Harrisburg Zoning Hearing Board Meeting 5/18/26
The Harrisburg Zoning Hearing Board reviews several critical land-use cases, focusing on legitimizing existing multi-family property conversions, approving an innovative cooperative affordable housing project on Walnut Street, and granting variances for the second phase of the TLC Cornerstone scattered-site development.
This meeting highlights how a Pennsylvania municipality balance strict physical zoning codes with housing affordability, historic preservation constraints, and the realities of modern urban infill development.
Section summaries
Call to Order & Case Housekeeping
skipZHB Chairman Claude Phipps introduces the board members and outlines the legal rules of order. Case 2628 is pushed to the end due to the applicant's absence.
This contains introductory administrative remarks and procedural setups.
Case 2634: 1644 Market Street Hearing
watchRobert Shooks Jr. seeks variances to legalize an after-the-fact conversion of a single-family house. The board discusses reducing the building to 2 units, demolishing a dilapidated garage, and pricing rental units fairly.
This section reveals the dynamics of 'after-the-fact' conversions and municipal policy on urban rentals.
Cases 2635, 2636, and 2637: Shooks Multi-Family Conversions
optionalThe board quickly reviews and approves three additional after-the-fact property conversions submitted by Robert Shooks Jr. on Forester Street and North Fourth Street, focusing on street parking and neighborhood blight mitigation.
The zoning principles are highly similar to the first case, but it demonstrates local neighborhood revitalization.
Case 2638: Walnut Street Co-Op Housing Intro
watchArthur Jefferson and Duran Sawyers propose a 6-unit co-op housing development on long-vacant lots on Walnut Street. Planning Director Jeffrey Knight details why the unique infill project deserves parking and density relief.
Essential for understanding modern co-op design and local affordable housing funding structures.
Case 2638: Co-Op Housing Project Testimony
watchThe applicants explain their financing strategy, utility hardships, and 15-year wealth-building co-op rental model. The board debates parking limitations and the lack of a prevailing building width in the historic Summit Terrace area.
This is the most policy-rich debate in the meeting, analyzing urban vehicle ownership and wealth generation.
Case 2639: Penn State Health Therapeutic Play Area
optionalPenn State Health requests a variance to establish an outdoor therapeutic playground across the street from their medical clinic. Engineers explain the narrow lot setbacks and why a 10-foot tall fence with overhead netting is necessary for patient safety.
The case is straightforward and primarily concerns specialized institutional landscaping rather than broad municipal housing.
Case 2640: Cornerstone Phase 2 Overview
watchJared Miller of the Cooper Companies presents Phase 2 of the TLC Cornerstone development, proposing 34 scattered-site affordable units on 9 vacant lots. Jeffrey Knight outlines the extensive setbacks and pedestrian infrastructure conditions.
Highlights the coordination needed for large-scale, scattered-site affordable housing initiatives.
Case 2640: Fencing & Sidewalk Negotiations
watchThe development team objects to the planning bureau's conditions regarding perimeter fencing and specific sidewalk widths, arguing they add construction and maintenance costs. The board and planning staff agree to modify the conditions dynamically.
Shows practical compromises on regulatory design demands between city planners and affordable housing builders.
Case 2628: Continuance & Adjournment
watchThe board returns to Case 2628 and discovers a property ownership transfer on recent deeds. ZHB Solicitor Connor recommends a formal continuance to June so the applicant can establish proper legal standing.
Provides an important lesson on deed tracking and legal standing required for public board appeals.
Key points
- Resolving Codes and Planning Bureau Communication Gaps — Several properties converted into multi-family units operated under approved codes permits but lacked necessary planning bureau zoning reviews. The board utilizes 'after-the-fact' variance hearings to formalize and legally align these properties with city standards.
- Innovative Cooperative Housing for Wealth Generation — The proposed 6-unit Walnut Street project introduces a cooperative housing model where tenants rent for a 15-year compliance period, after which they can buy a floor (one unit to live in, one to rent out) to build equity.
- The Shift in Parking Mandates for Affordable Housing — Under Harrisburg's affordable housing guidelines, off-street parking mandates drop to 0.5 spaces per unit because statistical data shows low-income tenants are far less likely to own personal vehicles.
- Balancing Standardization with Neighborhood Integration — During Phase 2 of the TLC Cornerstone development, developers negotiated with the city to relax strict fencing and sidewalk-width requirements to keep the project's aesthetics and costs aligned with Phase 1.
“while the circumstances surrounding the past conversion are unclear, the planning bureau can confirm a history of condemnations related to property maintenance” — Jeffrey Knight
“after we showed a little bit of love in the neighborhood uh that activity stopped” — Robert A. Shooks Jr.
AI-generated from the transcript. May contain errors.
meeting of the Harrisburg uh zoning
hearing board. Okay. Uh to my to my
right is Mr. James Hobs, myself, Claude
Phipps, and our solicitor Mike Connors.
Okay. And joining us from the city was
Okay. Miss Cameron who's a city
solicitor. Okay. City solicitor.
>> We'll make you a city. Yeah. We'll get
you.
Yeah. Well, we got to check and our
director of planning, Mr. Jeffrey
Knight. Okay. And to his left is I could
get your last name.
>> Stephanie.
>> Miss
Thompson.
>> Mr. Stephanie Thompson. Okay. So um
with this a little new u preamble uh
zoning hearing board um we our cases put
in front of us people who are bringing
the cases will be able to speak anybody
in in the audience who wants to speak on
any on any of the subjects has to be
gerine to the topic that's being raised
property. Okay. And they have to be that
be in somewhat close proximity to that
property. Okay. Again, we're a legal
entity. So, um we have aer
that the courts everything for, you
know, appeal has to happen which that
will go up to the court. The court
doesn't need to come please or uh
commonwealth court. So, to that effect,
I'm going to turn.
>> All right. Uh yes, Michael Oconor the
solicitor. Um and as uh Mr. Fipps was
explaining that we do have a
stenographer here who's taking all the
testimony down. Um all the witnesses uh
will be sworn in. Um you know the
applicant, Mr. Knight, anybody else who
will testify.
Um so with that, I will call though the
first application
um is 2628
uh 1854-1860
Walnut Street. Um, and it was the
applicant is Arya.
Is it Arya Carmazin?
Okay. Arya here.
Okay. Um, all right. We'll just push
that to the to the back. We'll push that
to the end um to see if they do arrive.
So, the next uh so many Mr. chokes.
We'll get through we'll get through
those applications.
Okay. So,
um that is we'll start with 2634.
Uh the address is 1644 Market Street
and um the applicant actually is uh
Keystone Property Service. Um and with
that, why don't we swear in the uh
planning director, Mr. night. Uh, first
>> I do.
>> Okay. And then we'll swear in uh the
applicant.
>> I do.
>> Okay. And just state your name also for
the record there.
>> My name is Robert A. Shooks Jr.
>> Okay. And here on behalf of Keystone?
>> Yes. I'm the owner of Keystone Property
Service LLC.
>> Okay. Great. U. So, I'm going to read in
um
the exhibits for the board exhibits for
this application and then we'll turn it
over to uh Mr. Knight for uh you know
background on the application. Um and
then we'll go from there to the
testimony of the applicant. So, we'll
start with B1 is a proof of publication
in the Patriot News April 5 and April
12, 2026. B2 is a letter sent from the
planning director to the applicant
notifying of the hearing. B3 is the
hearing notice posting on the property.
B4 notification letter sent to neighbors
and certificate of mailing. B5 the
application packet with photos of the
property and floor plans. B6 is a power
of attorney authorizing applicant as
agent and attorney in fact of the
property. B7 is uh the deed establishing
the owner of the property. B8, the
planning bureau case report. B9, city of
Harrisburg planning commission
resolution. And since this had to be
continued from the last time, we have a
couple other exhibits. B10 is then a
proof of publication for tonight's
meeting, uh, May 3, 2026, and May 10,
2026, and a letter sent from the
planning director notifying the
applicant of of tonight's hearing
because there was just an advertising
issue last time. So, with that, we'll
turn it over to Mr. tonight for a um a
description of the application, the
property, that type of thing.
>> Yep. Uh so, good afternoon, zoning
hearing board. Uh so, the application
for 1644 Market Street, uh case number
2634
uh is very similar to three previous
reviews that the board uh has had for uh
Mr. Shok's properties. Um again, all
after the fact uh applications. Um those
were uh 923
uh North 18th Street, 1923 State Street,
and 514 Emerald Street. Um so the issues
are are very uh similar. Um in this
case, the applicant has converted a
single family dwelling into a three-unit
multif family dwelling, which require
zoning hearing board approval, special
exceptions for the proposed use and
relief from the All Street parking
requirements per section 7-305.7 and
7-327.6 six of the zoning code
respectively and variances for relief
from the density and specific criteria
regulations in section 7-307.3
and 7-309.2V
of the zoning code respectively. Uh in
in this case again uh the applicant um
had purchased uh the property um I
believe in uh 2016 I want to say um and
uh in coordination uh with uh the codes
bureau uh they did um submit building
permit applications uh did have those
applications uh reviewed and approved by
the codes bureau. Um however they did
not receive the necessary review by uh
the planning bureau and uh that is of
course not um I would say the
applicant's responsibility that did not
happen internally with uh within between
the codes bureau and the planning bureau
um but it did come to our attention uh
in review of a floodplane zoning
certificate uh which was uh recently
filed uh for the property and I believe
uh the applicant kind of attested uh
during the last meeting um to uh how we
came about bringing these before the
zoning hearing board where uh they had a
variety of uh properties and uh these
seven uh the three we previously heard
and the four that will be heard tonight
uh were the ones where there was some
discrepancy and of course that was kind
of the pro purpose of the uh revised um
flood plane uh certification application
and pro review process. Um in this case
uh the uh property was uh fairly
deteriorated. Um it uh in fact the uh
structure uh just to the east of the
property uh at 1646 Market Street has
been demolished. I believe that might
have been demolished by the city. Uh so
there is kind of a gap between that
building and 1648 Market Street. Um and
so a lot of the same uh issues are
inherent in this property. Um a lengthy
history of condemnation. uh various
citations for uh legal dumping, high
grass and weeds, things of that nature.
Um and uh the plane bureau kind of tried
to look at this similarly as the uh past
reviews where we looked at it not kind
of in its current configuration but um
as we would have reviewed it had it come
to us at that time. Um and so as opposed
to um the other uh reviews, we did
actually have a recommendation uh for
this property uh that um one of the
units uh on the third floor be uh
removed from the site. Um and this is
due to uh our belief that there was
probably less of a justification for
that. It's a kind of one unitit um
studio up there on the third floor. so
it can more easily be combined with the
unit that's on the second floor uh to
create just a larger unit that can you
know accommodate a family. Um and uh the
um other issue uh is the uh
consideration of off- streetet parking.
Uh so at the rear of the lot there is
kind of a deteriorated garage. Uh it's
still intact but it doesn't look
operable. Um when we did site visits out
to the property there were just cars
kind of parked in front of the garage
door in the alley. Um and so the
requirement the off street parking
requirements for a three-unit building
would be four spaces whereas for a
two-unit building they'd be two. So the
impact uh with respect to the off street
parking would be doubled between two and
three. And again between that and the
justifications inherent in the property
we felt that uh the um proposal that we
felt that a conversion to two units
would be more appropriate than one for
three. Uh so with that being said uh the
planning commission recommended that the
zoning hearing board approved the
request uh with the following
conditions. Uh the applicant should be
limited to two units on site in contrast
to other similar applications filed by
the applicant. Subject property was
transferred between entities owned by or
affiliated with the applicant and was
not purchased from a different
individual or entity as part of the t
judicial sale. Additionally granting
approval for two units would minimize
deviation from the zoning code and
reduce the impacts on the adjacent
properties and surrounding neighborhood.
If granted zoning approval to formalize
a conversion to either two or three
units, the applicant shall allow the
codes bureau to perform a comprehensive
inspection to identify any outstanding
code violations and will receive
approval for all necessary city permits
prior to receiving a certificate of
occupancy. And again uh in coordination
with the applicant um as discussed at
the last month's meetings uh the ongoing
rental inspections they have had we do
feel that they have met their burden uh
with respect to this condition. And
finally the third is that the applicant
must either repair or demolish the
existing detached garage at the rear of
the property to establish a formal legal
off- streetet parking space for
residents. And that's largely uh just to
ensure that that rear space can be used
uh to provide some accommodation of
parking for tenants and their guests. Uh
again, whether that's fixing it up and
just using it as is or demolishing the
whole thing and creating a parking pad.
Uh the planning commission recommends
the zoning hearing board to approve the
request for the following reasons. Uh
while the circumstances surrounding the
past conversion are unclear, the
planning bureau can confirm a history of
condemnations related to property
maintenance and insufficient utilities
on site and notes the conditions of the
abuing property required it to be
demolished somewhat recently in post uh
August 2023. As such, there appears to
be or have been some justification for
conversion to multiple units, although
the bureau believes that only two units
are justified. And also, the property is
located in a mixeduse corridor featuring
convenience stores, churches, and other
converted properties. and thus a
two-unit conversion would not create
adverse impacts on the surrounding
neighborhood.
>> Okay.
All right, Mr. Schopes. Uh then you can
testify in support of the application.
