Tonight at the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center, the Passyunk Square Civic Association heard the following cases and came to the decisions given below.
1. 1304-06 S. 9th St. (aka the Metro PCS store at 1303-05 E. Passyunk Ave.)
Applicant is seeking to legalize the current use – cell phone retail store. Committee voted 6-0 in non-opposition with the provisos that the applicant secure a permit for the canopy sign, remove the roll down grate and replace with one that conforms with the city regulations and consider removing imposing bulletproof glass from inside of store. ZBA hearing date is currently scheduled for Tuesday, January 24 at 9:30am.
2. 1323-25 S. Warnock St. (aka Attention 2 Detail car detailing)
Applicant is seeking a variance to allow for use as an auto detailing shop and to obtain permit for a sign. Committee voted 6-0 in non-opposition.
Applicant originally began his business traveling to clients to power wash and detail their cars at their location. He used the garage on Warnock to keep his van. Last spring a few of his clients stopped by at various times to see if they could get their cars done. After this had a happened a few times, others from in the neighborhood began inquiring about getting their own cars cleaned and detailed. Soon the business at the Warnock Street site picked up and became as large or more than the mobile business. Since he started off as a mobile business, he didn’t have any experience with zoning and was recently told by an L&I inspector who saw the business in operation that he would need a variance given the single-family residential zoning of the property. Based on his accounting of how he runs his business and absent any opposition from the immediate neighbors, the committee voted 6-0 in non-opposition with the provisos that auto painting, auto body work, degreasing, and engine cleaning would not be allowed and there would be no compressors or loud noise before 10:30am, and no Sunday hours. Applicants ZBA hearing is February 15, 2012 and calendar number is 16469.
3. 1132-34 S. 9th
Informational presentation only to inform committee and neighbors (of which there were none in attendance) of plans to expand Connie Ric-Rac into the property next store to its current location in order to set up a kitchen and additional restaurant style seating. There will be no breach between the two properties. Patrons of Connie’s will be provided table service such that wait staff will bring food from next door to the current space. The new space also allows for others who aren’t patronizing Connie’s for a show to stop in and try what the proprietor assures will be a dining experience unlike any other in South Philly. Their next step is to schedule a hearing with the ZBA to receive their referral (note: not a refusal… a referral essentially means that permission is granted for the proposed use and the burden of proof to disallow the use falls on any opposition to prove a harm, rather than the burden being on the applicant to prove a harm should the proposed use NOT be allowed). They will be back in front of the civic association Zoning Committee for an official vote in the future.
