Category: Business

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4800 Frankford Avenue Zoning Hearing November 14th

Opioid Treatment Crisis

The official zoning hearing at the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) for the application by Wedge Medical to open a 16 unit residential facility at 4800 Frankford Avenue will be held on November 14th at 2 PM at 1515 Arch Street.

4800 Frankford Avenue

Why is this important?  The Frankford NAC is the RCO (Registered Community Organization) for our area.  That group held a meeting in October where Wedge presented their case for support for the project to the community.  There was almost universal opposition to the project.  The results of that meeting were then forwarded to the ZBA.

The ZBA on the 14th will render a final decision on the application.  They could go against the wishes of the community and give the project the green light.  Your attendance at this meeting will add weight to the results of the community meeting.

There are several reasons why I oppose this project.

  • We all know that there is an opioid crisis.  In Frankford, there is an opioid treatment crisis.  We have too much of it to meet the needs of the people from Frankford.  Frankford is overwhelmed with people in treatment and many are not from here.  Last year I met a young man on the Avenue.  He asked me where he could find something and we got to talking.  He said he was in a treatment program.  I said where are you from.  He said he was from Lancaster and had never been here before.  I asked how did he end up in Frankford and he said his caseworker had no openings in Lancaster but found a spot in Frankford.  I hope his treatment was successful.
  • At the community meeting with Wedge, they were asked if all the residential spots would be for Frankford residents.  Wedge said they do not control who gets the spaces.  They have to accept whoever is referred to them.
  • Somewhere in City Hall, they are tracking addiction and when they see there are a lot of people with addiction living somewhere, a light bulb goes off and they say let’s put another treatment facility there.  So with our many fine treatment facilities, it looks like the addiction problem is very high but the reality is that is is high because of all the treatment facilities that they have already allowed to move in.  It becomes a cycle the feeds on itself and there is no end in sight.
  • If you want to buy drugs in Frankford, go to Foulkrod Street and Frankford Avenue.  That is exactly where the location of the planned facility sits.  Even the few people I know who support the new facility acknowledge that this is the worst possible location for it unless you really don’t care whether these folks succeed or fail in their treatment.

If you decide to attend the meeting on the 14th, do not expect to be in and out.  These things can take time and I have yet to be at one that runs on time.  On the other hand, your voice can make a difference.  I’ll be there, it is too important to miss. Will you be with me?

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Frankford NAC Approves Dyre, Bridge and Orthodox

At the Frankford NAC zoning meeting on November 8th, the group approved 3 applications and continued two.

1713 Dyre Street –  PERMIT TO CONVERT AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLD LIVING TO A SINGLE ROOM RESIDENCE – Legalization of a rooming house.- Approved 

2008 Orthodox Street – PERMIT FOR FOUR (4) FAMILY DWELLING (MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING) IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE – Approved for three family dwelling, not four.

2001 Bridge Street – PERMIT FOR USE AS PERSONAL SERVICE ON THE FIRST FLOOR FRONT WITH MULTI-FAMILY (FOUR (4) DWELLING) HOUSEHOLD LIVING UNITS IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE. NO SIGNS ON THIS APPLICATION – Approved

4101-07 Paul Street – PERMIT FOR THE EXTENSION OF A TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT WITH SEATING FROM 1ST FLOOR TO 2ND FLOOR AND RETAIL SALE OF MALT BEVERAGES IN AN EXISTING ATTACHED STRUCTURE –  Continued. Owners and residents decided to go back and find a volume level that would be suitable for both the owner and residents.

4500-14 Frankford Avenue – SPECIAL EXCEPTION/PERMIT FOR THE RELOCATION OF LOT LINE TO CREATE ONE(1) LOT “PARCEL A” FROM FIVE(5) OPA ACCOUNTS ( 4500 FRANKFORD AVE,4502 FRANKFORD AVE, 4506 FRANKFORD AVE, 4510 FRANKFORD AVE AND 4510R FRANKFORD AVE) AS FOLLOWS: “PARCEL A”: APPLICATION IS FOR THE ERECTION OF THIRD STORY ADDITION OF AN EXISTING STRUCTURE WITH PILOTHOUSE FOR THE EXTENSION OF EXISTING GROUP PRACTITIONER TO the THIRD FLOOR AT BUILDING # A AND EXTENSION OF GROUP PRACTITION AT CELLAR AND EXISTING GROUP PRACTITIONER AT FIRST FLOOR IN BUILDING# B. SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN IN THE APPLICATION – continued till December

The next Frankford NAC zoning meeting will be held on December 13th at 7 PM at the Second Baptist Church, 1810 Meadow Street.

