[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
UM, SO I WILL NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER IT IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 3RD, AT 6:00 PM.VERSUS I'M GOING TO TAKE ROLL AND MISSIONARY ACOSTA.
I KNOWS I'M GOING TO BE OUT TONIGHT AND I'M HERE.
LET'S SEE HER COMMISSIONER GREENBURG HERE.
UH, SECRETARY KING HERE BY SHOW KOBASA HERE.
YEAH, COMMISSIONER SMITH HERE.
I SHARE THOMPSON AND COMMISSIONER WOODY VIDEO AND AUDIO.
I DON'T HAVE MY HEADPHONES WITH ME.
SO, UM, FIRST WE'LL REVIEW THE AGENDA VOTE ON THE CONSENT
[Consent Agenda]
AGENDA AND I'LL READ EACH THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS AND IDENTIFY THOSE THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF FOR CONSENT APPROVAL AND WHICH INCLUDE CONSENT POSTPONEMENTS AND NON DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO FIRST IS[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY, UM, CORRECTIONS FOR THE MINUTES? OKAY, GREAT.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO BE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S RECOMMENDED, UH, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION PENDING AND THERE'S A REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT FROM STEPH, FROM STAFF FOR, UM, TO AUGUST 17TH, 2021, B TWO IS C 14 20 21 0 1 0 5 WHEN LANE REZONING.
AND THIS IS, UM, ALSO RECOMMENDED AND IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
B3 IS C 14 20 21 0 0 3, SUN AUTO.
UM, IT'S RECOMMENDED, BUT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 21ST, UH, BEFORE HIS C 14 20 21 0 0 8 0 TECH RIDGE DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND, UM, THIS ONE'S RECOMMENDED, BUT I'M, UH, I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE, THE WRONG VERSION, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ASKING FOR A POSTPONEMENT ON THIS ONE.
AND B FIVE IS C 14 20 21 0 1 0 0 LUBY SITE IT'S RECOMMENDED.
AND THIS ONE IS UP FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT B SIX C 18 20 20 0 0 3 3 SADDLE RIDGE AT WILD HORSE RANCH AND IT'S RECOMMENDED AND ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO TO REPEAT THOSE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE A ONE THE MINUTES, B ONE B TWO B THREE, AND BEFORE.
AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK, SORRY.
AND SAY B ONE IS A POSTPONEMENT BY STAFF TO AUGUST 17TH.
B3 WAS POSTPONEMENT BY THE APPLICANT TO SEPTEMBER 21ST.
AND I'M GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP BEFORE IS POSTPONEMENT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ASKING FOR POSTPONEMENT UNTIL COMMISSIONED LIAISON ANDREW RIVERA BEFORE SHOULD BE CONSENT.
UH, B FIVE, UH, IS FOR DISCUSSION B SIX IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THIS IS THE APPLICANT FOR BEFORE.
DID YOU SAY THAT ONE IS NOW BACK ON CONSENT? YES, I WAS MISTAKEN.
ANY MISSIONARIES? WANT TO PULL ANY CON OH, MR. SMITH? NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION UNLESS THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS, 1, 3, 4, OR SIX.
I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ.
IS THERE ANYONE ON THE PHONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND AREN'T OR POSTPONEMENT SECONDARY MOTION.
SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PASSING, THE CONSENT AGENDA, MOSTLY UNANIMOUS WITH COMMISSIONER DINKLER OFTENTIMES.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE RIGHT ALONG
[B.5. Rezoning: C14-2021-0100 - Luby's Site; District 10]
THEN TO ITEM B FIVE[00:05:03]
FIRST.UM, ANDREW, WERE YOU GOING TO HELP ME WITH THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT, MR. SO, UM, WE'RE HEARING THE STUFF FOR B FIVE STAFF PRESENTATION, SORRY.
THIS IS SHERRY
THIS IS HASTY 14, 20 21 0 100 LOCATED AT 81 76 NORTH MOPAC EXPRESSWAY.
THE REQUEST IS FROM LR ZONING TO MS.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS
THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS A 2.3 ACRE LOT THAT CONTAINS A RESTAURANT USE LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF MOPAC EXPRESSWAY ROAD AND SEC AVENUE.
THE TRACKS OF LAND TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH ARE ZONED L O N L R AND DEVELOPED WITH OFFICE COMPLEXES TO THE EAST IS THE HIGHWAY NORTH MOPAC EXPRESSWAY.
THE LOT TO THE WEST IS DEVELOPED WITH A MULTIFAMILY USE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY FROM LR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONING,
AT 80% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, THE STAFF RECOMMENDS NSX, MULTIFAMILY, HIGHEST MULTIFAMILY RESIDENCE, HIGH SYSTEM THAT HE'S OWNING BECAUSE DECIDING UNDER CONSIDERATION MEETS THE INTENT OF THE
IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN CONFERENCE PLAN STANDING WOULD BE COMPATIBLE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING USES BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO OFFICE AND COMMERCIALS OUT INTO THE NORTH AND SOUTH AND MULTIFAMILY ZONING TO THE WEST.
THE SURROUNDING ZONING PERMITS OFFICE OF COMMERCIAL USES THAT CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE CHAIR COMMISSIONER LAYSON I'VE HEARD.
SO NOW WE'RE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT ON THIS ITEM, MR. MICHAEL WHALEN, MR. WAYLON, I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR PRESENTATION IS UP.
PLEASE TELL ME WHEN THE, UH, PRESENTATION, OKAY.
MICHAEL WHALEN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS OUR PROPOSAL TO REZONE A 2.4 ACRE LOT AT THE INTERSECTION OF MOPAC AND STACK FROM LR TO
THAT IS 80% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR 40 YEARS, WHICH IS THE SAME STANDARD THAT THE VERTICAL MIXED USE PROGRAM USES IN THIS AREA DOING.
SO WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO MEANINGFULLY IMPROVE ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAPACITY IN DISTRICT 10, AND ESPECIALLY IN A HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA, WHICH PROVIDES RESIDENTS WITH, AND I QUOTE GREATER ECONOMIC SECURITY, HOUSING, STABILITY, MOBILITY OPTIONS, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND QUOTE, THE SITE IS CURRENTLY USED FOR LUBY'S THERE.
THE BUILDING IS ALMOST 40 YEARS OLD AND REACHING THE END OF ITS LIFESPAN, WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION WHEN IT DOES.
SO WHAT SHOULD IT BECOME? CITY POLICIES PROVIDE IMPORTANT GUIDANCE WHEN ANSWERING THIS QUESTION.
ONE OF THE MAIN THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON AS A COMMUNITY IS PROVIDING AFFORDABILITY AND SPECIFICALLY PROVIDING AFFORDABILITY IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS, SUCH AS THIS, THE CITY HAS SET A GOAL OF ACHIEVING 846 AFFORDABLE UNITS IN DISTRICT 10 EVERY YEAR THROUGH 2028.
YET, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAVE FALLEN SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND ON THESE GOALS.
WE HAVE PRODUCED JUST 24 AFFORDABLE UNITS OVER THE FIRST TWO YEARS ALONE, WHICH IS INDICATED BY THE, BY THE BLUE BARS ON THE CHART IN CONTRAST WHERE 1,667 UNITS SHORT OF OUR GOAL AND FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND WITH EACH PASSING YEAR.
THE GAP INDICATED IS WITHIN THE RED DOTTED LINES, IN ORDER TO DELIVER ON THIS, WE WILL NEED MULTIFAMILY ENTITLEMENT BECAUSE IN PRIVATELY FINANCED PROJECTS, AN INCREASE IN UNITS AND HEIGHT ARE WHAT HELPED COVER THE COSTS OF THE INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS.
HOWEVER, ONLY 13% OF DISTRICT 10 ZONED AREA IS FOR
[00:10:01]
MULTIFAMILY MIXED USE PUDS OR PDAS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME MULTIFAMILY OR DENSE, UH, RESIDENTIAL.THE REST IS ZONE FOR DISTRICTS THAT DO NOT PROVIDE THE TYPE OF MULTIFAMILY ENTITLEMENTS NEEDED FOR THESE PROJECTS.
SO DISTRICT 10, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 87% OF DISTRICT.
10 IS LIMITED TO SINGLE FAMILY OR COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL USES.
DISTRICT 10 HAS SIGNIFICANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS, BUT ONLY LIMITED LAND USE CAPACITY FOR HELPING THEM MEET THOSE NEEDS.
OF COURSE, SOME OF THIS CAPACITY IS LIMITED TO GEOGRAPHICAL AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS, BUT OTHER SITES ARE APPROPRIATE AREAS FOR GROWTH.
AND THE SCALE OF OUR UNMET NEEDS MAKE IT CRITICAL THAT WE EMBRACE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN THOSE LOCATIONS.
WHEN THEY COME ALONG, THIS RAISES THE QUESTION, WHICH AREAS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE NEXT INCREMENT OF GROWTH.
AGAIN, OUR CITY POLICIES AND PLANS PROVIDE GUIDANCE, DIRECTING US TOWARD OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS IN TRANSIT SERVICE.
THE BLUE LINES HERE INDICATE ALL OF THE TRANSIT LINES THAT RUN THROUGH THE ENTIRETY OF DISTRICT TENT.
THAT'S ALL OF THEM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CURRENT TRANSIT SERVICE IN DISTRICT 10 IS RELATIVELY LIMITED.
THE LOOBY SITE DENOTED BY THE STAR SITS RIGHT ALONG ONE OF THOSE ROUTES.
IT ALSO SITS ALONG THE MOPAC HIGHWAY CORRIDOR AND IMPORTANTLY AT ONE OF THE EAST WEST CONNECTIONS STUCK AVENUE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT IS THERE ARE LONG GAPS BETWEEN EACH OF THESE EAST WEST EAST WEST CONNECTORS.
WE ESTIMATE TWO THIRDS OF A MILE ON AVERAGE NORTH OF THE RIVER.
SO DISTRICT 10 HAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS AND THE SITE IS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED TO DELIVER ON THOSE NEEDS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO WITH A PROJECT OFFERING 10% OF TOTAL UNITS AT 80% MFI FOR 40 YEARS IN A HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA.
AND FOR CONTEXT, THIS SINGLE PROJECT WOULD PRODUCE MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS THAN WERE PRODUCED IN DISTRICT 10.
OVER THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF TRACKING OUR HOUSING GOALS, THIS WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITH BASE A NONPROFIT THAT'S AFFILIATED WITH HABITAT, AND THAT WOULD MONITOR AND ENFORCE THIS COMMITMENT.
AND THAT RC WOULD RUN WITH THE LAND.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITMENT IS ALSO MENTIONED AND IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY IN THE PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITH THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
NOVAKA FINALLY, I WANTED TO NOTE SEVERAL SUPPORTING FACTORS FIRST THAT SUPPORTS OUR PROJECT.
SECOND, OUR SITE IS FULLY COMPATIBLE, FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH SINGLE FAMILY, UH, AREA, AND IS ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE.
WE WILL BE COMPLYING WITH COMPATIBILITY AND WILL BE LOCATED OVER 300 FEET FROM THE CLOSEST SINGLE FAMILY BEFORE COMPLETING OUR INTAKE OF THE CASE.
WE ALSO EXAMINED A CAR SYSTEM AND ENGAGED PROFESSIONALS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CAVES RUN AWAY FROM OUR BUILDING.
NEVERTHELESS, WE WILL BE REMOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER NEAR ONE OF THE CAVE ENTRANCES, AND WE'LL BE REDUCING OVERALL IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THE SITE.
THE CITY LISTS EXISTING IMPERVIOUS COVER AT 85%.
AND FINALLY WE ENGAGED IN A WAKA EARLY AND HAVE EXECUTED A PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITH THEM ON A NUMBER OF PROVISIONS, RESPONSIVE TO THEIR FEEDBACK, INCLUDING RESTRICTING HEIGHT, ACCORDING TO ME, C LEVEL.
SO THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW THE CITY MEASURES SITE THERE WILL BE A DEFENDANT, A DEFINITIVE CEILING, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITHIN NOVAKA ALSO PROVIDES FOR GARAGE SCREENING ON THE MOPAC FACING SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE, PROVIDING AND PROVIDING A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRY MONUMENT SIGN.
SO TO RECAP, THE CITY SEEKS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABILITY IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS.
NEXT SLIDE, THIS SITE IS AT AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR GROWTH ON A MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND ON RARE CAP METRO, A ROUTE IN THE DISTRICT.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT SUPPORTS THE CITY'S HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY GOALS AND DOES IT SURROUNDING FAMILY AREAS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND I'LL, UH, I GUESS REBUT ANY SPEAKERS WHO MIGHT BE OPPOSING.
THANK YOU, CHAIR NOTE, WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. BRETT DENTON, EVERYBODY, UH, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M BRETT DENTON WITH ARJUN RESIDENTIAL.
