Planning, Development and Transportation on October 16, 2026
2026-10-16

[0:48] FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS
[0:50] SHARON DURKAN, DISTRICT EIGHT
[0:51] CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE
[0:52] CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY
[0:53] COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PLANNING,
[0:54] DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION.
[0:55] TODAY IS OCTOBER 16TH AND THE
[0:57] EXACT TIME IS 10:02 A.M..
[1:00] THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED.
[1:01] IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE
[1:03] STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV BACKSLASH
[1:04] CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND
[1:06] BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL
[1:07] EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FIOS
[1:10] CHANNEL 964.
[1:12] WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO
[1:13] THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT SCORPIO
[1:16] LAND DEV@BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE
[1:18] MADE PART OF THE RECORD
[1:19] AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.
[1:20] PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN
[1:22] AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.
[1:23] INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON
[1:24] IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAVE
[1:25] SIGNED UP AND THEY HAVE TWO
[1:26] MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
[1:27] IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
[1:28] TESTIFYING IN PERSON, PLEASE
[1:29] ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP
[1:31] SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE
[1:32] CHAMBER.
[1:32] IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
[1:33] VIRTUALLY, PLEASE EMAIL OUR
[1:35] CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE
[1:36] PACK AT SHANE S H A AND E DOT
[1:41] PACK AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK
[1:42] AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO
[1:43] THE LIST.
[1:44] TODAY'S HEARING AND EXCUSE
[1:46] ME I'M GOING TO BE THE CLERK
[1:47] FOR A SECOND.
[1:48] I HAVE TO READ ALL OF THESE, UH
[1:50] ,APPOINTMENTS.
[1:50] TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET
[1:53] 1515.
[1:53] MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR THE
[1:55] CONFIRMATION OF THE
[1:55] REAPPOINTMENT OF GIOVANNI
[1:57] VALENCIA AS A MEMBER OF THE
[1:58] ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL FOR A
[1:59] TERM EXPIRING MAY 1ST, 2027.
[2:02] DOCKET 1516 MESSAGE IN ORDER
[2:04] FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
[2:06] REAPPOINTMENT OF KATIE, WE WELL
[2:07] AS A MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD
[2:09] OF APPEALS FOR A TERM EXPIRING
[2:10] MAY 1ST, 2027 DOCKET 1517
[2:14] MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR THE
[2:15] CONFIRMATION OF THE
[2:16] REAPPOINTMENT OF ALAN ELLINGHAM
[2:17] AS A MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD
[2:19] OF APPEALS FOR A TERM EXPIRING
[2:20] MAY 1ST, 2028.
[2:22] DOCKET 1518 MESSAGE IN ORDER
[2:24] FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
[2:25] REAPPOINTMENT OF SHERRY AS A
[2:27] MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD
[2:28] OF APPEAL FOR A TERM EXPIRING
[2:29] MAY 1ST, 2029.
[2:31] DOCKET 1519 MESSAGE IN ORDER
[2:33] FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
[2:35] REAPPOINTMENT OF SHAMAYA TURNER
[2:37] AS A MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD
[2:38] OF APPEALS FOR A TERM EXPIRING
[2:40] MAY 1ST, 2029.
[2:41] DOCKET 1520 MESSAGE IN ORDER
[2:44] FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
[2:45] REAPPOINTMENT OF JEAN PINTO AS
[2:48] AN ALTERNATE MEMBER OF THE
[2:49] ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL FOR A
[2:51] TERM EXPIRING MAY 1ST, 2027.
[2:54] MESSAGE UM SORRY DOCKET 1521
[2:57] MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR THE
[2:58] CONFIRMATION OF THE
[2:59] REAPPOINTMENT OF DAVID COLLINS
[3:00] AS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER OF THE
[3:01] ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR A
[3:02] TERM EXPIRING MAY 1ST, 2028.
[3:05] DOCKET 1522 MESSAGE IN ORDER
[3:07] FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
[3:08] APPOINTMENT OF CARLA MONTERO AS
[3:11] AN ALTERNATE MEMBER OF THE
[3:12] ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR A
[3:14] TERM EXPIRING MAY 1ST, 2028.
[3:16] DOCKET 1523 PASSAGE.
[3:19] IN ORDER FOR THE CONFIRMATION
[3:20] OF THE APPOINTMENT OF PATRICK
[3:21] WALSH AS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER
[3:22] OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
[3:23] FOR A TERM EXPIRING NOVEMBER
[3:24] 1ST, 2028.
[3:27] DOCKET 1524 MESSAGE IN ORDER
[3:29] FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE
[3:30] APPOINTMENT OF WILLIAM
[3:30] MASTERSON AS AN ALTERNATE
[3:32] MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD
[3:33] OF APPEALS FOR A TERM EXPIRING
[3:35] MAY 1ST, 2029.
[3:36] THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY
[3:37] MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE
[3:39] COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 5TH 2026.
[3:41] UM WE ARE JOINED BY MY
[3:42] COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL
[3:43] RIGHT NOW JUST UH,
[3:44] COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY.
[3:46] UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
[3:48] IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO.
[3:49] UM, AS UH AS IN OUR COMMITTEE
[3:52] AS THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND
[3:54] TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
[3:55] IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO OVERSEE
[3:56] THESE NOMINATIONS TO SOME
[3:57] OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOARDS
[3:59] AND COMMISSIONS.
[4:00] THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL IS
[4:01] ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL
[4:03] APPOINTED BODIES IN BOSTON.
[4:04] IT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN
[4:05] SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY
[4:06] AND ENSURING WE CAN GROW WHILE
[4:08] PROTECTING OUR PAST.
[4:09] THE BOSTON ZONING CODE IS
[4:11] SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER AND MORE
[4:12] COMPLEX THAN OTHER CITIES
[4:14] OF SIMILAR SIZE, ACCORDING TO
[4:15] ZONING EXPERT SARAH BRONIN.
[4:17] IT IS BLOATED, OUTDATED,
[4:19] INCONSISTENT AND INEQUITABLE
[4:20] AND THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE
[4:22] BEFORE US TODAY ARE THE FOLKS
[4:23] THAT HAVE TO WADE THROUGH THOSE
[4:24] TOUGH DECISIONS CASE BY CASE AS
[4:27] A RESULT OF THE ZONING BOARD
[4:28] OF APPEALS CARRIES SIGNIFICANT
[4:30] RESPONSIBILITY IN DETERMINING
[4:31] WHEN TO GRANT RELIEF TO THESE
[4:33] REQUIREMENTS UM AND ENSURING
[4:35] THAT THESE DECISIONS SERVE THE
[4:36] BEST INTERESTS OF BOSTON
[4:37] RESIDENTS.
[4:38] BOSTON, LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE
[4:39] COUNTRY, FACES URGENT
[4:41] CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRE US TO
[4:42] BUILD MORE HOUSING AND ADDRESS
[4:43] OUR AFFORDABILITY CRISIS,
[4:45] MAKING OUR BUILDINGS MORE
[4:46] SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FOR
[4:47] CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECTING
[4:48] RESIDENTS FROM DISPLACEMENT.
[4:50] WE ARE HERE THIS MORNING TO
[4:51] CONSIDER NOMINATIONS OF TEN
[4:53] HIGHLY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS
[4:55] WITH EXPERTISE ACROSS PLANNING,
[4:56] DEVELOPMENT, ARCHITECTURE,
[4:58] CONSTRUCTION AND HISTORIC
[4:58] PRESERVATION WHO HAVE
[5:00] DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT AND
[5:01] CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY.
[5:02] THEIR PRIOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENTS
[5:04] INCLUDING THROUGH UH SERVING ON
[5:06] WHAT THEY'RE BEING REAPPOINTED
[5:08] FOR.
[5:08] THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR
[5:10] YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN
[5:11] SERVING OUR CITY AND TO THOSE
[5:12] BEING REAPPOINTED.
[5:13] THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED
[5:15] SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
[5:16] IT IS AN HONOR TO SERVE IN THIS
[5:17] CAPACITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
[5:19] HEARING MORE ABOUT WHAT DRAWS
[5:20] YOU INTO THIS WORK AND WHAT
[5:21] INFORMS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AND
[5:24] APPROACH.
[5:24] UM, WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE
[5:26] EACH NOMINEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
[5:27] INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SHARE
[5:28] A BIT ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND AS
[5:29] WE MOVE INTO QUESTIONS FROM
[5:30] COUNCILORS, WE ARE GOING TO
[5:32] START WITH OUR APPOINTEES AND
[5:33] THEN UM, SWAP PANELS TO HEAR
[5:35] FROM NEW APPOINTEES.
[5:36] UM, BEFORE WE DO THAT I WANTED
[5:38] TO GIVE UM COUNCILOR AND MURPHY
[5:39] A CHANCE FOR AN OPENING
[5:40] STATEMENT.
[5:41] THANK YOU.
[5:42] UM THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING
[5:44] HERE ON THIS RAINY FRIDAY
[5:46] MORNING.
[5:46] I APPRECIATE.
[5:47] YOU ALL BEING HERE.
[5:49] AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR
[5:50] HOLDING THIS.
[5:51] LIKE SHE SAID, WE.
[5:53] GET APPOINTMENTS TO SO MANY
[5:55] DIFFERENT BOARDS AND
[5:55] COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE CITY AND
[5:57] IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE.
[5:59] GIVE YOU THE RESPECT I.
[6:00] THINK ALSO CALLING IN SO THAT
[6:02] YOU CAN SHARE WITH US WHY THE
[6:04] MAYOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION
[6:06] THOUGHT.
[6:06] THAT YOU WOULD BE.
[6:08] WELL SUITED FOR THESE
[6:09] POSITIONS.
[6:10] A FEW OF YOU.
[6:11] I DO KNOW PERSONALLY I KNOW
[6:12] YOU SHERRY FOR YOU WORK AT
[6:14] TUFTS AND.
[6:15] IN.
[6:15] THE.
[6:15] CHINATOWN COMMUNITY.
[6:16] I KNOW PAT AND CARLA PERSONALLY
[6:18] ALSO.
[6:19] THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO
[6:21] IN THAT MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL
[6:22] WORK SPACE, LABOR.
[6:23] SPACE IT'S IMPORTANT.
[6:25] UM BUT OTHERS THAT I DON'T KNOW
[6:27] PERSONALLY I'VE READ THROUGH
[6:28] ALL THE RESUMES.
[6:30] IMPRESSIVE.
[6:30] SO I JUST WANT TO JUST AN
[6:32] OPENING STATEMENT BEFORE WE
[6:34] LISTEN TO YOUR.
[6:36] UM YOU KNOW, YOU SPEAK.
[6:37] BUT I WANT TO BEGIN BY
[6:39] RECOGNIZING THOSE.
[6:40] MEMBERS OF THE ZONING BOARD OF.
[6:41] APPEAL WHO ARE BEING CONSIDERED
[6:42] FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
[6:43] UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
[6:45] CONTINUED.
[6:45] SERVICE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON
[6:47] AND FOR THE TIME.
[6:47] COMMITMENT AND THOUGHTFUL
[6:49] CONSIDERATION.
[6:49] YOU BRING TO.
[6:50] THIS IMPORTANT
[6:51] RESPONSIBILITY.
[6:52] I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME THOSE.
[6:54] WHO ARE STEPPING FORWARD TO
[6:55] SERVE FOR.
[6:55] THE FIRST TIME.
[6:57] I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS.
[6:58] TO TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY
[6:59] AND.
[7:00] CONTRIBUTE YOUR TIME AND.
[7:02] EXPERIENCE TO THE CITY.
[7:03] THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
[7:05] PLAYS AN IMPORTANT.
[7:06] ROLE IN SHAPING OUR
[7:07] NEIGHBORHOODS.
[7:07] IN THE DECISIONS MADE.
[7:09] BY ITS MEMBERS HAVE A DIRECT
[7:10] IMPACT ON.
[7:11] RESIDENTS, HOMEOWNERS,
[7:13] BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES
[7:14] ACROSS BOSTON.
[7:15] AND I KNOW THIS WORK IS NOT.
[7:17] ALWAYS EASY.
[7:19] YOU'RE OFTEN ASKED TO BALANCE
[7:20] COMPETING INTERESTS AND MAKE.
[7:22] DIFFICULT DECISIONS, AND I.
[7:23] APPRECIATE THE.
[7:24] RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES
[7:25] WITH THAT.
[7:26] I'M LOOKING FORWARD.
[7:27] TO HEARING FROM ALL OF.
[7:28] YOU AND ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO
[7:30] VOTING.
[7:31] SUPPORTING YOUR.
[7:32] APPOINTMENTS WHEN IT COMES.
[7:33] UP AT OUR NEXT.
[7:33] MEETING ON WEDNESDAY.
[7:35] SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
[7:36] HERE.
[7:36] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[7:37] AND WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY
[7:38] COUNCILOR ED FLYNN.
[7:39] UM HE HAS UM A SORT OF YOU
[7:40] KNOW, IMPECCABLE ATTENDANCE IN
[7:42] THIS UH, COMMITTEE.
[7:43] SO JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING
[7:44] HERE AGAIN, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[7:46] AND, UH, WANTED TO GIVE YOU A
[7:47] CHANCE FOR AN OPENING
[7:48] STATEMENT.
[7:48] YEAH.
[7:49] THANK YOU.
[7:50] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[7:51] AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE, UH,
[7:54] PANEL THAT'S HERE I SUPPORT I
[7:57] APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A FEW
[7:58] MINUTES LATE.
[7:59] UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
[8:02] PROBABLY TO WORK WITH A LOT
[8:03] OF A LOT OF PEOPLE ON ON ON THE
[8:05] BOARD AND JUST WANT TO SAY
[8:07] THANK YOU TO YOU TO YOU FOR,
[8:10] UM, STEPPING FORWARD FOR THE
[8:11] WORK YOU'RE DOING.
[8:13] UM, SOMETIMES I AGREE WITH YOUR
[8:15] DECISION.
[8:15] SOMETIMES I MAY DISAGREE WITH
[8:17] YOUR DECISION BUT I RESPECT THE
[8:18] WORK YOU'RE DOING AND I THINK
[8:21] YOU ARE A CREDIT TO THE
[8:22] CITIZENS OF THE OF THE CITY, TO
[8:24] THE TO THE CITY ITSELF.
[8:25] AND I WANT TO SAY WANT TO SAY
[8:27] THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR
[8:29] LEADERSHIP AND HELPING BUILD A
[8:31] STRONGER BOSTON UM I DO WANT TO
[8:37] ACKNOWLEDGE UM.
[8:40] I REPRESENT DISTRICT TWO WHICH
[8:42] INCLUDES SOUTH BOSTON'S THE
[8:44] SOUTH END AND CHINATOWN.
[8:45] BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
[8:47] THE INCREDIBLE WORK AND THE
[8:50] COMMUNITY OF SHERRY AND YOUR
[8:53] COMMITMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[8:55] NOT JUST IN NOT JUST IN
[8:57] CHINATOWN BUT THROUGHOUT THE
[8:58] CITY BUT REPRESENTING, UH,
[9:01] PEOPLE IN NEED SUPPORTING
[9:03] FAMILIES.
[9:03] UM, YOU'RE YOU'RE A CREDIT TO
[9:05] YOU TO THE ZONING BOARD.
[9:08] YOU'RE A CREDIT TO TUFTS
[9:09] MEDICAL CENTER AND YOU CREDIT
[9:11] YOUR CREDIT TO THE CITY
[9:12] OF BOSTON.
[9:13] SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
[9:14] TO SHERRY, BUT SAY THANK YOU TO
[9:16] ALL OF THE MEMBERS HERE AND
[9:18] THOSE THAT WILL BECOME MEMBERS
[9:19] I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
[9:20] SUPPORTING UM, ALL OF THEM.
[9:23] UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[9:24] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[9:25] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[9:26] UM.
[9:26] AND JUST TO KEEP IT.
[9:27] UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
[9:29] DOCKETS I'M GOING TO GO IN THE
[9:30] ORDER IN WHICH THE DOCKETS WERE
[9:31] CALLED EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS
[9:33] AREN'T SITTING IN THAT ORDER.
[9:34] UM, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
[9:36] IS GIVE EACH OF YOU AN
[9:37] OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MORE
[9:39] ABOUT.
[9:39] YOUR WORK.
[9:40] YOU ARE ALL REAPPOINTMENTS
[9:41] SO UM SO UM I ALWAYS LIKE TO
[9:43] ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TALK ABOUT,
[9:45] YOU KNOW, WHAT BROUGHT THEM TO
[9:46] THIS WORK, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
[9:48] TO THEM WHAT ROOTS THEM IN
[9:49] COMMUNITY.
[9:50] UM, BUT I KNOW A FEW OF YOU
[9:51] HAVE REMARKS PREPARED.
[9:52] UM, AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T
[9:53] FEEL FREE TO JUST SPEAK OFF THE
[9:55] CUFF TO YOUR EXPERIENCE, UM,
[9:57] WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP IT
[9:58] TO AROUND TWO MINUTES BUT I'M
[10:00] NOT GOING TO TIME YOU SO THAT
[10:01] AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[10:03] ANY UH QUESTIONS FROM
[10:05] COLLEAGUES.
[10:05] DON'T BE SURPRISED BECAUSE
[10:07] WE'VE SEEN YOUR RESUME IS WE
[10:08] KNOW HOW QUALIFIED.
[10:10] YOU ARE.
[10:10] IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY VERY
[10:11] SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR YOU IN
[10:13] PARTICULAR, WHO KNOWS?
[10:14] WE MIGHT HAVE VERY SPECIFIC
[10:15] QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF YOU
[10:16] INDIVIDUALLY I DON'T KNOW, BUT
[10:18] UM BUT DON'T BE SURPRISED IF
[10:19] THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO
[10:20] SHARE ABOUT WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU
[10:23] DO.
[10:23] UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO START
[10:24] WITH GIOVANNI VALENCIA AND UM,
[10:28] JUST MAKE SURE TO BRING THE MIC
[10:29] TO YOU.
[10:29] YEAH.
[10:30] THANK YOU.
[10:30] ALL RIGHT.
[10:31] THANK YOU.
[10:33] YES OKAY.
[10:34] YES.
[10:35] GOOD MORNING.
[10:36] UM, CONSIDER.
[10:37] DURKAN GOOD MORNING, CITY
[10:39] COUNCILORS.
[10:40] I AM HONORED TO BE HERE WITH
[10:42] YOU AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
[10:44] TO REAFFIRM MY INTEREST IN
[10:46] CONTINUING TO SERVE OUR CITY AS
[10:48] A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON ZONING
[10:49] BOARD OF APPEAL.
[10:51] MY NAME IS GIOVANNI VALENCIA.
[10:53] I AM A PROUD COLOMBIAN AMERICAN
[10:54] CITIZEN WHO CHOOSE TO CALL THE
[10:57] CITY OF BOSTON MY HOME.
[10:58] HOW ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO SINCE
[11:02] IMMIGRATING TO THE U.S., I HAVE
[11:04] HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING AS
[11:06] A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER ACROSS
[11:08] MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
[11:10] INCLUDING IS BOSTON, JAMAICA
[11:11] PLAIN, ROXBURY THE SOUTH END I
[11:14] PARK IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD
[11:16] OF ROXBURY.
[11:18] I AM ALSO A BOSTON PUBLIC
[11:20] SCHOOL PARENT OF TWO KIDS AND
[11:23] MY WIFE WORKS FOR BPAS AS A
[11:25] DISTRICT SOCIAL WORKER.
[11:26] THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OF OUR
[11:28] NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
[11:29] I AM AN ARCHITECT IN A PLANNER
[11:32] BY TRAINING AND A COMMUNITY
[11:33] ORGANIZER BY CAREER CHOICE.
[11:36] FOR MANY YEARS I WORKED FOR
[11:38] COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
[11:40] CORPORATIONS PROMOTING THE
[11:42] CREATION AND PRESERVATION
[11:43] OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL
[11:45] AS A REHABILITATION OF BSI
[11:47] DEVELOPMENTS.
[11:49] OVER THE YEARS I HAVE LISTENED
[11:51] TO THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS SHARE
[11:53] THEIR NEEDS, FRUSTRATIONS AND
[11:55] HOPES TO LIVE, WORK AND REMAIN
[11:57] IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[12:00] HOW AN EXPERIENCED LIFE HERE AS
[12:02] A LONG TIME RENTER AND NOW AS A
[12:04] HOMEOWNER, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE
[12:07] IMMENSE CHALLENGES OUR
[12:09] RESIDENTS FACE IN FINDING
[12:11] AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR SIMPLY
[12:13] FINDING HOUSING AT ALL IN OUR
[12:15] CITY.
[12:17] WHEN I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION
[12:19] IN 2022 TO THE CBA USING THE
[12:22] CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
[12:23] WEBSITE, I HAD NO EXPECTATIONS
[12:26] OF EVER RECEIVING A CALL BACK
[12:28] FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
[12:29] BUT THEY DID AND I'M HERE
[12:32] BECAUSE OF THAT.
[12:34] I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
[12:35] EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION
[12:37] TO MAJOR MICHELLE WU FOR
[12:39] TRUSTING ME.
[12:41] AS A.
[12:42] COMMUNITY MEMBER WITH THIS
[12:44] RESPONSIBILITY AND FOR
[12:46] REAPPOINTING ME TO SERVE FOR AN
[12:47] OVERTURNED.
[12:50] OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS I HAVE
[12:52] ATTENDED MOST HEARINGS AND
[12:53] REVIEWED CLOSE TO 4000 CASES.
[12:56] WHILE MANY OF THESE APPEALS
[12:58] FOCUSED ON HOUSING, THE ZONING
[13:01] BOARD OF APPEALS ALSO REVIEWS
[13:03] CONDITIONAL USES FOR LOCAL
[13:05] BUSINESSES, BILLBOARDS, LABS
[13:07] AND MEDICAL FACILITIES, AMONG
[13:09] OTHER USES.
[13:11] EVERY PROPOSAL IS UNIQUE AND I
[13:15] AM CONFIDENT THAT MY COLLEAGUES
[13:16] AND I DO OUR BEST TO ENSURE OUR
[13:19] CITY MOVES FORWARD AND BECOMES
[13:21] MORE WELCOMING SPACE FOR
[13:23] EVERYONE AND FOR GENERATIONS TO
[13:24] COME.
[13:25] THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
[13:26] TO SHARE MY GREAT INTEREST IN
[13:28] CONTINUING THIS WORK.
[13:29] THANK YOU.
[13:30] THANK YOU SO MUCH GIOVANNI.
[13:31] UM NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[13:32] KATIE.
[13:33] WE WELL, UM KATIE IS MY
[13:35] CONSTITUENT UM AND ALSO UH,
[13:37] WORKS IN THIS, UH, WORK
[13:39] PROFESSIONALLY.
