[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
UM, IN CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.
THIS IS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING FOR OCTOBER 19TH, 2022.
UH, IT IS NOW 5:35 PM AND WE ARE UNDERWAY.
UH, FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO CALL THE ROLE.
MONA, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH? GOOD EVENING COMMISSION.
I AM LIAISON SUPPORT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UM, AND AS THE CHAIR STATED, THIS IS OCTOBER 19TH, 2022.
REGULAR MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
SORRY, JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
THINKING ABOUT MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING
JILL, COMMISSIONER SHEAR PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER RAIN COMMISSIONER GOMEZ.
COMMISSIONER MOCK COMMISSIONER WEAVER PRESENT.
AND COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ HERE.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE MAY BE GETTING A, UH, NEW MEMBER FROM THE PARKS BOARD HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
UM, SO WE'LL HOPE TO, TO HAVE SOMEBODY ON THE DIAS REPRESENTING PARKS BOARD HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMISSIONERS EITHER LOG ON OR, OR APPEAR IN PERSON, UH, HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMUNICATION TODAY? NO CHAIR.
THERE ARE NO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM.DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? ARE THERE ANY CHANGES? IS HEARING NONE THE MINUTE STAND IS APPROVED.
[2. Staff briefing on Project Connect and related ordinance proposal, Donna Galati, Project Connect Office.]
NEXT ITEM, UH, STAFF BRIEFING ON PROJECT CONNECT AND THE RELATED ORDINANCE PROPOSAL.DONNA GALATI, UH, WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
HELLO? OH, BEFORE Y'ALL BEGIN, UH, I'VE BEEN ASKED, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF LONG PRESENTATIONS TODAY, SO PLEASE HOLD ALL QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M WITH THE CITY'S PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
FIRST, LET ME INTRODUCE JENNIFER PINE WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
SHE WILL START US OFF WITH A PROJECT CONNECT OVERVIEW.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON AN UPDATE ON PROJECT CONNECT.
UH, SO PROJECT CONNECT IS A MULTIMODAL, UH, TRANSIT INVESTMENT PLAN.
UM, THE VOTERS PASSED, UH, THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
UH, AND WE'VE SAID ABOUT TO IMPLEMENT IT EVER SINCE.
SO THERE ARE VARIOUS COMPONENTS TO THE PROGRAM, UH, THAT INCLUDE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM TO AUSTIN.
UH, IT ALSO, UH, INCLUDES FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL METH, METRO RAPID BUS SERVICE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING RED LINE, UH, AND OTHER COMPONENTS SUCH AS NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS AND PARK AND RIGHTS.
UH, THE PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES ABOUT 300 MILLION FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL FOR DISPLACEMENT IMPACTS THAT MIGHT RESULT FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.
SO PROJECT CONNECT IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY A PARTNERSHIP OF THREE ORGANIZATIONS.
ONE OF THEM IS A AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS WHERE, WHERE I WORK AND ATP, UM, REALLY ONLY CAME INTO EXISTENCE AFTER THE VOTE IN 2020.
UM, AND OUR, OUR CHARGE IS REALLY TO MANAGE THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR THE LIGHT RAIL PROGRAM.
UH, DO WORK ON THE GREEN LINE, UH, FUTURE ANTICIPATED COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE AND, UH, FACILITIES TO SUPPORT THOSE RAIL INVESTMENTS.
[00:05:01]
CAT METRO.CAT METRO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE, THE BUS PROJECTS, UM, WITHIN THE PROGRAM, UH, THE PICKUP SERVICE, UH, AND THE RED LINE IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE THIRD PARTNER, UH, WHO, UH, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PERMITTING COORDINATION ON RIGHT OF WAY, UTILITIES, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, AND ALSO THE CITY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING OR ADMINISTERING THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENTS.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE, THE VOTE JUST PASSED, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO NOW, QUITE A BIT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR.
UM, UH, EARLY ON IN THE PROGRAM, UH, NEW CIRCULATOR PICKUP ZONES WERE IMPLEMENTED, UH, AND SINCE, UH, SINCE THE VOTE, THERE HAVE BEEN THREE GROUNDBREAKINGS, UH, TWO ON NEW METRO RAPID BUS PROJECTS, UH, AND ALSO A NEW STATION ALONG THE RED LINE THAT WOULD SERVE THE AUSTIN FC STADIUM, UH, FAIRLY RECENTLY.
UH, ALSO THE METRO BIKE PROGRAM WAS INCORPORATED INTO CAT, CAT METRO, AND THAT'LL JUST ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THESE SEAMLESS MULTIMODAL CONNECTIONS.
UH, AND CAT METRO IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING THE OVERALL EFFORT, UH, REGARDING ELECTRIFICATION OF THE BUS FLEET.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW METRO RAPID PROJECTS WOULD BE BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES.
SO ON THE LIGHT RAIL PROGRAM, WE'RE PRETTY EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
WE'RE STILL IN THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE, UH, REALLY LOOKING AT DEFINING THE PROJECT.
UM, AFTER THIS POINT WE WOULD ENTER INTO, UH, HEAVIER ENGINEERING AND, AND ULTIMATELY CONSTRUCTION.
UH, SO THESE PHASES THAT ARE SHOWN ON THE SLIDE UP HERE ARE REALLY, UM, PART OF THE FEDERAL GRANT PROCESS THAT WE ARE A PART OF.
WE'RE PURSUING FEDERAL FUNDS FOR CAPITAL, UH, THAT MAY BE ON THE ORDER OF ABOUT 50% OF THE CAPITAL COSTS.
SO AS WE'VE BEEN MOVING THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, WE'VE JUST COME, HAD TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT, UH, THE TRAJECTORY THE COST IS, IS JUST GOING UP AT THIS POINT.
SO ONE THING THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THE ATP BOARD IN JULY IS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND REALLY LOOK AT THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DEFINING THE PROJECT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN AFFORD.
AND ALSO THAT MEETS ALL OF THE OBJECTIVES FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT WE'VE LAID OUT IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE BEEN TAKING A COUPLE MONTHS AND WE'LL CONTINUE REALLY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR AND INTO 2023, UH, TAKING A HARD LOOK AT THE PROJECT AND TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE'RE ALIGNED AS FAR AS THE PROJECT COSTS, UH, AND HOW IT'S DEFINED.
A FEW OF THE DRIVERS THAT WE'VE, UH, REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS AND THINK ABOUT.
ONE IS COST OF RIGHT AWAY HAS CONTINUED TO GO UP.
UM, INFLATION DOESN'T HELP US EITHER.
UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU SEE THE SAME TYPE OF IMPACTS FROM LABOR SHORTAGES, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, AND THE LIKE.
AND SO WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO ANY OF THAT.
UM, SO WE ARE WANT TO TRACK THOSE TRENDS AND, UH, DO THE BEST WE CAN AND HOW WE'RE DEFINING THE PROJECT TO BE IN A POSITION TO MANAGE ANY POTENTIAL RISKS.
UH, YOU KNOW, FINALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AS YOU KNOW, DESIGN AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS CONTINUED.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SCOPE CHANGES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO, UH, THE GROWTH AND COSTS.
AND SO WE'RE JUST TAKING A LOOK AT THAT AND WE'LL BE INVOLVED IN A DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO 2023, UH, REGARDING THIS AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE ALL ALIGNED ON, ON WHERE WE WANT THIS PROJECT TO GO.
UM, AS WE COMPLETE DEFINITION OF THE PROJECT, WE WILL ALSO BE GOING THROUGH THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS, UM, WHICH WILL REQUIRE COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OR NPA.
UM, WE'VE STARTED SOME OF THE ANALYSES FOR THESE, UH, UNDER NEPA.
IT'S REQUIRED THAT WE REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ALL THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT COULD RESULT FROM THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE OPERATION OF ANY LIGHT RAIL PROJECT ON THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT.
ON, UH, THE NATURAL PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT.
UH, IT'S A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS.
UH, A COUPLE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO COME OUT OF THE NEPA PROCESS.