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Coming Up at the Frankford NAC Zoning Meeting

The Frankford NAC zoning meeting will be held on November 8th at 630 PM at Second Baptist Church, 1801 Meadow Street.

The following properties are up for review:

1713 Dyre Street – PERMIT TO CONVERT AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLD LIVING TO A SINGLE ROOM RESIDENCE – Legalization of a rooming house. (Stephanie Scully’s property)

1713 Dyre Street

2001 Bridge Street – PERMIT FOR USE AS PERSONAL SERVICE ON THE FIRST FLOOR FRONT WITH MULTI-FAMILY (FOUR (4) DWELLING) HOUSEHOLD LIVING UNITS IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE. NO SIGNS ON THIS APPLICATION – Application for personal service on the first floor with a four family dwelling.

2001 Bridge Street

2008 Orthodox Street – PERMIT FOR FOUR (4) FAMILY DWELLING (MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING) IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE. – Application for a four-family dwelling

2008 Orthodox Street

4101-07 Paul Street – PERMIT FOR THE EXTENSION OF A TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT WITH SEATING FROM 1ST FLOOR TO 2ND FLOOR AND RETAIL SALE OF MALT BEVERAGES IN AN EXISTING ATTACHED STRUCTURE – continued from last month

4101-07 Paul Street

4500-14 Frankford Avenue – (Clinic on Frankford) – SPECIAL EXCEPTION/PERMIT FOR THE RELOCATION OF LOT LINE TO CREATE ONE(1) LOT “PARCEL A” FROM FIVE(5) OPA ACCOUNTS ( 4500 FRANKFORD AVE,4502 FRANKFORD AVE, 4506 FRANKFORD AVE, 4510 FRANKFORD AVE AND 4510R FRANKFORD AVE) AS FOLLOWS: “PARCEL A”: APPLICATION IS FOR THE ERECTION OF THIRD STORY ADDITION OF AN EXISTING STRUCTURE WITH PILOTHOUSE FOR THE EXTENSION OF EXISTING GROUP PRACTITIONER TO the THIRD FLOOR AT BUILDING # A AND EXTENSION OF GROUP PRACTITION AT CELLAR AND EXISTING GROUP PRACTITIONER AT FIRST FLOOR IN BUILDING# B. SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN IN THE APPLICATION. – Application to erect a third story addition and pilot house. Combined lot lines into one OPA account. Extra space will be used for the expansion for mental health services, general practitioner services.

4500-14 Frankford Avenue

Those attending the meeting must have proof of residence to vote.

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Frankford Votes No for a New Recovery House

It was a packed house at the Frankford NAC zoning meeting on October 11th at Second Baptist Church.

  • 4501 Castor Avenue – PERMIT FOR THE ERECTION OF A DECK IN AN LOT WITH AN EXISTING SHOPPING CENTER WITH STRUCTURES AND USES AS PREVIOUSLY APPROVE. THE PROPOSED DECK WILL EXTEND AN EXISTING NIGHTCLUB AND PRIVATE CLUB LOCATED IN UNIT 8. NO CHANGES TO EXISTING PARKING. The issue is that the Makumba Restaurant and Bar, in the Juniata Plaza shopping strip, is zoned properly but the area in the rear of the restaurant where they built an outdoor dining area is not.  They need a variance to legalize the use of that part of their property.  There was no community opposition.  

    Makumba Restaurant and Bar

  • 1633 Orthodox Street – PERMIT FOR MANUFACTURING/PREPARATION OF PUDDING AND SWEETS (LIMITED INDUSTRIAL), RETAIL SALES OF PUDDING AND SWEETS (RETAIL SALE OF FOOD, BEVERAGES AND GROCERIES), CATERING SERVICES (CATERING AND COMMISSARY SERVICES) AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE SAME (WHOLESALE AND DISTRIBUTION) ON 1ST FLOOR STORE FRONT WITH VACANT ACCESSORY ATTACHED GARAGE AND PROPOSED TWO (2) FAMILY DWELLING ABOVE IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.  State Representative Jason Dawkins owns the property and applied to have the commercial use of the building legalized. It is zoned residential but has been in commercial use for as long as anyone can remember.  It was originally used by Dawkins grandfather for his business.  There was unanimous support for the change.

