[Determination of Quorum / Meeting Called to Order]
[00:00:04]
SO HAVING A CORE IN PRESENT, I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 6:03 PM.
IT'S LIKE WAITING FOR SOME VIDEOS TO COME ON.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS PRESENT ARE ANDERSON AZHAR CONNOLLY, MYSELF, HOWARD YANNIS, TOLEDO, SCHNEIDER SEGER THOMPSON.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR EX OFFICIO MEMBERS, UM, COMMISSIONER LAYTON, BURWELL, AND COMMISSIONER MENDOZA.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, ARE YOU JUMPING ON? ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'LL GET GOING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REMIND COMMISSIONERS THAT YOU, UH, PLEASE HAVE YOUR GREEN, RED, AND YELLOW ITEMS FOR VOTING REMAIN MUTED WHEN YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING AND RAISE YOUR HAND TO BE RECOGNIZED.
IF I MISS YOU WAVE AT ME AGAIN AND YOU CAN VERBALLY LET ME KNOW, UH, IF, IF I'M STILL NOT SEEING YOU.
AND, UM, JUST REMEMBER THAT WE NEED SEVEN VOTES TO APPROVE A MOTION FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS ON THE PHONE, YOU'LL SELECT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
AND IF YOUR ITEM IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMAIN ON THE LINE.
YOU'LL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WHEN WE'RE ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM TAKING UP THE ITEM.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GET STARTED
[Consent Agenda]
WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING.OUR FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT IS REVIEW THE AGENDA AND VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'LL READ EACH PUBLIC HEARING ITEM AND IDENTIFY AS THOSE THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF OR CONSENT APPROVAL, WHICH INCLUDE CONSENT POSTPONEMENTS AND NON-DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO FIRST WE'LL START WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE CORRECTIONS? OKAY.
SEEING NONE I'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC, UH, OR AGENDA ITEM B PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO, UH, WE HAVE ITEM B ONE, A PLAN AMENDMENT FOR NPA DASH 2019 DASH ZERO ZERO ZERO 3.01.
DAVID CHAPEL, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL DECEMBER 8TH, ITEM B TWO, A REZONING C 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE ZERO FIVE.
DAVID CHAPEL, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
IT'S ALSO STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL DECEMBER 8TH.
LET'S SEE, 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE ZERO SIX.
DAVID CHAPEL, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH TRACT THREE, THAT STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL DECEMBER 8TH, WE HAVE BEFORE REZONING C 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE ZERO SEVEN.
DAVID CHAPEL, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH TRACKED FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT FOR DECEMBER 8TH.
UH, WE HAVE B FIVE A PLAN AMENDMENT THAT'S NPA DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO ONE 6.01 M S C AND CTC TRACKS ZONING.
THAT'S AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 8TH, ITEM B SIX IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO SEVEN THREE M S C N C T C TRACKS ZONING APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT UNTIL DECEMBER 8TH.
UH, ITEM B SEVEN PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO TWO 1.0 TO 1100 MANLOVE STREET.
THIS HAS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 8TH AND THE APPLICANT IS IN AGREEMENT.
I AM B EIGHT REZONING, C 14 POINT OF ORDER.
DID YOU MEAN DECEMBER 8TH? UH, YES.
[00:05:02]
OKAY.ITEM B EIGHT IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO EIGHT ONE 1100 MAN LOVED STREET.
THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 8TH.
THE APPLICANT IS IN AGREEMENT.
I WOULDN'T BE NINE AS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE ONE FIVE MIDTOWN FLATS.
THIS IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM B 10 IS A REZONING C 14 H DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO EIGHT SEVEN BAKER SCHOOL.
THIS ITEM IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION AND THEN B 11 AS A REZONING C 14 H DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE ONE THREE.
THE EA MURCHISON HOUSE OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM B 12, REZONING C 14 H DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE TWO ZERO.
THE MUTUAL BUILDING IT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND B 13.
THERE'S A FINAL PLAT OUT OF A PRELIMINARY PRELIMINARY PLAN, C EIGHT DASH 2018 DASH ZERO ONE TWO 2.38 EAST VILLAGE PHASE TWO.
THIS IS DISAPPROVED FOR REASONS PER THE EXHIBIT C OF THE STAFF REPORT.
ITEM B 14 IS A PRELIMINARY PLAN C EIGHT J DASH 2019 DASH ZERO ONE FOUR ONE SKYLINE TWO D PRELIMINARY PLAN OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM B 15, RIGHT AWAY VACATION, UM, FOUR 60 EAST AVENUE 61 RAINY STREET AND 69 RAINY STREET OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND ITEM B 16 IS OUR HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH WILL BE A BRIEFING ONLY AN ACTION TAKEN ON DECEMBER 8TH.
SO LET ME GO BACK THROUGH THE AGENDA.
UM, ALRIGHT, B ONE THROUGH FOUR STAFF POSTPONEMENT, DECEMBER 8TH, V FIVE AND B SIX APPLICANT.
POSTPONEMENTS IS DECEMBER 8TH.
I AM B SEVEN AND B EIGHT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT FOR DECEMBER 8TH, B NINE, B 11, B12 B 14, B 15 ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE 10, B 13 IS DISAPPROVAL FOR REASONS PER EXHIBIT C OF THE STAFF REPORT.
SO THIS CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM ITEMS ON THE AGENDA? YES, PATRICIA S OUR COMMISSIONER, I'M NOT RECUSING.
I'M ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENT ON SEVEN AND EIGHT.
OUR BACKUP MATERIAL SAYS NEIGHBORHOOD WANTED THE 22ND AT BAY THEN HAVE THEY NOW AGREED TO DECEMBER 8TH ON THOSE TWO CASES? SURE.
ALL PARTIES ARE IN AGREEMENT TO DECEMBER DELIBERATE.
SO DO ANY COMMISSIONERS NEED TO RECUSE FOR MANY OF THE ITEMS? OKAY.
I'M SEEING THEM DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WANT TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENTED ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR OTHERWISE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? UH, CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? LET'S GO MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SR.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
SO WE HAVE, UM, THE MOTION PASSES, UH, THAT WAS ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE FOUR.
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC
[B10. Rezoning: C14H-2020-0087 - Baker School; District 9]
HEARING.SO COMMISSIONER IS JUST A QUICK REMINDER THAT DURING THE ROUND ROBIN, PLEASE STATE WHO THE QUESTION IS FOR AN ALLOWING A FEW SECONDS BEFORE ASKING THE QUESTION TO HAVE THE STAFF MEMBER COME ON, UM, TO CAN SOMEONE FROM STAFF TELL ME WHICH REPRESENTATIVES OR WHICH DEPARTMENTS WE HAVE HERE TONIGHT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
[00:10:01]
WE'LL START WITH, OH, IN PUBLIC WORKS.SO WE'LL START WITH THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
ARE YOU THERE? YES, I THINK SO.
UH, STEVE SADOWSKY FROM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND PRESENTING THE, UH, APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE BAKER SCHOOL AT 39 OH EIGHT AVENUE B.
THIS IS, UH, A 1911 SCHOOL, BUT THE HISTORY, BUT REPRESENTS THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN AUSTIN TO A MUCH GREATER EXTENT.
UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLING AND OFTEN CAME, CAME RATHER LATE IN THE 1870S.
WE HAD STATE LAWS AND SET UP, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, AND AUSTIN JUMPED ON BOARD, BUT, UH, PRIOR TO THAT, MOST EDUCATION IN AUSTIN WAS PRIVATE THROUGH TUTORS OR, UH, RELIGIOUS RELATED, UH, FACILITIES RATHER THAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE BAKER SCHOOL HAVE, UH, REPRESENTS BASICALLY THE ENTIRE HISTORY, AS I SAID, EDUCATION IN AUSTIN.
UH, IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE GIRL TO THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY BY MONROE.
SHIPE ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS OF HYDE PARK AS A MIDDLE TO UPPER MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WASN'T THE AVAILABILITY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL IS THE SECOND HYDE PARK SCHOOL SITE ACTUALLY, UH, ESTABLISHED A SCHOOL FIRST, WHICH WAS SOON OUTGROWN BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN BAKER SCHOOL CAME IN TO SERVE THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
AFTER THAT, IT WAS NAMED FOR DEWITT CLINTON BAKER.
YOU HAVE TO ESTABLISH AUSTIN'S PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, UH, AND, UH, HAS OPERATED AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, UNTIL THE, UH, 1980S BAKER WAS DEFINED BY A PROMINENT ARCHITECT AND, UH, REPRESENTS A NEOCLASSICAL EXPRESSION THAT, UH, IS VERY, UH, TYPICAL FOR INSTITUTIONAL TYPE BUILDINGS.
NEOCLASSICAL EXPRESSIONS REPRESENTED THE STRENGTH AND STABILITY OF THE INSTITUTION.
SO WHILE THE ARCHITECTURE IS NOT CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE NOMINATION HERE, BECAUSE BAKER IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE HIGH PARK, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT IS STILL A VERY IMPORTANT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SCHOOL WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BANKER, UH, HAS BEEN ADDED ONTO SEVERAL TIMES ALL BY, UH, VERY PROMINENT ARCHITECTS, UH, RIGHT.
THOMAS YOU GO CUNY THE NAMES GO ON AND ON.
UH, IT HAS TO BE ADDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE BUILDING, UH, AISD RECENTLY SOLD THE PROPERTY AND, UH, IT IS NOW BEING RENOVATED AND REHABILITATED AND PRESERVED.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR BAKER SCHOOL IS, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION UNDER ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION FOR ITS, UH, ASSOCIATION WITH EDUCATION IN AUSTIN AND FOR COMMUNITY VALUE AGAIN FOR, UH, REPRESENTING THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION AND ESPECIALLY IN THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT IS, AS I SAID, CONTRIBUTING TO THE HIGH PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH PROTECTS THIS PROPERTY, UH, FOR ANY CHANGES TO THE BUILDING ITSELF OR TO THE SITE WILL REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FROM THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO SINGLE OUT THE BAKER SCHOOL.
UH, A HISTORIC LANDMARK IS REALLY A CELEBRATION OF THE BUILDING ITSELF AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIFIC
[00:15:01]
IMPORTANCE THAT IT HAS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.SO STAFF SUPPORTS A HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE BAKER SCHOOL, BUT HAS OFFERED A RECOMMENDATION THAT NOT THE ENTIRE SITE NEEDS TO BE ZONED HISTORIC.
UH, AS I SAID, THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE HIGH PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT.
EVERYTHING ON THIS SITE IS PROTECTED THROUGH THE REQUIREMENT FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
AND IT STAFF'S OPINION TO FOCUS ON THE SCHOOL AS THE PRIMARY, UH, AS THE PRIMARY PRESENCE ON THIS SITE AND CELEBRATE IT AND RECOGNIZE IT AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR ITS SINGULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY IN GENERAL.
UH, SO STAFF HAS OFFERED A, UH, A MAP SHOWING A SMALLER PORTION OF THE PARCEL THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
IT COUNTERS THE SCHOOL, IT CAPTURES THE CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS TO ITS NORTH.
IT CAPTURES THE FRONTAGE ALONG AVENUE B AS APPROPRIATE FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UH, AND THE REST OF THE SITE IS AGAIN, PROTECTED BY ITS PRESENCE WITHIN THE HIGH PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM THOSE THAT ARE IN FAVOR.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE APPLICANT PRESENTATION.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT IS, UM, RICHARD WEISS AND YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES I'M PRESENT, I THINK CAN HEAR YOU.
WELL, I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING THAT, BOTH THE APPLICANT AND THE ARCHITECT FOR THE REHABILITATION AND ZONING OF THE BAKER SCHOOL CAMPUS, WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN 2019 FROM AISD, ASIDE FROM BEING A CONTRIBUTING PARCEL TO THE NCCD, DECIDED PAINSTAKINGLY REHABILITATED HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR STATE AND NATIONAL HISTORIC TAX CREDITS AND LANDMARK STATUS AND MISLEAD THE PRESERVATION, UH, OFTEN 20, 20 MERIT AWARD AND RECOGNITION FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK AND EXPENSE THAT THE OWNERS TO PUT INTO REVITALIZING THIS CAMPUS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE REMAINING PARCEL SHOULD BE DOWN HISTORIC, UH, SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THE HISTORY BECAUSE STEVE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF THAT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE, UM, REASON WHY, UH, THEY'RE NOT RECOMMENDING, UM, ZONING, UH, HISTORIC ON THE ENTIRE SITE IS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD HOUSING ON THIS SITE.
AND IN 2017, THE ORIGINAL RFP THAT WAS ISSUED BY AISD FOR THE BAKER SCHOOL REQUIRED A PUBLIC GOOD.
AND OUR PROPOSAL LISTED SEVERAL PUBLIC GOODS, INCLUDING THE RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE BAKER, BUILDING ZONING, THE CAMPUS, HISTORIC AND USE OF THE BUILDING AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE.
WE ALSO INCLUDED A POTENTIAL FOR HOUSING LOCATED ON THE ONE ACRE BAKER FIELD ON THE BACK OF THE BUILDING SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND, UH, UH, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ZONE THE BAKER FIELDS FOR A FIVE STORY, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A 25% AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT.
AND IF YOU NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE, THE, UH, THAT POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALSO LIMITED DEVELOPMENT ON THE REST OF THE SITE THROUGH ZONING RESTRICTIONS IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE REST OF THE CAMPUS.
WE PUSHED ALL OF THE DENSITY TO THE, TO THE BACK.
HOWEVER, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY BOUGHT THAT PORTION OF THE SITE IN ORDER TO BUILD A REGIONAL DETENTION PARK.
UH, AND WE WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT PORTION OF THE FIELD IS NOT PART OF THIS ZONING APPLICATION.
AND IT IS THE ONLY PORTION OF THE SITE THAT WAS ENTITLED FOR 50 FOOT OR FOR, UH, THAT LEVEL OF DENSITY.
