REMARKS
Council Member Hudson Discusses 962 Pacific Disapproval and Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan
0:31:02
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122 sec
Council Member Hudson articulates the reasons for his support of a resolution to disapprove a land use project at 962 Pacific Street. He emphasizes the importance of aligning with the community-led Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AMUP), which is expected to bring about 4200 new apartments, including at least 1200 affordable homes. Hudson argues against allowing private applications to bypass ongoing comprehensive planning processes, highlighting the need for infrastructure and neighborhood upgrades to support new developments.
Speaker 10
0:31:02
Thank you, majority leader.
0:31:04
Good afternoon.
0:31:05
Today, this council is voting on a resolution of disapproval of a land use project in my district located at 962 Pacific Street.
0:31:11
I'll be voting eye on this resolution of disapproval and I'd like to briefly explain why.
0:31:16
This is an unusual project because the applicant seeks to rezone property located within an area that is part of a community led neighborhood planning process.
0:31:25
City Planning announced the Atlantic Avenue mixed use plan known as AMUP in April 2022, and the public engagement process, which included a dozen public meetings and workshops started in January 2023.
0:31:36
This is not a new initiative, but an effort that is well underway and about which the private applicant is well aware and was a participant in.
0:31:44
Aemap will enter Uler later this spring and will come before the council by the end of this year.
0:31:48
In total, it will result in approximately 4200 apartments, including at least 1200 affordable homes.
0:31:54
Fundamentally, I do not believe in a private application should be allowed to bypass an ongoing comprehensive process that is in the process of being finalized.
0:32:02
Neighborhood plans provide the framework and resources to ensure local residents can afford new housing, to protect long standing residents from placement and to secure necessary public rail improvements and upgrades to accommodate greater residential density.
0:32:15
This area has already had 8 individual development rezoning since 2018 that have created more than 2000 units without any corresponding planning or neighborhood wide upgrades.
0:32:25
Without a comprehensive plan in place, this area's infrastructure will become strained and congested and unlivable for all residents.
0:32:31
To be clear, a vote to pass this resolution of this approval is not a vote against building housing.
0:32:36
As mentioned, this community level rezoning will result in thousands of new apartments in this area.
0:32:41
Yet by waiting a few months until the ongoing neighborhood planning process is finished, We will have the community's support as well as the city's commitment to provide supporting resources from streetscape improvements to small business support in this area.
0:32:54
I look forward to rezoning this site in a few short months as part of the ongoing comprehensive plan.
0:32:58
Thank you.
Speaker 1
0:33:00
Thank you, council member.
0:33:01
I'd now like to call on council member Generates.
0:33:03
Followed by Schulman.