    1633 Orthodox Street

  • 4800 Frankford Avenue – PERMIT FOR THE ERECTION OF AN ADDITION TO AN EXISTING ATTACHED STRUCTURE (WITHOUT A CHANGE TO THE EXISTING BUILDING FOOTPRINT; ADDITION AT 2ND/3RD STORY), SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN ON PLAN/APPLICATION. FOR USE AS SINGLE-ROOM RESIDENCES (SIXTEEN (16) ROOMS FOR MAXIMUM SIXTEEN (16) RESIDENTS), THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING; NO SIGNS ON THIS PERMIT.  This is an application by Wedge Recovery Services to operate a recovery home in the building for 16 young men.  There was significant community opposition which was expressed during a 30-minute discussion. The issues raised centered on the wisdom of putting the facility on one of the most active and crime-plagued drug corners in Frankford.  Residents voted to oppose the application.

    4800 Frankford Avenue

  • 4101-07 Paul Street – PERMIT FOR THE EXTENSION OF A TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT WITH SEATING FROM 1ST FLOOR TO 2ND FLOOR AND RETAIL SALE OF MALT BEVERAGES IN AN EXISTING ATTACHED STRUCTURE – This is a new operator of the business who took over 6 weeks ago. There was significant opposition from neighbors of the business.  Representative Dawkins offered to host a meeting between the applicant and the neighbors to see if their issues can be resolved.  The case has been continued until next month’s meeting.

    4101-07 Paul Street

    The next Frankford NAC zoning meeting will be held on November 8th at 7 PM at the Second Baptist Church.

 

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Frankford NAC Zoning Meeting October 11th

Zoning Agenda for Frankford NAC meeting on Thursday, October 11, 2018, at the 2nd Baptist Church 1801 Meadow Street”

4501 Castor Avenue – PERMIT FOR THE ERECTION OF A DECK IN AN LOT WITH AN EXISTING SHOPPING CENTER WITH STRUCTURES AND USES AS PREVIOUSLY APPROVE. THE PROPOSED DECK WILL EXTEND AN EXISTING NIGHTCLUB AND PRIVATE CLUB LOCATED IN UNIT 8. NO CHANGES TO EXISTING PARKING.

4501 Castor Avenue Unit 8

 

1633 Orthodox Street – PERMIT FOR MANUFACTURING/PREPARATION OF PUDDING AND SWEETS (LIMITED INDUSTRIAL), RETAIL SALES OF PUDDING AND SWEETS (RETAIL SALE OF FOOD, BEVERAGES AND GROCERIES), CATERING SERVICES (CATERING AND COMMISSARY SERVICES) AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE SAME (WHOLESALE AND DISTRIBUTION) ON 1ST FLOOR STORE FRONT WITH VACANT ACCESSORY ATTACHED GARAGE AND PROPOSED TWO (2) FAMILY DWELLING ABOVE IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.

1633 Orthodox Street

4101-07 Paul Street – PERMIT FOR THE EXTENSION OF A TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT WITH SEATING FROM 1ST FLOOR TO 2ND FLOOR AND RETAIL SALE OF MALT BEVERAGES IN AN EXISTING ATTACHED STRUCTURE

4101-07 Paul Street

4800 Frankford Avenue – PERMIT FOR THE ERECTION OF AN ADDITION TO AN EXISTING ATTACHED STRUCTURE (WITHOUT A CHANGE TO THE EXISTING BUILDING FOOTPRINT; ADDITION AT 2ND/3RD STORY), SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN ON PLAN/APPLICATION. FOR USE AS SINGLE-ROOM RESIDENCES (SIXTEEN (16) ROOMS FOR MAXIMUM SIXTEEN (16) RESIDENTS), THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING; NO SIGNS ON THIS PERMIT.

4800 Frankford Avenue

All photos from Google street view.