Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s plan to eliminate climate-warming emissions from new buildings hit a setback Wednesday when the Zoning Commission rejected an initiative to require large, new buildings to dramatically reduce their reliance on fossil fuels for power, heat, and cooling.
The so-called Net Zero Carbon Zoning Initiative, which would have applied to newly-constructed buildings over 20,000 square feet and housing projects with more than 15 units, had been considered a shoo-in to help advance the mayor’s climate agenda. Earlier this summer, the Boston Planning Development Agency approved the plan, leading many to expect the Zoning Commission to do the same.
Wu needed seven of the 10 commissioners to vote in favor to pass the initiative; she got six votes.
The outcome came as a surprise to advocates and real estate lawyers who said it’s rare for the Zoning Commission to go against the mayor.
“We were expecting that this would be a sure-fire thing,” said Hessann Farooqi, executive director of the Boston Climate Action Network.
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