Aug 18, 2021 Downtown Commission

[00:00:02]

FIVE.

WE ARE READY CHAIR VERY MUCH.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

AND WELCOME,

[CALL TO ORDER]

IT IS FIVE THIRTY FOUR.

I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, UH, MONA, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO CALL THE ROLL? UH, HAPPY TO CALL ROLL CHAIR HARRIS, UH, COMMISSIONER CHER.

JOEL, ARE YOU OKAY? THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER ROBINSON.

YOU'RE.

THANK YOU.

KAELIN COMMISSIONER REIGN, PRESTON.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER CANOPY HERE.

COMMISSIONER GOMEZ.

VICE-CHAIR LAYMAN COMMISSIONER TEMPLETON, COMMISSIONER LEVINE, COMMISSIONER, UH, LICK TICK.

IS THAT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME? JOSH? YEAH, IT'S LICKTEIG LICKTEIG.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER MEISENBACH CHAIR HARRIS HERE, UH, WAS COMMISSIONER MEISENBACH.

UH, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SHE WAS HAVING SOME TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES.

IS SHE JOINING US BY PHONE? SHE WILL BE JOINING US BY PHONE.

I DON'T THINK SHE'S DIALED IN YET.

OKAY.

UH, WELL WELCOME EVERYBODY.

YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE WITH ROLL CHAIR HARRIS? OH, YES, YES.

OKAY.

SORRY.

UH, COMMISSIONER HIMES THAT COMMISSIONER LIMONE COMMISSIONER KEATON.

MELISSA, ARE YOU HERE TONIGHT? COMMISSIONER TAYLOR COMMISSIONER, WHETHER BE THERE COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ HERE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

WE COMPLETED THE ROLE.

WE HAVE CHAIR.

THANK YOU.

UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I DO WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE HAVE THREE NEW COMMISSIONERS JOINING US TONIGHT, CHRISTOPHER TO LEHMAN THE NEW APPOINTEE FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION IS NOT WITH US.

UM, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS JOINING US IN SEPTEMBER MEETING, BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, KEELAN ROBINSON, KEELAN ROBINSON, REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE AND JOSHUA LICKTEIG REPRESENTING DISTRICT EIGHT.

AND, UH, IF Y'ALL WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, YOU TAKE THE LEAD.

YEAH, SURE THING.

THANKS FOR THE INTRO.

MY NAME IS SYED ROBINSON.

I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT FROM A DISTRICT ONE WORK.

THERE'S SOME FAMILIAR FACES.

I SEE ON THE SCREEN ABOUT WHAT KIND OF NUMBER OF, UH, PROJECTS AND, UM, UH, YEAH, I'M EXCITED.

SPEEDING TO BE HERE.

AND PART OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, ALL THINGS DOWN NOW.

SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, UH, WELCOME, UH, COMMISSIONER LIKE TEAM.

YEAH.

UH, JOSH LICKTEIG, UH, SIMILAR TO KAELIN, UH, THIRD GENERATION AUSTINITE.

SO, UH, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE IN DOWNTOWN AND, UM, HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS COMMISSION.

APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING ME WELCOME.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE DO NOT SHARE.

OKAY.

UH, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO, UH, POSTPONE THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE JULY 21ST MEETING TO SEPTEMBER, UH, THERE WAS A TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUE WITH A MINUTES AND, UM, YOU ALL SHOULD BE RECEIVING THEM HERE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO REVIEW, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE ACTION AT THAT TIME.

UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD, UH, BEFORE WE PROCEED UNDER NEW BUSINESS, UH, THE RED RIVER EXTENSION ATD HAS PULLED THEIR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

UH, SO WE WILL HAVE A BRIEFER MEETING THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

UH, IT IS NOT CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE RETURNED TO US.

UH, AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT

[00:05:01]

UH, BUT, UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE THEM BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO, UH, DISCUSS WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE FOR RED RIVER, UH, WHICH LEADS US TO, OR

[2a. Recommendations Addressing Fee-in-Lieu Recommendations for Great Streets, as requested by Resolution No. 20200312-040. Presentation by Jorge E. Rousselin, Housing and Planning Department.]

AND, UH, ITEM A RECOMMENDATION THAT ADDRESSING FEE-ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GREAT STREETS OR, HEY, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS OR HAIR SALON.

I AM DIVISION MANAGER OVER ZONING AND URBAN DESIGN WITH THE NEWLY CREATED HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

I USED TO BE PART OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE MERGED WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND I MANAGE THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION.

AND AS THE IS COMING UP, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING.

I KNOW BEEN AWHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

I BELIEVE LAST TIME I WAS BEFORE THE DESIGN, EXCUSE ME, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WAS WHEN I WAS WORKING ON THE PROJECT.

WE NO LONGER SPEAK OF THAT WAS CALLED CODE NEXT.

AND WELL, I THINK I SAID A BAD WORD ON THE RECORD, SO MY APOLOGIES, BUT IT'S EXCITING TO BE BACK.

AND, UM, I PRESENT THIS TO YOU.

SO IF I MAY CHAIR, I WILL JUMP INTO THE PRESENTATION AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE END IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.

THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO, SO LET'S START WITH, WITH THE PREMISES THAT GREAT STREETS AND STREETS ARE FOR PEOPLE.

THERE HAS BEEN ONE TRANSFORMATIONAL ELEMENT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE FOR DOWNTOWN IN THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT HAS COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED DOWNTOWN.

AND THE WAY THAT DOWNTOWN IS ACTIVATED, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

SO THE WAY THAT WE HAVE ACTIVATED OUR DOWNTOWN STREETS OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS EMBARKED IN NUMEROUS CIP PROJECTS TO TRANSFORM, UH, SEVERAL STREETS DOWNTOWN USING THE GREEN STREETS.

TYPOLOGY, NEXT SLIDE.

THANKS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

SO THERE ARE SEVERAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF GREEN STREETS STARTING FROM THE BALANCE USE OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY TO THE INCLUSION OF PUBLIC ART AND THE WAY THAT WE CREATE INTERACTIVE STREETS, AS WELL AS MAKING THESE STREETS ACTUAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE AND HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT AND OCCUPIES SPECIFIC AREAS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY TO INCENTIVIZE THE FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS OF PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATION IN OUR STREETS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE ARE THREE MAIN ISSUES THAT WE TRY TO ADDRESS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN STREETS.