UH, WE'RE THE FOLKS WHO ARE BUYING THE SITE AND LOUISE AND SEEKING THIS REZONING TO MSX AND WE'RE DOING SO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A RESIDENTIAL PROJECT WITH INCOME RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SPECIFICALLY 10% OF TOTAL UNITS AT 80% MSI FOR 40 YEARS, MUCH OF DISTRICT 10, AS YOU KNOW, HAS ENVIRONMENTAL AND GEOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES THAT MAKE CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY HOUSING AT THE SCALE THAT ENABLES ONSITE INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS.
SO WHEN WE FIND A SITE WHERE THAT HOUSING IS APPROPRIATE AND BUILDABLE
[00:15:01]
LIKE THIS ONE IS CRITICAL THAT WE FULLY EMBRACED THAT OPPORTUNITY.AND WE HAVE PUT IN THE WORK TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
WE'VE ENGAGED WITH THE CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROPOSAL WAS FEASIBLE.
AND WE'VE ALSO ENGAGED WITH MILWAUKEE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GATHER AND INCORPORATE THEIR FEEDBACK.
AS A RESULT, WE HAVE CONDUCT CONDUCTED AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF THE UNDERGROUND CAVE SYSTEM IN THE AREA AND CONFIRMED THAT THEY WENT AWAY FROM OUR SITE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF TO BE SENSITIVE TO THESE AREAS THROUGHOUT THE SITE PLAN PROCESS.
IN TERMS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE HAVE SIGNED AND EXECUTED AND ARE READY TO FILE A PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT WILL RUN WITH THE LAND AND REQUIRE APPROPRIATE BUFFERING A NEW MONUMENT SIGNS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WE WILL MAINTAIN IN A MEAN SEA LEVEL, HEIGHT REQUIREMENT, AND ENSURES COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
ON THE LAST PROVISION, THE SITE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER ABOUT 40 FEET BY USING A MEAN SEA LEVEL HEIGHT REQUIREMENT.
WE'RE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECT MAINTAINS ONLY FIVE STORIES ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE WHILE PROVIDING THE NEEDED HEIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY SIDE, BASICALLY THE MEAN SEA LEVEL MEASUREMENT SETS A DEFINITIVE CEILING ON THE HEIGHT, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THE CITY MEASURES HEIGHT MEAN SEA LEVEL ALSO RECOGNIZES THE SITE'S UNIQUE CONSTRAINTS AND FINDS A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING THROUGH THESE ITEMS AND ULTIMATELY I BELIEVE THAT LANDED ON A PROJECT THAT IS DESERVING OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND FOR YOUR SERVICE ON ZAP AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE AFTER MR. WAYLAND'S PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.
LIKE YOU'RE HOLDING HOW YOU HEAR FROM MR. SHU HIGGINS.
MR. HIGGINS, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES SELECT STAR SIX TO PROCEED.
MR. HIGGINS, SELECT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE CHAIR.
MR. HIGGINS WILL BE CALLING BACK IN.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MR. ROY WHALEY.
HOW DO YOU Y'ALL I'M ROY WHALEY, LONG TIME ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST, AND, UH, BACK ON THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB CONSERVATION COMMITTEE.
AND I WANT TO START OUT BY THANKING MR. WHALEN FOR SHARING THE INFORMATION ON THE, ON THE CAVES AND ALL THE INFORMATION HE SHARED WITH ME.
AND THOUGH I AM NO ENGINEER AND I'M NO GEOLOGIST.
SO I'VE LOOKED OVER IT AND I'VE CALLED PEOPLE TO HELP ME GET SOME INFORMATION AND ANSWERS.
UM, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL THE, THE CAVE ROOTS SHOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THIS PROJECT.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CUT AND FILL WILL BE REQUIRED.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO GO INTO THAT AND THAT'S NOT YOUR ISSUE, BUT IT IS AN ISSUE.
UM, ALSO THERE ARE MANY CAVES ALONG THE BALCONY FAULT THERE.
UM, AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN TOWN, I WAS PASSING THROUGH TOWN WHEN THE KIDS GOT STUCK, I WAS IN TOWN WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING MOPAC, UH, AND TXDOT HAS, UM, DONE STUDIES NOW THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY EQUATE TO THE GOOD HOUSING, HOUSEKEEPING SEAL OF APPROVAL, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW TAX DOC DOESN'T SHARE EVERYTHING THAT THEY SHOULD.
HOWEVER, LOOKING AT THIS, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ENDANGERED SPECIES NORTH AND CAVES, THE BONE TAPE.
HARVESTMAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THIS CAVE.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SALAMANDERS ALONG YET CREEK AND IN SPRINGS THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE SALAMANDERS HERE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION, BUT I THINK THAT THE APPLICANT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, WHAT WAS NEEDED ON THIS AT THIS POINT.
[00:20:01]
WHAT, UM, WILL BE LATER.I DON'T KNOW WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL SAY ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY.
AS FAR AS, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 80% MFI, GIVE ME A NUMBER, PUT A DOLLAR AND CENTS NUMBER ON THIS, OR IF IT'S 80% MFI AND IT'S STILL $950,000 A MONTH, THAT THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT HERE? AND I WISH THAT EVERY APPLICANT WOULD GIVE THAT.
I WISH THAT EVERY BOARD AND COMMISSION WOULD ASK FOR THAT BECAUSE AFFORDABILITY IS A MATTER PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT I CAN AFFORD MAY NOT BE SOMETHING SOMEONE ELSE CAN AFFORD.
AND WHEN I CAN AFFORD MAY JUST BE A SHADOW OF WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE CAN AFFORD.
SO WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE IN PORTABILITY.
AND AS FAR AS TECH SCOTT, LET ME JUST ADD THE PLACE THAT WE CAN'T COMPLETELY TRUST TECH STOCKS.
GO LOOK AT THE WYATT OPO RIGHT NOW, ALL THE TRUTH.
THEY HAVE BULLDOZED NEEDLESSLY.
THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR THAT, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT YOUR CONFIRMED OF THE EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
NO, MR. HUGH HIGGINS, SELECT STAR SIX, PROCEEDED WITH THEIR MARKS.
MY, UH, PHONE DIDN'T WORK FOR ME.
I'M NOT TOO ELECTRONICALLY ORIENTED.
UM, FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS THANK THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR TIME.
MY GOLLY, WHAT A, WHAT A HANDFUL OF WORK AND VERY LITTLE, UH, VERY FEW NICE WORDS.
UM, I'M NOT, I'M LISTED AS BEING OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT.
UH, I AM REALLY, TRULY NOT OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT.
I THINK IT'S A PERFECT SITE FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING WHEN I AM OPPOSED TO, OR I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRESENT.
NOW, THE CITY IS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT SUPPRESSING, APPARENTLY BECAUSE IT HAS INSTALLED TURN RESTRICTORS I'M ON A CALL THEM.
THOSE OF PLASTIC THINGS THAT STICK UP IN THE AIR, A LONG STICK TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM LEFT, TURNING INTO THE STEAK, UH, MAIN CURB CUT ON.
JUST SET ON THIS DECK OUT OF BLUE BEES ARE IN DILUTED FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT SITE, IT PICTURE YOURSELF EASTBOUND.
PARDON ME? PARDON ME? BUT TO YOURSELF, WESTBOUND ON SICK, YOU CROSS MOPAC AND YOU'RE HEADED UP THE HILL ON SIX, SAYS A LAUGH IS THE PRESENT INTEREST ENTRY INTO LUBY'S.
IT IS A HAZARDOUS HAZARDOUS SITUATION.
UH, I WOULD BE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY AND THE DEVELOPER AGREE TO INSTALL A CONCRETE BARRIER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT INSTEAD OF THOSE FLIMSY STICKS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONCRETE BARRIERS GO ALL THE WAY FROM THE STACK, UH, MOPAC INTERSECTION, WHERE, WHERE THE, UH, THE, UH, START A FLIMSY ONE START NOW AND GO UP THE HILL WEST PHONE STICK ALL THE WAY TO THE ENTRANCE INTO THE APARTMENT PROJECT THAT IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE LOOBY SITE FOR HIBBETT, UH, OR AT LEAST SLOW DOWN THE LEFT TURNERS OFF OF STICK INTO THE LOOPY SITE.
NOW, WHY, WHY DID THE CITY PUT THOSE MARKERS UP OR RESTRICTORS UP AND WHY AM I CONCERNED WHEN YOU COME EASTBOUND ON SIX DOWN THAT HILL? AND LET ME SEE, I DO THAT ABOUT 10 TIMES A DAY.
WHEN YOU SENT ME DOWN ON STACK AND YOU HEAD DOWN THAT HILL, YOUR, YOUR VISION, YOUR, YOUR LINE OF SIGHT IS REALLY SHORT AND A, A AUSTIN DRIVER.
I'M GOING TO SAY I NEARLY USED SOME OTHER TERM THAT ATTEMPTS TO TURN LEFT OFF A STACK INTO LUBY'S,
[00:25:02]
UH, HIS, HIS, HIS GREAT HAZARD THERE, AND THE CINDY'S HARD TO RECOGNIZE THERE'S GREAT HAZARD THERE.THEY JUST HAVE USED THE FLIMSY LIMITERS.
I CALL THEM, UH, WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LIKE CONCRETE BARRIER GOING ALL THE WAY I ESTIMATE ABOUT 500 FOOT, UH, STACK UP, MEANING GOING WEST ON SICK.
IF THEY DID THAT, I WOULD BE, I WOULD BE RELATIVELY HAPPY IF THE DEVELOPERS INSTEAD SAY, OH, HECK NO, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE STACK.
HERB CUT ALL TOGETHER AND WE'RE GONNA USE THE MAIN, UH, UH, EGRESS AND THEN GRASS OFF OF MOPAC.
I WOULD BE TICKLED TO DEATH IS SAD, BUT I DON'T IMAGINE THEM AS DEVELOPERS ARE GOING TO BUY THAT ONE.
OKAY, MRS. CHERYL, I AM, UH, I'M GONNA LET YOU HAVE YOUR REST OF YOUR TIME BACK AND THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ME AND FOR US, UH, YOU, IT'S AN UNREWARDED SERVICE.
THANK YOU, MR. HIGGINS, AND JUST THEY'RE CALLED DELINEATOR POSTS.
SOME PEOPLE CALL THEM CANDLESTICKS AND, UH, AND I THINK YOU WERE REFERRING TO A CONCRETE MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
THERE'S SOME SERIOUS SITE DISTANCE SHE'S THERE.
SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM MR. WHALEN AND HIS REBUTTAL, MICHAEL WHALEN, ARE YOU READY? OR I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE OTHERS.
UM, FIRST I WANNA THANK, UH, BOTH MR. MR. HIGGINS AND MR. WALEY.
I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THEIR PARTICIPATION, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE CAVES.
WE DID FILE OUR LAW, OUR, UH, ZONING CASE IN APRIL.
WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE CAVES EXISTENCE AND BEFORE WE PROCEEDED WITH THE FILING AND PAYING THE FEE FOR IT TO CONTINUE, WE INDEPENDENTLY HAD AN ENVIRONMENTAL FIRM DO A COMPLETE REPORT, STUDY IT AND GET THAT REPORT TO, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF.
AND I BELIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF IS AVAILABLE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO THAT.
SO WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THAT THE CAVES WERE MOVING AWAY FROM THE SITE, UM, SO THAT WE COULD PROCEED WITH CONFIDENCE KNOWING WE WOULD NOT BE GETTING, UH, UH, ANY CLOSER TO THOSE CAVES, THE SECOND POINT THAT, UH, MR. HIGGINS, UH, MADE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT HE SUPPORTS THE ZONING, UH, AND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DRIVEWAYS IN PARTICULAR, THERE ARE TWO DRIVEWAYS ONTO STACK AND ARE KIND OF VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY SITE LAYOUT, UH, ELIMINATES ONE OF THOSE TWO DRIVEWAYS ON THE STACK.
THE ONE THAT IS CLOSER AND THAT IS, I HOPE I GET THIS TERM, RIGHT, CHAIR DELINEATOR.
UH, IT'S THE ONE THAT IS CLOSER TO THE EXPRESSWAY ACCESS ROAD.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE WOULD BE ELIMINATING SO THAT WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TWO ENTRANCES AND ACCESS POINTS, ONE ON STACK AND ONE ON THE ACCESS ROAD.
SO, UH, THE THAT'S KIND OF THE, WHERE WE ARE.
WE'VE OBVIOUSLY SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, UH, ON THIS, UH, SITE WORKING WITH NOVAKA, UH, IN DOING AN ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION.
SO WE KNEW WHAT WAS THERE AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE WOULD BE, UH, SENSITIVE, UM, IN THAT REGARD AS WELL.
