[00:00:03]
[Determination of Quorum / Meeting Called to Order ]
GOT A QUORUM AND, UH, IT IS SIX OH FIVE AND WE'LL GET THE DECEMBER 22ND OF DECEMBER MEETING AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, WE'LL CALL IT TO ORDER.AND, UH, JUST GOING THROUGH OUR ROLL CALL HERE QUICKLY.
UH, WE'VE GOT MYSELF A CHAIR, SHAW.
HEMPEL AND WE'VE GOT, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
YES, WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONER AZHAR COMMISSIONER CONLEY HERE.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UH, COMMISSIONER YANNIS.
UH, COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER HERE, LISTENER SEGER, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HERE.
SO THAT'S 11 AND COMMISSIONER SHAY IS ABSENT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE PRESENT TODAY, UM, UH, EX OFFICIO MEMBERS, DON LAYTON, BURWELL, AND ALSO, UM, UH, RICHARD MENDOZA.
SO IT WAS THAT, UH, KIND OF THE ROLL CALL.
UM, SO I WANT TO JUST REMIND YOU, AS I ALWAYS DO HAVE YOUR, UH, GREEN, RED AND YELLOW ITEMS READY TO VOTE.
AND I GUESS FOR COMMISSIONER FLORES, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO, I'LL HAVE TO, UH, LISTEN FOR YOUR VOTE, UH, TO, UH, THE SAME EVENING AND, UM, REMAIN MUTED WHEN YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND TO BE RECOGNIZED.
AND IF FOR SOME REASON I CAN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO YOU, COME ON AND TRY TO VERBALLY GET MY ATTENTION, UH, FOR THE PARTICIPANTS OUT THERE.
UM, IF YOUR ITEM IS COLD FOR DISCUSSION, YOU DON'T NEED TO REMAIN ON THE LINE.
YOU'LL RECEIVE AN EMAIL ABOUT 15 MINUTES WHEN WE'RE, UH, FROM TAKING UP THE ITEM THAT YOU'RE, UM, THAT YOU'RE SIGNED UP FOR.
UH, SO, UH, QUICKLY WE HAVE SOME NEW SPEAKERS AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TO JUST REVIEW THE, UH, KIND OF DEBATE PROCESS AND Q AND A THAT WE GO THROUGH.
SO, UH, GIVE ME A SECOND TO GO THROUGH THAT.
UM, ONCE WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THOSE, UM, UM, LET ME JUST RUN THROUGH THE FORMAT HERE WE START, UH, WITH, UH, STAFF OR PRESENTATION FROM STAFF, WHICH IS SIX MINUTES.
WE THEN HEAR FROM THOSE IN FAVOR, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY AN APPLICANT PRESENTATION, UH, AND THAT, UH, SIX MINUTES UP TO SIX MINUTES.
AND THEN WE ALLOW TIME FOR SIX SPEAKERS, UH, THREE MINUTES, THREE MINUTES, AND UNLIMITED AFTER THAT FOR ONE MINUTE LONG.
AND THEN WE HEAR FROM THOSE THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THE, UM, THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND, UH, THE PRIMARY OPPONENT GETS SIX MINUTES AND SPEAKERS AGAINST, UH, THAT FOLLOW.
WE HAVE SIX AT THREE MINUTES AND UNLIMITED AT ONE MINUTE, AND THEN WE GIVE TIME FOR THE APPLICANT REBUTTAL THAT'S THREE MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL VOTE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AFTER THAT, UH, WE ALLOW EIGHT COMMISSIONERS, FIVE MINUTES A PIECE, SHOULD THEY NEED IT, UH, TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF, UH, THE APPLICANT AND SPEAKERS, UM, THAT ARE ON THE LINE AND THEN WE MOVE INTO DEBATE AND THEN WE VOTE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE RUNDOWN OF HOW WE, UH, HANDLE OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[Reading of the Agenda ]
AND SO NOW WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO, UM, UH, FORMALIZING THE CONSENT AGENDA HERE.SO THIS IS THE PART THAT, UH, TAKES A WHILE, CAUSE I HAVE TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE.
SO JUST HANG IN THERE, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE THE, UH, APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR DECEMBER 8TH MEETING AND THEN, UH, KIND OF MOVING ON INTO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UH, WE HAVE ITEMS B ONE AND B TWO.
UM, UH, B WILL BE ONE IS A PLAN AMENDMENT IT'S NTA 2020 ZERO ZERO ONE SIX
[00:05:01]
ZERO ONE IT'S MCS AND CTC TRACKS, NPA DISTRICT THREE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.THIS IS A SAY, UM, MPA FOR COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL TO MIX USE.
UH, B TWO IS C 14 DASH 2020 ZERO ZERO SEVEN THREE DASH MCS AND CTC TRACKS ZONING.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF, UH, FOR C UH, TAKING A CSC O N P TWO C S M U V C O N T.
AND, UH, THEN WE MOVE INTO B3 AND THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JANUARY 12TH.
UH, APPLICANT IS AGREEABLE PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 2020 ZERO ZERO FIVE.ZERO ONE MONTOPOLIS SAKERS REZONING, UH, ITEM D FOUR IS A REZONING, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT, UH, SIMILAR RELATE TO JANUARY 12TH, APPLICANT AGREES C 14 2020 ZERO ZERO TWO NINE DASH A MONTOPOLIS SACRED IS REZONING MOVING ON TO B FIVE.
UH, THIS IS WITHDRAWN FROM THE AGENDA.
IT WAS
UM, THIS HAS TO BE RESCHEDULED TO A NOTIFICATION ERROR AND WE MOVE ON TO B SIX.
THIS WILL BE, UM, A PUBLIC, UH, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM.
WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION TO DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS S P 2019 ZERO FOUR SIX FIVE C DASH RIVER STREET RESIDENCES.
IT IS, UH, TO GRANT THAT JUST A LITTLE FAR FROM 15 TO ONE TO 22 TO ONE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
WE HAVE
UH, THEN WE HAVE THE ITEM B EIGHT, UH, THIS A SITE PLAN S P THIS WILL BE FOR DISCUSSION.
THE AID IS BEING PULLED FOR DISCUSSION IT'S P 2020 DASH ZERO TWO ZERO TWO C 50TH STREET OFFICE BUILDING.
AND THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A CARCERAL WAIVER AT THE DOWNTOWN MIXED USE ZONE REQUIREMENT TO SCREEN STRUCTURED PARKING ON THE GROUND FLOOR WITH PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES.
THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED BY STAFF MOVING ON TO B NINE RIGHT AWAY VACATION.
UM, IT'S RIGHT AWAY VACATION F NUMBER ONE ZERO THREE FIVE SIX DASH 2011.
THAT ONE ZERO THREE FIVE SEVEN DASH 2011.
AND THIS IS, UH, TWO GRANT STREET RIGHT AWAY, VACATION APPLICATIONS, FOUR ONE ONE NINE ONE ZERO THROUGH ONE, TWO ONE ZERO ZERO SAMSUNG BOULEVARD.
SO, UH, JUST TO REVIEW, WE GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY, WE'VE GOT, UH, THE MINUTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, DECEMBER EIGHT MINUTES, WE'VE GOT ITEMS B ONE AND B TWO ON CONSENT.
WE'VE GOT THE ITEM, B3 NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT.
WE'VE GOT ITEMS BEFORE NEIGHBORHOOD BUS MINT.
WE HAVE B FIVE, WHICH IS WITHDRAWING FROM THE AGENDA.
B SIX IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION SEVEN IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT B EIGHT IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, SO THE ITEMS THAT, UH, ARE NOT PULLED FOR DISCUSSION AND THE, AND THE MINUTES ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND WITH THAT, UM, DO I HAVE, UH, ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT NEED TO, UH, RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE TODAY? UH, MS. UH, COMPETITOR'S SCHNEIDER.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION TO THE MINUTES.
[00:10:02]
THE QUESTION IS, UM, THE MINUTES SHOW, UH, ITEMS, I THINK B FIVE AND B SIX, UH, AND DON'T INCLUDE ME VOTING.SO WE WILL, UM, VOTE YOUR SAY ON, UH, WHICH ITEM AGAIN, I'M SORRY, FOR THE MINUTES FROM, UH, THE LAST MEETING, UH, IT SHOWS THE BOAT FOR ITEM FIVE AND SIX, AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ME VOTING.
SO WHEN, UH, I'LL READ, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND READ IN A CORRECTION TO THE MINUTES, UM, AS REQUESTED, UM, LET ME BACK UP ONE SECOND, UH, TURNING OVER MY PAGE ON THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE NINE, UH, THAT'S ALSO ON CONSENT.
SO WE HAVE, LET ME GO OVER THIS ONE MORE TIME APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTION TO THE MINUTES THAT COMMISSIONER SNYDER VOTED IN FAVOR OF ITEMS B FIVE AND B6 ON THE DECEMBER 8TH MINUTES.
UH, SO THOSE ARE APPROVAL OF MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTION AS STATED BY COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER.
UM, AND WE'RE PULLING FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE ON CONSENT OVER PULLING ON FOR DISCUSSION ON IS B SIX, B EIGHT.
[Consent Agenda ]
OKAY.SO I GUESS I NEED A MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND WE HAVE THE MINUTES AND THE CONSENT AGENDA, A MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I SEE COMMISSIONER AZHAR WITH COMMISSIONER SEEGER SECONDING.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THAT.
SO WE ARE DONE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WE CAN
[B6. Downtown Density Bonus: SP-2019-0465C - River Street Residences; District 9 ]
NOW MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING.AND WE GOT A FIRST STEP IS ITEM B SIX.
SO DO WE HAVE STAFF READY TO PRESENT ON THAT ITEM? CAN EVERYBODY HEAR? YES.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE GREEN CARDS MISS, I GUESS THAT MEANS THAT THE, UH, GREEN LIGHT TO GO.
UH, MY NAME IS ERIN JENKINS WITH THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND I WILL BE PRESENTING ITEM B SIX, THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, UH, PROJECT THE RIVER STREET RESIDENCES SP 2019 DASH Z FOUR 65 C.
UM, JUST TO GIVE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT, WHAT THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING IS TO CONSTRUCT A 48 STORY MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL TOWER.
UH, THIS WILL INCLUDE AN ART GALLERY ON THE GROUND FLOOR PARKING GARAGE, AND THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RIGHT-AWAY AS PART OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, 25 TO 586.
UH, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT PART OF THE FRONTAGE, WHICH IS ALONG THE, UH, EAST AVENUE SITE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THE GREAT KEEPER, THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, GREAT STREETS DUE TO A MANDATE THAT TXDOT HAS, UH, ENFORCED ALLOWING NO STREETSCAPE ITEMS WITHIN THAT PUBLIC RIGHT-AWAY.
UH, SO AS OF THE HOUSE STAFF, WE ARE DEVELOPING A FEE IN LIEU PROGRAM WHERE THEY WOULD BE ASSESSED A FEE AS A WAY TO COMPENSATE, NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE FEEL THAT THEY HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY MET THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UH, THEY'RE DOING A TWO-STAR BUILDING.
AND THIS ALSO, UM, WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE DESIGN COMMISSION LAST MONTH.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO DO TO MEET THE, UM, PROBABLY SHOULD GO BACK AND SAY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACTUALLY DO.
UH, THEY ARE SEEKING AN ADDITIONAL FAR FLOOR AREA RATIO ABOVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE
[00:15:01]
MITT, UH, ALLOWANCE OF 1501.THEY ARE SEEKING A 22, THE ONE FAR.