[13:40] SO, UM SO THANK YOU, UH, KATIE
[13:41] ,FOR LENDING YOUR EXPERTISE TO
[13:43] THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[13:45] THANK YOU.
[13:45] GOOD MORNING.
[13:46] COUNCILORS.
[13:46] UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND
[13:48] WORDS IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS.
[13:49] IT WAS.
[13:49] REALLY NICE TO HEAR.
[13:50] UH, MY NAME IS KATIE.
[13:52] WE WELL, I CURRENTLY LIVE IN
[13:54] THE WEST END AND I'M THE DEPUTY
[13:56] DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND
[13:57] DEVELOPMENT.
[13:58] FOR THE CITY OF NEW IN.
[13:59] I FIRST BECAME INTERESTED IN
[14:01] ZONING WHILE ENROLLED IN A
[14:03] PARALEGAL COURSE AT BOSTON.
[14:04] UNIVERSITY.
[14:05] UH, WHERE THE LAST MODULE
[14:07] WAS REAL ESTATE LAW.
[14:08] I REMEMBER BEING FASCINATED
[14:10] LEARNING ABOUT ZONING, THE
[14:11] BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE LEGAL
[14:13] PROVISIONS WHICH GOVERN LAND.
[14:15] I LATER WENT BACK TO SCHOOL FOR
[14:17] MY MASTER'S IN CITY PLANNING
[14:18] WITH THE GOAL OF WORKING IN
[14:20] MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT UH,
[14:21] BECAUSE OF HOW
[14:22] INTERDISCIPLINARY THE WORK IS
[14:24] THE INTERSECTION OF LAW,
[14:26] ARCHITECTURE AND GOVERNANCE
[14:27] OF HOW DECISIONS MADE AT THE
[14:29] LOCAL LEVEL IMPACT RESIDENTS
[14:31] HAS BEEN WHAT HAS DRIVEN MY
[14:33] WORK IN IDENTIFYING A CAREER I
[14:35] ENJOY IMMENSELY.
[14:38] MY EXPERIENCE IN NEWTON HAS
[14:40] PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON
[14:41] DEVELOPMENT REVIEW WHICH HAS
[14:43] PREPARED ME WELL FOR MY SERVICE
[14:45] ON THE BOARD.
[14:46] WHILE ZONING DIFFERS FROM
[14:47] COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY, I THINK
[14:50] OF ZONING AS ITS OWN LANGUAGE
[14:51] AND ONE I HAVE BECOME WELL
[14:52] VERSED IN OVER EIGHT YEARS UM
[14:55] THIS HAS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND
[14:56] THE FRAMEWORK AND NUANCES
[14:59] OF BOSTON ZONING AND THE CASES
[15:01] BEFORE THE BOARD WORKING IN A
[15:03] MUNICIPALITY ALSO AIDS IN MY
[15:04] WORK ON THE BOARD AS I
[15:06] UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT LAYERS
[15:07] AND ROLES OF CITY DEPARTMENTS
[15:09] THAT CAN BE INVOLVED IN
[15:10] PROPERTY SUCH AS PLANNING
[15:12] INSPECTIONAL SERVICES AND
[15:14] ASSESSING.
[15:15] I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD SINCE
[15:17] DECEMBER 2022.
[15:18] I ENJOY USING MY PROFESSIONAL
[15:20] TRAINING AS A PLANNER TO APPLY
[15:22] MY SKILLSET AND KNOWLEDGE TO MY
[15:23] SERVICE ON THE BOARD I REVIEW
[15:25] ALL OF THE MATERIALS ASSOCIATED
[15:27] ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPLICATION
[15:28] AND I STRIVE TO BE FULLY
[15:30] TRANSPARENT IN MY RATIONALE
[15:32] BEHIND MY VOTES TO FURTHER
[15:34] TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
[15:35] .
[15:35] I ENJOY WORKING WITH MY
[15:37] COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD AND I
[15:39] RESPECT THEM.
[15:39] THEIR DEDICATION AND
[15:41] PERSPECTIVE THEY BRING TO THE
[15:42] BOARD TREMENDOUSLY.
[15:43] I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
[15:45] QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR.
[15:46] CONSIDERING MY REAPPOINTMENT TO
[15:47] THE BOARD.
[15:48] THANK YOU SO MUCH KATIE.
[15:49] UM, NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[15:51] ALLEN LANGHAM.
[15:53] UM GOOD MORNING.
[15:54] I JUST WANT TO SAY GOOD
[15:55] MORNING TO THE CITY OFFICIALS,
[15:56] BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
[15:58] MAYOR MICHELLE WU FOR THIS
[16:01] OPPORTUNITY.
[16:02] UM, I'M A, UH I RECENTLY.
[16:04] RETIRED AS A LABOR AH AT LOCAL
[16:06] 22 OF NORTH AMERICA.
[16:08] MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF SERVICE.
[16:10] UM, I SERVED AS.
[16:13] BOTH A LABOR AS AN ALTERNATE
[16:15] FOR MORE THAN 25.
[16:17] YEARS AS AN.
[16:18] EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER AND AS
[16:19] STEWARD AND I.
[16:21] DEDICATE MYSELF.
[16:22] TO ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS
[16:24] HELPING THEM NAVIGATE COMPANY
[16:26] CULTURE AND ENSURING THEY FEEL
[16:28] RESPECTFUL, SUPPORTED AND
[16:29] VALUED AND THEIR ROLES.
[16:31] I'M A LIFELONG.
[16:32] RESIDENT OF BOSTON.
[16:34] I GRADUATED FROM BOSTON PUBLIC
[16:35] SCHOOL SYSTEM.
[16:37] I DID UH.
[16:38] MY SERVICE.
[16:39] REFLECTS AND EXTENSION
[16:40] INVOLVEMENT IN YOUTH
[16:41] DEVELOPMENT ATHLETIC COMMUNITY
[16:43] OUTREACH.
[16:45] I PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMS OF.
[16:46] THE FEED MILLS FOR THE.
[16:48] SENIOR CITIZENS AND I ALSO
[16:50] COACH BASKETBALL FOR A PROGRAM
[16:52] CALLED NO BOOKS NO FOR MORE
[16:54] THAN TEN YEARS I ALSO COACHED
[16:56] THE BOSTON RAIDERS POP WARNER
[16:58] PROGRAM UNDER THE WILSON
[16:59] FAMILY.
[17:00] COACHING FOOTBALL IS
[17:02] RECOGNITION FOR HIS OUTSTANDING
[17:03] COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND I MY.
[17:06] ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS WITH THE
[17:07] BOSTON RED SOX ORGANIZATION.
[17:09] I WAS AWARDED.
[17:10] LIKE A COMMUNITY.
[17:12] ADVOCATE HELPING OUT YOUTH.
[17:13] UH, BUT I'M ALSO.
[17:16] INVOLVED IN MY CHURCH.
[17:17] I GO TO GRANT AME CHURCH
[17:19] LOCATED AT 1906 1906
[17:22] WASHINGTON.
[17:22] STREET AND.
[17:23] I HAD BUT I DID A LOT
[17:24] OF ROLES IN THERE.
[17:25] I MEAN I STARTED A MENTOR
[17:26] PROGRAM FOR YOUNG KIDS
[17:28] BASICALLY I TRY TO HELP OUT
[17:29] MEANT UH.
[17:30] MENTORING THE YOUTH.
[17:31] IN BOSTON.
[17:32] UM.
[17:33] SO I JUST I JUST WANT TO.
[17:34] SAY THIS HAS BEEN A REAL
[17:36] WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY JUST EVEN
[17:38] WORKING WITH THESE PEOPLE HERE.
[17:40] AND I'M.
[17:40] LEARNING SO MUCH.
[17:43] ABOUT THE ZBA AND IT'S VERY
[17:45] INTERESTING.
[17:46] I WAS TELLING SOMEBODY.
[17:47] JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO I WISH
[17:49] I COULD HAVE.
[17:50] STARTED.
[17:50] THIS JOURNEY 30 YEARS AGO.
[17:52] YOU KNOW IT'S.
[17:53] VERY INTERESTING.
[17:54] I'M LEARNING A LOT AND I JUST.
[17:55] WANT TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS
[17:57] FOR TRUSTING.
[17:58] ME TO.
[17:59] HELP THIS CITY TO THE NEXT
[18:00] LEVEL.
[18:00] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[18:02] UM NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[18:04] SHERRY, MADAM CHAIR.
[18:06] GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
[18:08] AS YOU KNOW I LIKE TO I LIKE TO
[18:09] ASK OTHERS TO BE PITHY SO SO
[18:11] WILL I THANK THANK YOU, CHAIR
[18:13] DURKAN.
[18:13] THANK YOU.
[18:14] COUNCILORS UH, FLYNN AND MURPHY
[18:15] FOR FOR HAVING US TODAY.
[18:17] UH, SO MY NAME IS SHERRY AND
[18:19] I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE
[18:20] OF SERVING ON ZBA SINCE 2021.
[18:22] UH, FOR THOSE WHO KNOW, UH UH,
[18:25] I GAVE BIRTH THAT SATURDAY AND
[18:26] SERVED THAT TUESDAY.
[18:29] SO THANK YOU FOR ZOOM AND THANK
[18:31] YOU FOR ALLOWING UH FOR
[18:33] ACCOMMODATING UH FOR
[18:33] ACCOMMODATING THAT UH, IT'S AN
[18:36] HONOR FOR ME TO SERVE THE CITY,
[18:37] UH, THE CITY AND RESIDENTS
[18:39] OF BOSTON VIA ZBA I'VE LIVED IN
[18:41] BOSTON FOR UH, 30 PLUS YEARS,
[18:43] UH, IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND NOW IN
[18:45] DORCHESTER.
[18:46] AND AS FOLKS WHO KNOW ME,
[18:48] CHINATOWN, UH, IS MY CULTURAL
[18:49] HOME.
[18:50] IT'S MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME.
[18:51] UH, I HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD AND
[18:53] WHO ALSO KEEPS ME IN CHINATOWN
[18:55] ,SOUTH END AND ALL OVER THE
[18:57] CITY OF BOSTON, UH, ALL THE
[18:58] TIME.
[18:58] AND SO, UM, AS A COLLEGE
[19:00] STUDENT, I WORKED ON BEHALF
[19:02] OF CHINATOWN AND BOSTON'S ASIAN
[19:03] COMMUNITY THROUGH VARIOUS, UH,
[19:05] INTERNSHIPS WITH THE ASIAN TASK
[19:06] FORCE AGAINST DOMESTIC
[19:07] VIOLENCE, UH ASIAN AMERICAN
[19:09] RESOURCE WORKSHOP AND GREATER
[19:10] BOSTON LEGAL SERVICES.
[19:12] UH, I TRANSITIONED TO BOARD
[19:14] SERVICE UH WITH THE COMMUNITY
[19:16] AFTER I BECAME AFTER I WENT
[19:18] INTO PUBLIC SERVICE FOR MY DAY
[19:20] JOB.
[19:20] UH SO AND I CONTINUE TO SERVE
[19:22] ON VARIOUS UH, BOARDS UH, IN
[19:25] CHINATOWN INCLUDING UH, THE
[19:26] CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
[19:27] OF NEW ENGLAND CHINATOWN
[19:28] COALITION AND UH CHINATOWN
[19:30] NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AND SAFETY
[19:31] COMMITTEES.
[19:32] UH, SO I'VE DEVOTED MY CAREER
[19:34] TO PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT UH
[19:35] SERVICE STARTING WITH THE AG'S
[19:37] OFFICE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS
[19:38] DIVISION, UH, THE CITY
[19:40] OF BOSTON, UH, IN OWENS UH, YOU
[19:43] KNOW, EVERYBODY GOTTA START
[19:45] SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?
[19:46] SO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UH,
[19:47] HUMAN RESOURCES AND BOSTON
[19:49] REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND AND
[19:51] HAVE BEEN IN UM COMMUNITY
[19:53] HEALTH FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS,
[19:54] UH, 20 PLUS YEARS.
[19:55] AND SO ALL OF MY EXPERIENCES
[19:57] HAVE BEEN IN CONSTITUENT
[19:58] SERVICES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
[19:59] AND UH, HAS ALL LED ME TO UH TO
[20:03] THE TO THE ZBA AND AND MY
[20:05] SERVICE THERE AND KIND OF THE
[20:07] LENSES THAT I USE.
[20:08] SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THANK
[20:09] YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
[20:10] UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
[20:12] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[20:13] UM, SHERRY JEAN PINATA.
[20:18] UH, GOOD MORNING, COUNCILOR.
[20:19] DURKAN AND CITY.
[20:20] COUNCILORS FLYNN AND MURPHY.
[20:22] UM, MY NAME IS JEAN PINERO.
[20:24] I PROBABLY.
[20:25] THE.
[20:25] LONGEST SERVING MEMBER I WAS
[20:27] APPOINTED IN 2020 TO THE ZONING
[20:29] BOARD OF APPEAL.
[20:30] UM.
[20:31] AT THAT TIME I, UM, HAD JUST
[20:33] RESIGNED FROM BEING CEO
[20:34] OF MADISON PARK DEVELOPMENT
[20:35] CORPORATION FOR 21 YEARS.
[20:37] UM, WHERE WE WERE.
[20:39] YOU KNOW, REALLY.
[20:39] FOCUSED ON UH, DEVELOPING AND
[20:42] PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[20:43] AND DOING SOME COMMERCIAL
[20:45] DEVELOPMENT IN IN NUBIAN
[20:46] SQUARE.
[20:47] UM, I APPEARED BEFORE THE ZBA
[20:49] MANY TIMES IN THAT CAPACITY
[20:51] OVER PROBABLY OVER A DOZEN
[20:52] TIMES AS WE WERE DEVELOPING
[20:55] PROJECTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
[20:56] UM, I'VE LIVED IN JAMAICA
[20:58] PLAIN.
[20:58] FOR OVER.
[20:59] 35 YEARS AND RAISED A FAMILY.
[21:01] I'M REALLY PROUD THAT MY
[21:02] DAUGHTER MAIA GETER IS, UH,
[21:03] WORKS IN THE EQUITY CABINET UM
[21:06] .
[21:06] AND IS.
[21:07] REALLY ENJOYING HER WORK HERE
[21:10] WITH THE CITY.
[21:10] I DEFINITELY SEE THE
[21:11] RESEMBLANCE.
[21:13] UM, YOU KNOW, WE I KNOW ALL THE
[21:15] OLDER PEOPLE.
[21:15] SHE KNOWS ALL THE YOUNGER
[21:16] PEOPLE IN CITY HALL.
[21:18] UM, AND UM, YOU KNOW, I, UM I
[21:21] REALLY ENJOY.
[21:21] THIS WORK.
[21:22] UM, I'VE BEEN.
[21:23] INVOLVED IN OBVIOUSLY IN
[21:25] DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY FOR
[21:26] MANY YEARS.
[21:26] I NOW WORK AT COLLIERS WHICH.
[21:28] IS.
[21:28] COMMERCIAL REAL.
[21:29] ESTATE FIRM DOING UH
[21:31] ACQUISITION DOING UM UH SELLING
[21:33] PROPERTY AND I'M YOU KNOW, ONE
[21:36] OF THE PROPERTIES I.
[21:36] SAW RECENTLY WAS IN MATTAPAN
[21:38] SQUARE.
[21:39] UM, AND IT WAS ACQUIRED BY A
[21:41] DEVELOPER, UH, THE PRESERVATION
[21:43] FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEY
[21:44] ARE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[21:46] IN MATTAPAN.
[21:47] SO IT'S NICE THAT MY NEW ROLE
[21:49] AT COLLIERS, UM, BE ABLE TO
[21:50] BRING IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[21:52] DEVELOPERS INTO THAT WORLD AND
[21:54] ACQUIRING PROPERTIES FOR FOR
[21:56] THAT PURPOSE.
[21:57] UM, I REALLY ENJOY THE WORK.
[21:59] UM IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
[22:01] UM, WE ALL WORK REALLY HARD AND
[22:02] SPEND TIME LOOKING AT ALL THE
[22:04] CASES.
[22:04] THEY ARE VERY UNIQUE UM AND
[22:06] LISTENING TO TESTIMONY AND UM,
[22:08] I THANK YOU FOR FOR THE
[22:10] REAPPOINTMENT AND UH, FOR YOUR
[22:13] INTEREST IN WHAT WE DO.
[22:15] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[22:16] UM, NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[22:17] DAVID COLLINS.
[22:20] I'M SORRY.
[22:21] SHE NEEDS A MIC.
[22:22] YEAH.
[22:23] OH, YEAH.
[22:24] YOU DON'T NEED TO TOUCH IT.
[22:25] YEAH.
[22:25] YOU'RE ON NOW ON.
[22:26] YES.
[22:27] GOOD MORNING.
[22:27] COUNCILORS.
[22:28] UM, DAVID COLLINS, LIFELONG
[22:31] BOSTON RESIDENT FROM
[22:33] ROSLINDALE.
[22:33] I'M CURRENTLY RAISING A FAMILY
[22:35] IN WEST ROXBURY.
[22:36] UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE ZONING
[22:38] BOARD OF APPEAL NOW FOR THREE
[22:41] YEARS AS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER
[22:42] SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT.
[22:44] UM, BACKGROUND AND ZONING AND
[22:47] PERMITTING I PARTICIPATE IN
[22:49] SMALLER SIZE DEVELOPMENTS TEN
[22:51] UNITS AND UNDER UM IN THE
[22:53] ROSLINDALE, WEST ROXBURY AND
[22:54] HYDE PARK AREA.
[22:55] SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE
[22:56] NUANCES OF BOSTON PERMANENT.
[23:00] THANK YOU.
[23:00] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[23:01] UM AND I HAVE A STATEMENT UM,
[23:03] THAT I'M GOING TO READ FROM ONE
[23:05] OF OUR APPOINTEES.
[23:07] UM, THAT IS BEFORE OUR
[23:08] COMMITTEE.
[23:09] I'M JUST MAKING SURE.
[23:11] YES.
[23:11] SHE'S A REAPPOINTMENT.
[23:13] UM, DEAR BOSTON CITY COUNCIL, I
[23:15] REGRET THAT I AM NOT ABLE TO
[23:16] MAKE THIS HEARING ON
[23:18] OCTOBER 16TH, 2026.
[23:19] UNFORTUNATELY I DID DEATH AND
[23:20] MY FAMILY AND THE SERVICES ARE
[23:23] HELD THE SAME DAY IN RICHMOND,
[23:24] VIRGINIA.
[23:25] I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO
[23:26] MAKE A STATEMENT ON MY BEHALF
[23:28] IN THIS MANNER.
[23:28] IN THE PAST TWO YEARS IT HAS
[23:30] BEEN MY PLEASURE TO SERVE AS A
[23:31] MEMBER OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
[23:32] ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AS A
[23:34] BOSTON RESIDENT, HOMEOWNER AND
[23:35] CARD CARRYING UNIONS SHEET
[23:38] METAL WORKER I HAVE BEEN AT THE
[23:40] CENTER OF A COMPLICATED
[23:41] INTERSECTION OF HOW THINGS GET
[23:42] BUILT IN THE CITY.
[23:43] I ENJOY LOOKING AT THE FACTS
[23:45] AND CONSIDERING THE REAL LIFE
[23:46] IMPACTS OF MY VOTES.
[23:48] I HOPE THAT I HAVE BEEN A
[23:49] POSITIVE PRESENCE ON THE ZBA.
[23:51] MY MAIN CONCERN IS UM MY MAIN
[23:54] CONCERN HAS BEEN MAKING SURE
[23:56] THAT RESIDENTS ARE HEARD UM
[23:58] THAT WHAT'S BEING BUILT WILL
[23:59] BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY AT
[24:00] LARGE AND THAT MORE HARDWORKING
[24:02] CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT
[24:04] FROM THE JOBS CREATED.
[24:05] THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING
[24:06] ME THE CHANCE TO BE ON THE ZBA
[24:08] IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER
[24:10] QUESTIONS FOR ME I WOULD BE
[24:11] HAPPY TO UM APPEAR BEFORE THE.
[24:13] CITY COUNCIL AT ANOTHER DATE.
[24:15] REGARDS AND A LOT OF US KNOW
[24:17] HER SOMAYA TURNER HI PARKER A
[24:18] HOMEOWNER AND RESIDENT UM,
[24:19] SHE'S ACTUALLY COME BEFORE OUR
[24:21] COMMITTEE BEFORE UM, SO UM,
[24:24] GIVEN THAT SHE HAS HAD A DEATH
[24:25] IN THE FAMILY, I PLAN TO MOVE
[24:26] HER NOMINATION FORWARD AGAIN.
[24:28] UH, SHE SERVES WITH A LOT
[24:30] OF DISTINCTION AND WE'RE REALLY
[24:31] GRATEFUL FOR, UM, SORRY.
[24:32] WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR
[24:34] ,UM, THEIR WORK AND, UH, ALL
[24:37] THAT THEY DO.
[24:38] SO, UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN
[24:40] UM, UP UH, THIS PANEL TO
[24:44] QUESTIONS UM, AND IN NO
[24:47] PARTICULAR YOU KNOW, I WOULD
[24:48] JUST LIKE ANYONE WHO FEELS
[24:49] MOVED TO ANSWER THIS PARTICULAR
[24:51] QUESTION, UM, TO ANSWER THIS
[24:55] QUESTION, UM, AND I'VE ASKED
[24:57] THIS.
[24:58] QUESTION THESE ARE.
[24:58] THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE
[24:59] ASKED UM, BASICALLY ALL OF THE
[25:01] ZBA NOMINATIONS SINCE UM SINCE
[25:04] I HAVE GOTTEN THIS COMMITTEE UM
[25:07] ,HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH ZONING
[25:09] VARIANCE DECISIONS AND HIGH
[25:11] OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS
[25:12] VERSUS THOSE THAT HAVE
[25:13] TYPICALLY EXPERIENCED
[25:15] DISINVESTMENT?
[25:15] WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT
[25:16] YOU WOULD APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE
[25:18] APPEALS FOR ZONING RELIEF THAT
[25:19] COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
[25:21] ?
[25:21] JUST IF ANYONE.
[25:22] FEELS MOVED TO ANSWER THOSE TWO
[25:25] QUESTIONS.
[25:29] MADAM CHAIR.
[25:34] WELL, UH.
[25:36] I MEAN FOR ME, I, I LOOK AT
[25:38] EACH CASE CASE BY CASE SO I'M
[25:40] NOT I DON'T HAVE LIKE A CAN
[25:42] ANSWER FOR YOU UM, BECAUSE UH,
[25:44] YOU KNOW, EVERY CASE IS UNIQUE
[25:46] AND BRINGS DIFFERENT CHALLENGES
[25:47] AND OPPORTUNITIES TO IT SO I
[25:48] THAT'S THAT'S HOW I WOULD
[25:50] APPROACH IT WITH AN OPEN MIND.