ONE IS SHADE TREES, AND THAT'S REALLY TO PROMOTE THE ACTIVE AND SAFE PEDESTRIAN REALM THAT EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR WALKABILITY DOWNTOWN, NOWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY.

DO WE HAVE SUCH A CONNECTED GRID AS WE HAVE DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS THE ORIGINAL GRID AS DESIGNED BY JUDGE WALLER, UH, BACK MANY YEARS AGO THAT STILL SURVIVES MOSTLY TO TODAY.

ALSO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STREET FURNITURE THAT INCLUDES BENCHES, BIKE, RACKS, TRASH RECEPTACLES, AND, UH, STREETLIGHTS AS WELL.

AND OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE BEING IMPLEMENTED THROUGH GREEN STREETS AND HAVING CONSISTENT STREET LIGHTING FOR A SAFE PEDESTRIAN REALM, UH, IN THE EVENINGS AS WELL AS PART OF SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES REQUIRE STREETS.

THESE ELEMENTS ALL WORK TOGETHER AS A, AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM.

SO IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT MANHOLES, FOR EXAMPLE, OR WATER AND WASTEWATER ELEMENTS IN THE, IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, RACE FREEDOM AS WE'RE ALSO PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME FIELD LITTLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE GROCERY PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OKAY.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE GRACE STREET APPLIES TODAY, THERE ARE SPECIFIC BOUNDARIES AS TO WHERE THE ACTUAL PROGRAM APPLIES AND THAT'S JUST ON THE NORTH END OF THE BOUNDARY IS 11TH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SYSTEM CHAVEZ AND BOOK ENDING BY LAMAR ON THE WEST SIDE.

AND I AGE 35 ON THE EAST SIDE, HOWEVER, THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THERE HAVE BEEN PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE

[00:10:01]

YOU MAY RECALL THAT THERE WAS A, AN OVERLAY AND STILL EXISTS.

THE CURE OVERLAY OVERLAY C U R E, WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE MODIFICATION OF SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, AS WELL AS ENTITLEMENTS ON A PROPERTY THROUGH COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT OVERLAYS STILL APPLIES.

HOWEVER, IT IS NOT THE VEHICLE BY WHICH PROJECTS CAN REQUEST ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND DENSITY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

NOW THROUGH THE CURRENT AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ENACTED SINCE 2013 TO 2014 PROJECTS SEEKING ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND DENSITY HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, IT IS AN ELECTIVE PROGRAM.

IT IS NOT MANDATORY, BUT THAT IS THE PATHWAY THAT COUNCIL HAS PUT IN PLACE FOR ACHIEVING ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRID STREETS IN CERTAIN AREAS, WE STARTED TO LOOK AT CONFLICT WITH, UH, EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL, SPECIFICALLY ALONG PROPERTIES THAT FRONT ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF DOWNTOWN, MAINLY IN THE RAINY DISTRICT OF DOWNTOWN, WHERE THERE'S FRONTAGE WITH TEXTILE RIGHT AWAY.

AND IN THE IMAGE THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN, THERE'S A, THERE'S A GREEN OVAL OF THE AREA THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW WITH PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, AND THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF 25 TO 7 39 IS THE RAINY STREET SUB-DISTRICT OF THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY, AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BUILDINGS PERFORM IN THOSE PROJECTS FRONT ON TEXTILE, RIGHT OF WAY IN TRYING TO WORK WITH TEXTILES EXTENSIVELY, TEXTILE WOULD NOT ALLOW IMPROVEMENT OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY WITH GREAT STREET INFRASTRUCTURE.

THAT INCLUDES SHADE, TREES, BENCHES, BIKE RACKS, ANY OF THOSE ELEMENTS.

AND SO WHERE THOSE UPPER IS THAT FRONT, THAT PARTICULAR RIGHT AWAY UNDER A TEXTILE CONTROL, THE CITY HAS NO JURISDICTION TO REQUIRE THE STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS.

HOWEVER, THE EXISTING LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AS THE PROVISION THAT COMPLIANCE WITH GRASSROOTS IS MANDATORY ON ANY FRONT OF JUDGES.

I MEAN, ANY PUBLIC STREET FRONTAGE IS FOR THOSE PROJECTS.

SO WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS TRYING TO EXPLORE AS A WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COUNCIL DIRECTION INACTED, UH, LAST YEAR IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL ASKED SPECIFICALLY FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CREATING A FIELD LOO OPTION OR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE THIS KIND OF FRONTAGE FOR EXTRA JURORS, JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL.

THIS APPLIES TO VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS, AND IT WOULD ESTABLISH THIS ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS BY WHICH IT COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE EXISTING DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM PROCESS ITSELF.

AND IT WOULD ESTABLISH A FUND TO COLLECT THOSE FIELD LOO CONTRIBUTIONS, TO BE USED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING GREY STREET IMPROVEMENTS ELSEWHERE, DOWNTOWN.

SO I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE COUNCIL WAS VERY, VERY DELIBERATE IN SAYING THAT PROJECTS DO NOT GET TO GET OUT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR GRAY STREETS, BUT TO PROVIDE A FEW LIEU OPTION OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND WE'LL GET INTO THOSE DETAILS HERE IN A SECOND.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS BASED ON EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, ON CITY PROJECTS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED GREEN STREETS.

STAFF IS RECOMMENDING A RANGE OF COST AVERAGING $55 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE GREY STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

AND THAT'S BASED ON CALCULATIONS THAT WE USED FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT INITIATIVE, WHICH I KNOW THIS COMMISSION IS QUITE FAMILIAR WITH, AND THAT WOULD BE THE INITIAL COST TO CONSTRUCT GREAT STREETS.

HOWEVER, WHEN A PRIVATE PROJECT IMPLEMENTS AND BUILDS GREAT STREET IMPROVEMENTS, THOSE PRIVATE PROJECTS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN SET IMPROVEMENTS IN PERPETUITY.

THEREFORE, THE STAFF IS INCLUDING AND RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF 10% OF THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, ANYWHERE FROM DOLLARS AND 50 CENTS TO $6 PER SQUARE FOOT, ADDITIONAL TO COVER THE COST OF MAINTENANCE.

THIS WOULD BE A ONE TIME

[00:15:01]

AND THAT WOULD BE FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND, UH, OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, THE LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS, TRASH RECEPTACLES, BENCHES, ALL THE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS RELATED TO, TO THE PROGRAM.

IT WOULD ALSO CREATE A SPECIFIC FUND THAT WILL LIVE WITHIN THE PUBLIC PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF DESIGN CONSTRUCTION AND WEAKNESS OF GRAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

SO THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT ANY FUNDS COLLECTED THREE, THIS VIEW LOOP PROGRAM BE USED SPECIFICALLY AND ONLY FOR GRAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS ELSEWHERE.

DOWNTOWN NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

YES.

WHEN COLLABORATING WITH, UH, OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, UH, ON THE CREATION OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE COLLECTED.

AND THIS ALIGNS WITH THE WAY THAT WE COLLECT FEES FOR THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND OTHER FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROJECTS UNDER REVIEW AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

WE ALSO PROPOSE TO ADJUST THE FEE FOR CONSTRUCTION ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONSTRUCTION MARKET IS QUITE VOLATILE AND WHAT, WHAT COULD BE A GOOD STARTING POINT TODAY COULD BE AFFECTED AS THE MARKET CHANGES AND MAYBE COME TO AT LEAST A ONCE PER FISCAL YEAR TO RE-EXAMINE THOSE EXPENDITURES TO SEE IF WE'RE STILL ALIGNED WITH THE MARKET.

ALSO LOOK AT A WAY TO PRIORITIZE WHERE WE CAN USE THESE GRAY STREET FUNDS.

IF THERE ARE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS OR THEY'RE COMING, FOR EXAMPLE, PROJECT CONNECT AS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS WILL BE LAUNCHING IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF RIGHT-AWAY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG DOWNTOWN.

AND THAT COULD BE AN AREA THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GREASE STREETS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE ALSO WANT TO REEVALUATE DESIGN CRITERIA OR ALTERNATIVE IMPROVEMENTS WHEN THERE ARE THESE KINDS OF EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONFLICTS, IF THERE'S A WAY TO ACCOMMODATE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND THEN MONITOR AND TRACK THEIR FEE IN LIEU COLLECTIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 5,500 LINEAR FEET OF SPACE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS FEE AND LOO PROGRAM.

THIS WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO ALL OF DOWNTOWN, AS WE WANT TO SEE THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRAY STREETS.

COUNCIL WAS VERY SPECIFIC ON THAT WHEN THEY, THE GRAY STREET REQUIREMENT AS A GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THUS FAR, THE DESIGN COMMISSION HAS REVIEWED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAD UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION BACK IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.

AND WE ARE BEFORE THIS COMMISSION, UH, TO SEEK LIKEWISE, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WHERE WE GO FROM HERE IS THAT WE WILL PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL, HOPEFULLY BY THE FALL OF 2021 AND INCLUDE A REQUEST TO INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS TO 25 25 86, WHICH IS THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND START THE ACTUAL PROCESS TO DO THE CODE AMENDMENT.

SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING NOW IS NOT THE ACTUAL CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS.

THIS IS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE COUNCIL DIRECTION TO FORMULATE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WE WILL GATHER PUBLIC INPUT THROUGH THE CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS STARTING POSSIBLY THE WINTER OF 2022 INTO THE SPRING OF 2022 WITH POTENTIAL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION FOR THE CODE AMENDMENT IN THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, JERRY, THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND PENDING YOUR QUESTIONS.

I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER FOR THIS ENGINE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET'S OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMISSION CHAIR.

THIS IS DAVID COMMENTS.

UM, I'M WONDERING, THERE'S BEEN RECENT NEWS AROUND, UH, WHEN YOU MENTIONED TEXTILE DOWN AT, AROUND RAINY STREET, THE, THE, THE POTENTIAL CAPPING OF AND HOW IT MIGHT FIT WITH EXTENDING 11TH, 12TH STREET, SIXTH AND SEVENTH STREETS AS SUCH TRAVIS, AND EVEN MAYBE HOLLY, UM, IS THIS IS YOUR PLAN GOING TO FIT WITH WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN

[00:20:01]

OKAY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, APPRECIATE THE QUESTION THAT THE COUNCIL DIRECTION DID NOT GO INTO THOSE SPECIFICS, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH WHICHEVER COUNCIL DIRECTION FOR PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DO IN THIS AREA, SPECIFICALLY THE RAINY STREET AREA AS THOSE POTENTIAL, AND YET TO BE DETERMINED, CONNECTIONS COME TO FRUITION FROM THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN INTO THE EAST SIDE OF EAST OF 35.

THIS SHOULDN'T IMPACT THOSE PROJECTS FRONTING ON THE TECHSTOP MOTORWAY, BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ABLE TO DO ANY, ANY KIND OF IMPROVEMENT ON THOSE FRONT JUDGES.

THEREFORE THEY WOULD BE PAINTING THIS FUND FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION.

SHOULD THOSE IMPROVEMENTS BE ABLE TO BE PUT INTO THOSE PROJECT AREAS? SO THE CITY ESSENTIALLY WOULD BE BANKING THOSE FUNDS OR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRACE STREETS ELSEWHERE.

NOW, IN RELATION TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL COULD MAKE IT A PRIORITY THAT WE CREATE GREAT STREETS ACROSS WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE THE CAPTAIN STITCH, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IS AN OPTION THAT IS WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF COUNCIL TO GIVE US DIRECTION.

AND CERTAINLY THEY CONTROL HOW THE RESTRICT FUNDING IS ALLOCATED.

AND CERTAINLY WE WOULD BE WILLING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNCIL AND WITH ACTUAL DESIGN TEAMS TO, TO, TO MAKE THAT A REALITY OR HEY, TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY ELSE HERE IN A SEC, BUT I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS.

TEXTILE JUST RELEASED ITS THREE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES FOR, UH, THROUGH THE CENTRAL CORRIDOR AND HAVE Y'ALL HAD ANY DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT THE INTEGRATION OF THE GREAT STREETS PHILOSOPHY WITH THEIR DESIGN.

W WE HAVE NOT DIRECTLY WITH THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL THAN, THAN MINE TO INTEGRATE THE CITY'S POSITION THAT THE COUNCIL DID ISSUE A, I BELIEVE IT WAS A MEMO OR A LETTER TO TXDOT WITH THE PERIPHERAL ALTERNATIVE, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS PRESENTED BY TEXTILE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH TEXTS THAT ARE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, SO THAT AS WE START TO CONSIDER DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR THE POTENTIAL EXTENSION OF THESE RIGHT OF WAYS ACROSS WHAT IS CURRENTLY 35, THAT GRACE STREET ME, AT LEAST THE, THE INITIAL MODEL BY WHICH WE START THERE.

NOW, WE COULD EVENTUALLY HAVE GREAT, GREAT STREETS, WHICH ARE OUR KEY BOULEVARDS THAT WE SEE LIKE IN CONGRESS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE APOLOGY, BUT THE CHAIR TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, WE HAVE NOT HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS YET.

I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC DISCUSSIONS WITH TXDOT AND THE RMA ABOUT INTEGRATING THOSE DESIGN STANDARDS, UM, WHEN THEY DID MOPAC AND THE RMA WORKED ON THAT, THEY HAD AN AESTHETICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HELP THEM WITH, UH, SOME OF THE MAIN THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH THE CONCRETE WALL, BUT THEY WERE ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS.

AND I THINK IF THE CITY CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE THOSE STANDARDS AND WHETHER, OR THEY WEREN'T MADE KICKS IN OR TECH STOCK KICKS IN FOR SOME OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IT IS A WAY TO OFFSET THE, THE POTENTIAL COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING GREAT STREETS AND GETTING THAT HIGH LEVEL OF DESIGN, UH, VIA TEXT DOT RATHER THAN, OR BEING ABLE TO USE THE FEE IN LIEU ELSEWHERE, BUT CERTAINLY HAVING TEXTSTOP PARTICIPATE WITH THAT BEING A MINIMUM STANDARD.

I HAD A QUESTION.

OKAY.

HI, I'M LAURA TEMPLETON.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION? UH, DO YOU HAVE AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF HOW MANY BLOCKS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE DRINKS TO DRINK? AND I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY HARD TO TELL RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST THIS AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? IT'S ACTUALLY FRAGMENTED COMMISSIONER BECAUSE THEY, THE IMAGE I SHOWED YOU IN THE PRESENTATION WAS OVERLAID WITH THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDORS.

THOSE WERE THOSE LINES THAT YOU SAW ON THE MAP AND THE PRESENTATION.

THAT'S ALSO PART OF YOUR BACKUP.

SO, SO THE BLOCKS ARE FRAGMENTED.

THE ACTUAL WHOLE BLOCKS AND QUARTER BLOCKS THAT ARE FOUND ARE USUALLY IN THE RAINY STREET AREA WHERE THERE ARE NO CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR OR OVERLAYS.

THAT'S WHY WE DID A LINEAR FEET, BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF LOOKING AT ABOUT 5,500 LINEAR FEET OF ACTUAL PROJECT AREA THAT COULD POTENTIALLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS FIELD LOOP PROGRAM, BECAUSE THERE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITOL VIEW

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? YES.

YEAH.

SORRY, JUST INTERJECT.

UH, YOU HAVE, UH, TWO QUESTIONS, UH, HORNY, UM, UH, ONE ONE, WHICH IS, UM, WHAT DOES THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE UP UNTIL THIS POINT? AND I GUESS, HOW, HOW ARE Y'ALL SEEING LIKE THE MARKET RESPONDING TO THESE NEW FEE NUMBERS? THEY ALL, UH, THEY ARE PROPOSING.

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT APPETITE IS THERE OR, UM, BECAUSE LIKE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS REALLY IS, UM, EFFECTIVE AS THE MARKET WILL RESPOND TO IT.

SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS AS TO WHY YOU'VE ENGAGE UP TO THIS POINT TO GET, GET THIS, UH, THIS EASE LINDA W WE'VE HAD, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

YOU'VE HAD PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH DESIGN TEAMS THAT ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT STREETS TO TRY AND GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT COSTS TO ACTUALLY BUILD THESE IMPROVEMENTS.

AND THE PROPOSAL FROM STAFF IS WHITE ALONG WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS TO BUILD THESE IMPROVEMENTS.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION ABOUT MARKET REALITIES, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ACTUAL COST OF WHAT THE CITY HAS INCURRED TO BUILD INTIMATE PROJECTIONS ON BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE PART OF OUR PROCESS TO ENGAGE WITH ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS LIKE THE DAA DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS, DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE THROUGH THE CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS WHERE THESE WOULD BE THE PROPOSALS THAT WOULD BE OFFERED AND THEN HAVE A DIALOGUE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY IS OVERPAYING ON THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THESE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS, OR IF FULFILLMENTS ARE UNDERVALUED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE MARKET.

RIGHT NOW, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROPOSALS DO THE ACTUAL CODE AMENDMENT WOULD COME THE ACTUAL FINAL RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT WOULD BE INFUSED INTO THE CODE.

OKAY.

GOTCHA.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

AND, UH, ONE OTHER WAS, UM, IS ANNOYING WITH THE CURRENT GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.

UH, INDIVIDUALS ARE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE LIMITED TO, I GUESS, IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE, THEIR DEVELOPMENTS.

ARE YOU SEEING THERE IN ANY WAY OF, I GUESS NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF PAST 48 IN THE GREEN STREETS IN A LOT OF PLACES THROUGH DOWNLOADS, IS THERE GOING TO BE, ARE THERE GOING TO BE MAGNETS WITHIN THIS ROLLOUT? OKAY.

SAY THEN DEVELOPMENTS GOING ALONG, SEEING CESAR CHAVEZ, CAN THOSE FUNDS BE USED TO IMPROVE, IMPROVE THE STREETS GAVE, SAY FIVE BLOCKS TO THE NORTH IS AS A LEADER TO SEE IF IT CAN BE ENTERTAINER THAT IS NOT, NOT FROM THE COUNCIL DIRECTION.

OKAY.

THE COUNCIL DIRECTION WAS QUITE NARROW AND VERY SPECIFIC TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT FRONT ON EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL.

AND THE COUNCIL WAS VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT THAT.

CAUSE THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED AT THIS POINT IN OPENING UP A FEEDING LOO FOR PROJECTS WITHIN THAT TOWN BECAUSE THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL TO IMPLEMENT AND ACTUALLY GET THOSE IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN.

SO THAT THAT'S REALLY THE SCOPE OF THIS.

AND IN THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES AFFECTED IS QUITE NARROW IN POINT SMALL BECAUSE WHERE THERE'S THAT EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL CONFLICT IS WHERE THOSE PROPERTIES WOULD BE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW THERE ARE TWO PROJECTS IN RAINY THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH COUNCIL REVIEW FOR ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS THROUGH THE DENSITY.

WHAT IS PROGRAM THAT HAVING CONTRACT THIS PARTICULAR CONFLICT? SO WE'RE ONLY SEEING TWO PROJECTS THUS FAR WITH THE POTENTIAL OF MORE COMING FORWARD AS THE MARKET DICTATES.

THAT'S ALL I GOT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH OTHER COMMISSIONERS.

UH, I, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ON THE MAINTENANCE FEE.

UM, IS THERE AN ESTABLISHED, UH, STANDARD ERROR MAINTENANCE? THAT IS A PART OF, I'M SORRY, YOU BROKE UP ON THAT.

OH, I'M SORRY.

IS THERE A STANDARD OF CARE STANDARD OF MAINTENANCE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPOSITION OF THE 10% SURCHARGE? TH TH TH THERE'S NOT WE'VE, WE'VE HAD INITIAL DISCUSSIONS AS STAFF MEMBERS AS TO WHAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE MAINTENANCE AMOUNT.

KEEP IN MIND THAT IF THIS, IF ANY PRIVATE PROJECT WHERE TO INSTALL GREAT STREETS, THE MAINTENANCE IS IN PERPETUITY.

SO WE THOUGHT THAT AN INITIAL RECOMMENDATION OF A 10%, ONE TIME PAYMENT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE PROGRAM MAINTENANCE TO TAKE EFFECT, AT LEAST WITHIN A LIMITED TIME WINDOW, AND THEN BE ABLE

[00:30:01]

SO, ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS THAT IF WE ARE DOING A CIP PROJECT OR SAY ON FOURTH STREET, FOR EXAMPLE, OR FIFTH STREET WHERE PUBLIC WORKS WOULD GO IN AND LOOK AT MULTIPLE BLOCK FRONTAGES ALONG FIFTH STREET OR FOURTH STREET, ANY FUNDS COLLECTED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, ALONG WITH THE MAINTENANCE FEE, BE INFUSED INTO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE OTHER STREETS.

BUT THE 10% WAS THE INITIAL.

AND NOW THAT STAFF IS PROPOSING MOVING FORWARD.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING INPUT NOT ONLY FROM THIS CONDITION, BUT FROM DESIGN TEAMS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS TO WHAT COULD BE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT.

SO WE HEARD ANYWHERE FROM 5%, 10%, 20%, AND WE KIND OF LANDED IN THE MIDDLE AT A 10% INITIAL PROPOSAL SO THAT IT'S NOT TOO HIGH, NOT TOO LOW, BUT KIND OF AVERAGE, THANK YOU.

OTHER CONDITIONERS.

I HAVE A QUESTION WHO ARE, HEY, THIS, UM, IS PARKING METER REVENUE STILL A PORTION OF IT'S STILL GOING TO GREAT STREETS.

YES, SIR.

IT IS.

AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT, IT TOOK QUITE A HIT LAST YEAR WHILE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT TOO MANY PARKING SPACES BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND MOST OF US WORKING FROM HOME, BUT YES, THAT IS THE CURRENT SOLE SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE QUESTBRIDGE PROGRAM.

OKAY.

AND FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE ON STREETS THAT HAVE HAD THE IMPROVEMENTS DONE THROUGH CIP PROGRAMS, ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE MAINTENANCE? YES.

THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

OKAY.

BUT THE PROPERTIES THEMSELVES ARE YOU'RE ARE NOT BECAUSE THOSE, THOSE WERE DONE AS PART OF THE CIP, USUALLY BOND MONEY WAS USED IN THE CREATION OF THOSE GREEN STREETS.

AND THE ONLY MAINTENANCE THAT'S REQUIRED OF THE PROPERTY OWNER IS WHEN THOSE PROPERTIES HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND WERE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND THUS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THEM IN PROPERTY.

OKAY.

SO IF ONLY IF A PROPERTY APPLIES FOR PARTICIPATION IN DENSE, DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, WILL THEY HAVE TO PUT UP MAINTENANCE FEES? THAT'S NOT ONLY THEN THERE'S ALSO WHEN, WHEN A PROJECT, UH, ELECTIVE ELECTS TO PETITION THE CITY FOR A REIMBURSEMENT, A PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF GRAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

THERE'S ALSO A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY RUNS WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNER IS REIMBURSED FOR A PORTION OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A CAP ON THAT BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION I MAPPED THAT WE HAVE IN THE BRIDGE STREETS PROGRAM, THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY OUTDATED AS A MATTER OF FACT, AND WE WOULDN'T BE WORKING IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO UPDATE THAT.

SO THOSE ARE THE TWO INSTANCES WHERE THE MAINTENANCE COULD FALL ON, ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, THE PROPERTY ON SIDE AND THEIR CIP PUBLIC PROJECTS.

TYPICALLY IT'S DONE THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS AND IN THESE, UM, FORESTRY DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS THAT HELPS US TO MAINTAIN THOSE LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS AND THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS ON THE RIGHT.

OKAY.

SO THAT THE PLACES IN THIS EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION PRETTY MUCH ALONG 35, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO ALSO PAY MAINTENANCE WHERE OTHER PARTS OF DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN A CIP, UH, YOU'RE NOT ASKED TO DO THAT.

UH, LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THAT THROUGH THE FIELD, I'M SURE YOU'RE AT, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A FEE, CORRECT? CORRECT.

WE'RE ASKING FOR A ONE-TIME FEE PAYMENT FOR MAINTENANCE IN ADDITION TO THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COST.

OKAY.

WILL THAT ONLY BE APPLICABLE IF THEY'RE ASKING FOR A DENSITY BONUS OR ALSO FOR A PROJECT THAT WAS WITHIN THAT EIGHT TO ONE FAR, UH, THE EIGHT TO ONE FAR WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT RETREATS BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE RAINEY DENSITY BONUS.

IT'S WHEN THEY ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.

THAT IS A GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UH, ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, HEY, DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? I'M NOT HEARING ANYBODY WELL, JORGE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.

UH, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING THE PROGRESS

[00:35:01]

I, I DO APPRECIATE THAT CHAIR BEFORE I MOVE INTO THAT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HIRING A PROGRAM MANAGER TO RUN THIS PROGRAM.

AND THAT IS MS. KAITLIN AT MEYER.

SHE IS ON THE LINE, BUT I BELIEVE SHE'S NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING, BUT SHE IS RUNNING AND MANAGING THIS PROGRAM.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH HER AND WITH THIS COMMISSION AND YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOUR REQUEST CHAIR, WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY YOU HAVE THAT WE CAN COLLECT AS PART OF THE REPORTING STRUCTURE THAT WE WANT TO TAKE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND EVENTUALLY TO THE COUNCIL.

UH, THE DESIGN COMMISSION THAT WE PRESENTED TO IN JUNE DID NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEY ENDORSED UNANIMOUSLY STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO LIKEWISE, THAT'S FINE.

OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A LETTER OR A RESOLUTION TO THE COUNCIL, UH, IN SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION, OR WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, KEEP IN MIND THAT AT THIS POINT, THESE ARE ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN WE DO THE ACTUAL CODE AMENDMENT, YOU WOULD COME BACK THROUGH THIS COMMISSION AGAIN FOR YOUR FORMAL RECOMMENDATION ON THAT ACTUAL CODE AMENDMENT.

OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE LANGUAGE, COME BACK WITH A CODE AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.

ALRIGHT.

[2c. Downtown Commission Working Groups o Downtown Austin Plan Working Group o Joint Downtown Commission / Music Commission Working Group]

UM, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WORKING GROUP, WE WERE WAITING FOR, UH, IN SOME INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED, UM, BEFORE THAT GROUP CONVENES, UH, WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AMONG THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, A REMINDER THAT WE CAN HAVE, I BELIEVE FIVE OF OUR VOTING MEMBERS, SO WE DON'T REACH QUORUM AND THEN ANY NON VOTING MEMBERS, UH, NO COMMISSIONER HAIM STAFF IS GOING TO BE JOINED JOINING THE, THE WORKING GROUP WHEN WE'RE DELIGHTED, UH, THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

UH, BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO JOIN, UH, WE WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, THIS COMMISSION NEEDS TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS FALL, UH, FOR THE JOINT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MUSIC COMMISSION WORKING GROUP.

UH, IF AGAIN, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT W GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED.

UM, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING WITH THIS LATEST ROUND OF COVID AND HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR LIVE MUSIC COMMUNITY AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN GENERAL DOWNTOWN, SPECIFICALLY.

UM, AND SO, UM, IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN, UH, PARTICIPATING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

UH, ONE THING THAT WEBEX ALLOWS IS FOR US NOT TO SEE EACH OTHER IN PERSON.

SO I WILL ASK AGAIN AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, UH, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOUR FACES IN PERSON AND HANDS GO UP.

UM, THE, UM, NEXT OUT

[3. Old Business – Items from representatives of collaborating commissions including nonvoting members]

OR ARE YOU WITH US TONIGHT? SHE IS NOT WITH US TONIGHT.

OKAY.

I SEE COMMISSIONER YES.

HELLO.

SORRY.

I HAD A CONFLICT, SO I GOT IN LATE AND THEN I COULDN'T FIND THE LINK.

SO EVENTUALLY DID MAKE IT, UM, JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, UH, IT KIND OF PARALLEL, UH, THE WORK THAT WE'LL BE DOING, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN, UH, PLAN.

WE ARE REVAMPING THE PRESERVATION PLAN FOR THE CITY, UH, THE GROUP, UH, THAT WE RECRUITED OF A NUMBER OF, UH, DIVERSE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAS ALREADY MET.

AND WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A DOWNLOAD FROM THAT FIRST SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE I SERVE ON.

AND, UH, SO IT'S ON SCHEDULE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S BEEN GREAT PROGRESS, UH, ALREADY AT THE BEGINNING.

UH, I'M EXCITED TO HAVE MORE DETAILS TO FILL IN WITH YOU ALL, UH, BOTH AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW THIS PARALLELS THE DOWNTOWN PLAN, BUT ALSO, UH, IN THE MONTHS TO COME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COMMISSIONER WEATHERBY.

OH, WE JUST FINISHED OUR LAST MEETING A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO.

THIS IS SECOND TIME IN A ROW THAT WE'VE HAD TWO COMMISSIONED MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN AT.

UM, BUT THE ONLY THING ON OUR AGENDA WAS A REVIEW OF BOTH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BUDGETS THAT CAME TO US TODAY AFTER APPROVAL BECAUSE OF NO ABILITY TO MEET BEFORE APPROVAL, UH,

[00:40:01]

THE ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION IS IN THAT MEETING, I BROUGHT UP THE FACT OF THIS, UH, DOWNTOWN WORK GROUP.

AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE TRA URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION SERVE ON THAT.

AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UH, DOES THAT HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO ME, OR CAN YOU ACCEPT OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION? REASON I ASKED THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE PERSON WHO'S MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATION WITH THE UTC ON PUBLIC TRANSIT ISSUES MIGHT MAKE A GOOD ADDITION TO THIS, UH, COMMISSION.

AND I DID TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT ROB SPILLER WAS ON THE CALL, GIVING THE PRESENTATION, AND HE DID, UH, INDICATE THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION, UH, RELATED TO THE CONVENTION CENTER APPROPRIATE TO WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING, CHRISTINA AND MONA.

CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WORKING GROUPS CAN HAVE NON, UH, NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBERS? I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION CHAIR.

UH, THE ANSWER IS NO, THE MEMBERS ON THE WORKING GROUP WOULD HAVE TO BE MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UNFORTUNATELY.

OKAY.

MAYBE I CAN CONVINCE SOMEONE ELSE TO BE THIS COMMISSION, BUT, UM, I MEAN, I WOULD SET IN, BUT, UH, I, I HAVE A PRETTY FULL PLATE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

I DO THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT, AN IMPORTANT GROUP THOUGH.

DEFINITELY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND FOR YOUR DOUBLE DIP TODAY.

ALL RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER KEATON, ARE YOU WITH US TONIGHT? YES, I AM HERE.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE.

EVERYONE JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I RESIGNED AS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY ARCHIVIST IN LIBRARIAN WITH THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, JULY 19TH, AND MY LAST DAY WAS ON THE 31ST.

SO JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT, BUT I'M STILL HERE IN AUSTIN AS THE ARTS COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT ONE, STILL A LIBRARIAN, STILL AN ARCHIVIST, AND NOW AN ENTREPRENEUR.

OKAY.

WITH THAT SAID THE ARTS DIMENSIONS MEETING WAS ON 8 16, 20 21.

WE HAD SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS FROM PAT BOUCHER, I'M FROM THE AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS GROUP.

AND HE DISCUSSED PARTNERING WITH THE CITY TO SERVE 400.

UM, WELL, I'M SORRY.

HE DISCUSSED PARTNERING WITH THE CITY IN WHICH THEY GAVE BACK TO 10 TO 10,000 PEOPLE, UM, WHO LACKED, UH, FOOD WATER AS WELL AS THEY GAVE OUT 500 VACCINES DURING A MAJOR EVENT.

AND THEN THIS PAST SUMMER, UM, AS WELL AS THEY ARE PARTNERING WITH THE RED RIVER DISTRICT, UM, GOING FORTH AND A QUESTION THAT HE POSED, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S RESOLUTION ABOUT ART? AND THEY USE STAFF BRIEFINGS.

UM, WE HAD ONE FROM KIM MCCARSON IN WHICH SHE DISCUSSED THE LIVE MUSIC FUN EVENT PROGRAM.

UM, THE 20, 21 INAUGURAL MUSIC, HOT TAX REVENUE, UM, THE PURPOSE TO PROMOTE INDY, PROMOTERS AND PRODUCERS.

UM, SOME AWARDS THAT WILL BE GIVEN OUT ARE BETWEEN A THOUSAND AND $5,000 PAID OVER 12 MONTHS, 20% WILL BE GIVEN UPFRONT, UM, SOME KEY ELEMENTS IN REGARDS TO WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, DEALS WITH PRESERVATION, INNOVATION, ELEVATION, AND COLLABORATION, UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO THESE PARTICULAR GRANTS.

NEXT, WE HAD FULL ENOVIA HOLT ROB, UM, FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN WHICH SHE DISCUSSED THE AMERICAN RESCUE AT GRANT, UM, WHICH $1.8 MILLION WAS COLLECTED.

UM, SHE ALSO DISCUSSED THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND OR 21 20 22, UM, AT THIS JUNCTURE IT'S LOOKING LIKE THAT FUND HAS CLOSE TO $4 MILLION.

UM, AND THAT'S AN ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW.

UM, THEN WE HAD LAURA ODOR GUARD AND IF I'M PRONOUNCING THESE LAST NAMES WRONG, I AM SO SORRY.

UM, SHE IS WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION AND SHE DISCUSSED,

[00:45:01]

UM, NOTIFICATIONS ARE NOW GOING OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE ACCEPTING THESE AWARDS 217 TOTAL APPLICANTS WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS 196 WERE ELIGIBLE 21 IN ELIGIBLE.

UM, ALL APPLICANTS ARE SCORED AGAINST THE ESTABLISHED MATRIX SCORING EQUALS EQUITY ORGANIZATION AND URGENCY.

UM, THEN WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION COMING BACK FROM FLO NOVIA HOLT, ROB, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE $6 MILLION INVESTMENT, WHICH IS JUST ABOUT MORE FUNDING AS IT PERTAINS TO, UM, THE ARTS AND CULTURE IN AUSTIN, AS FAR AS INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY IN REGARDS TO THAT DISCUSSION, SHE TALKED ABOUT $500,000 IN A DSD FUND.

UM, 420,000 OF THAT MONEY WILL BE GOING TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BASED IN AUSTIN AS IT PERTAINS TO THE ARTS.

UM, AND THEN SHE WILL COME BACK IN OCTOBER TO AFFIRM AND DISCUSS MORE ABOUT THAT FUNDING.

UM, MOVING FORTH.

WE HAD CULTURAL FUNDING DISCUSSIONS WITH MEGAN WELLS.

UM, SHE TALKED ABOUT THE NEXUS AND THRIVE MODELS THAT WILL DEBUT USING HOT FUNDS.

UM, AND THEN I WOULD SAY ONE MORE KEY ASPECTS OF THE MEETING, UM, WOULD JUST BE ABOUT MORE FUNDING.

THIS WAS A FOUR HOUR MEETING PEOPLE.

SO IT STARTED AS, UM, BY STARTING, I DIDN'T GET OUT OF THAT MEETING UNTIL 11 O'CLOCK.

SO IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO NUMBERS.

I WOULD SAY TODAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER THE NEWSLETTER THAT WILL BE GOING OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS IMPORTANT MEETING, UM, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL, UH, AND OUR WEBSITE, AND I HOPE TO GET BETTER WITH NUMBERS, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF EXCHANGES, UM, IN THIS MEETING.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT YOU GAVE ME TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT VERY THOROUGH REPORT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE NEWSLETTER, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK WE CAN'T PASS UP.

KIMBERLY.

YOU JUST WENT OUT TO THE VERY BEGINNING THAT YOU'VE GOT THIS NEW GIG GOING ON AS ENTREPRENEURS, SO WE WISH YOU WELL AND CONGRATS.

OH YES.

AND MY SECOND YEAR AS A PHD STARTS ON MONDAY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.

SO PLAYING MEAN GREEN, YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE AS WELL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.

UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE, UH, WELL, AS I MENTIONED, COMMISSIONER LUMON IS NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION.

AND I DID NOT SEE COMMISSIONER TAYLOR HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE GOINGS ON IN PARKS AND RECREATION.

UM, COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ.

HI THERE.

UM, WE HAD A PRETTY BUSY COMMISSION MEETING AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETINGS OR THE FIRST MONDAY OF AUGUST.

UM, AND WE HAD A FOLLOWUP DISCUSSION ON PROP B IMPLEMENTATION.

UM, IN JULY WE HAD HAD A DISCUSSION THAT FOCUSED ON THE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ROLLING OUT.

AND SO IN AUGUST WE HAD A SORT OF FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION AND WITH MORE OF THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THEY FELT ABOUT SOME OF THAT ROLLOUT.

UM, AND IN ADDITION, WE HEARD FROM DIANA GRAY TO SORT OF, UM, GIVE US, UH, A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT THE HEAL INITIATIVE ROLLOUT IS LOOKING AT, UM, WHICH WAS ALSO A CONTRAST TO SORT OF THE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT APD IS DOING.

WE PASSED HER RECOMMENDATION, UM, BASED ON THAT, JUST, UM, BASICALLY, UM, THE GENERAL CONSENSUS, UM, ON THE COMMISSION WAS THAT THE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT APD IS ROLLING OUT.

UM, THEIR PRIMARY MISSION AND GOAL IS TO HUMANELY AND SAFELY, UM, UH, MOVE PEOPLE AND CLEAR CAMPS.

UM, AND WE DID NOT THINK THAT THAT WAS POSSIBLE WITHOUT PROVIDING AN ACTUAL HOUSING OPTION AND THAT WITHOUT HOUSING OPTIONS

[00:50:01]

SO WE PASSED A RECOMMENDATION THAT ALL, UM, ARRESTS AND CITATIONS, UM, HALT UNTIL THE CITY CAN PROVIDE HOUSING OPTIONS, UM, TO THOSE PEOPLE.

UM, I CAN FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

UM, IN ADDITION, WE HAD, WE ALSO HAD AN UPDATE FROM EMS, THEIR QUARTERLY UPDATE.

AND, UM, EVEN BEFORE THIS, I FORGET WHICH WAVE THIS IS WE'RE IN OF THE PANDEMIC FOURTH WAVE OF PANDEMIC.

UM, UH, THE VOLUME OF EMS CALLS WAS ALREADY INCREASING IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER.

UM, AND SO, UM, WE ARE ANXIOUS AND EAGER TO HEAR, UM, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE HANDLING THIS COMING QUARTER WITH THE CURRENT SURGE.

SO, UM, THAT WAS WHAT WE HEARD FROM THEM.

AND THEN WE ALSO GOT A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ON VA TO SET 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AND WE'RE HOPING TO, IF NOT NEXT MONTH IN OCTOBER, HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH FOLLOWUP CONVERSATION ON SOME OF THE, UM, LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT AND SOME IMPACTS THAT IT MAY HAVE SPECIFICALLY ON PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, BOTH WITH REGARDS TO FUNDING AND ALSO, UM, THE PERMITLESS CARRY.

UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS ON THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS.

AND THEN I THINK THE LAST THING WE TALKED ABOUT, IT WAS A BUSY MEETING.

I THINK THE LAST THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS, UM, WE GOT A REPORT ON THE INITIAL FINDINGS, UM, THE INITIAL FINDINGS FROM THE EVALUATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULTED, UH, EVALUATE SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATIONS THAT'S UNDERWAY, UM, THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED.

AND PLEASE DON'T QUOTE ME.

I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY IT'S IT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET AN UPDATE IN A FEW MONTHS.

I THINK IT'S DUE TO BE COMPLETED MID NEXT YEAR.

SO WE GOT AN UPDATE ON THAT AND I'M JUST, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES IN COAT IN SCOPE TO, TO COVID.

UM, AND SO I WILL LET YOU GUYS KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT ANY MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THOSE AGENDA ITEMS I CAN, OF COURSE, FOR THEM OVER, AND I WILL FORWARD OVER OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PASS LAST MEETING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, THIS WAS A BIG HOLE IN OUR CONVERSATION, SO, OKAY.

WELL, I'M GLAD I CAN BE HERE.

FUN QUESTION, UH, CHAIR, UH, PARIS.

UH, IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON THE, UH, DIVERSION CENTERS? I KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN THAT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THOSE ALENA, UH, ON DIVERSION CENTERS? WHAT SPECIFICALLY WERE YOU? WELL, JESS, I MEAN, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE IMPLEMENTING ONE, YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE A FELLOW OR SOMEBODY COME FROM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE CALIFORNIA, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S AS THOUGHT AND THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT.

I'M JUST ASKING, IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THAT FRONT? I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON DIVERSION CENTERS TO SHARE.

I CAN, I CAN ASK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PROGRESS OR ANYTHING TO REPORT, BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE OUTSIDE OF LIKE THE SPRING CENTER THIS CURRENTLY PRESENT? UM, NO, AND THAT'S FINE.

I CAN, I CAN MAKE NOTE AND JUST SEE IF I CAN, YOU KNOW, ASK QUESTIONS AND, UM, AND SEE IF WE CAN SURFACE ANY SORT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT.

UM, I WILL ACTUALLY USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND EVERYONE THOUGH, THAT THERE IS ONE, ONE IS TONIGHT.

UM, BUT THERE IS ONE MORE, UM, PUBLIC FEEDBACK SESSION, UH, WHERE YOU CAN, UM, MEET OUR, UM, CURRENT AUSTIN POLICE, CHIEF CANDIDATES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED IF THERE IS ONE TOMORROW NIGHT.