So, would you adopt it as your own?
I would.
Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I just had a couple more minor points, more particular with the zoning respect.
Both pre-street properties are currently zoned RSA 5.
As a result, the proposed child care use generates the use refusal on each site.
It's long been recognized, and I share this report that was issued.
It's a little older now, but just to bring to everyone's attention that one of the greatest hurdles for child care providers in Philadelphia happens to be zoning.
um this report was published by the philadelphia citizens for children and youth
and it's entitled swimming upstream child care providers and zoning process in philadelphia
the one line in the executive summary i've highlighted for you that i want to share is
having child care facilities located in areas accessible to families which often means
residential districts lifts a tremendous burden from time challenged parents of young children
having high-quality facility that is easily accessible to every parent's desire.
Obstacles to operation, getting restrictive zoning, burdensome requirements,
reduce supply of child care, and make parents hunt for child care more difficult.
So I just want to share that with you as you understand that essentially this is a neighborhood
resource that the zoning code tells us can't be in the neighborhood. So the request is that while
While the RSA 5 use typically makes sense in the neighborhood, we have to allow for
neighborhood resources too when the demand and support are there.
The Commonwealth Court has recently held that where the proposed use is less impactful than
the permitted use, the applicant need not provide the property can use, cannot be used
for the permitted use.
The child care use here would actually minimal impact to Crease Street as all pick up and
drop off again will be through Marlboro.
The child care center is open from 8.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. with optionally pickup at 5.30.
There are no regular nighttime activities.
Single family residence, on the other hand, brings 24-hour activity to the site with potential impacts on parking, trash pickup, et cetera.
Child care use is providing immediate benefit to the community and preserve the existing buildings.
We met with FNA.
As you know, you have their coordinating RCO letters for each site.
the meeting was well attended and several participants who i believe are here today
have also spoke their positive experiences with fishtown montessori we believe this project will
not alter the essential character of the neighborhood as again it's a neighborhood
resource that's already there today and is desperately needing expansion will not impair
the appropriate user development of adjacent property we do have letters of support from
both neighboring free street properties 1206 1209 and 1215. the project will not be detrimental to
public welfare and again Ms. Citrino of Fishtown Montessori as well as our project architect are
both on the line to the extent there are questions. Thank you. Questions from the board?
Questions or comments? Go ahead. Okay, so you currently have 85 children. Do we have the age
ranges for those children now? Yes. I think it's toddler for kindergarten, but Denise,
do you want to speak to the exact ages? That's correct. We serve children right now
one and a half through six years old. Okay. This expansion would allow us to serve children
under the age of one and a half, as young as really six or 12 weeks. Okay. And that's the
10 infants you're talking about? That's the infant classroom. Yes. Yes. And then you were going to
have 25 more seats for those between three and six years. Is that what I'm hearing? That's the
additional classroom space. Okay. And I know this isn't the zoning issue, but we have made
arrangements for the special fire.
um special uh uh fire code i guess and safety issues with respect to younger children like this
that there have to be uh uh means of ingress egress um for those that are not capable of
self-preservation we've made same connection with the um state licensing and requirements
she would have to provide all the requisite egress yes and you'll note that um handedly
the infants will be on the first floor rather than the second floor for that purpose that
that was my next question uh was there going to be some office space as part of this addition is
or on the 1213 side there is a small office space for staff um located behind the uh
behind the bathroom on the second floor.
And again, those are the three to six-year-old classrooms
on the 12-13 side.
Gotcha.
Thank you.
Any other questions from the board?
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, I have a hand up from a Robert Everett.
but i have allowed them to speak yeah hi mr everett you were already sworn this morning sir
all you have to do is state your name first name is robert last name is everett e-v-e-r-e double t
please start your your presentation just here to confirm uh our letter from the rco
as it's given and that's it okay thank you very much for taking the time to call us we
appreciate it is there anyone else in the virtual audience yes mr chair i have a john kadish i've
allowed them to speak i could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer
uh yes john a dash k a d as in david a s as in sam h you swear or affirm to tell the truth the
whole truth and nothing but the truth yes are you a neighbor um yes i live directly across the street
from where they're proposing to please please proceed um so i i've been living in the neighborhood
for 11 years i i am a former teacher i taught for over 20 years and i currently still work in
education so i appreciate the montessori school i appreciate what they're doing i don't have any
problem with that and i do believe it is a positive impact for the neighborhood itself
but when we moved into the neighborhood 11 years ago before it became what it's becoming now
I wasn't moving into a home that was going to be opposite a commercial property.
We bought the home together because we wanted to live on a residential street that was not a business street.
My concern is, in our neighborhood, there are already three daycares and nursery schools,
one of which is on the corner of Crease right now, which is right about three houses up from our home
and some of the other homes that this is impacting that there is already a lot of traffic on the
street because of that. But we do support that daycare. And like I said, there are at least
two to three other nursery schools and daycares in Fishtown also. The other point is that there
is tons of commercial property currently available on Gerard and Frankfurt where this could go.
I don't think it would create a hardship.
I also work in a private school, and I am aware of many campuses around Philadelphia where they have to split the location of the school basically because we don't want it in a residential section.
The other thing is they're saying there's little activity.
There will be little activity on crease.
We're making the assumption that the school is going to stay there forever.