[25:52] SO IT'S IN YOUR OPINION IT'S
[25:53] NOT NEIGHBORHOOD BY
[25:54] NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE IN TERMS
[25:56] OF LIKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
[25:58] INVESTING IN CERTAIN
[25:59] NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH CERTAIN
[26:00] PROJECTS.
[26:00] I MEAN.
[26:01] WE CERTAINLY HAVE GUIDANCE UH,
[26:03] FROM FROM THE FROM PLANNING UH,
[26:05] RIGHT THERE YOU KNOW, UH,
[26:07] DIFFERENT STREETS.
[26:07] AND SQUARES AND.
[26:09] UH OTHER OTHER INITIATIVES THAT
[26:10] HELP HELP GUIDE US.
[26:11] SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE INFORMED BY
[26:12] THOSE AS WELL.
[26:14] OKAY.
[26:14] ANYONE ELSE WANT TO ANSWER.
[26:15] EITHER THOSE GOING ADD I THINK
[26:17] IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON THE
[26:18] SPECIFIC ZONING RELIEF THEY ARE
[26:20] SEEKING AND OTHER FACTORS.
[26:23] YOU KNOW I ALWAYS LOOK AT THE
[26:24] CONTEXT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO
[26:25] MAKE SURE IT'S YOU KNOW, SORT
[26:27] OF APPROPRIATE FOR THE
[26:28] NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE UM, PUBLIC
[26:31] COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVE AS WELL
[26:32] AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE
[26:34] ALSO GET.
[26:36] YEAH, I WOULD JUST ADD.
[26:37] IT IN.
[26:38] IF HIGH OPPORTUNITY
[26:39] NEIGHBORHOODS MEAN SORT
[26:40] OF DOWNTOWN OR BACK BAY, THOSE
[26:43] PROJECTS TYPICALLY ARE LARGE
[26:44] PROJECTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH
[26:46] ARTICLE 80 PROCESS THROUGH THE
[26:48] PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
[26:49] AND SO UM ZONING IS SORT OF THE
[26:52] LAST STOP BUT THEY'VE ALREADY
[26:53] GONE THROUGH A VERY UH LENGTHY
[26:55] AND AND UH, THOUGHTFUL PUBLIC
[26:58] PROCESS.
[26:59] UM AND WE LOOK AT THE VARIANCE
[27:01] BUT THEY'VE YOU KNOW, PRETTY
[27:02] MUCH THE CITY HAS DONE AND THE
[27:04] NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS TYPICALLY
[27:06] HAVE ALREADY WEIGHED IN ON
[27:07] THOSE DECISIONS.
[27:08] THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE THAT
[27:09] ACTUALLY LENDS TO MY LAST
[27:11] QUESTION, WHICH IS HOW.
[27:12] SHOULD THE ZBA.
[27:13] WEIGH DECISIONS ON PROJECTS
[27:14] THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED BPA
[27:16] BOARD APPROVAL?
[27:17] DO YOU BELIEVE THAT.
[27:18] ZBA MEMBERS SHOULD EVER VOTE ON
[27:19] A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN VETTED
[27:21] AND APPROVED OR VOTE AGAINST A
[27:22] PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN VETTED
[27:23] AND APPROVED BY THE PLANNING
[27:25] DEPARTMENT AND BOARD AND IF SO,
[27:26] UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES?
[27:28] I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE
[27:29] OF EXAMPLES OF THIS.
[27:30] THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS
[27:31] UP.
[27:32] .
[27:33] SOMEBODY ELSE CAN YOU
[27:34] CONSIDER.
[27:35] ME WHEN I THINK OH I'M.
[27:36] HAPPY TO HAVE YOU START.
[27:38] CONSIDER I THINK FOR US IT'S
[27:40] VERY IMPORTANT TO RECEIVE THE
[27:41] UM.
[27:45] DOCUMENTS FROM THE PLANNING
[27:46] DEPARTMENT SO WE CAN SEE AND
[27:48] READ ABOUT THE PROCESS.
[27:49] SOME PROJECTS HAVE SIX MONTHS
[27:51] ONE YEAR, TWO OR 3 OR 4 YEARS
[27:53] OF PROCESS AND FOR US IS VERY
[27:54] IMPORTANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED
[27:56] FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
[27:58] ARTICLE 30 PROJECTS ARE
[27:59] APPROVED WHEN THEY COME TO A
[28:01] ZONING BOARD.
[28:02] NOW THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[28:03] PROVIDES A RECOMMENDATION FOR
[28:05] ALMOST EVERY PROJECT THAT WE
[28:07] SEE FOR ALMOST EVERY CASE.
[28:10] UM THE DIFFERENCE I GUESS AND I
[28:12] THINK IS THAT FOR US WE HAVE
[28:14] OPEN HEARINGS SO WE CAN HAVE
[28:16] MORE PEOPLE ATTENDING
[28:18] PRESENTING TESTIMONY AND WE
[28:20] HEAR SOMETIMES COMMENTS THAT
[28:22] REALLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE
[28:24] NOT ABLE TO PRESENT AT THE
[28:26] PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH,
[28:27] HEARINGS.
[28:29] SO WE HAVE UM BY THE TIME THOSE
[28:31] CASES COME TO OUR BOARD, THOSE
[28:33] THOSE PROJECTS ARE MOST LIKELY
[28:35] READY TO BE APPROVED.
[28:37] BUT ALWAYS IT'S USEFUL FOR US
[28:39] TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AND
[28:40] HAVE MORE TIME TO REVIEW THOSE
[28:42] DOCUMENTS FROM THE PLANNING
[28:43] DEPARTMENT, TRANSPORTATION
[28:44] DISABILITIES COMMUNITIES AND
[28:45] GIVE A SECOND A LOOK BEFORE WE
[28:47] UPLOAD.
[28:48] THANK YOU.
[28:49] GIOVANNI.
[28:49] I JUST WANT TO ADD A LITTLE
[28:51] COMMENT AND TO.
[28:52] THAT I THINK UH EVERY
[28:54] NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD BE TREATED
[28:55] EQUALLY.
[28:56] AND I FEEL.
[28:57] YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THE
[28:59] ABUTTERS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[29:01] WANT AND EVEN IF THEY APPROVE A
[29:05] PROJECT.
[29:07] SOMETIMES FOR.
[29:08] ME IF IT IF IT'S NOT WHAT THE
[29:10] NEIGHBORHOOD WANT, I MIGHT HAVE
[29:12] TO GO AGAINST THAT JUDGMENT AND
[29:14] DENY THAT PROJECT AND BECAUSE.
[29:17] MY MY THING.
[29:18] OF IT IS THAT.
[29:19] IT'S SO MUCH.
[29:20] BUILDINGS GOING UP IN BOSTON
[29:22] THAT A LOT OF.
[29:24] THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
[29:25] SOMETIMES GET MISSED.
[29:27] YOU KNOW YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, I
[29:29] HAD A FRIEND BEFORE WANTED TO
[29:30] PUT UP A BUILDING AND UH, HE
[29:32] COULDN'T.
[29:33] DO IT BECAUSE.
[29:34] HE DIDN'T HAVE THE REQUIREMENTS
[29:35] AND HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO
[29:36] IT.
[29:37] SO LIKE I SAID FOR MYSELF IF
[29:39] IT'S A PROJECT.
[29:41] THAT I DON'T THAT I THINK THAT
[29:42] THE COMMUNITY NEEDS OR THAT
[29:44] ABUT IT NEEDS.
[29:46] I NORMALLY WOULD VOTE YES.
[29:47] THANK YOU.
[29:49] UM I KNOW IT CAN FEEL.
[29:49] LIKE A.
[29:50] LOT OF BUILDINGS ARE GOING
[29:51] UP IN BOSTON BUT YOU KNOW BASED
[29:53] ON OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR AND
[29:55] BASED ON UM, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC
[29:57] LOW IN TERMS OF PERMITS, WE'RE
[29:59] APPROVING A LOT OF PROJECTS,
[30:00] YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW AND YOU
[30:02] GUYS ARE REVIEWING A LOT
[30:03] OF PROJECTS BUT THOSE PROJECTS
[30:05] AREN'T ALWAYS COMING TO
[30:06] FRUITION.
[30:07] SO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT UM, I
[30:09] GUESS FOR ME AS A CITY
[30:11] COUNCILOR, ONE THING THAT I
[30:13] HAVE BEEN.
[30:14] EVER.
[30:15] YOU KNOW, CONCERNED ABOUT IS
[30:17] THE IDEA OF MOVING THE PROCESS
[30:20] ,MOVING THE GOALPOSTS FROM
[30:22] GETTING BPA BOARD APPROVAL TO
[30:25] GETTING ZBA APPROVAL.
[30:26] I FIND THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE
[30:27] THAT OPPOSE PROJECTS WILL TRY
[30:30] TO SET THEIR SIGHTS ON THE NEXT
[30:32] MEETING THAT IS HAPPENING,
[30:33] WHICH IS THE ZBA UM AND OFTEN I
[30:36] THINK IN ORDER TO LEVEL.
[30:39] SET WITH RESIDENTS IT'S
[30:40] IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT LIKE AS
[30:41] A CITY COUNCILOR IF IF
[30:43] SOMETHING HAS GONE THROUGH THE
[30:44] BPA BOARD I PERSONALLY DON'T
[30:46] THINK IT'S RIGHT TO OPPOSE IT
[30:49] AT ZBA UM UNLESS THERE IS
[30:51] SOMETHING THAT WAS MISSED LIKE
[30:52] YOU WERE SAYING AND THE PROCESS
[30:54] WHICH IS VERY RARE.
[30:56] UM SO JUST MY OPINION AS
[30:59] SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO MOVE
[31:00] YOUR NOMINATIONS FORWARD IS
[31:01] THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[31:03] SHOULD.
[31:03] ESSENTIALLY THAT UH, BPA BOARD
[31:06] APPROVAL SHOULD MOSTLY
[31:07] ENCOMPASS, YOU KNOW, ALL
[31:10] OF BECAUSE IT REALLY THE BPA
[31:11] BOARD APPROVAL IS SUPPOSED TO
[31:13] UM, HAVE BASICALLY ALL OF THE
[31:15] CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE ALREADY
[31:17] WEIGHED IN SO IT SOMETHING HAS
[31:19] GONE VERY WRONG IF.
[31:20] LIKE IF YOU KNOW IF ESSENTIALLY
[31:23] PEOPLE ARE OPPOSING IT ONCE
[31:24] IT'S GOING AND THAT'S JUST MY
[31:26] OPINION AND IT'S MY ONE CHANCE
[31:27] TO TELL YOU.
[31:28] THAT SO SO I WILL TAKE MY ONE
[31:30] CHANCE TO SAY THAT I PERSONALLY
[31:32] WOULD PREFER THAT THE GOAL POST
[31:35] FOR FOLKS OPPOSING A PROJECT
[31:36] NOT BE MOVED TO THE ZBA AND I
[31:38] FIND THAT WITH UM, ALMOST EVERY
[31:41] CASE THAT.
[31:42] THERE IS A.
[31:44] BPA BOARD.
[31:45] APPROVAL AND THEN IT GOES TO
[31:46] ZBA AND THERE'S.
[31:47] CRAZY DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER
[31:49] IT SHOULD.
[31:49] BE.
[31:50] APPROVED THAT.
[31:51] ACTUALLY MOVES THE GOALPOSTS
[31:52] FOR US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS
[31:54] BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN
[31:55] YOU'VE GOTTEN BPA BOARD.
[31:57] APPROVAL.
[31:57] EVERY DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY
[31:59] HAS WEIGHED IN.
[32:00] YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE TO THE
[32:01] SCOPING SESSION, WE'VE DONE ALL
[32:03] OF THIS.
[32:03] UM, AND THERE ARE A LOT.
[32:05] OF PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE
[32:06] HORIZON FOR PERMITTING.
[32:08] BUT UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF A
[32:11] LOT GOING ON IN BOSTON RIGHT
[32:12] NOW, I THINK WE'RE MOSTLY
[32:14] TALKING ABOUT BOSTON WATER AND
[32:15] SEWER WORK AND UM, AND
[32:18] DEFINITELY YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
[32:19] LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON
[32:20] BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT HOUSING
[32:22] AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT.
[32:24] AND I THINK THAT THE ZBA HAS A
[32:25] ROLE TO.
[32:26] PLAY IN MAKING SURE THAT THERE
[32:27] IS ENOUGH HOUSING FOR OUR
[32:28] RESIDENTS AND THAT WE'RE
[32:29] LOWERING THE COST OF HOUSING IN
[32:30] OUR CITY.
[32:31] AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M
[32:32] EXTREMELY AND I MY COLLEAGUES
[32:34] KNOW I'M EXTREMELY PASSIONATE.
[32:35] ABOUT.
[32:36] THIS BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO
[32:37] MOVED HERE 11 YEARS AGO, UM, IT
[32:40] HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE TO AFFORD
[32:42] RENT AND UM, I FEEL REALLY
[32:45] LUCKY TO BE IN THIS POSITION
[32:46] AND BOSTON HAS GIVEN
[32:48] ME EVERYTHING BUT I WANT TO
[32:49] MAKE SURE THE NEXT PERSON WHO
[32:50] MOVES HERE AS A YOUNG PERSON IS
[32:52] ABLE TO STAY HERE.
[32:53] AND I THINK THAT YOU ALL HAVE A
[32:56] REAL ROLE TO PLAY IN MAKING
[32:57] SURE THAT UM THAT WE'RE WE
[32:59] MIGHT BE IN A PERMITTING FREEZE
[33:01] WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COST AND
[33:02] INTEREST RATES AND JUST SORT
[33:04] OF THE COST OF EVERYTHING RIGHT
[33:05] NOW.
[33:06] BUT IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO
[33:07] ME THAT YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT
[33:10] UM, AT LEAST FROM MY
[33:12] PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU HAVE AN
[33:13] IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY BUT
[33:14] ESPECIALLY ON THESE BIG
[33:15] PROJECTS, UM, THAT WE'RE
[33:17] LETTING THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[33:19] AND PEOPLE WHO DO PLANNING AND
[33:20] KATIE KNOWS THIS BECAUSE SHE
[33:22] DOES THIS IN ANOTHER CITY.
[33:23] SO, UM SO GRATEFUL.
[33:25] TO YOU ALL.
[33:25] FOR BEING HERE.
[33:26] I'M GOING TO LET MY COLLEAGUES
[33:27] ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY
[33:28] HAVE STARTING WITH
[33:30] COUNCILOR MURPHY.
[33:32] UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSONAL
[33:36] INTRODUCTIONS.
[33:38] IT JUST REASSURES.
[33:39] ME EVEN MORE BASED OFF.
[33:41] OF YOUR RESUMES THAT YOU'RE.
[33:42] ALL WELL SUITED FOR THIS
[33:43] POSITION, THE WORK YOU'VE DONE
[33:44] .
[33:45] UH, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.
[33:47] UM, AS YOU KNOW AND AS THE
[33:51] MEMBERS YOURSELF, YOU PROBABLY
[33:52] GET THE SAME QUESTIONS WE GET
[33:53] AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HOW YOU
[33:55] KNOW, COMMUNITIES OFTEN FEEL.
[33:58] AND YOU.
[33:58] WHEN YOU MENTIONED YOU'VE
[33:59] BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR SIX YEARS
[34:00] THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT
[34:02] AWAY FROM NEIGHBORHOOD
[34:04] ASSOCIATIONS COMING FORWARD AND
[34:06] EVEN.
[34:07] IF THEY ALL OPPOSE OR.
[34:08] APPROVE A PROJECT AND ALSO THE
[34:11] MAYOR'S OFFICE, IT'S DEFINITELY
[34:13] HAS BEEN A SHIFT FROM A ONE
[34:14] THAT'S NOT REALLY WEIGHING IN
[34:16] JUST, YOU KNOW.
[34:17] SAYING THE PROCESS HAPPENED
[34:19] MAYBE.
[34:19] YOU KNOW.
[34:21] REFERRING TO THE ABUTTERS
[34:23] MEETINGS, UM, THE OUTREACH THAT
[34:24] MAY HAVE.
[34:25] OCCURRED OR.
[34:26] SHARING OUT HOW MANY LETTERS
[34:28] THEY MAY HAVE RECEIVED BUT THEY
[34:29] NEVER REALLY GIVE THEIR OWN
[34:31] OPINION.
[34:32] HOW DO YOU HOW IS THAT.
[34:34] SHIFTED OR DO YOU FEEL THERE'S
[34:35] THAT HAS CHANGED ANY WAY THAT
[34:37] YOUR BOARD MOVES FORWARD.
[34:38] WITH YOUR APPROVAL OR
[34:41] DISAPPROVAL OF PROJECTS?
[34:43] I MEAN.
[34:44] I THINK OTHER THAN JENNY
[34:45] JEAN AND MYSELF I DON'T THINK
[34:46] ANYONE'S EXPERIENCED ANYTHING
[34:48] DIFFERENT THERE.
[34:49] UH I MEAN I USED TO BE AN OWNER
[34:51] SO I CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED THE
[34:52] FACT THAT WE WE AND OWNERS TOOK
[34:54] POSITIONS SO THAT THAT
[34:55] CERTAINLY IS UH, DIFFERENT BUT
[34:58] I, I DON'T THINK ANYONE KNOWS
[34:59] ANYTHING UH, A DIFFERENT WAY
[35:01] OF SEEING THINGS SO I MEAN WE
[35:02] WE TAKE WHAT WE GET AND WE UH
[35:04] AND WE WE INCORPORATE ALL
[35:06] OF THAT INTO OUR INTO OUR
[35:07] DECISION MAKING.
[35:08] YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY PROCESS
[35:09] IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
[35:10] LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND
[35:11] ABUTTERS IN PARTICULAR ARE
[35:12] REALLY IMPORTANT.
[35:13] UH, AND AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW,
[35:15] UH.
[35:15] PLANNING.
[35:16] DEPARTMENT I-S-D LIKE YOU KNOW
[35:17] SO IT ALL CONTRIBUTES AND SO
[35:18] UH, I KNOW FOR ME FOR ME IT'S A
[35:20] LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I'M
[35:21] USED TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BUT
[35:22] I THINK FOR EVERYONE ELSE
[35:23] THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'VE COME
[35:25] TO EXPECT.
[35:26] YEAH I WOULD.
[35:27] SAY THE THING THAT'S CHANGED
[35:28] THE MOST IS THE AMOUNT
[35:30] OF INFORMATION WE GET FROM THE
[35:32] PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
[35:33] IN FACT, I WENT TO UM ONE
[35:35] OF THE PLANNING CHIEF PLANNERS
[35:37] ABOUT EIGHT FIVE YEARS AGO AND
[35:39] SAID YOU KNOW WHAT WE GET FROM
[35:41] THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BACK
[35:42] THEN IT WAS THE THE BPA IS
[35:45] BASICALLY THE AGENDA AND A LIST
[35:47] OF THE VARIANCES.
[35:48] AND I SAID I THINK YOU GUYS CAN
[35:51] DO BETTER AT EXPLAINING LIKE
[35:53] YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOW WE
[35:54] GET THREE PAGES FOR EACH
[35:56] PROJECT AND IT'S A 100 PAGE
[35:58] DOCUMENT.
[35:59] UM BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR
[36:01] WHEN I FIRST JOINED.
[36:03] IT WAS REALLY JUST WE GOT YOU
[36:04] KNOW, THE AGENDA.
[36:06] UM, AND I THINK THE CITY HAS
[36:08] DONE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD WORK
[36:10] EXPLAINING THE RATIONALE,
[36:12] EXPLAINING THE VARIANCES,
[36:13] EXPLAINING WHAT THEY SEE ON THE
[36:15] BLOCK, UM, AND WHY THE THE
[36:18] CODE DOESN'T REALLY MATCH THE
[36:20] BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
[36:21] AND SO UH I THINK THAT'S BEEN
[36:24] THE BIGGEST SHIFT AND IT'S BEEN
[36:25] QUITE HELPFUL.
[36:26] THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THAT
[36:28] INFORMATION BUT ALSO IT'S NOT
[36:30] THAT YOU HAVE TO RUBBER STAMP
[36:31] IT BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THE
[36:33] PROCESSES AND THE STEPS ALONG
[36:34] THE WAY TO GET THE FINAL
[36:36] APPROVAL ARE THERE FOR ALL GOOD
[36:37] REASONS.
[36:38] SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU KNOW,
[36:39] YOU'RE AT THE END OF THAT STEP
[36:41] IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK.
[36:42] QUICKLY ON.
[36:44] IF A PROJECT ISN'T PASSED AND
[36:46] LIKE I SAID I DON'T.
[36:47] ALWAYS AGREE BUT I DO.
[36:48] RESPECT THAT THE BOARD AND
[36:50] THERE WAS MORE THAN JUST ONE
[36:51] VOTE WHICH I APPRECIATE THAT.
[36:53] WHAT IS THE UM DEVELOPERS
[36:55] BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE THERE IS
[36:56] A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIGGER
[36:58] PROJECTS AND THEN HERE A LOT
[36:59] YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE HOMEOWNERS
[37:01] WHO JUST WANT TO LIKE ADD.
[37:02] A.
[37:03] BATHROOM SO THAT THEIR MOTHER
[37:05] CAN MOVE IN AND LIVE ON THE
[37:07] FIRST FLOOR COMFORTABLY AND IT
[37:08] COULD BE FOUR MONTHS BEFORE
[37:10] IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE APPROVAL
[37:11] WITH THE ESD BECAUSE THEY HAVE
[37:13] TO GO THROUGH ZONING.
[37:14] IF YOU COULD JUST UM, SPEAK TO
[37:17] EVEN JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL
[37:18] RESIDENTS AND FEEL LIKE.
[37:19] KIND OF.
[37:19] THAT BALANCE BETWEEN YOUR
[37:20] ROLE OF ON ZBA BUT I UNDERSTAND
[37:22] THE FRUSTRATION WHERE SOME
[37:23] OF THESE.
[37:24] OBVIOUSLY THERE MAY.
[37:25] BE A VARIANCE BUT WE'RE NOT
[37:26] LIKE CHANGING THE FABRIC OF A
[37:27] NEIGHBORHOOD.
[37:28] WE'RE JUST KIND OF CHANGING A
[37:29] SMALL THING INSIDE A HOME.
[37:31] BUT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, NEED TO
[37:33] GO BEFORE YOUR BOARD.
[37:37] OKAY I CAN'T OKAY.
[37:39] THANK YOU.
