Friday, May 22, 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,
My name is Juan Perez, Director of Operations at Esperanza Health Center (EHC). Esperanza is a
Federally Qualified Community Health Center that is located adjacent to the junkyard.
I am writing to state my opposition to 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, I 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." A significant portion 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).

Hunting Park Office | 4417 N. 6th Street | Philadelphia, PA 19140-2319 | Tel: (215) 302-3600 | Fax: (215) 807-8951
Kensington Office | 3156 Kensington Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19134-2400 | Tel: (215) 831-1100 | Fax: (215) 831-0500
5th Street Office | 2940 N. 5th Street | Philadelphia, PA 19133-2801 | Tel: (215) 221-6633 | Fax: (215) 221-5644
www.esperanzahealth.com

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.
Esperanza Health Center generally opposes any junkyard in such close proximity to our place of
business. Additionally, we are opposed to this recycling center/junkyard obtaining this variance. The
recycling center in its present use has damaged our property (fencing) in multiple areas, and the present
management has refused to take ownership for repair. The facilities are poorly maintained, is a visual
eyesore and a large contributor to the dust, dirt and sound pollution in the surrounding area. The
junkyards history of illegal activity and non-compliance to zoning regulations gives little assurance that
safeguards against salvage yard contaminants, such as Freon, asbestos and lead, are being
maintained. Such toxins pose real health risks to a community. This Esperanza site sees more than
23,000 medical visits per years and we are concerned for the potential health threats to our population
and surrounding community being adjacent to this junkyard. Also of concern is the increased illegal
dumping and non- maintenance of the corridor leading to the health center, travelled by many
pedestrians, which is incited by the appearance and lack of oversight and security of the
junkyard. Furthermore, the loosely piled debris, without appropriate wall/supports in the junkyard, is a
concern considering the close proximity of our operations with the junkyard.

Esperanza Health Center has been a partner in the Hunting Park communitys endeavor to actively
change the dynamics of this dying industrial corridor into an area that supports community
wellbeing. Many businesses, community organizations, churches, day care centers and medical centers
have taken over the abandoned industrial sites. The recycling center/junkyard is not a contributor, but
actually a detractor, of health, wellness and revitalization to the surrounding area.

In addition to these technical disqualifications for the applicants proposed use of 532 W. Annsbury
Street, please know that the Hunting Park community overwhelmingly opposes this application on the
grounds that 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.
Sincerely,
Juan Perez,
Director of Operations
215-807-8616
Hunting Park Office | 4417 N. 6th Street | Philadelphia, PA 19140-2319 | Tel: (215) 302-3600 | Fax: (215) 807-8951
Kensington Office | 3156 Kensington Avenue | Philadelphia, PA 19134-2400 | Tel: (215) 831-1100 | Fax: (215) 831-0500
5th Street Office | 2940 N. 5th Street | Philadelphia, PA 19133-2801 | Tel: (215) 221-6633 | Fax: (215) 221-5644
www.esperanzahealth.com