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AND, UH, THERE HE IS.UH, SO WELCOME TO THE MARCH 26TH, UH, 2026 MEETING OF THE CAMBRIDGE BOARD OF ZONING APPEAL.
MY NAME IS STEVEN ING AND I AM THE CHAIR PURSUANT TO CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2023, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR.
THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.
THIS MEETING IS BEING VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDED AND IS BROADCAST ON CABLE TELEVISION CHANNEL 22 WITHIN CAMBRIDGE.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS, APPLICANTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL STATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING.
ALL VOTES WILL BE TAKEN BY ROLL CALL.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE KEPT ON MUTE UNTIL IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WILL GIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THAT TIME.
AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CITY'S WEBPAGE FOR REMOTE BZA MEETINGS.
GENERALLY, YOU WILL HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I'LL START BY ASKING STAFF TO TAKE BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDANCE AND VERIFY THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE AUDIBLE.
DANIEL HODO, DANIEL ALGO PRESENT.
MICHAEL LAROSA, MICHAEL LAROSA, PRESENT, AND STEVEN ING, STEVEN ING PRESENT, UH, FOR THIS EVENING'S AGENDA, WE HAVE, UH, ONE ITEM THAT IS ON A CONTINUANCE AND AS WELL AS TWO NEW CASES.
SO FIRST STEP IS OUR 6:00 PM ITEM, A CONTINUANCE OF CASE BZA 1 1 7 8 1 1 8 63 WASHBURN AVENUE.
AND THEIR REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE.
UH, IS THE PETITIONER IN ATTENDANCE? YES.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS TIME TO UNMUTE.
I LIVE AT 63 WASHBURN AVENUE IN CAMBRIDGE.
AND, UM, AS YOU SAID, UH, CHAIRMAN, WE ARE, UH, WE REQUESTED A CONTINUANCE UNTIL TODAY THINKING IT WOULD BE SAFE.
UM, BUT WE HAD SCHEDULED A, UM, SITE VISIT FROM THE CITY TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION THAT THE BOARD NEEDS BEFORE THEY CAN DEBATE OR DELIBERATE, UM, ON THE VARIANCE REQUEST.
AND, UH, THAT WAS THE DAY, THE SITE VISIT OF THAT DAY WAS THE DAY WE GOT BELTED WITH TWO FEET OF SNOW.
AND IT HAS BEEN, THE SITE VISIT HAS NOW BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 2ND AT 8:00 AM.
UM, SO I'M AFRAID, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS I'M NOT TAKING UP A LOT OF YOUR TIME, BUT I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO ASK, UH, FOR A CONTINUANCE UNTIL THE
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET SNOW ON APRIL 2ND, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.
IT'S A, IT WAS THE, BASICALLY THE SENIOR PERSON IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UH, WHO INFORMS THE DELIBERATIONS ABOUT HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE LEGAL, THE LEGAL, UM, UM, EFFORT TO TRANSFER THAT THIN SLICE OF INDETERMINATE TERRITORY TO US.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE ONE OF THREE AS, I DUNNO IF YOU'LL RECALL, BUT WE'RE ONE OF THREE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE IN THE STREET THAT WAS MADE SOME TIME AGO.
AND I GATHER THAT GOOD NEWS IS BE ONCE THEY MAKE A DETERMINATION AND ALL THREE WILL BE RESOLVED.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE ANY, UM, BUSINESS PENDING BEFORE THE, THE BOARD.
UM, BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, I'M NOT SURE OF THE EXACT INDIVIDUAL, UH, THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S, WHO'S COMING.
I FIND THAT STRANGE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A NAME.
UH, BUT, UH, WE DID GET, UH, SOME GUIDANCE FROM, UH, THE CITY SOLICITOR.
AND, UH, THEY DID CLARIFY OR CONFIRM THAT THAT, UM, THE WDA, UH, SURVEY SHOWING THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY, UH, IS CORRECT.
AND THAT, UM, YOUR APPLICATION IS RE YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO HAVE, UH, INTEREST IN THAT PARTICULAR RIGHT OF WAY TO, FOR YOUR PROPOSED, UH, VARIANCE.
AND, UM, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY TELLING US WE CAN'T GRANT THE VARIANCE AS YOU DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, UH, IN
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THAT RIGHT OF WAY AT THIS TIME.SO, I MEAN, AS WE LEFT IT OFF AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, WE DID, YOU KNOW, WE ASKED FOR THIS CLARIFICATION.
WE GOT, UH, UH, CONFIRMATION ABOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, BEING CAN, CAN'T BE, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR APPLICATION RIGHT NOW REALLY CAN'T MOVE FORWARD BASED ON THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF A CONTINUANCE IS THE RIGHT OPTION HERE.
UM, JUST BECAUSE, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOUR, UH, ACQUISITION OR WHATEVER NEXT STEPS YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, SO I'M BASING, UH, THIS ISSUE BASED ON WHAT INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, A, YOU KNOW, C CONFIRMATION FROM THE SOLICITOR, YOU KNOW, AS OF RIGHT NOW THAT YOU, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE VARIANCE AS, AS PROPOSED THE YES, SIR.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THIS IS WHERE MONICA AND I LEFT IT LAST TIME.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, IS CLEAR THAT THE CITY'S INTEREST IS CLEAR.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SITE VISIT IS TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE CITY LEGALLY TRANSFER THAT SLICE TO 63 WASHBURN.
AND LOOK, THEY MAY SAY NO, IN WHICH CASE THEN WE DON'T NEED TO BOTHER YOU AGAIN.
UM, BUT THEY MAY SAY YES, AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE GONNA SAY YES, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR A CONTINUANCE RATHER THAN JUST BAILING ON THE WHOLE THING.
AND THEN, I DON'T KNOW, WAITING HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES.
UM, SO THAT SITE VISIT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY KEY.
AND I THINK, WELL, IT'S IN ALL OUR INTERESTS, AND I'LL DEFER TO THE BOARD'S JUDGMENT.
YOU GUYS HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS THAN, THAN WE DO.
UH, I THINK IT'S IN ALL OUR INTEREST FOR ONE MORE CONTINUANCE.
AND IF, IF AT THE END OF THIS NEXT CONTINUANCE THERE'S NO ANSWER, THEN I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
'CAUSE THE ANSWER THAT WE HAVE IS, UNLESS THE CITY TRANSFERS OUR THEIR RIGHT OF WAY TO US, THEN THERE'S NO POINT IN BOTHERING THE BOARD BECAUSE YOU CAN'T OB YOU KNOW, AS YOU JUST SAID, YOU CAN'T MAKE A DECISION ON THAT.
HANG ON A SECOND, MONICA, IS THAT YOU? YEAH.
SO MONICA KNOWS THE NAME OF THE PERSON COMING.
UM, SHE WAS IN ANOTHER MEETING AND I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH, IT'S THE DEPUTY MANAGER FOR THE CITY.
DID YOU HEAR THAT? IT'S THE DEPUTY MANAGER FOR THE CITY.
SO THIS IS, MONICA TALKED, SO YOU CAN SEE ME.
IT TURNS OUT THAT, UM, THIS ACTUALLY HAS TO BE DONE BY CITY COUNCIL.
SO ANY PROPERTY THAT'S CONVEYED FROM THE CITY TO A PROPERTY OWNER, AND SHE, KATE CATHERINE WATSON, SHE WAS THE, KATHY WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO ACTUALLY KNEW THAT.
SO SHE'S GONNA COME TO THE HOUSE, UM, AND JUST TAKE AN ASSESSMENT, AND THEN SHE'S GONNA PRESENT THIS TO CITY COUNCIL TO SEE IF WE CAN GET IT CONVEYED TO US.
UH, I GOT, UH, JIM MONTEVERDI, UH, HAS HIS HAND RAISED.
I JUST NEED TO, IS JIM MONTEVERDI GOOD? UM, UM, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WE MIGHT HAVE ONE OTHER OPTION, AND THAT'S TO, SINCE WE'VE CONTINUED THIS SEVERAL TIMES PREVIOUSLY, IS TO DENY THE CONTINUANCE.
AND THAT BASICALLY LETS THE PROPONENT COME BACK WHENEVER THEY'RE READY, UM, AS OPPOSED TO CONTINUE IT NOW TO PICK A DATE, JUNE OR WHATEVER.
UM, 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOTTA GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL MM-HMM
AND, UM, BETCHA IT'S GONNA TAKE A COUPLE ROUNDS THROUGH VARIOUS AGENCIES, AND IT'S GONE FOR A WHILE.
