[00:00:03]
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL RO? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? UH, YEAH, JUST MAKING SURE EVERYONE WAS ON THERE.
[CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]
UH, 5:36 PM, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD, 2020.THIS IS A, UH, MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UH, WEBEX.
COULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL CERTAINLY GOOD EVENING.
THIS IS ART SOMEWHAT ON HER WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, CALLING ROLL FOR DESIGN COMMISSION, NOVEMBER 23RD CHAIR, CAROL PRESENT, VICE CHAIR, UH, NAO ROBLEDO COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
UH, I THINK COMMISSIONER COLEMAN'S IN THERE.
I JUST HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HER, UM, COMMISSIONER FRAIL COMMISSIONER, FRANCO COMMISSIONER GONZALES, COMMISSIONER RAWLINSON, COMMISSIONER MINORS, PRESENT COMMISSIONER LOGINS, COMMISSIONER TENANT, GUCCI AND COMMISSIONER WATLEY.
I CAN SEE COMMISSIONER COLEMAN NOW.
UH, YOU HAVE SIX FOR QUORUM CHAIR.
UM, WAS THERE ANYONE THAT SIGNED UP FOR CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION? WE DO NOT SEE ANYTHING ON OUR END CHAIR.
THEN WE WILL GO STRAIGHT A NEW BUSINESS
[1A. Discussion and possible action to evaluate and make recommendations regarding whether The EastTower, addressed at 84 N Interstate 35 Highway, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines, for theCity of Austin. Leah Bojo Drenner Group; Jim Stephenson STG Design; Chris McCray McCray & Co.;Jacob Walker Studio DWG]
ITEM, ONE, A DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING WHETHER THE EAST TOWER ADDRESS AT 84 NORTH INTERSTATE 35 HIGHWAY COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDE.IF I MAY, BEFORE WE BEGIN, THIS IS WORKING.
IF I COULD ASK ALL PARTICIPANTS TO PLEASE MUTE YOUR MICROPHONE, WE ARE HEARING QUITE A BIT OF FEEDBACK.
ONLY THE PRESENTERS SHOULD HAVE THEIR MICROPHONE ON WHEN SPEAKING TO ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR.
SO ALL MICROPHONES, PLEASE GO ON MUTE.
IS THE APPLICANT READY? GIVE ME ONE MINUTE CHAIR, JOE.
YOU'RE IT SHOULD BE A MUTED NOW.
UH, THIS IS LIAM MOJO WITH JENNER GROUP HERE REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT PEARLSTONE PARTNERS.
UM, DO YOU HAVE MY PRESENTATION UP? GIVE ME ONE MINUTE.
ARE WE LOOKING FOR RIVER STREET RESIDENCE, LA VACATION? NO, WE'RE 84 EAST AVENUE.
I HAVE A, LET'S SEE HERE, THIS A SHOT.
IS THIS YOUR PRESENTATION? MA'AM IT IS SLIDE TWO NOW WITH A MAP.
SO I WILL, UH, AGAIN, I'M, I'M LEAH, BOGGIO HERE WITH JENNER GROUP REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT.
I'M JOINED BY JIM STEVENSON OF STG ARCHITECTS AND JACOB BLOCKER OF DWG LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
SO I WILL RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER, SO I'LL TRY TO GO EXPEDITIOUSLY.
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OUR WHOLE TEAM IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END.UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE FROM THIS SLIDE, UH, THAT THE SITE IS LOCATED AT 84 EAST AVENUE.
UM, TH THE THINGS ABOUT THAT, THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT ARE FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE RAINY DISTRICT IS PRIMARILY TO THE WEST OF OUR SITE, EVEN THOUGH OUR FRONTAGE IS ON 84 EAST AVENUE OR RIGHT THERE ON THE EASTERN BOUNDARY.
AND, AND ALSO IMPORTANTLY, UM, WE ARE ON TXDOT RIGHT OF WAY, UM, WHICH, WHICH GIVES US SOME COMPLICATION IN OUR INNER STREETSCAPE AND OUR GREAT STREETS, UM, THAT, THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MINUTE.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M HERE, JUST TO GIVE YOU THE CONTEXT WE ARE IN THE RAINY DISTRICT, WHICH HAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF 15 TO ONE FAR AND NO HEIGHT LIMIT, AND WE ARE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FAR.
SO WE'LL BE GOING ON TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL AFTER WE, AFTER WE MEET HERE TONIGHT.
UM, THE CURRENT USE HAS A SURFACE PARKING LOT AND, AND RESTAURANT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SITE ITSELF, UM, IT'S 0.4, ONE ACRES, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE RAINY, UH, DENSITY BONUS KICKS IN AT 40 FEET, UM, WE'RE PROPOSING 450 FEET APPROXIMATELY AND 41 STORIES.
AND AGAIN, THAT COMES OUT TO A, JUST A LITTLE UNDER 21 TO ONE FAR.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, AND EARLIER, UM, WE WILL BE GOING TO CITY COUNCIL PER SECTION 25 TO FIVE 80 FOR THE ADDITIONAL FAR.
UM, SO THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, UM, OBVIOUSLY TO STAR AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ACHIEVING, UH, WE'LL BE EXCEEDING THIS GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT AND WE'LL BE ACHIEVING A THREE-STAR GREEN BUILDING STATUS.
UM, OUR GREAT STREETS COMPLIANCE IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF OUR TECH STOCK RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO INSTALL GREAT STREETS.
UM, A COUNCIL RESOLUTION HAS INITIATED A CODE AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE A FEE IN LIEU IN VERY LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, INCLUDING IF YOUR FRONTAGE IS ON, UH, IS, IS CONTROLLED BY AS JURISDICTION THAT IS NOT, WILL NOT ALLOW GREAT STREETS AND YOUR SITE CANNOT FIT GREAT STREETS ON IT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE'RE IN HERE.
SO WE'LL, WE WILL BE MEETING OUR GREAT STREETS COMPLIANCE VIA THE FEE IN LIEU THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS INITIATED.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE OBVIOUSLY HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, COMPLIANCE WITH THE DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE FOR THIS SITE, UM, ARE, ARE, UH, ARE ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY ADDITIONAL ONSITE UNITS.
SO THE TOTAL GROSS SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING IS JUST UNDER 350,000.
UM, AND WHAT THIS COMES OUT TO IS, UM, JUST UNDER 9,600 SQUARE FEET OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AROUND 11 UNITS.
UM, AND THEN A FEE IN LIEU OF $833,000.
IN ADDITION TO THE ONSITE UNITS, UM, THE WAY THIS, THE WAY WE GOT TO THESE NUMBERS IS, UM, WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THE RAINEY DENSITY BONUS FOR OUR FIRST EIGHT TO ONE OF COURSE, AS IS REQUIRED BY CODE.
THEN WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS TO GO FROM EIGHT BETWEEN EIGHT AND 15 TO ONE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THAT FEE COMES IN.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT FEE COMES IN.
AND THEN THE FAR AGAIN, ABOVE 15, FROM 15 TO JUST UNDER 21, WE'RE AGAIN COMPLYING WITH THE RAINEY PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, UM, THAT, UH, THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLIANCE MATCHES THE EIGHT TO ONE FAR COMPLIANCE, IF THAT'S, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND THEN, SO, SO HERE WE HAVE JUST A, AN OVERALL RENDERING OF THE SITE FOR YOU TO SEE THE BUILDING OVERALL.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF, KIND OF UNDERSTAND IT AS WE DIG INTO SOME OF THE PARTICULARS OF IT, UM, AND MOVE THROUGH OUR, OUR URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES COMPLIANCE.
UM, THE, UH, JACOB OF COURSE, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THIS LATER, BUT I DID WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS RENDERING OF, OR THIS, UM, EXHIBIT OF THE, OF THE RIGHT OF WAY ISSUE.
AND WE ARE, UM, WORKING REALLY HARD TO PUT SOME, SOME REALLY NICE STREETSCAPE FEATURES IN HERE NOT FULFILLING OUR GREAT STREETS.
LIKE I SAID, OUR GREAT STREETS WILL BE FULFILLED THROUGH THE FEE IN LIEU, BUT STILL MAKING IT A FRIENDLY AND PEDESTRIAN, UM, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY PLACE TO WALK, UM, AND, AND HAVING TO KEEP A VERY STRICT LINE THERE ON THE TXDOT RIGHT AWAY.
WE HAVE BEGGED TXDOT TO LET US DO ANYTHING ACROSS THAT BOUNDARY AND THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN US ANY FLEXIBILITY THERE.
UM, HERE WE HAVE THE FOREPLAY, AND AGAIN, JIM, WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THIS LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE ORIENTED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT TEXT OUT RIGHT OF WAY ON THE EASTERN BOUNDARY THERE.
UM, AND WE HAVE SET THE BUILDING BACK A BIT SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE SOME STREETSCAPE FEATURES THERE.
UM, IF WE KIND OF WALK AROUND THE BUILDING, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE OUR, WE HAVE OUR LOADING AREA THERE AND OUR INTEREST INTO THE GARAGE, OR I SHOULD SAY ENTRANCE INTO GARAGE AND THEN LOADING AREA.
AND THEN WHAT WE REALLY TRIED TO DO IS FOCUS ON OUR, UM, THE, THE, TO THE RAINY DISTRICT TO REALLY MAKE IT FEEL CONNECTED TO THE RAINY DISTRICT.
UM, SO WE PUT OUR PUBLIC GALLERY SPACE ON THE BACK THERE, AND WE PUT SOME, SOME FEATURES ON THE BACK OF THAT FIRST
[00:10:01]
FLOOR TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE THOSE RESIDENTS REALLY HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE RAINY DISTRICT, NOT JUST TO THE EAST, SINCE WE'RE ON THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THIS, OF THIS PORTION OF DOWNTOWN.UM, AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS THAT, UM, WHEN THE BUILDING ACROSS THE ALLEY TO US TO THE WEST, UM, WAS BUILT, THEY VACATED AN ALLEY AND THEY HAD TO PUT A PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT THROUGH THE SITE THERE.
AND WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT DOES FOR OUR SITE IS IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD PEOPLE FROM THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, ACROSS THE ALLEY AND INTO THE RAINY DISTRICT.
AND IT GIVES US TWO KIND OF TWO FRONTAGES OR TWO FRONT DOORS.
SO WE GET TO, WE HAVE OUR, OUR MORE FORMAL FRONTAGE, UM, ON THE FRONT, ON THE EAST AVENUE SIDE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE KIND OF LIKE A BACK DOOR AND A REALLY COOL PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE TO GET INTO THE RAINY DISTRICT AND DELETED FOLKS FROM THE RAINY DISTRICT INTO OUR OUTDOOR ART GALLERY SPACE.
UM, SO WE, WE DID MEET WITH THE WORKING GROUP ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, AND WE DID NOT ACHIEVE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE OVERALL, ACCORDING TO THAT GROUP.
AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN PARTICULAR ON THE STREETSCAPE ASPECT, A LOT OF OUR NON-COMPLIANCE, UM, REVOLVED AROUND THAT STREETSCAPE ISSUE.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE MADE SOME REAL PROGRESS ON THAT, UM, THAT I'LL LET JACOB, UH, EXPAND ON IN HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
UM, FIRST I'LL TALK ABOUT THE AREA WIDE GUIDELINES.
UM, THE TWO COMPONENTS THAT WE DIDN'T MEET WERE, UM, RECYCLING EXISTING BUILDING STOCK, WHICH WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO DO.
AND THEN ALSO CREATING A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WHILE WE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS AN, A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, CERTAINLY ON TOP, WE DID WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE THAT GALLERY SPACE, UM, AND INVITING, YOU KNOW, MIXED DIFFERENT KINDS OF USE, UM, THERE ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
I'LL LET JIM ELABORATE ON THAT.
SO HERE WE HAVE A VIEW OF THE BUILDING IN ITS CONTEXT AND THE RAINY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SO, UH, THIS IS FROM THE NORTH AND LIVE IN SOUTHWEST.
YOU SEE LADY BIRD LAKE AND THE CURVE BEHIND US.
AND AS LEAH MENTIONED, THE, THE MAJORITY OF THE RANGER DISTRICT IS ACTUALLY ONE BLOCK WEST OF THE SITE.
SO OUR BUILDING IS A MIXED BLOCK DEVELOPMENT AND AT THE FRONT ALONG THE AVENUE, WHICH AT THIS PORTION OF THE STREET IS REALLY THE ACCESS ROAD, RIGHT 35, WHICH BRINGS ABOUT ALL THE TECH STOCK COMPLICATIONS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER.
UH, IT'S MID-BLOCK BETWEEN THE HOMEWOOD SUITES YOU SEE, UH, DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH AND THE MILLENNIUM OR ANY COMPLEX, UH, TO THE BOARD AND GIVEN THE, GIVEN THE TRAFFIC AND PROBABLY THAT THE LACK OF PEDESTRIAN ENGAGEMENT OR A NUMBER OF PEDESTRIANS ALONG EAST AVENUE, WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS OUR MULTITENANT OPPORTUNITY ON THE ALLEY, AS LEAH SAID, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME WONDERFUL CONNECTIVITY TO THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD, PUT TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS, UH, A RENDERING OF THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
UH, THIS IS THE GROUND LEVEL OF THE ALLEY, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A PARKING GARAGE BACK HERE, BUT WE REALLY TRIED TO DO IS IMPROVE THE PEDESTRIAN FRONTAGE.
AND AS LEAH SAID, WE WANTED TO CREATE TWO FRONT DOORS, ONE ON EAST AVENUE AND ONE HERE AT THE GALLERY.
AND YOU'LL SEE, IN A MINUTE, THE ALLEY HAS WONDERFUL CONNECTION TO RAINEY STREET AND OUR INTERIOR DESIGNER.
UH, CHRIS MCRAY ACTUALLY WAS THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND PUBLIC PLACES.
AND HE HAD A WONDERFUL IDEA TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TALK THE OWNER INTO DONATING A PORTION OF THE BUILDING AND IN THE BACK HERE AT 900 SPURT, BUT ROOM FOR AN ART GALLERY.
AND THE IDEA REALLY WAS INSTEAD OF PROVIDING RETAIL ON A SPOT, THAT'S NOT PROBABLY THAT ACCESSIBLE TO RETAIL TENANTS WAS REALLY TO, UM, TYING INTO THE ARTISTIC VIBE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILD OFF THE PRESENCE OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, AND REALLY JUST KIND OF TIE IT INTO THE LOCAL ARTISTIC VIBE OF THE RAINY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THIS WOULD BE SPACE YOU SEE, WITH THE GLASS OVERHEAD DOOR WOULD BE DONATED.
AND CHRIS IS WORKING WITH SUE LAMB, THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND PUBLIC PLACES TO FIND AN, AN ART AND ARTISTS THAT COULD INHABIT THAT SPACE AND COULD ALSO DEVELOP, UM, MURAL AS YOU SEE THEM TO THE LEFT OF THE SCREEN, WHICH WILL BE VISIBLE THROUGH THE PORTAL BACK TO THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AS LEAH MENTIONED, THIS IS ALSO KIND OF OUR, UH, BACK ENTRANCE OR OUR REAR LOBBY ENTRANCE.
SO A LOT OF THE TENANTS WE FIND WILL ACTUALLY BE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING THE BUILDING THROUGH THE BACK THROUGH THE GALLERY.
SO WE'VE GOT A BACK ENTRANCE, LOTS OF GLASS, UH, LIGHTS, AND REALLY WANTING TO BRING THE SCALE DOWN HERE AND MAKE IT, MAKE IT A NICE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
[00:15:01]
BACK TO THE PLAN AGAIN, TO ORIENT YOU A LITTLE BIT.SO, UM, EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN THE TEAL COLOR IS, UM, PUBLIC SPACE, UH, FOR THE TENANTS AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING EAST AVENUE IS OVER TO THE RIGHT OF THE SCREEN.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE REALLY NEEDED TO DEVELOP ALL OF OUR FRIENDS ON EAST AVENUE, UH, TO THE LOBBY AND, UH, THE KIND OF TENANT SPACE.
AND WHAT'S LEFTOVER IS THE ENTRY INTO THE PARKING GARAGE.
AND ALSO IN THE KIND OF LIGHT ORANGE COLOR IS ALL OF OUR BACK OF HOUSE COMPONENTS.
SO WE HAD TO PUT THE FIRE COMPETENT WATER SERVICE ENTRANCE ON EAST AVENUE.
SO THAT REALLY KIND OF COMPLETES THAT BRIDGE.
AND ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BUILDING WERE DIRECTLY APPLICANT'S PROPERTY LINES.
SO WE PROVIDE A, A REQUIRED FIRE, A THREE FOOT ACCESS EASEMENT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GET BACK TO THE ALLEY AND THEN LOADING AND STAGING THE TRANSFORMER, VAULT, ELECTRICAL, ALL THOSE REQUIRED BACKUP.
UM, BUT AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WE WANTED TO DEVOTE THE PUBLIC GALLERY AND IMPROVE THEIR FRIENDS OF GALLEY, UM, TO KIND OF CREATE TWO DIFFERENT PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCES.
WE ALSO HAVE A BIKE STORAGE AREA AND BIKE STORAGE COMPONENTS AT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING FOR THE PUBLIC USE AS WELL.
AND THAT YOU CAN SEE UP IN THE TOP LEFT, THAT'S A DEPICTION OF THE CONNECTION THROUGH THE RAINY STREET, WHICH WE'LL SEE IN A MINUTE, NEXT SLIDE.
LIKE I SAID, IN MY, IN MY INTRODUCTION, THIS IS REALLY THE MEAT OF WHERE, UM, W WHERE WE HAD SOME, SOME NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE WORKING GROUP.
AND SO, UM, WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO, TO IMPROVE ON ALL OF THESE ASPECTS WHERE THE PODESTA PRODUCTIVELY PEDESTRIAN, WHERE THEY MEET THE STREET, UM, REINFORCING PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, ENHANCING STREETSCAPE STREET TREES, UM, LIGHTING AND PROTECTION OF, UH, VIA CURBSIDE PARKING.
SO, UM, I WILL LET JACOB WORK, WALK YOU THROUGH THESE SLIDES OF KIND OF WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE WENT TO WORK IN GROUP.
AND THEN WHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE MADE SINCE WE TALKED TO, TO YOU WHO WERE ON THAT GROUP.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, PLEASURE TO BE CHATTING WITH YOU TONIGHT.
UM, AND IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL LOOK AT A RENDERING FOR THE, UH, FOR THE STREETSCAPE.
UM, AS LEAH MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, KIND OF A GIVEN IS AS WHAT WE WERE, UH, WHAT WE WERE GIVEN BY TEXTILES, UM, IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND THAT CONSISTS OF A TWO FOOT BUFFER.
THAT'S A COLOR AND A TEXTURAL CHANGE RIGHT AT THE CURB TO SIGNAL THE CURB, UH, IN THE STREET.
AND THEN WE HAVE A 10 AND A HALF FOOT WIDE, UH, CLEAR CONCRETE SIDEWALK, UH, CLEAR ZONE, UM, THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED OF CONCRETE.
UH, SO THAT IS OUR SIDEWALK ZONE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AS LEAH MENTIONED, WE, WE FOUGHT FOR OTHER OPTIONS THERE.
UM, BUT THAT WAS, UH, ALL THE TEXTS THAT WOULD AGREE TO AT THIS TIME.
SO, UM, SO WE LOOKED AT, UH, HOW WE COULD STILL ENHANCE THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE, UM, WITH THE SPACE THAT WE HAD LEFT BEHIND, INSIDE THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND I THINK WHEN WE, THE FIRST OPTIONS THAT WE TOOK TO THE, UH, WORKING GROUP, UM, AS WE HAD MENTIONED, WERE, WERE LACKING IN, IN THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT TO THE SPIRIT OF GREAT STREETS AND WHAT WE LOOK FOR, UH, AS FAR AS SHADE AND, UH, PROTECTION FOR THE PEDESTRIANS AND AMENITIES FOR THE STREAM.
SO, UH, COMING OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION, WE WORKED WITH A TEAM, UM, TO LOOK AT HOW WE COULD INCREASE THE SETBACKS OF THE BUILDING, UH, AT THIS GROUND LEVEL, UH, BOTH HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A 10 FOOT SETBACK, UH, FROM THE PROPERTY LINE, WHICH GAVE US THE SPACE TO GET, UM, FOUR TREES AND, UH, IN THIS, ALONG THE SIDEWALK, UM, AND WE'VE GOT THOSE AT A 15 FOOT ABOUT A 15 FOOT SPACING.
UM, SO IT STARTS TO GET YOU THAT RHYTHM THAT YOU WOULD GET FROM THE STREET TREE, UH, IN GREAT STREETS.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE BUILDING, UM, UP WHERE WITH THESE TREES AND WE'RE PROPOSING JOHAN HOLLY'S, UH, I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MINUTE, BUT THEY'LL, THOSE TREES WILL GET UP TO ABOUT, UH, 20 FEET, 18 TO 20 FEET.
UM, AND SO THEY'LL START TO FILL IN THE SPACE NICELY, UH, PROVIDE SOME OF THAT PEDESTRIAN SCALE, PEDESTRIAN COMFORT, SHADE, UH, ALONG THE EDGE OF THAT SIDEWALK.
AND THE BUILDING REALLY WILL SERVE, UH, AS ADDITIONAL SHADE AND PROTECTION, UM, FOR THAT SIDEWALK AS WELL.
UM, UH, MORE QUALITIES OF THOSE TREES THAT THE JOHAN HOLLY'S ARE EVERGREEN.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL MAINTAIN THAT COPAY, THAT CANOPY, UM, YEAR ROUND THEY'RE MULTI-STEMMED, AND WE CAN GET THEM, UM, WITH A GOOD CLEAR TRUNK.
