[00:00:02]
RIGHT.LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THIS MEETING STARTED.
NO, I LOVE YOU AND I REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 19TH, 6:00 PM WE'RE UP AT 63 10 WILHELMINA DRIVE.
[CALL TO ORDER]
UM, LET'S GO AROUND AND DO ROLL CALL, UH, REMOTE PARTICIPANTS.UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HERE.
I THINK THAT WAS A HERE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S HERE.
UH, AND, UH, VICE CHAIR BEDFORD HERE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO AROUND THE HORN HERE.
[1. Approval the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on October 5, 2022]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND POSTPONE REVIEW OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING TO THE NEXT MEETING.UM, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AND WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE TIGHTENED UP A BIT.
UM, BUT BEFORE THAT, WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATIONS.WE'VE GOT ONE, JUST GENERAL PUBLIC COM, UH, COM, CORRECT? CORRECT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THANK YOU, SIR.
YEAH, PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION, YOUR TIME WILL START.
I AM PART OF A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN CLEANING UP COUNTRY CLUB CREEK FOR MANY YEARS.
THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK WATERSHED RUNS THROUGH THE MABEL DAVIS PARK, CLOSE TO BEN WHITE, TO ROY GUERRERO PARK, WHERE IT RUNS INTO THE COLORADO RIVER.
THIS WATERSHED IS AN AREA OF DENSE DEVELOPMENT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY TO KEEP COUNTRY CLUB CREEK CLEAN.
ACCORDING TO THE MEMO OF AUGUST 17TH, 2022, FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNTRY CLUB CREEK HAS THE DUBIOUS DISTINCTION OF BEING NUMBER TWO IN THE AMOUNT OF TRASH IN THE CREEK.
ACCORDING TO THIS SURVEY, COUNTRY CLUB CREEK IS NUMBER ONE IN THE NUMBER OF TRANSIENT CAMPS CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRASH.
THIS MAP FROM THE MEMO SHOWS THE LOCATION AND TYPE OF TRASH FOUND ALONG COUNTRY CLUB CREEK.
MOST OF THE SOURCES OF TRASH ARE TRANSIENT CAMPS, NO FOR LACK OF ANY TRASH SOURCE ICONS IN THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE MAP.
THIS AREA IS THE MAPLE DAVIS PARK AND CONTAINS THE HEADWATER SPRINGS OF COUNTRY CLUB CREEK SLIDE FOUR.
TRANSIENT CAMPS ALONG THE CREEK ARE NO LONGER A MAJOR SOURCE OF TRASH BECAUSE OUR GROUP PARTNERS WITH KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL AND AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION TO CONTINUALLY HOST VOLUNTEER EVENTS TO PICK UP TRASH.
THIS PHOTO IS FROM OUR LAST VOLUNTEER EVENT IN SEPTEMBER, SLIDE FIVE.
THE MAJOR SOURCES OF TRASH NOW IN COUNTRY CLUB CREEK ARE NOT IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT.
THE MAJOR SOURCES OF TRASH ARE NOW THE CULVERTS ALONG BEN WHITE BOULEVARD.
THE RED RECTANGLE SHOWS THE AREA IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE THREE CULVERTS ALONG BEN WHITE THAT ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF TRASH IN THE CREEK.
LOOK AT THE AREA OF CONCRETE THAT EACH CULVERT DRAINS.
THE CIRCLE ON THE LEFT OF THE MAP SHOWS THE CULVERT, THE DUMP STORM, DRAIN WATER, AND TRASH INTO MABEL DAVIS PARK.
THIS CULVERT IS THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF TRASH IN THE WATERSHED.
THIS MAP IS A DETAIL OF THE AREA UPSTREAM FROM MABEL DAVIS PARK THAT SHOWS THE LOCATION OF THE BEN WHITE CULVERT AND THE TRASH FILTER THAT WE BUILT TO TRA TRAP THE TRASH.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE BEN WHITE CULVERT SLIDE NINE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT CAN ACCUMULATE AFTER ONLY ONE RAIN EVENT.
THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, AFTER THE RAIN EVENT ON MONDAY MORNING.
THIS TRASH EVENT WAS NOT VERY HEAVY, BUT IT HAD BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE ANY SIGNIFICANT RAIN, SO A LARGE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT HAD COLLECTED ALONG BEN WHITE WAS WASHED INTO THE PARK.
THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES SHOW THAT FOR MANY YEARS, VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN REMOVING THE TRASH THAT'S COLLECTED IN THE TRASH FILTER.
BY REMOVING THIS TRASH AT THE SOURCE, WE PREVENTED THE TRASH FROM FLOWING DOWNSTREAM INTO MABEL DAVIS PARK COUNTRY, CLUB CREEK GREEN BELT, AND ROY GUERRERO PARK.
[00:05:01]
OUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO REQUEST OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT IS FLOWING INTO BEN WHITE CULVERT INTO MABEL DAVIS PARK.BY STOPPING THIS TRASH AT THE SOURCE, THE ENTIRE WATERSHED AND THREE PARKS WILL BENEFIT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR TIME AND THE PRESENTATION.
IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THAT TO, UH, TO KAYLA, UH, SHE COULD DISTRIBUTE IT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UM, I JUMPED AHEAD OF MR. YATES, BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA POSTPONE THE REVIEW OF THE MEETING MINUTES, UM, FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE GONNA SHUFFLE THINGS AROUND HERE A LITTLE BIT AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE PUD PRESENTATION UP.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE UP TO,
[3. Presentation of Development Assessment Report for 311-315 South Congress, located at 311- 315 South Congress Avenue, CD-2022-0002 (District 9). Applicant: Amanda Swor, Drenner Group, PC. Staff: Wendy Rhoades, Housing and Planning Department and Leslie Lilly, Environmental Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department]
UH, AGENDA ITEM THREE, CUZ WE'VE GOT SOME STAFF THAT NEED TO BE SHUFFLING AROUND TONIGHT.SO, UH, NEXT IS A PRESENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THREE 11 TO THREE 15 SOUTH CONGRESS, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, LOCATED AT THREE 11 TO THREE 15 SOUTH CONGRESS.
UM, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION, AND THEN I THINK THE APPLICANT IS HERE AS WELL.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSION MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS WENDY ROSE WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I'M THE CASE MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT ASSESSMENT REPORT, WHICH IS, UH, REQUIRED IN ADVANCE OF THE APPLICANT SUBMITTING A, AN APPLICATION FOR P U D ZONING.
UH, THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AT ONE OF THEIR WORK SESSION MEETINGS THAT IS NOT YET SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT THREE 11 TO THREE 15 SOUTH CONGRESS.
IT CONTAINS AN AUTO REPAIR USE AND A, UH, ABOUT A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT TWO STORY OFFICE BUILDINGS.
THAT PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY HAS, UH, COMMERCIAL ZONING AND THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING A P U D FOR A PROJECT THAT WOULD INVOLVE UP TO 455 HIGH RISE MULTIFAMILY UNITS, ABOUT 30,000 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE, 7,500 SQUARE FEET OF GROUND FLOOR, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED RETAIL USES.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A MIXTURE OF BELOW GRADE AND ABOVE GRADE PARKING AND A STRUCTURE, UH, ACCESSES PROPOSED TO SOUTH CONGRESS AS WELL AS A, THEY PROPOSED RIGHT OF WAY EXTENSION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD ALONG THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE.
THIS PROPERTY IS WITHIN THE, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT SUBDISTRICT, UH, THE APPLICANT IN THIS P D OR IN THIS, UH, DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION.
THE APPLICANT IS STATING THAT THEY WILL COMPLY WITH ALL TIER ONE AND TIER TWO REQUIREMENTS, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OF THE TIER TWO ITEMS FOR A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AS IT RELATES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ITEMS THAT WOULD BE OPEN SPACE AND ENHANCED PEDESTRIAN FRONTAGE OR EXPERIENCE ALONG THE PRO PROJECT FRONTAGES.
UH, UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL AND DRAINAGE, THEY'RE PROPOSING A HUNDRED PERCENT TREATMENT OF ON WATER, ONSITE WATER QUALITY CONTROLS, A THOUSAND CUBIC FEET OF WATER QUALITY FOR AN OFFSITE AREA, UH, 250 FEET OF LINEAR OFFSITE STORM IMPROVEMENTS ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AND, UH, NATIVE TREE SPECIES PLANTINGS AND, UH, ONSITE IRRIGATION OF POTABLE WIPE AND POTABLE PIPE USING PURPLE PIPE AS WELL AS RAIN CAPTURE, RAINWATER CAPTURE AMONGST OTHER THINGS.
AND, UH, A THREE STAR GREEN BUILDING.
SO THAT IS JUST AN INTRO TO THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT, AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO THE APPLICANT.
I'M STEVE DRER WITH THE, UH, DRER GROUP, AND, UM, HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, THIS IS OUR, UH, FIRST TIME TO TALK PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS PROPOSED PROJECT, AND IT'S ONE THAT, UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
SO, UH, LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH A FEW SLIDES.
UH, I KNOW THAT THIS IS IN YOUR BACKUP, BUT I WANT TO UNDERLINE IF, UH, IF I CAN, A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR YOU.
THE, UH, WE HAVE A PRETTY COMPLETE TEAM HERE TONIGHT, SO IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, UH, IF I CAN'T ANSWER 'EM, I'M SURE SOMEBODY OVER HERE CAN.
UH, THIS IS THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT PHASE.
SO, UH, THIS IS A, AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM YOU BEFORE WE ACTUALLY FILE THE PUT APPLICATION.
SO IT'S, IT'S A VALUABLE STEP FOR US.
[00:10:01]
UH, BEEN ABLE TO, UH, ADVANCE THE PLANNING FOR THIS SITE, UH, FURTHER THAN, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER PUDS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN AT THIS STAGE.SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A PRETTY GOOD PICTURE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE, UH, PRESENTATION IS GONNA JUST FIRST OF ALL HELP YOU, UH, HONE IN ON WHERE THIS SITE IS AND KIND OF WHAT THE, UH, UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS ARE FOR THIS SITE.
UH, THE SECOND PART, WE'LL TRY TO JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF PROJECT DETAILS, EVEN THOUGH NOT ALL OF THOSE I UNDERSTAND ARE WITHIN YOUR PUR PURVIEW.
UH, AND THEN THE, THE LAST THING, AND PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WOULD BE FOR US TO STRESS WHAT WE THINK ARE THE SUPERIORITY ITEMS THAT WE'RE OFFERING, THINGS THAT ARE IN EXCESS OF CODE.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS TOO MANY TIMES, THAT'S REALLY THE KEY UNDER THE CODE FOR A P U D, IS WE HAVE TO PROVE SUPERIORITY FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT.
THIS IS A, UH, RELATIVELY SMALL SITE, 0.8 ACRES.
UH, IT'S A FLAT SITE THAT, UH, DOESN'T HAVE VERY MANY TREES AND ENLARGE AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S LOCATION.
UH, YOU SEE THE, UM, OUR GOAL WAS TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO FROM A SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT ENVIRONMENTALLY, UH, BUT ALSO TO, UH, SEE WHAT WE COULD DO IN TERMS OF PUSHING THE ENVELOPE FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM ME A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK IN COMBINATION WOULD SET A NEW STANDARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT WITHIN THE PROJECT.
THE, UM, IF I COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, THESE THINGS, SO YOU'VE HEARD FROM WENDY, SO I'M GOING TO, UH, SKIP OVER THAT, UH, ZONING TODAY.
UH, CS ONE V N P, UH, BASICALLY REFLECTING THE PAST FOR SOUTH CONGRESS.
UM, THE FIRESTONE HERE IS A, UH, MUCH LOVED, MUCH UTILIZED, UH, USER THAT'S BEEN ON SOUTH CONGRESS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE ENJOYED A GOOD HISTORY HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S REFLECTIVE OF WHAT'S GOING ON FROM THE FUTURE STANDPOINT.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT.
SO YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT THAT WE'RE, UH, ASKING TO REZONE THE SITE TO A P U D PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT REQUIRES A BASE DISTRICT, AND WE WOULD KEEP THE SAME BASE DISTRICT THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
I WOULD HASTEN TO ADD THAT, UH, THE ONLY THINGS A A PUT ALLOWS YOU TO DO A VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING MODIFY SITE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
IT'S A TOOL THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ASK YOU FOR, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL RULES.
SO THIS IS JUST THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS MODIFYING HEIGHT AND A R EVERYTHING ELSE WILL MEET OR EXCEED CODE.
SO, UH, WENDY WAS CORRECT IN, UH, OUR UNIT COUNTS APPROXIMATELY 450 UNITS.
UH, FROM AN AFFORDABILITY STANDPOINT, WE WILL AT LEAST MEET THE PUT ORDINANCE, WHICH REQUIRES 10% OF THE BONUS AREA TO BE AFFORDABLE AT 60% OF MFI.
UH, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
UH, COMMERCIAL SPACE WILL HAVE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL THAT'S, UH, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, POTENTIALLY UP TO 30,000 FEET OF OFFICE SPACE, COMMUNITY AMENITIES, UH, PUBLIC ART, UH, SOMETHING THAT I THINK'S IMPORTANT, UH, AGAIN, STANDARDS THAT I DON'T THINK HAVE BEEN SET YET.
UH, WE WOULD BE WIRING THE GARAGE FOR, UH, A MINIMUM OF 50% OF THE PARKING SPACES TO BE CHARGING STATIONS.
AND THEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY ACTUALLY BE BUYING THE CHARGING STATIONS AND SETTING THEM UP INITIALLY FOR 6% OF THOSE.
SO THIS WILL NOT BE A GARAGE, UH, THAT
[00:15:01]
FITS TODAY'S USES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.IT LOOKS FOR, AND IT ASSUMES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THOSE, UH, AND WE WANT THIS PROJECT TO BE READY FOR THAT.
UH, PARKLAND EDUCATION, UH, WOULD BE, UH, TAKEN CARE OF WITH A FEE IN LIE.
UM, MY GUESS IS THAT WILL END UP SOMEWHERE AROUND $2 MILLION WHEN THE COMMERCIAL RATES ARE SET.
UH, AND THEN WE, WE HAVE OTHER THINGS, UH, SUCH AS PUBLIC WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS ON THE BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION SIDE AND 2,500 FEET OF AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE, UH, REFLECTING A DESIRE TO, UH, HAVE LOCAL USERS HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING AT A SITE LIKE THIS.
UH, THIS GIVES YOU A, UH, BIRD'S EYE PICTURE ABOUT HOW THINGS WOULD WORK.
LET ME EMPHASIZE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UH, YOU, YOU SEE THE ACCESS POINTS OFF OF CONGRESS AND THE BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION.
IN BOTH CASES, WE'VE MOVED THOSE ACCESS POINTS TO THE EDGE OF THE SITE SO THAT THEY'RE AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CORNER AS POSSIBLE FOR, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT.
UM, THE PLANS ARE, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS, UH, PROVIDED OVER THE YEARS, UH, CLEARLY SHOWS A DESIRE TO, UH, ENHANCE THAT SOUTH CONGRESS EXPERIENCE.
WE'LL BE MEETING GREAT STREET STANDARDS IN THAT AREA.
UH, AND THEN ON THE BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION, UH, WE WOULD BE ACCOMMODATING THE, UH, NEW, UH, NOT ONLY LANDSCAPING, BUT THE, UH, BIKE LANES AND PEDESTRIAN LANES ON THAT SIDE AS WELL.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, WE'VE TRIED TO BE CAREFUL WITH ARE THINGS LIKE OUR VAULT THAT YOU SEE, UH, ON THE BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION SIDE, AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT THAT REPRESENTS SOMETHING THAT, UH, HAS MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS.
SO WE WOULD, THAT'S A, AN ART OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS WELL AS, UH, THE, THE, THE WATER, UH, BOTTLE FILLING STATION, UH, AND SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A LITTLE, UM, A LITTLE DIFFERENT PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE THAN YOU TYPICALLY SEE WITH, WITH, UH, THESE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW YOU CAN MAKE THEM LOOK, UH, THAT, UH, ENHANCES, UH, AGAIN, THAT PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
UH, EVERYBODY HERE, UH, WILL BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE WORK THAT HAS GONE ON IN THE LAST DECADE WITH REGARD TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, WATERFRONT.
UH, WE ARE, UM, I THINK A COMPONENT OF THAT THAT, UM, WILL ADD A VARIETY OF THINGS.
IT WILL, IT'LL ADD SOME, USES, SOME DENSITY TO SUPPORT THE NEW PROJECT CONNECT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, BUT IN ADDITION, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK THAT THIS SITE, UH, ADD TO, UH, SOME OF THE GOALS WITHIN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN.
SO YOU'VE GOT CONNECTIVITY AND CIRCULATION.
WE'RE TAKING ACCESS OVER ON BOTH OF THE, UH, MAJOR ROADWAYS THAT WE ADJOIN.
I WOULD NOTE THAT THE ACCESS PRESENTLY IS A FULL ACCESS TURNING MOVEMENT ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
THAT WILL NO LONGER BE THE CASE.
IT WILL BE RIGHT IN AND RIGHT OUT ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME OPEN SPACE, UH, AT THAT, UH, NORTHWEST CORNER.
UH, SUSTAINABILITY, UH, RAIN GARDENS, UH, WOULD CERTAINLY BE UTILIZED ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
UH, WENDY MENTIONED THE, UH, CONNECTION TO THE RECLAIM WATER SYSTEM.
UH, WE'RE INCORPORATING SOLAR SY SOLAR FACILITIES, THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING, WHICH I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO FROM AN URBAN DESIGN STANDPOINT.
UH, WE ARE ALSO, UH, UPGRADING THE, UM, CONGRESS AVENUE AND BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH LARGER TREES, UH, THAN WHAT CODE WOULD REQUIRE.
[00:20:01]
0.5 INCH CALIPER SHADE TREES.UH, THE MIX OF USES, UH, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMERCIAL, UH, THE, ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL SPACE IS EITHER GROUND FLOOR OR, UH, BOTH PARKING GARAGE.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE RESIDENTIAL, UH, PUBLIC ART AND PUBLIC WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION I'VE MENTIONED.
AND, UH, IN TERMS OF HOW WE FIT WITH THE, UH, THE VISIONING PLAN, I THOUGHT STAFF SAID IT RATHER WELL.
SO THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THEIR REPORT, UH, EMPHASIZING THAT, UH, THIS WOULD FIT WITHIN THE GOALS OF THE FRAMEWORK PLAN TO CREATE A VIBRANT MIXED USE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
I THINK, UH, I THINK WE ARE CLEARLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
TREES, I KNOW, UH, ARE ALWAYS, UH, IMPORTANT, UH, BOTH IN TERMS OF, UH, PRESERVATION OF, UH, EXISTING TREES AS WELL AS, UH, ADDING, UH, TREES TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS IS A TREE THAT NEEDS SOME, I MEAN, THIS IS A SITE THAT NEEDS SOME LOVE FROM A TREE STANDPOINT.
SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF LARGE ASH TREES, WHICH ARE, UH, NOT CLASSIFIED IN APPENDIX F IN THE, IN THE CODE.
THE LARGEST ONE AT THE CORNER, UH, IS SLATED FOR REMOVAL, UH, WITH OR WITHOUT THIS PROJECT, CUZ IT'S DEEMED DANGEROUS.
AND THEN THE, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, FAIRLY SMALL TREES ALONG THE CONGRESS AVENUE EDGE THO THOSE WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE TYPE OF OF TREES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND, UH, THIS ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS, UM, IN KEEPING WITH A, UH, AUTO USE TODAY, UH, WILL CHANGE RADICALLY, UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF THE, UH, EXPANDED SIDEWALKS AND, UH, AND THE TREES, PARTICULARLY ON CON ON THE CONGRESS AVENUE SIDE.
UM, THESE ARE THE, UH, THE SUPERIORITY ITEMS THAT, UH, THAT I WOULD RUN THROUGH WITH YOU QUICKLY AS YOU LOOK AT THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, I'VE GOT DETAILS ON EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. I'M NOT GOING TO BORE YOU WITH THE DETAILS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS TONIGHT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THOSE, BUT LET ME JUST WALK YOU THROUGH THE LIST.
SO, UH, YOU'RE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING PODS WITH, UH, GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS OF, OF THREE STAR.
WE MEET THAT, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT ON SITE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
UM, UH, DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE WERE COMMITTED TO.
DID NOT WANT TO PAY FEE AND LOOP, UH, THOUSAND CUBIC FEET OF OFFSITE WATER BEING TREATED WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.
UH, 250 LINEAR FEET OF OFFSITE STORM IMPROVEMENTS, UH, CONNECTING TO THE PURPLE PIPE EXTENSION.
WE'VE GOT, UH, TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO GO THERE.
UH, AND FRANKLY, WE'LL GO WHICH WAY THE CITY WANTS US TO GO.
UH, THE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, UH, IN THIS CITY AND IN OTHERS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS, UH, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH TALL BUILDINGS AND BIRDS? AND, UH, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE BACKUP, A LOT OF, WE'VE GIVEN THAT A LOT OF THOUGHT.
AND, UH, I THINK WE, UH, BY SUGGESTING THAT WE WILL COMPLY WITH THE LEAD PILOT, UH, BIRD DETERRENT PROGRAM, UM, THAT'S A VERY MEASURABLE STANDARD AND SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ADOPT, UH, STREET TREES I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UH, FUNCTIONAL GREEN LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS.
UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE WILL BE INCORPORATING NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING, SOME ROOFTOP INSTALLATIONS, UH, SOLAR PANEL, UM, WHERE FEASIBLE, WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU, UH, AND YOU WILL SEE US AGAIN WHEN WE HAVE THE ACTUAL PUT APPLICATION.
UH, WE'LL HAVE DETAILS WITH REGARD TO HOW WE DO THAT AND WHAT KIND OF A STANDARD THAT'S MEASURABLE THAT WE CAN MEET.
UH, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, UH, DARK SKIES COMPLIANCE, CERTAINLY.
UM, URBAN BEEKEEPING INITIATIVE, UH, THIS ONE,
[00:25:01]
UM, IS, UH, LITTLE BIT CLOSE TO HEART.I, UH, LIVE OUTSIDE OF TOWN AND RAISE BEES.