So if it doesn't and something were to happen to those properties, it would be zoned at that point commercial and it could impact what happens on the street further on with the possibility of adding trash cans or dumpsters.
And I think the purpose of living in a residential corridor is to have neighbors live in a communal
environment.
I think taking two of the houses that are on the street and rezoning them to non-residential
takes away the possibility of new families and new neighbors coming in to be part of
the fabric of the neighborhood because now we're making it residential.
One of the properties also does have an off-street parking space right now, so that would not
impact the parking on the street as well.
It's a very active community with children playing on the street all the time.
So I just think putting a commercial property right across from the existent residence is
a commercial property right across from the existing residences i can't support that
I can't support.
all right thank you thank you for your comments um is there any other comments in the virtual audience
station we have stephanie dormant they've been abuted and allowed to speak yes how many were
How many more hands do we have, Jason?
We've got about five more after Ms. Norman.
Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Sure. Hello, everyone. My name is Stephanie Norman, S-T-E-P-H-A-N-I-E, and Norman is N-O-R-M-A-N.
Hold on. Hold on. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Do you live in a neighborhood?
it. I do. I am John's next door neighbor at 1214 and a half priest. Are you are you in favor of
this project or against it? I'm against it. All right. For any other reasons than what John has
said? No, I think he summed it up very well. Thank you very much for your time. Next hand, Jason.
Chair, we have Natalie Short. They have been unmuted and allowed to speak.
Thank you. Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
My name is Natalie Short, N-A-T-A-L-I-E-S-H-O-R-T.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Do you live in a neighborhood?
Yes, I live at 1321 Marlboro, about less than a block down Marlboro Street.
Are you in favor or against this project?
In favor.
um could you give us any reasons other than all the testimony we've had already
um yeah i've lived here since before the school opened and i honestly see no downside to their
presence um i live downstream from the school traffic wise and i haven't noticed any issues
with traffic or parking i do see some of the same families every day walking there and from there
which is nice to see and i also have an 11th month old son and i've unfortunately learned how
hard it is to find a preschool spot at all, let alone a spot that I would be happy to send him to.
There simply just aren't enough daycare spots in the neighborhood. So I think a Fishtown Montessori
expansion would only benefit the neighborhood. Thank you very much. Thank you very much for
taking the time. Next hand, please. Chair, we have someone with the last name Cornbrooks.
They have been immune and allowed to speak. Hi, could you please state your name as spelled for
the court stenographer. My name is Charlotte Kornbrooks, C-H-A-R-L-O-T-T-E, Kornbrooks,
C-O-R-N-B-R-O-O-K-S. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth? Yes. Do you live in a neighborhood? Yes. Are you for or against this project? For.
Thank you very much. Is there anything different you can tell us than what we've already heard?
uh i would like to having i would like to underscore the point that there is currently
not enough child care in the neighborhood um and also add that infant care is even less
available um i'd also like to say that having had my child in a different daycare and moved
to Fishtown Montessori, the level of care is superior, and the ability to be able to walk
your child to school is beneficial to the entire neighborhood beyond Priest Street. So that's it.
Thank you. Thank you very much for taking the time. Next hand, Jason, whoever's there. Jason,
please. Chair, this is Javette. The next name is Heather Schreiner. They have been unmuted and
allowed to speak. Hi, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Yes, Chairperson. My name is Heather, H-E-A-T-H-E-R, last name Schreiner, S as in Sam, C-H-R-E-I-N-E-R.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Do you live in the area?
I do. I've resided within a three-block radius of the school for the past 10 years.
Are you for or against the project?
I am for the project.
Thank you very much for taking the time to calls. Next hand, please.
Okay, Chair, I am back. The next hand is Sarah Buckley.
How many more hands do you have?
After this, just two.
Okay, thank you. Please proceed. State your name and spell for the court stenographer.
Good afternoon. My name is Sarah Buckley, S-A-R-A-H-B-U-C-K-L-E-Y.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Do you live in the neighborhood?
I live in the greater neighborhood, and I'm a mother of two children currently in the school.
Are you for or against this project?
Are you for or against this project?
I'm for the project.
I'm for the project.
Thank you very much for taking the time to call.
Thank you very much.
Next hand, please.
If I could.
Go ahead.
Ms. Buckley, go ahead.
I think they're gone now, Mr. Chair.
Next hand.
Sasha Feynman has been allowed to speak.
Hi, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Sure. My name is Sasha Feynman, S-A-S-H-A, last name Feynman, F-E-I-N-M-A-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Do you live in the neighborhood?
I don't.
Okay. Are you for this project or against?
I am for it. I'm an employee. I've been working at the school for the past three years.
Well, thank you very much. We do appreciate your time.
Absolutely. Thank you so much.
Can I just note also that having the school campuses in close proximity within like where you can just walk from one from the other, it actually makes a really big difference on the school community and what the school is able to do to maintain that community field to do all school functions together rather than being spread out.
It's a huge benefit.
Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Next hand, please.
Yes, Herva Beckeri has been allowed to speak.
Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Yes, my name is Herva Beckeri, H-I-R-V as in Victor, A, B as in Bravo, A-K-E-R-I.
You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Do you live in the neighborhood?
I do. I live on a 1300 block up Crease Street.
Are you in favor of this project or against?
In favor.