SO THEY, THEY HAVE THAT FEELING OF A STREET TREE, UH, ALONG THE SIDEWALK THERE.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON THE, ON THE FAR RIGHT CORNER OF THIS IMAGE, UH, THE BASE OF THE GREENWALL THAT LIT THAT,
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UH, WE SAW IN THE OVERALL RENDERING EARLY ON, UH, THAT WE'LL START WITH, WITH PLANTERS HERE AT THE GROUND FLOOR, AND THEN, UH, BE PICKED UP WITH ADDITIONAL PLANTERS GOING UP THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING TO JUST SOFTEN, UH, AND GREEN THAT CORNER OF THE GARAGE.UM, AND WE HAVE ALSO LOOKED CLOSELY AT HOW WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE SITE FURNISHING AMENITIES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE HERE.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, BIKE RACKS AND BIKE RACKS WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR BOTH AT THIS END, THIS, UH, CORNER OF THE PROPERTY AND AT THE OTHER, UH, FAR SOUTH CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, WE'RE PROVIDING PROPOSING FIVE BIKE RACKS, THREE AT THIS END, CLOSE TO THE MAIN ENTRY, UH, AND TWO DOWN BY THE GARAGE ENTRY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR RACE RECEPTACLES, UH, HERE AS WELL.
AND ALSO, UH, AS WE GO, YOU'LL SEE IT MORE IN, UH, IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT, UM, PROVIDING SEATING AND BENCH, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO STOP ALONG THE WAY, UH, BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THOUGH, UH, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE MAIN ENTRY, REALLY OPENING UP THE PLANTING AREAS, UH, THERE FOR THE, FOR THE CANOPY AND THE MAIN ENTRY, UM, TO REALLY PROVIDE THAT CONNECTION FOR THE PEDESTRIANS, FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, UM, UPGRADED PAVING THERE, UH, AS SOON AS WE CROSS INTO THE PROPERTY LINE, UM, TO CUE THAT ENTRANCE, TO, TO SIGNAL THAT AND PROVIDE SOME SIGNIFICANCE FOR THAT ENTRY, UM, THE COLLECTION OF, UH, PLANTER POT, UH, THERE JUST, AGAIN, PROVIDING ANOTHER LAYER OF TEXTURE AND PEDESTRIAN SCALE, UH, AND THAT ACTUALLY RELATES TO, UH, OTHER ELEMENTS IN THE BUILDING, UM, UP ON THE AMENITY LEVELS.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SO JUST SOUTH OF THE MAIN ENTRY, UH, BETWEEN TWO OF THE COPAN HOLLY'S, WE HAVE, UH, NOTCHED IN A SEATING NOOK, AND THIS WAS, UH, ALSO, UH, A GREAT IDEA THAT CAME FROM THE DISCUSSION WITH THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, AND SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THAT, THAT BENCH, UM, COLLECTION THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IN GREAT STREETS THAT GIVES YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO STOP AND, UH, AND REST AND, AND VISIT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT IN BETWEEN THE TREES, UH, WITH A NOOK LIKE THIS, AND WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIGHTING, UH, LIGHTING AT THIS NOOK SPECIFICALLY.
UM, ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT UPLIGHTING, UH, ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE TREES, UH, AND THEN JIM WILL ALSO PROBABLY MENTION HERE IN A MINUTE, THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY IN THE SOFFIT OF THE BUILDING ITSELF, UM, TO PROVIDE LIGHTING DOWN TO THIS AREA.
SO, UH, WHERE WE CAN'T DO THE TRADITIONAL GREAT STREETS, UH, STREETLIGHTS ARE OR STANDARDS.
UM, WE ARE PROVIDING PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED LIGHTING, UH, ALONG THIS ENTIRE BLOCK FACE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT ONE MORE SLIDE, UH, WE STEP OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT AND SEE HOW THIS BENCH, UH, FITS INTO THE OVERALL, UH, FACADE THERE WITH THE FOUR TREES.
UM, AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS, AS LEAH MENTIONED, WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT WHERE THIS IS, UH, RESOLVED AND BEING ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS OF GREAT STREETS, JUST NOT IN YOUR TYPICAL GREAT STREETS FORM, UH, TO PROVIDE A SPACE THAT'S VERY INVITING AND COMFORTABLE, UH, FOR PEDESTRIANS.
ONCE YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK THAT'S BACK TO LEAH OR JIM.
SO THE GAME, SO, UH, AS JACOB EXPANDED ON KIND OF THE EAST SATURDAY, AND ONCE AGAIN, THE FOCUS WAS CREATING A MORE PEDESTRIAN SCALE, UH, ENVIRONMENT AT THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE DUALITY OF BOTH ENTRANCES, UM, FOCUSING ON SCALE ELEMENTS LIKE LADIES AND BEFORE, UM, INSTEAD OF DECIDED IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY GO BACK TO THE SLIDE AT T UM, MY TEAM, I'M SORRY, FURTHER BY TWO TO SLIDE 19.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ARCHITECTURALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS LANDSCAPE MATCHING THE BUILDING, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE TWO ZONES OF LIGHTING, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, ALLEVIATE SORT OF THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT FROM THE INABILITY TO DO STREETLIGHT.
AND AS YOU CAN TAKE IT TO SEE GREAT STREETS.
SO WE HAVE SOME, UM, SORT OF INDIRECT ELIMINATION THAT WILL BE KIND OF LOW-LEVEL ELIMINATION.
THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE PARKING PLANT.
AND THEN WE WANT TO DO KIND OF TO PULL LIGHT, UM, CORTEN CANOPY OVER THE ENTRANCE.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT BRIGHTER, UH, SPINE DRIVE, RIGHT TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING.
HE COULD SEE THE EAST TOWER SIGNAGE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO, UM, REMORSE SLIDES FORWARD TO
[00:25:01]
22, PLEASE.SO GETTING BACK TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, YOU SEE THOSE SCALE ELEMENTS, THE FOCUS ON THE LIGHT COLOR AND MATERIALITY.
UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE, UH, BOTH FROM THE ELEMENTS AND ALSO FROM THE SIGNS.
SO WE HAVE, UH, A RECESSED ENTRY BACK HERE TO THE LOBBY FOR THE ATTENDANCE.
YEAH, THIS IS, UH, A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER, BUT THIS IS THE VIEW ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR BRAND NEW STREET THROUGH THE PORTAL THAT WE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER.
SO WE REALLY SAW THAT THE ABILITY TO ENHANCE THIS CONNECTIVITY, THERE'S ALREADY A GREAT SORT OF COVERED WALKWAY.
THAT'S BEEN CREATED BY THE MILLENNIUM COMPLEX, UM, WITH A FOOD TRUCK THAT SITS OUT THERE PERMANENTLY, BUT THE BUMMER BURRITO, AND THERE'S A RESTAURANT OVER TO THE RIGHT.
AND AS YOU KNOW, FROM RAINY STREET, UM, THE SCALE, THE BIKES ARE THE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, LOTS OF FOOD, UM, FOOD VENDORS, RESTAURANTS, LESSER PEDESTRIAN.
SO WE REALLY SAW THE EURO, WHICH YOU CAN SEE, UH, PUT HERSELF ON THE BACK HERE AS SORT OF, UM, A BEACON OF ACTIVITY TO DRAW THE PEDESTRIANS THROUGH THIS CUPBOARD, UH, WORLD IN BACKGROUNDS, IN THE GALLERIA, WHICH IS AROUND TWO, THAT THE RATE OF THE BUILDING CYCLISTS.
AND THEN, AND THEN JUST TO CLOSE, UM, I'LL LET JIM CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUILDING GUIDELINES AND, AND SORT OF ELABORATE.
I THINK WE'VE COVERED A LOT OF THIS THROUGH THE PRESENTATION ON, ON OUR INCLUSION OF VOCAL CHARACTER AND OUR, UM, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AT THE STREET LEVEL.
SO THE NEXT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO A LOCAL CHARACTER IS INTERESTING.
THE EXISTING BUILDING STOCK ON EITHER SIDE OF US IS BOTH CONTEMPORARY AND WE'RE REPLACING A SMALLER RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT, A RESTAURANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO IS TO DIFFERENTIATE THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE OF THE BUILDING, UM, FROM THE TOWER ABOVE.
SO THE TOWER HAS, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF GLASS OBVIOUSLY FOCUSED ON BALCONIES, UH, INDOOR OUTDOOR CONNECTIVITY FOR THE TENANTS AND SMOOTH SURFACES.
SO AS WE COME DOWN CLOSE TO THE GROUND, STARTING WITH THE PARKING PLAN, WE WANTED TO BREAK THE SCALE DOWN, UM, AND ALSO SHIFT TO A WARMER TONE, MORE EARTH TONES.
UM, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PREVALENT.
SO THE PARKING GARAGE, IT'S AN OPEN PARKING GARAGE, BUT WE'RE SPINNING IT WITH A FACETED PERF METAL SCREEN.
UM, AND B IT HAS A RANDOM PATTERN, YOU KNOW, SEE IN SOME OF THE OTHER RENDERINGS, BUT AS YOU MOVED BY THAT, YOU'LL GET A SENSE OF KIND OF A CONSTANTLY CHANGING, UM, AESTHETIC FOR THAT PARKING SCREEN WITH EACH OF THESE KIND OF FACETED PANELS PULLED OUT AND ACTUALLY IN THE LIONS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND THEN WE INTRODUCED, UM, KIND OF MORE TACTILE MATERIALS, OUR GRIP AT THE BOTTOM, UH, UNDERNEATH THE PARKING PODIUM AND THIS LANDSCAPE MATCH.
UM, SO ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S TYING BACK TO THE SMALLER SCALE.
UH, SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS HERE PREVIOUSLY, WE ALSO WANTED TO INTRODUCE, LIKE I SAID, THE WARMER COLOR.
SO WE HAD THE, CORTEN A CANOPY OVER THE LOBBY.
IT KIND OF PICKS UP ON THE, UM, THE METAL KIND OF THAT REST ELEMENT YOU SEE IN THE LANDSCAPE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE LOTS OF GLAZING.
THIS IS FULLY GLAZED UP TO 18 FEET.
UM, SO YOU'LL HAVE PLENTY OF LIGHT AND CONNECTIVITY THROUGH TO THE LOBBY.
WE'RE INTRODUCING BINS, UM, METAL FENCE, WHICH PROTECT A HALF THE MULLIONS.
AND THAT'S REALLY JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF PRIVACY, UH, AND BREAK FROM THE TRAFFIC AND TO THE, THE LOBBY AND LOUNGE SPACE BEYOND.
BUT, UM, ALSO WANTED TO KIND OF JUST OVERALL FOCUS ON THE SCALE OF THIS FROM A PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
AND AS YOU, IF JAKE HAD MENTIONED ON THE RIGHT, AND WE FORGOT TO MENTION, IT'S BEEN LOOKING AT ARIEL, WE'VE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS LANDSCAPING KIND OF AROUND AND UP THE TOWER.