SO, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY HERE IS, IS TO DO SOMETHING IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU NORMALLY DON'T SEE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST THING, THE, UM, NET ZERO CARBON FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT.
UM, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LESSON ON THAT ONE, AND IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL THAN I CAN PROVIDE, WE HAVE FOLKS HERE WHO WILL DO A BETTER JOB OF IT.
BUT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.
UH, ONE OF WHICH, FOR INSTANCE, WOULD BE NOT USING WITHIN THE, UH, CERTAINLY THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, UH, GAS, BUT USING ELECTRIC SO THAT WE ARE, UH, NOT ONLY DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY, BUT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD AS TECHNOLOGY BRINGS US DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WHAT I HOPED THAT WHEN WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS PROJECT THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IS A COMBINATION OF THINGS THAT EVEN FOR SMALL SIDES THAT ARE LIKE THIS, UH, THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SET A SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD THAT WOULD BE, UM, NEW GROUND, UH, WITHIN THE CITY, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE, THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE USED TO SEEING WITH REGARD TO SITE DEVELOPMENT WORK.
SO LET ME STOP THERE AND, UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AGAIN, WE HAVE OTHERS THAT, UH, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT I'M ABLE TO TELL YOU.
BUT, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE AND EXCITED TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
LET'S, LET'S GO AROUND AND, UH, MAYBE WE'LL START WITH THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR, OR STAFF FOR THAT MATTER.
UM, PAM, YOU GET TO GO FIRST CUZ YOU'VE GOT YOUR HAND UP.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, PLEASE.
OH, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL ANSWER MY QUESTIONS, I GUESS STAFF OR WHATEVER.
I WAS WONDERING, UM, IF THIS, UM, PROJECT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CORE TRANSIT QUARTER SIDEWALK AND BUILDING PLACEMENT, UM, FOR URBAN ROADWAYS, UH, IT ACTUALLY GOES BEYOND THAT.
SO IT GOES TO A GREAT STREET STANDARD.
AND THEN I WAS WONDERING THAT, I WAS HOPING THAT THE OAK TREES THAT WE HAD THERE WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO BEING REPLACED.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL WHEN WE COME BACK.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE YET WITH THE UTILITIES AND SO FORTH WHERE, UH, THE CITY WANTS US TO, TO PUT CERTAIN THINGS.
SO WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO LOSE A GOOD TREE UNLESS IT'S, UH, NECESSARY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT A, A REAL LARGE SPECIMEN.
BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE COME BACK.
BUT, BUT, UH, WE DIDN'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD SHOW YOU, UH, EITHER WITH CERTAINTY WHICH TREES WE ARE LOSING OR, UH, WHICH TREES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE UNTIL WE GET THAT INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAS TO ANSWER THIS.
UM, HAS THE BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION ROADWAY BEEN APPROVED? HAS THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN PUB PROGRESSED AT THAT POINT? OR DO WE KNOW WENDY'S COMING UP TO HOPEFULLY ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? UH, THE, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN P UD IS SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING AT COUNCIL ON THE 3RD OF NOVEMBER.
SO IT, IT, IT'S NOT FINISHED YET.
SO ARE THEY, I MEAN, WE'RE THEY SEEING A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS ON A PROPOSED ROAD? AND I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT AT THIS POINT, UM, I MEAN, I GUESS WE CAN JUST MAKE OUR COMMENTS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASSUMING, CORRECT? UH, YES.
THESE NOTES WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE COUNSEL WHEN THIS IS, THIS DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT WILL GO TO COUNSEL.
UH, IT'S NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED,
[00:30:01]
BUT IT WILL GO TO COUNCIL WITH, UM, SOME OF THE NOTES THAT ARE GENERATED TONIGHT BY THE COMMISSION.I'M JUST SAYING, UH, COMMISSIONER, IF I MAY, WE ARE, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT.
UM, I THINK, UM, WENDY HASN'T GIVEN US A DATE FOR OUR, UH, BRIEFING WITH COUNSEL, BUT, UH, REMEMBER WE HAVE TO THEN GO AHEAD AND FILE OUR ACTUAL APPLICATION.
SO, UH, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME CERTAINTY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WITH REGARD TO THE STATESMAN PUT, UH, WELL BEFORE IT WOULD COME BACK TO YOU, UH, UH, A SECOND TIME.
OBVIOUSLY, IF THAT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SOME VERY DRASTIC CHANGES.
AND KATIE COIN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE STICK TO WHAT WE'RE POSTED, UM, TO, TO TALK ABOUT.
UH, AND SO ONCE UH, THERE IS PROGRESS ON STATESMAN, LIZ WILL BE BACK, UH, TO, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT.
BUT JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE STAY IN THE LANE.
THE ROAD IS FAIRLY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, OUR COMMENTS IS ALL I CAN SAY.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, IF WE DON'T HAVE A ROAD THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR ENTIRE PLAN THERE.
THE HEIGHT, UM, THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS 400 FEET.
HOW MANY STORIES IS THAT APPROXIMATELY? WOULD THAT BE? LET'S SEE, LET ME, I'M GONNA LOOK TO MY RIGHT HERE AND, AND, UH, I I THINK WE HAVE, UH, 36 36 STORIES.
UM, AND IT'S KIND OF STRAIGHT UP, IT'S NOT TIERED.
CAN'T WAIT TO, TO SHOW YOU, UH, AS THIS DEVELOPS, UH, I THINK THE PAGE FIRM IS HANDLING THE ARCHITECTURE AND, UH, TOGE IS HERE TONIGHT IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S, UH, I THINK IT FITS WELL WITH THE LOCATION.
UH, BUT IT IS A SINGLE PROJECT.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE TOWER.
WELL, I I NOTICED THAT YOU USE THE WORD, WHAT IS IT, A PINNACLE OR SOMETHING, OR SOME, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE REASON I'M ASKING IS FOR THE BEES AND THE BEES, THEY SAY, I'VE READ A COUPLE OF ARTICLES.
THEY SAY AFTER 10, 10 STORIES, IT'S VERY WINDY FOR BEES.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME SANCTUARY FOR THE BEES THERE.
IT'S JUST A THOUGHT ON JUST MENTIONING IT.
AND THEN, UM, LET'S SEE, I'M THE BIRD COLLISION, UM, I DON'T KNOW, IS, SO THE ABOVE 36 FEET AT GRADE, YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO THE, UH, LEAD ONE OR WHATEVER, AND THEN AFTER THAT IT WAS GONNA GO UP TO THE TOP OF IT.
I'M WORRIED KIND OF ABOUT AIR QUALITY AND NOISE BECAUSE YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO THE STREET AND I'M WONDERING IF THE METRO BIKE STATION IS GOING TO REMAIN THAT'S ON THE CORNER THERE.
IF, UH, IF I CAN, LET ME GET AN ASSIST FROM, UH, OUR ARCHITECT, UH, CUZ I WANT TO, I WANT TO RESPOND TO YOU WITH REGARD TO, FOR INSTANCE, THE, THE BEE ISSUES, UH, AS WELL AS THE BIRD ISSUES.
AND THEN WE'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT WE'VE COVERED EACH OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE RAISED.
SO THE BIRDS AND THE, AND THE BEES.
WE'RE NOT TO TALK ABOUT BIRDS CUZ YOU LIKED OUR BIRD ANSWER, WHICH IS GOOD.
OUR OUR GARAGE ISN'T 10 STORIES TALL.
THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD NEWS THINGS THAT STEVE FORGOT TO BRAG ABOUT, UH, WHICH IS BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING TWO LEVELS OF PARKING BELOW GRADE.
THIS IS A RELATIVELY MODEST PODIUM, UH, AND AND RELATION TO MUCH OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW.
SO CERTAINLY THE BEEKEEPING INITIATIVE IS GONNA HAPPEN ON TOP OF THE PODIUM, WHICH WOULD BE EITHER LEVEL EIGHT OR LEVEL NINE.
THAT'S, UM, A LITTLE BIT UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW.
SO GOOD, UH, GOOD ELEVATION FOR BEES.
AND AS FOR THE BIRD DETERRENTS, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING THE ENTIRE PODIUM COMPLY WITH A LEAD BIRD DETERRENTS STANDARDS.
SO, UH, WE'RE EXCEEDING THAT ZONE ONE, UH, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THE PODIUM.
CAN WATER PROTECTION? I, I'M NOT SURE IF WE, WE, IF YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, WOULD YOU MIND JUST HI? SURE.
UH, I WORK WITH PAIGE ARCHITECT ON THIS PROJECT.
[00:35:01]
AM THANKFUL THAT YOU WERE CONSIDERING THAT BECAUSE OF THE BATS BEING SO CLOSE BY.SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO HELP THE BATS, UM, OR IF THEY'RE BY THE SAME LEAD STANDARDS OR WHATEVER, BUT I, I THINK THEY USUALLY GO DOWN THE RIVER, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
I HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
UM, I'M, I'M KIND OF, UH, THINKING THAT, UM, WHEN YOU SAID WHERE YOUR DEVELOPMENT WAS PLACED, LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND THIS.
UM, OKAY, IT SAID THAT IT'S WITHIN 0.2 MILES FROM THE ORANGE LINE, THREE MILES FROM THE BLUE LINE WATERFRONTS, UH, PLAN STATIONS.
AND THERE'S, THAT'S WHEN THEY MENTIONED THE METRO BIKE THING THAT'S THERE ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO THIS SITE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS.
SO I'M, I KNOW THAT YOU EXPLAINED THAT THE ROAD, THE DRIVEWAYS WOULD BE GOING RIGHT IN, IN A RIGHT OUT, BUT IS I, I'M JUST MENTIONING THIS BECAUSE THE CATHERINE AROUND THE CORNER IS JUST KIND OF, IT WAS LIKE A NIGHTMARE FOR A WHILE AND I'M HOPING THAT EVERYBODY HAS LEARNED FROM THAT MISTAKE AND THAT THEY WILL, UM, TRY TO DO A LITTLE BETTER THAN THAT.
AND SO I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE DOING THAT.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO MENTION.
OKAY, THE PARK, COULD SOMEBODY EXPLAIN THE PARKING STRUCTURE FRONTAGE? AND THE REASON I'M ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT IS BECAUSE OUR PURVIEW IS THE TRAIL AND, UM, THE TRAIL GOES ON ONE SIDE OF YOUR PROPERTY, BUT IT WILL NOT GO ON CONGRESS.
THERE WOULD THERE BE A BIKE PATH THERE? OKAY.
SO THIS COMES BACK IN PART OF THE STATESMAN PUD.
UM, RIGHT NOW THE STATESMAN PUD SHOWS THE BIKE LANE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BARTON SPRINGS EXTENSION.
UH, SO IT WOULD NOT CROSS OUR SITE NECESSARILY.
THERE IS AN EXISTING BIKE ROUTE WHICH RUNS NORTH SOUTH, AND IT'S ON THE EAST SIDE OF CONGRESS.
SO THAT WOULD PASS RIGHT, UH, IN FRONT OF OUR SITE.
THE CITY, OF COURSE, HAS PLANS, UH, TO IMPROVE CONGRESS AVENUE, THEIR PLANS, AND THE S AND P, UH, A A S AND P SHOW IT LIVING ON THE EAST SIDE.
SO YEAH, WE'LL HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF OUR SITE.
SO THE 75%, UM, UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE FRONTAGE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED THAT REQUIREMENT, UH, BY, BY A GOOD FIGURE, I WOULD BELIEVE.
OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT DONE WITH DESIGNING.
THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE ODD THINGS ABOUT THIS PRESENTATIONS.
WE'RE NOT COMPLETE IN OUR DESIGN, BUT WE'RE FAR ENOUGH ALONG TO, TO KNOW WHAT WE INTEND.
UH, AND, UM, THAT, THAT CALCULATION EXEMPTS THINGS LIKE DRIVEWAY ENTRIES, IT EXEMPTS THINGS LIKE THE REQUIRED AUSTIN ENERGY VAULT.
UH, SO THE ONLY USES WE HAVE, UH, ON THAT FACADE ARE THE LOBBY FOR THE RESIDENCES, 7,500 SQUARE FEET OF RESIDENTIAL OF RETAIL USE, UH, A BIKE ROOM, AN AUSTIN ENERGY VAULT, AND TWO ENTRIES, UH, INTO THE GARAGE.
UH, WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE CONGESTION, UH, ON, ON MANY OF AUSTIN'S ROADS.
AND SO WE'VE DONE SOMETHING WHERE WE'VE, WE'VE SPLIT THE GARAGE ENTRIES SO THAT THE ABOVE GRADE PORTION OF THE GARAGE ENTERS OFF OF CONGRESS IN THE BELOW GRADE, UH, ENTERS OFF BARTON SPRINGS.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO DISTRIBUTE, UM, PEOPLE AND THEIR CARS IN SEPARATE PLACES TO, TO DECONGEST THE STREETS.
AND WE, UH, WE WILL BE, UH, PROVIDING A, UH, UH, TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AS PART OF THIS PROCESS OF SOME TYPE.
AND, UM, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU WHEN WE SEE YOU AGAIN.
I'M, I'M SORRY TO ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I THINK THERE'S A SLIDE AT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION WHERE YOU WALK THROUGH KIND OF A, A FRAMEWORK OF SCHEDULE.
WE, WE DON'T, WE, YOU CAN PULL UP IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, JUST KIND OF GIVE US A FRAMEWORK OF RIGHT.
OF, UH, MAYBE WHEN WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN.
SO IF I CAN, IT'S, UH, IT'S A SLIDE ENTITLED, UH, PROPERTY DETAILS.
[00:40:01]
THE, THE POWER OR THE PDF THAT I WAS LOOKING AT.UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE ONE THAT SAID PROJECT DETAILS.
THE, UH, SCHEDULE THAT I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
I BELIEVE IT IS ON A SLIDE THAT SAYS TIMELINE.
SO, UM, THIS TELLS YOU WHERE WE'VE BEEN, UH, AT THE BEGINNING, UH, THE MIDDLE OF OUR DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT.
AND, UH, THEN WE RESUBMITTED WHEN WE, UH, MODIFIED OUR USES A BIT.
AND, UH, THEN, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN OUR COMMENT REPORT RECENTLY.
UH, AND THEN HERE WE ARE TONIGHT, OCTOBER 19TH.
THE WORK SESSION WILL BE SOMETIME, I ASSUME, IN THE NEXT 45 DAYS TO 60 DAYS.
AND THEN THEREAFTER, WE WOULD INTEND TO MAKE OUR FORMAL SUBMITTAL.
WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS THE STAFF REVIEWS THE FORMAL SUBMITTAL, UH, AS THEY WOULD ANY ZONING CASE AND THEN GIVES US COMMENTS.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THEN WE'RE BACK TO SEE YOU.
UH, AND THAT WOULD BE OUR, UH, FIRST STEP ALONG THE WAY, I'M ASSUMING.
AND THEN WE WILL SEE SOME OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BEFORE GOING ON TO COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT HELPS FRAME UP QUESTIONS.
UH, REMOTE, UH, CORRECT YOU OR BEDFORD, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, UH, VICE CHAIR BEDFORD POLICE, UM, I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS HOW THE PROJECT IS GONNA SUPPORT THE PROJECT CONNECT.
I KNOW YOU KIND OF MENTIONED LIKE IT WAS, IT WAS GONNA SUPPORT THE PROJECT CONNECT INFRASTRUCTURE, SO I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS IF HE HAD ANY EXAMPLES THAT YOU COULD TELL US HOW IT'S GOING TO DO THAT.
UM, FROM MY STANDPOINT, IT, IT DOES IT IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE WOULD BE, AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY, WOULD BE ADDING THE RESIDENTIAL DENSITY.
UM, THAT WAS, WOULD ALLOW US TO, UM, SUPPORT THE, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF USES, UH, THAT PROJECT CONNECT WILL BRING TO THE AREA, DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND SO HAVING 450 NEW UNITS IN THAT LOCATION, I THINK DOES EXACTLY THAT.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OF PROJECT CONNECT, UM, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO SEE CITYWIDE.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE THIS WHERE EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'VE GOT STATIONS HERE, UH, IN A TIGHTER CONFIGURATION THAN PROBABLY EXISTS ANYWHERE IN TOWN.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT DENSITY AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK I WOULD MENTION IS WE'VE GOTTA MAKE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES, UH, FROM THIS LOCATION INCLUSIVE, UH, OF, OF ALL KINDS OF TRANSPORTATION MODES.
SO, UM, WE'RE ENHANCING THE, UH, ABILITY TO USE BIKES WITH BIKE ROOMS AND A AND A DRASTIC INCREASE IN, UH, THE NUMBER OF, UH, BIKE PARKING SPACES.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE TO AND FROM THE, UH, PROJECT CONNECT FACILITIES IS AS GOOD AS IT COULD BE.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE, I THINK IS, UM, VERY CONSISTENT WITH PROJECT CONNECT IN THAT WE ARE A MINIMUM OF 30 PER 35% BELOW WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE CODE PARKING FOR THIS SITE.
SO, UH, WE'RE NOT PARKING THIS TO CODE, WE'RE PARKING THIS TO, UH, A MUCH LOWER LEVEL.
SO TO ME, ALL OF THAT IS, IS QUITE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT GOALS.
I KNOW, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE TREES THAT WERE GONNA BE ADDED, WERE GONNA BE FIVE INCHES, BUT I KNOW, AND A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE TOLD LIKE, UH, THREE INCHES ARE USUALLY
[00:45:01]
PREFERRED BECAUSE THEY'LL, THEY HAVE A GREATER SURVIVAL RATE.I WAS KIND OF WONDERING ABOUT THE FIVE INCHES, LIKE IF THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF OR IS THAT, UM, LIKE WHAT'S THE VIABILITY THAT THEY WOULD SURVIVE? TERRIFIC.
UM, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THE QUESTION AND I'M GLAD THAT, UH, MS. ANN COLEMAN IS GONNA ANSWER IT FOR YOU.
I'M ANN COLEMAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, 41 YEARS OF PRACTICING IN AUSTIN.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION WHERE THE CONFUSION COMES BETWEEN THREE INCH TREES AND FIVE INCH TREES IS, UM, BALD AND BURLA TREES THAT WERE COMMONLY USED, UH, FOR A VERY LONG TIME, CUT THE ROOT SYSTEMS IN THE FIELD FOR THESE TREES.
AND OFTEN THEY'RE PLANTED TOO SOON, SO THESE TREES DON'T PERFORM AS WELL AND RECOVER AS OFTEN, UM, AS A CONTAINER GROWN TREE THAT HAS ITS ROOT SYSTEM COMPLETELY INTACT.
AND IT'S BEEN GROWN FROM A BABY TO A FIVE INCH TREE BEING STEPPED UP CONTAINER TO CONTAINER.
AND SO THEIR SURVIVABILITY IS GENERALLY, UM, CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT IF WELL CARED FOR.
SO, UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A THREE INCH AND A FIVE INCH TREE AND OUR INDUSTRY, THE TREE INDUSTRY IS NOT MUCH.
UH, THERE ARE, IF IT WAS A 30 INCH TREE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ISSUES REGARDING THAT.
BUT, UH, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REAL MEASURABLE RISK BETWEEN A THREE INCH TO A FIVE INCH.
THE, UH, THE THOUGHT THAT A THREE INCH TREE GROWS FASTER IS TRUE BECAUSE IT'S EXPONENTIAL.
IF YOU HAVE A THREE INCH CPER TREE AND IT GOES TO FOUR INCH CALIBER TREE, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A FIVE INCH TREE GO INTO A SIX INCH CALIBER TREE.
BUT THAT'S ONLY IF YOU FOCUS ON CPER.
IF YOU FOCUS ON THE MASS OF THE CANOPY, A FIVE INCH TREE DOES BUY YOU TIME, MAYBE EVEN 30 TO 50% MORE THAN A THREE INCH TREE.
SO BY PUTTING IT A FIVE INCH TREE, YOU ALLOW THAT PEDESTRIAN TO HAVE MORE IMMEDIATE SHADE THAN WAITING ON A THREE INCH TREE TO GET THE SAME SIZE.
RISHI OR HOLS, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, KASHI, PLEASE.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION, AND MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF, OF A SUGGESTION.
FIRST OF ALL, WANT THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, THE PROJECTS IS, UH, PRETTY COOL.
I'D ACTUALLY READ ABOUT THIS, UH, I THINK ON TOWERS, THE BLOG, LOCAL BLOG, AND THEY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE BEEKEEPING STUFF.
UH, I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A GOOD SORT OF TENANT OR PARTNER TO HAVE AND SORT OF LIKE THE BEEKEEPING STUFF WOULD BE MERIDIAN HIVE.
THEY'RE LIKE A LOCAL HONEY MEAD PRODUCTION COMPANY.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY RECENTLY MOVED THEIR TAP ROOM.
WELL, I THINK THEY DON'T HAVE A TAP ROOM ANYMORE, BUT THEIR PRODUCTION FACILITY IS OFF SOUTH CONGRESS IN LIKE THE FOUR FIVE AREA.
SO, UH, POTENTIALLY ING OUT TO THEM TO HELP WITH THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, OR MAYBE EVEN HAVING THEM AS LIKE A TENANT FOR A TAP ROOM FOR SOMETHING IN THE BUILDING.
MAYBE AN IDEA WORTH INVESTIGATING.
BUT OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT LOOKS REALLY COOL AND, UH, CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE ABOUT IT.
APPRECIATE IT, APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTION.
AND, AND, UH, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE, THE FULL PICTURE ABOUT WHAT THE, UH, THE B INITIATIVE MAY BE AND, AND THAT SHOULD COVER EDUCATION AS WELL AS ENJOYING THE PRODUCTS OF, OF THOSE, OF THE LABOR.
SO, HOLS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO THANKS ANY STAFF FOR THE WORK ON THIS AND ALSO THANK MR. RENNER FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS REALLY, REALLY COOL PROPOSAL TO THE TABLE.
UM, I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF REENTERING THE EARTH ATMOSPHERE AS YOU'RE COMING IN AND OUT, BUT
UH, ALRIGHT, LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I DON'T OBJECT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, OF ALL, I, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT WAS QUITE THOROUGH AND, AND COMPREHENSIVE AND CERTAINLY HAD A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS THAT, UM, I WAS GRATIFIED TO, UM, TO LEARN ABOUT, UM, BEES BEING ONE OF THEM.
UM, I THINK, UM, AS WE KNOW, THE AUSTIN HAS, UH, ASPIRES TO BECOMING, UH, DESIGNATED AS A B CITY.
UM, AND, UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A POSITIVE, UH, UH, BEING CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE AS EVIDENCED BY PUTTING IN THE, UM, UM,
[00:50:02]
THE, THE HIGH NUMBER OF, UH, ELECTRIC, UH, EV CHARGING STATIONS IS, UH, UH, IS ALSO, UH, A VERY, UH, UH, GRATIFYING FORWARD LOOKING, UH, MOVE.CUZ I THINK WE DO NEED TO, UM, GOING FORWARD ALL BE LOOKING NOT AT WHAT WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DOING, BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO NEED TO BE DOING NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR, YEAR AND 10 YEARS FROM NOW? UH, BECAUSE I IMAGINE YOUR BUILDING, UH, AS PROPOSED WILL BE WHERE IT IS, UH, FOR QUITE A A WHILE BEYOND THAT WITH, WITH GOOD LUCK.
UM, I HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, WHICH, UM, HAS NOT BEEN, UM, MUCH DISCUSSED, UM, UM, FOR, UM, UH, VARIOUS REASONS.
AND, AND ONE IS THAT, UM, UH, REGARDING, UM, UH, FEMA'S HAZARD, UM, RISK ASSESSMENT, UH, FOR AUSTIN AND, AND THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, COUNTIES THAT WE ARE IN.
UH, AND, UH, AND OF COURSE WE ARE IN TRAVIS COUNTY PRIMARILY, BUT, UM, ALSO A BIT HERE AND A BIT THERE WITH A FEW OTHER COUNTIES.
BUT, UM, SURPRISINGLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, MOST RECENT 2022 FEMA HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT, OUR, OUR HIGHEST RISK, UM, UH, MONETARILY IS, UM, FROM TORNADOES.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT REALLY TOOK ME BY SURPRISE BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING IT TO BE FLOODING, FLOODING, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY A HIGH RISK AND REMAINS, UH, UH, A MAJOR CONCERN.
BUT THE, UM, THE, UH, THE, THE RISK FROM, UM, UH, TORNADOES IS, UM, UH, TWICE AS HIGH AS THAT IS FOR FLOODING IN TERMS OF MONETARY RISK.
AND, UM, OF COURSE, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT, AT, UM, THE, UH, UH, MAPS FOR, UH, WIND SPEED, THAT SHOULD, UH, GIVE SOME PAUSE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING WHEN THEY'RE DES DESIGNING BUILDINGS AS TO HOW STRONG THE STRUCTURALLY THEY'LL BE.
NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, IT'S NOT IN OUR PURVIEW TO, TO DEVELOP, UM, BUILDING CODES.
BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THE BUILDING CODES ARE MUCH STRONGER IN HOUSTON THAN THEY ARE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE STRONG IN HOUSTON BECAUSE OF, UM, OF HURRICANES.
WELL, WE ARE IN THE SAME, UM, MAP FOR WIND SPEED WE HAVE IN THIS AREA, WELL ESTABLISH 200 MILE PER HOUR POTENTIAL WIND SPEEDS.
AND, UM, SO, UH, MY QUESTION, WHICH I REALIZE THAT I SEEM TO BE TAKING A ROUNDABOUT, UM, MEANS OF ACHIEVING THIS IS, IS THIS, UM, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE TORNADO WARNINGS IN THE FUTURE AS THERE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
AND BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HIGH RISE STRUCTURES, UH, GET NERVOUS WHEN THEY ARE TOLD TO GO TO THE, THE, UH, INTERIOR, UH, OF THEIR, UH, RESIDENTS, UH, AWAY FROM WINDOWS, THEY GET KIND OF NERVOUS WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET ABOVE GROUND.
UM, I, WHICH I COMPLETELY CAN UNDERSTAND, I GREW UP IN KANSAS WHERE WE WENT TO THE BASEMENT, UH, WHEN WE HAD A TORNADO WARNING.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE WE FELT SAFE.
YOU WERE BUILDING, THANKFULLY, A TWO STORY BELOW GROUND, UM, GARAGE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, SUGGEST THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A SELLING POINT AND, AND A AND CERTAINLY, UH, PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, OF, UH, PEACE OF MIND IF IN BUILDING THAT STRUCTURE, UM, YOU GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO MAKING IT RESILIENT, UH, FOR, UM, UH, UH, WINDS, WHETHER IT'S STRAIGHT LINE OR, OR, UH, ROTATIONAL WINDS, UH, AS YOU SEE WITH THE TORNADO, BECAUSE, UH, THIS WOULD BE, UH, UH, THIS WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN, IN TERMS OF NOT, NOT ONLY SAVING LIVES, BUT QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH IS PART OF THE PURVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL, UH, SAFE AND SECURE IN, IN THEIR, IN WHERE THEY LIVE, UH, OBVIOUSLY.
[00:55:01]
UM, I KNOW THAT FOR ME, IF I FEEL THAT WHEN I, WHEN, WHEN THE, UH, WHEN MY WEATHER RADIO TELLS ME THAT, UM, THERE'S A, UH, CIRCULATING, UH, STORM CELL OVER MY HOUSE, UH, THAT COULD PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY MOMENT, I FEEL MUCH BETTER IF I HAVE A, A, UM, A SAFE ROOM WHERE I CAN GO, RIGHT? UH, AND YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE THAT, UH, THAT GARAGE STRUCTURE, UH, A PLACE, WHICH PART OF IT CAN BE FROM AN AND, AND SO YOU'RE IN EARLY STAGES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, SEE YOU, UH, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU GO FORWARD.AND I ALSO AM JUST BRINGING IT UP AS, AS A, UH, AS A GENERAL POINT OF INFORMATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, IN THE FUTURE, UH, THE ENTIRE, UH, REGION NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERING THAT IN THIS PAST YEAR, UM, FEMA HA FEMA IS BY LAW REQUIRED TO GIVE OUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR, UH, MITIGATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S TO SAY, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN AMOUNT, YEAH, IT'S GONNA GO TO DISASTERS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO SUPPOSED TO GIVE OUT SOME MONEY, SOME PERCENTAGE OF MONEY, SO THAT, UH, FORWARD THINKING COMMUNITIES CAN ACTUALLY BUILD, ACTUALLY BUILD STRUCTURES, UH, CAN, CAN STRENGTHEN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, CAN SHORE UP HISTORICAL BUILDINGS AND, AND, AND ET CETERA, UH, UH, RESIDENTS, UH, CAN, CAN APPLY FOR, UM, UH, UH, HOME SHELTERS.
AND, UM, THIS PAST YEAR, UH, 2022, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, AND TRAVIS COUNTY LEFT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE TABLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T APPLY FOR A SINGLE GRANT.
UM, GOING FORWARD, I HOPE WE DO BETTER THAN THAT.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA, AGAIN, UH, IS THIS A POINT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ALSO A SUGGESTION, UH, THAT YOU, YOU ARE IMPRESSING ME AS SOMEBODY WHO DOES THINK FOR A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AND DOES TAKE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND I JUST, I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THIS, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE IN AN EARLIER STAGE SO THAT I CAN BRING THIS UP NOT AS A, WHY HAVEN'T YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, BUT AS SOMETHING THAT AS YOU CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS, THIS, UH, YOU CAN JUST PUT IT IN PLACE WITHOUT POTENTIALLY COSTING ANY, UH, ANY FURTHER MONEY THAN, THAN IT WOULD'VE COST YOU OTHERWISE.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING INFORMATION.
I GREW UP IN KANSAS TOO, SO I, UH, I'VE, I'VE LIVED THROUGH THOSE SAME TYPES OF STORMS AND, UM, UH, I WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL HAVE AN OPERATIONAL PLAN TO SHOW YOU TO DEAL WITH WHAT DO WE DO IN A, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE IS A WARNING, UH, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THERE'S A WATCH? WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THERE'S A WARNING? WHAT DO YOU DO? UH, THAT'S SOMETHING ON THE GROUND.
UH, THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS, UM, ONE OF THE BENEFITS IN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, UH, REALLY HAS BEEN BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH TISHMAN SP WHO, UM, HAS BEEN DOING GREAT PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO LEAN ON THEIR EXPERTISE, UH, AND HOW TO, HOW DO THEY, HOW DO THEY HANDLE THAT ISSUE? WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT DISCUSSION AS A TEAM YET, BUT WE WILL STARTING TOMORROW.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR YOUR, UH, FOR YOUR COMMENT, AND I'LL PROMISE YOU, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK WITH A, UH, DETAILED ANSWER.
AND, UM, I, UM, I TALKED RECENTLY WITH A, A FRIEND OF MINE WHO, UM, LIVES IN FLORIDA WAS, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, CHECKING ON HIS PUMPS BECAUSE HIS, HIS PROPERTY WAS AT RISK FOR, UM, THE, THE PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING IN FLORIDA.
AND, UH, HE, HE, UH, WAS A CLASSMATE OF, OF MINE, GREW UP IN SHAWNEE MISSION DISTRICTS IN KANSAS CITY, AND HE SAID HE, HE HAD NIGHTMARES INTO, INTO ADULTHOOD ABOUT TORNADOES.
AND, UH, UM, I LIVED 12 MILES FROM THE RUSKIN HEIGHTS, UM, TORNADO, WHICH, UM, JUST DECIMATED THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY, WHICH, UH, FOR SOME REASON WAS BUILT WITHOUT, UM, BASEMENTS, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO REASON WHY THEY COULDN'T HAVE PUT BASEMENTS IN.
[01:00:01]
UM, HERE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE OFTEN VERY LIMITED AS TO, UH, WHAT KIND OF STRUCTURES THAT WE CAN PUT IN.UH, AND, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT YOU ARE PUTTING IN SOMETHING WITH UNDERGROUND CAPABILITY, RIGHT? SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY DETAILED PRESENTATION, UH, VERY PROFESSIONAL.
AND I, UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE GREAT AMOUNT OF, UM, DETAIL THAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO, UM, UM, A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO, UH, THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
COMMISSIONER BREMER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, COUPLE APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR, YOUR DIVE COMMISSIONER.
I'M SORRY, COULD YOU PLEASE TURN ON YOUR MIC? THANK YOU.
CAN, UH, YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE, UH, THE DETAIL YOU'VE GONE INTO.
I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE, UH, WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE.
I DO HAVE, UH, A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, I SAW YOUR TIMELINE EARLIER, BUT THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WHEN I KNOW PREDICTING THIS TYPE OF THING IS LIKE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE MM-HMM.
UH, WE'LL PROBABLY START WORKING ON THAT BEFORE WE FINISH THE PUD PROCESS.
BUT, UH, GENERALLY THAT TAKES NINE MONTHS TO A YEAR, SO ROLLED THE CALENDAR TO ABOUT, UH, MID-YEAR 2024, AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE EARLIEST THAT WE COULD PUT A SHOVEL ON THE GROUND.
AND SO THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT, IS THAT CORRECT? RIGHT.
I THINK TODAY WE'RE, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE SLIGHTLY BELOW THAT, BUT IT'S STILL, FOR THE MOST PART, UH, STILL GONNA BE VERY MUCH A, A HIGH IMPERVIOUS COVER LEVEL.
UH, AND YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD IT, YOU'RE GONNA WIRE 50% OF YOUR PARKING SPOTS FOR EV CHARGING STATIONS, BUT YOU'RE AN INITIALLY GONNA START WITH 6%, UH, EVERYTHING WILL BE WIRED AND THEN THE ACTUAL CHARGING UNIT, WHICH COSTS I THINK ABOUT 60 TO $70,000, WE'RE GONNA HAVE IN 6% OF THE SPACES INITIALLY, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD THOSE AS THE DEMAND AND NEED INCREASES.
SO WE, WE THINK, AND THAT COULD CHANGE, UH, COMMISSIONER BETWEEN NOW AND, UM, SAY 26 OR 27 WHEN THIS PROJECT WOULD COME ONLINE, IF WE'VE HAD A, UH, INCREASE IN DEMAND BY DOING IT THAT WAY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO INCREASE THAT PERCENTAGE WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY BUYING THE CHARGING UNIT, UH, TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND.
SO OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO, TO WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND WORK THERE, UH, WILL DO, BUT WE WANT TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE A LITTLE BIT.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE THAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND THAT'S A, A GOOD PLAN.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE PUSH IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I MEAN, MY, MY INTEREST UP FRONT, YEAH.
UPFRONT, UPFRONT, UH, MY UPFRONT THING WOULD BE, LET'S SHOOT FOR 10%, BECAUSE HOW ARE ALL THESE SPOTS GONNA BE FOR RESIDENTS, OR ARE THEY GONNA BE FOR THE, OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE 300 PARKING SPOTS JUST TO PICK AN ARBITRARY NUMBER.
I DON'T HOW MANY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, BUT ARE THEY ALL GONNA BE RESERVE? I MEAN, ARE THEY GONNA BE SPLIT RESERVE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THEN SOME OPEN SEASON, OR ARE THEY GONNA BE YOU, YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, WHEN WE COME BACK, I'LL, I'LL SHOW YOU A DETAIL PLAN THAT'LL SHOW YOU WHERE THOSE WOULD BE, AND I WILL TAKE UNDER CONSIDERATION, UH, INCREASING THAT FRONT END NUMBER.
YEAH, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE 10% BECAUSE YES.
OF THE WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CAR INDUSTRY IS MOVING, I THINK THAT BEING AGGRESSIVE ON THIS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE PART OF TOWN I LIVE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T THROW A ROCK WITHOUT ANY TESLA.
SO, UH, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GET ANY DIFFERENT AS TIME MOVES ALONG.
UH, NOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT USING, UH, PURPLE WATER FOR SOME OF YOUR IRRIGATION.
HOW MUCH ARE YOU GONNA BE USING CITY WATER FOR IRRIGATION? NONE AT ALL, OR NONE AT ALL.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE HAD A
[01:05:01]
PRESENTATION MAYBE A MONTH OR TWO AGO FROM, UH, SOMEONE THAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE CITY STAFF, UH, MEMBER THAT TALKED ABOUT, UH, UH, A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD WITH THE TRASH AROUND TOWN WAS OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE THROWING TRASH OUT THE WINDOW OR, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS OTHER THINGS.BUT A LOT OF IT CAME FROM, UH, DUMPSTERS THAT WERE AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, UH, OFFICE BUILDING STUFF THAT WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED.
I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT THAT THE WORD SECURED MEAN, IT DOESN'T MEAN LOCKED PER SE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DUMPSTER LI WASN'T CLOSED AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT SAY A FENCE OR SOMETHING AROUND IT, RIGHT.
IF, IF TRASH WAS BLOWN OUT OF IT, IT WOULD THEN SCATTER THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE IS SOME METHOD TO RESTRICT THE RANDOM DISTRIBUTION OF TRASH OUT OF THE DUMPSTERS.
THAT, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE.
IT'S, IT'S, YES, IT'S A GOOD POINT.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THIS RIGHT.
UH, SO TALMID, UM, WE ARE, ALL OF THE, UH, TRASH FACILITIES WILL BE BEHIND A DOOR.
AND SO THE ONLY TIME THAT DOOR WILL BE OPEN IS WHEN THE TRUCK COMES TO PICK UP THE, UH, THE TRASH.
SO THERE WON'T BE ANY EXPOSED DUMPSTER, UH, ON THE SITE.
NOW, YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOLAR FACILITIES.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UH, REALLY, UH, FAIR QUESTION, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU TONIGHT.
UH, SO WHAT WE, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME RECENTLY TALKING ABOUT, WELL, HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE OUR SOLAR POTENTIAL? AND AS THOMAS'S DESIGN MOVES FORWARD, UH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND TELL YOU, HERE'S WHERE IT WILL BE AND HERE'S WHAT IT WILL IT SHOULD ACHIEVE FROM A DESIGN FUNCTION IN TERMS OF SOLAR ENERGY.
WELL, THE REASON I ASK IS THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOLAR.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN HAVE A PASSIVE SOLAR WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SAY A STONE FLOOR AND IT PASSED THROUGH, UH, YOU KNOW, A WINDOW OR SOMETHING.
AND THEN THE HEAT GENERATED BY THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW THIS, THIS IS THE SCARY POINT WHERE YOU HAVE LAWYERS TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOLAR.
SO I'M TRANSFERRING TO TAGE OVER HERE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER ANSWER.
SOLAR, I MEAN, AT A MINIMUM, WE'RE GONNA DO ROOFTOP SOLAR.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO PROMISE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE BECAUSE WE'RE IN DESIGN.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH FOOTPRINT WE'LL HAVE ON THE TOP OF THE BUILDING.
UM, A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY DENSE.
WE GOTTA HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE NEED PLACES TO RECREATE.
SO THEY'LL BE A PORTION OF THE PODIUM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GARAGE, THEY'LL HAVE A TOP, AND THAT'LL BE FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION AND BEEKEEPING AND OTHER THINGS.
UH, SO THAT'S NOT A GREAT PLACE FOR SOLAR.
BUT ON THE TIPPY TOP OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE, THE GARAGE ITSELF, THAT'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR SOLAR.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET AS MUCH PHOTOVOLTAICS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA STUDY THAT IT'S COST PROHIBITIVE, BUT THAT CAN BE, UM, A GREAT WAY TO GET POWER TO, IT'S ON A VERTICAL SERVICE RATHER THAN A HORIZONTAL.
DO YOU HAVE A GOAL FOR THE PERCENTAGE OF SOLAR POWER BASED UPON THE USE OF, I KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA LIVE THERE.
I, I KNOW ALL THAT, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, YOU DON'T KNOW, DO YOU HAVE A GOAL IN MIND OF THE PERCENTAGE OF SOLAR POWER YOU WOULD LIKE TO GENERATE BASED UPON THE USAGE OF THE TOTAL TENANT POPULATION? WE DON'T HAVE A GOAL AMONGST OUR TEAM, BUT, UH, STEVE'S WORD MAXIMIZES GREAT WORD.
UH, WE WANT TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UH, JUST, IT'S, IT'S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEING CARBON NEUTRAL, WE WANNA BE CARBON NEUTRAL FOR OUR OPERATION.
SO THE MORE SOLAR WE GET, THE EASIER IT IS TO GET TO CARBON NEUTRAL.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE SOLAR MEANS YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT, UH, DOING OTHER ENERGY MEASURES.
IT'S, UH, IT'S ONE OF THE EASIEST AND MOST COST EFFECTIVE THINGS TO DO.
SO, UH, WHEN WE COME BACK, STEVE'S ANSWER, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL, WE'LL BRING YOU A PERCENTAGE.
I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL SIDE CUZ I DON'T DO THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR HOME STUFF, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JUST THROWS MONEY AT YOU, RIGHT? AND THE AUSTIN ENERGY ALSO WILL THROW MONEY AT YOU.
SO, I MEAN, YES, IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME YOU, THEY THROW ALL THAT MONEY AT YOU, IT'S NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS IT LOOKS.
HOW MANY TREES ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING? I MEAN, I SAW THAT A LITTLE CIRCLES ON THE, ON THE MAP, BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF THE NUMBER OF TREES.
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AND I THINK, ARE WE IN THE BALLPARK OF ABOUT 20 TREES? SOMETHING LIKE THAT? CONCEPTUALLY, WE'RE SHOWING 13 TREES, BUT LIKE STEVE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS GONNA ASK US TO GIVE UP ON BOTH.AND THAT'S ON BOTH STREETS COMBINED RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF YOU ADD UP THE INCHES THAT WE'RE REMOVING, WE'RE ROUGHLY AT I THINK 116 INCHES.
THERE'S FOUR LIVE OAKS, THREE ASH.
STEVE MENTIONED THE ONE THAT'S COMING OUT.
ANYWAY, THE ASH ARE ARIZONA ASH.
THEY'RE NOT NATIVE ASH, JUST TO POINT THAT OUT.
AND THEY ACTUALLY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DISCOURAGING THE USE OF ASH BECAUSE OF THE BORE PROBLEM.
UH, SO, AND MANY OF THE EXISTING LIVE OAKS, IF WE CAN SAVE THEM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO, BUT IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THEM, THEY'VE GOT GIRDLED ROOTS.
SO THEY'RE OLD TREES FOR THE SIZE THAT THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING, THEY ARE PRESENTLY PLANTED IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR MATURITY AND VIBRANCY.
UM, I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
THERE'S 116 INCHES BEING REMOVED.
DAY ONE, IF 13 OF THE TREES ARE PLANTED AT FIVE AND A HALFS, IT'S 70 INCHES, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 61% ON DAY ONE OF CALIPER BEING REPLACED ON SITE.
DID THAT, DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA GO WITH 13, I'D, I'D KIND OF LIKE TO SEE YOU DO BETTER THAN THAT.
UH, JUST BECAUSE I'M, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS A GOAL OF 50%, UH, CANOPY COVERED BY 2050 MM-HMM.
AND SO, UH, I LIKE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO KIND OF STRETCH THEIR THING.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN MORE MATURE TREES, BUT THAT KIND OF GETS DOWN TO THE NEXT THING.
UH, THE SURVIVABILITY HISTORY OF A TREE PLANTED IN A SIDEWALK IS NOT AS GREAT AS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS IT WOULD BE IF IT WAS PLANTED IN, YOU KNOW, AN OPEN FIELD MM-HMM.
AND SO ARE YOU GONNA HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, A MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THOSE TREES TO ENSURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO GO WHATEVER THE SPECIES THAT YOU PLANT, UH, HAPPENS TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, REPLACEMENT PLAN SHOULD THEY, UH, DECIDE TO NOT SURVIVE OR WHATEVER, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TERM IT, YOU KNOW, OR, OR, OR IS YOUR PLAN JUST TO PLAN 'EM AND LET 'EM DO THEIR THING AND MAYBE THEY LIVE AND MAYBE THEY DON'T.
THAT ALMOST NEVER HAPPENS DOWNTOWN ANYMORE WITH NEW, NEW OFFICE BUILDINGS OR NEW RESIDENTIAL TOWERS OF THIS TYPE? UM, I CAN SAY INDUSTRY WISE, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THIS PARTICULAR CLIENT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THIS CLIENT IT WILL BE ANY DIFFERENT.