UM, AND THIS IS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO OFFER WITH REGARDS TO COMMUNITY BENEFITS IS THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDING ROUGHLY ABOUT 7,500 ADDITIONAL SQUARE FEET OF ONE-SIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE ON-SITE PROVISIONS ABOVE THE 15 TO ONE AND A FEE IN LIEU.
UM, AN AMOUNT OF $379,310 TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM.
WE FEEL THAT WITH THOSE ADDED, UH, BENEFITS THAT THEY SUBSTANTIALLY MEET, UH, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, THEY MEET THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, THEREFORE THAT LED US TO THE DECISION TO RECOMMEND THIS PROJECT.
UH, I AM OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
SO, UH, FIRST THIS EVENING I HAVE ON ITEMS B ONE AND B2, WHICH WE'LL TAKE TOGETHER.
I HAVE THE APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, YES, JEREMY AND BEFORE WITH GROUP HERE, IF I COULD GET THE PRESENTATION THAT STARTS WITH THE BLACK BACKGROUND AND SAYS RIVER STREET RESIDENCES UP, UH, SOME OF THE, JUST TELL ME WHEN THAT'S READY.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS NICK
I DO HAVE ON THE LINE WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OWNERSHIP TEAM.
UM, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO ORIENT YOU.
THE RIVER STREET RESIDENCE PROJECT IS BOUND BY RAINY STREET ON THE WEST RIVER STREET ON THE SOUTH AND EAST AVENUE ON THE EAST.
TODAY, THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF THREE LOTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED WITH THE CRAFT PRIDE BAR HAVALINA BAR IN ONE LOT.
THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED.
THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF JUST OVER HALF AN ACRE AT 0.54.
ONE ACRES IS CURRENTLY ZONED CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND LOCATED WITHIN THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND A WATERFRONT OVERLAY ASSESSMENT IN THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS A RESIDENTIAL PROJECT CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 408 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND ASSOCIATED GROUND FOR PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES.
GIVEN THE PROJECT LOCATION, THE PROPERTY MAY DEVELOP UP TO AN EIGHT TO ONE FOUR TO AREA RATIO WITH UNLIMITED HEIGHT, AS LONG AS THERE IS A PROVISION OF ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRY PROGRAM AS PART OF THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY BY PARTICIPATING IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING AN FFR OF APPROXIMATELY 21.4321, AND A HEIGHT OF 569.
UNDER THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THE PROPERTY IN THE RAINY STREET AREA IS ALLOWED AN FAR UP TO 15 TO ONE ADMINISTRATIVELY WITH COMPLIANCE WITH THE GATES SECRET GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE PER AN ORDINANCE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
IN 2014, A PROJECT MAY ACHIEVE AN FAR OVER 15 TO ONE WITH APPROVAL BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT UNDER THE DRAFT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UH, THE RAINY STREET AREA WAS INCLUDED IN THE AREAS THAT WASN'T ANTICIPATED TO HAVE THE SAR LIMITATIONS REMOVED AND SIMPLY BE SUBJECT TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ANY PROJECTS THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS REQUIRED TO MEET THE GATE KEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
UH, HIS STAFF MENTIONED THIS PROJECT HAS ACHIEVED COMPLIANCE WITH THAT BY ACHIEVING A TWO STAR DREAM BUILDER RATING.
AND THEN IT'S PROVIDING FULL GREAT STREETS ON BOTH THE RAINY STREET FRONTAGE AND THE RIVER STREET FUNDED AND IS PROVIDING THE SIDEWALK COMPONENT THAT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE UNDER ON THE EAST AVENUE SIDE.
AND WE'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE C AND LIEU PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL FOR EAST AVENUE, WHICH HAS THE LIMITATIONS IMPLEMENTED BY TEXTILES.
THE PROJECT HAS ALSO ACHIEVED SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THIS IS WHAT STAFF COVERED THAT THE PROJECT DID GO TO THE OCTOBER 28 SOUND DESIGN COMMISSION AGENDA AND ACHIEVED THE RECOMMENDATION OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UH, PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL COLOR ON WHAT STAFF MENTIONED FROM AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERSPECTIVE.
[00:20:01]
WITH THE GREAT STREETS REQUIREMENTS PROJECTS THAT IT'S USED, UH, FAR ABOVE THEIR BASE OF 18 TO ONE MESS, ALSO A HUGE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.UH, THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING TO DO THAT WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT OF THE DOWNTOWNS AND BONUS PROGRAM, BECAUSE THE PROJECT IS IN THE RAINY STREET SUB DISTRICT.
THE PROJECT IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE 5% OF THE RESIDENTIAL UNIT UP TO EIGHT TO ONE FAR ONSITE AT A RATE OF 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, WHICH RESULTS IN 7,593 SQUARE FEET OF ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THAT'S JUST PER THE REDISTRICT REQUIREMENT.
AND THOSE UNITS ARE REQUIRED TO BE A PROPORTIONATE MIX OF THE BUILDINGS.
AND IT WILL INCLUDE ONE, TWO AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS TO GET TO AN EIGHT TO ONE 15 TO ONE.
THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING TO PAY A FEE IN LIEU, WHICH IS A LOT BY CODE AND EQUATE TO $825,265 TO GET THE BONUS AREA ABOVE 15 TO ONE.
THIS PROJECT IS ALLOWED TO PAY ONLY A FEE IN LIEU.
HOWEVER, WE ARE PROPOSING TO ACHIEVE THE ADDITIONAL SAR BY PROPOSING A HALF WITH ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HALF WITH A FAN LOO, THIS RESULTS IN AN ADDITIONAL 7,586 SQUARE FEET OF ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR A TOTAL OF 15,179 SQUARE FEET, UH, THAT EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 25 ONSITE UNITS.
THAT WILL BE AT A MFI OF 80%, UH, IN ADDITION TO A FAMILY OVER $1.2 MILLION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT FOLLOWING A POSTPONEMENT, UH, THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE MET WITH THEM LAST WEEK ON FRIDAY, AND HAD A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME CONCERNS ON WHERE TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS WERE GOING FOR PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THE READING AREA.
THIS PROJECT DID CONDUCT A FULL TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AND WILL BE CONTRIBUTING OVER $650,000 TOWARDS WHAT ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT OF THE RAINY STREET OR OF THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS DESIRE TO ENSURE THAT THESE FUNDS STAY WITHIN THE AREA.
WE HAVE DRAFTED A LETTER TO GO TO AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT MEETS THE GOALS OF THE READING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
ALTHOUGH NOT PART OF YOUR ACTION TONIGHT, I DO WANT TO TOUCH BASE REAL QUICK ON THE PARCEL ALLEY VACATION THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT AND HAS ALREADY BEEN ACTED ON AND RECOMMENDED BY THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION LAST MONTH.
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE EXISTING ALLEY.
AND AS YOU WILL SEE IS CURRENTLY A MUD PIT FRANKLY, OF AN UNPAID AREA THAT IS SUBSTANDARD WITH A WIDTH OF JUST OVER 16 FEET, SAME WANTS JUST UTILITY POLES ON EITHER SIDE, UH, IN ADDITION, THE UTILITY LINES ENCROACH IN THE OVERALL OVERHEAD AREA THAT CAN BE USED.
UM, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, WE DID WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN ENERGY AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, OR AN EXCITED.
AND THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CONFIGURATION THAT IS PROPOSED.
UH, THIS PROJECT WILL RECONFIGURE THIS ALLEY THAT IS MOSTLY SUBSTANDARD AND CREATE AN ALLIES THAT HAVE A MINIMUM POINT 60 SEARS ZONE BY THREE PEDESTRIAN ZONE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO STOP AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND, UM, REQUEST THE SUPPORT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THIS ADDITIONAL DENSITY BONUS.
UH, WE HAVE, I SHOW HERE ONE ADDITIONAL SPEAKER SPEAKING FOR, UH, MATEO, AND I THINK I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THIS RIGHT.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND I'M ACTUALLY WITH THE APPLICANT TEAM HERE, JUST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, WITH AMANDA.
SO I DON'T ACTUALLY NEED TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, THEN WE MOVE INTO THOSE OPPOSED AND I HAVE, UM, THE PRIMARY SPEAKER, MICHAEL ABLESON.
YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES A STAR
DO YOU HAVE ANY YOU'RE HAVING NOW? TERRIFIC.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO REPRESENT THE RANDIAN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OUR CONCERNS REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF RAINEY.
FIRST, WE WANT TO THANK THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS REGARDING SP 2019 ZERO FOUR SIX CITY, THE RIVER STREET RESIDENCE PROJECT.
SECOND, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE DRUG ADRENALINE GROUP AND THE DEVELOPERS OF THE PROJECT FOR BEING SO GRACIOUS TO MEET WITH US LAST WEEK, THREE MEMBERS OF THE RNA AND FIVE MEMBERS OF THE JOURNAL GROUP, AND THE DEVELOPERS HAD A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION.
AND IT'S OBVIOUS FROM THE LETTER THAT
[00:25:01]
THEY SUBMITTED TO THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT APPRECIATE THE RNS CONCERNS.WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE, THE ONLY HIS PRIMARY CONCERNS RELATED TO TONIGHT'S MEETING, ARE THEY THE SAFE USE OF THE ALLEY LOCATED BETWEEN THE TWO SECTIONS OF THIS PROJECT? THE DIRE NEEDS TO IMPROVE THE ALLEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND THE NEEDS FOR THE REMEDIATION FUNDS SUBMITTED BY THE DEVELOPER TO ACTUALLY BE USED FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE WITHIN RAINEY.
THE SECOND IS THE CONCERN ABOUT THE 22 TO ONE FOUR REQUESTS.
THE RNA CONCERNS ARE NOT JUST WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT ALSO WITH THE NUMEROUS FUTURE PROJECTS.
AND WE'LL ALSO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FAR.
WE BELIEVE IT'S TOO LATE FOR THE COMMISSION TO DO ANYTHING REGARDING THE FAR FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT THE RESIDENTS OF RAIMI NEEDS YOUR HELP REGARDING STOPPING FUTURE INCREASED FARMER APPROVALS AND MAKING SURE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED MONEY CONTRIBUTED BY AS DOLLARS ARE ACTUALLY USED AT THE WRITING.
WE HAVE REQUESTED HELP FROM THE CITY AND ATD FOR OVER A DECADE, NUMEROUS TIMES REGARDING NEEDED SIDEWALKS, DEMARCATIONS AND CROSS WALKS ON THE STREETS AND INTERSECTIONS NEEDED SIGNAGE AND NEED FOR SUFFICIENT LIGHTING FOR SAY SAFE, WALKING THE STREETS, UH, AND, AND, AND ROADWAYS TO SUPPORT THE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH.
ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN TO DESSIE EARS.
THE MAPPING CHART YOU WILL GET IN A MOMENT WILL DEMONSTRATE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN OVERTAXING OF RAINY RESOURCES BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED FAR ALLOWANCES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE REMEDIATION FUNDS SUPPOSEDLY COMMITTED WITH THE RATINGS ARE NOT BEING USED IN RAYMOND AND ATP IS ACTUALLY NARROWING THE STREETS AND MAKING THEM MORE DANGEROUS, SOME DATA TO SUPPORT MY CONCERNS.
THE CITY HAS NOT ADOPTED ANY OF THE OVER 30 SUGGESTIONS MADE IN THE BIG ROAD.