[37:40] UM COUNCILOR MURPHY I AGREE
[37:42] I AGREE WITH YOU IN WHAT YOU
[37:45] WERE MENTIONING ABOUT SOME
[37:46] CASES I UNDERSTAND THAT WE
[37:49] SPENT A LOT OF TIME THROUGH IN
[37:51] DOCUMENTS FOR BIG DEVELOPMENT
[37:53] THAT ARE GOING TO CHANGE AND
[37:55] HOPEFULLY IMPROVE THE CITY, BUT
[37:59] SOMETIMES THERE ARE VERY SMALL
[38:00] CASES THAT I'M WONDERING WHY WE
[38:01] ARE SPENDING THAT CONSTITUENTS
[38:03] TIME IN OUR TIME REVIEWING IS
[38:06] MORE DETAILS FOR THAT REASON WE
[38:07] HAVE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
[38:09] THURSDAY IS THE REVIEW OF SOME
[38:10] OF THOSE SMALLER PROJECTS AND I
[38:12] THINK THE CITY'S WORKING HARD
[38:14] AND IS IS WORKING HARD TO
[38:15] ENSURE THAT THEY REDUCE THE
[38:17] PAPERWORK IN THE STEPS,
[38:19] ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL PROJECTS.
[38:22] I UH SOME RESINS ARE TRYING TO
[38:24] BUILD ABUS ACCESSORY DWELLING
[38:26] UNITS IN BOSTON AND THAT IS
[38:28] SUPPOSED TO.
[38:28] BE A FAST PROJECT.
[38:30] I KNOW THIS IS A NEW CONCEPT
[38:32] FOR MANY OF US AND THE CITY IS
[38:35] WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE THE
[38:36] STEPS SO IT SEEMS IT GETS
[38:38] EASIER.
[38:39] BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME
[38:41] OF THOSE UM UH PROJECT OWNERS
[38:44] ARE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THAT HAS
[38:46] BEEN TAKING SO MUCH TIME FOR
[38:47] SOMETHING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO
[38:48] BE EASY.
[38:49] THE CITY'S MOVING IN THE RIGHT
[38:51] DIRECTION, I THINK I HOPE THAT
[38:53] UH AT SOME TIME WE JUST FOCUS
[38:56] ON PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO
[38:57] REALLY IMPACT THE ENTIRE CITY.
[39:00] BUT UNTIL THEN WE ARE HAPPY TO
[39:01] REVIEW EVERYTHING THAT COMES TO
[39:03] US.
[39:03] YEAH.
[39:04] I THINK IS UH, CHAIR DURKAN
[39:05] SAID AT THE BEGINNING WE HAVE
[39:07] AMONG THE MOST COMPLICATED AND
[39:09] CODE LIKE THICK THICK ZONING
[39:11] CODES.
[39:11] AND SO UH, YOU KNOW, WE SEE
[39:13] WHAT'S BEFORE US WHERE WE'RE
[39:15] WE'RE NOT THE ONES CHANGING THE
[39:17] CODE, BUT I YOU KNOW, THAT'S A
[39:19] PROCESS THAT'S UNDERWAY THAT
[39:20] UH, WITH BPD THAT HOPEFULLY UH
[39:23] ,WILL STREAMLINE THINGS.
[39:24] YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING A LOT
[39:25] YOU KNOW, PLAN DOWNTOWN PLAN
[39:27] YOU KNOW, MATTAPAN PLAN THAT
[39:29] THAT ARE INTENDED TO SIMPLIFY
[39:31] CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT YOU'RE
[39:32] DESCRIBING THAT SHOULD NOT COME
[39:34] BEFORE US AT ALL.
[39:35] UH, AND AND SHOULD JUST BE AS
[39:37] OF RIGHT.
[39:37] AND SO I THINK THAT PROCESS
[39:38] NEEDS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD TO
[39:40] TO HELP US SEE THE CASES THAT
[39:41] REALLY, REALLY NEED SOME SORT
[39:43] OF UH, EXTRA EYE ON IT.
[39:45] AND THANK THANK YOU.
[39:47] UM, I'LL ADD THAT IN MY FULL
[39:49] TIME JOB I'M MUCH MORE FACE TO
[39:50] FACE WITH RESIDENTS.
[39:51] SO I DO HEAR OF THOSE STRUGGLES
[39:54] TO GET AN ADU PERMITTED TO DO A
[39:56] SIMPLE ADDITION.
[39:57] UM, SO I DO TRY TO TAKE THAT
[40:00] EXPERIENCE WITH ME TO THE BOARD
[40:01] BUT I DO THINK AS MY COLLEAGUES
[40:04] HAVE NOTED, YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN
[40:05] THE ZONING DOESN'T ALWAYS MATCH
[40:07] WHAT'S ON THE GROUND.
[40:08] SO YOU KNOW AND EVEN THE WAY
[40:10] THINGS ARE COUNTED LIKE TO
[40:11] FINISH A BASEMENT WILL OFTEN
[40:13] TRIGGER FLOOR AREA RATIO.
[40:15] SO I THINK KIND OF THE ZONING
[40:17] REFORM PIECE IS ALSO REALLY
[40:19] KIND OF IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.
[40:21] THANK YOU.
[40:23] UM THANK YOU.
[40:23] CHAIR THANK YOU.
[40:24] AND I'M.
[40:25] LOOKING FORWARD TO VOTING.
[40:26] SUPPORTING ALL OF YOU AND
[40:28] SOMETIMES I SEE YOU ON.
[40:29] THE.
[40:30] ZOOM HOPEFULLY ONE DAY WE'LL BE
[40:31] BACK IN PERSON.
[40:32] MAYBE YOU DON'T ALL WANT THAT
[40:33] BUT UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU
[40:35] DO.
[40:36] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[40:38] COUNCILOR MURPHY,
[40:38] COUNCILOR FLYNN AND, UM, JUST
[40:40] SO YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PUTTING
[40:41] TIME UP BUT IT'S JUST A GUIDE
[40:43] AND I'M NOT IT'S THERE'S NO
[40:44] BEEP.
[40:45] SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[40:47] AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE.
[40:52] THE PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE THAT
[40:55] WILL BE ON THE BOARD UH SOON BE
[40:57] ON THE BOARD UH THAT ARE ON THE
[40:58] BOARD WANT TO SAY SAY THANK YOU
[41:01] TO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AGAIN
[41:02] AND HELPING BUILD OUR CITY.
[41:05] WE WE MAY DISAGREE ON I DO WANT
[41:10] TO SEE THE ZBA GET BACK BACK IN
[41:13] PERSON.
[41:14] I DO LIKE WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN
[41:16] CITY HALL.
[41:17] I LOVE TO SEE PEOPLE IN CITY
[41:19] HALL DOING THE JOB ENGAGING
[41:22] WITH EACH OTHER.
[41:23] I LOVE SEEING ARCHITECTS HERE.
[41:24] I'VE I'VE SEEN UNION MEMBERS
[41:26] HERE, NEIGHBORS HERE.
[41:27] I LOVE THE DEBATE.
[41:29] UM I LIKE GOING UP THERE AND
[41:32] HEARING THE DISCUSSIONS HERE IN
[41:35] THE ARGUMENTS HEARING THE
[41:36] FIGHTS SAID I LOVE THAT UM BUT
[41:39] IT ALSO IT ALSO SENDS A MESSAGE
[41:42] TO THAT.
[41:43] YOU KNOW.
[41:45] WE WANT PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN
[41:46] BOSTON AND I, I ENCOURAGE I SEE
[41:49] BUSINESS PEOPLE ALL THE TIME
[41:50] AND I TELL THEM IT'S TIME FOR
[41:52] YOU GUYS TO TO GET BACK TO
[41:54] WORK.
[41:54] I REPRESENT MOST OF THE
[41:55] DOWNTOWN BOSTON.
[41:56] I SAID WE YOU GUYS GOT TO GET
[41:58] BACK TO WORK.
[41:59] UM, FILL UP THOSE OFFICE
[42:01] BUILDINGS SO WE CAN BUILD MORE.
[42:02] I WANT TO SEE MORE BUILDINGS
[42:03] GOING UP.
[42:04] THERE'S A LOT A LOT
[42:05] OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE PERMITTED
[42:06] .
[42:06] BUT I WANT TO SEE I WANT TO SEE
[42:07] CRANES IN THE SKY.
[42:08] THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE.
[42:10] UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE
[42:12] THAT, BUT I JUST THINK HAVING
[42:15] PEOPLE BACK INTO WORK AT CITY
[42:17] HALL VISITING THE COFFEE SHOPS
[42:18] OR GOING OUT FOR LUNCH COMING
[42:20] OFF A DINNER UM DOES SEND A
[42:23] SIGNAL A CLEAR SIGNAL THAT
[42:24] WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
[42:27] UM, I I READ THROUGH THE
[42:30] RESUMES.
[42:31] I LISTEN CLOSELY TO EVERY
[42:33] PERSON HERE RESPECT THE WORK
[42:36] YOU'RE DOING AND I THINK YOU'RE
[42:38] ALL GOING TO CONTRIBUTE GREATLY
[42:39] TO THE TO THE CITY AND I'M
[42:43] GOING TO I'M GOING TO ASK A
[42:45] COUPLE QUESTIONS AND I'M NOT
[42:47] GOING TO CALL ALAN.
[42:49] UM ALAN I'M GOING TO CALL HIM
[42:50] COACH.
[42:51] IS THAT ALL RIGHT?
[42:52] YES, SIR.
[42:52] OKAY OKAY OKAY.
[42:54] UM AND RESPECT THE PASSION AND
[42:58] YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR HARD
[43:00] WORK THAT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED
[43:03] ,UM, THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE
[43:04] LIFE.
[43:05] SO WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU, ALAN
[43:07] .
[43:07] AND, UM, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO
[43:09] BE A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS
[43:10] ASSET TO THE TO THE ZONING
[43:12] BOARD.
[43:14] MAYBE MY QUESTION IS AND THIS
[43:18] THIS CAN BE FOR OUR IT COULD BE
[43:20] ALSO FOR EVERYBODY JUST HOW DO
[43:21] YOU BALANCE.
[43:23] HEARING FROM RESIDENTS HEARING
[43:25] WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ECONOMY
[43:27] RESIDENTS OWN ABUTTERS BUSINESS
[43:29] PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SEE
[43:30] SOMETHING GO FORWARD UM THE THE
[43:33] THE PROPONENT HOW DO YOU HOW DO
[43:36] YOU BALANCE ALL OF THAT TO TO
[43:38] COME TO A A DECISION THAT MAKES
[43:40] THE BEST FOR THE CITY?
[43:41] I THINK.
[43:42] I THINK SOMETIMES UH A LOT
[43:44] OF TIMES YOU KNOW, WE GET.
[43:46] BLUEPRINTS, WE GET YOU KNOW,
[43:47] THE.
[43:48] INFORMATION WE NEED.
[43:48] YOU KNOW, I LISTEN.
[43:50] TO THE ABUTTERS I LISTEN TO.
[43:52] I TAKE TIME OUT TO.
[43:52] LISTEN YOU KNOW, EVEN MY KIDS.
[43:54] I LISTEN TO EVERYBODY AND I
[43:57] HAVE TO MAKE THE.
[43:58] DECISION ON.
[43:59] I THINK FOR ME IS WHAT'S GOOD
[44:02] FOR THE CITY OR.
[44:03] WHAT'S EVEN GOOD FOR THE.
[44:05] UM, ABUTTERS YOU.
[44:06] KNOW.
[44:07] IT'S NOT IT'S NOT JUST.
[44:08] ME MAKING THE DECISION.
[44:10] I ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, UH,
[44:11] BEFORE I.
[44:12] CAST MY DECISION IS WHAT'S GOOD
[44:14] FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[44:16] NOT WHAT'S.
[44:17] GOOD FOR.
[44:17] ALLEN LANGHAM.
[44:20] ANYONE ELSE?
[44:21] UM, ANYONE ELSE WANT TO WEIGH
[44:24] IN?
[44:25] OR MAYBE I'LL JUST ASK.
[44:27] UM, LET ME ASK.
[44:30] LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
[44:31] UH, TO JANE AND JANE RESPECT
[44:33] THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AND I KNOW
[44:34] YOU'VE YOU'VE BEEN THE LONGEST
[44:36] MEMBER OF THE OF THE ZBA.
[44:41] KNOWING THAT YOU'RE THE LONGEST
[44:42] MEMBER.
[44:43] WHAT WHAT TYPE OF MENTORSHIP OR
[44:46] TYPE OF SUPPORT CAN YOU PROVIDE
[44:49] SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS THAT
[44:52] THAT MIGHT NEED A LITTLE BIT
[44:54] OF UM, YOU KNOW, GUIDANCE AND
[44:57] SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS
[44:58] ?
[44:59] IS THIS SOMETHING UM, THAT YOU
[45:01] AND SHERRY ARE THINKING ABOUT
[45:04] AND ARE ABLE TO WORK ON?
[45:06] YES, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN.
[45:09] A FEW SESSIONS UM, EVERY YEAR
[45:13] WHERE WE CAN'T REALLY MEET WE
[45:15] CAN'T MEET IN PERSON BECAUSE
[45:17] OF OPEN MEETING LAWS.
[45:18] WE CAN'T MEET TOGETHER.
[45:19] WE CAN'T JUST CALL A MEETING
[45:20] AND.
[45:21] DO TRAINING.
[45:21] BUT WE'VE ENCOURAGED I-S-D TO
[45:23] HOLD TRAININGS FOR ALL THE
[45:26] MEMBERS WHERE THEY KIND OF WALK
[45:28] THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS
[45:30] OF ZONING AND WE GET TO ASK
[45:32] QUESTIONS AND THEY PRESENT SORT
[45:33] OF INFORMATION AND I THINK MORE
[45:35] OF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
[45:37] UM, PARTICULARLY AS WE SORT
[45:38] OF LOOK AT NEW TYPES OF ZONING
[45:40] LIKE SQUARES AND STREETS AS A
[45:42] WHOLE NEW ZONING CONSTRUCT IN
[45:43] THE CODE.
[45:45] UM, AND SO I THINK AND I THINK
[45:47] ALSO THE NEW MEMBERS GET TO
[45:49] HEAR OUR COMMENTS AND OUR
[45:51] QUESTIONS AND SO REALLY TAKING
[45:53] THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PLANS
[45:56] UH, YOU KNOW, READ THE
[45:57] RECOMMENDATIONS, LOOK ON YOU
[46:00] KNOW, WE SORT OF GO AND LOOK IN
[46:01] THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND REALLY
[46:02] GET TO YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE THAT
[46:04] YOU CAN DO UM MAPQUEST AND ALL
[46:06] THOSE THINGS THAT GET YOU TO
[46:07] LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND
[46:09] AND REALLY THINK ABOUT IT AND
[46:11] WE SPEND YOU KNOW, I SPEND IT A
[46:13] DAY BEFORE THE HEARINGS REALLY
[46:14] LOOKING AT THE CASES, UM, AND
[46:17] UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT
[46:19] OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[46:20] AND I THINK OUR QUESTIONS HELP
[46:22] GUIDE SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS
[46:24] UNDERSTANDING OF OF OUR
[46:25] THINKING.
[46:26] EXCELLENT.
[46:27] YEAH.
[46:28] AND YOU KNOW, UM, I MEAN I
[46:29] WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
[46:30] COMMISSIONER AND STAFF AND
[46:31] CERTAINLY WHEN THERE ARE NEW
[46:33] UH, THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS
[46:35] CONSIDERING UH, PARTICIPATION
[46:37] UH, AS A MEMBER, YOU KNOW, I'M
[46:39] I MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
[46:40] I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH UM, I
[46:42] I'VE CHATTED WITH UH, SEVERAL
[46:44] WHO, UH, ARE NOW BEFORE YOU AND
[46:47] OR DECIDED NOT TO BECAUSE YOU
[46:49] KNOW, THEY REALIZED OKAY, IT
[46:50] MIGHT BE A BIT TOO HEAVY YOU
[46:51] LIFT UH, I ALSO ENCOURAGE, UH,
[46:54] WATCHING PAST, UM, HEARINGS.
[46:56] I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL AVAILABLE
[46:57] ONLINE AND YOU CAN SEE A WHOLE
[46:59] ARRAY OF OF DECISION MAKING AND
[47:02] PROCESS UH, THROUGH THAT AS
[47:03] WELL.
[47:03] AND AND LIKE JEAN SAID, I MEAN
[47:04] JUST OBSERVING LIVE MEETINGS UH
[47:06] ,YOU KNOW, AS THEY'RE
[47:07] HAPPENING BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE
[47:09] EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AND
[47:10] OUR LIFE PROCESS.
[47:11] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[47:12] MAY I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION?
[47:14] OF COURSE.
[47:14] OKAY.
[47:15] UM AND BEFORE I ASK A QUESTION
[47:17] ,I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
[47:19] YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
[47:20] I THINK THEY'RE BROUGHT IN BY
[47:22] COUNCILOR BRIAN WORRELL.
[47:23] UM, POWELL CORSO, WE WANT TO
[47:26] SAY THANK YOU TO THESE YOUNG
[47:27] PEOPLE, YOUNG ADULTS FOR
[47:29] OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN THE
[47:30] CITY AS WELL.
[47:32] UM.
[47:35] MY MY MY MY FINAL QUESTION, UM
[47:39] ,WOULD BE MAYBE MAYBE TO
[47:41] SHERRY OR TO JANE OR TO WHOEVER
[47:43] WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER AND SHERRY
[47:46] KNOWS THIS AS WELL AS I DO
[47:48] PROBABLY THE ISSUE I FOCUS MOST
[47:51] ON AS A CITY COUNCILOR IS
[47:52] LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
[47:53] ACCESS.
[47:54] I THINK IT'S CRITICAL, UM, IN
[47:56] THIS CITY TO COMMUNICATE NOT
[47:59] JUST IN ENGLISH BUT IN SO MANY
[48:01] OTHER LANGUAGES.
[48:03] I REPRESENT A LARGE CANTONESE
[48:05] SPEAKING COMMUNITY, REPRESENT A
[48:07] LARGE SPANISH SPEAKING
[48:08] COMMUNITY AS WELL ON THE SOUTH.
[48:09] AND UM, CAN YOU TALK TO
[48:13] ME ABOUT AND THIS IS FOR ANYONE
[48:16] THAT WANTS TO ANSWER CAN YOU
[48:17] TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT
[48:18] LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
[48:19] ACCESS IS TO THE ZONING BOARD
[48:22] OF APPEALS AND WHAT STEPS ARE
[48:24] YOU TAKING TO ENSURE THAT
[48:26] RESIDENTS THAT DON'T SPEAK
[48:29] ENGLISH, UM, ARE ALSO INCLUDED
[48:32] IN IN THE DISCUSSION AND THAT
[48:33] THEIR VOICES IS HEARD AND
[48:35] RESPECTED?
[48:35] YEAH.
[48:36] THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT
[48:37] QUESTION.
[48:38] UH, WE DON'T WE DON'T END UP
[48:40] SEEING.
[48:41] THAT MANY UM CASES WHERE WHERE
[48:44] THE LANGUAGE PART IS NEEDED.
[48:46] BUT WHEN WE DO IT'S IT'S
[48:47] CRITICAL THAT IT'S THAT IT'S UM
[48:50] APPROPRIATELY APPLIED.
[48:51] RIGHT.
[48:51] SO BECAUSE WE DON'T WE DON'T
[48:53] KNOW UNTIL THE CASES BEFORE US
[48:55] THAT SOMEONE NEEDS, UH, NEEDS
[48:57] AN INTERPRETER AND SO THE STAFF
[48:59] DOES AND SO HOPEFULLY, YOU
[49:00] KNOW, WE CAN COORDINATE ON THAT
[49:01] FRONT.
[49:02] I'VE SUGGESTED UH AND I DON'T
[49:05] BE HONEST I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT
[49:06] STANDS RIGHT NOW, BUT I'VE
[49:07] SUGGESTED SIMULTANEOUS
[49:09] TRANSLATION.
[49:09] YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN
[49:11] INTERPRETATION IS NEEDED
[49:12] BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, UH, BEING
[49:14] IN A LOT OF THOSE MEETINGS WHEN
[49:15] IT IS NOT SIMULTANEOUS IT
[49:18] STRETCHES THE MEETING OUT
[49:19] IMMENSELY.
[49:20] AND AS PEOPLE KNOW, THE VOLUME
[49:21] OF OUR CASES THAT JUST MAKES IT
[49:24] THAT MUCH LONGER.
[49:24] AND SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S
[49:26] IMPORTANT SO THAT BOTH UH THE
[49:29] APPLICANT AND UH THE ANY ANY
[49:31] COMMENTERS, YOU KNOW, ANY
[49:32] RESIDENTS CAN BE HEARD I THINK
[49:33] THE CHALLENGES FOR FOR THE
[49:35] STAFF THEY ONLY KNOW ABOUT THE
[49:37] APPLICANT.
[49:37] THEY KNOW IF THERE'S AN
[49:38] APPLICANT WHO NEEDS IT THEY
[49:40] DON'T THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM
[49:41] TO KNOW IF A RESIDENT NEEDS IT
[49:43] UNLESS THEY REQUEST IT IN
[49:45] ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
[49:46] SO IF SOMEONE JUST POP ON THAT
[49:48] THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY EQUIPPED
[49:49] TO DEAL WITH IT.
[49:50] BUT NO ONE HAS POPPED ON
[49:51] RECENTLY.
[49:52] BUT.
[49:52] YOU KNOW, JUST TO.
[49:53] SAY.
[49:53] IS THERE A WAY THOUGH IF YOU IF
[49:55] YOU'RE WATCHING IT ON
[49:56] TELEVISION UM A CABLE
[49:58] TELEVISION THAT AND IF YOU'RE
[50:00] SPANISH SPEAK SPANISH PERSON
[50:02] SPANISH SPEAKING PERSON UM IS
[50:05] IS THE TICK IN THE TEXT DOWN
[50:08] DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
[50:09] TELEVISION SCREEN?
[50:10] CAN THE TEXT BE IN SPANISH OR
[50:13] COULD THE COULD THE TEXT BE IN
[50:16] CHINESE OR ANOTHER LANGUAGE
[50:18] JUST SO.
[50:19] THAT'S LIVE STREAMED.
[50:20] WHILE IT'S LIVE STREAM?
[50:21] YEAH.
[50:22] JUST SO PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO UM
[50:25] AROUND ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND
[50:27] YOU KNOW WE WE THINK OF UM YOU
[50:33] KNOW, THE SPANISH SPEAKING
[50:34] COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE
[50:35] ENTIRE CITY.
[50:36] UM, SO THEY MIGHT THEY MIGHT BE
[50:39] INTERESTED IN WATCHING THE
[50:40] WHOLE THE WHOLE DISCUSSION.
[50:43] UM AND MAYBE THEY CAN'T BECAUSE
[50:45] OF THAT LANGUAGE BARRIER.
[50:47] BUT I'M NOT SAYING WE WE NEED A
[50:49] DECISION NOW BUT I'M JUST
[50:50] SAYING IS THIS SOMETHING WE
[50:52] COULD WORK ON DOWN THE ROAD?
