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[CALL TO ORDER ]
GO AHEAD AND GET ROLLING HERE.WE'RE CONVENING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AT, UH, 63 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE.
WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND THE HORN HERE ON ATTENDANCE, AND I'LL START REMOTELY.
IT'S DEFINITELY NOT FRONT LIT, BUT, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
UH, AND COMMISSIONER SHERRA PRESENT.
I WAS JUST GIVING YOU A HARD TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONER BREMER, I'M GONNA TAKE THAT AS A PRESENT, UH, COMMISSION.
UH, COMMISSIONER GE PRESENT BARRETT BIGLER PRESENT? UH, UH, SECRETARY PRESENT.
CRYSTAL PRESENT VICE CHAIR BEDFORD HERE.
I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO OUTSHINE THAT ONE.
THIS IS BERG AND I'M HERE TOO.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY GENERAL, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION OR JUST ONES FOR AGENDA ITEMS? UH, JUST FOR GENERAL? NO, GENERAL.
[1. Approval the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on October 5, 2022 and October 19, 2022 (5 minutes) ]
UM, THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHERE WE'RE GONNA REVIEW, UM, THE MEETING MINUTES FROM BOTH OCTOBER 5TH AND OCTOBER 19TH.DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MINUTES THAT WERE SENT AROUND TO US EARLIER THIS WEEK? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WE GOT A SECOND FROM, UH, VICE CHAIR.
AND THAT'S A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH MINUTES, IS THAT CORRECT? MM-HMM.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 5TH AND THE 19TH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE EVERYBODY, BUT SHERRA SHERRA, ARE YOU VOTING FOR OR, OR ALL THOSE? OH, ABSTAINED.
UH, WE'VE GOT ALL BUT SHERRA'S ABSTAINING.
[Items 2 & 3 ]
ALRIGHT, SO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT BOTH, BOTH NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE KIND OF TOGETHER.BUT IT IS THE BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT POD C 814 DASH 2021 DASH 0 0 99.
UM, IT IS ITEM TWO IS THE PUD, AND ITEM THREE IS THE SITE SPECIFIC SOS AMENDMENT FOR THE SAME CASE NUMBER.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT A STAFF PRESENTATION TO START.
AND THIS IS A BIT OF A COMPLICATED ONE, SO I'M GOING TO BE GIVING A PRESENTATION ON TWO PARTS OF THIS PROJECT.
SO MY NAME IS LESLIE LILLY AND I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND I AM GONNA BE TALKING TONIGHT ABOUT THE BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
SO THE FIRST PART OF MY PRESENTATION IS RELATED TO THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, THE OVERALL PROJECT.
AND THE SECOND PART OF MY PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE ABOUT A SPECIFIC PROCESS THAT'S KIND OF UNIQUE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE P U D UH, PROCESS.
AND, AND THAT'S A SITE SPECIFIC SOS AMENDMENT BECAUSE OF THE VERY UNIQUE LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY OF THE AREA THAT THIS PROJECT IS BEING PROPOSED IN.
SO THE SITE IS AT AN AREA THAT YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH.
IT'S THE BRODY OAKS SHOPPING CENTER.
IT'S WHERE THE FORMER TOYS R US IS.
IT'S AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH LAMAR AND 360.
UM, IT'S IN THE FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION AND IT'S PARTIALLY WITHIN THE RECHARGE AND THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHAT THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF THIS PROJECT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE OUTLINE OF IN PINK IS A NEW, UH, POD THAT IS BEING PROPOSED, A NEW PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S A PART OF ORIGINALLY 128 ACRE BARTON CREEK PLAZA DEVELOPMENT, OR THE BRODY OAK SHOPPING CENTER DEVELOPMENT.
THE CURRENT AREA THAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR THIS POD IS 37.6 ACRES, UM, AND IT IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE.
AND IMPORTANTLY, IT IS AN ACTIVITY CENTER FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN VISION PLAN.
