Oct 20, 2021 Downtown Commission

ARE WE READY?

[00:00:01]

THANK

[CALL TO ORDER]

GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 20TH, 2021 MEETING WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

IT IS 5:35 PM AND I WILL CALL US TO ORDER.

UM, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION CHAIR? THERE ARE NO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

UM,

[1. Approval of Minutes of the September 15, 2021 Meeting Minutes]

THE NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

UH, HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES, NEED TO BE MADE HEARING NONE? THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED CHAIR.

I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE APPROVAL.

ACTUALLY.

I DON'T THINK THEIR TRAINING.

YES.

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE TRAINING.

EXCELLENT.

SO IN ANY WAY, I CAN MAKE THIS MEETING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND ANY WAY THAT I CAN MAKE THIS MEETING MORE EFFICIENT FOR EACH OF YOU ALL, I WILL.

ALRIGHTY.

UH, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS,

[2A. Cypress and Shoal Creek Public Space Strategy]

UH, DO WE HAVE ANY REPORT ON WHEN THEY MIGHT COME BACK TO US OR IS THERE A PLAN TO, UH, THEY HAVE NO PLAN TO COME BACK AT THIS POINT, UM, WITH THE EXPLANATION BEING PROVIDED THAT IT WAS RESOLVED THROUGH.

OKAY.

ALRIGHTY.

[2B. Safer Sixth Street Initiative]

BRIAN, WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, I'M BRIAN BLOCK, THE ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES MANAGER WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SAFER SIXTH STREET RESOLUTION AND JUST AS A INTRO, UH, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF COVER WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY OR OFFER THE ABILITY TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT MORE AT A LATER TIME.

UM, WE'RE UNDERWAY WITH RESPONDING TO THE RESOLUTION.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE STILL TO COME AND TO BE FINALIZED AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL BE SOON, BUT TODAY I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THE RESOLUTION AND OUR APPROACH TO IT AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

UM, AND AGAIN, I CAN COME BACK AFTER WE FINALIZED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE, BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

UM, I WANT TO START WITH KIND OF SUMMARIZING ONE ELEMENT OF THE RESOLUTION, CAUSE I THINK IT KIND OF SPEAKS TO WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND OUR APPROACH TO IT.

IT SAYS THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TOWARDS SIXTH STREET THAT MAXIMIZES ITS ASSETS, EMBRACES NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND ENSURES A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL THIS STRATEGY NEEDS TO BE MULTIFACETED.

AND AS WE'VE TALKED TO STAKEHOLDERS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, REALLY JUST, IT SEEMS TO COME FROM EVERYONE THAT WE'VE TALKED TO.

THERE'S THIS OVERWHELMING DESIRE TO SEE SIXTH STREET TRANSITION TO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH MORE DAYTIME AND EARLY EVENING USES MORE DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICS, MORE ACTIVITIES BEYOND JUST DRINKING AND REALLY A DISTRICT WHERE ALL OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FEELS SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AND WELCOME, AND THAT THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IS REALLY FULLY REPRESENTED THERE.

UM, AND SO POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE OF COURSE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE SIXTH STREET DISTRICT.

AND APD IS WORKING ON AND TAKING THE LEAD ON POLICING ISSUES AND

[00:05:01]

THIS RESOLUTION, IT INCLUDES SOME PUBLIC SAFETY ITEMS, BUT IT'S REALLY PRIMARILY OUR, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S PRIMARILY ASKING STAFF TO GO BEYOND POLICING AND TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT MANAGEMENT, UM, TO CREATE A VIBRANT AND WELL-PLANNED AND DIVERSE NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

AND THROUGH THAT EFFORT DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY.

SO, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL DIRECTION AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO COME HERE AND TALK TO YOU AT THIS EARLY STAGE.

AND HOPEFULLY AS WE GO ON, BECAUSE YOU COME FROM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY MULTIFACETED APPROACH, UM, OF COURSE DOWNTOWN IS, IS YOUR AREA OF INTEREST IN, UM, REALLY WANT TO ENLIST YOU ALL AS A PARTNER ON THIS? UM, THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME SHORT-TERM GOALS IN THE RESOLUTION AND HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS, BUT, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE RECOGNIZED AND I THINK COUNCIL RECOGNIZED IN THEIR RESOLUTION IS THIS APPROACH REALLY NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINED OVER THE MEDIUM AND LONG-TERM THAT THE SIXTH STREET SORT OF CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT THAT WE HAVE NOW DIDN'T BECOME THIS WAY OVERNIGHT AND IT'S NOT LIKELY TO BE TRANSFORMED OVERNIGHT, BUT GETTING ON THIS PATH TO A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IS PART OF THE SOLUTION.

UM, SO I'M GOING TO GO INTO THE GOALS IN THE RESOLUTION AND KIND OF SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE'VE SORT OF KIND OF BUCKETED THEM INTO THEMES.

AND I'LL JUST, I'LL COVER THEM QUICKLY BECAUSE I WANT TO GET THEM ALL OUT THERE.

UH, BECAUSE I THINK WE THINK THEY'RE INTERRELATED AND THEY BUILD ON EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

AND THEN I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE DETAIL ON EACH ONE.

AND SO, SO AS THAT KIND OF SAID, UM, THERE'S A FEW ITEMS THAT REALLY DIRECTLY RELATE TO PUBLIC SAFETY POLICING LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT NOT MANY.

AND MOST OF THE ONES THAT ARE THERE HAVE AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL NATURE TO THEM.

MOST OF THE ITEMS, YOU KNOW, REALLY ARE A MORE OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY MULTIFACETED KIND OF, UM, APPROACH.

AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO HIT THE THREE SORT OF THEMES TOPICS AND THEN GO INTO MORE.

SO ONE IS ABOUT PUBLIC SPACE DESIGN AND THE RESOLUTION IS ASKING US TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS THAT BRING MORE ORGANIZATION TO THE SPACE, BETTER ACCESSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, PROVIDE MORE DEFINED OR DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS, IMPROVED LIGHTING, UM, THINGS THAT JUST MAKE THE STREETSCAPE, UM, MORE ORGANIZED, MORE COMFORTABLE AND CONTRIBUTES TO BOTH SAFETY AND KIND OF BEING, UM, CONDUCIVE TO ALL KINDS OF USES BEYOND WHAT'S PRIMARILY THERE.

NOW.

UM, THE SECOND SORT OF THEME AREA IS, UH, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE BAR OPERATORS, UM, THAT ARE THERE NOW.

UM, WE WANT TO CREATE BETTER PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING WRITTEN SAFETY PLANS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW BETTER COORDINATION WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

UM, W IF, UH, TRAINING FOR DOORSTAFF TO KIND OF INFORM THOSE PLANS IN, UM, BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALSO, UM, ENLIST THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN KIND OF REINFORCING STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR FOR BOTH STAFF AND PATRIOTS AND KIND OF BUILDING A COALITION TO HELP US DO THAT AND SORT OF COMMUNICATE AND REINFORCE THAT WITH EACH OTHER.

AND THE LAST SORT OF BUCKET AREA IS ABOUT LAND USE DIVERSITY AND JUST DIVERSITY OF USES BOTH FOR THE KIND OF BARS THAT ARE PRIMARILY THERE NOW.

UM, IN TERMS OF BARS,

[00:10:01]

AND THEN BEYOND BARS, OF COURSE, RESTAURANTS MAKING IT CONDUCIVE FOR RESTAURANTS AND MIGHT BE LONGER TERM, BUT, YOU KNOW, RETAIL, COFFEE SHOPS, THINGS THAT ARE OPEN DURING THE DAY.

AND THEN THAT'S AN ASPIRATIONAL GOAL, AND IT'S NOT AGAIN GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF THIS BIGGER VISION.

AND SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ALL THREE AREAS BECAUSE THEY'RE SEPARATE, BUT I THINK THEY REINFORCE EACH OTHER.

UM, SO I'LL JUST GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY THE RESOLUTION ASKS US TO DO IN EACH OF THESE AREAS UNDER PUBLIC SPACE, DESIGN LIGHTING IS SOMETHING CALLED OUT TO BOTH, UM, INVESTIGATE, MAKE SURE IT'S SUFFICIENT FILL ANY GAPS.

IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, LOOKING AT IMPROVED LIGHTING, UM, IT ASKED US TO LOOK AT ANYTHING WE COULD KIND OF PILOT RIGHT AWAY.

UM, NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE PILOTED, BUT COULD WE LOOK INTO THINGS THAT COULD BE PILOTED THAT CAN KIND OF BRING ABOUT, UM, BETTER ORGANIZATION OF THE SPACE AT NIGHT, MORE UTILIZATION IT, UM, THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO MORE DIVERSE ACTIVITIES AND USES.

AND SO, UM, THINGS LIKE CAFE SEATING, POP-UP ACTIVATION EFFORTS, THOSE ARE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE RESOLUTION.

UM, IT ASKED US A LOT.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT IN HERE.

IS THERE ANY WAY TO KIND OF MAKE THE SPACE MORE ORGANIZED VIA PILOTS, SIMULATING WIDER SIDEWALKS? YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO LOOK IN TO ALL OF THAT.

NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE WITH PILOTS, BUT SOME THINGS CERTAINLY CAN, UM, CERTAINLY ACTIVATING, ESPECIALLY THE UNDER UTILIZED SPACES BECAUSE NOT EVERY BLOCK IS AS CROWDED AS, UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACTIVATION AND CROWDS ON THE DIFFERENT BLOCKS BETWEEN THE 200 AND 500 BLOCKS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE 200 AND 500 BLOCKS HAVE QUITE A BIT OF VACANCY AND QUITE A BIT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, POP-UP EFFORT.

AND IT'S NOT, UM, OVERLY CROWDED THAT, THAT WOULDN'T FIT WITH THE PEAK CROWDS THAT ARE THERE.

UM, IN TERMS OF BAR OPERATOR PARTNERSHIPS, I KIND OF HIT THEM.

I THINK I HIT MOST OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SPECIFIED IN THE RESOLUTION.

IT REALLY WANTED US TO LOOK AT SAFETY PLANS.

SO THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT WHEN A CERTAIN TYPE OF INCIDENT HAPPENS, WHAT EACH SORT OF PARTY IS GOING TO DO THE DOOR STAFF, THE BAR MANAGEMENT, THE PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS THAT ARE EITHER ON THE STREET OR NEARBY THOSE KINDS OF SAFETY PLANS WRITTEN DOWN TO CREATE BETTER COORDINATION.

UM, IT SPECIFICALLY ASKED US TO LOOK AT, UM, IS MORE TRAINING NEEDED AND HOW CAN THAT BE PROVIDED? UM, AND OVERALL JUST INCREASED COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE MEETINGS THAT TAKE PLACE ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT BRING PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF TOGETHER WITH THE BAR OPERATORS.

THOSE ARE ALL THINGS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT AND FINALLY LAND USE DIVERSITY.

UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT IS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN PRIVATE SPACES.

AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE 200 AND 500 BLOCKS HAVE QUITE A BIT OF VACANCY PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED AND THERE'S A DESIRE TO BRING IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF USES.

SO SOME OF THAT, I THINK IT'S IT'S HAPPENING THAT WE CAN BUILD ON AND, UM, KIND OF UTILIZE THAT AS A STEPPING STONE TO,

[00:15:01]

UM, I AM HAPPY TO KIND OF HAVE DISCUSSION WITH YOU ALL ANSWER QUESTIONS AND OF COURSE, UM, COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ONCE THOSE ARE FINALIZED.

THANK YOU.

THIS OBVIOUSLY IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMING TONIGHT AND LOOK FORWARD TO AN ONGOING DIALOGUE ON THIS, UM, COMMISSIONERS.

DO I HAVE QUESTIONS? YEAH.

UH, I HAVE A COUPLE THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

AND, UM, SO FIRST ONE IS, SO YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE, YOU HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FROM.

WAS IT JUST THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL, UH, GROUP GETTING TOGETHER? THE SECOND QUESTION IS WHY IS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH NOT INVOLVED WITH, IF PEOPLE ARE DRUNK, WILL THEY BE TAKEN TO SOBERING CENTER, OR HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH, UM, STAGE PRE, UH, UH, W W WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR? UM, THERE SHOULD BE MORE LIKE PLAYS AND STUFF THAT HAPPENED.

I DIDN'T, THEY USED TO BE AT THE PARAMOUNT AND SOME OTHER THINGS, IF THEATER, THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S THE WORD I WAS LOOKING FOR.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, BUT, BUT IT'S THEATER PERFORMANCES AND TO HAVE THEATER AS BE PART, TO BE PART OF WHAT IS, UH, PROVIDED THERE, CAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE MISSING.

AND MAYBE I'M, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO SIXTH STREET OFTEN ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IT DOES IN FACT HAPPEN THERE, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THAT HOLLY'S STILL IN BUSINESS.

IT IS NOW SO MORE LIKE THAT, MORE TRADITIONAL.

GREAT.

SO THE FIRST QUESTION, I GUESS I WOULD SAY THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE STILL UNDERWAY.

WE'VE DEFINITELY SOUGHT OUT INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.

THIS IS AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL EFFORT AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE THAT THE CONCENTRATE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UH, OTHERS, YOU KNOW, UM, BAR OWNERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, SEEKING OUT AS MUCH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AS POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK WE SEE THIS AS GREAT TIMING TO HEAR INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AND HOPEFULLY, UM, KIND OF EDITOR INTO A LONGER TERM PARTNERSHIP TO TRY TO SEE THESE THINGS COME TO FRUITION OVER THE MEDIUM AND LONGER TERM.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST PART IF I ANSWERED THAT FULLY.

UM, OKAY.

WHAT WAS THE SECOND W WHY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH WASN'T AWARE OR WHERE THEY WOULDN'T PUT, DID THEY HAVE, SO THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN OUR INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM.

UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING NOT COUNCIL DIDN'T LIMIT US.

THEY SET OUT A MINIMUM WHICH DEPARTMENTS TO INCLUDE.

UM, BUT THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.

I KNOW THERE IS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SILVER IN CENTER, UM, TAKING PLACE SO CONNECTED TO THAT.

IT WAS THAT WHOLE, UM, SO IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS, YOU TALK ABOUT HOW MANY GUNS ARE OR GOTTEN TAKEN AWAY FROM PEOPLE ON SIXTH STREET OR ET CETERA, AND BAD STUFF HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T IN THEIR RIGHT MIND, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE THEY DRANK TOO MUCH OR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.

SO AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TRAINING

[00:20:01]

THAT WOULD BE, I THINK IF THERE WAS CONSISTENCY IN THE TRAINING, CONSISTENCY IN HOW BEHAVIORS WERE, WERE DEALT WITH, FROM BAR TO BAR BAR, SO THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WELL, IF YOU GO TO THIS PART, YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH A LOT MORE THAN IF YOU GO TO THIS BAR.

THERE WAS CONSISTENCY IN THAT.

I THINK THAT WILL BE SOME, UM, BETTER OUTCOMES, BUT I THINK AS FAR AS USING TRAININGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST STATE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE TRAINED IN THAT DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF STUFF, THAT'S, I THINK YOU KIND OF WENT EVEN A LITTLE DEEPER AND BETTER THAN WHAT I COVERED IN TERMS OF THE BAR OPERATOR, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PART OF THAT IS TRAINING ON TO WEAR POLICIES, IDENTIFYING WEAPONS, COMMUNICATING WITH APD, IF THEY FIND THOSE COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, IF THEY HAVE TO KICK SOMEONE OUT, TRYING TO SORT OF PREVENT THINGS AND THROUGH BETTER COMMUNICATION, BOTH WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WITH EACH OTHER.

SO THOSE WERE EXCELLENT COMMENTS THAT I THINK ARE PART OF THE DISCUSSION AS IS THE SOBERING CENTER.

UM, AND YOUR LAST QUESTION WAS ABOUT DRAMA THEATER, ARTS.

I MEAN, THE MORE WE CAN GET OF THAT, THE BETTER THROUGH ACTIVATIONS OR THROUGH, YOU KNOW, POP-UPS IN VACANT SPACES, WHICH I KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS WANT TO DO TO PERMANENT USES.

UM, THE RITZ THEATER IS VACANT.

UM, SOME OF THAT IS BEYOND OUR SCOPE, BUT YOU KNOW, OUR SCOPE INCLUDES MORE DIVERSITY OF USES, INCLUDING ARTS AND CULTURE AND PERFORMANCE AND WHATEVER ASKS WE CAN GET ALONG THOSE LINES.

I WAS THINKING, AND ALONG THE LINES OF MY KIDS WERE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THEATER IN SCHOOL, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PERFORM.

AND SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK, TO INVITE IF YOU WANT IT TO INVITE A DIFFERENT POPULATION MAYBE EARLIER IN THE DAY THAT HAD DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS OR MIDDLE SCHOOLS PERFORM, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, UM, MIGHT NOT BE A BAD THING TO BRING A YOUNGER CROWD, A DIFFERENT, UH, ASPECT TO SIXTH STREET THAN WHAT IT HAS NOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, BUT A GOOD SUGGESTION.

THANKS COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU, BRIAN, FOR THAT PRESENTATION, IS THE WRIT ON DUBAI, THE CITY OR IS IT IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED? I THINK, UH, OUR FRIENDS OVER HERE WOULD KNOW ABOUT ANY CITY OWNERSHIP.

UM, THE SIX PRO PRIVATELY OWNED IT IS RIGHT.

AND IT'S VACANT RIGHT NOW.

IT IS FAKING WHEN THE ROOTS PART OF THE ELMO THEATER AND THEIR BANKRUPTCY, I GUESS IT WAS CLOSED.

I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU MEET WITH THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE? HOW MUCH JENNIFER HAD, HAVE THEY HAD, DID THEY HAVE ON IN THIS RESOLUTION? WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND THE PECAN STREET OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA ABOUT GETTING INTO DAYTIME, GETTING, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES, KIDS THERE AND JUST MAKE IT MORE DIVERSE AS ONE OF THE SHORT TERM GOALS ARE TO MAKE IT MORE DIVERSE.

I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT.

I'M SURE.

YES.

THANK YOU.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING THIS PRESENTATION.

AS WE ALL KNOW, SIXTH STREET, YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM DIDN'T JUST POP UP OVERNIGHT.

IT'S BEEN THIS WAY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

UM, THERE'S BAD OPERATORS.

THERE'S GOOD OPERATORS.

UM, I KNOW DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TRIED OVER THE YEARS TO ENCOURAGE THE BAD OPERATORS TO BE GOOD OPERATORS.

UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT CARROTS OR STICKS YOU MAY HAVE THAT CAN ENCOURAGE THAT.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE TABC RULES, WHICH IF YOU HAVE A, TO, TO REDUCE THE TAXES YOU PAY, UM, YOU CAN HAVE A $20 COVER CHARGE, WHICH ISN'T PASSABLE BY THE LIQUOR TAX, BUT THEN YOU GO IN AND THEY CAN GIVE DOLLAR SHOTS.

SO WHAT DOES THAT DO THAT, THAT JUST ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO DRINK AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE STUFF LIKE THAT.

I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT DUE TO THE HISTORIC ZONING DOWN THERE THAT 18 YEAR OLDS ARE ALLOWED, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DRINK, BUT THEY'RE ALLOWED.

YEAH, I THAT'S THE FIRST

[00:25:01]

UM, AND THEN DURING COVID WHEN THEY HAD ALL THE RESTRICTIONS, A LOT OF THE OPERATORS ACTUALLY DROPPED THEIR LIQUOR LICENSES AND RENTED THE PLACES OUT TO PRIVATE PARTIES EVERY NIGHT, A DIFFERENT PARTY JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE PRIVATE, LOTS OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS AND MY PRIVATE PARTIES.

THEY CAN GET IT WRONG, A LOT OF THE RESTRICTIONS.

SO I, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW, AND YES, WE DO NEED TO GET MORE 24 HOUR AT LEAST DAYTIME USE THERE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TOURISTS COME TO TOWN AND THEY ALL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THEY WANT TO SIT, SEE IF THEY'RE DOWNTOWN AT SIXTH STREET AND THEY GO TO HERE DURING THE DAY.

AND THEY'RE JUST LIKE, WHAT'S THIS, YOU KNOW? UH, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER, WHAT, WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE DAYTIME USE? I KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A DEVELOPER THAT HAS A CONTROL OF A NUMBER OF BLOCKS.

IT IS TRYING TO DO, DO SOME OF THAT AND CREATE VENUES THAT WOULD BE OPEN DURING THE DAY AND EARLY EVENING FOR MORE, YOU KNOW, REGULAR I'LL CALL IT THE REGULAR POPULATION, WHICH, UH, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT.

BUT IT ALSO, IT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, DOING SOME WORK ON THE STREET TO INCREASE THE SIDEWALK AREAS AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE REDUCE SOME PARKING, BUT THERE'S REALLY A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF PARKING.

AND WHEN EVERYTHING'S BLOCKADED OFF, THERE WAS NO PARKING THERE ANYWAY.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER STUDY THAT STUDY, THAT'S GOING TO GO ON A BOOKSHELF AND THAT, THAT SOMETHING CAN GET REALLY THE FEED DONE DOWN THERE.

AND, UH, WE'RE REALLY HOPING WE CAN, THERE'S A NEW CREATIVE IDEAS THAT CAN COME OUT OF THIS THAT ACTUALLY CAN HAVE SOME POSITIVE RESULTS.

THANK YOU MUCH PENSIVE EFFORT AND NOT SEE IT AS SHORT TERM FULLY.

WE CAN ACHIEVE THOSE THINGS.

YEAH.

AND I DUNNO IF THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE ON THE STATE LEVEL WITH TABC, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THEY HAVE MUCH MORE CONTROL OVER THE BARS THAN THE CITY DOES, BUT ONE OF THEIR MAIN GOALS IS TO COLLECT AS MUCH TAX MONEY AS THEY CAN.

AND THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO DO IS CLOSE DOWN BY IT.

SO YEAH, THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WORKING WITH TABC AND THAT STUFF TOO, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T LEAVE THEM OUT OF THE EQUATION BECAUSE THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, ALL THE OPERATORS THAT, AND THEY ARE PART OF THIS AND ESPECIALLY JOINT OPERATION BETWEEN APD AND TABC, ESPECIALLY FOR FAKE IDS AND UNDERAGE DRINKING.

UM, THAT IS ALL RIGHT.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

UM, YEAH, I ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE LAND USE DIVERSITY ISSUE SOUNDS IS OF COURSE EXCITING AND, UM, AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK EVERYONE IN AUSTIN WANTS, BUT THE REALITY OF THE COSTS OF OPERATING A NON-ALCOHOL SERVING BUSINESS ON SIXTH STREET, LIKE OTHER PEOPLE WHO'VE TRIED, IT THERE'S BEEN RETAIL ON THE FAR ENDS, LIKE CLOTHING, LIKE HIP HOP STORES, EVEN THAT ARE TRYING TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO A LOT OF THE KIDS AND THE YOUNGER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE AREA AND THEY JUST HAVE NOT BEEN VIABLE.

AND SO AT LEAST NOT LONG-TERM, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ON.

AND SO I THINK LIKE WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS HOW TO MAKE IT MORE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE FOR NON-ALCOHOL BUSINESSES TO SURVIVE IN SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PART OF DOWNTOWN, EITHER THROUGH INCENTIVES OR I DON'T KNOW, LIKE JUST THEIR NEED TO BE MORE CREATIVE WAYS TO HELP NON-ALCOHOL SERVING BUSINESSES.

UM, LIKE, HANG ON, LIKE, IT'S TOUGH IN THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN RENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, CRAZY FOR RETAIL LOCATIONS.

AND SO YEAH, THAT, THAT'S IT, YOU KNOW, AND AS FAR AS T UNDERAGE DRINKING TABC DOES HAVE THE POWER TO, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A VERY SOLVABLE PROBLEM.

LIKE WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM AND WHAT LIQUOR LICENSES NEED TO BE REVOKED FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING? I MEAN, I THINK EVERYONE THAT SPENDS TIME ON SIXTH STREET KNOWS WHERE YOU CAN GET A DRINK IF YOU'RE UNDERAGE.

AND I THINK THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WAY MORE DIRECTLY.

THANKS.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? YES, SIR.

OKAY.

AND IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, JUST A STATEMENT, BUT WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE IN THE LAND USE AND

[00:30:01]

I'M PERSONALLY MOST EXCITED TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE INTERIM FROM, UH, UH, THE PUBLIC SPACE AND WHEN DESIGN IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT, UM, ESPECIALLY WHATEVER TACTICAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU ALL COULD EXPLORE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S, UH, DECREASING PEDESTRIAN CROSSING WITS, OR JUST KIND OF EXPANDING UPON THE PEDESTRIAN REALM ON THAT STRETCH OF SIXTH STREET.

UM, BECAUSE DURING THE DAY, YEAH, IT'S KIND OF A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT MORE SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE WOULD BE A FANTASTIC.

SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT, UM, INCLUDED IN ONE OF YOUR, ONE OF YOUR THEMES.

THIS IS PROBABLY A PRACTICAL, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE ANY VACANT PLACE COULD BE REZONED, THE CITY COULD BUY IT FOR FIVE MINUTES AND RESOLVE IT.

AND AS YOU KNOW, AS A THEATER OR SOMETHING, ANYWAY, THAT'S MY IDEA.

THAT'S PROBABLY SILLY, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE.

I THINK THERE'S A DESIRE FOR POP-UPS IN THE VACANT SPACES VIA THE PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.

AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S BEING EXPLORED.

THERE WAS A BAR SONG.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

IF THAT COULD BE CHANGED, IT SEEMS LIKE IF ONE THEATER GROUP WENT DOWN THERE, I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

I BELIEVE YOU, THAT IT COULD GROW.

YOU COULD DECLARE IT A THEATER DISTRICT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND I THINK WE'VE GOT SUFFICIENT KNOWN HIM SINCE IT'S DOWNTOWN ZONING.

UM, AND WE'VE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY OCCUPANCY IT HAS, WHAT THEY CAN DO UNDER THAT, BUT THAT IS BEING EXPLORED PRIVATELY.

SO THERE'S DESIRE FOR THAT OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER GOMEZ.

YEAH.

SO I WAS WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT IS THIS EFFORT BEING, UH, COUPLED WITH MAYBE RED RIVER AND THE STUFF THAT'S HAPPENED AT THAT WALLER, UM, IN, IN ATTRACTING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AS OPPOSED TO JUST AT NIGHT.

UM, AND, AND IS THERE SOME DISCUSSION AROUND, SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE LIKE, UH, A COMMISSIONER SAID THEY COME DURING THE DAY, THERE'S NOTHING HERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE STUFF DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL IT GETS DARK, RIGHT.

BUT, BUT IF THERE'S STUFF GOING ON AND IT CAN BE BROUGHT DOWN THE CREEK AND OFF THE SIXTH STREET AND FURTHER ON UP TO, TO THE WEST, IT WOULD BE OUTSTANDING.

AND I THINK HAVING DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT VENUES THAT, AND TO KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED, THAT YOU COULD CATCH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AS YOU, AS YOU FOLLOW THE ROUTE DOWN.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT FIT TOGETHER.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONCENTRATE OWNERS ASSOCIATION IS INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, CAN THEY BRING A FARMER'S MARKET TO THE STREETS OR ANYTHING A DAY.

SO SOME OF THIS, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DESIRE FOR IT.

AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF IT WILL HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, PRIVATELY.

UM, I THINK YOUR POINT ABOUT THE RED RIVER DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 500 BLOCK, WHICH HAS A LOT OF VACANCY IS THE CLOSEST BLOCK.

AND PART OF IT IS IN THE RED RIVER DISTRICT.

SO THERE DOES SEEM TO BE, YOU KNOW, A KIND OF CONNECTION THERE THAT COULD BE, COULD IT BE UTILIZED FOR ACTIVATING IT AND KIND OF ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT THAT'S KIND OF THAT'S AS FAR AS WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN ON THAT IDEA.

I THINK THAT IF THERE WAS CONTINUITY WITH A DESIRE TO BRING OTHER VENUES THAT WOULD ATTRACT ALL AGES AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY, VARY THE VENUE, DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF THE DAY IT IS.

AND IF THAT WAS TRUE OF ALL OF THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE THOUGH, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL, ALL THE PEOPLE.

THE OTHER THING IS YOU MENTIONED COVID AND I I'M WONDERING HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO FROM THE BARS BEING ABLE TO, I FORGET HOW, HOW IT WENT, BUT THAT IF THEY SERVE FOOD, THEY COULD SERVE LIQUOR.

AND SO ARE ANY OF THEM STAYING OPEN AT RESTAURANTS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT, OR THEY JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE BIG MONEY AND JUST DO THE LIQUOR.

AND SO YOU REFERENCED THAT THEY, AND I DON'T KNOW, ON A BAR BY BAR BASIS WHO GOT IT, BUT THEY COULD GET FOOD AND BEVERAGE CERTIFICATES FROM T A V C.

[00:35:01]

THEY COULD USE SOME PRE-PACKAGED FOOD, THEY COULD PARTNER WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, A THIRD PARTY TO DO THE FOOD, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING SIGNIFICANTLY IS CHANGED IN THEIR OPERATION.

I WOULD JUST, MY QUESTION WAS, DID, DID IT CAUSE A DIFFERENT EVOLUTION OF WHAT GETS DONE ON SIXTH STREET THAN WHAT USED TO BE IN, IS IT GOING TO STICK OR IS IT JUST GOING AWAY? I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.

OKAY.

UM, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

HOW MANY BARS ARE THERE OPEN OR CLOSED ON SIXTH STREET? AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS THE GROUND FLOOR FOOTAGE? AND WHAT WAS THE LAST PART? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SPACE GROUND FLOOR SPACE IS THAT ON, ON SIXTH STREET? YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T HAVE THE DATA ON IT, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO GET IT AND KIND OF A STEP BEYOND THAT AND UNDERSTAND SORT OF HOW MUCH OCCUPANCY EACH ONE HAS AN UNDERSTANDING, HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT BRINGS, UM, REALLY HELPFUL STATISTICS IN THERE THAT COULD GUIDE SOME OF THE CONVERSATION.

UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FOR EVERYBODY AROUND HERE HAS BEEN, HAS SEEN ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER SIXTH STREET OVER THE YEARS.

AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE AND, UH, YOU BARS CHANGE.

THEY THEY'RE HOT ONE YEAR.

THEY FADE THE NEXT YEAR.

THEY BRING IN ANOTHER OPERATOR WITH ANOTHER CONCEPT THE YEAR AFTER THAT.

AND SO IT'S THIS CONSTANT EBB AND FLOW.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME AND I, I LOVE THE IDEA OF, OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS AN EMERGENCY PLAN, COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, ET CETERA.

OBVIOUSLY THE TURNOVER IN THE BARS IS VERY HIGH, THE BARS AND SETTLES BEING ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TURNS OVER FREQUENTLY.

AND SO MAINTAINING THAT CONSISTENTLY GOING FORWARD, IT'S GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR THIS TO HAVE ANY SUCCESS.

THE OTHER THING THAT COMES TO MIND THAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT WE DISCUSSED THE FRONT-FACING ASPECT OF THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS SIXTH STREET.

BUT SO MUCH OF THE SAFETY ISSUE IS WHAT HAPPENS IN BEHIND SIXTH STREET, WHETHER IT'S IN THE PARKING LOTS OR, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE BEING ASSAULTED, GOING TO, OR FROM THEIR CARS, WHETHER THERE WAS LIGHTING SUFFICIENT LIGHTING.

I KNOW THE CITIES WERE PUTTING ADDITIONAL LIGHTING UP, BUT WE ADDRESS THE STREET FACING THE SIXTH STREET FACING ISSUE, BUT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE THAT EXPANDS BEYOND THAT.

IT GOES DOWN TO SECOND STREET, IT GOES TO FOURTH STREET, IT COVERS WEST SIXTH STREET, AS PEOPLE MIGRATE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE BARS THAT ARE STILL OPEN.

AND SO I WONDER HOW I'M ADDRESSING THIS IN TERMS OF SIXTH STREET.

UM, WHETHER WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE HOLISTICALLY TO REALLY ADDRESS ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE MAGNIFIED ON SIXTH STREET.

I DON'T THINK THAT IS A GREAT COMMENT AND WE'VE KIND OF PICKED THE MOST CHALLENGING DISTRICTS, BUT THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOT FOR NO REASON, IT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE SIGNIFICANT VIOLENCE AND FIGHTS AND NOW SHOOTINGS IS TAKING PLACE.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, CAN SOME OF THESE IDEAS IN THIS APPROACH TO, YOU KNOW, THIS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS, CAN SOME OF IT BENEFIT OUR OTHER DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS? I THINK HOPEFULLY IT CAN, IT'S NOT PART OF THE SCOPE, BUT IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, LEARN FROM THIS EFFORT AND TAKE THINGS, NOT NECESSARILY EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, EVERY DISTRICT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT UTILIZE SOME OF THE TOOLS WE DEVELOP AND TAKE THIS APPROACH TO OTHER AREAS.

I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS A POSITIVE, ANOTHER POSITIVE BENEFIT WE CAN GET FROM THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S WE KIND OF NEED THIS APPROACH IN EACH DISTRICT TO SOME DEGREE.

WELL, AND THEY CROSS-POLLINATE.

[00:40:02]

YEAH.

AND THAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, THEIR ALCOHOL SALES FOR ALCOHOL SALE, THE TAX PURPOSES.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.

ONE LAST THING.

AND I WAS GOING TO BRING IT UP EARLIER, BUT I THOUGHT NOW I LEAVE IT BE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS, NOT FRONT FACING HOMELESSNESS IS DEFINITELY A BIG ISSUE, HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE DOWNTOWN FOREVER.

EVERYBODY HAS BEEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO AWAY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT, THEY DON'T WANT TO BE THERE.

WE DON'T WANT THEM THERE.

UM, BUT, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I THINK A, AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM AND, OR INTERDEPARTMENTAL DISCUSSIONS, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH AND DIANA GRAY, UM, BECAUSE IF THEY MAY NOT HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF TO SAY TO YOU, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME THINGS THAT IT COULD BE BENEFICIAL AND ENSURING THAT THINGS ARE DONE IN A WAY WITH THE ASSIST WITH THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, BECAUSE IT, IT CAN BE A PROBLEM.

AND SO THE OTHER THING, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT THE HOST TEAM WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THAT DOWNTOWN, HAVING IT AVAILABLE AT NIGHT, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THAT DON AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, INTEGRAL CARE, UH, CHIPS AND APD, I THINK HAVING THAT EXPERTISE ROAMING AROUND, UH, W WHEN THINGS MIGHT GO OUT AND GET OUT OF HAND, MIGHT NOT BE A BAD THING TO DISCUSS, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S THAT COLLABORATION AND IT ALREADY EXISTS.

SO MAYBE YOU COULD BRING IT IN SOMEHOW SOME WAY.

AND WE HAVE HEARD THAT FROM A PD, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT AND MAKING SURE THERE'S ENOUGH.

I THINK THE RIGHT WORD IS CASE MANAGERS OR CASE WORKERS TO HANDLE THE VOLUME.

AND SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT'S INCLUDED HERE.

WELL, JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT THE CASE MANAGERS WOULD BE INVOLVED, THE CASE MANAGERS WOULD BE INVOLVED AFTER THEY'VE GONE BEFORE THE JUDGE, THE FOLLOWING DAY, I'M TALKING MORE ABOUT ON THAT NIGHT, INSTEAD OF GETTING ARRESTED, TO BE ABLE TO BE SOME INTERVENTION THAT RESULTS IN THINGS, BAD THINGS, NOT HAPPENING, AND PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO BE ESCORTED TO THE SOBERING CENTER OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT DOESN'T END UP IN A VIOLENT ACT OR ANY KIND OF, OKAY.

FOLKS, ANYBODY KNOW, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE.

I THINK THE, THE LONGTERM VISION OF THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT IS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE ARE THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

AND PART OF THAT IS HAVING VENUES WITH GLIDE MUSIC.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT STARTING AT WHAT'S SOON GOING TO BE THE, YOU KNOW, THE MOODY POLICY AND ON THE UT CAMPUS, AND YOU CAN COME DOWN THE RED RIVER, YOU HAVE ANY START WITH MOODY LIKE 12,012 FIVE, OR TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, AN ENTERTAINMENT VENUE.

THEN YOU GO DOWN TO WATERLOO, WHICH IS WHAT 4,000 4,500 NEXT ONE MIGHT BE STUBS, WHICH IS LIKE 2,500.

AND THEN AS YOU KEEP PROGRESSING DOWN, YOU'VE GOT VENUES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST A COUPLE OF HUNDRED AND WHICH ULTIMATELY CAN STRETCH DOWN TO SIXTH GRADE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHICH SIXTH STREET USED TO HAVE A LOT OF LIVE, LIVE MUSIC VENUES, UH, BACK, BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.

BUT, BUT, UH, IT COULD BE ALSO TURNING INTO AN INCUBATOR FOR, FOR LIVE MUSIC BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO ATTRACT 12,000 PEOPLE, BUT THEY MAY HAVE TRACKED A COUPLE OF HUNDRED OR A HUNDRED AND THERE NEEDS TO BE VENUES SO THAT YOU CAN, WE HAVE THE WHOLE PROGRESSION THERE.

SO I HOPE, I HOPE THAT'S BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL.

I THINK THEY'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO COME FORWARD WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM TOO, WHICH MIGHT HELP TO FURTHER THOSE EFFORTS.

[00:45:01]

IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF WE HAVE A, LIKE IN NEW YORK YET OFF-BROADWAY AND THEN YOU GET TO BROADWAY AND ALSO IT'D BE, YOU'D MOVE UP THE CHAIN AND GET THEM MORE PEOPLE TO COME LISTEN TO YOU PLAY.

WE WOULD, WE DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE BARS TO ADD LIVE MUSIC OR DJ PERFORMANCE OR THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE OR ANY ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, KARAOKE OR GAMES, YOU KNOW, JUST DIVERSITY OF ACTIVITIES.

ONE QUESTION, UM, WHAT SORT OF FEEDBACK TODAY HAVE Y'ALL GOTTEN FROM THE BAR OWNERS AND MANAGERS? WE'VE HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BAR OWNERS AND OPERATORS, AND DEFINITELY TAKING THAT ALL INTO ACCOUNT INTO ACCOUNT AND KIND OF THINKING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S FEASIBLE.

UM, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT FROM THEM AND THAT'LL ALL BE INCLUDED AS WE TRY TO COME TO FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

WELL, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY A KEY PARTNER IN THIS AND, UH, I HOPE THAT THEY'RE DOING ALL THE CANDOR COOPERATING.

AND I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY, IT'S, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF THEM HAVE THE SAME VISION.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD THE SAME VISION FOR MANY OF THEM TOO, SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S TWO SIDES AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE BAR OWNERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND, UM, TO KIND OF OPERATE IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE AND CONDUCIVE TO HAVING OTHER USES AS NEIGHBORS.

AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM THAT THEY WANT THAT TOO.

WONDERFUL.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN TONIGHT.

UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL REMAIN ON THEIR RADAR.

UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN ACTION THAT THEY WANT TO BRING TONIGHT HERE? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM US? WE DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY KIND OF ACTION WE'RE TAKING AT THIS TIME.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? NOPE.

OKAY.

WELL PLEASE KEEP US APPRISED.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT REPORT ON THIS.

OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

AND BEFORE ANYTHING HEADS TO COUNCIL, WE SURE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU FIRST.

WELL, THANKS SO MUCH, AND I'M EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AS A LONGTERM PARTNERS.

WE TRY TO BRING THIS VISION TO FRUITION.

IT WILL BE AN INCUBATOR FOR THE REST OF DOWNTOWN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALRIGHT.

[2C. Discussion and possible action on the 2022 Downtown Commission Meeting Schedule]

DO WE, I GUESS THAT'S AN INTERMEDIATE PACKET IN IT, IS IT? YEP.

THERE IT IS.

UM, AND I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR DISCUSSION, UH, IN VISITING WITH STAFF THE OTHER DAY.

UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT'S NOT ON THE CALENDAR.

UH, WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

WE CAN ADD IT TO, UM, UH, WELL, SO THE, THE MEETING FOR DECEMBER WAS SLATED TO BE DECEMBER 21ST, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21ST.

UM, THAT'S THREE DAYS BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS WEEKEND.

UM, IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF HANUKKAH, UH, AND WE WOULD BE COMING DOWN HERE CHRISTMAS WEEK FOR A MEETING.

AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA, AND I DIDN'T WANT STAFF TO HAVE TO WORK FOR THIS MEETING THAT WEEK.

UH, AND I FIGURED EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE THINGS TO DO.

UM, WE HAD DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF MOVING IT FORWARD ON THE SCHEDULE.

SO IT WOULD BE SOONER IN DECEMBER, UH, THAT CREATES LOGISTICAL ISSUES IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY'RE HOW MANY OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS A LOT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND, UM, SO WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT TO DO AND I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO Y'ALL, UH, BEFORE A FINAL DECISION WAS MADE.

UM, BUT MY SENSE IS THAT THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS AND HANUKKAH, THAT FOLKS PROBABLY WOULDN'T WANT TO COME DOWNTOWN.

AND WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE CITY STAFF HERE FOR PRESENTATIONS OR OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, PERIOD THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME AND PRESENT TO US ON THAT NIGHT.

AND MY SENSE WAS THAT THAT WOULD CREATE, UM, IT WOULD BE JUST, WOULDN'T BE GOOD

[00:50:01]

UM, BUT IF YOU ALL FEEL A SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT HAVING A MEETING ON DECEMBER 21ST, 2022, I WILL CERTAINLY DEFER TO YOUR JUDGMENT, UH, COMMISSIONER, WHETHER, WELL, ACTUALLY THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, BUT HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, WE, WE WON'T BE IN THE HYBRID MEETINGS, I SUSPECT AT THAT POINT.

UM, BUT MAKING QUORUM, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO SIT HERE FOR 30 MINUTES WAITING TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE QUORUM AND SOMETHING HAPPENS AND SOMEBODY CAN'T MAKE IT, UH, HAVING EVERYBODY COME DOWN TO CITY HALL, I THINK WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE.

SO, UH, HEARING NOBODY WANTS TO ADD DECEMBER 21ST, 2022 TO THE MEETING SCHEDULE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER? SURE.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE MEETING SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED ON THE 2022 MEETING CALENDAR ON FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE.

THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT LEADS US TO,

[2D. Update from Working Groups]

UM, THERE WERE, UH, FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WORKING GROUP, UH, STAFF, UH, CIRCULATED A LIST FROM, UM, I GUESS STAFF SUBMITTED A LIST FROM STAFF, UH, THE SPREADSHEET OF EVERYTHING, UH, MOST OF THE THINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND THEIR PROGRESSION ON ACHIEVING THOSE OBJECTIVES.

AND WE'RE IN PROCESS OF REVIEWING THOSE AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH A FULL REPORT NEXT MONTH.

UH, SO WE'RE PROGRESSING ON THAT.

UM, AND I DON'T THINK W HAVE YOU ALL HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET, UH, PROBLEM COORDINATING, BUT WE WILL PROBABLY BE MEETING NEXT WEEK AND WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE FINANCIALS FROM, UH, FROM CITY STAFF WE'VE YET TO RECEIVE THOSE.

SO THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND BENEFICIAL FOR OUR DISCUSSION.

UM, SO I'LL CHECK WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, VERY SOON TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT PLAN.

AND, UM, YES, BUT WE WILL UPDATE YOU ON THAT.

AND FOR THE RECORD THAT WAS ON THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION WORKING GROUP, ALL

[3. Old Business – Items from representatives of collaborating commissions including non-voting members]

OLD BUSINESS.

UM, LET'S SEE, WHO DO WE HAVE HERE? COMMISSIONER HEIM.

SETH IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING.

COMMISSIONER WEATHERBY, SURELY.

UM, THE LAST UTC MEETING, WE HAD, UH, A PRETTY LIMITED SHORT MEETING AS WELL.

AND THE ONE ITEM THAT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN IS THE CHANGE IN TAXI SERVICE.

AND I KNOW THAT I SAY CHANGE.

I DON'T THINK THE SERVICE IS GOING TO CHANGE, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROVIDER AND THE CITY IS LIKELY TO CHANGE FROM A FRANCHISE TO A, UH, AN OPERATING AUTHORITY AND, UH, ACTUALLY TAXI SERVICE IN AUSTIN STARTED AS AN OPERATING AUTHORITY IN 1932.

AND THEN IT WENT TO A FRANCHISEE RELATIONSHIP IN THE FIFTIES AND 1950 AND BASED ON THE REDUCTION IN SERVICES AND THE FACT THAT, UM, THEIR, UH, TRIPS HAVE GONE DOWN DRASTICALLY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT THEY HAD, ARE ACTUALLY STARTED GOING DOWN REALLY DRASTICALLY, UH, UPON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TNCS, THE UBER, THE LYFT, THE RIDE AUSTIN.

SO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE.

I DON'T THINK SERVICE IS GOING TO CHANGE, BUT IT, IT, IT IS A CONTINUATION AND THIS SERVICE IS CALLED Z TRIP.

YOU PROBABLY ALREADY NOTICED THAT WHEN YELLOW CAB, UM, BASICALLY DECLARED BANKRUPTCY, THIS GROUP CAME IN AND THEY HAVE DONE THAT SAME THING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND OUR, UH, WE SPENT SOMETHING LIKE 20 MINUTES LISTENING TO THE OWNER, TALK FLOWERLY ABOUT ALL THEIR SERVICES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

HE'S VERY DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SERVICES AND DOING THAT IN A MORE CONVENIENT WAY, PERHAPS MORE LIKE THE TNCS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RESERVATION AND, UH, THE CONVENIENCE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND SO FORTH AND, AND DEDICATION TO PROVIDING, UH, LIFT EQUIPPED EQUIPMENT.

UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, THAT'S CERTAINLY, UH,

[00:55:01]