[00:00:07]
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND KICK THIS OFF.
[CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]
IT IS 5:35 PM ON MONDAY, JUNE 28TH, 2021.THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION WITH STAFF CALL ROLL, PLEASE.
GLADLY TODAY IS MONDAY, JUNE 28TH.
UH, DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING CARRIE, UH, CHAIR, CAROL PRESIDENT, UH, VICE CHAIR ROLLISON, PRESENT COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, COMMISSIONER FRANCO, COMMISSIONER MINORS, COMMISSIONER TENANT, GUCCI REZA, COMMISSIONER HERNIA.
ROBLEDO PRESENT COMMISSIONER WEAVER, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, COMMISSIONER WATLEY, PRESENT COMMISSIONER LUKINS PRESENT AND YOU HAVE CORN.
HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT? I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF ANYONE SIGNING UP TO SPEAK.
[1A. Discussion and possible action on recommendations addressing Fee-in-lieu recommendations for Great Streets, as requested by Resolution No. 20200312-040, to be presented by Jorge E. Rousselin - City of Austin Housing and Planning Department]
WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR NEW BUSINESS ITEM ONE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATIONS, ADDRESSING FEE IN LIEU RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GREAT STREETS.THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
IF WE COULD HAVE THE PRESENTATION ON GRAY STREETS, G S FI F I L LOADED, PLEASE, WE CAN GET STARTED HERE IN JUST A SECOND AND TERRIFY ALSO MAY AS THAT PRESENTATION IS BEING LOADED.
UM, I BELIEVE MS. KATELYN, THAT MEYER IS AN ATTENDEE HERE.
AND WHEN I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HER AS THE NEW GREEN STREETS PROGRAM MANAGER, WHO WILL BE MANAGING THE GRAY STREETS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER ON BOARD.
HER EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE ARE GOING TO PROVE EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO THE PROGRAM.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU ALL COULD WELCOME HER AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, THAT'S THE SECOND PRESENTATION AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE FIRST ONE.
GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM 10 GREAT STREETS.
DO YOU HAVE AN APP? YES, I CAN SEE IT ON MY SCREEN.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE THE PRESENTATION.
BEFORE YOU START, UH, CITY HALL, COULD YOU PLEASE THAT COMMISSIONER WEAVER AND AS A PARTICIPANT.
IF I MAY START, YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD PARTY.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THIS IS MORE OF A DIALOGUE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE WITH YOU AS WE START TO PREPARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BEGINNING WITH THE PREMISE OF THE 1991 ROUTE AT THAT STREETS OR FOR PEOPLE.
IF WE GO BACK IN, START TO LOOK AT JUST THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES, THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
[00:05:01]
THAT GRAY STREETS HAS BEEN FOR DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN UNMEASURABLE IN TERMS OF ELEVATING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF PUBLIC SPACES DOWNTOWN.EVEN FROM TIME TO TIME WHERE WE GET EXTRA TERRESTRIAL VISITORS WALKING DOWNTOWN, THEY ALSO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF GRAY STREETS, UH, AS HAS BEEN A TRANSFORMATION HELMET.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, GRAY STREETS PROVIDES, UH, QUITE A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC GOALS.
EVERYTHING FROM BALANCING THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY TO ENCOURAGING PUBLIC ART, TO ELEVATING THE PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT AND CREATING STREETS AS PLACES.
BUT, UH, SOME OF THE PRINCIPLE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE GRAY STREET INCLUDE THE PROVIDING SHADE TREES, STREET FURNITURE AND STREET MIGHTY ALL ACTING COHESIVELY TO INCENTIVIZE AN ACTIVE AND SAFE PEDESTRIAN REALM SPECIFICALLY FOR WALKABILITY AND CONNECTIVITY DOWNTOWN, ALL THESE ELEMENTS WORK AS PART OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM.
SO JUST THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND MANHOLES AND DUCT BANKS, WE SHOULD ALSO THINK ABOUT THESE GRAY STREET ELEMENTS AS PART OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM, AS IT IS ACTING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THOSE ZONES.
SO THIS EVENING, WE WANT TO APPROACH THE COMMISSION AND DISCUSS SOME FIELD LIEU RECOMMENDATIONS AS DICTATED MANDATED BY COUNCIL.
AS WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT WHERE GRAY STREET APPLIES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A MAP OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AND TYPICALLY WHERE GRACE STREET APPLIES IS JUST SOUTH OF 11TH STREET.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE ELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREEN STREETS PROGRAM THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE RAINY DISTRICT, AS WELL AS PROPERTIES NORTH OF THE CAPITAL THAT ARE VOLUNTARILY AND CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AS A WAY TO ACHIEVE RESTRICT IMPROVEMENTS.
A LONGER FRONTAGE IS THE, THE PROGRAM ITSELF, UH, IS ALSO A GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU RECALL, PRIOR TO 2013, THE VEHICLE ON THE WAY BY WHICH ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND DENSITY WAS ACHIEVED DOWNTOWN WAS THROUGH THE CURE OVERLAY CENTRAL REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT THAT APPLIES SPECIFICALLY TO DOWNTOWN.
AND WHAT ARE ALSO KNOWN AS THE FINGERS THAT EXTEND EAST OF 35 INTO CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS OF EAST AUSTIN.
HOWEVER, IN 2013, THE COUNCIL MADE A CHANGE TO THE CODE BY WHICH THE CARE OVERLAY WAS NO LONGER THE VEHICLE TO ACHIEVE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND DENSITY AND PUT IN PLACE THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A DEPICTION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN OVERLAID WITH THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDORS AND A PARTICULAR INTEREST AS THE AREA HIGHLIGHTED IN THE GREEN OVAL OF PROPERTIES THAT FRONT ONTO TXDOT RIGHT AWAY, WHAT YOU SEE DEPICTED THERE IN RED IN A BIG RED LINE IS INTERSTATE 35, WHICH NOT ONLY THE INTERSTATE ITSELF, BUT THE FRONTAGE ROADS ARE UNDER TEXTILES AND STATE CONTROL.
THERE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT HAVE FRONTAGE IS ALONG TEXTILE, RIGHT OF WAYS THAT ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROJECT.
AS YOU RECALL, THIS COMMISSION REVIEWED BOTH PROJECTS IN COMBO THE PROJECTS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN GUIDELINES.
HOWEVER, THOSE PROJECTS ARE NOT ABLE TO IMPLEMENT GREAT STREET IMPROVEMENTS ON THEIR FRONT EDGES AS THE JURISDICTION FOR THOSE, FOR THAT RIGHT AWAY IS UNDER TEXTILE IN STATE CONTROL.
AND THEREFORE TEXTILE WOULD NOT ALLOW THE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS OR ELEMENTS OF GRAY STREETS TO BE INSTALLED ON THOSE FRONT JUDGES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE THROUGH COUNCIL ACTION, UH, EARLY PART OF LAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL INSTRUCTED THE CITY MANAGER TO BEGIN CRAFTING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CREATING A FEE IN LIEU OPTION FOR THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT HAD FRONT ADJUST, UH, ONTO EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL, UH, AND IT ESTABLISHES SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE FIELD LIEU PROGRAM.
SO I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT APPLICABLE TO ALL OF DOWNTOWN.
UH, IT'S JUST ESSENTIALLY APPLICABLE TO ABOUT 5,500
[00:10:01]
LINEAR FEET OF, UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL OF NEW CORRIDORS THAT COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.THE DIRECTOR FOR THE COUNCIL ALSO ESTABLISHED AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THOSE FUNDS AND ESTABLISH A FUND TO COLLECT THEM, TO BE USED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EXECUTION AND BUILDING OF GREAT STREETS.
SO WHAT I'LL DO IS I WILL JUST, UH, HOLISTICALLY WALK YOU THROUGH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE EMERGING FROM THIS ANALYSIS AND WHAT WE'LL BE APPROACHING COUNCIL, THAT THE STAFF WOULD BE RECOMMENDING SPECIFYING AN INITIAL RANGE OF COSTS AVERAGING ABOUT 55 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT, OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CREST RATE IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS FIGURE IS BASED ON CALCULATIONS THAT WERE RESEARCHED WHEN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT INITIATIVE PROJECT WAS BEING EVALUATED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SAMPLE IMPLEMENTING GRAY STREETS.
AND THAT IS THE FIGURE THAT WAS DERIVED.
THE STAFF WOULD ALSO BE RECOMMENDING A 10% INCREASE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FROM THE BASE AMOUNT OR THE CONSTRUCTION TO COVER MAINTENANCE OF GRAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
MAINTENANCE IS AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE PRIVATE DESIGN COMMUNITY AS TO HOW THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY ARE MAINTAINED IN PERPETUITY.
IF YOU RECALL THAT ANY PROJECT THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND THEREFORE IMPLEMENTS GRAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN PERPETUITY.
IN THE CASE OF A THEME NEW PROGRAM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO SO AS THE CITY WOULD BE CAPTURING THE PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT FOR THOSE PERCENTAGES TO BE CAPTURED INTO THAT FUND THAT IS CREATED AND WOULD BE TALKED ABOUT HERE JUST BRIEFLY.
SO THERE WOULD BE A 10%, 10% INCREASE OF THE COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION, ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF DOLLARS TO $6 PER SQUARE FOOT TO COVER THOSE MAINTENANCE COSTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE A ONE-TIME ASSESSMENT OF THOSE FUNDS.
ALSO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE CREATION OF THE SPECIFIC FUND TO LIVE WITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THAT WOULD BE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF EITHER DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OR CONSTRUCTION OR MAINTENANCE OF GREEN STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
WHEN THE CITY ENDEAVORS, ANY CIP OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO IMPLEMENT GRAY STREETS ON ANY OF THE STREETS THAT ARE APPLICABLE WITHIN THE PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YES, SPONSOR WOULD BE COLLECTED AT THE TIME OR PRIOR TO THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
AND THAT ALIGNS WITH THE WAY THAT WE CAPTURE FUNDS AT THIS TIME, UH, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PORTION OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE STAFF WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND ADJUSTING THE FEE, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO AS TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF INFLATION, AS WELL AS MATERIALS AND, AND BE ABLE TO ACCURATELY CAPTURE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF FIELD CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF FUTURE GREY STREET IMPROVEMENTS, THE STAFF WOULD ALSO BE RECOMMENDING THAT THERE'LL BE A PROJECT PRIORITY PROCESS BY WHICH, UH, PRIORITY STREETS ARE EVALUATED.
FOR EXAMPLE, AS THE CITY BEGINS TO LOOK AT SOME DOWNTOWN CORRIDORS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN, THAT THERE'LL BE A PROCESS BY WHICH THOSE PRIORITIES ARE ELEVATED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT GREAT STREETS ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS.
ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT DESIGN CRITERIA FOR ALTERNATIVE IMPROVEMENTS.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE WAY TO ACHIEVE GREAT STREETS OTHER THAN TO MEET THE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE STANDARDS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL REQUIRE AN UPDATE TO THE GRAY STREET STANDARDS BY WHICH STAFF WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMISSION, UH, VERY SOON IN TERMS OF OUTLINING ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART AS THE UPDATE TO THE GROCERY STANDARDS AND FURTHERMORE MONITOR AND TRACK THE FEW LEW COLLECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING APPLIED TO ANY PROJECTS, AS WELL AS DOING REGULAR AUDITS, UH, HOW THE FUNDS ARE BEING ALLOCATED AND HOW THEY'RE BEING COLLECTED.
SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT STEPS, THE STAFF BE PRESENTING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL IN THE EARLY FALL OF 2021 IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND WE WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL TO INITIATE CODE AMENDMENT SPECIFICALLY
[00:15:01]
TO 25, 25, 86 TO POTENTIALLY INCLUDE THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE JUST WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.WE'LL TAKE THAT EFFECT SOMETIME IN THE FALL OF 2021.
AND WE WOULD ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND DESIGN TEAMS TO GATHER INPUT THROUGH THE CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS TO BEGIN IN THE WINTER OF 2022 TARGETING SPECIFICALLY EARLY SPRING OF 2022, BY WHICH THE, THE COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC COMMENTS TO THE COUNCIL IN ADVANCE OF THE EXECUTION OF THIS QUARTER MINUTES.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CHAIR, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M GOING TO MAYBE KICK US OFF HERE WITH SOME QUESTIONS.
I, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE, UM, COST PER SQUARE FOOT.
UM, WHAT IS THAT RIGHT AWAY AREA WORK OR FOOTAGE IS THAT, THAT THAT WOULD BE PROPORTIONAL TO THE FRONTAGE.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN INITIAL COST OF $55 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT ON THE FRONT.
AND THE PROPULSOR PROPORTIONAL FRONTAGE OF THE PROJECT'S FRONTAGE TO A RIGHT OF WAY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PROJECT ONLY HAD 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF FRONTAGE ALONG THE TEXTS THAT RIGHT AWAY, THE ASSESSMENT WOULD BE 55 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT TIMES THAT 5,000 AMOUNT, 5,000 SQUARE FEET AMOUNT, THAT WOULD BE 18 FEET BY THE LINEAR FRONT AGE OF THAT PROJECT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, IT DOES.
UH, AND ANOTHER SORT OF FOLLOW-UP IS IF THERE WAS A CASE WHERE A PROJECT COULD PROVIDE THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THEIR PROPERTY, IS THAT ACCEPTABLE? TH THAT IS ACCEPTED.
COULD YOU, SORRY, I ADDED THAT AT THE END AS NOT PAY A FEE IN LIEU, BUT TO PROVIDE THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THEIR PROPERTY OUT OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION IS TO PROVIDE THE ON-SITE IMPROVEMENTS WHEN THEY ARE REQUIRED.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF A PROJECT IS PARTICIPATING IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO EXECUTE OR RESTRICT THE COVENANT COMMITTING TO THE, TO INSTALLING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THOSE, UH, RIGHT AWAY.
AND THE PERCENTAGES WHEN THERE IS EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL OF THOSE WATER LEAKS.
SO THE APPLICABILITY OF IS THE UNIVERSE IS QUITE NARROW.
IT WOULD REALISTICALLY ONLY APPLY TO ABOUT 5,500 LINEAR FEET FRONTING THE ACCESS ROADS OF IHI 35 AS IT GOES SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE EASTERN EDGE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND WE SAY REALISTICALLY, BECAUSE THEY ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR.
SO THE STAFF WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS FEE IN LIEU PROGRAM WOULD APPLY TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT GREAT STREET IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARDS WITHIN NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY, BUT POTENTIALLY A FOOT OR SO INTO THEIR PRIVATE REALM, WHICH HAS BEEN DONE IN AREAS LIKE RAINY, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FULLY COMPLY WITHOUT USING THE RIGHT OF WAY, IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
IN THE TWO PROJECTS THAT THE COMMISSION SAW, UH, EARLY PART OF THIS YEAR, UH, AND I BELIEVE EVEN LAST YEAR, THE TWO PROJECTS WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLY ONE PROJECT, NOT AT ALL BECAUSE THEIR ENTIRE FRONTAGE WAS ALONG THE TEXTILE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND ANOTHER PROJECT HAD A PORTION OF THEIR FRONTAGE ALONG THE TEXTS THAT RIGHT AWAY.
SO ONLY THOSE TWO FRATERNITIES WOULD THE FIELD LOOP PROGRAM APPLY ON FRONTAGE IS WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE LOOP PROGRAM WOULD NOT APPLY IN.
