March 19, 2015

Honorable Julia Chapman, Chair

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Municipal Services Building, Room 1130
1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19102-1687
RE: 532 W. Annsbury Street - Calendar #24548, Application #580863
Dear Chairwoman Chapman,
Hunting Park United is a group of residents and friends of Hunting Park uniting to improve our
community. Founded in 2009, Hunting Park United has played a significant role in the revitalization of
Hunting Park including the building of two new playgrounds, construction of a new baseball field,
construction of a new community garden, launching of the Hunting Park Farmers Market, planting of
more than 200 trees, installation of new interior park lighting, the construction of TEAM Vick Field, and
the forthcoming rehabilitation of the Hunting Park snack stand.
Hunting Park United opposes the zoning appeal for 532 W. Annsbury Street, which will be heard by the
Zoning Board of Adjustment on May 20, 2015 at 5pm. The applicant cannot satisfy the burden of proof
required by 14-303(7)(e)(.1) and, therefore, we request that you deny appeal #24548 on the following
grounds:

14-603(9)(b) states that "Junk and salvage yards and buildings may not be located within 150 ft.
of any Residential district." The majority of 532 W. Annsbury Street is within 150 ft. of a Residential
district.

14-603(9)(c) requires that "a masonry wall, not less than eight ft. in height and not more than 12
ft. in height, shall be constructed and maintained in good condition around all property boundaries
abutting a zoning district other than I-3 or I-P. There may be no stacking of material above the height
of the masonry wall... ." The entire front, rear, and much of the westerly border of the property at 532
W. Annsbury Street has no masonry wall of any kind and is therefore in violation of this requirement.
Moreover, the applicant is currently stacking material above the height of the incomplete masonry wall
which does exist.

14-603(9)(d) requires a junkyard to be "landscaped in accordance with 14-705(2)" which states

"At least one street tree per 35 ft. of linear frontage shall be provided. The front of 532 W. Annsbury
Street is 140 linear feet and provides zero street trees of the three required by Philadelphia zoning code
14-603(9)(d).

www.HuntingPark.org


14-603(9)(f) states that "No outdoor industrial processes involving the use of equipment for
cutting, shredding, compressing, or packaging may be conducted within 300 ft. of a Residential district."
The entirety of 532 W. Annsbury Street is within 300 ft. of a Residential district.
Moreover, 14-303(7)(d) requires the applicant to show that the granting of a special exception will not
cause detrimental impacts to the neighborhood through burdening schools, parks, or other public
facilities and 14-303(7)(e) seeks to prevent the impairing or permanently injuring of the use of adjacent
conforming properties.
The Hunting Park neighborhood contains a comeback park with nearly $5MM in new capital
improvements, an expanding business corridor on North 5th Street, a promising plan for the
development of Hunting Park Avenue, and a thriving hub of businesses, churches, schools, nonprofits,
and health facilities among the interior neighborhood streets.
532 W Annsbury Street sits in the middle of all of this exciting community momentum, but its owners
and operators have burdened the Hunting Park community with a track record that includes:

Criminal charges and convictions related to illegal dumping and causing a public nuisance at 532
W Annsbury Street
Repeat, ongoing violation of the Philadelphia Zoning Code (See case numbers 105753, 95934,
55001, 55008, 55098, 154099, 264985, 104594, 348822, 107524, 57370, 104569, 277634,
410290, 415481, and 264838).
Excessive real estate tax delinquency of $129,627.98 as of this writing

When questioned at the April 9, 2015 RCO meeting about the lack of required masonry wall in large
portions of the proposed junkyard area and after being read the exact wording of the code requirement
for a masonry wall around all property boundaries abutting a zoning district other than I-3 or I-P, the
applicant stated that Its not part of our plan at this time to build the minimally required wall.
You have been appointed to uphold the integrity Philadelphia Zoning Code which exists to preserve our
quality of life in neighborhoods like Hunting Park. The applicant cannot satisfy the burden of proof
required by 14-303(7)(e)(.1) and has, along with the property owners and past operators, clearly
demonstrated longstanding disregard for the Code and for our Hunting Park community.
Hunting Park United overwhelmingly opposes this application on the grounds that it does not satisfy the
technical requirements of the Philadelphia Zoning Code, it is inconsistent with Hunting Park
Neighborhood Strategic Plan 2022 developed as a collaborative community effort and formally accepted
by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, and it places an undue burden on all of us working to
make Hunting Park the kind of neighborhood we want to live, work, worship, and play in.
Sincerely,

Ryan Kellermeyer
Co-Founder, Hunting Park United

www.HuntingPark.org