>> Uh I have uh coordinated with Mr. Niter
over I want to say
shortly after the last planning meeting
I agreed to the to the uh his
recommendations and uh it it it makes
sense. The the garage needs to go. The
garage is dilapitated. It got boarded up
basically when it became used in the
neighborhood by as a dumping ground and
not by for parking for the for the folks
that were living there. And so that
became a problem. And so it just it just
got closed up and and so it's been
dilapitated over time. Needs to be
demolished and removed and made into a
parking pad. The space that's that's
beneath it, it's it's a slab. It's a
concrete slab inside the garage. So it
will support the parking. So that's the
simplest um remedy there. Uh, as for the
third floor apartment, we had some
discussion there, I believe, at the
planning commission as to how to address
the uh the long-standing tenant there.
Uh, we've already um offered to and
moved that tenant to another apartment
to have. And so, he's he is that is now
vacant. It's been closed up. Power shut
off. There's no longer water supply
going to the third floor. There are
plans uh after this uh assuming assuming
approval here at the board here this
evening to go ahead and incorporate that
into the second floor unit as Mr. Knight
has uh described. It's easy enough to
do. It's just another stairwell and
we'll a partition wall to to make that
uh transition easier. Um, I don't think
there's a lot else to say here other
than to recognize that uh I believe in
my last meeting. Uh, this this property
was was an example I had used as to how
we had uh originally gotten to this
point in that that this was a property
that one of the codes inspectors had
come to and we had gone down to the
basement and seen whether it was a three
gang uh gas meter installed. So, this
had been a three unit at some point in
time or at least there had been three
gas meters at one point in time. don't
know that I could say that it had been a
three-unit. Uh certainly it was not in
the configuration that we had done.
>> Right.
>> Uh so so I I think uh Mr. Knight is is
spot on here that we can easily
incorporate the third floor unit into
the second floor that makes it u a
little more profitable. Certainly uh
still allows for for rooms uh to to rent
and that kind of thing. Um so I I don't
see any issue with that moving forward.
And with the with the parking then,
right, even even with that the garage
being removed, the the parking pad is
still there. But is it just gonna it'll
be one space? I understand they're going
to require two with two units, right?
Two spaces.
>> It's a double wide garage.
>> Okay. So, it can accommodate
>> wide enough and on the uh on the parking
pad there to support two vehicles.
>> Okay. All right.
>> It's a tight fit, but it's just barely
wide enough.
>> It's a tight fit.
>> Okay. All right.
>> Walmart parking lot fit,
>> right?
>> Good evening, sir.
>> Thank you.
>> Yes, I tend to be a Mosy Parker. I
actually went past your building and
went in the back too for the garage
where you're going to put the pan out.
Um, and yes, that's going to be a very
interesting navigating cars down to get
to get around that corner to move into
that. But, um, I think you
recommendation from planning is status
32
park usage
go I actually I went looking for 1644
and I said that's a that's a lot that's
they already took you already took that
down so but any you guys have any
interest in basically maybe acquiring
that and additional housing there
>> are we talking about the vacant lot
>> yes Uh, no I don't think so.
>> Last and we always ask the financial
question a little bit and these this is
going to be apartments instead of a
room.
>> Yes. Yes. I'm sorry. I I I I mistakenly
said the room were room but it simply
means instead of a two-bedroom it'll be
a three-bedroom apartment.
>> Okay. Yeah. Clarification on that and
>> pricing fair market.
>> Fair market value. Yes.
>> Okay. I I actually had that discussion
with somebody we use for fair market
value.
>> It's tough.
>> Do you understand that in Harrisburg
with six different sections of
Harrisburg? Um the income levels in
those areas vary. Okay. And it's it's
not flat. You market values in
Harrisburg, but you take that in
consideration because of the area where
the property is going to be located and
and the people who are going to be
moving into that, your your customers.
Yes,
>> you take that in consideration.
>> Absolutely. The market the market tells
us exactly what it is that fair market
there because uh once it's been on the
market for two months at a certain price
point, you you have to bring the price
point down or or you just have a vacant
building. We've been in business long
enough, you know, after 12 years to to
know what that is. And we we've tried to
stay just a hair below in hopes that
maybe we get I I don't know potentially
longer lasting tenants. Um I don't know
that that's been the case, but we've had
COVID in the middle of all that. So it's
really hard to to say. I thought we were
doing quite well before. Since then,
maybe not so much.
>> 19th Street going down to 13th Street.
That was
it was five and then the It's
deteriorated.
>> So your customer base there
>> is a little bit different than what it
was when I grew up here and when I went
to school used to walk past
>> couldn't couldn't agree more. One of the
most compartmentalized cities I've been
in.
So thank you.
>> Yeah, I'm good. I mean, based on the
context of all of the applicants
applications and the cases that we're
we're hearing on his behalf, um, you
know, as long as there's agreement to
the conditions, which it seems as there
is raised, then I'm clear on everything.
>> And I spoke
before, you know, it had already been
converted and I, you know, was less in
my hair. Got up there. I I know a lot of
your applications are places that you're
converting your multi family dwellings,
but seems like they have been converted
before and now we're just cleaning up
the paperwork making sure it's
>> it's legal. So
>> there there should be consistency across
the departments I would think.
>> Right.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Are you ready for a motion?
>> Okay. So is there a motion uh to approve
application 2634 which is a special
exception to establish a two-unit multif
family dwelling? Um no relief for
parking is ne is necessary and also um
also approved the two uh the two
dimensional variances
uh one for the specific criteria
uh for a multif family dwelling
conversion and one for the uh density
requirements
um con and uh along with the conditions
established by the planning commission.
>> Motion.
>> Okay. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> All right. All in favor?
>> I.
>> All right. So then with that, obviously,
Mr. Shokes, then decision will be sent
uh to you and we'll move on to the next
one. And
Mr. Knight, we can consider yourself
sworn in for this one as well. And I
believe it is the same applicant,
correct?
>> Okay. Mr. Shes, then we can you can
consider yourself sworn in as well.
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay.
All right. So, we have 2635
>> 1901 Forester Street, right?
>> Y.
>> Okay.
>> All reading the exhibits and then turn
it over to Mr. Knight. So, um,
we have proof of publication April 5 and
April 12, 2026. B2, letter sent from
planning director to applicant notifying
of the hearing. B3, hearing notice
posted on the property. B4, notification
letter sent to neighbors and certificate
of mailing. B5, application packet with
photos of the property and floor plans.
B6, power of attorney authorizing
applicant as agent and attorney in fact
of the property. B7, deed establishing
the owner of the property. B8, planning
bureau case report. B9, city of
Harrisburg planning commission
resolution. B10, the proof of
publication for tonight's meeting, May 3
and May 10, 2026.
and a letter uh sent from the planning
director to the applicant notifying of
tonight's hearing. So, we got B1 through
B11. And with that, I will turn it over
to Mr. Knight. Uh so, yes, this uh case
um is u similar but slightly different
uh than the last one. Um the application
for 1901 Forester Street uh involves the
conversion of an existing single family
dwelling into a two-unit multif family
dwelling uh which requires zoning
hearing bird approval of special
exceptions for the proposed use and
relief from off- streetet parking
requirements per section 7-305.7
7-327.6
of the zoning code respectively. uh but
only one variance uh for relief from the
density regulations in section 7-307.3
of the zoning code as the lot itself is
large enough uh or sorry as the building
itself is large enough to be converted
to multiple units um by right in
conformance with the specific criteria.
Uh so this um property again similar uh
to the last one in that it has a
detached garage in the back uh with um
at least space for one vehicle. Um and
the building itself was converted uh
some point in the past again in
coordination uh with uh the codes
bureau. Um and the um lack of interior
of internal coordination between the
codes bureau and the planning bureau is
why this issue is now being is is being
addressed now and not uh back then um
when the uh conversion occurred. Uh in
contrast to the last case uh though this
property is a corner lot. Um so it does
have a significant amount of frontage uh
along both Forester Street and 19th
Street. Um, so in the event that the uh
detached garage at the rear of the
property, which does seem operable, much
more so than the last property, um, is
only able to accommodate one car, uh,
the applicant does have, um, the
sufficient on street frontage along the
property to accommodate any, uh,
additional demand from tenants or, uh,
their guests. Uh and uh therefore the
planning commission uh recommends the
zoning hearing board approve the request
with the following conditions. Uh
granted zoning approval to move forward
with the project as proposed. The
applicant shall allow the codes bureau
bureau to perform a comprehensive
inspection to identify any outstanding
code issues and will receive approval
for all necessary city permits prior to
receiving a certificate of occupancy. Uh
the planning commission recommends the
zoning hearing board to approve the
request for the following reasons. In
contrast to other such conversions, the
structure itself is large enough for a
buy right conversion to two units, thus
reducing the amount intensity of zoning
relief and providing some justification
for the current request. And as a
current lot, as a corner lot, the
property has a onecar detached garage
and enough frontage along both 19th
Street and Forester Street to reasonably
accommodate the two off- streetet
parking spaces required for the use,
thereby reducing the impact of the
presumed increase in parking demand on
the surrounding residents.
>> Okay. And um Mr. Tonight you you prepare
the planning bureau case reports.
Correct.
>> That's correct.
>> Okay. And do you adopt that as your
testimony that complete report instead
of stating everything and reading it
into the record?
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Good. All right. Um
then we can turn over Mr. Sch. Go ahead.
>> I'm in agreement.
The battery power is not in agreement.
Okay.
>> But I'll speak louder. I'm in agreement
with
pass.
>> Are you good?
>> Everybody good?
>> This was Yeah, I you answered the
questions to 1644. It's the same thing.
I I did see there's no parking
requirements there parking on both 19th
Street and Officer Street. So that
satisfies the question I have.
>> Okay. And Mr. folks, right? This is like
a just a similar situation that you had
with the prior application that we had,
you know, with dilapidated property and
all that kind of thing, right? That you
upgra significantly upgraded, right?
>> Correct. It was uh primarily
distribution for
illicit materials uh in the neighborhood
for a long time. So, we converted it
from the storefront
that it had to
a stairwell entry. I don't know if you
remember the door when you look up there
in the front, you can see how it used to
be a sandwich shop or corner store. Uh
that's actually an entry stairwell up to
the second floor apartment. So they have
wide enough stairwell to be able to get
furniture up and down. It's 4 and 1/2 ft
wide there. Um so u that uh kind of put
an end to it. Uh so after we showed a
little bit of love in the neighborhood
uh that activity stopped
>> and it's been operating, you know, as
the uh two-unit multif family dwelling
>> last eight years, right? Yep.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. With that, uh do I have a motion
to approve application 2635, the special
exceptions requested and the dimensional
variance requested?
>> So move.
>> Okay. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay. Let me go back. A motion to
approve with the conditions. Weren't
there conditions? Yes, there were
>> one condition. Yeah.
>> Okay. Well, let me go back. Uh, is there
a motion to approve application 2635,
the special exceptions requested and the
dimensional variance subject to the uh
conditions stated by the planning
commission?
>> So, move.
>> Okay. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Okay. See, we'll get a decision out to
Mr. Sch on that one. Now, let's see. We
have
2636
and I'll ask uh Mr. Knight that um
obviously you'll consider yourself sworn
in for this application as well.
Correct.
>> Correct.
>> All right, Mr. Shes um you consider
yourself sworn in for this application
as well. Correct.
>> Yes, sir.
>> All right. So, we got 2636 the address
2040 North 4th Street.
um same applicant. Um and I will read in
the exhibits and then turn it over to
Mr. Knight. Um basically there are the
same exhibits but we got to read them
in. So B1, proof of publication April 5
and April 12, 2026. B2 letter sent from
planning director to the applicant
notifying at the hearing. B3 hearing
notice posted on the property. B4
notification letter sent to neighbors
and certificate of mailing. B5
application packet with photos of the
property and floor plans. B6, power of
attorney authorizing applicant as agent
and attorney in fact of the property.
B7, deed establish establishing the
owner of the property. B8, planning
bureau case report. B9, city of
Harrisburg planning commission
resolution. B10, proof of publication
for tonight's meeting uh and the Patriot
news May 3, 2026 and May 10, 2026. Then
a letter sent from the planning director
to the applicant notifying of tonight's
hearing. So we got B1 through B11.
And with that, Mr. Knight, go ahead.
>> Uh, yeah. So, the applicant for case
number 2636, um, similar uh to the last
two proposals, um, and will be similar
to the next, uh, which is the adjacent
property, um, requiring the special
exceptions for the proposed use and the
relief from the off- streetet parking
requirements and variances for the
relief from the density and specific
criteria regulations. And this is also
an after the-act application. Uh this
property is a similar history uh to the
other two properties in that there was a
uh lengthy record of condemnations
um of uh utility shut offs of uh legal
dumping uh on the property and uh prior
to the purchase by the applicant. Um and
uh the applicant uh in fact you can see
some of the uh exterior issues that that
the property had. I believe there's a
big um parched or uh vinyl sighting on
the side uh where some of the um siding
uh previously started to uh rode away.
So uh the conditions of the property
itself and the structure uh do uh
provide justification for that
conversion to multiple units. It's
likely without uh you know a um
allowance of multiple units on site. Uh
the properties would probably suffer the
same um fate as the adjacent properties
which are both vacant lots due to um
buildings on those lots being torn down.
Um and uh due to the fact that uh the uh
adjacent properties uh have been
demolished um and uh the property across
the street which occupies about half the
block uh is a church with its own
surface parking lot on site. Uh there is
um sufficient on street parking to
accommodate the two off- streetet
parking uh spaces required by the uh
required for the two uh unit use. Uh
because the rear of the property uh due
to topographical issues um it's not easy
to access that uh for off- streetet
parking without significant um uh uh
removal of soil and you know creating
retaining walls and things of that
nature. Uh there is about probably a
three-foot difference between where the
road is at in the back and the uh uh
level of the backyard. Um so uh with
that being said uh the planning
commission is recommending the zoning
hearing board approve the request with
the following conditions and same
condition as last one. Uh if granted
zoning approval to move forward with the
project as proposed the applicant shall
allow the codes bureau to perform a
comprehensive inspection to identify any
outstanding code violations and will
receive approval for all necessary city
permits prior to receiving an updated
certificate of occupancy. Uh the
planning commission recommends that the
zoning hearing board approved the
request for the following reasons.
property had a history of condemnations
for various building code deficiencies
over the years prior to the applicant's
ownership, potentially requiring more
investment than would be viable for
rehabilitation as a single family
dwelling. As such, there is
justification for the allowance of an
additional unit that would be permitted
by Wright. Uh the project reconstructed
a bleeding influence and attractive
nuisance and two units that will
contribute to the housing inventory in
the city and the neighborhood and
appears to have had a positive impact on
the amount and frequency of illegal
dumping on the adjacent vacant lots and
existing conditions of the property and
its context within the neighborhood.
Specifically, the availability of on
street parking along North Fourth Street
due to the abuing vacant lots and the
vacant church across the street mean the
proposed increase in residential density
would have a limited impact on the
surrounding community.
>> Okay. And Mr. Knight, just like the last
one, you prepared the planning bureau
case report. Correct.
>> Correct.
>> And you would adopt that also as
additional testimony in this matter.
>> Correct.
>> All right. Okay. Uh Mr. Shes,
>> um I am in agreement with everything
that Mr. and I just described.
>> Okay.
>> It's pretty straightforward.
>> Okay. And uh you prepared the
application and the attachments.
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay. And submitted that. You adopt that
as your testimony as well. Yes, sir.
Okay.
>> Any questions for this one?
>> Okay.
>> Okay. Uh so um
do I have a motion uh to uh approve
application 2636 and the special
exceptions requested and the dimensional
variances requested with the uh subject
to the conditions established by the
planning commission?
>> Motion.
>> Okay. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> All right. All in favor?
>> I
>> Okay. Take the decision out for that.
And the last
this one.
Okay.
26372042
North Fourth Street. And again, Mr.
Knight, uh, consider yourself, uh, sworn
in for this application as well.
Correct. Correct.
>> Okay. Mr. Schultz, same. Consider
yourself sworn in for this application
as well?
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay.
I'll read in the exhibits. Uh B1, proof
of publication, April 1 and April 12,
2026. B2, letter sent from planning
director to applicant notifying of the
hearing. B3, hearing notice posted on
the property. B4, notification letter
sent to neighbors and certificate of
mailing. B5, application packet, photos
of property and floor plans. B6, power
of attorney authorizing applicant as
agent and attorney fact of the property.
B7, deed establishing the owner of the
property. B8, Planning Bureau case
report. B9, City of Harrisburg Planning
Commission resolution. B10, proof of
publication, May 3 and May 10, 2026 for
tonight's meeting. And B11, letter sent
from planning director to applicant
notifying of tonight's hearing. With
that, I'll turn it over to Mr. Knight.
>> Uh, yes. So, this uh final uh
application in in the group um
represented by Mr. chokes uh for 2637
for 2042 North Fourth Street uh requires
two special exceptions for the proposed
for the multif family dwelling use uh
and the relief from off street parking
uh and two variances for relief from the
density and specific criteria
regulations uh and is an after the-act
application. Uh while the properties are
um ab budding and conjoined, uh there
actually are some minor differences
between the two, but um regarding the
the size and some access points at the
rear of the property. Uh but the
properties themselves and the structures
themselves um uh are similar in the
history of condemnations and uh um uh
the utility shut offs and uh a variety
of violations issued by the codes bureau
over the years prior to the applicant's
ownership. Um and uh the applicant uh uh
post owning post uh purchasing the
property uh did put a significant amount
investment in with uh coordination at
the codes bureau uh and did um
rehabilitate what was an attractive
nuisance and a blighting influence on
the block and uh as previously noted um
likely maybe save the uh buildings
themselves from having to be torn down.
Um and uh the context of the property
along North Fourth Street with uh
respect to the vacant lots and the um
vacant church across the street uh
create the same support for the uh
relief from the off- streetet parking
requirements uh and the same
topographical issues exist at the rear
of the property as they did at the uh
property at 242 North Fourth Street. Um
and therefore the uh planning bureau's
recom or planning commission's
recommendations
are similar in that they are
recommending the zoning hearing board
approve the request with the following
conditions. Uh if granted zoning
approval to move forward with the
project as proposed. The applicant shall
allow the codes to perform a
comprehensive inspection to identify any
outstanding code violations and will
receive approval for all necessary city
permits prior to receiving an updated
certificate of occupancy. Uh the
planning commission recommends the
zoning hearing board would approve the
request for the following reasons. The
property had a history of condemnations
for various building code deficiencies
over the years prior to the applicant's
ownership, potentially requiring more
investment than would be viable for
rehabilitation as a single family
dwelling. As such, their justification
for the allowance of an additional unit
than would be permitted by Wright. The
project reconstructed a lighting
influence and attractive nuisance into
units that will contribute to the
housing inventory in the city and the
neighborhood and appears to have had a
positive impact on the amount and
frequency of illegal dumping on the
adjacent vacant lots. And finally,
existing conditions of the property and
its context within the neighborhood,
specifically the availability of on
street parking along North Fourth Street
due to the abuing vacant lots and the
vacant church across the street mean the
proposed increase in residential density
should have a limited impact on the
surrounding community.
And Mr. Knight, once again, you prepared
the plan bureau case report, correct?
>> Correct.
>> And you adopt that as your testimony
tonight?
>> Yes, I do.
>> Okay. Mr. Sh.
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay. Anything to add uh from what Mr.
Knight's testimony was?
>> Only to state that we're in agreement
with the cases presented by Mr. Knight.
>> Okay. And uh again, you prepared the uh
application and uh the attachments,
photos, floor plans, all that.
>> Yes, sir. You you at least attached it,
reviewed it, all that type of thing.
Correct.
>> Absolutely.
>> Okay. And uh you adopt that as your
testimony here tonight?
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay. Any questions?
>> No, I have one.
That empty lot.
>> You're referring to the empty lot to the
left. if you're at at there. We used to
own that. Uh we we sold that to the
gentleman who lives adjacent to that
property, one further left. So, he now
takes care of that property that's now
his. Uh in years past, I have uh taken
care of the vacant lots that are to the
right of that property and across the
street from what is now the vacant
church to help them out kind of thing.
Uh, plus there was a lot of, you know,
illegal dumping and that kind of thing.
And and since there was no one there to
actually take care of it,
we're there. So, we have been doing
that. Uh, I can't say whether or not
we've actually begun that process again
this year, but I'm sure we will.
>> Okay. With that, do I have a motion to
approve application 2637,
which are uh requests for special
exceptions and dimensional variances
subject to the conditions stated by the
planning commission?
>> Motion.
>> Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I.
>> Okay. So, what decision will be sent out
to you, Mr. Schol with regard to that
one? I think that concludes right the
four, right? Yep. All right. Great.
If I may, I just wish to send out a
quick thanks to uh the planning
commission's office there for
demonstrating a level of professionalism
here that that made a difficult
situation into something that was quite
manageable, I think, for everybody and
and sort of a reasonable outcome.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you, Mr. Strokes.
>> What's that?
>> No, those are only two.
Yeah.
>> Okay. So, now we have 26 application
2638.
Uh the address 1257 1259 Walnut Street.
Uh applicant South Central PA
Restoration LLC.
Uh on behalf of uh is it Arthur Arthur
Jefferson? Okay.
>> Okay.
All right, Mr. Knight, you'll obviously
consider yourself sworn in already for
this application,
>> correct?
>> Okay. And uh so let's identify for the
applicant. We have Arthur Jefferson. And
who else is with him?
>> Uh good evening. My name is Duran
Sawyers.
>> And could you spell that for me?
>> Yes, it is D A R an last name Sawyers. S
A W Y E R S.
>> Okay.
Okay. You swear them both in. Yeah.
>> Yes.
>> And so, Mr. Jefferson, you're uh with
the South Central PA Restorations.
>> Yes, we're both owners of South Central
PA Restoration.
>> Okay. Both owners. Sorry.
Okay.
>> Okay. Mr. Knight.
>> Yes.
>> Uh let you know forgot to read them in.
Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> All right. So, the exhibits are uh B1
applicants request for a continuence
um uh to tonight's hearing.
B2 is a proof of publication May 3 and
May 10, 2026. B3
is the letter uh sent from planning
director to the applicant notifying of
the hearing. B4 hearing notice posted on
the property. B5 notification letter
sent to neighbors. B6 application packet
with photos of property and plans for
the proposal. B7 Harrisburg
redevelopment authority resolution
authorizing applicant to develop the
property. B8 the planning bureau case
report. B9 city of Harrisburg planning
commission resolution. So we have B1
through B9. Now Mr. Go ahead.
>> Uh so uh the application for case number
2638
uh involves the um consolidation of the
subject parcels and the construction of
a three-story six-unit multif family
dwelling with a rooftop patio common
area. Uh the project requires zoning
hearing board approval of two special
exceptions. uh one for the proposed
multif family dwelling use and relief
from the off- streetet parking
requirements for the uh proposed
development per section 7-305.7
and 7-327.6
of the zoning code respectively and two
variances for relief from the density
and allowable building widths width
regulations in section 7-307.3
of the zoning code. The project will
include three one-bedroom units and
three two-bedroom units. Uh so the
project site uh is comprised of two
vacant lots. Um they've been vacant for
um decades I think uh somewhere around
30 years almost. Um and uh they've
remained that way uh all this time. Um
there's you know v at varying times it's
been used for illegal parking for some
dumping. Uh there's been um you know
unmaintained vegetation on site. Uh so
uh the planning bureau feels uh that the
uh subject proposal uh represents a good
infill development. Uh the building
itself uh will generally be in
conformance uh with most of the
development standards with respect to
the building height uh setback and
impervious surface coverage. Um and uh
as uh the uh application notes, um the
applicants are also proposing a somewhat
unique co-op uh housing um configuration
uh and structure. Uh and uh the
intention is to make the um units
available to people I believe making up
to 60% of the median family income. Uh
so um we're not quite sure off the top
of our head whether it's going to be
submitted through the um affordable
housing uh certification program or not.
And I think that's just due to whether
the co-op ownership um uh proposal that
they're doing. Uh but um certainly if
they are uh going to be submitting
through that and that'll be worked out
through the land development plan
process that they'll be uh following
subsequent uh to this review. Um it
would reduce the amount of uh deviation
from the zoning code. Um they'd only be
required to provide three uh vehicles
instead of um seven or three off-
streetet parking spaces instead of seven
off- streetet parking spaces and they
would be able to uh to build four units
on site instead of the two units uh that
they would be permitted for a market
rate uh development. Um, as noted in the
site plans, uh, the applicants will be,
you know, keeping the building, um,
separated from the adjacent structures.
Uh, it's enclosed on all three sides,
uh, besides, um, Walnut Street, uh, by
buildings and, uh, other improved
properties. Um, and, uh, they'll be
having setbacks to allow those owners to
be able to access those properties. Uh,
that also, uh, impacts basically, uh,
whether, uh, they can provide any
parking on site. Um, so they obviously
can't can't access the rear of the lot.
They'd have to go through the front, um,
which would mean a new curb cut onto the
property, uh, which would both, uh,
remove, uh, publicly accessible on
streets parking, uh, but given the
required, uh, spaces, uh, and, uh, drive
widths. Um, it's likely that they
couldn't do any development on the first
floor. So, they'd have to elevate um
everything up a uh a floor, which may
necessitate additional um uh zoning
relief for things like uh exceeding the
maximum building height. Uh it may also
make the project itself infeasible. Uh
because I believe going above three
floors requires an elevator which is
obviously a significant cost uh uh to a
project of this site uh of this type
especially one um seeking to provide the
deeply affordable units that the
applicants are planning to do. So uh for
those reasons uh we do feel uh that the
uh project um as proposed is justified.
Um it should also be noted that the uh
applicants I believe have gone through
the hard review process because the
property is in the Summit Terrace
Architectural Conservation Overlay
District area. Uh and they did get
approval um from that board. Um so
with that all being said, the planning
commission uh recommends the zoning
hearing board approve the request with
the following conditions. Uh, the
applicant must submit a lot
consolidation and land development plan
application and receive approval from
the planning commission and city
council. Uh, and the applicant must
receive approval from the Harrisburg
architectural review board. Uh, the
planning commission recommends uh, the
zoning hearing board approve the request
for the following reasons. The decadesl
long vacancy of the subject properties
demonstrates the challenges inherent in
identifying appropriate and feasible
redevelopment projects and thus supports
the requested relief for development of
a six-unit multif family dwelling. The
configuration of the property with
limited frontage along public rights
ofway and surrounded on three sides with
developed lots presents challenges
regarding access to the property and
supports the requested relief from the
off- streetet parking. Uh the project
will improve currently vacant and and
unmaintained lots with affordable units
that are pressing need in the city
generally and the neighborhood
specifically. The applicant has also
responded to a solicitation from the
city for redevelopment of the site as
affordable housing which necessitates
additional relief from the zoning
regulations.
The proposed building design
incorporates a number of novel features
for projects in the city including
including the incorporation of a rooftop
deck uh green roof and solar panel
array. The property will also be
operated as a cooperative housing model
that will retain affordability over
time.
And Mr. Knight, once again, uh you
prepared that plan your case report,
correct?
>> That is correct. Yeah.
>> And you adopt that as your testimony as
well tonight?
>> Yes, I do.
>> Okay. Now, for uh the applicant, whoever
wants to start testimony in support of
your application.
>> Um I myself don't have anything to
testify. I'm open to any questions you
guys may have, but I think Mr. Knight
said everything that need to be said.
>> Okay. All right,
>> Mr. Stories, you too.
>> Yes, sir. Um, it's been a long day, but
uh um what Mr. Knight said and um just
being in front of the uh carb review
board and the uh planning commission uh
we pretty much everything is stated in
there of uh what we plan to do, what we
would like to do for our community. Uh
we don't want to do it one time. we want
to continuously uh do this. And then
even when we were walking through the
neighborhood, just to see that uh that
property, that lot right there has been
vacant for over 30 years. uh it's uh
it's much needed for all of us who are
trying to develop, you know, to
continuously try to grow our city and
bring it back to I know when I was
raised it seemed like it was more family
oriented and less just vacant lots like
this.
>> All right, any questions from the board?
>> Sure. Good evening. Uh just a couple of
questions. number one. Uh so this here
in the write up there is uh basically a
statement saying that there you have a
comparison for by right development. Um
uh basically comparing that to the
proposed project. Can you talk about I
guess uh perspective on financial
hardship or inability to develop um
within the the guidelines?
>> I don't know if I understood your
question fully. So basically right uh I
guess in the sense there's a for
variance right there's kind of a burden
of proof that you're not able to develop
um within the current zoning guidelines
which is what requires or it brings
forth your request for a zoning
variance. So I'm just wondering if you
could provide some insight into your
inability to develop based off of the
current guidelines.
>> Right. Why you pick the number of units,
you know what I mean, six instead of
something less, you know?
>> Well, we we noticed that there's a need
for the six units in the area. Um that's
what made us pick six. Um as well as uh
the the the request for the the zoning.
I'm thinking that's what you're talking
about, right? Like why did we request
these exceptions and variances, right?
>> So, um as Mr. night stated earlier is
that um with the parking we can't we we
financially we can't afford to uh to
build an extra store. Not only when we
talked to the mayor she said it ain't
happening on top. So, she already said
that, but um again, to have to put an
elevator in there is is is is a couple
bucks uh uh to the hundreds of thousands
of which already we're going with
affordable housing and it's hard enough
to raise the money that we have already
raised. So, that was one reason for
that. And um the the parking with the uh
the street cuts, we didn't think that
that would even look right in the
community. We felt as though if we cut
because I don't know if you guys have
the pictures in front of you, but we
have a permeable area right there where
we want to we want to do the whole
street like that. Um, we want people to
walk around. We don't want you to have
to weave through cars just to get to the
from one side of the house to the other
side of the house. If that makes any
sense to you.
>> And and then also you said why six and
not four? Um
when when you when we go through old
parcels or whatnot, there's a lot of
mess that we are charged for cleaning up
from the city's situations prior to us
that it's so costly that four units it
wouldn't do us just for us to build
there. You know, uh I don't think six
would be enough, but that is probably
the most that we could have asked for
for those two locks, you know, we
couldn't go any higher or whatnot
>> based on the architectural review area
of that area some materials.
>> Go ahead, Mr. Yeah. And I was going to
say I think the applicants also noted
something relatively unique to these
properties is that they the PA1 call uh
they performed uh didn't identify any of
the subsurface uh utility lines which is
even for vacant lots in the city that
the city has taken down over the last
couple decades. Uh there's still usually
a sewer hookup or a water line or
something like that. And the PA1 call uh
didn't even identify those. So it may I
mean it may be longer than 30 years that
this has been vacant. Our records are
very unclear about that, but that's
going to require, you know, excavation,
running new uh underground utilities,
>> right? And I just wanted to write that
that it has been vacant for a minimum of
30 years at least.
>> Okay.
>> As far back as our records go, which are
pretty pretty consistent up until the
late 1990s.
>> All right. Questions?
>> Yes. uh can you also provide insight on
the uh what was mentioned regarding the
co-op?
>> So after um we have a compliance period
where we have to rent it out for 15
years and in our model we want to build
relationship with the community where we
can um practice generational wealth
meaning um if because each floor has two
apartments. So if on our idea of life,
if one person could own one apartment,
rent the other apartment out to whomever
that other person may be, that will
again create that a form of generational
wealth to where we're getting
supplemental income brought to each
family on each floor. If that makes any
sense to you.
>> But this doesn't occur until after that
15-year period.
>> Yeah. Our compliance period. Yes.
>> Okay.
All righty. this allow for now.
>> Good evening gentlemen.
>> Good evening.
>> My questions
around this funding source. So,
you're going to build this new
structures. What's your funding source
going to be?
>> We have um so far required a fair grant
with the PHFA. Um we also um have and
that was for 350,000 and we have a um we
were awarded the Federal Home Loan Bank
of Pittsburgh for 900,000. We have one
last um grant that we're seeking after
which is the home ARP funds for the
remaining balance of our bill.
I Mr. Hops you spoke a little bit
question a little about the co-op and
the co-op your your position on it is
that you're trying to build uh
generational wealth. So these apartments
again after 15 years they will be
available to buy or that a floor. Okay.
So you buy the floor, you get both the
who buy said he's got income coming in
to offset his cost.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Um let's say you're laying us. How
about storm water? And the reason why I
say that is because you were downhill
from runoff a little bit from Yeah. How
you want to address it? We got a talk
region on that. Yes, we we we we had a
lot of conversation with Cal Region. Um
so we're we're we're developing that
storm water plan. We're probably about
90%
finished with the plan. Um we have to
open up the street and we're going to
run our storm water. You you would think
it would go down towards the capital,
but that's not how they're saying we
have to actually go back up towards 13th
Street.
>> Major collection point. Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
This is going to be a three uh three
story structure.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
>> With a rooftop.
>> This is going to be more directed
towards you across the street. You're
got a head development going on at uh
what is it right there at 13th in
Walnut. I actually went out and look at
your lots and stuff. So remember they're
going to be that rehab
printing building there.
>> Correct.
>> It's right across it's almost right
across the street from their lots.
>> Yep. They were heard at the uh May 6th
meeting. Yep.
>> Okay. So, you're going to have
construction in that area, multiple uh
multiple activities. Okay. Um you ask
the city, how do you visualize the
impact on community?
>> Well, um I think the um you know, the
logistics of how to stage all that um is
probably a bit up in the air. there is a
you know there is a vacant lot that
occupies the majority of a block that's
kind of like between those two um that's
just storing parked cars at the moment
um but I imagine it's a pretty um
accessible to both project sites um and
you know from you know in addition to
the uh improvement to the streetscape um
developing vacant lots or adaptively
reusing a vacant building uh it seems
ideal to have such two such large
projects occurring at the same time
because we'll likely need to repave the
road, maybe like reset curbs, things of
that nature. And if we can do that once
while we've got two projects going on,
uh that may that reduces the overall um
impacts from the construction timeline
uh on the surrounding um uh residents
because it's likely, you know, we'll
have to do road shutdowns for periods of
time to, you know, make these utility
connections. So, if we're able to do
that kind of uh for both projects at the
same time or back to back, uh that
should reduce the downtime for um
residents to be able to use those
streets.
>> Yeah.
What's underground, but I have concerns
is that if you're going to build out one
side and they're coming on the other
side, would it make sense to basically
get them both done
>> that?
ask you a pricing structure but
this is going to be more co-op but
you're um
again use the term affordable housing
correct so which going to be your
pricing for these apartments
>> I think for the um if if I'm if I'm
correct okay I think for the onebedroom
it's around $900. And then for the two
bedrooms, I want to say it's around
like$1050,50.
>> Sounds like you're getting PHFA
financing and
Pittsburgh.
>> Yes.
to
the parking. Okay. Uh we don't hit them
a lot, but because they require seven
spots on Wall Street parking, how do you
plan to accommodate? Because I I looked
at both Walnut Street and 13th Street
and the parking here could be
problematic.
to say when everybody's in. Okay. So,
how how do you tend to address that?
>> Well, we're hoping for a waiver from you
guys.
>> That's who that's what we're for
>> because because because the the
community that we're looking to service
um they typically don't have vehicles
and that's why we're requesting that.
>> Well, there's public transportation
right there off of
Yeah. And I believe there is at least
one bus route that runs down 13th Street
as well. Yes.
Say your return on ask for return on
investment on this, but again seems like
you're trying to build your your
position is that you're trying to
rebuild community and you want to see
that 15 to 30 year investment into this
property
>> at a minimum.
>> I'm not putting words to your mouth.
>> You are very correct. Got a minimum.
>> All right, Mr. Hobs, do you have
anything else right now?
>> Just a kind of a general question. Um,
>> sure.
>> Back to what you mentioned with parking.
Um, because I know there's kind of I
think even in the last meeting just
general statement about a viewpoint of
how many cars a certain population will
own um which I don't know if we can
really directly calculate that right. Um
but what is your thought or estimate
then if for this sixunit building of
what would be the average um need I
guess in terms of of parking spaces or I
guess I should say how many vehicles do
you think would be owned by you know the
tenants that are um occupying these six
units at any given time.
Well, the the way that we went about uh
housing uh this six unit complex uh we
partner with uh uh um
New Tomorrow. So, a nonprofit company uh
nonprofit organization, I'm sorry. and
and what they do, they have a housing
list um that meets the conditions and
the standards of affordable housing who
uh in our community. We want to help you
know those people and uh they they've
written us they have statistics and they
they've written us a statement um to
include uh whenever we go out to anyone
to show that uh I think it's 90 I want
to say 98% of uh those who they house
they don't have a vehicle. Um, and so
that would be perfect for us because if
most the majority of them don't have a
vehicle and what we're trying to apply
for is is an exemption from that, um,
that would that would fit the the
community and where we're at. And it
would also enable them to be right there
on a bus line and in close proximity to
what they need. Uh, even though, you
know, they have transportation but not
their own. vehicle.
So, um that is how we tried to
supplement um not having park
>> and the plan is right to have this as
affordable housing, right? That that's
what you would apply to the city. Is
that how it an application goes to the
city to make sure that then they get a
certific that then they get the
certification
>> the affordable housing?
>> Um I think it it does come through the
city. Yeah.
>> Right. for the certification to do it.
But but that is the plan
>> and and it's based on though, right?
Kind of the pricing of the units, right?
That's what
>> that that's correct. It's ba it's based
on um who the uh what level of
affordability the units are. Um it's our
our threshold is 80. They're below that.
Um so uh and again they they they're
proposing the co-op which I think is a
little bit different than what we've had
in the past. It's usually, you know,
rental units or something like that. Uh
sometimes four for four for uh uh for
sale home uh row homes like on North
Fourth Street that was just completed
and Market Street that the board has
reviewed recently. Uh but this co-op is
a is a different uh configuration as far
as that's concerned. So, um I don't
think we've had to review that against
the specifics of the program language,
>> but al also based on really I guess the
income level of you know the tenants or
you know residents of that that that is
really why then
>> the required off streetet parking is
reduced.
>> Yeah. Which is goes along with the plan
that then they're not going to have as
many cars which I think is what Mr.
Hobbs was kind of looking at. Right.
>> Correct. And you know that's largely
been a position of the of the planning
bureau is that you know when you're u
when you need assistance to put a roof
over your head you know it's likely that
um statistically that you're more less
likely to have a vehicle because that
costs a significant amount of money as
well uh either to own, buy, run,
maintain. Um, so when we're talking
about populations where we're going as
deeply affordable as what the applicants
are doing, it's definitely less likely
that uh the average household there will
have a a car or maybe they'll share a
car with a friend of theirs or somebody
that lives nearby, you know, something
like that. Um, but the but you know, the
cost of a car is significant and it's
only going up. Um, you know, with
respect Yeah. uh gas uh with respect to
uh even um the used car market uh is
increasing. So uh the cost of vehicles
going up uh and it definitely makes it
less affordable for everybody especially
uh people who need um help with uh
subsidized housing.
>> And the other question I have those
focused on that the onedimensional
variance related to the building width.
