The Greater Bustleton Civic League at its recent meeting considered a zoning variance sought by the owners of a rancher at 1503 Creswood Road.
A storage shed was in the rear yard when the owners bought the house. They are seeking to build an open, roof-covered patio adjacent to the shed. The proposed 379-square-foot structure is well above the allowable 130 square feet.
The sister of the owner of a side property on Northeast Avenue grilled the owners on their plans. The Northeast Avenue resident was unable to attend the meeting, but filed a letter of opposition.
Opponents of the plan said the shed and the proposed patio are along the property line and worry about roof water runoff onto other properties.
The in-person vote was 26-13 in favor of the variance, but opponents claimed that some of the people voting were neither GBCL members nor immediate neighbors.
In the end, the combined vote of in-person and Zoom attendees was 29-14 in favor of the plan. The support comes with provisos that the shed will not be used for any contracting business and that the rain runoff will remain on the applicant’s parcel.
A scheduled Oct. 1 zoning board hearing was continued.
In other news from the Sept. 25 meeting:
• City Controller Christy Brady addressed the group. She was joined by aide Jill Henon. Brady, of Fox Chase, was elected in 2023 to fill the remainder of the term of Rebecca Rhynhart, who resigned to run for mayor. She is running for a four-year term this year. Brady encouraged members to sign up for her newsletter at https://controller.phila.gov/other-identifiers/municipal-money-matters/
Brady said that her audit of the city Department of Licenses and Inspections revealed that some inspectors are not certified. Her office is looking at speed bumps to see if they are too high or have an improper grade. The bumps, she said, can be no higher than 4 inches. To complain about speed bumps, email [email protected]
• Jacki Mowery, director of the Philadelphia Visitor Center’s Phambassador program, said she is hoping for 10,000 Phambassadors heading into next year’s activities celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday. Right now, there are 5,700 Phambassadors, who are needed to tell visitors how special Philadelphia is. Next year’s activities will include March Madness, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, six World Cup soccer games and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Rocky. To sign the “I Brotherly Love youse” pledge, visit Phambassador.com
• The 7th Police District was represented by Capt. Steven O’Brien and community relations officer Al Fiorentino. O’Brien said a man was arrested for a gunpoint robbery of a DoorDash driver on the 2200 block of Emerson St. A black male wearing a mask punched a driver in the face on the 11000 block of Ferndale St., dragged him out of the vehicle and stole it. The vehicle was recovered in the 14th Police District. There were residential burglaries on the 8500 block of Rising Sun Ave., 9800 block of Cowden St. and 2200 block of Tremont St.
• State Reps. Sean Dougherty, Anthony Bellmon and Jared Solomon will hold a shredding and e-cycling event on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Roosevelt Mall. Call 215-331-2600.
Dougherty was in attendance at the meeting, along with his chief of staff, Viktor Kagan.
Others in attendance included Sean Roche, district director for state Sen. Joe Picozzi; Alice Udovich, an aide to City Councilman Brian O’Neill; and Tom Campion, of the Neighborhood Community Action Center, at Hayes Playground, 9850 Roosevelt Blvd.
• Future meetings of the Greater Bustleton Civic League will take place on Oct. 28, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. at American Heritage Credit Union, 2060 Red Lion Road. ••
