July 31, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

45 (Pages 174 to 177) Page 174 1 be materially similar, and the mayor introduced a 2 word called "indistinguishable." So are they 3 materially similar or indistinguishable? 4 MR. APPEL: So I would say 5 indistinguishable, like the outside from the door, 6 so from the -- you look at the building and the 7 door, but inside is that the units are a little 8 smaller, the kitchens can be a little bit different. 9 I can't really talk about whether it's going to be 10 the exact same appliances and packages in there, but 11 all of -- all of these were designed to have full 12 heating and cooling systems, their own washer and 13 dryer, closet, storage, all the things -- have the 14 same windows and similar features, so -- but I can't 15 talk about those other items. 16 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: So I think 17 with regard to finish, I would like to -- I would 18 like the affordable units to be indistinguishable or 19 materially -- I would like to know if they are 20 indistinguishable or materially similar to the 21 market-rate units. 22 MR. APPEL: You're talking about now 23 with finishes and -- 24 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Yeah, so the 25 last -- and listen, I'm not a -- I don't pretend to Page 175 1 be a professional or expert in this stuff, I'm not, 2 but the last project that we had that incorporated 3 these kind of units, that I was a part of, I do 4 believe -- you guys can correct me if I'm wrong -- 5 that we required them to be the same and the 6 developer actually, at least what I recall off my 7 memory, I think they were the same, I think that was 8 something that we want. 9 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: The terminology we 10 used was "materially similar based on supply chain," 11 so if you couldn't get an appliance A, all the 12 units, whether they were market-rate or affordable, 13 would get appliance B, so you wouldn't distinguish 14 between the different units in those appliances. So 15 you don't have to give everybody the same appliance, 16 but you have to give all the units at that time the 17 same appliance, because that's what we considered 18 materially similar based on the supply chain. 19 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: And if I 20 understand that correctly, and again, I'm going on 21 memory and so thank you for the clarification -- 22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So the units could 23 be smaller, the units could have other certain 24 things that one unit may -- that the affordable unit 25

21 memory and so thank you for the clarification -- 22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So the units could 23 be smaller, the units could have other certain 24 things that one unit may -- that the affordable unit 25 may not have that the market-rate unit would have, Page 176 1 but the appliances will be materially similar based 2 on supply chain. 3 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: And I think it 4 went to -- to other things as well, not just 5 appliances. We didn't want to have, you know, 6 granite countertops in market-rate units and, you 7 know, something substandard in an affordable unit. 8 MR. APPEL: So this is something I 9 would -- I need to review with ownership and have a 10 clear understanding of those, uh, those items. 11 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Use the 12 microphone, please. 13 MR. APPEL: Oh. I have to review that 14 with ownership because it's something that was not 15 reviewed and discussed prior. 16 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Thank you, Mr. 17 Appel. 18 You showed us a leasing office, in the 19 clubhouse, I believe. 20 MR. APPEL: Yes. 21 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: So when the 22 project is done and fully leased up, what will 23 become of the leasing office? 24 MR. APPEL: It remains, so there's a 25 large enough community where there is always going Page 177 1 to be a need for potential renters to look at this, 2 so we find for communities that are larger, this is 3 the right way to do it. 4 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Okay, and then 5 you mentioned windows a moment ago. If you go back, 6 I think it was the first or the second slide, there 7 was an exterior presentation. The next one, I 8 think. That one. 9 So you show some birds in the upper 10 right. 11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: They come with the 12 site. 13 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: They come with 14 the site? 15 MR. APPEL: That is an artistic 16 expression. 17 MR. ALPER: The birds will be 18 materially similar. 19 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Are they 20 materially similar? Hats off to the -- 21 MR. APPEL: They fly equally over the 22 affordable housing and the market units. 23 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: My hats off to 24 the artist. My question is, you know, they're 25 there, they're a reminder that you are in the middle