[50:53] I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO THAT,
[50:55] UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN, UM, IT'S I
[50:58] DO THINK THAT AS A SETTING ON
[50:59] ZOOM I DON'T KNOW IF THAT
[51:01] EVERYONE HAS THAT ACTIVATED OR
[51:03] HOW THAT'S I KNOW AT THE
[51:04] BEGINNING OF A LOT OF PLANNING
[51:05] DEPARTMENT HEARINGS, UM, THEY
[51:08] HAVE THAT OPTION TO YOU KNOW,
[51:10] YOU CAN HIT THAT SETTING.
[51:11] THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN
[51:12] LOOK INTO AND GET YOU AN ANSWER
[51:13] ON BUT UM GO AHEAD.
[51:14] SURE.
[51:14] YEAH.
[51:15] I MEAN I WAS GOING TO REALLY
[51:16] SAY WE CAN'T ANSWER THAT
[51:17] QUESTION.
[51:18] THAT'S REALLY IS THAT A STAFF
[51:19] QUESTION WHETHER THERE'S
[51:20] CAPACITY TO DO SO BECAUSE THE
[51:21] THE BUTTON THAT YOU'RE TALKING
[51:22] ABOUT THAT THAT ASSUMES THAT WE
[51:24] KNOW THAT UH INTERPRETATION IS
[51:26] NEEDED AND SO THERE IS AN
[51:27] INTERPRETER AVAILABLE TO DO IT.
[51:29] SO I MEAN IF THERE'S NO ONE IN
[51:30] THE BACK END THAT'S GOING TO BE
[51:31] DOING THE SPANISH, THE CHINESE
[51:32] OR WHATEVER I MEAN.
[51:33] YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE PRESSING TOO
[51:35] NOBODY.
[51:35] YEAH.
[51:36] AND TECHNOLOGY HAS REALLY
[51:37] IMPROVED IN THAT RESPECT.
[51:39] UM, IN THE SENSE THAT A LOT OF.
[51:41] PEOPLE HAVE ADD ONS THAT THEY
[51:42] CAN ADD ON TO THEIR OWN
[51:43] TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO DO
[51:45] TRANSLATION.
[51:46] UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS
[51:49] BENEFICIAL TO A LOT OF FOLKS IN
[51:50] MY DISTRICT.
[51:51] THEY HAVE CERTAIN APPLICATIONS
[51:52] ON THEIR COMPUTERS AND ON THEIR
[51:53] PHONES THAT DO THAT
[51:56] SIMULTANEOUSLY ALMOST LIKE.
[51:57] GOOGLE DATA LIKE.
[51:58] YOU KNOW THE BEGINNING OF THAT
[51:59] HOW COULD BABBLE YOU COULD TALK
[52:01] TO YOUR PHONE AND THEN IT WOULD
[52:02] TRANSLATE.
[52:03] SO THERE ARE A LOT
[52:04] OF TECHNOLOGIES COUNCILOR FLYNN
[52:05] WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT AND
[52:06] THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
[52:07] DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS
[52:08] ?
[52:09] NO JUST I'LL MAKE A FINAL
[52:10] POINT.
[52:10] UM, I WORKED WITH THE BRE BPA
[52:17] WHEN THE BRE UM DIDN'T HAVE ANY
[52:21] UM, CANTONESE SPEAKING UH,
[52:25] PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO
[52:27] COMMUNICATE BUT I WORKED WITH
[52:29] THE BRE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT
[52:33] LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
[52:34] ACCESS WAS CRITICAL AND AND ONE
[52:36] OF THE THINGS I DID WAS ENSURE
[52:38] THAT THE AND I HAVE RESPECT FOR
[52:41] ALL OF THE COMMUNITY
[52:42] ORGANIZATIONS IN CHINATOWN BUT
[52:44] I I MADE SURE THAT THE UM THE
[52:48] THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM WOULD
[52:49] SPEAK BEFORE THE CHINATOWN
[52:51] RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION BECAUSE
[52:54] THAT GROUP, THE CHINATOWN
[52:55] RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
[52:58] PREDOMINANTLY THE ENTIRE
[52:59] CONVERSATION IS IN CANTONESE
[53:02] AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO
[53:03] THAT MEETING ARE UH OBVIOUSLY
[53:05] CANTONESE SPEAKING.
[53:07] UM, SO THAT SYSTEM WORKS.
[53:09] WELL, I'M JUST I'M JUST
[53:10] THINKING OUT LOUD.
[53:11] I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
[53:12] ALL OF MY CONSTITUENTS, UM, ARE
[53:15] HEARD DURING THE PROCESS AND
[53:17] AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK
[53:20] WITH THE ZBA JUST TO SEE IF WE
[53:22] CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ON
[53:23] LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
[53:24] ACCESS.
[53:25] MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR
[53:26] GIVING ME AN EXTRA COUPLE
[53:27] OF MINUTES TO UM, GO OVER.
[53:28] THE COURSE.
[53:29] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[53:31] UM, AND I KNOW, UM THAT YOU ALL
[53:34] HAVE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION
[53:35] AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL
[53:36] THAT YOU DO.
[53:37] UM, I DID HEAR SO ONE THEME
[53:40] OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE.
[53:41] HAD IS.
[53:42] THAT IF.
[53:43] WE.
[53:43] FIX THE ZONING CODE,
[53:46] POTENTIALLY SOME OF THE CASES
[53:47] THAT COME BEFORE YOU WOULD BE
[53:49] UNNECESSARY, WHICH I THINK IS
[53:51] VERY IMPORTANT IN CERTAIN
[53:52] RESPECTS.
[53:53] AND UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY
[53:55] REGARDING THE ACCESSORY
[53:57] DWELLING UNIT CONVERSATION, I'M
[54:00] EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT
[54:01] ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS THOUGH
[54:03] VERY FEW WOULD PROBABLY BE.
[54:04] PERMITTED IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
[54:05] WHERE I REPRESENT THE WEST END,
[54:07] BEACON HILL, BACK BAY, FENWAY
[54:08] AND MISSION HALL.
[54:09] THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT BUT
[54:11] THERE.
[54:11] ARE A LOT.
[54:12] OF UM, LEGALIZED APARTMENTS
[54:14] THAT MIGHT BE ABLE.
[54:15] TO BE LEGALIZED.
[54:16] WITH CERTAIN ZONING REFORMS
[54:17] .
[54:18] UM, AND I KNOW HOWEVER
[54:20] CONTROVERSIAL UM ONE OF THE
[54:23] ZONING AMENDMENTS THAT IS
[54:24] BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW
[54:26] UM, IS TO ELIMINATE UM, PARKING
[54:29] REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW
[54:29] RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM,
[54:31] FOR ALL NEW RESIDENTIAL
[54:32] DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE
[54:33] CITY.
[54:34] UM, THAT OBVIOUSLY UH, YOU
[54:37] KNOW, WE HAD TALKED TO A LOT
[54:40] OF DIFFERENT UM, LAWYERS AND
[54:43] FOLKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
[54:44] COMMUNITY AND THERE WAS A
[54:46] CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER IT
[54:48] SHOULD BE CLOSED OR TRANSIT OR
[54:50] EVERYWHERE.
[54:50] AND THE REASON THAT WE ENDED UP
[54:53] DECIDING TO DO IT EVERYWHERE IS
[54:54] BECAUSE PLACES THAT, UM, ARE
[54:57] LESS CLOSE TO TRANSIT ARE MORE
[54:59] LIKELY TO HAVE SPACE FOR ADUS.
[55:03] SO ESSENTIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW,
[55:06] IF WE'RE MAKING INDIVIDUAL
[55:08] RESIDENTS IN ORDER TO CREATE AN
[55:09] ADU FIGHT THROUGH A.
[55:11] PROCESS WHICH THEY'RE GOING TO
[55:13] HAVE.
[55:13] TO.
[55:13] FIGHT THROUGH SOME SORT
[55:14] OF PROCESS BUT UM, IN ORDER TO
[55:17] UH AND WE'RE REQUIRING A
[55:19] PARKING SPACE FOR THAT
[55:21] ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT THAT IS
[55:23] GOING TO SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS.
[55:24] AND IT'S JUST INTERESTING.
[55:26] UM.
[55:28] OBVIOUSLY IT'S.
[55:30] STILL PENDING IN OUR
[55:30] COMMITTEE SO UM SO AND I WON'T
[55:32] YOU ARE NOT THE ZONING
[55:33] COMMISSION SO I WON'T ASK YOU
[55:35] TO WEIGH IN ON THAT PROPOSAL,
[55:37] BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY
[55:38] IMPORTANT TO READ INTO THE
[55:39] RECORD THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS
[55:42] OF PROPOSAL LIKE THAT COULD
[55:42] HAVE ON MAKING ACCELERATE
[55:44] ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
[55:46] POSSIBLE.
[55:47] UM, AND I THINK LEGALIZING
[55:48] APARTMENTS YOU KNOW, ATTICS
[55:50] THAT YOU KNOW, HAVE A KITCHEN
[55:51] AND A BATHROOM AND A SECOND
[55:53] EGRESS.
[55:53] OTHERWISE YOU'D.
[55:55] HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AS
[55:55] WELL.
[55:56] SO UM BUT JUST REALLY GRATEFUL
[55:58] FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO
[56:00] EVERY DAY AND ALL THE CASES.
[56:02] I MEAN TO HEAR GIOVANNI, YOU'RE
[56:04] JUST ONE MEMBER BUT TO HEAR.
[56:06] O YOU REVIEWED 4000.
[56:08] UH, DID YOU SAY 4000 CASES?
[56:10] IT'S ABOUT A THOUSAND PER YEAR
[56:12] .
[56:13] THOUSAND PER YEAR?
[56:13] YEAH.
[56:14] SO THAT'S I MEAN THAT'S PRETTY
[56:15] IMPRESSIVE.
[56:16] IT'S UM AND YOU JUST THINK
[56:17] ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT GOES
[56:19] INTO THAT ON THE BACK END AS
[56:20] WELL.
[56:20] SO I WANT TO THANK ALL THE
[56:21] STAFF THAT WORKS WITH THE ZBA
[56:23] AND UM SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE
[56:26] ON TO OUR NEXT PANEL.
[56:28] UM DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY OTHER
[56:29] COMMENTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO
[56:30] MAKE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE
[56:31] NEXT PANEL?
[56:32] UH YES.
[56:33] I HAVE ONE UH, SMALL
[56:34] QUESTION AND I'M SURPRISED I
[56:35] DIDN'T SEE IT THE OTHER DAY.
[56:37] IT'S A REAL HONOR.
[56:38] TO WORK TO BE ON THE ZBA
[56:39] BOARD, BUT IT'S AN HONOR TO
[56:41] WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE HERE IS
[56:42] GREAT.
[56:43] I'M LEARNING A LOT AND I JUST
[56:45] THANK THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
[56:46] WITH THESE PEOPLE ON THE ZBA
[56:48] BOARD.
[56:48] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[56:49] AND I YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU
[56:51] GUYS ARE REALLY IT'S ACTUALLY
[56:53] NICE FOR YOU TWO GUYS TO BE
[56:54] TOGETHER IN PERSON AND THAT'S
[56:56] YOU KNOW THAT'S.
[56:57] ONE THING THAT WE'RE.
[56:57] ALL AGREEING IT'S ACTUALLY
[56:58] REALLY NICE TO SEE YOU IN
[57:00] PERSON BECAUSE WE'RE USUALLY
[57:01] SEEING YOU ON A ZOOM SCREEN.
[57:02] GIOVANNI I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN
[57:04] TAKE A MINUTE TO I WANT TO MAKE
[57:05] A COMMENT ABOUT CONCEALER AND
[57:07] UM QUESTION ABOUT
[57:09] INTERPRETATION.
[57:10] I DIDN'T SPEAK ANY ENGLISH WHEN
[57:11] I CAME TO BOSTON AND FOR MANY
[57:13] YEARS I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN
[57:16] ALMOST ANYTHING BECAUSE FIRST
[57:17] OF ALL I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND.
[57:20] FINALLY WHEN I WAS ABLE TO
[57:21] UNDERSTAND I DIDN'T FEEL
[57:22] COMFORTABLE SPEAKING UM
[57:25] PRACTICING MY BOSTON ACCENT
[57:26] THAT WAS CONSIDERED OH, YOU GET
[57:28] IN THERE.
[57:29] UH, BY THE WAY THEY CAN TELL
[57:30] YOU IS THIS IF I REMEMBER
[57:32] CORRECTLY, OVER THE LAST 40
[57:33] YEARS WE HAVE HAD MAYBE FIVE
[57:36] SIX CASES THAT REQUIRED
[57:38] INTERPRETATION.
[57:39] THAT TELLS ME THAT WE HAVE TO
[57:42] DO SOMETHING BETTER AS A
[57:43] SOCIETY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY
[57:46] PERSON WHO DOESN'T SPEAK
[57:47] ENGLISH OR IS NOT COMFORTABLE
[57:49] WITH THE ENGLISH LEVEL HAS
[57:51] ACCESS TO A MEETING WITH
[57:52] MATERIALS IN THAT THEY COME TO
[57:54] A HEARING THIS UH, THAT TENANTS
[57:56] FEEL EMPOWERED TO PARTICIPATE
[57:59] BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE
[58:00] PERCEPTION IS THAT ONLY
[58:01] HOMEOWNERS HAVE THE POWER TO
[58:03] WEIGH IN IN PROJECTS.
[58:04] AND OF COURSE.
[58:07] HOW INTERPRETATION IS THAT
[58:08] TECHNICAL UM DETAIL THAT IF
[58:10] STAFF CAN FIGURE THAT OUT ON
[58:12] ZOOM MUST CONSIDER THERE WAS
[58:13] MENTIONING THAT IT'S A BOTTOM
[58:14] THAT YOU CAN HEAR IN DIFFERENT
[58:16] LANGUAGES BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T
[58:18] COME TO A HEARING THEY ARE NOT
[58:19] GOING TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND
[58:21] OR PARTICIPATE.
[58:22] I THINK THIS IS FOR THE CITY
[58:23] OF BOSTON AND THE CITY
[58:24] COUNCIL TO TELL YOUR
[58:26] CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY HAVE A
[58:27] VOICE REGARDLESS OF THEIR
[58:30] LANGUAGE SKILLS OR THEIR UH,
[58:31] INCOME STATUS OR HOMEOWNERSHIP
[58:34] OR TENANCY.
[58:34] THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO
[58:35] PARTICIPATE AND THEY SHOULD.
[58:37] THANK YOU SO MUCH GIOVANNI.
[58:38] AND I KNOW UM I WENT TO A
[58:40] SQUARES AND STREETS MEETING.
[58:41] IT WAS ACTUALLY CHIEF AT THE
[58:43] TIME ARTHUR JEMISON AND UH,
[58:45] MAYOR WU AND THE PERSON WHO WAS
[58:47] I'M SEEING WAS JOSE MASSO
[58:49] SENIOR AND HE ASKED FOLKS TO
[58:52] RAISE THEIR HAND IF THEY WERE A
[58:53] HOMEOWNER.
[58:54] HE ASKED THEM TO RAISE THEIR
[58:54] HAND IF THEY WERE A BUSINESS
[58:55] OWNER, IF THEY WERE WHITE, IF
[58:57] THEY WERE A PERSON OF COLOR, IF
[58:58] THEY WERE A BUSINESS OWNER UM
[59:01] IF THEY WERE AND IT ONCE HE DID
[59:04] THAT IT WAS A VERY POWERFUL
[59:06] DEMONSTRATION OF WHO COMES TO
[59:07] PUBLIC MEETINGS AND UM, IT
[59:10] REALLY CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE
[59:12] OF LIKE WHO WE NEED TO BRING
[59:13] INTO THE FOLD OF PUBLIC
[59:14] MEETINGS BECAUSE IT IS VERY
[59:16] IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A
[59:18] REPRESENTATIVE ENVIRONMENT.
[59:19] AND I REMEMBER WHEN HE ASKED IF
[59:21] THERE WERE ANY BUSINESS OWNERS,
[59:22] NOT A SINGLE PERSON RAISE THEIR
[59:24] HAND AND UM WHEN HE ASKED WHO
[59:26] WAS A HOMEOWNER, EVERYONE
[59:27] RAISED THEIR HAND AND THERE
[59:28] WERE VERY FEW RENTERS IN THE
[59:30] ROOM TO TALK ABOUT SQUARES AND
[59:31] STREETS AND SOMETHING THAT
[59:33] WOULD REALLY IMPACT A LOT
[59:35] OF RENTERS AND A LOT
[59:36] OF BUSINESS OWNERS.
[59:37] SQUARES AND STREETS WAS ALL
[59:38] ABOUT MAIN STREETS AND
[59:39] BUSINESSES AND SO IT WAS VERY
[59:42] IMPACTFUL ON ME AS AN ELECTED
[59:43] OFFICIAL OF MAKING SURE THAT WE
[59:45] ARE WIDENING YOU KNOW, OUR
[59:47] OUTREACH AND I KNOW THAT THAT
[59:49] WORK IS UNDERWAY AND IT'S
[59:51] INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
[59:52] UM, BUT I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL
[59:55] FOR HEARING ALL THE TESTIMONY
[59:57] WEIGHING IT, UM, YOU KNOW,
[59:59] LISTENING TO US AS WELL WHEN WE
[1:00:01] WERE COMING BEFORE YOU.
[1:00:03] UM AND UM SO I WANT TO RELIEVE
[1:00:05] YOU REALLY OF THIS PANEL AND
[1:00:06] THEN WE'LL GO UH, TO THE UH TO
[1:00:08] THE NEW APPOINTEES AND UM SO
[1:00:11] I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND I'M
[1:00:12] GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ
[1:00:13] THROUGH UH, THOSE UM SO CARLA,
[1:00:16] PATRICK AND WILLIAM IF YOU'D
[1:00:18] LIKE TO COME AND I JUST WANT TO
[1:00:20] THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
[1:00:21] LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SERVICE TO
[1:00:22] THE CITY.
[1:00:22] THANK YOU.
[1:00:31] OKAY, OKAY.
[1:00:34] AND FOR PATRICK, UM, NOT TO
[1:00:36] EMBARRASS YOU, I'M GOING TO
[1:00:37] READ A LETTER ON BEHALF OF THE
[1:00:39] BUILDING TRADES UNION THAT WAS
[1:00:40] SENT TO THE MAYOR.
[1:00:42] UM, DEAR MAYOR RUE ON BEHALF
[1:00:44] OF THE BUILDING TRADES
[1:00:45] EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION I AM
[1:00:47] WRITING UNDER CHAPTER 665
[1:00:49] OF THE ACTS OF 1950 1956
[1:00:51] SECTION EIGHT TO SUBMIT A
[1:00:53] LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR
[1:00:54] PATRICK WALSH, BUSINESS MANAGER
[1:00:56] FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE
[1:00:58] MASSACHUSETTS LABORERS DISTRICT
[1:00:59] COUNCIL LOCAL 223 FOR THE
[1:01:02] VACANT ALTERNATE SEAT OF THE
[1:01:03] ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS THE
[1:01:05] MASSACHUSETTS LABOR DISTRICT
[1:01:07] COUNCIL LOCAL 223 IS LOCATED AT
[1:01:09] 12 A ABERDEEN STREET,
[1:01:11] DORCHESTER.
[1:01:12] MR WALSH BECAME A THIRD
[1:01:14] GENERATION CONSTRUCTION SHAFT
[1:01:15] LABOR CONSTRUCTION CRAFT
[1:01:17] LABORER WHEN HE JOINED THE
[1:01:18] RANKS OF LABORERS LOCAL 223 AND
[1:01:20] A FACILITY OF LIUNA.
[1:01:21] BECAUSE OF HIS DEDICATION AND
[1:01:22] COMMITMENT TO HIS FELLOW
[1:01:23] LABORERS, MR WALSH WAS ELECTED
[1:01:25] TO THE POSITION OF SERGEANT AT
[1:01:26] ARMS FOR A LOCAL UNION 223 AND
[1:01:28] HELD THAT POSITION FOR SEVEN
[1:01:30] YEARS UNTIL BEING ELECTED TO
[1:01:31] THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IN 2024.
[1:01:33] MR WALSH BECAME THE BUSINESS
[1:01:35] MANAGER OF LOCAL 223.
[1:01:36] MR WALSH ALSO RECENTLY ELECTED
[1:01:38] TO THE BOSTON LABOR
[1:01:40] COUNCIL EXECUTIVE BOARD.
[1:01:41] MR WALSH IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO
[1:01:43] OUR BOSTON COMMUNITY AND WORKS
[1:01:45] TIRELESSLY ON BEHALF OF HIS
[1:01:46] UNION AND THE GREATER BOSTON
[1:01:47] UNION TRADES.
[1:01:48] HE IS ADMIRED BY HIS PEERS AND
[1:01:50] AS ALWAYS A VOICE FOR FAIRNESS
[1:01:51] AND INCLUSION.
[1:01:52] I HOPE THIS NOMINATION MEETS
[1:01:53] YOUR APPROVAL AND WE RECOMMEND
[1:01:55] APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION
[1:01:55] FOR THE REPRESENTATION GIVEN
[1:01:57] THE UNION CONSTRUCTION
[1:01:58] INDUSTRY.
[1:02:00] UH VERY YOURS TRULY.
[1:02:01] THOMAS GUIDING EXECUTIVE
[1:02:03] DIRECTOR JUST WANTED TO READ
[1:02:04] THAT THEY ASKED ME TO READ THAT
[1:02:05] INTO THE RECORD.
[1:02:06] SO WE'LL START WITH UM,
[1:02:08] PATRICK, JUST BECAUSE I GAVE
[1:02:09] YOU A GREAT UM, INTRODUCTION
[1:02:11] AND THEN WE'LL GO TO CARLA AND
[1:02:13] WILLIAM.
[1:02:14] THANK YOU.
[1:02:14] GOOD MORNING, CHAIR DEREK AND
[1:02:15] GOOD MORNING, COUNCILORS.
[1:02:17] UM, MY NAME IS PATRICK WALSH.
[1:02:19] I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT
[1:02:22] OF DISTRICT THREE.
[1:02:23] I'M THE BUSINESS MANAGER
[1:02:24] OF LABORERS LOCAL 223 AND
[1:02:26] DORCHESTER.
[1:02:26] UM, THROUGH THAT CAPACITY I
[1:02:28] REPRESENT THE, UH ALL THE UNION
[1:02:31] LABORERS IN CONSTRUCTION THAT
[1:02:33] WORK IN THE SEAPORT SOUTH
[1:02:35] BOSTON, DORCHESTER, ROSLINDALE
[1:02:37] ,ROXBURY, MATTAPAN, HYDE PARK
[1:02:40] ,UH WEST ROXBURY AND UM HALF
[1:02:44] OF CHINATOWN AND THE FINANCIAL
[1:02:46] DISTRICT.
[1:02:47] EVERYWHERE BUT DISTRICT EIGHT I
[1:02:48] GUESS.
[1:02:49] I COVER ABOUT HALF OF THE CITY
[1:02:50] AND I COVER THE BOSTON HARBOR
[1:02:51] ISLANDS.