MOST PROJECTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO FULFILL THE CODE REQUIREMENTS OF 25, 25 86, WHICH WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THOSE FURNITURES, WHERE THERE IS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE IT ONTO THE MOTORWAY.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE ONE.
[00:20:01]
IS THIS APPLIES TO, UH, LOTS WITHIN THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM MAP THAT YOU SHOWED US WITH THE BOUNDARIES.AS WE REWRITE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT KIND OF LIKE GREAT STREETS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS.
AND THE MORE LIKE THE TODD, UH, TRANSIT ORIENTED DISTRICTS, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO HOW IS THIS GOING? HA HOW CAN WE TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND KIND OF USE THIS IN OUR NEW GUIDELINES TO KIND OF LIKE SET THE PRECEDENT, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD THERE, UH, APPRECIATE THE QUESTION COMMISSIONER.
I JUST WANT TO CAUTION THAT GRAY STREET IS A PARTICULAR TYPE APOLOGY THAT APPLIES TO DOWNTOWN OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET A CONSISTENT FRONTAGE THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE GREAT STREETS BECAUSE THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF ONDULATING RIGHT AWAY WITH THAT DON'T LEND ITSELF TO ACCURATELY CAPTURE THE TOPOLOGY.
HOWEVER, THERE IS SPACE QUITE A BIT OF SPACE IN MOST OF OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS, I, WHICH THE COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE WISHED TO TAKE ELEMENTS OF THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM AND CONSIDER THE APPLICATION OF SUCH INTO YOUR URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES COULD EASILY BE TRANSLATED INTO A AND FORMULATE IT INTO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD MAKE IT INTO YOUR DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AS PARTICULAR ELEMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD BE LIGHTING, COULD BE STREET FURNITURE COULD BE SPECIFIC SPACING THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE SHADE TREES, AS WELL AS OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE TRASH RECEPTACLES BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE IS AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF COMPETITION FOR SPACE SPECIFICALLY IN DOWNTOWN AREAS, AS WE HAVE INTRODUCED ELEMENTS THAT DIDN'T, THAT WEREN'T EVEN REAL BACK 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THE GRAY STREETS PLAN WAS ENACTED SUCH AS SCOOTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE ALSO, YEAH.
SO I THINK I'M TAGGING ON THE CHAIR.
UH, CAROL'S COMMENT THOUGH, IF WE EXTEND THIS GREAT STREETS OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT, TOPOLOGY OUT TO WHERE WE DO WANT TO HAVE A GREAT STREETS TYPE OF PROGRAM OUT IN CERTAIN AREAS OUTSIDE OF THAT DISTRICT, I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN WRITE SOMETHING INTO WHATEVER WE'RE DOING TO WHERE THAT DEVELOPER NEEDS TO KIND OF GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT OF HIS OWN JUST BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OR WHATEVER IT IS THERE.
HE NEEDS TO SACRIFICE SOMETHING THERE FOR SOME AMENITIES, THEY KIND OF HIT THE GREAT STREETS, UH, PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, YEAH, I THINK THIS IS, UH, IT'S MORE, HEY, YOU MENTIONED IT'S SORT OF A SPECIFIC SOLUTION TO A SPECIFIC PROBLEM, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES WITH GRAY STREETS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED, UM, THAT I THINK WE CAN ADDRESS IN THE FUTURE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS YOU'RE I THINK YOU'RE ON MEDIA, JUST THE THOUGHT KIND OF GOING ON THIS AS WELL TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE SOME CHAPTERY, UM, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON HOW THE STREET IS TREATED.
AND CERTAINLY IT'S NOT AS ROBUST AS THE, UH, UH, GREAT STREETS PROGRAM AND THE GUIDELINES THERE.
UM, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF THESE AREAS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, LOOKING AT SUB CHAPTER AND WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS ONE THOUGHT I'D HAVE ABOUT, UH, BRAIN AND THE SUCCESS OF THAT INSTALLATION ON ANY SCIENCE? IT SEEMS TO, IN MY MIND, REQUIRE THAT POWER BE BURIED AT, YOU KNOW, BEING THE OVERHEAD POWER, ALWAYS TRUMPS EVERYTHING ELSE FROM SAFETY STANDPOINT.
UM, AND IT CAN REALLY SEEING HOW MUCH DISTORTION, YOU KNOW, IT CAN CREATE IN THE PLACEMENT OF BUILDINGS AND, UH, AND SIDEWALKS AND TREES JUST IN, UH, AREAS OF THE SEPTEMBER OR SUB CHAPTER HE APPLIES.
IT SEEMS LIKE TO REALLY HAVE AN EFFECTIVE, YOU KNOW, GREAT STREETS IF WE WERE TO HAVE THAT OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, LIKE SAY INSTANCE OF TODD'S THAT, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD JUST BE A NECESSITY THAT POWER NEED TO BE BURIED, UM, TO EVEN MAKE IT KIND OF WORK.
OTHERWISE WE KIND OF GO BACK TO SUB CHAPTER AND DO OUR BEST WITH THAT.
ANYONE ELSE QUIET TONIGHT? WELL, WE DO HAVE THIS POSTED FOR ACTION.
IF WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN ACTION ON IT, I'M ASSUMING, OR, HEY, THESE ARE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
[00:25:01]
THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THE STAFF WOULD APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK OR INPUT OR EVEN A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION.
IF THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS WHAT IT IS EVENING, YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER SENDING THAT WORKING GROUP, IF YOU WILL ALSO WANT TO FORMULATE MY CONDITIONS VIA WORKING GROUP, BUT THIS WILL START MAKING ITS WAY TO COUNCIL LATER IN THE SUMMER.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE COMMISSION TO CONTINUE BEING A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, KNOWING THAT THE COMMISSION IS VERY WELL VERSED IN THE IMPORTANCE OF GRAY STREETS, AS WELL AS THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO, SO HOW IS COUNCIL INFORMED AND HOW DOES COUNCIL UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS BECOME AN ISSUE I'M KIND OF INTERESTED IN HOW THE COMMUNICATION WORKS BETWEEN DESIGN COMMISSION, CITY STAFF OR WHATEVER IT IS, WHAT KIND OF LIKE, HOW'S IT ALL THIS TRIGGERED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, A COMMISSIONER, UH, THE COUNCIL WAS MADE AWARE OF TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT OF GRAY STREETS ON THOSE TWO FRINGES AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DESIGN TEAMS. UH, THE IDEA CAME FROM COUNCIL THAT A FIELD LOOP PROGRAM COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THOSE STRICT, UH, APPLICATIONS OF WHERE THERE WAS EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THE SCOPE OF THIS IS QUITE NARROW.
SO THE COUNCIL INACCURATE A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A FIELD LIEU PROGRAM.
STAFF HAS A PARTICULAR COMMISSION, UH, TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE INPUT AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL DIRECTLY.
AND THAT COULD TAKE THE SHAPE AND FORM OF A LETTER TO COUNCIL AS WELL AS BE FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT B YOU MAY WANT TO ATTACH.
THAT WOULD FORM PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED EVENTUALLY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND THEN BACK TO COUNCIL ONCE THE CURRENT AMENDMENTS ARE INITIATED BY COUNCIL LATER THIS FALL.
SO THOSE WERE THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAD REVIEWED EVAN.
UH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M STARTING TO UNDERSTAND NOW, BUT THE DEVELOPER ACTUALLY WENT TO COUNCIL TO KIND OF GET THIS THING MOVING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO ATTEND TO HERE.
UM, AGAIN, THIS, THIS IS A VERY NARROW FOCUS.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD RECOMMENDATION.
I MEAN, I'M NOT HEARING A LOT OF CONVERSATION FROM THE COMMISSION THAT IT NECESSARILY WARRANTS A WORKING GROUP.
SO, UM, PERHAPS IF WE WANT TO TAKE ACTION ON IT TONIGHT, ANY THOUGHTS? UM, I MOTION TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IS THAT THE KIND OF ACTION YOU'RE ASKING FOR CHAIR THAT WORKS? IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER, WEAVERS SECONDS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL ARE JUST TOO EASY TONIGHT.
UH, I'LL CALL OUT YOUR NAMES AND LET ME KNOW.
UM, COMMISSIONER AN HOUR LATER, FISHER MINERS.
MR. TANIGUCHI, UM, UH, VICE-CHAIR RAWSON.
COMMISSIONER WEAVER AND I AM A GAY.
SO THAT PASSES IF I MAY, I'M SEVEN YEARS IN ONE ABSTAIN.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER IS JUST PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WILL COME BACK TO YOU IN THE FORM OF AN ACTUAL CODE AMENDMENT.
SO THERE'LL BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS LATER.
[00:30:02]
THANK YOU EVERYONE.[1B. Staff briefing, (Discussion and Possible action) on recommendations addressing Council Resolution 20210422-039 related to the Downtown Density Bonus Program Section 25-2-586 (B)(6) to be presented by Jorge E. Rousselin - City of Austin Housing and Planning Department]
SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ONE B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.BE PRESENTED BY JORGE RUSLAN AND SAM TEDFORD.
THIS PRESENTATION HAS TWO PARTS, SO LET'S LET BOTH OF THEM PRESENT.
AND THEN WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS AT THE END.
I COULD HAVE THE SECOND PRESENTATION LOADED.
I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND AS THAT IS HAPPENING, UH, WE WILL BE PROVIDING A TWO-PART PRESENTATION AND WE'LL TRANSITION ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE PRESENTATION TO THAT SECOND PART.
SO AGAIN, THREE BEING CORE HETEROS ALIGNED WITH, UH, URBAN DESIGN DIVISION MANAGER HERE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH YOU ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND OPTIONS TO MODIFY 25 TO 5 86, B AS IN BOY, SIX, THAT'S A SPECIFIC SECTION OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.
IF I MAY PROCEDURE, YES, PLEASE.
AND COMMISSIONERS WHERE YOU'RE SEEING IS A TESTAMENT AS TO HOW AS FAR BACK AS TWO DECADES AGO, AN EXPLOSION OF DEVELOPMENT STARTED TO OCCUR DOWNTOWN.
AS PROJECTS BEGAN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND DENSITY DOWNTOWN.
IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS YEAR, UH, IN APRIL THE, THE CITY COUNCIL EXECUTED A RESOLUTION INITIATING CODE AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECIFIC SESSIONS SECTION OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, 25 TO 5 86, TO AMEND THAT SECTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING.
FURTHERMORE, THE COUNCIL GAVE THE CITY MANAGERS SPECIFIC DIRECTION TO PRESENT A REPORT ON FLORIDA AREA BEST PRACTICE FOR TWO AREA RATIO, BEST PRACTICES AND STAFF INITIATED AND ANALYSIS OF THAT.
SO STAFF CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON EIGHT MAJOR TEXAS CITIES, UH, WITH THE PURPOSE OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF ANY OF THESE CITIES HAVE A SPECIFIC DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, YOU WILL NOTE THAT HOUSTON, TEXAS IS NOT LISTED HERE AS HOUSTON DOES NOT HAVE A ZONING DOES NOT HAVE A ZONING CODE IN B REVIEW OF THESE EIGHT MAJOR TEXAS CITIES.
UH, WE FOUND THAT AUSTIN WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD A SPECIFIC DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, AND SPECIFICALLY IT CONTAINS THE PATHWAY BY WHICH GREATER DENSITY CAN BE REQUESTED BEYOND THE DENSITY BONUS LIMITS AS APPLIED IN THE CODE.
THE CITY OF DALLAS COMES THE CLOSEST IN HAVING A PROGRAM PROGRAM THAT'S THAT RESEMBLES THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY APPLY TO DOWNTOWN.
IT MOSTLY APPLIES TO AREAS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN BY WHICH ADDITIONAL DENSITY IS GRANTED IN EXCHANGE FOR MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC AREAS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN THAT THESE INCENTIVES WOULD OF WOULD APPLY.
AND THEY OFFERED THE REMOVAL OF THE FAR REQUIREMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT ADDITIONAL MAXIMUM UNIT DENSITY.
BUT THAT'S ABOUT AS CLOSE AS ANY TEXAS CITY GETS TO AUSTIN'S DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY THREE MAIN OPTIONS BY WHICH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL DIRECTION AND THEIR OPTIONS TO ADDRESS 25 2 5 86 B SIX, OPTION ONE WOULD BE TO LEAVE THE EXISTING LANGUAGE AS THIS.
IN OTHER WORDS, NO CHANGES TO THE LANGUAGE, TO ELIMINATE SECTION A B SIX IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND TO MODIFY SECTION B6.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THESE OPTIONS.
SO THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE TO MAKE NO MODIFICATIONS TO BE SIX, AND THAT IS BASED ON THE NEW CALIBRATION AS, AS EXECUTED,
[00:35:01]
UH, JUST BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR BY THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL TOOK ACTION BY ORDINANCE TO INCREASE THE DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEES FOR SPECIFIC PROPERTIES AND DEVELOPMENT TYPES DOWNTOWN IT'S LIKE, PLEASE YOU SEE A DEPICTION HERE OF EXHIBIT A THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE ORDINANCE BACK IN MAY, THAT OUTLINES THE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT TYPES AND THE SPECIFIC DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS AS WELL.AND TO INCREASE OUR DEVELOPMENT DONORS FEES FROM ITS CURRENT STATE AND WOULD OFFER ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, WHEN APPLYING THE FEE IN LIEU FOR ACHIEVING ADDITIONAL, UH, DENSITY AS WELL AS PROVIDING A PATHWAY TO ACHIEVE ADDITIONAL DENSITY DATA.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, OPTION TWO WOULD BE THE REMOVAL COMPLETE REMOVAL OF SECTION 25, 25, 86 V6.
THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE ABILITY FOR AN APPLICANT TO REQUEST THE ADDITIONAL FAR BEYOND THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTIONS OF THE PROGRAM, AND WOULD PRECLUDE ANY APPLICANT FROM APPROACHING COUNCIL AND REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FAR FLOOR AREA RATIO AND WOULD KEEP IN PLACE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTIONS OF THE PROGRAM THAT THIS COULD HAVE A POTENTIAL EFFECT THAT IT COULD LIMIT THE ADDITIONAL ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT COULD BE PROVIDED ONSITE OR THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE COLLECTED THROUGH THE FEE IN LIEU OPTION THAT THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY HAS AN APPLIES TO THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
ANOTHER OPTION COULD BE TO MODIFY SECTION B SIX.
AND IF YOU WOULD INDULGE ME FOR A FEW MOMENTS, I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THESE PROVISIONS.
THE MODIFICATION COULD INCLUDE KEEPING INTACT THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
ESSENTIALLY NOTHING WOULD CHANGE IN TERMS OF THE APPLICATION OF THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM WOULD STAY AS IS WITH THE CURRENT LIMITS, BUT IMPOSE AN INCREASE IN THE ENLOE FEES BEYOND THOSE LISTED IN EXHIBIT A, THIS OPTION COULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR WHAT WE OFTEN REFER TO AS THE DOUBLE BONUS, WHICH IS THE BONUS AREA REQUESTED SPECIFICALLY THROUGH COUNCIL ACTION.
THERE COULD BE AN INCREASE TO THOSE FEES BEYOND WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN LISTED IN THE INTERIM ASSESSMENT OF THOSE FEES.
ALSO, THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WOULD COULD BE ACHIEVED USING THE LIST THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE CODE UNDER SUBSECTION E OF 25, 25, 86, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS COULD BE LISTED AS A SPECIFIC PATHWAY TO ACHIEVE ADDITIONAL DENSITY.
