uh it appears to be 140 plus 40 plus 80 for the first one um which is uh 260 and 130 20 90
to 30.
and then there's off there's that doesn't include the the the um square footage for the for the
bathroom okay and i guess um well comment maybe um single room residences i didn't
I thought that the idea of those was that you had to, you know, share some things that were shared, like kitchen, bathrooms, as opposed to these, which look like regular apartment units.
They're not, so I don't see the difference, except for what you're calling it, between these and a regular apartment-type unit, a one-bedroom apartment unit.
and um so you and then you have that other piece which you're calling a common room
common to whom who is going to be using this to the two residents of the room of the rooms upstairs
and what are they going to be don't mean well it would be like a common area for like a could be
there could be a tv there it could be it could be an area where where people can gather with
friends um you know it gives it's a shared space for the two uh living areas up up above
okay that's how she found the configuration when she bought this that you know she wasn't the
she wasn't the one who who created um any of this configuration she just um basically took
it on when she purchased it all right all right questions from our attorney um just one
clarification on the refusal it says three units but you're only asking for two units now for the
part of it correct yeah but um i am i'm curious um um gaston um if you believe that these two
units on the second floor would qualify as as as apartments then are you saying that if we
if we reclassify this application as uh three apartments um that that would that that would
that would be accurate they don't qualify as three separate apartments they just don't they
They don't. They don't. They don't. Okay. Maybe I wasn't clear, but they don't. And I agree with
board member Johns that there's a way to configure this so that maybe you could have a duplex there.
The idea that you have all of these, there's all these kitchens, there's all these bathrooms.
I'm not quite sure what this is really supposed to be, but what you're asking for and what's realistic there is a little different.
Yeah, we have to move this along.
Yeah, we're going to have to, we still have the community.
Questions or comments from the audience here, please?
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
um good good good morning morning yeah good morning um mr chairman can you hear me
i can could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer good morning mr chairman
and board members my name is bonita cummings and my spell my name b-o-n-i-t-a c-u-m-m-i-n-g-s
strawberry mansion community concern and rco all right do you swear or affirm to tell the truth
told truth nothing but the truth i do can you turn your video on please my camera is not working
is it please proceed with your comments okay um i just wanted to say that although there
is community support, none of the community or the RCOs would be charged with the duty of
notifying our public safety families of injury and or possibly death in such a misconfigured
property. We did a site visit, and from the information you saw today, the property never
met its original intent, which was to become a single family property from possible.
Its original intent, which was to become a single family property from possibly maybe two bedrooms to each each one of those units, the 2551.
If an emergency situation were to take place, a police officer could go in that side of the building and be blindsided by what's happening down in the basement because he's not aware that there's a breached firewall in the basement that someone could come at him from another side.
But his partner can't help him because you're trapped on N53 with no way to get into the basement.
But the buildings present as if you're going into two separate properties.
So although there's mention of breached walls, there is no indication that these walls were meant to be breached without permits.
There's no permits on the L&I site that demonstrate that the persons getting this property ever met with the intention of what the property was meant to do.
So the property, in terms of just our emergency responders, is a very dangerous situation because even ambulance workers would go into a property that they're thinking is two separate entries, and it really isn't.
there's no egress from 53. When you go into 53, that first room off of that entryway presents
with like this small area and bathrooms and everything is right inside of what would be a
common area. When you take the stairs, you are trapped. It's like being closed in actually.
You can't really see it on the photos, but from a visit, you would be able to see that going from, you go up the stairway and you go across into 21, 2551, but you're in 53, which to the left is like this other little small space.
So it's a property that you could burn up easily because the firewall in the basement is breached.
And if a fire starts in 53, the residents of 51 are trapped or could easily be overtaken with smoke or fire.
Ms. Cummings, I think we understand your position.
So to say you're not in favor of this project.
Well, mostly because, too, it never met with what the transfer from the housing agency intended for it to be. They intended for it to be a single family property. It's never presented as that. And it gives a false impression that you're going into two separate.
Okay, thank you. We appreciate it. Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
yes chair we have a number ending in 3552 and they have been allowed to speak
hi could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
hello can you hear me okay i can yeah please please state your name and spell for the
stenographer my name is adrian fernandez swampoodle neighborhood process association rco
and my last name is spelled S-E-R-N-A-N-D-E-Z.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Ms. Fernandez, are you in favor of this project or against it?
Opposed to it.
You do have my written testimony.
I understand you want to keep things moving today,
being the first hybrid day.
I would like to read my testimony, but there's not time.
I just want to highlight the unsafe conditions with two breached walls where there is no engineering report.
We did speak to our inspector, who we are familiar with, and he requested that we call these conditions into 311,
which 311 decided there is a structural construction complaint and also a fire safety complaint with L&I for this property.
um the drawings are very confusing and also the photographs are because um luckily a strawberry
magic concern benita cummings did witness what was inside i don't think i would understand this
um property if she did not actually see what was going on inside and it's extremely unsafe
um as far as boarding houses um since 2014 because this property is two these two buildings
on one consolidated lot are in the swamp little neighborhood we have had no um zoning
are in the swamp little neighborhood we have had no um zoning appeals since 2014 for uh we've had
appeals for silver street sterner street but no none for a boarding house and no boarding houses
have been approved in our boundaries since 2014 they've all been denied so i do not believe there
are any legal boarding houses on this block miss fernandez thank you very much we appreciate your
testimony we're trying to see if there's anyone else in the audience is there anyone else in the
virtual audience planning commission comprehensive plan recommends no change in zoning at this
location from the existing single-family residential rsa5 there is no unique physical
condition or circumstance of this property that would prevent it from being used in conformance
with the zoning code. The planning commission recommends the board deny the requested variances
for single room residences, multiple principal uses, and parking. Thank you. MI 2022-006-213-2551
West Silver Street, I vote no. Michael Johns, my vote is no. Cheryl Gaston, my vote is no.