[1:02:52] UM, SO THROUGH THAT CAPACITY I
[1:02:55] REPRESENT, UH, PEOPLE LOOKING
[1:02:57] FOR FAIR WAGES, UH, FAIR
[1:02:58] EMPLOYMENT, UM, GOOD HEALTH
[1:03:00] BENEFITS.
[1:03:01] UH, I ALSO AM A PARENT OF TWO
[1:03:03] CHILDREN THAT ATTEND BOSTON
[1:03:04] PUBLIC SCHOOL.
[1:03:05] THEY ATTEND ELLIOTT SCHOOL A
[1:03:06] FEW BLOCKS FROM HERE.
[1:03:08] UM, I AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN
[1:03:11] THE COLUMBIA SAVIN HILL CIVIC.
[1:03:12] ASSOCIATION AND I AM A, UH,
[1:03:15] LIFE ALMOST LIFELONG LITTLE
[1:03:17] LEAGUE COACH OF UH, DORCHESTER
[1:03:20] BASEBALL NOW WHICH WAS ONE
[1:03:21] SEVEN HILL LITTLE LEAGUE.
[1:03:23] UM I ALSO SERVE IN CAPACITY AS
[1:03:25] A MEMBER OF THE BOARD
[1:03:26] OF DIRECTORS FOR THE MASTERS
[1:03:27] OF WATER AND UH, WATER
[1:03:29] RESOURCES AUTHORITY.
[1:03:30] UM, I SIT ON THE WORKERS COMP
[1:03:32] ADVISORY COUNCIL ON BEHALF
[1:03:33] OF THE GOVERNOR.
[1:03:34] I WANT TO THANK MAYOR WU AND I
[1:03:36] WANT.
[1:03:36] TO.
[1:03:36] THANK THE BUILDING TRADES
[1:03:37] EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION FOR MY
[1:03:39] RECOMMENDATION FOR NOMINATION,
[1:03:40] UM, TO THE CBA.
[1:03:42] THANK YOU.
[1:03:43] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[1:03:44] UM, AND YOUR NOMINATION
[1:03:45] DEFINITELY HIGHLIGHTS THAT UM,
[1:03:48] BASED ON THE WAY THAT A LOT
[1:03:49] OF THESE UM, NOMINATIONS WORK,
[1:03:51] IT'S LIKE SPECIFIC
[1:03:52] ORGANIZATIONS PUTTING FORWARD
[1:03:54] SO WE DON'T ALWAYS UM, YOU
[1:03:57] KNOW, DISCLOSE LIKE WHO WAS
[1:03:59] NOMINATED BY WHO BUT UM, IT'S A
[1:04:01] VERY COMPLEX PROCESS AND I KNOW
[1:04:02] JUST WANT TO THANK UH, MAC AND
[1:04:04] BONNER WHO I KNOW ACTUALLY USED
[1:04:06] TO BE IN OUR OFFICE AND NOW
[1:04:08] HE'S RUNNING BOARDS AND
[1:04:09] COMMISSIONS FOR THE CITY.
[1:04:10] SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE HIM
[1:04:11] ON HIS FIRST BOARDS AND
[1:04:12] COMMISSIONS HEARING.
[1:04:14] UM, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[1:04:16] CARLA.
[1:04:17] SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.
[1:04:18] GOOD MORNING, COUNCILOR DURKAN
[1:04:19] .
[1:04:20] UM, COUNCIL OF UM.
[1:04:21] COUNCILOR MURPHY, UM, THANK YOU
[1:04:23] SO MUCH FOR HAVING MEJIA TODAY.
[1:04:24] SO I AM CARLA MONTEIRO.
[1:04:25] I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT
[1:04:27] OF DORCHESTER.
[1:04:28] UM I GREW UP IN FIELDS CORNER
[1:04:29] AND NOW LIVE CLOSER TO MORE AND
[1:04:31] STREET AND, UM, I'M A MOM, I'M
[1:04:33] A HOMEOWNER, I'M A COMMUNITY
[1:04:36] ADVOCATE.
[1:04:36] I'M ALSO A SOCIAL WORKER AND I
[1:04:38] HAVE UM SERVED ON MANY BOARDS
[1:04:40] AND CURRENTLY SERVING ON THE
[1:04:42] BOSTON STATE HOSPITAL COMMITTEE
[1:04:44] AND UM, JUST YOU KNOW, AND JUST
[1:04:47] BECAME INTERESTED IN THE ZONING
[1:04:49] BOARD AFTER HAVING MY OWN
[1:04:50] EXPERIENCE UM, WITH, YOU KNOW,
[1:04:52] PARTICIPATING IN THE ZONING
[1:04:53] BOARD HEARINGS, UM, AS A
[1:04:55] COMMUNITY MEMBER AND AS A
[1:04:56] MEMBER OF UM HARVARD UM
[1:04:59] COMMUNITY GROUPS AND SO AND
[1:05:01] ALSO PARTICIPATING WITH THE
[1:05:02] MATTAPAN COMMUNITY GROUP.
[1:05:03] SO I'LL PASS THERE.
[1:05:04] I WAS I'M THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[1:05:06] CARLA.
[1:05:07] OKAY.
[1:05:07] UM, WILLIAM.
[1:05:09] GOOD MORNING.
[1:05:10] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[1:05:11] UM, MADAM CHAIR, NICE TO SEE
[1:05:14] YOU BOTH CITY COUNCILORS.
[1:05:15] UH, MY NAME IS BILL MASTERSON.
[1:05:17] I'M HONORED TO BE, UM, HERE AND
[1:05:18] CONSIDERATION FOR A NOMINATION
[1:05:20] FOR THE ZONING BOARD
[1:05:21] OF APPEALS.
[1:05:22] ALSO VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE
[1:05:23] CURRENT MEMBERS AND THE PASSION
[1:05:25] THAT THEY HAVE FOR WHAT THEY DO
[1:05:27] AS WELL AS THE EXPERIENCE THAT
[1:05:28] THEY BRING TO THE BOARD.
[1:05:29] UM.
[1:05:31] I GREW UP IN MALDEN, UM, NOT
[1:05:33] TOO FAR FROM HERE, RAISED A
[1:05:34] FAMILY IN NORTH ANDOVER AND
[1:05:36] MOVED TO DISTRICT ONE IN EAST
[1:05:37] BOSTON UH, IN 2019 UM, I MY
[1:05:41] CAREER WAS WITH THE GILLETTE
[1:05:42] COMPANY IN BOSTON FOR 30 YEARS
[1:05:45] UM, WHERE I UM RAN THROUGH A
[1:05:48] BUNCH OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES
[1:05:50] SALES, UH, FINANCE, MARKETING,
[1:05:51] BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
[1:05:53] UM, SO I HAVE A LOT
[1:05:54] OF CORPORATE EXPERIENCE.
[1:05:55] I HAVE A DEGREE I WAS DAY
[1:05:57] STUDENT AT NORTHEASTERN, UM,
[1:05:59] COMMUTED THERE FOR FIVE YEARS
[1:06:00] FROM MALDEN AND I HAVE MY MBA
[1:06:01] FROM SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY UM,
[1:06:04] SINCE GRADUATE SINCE UM,
[1:06:06] LEAVING GILLETTE, UM, I'VE
[1:06:09] SPENT MOST OF MY TIME
[1:06:10] VOLUNTEERING.
[1:06:11] SO UM MY CURRENT ROLE UH, IS UM
[1:06:15] UH WHAT TAKES UP MOST OF THE
[1:06:16] TIME MY TIME DURING THE DAY IS
[1:06:18] UM I FOUNDED AND UH, RUNNING A
[1:06:20] UM, URBAN FORESTRY NONPROFIT IN
[1:06:22] EAST BOSTON CALLED TREE ESTY.
[1:06:24] UM, IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER.
[1:06:26] UM, OUR MISSION IS TO PLANT
[1:06:27] TREES, MAINTAIN THE TREES THAT
[1:06:29] ARE ALREADY IN THE GROUND AND
[1:06:30] THEN EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON THE
[1:06:32] BENEFITS OF TREES.
[1:06:33] SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE
[1:06:34] EAST BOSTON COMMUNITY.
[1:06:35] I'VE ATTENDED UM, ALL OF THE
[1:06:37] CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETINGS.
[1:06:39] UM, WHEN I MOVED TO EAST BOSTON
[1:06:41] SEVEN YEARS AGO, IT WAS JUST AT
[1:06:43] THE START OF PLAN EAST BOSTON
[1:06:44] WHICH I THINK TOOK ABOUT FIVE
[1:06:46] YEARS.
[1:06:46] SO I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT
[1:06:47] PROCESS ALL ALONG THE WAY.
[1:06:49] I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN
[1:06:51] UM IN DEVELOPMENT AND UM I AM
[1:06:55] ON TOP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
[1:06:56] BPA UM IN THEIR ON THEIR
[1:06:58] NEWSLETTER AND KIND OF KEEP MY
[1:07:01] UM FINGERS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING
[1:07:02] WITH DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE
[1:07:03] CITY OF BOSTON.
[1:07:04] IT'S JUST AN AREA OF INTEREST
[1:07:05] FOR ME WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY
[1:07:06] COOL.
[1:07:06] I'VE SAT ON TO IAG'S IN EAST
[1:07:09] BOSTON UM AT SIX CHELSEA STREET
[1:07:11] WHICH WAS JUST A COUPLE
[1:07:12] OF MONTHS AGO AS WELL AS THE
[1:07:13] LARGE UM COMPLEX THAT'S GOING
[1:07:16] IN UH UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT
[1:07:17] NOW IN DAY SQUARE.
[1:07:18] UM, I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE
[1:07:21] CONDO ASSOCIATION.
[1:07:22] THE CONDO WHERE I LIVE IS AN 80
[1:07:24] UNIT BUILDING.
[1:07:24] UM, SO I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE
[1:07:27] THERE AS WELL.
[1:07:28] UM, BUT THE WORK THAT I DO WITH
[1:07:30] TREES IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
[1:07:31] UM, VERY.
[1:07:33] MUCH UM, AND PASSIONATE ABOUT
[1:07:35] THE ENVIRONMENT.
[1:07:36] UM, I RECEIVED AN AWARD LAST
[1:07:38] YEAR FROM THERE WILL AN
[1:07:39] INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR A CLIMATE
[1:07:41] UH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD UM, FOR
[1:07:42] THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE.
[1:07:44] UM, I PARTICIPATED IN THE
[1:07:45] CLIMATE ACTION PLAN REVEAL ON
[1:07:47] THE PRESS IN LOPRESTI PARK UM,
[1:07:49] THIS PAST APRIL.
[1:07:50] SO A LOT OF MY FOCUS IS REALLY
[1:07:52] ON DOING UM ON DOING THAT WORK.
[1:07:54] UM, I HAVE TO HAVE A REASON TO
[1:07:56] GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING,
[1:07:57] SO THAT'S WHY I STAY BUSY DOING
[1:07:59] THAT TYPE OF CIVIC WORK.
[1:08:00] WHEN I WAS LIVING IN NORTH
[1:08:01] ANDOVER I WAS A MEMBER
[1:08:02] OF SEVERAL BOARDS NONPROFIT
[1:08:04] BOARDS THERE AS WELL.
[1:08:05] SO UM I'VE GOT A FAIR AMOUNT
[1:08:07] OF BOARD EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
[1:08:08] THANK YOU WILLIAM AND I KNOW
[1:08:10] YOUR GAME BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO
[1:08:11] SAY THEY'RE RETIRED OR NEVER
[1:08:13] RETIRED THEY'RE ALWAYS LIKE THE
[1:08:14] BUSIEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET.
[1:08:16] SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT
[1:08:18] YOU DO AND, UM, I JUST GIVEN
[1:08:21] YOUR, UM, WORK WITH CLIMATE AND
[1:08:23] YOUR REPUTATION PRECEDES YOU
[1:08:24] WITH ALL THE TREES, YOU KNOW?
[1:08:26] UM, SO I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING
[1:08:28] TREES AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR
[1:08:30] OWN UM WE TREE IN THE WEST END
[1:08:33] THAT IS DOING GREAT SIMILAR
[1:08:34] WORK AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE
[1:08:35] BEEN ABLE TO I.
[1:08:36] DO.
[1:08:36] KNOW THEM.
[1:08:37] YEAH.
[1:08:37] WORK WITH THEM.
[1:08:37] UM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR
[1:08:40] PHILOSOPHY ON ZONING AND LAND
[1:08:41] USE IN BOSTON, PARTICULARLY IN
[1:08:43] LIGHT OF THE CITY'S HOUSING
[1:08:45] AFFORDABILITY AND CLIMATE
[1:08:45] RESILIENCE GOALS?
[1:08:47] WELL, I MEAN LIKE I SAID, I PUT
[1:08:49] CLIMATE UM VERY HIGH IN THE TOP
[1:08:51] OF THE LIST BUT THAT IS DOESN'T
[1:08:52] ALWAYS COME INTO PLAY WITH THE
[1:08:53] ZONING, UH, REQUIREMENTS I
[1:08:56] GUESS YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO TAKE
[1:08:57] EACH CASE UH, ON A CASE BY CASE
[1:08:59] BASIS IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S
[1:09:00] PRESENTED AT THE MEETINGS.
[1:09:02] UM, I TRY TO SEPARATE THE
[1:09:04] PERSON FROM THE PROBLEM SO TO
[1:09:05] SPEAK SO THAT IT'S NOT BECAUSE
[1:09:07] THE WAY THAT, UM, SOMEBODY IS
[1:09:09] PRESENTING I MIGHT NOT LIKE BUT
[1:09:10] IT'S REALLY THE FACTS THAT YOU
[1:09:12] NEED TO MAKE BASED YOUR
[1:09:13] DECISIONS ON.
[1:09:14] UM AND SO LOOKING AT IT THROUGH
[1:09:16] THAT LENS I THINK WILL HELP
[1:09:17] ME BE ABLE TO BE A GOOD MEMBER
[1:09:19] AND MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
[1:09:20] UM, BUT LIKE I SAID IT
[1:09:22] DEFINITELY IS ON A CASE BY CASE
[1:09:23] BASIS.
[1:09:24] I WISH I HAD SOME I HAVE
[1:09:26] ATTENDED THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS
[1:09:27] BEFORE SO I KIND OF HAD NO UH
[1:09:28] THE PROCESS UM I WISH I HAD A
[1:09:31] LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE TO
[1:09:32] BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
[1:09:33] MORE INTELLIGENTLY, BUT I THINK
[1:09:34] IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT
[1:09:36] UM, I'LL LEARN MORE, YOU KNOW,
[1:09:38] AS I GO ALONG.
[1:09:38] NO, I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL
[1:09:40] TO HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE
[1:09:41] OF WORKING ON A NEIGHBORHOOD
[1:09:42] PLAN BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE SORT
[1:09:44] OF LIKE FIGURING OUT, YOU KNOW
[1:09:46] ,OKAY, THESE ARE THE CONCEPTS.
[1:09:48] I MEAN, YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'VE
[1:09:49] YOU'VE DONE A LOT IN THIS
[1:09:51] RESPECT.
[1:09:52] UM, DO YOU UM, IN TERMS OF UH
[1:09:55] WOULD WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE
[1:09:56] TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND I
[1:09:58] CAN SAY IT AGAIN, HOW WOULD YOU
[1:10:00] DESCRIBE YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON
[1:10:01] ZONING AND LAND USE IN BOSTON,
[1:10:02] PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE
[1:10:03] CITY'S HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
[1:10:05] AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE GOALS?
[1:10:07] I THINK FOR ME THROUGH MY
[1:10:08] LIVED EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN
[1:10:09] UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT IS
[1:10:10] OFTEN FORGOTTEN WHEN IT COMES
[1:10:11] TO CLIMATE CHANGE OR YOU KNOW,
[1:10:13] ANY ANYTHING RELATED TO CLIMATE
[1:10:15] OR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
[1:10:16] UM, I WOULD LOOK AT IT THROUGH
[1:10:18] THAT LENS OF UH THE EXPERIENCE
[1:10:20] OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING LESS TREE
[1:10:21] CANOPY AND UM ALSO YOU KNOW,
[1:10:24] THIS TREE THERE'S CERTAIN
[1:10:25] NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE'S
[1:10:25] TREES THAT ARE GOING UP THAT UM
[1:10:27] ,NEIGHBORHOODS AREN'T OR
[1:10:29] PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE
[1:10:30] NOT CONSIDERED LIKE I'M AN
[1:10:31] ASTHMATIC.
[1:10:32] SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
[1:10:32] ALWAYS THINK ABOUT.
[1:10:33] UM, IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, WHAT
[1:10:35] CAN YOU KNOW, TRIGGER
[1:10:36] ALLERGIES.
[1:10:37] I'M CALLED LIKE THE TRIAD WHICH
[1:10:39] IS ASTHMA, ECZEMA AND UM,
[1:10:41] ALLERGIES.
[1:10:41] AND THAT IS THE CASE FOR MANY
[1:10:43] PEOPLE LIVING IN BOSTON.
[1:10:44] AND SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS
[1:10:46] THAT I WOULD ALSO TAKE INTO
[1:10:47] CONSIDERATION, UM, THROUGH MY
[1:10:48] OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
[1:10:50] THAT IS SO INTERESTING BECAUSE
[1:10:52] I UM, HAVING I REPRESENT UH,
[1:10:55] MISSION HEALTH AND I WENT
[1:10:56] THROUGH A WALK WITH THE MISSION
[1:10:57] MAIN TENANT TASK FORCE.
[1:10:59] UM THERE WERE THERE WAS SOME
[1:11:00] MONEY LEFT IN THE BUDGET AT THE
[1:11:02] END OF THE YEAR.
[1:11:03] SO THEY WERE FIGURING OUT LIKE
[1:11:04] WHERE DO WE PUT TREES SORT
[1:11:05] OF IN A YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE
[1:11:07] HAVE THIS TREE CONTRACTOR THAT
[1:11:09] WE'VE BEEN YOU KNOW, THAT'S
[1:11:10] BEEN HIRED AND I KNOW UM ONCE
[1:11:12] THE SIDEWALK STARTED TO GET CUT
[1:11:14] INTO PEOPLE WERE LIKE WHAT'S
[1:11:15] GOING IN HERE?
[1:11:16] WHAT'S THE PLAN?
[1:11:17] WHAT TYPE OF TREES, HOW LONG
[1:11:19] UNTIL THEY REACH THE FULL
[1:11:21] CANOPY?
[1:11:21] SO I ACTUALLY DID A WALK WITH
[1:11:22] THE MISSION MAINTENANCE TASK
[1:11:23] FORCE WITH OUR URBAN FORESTRY.
[1:11:27] UM, YOU KNOW TODD MR WHO DOES
[1:11:29] SUCH A GREAT JOB BUT IT WAS
[1:11:31] LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF DESCRIBING
[1:11:33] LIKE THIS IS WHAT THIS TREE
[1:11:34] WILL BE IN TEN YEARS.
[1:11:36] IT WAS LIKE LOOKING AT SORT
[1:11:37] OF THE HERE'S WHERE IT IS NOW
[1:11:39] AND HERE'S WHERE IT WILL BE.
[1:11:40] AND THIS WAS UM AND IT WAS IN A
[1:11:42] COMMUNITY THAT HAD NEVER HAD
[1:11:44] NEVER GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, 25 NEW
[1:11:46] TREES.
[1:11:47] SO THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT TO
[1:11:48] EXPECT.
[1:11:48] THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT THE
[1:11:49] CLEANUP WOULD BE.
[1:11:50] A LOT OF THE MISSION MAINE IS
[1:11:51] PRIVATELY MAINTAINED.
[1:11:53] SO IT WAS LIKE THOSE
[1:11:54] CONVERSATIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT
[1:11:55] AND NOT NECESSARILY RELEVANT
[1:11:57] EXACTLY TO LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL
[1:11:59] DECISIONS OF BUT AGAIN YOU'RE
[1:12:01] REVIEWING A LOT OF PROJECTS
[1:12:02] THAT HAVE A LOT OF BENEFITS
[1:12:03] ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND UM,
[1:12:05] AND FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT
[1:12:07] PROCESS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
[1:12:09] IN THAT AND I YEAH, I HAVE A
[1:12:11] FRIEND WHO HAS THAT TRIAD AS
[1:12:12] WELL AND IT'S NEVER IT'S NEVER
[1:12:14] EASY.
[1:12:14] SHE'S ALSO ALLERGIC TO SEAFOOD
[1:12:16] SO IT'S JUST LIKE SHE HAS A
[1:12:17] REALLY TOUGH TIME SO I KNOW
[1:12:19] EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE
[1:12:20] EXPERIENCING BUT UM AND I KNOW
[1:12:22] UH PATRICK, YOU'RE COMING AT
[1:12:23] THIS MORE FROM THE SORT OF, UH,
[1:12:27] UNION LABOR LENS.
[1:12:28] UM, CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT
[1:12:30] HOW YOU FEEL?
[1:12:31] I OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT
[1:12:32] OF GREAT JOBS COMING WITH
[1:12:33] CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND OTHER
[1:12:34] THINGS AND JUST CURIOUS SORT
[1:12:36] OF YOUR LENS ON THAT AND YES.
[1:12:38] SO MY LENS ON IT IS IT
[1:12:39] DEFINITELY DOES HAS TO BE TAKEN
[1:12:41] CASE BY CASE BASIS.
[1:12:42] UM, I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN ONE
[1:12:43] OF THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS
[1:12:46] OF BOSTON IN CLIMATE CHANGE.
[1:12:48] UM I LIVE IN SAVIN HILL AND I
[1:12:49] WORK AT THE CORNER OF FREEPORT
[1:12:50] AND MARSHALL BOULEVARD AND
[1:12:53] THREE DAYS A WEEK I NEED TO
[1:12:54] TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO WORK
[1:12:55] BECAUSE MORRISSEY BOULEVARD IS
[1:12:56] FLOODED.
[1:12:56] RIGHT?
[1:12:56] RISING SEA LEVELS.
[1:12:58] UM, I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO BE
[1:13:00] CASE BY CASE BECAUSE I I THINK
[1:13:01] A DEVELOPMENT ON MORRISSEY
[1:13:03] BOULEVARD NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT
[1:13:04] A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A
[1:13:05] DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU'RE GOING
[1:13:06] TO PUT AT THE TOP OF A HILL ON
[1:13:08] ON CLIMATE ON ON SEA LEVEL
[1:13:10] STUFF LIKE.
[1:13:10] IS IT FLOODED TODAY WITH THE
[1:13:12] RAIN?
[1:13:12] UH CAME INTO TOWN EARLY ENOUGH
[1:13:14] AND CAME DOWN AND THROUGH AND
[1:13:16] DOWN THE STREET.
[1:13:18] SO UM IT'S IT'S TYPICALLY
[1:13:19] FLOODED EVERY DAY AT HIGH TIDE.