THERE ARE FORMULAS THAT ARE PART OF THE 2014 ORDINANCE AND WE'VE CALLED THEM FORMULAS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE PATHWAY BY WHICH THE BONUS AREAS, CALCULATOR FOR ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE AND WHAT IS NECESSARY TO GAIN THE BONUS AREA BEYOND WHAT THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WOULD ALLOW.
SO IT COULD REVISE THOSE FORMULAS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT THAT IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE THAT INTO BONUS AREA ABOVE WHAT IS BEING ASKED OR ABOVE WHAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM PORTIONS OF THE PROGRAM.
BUT WE COULD ALSO CONSIDER ADDING OTHER SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
THERE'S A SPECIFIC PORTION OF 45 TO 5 86 CONTAINING
THAT IS ESSENTIALLY AN OPEN-ENDED APPROACH TO OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS BY WHICH THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT IS EVALUATED BY THE DIRECTOR AND DETERMINED WHETHER THAT INDEED IS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND COULD BE CONSIDERED A COMMUNITY BENEFIT FOR PURPOSES OF GAINING ADDITIONAL DENSITY PER PROJECT.
THERE ARE NO METRICS CURRENTLY IN THE CODE THAT HELPS STAFF TO DETERMINE HOW TO ARRIVE AT A CONSISTENT FORMULA BY WHICH TO APPLY THOSE, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND THE ADDITIONAL THEY ARE.
AND THEREFORE A CONSIDERATION COULD BE TO ELIMINATE THAT PARTICULAR PORTION, BUT RELY ON THE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT COULD BE CONSERVED.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AT THIS TIME, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT MAKE ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXISTING LANGUAGE.
[00:40:01]
THE NEW CALIBRATION THAT HAS BEEN, UH, PRESENTED AND ALSO ACTED ON BY COUNCIL ACTION THROUGH ORDINANCE KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THOSE FEES COULD POTENTIALLY BE CHANGED IF, AND WHEN COUNCIL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THOSE UP SOMETIME LATER THIS SUMMER, AND THAT'LL BE THE SECOND PORTION OF THIS PRESENTATION.SO BASED ON THOSE NEW CALIBRATIONS, THE STAFF IS PROPOSING AT THIS TIME NOT TO MAKE CHANGES TO 25 25 86 B SIX, AND LEAVE THE OPTION FOR APPLICANTS TO APPROACH THE COUNCIL AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL FAR BEYOND THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.
SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO TRANSITION THE PRESENTATION TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE INCLUSIVE PLANNING PORTION OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE CALIBRATION PRESENTATION.
I'M A PLANNER IN THE INCLUSIVE PLANNING DIVISION OVER AT THE CITY OF BOSTON'S HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND I'LL BE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE MOST RECENT COUNCIL RESOLUTION REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN DID SPEAK ON HIS PROGRAM.
AND THOSE TWO ELEMENTS, UH, I'VE SUMMARIZED HERE AS ADOPTING INTERIM FEES AS WELL AS CALIBRATING THOSE FEES.
UH, SO THE INITIAL ABOUT, UH, ADOPTING INTERIM FEES AS FOREHEAD HAS ALREADY ALLUDED TO HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED ON MAY 20TH COUNCIL ADOPTED, UH, INTERIM FEES THAT, UM, WERE APPLICABLE FOR, IN LIEU OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS NON RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT IT DID WAS MOVED THOSE FEES FROM THE INITIAL, THE ORIGINAL 2014 ORDINANCE INTO THE CITY'S FEE SCHEDULE.
SO THIS IS JUST CHANGING WHERE THE FEES LIVE IN A CITY CODES AND ORDINANCES.
SO THIS IS WHAT THOSE INTERIM FEES ARE.
THESE WERE ADOPTED, THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT, UH, TABLE SHOWING THOSE SAME FEES THAT WERE, UH, GRABBED FROM THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE.
UH, SO EFFECTIVE ON MAY 31ST, 2021, THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT FEE SCHEDULE, UH, INCLUDES THESE FEES AND I'M JUST GOING TO BREAK DOWN WHAT'S IN THERE.
AND THEN WE'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT WHERE THESE FEES CAME FROM.
UH, SO THERE ARE FEES BASED ON RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
UH, IT WILL VARY DEPENDING ON IF YOU'RE IN THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT OR OTHER DISTRICTS OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS, UH, DEPENDING ON THE SITES BASED ZONING, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY IF YOU HAVE CBD ZONING, UH, OR, UH, ANY OTHER BASED ZONING.
AND SO THAT LOOKS LIKE RING THE STREET.
UM, ACTUALLY REGARDLESS OF THE BASE ZONING RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, UH, WE'LL PAY A $5 PER BONO SQUARE FOOT FEE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY THE SAME AS THE 2014 FEE, BUT FOR ALL OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AREA, DEPENDING IF YOU HAVE CBD BASED OWNING, YOU'LL BE PAYING AT $12 PER BONUS SQUARE FOOT FEE.
AND FOR ALL OTHER ZONES IN CBD, IT'S A $10 PRO BONO SQUARE FOOT FEE.
THEIR BIGGEST CHANGE HERE IS THAT THERE IS NOW A COMMERCIAL FEE, A NON-RESIDENTIAL, UH, BONUS FEET APPLICABLE DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS OF DOWNTOWN, BUT IT DOES VARY STILL BASED ON A SITE BASED ZONING.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE CBD BASED ZONING, YOU WILL NOW BE PAYING AN $18 PER SQUARE FOOT OF BONUS AREA OF FEE, AND ALL OTHER ZONES WILL PAY $12 PER SQUARE PER BONUS SQUARE FOOT FEE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN GETTING QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE FEES.
SO I DID THINK THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO MENTION THAT DENSITY BONUS APPLICATIONS APPLY THE FEET AND LIEU RATE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN IS SUBMITTED.
SO SITE PLANS SUBMITTED PRIOR TO MAY 31ST, 2021.
WE'LL STILL PAY THE 2014 FEES.
UM, AND THE, THE FEE RATE THAT WAS APPLICABLE AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN SUBMISSION, NEXT SLIDE.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THOSE FEES CAME FROM, I JUST WANT TO DESCRIBE THAT THEY ACTUALLY CAME FROM WORK THAT WAS CONDUCTED DURING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION.
UM, SO THESE FEES WERE DEVELOPED WITH, UH, THE HELP OF SOME ECONOMIC CONSULTANTS ECO NORTHWEST.
UM, I'VE LINKED IN THIS PRESENTATION THERE AT THE BOTTOM, THE MEMO FROM JANUARY 28TH, 2020, THAT DESCRIBES THESE FEES IN FURTHER DETAIL.
AGAIN, THIS WAS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION AT THE TIME.
SO A FEW THINGS ABOUT WHY THESE COULD BE CONSIDERED INTERIM FEES ARE THAT THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES IN HOW WE MIGHT CONDUCT THE FEE CALIBRATION TODAY.
[00:45:01]
WERE CALIBRATED USING LATE 2019 MARKET DYNAMICS, A THING OR TWO HAS CHANGED SINCE LATE 2019.UM, MOST NOTABLY WE'RE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS ON MARKET DYNAMICS BASED ON THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE IN.
UM, ASIDE FROM THAT THESE FEES WERE ALSO INITIALLY BASED ON NEW ZONES, UH, PROPOSING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION.
THE TABLE THAT'S SHOWN HERE ON SCREEN WAS FROM THE ORIGINAL MEMO THAT RECOMMENDED THESE FEES.
AND YOU'LL SEE ZONES LIKE CC AND DC THAT DO NOT EXIST IN TODAY'S CODE.
SO WE DID A BIT OF TRANSLATION WORK, UM, TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU CAN TRANSLATE THESE FEES INTO TODAY'S CODE, THE OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT THESE WERE BASED ON.
THEY WERE CALIBRATED TO A SITES BASED ZONING, NOT THE DOWNTOWN SUBDISTRICT.
THAT'S WHY YOU SORT OF SEE THIS A HYBRID NOW WHERE HIGHER FEES FROM THE 2014 ORDINANCE FOR MOSTLY BASED ON THIS SITES, UH, LOCATION IN A DOWNTOWN SUBDISTRICT.
AND WE WERE MOVING TOWARDS BASING THOSE FEES ON A SITE SPACE ZONING.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF IN A, IN BETWEEN STILL WALT RAINEY HAS DIFFERENT, UM, SUB DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS THAN THE REST OF DOWNTOWN.
AND THESE FEES WERE ALSO TUNED TO SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROPOSED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION.
THE MOST NOTABLE OF THOSE THAT IMPACTED THE CALIBRATION OF THESE FEES WOULD DEFINITELY BE THE IMPOSITION THAT, OR THE PROPOSED IMPOSITION OF A PARKING MAXIMUM DOWNTOWN, WHICH WE KNEW BASED ON STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK COULD IMPACT THE ACHIEVABLE SALES PRICES FOR A, FOR SALE CONDO, UM, HOUSING DOWNTOWN.
AND SO WE HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT A POTENTIAL REDUCTION IN ACHIEVABLE SALES PRICES BASED ON THE, UH, PARKING MAXIMUM THAT WAS RECOMMENDED ONE STALL PER UNIT, WHICH IS LESS THAN WHAT THE MARKET WAS PROVIDING AT THE TIME THE STUDY.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THESE ARE INTERIM FEES AND THAT THERE IS AN ASK FOR US TO RE-LOOK AT THESE FEES AND DO SOME CALIBRATION WORK.
WHICH IS WHAT I WILL TALK ABOUT NEXT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WHAT MAY MEAN, I DON'T HAVE, UH, DRAFT FEES TO, TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE REALLY IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS BE CALIBRATION WORK, BUT HOPEFULLY BY, UM, THE END OF THE SUMMER IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO STAKEHOLDERS TO, UH, TO DISCUSS, BUT WE, WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IN THE MEANTIME IS, UM, CONTINUING OUR RESEARCH ON THE CURRENT AND NEAR TERM MARKET DYNAMICS DOWNTOWN TO UPDATE THOSE 2019, UH, MARKET DYNAMICS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THAT INITIAL STUDY, WE'LL BE DOING RESEARCH ON THE DEVELOPER LAND AND SITE CHARACTERISTICS, AND THEN TUNING OUR MODELING TOOLS TO OUR CURRENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE ZONING AND TYPE LINTS INSTEAD OF THE DRAFT LDC ZONING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH WERE WHAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE INITIAL FEE STUDY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UPDATING AFFORDABILITY POLICIES TO REFLECT UPDATED MEDIAN FAMILY INCOMES, WHICH IS KIND OF THE BASIS OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, LIMITS AND FOR SALE PRICE LIMITS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'LL BE TESTING DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY UNDER THESE POLICY UPDATED POLICY REQUIREMENTS AND MARKET ASSUMPTIONS.
AND WE WILL BE SHARING THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS THE MODELING ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE WERE USING SO THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WENT INTO OUR MODELS.
SO THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE GRAPHIC TO SAY THAT WE KNOW THAT, UM, DEVELOPMENT WILL ONLY OCCUR, AWARE PUBLIC POLICY, MARKET, FEASIBILITY, CAPITAL, AND LAND ALL ALIGN APPROPRIATELY.
UM, WHAT WE CAN DO AS STAFF OR STUDY THE, THE VIABLE SITES DOWNTOWN, THE INVESTMENT METRICS AROUND SALES PRICES, OPERATING CONSTRUCTION COSTS IN ORDER TO CALIBRATE THAT PIECE, THE PUBLIC POLICY PIECE.
AND THAT'S WHERE OUR AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS SETTING THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LIEU FEE COMES INTO PLAY.
UM, NEXT TIME, THIS IS A BIT OF A REFRESHER, BUT IT'S BEEN A MOMENT SINCE WE'VE HAD OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. AND SO, UM, BEAR WITH ME IF I JUST WANT TO WALK THROUGH KIND OF WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY CALIBRATING THOSE FEES AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO GET THE MAXIMUM PUBLIC BENEFIT AND IN THIS CASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO AS WE KNOW, TEXAS LAW PROHIBITS MANDATORY INCLUSIONARY ZONING.
AND SO WE RELY ON INCENTIVE-BASED PROGRAMS TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHOUT DIRECT PUBLIC SUBSIDIES.
AND THAT LOOKS LIKE OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. AND WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY RECALIBRATING OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS, IT MEANS WE'RE, WE'RE SORT OF ANALYZING THE VALUE THAT A BONUS ENTITLEMENT CONFERS TO A DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF BUILDING OF A PROTOTYPICAL BUILDING ON A VARIETY OF PARCEL SIZES.
UM, WHAT THE VALUE OF THAT BUILDING COULD BE UNDER BASE ENTITLEMENTS, AND THEN COMPARE THAT TO THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING OR TYPES OF BUILDINGS THAT COULD BE BUILT UNDER BONUS ENTITLEMENTS
[00:50:01]
SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THAT IS CONFERRED BY A BONUS.AND THEN WE WANT TO TAKE A PORTION OF THAT BONUS VALUE AND ATTRIBUTE IT TOWARDS, TOWARDS, UH, PUBLIC BENEFIT IN DOWNTOWN.
IT GOES TOWARD, OR IF IT'S NOT ON-SITE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEN IT GOES TOWARDS LOW BARRIER APPROACHES TO HOUSING FOLKS, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH OUR IN LIEU FEEDS.
SO WE WENT TO TAKE A PORTION OF THAT VALUE, BUT NOT TOO MUCH AND LEAVE A PORTION OF THAT BONUS VALUE ON THE TABLE, SO THAT THERE'S STILL AN INCENTIVE TO BUILD INTO THE BONUS TO BUILD THOSE BONUS ENTITLEMENTS.
AND WE KNOW THAT IF WE DO NOT CALIBRATE THESE FEES APPROPRIATELY, AND WE ASKED TOO MUCH IN OUR AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS, IF WE SET THAT IN LIEU FEE TOO HIGH AND TAKE TOO MUCH OF THAT BONUS VALUE, OR ACTUALLY MAKE IT A NEGATIVE INCENTIVE OR DISINCENTIVE TO, UH, BUILD A BONUS, THEN WE WILL GET NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES.
AND MOST DEVELOPMENTS WILL ONLY BUILD TO THE BASE ENTITLEMENTS.
SO THIS IS WHY WE ARE CAREFUL IN WEIGHING THE VALUE OF THAT BONUS AND ONLY TAKING A PORTION OF IT FOR OUR PUBLIC BENEFIT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF SAY WE ARE CAREFULLY CALIBRATING, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WEIGHING THE DEVELOPMENT BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, UH, SO THAT WE ALL CAN GET THE, OUR PUBLIC BENEFIT, UM, IN BOTH THOSE ADDITIONAL BONUS UNITS, MARKET RATE OR AFFORDABLE, UM, AND MAXIMIZING OUR PUBLIC BENEFIT TO ACHIEVE POLICY GOALS.
AND SO THE NEXT STEPS FOR US ON THIS ARE WE ANTICIPATE BY LATE JULY OR AUGUST STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, SHARE OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THESE FEES, AS WELL AS SHARE OUR MARKET AND POLICY ASSUMPTIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, AT THAT TIME WE INTEND TO BRIEF THE APPROPRIATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND HOST A STAKEHOLDER MEETING, UM, TO DISCUSS AND PRESENT THOSE PROPOSED FEES.