RED DOG TRAFFIC STUDY PUBLISHED IN MAY OF 2017, THE CITY COMMISSIONS AND OTHER TRAFFIC STUDY, BUT IT ONLY LOOKED AT A PORTION OF RAINY AND DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MOST POPULATED AREAS OF RAINEY.
HOWEVER, BOTH STUDIES ASSUME NO GREATER THAN A FAR, A 15 TO ONE IN THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT WE REGULARLY SEE REQUESTING GRANTED AND GRANTING FAR AS MUCH GREATER THAN 15 TO ONE.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY WOULD EVER ALLOW A FAR GREATER THAN 15 TO ONE RATIO.
THERE MUST BE A GOOD REASON FOR THE 81 FAR LIMIT AND WITH ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL PAYMENTS, THE EXPANSION A 15 TO ONE.
SO WHY ALLOW OVER 15 TO ONE, WE FEEL ANYTHING ABOVE THE 1501 FOUR WILL SIGNIFICANTLY OVERTAXED THE RESOURCES, OVERTAX EXISTING AND FUTURE TRANSPORTATION FROM DECREASED SAFETY OF RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND EMPLOYEES WITHIN RAINING AND BE TREATED THE STANDARD OF LIVING WITHIN.
PLEASE GO TO THE GRAPHIC ON THE NEXT PAGE.
AFTER THE TITLE PAGE, THIS IS WHAT THE CURRENT APPROVED AND PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION WILL DO WITHIN THE ONE QUARTER SQUARE MILE.
I WANT TO MAKE A COMPARISON FROM THE LARGEST RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN AUSTIN INDEPENDENT, WE WILL HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF 14 INDEPENDENCE WITHIN RAINING.
THE INDEPENDENT IS 58 STORIES.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 233 STORIES, BOTH REMAINING.
IF CURRENT PROPOSALS ARE APPROVED, WE WILL HAVE 784 STORIES BUILT WITH THE RAINEY ABOUT THREE AND A HALF TIMES.
WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THE INDEPENDENT ALSO HAS 370 UNITS.
RAINEY CURRENTLY HAS 1,557 UNITS AS A PROPOSED 3,513 UNITS.
AND WE WILL HAVE OVER 5,100 UNITS EQUAL AGAIN TO 14 INDEPENDENT.
ALSO ASSUMING THE NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD AVERAGE OF 2.5, TWO PEOPLE RAINY WE'LL HAVE OVER 13,000 PEOPLE LIVING HERE, PLUS THE MAC PLUS HOTELS, PLUS BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
THAT IS ALMOST THE SAME POPULATION AS THE 13 PLUS SQUARE MILE LAKEWAY, TEXAS.
AND WE ONLY HAVE A QUARTER MILE PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT GRAPHIC, WHICH IS THE RAINY MAP.
WE NOW SEE A MAP OF RAINEY WITH ALL ITS CURRENT APPROVED AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUR INFORMATION ARE OVER TWO DOZEN HIGH RISE BUILDINGS CURRENTLY APPROVED OR PROPOSED.
THERE ARE ONLY THREE INTERSECTIONS IN AND OUT OF BRADY.
ONE OF THEM BEING THE RIVER STREET EXIT RAINY STREET IS THE ONLY NORTH SOUTH TWO-WAY STREET OF ANY CONSEQUENCE.
RED RIVER IS TWO WAYS, BUT IT'S ONLY TWO BLOCKS.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CURRENTLY OR PLANS IN THE FUTURE.
THE CITY IS ACTUALLY NARROWING OUR STREETS.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT GRAPHIC.
WHEN THIS PAGE WE SEE ALL OF THE DATA REGARDING THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT RATING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, YOU WILL SEE WHAT IS YET TO COME.
THE 33 INCREASE IN HOTEL ROOMS, A 245% INCREASE IN APARTMENTS, SAY 281% INCREASE IN CONDOS.
AND WE'RE ALREADY FEELING THE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ISSUES BEFORE ALL OF THIS CONSTRUCTION.
THE DRIVER OF ALL OF THIS IS HIS WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW OVER 15 TO ONE FOR IF THE CITY WERE NOT TO DO THAT.
THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT THE TWO TRAFFIC STUDIES MIGHT BE SINCE THEY ASSUME NO MORE THAN A 15 TO ONE FOUR, WE WOULD HAVE A CHANCE FOR SAFER STREETS, EVEN IN A 16 TO ONE, FOUR RATING WILL STILL BE THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREA IN AUSTIN AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE'LL STILL GENERATE SIGNIFICANT TAX DOLLARS FOR AUSTIN.
WHAT CAN BE DONE AND HOW CAN WE WORK WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CREATE
[00:30:01]
A SAFE, INVITING AND SLIDING NEIGHBORHOOD.THESE ARE OUR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS, UM, BASICALLY BEFORE.
UH, NOW WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE APPLICANT FOR A THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL AFTER THREE MINUTES, UH, 60 CHAIR, UH, I MEAN, THAT'S FOR AGAIN, I WOULD JUST REITERATE THE RAINY NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, COMMENTS THAT WE, WE DID HAVE A REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT ON FRIDAY.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD, NAMELY THAT THE CIA THAT WAS CONDUCTED WITH THIS PROJECT WAS CONDUCTED AT THE, AT THE FULL FAR THAT IS CONTEMPLATED.
AND AS I MENTIONED, CONTEMPLATES OVER $650,000 OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE DIRECTED IN THE RAINY AREA, INCLUDING, UH, PROJECT SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS WITH AN MTV THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PROJECT SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ALLEY THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T FUNCTION TODAY.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST CLOSE WITH THE, WITH THE REMINDER THAT THE, AS ADOPTED THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF THE DRAFT OF THE CODE REWRITE, THAT IT WAS CONTEMPLATED THAT THE RAINY AREA WAS TO HAVE OVER A 15 TO ONE 40 AREA RATIO.
AND THAT IS WHY WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO STOP AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? LET'S SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER WITH A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CEDAR.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, TAKE A VOTE, SEE YOUR GREEN AND OKAY.
WE GOT, UH, THAT'S THE MINIMUS.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OUR Q AND A, UH, UH, WHO WANTS TO START ANYBODY WANT TO START WITH QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, HEY, QUICK QUESTION FOR STAFF.
AND IT MAY BE APPLICANT KNOWS THIS BETTER, BUT, UM, WHEN I HEAR ABOUT EAST AVENUE AND, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF EAST AVENUE, OF COURSE, IT WAS THE EASTERN MOST END OF THE WALLER PLAN AND DOWNTOWN AT ONE POINT.
AND OF COURSE THE DMTS CAME THROUGH AND BUILT THE GIANT INTERSTATE THERE.
BUT WHEN I KNOW THIS AREA AND THERE'S THE INTERSTATE, THEN THERE'S THE ACCESS ROAD.
THEN THERE'S SOME LAND AND BEND THERE'S EAST AVENUE.
SO, I MEAN, I GUESS TEXTILE JUST OWNS THIS RIDEAWAY AND THEY CONSIDER IT PART OF THE I 35 RIGHT AWAY.
I'M SURPRISED THAT THEY WON'T LET THE CITY OR NEARBY LANDOWNERS IMPROVE THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR SIDEWALKS.
LIKE, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAYBE MAKE THAT BETTER IN THE FUTURE? IF ANYTHING, MAYBE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
THIS IS THE MAIN SUPPORT STAFF CAN EITHER ASSIGN.
UM, SO YES, THIS IS TEXT THAT RIGHT AWAY.
AND WE SPENT, UM, SIGNIFICANT TIME WITH TEXT DOTS AND, UM, WITH, WITH URBAN DESIGN STAFF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, THEN WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN'T WE DO? AND ULTIMATELY THEIR, THEIR LARGER CONCERN TENDS TO FOCUS AROUND THE BIG TREES.
SO ALTHOUGH THIS PROJECT ISN'T CONDUCTING FULL GREAT STREETS, WE ARE STILL PROVIDING ENHANCED SIDEWALKS ALONG EAST AVENUE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE STARTED TO ALLOW.
THEY DO ALLOW MORE OF A SHRUB TYPE OF A PLANT, BUT THEY DON'T ALLOW THE FULL, UM, TREES THAT THEY DON'T FEEL ARE COMPLIANT.
SO THEY JUST HAVE KIND OF DRAWN A LINE IN THE SAND ON NOT ALLOWING FULL GREAT STREETS, BUT THEY DID.
AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT STAFF HELPED US BE ABLE TO GET TO AT LEAST DO SOME OF THE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS ALONG EAST AVENUE.
I GUESS IT'S JUST HARD TO SWALLOW THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WE PAY INTO A FEE AND LOU, AND I KNOW YOU WOULD RATHER JUST PAY FOR THE NICER TREES AND HAVE THOSE ON SITE INSTEAD OF PAY THAT, SEE THOSE GO ELSEWHERE.
THAT WAS, IS THAT STAFF GO AHEAD.
IT'S STAFF WANT TO WAIT THEN? AND THAT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE STILL HAVE STAFF ON THE LINE.
I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY FROM STAFF.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FROM A COMMISSIONER? CAN YOU GUYS DEFINITELY, SIR? NOPE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S ROLL IT BACK TO IT.
HERE'S THIS, THIS IS AARON JENKINS FROM STAFF.
I JUST WANT TO START, I DON'T KNOW WHY EVERY TIME I FIRST STAR SIX, IT WOULD MUTE ME AND THEN UNMUTE ME AND THEN YOU CAN GET AGAIN.
SO I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS BEING MUTED OR UN-MUTED, UM, BUT JUST TO REITERATE WHAT AMANDA HAD STATED, WE HAVE WORKED AND HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH HER TEAM
[00:35:01]
AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S REALLY HARD TO, TO GET TXDOT TO BUDGE OR TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH WHAT THEY CAN DO.UM, WITHIN THE TEXT DOC RIGHT AWAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CITY, THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
UM, ALL OF THAT IS CONTROLLED BY TEXT DOC AND, AND THEY'RE VERY ADAMANT BY NOT HAVING ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT WITHIN THAT RIGHT AWAY.
UM, AND THEY DID IT AS AMANDA STATED ALLOWS SOME SHRUBBERY.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS TREES OR, OR BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE FULL GREAT STREETS PACKAGE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT WILL NOT OCCUR WITHIN A TXDOT RIGHT AWAY.
UM, I'M AN AGREEMENT WITH YOU.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE THINGS WITHIN THE TECH START RIGHT AWAY.
AND HOPEFULLY SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, UH, WE CAN COME TO SOME SORT OF COMPROMISE WITH TXDOT WHERE, WHERE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOW THOSE ADMITTED BS, BUT AT THE MOMENT, TXDOT IS NOT BUDGING AND ALLOWING ANY OF THOSE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAD NO CONTROL OVER.
THANKS FOR THE FURTHER EXPLANATION.
UM, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT IN TIME, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH TEXTILE BECAUSE OF COURSE THOSE TREES WOULD JUST MAKE THE PEDESTRIANS IN THAT WHOLE SPACE SAFER AND MORE INTERESTING.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY TEXAS COMES OR A TEXT THAT RATHER COMES AROUND ON THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, I THINK YOU HAD THE NEXT QUESTION.
CAN I JUST HAVE STAFF TALK ABOUT WHAT AREA IN ANY FUNDS THAT GET PAID IN FOR FEE OF BLUE, FOR GREAT STREETS OR FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WHAT, WHAT THE AREA THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD HAVE TO BE DISPERSED WITH THEM? SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT, AND I MAY BE WRONG, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PRETTY MUCH GOES TO A, A, A GENERAL FUND THAT WOULD APPLY ANYWHERE DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN BOUNDARY, THAT'S WHERE THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED.
