[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
9:00 PM UH, THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.UH, FIRST ITEM, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? UM, CHAIR.
MAY, IF I MAY, CAN WE DO THE CALL TO ORDER FIRST? PLEASE CALL TO ORDER.
UH, SO, UM, COMMISSIONER CAROL, PRESENT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE BOXES NEXT TO IT.
COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR MINORS.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR MINERS HAS ENTERED THE, THE MEETING.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING FROM AUGUST 22ND? SO MOVED.
UM, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM AUGUST 22ND IS APPROVED.
UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UM, ITEM NUMBER
[2. Discussion and possible action regarding membership of working groups to craft recommendations on the Urban Design Guidelines.]
TWO ON OUR AGENDA DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING MEMBERSHIP OF WORKING GROUPS TO CRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.UM, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER CAROL TO GIVE WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES.
I GUESS IS THIS, THIS IS THE ITEM, UH, WHERE WE HAD A COUPLE OF PLANNING COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE INTERESTED IN JOINING ONE OF THE GROUPS, IF I MAY CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER IS NOT, NOT ONLY THE MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT ALSO ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO FORMULATE PART OF THE SPECIFIC WORKING GROUPS.
AND SO YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE APPOINTMENT OF SPECIFIC DESIGN COMMISSIONERS PLUS ANY OF THOSE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS THAT YOU HAVE TO DATE, OR FROM THE RESPONSES YOU GOT FROM THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN.
YEAH, SO CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE FIVE, WELL, ACTUALLY SIX COMMISSIONERS, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THIS.
UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS, UH, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
UM, WE HAVE FIVE WORKING GROUPS TO CHOOSE FROM.
SO SIGN UP,
UM, SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN IN THOSE GROUPS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE HOPE TO START THE FIRST MEETING OF THOSE GROUPS IN OCTOBER.
SO, SO, SO I THINK WE HAVE MOST OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS HERE.
UM, COMMISSIONER SALINAS, DID ANY OF THE GROUP SOUND INTERESTING TO YOU? HE'S ACTUALLY ALREADY IN MY GROUP.
[00:05:01]
DONE.UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, HAEL ROBLEDO, DO ANY OF THE GROUPS SOUND INTERESTING TO YOU? WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED AGAIN, UNDER URBAN DESIGN GUIDES OR NOT? I DON'T THINK THEY'RE WRITTEN OUT HERE.
THE GROUPS, THE WORKING GROUPS, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER CAROL, DO YOU WANNA GO OVER THE GROUPS? YEAH.
SO, UH, THERE'S BUILDINGS, WHICH THAT ONE IS ACTUALLY GOT, IS PRETTY FULL.
NO, BUT THERE'S A STREET SCAPE THAT I THINK COMMISSIONER COLEMAN IS LEADING.
THERE IS, UM, AN OPEN, IS IT OPEN SPACE THAT VICE CHAIR MINERS IS LEADING AND THEN AN URBAN FABRIC THAT, UH, CHAIR WEAVER IS LEADING.
AND THEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS THE NEW ONE THAT COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI IS LEADING.
AND YOU GOTTA, YOU GOT A GROUP MEMBER.
MAKE A J ME I DID MAKE A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY I THOUGHT MIGHT WANNA PARTICIPATE, AND I REACHED OUT TO ONE OF THEM TODAY.
UH, COM A COMMISSIONER ROBLEDO VOLUNTEERING, BUT I WILL, I DON'T, I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT I CAN GET OTHER PEOPLE TO JOIN.
WELL, I DIDN'T WANNA BE ON YOUR COMMITTEE ANYWAYS,
AND, AND THE, THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FILL OUT IS THE CITY STAFF.
SO THERE'S, WHICH, WHICH WE MIGHT NEED OUR STAFF'S HELP ON.
UM, WE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY DEPARTMENTS, BUT NOT SPECIFIC PEOPLE IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE MAY ASK FOR HELP TO REACHING OUT TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO SEE WHO THEY WOULD FEEL IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE.
COMMISSIONER FRANCO, IS THERE A GROUP THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY IN HIS TEAM, SO I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO WORK WITH HIM.
AND I THINK INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE, UH, GOOD ONE FOR ME.
UM, I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR CHAIR WEAVER.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED, UM, PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC, I THINK YOU HAD POSTED THIS ON LINKEDIN THAT WERE INTERESTED, CUZ I KNOW I REFERRED AT LEAST ONE PERSON.
UM, SO MY GROUP IS URBAN STRUCTURE.
MY CO-LEAD IS, UM, MS. LAURA PATINO, OUR NEW CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICER.
UM, JULIO KOREA IS A PLANNER, ARCHITECT WHO'S VOLUNTEERED.
JOHN SULLIVAN, CIVIL ENGINEERING PLANNER.
SO, SO YOU POSTED ONLY FOR YOUR WORKING GROUP? I POSTED FOR JUST THE GENERAL PROJECT AND UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
SO IT WAS A CHANGE AND PEOPLE COULD HAVE AN INTEREST.
UM, JUST KIND OF GENERALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS EXCITING NEW ENDEAVOR WE'RE ALL WORKING ON AND, UM, I DEFINITELY NEED TO RECRUIT MORE PEOPLE FOR THIS GROUP.
IF YOU HAVE ANYONE IN MIND, PLEASE INTRO AWAY OR, YES.
COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI? YEAH.
AT OUR LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, OUR WORKING GROUP MEETING, UH, DAVID AND I DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT, UH, MY COM MY WORKING GROUP WILL PROBABLY DEPEND A LOT ON CITY STAFF.
AND SINCE JORGE IS HERE, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHEN WE REACH OUT TO THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, JORGE, I MEAN WE, WE DID THIS BEFORE AND SOMETIMES WE DIDN'T GET ANY VOLUNTEERS.
SO, UH, CAN WE COME TO YOU AND CAN YOU KIND OF TALK TO THEIR DEPARTMENT AND HAVE THEM SIGN SOMEBODY UP THAT CAN HELP US OUT? CHAIR ME? MM-HMM.
