A Music School Dispute Continues

A dispute between two Chestnut Hill businesses didn't quite get the resolution their owners were expecting when they went before the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment on Dec 12.

at 8505 Germantown Avenue, went before the zoning board Wednesday after filing an appeal against the city's Licence and Inspections department, which approved Maplewood Music to move in at 8507 Germantown Avenue, right next to his practice.

Ever since the music school established itself in July, Mendlow's practice has been suffering, he told the board.

"My professional life in Philadelphia depends on this." he said. "My professional life in Philadelphia depends on this." "I've been [at my Germantown location] for 35 years. I've invested over 400k into the space. I have been sensitive to the historic nature of the building and I've never disrupted my neighbors."

The main problem, according to Mendlow, is noise coming from the school. Mendlow claimed that drum and piano sounds have been so loud in his office that he has had patients ask to leave.

"One business shouldn't be allowed to come in and drive away another," he said "It's costing me income and business."

According to Joe Flemming, a representative of L&I, the application for the music school was approved because it fell under a "personal service and instruction" distinction that allows for one-on-on instruction.

Rich Rudin, the owner of Maplewood Music, said that his musical school was not structured like a k-12 classroom and, as such, was protected under the personal use distinction.

"There are four individual rooms and every room never has more than one teacher and one student per room," he said. "It isn't a school. Personal use allows for lessons and that's what this is."

The zoning board opted not to rule on the appeal after no party was able to produce a copy of the music school's original application. Once that document is found, this dispute will likely continue.