AND WE ANTICIPATE BY LATE AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER, WE WILL HAVE A CHANCELLOR WILL CONSIDER THE UPDATE TO THE FEE SCHEDULE TO REFLECT THE CALIBRATED OR RECALIBRATED DOWNTOWNS IN SPEED BONUS PROGRAM IN LIEU FEES.
AND I BELIEVE THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR SIDES TODAY, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, SAM AND PORT HAE, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER WEAVER? YOU'RE MUTED.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF THE SPEAKERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST A QUICK NOTATION COMMENT ON THE SIDE THAT HAS THE, IT TALKS ABOUT THE FEE CALIBRATION.
UM, I THINK IT'S LABELED AS COMPETITIVE RETURN OF CAPITAL AND, UM, I'M, I'M A DEVELOPER AND I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN, IN MAKING HOUSING, MAKING HOUSING DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT LABEL WAS A LITTLE BIT, UM, CHALLENGING FOR ME AS A DEVELOPER, BECAUSE I WANT PICK THE CHEAPEST I CAN FOR FINANCE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME THAT
JUST LIKE YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DESIGNER.
IT'S JUST LIKE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S A COST OF FINANCE AND THAT'S REALLY DETERMINED BY THE MARKET.
UM, THE DEVELOPERS ALREADY LOOKING FOR THE CHEAPEST COST OF FINANCE AND IF THEY DON'T RETURN THAT COST TO FINANCE, THEY HAVE LITIGATION.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL THEM THAT TWICE.
UH, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO JUST KIND OF FOLLOW UP, UM, AS YOU'RE, AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THESE COSTS AND KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, AND I'M JUST REALLY CURIOUS HOW THE EFFICACY HAS BEEN IN, UH, THE WAY THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS WORKS NOW, DOES IT ACTUALLY FUNCTION, YOU KNOW, HAS THAT BEEN A STUDY, UM, OF IF THIS IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOWNTOWN, HOW ARE THE FEES BEING USED? I THINK COMMISSIONER WATLEY REQUESTED THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF STEPPING BACK IS THE INTENTION OF THIS RECALIBRATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS TO OFFER MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOWNTOWN, OR IS IT TO COLLECT MORE FEES? AND I WOULD JUST SUGGEST GETTING REALLY CLEAR ON THAT INTERVENTION AND THEN CREATING A POLICY TO SUPPORT THAT INTENTION.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST FEELING LIKE, OKAY,
[00:55:01]
I'M CONFUSED HONESTLY, ON WHAT THE INTENTION IS.THERE WAS A COMPOUND QUESTION.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON, ON EITHER OF THOSE QUESTIONS, SAM? YEAH.
SO TO THE FIRST PART, UM, I KNOW A COMMISSIONER HAD REQUESTED MORE OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND WHAT HAS BEEN YIELDED IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ONSITE, AS WELL AS IN LIEU FEES.
AND WE HAVE SOME STAFF MEMBERS WORKING ON, UH, CRUNCHING THOSE NUMBERS, AND I BELIEVE THEY WILL BE COMING BACK TO ON YOUR AUGUST AGENDA TO DELIVER THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT BY FAR MOST DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN TENANTS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AREA IS UTILIZING THE BONUS.
SO IN THAT WAY, I DO THINK PARTICIPATION IS REALLY HIGH AMONG THIS OR IN THIS BONUS PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE COULD SAY THIS PROGRAM IS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AS TO YOUR QUESTION OF WHETHER WE MEAN, UM, ARE WE, ARE WE WORKING TOWARDS FEES? ARE WE WORKING TOWARDS ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? I DO BELIEVE THE, UM, ORDINANCE LANGUAGE ITSELF IS NEUTRAL ON THE MANNER.
UM, WE HAVE OPTIONS FOR BOTH PROVIDING ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE HAVE THE OPTION TO PAY A FEE IN LIEU, UH, EXCEPT FOR RAINY, OF COURSE WE'RE CAN HYBRID.
AND WHAT WE SEE THE MARKET PROVIDING IS, IS MORE OF THE IN LIEU FEE AND NOT VERY MANY DEVELOPMENTS WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BONUS ARE PROVIDING HOUSING ONSITE.
I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE RECENT EXAMPLES OF PROGRAMS OR OF, UM, DEVELOPMENTS THAT DID PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ONSITE.
AND WE COULD, I IMAGINE THOSE NUMBERS WILL COME UP IN THE AUGUST PRESENTATION TO THIS COMMISSION, BUT WE DO SEE THE VAST MAJORITY OF, UM, DEVELOPMENTS THAT TAKE THE BONUS, PAYING AN IN LIEU FEE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, STAFF HAS AMBLED MILAN ON THE MATTER WE DON'T HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, PREFERENCE FOR IN-LAWS OR ON-SITE FEES IF COUNCIL WANTED TO SET FOR DIRECTION.
UM, GENERALLY STAFF ADVISES, WE KEEP BOTH OPTIONS JUST TO ALLOW FOR DEVELOPMENT FLEXIBILITY.
UM, THERE WILL ALWAYS NEED TO BE SOME IN LIEU FEE OPTIONS FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
UM, WE THINK UNLESS THERE'S SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP IT SOMEWHERE ELSE POLICY, BUT IT CAN GET PRETTY TRICKY THEN AS WELL.
SO I HOPE, I HOPE THAT RESPONDS TO YOUR QUESTION.
UM, YEAH, I, I GUESS ONE MORE UP.
UM, SO YEAH, I, I DO AGREE A LOT OF BUILDINGS ARE PARTICIPATING IN IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS.
I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER EFFECT OF THAT IS THAT IT INCREASES THE COST OF BRINGING HOUSING TO MARKET.
AND IS THAT THE INTENTION OR ARE WE TRYING TO INCREASE OUR MARKET RATE HOUSING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M KIND OF CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT IF THERE IS POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE COST OF ADDING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS HAS ON THE OVERALL BUDGET.
CAN YOU TELL, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYBE GETTING A FEW DEVELOPERS WHO PARTICIPATING AND IT'S RELEASED, IS IT ONE OR 2% OF THEIR BUDGET, AND THEN THAT'S JUST AN ADDED COST AND ANOTHER NOOSE ON THEIR NECK TO GO GET THIS PROJECT FINANCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IS THIS PART OF WHAT'S DRIVING UP OUR RUNS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT.
AND THEN, UH, AND A QUESTION FOR JORGE, UM, WHAT ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY COMMUNITY BENEFITS ARE YOU SEEING THAT DEVELOPERS CAN BRING TO THE TABLE? UM, CAUSE WE'VE GOT GREAT STREETS AND JUST WHAT ELSE CAN DEVELOPERS DO? AND, AND, UM, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT GOING? BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE LEAVING THAT PRETTY OPEN W WELL, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
THE SECTION OF THE CODE 25, 25 86 E AS IN ELEPHANT 12 IS THE OPEN-ENDED COMMUNITY, ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT IS ALLOWED BY THE CODE.
IMPORTANTLY, THE CODE DOES NOT GIVE DIRECTION AS TO WHAT WE CALL THE QUOTE UNQUOTE FORMULA BY WHICH IS CALCULATED THE AMOUNT OF BONUS AREA.
SO IT LEAVES IT UP TO STAFF THAT HAS ONLY BEEN USED ONCE BEFORE, BACK IN 2016 FOR THE PROJECT AT FIFTH AND WEST A POINT TOWER THAT USED THAT PROVISION OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND OFFERED THE COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE IT WAS $350,000 CASH CONTRIBUTION FOR SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS ALONG SHOAL CREEK TO STABILIZE FLOODING IN THE AREA.
THE COUNCIL ELECTED TO ACCEPT THAT, UH, AS ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS UNDER THE PROGRAM, BUT THERE WAS NO DIRECTION BY WHICH THAT TURNED INTO A SPECIFIC SQUARE FOOTAGE TO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION HASN'T BEEN PROVIDED, OR HASN'T BEEN USED LATELY IN ANY OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS.
HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY ELECT TO CONSIDER OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT COULD TACKLE, UH, SPECIFIC, UH, UH, PROGRAMS THAT COULD TARGET THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
[01:00:01]
HOMELESSNESS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR TO COMBAT CENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS THAT SEEM TO BE AFFECTING, I DON'T THINK THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY, BUT OVERALL AUSTIN.SO THERE'S THE ABILITY TO INCREASE OR TO ADD SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS WITH THE CAVEAT THAT STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT A PATHWAY OR A FORMULA BE ATTACHED TO THAT IN ORDER TO TRANSLATE THAT TO ACTUAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT BONUS AREA, BY WHICH A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SQUARE FEET ARE GRANTED FOR PROVIDING A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT IS LISTED.
SO CURRENTLY 25, 25, 86 E AS IN ELEPHANT, ONE THROUGH 11 AS AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT RANGE FROM PROVIDING ONSITE DAYCARE SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, OR PRESERVING HISTORIC ELEMENTS OF THE FACADE, OR PROVIDING AN ONSITE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE PLAZA, OR JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THE CODE TO DATE THAT THE COUNCIL MAY WANT TO CONSIDER SHOOTING ONE, TO AMEND SECTION SIX, TO ADD ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS FOR THAT AREA THAT WE'RE CALLING THE DOUBLE BONUS, ESSENTIALLY, WHAT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER B6 PRESSURE.
COLIN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, SAM.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS THERE SUPPOSED TO BE SOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION IN THIS, THAT THE INFORMATION WON'T BE DISTRIBUTED BY YOUR GROUP OR THE CITY TILL AUGUST, AND THEY'RE TAKING ACTION ON THIS IN AUGUST.
WHY ISN'T AN M WHY IS IT AN EMERGENCY AND WHY, IN MY OPINION, HUMBLE OPINION, ARE WE NOT LEAVING ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY DO STAKEHOLDER PRESENTATIONS? BECAUSE CLEARLY THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY WILL BE HIGHLY IMPACTED BY THIS INCREASE OF FEE FROM ZERO TO $18 PLUS, AND THERE'S BEEN NO DIALOGUE TO THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO BE WRITING THE CHECKS.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD FIRST JUST ADDRESS THAT IN THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION BACK FROM APRIL AND SET OUT THE TIMELINE THAT COUNCIL WANTED US TO BRING BACK OUR RECALIBRATED FEES BY, WHICH WAS IN AUGUST.
SO THAT PUT US STAFF ON A PRETTY TIGHT TIMELINE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE STRUGGLED JUST TO, YOU KNOW, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS EVOLVED, THERE'S HAVE BREAKS, UM, THAT HAS IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO CONDUCT STAKEHOLDER, UM, OUTREACH BEFORE WE SET UP, UH, OR PROVIDE OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UM, BUT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT OUT WITH SUFFICIENT TIME FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS, TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL BEFORE THEY TAKE ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS. UM, BUT, BUT IS IT, IS IT REALISTIC WHEN IT COMES OUT IN AUGUST TO HAVE THE INFORMATION BY AUGUST? I MEAN, WE, WE VERY MUCH HOPE TO HAVE OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION RELEASED IN LATE JULY, IF NOT VERY EARLY AUGUST.
AND COUNCIL HAS ASKED US TO RETURN TO THEM BY AUGUST 26TH.
UM, THIS ISN'T A LOT OF TIME, BUT IT IS SOME TIME, UM, YEAH, SORRY, THAT'S ONLY OFF ON THAT.
UM, I, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I'M JUST REALLY HOPING THAT THIS TYPE, THIS QUESTION, THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION COULD BE RELAYED TO INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE I SEE A GREAT DEAL OF UNFAIRNESS IN THIS TO OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS HAVE WE LOOKED AT HOW FUNCTIONAL GREEN AND PUBLIC BENEFIT ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS? SORRY, I HAD IT, IT WAS A BIT OF A BREAKING UP.
COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION ONCE MORE QUESTION? YEAH.
HOW, HOW DO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FUNCTIONAL REGIME WORK INTO PUBLIC BENEFIT? WHETHER THERE BE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FUNCTIONAL BRAIN REQUIREMENTS, GREAT STREET'S REQUIREMENTS CAN PUBLIC BENEFIT PLUS THE ADDITIONAL HOUSING COSTS.
I'M KIND OF HEADED WHERE JIM'S HEADED.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO WHERE THIS, THIS IS A DISINCENTIVE PROCESS RATHER THAN INCENTIVE PROCESS? I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT HOW THEY ALL PLAY WELL IN THE SAME SANDBOX.
AND SO YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE PROPOSED FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROGRAM OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION.
SO THAT WAS ANALYZED AS PART OF THE INTERIM.
I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE NOW CALLING THE INTERIM FEES.
THOSE WERE THE ORIGINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION FEES, AND THOSE PROVISIONS WERE CONSIDERED IN, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS THAT WERE USED AS AN INPUT IN THE CALIBRATION OF THOSE FEES.
[01:05:01]
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER ON HAND RIGHT NOW TO SPEAK TO WHAT WE WERE ESTIMATING FOR, UM, ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROGRAM.UM, BUT GREAT STREETS IS ALSO DEFINITELY, UM, TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS THE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION IN THE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT WERE ESSENTIAL GREEN.
THE BE A PUBLIC BENEFIT, I GUESS, IS A BETTER WAY OF ASKING THIS.
IF I MAKE PERMISSION JUST TO JUMP IN IT CURRENTLY IS NOT A SPECIFIC LIST OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE COUNCIL FROM CONSIDERATION OF PADDING.
THAT IS A SPECIFIED COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
HOWEVER, I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR SAM OR HER TEAM.
WE WOULD REQUEST THAT SOME TYPE OF FORMULA BE ACCOMPANIED WITH THAT SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
SO THAT COULD BE ABLE TO BE TRANSLATED INTO DEVELOPMENT BONUS AREA SO THAT YOU GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BONUS AREA OR SAY EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF FUNCTIONAL GREEN ELEMENTS, WHATEVER THOSE ELEMENTS MAY BE UNDER THE LIST OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO SOMEHOW BE ABLE TO TIE INTO DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEE THAT HAS A COST ASSOCIATED TO IT WITH THE AMOUNT OF THE PROVISION OF THE AMOUNT OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
SO I DIDN'T MEAN TO JUMP IN THERE, SAM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT A LISTED COMMUNITY BENEFIT FOR FUNCTIONAL AGREE.
SO THE ANSWER IS, IT WOULDN'T COUNT AS A PUBLIC VINCENT JORGE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT IT YOU'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW IT'S A REQUIREMENT AND WOULDN'T BE A PUBLIC BENEFIT OVER AND BEYOND A REQUIREMENT.
I'M ACTUALLY SAYING IS THAT CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT A LISTED COMMUNITY BENEFITS SPECIFICALLY FOR FUNCTIONAL GREEN, HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE FROM IT BECOMING A SPECIFIED COMMUNITY BENEFIT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THAT GUY, I GO BACK TO MY ORIGINAL CONCERN.
THIS IS A BIG INCREASE FROM ZERO TO $18 A FOOT FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS.
SO WE ARE, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY IN THE CITY'S COFFERS, BUT I THINK IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THOSE THAT ARE BUILDING THESE PRODUCTS FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS ECONOMICALLY AS POSSIBLE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS WILL BE, HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO COST, HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST, WHERE IT'S GOING AND WHY IS IT AN EMERGENCY? I I'M JUST A LITTLE PERPLEXED AS TO WHY WE'RE PASSING SOMETHING.