>> Yeah. So what is the
building width of buildings in that area
and then what's the 20% because I've
kind of seen like 16 to 18 feet or is it
32 to 36 that kind of thing just so I
know in writing
>> sure decision we need to write
>> you know that's always a tricky little
section of the zoning code and both
because it's uh because really a block
is not well defined uh whether it's just
the you know contiguous land surrounded
by rights of way or is
the properties on both sides of a single
street. And how far does that go? Um,
you know, the adjacent property, the
mixeduse property just to the uh east uh
which is like apartment over convenience
store is larger than the average in the
neighborhood. Um, as the applicants note
in their application, it's uh, you know,
anywhere from uh 14 to 18. Um, and there
are single family homes just to the west
along Walnut Street that are wider than
that. There's the building at the corner
of 13th and Walnut that you know. So,
it's it's tough to say whether there's a
prevailing, but the block AC the
directly across the block from this
project say you do have a pretty
consistent uh row home um uh
design or a row of homes that are all
about the same width. Um and so you know
in the I think in the interest of uh
completeness of this so that there's not
you know a missing aspect of the project
we wanted to look at that and say well
you could argue that there's a
prevailing width because of what's
across the block. So um but I think when
you look at the certainly the blocks
surrounding uh the subject uh properties
uh I would say there isn't really a
prevailing width within the general
neighborhood.
>> Okay. So, but in writ
then looked at it and make sure first of
all the building is going to be 38 ft
width there the the applicant that
proposed building correct
>> 38.
>> Okay. And the prevailing width may be 32
to 36 feet. Is that maybe a fair way to
consider all the properties
>> in order to be able to write this and
and have it decided this dimensional
variance request?
>> Yeah. So, you know, I Yeah, I mean, I
would say it's almost like there's two
row homes side by side. They have the c
two central stairwells that are required
for access to the upper floors. So, it's
not as though it's one building frontage
for um you know, a large apartment
building. It's being treated as, you
know, two conjoined row homes that have
a central access corridor.
>> Right. Okay. All right. Any other
questions?
>> Question. Since this is part of summit
association.
Yes, I have tried reaching out to them
to let them know what's going on
and um I haven't got any responses.
>> Um uh Mrs. uh what's her name? Barbie D.
>> Uh um
>> I haven't spoke to her for a while. I
I've tried left her a message. I talked
with her for a while prior to this, but
um I haven't uh she hasn't replied or
anything like that.
Any type of handouts is something you
would basically hand to people or some
type of notification
want to do this or something and your
input.
>> Yeah, we sent the letters out our
certified letters out.
>> Thank you.
Okay.
Want to take a break or anything?
deliberate
questions.
Either way,
Is there anybody here from the public
that wants to comment on this uh
application?
Seeing none. Okay. Do we have a motion
to approve application 2638
um in the request for special exceptions
and a dimensional variance subject to
the conditions stated by the uh planning
commission?
>> So move.
>> Okay. Do we have a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I
>> Okay, it's approved. And uh with that,
I'll send out the written decision to uh
the applicants within 45 days. Okay.
>> All right.
>> Congratulations, guys.
>> All right.
Let's see. We got
we got
right 26.
Okay. Okay. So, we have applica
application 2639,
which is 1531 and 1533 North 6 Street.
Um, okay.
And with that also, um, Mr. Knight,
you'll consider yourself sworn in for
this application as well. Correct.
>> Correct.
>> Okay.
Um,
and who is here for the applicant? I see
they're represented as well, but who's
>> Kevin Kufa, Penn State Health, last name
is KU FFA.
>> Okay.
Mark Karowski, Kur WKI
with K&W, Civil Engineers for the
project.
Esh Mccomi with MCNE Wallace and Nurk uh
land use attorney and then we also have
uh in the audience with us David Deloo
with Penn State Health uh general
counsel.
>> Okay.
Okay. Um why don't we uh though swear in
the uh witnesses for the applicant the
two they can just raise their right hand
and then have you both sworn in.
for the test.
>> I do.
>> Okay. Both answered in the affirmative.
All right. So, I'll read in the exhibits
and turn it over to Mr. Knight.
Uh, we have B1, proof of publication.
May 3, May 10, 2026. B2, letter sent
from the planning director to applicant
notifying of the hearing. B3, hearing
notice posted on the property. B4,
notification letter sent to neighbors
and certificate of mailing. B5,
application packet with attached
narrative photos of the property. B6,
uh, commercial lease establishing
applicant standing to pursue the zoning
relief. B7, planning bureau case report
and B8, city of Harrisburg planning
commission resolution. So, we have B1
through B8. With that, I'll turn it over
to Mr. Knight.
>> Uh, yes. So uh the issues inherent in um
the application for case number 2639
uh are a um accessessor or sorry are a
special exception and that is for uh
allowing a fence taller than the 6ft uh
height permitted by right in the INS
district. Uh the applicants are
proposing a 10-ft high fence to surround
the play area and then the variances are
for the proposed use. So uh the uh play
area represents an accessory use. is
accessory to the medical offices that
are located at 1524 Wallace Street just
across the street. Um and uh they will
be the principal use of the subject
property. So that's what the variance is
for allowing an accessory use as a
principal use and then also for
encroachment into uh the side and rear
yard setbacks. Um the applicants are
proposing the construction of a
basketball court at the rear of the
property. Um and uh the
full width of the property is I believe
31 ft of the two properties. Um and I
believe the depth is uh 70 ft. Um so the
sideyard setbacks for properties in the
INS district are 20 ft. Uh and the rear
yard setback is 20 ft as well. So you
actually couldn't build anything on the
site uh at least within the sideyard
setbacks because uh they're combined 9
ft more than what the full width of the
site is. Um and similarly the um rear
yard setback is 20 ft. So uh basically
it's would severely constrain any uh use
of the uh property uh for any reason. Um
and you know the properties themselves I
think are a bit unique for the INS
district which obviously imagines uh
larger uh types of institutional uses
like hospitals and schools and things of
that nature which you know you're not
going to be building on a kind of narrow
um lot that of the type that
accommodates like row homes throughout
the city. Um and uh for that reason um
development that uh is not in
conformance with the zoning code and
does require the requested zoning relief
uh is sensible for the use. Uh,
additionally
uh the um the playground use uh
represents a uh reasonable proposal for
the site given the proximity of the
principal use to which it's uh attached
and again uh the overall configuration
of the site uh that uh pretty much
precludes any other type of develop of
by right development uh on it. And then
with respect to the um special exception
for the fence height, uh as uh the
applicants noted in their testimony at
the planning commission meeting, uh you
know, they're one of the biggest
concerns is for safety. Uh this is
largely going to be um an outdoor
therapeutic space for uh patients of the
um adjacent medical office. Um and
because it's going to involve, you know,
children, they want to make sure uh to
ensure the security uh of the uh play
area. Uh but also because they'll have
basketballs and I'm sure other
equipment, they want to make sure those
aren't like going out uh of the play
area. So in addition to the uh 10-ft
high uh fence, they'll have netting over
the top too to ensure the area is
enclosed. So it's for both security and
then uh also uh the safety of passers by
make sure something doesn't go into the
street or damage a car in the adjacent
parking lot or something like that. Um
so overall uh the planning bureau finds
the request uh reasonable uh and uh you
know appropriate uh for reuse of these
subject properties. Uh as such uh we are
recommending approval without any
additional conditions. Uh and the
planning commission also recommends that
the zoning hearing board approved the
request for the following reasons. The
existing configuration of the
development site, particularly the
narrow width and shallow depth, would
require relief for any type of
development on site and the proposed
development represents a sens a sensible
use of the lot given the low inensity
use and proximity to the principal use
which it will support. Uh the lots have
been vacant for approximately 30 years
and given the location between an
accessory parking lot and long-standing
restaurant establishment. The proposed
development represents the most feasible
most feasible and reasonable proposal to
activate the lots and approve their
contribution to the streetscape. And
finally, the project will complement a
medical outpatient clinic that provides
services to adults and adolescence
receiving treatment for emotional,
psychological, and cognitive issues,
which will provide an interactive
outdoor setting that facilitates their
physical and mental health.
>> Okay. And Mr. Knight, uh once again, you
prepared the uh plane bureau case
report, correct?
>> Correct.
>> And you That is your testimony as well
tonight. Correct.
>> Correct.
>> All right, Mr. McCome. Go ahead.
>> Hey, good evening. Thank you for having
us. We'll take a a brief detour away
from housing and talk uh playgrounds for
a little bit here. Um, as Jeff noted,
uh, the applicant operates a outpatient
clinic uh, on this land around North
Sixth Street in Wallace. And to support
that clinic, uh, we wish to establish an
outdoor therapeutic playground.
Unfortunately, there's there's no space
at the North Sixth Street facility. Uh
we had actually prepared an application
for that the facility itself months ago.
Uh but we're able to work through some
zoning things with with the planning
department and didn't need to come
before you uh for that. Uh so I know the
planning department's very very familiar
with this this property. Um as Jeff
pointed out, the the lots are extremely
narrow. Uh, I think it's it's funny
sometimes when I talk to clients of mine
about, you know, what are we talking
about with a variance and a hardship and
what does that what does that mean? The
one of the examples that I'll often give
is when you want to build a home on a
lot, but the lot's only 30 feet wide.
What what do you do if the if the
requirement is for that is larger? And
and that's exactly what we have here. We
have two 15t wide lots. Uh, even if you
combine them, it's 30 feet. with a 20
foot setback, you can't fit anything in
there. So, to Jeff's point, we think
this is a great uh potential reuse for
the property. Uh Kevin is here to answer
any operational questions you might
have, but I think what I'll probably do
is skip ahead to Mark and let Mark walk
you through the plan and then if you
have any follow-up questions, we'll be
happy to to answer them. Mark, you want
to take a seat up here?
Put
>> the board up. Uh I'll hand these out
because I think they've got
Sure.
It's Mark Karowski. Business address is
2201 North Front Street in Harrisburg.
>> Thank you. And how long have you been
with K&W?
>> Uh it's been 21 years.
>> What's your role there?
>> I'm the president and CEO of the
company.
>> And have you ever testified before
presenting hearing before?
>> I have. And have you ever been denied uh
as an expert?
>> Uh no, I have not.
>> And did your firm prepare uh the
exhibits that go with this application?
>> We did.
>> Great. I'd like to offer Mr. Kowski as a
expert in site design and zoning.
>> Yep. Recognized. Go ahead.
>> Thank you. Uh if you could flip to the
first page. That's exhibit A. What is
it?
>> Uh it's an aerial view of the property.
>> And could you use it to orient the
board?
>> Sure. Uh as you're looking at exhibit A,
um you're going to see uh north is
basically kind of pointing up on the
drawing. Um you'll see the area in
yellow, that's the um office building
that um Ash had mentioned previously.
And the area in red are the two lots
that we're looking at for the
playground.
>> And those are along Sixth Street.
>> That's correct.
>> And then the is the restaurant the
building that's directly playing north
of the the red rectangle?
>> Correct. Anastasia, I think it is.
>> Uh, is the property in the INS district?
>> It is.
>> If you could flip to exhibit B, please.
What are exhibit B?
>> A couple of street view images of the
property in question.
>> And how many images are there?
>> Believe there are one, two, three, four,
three of them.
>> And to your knowledge, do they generally
uh and accurately reflect the status of
the property?
>> They do.
And then lastly, we'll go to exhibit C.
What is that?
>> Exhibit C is the site plan for the
project.
>> And uh on it is north to the we'll call
it uh 10:00,
>> correct?
>> That would be to the left.
>> Left on the plan. Yes.
>> Uh and does it depict uh the two lots
being consolidated?
>> Yes. If you look at the uh basically in
the center of the plan, you'll see some
dash lines. Within those dashed lines,
uh you'll see darker lines. Those are
the two lots that are to be consolidated
for the project.
>> And uh directly above those are the
building that the office building we
were talking about earlier.
>> That's correct.
>> And the dash lines themselves, it says
uh C enlargement plan A. Is what is
that?
>> That's correct. If you look to the right
of the sheet, there's actually an
enlarged view um that shows a bit more
of what's actually looking to be
developed within those two consolidated
lots for the playground. Could you just
generally describe what's planned for
the playground?
>> Sure. Uh so a couple of things you'll
see there. Um the consolidated lot
itself is about 2326 square feet. Um
within that proposed playground area,
you've got about a third of it is
looking to be asphalt paving. That's
more on kind of the rear of the lot away
from Sixth Street. And then the other
two/ird would be uh a playground
surfacing type material. Um the hard
surface is going to be essentially like
a halfcourt basketball area. Um four
square kind of hard surface play. And
then the the looser playground type
material is more there's some play
equipment likely to be in those areas.
Uh as well as some covered tables for uh
for kids to be sitting.
>> This board might not be aware of what
four square is. Can you walk them
through the rules?
>> I'm a little rusty. Uh but I do watch it
periodically. Yes.
>> Fair enough. Uh is is the playground lot
consolidated about 2326
square feet?
>> It is.
>> And what are some of the setback issues
that we're dealing with?
>> So we looked at this and tried to find
how do we um site the playground
equipment as best we can and provide
some level of setback. Um if you you
look in the enlargement, you'll see a
couple of elements. I'll start with the
rear of the lot which again is towards
the u the clinic building um which is
the rear or again away from Sixth
Street. Uh we're shown a 3.5 ft setback
uh in that location which would be to a
basketball hoop and net. And then if you
look on the side yards I'll start on the
south side uh which would be to your
right on the enlargement drawing. That
is a 3.23 foot setback line. um that is
to I believe the covered one of the
covered tables we have in that location.
And then if you flip to the other side,
the north, which would be the side
closer to Anastasia's, we've got a 4.23
foot set back. That's to um what we're
calling a a shade sail or a canopy to
provide some shade on on the playground.
>> Great. And then um I think
uh lastly on the plan itself, is that
access to the top right of that inset?
