them of the community group meeting as well as today's hearing.
This is the refusal, and I'll touch briefly on this.
The request is to relocate lot lines from
three lots into five separate lots, each for use as a single family home with accessory parking
in the front of each home. The refusals concern parking and also the front yard setback, which we
actually have exceeded. So that's really not a variance. I don't know why that's on there,
but we didn't really contest it. Here's my certificate of mailing indicating that we
mailed 96 pieces to the surrounding neighborhoods. Here's a list of the
addresses in Bridesburg. Here's our tax certifications. Notice of refusal again,
application for appeal, project information sheet, the zoning map. It's
just a little bit unusual. The zoning map indicates this is an RSA 5 zone, but the
refusal indicates it's an ICMX zone. I think the refusal is correct and I think the map is wrong.
We have our letters of support from the 45th Ward Democratic Executive Committee indicating that
we met on September 3rd and received the vote of support from the Bridesburg Civic Association
as well as a 45th Democratic Ward.
Here's the letter and the reasons.
You can see it's one of support.
Now, we also met with
Bridesburg Community Action Alliance,
and they realized they are not the coordinating RCO.
Bridesburg Civic was,
but the alliance also supported this project
and supports this project.
Witnessed today with me is Don Vantruska.
I do not think the architect will need to testify.
And here are the, let me go to the aerial shots first to give you a perspective.
So this is in the heart of Bridesburg, surrounded by hundreds of single-family homes.
As the chairman and the board knows, this is a single-family area, Bridesburg.
And the property is right here.
It's located adjacent to Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery.
And this particular structure was a business where the family, since 1907, made memorials, i.e. headstones, for the adjoining cemetery.
They've trailed off on their business the last couple years, and Mr. Vantruska entered into an agreement of sale for this property.
and the proposal is to put five single-family homes like the rest of the community with front
parking like the adjacent property right next door. This is another view of the existing parcel
with the parking of next-door neighbor cars in the front. So I'll go back to the plans
and I'll look at the site plan first so this is a site plan the idea is to have the home set back
30 feet as you saw in the refusal the requirement is only 15 but we thought it'd be best to push
the homes back a little bit further we have no issues with regard to rear yard space there's
ample rear yard space or height or open air requirements the refusals really address the
fact is that this property is in an ICMX zone and residential is not permitted. We think that we're
going to conform with the remainder of the neighborhood by making single-family homes here.
There's ample width in the front for parking for five single-family homes. As I said, there's ample
rear yard space. This is the rear of the property, going to be three-story properties. There's a
little bit of the deck on the third floor so you can look out over the vast rear yard. I can go
through the floor plans if the board so desires. Pretty straightforward. Basement, first floor, second.
uh pretty straightforward basement first floor second third floor uh one bedroom on the third
floor uh two bedrooms on the second floor living dining and then there's a basement area
let me interrupt board members any board member have any questions regarding the floor plan
no no thank you mr chairman can i move to have my client sworn in and ask that he will adopt
my testimony yes please he's with me he's with me to my back to my rear yeah so uh get it get his
name full name on the record don vantruska spell that please yes good morning spell your last name
V-E-N-T-R-E-S-C-A
Thank you.
You swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth,
nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir.
Mr. Kreska, have you just heard my testimony?
If you had the opportunity to testify,
would you adopt my testimony as your own
and as true and correct?
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Mr. Karen, with that, I rest,
and I just ask that the board will kindly
upon this application.
It's a unique situation.
commercial industrial in the midst of a residential setting it's the community
group believes that our proposal is in harmony with the neighborhood we believe
this is in harmony with the code there's no adverse impact upon the neighborhood
and it will not alter the essential character of Bridesburg and with that I
rest thank you very much questions from the board no no anyone would like to
testify in this case if so please raise your hand no hands at this time thank
you planning commission chairman and members of the board I want to clarify
on the record that I've checked the atlas maps and the open maps from
Philadelphia for the zoning layers and they are both a hundred percent solidly
RSA-5. I'm not quite sure how the applicant feels. It's ICMX. It's been RSA-5 from what I believe
as the 1980s, the last time we remapped the area. He's moving his pages as we talk.
Huh. You are correct. I mean, I'm looking at both maps and I had another planner double check me and
it is solidly RSA 5, which means I don't know if the lot sizes are correct on the refusal.
What are your lot sizes, Hank? Lot sizes are 16 by, let me go down. You're going to make me do
math. So anyway, a question is on the lot sizes to make sure if the refusal is correct. But while
we don't object to five houses here, we do object to the front loaded parking because it is not
common for the block. Nobody else other than one person has it. So we don't object to the five
lots. We do object to the front parking. Right. And Ms. Brumbelow, that topic did come up at the
Bridesburg, both Bridesburg meetings, and the neighborhood is very sensitive to
parking, meaning they don't want cars on the street. If you look at this street,
there's only parking on one side, and you can see where people are actually jumping the curb. So
they were actually encouraged that we were offering parking on the front.
I understand your position, but that was the feel of the community. I just wanted to let you know
that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Okay. MI-2020-000626, 4329 East Thompson Street. My vote is yes.
My vote is yes. My vote is yes. My vote is yes. Thank you very much. Thank you.
The next one up is MI 2020-001068, 518 West Pike Street.