My vote is no.
My vote is no.
Thank you.
We're going to move to number 18.
If I could interrupt, I'm sorry.
We're going to take a 5 or 10 minute break
for the board at this time.
Thank you.
I know, but this is it. This is what's it's a percent when I get to that.
Yeah, I want to do the per se to get them.
Number 18, MI 2024, 0053563519 Conrad Street.
Kathleen and Joseph Patrone are the owners. This is a pro se.
Kathleen has been promoted to panelist.
Good morning.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Kathleen?
Kathleen, please accept the promotion to the analyst.
Good morning, Kathleen.
Good morning.
Hi, could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, Kathleen with a K, K-A-T-H-L-E-E-N, Petron, P like Peter, E-T-R-O-N like Nancy, E.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
This application is for use as a two-family household living in an existing structure
was that existing business and professionals offices on the first floor
to remain. The proposed use to family living is prohibited
in the CMX1 zoning district. Our vice chair has a few
questions for you. Okay. Good afternoon, ma'am. Have you
emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that's needed and required to proceed
with this case five days in advance of this hearing? Yes, sir.
Thank you. You may proceed and share your screen.
please proceed
okay i have um on this screen the uh notice of refusal we have that thank you uh-huh we have
your application yes we have your project information sheet okay the deed yes so for
clarification i'm sorry i'm do i need to get sworn into this is my daughter she handles a lot of my
uh she is the uh she's the one that has to do the testimony okay okay so just showing okay
doesn't matter that we have the deed why don't you move on why don't you show us photos of the
property and or planning planning you have okay thank you right there yeah that's that's the
corner uh that's on the main secondary business district and i have my zoning notice posted in
the front window thank you and this is the side window right okay that's another photograph that's
of the side on a secondary street.
I did put them in all windows.
I did put them in all windows.
That's a third window.
That's a third window.
Right.
We have...
Got all that.
This is your mailings?
This is the mailings?
My mailings to the neighborhood, yes.
There we go.
Why don't you start explaining what it is you're doing right there, okay?
This is the business that has been established there since 1975, okay?
um we we are zone cmx1 um i have four garages uh and the uh which which are available to
uh you know any tenants that would be in the building um we have occupied it um since 75
this is our family real estate business and um in uh 98 my husband and i purchased the building
from joe and jean machete i currently reside on the second floor apartment
the full length of the building with the deck out back
we have one uh we have three commercial spaces right now on the first floor and one apartment
on the second floor with four garages behind on the side we're asking one commercial space on the
first floor and two apartments one on the first floor to the rear of the business and then the
four garages that would be the change that the the entrance to the apartment would be along the
secondary street which is off the secondary business corridor it's difficult to to rent
these small places anymore and the real does the office remain or it's going to be the office will
remain in the front on the on the corner it will look exactly an apartment in the back
and then on the second floor right yeah i do have one on the second floor yes i think that
uh the one i do want the one in the back where two small offices were uh or are at this point
and um um you know it just there is the um the the entrance to the small offices and it does
look more residential than uh than commercial and i will change the windows with the vhhs in it to
just regular windows that you see at the third juncture which I've done in one office because
it was old but and here's a propose of what it would look like it would be a one small one
bedroom with a kitchen located on the left a kitchen and a small living room and then the
where it says two offices, that will become a bedroom with some closets
and an extension to the bathroom with a stall shower.
Patron, tell me what happened when you went to the RCO meeting.
When you went to the RCO for the East Falls.
Oh, yeah, we had a meeting on. Everything was fine.
I think Hillary's on here.
And you have a letter from them, right?
Yes, I do. Yes, yes.
and uh and uh hillary may still be on there he he's the head of the
is there anything else you want to offer yeah um well you can see that i'm surrounded by this map
here with all multi-family residential um here here are pictures of all of the multi-families
the houses that have been changed or businesses that were changed to multi-family there'll still
be a there'll be a commercial unit in the front absolutely yes yes that will all will remain
commercial yes thank you questions from the board i have no question questions or comments from our
attorney hillary emerson not at this time mr chair questions for comments from people in the room
and questions or comments from the virtual audience
planning commission oh you do okay
the panelists hi could you please state your name and spell for the sonographer
good morning good morning uh hillary could you please just state your name and spell for the
stenographer hillary langer h-i-l-a-r-y l-a-n-g-e-r you swear or affirm to tell the truth
the whole truth and nothing but the truth i do and you're from the east falls community council
I do. And you're from the East Falls Community Council, am I correct?
am i correct i am chair of the east falls
I am chair of the East Falls Community Council Zoning Committee. We held our public meeting.
There were nine committee members in attendance and approximately five neighbors.
There was no objection to the support of the partial conversion to residential use of the commercial ground floor space.
The important factor for us as the zoning committee was that the intent of CMX1 to allow for neighborhood commercial development at the street level is still maintained.
There's still a door, there's still two storefront windows, and the residential unit will be added well back on Amesley Street, as Kathy said, a secondary street.
So we feel the intent of CMX1 is still strongly maintained with this conversion we support.
Thank you, Mr. Langer.
Thank you very much.
And we appreciate you calling in.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
Planning Commission.
The comprehensive plan recommends a change in zoning at this location from the existing
commercial residential mixed use cmx1 to a more dense cmx2 the proposed unit count would be allowed
by right under the proposed zoning the city planning commission recommends the board grant