ONE IS THAT AS FAR AS THE IDENTIFICATION OF IMPACTS, IT'S ALSO IDENTIFYING THE MITIGATION MEASURES TO AVOID, UM, OR REDUCE, MITIGATE THOSE TYPES OF IMPACTS.
AND ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE NEPA PROCESS IS A TRUE COMMITMENT TO THOSE MITIGATION MEASURES THAT WOULD BE, UH, RECORDED IN THE FTAS APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT TO CONTINUE, UH, AND ATP IF, UH, AS THE MANAGER OF THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS CAT METRO, UM, AS THE FUTURE OPERATOR OR OTHER PARTIES WHO ARE IN A POSITION TO MANAGE, UH, AND MAINTAIN THOSE MITIGATION COMMITMENTS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO SO.
UM, ANOTHER IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE NEPA PROCESS IS THE PUBLIC PROCESS.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS, IS CONDUCTED, UM, AS PART OF A COMMUNITY DIALOGUE SO THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ARE, UM, HOW THEY MIGHT BE MITIGATED, UM, AND SO THERE THAT IT'S FULLY TRANSPARENT IN THAT WAY.
SO THOSE ARE THE SLIDES I HAVE.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK TO DONNA.
[00:10:01]
IS THE LARGEST RETROFITTING OF RIGHT AWAY THE CITY HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN.WE KNOW THAT THE CITY'S CODE AND CRITERIA, WHICH FOCUS DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ON VERTICAL SITE SPECIFIC, UH, EXCUSE ME, PROJECTS WERE NOT WRITTEN TO ACCOMMODATE A PROJECT OF THIS SCALE.
TODAY, WE BRING FORWARD A FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT NOW AND SETS A FRAMEWORK BY WHICH WE CAN ADD COMPONENTS AS SCOPE AND DESIGN PROGRESSES.
THIS IS A ONCE IN A GENERATION PROGRAM THAT BENEFITS A NUMBER OF COUNCIL ADOPTED POLICIES AND PLANS SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, INCLUDING CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN GOALS, SUPPORTS THE A S M P MODE, SHIFT GOALS, HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, TRANSFORMING THE TRANSIT NETWORK AND CONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
THE ENO CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION IS A THINK TANK THAT DID A REPORT ON WHY NORTH AMERICAN TRANSIT PROJECTS TAKE LONGER AND COST MORE THAN THOSE IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
THE 2021 ENO REPORT SITES SEVERAL CASE STUDIES DEMONSTRATING THAT AUSTIN IS NOT ALONE IN HAVING A CODE RELATED OBSTACLE.
THE REPORT IDENTIFIED LOCAL REGULATION, PERMITTING AND DECISION MAKING PROCEDURES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AS AN OBSTACLE TO ACHIEVING VIABLE COST EFFECTIVE TRANSIT SYSTEMS ON PAR WITH THOSE OF PURE NATIONS.
IN OCTOBER OF 2021, COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION DIRECTING STAFF TO SCAN CODE CRITERIA AND PROCESSES LOOKING FOR OBSTACLES TO EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION AND PERMITTING OF PROJECT CONNECT THE RESOLUTION SITES, THE CITY'S MOBILITY PLAN, THE VOTER REFERENDUM FOR PROJECT CONNECT, THE ENO REPORT, AND THE KNOWN DIFFICULTIES OF AUSTIN'S CODE AND CRI CODES AND ORDINANCES.
IN IMPLEMENTING A LINEAR PROJECT, COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE FOR PUBLIC MOBILITY PROJECTS IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND PROJECT CONNECT WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT ORDINANCE.
THIS RESOLUTION PROVIDES FURTHER OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE OBSTACLES WE KNOW TODAY PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE STAFF HAVE SCANNED CODE AND CRITERIA, AND GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW TODAY, WE HAVE A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR PROJECT CONNECT REGULATIONS AND PROCESSES THAT WILL BENEFIT THE PROGRAM AS IT PROCEEDS.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSIT AND HEALTH AND SAFETY BENEFITS OF LIGHT RAIL IN A WAY THAT IS INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF THE COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE ART DEPARTMENTS RESOURCES AND ENSURE THAT WE DON'T GET IN OUR OWN WAY AS WE IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT.
OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IS WRITTEN FOR SINGLE LOT DEVELOPMENT, SO IT WOULDN'T BE A GOOD USE OF RESOURCES TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF SITE PLANS, YOU KNOW, ONE FOR EACH LOT OR BLOCK FOR PERMITTING MILES OF RAIL.
THIS ORDINANCE IS OUR FIRST STEP.
THE FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE HAS FIVE MAIN COMPONENTS, STRUCTURE, CONSTRUCTION, NOISE AND MITIGATION PLAN REQUIREMENTS, ADJUSTMENTS TO SITE PLAN, TRANSIT SYSTEM USES, AND FISCAL POSTING.
THIS ORDINANCE IS A STANDALONE REGULATORY INSTRUMENT SO THAT WHEN CONSTRUCTION PLANS COME IN FOR REVIEW, BOTH THE APPLICANT AND THE REVIEWER CAN GO TO ONE PLACE FOR ANY REGULATIONS OR STANDARDS FOR TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECTS.
THIS ORDINANCE DEFINES TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECT AS A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, GENERALLY DEPICTED ON EXHIBIT A, WHICH IS THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM MAP WITH ANY RELATED APP APPEARANCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSIT LINE, RAIL STATION OR TRANSPORTATION TERMINAL FUNDED BY A PUBLIC ENTITY.
WE KNOW THAT AS PART OF THE NEPA PROCESS, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP HAS TO IDENTIFY MITIGATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION NOISE AND THAT THOSE MITIGATIONS ARE BINDING.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE FDA RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES, WE REALIZED THAT MANY OF THESE STANDARDS START WHERE THE CITY'S ESCALATION OF NOISE COMPLAINTS ARE, SUCH AS REGULAR, REGULAR MONITORING OF CONSTRUCTION NOISE LEVELS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE THE CITY REQUIRES MONITORING.
AFTER A NUMBER OF VALID COMPLAINTS, WE WILL REQUIRE MONITORING AS A STANDARD IN LINE WITH THE FTA BEST PRACTICES.
WITH THIS ORDINANCE, WE ARE REQUIRING THAT THE MITIGATION PLAN INCLUDE THOSE RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES.
THE NOISE MITIGATION PLAN CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN COMPONENTS.
THE FIRST IS THE NOISE MITIGATION AND MONITORING PLAN THAT IS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE NPA ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS AND SUBMITTED TO THE FDA.
A ATP WILL SUBMIT THEIR PLAN REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTORS SPECIFIC NOISE PLANS THAT ADDRESS MITIGATION FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CONSTRUCTION, AND IT WILL INCLUDE A COMMUNICATION PLAN WITH PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFICATION AND MONITORING.
AND, UM, THEN I'LL, WITH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS, A SITE PLAN CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS, A LAND USE ELEMENT, AND A CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT.
AND IN MOST DEVELOPMENTS, THOSE ARE COMBINED INTO A CONSOLIDATED SITE PLAN.
THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CL THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE HAS A SECTION CALLED FAST TRACK, WHICH DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN FAST AT ALL.
IT REFERS TO A LAYERED REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, UM, LIKE A GAS STATION, MAYBE THE FIRST LAYER WOULD BE DIGGING A HOLE FOR THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK.
AND THE SECOND LAYER OF REVIEW AND APPROVAL WOULD BE THE BUILDING ON TOP.
THAT SECTION OF FAST TRACK IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIRES THAT A BUILDING BE INCLUDED IN ORDER TO HAVE,
[00:15:01]
IN ORDER TO BE A FAST TRACK, IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT LAYERED REVIEW AND APPROVAL.AND WITH PROJECT CONNECT, THERE MAY BE A, UH, A STRETCH OF RAIL THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BUILDING, BUT WE STILL WANNA ENABLE THAT LAYERED REVIEW.
