Appellants Brief in Support of Overturning ZBA's Decision

7/23/2019 Appellants Brief in Support of Overturning ZBA's Decision

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In the Court of Common Pleas

First Judicial District of Pennsylvania

Karen Lewis and CarmenBolden,

Appellants,

Statutory Appeal

v. September Term 2012

Philadelphia Zoning Board ofAdjustment

and

City of Philadelphia

City Law Department1515 Arch St, 16th FloorPhiladelphia PA 19102,

Appellees.

No. 120900976

Statutory Appeal

Re: Zoning Board CalendarNo. 17519 (1942, 1944, 1946-48, 1950-52 and 1954-58 N.Front Street).

Order

Today, this day of 2013 , u pon

consideration of the parties briefing, and aer a hearing was held,

it is hereby ordered that the decision of the Zoning Board of Ad-justment is reversed, and the Womens Community Revitalization's

request for a variance is denied.

:

HON. IDEE C. FOX

Case ID: 12090

Filed and Attested by

PROTHONOTARY

04 APR 2013 04:01 pm

L. OWENS


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A. Jordan Rushie.

[email protected]. Id. 209066Mulvihill & Rushie LLC2424 East York Street Suite 316Philadelphia, PA 19125215.385.5291 Attorneys for Appellants

In the Court of Common PleasFirst Judicial District of Pennsylvania

Karen Lewis and CarmenBolden,

Appellants,

Statutory Appeal

v. September Term 2012

Philadelphia Zoning Board ofAdjustment

and

City of Philadelphia

City Law Department1515 Arch St, 16th Floor

Philadelphia PA 19102,Appellees.

No. 120900976

Statutory Appeal

Re: Zoning Board CalendarNo. 17519 (1942, 1944, 1946-48, 1950-52 and 1954-58 N.Front Street).

Appellants Brief In Support of Overturning the ZBAs Decision

1. Introduction

As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days.The rising of the women means the rising of the race.No more the drudge and idler -- ten that toil where one reposes,But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and roses! Bread and roses!

- James Oppenheim

Case ID: 12090
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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2. Facts

The area under the Berks Street El subway is zoned commerciallyfor a reason it is not the most suitable place for people to live.

However, the Womens Community Revitalization Project (WCRP)wants to demolish historical Kensington bank buildings situated inthe area and build 25 low income residential units. These families

will live under the noisy Berks El subway station, and their chil-

drens back yard will be busy North Front Street next to a bar.

Not only should the less fortunate have a better place to live, butWCRPs proposal will hamper commercial development in an areaexperiencing revitalization.WCRP commissioned a study in 2011acknowledging that there are 93 businesses operating close to wherethis project was proposed1. But perhaps more telling is what

WRCPs 2011 study does not acknowledge any commercial devel-opment that occurred aer the study was conducted. This new de-

velopment includes the Kensington High School for the PerformingArts, Liberty Choice Deli (which is directly across the streetom

the property), Feast Your Eyes Catering, Kung Fu Neck Tie, andthe Blue Line Market. Existing businesses like the El Bar and TheAlley Bar have recently been renovated. The area around the BerksEl is experiencing a commercial revitalization consistent with therevitalization of the Fishtown and East Kensington neighborhoods.The WRCP cannot seriously argue it is impossible to use the prop-erty for commercial purposes considering this recent development,

which includes a brand new market directly across the street.WCRPhas offered no evidence that commercial use of the property is anunnecessary burden, and WCRP has never even placed this propertyon the open market.

Karen Lewis, et. al. v. Zoning Board of Adjustment, et. al.Brief in Support of Overturning Decision of ZBA

2

1 See studyom Urban Partners, who was retained by WCRP. Exhibit A.

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Furthermore, local neighborhood organizations held meetings withthe developers, and those neighbors overwhelmingly voiced theiropposition. On May 9, 2012, Fishtown Neighbors Association, EastKensington Neighbors Association, and Norris Square Civic Asso-ciation held a joint community meeting2. The community voted 61against the project, and only 21 in support. The only communityorganization supporting the project, Norris Square, has a financialinterest in the project it holds a mortgage on the property. (Ex-hibit B). The banks also have significant historical value, and were

placed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Exhibit C).Destroying these buildings will have an adverse impact not only onthe appellants properties but the community as a whole.

It is not a battle against low income housing like WRCP contends.This is about sensible urban development, historic preservation,and treating Philadelphias low income residents with basic humandignity. Taking into account the amount of vacant land in the sur-rounding neighborhood that could be utilized for low income hous-ing, the revitalization of Front Streets commercial corridor, andthe historical value of the bank buildings, this project is does not

warrant a variance.

The neighborhoods deserve better and their residents deserve bet-ter.

3. Legal Argument

1942 N. Front Street is located in a district zoned C-2 under the


3

2 Fishtown Neighbors, East Kensington Neighbors, and Norris Square Civic have

concurrent jurisdiction over the property. It is on the border of all three neigh-borhoods. Exhibit D.