UM, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGED THE CITY TO WORK WITH, UH, HFC AND PUBLIC WORKS TO BUILD HOUSING ON THAT SITE, ALONG WITH THE DETENTION, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A FEASIBLE AND IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO BUILD A HOUSING THERE.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT BELONGS, BUT NOT ZONING THE REMAINDER OF THE BAKER PARCEL, UH, IN ITS ENTIRETY, I THINK GOES AGAINST THE HISTORIC ZONING TOOL AND WILL BE PUNITIVE TO THE OWNERS THAT HAVE SPENT A CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES, MONEY, AND TIME TO PRESERVE THIS GEM OF THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THE PIECEMEAL HISTORIC ZONING ON THE SITE WILL NOT RESULT IN ANY CONSTRUCTION OF ANY NEW HOUSING ON THE REMAINING SITE BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTIVE OVERLAYS.
AND I THINK IT WILL SET A NEGATIVE PRECEDENT THAT DISINCENTIVIZES PRIVATE INVESTMENTS IN PRESERVING OUR HISTORY AND CULTURE.
I URGE YOU NOT TO LOOK AT THIS AS ZONING, PARKING, LOTS, HISTORIC, AND RATHER CONSIDER PRESERVING THE ENTIRE CAMPUS REMAINING CAMPUS IN ITS ENTIRETY.
[00:20:01]
THANK YOU.NOW WE'VE GUIDES AND SUSAN MOFFETT ON THE PHONE PRESS STAR SIX.
HI, I'M SUSAN MOFFIT, CURRENT SECRETARY OF THE HIGH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF HISTORIC SOUNDING FOR BAKER SCHOOL AND ITS ENTIRE GROUNDS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY'S HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
ANCHOR WAS BUILT IN 1911 ON THE SITE OF THE HIGH PARK AT THE LEN.
IT WAS NAMED TO HONOR DEWITT CLINTON BAKER WHO HELPED ESTABLISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AUSTIN AND SERVED AS INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS FROM 1872 TO 1887.
IT'S A TRADITIONAL THREE-STORY BRICK BUILDING WITH LARGE WINDOWS AND BOBBER LEAF DETAILS.
THE UPPER FACADE IT'S GROUND CONTAIN HISTORIC POST OAK TREES LIKELY PLANTED TO PROVIDE SHADE FOR YOUNG STUDENTS.
BAKER WAS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF AAM MCCALLUM FOR WHOM MCCALLUM HIGH SCHOOL WAS NAMED THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN LIST.
BAKER IS ONE OF FIVE NEIGHBORHOOD SITES THAT SHOULD SPECIFICALLY BE CONSIDERED FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS.
IN 1911, WHEN BAKER WAS BUILT, AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE COMPLETELY SEGREGATED AND BAKER WAS INTENDED TO BE AN ALL WHITE SCHOOL.
HOWEVER, IT LATER PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE LONG OVERDUE INTEGRATION OF AUSTIN SCHOOLS IN THE 1970S, WHEN BAKER BECAME ONE OF A HANDFUL OF CAMPUSES DESIGNATED AS AN INTEGRATED SIXTH GRADE CENTER, FINALLY OPENING BAKER'S DOORS TO STUDENTS OF EVERY RACE AND ETHNICITY.
ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT HISTORIC ZONING WOULD NOT PRECLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THE SITE OF SOMEONE'S MISTAKENLY ASSUMED HISTORIC ZONING WOULD ONLY AFFECT THE BUILDING EXTERIOR AND GROUNDS.
THE 66,000 SQUARE FOOT INTERIOR COULD STILL BE RECONFIGURED FOR MANY AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE FUTURE.
HYDE PARK, STRONGLY SUPPORTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RESIDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED AREAS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT CAN BE READILY INCORPORATED, BUT IT'S A FALSE CHOICE TO PIN HISTORIC RECOGNITION OF THIS.
ONE OF THE KIND LANDMARK AGAINST AFFORDABILITY.
AUSTIN IS CAPABLE OF BOTH AS MR. WEISS EXPLAINED BAKER FIELD WAS REZONED WITH NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT TO ALLOW FIVE STORIES OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH 25% AFFORDABLE UNITS.
HOWEVER, IN MARCH, 2020, THE CITY INSTEAD DECIDED TO BUY BAKER FIELDS WHERE A REGIONAL DETENTION POND ALSO A MUCH NEEDED PUBLIC BENEFIT, BUT NOT THE ONE WE'D HOPED FOR.
FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE MANY LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES NEAR BAKER SUITABLE FOR CONVERTING TO PERMANENT DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IN FACT, MOST OF THESE OLDER COMPLEXES CURRENTLY PROVIDE MARKET AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE RENTERS WHO MAKE UP OVER 70% OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AFTER OVER A CENTURY OF SCHOOL, YOUTH BAKER IS NOW THE HEADQUARTERS OF AN ICONIC AUSTIN BUSINESS, THE ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE, WHICH HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB RESTORING AND MAINTAINING THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS DESPITE SERIOUS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP TO THE PANDEMIC.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO PRESERVE THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF AUSTIN HISTORY BY SUPPORTING THE HLC RECOMMENDATION TO GRANT HISTORIC 74, THE BAKER SCHOOL AND ITS SITE.
THANK YOU, MS. MOFFITT IS REED LONG ON THE LINE AM.
YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
AND I, UM, AM SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, I WAS ASKED BY THE FORMER OR BY THE CURRENT PRESIDENT AS THE FORMER CO-PRESIDENT, UM, DURING THE TIME WHEN BAKER ORIGINALLY APPROACHED THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT ACQUIRING THE SITE AND OBTAINING THE ZONING, UH, AND RELAY OUR FULL SUPPORT FOR THE APPLICANT PLAN, UH, FOR HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE ENTIRE SITE, AS WELL AS THAT RECOMMENDED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF TESTIMONY, UM, FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE TONIGHT, INCLUDING, UM, SUSAN WHO DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF LAYING OUT THE HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY.
BUT I, I LIKE TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AGREEMENT AND THAT WE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH ALAMO, WHERE THIS WAS ONE OF THE KEY PIECES WAS THAT ALAMO WOULD AFTER RE INVADING AND RESTORING THE BUILDING BE SEEKING HISTORIC ZONING, WHERE THAT BUILDING AND THE SITE.
AND WE BELIEVE TONIGHT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UH, HONOR THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WORK HONOR, THIS BUILDING AND THE SITE, WHICH HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL ROLE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AS THE SON OF A SCHOOL TEACHERS.
[00:25:01]
AS HONORING AND HELPING AN ICONIC AUSTIN LOCAL BUSINESS THAT YOU KNOW, HAS NOT SEEN THE BEST OF DAYS DUE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC THAT SURROUNDING US.AND WE BELIEVE AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU SHOULD ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND THE PROPOSAL OF THE APPLICANT.
IS LINDA ANDERSON ON THE LINE? HI.
UM, HI, MY NAME IS LINDA ANDERSON AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT BAKER SCHOOL.
I HAVE LIVED ON AVENUE B FOR 48 YEARS.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH AT BAKER SCHOOL IN THE 1970S WHEN IT BECAME AN INTEGRATED SIXTH GRADE CENTER.
AND IT PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE INTEGRATION, THE AUSTIN SCHOOLS, AS I CONTINUED TO TEACH FOR 30 MORE YEARS, I KNOW WHAT BAKER SCHOOL LOOKED LIKE THEN.
AND I HAD SEEN THE BEAUTIFUL RESTORATION DONE BY ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE.
THIS AREA OF AUSTIN, AS YOU PROBABLY ALL KNOW, IS VERY DENSELY POPULATED.
AND THE BAKER SCHOOL BROWNS PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED GREEN SPACE FOR THIS WHOLE AREA IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
THE GROUNDS ALSO PROVIDE A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE BAKER SCHOOL BUILDING AND ITS GROUNDS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS HISTORIC AUSTIN AND IS LONG OVERDUE TO BE ZONED.
MS. ANDERSON IS KAREN MCGRAW ON THE PHONE, MISS MCGRAW.
ARE YOU THERE? THIS IS KAREN MCGRAW.
UM, I AM A LONGTIME HYDE PARK RESIDENT, AN ARCHITECT.
HE'S WORKED ON MANY OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN HYDE PARK, UH, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ALSO, UM, AN OWNER OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, TWO BLOCKS FROM THE SITE ON GUADALUPE.
UM, HAVING WORKED WITH ALL THESE THINGS ALL THESE YEARS.
UM, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS I WANT TO MAKE AGAIN, TO REMIND YOU THE BACK SIDE, IT WAS SOLD AS A CITY IS NOT PART OF THIS TONIGHT.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT, OTHER THAN THE HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, GOING THROUGH THE ZONING.
AND AGAIN, TO REMIND YOU THAT WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE OWNERS NEGOTIATED THE ZONING, EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FRONT 73 TO THIS LOT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE VIEW OF THE SCHOOL AND THE GROUNDS.
AND SO THE 70 FOOT SETBACK IS ALREADY THERE, WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW ANYTHING TO BE BUILT IN THAT FRONT 70 FEET.
UM, AND THE SIDES OF THE BUILDING UNDERSTANDING SOMETHING COULD BE BUILT THERE.
DESIGNING ONLY ALLOWS 30 FEET OF HEIGHT WHERE THE SCHOOL IS 41 FEET.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO ALLOW SOME FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, BUT THE MAIN HOME, THE HISTORIC BUILDING AND ITS SITE, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN OPEN SITE FOR 109 YEARS, BUT THE BUILDING, I'M A LITTLE BAFFLED BY THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO CARVE UP THE SITE.
UM, AND YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ONLY IT'S HISTORIC, BUT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN ANY CRITERIA.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL EITHER REFERENCE BACK TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, WHERE THERE ARE PRESERVATION PROFESSIONALS AND WHERE THEY VOTED 10 TO ONE TO RECOMMEND THE ENTIRE SITE FOR HISTORIC BURNING, UM, OR TWO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LEARN WHAT SOME OF THE CRITERIA ARE.
I SENT YOU AN EMAIL JUST IN THE LAST HOUR WITH TWO PAGES FROM THE FEDERAL SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS.
AND THESE ARE REFERENCED, TWIN PROPERTIES ARE REVIEWED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR PRESERVATION OR FOR CHANGES.
UM, AND THE PRINT SHEETS I SENT YOU, UH, ONE OF THEM HAS TO DO WITH THE SITE AND LOOKING AT THE WHOLE SITE AND IT ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SPEAKERS, WHICH INCLUDE PARKING THAT ARE PART OF A SITE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO TAKE THE BUILDING AND THE SITE APART.
UM, THE OTHER PLANS I SENT YOU HAD TO DO WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CONTEXT.
SO THE SIDE IS VERY MUCH PART OF THE CONTENT AS A SCHOOL
[00:30:01]
YARD, AND IT WAS A GREEN SPACE AND A GATHERING SPACE FOR NEIGHBORS.SO I REALLY IMPLORE YOU TO, AND I WISH HAVING BEEN A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
I WISH THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER HISTORIC ZONING, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME SORT OF, UH, AT LEAST MINIMAL TRAINING AND THERE GOES MY TIME.
BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT, UH, YOU WILL FOLLOW THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND VOTE TO RECOMMEND LEARNING THIS ENTIRE SITE.
HISTORIC, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM THE PRIMARY PONANT.
WE'VE GOT THOMAS ADES ON THE PHONE.
HI, MR. AIDES, ARE YOU THERE? HELLO? HELLO.
UM, MY NAME IS THOMAS EIGHTS AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF FRIENDS OF HYDE PARK, AND WE STRONGLY OPPOSED THE REZONING OF THE BAKER CENTER TO INCLUDE HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, THIS ZONING WILL MOVE ALMOST ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THE PROPERTY, IN THE FEATURE, AND SHOULD BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE HISTORIC COMMISSION PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THE BANKER SAID HE PROPERTY IS ALREADY ZONE WITHIN THE HIGH PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THERE'S NO NEED TO ALSO OWN THE PROPERTY WITH THE FERVOR.
HISTORIC WAS FRICTION MAKING A PROPERTY.
HISTORIC HAS BEEN KNOWN TO MAKE IT HARD OR IMPOSSIBLE TO ADD HOUSING TO ANY PART OF THE PROPERTY.
EVEN THE PARKING LOT IN PARKING LOTS COVERED CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF THE BIGGEST SCHOOL PROPERTY.
IT COULD BE A GREAT WAY TO ADD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AROUND EXISTING BUILDING.
UM, WHEN THE, THE ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE RECENTLY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 2018, UH, FRIENDS OF HYDE PARK AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT ALAMO HAD NO INTENTION OF EVER BUILDING ANY HOUSING ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH WAS HARD FOR THEM IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY FROM AISB.
WE WERE CONCERNED THAT ALAMO ONLY INCLUDED THE DESIGNS FOR ADDITIONAL AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THEIR PROPOSAL AS A WAY TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY UNDER MARKET FROM AISB.
SO AT THE ALAMO COULD EASE THE PROPERTY SOLELY FOR THEIR HEADQUARTERS.
AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AS TIME HAS GONE ON, UM, WE ARE ADDITIONALLY CONCERNED, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, DUE TO ALL THE TROUBLES DUE TO COVID-19 THAT, UH, THIS IS THE ONLY REQUEST COULD BE A SHORT TERM STRATEGY TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE LAND BEFORE A POTENTIAL SALE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY READ ARTICLES ABOUT THE FINANCIAL TROUBLES THAT ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE UNDERGOING RIGHT NOW, WHICH DOESN'T GIVE US, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY COMFORT, ADDITIONALLY, HISTORIC DESIGNATION WOULD DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES ALAMO WOULD HAVE WITH PAY YEARLY THIS HISTORIC COMMISSION, UM, AND NO SHOULD IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION FEE COUNCIL NEEDS TO REJECT THE BILLING DECISION THAT COULD SIMPLY BE TO THE BENEFIT OF THE PROPERTY OWNER FINANCIALLY IN THE SHORT TERM.
AND INSTEAD WE, HOPEFULLY WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THIS REZONING, UM, AND TO POTENTIAL FEATURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NET LOSS.
UM, I THINK MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT HYDE PARK ALREADY HAS THE DEARTH OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND WE REALLY, REALLY ARE OUR MAIN IMPETUS.
WE'RE JUST SIMPLE PEOPLE WORKING.
MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE, MANY OF US RENTERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE AFFORDABLE, UH, NEIGHBORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE REALLY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE PARKING LOTS, BE DECLARED, DECLARED, UM, YOU KNOW, AS HISTORIC, I THINK THAT AGAINST THE FLS OF HYDE PARK, WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT.
PLEASE, PLEASE, WITH CHECKLIST ZONING, MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR YOUR WORKING AND MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORS IN HYDE PARK.
DOES THE APPLICANT, RICHARD WEISS WANT TO HAVE A REBUTTAL?
YES, I'M SO SORRY, MS. JESSICA CHAMPION.
I HAD ACTUALLY INTENDED TO SPEAK
[00:35:01]
ON, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE HISTORIC ZONING.I MAY HAVE GOTTEN IT BACKWARDS.
MAY I STILL SPEAK OR HAVE THAT ALREADY BEEN COVERED? UM, NO.
SO, UM, JESSICA SHAPE AND IS SPEAKING FOR, UM, SO YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES.
I'M A, I'M A CLOSE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE BAKER SCHOOL PROPERTY I LIVE AT IN A HISTORIC HOME AT 39.
DURING THAT TIME, THE BAKER SCHOOL HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT WAS NEGLECTED.
THE POST OAK TREES WERE STRUGGLING.
THE ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE HAS, HAS WORKED MIRACLES ON THAT STRUCTURE.
I WAS PART OF THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION GROUP THAT WORKED WITH THE ALAMO IN GOOD FAITH THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF APPROVING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT THEY HAD PROPOSED.
UM, THEY PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO BEAUTIFUL DESIGN AND REALLY BUILDING SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEN THE, THEN THE DETENTION POND WENT IN AND YET THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH IT.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO STILL REALLY MAKE THE GROUNDS THING.
AND I'VE BEEN WALKING PAST THAT FOR YEARS AND I'M TIRED OF THE DEAD GRASS AND IT LOOKS AWFUL AND THEY'RE PLANTING TREES.
AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL.
I MEAN, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO THE ALAMO AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A LOCAL BUSINESS INVESTING IN CREATING AN OASIS THAT PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN SHARE.
AND AS OUR, AS THE DENSITY CARD AROUND AND GUADALUPE GETS HIGHER AND MORE PEOPLE MOVE IN, WE'LL HAVE THAT OPEN SPACE FOR YEARS AND ONCE WE LOSE IT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT BACK.
UM, SO I AM STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF KIND OF STICKING WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN AND LETTING ALAMO MOVE FORWARD AND NOT PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER THEIR FINANCIAL PLANS BY SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE TAX PICTURE.
AND ALSO AS A, AS A CLOSE NEIGHBOR OF THAT BUILDING, I'M AFRAID WITH THAT PRESSURE TO SELL THOSE AS PARKING LOTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUDDENLY HAVE PARKING ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO NEGOTIATE THAT, THAT NOT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE ONSITE PARKING AND USE JUST THE PARKING THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S ENOUGH PARKING FOR, FOR THEIR USES.
AND THERE WERE NOT THE, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LOT WE'RE BROKEN UP.
SO I AM STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, SPACE AROUND THE BAKER SCHOOL FOR AESTHETIC HISTORICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS.
UM, AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF HYDE PARK AND THE CITY OF BOSTON.
OKAY, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE APPLICANT IF YOU WANTED TO USE THEIR REBUTTAL TIME.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN STILL SEE THE SLIDES, UH, BUT THE, THE LAST SLIDE I'D LIKE TO USE TO ILLUSTRATE SOME OF, UH, WHAT, UH, THE FRIENDS OF HYDE PARK SAID, UH, THE FIRST IS, UM, WE, UH, DID HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF BUILDING, UH, ON THAT ONE ACRE PROPERTY.
UH, WE, UH, DID SCHEMATIC DESIGNS ON IT AND WE FOUGHT THE CITY WHEN THEY, UH, WANTED TO TAKE IT TO AN A MINUTE DOMAIN TO TRY AND CONVINCE THEM TO, UH, DESIGN THE DETENTION POND SO THAT IT COULD INCORPORATE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH HFC ABOUT IT, BUT, BUT THROUGHOUT EVERY, UH, DISCUSSION WITH THEM, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPLORE EVERY OPTION TO PROVIDE HOUSING THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, REMAINING SITE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TWO YELLOW AREAS, I'M SORRY.
SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S LITTLE BIT OF AN ECHO WE CAN HEAR.
UM, SO, UH, THE, THE TWO, UH, PARKING LOTS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE ZONING SETBACK THAT WAS FILED IN THE, UM, IN THE, UH, ORIGINAL, UH, ZONING CASE, UH, AMOUNT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST OVER FIVE OR UNDER FIVE SINGLE FAMILY, LOTS, BUT PROVIDE 50 SPACES, UM, UH, CONTIGUOUS, BUT IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THOSE AREAS WERE ZONED FOR MAXIMUM OF TWO STORIES AND MAXIMUM OF 30 FEET.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT LITTLE YOU COULD BUILD WITH THOSE RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE LOTS, UM, UH, YOU'D BE TAKING AWAY 50 SPACES OF THE 207 SPACE, UH, UH, UH, THAT, SORRY, THAT WAS THE REQUIREMENT PRIOR TO, BUT YEAH, URBAN REDUCTION, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE PARKING ALONG AVENUE B WEST 39TH AND WEST 40TH STREET, WHICH IS NOT PART OF OUR LOT WAS, UH, ALLOWED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE, TO MEET OUR PARKING CALCULATION.
BUT IF, IF WE DON'T ZONE, UH, ZONING THOSE TWO, UH, AREAS, NOT HISTORIC, WON'T LEAD TO MORE HOUSING, IT'S PUNITIVE TO THE, UH, TO THE OWNERS.
AND, UH, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.
THIS IS NOT OWNED BY ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA.
THIS IS OWNED BY KIM AND CARRIE LEE WHO, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HOUSES, HISTORIC.
THEIR PASSION IS, UH, RESTORING HISTORIC PROPERTIES FOR THE, UH, BENEFIT OF THE CITY OF
[00:40:01]
AUSTIN.AND, UH, AND SO SAYING THAT BECAUSE OF ALAN WAS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO RAISE THE VALUE OF THIS LAND IS, IS INSULTING.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
CAN WE TAKE A VOTE OR MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING BY COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER AS ARE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE NINE ZERO.
NOW WE'LL GO TO OUR, UM, DISCUSSION PERIOD.
SO WE'VE GOT EIGHT SPOTS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO ASK QUESTIONS FIVE MINUTES EACH.
SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? ANYONE COMMISSIONER YANNIS, POLITO.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF I COULD ASK, UH, STAFF TO, UM, TO SHARE WHY, UH, WHY THE LIMITED DESIGNATION, UM, GIVEN THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM FEASIBLE TO ACTUALLY BUILD, UM, ON THE PARKING LOT SPACE.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, ALSO THERE ARE HISTORIC TREES IN THAT AREA.
SO COULD I GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT AS TO WHY THE AREA WAS LIMITED? SURE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, STEVE COULD ASK YOU AGAIN, WE ARE FOLLOWING THE TEXAS TAX CODE, AS IT APPLIES TO HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
AND IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE SECTION OF THE TAX CODE, THE CITY MAY, UH, EXEMPT FROM TAXATION PART OR ALL OF THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, AND THE LAND NECESSARY FOR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE STRUCTURE.
UH, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS INSTEAD OF TAKING THE ENTIRE PARCEL, WHICH I DO HAVE TO SAY IS, IS OUR NORMAL COURSE OF ACTION, BUT WE'RE NOT USUALLY DEALING WITH A PARCEL THIS LARGE, UH, SO WE MIGHT BE VIEWED AS, AS, UH, TAKING A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH HERE, BUT, UH, WE WERE TRYING TO FOLLOW THE TAX CODE AND LIMITING THE HISTORIC ZONING TO COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS TAX CODE STATUTE OF ONLY THAT PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT'S NECESSARY FOR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE STRUCTURE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. SNYDER, UH, I THINK THIS IS, UH, ALSO A QUESTION FOR MR.
UM, SO, UH, AS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT PROTECTIONS ARE JUST INHERENT FOR THIS PROPERTY? SURE.
IT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE HYDE PARK, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, UH, IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING ITS OWN SIGNIFICANCE, UH, TO THE CONTEXT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHAT THAT REQUIRES IS THAT ANY CHANGES ON THIS SITE, NO MATTER TO THE SCHOOL, UH, THE PARKING LOT, ANYTHING IS GOING TO REQUIRE REVIEW BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND THEY HAVE APPROVE OR DENY AUTHORITY OVER ANY PROPOSED CHANGES.
THAT'S CALLED THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
SO THE ENTIRE PARCEL IS PROTECTED IN SO FAR AS ANY CHANGES WILL NEED TO BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
SO THE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION, AS I SAID IN MY, UH, IN, IN, IN MY FIRST STATEMENT IS TO REALLY IDENTIFY BAKER SCHOOL.
AND IF I COULD FILL YOUR BUILDINGS TO THE NORTH AS A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL SITE WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
BUT SO WHETHER IT'S, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY.
UH, BUT THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROTECTION HAS A LANDMARK, UH, OR WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, BOTH REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR ANY, ANY PROPOSED CHANGES.
SO LET'S SAY WE GO WITH A STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND LATER ON, SOMEBODY COMES, UH, MAYBE THE, UH, THE OWNER SELLS A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, OR SOMEBODY COMES WITH A PROPOSAL TO BUILD, UH, SOMETHING ON THE SITE THAT IT'S NOT THE BUILDING ON THE, UH, ON THAT THE, UM, THAT SITE THAT WE'RE NOT DESIGNATED, THAT WE DON'T DESIGNATE.
[00:45:01]
ANY PROPOSAL IS WE'LL THEN HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL.IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.
THE COMMISSION ACTUALLY JUST REAL BRIEFLY, MY COLLEAGUE KARA, UH, IS PRESENTING A BRIEFING ON THE PROPOSED CITYWIDE DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, AND IT'S LUCKY, I GUESS, AT THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, YOU CAN SEE THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF SEVERAL YEARS OF WORK.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THERE THAT, UH, THE CERTIFICATE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR PROPERTY WITHIN A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR A LANDMARK ARE IDENTICAL COMMISSIONER SENIORS.
UM, MR. SADOWSKY, YOU, UH, INDICATED THAT ANY CHANGES TO THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S COVERED UNDER THE HYDE PARK AND CCD HAS TO GO BEFORE THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, AND JUST RECENTLY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, WHICH IS WHAT WAS SAID IN THE VERY BEGINNING, VOTED TEN ONE TO APPROVE THE ENTIRE TRACT OF LAND AND NOT TO, UH, SEGREGATE THE, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE PROPERTY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD COME OUT OF THAT HEARING, TRYING TO, UH, MAKE CHANGES OR ANYTHING TO THIS PROPERTY WHEN THE HLC IS SAYING, KEEP ALL OF THE LAND IN A PROTECTED STATE? THE COMMISSIONER PART OF THE DISCUSSION WAS, UH, PROTECTING VIEW SHEDS AND THE CONTEXT OF EPIC HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, STAFF'S POSITION IS THAT THESE ARE PRESERVED BY THE EXISTENCE OF THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO THAT WITHIN THE, THE FRONT ZONING SETBACK, WITHIN THE, UH, SIDES, ANY, ANY MODIFICATION, UM, TO ANYTHING ON THIS SITE IS GOING TO REQUIRE THE SAME LEVEL OF SCRUTINY BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
SO I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT THEIR, UH, THEIR VIEWS ON THIS, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, THE SITE, THE SITE IS PROTECTED FROM INCURSIONS ON THE VIEW SHED, UH, ON THE HISTORIC SCHOOL AND INCURSIONS ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN AND DEFINE THE VIEW SHED, PLEASE? SURE.
IF YOU SHED IS THE ABILITY TO SEE THE SCHOOL AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONTEXT FROM A PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY.
SO GENERALLY ON A, FOR THE BAKER SCHOOL, THE PRIMARY VIEW FACES AVENUE B AND IT'S VISIBLE FROM SOUTH OF 39TH.
IT'S VISIBLE FROM NORTH OF 40TH STREET, UH, ALONG 40TH STREET.
THERE'S, THERE'S STILL A VIEW OF THE SCHOOL AND 39TH STREET AS WELL.
SO IT WOULD BE THE THREE SIDES, THE NORTH, UH, EAST AND SOUTH FIVE THAT THE BUILDING THAT CONSTITUTE THAT VIEW SHED FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL BUILDING, IF THERE'S BUILDING OTHER THAN HAVING A PARKING LOT LEFT THERE WOULDN'T THAT IMPACT THE VIEW SHED.
IT WOULD, IT WOULD, UH, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, EXCEPT THAT ZONING, THE ENTIRE PARCEL HISTORIC IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING MORE TO PROTECT THAT VIEW SHED THAN WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS UNDER THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION.
YES, MA'AM COMMISSIONERS ARE GOOD CHALLENGES.
UM, EX-OFFICIO CAMERA'S ON, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE HERE.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU'RE THE HEAD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, I GUESS I'M
[00:50:01]
ASKING YOU, AND IF THERE'S SOMEONE YOU'D RATHER ME ASK THIS TOO.SO, UM, THE CITY ACQUIRED GOOD TO SEE IT.
THE CITY ACQUIRED THIS LAND FOR WATER DETENTION.
UM, IS THERE STILL A PLAN FOR HOUSING TO GO HERE, OR WHAT IS THE PLAN RIGHT NOW FOR THE SITES? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
UH, AS OF THIS MOMENT, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS ONLY RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE DEPARTMENT WATERSHED PROTECTION TO CONSTRUCT THAT REGIONAL DETENTION FACILITY AT THAT LOCATION.
UM, I'VE NOT BEEN REQUESTED TO, UH, AFFECT ANY OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OTHER THAN THAT PROJECT.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT PROJECT IS PART OF A LARGER, UM, AREA WIDE, UM, DURING THIS PROJECT TO ALLEVIATE, UH, FLOODING IN THAT GUADALUPE AREA, UH, IT'S UH, CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN, UH, SLATED FOR COMPLETION IN 2023.