SO INSTEAD OF CONTINUING NOW AND THEN HAVING TO RECONTINUE AGAIN AND AGAIN, IT IS JUST FOR US TO DENY IT.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT WITH PREJUDICE OR ANYTHING, IT IS JUST A PROCESS TO SAY, JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU'VE GOT IT RESOLVED AND THEN COME BACK.
BUT THAT'S UP TO THE PROPONENT OR MR. CHAIR.
LOOK, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I SUSPECT WE'RE ALREADY ABOUT THREE YEARS IN ON THIS
MY ONLY QUESTION, THIS IS A RIDICULOUS QUESTION, IS ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO REPAY ALL THE FEES AGAIN IF WE'RE DENIED THE CONTINUANCE? YEAH, THAT'S A RED FILE, RIGHT? THIS IS JIM MONTE AGAIN.
OLIVIA, DO, CAN YOU WEIGH IN ON THAT? YEAH.
MR. MR. CHAIR IF I CAN, UM, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JIM, IS IT'S NOT GIVING
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A DENIAL.I THINK WHAT YOU MEAN IS TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
IF YOU DENY IT, IT WOULD BE A TWO YEAR, UH OH, OKAY.
I'M TRYING, I DON'T WANNA, OKAY.
AS FOR THE FEE, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A REFILE, YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY A NEW FEE, BUT YOU COULD WRITE A LETTER TO THE COMMISSIONER OF ISD STATING REASONING AS MAYBE HE COULD CONSIDER OTHERWISE, BUT IT WOULD BE A NEW FILE FILE.
I I THINK IT'S, IS PETER STILL THE HEAD COMMISSIONER OF ISD? YEAH.
I, I THINK HE WOULD UNDERSTAND.
I WOULD JUST WRITE THE HISTORY OF WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE.
SO OLIVIA, WE WOULD, THIS WOULD BE THE PROPONENT WITHDRAWING THE REQUEST WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT PREJUDICE, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT, JIM.
SO, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? UM, SO, SO, SO WE, SO WE'RE, WE'LL, WE WILL FORMALLY WITHDRAW AND THEN WE NOTIFY ISD THAT WE FORMALLY WITHDRAWN AND THAT WE WOULD LIKE.
AND, AND THEN, SO THEN WHEN WE REAPPLY, WE EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
IS THAT CORRECT, OLIVIA? IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? UM, YOU, YOU ALL DON'T NEED TO TELL US THAT YOU'RE WITHDRAWING 'CAUSE WE'LL KNOW TONIGHT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE READY, THAT'S, THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU WOULD RE YOU WOULD CONTACT US, UM, AND THEN YOU CAN WRITE THE LETTER TO PETER.
YEAH, AND TO BE CLEAR, IF, IF YOU ARE, IF YOU NEED TO WORK WITH, UH, THE, THE CITY SOLICITOR OR CITY COUNCIL, THAT, AND THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH, I THINK, UH, JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR GUIDANCE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THEM RIGHT NOW IS THAT UNTIL YOU HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY, SITE, OR PIECE OF PARCEL, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THE VARIANCE COULD EVEN BE OPEN TO BE REVIEWED.
I THINK THAT'S WHEN, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IF IT GOES INTO YOUR DIRECTION OR IN YOUR FAVOR, THAT THAT PARCEL COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO YOUR OWN INTEREST, THEN I THINK THAT'S WHEN YOU WOULD FILE YES.
WITH OUR BOARD FOR APPROVAL OR REVIEW.
I THINK ONCE WE HAVE A CLEAN DEED, I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY PRESSING FOR IS A CLEAN DEED WHERE THAT BLUE PIECE IS 63 WASHBURN AND NOT CITY RIGHT OF AWAY.
SO WHAT I CAN DO NOW IS MAKE A MOTION, UM, UH, TO WITHDRAW THE REQUEST FOR VARIANCE FOR CASE 1 1 7 8 1 1 8 63 WASHBURN AVENUE TO, TO ALLOW PARKING IN THE FRONT YARD SETBACK, REQUIRING RELIEF FROM TABLE 5.31 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, AND IT'S BEING WITHDRAWN WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
MICHAEL, MICHAEL AROSE IN FAVOR AND STEVEN ING IN FAVOR.
SO THAT'S, UH, THE MOTION PASSES.
UH, SO THE TIME NOW IS SIX 16.
UH, PERFECT TIMING FOR OUR NEXT ITEM, UH, BZA CASE NUMBER 1 1 9 6 5 3 4.
UH, TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS IN CARE OF DANE TOPE, LARAY WEISS, AND GARNER, UH, AT OH, YES.
UH, AND WE CAN DO, UH, UH, QUICKLY A ROLL CALL FOR VIRGINIA KEESLER.
AND, UH, MIKE, I THINK YOU'RE ALL SET.
YES, VIRGINIA KEESLER PRESENT.
UH, THE NEXT APPLICATION FOR 5 85 KENDALL STREET IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, REQUESTING A VARIANCE, UH, FOR PROPOSED SIGN DESIGN AND PLACEMENT.
UH, SOMEONE ONLINE TO SPEAK TO THE, FOR THE PROPONENT? YES, THIS IS CHARLES LARAY.
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GOOD EVENING.UH, IS CHARLES LARAY WITH DANE TO LARAY.
WE AND GARNER 1 75 FEDERAL STREET, BOSTON.
UM, REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT, UH, WITH ME HERE TONIGHT ON THE PANEL ARE KELLY FLYNN FROM TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS, UH, BERNIE LIBO, WHO'S FROM SIGN WORKS, AND I BELIEVE STUART BARR FROM PAY IS ALSO WITH US.
UM, KELLY WILL BEGIN WITH A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE COMPANY'S HISTORY IN CAMBRIDGE AND THE NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING BEING CONSTRUCTED.
AND THEN I'LL RUN THROUGH A SHORT SLIDE DECK EXPLAINING THE HARDSHIPS THAT TAKEDA FACES AND THE RELIEF WE'RE SEEKING.
AND AFTER THAT, UH, WE ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MIGHT HAVE.
SO I'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KELLY.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR ANG AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, MY NAME IS KELLY FLYNN, AND I SERVE AS HEAD OF REAL ESTATE FACILITIES FOR THE US REGION AT TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS.
WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
AS YOU KNOW, TAKEDA HAS DEEP ROOTS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE AND MASSACHUSETTS.
WE'RE PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST LIFE SCIENCE EMPLOYERS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND OUR GLOBAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT HUB IS BASED HERE IN KENDALL SQUARE.
THE 5 85 KENDALL PROJECT REPRESENTS A MAJOR INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMITMENT TO KENDALL SQUARE, AS WELL AS FOR OUR FUTURE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
THIS NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER STRENGTHENS KENDALL SQUARE'S POSITION AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN INNOVATION IN ANCHORS TAKEDA'S GROWTH IN CAMBRIDGE.
THE BUILDING WILL BE PART OF OUR EXISTING KENDALL CAMPUS, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES 500 KENDALL AND SIX 50 EAST KENDALL.
IT ALSO REFLECTS OUR LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AS THIS PROJECT FURTHER EMBEDS US IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY, WORKFORCE IN THE BROADER LIFE SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM HERE IN KENDALL SQUARE.
IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS NOT JUST A RESEARCH BUILDING FOR TAKEDA, IT'S REALLY PART OF A COMMUNITY CENTERED CAMPUS.
AS DESIGNED, THIS BUILDING INTEGRATES SCIENCE WITH PUBLIC FACING SPACES, ARTS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAM, REINFORCING OUR ROLE AS AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY PARTNER.
WE JUST ENJOY BEING PART OF THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS JUST A VERY EXCITING PROJECT FOR US.
AGAIN, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CHARLES LARAY, WHO'S GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THE SPECIFICS OF OUR REQUEST THIS EVENING.
MIGHT AS WELL SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AS, AS KELLY SAID, TAKEDA'S PROUD TO BE IN CAMBRIDGE, PROUD OF ITS ROLE IN THE CITY'S GROWING BIOTECH ECOSYSTEM, AND PROUD OF THE COMPANY'S CUTTING EDGE WORK.
THE, THE COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE ITS PRESENCE IN CAMBRIDGE BY DISPLAYING ITS NAME ON THE NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
THE SIGN WILL HELP WITH WAYFINDING TO THE NEW BUILDING FOR EMPLOYEES, COLLABORATORS, AND VISITORS.
