PhillyBlog - Philadelphia - View Single Post - Do you want the vacant lots at 2310-2312 to be six story senior housing?

lbphilly · #11 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 12:50 PM

I heard third-hand that SOSNA's executive director has recently announced that zoning isn't part of her job. This may or may not be correct, but current SOSNA performance in this area certainly seems to support that.

The message from southwest_center_city, below, gives the full SOSNA zoning agenda. I have redacted the e-mail addresses of the individuals who circulated the forwarded message because, well, just because it's good policy.

---message to Southwest Center City-----

See this note below about one of the items on the SOSNA zoning agenda.
Also, the zoning meeting agenda itself is at the bottom. Since I'm on
the SOSNA zoning committee, you would think I would get the e-mail with
the agenda, but this is the first I've seen it electronically. Please
be sure to pass this information on to friends and neighbors in the
area as SOSNA's communication problems just seem to get worse all the
time.

Thanks.

A.

Begin forwarded message:

[names redacted]

> Neighbors
>
> Please note that the last item on the agenda for next Wednesday's
> zoning meeting at SOSNA is Odunde's proposal for their existing
> property and two vacant lots south of them at South Square. It calls
> for a significant change from existing zoning.
>
> Those of you who live near the square or shop there should try to
> attend so you can learn what Odunde would like to do and voice your
> opinion.
>
> We hope to see you there. Since it is the last item on the agenda,
if
> you are there by 7:00 PM you should be on time for this item.
>
[names redacted]
>
> SOSNA Zoning Agenda
> Wednesday, October 18, 2006
> St. Anthony’s Senior Residence
> 23rd & Carpenter Street – 6:30 PM
>
>
> 750 South 15th Street
> • The application is for an acupuncture office on the 1st floor,
one
> (1) apartment on the 2nd floor and one (1) apartment on the third
> floor.
>
> 754 South Cleveland Street
> • The application is for the erection of a two story addition
> starting at grade level with crawl space foundation system. Second
> story proposes to have a Juliet type balcony facing rear. Also for
> the erection of a roof top deck with accessory penthouse stair access
> located at the second floor roof elevation
>
> 2106 South Street
> • A three (3) family dwelling. (Size and location as shown in the
> application.
>
> 2212 Montrose Street
> • Application for the erection of a three story and a basement
(less
> than 50% below the average level of the ground, total four (4) story
> structure) (nothing above the 4th floor) max. 31’ high for use as a
> single family dwelling with rear open patio and 6’ high fence (size
> and location as shown in the application).
>
> 2118, 2120 Carpenter Street
> • The erection of a one story rear addition to an existing three
(3)
> story structure and the erection of rear decks at the second and
third
> story levels.
>
> 2625-2639 Catharine Street
> • Application for the documentation of the complete demolition of
> all structures on lot, and for the erection of a ¾ story attached
> structure (41’4”high) with a roof deck and stair enclosure (4th
story)
> and an interior garage for use a single family dwelling .( size and
> location as shown in the application.
>
> 2230 Fitzwater Street
> • The application is for the construction of an attached four (4)
> story structure (height, 44’) with cellar, front roof deck and rear
> deck for use as a single family dwelling with one (1) accessory
> interior parking space and for the erection of a 6’ high fence wall
at
> the rear and side yard.
>
> 2308-2312 Grays Ferry Avenue
> • The application is for the relocation of lot lines to create one
> (1) lot from three (3) lots, for the complete demolition of all
> structures on the lot and for the erection of a six (6) story
> structure (58’ high) with rear decks (2nd-5th floor) for use as a
> sixteen (16) family dwelling (2nd-5th floor) solely for senior
> citizens 62 years of age or older with a community room for residents
> on the sixth floor, and for vacant commercial space (use registration
> required prior to occupancy), a community room and reception area on
> the first floor, and for the erection of 8’ high fences. (Size and
> location as shown in the application.
>
>

-----

Me again. I hope that folks who go to this meeting exquisitely unhappy with SOSNA for its role in this will recall that the zoning chair at the time was not John McHugh, and that John McHugh has worked hard in the face of many obstacles to make certain that blocks adjacent to properties on the agenda have been leafletted. SOSNA-related brickbats should be directed to those who earned them. I am also taking it upon myself to alert Anna Verna's office that this is likely to be a contentious meeting and that a staff member should be in attendance to gauge community reaction and report back to appropriate city agencies -- although the senders of the e-mail quoted here may in fact have done this already.