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Writer's picturePPNA
Jul 25

July 8, 2024 Community Meeting




6:30PM Welcome

  • Butcher's Hill resident, owner and renovator of Charmed Kitchen

  • Bought double wide property at 101-103 N. Patterson Park Avenue (the former Grace's Acre)

  • Intent of project

    • First floor cafe similar to Charmed Kitchen

    • Added basement bar

  • About a year and a half ago there was ambiguity of how many units were zoned for the project and asked the zoning board permission for five units

    • Context: any time you want to add business to residential property, you have to ask the permission of the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals (BMZA).

    • Applied for a state loan to develop commercial properties in a residential area but financial situation is such that the project is a little more tenuous, which brings him to the PPNA meeting in asking to add density (extra units) to the project.

    • Current project: cafe, bar, 6 apartments

    • Ask: cafe, bar, 9 apartments (an additional three units although no extra bedrooms because some of the 6 units are 2-bedrooms being converted into two 1-bedroom units).

  • Questions:

    • Will any be affordable housing? - No

    • Is the concern for parking and that there will be less space on the streets? - Yes, there is only one parking area and that should be reserved for the restaurant space

    • Will there be external lighting/seating? - Yes

    • How many bedrooms? - No excess mass is being requested, it's just that a two bedroom unit would become two one bedroom units

    • How long will that bar be open for? - We don't have an MOU yet. The cafe will likely close at 9, the bar will probably close later but we're not sure what time yet; definitely earlier than 2am

    • What would you expect the difference in the timeframe would be if you do add to the density? - My intent was to ask the community their thoughts on excess units while waiting for the loan in August


6:58: Micaela Perez Ferrero

  • Love Your Block Grant proposal requires a 501c3 sponsor and she has asked for $1,500 to replace string lights bulbs; can PPNA do this?

    • PPNA Board unanimously votes yes.

  • If other blocks would like to apply for this item there's no limit

7:04PM Jamie DeMarco - Chesapeake Climate Action Network

  • https://chesapeakeclimate.org/meet-a-ccaner-jamie-demarco/

  • We are currently under a heatdome and this is expected to continue. Schools have days that they are unable to operate and need to be updated - currently, we taxpayers are the ones to bear the price of these updates

  • RENEW ACT: https://ccanactionfund.org/renewact/

    • This legislation proposes that the international corporations including but not limited to fossil fuels pay a one time fee to update said schools, cooling centers, and other extreme climate events

  • Q: How are these companies not based in Maryland but still subject to Maryland laws? A: These corporations sell their products in Maryland and this legislation would use a similar mechanism as tobacco/opiate settlements

  • Similar legislation recently passed in Vermont and is in the New York senate

  • Attendees took a vote on whether to support the RENEW Act.

    • All in Favor of PPNA Endorsing the RENEW Act: 31

    • All in opposition: 0


7:13 Haydee Bautista from Department of Public Works (DPW)


7:25 Regarding safety issues at Fairmount and Clinton vacant properties

  • Former president of PPNA spoke about the issues that he sees.

  • Fairmount and Clinton currently have vacant properties owned by Highlandtown 2 LP that are occupied by squatters. Yesterday (7/7/24) there was a shooting in the area related to said property. He would like to rally the community around making that area safer and involving more police presence

  • Police statement that most they can do at this time is put on boards but we will continue to work with Zeke Cohen's office. Offer to take a safety walk to the area and view the property. Recommendation to "get rid" of those vacant properties.

  • Ethan Hasiuk from Zeke Cohen's Office:

    • What is the city doing for vacants?

      • We've been working on getting the houses reboarded

      • We'd like to have a meeting with the councilman, president + vice president of the neighborhood org and move the proceeds forward. We need to make solid contact with the owners to get approval for alley gating

      • We are getting additional citations on the property

      • Legislation is in the works to increase the property tax rates on vacant buildings

  • PS: Need Help? Harm Reduction Sites in Baltimore



Announcement!

Invitation to Family Game Night Starting August 1, 2024



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