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former Philadelphia Zoning Code3. L&I refused their applicationbecause (1) residential dwellings are not permitted under 14-303(2)(a) of the Code, and (2) the Code required 25 accessoryparking spaces while only 10 were provided. On March 9, 2012,

WCRP filed an appeal and requested a use variance, claiming theproperty cannot be used for commercial purposes. The variance wasgranted by the ZBA on August 14, 2012. The appellants contendgranting the variance was an error.

A party seeking a variance must show that (1) an unnecessary burdenwill occur if the variance is not granted, and (2) the variance willnot be contrary to the public interest. Socy Created to Reduce Urban Blightv. Zoning Bd. of Adjustment, 787 A.2d 1123 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2001)(SCRUB, Amtrak Appeal).

The unnecessary hardship must arise om the particular physicalsurrounding, shape, or topographical conditions of the specificstructure or land involved. Section 14-1802(1)(a) of the ZoningCode. See also Section 910.2(a)(1) of the Pennsylvania Municipali-ties Planning Code (MPC) (requiring that a zoning board find un-necessary hardship due to physical circumstances of conditions

before granting a variance). Furthermore, the unnecessary hardshipmust be unique to the property rather that a hardship arisingomthe impact of zoning regulations on an entire district. Soc'y Created toReduce Urban Blight, 787 A.2d at 1126. The party seeking the variancebears the burden of proving that (1) unnecessary hardship will re-sult if the variance is denied, and (2) the proposed use will not becontrary to the public interest. Valley View Civic Assn v. Zoning Bd. of Ad-

justment, 501 Pa. 550, 555-556 (Pa. 1983).

WRCP has not demonstrated an unnecessary burden, nor has itmets its burden of demonstrating that the variance is not contrary to


4

3 Under the new Zoning Code it is zoned CMX-2.

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public interest.

a.WCRP has offered no evidence of an unnecessary hard-ship

WCRP offered no evidence that it cannot develop the property inaccordance with Section 14-303(2)(a). Accordingly, the varianceshould have been denied. Tioga United, Inc. v. Zoning Bd. of Adjustment,2011 Pa. Commw. Unpub. LEXIS 16 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011) is al-

most identical to this case. In Tioga United, the applicant sought avariance under section 14-303(2)(a) of the Code. The ZBA granteda use variance permitting the applicant to construct seven attachedsingle-family homes on a tract of land in the Tioga section of Phila-delphia. The trial court overturned the ZBAs decision. In uphold-ing the trial courts reversal, the Commonwealth Court held that theappellant:

failed to satisfy its burden to prove that it could notdevelop the Property in accordance with the zoningordinance.

Further, New Life's reliance upon the purported

understanding of City Council and other City agen-cies and officials regarding New Life's intended useof the Property is misplaced in the context of a pure

variance request. The sole consideration is whetherthe Property itself has some fundamental physicalcharacteristic that prevents development in accor-dance with the zoning ordinance. New Life has failedto demonstrate such a hardship. Accordingly, weconclude that the trial court did not err in conclud-ing that the ZBA incorrectly determined that NewLife was entitled to a use variance. Tioga United, Inc. v.Zoning Bd. of Adjustment, 2011 Pa. Commw. Unpub.


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LEXIS 16, 13-14 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011)

WCRPs own study acknowledged that there were 93 businesses in

the area as of 20114. On the same block is a brand new deli, a thri

store, the Berks El, a bar, and a tire shop. WRCP has pointed to no

fundamental characteristic preventing itom developing the prop-

erty in accordance with the Code. This is hardly an area where

commercial development has been rendered impossible:

Blue Line Market, 1832 N. Front Street


6

4 Exhibit A

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Liberty Choice Market, 1947 N. Front Street

Further, WCRP is requesting a use inconsistent with the rest of thesurrounding area. Assuming the property could only be used forresidential purposes, which is not the case, the variance does notrepresent the minimum departure om the terms of the zoning or-dinance necessary to permit reasonable use of the property. WCRPis proposing high density residential units. The units behind FrontStreet are mostly single family town homes. There is no reason

WRCP could not build a project with less units. In addition, WCRPcould simply put commercial use on the first floor of the units andresidential on the top.Accordingly, the variance should be denied,and this Court should overturn the ZBAs decision.


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b. The variance is contrary to public interest

The requested variance is contrary to public interest. The ZBA

erred by finding that the registered community organization sup-

ports this project. Specifically, in Paragraph 14, the ZBA found that

Mr. Beauvis pointed out two letters of support, one om Youth

United for Change and the Norris Square Civic Association, which

is the registered community organization. Norris Square Civic

Association is not the only community organization with jurisdic-tion. There is concurrent jurisdiction over this project with East

Kensington Neighbors Association, Fishtown Neighbors Associa-

tion, and Norris Square Civic Association. (Exhibit D). The only

community organization to support this project, Norris Square,

sold the property to WCRP, and holds a mortgage on it. In addi-

tion, Youth United for Change is headquartered in a building

owned by Norris Square. (Exhibit E). The surrounding commu-

nity does not support this project.