This is Sharon Saleta again.
I do have, we do have a letter of non-opposition from Councilwoman Sanchez on this one, and I have no record of having received exhibits.
Is there anyone to testify on this case?
518 West Pike Street I have no hands up okay MI-2020-00106
Okay, MI-2020-001068-518-West Pike Street is continued.
Okay, next one up is MI-2020-000295.
No address on this one.
The address on this one is 622 North.
622 North Pike Street.
622 North Front Street. And again I have no record of having received exhibits. Any
hands up Tanya? I have Raymond or Ramon Rosario. You can unmute yourself. I can
you hear me? Yeah, Mr. Rosario, please identify yourself, spell your first and last name for the
record. First name is Ramon, that's R-A-M-O-N, last name Rosario, R-O-S-A-R-I-O. My address is
currently 6715 Torresdale Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19135. Do you swear to the firm to tell the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes. Ramon, real quick before we proceed, have you
emailed an exhibit packet with the required document, proof of ownership, proof of tax
compliance copy of the refusal or referral photos yes i'm sorry i'm so sorry confessor but if i
could just ask the question mr rosario um who are you in relationship to the case i'm the applicant
okay but are you the owner do you have an interest no i'm not the owner no i'm just the applicant
uh in regards to uh my client is on the line as well here i'm basically an expediter yes so you
cannot present that's what i assumed thank you time you're at the the applicant has to testify
is is the applicant with you mr yes he's here we need to get him on sure
if the applicant is not prepared to present at this time i can always do a short continuance
but it's always your call.
Before we start, you guys
emailed the required
documents five days prior to this hearing?
No, that's what I was going to
give you a heads up on it.
This needs to be continued.
Mr. Rosario, this case will have to be continued.
Can I know
when's the next hearing date for this?
You can
discuss that with
Ms. Sunkit. You can reach out to
the RCO box that's on your documentation
and we'll reply.
but at the next hearing your client will have to present or will have to have representation
by legal counsel. Understood. Thank you. Thank you. MI-2020-000295. 622 North Front Street is
continued. I believe that concludes the 930 session. Okay. Any unfinished business?
no I have nothing chair nothing Tanya's Sharon we good and we're good yep
thank you all see you later I'll be a little bit late okay no problem take
care take care Tanya are you still on yes I am 1149 North 12th Street uh-huh
what happened with that case was it on for the this morning it was on the arc map stuff and stuff
that we get our agenda from because that's where we're getting the planning commission's getting
their agenda i thought you were getting you're not getting it from karima no okay i thought i
apologize we will go back i thought you had the list we would have no beginning uh this week she
we'll go back to submitting. Now you know why I'm so confused all the time. Paula, please always ask
me. We'll figure it out. I didn't know that you guys were not getting it, okay? All right, thank
you. We can always talk offline, but as of this week, she's in the office today, but I'll confirm
with her she'll be sending the list to you all. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Thank you. I just wanted
make sure our our information was up to date so right and that you guys
okay you are recording again thank you and uh before we begin uh we'll
let miss sunkett uh let us know when we're ready to start
hearing cases okay
Tom can I do an audio check with you I'm here perfect thank you can you hear me okay
yeah very well thank you I just wanted to ensure we have the three
remember tanya you're breaking up very staticky
how about now anyway all righty
let me go out and come back in that's good now that's not bad okay all right
okay we're live and we'll wait for you you're ready i'm all ready chair thank you very much
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 board members mr thomas holloman and
mr james snell board administrator tanya sunkett and board attorney sharon saletta 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, for the benefit of anyone
participating by phone, we ask that attorneys and witnesses identify themselves prior to speaking
or testifying. Third, we'd like to advise everyone that this proceeding is being recorded
and that by participating, you acknowledge your agreement to be recorded.
Fourth, for anyone participating by phone, if you wish to testify,
you must raise your hand by hitting star nine and then star six to unmute yourself.
I'll 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 as well.
To enter an appearance statement, call Google 267-270-5548 and leave your email address and the address of the property at issue.
With that being said, but before we begin calling our first case, I will ask if anyone would like to have, excuse me, if anyone is requesting a continuance or withdrawal, please raise your hand at this time.
a continuance or withdrawal for the two o'clock session the appeals that are
being heard at two o'clock today please raise your hand
here if I could put on record that we have a request for withdrawal of number
five oh I'm sorry that's 3 30. I digress okay we do have attendees who have their hand up
and I have Vern Anastasio you can unmute yourself and wait to be sworn in
and speak to a continuance. Mr. Anastasio please identify yourself for the record spell your name
good afternoon Mr. Chairman members of the board Vern Anastasio that's a v like Victor e r n like
Nathan, last name A-N-A-S, like Sam, T-A-S-I-O, 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1006, Philadelphia,
19107.
You swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
I do, sir.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
7956 Castor Avenue is on your list?
Correct.
And I am asking for continuance.
I've been in contact with Councilman O'Neill's office, particularly Alice.
I explained to her that we were going to request this continuance.
They were pleased with that in order for us to re-engage the RCO.
We're trying to come up with a design that everybody could live with, and we're working on it.
Thank you.
MI2020-000021, 7956 Caster Avenue is being continued.
Anyone else requesting a continuance or withdrawal?
Chair, this is Sharon Saleta.