IT WOULDN'T GO TO ANY WERE SPECIFIC, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GENERALLY THAT GOES DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONER.
THIS IS AMANDA FOR IF I MAY ADD A LITTLE BIT ONTO THAT.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT GO TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO THE ONLY FUND THAT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND IS THE ACTUAL FEE FOR THE AERIAL RIGHTS FOR THE ALLEY VACATION, THE $650,000 FEE.
IT DOES HAVE DESIGNATED TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT IT WILL GO TOWARDS BETTER OUTLINED IN THE TIA.
AND THEN THE FEE FOR THE GREAT STREET THAT DOES GO TO THE GENERAL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS TO THE GENERAL GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT, YEAH, AND THEN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
SO, SO IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THE GREAT STREET FEES TO GO ON CONGRESS AVENUE, FOR INSTANCE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM IS THAT IT'S STILL BEING PUT TOGETHER.
SO COUNCIL DID ADOPT AND INITIATE THE FAMILY PROGRAM, BUT AS OF, UH, MY KNOWLEDGE TO DATE STAFF IS STILL WORKING TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
SO I THINK THERE COULD BE DIRECTION FROM, FROM THE COMMISSION TO HAVE STAFF IMPLEMENT HOW THOSE FEES ARE PAID, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT PROGRAM IS STILL BEING DRAFTED, BUT IT TAKES JUST BEEN INITIATED BY COUNCIL.
AND IF I MAY, THIS IS, THIS IS AARON JENKINS FROM STAFF.
AGAIN, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE FUNDS TO BE, UH, DIRECTED TO SOME PARTS OF, OF CONGRESS AVENUE.
UM, THIS WOULD BE AT THE DIRECTION OF CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND THEY, THEY WOULD DIRECT US WHERE THOSE FEES WOULD GO.
UM, BUT WITH REGARDS TO GREAT STREET, IT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT IT COULD GO SOMEWHERE ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FEES, IF THERE WERE SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES THERE'S, THERE'S NOT, UH, AN AVAILABLE PROJECT TO PUT THOSE FEES TOWARDS, BUT I THINK WE ALL REALIZE THAT THERE'S LOTS OF WORK THAT'S NEEDED ON RAINY, UH, TO GET THAT STREET AND INTO KNOW SIR, SAFE AND WALKABLE, UH, CONDITION.
SO IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD SORT OF, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW TO, HOW TO METHOD OR MAKING SURE THAT THOSE, THOSE FEES WERE, WERE SPENT AS, AS CLOSE BY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S IT? THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
A THIRD COMMISSIONER WITH QUESTIONS.
UM, WELL, IF WE'VE FINISHED OUR QUESTIONS, UM, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM ANYBODY, ANY COMMISSIONERS,
[00:40:03]
UH, VICE CHAIR HEMPEL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO GRANT THE FAR FROM 15 TO ONE AND 22 TO ONE.DO I HAVE A SECOND? SEE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
HEMPEL DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW AREAS IN THE DOWNTOWN, UM, AREA THAT IS UNENCUMBERED BY CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDORS.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO BE GETTING THE DENSITY WHERE WE CAN IN THESE AREAS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONTRIBUTION TO BOTH ONSITE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY 80%, UM, AND, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FAMILY, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS AN EMPTY, VACANT LOT, AND I BELIEVE THE FORMER STOMPING GROUNDS OF GERALDINE, THE GUINEA FOWL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AN AREA THAT IS ALREADY SEEING A LOT OF DENSITY AND I THINK THIS IS, UM, A GOOD PLACE TO, TO HAVE MORE.
DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY COMMISSIONERS SPEAKING AGAINST THE MOTION? ALL RIGHT.
UH, ANY COMMISSIONERS FOR WANT TO SPEAK FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER SEGER IN, IN LOOKING AT, UH, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THE APPLICANT PUT OUT, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, THE HORSES ALREADY LEFT THE BARN OR ACCEPTING IF THE AMOUNT OF FAR IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO IT IS NOT UNIQUE AND IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO PUT VERY TALL BUILDINGS RATHER THAN UP AGAINST NEIGHBORHOODS.
I, I KNOW THAT, UH, THE PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE GOING UNDER ONLY MANDATES 10%, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT MORE, BUT I CAN'T, UM, ASK THAT AT THIS POINT, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CODE FIRST.
UH, SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
IT'S ALREADY OCCURRED CLOSE BY.
THIS WOULD BE DENYING THIS PROPERTY OWNER RIGHTS THAT OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE BEEN GRANTED.
ANYBODY SPEAKING AGAINST OR NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL? IT'S MY REMARKS, MY REMARKS, SORRY.
MY REMARKS WILL BE VERY BRIEF.
I JUST, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, WHILE I, I, I WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S STILL, OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS JUST INCREDIBLY WEAK IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF ACTUAL UNITS THAT WE'RE GETTING.
UM, AND I DO WISH WE HAD A MUCH STRONGER, BETTER CALIBRATED DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT COULD GET US MORE ON-SITE AFFORDABLE UNITS.
OKAY, WE GOT ONE MORE SPOT FOR ANY SPEAKERS SPEED.
UH, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT, UH, COMMISSIONER IS, ARE, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT THAT I THINK SOME GOOD ONES NEED WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT.
THIS, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOUGH THE COMMENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, I WILD BACK IN, AND WE'VE GOT THESE MULTIPLE OF THESE CASES AROUND RAMY, AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UM, COUNCILMEMBER WITH STAFF.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE DREW WANT STAFF TO LOOK AND DO SOME SORT OF MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING IN THIS AREA.
I THINK WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS HERE.
WE HAVE TO RECONFIGURE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS.
YOU ALSO JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR THIS TO BE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT VERSUS A LIVING DISTRICT.
AND I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING DONE.
SO I THINK I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR, BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE, SOME PLANNING FOR THIS AI, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT NEEDS.
LAST SPOT SPEAKING AGAINST OR NEUTRAL.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO SUPPORT STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UH, THIS IS THE ITEM, UH, B SIX.
ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD AND SHOW YOUR CARS.
AND I SEE WE'VE GOT ALL GREENS AND THEN COMMISSIONER FLORES.
SO I SEE NANA MISS, WE'VE GOT 11 ZERO AND SUPPORT A STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON V6.
[B8. Site Plan: SP-2020-0202C - 15th St Office Building; District 9]
SO THAT TAKES US TO ITEM B EIGHT, IF STAFF'S READY FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.[00:45:11]
SO YEAH, THIS IS RANDALL RUDEST AND HER STAFF AND SEE 2020 ZERO TWO ZERO TWO SEAM, UH, THE 15TH STREET OFFICE BUILDING, UH, AT A FIVE OH TWO WEST 15TH STREET.AND THE AREA OF THE PRIVACY IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN ACRE.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT A FOUR-STORY 27,251 SQUARE FOOT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE BUILDING, INCLUDING PARKING AND UTILITIES.
THE GROUND FLOOR WILL CONSIST OF PARKING, A SMALL ART GALLERY LOBBY, ELECTRICAL VAULT FIRE RISER ROOM, AND AN ELEVATOR.
THE DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING ACCESS FROM SAN ANTONIO STREET AND THE ALLEY TO THE WEST.
THE PROPOSED BOB WAS PROPERTY IS INSIDE THE PROPOSED PROPERTIES OWNED DOWNTOWN MIXED USE CMU.
AND THE PROPOSED OFFICE USES PERMITTED IN THAT ZONE.
UH, WHAT THEY, THEY'RE REQUESTING A WAIVER FROM LDC SECTION 25, 65 91 85, WHICH REQUIRES THAT A PARKING GARAGE AND THE BMU ZONE BE SEPARATED, STARVING, ADJACENT JASON, BY A PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USE WITH A LIST OF PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED.
HE USES FOUND IN 25 TO SIX 91, WHICH IS OTHERWISE, UH, THE, UM, WATERFRONT OVERLAY DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHERE THE LIST OF USE IT FOUND THE LAND USE COMMISSION IS PERMITTED TO WAIVE THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE SEPARATION OF USES THE SEPARATION OF THE PARKING GARAGE.
IF THEY MAKE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS FOR THE PRESENCE OF ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA IS NOT AMENABLE TO ACCESS BY PEDESTRIANS, BUT THE REQUIREMENT DOES NOT ALLOW A REASONABLE USE OF THE PROPERTY OR THAT OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PROPERTY BEING COMPLIANT, IMPRACTICAL, UM, NOTE THAT THERE IS A FIRST FLOOR ART GALLERY PROPOSED ALONG A PORTION OF THE SITE.
AND ART GALLERY IS ONE OF THE, UM, THE USE OF LISTED AS AN APPROVED PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USE IN THAT WATERFRONT OVERLAY WITH THE AFRICAN REQUESTS.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A WAIVER TO RENT ONE PARKING SPACE BASED IN SAN ANTONIO STREET AND THREE PARKING SPACES FACING 15TH STREET.
FIRST OF ALL, A FOURTH BASIS, WHICH WOULD BE SCREENED, BUT WOULD NOT BE SEPARATED FROM ME AT JASON THREE BY PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USE THE REMAINING FIVE PARKING SPACES ON THE GROUND FLOOR WOULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE YOUTH BY THEIR SMALL ART GALLERY.
UH, THE SITE IS THE AFRICAN NOTE, THE FOLLOWING REPORT OR THEIR WAIVER REQUESTS SINCE I JUST CONSTRAINED BY SIZE APPROXIMATELY 0.2, FIVE ACRES TO CONFIGURATION WITH A MINIMUM DEPTH OF APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET.
THAT'S ON THE NORTH SOUTH AND THE PRESIDENT, THE PRESENCE OF A HERITAGE STREET ALONG THE NORTHERLY PROPERTY LINE.
THOSE FEATURES DO LIMIT THE AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATIVES TO YOUR PARKING ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND LIMIT THE AREA WITHIN, WITH, WITHIN THE BUILDING AVAILABLE FOR PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES BECAUSE HE WAS THREE IN FRONT OF THEM PARKING SPACES.
UM, IN ADDITION BY PROPOSAL PROVIDING THE PROPOSED ART GALLERY, THE EVOLENT HAS MET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A BUFFER USE AS THE MOST PROMINENT BUILDING CORNER.
THAT'S THE ONE IN SAN ANTONIO AT 15 I'M AT, ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE FIRST FLOOR PARKING SPACES.
THE APPLICANT HAVE ALSO PROPOSED AN ENGAGING SCREENING SYSTEM TO PROVIDE AN ATTRACTIVE STREETSCAPE.
I LOST THAT RECOMMENDATION MILEAGE, THE SIZE AND CONFIGURATION CONSTRAINTS STEPH IS RECOMMENDING THE VIAL OF THE WAIVER ON THE BASIS OF THE SITE IS WELL LOCATED OR CONFIGURED TO SUPPORT PEDESTRIAN ORIENT DISEASES ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
EXCEPT THAT THAT FIRST FINDING IS TODAY CAN'T BE MET.
AND THE SECOND TWO ARE, UM, THE SECOND TWO FINDINGS ARE, UM, GOVERNMENT CALLS THAT ARE SIMPLY TOO, TOO CLOSE FOR STAFF TO, TO MEET DIRECTLY WITH THE, UH, AN OVERRIDE OF THE OTHERWISE THE PORTABLE CODE.