IT ALSO HELP WITH WAY FINDING FOR THE LARGER CAMPUS, WHICH INCLUDES THE BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET AND A NEARBY BUILDING.
THE ZONING ORDINANCES, SIGN REGULATIONS WOULD LIMIT TAKEDA TO A WALL SIGN WITH AN AREA OF NOT MORE THAN 60 SQUARE FEET, AND A HEIGHT OF NOT MORE THAN 20 FEET, WITH ONLY EXTERNAL ILLUMINATION, AS I'LL EXPLAIN.
SUCH A SIGN WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY INVISIBLE.
WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THE SITE PLAN FOR THE, THE PROJECT TO THE LEFT, TO THE WEST IS THIRD STREET TO THE EAST, OR KENDALL WRAPS ALL ON THE BOTTOM AND THE SOUTH, AND THEN GOES UP ALONG THE EAST SIDE, AND YOU SEE THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT THERE ON THE RIGHT PART OF THE BUILDING.
THIS IS THE GROUND FLOOR ELEVATION WE'RE SEEING.
ON THE RIGHT PART IS A WINTER GARDEN, AND ON THE SOUTH IS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SPACE.
THE, UH, PERFORMANCE ART CENTER IS GONNA OCCUPY ABOUT THE HALF OF THE SECOND FLOOR, THE EASTERN HALF OF THE SECOND FLOOR.
THE SITE PLAN, WHICH YOU SEE HERE, CALLS FOR TREES ALONG THE EASTERN SIDELINE, UH, WITH DENSE CLUSTERS IN THE NORTHEASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN CORNERS.
AND, UH, THESE WOULD BLOCK THE VIEW OF ANY CONFORMING SIGN.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO PLANS FOR EVENT TENTS, FARMER'S MARKETS, AND THE, AND THE OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THAT OUTDOOR SPACE BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND KENDALL STREET AND ALONG KENDALL STREET.
AND THOSE ACTIVITIES WOULD, WOULD BLOCK A CONFORMING SIGN.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE 13TH STORY, 500 KENDALL STREET BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET, UH, BLOCKS THE VIEW OF THE SIGN FROM MANY LOCATIONS.
AND AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE THE ZONING FOR THE SITE REQUIRED THE INCLUSION OF PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
THEY SAID, THIS IS THE, THE EASTERN HALF OF THE SECOND FLOOR, WITH ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SPACES ON THE GROUND FLOOR, STARTING ON THE BUILDING SIDES, ABOUT MIDWAY AND SWEEPING UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR LEVEL ON THE EASTERN FACADE.
AND, UH, WITH, UH, MORE SOLID MATERIALS ABOVE.
AND I'M, I'M TOLD THIS UPWARD SWEEP, UH, MAY REFERENCE A STAGE CURTAIN BEING
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PULLED BACK, SORT OF A NOD TO THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THAT THE BUILDING WILL HOUSE AND A CONFORMING SIGN WOULD INTERRUPT THIS FACADE, UH, BLOCKING VIEWS FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND FROM THE GROUND FLOOR, WINTER GARDEN OUT.AND IT COULD BE MISINTERPRETED AS, AS TAKEDA BRANDING THE, THE ART CENTER AS ITS OWN.
AND TAKEDA IS, IS PROUD TO JOIN IN SUPPORTING THE ARTS CENTER, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO CLAIM IT AS THEIR OWN, AND WANTS TO BE SURE THAT IT, IT MAINTAINS ITS OWN IDENTITY.
SO THIS IS A RENDERING FROM THE SOUTHEAST, BEYOND THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
AT THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE THE LANDSCAPING, THE TREES, IT WOULD BLOCK THE VIEW OF A CONFORMING SIGN.
AND THEN UP ON TOP, YOU SEE WHERE THE, THE, THE REQUEST IS FOR A SIGN.
THIS SHOWS THE TOP PART OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE SIGN WOULD BE ON THE MECHANICAL PENTHOUSE ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN THE RIGHT IS THE ENTIRE ELEVATION OF THE BOTTOM AND THE WHITE.
YOU SEE THAT GLASS UPWARD SWEEPING FACADE I MENTIONED, WHICH IS ECHOED TO A SMALLER LEVEL ON TWO UPPER LEVELS.
THE BUILDING READS LIKE THREE STACKED MASSES THAT RECEDE AS THEY GO UP.
UH, AND YOU SEE WHERE THE, THE SIGN WOULD BE.
THE, UM, GIVEN THE HEIGHT, WE'RE ASKING FOR A SIGN THAT WE LARGER THAT ALLOWED THE, UH, SIGNS ELEMENTS WOULD FIT WITHIN A RECTANGLE, SEVEN FEET TALL BY, UH, 20 FEET, FIVE INCHES WIDE.
AND THAT RECTANGLE WOULD HAVE AN AREA OF ABOUT 143 SQUARE FEET.
NOW, AS YOU SEE, THE TOP ELEMENT IS CURVED, AND THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE IN THAT RECTANGLE ABOVE THE SIGN.
AND IN THE LO LOWER LEFT AND RIGHT CORNERS, THERE'LL BE NOTHING IN THOSE AREAS.
THE BUILDING'S FACADE WILL BE VISIBLE IN ENTIRELY IN THOSE AREAS, AND WE'RE ASKING IF THE SIGN BE ILLUMINATED, UM, SO THAT IT CAN BE SEEN AF YOU KNOW, AFTER DARK.
UH, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SCREEN.
MAKE SURE WE CAN SKIP THIS ONE.
THIS IS TECHNICAL DETAILS OF HOW THE SIGN'S GONNA BE MOUNTED, AND THIS IS AN AERIAL OF THE AREA.
YOU SEE THE BUILDING IN GRAY WITH THE STEP BACK OF THE MASSES THAT I MENTIONED, AND THE LOCATIONS OF FOUR RENDERINGS.
I'M ABOUT TO GO THROUGH THE, THE FIRST IS FROM THE EAST END OF BROAD CANAL.
THE SECOND IS FROM THE WEST END OF BROAD CANAL.
THE THIRD IS FROM THE SIDEWALK NEAR THE EXIT FROM THE PARKING GARAGE, THE PEDESTRIAN EXIT.
AND THE FOURTH IS FROM THE NORTHEASTERN CORNER UP NEAR THE PARK.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS FROM BROAD CANAL, THAT, UH, LOW CHAIN LINK FENCE YOU SEE CROSSING THE MIDDLE OF THE IMAGE IS THE EDGE OF BROAD CANAL.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING BEHIND WITH THE SIGN, UH, OFFERING GREAT WA GREAT WAYFINDING FROM THIS AREA.
NOW WE'RE AT THE EASTERN, THE WESTERN END BROAD CANAL.
AGAIN, A CONFORMING SIGN WILL BE BLOCKED BY THE EXIT, PEDESTRIAN EXIT STRUCTURE FROM THE PARKING GARAGE.
BUT THE PROPOSED SIGN WOULD BE VISIBLE.
AND NOW WE'VE ADVANCED CLOSER TO THE EXIT FROM THAT PARKING GARAGE.
AGAIN, THE CONFORMING SIGN WOULD BE INVISIBLE.
THE PROPOSED SIGN IS, IS VISIBLE.
AND THIS IS FROM OVER THE OTHER SIDE.
YOU SEE THE, A BIT OF THE PARKS TREES ON THE RIGHT.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE IN THE FOREGROUND THE LANDSCAPING THAT WILL BE INSTALLED THAT WOULD COMPLETELY BLOCK A CONFORMING SIGN.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PROPOSED SIGN, THE VARIANCE STANDARD IS SET FORTH IN SECTION 10.32.
UH, FIRST, A LITERAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD INVOLVE SUBSTANTIAL HARDSHIP, FINANCIAL, OTHERWISE, I THINK WE'VE SHOWN THE HARDSHIP, MEANING IN THE CONFORMING SIGN WOULD BE INVISIBLE.
UM, THE SECOND PRONG IS THAT THE HARDSHIP IS RELATED TO CIRCUMSTANCES RELATED TO SOIL CONDITION, SHAPE, OR TOPOGRAPHY THAT AFFECT THE LAND AND STRUCTURES, UH, AND NOT THE ZONING DISTRICT.
OUR TOPOGRAPHY IS ALL OF THESE TREES AND LANDSCAPING AND UNEVEN GROUND THAT WILL BE PUT AROUND THE EASTERN END OF THE BUILDING AS PART OF THE APPROVED SITE PLAN.
AND THIS IS A UNIQUE BUILDING.
THIS, THIS GLASS FACADE WITH A PERFORMING ART SPACE.
