ZBA Hearing - March 20, 2024

We did, except for the tax certification, which was delivered, I believe, two days ago.

Thank you.

Please proceed and share your screen.

Thank you, Mr. Holloman.

mr chairman is that visible it is very good again good morning mr chairman members of the board

henry clinton on behalf of the applicant this is my presentation package which contains

exhibits a1 through a10 as well as zoning records which i ask be admitted into evidence

This request is for a multifamily use in an area that has other multifamily properties existing.

In an area that has other multifamily properties existing, it's a corner property.

It's been vacant, according to my review of aerial photographs, since at least 2016 and possibly before then.

And it has the strong support of the neighbors.

We have no issues with plate, rear yard, or open space.

The refusal, this is an RSA 5 zoning district, even though, as I said, there are other multifamily in the neighborhood.

and it's a request for a multifamily, four-family use on this large corner property.

We do have an RCO letter of support, 10 in support, 3 opposed.

And it's interesting, their letter of explanation, it's rare that you see the word excited in an RCO letter,

but this community group is excited to see this project.

And the summary of the discussion, basically, is it's not going to alter the essential character of the neighborhood.

It doesn't impair the appropriate use or development of adjacent properties, not detrimental to public welfare.

And I'll repeat some of these at the end.

But what's important is this property has been vacant for a number of years, and your neighbors expressed excitement about gaining a brand new building on the site with multiple apartments that can be used by folks in the neighborhood.

So this is a photograph of 2016 I was able to get from Google Earth.

Between 16 and 2011, the photographs were fuzzy, Mr. Chairman, so I didn't want to submit them as evidence.

This is the clearest photograph I could find indicating the vacant corner property.

So we looked at the properties on the block and also around the corner,

and I've dotted or salted the board here

with multifamily uses in the neighborhood.

And you can see typically they are on the corner

right across the street, down the block

and then on the corner.

And then there are some others that are filled in

that are multifamily.

And our property is gonna be three stories.

You can see there's a three story here.

My cursor is down the other end of 57th Street.

There's another three story on the corner

right across the street. This is a front view of the property. Harmer Street is the small street

right here. We would have a corner property. I just wanted to point out, you can see that the

properties have bays on the second floor and porches on the first floor. And I think the

community group was sincerely impressed with the design of the architect. Michael Cole was also on

the call. He tried to mimic that look. Obviously, you can't go back in time and do it item for item

or replicated item for item, but I think he came pretty close when you see the photograph.

This is a view looking down 57th Street. You can see the three-story building on the corner.

Again, just another shot from the front. You can see next door, it's a multifamily. There's three

meters here. I don't know that it's three-family. I'm not going to represent that. I'm going to say

that it's two family. These are pictures of the zoning notices that we posted.

And these are the plans. So this is the front elevation, all brick, again, trying to mimic

the bays that are on all the properties on 57th Street. And you can see a side view of the porch,

again, trying to replicate what's going on on the block. And then on the side on Harmer Street,

It's completely brick with one bay with some metal siding.

Again, I believe, not to speak for the community group, but they certainly like the old brick

look, minimal metal, and the duplication of the bays on the second and third floor.

This is the zoning plan that was submitted.

Again, you can see it's a rather large lot.

Again, we don't have any issues with open space, height, or rear yard.

We have four trash carts in the rear of the property, and there is a side fence with a gate in it for easy access for putting the trash out on trash days.

These are the floor plans, and I can go over the floor plans briefly.

So basically, we have a bi-level unit, unit A, basement and first floor, two bedrooms, two baths, bi-level unit in the rear, two bedrooms, two baths, and they are large.

They're 1,200 square feet for A and B.

One is just under 1,200 square feet.

And then on the third and fourth floor, it's 1,100 square feet.

And the largest apartment is 1,300 square feet on the third floor.

So the second floor is, again, two bedrooms, two baths, as is the third floor.

There is no rooftop deck.

It's simply for living.

And we have some outside space for the trash in the rear of the property.

This is the application for appeal.

This is the application for appeal.

Our tax clearance, again, which we just were able to get two days prior to the hearing, and I appreciate the board letting this in.

This is the zoning map.

The other thing I wanted to point out, here's the property right here on the corner.

It is one of the largest lots.

Three or four of the lots are rather large on this particular block, including the corner one.

And you add to that the exposure that it has on the side street, on Harmer Street, able to bring some light and air into all the units.

This is the deed indicating ownership.

This is our notice letter that we sent out to all the neighbors.

And these are our zoning records indicating that the properties that I tabbed with red were indeed multifamily units.

In fact, the one on the corner is not only multifamily, it also has zoned for first floor business and professional offices.

And then the one property that I did saw with red was demolished.

It has been set vacant for a while, but that at one time also was multifamily.

And these are the backup records that support the zoning records that I'm representing to the board.

The zoning records do support my summary there of all the other multifamily in the neighborhood.

This is 615 North 57th, 634 North 57th.

This is on why I'm losing on the corner.

This is 633 North 57th, 633 North 57th.

So, in summary, we have a situation where we realize and the client realizes this is an RSA 5 zoning district, as is the community group.

The community group, again, not speaking for the community group, but it certainly was at the meeting.

They understood the lot was vacant for about eight to nine years and possibly longer.

They wanted the new construction.

They understand it's multifamily.

A lot of the corner properties in the neighborhood have multifamily.

This is a large lot.

Now, those other multifamily are two of them are three-story.

Some of them are two-story.

We don't have any height issue here.

We're under 38 feet, and we don't have a rooftop deck.

So, again, to mimic and repeat what the community group said, we're not altering the characteristics of the neighborhood.

It's still residential.

We're not impairing the development of any adjacent property.

not impinging on any adjacent properties light and air.

There's this little street between our property and the property across the street.

It's generally in harmony with the code, and it's certainly in harmony with what

the community group wants and hopes will be able to come to this long vacant site,

a nice new building, almost entirely a brick,

which mimics the characteristics of other homes in the neighborhood.

So with that, Mr.

Chairman, I would rest and ask my client to adopt my testimony.

Please bring your client on.

Ms. Madar, can you unmute yourself, please?

Ms. Madar has been allowed to speak.

Good morning.

Could you please state your name and spell for the court of stenography?

Good morning.

My name is Anat Madar, A-N-A-T, Madar, M-A-D-A-R.

Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Yes.

Proceed, counsel.

Good morning, Mr. Madar. How are you?

Good morning.

And you heard my testimony today?

Yes.

And you're aware also that there's approximately 58 homes on this block?

Right?

Excuse me?

Yeah, I said it.

And you're aware that there are approximately 58 homes on this block, correct?

Yes.

And you're aware that 48 of those 58 homes, the sale price, according to the OPA records, is under $95,000, correct?

Yes.

And to construct a single-family home on this property would probably cost at least $250,000, correct?

Yes.

And if you had the opportunity to testify beyond what you just did, would you adopt my testimony as your own and as true and correct?

Yes.

Thank you, Ms. Medar. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Questions from the board?

No, Mr. Chairman.

Questions or comments from Hillary Emerson, our attorney?

Not at this time, Mr. Chair.

Questions or comments from the virtual audience?

yes chair i have two hands up one with the first name anna and she will be allowed to speak

good morning could you please state your name and spell it for the court stenography

Good morning, my name is Anna Volobuyeva, A-N-N-A-V-O-L-O-B-U-I-E-V-A.

good morning my name is anna voluboeva a double n a

Do you swear a friend to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Yes, I do.

Are you a neighbor?

Yeah, I'm from community.

Please proceed.

So, I'm from community, and I just would like to say that I support it because I like how

neighborhood change for better instead of abandoned abandoned buildings or just land

really great buildings appear so i support it all right thank you very much for taking the time to

cause do we have another hand yes the next one is nautica galen and they will be allowed to speak

hi could you please state your name it's spelled for the court stenographer

hi good morning my name is nautica n-a-u-t-i-c-a last name galan g-a-l-a-n

do you swear or affirm that wait a minute do you swear do you swear or affirm to tell the truth

the whole truth and nothing but the truth yes sir are you a neighbor yes i'm from the community

please proceed i was present at the last community meeting i love the interior and the exterior

layouts of the new building. I believe that the addition of the new building on that corner is an

awesome idea instead of having an open vacant lot. So I vote yes. Well, thank you. Is there anyone

else in the virtual audience? There are no hands, Chair. Planning Commission. Thank you, Chair. This

is Keith Davis, City Planning Commission. This corner lot is indicated for single family RSA 5.

At 1,700 square feet, it's a somewhat larger lot than what's typical for this row home neighborhood.

This is predominantly a single-family home neighborhood with some multifamily row homes.

The Planning Commission recommends approval for this variance.

Thank you.

MI 2023-006-334-616 North 57th Street, I vote yes.

Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.

James Snell, my vote is yes.

Thank you, counsel. You have your votes.

Number 12, MI 2023-006214-800 South 9th Street.

Vern Anastasio is the attorney.

There's a letter of non-opposition from Bella Vista neighbors with a proviso.

Applicant has two form letters.

Yes.

burn anastasio has been promoted mr chair this is hillary i want to note that we also received

a letter from a neighbor in support oh good great thank you

good morning council

Did we see Vern?

I did see him.

He disappeared.

I'm sure he'll be back.

Yes.

He's been promoted, Chair.

Mr. Harris, I just want to note, we also have a letter of non-opposition from Council President Johnson.

Okay.

Hilary, do we have the posting photos?

Yep, Vern sent all the requested documents in.

Thank you.

Good morning, counsel.

Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?

Good morning, Mr. Chair, members of the board.

Vern Anastasio, A-N-A-S-T-A-S-I-O, 2016 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, 19103.

On behalf of Mr. John Blizzard, the principal of the tenant in question.

Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

I do.

Mr. Holloman has just a few questions.

Yes, sir.

Good morning, counsel.

Do you agree to weigh the reading of the refusal and stipulate to his accuracy?