SO WITH THAT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE, I KNOW THE APPLICANT HAS A PRESENTATION THEMSELVES, SO THEY PROVIDED SOME, SOME GRAPHICS SHOWING THE, BOTH THE FLOOR PLAN AND THEIR PROPOSED, UM, THEIR PROPOSED ELEVATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL SAY THE BEST PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE HERE, HERE, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, BUT THE, WE HAVE A CHASE HUMPHREYS.
UH, I, I ACTUALLY DO HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF, OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED
[00:50:01]
TO, UM, THE COMMISSION IS IN BACKUP INFORMATION.I WAS GOING TO USE THAT, BUT OKAY.
DO YOU WANT TO BRING IT UP? YEAH, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, ACTUALLY.
IF WE COULD JUST GO, UH, START ON SLIDE NINE OF 21 FOR THAT.
JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN STAFF HAS THAT PULLED UP AND YOU SAID PAGE 21, UH, NINE 21.
SO I'M LOOKING AT A SATELLITE VIEW WHAT THEY RED BOX.
UM, MY NAME IS CHASE HUMPHREY.
I'M AN ARCHITECT AT ANDERSON WISE ARCHITECTS, AND A PART OF THE TEAM THAT'S DESIGNED THE PROPOSAL BUILDING.
IF I WENT TO WEST 15TH STREET, UM, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE'RE ASKING FOR A PARTIAL WAIVER OF THE PEDESTRIAN USE REQUIREMENT AT TWO GREASE LOCATIONS ALONG THE SOUTH AND EAST FACADES.
UM, IF WE GO TO SLIDE NINE, AS WE'RE ON THE PROPERTY, WE'RE DISCUSSING FIVE OH TWO WEST 15TH STREET IS CURRENTLY A SURFACE PARKING LOT.
IT'S LOCATED TWO BLOCKS WEST OF GUADALUPE STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST 15TH AND SAN ANTONIO.
THIS PARTICULAR SITE WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EXTREMELY SMALL SITE BY THE LAND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE OFTEN DESCRIBES SMALL SITE TO SITES THAT ARE LESS THAN 400 FEET IN DEPTH.
I GO TO WEST 15TH STREET, AS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED IS 127 FEET BY 87 FEET.
IN ADDITION TO BEING A SMALL SITE, WE'RE WORKING AROUND THE LARGE HERITAGE TREE, THAT'S LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH EDGE OF THE PROPERTY, THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE AND CANOPY OF THE HERITAGE TREE FURTHER LIMITS THE USABILITY OF THE SITE BY PUSHING THE BUILDING SOUTH TOWARDS WEST THREE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITE PLAN AGAIN, A VERY CONSTRAINED LOT.
IT BEGS THE QUESTION WHAT'S THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THE SITE.
OUR ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, UM, AN OFFICE BUILDING WITH A GROUND LEVEL ART GALLERY THAT FILLS THE SITE TO ITS GREATEST EXTENT.
ULTIMATELY, WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF THE OFFICE, BUILDING THE ART GALLERY PROGRAM AND THE ACCESSORY OFF-STREET PARKING THAT'S NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THOSE USES.
WE AREN'T REQUIRED BY THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO HAVE OFF STREET PARKING, BUT IN A NON-RESIDENTIAL AREA OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN PROPER, YOU NEED PARKING TO SUPPORT THESE USES.
AND THAT'S DEMONSTRATED BY THE LARGE AND SMALL SCALE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ALREADY IN THE AREA.
WE'RE ALSO FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY BY PROVIDING STREET TREES, BENCHES, AND BIKE PARKING WITHIN THE PLANTING ZONE ALONG WEST 15TH STREET THAT CURRENTLY DOES NOT EXIST.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE INCORPORATED AN ART GALLERY AT THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IT STANDS FOR A MAJORITY OF THE BUILDING FRONTAGE ALONG WEST 15TH STREET, AND THEN WRAPS THE CORNER TO ALSO BE VISIBLE ALONG SAN ANTONIO STREET.
THERE ARE TWO SMALL SECTIONS OF THE FACADE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR A PARTIAL WAIVER TO OMIT A PEDESTRIAN USE, BUT STILL FULLY CONCEALING THE VEHICLES FROM PEDESTRIAN VIEW.
THERE'S A 40 FOOT SECTION OF THE FACADE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF THREE PARKING SPACES AND AN 18 FOOT SECTION OF THE THAWED ALONG THE EAST EDGE OF THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF ONE PARKING SPACE.
I WANT TO FOCUS IF WE GET TO SLIDE 11, I WANT TO FOCUS FOR A MINUTE ON THE STREET LEVEL FACADE.
SO WHEN WE STARTED TO IMAGINE WHAT THE STREETS GATE COULD BE LIKE, WE THOUGHT ABOUT ICONS IN THE AREA THAT WE COULD DRAW INSPIRATION FROM.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A MOON TOWER ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH REPRESENTS A UNIQUE PIECE OF AUSTIN HISTORY.
ALSO NOT TOO FAR AWAY, A SHOAL CREEK, WHICH FEATURES BEAUTIFUL ROCK WALLS THAT HAVE BEEN CARVED BY THE CREEK FOR SENSORS, SLIDE 12, OUR GOAL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OPAQUE WALLS WERE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL AND ENGAGING AS THE TRANSPARENT WALLS THAT DISPLAYED ARTS AT THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING, THE BROWNISH ORANGE WALL YOU SEE ON THE ELEVATIONS IS A PERFORATED METAL SCREEN.
THAT WOULD BE BACKWARD AT NIGHT.
THE SHAPE OF THE PERFORATIONS ARE SYMBOLIC OF THE MOON TOWER ACROSS THE STREET.
AND THE PATTERNING OF THE PERFORATIONS IS SYMBOLIC OF THE ROCK WALLS AT SHOAL CREEK.
THE OFFICE LOBBY ENTRANCE TO THE LEFT OF THE ART GALLERY THERE ON THE ELEVATION.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PEDESTRIAN USE REQUIREMENT IN THE CODE, IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO CONCEALING PARKING AT THE GROUND LEVEL, SLIDE 13.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT OF THE CODE BY PROVIDING
[00:55:01]
A PEDESTRIAN USE AND COMPLETELY CONCEALING ALL VEHICLES FROM THE PEDESTRIAN ALONG WEST 15TH, SLIDE 15, THE ONLY ANYTIME A VEHICLE WILL BE VISIBLE ALONG SAN ANTONIO STREET, IT'S AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING STRUCTURE.THE CURRENT FACADE ALREADY MEETS ALL GLAZING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH MEANS THAT ADDITIONAL PEDESTRIAN USE DOESN'T ACTUALLY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL GLAZING THE STREET LEVEL.
YOU USE AT THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING.
WE'RE MEETING ALL GLAZING REQUIREMENTS AND YEAH, WE'RE CONCEALING ALL VEHICLES FROM YOU AT THE STREET.
THE OUTWARD FACING ART GALLERY AND IN OF ITSELF IS A UNIQUE PROGRAM.
AND THAT IT WILL BE VISIBLE TO THE PEDESTRIAN ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, NOT JUST YOUR TYPICAL BUSINESS HOURS, THE ART WILL BE ON FULL DISPLAY TO THE PEDESTRIAN AND TO THE PASSER-BY AND CARS, 24 SEVEN 365 DAYS A YEAR, SLIDE 16.
THIS IS WHAT THE SITE CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE.
THE OTHER THREE CORNERS OF THE INTERSECTION ARE A GAS STATION, A FOUR-STORY PARKING GARAGE AND A ONE-STORY STRIP CENTER WITH SURFACE PARKING SLIDE 17.
THIS IS THE, THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADD TO THE INTERSECTION AND APPROPRIATELY SCALED OFFICE BUILDING THAT HOLDS THE CORNER OF THE SITE ENGAGES AND ENHANCES THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AND ADDS AN ART GALLERY PROGRAM PROGRAM THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T EXIST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BUILDING AND THE ART GALLERY PROGRAM AT THE STREET LEVEL OR POSITION TO BRING LIGHTS TO THE CURRENTLY DARK AND UNDER UTILIZED CORNER SITE, AGAIN, A SURFACE PARKING LOT.
WE HOPE THAT YOU AGREE THAT THE PROPOSAL THAT WE PUT FORWARD IS WORTHY.
IS IT A WORTHY ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD? UM, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION, AND OF COURSE I'M AVAILABLE AND HAPPY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RATHER.
UH, SO WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER THAT IS, UH, IN OPPOSITION.
UM, CHRIS RILEY, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES, UH, STAR SIX TO UNMUTE COMMISSIONER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, YOU CAN.
I LIVE AT THE CORNER OF, FOR KEITH IN SAN ANTONIO ABOUT ONE BLOCK FROM THIS SIDE.
I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF BOTH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SO BOTH OF WHICH HAVE WEIGHED IN ON THIS, UM, JUST, JUST TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT AND SPEAK TO THIS WAVE, THAT THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE REQUIREMENT OF A PEDESTRIAN OR AN ORIENTED USE SEPARATING THE GARAGE FROM THE STREET IS A VERY IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND HAS BEEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, OUR, OUR BIGGEST BATTLES HAVE BEEN OVER THIS VERY REQUIREMENT.
UM, IN MANY TIMES WE WOUND UP WITH REALLY GREAT USES IN SPACES LIKE THIS.
UH, I CAN THINK OF, FOR INSTANCE, THE, UH, OF THE, THE WORLD BLUE GROCERY AT THE BASE OF THE INDEPENDENT THERE AT FOURTH, AND
UH, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A DEVELOPER WHO'S NOT SO EXCITED ABOUT PROVIDING A USE.
AND SO YOU WIND UP WITH A VERY NARROW USE, THE NARROW NARROW SPACE.
AND EVEN THEN OFTEN THESE, THESE HAVE WORKED OUT VERY WELL.
THE, UH, THE UPS STORE THAT I GO TO FREQUENTLY IN THE 1100 BLOCK OF LAVACA IS A NARROW SPACE THAT WAS DONE.
IT'S CREATED FOR EXACTLY BECAUSE OF THIS CODE REQUIREMENT TO SEPARATE THE GARAGE FROM THE STREET.
AND IT ACTUALLY WORKS OUT FINE, BUT IN ALL CASES, IT WAS ASSUMED THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AN ACTUAL USE THAT YOU WOULD GO TO TURNING TO THIS CASE, THE ART GALLERY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, IT'S REALLY KIND OF A STRETCH TO EVEN USE THAT TERM FOR THIS.
I WANT, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT AT THAT SITE PLAN AT THAT AT THE, ON THE NEXT TO LAST PAGE OF YOUR BACKUP, THIS, THIS ART GALLERY IN QUOTES, IT'S NOT THE SORT OF THING THAT YOU ACTUALLY WALK INTO.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU GAZE IN FROM YOUR CAR AS YOU'RE SPEEDING BY.
THIS IS IT'S, UH, UH, ROUGHLY EIGHT FEET DEEP ALONG THE 15TH STREET SIDE, AND 10 FEET DEEP ALONG THE SAN ANTONIO SIDE.
AND OF COURSE IT OCCUPIES A FAIRLY SMALL PORTION OF, OF EACH FACADE IS THEY'RE NOT EVEN DOING IT FOR THE WHOLE FACADE.
THE USE ON THIS THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING IS A GROUND LEVEL GARAGE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ART AS WINDOW DRESSING, LITERALLY AS WINDOW DRESSING, THAT IS NOT THE WAY WE'VE EVER UNDERSTOOD THIS ORIGIN STORY.