>> That is correct. And so the idea is that
um patients would come out of the the
main doors uh from the office building,
cross over Cen Street uh which is a
one-way street and then enter the uh the
playground in that area.
>> That is correct.
>> And for the board's uh knowledge, Cen
Street's kind of an interesting street.
Uh it is technically a a public street.
It almost has always operated as a
private street. It's a small small
oneway alley.
Um Mark, have you reviewed the
application and the narrative included
with it?
>> Yes.
>> And to the extent applicable, do you
adopt the comments made therein as your
own?
>> I do.
>> Thanks.
>> Any questions for for Mark or for Kevin?
You know, I always have to ask
questions, but I don't this time. This
is very This is good. I very familiar
with
extremely familiar with it.
>> We're going to hold you to that, Mr.
Fibs.
>> We met now as a fight now.
>> Like an attorney.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you.
>> I I do have one question because you on
the other side of Paris Street, you have
the AR archives. Okay. And it goes all
the way back to Wallace below that.
I understand the need for the 10 foot
high fence and with some netting over
top of it and that's more for a safety
purpose for the people who are going to
be in that in that area. Correct.
>> Yeah. It's to keep keep balls from
coming out and
>> that's all I have. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah, just one question. So, um I'm
assuming that is this just going to be
accessible during the hours of operation
of the clinic.
>> That's correct. The uh the patients uh
the youth patients that are here come
for for the day
>> and so yeah, this is during those
regular oper hours of operation. It will
be closed and and locked up uh in off
hours.
>> Thank you.
>> Yep.
>> Question for you.
going to be a play area. Will you
provide lighting into that or because
it's only going to be active during
business hours per say?
>> I I believe there's
be
there'll be site lighting that'll be
there for the parking lot that can
that'll that'll also light that area if
we need to. It is daytime only use so
it's from like 8:30 in the morning until
like 1:30 in the afternoon. I was just
thinking about the netting over top of
the area. Okay. That light effective
say,
>> right?
>> Okay.
Mr. Kufo, what is your position at uh
Penn Health
Penn State? I meant
>> I'm the facilities project manager.
>> Okay.
Okay. Anything
else?
Anybody u anybody here from the public
or wants to comment on this application?
Okay. And
all right. So,
uh, do we have a motion to approve
application 2639, which are for special
exceptions and, uh, a special exception
and, uh, variance requests? Um, do we
have a motion for that?
>> So, move.
>> All right.
Uh, do we have a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Okay. There we go. It's approved. And I
will get that decision out to you,
applicant.
>> Y, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Thank you.
>> All right, so we got
20.
>> All right.
Yeah, we'll deal with that. All right.
>> So, we have application 2640
North 16 Street in Crab Apple Street.
Um, before I go through the exhibits,
uh, Mr. Knight uh you consider yourself
sworn in for this application as well
tonight. Okay. I will u uh read in the
exhibits then we can have the people for
applicant uh introduce themselves
uh and swear them in and then we'll turn
it back over to Mr. Knight to go through
um the property description and so on.
So, we have exhibits uh B1, proof of
publication, May 3 and May 10, 2026. B2,
letter sent from the planning director
to the applicant notifying of the
hearing. B3, hearing notice posted on a
property. B4, notification letter sent
to neighbors and certificate of mailing.
B5, application packet with attached
narrative photos of the property. B6
Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority um
resolution authorizing applicant to
develop the property.
There was uh several attached deeds and
other agreements establishing applicants
standing to pursue the requested zoning
relief. B7 the planning bureau case
report and B8 the city of Harrisburg
planning commission resolution. So we
have B1 through B8
and um
people for applicant introduce
themselves. We'll swear in the witnesses
and then we'll go back. We'll go to
mystery night.
>> Jared Miller, the Cooper Companies.
>> Tar Castile, TLC workbased training.
>> Okay. Uh Tar, what's the what was the
last name?
>> Castile.
>> Castile.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
Is that uh T A R E K? Is that it?
>> T A R I K. I K. Got it. Castile. C A S T
I L L E.
>> S T E.
>> Darn. I'm doing bad on this spelling
test.
>> All right. What was it? C A S
>> S T E L.
>> Castile.
>> E L. Oh, Castile. Got it. Yeah.
>> I used to be good at spelling, but then
I became a lawyer, so you know. All
right. Next.
>> Matt Witters with Eustus Engineering.
Okay. And before you ask, Mike, there is
one R in Jared.
Got it.
Okay.
All right. And then we have Mr. McCumbi
here representing. Right.
>> That's correct.
>> All right. So, we'll turn it over to Mr.
Knight and then we'll move on to the
applicants.
>> All right. So uh case number 2640 uh is
a somewhat unique one uh although it's u
very similar to the first phase uh uh
that this project represents the second
phase of um
and uh the first phase of the project
being the TLC cornerstone which is uh
directly to the west of essentially
where this project footprint is uh and
represented uh the construction of 50 um
units uh across uh several blocks of row
homes and a multif family dwelling
building. Uh whereas uh this project is
a bit more of a scattered sites um
development and largely involves only uh
two units uh at a time uh or I should
say two duplexes connected uh on uh nine
different lots uh across the uh project
site. Uh there's um a total of 34
affordable housing units in 17 buildings
across those uh nine uh consolidated
lots. Um and the proposal involves uh
the establishment of multifamily
dwellings on the subject properties uh
and a request for relief from the off-
streetet parking requirements in section
7-327.6
of the zoning code. And those are the
special exception requests. Uh and
requires relief from various aspects of
the development standards outlined in
check in chapter 7-307 of the zoning
code. Um and those are specifically for
uh relief from section 7-307.3A
of the zoning code to construct a
building wider than 20% of the
prevailing width on the block. Uh that's
applicable to lot number five. Uh,
relief from section 7-307.3A
of the zoning code to permit full
encroachment into the 5- foot front yard
setback. Uh, also applicable to lot
number five. Uh, relief from the same
section of the zoning code to permit
full encroachment into the 4ft sideyard
setback. And that's applicable to lots
number 6, 7, and 9. uh relief from
section 7-327.9A4
of the zoning code to permit parking
encroachment into the required rear yard
setbacks along Apple Crab Apple Street
and that's applicable to lots number
four and nine and then um to the extent
necessary relief from section 7-307.13
of the zoning code to authorize the
removal of trees with trunk diameters of
12 in or more and that's applicable to
those properties uh which again front
along Crab Apple street which is lots
four, six and nine. Um
the uh the project is going to be
submitted through the
>> yeah
just turn
>> that one.
>> Okay. Test test this one.
Hello.
>> I was just trying to speak really
loudly.
>> Hello.
>> Okay, there we go. Yep. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Thanks, Emily. Um, so uh the project
will be submitted uh through the city's
affordable housing uh certification
program uh which impacts uh two aspects
of this pro of this project. um both the
density uh which requires 750 square
feet of lot area per dwelling unit as
opposed to the 1500 square foot of lot
area per dwelling unit in the RM
district and also the provision of off-
streetet parking uh as the project would
require uh 0.5 spaces per dwelling unit.
So, uh, for a total of 34, uh,
affordable housing units, they would be
required to have 17 off- streetet
parking spaces. And they are providing
10, uh, off- streetet parking spaces
across, uh, three of the lots. Um, and
so therefore, they're requesting, uh,
total relief of seven, uh, off- streetet
parking spaces. Um
so with respect to the uh proposed
development uh the multif family
dwelling as we've heard from uh both um
other applicants uh at tonight's meeting
and other meetings. Um you know the when
you're going for affordable housing you
need to have a slightly denser uh
development than would be permitted by
Wright. Um and uh the um relief from
off- streetet parking. Again, we had
just kind of had a conversation about
that of um people who are going after
affordable units uh generally uh
statistically less likely to own
vehicles. Uh but the planning bureau
would note that with respect to the
project footprint, um all of the sites
uh that are proposed as part of this
project are uh vacant. Um and uh several
of them uh have a significant amount of
uh frontage along various rights of way
whether that's Walnut Street, 16th
Street or Regina Street. Um and uh given
that there's vacant lots uh fronting
these, there is really no um demand or
there were no vehicles uh really parked
along the frontages of these properties
on those streets. Uh so there is
sufficient uh on street parking in the
surrounding neighborhood uh to
accommodate um any demand from tenants
or their guests. Um and while the
project site sits in a bit of a uh kind
of in a bit of a maybe black hole with
respect to uh transit um being that
there's no uh routes that run directly
adjacent to the project sites. Uh there
are routes uh kind of enclosing uh the
project site on uh 13th Street, 17th
Street, State Street and uh Market
Street which kind of all enclose uh the
property to the west, east, north and
south respectively. Um so in addition to
the availability of on street parking,
there is uh near there are nearby uh
mass transit routes for uh residents of
the uh prospective uh dwelling units. Uh
with respect to some of the variance
requests um
the one for building uh lot number five
for the building width larger than 20
uh% of the prevailing width on the block
um there really is not a I would say
prevailing width uh because so many of
the uh blocks or sorry so many of the
lots that comprise a project site are
vacant. Um, a lot of the buildings that
are there are one-offs or uh attached
buildings. Uh, so they don't really
establish a um, prevailing width. Um,
but it should be noted that for block
lot number five, um, the building itself
will probably if looked at from Regina
Street will be similar to other uh,
buildings that line Regina Street, but
these buildings are actually going to be
facing uh, North 15th Street. Um so
while the building massing is very
similar to other buildings uh because of
the way they'll be because of the way
the um the entrances will be facing uh
it kind of establishes the side of the
building almost as the front which is
why uh they're requesting that relief uh
for wider than uh 20% of the prevailing
width. Um, as far as the encroachment
into uh the front yard setbacks, again
that applies to to lot five and it's
really I would say more the uh side
would be more the um sideyard setback.
Uh because again they they will those
units will be fronting North 15th Street
instead of fronting Regina Street. Um so
it will be built but it will be built up
to the property line which is um the
configuration of the uh single family
row homes just to the east. Uh so it is
matching uh what's out there in the
neighborhood right now. Um as far as
encroachment into the 4oot sideyard
setbacks for lots six, seven, and nine,
um those are going to be kind of
constrained by either vacant lots that
are not part of this project or existing
buildings. And so, uh, the applicant has
designed the new developments so that
they're further from the existing
buildings to allow those owners of those
properties to have access to their
properties, which kind of pushes them
into uh, the sideyard setbacks on the
opposite sides uh, of those uh,
development footprints. Uh with respect
to the parking encroachment into the
rear yard setbacks along Crab Apple
Street, um you know, the plane bureau
notes that is the most reasonable and
rational uh location to provide parking
uh for at least some of the units uh in
this project. Uh both because um you
wouldn't want to have front yard
setbacks or sorry, you wouldn't want to
have front yard parking which would be,
you know, out of character with the
neighborhood. Uh but also there are no
sidewalks along Crab Apple Street. So,
uh, by locating the the parking off of
that street, they'll be able to, uh,
avoid creating a new pedestrian
vehicular conflict point, um, there
because people aren't using the garage,
uh, the sidewalks already there. Uh and
then finally with regards to the removal
of uh trees, um you know, given the
constrained nature of the sites and the
fact that uh at least two of those along
Crab Apple Street will have parking in
the rear yard, um they're going to have
to remove the uh trees uh in order to
construct new units. Uh they would
probably have to do that anyway for site
prep, but they'll probably need to use
that for staging and uh parking
vehicles. Um so it's likely that all of
those trees will need to be removed. Um,
but we are trying to address that in the
conditions by uh recommending that uh
there be like a one for one replacement
uh for uh new trees and tree pits along
sidewalks uh for properties as part of
this project.
So with all of that being said uh and I
would note uh also that again uh this is
the second phase of the cornerstone
project uh just to the east there and
it's made a remarkable improvement uh on
the neighborhood. Um it uh replaced a
lot of overgrown lots uh some of which
had illegal parking of uh you know uh
junked vehicles uh with uh a lot of new
uh housing units uh with modern
construction affordable housing units uh
for residents of the neighborhood um and
has really reactivated those streets uh
North 15th Street Regina Street um and
really brought uh I would say a much
better sense of ownership of those
spaces. Uh, and you can tell that
they're better maintained along those
frontages than what they used to be. Uh,
so with all that being said, the
planning commission has recommended the
zoning hearing board approved the
request with the following conditions.
If granted approval for the requested
zoning relief, the applicant will
subsequently file a lot consolidation
and land development plan and receive
approval from the planning commission
and city council. Uh because the project
will be restricted to residents earning
60% of the median family income and is
therefore eligible for the certificate
of qualification pursuant to chapter
12101 of title 12. The applicant should
submit the project through the
affordable housing certification program
prior to recording the lot consolidation
and land development plan with the
Dolphin County Recorder of Deeds. Uh the
applicant should reconstruct all
sidewalks along North 16th Street,
Regina Street, and North 15th Street to
the full width between the curb and
property lines as the current
configuration along those streets and
will provide safer and improved
pedestrian infrastructure for new
residents of the proposed development
and existing residents of the
neighborhood as well as curb bumpouts at
corner lots along North 16th Street,
Regina Street, and North 15th Street,
similar to what was installed along the
15th Street frontage of the previous
phase of the project. Uh the applicant
should also consider measures to prevent
illegal parking such as street trees. Uh
the number four, the applicant should
install fencing enclosing undeveloped
areas around the proposed buildings to
prevent unauthorized access and
unpermitted activities such as illegal
parking and dumping to create more
functional space for project residents
and to enhance the aesthetic impact of
the project. The bureau also recommends
coordinating with the city arborist on
plannings to improve the appearance and
ecological function of the project
sites. The bureau recommends that for
every tree removed, the applicants plan
a new one in a tree pit located within
the public right ofway as space on each
development site will be limited.
The planning commission recommends the
zoning hearing board approve the request
for the following reasons. The proposed
project will develop lots that are
currently vacant, unckempt, and/or under
you and/or utilized for unpermitted uses
such as illegal parking or dumping and
create affordable housing units for the
city's residents in a variety of
configurations including multi-bedroom
and ADA units. The subject properties
comprising the project site lack
adequate pedestrian infrastructure and
which creates unpleasant and safe
conditions that have an adverse impact
on the surrounding community. And the
project will enhance the streetscape for
existing and future residents by
providing wide shaded sidewalks if the
planning bureau recommend planning
bureau's recommendations are adopted.
The zoning relief requested by the
applicants such as relief to allow rear
yard parking or to encroach into
setbacks which allows the construction
of units up to lot lines will better
reflect the existing nature of the built
environment and the surrounding blocks.
Thus, these requests are necessary to
develop a project that integrates into
the building and infrastructure fabric
of the community. And finally, as
evidenced by the appearance and success
of the first phase of the applicant's
development along North 15th Street, the
project will bring significant social,
economic, and aesthetic benefits to the
neighborhood, provide affordable housing
and modern construction, improve the
streetscape, and bring new residents who
will activate the street on nights and
weekends, and will support local
businesses.
>> Okay. And and uh Mr. Knight, you've also
prepared that planning bureau case
report. Correct.
>> That is correct.
>> Okay. Do you adopt that as well as your
testimony tonight?
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
>> All right. Mr. Mccumbi.
>> Yep. Thank you. Uh good evening again.
Um I think what what we'll probably do
is is still run through uh Jared's
testimony. I think this is the first
project W's had in the city and so I'd
like him to get to know you guys and you
guys to get to know him a little bit
because I'm sure they they'd be excited
to get back. Um, also want to thank Tar
for coming in. Uh, he's done a great job
with phase one. If you haven't had a
chance to swing by and take a look at
it, it's it's a huge improvement as as
Jeff said. So really excited to to have
this pair partnering together uh on on
this project. Uh, I'm going to hand out
the packets. In the meantime, uh Jared,
could you please state your name and
business address for the record?
>> Yeah.
>> Again, Jared Miller, Will Cooper.
Business address is 500 South Front
Street, 10th floor in Columbus, Ohio,
43215.
>> Say it again.
>> No.
>> No.
>> Wait. Yeah. I don't know. Did he?
>> Just do it again, please, just to make
sure.
>> I do. I do.
>> And Jared, who's who's your employer?
Who do you work for?
>> Uh, what do Cooper Companies?
>> We are an affordable housing developer
that's headquartered out of Columbus,
Ohio.
>> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> And I can go more into our background.
>> Sorry, could I ask what's your role with
the company or did he just ask you?
>> Um, he did not. Vice president of
development is my role.
>> And what do you do in that role?
Um, I look through sites um in
communities that are in need of
affordable housing and I primarily
secure the financing through um public
sources such as the Pennsylvania um
housing finance agency and then take
them um all the way up to construction.
>> Where does WO have other projects in
Pennsylvania or the Northeast?
>> A little bit of everywhere. Um we've
been in Pennsylvania for two decades
now. Um we have products kind of across
the state. Um we have two new ones in
Pittsport Pittsburgh, but beyond that we
are um yeah, beyond that we're we're
kind of scattered throughout the the
middle of the state. Um southern parts
of the state. Uh we have a few in in
Lancaster and then several in Cumberland
as well.
>> And then uh WO is partnering with TLC
and T on this project.
>> Correct.
>> Great. Um, who owns the properties?
>> Of the 26 properties, one is currently
owned by TLC. Um, two are privately
owned and then the remainder are owned
by the uh um um housing redevelopment
authority. Um, all of which are under
agreement though.
>> Great. And uh how far along is phase
one?
>> Phase one is fully leased now. um that
is 100% occupied um and doing well.
>> And generally speaking, is phase two
similar to phase one?
>> Very similar. Um same same financing uh
working with the Pennsylvania Housing
Finance Agency. It'll be um
very similar.
>> Great. Are the proposed units affordable
as defined by the city?
>> They are correct.
>> If you could open up exhibit A, the
first exhibit in that packet, please.
What is it?
>> Exhibit A is um overall site plan. Um
Mr. Knight did a good job of talking
about phase one. U that is what's
highlighted in green here. As you can
see the remainder of the lots here,
there will be nine um scattered kind of
around Regina Regina Street, which is
the the diagonal. Um there'll be nine
lots scattered around uh this general
area.
And when we're looking at this plan is
north to the top left.
>> North would be to the top left. Correct.
>> Is the property in the RM district?
>> Correct.
>> And are multif family residential units
permitted by special exception in the RM
district?
>> Yes.
>> I think I heard you say earlier, but
I'll ask again just in case. Will tax
credit financing be applied for this
affordable project?
>> It will.
Uh, in your experience, do your tenants
generally own less vehicles than market
rate tenants?
>> They do.
>> You explain that a little or you know
what what that evidence is?
>> Yeah. Um, some of the same evidence that
was was used on earlier products here.
Um, we've we've run this through our
management team. Um, they they've
approved the the parking counts here.
Um, typically affordable units do have
less means to uh to have cars and rely
on public transit um or other means of
of travel. Um, generally we we do see a
reduction in our in the communities that
uh we we own and manage compared to
market rate um properties for example.
And
>> since I know Mr. Fipps is going to ask
the question on the financing side of
it. Uh are the the sizes of the
buildings and the number of units tied
to making the project feasible? In other
words, so do you have to hit a certain
number of units to be able to make this
project pencil out at all?
>> That would be correct. The uh for this
type of financing, the normal project
size is around that 45 to 50 unit range.
Um we try to get as close to that number
as possible. Um that's um it's defined
relatively by the state um based on the
financing available. Uh here we're we're
a little under, but for infill scattered
site lots, which I I think is um
probably something that's very much seen
in the community, um the 34 was probably
as close as to not get to to that
approximate unit count.
>> Uh will WA own and operate these units
on a going forward basis? They'll be
jointly owned by um ourselves and and
TLC workbased training.
>> Great.
Are you familiar with the narrative
submitted with the application?
>> Yes.
>> And to the extent applicable, do you
adopt the comments made therein as your
own?
>> Yes.
>> Great.
>> Um we can go for questions with Jared or
it might be better to go ahead and let
Matt kind of walk you through the plan
and then we can hit all the questions at
once at the end. Is that easy?
>> Yeah.
>> Because he might answer some. Great.
Come on up, Matt.
>> State your name and business address for
the record.
>> It's Matt Witters with Eustace
Engineering. Uh, it's 161 South 32nd
Street, Camp Hill, PA.
>> And what's your role with Eustace?
>> I'm a senior project manager with
Eustace. I've been there 19 years.
>> And have you worked on affordable
housing projects before?
>> I have. Yes. And when doing so, do you
review the city's ordinances and prepare
your plans to comply with those
ordinances except to the extent relief
is necessary as here?
>> That is correct. Yes.
>> And have you ever been denied as an
expert by a zoning board?
>> I haven't. No.
>> Like to offer Matt as an expert in site
design and zoning analysis. Thank you.
>> Recognized.
>> Matt, if you could go to the next uh
page. That's exhibit A2.
What is it?
>> It's a copy of the zoning plan that we
repaired. This was prepared by Eustus.
>> Correct.
>> Please use it to orient the board.
>> Uh yes. Uh North is to the left on the
plan. Uh it's where Walnut Street
resides. 16th Street is the top of the
plan. Uh 15th Street runs left to right
through the middle of the plan. Uh
Regina Street runs north and south kind
of diagonal. And then Market Street
would be not on the plan, but it's to
the right of the plan.
And could you walk the board through uh
through the site plan and what we're
proposing?
>> Sure. Uh I'm going to start in the upper
lefthand corner with lot one and then
we're going to finish in the lower uh
right hand corner with lot nine. So lot
one uh consisted of two parcels. We're
going to have those consolidated into
one and construct three buildings there.
Each will be a mix of two and
threebedroom units. They're going to be
three stories tall. Behind those lot or
behind those buildings, we'll construct
uh four parking spaces. Two will be ADA.
Uh, and there's a a blue uh hatch in
that area that's uh generally going to
be an underground storm water basin uh
or storm water management system. Um, we
have those throughout the the site. Lot
two is just to the right uh faces 16th
Street. That'll be one unit. Um, I'm
sorry, two units, one building. It's a
two and a three-bedroom uh unit. Uh, no
parking. The lot three faces uh Regina
Street at the corner of 16th and Regina.
That's a mix of a two and a
three-bedroom unit. Uh, no parking. Lot
four uh faces Regina Street, Regina
Street, backs on Crab Apple, and that
has, uh, two buildings, both of which
are a mix of three-bedroom units.
Uh, lot five faces North 15th Street.
It's at the intersection of Regina and
15th. And that'll be two buildings with
uh, a threebedroom and or three
threebedrooms and one two-bedroom. Uh,
no parking.
I'd would like to point out on 15th
Street that we do have a curb bump out
uh or bump in there. Um similar to what
was proposed on lot or I'm sorry on
phase one uh to the west going uh east
on 15th Street. Uh we've got lot six
which is two buildings, two and
threebedroom mix. Uh lot seven is a one
two unit two buildings. Um all four
units will be one bedroom. Lot eight is
across the street on North 15th Street.
Uh that's two buildings. Uh one building
will be uh two one-bedroom units. The
other building will be two three-bedroom
units. And the last lot is lot nine down
at the bottom of the plan faces Regina
Street. That's uh two buildings uh two
bedrooms, three-bedroom mix as well with
off- streetet parking. Uh three uh
there's three spaces on the back of lot
nine. If I go back to lot four because I
skipped over it. We have three off-
streetet parking spaces proposed uh
accessible from Crab Apple.
>> Great. Thank you. You touched on um the
sidewalk bump out. Can you talk a little
bit more about sidewalks and widening?
>> Sure. Um it was uh mentioned in the
conditions from the planning bureau uh
in their recommendation that we provide
uh bumpouts, bumpins, whatever we're
going to call them uh along 15th Street,
16th Street uh and a corner lot there on
15th and uh Ethel to match what we had
done on phase one. Uh we will provide
that. We're not shown it on this plan
and we didn't incorporate it on this
plan. Um with sidewalks, we're going to
propose along 16th Street. Uh and then
the rest of the sidewalks, I don't
really have an issue with proposing uh
full width sidewalks uh along Regina or
15th, but we had set the widths and um
locations based on what had been
constructed as part of phase one. We
were trying to match the aesthetics of
phase one. Um so on that condition uh
I'd like to work with planning bureau a
little bit more to uh to work through
those those full full width sidewalks
>> and then talk a little bit about fencing
please.
>> Uh fencing uh one of the conditions uh
recommended by the planning bureau was
to uh incorporate fencing around some of
the yard areas. Um certainly uh
understand why uh but there wasn't any
fencing um incorporated on phase one.
We'd like to try to keep the aesthetics
on phase one. Uh the other thing with
fencing is it is an added cost and this
is a affordable housing project, but it
would also offer another feature for uh
vandalism as well and maintenance like
long term long-term maintenance um on
the fencing.
And I'm sure you have it memorized, but
I'll I'll ask it in a yes no question
just for for ease. Am I correct that
there is one tree on lot four that is
hazardous due to age? Five trees on lot
six that generally undesirable, invasive
or hazardous due to their age. One tree
on lot nine that is invasive or
undesirable and those are the the trees
generally that are being uh cut down for
this project.
>> That is correct.
>> Um you mentioned some of the parking
spaces. Uh am I correct that we're
providing uh 11 where 17's required?
>> Actually we're uh we're providing 10.
>> 10. Thank you.
Uh And is there adequate public parking
in the immediate vicinity?
>> Uh yes.
>> Public transportation nearby.
>> Uh that's correct.
>> Uh if you could just briefly kind of
point out the the variances. Jeff ran
through them, but it it helps I think to
see them on the plan.
>> Sure. Um beginning again on lot one.
There are no variances for lot one. Uh
lots two and three were uh requesting
variances for the parking requirement.
We're required one per lot for both two
and three. and we're proposing no off-
streetet parking. Uh lot four, we are
proposing three off- streetet parking
spaces, but given the constraints of the
dimensional constraints of the lots
themselves, those parking spaces have to
be within the rear yard setback along
Crab Apple Street.
Uh lot four, the what else I have there?
One tree removal as well on lot four.
Lot five, uh we are required two parking
spaces and as you can see, there's not
room on the site for those off- streetet
parking spaces. So, none proposed. Uh,
as Mr. Knight uh indicated, we need
relief from the sideyard setback along
uh Regina Street uh and uh the 20% width
prevailing width. Uh which I have on the
zoning data table as an average of about
22 feet, but that that really is an
average. Um
in lot six, there are two parking spaces
required and unproposed. We also have a
sideyard setback that'd be on the lefth
hand side or the west side of that lot
uh where we are encroaching into that 4
foot required setback and there are five
trees as Mr. McGomey mentioned lot seven
two parking spaces are required there
are zero proposed and again the sideyard
setback is required to be 4 feet we are
encroaching into that uh on that
left-hand side lot eight there are two
parking spaces required and zero are
proposed and lot nine we have three
proposed off- streetet parking spaces
but again given the constraints and the
desire to try to keep some lawn area
behind the lot or behind the units Um,
we are proposing those parking spaces
within the rear yard setback. There's
also a side sideyard encroachment on the
south side at the bottom of the plan.
Uh, that's a 4-ft requirement. And there
is one tree uh located in the area of
the parking spaces that is required to
be removed to provide those parking
spaces.
>> Nice job. Thank you. You could please
turn to exhibit A3.
Is exhibit A37 pages long?
>> I'm gonna go with yes.
>> Thank you. Um,
what is exhibit A3?
>> Uh, those appear to be Google Earth uh,
photos or I'm sorry, street view photos
from Google.
>> Would you disagree with me if I told you
these were images taken from the
narrative? Probably about half of the
images that that were included in the
narrative.
>> Uh, no. Do they generally give an idea
of of what these existing lots look
like?
>> Uh yes, they do. They're most of them
are open lawn areas with uh degraded
curbs and sidewalks.
>> Vehicles parked in the grass.
>> There are a few with uh vehicles that
are parked on them illegally.
>> And then lastly, uh if you could please
turn to exhibit A4.
What is exhibit A4?
>> That is a a rendering done by the
architect of what one of the units would
look like. It's a a four building unit
with eight units.
>> Uh and this is generally consistent with
what was done with phase one?
>> That's correct.
>> Great. Have you reviewed the application
and the narrative included with it?
>> I have. Yes.
>> And to the extent applicable, do you
adopt the comments made therein as your
own?
>> I do.
>> Great. So, we're happy to answer any
questions that that the board might
have.
>> Either one of you
can start.
>> Good evening. Thank you. I
start I saw a lot of your I'll give my
first question. Have you got your
Have you registered CRW for the storm
mitigation
storm mitigation?
>> Yes, we have. We've submitted the CRW
about fencing, but you're you're
basically saying fencing it doesn't
really match the neighborhood that this
is being put in or it's not a clear
match. And I always ask for architects
when they build in these areas, you
know, do you are you going to try to
match the area that you're building in?
Okay.
>> Correct.
>> Lighting. This is going to be
conjunction with security. Okay. This is
a pretty good chunk of uh Allison Hill
to the
west of Ma Street. Um
The lighting is are you going to are you
going to augment the lighting that when
we start building these places, put
additional lighting up?
>> We will. We have a lighting plan that
we're ready to submit with the land
development application of the city for
review. We'll have uh pole lights. God
bless you. Pole lights around the
parking areas. Um and then we do have
some wall packs up on the sides of some
of the buildings uh where we have yard
areas adjacent to those buildings.
you partner or have taken this and I
wonder has the HPD looked at this too
about that area again maybe putting some
cameras and stuff in that area.
>> I think there is a plan to have cameras
up. We have cameras up in phase one on
the units.
Well, we already have cameras on phase
one on every corner of each building,
all four corners and on some of the
pools
>> basically tied into HPD or
you're going to basically provide your
service buildings. Are you security?
>> Well, on phase one, our security our our
cameras go straight to the police
department. Plus, we we have them on our
on our phones as well. Far as owners
>> and the property managers.
>> Okay.
And
just to make clear, I'm aware of Cooper.
I've actually worked with them on other
projects through Tri County. So, okay.
of reputation in central Pennsylvania,
different developments, especially in
Carlile County. So, thank you. Um, and
you've already talked about the
affordability. Yes, you stole my thunder
there. Okay.
It's 60% of the U.
So, I'm getting tied up.
This is a
Okay.
Um, and I see it's it's going to be a
mixture of town houses, duplexes, and
you say triplexes. Um, these are going
to be uh two level buildings.
>> Yes, it'll be the mix of two and three
two and threetory buildings.
>> Let's see.
I'm going to ask this out of the city. I
know we did a lot a few years ago. We
took a lot of solar cells out that were
supposed to be put into storage or
something with these used to be on
Seventh Street.
>> The DH where DHH was. We took and
reclaimed all those solar panels, all
that equipment. You still we still have
that be added to this or
>> I I don't know if we still have those. I
remember at the time um one of the
things our um
uh our sustainability coordinator
admitted at the time is that they were
toward the end of their useful life and
I think between the time that they've
been taken down and now they're probably
not viable. And even if they still had
some uh viability left, like you
probably it probably wouldn't
benefit to use them as opposed to just
going out and getting new solar panels
that had a 30-year lifespan still to go.
So, I don't know that they're they're
available. My guess is they wouldn't be
a good candidate to use anyway.
>> Okay.
>> Would this be part of uh some of the
from the developer basically providing
solar assistance for
car requirements.
>> Um solar specifically is is not a part
of the plan but I can say um through the
financing we commit to a handful of
things. Um one of those is green
certifications. So this build or all
these buildings will be lead silver um
in addition to having a reduced hers
index for energy efficiency.
>> Again it goes back to the affordability
issue. Okay. you're going to be
basically moving into this.
That's all. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Most of the funding for this is
Pittsburgh
Financial
>> FHLB. No, it would just be the majority
of financing is coming from um the
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, not
the Pittsburgh FHLB.
>> Um but it's tax credit development.
>> So,
>> correct.
>> Okay.
U Mr. Knight, do you have anything else
to add? I just had one question though
for you too with regard to that
condition with regard to the fencing.
Any comment with regard to that?
>> I thought that might come up. Um and uh
no I it was not a necessarily it was a
recommendation not like a requirement
necessarily and uh you know we had
talked about security and things like
that and you know when we're looking at
projects especially new construction uh
we try and uh if not overtly um try to
implement like the uh SEPTED uh
principles which is crime prevention
through environmental design and like
one of the things they recommend doing
is I put up fences because it helps
establish like territorial reality and
access control to sites. Uh, but we do
uh can certainly appreciate the
applicants um uh concerns about
long-term maintenance and and whatever.
And and and as you saw in the pictures
that they provided there, like you do
see cars parked up on the grass, which
you see in some of the project sites
now. So, we just want to make sure in
some of these like interstitial spaces
around the buildings that we're not
leaving them open for similar
activities. So if they're putting in I
don't know boulders or arborvay or
something like that to just basically
prevent that kind of stuff and again to
create a yard really instead of
something that's just kind of open to
the street but like a yard a space for
the tenants to where they feel like you
know it's more private and uh you know
their own space uh however that occurs
landscaping fences whatever you know
we'd be happy and I think you know uh
they'll be the city arborist will be
reviewing the land development plan
that's submitted
And my guess is they'll have some
recommendations. We may even have
plings. We can, you know, help provide
the applicants in the interest of
affordability. Um, you know, we're out
there planting street trees, you know,
on a on a fairly regular basis. So, uh,
we can help to coordinate those efforts
that they're that we're already doing as
the city with what the applicants are
proposing here. And is that where
because that condition goes on right
where where it talks about the
coordinating with the city arborist but
also about planting new trees where they
may be removed or in tree pits that's
where also would come up in the land
development phase. Correct.
>> Correct. Yeah.
>> Right.
>> Yeah. I I think both with respect to the
uh to the fencing to kind of designating
areas and the sidewalk I think we're
generally good with you know continuing
to have discussions with Jeff through
land development. Um, so if those
conditions could be modified to to work
with planning as we go through land
development, I think that'd be our
preference.
>> How then let's do with with regard to
condition three for them to consider
because that's the other one with the
sidewalk. How right applicant should
reconstruct all sidewalks
um to the full width and which is really
the issue, right? The width is that
>> that's that's correct. We're trying to
make it we we would prefer to make it
consistent with phase one and and keep
them aligned with phase one for kind of
consistency in that neighborhood.
Certainly understand where where Jeff is
coming from and so we can continue to
have that conversation. I think you know
these these two groups work well
together.
At the end of the day, uh, you know, the
city engineer is in charge of, uh,
public rights away. Um, if the city
engineer feels the proposed sidewalks
are sufficient, you know, that'll be up
to them to make, uh, that no comment in
their review of the case. Uh, or if they
agree with the planning bureau or some
somewhere in the middle. Uh, so I think
that can definitely be coordinated in
future discussions with the applicant
and with the, uh, city engineers office.
Okay. Yep.
>> Okay.
you guys want to discuss or any anybody
uh here else that wants to com uh
comment on this application.
Okay.
All right. And what I would say right is
the approval then with condition one and
two. Okay.
>> Great.
>> Say okay. All right. Uh, do I have a uh
a motion to approve application uh 2640
uh for the special exceptions and the
dimensional variances with conditions
one and two stated by the planning
commission?
>> Motion.
>> Okay. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I
>> Okay,
then uh it's approved and I will get
that decision out to you.
>> Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Thank you.
>> All right.
Then just
>> let's just wait till they go because I
wanted to though discuss the first one
because
let me just in going through that first
one that applicant that owner
um if you go through and you look
through the the deeds it seems like he
then recently sold it again to somebody
else. So, which I don't then know who
that person is. Meaning that
who's on there isn't even then the owner
of it on the application. So, if we were
going to consider it, I would then
recommend you know what that that
applicant that owner who's listed on it
isn't even then the owner on it who
signed the application who would be then
the authorizing that and the architect
to pursue the zoning relief. That's not
even the owner anymore. And then I have
the um
let's see
it is okay application 2628
>> that it was then the deed establishing
this the the the owner listed on the
application that was uh October 2025.
And then since then there was another
deed established by the owner listed on
the application who then sold it to a
Levi Fiser who I don't know who it is or
anything like that that
perhaps that I don't know if that means
anything of why that person isn't here
today.
So, uh I actually kind of just
remembered after we had discussed it at
the beginning of tonight's meeting, uh
the applicants had last week said that
they that the property owner wanted to
come and attend the meeting, which they
hadn't been. They had had representation
of the project team. So, they want he
wanted to come and attend and wasn't
able to do so at tonight's meeting. So,
they did want a continuence. Um, and I
think we'll be able to sort these
>> as long as then as long as then they did
contact you, you get it in writing
>> then with them.
>> Okay. Then that's
fine because it was by by the way the
the the recommendation from the planning
bureau and the planning commission is
approval right with
>> correct right and all that conditions.
So, um, if, uh, you know, if that's the
case, because I would obviously if
somebody was here, they could explain,
hey, listen, this is actually the person
who was even the one that was going to
construct or develop the property into
the multif family dwelling unit, all
that type of thing. You know what I
mean? Then then that would explain it.
So, if you want to then uh consider
their request for, you know, for a
continuence, Mr. Knight will secure that
also though in writing. Um, but it does
seem like at least the request came
through to you because the thing that I
didn't want was just an architect being
here and not anybody else because that
doesn't Yeah, that's that's a little
risky then to sit there and do it's just
somebody like that.
>> There were there were other represent
representatives of the of the project at
the planning commission meeting, but it
was just the architect that was uh
presenting. um fine,
>> but and I can and like I said, um I they
informally asked for the continuence,
but I don't I didn't I can't recall what
the email said, whether it was like a
formal I do hereby request a
continuence. Uh but I will work with the
applicants to make sure that that
language comes that they can submit a
email with that language and I will
forward that to the zoning hearing board
once that's received. I would imagine I
would get that by tomorrow or Wednesday
at the latest.
>> Okay.
But I think at least to be safe tonight
that that that
we have um you know that you consider
the board consider a request for
continuence of application 2628.
>> So question so you said they sent a
request in for continuance
um and mentioned that the owner
>> to attend
>> wanted to attend.
>> So you're talking about this new owner
or the applicant?
>> Well, that's what I'm not sure of. So I
didn't I don't know. maybe the new
owner, maybe it's, you know, with it was
transferred within a company from like
one arm to another. I I'm not sure.
>> And that's what I don't know. You know,
some of them, you know, list like it was
a company in LLC that then this person
is, you know, within, you know, within
it and it just happens to be like, hey,
he's going to hand, you know, if it was
something like that that I couldn't
tell.
What I was expecting was they were going
to be here and I was going to then be
able to sit there, you know, and ask and
it may have been cleared up,
>> right?
>> Sir, you know, you know, fine. It'd be
different if it was like, you know,
recommended and this is kind of, you
know, you know, kind of thing, but it
is, you know,
>> recommendation is that since there's
some confusion here
that anything,
you can help clear it up. Right. And you
could even bring that up with them. They
sit there and say, "Hey, listen. You
know what? Uh that that I brought it up
that seems to be, you know, transferred
to this, you know, one person, make sure
that person is the one who's there."
>> Yeah. I I'll make sure I I'll make sure
I convey to them that they need to
reconcile the ownership issue to ensure
that they have legal standing to be
heard
>> because everything else could be, you
know, really could be fine. So yeah,
>> but uh how about a motion then to uh
grant the continuence of application
2628 to the um what is the June the the
the June zoning here board meeting?
>> Motion.
>> Okay. Do I have a second?
>> All in favor?
>> I
>> Okay.
>> Y
motion to adjurnn.
>> Motion to
the May 18th zoning board meeting.
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