[1:13:22] UM IT'S BUT AT THE AT THE SAME
[1:13:24] TIME IT IS A PROBLEM.
[1:13:25] UM I DO LIKE TO SEE I DO LIKE
[1:13:28] WHAT I SEE ON THE SEAPORT WITH
[1:13:29] SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE
[1:13:30] SEAPORT WITH THE WITH THE
[1:13:31] RISING UH, SEA WALLS AND AND
[1:13:34] DOING SOME CERTAIN STUFF I, I
[1:13:36] SIT ON THE BOARD SO I SEE WHAT
[1:13:39] WHAT'S AFFECTED OVER THERE UM
[1:13:41] IN AND IT IS A PROBLEM IT'S A
[1:13:43] PROBLEM IN THE CITY AND AND
[1:13:44] IT'S A PROBLEM EVERYWHERE AND
[1:13:46] IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT ON A
[1:13:47] CASE BY CASE BASIS IN, UM, WHAT
[1:13:50] ZONING RELIEF A PARTICULAR
[1:13:51] PROJECT NEEDS.
[1:13:52] YEAH.
[1:13:53] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[1:13:54] AND I WANT TO GIVE A CHANCE FOR
[1:13:55] MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK ANY
[1:13:56] QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
[1:13:57] UM, THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY NEW
[1:13:59] APPOINTEES.
[1:14:00] UM, AND SO JUST WANT TO MAKE
[1:14:01] SURE THAT, UM, WE KIND
[1:14:03] OF UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE
[1:14:04] COMING FROM AND JUST IT SOUNDS
[1:14:05] LIKE THE THREE OF YOU ARE JUST
[1:14:08] ONE SO QUALIFIED TWO COMING
[1:14:10] FROM LIKE DIFFERENT
[1:14:11] PERSPECTIVES, WHICH IS ALWAYS
[1:14:12] VERY IMPORTANT TO BRING
[1:14:14] TOGETHER AND UM AND THREE HAVE
[1:14:16] THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF LIKE
[1:14:18] LIVING IN THE CITY AND THREE
[1:14:20] DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES UM
[1:14:22] OF YOU KNOW COMING TO THE CITY,
[1:14:23] YOU KNOW, MOVING HERE, WORKING
[1:14:25] HERE, BEING AN EXECUTIVE HERE
[1:14:27] IT'S A LOT WITH LOTS
[1:14:27] OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.
[1:14:29] UM SO AND AND OBVIOUSLY THE
[1:14:30] UNION LEADERSHIP SO UM AND UH
[1:14:33] SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL
[1:14:35] AND UM THANK YOU.
[1:14:36] I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING
[1:14:38] FORWARD YOUR THREE NOMINATIONS
[1:14:39] AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND UM,
[1:14:41] COUNCILOR MURPHY AND
[1:14:43] COUNCILOR FLYNN LET ME KNOW IF
[1:14:44] YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[1:14:44] OF COURSE.
[1:14:45] UM.
[1:14:46] THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[1:14:47] THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR
[1:14:50] STORIES.
[1:14:51] I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS THE HUMAN
[1:14:54] SIDE THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IN
[1:14:55] GOVERNMENT IN ALL OF THESE
[1:14:56] IMPORTANT ROLES, EVEN US AS
[1:14:58] ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE
[1:15:01] POLICY, YOU KNOW, IS NEVER FAR
[1:15:03] AWAY FROM THE HUMAN IMPACT.
[1:15:05] SO YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCES BRING
[1:15:07] .
[1:15:07] I THINK UM A DIFFERENT LENS.
[1:15:10] I KNOW WE JUST SAW.
[1:15:11] THE FIRST PANEL WHO.
[1:15:12] WILL BE REAPPOINTED WHO
[1:15:13] ALSO.
[1:15:13] BRING FORTH THEIR LIVED
[1:15:15] EXPERIENCE BUT IT'S UM YOU KNOW
[1:15:17] ,WHAT I HEARD IS YOU KNOW,
[1:15:19] ENCOURAGING RIGHT, THAT WE'RE
[1:15:21] GOING TO BE HEARING VOICES AND
[1:15:22] WHEN PEOPLE GO IN FRONT OF THE
[1:15:24] ZONING BOARD LIKE YOU SAID,
[1:15:26] YOU'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF IT AS
[1:15:27] YOU KNOW, OWNING A THREE FAMILY
[1:15:29] PROBABLY AND WANTING SOMETHING
[1:15:31] PROBABLY SIMPLE AND JUST JUST
[1:15:33] HAD A CONVERSATION TOO THAT
[1:15:35] MANY PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED BY
[1:15:37] THE ZONING BOARD AND THEY
[1:15:39] EITHER SPEND MONEY THEY
[1:15:40] SHOULDN'T NEED TO ON LEGAL
[1:15:43] SUPPORT OR YOU KNOW, CONSULTING
[1:15:45] BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO PUT
[1:15:47] FORTH SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
[1:15:49] A SIMPLE PASS AND OTHER TIMES
[1:15:51] OBVIOUSLY BIGGER PROJECTS NEED
[1:15:52] THAT.
[1:15:52] BUT I DO THINK THE IMPORTANT
[1:15:55] PART AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK
[1:15:57] IS IMPORTANT IN MY ROLE TOO IS
[1:15:59] PEOPLE NEED TO TRUST YOU.
[1:16:00] PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY
[1:16:01] CAN COME AND ASK YOU QUESTIONS
[1:16:03] AND THAT THEY'LL BE TREATED
[1:16:04] FAIRLY.
[1:16:05] AND I KNOW THAT ALL THREE
[1:16:06] OF YOU WILL BRING THAT WITH
[1:16:08] YOUR EXPERIENCE AND ALL OF YOUR
[1:16:11] AND THANK YOU FOR PLANTING
[1:16:12] TREES IN EAST BOSTON.
[1:16:14] I SPEND A LOT OF TIME THERE UM
[1:16:16] EVERY PART OF THE CITY I KNOW
[1:16:18] COUNCIL FLYNN WILL PROBABLY
[1:16:19] HAVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT
[1:16:20] BECAUSE CHINATOWN IS HIGHLY
[1:16:22] IMPACTED.
[1:16:23] BUT LIKE YOU SAID CARLA, THAT
[1:16:25] WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT
[1:16:26] WE'RE ALLOWING TO BE BUILT
[1:16:28] ISN'T JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE
[1:16:30] HOUSING PEOPLE AND THAT THERE'S
[1:16:32] BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE ALSO
[1:16:33] THINKING ABOUT OUR FUTURE AND
[1:16:35] WHAT IMPACT IT HAS.
[1:16:36] AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE
[1:16:38] THAT THERE'S OPEN SPACES AND
[1:16:40] THAT BALANCE IS NECESSARY.
[1:16:42] AND PAT, THANK YOU ALWAYS I
[1:16:44] KNOW MY DAUGHTER IS PRIVILEGED
[1:16:46] I SAY IS HONORED TO BE A
[1:16:47] TEACHER TO YOUR KIDS AND SO YOU
[1:16:51] DO LEAVE.
[1:16:51] I KNOW SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT
[1:16:52] THINK IT BUT YOU DO LEAVE THAT
[1:16:54] HALF MILE RADIUS FROM 7LI OFTEN
[1:16:56] SEE YOU OVER AT THE ELLIOTT
[1:16:57] SUPPORTING THAT SCHOOL AND ALL
[1:16:59] ALL THINGS CITY.
[1:17:00] SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING
[1:17:02] YOUR NAMES FORWARD AND LOOKING
[1:17:03] FORWARD TO VOTING IN FAVOR.
[1:17:05] THANK YOU CHAIR.
[1:17:06] THANK YOU SO MUCH
[1:17:07] COUNCILOR MURPHY.
[1:17:08] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[1:17:10] THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK
[1:17:12] YOU TO THE UM, THREE NOMINEES,
[1:17:16] UM, BILL KOLLAR AND PATRICK NOT
[1:17:19] JUST FOR COMING FORWARD FOR THE
[1:17:22] ZONING BOARD BUT FOR THE
[1:17:23] INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE
[1:17:25] LEADERSHIP YOU YOU ALL PROVIDE
[1:17:28] IN HELPING BUILD HELPING BUILD
[1:17:31] A STRONGER AND BETTER BOSTON
[1:17:33] AND, UM, BILL, I RESPECT THE
[1:17:39] WORK YOU'RE DOING IN ESPECIALLY
[1:17:41] IN EAST BOSTON ON TREE CANOPY
[1:17:44] ISSUES AS COUNCILOR MURPHY
[1:17:47] MENTIONED.
[1:17:47] THAT'S AN ISSUE I'VE BEEN
[1:17:49] FOCUSED ON IN CHINATOWN WE HAVE
[1:17:51] THE LOWEST TREE CANOPY IN THE
[1:17:53] CITY.
[1:17:54] UM, BUT I'M WORKING TO GET MORE
[1:17:56] TREES UM, THERE AND I KNOW CARL
[1:17:59] YOU MENTIONED AS A SOCIAL
[1:18:02] WORKER BUT YOU ALSO HIGHLIGHTED
[1:18:04] THE ASTHMA RATES OF MANY
[1:18:06] NEIGHBORHOODS.
[1:18:07] UM, AND THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE
[1:18:10] PROCESS OF OF LOOKING AT HOW WE
[1:18:12] MOVE FORWARD IN BUILDING
[1:18:14] BUILDING A STRONGER BOSTON.
[1:18:16] AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE,
[1:18:18] UH, PATRICK WITH A TREMENDOUS
[1:18:21] RESPECT FOR AND HIS FAMILY FOR
[1:18:23] A LOT OF YEARS ON NOT JUST ON
[1:18:27] LABOR ISSUES BUT REALLY
[1:18:30] ADVOCATING FOR SOCIAL AND
[1:18:31] ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL
[1:18:33] PEOPLE.
[1:18:33] SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
[1:18:34] TO ALL THREE OF YOU.
[1:18:36] UM, LET ME LET ME START WITH
[1:18:39] LET ME START WITH CARLA AND.
[1:18:43] RESPECT RESPECT THE WORK YOU
[1:18:45] DO.
[1:18:45] AS A AS A SOCIAL WORKER AND THE
[1:18:47] TRAINING THAT YOU HAVE HAD BUT
[1:18:49] KNOWING KNOWING MANY
[1:18:51] NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE HIGH ASTHMA
[1:18:54] RATES.
[1:18:55] RESPIRATORY RATES.
[1:18:56] AND BILL KNOWS THIS ALSO AND
[1:18:58] PATRICK DOES TELL UM BUT HOW DO
[1:19:00] YOU FACTOR IN UM HOW A BUILDING
[1:19:04] MIGHT BE BUILT WHETHER IT'S.
[1:19:07] MATERIALS.
[1:19:08] THE LOCATION, ANY CHANGES
[1:19:10] UPGRADES, HVAC SYSTEMS AND I'LL
[1:19:13] ASK ALL OF YOU BUT HOW DO YOU
[1:19:14] FACTOR THAT IN KNOWING THAT
[1:19:17] THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MIGHT BE IN A
[1:19:19] HIGH IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A
[1:19:20] HIGH CONCENTRATION OF ASTHMA OR
[1:19:22] .
[1:19:23] RESPIRATORY RESPIRATORY ISSUES?
[1:19:25] SO I'M NOT REALLY THAT FAMILIAR
[1:19:27] WITH BUILDING MATERIALS.
[1:19:29] YEAH.
[1:19:29] UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S
[1:19:31] SOMETHING THAT UM HAS TO BE
[1:19:33] CONSIDERED AND UM I THINK
[1:19:35] COMMUNITY INPUT IS IMPORTANT
[1:19:36] BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS A
[1:19:38] DIFFERENT TYPE OF ALLERGY FOR
[1:19:39] DIFFERENT THINGS.
[1:19:40] UM, AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S
[1:19:42] SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK
[1:19:42] ABOUT.
[1:19:43] AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN UM
[1:19:44] ADVOCATING A LOT ABOUT UM, YOU
[1:19:46] KNOW, A LOT OF THE UM I MEAN
[1:19:48] CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LIKE
[1:19:49] MICE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[1:19:51] AND SO THOSE THINGS WE AREN'T
[1:19:52] ALLERGIC TO MICE, YOU KNOW?
[1:19:53] AND SO UM, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER
[1:19:55] WHAT'S GOING UP, HOW CONDENSED
[1:19:57] THE AREAS ARE.
[1:19:58] IS THERE SPACE TO PUT TRASH
[1:19:59] CANS OUT?
[1:19:59] ALL OF THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE
[1:20:01] CONSIDERED, UM, BECAUSE IT
[1:20:02] AFFECTS US ALL IN DIFFERENT
[1:20:03] WAYS.
[1:20:04] UM, I THINK THAT YOU KNOW,
[1:20:06] ESPECIALLY IN MY COMMUNITY
[1:20:07] WHERE YOU KNOW, THE AIR QUALITY
[1:20:08] IS POOR AND LIFE EXPECT
[1:20:10] EXPECTANCY DECREASES IN OUR
[1:20:11] NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE I WALK, YOU
[1:20:12] KNOW, A CASTLE ISLAND OR UM I
[1:20:14] WALK IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND
[1:20:15] I CAN FEEL IN MY LUNGS THE
[1:20:17] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WALKING OVER
[1:20:19] THERE AND WALKING ON BLUE HILL
[1:20:20] AVE IN MY COMMUNITY.
[1:20:21] AND SO UM, I THINK THAT THOSE
[1:20:23] ARE THINGS THAT ARE EXTREMELY
[1:20:24] IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER.
[1:20:26] BUT AGAIN IT'S CAN YOU KNOW,
[1:20:28] EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS A SLIGHTLY
[1:20:30] DIFFERENT KIND OF ALLERGY OR I
[1:20:31] MAY IMPACT THEM MORE THE CATS
[1:20:33] AFFECT ME MORE AND YOU KNOW,
[1:20:34] MIGHT YOU KNOW, CLOSE UP MY
[1:20:36] LUNGS MORE THAN THAN BEING
[1:20:37] AROUND A DOG YOU KNOW AND SO
[1:20:39] SAME THING WITH BUILDINGS AND
[1:20:40] BUILDING MATERIALS AND UM
[1:20:42] VENTILATION AND ALL OF THAT.
[1:20:43] THINK ABOUT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
[1:20:45] AND ALSO YOU KNOW THAT BEING A
[1:20:47] PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT AND THE
[1:20:49] LACK OF VENTILATION THERE YOU
[1:20:51] KNOW, HOT SUMMER DAYS, NO AC
[1:20:52] ALL OF THOSE THINGS UM AFFECT
[1:20:54] US AS WELL.
[1:20:55] SO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE
[1:20:56] THINGS, YOU KNOW?
[1:20:57] THANK YOU.
[1:20:58] COME ON.
[1:21:00] YEAH I MEAN UM CHILDHOOD ASTHMA
[1:21:02] IS A IS IS IS A BIG BIG
[1:21:05] CONCERN.
[1:21:05] EAST BOSTON HAS ONE OF THE
[1:21:07] HIGHEST CHILDHOOD ASTHMA RATES
[1:21:08] IN THE STATE.
[1:21:09] UM, LOGAN AIRPORT DOESN'T HELP
[1:21:12] BEING RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
[1:21:13] I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO
[1:21:14] SEE, UM, THE MASSPORT IN FRONT
[1:21:16] OF THE EPA BUT I MEAN OTHER
[1:21:18] PROJECTS THAT YOU WEIGH UM,
[1:21:21] DECISION IN TERMS OF WHETHER
[1:21:22] YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON
[1:21:23] THEM OR NOT ARE GOING TO BE
[1:21:24] DIFFERENT.
[1:21:25] RIGHT?
[1:21:25] SO IF UM WE HAVE A PROJECT IN
[1:21:27] FRONT OF US THAT'S A SMALL UH,
[1:21:29] PROJECT THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN
[1:21:30] OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
[1:21:31] INSTALL, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT
[1:21:33] TYPE OF HEPA FILTERS, UM,
[1:21:35] THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT
[1:21:36] FROM A LARGER PROJECT WHERE
[1:21:37] SOME FILTERING, YOU KNOW, CAN
[1:21:39] IMPROVE UM, YOU KNOW, THE THE
[1:21:41] AIR THE QUALITY OF AIR THAT THE
[1:21:42] RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO BE
[1:21:43] BREATHING.
[1:21:43] UM, WE GO BACK TO TREES AGAIN.
[1:21:46] UM I MEAN TREES ARE KNOWN TO BE
[1:21:48] ABLE TO SEQUESTER CARBON AND
[1:21:49] HELP WITH ASTHMA RELATED ISSUES
[1:21:51] .
[1:21:52] UM, SO IT'S NOT A BIG ASK FOR
[1:21:55] THESE DEVELOPERS TO PUT A PLANT
[1:21:56] A TREE IN FRONT OF THEIR UNITS.
[1:21:58] UM, I'VE WORKED WITH DEVELOPERS
[1:22:00] IN EAST BOSTON AND NOW THEY'RE
[1:22:02] ATTORNEYS BASICALLY BEFORE THEY
[1:22:04] GO BEFORE THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD
[1:22:05] ASSOCIATIONS KNOW THAT I'M
[1:22:07] GOING TO BE ASKING THE QUESTION
[1:22:08] CAN WE FIT A TREE ON THE
[1:22:09] SIDEWALK?
[1:22:10] AND IT HAPPENS MOST OF THE TIME
[1:22:11] BECAUSE IT'S A ROUNDING ERROR
[1:22:13] THE SIZE OF THE BUDGETS FOR
[1:22:14] SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS TO
[1:22:15] PLANT A TREE IS GOING TO COST A
[1:22:17] THOUSAND COUPLE THOUSAND
[1:22:18] DOLLARS.
[1:22:19] SO UM I WOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR
[1:22:20] TREES.
[1:22:21] I HAVE DONE SO IN ZBA MEETINGS
[1:22:23] BEFORE THAT FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN
[1:22:25] EAST BOSTON WHERE I KNEW THAT
[1:22:27] THERE WAS DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS
[1:22:28] ON THE BOOKS AND ARE ON THE
[1:22:29] AGENDA, UM, THAT POTENTIALLY
[1:22:31] COULD FIT A STREET TREE AND
[1:22:32] IT'S AN EASY ASK UM, BECAUSE
[1:22:34] MOST OF THE TIME THE SIDEWALKS
[1:22:36] ARE DUG UP ANYWAY, RIGHT.
[1:22:37] FOR UTILITIES.
[1:22:38] SO TO PUT IN A COUPLE OF UM
[1:22:40] TREE PITS IS NOT A BIG ASK.
[1:22:42] SO THAT'S ONE WAY I THINK THAT
[1:22:44] WE CAN ADDRESS, YOU KNOW,
[1:22:45] HELPING TO IMPROVE THE ASTHMA
[1:22:47] CHILDHOOD ASTHMA LEVEL IN EAST
[1:22:48] BOSTON AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
[1:22:51] I'LL BE ADVOCATING FOR THAT IN
[1:22:52] EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
[1:22:54] YEAH.
[1:22:55] SO UM GREEN SPACE NUMBER ONE
[1:22:58] IS IS UH PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
[1:23:01] PRIORITY IN REDUCING ASTHMA
[1:23:03] RATES?
[1:23:04] I I'M THE PARENT OF ONE CHILD
[1:23:05] WITH ASTHMA.
[1:23:06] UM, SO, UH, AS FAR AS BUILDING
[1:23:09] MATERIALS, UM, IT'S NOT NOT SO
[1:23:11] MUCH THE ACTUAL MATERIALS THAT
[1:23:13] GO INTO THE BUILDING IS AS MUCH
[1:23:15] AS THE UM THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE
[1:23:17] PUT IN PLACE INSIDE THE
[1:23:18] BUILDING.
[1:23:18] UM, YOU HAVE GREEN LEAD
[1:23:21] BUILDINGS.
[1:23:21] YOU HAVE YOU HAVE CERTAIN AND
[1:23:23] FOR THE MOST PART THE
[1:23:24] MASSACHUSETTS BUILDING CODE IS
[1:23:25] VERY, VERY GOOD FOR UM THE
[1:23:28] ACTUAL BREATHING AND
[1:23:29] RESPIRATORY HEALTH OF CHILDREN
[1:23:30] AND PEOPLE IN GENERAL.
[1:23:32] NO THANK YOU BILL THANK YOU CAR
[1:23:34] AND THANK YOU.
[1:23:36] PATRICK I, I DO SOMETIMES UM.
[1:23:42] FOCUS A LOT OF MY ATTENTION ON
[1:23:45] ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
[1:23:46] ISSUES UM AND AND I'M GLAD I'M
[1:23:49] GLAD TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE UM
[1:23:53] YOU TAKE THIS AS SERIOUSLY AS
[1:23:55] WELL AND I KNOW THAT'S PART
[1:23:58] OF THE DISCUSSION IS THE IMPACT
[1:24:00] DEVELOPMENT HAS HAS ON THE
[1:24:02] ENVIRONMENT AND.
[1:24:06] MY MY ONE OF THE REASONS I
[1:24:09] HIGHLIGHTED IT NOT JUST BECAUSE
[1:24:10] CHINATOWN IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST
[1:24:12] ASTHMA RATES OF ANY
[1:24:13] NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS IN THE
[1:24:15] STATE REALLY UM ALONG WITH
[1:24:17] ROXBURY.
[1:24:18] UM, BUT.
[1:24:20] I WAS.
[1:24:20] EXPOSED WHEN I WAS IN THE
[1:24:22] MILITARY TO A UM TO.
[1:24:24] AN AREA WHERE.
[1:24:25] WE WERE BREATHING IN TOXIC.
[1:24:26] TOXIC FUMES.
[1:24:28] AND WHEN I LEFT BEFORE I LEFT I
[1:24:31] DIDN'T HAVE ASTHMA AND WHEN I
[1:24:32] CAME BACK I HAD ASTHMA.
[1:24:34] BUT I DO KNOW IT IMPACTS
[1:24:37] ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE AND
[1:24:38] COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN BOSTON.
[1:24:41] AND I DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON
[1:24:44] PUBLIC PUBLIC HEALTH.
[1:24:45] UM, BUT LET ME LET ME JUST ASK
[1:24:47] ONE FINAL QUESTION IF I MAY UH,
[1:24:49] MADAM CHAIR, UM TO.
[1:24:52] TO ALL THREE JUST TELL ME WHAT
[1:24:53] .
[1:24:54] YOUR GENERAL PHILOSOPHY MIGHT.
[1:24:56] BE IN TERMS OF BALANCING
[1:25:00] COMMUNITY INPUT BALANCING
[1:25:02] BUSINESS INPUT, BALANCING
[1:25:05] ENVIRONMENTAL INPUT, BALANCING
[1:25:07] WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY,
[1:25:08] WHAT'S BEST FOR THE
[1:25:09] NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT'S BEST FOR
[1:25:11] THE ECONOMY, HOW DO YOU HOW HOW
[1:25:12] WILL YOU.