CAUSE IT WILL PASS WITHOUT THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UM, MY QUESTION, I HAVE ONE, MAYBE TWO, BUT MY FIRST QUESTION IS WHY WERE ONLY TEXAS CITIES LOOKED AT WITH THE BENCHMARKING AND BEST PRACTICES ANALYSIS? CAUSE I DON'T REALLY SEE AUSTIN AS SUPER COMPARABLE TO MANY OTHER TEXAS CITIES, BUT I SEE AUSTIN AS LIKE INCREDIBLY COMPARABLE TO MANY OTHER US CITIES.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY WE AREN'T LOOKING ACROSS ACROSS THE U S OR EVEN THE WORLD AT OTHER DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. UM, AND MAYBE ANSWER THAT QUESTION FIRST AND THEN I MIGHT ASK THE SECOND ONE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
THE REASON WE LOOKED AT TEXAS CITIES IS BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED BY MY COLLEAGUES, SAM, THAT IN TEXAS, WE DO NOT HAVE INCLUSIONARY ZONING.
AND MOST OF THE STATES THAT HAVE SUCCESSFUL DENSITY PROGRAMS, I BELIEVE SOME ARE ALONG THE WEST COAST HAVE BEEN MANDATORY INCLUSIONARY ZONING, WHICH IS NOT AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN TEXAS.
SO THAT PARTICULAR SYSTEM WOULD NOT WORK IN TEXAS AS WE CAN ONLY INCENTIVIZE, UH, DENSITY BONUSES.
AND THEREFORE IN OUR EXPLORATION OF TEXAS CITIES, WE'VE FOUND WAS COMPARABLE TO AUSTIN.
AND THERE ARE NO OTHER STATES THAT MAKE INCLUSIONARY ZONING ILLEGAL.
THERE ARE MANY STATES, PARTICULARLY ALONG THE SOUTH THAT HAVE, UH, LAWS IN EFFECT THAT PROHIBIT INCLUSIONARY ZONING, BUT NONE THAT WE'RE AWARE THAT HAS A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM LIKE BOSTON HANDS.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UM, AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION, I FIND ALL OF THIS VERY CONFUSING.
SO I'M LIKE, I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT ANY ADDITIONAL HOUSING IN AUSTIN DOWNTOWN IS LIKE A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AT THIS POINT?
[01:10:04]
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, I GUESS MY, YEAH.DID, DO YOU WANT ME TO ASK AGAIN OR JESSICA? I THINK I CAN HELP YOU OUT WITH SOME VOCAB FROM THE ECONOMIC SIDE.
IF I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY, LIKE THERE'S LIKE CAPITAL A AFFORDABLE, RIGHT.
WHICH THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY A TARGET FOR, AND THEN THERE'S LIKE MARKET RATE AND LUXURY.
AND SO EVEN JUST GETTING MARKET RATE IS WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SEE AS A BENEFIT.
I THINK THAT AUSTIN HAS, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, SORRY, NOT FORM, IT'S NOT A FORMAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT, BUT I SEE MOST HOUSING AT THIS POINT IN TIME AS A BENEFIT TO AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE SORT OF PINGING EXTRA DENSITY FOR HOUSING DOWNTOWN, HEY ALL, UM, THIS IS ERIC LEE AND I'M A DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND ACTUALLY ONE THAT WAS, THAT WAS DEBATED A LOT WITH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WAS CREATED, UM, AS PART OF COUNSEL'S MOST RECENT, UH, RESOLUTIONS THAT, THAT DIRECTED THIS WORK, THEY DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY ASK US TO GO BACK AND SORT OF RECONSIDER, UH, THE, THE VALUE OR, OR WEIGHT OF VARIOUS COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UM, I, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD SAY THOUGH IS A WELL CALIBRATED DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM CAN RESULT IN BOTH MORE HOUSING DOWNTOWN AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE, THE FUNDING THAT COMES OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS FOCUSED ON LOW BARRIER HOUSING, UM, GENERAL GENERALLY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO, UM, SO IF YOU HAVE A WELL CALIBRATED PROGRAM, IT CAN SERVE TO BOTH INCENTIVIZE MORE MARKET RATE HOUSING, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR LOW BARRIER HOUSING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, BUT AM I GOING TO MR. WILDLY AND I'M GOING TO BE THE LAST ONE OR CHANGE.
ONE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF OTHER CITIES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SPECIAL ON THE WEST COAST CAN HAVE AN INCLUSIONARY ZONING SO THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN QUITE ROBUST AND, UM, AND THINGS.
SO IS THERE BEEN ANY KIND OF STUDY, I MEAN, I GUESS THIS ASPECT QUESTION WITH REGARD TO, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF PAYMENT TOWARDS A PROGRAM FOR, TO HELP WITH AFFORDABILITY IS, UH, ATTACKS ON DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK WE HEARD, WE HEARD THIS, YOU KNOW, YEARS BACK, UM, THAT ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IT'S JUST ATTACKS ON DEVELOPMENT AND THAT ANY KIND OF HOUSING IS GOOD HOUSING, BUT WE HAVE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GROWING QUITE WELL.
THEY'RE DOING WELL ECONOMICALLY, AND THEY DO HAVE PRETTY ROBUST PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE, UH, FUNDING FOR, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
AND MATTER OF FACT, I THINK WE JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANS IN AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY IN EAST AUSTIN, PROVIDING FUNDS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, UH, HELP WITH DISPLACEMENT, THAT'S GONNA, THEY PROJECT WILL OCCUR.
UM, ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR THE HOW, FOR THE CONVERSATION WITH THE NC BONUS TO KIND OF GO AT ODDS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER BEST PRACTICES AND DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING.
SO I WOULD KIND OF ENCOURAGE THE, YOU KNOW, FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROGRAM AND WHAT GOOD WE CAN DO FOR AFFORDABILITY WITH THIS PROGRAM.
I DO GET REALLY THE, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT AT SOME POINT IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REALLY HELP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND WE KIND OF CLEAN UP THE SPEED IN WHICH PERMITS ARE GRANTED AND THE FEES WITH PERMITS, UH, WITH A CITY PROJECT, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INEFFICIENCY IN THE CITY PROCESS.
IT REALLY COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO DEVELOPERS.
AND SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF PRIORITIZE WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS OUR CITY GROWS AND WE SEE MORE AND MORE,
[01:15:01]
YOU KNOW, FIRE INTO HOUSING, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THOSE, YOU KNOW, AT LOWER INCOME LEVELS OR THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.UM, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, I THINK STAFF OR THE PRESENTATION I DO LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CURRENT PROGRAM.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND I THINK TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, FOR ANY FEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PAID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE FEES ARE BEING PUT TO GOOD USE AND, AND, UH, AND ARE BEING USED EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN EVALUATE, WE CAN REALLY VALUE THAT THOSE FEES ARE PAID AND WE KNOW THEY'RE BEING EFFECTIVELY USED.
UM, I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHERE THE FEES GO.
YOU KNOW, IF THESE ARE MOSTLY HOUSING VOUCHERS OR IF THEY WERE TO SPEND PRODUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND YOU KNOW, HOW THAT MIGHT COMPARE TO, YOU KNOW, A FEES, RACE, AND AFFORDABILITY AND TO WEST CAMPUS AND HOW EFFECTIVE THAT PROGRAM IS.
AND IS THERE ANY LESSONS LEARNED WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THERE THAT WE COULD APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM? UM, SO JUST SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
CAN I HAVE A FOLLOW ON? I'D JUST LIKE TO, UM, CLARIFY THAT WHILE MY QUESTION MIGHT'VE SOUNDED LIKE, UM, I THINK THAT ANY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS GOOD DEVELOPMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT IS, BUT IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD MAXIMIZE BOTH GOALS.
I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE MY BOTH GOALS.
AND SO I'M, I'M REALLY JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW IT PRIORITIZING THINGS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CALIBRATION IS LIKE REALLY ON POINT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS RECALIBRATION, WE'VE THOUGHT WE'VE NEEDED IT FOR LIKE AT LEAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
SO, UM, I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THIS PRESENTATION.
THE, THE ONE ASPECT I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN WAS WHEN YOU LINKED THE PARKING, UH, THE CALIBRATION WITH THE PARKING, BECAUSE THE DESIGN COMMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF A CONCERN THAT IF THEY ARE IN PARKING, AREN'T SEPARATED.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU GIVE AN INCREASE IN FAR WORSE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE DENSITY, BUT WE DON'T WANT THAT INCREASE IN PARKING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT'S THE THING THAT I DIDN'T SEE BUILT INTO YOUR REPORT THERE.
SO CAN YOU ALL TELL ME EXACTLY WHERE THE FUTURE OF THAT IS GOING? IF THE FAR IS INCREASED FOR A PROJECT, IS A PARKING GOING TO, UH, INCREASE, UH, PROPORTIONALLY.
AND IS THAT A FAIR NUMBER THAT WE'RE CHARGING THESE PEOPLE? BECAUSE WE WANT TO PROMOTE, UH, FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
WE WANT DENSITY, PRINT, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND STREET SAFETY IN, INTO THE, INTO THE REALM.
SO CAN SOMEBODY ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME PLEASE? UH, OF COURSE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, TO ADD ON, I CAN JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TODAY'S CODE, THERE ARE PARKING MINIMUMS IN SOME PLACES IN DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ONE, BUT WE SEE THE MARKET STILL CONTINUING TO PROVIDE, UM, A LOT OF PARKING DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERENCING.
UH, THIS WAS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION DISCUSSION, WHERE WE WERE INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF A PARKING MAXIMUM THAT WOULD APPLY DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
SO WE WERE PROPOSING AT THE TIME ONE STALL PER HOUSING UNIT AS A PARKING MAXIMUM.
AND WE HEARD PUSHBACK FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR IN DEVELOPERS DOWNTOWN SAYING THAT THE MARKET'S REALLY PROVIDING ONE AND A HALF TO TWO STALLS PER UNIT IN, FOR SALE PRODUCTS.
AND SO, UH, IF THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE THAT, THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE KIND OF SALES PRICES THAT THEY'RE GETTING TODAY.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW IT CAME INTO THE PICTURE OF FEE CALIBRATION.
UM, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, JORGE OR, OR HIS TEAM WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT, UM, PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR THERE.
SO CAN I ANSWER THAT CONNECT THAT WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH SOME OF THESE DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS WHERE THE OWNER ACTUALLY CAME IN AND THEY REDUCE THEIR PARKING.
I MEAN, THAT WAS ALMOST A NO BRAINER THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CONSIDER THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE KIND OF LIKE KNITTED INTO THE CALIBRATE EFFICIENT THING TOO, BECAUSE IT IS AN INCENTIVE, IT'S A, IT INCENTIVIZES PEOPLE TO REDUCE THEIR PARKING AND THAT'S ALL I WAS TRYING TO GET AT EARLIER.
I, UH, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT COMMENT, UM, JUST FROM THE DEVELOPER SIDE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO, UH, THIS IS NOT THAT MUCH TALKED ABOUT, BUT I THINK THAT IT SHOULD, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO HONOR IT WITH A DENSITY BONUS, UM,
[01:20:01]
I MADE THE FIRST NO PARKING BUILDING IN THE CITY, UM, FOR MULTI-FAMILY AND THAT POLICY HAS BEEN PASSED IN 2013, BUT I WAS THE FIRST TO GET FUNDING BY A BANK.AND I NEED, YOU KNOW, THE COSTS ASSOCIATED A FINANCE, IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE POLICY IF THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THESE THINGS THAT ARE NOT STANDARD, MAYBE BY TRADITIONAL USE, UM, TO KIND OF HONOR THAT IN OTHER WAYS, BECAUSE THERE, THERE IS COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH MAKING INNOVATION AND BUILDING, UM, FINANCE DOES NOT LIKE INNOVATION POLICY DOES.
SO IF WE WANT TO SEE THESE THINGS, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONNECT THEM.
SO, UH, SO TH TH THIS DESIGN COMMISSION USED TO KIND OF ASK THE DEVELOPERS TO PUT AS MUCH PARKING UNDERGROUND AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE KIND OF GONE AWAY FROM THAT, RIGHT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT STRUCTURED PARKING UNDERGROUND, INSTEAD OF HAVING IT INCREASE THE, YOU KNOW, THE HYPE, THE BUILDING, IT MAKES SENSE THE DEVELOPERS DON'T WANNA PAY FOR THAT.
LET'S LIMIT SOME OF THE PARKING.
IF THEY CAN'T BE UNDERGROUND, LET'S, LET'S LIMIT IT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS INCREASED FIR AND THIS HIGHER FOOTPRINT, YOU KNOW, THIS HIGHER BUILDING HEIGHT JUST FOR CARS THAT'S.
SO THAT'S ALL, I'M KIND OF SAYING.
AND COMMISSIONER, JUST TO ADD, IF, IF I MAY INTO ADD TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAM WAS SAYING IS THAT STAFF IS READY TO CONSIDER AND SUPPORT THOSE REDUCTIONS IN PARKING.
AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY SEEN PROJECTS COME ACROSS THE COMMISSION THAT HAVE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED PARKING, AND THEY STILL WORK SOMEHOW, FINANCIALLY.
I'M NOT SAVVY ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE FINANCIAL BOOKS FOR THAT PART.
HOWEVER, WE'RE ALSO HEARING, AS SAM WAS MENTIONING FROM INTER INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS, I DO WISH TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PARKING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW THE CALIBRATION GETS APPLIED WHEN YOU CONSIDER PARTICULARLY SOME PARKING AND ALSO THE REDUCTION OF PARKING, SO THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT MORE HOLISTICALLY TOWARDS A PARKING MAXIMUM, RATHER THAN PARKING MINIMUMS, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE IN THE CODE.
AND I THINK THAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN CAUSING, UH, FROM A PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW, THE INCREASE OF PARKING REQUIREMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD, AND IT STARTS TO AFFECT THE LENDING SIDE, THE ECONOMICS OF IT, AS YOU SEE PROPERTY OWNERS AND PROJECTS SEEKING TO INCREASE, UH, POTENTIALLY PARKING AMOUNTS FOR THEIR PROJECTS.
AND HORNY, I RESPECT THAT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD TIME.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
SO THIS IS THE PERFECT SEGUE FOR ME TO KIND OF BRING THAT BRING HEART ISSUES OR CONCERNS IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS.
I APPRECIATE THAT COMMISSIONER.
SO I'VE GOT SEVERAL ITEMS THAT I WANT TO, UM, THE FIRST QUESTION, I GUESS THIS IS FOR SAM ON THE INTERIM FEES.
I'M CURIOUS IS TO WHY THE RESIDENTIAL AND RAINY STREET IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN ALL THE OTHER ZONES.
WHY ARE WE INCENTIVIZING RESIDENTIAL AND ON RAINY? UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, I BELIEVE THE RAINY STREET FEE IS REFLECTIVE OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS DIFFERENT AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS THAN THE REST OF THE DOWNTOWN, UM, NAMELY THE, THE ON-SITE REQUIREMENT THAT IS, UM, ONLY PRESENT REALLY IN THE RAINEY STREET DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO FOR, UH, UH, PART OF THE FIRST BONUS IN A RAINY STREET AT, I THINK 5%, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, HAS TO BE PROVIDED ONSITE.
AND SO THAT'S PART OF WHY IT'S LIKE, SORT OF, YOU'RE ALREADY GETTING SOME OF OUR PUBLIC BENEFITS THROUGH THAT ONSITE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE FEE THAT'S LEFT OVER IS, IS LOWER THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF DOWNTOWN THAT ARE GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY PAYING THE COMPLETE PUBLIC BENEFIT PORTION IN AN IN WOOFY.
