Zoning cases continue to be presented virtually at the Greater Bustleton Civic League, which this week crossed from phone conferences to Zoom.
Residents heard from developers who want to turn the abandoned gas station at 9042 Roosevelt Blvd. into a bank with a drive-through and 17 parking spots. The parcel of land is zoned residential, unlike other surrounding plots at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Welsh Road, which are zoned CMX2, which allows for retail and service uses.
Under the current zoning the landscaping would be required to have a 20-foot setback from all lot lines, which would render the parcel essentially useless, applicant Jared Klein said. The current zoning code also doesn’t allow for the signage Klein applied for.
Neighbors were generally receptive to the idea of a bank at that parcel of land, but stressed the need for quality landscaping and clear signage to avoid accidents from turning vehicles.
GBCL members will have a week to submit their support or oppose votes.
In other news, in light of the city’s second shutdown, GBCL president Jack O’Hara urged residents to continue to social distance, wear masks and wash hands. The 19115 ZIP code, which includes Bustleton, has had more than 1,500 positive cases since the pandemic began.
Following the recent second Civic Design Review meeting concerning the UPS warehouse at 1 Red Lion Road, which members of the GBCL have vocally opposed since its announcement, O’Hara said the next step is for neighbors to make their case to prove the warehouse is not a good fit for the neighborhood to the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
“I want to keep everyone’s expectations in check. The probability of us being successful in stopping this project is pretty slim,” he said. ••