AND THAT REAL QUICK, CAUSE I ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
DOES THAT DESIGN INCLUDE SUPPORTS FOR HOUSING TO GO ABOVE IT? I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OF THE DESIGN WITH ME, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BUT I'D BE GLAD TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER DESIGN CRITERIA, UH, THAT INVOLVES VERTICAL STRUCTURES WITH THAT PROJECT OTHER THAN JUST THE DETENTION FACILITY ITSELF.
GOSH, IT'S LIKE, I JUST FEEL REALLY TAKEN ABACK AND I KNOW YOU'RE PUTTING THE POSSESSION OF YOUR PUBLIC WORKS.
YOU'RE HELPING OUT THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S NEEDED TO HELP.
AND MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF A WATERSIDE QUESTION, BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE CITY IS SMART ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WATER, WATER DETENTION IS TYPICALLY AT GRADE AND BELOW HOUSING IS TYPICALLY AT GRADE AND ABOVE.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A GREAT ABILITY OR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO WORK TOGETHER THERE.
AND I KNOW STRUCTURES THAT HAVE SUBTERRANEAN WATER STORAGE AND WE REQUIRE IT ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPERS.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY DISHEARTENING TO, TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS CASE TO SOME DEGREE IS SUSAN MOFFIT.
SO ON, I BELIEVE IF YOU ARE, YOU CAN MUTE YOURSELF.
UM, DAN WITH HERE SOMETIMES HAS, AND YOU JUST MUTED YOURSELF, SUSAN MUFFIN.
ARE YOU STILL ON BY CHANCE MS. MOFFITT? HEY, I'M CURIOUS, DID THAT WIN? I APPRECIATE HEARING YOU GUYS SAY THAT.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU'RE SPEAKING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, UM, ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS ON THE PHONE TODAY THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORTED THE FIVE STORY BUILDING.
DO YOU KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY OPPOSITION FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE SOLELY A WATER DETENTION POND OR IS THERE STILL, IS THERE A FIGHT FROM YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THERE'S HOUSING ON TOP OF THAT? OR WHERE DOES THAT CONVERSATION? WELL, THIS PROPERTY IS NOW NO LONGER PART OF THE SITE AND THE CITY OWNS IT.
AND I THINK THE ALAMO WOULD TOO, UM, THE ORIGINAL PLAN WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR IT WAS ACTUALLY A 25% AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT IN FIVE STORIES OF HOUSING OVER WHAT IS NOW THE CITY'S PROPERTY AND THEIR WATER DETENTION PLAN.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY EVER OPPOSED THAT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE SUPPORT FOR THAT, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE CASE TONIGHT.
THAT'S COMPLETELY IN THE CITY'S COURT AT THIS POINT.
I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON TONIGHT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, NEARBY, ADJACENT TO, TO HELP US THINK THROUGH THIS.
SO, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HASN'T REALLY TAKEN A STANCE AS FAR AS LIKE TRYING TO ASK FOR MORE HOUSING OR TRYING TO GET THE CITY TO DO SO RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST, I MEAN, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHERE, WHAT POSITIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
SO NONE AT THE MOMENT, BUT YOU WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HERE? UH, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ORGANIZATIONS, BUT YES.
I MEAN, WE HAVE SUPPORTED THAT IN THE PAST.
I SEE NO REASON THAT WE WOULDN'T SUPPORT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
I HAD A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW YOU INTEND TO CREATE HOUSING, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OR NEAR THIS PROPERTY AS YOU HAD PLEDGED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE? HI, I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE APPLICANT.
I COULDN'T HEAR THE QUESTION CAUSE I WAS UNMUTING MYSELF, AS YOU WERE SAYING IT.
MY QUESTION WAS ESSENTIALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS DO CREATE HOUSING, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS SIDE OR NEARBY.
UM, BECAUSE HE HAD MADE A PLEDGE TO THE COMMUNITY AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU LIVE UP TO THAT.
SO, UM, UH, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE I ADDRESS THAT, I WOULD JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STEVE SAID ABOUT THE TAX CODE WAS THAT, UH, THE PORTIONS THAT SHOULD BE, I'M SORRY, I JUST TOOK A LOT OF, HAVE TIME ON FIVE MINUTES.
YOU WILL NEED TO ANSWER MY QUESTION.
[00:55:01]
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD INTENDED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THAT, UH, ON THAT SITE OR HOUSING WITH AN AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT.THAT WAS THE LAND THAT WAS OWNED AND DEDICATED TO IT.
MY CLIENTS DON'T OWN ANY OTHER LAND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE REMAINDER OF THAT SITE DOESN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, I AM AN ARCHITECT AND THE PLANNER AND I'M WORKING ON SEVERAL PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, UH, UH, THAT, UH, INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST RECENTLY WENT AFTER AN RFP TO DO A VERY LARGE REFERRAL.
MR. RICE, I HAVE ONE FOLLOW QUESTION.
SO IF I'M HEARING THIS CORRECTLY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE APPLICANT WILL NOT BE BUILDING ANY HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSES ON THE SITE EVER.
I CAN'T, I CAN JUST LIKE WHEN I DID THE ZONE, THE ZONE APPLICATION ORIGINALLY, THERE WAS A, UM, A PHASE TWO, UH, COMPONENT OF THIS THAT WAS, UH, UH, ALLOWED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT WAS NEVER A REQUIREMENT OF THE ZONING, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, OR THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, 70,000 SQUARE FOOT OF OFFICE SPACE PROVES TO BE IN VIABLE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY.
THEN NOTHING PRECLUDES US FROM TAKING THAT, UH, UH, STRUCTURE AND LIKE THE KENNEDY SCHOOL IN PORTLAND, TAKING EACH CLASSROOM AND TURNING IT INTO AN APARTMENT OR TWO APARTMENTS OR CONDOS OR WHATEVER.
AND IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, THERE WOULD BE A 25% AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT ON THAT PROJECT.
SO I THINK THAT SINCE YOUR ORIGINAL PLANS HAVE ASKED FOR THE BAKERFIELD TO BE USED AS HOUSING, AND THEN IF THE CITY, SO IT WAS YOUR PLAN TO BUILD HOUSING THERE, NOT THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
IF THERE'S A BLACKNESS BUILD HOUSING THERE, WOULD YOU PAY FOR THAT HOUSING INTO BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPETENCE? AND SO IT WAS YOUR PLEDGE, NOT THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UH, WELL, AGAIN, I AM NOT THE, I AM THE APPLICANT.
I'M NOT THE OWNER, BUT EVEN WHEN ALAMO WAS GOING TO DO THAT PROJECT, THEIR PLAN WAS TO PARTNER WITH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER.
THEY ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF SHOWING MOVIES.
TIM AND CARRIE ARE, ARE NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS.
IT WOULD BE FOOLISH FOR SOMEBODY TO TRY AND LIVE IN THAT WORLD UNLESS THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
SO I WOULD THAT, I'M SORRY, I DID THIS CORRECTLY.
YOU, ANY HOUSING THAT EVEN WOULD'VE BEEN BUILT ON THE BAKER SIDE WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY SOMEONE ELSE AND NOT BY THE APPLICANT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A, UM, A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND SOMEBODY WHO BUILDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER THAT'S A CONTRACTOR OR A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, UH, THAT IT WAS THE PLAN FOR THE APPLICANT TO PARTNER WITH SOMEBODY TO BUILD THAT HOUSING.
ONE OTHER QUESTION, DO YOU, HOW MUCH DID THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAY FOR BREAKFAST IN THAT PARCELS ON THE APPLICANT? UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN DISCLOSE THAT I WASN'T PART OF THE, UH, THE NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE THAT IT WAS FAIR MARKET PRICE THAT WAS PAID FOR THAT PARCEL BY THE CITY OF BOSTON.
THAT IS THE REQUIREMENT THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A PARCEL, THEN THEY HAVE TO GET IT APPRAISED AND THEY HAVE TO OFFER WHATEVER.
UM, SO I'LL JUST ASK STAFF THAT QUESTION, BUT THE STAFF, CAN YOU PLEASE SAY HOW MUCH THE CITY OF BOSTON PAID FOR THAT PARCEL? THIS IS MIKE KELLY FROM THE WARSHIP PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
THE AMOUNT THAT WAS PROVED BY CITY COUNCIL THAT WE PAID FOR THIS PARCEL WAS $3,763,000, INCLUDING CLOSING COSTS.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION, THIS IS FROM MR. SADOWSKI, YOU'VE BEEN, AND I KNOW I'M PROBABLY COMING TO THE END OF MY TIME AND YOU PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
SO IF WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND IT'S ALREADY ZONED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, IT'S ALREADY ZONED FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION COMBINING DISTRICT.
WHY ARE WE NOW ZONING IT FOR AGE SINCE YOU YOURSELF ARE SAYING THAT ZONING GET HISTORIC AND PROVIDE SIMILAR PROTECTIONS TO THE NCCD? WHY AREN'T WE NOW ZONING AN H KRISHA? UH, THE H ZONING WILL REALLY BRING OUT THIS SCHOOL AS UNIQUE IN THE CITY AND CELEBRATES ITS EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY TO THE CITY.
UH, THE WILD, THE PROTECTIONS FOR CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARKS ARE THE SAME HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS RECOGNITION THAT THIS BUILDING IS TRULY EXCEPTIONALLY SIGNIFICANT TO THE HISTORY OF
[01:00:01]
THE CITY.AND CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK TO WHAT WOULD BE THE DEPTHS IN BACK IF WE ZONE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY AGE? I'M SORRY.
COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT FOR ME? SURE.
LET'S JUST WAIT AND SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS AND GO FOR A SECOND DOC, IF NOT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHERYL.
I'LL CONTINUE THE QUESTION, MR.
IF YOU COULD RESTATE IT, I DIDN'T GET PUT POST PART OF IT.
UH, AND COMMISSIONERS ARE, I MIGHT BE REPEATING THIS WRONG, BUT IF, UH, WHAT IS THE TAX IMPACT IF THE ENTIRE PROPERTY IS ZONED AGE? OKAY.
IT, UH, IT IS JUST OVER $62,000 FOR THE EXEMPTION.
UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY EXPENSIVE AND VALUABLE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
EVEN WITH THAT 62,000, UH, PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION, THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE STILL PAYING 200, $200,000 IN TAXES TO THE CITY OF THE COUNTY AND AISD.
SO REDUCING THAT, UH, BY LIMITING THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTION.
I DON'T HAVE A FIGURE ON THAT BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULTING SQUARE FOOTAGE WOULD BE, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT LESS THAN 62,000 FOR THE TAX EXEMPTION.
AND I DO, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS PER COMPARISON, THIS, THIS WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO, UH, TAX EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE AFFORDED, UH, DOWNTOWN HISTORIC LANDMARKS AS WELL, SCARBOROUGH BUILDING LITTLEFIELD BUILDING.
UM, SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE CITY ALREADY TO, UH, UH, TO LANDMARK OF VERY DISTINCTIVE AND VERY SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY.
THIS IS THE INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY MAKES AND PRESERVING THAT HERITAGE.
AND FOR MY OWN EDUCATION, IS IT THE USUAL PROCESS FOR A BUILDING TO BE RENOVATED IN A HISTORIC FASHION AND THEN SEEK HISTORIC ZONING? OR IS IT TYPICALLY THE OTHER WAY AROUND? IT HAPPENS BOTH WAYS, HONESTLY.
UM, MOST OF THE, UH, WORK ON THIS BUILDING, UH, HAS BEEN ON THE INTERIOR.
I'M NOT GOING TO, UM, UH, I THINK MR. WEISS IS THE BEST SUBJECT FOR THAT CONVERSATION, BUT, UH, I DO, I DO WANT TO HAVE TO WORK ON THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING AS THE CITY, UH, BUT OTHER TAX CREDIT PROGRAMS DO.
AND I KNOW THAT MR. WEISS HAS BEEN, UH, VERY DILIGENT IN NOT ONLY PURSUING THOSE BENEFITS, BUT ALSO COMPLYING WITH EVERY SINGLE REGULATION THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE.
I'VE GOT TWO MORE SPOTS FOR COMMISSIONERS.
YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION? SO AS A REMINDER, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE REDUCED, UH, HISTORIC ZONING ON A REDUCED PARCEL.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, UM, MOVE TO RECOMMEND STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE LIMITED TRACK.
IS THERE A SECOND COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER INTERCEPT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? SURE.
AND JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, I THINK THIS IS ON PAGE NINE OF 27 IN BATHTUB.
SO MY GUESS IS WE CAN ASK THE APPLICANT HABIT FOR, AND STAFF HOW TO BEST DO THIS, BUT WE'LL PROBABLY NEED TO ASK FOR FIELD NOTES BEFORE THIS GOES TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, FOR ME, THIS IS, THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING BUILDING.
IT'S JUST, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
THE OWNERS, THEIR ARCHITECT, THE WHOLE TEAM IS JUST FANTASTIC.
AND I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN OR HEARD FROM ANYBODY WHO'S GONE THROUGH.
THERE JUST DOESN'T SPACE, THE MOST AMAZING PRESERVATION JOB AROUND.
IT'S JUST A REALLY BANG UP JOB, BUT THERE'S NO PART OF ME THAT COULD EVER PURPOSEFULLY ZONE SURFACE, PARKING, LOTS, HISTORIC, UM, AND GET TAX BREAKS TO THEM.
AND IN A WAY IT ALMOST ACCIDENTALLY PRESERVES SURFACE PARKING LOTS IN A WAY THAT KEEPS THEM IN A WAY THAT WE JUST DON'T MEAN TO TRY AND DO EVER.
[01:05:01]
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF LIMITATIONS TO BUILD IN HYDE PARK AND WE DO OUR BEST TO GET NEW HOUSING UNITS OUT IN A LOT OF WAYS.UM, BUT MAYBE IN TIME THAT CHANGES AND MAYBE IN TIME ON THAT TRANSIT CORRIDOR WITH A DESPERATE NEED FOR HOUSING, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD A LOT MORE HOUSING.
