2000 Snyder Cleanup

Provided the rain holds off, we'll be cleaning the 2000 block of Snyder this week!

We'll meet Saturday (11/1) at 10am at the corner of 20th & Snyder and pick up trash for about an hour.

There's only one other cleanup this year, and then we'll start again in the spring.  Hope to see you there!

11/1    2000 Block of Snyder
11/15  2100 Block of Snyder

WPNA - NEWBOLD Tree Pruning Event, Saturday, October 25, 2014

Please join us for the fourth installment of the WPNA - Newbold Tree Pruning Series of events.
We will be meeting at the Lambert Garden, corner of West Passyunk Ave. and Lambert Street, south side, at 10:00am. on Saturday, October 25, 2014. We will be be working with certified arborist, Brice Dorwart.
We will start at the garden then work our way on to the 2200 block of South 22nd Street.
Come out and meet some neighbors and do some greening!

1900 Snyder Cleanup

We'll be working on the 1900 block of Snyder this week!

We'll meet tomorrow (10/18) at 10am on the corner of 19th and Snyder and pick up trash for about an hour.

The schedule until mid-November is below.  After that, we'll be stopping until spring.  If it's raining one Saturday, we'll just skip that block and get back to it on the next round.  Hope to see you there!

10/18 1900 Block of Snyder

11/1   2000 Block of Snyder
11/15 2100 Block of Snyder

CANCELLED: 2400 Snyder Cleanup

Due to the weather forecast for tomorrow, there will be no cleanup of Snyder this week.  Join us in two weeks for the 1900 block!

The schedule until mid-November is below.  After that, we'll be stopping until spring.  If it's raining one Saturday, we'll just skip that block and get back to it on the next round.  Hope to see you there!

10/4   CANCELLED 

10/18 1900 Block of Snyder

11/1   2000 Block of Snyder
11/15 2100 Block of Snyder

Cleanup of South Bucknell

We need your help on Bucknell Street this Sunday, September 21st, at 1pm!

After picking up 70 (!) bags of leaves and trash on the 2300 block of South Bucknell back in April, we're going to pick up the trash again before the leaves fall.

Bucknell before the April cleanup

Let's do this again!

On Sunday the 21st, we'll meet at 1pm at Ritner & Bucknell (between 23rd and 24th) and work our way north to Wolf.  There will be gloves, brooms, shovels, and bags.

Hope to see you there!

2300 Snyder Cleanup

We'll be working on the 2300 block of Snyder this week!

We'll meet Saturday (9/20) at 10am on the corner of 23rd and Snyder and pick up trash for about an hour.

The schedule until mid-November is below.  After that, we'll be stopping until spring.  If it's raining one Saturday, we'll just skip that block and get back to it on the next round.  Hope to see you there!

9/20   2300 Block of Snyder

10/4   2400 Block of Snyder

10/18 1900 Block of Snyder

11/1   2000 Block of Snyder
11/15 2100 Block of Snyder

Zoning Update: Minutes & Decision from 8/28/14 Meeting: Letter to ZBA

Here is the letter sent to the ZBA announcing our decision.

September 12, 2014

 

To: Julia Chapman, Chair Zoning Board of Adjustment

      Ken Chan

      Steve Cobb, Director of Legislation, Office of Kenyatta Johnson         

 

2001 S. Opal St.

Re: Appeal # 23385

Permit # 545223

 

           

 Dear Julia Chapman,

 

On August 28, 2014 the applicant in the above referenced case met with our organization. Based on the outcome of that meeting and after careful deliberation, our organization supports the applicant’s request for a variance.

We base our support for the variance for the following reasons:

 

·         The costs of retro-fitting dry cleaning equipment to comply with regulation barring the use of perchloroethylene are prohibitive for the property owner

·         The demand for commercial space at this location is weak as it located off of the main commercial corridors

·         The community has expressed their preference for having the building renovated and occupied as a single family dwelling rather than remaining vacant indefinitely.

 

If you require any further information from our organization, please feel free to contact us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Peter Curran

West Passyunk Neighbors Association

Zoning Update: Minutes & Decision from 8/28/14 Meeting

Our Zoning Committee met with the owners of the property at 2001 S Opal St. and community members to discuss their proposal to convert the property from a CMX-2, mixed-use, commercial/residential property to a single family dwelling. The meeting minutes, which include the community and committee votes can be viewed below. For those who do not wish to read the full minutes, the community vote was 3 in support, 1 neutral and 0 opposed. The committee vote was unanimous in support.