PUBLIC SPACES BEHIND IT, UH, IS, I THINK, UNIQUE TO THIS BUILDING IN, IN THE DISTRICT, AND PERHAPS WELL BEYOND THE DISTRICT.
AND THE THIRD PART OF THE TEST IS THAT DESIRABLE RELIEF CAN BE GRANTED WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL DETRIMENT TO THE PUBLIC GOOD, OR NULLIFYING, OR SUBSTANTIALLY DELEGATING FROM THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE.
THE SIGN IS ACTUALLY CONSISTENT WITH SEVEN POINT 11.1 OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH EXPLICITLY RECOGNIZES THE PUBLIC INTEREST IS SERVED BY BUSINESSES AND SERVICES, IDENTIFYING THEIR PREMISES.
THE PROPOSED SIGN DIRECTLY SUPPORTS ITS INTENT BY ALLOWING THIS CATER TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY THAT ITS GLOBAL RESEARCH.
CHUBB, IT ALSO HELPS IDENTIFY THE CAMPUS FOR PEOPLE COMING FROM THE EAST SO FAR FROM THE DETRIMENT, THE PUBLIC GOOD, THE SIGN WILL BENEFIT THE PUBLIC, AND IT WILL NOT BE VISIBLE FROM RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH I KNOW IS AN ELEMENT OF CONCERN FOR SOME PEOPLE.
UM, AND AS, AS I THINK YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS LETTERS OF SUPPORT, INCLUDING FROM FORMER MAYOR SIMMONS, THE CAMBRIDGE CHAMBER COMMERCE, THE KENDALL SQUARE ASSOCIATION GLOBAL ARTS LIVE, WHICH IS THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE OPERATING THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
[00:25:01]
AND EAST CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.AND THAT ENDS MY PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE READY TO ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HAND HAND WITH THAT? JIM? YES.
UM, CAN I ASK IF THE PROPONENT LOOKED AT ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE SIGN LOCATIONS AS OPPOSED TO JUST THIS ONE? UH, THERE WAS CONSIDERATION TO PUT IT FARTHER DOWN THE BUILDING.
ONE IS, IT, IT WOULD BLOCK WINDOWS INTO THE BUILDING, BLOCKING THE VIEW, AND HAVING PEOPLE LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE SIGN.
AND IT ALSO WOULD BE LESS VISIBLE FROM THE AREAS WE'D LIKE TO BE VISIBLE.
UM, WE COULD, IN THEORY, PUT IT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE ON THIRD STREET, BUT THEN IT FACES A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT JUST SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GONNA CAUSE CONSTERNATION.
SO THIS SIDE, UH, SEEMED LIKE THE BETTER PLACE TO PUT IT.
AND THE HEIGHT GETS IT VISIBLE BEYOND THE BUILDING, ACROSS THE STREET.
SO IT HELPS IDENTIFY BOTH THE BUILDING AND THE CAMPUS.
ANY OTHER, UH, DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT YEAH, I, I, I TOOK A WALK AROUND THE SITE, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK.
UM, AND, UH, THERE IS RESIDENTIAL TO THE WEST, SOUTH SIDES OF THE PROPERTY.
SO I THINK THE, THE SELECTED, UH, EAST FACING ELEVATION IS DEFINITELY THE, UH, THE MOST, UH, CONSIDERATE, UH, AND I, I TOTALLY GET THE, THE VISIBILITY NEEDS.
AND THEN ALSO AVOIDING ALL THE, UH, LANDSCAPING OBSTRUCTIONS DOWN IF YOU GET THE LOWER YOU GET.
UM, SO, UH, ANY, UH, OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? NO, SEEING NONE.
UM, WE'LL, UH, MOVE ON TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
JUST WANTED TO MENTION FIRST, UH, ANY CORRESPONDENCE, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, IN THE MAIL.
UH, WE DID GET AN EMAIL, UH, DATED MARCH 21ST FROM BJORN POIN, UH, LIVING AT 3 0 3 THIRD STREET IN FAVOR, UM, AND SUPPORTING THE VARIANCE FOR THEIR ILLUMINATED SIGN AT 5 85.
KENDALL NEED FOR THE VARIANCE MAKES SENSE TO HIM, AND BECAUSE OF THE ORIENTATION SHOULD NOT AFFECT RESIDENTS IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED LETTERS FROM MR. DAVID P MAYOR, PRESIDENT, CEO OF CAMBRIDGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UH, HIS LETTER EMPHASIZES TAKEDA'S COMMITMENT AS A GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNER SINCE COMING TO CAMBRIDGE IN 2011, AND IS IN FULL, UH, STRONG SUPPORT OF THE, UH, PROPONENT.
UH, A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE KENDALL SQUARE ASSOCIATION, MS. BETH O'NEILL MALONEY, UH, SUPPORTING TAKEDA'S CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT IN CAMBRIDGE BY CHOOSING 5 85 KENDALL AS THE NEW HOME FOR THEIR GLOBAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
UH, THE PROPOSED SIGNAGE WILL IMPROVE CLARITY AND WAY FINDING TO VISITORS, UH, AND, UH, PROVIDE, UH, A DESIGNED BALANCE OF VISIBILITY FROM A DISTANCE WHILE RESPECTING RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
UM, WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CONNIE CHIN, CEO OF GLOBAL ARTS LIVE, AND THE PLATFORM, THE PLATFORM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, LOCATED AT 5 85 KENDALL APPLAUDS.
TAKEDA INVESTMENT IN THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE FABRIC IN KENDALL SQUARE.
SUPPORTING THE PROPOSED SIGNAGE REFLECTS BOTH DESIGN EXCELLENCE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP.
UH, EAST CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION LETTER, UH, FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JASON ALVES, UH, ALSO IS ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTING THE PROPOSAL.
AND, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM, UH, FORMER MAYOR E DENNIS, UH, SIMMONS.
UH, HER HONOR SHARES HER STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE APPLICATION.
CITING THE DESIGN SERVES BOTH PRACTICAL SYMBOLIC PURPOSES.
THE PROPOSED SIGNAGE SERVES, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, TAKEDA AND WILL.
IT WILL IMPROVE WAY FINDING FOR PERFORMING ARTS VISITORS, EMPLOYEES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING TAKEDA'S IDENTITY AS A GLOBAL INSTITUTION, ANCHORED FIRMLY IN CAMBRIDGE DESIGN STRIKES AN APPROPRIATE BALANCE VISIBLE THROUGH ITS SUR VISIBLE ENOUGH TO SERVE ITS PURPOSE, YET RESTRAINED ENOUGH TO RESPECT SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
UM, AND THAT WAS IT IN CORRESPONDENCE.
UH, NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
[00:30:01]
UH, AT THE MEETING, UH, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD NOW CLICK THE ICON AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ZOOM SCREEN THAT SAYS, RAISE HAND.IF YOU'RE CALLING IN BY PHONE, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND BY PRESSING STAR NINE AND UNMUTE OR MUTE BY PRESSING STAR SIX.
I'LL NOW ASK STAFF TO UNMUTE THE SPEAKERS ONE AT A TIME.
UH, YOU SHOULD BEGIN BY SAYING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND STAFF WILL CONFIRM.
YOU WILL HAVE UP TO TWO TO THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK BEFORE I ASK YOU TO WRAP UP, CHAR CHARLES HINES.
CHARLES HINES, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
I'M THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE EAST CAMBRIDGE PLANNING TEAM.
I LIVE AT 2 0 7 CHARLES STREET IN EAST CAMBRIDGE.
UH, TAKEDA DID COME TO US LAST NIGHT TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, WE SUBMITTED A LETTER TODAY TO THE, UH, BZA, UH, SOME, FOR SOME REASON, DIDN'T MAKE IT INTO THE PACKAGE OF, IT'S, IT'S GONE THROUGH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE, BUT WHAT THE MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE ECPT, WE DISCUSSED THIS, AND WE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO OPPOSE THE VARIANCE FOR THE PROPOSED SIGN.
AS, AS WE DIDN'T THINK THE, UH, PROPONENT, UH, HAS DEMONSTRATED A SUFFICIENT HARDSHIP FOR ALL THE VARIANCES THAT IT, THAT IT'S ASKED FOR.
AND, UH, IT, THE BOARD'S HEARD A SIMILAR CASE NEXT DOOR AT 6 75 WEST KENDALL STREET, WHICH THEY DIDN'T FIND, UH, COULDN'T FIND, DIDN'T, UH, DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A HARDSHIP THERE EITHER TO JUSTIFY, UH, PUTTING THE SIGN ON THAT BUILDING NEXT DOOR.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR POSITIONED, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE, THIS LOOKS MORE LIKE BRANDING, AND THE ORDINANCE IS NOT, UH, IS NOT FOR BRAND BRANDING A BUILDING.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE, WHAT'S IN THE LETTER.
AND, UH, YOU EMAILED THAT TO YES, ISD TODAY.
DID, WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING YEAH.
TO, YEAH, I DON'T WELL, YOU DIDN'T GET IT.
WELL, I MEAN, WE HAVE YOU ON RECORD, UH, JUST HAVING YOU SPEAK THIS EVENING.
SO, UM, CALLER ENDING IN 8 3 1 1.
HELLO, HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET.
AND IN ADDITION TO WHAT CHUCK SAID, AND I WAS AT THAT MEETING, AND HE'S BEING WAY TOO NICE, THE OPPOSITION WAS QUITE VEHEMENT.
AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT THE PROPONENT TODAY DIDN'T SAY TO YOU WHAT THEY SAID TO US, WHICH WAS THAT OF COURSE, THERE WOULD BE GROUND LEVEL WAY FINDING FOR THEM.
THIS IS NOT A HARDSHIP, THIS IS A BILLBOARD.
AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT IT IS NOT A HARDSHIP TO NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A BILLBOARD ON YOUR BUILDING, JUST BECAUSE YOU DO WONDERFUL CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH.
I'M THRILLED THAT TAKEDA DOES THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T LET THEM LIGHT UP OUR SKIES.
AND I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE IN FACT, HOMES TO THE EAST OF THIS, ALONG THE RIVER.
THERE'S THE ESPLANADE, THERE'S RIVER COURT.
SO, AND FOLKS IN THE ESPLANADE WERE REALLY, REALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE GENZYME SIGN.
YEARS AGO, AND I WILL REMIND THE BOARD OF ONE THING.
[00:35:01]
PASSED A BRANDING SIGN ORDINANCE.AND IN LESS THAN 20 DAYS, OVER 11,000 VERIFIED SIGNATURES, PLUS ANOTHER 5,000 SIGNATURES THAT DIDN'T GET VERIFIED FOR WHATEVER REASON WERE COLLECTED FROM CAMBRIDGE VOTERS, MAKING IT QUITE CLEAR THAT THE CITIZENS OF CAMBRIDGE DON'T WANT BILLBOARDS IN OUR SKY.
THE BCA HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD ABOUT ENFORCING THAT FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, YEARS.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT STOP NOW.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EAST CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, 5 44 CAMBRIDGE STREET.
WE ALREADY SENT A LETTER IN, UM, SUPPORTING THE SIGN, UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO CALL IN AND REITERATE OUR SUPPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN GENERAL, THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UM, WE'RE IN A KIND OF A DIFFERENT PLACE RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS WHERE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS LIKE, AND HOW KENDALL SQUARE IS, IS OPERATING.
I THINK IT'S A HUGE, UH, IT'S A HUGE ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE, THAT SOMEONE LIKE TAKEDA WANTS TO COME IN, CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
UM, AND THIS IS THEIR, AS STATED, THIS IS THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR GLOBAL RESEARCH HUB.
THAT IS, THAT IS, UH, THAT IS A GOOD THING FOR US TO HAVE HERE ON KENDALL SQUARE.
UM, WHILE WE ARE COMPETING WITH OTHER AREAS, I THINK THAT THE, THE REQUEST HERE IS, IS RATHER MODEST.
UM, IT HAS BEEN PLACED IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT GONNA IMPACT THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND ANOTHER THING THAT THE LETTER HIGHLIGHTED WAS, I, I HEAR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, WHERE THEY DON'T WANNA, UM, MAKE IT FEEL LIKE THAT THEY'RE TAKING CREDIT FOR HAVING THE ART CENTER IN THE BUILDING.
BUT, UM, AS WE LOOK AT WAYS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE INTO KENDALL SQUARE, INTO EAST CAMBRIDGE TO USE OUR BUSINESSES, I DO THINK THAT SOME OF THESE WAY FINDING THINGS ARE HELPFUL, AND, UM, I THINK GLOBAL ARTS LIVE IS GONNA HAVE A GREAT, UM, IS IT GONNA HAVE A GOOD IMPACT AS WE TRY TO TRY TO DO THAT? AND I THINK THAT SIGNAGE LIKE THIS WILL, WILL, WILL HELP BE A MARKER FOR THAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I GUESS JUST, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IS WHERE THE MXD DISTRICT STARTS, WHERE, UM, A SIGN COULD GO UP.
UH, IT, THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE AS MINDFUL AS, UH, THE FOLKS AT DECATUR BEING HERE AND THE PLACEMENT OF THIS.
UM, SO THERE IS, UH, AREAS VERY, VERY CLOSE BY WHERE SIGNS CAN GO UP.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A, A REASONABLE ASK FOR SOMEONE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AS VIEWS AS A GOOD PARTNER AND HOPE THAT THAT FOLKS CAN, UM, SEE THE BENEFIT TO THIS AND, AND, AND APPROVE THEIR REQUEST.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO WE'LL CLOSE, UH, THAT PART OF THE HEARING, UH, DISCUSSION AMONGST BOARD MEMBERS.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ILLUMINATION PIECE.
WAS THAT ADDRESSED IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF ILLUMINATION FOR THE SIGN AND ALSO THE HOURS THAT THE SIGN WILL BE LIT? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? WE CAN ASK MR. YEAH, WE, WE CAN ASK, UH, MR. LURAY, CAN YOU, UH, PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING ILLUMINATION, HOURS OF OPERATION, OR, UH, WHEN THE FIXTURES ARE ON, ET CETERA? YEAH, IT WOULD BE INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED.
SO THE, UM, THE LETTERS WOULD BE ILLUMINATED FROM BEHIND, AND I THINK THE DESIRE WOULD BE FROM DUST TILL DAWN.
BUT IF THE BOARD FEELS THAT SHORTER HOURS ARE APPROPRIATE, UM, THAT, THAT'S FINE.
UM, SO I THINK THE ORDINANCE IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE SIGNAGE BEING REQUESTED IS NOT ALLOWED.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE HEIGHT, IN TERMS OF THE SIZE, IN TERMS OF THE INTERNAL ILLUMINATION, UM, I'M DISAPPOINTED THERE WEREN'T ANY ALTERNATIVES TO SHOW.
UM, BECAUSE PERSONALLY I, IT SEEMS THAT THE CHOICE BETWEEN EITHER 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND OR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET ABOVE GROUND, THERE'S A LOT OF REAL ESTATE IN BETWEEN THERE TO LOCATE SIZE.
[00:40:01]
UM, AND I THINK THE ARGUMENT THAT THE TREES ARE IN THE WAY AT GROUND LEVEL, YOU'D HAVE TO ASK, ARE THE TREES PART OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR THE BUILDING ITSELF? AND COULDN'T YOU JUST MOVE THE TREES AROUND IF THAT WAS YOUR CONCERN? SO I'M, I'M NOT CONVINCED ABOUT THE HARDSHIP, HARDSHIP RELATING TO BEING ABLE TO FIND THE BUILDING WAY FINDING.UM, THAT SAID, I REALIZE THE BUILDING AND ITS USE IS VERILY SIMILAR TO THE USES THAT ARE REALLY IN THE ADJACENT ZONING DISTRICT, THE MDX ZONE THAT HAS SIMILAR BUILDINGS THAT IN FACT ALLOW THIS TYPE OF, UM, NAMING UP HIGH.
SO I BE IN BETWEEN, I THINK AS THE ORDINANCE STATES THAT WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR ISN'T ALLOWED, BUT, UM, RIGHT ADJACENT TO IT, IT IS ALARM.
SO I'D BE CURIOUS WHAT THE OTHER MEMBERS' THOUGHTS ARE.
UH, SO I, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE, WITH THE AREA.
MY, UH, CHILDREN'S DAYCARE WAS RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
UM, AND I, I SORT OF AGREE WITH JIM IN THE SENSE THAT IT STRIKES ME AS IT FITS.
I, I, I, I KNOW IT TECHNICALLY DOESN'T FIT THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR ZONE, BUT, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT BLENDS RIGHT IN WITH THE, THE REST OF THAT, THAT AREA WITH THE, THE SIGNAGE AND THE, OF THE, THE OTHER TALL BUILDINGS AROUND THERE.
SO, UM, I, I THINK IT WOULD FIT WITH THE, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND, UH, UM, I, I'VE, I'M BASICALLY CONVINCED THAT SOMETHING LOWER DOWN WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HARDER TO, WOULD MAKE IT HARDER TO IDENTIFY THE BUILDING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.
THANK YOU, VIRGINIA, ANY, UH, THOUGHTS TO SHARE? WENDY? UH, I AGREE WITH DANIEL.
UM, IT SEEMS FITTING WITH THE AREA, UM, THE HARDSHIP MAYBE SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH, BUT I THINK I CAN BE CONVINCED JUST IN TERMS OF THE WAY FINDING, UH, ARGUMENT THAT'S BEING MADE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE ANALYSIS FOR SIGNS IS ALWAYS, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE
UM, BUT, UM, MY QUESTION IS, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU MORE FAMILIAR WITH THIS DISTRICT AND NAVIGATING AROUND IT, ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE HARDSHIP SHOWING? UM, AND IF YOU ARE, THEN THAT'S REALLY MY MAIN CONCERN IS WHAT VIRGINIA JUST SAID ABOUT THE HARDSHIP ASPECT.
UM, SO I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC KIND OF FORMULA FOR HOW HIGH IT WOULD'VE TO BE, TO BE VERY VISIBLE, BUT IT'S TRUE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TALL BUILDINGS.
AND SO SOMETHING AT CLOSER TO THE STREET LEVEL I, I DO THINK WOULD BE EASILY MISSED.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF FOLIAGE BLOCKING IT.
SO, UM, SO, SO I, I, I THINK THERE'S A POINT THERE.
I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF IT HAS TO BE AS HIGH AS THE PROPONENTS SAY, BUT, UM, UM, BUT SOME KIND OF HEIGHT I THINK WOULD, IS USEFUL THERE.
AND THIS IS, UH, STEVEN, UM, I, I, I'M KIND OF LEANING TOWARDS, UH, DAN AND VIRGINIA'S VIEW, UH, SUPPORTING THAT VIEW.
UH, I THINK THE, UH, EITHER WAY, YOU KNOW, YOUR HEIGHT IS GONNA BE, UM, GIVES YOU THE BETTER VISIBILITY TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED IN, IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.
UM, SO YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD BE, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION.
AND WITH REGARD TO THE, UM, INTERNAL ILLUMINATION, IS THERE ANYTHING, IS THIS CONSISTENT WITH THE ADJACENT DISTRICT WHERE THIS WOULD BE PERMITTED? MR. DELORE, YOU ANY, UH, INFORMATION ON THAT? I, I BELIEVE INTERNAL ILLUMINATION IS ALLOWED IN MXD AND USED IN MXD.
UM, ESSENTIALLY THE SIGN REGULATIONS
[00:45:01]
DON'T REALLY APPLY IN MXD.AND, AND MANY OF THE TECH AND BIOTECH FIRMS THERE HAVE, HAVE PUT ILLUMINATED SIGNS UP.
DANIEL, YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING, I THINK TOO.
NO, I, I WAS, I, I DE I DEFER.
I DON'T MIND RUNNING THERE AT NIGHT ENOUGH TO KNOW
UH, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, UH, TO SHARE AMONGST THE BOARD, UM, I'LL ENTER, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
UM, THE CHAIR MAKES A MOTION TO GRANT RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE UNDER SECTION 7.1, SIX POINT C, WALL SIGN, AREA, HEIGHT AND ILLUMINATION, AND SECTION 10.3 VARIANCE FOR PROPOSED SIGNAGE AT 5 85 KENDALL STREET, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.
UM, AND REVIEWING THE, UH, CONDITIONS TO BE MET FOR VARIANCE.
UH, A, UH, A, A LITERAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE WOULD INVOLVE A SUBSTANTIAL HARDSHIP, FINANCIAL, OR OTHERWISE, TO THE PETITIONER OR APPELLANT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UH, AND RESPONSES ARE CONFORMING SIGN WOULD BE OBSTRUCTED BY REQUIRED LANDSCAPING ALONG KINDLE STREET, AND PERIODICALLY BY A EVENT TENTS AND OUTDOOR FARMER'S MARKET ACTIVITIES.
CONFORMING SIGN WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE VISUAL IDENTITY OF THE PERFORMING, PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND COMMUNITY SPACES WITHIN THE BUILDING.
UH, ITEM B, UH, THE HARDSHIP IS OWING TO THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING THE SOIL CONDITIONS, SHAPE, OR TOPOGRAPHY OF SUCH LAND OR STRUCTURES, AND ESPECIALLY AFFECTING SUCH LAND OR STRUCTURES, BUT NOT AFFECTING GENERALLY THE ZONING DISTRICT IN WHICH IT IS LOCATED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UH, REQUIRED LANDSCAPING ALONG KENDALL STREET, INCLUDING LANDSCAPE BERMS, TREES AND SHRUBS BEING PLANTED WITH OBSCURE CONFORMING SIGN.
UH, OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY ARE NOT SURROUNDED BY SUCH EXTENSIVE PLANTINGS.
UH, ITEM C, DESIRABLE RELIEF MAY BE GRANTED WITHOUT EITHER A DESIRABLE RELIEF, MAY BE GRANTED WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL DETRIMENT TO THE PUBLIC GOOD FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UM, THE BOARD DOES NOT SEE PROPOSED SIGN WILL BE DETRIMENTAL, UH, TO THE PUBLIC GOOD SERVE AS A WAYFINDING FEATURE TO LOCATE AND IDENTIFY TENANTS NEW LOCATION.
UM, B DESIRABLE RELIEF MAY BE GRANTED WITHOUT NULLIFYING OR SUBSTANTIALLY DEGRADATING FROM THE INTENT OR PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, UH, SERVES THE SIGN, SERVES AS AN IDENTIFIER.
BUSINESS AND SERVICES PROPOSED SIGN WILL NOT BE VISIBLE FROM NEARBY RESIDENCES.
SO BY THAT FINDING, UH, THIS MOTION, THEY, THEY MEET THE CRITERIA ON THE SECTION 10.31 FOR VARIANCE, UH, ON THE CONDITION THAT THE WORK PROPOSED CONFORMED TO THE SET, INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION PACKAGE ENTITLED TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS, USA, INCORPORATED BY SWG SIGNED WORKS GROUP, DATED APRIL 15TH, 2025, DRAWING SHEETS ONE THROUGH FIVE TO BE SIGNED AND INITIALED BY PARADE, THE SUPPORTING STATEMENTS AND DIMENSIONAL FORMS SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE APPLICATION ON A VOICE VOTE, PLEASE.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, JIM MONTEVERDI.
JIM MONTEVERDI AGAINST, UH, WENDY LYON IN FAVOR, IF THE BOARD WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE THE CONDITION ON THE EXTERNAL ILLUMINATION, I MEAN, THE INTERNAL ILLUMINATION BEING TURNED OFF AT DESK, WAS THAT A CONDITION OR IS THAT PART OF THEIR MATERIALS THAT WERE PRESENTED? UH, THAT'S TURNED OFF AT DUSK OR CORRECT.
IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE PETITIONER SAID THAT IT WOULD BE ON FROM DAWN TO DUSK? NO, IT WOULD BE ON FROM DUS TO DAWN? NO, ALL THE WAY AROUND.
IS THERE A, UM, I'M SORRY, THAT'S GIVING ME PAUSE.
SO, YES, I, I WOULD THINK IT NEED NOT BE ON LATER THAN EVENTS ARE HAPPENING THERE FOR WAY FINDING PURPOSES.
IS THERE A CONSISTENT TIME IN THE REST OF THE DISTRICT FOR SIGNS TO BE OFF? IF, IF, IF I MAY, ON BEHALF OF TAKEDA, OUR SIGN, OUR EXISTING SIGN AT 500
[00:50:01]
IS ON 6:00 PM TO 6:00 AM CURRENTLY, THAT'S WHAT OUR OTHER TWO BUILD 500 KENDALL ACROSS.AND THAT'S NOT IN THE SAME DISTRICT THOUGH, IS IT? OR IS IT, IT IS THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR.
THEN I WILL, UM, VOTE IN FAVOR UNDERSTANDING THE PROXIMITY TO OTHER SIMILAR SIGNS.
AND YOU'LL GO IN FAVOR? VIRGINIA KELA.
AND, UH, FINALLY MYSELF, STEVEN ING IN FAVOR.
SO THE VOTE IS FOUR TO ONE AND PASSES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND OF COURSE FOR YOUR VOTE.
OKAY, UP NEXT IS OUR SIX 30 CASE, UH, BZA 1 2 0 0 0 7 1, UH, 76 78 THORNDYKE STREET, UM, IN CAR, UH, BEING PRESENTED BY SCOTT ZINK, UH, WITH 76 78 THORNDYKE STREET, LLC FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT, UM, CITING, UH, SECTIONS 5.31, UH, 8.22 2D NONCONFORMING STRUCTURES AND 10.40 SPECIAL PERMIT.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, MEETING WITH US TONIGHT.
UM, ALLISON HAMMER, WHO'S THE PROJECT ARCHITECT, SHOULD BE JOINING US AS WELL TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THE PROJECT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME HERE IN EAST CAMBRIDGE.
UM, IT'S IN THE EAST CAMBRIDGE, UH, HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
SO WE PREVIOUSLY HAD TO GO TO THEM TO APPROVE, I WOULD SAY THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, WHICH IS TO INCREASE THE OVERALL HEIGHT OF THE SINGLE FAMILY ON THE BUILDING.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE HERE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TO, UM, SEEK RELIEF FOR INCREASING THE HEIGHT OF THE HOUSE WITHIN THE FRONT SETBACK.
UH, THERE IS ANOTHER PROPERTY ON THE REAR OF THE BUILDING, WHICH DOES NOT NEED ANY RELIEF.
SO WE'RE JUST HERE FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY BUILDING THAT, UM, IS TOWARD THE, THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH ALLISON, IF YOU WANNA JUMP IN AND KIND OF SHOW THE PRESENTATION, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, THANK YOU FOR HEARING OUR CASE TONIGHT.
I'M, UM, ALLISON HAMMER, HAMMERSTEIN DEVELOPMENT, THE, UH, ARCHITECT FOR THIS PROJECT, AS SCOTT MENTIONED.
UM, THIS IS A SINGLE FAMILY LOCATED AT 78 THORN D**E STREET, AND WE'RE HERE TO ASK RELIEF, UH, FOR AN INCREASE IN HEIGHT WITHIN THE FRONT SETBACK.
AS WE'LL SEE, THE HOUSE IS LOCATED VERY CLOSE TO THE STREET.
UM, WHEN WE BEGAN THIS PROJECT, WE BEGAN, LIKE, WE BEGAN ALL OF THESE, OUR PROJECTS, WHICH IS TO NOT COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.
UH, WE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO OUR WORK, UM, AS OF RIGHT, HOWEVER, WHEN WE, UH, OPENED OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, THE FOLKS AT THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AND, UH, WE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UM, THIS BUILDING IS IN THE, UH, EAST CAMBRIDGE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UH, WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE, UM, THE HISTORICAL, UH, GREEK REVIVAL, UH, TYPE OF BUILDINGS THAT THIS ACTUALLY USED TO BE, UM, BEFORE IT WAS KIND OF COVERED UP WITH FINAL SIDING.
AND THE, THEY, THEY STRONGLY, UH, WERE IN OPPOSITION TO SOME OF THE, UM, OTHER APPROACHES WE WERE TAKING TO THE BUILDING.
AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM, UM, ON A SCENARIO WHICH, UH, WAS ABLE TO, UH, BRING BACK THAT GREEK REVIVAL, UH, FIELD TO THE BUILDING AS WELL.
UM, BUT IT MEANT THAT THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS WAS TO HAVE TO, UH, COME TO YOU GUYS ASKING FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT FOR RAISING THE HEIGHT AGAIN IN THAT FRONT YARD SETBACK.
SO WE CAN QUICKLY, UH, RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
I CAN FAMILIARIZE YOU GUYS WITH THE PROJECT, AND THEN WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS.
[00:55:01]
OKAY.SO THIS IS JUST A COUPLE MAPS, UM, TO LOCATE THE PROJECT IN, UH, EAST CAMBRIDGE.
AND THE, UM, THE EXACT LOCATION THERE ON, UH, THORNDYKE BETWEEN THIRD AND SKI.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE STREET VIEW THERE, UM, FROM THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF COVERED IN, UH, I BELIEVE ALUMINUM SIDING.
UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE, UM, A LOT OF BLAIR.
UH, IN THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE OUR ZONING DIAGRAM.
AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT 78 THORNDYKE STREET, THE SINGLE FAMILY, WHICH IS RIGHT UP AGAINST THORNDYKE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE TWO, UM, TWO FRONT STEPBACK LINES.
WE HAVE THE 10 FOOT FRONT STEPBACK LINE, WHICH IS KIND OF THE BASE FRONT STEPBACK IN, UH, THE C ONE DISTRICT.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER LINE AT ABOUT TWO FOOT FOUR AND THREE QUARTER INCHES, WHICH IS THE CONTEXTUAL FRONT STEP BACK THAT WE GET BY AVERAGING THE SETBACKS OF OUR, UM, OF OUR TWO ABUTTING PROPERTIES.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT AREA WITH THE DARK HATCH, UM, IS THE ONLY AREA OF OUR ROOF, RAISED ROOF WHERE WE, UH, ACTUALLY NEED RELIEF.
THE REST OF IT IS ALL AS OF RIGHT.
UM, JUST TO FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH THE PROJECT ITSELF, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE FINISHING THE BASEMENT.
UH, WE HAVE AN, OH, KIND OF AN OPEN PLAN FIRST FLOOR.
WELL, THIS IS LIKE A, UM, DECENT SIZED HOUSE.
IT'S CERTAINLY FAR FROM, UH, A LARGE HOUSE.
UH, WE'RE AT ABOUT, UM, 18 FOOT SIX INCHES WIDE AND UNDER 40, UH, FEET LONG.
UM, WE'RE ALSO ADDING THE SIDE WING ADDITION, WHICH IS OUT OF OUR SETBACKS.
UM, AND THEREFORE DOESN'T NEED ANY RELIEF WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT, WHERE THE BEST FUEL AND WC IS ON THE LEFT.
ON THE SECOND FLOOR, UM, WE HAVE A PRIMARY SUITE AND, UH, TWO GUEST BEDROOMS AND A BATHROOM.
AND THEN IN THE ATTIC, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD, UM, YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT, UM, THE AREA IN GRAY IS THE AREA THAT'S, UM, HAS SEVEN FOOT CEILING HEIGHT.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A VERY SLIM, SLIM SLICE, AND YOU CAN KIND OF BARELY
UM, SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT AREA WITH KIND OF A USABLE CEILING HEIGHT, UM, WHICH WE ARE TRYING TO BRING TO ABOUT JUST UNDER 10 FEET.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
WE'RE LOOKING TO RAISE THE RIDGE BY ABOUT THREE FEET.
UM, AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE, UH, WE WORKED QUITE CLOSELY WITH THE STAFF AT THE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP AN AND TABLATURE THAT WOULD, UM, BRING SOME SYMMETRY, UM, AND PROPORTION TO THE BUILDING, KEEP THE EXISTING WINDOW PATTERNS.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST, JUST KIND OF, UM, BRING BACK THAT HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO THIS BUILDING THAT HAD KIND OF BEEN STRIPPED AWAY AND BURIED OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THIS FROM THE SIDE WHERE NOW YOU CAN SEE THE SIDE WING, THE CROSS GABLE ADDITION, AND THE SIDE WING THAT WE'VE ADDED ON, UH, OVER THE EXISTING PORCH.
UM, THE REAR, UH, AGAIN, WE OPTED TO BRING THE, UM, THE GREEK REVIVAL STYLING ALL AROUND THE HOUSE AND COMPLETELY RAPID.
SO IT COULD REALLY BE APPRECIATED FROM ALL ANGLES AND NOT JUST KIND OF, UH, FORGET ABOUT THE REAR.
AND THEN ON OUR, UH, LAST SLIDE, UH, WE'RE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE PROPERTY LINE.
UH, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY FROM A BUILDING CODE PERSPECTIVE TO ADD WINDOWS THERE.
UM, SO, BUT WE'VE STILL BROUGHT IN ALL THE, UH, TRIM DETAILS TO JUST, UM, KIND OF COMPLETE THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE HEIGHTS.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO MAKE THE THIRD FLOOR A LITTLE BIT MORE USEFUL, WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO, UM, INCREASE THE UTILITY OF THE OTHER FLOORS AS WELL.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT, UH, RIGHT NOW OUR FIRST FLOOR IS ABOUT, UM, EIGHT FOOT, ONE AND A HALF, AND THE SECOND FLOOR, ONLY SEVEN FOOT THREE.