UM, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, AS YOU'RE DOING THE CALIBRATION, AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS BEING DONE BY STAFF, NOT A CONSULTANT, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, ARE YOU TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OTHER POLICIES, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, THE STREET IMPACT FEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ANOTHER COST BURDEN TO PROJECTS COME JUNE, 2022? YES.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A NOTABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THAT THE FEES ARE CALIBRATED IN 2019 TO TODAY.
SO ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE STREET IMPACT FEE.
ARE THERE OTHER, MAYBE THERE'S TOO MANY TO NAME, BUT I MEAN, ARE THERE OTHERS THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT YOU'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT DURING THIS CALIBRATION?
[01:25:03]
UM, PERHAPS I'M JUST BLANKING ON MONDAY EVENING, BUT, UM, NONE OF THEM ARE COMING TO MIND RIGHT NOW.UH, BUT THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE PART OF THE, UM, THE TRANSPARENCY THAT WE HOPE TO PROVIDE WHEN WE, UM, DO RELEASE OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND KIND OF OUR POLICY INPUTS.
WE CAN OUTLINE ANY KEY DIFFERENCES, UM, AND KEY POLICY DIFFERENCES THAT WERE INCLUDED, I THINK.
UM, AND THEN THIS ONE, UH, SO I'M, I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH, UH, 25 TO 5 86, UH, B6.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF IT, HONESTLY.
I THINK NO, THE MORE, THE MORE I STARE AT THE DENSITY BONUS ORDINANCE, I REALLY QUESTION WHY WE HAVE FAR CAPS AT ALL, BECAUSE WE'RE SENSITIVITY, WE'RE SAYING ARE, THESE ARE THE RIGHT, ARE THE FAR CAPS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO EXCEED THESE CAPS, JUST DO THE SAME THING THAT YOU'RE DOING TO GET TO THAT CAP TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO TO ME, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE BEHIND HAVING A CAP FOR A LINE OF CODE THAT SAYS YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CAP.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT REASONING BEHIND THAT, OR, HEY, THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THE, FOR THE QUESTION, I CAN'T GIVE YOU A REASONING BECAUSE IT'S COUNCIL ACTION.
HOWEVER, THE CAPS ONLY APPLY TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE CODE TODAY AND BASED ON THE STAFFORD CONDITION YOU SAW THIS EVENING RELATED TO B6, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT ADMINISTRATIVE CAP, UH, WITH THE PROGRAM.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN RAINY, THERE'S A 1501 FAR CAP FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION.
HOWEVER, AN APPLICANT CAN APPROACH COUNCIL AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL FAR BEYOND THE ADMINISTRATIVE CAP, WHICH IS WHAT THOSE TWO PROJECTS THAT YOU RECENTLY SAW COME TO THE COMMISSION WAS DOING.
SO THERE IS AN ABILITY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL FAR BEYOND THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE TABS.
AND THAT'S A COUNCIL PREROGATIVE THAT WAS INCLUDED BACK IN 2014.
I BELIEVE WHEN THE CODE WAS AMENDED, UH, TO INFUSE THAT PORTION UNDER B SIX, BUT THE, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS JUST THE APPROVAL BECAUSE THOSE PROJECTS USE THE SAME CALCULATION.
ONCE THEY EXCEEDED THE CAP THAT THEY DID UNDER THE CAP, THEY CAN, HOWEVER THEY CAN GO BACK TO THE LIST, 125 TO 5 80, 60 TO SPECIFY THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
THEY CAN ALSO INCREASE A FEE IN LIEU CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THEY COULD PROPOSE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS UNDER E 12.
HOWEVER, AS I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN IN THE PRESENTATION, THERE IS NO CALCULUS AS TO HOW TO ARRIVE AT ADDITIONAL BONUS AREA BASED ON OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT ARE NOT LISTED IN THE CODE.
AND THEREFORE DO NOT HAVE, UH, ALLOW THE EXPRESSION, A FORMULA BY WHICH TO ARRIVE AT THE BONUS AREA.
SO THERE IS A PATHWAY CURRENTLY IN THE CODE THAT ALLOWS AN APPLICANT TO APPROACH THE COUNCIL AND PROPOSE OTHER COMMITTEE BENEFITS.
BUT THERE IS CRITERIA IN THE CODE THAT ALLOWS STAFF, THE ABILITY TO ANALYZE AS TO WHETHER IT IS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND THAT UNDER THE 12 PORTION OF TWENTY-FIVE 25 86.
I MEAN, I GUESS THE, THE ISSUE IS THAT NO, ONE'S DONE THAT RIGHT.
AND NO, ONE'S NO ONE'S GOING TO DO IT.
UM, ONE THING THAT WAS USED TO RIDE, UM, BUT IT'S AN ISSUE WE SEE ON ALL THE PROJECTS, OTHER THAN THAT FIRST HERE IN RAINY, WHERE YOU'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ONSITE FOR HOUSING.
AND HONESTLY, ANECDOTALLY, I'M HEARING DEVELOPERS FREAKING OUT ABOUT THESE INTERIM FEES, BUT NONE OF THEM ARE SAYING, OH, WELL, I GUESS WE'LL PROVIDE ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I'M NOT HEARING THAT I'M HEARING, OH, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO PAY HIGHER FEES.
AND SO I REALLY THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND REALLY QUESTION, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO WHAT SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS HAS ALREADY SAID TONIGHT.
WE'RE OUR, OUR GOAL IS THESE FEES, BUT WE'RE NOT ASKING OURSELVES, WHY DO WE WANT THESE FEES? AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THESE FEES? IF OUR OPTION IS TO BUILD ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR PAY A FEE THAT DOES NOT BUILD
[01:30:01]
ONSITE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES, RIGHT.WE'RE TAKING THAT MONEY AND WE'RE USING IT FOR BOUCHER'S AND NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BEING BUILT.
SO TO ME, THAT'S A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT PROVIDING ANY COMMUNITY BENEFIT ONSITE OR ANYWHERE NEAR THAT AREA.
IT'S BEING USED FOR VOUCHERS IN SOME OTHER PART OF TOWN.
SO I JUST THINK THE WHOLE THING IS BROKEN HONESTLY.
UM, AND I THINK HAVING THESE, THESE, YOU KNOW, BAND-AIDS AND INCREASING THE FEES, AND I JUST DON'T SEE THE POINT WITH IT, HONESTLY.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THIS ISN'T, STAFF'S DOING THIS IS COUNCIL, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMPLETE OVERALL THE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, AND AS I SAID, PROBABLY JUST GET RID OF FAR, UH, CAPS ALTOGETHER.
UM, AND SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY SOAP BOX ON IT.
I, UM, I'M, I'M STRUGGLING TO SEE WE'RE, WE'RE JUST GONNA COLLECT ALL THESE FEES AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP, KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOW WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE PROBLEM'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF FEES COLLECTED AND, AND WE'RE STILL NOT GOING TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING ANYWHERE NEAR DOWNTOWN.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE THE POINT OF IT.
UM, AND THE COSTS WILL BE PASSED ON, I'M ASSUMING
NOW WAIT UNTIL THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE PROJECTS PAYING THESE FEES, UM, GO INTO EFFECT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ADDITIONAL FEES HERE AND THEN STREET IMPACT FEES.
AND THAT'S ALL GOING TO GET PUSHED DOWN THE LINE TO THE, TO THE BUYER OR TO THE RENTER.
UM, AND AGAIN, I JUST DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR GOAL IS HERE.
UM, OTHER THAN COLLECTING AS MANY FEES AS WE CAN.
UM, SO I I'M, I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH, UM, HOW TO SUPPORT ANY OF THIS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS IT, AS IT'S BEING PROPOSED, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT THERE'S IS THE LEAST, THE LEAST HARM THAT CAN HAPPEN NOW IS WHAT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS, WHICH IS TO LEAVE THE SEX ALONE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING LEAVE
AND THE, AND THE REASONING IS BECAUSE THE FEES ARE, HAVE BEEN INCREASED ANYWAY.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE GETTING, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAYING A LOT MORE FEES AND THE CITY'S GOING TO BE GETTING A LOT MORE FEES.
UH, BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S A, IT'S A COUNCIL APPROVAL VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL, BUT COUNCIL STILL APPROVED THE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE SAW THAT EXCEEDED THE FAR CAP WHO USED THE SAME FORMULA.
SO IT'S, IT'S WHY ARE WE KIND OF JUMPING THROUGH THESE HOOPS TO GET TO THE SAME RESULTS? WHY IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S EVEN ON COUNCIL'S AGENDA OF WASTING THEIR TIME? UH, THAT'S WHAT OUR THAT'S, WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE ASKING IS THE PROGRAM.
ISN'T GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FINANCIALLY TO THE VERY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PAYING IN EXACTLY.
AND I GUESS THE BIG QUESTION IS I HAVE TO ASK IT AGAIN.
WHY IS IT ANY EMERGENCY WHEN WE, HOW MANY HOURS DID WE LINGER ON CODE NEXT? WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT ANYTHING.
THERE'S BEEN NO OUTREACH AS PROMISED ON THIS ISSUE, AND THERE'S NO HUMAN WAY TO GET IT IN THE TWO WEEK PERIOD OF TIME IN AUGUST POST COVID WHEN EVERYBODY'S TAKING VACATIONS, INCLUDING CITY COUNCIL.
SO I JUST THINK IT'S BEING SHOVED INTO EVERYBODY'S FACES.
I MEAN, EVEN INCLUDING STAFF, I FEEL I'M NOT ANGRY AT ANYBODY.
I JUST HAVE, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT HASN'T WORKED IN THE PAST AND THAT WE'RE DOUBLING UP, LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE DOUBLING UP, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, IT'S LIKE THOSE TWO PROJECTS AND RAINY, THEY KIND OF TRIGGERED THIS WHOLE THING.
SO I'M SURPRISED THAT RAINY AND DOWNTOWN STILL HAVE A DIFFERENT, UH, CALIBRATION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK CAUSE, BUT
[01:35:01]
RAINY IS SO DANCE.IT'S ALMOST SO BUILT OUT THAT IT'S DANGEROUS.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT THAT NUMBER WOULD HAVE GONE UP MORE LIKE DOWNTOWN DID, BUT I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.
IT'S STILL A LITTLE DISPROPORTIONATE TO ME.
SO THAT'S JUST MY, BUT, BUT THE TRANSIT, THE PARKING THING IS STILL MY CONCERN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER COHEN, EVANS, YOU DON'T THINK DOUBLING UP BECAUSE OF COMMERCIAL SEAS ARE NOW PART OF THE EQUATION IS THAT, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT BY DOUBLING UP COMMERCIAL GOES FROM ZERO TO WELCOMING COME TO THE PARTY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS REALLY TO SEE WHAT THE DEVELOPERS REALLY PAYING FOR HIS PROJECT, WHAT THE BENEFIT HE'S GETTING FROM THE INCREASE IN FAR COMPARED TO EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE CITY AROUND THE STATE OR WHEREVER IT IS, LOOK AT CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE JUST GOING UP AND DOWN.
YOU KNOW, THE PRICE OF LUMBER HAS JUST, IT JUST KILLED US IN THE LAST MONTH.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO KEEP GOING ON? HOW, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK WAS HOW OFTEN WILL THIS RECALIBRATION HAPPEN? IS THAT BUILT INTO THIS, UH, THIS POLICY? HOW OFTEN ARE THEY GOING TO RECONSIDER THIS, A CALIBRATION FEE RECALIBRATED FEE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING.
AND THAT IS PART OF WHY COUNCIL DIRECTED US TO MOVE THE FEES OUT OF THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, INTO THE FEE SCHEDULE, WHICH IS THEORETICALLY UPDATED OR WHICH IS UPDATED ANNUALLY.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE DIRECTION AT THIS POINT TO, YOU KNOW, RECALIBRATE ANNUALLY, BUT IT IS IN THE FEE SCHEDULE NOW, WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW FOR MUCH MORE FREQUENT RECALIBRATION WORK.
UM, SO YES, MUCH MORE OFTEN THAN THE 2014 TO 2001, UM, KIND OF DEAD PERIOD, I THINK IS THE INTENTION.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF FOR STAFF, WHAT KIND OF INPUT DO WE GET DURING THE CODE NEXT PROCESS? CAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING OF THESE FEES, UM, YOU KNOW, CAME FROM BASICALLY WHAT WAS SUGGESTED, UH, BY CONSULTANT AND WAS DISCUSSED IN THE CODE NEXT PROCESS.
I MEAN, IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS FROM THE CODE NEXT PROCESS THAT WE JUST KINDA NEED TO PICK UP AND DO.
AND MAYBE THIS ONE HADN'T BEEN ONE THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, BUT MAYBE IT IS, BUT THERE'S JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST NEVER GOT IMPLEMENTED AND SINCE THE CODE NEXT AND PASS, BUT THERE IS A CALL FOR VARIOUS ITEMS TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WITH ORDINANCES AND THINGS.
AND SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW, AND I REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMICS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAD THE CONCERN ABOUT THE FEE RATE TO BEGIN WITH BECAUSE THEY NEVER CHANGED.
UM, BUT STUFF'S HAPPENED SINCE THE CODE NEXT DISCUSSIONS, BUT STILL SOME OF THE FEEDBACK, UH, THAT, UH, CITY GARDEN MIGHT BE RELEVANT, UM, YOU KNOW, TODAY.
AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT, UM, THESE FEES.
WELL, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING SHARE, YES, GO AHEAD.
WELL, I THINK WE KIND OF GOT TO THIS POINT UNDER A, B SIX, BECAUSE AS DEVELOPERS, WE'RE COMING IN WITH PROJECTS THAT EXCEEDED WHAT OTHERWISE IT'D BE ALLOWED BLENDS OF DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
THERE'S A FEELING AMONG SOME PEOPLE THAT POSSIBLY WE WEREN'T REALLY GETTING A VALUE FOR THE FAR THAT WE WERE ADDING TO A PROJECT, THE PUBLIC WASN'T GETTING IT VALUED AND IT POSSIBLY IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AGAIN.
AND SO JUST TO SAY NECESSARY TO SAY SPECIFICALLY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING OF AN ADDITIONAL TAX, WHICH I GUESS TO SOME EXTENT IT IS EITHER FOR PROJECTS, WHICH NOT ONLY ARE EXCEED YET.
THESE ARE PREJUDICED THAT EXCEED WHERE OTHERWISE IT'D BE ALLOWED INTO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE SOMEHOW KEEPING RFA OURS AT A CERTAIN POINT? SO DEVELOPERS HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND BUST THE CAP AND THEN PAY US MONEY FOR IT, FOR THE PRIVILEGE AND WHERE'S THAT MONEY.
AND THAT MONEY GOES, I GUESS, TO SOME, UH, ACCOUNT TO BUILD HOUSING.
SO, SO AM I MISSING SOMETHING THERE? YEAH.
WELL IT DOESN'T BUILD ANY HOUSING.
WELL, I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT, BUT IF YOU GO, JUST GO INTO AN ACCOUNT TO BUILD HOUSING, BUILD SHELTER.
MY POINT IS THE PROJECTS THAT WE SAW, THEY PAID, THEY USE THE SAME FORMULA TO INCREASE THEIR SQUARE FOOTAGE AND PAY THE FEES THAT THEY DID BELOW THE CAP AS THEY DID WHEN THEY EXCEEDED THE CAP.