[1:25:14] FACTOR ALL OF THOSE.
[1:25:16] UM INTO.
[1:25:17] YOUR DECISION?
[1:25:18] WHAT IS YOUR GENERAL PHILOSOPHY
[1:25:20] ABOUT HOW HOW YOU CAN MOVE
[1:25:21] FORWARD WITH THE DECISION
[1:25:22] KNOWING.
[1:25:23] ALL OF THOSE.
[1:25:24] SEGMENTS ARE IMPORTANT?
[1:25:27] YEAH.
[1:25:28] I VIEW THE ROLE ALMOST LIKE
[1:25:29] A JUDGE.
[1:25:29] I MEAN YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO
[1:25:31] SIT AND LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND
[1:25:33] WHAT THE YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE
[1:25:35] OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT SOMEBODY
[1:25:36] IS TRYING TO SAY, UH, AND WEIGH
[1:25:38] TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY UM,
[1:25:40] GIVEN THE FACTS WEIGH WHAT THE
[1:25:42] RIGHT DECISION WOULD BE.
[1:25:43] SO AGAIN, IT'S AN EYE ON A CASE
[1:25:45] BY CASE BASIS BUT YOU JUST HAVE
[1:25:48] TO REALLY KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
[1:25:50] AND YOU KNOW, TAKE INTO
[1:25:51] CONSIDERATION WHAT EACH PARTY,
[1:25:53] UM, YOU KNOW, HAS TO SAY.
[1:25:55] UM, SO YEAH, IT'S.
[1:25:57] A LITTLE MYSELF.
[1:25:58] YEAH.
[1:25:59] SO UM, AS FAR AS MYSELF, UM
[1:26:02] ,IN MY DAY JOB I HAPPEN TO
[1:26:04] HAVE TO NOT SO MUCH WITH
[1:26:05] ZONING.
[1:26:06] I HAVE TO DO THIS A LOT IN IN
[1:26:07] DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
[1:26:08] RIGHT.
[1:26:08] SO, UM, YOU MAY INVOLVE A
[1:26:10] PROBLEM ON A JOB SITE AND YOU
[1:26:12] HAVE SIX DIFFERENT PEOPLE
[1:26:13] TELLING YOU WHAT'S GOING ON.
[1:26:14] RIGHT?
[1:26:15] SO YOU HAVE SAY ON A DIFFERENT
[1:26:17] ON A PROJECT YOU WOULD HAVE THE
[1:26:18] HOMEOWNER YOU WOULD HAVE THE
[1:26:19] PERSON APPLYING FOR ZONING
[1:26:20] RELIEF, YOU WOULD HAVE THEIR
[1:26:21] DIRECTOR BUT AS YOU WOULD HAVE
[1:26:22] NON DIRECTED BODIES IN THE
[1:26:24] NEIGHBORHOOD YOU WOULD HAVE A
[1:26:25] CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
[1:26:27] YOU WOULD HAVE MAYBE A
[1:26:29] DEVELOPER DOWN THE STREET
[1:26:30] THAT'S LOOKING TO DEVELOP A UH
[1:26:32] PROJECT AS WELL.
[1:26:34] UM YOU DO HAVE TO TAKE ALL THE
[1:26:36] FACTS AND INTO EFFECT AND UM
[1:26:37] YOU NEED TO WEIGH THEM IN ON
[1:26:40] ONE PROJECT.
[1:26:41] IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MIGHT BE
[1:26:42] A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ON
[1:26:43] THE OTHER PROJECT AND AT THE
[1:26:45] END OF THE DAY YOU HAVE TO DO
[1:26:46] YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE VOTERS
[1:26:47] WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY
[1:26:49] AS A WHOLE.
[1:26:49] UM, WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY?
[1:26:52] UM, AND WHAT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR
[1:26:53] THE ABUTTERS UM I MEAN IT'S NOT
[1:26:55] EVERY PROJECT IS DIFFERENT,
[1:26:57] RIGHT?
[1:26:57] AND UH IT MIGHT BE SIX INCHES
[1:27:00] OF ZONING RELIEF ON HEIGHT OR
[1:27:02] IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MAJOR.
[1:27:03] IT MIGHT BE 40FT OF ZONING
[1:27:04] RELIEF ON HEIGHT.
[1:27:06] SO UM, EVERY PROJECT IS
[1:27:08] DIFFERENT JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT
[1:27:11] ALWAYS THE SAME COOKIE CUTTER
[1:27:11] PROJECT.
[1:27:12] IT'S NOT.
[1:27:14] UM I THINK ME I WANT TO ADD A
[1:27:16] LITTLE BIT ABOUT UM, WHAT
[1:27:17] COUNCILMEMBER HAD UM ASKED
[1:27:19] EARLIER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE
[1:27:20] INVOLVEMENT OF ENS IN THESE
[1:27:22] PROCESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[1:27:23] AND SO I THINK IN MY EXPERIENCE
[1:27:26] I HAVE SAT IN ON UM COMMUNITY
[1:27:28] MEETINGS WHERE THE PROJECT
[1:27:30] DIRECTLY IMPACTED ME.
[1:27:32] I WAS THE HOMEOWNER, UH,
[1:27:33] DEVELOPER CAME INTO UM AND YOU
[1:27:36] KNOW, JUST APPEARED IN WAS
[1:27:37] FILING FOR A VARIANCE TO BUILD
[1:27:38] IN MY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MY
[1:27:40] LAND.
[1:27:41] UM AND SO I SAT IN THAT MEETING
[1:27:43] QUIETLY LISTENING TO MY
[1:27:44] NEIGHBORS TO SEE WHAT THEIR
[1:27:45] FEEDBACK WAS FIRST BEFORE
[1:27:47] SHARING THAT THIS DIRECTLY
[1:27:49] IMPACTED ME BECAUSE I WANTED TO
[1:27:50] SEE HOW YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR
[1:27:52] THOUGHTS WERE, BUT ALSO BEEN
[1:27:53] PART OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MY
[1:27:55] NEIGHBORS UM, WHERE YOU KNOW
[1:27:56] THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT A UNIT
[1:27:57] GOING UP OR OUT, YOU KNOW, AS
[1:27:58] SMALL AS 4 TO 12 UNITS.
[1:28:01] UM, AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT
[1:28:02] PARKING AND I'M TAKING INTO
[1:28:03] CONSIDERATION THE FAMILIES OR
[1:28:04] THE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL
[1:28:05] DISABILITIES THAT NEED HOUSING.
[1:28:07] AND SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT I
[1:28:09] VIEW THINGS.
[1:28:09] UM, I ALSO THINK ABOUT, YOU
[1:28:11] KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE
[1:28:12] ALREADY THERE, HOW THAT IMPACTS
[1:28:13] THEM BUT ALSO THE BUSINESSES
[1:28:16] AND UM THE COMMUNITIES UM, AND
[1:28:18] YOU KNOW, INSTITUTIONS AND
[1:28:19] DEVELOPERS THAT ARE INVESTING
[1:28:21] IN THEM AS WELL.
[1:28:22] AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S HOW
[1:28:23] I WOULD APPROACH IT AND WITH
[1:28:24] UH, YOU KNOW, AS A SOCIAL
[1:28:26] WORKER AND AS A RESEARCHER, I
[1:28:27] LIKE TO GATHER ALL INFORMATION
[1:28:28] SO THAT I CAN MAKE AN INFORMED
[1:28:30] DECISION.
[1:28:30] UM, BUT ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW,
[1:28:32] THINKING ABOUT HOW SOMETIMES,
[1:28:34] YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE PERSONAL
[1:28:35] INTEREST THAT UH, MAY NOT BE
[1:28:38] THE BEST FOR ALL COMMUNITY
[1:28:40] MEMBERS AND I KNOW THAT WE
[1:28:41] CAN'T SUPPORT AND, UM, SUPPORT
[1:28:44] ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NOT
[1:28:46] EVERYONE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE
[1:28:47] HAPPY WITH THE DECISIONS THAT
[1:28:48] ARE MADE.
[1:28:48] UM, THEY JUST TRYING TO MAKE AN
[1:28:50] INFORMED ENOUGH DECISION THAT
[1:28:51] YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONSIDERING
[1:28:52] UM, EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED UM
[1:28:55] ,AND WHAT THEIR PERSPECTIVES
[1:28:56] ARE IS ON ON THOSE THINGS.
[1:28:59] WELL JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
[1:29:00] TO.
[1:29:00] ALL THREE.
[1:29:01] I KNOW YOU'LL DO A TREMENDOUS
[1:29:03] JOB ON THE ON THE ZONING BOARD
[1:29:05] AND WANT TO SAY IT'S.
[1:29:07] A THE.
[1:29:07] OUTSTANDING APPOINTMENTS.
[1:29:09] LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
[1:29:11] YOU AGAIN AND JUST WANT TO SAY
[1:29:13] THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING
[1:29:14] COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS
[1:29:16] OF BOSTON.
[1:29:16] UH THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:29:17] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[1:29:18] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[1:29:19] UM, YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT, UM,
[1:29:21] COUNCILOR WEBER AND I HOSTED A
[1:29:23] JOINT OFFICE HOUR IN MISSION
[1:29:26] BECAUSE HE REPRESENTS THE BACK
[1:29:27] OF MISSION HALL AND I REPRESENT
[1:29:28] THE MAJORITY OF MISSION HALL
[1:29:29] AND IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING
[1:29:30] CONVERSATION.
[1:29:31] ONE THING THAT CAME UP WAS THAT
[1:29:33] THE LACK, UM, IT'S OFTEN HARD
[1:29:37] FOR RESIDENTS TO SEE THAT LIKE
[1:29:39] PART OF THE REASON THAT THEIR
[1:29:40] PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP IS
[1:29:42] THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT
[1:29:44] OF NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
[1:29:45] BUILT OR UM AND SO IT WAS AN
[1:29:50] INTERESTING CONVERSATION
[1:29:51] BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN
[1:29:52] IMPORTANT THING TO CONNECT IS
[1:29:55] LIKE OBVIOUSLY WE SAW RELIEF AT
[1:29:56] THE STATE'S ON IT.
[1:29:58] UM AND WE FAILED UM TO GET TAX
[1:30:00] RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS.
[1:30:01] UM, BUT ONE THING THAT'S I
[1:30:03] THINK REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
[1:30:04] PEOPLE TO CONNECT IS THAT
[1:30:06] SOMETIMES THE POINT OF BUILDING
[1:30:08] NEW HOUSING IS TO CREATE THAT
[1:30:10] NEW HOUSING THAT'S THE BENEFIT
[1:30:12] OF THE HOUSING IS CREATING THAT
[1:30:13] NEW HOUSING AND THEN SOMETIMES
[1:30:15] THE BENEFIT OF THAT NEW HOUSING
[1:30:17] IS TO RELIEVE OUR EXISTING TAX
[1:30:19] BASE OF THE BURDEN.
[1:30:20] UM, AND OBVIOUSLY EVERY YEAR
[1:30:22] IT'S COMPOUNDING UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:30:25] TAXES ARE GOING UP FOR
[1:30:26] HOMEOWNERS.
[1:30:26] SO I THINK THAT APPROVING NEW
[1:30:28] HOUSING IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
[1:30:30] PART OF THAT EQUATION THAT
[1:30:31] DOESN'T OFTEN GET IT'S
[1:30:33] NECESSARY DO BECAUSE YOU KNOW,
[1:30:35] THE MAJORITY OF HOMEOWNERS
[1:30:37] WOULD BENEFIT IF NEW HOUSING IS
[1:30:39] BROUGHT ONLINE.
[1:30:40] AND SO I JUST WANT TO READ THAT
[1:30:42] INTO THE RECORD AND ALSO SHARE
[1:30:43] THAT WITH YOU AS FOLKS WHO WILL
[1:30:45] BE, YOU KNOW, CHARGED WITH
[1:30:46] CONSIDERING WHETHER TO ALLOW
[1:30:48] FOR CERTAIN UM, VARIANCES
[1:30:50] OBVIOUSLY REPRESENTING THE WEST
[1:30:52] END, BEACON HILL, BACK BAY,
[1:30:53] FENWAY, MISSION HILL WE HAVE
[1:30:55] VERY DIFFERENT UM OBJECTIVES
[1:30:58] LIKE IN THE FENWAY WE'RE
[1:30:59] GETTING SOME OF THE BIGGEST
[1:31:00] VARIANCES THAT EXIST WITHIN THE
[1:31:02] CITY IN TERMS OF HEIGHT AND FAR
[1:31:04] AND THEN IN BEACON HILL AND
[1:31:06] BACK BAY WHICH ARE UM BOTH
[1:31:08] HISTORIC UM LANDMARKED, YOU
[1:31:10] KNOW, COMMUNITIES UM WE HAVE A
[1:31:12] VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE
[1:31:14] OF YOU KNOW, UM, WE COULD BE
[1:31:16] TALKING ABOUT ONE UNIT AND IT'S
[1:31:17] THE SAME LEVEL AND DETAILED
[1:31:19] CONVERSATION AS AS A VARIANCE
[1:31:21] THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FENWAY
[1:31:22] ,UH, FOR FOR AND THAT'S WHAT
[1:31:24] YOU WHAT YOU GUYS WILL ALL BE
[1:31:26] SORT OF DEALING WITH IS YEAH,
[1:31:28] THERE'S THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE
[1:31:29] VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE THAT
[1:31:31] ARE SMALL AND THEY'RE THINGS
[1:31:32] THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO
[1:31:33] PEOPLE AND THE CITY THAT ARE
[1:31:35] BIG.
[1:31:35] AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
[1:31:37] FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE
[1:31:38] BECAUSE UM, IT IS IT WILL NOT
[1:31:41] YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY TO MAKE
[1:31:42] YOURSELF FREE ALL THE TIME FOR
[1:31:43] ALL OF THESE MEETINGS BUT UM,
[1:31:45] YOU ARE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS
[1:31:47] THAT UM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO
[1:31:48] TRUST WITH UH WITH THIS NEW UM,
[1:31:51] UH, ROLE.
[1:31:52] SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
[1:31:53] FOR STEPPING FORWARD AND, UM,
[1:31:56] WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING
[1:31:57] FORWARD YOUR NOMINATIONS AT THE
[1:31:58] NEXT MEETING.
[1:32:00] UM, SO YOU'VE BEEN NOMINATED
[1:32:02] AND THEN UM, THE CITY
[1:32:03] COUNCIL HAS.
[1:32:04] THE ROLE.
[1:32:05] OF APPROVING UH, YOUR
[1:32:06] NOMINATION.
[1:32:07] SO UM SO WITH THAT, UM, DO YOU
[1:32:10] DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY LAST
[1:32:11] COMMENTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO
[1:32:13] MAKE?
[1:32:13] I JUST WANT TO I JUST REALIZE I
[1:32:15] DIDN'T FINISH MY THOUGHT ON,
[1:32:17] UM, COUNCIL WHAT I MENTIONED IN
[1:32:19] TERMS OF THE ON THIS UM, SO I
[1:32:21] JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT DURING
[1:32:22] THOSE THOSE MEETINGS THAT WE
[1:32:24] HAD IN OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS
[1:32:26] OLIVE UH, MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS
[1:32:27] AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
[1:32:29] ASSOCIATION HAD OPPOSED THE
[1:32:31] PROJECT THAT WAS GOING UP.
[1:32:32] UM AND OH, AND AS HAD TAKEN UH
[1:32:34] THE STANCE OF SUPPORTING THAT
[1:32:36] PROJECT.
[1:32:36] SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT
[1:32:37] I'VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE AS A
[1:32:40] COMMUNITY MEMBER.
[1:32:40] SO SORRY I SOMETIMES DON'T
[1:32:42] FINISH MY WHOLE THOUGHT.
[1:32:42] I WANT TO SAY THAT UM, BUT ALSO
[1:32:44] WE JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL
[1:32:46] FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND
[1:32:47] FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LISTENING
[1:32:48] AND FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL
[1:32:50] QUESTIONS.
[1:32:50] SO THANK YOU.
[1:32:51] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[1:32:53] AND YEAH WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY
[1:32:55] ANYTHING?
[1:32:55] OH I'M.
[1:32:55] SORRY I JUST HAD A QUICK
[1:32:57] QUESTION.
[1:32:57] UM TO KIND OF DISTINGUISH
[1:32:58] BETWEEN.
[1:32:59] I BELIEVE.
[1:32:59] THAT THERE'S A TERM ALTERNATE
[1:33:01] UM YES IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH SO
[1:33:03] CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE
[1:33:05] BETWEEN YEAH.
[1:33:06] SO UM YOU.
[1:33:07] WOULD BE CHARGED TO SET OUT A
[1:33:09] MEETING IF THERE WASN'T A
[1:33:10] QUORUM ESSENTIALLY.
[1:33:11] BUT ALSO YOU CAN SIT IN ON ANY
[1:33:13] OF THE MEETINGS SO OFTENTIMES
[1:33:16] YOU YOU CAN YOU KNOW YOU CAN BE
[1:33:19] THERE I I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
[1:33:21] YOU CAN INVOLVE YOURSELF IN THE
[1:33:23] CONVERSATION.
[1:33:23] THAT'S UP TO THE CHAIR.
[1:33:24] UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S
[1:33:26] REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE
[1:33:28] ALTERNATES UM, WHEN WE STARTED
[1:33:30] WITH THIS COMMITTEE, MOST
[1:33:31] OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
[1:33:32] THAT WE OVERSEE IN THIS
[1:33:34] COMMITTEE WE'RE HAVING QUORUM
[1:33:36] ISSUES AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE
[1:33:38] ACTUALLY BEEN CHARGED AND I'VE
[1:33:40] TRIED TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB
[1:33:41] OF LIKE WHEN THESE COME IN WE
[1:33:43] DEAL WITH THESE WITHIN TWO
[1:33:45] MONTHS WHICH IS UM BUT AGAIN
[1:33:46] THERE'S A LARGE BACKLOG PEOPLE
[1:33:48] GET NOMINATED AND LIKE I
[1:33:50] DESCRIBED WITH UM PATRICK'S
[1:33:52] NOMINATION THERE UM THERE IS
[1:33:54] IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.
[1:33:56] THERE'S A LOT OF EVERY SINGLE
[1:33:57] BOARD AND COMMISSION IS
[1:33:58] CREATED ON A DIFFERENT
[1:33:59] STRUCTURE.
[1:34:00] SOME ARE STATE UM THEY'RE STATE
[1:34:02] LAW THAT AND SO THAT'S WHY I
[1:34:04] ACTUALLY READ INTO THE RECORD
[1:34:05] THE UM THE LETTER THAT YOUR
[1:34:07] UNION SENT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY
[1:34:09] IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE
[1:34:11] UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:34:13] THESE MIGHT BE THE MAYOR'S
[1:34:14] NOMINATIONS BUT SHE'S CHOOSING
[1:34:16] FROM A LIST THAT A LOT
[1:34:17] OF ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE AND
[1:34:18] IT'S DIFFERENT ON EVERY SINGLE
[1:34:20] BOARD AND COMMISSION.
[1:34:21] BUT YOU KNOW, I ALSO DEAL WITH
[1:34:22] THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMISSIONS
[1:34:24] AND IT MIGHT BE THAT, YOU KNOW
[1:34:26] ,THE MAYOR GETS FOUR CHOICES
[1:34:27] AND SHE GETS TO PICK TWO OUT
[1:34:30] OF THOSE FOUR THAT AN
[1:34:31] ORGANIZATION PROVIDES SOME
[1:34:33] OF THAT STATE UM, YOU KNOW, UH,
[1:34:36] FACILITATED UM AND THAT'S
[1:34:37] BECAUSE OF STATE LAW AND SOME
[1:34:39] OF IT'S LOCAL.
[1:34:40] UM AND IT'S BEEN VERY
[1:34:41] INTERESTING I ACTUALLY SERVE AS
[1:34:43] A TRUSTEE OF THE ON THE BOSTON
[1:34:44] GROUNDWATER TRUST WHEN
[1:34:45] COUNCILOR FLYNN WAS PRESIDENT
[1:34:47] OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, HE
[1:34:48] GAVE ME THAT SEAT ON THE
[1:34:50] GROUNDWATER TRUST BECAUSE A LOT
[1:34:51] OF MY DISTRICT IS UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:34:53] AND A LOT OF HIS DISTRICT IS
[1:34:54] THAT, UM, ON WOOD PILINGS.
[1:34:56] SO AND THAT WAS UM THAT WAS IN
[1:34:59] UH, I THINK A STATE UH, LAW
[1:35:02] THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
[1:35:04] SO IT'S LIKE IT'S ALL YOU KNOW,
[1:35:05] IT'S ALL VERY COMPLICATED BUT
[1:35:07] YOU HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE
[1:35:09] TO PLAY AND UM, THE WAY THAT
[1:35:11] THIS IS ALL SET UP, UM, CAN BE
[1:35:14] DIFFICULT, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR
[1:35:16] EVERYONE TO MANAGE BECAUSE
[1:35:17] THERE'S JUST SO MANY PEOPLE.
[1:35:18] BUT WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD
[1:35:19] JOB IN THIS COMMITTEE OF TRYING
[1:35:21] TO MOVE FORWARD THE NOMINATION
[1:35:23] SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE QUORUM
[1:35:24] ISSUES.
[1:35:24] UM, BUT THE ALTERNATE STEPS IN
[1:35:26] WHEN THERE IS QUORUM ISSUES AND
[1:35:28] UM, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO
[1:35:30] FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL
[1:35:31] THE DECISIONS BEING MADE
[1:35:32] BECAUSE YOU MAY BE CALLED TO UM
[1:35:34] AND THEN WHEN THERE IS A THERE
[1:35:36] MAY BE AN OPENING FOR.
[1:35:38] UH.
[1:35:38] YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN PEOPLE
[1:35:40] RETIRE OR WHEN THEIR TERM IS UP
[1:35:43] OFTEN THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE
[1:35:44] WHERE SOMEONE HAS SERVED AS AN
[1:35:46] ALTERNATE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS
[1:35:47] AND THEN THEY MOVE UP TO TO
[1:35:48] ACTUALLY SITTING ON THE ZBA.
[1:35:51] SO UM SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU
[1:35:53] FOR STEPPING FORWARD.
[1:35:54] UM, THIS IS JUST THE YOU KNOW,
[1:35:56] THE VERY BEGINNING BUT YOU GUYS
[1:35:58] OF ALL HAVE A STORIED HISTORY
[1:36:01] OF YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY
[1:36:02] AND AND YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE
[1:36:03] CITY.
[1:36:04] SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
[1:36:05] FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
[1:36:06] AND SO WITH THAT WE HAVE NO
[1:36:08] PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[1:36:09] SO WITH THAT UM, UM DOCKETS
[1:36:14] 151531524 UH THIS HEARING IS
[1:36:16] ADJOURNED.