SO IF YOU WILL GO BACK TO SLIDE 18, I APOLOGIZE FOR JUMPING AROUND SO MUCH, BUT I THINK THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE I KEEP GOING.
I THINK IT'S 13, IT'S THE AREA.
SO, UM, ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT THE MILLENNIUM COMPLEX IS ACTUALLY KIND OF NOTCH THAT TOOK RESERVES AND TREES.
AND THAT ACTUALLY GIVES US A LOT OF VISIBILITY AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE BUILDING, WHERE WE HAVE, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PARKING GARAGE THERE AND IT HAS TO BE COMPLETELY OPAQUE BECAUSE IT'S UP AGAINST THE PROPERTY LINE, BUT THAT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO INTRODUCE, UH, ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING AND REALLY TO TIE ALMOST ACT AS A BOOKEND, THE LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPING THAT'S THERE, WE'VE GOT THE TREES.
SO WE'RE TAKING A GREEN SCREEN ELEMENT ALL THE WAY FROM THE GROUND.
YOU CAN SEE IT, THE NOTCH, THE SOLID
[00:30:01]
NOTCH, AND ELABORATING ALL THE WAY UP THE BUILDING, UH, ABOUT 120 FEET.SO THAT'S, UH, THE OWNER WAS REALLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THAT GESTURE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM A STAKE ADVANTAGE TO THAT AREA.
SO, OH, SO, UM, THERE'D BE A SLIGHTLY BIGGER, GOT A FEW MORE.
WE DID THIS KEEP GOING AND OKAY.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY JUST KIND OF CONCLUDING IN THE QA PORTION IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT OVER IT.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
AND SO WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
I HAVE SOME, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE THE FIRST ONE.
UH, I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE A VANTAGE POINT FROM THE WEST, LIKE WHAT DOES THAT WEST ELEVATION LOOK LIKE BEYOND THE MURAL, IF WE'RE GOING UPWARD? WELL, WE'LL HAVE, WE HAVE EIGHT FORMS OF ABOVE PARKING.
UH, SO IT WILL BE SORT OF THE CAST IN PLACE, PRESSURE RAILS.
UH, IF YOU GO BACK TO SLIDE, ONE WAS, UM, IT WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT SHOWED THE BACK ALLEY.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE A FAIRLY UTILITARIAN, UH, ASIDE ABOUT THE ALLEY LEVEL, BUT THEN ONCE YOU GET TO THE TOWER LEVEL, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD ADJUST OUT WITH BLASTS, UM, A LOT OF, UH, NICER, UM, METAL PANELS THAT YOU SEE ON THE REST OF THE BOAT.
I THINK FOR ME, I AM JUST A LITTLE ANXIOUS ABOUT HAVING A VERY, UH, BLANK FACADE ON RAINEY STREET WITHOUT ADDING LIVELIHOOD TO THE, TO THE ATMOSPHERE OF THAT AREA.
UM, I'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GO TOWARDS WEST SECOND STREET WHERE THEY'VE USED THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE COLOR PANELING ON A PODIUM AND IT'S COMPLETELY LIFELESS.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S UGLY IN A LOT OF CASES.
UM, I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, WHERE, UH, YOU HAVE THE LINE HOTEL AND THEY HAD A BLANK WALL.
THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT BY HAVING A MURAL THAT GOES OFF FROM THE FLOOR ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP FLOOR.
SO FROM THE FIRST FLOOR TO THE TOP FLOOR OF THAT BUILDING, UM, SO I THINK NOT SEEING THAT GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF ANXIETY.
I DO LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE INCORPORATING THAT MURAL.
I THINK THE GALLERY LOOKS GREAT.
I WOULD PUSH FOR MAYBE SOME NEON FOR A GALLERY SIGN RATHER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE PICTURED THERE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.
NO, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD COMMENTS AND WE PICK UP FROM BOTH OF US.
SO IF YOU GO BACK TO SLIDE 15 ON THE PRESENTATION, WHICH IS THE, UH, KIND OF A CONTEXT ARIEL, UM, I WANTED TO POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD MAKE CLEAR.
SO WHILE WE, THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, THE MILLENNIUM COMPLEX ACTUALLY, WHICH IS AN EIGHT STORY BUILDING ACTUALLY COMES COMPLETELY ACROSS THE BACK OF OUR BUILDING.
SO, UM, EVERYTHING FROM RAINY, LOOKING THAT TO OUR BUILDING, ALL YOU WILL SEE IS THE ACTUAL TOWER.
HE WON'T SEE THE PARKING PLANT UNTIL COULD GO INTO THAT PORTAL.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE FOCUS IS ON THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE, UNLESS YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, YOUR NET COMPLETELY.
SO THAT GARAGE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE VISIBLE OR RAINY.
SO, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT ALLEVIATE YOUR CONCERNS, UM, SOMEWHAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT IT OUT.
I'D HATE FOR YOU TO CREATE AN EYESORE ON RAINY STREET.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR, FOR A WHILE TO COME.
I WOULD ALSO ADD, UM, THAT THE SIGN THAT WE HAVE IN AREAS LIKE PLACEHOLDER TEXT AND THAT THE ACTUAL ASSIGNED FOR THE GALLERY WILL BE, UM, MORE CREATIVE.
WE, WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT, SO DON'T WORRY.
YEAH, WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEON ARTISTS IN THE CITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
SO COULD YOU SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT OF THIS PROJECT, ESPECIALLY LIKE, KNOW WHAT THE UNIT MIX TO THOSE, THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS WILL BE FOR SURE.
UM, SO THE UNIT MIX FOR THE ONSITE UNITS WILL MATCH THE UNIT MIX OVERALL.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AT THIS POINT IS THREE, TWO BEDROOMS, ONE, ONE BEDROOM, PLUS A STUDIO AND THEN SEVEN ONE BEDROOMS. OKAY.
[00:35:01]
AND WHAT WAS THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND? I THINK IT WAS AROUND 833,000 IN ADDITION TO THE ONSITE UNITS.OKAY, CHAIR, I GOT SOME QUESTIONS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING JUST BROUGHT UP THE WORKING GROUP LAST WEEK THAT WAS CHANGING FROM A HOTEL TO HOUSING, RENTAL HOUSING.
AND I WAS VERY HAPPY THAT BECAUSE WE REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT ARE BUILT ON SITE.
AND THEY, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE US LIKE 5,000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, SQUARE FEET OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN THEY'RE INCREASING THEIR FAR FROM LIKE EIGHT TO 32.
AND THAT WAS GOING WELL, GOD, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE RULES ARE, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE A LOT MORE UNITS ONSITE BECAUSE RAINY STREET IS A AREA THAT'S IN GENTRIFIED.
YOU KNOW, THAT IT WAS A LATINO COMMUNITY ONE TIME AND THERE PEOPLE COULD LIVE THERE.
I MEAN, THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH TO WHERE THE FOOD SERVICE PEOPLE, MUSICIANS, THEY CAN LIVE THERE.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING AT PROMOTING THAT ACTUALLY AS BILL UNITS ON SITE.
AND THE ONE THING THAT WASN'T TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, LEO WAS THE PARKING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS MORE PARKING WHEN THEY GET MORE, IF THEY ARE, I'D RATHER HAVE THAT EXTRA, THAT THEY ARE PUT INTO PORTABLE UNITS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A RULE OR ANYTHING, BUT I'M JUST SPEAKING FROM WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A SAD SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
WE REALLY NEED SOME AFFORDABLE UNITS, ESPECIALLY THE MISSING MIDDLE, AND I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PUSH FOR THAT.
SO CAN YOU KIND OF TOUCH ON THE PARKING SITUATION IN REALLY WHAT Y'ALL, WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS? AND I THINK YOU DESCRIBED, UH, YOU HAVE LIKE SOME, TWO BEDROOM UNITS.
I THINK ONE BEDROOM UNITS MIGHT BE BETTER FOR THE MISSING MIDDLE RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, THOSE ARE MY MAIN CONCERNS IN, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN AUSTIN AND RAINY STREET WAS A LATINO COMMUNITY AND THEY WERE ALL DISPLACED.
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF GENTRIFICATION.
AND I THINK WE ALL NEED TO KIND OF SIT BACK AND KIND OF THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY HOMAGE TO THAT HOMAGE TO THAT, WHETHER EACH ONE OF THE PROJECTS IN THE RAINY STREET, THUS, SOMETHING TO KIND OF OVERCOME THE INJUSTICE THAT WE DID TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE BEFORE.
AND THIS WAS JUST MY THOUGHT, IT'S NOT THE DESIGN INFORMATION, BUT THOSE ARE KIND OF LIKE MY MAIN CONCERNS.
I'M HAPPY TO, TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, UH, SO THE, I GUESS THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, FAR STRUCTURED PARKING DOESN'T COUNT TOWARD FAR CURRENTLY.
SO, UM, SO THE, THE ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS NOT GOING TO PARKING.
UM, IT IS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THOSE, THOSE UNITS WILL BE PARKED, BUT, UM, BUT THE FAR OF THE GARAGE IS NOT, UM, ISN'T THE, THE ADDITIONAL FDR THAT REQUESTING IS NOT, IS NOT SPECIFICALLY GOING TO THE GARAGE.
I, I THINK, I THINK, UM, I THINK I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING 11 UNIT THAT, THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE, THE WAY RAINY CALCULATES, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE.
IT'S 5% OF THE UNIT SQUARE FOOTAGE IS IT HAS TO BE PRODUCED AS UNITS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE ONLY DOING THE 15 TO ONE, WE WOULD HAVE TO, I BELIEVE THAT I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE SIX UNITS ON SITE.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE OFFERING SORT OF THAT ADDITIONAL, SO THAT ALMOST DOUBLES THE AMOUNT OF UNITS ONSITE, UM, IN THE, IN THE RAINY DISTRICT, WHICH I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IS BENEFICIAL IN ADDITION TO THAT FEE, WHICH DOESN'T, UM, WHICH DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE MUCH, IT'S STILL UPWARDS OF $800,000.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE UNIT MIX, I THINK, I FEEL LIKE SOME FOLKS WANT MORE BIGGER UNITS AND THEN SOME FOLKS WANT MORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS, IT'S HARD TO REALLY PUT YOUR FINGER ON BECAUSE I THINK WE DO.
WE D WE JUST NEED MORE UNITS DOWNTOWN, UM, ALL AROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE ARE, UM, WE ARE MATCHING THE MIX, LIKE I SAID, OF THE AFFORDABLE UNITS TO THE MIX OF THE OVERALL UNITS, WHICH I THINK IS PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD WAY OF SORT OF FIGURING OUT WHAT THE MARKET WANTS AND BOTH AFFORDABLE AND REGULAR.
IF THE MARKET WANTS THOSE UNITS AT MARKET RATES, THEN IT PROBABLY WANTS A SIMILAR MIX OF THEM AS AFFORDABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THAT OTHER PROJECT IN RAINY, BUT, YOU KNOW, RENTAL AND OWNERSHIP ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO PARKING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS ADDITIONAL, UM, THIS ADDITIONAL FFR DOES REQUIRE THAT WE DECOUPLE THE PARKING SPACES.