SO THIS IS A HISTORIC MAP FROM THE EIGHTIES WHEN THE PROJECT THAT AS IT EXISTS TODAY WAS DEVELOPED.
SO THE BAR CREEK PLAZA, YOU CAN SEE THIS 128 ACRES THAT WAS A PART OF
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THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN AND WHAT IS NOW THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT THAT YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH, WAS DEDICATED AS PARKLAND, AS OPEN SPACE AS A PRESERVE BUFFER THAT WAS NOT, UM, DEVELOPED.AND THE AREA THAT YOU CAN SEE THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THIS PROPERTY IS WHAT IS NOW THE BRODY OAK SHOPPING CENTER THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER AND IS THE 37.6 ACRES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
SO I, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTIVITY CENTER IS AND WHAT THAT MEANS IN HOW IT'S BEING DESIGNATED.
IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN VISION PLAN, THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE, UM, IDENTIFIED AND IN THIS GROWTH CONCEPT MAP, IT SHOWS THEM THESE GREEN CIRCLES AND WHAT THE ACTIVITY CENTERS ARE, ARE THERE THESE AREAS THAT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER QUALITY IN THEIR REDEVELOPMENT? SO THERE ARE AREAS THAT ARE IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SPACES THAT CURRENTLY DO NOT PROVIDE THE KIND OF WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS, WATER QUALITY TREATMENT THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED OF A DEVELOPMENT IN SUCH A ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AS AN AREA FOR, UM, AN ACTIVITY CENTER FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
UH, SO THE CIRCLE THAT I HAVE UP THERE IN THE LITTLE ARROW IS POINTING TO PART OF THE, THE BRO, WHAT IS THE BRODY OAK SHOPPING CENTER, BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT ARE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
ONE IS THE GREEN BELT IS ADJACENT TO IT.
UM, TWO IS THAT IT'S IN THE BARTON SPRINGS WATERSHED AND THEREFORE IN THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE, UM, MAKING IT SUBJECT TO THE SOS ORDINANCE.
UM, UM, AND THE FACT THAT IT'S ALSO PARTIALLY IN THE RECHARGE AND PARTIALLY IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER FURTHER, UH, LIMITS SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT ALLOWANCES FOR IT PER THE SOS ORDINANCE.
CURRENTLY THE SITE, THE 37.6 ACRES FOR THE PROJECT, IT HAS 84% IN PREVIOUS COVER.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ENVIRONMENT CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT ARE ADJACENT AND, AND NEAR AND, AND IMPACTED PROPOSED TO BE IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT.
ONE IS A SEEP THAT YOU CAN SEE IS KIND OF LIKE A GREEN OUTLINED AREA THAT IS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PROJECT.
IT APPEARS AS IF THE BUFFER DOES NOT OVERLAP WITH A PROJECT, BUT IT ACTUALLY DOES.
A SMALL SLIVER OF THAT BUFFER IS BEING PROPOSED TO BE IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN SEE A YELLOW LINE RUNNING THROUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE PROJECT.
AND THAT IS AIRMAN'S CAVE, A CAVE THAT EXISTS 140 FEET UNDER THE PROPERTY GRADE.
UM, AND C BUFFERS, THE, THE PROTECTIVE SETBACK THAT IS ASSIGNED TO, UH, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OCCUR THEIR 3D, UM, SPACES.
SO THE, THE, THE IN THE Z PLANE, THE, THE GRADING AND ANY OF THE PROPOSED, UH, WORK THAT WOULD, UH, IMPACT THE A HUNDRED AND THE 150 FOOT SETBACK WOULD OCCUR DIRECTLY ABOVE THE AIRMAN'S CAVE AS SHOWN HERE.
UM, ONE REALLY IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THIS SITE IS IT IS NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED BY THE SOS ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S A BIG, THAT'S A BIG PART OF THIS PROJECT AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHY IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN ACTIVITY CENTER IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN VISION PLAN.