WEST PASSYUNK NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION

ZONING MEETING MINUTES

August 28, 2014

 

A public zoning meeting hosted by the Zoning Committee of the West Passyunk Neighbors Association (the “Association”) was held at 7:00PM at the 1st District Police Station, 2301 S. 24th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145.  In attendance were committee members Peter Curran, Jennifer Harrison, and James McMillan (the “Committee”), the applicants Hoa Duong and Su Hoa Hoac (the “Applicants”), the applicant’s representative Ken Chan (“Representative”), and members of the public.  

 

The issue addressed was consideration of the zoning application concerning 2001 South Opal Street.  The application was for a change of zone from mixed-use commercial to single-family residential.

 

Committee member Mr. Curran began the meeting by introducing the issue and noting that attendees present must live within the Association’s boundaries to vote on the issue.  He then opened the floor to the Representative and Applicant.

 

The Representative began by stating that the property had previously been used as a dry cleaning business.  Due to the operator’s not feeling well and the requirement to register new dry cleaning machinery, the applicants want to convert the property into a single-family dwelling where the owner can reside.  He also stated that this would be better for the neighborhood, since there would be brand new exterior siding and windows on the building.  Initially they thought upgrading the dry cleaners would be easy but it cost a lot of money.  He then presented pictures of the property for viewing.  When the Representative had concluded his presentation, questions and comments from the Committee and then the public were heard.

 

Mr. Curran asked if the applicants had sought another commercial tenant in the past.  The representative stated that they had for the last three or four years but had been unable to find one.

 

Ms. Harrison asked if the requirement to replace dry cleaning equipment was because of perchloroethylene.  The applicants confirmed this and presented a letter from the city regarding the requirement.  They stated that the machine was costly and unwieldy to purchase.

 

A citizen asked if the applicants would only use the building as a single-family dwelling.  The Representative confirmed that they would.

 

A citizen inquired why the applicants would not just rent the top floor and put a restaurant space on the bottom floor.  The Representative responded that the conversion of the bottom floor into a restaurant would require major renovations including a large bathroom and handicap-accessible facilities, which would be very costly.

 

A citizen asked when the construction would take place.  The Representative answered that, assuming the Zoning Board approves the conversion, the Building Department already had the plans and should take about 20 days to be approved, after which construction would begin.

 

A citizen commented that the residents of 1909 McKean Street did not receive notice of the meeting.  Mr. Curran acknowledged that Mr. McMillan had done a brief survey of addresses in the notice range and had discovered that some had received notice of the meeting from the Applicants while other residences had not.  This was attributed to a misunderstanding on the part of the Applicants.

 

A citizen asked if there would be and major construction or demolition, expressing concern for children that play in the neighborhood.  The Representative stated that there would not be major construction, such as demolition of exterior walls.  They will go through the Streets Department to do some work around the exterior of the premises, but would likely put siding on the exterior walls and would not tear down any walls.

 

No further questions or pertinent comments being forthcoming, ballots were cast by eligible members of the public present on whether to support, oppose, or remain neutral regarding the Applicant’s application.  The results of the public vote were three supporting, one neutral, and none opposed.  No further business being required, Mr. Curran adjourned the meeting.  After the meeting, the results of the Committee vote were all three supporting.

 

__________________________

 

James McMillan, Secretary

West Passyunk Neighbors Association

2200 Snyder Cleanup

We'll be working on the 2200 block of Snyder this week!

We'll meet Saturday (9/6) at 10am on the corner of 22nd and Snyder and pick up trash for about an hour.

The schedule until mid-November is below.  After that, we'll be stopping until spring.  If it's raining one Saturday, we'll just skip that block and get back to it on the next round.  Hope to see you there!

9/6     2200 Block of Snyder

9/20   2300 Block of Snyder

10/4   2400 Block of Snyder

10/18 1900 Block of Snyder

11/1   2000 Block of Snyder
11/15 2100 Block of Snyder

WPNA - NEWBOLD Tree Pruning Event, Saturday, September 6, 2014

Please join us for the third installment of the WPNA - NEWBOLD Tree Pruning Event. We will be meeting on the corner of 22nd and Wolf Streets at 10:00am on Saturday, September 6, 2014. We will be working with a certified arborist, Brice Dorwart. We will start on the 2200 block of South 22nd street and go on from there. It should last about two hours. Come out and meet some neighbors and do some greening!