WE CAN CERTAINLY GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION MANDATED THAT THE CITY MANAGER PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THAT IS PRETTY BROAD DIRECTION, BUT I BELIEVE UNDER THAT UMBRELLA WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RECRUIT STAFF MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, AS COMMISSIONER CAROL POINTED OUT, IS A LIST OF SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS YOU WISH TO HAVE ENGAGED.
WE WOULD HAVE AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER PUBLIC WORKS, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS SO THEY CAN ASSIGN SOMEONE SPECIFICALLY.
[00:10:01]
THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.AND COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI ON THAT UH, LINK WITH THE LIST THAT I SENT, I PUT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER YOUR GROUP AS A STARTING POINT.
UM, FOLLOWING UP ON COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI'S, UM, NOD THAT WE DO HAVE STAFF HERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, I MEAN I GUESS HE LITERALLY JUST ASKED FOR SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS OF OUTREACH THAT YOU, YOU THINK WE'RE MISSING? OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD TO OUR CANDIDATE SEARCH? THEY COULD SHARE? WE CAN CERTAINLY USE THE TOOLS FROM OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM AT HOUSING AND PLANNING, WHICH CAN DO ONLINE CAMPAIGNS, PRINT CAMPAIGNS AS WELL.
WE PRINTED OUT SURVEYS AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE OR TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT FILLED OUT A PAPER SURVEY.
SO THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN USE THOSE RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO CREATE MARKETING MATERIAL FOR YOU TO MARKET INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY IN PLATFORMS LIKE LINKEDIN, I BELIEVE SOMEONE MENTIONED.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE THAT AT YOUR DISPOSAL AS WELL.
SO GIVEN THAT WE HAVE THIS NEW TOOL AND WE HAVE REALLY PROBABLY LESS THAN HALF OF THE VOLUNTEERS WE'RE REALLY SEEKING FOR TO START, DO WE WANNA PUSH THE START BACK, START DATE BACK UNTIL WE GET A MORE FULL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM? OR WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? DO A SOFT START AND START ROLLING WHILE WE'RE STILL SEEKING VOLUNTEERS.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, I'M HOPING THAT WITH INDIVIDUAL TARGETED RECRUITING THAT I'VE REQUESTED THAT WITHIN THE TWO WEEKS WE'LL GET PRETTY CLOSE TO FOR EACH GROUP, UM, AT LEAST ENOUGH TO, TO START WITH.
IF WE CAN GET TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, EIGHT PEOPLE OR SOMETHING PER GROUP, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A, A GOOD START.
UM, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO RECRUIT CUZ PEOPLE MAY DROP OFF AT SOME POINT, BUT GIVEN THAT WE'RE REALLY ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE, I WOULD HATE TO KEEP PUSHING IT CUZ THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UH, SO TWO WEEKS FROM THE LAST MEETING, WE ALREADY BURNED A WEEK.
THAT PUTS US AT REALLY NEXT WEEK STARTING TO MEET WITH OUR SMALL GROUPS.
IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, NO, NEXT IT WOULD, NEXT WEEK WOULD BE WHEN WE WOULD FINALIZE THE LISTS.
THEN WE WOULD REACH OUT TO EVERYONE AND SAY, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE IN THIS GROUP.
AND, UH, AND THEN SCHEDULE A MEETING, UH, THAT WORKS BEST, WHETHER THAT'S SOME KIND OF SURVEY FOR EVERYONE TO TRY TO FIND A GOOD DAY AND TIME.
AND THEN, AND THEN THERE'S THE LOCATION EITHER, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE KINDA ASKED STAFF IF THERE'S A PLACE IN THIS BUILDING OR A CITY FACILITY, BUT IT CERTAINLY IS FINE IF SOMEONE HAS A CONFERENCE ROOM AT THEIR OFFICE TO KIND OF MEET THERE, WHATEVER IS EASIEST FOR THE GROUP.
UM, BUT THE INTENT IS AT THAT TWO WEEK THAT WE WOULD KIND OF FINALIZE THE LIST AND THEN START NOTIFYING PEOPLE.
SO IT WOULD PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE OF OCTOBER BEFORE WE ACTUALLY MET.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED ONE FINAL MEETING TO DISCUSS KIND OF HOW WE'RE, UM, KIND OF OUR, OUR TIMELINE AND UM, I GUESS INITIAL STEPS AS WE START THESE GROUPS, WHAT ARE THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS AND UM, OUR, OUR KIND OF TIMELINE FOR GETTING THROUGH EACH OF THESE PHASES.
I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO KIND OF CIRCLE BACK TO THAT PIECE AS WELL BEFORE WE START MEETING.
OH, THERE'S COMMISSIONER WATLEY IS ANOTHER VICTIM.
I WAS MESSING WITH MY SETTINGS AND TRYING TO CATCH UP.
UH, WERE WE TALKING ABOUT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES OR? YES.
WE'RE ASKING COMMISSIONERS TO, TO VOLUNTEER TO BE ON ONE OF THE GROUPS.
THANK CHAIR COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
[00:15:01]
TIMELINE FOR THIS EXERCISE IS 10 MONTHS AND THE APPROXIMATE TIME DEDICATION IS TWO HOURS EVERY OTHER WEEK PLUS I GUESS HOMEWORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.MOO, I'M JUST WONDERING IF, DO WE WANNA TRY TO CONDENSE THAT A LITTLE BIT? I'M JUST WONDERING, 10 MONTHS SEEMS LIKE VERY, I CAN HAVE A BABY IN 10 MONTHS.
I MEAN I CAN DO A LOT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
THAT WAS MOSTLY BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER CITY INITIATIVES.
UM, LIKE I, I WAS ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES GROUP AND THAT AC BOTH OF THOSE ACTUALLY TOOK MUCH LONGER THAN THAT.
UM, SO THAT WAS JUST SORT OF A STARTING POINT.
BUT IF, AND AND RESPECTING THE FACT THAT MAYBE PEOPLE CAN'T MEET EVERY WEEK.
UM, I MEAN IF YOU, IF YOU GET TO TALKING IN YOUR GROUP AND THEY'RE LIKE MOTIVATED AND LIKE, YEAH, WE CAN MEET ONCE A WEEK AND REALLY DO A LOT OF WORK, THAT'S GREAT.
UH, I JUST GOT A FIRM, NO, WHEN I TOLD SOMEONE 10 MONTHS, I MEAN THEY WERE LIKE, NO WAY.
UH, SO JUST CURIOUS IF WE CAN, DOES IT HAVE TO BE EVERY GROUP WITH THE SAME TIMELINE? I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN IT SEEMS LIKE THERE COULD BE SOME COMPLICATIONS IF THEY WERE ON DIFFERENT TIMELINES.
UM, AND I'D BE A, I'D BE A LITTLE CONCERNED IF ONE GROUP FINISHED EARLY AND THEN JUST DID NOTHING FOR MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO PULL THEM BACK.
CUZ ONCE WE GET A DRAFT TOGETHER THAT'S GONNA BE REVIEWED AND THEN COME BACK TO THE GROUP.
SO THEY'LL, WE'LL NEED TO REENGAGE THOSE GROUPS AT SOME POINT AFTER THAT DRAFT.
SO I GUESS WE JUST HAVE TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH THE PROS AND CONS OF, OF THAT HAPPENING.
BUT YEAH, I'D, I'D MUCH RATHER BE FASTER THAN SLOWER.
DID YOU ASK THEM IF IF IT WAS SIX MONTHS, IF THEY WOULD DO IT? THEY SAID COULD IT BE SIX MONTHS? OKAY.
THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING UP THE SIX MONTHS.
JUST, IT WAS JUST REALLY CONVERSATIONAL.
WHY 10? COULD IT BE SIX WAS THE, THE WAY IT WAS POSED TO ME AND I THOUGHT I'D BRING IT UP TONIGHT.
I MEAN, I, I, AGAIN, IDEALLY I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND, AND IT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY OUR WORKING GROUP, THE FIVE OF US, I WANT TO KEEP HAVING MEETINGS TO REPORT BACK WHAT ALL THEIR GROUPS ARE DOING.
AND IF WE CAN ALL KIND OF DO GOOD WORK AND KEEP MOVING AND, AND FINISH IN SIX MONTHS, THEN THAT'S FANTASTIC.
UM, AND SO MAYBE THAT COULD BE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, PEER PRESSURE TO LIKE, OH, YOUR GROUP NEEDS TO PICK IT UP.
YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE FOUR GROUPS ARE, ARE MOVING ALONG FAST.
COMMISSIONER WATLEY, ARE YOU WAITING TO BE APPOINTED
YEAH, BE, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP WHERE I CAN.
BUT ONE QUESTION I HAVE, AND PARDON ME IF, IF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED, I MAY HAVE MISSED A MEETING.
BUT FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T ON THE URBAN DESIGN, UH, GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP, IS THERE A DOCUMENT THAT JUST TALKS ABOUT KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, ALMOST EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OR KIND OF WHAT ARE THE GOALS AND THEN WHAT ARE WE, AND FOR, YOU KNOW, THESE, IF WE GET TOGETHER COMMITTEES AND PEOPLE FROM OTHER GROUPS, KIND OF, WHAT ARE WE ASKING FROM THEM? LIKE IF WE SET PARAMETERS TO, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE EXERCISE.
CAUSE IT IS A HUGE ONE, YOU KNOW, AND I, I RECALL JUST YEARS BACK I WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU
[00:20:01]
KNOW, MAIN PILLARS.THERE'S LIKE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, OUR, WHEN WE DID INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE KIND OF BROKE IT UP AND AS A GROUP WE MADE DECISIONS ABOUT HIGH LEVEL THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND IT, THE COMMITTEE REPORTED BACK TO THE, UH, THE FULL COMMISSION AND WE KINDA, YOU KNOW, WE REFINED THE DIRECTION AND LIKE I SAY, APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED A MEETING WHERE WE'VE DONE THIS, BUT I HAVEN'T EVER GOTTEN A PIECE OF PAPER THAT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INITIAL FINDINGS OR KIND OF THE FRAMEWORK FOR DISCUSSIONS AND HOW THESE THINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AND WHAT OUR SCOPE IS GONNA BE AND HOW LARGE IT'S GONNA BE.
UM, HAVE YOU SEEN THE LINK ONLINE THAT HAS THE OVERVIEW AND MISSION STATEMENT? COMMISSIONER CAROL WORKS ON IT.
FIRST OF ALL, I GUESS WHAT I HEARD IS COMMISSIONER WATLEY WANTS TO BE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP.
UH, SECONDLY I DO RECALL SOME OF THAT SO I COULD HELP THERE.
YEAH, THERE IS THE, UH, THE PLAN THAT WE PUT TOGETHER LAST YEAR THAT, UM, KIND OF OUTLINED THE PROCESS AND THE GOALS AND ALL OF THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL HAD, UH, ADOPTED.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERARCHING, UM, REASONING BEHIND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
AND THEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE WHAT WE POSTED ON THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE AND THE CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS SORT OF OUTLINES THE, THE ASK FOR THESE VOLUNTEERS THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA BE, UH, AN ADVISOR GROUP MEMBER, THIS IS WHAT THE ASK IS.
UH, UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE A COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR, THIS IS WHAT THE ASK IS AS FAR AS HIGH LEVEL, WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING, HOW LONG THE PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PAGE IS STILL ONLINE, BUT CERTAINLY WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN SHARE WITH THE FULL COMMISSION.
BUT THIS WAS SOME ON SPEAK UP, I GUESS WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT AS FULL COMMISSION ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD BE.
IT JUST, THE COMMITTEE TOOK IT TO SPEAK UP AND IT'S THERE AND THERE'S A LINK OR SOMETHING.
AND IF SO, I'LL LOOK FOR IT YET.
CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION PLEASE? THAT, THAT, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN IN THESE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS WITH US, SO IT WOULD REALLY BE BENEFICIAL, I THINK IF ONE OF US THAT HAD BEEN ATTENDING, UH, PUT TOGETHER A SHARED DOCUMENT, A GOOGLE SHARED DOCUMENT, FOLDERS SPECIFICALLY HAS EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
CUZ COMMISSIONER CAROL IS REALLY, HE'S MADE A CHECKLIST.
HE'S, HE'S, HE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK IS TO KIND OF LIKE THE FRAMEWORK, WHAT WE'RE SHE TARGETING, UH, WITH OUR GUIDELINES AND, AND I'D HATE FOR THAT TO GO TO WASTE.
SO I'LL, I WILL VOLUNTEER TO PUT THAT, UH, SHARED FOLDER TOGETHER, DISTRIBUTED TO THE WHOLE COMMISSION.
UM, TAKING THAT IDEA AND RUNNING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, IS IT WORTH DOING A PRESENTATION TO THE WHOLE COMMISSION ABOUT THE EVALUATION CHECKLIST AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY WALKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS PERHAPS AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WE'RE REALLY LAUNCHING THIS EFFORT.
UH, COMMISSIONER HANO ROBLITO.
UM, BY THE WAY, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THE RAISE HAND.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SEE HANDS RAISED OR NOT FOR THE, FOR THE TECH PEOPLE.
UM, GOING BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER COLEMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT TO ME, IN ALL HONESTY, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, IS WE'RE GETTING IN NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING TO BE ON MY WAY OUT
SO HEARING 10 MONTHS IS A LOT IN TERMS OF THAT.
SO I JUST THINK TO THINK ABOUT THAT OF A REALITY OF, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY NEW PEOPLE WE MAY BE GETTING ON THE, ON THE COMMISSION.
WELL, THE, THE WAY THAT THE ADVISORY GROUPS ARE SET UP, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A DESIGN COMMISSIONER TO SERVE ON THE GROUP.
OF COURSE YOU CAN CHOOSE TO LEAVE AT ANY TIME, BUT IT'S SET UP FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE TERMING OUT CAN CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS IF THEY WANT TO.
YEAH, I MEAN, AND, AND THEN THE NEW DESIGN COMMISSIONERS CAN BE OUT, PEOPLE COMING IN AND YEAH.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT THEY'LL HAVE NEW RECRUITS AS WELL.
AND, BUT KEEPING BUT 10 MONTHS IS DONE.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THOSE MOST LIKELY, THOSE NEW DESIGN COMMISSIONERS WON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT PAST KNOWLEDGE THAT YEAH.
ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI AND COMMISSIONER WATLEY HAVE.
[00:25:01]
UM, YES.SO IDEALLY NOT ALL OF US ARE, ARE LEAVING
UM, COMMISSIONER WATLEY, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO, WE'VE BEEN, BEFORE YOU JOINED THE MEETING, WE'VE BEEN SLOWLY PUTTING PEOPLE ON THE SPOT AND ASSIGNING THEM TO YOU GROUPS.
UM, I THINK, WAS THAT A DEFINITE VOLUNTEER FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP WITH COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI? YES.
JUST MAKING SURE WE GOT THAT QUOTE.
UM, ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI.
ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP? OKAY, UM, IT WILL ADD AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA ITEM 3.5.
[7. Discussion and possible action on recommendations by the Landscape and Infrastructure Working Group regarding Functional Green’s implementation, message, cost, and timeline, and the impact on affordable housing and other factors.]
UH, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN AT OUR LAST MEETING WAS WORKING ON DRAFTING A RESOLUTION FOR FUNCTIONAL GREEN TO REVIEW WITH THE GROUP.DO YOU HAVE THAT READY FOR REVIEW? COMMISSIONER COLEMAN CHAIR? I, I DO.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A PRESENTATION.
UM, WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION BY STAFF.
UM, I THINK WE SAW WHEN STAFF PRESENTED THAT THERE ARE SOME KINKS STILL LEFT IN THE PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT IS NO FAULT OF STAFF, BUT IN A VERY OBVIOUS INDICATION OF THE CONCERN THAT THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY HAS HAD FOR SOME TIME MYSELF AS ONE OF MANY THAT, UM, THE PROJECT'S BEEN RUSHED IN SOMEWHAT INCOMPLETE, PARTIALLY UNTESTED.
THERE'S LOTS OF FINE LINE OF ARGUMENTATIVENESS ON THIS, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU COULD ARGUE BOTH POINTS.
BUT OVERALL, WHEN FUNCTIONAL GREEN WAS FIRST PRESENTED DURING THE CODE NEXT PROCESS, IT WASN'T EVEN REALLY A COMPLETED DOCUMENT.
AND IT GOT A LOT OF AIR TIME THEN, AND THE CODE NEXT PROCESS QUIT BEFORE THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROCESS WAS FULLY VETTED.
SO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS HAD WERE NEVER FULLY RESOLVED.
SO NOW IT'S BEEN BUNDLED WITH THE OTHER INITIATIVES AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS LEFT TO BE DISCOVERED IN THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROCESS.
SO, UM, I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, A MOTION OR SOMETHING TO DISCUSS CALLED, UH, THE DESIGN COMMISSION REC.
THIS IS A POTENTIAL MOTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMENDS A POSTPONEMENT OF THE ADOPTION, A FUNCTIONAL GREEN FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS GENERATED DURING THE CODE NEXT STAKEHOLDER PROCESS WERE NOT FULLY ADDRESSED.
CONSULTANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS HAD CONCERNS COM ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SITE PLANNING IMPACT AS IT RELATES TO OTHER CODES AND, AND IMPERVIOUS COVER AND OTHER ORDINANCES.
THE COMMISSION WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THE RE POTENTIAL REDUNDANCIES AND OVERLAPS BETWEEN THIS CODE AND THE OTHER LANDSCAPE AND SITE DESIGN CODES, INCLUDING THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, CODES AND ORDINANCES, THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS, WATER FORWARD, GREAT STREETS, SUB CHAPTER E AND OTHER STORM WATER MANAGEMENT CODES, UH, WHERE THAT, THOSE CODES ALSO INCLUDE THE IMPLEMENTATION OR USE OF RAIN GARDENS, BIOFILTRATION AND BIORETENTION.
SO THE DESIGN COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT STAFF PRODUCE AN ACTUAL SUBMITTAL, SO NOT THE CODE OR THE ORDINANCE, BUT THE A SHOW US AN ACTUAL SET OF PLANS FOR BOTH A, A PROJECT WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS AND 90% ALLOWABLE, DEMONSTRATING WHAT A SUCCESSFUL SUBMITTAL WOULD LOOK LIKE TO BE APPROVED, INCLUDING THE CALCULATIONS AND HOW THESE CALCULATIONS INTERACT WITH THE OTHER CALCULATIONS OF THESE OTHER ORDINANCES AND CODES.
BECAUSE A AS DEMONSTRATOR NOT AS DEMONSTRATED AS EXPLAINED BY STAFF, THIS POTENTIAL CODE, YOU ARE ABLE TO USE PIECES OF YOUR OTHER REQUIREMENTS TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS, OF THIS CODE.
SO I HAVEN'T YET TO SEE THAT WE'VE TRIED IT.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESSES AND SOME NOT, BUT WE'RE CURIOUS HOW STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, HOW IT WORKS.
[00:30:01]
PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK.UH, WILL THERE BE THE SAME PEOPLE REVIEWING THIS AS THE OTHER LANDSCAPE ORDINANCES OR IS IT A DIFFERENT TEAM? IS IT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SET? HOW MANY, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE REQUIRED TO STAFF THIS APPROPRIATE? AND WHAT WILL THAT TRAINING LOOK LIKE? HOW LONG OF A PROCESS WILL THAT BE IN? HOW COMPLEX A SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS CODE THAT ARE PRESENTLY NOT INCLUDED IN THE OTHER CODES OR HOW THESE INITIATIVES MAY BE INTEGRATED INTO EXISTING CODES TO HAVE AN EQUAL POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WITHOUT ADDING ANOTHER CODE AND ORDINANCES? IS IT A CODE OR AN ORDINANCE? FUNCTIONAL GRAIN CODE IS THE, IF I MAY CHAIR.
SO BE CODE IS THE CORRECT KNOWING FEATURE, I'LL START YOU.
HAS STAFF VERIFIED THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT NATIVE PLANTING REQUIREMENT WILL WORK IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT? ARE THERE EXAMPLES OF THIS SUCCESS THAT HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED FOR A PERIOD OF YEARS? UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE IF THIS MOVES FORWARD IS I'M LOOKING OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW AT A NON-NATIVE THAT IS BLENDED WITH ALL THE OTHER NATIVES.
AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT'S NON-NATIVE.
BUT IF I'M GOING TO SEAL A DOCUMENT, I WOULD GO FOR THE ALL NATIVE.
BUT IN SOME OF THESE URBAN ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE FULL SHADE, THAT EVERY NOW AND THEN AT NOON IT'S FULL SUN AND THAT IT'S FULL SHADE, AGAIN, THEY'RE ONLY A HANDFUL OF PLANTS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE, READILY MAINTAINABLE, THAT WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
I MEAN, AGAIN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S NOT HUNDREDS OF PLANTS, IT'S VERY FEW.
SO I HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT LEVEL OF DICTATION WHERE WE'RE SU THE CONSULTANTS THAT ARE PRODUCING THIS, THAT SEAL THE DRAWINGS, ARE SUPPOSED TO ENSURE FOR OUR CLIENTELE, INCLUDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THAT THESE ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND HERE I AM AT 40 YEARS AND I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME CASE STUDIES OF WHERE THIS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THEN THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT I CAN'T EVEN GET INTO BECAUSE IN, IN INDIVIDUAL INSTANCES THEY'RE BENIGN, BUT TOGETHER THEY ADD OTHER COMPLEXITIES.
SO THAT IS A VERY LONG DRAWN OUT REQUEST.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS, UM, DISCUSSION IT, THIS ITEM TO DISCUSSION? ANY MOTIONS? MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CAROL? DO WE HAVE A SECOND VICE CHAIR MINERS? ALL RIGHT.
MOVING THE POSSIBLE RESOLUTION TO DISCUSSION.
UM, WHO WANTS TO ASK A QUESTION FOR HIS COMMISSIONER? CAROL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S A, IT'S A GREAT POINT THAT YOU'RE MAKING THAT IN THESE SPECIFIC UNIQUE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, THERE AREN'T ANY NATIVE PLANTS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT WE'RE CREATING IN THAT CORNER RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? SO RIGHT.
JUST SAYING TAKE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE GROWN IN THE HILL COUNTRY DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN BE GROWN IN THAT CORNER OVER THERE.
YOU'RE PUTTING NATIVES IN A NON-NATIVE ENVIRONMENT ASKING THEM TO DO THE RIGHT JOB,
UM, THE, THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION, AND MAYBE I'LL ASK STAFF TO CONFIRM THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ANY CHANGE TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIRES STAFF TO PERFORM AN AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? IF I MAY CHAIR, FOR THE MOST PART, YES, COMMISSIONER, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK AND VERIFY AS TO WHAT SPECIFIC CODE CHANGES TRIGGER THAT.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR MOST CASES, YES, THAT IS REQUIRED.
SO IF IT, IF THIS DOESN'T TRIGGER THAT, I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE RECOMMEND ONE IS DONE BECAUSE I THINK THIS HAD POTENTIALLY HA COULD HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON AFFORDABILITY.
UM, AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.
UH, DO YOU TAKE THE, IS THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES, PLEASE.
DO YOU ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES, I DO.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JORGE, IF I MAY CHAIR, JUST TO CLARIFY, THERE'S, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION YOU CAN FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL AND THERE'S A RESOLUTION.
THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLES I'VE HEARD BOTH MENTIONED.
YOU CAN CHOOSE EITHER ONE TONIGHT WHERE YOU CAN FORMULATE AN ACTUAL RESOLUTION FROM THE COMMISSION THAT WOULD ENTAIL ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE THIS EVENING BY COMMISSIONER COLEMAN
[00:35:01]
AS MODIFIED BY COMMISSIONER CAROL AND ACCEPTED BY THE MAKER OF THE MOTION.YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ON THAT AND THAT WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL COUNCIL OFFICES AND ALSO POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT WOULD TAKE THE SHAPE OF A RESOLUTION FROM THE COMMISSION.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU, BUT WE DO NEED ACTION FROM THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING ON WHICHEVER FORM YOU WISH TO TAKE ON.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IN PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMISSIONERS, THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE, UM, WHO ARE INTERESTED.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A RESOLUTION WHO IS OR VOTE FOR A RESOLUTION IS THE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE, UH, THE RES POSSIBLE RESOLUTION TO VOTE? ARE WE CLEAR ON THE RESOLUTION? BECAUSE I KNOW I STARTED WITH THIS AS A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, DO YOU WANT TO REREAD THE RESOLUTION? I BELIEVE THE RESOLUTION IS TO, WE ARE REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA OR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE RESOLVED, ARE ANSWERED BOTH, I GUESS RESOLVED AND ANSWERED.
UM, AND I CAN GO OVER THOSE AGAIN, BUT, UM, IN, IN EFFECT IT IS, UM, THAT THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS THAT WAS ORIGINAL IS FULLY VETTED AND COMPLETED CUZ IT WAS NOT, IT WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE FAILURE OF CODE NEXT, UM, ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL REDUNDANCIES AND OVERLAPS, UH, REQUEST THAT STAFF PRODUCE AN ACTUAL SUBMITTAL SHOWING THE SUCCESS OF THE, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CODE, UM, A BRIEFING OR, OR, OR SOME, UM, SOME UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE STAFFING AND PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK AS IT WORKS WITH OTHER SUBMITTALS AND WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE OF THIS CODE THAT ARE NOT IN THE OTHER CODES THAT ALREADY EXIST.
AND THEN, UM, SOME SORT OF VERIFICATION THAT THE RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE THAT THE HUNDRED PERCENT NATIVE PLANTING HAS WORKED AND WILL WORK OVER A PERIOD OF MORE THAN JUST A YEAR, LIKE TWO OR THREE YEARS.
SO THAT THAT'S THE, UM, RESOLUTION COME SHARE ACCOUNT.
AND, AND I WANT TO ADD TOO, WHY I THINK IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT WHAT COMMISSIONER COLEMAN IS SAYING IS BECAUSE WHEN THIS WAS WRITTEN, IT WAS WRITTEN FOR A DIFFERENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAN WE HAVE TODAY.
AND, AND SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT SHE'S MENTIONING LIKE, WE'LL TAKE SUB CHAPTER E WAS NOT IN THAT CODE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING IT AND WE'RE APPLYING IT TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND THERE COULD BE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THESE THINGS ARE LOOKED AT.
WE HAVEN'T CLEANED OUT OUR CLOSET AND WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER CODE AND THE CONFLICTS AND REDUNDANCIES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
VICE CHAIR MINERS, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE AN EXPERT, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.
UH, WHEN WE WERE, UH, LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION, THEY TALKED ABOUT EASEMENTS AND HOW POTENTIALLY THOSE EASEMENTS COULD QUALIFY AS PART OF THE CALCULATION, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS STILL AN UNRELATED PROCESS THAT AN APPLICANT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
SO NOT ONLY WOULD THEY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN ON THEIR OWN ACCOUNT, BUT THEN THEY'D HAVE TO SEEK, UM, APPROVAL FOR THE EASEMENT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IS THAT CAPTURED WITHIN YOUR, UH, TERMINOLOGY AS FAR AS LIKE REDUNDANCY OVERLAP AND REDUNDANCIES OVERLAPPING? YEAH.
WOULD THAT BE PART OF THAT? AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PERCEIVED BEAUTY OF THIS IS THAT YOU'RE GETTING CREDIT FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE ALREADY DO DOING IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
WHICH BRINGS UP FOR ME THE WHY.
IF YOU'RE ALREADY DOING IT, WHY GO THROUGH ANOTHER PROCESS TO SHOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY BY THESE OTHER CODES REQUIRED TO DO? YEAH, THE EXAMPLE I GIVE IS IF YOU WANT MORE POLLINATORS, AMEND THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE TO SAY THAT 15% OF YOUR PLANTING DESIGN SPECIES NEED TO BE POLLINATORS.
I THINK THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE WITHOUT ADDING A WHOLE NEW PROCESS AND A WHOLE NEW CODE THAT JUST ADDS LAYERS OF REDUNDANCY TO SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY OVER OVERLY COMPLEX AND HAS NOT BEEN CLEANED OUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH CODE NEXT, WHICH IT, IT.
SO IT'S JUST ADDING TO, IT ALREADY BURDENS SOME PROCESS FOR OUR STAFF OR FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR CONSUMERS, FOR OUR CLIENTS, FOR OUR PROJECTS, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT THAT YOU GET.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO ARGUE THAT THERE'S
[00:40:01]
NO BENEFIT.OF COURSE THERE'S BENEFIT, BUT I THINK THERE'S OTHER WAY TO GET THAT BENEFIT WITHOUT IT BEING YET ANOTHER PROCESS.
SO I THINK THAT'S MY ONE THOUGHT IS I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR, THAT STAFF IS AWARE THAT THAT'S MY CONCERN ABOUT THE EASEMENTS IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING TOO IS THAT, UM, AS, AS FAR AS LIKE DEMONSTRATING THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY FEASIBLE, I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, HAS THE CITY COMMITTED TO A PARTICULAR PROJECT AS LIKE A PILOT? YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE A PILOT WITHIN CITY OWNED PROPERTY? UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A TRACT IN, UH, UH, THAT A ABUTS MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ST.
JOHN'S, THE HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE NEIGHBORS WERE ACTUALLY TAKEN ABACK BY ALL THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, UM, IMPERVIOUS.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCRETE, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
UM, THEY WERE TAKEN ABACK BY THAT.
SO I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEMONSTRATE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY TO, TO PRACTICE WHAT IT BREACHES ESSENTIALLY.
UM, WITH SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES, WELL, THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HUNDRED PERCENT AND 90%.
IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO IMPLEMENT THIS IN A 90% ENVIRONMENT EVEN WITH OUR CURRENT CODE, BUT A HUNDRED PERCENT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS REALLY KIND OF MURKY TO ME, UM, AS A CONSUMER OF IT.
UM, AND THAT BRINGS UP THINGS LIKE EASEMENTS AND SUCH.
UM, BUT IF YOU ARE ALLOWED A HUNDRED PERCENT, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE REQUIREMENTS.
YOU SAW IT IN THE EXAMPLES THAT WERE GIVEN UNLESS YOU PUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ON YOUR ROOF.
SO FOR ME, CLARITY AND PREDICTABILITY WAS A LOT ABOUT WHAT CODE NEXT WAS ABOUT ALL ABOUT CLARITY AND PREDICTABILITY.
SO IF THE INTENT IS TO NOT HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS COVER ANYMORE, THEN CHANGE YOUR ZONING ORDINANCE OR FLAT FLATFOOTED IN THE LANDSCAPE CODE THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE X, Y, Z, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A ROOF GARDEN OR IMPERVIOUS COVER OUR PERVIOUS COVER AT GRADE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LANDSCAPE CODE.
THAT THIS, I DON'T FEEL LIKE'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.
CAN I ADD THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? JUST THAT THEY INCLUDE SOME SORT OF PILOT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR? WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TO SHOW EXAMPLES OF A HUNDRED PERCENT AND A 90% AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO WE CAN ALL SEE THE COMMUNITY CAN ALL SEE THAT THERE'S A, AN ADDED BENEFIT THAT REALLY JUSTIFIES THIS PROCESS AND EXPENSE IS THE OUTCOME, UH, JUSTIFIABLE.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR IN A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT BY COMMISSIONER CAROL, THAT ADDED AND AFFORDABILITY STATEMENT AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
AND WE WOULD KINDLY ASK COMMISSIONER COLEMAN TO PROVIDE A COPY OF HER LIST FOR INCLUSION INTO THE DRAFT RESOLUTION AS VOTED UPON BY THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING.
UM, SO MOVING THE RESOLUTION BACK TO VOTE WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UM, TO MOVE THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL? ANY MOTION? I HAVE A QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE A MOTION, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, ITEM SEVEN IS RELATED TO THIS ALSO.
IT'S ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS HAVING TO DO WITH THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
SO IS THIS DECISION GONNA OVERRIDE WHATEVER WE TALKED ABOUT ON? OH, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE I MOVED ITEM SEVEN AND CALLED IT 3.5.
UM, I KNOW COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, UM, HAS TO LEAVE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, SO JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE DISCUSSING IT WHILE SHE'S HERE.
SO ON, ON BEHALF OF THE WORKING GROUP, I HAVE TO SAY THAT SOME STUFF I DID LIKE IN THE, UH, IN THE CODE IN THAT, IN THAT PRESENTATION, AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE, UM, WITH KIND OF THE WASTEWATER STUFF, THE RUNOFF, ALL THAT KIND OF MITIGATION.
AND I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF IS REALLY GOOD AND I'M PUSHING FOR INTEGRATED DESIGN WHERE WE'RE GONNA START WORKING ON IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT LIKE COMMISSIONER COLEMAN SAID, WHO IS GONNA BE REVIEWING THAT PART OF FUNCTIONAL GREEN WHEN IT'S MAINLY A LANDSCAPE ORIENTED ORDINANCE? YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BRING IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PLAYERS.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BRING IN, YOU KNOW, AND HOW IS THAT GONNA BE ACCOMPLISHED? AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT COMMISSIONER CO, UH, CAROL IS KIND OF RELATED TO IS THE EXPENSE OF BRINGING SO MANY PEOPLE IN TO REVIEW THIS STUFF.
IT'S JUST GONNA GET WAY OUT OF, IT'S JUST GONNA GET WAY OUT THERE AND IT'S GONNA BE UNAFFORDABLE.
IS THAT A MOTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD? I MAY, YES.
TO CLARIFY, YOU, YOU HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER COLEMAN IN A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CAROL
[00:45:01]
WITH A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.SO THERE'S NO NEED TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER MOTION.
WAS THERE A SECOND? I DON'T REMEMBER IF I MAY CHAIR.
JORGE SAID COMMISSIONER CAROL.
THE SECOND WAS COMMISSIONER CAROL AND HE ADDED A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT FOR THE AFFORDABILITY STATEMENT.
THERE WAS DISCUSSION, A POTENTIAL THIRD FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BUT THAT WAS ENCAPSULATED FOR THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU CALLED OUT.
SO YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CAROL WITH A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
YOU READY TO CALL THE QUESTION CHAIR? THANK YOU, JORGE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, WITH RECOMMENDA RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE COMMISSIONER COLEMAN HAS PRESENTED REGARDING FUNCTIONAL GREEN TO MOVE FORWARD AS A RESOLUTION TO COUNSEL.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE FORWARD THAT WITH THE EDITS AND I WILL FORWARD TO JORGE.
I WILL CLAIM THIS UP TONIGHT AND DELIVER IT TOMORROW.
[4. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting.]
FOUR, UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE OF OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.WE DISCUSSED AT OUR MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, UM, A REVIEW OF PUBLIC SAFETY FROM COMMANDER ERIC FITZGERALD OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE DISCUSSED BASICALLY THE CRIME IS DECREASING, UM, SIMILAR SITUATIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH HOMELESS AND HERE HAVE IMPROVED.
AND, UM, IT WAS A REALLY FASCINATING HOUR LONG BRIEFING THAT WE WERE ALL VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, THAT'S, WE ALSO DISCUSSED IN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT.
UM, THAT'S REALLY THE TOTAL OF OUR AGENDA.
UM, MOVING BACK TO THIS MEETING, UH, ITEM
[5. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding last meeting.]
FIVE UPDATE, FORMER REPRESENTATIVE OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING THE LAST MEETING, COMMISSIONER CAROL, DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM, DID NOT MEET LAST MONTH.[6. Update from representative on the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board regarding last meeting.]
UM, ITEM SIX, UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT BOARD REGARDING LAST MEETING.LAST MEETING, UM, WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM STAFF.
THE BIG ONE WAS UPDATE FROM STAFF REGARDING THE REGULATING PLAN.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWING, UM, COUNCIL HAS HAD SOME DISCUSSION OR SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS NOW, UM, ON THE REGULATING PLAN AND, AND HOW BEST TO PROCEED WITH THAT.
LONG STORY SHORT, UM, WHAT THEY, THEY GAVE, THEY GAVE STAFF NEW DIRECTION.
STAFF DID HAVE A REGULATING PLAN THAT THEY WERE PREPARED, OR AT LEAST MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY HAD A REGULATING PLAN, THEY WERE PREPARED TO SHOW US, BUT AFTER COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, UM, THEY, THEY, UH, ARE NOW GOING TO GIVE US A REGULATING PLAN IN JUNE.
UM, UH, THE UPSIDE OF THIS IS THAT THE REGULATING PLAN THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE WAS NOT NECESSARILY GONNA GET US, UH, THE FULL BUILD OUT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, OR AT LEAST, UM, I SHOULDN'T SAY FULL BUILD OUT, BUT POTENTIALLY NOT PROVIDE FOR ALL OF ALL OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WAS, THAT WERE OUTLINED IN THE PLAN.
AND SO THE DIRECTION THAT COUNCIL HAS GIVEN STAFF IS TO BRING FORTH, UM, OPTIONS IN A REGULATING PLAN THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE ABLE TO, UM, TO PROVIDE FOR, FOR THE AMOUNT OF THE COST OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WOULD BE OUTLINED OR THAT I'VE BEEN OUTLINING THAT PLAN VIBY, THE 20% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE PARKS AND OPEN GREEN SPACE, ANY INFRASTRUCTURE COST THAT MIGHT BE PROVIDED.
SO WHAT IT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS, IS BASICALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH DENSITY ACTUALLY HAS TO BE THERE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE, UM, THROUGH A, THROUGH A RANGE OF, OF DENSITY BONUS DOLLARS, SOME SORT OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT THEY MIGHT IMPLEMENT, SIMILAR TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM OR OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THAT REGULATING PLAN WOULD NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE WITH REGARDS TO HOW MUCH CAN BE BUILT THERE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE, UM, THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO IT'S THIS ON THE, ON THAT BOARD TO HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, ALMOST A YEAR TO GET, UM, THE REGULATING PLAN.
WE ARE THIS CLOSE TO GETTING ONE, BUT PERSONALLY I THINK IT'S, IT IS BETTER TO, TO IMPLEMENT OR TO, TO BRING FORWARD A PLAN TO, TO THE BOARD AND TO COUNCIL AND MORE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, THEY CAN ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED.
[00:50:01]
PRETTY INTENT OR PRETTY UH, PRETTY GOOD MEETING? PRETTY GOOD MEETING, YEAH.IS THE REGULAR REGULATING PLAN SEPARATE FROM THE TOUR? THE REGULATING PLAN MUST BE ESTABLISHED BEFORE THE TOUR, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, AND I'M GONNA, SO IT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T KNOW.
UM, STAFF HAS SAID THAT THEY, THAT THEY'RE WAITING FOR, UM, THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE REGULATING PLAN BEFORE THEY GO FORWARD WITH ANY SORT OF TOUR WHERE THAT'S AT NOW, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, MY PERSONAL VIEWPOINT IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE TIED TOGETHER.
THERE'S A LOT, THERE'S A LOT THAT BOTH OF THOSE WILL INFORM FOR SURE, BUT THERE'S NO REASON WHY THEY CAN'T, UM, BE WORKING ON BOTH INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER.
I THINK THAT NOW, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANY DISCUSSION ON THE TERRORS FOR A WHILE UNTIL THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GONNA, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THERE.
UM, BUT I, THERE'S NO REASON WE KNOW THE COST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, WE GENERALLY KNOW HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, COST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GONNA BE.
SO THERE'S NO REASON WHY THEY CAN'T SET THOSE VALUES.
NOW, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT FUNDING MECHANISMS. WHAT DOES THAT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE IN THAT, IN THE, IN THE, THE DIFFERENT FUNDING BUCKETS THAT MIGHT AFFECT HOW THOSE TOURIST FUNDS GET DISTRIBUTED, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T START LOOKING AT WHAT THAT OVERALL MAXIMUM TERMS AMOUNT SHOULD BE.
DID I SEE A HAND RAISE? NO, THERE WAS JUST MOTION.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FRANCO.
[3. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding updates to the guidelines.]
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS WHILE WE'RE STILL HERE, JORGE, IF I MADE SURE NOT, NOT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.JUST TO CLARIFY ON ANY POTENTIAL ACTION THAT THE COMMISSION WISHED TO TAKE ON THE APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONERS TO WORKING GROUP, WE CAN ACCEPT THAT BY CONSENSUS IF YOU SO WISH.
BUT YOU ALSO HAD TWO MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHO HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BEING PART OF THOSE WORKING GROUPS.
WE CAN KEEP THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH AND THE FOLLOWING MONTHS IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE APPOINTING COMMISSION MEMBERS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONS OR REARRANGE THE ORDER AS YOU SEE FIT.
AND BY CONSENSUS WE CAN TAKE THAT AS WELL CHAIR.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S NO NEED FOR YOU TO TAKE FORMAL ACTION IF BY CONSENSUS YOU WISH TO MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS TO BUILDINGS.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, TO STREET SCAPES, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN COMMISSIONER AND ALEDO TO OPEN SPACES, VICE CHAIR MINORS TO URBAN STRUCTURE CHAIR WEAVER TO INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSIONER TAN GCI.
COMMISSIONER WATLEY COMMISSIONER CAROL, DO YOU WANT TO WORK ON THOSE TWO APPOINTMENTS NOW WHILE WE'RE HERE? OR DO YOU WANT TO WORK ON THAT LATER? I THINK IT'S BEST TO TO WAIT BECAUSE MY SENSE IS WE MIGHT HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
IF, IF I MAY JUST GET AN AFFIRMATION THEN BY CONSENSUS THAT YOU WISH TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
BEFORE WE CONCLUDE CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MS. SOPHIA BENNER, WHO WILL BE JOINING THE STAFF TEAM AS STAFF LIAISON ALONG WITH MS. NICOLE CORD.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU ARE STILL STUCK WITH ME AS EXECUTIVE LIAISON, SO I WILL TRY TO BE BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME MISS SOPHIA BENNER WHO'LL BE JOINING THE STAFF TEAM.
IS MS. CORONA WITH THE BEER COMPANY?
IT'S TIME TO ADJOURN THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE TONIGHT.
WE CHANGE US, WE'LL CHANGE US TO, WE'LL CHANGE US TO, WE CHANGE CHANGES TO IS.