November 2, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Upsal Street twin owner sent back to drawing board
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

The twin home at 31 W. Upsal St., in Mt. Airy, which is currently lacking its adjoining structure, will remain solo for a bit longer as the owner of its twin at 29 W. Upsal St., Ilya Chebotar, seeks a new architect and plans for the home’s design.

Chebotar, who plans to construct a home at 29 W. Upsal St., was reprimanded at a zoning committee of the West Mt. Airy Neighbors’ zoning committee in September for having begun construction on the site without permits.

David Auspitz, chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, ordered Chebotar to stop work at a hearing on Aug. 23, but neighbors present at the September meeting reported that work was still being done. Chebotar said it was just a temporary clean up, but promised to halt any further work on the property.

At that meeting, Chebotar presented plans for the twins, but WMAN’s zoning committee requested new ones after observing that the roof line of the proposed home at 29 W. Upsal St. was almost 10 feet shorter than the adjoining structure’s roof.

On Oct. 23, those plans were presented in a special meeting of the zoning committee, called because Chebotar’s ZBA hearing was the next day.

According to open discussion between the committee and the developer’s attorney, Arlene Threatt, the plans were a mess. The heights matched, but the stairs on the second floor layout did not line up with the first and third floor plans, windows were shown on the third floor layout that were not pictured on the outside façade drawing of the house and the house was now wider than the other house – causing a potential problem since the plan was to build upon the previous house’s narrower foundation.

“I’m not sure these plans reflect what you want to build, or what will be built,” said Ralph Pinkus, zoning co-chair.

Threatt was visibly annoyed that the architect was not present as planned, and agreed with the committee that the drawings were inaccurate.

“They are a disappointment, that’s all I can say,” Threatt said, adding that it seemed as if parts of the plans at various stages were grouped into the one set.

Despite Auspitz’s declaration at Chebotar’s last hearing that he did not want to have to continue this project again, WMAN’s zoning committee recommended the hearing be continued, allowing time for Chebotar to draw up new plans with a new architect.

Pinkus, who was at the ZBA hearing on Oct. 24, said that it “appeared that the ZBA had prior experience with this particular architect,” Zen Architects.

The continuance was given and a hearing scheduled for Dec. 22, Pinkus said.

WMAN expects that the developer will be ready to present new plans at its next regular zoning meeting on Dec. 6, said Laura Siena, WMAN executive director. Zoning committee meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. at Summit Presbyterian Church, Greene and Westview streets.

Also at the special meeting, WMAN’s zoning committee voted to support variances for Interim House Inc., a local drug treatment center for 25 women. Siena reported that neighbors had met with Interim House and they fully supported the center’s efforts to seek variances for a parking lot already used on its property, as well as the use of two buildings for an exercise room and art therapy studio.

At the initial meeting, neighbors complained of loud trash pick-ups and a lack of landscaping, but Siena said all problems were resolved amicably at the meeting, and neighbors expected WMAN to support the variances.

Contact staff writer Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or Kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.