AND, UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, DO WE, OR IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM MS FOR COMMISSIONER SMITH AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER DANGLER, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONER THOMPSON? I CAN'T TELL IF YOU'RE SPEAKING FINGER.
LET ME OPEN MY LITTLE PARTICIPANT THING.
YOU WENT AND CHANGED IT ON ME.
COMMISSIONER RAY HAS HIS HAND UP.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, ASK STAFF ABOUT WHAT THE HAD ANY,
[00:30:01]
UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE MEDIUMS THAT THE, UM, THE SPEAKER WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, IF THERE'S ANY PLANS TO INSTALL MORE, UPGRADE THOSE, UM, IF THERE'S ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WORKS BETTER FOR THAT TYPE OF THING, COMMISSIONER BRAY, THIS IS SHERRY FOR WAVES WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.NO, WE DO NOT HAVE INFORMATION ON THAT, THAT AT THIS TIME I DO NOT HAVE ATD STAFF WITH US TONIGHT BECAUSE I WAS NOT AWARE THERE WOULD BE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MEDIUMS, BUT ALL OF THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT AND ADDRESS AT THE SITE PLAN PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE OF THE FUN PARTS ABOUT THIS SITE TOO, IS THAT IT'S TEXTILE RIGHT AWAY, I ASSUME FOR PARTS OF IT.
I'LL HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER SMITH HAS HIS HAND UP.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS FROM BOTH THE APPLICANT AND THE, UM, THE ASSISTANCE.
LIKE WE HAVE SOME GOOD CONVERSATION AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE APP HAS BEEN TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR QUITE A WHILE ALREADY.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PLUS.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR, FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE AND MEETING WITH THEM UP FRONT, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THEM ALL COME TO US WITH OUR COMPLAINTS OF NEVER HAVING TALKED TO EACH OTHER.
SO I THINK IF IT GETS DARK, UM, I'M ASSUMING THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF THAT Y'ALL WERE GOING TO LOOK AT THE, THE CAVE ASPECT.
I THINK IT'S A DRY K, BUT IF THERE'S ANY SALAMANDERS OR SPIDERS, I'M ASSUMING THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF DURING THE SITE, LET'S SAY THROUGH THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK FROM A ZONING STANDPOINT, THIS IS A GREAT LOCATION.
UM, THERE'S VERY FEW PLACES IN THIS DISTRICT TO PUT THIS TYPE OF HOUSING.
UM, BUT LIKE TO HAVE THAT, ARE THEY GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THE SALAMANDER AND SPIDER? WILL THEY BE LOOKING INTO THE CAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO ONE IN DANGEROUS BASIS ISSUES AS PART OF THE CYCLE? I'M SURE THEY WILL.
BUT JUST LIKE TO VERIFY THAT COMMISSIONER SHERRY SO WAITED TO GET MY HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF WILL BE LOOKING AT DETAILED INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN.
UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF OR THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT DOES NOT REVIEW ZONING CASES AND A REGULAR BASIS UNLESS IT'S A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO IN THIS CASE, WE HAD BASIC COMMENTS FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT STAFF, AND SO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WILL BE CONDUCTED DURING THE SITE PLAN PHASE.
SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE RAISED THEIR HAND, SO IT LOOKS LIKE KING WOODY, RAY KIELBASA, BRAY, AND THEN THOMPSON KING.
YOU KNOW, I REALLY, I REALLY DO THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD LOCATION FOR SOME DENSITY HERE.
RIGHT, RIGHT HERE ON MOPAC AND STACK.
AND, UH, SO I'M REALLY VERY INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING MORE HOUSING HERE AT THIS, AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME.
UM, SO I WAS WONDERING, UM, IT, IT SEEMS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS SITE IS SUBJECT TO THE SCENIC ROADWAYS LOOP.
CAN, CAN STAFF EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT DOES THAT OVERLAY REQUIRE? SO SCENIC OVERLAY IS BASICALLY ABOUT SIGNAGE ON A PROPERTY.
UM, I DO NOT SEE ANY COMMENTS HERE FROM OUR SITE PLAN STAFF AS TO IT BEING WITHIN THE SCENIC ROADWAY.
HOWEVER, THAT IS WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR IS FOR SIGNAGE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DO ALSO AGREE CONCUR WITH THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AT THIS LOCATION.
IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S A GOOD SIDE FOR, FOR SOME DENSITY HERE FOR RESIDENTIAL DENSITY THAT WE NEED IS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME GOOD, GOOD ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE HERE.
UH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, BECAUSE THERE IS GOOD ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE SOMETIMES, OR THERE ARE TRAFFIC ISSUES HERE.
SO I THINK THAT IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT RIGHT.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INGRESS AND EGRESS FROM STACK.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT ONLY ONE OF THOSE, UH, CURRENT OPENINGS WILL, WILL REMAIN.
AND I'M HAPPY THAT IT'S FURTHER DOWN FROM THE INTERSECTION.
THAT'S AT LEAST BETTER, BUT I THINK IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO PROHIBIT AND INHIBIT THE LEFT TURNS, THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
I'VE SEEN THAT ALL OVER THE CITY, NOT JUST IN THIS LOCATION.
SO I THINK THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT THE STATISTICS WOULD BEAR OUT THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A, PROBABLY A SOURCE OF A LOT OF ACCIDENTS AND MAYBE EVEN SOME SERIOUS INJURIES ACROSS THE CITY.
SO, UH, I REALLY DO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE TOO THAT WE'VE GOT SOME INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING HERE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS AND, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA IS VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT THEN WHEN I LOOK AT 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, THAT SEEMS THAT THAT'S, THAT SEEMS, IT SOUNDS GOOD ON THE SURFACE, BUT
[00:35:01]
THAT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF HOUSING GOING OUT ON THE MARKET AT 80 AND 120% MFI RIGHT NOW.AND, UH, SO THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, STUDIES BY UT SHOW THAT THAT AREA OF THE MARKET'S BEING SERVED PRETTY WELL ALREADY.
UH, BUT WHAT'S NOT BEING SERVED AS THE VERY LOW INCOME.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE WHAT'S CONCERNING TO ME.
AND IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME DENSITY HERE, THEN I WOULD SEE THAT I WOULD ALSO SAY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO DEEPER WITH OUR AFFORDABILITY HERE.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE FACT IS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES IS ABOUT 45% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR TRAVIS.
SO 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME IS NOT GOING TO SERVE THOSE FAMILIES.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING, WHICH PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO.
SO I THINK IF WE WANT DIVERSITY, WHICH IS EQUITY, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT TYPE PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO THIS DEVELOPER WANTS TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL UNITS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WANTS TO GO, UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK, AND WE LOOK AROUND AND WE SEE THEM UP TO AND, AND CLOSE NEARBY.
AND THAT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY, I WONDER WHY WE WEREN'T LOOKING AT MF FOR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A METAPHOR IS MORE APPROPRIATE IF YOU WANT MARKET RATE STUFF GOING ON THERE.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO GATHER THIS ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND DENSITY TO, SO, BECAUSE IN THE CONTEXT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN I HAD, I DON'T THINK THIS MEETS THE MARK HERE.
SO, UH, I JUST, I JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT RIGHT NOW.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
THAT WE'RE NOT GOING DEEP ENOUGH IN AFFORDABILITY.
COMMISSIONER KING, UH, COMMISSIONER, WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT YES.
UH, W EXACTLY WHAT DAVID JUST SPOKE ON RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S LOW INCOME, BUT WE NEED TO GET DOWN TO LIKE THE CITY.
WE NEED TO GET DOWN TO LIKE 50, UH, MFI.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? INSTEAD OF A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT COME THROUGH THIS COMMISSION, BIG CUT, DEEP ENOUGH.
AND IT SHOULD BE, BE CLEAR YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT BUDDHIST, BUT YEAH.
DAVID, DAVID DAVID SAID SAID IT PRETTY MUCH PRETTY, PRETTY WELL.
I THINK COMMISSIONER RAY WAS NEXT AND THEN TILL BOSSA AND THEN BRAY WITH A B.
UM, SO THOUGH I AM MORE IN THE LAST OF LUBY'S AS DO MANY AUSTINITES.
UM, I DO THINK THAT I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
I THINK IT'S HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OUR CITY IS TRYING TO GO.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY FOR A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO WHEN AFFORDABLE PROJECTS GET FINANCED, THERE'S SOME UNITS SET ASIDE FOR 30, 50, 60, 80, UM, AND THOSE THINGS ARE WHAT HUD STIPULATES.
WE HAVE INCOME LEVELS THAT WE HAVE TO UPDATE EVERY YEAR AS A REGION TO SAY, WHO MAKES THAT MUCH? AND WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE LEVELS FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS, WHERE THE DEVELOPERS VOLUNTARILY, UM, INCLUDING AN AFFORDABLE COMPONENT, UM, THE IDEA THAT THEY WOULD REACH THOSE DEEPER SUBSIDIES FOR THE THIRTIES AND THE FIFTIES AND THE SIXTIES, AND WHAT HUD CALLS EXTREMELY LOW INCOME OR LOW INCOME IS JUST NOT HOW THIS FINANCING WOULD SHAKE OUT.
IF YOU WANT TO PROVIDE UNITS AT THOSE DEEPER LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY.
THAT'S WHERE MORE FORMAL SUBSIDY PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM COME INTO PLAY.
UM, SO I SHARE COMMISSIONER KING AND WOODY'S CONCERNS 100%.
I WISH THIS COULD BE A PROJECT THAT SERVES, UM, HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A GREATER SHARE OF COST BURDEN BY THE RENT.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE WITH THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS JUST PRIVATE MARKET RATE HOUSING.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK OVERALL AT WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF GETTING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS AREA, PERIOD, UM, AND AGREE THAT THIS MOVES US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF HOW WE CAN BUILD ANY AFFORDABILITY, HOUSING, ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DEEP END PERIOD.
SO, UM, MY OTHER SHORT COMMENT IS JUST THAT, UM, I READ THOSE BIKE LANES ON STEP PRETTY OFTEN.
IT'S A VERY STANDARD LIKE THOROUGHFARE IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET DOWN TO SHOAL CREEK.
SO I'D ENCOURAGE, AS THE DEVELOPER CONTINUES TO WORK WITH TEXTILES FURTHER ALONG IN THE PROJECT, UM, THAT ADDITIONAL, UM, SUPPORT FOR THOSE LANDS WILL MAKE THE ROADWAY ENVIRONMENT LIKE SAFE FOR BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS.
YEAH, ESPECIALLY IT'S A DOWNHILL THERE, SO, RIGHT.
UM, I THINK IT'S KILLED BOSSA BRAY AND THEN THOMPSON AND COMMISSIONER SMITH.
SO KILL IS NEXT AND THEN BRAY THOMPSON SMITH DINKLER.
[00:40:02]
UM, SO I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT FINDING OUT ABOUT A CAVE AT THE VERY, VERY LAST MINUTE.AND IN FACT, I RELIED ON THE STAFF REPORT AND I DID ALSO SHARE MY CONCERNS WITH, UM, MR. WHALEN THAT AT THIS TIME, OH, UH, AT THIS, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE STAFF REPORT, IT SAYS AT THIS TIME SITE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS UNAVAILABLE REGARDING VEGETATION AREAS OF STEEP SLOPE OR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES SUCH AS BLUFF SPRINGS, CANYON, RIM, ROCK CAVES, SINKHOLES, AND WETLANDS.
AND THEN TO FIND OUT REALLY AT THE 11TH HOUR THAT THERE IS A CAVE AND THAT THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE THE CAVE IS AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A REPORT DONE.
I FEEL I WOULD FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING THIS REFERRED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN, UM, AND THEN TAKING IT UP AFTERWARDS, BECAUSE WHAT ABOUT RUNOFF INTO THE CAVE, RIGHT.
ABOUT THE SPECIES, ALL THIS KIND OF INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS FOR.
IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ISN'T THERE TO ASSESS CAVES AND EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
IF THERE'S A QUESTION THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE REALLY THERE FOR AND SPECIES.
SO I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THE, THIS JUST REFERRED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, COMMISSIONER BRAY IS NEXT AND THEN THOMPSON.
UM, FEW THOUGHTS ON A FEW DIFFERENT ISSUES HERE.
UM, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THE CONCERNS ABOUT LEFT-HAND TURN, UH, LEFT HAND TURNS ARE OFTEN VERY DANGEROUS AND WE SEE A LOT OF ROAD RAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN AUSTIN WHERE, UM, A LOT OF THEY DO, FOR EXAMPLE, ON BURNETT ROAD IS PUT IN MEDIANS THAT PREVENT LEFT-HAND TURNS CAUSE THOSE COSTS SOME OF THE LIKELY TO CAUSE ACCIDENTS LIKELY TO CAUSE HEAD-ON COLLISIONS, WHICH ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS.