THERE'S LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE COMPANIES, WHICH INCLUDE TREE CARE THAT COME OUT USUALLY WEEKLY, IF NOT EVERY OTHER WEEK IN THE WINTER.
CUZ THERE'S GENERALLY LESS, LESS CARE IN THE WINTER.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS A LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE COMPANY UNDER CONTRACT ON A YEARLY BASIS TO TAKE CARE OF THE LANDSCAPE, WHICH INCLUDES THE TREES.
SO THAT WILL BE PART OF THE PLAN FOR THE THING.
THERE'LL BE, IT'S REQUIRED BY CODE.
THE OTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
UH, THE TREES THAT WERE PLANTED AT THE TIME THE FIRESTONE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED DID NOT HAVE CRITERIA FOR SOIL MASS TO HELP WITH THE TREE VIBRANCY AND GROWTH LONG TERM.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN NOW ENCOURAGES USE OF THINGS LIKE SILVA CELLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH, SO, UH, ROOT SYSTEM, MASS AVAILABLE BIOMASS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT A HEALTHY TREE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DOING.
NOW YOU MENTIONED IN, AND I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TREES ANYMORE, BUT, OKAY, SO YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK, YOU CAN
UH, MY NEXT QUESTION HAS, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
NOW THE CITY HAS A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PLAN IN AN UPDATE TO THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CODE OR THE, THE TITLE 25 OF LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO IMPLEMENT FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
IS YOUR DEFINITION OF FUNCTIONAL GREEN THE SAME AS THE CITIES
WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE MEAN? AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF A COMBINATION OF THINGS.
I'M GONNA ASK OLIVIA TO EXPLAIN WHAT OUR VERSION OF FUNCTIONAL GREEN MEANS.
OLIVIA PIT PEREZ WITH COLEMAN ASSOCIATES LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE.
UM, SO WE'VE TAKEN THE CURRENT PROPOSED FUNCTIONAL GREEN DOCUMENT AND KIND OF BROKEN
[01:15:01]
THAT UP TO SEE WHAT REQUIREMENTS WE CAN FIT WITHIN OUR SITE, UM, AND MEET THE CURRENTLY PROPOSED MINIMUM POINT REQUIREMENT.UM, WE ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT WITH A SERIES OF THE REQUIRED POINTS.
SO NEWLY PLANTED LARGE TREES, LARGE SHRUBS, MEDIA, OR SMALL SHRUBS GROUND COVER, AN INTENSIVE GROOVE ROOF SYSTEM.
UH, WHAT ELSE DID WE HAVE? THERE'S A COUPLE BONUS ITEMS POSSIBLY.
SO POLLINATOR RESOURCES WAS ONE OF THEM IN A POSSIBILITY OF AN OPEN GREEN SPACE.
SO THOSE TWO I DIDN'T QUITE CALCULATE INTO OUR, INTO THE METRIC SYSTEM CURRENTLY.
UM, JUST AS WE DEVELOP THE PROJECT FURTHER, WE MAY BE ABLE TO STUDY THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL BONUS POINTS TO INCREASE, UM, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT THAT THE CITY KIND OF HAS CURRENTLY LAID OUT FOR FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
SO WE ARE KIND OF FOLLOWING THE STANDARD CRITERIA THAT THEY'VE PUT FORTH CURRENTLY.
WELL, CITY STAFF IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER FUNCTIONAL GREEN AS SOMETHING YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S KIND OF WHY I ASKED EARLIER WHEN YOU'RE GONNA START CONSTRUCTION NOW, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NEW TITLE 25 ELEMENTS ARE GONNA BE VOTED ON AND APPROVED PRIOR TO WHEN YOU GUYS START DIGGING HOLES IN THE GROUND.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS HADN'T BEEN VOTED ON YET.
UH, BUT I'M WOULD BE REALLY KIND OF MORE FAVORABLY INCLINED TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THIS.
SHOULD YOU MEET THE LETTER OF THE LAW METAPHOR? THERE IS, YES.
THERE IS NO GRAND GRANDFATHERING WITH THIS.
SO, UH, IF, LET ME SAY IT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
IF THAT IS CODE, UH, MY STRONG BELIEF IS THAT WE WILL MEET CODE.
COULD WE DO BETTER? WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO BETTER.
WE'LL KNOW THAT WHEN OBVIOUSLY IT PLAYS OUT.
BUT, UM, I DO NOT SEE A SCENARIO WHERE WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR RELIEF FROM A NEW CITY ORDINANCE.
I JUST, THAT, THAT DOESN'T FIT THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU WOULD BE ASKING FOR RELIEF.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COME TO US BEFORE THAT ITEM WINDS UP IN CODE, UNDERSTAND YOU MIGHT BE ASKED TO, HERE'S A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE UNDERSTAND ADDED TO THE POD IN ORDER FOR YOU TO ACHIEVE THAT.
IF THAT'S THE SITUATION, I'M CERTAIN THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO WOULD BE TO DO OUR OWN ANALYSIS ON WHAT WE THINK WE CAN MEET, UH, AND GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT IN OUR PROPOSAL AND THEN WE'LL LISTEN OBVIOUSLY TO THIS GROUP AND OTHERS, UH, ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
I, I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT COMPARISON AND WHERE YOU MEET UP, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
I MEAN, YOU PUT TOGETHER YOUR COMPARISON AND THAT'S GREAT.
AND THEN I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT MIGHT COMPARE WITH THE ANTICIPATED, UH, YOU KNOW, CODE.
ANNE COLEMAN, AGAIN, I WANNA GET OLIVIA'S BACK UP ON THIS AS WRITTEN.
THERE'S 0.3 REQUIRED BEFORE THE BONUS THAT OLIVIA WAS ALLUDING TO THAT WE MAY PURSUE.
SO BEFORE THE BONUS POINTS, WE ARE AT 0.31.
SO WE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN MEET IT AS DRAWN TODAY, BUT THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO BETTER AS IT'S WRITTEN TODAY AS FUNCTIONAL GREEN IS WRITTEN TODAY.
IS THAT CORRECT, OLIVIA? OKAY.
WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE THAT IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICATION YOU MAKE.
SO IN A LOT OF THESE AT A LATER DATE.
SO A LOT OF THESE SITUATIONS, YOU'RE MAYBE TIRED OF HEARING ME WHEN DON'T WE SEE YOU AGAIN, BUT, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE PUT IN HERE, WE INTEND TO HAVE MEASURABLE, UH, GUIDELINES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A CONCEPT, NOT JUST, HEY, WE'RE GONNA USE SOLAR UH, PANELS WHEREVER WE CAN.
IT'LL DEFINE IT, IT'LL DEFINE, UH, THE, THE DEGREE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT.
NO, AND I APPRECIATE THE DETAIL THAT YOU'RE GOING INTO IN YOUR CANDOR AND COMING TO US BEFOREHAND SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR CONCERNS ARE AND GET A BETTER FEELING FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT, MIGHT, YOU KNOW, ASK YOU OTHER QUESTIONS LATER ON.
I THINK THAT'S A TERRIFIC APPROACH.
SERVICE IS EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL.
AND, UH, IT'S NEW IDEAS, UH, AND IT'S ALSO,
[01:20:02]
UH, EMPHASIS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DEFINE THOSE MEASURABLE STANDARDS SO THAT YOU AND OTHERS THAT LOOK AT OUR PROJECT CAN, CAN GRADE US ON, UH, SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST AN INTENT.HOW FAR ARE YOU OUT OF THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLANE? JONATHAN, I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET ALL YOUR PEOPLE UP HERE.
I DON'T WANT 'EM MAKE 'EM THINK THAT THEY CAME FOR NOTHING.
JONATHAN MCKEE WITH GARZA EMC ON THE CIVIL ENGINEER ON THE PROJECT.
UH, SO THE NEAREST FLOOD PLAINS, UH, ARE, YOU KNOW, NEAR THE SHORE OF LADY BIRD LAKE TO THE NORTH.
UM, AND THEN, UH, YOU'VE GOT, UH, BOLTON TO THE SOUTH, JUST SOUTH OF RIVERSIDE.
SO DISTANCE WISE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IN THAT 500 TO 750 FEET.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE FAIRLY A GOOD DISTANCE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN, AND THANK VERY MUCH THANK YOU
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I COMPARING THIS TO OTHER, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
I REALLY LIKE IT WHEN I'M SEEING MORE OF A CADILLAC VERSION OF SOMETHING VERSUS THE PINTO VERSION.
AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU YOUNG ONES MAY NOT KNOW WHAT A PINTO IS, BUT I CERTAINLY DO.
SO I, I'M REALLY LIKING THIS, LOOKING MORE TOWARDS A CADILLAC VERSION OF WHAT A PUT SHOULD BE AND WHAT IT MEETS THE DEFINITION AND THE INTENT.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION, UM, AND NOTING THE DIFFERENCES IN THE AMOUNTS REGARDING PARKLAND DEDICATION FEE MM-HMM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT DISCREPANCY OR MAYBE IT'S MAYBE THE WRONG NUMBERS OR SOMETHING.
UM, WE, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T HAD THEIR CHANCE AT THE MIC, SO I WANNA
UH, MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WERE IN THE STAFF REPORT ASSUMED THAT THE COUNCIL WAS GOING TO ADOPT THE FULL CHANGE TO PARK LANE DEDICATION, WHICH WAS GONNA DOUBLE THAT NUMBER.
UM, THE NUMBERS THAT WE INCLUDED ARE THE ACTUAL ADOPTED, UH, 2023 NUMBERS THAT COUNSEL APPROVED TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, I FIRST OFF IN, IN READING THROUGH THIS AND, AND, UM, AND, AND SEEING YOUR DEDICATION TO, UH, CREATING A REALLY QUALITY HUMAN HABITAT, UM, DOWN THERE.
UM, AND I LOVE THE, I LOVE THE CADILLAC, UH, UH, VERSION, UH, AS WELL.
UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
WELL, FIRST OFF, JUST A, A COMMENT IN HERE THAT AS I WAS READING THROUGH HERE, I SEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA PROVIDE SHOWER STATIONS FOR, UM, FOR TENANTS THAT ARE IN YOUR, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RETAIL SPACES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I LOVE THAT THAT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE REALLY SMALL ELEMENTS THAT, THAT HELPS PEOPLE BE ABLE TO RIDE THEIR BIKES TO WORK OR WALK TO WORK, UM, AND, UH, AND, AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING THERE, NOT A SWEATY MESS.
SO I, I REALLY LOVE THAT AND I COMMEND YOU, UM, FOR THAT.
UM, THE, THE B UM, THING, I, THAT'S VERY EXCITING.
THAT'S, I I LOVE IT THAT YOU'RE DEDICATED TO THAT AND, UM, I THINK THIS WHOLE PROJECT CAN, UM, REALLY SET THE TONE FOR THIS WHOLE SPACE, UM, UH, AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL SHORE WATERFRONT.
UM, YEAH, I JUST, UH, I'M, I'M IMPRESSED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HEARING MORE ABOUT IT AS Y'ALL MOVE FORWARD.
UH, TO KIND OF, UH, FOLLOW THAT TONE.
YOU STILL, YOU STILL ALL MY COMMENTS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I WROTE 'EM DOWN HERE, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, YES, THANK YOU FOR THE TEAM.
UH, IT IS, UH, I DO SEE THIS AS KIND OF A PILOT FOR, UH, FOR MAYBE WHERE WE'RE GONNA HOLD PROJECTS THAT COME BEFORE US, UH, TO, TO A LEVEL, UM, A COUPLE COMMENTS OR IDEAS TO, TO DIG INTO.
UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PODS COME BEFORE US AND WE'VE ASKED ABOUT RECYCLING OF THE ONSITE MATERIAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FEASIBLE IN THIS CASE, BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE INTERESTED TO MAYBE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT, UM, AMAN, COMMISSIONER
[01:25:01]
THOMPSON ABOUT, UM, BAT COLLISIONS.I, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT BEING AN ISSUE, BUT, BUT IF YOU GUYS COULD DO THE HOMEWORK FOR US, UM, AND MAYBE LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT ON HOW, UM, THAT'S ADDRESSED WITH STRUCTURES OF THIS HEIGHT IN THIS AREA, BECAUSE IT WILL BE A QUESTION THAT WE'LL KEEP ASKING OTHERS, I SUSPECT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU TONIGHT, BUT I WILL.
THAT'S, YEAH, THOSE WERE THE, THAT, AND THEN, UH, I MAY HAVE ONE MORE.
OH, UH, DID YOU, I, I SAW SEVERAL LEAD ELEMENTS HERE, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT LEAD LEVEL THE STRUCTURE MIGHT BE OR WHAT YOU MIGHT BE SHOOTING AT AND, UH, LEAD CERTIFICATION LEVEL? THAT IS CONNOR, WE GOT CONNOR, I WAS HOPING CONNOR WAS GONNA COME UP CAUSE I, YEAH.
SO, UH, THIS IS CONNOR C**N WITH TISHMAN.
HOWEVER, EVERYONE COMB WITH TIS INSPIRE.
UM, WE'RE TARGETING LEAD GOLD AT A MINIMUM.
AND I MEAN, WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE STILL IN THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN.
ONE OF THE, UH, LEARNING EXERCISES WHEN YOU DO WHAT, WHAT I DO AND WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM DO, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, UH, IT'S INTERESTING TO, I THINK WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
AND SO SOME OF THESE THINGS, UH, THAT I THOUGHT WERE MAYBE OFF THE TABLE TOO AGGRESSIVE SO FORTH, WE'RE FINDING OUT MAYBE NOT.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT'S VERY EXCITING.
I I THINK A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS, UM, THAT YOU'VE WALKED THROUGH ARE, ARE THINGS THAT THIS COMMISSION WOULD BE EXCITED TO IMPLEMENT IN SOME STORIED, UH, TALK TOWERS DOWNTOWN.
UH, WHAT'S THAT? I THINK THIS IS IT.
DO YOU HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION OR COMMENT? YEAH, PLEASE.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON, UM, THE LAST POINT ABOUT THE, THE, UH, RECYCLING AND, UH, OF THE DEMOLITION MM-HMM.
UH, WHEN A, A BUILDING MADE OUT OF PORTLAND CEMENT IS CONSTRUCTED, IT CREATES, UH, CARBON DIOXIDE GAS.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A TREMENDOUS CONCERN ABOUT, UH, REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS.
SO, UM, IN, SO AT LEAST 5% OF THE, UH, MATERIAL THAT GOES INTO THE NEW, UH, CEMENT CAN BE THE RECYCLED CEMENT.
UH, I, I'M HOPING THAT STAFF CAN FIND SOMEBODY WHO CAN LET US KNOW WHETHER SOMEBODY IN THE AREA IS, UM, UH, ACTUALLY PROVIDING THAT, THAT KIND OF SERVICE, BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY MAKES IT A LOT MORE DOABLE THAN IF YOU HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY, UH, IN, UH, LOUISIANA OR SOMETHING TO, TO HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT KIND OF, THAT KIND OF GOAL.
AND, UM, UH,
DOES THAT INCLUDE, UH, CARBON NEUTRAL IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING? IF IT'S, IF THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BUILDING THAT'S MADE OUT OF CONCRETE, MAYBE NOT.
UM, THE, YOUR, YOU'RE PERCEPTIVE IN TERMS OF, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO OPERATIONALLY VERSUS CONSTRUCTION WE'RE WORKING ON.
WHAT CAN WE TELL YOU ABOUT FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT? UH, PART OF THAT'S COVERED IN SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS, BUT SOME OF IT'S NOT.
UH, BUT WHAT WE KNEW WE COULD COMMIT TO WAS OPERATIONALLY THAT WE WOULD MEET THAT STANDARD.
AND I DO KNOW THAT, UM, UM, LAVA, THERE ARE LAVA CREED PRODUCTS, UH, THAT ARE, UM, IN WIDESPREAD USE, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN LARGE BUILDINGS AS, AS JUST HUGE PANELS THAT ARE STRUCTURALLY STRONGER, LIGHTER WEIGHT, AND, UM, DO NOT PRODUCE THE CARBON DIOXIDE.
[01:30:01]
THINGS THAT CAN BE, UH, LOOKED AT.AND, AND KIND OF ALSO ALONG THAT SAME LINE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR RESTRICTIONS FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER, WE'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF, UH, A PRODUCT THAT I DON'T YET UNDERSTAND CALLED PERVIOUS COVER, WHERE IT'S MAYBE KIND OF SPITEY LIKE WHERE SOME, IT'S NOT COMPLETELY IMPERVIOUS, AND THAT MIGHT BE MORE AMENABLE TO, UM, THE GROWTH OF, UH, UH, LANDSCAPING, UH, WHETHER IT'S TREES, SHRUBS, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE LOOKED INTO.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE JUST SOME OTHER, SOME COMMENTS KIND OF BOUNCING OFF OF, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER BERG, UH, BERG'S, UM, RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE SUGGESTIONS AND, UH, AND WE'LL TAKE 'EM, UH, TO HEART AND, UH, BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO YOU.
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS WAS, UH, REALLY VALUABLE AND HELPFUL TO US, AND, UH, APPRECIATE IT, UH, EVERYBODY'S, UH, DEGREE OF, UH, SERIOUSNESS AND LOOKING AT IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AT AN EARLY STAGE AND IT'S, IT'S JUST TREMENDOUSLY VALUABLE TO US.
UH, WE'RE NOT GOING BACKWARDS, I PROMISE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO AGENDA ITEM
[2. Briefing on the Palm District Plan. Briefing and Possible Action. Housing and Planning Staff, Stevie Greathouse]
TWO, UH, WHICH IS A BRIEFING OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN.UM, I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA GET A BRIEFING FROM STAFF.
AND THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND.
GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER STEVIE GREATHOUSE WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION COMING UP AND I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK, BUT THOROUGH.
WE, WE REALLY DON'T TRY TO BE QUICK
I WILL TRY TO GIVE YOU THE SPACE TO DISCUSS BY BEING RELATIVELY NO WORRIES.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLANNING INITIATIVE.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, PRESENTED KIND OF THE KICKOFF OF THIS EFFORT BACK IN 2019, I BELIEVE WAS THE LAST TIME WE WERE BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, AND THEN COVID HAPPENED AND WE ENDED UP NOT ACTUALLY PUBLICLY KICKING OFF THE PLANNING INITIATIVE REALLY UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF 2021.
WE'VE RECENTLY RELEASED THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT OF THE PLAN, WHICH IS UP AVAILABLE, UM, BOTH IN YOUR BACKUP AND IN THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN, UM, PAGE FOR THE PLANNING INITIATIVE.
DURING THE PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING PROCESS, SHARE WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY DURING THE VISIONING PHASE OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN PRESENT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, UM, OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
AND NEXT, THE GOAL OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLANNING INITIATIVE IS TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PUBLIC TO DEVELOP A SHARED DIVISION IS EVOLVING QUICKLY.
THE STUDY AREA FOR THIS PLANNING PROCESS EXTENDS ROUGHLY FROM 15TH STREET TO THE NORTH TO LADY BIRD LAKE TO THE SOUTH TRINITY STREET ON THE WEST IH 35 ON THE EAST.
THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN IS GROUND ZERO FOR A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INVESTMENTS ANTICIPATED OVER THE YEARS AHEAD, INCLUDING RECONSTRUCTION OF IH 35, EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT AND THEN OF KIND OF IMPORTANCE TO THIS BODY IS OBVIOUSLY CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WALL CREEK, UM, TO CREATE THE WATERLOO GREENWAY.
IN ADDITION TO INITIATING A PLANNING PROCESS, THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL BACK IN 2019 PROVIDED DIRECTION ON SEVERAL ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY THAT IMPACT THIS PORTION OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
THE PLANNING PROCESS HAS BEEN INFORMED BY THE WORK ON THESE INDIVIDUAL, UM, INITIATIVES AND WILL INFORM ONGOING WORK ON EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVES.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2021, UM, WE HAVE WORKED TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS, UNDERSTAND EXISTING CONDITIONS, SUPPORT COORDINATION OF RELATED INITIATIVES IN THIS PORTION OF DOWNTOWN, AND TO DEVELOP A SHARED VISION FOR THE DISTRICT THAT BUILDS ON THE WORK ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE, UH, WE'VE RELEASED THE, THE DRAFT PUBLIC OR THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT OF THE PLAN ON OCTOBER 13TH, UM, CURRENTLY SEEKING FEEDBACK FOR THAT DRAFT.
WE ANTICIPATE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION WITH AN UPDATED PLAN, UM, FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND RECOMMENDATION ON NOVEMBER 8TH AND CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 1ST.
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WE'VE APPROACHED THIS WORK THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE GUIDED BY KEY EQUITY GOALS AS WE
[01:35:01]
MOVE TOWARDS AND THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION.THROUGHOUT 2021 AND 2022, WE CONDUCTED A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS TO CONDUCT A VIRTUAL DESIGN WORKSHOP IN JULY OF 2021, WE HIRED, UM, LOCAL CONSULTANT MARTHA KO, WHO CONDUCTED TARGETED OUTREACH TO EAST AUSTIN THOUGHT LEADERS, UM, IN LATE 2021 AND EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WHO HIRED S SEORA ROBINSON, UM, TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF SCENARIO PLANNING WORKSHOPS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO THAT IS PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT PLAN.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THESE ACTIVITIES, WE HAVE RECEIVED RICH INPUT FROM A WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE DONE BOARD AND COMMISSION BRIEFINGS AT SEVERAL STAGES THROUGHOUT, INCLUDING, UM, HAVING A RICH CONVERSATION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AT THE END OF 2019.
IN LARGE PART TO THE TARGETED OUTREACH SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR CONSULTANT PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEYS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN FAIRLY DIVERSE, UM, WITH ABOUT 55% OF THE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN THE VISIONING SURVEY, IDENTIFYING AS EITHER HISPANIC OR LATINX, UM, WHICH WAS A KEY KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC OF INTEREST FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE RESULTS OF THAT TARGETED OUTREACH.
IN JUNE OF 2021, WE HOSTED WELL ATTENDED VISIONING FORUMS THAT HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED FOLKS ATTEND THEM.
UM, RECEIVED O JUST UNDER 400 COMMENTS ABOUT HOW FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PALM DISTRICT OF ALL OVER TIME, UM, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE HISTORY, UM, COMMUNITY OPEN SPACES.
THERE'S PROBABLY ENVIRONMENT SOMEWHERE ON THAT WORD CLOUD IF YOU LOOK BUT
THROUGH INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS OR CONSULTANT, MARTHA KO AND HER TEAM REACHED OUT TO A VARIETY OF KEY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING EAST AUSTIN, UM, AND THOSE WITH CULTURAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT.
AND THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE LISTENING REPORT FOR THE PROJECT.
BASED ON THEIR TARGETED WORK, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS ALSO PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE SUMMARIZED IN A DETAILED REPORT ON THE SPEAK UP PAGE, AS WELL AS IN THE LISTENING REPORT.
UM, KEY IDEAS FROM THE AIA REALLY INCLUDED BEING SUPER INTENTIONAL WITH CULTURE AND PLACEMAKING, UM, THROUGH PUBLIC ART, LEVERAGING PUBLICLY CONTROLLED SITES TO ACHIEVE THE VISION AND ACTING WITH URGENCY.
THE PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN INCLUDES A VISION AND DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR THE DISTRICT, IDENTIFY AS A PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIONS, UH, TO THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO MOVE TOWARDS THE VISION AND PREFERRED SCENARIO.
THE OVERARCHING VI VISION FOR THE DISTRICT IS THAT IT BECOME A VIBRANT, HISTORIC HUB OF DOWNTOWN WHERE THE PAST IS HONORED, CULTURE IS CELEBRATED, AND THE FUTURE IS SHAPED.
AND THE VISION REALLY RELIES ON BALANCING INHERENT CONFLICTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE TENSION TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING DYNAMISM OF THE PLACE DENSE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, BALANCED WITH THE HISTORY AND WITH NATURAL SPACES, A DYNAMIC PLACE THAT GROWS AND EVOLVES WHILE ACTIVELY SERVING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HISTORICALLY CALLED THE PLACE HOME AND CULTIVATING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.
THE FIRST ELEMENT THAT THE VISION LOOKS AT IS ENSURING THAT GROWTH IN THE DISTRICT WILL PROVIDE FOR A PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR A LONG TIME AND RECENT RESIDENCES, RESIDENTS, AND ESTABLISHED IN NEW BUSINESSES.
THE SECOND ELEMENT OF THE VISION REALLY INCLUDES ENSURING THAT THE DISTRICT BECOMES A CULTURAL DESTINATION THAT CELEBRATES ITS MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE.
THE THIRD ELEMENT OF THE VISION CALLS FOR STRENGTHENING THE PHYSICAL, CULTURAL, AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS WITHIN DOWNTOWN AND BETWEEN EAST AUSTIN AND DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN THE FINAL, UM, ELEMENT, PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT FOR THIS BODY IS CALLS FOR PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BY RESTORING EXISTING NATURAL AND OPEN SPACES AND PURSUING HIGH STANDARDS OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT WITH THE FOCUS OF ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
EACH OF THESE, UM, KIND OF FOUR THEMATIC ELEMENTS OF THE DRAFT VISION OR OF THE VISION FRAMEWORK, UM, INCLUDES A SERIES OF KEY OUTCOMES.
UM, AND THIS SLIDE REALLY JUST KIND OF PROVIDES A SAMPLING OF THOSE OUTCOME, BUT I DO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DRAFT PLAN TO REVIEW THE DESIRED OUT DRAFT DESIRED OUTCOMES IN MORE DETAIL.
EARLIER THIS SUMMER, WE PARTNERED WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WHO RETAINED US AURA ROBINSON TO SUPPORT A SCENARIO PLANNING ACTIVITY THAT LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THREE WHAT IFS SCENARIOS FOR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT.
[01:40:01]
DURING THE SIX WORKSHOPS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN AUGUST, THE TEAM WORKED TO IDENTIFY FEASIBLE WAYS THAT THE DISTRICT COULD DEVELOP OVER TIME TO MOVE TOWARDS THE ASPIRATIONS EXPRESSED IN THE VISION FRAMEWORK.AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WORKSHOPS, THE TEAM DEVELOPED THREE USER EXPERIENCED FOCUSED THEMATIC SCENARIOS AROUND THE CONCEPTS OF LIVE, WORK AND PLAY THAT REALLY SORT OF INTEGRATED, UM, POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CHANGES IN THE DISTRICT THAT WOULD ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES UNDER EACH OF THOSE FOUR, UM, THEMES THAT I PRESENTED.
THE PREFERRED SCENARIO THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT OR THE DRAFT PER PREFERRED SCENARIO THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT PLAN BUILDS ON THE LIVE WORK INPLACE SCENARIOS AND IS GUIDED BY THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY WHERE RESPONDENTS WERE ACT ASKED TO RANK SCENARIOS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
MOST RESPONDENTS, UM, REALLY GRAVITATED TOWARDS AND FAVORED THE, THE LIVE SCENARIO AND EMPHASIZED THE DESIRE FOR MORE HOUSING IN THE FUTURE GROWTH OF THE PALM DISTRICT, UM, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING ENHANCED CULTURAL USES, UM, AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND RECREATIONAL USES IN THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
THE PREFERRED SCENARIO THAT'S PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT PLAN.
UM, DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, ENVISIONS THE PALM DISTRICT AS A THRIVING 24 HOUR A DAY COMMUNITY PRIORITIZES STRATEGIC PLACEMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES, PRIORITIZES MIXED USE BUILDINGS WITH GROUNDS, FLOOR SPACES FOR RETAIL, ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
UM, CREATES NEW WORK AND PRACTICE SPACES FOR THE PALM DISTRICT'S CREATIVE AND INNOVATION IN UM, INDUSTRIES, AND THEN ALSO SUPPORTS NEW TOURISTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, UM, INVESTMENTS AND B BOLSTERS LIVE MUSIC AND CULTURAL SPACES.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT IT DOES IS DEFINITELY ASSUMES FULL BUILD OUT, UM, OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY WITH ADDITIONAL ENHANCED CONNECTIONS, UM, TO THE GREENWAY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
SO THE IMPLEMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION SECTION OF THE PLAN PRESENTS SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO MOVE TOWARDS THE PREFERRED SCENARIO AND THE VISION AND DESIRED OUTCOMES OF THE PLAN.
UM, THE SLIDE REALLY JUST PROVIDES THE STRUCTURE OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION SECTION.
UM, DEFINITELY, UM, ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TAKE A LOOK.
UM, YOU CAN LOOK FOR, I BELIEVE WE GREEN COLOR CODED ALL OVER THE NATURE OUTCOME, UM, BASED RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PLAN, AND EACH OF THEM REALLY HAS SORT OF A SPONSOR IDENTIFIED THAT IN MOST CASES WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH, AND THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD, UM, TOWARDS THAT IMPLEMENT TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND THE IMPLEMENTATION SECTION ALSO TEES UP A CONVERSATION ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION GOVERNANCE, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY KEY TO ALL OF THE PLANS THAT WE DO ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AT THE MOST BASIC TIER, KIND OF THE DEPARTMENT AUTHOR OF THE PLAN WILL MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION AND SEE HOW IT'S GOING, WHICH WE DEFINITELY DO WITHIN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, BEYOND THAT, WE WILL WORK WITH THE EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE CALLED OUT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS LIST AND FIND ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPONSOR OR MIGHT BE ABLE TO COORDINATE, UM, PACKAGES OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT THEN TIER THREE THAT WE HEARD A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IS THAT THERE MIGHT BE THE NEED TO IDENTIFY A NEW ORGANIZATION OR REPURPOSE AN EXISTING ORGANIZATION WORKING IN THE DISTRICT, UM, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GOVERNANCE AND COORDINATION, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE KIND OF PARTS OF THE WHOLE, UM, FIT TOGETHER.
AND THERE'S, THIS HAS TO WORK WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MULTIPLE GOVERNANCE PARTNERS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, ONE THAT PROBABLY THIS BODY IS VERY WELL AWARE OF IS THE WALLER CREEK LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND WATERLOO, UM, GREENWAY THAT FOCUSES ON DEVELOPMENT AND WATERLOO GREENWAY ISSUES WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS AS WELL.
AND IT WILL BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KIND OF FIT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THAT EXISTING GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND NOT MAKE THINGS MORE COMPLICATED.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, UM, THIS EVENING.
THE COMMENTS ARE GONNA BE, UH, SORT OF DUE ON OCTOBER 28TH.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO PUBLISH A RECOMMENDED DRAFT OF THE PLAN ON AROUND NOVEMBER 1ST.
THAT WOULD MOVE THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, ON NOVEMBER 8TH, AND THEN HOPEFULLY ON TO CITY COUNCIL HEARING AND CONVERSA CONSIDERATION ON THE 1ST OF DECEMBER, UM, WITH ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES, UM, MOVING FORWARD IN 2023, INCLUDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, REALLY TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT WITH THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN.
UM, AND THEN AN, A POTENTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, THAT WOULD TAKE SOME OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE WALL CREEK DESIGN GUIDELINES AND BRING THEM INTO THE CODE.
THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE PROCESS THAT WE KNOW CAME TO A
[01:45:01]
PAUSEAND I THINK WE'RE REALLY TO THE END NEXT SLIDE.
SO ALL OF THE PALM DISTRICT MATERIALS, UM, INCLUDING THE, THE DRAFT OF THE PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN YOUR BACKUP IS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.SPEAKUPAUSTIN.ORG/PALM DISTRICT.
UM, INVITE THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW IT AT YOUR LEISURE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, AND FEEL FREE TO EMAIL COMMENTS, UM, DIRECTLY TO ME.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION PER YEAH, THE NEXT SLIDE'S GOT THE CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, REMOTE COMMISSIONERS, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE PLAN? YEAH, KHI, PLEASE.
YEAH, FIRST ONE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU ALL STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THE PALM DISTRICT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THIS CITY, RIGHT? UM, YOU THINK ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, RIGHT? HAVING, UH, THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT BEING, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ELEVATED IS I THINK SOMETHING THAT, UH, A LOT OF THE LOCALS THINK FROM A, A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE SHOULD HAPPEN.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK ENVIRONMENTALLY, UM, HAVING SOME KIND OF PATH, I THINK RIGHT NOW THERE'S LIKE A TRAIL FROM RAINY STREET, BUT IT ONLY GOES UP TO LIKE FOURTH STREET.
SO HAVING, UH, SOME KIND OF, OF TRAIL THAT COULD GO ALL THE WAY UP TO, UH, WATERLOO PARK AND, YOU KNOW, THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER AND STUFF LIKE THAT, UH, WOULD BE A REALLY COOL WAY TO, TO ACTIVATE THE SPACE IN A WAY THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY SUPER, UM, CONCRETE FEELING, FOR LACK OF A BETTER ADJECTIVE.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BRUSH PARK OR BR, UH, WHAT IS IT, UH, PALM PARK I THINK, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT COULD DEFINITELY USE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK, RIGHT? UM, WHAT'S THE WORD, TLC, RIGHT? UM, I THINK IS PROBABLY A POLITE WAY TO PUT IT.
UM, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I HAD SORT OF ONE QUESTION OR COMMENT I SAW IN SORT OF LIKE THE OUTREACH STATISTICS THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, BLACK PEOPLE OR ASIAN PEOPLE WERE REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, 2% OF, UH, 2% EACH RESPECTIVELY OF, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, RESPONSE RATE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK SORT OF WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE PALM DISTRICT IS, AS FAR AS LIKE, YOU KNOW, BEING ON I 35 AND SORT OF, OR, YOU KNOW, REACHING TO I 35 AND SORT OF STRADDLING THAT DIVISION BETWEEN QUOTE UNQUOTE WEST SIDE AND THE EAST SIDE, RIGHT? I THINK OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HAVING A HIGH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF, UH, ENGAGEMENT RATE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, THE HISPANIC LATIN COMMUNITY, UH, GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE OF THIS SITE, UH, OR DISTRICT RATHER, IS, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT YOU KNOW, TO USE THE PHRASE THAT, UH, PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION LIKE TO USE, RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN BE LIKE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, RIGHT? UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO, YOU KNOW, I SAW THAT THE GREATER AUSTIN HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, WAS LISTED AS LIKE A, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE THAT WAS COMMUNICATING WITH WHY NOT THE BLACK CHAMBER, RIGHT? JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, I THINK, UM, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, WHAT IS IT, THE RESOURCE COMMISSION, I FORGET EXACTLY THE NAME OF COMMISSION, BUT THERE THAT WOULD ALSO BE, UH, SORT OF AN EASY PARTNER TO, UH, TO TEAM UP WITH, TRY TO GET SOME MORE OUTREACH AND SOME MORE COMMENTS FROM THAT SECTION OF COMMUNITY.
UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, TO, YOU KNOW, HARPER HESS AND, YOU KNOW, SHADOW DISTRICT ONE.
UH, AND YEAH, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN GENERAL AS FAR AS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE THE AREA OF TOWN, SORT OF LIKE NORTH OF SEVENTH STREET, RIGHT FROM SEVENTH STREET TO 15TH STREET.
I THINK A LOT OF LOCALS SORT OF JOKE THAT THAT'S LIKE THE DEAD AREA OF DOWNTOWN WHERE LIKE NOBODY ACTUALLY KNOWS, BUT SOMEHOW IT'S ALL LIKE OLD SHOTTY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, I THINK REVITALIZING THAT PART OF TOWN, UH, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH, YOU KNOW, REIMAGINING THE A P D H Q IN THE FUTURE FOR WHAT POSSIBLE USES WE COULD USE FOR THAT BUILDING, UH, OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE INNOVATION DISTRICT, I WAS LIKE, WHAT DOES INNOVATION DISTRICT EVEN MEAN, RIGHT? LIKE, RAINY STREET'S AN INNOVATION DISTRICT, BUT IT'S AN INNOVATION DISTRICT FOR HOW TO GET PEOPLE DRUNK IN GIANT TOWERS, RIGHT? SO I THINK HAVING LIKE A PLAN AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER, UH, ESTABLISH, YOU KNOW, THIS PART OF TOWN AS A DESTINATION, WHICH I MEAN IT ALREADY IS, RIGHT? BUT SORT OF HAVING IT REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL, UH, I THINK IS GOING TO TAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING WITH A LOT OF
[01:50:01]
DIFFERENT PEOPLE AROUND TOWN AND GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK AND UH, WITH THAT AMOUNT.AND I WILL SAY ON THAT, I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS, WITH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER IF THAT'S JUST THE, THE KIND OF NAME OF THE GAME.
UM, WE HAVE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO ALL THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS AT AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.
SO WE'VE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
AND WE'LL BE LOOPING BACK, I THINK WE'VE GOT, WE'RE GONNA BE ACTUALLY AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, UM, NEXT WEEK PRESENTING AND DISCUSSING THE PLAN, UM, ON THE, THE SORT OF DESIRE FOR KIND OF TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS, DESIRE FOR PALM PARK REHAB.
ALL OF THAT WORK WILL BE MOVING FORWARD AS PART OF THE WATERLOO UM, GREENWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
I KNOW KRISTEN PIPKIN, UM, WHO KIND OF STAFFS THAT EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY WITHIN WATERSHED PROTECTION WAS ON THE LINE EARLIER.
UM, BUT THAT ACTUALLY IS MOVING FORWARD NEAR TERM, LIKE THAT'S, THAT THE DESIGN WORK, UM, FOR THE PORTION OF THE TRAIL, UM, SOUTH TO THE CONFLUENCE IS ALMOST READY.
UM, I THINK THEY'LL BE GOING OUT TO BID FOR CONSTRUCTION AND THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
AND THEN MOVING THE DES THE GOAL IS TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO THE DESIGN WORK THAT WOULD BE SORT OF FOR THE MIDDLE PORTION, INCLUDING PALM PARK.
SO THE HOPE IS THAT THIS PLAN WILL BE ABLE TO REALLY, UM, HELP KIND OF SET THE DISTRICT FRAMEWORK FOR THE MORE SPECIFIC AND FOCUSED DESIGN PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING AROUND PALM PARK, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY.
I FEEL LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, RIGHT, WITH, CUZ YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS DOWN FIRST OUT BY, AND IT'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, A CRAP SHOW TO PLAY POLITELY, RIGHT? UM, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, I FORGET WHAT'S THE PARK THAT'S ON LIKE NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER? UH, I THINK BRUSH SQUARES BRUSH SQUARE WHERE THE FIRE STATION IS THAT YEAH, EXACTLY RIGHT.
SO YOU ALWAYS SEE A BUNCH OF ACTIVATIONS THERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE BRITISH HOUSE OR WHATEVER, AUSTRALIA, WHATEVER FOREIGN COUNTRIES RENTING AT THAT OUT, YOU EXORBITANT FEE, YOU KNOW? UM, I THINK IF WE DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, WITH UH, BRUSH OR WITH PALM PARK RATHER, RIGHT? AND SORT OF HAVING HAVE MORE OF THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE CULTURAL ACTIVATIONS OR WHATEVER, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SAFETY CONCERN CAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT UP ON THE FREEWAY THERE.
UH, SO YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH DRUNK PEOPLE WANDERING ON THE FREEWAY AS IT IS IN AUSTIN.
SO PERHAPS INCREASING THAT AMOUNT ISN'T NECESSARILY THE MOST INTELLIGENT IDEA.
BUT I THINK FIGURING OUT WAYS TO ACTIVATE THE SPACE AND GET, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS REALLY INVOLVED.
UH, AND NOT JUST DURING SOUTH BY BUT YOU KNOW, YEAR ROUND, UH, CAUSE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT'S LIKE EXTREMELY VALUABLE LAND, RIGHT? THAT IS BEING UNDERUTILIZED.
SO I THINK FIGURING OUT A BETTER USE OF THE SPACE OR JUST FRANKLY A USE OF THE SPACE AT ALL, UH, COULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT.
YEAH, THAT'S DEFINITELY A GOAL.
AND I THINK STAY TUNED FOR THE DESIGN PROCESS THAT'S GONNA MOVE FORWARD LATER THIS YEAR INTO NEXT YEAR ON THAT SPACE.
WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
UM, I'M REALLY HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL STICK TO IT.
MY QUESTION WAS, I KNOW WATERLOO CONNECTS DOWN TO PALM PARK, BUT THE ADJACENT AREA AROUND THE SCHOOL, THE GREEN SPACE THERE, THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESERVED.
I KNOW THAT WAS SOME FIREWORKS EARLY ON, SO THERE'S STILL A CONVERSATION.
UM, TRAVIS COUNTY OWNS THE PALM SCHOOL SITE, AS YOU KNOW, WHICH INCLUDES BOTH THE HISTORIC SCHOOL, THE RENOVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE HISTORIC SCHOOL AND THEN THE KIND OF PARKING LOT GREEN SPACE JUST TO THE SOUTH OF, UM, PALM PARK ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL.
TRAVIS COUNTY IS, UM, ANTICIPATING MOVING INTO A PROCESS, UM, TO CONTINUE TO SORT OF DISCUSS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH THAT SITE AT THIS POINT.
ALL OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICES HAVE MOVED OUT OF THAT SITE, UM, TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY CAMPUS ON AIRPORT.
UM, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO NOW, DID ADOPT RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT WOULD PRESERVE THE HISTORIC SCHOOL BUILDING, WHICH IS ALSO PRESERVED AS A LANDMARK AS WELL.
SO THAT'S PRESERVED NO MATTER WHAT.
UM, BUT THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS ALSO PUT IN PLACE, UM, RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF WHICH PORTIONS OF THE SITE MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADDED TO IT AND CREATED A REQUIREMENT FOR A VISUAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PARK AND THE SCHOOL.
UM, BUT SO THAT AT A MINIMUM WILL BE HAPPENING ON THAT SITE, THAT ACTION HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, THE CONVERSATION TO BE HAD AT TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THAT'S REALLY SORT OF THE, WHERE THIS GOES NEXT.
WE, WE WOULD PROVIDE THIS PLAN TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY AND SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS, UM, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH THE SITE.
SO THAT'S TO TO BE DETERMINED, UM, IN A PROCESS THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING SOON AS WELL.
AND HOPEFULLY IN CON THE GOAL OF THE PLAN WOULD BE TO HAVE THAT PROCESS AND CONVERSATION HAPPEN IN CONCERT WITH THE DESIGN WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AT PALM PARK.
AND THE OTHER QUESTION WAS THAT WHERE PALM PARK CONNECTS DOWN TO THE RIVER, UM,
[01:55:01]
COULD YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ART INSTALLATIONS I BELIEVE THERE AND THE HIKING BIKE TRAIL HAS BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THAT LITTLE BIT.SO, UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? KRISTEN'S NOT ON THE LINE SOMEPLACE.
SHE, THIS MAY BE A GREAT QUESTION FOR KRISTEN IF SHE CAN HANDLE IT.
YEAH, THAT'S MY HOPE WAS YOU COULD JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT FOR THE PHASES OF DESIGN FOR WATERLOO GREENWAY AND THE TRAIL CONNECTING PALM PARK TO THE RIVER AND WHEN PEOPLE CAN EXPECT DESIGN AND, AND SURE.
AND, AND, AND THE PROJECT YOU'RE SPEAKING IS SPECIFICALLY AS SPECIFICALLY INFLUENCE PROJECT, WHICH IS THE CREEK AND TRAIL WORK THAT WILL BE CONNECTING LATE FOR LAKE FOURTH.
KRISTEN, APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING.
WOULD YOU MIND TURNING ON YOUR CAMERA PLEASE? OH, SURE.
SORRY, MY SONS IN THE BACKGROUND, JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS PRESENTER.
I'M MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF MY TEAM THAT'S HERE TONIGHT,
APPRECIATE KRISTEN FOR BEING HERE ON OR NOT.
IT'S KIND OF, CAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE IMAGE SIDE, UM, BUT, BUT YES, I THINK THE, THE THAT YOU'RE IS THE CONFLUENCE PROJECT WITH IN AN EXCITING PHASE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE ARE IN BID AND WE ARE EXPECTING TO GO IN EARLY YEAR.
SO THAT WILL COMPLETE THE, THE REAL WORK FROM FOURTH STREET DOWN TO LAKE BUR LAKE.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? YEAH.
SO IT'S IN, IT'S OUT TO BID AND WE'LL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION EARLY NEXT YEAR IS THE ANSWER CORRECT.
