I can move forward with the matter. So that's why I don't have an RCO letter.
Okay. You may proceed.
Thank you. Okay. I'm going to share
um my screen um is there a chris class on as well he's our architect
My screen. Is there a Chris Klaas on as well? He's our architect, so I would like him to go through the plans, but I will go through the project.
so this is 1322-32 south 53rd street as the board can see here is the refusal
we have one refusal which is for multi-family for six buildings total of 24 units this property
was actually purchased when the property was still RM1. It was subsequently remapped while
we were in the process of getting the plans drawn up by the architects and then was able
to submit this to the city. So not only as I'll show the board as the block, sort of
not a lot of single family homes, but this was in the process of when this was RM1.
Additionally, for the board's information, we're providing all units at a rental price at 80% of area median income or lower.
This developer in particular has documented development experience to make that determination and to make sure that we can meet that more affordable price point.
Additionally, each of the four buildings, as Chris can show, will contain four two-bedrooms,
approximately 850 square feet, and two one-bedroom units with 650 square feet, so
pretty generous size to keep the price point at or below the 80% of AMI referenced on the 2020
HUD chart for Philadelphia County. Additionally, the increased density we believe that will bring
to this immediate neighborhood will help support the viability of the commercial corridor which
is Chester Avenue which begins a block from the property at 54th and Chester and extends all the
way to 58th and Chester. Additionally I have listed here an extensive list of multifamily uses on the
same block as this property to show that the proposed use is reasonable. It's a reasonable
density we believe of 420 square feet per surface area per dwelling unit which is not out of
character. As you can see, 1303 is two units, 1304 is five units, 1305 is two units, and the list goes
on. Several properties also have five and six units. Again, this is 1322-32. The lots have
been already consolidated when we're providing 24 units. So these are all just sort of single
lots, but again, we're providing multiple lots here. Additionally, I would like to have Chris
class from Design Blends Architecture kind of go through the plans for the project and then happy
to take any questions. Again, the goal here is to provide more affordable units again at or below
80% of area median income, which this developer has done. In addition to the fact that this
property and this block has been zoned for multifamily up until 2019 when the former
Councilwoman rezoned a lot of these areas to RSA 5. An RSA 5 property would result in quite large
single-family homes that are extremely out of context for what's in this area. And two, the
other arguments I've heard today obviously do not provide the most affordable solution in a growing
affordable housing crisis in our city. So I'm going to stop my screen share. The last thing I
want to do again just for the board to show sort of the RCO, I sort of make it my business to make
sure that we follow all the procedures required and that we give notice. Again, our appeal was
filed on September 8th. The ZBA acknowledged receipt of it on 10-22. I know they reached out
on 10-20 to the council office. The notification was finally sent 11-2. The first email that we
sent was on the same day to the RCO, 11-2. We sent another email on the 9th. We then emailed
without any response. We emailed the zoning board and the council office requesting help
on the 11-10, 11-13, and 11-18, and still had not heard anything back again until today, which
is now December the 8th. So I have provided these emails in our exhibit packet for the board.
And again, just want to make clear that we did on our part, you know, follow the requirements
and make sure that we made ourselves available and provided multiple outreach, not only to
the community, but to the zoning board, the RCO notification email, the RCO ZBA email,
and also the council office on several occasions.
So I wanted to, if we can bring Chris Klass to go through the project, you know, and then
take any questions the board may have.
I'm sorry if I can't ask you've been unmuted and you can speak thank you
Mr. Class, you've been unmuted, and you can speak.
Thank you. This is Chris Class representing Design Blends Architecture, 4001 Main Street,
Suite 310, Philadelphia PA 19127. Do I have the ability? Mr. Class, Mr. Class, do you swear and
affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth? Yes. Class is spelled C-L-A-S-S,
correct correct rachel please yep uh chris are you able to share screen or uh event
are you able to make it so that um chris can share his screen
tanya i'm not sure how to do that i submitted him to be a panelist thanks tanya
and Chris before you get started you heard the statements I made to the board that these plans
were on their way when the property was zoned RM1 were you the architect at the time when the
clients engaged you to begin sort of the plans for this project yes that's correct is it accurate to
say that the properties were zoned RM1 at the time you guys began you know creating the plans for
this project yes okay so i'll start with the site plans here uh you can see the four proposed
buildings uh each of three story containing a minute sorry it's a little bit uh difficult
thank you is that is that better is the board able to see that or do you want us to zoom
in a little bit more i need a bit more if you could sure well i don't know
It's hard to read anyway.
I should be able to explain it.
I'll be able to flip to clear plans in a second.
Each structure contains six units.
The two units on the ground floor will be an accessible entry point
and meet the requirements for accessibility
with two bedroom units above.
The site itself, the buildings are set back to match the
neighboring structures and are set to heights that are also close to the neighbors of 31 feet.
There's recessed areas in both the front and the rear for trash enclosures
and the the wells that are being proposed in the front are not for basements they're
simply for access to the crawl space.
Looking to the plans, you can see the ground floor plan with two one-bedroom units with
a through corridor to access to the front and rear.
And the second and third floor are duplicates with a single stair and two units, each about
850 square feet, two bedrooms above.
there's no uh there's no roof access currently being proposed and that's it
okay does the board have any questions with the plans or any questions from the board no
no are you concluding with your testimony rachel i just want to bring um the client on
and then I'm happy to conclude
do you see Alan
or Natalie
Borovic
he's been unmuted he's allowed to speak
good afternoon sir
please identify yourself with the record
spell your first and last name and then I'll square you in
Alan Borovic
A-L-L-E-N
V-O-R-O-V-I-C-H
we're firm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
i do thank you rachel thanks uh alan have you heard my testimony today yes and do you adopt
it as your own yes and lastly just to kind of uh reiterate when you purchased these properties
and began the planning on them uh they were rm1 correct yes they were rm1 all the way uh
We didn't even know it changed.
We already submitted.
So, yes.
And you plan to provide these units at or below,
or at or around 80% of area median income, correct?
Thank you.
I don't have any additional information
unless the board would like us to dive into something in particular.
Not that I'm aware of.
Questions from the board?
no anyone else like to testify in this case if so please raise your hand
no anyone else like to testify in this case if so please raise your hand
there are no hands raised at this time chair thank you planning commission
good afternoon board peter bernard for the planning commission
this property is indicated for single family residential in the comprehensive plan and was
remapped in 2019 as part of a community-led remapping. Even if this property was considered
under the previous zoning, it would still be denied based on its density. We feel it represents
an overuse of the property. Accordingly, we object to the granting of the variances.
Just to speak to the density, we're obviously clear on the use. In order to get brand new
new construction at a price point at at or 80 percent area median income um at without having
unit sizes be you know studios um you know the extra density is needed and not out of character
given i provided multiple examples where there was five and six units on this block i can repeat
sort of where those are if if the board would like me to reiterate that i don't know but i do
want to get something on the record regarding an email we received from Andy Goodman from
the Councilwoman Gauthier's office. And this was sent to me from Sharon, who got it from
Mr. Goodman. Having the ZBA scheduled hearings less than 45 days after the RCO assignment
is made continues to cause problems like this. It was barely a month that we were still asking
for a continuance and will commit to helping contacting the RCO in the interim. With all
due respect, I don't know how anybody could ask this case when we don't have any idea
as even who the rco is unless somebody could shed some light on this for me we're still not clear
on who the rco is it is we were we did obtain um about over a month ago the rco notification from
the planning commission um in addition we received correspondence from the rco notification email and
the uh zoning board saying that they had requested back in uh october october the 10th specifically
um sharon has these emails that they were still waiting on the council office so um until today
we have not heard anything from the council office and i don't know that i think that it would be
fair to put that that onerous on the board when not only we reached out planning commission reached
out um and many other you know many other cases have had less than the time that was provided
and less outreach to be able to organize something so you know we've sent not only we sent not only
the board but three emails to the council office alone trying to get their support to get a meeting
together so I don't know that it you know it's just my opinion but I don't know that it's really
the boards in this particular instant I don't know that anything the board could have done
differently here well that's why I want to get that on the record so we know what we're talking
about here um having said that uh we we have nothing anything nothing's in the file correct
from the councilwoman's office whether support or not support no it just was a continuance request
sent to sharon i think today or yesterday so if i could also put on record nothing at all that i get
from this office goes into the file because they don't correctly submit to the zoning board just
so that's on record.
Okay, thank you.
All right, I will just like to suggest
we do a resumption hearing,
but it's just to get feedback
from the councilwoman's office.
So this hearing will be resumed on.
Do I have a date, Tanya?
So do we have any issues with January, Rachel?
Whatever you give me, I'll make work.
okay um so we can try for january the 6th and we can do at um 2 p.m if you want to do 9 30 it's
your call um with the expectation that it would be brief because we're going to be really yeah
only feedback from the councilwoman's office perfect thank you kindly thank you so much
All right, hold on. MI 2020-002181, 1322 South 53rd Street. This hearing will be resumed on January the 6th at 2 p.m., at which time the board will consider any feedback from Councilwoman Gautier's office.
at which time the board will consider any feedback from Councilwoman Gauthier's office.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Calendar number 0186, 150 West Wyoming Avenue.
There are no hands raised here?
um excuse me this is sharon saletta the attorney on this case is michael lambert
i see him now he just put his hand up
mr larabidge you've been promoted to panelists
did a court reporter this is our last case and before our 3 30 session so we'll take they'll
taking a break as soon as this case is over.
This is Sharon Saleta while you're waiting
for Mr. Lambert to sign on.
We have a letter in support from the RCO.
Thank you.
i'm not sure where he went i don't see all right now what we'll do if we lost him uh
we'll end this session and if he comes back on we'll start him off on the on the 330 list
sounds good so it is now 25 after uh what do you guys want 15 20 minutes 15 20 15 would be
wonderful 15 minute break see you all back here at uh let's see it's at 4 40. sounds good thank you
we're still live
it's recording is i just restarted i just restarted recording
did you hear me i'm sorry what was that oh i was saying i just restarted recording when
you asked i'll be live okay thank you um tanya we'll give you a few minutes
no chair we're ready all ready that's great thank you uh good afternoon everyone my name
is frank de chico i'm the chair of the zoning board of adjustment i'll be participating in
today's hearing along with our vice chair ms carol tenere board secretary confessor plaza
and board members mr thomas hollowman and mr james snell board administrator ms tanya
Senate and Board Attorney Ms. Sharon Saleta are also in attendance. For those of you who haven't
yet participated in one of our virtual hearings, I'll go through some of the basics of what you
can expect. First, we will be administering oaths to individual participants prior to their
testimony. Second, we'd like to advise everyone that this proceeding is being recorded and that
by participating you acknowledge your agreement to be recorded. Third, for anyone participating
by phone, if you wish to testify, you must raise your hand by hitting star 9 and then star 6 to
unmute yourself. I repeat, for anyone participating by phone, if you wish to testify, you must raise
your hand by hitting star 9 and then star 6 to unmute yourself. Finally, to enter an appearance
statement call google 267-270-5548 and leave your email address and the address of the property at
issue i'll repeat that to enter an appearance statement call google 267-270-5548 and leave