THIS WOULD REALLY BE A NEW LOW IF THIS, IF THIS MEETS THE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
AND THAT'S REALLY A SHAME BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DENSITY COMING TO THIS AREA, THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THIS, UH, IN THIS, THIS, UH, TH THE WELL WILL BE THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THIS DISTRICT IS PROPOSED ABOUT HALF A BLOCK AWAY BETWEEN 14TH AND 15TH.
UM, AND BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO AND GUADELOUPE, UH, THERE ARE OTHER HIGH RISES GOING UP IN THE, IN THE AREA.
WE HAVE, UH, A RAIL LINE COMING IN
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A BLOCK AWAY ON GUADALUPE, ALL KINDS OF REASONS TO EXPECT A LOT OF DENSITY AND PEDESTRIANS TO COME TO THIS AREA WHO WOULD LOVE AN ACTUAL GROUND LEVEL, USE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY USE.AND OTHER THAN THAT, NOT TRUE.
RAJ, I WANT TO DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE, THAT YOU NEED TO APPLY WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS YET STAFF OUTLINE, THERE ARE THREE, UH, FINDINGS THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE PROMINENT IN ORDER TO GRANT THIS WAIVER, YOU HAVE TO MAKE ONE, ONE OF THREE FINDINGS, UH, AND, UH, THEY'RE, THEY ARE IN, IN, UM, ON, IN CHAPTER 25, SIX.
UH, YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE THAT ONE PRESIDENT AND ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA IS NOT, I MEAN, THE WHOLE TO ACCESS MY PEDESTRIANS, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE CASE.
THIS HEIGHT IS, IS EMINENTLY AMENABLE TO ACCESS BY PEDESTRIAN.
SECONDLY, YOU COULD FIND THAT THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT ALLOW REASONABLE USE OF THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT THE CASE HERE.
YOU COULD EASILY HAVE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USE THAT THAT'S A REASONABLE USE OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND THIRDLY, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PROPERTY MAKE COMPLIANT IN PRACTICAL.
THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE HERE.
THE REASON IT'S DIFFICULT, THE REASON THEY'VE SQUEEZED THAT THE GALLERY DOWN TO SUCH A TINY AMOUNT OF SPACE IS THAT THEY'RE DETERMINED TO PROVIDE PARKING ON THAT GROUND LEVEL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT SITE PLAN, YOU'LL SEE, UH, UH, OVER 6,000 SQUARE FEET ON THAT GROUND LEVEL ARE DEVOTED TO PARKING AND DRIVING THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT THEY'RE DEDICATING TO THAT GALLERY IS LESS THAN ONE 10TH, THAT IT'S LESS THAN 600 FEET.
THEY ARE CHOOSING TO DEVOTE THEIR GROUND LEVEL TO PARK, AND THEN TO PROVIDE A LITTLE WINDOW OF, OF ART ON ONE CORNER OF IT.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE INTENDS.
THAT IS NOT A PEDESTRIAN BRAIN ABUSE.
THAT'S GOING TO DRAW ANYBODY THAT IS NOT THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT FOR THIS AREA.
IT WOULD BE VERY DISAPPOINTING IF THAT'S THE KIND OF PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USE THAT WE WIND UP WITH BEING, WITH BEING SADDLED WITH ON THIS CORNER, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT CORNER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE OUR, THE CORNER STORE OR STARBUCKS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK THROUGH THIS STORE CORNER ALL THE TIME AND WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK TO, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE SOME OTHER COFFEE SHOP OR SOME OTHER ACTUAL PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USED.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE WALKING TO A GARAGE, WHICH WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
AND, UH, UH, VERY ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS CORNER WOULD BE VERY NEGATIVELY IMPACT IMPACTED BY HAVING A GARAGE SITTING ON THIS IMPORTANT BORDER.
BUT ALSO IF YOU GRANT THIS, YOUR, THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE NEGATING.
THAT'D BE VERY CLOSE TO ENGAGING IN THE ORDINANCE ALTOGETHER, BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN JUST PUT, PUT THIS LITTLE WINDOW TREATMENT IN FRONT OF A GARAGE, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY OF THOSE COOL USES ANYMORE.
THAT I MENTIONED IT WHENEVER A DEVELOPER WANTS TO HAVE A GROUND, A GARAGE AT GROUND LEVEL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST PUT THIS LITTLE WINDOW DRESSING ON IT AND CALL IT A PEDESTRIAN ON IT.
THAT HAS NEVER BEEN THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE.
IT WOULD BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT SETBACK TO CODE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE CONFRONTED WITH JUST DOES NOT ALLOW THAT DETERMINATION TO BE MADE HERE.
THERE IS NO REASON WHY COMPLIANCE WOULD BE IMPRACTICAL OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THEY, THEY REALLY ARE DETERMINED TO PROVIDE, TO DEVOTE THEIR GROUND LEVEL PARKING AND CARS.
THAT IS NOT THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ESPECIALLY FOR THIS CORNER LOCATED ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM US.
AND, UH, WE HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR APPLICANT REBUTTAL, STAR SIX.
UM, SO I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMENTS, UH, PROVIDED, PROVIDED, UH, JUST, JUST BEFORE NOW.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT, UH, THAT THEY FEEL AS IF IT'S A SORT OF A WINDOW DRESSING USE.
I PERSONALLY ACTUALLY OFFICE IN AN OFFICE BUILDING DOWNTOWN EIGHT OH SEVEN BRAZOS THAT HAS AN ART GALLERY, VERY SIMILAR TO THIS ON THE GROUND LEVEL.
IT'S VERY SMALL, IT'S VERY SHALLOW AND IT ENGAGES THE STREET.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER USES THAT THAT ARE POSSIBLE HERE, BUT WE GOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A YOUTH THAT COULD NOT ONLY BE VIEWED DURING BUSINESS HOURS, OR IT COULD BE USABLE TO A PEDESTRIAN OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD DURING BUSINESS HOURS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD ACTUALLY, UM, YOU COULD BE PROUD OF.
AND YOU COULD GO WALK BY AND SEE THE NEW ART THAT'S IN THE SPACE AND BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THAT SPACE.
IT WAS MENTIONED THAT YOU COULDN'T GO INTO SPACE.
IT ISN'T GOING TO BE AN OCCUPIABLE SPACE.
YOU CAN GO INTO THE SPACE AND VIEW THE GALLERY.
I'VE BEEN TO PLENTY OF GALLERIES THAT ARE VERY SMALL, VERY SHALLOW.
[01:05:01]
AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE EVENTS AND YOU HAVE, UM, GATHERINGS, AND YOU CAN HAVE MOMENTS THERE WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY THE ARTS AND AT A TIME IN AUSTIN, WHERE ART IS GETTING PUT ON THE BACK BURNER AND IS HAVING A TOUGH TIME GETTING FUNDED.UM, THIS IS AN TO BRING NEIGHBORHOOD TO AN ART, OR RATHER BRING ART TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOESN'T CURRENTLY REALLY HAVE THAT PROGRAM, UH, IN EXISTENCE.
AND SO WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UM, IN REGARDS TO PARKING, I MEAN, UH, NORMALLY A BUILDING OF THIS SIZE WITH THIS USE WOULD, WOULD CALL FOR A HUNDRED PARKING SPACES PER CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARDS.
WE'RE PROPOSING 36 SPACES TO, AGAIN, SURFACE THE BUILDING AND SERVICE THE ART GALLERY.
UM, THOSE SPACES WOULD OTHERWISE JUST BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY WOULD BE ON THE STREETS, UM, THAT ARE ALREADY SORT OF OVERRUN WITH CARS, PARKING ON THE STREET EVERYWHERE AS, AS IS COMMON.
SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO FIND A SMALL PORTION OF THAT.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR EVERY BUILDING IN AUSTIN REGARDING LARGE PARKING STRUCTURES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, AGAIN, 36 SPACES ON A VERY CONSTRAINED SITE WITH A HERITAGE TREE THAT WE'RE WORKING AROUND.
OFTEN YOU SEE PEOPLE JUST CUT DOWN THE TREE AND PAY THE FEE AND MOVE ON.
WE'RE TRYING TO RETAIN THE TREE.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING PRESENCE TO THE SITE THAT CURRENTLY IS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UH, I, IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, AN IMPROVEMENT AND WE'RE AGAIN EXCITED ABOUT, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES HERE.
UH, DEBBIE, A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONERS ARE SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SEGER.
AND I'LL HEAR FROM COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UH, SO, UH, WHO ASKED THE FIRST QUESTION? UH, THE EIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONER BIZARRE.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PARKING SPOTS IN THIS PROJECT? OH, SURE.
AND AM I CORRECT IN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE 11 SPOTS ON THE GROUND FLOOR? YEAH.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ROUGHLY SPLIT.
SO YOU CAN, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER ON THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE GAINING ACCESS FROM BOTH SAN ANTONIO STREET, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THE RENDERING AND THEN, UM, ALSO OFF THE ALLEY.
SO THE SITE IS SO SMALL THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY CIRCULATE PARKING INSIDE OF THE LOT ITSELF.
YOU CAN ONLY DO A RAMP STRAIGHT UP AND A RAMP STRAIGHT DOWN.
AND SO THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY TWO LEVELS THAT ARE SHIFTING OVER THE TOP OF ONE ANOTHER.
SO, UM, I WAS SHOWING, I THINK YOU COULD SEE PROBABLY IN THE ELEVATIONS WHERE I WAS SHOWING CARS BEHIND THE FACADE THAT WERE CONCEALED COMPLETELY, BUT, UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A RAMP THAT'S GOING ON BACK THERE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A SPLIT LEVEL ONE OFF THE ALLEY, UM, ONE OFF SAN ANTONIO STREET.
AND SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND, SO IF YOU WERE TO, LET'S SAY REMOVE THE SPOTS THAT'S TELLING YOU ON 15TH STREET, HOW MANY PARKING SPOTS ARE WE LOSING? SO, UH, ON, ALONG WEST 15TH, UM, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE THREE SPACES AND ALONG SAN ANTONIO, IT WOULD BE ONE SPACE.
SO WE'D BE GOING FROM 36, UM, DOWN TO DOWN TO 32.
ARE YOU ON MUTE? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
MY QUESTION IS FOR THE APPLICANT.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS NOW ABOUT THE ART GALLERY.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE, OF THE ART GALLERY IS? 625 SQUARE FEET? 625 SQUARE.
AND WHAT TYPE OF ART IS GOING TO BE IN THIS ART GALLERY? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO, UM, THE OWNER AND HIS WIFE, UH, ACTUALLY BOTH WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND,
[01:10:01]
UH, HIS WIFE GRADUATED FROM THE FINE ARTS, UH, THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS.AND SO, UM, THE INTENT ACTUALLY IS THAT THE OWNER IS GOING TO DONATE THE SPACE RENT-FREE TO, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, FINE ART DEPARTMENT TO DISPLAY STUDENT WORK WITHIN THE SPACE.
AND SO IT WOULD BE PRESUMABLY A ROTATING, UM, ASSORTMENT OF ARTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STUDENTS.
DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY THAT YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE ART GALLERY? UH, YES.
UM, SO ACTUALLY ALONG THE EAST, ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, UM, ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE ART GALLERY, IT, IT, UM, IT FACES WEST 15TH AS WELL AS TURNS TO CORNER ON SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A DOOR INTO THE SPACE FROM SAN ANTONIO STREET THAT YOU CAN ENTER AND MOVE AROUND THE SPACE YOU CAN LIVE AROUND.
CAUSE IT SOUNDS FROM A PREVIOUS SPEAKERS INFORMATION THAT IT WAS EIGHT TO 10 FEET DEEP.
AND THAT'S, THAT IS VERY NARROW TO WALK AROUND, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE EXHIBITS, UM, WELL THE ART DISPLAY WILL IT ALL BE LIKE ART THAT IS PUT ON THE WALLS OR WHERE THERE'LL BE LIKE STATUES AND THE MIDDLE BOOK FLOOR, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW USABLE 623 SQUARE FEET IS AT THE SO NARROW.
YEAH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
I THINK THAT THE SPACE WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO BE CURATED WITH THE TYPE OF ART THAT'S USED.
IT'S NOT A SPACE FOR, FOR BIG PIECES THAT ARE SORT OF FLOATING IN SPACE AND REQUIRE A ROOM TO MOVE AROUND.
IT WOULD BE PRIMARILY THINGS ON THE WALL, BUT IN 10 FEET YOU CAN HAVE A, A SCULPTURE THAT STANDING ON A PEDESTAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S FLEXIBILITY THERE.
UH, BUT I THINK IT WOULD NEED TO BE CERTAINLY CURATED FOR THE SMALL SPACE THAT IT IS.
DO WE HAVE A THIRD COMMISSIONER WITH QUESTIONS? I FINISHED DINNER WITH COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND THEN COMMISSIONER VICE CHAIR HANDLE AFTER THAT.
THE CITY STAFF, DO YOU GUYS MIND PUTTING BACK ON THE OVERHEAD THAT SHOWED THE PARKING SPACES? I THINK IT WAS A GROUND FLOOR LAYOUT OF THE BUILDING AND APPLICANT, IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU CAN HELP US US KNOW WHEN WE'RE AROUND THE RIGHT SLIDE OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A SLIDE NUMBER 10, 10, 10 OF 21.
UM, SO AFRICAN, CAN YOU SHARE WITH ME THIS WAIVER IS GIVEN YOU IF THIS WAIVER WERE DENIED, UM, ARE THE SPACES THAT YOU HAD JUST SHARED WITH COMMISSIONERS ARE THIS SPACE IS KIND OF ALONG THAT ART GALLERY, WOULD THOSE THEN TURN INTO JUST A LARGER GALLERY SPACE? UM, YEAH, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACTUALLY FACES OUTSIDE OF THE ART GALLERY BECAUSE THE ART GALLERY WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ONE CAN SAY THEY, THEY LIKED TO USE OR NOT, BUT IT IS ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN TERMS OF SEPARATING THAT PARKING FROM THE PEDESTRIAN WAY.
UM, IT WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD ADDITIONAL SPACES OVER THERE TO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER WHERE YOU SEE THOSE THREE SPACES ALONG, UM, WEST 15TH.
AND THEN, UH, AND I'M QUESTIONING THE LIMIT.
LET ME TRY AGAIN, ASK THE QUESTION.
I ASKED THE INCORRECTLY, SO THIS PARTIAL WAIVER IS DOING WHAT, WHEN LOOKING AT THIS OVER BREAD.
YEAH, IT'S UM, IT IS, UH, GRANTING US, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT PROVIDE A PEDESTRIAN USE BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE THREE SPACES DOWN WITH THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
SO PAGE BOTTOM LEFT, AND THEN, UM, UH, PEDESTRIAN USE IN THAT ONE PARKING SPACE AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER WHERE YOU SEE THAT THICK RED LINE RUNNING VERTICALLY THAT 18 FOOT SECTION OF WALL.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 30 FOOT SECTION OF WALL AND AN 18 FOOT SECTION OF WALL.
UH, HI, I THINK THIS QUESTION IS FOR THE APPLICANT AND, UM, MAYBE I'M WRONG ABOUT THE, THE PARKING SPACES, BUT IF, IF THE CONCERN IS ABOUT THE, THE QUANTITY OF PARKING SPACES THAT WOULD BE ABLE
[01:15:01]
TO BE DESIGNED ON SITE, IF THE WAIVER IS NOT GRANTED, HAS THE APPLICANT OR THE OWNER EXPLORED, UM, SHARED USE OF PARKING GARAGES IN NEARBY AREAS.I WAS LOOKING AT THE, UM, TEXAS CAPITOL COMPLEX MASTER PLAN THAT HAS, UM, A LOT OF GARAGES, A LOT OF GARAGE SPACE, UM, PLAN FOR UNDERGROUND.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SCHEDULE IS FOR COMING ONLINE, BUT I KNOW IT'S UNDER DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION.
NOW, I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF YOU KNOW, A LONGER-TERM VIEW OF PARKING NEEDS COULD BE EXPLORED OFFSITE AND NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN THIS BUILDING.
I, I OFFICED, UM, VERY CLOSE TO THIS AREA ACTUALLY ON EIGHTH AND BRAZOS FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND WE HAD ZERO PARKING IN THAT BUILDING, BUT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES FOUND A WAY TO EITHER TAKE THE BUS OR FIND ALTERNATIVE PARKING GARAGES DOWNTOWN.
SO I'M WONDERING IF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S GOING TO BE A POSSIBILITY, IT'S A, IT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
I THINK, UH, I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, A BUILDING OF THE SIZE TRADITIONALLY WOULD, WOULD CALL FOR A HUNDRED PLUS OR MINUS A HUNDRED SPACES.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE OFFERING, YOU KNOW, A LIMITED 36 SPACES.
AND SO THERE WILL CERTAINLY BE A NEED FOR PEOPLE TO PARK OFF SITE THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN.
UM, THE, THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ONLY 36, A NEED FOR 36 CARS AT THIS BUILDING IS, IS NOT A REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE, UM, TO HAVE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT WILL BE THE CASE THAT THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING WILL NEED TO FIND ADDITIONAL PARKING ELSEWHERE.
I MEAN, WHEN LOOKING AT THE CAPITOL COMPLEX, YOU KNOW, THAT I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO WALKING IN DOWNTOWN.
I, I, UM, OFFICE CURRENTLY VERY NEAR WHERE YOU SAID YOU OFFICE PREVIOUSLY AND, UH, IT IS, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY THOUGH YOU'RE WALKING ONE OR TWO BLOCKS, UH, MAYBE THREE AT THE MOST.
UM, I MEAN THE CAPITOL COMPLEX IS A WAYS AWAY FROM THIS PARTICULAR PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE USES IN THE AREA OR THE NEW FAMILY LAW COURT HOUSES COMING IN.
UH, CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT OF SMALLER USES AROUND, BUT THIS IS A SMALL OFFICE BUILDING.
SO THERE WOULD BE SMALLER TENANTS.
YOU KNOW, THE IDEA BEING THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TENANTS, WHICH HAS, UM, CLIENTS THAT NEED TO ALSO COME TO THE BUILDING.
AND SO IT'S TOUGH TO ASK A CLIENT OR TO ASK THE CUSTOMER TO WALK ALONG WAYS TO COME TO YOUR SITE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE SOME OF OUR, OUR PARKING SPACES JUST FOR CLIENTS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE LONG WALK.
AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT, UH, A GOOD PORTION OF THESE WOULD ACTUALLY SERVICE THE BUILDING IN THAT WAY, THAT THEY WOULDN'T ACTUALLY, UM, HAVE TO HAVE TO ASK THEIR CLIENTS TO WALK ALONG THE WAY.
AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S ACCESSIBLE SPACES AS WELL, FOR THOSE WHO, WHO CAN'T MAKE THE LONG TRAVEL DISTANCE FROM A, FROM A DISTANT PARKING SPACE.
I DID WANT TO CLARIFY THOUGH THE, THE, THE, THE LIMITS OF THE COMPLEX MASTER PLAN IS JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THIS SITE.
SO, AND THERE IS UNDERGROUND PARKING AND AN EXISTING STRUCTURED PARKING THAT'S VERY NEARBY.
SO, UM, BUT THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
UH, WE HAVE A FEW SPOTS REMAINING, IF ANY OTHER DEFINITION OR SET OF ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I'M LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM AND I DON'T SEE ANY, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, MOTION, UH, MR. AZHAR I SEE YOUR HAND FIRST, WE'LL MAKE A MOTION, UM, TO BOOST STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THAT IS NOT THE WAIVER FOR RECOMMENDATION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR, I HAVE A SECOND VIPER, UH, COMMISSIONER SEGER.
UM, OKAY, SO, UM, COMMISSIONER, SORRY.
DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I THINK JUST LOOKING AT THE SORT OF ASPECTS OF THE CASE, ONE, I THINK LOOKING AT THE REASONS FOR WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE A WAIVER UNDER GOURD.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE MET THAT REQUIREMENT.
AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE A GALLERY SPACE, THERE ARE STILL TWO SIGNIFICANT SPACES, WHICH WILL HAVE NO ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY AT ALL AND ARE JUST FROM THE STREET.
SO I THINK IT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WOULD WANT FOR HAVING ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY SPACES.
[01:20:01]
LIKE, YOU KNOW, HEARING, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE APPLICANT HAS SAID THAT THERE'S 26, I MIGHT GET THE STRONG, I'M SORRY, BUT 30 PIECES.AND WE MIGHT LOSE FOUR OR MORE.
THEY WILL STILL BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PARKING SPACES WITHIN THE AREA PROVIDED THE THING.
STAFF HAS MADE IT THROUGH INDICATION THAT THIS IS A PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSIT FRIENDLY SPACE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME MAJOR BUS LINES OF BASQUE EITHER ON THE CORRIDOR ITSELF, LIKE ON 15TH OR, UH, AND SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO FALL INTO REASONS.
I DO THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO FOLLOW STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND NOT PROVIDE THE WAIVER.
ANY PERMISSION TO SWITCH TO SPEAK AGAINST THE MOTION, SEEING NONE? DO I HAVE A SECOND COMMISSIONER THAT WISHES TO SPEAK FOR THE MOTION? UH, UH, COMMISSIONER SEGER? YES.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, IF WE GET THE CAREER CHANGE AT GREATLY REDUCING, UH, PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREAS, THEN IF WE'RE BEING VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING, KEEPING ADDITIONAL PARKING ON THIS SITE, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF MISSING THE BOAT.
IT NEEDS TO, WE SHOULD REALLY WORK TOWARDS PEDESTRIAN PLACES IN THE CITY, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, YOU NEED TO WALK, YOU NEED TO DO MANY THINGS.
AND IF THE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL, UH, MANY BUILDINGS STARTS PUTTING IN MANY OF THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE NEED, THEY WILL THEN STAY OUT OF THEIR CARS AND TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
SO NOT QUITE SURE THAT THIS APPLICANT HAS NUMBER ONE.
I KNOW HE HASN'T MET THAT, THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND THE END OF THE THREE CRITERIA.
SO I WILL POSITIVELY SUPPORT REDUCED PARKING AND ENHANCED PEDESTRIAN APPEAL.
UH, ANY, UH, COMMISSIONER SPEAKING AGAINST OR NEUTRALLY FOR THE MOTION? UM, OKAY.
WE HAVE ONE MORE SPOT FOR SPEAKERS, UH, COMMISSIONER SPEAKING FOR, WELL, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE.
THIS IS A MOTION, UH, BY COMMISSIONER, AZHAR SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SEGER TO, UM, FOR THE STAFF, UM, WRECKING, I GUESS THAT'S GOT TO BE CLEAR HERE.
UH, IT'S TWO, NOT RECOMMENDED BY STAFF SO THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, FOR THIS ITEM.
AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM COMMISSIONER FLORES.
WELL, WE, THAT CLEARS OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR THIS EVENING
[C1. Nominate a member to be recommended to Council to serve on the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board. ]
AND WE'LL MOVE, MOVE ON TO, UM, NEW BUSINESS ITEM C UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM WE HAVE THIS EVENING IS WE HAVE, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON IS, UH, LET US KNOW THAT HE, UH, IS, IS LEAVING THE SOUTH, WANTS TO LEAD THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY POSTS HE HAS BEEN SERVING.UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, UH, COMMITMENT THERE.
AND SO WE NEED TO REPLACE COMMISSIONER ANDERSON ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, I GUESS, DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR, FOR THE REPLACEMENT? I SEE A VICE CHAIR, HEMPHILL, SAND RAISED.
THAT'S LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
DO I SEE A SECOND? I SEE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON YOUR MOTION BUSTER? UH, WELL NOW I, I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON LIVES NEAR THE AREA AND HAS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN, IN THAT COMMITTEE AND I THINK HE WOULD SERVE IT WELL.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO OFFER, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND COMMISSIONER? THOMPSON HAS CAUGHT ME ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS TO ASK ME HOW IT'S GOING TO GET UPDATES.
HE'S VERY INTERESTED AND I THINK HE'LL BE TERRIFIC ON THERE.
AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE FRESH EYES ON A GOOD COMMITTEE LIKE THAT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, JUST RECOGNIZING ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS, UH, THAT PEOPLE WOULD WISH TO MAKE FOR THIS?
[01:25:01]
UM, OKAY.LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE THEN ON, UH, THIS WOULD BE FOR, UM, THE COMMISSIONER THOMPSON TO SERVE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD REPLACING, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
I SEE ALL GREEN AND THEN COMMISSIONER FLORES.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER ANDERSON FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, I KNOW THESE ALL COMMISSIONED ALL THE JOINT COMMITTEES THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING, BUT, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU'VE INVESTED IN THAT BOARD.
UM, I KNOW THEY'VE BENEFITED FROM YOUR, YOUR CONSULTING, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
[D. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
UH, MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM D FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, I'LL JUST START THAT OFF.UH, WE DO HAVE, AND, UH, JANUARY 12TH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THE STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT SCORE CARD.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN EAGERLY AWAITING THAT, AND ANDREW IS THAT I KNOW THERE WERE A COUPLE OF DAYS.
IS THAT THE CORRECT DATE? SURE.
THAT IS CORRECT AT JANUARY 12TH.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT COMMISSIONER AZHAR AND I WERE IN A PHONE CALL, A ZOOM VIDEO.
I THINK IT WAS WITH STAFF AND VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT WE KIND OF SAW AS A DRAFT VERSION AND ALSO THEIR ABILITY TO PULL UP SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF, UH, THE VMU ORDINANCE, UH, PERFORMANCE OF UNO PERFORMANCE OF, UH, I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER, OH, THE AFFORDABILITY AND LOCKED.
SO, UM, WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND IT SHOULD BE, UH, I THINK YOU'LL BE PLEASED WITH THE STAFF, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WE, UH, IN THEIR, UH, ALL THE METRICS THAT THEY HAD COMMITTED TO THEY ARE, THEY HAVE A WAY TO REPORT THAT.
UH, SO THAT'S COMING AND ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME ANSWERS THAT WE HAD QUESTIONS, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS WE HAD ON BMU.
UH THAT'S UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A DATE ON THAT.
I KNOW WE'RE EAGERLY AWAITING A STAFF PRESENTATION ON THAT AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? UH, FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER? I DO HAVE A CORRECTION THAT IS JANUARY 26 FOR THE SCORECARD.
JANUARY 26TH THEN IS THE SCORECARD PRESENTATION FOR, UH, THE STRATEGIC COUNCIL BLUEPRINT? UM, ANY OTHER ITEMS I HAVE ONE MORE, I WANNA, UH, KIND OF THROW OUT THERE FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT, UH, ANYONE ELSE PROPOSED ITEMS? SO THE, UM, ONE ITEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, LOOK AT IS IT'S, IT WOULD BE FOR THE CODES AND ORDINANCE GROUP.
IT WOULD BE TO LOOK AT, UM, HOW TO, WE REALLY DEVELOP A, UH, VARIATED OR EXPEDITED SITE PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS FOR AFFORDABILITY AND LOT.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, ORDINANCE GOT APPROVED WITHOUT A REAL WAY TO EXPEDITE, UM, DEVELOPMENT UNDER THAT ORDINANCE.
IT WAS KIND OF SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL ASKED FOR.
AND I, I WAS SURPRISED, I GUESS I MISSED THIS, THAT, UH, IT WASN'T IN THE FINAL, UH, APPROVED CODE AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST KIND OF LEFT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S AN AREA WE COULD MAKE IMPROVEMENT ON TO THAT.
UM, THOSE REQUIREMENTS IS ACTUALLY MAYBE COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD FACILITATE AN EXPEDITED, UH, SITE PLAN PROCESS FOR THOSE DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THAT, UH, AFFORDABILITY AND LAW PROGRAM.
I'VE HEARD FROM DEVELOPERS THAT WOULD LOVE TO GET PULLED UNDER IT, BUT JUST FIND THAT A, IT JUST TAKES TOO LONG.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UH, I COULD HAVE MAYBE A SECOND TO, UM, MAYBE PASS ONTO OUR CODES AND ORDINANCE GROUP? I SEE, I SEE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CAUDALIE.
SO, UH, ANDREA, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING WE WOULD JUST RECOMMEND OUR CODES NORTHERN THROUGH TO, UM, PURSUE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER MITES ON ENTEROVIRUS? SO THAT IS AN AUTONOMOUS, A JOINT COMMITTEE.
SO TWO MEMBERS FROM THAT COMMITTEE WOULD HAVE TO PROPOSE THAT FOR A ITEM ON THEIR AGENDA.
[01:30:01]
OKAY.WHO WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE? I GUESS THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO GO WITH THIS COMMISSIONER SEEGER COMMISSIONER AZHAR AND MR. ANDERSON, YOU GUYS, I GUESS WE NEED TO HAVE VIEWED, UH, AND I THINK WE DO HAVE THAT MR. SEGER COMMISSIONER IS OUR I IN COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
SO I THINK WE HAVE THE NUMBERS, UH, MR. RIVERA.
SO ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER, UH, ITEMS FOR SURE.
[E. BOARDS, COMMITTEES & WORKING GROUPS UPDATES ]
UPDATES ON BOARDS, UH, MOVING TO ITEM E BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUP UPDATES.UH, I'LL JUST REAL QUICK COMMISSIONER FLORES AND I, UH, WELL, I GUESS WE WILL HAVE A JANUARY MEETING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND JOINT COMMITTEE.
DO WE HAVE ANY ACTIVITY FROM CODES AND ORDINANCES COMING UP OR IN THE PAST THAT YOU'D LIKE TO REPORT ANYBODY WANT TO SPEAK ON CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE? WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY.
MOVING ON TO THE, UH, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, ANY, ANY ACTIVITY THERE MISS YOUR DECEMBER MEETING.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE, UH, SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE, ANYTHING TO REPORT? NOPE.
WE MET LAST WEEK AND WE HAD, UM, AN OVERVIEW PRESENTATION, UM, ON SMALL AREA PLANNING WITH, UM, THE MERGED DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND PLANNING.
UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN THAT TO, UM, LOOK AT THE BACKUP FROM THAT MEETING.
IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THEIR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON SMALL AREA PLANNING.
THERE'S A LOT, A LOT OF PLANNING FOR THEM TO FOCUS ON, BUT I THINK GIVEN THE DIRECTION FROM PROJECT CONNECT, THEY, UM, KIND OF HAVE THEIR MARCHING ORDERS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE FOR SMALL AREA PLANNING.
UH, WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UH, PLANNING IN THOSE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY WHERE WE TOUCHED ETJ AND FEATURE ANNEXATION AREAS.
AND, UM, WHAT KIND OF TEETH, ANY KIND OF PLANNING HAS OUT THERE LOOKED AROUND TESLA? SO IT WAS A GOOD MEETING.
UH, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ANYTHING.
THE, THE SCHWAB IS MEETING WITH THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AS THEY PREP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNCIL ON THE POTENTIAL TIF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND, UH, THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD EXPANSION AND PLANNING STAFF HAS ALSO TRANSFERRING THE DELIVERABLES, THE PROJECT COSTS AND FINANCIAL MODELING OVER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS.
AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB IN KEEPING US ALONG AND IT'S MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN, UH, THE LAST GROUP I HAVE HERE IS A MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, THOMPSON.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT THERE? NO, WE HAVEN'T MET AGAIN.
SO THIS IS AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART, BUT DO WE, UM, I GUESS MR. RIVERA, DO WE, ARE WE SCHEDULED AT ALL, UH, FOR THE, UH, CRITERIA TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL? IS THAT ANYWHERE IN OUR FUTURE IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY? SURE.
UM, IF IT'S THE SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO REVIEW, WE CAN CERTAINLY ADD THAT AS AN ITEM.
I, I THOUGHT IT WAS ALREADY PLANNED.
BUT YES, AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, WE DO WANT TO, UH, UH, HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE, UH, PROPOSED CRITERIA, THE DRAFT MANUAL, HAPPY TO, SECONDLY, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
SO I HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND I GUESS, UH, MR. RIVERA, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR TIMETABLE FOR GETTING THAT TO COUNCIL.
I KNOW IT'S GOING THROUGH QUITE A FEW OTHER, I THINK IT'S GOING THROUGH A FEW OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, SO WE NEED TO GET OUR PLACE ON THE AGENDA ON THEIR AGENDA OR THEIR CALENDAR, RATHER.
I DON'T BELIEVE THIS ITEM GOES TO COUNCIL.
UM, IT WOULD BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE, SO IT WOULD BE THE COMMISSION, UM, PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE STAFF AND WE CAN CERTAINLY ARRANGE THAT PREVIOUS TIME.
WELL WITH THAT, UH, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE ADJOURNED.
UM, WE HAVE COMPLETED A VERY, UH, DIFFERENT
[01:35:01]
YEAR FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME GOING WITH THE ZOOM MEETINGS.
UH, BUT I, YOU KNOW, GOSH, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK IN, UH, CITY HALL AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MEET AND TALK AND TALK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, IT'S AN EXTROVERT.
THIS IS NOT MY, THIS IS NOT THE WAY I LIKE TO RUN THESE MEETINGS, BUT, UH, SO THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.
AND I THINK WE'VE MADE A LOT OF GOOD PROGRESS, UH, PUSH FORWARD, A LOT OF GOOD PROJECTS, UH, DESPITE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS VIRUS.
SO, UH, JUST ANYTHING ELSE ANYBODY WANTS TO SAY BEFORE WE ATTORN IT'S OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR.
SO, UH, JUST OPEN IN THE FLOOR, THE HOLIDAYS.
TWO STAFF, IF I CAN JUST SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF.
WE REALLY COMPASS AND WHAT HAS BEEN A REALLY CHALLENGING DAY.
AND I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN CHALLENGING FOR THERE.
SO A BIG GOODNESS FOR OUR STAFF FOR HELPING US.
UM, YOUR GUIDANCE IS, UH, YEAH, WE NEEDED ALL THE TIME.
UH, WELL WITH THAT, UM, WE ARE ADJOURNING THIS DECEMBER 22ND MEETING AND PLANNING COMMISSION.