AND MY GUESS IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE ZONE IT THIS WAY, THAT THOSE PARKING LOTS WILL ONE DAY BE WE DEVELOPED, AND THIS JUST HELPS TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AND PRESERVES THE SCHOOL THE WAY IT IS, IT GIVES THAT HISTORIC DESTINATION TO THE PARTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HISTORIC.
IS THERE ANYONE FUNNY, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK AGAINST OR NEUTRAL I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION OKAY.
TO ZONE THE ENTIRE AREA HISTORIC AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, ITSELF.
IS THERE A SECOND SEEING NO SECOND THAT MOTION OR THAT SUBSTITUTE MOTION FAILS.
GOING BACK TO ANYBODY WANTING TO SPEAK AGAINST OR NEUTRAL ANYBODY YOU SPEAKING FOR.
UM, AND I KNOW MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, UH, UH, EXPANDING HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND HISTORIC PRES, UH, HAS THIS UNDER PROTECTED THERE ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, I'M, UH, ALSO A FAN OF THIS PROPERTY.
UM, BUT THIS IS A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL STORY WITH, UH, A DISCUSSION AND AT LEAST SOME IMPLICIT PROMISE THAT THE BACK PORTION WAS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED INTO SOME, UH, HOUSING WITH AN AFFORDABLE, RELATIVELY LARGE AFFORDABLE COMPONENT.
AND, UH, HAVING HEARD FROM MR. SEDOWSKY THAT THE PROPERTY, THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE DESIGNATE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY OR JUST THE PORTION THAT STAFF'S PROPOSED, UH, HISTORIC THE ENTIRE PROPERTY CONTINUES TO BE PROTECTED.
SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIVE IN FRONT OF US.
WE DON'T HAVE A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BUILD HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER THE DETENTION POND.
WE DON'T HAVE A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BUILD THIS, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER THESE PARKING LOTS.
BUT IF WE DESIGNATE THE ENTIRE LOT HISTORIC, WE PRECLUDE ANY SORT OF POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE.
WE STILL HAVE THE FUNDAMENTAL PROTECTION THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION DISTRICT PROVIDES WITH ANYTHING THAT GETS BUILT IN THE PARKING LOTS, HAVING TO GO BEFORE THIS STORM COMMISSIONED HISTORIC LAND TO COMMISSION AGAIN, WHICH I BELIEVE IS SUFFICIENT PROTECTION.
UM, I'M HOPING, AND LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, PERHAPS THERE'S, SOMEBODY COMES UP WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD ALLOW A DETENTION POND TO BE BUILT, BUT IT WOULD TAKE IN SOME PORTIONS OF SMALL PORTION OF THE, UH, THE, THE LOT ON THE 39TH STREET SIDE THAT WERE NOT DESIGNATED HISTORIC.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE STORIC LAND COMMISSION MIGHT ACTUALLY SUPPORT THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO PRECLUDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHILE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE JUST HYPOTHETICAL AT THIS POINT, IF WE DIDN'T, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION, I WOULD FEEL OTHERWISE.
BUT BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT GETS BUILT HAS TO GO TO THE HISTORIC LAND CONDITION, I THINK STAFF PROPOSAL IS THE RIGHT PROPOSAL.
ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK, UH, AGAINST OR NEUTRAL? UH, YES.
COMMISSIONERS ARE SOLID SEEK NEW DRAW.
I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I SEE THE HISTORIC SORT OF HISTORIC PROMINENCE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STRUCTURE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE APPLICANT ON PRESERVING THAT AND SUPPORTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S EFFORTS.
I THINK I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THAT IS WHY I WERE FOLLOWING YOU, END UP VOTING FOR IT.
I DO WANT TO SAY THOUGH, THAT I'M ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN MOVING AHEAD WITH THIS, BECAUSE WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE IS THAT THERE WAS A PLEDGE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS WAS THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, CAUSE THIS WAS PUBLIC LAND THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND AT THE DIET OF BREAKFAST, A PLEDGE WAS MADE TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS NOW BEING COMPLETELY NEGATED.
AND THIS ISH DESIGNATION IN SOME WAY, SEEMS LIKE A COMPLETE MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR HOUSING ON THIS SIDE WHATSOEVER.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE, LIKE WE HAVE HAD WOOL DRAWN OVER OUR EYES AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A BREAK OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITIES.
SO I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN HOW IT'S MOVING FORWARD.
[01:10:01]
RECOGNIZE THE HISTORIC IMPORTANCE OF THIS STRUCTURE.AND I DO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO WORKING ON THAT.
SO I REALLY HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE, BOTH THE APPLICANT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL WORK CLOSELY TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOUSING ON THAT BAKERSFIELD SITE.
BUT I ALSO GET APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF DISFUNCTION.
THE COMMISSIONER SPEAKING FOR YES.
I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS VERY BRIEF.
UM, THIS IS MORE KIND OF A GENERAL NEUTRAL COMMENT AND I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT IT TO THE CITY, UM, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PLOT OF LAND THAT THE CITY BOUGHT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR PA FOR THE PLAN DETENTION POND.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THINK IT'S, UH, ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC AND SHAMEFUL THAT WE'RE WASTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD 25% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH SO BADLY NEEDS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE FROM THE CITY, UM, SOME MORE INFORMATION MOVING FORWARD ABOUT, UH, WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO WITH THE PLOT OF LAND THAT THE CITY BOUGHT AND, UH, BETTER EXPLANATION OF WHY THERE ISN'T, UH, UH, CURRENTLY A PLAN FOR HOUSING ON THAT.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT I STILL DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ON THE POSSIBILITY OF HOUSING, UM, ON THIS LOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WON'T IN ANY WAY, UM, HURT THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND PROTECTION OF THE BUILDING ITSELF.
SO I WOULD, UH, STRONGLY URGE EVERYONE TO VOTE FOR WHATEVER STILL GIVES US SOME HOPE.
UM, BUT REALLY MY, UH, SOME HOPE OF CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT MY REMARKS ARE REALLY DIRECTED TO THE CITY.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S SHAMEFUL WHEN I SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND IT SHOWS THAT OUR COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABILITY IS OFTEN, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE.
IT'S, IT'S ONLY IN WORD, SO I HOPE WE CAN DO BETTER CARE.
I FEEL LIKE I MAY HAVE HEARD A AMENDMENT FAIR AND COMMISSION KIND OF LIKE, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, BUT IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO, UM, WHATEVER WE CAN DO.
ANDREW WILL TELL US TO DIRECT STAFF OR ASK STAFF TO PROVIDE CITY COUNCIL AN UPDATE ON WHAT EXACTLY THE PLAN IS FOR THEM.
BECAUSE WE DID HEAR FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, THAT HE IS AWARE THAT WE ARE DOING WATER DETENTION.
HE'S NOT NECESSARILY AWARE OF WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE BUILDING THAT WITH THE FUTURE POTENTIAL OF HAVING HOUSING.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE ON ANDREW THERE I'LL GIVE ME ONE SECOND, ANDREW.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IF MS TRUELOVE WERE IN THAT CONVERSATION, OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO SHINE SOME SHINE, SOME LIGHT.
THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION HAS RULES THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS APPROVED.
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT AMENDMENT, SIR? I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE, UM, FROM, UH, FROM CITY STAFF ABOUT, UH, WHY, UH, ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, AND IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A BETTER EXPLANATION OF WHY, UM, COMMISSIONERS ARE I'M SECONDING THAT.
I'M VERY UNCLEAR AS TO HOW THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT FITS INTO THIS VOTE.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND I'M EQUALLY, I AM EQUALLY SUPPORTIVE OF IT THAT I'M CONFUSED AS TO HOW THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THIS CURRENT MOTION, RIGHT? WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE AMENDMENT.
SO IF I WERE TO UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, THIS IS NOT FIRSTLY, AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
THIS IS US CLEARLY SAYING THAT THE EMOTION THAT WAS AT HAND WE'RE MOVING AHEAD WITH THIS, BUT THIS IS INDICATION FOR MUSKIE STAFF TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO CITY COUNCILS ON THE DIOCESAN.
IS THAT ANDREW? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE BASE, LIKE THE EMOTION IS CHANGING, ET CETERA.
W WHAT I CAN DO IS, UM, REACH OUT TO THE STAFF AND PROVIDE, HAVE THEM PROVIDE A RESPONSE AND IN FACT OF SHARED WITH US AS WELL.
I'LL JUST BRIEFLY SPEAK IN SUPPORT.
UM, I TOO AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR ABOUT THE DEPLETION POND, POTENTIALLY TAKING AWAY FROM HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND HOPE THAT WE CAN PUSH AND SUPPORT OUR WATERSHED PROTECTION TO BUILD CREATIVELY.
I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT KIND OF FLOOD MITIGATION, DIFFERENT WAYS OF FLOOD MITIGATION ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, AND THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO EXPLORE THOSE POSSIBILITIES.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THIS ACTUALLY IS A FAIRLY, UH, DENSELY POPULATED PART, PART OF TOWN.
[01:15:01]
NINE HAS SOME OF THE MOST MIXED HOUSING TYPES.THERE ARE A LOT OF DENSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN ADDITION TO SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IN THIS AREA.
AND AS WE, UM, AS WE CHANGE AND GROW AS A CITY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORS IN THIS AREA WHO HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD, NOT JUST ON PRESERVATION, BUT ALSO ON AFFORDABILITY AND THINGS LIKE PRESERVING NEARBY APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH WILL NEED THE GREEN SPACE THAT BAKER SITE CURRENTLY PROVIDES.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING QUALITY AND NOT JUST QUANTITY FOR FUTURE RESIDENTS, BUT I DO SUPPORT THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
ANY MORE COMMISSIONERS, FINAL SPOT SPEAKING AGAINST OR NEUTRAL.
SO GOING BACK TO THE MOTION, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SNYDER, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON, UM, HISTORIC ZONING FOR A REDUCED PARCEL, UM, AS PER THE STAFF REPORT WITH, UM, DESIRED INFORMATION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, FROM STAFF.
SO WAIT, WHAT WAS THAT COMMISSIONER SAID, YOU GOT READ SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF YEAH.
AN UPDATE FROM PUBLIC WORKS AS FAR AS WHAT WATERSHED AND HOUSING EXPECT TO SEE BUILT ON THAT STUFF, RIGHT? YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, I HAVE SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.
THAT IS, UH, COMMISSIONER SEEGER IS OFF SO EIGHT AND ZERO THAT PASSES.
THEN MOVING ON TO OUR BRIEFING
[B16. Historic Design Standards]
B 16.UH, DO WE HAVE CARE, BERT BURT, SEAN, ON THE PHONE.
UM, I'M FROM THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, CAN THE AB TECH PULL UP THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE? WE SEE IT.
SO I'M TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ON BEHALF OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS WORKING GROUP THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION IN 2018.
WE ARE NEAR THE END OF A TWO YEAR PROCESS WITH NUMEROUS STAKEHOLDERS AND HUGE POTENTIAL BENEFITS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS A TOOL TO STEWARD CHANGE.
AND THAT DESIGN STANDARDS PROVIDE A CLEAR AND OBJECTIVE WAY TO EVALUATE PROPOSED CHANGES.
THEY ARE AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, DESIGNERS, CITY STAFF, AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEMBERS TO HAVE COMMON GROUND IN PROPOSING AND EVALUATING PROJECTS.
SO THIS EFFORT TO CREATE A SINGLE SET OF HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS IS IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
FIRST, IT WILL INCREASE EQUITY IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATION PROCESS RIGHT NOW, COMMUNITY APPLICANT TEAMS MUST CREATE THEIR OWN HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH ADDS A LOT OF TIMES TO THE PROCESS.
AND MOST APPLICANT TEAMS OPT TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, WHICH ALSO ADDS COST CONSERVATION.
AUSTIN DOES OFFER A DESIGN STANDARDS TEMPLATE, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING BASIS FOR THESE STANDARDS, BUT SOME EXPERTISE AND A LOT OF RAMPING UP IS STILL REQUIRED.
SO FOR NEIGHBORS WHO MAY NOT HAVE THAT EXPERTISE TO BEGIN WITH SECOND HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS INCREASED PREDICTABILITY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO THEY'LL KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT DESIGNATION ENTAILS RATHER THAN WAITING FOR A DISTRICT SPECIFIC SET OF STANDARDS TO BE FINE, TO BE, UH, SORT OF HAGGLED OVER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, GO BACK AND FORTH AND ANALYZED THIRD HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, TAKE A COMMON SENSE APPROACH BY RECOGNIZING UNDERLYING COMMON UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES WHERE ALL EIGHT OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS CREATED THEIR OWN DESIGN STANDARDS THROUGH A LENGTHY PROCESS.
THEY WERE ALL BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AS THE NATIONAL SET OF PRINCIPLES.
AND 95% OF THOSE STANDARDS ARE THE SAME WITH JUST A FEW LOCAL VARIATIONS.
SO HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, UM, ALSO WILL PROVIDE CLEARER STANDARDS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK OWNERS AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT PROPERTY OWNERS WHO, UH, WHO USED THE SECRETARIES OF STANDARDS REHABILITATION.
NOW THE GREAT STANDARDS, YOU WILL SEE A SLIDE WITHIN IN A MINUTE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PRETTY VAGUE WHEN FIGURING OUT WHAT PROPERTY OWNERS CAN AND CAN'T DO DESIGN STANDARDS WILL PROVIDE
[01:20:01]
PATIENT TOOL FOR ALL HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF GOOD PRACTICES AND AN ILLUSTRATED GLOSSARY.UM, WE, IN THE PAST, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REQUIRE OR CAJOLE INDIVIDUAL OR DISTRICT APPLICANT TEAMS TO PROVIDE ILLUSTRATIONS BECAUSE IT DOES ADD COSTS.
SO WITH THESE DISTRICT DESIGN STANDARDS, THE CITY IS TAKING THE BURDEN ON ITSELF TO, UM, PROVIDE CLEARER GUIDANCE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS.
HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS WILL PROVIDE CONSISTENT STANDARDS FOR PROJECT REVIEWS BY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, AT LEAST FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT PROPERTIES AND FUTURE LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
EXISTING HISTORIC DISTRICTS WILL BE ABLE TO ADOPT THESE IF THEY CHOOSE, BUT OTHERWISE THEIR EXISTING STANDARDS WILL REMAIN.