UM, I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DEFINITELY DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE A STICK CONNECTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THERE'S, AND I SAY THIS A GOOD, A LOT OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN AUSTIN WHERE YOU SEE, UM, ONLY ONE ENTRANCE AND A LOT OF INSURANCES ARE GATED UP AND IT REALLY MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE RESIDENTS.
IT MAKES PEOPLE DRIVE A LOT MORE, WHICH IS NOT GOOD FOR TRAFFIC OR THE ENVIRONMENT OR FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO GO LONGER DISTANCES.
UM, Y'ALL ALSO KNOW MY STANCE ON PEDESTRIAN GAMES.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE HERE, BUT, UH, UH, SO I DO HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GOOD STACK CONNECTION.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT WHATEVER STANDARDS WE HAVE ON, YOU KNOW, FOR SAY MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT VERSUS RESIDENTIAL, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE SEE MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS WHERE IT'S GATED OFF OR SINGLE FAMILY, A ROAD TO A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WOULDN'T BE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ACTUALLY IN COMMUNITY AND MORE PEOPLE WHEN YOU'RE BLOCKING OFF THE MULTI FAMILY HOUSING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CONNECTION ON STACKS.
SO PEOPLE, IF THEY'RE GOING NORTHBOUND, AREN'T HAVING TO TAKE A WHOLE GIANT LOOP.
LIKE WE HAVE AT SOME APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN AUSTIN, WE ARE GOING TWO MILES OUT OF THE WAY TO GO A HUNDRED FEET, ONE DIRECTION.
UM, SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT ON THAT, BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY WAS THE SIGHT LINE THERE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED TO HAVE A LEFT TURNS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE JUST, JUST MAKE SURE IT'S EQUITABLE THAT WE'RE APPLYING THE SAME STANDARD BETWEEN ALL TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, UH, I AGREE WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
UM, I TEND TO, I THINK I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE FINANCING FOR DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS IS A TRICKY IT'S OFTEN INVOLVES SUBSIDIES.
UM, AND ANOTHER FACTOR HERE IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OLD VERSUS NEW, UM, HOUSING.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS KIND OF LIKE A CAR, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULDN'T EXPECT NEW HOUSING ON AVERAGE TO BE AS AFFORDABLE AS OLDER HOUSING.
UH, JUST AS, YOU KNOW, EVEN A NEW TOYOTA COROLLA IS GONNA RUN YOU 20,000, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS AN CAR OVERALL IS OVER OUR WHOLE LIFE SPAN, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE CONTEXT I TRY TO VIEW.
I THINK 80% AND THAT SIDE FOR NEW HOUSING IS PRETTY DECENT, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZILLOW FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES IN THAT AREA, WE'RE TALKING BILLION DOLLARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE HOUSING IN THAT AREA IS 200, 300% OF A FIVE PROBABLY.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I AM INTERESTED MORE IN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY COULD QUALIFY FOR TAX BREAKS TO MAKE A DEEPER, UM, I DUNNO HOW I WISH I KNEW MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
UM, THAT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD THAT, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE HERE, UH, WE ALSO NEED MORE, YOU KNOW, MARKET RATE, AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS.
UM, I THINK IT'S BROADER THAN JUST WHAT THE SUBSIDIZED UNITS ARE, BUT GETTING MORE THERE ITSELF IS HELPING AFFORDABILITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA.
IT'S NOT CONTRIBUTING TO GENTRIFICATION AND AREAS WITH A LOT OF, UH, OLDER APARTMENTS AND YOU SOFT AND IT'S KIND OF BALANCING, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A LOT MORE WEST OF MOPAC.
UH, THERE'S EVEN JUST LIKE AVERAGE INCOME HOUSING, UH, CAUSE A LOT OF IT'S REALLY JUST OPERATING COM HOUSING IN THAT AREA.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW, MR. SMITH.
[00:45:01]
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UH, ECHO A LOT OF WHAT I'M HEARING AND I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD LOCATION FOR DENSITY AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EXCELLENT IDEAS ABOUT, UH, TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND AFFORDABILITY IMPROVEMENTS IF THAT'S FEASIBLE.UH, DO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND JUST NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE, UM, COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE APPLICANT DID COMMISSION A SURVEY, OR I GUESS IT DIDN'T COMMISSION A SURVEY, THEY COMMISSIONED A STUDY OR A VIEW OF A CAVE WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT CONSULTANT ACTUALLY EXPLORED THE CAVE OR DID ANY BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT.
AND I DID ASK A QUESTION TO STAFF EARLIER TODAY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
AND THE ANSWER THAT I GOT BACK WAS THAT, UM, ENDANGERED SPECIES COMPLIANCE WAS NOT A PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WITH THE CITY AND THAT THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN SEPARATELY THROUGH THE BCP AND ABOUT CODY'S KENYAN CANDYLAND PRESERVE PROGRAM OR, UH, DIRECTLY WITH US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
SO I GUESS I'M HEARING SOME MIXED MESSAGES TODAY AS, AS KIND OF THE PROCESSES DESCRIBED FOR SITE REVIEW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE COORDINATED WITH WATERSHED.
UM, THAT SEEMS TO CONTRADICT WHAT I HEARD BACK FROM STAFF TODAY.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF SOMEONE CAN CLARIFY FOR ME WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR REVIEWING THE CAVE FOR SPECIES AND, UM, AND WHETHER THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN OR NOT HAPPEN.
AND BECAUSE I, I ACTUALLY CONCUR WITH COMMISSIONER CABASA THAT THIS IS ODD TO ME THAT THIS DIDN'T GO THROUGH AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WHEN IT'S SUCH AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE FEATURE IN THE EDWARD DUCK FOR RECHARGE ZONE IN THE BALCONIES KENYA LAND PRESERVE AND HABITAT FOR LISTED CARSON VERTEBRATES.
SO JUST CONFUSED AND WOULD APPRECIATE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE REVIEW THAT'S ANTICIPATED.
THIS IS LIZ JOHNSTON, I'M THE DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION AND I CAN HELP ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS.
UM, SO YEAH, UM, THE, THE SPECIFIC CONCERNS RELATED TO ENDANGERED SPECIES, IT'S CORRECT.
YOU DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THAT ASPECT OF, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
HOWEVER, WE DO REVIEW, UM, DURING SITE PLAN, UM, UH, FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARD SETBACKS FOR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES MIGHT RECHARGE FEATURES AND CAVES SUCH AS THE, UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ZONING REVIEW IS BECAUSE, UM, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE SITE SPECIFIC INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD NEED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT THE APPROPRIATE BUFFER WOULD BE, UM, OR TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, REVIEW ANY VARIANCE REQUESTS, UM, UNTIL WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE SITE IS, WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON DOING AND, AND HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, STAFF RESOURCES THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED TOWARD INVESTIGATING, UH, THE ACCURACY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY.
UM, BUT WE, WE WILL, UM, LOOK AT THAT DURING THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PHASE, AND, UM, ASSESS WHETHER, YOU KNOW, ANY ADMIN, EITHER ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCES OR LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES WILL BE REQUIRED, UM, UM, IN ORDER TO, UM, REVIEW THIS AND PROCESSES THIS PROJECT.
SO JUST TO, TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, AND FOR THE OTHERS, UM, THE IT'S ON THE APPLICANT TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO EVALUATE FOR THE PRESENCE OF ENDANGERED CARSON VERTEBRATES.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, THEY WOULDN'T NEED TO COORDINATE WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE OR THE BALCONY OF CANYON LANDS.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE AT THIS TIME.
AND SO MY, MY POINT IS THAT IF, IF THOSE SPECIES WERE PRESENT, WHICH THEY MAY NOT BE, AND I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT, UH, WE DID RECEIVE SOME CORRESPONDENCE SUGGESTING THAT HISTORICALLY THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN SOME PRESENCE OF INVERTEBRATES, WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE, UM, DUE TO THE LOCATION, BUT IF THEY WERE PRESENT THE PROTOCOLS FOR, UM, THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CLEAR BUFFERS AROUND THE CAVE ENTRANCES AND, AND OTHER KINDS OF, UM, SPECIFIC KIND OF VEGETATIVE PROTOCOLS AROUND THOSE ENTRANCES, THAT, AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE REVIEW THAT WATERSHED WOULD DO.
AND THE KINDS OF REVIEWS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THAT CORRECT? SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT THE TIME.
[00:50:01]
DURING SITE REVIEW IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO RE NOT TO COORDINATE THROUGH THE BCP OR THROUGH FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT OF OUR REVIEW.
WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT IS THE, UM, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO THE CAVE OPENING AND THE SUBSURFACE FOOTPRINT OF THE CAVE AND CATCHMENT AREAS.
SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT MAINTAINING A VEGETATIVE BUFFER TO THE EXTENT PRACTICAL, UM, CONSIDERING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CAVE, SOME OF THAT CATCHMENT AREA, MAYBE OFF THE SIDE AND TECH START RIGHT AWAY.
SO THE EXTENT THAT FOR THE APPLICANT CAN CONTROL, UM, THE, THE, THE PROPOSED BUFFER, UM, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT AND ENSURING THAT THERE WOULD BE A VEGETATIVE BUFFER INSTALLED THERE, BUT WE WOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT IT.
IT WOULD BE MORE, UH, UM, WATER QUALITY RATHER THAN ENDANGERED SPECIES.
AND I DID, I DO WANT TO JUST APPRECIATE THAT THE APPLICANTS ALREADY MENTIONED THAT IF THE ZONING IS, UH, ACHIEVED TODAY, THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR WHAT'S THERE NOW.
BUT THE REASON I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT AT THE ZONING STAGE IS MAYBE IF IT WERE EMMA FOR OUR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER DESIGNATIONS WOULD ACTUALLY BE EVEN MORE IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WOULD BE REMOVED.
AND, AND SO IT, IT DOES, IT DOES COME DOWN TO A ZONING QUESTION AT SOME LEVEL WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT COVER, WHICH IS REALLY THE ONLY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE, UM, TO ASSIST THESE CAVE HABITATS, UH, AT THE SURFACE LEVEL.
SO, UM, NOT TO GET INTO THE SORRY FOR OTHER WEEDS, BUT I'VE JUST BEEN A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT IT.
AND WE FOUND OUT VERY LAST MINUTE AND, UM, I DO THINK IT'S A COOL PROJECT IN A, IN A GOOD LOCATION FOR DENSITY.
SO I'M NOT MEANING TO JUXTAPOSE THOSE TWO, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE FOR THIS TO GET MORE EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND, UM, AND SOME THOUGHTFUL, SOME THOUGHTFUL REVIEW ON THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO OCCUR IN STAFF REVIEW.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT THESE CONSIDERATIONS ARE NOT GOING TO OCCUR IN THAT TYPICAL SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.
IS THAT, I GUESS OTHER, MY COMMENTS FOR NOW, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP LIZ, SO, AND I'M, UH, KIND OF PROCESSING THIS AS WELL.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE WATERSHED WOULD DO SOME KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND IT'S LIKELY THAT THE CAVE WOULD BE LABELED AS THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, AND THEY WOULD HAVE A REQUIRED AMOUNT OF SETBACK.
UM, AND I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE PROXIMITY TO TEXTS OUT RIGHT AWAY.
IS THERE EVER A TRIGGER, LIKE A TCEQ TYPE TRIGGER THAT HAPPENS WITH SUCH CLOSE? IS THERE ANY RIGHT OF WAY, UM, I GUESS, IS ANY OF THE SITE OR THE AID OR ANY OF THAT LOCATED ON TEXTILE RIGHT AWAY? DO WE KNOW MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS ON TEXTS RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND, UM, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE FOOTPRINT EXTENDS UNDERNEATH THE ACCESS ROAD OF MOPAC.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WAS IN THE REPORT.
I DO NOT KNOW IF IT HAS BEEN VERIFIED YET, USUALLY THAT HAPPENS DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO IT IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT ASPECT OF IT IS, UM, AND TECHSTOP FOR REVIEW.
HOWEVER, THE BUFFER OF COURSE, WOULD EXTEND ONTO THE LOOBY SIDE AND WE WOULD BE REVIEWING FOR, UM, FOR THAT.
WE HAVE SMITH AND THEN DANCLER WOULD BE GREENBERG.
FIRST ON THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, AND THIS IS MORE OF JUST A COMMENT FOR STAFF AND POSSIBLY THE APPLICANT.
THERE'S TWO DRIVEWAYS, VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AT THE BACK OF THE SITE.
UM, ONE IS AN ACCESS ONLY INTO THE LOOBY SITE AND WHAT IS AN ACCESS ONLY INTO THE OFFICE COMPLEX TO THE SOUTH.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THOSE COULDN'T BE COMBINED.
THERE MAY BE SOME LEGAL REASON WHY THEY CAN BE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M SURE STAFF WILL LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN'T COMBINE THOSE ACCESSES TOGETHER INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO ACCESS POINTS, 10 FEET APART.