MAYBE THE FIRST LAYER IS UTILITY RELOCATION, AND THE SECOND LAYER OF REVIEW AND APPROVAL IS THE ACTUAL TRACK ITSELF.
SO IT'S JUST REMOVING THE BARRIER TO ENABLE THAT LAYERED REVIEW.
UM, SIMILAR, SIMILARLY, UM, WE WOULD ALLOW FOR VARIANCES TO BE PROCESSED WITH THE FIRST LAYER OF REVIEW AS OPPOSED TO NOT ALLOWING THE, THE LAYERED REVIEW AT ALL.
AND THE ORDINANCE ALSO ENSURES THAT PHASES CAN BE SUBMITTED AS UPDATES TO APPLICATIONS RATHER THAN REVISIONS TO PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PLANS.
UM, THAT WILL HELP IN EFFICIENCY AND COST AND EXTENDS THE SITE PLAN LIFE TO 10 YEARS.
THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE DEFINES USES WITHIN USE CATEGORIES ALONG WITH EXAMPLES.
BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST LIGHT RAIL PROJECT, THERE IS EQUIPMENT THE CITY HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY SEEN, AND WITH THIS ORDINANCE, WE ARE DEFINING THE USE.
SO THERE WILL BE PREDICTABILITY ON BOTH THE APPLICANT AND REVIEWER SIDE OVER TIME.
THE FIRST IS THE FIRST TRANSIT SYSTEM USE IS TO ESTABLISH THAT ATTRACTION.
POWERED SUBSTATION IS A LOCAL UTILITY SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE WORD SUBSTATION IN IT.
THESE ARE NOT GIANT OPEN SUBSTATIONS, WHICH ARE CLASSIFIED AS MAJOR UTILITY USE LIKE YOU SEE AT SEA HOME.
THESE ARE ENCLOSED, LIKE THE PICTURES, UM, INCLUDED ON THIS SLIDE.
UH, WE'VE MET WITH THE ZONING STAFF AND ZONING OFFICER AND THE HOUSING PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND THEY AGREED THAT THE USE IS LOCAL UTILITY SERVICE.
BY PUTTING IT IN THE ORDINANCE, WE HAVE PREDICTABILITY AND IT MAKES, UM, IT EASIER FOR BOTH THE REVIEWER AND THE APPLICANT AS TIME PROGRESSES AND SITE PLANS BEGIN TO BE SUBMITTED.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL ALSO STATE THAT A MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR RAIL FALLS WITHIN THE CIVIC USE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE FACILITY AS OPPOSED TO RAILROAD FACILITY USE.
CUZ RAILROAD FACILITY USE IS AN INDUSTRIAL USE ONLY ALLOWED INDUSTRIAL ZONES AND INTENDED FOR ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH FREIGHT YARDS.
UH, THE EXISTING MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR THE EXISTING RED LINE WAS PERMITTED IN 2003 AS A MAINTENANCE AND FACILITY USE.
SO THIS ISN'T NEW, BUT AGAIN, WE WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE USE AND MAKE REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION EASIER FOR BOTH THE APPLICANT AND REVIEWER.
SO THAT WOULD JUST MEAN THAT WHEN A SITE PLAN FOR A MAINTENANCE FACILITY IS SUBMITTED, THE REVIEWER WOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THE RESEARCH TO SEE THAT THE EXISTING MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN 2003 WAS PERMITTED AS THE USE.
THEY COULD GO TO THIS ORDINANCE AND SEE THAT IT'S ESTABLISHED.
THE QUARTER PROGRAM OFFICE ORDINANCE THAT WAS APPROVED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR EXEMPTED PUBLIC MOBILITY PROJECTS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY FROM POSTING FISCAL.
FISCAL IS A, IS A PAYMENT THAT THE CITY HOLDS UNTIL DEVELOPMENT IS FINISHED AND THEN IS ABLE TO RETURN TO THAT MONEY TO THE DEVELOPER.
IT'S IN CASE THE DEVELOPER WALKS AWAY AND THE CITY HAS TO USE THAT MONEY TO REPAIR THE LAND.
UM, THIS IS A TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, SO THERE ISN'T, UM, IT'S MORE EFFICIENT TO NOT HAVE TO MOVE FUNDS FROM ONE POCKET TO ANOTHER.
AND THEN BACK, THIS ORDINANCE EXPANDS THE FISCAL EXEMPTION TO TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE A PARK AND RIDE.
AND THEN THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF WHEN WE MIGHT VISIT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, SUCH AS TO FULFILL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS IF WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE LIKE TODAY, OR IF THERE'S VARIANCES ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION, UH, SUBJECT SPECIFIC PRESENTATIONS LIKE NEPA.
UM, AND TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE PROGRAM UPDATES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO TODAY WE'RE HERE WITH BOTH AN ANNUAL UPDATE AS WELL AS AN ORDINANCE.
UH, LET ME OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION FOR QUESTIONS.
I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER LI I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION VERY MUCH.
UM, MY QUESTION IS JUST CAN YOU EXPOUND MAYBE IN, IN MORE LAYMAN'S TERMS ABOUT THE SITE PLAN ISSUES THAT THIS THING IS ADDRESSING? YES, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A VARIETY OF APPLICATION TYPES.
SO IT'S POS, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE SITE PLANS WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT WE WANT TO ENABLE FOR, UM, A PHASED APPROACH TO PERMITTING A REVIEW.
SO IF INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, EACH BLOCK HAVING TO SUBMIT A SEPARATE SITE PLAN OR
[00:20:01]
TO HAVE, UM, MULTIPLE PERMITS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE JUST TOOK ONE SEGMENT AND MAYBE THE FIRST STAGE IS, LIKE I HAD SAID, UM, TO RELOCATE UTILITIES, THE WAY THAT THE CODE WORKS NOW, THEY MAY HAVE TO, THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE TO SUBMIT EITHER ONE SITE PLAN THAT COVERS EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE, EVEN THOUGH, AND, AND THAT WOULD TAKE A MUCH LONGER AMOUNT OF TIME.UM, SO A SITE PLAN, INSTEAD OF THE SITE PLAN TAKING, YOU KNOW, A YEAR OF REVIEW, MAYBE IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL, IT COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO REVIEW.
UM, WITH THIS LAYERED APPROACH, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE ENGINEERING AND PLANS FOR THE UTILITY RELOCATION, AND THAT COULD BE REVIEWED BY ALL OF THE APPLICABLE DEPARTMENTS.
AND THE PERMIT COULD BE ISSUED FOR JUST THAT UTILITY REVIEW AND THEN THAT UTILITY RELOCATION.
AND THEN THE NEXT LAYER IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RAIL, OR MAYBE THERE'S, UM, MAYBE THIS SEGMENT INCLUDES A STATION AS WELL.
AND THEN THAT COULD BE ANOTHER LAYER OF THIS ONE REVIEW.
THAT WOULD MEAN THAT ALL OF THOSE VERTICAL COMPONENTS ARE UNDER ONE SITE PLAN, CASE NUMBER ONE PERMIT, WHICH MAKES IT EASIER TO, UM, FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT, EASIER TO RESEARCH, EASIER FOR REALLY THE APPLICANT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THE REVIEWER, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS HELPING THE COMMUNITY IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT A SEGMENT, IT'S NOT WELL, WHICH, WHICH OF THESE MULTIPLE SITE PLANS AT ONE SPOT ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT? I UNDERSTAND, THANK YOU.
AND DOES THAT, WOULD THAT ALSO, DOES THIS ONLY APPLY TO ADMINISTRATOR REVIEW? THIS ISN'T FOR, THIS WOULDN'T, UM, IMPACT THE ABILITY OF, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, IF Y'ALL ARE SEEKING A VARIANCE OF SOME SORT OR GETTING APPROVAL FROM, I DON'T KNOW, THE ZONING OR CORRECT, UM, LET'S SAY THERE WAS A, UM, A PARK AND RIDE ON, UM, IN P ZONING AND ALL P ZONING OVER AN ACRE REQUIRES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHICH REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING AT LAND USE COMMISSION.
UM, THIS, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT LAYERED REVIEW.