SO IT'S, TO ME, IT'S, WHAT'S THE POINT IN THE CAP.
[01:40:03]
UM, JUST IF THEY EXCEED THE BASE ZONING, LET THEM BUILD AS TALL AS THEY WANT AND THEY'RE PAYING THE FEE FOR IT.UH, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY IS THERE THIS WEIRD INTERIM STEP THAT MAKES IT FORCES THEM TO GO TO COUNCIL? UH, I JUST, I JUST DON'T GET IT RIGHT.
SO I WOULDN'T MIND HOW, LIKE ARTISTS SAID AND THE OTHER THAN YOU SAID THAT I LOOKED UP AN ACCOUNTING, WHERE IS THAT MONEY? WHAT'S IT BUILT? WHY DOES IT PROPOSE TO BUILD, UH, IT MUST BE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THAT ACCOUNT.
THERE WAS ACCOUNTS BY NOW TENS OF MILLIONS.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT IN AUGUST, BUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN PREACHING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME NOW, BUT, UM, I REALLY THINK, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A LOT MORE MONEY FOR THESE FEES, WE REALLY NEED TO SCRUTINIZE HOW THAT MONEY IS BEING USED BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING USED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UM, MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IS.
I SEE, I SEE THE, UH, NEWS ARTICLES.
I SEE, UH, REPORTERS ON TV TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT COULD BE ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TONIGHT TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW A PORTION OF THOSE FUNDS COULD BE USED TO HELP BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT CHANGES MY WHOLE, UM, OUTLOOK OR ON THIS PROGRAM IS DEPENDING ON HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT GOES WITH ANY PROGRAM IN ANY FEES OR THE CITY HAS GOTTA BE ABSOLUTELY EFFECTIVE OR WE JUST DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE FEES TO BE HONEST.
AND, YOU KNOW, MY, MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN KIND OF PUSH AND FIND OUT IF THIS IS BEING EFFECTIVE OR NOT, OR FIND WAYS FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE.
I HATE TO, YOU KNOW, WITH AFFORDABILITY BEING SO IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK AT LARGE, I JUST, I WANT FOR MYSELF, I RESIST, YOU KNOW, THE TEMPTATION TO JUST THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS I LOVE TO SEE THIS PROGRAM BE EFFECTIVE AND MAYBE IT IS, BUT IF IT'S NOT, I LIKE TO SEE HOW IT COULD BE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THIS, YOU KNOW, THE TARGETING GOAL IS ALL ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HOLD MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVEN, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, IT'S JUST MY, MY THOUGHTS ON IT, BUT, UH, I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT, UH, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM BEING A KEY ELEMENT, AND WE NEED TO HEAR BACK ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO I GUESS WHERE I'M STRUGGLING IS THE TIMING ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, I HAVE THAT UPDATE.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GET IN AUGUST, BUT I THINK BY THEN IT'S GOING TO BE TOO LATE.
WHAT KIND OF ACTION DO WE NEED TO TAKE ON THIS CHAIR? WELL, IT'S UP TO US.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, COUNCIL IS LOOKING TO US TO PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON THIS TOPIC.
A THEY'VE SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR US TO RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY TWO PIECES, RIGHT? THERE'S THE, UM, THE B6 PIECE AND THERE'S THE FEE CALIBRATION PIECE.
AND THEN THERE'S THE LARGER, UM, ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS WELL.
UM, AND HOW, HOW THAT, HOW THAT MONEY IS BEING USED, OR, YOU KNOW, IN MY OPINION, IS, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE FAR CAPS EVEN NEEDED, UH, AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO WHAT, SO I HAVE A MOTION, I MOVE THAT WE CREATED, THIS IS TOO BROAD OF A DEAL.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS.
I MOVED THAT WE CREATE A WORKING GROUP THAT WILL X SUBSIDIZE SOME KIND OF A DECISION OR SOME KIND OF A LETTER TO COUNSEL, BASED ON THIS PRESENTATION, WE CAN'T MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.
THERE ARE TOO MANY FACTORS INVOLVED.
AND I THINK IF WE ALL SAT TOGETHER LIKE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A ZOOM MEETING OR SOMETHING, A FEW OF US, AND WE CAME UP WITH SOME CONCLUSIONS AND, AND LEFT IT UP TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO THE COMMISSION AND WE COULD DO THIS MAYBE,
[01:45:01]
HOPEFULLY VIRTUALLY SO WE COULD GET IT OUT IN A FEW WEEKS, IF NOT EARLIER, UM, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO CREATING A WORKING GROUP, BUT I THINK IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING IN JULY, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A JULY MEETING, UM, TO GET THE COMMISSION, THE FULL COMMISSION TO SUPPORT AND VOTE ON WHAT THE WORKING GROUP COMES UP WITH.BECAUSE I THINK BY AUGUST, WE, BY END OF JULY, WE NEED TO DELIVER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO IF, IF THE REST OF THE COMMISSION IS, IS ON BOARD WITH THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF Y'ALL ARE TAKEN, TAKE A VACATION.
I MEAN, WE, WE WOULD NEED A CORE, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WELL, OTHERWISE I'M NOT GONNA MOVE.
I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS, THIS, UH, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK IT NEEDS A LEVEL OF WORK.
CAN I ASK HER A QUESTION REALLY QUICK? SORRY.
I'VE BEEN HAVING ISSUES OR NOT ON VIDEO TO RAISE MY HANDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT WE DON'T SEE THE ACTUAL HOUSING THAT COMES INTO PLACE WHEN WE'RE HAVING DEVELOPERS PAY THESE FEES.
SO MY QUESTION IS WHY ISN'T THERE ANOTHER OPTION FOR LAND IN LOOP? YOU KNOW, WHERE THE DEVELOPER ACTUALLY BUYS LAND PURCHASES, LOTS, UM, PURCHASES, A BUILDING, UH, THAT'S DESIGNATED FOR HOUSING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ON THE TABLE? HM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW THE LOGISTICS OF THAT, UH, SEEMED PERHAPS TROUBLING.
UH, I, I'M JUST WONDERING IF DEVELOPERS WOULD WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE TEA SHACK, LAND BANKING PROGRAM? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM IN ITS, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THAT NAME, BUT I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HANDLED PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THE CITY HAS PURCHASED, UH, HOTELS, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IT'S TANGIBLE, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULD GET AWAY WITH THE CURRENT OPTIONS, BUT WHAT IF WE OFFERED A THIRD OPTION, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S MORE FEASIBLE AND WE CAN DEMONSTRATE, YOU KNOW, IF THE DEVELOPER SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE BREAKING UP, IT LANDS, YOU KNOW, IF THAT WERE AN OPTION, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE WORTH EXPLORING.
ERICA, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? SURE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT, UM, AS PART OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION PROCESS, UM, ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WAS PROPOSED FOR THE, FOR THE PROPOSED CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WAS TO HAVE, UM, A POTENTIAL OPTION OR, UH, SOMEONE TO PROVIDE LAND.
SO, SO THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER OPTIONS PROPOSED AT VARIOUS TIMES.
UM, IT DOES GET SORT OF COMPLICATED, ESPECIALLY FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE, BUT IT, IT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY, SO THAT WOULD BE LAND.
IT WOULD THEN JUST BE DEEDED OVER TO THE CITY.
AND THERE STILL WOULDN'T BE DEVELOPED NECESSARILY.
YOU HAVE TO PARTNER WITH A DEVELOPER.
RIGHT? I THINK IT THOUGH, IF YOU HAD THE THREE OPTIONS AND YOU STILL WOULD HAVE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FEE IN LIEU OR, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN POTENTIALLY THAT COULD BE UTILIZED SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE PLOTS OF LAND.
I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, CAUSE WHATEVER SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS CLEARLY NOT WORKING AND THE PROPOSAL ONE DOESN'T SOUND GREAT EITHER.
SO, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE YOU INDULGING THAT, UH, OPINION.
WELL, DO WE HAVE INTEREST FROM COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO BE ON A WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS THIS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS? IF I MAY, BEFORE YOU PROCEED? YES.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO FORMULATE A WORKING GROUP.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A SECOND, IF WE CAN CLARIFY THAT, PLEASE.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS, WAS A FORMAL MOTION OR NOT
[01:50:01]
COMMISSIONER GUCCI, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR A SECOND.I DID MEAN IT JUST A FORMAL MOTION.
WE'LL CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.
ON THE MOTION, THEN YOU CAN PROCEED WITH YOUR ADDRESS.
IS THERE, IS THERE A SECOND ON, UH, COMMISSIONER TANA? GUCCI'S MOTION OR WILDLY? YEAH.
NOW WHO WE WANTS TO BE ON THE WORKING GROUP, CHRISTIAN OR COLEMAN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PROTOCOL IS, BUT IS THERE AN OPTION TO PUT FORTH A SECOND MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION OR DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS ONE FIRST? YES.
IT WOULD BE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION COMMISSIONER COMMENT, UNLESS YOU WISH TO ADD A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BUT IT COULD NOT SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE CONSTRUCT OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT I'D LIKE TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION CHAIR.
I, I QUESTIONED THE, THE TIMING.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TIME, EVEN IN OUR BEST EFFORTS.
IF WE MEET IN TWO WEEKS, MY PERSONAL OPINION, NOT MERITED IN ANY FACT WHATSOEVER IS THAT THIS HAS MOMENTUM IS, AND IT'S GOING TO PASS NO MATTER WHAT WE DO.
UM, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST JUST TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE A POSITION FOR OUR AGAINST AND SPEAK TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT OUR CONCERNS, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE THAT WE HAVE THE TIME TO MEET, GO THROUGH A WORKING GROUP SESSION, SUBMIT OUR, HAVE THE TIME FOR THEM TO DISCUSS IT OR GET BACK WITH US.
I JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN UP DOWN DECISION IN AUGUST.
AND THAT'S MY MOTION IS THAT WE TAKE TAKEN UP AS A YES OR NO, UM, FOR THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND GET TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO TERRY, THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? HOW DO OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL? HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU NEED FOR A WORKING GROUP? UM, IT'S AS MANY AS WE CAN GET WITHOUT HAVING A QUORUM.
SO FIVE, IF I MADE SURE THAT ONLY APPLIES TO COMMISSION MEMBERS, YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY MEMBERS OF YOUR WORKING GROUP THAT ARE NOT DESIGNED COMMISSIONERS, AS YOU LIKE.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSIONER, UH, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO STEP OUT OF THE WORKING GROUP BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A FORMAL MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, WHICH WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD.
SO YOU CAN HAVE UP TO FIVE DESIGN COMMISSION IN YOUR WORKING GROUP, BUT THERE IS NO LIMIT AS TO THE NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT DESIGN COMMISSIONERS.
IF THAT HELPS TO CLARIFY, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING AS FAR AS THE TIMELINESS OF THIS.
I MEAN, IT'S BROUGHT TO, TO US, YOU KNOW, LIKE AT LAST MINUTE KIND OF THING, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR AGES.
SO FOR US TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION DURING OUR DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING, I FIND THAT TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE.
AND I THINK IT NEEDS A LOT FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I DON'T MIND TAKING IT TO A VOTE.
I MEAN, THAT'S A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, BUT, UH, I STILL KEEP MY MOTION TO ACT.
IT SHOULD TERRIFY ME JUST TO CLARIFY THE ORIGINAL MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER TENNANT.
GUCCI HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
SO YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
YOU CAN SEE HAMEL CALLING THE QUESTION WOULD COME OUT.
IF THAT IS UNSUCCESSFUL, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT'S PUT FORWARD BY COMMISSIONER KENNEDY.
WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS THIS COMES DOWN TO IF THERE'S ANY INTEREST IN PEOPLE BEING ON THE WORKING GROUP AND GETTING THIS DONE, UH, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING AGAIN, IT'S DONE VERY QUICKLY AND CRAFT SOMETHING.
UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T ALSO DO WHAT COMMISSIONER COLEMAN IS SUGGESTING AND SORT OF CONTACT OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY.
AND I TALKED TO THEM, UM, BUT IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A MORE THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE THAN WE COULD TONIGHT CREATE A THOUGHTFUL
[01:55:01]
RESPONSE, I THINK, OR EVERYTHING DAVID SAID, BECAUSE WHAT I AGREE WITH, OH, WE CAN DO IT QUICKLY.MAY I MAKE, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO, UH, COMMISSIONER PULLMAN'S PROPOSAL? IS IT JUST THAT, UM, IF WE HAVE ENOUGH INTEREST FROM, UH, THE COMMISSION, UH, WITHIN, UH, THE NEXT 30 DAYS, UH, AND POTENTIALLY LED BY COMMISSIONER KENNY GUCCI, UH, TO COORDINATE THE SUFFER, UM, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, CARRY ON WITH, UH, WITH THAT PROPOSAL, THE ONLY UNDER THAT CONDITION.
SO YOU YOU'RE TRYING TO COMBINE BOTH MOTIONS.
IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, KIND OF, YEAH.
IF I MAY CLARIFY, SORRY, THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN, A DIFFERENT MOTION WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE COMMISSIONER.
DO YOU STILL NEED TO CALL THE QUESTION ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? TAKE THAT TO THE BOARD IF YOU WISH.
AND IF THAT FAILS, YOU CAN GO BACK TO START EITHER A NEW MOTION OR GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT COMMISSIONER TENANT GUCCI EXPRESSED.
I JUST WANT TO CAUTION THAT THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A PRO FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, LIKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A NEW MOTION, WHICH WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON A SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST.
IF THERE'S DISCUSSION, I WILL RETRACT THAT AS A POTENTIAL AMENDMENT.
UM, AND I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, SAYING NO ON THE MOTION, I JUST SECONDED FOR COMMISSIONER COLEMAN SO WE CAN FURTHER DISCUSS THE MERITS OF COMMISSIONER 10 GUCCI'S MOTION.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THE SECOND ONE WITHDRAWN, SO THAT MOTION IS NO LONGER VALID AND YOU'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION BY COMMISSIONER 10 OF GUCCI, MR. COLEMAN.
DID MY MOTION GET REJECTED? AND WASN'T ASKING, I WAS ASKING IF I COULD HAVE BEEN MY MOTION, MY MOTION.
I BELIEVE THE MAKER OF THE SECOND TO COMMISSIONER COLEMAN'S MOTION HAS BEEN DRAWN THE SECOND.
SO THERE IS NOT A VALID MOTION UNDER COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
YOU'RE BACK TO COMMISSIONER 10 OF GUCCI'S ORIGINAL MOTION.
YOU WOULD NEED TO CALL THE QUESTION ON THAT TO SEE IF THAT MOVES OVER OR OTHERWISE YOU CAN REOPEN THE FLOOR FOR NEW MOTIONS INTERRUPTIONS, BUT WE JUST NEED TO KEEP IN ORDER TO THE, TO THE MOTION.
UH, WELL I WOULD SAY, LET ME, LET'S GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER TAN OF GUCCI'S MOTION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON HIS MOTION? YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CHAIR.
I THINK A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOUR LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR THIS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
IT'S RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER.
IT'S NOT THE BEST TIME TO CREATE A, TO, YOU KNOW, TO PROPOSE THIS MOTION.