AND FINALLY HISTORIC A SINGLE SET OF HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOLLOWS GOOD PRACTICES AND PRESERVATION.
OTHER MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE A SINGLE SET OF HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
AND, UM, IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE IN THE FIELD.
SO HERE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR'S STANDARDS FOR REBUTTAL REHABILITATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, THEY, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THEY ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEY FORM THE BASIS FOR THESE HISTORIC, THESE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, BECAUSE THE SECRETARY, BECAUSE THE SECRETARY, THE STANDARDS INCLUDE A LOT OF WORDS AND PHRASES THAT CAN SEND VERY SIMILARLY TO EACH OTHER.
I LIKE TO BOIL THEM DOWN TO A FEW OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES THAT APPLIES THROUGHOUT THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, TYPICALLY BUILDINGS AS THEY DEVELOPED OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY THE PUBLICLY VISIBLE PARTS IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, HISTORIC LANDMARKS ARE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR HISTORIC MATERIALS REPLACING IN KIND ONLY IF NECESSARY NEW CONSTRUCTION, WHETHER IT'S ADDITIONS OR BRAND NEW BUILDINGS ARE COMPATIBLE COMPATIBLE WITH AND DIFF FROM HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
HERE'S THE CHAPTER OUTLINE OF THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
SO I'M ONLY GOING TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR STANDARDS, BUT BASICALLY THOSE OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES AND THE SECRETARY STANDARDS AS A WHOLE FORM, THE FOUNDATION OF THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS AS THEY ARE APPLICABLE TO EACH OF THESE CHAPTERS.
SO NOW THE HIGHLIGHTS, SO THE WORKING GROUP PRIORITIZED MAKING THE STANDARDS EASY TO USE FOR EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OR EXPERTISE, BECAUSE THE STANDARDS APPLY TO CONTRIBUTING AND NON-CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, THEIR CHARTS AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CHAPTER, THAT SHOW WHICH STANDARDS ARE REQUIRED IN WHICH THEY'RE RECOMMENDED.
THERE ALSO CHARTS ILLUSTRATING THE HISTORIC REVIEW PROCESS AND WHAT PROJECTS QUALIFY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW VERSUS COMMISSION REVIEW THE STANDARDS, USE ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE AND HAVE CLEAR GRAPHICS AND CONSISTENT SYMBOLS TO HELP PEOPLE RECOGNIZE KEY THEMES.
THE TWO SYMBOLS SHOWN HERE REPRESENT SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES.
THAT'S THE GREEN SUN AND NOTES FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK, WHICH IS THE YELLOW STAR.
AND, UM, FINALLY THE PDF OF THE FILE INCLUDES HYPERLINKS TO HELP PEOPLE EASILY GET AROUND THE DOCUMENT AND ALSO TO GET OUTSIDE RESOURCE WEBSITES LIKE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRESERVATION.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO DIVE VERY BRIEFLY INTO SPECIFIC CHAPTERS, UH, COVERING OUR GOALS THAN HOPED FOR OUTCOMES.
SO NOT SO MUCH INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS AS I'M HAPPY.
TALK ABOUT THOSE, UM, TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU AFTERWARDS.
THERE'S A MODERN CODE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY SECTION TO ADDRESS HOW PRESERVATION PROJECTS INTERSECT WITH ENERGY AND ACCESSIBILITY CODES.
THE SECTION ALSO TRIES TO BROADEN THE PERSPECTIVE FROM SHORT TERM FIXES LIKE WINDOW REPLACEMENT IN A COUPLE OF WAYS FIRST, BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS OF KEEPING BUILDINGS, STANDING, PRESERVING THAT EMBODIED ENERGY AND PRESERVING HIGH-QUALITY HISTORIC COMPONENTS.
AND SECOND, BY FOCUSING ON HIGH IMPACT HIGH RATE OF RETURN ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY NOT WINDOW REPLACEMENT, UM, THERE'S A SPECIAL SUB SECTION ON WINDOWS AND ENERGY CONSERVATION IN THE WINDOWS SECTION.
AND THEN THE PARENT ALTERATIONS CHAPTER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE, UH, MANY OR MOST WILL GO STRAIGHT TO THIS SECTION.
THE REPAIR AND ALTERATIONS CHAPTER HAS A FEW GOALS.
A BIG ONE IS TO HELP PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR BUILDING.
SO THE CHAPTER INCLUDES A LIGHT, A LOT OF DIAGRAMS SHOWING BUILDING PARTS AND ROOF WINDOW AND DOOR TYPES.
MOST SECTIONS IN THE CHAPTER INCLUDE A SHORT DISCUSSION ON MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE MAINTENANCE AND PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC MATERIALS CHAPTER.
TOWARDS THE END OF THE DOCUMENT, WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE DIVERSE EXAMPLES OF BUILDINGS TO BROADEN PEOPLE'S GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A HISTORIC BUILDING LOOKS LOOKS LIKE.
SO YOU, IN THE PORCHES SECTION, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE, UM, SORT OF A VICTORIAN ISH BUILDING ON THE LOWER LEFT IN THE ROBERTSON STUART AND THEIR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS ALSO A CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, THAT'S A BUILDING DESIGNED BY JOHN CHASE AND THE NEWLY DESIGNATED ROGERS WASHINGTON HALL, HIS DIRECT DISTRICT.
[01:25:01]
SO THEY'RE SEPARATE CHAPTERS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ADDITIONS, BUT THEIR GOALS ARE SIMILAR TO PROVIDE A DIVERSE SET OF GOOD EXAMPLES AND ALSO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT NOT TO DO AND TO CLEARLY ILLUSTRATE THE STEPS NEXT SLIDE.LIKEWISE, THERE ARE SEPARATE CHAPTERS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SIMILAR GOALS.
SO WORKING GROUP AND A FOCUS GROUP CONVENED TO FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL AND DOWNTOWN BUILDING STANDARDS SO THAT IT WAS ESSENTIALLY TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARKET REALITIES AND LOCAL PRIORITIES AROUND DENSITY.
THIS IS GENTLEMEN RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS THROUGH DISCUSSION OF HOW SCAM MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS AND, UH, ADU, AND THEN THE COMMERCIAL STANDARDS WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT NEW BUILDINGS MAY BE MUCH LARGER AND TALLER THAN SURROUNDING HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
AND THE STANDARDS PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO ADDRESS THOSE SITUATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS INCLUDE AN ILLUSTRATED GLOSSARY THAT WE HOPE WILL HELP PEOPLE NOT ONLY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, IT HELPS, UM, HELP THEM TO DECIPHER WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO USE, VERY CLEAR LANGUAGE, UH, BUT ALSO WILL HELP PEOPLE GET TO KNOW THEIR BUILDINGS BETTER.
AND SUDDENLY I WANT TO GO OVER THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
AS I MENTIONED, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION FORMED THE DESIGN STANDARDS WORKING GROUP IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018 THAT FALL, WE WORKED WITH A UT GRADUATE CLASS IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO SURVEY NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES IN HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
AND THEN THE WORKING GROUP, WHEN IT CONVENED AT THE BEGINNING OF 2019, TOOK THAT, THAT SURVEY AND DID A DEEP DIVE INTO THE BEST PRACTICES AND CREATED A DRAFT IN SMALL SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WAS, UH, KNIT TOGETHER AND REVIEWED BY THE WHOLE GROUP.
AND THEN IT WAS RELEASED FOR COMMUNITY REVIEW IN JUNE OF 2019.
AND SOME OF YOU PROVIDED COMMENTS ON, UM, ON THAT DRAFT.
WE RECEIVED MORE THAN 175 COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEMBERS.
AND OVER THE LAST 16 MONTHS, THE WORKING GROUP HAS REVISED THE STANDARDS GRAPHICS HAVE BEEN ADDED AND THE DOCUMENT WAS LAID OUT AND FORMATTED.
THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS A WEEK AGO YESTERDAY, UH, REQUESTING THAT CITY COUNCIL REVIEW AND ADOPT THE STANDARDS.
NOW WE WE'RE PRESENTING THEM TO RELATED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT TO COUNCIL.
IF THE COUNCIL DOES ADOPT THE STANDARDS, THEY WILL APPLY TO ALL HISTORIC LANDMARKS, PROPERTIES AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS ON AN ADVISORY BASIS.
UM, AS THE SECRETARY STANDARDS ARE APPLIED NOW AND ALL FUTURE LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND THOSE FEW, THOSE FUTURE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, IF THEY CHOOSE CAN ADOPT A SUPPLEMENT TO THE HISTORIC DESIGN WITH MORE SPECIFIC STANDARDS, WITH MORE SPECIFIC STANDARDS, WHICH WE THINK IS STILL A LIGHTER, MUCH LIGHTER LIFT THAN CREATING THEIR OWN ENTIRE SET OF DESIGN STANDARDS.
SO THE DESIGN STANDARDS WORKING GROUP HAS REALLY POWERED THIS PROCESS SINCE 2018 AND DESERVES TREMENDOUS CREDIT.
UM, THE GROUP INCLUDES FORMER PLANNING COMMISSIONER TERRY MCGRAW FROM Y'ALL DESIGNATED.
UM, WHILE BACK TO REPRESENT YOU, UM, WORKING GROUP MEMBERS AT COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WERE SELECTED THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING ALL SORTS OF STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE, AND THEY SHOWED US SENDING DEDICATION THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING, REVISING, REVIEWING, REVISING AGAIN, AND REVIEWING, REVIEWING AGAIN, UH, AS STAFF, WE FEEL REALLY HONORED TO HAVE FACILITATED THE PROCESS AND CONFIDENT IN PUTTING FORWARD THESE STANDARDS BECAUSE THEY WERE DEVELOPED BOTH BY AND FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT, OR ANY QUESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN PREPARATION FOR POTENTIAL RESOLUTION AT YOUR DECEMBER 8TH MEETING, UH, RECOMMENDING THAT COUNCIL TAKE UP THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOR CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, KARA.
UM, WELL HANG, UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A ROUND ROBIN DISCUSSION.
UM, I'LL REMIND COMMISSIONERS THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION TONIGHT.
IF YOU THINK OF ANY AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, WE'LL DECIDE ON A DATE WHEN THOSE WOULD BE DUE BY, AND WE'LL BRING IT UP AGAIN, UM, FOR ACTION ON DECEMBER 8TH OR OUR FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER.
SO, UM, ANY COMMISSIONERS WANT TO START WITH A QUESTION? YES.
UH, JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS FIRST.
UH, UH, DID WE GET THE, UH, UH, COPY OF THE DRAFT? UH, DID WE GET IT ALREADY? I'M SORRY IF I MISSED IT, I HAVEN'T SEEN A COPY.
IT'S ALSO THE LINK ON THE AGENDA.
[01:30:01]
OKAY.UM, UH, I, AND I'LL LOOK AT IT AND, AND, AND MORE DETAIL.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, A BIG PIECE OF THIS PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO, UH, AND I THINK, UH, MAYBE STEPH SAID THIS, UH, TO FACILITATE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD ADDITIONAL, UH, PROPERTIES OR ADD THEIR PROPERTY AS A PART OF A, UH, UH, WITHIN HISTORIC DESIGNATION, IS THAT ACCURATE RISK CONDITIONER? IT IS DESIGNED TO STREAMLINE THE HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATION PROCESS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY, UM, IS IT STILL REMAINS COMPLICATED AND SORT OF EXPENSIVE.
UM, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO BE BETTER BUREAUCRATS AND THEN MAKE THAT PROCESS EASIER FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
I THINK ONE REASON WE SEE A LOT MORE PROPERTIES IN WEST AUSTIN WITH AN HISTORIC DESIGNATION THAN, UH, IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, IS IN PART DUE TO THAT COMPLEXITY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF JEWELS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, SO, UH, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT WORK, UM, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN.
AND I'LL, I'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DRAFT.
UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A VERY LONG PROCESS TO, TO MAKE THE PROCESS OF, UH, DESIGNATING SOMETHING HISTORIC, UH, SIMPLER AND MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I APPRECIATE THE EXAMPLES IN THE, UM, DOCUMENT THAT YOU PRESENTED, UM, AS, UH, AND THE GRAPHICS AS A WAY TO SIMPLIFY THAT.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK AND I'LL, UH, I'LL DIVE DEEPER INTO IT AS A CONDITIONER AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH A QUESTION OR COMMENTS.
I THINK IT'S JUST A STATEMENT, BUT I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER'S NOT HIS POINT.
I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME APPREHENSION.
I THINK THAT DESIGNATION BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED INCREASE IN COSTS, UM, AT LEAST FROM MY EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS, THAT, THAT'S THE PURVIEW, OBVIOUSLY THIS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO W HOW WE AS BE ENDORSED OR MOVE FORWARD THIS PLAY.
AND I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT'S A CONCERN, IT'S A REAL ISSUE, I THINK, IS HOW YOU MITIGATE THOSE COSTS ONCE THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN, I MEAN, YEAH.
ONCE A PROPERTY HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A LANDMARK.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW, JUST, JUST SOMETHING I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE AS A COMMISSION SHOULD SORT OF SEND A MESSAGE ABOUT HOW WE WOULD ENDORSE SUCH, BUT CONSIDER THE LIKES OF WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN.
AND MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN SUGGEST AS A RECOMMENDATION.
COMMISSIONER COMMIT MAYBE SUNSET QUICKLY.
UM, OH, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO THAT QUICKLY.
THE DESIGN AND YEAH, SO THERE'S LANGSTON HAS DONE INCLUDE INFORMATION ON, ON COSTS COMPARISONS.
ALTHOUGH WE DO KNOW THAT, THAT WE HAVE A ROTATING SAY A HISTORIC WOOD WINDOW IS CHEAPER.
AND THEN IN THE MID-TERM AND LONG-TERM, AND CAN BE CHEAPER IN THE SHORT TERM, THEN REPLACING IT WITH A, UH, A VERY ECONOMICAL LOOKING KIND OF VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOW, WHICH, WHICH WON'T LAST AS LONG AND MAY NOT EVEN LAST LONG ENOUGH TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
BUT THE THING THAT I, I SAID, IT DOESN'T REALLY INCLUDE THAT COST COMPARISON.
THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT TOOL.
UM, BUT THE STANDARDS DO INCLUDE A CHAPTER ON REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF HISTORIC MATERIALS AND INCLUDE MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR, FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN VARIOUS PARTS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND I THINK THAT IS ACTUALLY AN AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY, DOES IT TO BETTER SUPPORT PROPERTY OWNERS AND MAINTAINING THEIR BUILDINGS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT FACED WITH SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR COSTS OR, YOU KNOW, THE NEED TO DO A COMPLETE RENOVATION AT SOME POINT.
COMMISSIONER IS OUR THANK YOU CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MISS BIRKIN FOR WORKING ON THIS.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF AMAZING WORK THAT HAS GONE.
AND I HAVE QUESTION REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMMISSION WILL BE YOU CHAR THAT STARTS AT PAGE 17.
AND MY QUESTION WAS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT GOES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND WHAT GOES WITH COMMISSION REVIEW? IS THIS WHAT ALREADY EXISTS OR ARE THESE SOME NEW PROPOSALS UNIT THEY'RE CLOSELY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
[01:35:01]
THEY'RE CLOSELY BASED ON THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, BUT THEY'RE MORE SPECIFIC THAN LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVIEW THIS SECTION WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE APPROPRIATE INDEFENSIBLE, BUT THEY DO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT THE CODE PROVIDES.AND THEN ON PAGE NUMBER 18, IF THE REPORT THERE'S A DISTINCTION BETWEEN, LET ME SEE, OR WAS IT, UM, THE CONSTRUCT, AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT, AND THEN CONSTRUCT A ONE-STORY ACCESSORY BUILDING WITH AN AREA LESS THAN 600 SQUARE FOOT.
AND SO THAT ONE STORY ACCESSORY BUILDING, CAN IT BE A DWELLING UNIT OR ARE WE SAYING THAT IT CAN ONLY BE ADMINISTRATIVE IF IT IS NOT
UM, THE, THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT COULD BE, AND I'M SORRY FOR THAT.
WE CAN CLARIFY THAT IN THE CHART, UM, STAFF HAS THE ABILITY RIGHT NOW TO APPROVE ADA USE OF LESS THAN 600 SQUARE FEET.
SO I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
WE TYPICALLY SEE LARGER, LARGER BUILDINGS, UM, BECAUSE THE CODE ALLOWS THEM, BUT, BUT WE CAN CLARIFY THAT IN THE CHART.
UM, AND, AND ALSO A QUICK QUESTION, DOES THE CODE SAY THAT YOU CAN ONLY ADMINISTRATIVE, WE APPROVED A STRUCTURE, THAT'S ONE STORY OR A STRUCTURE THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT IN STORIES TO THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE? SO THE CODE IS NOT VERY CLEAR ON THAT.
UM, I BELIEVE IT SAYS, I BELIEVE IT JUST SAYS ONE STORY.
I THINK THE ADDITION, AND I'M SORRY TO NOT HAVE THE CODE EXACTLY IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I BELIEVE THE ADDITION, THE NUMBER OF ADDITIONS IS MORE FLEXIBLE.
WE CAN ADMINISTER TO BE APPROVED, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE HEIGHT OF THE EXISTING BUILDING, WHEREAS ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IS JUST LIMITED TO ONE STORY.
UM, I DO WANT TO MENTION ALSO IT, SAAS HAS PROPOSED AS A CODE REVISION AS PART OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION.
AND BEFORE THAT COULD NEXT TO GIVE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL WITH THE, UM, CRITERIA AND CRITERIA OF, IF SOMETHING DOESN'T HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH, UM, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONS THAT ARE 700 SQUARE FEET THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD QUALIFY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL.
THAT WILL BE, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SIGN OFF ON.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HOPING FOR, BUT THAT THESE DESIGN STANDARDS CAN'T ACCOMPLISH.
AND I THINK AS A STAFF IS LOOKING INTO THAT, I GUESS ONE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS TO SEE IF THERE CAN BE MORE RELAXATION, RIGHT, DOING AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OR EVEN, OR LET'S SAY AN EQUIVALENT STRUCTURE TO THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE, OR EVEN MORE, IF YOU'RE PRESERVING THEM BRAND NEW STRUCTURE.
I KNOW THERE WAS A BIG CONVERSATION ON FRIDAY, AGREED.
IF YOU PRESERVE THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE, YOU COULD HAVE MORE LEVY FOR A SECONDARY STRUCTURE IN A WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO MEET DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL WITHOUT NECESSARILY RAISING THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
CERTAINLY WE CAN LOOK AT THAT WITH OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE COMMENTS.
THAT WOULD BE, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM THESE STANDARDS.
AND I GUESS JUST ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION WAS, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION AROUND DOING AN EQUITY FOCUS PRESERVATION FAN, OR DOING SOME SORT OF EQUITY ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
W A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THAT CONVERSATION IS.
SO I WORKED IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AS A DEPUTY PRESERVATION OFFICER FOR HALF YEARS, AND I JUST GOT MOVED OVER TO THE NEW DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION DIVISION AND I'M EXCITED TO, UM, BRING MY, MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND INTEREST IN PRESERVATION TOGETHER WITH THIS NEW SCOPE OF WORK.
SO I AM WORKING WITH A COLLEAGUE IN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON A HISTORIC DISTRICT EQUITY ANALYSIS, UM, THAT BUILDS ON SOME PREVIOUS, UH, ANALYSES THAT WE HAVE DONE AROUND DENSITY AND AFFORDABILITY IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND THE GOAL IS TO HAVE IT COMPLETED IN THE NOT IMMEDIATE, BUT NEARISH FUTURE EARLY NEXT YEAR, AND AT LEAST IN THE FIRST QUARTER, SO THAT IT CAN INFORM AN EQUITY FOCUSED PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO, UM, WE HAVE APPLIED FOR A GRANT, A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANT THAT WOULD SUPPORT, UM, AN EQUITY PRESERVATION AND EQUITY FOCUSED HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN THAT I THINK WOULD ACCOMPLISH A NUMBER OF THINGS.
IT, I'M NOT GOING TO SOAPBOX ON THIS FOR TOO LONG, BUT IT WAS OUR CURRENT PRESERVATION PLAN DATE FROM 1981, WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO HISTORIC AGE.
THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO SECURE RESOURCES FOR AN EQUITY FOCUS PRESERVATION PLAN, WHICH WOULD ACCOMPLISH A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I HOPE
[01:40:01]
TO COME BACK BEFORE.I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT, UH, AT A FUTURE DATE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THAT AND THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I'M A, I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, SO I, I'M CURIOUS IF, UH, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FOLKS WHO WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS, IF JUST IF, UH, ANY BREADS OF, UM, CONVERSATION CAME UP ABOUT PRESERVING ANY HISTORIC LANDSCAPES AND NOTHING JUMPS TO MIND.
I JUST KNOW IT'S A, A BROADER CONVERSATION WITH THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND IT, I, I'VE NEVER SEEN IT ACTUALLY IN ANY KIND OF, UM, CITY GUIDELINES OR ORDINANCES, BUT I WAS CURIOUS IF THAT HAD COME UP PLACES LIKE, UM, BARTON SPRINGS, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, IF THAT WERE TO BE ON A PRIVATE PROPERTY, WOULD THERE BE ANYTHING, UM, BESIDES WHAT I'M SEEING ON PAGE, UH, 89 ABOUT PRESERVING A GRASSY LAWN? UM, IF, IF THAT HAD COME UP.
YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO CAJOLE ANY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS INTO JOINING THE WORKING GROUP, ALTHOUGH I TRIED, UM, THE, THE SKIN OF THE SITES AND STREETSCAPES ARE PRETTY GENERAL, AS YOU, AS YOU MENTIONED ON, UM, THEY GO FROM PAGE 87, UM, DOWN TO PAGE 94.
SO, AND THEY REALLY FOCUS ON RETAINING CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES, UM, INCLUDING ON THE PROPERTY, PERMANENT LANDSCAPE FEATURES AND, UM, CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES IN THE PUBLIC REALM.
SO THINGS THAT THAT WOULD BE DEFINED BY THE HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATION OF A HISTORIC LANDMARK APPLICATION.
UM, WE, I THINK CULTURAL LANDSCAPES ARE A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION THAT I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE NEW PRESERVATION PLANNING PROCESS TO TACKLE THAT THESE STANDARDS ARE REALLY RIGHT NOW, THEY LOOK AT WHAT WE, WHAT WE PRESERVE NOW, WHICH IS MOSTLY NOT LANDSCAPES AND NOT SO MUCH FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE, ALTHOUGH I THINK THERE'S GREAT INTEREST IN MAKING THAT SHIFT.
I UNDERSTAND DIDN'T MEAN THE GRAPH TO YOU.
UM, HEY, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
SO IS EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE WITH HOW MUCH OF THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO ALONG WITH THE CODE REWRITE? WAS THIS ALWAYS COMPLETELY BY ITSELF OR IS SOME OF THIS BEING RESCUED FROM THAT STUCK SHIFT? ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION.
THIS IS A STANDALONE EFFORT, UM, INTENDED TO W THERE ARE SOME, UM, PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CODE THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD AFFECT THE HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT THIS IS A SEPARATE EFFORT TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS AND MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE AND, AND TO HAVE CLEAR STANDARDS FOR HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS.
IT'S PROBABLY, SO I HEAR A LOT OF THE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE SUCH AS THE PREDICTABILITY AND PIECES LIKE THAT.
AND GOSH, I WISH WE COULD, YOU KNOW, DO THE SAME FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK TO DEVELOP IN THIS CITY FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK TO GET ZONING IN THE CITY.
LIKE I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT CODE WAS HOPING TO DO IS JUST TO MAKE THE BUILDING OF HOUSING EASIER AND MORE EFFICIENT.
AND IN A CITY THAT'S DESPERATE FOR HOUSING IN A SPRAWLING TO NO END.
SO, UM, I LIKE TO HEAR THAT STAFF IS THINKING THAT WAY.
SO I WANT TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT TOO, LIKE THE PRESERVATION PIECE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I'VE TALKED TO DIFFERENT CAMPS OVER MY TIME IN AUSTIN WORKING IN HOUSING AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS WHO DEFINITELY JUST LIKE, WOW, THIS IS A HISTORIC BUILDING AND IT JUST HAS ALL THIS CHARM.
AND THEN I'VE TALKED TO THE CAMPS WHO WERE JUST LIKE YOU, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S FULL, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S FULL.
AND I MOVED HERE AND I INVESTED IN YOU DON'T NEED ANY MORE CHANGE.
SO, UM, SO I'VE SEEN KIND OF, UM, HISTORIC ZONING, HOW TO USE OR DISCUSS TO GO IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK OF THE MICROSOFT CASE STUDY WHERE, YOU KNOW, EVERY EMPLOYEE THEY HIRE, THEY WANT THAT EMPLOYEE TO BE BETTER AND SMARTER AND FASTER AND MORE, MORE ABLE, AND TO GET ALONG BETTER THAN 50% OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
SO THEREFORE EVERY HIRE THEY BRING ON THEIR ENTIRE COMPANY GETS BETTER OR SO GOES THE THEORY.
BUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR HISTORIC INVENTORY AND NOT IN ANY WAY KIND OF BRINGING DOWN THAT BAR EACH TIME? YEAH.
SO I USED TO WORK FOR A CONSULTING FIRM IN THE PHYSICAL.
HE WOULD ALWAYS TELL THE STORY OF GROWING UP IN NORTH AND NORTH DAKOTA IS ONE OF THE DAKOTAS WITH HIS FATHER ON A CATTLE RANCH.
AND HIS FATHER WOULD ALWAYS TALK ABOUT READING THE QUALITY OF THE HERD.
IF YOU'D ALWAYS WANT TO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY THE BEST COW EVERY TIME YOU WANT THEM TO BE BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE.
UM, I THINK THE HISTORIC DECLINE STANDARDS WILL PROVIDE A CONSISTENT SET OF STANDARDS, WHICH IS
[01:45:01]
HUGE FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT.UM, AND I THINK WE'LL, I THINK THEY, THERE WOULD BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNDER A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.
THE HLC IS YOU'LL PROBABLY RECOGNIZE FROM VARIOUS NEWS REPORTS IS SEEING SOME PRETTY DRAMATIC PROPOSALS FOR, FOR ADDING TO, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
AND THIS WILL SET FORTH KIND OF MINIMUM, MINIMUM, BASIC STANDARDS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS, THESE 10 STANDARDS ARE REALLY GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT VERY HELPFUL IN, IN SAYING, WELL, CAN I ADD A DOOR TO THE SIDE OF MY BUILDING? YOU KNOW, CAN I, HOW MANY STORIES CAN I GO WITH AN ADDITION? UH, THESE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A HEIGHT LIMIT FOR ADDITIONS, BUT, UM, I THINK THE BIGGEST PART OF THESE IS CONSISTENCY AND ILLUSTRATIONS TO HELP PEOPLE BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, WE THINK LOOKING WITH THIS 22% WORKING GROUP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT THERE IS A REALLY STRONG INDEFENSIBLE SET OF STANDARDS THAT AREN'T TOO PERSNICKETY, BUT THAT, UH, THAT WILL PRESERVE HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND IT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HISTORIC, I KNOW THAT YOU JUST HAD A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BAKER SCHOOL, BUT DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, THE PUBLIC WOULD HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC WELLNESS PARAMOUNT.
SO THAT, THAT CHANGES TO THE, THE BACKS OF BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN HISTORIC DISTRICT IS ONE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE CHANGES TO THE BACK OF A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
AND SO THAT THOSE DIFFERENCES AND TRY TO BE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UH, YEAH, I, I FEEL LIKE WE ALL HEARD SECONDHAND ABOUT THE BILLING THAT WENT FOR HISTORIC ZONING AROUND 15 AND LAVACA AND PART OF IT'S AN INTERNAL PARKING GARAGE, BUT YET THEY COULDN'T GET PAST HISTORICALLY IN COMMISSION TO PUT UP A HOTEL.