THEY WOULD JUST STILL ALSO HAVE TO GO TO COMMISSION.
SO THIS DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT VARIANCES HAVE TO GO TO COMMISSION, UM, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS HAVE TO GO TO COMMISSION AND HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
IT JUST ENABLES ON THE, THE, THE, THE PORTIONS THAT ARE ADMINISTRATIVE, IT HELPS STREAMLINE THOSE PARTS AND SORT OF HELPS THE CITY GET OUT OF THE CITY'S WAY.
LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT REAL QUICK AND THEN I'LL PASS THE MIC.
UM, YOU MENTIONED, UH, THAT IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A VARIANCE PROCESS, BUT THERE WERE, THERE IS A SECTION OF THIS THAT ACTUALLY STIPULATES THAT THE DIRECTOR CAN APPROVE, UH, ITEMS WITHOUT A VARIANCE AND IT SEEMS TO BE VERY UNLIMITED.
IT IS, UM, AH, THE, UM, UH, CODE SEVEN A THREE.
SO IN THE, THAT'S PARTIALLY EXISTING CODE.
UM, THE FAST TRACK SECTION TODAY SAYS THE DIRECTOR MAY APPROVE A SITE PLAN, UM, WHICH IN TITLE ONE OF THE CITY CODE, THE CLARIFIES THAT WHEN, WHERE THE CODE SAYS DIRECTOR, IT MEANS THE STAFF PERSON, UM, THE DIRECTOR OR THEIR DESIGNEE, WHICH ON THE DAY TO DAY BASIS WITH SITE PLAN PERMITTING, THAT'S THE SITE PLAN CASE MANAGER.
BUT THAT WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO.
SO IT'S MODIFIED TO ALLOW THE DIRECTOR TO APPROVE THE PERMIT THAT REQUIRES THE VARIANCE, BUT THE VARIANCE ISN'T APPROVED.
THE DIRECTOR IS ONLY, THE STAFF PERSON IS ONLY APPROVING THE SITE PLAN AFTER THE VARIANCE IS PROCESSED.
TODAY'S, UM, CODE, IF YOU NEED A VARIANCE AT ALL, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THE LAYERED REVIEW.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO JUST ONE CONSOLIDATED SITE PLAN, TOP TO BOTTOM, UM, OR INDIVIDUAL SITE PLANS FOR EACH LAYER.
AND WHAT THIS IS ALLOWING IS THAT WE COULD TAKE THAT VARIANCE AND WITH THE FIRST LAYER, SO GOING BACK TO THAT, UM, EXAMPLE OF A STRETCH OF RAIL, UH, THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BUILDING ON IT, BUT MAYBE THERE, IT HAS, IT HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE.
INSTEAD OF BEING KICKED OUT OF THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A LAYERED REVIEW, THE VARIANCE WOULD BE PROCESSED WITH THE FIRST, THE FIRST LAYER, THE FIRST SUBMITTAL OF THAT, OF THAT OVERALL SITE PLAN.
AND THE VARIANCE WOULD GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, LAND USE COMMISSION, AND ALL OF THOSE REGULAR PUBLIC PROCESSES.
[00:25:01]
THAT VARIANCE IS PROCESSED, IF THE VARIANCE IS GRANTED, THEN THE, THE DIRECTOR COULD APPROVE IT AS A FAST TRACK.SO THE, THE CONFUSING PART OF THAT LANGUAGE IS THAT IT'S MODIFYING WHAT CAN BE A FAST TRACK.
AND FAST TRACK AGAIN, DOESN'T REALLY MEAN FAST.
IN FACT, WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, REVISION, THERE WAS A AMENDMENT TO, UM, CHANGE THE WORD TO ADVANCED SITE PREP, WHICH IS A MUCH MORE, UM, ACCURATE DESCRIPTOR.
UH, WELL THEN, LET ME BACK UP ONE, UH, ONTO THE SITE PLAN.
AGAIN, THE LANGUAGE IS VERY BROAD IN THIS RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE BEING PRESENTED WITH.
AND IF THE SITE PLAN JUST ADDRESSES RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKING RIDES, ET CETERA, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT THAT'S NOT SPECIFIED.
AND SO I'M CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE NOT RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT A SITE PLAN MIGHT INCLUDE.
SO SOMEBODY MIGHT GO IN AND DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE A BROADER SITE PLAN OVER A PARTICULAR INTERSECTION, AND THEY WOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CHANGING LAND USE OR INCREASING HEIGHT OR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT UNDER THE GUISE A PROJECT ACT.
UM, SO THE DEFINITE, SO THIS WHOLE, THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE ONLY APPLIES TO TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECTS AND THEN TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECT IS DEFINED, UH, LIMITED TO WHAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE SYSTEM PROJECT MAP.
SO IT, SO IT, THE, THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE CAN ONLY APPLY TO WHAT IS SHOWN ON THE, ON THE SYSTEM PLAN MAP CAN ONLY APPLY TO PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, WELL, TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, LET'S SAY THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED A STATION LOCATION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN AN ENTIRE BLOCK IS INCLUDED IN THAT STATION LOCATION BECAUSE IT WOULD BE PART OF THE RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND IT IS IDENTIFIED ON THE SYSTEM MAP, ET CETERA.
THE, UM, SO, UH, A STATION IS FALLS UNDER THE USE OF TRANSPORTATION TERMINAL AND WHERE IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT HAS TO MEET, UH, IT HAS TO BE ON PROPERTY THAT IS ZONED FOR A TRANSPORTATION TERMINAL.
SO THIS ORDINANCE CANNOT MOD, DOES NOT MODIFY ANY ZONING OR USE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MODIFY ANY ZONING, ANY ZONING ON THE PROP ON, ON PROPERTIES.
SO IF, UM, ATP IDENTIFIED A SITE THAT WHERE THEY WANTED TO PUT A, UH, A STATION, WHICH IS A TRANSPORTATION TERMINAL, THEY FIRST, THE ZONING WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROPRIATE.
IF THE ZONING WAS NOT APPROPRIATE, ATP WOULD HAVE TO DO A ZONING, WOULD HAVE TO APPLY FOR A ZONING CHANGE, AND THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE REGULAR PUBLIC PROCESS OF A ZONING CHANGE LAND, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC NOTICE, UM, LAND USE, COMMISSION AND COUNSEL.
SO THIS IS ONLY MODIFYING THE, UM, THE APPLICATION PROCESS OF SITE PLANS, NOT THE ZONING AT ALL.
UM, COMMISSIONER TEMPLE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE CITY'S RELYING QUITE A BIT ON FEDERAL FUNDING.
WHAT IF FEDERAL FUNDING IS REDUCED OR DENIED? HOW DOES THE CITY PLAN TO MAKE UP THOSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS? WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE UP THAT MONEY? SO YOU'RE RIGHT, UH, THE PER THE, THESE PROJECTS WE ARE PURSUING, UM, FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE FTA.
AND THAT IS A VERY LENGTHY PROCESS THAT TAKES YEARS AND YOU GO THROUGH CERTAIN GATES AS YOU GO THROUGH IT.
SO, UM, YOU KIND OF KNOW WHERE YOU'RE HEADED, UM, AND YOU HAVE CHECK LOTS OF CHECKPOINTS IN BETWEEN, UM, AND CERTAIN POINTS AT WHICH, UM, A, A CEILING DOLLAR AMOUNT WOULD BE LOCKED IN.
THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE OVER A YEAR FROM NOW, UM, OR LONGER.
SO IF, IF IT'S DETERMINED THAT FEDERAL FUNDING CANNOT BE APPLIED FOR THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T APPLY FOR SOME REASON, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO KIND OF RECONVENE, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR TRI-PARTY GROUP TO EVALUATE WHAT THAT MEANS.
UH, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FISCAL ASPECT AND THEN YOU SAID BECAUSE IT'S A TRI-PARTY ARRANGEMENT, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
[00:30:01]
GIVES US COMFORT.SO WITHIN THE TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT, UM, THAT WAS SIGNED BY COUNSEL AND THE ATP BOARD AND CAP METRO, THERE ARE, UM, I GET THE CORRECT LANGUAGE.
