such a difficult time and what
efforts you've had, you know, known efforts to market this property as a commercial property?
Yeah, sure.
So I got the listing in December.
I've only had one realtor reach out to take a look at it.
um the feedback is was the space was too small um since then i have had no one um
contact me to take a look at it it's um advertised on the mls which means it goes out to um cx i
it goes out to loop net and um redfin and also trulia um i think the space personally i think
this space is too small for a commercial space it would be um much better as a living space
especially on the first floor since um we get a lot of requests from elderly
people in an area that want a first floor unit
anything else to add
no i we lowered the rent a few times um two and five rentals is very flexible with the rent
You know, if we get someone that needs it for a little bit lower, we would go for that.
Just trying to get it rented.
And Mr. Chair, I know this doesn't matter, but my client, he's an affordable housing provider.
provider. This is his business model, so this would go towards affordable housing as well.
This is his business model.
So this would go towards affordable housing.
So, Ms. Pickpen, thank you so much for your time. Okay, thank you. We have your client
adopted your testimony before, I think that's fine, right? All right, so questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman. No, Chair. Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Mr. Chair, I don't know if you noted it previously on the record, and I apologize if you did.
We did get additional letters, and I believe Mr. Nockamson included them in his packet,
a letter of non-support from Achievability and a letter of opposition from Calton and Jones.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, thank you.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, Chair, I have Bridget Powell with a hand up and will be allowed to speak.
hi could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer
um my name is bridget powell b-r-i-d-g-e-t p-o-w-e-l-l do you swear or affirm to tell
the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth i do are are you a neighbor
i'm one block away okay please proceed um i actually did attend the second meeting
And I just want to go on the record and say that 6104, from my understanding, is staying commercial.
It's not going to three-year.
And that idea came from Councilman Gaudier.
We're referring to a property that's in Councilman Jones' district, which he also just submitted another letter of non-support.
But what I want to say is that I've been on this Zoom since they were talking about Queen and my understanding that Queen is much narrower than ours.
But the same attorney is going to try and do commercial there.
And that's what we want here.
I mean, I've been a resident of this area since 1980 and I do a lot of walking on Market Street.
So our pushback about making this commercial, we're pretty adamant about it.
So I would ask that we deny this once again and keep this first floor commercial.
And I'm also here with a nearby neighbor, Mr. Cleveland.
So I wanted to know if you would allow him to also offer testimony.
Tell Mr. Put Mr. Cleveland on.
He's right here with me.
Hi, Mr. Cleveland, could you please state your name for me and spell it for the court stenography?
Yes. Cleveland English. C-L-E-V-E-L-A-N-D-E-N-G-L-I-S-H.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
And, sir, you're against this?
Yes, I'm definitely against it.
like we told them at the last
meeting they should
they may be
advertising it other ways
but they don't
they cover up the sign
like they don't want to
rent it commercial
you're just against
you're safe to say you're against this