SO YEAH, HOPEFULLY THIS CAN HELP SOLVE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO TWO MORE THINGS THAT I'LL WANT TO TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT IN TWO WEEKS IS, YOU KNOW, ONE, UM, I I'VE HEARD SECONDHAND AND MAYBE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DISPUTE THIS OR, OR CONFIRM THIS, THAT, UM, OVER 95% OF OUR HISTORIC PROPERTIES ARE ONLY AFFORDABLE TO THE TOP 20% OF INCOME EARNERS.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A SHRINKING NUMBER OF INCOME EARNERS.
SO THAT THAT'S A BIT OF CONCERN.
SO I JUST WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THE HISTORIC ZONING AGAIN, ISN'T USED JUST TO START NEW HOUSING INVENTORY AND THAT WE CAN SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP WITH HOUSING SUPPLY IN AUSTIN.
BUT THEN ALSO IT'LL BE GOOD TO HEAR, LIKE WHAT ALL GROUPS YOU GUYS HAVE GONE IN FRONT OF, SUCH AS AUSTIN IN-FIELD BUILDERS AND GROUPS LIKE THAT THAT ARE REALLY GONNA NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS TOOL AND HOPEFULLY HAVE SIGNED OFF ON IT AND SEEN IT BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO US.
I, IF YOU HAVE, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO SOME KEY STAKEHOLDERS, MOSTLY STAKEHOLDERS THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE HAS WORKED WITH BEFORE.
SO IF ANY OF YOU HAVE NOTED OFTEN AND SO THERE'S, AND IF YOU HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS OR OTHER YES, I'M SO SORRY.
CAN I HAVE ANOTHER COMMISSIONER PICK UP THAT, THAT QUESTION? SO KAREN CAN CONTINUE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PADDLE OFF.
I'M SO SORRY, PLEASE CONTINUE.
UM, I, UM, YES, SO WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH SOME STAKEHOLDERS, AS I MENTIONED, MOSTLY, UH, THE ONES THAT WE KNOW OF, BUT MAYBE HA I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO PRESENT THESE TO OTHER OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, UM, AND WOULD BE GLAD TO GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOU.
SO, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
UM, AND IT IS AN INTERESTING STATISTIC ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTY THAN 95% OF PROPERTIES OF HISTORIC.
I'M GUESSING THAT'S HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND NOT HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPERTIES.
UM, AND THEN I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU SEPARATELY TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT WE DO WE'D HAVE OUR PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UM, HAS, HAS SHOWN THAT IN LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS, THERE'S ACTUALLY A HIGHER PROPORTION OF, UM, RENTAL UNITS THAT ARE, THAT ARE AFFORDABLE TO 80% HOUSES EARNING 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
UM, I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR PROBABLY SEVERAL REASONS THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE INTERESTED IN DIGGING MORE INTO THAT'S OF COURSE SEPARATE FROM HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
BUT I THINK THAT SPEAKS MORE TO, UH, A PLANNING FOCUSED VIEW OF PRESERVATION AND NOT A BUILDING SPECIFIC VIEW.
THE LANDMARK COMMISSION IS AN M STAFF ARE LOOKING TO MOVE MORE TOWARDS THAT GENERAL, UM, RECOGNITION OF, OF NEIGHBORHOODS AS IMPORTANT, UH, PLACES WHERE SORT OF NORMAL AUSTINITES LIVED AND WORKED.
EVEN AS I WILL SAY, WE ONLY HAVE EIGHT HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
THAT'S STILL A TINY, TINY, TINY PERCENT OF AUSTIN BUILDING.
SO I THINK THIS WILL MAKE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION EASIER.
WE DON'T EXPECT ENORMOUS LOSSES IN THE CITY AT ALL EVER TO BE COVERED BY THESE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO ADD A CAUTIONARY NOTE IN CASE ANYONE'S FEELING ALARMED
[01:50:01]
BY MY RHETORIC, MY SOARING RHETORIC.UM, CAN I HAVE A UP, OR IS THAT ADDRESSED AS A FOLLOW QUESTION IS, AND THIS REALLY KIND OF COMES BACK TO THE QUESTION OF THE EQUITY ANALYSIS.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT THE, THE, AN EQUITY ANALYSIS WOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE PART OF OUR STANDARDS.
UM, BUT I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, KIND OF GEOGRAPHY AND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BREAKDOWN ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, WHERE ARE THESE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UM, WHO, WHO BENEFITS FROM THESE PROTECTIONS? AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND, AND, AND I'M A BIG CHAMPION OF PRESERVING OUR MULTI-FAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND NOT REDEVELOPING IT.
SO, UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE WAY THAT HISTORICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN HAS WIDELY BEEN USED TO, YOU KNOW, PRESERVE KIND OF THE EXCLUSIVE NATURE OF MORE AFFLUENT AND WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND IT HAS OFTEN PUSHED DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES ONTO, UH, POOR WORKING CLASS, UH, BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS IN THIS TOWN.
SO I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THIS TOWN.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE, THE, THE, THE EQUITY PIECE, VERY TAKE THE EQUITY PIECE VERY SERIOUSLY, MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU, QUESTIONNAIRE THAT I, I QUICKLY, I TOTALLY AGREE.
UM, ENDS UP LOOKING AT THE GEOGRAPHY AND BREAKDOWN AND BENEFITS WILL BE A PART OF AN EQUITY FOCUS, PRESERVATION PLAN.
THESE STANDARDS ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE, BUT BASICALLY THESE STANDARDS, UM, CREATE, THEY FORMALIZE.
THEY CREATE A MORE SPECIFIC SET OF STANDARDS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS THAT ALREADY HAVE TO FOLLOW A CERTAIN SET OF STANDARDS.
AND THEY ALSO WOULD BE APPLIED TO FUTURE DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE TO CREATE THEIR OWN STANDARDS.
AND, AND PERSONALLY, I AGREE, AND I THINK THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ARE, ARE VERY INTERESTED IN SHIFTING THE SIFTING, HISTORIC PRESERVATION INTO BEING AN ACTOR FOR EQUITY RATHER THAN A BARRIER TO IT.
UM, THESE STANDARDS, I THINK, ARE NOT DIVORCED FROM THAT, BUT ARE SEPARATE PIECES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE EQUITY ANALYSIS SHOULD BE PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS THAT RECOMMENDS LARGER POLICY AND PROGRAM CHANGES TO PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, MAYBE JUST A QUICK, SO I'M SO SORRY.
I MEANT I, YEAH, FOR COMMISSIONER.
UM, I WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING, UM, WHICH IS THAT OUR LAST TWO LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE BOTH IN EAST AUSTIN, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
UM, THOSE PROCESSES, ONE OF THE, UH, ROBERTSON STUDENT MARIN NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE FRENCH DELEGATION TOOK A FIVE YEAR PROCESS TO GET TO BEING A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON, HOLY CROSS NEIGHBORS, I THINK, THREE YEARS.
SO, UM, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE OF THOSE DISTRICTS AND WE'D LOVE TO DO MORE OUTREACH IN THOSE DISTRICTS AND ALSO TO SAY, LOOK, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS POSSIBLE, AND WE THINK THESE STANDARDS WILL BE HUGE.
AND BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER YANAS PLAY-DOH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY DID WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE EAST AUSTIN SITES.
UM, SINCE I KNOW ROGERS, WASHINGTON, HOLY CROSS HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT EQUITY IN THIS SITUATION, IN MY VIEW, AND, AND FOR A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAVE WATCHED AUSTIN RAPIDLY LOSE CULTURE AND HISTORY, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, EQUITY MEANS PRESERVING THE PEOPLE'S COMMUNITIES AND THE CULTURES THAT ARE BEING RAPIDLY LOST THE MOST IN MITIGATING THAT DAMAGE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN REDUCING PRESERVATION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT OR REDUCING PROTECTIONS.
AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABOUT BLOCKING HOUSING.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER JANE JACOBS ONE OH ONE OF URBANISM, WHICH IS THAT CITIES NEED OLD BUILDINGS AND IT'S HISTORIC DESIGNATION THAT, UH, ALLOWS MY WOMAN OF COLOR LED NONPROFIT TO AFFORD OFFICE SPACE AT LESS THAN $2 A SQUARE FOOT WHEN THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE ANYWHERE ELSE.
WHEN YOU FIND PRESERVED OLD BUILDINGS, YOU FIND MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR, YOU FIND MORE WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, YOU FIND THE KINDS OF ACTUAL OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT WHEN WE WANT EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE OUTCOMES.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION ABOUT MORE HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN EAST AUSTIN.
I THINK WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT, AND I HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE THE EQUITY LENS THAT'S USED.
[01:55:02]
OKAY.FINAL SPOT FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, WOULD DECEMBER 4TH BE ENOUGH TIME FOR COMMISSIONERS TO READ THROUGH THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS AND PROPOSE ANY AMENDMENTS, SEND THOSE OVER TO ANDREW, AND THEN THOSE CAN BE DISTRIBUTED SO THAT WHEN WE COME BACK TOGETHER ON DECEMBER 8TH, WE CAN TALK OVER ANY AMENDMENTS THAT GETS US THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS.
SO WE'LL PLAN ON DECEMBER 4TH.
IF YOU HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS YOU WANT TO PROPOSE, UM, JUST SEND THEM OVER TO ANDREW BY THAT DATE.
UM, ONTO NEW BUSINESS, UNDER C1,
[C1. Discussion and possible actions to appoint members to the Mobility and Transportation Working Group.]
WE'VE GOT DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THEM.THE MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP SURE.
WAS JUST LOOKING AT DATA REAL QUICK.
DID YOU SAY GET INTO MY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4TH? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, POSSIBLE NEW MEMBERS TO THE MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP.
UM, ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS ARE, WAS INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS GROUP.
ARE, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? I JUST WANTED TO SIT.
I KNOW THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN DOING SOME GREAT WORK AND I JUST, AS I WAS HEARING THE CONVERSATION LAST TIME, I THOUGHT IT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO SORT OF LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAKING IT DO, UM, ARCHER CONNECT AND SEEING ESSENTIALLY HOW WE CAN DEVELOP MORE EQUITABLE VIEW.
SO THAT'S SORT OF WHY I HAD TO ASK TO BE ON OKAY.
AS COMMISSIONER SEEKER JUST SAID THAT SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, UH, CONTINUE ON IT.
DO I HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION? UM, I THINK THE CHAIR CAN JUST APPOINT WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
SO I'D LIKE TO APPOINT COMMISSIONERS ARE TO THE MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP.
ANDREW RIVERA, IF WE COULD HAVE A MOTION AND A VOTE, PLEASE.
OH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT COMMISSIONERS ARE TO THE MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP SECOND AND BY COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR UNANIMOUS IT'S EIGHT ZERO NINE ZERO.
[D. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UNDERNEATH YES.COMMISSIONERS ARE, UM, CAN TEACHER REALLY WANT TO ATTACK OUR, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF OR I THINK WALKING US THROUGH SORT OF DO DIFFERENT ITEMS, DO THEY WOULD A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO THINK THROUGH.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GET SOME SORT OF UNDERSTANDING FROM THE STAFF, UM, ONE LOOKING AT SORT OF THE TAX IMPLICATIONS OF ALL OUR CURRENT AGE DESIGNATIONS, BUT
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT SPLIT BY RESIDENTIAL VERSUS VERSUS NON-RESIDENTIAL AND ALSO THE SEED FOR THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ME A LIST OF HOW MANY PROPERTIES HAVE WE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC UNDER THE AGE ZONING DESIGNATION, UH, FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, FOR MULTI-FAMILY AND FOR A SINGLE FAMILY? UM, SO THIS CAN BE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT THERE WOULD BE.
STAFF HAVE TO GIVE THIS AS, UM, INSTEAD OF ONE EMAIL COME BACK AND GIVE US ANOTHER PRESENTATION OR WHATEVER SEEMS USABLE TO STAFF, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY.
I THINK I FROZE FOR A LITTLE BIT, SO DID I MISS ANYBODY? OKAY.
UM, MOVING ON TO, UM, OH, DO WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOVE? WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, FOR THAT ANDREW CHARLES RECODE AS A, UM, INQUIRY AND CAN PASS THAT ALONG TO STAFF.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO
[E. BOARDS, COMMITTEES & WORKING GROUPS UPDATES]
BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUP UPDATES.[02:00:01]
FROM CODES AND ORDINANCES? JOINT COMMITTEE? OKAY.UH, ANY UPDATES FROM COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE THAT'S COMMISSIONER FOURS OR COMMISSIONER HONEST BLEED.
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE HERE TONIGHT FOR A SMALL AREA.
NOT FOR, FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
YEAH, NO, WE HAVEN'T BEEN THINKING.
WE MEET ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE.
SO, UM, THE ONLY UPDATE IS THAT, UH, THERE'VE BEEN SOME INITIAL PRESENTATIONS DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY MANAGER AND THEY'RE TEEING IT UP FOR COUNCIL.
UH, COUNCIL IS, UH, THE PROCESS IS GOING TO GET DELAYED A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO IN THE END AFFECT ANYTHING.
UM, AND IT SORT OF SIGNALS THAT THE COUNCIL IS, UH, A BIG INTEREST IN, UM, MOVING TO PLAN THE CLIMATE PLAN FORWARD.
A SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE.
WE ARE MEETING, UH, I THINK IN A WEEK OR TWO.
UM, SO EARLY DECEMBER IS OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT THAT THING.
AND THEN ANY UPDATES FROM MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP, WE DID MEET, I DID SEND A NEW, I DID SEND A NEW POLL OUT.
EVERYONE'S UH, DO THAT ALL IN ANOTHER MEETINGS YOU CAN LOOP COMMISSIONERS ARE INTO.
WELL, UM, THAT'S ALL OF OUR AGENDA TONIGHT, SO I, UM, THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED AT EIGHT OH FOUR.
AND HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND THAT'D BE THANKSGIVING, THANKSGIVING BACK AWAY BEFORE COMMISSIONS TREAD FUN.
THEY CAN CRUISE BY EVERY STATION AND MAKE MORE QUESTIONS.
I NEED SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN