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MY NAME IS LIZ REICHHARDT AND I AM THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD AND SERVING AS CHAIR IN ANDREW'S ABSENCE.
I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE BUDO REVIEW BOARD TO ORDER AT 4:01 PM ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2026.
PURSUANT TO CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025 ADOPTED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE BUDO REVIEW BOARD.
THE PUBLIC MAY ACCESS THE CALL THROUGH ZOOM OR TELEPHONE.
ALL MEMBERS, APPLICANTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL STATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A GIVEN MEETING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE KEPT ON MUTE UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WILL GIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THAT TIME.
THIS MEETING IS BEING VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDED.
I AM LIZ REICHHARDT, VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, AND I WILL NOW CONDUCT A ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS.
PLEASE STATE PRESENT ONCE YOU ARE CALLED.
STAFF WILL NOW INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
UH, S- SUZANNE IS NOT AVAILABLE TODAY.
UH, I'M NIKHIL LYNN KEARNEY, THE SENIOR CLIMATE PROGRAM MANAGER AT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
I'M JENNIFER BALLOU, THE DECARBONIZATION POLICY MANAGER FOR BUDO.
CAMERON MCCOOCH, BUILDING PERFORMANCE ANALYST.
OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY, FIRST IS APPROVAL OF THE JULY 15TH, 2026 MEETING MINUTES.
SECOND IS CP12471035 CAMBRIDGE STREET ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATION APPLICATION.
AND THEN THIRD, WE'LL ADJOURN.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM, THE APPROVAL OF THE JULY 15TH, 2026 MEETING MINUTES.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE MEETING MINUTES? SEEING AND HEARING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PREVIOUS ONE? UH, JOHN HAS HIS HAND UP.
UM, YES, JUST A MINOR TYPO, UM, ON PAGE THREE, BULLET ITEM THREE.
THE SECOND LINE I BELIEVE SHOULD READ, UH, NOTING THAT BUREAU REGULATIONS, STATE NON-MUNICIPAL COVERED PROPERTIES MUST BE GREATER THAN 25,000 CSF.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JULY 15TH, 2026 AS CORRECTED, UM, BY JOHN'S PREVIOUS STATEMENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? I SEE KAY IS RAISING HER HAND AS A SECOND.
I WILL NOW CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER ALPHABETICALLY TO STATE THEIR VOTE.
IN FAVOR, OPPOSED, OR ABSTAIN? BOARD MEMBER BOWES? IN FAVOR.
BOARD MEMBER REICHHARDT? IN FAVOR.
BOARD MEMBER RICHARDSON, BOARD MEMBER SILVERMAN, NOT WITH US THIS EVENING.
THE JULY 15TH, 2026 MEETING MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS CORRECTED.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CP1247, 1035 CAMBRIDGE STREET, 432 COLUMBIA STREET, CONDOMINIUM TRUSTS ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATION COMPLIANCE PLAN APPLICATION.
I WILL NOW INVITE CITY STAFF TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW.
UM, I'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT THEN.
FOR THIS APPLICATION, IT, IT ENCOMPASSES ONE BUILDING ON THE PARCEL
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UNDER 100,000 COVERED SQUARE FEET.IT'S A NON-RESIDENTIAL CONDO OWNED BY 432 COLUMBIA STREET CONDOMINIUM TRUST AND REPRESENTED BY THEIR TRUSTEE, MICHAEL GRILL.
UM, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE RENOVATIONS AT THIS COVERED PROPERTY RECENTLY, THEY DON'T MEET THE DEFINITION OF A NEW COVERED PROPERTY OR THE SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION QUALIFICATIONS.
THEY'RE COMPLIANT WITH THEIR 2025 BENCHMARKING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THEY REPORTED THAT THEIR 2025 EMISSIONS ARE ABOVE THEIR DEFAULT BASELINE.
THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THE APPLICANT MET ALL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND THE APPLICATION WAS DEEMED COMPLETE BY CITY STAFF.
THEIR QUALIFYING HARDSHIP THAT THEY APPLIED UNDER THE CRITERIA WERE INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP OF NON-RESIDENTIAL CONDOS AND OTHER, OTHER DEFINED AS, ALTHOUGH THE BUILDING'S OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION GROUP B BUSINESS HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE 2019 TO 20, UH, 2018 TO 2019 BASELINE WAS ESTABLISHED, THE COMPOSITION OF THE TENANTS HAS CHANGED FROM THE GENERAL OFFICE TO LAB AND TECHNICAL TENANTS.
THE TECHNICAL AND LAB TENANTS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER ENERGY USE INTENSITY THAN GENERAL OFFICE OCCUPANTS.
THEIR DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY PROVIDED INCLUDE THE MASTER DE - MASTER DEED, TRUST BYLAWS, TENANT SPACE DETAILS, ASHRA LEVEL ONE AUDIT, TENANT PHOTOS AND PROCESS, AND THEIR REQUEST INVOLVES THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATION TO ALTER THE BASELINE YEARS FROM 2018 TO 2019 TO 2024 TO 2025.
HERE IS JUST A LOOK AT THE PROPERTY VIA OUR COVERED PROPERTY TOOL.
THIS IS THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED GREENHOUSE GAS SCHEDULE.
SIMILAR TO THE APPLICATIONS THE BOARD HAS SEEN BEFORE, THE PROPOSED EMISSIONS REDUCTION SCHEDULE REMAINS UNCHANGED AND THIS REFLECTS THEIR PRO- PROPOSED BASELINE YEARS, UM, BUT NOT THE ALTERED EMISSIONS REDUCTION SCHEDULE.
THE, AND THEIR BASELINE IS, UM, THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THIS BEFORE THEIR FIRST COMPLIANCE PERIOD.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU, CHAIR.
IS THERE ANYONE REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT THAT WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES FOR THE RECORD? I SEE SOMEONE RAISING THEIR HAND.
YEAH, UM, THIS IS, UH, NICK HILL, UM, WITH ENERGY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES.
I'M THE CONSULTANT WHO WAS WORKING WITH THE BUILDING OWNER, WHO I THINK, UH, MICHAEL GRILL SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE CALL.
UM, WE WORKED WITH THE OWNER TO PREPARE THE APPLICATION AND CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WILL NOW ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER IF THEY HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS - OH, NOT TO INTERRUPT.
I THINK MICHAEL WOULD LIKE TO - GO, GO AHEAD, MICHAEL.
I'M PRESIDENT OF FAIRLANE PROPERTIES, UH, MANAGER OF FAIRLAND COLUMBIA, LLC, AND TRUSTEE AND CHAIR OF THE 432 COLUMBIA STREET CONDOMINIUM TRUST.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, MICHAEL.
I WILL NOW ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER IF THEY HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION AND ALSO PROVIDE A REMINDER THAT THERE WILL BE TIME FOR GROUP DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD DURING THE BOARD DISCUSSION, WHICH, UH, FOLLOWS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND I WILL ACTUALLY START WITH CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION FOR CITY STAFF.
UM, YOU MADE A STATEMENT IN THE STAFF NOTES ON THIS, UH, ADMINISTRATION MODIFICATION REQUEST THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN BASELINE WOULD NOT CHANGE THIS COVERED PROPERTY'S PERCENTAGE EMISSIONS REDUCTION REQUIREMENTS.
I, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT WE ALL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S THE ABSOLUTE REDUCTION VERSUS HOW THE BUILDING ACTUALLY MIGHT PERFORM DURING ITS BASELINE.
UM, I, I'M, I'M FINE TO SPEAK TO, TO THAT, LIZ.
UM, UH, CAMERON, ACTUALLY, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES TO THAT, UM, VISUAL WE HAVE OF THE REQUESTED GREENHOUSE GAS SCHEDULE.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT PART OF THE STAFF COMMENT WAS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT, UM, SO WHILE, WHILE THE BASELINE YEARS THAT ARE BEING USED AS THE STARTING POINT FOR HARDSHIP EMI - FOR, FOR EMISSIONS, UM, REDUCTIONS I- IS CHANGING, THE, THE YEARLY PERCENTAGE REDUCTION FROM THAT TOTAL AMOUNT IS NOT CHANGING.
SO YOU, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, THE, THE TWO COLUMNS, UM, REPRESENTING THE PERCENT REDUCTION FROM THE BASELINE ARE NOT CHANGING FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE MO- MODIFICATION APPLICATION.
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JENNIFER.AND THEN I ALSO DID HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, W- WHICHEVER OF YOU WANTS TO RESPOND.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CONSIDERED ANY OTHER TWO-YEAR TIME PERIODS FOR YOUR NEW PROPOSED BASELINE, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, UH, THE BASELINE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IN THIS MODIFICATION WOULD RESULT IN A HIGHER ABSOLUTE EMISSIONS STARTING POINT.
SO I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE, UM, THAT VERY HELPFUL, UM, TABLE THAT LAID OUT OCCUPANCY BETWEEN 2018 TO 2025.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE MEDIAN MIX OF SQUARE FOOTAGE BETWEEN 2018 AND 2025, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THIS OFFICE VERSUS TECH SQUARE FOOTAGE, WAS DURING THE 2021 TO 2022 TIME PERIOD.
SO ACTUALLY, THAT, TO ME, STRUCK ME AS THIS MIGHT BE ACTUALLY A BETTER BASELINE TO, UM, DEMONSTRATE, LIKE, WHAT A MEDIAN MIX OF, UM, OF, UH, OCCUPANTS, TENANTS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
I, I WOULD HATE FOR US TO PICK A BASELINE AND THEN HAVE IT SWING THE OTHER WAY, TOO.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU, UM, EXPLORED ANY OTHER, UH, BASELINE PERIODS.
I CAN, CAN ADDRESS THAT, THAT BASICALLY WE TOOK THE, UH, THE MOST RECENT TIMELINE, TIMEFRAME, TWO-YEAR PERIOD THAT WE HAVE, UH, SINCE IT'S...
WE FELT IT REALLY REFLECTED THE, UM, THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE, OF THE TENANCY AND OF THE CHANGE RATHER THAN TRYING TO CHERRY-PICK OR, YOU KNOW, IT JUST IS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE AND, AND WHERE THE DIRECTION OF THE BUILDING IS GOING NOW.
MICHAEL, DID YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT? THE TWO LARGEST TENANTS OF FAIRLAND COLUMBIA, WHICH WE, WE OWN 61% OF THE CONDOMINIUM INTERESTS, THE TWO LARGEST TENANTS, UM, RE - ONE, ONE, FACTOR BIOSCIENCE RENOVATED, UM, UM, THEIR SPACE AND, AND CREATED A ISO SEVEN LAB, A VERY HIGH-END LAB.
UM, THE RENOVATION PERIOD WAS 2020, 2021, BUT THE LAB REALLY DIDN'T KICK INTO OPERATION UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, UM, AND THEY'RE, AGAIN, ONE OF OUR LARGEST ENERGY USERS.
AND THEN A- ANOTHER LARGE TENANT, WHICH IS A LIFE SCIENCE BIO COMPANY, UM, LIFE CANVAS TECHNOLOGIES, UM, ALSO HAS REALLY RAMPED UP THEIR, UM, UH, THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND THEIR USE OF, UH, VARIOUS MACHINES AND, UM, COMPUTER SERVERS IN, IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
SO, UH, 2021 REALLY DOESN'T CAPTURE, UM, THE, THE, THE EX - THE USE OF ELECTRICITY AND, UM, AND IN THE CASE OF FACTOR BIOSCIENCE, UM, THEIR USE FOR THEIR, THEIR GENERATOR, WHICH IS GAS FIRED AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE, WE'VE AIMED FOR 2024, 2025.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I WILL NOW ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER IF THEY HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE APPLICATION.
SO GOING DOWN THE LIST ALPHABETICALLY, BOARD MEMBER BOSE? UH, YES.
UM, SO, UM, MY QUESTION, I GUESS, IS TO THE APPLICANT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A VARIETY OF TENANTS WITH VARIOUS LEASE TERMS, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE S - MANY OF THEM HAVE PUT IN A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO KIND OF BUILD OUT THEIR SPACE OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE, HOW YOU ANTICIPATE THE TURNOVER OF THE BUILDING OVER THE COURSE OF THE TIME HERE.
SO I THINK I'M PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE TO COMMENT ON THAT THAN NICK.
UM, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, DOLLARS THAT TENANTS HAVE INVESTED IN THEIR PROPERTIES, IN THEIR, IN THEIR SPACE, UH, IS QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF LONG-TERM TENANTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE BUILDING SINCE 2013.
I BELIEVE WE PROVIDED A CHART WHICH PROVIDES YOU WITH WHEN TENANTS STARTED OCCUPANCY.
UM, THERE'S TENANTS THAT HAVE FACTOR BIOSCIENCE HAS BEEN SINCE 2013.
AMB- AMBIO HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 2013.
WE HAVE THE LABORERS UNION SINCE, OH, IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS AT LEAST.
UM, SO M- MANY COMPANIES HAVE BEEN IN THE SPACE AND INVESTED IN THEIR SPACE, UM, SINCE, I'D SAY, 2016 OR SO.
UM, WE, AS YOU KNOW, MANY OFFICE
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BUILDINGS, TECH BUILDINGS IN THE MARKET HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY'RE LOSING THEIR TENANTS.WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ONLY OF THE FAIRLANE-COLUMBIA SIDE OF THE EQUATION.
WE HAVE ONLY, UH, ABOUT 12,000 SQUARE FEET AVAILABLE.
UM, SO IT'S BECAUSE OF THOSE LONG-TERM TENANTS AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY'VE MADE IN THEIR, IN THEIR SPACE THAT, UH, WE SEE THIS TYPE OF USE AND THE TENANTS THEMSELVES TO BE IN THE BUILDING FOR THE LONG HAUL.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER DAVIES.
YES, I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, WHICH IS ABOUT THE PAST FEW YEARS AND ANY RENOVATIONS THAT ANY TENANTS MAY HAVE MADE OR THAT THE FIRMS THAT OWN THE CONDOS MADE ON BEHALF OF THE TENANTS.
SINCE BUDO GOT PASSED IN 2023, AND I IMAGINE BUILDING OWNERS WERE AWARE THAT THE BUDO ORDINANCE WAS COMING AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO INTO EFFECT.
WERE ANY OF THESE RENOVATIONS MADE WITH THAT IN MIND, WITH THE GOAL OF TRYING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS? WE'VE HAD, UM, VERY FEW NEW TENANTS - OKAY.
UH, THAT'S WHY THERE'S THE, THE VACANCY.
UM, WE PURCHASED THE CONDOMINIUM INTEREST OF JUSTICE START, UM, IN 2023 AND, UM, COMPLETELY GUTTED THE SPACE, UM, IN 2024, UM, AND WE STILL HAVE THE SPACE VACANT.
SO THE MARKET HAS NOT, UM, BEEN COOPERATIVE AS FAR AS LEASING ADDITIONAL SPACE.
UH, THE, THE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WOULD MAKE TO THE SPACE IN LIGHT OF THE BUITO, UM, ORDINANCE, UM, FOR THE TYPE OF BUILDING WE HAVE WITH THE EXISTING HVAC UNITS IN PLACE, UM, THESE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UM, OUR CONSULTANT EMA HAS, UH, LISTED.
THESE WILL BE OCCURRING OVER TIME.
I, I THINK YOU'LL AGREE WITH ME THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY INEFFICIENT TO THROW OUT, UM, HVAC SYSTEMS THAT ARE 10 YEARS OLD - UH-HUH.
UM, OR LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD.
UH, PART OF THE SPACE THAT JUSTICESTAR GAVE UP HAS AN ALL ELECTRIC HVAC UNIT OF TWO AND A HALF TONS, UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD REALLY ANY RENOVATIONS, UM, SINCE 2023.
AND AS YOU SEE IN OUR OTHER CHART, THE OTHER UNIT OWNERS, UM, HAVE LOST TENANTS RATHER THAN GAINED TENANTS SINCE 2023.
I WILL CALL ON BOARD MEMBER GLICK.
BOARD MEMBER HIGGINS? I JUST HAD ONE, UM, QUESTION FOR, FOR THE APPLICANTS.
SO BECAUSE IT CONVERTED FROM AN OFFICE BUILDING TO SORT OF A LAB ENVIRONMENT, WERE THE INCREASES MAINLY ATTRIBUTED TO TENANT EQUIPMENT, LIKE SERVERS AND, AND, AND LAB EQUIPMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, USES ELECTRICITY AND, AND, AND, AND OTHER FUELS, OR IS IT PREDOMINANTLY, UM, LANDLORD EQUIPMENT THAT YOU INSTALLED TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE, UH, THE VENTILATION RATES FOR THE SPACES TO ATTRACT THESE TYPES OF TENANTS? I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF, IS IT, IS IT TENANT-SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT THAT'S DRIVING THE, THE INCREASE, OR IS IT LANDLORD KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU MADE IN THE PROPERTY? SO I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO FAIRLINE COLUMBIA, UM, ALTHOUGH THE OTHER TENANTS HAVE REALLY NOT LEASED ADDITIONAL SPACE IN THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ABSENTEE UNIT OWNERS, UH, THAT, THAT DON'T HAVE AS, UM, UH, DON'T HAVE A NEED THAT, THAT I DO, UM, TO, TO FILL SPACE UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, THESE ARE OWNERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN, UH, IN OWNERSHIP SINCE, UH, S- SOME OF THEM FROM THE BEGINNING 1990 OR SO, UM, OTHERS, UH, FROM 2012, 2016.
UM, WE HAVE INVESTORS, AND MY GOAL IS TO KEEP SPACES OCCUPIED.
WE ALSO HAS, HAVE A PHILOSOPHY AS A INVESTMENT COMPANY TO, UM, UH, PROVIDE TENANTS WITH A LOWER RENT
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IN EXCHANGE FOR THE TENANTS SPENDING THE MONEY OF THEIR OWN ON TENANT IMPROVEMENTS.SO THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU...
ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WE PROVIDED IN OUR APPLICATION, THOSE WERE ALL PROVIDED BY TENANTS AND NOT BY FAIRLINE COLUMBIA.
SO IT'S MOSTLY PROCESS LOADS - OKAY.
IN TERMS OF THE INCREASE - YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
LIKE I, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, IS THERE, LIKE, ONE SPECIFIC TENANT THAT HAS, LIKE, A GIANT SERVER FARM RUNNING IN THERE?
FROM THE BASELINE, OR IS IT, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT'S JUST THE GENERAL LAB INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SAFETY? UH, UH, THAT WAS JUST MY QUESTION.
YEAH, I THINK - AS, AS WE'VE MENTIONED, UH, FACTOR BIOSCIENCE HAS SPENT, UM, THEY SPENT AROUND, UH, $2 MILLION FOR 4,000 SQUARE FOOT LAB, UM, ADDING, AND AGAIN, WE PROVIDED THE PHOTOGRAPHS, MASSIVE, UM, UH, UH, AIR, UH, CIRCULATION MACHINES IN THEIR SPACE.
THERE'S A, A LARGE SUPERCOMPUTER SET UP IN LIFE CANVASES SPACE, UM, AND MANY OF THE TENANTS USE, UH, VENTING OF, UH, FUME HOODS, UM, AS WELL.
SO THE, UH, AS NICK SAID, HE CALLED IT PROCESS TYPE SPACE.
IT, IT'S PART OF THE BUSINESS, UM, OF EACH TENANT.
WE HAVE A TENANT THAT, UH, USES NEGATIVE 80 DEGREE FREEZERS.
UM, WE'VE JUST, UH, SIGNED UP A, UM, A, A NEW TENANT, AN AI TENANT, OUR FIRST AI TENANT, UM, THAT WE'RE LEASING THE SPACE AS IS THEIR SMALL TENANT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A, UM...
I HEAR IT'S 270 KELVIN OR NEGATIVE 270 KELVIN FREEZER THAT THEY'RE GONNA BRING IN.
UM, SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF TENANTS WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONLY TENANTS IN THE MARKETPLACE RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO IF I'M GONNA LEASE SPACE UP, I'M GONNA LEASE SPACE THE TENANTS THAT ARE TECHNOLOGY OR, OR LIFE SCIENCE TENANTS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE INCREASED THE CAPACITY OR WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE, THE BUILDING FROM 3,000 AMPS TO 6,000 AMPS, BECAUSE THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT, UM, UH, INCREASED AMPERAGE FOR, BY OUR TENANTS.
YEAH, AND UN- UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF BOTH THE TENANTS, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF DISCRETE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT RATHER THAN A SINGLE THING THAT CAN BE MADE MORE EFFICIENT.
UH, IT WAS ORIGINALLY NINE BUILDINGS, SO YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF SEPARATE UNITS, SO IT'S, IT'S A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BUILDING TO UPGRADE THAN AS IF IT HAD ONE CENTRAL PLANT OR WERE ABLE TO HAVE ONE CENTRAL PLANT.
YEAH, AS WE'VE MENTIONED IN OUR APPLICATION, UM, THERE ARE OVER 70 HVAC, UH, UNITS OR PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, AND THERE'S DUCT WORK THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING FOR EACH OF THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, AND THAT DUCT WORK IS LIMITED BY THE BRICK WALLS SURROUND ALL THESE NINE SEPARATE BUILDINGS.
SO I, I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
IT'S, IT'S A COMBINATION OF EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR, FOR, FOR VENTILATION AND HEAT REJECTION.
YEAH, I HAVE A, A QUESTION AND A COMMENT, SO I'LL START WITH THE QUESTION.
UM, IN YOUR NARRATIVE SUMMARY, SO THIS IS PDF PAGE FIVE, UH, OF WHAT WE WERE PROVIDED, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE SIX OWNER CONDOMINIUM STRUCTURE CONSTRAINS THE PACE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
CAPITAL PROJECTS REQUIRE APPROVAL BY UNIT OWNERS HOLDING 75% OF THE CONDOMINIUM INTEREST.
APPROXIMATELY 37% OF OWNERSHIP INTERESTS ARE HELD BY OWNERS WHO HAVE EITHER ACTIVELY BLOCKED CAPITAL VOTES OR ARE ABSENTEE WITH SIGNIFICANT VACANCIES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT EVEN IF THIS ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATION IS GRANTED WITH THE NEW BASELINE, YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONVINCE THOSE SORT OF HOLDOUTS TO MAKE THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, RIGHT? OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE? UH, NO, YOU'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING.
UM, I THINK THE, UM, WE, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY, UM, TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE UNIT OWNERS, UM, THE OTHER UNIT OWNERS, AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOME PROJECTS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE, THE INCREASE IN AMPERAGE REQUIRED A 75% VOTE, UM, BEFORE WE COULD MOVE FORWARD.
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PROJECT, SO IT'S CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT NEED THE 75%.UM, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONE OF THE 16% OWNERS, UM, UH, AGREE WITH US THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE, UH, THIS ADDITIONAL AMPERAGE.
UH, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW PROJECTS, IN FACT, IT MAY BE THE ONLY PROJECTS IN THE 18 YEARS THAT I'VE OWNED MY INTEREST IN THE BUILDING WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET OVER 75% OF THE UNIT OWNERS TO AGREE ON SOMETHING.
YES, THEY WILL NEED TO, UM, UH, AGREE TO CHANGE THEIR HVAC UNITS AND DO VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING, UM, BUT I THINK THE, THE PENALTIES THAT WOULD BE PUT IN PLACE BY THE ORDINANCE, UH, IS, SHOULD BE MOTIVATION TO GET THE UNIT OWNERS TO, UM, UH, CHANGE THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN THEIR SPACE, AND THE CONDOMINIUM TRUST, UM, THAT ONLY, UH, TWO OF THE THREE TRUSTEES, UM, ARE CONTROLLED BY FAIRLAND COLUMBIA.
SO THE OPERATIONAL PART OF THE BUILDING, UM, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, UM, THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY NICK, WHICH INCLUDE MASONRY WORK, UM, WINDOW CAULKING, UH, COMMON AREA IMPROVEMENTS, THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT THE TRUSTEES HAVE CONTROL OVER RATHER THAN THE UNIT OWNERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S A HELPFUL CLARIFICATION TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHICH IMPROVEMENTS YOU REQUIRE THIS, MEETING THIS, UH, UH, SORT OF VOTER, VOTER CUTOFF, AND WHICH ONES YOU, YOU DON'T NEED THAT FOR.
AND, AND, AND TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ULTIMATELY GOING TO NEED TO CROSS THAT BARRIER IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE BIGGER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL ON THAT FRONT.
AND THEN THE COMMENT IS, UH, PARTLY TO, PARTLY TO YOU AND PARTLY TO CITY STAFF, I THINK, UM, BUILDING ON JOE'S COMMENT EARLIER, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL, UH, IF, IF POSSIBLE, TO SEE THE, THE, THE BREAKOUT OF ENERGY USAGE BY TENANT SO AS TO BETTER SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM THAT THE INCREASE IN OVERALL ENERGY USAGE OF THE BUILDING HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY SPECIFIC TENANTS AND THEIR, AND THEIR CHANGE IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION PATTERNS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU'RE USING IS THE SQUARE FOOTAGE BREAKDOWN AS A PROXY, UM, FOR ENERGY USE BY THOSE TENANTS, UH, AND THEN SEPARATELY POINTING OUT THAT YOUR ENERGY USAGE FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, UM, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, UH, THEREBY JUSTIFYING YOUR, YOUR MODIFIED BASELINE.
SO I THINK GI- GIVEN THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED, I, I, FOR ONE, AM SUFFICIENTLY CONVINCED, BUT I, I'M, I'M CURIOUS IF, IF THERE'S, LIKE, A STRUCTURAL ISSUE THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM, UH, FROM, LIKE, ACCESSING THE INDIVIDUAL TENANT, UH, ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
AND, AND THIS IS MORE A MATTER OF PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE, FUTURE CASES THAT COME BEFORE US, IF IT WOULD BE REASONABLE FOR THE BOARD TO REQUEST THAT INFORMATION FROM APPLICANTS.
YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CHALLENGING ABOUT THIS BUILDING AND, AND A LOT OF BUILDINGS IS...
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I BELIEVE WE, WE HAVE WELL OVER 50 GAS AND ELECTRIC METERS, A LOT OF WHICH ARE TENANT METERS, AND IT'S...
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE EVERSOURCE AGGREGATES, AND I FOUND THIS IN OTHER CASES AS WELL AS, UH, WE ACTUALLY ASKED MICHAEL TO GET, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET INDIVIDUAL TENANT BILLS, BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE DRILLED IN TO SEE SPECIFIC TENANTS, AND, UM, WITH THAT MANY TENANT METERS, IT JUST WASN'T POSSIBLE IN IT.
I AGREE, IT'S, IN AN IDEAL SITUATION, YOU'D HAVE THAT.
IF I CAN A- ADD SOMETHING TO THAT, UH, WE'VE PROVIDED, UM, ON PAGE FIVE OF, UM, THE ASHRAE DOCUMENT, UM, A CHART, UM, THAT SHOWS A, A REAL JUMP, UM, IN, IN THERMS, UH, BETWEEN 2018 AND 2025, UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S DUE TO THE, UM, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY FACTOR BIOSCIENCE, AND IT'S, IT'S A, A, A MASSIVE JUMP IN, UM, IN GAS HEAT.
YEAH, WE THINK IT WAS DUE TO REHEAT.
WEREN'T ABLE TO PROVE IT, AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN IDEAL TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
[00:30:01]
QUESTION, BUT MAYBE CAMERON, DO YOU WANNA GO? YEAH, SURE IF I MAY.YEAH, JUST TO TOUCH ON YOUR POINT FOR, FOR THE CITY STAFF, WHILE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE REQUIRE OF APPLICANTS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM OR DISCUSSING WITH APPLICANTS, LIKE OVER EMAIL THROUGHOUT THIS REVIEW PROCESS, I CAN MENTION THAT THE BOARD LIKES TO SEE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION AND IT WOULD EXPE - IT, IT COULD POTENTIALLY EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS.
UM, IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THAT'S A, A REQUIREMENT OR, OR A WANT OF THE BOARD AND THAT'S HOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALL FEELING, THEN WE CAN LET APPLICANTS KNOW THAT, UH, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY INCLUDE THAT PIECE.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT ALMOST ALL THE TENANTS, WELL, I, AT LEAST 80% OF TENANTS SEPARATE, ARE SEPARATELY METERED FOR GAS AND ELECTRIC.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MECHANISM TO GATHER THOSE BILLS TOGETHER.
SO, UH, IF I, IF I MAY CONTINUE, CHAIR.
I THINK BE- BE- BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT OF MAKING LIKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION AS, AS A BOARD, IT, IT'S HELPFUL TO HEAR THE, THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'D FACE AS A BUILDING OWNER TO LIKE CONSOLIDATE THAT INFORMATION ACROSS YOUR TENANTS.
UM, I'M CURIOUS IF THE, IF THERE IS A WAY FOR YOU TO SORT OF REQUEST THAT INFORMATION FROM YOUR TENANTS WITH THE FRAMING THAT THIS IS TO SUPPORT COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ORDINANCE, UH, AND TO, AND TO ALSO START SORT OF BUILDING UP EXPECTATIONS THAT THERE WILL NEED TO BE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NEAR TO MEDIUM FUTURE TO, TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE, UH, AND THAT THIS IS SORT OF A STEP ZERO TO UNDERSTAND ENERGY USAGE TODAY.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THINK OF, OF, UH, FOR, FOR APPLICATIONS WHERE, WHERE, UH, WHERE BUILDING OWNERS ARE REQUESTING NEW BASELINE YIELDS BASED ON SIMILAR CHANGES IN COMPOSITION, IF WE FEEL COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY REQUEST INFORMA - UH, REQUEST BILLI - REQUEST BILLS FROM INDIVIDUAL TENANTS SO AS TO BETTER SUPPORT, UH, SUPPORT THE, THE CLAIM THAT IT'S INDIVIDUAL TENANT CHANGING ENERGY USAGES, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT JUSTIFIES DIFFERENT BASELINES.
I'M THINKING THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THAT DURING THE BOARD MEMBER DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER MALKANI.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THE LIST AND ASK FOR CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, UM, IF THAT'S ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
BOARD MEMBER RICHARDSON AND SILVERMAN ARE NOT WITH US THIS EVENING.
UM, WE'VE NOW REACHED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
I WILL NOW OPEN THE DISCUSSION UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND WITH THE ZOOM FUNCTION, OR IF YOU'RE CALLING IN, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND BY PRESSING STAR NINE.
THIS IS A REMINDER THAT EACH SPEAKER PROVIDING COMMENT IS TO KEEP THEIR TESTIMONY UNDER THREE MINUTES.
I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN THE ORDER THEIR HAND WAS RAISED.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS OR NEIGHBORHOOD ONCE CALLED ON.
SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND I WILL NOW OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION TO THE BOARD.
DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS TO DISCUSS? LIZ, ARE WE GOING TO BE, UH, DISCUSSING OTHER TOPICS AFTER THIS APPLICATION? I, I, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY RELEVANT FOR THIS APPLICATION, THOUGH THIS APPLICATION RAISES THE QUESTION.
THIS IS THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA BEFORE ADJOURNING.
SO, YOU KNOW, UH, THEN LET ME JUST TAKE A MINUTE NOW, AND MAYBE THIS IS FOOD FOR THOUGH FOR THE, UM, CITY STAFF.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, UH, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE HARD TO SAY NO, AND, AND, AND IT, WITH ANY SENSE OF REASONABLENESS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD IMAGINE ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE OWNED A BUILDING THAT WAS GOING IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
UH, AND THOSE PEOPLE WOULD THEN GET, I, I THINK, UH, BASED ON THE WAY THE LAW IS WRITTEN NOW, WOULD, WOULD GET A SORT OF COMPLETELY FREE PASS WITH RESPECT TO BUDO, WOULDN'T THEY? BECAUSE THEIR, THEIR BASELINE WOULD BE, UH, BASED ON LABORATORY USE.
IF THEY SWITCH TO OFFICE USE OR RESIDENCES, UM, THEIR UTILITY USE WOULD DROP
[00:35:01]
DRAMATICALLY.UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO THIS APPLICATION, BUT, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, THE CITY STAFF AND MAYBE THE BOARD AS A WHOLE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT SOMETIME IN THE, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER GLICK.
UM, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE, UM, MUNICIPAL AGGREGATION PROGRAM THAT CAMBRIDGE HAS FOR ELECTRICITY WHERE YOU CAN EVEN GET 100% GREEN ELECTRICITY.
SO WOULD THE TENANTS WHO ARE PAYING THEIR OWN ELECTRIC BILLS, WOULD THEY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT PROGRAM? I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THAT RESIDENTS ARE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF SMALL BUSINESSES ARE.
UM, BOARD, MAY I ANSWER THAT? GO AHEAD, JENNIFER.
UM, UH, IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING POINT, MARJORIE.
UM, RIGHT NOW OUR REGULATIONS DON'T CURRENTLY, UM, OFFER, UM, BUDO COVERED PROPERTY OWNERS USING, UM, UH, WHAT DO, HOW DO I SAY THIS? THAT BEING ENROLLED IN THE AGGREGATION PROGRAM IS NOT CURRENTLY A PATHWAY TO, UM, CLAIM RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR A COVERED PROPERTY, UM, UNDER BUTO.
REGAR - RESIDENTIAL OR NON-RESIDENTIAL.
IT SEEMS LIKE ALMOST AN OVERSIGHT WHEN BUTO WAS BEING CREATED.
UM, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT AN OVERSIGHT.
I WOULD SAY IT'S AN EXPAN - LIKE, IT WOULD BE KIND OF AN EXPANDED ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION THAT MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS HEARING.
UM, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT THAT.
OTHERWISE, UM, I, I WILL SAY WE ARE, WE'RE OPENING A REC CONNECTOR PROGRAM TO, UM, OFFER COVERED PROPERTY OWNERS LIKE MICHAEL GRILL THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PURCHASE BUTO-COMPLIANT RECS, UM, IN, IN A WAY THAT MIGHT BE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD THAN, THAN SIGNING A CONTRACT AS, AS AN OWNER.
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT, SO I THINK THAT PROBABLY ANSWERING THAT FULLY WOULD GO OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THIS - OKAY.
SO THE OTHER POINT THAT I WANTED TO RAISE IS AS FOLLOWS, WHICH IS BUTO IS AN ORDINANCE, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE MANY ORDINANCES IN CAMBRIDGE THAT PROPERTY OWNERS AND THEN TENANTS ALSO HAVE TO FOLLOW.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM YOU HAVE WITH THE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE 75% AGREEMENT FOR MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I ALSO LOOKED AT THE WHOLE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT EMA MADE FOR HOW TO START GETTING TO REDUCING THE EMISSIONS.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING, SINCE IT IS AN ORDINANCE, CAN THAT BE USED AS LEVERAGE WITH THE TENANTS OR THE OWNERS WHO ARE, HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT IN THE PAST TO AGREE WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS? AND THAT'S REALLY A QUESTION EITHER FOR MICHAEL OR NICK.
SO, UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THAT QUESTION.
MANY OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE SUGGESTED BY EMA IN, IN THEIR, IN THE APPLICATION ARE, UM, ITEMS THAT ARE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ITEMS RATHER THAN CAPITAL ITEMS. OKAY.
UM, SO 75% IS REQUIRED FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, EVEN IF IT'S A $5,000 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T THINK OF THAT, THAT SMALLER DOLLAR NUMBER FOR A CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.
UH, F- F - UH, BUT WE, WE WOULD NEED 75% APPROVAL FOR, FOR THOSE KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, FOR JUST NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR, WHICH WE WOULD ADD TO EACH BUDGET.
SO EVERY YEAR, THERE'S A CONDOMINIUM BUDGET THAT'S PUT TOGETHER THAT THE TRUSTEES NEED TO APPROVE.
THE UNIT OWNERS DON'T NEED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET THAT THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
SO WE HAVE A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY, THEY PROPOSE A BUDGET, THE TRUSTEES REVIEW THE BUDGET, MAKE SUGGESTIONS.
UM, UH, AND THEN FROM THAT BUDGET, WE CAN INCLUDE WINDOW CAULKING AS A ITEM THAT'S, UM, PART OF THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF THE PROPERTY OR MASONRY WORK, WHETHER IT'S INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR MASONRY WORK.
EMA SUGGESTED THAT OUR SPRINKLER ROOMS NEED TO GET BETTER INSTALLATION.
THAT COULD BE A MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR ITEM RATHER THAN A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
DO I ANSWER, DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SUFFICIENTLY? YES, I THINK SO.
I MEAN, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, UM,
[00:40:03]
WHEN THERE'S A LAW, LIKE, SAY THERE WAS A LAW FOR INSTALLING A WHOLE SPRINKLER SYSTEM BECAUSE OF A BUILDING DIDN'T HAVE IT AND NEEDED IT FOR FIRE PREVENTION, OKAY, AND THAT WAS A MAYBE PRETTY HEFTY EXPENSE.THERE WOULD BE, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE A VOTE TO COMPLY WITH THAT LAW.
BUT TRUSTEES CAN'T JUST DECIDE TO PUT A WHOLE NEW SPRINKLER SYSTEM IN - RIGHT.
BECAUSE THERE'D BE A CAPITAL TO, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.
SO THAT WOULD STILL REQUIRE 75% OF THE UNIT OWNERS.
SO I GUESS THIS IS IN MY QUESTION BACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD TAKE IT IN THIS DIRECTION, BUT BACK TO THE CITY, WHICH IS IF YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT SAYS, "WELL, WE'RE NOT GONNA COM - WE CAN'T COMPLY BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET ALL THE OWNERS TO AGREE THAT WE'RE GOING TO COMPLY." LET'S USE THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM AS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, WHAT WOULD THE CITY DO? IF I CAN JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT.
THE, THE REASON THAT THE NON-RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUMS WERE INCLUDED AS A, UM, CATEGORY THAT COULD APPLY TO THE HARDSHIP BOARD, UM, WAS BECAUSE OF MY TESTIMONY AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, WHICH DESCRIBED THE STRUGGLES THAT WE'VE HAD TO GET UNIT OWNERS TO COMPLY.
WE'RE THE ONLY NON-RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUM BUILDING IN THE CITY THAT HAS MORE THAN THREE OWNERS.
THE OTHERS ARE HOSPITALS AND, AND THAT HAVE TWO OWNERS, OR THE DRAPER LABS BUILDING HAS TWO OWNERS.
WE'RE THE ONLY ONE IN THE CITY.
SO THIS KIND OF, UM, ISSUE IS REALLY NOT APPLICABLE TO MANY OTHER BUILDINGS.
AND THAT'S WHY THE, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDED TO INCLUDE US AS A, UM, A SPECIAL CASE.
UM, CHAIR, MAY I RESPOND TO MARJORIE'S QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO THE ORDINANCE DEFINES, YOU KNOW, OWNER IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND IN THE CASE OF A CONDOMINIUM AT THE COVERED PROPERTY, THE OWNER IS DEFINED AS THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OR, OR TRUSTEES.
AND SO UNDER BUDO, THE, THE, THAT OWNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLIANCE, UM, AND, UM, PAYMENT OF ANY, YOU KNOW, VIOLATIONS OR ULTIMATELY COMING INTO COMPLIANCE.
AND IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD NEED TO PASS ON THE PENALTIES THROUGH C- CONDOMINIUM ASSESSMENTS - UH-HUH.
UM, THAT WOULD GET, UM, BUDGETED, UH - UH-HUH.
T- TO THE, THE VARIOUS UNIT OWNERS.
WHICH IS THE STICK THAT THE CITY HAS PUT IN OUR HANDS TO - YEAH.
GET PEOPLE TO GET, GET UNIT OWNERS TO AGREE TO CERTAIN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN UNITS.
NICHOLAS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD ON THAT CLARIFYING QUESTION? OTHERWISE, I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK TO REVIEW BOARD DISCUSSION.
JUST M- MICHAEL SORT OF SUMMED IT UP, BUT I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE ORDINANCE HAS THE FINANCIAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-COMPLIANCE, BUT IT DOESN'T DECLARE THAT, YOU KNOW, UNLIKE A SPRINKLER UPGRADE OR HANDICAP, IT DOESN'T C - DECLARE THAT THEY HAVE TO GO ALL ELECTRIC.
IT JUST SAYS, "REDUCE YOUR EMISSIONS." SO - RIGHT.
IN THE ENGINEERING MIND, THAT'S HOW I SEE IT, SO THAT'S ALL.
DO ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS THEY WANNA DISCUSS? WE CAN REVISIT, UH, WHAT BOARD MEMBER MALKANI WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
OH, BOARD MEMBER MALKANI, GO AHEAD.
UP- UPON FURTHER REFLECTION, UH, R- RATHER THAN US DECIDING AS A BOARD THAT WE WANNA FORMALLY RECOMMEND THAT, UM, BUILDING OWNERS WHO ARE APPROACHING US WITH APPLICATIONS LIKE THIS SHOULD TRY AND SOLICIT INDIVIDUAL TENANT ENERGY BILLS, I THINK IT MAY BE MORE EFFICIENT TO DO IT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE THE POWER AS A BOARD TO, TO REQUEST MORE EVIDENCE.
GIVEN THAT, AGAIN, IN THIS CASE, IN MY OPINION, AT LEAST, THE EVIDENCE SUPPLIED IS, IS SUFFICIENT TO, LIKE, TO MAKE THE CLAIM THAT THE ENERGY USE PATTERNS JUST CHANGED SOMEWHAT DRAMATICALLY A- ACROSS THIS TIME PERIOD THAT THEY'VE SHARED.
SO THEY DON'T REALLY NEED THE INDIVIDUAL UTILITY BILLS, WHICH I IMAGINE WOULD'VE BEEN CHALLENGING TO PROVIDE.
SO IN A CASE WHERE IT'S MORE, UH, UH, IT L - IT'S, IT'S PERHAPS MORE ON THE FENCE,
[00:45:01]
WE, WE CAN, AS A BOARD, DELIBERATE THEN TO, LIKE, REQUEST THAT INDIVIDUAL TENANT, UH, INFORMATION.SO I SOMEWHAT RECANT MY PRIOR RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER MALKANI.
UM, JUST FOR, TO CONTINUE CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, I, I FIND THE GETTING TENANTS TOGETHER TO TAKE ACTION PIECE OF THIS LESS CONCERNING.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WEIGH AND MAKE PRECEDENT ON AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS REALLY TRICKY.
BUT I, I FIND THE, THE GETTING THE LONG-TERM LEASES TOGETHER TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, UM, LESS CONCERNING.
I MEAN, THE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CO - UH, CONDOS EVERYWHERE, AND YES, THIS IS THE ONE WITH THE MOST NUMBER OF OWNERS, UM, ARE REALLY FACING.
I F - I FEEL LIKE I'M MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS AN ACCURATE BASELINE, WHAT IS AN ACCURATE STARTING POINT? AND THAT, UM, I, I DO FEEL SOME, UM, UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS THE RIGHT BASELINE TO REFLECT FUTURE USE.
I FEEL LIKE TENANTS ARE GOING TO FLUCTUATE OVER TIME.
UM, BUT I ALSO DO FEEL LIKE IT IS OUR JOB AS A BOARD TO LOOK AT CASES WHO SAY, "HEY, WAIT A SECOND.
THE STARTING POINT THAT WORKED FOR EVERYONE ELSE DOESN'T WORK FOR US FOR X, Y, AND Z REASONS." SO I AM, UM, UH, FEELING, FEELING TORN ON THAT.
WOULD IT HELP IF WE LOOKED AT THAT CHART THAT'S IN THE APPLICATION TO FIGURE OUT - WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? SORRY, GO AHEAD, BOARD MEMBER DAVIES.
WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA SUGGEST THAT WE LOOK AT, THAT WE LOOK AT THE CHART, THAT WE GO TO THAT POINT IN THE APPLICATION SO WE CAN SEE IT AND SEE, SO IT'S IN FRONT OF US WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT.
YEAH, IN WHICH CHART? THE ONE IN THE PRESENTATION OR ONE IN THE APPLICATION? THE ONE IN THE APPLICATION.
I BELIEVE SHE'S REFERRING, IT'S MAYBE PAGE 17, IF I, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT IT.
YEAH, I CAN, I CAN PULL THAT UP.
FRONT PAGE IS 15, 16, 17, SOMEPLACE IN THERE.
WH- WHILE WE'RE PULLING THAT UP, I HAVE A, I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR CITY STAFF.
UH, IS THERE, IS THERE A DEADLINE BY WHICH BUILDING OWNERS HAVE TO APPLY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATIONS TO ADJUST THEIR BASELINE YEAR? SURE, I CAN ANSWER THAT.
UM, RIGHT NOW, THE REGULATIONS STATE THAT ALL, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATIONS, REGARDLESS OF CRITERIA OR RELIEF TYPE FOR 2026 ARE DUE, UM, DECEMBER 1ST, UM, OR SO, YES, DECEMBER 1ST, 2026 FOR, FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS THAT A- AFFECT THIS YEAR, 2026 COMPLIANCE YEAR, AND, UM, FOR ALL FURTHER YEARS, THAT DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 1ST OF THE COMPLIANCE YEAR.
SO IT'S, SO IT WOULD STILL BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO RECEIVE AN IDENTICAL APPLICATION NEXT YEAR FROM A DIFFERENT BUILDING OWNER REQUESTING, LIKE, THE 2026, 2020, UH, THE, LIKE A 2026 BASELINE.
THERE'S NOTHING TO PREVENT THAT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AS, AS THE REGULATIONS CURRENTLY STAND, THERE, THERE IS NOTHING PREVENTING AN OWNER FROM PRESENTING AN APPLICATION FOR, FOR THE, EI- EITHER THESE CRITERIA OR THESE RELIEF, UM, IN LATER YEARS.
CAMERON, I THINK I WAS THINKING OF THE, OF THE CHART THAT HAD ALL THE DIFFERENT TENANTS IN IT.
IS THERE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION FROM BOARD MEMBERS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER MALKANI.
UH, I, I RE- RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE RAISING, CHAIR, UM,
[00:50:02]
BUT I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT BETTER, IF, IF THERE IS, LIKE, A CLEAN SOLUTION OR A CLEAN BEST PRACTICE TO IMPLEMENT.FOR THE INITIAL BASELINE YEAR THAT APPLIES TO EVERYONE, CITY STAFF HAD TO PICK SOMEWHAT ARBITRARY LINE IN THE SAND AND SAY, "THIS IS, THIS IS THE YEAR THAT APPLIES TO EVERYONE." AND THEN FOR SUBSEQUENT, FOR, LIKE, FOR APPLICATIONS SUCH AS THIS, I, I, I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO TAKE IT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS WHERE, UH, IN THIS CASE, THE TREND IS CLEAR THAT THE, THE TECHS, THE TECH SPACE SHARE OF TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE AND PRESUMABLY TOTAL ENERGY USE HAS BEEN INCREASING, SO IT'S THEREFORE REASONABLE TO PICK THE LATEST YEAR WHERE IT'S HIGHEST.
UM, BUT THEN I THINK THE NEW CHALLENGE THAT EMERGES WOULD BE, AT WHAT POINT IS IT TOO LATE TO CLAIM THAT? UM, SO I, I'M CURIOUS, CHAIR, IF YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION ON, LIKE, HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT SECOND PROBLEM OF WHEN IS IT TOO LATE? UH, AS YOU PREVIOUSLY STATED, UH, BOARD MEMBER MALKANI, THERE ARE NO CLEAN ANSWERS.
UM, SO I, I DON'T HAVE A SUGGESTED, UH, SOLUTION TO THAT SECOND ISSUE YOU RAISED.
UM, BUT I SAW A BOARD MEMBER GLICK RAISE THEIR HAND.
VI- VIVAN, I THINK YOU WERE RIGHT, UH, A, A, A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TREND HERE IS CLEAR, UM, AND AS, AS I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS ON THE COMMITTEE WHO HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH, UH, LABORATORIES, UM, YOU KNOW, I- I- I- IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
IT PROBABLY IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A LABORATORY TO USE, UH, ELECTRICITY AND GAS THE WAY AN OFFICE DOES.
UM, WE CAN'T GO BACK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T SAY, "WELL, THE AVERAGE BETWEEN THESE FIVE YEARS..." WELL, I'M SORRY, WE COULD SAY THAT, OF COURSE, BUT, BUT SAYING, "WELL, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE AVERAGE OVER, OVER TIME, OF, OF FEW YEARS WHEN THERE'S A CLEAR TREND," PUTS A HUGE BURDEN ON THE, UM, ON, ON, ON, ON THE BUILDING OWNER, A HUGE BURDEN.
UM, IT, IT'S SORT OF AGAINST THIS...
I, I WOULD THINK IT'S SORT OF AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF THE, UH, OF, OF THE WHOLE THING.
THE OTHER THING WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TREND HERE, I MEAN, IT COULD CONTINUE, UH, IN WHICH CASE, I, I GUESS, UM, THE APPLICANT WILL BE PINCHED, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK A GENERAL RULE IS REALLY TOUGH.
I THINK THAT, THAT THIS APPLICANT HAS SHOWN A CLEAR TREND.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER GLICK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO RAISE CONCERNS, COMMENTS? IS THERE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL WE'RE LOOKING FOR BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS MODIFICATION REQUEST? BOARD MEMBER BOSE.
YEAH, AND I GUESS, I GUESS THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE, THE CAMBRIDGE STAFF.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS APPLICATION IS BEFORE US BECAUSE OF THE, THE OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE OF THIS CONDOMINIUM, AND, AND THIS...
UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHETHER THIS PATHWAY WOULD BE OPEN TO, SAY, A, A MORE CONVENTIONAL LAB TYPE BUILDING WHERE IT WAS A SINGLE OWNER WITH MULTIPLE TENANTS? YOU KNOW, SO I GUESS I'M TRYING TO JUST FRAME, YOU KNOW, WHAT SORT OF...
HOW MANY TYPICAL APPLICA- APPLICATIONS LIKE THIS TYPE COULD WE, COULD WE SEE? AND I KNOW WE CAN'T ANSWER THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT JUST GENERALLY, I GUESS.
MAY, MAY I SPEAK TO THAT, CHAIR? GO AHEAD, JENNIFER.
UM, SO, YEAH, I'LL, I'LL SAY A COUPLE THINGS TO, TO CLARIFY MAYBE THIS AT A HIGH LEVEL.
UM, FIRSTLY, THIS APPLICATION HAS ACTUALLY, UM, SELECTED TWO SEPARATE CRITERIA AS, AS THE KIND OF INITIAL REASONS FOR, FOR HAVING A HARDSHIP.
IT'S THE, THE NON-RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUM STRUCTURE IS A, UM, DEFINED, UM, KIND OF DEFAULT CHOICE WITHIN, WITHIN THE PROMULGATED REGULATIONS, AND THEN THEY ALSO CHOSE THE OTHER CATEGORY.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE CAMERON IN THE BACKGROUND, I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE, THE WORDING THAT THEY PUT IN THERE, BUT THE, THE OTHER, UH, CATEGORY, THERE WE GO, IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY, UM, DESCRIBING THAT THE, THE COMPOSITION OF THE TENANTS AND THE, UM, THE USE OF THE BUILDING HAS CHANGED, UM, AND, AND THEY THEREFORE HAVE, HAVE A HIGHER ENERGY USE INTENSITY.
SO THAT'S, THAT, THAT IS THE, THE REASON THAT THEY'VE PUT IN AS A, A SECONDARY CRITERIA.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY WHILE THERE ARE LIMITED NON-RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUMS IN, IN THE CITY, NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A HANDFUL, UM, IT, IT IS TRUE THAT THIS, THIS SECOND OTHER TYPE OF CRITERIA, UM, COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED BY, BY MORE BUILDINGS.
[00:55:01]
AND SO JUST TO, TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE I TURN IT BACK OVER TO, TO YOU GUYS TO DISCUSS, UM, JUST CLARIFYING HERE THAT THE, THE BUTO ORDINANCE DOES HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC AND STRINGENT, UM, PATHWAY BY WHICH A BUILDING CAN BE CONSIDERED A NEW COVERED PROPERTY.SO YOU EITHER HAVE TO HAVE GOTTEN A WHOLE BUILDING CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AFTER 2018, OR YOU HAVE TO HAVE, UM, AT SOME POINT, COMPLETED A SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION, AND A SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION PER OUR ORDINANCE IS, AGAIN, A FAIRLY, UM, NARROW AND STRICT DEFINITION OF, OF BECOMING NEW.
IT'S, YOU HAVE TO HAVE CHANGED YOUR OCCUPANCY CLASS GROUP PER THE MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH I THINK THERE'S ONLY 10 OR 12 GROUPS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A FAIRLY LARGE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT REFERS TO ESSENTIALLY ALMOST A GUTTING OF A BUILDING TO, TO REALLY GET TO THAT POINT.
SO, UM, SO THIS, THIS PARTICULAR, UM, APPLICATION, AS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE'RE SEEING IT BEFORE US, UM, WHAT, WHAT THIS APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR IS, IS TO CHANGE THE BASELINE YEARS.
LIKE, BECAUSE OF SYSTEM UPGRADES IN THE BUILDING AND TENANT CHANGES, THEY'RE ASKING TO, UM, FOR, FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CHANGE THEIR BASELINE FROM THE DEFAULT YEARS OF AN EXISTING BUILDING, WHICH ARE 2018, 19, INSTEAD TO, TO A MORE, UM, WHAT THEY FEEL IT ARE MORE APPROPRIATE YEARS.
AND, AND I WILL ALSO JUST NOTE FINALLY THAT IN OUR, IN OUR ITERATION WITH THE APPLICANT, AS WE WERE PREPARING THIS, WE DID, UM, MAKE SURE TO CHECK WITH, UM, OTHER CITY AGENCIES TO, TO ENSURE THAT THEY, THEY REALLY DIDN'T, UM, QUALIFY AS A NEW COVERED BUILDING, LOOKING AT THEIR CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY AND, UM, USE CODES, SO...
SO, IF I COULD JUST ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION THEN.
SO, I GUESS AT THIS OTHER CATEGORY, IT'S SORT OF ELIGIBLE TO SORT OF ANY BUILDING OWNER? IT'S...
I, I, I CAN READ THE REGULATORY LANGUAGE TO YOU, SO IT'S, IT'S ESSENTIALLY ANY- ANYTHING...
UM, OTHER, OTHER DOCUMENTED CIRCUMSTANCES AND CHARACTERISTICS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL, REGULATORY, CONTRACTUAL, TECHNICAL, OR OPERATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT, IN ITS DISCRETION, THE REVIEW BOARD DEEMS RELEVANT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE REVIEW BOARD? I'M FEELING LIKE WE ARE APPROACHING CONSENSUS, BUT DON'T WANNA CUT OFF GOOD DISCUSSION.
HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL REMIND THE GROUP THAT IN ITS DECISION, THE BOARD MAY DECIDE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION, DENY THE APPLICATION, OR CONTINUE THE HEARING TO A LATER DATE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 432 COLUMBIA STREET CONDOMINIUM TRUST'S ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATION COMPLIANCE PLAN APPLICATION.
MO- MOTION, AS YOU JUST DECLARED.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER MALKANI.
THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM BOARD MEMBER MALKANI.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER GLICK.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER GLICK.
I WILL NOW CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER ALPHABETICALLY TO STATE THEIR VOTE.
YOU COULD RESPOND IN FAVOR, OPPOSED, OR ABSTAIN.
AND BOARD MEMBER REICHHARDT, IN FAVOR.
432 COLUMBIA STREET CONDOMINIUM TRUST'S ADMINISTRATIVE MODIFICATION COMPLIANCE PLAN APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED PER THE REGULATIONS.
THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WILL SEND A CO...
[01:00:01]
LETTER WITHIN 21 DAYS, AND CITY STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE APPLICANT SOON AFTER THIS MEETING.WITH NO ADDITIONAL ITEMS, WE CAN CONCLUDE OUR MEETING.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
THERE'S A MOTION TO ADJOURN FROM BOARD MEMBER GLICK.
I'M SEEING THIS, I'M ASSUMING THE SECOND IS COMING FROM BOARD MEMBER MALKANI.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 5:01 PM.