UM, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT DURING A SITE PLAN, PHASE A STANDARD WITH THE ZONING, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN AND OUT OF THERE.
UM, BY ELIMINATING ONE OF THOSE TWO DRIVEWAYS STILL PROVIDING FULL ACCESS, UM, I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CAVE ISSUE.
AND I, AGAIN, I SAT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR FOUR YEARS, MAINLY BECAUSE THIS IS A, NOT A GREEN SITE.
IF THIS WERE A UNDEVELOPED GREENFIELD SITE, THIS WOULD BE A POTENTIALLY BIGGER FLAG, BUT THE SITES A HUNDRED PERCENT DEVELOPED, IT HAS BEEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, SO ANY IMPACT OF THAT CAVE
[00:55:01]
WOULD HAVE HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN FROM THIS CONSTRUCTION.CERTAINLY THE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT PROTECTED SETBACK FROM IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT A PRISTINE CONDITION IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREENFIELD SITE, IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEAVILY DEVELOPED AREA.
UM, AND SO I I'M, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
I KNOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF WILL LOOK AT IT, UM, WHILE THEY DON'T, THEY CAN'T REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO LOOK AT US FISH AND WILDLIFE AND COORDINATE WITH THAT.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN'T LOOK AT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES.
THEY CAN REQUIRE THEM TO AT LEAST, UH, VERIFY THAT THEY'VE TALKED TO US FISH AND WILDLIFE, OR HAD TALKED TO THE BCCP.
UM, SO THEY CAN DO AT SOME LEVEL, I, I KNOW WHAT I GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THAT'S ALWAYS A STANDING COMMENT IS HAVE YOU CONFERRED WITH, UM, US FISH AND WILDLIFE, OR HAVE YOU CONFIRMED WITH BALCONY IS CANYON LAND? THE ANSWER IS YES OR NO, THEN THEY COULD STACK AND ADDRESS THAT FROM THERE.
SO IT IS A DRESS, IT JUST STAFF DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS IN DANGEROUS SPECIES DIRECTLY.
IT'S NOT WITHIN THE CITY PURVIEW.
UM, I THINK THOSE WERE MY TWO MAIN POINTS.
UM, DINKLER YOU'RE NEXT? OH, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL GET, IT'LL PROBABLY BE MY LAST MEETING.
UM, I'M KIND OF HEADING IN THE DIRECTION THAT I SEE, UM, COMMISSIONER COBOSS AND THOMPSON GOING TOWARDS.
IT IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE ABOUT THE CAVES.
UM, HAVING SOME FAMILIARITY WITH AREA BEING A DISTRICT 10 RESIDENT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE, ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL CASES WE HAD WAS WHERE THE, UM, ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL APPROVED A REZONING FOR A PROPERTY ON SPICEWOOD SPRINGS ROAD, THE BOARD OF REALTORS.
AND THEN THEY ENDED UP NEEDING ALMOST 11, 12, 13, AN UNGODLY AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCES.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE CAVES, IT'S ABOUT THE SLOPE AND THE CUT AND FILL THERE.
IT IS ABOUT WHETHER, HOW THEY ADDRESS, UM, THAT HEIGHT ARE THEY BUILDING THE GARAGE UNDERGROUND, WILL THEY NEED TO BE BORE INTO HABITAT? UH, AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO BORING, UM, WILL THEY NEED MASSIVE CUT AND FILL? UM, I, FOR 1:00 AM A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE VOTING FOR THIS WITHOUT HAVING A BETTER SENSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT, UM, IMPERVIOUS COVER AND HOW IT DRAINS INTO THAT CAR SEAT.
UM, IT IS ABOUT THE BORING SAMPLES.
AND IF AT THE MINIMUM WE GET THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT OR WE HEAR FROM STAFF, UH, WHAT A GEOLOGIST IS SAYING.
TECHSTOP DOES HAVE SOME SAY IN THIS GIVEN, UM, UM, UH, SOME SAY IN THIS AND WE HAVE HEARD BOO FROM TXDOT.
THE OTHER THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIECE.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTANCE FOR 10, THAT IS NOT REFLECTED, UH, IS IT ENOUGH NOWHERE NEAR, AND IT IS ONE REASON I DIDN'T VOTE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE AUSTIN OAKS PUD, WHICH ISN'T INCLUDED IN OUR, UM, IN THE HOUSING WORKS LIST OF, UH, OF, UH, PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, BUT I AM CONCERNED WHEN I SEE US DO RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO DO, UM, GUARANTEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I WAS GRATEFUL THAT THE APPLICANT WAS DOING, UH, ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT MATTER AND I APPLAUD APPLAUD THEM.
UM, BUT THIS, WHEN I READ THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT WAS EXECUTED IS NOT FILED.
AND I CHECKED JUST BEFORE, UH, I GOT TO THE MEETING, THEY WERE ONLY, UH, ESSENTIALLY HAVE THIS BINDING FOR 20 YEARS, NOT 40.
SO THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WAS FOR A PERIOD OF 20 YEARS, NOT 40.
SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE THINKING WE'RE GOING IN AND GOING TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR A LONGER PERIOD.
AND THEN DO WE REALLY WANT TO RELY ON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO SUE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? I'D LIKE TO THINK, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH STEP UP TO THE PLATE
[01:00:01]
TO DO THAT, BUT HAVING BEEN INVOLVED WITH NO WALKER WHEN THEY SUED OVER DEED RESTRICTIONS ON A ZONING CASE, THEY SHELLED OUT PROBABLY 20, $30,000.IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT NEIGHBORHOODS DO READILY.
SO I'M NOT THINKING THIS IS FULLY BAKED.
UM, AND I DON'T WANT TO PRECLUDE ANY MORE COMMENTS, BUT I THINK THIS CASE NEEDS A POSTPONEMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION.
COMMISSION CHAIR, COMMISSIONER LAYS ON ANDROID ERA.
SO, UH, JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT, UM, THE ZONING PLANNING COMMISSION CANNOT FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AS PART OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
YOU CAN NOTE THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REVIEWED IN, BUT YOUR RECOMMENDATION TODAY IS TO COUNCIL.
WE GOT GREENBERG AND THEN KING AND THEN BRAY.
SO I ALSO HAVE THOSE CONCERNS THAT WE WILL END UP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS THAT LIMIT WHAT CAN ACTUALLY BE BUILT ON THIS SITE.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT GREENFIELD, BUT WE CAN ALSO SEE THAT IT COULD THE PRESENCE OF CAVES UNDER THE SITE.
AND SOME OF OUR EMAILS SAY THERE UNDER THE SITE, NOT WHAT THE REPORT SAYS.
SO THERE'S CONFLICTING INFORMATION HERE.
UM, IT COULD ACTUALLY LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO PUT WHAT THEY INTEND BELOW GRADE.
UM, THIS IS A LOT OF ZONING TO BE GRANTING WITHOUT WITH THESE KIND OF UNKNOWNS.
I MEAN, TO ME, I USUALLY THINK OF
JUST DIDN'T REALLY SIT WELL WITH ME IN TERMS OF A LOCATION FOR SUCH HIGH ZONING.
IF ULTIMATELY THAT HIGH ZONING IS THERE, THEN YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW UPFRONT IT COULD BE UTILIZED THAT SORT OF, WE'LL WORRY ABOUT THIS LATER IT'S SITE PLAN ANSWER.
THEN WE CAN'T WALK BACK THE ZONING AT THAT POINT BECAUSE THE SITE PLAN HAPPENS LATER.
SO I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION, UM, BEFORE WE GIVE OUR RECOMMENDATION MR. KING, AND THEN THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND, YOU KNOW, I ALSO SHARE THE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, THE LACK OR INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAVES AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS HERE.
UH, DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT GREENFIELD, YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN DEVELOPED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER, IN MANY PLACES SO WAY BEYOND REDEVELOPED.
AND SO I BRING THAT, I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM ME, A SINGLE FAMILY HOME WAS BUILT AND THEY BUILT A BASEMENT AND GUESS WHAT? NOW THEY HIT A SPRING AND IT'S NOW BEING PUMPED OUT INTO OUR ROAD IN OUR, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S THE PARENTS, THE CITY CODE ALLOWS THEM JUST TO DROP DOWN THAT, DRAIN THAT WATER DIRECTLY OUT ON OUR CITY STREET INFRASTRUCTURE AND GO INTO THE STORMWATER.
AND I HAVE MULTIPLE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
MULTIPLE, FIRST OF ALL, DISTURBING THAT SPRING, IT SHOULD BE FLOWING UNDERGROUND AND RECHARGING OUR AQUIFERS AND OUR GROUNDWATER SOURCES AND THE CAVES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THOSE SAME KINDS OF CAVES EXIST UNDER MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE WAS A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT RIGHT ON HEATHER AND SOUTH LAMAR, AND GUESS WHAT, THEY ALSO HIT A SPRING AND THEY'RE DUMPING THAT WATER OUT ON THE ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO ON, IT'S BEEN DONE SO MUCH THAT THEY'VE HAD TO REPAIR THAT INTERSECTION AND AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT WATER CONTINUALLY RUNNING AGAIN, MULTIPLE CONCERNS.
SO I, I DO SHARE THE CONCERN ABOUT THIS, THIS LOCATION HERE AS WELL.
IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ENCOUNTERED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN ZILKER.
AND SO I, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONCERNS, THIS CONCERNS ME AS WELL.
AND SO I WOULD PREFER NOT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IF WE CAN'T SEND IT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, TO HAVE THEM WEIGH IN ON THIS AND HAVE THEM PROVIDE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND POTENTIAL CONDITIONS THAT HELP INFORM OUR ZONING AND PLANNING FOR THIS SITE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A GOOD ENVIRONMENT WITH MINIMAL IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, MORE HOUSING THAT WE NEED AND MORE AFFORDABILITY.
[01:05:01]
SO I, I, I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH.COMMISSIONER BRAY AND THEN COMMISSIONER SMITH.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, UH, I WANT TO ASK ABOUT, LIKE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT RUNOFF, UH, DO YOU LOOK AT LIKE OF WATER GOING TO SOMETHING LIKE A CAVE? UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S LIKE RULES ABOUT, UH, WATER RUNOFF, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T INCREASE, UM, FLOW RUNOFF OFF THE SITE THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
DO YOU LOOK AT A RUNOFF INTO CAVES AND LIKE HOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S CAVES ON SITE, WHILE THE WATER DIRECTLY GOING INTO THAT, WON'T BE CHANGING.
UM, YEAH, THIS IS LIZ JOHNSON, DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION AND, UM, THE, ANY NEW OR REDEVELOPED IMPERVIOUS COVER GREATER THAN 8,000 SQUARE FEET WILL, UM, NEED TO BE, UH, TREATED, UM, FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO, UM, ANY OF THE STORMWATER RUNNING OFF OF THE, THE PARKING LOT DRIVEWAY BUILDINGS WOULD NEED TO GET FLOW TO A POND, OR WHETHER IT BE A RAIN GARDEN OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF A WATER QUALITY POND.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE, UM, IT WOULD BE, UH, UH, DISCHARGED AWAY FROM THE CAVES.
SO ANY, UM, FROM WATER RUNNING OFF OF THE DEVELOPED SITE WOULD NOT GO TO THE CAVE AND WE WOULD TRY TO ENSURE THAT ANY UPSTREAM, UM, STORMWATER THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER.
THAT'S NOT IN THE TEXT THAT RIGHT AWAY, OR THAT IS DISTURBED, UM, DURING CONSTRUCTION, UH REVEGETATING WITH NATIVE VEGETATION.
UM, SO THAT ANY RAINWATER THAT FALLS WITHIN THE BUFFER IS, UM, CLOSE THROUGH THAT VEGETATIVE BUFFER DURING THE CAVE.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS OFTEN THAT THE CAVE IS COVERED WITH A MANHOLE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WATERTIGHT IT IS, BUT, BUT CURRENTLY THERE'S NOT MUCH WATERFALL INTO IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THEN A COUPLE OTHER THOUGHTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I, THERE'S A LOT OF KIND OF TRICKY ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF WITH THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T LIKE THE WAY WE KIND OF APPROACH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES A LOT OF TIMES WITH DEVELOPMENTS WHERE IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT ANY WORSE, BUT COULD YOU MAKE THINGS BETTER? UM, AND I DO, YOU KNOW, I, I TAKE TO 80% OF THE PRACTICE WAR AND PREVIOUS COVERING IT CONSIDERATION, BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE THE 80% WAS TOO MUCH TO BEGIN WITH.
IT COULD BE THAT THERE'S OTHER, LIKE IN PREVIOUS COVERS THE WRONG METRIC TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, AND I, I ALSO TEND TO, UH, WANT TO TRUST AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS WITH STAFF ON THAT TOO.
I MEAN, I'VE ALSO SAID BEFORE THAT I'M NOT SURE IN PREVIOUS COVER IS ALWAYS THE BEST METRIC FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, BUT I ALSO DON'T, I'M NOT SUPER COMFORTABLE WITH LIKE, NOT MAKING IT WORSE WHEN IT COULD BE THAT THINGS ARE ALREADY BAD AND MAYBE NEW DEVELOPMENT MAKES THINGS BETTER ON TERMS OF WATER QUALITY, UM, UH, WOULD BE, UH, UM, ALSO WANTED TO ASK, UH, UH, STAFF LIAISON, UM, WHEN KELSO COUNCIL COULD JUST CLARIFY, SO COUNCIL COULD IT TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THEY COULD, AND THEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER WOULD MAKE ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION BACK TO THEM.
AND THE COUNCIL CONSIDER IT AGAIN.
IS THAT HOW THAT WOULD WORK CHAIR, COMMISSIONER ON
SO AS PART OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION, YOU CAN STIPULATE THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THEIR VIMAL COMMISSION TO REVIEW THIS MATTER HOW, WHAT COUNCIL DOES WITH THAT IS UP TO THE BODY, THAT BODY.
BUT I GUESS I'M ASKING WHAT'S HOW, IF, IF COUNCIL DID THAT, WHAT WOULD THAT BE LIKE? I'M JUST TRYING TO, IF WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING SPECIFICALLY.
SO THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IT GOES TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WOULD THEN LOOK AT IT AND HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN APPROVAL OF IT.
IS THAT HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT IT WOULDN'T GO BACK TO COUNCIL AGAIN, IT WOULD JUST BE COUNSELED ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN IT'S DONE WITH THE ZONING PORTION, CHAD, THAT, UH, THAT'S UM, UNCHARTERED WATERS PER SE.
UM, I MEAN IT, THE C THE CODE PROVIDES THE PROCESS, AND CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT A TITLE FIVE TITLE 25 APPLICATION, WHICH HAS, UM, COME BEFORE YOUR REVIEW AND THEN GOES TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL, UM, APPROVAL OR DENIAL.
SO COUNCIL DOESN'T, UM, THEY DON'T USUALLY, THE FIRST THING IS TO COMMISSIONS LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE UNUSUAL FOR THEM, BUT THAT WOULD, THAT HASN'T SOMETHING THAT USUALLY HAPPENS.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT, IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED BEFORE, AND YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS? I'M SORRY.
ANYONE ELSE MIGHT KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS, BUT I'M JUST KINDA CURIOUS, IS THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID IT WAS UNCHARTED WATERS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE, WHERE COUNCIL HAS SAID
[01:10:01]
WE WANNA HAVE OUR MORE COMMISSIONER REVIEW? THISUM, I AM, UH, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, UH, DIVERTED BACK TO, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THEN BACK TO COUNCIL.
I THINK IT'S THAT KIND OF A TENNIS BALL.
BUT IT COULD GO, WELL, I MEAN, MAYBE NOT BACK TO COUNCIL, BUT IT COULD GO FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TOO.
THEY HAVE, HAS COUNSELED USUALLY, LIKE, WHEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL, THEN THEY GO TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER, THEN NOT NECESSARILY EVEN GOING BACK TO COUNCIL AFTER THAT, BUT JUST TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, DO THEY EVER DIFFER LIKE THAT? IS THAT A NORMAL THING? SURE.
TO ANDREW RIVERA? UH, NOT THAT I RECALL.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ASK COMMISSIONER SMITH ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY YOU'VE CONSULTED, DOES THAT MEAN THAT ON A PROJECT, DOES THAT MEAN THAT LIKE THE TCQ OR THE FISH AND WILDLIFE, IS THAT A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN APPROVAL FROM THERE? OR IS THAT APPROVAL YOU'VE CONSULTED WITH THEM? YOU KNOW, WHAT STEPS IS DAVID TO THEN MAKE SURE THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, CONSULTING COULD BE, JUST ASK THEM, BUT YOU COULD IGNORE IT OR IS IT LIKE, THEN THEY HAVE THEIR OWN APPROVAL PROCESS WITH THE CONSULTING BEFORE YOU GET BACK TO IT.
AND IF THERE IS A, YOU KNOW, ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT LIKE, HOW DOES IT ENDANGERED SPECIES USUALLY GET RESOLVED? YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, DO WITH THE TCQ POTENTIALLY SUE DEVELOPER, IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT MESSES WITH, UM, WITH THIS, OR, YOU KNOW, W W W HOW WOULD THEY BE SURE SPECIES X USUALLY INTERACT WITH DEVELOPMENT IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION? AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE MORE US PATIENT WILDLIFE AND TCEQ US PATIENT WILDLIFE HAS JURISDICTION OF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UM, ONCE YOU START TALKING TO US AND WILDLIFE, YOU WILL NOT STOP TALKING TO THEM UNTIL YOU RESOLVE THE ISSUE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
YOU CAN'T JUST COME IN AND TALK TO THEM AS LIKE, OH, NEVERMIND, I'M GOING TO QUIT.
UM, ONCE YOU OPEN THAT CONVERSATION, IT'S OPEN AND IT'S NOT GOING TO CLOSE UNTIL IT'S RESOLVED SO THAT YOU KEEP, YEAH, YOU CAN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, TALK TO THEM.
THEY DIDN'T, YOU BASICALLY ARE SUBMITTING YOURSELF TO THEIR APPROVAL.
LIKE, YOU CAN'T START DEVELOPMENT UNLESS STEVE SAID, OKAY, SO IT IS CORRECT.
AND THEN STAFF COULD STIPULATE THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SAY, NO, I HAVEN'T SENT IT TO THEM.
STAFF COULD SAY, WE'RE NOT GONNA APPROVE IT UNTIL YOU DO.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN NOT APPROVE IT UNTIL YOU DO.
YOU PUT YOU INTO A POSITION WHERE YOU REALLY HAVE TO GO TO US-BASED AND WILDLIFE OR COORDINATE WITH THE, UM, THERE'S A BACKGROUND IS CANYON LAND PLAN, OR SEVERAL PROGRAMS. YOU CAN COORDINATE WITH THEM TO GET THE SAME THING ACCOMPLISHED.
IT'S UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE NOT TO GO TO THAT EFFORT AND COORDINATE WITH THEM.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT THE LIABILITY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GET HALFWAY THROUGH BUILDING A VERTICAL STRUCTURE.
I'M GOING TO HAVE THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE COME SHUT YOU DOWN.
UM, THAT WOULD BE FINANCIALLY ATTAINABLE.
SO YOU WANT TO GET THESE ANSWERS, QUESTIONS ANSWERED UPFRONT.
WOULD IT BE SAFE TO ASSUME THAT US FISH AND WILDLIFE WOULD LIKELY IF THEY DID ENCOUNTER SOME ENDANGERED SPECIES, THEY WOULD COME UP WITH SOME, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME PLAN TO MITIGATE IMPACT.
YES, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE SOME WHATEVER PLAN DURING CONSTRUCTION.
WE GET PAID ALL THE TIME, AND WE ENCOUNTER CAVES ON ROADWAY, PROJECTS, RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL AT ALL TO ENCOUNTER A CAVE EITHER BEFORE OR DURING CONSTRUCTION.
AND YOU SIMPLY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND FIND THE BEST WAY TO MITIGATE, UM, THOSE CAVE STRUCTURES.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT AT ALL UNUSUAL, VERY COMMON BOYS.
AND DO THEY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS OUR ENVIRONMENT REVIEW THAT TENDS TO BE ABOUT, IS, ARE YOU MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE OR BETTER? UM, YOU KNOW, SAY IF THEY DISCOVERED IT, THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IS HURTING, THE HABITAT, WOULD, WOULD THEY TEND TO SAY LIKE, OKAY, WELL NOW YOU HAVE TO COMPLY.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
LIKE IT HAS TO BE NOT MESSING WITH IT, OR DO THEY TEND TO BE, UH, NOT MAKING IT WORSE.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR WATER RUNOFF IS NOW AGAIN, THAT WILL BE A US PATIENT WILDLIFE, NOT A STAFF FISH.
AND, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.
IF YOU'RE TALKING WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN WEIGH IN A LITTLE BIT HERE HAD I WORKED FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FOR 15 YEARS, AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS TOPIC, BUT, UM, WHEN I DID WORK IN THE AUSTIN OFFICE REGARDING K I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO SHARE WITH US ANYWAY, MY COMP MY HAND WAS UP FOR THIS REASON.
UM, WHAT THEY'LL ASK YOU, ANY ANYONE TO DO IS IF THEY IT'S, AN ACTION IS CAUSING A TAKE OF THE SPECIES ARE AT HARM TO THEIR HABITAT, UM, AND AN OCCUPIED HABITAT.
AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS OCCUPIED, THAT THEY'LL ASK THEM TO MINIMIZE THEIR IMPACT AND MITIGATE TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, RIGHT? AND, AND FOR THESE CARSTEN VERTEBRATE SPECIES, UNLESS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED, UM, THAT THE TYPICAL KIND OF APPROACH IS TO CREATE A SORT OF BUFFER VEGETATED AREA AROUND THE CAMBRIDGE OPENING AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CAVE OPENING HAS
[01:15:01]
ACCESS, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, TERRESTRIAL INVERTEBRATES, SO THEY CAN MOVE BACK AND FORTH INTO THE CAVE.AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, THIS HAS BEEN SEALED UP IN A MANHOLE FOR 40 YEARS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT COMMENTING ON THAT, BUT JUST FOR, FOR EVERYONE'S CONSIDERATION, IT'S, IT'S BEYOND JUST IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT'S REALLY, UM, POTENTIALLY COULD BE ABOUT SETBACK FROM THE CAVE AND WHAT KINDS OF VEGETATION AND, UM, KIND OF PROTECTION CAN BE PROVIDED AROUND THE CAVE OPENING.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE APPLICANT, ONLY ONE TO EIGHT OPENINGS IS ACTUALLY ON THEIR PROPERTY.
THE OTHER ONE IS ON THE TECHSTOP PROPERTY.
SO, UM, IT MAY NOT, IT MAY NOT BE AN IMPERVIOUS COVER QUESTIONS, LIKE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, COMMISSIONER BRAVERY IS SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THAT REALM.
ARE YOU FREEZING UP? YOU CAN TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA IF IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR, CAUSE WE MISSED THAT LAST ONE CHAIR, THAT MITIGATION APPROACH AND EVEN, AND MICHELLE, OH, SHOOT.
IS THAT ANY BETTER? YES, BUT MAYBE REPEAT THE LAST COUPLE OF SENTENCES.
EVEN IF A SITUATION IS NOT A GREENFIELD KIND OF SITUATION, UM, CAVE, GATES AND BUFFETT SURROUND CAN BE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A SUBTERRANEAN SYSTEM.
SO IT MAY NOT BE THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER IS THE, UH, TARGET CHANGE THAT'S NEEDED.
SORRY FOR MY SIGNAL, EVERYONE.
SO COMMISSIONER BRAVE, ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS? AND I DO KIND OF WANT TO START HONING IT IN A LITTLE BIT FOLKS.
SO IF ANYBODY'S GOT EMOTION OR, UM, START WITH THAT.
SO I DID ACTUALLY HAVE ONE MORE.
UH, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE THOROUGH? YOU KNOW, I, UH, AGREED WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH'S COMMENT ABOUT THE, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, THE PROPERTY BEHIND, UM, POTENTIALLY MERGING THAT TO ONE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE, WOULD IT, WOULD THERE, WOULD THAT BE THE PURPOSE SITUATION WHEN THEY MIGHT PUT IN A TRAFFIC LIGHT? PROBABLY THAT'S A TRUMP.
IT'S LIKE, I THINK THE MINIMUM, THE MINIMUM DISTANCE IS 300 FEET, BUT AGAIN OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH AND THEN YEAH.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? YES.
AND THEN I HAVE, I DON'T WANT TO CUT ANYBODY OFF, BUT I DO WANT TO KIND OF WRAP THIS UP.
SO I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THE CONDITION THAT WE NOTIFY CITY COUNCIL, THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO GET INPUT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, HOWEVER THAT PROCESS TAKES PLACE EITHER BEFORE OR DURING THEIR, UH, BETWEEN FIRST AND THIRD READING.
I THINK A LOT OF THE STUFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS GREAT STUFF, BUT I, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO, WE'RE GETTING OFF OF OUR LAND USE COMMISSION STUFF AND INTO SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION ISSUES.
AND I THINK STICKING WITH WHAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK ENCOURAGING CITY COUNCIL TO GO TO, TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS A GOOD IDEA.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION AGAIN, IS APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THE ADDITION OF THE CONDITION THAT THEY ENCOURAGE CITY COUNCIL TO GO AND TAKE THIS CASE TO, YOU CAN GET INPUT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
IS THAT A SECOND COMMISSIONER RAY? YES.
