January 29, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

02/13/2025 11:25:53 AM Page 125 to 128 of 143 32 of 57 sheets 125 that implies mass and scale. These buildings are not1 overly big. The height complies, you heard Mr. Appel2 talk about that over and over again.3 THE PUBLIC: I actually just asked you not4 to go into details on the C variance.5 THE WITNESS: So it's just one C. And then6 outside of the land use law we now go into what we call7 the RSIS --8 THE PUBLIC: Yes. And there were two did9 you say?10 THE WITNESS: Yes. One is the average daily11 traffic coming through Warner would exceed 1,000 trips12 per day.13 THE PUBLIC: So we go up to 1,700 and change14 you said, almost twice?15 THE WITNESS: Above.16 THE PUBLIC: If you round up almost twice.17 I mean, 75 percent more than currently -- than would be18 allowed?19 THE WITNESS: Yes.20 THE PUBLIC: That's pretty steep. Okay.21 And what was the third one?22 THE WITNESS: And also from the RSIS was23 from the circle in the middle of the development coming24 down to Warner there's a single walkway, a single25 126 sidewalk as opposed to double sided.1 THE PUBLIC: Okay.2 So just out of curiosity, there is no busing3 that, when that traffic expert said, that there's not4 going to be shuttles or are there going to be shuttles?5 You don't know. That's something you're not --6 THE WITNESS: I don't know. As I was7 listening I heard the word jitney, but I don't know if8 that was a community jitney that may come up into the9 community, I don't know.10 THE PUBLIC: Okay.11 So is it your opinion that it's good12 planning for an inclusive -- inclusionary development to13 be basically in a very, I would say, isolated area, when14 it comes to public transit and only have sidewalks on15 one side of the street that would get them in a walking16 or biking way to public transit?17 THE WITNESS: My answer is, yes, and that18 statement is not made in a vacuum. To get here with19 this project this has gone through your own affordable20 housing planner.21 THE PUBLIC: Okay. Thank you. I hear you.22 THE WITNESS: A fairness hearing, in23 accordance with the Fair Share Housing advocacy.24 THE PUBLIC: You're a planner, I'm asking25 127 you in terms of your opinion of good planning, I'm not1 asking you to tell me what the fair share attorneys said2 about this. I'm asking your opinion and I just3 basically want to know what you really think, because4 I'm getting a lot of philosophical from

asking you to tell me what the fair share attorneys said2 about this. I'm asking your opinion and I just3 basically want to know what you really think, because4 I'm getting a lot of philosophical from you but in5 realistic terms, do you think that that's good planning6 to have a sidewalk on one side of a street where we have7 a pretty isolated 500 or 496 unit inclusionary building8 that has to potentially walk down that roadway in order9 to, or home, up that roadway, to get to and from public10 transit, which is not close?11 THE WITNESS: Again, my answer is, yes. One12 that's founded on multiple layers of advocates for13 affordable housing to say this sites appropriate but14 also from a pure design standpoint, a pure planning15 standpoint. It's as beautiful piece of land perched up16 on that hill.17 THE PUBLIC: That has nothing to do --18 THE WITNESS: Yes.19 THE PUBLIC: No, it's the safety and the20 walking, that was really the issue that you're not21 really addressing. You're telling me it's a pretty22 piece of property but we know that.23 THE WITNESS: It's a beautiful place to live24 and all people should have a right to live there.25 128 Regardless of --1 THE PUBLIC: That has nothing to do with the2 safety of walking down a sidewalk.3 THE WITNESS: It's all factored into the4 consideration.5 THE PUBLIC: So --6 THE WITNESS: I have not heard anything to7 convince me that putting people of lower moderate8 incomes on the top of that hill creates a safety9 detriment.10 THE PUBLIC: We're talking about a sidewalk11 on one side of the street. The RSIS does not, I guess12 they don't usually allow for that unless you ask for13 some sort of relief.14 THE WITNESS: I'm comfortable with what I've15 just told you based on the evidence on the record and16 the witnesses that have gone before me.17 THE PUBLIC: Okay.18 THE WITNESS: Mr. Pehnke, Mr. Anderson.19 There are crosswalks built into this. There are.20 THE PUBLIC: Okay. I get it. I hear you.21 Okay. Thank you.22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.23 Do any other members of the public have24 questions for Mr. McDonough's testimony? Please come25