This is 2421 North 18th Street.
I have a picture here showing the zoning notice as well as the refusal letter.
I did post it out at the end of February, just to ensure that I had it up there long enough.
So when I originally acquired the property, it appeared as a duplex.
And then I came in and I remodeled, did a little bit of remodeling.
It wasn't made clear until probably July that the house was not zoned as a duplex.
And, you know, that's why I'm here now. I'm attempting to get my house legally converted into a duplex.
I just want to make sure I get everything done correctly and right.
Here was. Oh, gosh.
Here is like the street, the street. I wanted to show that there's plenty of street parking.
There is some houses missing on the block.
This would be the first floor kitchen, and I didn't get a picture of the prior living area,
but this is what the first floor looks like now for the kitchen and the living room.
This was the second floor. Part of the ceiling had came down. There was some water damage.
This was the prior kitchen, and then as well this is the second floor kitchen and the living room
over here. You can see the kitchen goes into the living room area.
This was the first floor bathroom. There was an older tub, older bathroom. I ended up putting
of tiles and making it a standing shower.
making it a standing shower and then this was the second floor there had been
some water damage here and there I guess was a bathtub as well in the bathroom
somewhere over here on the side probably similar to the first floor it was the
same design from the first floor and the second floor that we did these were
considered the bedrooms and then we did some remodeling. We added new sheetrock
on the walls and we put hardwood floors throughout the house.
These were the second floor bedrooms. We did remove the closet that was in the master bedroom
just so that it would make the bedroom look larger and we put closets as well. I don't know
you can see this last photo here it has a closet and then that was this one in the middle before.
I have the structural engineering letter.
Basically like I said we just you know we most of the sheer vac was put on top of the old ones
that was previously there before we did put new flooring throughout, new interior doors,
I've remodeled the first and second floor bathrooms and renovated the first and second
floor kitchens.
We did nothing in the basement.
Here's my refusal and my tax clearances as well.
I did get some neighbors to sign a petition, and here are some of the signatures from some
of the neighbors I was able to get signatures from.
and also the r the rco has supported you yes i did get the rco support here's my letter from the rco
okay and when you when you purchase this it was already broken i mean it was in disrepair but it
was a duplex yes um i purchased it in september of 22 and like i said it wasn't until like maybe
late june early july um when i realized that the house was not legally a duplex and so that's why
i'm here now trying to get everything converted one other question are there other duplexes on
the block um not to the best of my knowledge i know there's some people who you know co-live
with other roommates and okay but not to do black okay um i did i did create a community benefits
agreement with the RCO. We came up with the idea for one of the first floor apartments
that we rented out to a senior citizen. And the senior citizen, I'm talking with the RCO,
they're going to give me some references that they have. And they said, you know, most of them
or also like they're they're handy people so they can do like light work and things like this
they can do basic maintenance so we came up with not just a senior citizen discount but if they
want to be the um the the property manager or like the maintenance person an extra discount for them
as well okay um and then here is where me and uptown which was the rco signed the agreement
okay all right thank you questions from the board no mr chairman no chair questions or comments
from our attorney hillary emerson hillary emerson not at this time mr chair questions or comments
from the virtual audience there are no hands chair planning commission thank you chair this
is keith davis city planning commission staff uh this attached two-story mid-block real home
is indicated for single family attached rz5 there's no indication of a history of any
multi-family at this residence the surrounding block is primarily single family um should be
noted that this CBA agreement cannot be enforced by any city agency. The applicant's hardship is
not supported with evidence of unique physical circumstances or conditions of the property that
were prevented from being used in conformance with the use requirements of the code. Therefore,
Planning Commission recommends that the requested variance not be granted.
Thank you. MI 2023-006-204-2421 North 18th Street, I vote yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Thank you.
You have your votes.
Thank you so much.
I hope you guys have a great day.
Oh, you too.
Number three, MI 2023-006-164-1731 North 23rd Street.
Pascual Calavita is the attorney.
recommendation of support from the United Neighbors Alliance Civic Association with a proviso
Pascual Calavita there he is I'll promote him now thank you he's been promoted okay
Good morning, sir. Could you please state your name and spell for the court's demography?
Good morning. Pasquale Colavita, P-A-S-Q-U-A-L-E-C-O-L-A-V-I-T-A.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Could you identify your client in the relationship to this property?
Sure. Cynthia Robinson. Go ahead, sir. I was going to say, she's elderly and may need some assistance from her daughter, Simone Robinson. And if we can promote both of them, if possible.
So why don't we get to that point? Let's see here. So Mr. Holloman has a few questions for you.
Sure. Good morning, counsel. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to his accuracy? Yes.
Did you email all of the exhibits and documents as required five days in advance to this hearing? Yes.
Thank you. Please proceed and share your screen.
as stated my name is pasquale colovita represent cynthia robinson the owner of
1731 north 23rd street and i am sharing screen regarding this property showing the table of
contents 1 through 11. Copy the deed. The zoning application is a refusal. It's a RSA 5 district
for two-family dwelling and approval of an addition for the rear yard. And the problems are
rear yard space and maximum area. Attached to Exhibit 4 is the application for appeal with the
PIF at plan at exhibit five re-architectural plans at six is the notice to the neighbors with the
proof of mailing at seven are the you'll you'll see pictures of the zoning post post photos of
the zoning notice poster which is the proof of posting in advance of the uh well in advance of
the 20 days and then at exhibit eight we're going to show different uh similar use throughout the
neighborhood at 9 are photographs of the property as well as the immediate surrounding area
as stated earlier rco letter of support as well as the certificate of tax clearance
on this one and we'll start with the deed we have cynthia robinson's you know what i'm going to go
straight to the architectural plans which should show everything it actually shows a view of the
property and as you can see in the top left i'll try to increase it the request was right now on
the left side top left of the the screen shows the existing site plan and what they want to do
is square it off so that is what caused the um the refusal due to that small addition there and
again right and left side existing right side is is what what they would like
I'm sorry first second and third floor of the property there and then this wears it
out so we move on as shown notice to the neighbors zoning notice your photographs of the posters
and uh different properties 1723 this uh has two units and it's been two units for quite some time
it's 1733 has four units and that's the zoning uh again just
and that's the zoning again just we continue on three units at 1735 1737
try and see how many units are here three units at 1737 and here's the
different photographs of the area as you can see all properties there at the end
I think that's 1733 at the end right here and if you just look down the block
again you have the entire block is three-story premises with trying to find
the one that's better but eventually what i'll do is i'll share the google maps but i wanted to
to move forward with this before i get to that one
at 1731 as was stated earlier a copy of the what i did not receive is an actual
full letter that um unaca typically uh provides what they did do though is provide me with the
meeting summary i don't know whether they forwarded a letter to the board but this one
obviously it indicates they're in the middle final position taken by the rco is one of support
and again a certificate of tax clearance attached so i'm going to stop sharing this for a second and
And share a, I'll add it here.
And this is the property right here.
And if we take it down just a little, it gives you a better understanding of the rear yard.
And this is where they want to square it off.
And again, just in summary, got support from the neighbors.
I understand the proviso has something to do with trash.
My clients never indicated they wanted to store it up front.
They're going to obviously do like this on trash day.
They're going to put it out front, but they're not storing it out front.
We have no problem with that being a proviso. That was never an intent nor a discussion.
You know, again, if that's a proviso, we have no no argument against it.
So with that, there are other properties in the neighborhood.
Again, even next door, which is owned by my client.
And I just asked that I can have my client on and continue.
Yep. Why don't we bring your client on? If she has a hard time testifying, you're an officer of the court and we can accept your testimony.
Okay. It's Cynthia Robinson. I only have two questions.
Cynthia Robinson will be allowed to speak.
Good morning, Ms. Robinson.
Ms. Robinson, could you just state your name for the record?
Ms. Robinson, if you have two devices on, please turn one off or mute it so we won't
have feedback.
She appears to be muted.
Yes, she can unmute.
Am I unmuted?
Okay, so just for the record, state your name.
Yes, my name is Cynthia Robinson, and it's C-Y-N-T-H-I-A, Cynthia Robinson, R-O-B-I-N-S-O-N.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth?
The whole truth is nothing but the truth. Yes, I do.
Please proceed, counsel. Ms. Robinson, did you have an opportunity
to hear my testimony this morning?
Yes. And do you agree to its accuracy?
Thank you.
Thank you, Cynthia. You can mute yourself.
does does she adopt your testimony i'm sorry yes do you adopt my testimony as your own
cynthia do you adopt my testimony as your own
Cynthia, do you adopt my testimony as your own?
Yes, I do.
Thank you.
So, Mr. Colavito, so right now it's already a three-story building.
You want to put a roof, you're putting a rooftop deck on the top.
Is that right?
And you're building out a little bit in the side and the back of the square.
Slightly, yes.
All right.
And most of the block is multifamily.
Correct.
No matter what it's coded, it's operated as multifamily.
She owns the property next door.
That's already three or four units.
It is two units, I believe, next door.
But just let me let me just clarify that one was.
That one is two units right next door.
Thank you.
Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
No, Chair.
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Ramsey?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
no hands chair planning commission thank you chair uh this is keep davis city planning commission
commission staff uh the site is indicated for single family attached um rsa5 at 23 feet wide
this lot has exceptional street frontage for a row home uh many of the houses on this block are
converted to to duplexes uh the planning commission recommends that the request for a variance be
granted with a proviso that the trash be stored in the rear. Thank you. MI 2023 006164 1731 North
23rd Street. I vote yes with proviso. No trash storage at front of property. Thomas Holloman,
my vote is yes with proviso. James Snell, my vote is yes with proviso.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Calvino. You have your votes.
Number four, MI 2023-006-169, 925 Manituan Street Avenue.
William O'Brien is the attorney.
There's a letter of opposition from the Upper Roxbury Civic Association,
but the applicant has provided form letters of support from neighbors on either side of the property.
William O'Brien has been promoted Good morning, Mr. O'Brien.
Good morning, Mr. O'Brien.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the board.
William O'Brien for John and Laurie Maccini, the owners of 925 Memmets on Avenue.
All right.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?