SO OCEAN IS TO APPROVE, UH, WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO RE UH, REQUEST OR RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY BRING THIS CASE BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PRIOR TO APPROVAL DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER GREENBERG.
UM, SO I HAVE TROUBLE VOTING FOR THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE MISSING INFORMATION.
UM, WELL, I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T REFER TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
IT'S DISTURBING THAT THE STAT ENVIRONMENTAL PORTION OF OUR REPORT SAYS AT THIS TIME SITE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS UNAVAILABLE.
AND THE REST OF THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE SO THAT WE COULD GET THAT SITE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION RATHER THAN JUST SAYING THE COUNCIL SHOULD, UM, REFER IT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BECAUSE IN ALL LIKELIHOOD IT'S GONNA NEED ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCES.
[01:20:03]
UNMUTE.IF THAT WAS A MOTION, UM, TO POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN DATE, I WILL SECOND IT, UM, I, UH, REALLY DO WANT TO GET BACK TO GETTING THAT INFORMATION THERE IS I'M SURE THE APPLICANT WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO STAFF, UH, ALLOW ACCESS FOR A GEOLOGIST, ALLOW THE CITIES GEOLOGISTS OUT THERE.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THERE MAY BE A LEGAL, WE DO NEED TO HEAR FROM TECH STOCK, WHICH WE ARE NOTORIOUS FOR NOT TALKING TO.
AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING ISSUE SO THAT THE, UM, WHETHER IT'S 60% MFI OR 80% FFI THAT WE GET IT LOCKED IN FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, Y'ALL I DOESN'T SOUND LIKE OTHER, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER FOLKS GOT A COPY, WHICH WAS GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED TO ME OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT AS OF YET IS NOT FILED.
SO I, I DO WE NEED A MONTH? UH, WHAT WAS YOUR THINKING? UH, THE APPLICANT, I KNOW, JUST APPLIED IN APRIL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A DATE SCHEDULED FOR COUNCIL ACTION, BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR COUNCIL TO POSTPONE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S FULLY BAKED.
SO COMMISSIONER GREENBERG, AT WHICH YOU'RE THINKING, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF, UM, HOW MUCH TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SO THAT WE WOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO MAKE A DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION.
GIVE US THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION TOO.
I THINK THAT MAYBE THE ISSUE OF COMMISSIONERS IS A, THE CITY HYDROLOGISTS DOES NOT USUALLY LOOK AT STANDARD ZONING TEST CASES.
UH, THEY LOOK AT IT WHEN THERE ARE MORE DETAILED, IT'S A SITE 10 PAGE, WHICH THE DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED.
SO WE DON'T USUALLY LOOK AT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL DURING THE DISCUSSION OVER ZONING OF A PROPERTY AND ADDITION, UH, AS FAR AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE APPLICANT HAS ALREADY STATED WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO OFFER IN THIS CASE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION AGAIN, ATD WILL BE LOOKING AT ACCESS, INGRESS, EGRESS, DRIVEWAYS, JOINT ACCESS, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN REVIEW.
SO YOU'RE SAYING USUALLY THEY DON'T DO IT.
UM, PERHAPS THIS CASE IS UNUSUAL AND WE WOULD MAKE IT UNUSUAL IF WE MAKE THAT REQUEST.
ARE YOU SAYING IT'S IMPOSSIBLE OR JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT REQUEST.
I HAVE NEVER HAD ZONING CASE IN THE 20 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE THAT HAS NOT BEEN A REVIEW OF A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS HAD A HYDROLOGY STUDY.
ARE WE, UH, I, IF I MAY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE ASKING FOR A HYDROLOGIC STUDY.
I THINK WE, I, I HEARD THERE WAS A REPORT.
I HEARD THERE WAS A TEXT THAT REPORT.
I DIDN'T SEE A TEXTILE REPORT.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, BUT IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ZONING, WHICH IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO IMPERVIOUS COVER, AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IMPERVIOUS COVER IMPACTS THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT WE KNOW ARE PROBABLY THERE, THEN THERE IS SOME KIND OF NEXUS.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE COMMISSION THAT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT IN THE LR DISTRICT, WHICH IS WHAT THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED IS 80% AND THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT IN THE
BUT EMMA, UH, FOUR WOULD BE WHAT, MF THREE, THE IMPERVIOUS KEVIN 65, I THINK WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER DIDN'T CLAIRE SHERRY.
WHAT SHE'S GETTING AT IS THAT IF WE WERE TO HAVE A MORE CONSERVATIVE, IF WE WERE TO RECOMMEND A MORE CONSERVATIVE ZONING, BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN OVER THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT ARE PRESENT ON THE SITE, B FEEL LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT, OR YEAH, THAT'S THE MOOD, THE BACK BEHIND THE MOTION.
IS THAT A BIT BEHIND? I MEAN, WE, WE COULD ASK IF LIZ JOHNSON IS STILL ON THE PHONE OR DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, IF THEY HAVE, IF SHE IS AWARE THAT WE HAVE CONDUCTED, UH, A STUDY OVER KARST FEATURES ON A PROPERTY, THROUGH A REGULAR SCIENCE ZONING CASE.
[01:25:01]
AWARE OF, UM, THAT OCCURRING OUTSIDE OF THE POD OR PDA OR SOME OTHER KIND OF SPECIAL ZONING.UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A FEE FOR SERVICE FOR OUR REVIEWS.
WE DO NOT HAVE A FEE THAT I AM AWARE OF.
UM, SO ANY KIND OF REVIEW OF A ZONING CASE FOR MORE TECHNICAL REVIEW, UM, WHEN, UH, THESE AN INFORMAL TYPE OF REVIEW THAT WOULD TAKE OUR STAFF AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, OTHER WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING, UM, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT IF YOU REQUEST THAT, BUT IF IT DOES GO TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ZONING, UM, IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT UNPRECEDENTED BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT HAVE, UM, A PROCESS BY WHICH WE COULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR REVIEW THE INFORMATION.
UM, IT MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO REQUEST THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REVIEW ANY, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCES OR OTHER, UM, TYPES OF VARIANCES TO THE BUFFER WHEN THE SITE PLAN IS, UM, SUBMITTED SO THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, ALLOCATE STAFF RESOURCES MORE EQUITABLY, UM, AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER MORE TECHNICAL TYPE OF QUESTIONING.
I'M A BIT, I DON'T REMEMBER THE PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT'S TO RECOMMEND STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND THEN WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE MOTION THAT IS TO POSTPONE FOR.
WE DIDN'T COME UP WITH A AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO MORE THAN A MONTH FROM NOW.
WELL, IT'S JUST THE TWO MEETINGS FROM NOW.
AND CHAIR, JUST TO CLARIFY, I THINK, I THINK IF I CAN REPEAT WHAT I THINK YOU SAID WITH, WE'RE NOT ASKING, OR I'M NOT ASKING CERTAINLY FOR A HYDROLOGICAL REVIEW, BUT JUST A SHARING OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS ALREADY AVAILABLE TO THE APPLICANTS, UM, THAT THE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED THAT THESE COMMISSIONERS HAVE NOT SEEN OR HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? COMMISSIONER GREENBERG IS YOUR, YOUR MOTION.
AND I'M BEING, IF STAFF COULD FLESH OUT WHATEVER INFORMATION IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS OF WHAT THE DO, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WOULD BE WELCOME, MR. TINKLER GO AHEAD.
I THINK IT'S, AM I DOING IT RIGHT? YES.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK TO WATER WASTEWATER.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP WITH THE AUSTIN OAKS PUD IS WHEN THEY WERE LAYING WATER LINES, UPGRADED WATER LINES, THEY RAN INTO SPRINGS.
SO THERE IS SOME DATA ALREADY, UM, AND THAT WAS SPICE WET.
SO THAT'S JUST THE EXIT BELOW.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT CAR STUDIES, WE'VE GOT, UH, UH, UH, SALAMANDER GUY IN A WATERSHED.
SO THERE IS INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE HAVING TO, AS COMMISSIONER THOMPSON SAID, GO, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR A HYDROLOGICAL STUDY, BUT I THINK WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
AND, UM, ASPECT OF IT, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY SPRINGS IN THIS AREA, THERE WERE SPRINGS THERE, NOT ON THE MAP AREAS, RIGHT.
AND THE MAPS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS, YOU KNOW, THE BEST THING, NOT GOING TO GET ANY MORE INFORMATION ON SPRINGS OR ANYTHING ELSE FROM STAFF IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, THERE WAS A, THE, IN, THERE WAS A, UH, I KNOW ON THE AUSTIN SIDE, THERE IS SOME CARSON INFORMATION.
THEY DID HAVE A HYDROLOGICAL STUDY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD GO UP, BUT I'M SAYING THERE MAY BE MATERIALS AVAILABLE.
UM, HEY, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
I THINK WE'RE DELAYING 30 DAYS AND GETTING NO INFORMATION AND WASTING TIME AND MONEY.
WELL, WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION THAT THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED STAFF THAT WE DIDN'T DESERVE.
WHY WE'RE IN THE MESS WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WE KEEP DELAYING PROJECTS AND COSTING PEOPLE MONEY AND RAISING THE COST OF HOUSING WHEN WE KEEP DOING IT, EVERY SINGLE MEETING, UH, I SEE A LOT OF HANDS UP, SO LET'S GO RAY, AND THEN KIELBASA AND SMITH.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU STILL HAVE YOUR HAND UP OR NO.
AND BRAY, DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR HAND UP? YES.
SMITH KIELBASA, BRI, I MEAN, RAY, SORRY.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY HERE AND IT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT.
UM, WHAT WE REALLY CAN FOCUS ON DOING HERE IS ENGAGING WITH THE BODIES AND PROCESSES THAT DO HAVE THOSE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE ENGAGED
[01:30:01]
AND MAKING THE BEST RECOMMENDATION THAT WE KNOW HOW TO DO BASED ON WHAT GOOD LAND USE PRINCIPLES ARE.SO TO THAT END, I THINK THE PRODUCT IS GREAT.
I THINK WE NEED MORE DENSITY IN THIS AREA AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES ARE NOT PERFECT.
UM, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE TRIGGERED AT SITE PLAN AND THAT WE HAVE OTHER CONDITIONS SUCH AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THAT IF WE PASS THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WE'LL BE ENGAGED, UM, AT THE RIGHT STAGES IN THIS PROCESS MISSION OR KOBASA, HEY, I SHARE COMMISSIONER SMITH SMITH'S FOR FRUSTRATION, BUT I'M STILL GOING TO SUPPO SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT.
BECAUSE I THINK THIS WAS PARTLY STAFF INDUCED.
I MEAN, WE HAD BACKUP THAT SAID THAT THERE WERE NO KNOWN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
AND THEN TO GET SANDBAG ABOUT THIS, I THINK IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC AND IS A DEEPER ISSUE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE AND COMMISSIONER OR CHAIR BARRERA RAMIREZ BRINGS UP, UH, UH, TXDOT REPORT AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
AND I'M JUST STARTING TO GET EVEN, EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE QUEASY AND MORE QUEASY.
AND I WOULD JUST LOVE TO HAVE A REPORT SOMEDAY, EVERYTHING, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE WANT, WE CAN MAKE OUR DECISION AND NOT HAVE TO ASK FOR A POSTPONEMENT.
SO I'M VOTING OBVIOUSLY FOR THE POSTPONEMENT AND I'M VERY FRUSTRATED, UH, COMMISSIONER BRAY, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
SO I SHARE THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENT.
EVERY TIME WE POSTPONE WE'RE ADDING COSTS.
AND THAT'S AN ASPECT OF AFFORDABILITY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, TRICKLES DOWN TO EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND I MAYBE COULD SUPPORT A TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT.
I DO DID SEE THAT THE, THAT WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM THE APPLICANT THAT MENTIONED AN ENVIRONMENTAL OR A REPORT ABOUT THE CAVES THAT WAS SENT TO STAFF THAT WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T GET.
UM, AND I THINK TWO WEEKS WOULD BE PLENTY OF TIME TO LOOK AT THAT.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED A MONTH.
UM, AND IF IT WOULD MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO DO POSTWOMAN, I THINK IT SHOULD BE TWO WEEKS.
UM, I AM ON THE FENCE ON THAT.
CAUSE YOU KNOW, I, I, I DID S I DON'T KNOW WHAT INFORMATION, OTHER THAN THAT REPORT THAT WAS SENT TO STAFF REFERENCED IN THAT EMAIL THAT WE COULD GET THAT YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE.
UM, SO MAYBE WE COULD GET THAT REPORT, UH, INTERESTING.
WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS STAND ON THAT? BUT I, I, I W WHEN I SUPPORT MORE THAN A TWO, BECAUSE FROM WHEN I COULD SUPPORT IT TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, IS THE APPLICANT ON THE LINE THAT THEY SAID THEY COULD SEND US THAT INFORMATION, THAT, THAT REPORT THAT THEY SENT TO STAFF? HI, YES.