THERE ARE ESCALATION, UM, PROCEDURES WITHIN THAT, UM, VERY LENGTHY DETAILED, AND THAT'S IN THE, UM, THE TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT THAT WAS APPROVED IN, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WELL LATE 2021 OR, OR EARLY 2022.
UM, AND THAT, THAT TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT DOES HAVE ESCALATION PROCEDURES.
UM, BUT THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE FISCAL EXEMPTION THAT WAS VOTED ON, UH, THAT WAS PASSED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR TO ALLOW FOR, UM, PUBLIC MOBILITY PROJECTS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY TO NOT HAVE TO PAY, TO NOT HAVE TO POST FISCAL.
THE ONLY REASON THAT THAT ORDINANCE LIMITED IT LIMITED PROJECTS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY IS BECAUSE THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION AT, FOR THAT ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY SAID IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND SO THEN EVERY PORTION OF THAT, UM, ORDINANCE HAD TO KIND OF CAVEAT WITH IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ONLINE? UH, COMMISSIONER WEATHERBY, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UH, WE RECEIVED THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT YOU RECEIVED TONIGHT, ASKED A, A LOT OF THE SAME QUESTIONS AND MORE, AND TOOK, UH, THIS IS, I GUESS REALLY AN ADVANCED REPORT OF, UH, FROM THE UTC COMMISSION.
UH, AND DID, HAS A, UM, A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE, UM, THE ADOPTED OR A, A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT AS PRESENTED OF THE PROCESS.
UM, PERSONALLY HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN PREVIOUS RAIL PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND IN, UH, IMPLEMENTATION, THEY SEEM TO BE REALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT, ORGANIZATIONAL ATTENTION TO ALL OF THE THREE PARTNERS AND REALLY HELPFUL TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.
AND ALSO, I'D SAY THAT THERE'S A GREAT AMOUNT OF DEDICATION OF STAFF PRIORITIES, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE TODAY, UH, WHO'VE GIVEN A, A GREAT ATTENTION TO, UH, DETAIL AND LAYING THE GROUND FLOOR SO THAT THAT CAN, THE PROJECT CAN PROCEED.
I GUESS, NOT A QUESTION, BUT MORE OF A STATEMENT.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS? YES, SIR.
POSITION? UH, I THINK YOU'RE NOT ON.
SO, UM, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU STARTED TO TALK ABOUT NOISE AND, UM, SELECTING OUT, UH, NOISE MITIGATION AND MONITORING PLAN, IT SOUNDED LIKE FOR CONSTRUCTION, THAT IF THERE'S NOISE AND THERE'S COMPLAINTS, THEN SOMEHOW WHERE THOSE COMPLAINTS WERE COMING FROM WOULD GET DOCUMENTED, AND THEN YOU GUYS WOULD KEEP TRACK OF THE NOISE IN THAT AREA FOR AN ON, ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
SO, AFTER THIS GETS BUILT, IF THERE IS STILL NOISE, NOT ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, BUT ABOUT THE ACTUAL, UH, RAIL, THE, THE, THE ACTUAL FUNCTIONING OF THE, THE, THE STUFF THAT'S GOING UP AND DOWN THE RAILS, HOW IS THAT HANDLED? WHO HANDLES THAT? AND, AND THE COMPLAINT PROCESS WILL BE HOW AND WILL THE 300 MILLION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING USED FOR DISPLACEMENT IS EXCESSIVE NOISE BASED ON THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE CLOSE BY CONSIDERED ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS TO BUY THEIR PROPERTIES SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE AWAY FROM THE NOISE.
HELLO, COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS ALYSSA HEDGE AND I'M WITH THE CITY'S PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
UM, THE NOISE PIECE IN OUR ORDINANCE IS LIMITED TO CONSTRUCTION NOISE.
UH, OPERATIONAL NOISE MITIGATION IS A PART OF THE NEPA PROCESS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE IT WILL BE THOROUGHLY ASSESSED AND EXAMINED, AND, UH, ATP WILL BE COMMITTING TO SPECIFIC MITIGATIONS IN RELATION TO THE FINDINGS.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THAT, THAT AT
[00:35:01]
THIS TIME, UM, THAT WILL COME IN THROUGH THE EIS PROCESS.WITH RESPECT TO THE ANTIS DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS, UH, THAT MONEY IS DIRECTED TOWARDS INDIRECT DISPLACEMENT.
IT IS NOT RELATED TO OPERATIONAL NOISE OR NOISE IN THE AREA.
UM, IT IS MORE TARGETED AT TRYING TO MITIGATE INDIRECT DISPLACEMENT THAT COMES FROM INCREASES IN COST OF LIVING DUE TO THE TRANSIT INVESTMENT IN THAT AREA.
SO, SO IF THE RAILS, UH, IMPACT, IF I WAS A PROPERTY OWNER CLOSE BY AND IT WAS NOT A POSITIVE THING FOR ME TO CONTINUE TO LIVE THERE, YOU, I, THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD SAY OR DO TO GET COMPENSATED OR, UM, BE ABLE TO SELL YOU MY PROPERTY.
THAT'S NOT A PART OF THE, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RELATED TO THE NEPA PROCESS.
THE ANTIS DISPLACEMENT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON MORE INVESTMENTS AND STRATEGIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT'S NOT TIED TO, IT'S NOT TIED TO THAT KIND OF IMPACT.
THE ANTIS DISPLACEMENT MONEY'S NOT TIED TO SPECIFIC NOISE IMPACTS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY MORE TARGETED TOWARDS THE, THE COST OF LIVING IMPACTS FROM THE TRANSIT INVESTMENT.
SO, AND WELL, AND I WOULD, I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, LONG AFTER, AFTER IT'S IMPLEMENTED AND, AND IT, AND IT EXISTS, UM, YOU KNOW, I I BELIEVE THAT THE, UM, LIKE ALYSSA SAID, THE, THE, THE MITIGATION, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THERE'S STILL ATP INCLUDES THAT IN THE MITIGATION PROCESS.
AND I'M SORRY, DID YOU WANNA, AND, UM, SO THERE'S STILL AN ESCALATION PROCESS FOR NEIGHBORS.
SO THEY WOULD, THERE WOULD STILL BE A PLACE FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW, TO COMMUNICATE WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
SO, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, WE, WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, IS INTERESTED AND, AND COMMITTED TO, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT OUR ORDINANCE IS JUST FOCUSED ON PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION.
UM, YOU SAID, AND IT'S TRUE IN NOVEMBER OF 2020 THAT VOTERS PASSED, YOU KNOW, TAX INCREASE, BUT THE PRICE TAG WAS ABOUT 7 BILLION, AND THEN IN APRIL OF 2021, THE PRICE TAG WENT UP TO 11, CLOSE TO $12 BILLION.
THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
IN LIGHT OF THESE DRAMATIC CHANGES, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THE VOTERS SHOULD MAYBE REVISIT THIS PROJECT? SO RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, WE'RE RETAINING OUR COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING THE SYSTEM PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED.
UM, SO WE DO NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT, UM, IN ACKNOWLEDGING SOME OF THE COST DRIVERS, UM, AND ADDRESS THEM THROUGH DESIGN OR THROUGH PHASING.
AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW.
BUT ULTIMATELY LOOKING TO DELIVER, YOU KNOW, THE SYSTEM PLAN THAT WAS COMMITTED TO A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UM, THE $7 BILLION THAT WAS, WAS TAKEN TO THE VOTERS, AS YOU MENTIONED, HAS INCREASED CONSIDERABLY.
AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY FORESEEABLE WAY THAT CHANGES WHETHER, UH, THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ADJUSTS THE PROGRAM OR NOT.
UH, AND SO WHETHER FEDERAL FUNDING EXISTS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS BEYOND WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY COMMITTED.
AND THAT HAS ME GREATLY CONCERNED.