SO, UM, THEN THE OTHER PART WAS THE WATER, THE WATER LOOP PART.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, SO YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE, UH, MUCH SAY SO OVER THAT, BUT THAT PART IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION TOO.
SO ALL OF THIS IS SORT OF A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT IT'S GONNA BE LOOKING GOOD AT THE END, RIGHT? YES.
AND WATERLOO PARK IS ACTUALLY COMPLETE.
I MEAN, FOLKS ARE SEEING CONCERTS OUT THERE.
UM, IT'S THE, THE CONFLUENCE WILL BE WHAT COMES NEXT.
AND THEN, UM, KRISTEN AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AT PART AND WATERLOO GREENWAY WILL BE WORKING ON THE DESIGN FOR THE PALM PARK PIECE AND SORT OF THE, THE CENTER CONNECTING WATERLOO DOWN TO PALM PARK IN THE CONFLUENCE.
WELL JUST ONE, JUST ONE OTHER THING THAT I'VE, UH, NOTICED.
UM, WHEN WE WENT THERE FOR A WALK, THERE WAS STILL A LITTLE BIT OF CONSTRUCTION, SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE, UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.
BUT THE BIKE, UH, PARKING AREAS WERE TOTALLY PACKED AND WE DIDN'T EVEN REALLY SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE.
SO I'M JUST SAYING, UM, PEOPLE LOVE TO BIKE THERE AND THEN IF YOU GET HOT AND TIRED, YOU WANNA GO SIT UNDER A TREE.
SO THERE WERE JUST TONS OF BIKES THERE.
AND IT'S ALSO A TRANSIT STOP AT THE TOP, UM, ON 15TH.
IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
ANYBODY ELSE REMOTE GOT ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEP.
JUST THE USUAL THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF AND THE APPLICANT, OR I GUESS REALLY CITY STAFF.
APOLOGIES THERE WAS NO APPLICANT IN THIS CASE.
UH, VICE CHAIR BEDFORD, PLEASE.
UM, I WAS KIND OF WONDERING ABOUT THE, UM, LIKE I SAW THE PRESENTATION, IT KIND OF STATED LIKE IT WAS GONNA BE MIXED INCOME RESIDENTIAL, AND I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS, UM, IF THERE WERE ANY STATS ON WHAT THOSE RATIOS WOULD BE LIKE, HOW MIXED WOULD IT BE? UM, CAUSE LIKE, I GUESS I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT LIKE, STATISTICALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR MAKE LESS INCOME THAN PEOPLE, THAN OTHER PEOPLE, SO
SO I JUST WANTED TO FEEL LIKE MORE OF AN ESTIMATE AND WE JUST HAD A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION ACTUALLY THIS MORNING AT SMALL AREA PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE NOTION OF WHETHER WE'RE ENCOURAGING ONSITE AFFORDABILITY VERSUS OFFSITE AFFORDABILITY IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SEE IN THE PREFERRED SCENARIO THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT PLAN, THAT REALLY IS, IT'S AN ASPIRATIONAL SCENARIO.
THERE'S NOTHING REGULATORY ABOUT THAT DIAGRAM, SO DON'T LOOK AT IT EXPECTING THE BUILDINGS TO BUILD TO EXACTLY THAT DIAGRAM.
UM, WE WOULD NEED TO DO ADDITIONAL WORK IF WE WANT TO KIND OF CHANGE OUR FUTURE WITH HOW WE'RE INCENTIVIZING, UM, AFFORDABLE
[02:00:01]
UNITS IN DOWNTOWN.THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WORK TO BE DONE WITH THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, AROUND KIND OF OUR, AND, AND SORT OF THAT ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT TO WHAT EXTENT DO WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO PAY FEE AND LU, WHICH CAN THEN BE USED TO BUILD MORE UNITS IN A SLIGHTLY LESS EXPENSIVE, UM, PART OF TOWN, OR BUILD MORE UNITS THAT ARE RENTAL FOR A PROJECT THAT'S OWNERSHIP BECAUSE IT, IT TENDS TO BE INCREDIBLY HARD TO PROVIDE, UM, TRUE AFFORDABILITY AND KIND OF CONDO OWNERSHIP REGIME PROJECTS BECAUSE THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER EXPENSES THAT COME WITH THAT CONDOMINIUM REGIME.
UM, BUT I THINK THE, THE PALM DISTRICT REALLY HAS LIKE A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, BOTH IN TERMS OF HOW WE INCENTIVIZE HOUSING AND THE PROJECTS DOWNTOWN.
BUT THEN IN TERMS OF THE, THE BIG, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND USE OF PUBLIC LAND, UM, SO AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS PORTION OF THAT SITE, UM, BUTTS UP AGAINST WATERLOO GREENWAY AND IS ENVISIONED TO BE KIND OF A, A PART OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY SITE.
BUT COUNCIL HAS ALSO HAD CONVERSATION ON THE DIAS ABOUT, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE REDEVELOP, UM, THE PORTION OF THAT SITE THAT'S FURTHER AWAY FROM THE GREENWAY, COULD WE DO, COULD WE REDEVELOP THAT WITH, UM, AFFORDABLE, TRUE, AFFORDABLE UNITS IN IT AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PERFORMA ON THE APD HEADQUARTERS SITE.
UM, SO THAT CONVERSATION KIND OF CONTINUES AND THAT'S THE DESIRE THERE.
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY SITES, INCLUDING THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD WITH BASICALLY CONSOLIDATING THE CONVENTION CENTER TO THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER SITE BUILDING TALLER WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THEN DOING A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, UM, FOR THE PORTION OF THE SITE THAT CURRENTLY SETS ALONG C CHAVEZ, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE CITY COULD STEP IN IF WE HAVE THE, THE KIND OF, UM, POLITICAL WILL AND FUNDING AOR FUNDING TO DO IT, UM, COULD STEP IN TO ACTUALLY SUBSIDIZE AFFORDABLE UNITS AS PART OF THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP POTENTIALLY.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO EXISTING, UH, PUBLIC, UM, HOUSING AUTHORITY OF AUSTIN PROPERTY THAT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE, UM, ALONG THE NORTH, NORTH LAKE SHORE, UM, AT TRINITY STREET AS WELL.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, UM, WITH DIFF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LEVERS, LIKE WHETHER WE DO THE TRUE PUBLIC HOUSING LEVER OF JUST KIND OF CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE HACA PROPERTY OR PARTNERSHIP WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, THE CAPITAL CITY, UM, LAW ARE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT AS WELL, UM, OR HOW WE KIND OF WORK ON OUR INCENTIVES MOVING FORWARD.
SO ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE GONNA BE NEEDED.
UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? THIS IS AN AREA THAT FRANKLY I KNOW NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT.
UM, I HAVEN'T LIVED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN LONG ENOUGH TO BE AS FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THIS HAS AS I'D OBVIOUSLY LIKE TO BE.
AND, AND IT, IT SOUNDS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UM, I HAVE, UH, TONS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU BUILD INCENTIVES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO TAKE UP THE TIME HERE.
BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH, UH, WITH YOU OR, OR WITH, UM, UH, CITY STAFF TO, TO, AND GET SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHERE I CAN READ MORE ABOUT THAT SORT OF THING SO THAT I CAN BE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT IT.
SECONDLY, UM, UM, I TRIED TO TAKE NOTES AND, AND, AND PAY ATTENTION WHENEVER, UM, UH, MENTION WAS MADE OF, OF BICYCLES AND TRAILS AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO GET FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER BECAUSE, UM, PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT, UM, PROBLEM THAT, UM, ANYBODY WHO IS ON A TIGHT BUDGET FACES IS TRANSPORTATION.
AND THE DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING FROM, UH, SOMEBODY'S RESIDENCE TO ANYWHERE ELSE WITHOUT A CAR, UH, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT, UH, HOME TO ME VERY ABRUPTLY AS I'VE COME HOME FROM A VACATION WITHOUT A CAR AND YOU CAN'T GET HERE, THERE FROM HERE, PERIOD.
THAT'S, YEAH, I JUST SEE NOTHING BUT OBSTACLES.
I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN, IN, UM, OLATHE, KANSAS.
UH, UH, EVERYWHERE YOU GO, THERE'S OBSTACLES, UM, SIDEWALKS THAT ABRUPTLY STOP BECAUSE THERE'S CONSTRUCTION AND THE SIDEWALK'S BEEN REMOVED IN THAT AREA.
[02:05:02]
PLANNING, SIGNS FOR FUTURE PROMISING DEVELOPMENTS HAVE FALLEN OVER TO BECOME OBSTRUCTIONS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO, TO MOVE ALONG, UM, BIKE PATHS AND SUDDENLY, UH, WHERE TRAFFIC PICKS UP SPEED AND US IT'S, IT GOES ON AND ON.I, I WON'T, I WON'T GO ON AND ON, BUT, UM, HAVING THOSE TRAILS, UM, UH, HAVING AFFORDABLE UNITS, UM, HAVING, UH, A CITY WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE WITHOUT CONCEPTION OF GASOLINE IS REALLY A, SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO SEE IN THE FUTURE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR AWAY THAT FUTURE IS IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO GET TO THAT FUTURE, BUT, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE THE COMPLETE ANSWER.
I THINK, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE A LOT MORE DECENTRALIZED, UM, DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY SO THAT THERE ARE TRUE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE CAN, CAN SHOP, WHERE THEY'D LIVE, WHERE THEY CAN MOVE AROUND, UH, IN AN AREA WHERE THEY LIVE.
AND I THINK THAT WILL ALSO BRING DOWN CRIME AND BRING US TOGETHER MORE AND, UM, GET PEOPLE OUTSIDE MORE.
UH, SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE'LL SAY, PLEASE DO FOLLOW UP DIRECTLY WITH ME AND I'M HAPPY TO GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE KIND OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY RESOURCES ON THE TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY AND ACCESS SIDE OF THIS PLANNING EFFORT.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE MAJOR TRANSFORMER TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE, UM, WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT RAIL INVESTMENTS, BASICALLY TURNING THIS DISTRICT INTO KIND OF THE, ONE OF THE MORE TRANSIT RICH HUBS, UM, IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, DEFINITELY WITHIN DOWNTOWN WITH THE PLANS TO LOWER AND CAP POTENTIALLY, UM, CAP IH 35, MAKE IT IMMENSELY MORE CONNECTED THAN IT IS TODAY.
AND THEN THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS JUST LAUNCHED THEIR AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH WILL BE TAKING SOME OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT TO OUT OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN, UM, AND REALLY STARTING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPERATIONALIZE THEM AND THE TRANSPORTATION PLANS FOR THE DOWNTOWN AS A WHOLE.
SO IT'S GONNA GET BETTER, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF DIRT AND CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THAT HAPPENS,
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, UH, BEING FINISHED BEFORE I CAN'T USE IT.
UM, I, UH, SHARE COMMISSIONER KARACHI'S, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT THE BREADTH OF COMMUNITY INPUT.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE'S, UH, IN MY EXPERIENCE LISTENING TO PRESENTATIONS, UH, A LOT OF TIMES COMMUNITY INPUT IS DRAWN, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE ALWAYS THE SAME PEOPLE AND, UH, IT DOESN'T EVER SEEM TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ON WHATEVER THE MAILING LIST IS THAT THE CITY MAINTAINS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND SO I THINK YOU GET THE SAME ANSWERS FROM THE SAME PEOPLE.
UH, THERE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY EAST AUSTIN CHURCHES AND, AND LOTS OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CAN MAKE CONTACT WITH, UH, BY PICKING UP A PHONE AND CALLING THEM OR, YOU KNOW, LOOKING 'EM UP, UH, YOU KNOW, ONLINE OR SOMETHING AND REACHING OUT TO THEM AND GETTING INPUT.
IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE EFFORT THAN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING UP THEM ON A CITY REGISTRY OF, OF PEOPLE AND, UH, JUST GOING TO THEM.
UH, SO I'M CONCERNED THAT, UH, YOU'RE NOT GETTING A BREADTH OF INPUT THAT YOU PERHAPS SHOULD NEED, UH, THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
UH, I'M LOOKING AT THE MAP THAT YOU HAVE THERE.
UH, UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PUDS COMING OUT OF ALL THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S MOSTLY, UM, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ZONING.
THERE'S A FEW SITES IN THERE THAT ARE STILL GOT KIND OF STRAIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING.
UM, AND MOST OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ZONED PROPERTIES COME IN AS SITE PLANS UNDER CBD ZONING, UM, AND APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR FEE IN LU THROUGH THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO WE ACTUALLY DON'T SEE A TON OF PUDS IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, THERE MAY, THERE MAY BE SOME HAPPENING AS PART OF THE MEDICAL, THE INNOVATION DISTRICT WAS ACTUALLY A MEDICAL AND KIND OF BIOTECHNOLOGY INNOVATION DISTRICT AS REALLY THE THEME THERE, THE INNOVATION THEME, IF YOU WILL.
[02:10:01]
BE SOME PROJECTS THERE, I THINK, UH, HEALTH SOUTH MAYBE MOVING FORWARD THROUGH A PUD PROCESS, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.BUT A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT WE SEE IN THE, THE MID AND SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE DISTRICT IS REALLY JUST COMING IN UNDER THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ZONING.
HISTORICALLY, UH, EAST AUSTIN'S BEEN DEFINED AS ANYTHING EAST OF I 35, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS MINORITIES, HISPANIC, BLACK, UH, IN A LOWER INCOME AREA.
BUT NOW IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH THERE WITH ANY REGULARITY, IT'S BEING HIGHLY, UH, YOU KNOW, GENTRIFIED.
UH, HAS ANYONE LOOKED AT, UH, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THAT LOOKED LIKE FROM EITHER A, UH, YOU KNOW, MINORITY MAJORITY CUT, YOU KNOW, UH, FROM A, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, A SYS CENSUS COUNT, UM, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, INCOME DISTRIBUTION.
BUT IS THERE ANY, IS ANYONE PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO THE IMPACT OF THIS ON AFFORDABILITY OF WHAT'S LEFT OF EAST AUSTIN? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF YOU BUILD THAT OVER THERE, ANYTHING THAT'S LEFT THAT'S AFFORDABLE JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF I 35 IS TOAST, YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE ALREADY YOU'VE GOT MORE CONDOS AND APARTMENTS OVER THERE THAT YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT.
SO IS THAT BEING LOOKED AT AT ALL BY ANYONE? WELL, I THINK, I MEAN, THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN RICH CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS OF KIND OF THE, THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EAST AUSTIN AND THIS DISTRICT.
UM, THIS DISTRICT ACTUALLY EAST AUSTIN, HISTORICALLY IT WAS WALLER CREEK THAT DEFINED IT BECAUSE PEOPLE COULDN'T GET ACROSS THE CREEK.
AND THEN I 35 BECAME THE BARRIER AND WE PUSHED FOLKS, UM, IN VARIOUS WAYS OUT OF THE DISTRICT AND EAST AUSTIN, MARTA, CORA AND HER WORK, UM, AS PART OF WHO SHE ENGAGED WAS ACTUALLY WHAT SHE REFERRED TO AS THE DIASPORA.
BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT, UM, HAVE CULTURAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT, WHO WENT TO PALM SCHOOL, WHO TAUGHT AT PALM SCHOOL, UM, NO LONGER EVEN LIVE IN CLOSE AND EAST AUSTIN.
THEY LIVE IN MAYNOR AND BUTTA AND KYLE AND FLUGER.
UM, AND SO REALLY WHEN YOU'RE, BUT STILL COME BACK INTO DOWNTOWN AND COME BACK INTO THE MAC FOR EVENTS IN SOME CASES AND AS PART OF CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, SO I THINK PART OF THIS PLAN IS NOT JUST KIND OF FIGURING OUT AND PART OF A LOT OF THE, THE CITY'S WORK AND THE KIND OF DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION REALM, WHICH WE HAVE A DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION DIVISION, UM, WITHIN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
NOW THAT'S THEIR, THEIR SOLE FOCUS IS REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT POLICY TOOLS THE CITY CAN PUT IN PLACE AND WHAT MONEY WE CAN INVEST, UM, TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT.
AND THEN WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THE $300 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED AS PART OF THE PROJECT CONNECT, UM, PROCESS.
WE JUST, UM, HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF ABOUT $20 MILLION WORTH OF GRANTS SUPPORTING NON-PROFIT ENTITIES, UM, TAKING ACTION ALONG THE PROJECT CONNECT COURTS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT AND PROJECT CONNECT CORRIDORS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THAT PORTION OF EAST AUSTIN.
SO WE'RE VERY MUCH LOOKING AT IT, THINKING ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT I LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, $300 MILLION, IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, HOUSES IN AUSTIN IN SOME CASES ARE GOING FOR CLOSE TO MILLION NOW, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE TO, THE THOUGHT IS HAPPENING AND THE LOOK IS HAPPENING.
UM, AND WE'RE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED IN OUR PAST BOND PACKAGES AND UNDER THE, THE $300 MILLION IN ANTIS DISPLACEMENT FUNDING WITH CAP, WITH PROJECT CONNECT, UM, AND HAVE DONE SOME PRETTY AMBITIOUS AND FRANKLY IMPRESSIVE WORK WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HAD.
WELL, MY, YOU KNOW, OBSERVATION IS THE DISPLACEMENT GROUP THAT YOU SPEAK OF HAS NOT BEEN REALLY, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVE.
UH, NOW I'M LOOKING AT, I GUESS FROM THIS MAP, UH, AND SOME OTHER THINGS ON HERE.
THERE WERE, UM, I GUESS TRANSIT QUARTERS MAPPED FOR, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GO FROM ONE SIDE I 35 TO OTHER, YOU KNOW, IT, I'VE SEEN, LET ME SEE HOW I CAN PHRASE THIS.
IF YOU GO DOWN, UH, 180 3, UH, YOU KNOW, DOWN TO WHERE MOTOROLA USED TO BE, I GUESS IT'S NXP, THERE'S A SHOPPING CENTER OVER THERE THAT HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE CROSS IT BACK WHEN IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY GET HIT BY CARS GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR.
AND FINALLY THE STATE BUILT A, UH, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER IT.
UH, IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF WORKING WITH
[02:15:01]
THE STATE TO, OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW BUILD JUST PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO FACILITATE THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM ACROSS I 35? YEAH, I MEAN, THE STATE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS THAT WILL RE THAT.THEY'RE LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR LOWERING ALL OF THE LANES OF I 35 THROUGH CENTRAL AUSTIN.
UM, AND THE CITY UNDER LEADERSHIP OF THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY AND DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND OTHERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING WORK TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE CITY WOULD BUILD NOT ONLY BETTER CONNECTIONS ACROSS IT IN THE FORM OF STITCHES, BUT ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY BUILD EVEN PARKLAND, UM, IN THE AIRSPACE, UM, OVER AT AGE 35.
AND I THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY, WE'VE GOT A SURVEY UP THAT THEY'VE KIND OF INITIATED THE, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PART OF THE PROCESS OF REALLY LOOKING AT THE DESIGN OF WHAT THE, THE CITY SUPPORTED INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS I 35, UM, WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT ON THE STATE SIDE, THE STATE AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT, UM, WITH HELP FROM AUSTIN HAVE IDENTIFIED ENOUGH MONEY TO DO A MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION OF I 35 THROUGH AUSTIN THAT WOULD GET RID OF THE UPPER DECK, UM, DEPRESSED LANES THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UM, AND MAKE, YOU KNOW, PUT ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS IN THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE ENHANCED THROUGH THE, THE WORK THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING AT FOR CAPS STITCH.
SO THIS WOULD LOOK SOMETHING LIKE, UH, THE INTERSTATE THROUGH DOWNTOWN BOSTON WHERE THEY PUT IT IN A TUNNEL AND THEN THEY BUILD A STRIP PARK OVER THE TOP OF IT.
THEN THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
UM, I THINK THERE, THERE'S AN EXAMPLE, CLYDE WARREN PARK IN DALLAS THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE LEVEL, THE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, BUT RIGHT.
NOW WHEN YOU'RE DOING ALL THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, WALLER CREEK IS A FAIRLY NARROW CREEK AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S JUST PEOPLE BUILD UP RIGHT TO THE EDGE OF IT.
UM, ARE WE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF RUNOFF PROBLEMS FROM ALL THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH TRASH AND POLLUTANTS AND ALL THIS OTHER SORT OF STUFF? I'M, I'M NOT A DRAINAGE ENGINEER, SO I'M NOT EVEN GONNA ATTEMPT TO PRETEND TO BE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL.
KRISTEN MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER, UM, SORT OF THE DRAINAGE ALONG WALLER CREEK.
I WILL SAY FOR THE, THE SETBACK ISSUE, UM, THAT HAS BEEN RAISED AS LIKE A, JUST A DESIGN AND PLACE MAKING, UM, ISSUE OF HAVING BUILDINGS SET AS CLOSE TO THE FUTURE.
GREENWAY IS THEY IN SOME CASES SETTING.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS WE'RE GONNA BE RECOMMENDING TAKING AS PART OF THIS PLAN IS A CODE AMENDMENT, UM, THAT WOULD PUT IN PLACE SOME ADDITIONAL SETBACKS ALONG THE CREEK SO THAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T CONTINUE TO BUILD QUITE SO CLOSE, UM, TO THE GREENWAY PROJECT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I'M JUST REMEMBERING THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS WAY BACK, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THE ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU PULLED IN FOR THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UM, YEAH, WE CAN PROBABLY DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER AGAIN ON THAT, AND THAT'S ALWAYS A TASK.
UM, ONE THING WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO YOU TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE OPTIONS, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN DO THE, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK THE FULL CIRCLE PIECE AND SEE IF WHAT THEIR VISION WAS IS WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED OR IS IT BEING SET ASIDE AND IT'S GONNA BE, CUZ MANY TIMES I'LL SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF AS A MEMBER OF A MINORITY COMMUNITY, DOUBLE MINORITY.
SOMETIMES WE FEEL LIKE ALL THE CITY DOES IS DO LITTLE CHECK MARK DID THAT.
WHEREAS WE HAVE SUGGESTIONS AND CAN THOSE BE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED? UM, AND ALSO THINKING ABOUT FOR LOW INCOME, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND NOT FOR THAT, GET THE RIGHT TO STAY RIGHT TO RETURN.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A OPPORTUNE TIME TO BRING THE, THAT PIECE BACK AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE DISPLACED OR THEIR DESCENDANTS HAVE THEM BE THE ONES TO HAVE FIRST, YOU KNOW, FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DEFINITELY DONE FOR, FOR SURE.
AND RIGHT OF RETURN IS DEFINITELY EMBEDDED IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS A CONCEPT.
IF YOU READ THROUGH THEM, IT'S THE HOW AND IN WHAT PROJECTS AND WHETHER WE DO IT WITH INCENTIVIZED OR SUBSIDIZED DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIG QUESTION I WILL SAY ON THE, THE KIND OF COMMUNITY LOOP AND NOT JUST MAKING IT BE A CHECK BOX.
UM, PART OF THE COMMENT, PART OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN IS REALLY TO DELIVER A PLAN DOCUMENT THAT BECOMES ALL OF OUR PLAN AWESOME.
AND BECOMES A DOCUMENT THAT ADVOCATES CAN SHOW UP AT A COUNCIL MEETING AND MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S THE GOAL FOR THE PLAN.
SO IF YOU SEE ADDITIONAL WORDS THAT OUGHT TO BE PUT IN THERE TO MAKE
[02:20:01]
SURE THAT IT CAN BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, PLEASE PROVIDE THAT COMMENT.AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT I BELIEVE TOURISTS DOLLARS WERE USED FOR THE WATER CREEK TUNNEL.
SO OF COURSE THEN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT IMPROVEMENT.
UM, ALSO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT CERTAIN POPULATIONS JUST BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY'RE AT ARE THEIR ECONOMIC SITUATIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE MAC OR EVEN COME HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS.
SO IF THERE'S, I LIKE THE WAY THAT TRANSPORTATION, UM, ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, STRENGTHEN THAT SO THAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SCHOOLS CAN BRING IN THOSE STU THEIR STUDENTS, UM, AND THEN EXPOSE THEM TO DIFFERENT, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AND SO FORTH.
SO I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT, THAT EDUCATIONAL ASPECT.
UM, AND I'M, YEAH, I, I REALLY, THIS IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR ME, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO IT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROGRESS THAT YOU GUYS MAKE AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
COME BACK IN FIVE YEARS, IT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE, THE DISTRICT IS, WELL, DON'T COME BACK IN FIVE YEARS.
THE DISTRICT IS GONNA BE PILES OF DIRT TRANSFORMING
CHECK BACK IN, IN SEVEN YEARS.
UM, SO, UM, I REALLY LIKE THE PLAN, UH, WHEN I SERVED ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO SEE THIS, UM, COMING FORWARD AND MOVING FORWARD, UH, AND THE PROCESS THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A STATEMENT IN HERE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, AFTER 20 YEARS OF DISCUSSION, AND, AND THAT IS REALLY AND TRULY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE.
I MEAN, THIS IS 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING OF THIS PLAN, WHICH IS AMAZING.
AND, UM, AND SO EVEN THOUGH YOU, YOU JUST DID YOUR OUTREACH, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SINCE 2019, OUTREACH HAS BEEN DONE A LOT ALONG THE WAY.
AND, UM, AND, AND YOU, YOU'VE INCLUDED SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS IN THIS KIND OF BIGGER PACK.
FIRST OFF, THIS PACKET I'M LOOKING AT IS FANTASTIC.
UM, IT'S 69 PAGES OF REALLY DETAILED WORK THAT'S GONE INTO, UM, THIS PLAN.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I, I THINK, UM, THAT I, I LIKE THE MOST, UM, IS, IS TAKING THIS DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, UH, RECOGNIZING HOW, HOW BEST YOU TO USE THAT GREEN AND NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, ALONG THAT, BUT ALSO THEN CREATING A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONNECT WITH NATURE, UM, AND NOT HAVE TO DRIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO AND DO THAT.
UM, THAT IS, TO ME SOMETHING THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND HAS BEEN IMPORTANT IN THIS PLAN, UM, ALL ALONG.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF WE EXPECT TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAMILIES DOWN THERE, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH EXPLAINING THE STITCHING CAP, UH, ALONG I 35 AS I KNOW MORE TO COME ON THAT AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MUCH ANTICIPATED AND, AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING THAT BECOMES A REALITY, UM, AS WELL.
UM, IN THIS PACKET, IT TOUCHES ONLY LIGHTLY I SEE ON THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO CONS, CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? SURE.
WE'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, THE KIND OF CITY STAFF TEAM THAT'S BEEN OVERSEEING THIS WORK FROM THE BEGINNING AS INCLUDED, UM, STAFF FROM BOTH WATERSHED PROTECTION AND PARKS, BUT ALSO THE SUSTAINABILITY, UM, OFFICE.
AND WE DID HAVE EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH SUSTAINABILITY, I THINK ACTUALLY BASED ON A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD HERE IN 2019 ABOUT LOOKING AT, UM, PARTICULARLY AT URBAN HEAT AISLE AND EFFECT, UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER SORT OF ISSUES OF, OF, UM, RESILIENCE IN DOWNTOWN AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OFFICE SUSTAINABILITY ABOUT, UM, BEST PRACTICES AND LOOKING AT IT.
AND AT LEAST AT THE TIME, AND I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY STILL THE CASE, THE THEIR SORT OF DATA COLLECTION FOCUS WAS REALLY ON EAST SIDE COMMUNITIES CUZ THEY WERE FOCUSING BECAUSE IT'S THE CLIMATE EQUITY ACTION PLAN.
UM, AND TRYING TO SORT OF SET THE PARAMETERS FOR THINKING ABOUT HOW WE ADDRESS TREE CANOPY AND URBAN HEAT ISLAND IN HISTORICALLY DEFORESTED AREAS.
BUT I THINK, UM, DEFINITELY THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION IN THE PLAN FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE STANDARDS OF THE CODE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND DO THINGS TO HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS MOVING FORWARD AND THE PLAN TO BE MORE RESILIENT.
UM, WE DO HAVE, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AND HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR LIKE, AN ADDITIONAL LOCATION FOR A DISTRICT COOLING TOWER.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE, UM, THAT THE PLAN
[02:25:01]
REFERENCES THAT JUST KNOW THAT IT'S HAPPENING.THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATIONS ARE ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO PUT IN.
WE DID ACTUALLY PUT A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE COOLING TOWER, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PUT ON THE PAGE AS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA COMMEND YOU AND, AND, AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKED ON THIS PLAN, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE DIZZY EVEN THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE ARE DIFFERENT AMAZING PIECES THAT GO INTO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORICAL SIDE, THE CULTURAL SIDE, THE NATURAL SIDE, I MEAN ALL OF IT.
AND, UM, AND YOU'VE REALLY, REALLY DONE A VERY THOROUGH JOB IT SEEMS LIKE WITH KEEPING UP WITH WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TRENDS, WHAT ARE THE CURRENT NEEDS, UM, ALL OF THAT.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD REITERATE THAT COMMENT, UM, THAT, YEAH, I, I DO THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD PLAN THAT, THAT WE CAN LEAN BACK ON AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE DECIDED AS A, AS A CITY, AS A POPULATION, UM, UH, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY HOW IT'LL BE ITS BEST TOOL.
UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND UH, I GUESS WE, YOU, IF WE WANT TO GIVE YOU COMMENTS KIND OF AS A COMMISSION OR OR THE PUBLIC THAT ARE ENJOYING WATCHING THIS AT A LATER TIME, UM, THE BEST WAY IS JUST TO GO TO THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN.
UH, YEAH, SO YOU CAN GIVE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE MONTH VIA THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE THAT WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO INCORPORATE INTO THE DRAFT THAT MOVES FORWARD TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNSEL, UM, AT ONCE THAT DATE HAPPENS.
THOSE COMMENTS WOULD BE TO PLANNING COMMISSION OR COUNSEL, CUZ WE'LL BE IN THE, THE HEARINGS PROCESS WITH EACH OF THOSE BODIES.
I MEAN, YOU COULD OBVIOUSLY STILL DELIVER 'EM TO STAFF, BUT WE WOULD JUST BE PACKAGING THEM UP FOR DELIVERY TO THE COMMISSION AND COUNCIL.
UM, IT'S EIGHT 30, LET'S TAKE A QUICK BREAK, FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO, UH, NUMBER FOUR, UH, WHICH WILL BE THE, UH, SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST.
[4. Name: Karanam Subdivision Wastewater Service Extension Request #5575]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, NEXT, WHICH IS THE KAREN ANN KAREN NAUM, UH, SUBDIVISION WASTEWATER SERVICE, SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST 55 75.AND IT LOOKS LIKE KAYLA IS GONNA BE GIVEN US A PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS KAYLA CHAPLIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, TONIGHT STAFF ARE REQUESTING THAT YOU MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON, I'M GONNA QUESTION MY QUESTION, MY, UH, PRONUNCIATION TOO.
KERAN SUBDIVISION WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION, REQUEST NUMBER 55 75.
AND, UH, BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE PROJECT SPECIFICS, I'M GOING TO GIVE Y'ALL A BRIEF OVERVIEW ABOUT SCRS JUST SINCE YOU DON'T FREQUENTLY SEE THESE CASES.
WE'LL JUST GIVE OUR IT STAFF A MOMENT BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST, UH, ALSO ABBREVIATED AS S SCR IS AN APPLICATION FOR, SAY, WATER OR WASTEWATER SERVICE FROM A PROPERTY OWNER OR DEVELOPER AND SCR IS, ARE REQUIRED WHEN A PROPERTY IS LOCATED MORE THAN A HUNDRED FEET FROM AN ACCESSIBLE WATER OR WASTEWATER SYSTEM, OR WHEN THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T ADEQUATE FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT DEMANDS, UH, SERVICE MAY INVOLVE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LINE OR ASSOCIATED FACILITY UPGRADES OR UPGRADES TO EXISTING LINES OR FACILITIES, AND THE APPLICANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE AS OUTLINED IN THE SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST.
SO, UH, WHEN SCRS COME BEFORE YOU, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, A REQUIREMENT IN OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT COUNCIL, UH, MUST APPROVE SCRS THAT ARE WITHIN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
SO SCRS FIRST COME TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN THEY GO ON TO WATER WASTEWATER COMMISSION FOR RECOMMENDATION.
I BELIEVE FOR THIS CASE THEY'LL BE GOING ON NOVEMBER 9TH, AND THEN, UH, IT'LL GO ON TO COUNCIL FROM THERE.
AND THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT SCRS IS THAT NO CONDITIONS CAN BE PUT ON THE APPROVALS, SO YOU HAVE TO VOTE A STRAIGHT UP OR DOWN, UM, NO SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
[02:30:01]
CONDITIONS LIKE YOU CAN ON VARIANCE REQUESTS AND OTHER CASES.SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THIS, UH, CASE BEFORE YOU.
SO, AN S SCR WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED FOR THIS SITE IN AUGUST OF 2021.
AND, UH, THAT APPLICATION HAS, OR THAT S SCR HAS IN SINCE, SINCE EXPIRED.
SO, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE SAME PROJECT AT THE APPLICANT ISN'T PROPOSING ANY CHANGES TO THE S SCR.
AND, UM, IN YOUR BACKUP ALONG WITH THE MEMO FOR THIS S SCR BEFORE YOU, YOU'LL FIND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MADE IN AUGUST, 2021 AND THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AS DID WATER AND WASTEWATER.
SO, UM, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS JUST A REQUEST FOR WASTEWATER SERVICE AND THEY'RE REQUESTING TWO LIVING UNIT EQUIVALENTS OR LEUE.
UH, THE PROPERTY IS 0.62 ACRES AND THE APPLICATE IS PROPOSING TO REDEVELOP, UH, THE PROPERTY.
IT'S A, CURRENTLY HAS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON IT AND THEY WANNA SUBDIVIDE IT INTO TWO LOTS AND HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE ON EACH LOT.
UM, IT'S IN THE LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, BOWL CREEK WATERSHED, WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN, ALSO EDWARDS AQUIRE RECHARGE ZONE, AND IT'S IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10.
SO THIS IS, UH, A MAP SHOWING THE PROPERTY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CITY'S JURISDICTION.
THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE PROPERTY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IMAGINE ATA AND GROWTH CONCEPT PLAN.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NOT IN ONE OF THE CENTERS OR QUARTERS THAT THE, UM, PLAN SEEKS TO, UH, DEVELOP NEW GROWTH.
OKAY, THIS IS JUST AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A, UM, THERE'S SINK FOUND MY HOUSE ON IT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S 0.62 ACRES AND THE ADDRESS IS 1 0 8 2 DK RANCH ROAD.
OKAY, SO THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO DECOMMISSION THE EXISTING OS S F THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND CONSTRUCT 400 FEET OF LOW PRESSURE FORCE MAIN FROM THE EXISTING EIGHT INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAIN LOCATED IN NA FAR COVE.
AND THEN TO EXTEND THAT ALONG NACHA FIRE COVE AND IN SOUTH ALONG DK RANCH ROAD TO THE PROPERTY.
AND THIS IS JUST A MAP SHOWING THAT PROPOSED WASTEWATER EXTENSION AND THE PROPERTY IS THE SUB, THE, UM, ONE THAT'S LIKE THE HASHED PINK AREA.
SO TYPICALLY FOR WATERSHEDS ANALYSIS WE ALSO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE SERVICE.
SO IF THIS SSCR WERE DENIED, THEN UM, COULD THEY DEVELOP WITH, UM, ALTERNATIVE SERVICE, A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM.
SO, UM, THIS CASE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT IS A SMALL LOT.
SO UNDER TRAVIS COUNTY RULES, THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN'T SUBDIVIDE A SINGLE FAMILY LOT THAT'S UNDER ONE ACRE UNLESS THEY HAVE EXTENDED SERVICES TO THE SITE.
SO IF THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THE S SCR FOR THIS SITE, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUBDIVIDE THE PROPERTY OR DEVELOP WITH THE SIMILAR, UH, DENSITY WITH, WITH AN OSS F OR ONSITE SEWAGE FACILITY, UM, OR, OR A CENTRALIZED SERVICE BASICALLY.
SO FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, UH, WE LOOKED AT THE PROPERTY AND, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ALONG THE PROPOSED LINE.
UM, AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IS BULL CREEK WATERSHED.
UM, THERE ARE NO C CFS OR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON THE PROPERTY OR WHERE THEY'RE PROPOSING THE WASTEWATER EXTENSION, NO WETLANDS OR RECHARGE FEATURES AND NO CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE OR WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
THE PROPERTY DOES DRAIN TO KNOWN JOLLYVILLE PLATEAU SALAMANDER HABITAT, BUT WE HAVE TALKED TO OUR SALAND BIOLOGIST AND HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SITE, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, SITES THAT DRAIN TO JOLLYVILLE PLATEAU SALAMANDER HABITAT.
GENERALLY OUR CONCERN, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT A RANGE OF FACTORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ALONG THIS SITE AND WE, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE ACTUAL PROPERTY AND PROPOSED LINE.
AND, UM, THE OTHER THING TO KNOW IS THAT THIS IS IN LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION, WHICH MEANS THAT THEIR CURRENT IMPERVIOUS COVER ENTITLEMENTS WON'T CHANGE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE INCREASING A, UH, UNIT ON THE SITE.
[02:35:01]
IT'S DISTRIBUTED, BUT IT WILL NOT, THE AMOUNT WILL NOT GROW.UH, THIS IS JUST A MAP SHOWING, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPOSAL UP, UP IN THE FAR LEFT HAND CORNER AND, UH, BULL CREEK, UH, WHERE THE GABLE PLATEAU TER HABITAT IS.
AND SO FOR, UM, FOR, BASED ON THIS EVALUATION, WATERSHED PROTECTION RECOMMENDS THIS SCR REQUEST AND I'M HAVING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
WE ALSO HAVE BRETT UNO WITH AUSTIN WATER ON, UH, WEBEX TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THE APPLICANT'S ENGINEER, BILL GRAHAM IS ALSO ON THE PHONE.
UM, HE'S JUST BILL, HE DOESN'T WANT TO SPEAK UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM SPECIFICALLY.
UM, REMOTE COMMISSIONERS, DO ANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE SURROUNDING HOUSES HAVE SERVICE THE SAME SERVICE.
THEY JUST NEED MORE SERVICE BECAUSE THEY'RE INCREASING.
UH, SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
SO, UH, ACTUALLY LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BRYER ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION.
SO AUSTIN WATER STAFF DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, UM, IN THE HALF MILE RADIUS OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND WHAT THEY FOUND IS THEY HAVE ABOUT 860 EXISTING WASTEWATER BILLING CUSTOMERS AND ABOUT 250 ONSITE SU SEWAGE FACILITIES OR SSFS WITHIN A HALF A MILE OF THIS SITE.
AND ACTUALLY, IF YOU HAVE MY PRESENTATION, I CAN SHOW YOU, I MEAN, IT, IT'LL JUST SHOW YOU KIND OF WHAT THE SERVICE LOOKS LIKE IN THAT AREA, UM, AND WHERE THEY ARE.
BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT SLIDE 10, IS THAT CORRECT? KEEP GOING DOWN.
SO, UM, I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A SMALL MAP, BUT THOSE LITTLE RED DOTS I BELIEVE ARE, AND, AND BRETT PLEASE, UM, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND AND CLARIFY IF I'M GETTING ANY OF THIS WRONG.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM REMOTE COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT, ANY COMMISSIONERS HERE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE.
IT'S KIND OF A, YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT MEMORY FOR WHAT I ASKED LAST TIME.
I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THIS, BUT
BUT I, WE HAVEN'T REVIEWED ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION IN YET.
UM, MR. GRAHAM, IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO, BUT I BELIEVE IN ORDER TO, YEAH, THIS STILL GRAHAM, GO AHEAD WITH IT.
ZES ENGINEERS, HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, MR. BILL GRAHAM WITH IT AND ZES ENGINEERS AND, UH, THE PLAN IS TO TEAR DOWN THE EXISTING HOUSE IS BUILT IN THE LATE SEVENTIES AND THEY'LL BUILD, BE BUILDING TWO NEW HOUSES.
JUST CURIOUS, UM, NOW THAT MY BRAIN CELLS ARE RUBBING TOGETHER A LITTLE MORE ACCURATELY, UM, I DO THINK, UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED LAST TIME ON THIS TOO WAS, UM, THAT, UH, PUTTING THIS LINE IN, UM, DOES NOT MEAN NECESSARILY THAT OTHER NEIGHBORS CAN USE IT AS WELL.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, AGAIN, I'M GONNA LEAN ON ALSO WATER TO CLARIFY IF, IF I HAVE THIS RIGHT.
BUT, UM, ANY, ANY PROPERTY OWNER THAT WOULD WANT TO GET OFF THEIR EXISTING ONSITE SEWAGE FACILITY OR OSS F WOULD BE REQUIRED TO APPLY THROUGH THE S SCR PROCESS.
UH, YEAH, NO, I, UH, I REMEMBER IT AND I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ONSITE SEWAGE KIND OF IN THE WATERSHED.
THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION FOR US TO KNOW.
UM, DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? WE DO.
CAN WE GET A MOTION TO CLOSE THE, I I MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
[02:40:03]
UNANIMOUS.THANK YOU KAYLA, FOR WEARING MULTIPLE HATS THERE.
UM, YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD MA'AM.
UH, OCTOBER 19TH, 2022 IN THE CAR, IS THAT WHAT I'M SAYING? CAR? MM-HMM.
SUBDIVISION WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST NUMBER 5 0 67, WHICH I THINK IS DIFFERENT THAN THE NUMBER YOU HAD UP THERE, KAYLA.
UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST, S SCR IS LOCATED IN THE BULL CREEK WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN, UM, NORTHERN EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, AND LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT STAFF HAVE COMPLETED THE REVIEW OF THE SUBDIVISION WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE NOTED WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[5. Name: Loyola Junction Apartments, SP-2021-0242C]
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, LO LOYOLA JUNCTION APARTMENTS, S P 2021 DASH 0 2 4 2 C.UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR STICKING AROUND WITH US.
UM, I THINK WE'VE GOT A STAFF PRESENTATION AND THEN THE APPLICANTS HERE AS WELL.
MY NAME IS MEL FUAC, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SPECIALIST SENIOR WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I AM PRESENTING, UH, UH, IN VARI VARIANCE FOR LOYOLA JUNCTION APARTMENTS AT 65 0 7 ED BLUESTEIN BOULEVARD, S P 20 21 0 2 4 2 C.
UH, THIS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSES A VARIANCE FROM LDC 25 8 3 42 FOR PHIL, UP TO 17 FEET IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE SITE.
IT IS IN THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED, WHICH IS A SUBURBAN WATERSHED.
IT'S IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
JURISDICTION IS NOT OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
THERE ARE MINOR AND INTERMEDIATE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES.
THERE ARE THREE WETLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE.
UM, OKAY, THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF 16 APARTMENT, 16 APARTMENT BUILDINGS, TWO GARAGES, A LEASING OFFICE AND CLUBHOUSE.
TWO WATER QUALITY DETENTION PONDS, TWO RAIN GARDENS AND TWO DRIVEWAYS.
TWO DRIVEWAYS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT.
ONE IS FROM LAZY CREEK DRIVE, WHICH IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD, AND THE MAIN DRIVEWAY WILL BE FROM 180 3.
THE LOCATION OF THE MAIN DRIVEWAY IS CONSTRAINED BY TEXT DOT REQUIREMENTS.
UH, HERE WE SEE THE OUTLINE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE NORTH SOUTH ROAD IS HIGHWAY 180 3 OR ED BLUESTEIN BOULEVARD AT THE SOUTH END OF THE SITE.
HERE WE CAN SEE THE, UH, LOYOLA LANE AND ED BLUESTEIN BOULEVARD, BOTH, UH, ELEVATED QUITE A BIT FROM THE NATURAL GROUND, UM, RIGHT NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THIS IS THE OVERALL GRADING THROUGHOUT THE SITE.
AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL ZOOM INTO THE DRIVEWAY OFF OF 180 3 ONTO THE SITE.
THAT IS THE AREA IN BLUE, WHICH IS THE FILL OVER EIGHT FEET, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS VARIANCE.
UM, WE SEE, UH, IN ORDER TO MITIGATE ANY POTENTIAL EROSION FROM THIS FILL AND TO LESSEN THE EXTENT OF THE FILL THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A RETAINING WALL TEARING AND 6 0 9 S UH, NATIVE RECEDING AND PLANTING.
[02:45:01]
ALL FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET, STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.INSTALL 355 LINEAR FEET OF RETAINING WALL TO CONTAIN THE MAJOR FILL AREAS.
UTILIZE TERRACING TECHNIQUES IN THE AREAS OF MAJOR FILL, INCREASE THE CF SETBACK FOR THE EXISTING WETLAND CF FEATURE IN THE AREA BY 50 FEET, AND ADD AN ADDITIONAL 7,100 SQUARE FEET OF COA 6 0 9 S NATIVE SEATING AND PLANTING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MAJOR FILL AREAS.
SO I CAN TAKE QUESTIONS NOW, OR I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT WANTS TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONERS BY NAME MS. JEFF HOWARD AND I REPRESENT THE APPLICANT.
UM, MEL DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND THE, UH, JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THE VARIANCE.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF.
UM, THE PROJECT IS, UM, AN AN APARTMENT MULTIFAMILY PROJECT THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 13 UNITS PER GROSS ACRE, ABOUT 20 UNITS PER ACRE OUTSIDE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UH, AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS MAP AND SAW IT ON 180 3, I I SORT OF ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S AROUND IT? UM, DETERMINED IT'S HALF A MILE FROM AN HE HEB SHOPPING CENTER WITH, WITH, UH, VIA PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS.
IT'S ABOUT 600 FEET FROM TRANSIT STOPS ON LOYOLA.
UM, IT'S LOCATED NEAR THE WALNUT CREEK HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
UM, AND IT'S PROPOSING TO, UH, DEDICATE 14 ACRES OF PARKLAND WITH A 12 FOOT URBAN TRAIL CONNECTING LOYOLA AND LAZY CREEK.
MOST OF THAT PARKLAND IS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
UH, BUT WE DID WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDED THIS ESSENTIAL PARKLAND TRAIL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU THAT CONTEXT.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BOTTOM LINE, UM, THIS PROJECT HAS TO HAVE TWO ACCESS POINTS AND WE HAVE ONE ON LAZY CREEK WE CAN'T HAVE ONE ON, ON, UM, LOYOLA BECAUSE OF CONSTRAINTS, OUR ONLY OTHER ACCESS HAS TO BE ON 180 3.
AND BECAUSE THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT HAS WHAT THEY CALL A CONTROL OF ACCESS, THEY PROHIBIT US FROM ACCESSING 180 3 IN SUCH A LOCATION THAT WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE EXIT RAMPS AND ENTRANCE RAMPS ONTO 180 3.
SO THIS IS THE ONLY LOCATION IT CAN GO, UH, WALL THAT IS 180 3.
AND SO THE ONLY WAY WE CAN ACCESS THE PROJECT IS TO HAVE THIS CUT AND FILL VARIANT.
AND WITHOUT THAT SECOND ACCESS, WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT.
SO, UH, WITH THAT I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
WE HAVE STEVE JAMESON, WHO'S THE PROJECT ENGINEER HERE WHO CAN ANSWER, UH, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE REGARDING, UM, UH, THE PLAN, THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
UM, REMOTE COMMISSIONERS? YES, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, PLEASE.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT HAS A DRAINAGE THERE AND IT KIND OF CREATED A, A LITTLE POND AREA AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY WATER QUALITY TREATMENT FOR THAT THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE, BY THE STATE HIGHWAY OR 180 3 OR WHOEVER WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THAT.
AND WHAT RE I MEAN, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO TRY AND FILTER THAT? THAT'S, THAT'S EX THAT'S EXISTING.
JAMESON CIVIL ENGINEERING, UH, THAT'S CURRENTLY, UH, TECH DOTS EXISTING STRUCTURES OUT THERE AND THEY'RE JUST, WHEN THEY GET UNDER 180 3 OR AT BLUESTEIN, IT'S FLOWS OVER LAND TO THE CREEK.
SO YOU GUYS ARE JUST GONNA FILTER IT FOR US WITH THE POND? CORRECT? IT'S NOT GOING INTO OUR POND CURRENT.
WE'RE BYPASSING OUR PONDS WITH THAT.
IT'S ALL OF 180 3 AND GOING THERE, WE'RE TAKING IT AND WE'RE GONNA PIPE IT AROUND AND GET IT TO WHERE IT'S GOING NOW, BUT IT'S GONNA BE PIPED.
AND IT WILL, WHERE WILL IT GO INTO THE CREEK OR THE TRIBUTARY THERE? JUST PAST OUR PARKING LOT.
IT'S IN THE SAME, IT GOES THE SAME LOCATION.
IT JUST GETS IT THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT.
COULD WE ASK 180 3 TO DO ANY SORT OF TREATMENT THERE OR THEY JUST DON'T DO IT? I CAN'T SPEAK TO TEXT DOTS PLAN FOR THE ONE.
THEY BUILT THE 180 3, BUT THERE'S NOTHING CURRENTLY THERE.
I'M ASSUMING THEY MADE SOME MITIGATIONS OR SOME, SOME OTHER PROGRAMS TO MITIGATE THAT, BUT I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
[02:50:01]
ANYBODY ELSE REMOTE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, CORRECT.HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I ACTUALLY LIVE NEAR LOYOLA AND MAYNOR ROAD, SO, YOU KNOW, TOTALLY SEE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING IN THE AREA.
UH, DEFINITELY NEEDED FOR SURE.
UM, DEFINITELY AN UP AND COMING PART OF TOWN, BUT AT THIS POINT, WHAT'S NOT AN UP AND COMING PART OF TOWN.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT SORT OF THE, THE PARKLAND AND THE TRAIL YOU WERE MENTIONING.
I KNOW THAT THE PART OF THE, THE WALNUT CREEK TRAIL GOES UP TO, UH, DAVIS WHITE OVER NEAR COLONY PARK.
UM, SO WOULD Y'ALL BE CONNECTING TO ANY OF THE EXISTING TRAILS OR WOULD THIS BE JUST LIKE, UH, A SORT OF NEW TRAIL WITHIN SORT OF THE, THE PROPERTY OR AROUND THE PROPERTY? UH, I JUST CURIOUS.
IT'S SOMEONE THAT BIKES IN THE AREA A LOT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT, WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE TRAIL, BUT OUR, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, SITE PLAN AND THE MATERIALS, THERE IS A 12 FOOT URBAN TRAIL THAT GOES ALL THE WAY FROM THE NORTH AT LAZY CREEK TO THE SOUTH AT LOYOLA, WHERE IT CAN THEN CONNECT TO THE SIDEWALK SYSTEM ON LOYOLA.
AND IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT FAR.
IT'S MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, 1500 FEET OR SO, UH, TILL YOU GET TO THE, THE WALNUT CREEK TRAIL A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE EAST, AND YOU CAN GET THERE BY, UM, UH, SIDEWALK.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S BIKE LANES IN LOYOLA AT THAT, AT THAT LOCATION.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW COMMISSIONER BETTER.
I THINK THERE ARE, UH, LOYOLA'S PRETTY, UH, PRETTY GOOD ABOUT TRANSIT COMPARED TO A LOT OF THE COUNTRY ROADS THAT ARE IN TWO FOUR, YOU KNOW, UH, YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH MY ONLY QUESTION.
ANYBODY ELSE? REMOTE? ALL RIGHT.
ANYBODY HERE GOT ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, GO FOR IT, BRIAN.
YEAH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE TRAIL.
UM, SO IF I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, THERE, YOUR TRAIL DOESN'T CONNECT TO ANY OF THE CITY TRAILS DIRECTLY, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT YOU CAN GET TO THE CITY TRAILS THROUGH A RATHER SECURIST ROUTE? YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I'D CALL IT CIRCUIT SECUROUS.
THE, UH, THERE'S, UM, THE, THE DAVIS WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IS JUST TO THE EAST, AND THAT HAS A TRAIL SYSTEM.
WE, WE HAVE TO GET ON THE SIDEWALK THERE BECAUSE THERE'S, UH, A PLANNED LIFT STATION, UH, EASEMENT.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALSO FLOOD PLAIN, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE CROSSED AND THAT HAS TO GET CROSSED OVER, UH, ON LOYOLA.
BUT IT'S A SHORT DISTANCE, UH, TO, UH, MILL RAY STRIVE AND THAT, UM, DAVIS WHITE PARK.
AND THEN IT'S JUST ANOTHER SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE SIDEWALK TO, UM, THE WALNUT CREEK TRAIL ITSELF.
IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO, YOU KNOW, MAJOR URBAN TRAIL THAN MOST, UH, APARTMENTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'D SAY IT WAS SECURITIES, BUT WE, YEAH, GEOGRAPHICALLY WE DO NOT DIRECTLY CONNECT TO, UM, A CITY TRAIL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, NOT SECRETARY.
I WAS QUITE TAKEN ABACK BY THE FACT THAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT WAS USING THIS UNDEVELOPED LAND IS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, DILUTE WHATEVER CAME OFF THE FREEWAY DOWN TO THE CREEK AND NOW IT WON'T BE HAPPENING.
UM, SO I'M WONDERING WHAT ARE WE GOING, I MEAN, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN THERE? BECAUSE I SAW THE WAY IT WAS BUILT, I UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE SPACE REQUIRE THAT IT BE BUILT ON 180 3, BUT I'M WONDERING ABOUT NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION THERE.
AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, IF IT'S A DISTANCE AWAY THAT I JUST CAN'T DISCERN FROM THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR AWAY OR IF THAT WALL WILL BLOCK ANY OF THE NOISE IF THEY'RE, UM, HIGHER THAN THE WALL.
SO I'M, I'M JUST ASKING AS FAR AS THE WALL GOES AND WHERE OUR 17 FOOT OF FILL COMES IN.
EXCUSE ME, THAT'S A 17 FOOT HIGH TALL WALL.
AND SO THAT, THAT WOULD, THE NOISE FROM 180 3 I THINK WOULD PASS OVER US.
AS FAR AS THAT, THAT GOES, UH, THERE IS A GOING TO BE, THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH OF US.
UH, IT'S EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THERE IS A BUFFER LOT BETWEEN US AND THEM FOR THE GREATEST PORTION OF THAT.
[02:55:01]
OF THE SOUND THINGS THAT'S HIGHLY TREATED, AND I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT BEING AN ISSUE.AND SO YOU GUYS AROUND YOUR CESS ARE GOING TO LEAVE THE NATIVE OR WHATEVER VEGETATION IS THERE? WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, THE MITIGATING, THERE WAS TWO SMALL PIECES JUST INSIDE THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH WE HAVE, UH, MITIGATED WITH OUR BIORETENTION PONDS AND SOME WE, THE OUTFALL STRUCTURES OF THESE STORM SEWER.
WE HAVE, I'VE WORKED WITH MIRANDA TO GET, UH, KIND OF A, I DON'T WANNA SAY A TEST CASE, BUT A, AN INFILTRATION TRENCH, BIOFILTRATION TRENCH AT THE BACKS OF THOSE INLETS TO GIVE SOME SORT OF WATER QUALITY TO IT.
WE HAVE SINCE CLEARED ALL OF MIRANDA'S MITIGATION REQUIREMENT COMMENTS.
AND SO WE ARE, I, I JUST WAS KIND OF WONDERING ABOUT IT AND THE AIR QUALITY THERE.
ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH THAT AT ALL SINCE IT'S SO NEAR THE HIGHWAY? OR LUCKILY THE HIGHWAY GONNA BE 17 FEET ABOVE IT.
YES, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE ABOVE THE PLANT, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO AIR QUALITY.
I'M SORRY, THAT'S NOT MY EXPERTISE.
SO YOU'RE LEAVING A LOT OF THE TREES THAT ARE THERE ON THE SITE NEXT TO THE CREEK? YES.
AND FROM THE CREEK WE'RE MOST OF THE SITE, I THINK WHEN, UH, ABOUT 10 ACRES, NO, 14 ACRES WAS THE PARKLAND DEDICATION.
SO WE'RE ONLY TAKING OUT, WE HAVE TO DO, UH, OFFSITE WASTEWATER LINE, TAKING OUT SOME OF THE TREES, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE WHOLE CREEK IS STAYING AS IS.
UM, SO, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE, UM, SOME OF THE TREES ALONG THE, UM, UM, THE CREEKWAY, BUT I'M, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR LANDSCAPE CODE, THE ARBUS MITIGATION PLANTINGS, UM, AND I SEE THAT YOU'VE REMOVED A TOTAL OF, OF 52 AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 52 IS.
PLANTS, I IMAGINE, UH, OF INVASIVE, UH, PLANTS, BUT THEN DOWN HERE YOU HAVE, UH, SOME PLANTING THINGS, WHICH THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN INVASIVE, BUT THEY'RE NON-NATIVE, LIKE A DRAWER FOR UON AND ROSES AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE ONLY NATIVE PLANTS, NOT ADAPTIVE, BUT ONLY NATIVE PLANTS WITHIN THAT.
UM, AND THEN ON, UH, ON YOUR PLANT, ON THE TREES, I CAN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT LIKE HOW MANY TREES WILL BE ON THE PROPERTY.
DO YOU KNOW THERE, ARE YOU TALKING SAVED OR REPLANTED OR TOTAL? LET'S GO.
I HAVE WHAT'S ON THE LANDSCAPE PLAN.
I'M NOT THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING, UH, SOMEDAY I'LL LEARN HOW TO THANK IN INCHES OF TREES, BUT I'M NOT THERE YET.
UM, WE ARE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PLANTING A HU EXCUSE ME.
UM, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, JEFF HOWARD AGAIN.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE ARE PLANTING 175 NEW THREE INCH TREES, UM, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S NO HERITAGE TREES BEING REMOVED.
UM, THERE ARE SOME TREES, PROTECTED TREES THAT ARE BEING REMOVED THAT ARE BEING MITIGATED A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME SMALLER TREES THAT I THINK WE'RE MITIGATING AT ABOUT 50%.
AND THEN THE REST WE'RE DOING WITH, UH, FEES IN THE, AND IS THAT WHERE THE 85,000 FOR THE URBAN FORESTRY COMES FROM? I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER NUMBER IN ADDITION TO THE 85,000.
STEVE, YOU CAN MAYBE ANSWER THOSE.
THERE'S, EXCUSE ME, THERE'S, THE 85 WAS JUST FOR THE OFFSITE UTILITIES.
THE, THE FEE FOR WITH THE, UH, APARTMENTS GOES TO THREE TOTAL IS ABOUT 420,000 FEE AND LOOP.
AND, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? INDEED, WE DO.
LOYOLA JUNCTION APARTMENTS, S P 2 0 21 DASH 0 2 4 2 C.
FIRST OFF, BEFORE I CONTINUE READING, I THINK WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON THE ADDRESS.
DO YOU WANNA ASK THAT? 65 25 ED BLUESTEIN, IS
[03:00:01]
THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS ON THE AGENDA.WE SAW A COUPLE OTHER ADDRESSES, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.
SO KAYLA, SHOULD, SHOULD WE REFERENCE THE 65 71 THAT IS THE ADDRESS, I GUESS THE, THE ADDRESS OF THE APPLICATION? OR SHOULD WE FOLLOW THE AGENDA? THE CORRECT ADDRESS NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE WAS AN ERROR MADE ON IN THE PACKET OR THE APPLICATION, I HAVE TO CON MAYBE LIZ JOHNSON.
IF LIZ IS ON LINE, WE MIGHT JUST NEED TO, UM, ADDRESS THAT.
NOW, CAN I PUT IT IN THE MOTION SO THAT IT'S CORRECT? WE MAY BE ABLE TO ENTER IT INTO THE RECORD THAT THERE WAS A CORRECTION ON THE AGENDA, BUT TYPICALLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE LAW REQUIRES THE CORRECT AGEN, UH, A CORRECT ADDRESS ON THE AGENDA.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I AGREE WITH KAYLA.
I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO VERIFY WITH LAW, UM, IF THERE'S AN INCORRECT ADDRESS.
I THINK FOR NOW, MAYBE READ INTO THE RECORD THE CORRECT ADDRESS AND, UM, WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON WHAT LAW SAYS.
YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, I, WHAT I WAS GONNA PERHAPS SUGGEST IS, IS MAYBE, UM, IS PERHAPS READ IT INTO THE RECORD AS ON THE AGENDA AS 65 25 ED BLUESTEIN BOULEVARD.
AND, UM, NOTE THAT IT'S ALSO, IT, IT MAY ALSO BE KNOWN AS 65 71 ED BLUESTEIN.
AND THEN, THEN WE CAN, IF LAW SENDS US BACK, THEY SEND US BACK.
ALL RIGHT, SO FOR THE PURPOSES OF AGENDA ITEM FIVE, I'M GONNA, WE'VE ALREADY READ INTO THE RECORD THE ADDRESS, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA.
UM, BUT IT MAY ALSO BE KNOWN AS 65 71 AT BLUESTEIN.
UM, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH S P 2021 DASH 0 2 4 2 C APPLICATION, AND THAT THIS MOTION WILL BE ADDRESSING THAT APPLICATION WHEN IT IS READY.
UH, LOYOLA JUNCTION APARTMENTS S P 2 0 21 DASH 0 2 4 2 C AT, UH, 67 25 ED BLUESTEIN BOULEVARD, ALSO KNOWN AS 65 0 7 ED BLUESTEIN BOULEVARD, AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND 65 25.
UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO VARY FROM L D C 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 3 42 TO ALLOW FILL UP TO 17 FEET IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE WALNUT CREEK SUBURBAN WATERSHED DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE, AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH CONDITIONS HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF FACTS HAVE BEEN MET.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE REQUEST WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
AND THESE ARE THE STAFF CONDITIONS.
INSTALL A RETAINING WALL TO CONTAIN THE MAJOR FILL AREAS, UTILIZE TERRACING TECHNIQUES IN THE AREAS OF MAJOR FILL, INCREASE THE C F SETBACK FOR THE EXISTING C F WETLANDS FEATURE IN THE AREA BY 50 FEET, AND ADD ADDITIONAL C A 6 0 9 S NATIVE SEATINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MAJOR FILL AREAS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT WE HAVE MORE THAN MY USUAL 32ND
[03:05:01]
REQUESTS ON THIS.[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
HAVE TIME AND WE DO HAVE TIME, IF, IF YOU GUYS HAVE UPDATES FOR VARIOUS COMMITTEES, UM, WE'D, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM.SO JUST ANYBODY YEAH, GO FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER OR THE SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, WATERFRONT ADVANCE REPORT MET LAST WEDNESDAY, AND WE PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE STATEMENTS, UH, TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, WE HAD, UH, THE VALCON CANYONLANDS, UM, UH, MEETING THE FIRST ONE BACK IN AUGUST, AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE AN UPDATE SINCE THEN, WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY.
UM, I THINK I ONLY SAID THAT WE MET, AND THAT WAS THE BIGGEST OF THE UPDATE YOU TOOK UP MOST OF THE TIME, IF I REMEMBER CORRECT.
UM, UH, IN THAT MEETING, WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON FRIDAY COMING UP.
UM, BUT IN THE, UH, FIRST MEETING WE HEARD FROM, UM, THE BIOLOGIST, UH, AT WHO IS WORKING, UM, TO INCREASE, UH, THE HEALTH OF THE PROPERTY, ESPECIALLY WITH CREATING, UM, MORE, UM, NATIVE PLANT AREAS, UH, AS THEY REMOVE, UM, SOME OF THE, UM, UH, ASKED JUNIPER AND STUFF THAT HAVE DIED EITHER IN THE DROUGHT OR IN THE, UM, IN THE FREEZES.
UH, THEY'RE UTILIZING THOSE BRUSHES, UH, BRUSH AREAS FOR, UM, UH, RUNOFF MITIGATION.
UM, THEY'RE REALLY DOING SOME COOL STUFF OUT THERE.
UM, THEY, UH, AS PART OF THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE BIOLOGIST, UM, COME FORWARD AND SAY, HOW DO THEY FEEL, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH OF, OF ALL THAT IS.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SAY IT, THEY WERE FEELING REALLY GOOD ABOUT THINGS, UM, DESPITE THE DROUGHT, DESPITE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FREEZES AND, AND A LOT OF THE, UM, THE, THE PLANT, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT WERE HAMPERED BY THAT.
UM, SO THAT WAS EXCITING NEWS.
UH, WHAT ELSE, UH, THEY HAVE GOING ON, UM, AT THIS TIME, UH, FROM THAT UPDATE, THERE WAS NOT ADDITIONAL LANDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED.
UM, BUT, UH, THAT IS ALWAYS A POTENTIAL, UM, FOR THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S AT 32,000 ACRES NOW AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS PRETTY EXCITING.
ANY OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS? YEAH, YEAH.
I'M, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR TIME TO FREE UP IN THE, UH, SCHEDULE SO WE CAN HAVE, UH, MR. MARS COME BY AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.
SO WHEN THAT'S TIME SHOWS UP ON THE AGENDA, THEN WE'LL HAVE MR. MARS COME BY AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
ARE YOU SPEAKING TO THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE OR IS IT JUST YES.
THE URBAN FORESTRY? WELL, NO, TO THE, UH, COMMISSION.
I WOULD YOU, YOU'RE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I JUST WONDERED IF WE COULD ACCESS THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT THE STATESMAN POD, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMMISSIONER.
GARY'S, YEAH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER.
UM, BUT YEAH, IF YOU COULD MAYBE SEND THEM TO KAYLA, THEN KAYLA COULD DISTRIBUTE 'EM.
OR IF YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE ONLINE, THEN STAFF CAN HUNT THEM DOWN.
IF YOU GO TO, UM, THE CITY WEBSITE UNDER THE SOUTH CENTRAL SHORE, THEY HAVE THE COMMENTS THERE.
AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE ALL THE, UM, THE MASTER PLAN.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOT, UM, QUITE A, QUITE A BIT OF RESOURCES THERE.
UH, ON THE WEBSITE, IF YOU CAN'T FIND THEIR COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, PLEASE REACH OUT TO KAYLA.
SHE AND SHE OR HER, HER DESIGNEE CAN FIND THEM FOR YOU.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE ADJOURNED.