MICHAEL WHALEN, UH, THE REPORT, UH, WAS SENT TO STAFF IN MAY LATE MAY, RIGHT AFTER WE RECEIVED IT.
AND INCLUDING STAFF, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR CARS FEATURES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, WE'VE ALSO MET, UH, AND DISCUSSED IT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AND THE DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
UM, AND WE WOULD BE AGREEABLE TO TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT, BUT IT TRULY DOES BECOME ONEROUS GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS PRIVATE FINANCING OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NO TAX SUBSIDIES ASSOCIATED WITH IT, UH, HERE.
AND, UM, IT WOULD NOT BE BUILT UNDER
SO, UH, UH, LIKE I SAID, A TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE, UH, ACCEPTABLE.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT QUESTION.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD OFFER A SUBSTITUTE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BUT I WOULD OFFER TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT CAUSE FOR UP FOR DISCUSSION.
YOU MENTIONED LAYS ON ANDOVER.
SO CURRENTLY YOU HAVE, UH, TWO MOTIONS ON THE TABLE, UM, NEED TO DISSOLVE THOSE.
AND THEN, UH, IF THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION FOR TWO WEEKS, THAT CAN COME AFTER.
IF WE DENIED THE FOUR WAYS, WE CAN THEN HAVE US UP TO SPEED TO DO A TWO WEEK.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE FIRST MOTION OF THE SECOND? OKAY.
SO WE'RE GETTING RID OF THE FIRST MOTION OF, UH, ACCEPTING STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
SO NO, PUT ON THE POSTPONEMENT, WE'RE VOTING ON THE POSTPONEMENT FIRST FOUR WEEKS.
AND IF THAT GETS DENIED, SOMEONE CAN MAKE A SECOND MEMBER LOOKING TO DO IT.
GREENBERG YOU'RE MUTED, YOU'RE MUTED.
UH, ALTHOUGH DANGLER SAID SHE WAS WILLING TO SECOND THE MOTION, I HADN'T REALLY MADE A MOTION AT THE POINT.
SO I WOULD SAY THE MOTION FOR THE FOUR WEEK POSTPONEMENT HASN'T
[01:35:01]
BEEN SECONDED.JUST IN CASE WE COULD, SHE DIDN'T HAVE A DAY BECAUSE SOMEONE WOULD MAKE A MOTION FOR A TWO WEEK POSTPONE.
CAN I MAKE AN ALTERNATE MOTION FOR A TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT AND CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE FROM THE APPLICANT.
AND IS THERE A SECOND THERE SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER KING, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF A TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THE APPLICANT AND ADD IT TO THE STAFF REPORTS.
UH, THAT'S 8, 9 3 5 6, 7, 8, 8.
UM, ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND ABSTENTIONS.
SO NOW WE NEED TO RECONSIDER THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THAT TO, UM, THE DATE.
SO THE NEXT, OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND REHEAR THE CASE ON AUGUST 17TH.
HEY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WOODY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING TO THE 17TH AND REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT IT LOOKS UNANIMOUS.
HEY, SO WE ARE MOVING ON THEN 71 FOR LIVELY CONVERSATION.
UM, WE'VE GONE TO SEE ONE, WHICH IS ITEMS FROM THE COMMISSION AND IT'S ABOUT LAND.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM LIKE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
HAD WE RECEIVED A FULL INFORMATION IN OUR PACKET AND IT'S AND WHAT A SHAME.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, UH, MAYBE I JUST NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT CASES GO BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WHICH ONES DON'T AND HOW THAT DECISION IS MADE.
BUT, UM, I REGRET THAT THE APPLICANTS HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS.
I THINK, UH, IT'S BEEN A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, ECHO ALL THE SENTIMENTS THAT, UH, CONGRATULATING THEM ON REACHING OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL IN ALL THEY'VE DONE TO PREPARE FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
SO JUST, UH, ASK THAT THE STAFF, PLEASE BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THIS INFORMATION UPFRONT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS AT THE LAST MOMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
THIS IS, THIS IS SHERRY WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE THIS STUDY, UH, UNTIL THIS MORNING.
IT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HEARD FOR SURE.
SO THE ZONING STAFF DID NOT HAVE THIS STUDY AS PART OF OUR REVIEW.
SORRY, SHERRY FOR THE, IT'S NOT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
AND SHERRY HAD, UH, SHARED WITH ME, MS. SERITA SAID SHARED WITH ME.
SHE DID NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT WAS EXECUTED, BUT ISN'T FILED.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR HER TO GET FROM THE APPLICANT AND PUT IN THE BACKUP FOR THE NEXT TIME.
SO FOLKS HAVE A KNOW WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING COMMITTED TO, I WOULD ASK LEGAL THAT'S A PRIVATE RESTRICTED CABINET.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WHETHER WE CAN, WE HAVE PUT IN PRIVATE, RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND BACKUP BEFORE.
AND IT'S TRICKY BECAUSE THIS COULD BE CONSTRUED AS, UM, APPROVING ZONING IN EXCHANGE FOR I GET IT.
IS THIS PARTLY WHAT MAKES ME A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CASE? THANKS.
SO I WILL INCLUDE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE APPLICANT AND OUR BACKUP MATERIAL FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING.
AND IF THERE'S ANY OTHER CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OR ANYTHING, I MEAN, I DON'T, I HEARD SOMEONE SAY TXDOT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, THERE'S ACTUALLY A REPORT, BUT ANY OTHER RELATIVE INFORMATION FOR THE SITE WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE, UM, OKAY.
IF I MAY SPEAK TO THE, THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHAT THE STAFF REPORT SAID, AND, UM, THE, THE, THE FACT THAT STAFF HAD RECEIVED THE, UM, ERI PREVIOUSLY.
UM, SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW GROUPS THAT LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT CASES.
ONE IS HOUSED WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND THEN THE MORE TECHNICAL REVIEW IS WITHIN THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THERE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WITHIN DSD.
HOWEVER, THEIR PURVIEW DOES NOT INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORIES OR CES.
AND SO IT WAS ACCURATE THAT THEY, WHEN THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION
[01:40:01]
BECAUSE AS A NORMAL COURSE OF A ZONING CASE, A WATERSHED STAFF, A LOT INCLUDED.UM, AND SO THAT CAN HAD PROVIDED THE ERI INFORMALLY PREVIOUSLY SO THAT WE COULD GO OUT AND, UM, ASSESS, UH, THE LOCATION OF THE CAVE OPENING IN DOCUMENTED IN OUR DATABASE.
THAT THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF OUR INVOLVEMENT UP UNTIL NOW.
SO THE ERI WILL BE PART OF OUR STAFF REPORT FOR NEXT TIME.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT
ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, WE HAVE NOT DONE AN ERI.
WE'VE DONE A FULL, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ON THE TWO CAVES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AND THAT ARE, UH, NEAR THE PROPERTY LINE, UH, MOSTLY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THAT'S THE REPORT THAT WE PROVIDED W AND IT IS CORRECT.
WE DID NOT PROVIDE THAT TO, UH, SHERRY
UH, WE PROVIDED TO WATERSHED, UH, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO FEED BACK ANTICIPATING THAT IT WOULD BE A TOPIC DURING SITE PLAN.
UH, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY GET THAT TO MR. IS, UH, PROMPTLY.
ARE WE READY TO MOVE ON? I JUST WANT TO SAY, AND MY APOLOGIES TO SHERRY'S SUEDE IS, AND I DID NOT REALIZE IT WAS SO WAY SO COMPLICATED BEHIND THE SCREEN.
AND SO THANK YOU SHERRY FOR MINUTES AND ALL OF THAT.
I AGREE WHEN I THINK, YEAH, I'M READING 149 PAGES OF BACKUP FOR A SIMPLE TRANSFER OF THREE ACRES.
I REALIZE HOW MUCH WE DO NOT EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK Y'ALL DO SO PLEASE.
C1, I DON'T SPEND THE COMMISSION IS ABOUT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT MYSELF OR VICE-CHAIR KIELBASA HAS ANYTHING TO TALK ABOUT THERE, THE FUTURE AGENDA
[D. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS. WE HAD A WPD BRIEFING AND A BRIEFING FROM THE, UM, CITY DEMOGRAPHER ON THE AGENDA ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I DON'T, I HAVEN'T HEARD WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THOSE TWO.I HATE TO KEEP SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT IT'S STILL A CONFIRMED NORTH SIDE.
WELL, WE'LL KEEP ASKING FOR IT.
UH, MR. KING CHAIR, WERE YOU ASKING FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST IN CASE THAT WE JUST HAD, I THINK IS KIND OF MAYBE MIGHT HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO GET INFORMATION.
MAYBE IT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM.
MAYBE IT'S JUST AN EMAIL TO STAFF TO SAY, CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US HOW, HOW, UH, CASES GET ROUTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION COMMISSION AND WHAT CRITERIA IS USED? I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US.
UM, AND, AND THEN MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW THAT'S DONE BY DSD AND THAT, THAT THAT'S DONE BY THE WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND STAFF HAS IT KINDA SET UP THE WAY THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WORKED WITH THEIR CASES, BUT IT MAY BE A LITTLE CONFUSING TO FOLKS ON THE OUTSIDE THAT DON'T SEE THAT OFF VERY OFTEN.
SO THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM ROADS OR MR. WAITRESS, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS COULD PROVIDE TO THE RIVERA? UM, YOU KNOW, THE CODE DICTATES THE PROCESS, RIGHT.
AND WHICH WAS THE MISSION REVIEW, LIKE A ONE PAGER, WHICH COMMISSIONS WHAT MATTERS, BUT CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU SOMETHING.
THAT'S ALL I THAT'S THAT'S I KNOW STAFF IS VERY BUSY, BUT I THINK THAT SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS EARLIER TONIGHT COULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
IF WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, THIS IS NO CRITICISM OF STAFF WHATSOEVER.
IT'S JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST CAME UPON ME THAT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS.
SO THANK YOU, ANDREW, FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION ON THE, ON THE DIFFERENT REVIEWS THAT ARE DONE BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND DSD, AND THAT THAT'S DONE BY WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND THEN THE CRITERIA THAT'S USED TO SEND CASES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION, UH, COMMISSION.
I MEAN, ONE THING WE DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR, WE WOULD JUST SIT DOWN WITH STAFF OVER LUNCH, INFORMAL, NOT A MEETING, NOT AN AGENDA.
AND JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER, LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT EACH OTHER DO.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
WELL, HANK AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, UM, COMMISSIONER SMITH, I'M SORRY.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE VERY HELPFUL TO ME AT LEAST.
AND I, WE COULD PROBABLY SAY OTHERS ON THE COMMISSION, WOULD YOUR, YOUR, YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
[01:45:02]
MICHELLE GREENBERG.UM, I DO WONDER WHETHER THAT WAS VIOLATING QUORUM, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, WHAT I RAISED MY HAND ABOUT WAS THAT LAST TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD SUBDIVISION CASES.
UM, ONE SAID, THIS DOESN'T MEET CODE, DON'T APPROVE IT.
AND ONE SAID, THIS DOESN'T MEET CODE, APPROVE IT.
AND I WAS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD GET SOME EXPLANATION OF WHEN IT'S OKAY TO NOT MEET CODE AND FOR US TO STILL SAY WE APPROVE IT.
IT SEEMS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IN THE, I, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, THE STAFF WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE REQUIREMENTS WERE SATISFIED, BUT WHY WAS IT APPROVED IF THE REQUIREMENTS WEREN'T SATISFIED? SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD GET STAFF TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE.
COMMISSION-WISE AND, AND SO, UH, CAN I SHARE A GREENBERG, UM, MAY HAVE JUST MISSED THE PRESENTATION RECENTLY BY STAFF.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO FORWARD THAT, UH, MEETING.
OH, AND I COULD WATCH THE VIDEO YEAH.
WE'RE ALWAYS POSTED, BUT JUST DIDN'T HAVE AN AGENDA.
UM, YEAH, IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHICH VIDEO TO WATCH, I WILL WATCH THAT VIDEO AND BRING IT UP AGAIN IF I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS.
[E. COMMITTEE REPORTS & WORKING GROUPS]
E COMMITTED TO COMMITTEE REPORTS AND WORKING GROUPS AND OUR CODES AND ORDINANCES, JOINT COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET.UH, WHAT ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE? NOPE.
SMALL AREA PLANNING, JOINT COMMITTEE.
WE ARE PLANNING TO, UH, LET'S SEE, SCHEDULE A MEETING.
I'M LOOKING AT MY CALENDAR RIGHT NOW FOR AUGUST.
IT'S IT MAY NOT BE POSTED YET, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE ON AUGUST 16TH.
ONION CREEK AND LOCALIZED FLOODING WORKING GROUP, NO MEETING MEETING.