Additionally, this project is contrary to public interest for several

other reasons. First, it will hamper commercial development al-ready occurring in the area. Neighbors testified that this project will

reduce the amount of parking, and add too many new residents that

the neighborhood cannot accommodate. (See N.T. 8/8/12 at 26,

34) Second, WRCP can use existing vacant land for this project,

which Philadelphia and East Kensington have no shortage of.

Third, these buildings have significant historical value and are

worth preserving. They are listed on on the National Register of

Historic Places (Exhibit B).

But most importantly, relegating the Citys low income residents

into second rate living conditions under the El subway undermines


8

Case ID: 12090


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Certificate of Service.

I, A. Jordan Rushie, certify that I served a copy of Appellants Brief

in Support of Overturning the ZBAs Decision to Grant a Variance

on the following parties:

Darwin Beauvis, Esquire1818 Market Street, 13th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19103-3638

Darin J. Steinberg, Esquire8080 Old York Road, Suite 215

Elkins Park, PA 19027

A. Jordan Rushie

Dated: Thursday, April 4, 2013


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Exhibit A

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Exhibit B

Case ID: 12090


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4/4/13 11:2earch Results

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Search ResultsYour search returned 8records.Page 1 of1 is displayed.Your Search Criteria was:Any Book Number; Any Page Number; Any Document Type; Any Document Code; Any Grantor oGrantee; and House # equals 1942;and Street Name equals FRONT;and Designation equalsST;and Direction equals N;Search from 01/01/1974; Search through 03/28/2013; Limit my results10 Recordings per page;

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DocumentID

DocumentCode

Date Grantor Grantee Legal

41023374 DEED 03/10/1983 INDUSTRIALVALLEY BK - TR

VILLANUEVAJACK

House # 1942 Direction N Street NamFRONT Designation ST BRT:183222110 BRTSTCD: 352001942 N FRONT ST ETAL

47665536 MORTGAGE 12/19/1996 NORRIS SQUARECIVIC

ASSOCIATIO

PHILADELPHIAURBAN FINANCECOR

House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STBRT: 183222125 BRTPAR: XBRTSTCD: 35200 015N21-0393

48012591 MORTGAGE 01/30/1997 NORRIS SQUARE

CIVICASSOCIATIO

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URBAN FINANCECOR

House # 1942 Direction N Street Nam

FRONT Designation ST BRT:183222125 BRTPAR: X BRTSTCD:35200 015N21-0358House # 1944 Direction N Street NamFRONT Designation ST BRT:INVALIDNO BRTPAR: X BRTADDR:BRTSTCD: 35200 015N21-0337House # 1946 Ext 48 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STBRT: INVALIDNO BRTPAR: XBRTADDR: A BRTSTCD: 35200015N21-0045House # 1950 Ext 52 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STBRT: INVALIDNO BRTPAR: XBRTADDR: A BRTSTCD: 35200015N21-0022

52179957 DEED 02/24/2010 NORRIS SQUARECIVIC

ASSOCIATION

COMMUNITYJUSTICE LAND

House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STPREMISES "A" 015N21-0358House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STPREMISES "B" 015N21-0337House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STPREMISES "C" 015N21-0045House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STPREMISES "D" 015N21-0022House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation STPREMISES "E" 015N21-0389

52179958 MORTGAGE 02/24/2010 COMMUNITYJUSTICE LAND

NORRIS SQUARECIVIC

ASSOCIATION

House # 1942 Ext 58 Direction NStreet Name FRONT Designation ST

52179959 SATISFACTIONOF MORTGAGE

02/24/2010 PHILADELPHIAURBAN FINANCECORPORATION

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ASSOCIATION


52179960 SATISFACTIONOF MORTGAGE

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ASSOCIATION


52558619 DEED 11/09/2012 COMMUNITYJUSTICE LAND

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Consol/Sub C House # 1942 DirectioN Street Name FRONT Designation COVERS PARCELS 22, 45, 337, 358389 015N21-0400

Case ID: 12090
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Exhibit C

Case ID: 12090


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Exhibit D

Case ID: 12090


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Exhibit E

Case ID: 12090


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45501086 DEED 01/03/1992 CORESTATESBANK N A

NORRIS SQUAREECONOMIC DE

House # 1904 Direction N Street NamFRONT Designation ST BRT:183221210 BRTSTCD: 35200 015N2011835200 01904 N FRONT STHouse # 1906 Direction N Street NamFRONT Designation ST BRTSTCD:35200 015N21-011935200 01906 N FRONT STHouse # 1908 Direction N Street Nam

FRONT Designation ST BRTSTCD:35200 015N21-038335200 01908 N FRONT ST

50732546 MORTGAGE 08/11/2003 NORRIS SQUAREECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

PNC BANKNATIONAL

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House # 1904 Direction N Street NamFRONT Designation STHouse # 1906 Direction N Street NamFRONT Designation STHouse # 1908 Ext 22 Direction N StreName FRONT Designation ST

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Documents

Appellants Brief in Support of Overturning ZBA's Decision