SO IF THE PARKING SPACES ARE, IF THERE ARE LEFTOVER PARKING SPACES THAT AREN'T BOUGHT, I DON'T THINK WE THINK THERE WILL BE, BUT IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES THAT AREN'T, UM, SOLD WITH THE UNITS, THOSE WOULD BE PUT ON THE MARKET SEPARATELY, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE THAT PARKING WORK
[00:40:01]
AS EFFICIENTLY AS IT CAN.I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, IF I COULD ASK ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT PARKING, THEN YOU'RE ON MUTE.
THERE, IT GOES, NO PARKING SITUATION FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, UH, AFFORDABLE UNITS.
AND ARE THEY DECOUPLED FROM THE, UH, FROM THE, UH, AFFORDABLE RANCH? I BELIEVE THAT IN THERE ANY DISTRICT, IF YOU EXCEED THE BASE, IF YOU EXCEED THE FAR ALLOWABLE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO DECOUPLE ALL PARKING SPACES FROM, UH, OH, THESE ARE FOR SALE UNITS.
SO IT WOULD BE DECOUPLED FROM THE SALE OF THE UNITS, BOTH FOR THE AFFORDABLE AND THE MARKET RATE.
SO WHAT DO YOU SEE THE, UH, THE, UH, PARKING BEING THE COST FOR PARKING, AND YOU GIVE HIM AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE COST FOR PARKING ON THE AFFORDABLE UNITS WOULD BE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PARKING FEES WOULD BE ON, ON EITHER THE, FOR SALE OR THE AFFORDABLE.
SO IT OCCURS TO ME THAT, UH, WE CAN HAVE AN AFFORDABLE UNIT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THE PARKING IS SO EXPENSIVE, THAT IT'D BE DIFFICULT, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY AFFORD TO LIVE THERE, TAKE THE CAR TO YOUR CAR AND GO TO WORK.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S AN EMPHASIS HERE ON TRANSIT, AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WHENEVER EVER WANT TO RIDE THE BUS AND WALKING AROUND YOUR BIKE, BUT THERE ARE REALITY REALITY.
I, UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THE PEARLSTONE, I SHOULD SAY, HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER, IN OTHER SITUATIONS OF WORKING ON HOA FEES TO KEEP THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER ON THE PARKING AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BALANCING, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL NEEDS OF DECOUPLING AND PARKING, BUT KEEPING THE UNITS AFFORDABLE, LIKE THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE.
YOU REMEMBER? I BROUGHT THAT UP ONE TIME AND I'M GLAD WE TOUCHED ON THAT, OR Y'ALL MAKING THAT MORE AFFORDABLE TOO.
WE, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE DETAILS OF IT, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY THAT THEY, THAT PERSON HAS FIGURED OUT TO MAKE THOSE, MAKE THOSE HOA FEES, UH, DIFFERENT THAN THE MARKET RATE HOA FEE.
SO FOLKS, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL BURDEN.
UM, I APPRECIATED THE EFFORT THAT YOU ALL PUT FORTH AND THEN LOOKING AT THE EAST AVENUE SIDE.
UM, I THINK IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER.
UM, I AM CURIOUS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE SAW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SPOKEN WITH, WITH AMANDA, BUT SHE BROUGHT A PROJECT TO US A FEW WEEKS AGO, A FEW BLOCKS AWAY ON EAST AVENUE WHERE TEXTILE ALLOWED THEM TO PUT TREES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE COLEMAN DOES MR. COLON, WELL, HE HAD NOT GOTTEN APPROVAL TO DO THAT.
AND WHEN WE ASKED FURTHER, THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM.
AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE MAKING, THEY WERE CORRECTING THAT, BUT THEY DID NOT.
WE TRIED, WE MADE UP THINGS LIKE BREAKAWAY TREES AND LOW-LEVEL PLANTINGS.
AND WE TRIED TO DO ANYTHING WE COULD.
AND WE GOT A RESOUNDING NO TO ALL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, ALL OF OUR SUGGESTIONS.
AND IF THAT'S THE RIVER STREET, PROPERTY, LITTER STREET LIGHTS OUT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CONDITION WE'RE ACTUALLY DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE ACCESS ROAD.
IT GETS INTO A MUCH SLOWER MODE OF TRANSIT AT THE SOUTH END OF THE STREET.
WE WERE JUST KIND OF A ONE-WAY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND MY OTHER COMMENT IS, I MEAN, I, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE PUT INTO THAT PUBLIC GALLERY IN THE ALLEY.
AND I THINK IT'S GREAT, BUT I'M VERY SKEPTICAL, UM, GIVEN THE DEPENDENCE ON THAT PUBLIC EASEMENT, UM, AND IT NOT BEING PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
I THINK IT'S GONNA, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU CAN WORK OUT WITH THAT NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, UM, TO, TO MAKE IT MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WALKING BY, YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO WALK IN
[00:45:01]
THERE.IT JUST LOOKS LIKE IT'S FOR VEHICLES, THERE'S NO DIFFERENTIATION AND PAVING OR SIGNAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO INDICATE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T SEE A SIGNAGE, UM, THROUGH THE BUILDING, UH, I'M JUST VERY SKEPTICAL.
UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY.
I KNOW, I KNOW IT HAPPENS A LOT AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON OUR TEAM WHERE, YOU KNOW, A REALLY GREAT IDEA IF IT'S NOT EXECUTED PROPERLY, JUST DOESN'T ALWAYS SORT OF TURN OUT THE WAY EVERYONE INTENDED OR HOPED.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF THE REASON WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, FOLKS CLOSELY THROUGH THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS SOMETHING THAT THE ARTS COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THAT MAKES SENSE IN THIS LOCATION, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO JUST WORKING WITH THE MILLENNIUM FOLKS, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, LIKE RIGHT NOW THAT THAT LITTLE TUNNEL, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, DOESN'T REALLY LEAD TO ANYTHING.
IT LEADS TO THE BACK OF A RESTAURANT.
SO I CAN CERTAINLY SEE WHY THERE WOULDN'T BE A LOT OF ENERGY PUT INTO MAKING IT FEEL LIKE A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO GO, BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU GO IN IT, IT'S LIKE YOU WOULDN'T REALLY COME OUT TO ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WORKING WITH ART AND PUBLIC PLACES WHO OBVIOUSLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HAVING THAT MURAL AT THE END OF IT AND HAVING LIGHTS AND HAVING IT REALLY PULL PEOPLE THROUGH WAS REALLY GOING TO CHANGE, UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE WHOLE FEEL OF THAT EASEMENT.
AND I FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY DID THAT, THIS WAS KIND OF WHAT THEY INTENDED WAS, YOU KNOW, THE MO YOU KNOW, THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS SITE BY SITE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT SITE TURNED OVER AND THEY PUT THE EASEMENT THERE AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT FRONTAGE ALONG EAST AVENUE, WASN'T TOTALLY DISCONNECTED FROM THE REST OF THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND NOW HERE WE ARE LIKE THE NEXT DOMINO KIND OF DEFAULT, WHERE NOW WE CAN, WE CAN FULFILL THE END OF IT AND MAKE IT, MAKE IT FEEL SAFE AND VIBRANT AND LIKE A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO BE.
CAN I ADD A COMMENT TO THAT? SURE.
GO AHEAD AND PAY SOME HOMAGE TO THE, UH, RAYMOND'S GROUP, HIS GROUP, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC ART PUBLIC PLACES CAN REALIZE THAT, UNDERSTAND THEIR KIND OF, KIND OF PUSH THAT FORWARD IN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THAT AREA NEEDS TO KIND OF PAY HOMAGE TO THE AREA OF THE CURVE.
IT'S A, IT'S A HISTORICAL AREA IN MY, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I GREW UP HERE IN AUSTIN AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
YEAH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND I MEAN, EVEN THE, THE MURAL ITSELF COULD SPIN THAT.
THANK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CHRIS, YOU'RE COLEMAN YOU GREAT PRESENTATION.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THE VINE ON THE EAST FACADE, NORTHEAST FACADE, JUST CONFIRMING THE RENDERING, LOOKS LIKE THE VINE IS COMING FROM THE GROUND AND GROWING UP, I WANT TO VERIFY THAT THERE ARE INTERMITTENT PLANTERS GOING UP THE GARAGE TO ACHIEVE THAT HUNDRED AND 20 FOOT SPAN.
IN FACT, IF YOU GO TO SLIDE 27, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE RENDERINGS, BASICALLY EVERY TWO PARKING LEVELS WERE INTO THESE DAYS, UH, OPENINGS TO SERVICE, UH, PLANTERS, UH, THAT WRAP AROUND THAT CORNER.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR SUBSET.
THAT WAS, UM, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE WERE, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT GIVEN THAT HEIGHT.
AND SO THE NEED TO, UH, TO HAVE REPEATABLE PLANTERS SO THAT WE WEREN'T EXCEEDING, UH, ABOUT 20 FEET IN HEIGHT.
UM, THAT'S ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW ON THAT.
WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF VINE SOLUTIONS AND I'M JUST VERIFYING THAT THEY'RE ACHIEVABLE AS WE GO ALONG, BUT THANK YOU.
THE SECOND ONE IS ONE OF YOUR 3D RENDERINGS AROUND SLIDES, 16, 17, 18 AT YOUR FRONT ENTRY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ACTIVATING WITH THAT BENCH AREA, BUT IF YOU COULD EASILY PULL UP THAT RENDERING SHOWING THE FRONT ENTRY WITH THE POTS AT THE FRONT ENTRY, IS THAT POSSIBLE? YEAH, THAT'D BE PROBABLY 19 OR 2020.
MY COMMENT ON THAT IS I, I THINK WE'RE ALL RESPONDING VERY WELL TO THE BINGE NECK, THAT, THAT WOMAN LOOKING AT HER PHONE, LOOKING FOR HER UBER, CAUSE SHE'S GOT A HOT DATE.
SHE, SHE KINDA NEEDS TO S TO MEET, WANTS TO SIT DOWN.
SO THIS IS JUST MORE PERSONAL, UH, OBSERVATION THAT IT, I THINK THE POTS ARE NICE THAT FEEL KIND OF TEMPORARY TO ME, IN A SENSE THAT ANOTHER ACTIVATION POINT TO ALLOW SEATING AT THAT VERY BROAD INJURY.
I THINK THE SOLUTION YOU'VE GOT IS VERY ELEGANT.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE TWO-SIDED, BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IT WOULD BE, I THINK, VERY NICE TO HAVE A PLACE TO SIT AT YOUR INJURY WITH AS MUCH ACTIVITY AS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AT THAT SPOT.
[00:50:01]
JUST A, JUST AN OBSERVATION.I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY CONSIDER.
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY NICE TO HAVE AND CAUSE THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE AREN'T MEETING GREAT STREETS, UM, AND THE LAST ONE IS THE GALLERY I'M INTRIGUED BY THE GALLERY.
IF I GO VISIT THE GALLERY, IS IT GOING TO BE A ROTATION THING? CAN I PURCHASE ART FROM AN ARTIST THAT NEEDS THAT THE REVENUE DO I HAVE A, TO DO A TRANSACTION? WILL IT BE MANNED SOMEHOW? OR IS IT A ONE 800 NUMBER OR HOW DOES THE GALLERY WORK? SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH WITH THE ARTS AND PUBLIC PLACES, FOLKS AND TAKING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
WE ARE, I THINK WE ARE VERY OPEN TO HOW THAT WOULD WORK AND WHAT WOULD MAKE IT LIKE THRIVE AND BE A AND B A PLACE THE MOST.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO FIND AGAIN, WORKING WITH THEM AND IF THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS WE SHOULD BE TALKING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO TALKING TO, TO ANYONE WHO HAS IDEAS ABOUT HOW BEST TO MAKE THAT SPACE ACTIVE.
SO I DON'T THINK ALONG WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, I THINK OUR CONCERN IS THAT IT DOESN'T STAY RELEVANT.
AND I THINK WITHOUT, WITHOUT SOME SORT OF TURNOVER AND THOUGHTFULNESS AND TRANSACTION, THAT IT WOULD JUST, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING IT WAS SUCCEED BECAUSE I THINK THAT, I THINK THE IDEA IS FANTASTIC.
I THINK WE ALL EMBRACE THE IDEA, BUT I THINK THAT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS ON THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
I KNEW THAT THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN PERFECT DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I'LL SECOND IT COMMISSIONER MINERS, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, SO VOTE MY ONE SEC, HOLD ON ONE SEC.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE INVESTIGATION INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT BASED ON WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT AND SEE WHAT CAN ACTUALLY HAPPEN THERE.
I DON'T, I'D RATHER HAVE MISSING MIDDLE UNITS RATHER THAN LARGE UNITS.
SO IF LEAH CAN KIND OF PUSH THAT THROUGH WITH OUR SUPPORT, I WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
SO YOU'RE ASKING TO CHANGE THE UNIT MIX.
WELL, NOT NECESSARILY CHANGE THE UNIT MIX, BUT YEAH.
WELL ACTUALLY CHANGING THE UNIT WHERE IT WOULD BE MORE MISSING MAMMAL, MORE LIKE A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT OR PER UNIT RATHER THAN SOME LARGER UNITS.
LIKE THE ONE WE SAW THE LAST WEEK, THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A THREE-FAMILY OR THREE BEDROOM UNIT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A BAHRAINI STREET.
I THINK, UH, THE MISSING MIDDLE KIND OF THE A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT UNIT WOULD BE THE, THAT WOULD BE THE OPTIMAL COMMISSIONER.
THAT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING BOTH FOR THE MARKET AND THE AFFORDABLE.
I THINK OUR AVERAGE UNIT SIZE IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 900.
UM, AND SO, UH, THE UNITS ARE TWO BEDROOM UNITS.
UM, IF THAT WAY, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PLANNING AGAIN, BOTH FOR THE, UM, BOTH FOR THE AFFORDABLE AND THE MARKET.
UM, SO WE CAN, WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THAT MIX.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE MIX THAT WE ENDED UP PROVIDING AS AFFORDABLE, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE OVERALL PROJECT, UM, IS, IS A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, MORE MISSING MIDDLE STYLE.
SO YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH THAT SATISFIED WITH IT.
UH, WELL THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.
I WILL CALL EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY, IF YOU CAN TELL ME HOW YOU VOTE.
UH, VICE CHAIR AND OUR BETA COMMISSIONER.
SHARE THIS, DAVID, TAKE OVER, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM IN THE ATTENDEE LIST, BUT I DON'T SEE THEM.
UM, PUSHER, COHEN, COMMISSIONER FRAIL,
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AND I AM I AS WELL.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
[1B. Discussion and possible action on the River Street Residences project, addressed at 61-69 RaineyStreet and 60 East Ave, seeking support for the project’s proposal to vacate the alley way. (SP-2019-0465C). Amanda Swor Drenner Group; Jim Schissler Civilitude; Stephany Roy City of Austin]
NEW BUSINESS ITEM ONE B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE RIVER STREET RESIDENCE IS PROJECT ADDRESS AT 61 69 RAINY STREET AND 60 EAST, UH, SEEKING SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT PROPOSAL TO VACATE THE ALLEY RIGHT OF WAY THE APPLICANT, UH, READY TO PRESENT.I BELIEVE THAT STAFF ACTUALLY HAD A PRESENTATION ON THIS, AND THEN WE CAN JUST, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SHORT SUPPLEMENTAL PRESENTATION STAFF.
READY, EVERYBODY HEAR ME? THIS IS, UH, AARON JENKINS.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THIS STAFF REP, SHE WAS JUST GOING TO PRESENT THE SITE PLAN, UM, AND JUST BE THERE FOR SUPPORT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO AMANDA, IF YOU WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH YOUR PRESENTATION, UM, WE CAN GO THAT ROUTE.
AND THEN THE STAFF REP FROM THE, UH, REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE IS ALSO ON, SHE'D BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN ANY QUESTIONS, THE END WE'LL ROLL WITH IT.
UM, IF I COULD SEE MY PRESENTATION, THAT WOULD BE LOVELY.
IT IS THE ONE THAT SAYS RIPPER STREET, RESIDENCES, ALLI VACATION COMING UP.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE ALLEY VACATION FOR THE RIVER STREET RESIDENCES PROJECT.
UM, THIS PROJECT CAME BEFORE Y'ALL AT YOUR LAST MEETING FOR THE DENSITY BONUS AND IS NOW CLEARED ALL OF THE COMMENTS AND IT'S COMING TO YOU, UM, FOR THE ALLEY VACATION THAT WE DISCUSSED AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO JUST FROM A REORIENTATION STANDPOINT, THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT IS BOUND ON THE EAST BAY EAST AVENUE ON THE SOUTH BAY RIVER STREET AND ON THE WEST BY RAINY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS EXISTING AERIAL, IT HAS THE ALLEY THAT BISECTS THE PROPERTIES.
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE EXISTING ALLEY.
SO IT DOESN'T MEET CURRENT STANDARDS EITHER FROM A WIDTH OR A HEIGHT PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO THIS IS AN ALLIE VACATION, BUT IT IS ONLY AN AERIAL ALLEY VACATION.
SO THE CITY WILL MAINTAIN ALL OF THE RIGHTS ON THE, ON THE GROUND AND UP TO 18 FEET IN HEIGHT, WHICH IS THE STANDARD HEIGHT FOR, UM, FOR BUILDINGS TO BE ABLE TO PROJECT OVER A PUBLIC AREA, TO ALLOW FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND OTHER ITEMS TO GO THROUGH THERE.
AND SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH ALL OF THE DISCIPLINES THAT YOU WORK WITH AS YOU GO THROUGH AN ALLEY VACATION TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE CLEARED ALL COMMENTS FROM, UM, ANY UTILITY PROVIDERS.
AND WE ALSO WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND THE METRICS FOR THIS.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A, A VACATION AERIALLY AGAIN, UM, FROM 18 FEET THEN UP, WE'VE ALSO AGREED WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION TO REALLY UPDATE AND ENHANCE THIS ALLEY SO THAT IT FUNCTIONS, UM, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S THERE TODAY.
SO THERE WILL BE A MINIMUM OF 26 FOOT CLEAR ZONE.
THEY, THERE W WE WERE ASKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE PEDESTRIAN ZONES THROUGH THE ALLEY, UM, FOR THE FUTURE, THERE ALSO BE A MINIMUM OF 18 FEET IN HEIGHT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU BUMPED OUT FROM THE ACTUAL ALLEYWAY, UM, THEY ASKED US TO RAISE THAT TO 20 FEET, UM, WHICH WE HAVE AGREED WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ALSO ASKED FOR THE ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY PUT SIGNAGE ON THE ALLEY SO THAT YOU COULD TELL THAT IT WAS PUBLIC AND USABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, THEY ASKED IF WE WOULD JUST RESERVE THE RIGHT FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
SO THEY WANT TO EVALUATE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
YOU SEE OUR, UM, KIND OF GENERIC PUBLIC ALLEY SIGN, WHICH WOULD, UH, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN AERIAL ALLEY VACATION.
EVERYTHING ON THE GROUND FLOOR WILL CONTINUE TO BE, UM, FULLY OPERATIONAL AND PUBLIC, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY BE ENHANCED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER WHAT IS THERE TODAY AGAIN,
[01:00:01]
WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERSIZED AND HEAVILY ENCOURAGED BY UTILITIES.EVERYTHING WILL BE, UM, CLEARED, WIDENED AND, UM, APPROPRIATE, CLEAR ZONE.
SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE, UM, ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, UH, PROPERTY REPRESENTATIVES THAT CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I CAN ASK YOU A QUESTION, SORRY.
I KNOW IT'S ONLY BEEN A MONTH, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THOSE CARS THAT ARE FEATURED IN THE RENDERING IN THE ALLEY.
LIKE, ARE THEY, ARE THEY PARKING INTO THE GARAGE OR WHAT ARE THEY DOING THERE? THEY ARE NOT.
SO THE, THERE IS, IF I SHOULD'VE PUT A, I SHOULD'VE PUT A PLAN IN HERE AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T DO THAT.
SO THE GARAGE ACTUALLY ACCESSES FROM EAST AVENUE.
AND SO THESE ARE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF PARKING SPACES IN HERE, WHICH CAN BE, YOU KNOW, FUTURE RESIDENTS.
THERE'S ALSO AN ADA SPACE IN HERE.
SO IT'S JUST TAUGHT UNDER THE BUILDING.
THERE'S A COUPLE, I THINK THERE WERE THREE SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, PARKING SPACES WITHIN, WITHIN THAT AREA.
SO ONCE YOU GO PAST THE CARS, DO YOU HAVE SOME OF THE, THE LOADING AREAS UNDER THERE AS WELL? OKAY.
AND IS THAT NECESSARY FOR ADA COMPLIANCE? IS THAT, I MEAN, IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR, YOUR, UM, PARKING ACCESSIBLE PARKING OR IS THAT THERE'S ALSO ADA PARKING IN THE GARAGE THERE? WE JUST ADDED ONE TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS, UM, A GROUND FOR ADA SPACE AS WELL.
UM, I GUESS THE ONLY THING I QUESTIONED IS JUST THE UTILITY OR NECESSITY OF THAT.
AND IF IT'S GOING TO CREATE ANY PROBLEMATIC SITUATIONS WITH PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE IN FACT WALKING THROUGH THERE, AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY, UM, EXPECTED BY CARS THAT ARE PARKED THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY THOUGHT I DEFINITELY HEAR YOU ON THAT.
UM, AGAIN, THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE ON BOTH SIDES WAS ASKED FOR BY ATD.
WE REALLY ENVISIONED THAT PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY USE THE ONE ON THE WEST.
UM, THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE, UH, THAT'S WHERE THE LOBBY ACCESS IS.