BUT I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT REALLY DOES, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFY, I LOVE WORK THOUGHT AND, AND I STILL STICK WITH MY MOTION AND I DO RESPECT COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, AND WE CAN EVEN INCLUDE HER IN THE WORKING GROUP SO THAT SHE CAN, SHE CAN, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS HER VIEWS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD COMMISSIONER COLEMAN? KIND OF NO, I JUST, I AGREE WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER TENAKEE SHE IS SAYING, I WOULD JUST ADD THIS.
I'M GOING TO PRESENT THIS IN A FORM OF DISCUSSION AND NOT EMOTION.
I DON'T THINK THESE MOTIONS ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
I THINK WE COULD TAKE A THUMBS UP DOWN AND SET UP A WORKING GROUP AND GET BACK WITH OUR, WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE I'LL RESTATE MY, MY GUT IS THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS NO MATTER WHAT THEY HEAR FROM US.
SO I THINK WE, IF WE, IF WE WANT TO TAKE A POSITION, I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST GIVE THEM A YES, NO.
AND THEN SET UP OUR WORKING GROUP AND GET BACK WITH THEM WITH ALTERNATIVES THAT COMMISSIONER
THEY'RE NOT EVEN HAVING PUBLIC INPUT THAT WE CAN TELL THERE'S AN INTENT, BUT NOTHING'S BEEN SCHEDULED DURING THE JULY WHEN THEY'RE NOT MEETING.
AND I JUST, IF YOU JUST DO THE MATH ON THE CALENDAR, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
SO I THINK WE JUST GIVE THEM OUR INITIAL FEEDBACK AND THEN WE FORM A WORKING GROUP AND WORK ON THE PRICE.
I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I, I, I WILL SAY, UM,
[02:00:01]
I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR DUTY TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS, EVEN IF THEY DON'T LISTEN TO IT.I'M JUST SAYING, CAN WE DO IT? THAT'S THE QUESTION AS A COMMISSION, CAN WE PULL THIS OFF BEFORE THEY ARE READY TO TAKE A BET? BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER, NOT ONLY WHEN WE HAVE TO DO THE WORK, WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO WORK.
EXPLAIN THE WORK SOMEBODY PRESENTED ARE LITERALLY GONNA GO IN THE DUMPSTER.
SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIMING WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE EARS TO LISTEN TO US.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE THERE, I'M READING THE TEA LEAVES.
IT'S ONLY MY OPINION, BUT I THINK THEIR DECISION HAS BEEN MADE.
AND I THINK WE GO AHEAD AND JUST GIVE THEM OUR OPINION.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S THAT SET IT UP? OKAY.
THEY CALLED, THEY CALLED ME ONCE A MONTH TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW A COMMISSIONER CHAIR, I MEAN, CHURCH CAROL IS IN TOUCH WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE A LOT.
SO I HAVE TO DISAGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF HE'S ON VACATION OR ANYTHING ELSE, I CAN, I CAN CONTACT STEVE AND, AND WE CAN HAVE A BREAK DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
HE PROBABLY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT MORE THAN JUST SOMETHING GOING THROUGH AND BEING APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, WITHOUT HAVING ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT TO MY MOTION.
UM, DOES IT NEED MORE DISCUSSION THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE, UH, I GUESS, YES.
JUST TO CLARIFY THE MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO FORMULATE A WORKING GROUP, THIS MY UNDERSTANDING AND BRING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THERE WAS A SECOND TO THAT.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION COMMISSIONER GUCCI IS THAT INDEED IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF FLOOR OR TWO.
PLEASE RESTATE THE MOST, JUST FOR CLARITY.
I'D LIKE TO ADD TO WHAT I HATE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
WE'RE GOING TO JUST GET IT DONE AT ASAP.
UH, ACTUALLY WHILE WE'RE DISCUSSING BEFORE IT MAY MAKE SENSE THIS, UM, WHO, SO COMMISSIONER TANA, GUCCI MYSELF, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER ROLLISON, FRESHER WALKLEY COMMISSIONER WEAVER.
I BELIEVE THAT'S FIVE COMMISSIONER'S CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE AS VOLUNTEERS.
WELL, PUT THIS TO A VOTE COMMISSIONER AN HOUR LATER.
WILL YOU PLEASE RESTATE WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? I HAVE BEEN LISTENING THIS WHOLE TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE A THOUSAND PERCENT SURE.
IS THIS VOTING ON WHETHER TO HAVE THE WORKING GROUP HAPPENED? CORRECT.
OKAY, THEN I, MR. MINERS COMMISSIONER LUKINS ALL RIGHT, MR. TANIGUCHI MR. ROLLISON, COMMISSIONER WATLEY, COMMISSIONER WEAVER, FISHER COLEMAN.
UH, WELL REACH OUT, UM, TO EVERYONE IN THAT WORKING GROUP AND GET A MEETING SET UP ASAP, START DISCUSSION TERRIFY ME.
IF THE CHAIR IS INTERESTED IN CALLING A SPECIAL CALL TO MEETING BETWEEN NOW AND YOUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS AT THE END OF AUGUST, I BELIEVE IS THE 24TH.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I APOLOGIZE.
I DON'T HAVE A CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME.
UH, I BELIEVE IT IS AUGUST THE 23RD, BUT BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST 23RD, IF THE CHAIR IS INTERESTED IN CALLING A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO LET STAFF KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO WE CAN HELP YOU SET THAT UP.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT WOULD OCCUR VIRTUALLY.
AND SO APPRECIATE A HEADS UP SO WE CAN HELP YOU SET THAT UP THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE CHANNELS.
[02:05:01]
ON HERE IF YOU ITEMS THROUGHOUT.CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP? GO AHEAD.
UH, WILL WE HAVE, UH, JORGE OR OTHER STAFF, UM, AT THAT WORKING GROUP MEETING TO HELP US AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS? CAUSE WE, WE SEEM TO HAVE A LOT FOR IN RELATION TO THIS DISCUSSION.
IS THAT A POSSIBILITY CLARIFY, MAN? YES, IT IS.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, IF I'M NOT ON VACATION WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I WILL BE OFF STARTING THIS AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, INTO NEXT WEEK.
SO I WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF.
UH, CERTAINLY I CAN MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE WHEN THE WORKING GROUP MEETS.
I CANNOT SPEAK FOR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, BUT I CAN MAKE MYSELF THANK YOU.
SAY CHAIR, CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? MAYBE THAT FIRST, MAYBE THAT FIRST WORKING GROUP MEETING WE HAVE IS REALLY SHORT, YOU KNOW, SWEET 30 MINUTES, UH, WITHOUT STAFF OR ANYBODY THERE.
SO WE CAN KIND OF LIKE GET OUR THOUGHTS TOGETHER AND THEN WE CAN FORWARD THOSE OVER TO THE STAFF AND WHOEVER ELSE IS INVOLVED IN THIS.
IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO HAVE STAFF PRESENT, THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY, HOWEVER, WORKING GROUP MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THEREFORE, IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK, IS THE DESIGN COMMISSION HOLDING THEIR WORKING GROUP MEETING, WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
SO AS A COURTESY TO THE PUBLIC OR ANYONE THAT WISHES TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WORKING GROUP, WHICH DOES NOT NEED TO BE SPECIFIED, WE JUST WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORKING GROUP.
ALSO, IF YOU WANT TO MEET IN THIS KIND OF PLATFORM, WE DO REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS CTM TECHNICAL ABILITIES, AS WELL AS TO HOST THIS MEETING THROUGH THIS PLATFORM.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY NOT MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE IF THAT IS THE WISH OF THE COMMISSION.
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME TECHNICALITIES AND LOGISTICS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED THROUGH IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU MEET WITH THE WORKING.
SO, SO WITH DUE RESPECT, I THOUGHT WORKING MEETINGS, WEREN'T A QUORUM.
SO I DIDN'T THINK, I THINK I THOUGHT IT COULD BE DONE AMONGST OURSELVES.
SO I DIDN'T REALIZE IT HAD TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING AND OPEN TO ALL THIS OTHER CONDUCT, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, FORMALITIES, GO AHEAD.
IT IS NOT A FORMAL MEETING OF THE COMMISSION BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A QUORUM, BUT IT IS THE PUBLIC MEETING.
SO WE DON'T POST AN AGENDA AND THERE'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR POSTING AGENDAS FOR HAVING A FORMAL QUORUM, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A MEETING OF THE COMMISSION, IT IS A PUBLIC READ.
WE CAN LET STAFF KNOW WHEN WE SCHEDULED THAT MEETING COMMISSIONER WEAVER, JEFF QUESTION, I I'M NEW TO DESIGN COMMISSION, AS YOU KNOW, UM, DO WE CLARIFY THE INTENTION OF THE WORKING GROUP HERE AS A MEET, AS A COMMISSION, AS A WHOLE, IS THE INTENTION TO WRITE A LETTER TO COUNCILS SEEKING CLARITY OR IS THE INTENTION OF THE WORKING GROUP TO CREATE WORK PRODUCTS? I I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE WHILE WE'RE ALL TOGETHER, THE INTENTION WOULD BE TO CRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE THEN GET THE FULL COMMISSION TO SUPPORT AND THEN SEND THAT TO COUNSELING.
SO THE EXTENT OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THAT WORD.
SO BY RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU MEAN, UM, LIKE IN, ARE WE LOOKING TO REPLACE THIS RECOMMENDATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DUNSKY BONUS OR ARE WE KIND OF SETTING INTENTIONS THAT THE URBAN DESIGN GROUP WOULD WORK ON OR I'D LIKE TO A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDERSTANDING ELABORATION OF, OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, IT'S REALLY A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED TONIGHT, SO IT COULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO, UM, DO ELIMINATE FIR CATS FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT.
OR IT COULD BE A RECOMMENDATION THAT, UM, THE PROPOSED FEES ARE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW OR WHATEVER.
[02:10:01]
I MEAN, IT COULD BE SOMETHING, I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOOKING TO REWRITE THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, BUT I THINK, UH, THE INTENT IS TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON, UH, THE PIECES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED AT AND, UM, HOW THOSE ADJUSTMENTS COULD BE MADE.UH, SO WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, ARE THOSE KIND OF JUST NUTS STEPS FORWARD OR WOULD THEY BE ACTUAL POTENTIAL? YEAH, ULTIMATELY THAT'S UP TO COUNCIL, RIGHT? WE, WE JUST PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THEN IT'S UP TO COUNCIL TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON THAT.
IF COUNCIL CHOOSES TO ACCEPT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOME OF THEM DO REQUIRE COACHING DOES THEN THEY WOULD DIRECT STAFF STAFF TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
UM, BUT WE'RE JUST PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS POINT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON LIKE TWO OR THREE YEARS OF, OF HEARING ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS BROUGHT BEFORE US.
AND I THINK THEY DID, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE CLOSER AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE FOR A BETTER WHATEVER THIS IS THE RECALIBRATION.
[2A. Approval of the May 24th meeting minutes.]
TWO, A APPROVAL OF THE MAY 24TH MEETING MINUTES.SO FOR APPROVAL THE SECOND, NO, NO ONE SECONDS.
AND IF YOU DISCUSSION WE'LL VOTE ON THAT, MR. AND HER NOW OR LATER APPROVED, I FOR SURE.
LUCAS WHAT'S TANA, GUCCI, UH, VICE-CHAIR ROLLISON FOR SURE.
HER WALLY AND OUR WEAVER COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, AND I HAVE AN ICE THAT PASSES.
[2B. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting.]
ITEM TWO B UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING LAST MEETING.SO IN THEIR LAST MEETING, THEY HAD THE PALM DISTRICT, UM, INITIATIVE PRESENTATION, A PRESENTATION ON THE ABSENT, THE ASPEN HEIGHTS NEGOTIATION.
AND THEN, UM, AT THE END THERE WAS A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, JUST THE SHOOTINGS DOWNTOWN.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT NEXT STEPS WILL BE, BUT DEFINITELY SOME CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK ZAC MISSION NEEDS TO WEIGH IN ON? AND I JUST, THE THING IS, IS THAT NOTHING WAS ON THE AGENDA REGARDING THAT IT JUST BECAME A DISCUSSION AMONGST THE GROUP.
SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT ACTION IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, TAKEN NECESSARILY NEXT STEPS.
AND THEN WITH US, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH APD AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING, BUT REALLY, I THINK A DISCUSSION THERE IS REALLY HAVING MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, JUST BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY OF DOWNTOWN WITH NEIGHBORS AND SO FORTH.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT'S GOING TO PAN OUT IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
CAN I ASK WHAT THE ASPECT OF HEIGHTS, UH, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT? I'M NOT FAMILIAR, I'M GONNA HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND LOOK THAT'S, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BRACKENRIDGE SITE.
[2C. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability committee regarding last meeting.]
A TO C UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING LAST MEETING, I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE LAST MEETING IT WAS HELD AT, UH, 10:00 AM DURING THE WORKDAY AND I HAD TO WORK.UM, ITEM TWO, THE UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE AND SOUTH
[02:15:01]
CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD DON'T THINK, UH, SURE.[3A. Chair Announcements;]
TO, UM, ITEM THREE, ANNOUNCEMENTS, THREE H CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS.UH, JUST HAVE A COUPLE TO SHARE REAL QUICK.
ONE IS, UH, JUST TO SAY WELCOME TO, UH, COMMISSIONER WEAVER.
PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE AND THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THANKS.
THANKS FOR VOLUNTEERING FOR THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, AND THEN, UH, BRIEFLY A UPDATE ON THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UH, I PRESENTED THOSE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS ANYMORE.
UH, LIKE, UM, THREE, FOUR WEEKS AGO.
UM, I GUESS I DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB BECAUSE THEY FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS IT MORE.
BUT, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS FAMILIAR CHAIR.
UH TOUCHÉ UM, BUT THEY ARE, UM, I'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY ARE SENSITIVE TO OUR SCHEDULE AND, UM, BE EXPECT TO GET COMMENTS BACK FROM THEM, UH, SOON AND HOPEFULLY, UM, ULTIMATELY APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND, UM, THEN WE ARE ALSO TALKING TO COUNCIL TO GET IT ON THEIR AGENDA, UM, WHEN THEY COME BACK FROM THEIR SUMMER BREAK AT THE END OF JULY.
SO HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING'S STILL ALIGNS THAT WE HAVE APPROVAL BY END OF JULY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT UPDATE.
I'LL UH, I'LL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[3B. Items from Commission Members;]
B UH, THREE B ITEMS FROM PERMISSION MEMBERS.DID ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? I HAVE ONE.
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO REPLACE COMMISSIONER FRAIL, BUT YOU STARTED OUT ON THE RIGHT STEP.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? OKAY.
[3C. Items from City Staff;]
ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF.UH, NO I DON'T FOR ME, UH, TERRIFY ME.
JUST TO REITERATE THAT, UH, KILLIN AT MEYER HAS TAKEN THE HELL ON THAT THE GRASSROOTS PROGRAM AND WILL BE VERY INVOLVED IN THE WORK THAT THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO ENDEAVOR WITH THE UPDATES TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, AS WELL AS EVENTUALLY WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION ON UPDATES TO THE GRAY STREETS PLAN.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH THE COMMISSION.
I DON'T BELIEVE SHE'S ABLE TO CONNECT VIA THE PLATFORM, BUT CERTAINLY WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH HER FUTURE COMMISSIONER MEETINGS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, WELL, IF THAT'S IT, THEN IT IS 7 54 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
UM, AUSTIN BOUND, GAMMA FEELINGS.
CHECK THAT PLUS THE NEW DOWN DON'T KNOW SHE'S GOT ACCEPTED.