UM, I WILL ALSO ADD, OR MORE, IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 14, I'LL SAY 20, 25 BILLION BY THE TIME THIS THING IS DONE.
UM, WHERE'S THE M AND O COMING FROM, UH, FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF THE SYSTEM, UH, WOULD BE PAID THROUGH THE TRE UH, TAX THAT FUNDS THE CAPITAL.
SO, UH, THERE IS A FINANCIAL MODEL THAT'S BEEN CREATED AND IS BEING UPDATED THAT LOOKS AT, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMITMENT TO ONM AS WELL AS CAPITAL OVER TIME.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT TOO AS FAR AS DECISION MAKING ABOUT ANY CAPITAL PROGRAMS. NOW CERTAINLY THERE NEED TO BE FUNDS IN PLACE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
IN LIGHT OF THE, THE CHANGES, UH, GOING FORWARD, DO WE THINK THAT THE MODEL IS CORRECT OR DO WE NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE MODEL ITSELF TO
[00:40:01]
MAKE SURE THAT IT'S PROPERLY FUNDED? UH, WELL, WE ARE CONTINUALLY WORKING ON THE MODEL THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, UM, WHETHER IT'S CONSIDERING THE APPROPRIATE INFLATION RATES OR REALLY ALL THE OTHER QUESTIONS.UM, SO THAT, THAT'S IN PROGRESS.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT ONE THING THAT IS NOT ON THE TABLE IS INCREASING THE TAX RATE BEYOND WHAT IT IS TODAY.
UM, WE DON'T SEE THAT AS A SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS. UM, I THINK THAT ONE THING WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT IS PHASING, AND SO THE TIME FRAME IS LONGER FOR DELIVERY, BUT THERE'S, UH, IT, IT'S NOT A SOLUTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE WITH YOUR PHASING.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN WITH SOME OF THE NON RAIL PROJECTS IN A COUPLE OF THE RAIL PROJECTS.
UM, WHAT MIGHT BE, AND I KNOW THE, THE ORANGE LINE IN THE BLUE LINE ARE EARLIER IN THE PHASING WITH THE CHANGING COST PARAMETERS.
UH, WHICH OF THOSE GETS BUMPED DOWN THE LINE? SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT A LOT OF OPTIONS THAT MIGHT EVEN BE, YOU KNOW, A COMBINATION INTO ONE STARTER LINE OF, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CALL IT A DIFFERENT COLOR.
BUT TH THAT'S REALLY UNDER INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND OVERALL, JUST LOOKING AGAIN AT THE WAY THAT WE CAN BEST DELIVER, UH, THE PROGRAM, DELIVER A PRODUCTIVE, UM, TRANSIT PROJECT WITHIN THE, THE COSTS, UH, CONSTRAINTS THAT WE DO HAVE, WOULD THE GREEN LINE BE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE SINCE IT IS GRADES SEPARATED? FOR THE MOST PART? UM, AND IT'S AN EXISTING FREIGHT RAIL LINE THAT MUCH LIKE THE RED LINE, AND I, I WORKED ON FUNDING FOR THE RED LINE MM-HMM.
SO, UH, I WAS WENT TO WASHINGTON TO HELP SECURE FUNDING FOR THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND IT WELL, UM, SINCE THAT'S AN EXISTING, SINCE IT IS EXISTING REAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE RIGHT OF WAY EXISTS, UH, IT IS SIMILAR IN ITS COST PROFILE, WOULD THAT BE THE, THE PREFERRED OF THE THREE SINCE IT, SO THE FINANCIAL MODEL, YOU KNOW, INCLUDES ALL THE COMPONENTS OF PROJECT CONNECT, INCLUDING THE GREEN LINE.
AND SO AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LIGHT RAIL PROGRAM, THERE ARE NO CHANGES BEING MADE TO THE GREEN LINE OR OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, MEANING THERE'S NOT AN EFFORT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVE MONEY FROM ONE COMPONENT TO ANOTHER.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, THINGS FOR THE GREEN LINE STAND AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE IN THE SEQUENCING PLAN, WHICH IS THAT SAME FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AT ABOUT THE TIME THAT IT WAS ANTICIPATED, WHICH, UM, GOSH, I CANNOT REMEMBER THE YEAR RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT WAS A LATER PROJECT TO START.
UM, AS FAR AS THE FINANCIAL MODEL GOES, WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANY OF THE ASSUMPTIONS, UH, REGARDING THOSE OTHER MODES.
WELL, I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE OF THE THREE BETWEEN THE ORANGE, THE BLUE, AND THE GREEN.
AND IT ALSO SERVES, UH, A GREATER UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.
AND IT DOESN'T TAKE OUT DIRTIES,
UM, OTHER QUESTIONS FROM, UH, COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER.
UM, SO IN PRESENTING THESE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE OR THE NEW ORDINANCE ITSELF, WILL THIS HELP TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS? UM, HOPEFULLY MAKE THE PROCESS GO FASTER? AND IN THAT REGARD, POSSIBLY ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN? YES, THAT IS THE INTENT.
SAVE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION, PUBLIC HEARINGS ALL REMAIN THE SAME, BUT IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS ADMINISTRATIVE BEFORE AND REMAINS ADMINISTRATIVE, YES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE IDEA.
SO, UM, GOING BACK TO NOISE, UM, BUT SOMETIMES THINGS DON'T HAVE TO BE NOISY, BUT THE VIBRATION CAN CAUSE ISSUES.
HAVE THERE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT VIBRATIONS IN, IN SOME OF THE RAIL LINES THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE, AND ARE YOU ALL COLLECTING THAT DATA OR IS THAT, UH, OR IS IT ONLY NOISE? UM, THE, THE FEDERAL, UM, NEPA GUIDELINES DO INCLUDE REQUIREMENTS FOR VIBRATION MITIGATION AND MONITORING.
UM, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE REGULATIONS FOR THAT, SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO INCLUDE THAT IN A MODIFICATION OF A CODE.
SO WE'RE ONLY, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, WE WANT THE ORDINANCE TO JUST FOCUS ON WHAT WE ALREADY, UM, REGULATE.
YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS WHY I ASKED IF THERE'S BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT VIBRATION IN, NO, NOT YET.
NOT, NOT THAT WE HAVE HAD IN AUSTIN.
COMMISSIONER, I CAN TELL YOU, MY
[00:45:01]
HOUSE VIBRATES WHEN THE 24 FREIGHT TRAINS DID GO ONUH, I BELIEVE Y'ALL ARE LOOKING FOR, UH, SUPPORT FOR, UH, THIS ITEM, UM, THE RESOLUTION, DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT WAS CIRCULATED.
YOU'LL HAVE IT IN YOUR PACKETS.
UM, SORRY, I HAVE IT UP ON MY, UH, IF ANYBODY, DID I CATCH ANYBODY ELSE? DID I MISS ANYBODY ELSE ONLINE WHO WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION? OKAY.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE Y'ALL ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, UH, SUPPORT FOR, UH, THE DRAFT PROJECT CONNECT ORDINANCE.
UH, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, IF ANYBODY IS OF A MINE TO MAKE THE MOTION, I HAVE A MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M GONNA, OH, GO AHEAD.
I'M GONNA SAY THAT I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I DO NOT SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT.
I THINK IT IS A BOONDOGGLE, IT IS A WASTE OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES AS A PACKAGE.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD IN PROJECT CONNECT.
IT WENT TOO FAR, IT COSTS TOO MUCH.
SO I REALIZE THAT THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE WILL HELP STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, BUT I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE I OPPOSE PROJECT CONNECT AND I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST IT AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK I TOO THINK IT'S A BOONDOGGLE AND IT'S GONNA COST US A LOT OF MONEY AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY RENT.
AND I DON'T SEE, SEE IT GETTING BETTER ANYTIME SOON.
SO I VOTE AGAINST IT ALSO, COMMISSIONER LEVINE, I'M TORN.
I, UH, I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE COST DRIVERS OF THIS THING, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, AND IT'S NOT Y'ALL'S FAULT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE BILL OF GOODS THAT WE WERE SOLD IS WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DELIVER ON.