IT'S WHERE YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THE THROUGH AND THERE WON'T BE ANY PEDESTRIAN CONFLICTS ON THAT, UM, ON THAT WESTERN SIDE.
MINE IS JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS THE SAME ALLEY WE JUST LOOKED AT.
AND I, SO IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU SHOULDN'T SAY THAT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CLEARLY SAW WITH THE LAST PROPOSAL, HOW THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT ALLEY.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME FRONTAGE THAT YOU ALL DO WITH RAINEY STREET AND WITH RIVER STREET, THEY'VE MANAGED TO KIND OF INCORPORATE IT.
AND, UM, I JUST THINK THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY.
I STILL THINK THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS BUILDING AS I WAS A VERY STRONGLY, UH, VOCALIZING IN OUR MEETING LAST MONTH.
UM, SO I DUNNO, I JUST THINK THAT Y'ALL COULD DO SOMETHING TO ACTIVATE THAT SPACE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GET RID OF THE PARKING, JUST MAKE THE ALLEYWAY EXCITING.
UM, A LOT OF CITIES IN EUROPE, YOU GO TO ROME, YOU GOT TO FLORENCE, THEY HAVE THESE LITTLE ALLEYWAYS AND NOOKS THAT ARE LIT AND, YOU KNOW, THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF ALL THESE LITTLE SPACES AND ACTIVATE THEM.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU COULD DO THERE, BUT, UM, I DIGRESS.
THANK YOU, MR. COLEMAN CHAIR THAT YOU ASKED, WHY AREN'T WE SEEING THIS? I WOULD THINK THAT THIS IS JUST PART OF THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMITTING PROCESS.
JUST CURIOUS TO WHY I CAME BACK TO THE COMMISSION AFTER WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE PROCESS, THE VACATION OF THE ALLEY OR THE VACATION OF ANY AWAY DOWNTOWN IS REQUIRED TO COME DESIGN COMMISSION.
I ASKED THE QUESTION LAST MONTH, WHY WE DIDN'T SEE IT SIMULTANEOUSLY, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREFERRED, BUT IT'S COMING AS A SEPARATE ITEM NOW.
I MEAN, WE, I THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE WERE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT ALVIN AND ABOUT HOW WE'VE BEEN TURNED ALLEYS.
AND THERE WAS THIS BIG PUSH ABOUT ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN THAT HOW WE COULD TURN THESE ALLEYS INTO MORE LIKE THE S THE, UH, THOROUGHFARES OR WHATEVER WAS, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE THE ALLEY VACATIONS, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE ELLIE VACATIONS, THEY, THAT THEY NEED TO PUT SOMETHING SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT TO, TO KIND OF ADD TO THE CONDUCTIVITY, YOU KNOW, UH, I MEAN, I THINK ALLEYS ARE REALLY COOL IN A SENSE, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN, I LIVE IN THE HERPES NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AROUND 29TH AND PEARL STREET IN OUR ALLEYS ARE REALLY THE ALLEYS OF AUSTIN THAT RAY WYLIE HUBBARD WROTE ABOUT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO JUST VACATE IN THE ALLEY JUST BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HELP SOMEBODY OUT THERE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TRADE-OFF THERE, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING GOING ON AS FAR AS MAYBE CREATING A THOROUGHFARE
[01:05:01]
THAT IS LIKE A FIESTA STREET OR IES THE ALLEY, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, EFFORT DONE BY THE CITY OF BOSTON ABOUT USING ALLEYS AND ABOUT HOW WE COULD, WE COULD USE THOSE AS KIND OF LIKE CONNECTIVITY, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COMPONENTS.I MEAN, IF THEY, IF WE WANT TO VACATE THAT ALLEY OVER THERE AND RAINY STREET, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WAYNE STREET TONIGHT AND ALL THAT, BUT THAT'S VERY VALUABLE, THAT'S VALUE, VALUABLE LAND.
AND, AND I JUST WANT TO SEE SOMETHING THAT KINDA FITS THE COMMUNITY FROM WHATEVER WE DO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CHAIR I COULD JUST ADDRESS? UM, THE TWO COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS WERE PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.
THIS WAS, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE COULD AND COULDN'T DO, UM, ON THAT ALLEY FACE, GIVEN WHAT AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING, UM, TO DO WITH FUTURE CHANGES ON, ON WHERE CARS WILL GO, WHERE, WHERE PEDESTRIANS WILL GO.
SO THEY, WE WORKED, WE WERE GIVEN SOME PRETTY STRICT PARAMETERS ON, ON THINGS THAT WE COULD TOUCH AND THINGS THAT WE COULDN'T TOUCH AGAIN FROM THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS ON EACH SIDE AND, AND THE WIDTH.
SO I'M DEFINITELY HERE AND APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH THE DESIGN TEAM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I DON'T THINK AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS ON HERE, BUT I THINK STAFF IS, WE WEREN'T, UM, BECAUSE RAINY STREET IS SUCH AN EVOLVING AREA, AS FAR AS THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLANS AND ALL OF THAT, WE WERE, UM, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION THAT WENT BACK AND FORTH.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS NOTED.
I JUST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY'RE NOT URBAN PLANNERS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TRUE, UH, THE TRUE FABRIC OF THE URBAN FABRIC.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT W WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT OURSELVES AND I'M NOT GOING TO LEAVE IT UP TO THEM TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, APPARENTLY I DON'T REALLY TRUST WHAT THEIR DECISIONS ARE, CHAIR CHIPPER, IF I CAN ADD SOMETHING QUICKLY FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT.
SO, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, STAFF FROM THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN, BUT I DID HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH HER LAST WEEK.
AND THAT DEPARTMENT IS IN SUPPORT OF THE VACATION OF THIS ALLEYWAY.
UM, THEY HAD MET WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION ON QUITE A FEW INSTANCES TO DISCUSS THIS.
UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THEY ARE IN OF THAT, AND WE HAVE REVIEWED IT, AND WE ARE, WOULD BE ON BOARD WITH WHATEVER THE ARBOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, UH, RECOMMENDED THEY ARE THE LICENSE AGREEMENT OR THE VACATION OF THIS ALLEYWAY WOULD COME THROUGH THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE WOULD JUST BE A REVIEWER ON THAT.
WELL, THERE WE GO AGAIN, REAL ESTATE TRANSPORTATION.
I MEAN, WE'RE URBAN PLANNERS, SO WHATEVER DECISION THEY MAKE WEEK, WE HAVE TO LIVE THAT BY, BY THAT I'M OKAY.
BUT YOU HEARD WHAT? MY, YOU KNOW, MY RESPONSE WAS, IT, IT, IT HAS TO BE PER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND FOR URBAN PLANNING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SMOKE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? CAN I ASK A QUESTION? IS THE MOTION TO SAY THAT IT MEETS THE STANDARD OR COME TO MIND IT BE TO SUPPORT THE VACATION? OH.
TO SUPPORT THE VACATION? UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO SUPPORT IT, UH, WITH, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN AMENDMENT, BUT JUST A VERY STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THEY PUT MORE FOCUS ON.
UH, JUST TYING INTO THE LOCAL CULTURE OF THAT AREA.
I DON'T NEED TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
THAT'S JUST, UH, I'LL JUST LET IT STAND.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THERE'S NO AMENDMENT.
YOU'RE JUST STRAIGHT UP MAKING A RIGHT.
RECOMMENDATION OF A LITTLE BIT OF EDITORIAL COMMENTARY THERE I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION, SOME QUIET COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT.
I'M CURIOUS THOUGH, JUST GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MONTH SINCE WE LAST MET AND SAID THAT THIS PROJECT MET THE
[01:10:01]
DESIGN GUIDELINES.I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT OTHER CONVERSATION HAS HAPPENED, OR IF THAT'S HAD ANY INFLUENCE ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY.
SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, SO WE TOOK THE COMMISSION'S COMMENTS AND I ACTUALLY SENT A NOTE TO KATE.
I KNOW I HAVE DRAFTED THE LETTER, BUT I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK IT'S MADE ITS WAY TO STAFF YET, BUT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, WORKING THROUGH INCORPORATING THE INGRESS AND EGRESS COMPONENTS ALONG, ALONG RAINY STREET, AND THEN WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT AREA DOESN'T GET, UM, DOESN'T GET CUT OFF AND CAN TURN INTO RETAIL AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WAS GOING TO SAY NEXT WEEK, BUT IT'S THE WEEK AFTER DECEMBER THE EIGHTH, I BELIEVE IT IS, IS, IS WHERE WE ARE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION WOULD HAVE BEEN A WILL VOTE? I WILL CALL YOUR NAMES.
COMMISSIONER TANA, GUCCI, NO MISSION OR MINORS.
I'M IN NOW BOTH JEREMIAH AND OUR BLADES.
I DON'T THINK
COMMISSIONER FRAIL SHOULD BE ON NOW.
LUKINS DO YOU, ARE YOU PREPARED TO VOTE? BEN? ARE YOU THERE? I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AMANDA.
I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TONIGHT.
DID THE COMMISSION WISH TO CONSIDER ANOTHER MOTION SINCE THERE'S MOTION FAILED? OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION.
YOU CAN CHOOSE ANOTHER MOTION CHAIR BECAUSE THE MOTION FAILED AND YOU HAVE NO MOTION.
IN ESSENCE, THE MINUTES WOULD REFLECT NO ACTION BY THE COMMISSION.
IF THAT IS THE INTENTION OF THE COMMISSION, THAT'S, THAT'S MY CHAIR.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO NOT RECOMMEND IT, BUT THAT HELP? YES.
THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
SO IT IS UP TO THE COMMISSION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO NOT RECOMMEND IT.
I HAVE A FUNNY FEELING WHERE IT ENDED UP WITH THE SAME BOAT, UM, WITHOUT CHANGING IT.
CAN I, UM, JUST HAVE A, A MOMENT OF DISCUSSION? SURE.
MY THOUGHT IS WE ALREADY APPROVED AND SAID THAT THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY APPLIED COMPLIED WITH OUR GUIDELINES.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK, UM, IT SHOULD BE APPROVED, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE DESCENT, THE DESCENT AS WELL WITH GIVING UP SO MUCH SPACE WITHOUT A TRUE COMMUNITY BENEFIT, BESIDES SPACE FOR CARS TO DRIVE UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT, BUT YEAH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO GET FROM IT? SO I'LL HOLD STILL ALONE ON MY BOAT.
IT'S THE NATURE OF THE OBJECTION SINCE WE DID APPROVE THE PROJECT, WAS I LARGE? YAY.
WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC OBJECTION TODAY? THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN LAST TIME WE APPROVED THE PROJECT.
[01:15:02]
I'LL SAY THAT I MADE THE MOTION, UH, TO NOT RECOMMEND AND THE LAST VOTE I OBTAINED FROM IT.UM, THE REASON THAT I ABSTAINED IS BECAUSE I VOTED FOR A SIMILAR PROJECT TO GO THROUGH AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITIES THAT ARE SHARED WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND THE ONE THAT I SAID AGAINST YOU AND I HAVE A LOT OF REGRET ABOUT SAYING YES TO THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, BECAUSE, UM, IT WAS A DECISION THAT WE MADE THAT, THAT OTHER PROJECT MET THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE WERE DISPLACING TWO BARS THAT WERE GOING TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PROJECT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE THERE WAS SOME COMPROMISE WITH THIS ONE.