UH, ONCE WE COME IN WITH NEW MODERN STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE BUILDING KIND OF, UH, SAFE AND HEALTHY FOR THE, UH, NEXT PHASE OF ITS EXISTENCE, UM, THOSE, UH, THOSE WOULD BE EVEN FURTHER REDUCED.
UM, 'CAUSE, UM, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW, MANY OF THESE OLDER BUILDINGS ARE NOT FRAMED ACCORDING TO CURRENT STRUCTURAL SAFETY STANDARDS.
UM, SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO ADD THREE FEET TO THE ATTIC.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTING THE SPACE, UM, AMONG ALL THE FLOORS, UM, TO VERY REASONABLE CEILING HEIGHTS, UM, OF EIGHT FOOT SIX ON THE FIRST FLOOR, EIGHT FEET ON THE SECOND FLOOR, AND THEN KIND OF A, APPROXIMATELY A 10 FOOT SLICE OF SEVEN FOOT SPACE
[01:00:01]
ON THE THIRD FLOOR.UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO.
WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS, UM, FROM THE BOARD OR THE PUBLIC.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS? NO QUESTIONS.
UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, UH, FOR MYSELF.
UH, CAN YOU TELL US, I GUESS IT WAS, UM, SINCE IT WAS IN THE EAST C CAMBRIDGE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, YOU PROBABLY PROPOSED VARIETY OF, OF OTHER DESIGN IDEAS, UM, FOR THE STRUCTURE WITH THE COMMISSION OR WITH STAFF, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE, UH, KIND OF THE FINAL APPROACH OR, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
YES, WE, WE, WE HAD TRIED A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT WE DID, UM, RUN BY THE STAFF.
UM, WE HAD LOOKED AT A SYSTEM OF DORMERS THAT WOULD'VE ALLOWED US TO KIND OF INCREASE THE EFFECTIVE HEIGHT IN THE, UM, IN THE THIRD FLOOR AND ALLOWED US, UM, TO KIND OF STAY WITH IT, NOT HAVE TO RAISE THAT PIECE IN THE FRONT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID NOT FIND THAT TO BE, UM, HISTORICALLY SENSITIVE, UH,
AND I THINK THEY PROBABLY THOUGHT WE WERE INSANE
UM, SO, UM, SO WE, AGAIN, WE DID MEET WITH THEM QUITE A FEW TIMES, UM, TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE, UH, HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE SETTLED ON.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAND RAISED, SO, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, THE ONE ITEM WE DID JUST RECEIVE TODAY WAS FROM CAMBRIDGE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UM, AND THEY DID, UH, PROVIDE US A JURISDICTION ADVICE FOR 76 AND 78 THORNDYKE STREET.
UH, STRUCTURE IS 50 YEARS OLD, OR MORE, 50 YEARS OR MORE OLD.
AND THEREFORE, SUBJECT TO CHC REVIEW OF ANY APPLICATION FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT IF ONE IS REQUIRED BY ISD.
UH, THE PARTIAL DEMOLITION FOR THIS PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION ON MARCH 5TH, 2026.
NO DEMOLITION DELAY WAS IMPOSED.
THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY CONVEY ITS STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE REQUESTED ZONING RELIEF NECESSARY DUE TO THE NONCONFORMITIES OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS ON THE LOT.
IF GRANTED THE RESULTING ADDITIONS DESIGNED WILL BE FAR MORE APPROPRIATE.
SO THAT'S A NICE, UH, SUPPORT LETTER, UH, FROM THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UH, AND, UH, NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD NOW CLICK THE ICON AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ZOOM SCREEN THAT SAYS, RAISE HAND.
IF YOU'RE CALLING IN BY PHONE, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND BY PRESSING STAR NINE AND UNMUTE OR MUTE BY PRESSING STAR SIX.
I'LL NOW ASK STAFF TO UNMUTE THE SPEAKERS ONE AT A TIME.
YOU SHOULD BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND STAFF WILL CONFIRM THAT WE CAN HEAR YOU.
AFTER THAT, YOU'LL HAVE UP TO TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK BEFORE I ASK YOU TO WRAP UP.
MR. SMITH, LUKE, YOU'RE MUTED.
WE STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU, MR. SMITH.
UM, MR. SMITH, WE WE'RE NOT STILL NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO CALL IN, UH, ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE, WE COULD, UH, CONNECT WITH YOU THAT WAY.
[01:05:07]
ANYONE ELSE? NO.CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE HEAR YOU NOW.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, UH, ON THE THORNDYKE STREET APPLICATION? HOW MANY BEDROOMS? THE MS. HAMMER, HOW MANY BEDROOMS ARE, ARE IN THE, THERE ARE THREE BEDROOMS ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
UM, HE EMAILED ME THE PRESENTATION.
YEAH, THAT, UH, THAT PRESENTATION'S, UH, ON THE CITY WEBSITE, SO YOU CAN ACCESS THAT ONLINE PRETTY EASILY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. MR. SMITH? I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE OKAY.
UH, AND THAT WAS IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UH, BEGIN BOARD DELIBERATIONS.
UH, ANY COMMENTS, UH, FROM THE BOARD? NO.
READY FOR A MOTION? ALL RIGHT.
UH, AND THIS IS A SPECIAL PERMIT.
UH, SO THE CHAIR MAKES A MOTION TO GRANT RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE UNDER SECTIONS 3.5, 0.31, UH, TABLE OF DIMENSIONAL DIMENSIONAL AND EIGHT POINT 22.2 NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE.
UM, AND, UH, REVIEWING THE CONDITIONS OF A SPECIAL PERMIT, A REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE CAN OR WILL NOT BE MET FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UH, THE EXISTING STRUCTURE SITS WITHIN REQUIRED FRONT YARD SETBACK STAFF AT CAMBRIDGE HISTORIC COMMISSION, NOT IN FAVOR OF SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE CEILING HEIGHT IN THE STRUCTURE, WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE RAISING THE RIDGE IN FRONT YARD SETBACK.
UH, B, TRAFFIC GENERATED OR PATTERNS OF ACCESS OR EGRESS COULD CAUSE CONGESTION, HAZARD, OR SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE ESTABLISHED CHARACTER FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
A BOARD DETERMINED, UH, PROPOSED PROJECT WILL NOT IMPACT, UH, TRAFFIC OR CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADJACENT USES AS PERMITTED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE NATURE OF THE PROVO PROPOSED USE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, UH, BOARD HAS DETERMINED, UH, THE PROJECT WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ADJACENT USES.
UH, ITEM D NUISANCE OR HAZARD WOULD BE CREATED TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE HEALTH, SAFETY, OR WELFARE OF THE OCCUPANT, OR OF THE PROPOSED USE OR THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
BOARDS DETERMINED A PROPOSED PROJECT WILL NOT BE A NUISANCE OR HAZARD, UH, FOR OTHER REASONS, THE PROPOSAL WOULD NOT IMPAIR THE INTEGRITY OF THE DISTRICT OR ADJOINING DISTRICTS, UH, OR OTHERWISE.
DEGRADATE FROM INTENT OR PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, UH, PROPOSED PROJECT COMPRISE ONLY OF RAISING AN EXISTING ROOF RIDGE AND SIGNED SIDE WING EDITION AND FURTHER RESTORES THE HISTORICAL APPEARANCE OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
AND SUCH WILL NOT IMPAIR THE INTEGRITY OF THE DISTRICT OR ADJOINING DISTRICT OR OTHERWISE DELEGATE FROM THE INTENT OR PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE.
SO THAT BY THAT FINDING, THEY MEET THE CRITERIA ON THE SECTION 10.43 FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT ON THE CONDITION THAT THE WORK PROPOSED CONFORMED TO THE DRAWING SET, INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION PACKAGE ENTITLED 78 THORNDYKE STREET, CAMBRIDGE,
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MASSACHUSETTS, BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION BY HAMMER, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT LLC, DATED FEBRUARY 27TH, 2026, TO BE SIGNED AND INITIAL INITIALED BY THE CHAIR.UH, AND FURTHER WE INCORPORATE THE SUPPORTING STATEMENTS, UH, AND DIMENSIONAL FORM SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE APPLICATION ON A VOICE VOTE PLEASE.
BOARD MEMBERS, JIM MONTEVERDE.
AND STEVEN ING IN FAVOR, FIVE TO ZERO.
THE SPECIAL PERMIT IS GRANTED.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING, AND THANKS EVERYBODY FOR ATTENDING, AND, UM, WE'LL SEE YOU ALL IN APRIL.