NOW, I DO HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT, AND ALSO DIRTIES BEING TORN DOWN,
I MEAN, IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PRETTY CALLOUS WITH SOME OF THESE PLANS, BUT ONE OF MY BIGGEST ISSUES IS THE COST OF THIS THING.
AND I FEEL LIKE EVEN IF WE VOTE, IF WE ALL VOTED AGAINST THIS, IT'S NOT GONNA SLOW IT DOWN.
THE TRAIN'S GONNA KEEP GOING DOWN THE TRACKS.
WE CAN USE THAT METAPHOR HERE.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GO, WE'RE NOT DOING THINGS TO INCREASE THE COSTS AS WE GO.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORT TO NOT LET THE CITY GET IN THE WAY OF ITSELF, AS THEY SAID, AND I HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT MENTALITY.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I'LL VOTE FOR IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER THAT I DO HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH PROJECT CONNECT, AND I HOPE THAT WE HAVE MORE INPUT ON THIS AS IT GOES.
FOR INSTANCE, I'D LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT PRIORITIZING THE ORANGE LINE OVER, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF PHASING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT AS WE GO FORWARD, BUT I HAVE TO SUPPORT IT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A COST SAVINGS, YOU KNOW, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA SPEED OR SLOW ANYTHING DOWN IN TERMS OF TEARING DOWN DIRTIES.
OTHER CITIES HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE REFURBISHED AFTER FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE COSTS, WHICH WILL BE PASSED OFF TO US.
DO YOU MIND, COMMISSIONER? I'M ACTUALLY SUPPORTING THIS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE REASONS IS I THINK THAT THIS TRANSPORTATION PROJECT IS ACTUALLY GONNA MAKE LIFE EASIER ON A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP GETTING INTO DOWNTOWN, OUT OF DOWNTOWN, IT'LL HELP WITH TRAFFIC ISSUES, AND I THINK IT'LL HELP MAKE US, UM, AUSTIN A BETTER CITY.
UM, I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO TRAVEL A LOT, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE GREAT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, AND I THINK THAT TO BE A GREAT CITY, YOU NEED A GREAT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND TO SERVICE THE CITIZENS THAT WE HAVE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING OR HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME PAYING THEIR RENT, UM, AND ALSO PAYING THEIR CAR INSURANCE AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR CAR, THIS WILL GIVE THEM AN ALTERNATIVE.
I, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET TO.
UM, FELT LIKE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO THAT THE BUS SYSTEM WAS GONNA DO THAT, IT, IT DIDN'T DO IT.
UM, I THINK THAT AS THESE THINGS GET DEVELOPED, UM, THE COST OF THE PROPERTY, UM, THAT
[00:50:01]
IS CLOSE TO THESE PLACES JUST BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A, I LIVE RIGHT BY, UM, BUT, BUT THE, THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY GOES UP, TAXES GO UP.AND RIGHT NOW, I THINK ANY CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF OF MATERIALS AT THE COST OF MATERIALS AND ALL THE REST OF THIS STUFF SEEMS LIKE IT'S, IT'S JUST GONNA COST MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE.
AND I WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT HOUSED AND, UM, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, WE HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE COST OF LIVING IN OUR CITY.
AND I, I, I HEAR THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT, HEY, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO STICK WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'VE GOT, AND WE'RE GONNA FIGURE OUT WAYS OF, OF, UH, MAKING UP THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SEVEN AND THE 20 MILLION OR, OR UM, BILLION OR 25 BILLION THAT IS GONNA END UP AT THE END.
I THINK ULTIMATELY IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO CAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IN OUR CITY TO, TO CONTINUE TO GO UP AND IT'S NOT GONNA PROVIDE THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY NEED IT.
UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR, DO YOU MIND, WELL, REAL, REAL QUICKLY, UM, LOOK, I, I UNDERSTAND, AND AS I SAID, THERE, THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THIS THAT I, I SUPPORT AND, UH, AS I SAID, I'VE, I'VE WORKED ON GETTING THE RED LINE FUNDED.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RED LINE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS STRUCK ME TIME AND TIME AGAIN IS THAT MUCH OF THIS IS ASPIRATIONAL.
UH, CAP METRO HAS BEEN BEFORE US BEFORE, AND THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE DATA DESTINATION TO ORIGIN OR ORIGIN TO DESTINATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT WAS ALWAYS VERY WEAK.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE ORANGE LINES GRAPHICS, THEY TALK ABOUT SOMEBODY GOING FROM CRESTVIEW TO OLD WORK FOR WORK AS A JUSTIFICATION, AND YOU CAN RE READ ALL OF IT FOR YOURSELF, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO SUPPORT IT.
AND WITH, AND I WILL SAY ONE THING THAT THE CITY DID WELL IN PLANNING, AND I'M OFTEN A CRITIC OF THE CITY'S PLANNING, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FUTURE GROWTH MAP TALKED ABOUT THE ADDITION OF DOWNTOWNS OR LARGE METRO AREA BUSINESS CENTERS AROUND THE COMMUNITY, THE DOMAIN BEING ONE OF THEM.
GROWTH PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED, DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED, WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND WHERE THEY WORK HAVE CHANGED.
AND SO THIS MAY BE AN ANACHRONISM BEFORE IT'S EVEN BUILT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT AS THEIR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
IT IS A PUBLIC AMENITY, A PUBLIC SERVICE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
EVERY GREAT COMMUNITY HAS IT, IT IS A BASIC FUNDAMENTAL NEED.
UM, BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AND ITS SCOPE, THAT'S, I HAVE GREAT PAUSE.
SO, AND I HAVE, OH, AND BY THE WAY, UH, UH, BUS 17 CROSSED ME AT THE INTERSECTION RIGHT HERE AT SECOND STREET, UH, 5 5 0 5.
I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I TOOK THE BAIT AND, AND GOT OFF TRACK HERE, UM,
CAUSE ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY IS THIS, THIS, UM, PROPOSED LANGUAGE FOR THE ORDINANCE.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH PEOP SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE DIAS WANT TO DO A PROTEST VOTE, BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT REALLY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TONIGHT.
AND, UM, AS WE WERE SAYING EARLIER, I THINK THAT, UM, IF IF GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING FORWARD FOR NOW, AND WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON ISN'T STOPPING IT, THE VOTE THAT WE WILL MAKE TODAY MIGHT ACTUALLY MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AND SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON FOR VOTING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, FOLKS ONLINE? UH, COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY BRIEFLY, I WAS JUST GONNA ECHO, UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER JUST SAID, WHICH IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE VOTING ON A MEASURE TO HOPEFULLY HELP STREAMLINE COSTS AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
AND SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL IN A, AND A HELPFUL REMINDER, BUT ALSO JUST, UM, IN GENERAL WITH REGARDS TO PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW OF A SINGLE TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT HAS GOTTEN BUILT CHEAPLY,
[00:55:01]
IN COSTS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.UM, THEY TAKE TIME TO BUILD AND COSTS CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF, OF ALL OF THAT.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, HAVING A LARGER NETWORK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MIXED USES IS GOING TO MAKE OUR CITY MORE ACCESSIBLE AND BY DEFAULT, MORE AFFORDABLE.
HAVING ACCESS TO MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CAN ONLY HELP INCREASE AFFORDABILITY IN OUR CITY AS PEOPLE RELY LESS AND LESS ON CARS.
I CAN'T VOTE ANYWAYS, BUT JUST MY THOUGHTS.
UM, HEARING NO OTHER CONVERSATION CALL QUESTION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION IS PRESENTED, SAY AYE.
UH, SORRY, I DIDN'T GO OFF MUTE.
I WAS SAYING WHAT, WHICH, WHICH WAY IS THE YAY OR AYE.
SO WE GOT, LET'S SEE, 4, 4, 4 AGAINST, DO WE HAVE ANY VOTING MEMBERS ONLINE? WE DO NOT.
IS THAT, SORRY, WHO AM I MISSING? YEAH, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU GOT ME FOR, FOR YAY, COMMISSIONER, WE, OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONER IN.
SO WE GOT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND THEN FOUR OPPOSED.
MAY I JUST SAY THAT IF THE MONITOR COVERS THIS, THEY RECOGNIZE THAT I GOT VERY TEPID APPROVAL AND, UH, THE PANEL EXPRESS GRAVE CONCERNS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE CONVERSATION THIS EVENING.
[3. Staff briefing on the Palm District Plan, Mark Walters, Housing & Planning Department]
UH, NEXT UP THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN, MARK WALTERS WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING.WELCOME, MR. I'M MARK WALTER WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M CITED TO PROVIDE YOU A, AH, PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLANNING INITIATIVE.
THE PROCESS BEGAN IN EARNEST SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 20 20, 20 21.
AFTER BEING DELAYED A YEAR FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, WE RECENTLY RELEASED THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION IN DECEMBER.
DURING THE PRESENTATION, I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING PROCESS, SHARE WHAT WE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY DURING THE VISIONING PHASE OF THE PROJECT, AND PRESENT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THE GOAL OF THE PALM PLANNING DISTRICT INITIATIVE IS TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC TO DEVELOP A SHARED VISION FOR AN AREA OF DOWNTOWN, WHICH HAS A RICH HISTORY AND THAT WE KNOW IS CHANGING QUICKLY.
THE STUDY AREA FOR THE PLANNING PROCESS EXTENDS ROUGHLY FROM 15TH STREET TO LADYBIRD LAKE AND TRINITY TO I 35.
THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN IS GROUND ZERO FOR A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS ANTICIPATED OVER THE YEARS AHEAD.
THESE INCLUDE THE CONS, RECONSTRUCTION OF I 35, IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT, COMPLETION OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY, IMPROVEMENTS TO PALM PARK RECONSTRUCTION OF THE AUSTIN CONVICTION CENTER, AND EXPANSION OF THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
THE AREA IS ALSO HOME TO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, THE RAINY STREET DISTRICT, AND A PORTION OF EAST STREET, EAST SIXTH STREET ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
AND THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE STUDY AREA CONTAINS PARTS OF THE INNOVATION DISTRICT.
THE PALM DISTRICT ALSO INCLUDES SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING THE PALM SCHOOL SITE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
THE IMPETUS FOR THIS PLANNING REALLY CAME OUT OF A DESIRE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THIS TRANSFORMATIVE ENERGY THAT'S OCCURRING IN THIS AREA OF OUR CITY, AND ENSURE THAT THE CULTURAL AND HISTORIC IDENTITY OF DISTRICT IS AMPLIFIED RATHER THAN DESTROYED AND LOST.
IN ADDITION TO INITIATING THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE RESOLUTION THAT ADOPTED THE CITY WAS, THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2019, PROVIDED DIRECTION FOR SEVERAL ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY.
THE PLANNING PROCESS IS INFORMED BY AND WILL INFORM THE WORK OF THESE OTHER INITIATIVES.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2021, WE HAVE WORKED TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS, UNDERSTAND EXISTING CONDITIONS, SUPPORT COORDINATION OF RELATED INITIATIVES, AND TO DEVELOP A SHARED VISION FOR THE DISTRICT THAT BUILDS ON THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY DONE OR AND UNDERWAY.
[01:00:02]
WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY RELEASED AN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT, A LISTENING REPORT, A DRAFT VISION FRAMEWORK, A SURVEY ON SCENARIOS.WE RELEASE THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT FOR THE PALM DISTRICT ON, UH, OCTOBER 13TH.
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, WE WILL SEEK FEEDBACK ON THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT BEFORE PRESENTING AN UPDATED PLAN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 8TH AND CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 1ST.
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WE HAVE APPROACHED THIS WORK THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE GUIDED BY KEY EQUITY GOALS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION.
THROUGHOUT 2021, IN 2022, WE'VE CONDUCTED A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTS TO CONDUCT A VIRTUAL DESIGN WORKSHOP IN JULY, 2021.
THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO COME TO AUSTIN IN MARCH OF 2020, BUT AGAIN, THAT HAD TO BE PUT OFF FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
WE HIRED A LOCAL CONSULTANT, MARTHA CORA, TO CONDUCT TARGETED OUTREACH TO EAST EAST AUSTIN THOUGHT LEADERS.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WHO HIRED AS AURA ROBINSON TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF SCENARIO PLANNING WORKSHOPS THAT W THAT WAS HELD WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND SUPPORTED DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT, UH, PREFERRED SCENARIO.
AS A RESULT OF THESE ACTIVITIES, WE HAVE RECEIVED RICH INPUT FROM A WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
IN LARGE PART, TO THE TARGETED OUTREACH SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM MARTHA CORRA, PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEYS HAS BEEN FAIRLY DIVERSE WITH 55% OF THE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN THE VISIONING SURVEY, IDENTIFYING HIS HISPANIC OR LATINX.
IN JUNE 21, WE HOSTED TWO WELL ATTENDED VISIONING FORUMS WHEN RECEIVED OVER 372 COMMENTS ABOUT HOW FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PALM DISTRICT EVOLVE AND SOME OF THESE WORDS AND IDEAS, OF COURSE, THE NAME PALM, THE DISTRICT, THE HISTORY, THE CULTURE, THE COMMUNITY AND SUCH THAT ALL THIS IS AVAILABLE ON THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE, UH, FOR THE PALM MENT PLAN.
THROUGH INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS, THE FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS, OUR CONSULTANT, MARTHA CORTER AND HER TEAM REACHED OUT TO A, A VARIETY OF KEY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING EAST AUSTIN'S MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND THOSE WITH CLOSE CULTURAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT.
THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE LISTENING REPORT AND WILL BE, UH, DOCUMENTED IN THE FINAL REPORT PREPARED BY THE CONSULTANT THAT WILL BE SHARED ON THE, ON OUR SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE.
NEXT LINE, BASED ON THEIR TARGETED WORK, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS TEAM PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE LISTENER REPORT AND PRESENTED IN DETAILED AIA RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT ON THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE.
KEY IDEAS INCLUDE BEING SUPER INTENTIONAL WITH CULTURE AND PLACEMAKING THROUGH PUBLIC ART, LEVERAGING PUBLICLY CONTROLLED SITES TO ACHIEVE THE VISION AND ACTING WITH URGENCY.
NEXT LINE, THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT TO THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN INCLUDES A VISION AND DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR THE DIS FOR THE DISTRICT.
IT IDENTIFIES A PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO MOVE THE, THE TOWARD THE VISION OF THE AND THE PREFERRED SCENARIO.
THE OVERARCHING VISION FOR THE DISTRICT IS THAT IT BECOME A VIBRANT, HISTORIC HUB OF DOWNTOWN, WHERE THE PAST DISHONORED CULTURE IS CELEBRATED AND THE FUTURE IS SHAPED.
THE VISION RELIES ON BALANCING INHERENT CONFLICTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE TENSION TO SUPPORT ONGOING DYNAMICISM OF THE PLACE, UM, DENSE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, BALANCED WITH HISTORY AND NATURAL SPACES, ADY, A DYNAMICS PLACE GROWING AND INVOLVING WHILE ACTIVELY SERVING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY CALLED THE PLACE HOME AND CULTIVATING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.
THE FIRST ELEMENT OF THE VISION LOOKS AT ENSURING THAT GROWTH IN THE DISTRICT WILL PROVIDE THE, A PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR LONG TIME AND RECENT RESIDENTS AND ESTABLISHED IN NEW BUSINESSES.
KEY OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT THIS ELEMENT INCLUDE, INCLUDE THE INNOVATION DISTRICT, THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND THE FUTURE OF THE APD HEADQUARTERS SITE.
THE SECOND ELEMENT OF THE VISION INCLUDES ENSURING THAT THE DISTRICT BECOMES A CULTURAL DESTINATION THAT CELEBRATES ITS MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE.
KEY OPPORTUNITIES HERE INCLUDE THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, THE MOODY AMPLE THEATER