SO I DIDN'T FEEL GREAT ABOUT SAYING YES TO THE LAST ONE, THIS ONE I ABSTAINED.
AND NOW I THINK THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO SAY NO.
UM, AND LET'S SEE MY, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT IT WAS EXCEEDING THE 15 TOO FAR AND GETTING THE ALLEY VACATED.
AND I DIDN'T SEE ENOUGH ON-SITE BENEFITS, UH, TO, TO GET THAT ADDED FAR.
SO THAT'S WHY I VOTED AGAINST IT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO NOT SUPPORT THE VACATION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS VOTE.
UH, AGAIN, COMMISSIONER TAN OF GUCCI.
NO, TO BE CLEAR, THE MOTION IS NOT TO SUPPORT THE VACATED.
WHAT IS SUPPORTED FOR YOUR MINORS? VICE-CHAIR HANAUER PLAY-DOH DECLINE COMMISSIONER LUKINS HI, MR. COLEMAN CHRISTIAN OR FRED.
AND, UH, SO THAT MOTION FAILS AS WELL AS EXPECTED OR IF I MAY.
YES, JORGE, THANK YOU FOR THAT CHAIR.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE MINUTES WILL REFLECT THAT DUE TO THE COMMISSION BEING NOT ABLE TO HAVE A QUORUM VOTE, THIS WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT A DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION.
[2A. Approval of the October 26th meeting minutes;]
TWO, A APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 26 MEETING MINUTES.BUT IT TOOK COMMISSIONER WITCHY.
AND I SAID, YEAH, THAT, SO NOW WE'RE VOTING.
LUKINS I FOR SURE ARE CALLING AND COMMISSIONER FRAIL AND I AM AN EYE FOR THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2B. Discussion and possible action on the 2021 Design Commission Schedule.]
B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE 2021 DESIGN COMMISSION SCHEDULE.I HAD A QUESTION FOR STAFF ON THIS.
UH, IS, ARE WE GOING BACK TO OUR NORMAL SCHEDULE NOW OR ARE THESE REMOTE MEETINGS? OKAY.
UM, SO WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME WAS TO CREATE AN AGENDA AS IF WE WERE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I, BASED ON EVERY FOURTH, MONDAY AT, UH, WITH THE 6:00 PM START TIME.
[01:20:01]
UM, BUT THAT CERTAINLY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.UM, BUT IT WAS DIRECTED TO ME FROM BOARDS AND TO CREATE A SCHEDULE AS IF WE WERE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE.
I LIKE, I LIKE THE, UH, I THINK IT WAS DURING THE DAY.
AND I THINK, AND I, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
UM, I THINK WE WOULD BE SWITCHING MORE SO TOWARD A EVENING FORM, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE.
UM, THERE WON'T BE ANY CONFLICTS WITH ANYONE'S WORK SCHEDULE WITH REGARDS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT AN EVENING SCHEDULE WITH A FOUR HOUR TIME SLOT, BUT, UM, A LOT OF THIS IS PREDICATED ON THE, THE PANDEMIC.
AND AS WE ALL ARE AWARE THAT IT'S A VERY VOLATILE SITUATION.
UM, BUT AS OF NOW, WE JUST CREATED THAT SCHEDULE AS UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN EVENING START EVERY FOURTH, MONDAY, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME HOLIDAYS OR, UM, UH, OTHER INSTANCES THAT WOULD MOVE THE COMMISSION EITHER EARLIER IN THE MONTH OR LETTER IN THE MONTH.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
SO THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR US TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND I HOPE YOU CAN TURN TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHO STEPPED FORWARD.
SO DOES SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS SCHEDULE? I'M SORRY, I SHOULD.
FIVE 30, FIVE 30 ON MONDAY, RIGHT.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND REMINDER.
COMMISSIONER TAN, A GUCCI FISHER MINORS, VICE CHAIR.
HE TOLD ME HE DIDN'T HEAR YOU, BEN.
[2C. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting.]
UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.UH, THEY CANCELED THEIR MEETING.
SO WE'RE IN THAT FOR DECEMBER.
WAS THAT DUE TO A LACK OF QUORUM? I THINK, I MEAN, THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS MONTH, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT I, I, OH, NO, NO.
OH, YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS, THEY POSTED IT.
[2D. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability committee regarding last meeting.]
TWO D UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING LAST MEETING.UM, THE, THE PIG IS THAT IT'S THE, THE COUNCIL HAS REQUESTED THE CLIMATE EQUITY CITIES, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AS A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THAT MEANS IT PROBABLY WON'T MAKE IT TO COUNCIL UNTIL JANUARY.
UM, AND I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN WITH THAT BECAUSE, UH, MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT PLAN WILL REQUIRE CODE CHANGES AND THE CITY HAS ALREADY STARTED THEIR CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS FOR THE CODES THAT THEY WILL ADOPT IN 2021.
SO THE LONGER IT TAKES FOR THIS TO GET APPROVED, THE HARDER IT IS FOR THEM TO PLAY CATCH UP ON THAT AMENDMENT PROCESS, UM, TO GET IT POPPED IN NEXT YEAR.
SO, SO DAVID, CAN I, CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? SURE.
TODAY'S TODAY'S DISCUSSION ABOUT JOHN KERRY BECOMING CLIMATE CHANGE BASADUR FOR THE BIBLE PARTY.
I MEAN, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN THE HOUSE THAT CAME OUT OF THAT, HAVING JOHN PERRY, JOHN
[01:25:01]
KERRY BE IN CHARGE OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE THING, AND THEN WE'D GO BACK TO THAT.EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN SWIRLING AROUND WITH FOR YEARS, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL FOR THE WORLD OR THE WORLD.
AND I HAVE TO JUST GO ON PUBLIC RECORD AND SAY, I AM SO ENLIGHTENED AND SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES AND, AND YOU AND I CAN GO BACK TO AI, AUSTIN AND AI NATIONAL.
AND THEY'RE ALL ON THE SAME, ON THE SAME WAY, BUT THIS IS A HUGE THING FOR ME.
IT JUST MADE MY DAY, UM, WELL, NOT TO BRING YOU DOWN TO EVAN, BUT, UM, I, I DID ALSO GET AN UPDATE ON THE UPCOMING STATE LEGISLATION SESSION AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF ANTI CLIMATE BILLS BEING PROPOSED.
SO, UH, OUR STATE, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT ANYTHING NEW, YOU KNOW, BUT FROM A NATIONAL LEVEL TO HAVE JOHN KERRY VDR CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT IS JUST AWESOME.
UM, ITEM TWO, THE UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UM, COMMISSIONER FRANCO IS NOT PRESENT THAT.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON ITEM THREE, EIGHT CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THIS MONTH.
[3B. Items from Commission Members;]
B ITEMS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS IS ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE VICE CHAIR, OUR BLADES, TWO THINGS.ONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO STAFFS FOR PUTTING THE LINK ON THE CALENDAR.
THE LOVE, THE LOVE, THE LOVE COOL BACKGROUNDS WITH THIS WEB NEXT CODE.
LIKE HOW DO YOU HAVE TO DO THAT? YOU HAVE TO GO TO YOUR AUDIO AND VIDEO PREFERENCES UP AT THE TOP AT THAT MENU, AND THEN YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS.
THIS IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA, SO SURE.
I'D LIKE YOU UPDATE THE GROUP ON OUR PROGRESS WITH THE UPDATE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, UH, IT'S A GREAT DEAL IN THE WAY IT'S ALL SET UP WITH THE NEEDLE THING IS, IS KIND OF LIKE REALLY COOL AND I HOPE THAT THEY CAN, EVERYBODY CAN KIND OF GET INVOLVED IN IT.
I KNOW WE CAN'T HAVE, WE CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN OTHER FORUM, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY FUN FOR ME.
A VERY INTERESTING, I'M NOT SAYING FUN, BUT IT'S BEEN A REALLY EFFECTIVE WAY WHERE WE CAN PUT ALL OF OUR, OUR THOUGHTS OUT THERE ON THIS NEATO BOARD, WHICH IS JUST KIND OF LIKE REALLY COOL
SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS, BUT YEAH.
UH, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK, UH, TO, TO STAFF THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING A GOOD FOUNDATION RIGHT NOW WITH A FRAMEWORK TO USE, UM, TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON IS, IS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT STAKEHOLDERS WE'RE GONNA INVITE AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE BASICS LIKE WHAT OUR GOALS ARE AND WHAT WE WANT OUR OUTCOMES TO BE.
UM, AND, UH, AND KINDA, YOU KNOW, DOING ALL OF THOSE FIRST STEPS PLANNING PROCESS BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE ACTUAL GUIDELINES THEMSELVES.
AND SO, UM, I AGREE WITH EVAN, IT'S BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE THAT OUR MEETINGS WE'VE HAD SO FAR, UM, AND, UH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S VERY EXCITING AND I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC OF, OF, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, GETTING SOMETHING DONE.
BUT AS WE, AS WE START GETTING MORE MATERIAL, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL PROVIDE MORE REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMISSION AND THEN ULTIMATELY, UM, COME TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OF THE PLAN BEFORE IT GOES TO COUNCIL.
AND I WAS GOING TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS INVOLVED IN THE, UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN DEAL.
[01:30:01]
FORWARD, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN TAKE OUR WORKING GROUP.WE'LL EVEN BREAK THOSE WORKING GROUPS UP IN THIS SMALLER WORKING GROUPS, RIGHT? LIKE LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION.
WE'RE ALWAYS SHARING THAT WITH A NIGHT IN AUSTIN, BUT WE CAN ALL TAKE APART OUR FOLKS ON THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND WE CAN PUT THEM IN CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM SILOS, BUT YEAH, WE CAN PUT EVERYBODY IN A SPECIAL AREA AND WE CAN ALL KIND OF WORK ON THAT INSTEAD OF WORKING, TRYING TO WASTING A LOT OF TIME, TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER, OUR SPECIALIZED POPE'S IN AND HELP US GET THAT THING, YOU KNOW, CLARIFIED IN THOSE CERTAIN SILOS OR THAT SILOS WITH THE PILLARS.
I THINK THAT JORGE TALKS ABOUT.
AND I THINK THOSE, THOSE, UH, IF YOU WANNA CALL THEM SUB COMMITTEES THAT WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY COMMISSIONER TO BE INVOLVED AS THEY WANT TO BE, UM, WITHOUT FEAR OF HAVING A QUORUM.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
DID ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY ITEMS THEY WANTED TO BRING UP? NOPE.
ITEM THREE C ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF, AARON OR JORGE.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I'M NOT SURE FROM OUR PART.
WELL THEN IT IS 7:07 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL, PLEASE STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY.