[00:00:03]
[Determination of Quorum / Meeting Called to Order]
MEETING TO ORDER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 12TH, 2021 AT 6 0 2.UM, WE'LL START OUT WITH A ROLL CALL AND I'LL START WITH THE MEMBERS HERE, PRESENT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SO IS I GO MENTION THE NAME, JUST, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRESENCE AND, UH, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE VIRTUALLY.
SO I'M PRESENT IS YOUR CHAIR, TODD SHAW.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER COX HERE.
COMMISSIONER FLORES HERE, PERMISSION TO REMOVE STELLAR COMMISSIONER SCHNEIDER HERE, COMMISSIONER SHEA, AND COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HERE.
AND, UH, THEN, UH, VIRTUALLY WE HAVE PRESENT, UH, CURRENTLY IS, UH, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UH, COMMISSIONER YANNIS, PALITO HERE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS, UH, JESSICA COHEN AND, UH, RICHARD MENDOSA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, WE MAY HAVE A FEW OTHER COMMISSIONER, UH, ONE OTHER COMMISSIONER JOINING US IN A LITTLE BIT OF WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED.
UM, I'M GOING TO READ THIS ABOUT THE HYBRID MEETING, UH, WHICH YOU ALL ARE HERE FOR.
AND, UM, SO, UH, WHAT WE DO, WE HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM OF COMMISSIONERS HERE ON THE DIOCESE AND, UH, THE REMAINER CAN BE IN ATTENDANCE VIRTUALLY.
AND, UM, SO I'LL BE TRACKING BOTH THE ACTIVITIES AND THE CHAMBERS AS WELL AS THOSE DISSIPATING VIRTUALLY.
UM, SO WE ARE NOT PROHIBITED, NOT PROHIBITING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PUBLIC BEING HERE FOR ALL OF THE ITEMS HERE AT ONCE.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, IS SO FAR, I THINK WE JUST HAVE ONE DISCUSSION IN CASE, UM, THAT COULD CHANGE.
UM, BUT AS WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, UM, PLEASE WEAR YOUR MASK, PRACTICE, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND, UH, STRONGLY ENCOURAGING MEMBERS THAT YOU KNOW, TO STAY IN ATRIUM UNTIL YOUR ITEM IS CALLED.
IF WE GET MORE THAN ONE DISCUSSION CASE.
AND, UM, LET'S SEE, UM, OUR LAND USE, UH, COMMISSIONER LIAISON, MR. ANDREW RIVERA WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE ADRIAN A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WE TAKE UP ITEMS. AND SO HE'LL CALL YOU IN TO KIND OF FOR THE EXCHANGE THERE, AND WE'LL GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES IN BETWEEN OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, FURTHERMORE, IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, YOU'LL ALSO RECEIVE AN EMAIL ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE COMMISSION TAKING UP YOUR ITEM.
SO TODAY, UM, I'LL HAVE A ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER FLORES TO READ THROUGH, DO THE FIRST READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, MR. RIVERA WILL HELP ME WITH THE SPEAKERS KIND OF EMCEEING THE SPEAKER LIST.
SO, UM, ALSO WANT TO REMIND THOSE THAT ARE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY.
UM, SO, UM, WHEN YOU MUST BE VIEWED, UH, WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING, SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY YOU CANNOT CALL FOR A DISPLAY OF AN EXHIBIT WHEN YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, UM, APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT THAT'S, UH, I GUESS IN LINE WITH THE TOMA RULES, SO, AND, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND FOR THE COMMISSIONERS VIRTUALLY JUST, UH, I'LL BE LOOKING AT YOUR COLORED CARDS, UH, PLEASE HAVE THEM READY TO HELP ME COUNT VOTES.
AND, UM, ALSO WHEN WE, UH, VOTE ON THE MOTIONS, I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT A LITTLE MORE ORGANIZED AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE FOURS ON THE DIOCESE, AND THEN I'LL COUNT THE FOURS ON THE SCREEN AND THEN I'LL DO THE AGAINST, UH, VOTES ON THE DYESS AND THE AGAINST ON THE, ON THE SCREEN, JUST TO KEEP THIS THAT'S, I'LL TRY TO PROCEED IN THAT FASHION TO KEEP, UH, BE CONSISTENT.
SO, UH, THOSE ONLINE PLEASE REMAIN MUTED WHEN YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND TO BE RECOGNIZED.
AND, UH, I GUESS I'M LOOKING TO MY LEFT AND RIGHT.
YOU ALL HELP ME OUT IF I'M NOT REACHING SOMEBODY, UH, PLEASE HELP ME OUT THERE, UH, TRYING TO LOOK AT BOTH Y'ALL IT CAN BE DIFFICULT.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, ANDREW, I THINK, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS TODAY? NO, NOTHING ON THAT ITEM.
UH, THE APPROVAL NEXT ITEM, APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
UM, THEY WERE IN THE, UH, BACKUP FOR THIS MEETING.
DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES IN ANY COMMISSIONERS? HAVE TO BE A MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH.
[Reading of Agenda]
[00:05:02]
OKAY.AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, WE'LL ROLL THAT INTO OUR, UM, APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS WELL, BUT AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, UM, ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER FLORES TO GO AHEAD AND READ THE, UH, STAFF PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, WE'RE NOW ON TO BE PUBLIC HEARINGS, B ONE REZONING C 14 20 21 0 0 8 2 SPRINGDALE ROAD.
BE TO PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 19 0 0 2 2 0.01 200 ACADEMY.
THAT ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION B3 REZONING C 14 20 20 0 1 4 7 200 ACADEMY.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE REZONING C 14 20 21 0 0 0 9 17 25 TO ME ROAD.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO OCTOBER 26 AND THE APPLICANT IS IN AGREEMENT B FIVE PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 21 0 0 0 5 0.01 ALPHA POINT 95.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 9TH, B SIX, REZONING C 14 20 21 0 1 2 8 ALPHA POINT 95.
THIS ITEM IS UPPER APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 9TH, B SEVEN, REZONING C 14 20 21 0 0 8 1 FIFTH AND WALSH REZONING.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR CONSENT AND I'D LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD CONSENT STAFF RECOMMENDATION, INCLUDING CONDITIONS AGREED BY THE APPLICANT REFERENCED IN THE AWANA LETTER OF OCTOBER 12TH, 2021, EXHIBIT A CEO'S TO BE MEMORIALIZED IN RECORDING INSTRUMENTS, AS DETERMINED BY STAFF AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT B EIGHT, REZONING C 14 20 21 0 1 3 7 34 27 JEFFERSON STREET NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO OCTOBER 26.
AND THE APPLICANT IS IN AGREEMENT B NINE CODE AMENDMENT C 20 20 21 0 0 8.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR CONSENT, B 10 ETJ RELEASE C E T J 20 21 0 0 0 1.
WEBER BILL ETJ RELEASE REQUEST.
B 11 FINAL PLAT OUT OF APPROVED PRELIMINARY PLAN C H J 20 20 0 0 4 7 0.1 A JENNINGS PLACE RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS, UM, IN EXHIBIT C B12, TOTAL PLAT VACATION C 8 76, 1 50.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR CONSENT B 13 RE SUBDIVISION C 8 20 19 0 1 42 0.0 A RESUB DIVISION OF LOT TWO GRANBURY PARK.
BE 14 FINAL PLAT OUT OF APPROVED PRELIMINARY PLAN C EIGHT J 20 20 0 1 4 8 0.1 A PROSPECT PARK PHASE ONE FINAL PLAT RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS AND EXHIBIT C B 15 FINAL PLAT OUT OF APPROVED PRELIMINARY PLAN C EIGHT J 20 20 0 0 1 3 0.1 A WEST BELLA FORTUNA PHASE ONE FINAL PLAT RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS AND EXHIBIT C B 16 FINAL PLAT OUT OF APPROVED PRELIMINARY PLAN C EIGHT, J 20 20 0 0 1 3 0.28 WEST BELLA FORTUNA PHASE TWO FINAL PLAT.
THIS ITEM IS RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS IN EXHIBIT C.
UM, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM, UH, ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? OKAY.
UM, AND I GUESS MR. RIVERA, JUST CHECKING, DID WE HAVE ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA BASED ON THE SPEAKER LIST YOU HAVE BEFORE WE COMMISSIONED LAYS ON HANDOVERS?
[00:10:01]
SO WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER FOR ITEM B ONE IN SUPPORT.UM, MS.
HI, I'M NADIA BARBEAU I'M SECRETARY OF THE PECAN SPRINGS SPRINGDALE HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THANKS FOR, UM, MAKING LITTLE SPACE FOR ME.
I'M I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 1 5800 6,000 SPRINGDALE.
UM, OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, UM, THE, UM, APPLICANT AND, UM, THE NEIGHBORS, UM, TOGETHER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AND SOME OTHER, UH, IMMEDIATELY, UH, BORDERING NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN MEETING.
UM, AND I WANTED TO SHARE THE AGREED UPON TERMS THAT WE WORKED PRETTY HARD TO COME TO, UM, AS A GROUP.
UM, SO WE AGREED TO A PRIVACY FENCE ALONG THE WESTERN BORDER.
UM, THIS IS ON THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PROPERTY, WHICH IS AN SF SIX, UM, UH, ZONED CURRENTLY.
UM, WE WANT TO PRESERVE TREES THAT ARE EIGHT INCHES IN DIAMETER, UM, AND PRESERVE THEIR ROOTS ZONES AS WELL.
UM, WE WANT TO INSTALL SMART THERMOSTATS AND USE THE AUSTIN ENERGY PARTNER, POWER PARTNER PRO PROGRAM TO LIMIT ELECTRICITY USAGE AND GRID PRESSURE, UM, DUE TO, UM, ALL OF THE POWER ISSUES, UM, IN THE CITY, UM, OR IN THE STATE, UM, AS A, AND THEN AS A GESTURE OF GOODWILL TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IMPORTANTLY, A, THE DEVELOPER AND, UH, HAS AGREED TO A $45,000 DONATION TO ESTABLISH
THIS IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR AREA TO, UM, DETERMINE, UH, WHO, WHO WE'RE PARTNERED WITH MOST CLOSELY.
UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS OR IN THE COMING MONTHS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND REALLY EXCITED.
UM, WE'RE ALSO W UH, AS WE'VE ALSO AGREED TO A PERMANENT POSITION ON THE HOA, UM, THAT LO LIAISES WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THAT'S ALSO A DUES PAYING MEMBER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SO THAT THE NEW NEIGHBORS ARE WELCOMED IN AND PARTICIPATING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND WE ALSO AGREED TO SOME PREFERRED BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE NEED GROCERY STORES AND, UH, COFFEE SHOPS.
I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO READ THOSE AND SHARE THOSE AFTER ALL THE WORK FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, SO, UH, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS, UH, HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT ANY ITEMS THEY WANT TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON CONSENT? OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND REREAD THE CONSENT AGENDA QUICKLY, UM, BUT TAKE A DEEP BREATH HERE.
UH, ITEMS B ONE ON CONSENT ITEM B TWO A AS FOR DISCUSSION, THE THREE COMPANY ZONING CASE FOR DISCUSSION, UH, ITEM B FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT, TWO OCTOBER 26 APPLICANT IN AGREEMENT.
UM, THE FIVE APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TWO NOVEMBER 9TH, I'M GOING TO BE SIX APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TWO NOVEMBER 9TH.
I'M GOING TO BE SEVEN IS ON CONSENT ITEM B EIGHT.
LET ME GO BACK ITEM B SEVEN IS ON CONSENT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ, UH, WHAT WAS READ EARLIER CONSENT STAFF RECOMMENDATION, INCLUDING CONDITIONS AGREED BY THE APPLICANT REFERENCED IN THE AWANA LETTER DATED OCTOBER 12TH, 2021, EXHIBIT A CEO'S TO BE MEMORIALIZED AND RECORDING INSTRUMENTS AS DETERMINED BY STAFF AND A LOT OF DEPARTMENT ITEM B EIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO OCTOBER 26 APPLICANT IN AGREEMENT, ITEM B NODS ON CONSENT.
B 11 RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS, UH, SHOWN IN EXHIBIT C.
B 13 IS ON CONSENT ITEM B 14, RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITION SHOWN IN EXHIBIT C, ITEM B B 15, RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS AS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT C AND ITEM B 16 RECOMMENDED WITH CONDITIONS AS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT C.
[Consent Agenda]
IF I COULD GET A MOTION TO, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 20TH MINUTES AND APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.I GOT A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SHEA.
[00:15:01]
LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE AND I WILL GIVE ME ONE SECOND HERE.DO YOU, UH, SO WE HAVE DONE IS ON THE DYESS.
THOSE ON THE SCREEN, WE'VE GOT TWO.
SO THAT'S NINE AND A NINE IN FAVOR AND ZERO AGAINST.
MOVING ON TO OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM.
[Items B2 & B3]
SO THIS IS ITEMS. UM, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP BOTH, UH, B2 AND B3 TOGETHER, AND WE'LL START WITH PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF ITEM NUMBER B TWO IS PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 19 0 0 2 2 0.01 200 ACADEMY.PROPERTY ADDRESSES ARE 1 46 AND A HALF, 200, 200 AND A HALF, 2 0 4 AND A HALF ACADEMY DRIVE.
AND 1 0 0 6 AND 1 0 2 0 MELISSA LANE.
THE REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE GREATER SOUTH RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA FOR MIXED USE OFFICE TO MIXED USE LAND USE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING MIXED USE ON TRACT ONE.
IT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE GREATER SOUTH RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM, AND THERE WAS CORRESPONDENCE AND OPPOSITION IN THE CA AND EXCUSE ME, THERE IS CORRESPONDENCE IN THE STAFF CASE REPORT IN OPPOSITION.
SURE NO VIRTUALLY WE'LL HEAR FROM MS. KATE CLARK PRESENTED THE ZONING CASE.
I'M PAID CLARK WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND I'M PRESENTING ITEM NUMBER B3 ON THE AGENDA.
THIS IS CASE NUMBER C 14 DASH 2020 DASH 0 1 4 7 200 ACADEMY.
THIS REZONING CASE WAS, UM, ACTUALLY, UM, I'M TRYING TO START MY VIDEO, BUT IT KEEPS SAYING IT CAN'T CONNECT.
ARE WE REQUIRED TO VIEW MRS. CLARK?
UM, MS. CLARK, IF YOU COULD TRY TO LOG IN.
UM, WELL, UM, THIS IS ITEM B3 ON THE AGENDA.
THIS IS, UH, CASE NUMBER C 14 DASH 2020 DASH 0 1 4 7 200 ACADEMY.
UM, THIS REZONING CASE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BEFORE FOR CONSIDERATION ON SEPTEMBER 14TH.
SINCE THAT TIME, THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE MET TO DISCUSS THE REQUESTED ZONING CHANGES.
CURRENTLY, THE APPLICANT IS NOT AMENDING THEIR REZONING REQUEST AND THEY ARE STILL ASKING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE THERAPY ARC NCCD.
THIRD REQUEST IS TO REZONE TRACK ONE TO C S M U M P TRACK TWO TO C S M U M P AND TREK THREE TO MFR MP STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION HAS NOT CHANGED.
WE'RE STILL RECOMMENDING THAT DISTRACT STAY WITHIN THE NCCD AND BE AMENDED TO ALLOW FOR INCREASED SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS ON ALL TRACKS WITH THE ADDITIONAL PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES ALLOWED ON TRACKS WANTING TO AS WELL AS FOR PUBLIC RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TO BE CREATED.
THAT INCLUDES ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS LISTED IN THE TIA MEMO AND UPDATED TIA.
IT WAS REVISED TO INCLUDE COVID-19 ADJUSTMENT FACTORS IN THE ACCOUNTS, AND THIS WAS INCLUDED IN LIGHT BACKUP, BOTH ATD AND THE APPLICANT'S TRAFFIC ENGINEER ARE HERE TONIGHT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIA.
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE REZONING CASE.
AND SO NOW, UM, MR. RIVERA, DO YOU WANT TO GO, PLEASE? IF YOU WOULD MC THE SPEAKERS.
SO WE'LL FIRST HEAR FROM MR. CHRIS LAWLEN MR. WALLEN.
MY NAME IS CHRIS WALLEN AND I'M THE OWNER OF 200 ACADEMY
[00:20:01]
AND SPEARHEAD PROPERTIES.I PURCHASED THE ACADEMY PROPERTY BACK IN 2012, AND MY ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO BUILD SOME RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON THE PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, AS I BEGAN TO BETTER, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NCCD, I REALIZED ANY PROJECT WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND LIMITED.
I ALSO STARTED TO GET A LOT OF SOLICITATION FROM DEVELOPERS.
WHAT I HEARD MOST FROM DEVELOPERS WAS WE WOULD JUST TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN AND KICK OUT ARLAND STUDIOS.
AND AFTER GETTING TO KNOW THE RICH HISTORY OF THE SITE AS THE AUSTIN OPERA HOUSE, I COULD NOT IGNORE THE PAST AND REALLY WANTED TO BE A PART OF PRESERVING A VITAL PIECE OF AUSTIN'S CULTURE.
I DIDN'T WANT AUSTIN TO BECOME JUST ANOTHER CITY AND HAVE SOMEONE BUILD GENERIC OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
I FELT THAT THAT SITE DESERVED A LOT MORE.
AND I ONLY REALIZED THAT AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OWNERSHIP AND REALIZING WHAT ALL HAD HAPPENED THERE.
SO I'M HERE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP IN BUILDING A PROJECT THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF TO ACHIEVE THIS.
I HAVE ASSEMBLED A TEAM THAT IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM RICHARD WEISS ARCHITECT AND LOCAL MUSICIAN.
IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMEONE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC AND DEVOTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT LATER TONIGHT.
YOU'LL ALSO HEAR FROM FREDDIE FLETCHER, A MUSICIAN, FOUNDER, AND OPERATOR OF ARLYN STUDIOS.
HE'S ALSO WILLIE NELSON'S NEPHEW, AND HE HAS A FASCINATING 40 YEAR PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THIS PROPERTY THAT I KNOW YOU WANT TO HEAR.
WE'LL ALSO BE SPEAKING, WHO HAS SPENT HIS CAREER SAVING AUSTIN'S LEGENDARY VENUES AND RESTAURANTS LIKE ANTONE'S LAMBERT'S CISCOS.
AND THE DEEP EDDY CABARET WILL IS ALSO A PARTNER IN ARLAND STUDIOS.
HOWEVER, AS PASSIONATE AS WE ARE ABOUT REVIVING THE OPERA HOUSE, WE HAVE NOT LOST SIGHT OF THE NEIGHBORS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY OUR PROJECT.
WE MADE OUR FIRST PRESENTATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN APRIL OF 2019.
THIS IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING AND ADJUSTING OUR PROJECT OVER THESE YEARS.
OVER THESE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE PROJECT YOU SEE TODAY IS NOT WHAT WE ORIGINALLY REQUESTED, BUT IT IS IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THEIR CONCERNS.
WE ALSO TOOK INTO, UH, TOOK YOUR COMMENTS FROM THE LAST PC MEETING INTO EFFECT.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING JUST OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE MUSIC BUSINESS, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO BE A MUSICIAN OR BE IN A BAND TO APPRECIATE THE ROLE MUSIC PLAYS IN AUSTIN.
AND SO I'M HERE TONIGHT ASKING FOR YOUR HELP, PLEASE REMOVE US FROM THE NCCD SO WE CAN DEVELOP A PROJECT THAT IS UNIQUE AND AS WONDERFUL AS AUSTIN.
NOW I HEAR FROM MR. RICHARD WEISS, MR. ROYCE, YOU'LL HAVE 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO SPEAKING IS A LOT MISS A LOLLY SHIPLEY PRESENT.
SO, UH, I GOT A QUESTION ABOUT TIMING.
CAN I USE SOME OF THAT TIME FOR REBUTTAL OR DOES ALL OF IT HAVE TO BE USED IN INITIAL PRESENTATION? MR. WEISS? I'LL BE SEPARATE.
I HAVE 10 MINUTES IN THREE MINUTES REBUTTAL.
IS NICHOLAS JAMES PRESENT? MR. WISE? YOU'LL HAVE 10 MINUTES.
I'M NOT GOING TO NEED ALL 10 MINUTES THOUGH.
AND CAN WE JUST, CAN I JUST SAY SLIDE WORK AS A TEAM? EXCELLENT.
I'M RICHARD WEISS, BRINGING BACK THE REQUEST TO REMOVE 200 ACADEMY FROM THE FAIRVIEW PARK NCCD AD M U TO THE COMMERCIAL BASED ZONING DISTRICTS AND AMEND THE FLUM TO ALLOW FOR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ALL UNDER THE INITIAL BASE ZONING OF MF FOR CS ONE AND CS.
THE REFRESH ON LOCATION SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE ARE LOCATED 130 STEPS FROM SOUTH CONGRESS IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN DOWNTOWN REGIONAL GROWTH CENTER AT THE NEXUS OF TWO ACTIVITY CORRIDORS, RIVERSIDE AND CONGRESS WERE LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM TWO PROJECT CONNECT RAIL LINES AND LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM EVERY PROJECT CONNECT RAIL LINE.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP IN THE LOWER LEFT-HAND CORNER SLIDE.
NOW ON LAST MONTH'S EPISODE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE ESTABLISHED THE NCCD REGULATIONS PREVENT NEW DEVELOPMENT ON THIS SITE BECAUSE THE EXISTING BUILDING AND HISTORICALLY ZONED PARKING LOT EXCEED THE NCCD LIMITS.
[00:25:01]
I THINK WE ALSO CAME TO CONSENSUS THAT THE BASE ZONING DENSITY COUPLED WITH CITYWIDE COMPATIBILITY WILL PROVIDE HOUSING BOTH IN SCALE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN LINE WITH OUR TEN-YEAR HOUSING CHALLENGE.PC RECOMMENDED THAT WE MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS AGAIN, FIND COMMON GROUND AND SHOW HOW WE CAN MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THEIR CONCERNS, PARKING, TRAFFIC, NOISE, AND TRASH WHILE BRINGING BACK THE OPERA HOUSE IN ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION SLIDE.
I WANT TO THANK THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP FOR MEETING WITH US AGAIN.
LAST WEEK, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON YOUR CONCERNS AND HOW OUR PLAN CAN PROTECT AND BENEFIT BOTH THE EXISTING NEIGHBORS AND THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF OUR DEVELOPMENT.
STARTING WITH PARKING AND TRAFFIC.
OUR PLAN FOR PARKING IS TO CREATE A PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE EXISTING BUILDING THAT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO HUNDREDS OF SPACES WITHIN FEET OF THE EXISTING OPERA HOUSE STRUCTURE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT YELLOW LINE FROM CONGRESS TO OUR BUILDING IS 130 STEPS FROM OUR BUILDING TO THE EXISTING PARKING GARAGE IS LESS THAN A HUNDRED FEET.
AND FROM OUR BUILDING TO THE NEW PARKING GARAGE HAS LESS THAN A HUNDRED FEET.
THERE ARE 500 SPACES CURRENTLY AT CONGRESS AND MUSIC LANE, AND THE REMAINING REQUIRED PARKING WILL BE IN OUR GARAGE LOCATED AT AT ACADEMY.
BUT IF YOU FOLLOW THE LINE FROM CONGRESS TO THE PARKING GARAGE, WE DO NOT PASS A SINGLE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT.
THESE SPACES WILL MORE THAN ACCOMMODATE OUR USE, BUT IN ORDER TO EASE THE IMPACTS OF PARKING WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT AND HELP WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR THIS EXACT CONDITION.
IT SAYS THERE TO EASE THE IMPACT OF NON-RESIDENT PARKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG STREETS, WHERE SPACE IS LIMITED AND MAYBE ADJACENT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
IN ADDITION, OUR PROJECT WILL CONNECT TO PEDESTRIAN BIKE RIDESHARE AND PARKING TO CONGRESS AVENUE, WHERE WE ALL AGREE THAT IT BELONGS.
FINALLY, WE HAVE AN APPROVED TIA THAT WAS JUST RE REVIEWED AND REAPPROVED BY ATD.
HOWEVER, AS REQUIRED BY CODE, WE WILL SUBMIT AN UPDATED TIA IN OUR SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL THAT WILL COME BACK BEFORE YOU FOR APPROVAL FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE OF THE OPERA HOUSE.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE NCCD OVERLAY, WHICH WILL ALL ALLOW THAT SITE PLAN TO DEVELOP SLIDE TRASH NOISE AND LOITERING.
HOW CAN WE SCREEN THE COMMERCIAL USES TO THE RESIDENTIAL NCCD? THE MFR BASED ZONING BUFFER WILL SCREEN OUR COMMERCIAL USES AND OUR PARKING ENTRANCE, ALLOWING THE VEG TO EXIT TO AN INTERIOR COURTYARD WHERE YOU CAN CURRENTLY SEE THE PARKING LOT THAT DASHED RED LINE IS THE MF FOUR BUFFER THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER CODE, BUT AS CRUSHED BY THE NCCD, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE 10 YEAR HOUSING PLAN WITH NO VARIANCES FROM COMPATIBILITY REOPENING, A HISTORIC VENUE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REOPEN A HISTORIC VENUE WITH A SYNERGY OF MUSIC RELATED BUSINESSES ON MUSIC LANE, REPLACING A HISTORICALLY ZONE PARKING LOT WITH GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, CONNECTIVITY SLIDE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE RED LINE INDICATES THE BUFFER TO THE, TO THE SINGLE FAMILY SO THAT NO SINGLE FAMILY WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE OPERA HOUSE.
THE OPERA HOUSE FACES OUR NEW COURTYARD, WHICH WILL BE A PARK.
THERE'S A CONNECTIVITY TO BOTH CONGRESS MUSIC LANE AND, UH, OUR, OUR PARKING STRUCTURE WHERE IT'S ACCESSIBLE AT TWO POINTS WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO WALK DOWN ACADEMY.
IN ADDITION, UH, THE, UH, UH, IN ADDITION, WE WILL HAVE, UM, ALL OF OUR TRAFFIC WILL HEAD WEST DOWN ACADEMY AS OPPOSED TO EAST, UH, WITH A HARD RIGHT TURN OUT OF THE PROPERTY SO THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE NO CUT FRUIT, TRAFFIC LEAVING, AND ALL OF THE CARS THAT ENTER WILL ENTER ONTO, UH, ONTO, UH, ACADEMY PRIOR TO ANY SINGLE FAMILY, THE ONLY DRIVE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP OF THE PROPERTY, UH, THAT EXITS ONTO MELISSA LANE, WHICH CURRENTLY IS 704 LINEAR FEET OF ROADWAY THAT SERVES FOUR HOUSES IS, IS A DRIVE THAT WILL ONLY SERVE THE MFR, RESIDENTIAL, ANYTHING TO THE EAST OF THAT RED DASH LINE, CLEARLY CREATING A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE USES.
ALL OF THIS CAN BE DONE USING THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN AS OUR GUIDE AND
[00:30:01]
BASE ZONING AS OUR TOOL.FINALLY, WE HAVE THE MUSIC VENUE.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO SIZE TO YOUR LEFT IS THE ORIGINAL OPERA HOUSE LAYOUT FROM 1977.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, THAT'S A SITE PLAN OF THE 42,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING THAT WAS ALL A CS, ONE USE COCKTAIL LOUNGE USE, AND THE COLORED AREA WITHIN THAT IS BLOWN UP UNDERNEATH.
THAT'S A VIEW OF THE ACTUAL STAGE THAT'S STILL ONSITE AND THE, AND THE, UH, THE, THE, THE SEATING.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE, UH, THE LOBBY WAS ABOUT 3,500 SQUARE FEET.
ORIGINALLY, THE MUSIC AUDITORIUM WHERE, WHERE THE SEATING WAS, WAS ROUGHLY 10,000 AND THE STAGE AND BACK OF HOUSE ERA WAS 4,000, WHICH TOTAL 17,500 SQUARE FEET.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WAS A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT, 9,600 SQUARE FOOT BALLROOM.
THAT WAS NEXT DOOR THAT COULD HAVE EVENTS GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY.
BUT OUR PLAN IS TO PRESERVE JUST THE 17,500 FOOTPRINT OF THE MAIN MUSIC VENUE, THE ORIGINAL LOBBY AND STAGE AREA, WHICH ACCOUNTS TO HAVE 17,500 OF THE 42,000 SQUARE FOOT EXISTING BUILDING.
AND NOW THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMMODATE TRAFFIC AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE NOT IMPACTED IS AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE BLUE LINE ORLAND STUDIOS, WHICH IS AN EXISTENCE, AND WHAT I'M CALLING THE LOBBY TO THE NEW OFFICES IS MARVELOUS.
RESIDENTIAL ABOVE THAT IS ALL EXISTING.
AND IT'S CONNECTED FROM FRONT TO BACK BY A PROMINENT THAT'S TWO STORIES THAT HAS A GLASS ROOF.
IF WE OPEN THAT UP TO ACADEMY, YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP, THERE IS DIRECT ACCESS TO 500 PARKING SPACES, RIDESHARE AND SOCO AND MUSIC LANE, AND OUR ENTRY OR EXIT OUT OF THE BUILDING IS FACING THAT GARAGE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HERE TONIGHT, ONE WANTS TO NEGOTIATE A SMALLER VENUE.
HOWEVER, SINCE THE ORIGINAL MAIN VENUE IS STILL INTACT, WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH WHAT PERCENTAGE OF HISTORY TO SACRIFICE THE SOUNDS THAT REFLECTED ON THESE VERY WALLS BROUGHT THOUSANDS OF MUSICIANS.
ME INCLUDED TO THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
LET'S BRING BACK MUSIC TO MUSIC LANE.
OUR PLANS WILL PUSH PEDESTRIAN, TRAFFIC, RIDESHARE, AND PARKING.
THE CONGRESS WILL REVIVE THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING AND OUR CITY WHILE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE THEREFORE ASK FOR YOU TO SUPPORT THE OWNER REQUEST TO REMOVE 200 ACADEMY FROM THE FAIRVIEW PARK NCCD, ADD THE U OVERLAY TO THE COMMERCIAL BASED ZONING AND CHANGE THE FROM, TO ALIGN WITH THE ORIGINAL BASE ZONING.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. FREDDIE FLETCHER, MR. FLETCHER, YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE, ONE MINUTE, CORRECT.
UH, MY NAME IS FREDDIE FLETCHER.
I BUILT ARLYN STUDIOS AND, UH, 1984 AT THE REQUEST OF WILLIE NELSON.
UH, HE'S MY UNCLE, UH, PRODUCED MANY MULTI-PLATINUM ANY GRAMMY WINNING RECORDS IN THERE.
ALL PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD KNOW THAT THEATER, UH, WILLY OPENED THE OPRY HOUSE IN 1970, AND IT BECAME FAMOUS INTERNATIONALLY.
UH, IMMEDIATELY IT'S HISTORY IS UNBELIEVABLE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, WHO'S WHO OF MUSIC FROM ETTA JAMES TO RAY CHARLES TO YOU NAME IT AND THEY'VE PLAYED THEIR, UH, REOPEN IN THE OPERA HOUSE WILL BE IMMEDIATE INTERNATIONAL PRESS FOR AUSTIN.
AND IT'LL SHOW THAT WE SUPPORT WHAT WE CLAIM IS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
AND AUSTIN MUSIC HERE IS REALLY CREATED THE AUSTIN WE LIVE IN.
[00:35:08]
SORRY.CAN I GET CLARIFICATION REAL QUICK? THE REASON THAT IT WAS TRUNCATED TO ONE MINUTE MR. WEISS RECEIVED THE ALLOCATED NUMBER OF THREE MINUTES SPEAKERS.
YEAH, THE, UH, THE DONATED TIME TOOK UP TO THREE MINUTE ALLOCATIONS WITH THE PROCESS.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SIGN UP FOR ONE MINUTE EACH SO THAT I COULD HAVE SEVEN MINUTES, BUT INSTEAD THEY GOT THE THREE MINUTES.
SO OUR THREE MINUTES SPEAKERS.
NOW WHEN WE HAVE ONE, ANDREW, UM, SHOULD WE GO AHEAD? AND, UH, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE TOTAL IN FAVOR? YEAH, I THINK I WAS THE LAST THREE MINUTES.
UM, MR. RIVERA, UM, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND GIVE, UH, THESE TWO, THREE MINUTES? NO DATING.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS ALSO PROBABLY THE SAME FOR THE OPPOSITION.
SO DO YOU WANT, LET'S GO BACK.
DO YOU WANT TO GO AND CONTINUE? UM, SECOND SPEAKER, IF YOU WANT TO GO AND YOU HAVE TWO MORE MINUTES, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE.
UH, THE ARTIST IN ORLAND INCLUDE RAY, CHARLES GEORGE STRAIGHT, SUBLIME, COLDPLAY, WILLIE NELSON, AND MERLE HAGGARD, CHILDISH GAMBINO, NEIL YOUNG, GARY CLARK, JR.
I WAS INSTRUMENTAL AND I'M A PARTNER IN ACL LIVE RATHER OF MOODY THEATER ACROSS THE STREET.
I WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DESIGN, THE VISION AND THE ACOUSTICS IN THAT VENUE.
WILLIE BOUGHT THE AUSTIN OPERA HOUSE IN THE SEVENTIES AND IMMEDIATELY BECAME FAMOUS INTERNATIONALLY.
IT'S HOSTED ALL GENRES OF MUSIC FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AT A JAMES JAMES BROWN, WAYLON JENNINGS, STEVIE RAY VAUGHN, LITTLE RICHARD, BONNIE RAITT, GEORGE JONES, LOU REED, THE EAGLES, TINA TURNER BOSS.
SCAGGS CHARLIE DANIELS, CHRIS ISAAC, FREDDIE KING, IGGY POP RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, THE PIXIES HBO SPECIALS, AND MANY MOVIES.
IT WILL CREATE INTERNATIONAL PRESS FOR AUSTIN.
IT HAS AFFORDABLE OFFICES FOR MUSIC RELATED BUSINESS.
AS SOMETHING WE DESPERATELY NEED.
I SPENT 12 YEARS OFF OF KNOWN IN NASHVILLE AND MUSIC ROW IN NASHVILLE IS REALLY TWO STREETS, 16TH AND 17TH AVENUE.
YOU CAN PARK YOUR CAR ON MUSIC ROW AND WALK TO EVERY RECORD COMPANY, EVERY PUBLISHING HOUSE AND EVERY MANAGEMENT CONTRACT COMPANY, AND MOST STUDIOS, AND NEVER HAVE TO GET BACK IN YOUR CAR.
IT'S YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR BUSINESS AND ONE, TWO BLOCK PERIOD.
UH, IT WILL HOUSE A MUSEUM FOR AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSIC IN TEXAS MUSICIANS, WHICH WILL BE VALUABLE.
THERE'S SO MANY GREAT MUSICIANS THAT CAME OUT OF TEXAS PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
NOW WE'RE HERE FOR MR. WALBRIDGE'S.
MY HEARTBEAT IS STILL NORMALIZING AFTER THINKING HOW I HOW'S GOING, GONNA TALK FAST ENOUGH TO TRUNCATE THIS INTO ONE MINUTE.
UM, IS THERE A TIMER AND WHERE DOES, UH, OR WHEN DOES IT START? I'M WILL BRIDGES, AS CHRIS MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M CO OWNER AND OPERATOR OF ANTONE'S NIGHTCLUB, AS WELL AS LAMBERT'S DOWNTOWN BARBECUE AND A PARTNER AT ARLYN STUDIOS.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN AUSTIN AND HAVE BEEN IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, MY ENTIRE CAREER, IN ADDITION TO HELPING REVITALIZE TWO OF AUSTIN'S MOST ICONIC MUSIC BRANDS.
OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, I SERVED AS A DELEGATE TO REPRESENT AUSTIN AT THE AUSTIN TORONTO MUSIC BUSINESS TRADES SUMMIT WAS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO BE CHAIR OF THE VENUE PRESERVATION AND EXPANSION OMNIBUS TASK GROUP HELPED ESTABLISH THE AUSTIN VENUE ALLIANCE TO ORGANIZE AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN'S MUSIC VENUE ECONOMY, AND HAVE SERVED AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE AUSTIN MUSIC AWARDS AND THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS TELEVISION SHOW MUSIC IS MY PASSION, AND I'VE DEDICATED MY CAREER TO TWO THINGS, PRESERVING AUSTIN'S RICH HISTORY AND MAKING SURE AUSTIN IS A CITY
[00:40:01]
WHERE MUSICIANS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO BE A SUCCESSFUL LIVE MUSIC MARKET, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THE CAREERS OF OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS.IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE HAVE A DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM OF MUSIC VENUES AT VARYING SIZES TO ORGANICALLY ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH OF ARTISTS AS THEY GAIN FANS AND TICKET BUYERS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING A PART OF THE AFOREMENTIONED MUSIC BUSINESS INITIATIVES.
AND IN ADDITION TO BEING AN ACTIVE CONCERT PROMOTER IN AUSTIN, I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW AND TALK WITH EVERY LOCAL PROMOTER AND TALENT BUYER IN OUR CITY.
AND IF YOU WERE TO ASK THEM ALL THE QUESTION AT ALL, IF YOU WERE TO ASK THEM ALL THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF BRICK AND MORTAR MUSIC BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT AUSTIN MO IS MOST LACKING? THEY WOULD ALL REPLY WITH A VERY SPECIFIC ANSWER AT 1200 PERSON CAPACITY MUSIC VENUE NEAR DOWNTOWN, AND IDEALLY WITH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE SIGNIFICANCE.
THE REASON FOR THIS SPECIFIC ANSWER IS BECAUSE AUSTIN HAS A VERY SPECIFIC VOID IN OUR MUSIC VENUE ECOSYSTEM.
AUSTIN CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE A SINGLE INDOOR STANDING ROOM MUSIC VENUE BETWEEN 700 CAPACITY AND 1700 CAPACITY.
THERE ARE THREE OUTDOOR VENUES IN THE 800,000 CAPACITY RANGE, BUT DUE TO WEATHER AND OUTDOOR AMPLIFICATION RESTRICTIONS, THEY'VE BEEN GREATLY LIMITED.
IN RECENT YEARS IN THE AMOUNT OF SHOWS THEY CAN HOST.
THERE WAS ONE 1200 SEATED VENUE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ITS CONFIGURATION ALSO GREATLY LIMITS THE VOLUME AND DIVERSITY OF SHOWS THAT CAN HOST ANOTHER REASON FOR THAT SPECIFIC NUMBER IS THAT AUSTIN HAS LOST SEVERAL ICONIC VENUES IN THE PAST 30 YEARS, ARMA DOODLE ARMADILLO, WORLD HEADQUARTERS, ORIGINAL EMOS WAS ZONA ROSA AND LIBERTY LUNCH, ALL VENUES THAT OUR CITY HAS SADLY LOST.
WE'RE ALL IN THE 1100 TO 1500 CAPACITY RANGE.
AND IRONICALLY, SORRY, IT'S IN THE HARD TO BREATHE IN THIS MASK.
IF YOU WERE TO AVERAGE THE CAPACITIES OF ALL FOUR OF THOSE VENUES AT CALCULATES ALMOST PERFECTLY TO 1200, I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO HELP MY TWO CAREER MISSIONS HELP PRESERVE A SPECIAL AND IRREPLACEABLE PIECE OF AUSTIN'S MUSIC HISTORY AND HELP MAKE AUSTIN A MORE VIABLE MARKET FOR OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS TO BUILD THEIR CAREERS.
FOR THAT REASON, I ASKED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELP FIND A SOLUTION TO BRING BACK THE AUSTIN OPERA HOUSE AS A 1200 CAPACITY MUSIC VENUE.
NOW WE'RE HERE FROM MR. EVAN, HYPHEN FOLLOWED BY PATRICK.
I'M A 23 YEAR RESIDENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 10 YEARS, UH, AT, UH, 6 0 7 PECAN GROVE ROAD, WHICH IS IN THE NCCD FOR FAIRVIEW PARK.
UM, I'VE SEEN THE PLAN THAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD MIX OF NEEDED HOUSING THAT IS NOT SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING AND OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK IT GIVES A GOOD PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.
AND I DO THINK IT'S SAVING A PIECE OF AUSTIN MUSIC HISTORY THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED.
AND I THINK IT DOES THAT IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL WAY.
I FREQUENTLY WALK MY DOGS PAST THAT SITE AND I GOT TO SAY, IT'S A DEAD ZONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S JUST A SURFACE PARKING LOT WITH NOTHING REALLY JUST SPEAK UP FOR IT.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY KIND OF SAD AND IRONIC THAT IN A TOWN THAT IS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, WHERE WE HAVE STATUES DIRECTED TO WILLIE NELSON AND STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE STEVIE RAY VAUGHN LIVED IN A GARAGE APARTMENT AS HE WAS COMING UP IN HIS CAREER, THAT WE ARE USING A PRESERVATION TOOL AS A WEAPON TO DESTROY THE PRESERVATION OF ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC MUSIC VENUES THAT WE'VE EVER HAD IN THIS TOWN.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. PATRICK, RICHARD, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO THE OPPOSITION.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH MS. LAURA TUBES LET'S TUBES BEFORE YOU PROCEED.
UM, AS THE MS. VALERIE FELLER PRESENCE.
IS COLIN CORGAN PRESENT? GREAT.
MS. TIPS YOU'LL HAVE 13 MINUTES.
MY NAME IS LARA TOOPS AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE GREATER SOUTH RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM.
AND SO I'M GOING TO START WITH HISTORY.
I'M GOING TO START WITH THE REAL BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF THE SITE, UH, WHICH WHITE POINT THIS TERRACE HOTEL, WHICH OPENED IN 1951, IT WAS EXPANDED IN THE SIXTIES TO INCLUDE THE 200 ACADEMY PROPERTY, WHICH WAS REFERRED TO AS A CONVENTION CENTER IN BALLROOM IN THE 1970S, THE TERRACE CLOSED.
[00:45:01]
AND IN 74, THERE WAS A CLUB THAT OPENED FOR LESS THAN A YEAR, WHICH WAS CLOSED DOWN BY THE TABC AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1977.WILLIE NELSON DID INDEED BY THE 15 ACRE SITE WITH 850 FEET OF FRONTAGE ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
AND THERE WERE CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH OPERATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS A HISTORIC PHOTO FROM THE FIFTIES SHOWS U S UH, SOUTH CONGRESS AND ST.
CECILIA, WHICH WAS A HISTORIC HOUSE AT THE TIME.
IT'S NOW BOUTIQUE HOTEL AND ACADEMY DRIVE AT THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE PHOTO.
WHAT'S INTERESTING IN THIS PHOTO IS TO THE RIGHT OF ST.
YOU SEE ALL THE TREES AND THAT WAS, THERE WAS A RAVINE OR A CREEK THAT RAN THROUGH THERE PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OPERA HOUSE BUILDING, OR WHICH WAS ACTUALLY THE CONVENTION CENTER IN BALLROOM BUILDING HERE AGAIN AS A TERRORIST MITEL IN THE SEVENTIES, 15 ACRES.
AND YOU SEE ALL THE FRONTAGE ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS THAT CONNECTED INTO THE PROPERTY IN 1985, YOU SEE HERE, THERE WERE MULTIPLE DRIVEWAYS STILL INTO THE SITE, AND IT WAS INTERCONNECTED WITH NUMEROUS PARKING LOTS WITH ACCESS TO SOUTH CONGRESS.
SO LET'S TALK NOW ABOUT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WHAT, WHAT THIS SHOWS YOU IN RED OF COURSE, IS THE SITE IN QUESTION.
AND THE YELLOW LINE, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS WHAT'S THE CUT-THROUGH ROUTE NOW FOR TRAFFIC.
YOU SEE, SO PEOPLE COME UP, MOONING CUT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY OUR HOUSES, AND THEY'RE GOING A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE COMING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHAT IT IS, IS CUTTING THROUGH TO GET TO
THIS IS THE BACK DOOR THAT'S GOING TO COME IN TO THIS, UM, MUSIC VENUE DEVELOPMENT.
THE BLUE LINE IS THE DISTANCE FROM SOUTH CONGRESS, WHICH IS OVER 800 FEET, WHICH IS OVER TWO CITY BLOCKS, UH, TO A SINGLE DRIVEWAY ACCESS FOR THE MUSIC VENUE.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IS THERE IS ONLY PEDESTRIAN ACCESS FROM A MUSIC LANE.
SO THIS IS A PHOTO OF ACADEMY DRIVE LOOKING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THIS FRONT OF ST.
UH, YOU CAN SEE, OF COURSE THERE'S, ON-STREET PARKING ALONG THERE.
AND IF YOU TURN AROUND, THIS IS THE, UH, VIEW OF ACADEMY DRIVE LOOKING TOWARDS SOUTH CONGRESS.
AND THE PAVEMENT VARIES ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 29 FEET TO 30.
AND THEY DID WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, THE MUSIC LINE DEVELOPMENT, THEY PUT IN SOME, UH, DUCK IN PARALLEL PARKING ALONG HERE.
AND THEN THIS IS WHERE YOU GET TO MUSIC LANE AND YOU'RE WALKING DOWN TOWARDS ITS DEAD END INTO WHAT IS I A FIRE LANE FOR THE ADJACENT APARTMENTS AT THE END.
AND NOW THIS IS LOOKING UP THE STAIRS TO SOUTH CONGRESS.
AND I THINK THIS IS THE YELLOW LINE THAT RICHARD IS NOW SHOWING AS A PEDESTRIAN ROUTE.
SO IT'S THIS, IT IS A STAIRWAY COMING DOWN FROM SOUTH CONGRESS THROUGH THE ADJACENT, UH, PROPERTY AND WHAT IT DOES, IT COMES INTO THIS POINTS TO THE DOOR, WHICH IS 200 ACADEMY.
SO THAT WOULD BE WHERE THEY WOULD PUT THE THOROUGHFARE THAT HE'S REFERRING TO.
IT ENTERS, I THINK ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THAT EXISTING BUILDING AND THE TWO PHOTOS TO THE RIGHT SHOW YOU HOW THAT MUSIC LINE OPERATES.
IT ACTUALLY IS KIND OF A LOADING ZONE DROP-OFF FOR THE, UH, HOTEL MAGDALENA, UM, THE PARKING GARAGE ACROSS THE WAY THAT HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT IS THE PARKING RAJ FOR THE ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH OF COURSE WAS BUILT TO GET THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ONE OF OUR BIG ISSUES, WHICH WE MENTIONED BEFORE I, WE HEARD TONIGHT, I GUESS THERE WAS A TIA UPDATE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IF THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, UH, THIS IS THE OVERALL PROPERTY.
IT SHOWS YOU IT'S BORDERED BY TWO LEVEL ONE, ROUTE ROADWAYS.
THERE IS A DRIVEWAY THAT COMES ON TO MELISSA AND THEN THE ONE DRIVEWAY ON ACADEMY IS THE SOLE ENTRANCE AND EXIT FOR THE COMMERCIAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND SOME RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE THAT THEY'LL DO IN THERE.
UM, AGAIN, I HAD SHOWED YOU EARLIER THE YELLOW LINE, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS SORT OF GOING TO BE THE CUT-THROUGH TO DROP OFF, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A RIGHT TURN ONLY COMING OUT OF THE PROPERTY.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF OUR ISSUES WITH THE TIA.
IT WAS MODELED FOR A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT MUSIC VENUE, BUT THEY TALK ABOUT A 17,500, THE 24 HOUR VOLUMES, WHICH I SHOWED THERE IN RED SHOW THAT THERE'S AROUND 325 ROUND TRIPS, WHICH SEEM INADEQUATE FOR A SHOW THAT CATERS TO 1200, TO POSSIBLY
[00:50:01]
MORE PEOPLE.UH, I'M NOT A TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
I AM A CIVIL ENGINEER, BUT NOT A TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
UH, EXISTING TRAFFIC COUNTERS WERE SET IN JULY OF 2020, WHICH WAS DURING THE TIME THAT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH CONGRESS AND ACADEMY IT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENT.
IT HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR 18 MONTHS.
I THINK IT WAS A TOTAL OF TWO YEARS.
IT WAS CLOSED, UM, IN MARCH OF 2021, THEY RESET COUNTERS.
UH, BUT THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT LOCATION ON THE GRAND, WHICH IS AGAIN THAT THE CUT-THROUGH ROUTE ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE ONLY TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PANDEMIC AND NOT FOR THE FACT THAT THE STREET WAS CLOSED ITSELF, CONGRESS.
AND WE POST THIS QUESTION NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE STAFF, BUT WE DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION WE COME UP WITH, HOW IS RIDESHARE ACCOUNTED FOR IT'S A DOUBLE TRIP, SOMEONE COMES, DROPS OFF.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS OUT OF THE TIA.
AND, AND AGAIN, WE JUST ASKED, THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE SAYING THE PM, UH, PEAK YOU CAN SEE IN RED FOR THE MUSIC VENUE IS 65.
AND SO HOW DOES THAT REFLECT A MUSIC VENUE, WHERE EVERYBODY COMES AT THE SAME TIME AND THEY LEAVE AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE NOT ALL IN THEIR CARS FOR THOSE 1200 TO POSSIBLY MORE PEOPLE.
UM, THE TIA TIA USED EMOS AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND WE JUST FOUND THIS OUT AT THE HEARING TO, UH, A MONTH AGO, UH, I GUESS SAY COUNTED THERE WHILE I'M SHOWING YOU THE COMPARISON.
IT'S LOCATED ON A MAJOR ARTERIAL IT'S BORDERED BY TWO COMMERCIAL STREETS.
THE PARKING LOT HAS FIVE DRIVEWAYS.
THE APPARENT SIZE OF THAT EMOS IS 14,000 SOMETHING SQUARE FEET.
I JUST TOOK THAT OFF OF GOOGLE AND IT WAS DONE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW DID THAT RELATE TO THIS PARTICULAR CASE? UH, THE APPLICANT HAS COMPARED LAMAR STATION MANY TIMES TO US ON THIS PROJECT AND IN HIS ORIGINAL PRESENTATION, I DON'T KNOW HOW SUCCESSFUL IT'S BEEN WITH IT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I WOULD ALSO OFFER IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.
THIS PROJECT FRONTS ON A MAJOR ARTERIAL LAMAR, IT HAS A STREET TREADWELL, WHICH IS SIGNALIZED.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S FOUR DRIVEWAYS AND THE SIGNAL ALLOWS EXITING TRAFFIC FROM THE ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE.
AND THIS HAS A HIGH BALL, UH, TO GO EITHER NORTH OR SOUTH ON LAMAR.
SO WE REALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LDC SECTION 26 DASH 6 1 11 THROUGH 1 43, WHICH DOES REQUIRE A TIA AT ZONING.
YES, IT HAS TO BE UPDATED AT SITE PLAN BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE WE, WE FEEL THERE'S A LOT OF FLAWS IN IT.
SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO SAY IT'S DEMONSTRATED THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT.
AND WE REALIZED THAT THERE ARE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS COMING TO THE CITY.
AND OF COURSE, ANYBODY'S GUESS IS AT 12 OR 15 YEARS AWAY, BUT THERE WE ARE STILL PRETTY CAR DEPENDENT, BUT NOW LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT WE SUPPORT AND WHO WE ARE.
AND, AND THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED OURSELVES, MOST OF THIS CONTACT TEAM HAS LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBOR HAD ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 40 YEARS AND PROBABLY SOME OF THEM MORE THAN 40 YEARS, MOST HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY AND TIME TO RENOVATE AND PRESERVE THEIR HOMES AND INCLUDING EXISTING HISTORICAL HOMES.
THAT DATE FROM THE 18 HUNDREDS, WE'VE MET MANY TIMES TO DISCUSS HOW DO WE MEET THE DEMANDS OF A GROWING CITY WITH INCREASED NEEDS FOR HOUSING? HOW DO WE HONOR THIS MUSIC HISTORY AND THE CURRENT NEEDS? HOW DO WE OFFER A PLAN WITHOUT ADEQUATE INCORRECT INFORMATION ON TRAFFIC CONSEQUENCES? AND HOW DO WE CHANGE THE EXISTING OVERLAYS ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH CURRENTLY RESTRICTED TO OFFICE AND MULTIFAMILY AND HAVE OTHER DENSITY RESTRICTIONS.
AND HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF A LARGE COCKTAIL LOUNGE USE AS REQUESTED? AND HERE'S THE PROBLEMS WE STRUGGLED WITH THIS APPLICATION IS TO ALLOW A COCKTAIL LOUNGE USE WITH LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE ULTIMATE SIZE.
WE BELIEVE THERE ARE DESIGN ISSUES IN A 17,500 SQUARE FOOT VENUE.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR THE STANDING ROOM OR THE SEATING ROOM? IF YOU TAKE THE CALCULATIONS, IF 75% OF IT IS DESIGNED FOR THAT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 1800 PEOPLE.
NOW THE APPLICANT IS SAYING 1200 PEOPLE.
THERE'S ALSO FLEX SPACE IN THE APPLICATION.
WE LOVE A MUSEUM, EVERYBODY WHAT THE SPEAKERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT, YES, LET'S PRESERVE, LET'S CELEBRATE THIS.
AND A MUSEUM THOUGH IS NOT A COCKTAIL LAND USE.
SO OUR CONCERN IS, IS THAT GOING TO BE INCORPORATED TO, TO SERVE THESE VERY LARGE SHOWS, PARKING
[00:55:01]
ISSUES? WE WERE CONCERNED.AND WE, WE SPOKE ALL OF THESE THINGS TO THE, TO THE APPLICANT, BUT RATHER THAN PAY FOR PARKING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAKE IT FREE FOR EMPLOYEES AND FOR VENUE USERS, BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE THEY'LL PARK ON THE STREET AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKING PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AVAILABLE, IT REALLY PENALIZES THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PUSHES THEM FURTHER INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL MIX SHOES.
AND THAT'S OUR BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THE VENUE IS THAT YOU HAVE PATRONS ANYWHERE AT 1200, 1800, BASICALLY ARRIVE AT ONE TIME AND LEAVE AT ONE TIME.
AND THAT TIME IS NOT LIKE FIVE O'CLOCK OR EIGHT O'CLOCK WHEN YOU LEAVE A NICE RESTAURANT THAT'S MIDNIGHT, THAT'S 2:00 AM.
AND THAT HAS A TREMENDOUS EFFECT ON A NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT YOU ASKED US TO LOOK AT A BETTER PLAN.
AND WE DID MEET WITH THE APPLICANT AND WE OFFERED, AND THEY WEREN'T REALLY DISCUSSED ON THEIR SIDE.
WE DIDN'T GET AGREEMENT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE TOLD THEM WE CAN SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR MULTIFAMILY ON TRACK THREE THAT REMOVES THE RISK, THE GREATER RESTRICTIONS OF THE NCCD.
NOW STAFF CHOSE TO LIMIT IT SOMEWHAT, BUT WE'RE BACKING OFF OF THE NCCD AND SAY, YES, HOUSING, BRING IT ON.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE HOUSING MUSICIANS.
IF WE'VE TRULY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, HOW DO WE SUPPORT THOSE WHO NO LONGER CAN EVEN LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? WE ALSO SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRACK TWO AND THREE, WHICH INCREASES THE, THE HEIGHT TO 60 FEET, WHICH WAS NOT IN THE NCCD.
AND IT ALLOWS FOR MIXED USE, BUT WE WANT TO LIMIT THE COCKTAIL LOUNGE.
AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHAT WE DID.
WE UNDERSTAND THE CONTINENTAL CLUB, IT'S IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT FRONT SOUTH CONGRESS, BUT IT'S IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT IT'S ROUGHLY AROUND 2,500 SQUARE FEET.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE COULD FEEL AND KNOW AND FEEL IS APPROPRIATE.
SO HOW COULD THAT BE INCORPORATED? AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR LISTENING ROOMS. I CAN'T SPEAK TO MS. BRITT, MR. BRIDGES, A RESEARCH ON A NEED FOR THIS PARTICULAR VENUE, BUT I REMEMBER THE DUBAI, DUBAI DEMISE OF IMAGE JOE'S OR THE CACTUS CAFE OR PLACES WHERE YOU REALLY COULD GO AND LISTEN, DO WE NEED INTERNATIONAL, UH, PEOPLE HERE.
SO, AND FINALLY WE SUPPORT THE LOCATION AND MORE BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO MUSICIANS.
THE RECORDING STUDIO IS FABULOUS.
HOW ABOUT RECORD LABEL GUYS, AND THEN NO OUTDOOR MUSIC.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, MS. THOMPSON, MR. BRIAN BEATING.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FREE.
I PLANNED FOR ONE I'M BRIAN BD.
I'M A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, A SONGWRITER AND RECORD PRODUCER.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE SINCE 1979.
MY WIFE IS AN ARTIST AND WE LIVE AND WORK ON RAVINE DRIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTY WITHIN 130 FEET OF THE ONLY DRIVABLE, UH, ENTRANCE TO THE PROPOSED REVAMPED AUSTIN OPERA HOUSE.
UH, THE WELL CHRONICAL HISTORY OF THE OPERA HOUSE DEMONSTRATES THREE DISTINCT ATTEMPTS AND FAILURES TO SAFELY RUN A NIGHTCLUB OF THE SIZE THEY'RE PROPOSING WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE FACT IS THE LOCATION, UH, HAD EVEN MORE STREET ACCESS EVERY TIME IT FAILED THAN IT DOES NOW.
AND EVERY ITERATION OF THE OPERA HOUSE, THE SAME THING HAPPENS.
THE CLUB CANNOT CONTROL THE CLIENT'S BEHAVIOR BEYOND THE PROPERTY LIMITS AND INABILITY TO CONTROL MASSES OF INTOXICATED PEOPLE, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF ALCOHOL ESTABLISHMENTS IS A FAMOUS PROBLEM ALONG SIXTH STREET AND GETTING MORE LETHAL BY THE DAY, LARGE NIGHTCLUBS ASSEMBLE AND RELEASE MASSES OF PEOPLE AND ARE FUELED BY THE ALCOHOL ECONOMY.
PLEASE DON'T ALLOW THAT ATMOSPHERE TO INVADE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, YET AGAIN, AND, UH, SINCE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, ANTONE'S, UH, IS NOT, IS NOT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT ORIGINALLY WAS.
IT HAD TO MOVE, IT MOVED TWICE AS A MATTER OF FACT, TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE IT CAN STAY, UH, EMOS, UH, WAS DOWNTOWN.
IT HAD TO MOVE TO WHERE IT IS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE ITS OPERATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT THE BRAND AND, UH, THE MUSIC CULTURE IS WONDERFUL.
I'M A MUSICIAN, YOU KNOW, I LOVE IT, BUT HAVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S LIKE PUTTING, IT'S LIKE HAVING SIXTH STREET ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND A NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE OTHER.
I MEAN, IT'S IT'S, AND IT'S PROVEN TO, UH, FAIL BEFORE.
[01:00:01]
MINI.UM, THAT CONCLUDES THE REGISTER REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM, UM, MR. WEISS ON THE REBUTTAL AS WE DO THAT, MR. WEISS YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO START BY JUST TALKING ABOUT THE TIA, JUST BY SAYING WE SUBMITTED A TIA, IT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY.
WE HAVE TO SUBMIT ANOTHER TIA.
THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR EXACT USES.
SO I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT ASIDE FOR A MINUTE.
UH, THE WIDTH OF THE STREET OF ACADEMY IS THE SAME.
UH, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING TO THE END.
SO, UM, ONE MORE SLIDE FORWARD THERE.
SO THE WIDTH OF ACADEMY IS THE SAME AS THE WIDTH OF TREADWELL, UH, UM, UH, FOR THE LAMAR UNION.
THERE ARE TWO DRIVES ON LAMAR, BUT THEY'RE BOTH ONE WAY.
SO YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF THE PROJECT ON LAMAR.
THEY'RE BOTH SIGNALIZED LIGHTS.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS YOU HAVE TO PASS FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ON TREADWELL AND ZERO ON ACADEMY.
NOW, AS FAR AS THE VENUE SIZE, WE WOULDN'T BE ASKING FOR THIS SIZE VENUE.
IF IT DIDN'T ALREADY EXIST, IF THE WALLS WEREN'T ALREADY THERE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW CAN WE MITIGATE THE ISSUES? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MITIGATE THE HOURS OF OPERATION.
WE CAN PUT THAT IN A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY.
WE CAN LIMIT THE SIZE TO 1200, EVEN IF THERE COULD BE MORE, WHICH WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THERE IS ALREADY A CONTINENTAL CLUB WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE COMPETITION.
BUT THE BIG QUESTION THAT WE ASKED OURSELVES IS WHO'S GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT AND WHO WILL BE IMPACTED AFTER OUR LAST MEETING.
WE, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, THE DAY AFTER THE MEETING, WE DID A DEEP DIVE OF WHO'S ACTUALLY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WE FOUND IT USING THE SAME TOOLS THAT NHC D USES TO DO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD STUDIES, THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS SINGING 74%, SINGLE 9% OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE CHILDREN UNDER 18 AND 8% OF OUR PEOPLE OVER 65.
THE VAST MAJORITY IS, UH, 60% OF THE POPULATION IS BETWEEN 18 AND 45 AND SINGLE THE STUDY.
AND THESE ARE THE WORDS OF THE STUDY DESCRIBED THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS A HIP TRENDY, URBAN SOPHISTICATE, YOUNG SINGLE PROFESSIONAL LUXURY COMMUNITY.
THIS IS NOT WHAT WE ARE CREATING.
THIS IS WHAT EXISTS CURRENTLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UH, AND WE FEEL THAT, UH, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALSO VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE IN THIS CATCHMENT AREA.
IT'S $714 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR HOUSES.
SO A 1400 SQUARE FOOT WOULD RUN OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE CLOSEST HOUSE TO THIS PROPERTY IS OVER 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT NOT ONLY THE, THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL THAT WE'RE ADDING, BUT THE MUSIC USE IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE ACTUAL DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE RAIL LINE THAT'S COMING.
WE WANT TO BUILD TO THE FUTURE.
AND WE DON'T WANT THE, THE NCCD TO, UH, TO INHIBIT THAT, UM, THE OTHER ISSUES WITH NCCD, JUST BECAUSE IT IS, WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT, UH, THAT WE'D LIKE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE NCCD IS THAT THEIR COMPATIBILITY WOULD TAKE US DOWN TO TWO STORIES AND 30 FEET WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF ANY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY THREE STORIES TO FOUR STORIES.
ALSO, OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER IS HERE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF THEM.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS OR THE PUPPY HERE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER SNYDER AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SHAY.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND COUNT THE, UH, THE DYESS VOTES.
AND THEN ON THE SCREEN UP, UH, WE HAVE THREE, SO THAT'S 10, 10 0.
UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WITH OUR ROUND ROBIN QUESTIONS.
UH, WE HAVE EIGHT SPOTS, FIVE MINUTES EACH.
SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER MR. DOLLAR? I HAVE A TON.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I I'D LIKE TO THANK BOTH PARTIES.
UM, I SAW EFFORTS FROM BOTH SIDES TO TRY AND FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO A RESOLUTION THAT WILL MOVE EVERYBODY FORWARD IN A POSITIVE WAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, SO I MIGHT NEED HELP WITH THAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT, UM, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE PARKING SITUATION.
[01:05:01]
I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.THERE'S A PARKING GARAGE AT MUSIC LANE THAT I BELIEVE IS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE, AND I JUST DON'T KNOW THE CODE ON HOW THAT PARKING WORKS AND DO THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVAL TO USE PARKING? THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I WAS TRYING TO GET, UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A STAFF QUESTION OR AN ENGINEER QUESTION, OR IF AN AGREEMENT'S BEEN WORKED OUT, I DON'T KNOW WHO TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION TO, DO YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE APPLICANT? IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE READY.
THAT MAY HAVE AN ANSWER ACQUIRED PARKING FOR OUR PROJECT WILL BE ONSITE.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE ONE DRIVE ON ACADEMY, WHICH WE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE DRIVES OUT, BUT WE WANT TO LIMIT THE ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST LIKE CITY HALL HAS HOWEVER MANY SPACES UNDERNEATH IT.
AND THERE'S ONE WAY OUT THAT IS A REALISTIC, THE, THE CURRENT, UH, UM, UH, GARAGE ON MUSIC LANE IS A PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE.
THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT IT THOUGH, IS THAT ALL OF THE MUSIC LANE WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ADD SIGNIFICANT DESERT DENSITY ON THE CORRIDOR.
EVERY SINGLE USE IS, UH, IS AN OFFICE USE ABOVE, UH, THE GROUND FLOOR.
SO YOU HAVE RESTAURANT RETAIL AND OFFICE THAT THAT IS A, A GARAGE THAT SAYS MAJORITY EMPTY AT NIGHT, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO DAYTIME USES, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, UH, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? AND, AND THAT, THAT IS WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF OUR BUILDING WHEN YOU, UH, THAT, THAT SMALL DOOR THAT WAS SHOWN, WE CAN BLOW THAT OUT TO BE 16 FEET WIDE SO THAT THERE IS A 16 FEET WIDE PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR THAT RUNS FROM THAT WAS THAT ACTUALLY WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO LET ME THANKS FOR THE SEGUE.
YOU KNOW, W WHEN I HEARD PRAMA NOD, I VISIONED ONE THING AND I KIND OF GOT THIS IDEA IN MY MIND WITH THE PARK AND THE GREEN SPACE.
AND THAT LOOKED REALLY GOOD AND ENTICING, PARTICULARLY SINCE IT IS IN MY MIND, THE WAY I'M PICTURING IT WOULD DRAW A LOT OF THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC OFF CONGRESS, WHICH AGAIN, TAKES A LOT OF THE CAR PARKING AWAY IF PEOPLE COME BY OTHER MULTIMODAL WAYS.
SO I WAS GOING TO ASK, WHAT ARE THEY IMPROVED, GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PICTURES? WHAT CAN WE ANTICIPATE IN THAT'S SLIDE? SO, UH, LAURA TUBES POINTED OUT THAT, UH, THAT OUR SITE WAS ORIGINALLY FAIRVIEW PARK, UH, THAT THAT PARK WAS, UH, REMOVED IN ORDER TO CREATE THE PARKING LOT.
THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE SIXTIES.
UM, IF YOU CAN GO BACK, UH, TWO SLIDES THERE.
SO, SO, UH, PART OF OUR, OUR, UH, PROJECT IS TO RE-ESTABLISH A PARK.
THE, UH, THAT FIRE LANE IS REQUIRED BY CODE THAT, THAT RUNS CLOSE TO THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A PERVIOUS FIRE LANE.
THAT'S GOING TO ACT AS A PROMENADE THAT WILL CONNECT TO THE UNDERGROUND PROMENADE AND CREATE A CENTRAL COURTYARD.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A VENUE THAT'S FACING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE VENUE IS FACING AN INTERIOR COURTYARD THAT IS BLOCKING ANY VISIBILITY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ANY VISIBILITY, ANY SOUND FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT CONNECTS EQUALLY TO OUR PARKING LOT, WHICH WILL HAVE ALL OF OUR CODE REQUIRED PARKING AND, AND CONGRESS, THE INTENT BEHIND THAT, UH, CENTRAL PARK IS FIRST OF ALL, TO HONOR WILLIE NELSON, IT'S BASED ON THE CURVATURE OF TRIGGER AND, UH, AND TO, UM, REESTABLISH, YOU KNOW, TO REVERSE ENGINEER THE JONI MITCHELL SONG AND TAKE A PARKING LOT AND TURN IT BACK INTO PARADISE YEAH.
SO THE YELLOW THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THERE, I THINK WE GOT TO SEE A FEW DIFFERENT PICTURES OF