UM, I'VE MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE TIMES, BUT THE PROJECT IS PARTIALLY WITHIN THE RECHARGE ZONE, THE DARKER RED AREA THAT HAS THE, UM, DIAGONAL LINES AND THEN THE LIGHTER RED AREA IS THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW, HOW THAT, UH, HOW THAT IS IMPACTING THE SITE ITSELF.
SO WITH THE POD, THE, THIS IS THE LAND USE PLAN THAT GENERALLY DEFINES THE WAY THAT THE, UH, THE PROPOSED BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED.
THERE'S TWO LAND USE AREAS, LAND USE AREA ONE IS COM IS MAINLY OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS BEING PROPOSED, THE MIXED USE BUILDINGS AND THE MAJORITY OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND THAT IS REPRESENTED WITH THE LITTLE SQUARES AND IS MOSTLY LOCATED ALONG THE FRONTAGE OF SOUTH LAMAR AND 360.
THE OTHER AREA INDICATED AS LAND USE.
AREA TWO IS THE AREA THAT IS THE OPEN SPACE AND THE DEDICATED PARK LAND WHERE THE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, WHERE THE TRAIL HEAD TO A NEUTRAL HEALTH OF THE GREEN BELT IS BEING PROPOSED.
AND THE, UH, VEGETATIVE LIKE RESTORATION OF THE NATIVE VEGETATION IS GONNA OCCUR, OCCUR IN THIS AREA.
SO THAT'S THE AREA THAT IS, UM,
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ADJACENT TO THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT.SO AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT, THERE ARE FOUR MAJOR, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL CODE MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
UM, TWO OF THEM DEAL WITH THE CUT FILL REQUIREMENTS, UH, 25 8 3 41 AND 25 8 3 42.
AND SO THE CUT AND FILL REQUIREMENTS, UH, OR THE MODIFIED CUT AND FILL THAT'S BEING PROPOSED WITH THE PROJECT GO UP TO 14 FEET.
NOW I'M GONNA SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND, UM, THE CONTOURS OF THE EXISTING PROJECT AND THERE WAS QUITE A LOT OF LAND USE, CHANGE AND FILL THAT WAS BROUGHT INTO THE PROJECT TO MODIFY THE CONTOUR OF THE PROPERTY TO MAKE IT EASIER TO ACCESS ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO THE COTTON FILL THAT'S BEING PROPOSED WITH THIS PROJECT AS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT G, IS, UM, ATTEMPTING TO KIND OF RESTORE SOME OF THE NATURAL GRADE OF THE LAND, WHICH IS QUITE STEEP.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A CODE MODIFICATION BEING REQUESTED FOR 25 8 2 81 AS IT RELATES TO PROTECTIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES FOR BOTH THE CAVE AND THE SEEP THAT IS IN THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY.
AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT IN EXHIBIT F.
AND THEN LAST, WE'RE NOT GONNA JUST TALK ABOUT THIS AT THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION CUZ IT'S GOT ITS OWN PRESENTATION, IS THE SOS ORDINANCE SITE SPECIFIC CODE AMENDMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA SAVE THAT TILL THE VERY END IN ITS OWN PRESENTATION.
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, A MAP OF THE CONTOURS OF THE PROJECT, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE HOW THE CONTOUR LINES HAVE NOT BEEN ERASED FROM THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES.
THEY HAVE JUST BEEN MODIFIED SO MUCH SO THAT THE PROPERTY WHICH IS INDICATED IN PINK ON THIS MAP IS REALLY QUITE FLAT.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IF YOU LOOK NORTH OF THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT STEEP SLOPE.
AND WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NATURAL GRADE OF THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN MODIFIED QUITE A LOT.
SO THE CUT AND FILL ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTHERN BO UH, THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY IS, UM, MODIFYING THE, THE EDGE, THAT ADJACENT EDGE THAT, UH, TOUCHES THE GREEN BELT SUCH THAT IT WILL, UH, RESTORE SOME OF THE NATURAL GRADE.
THERE'S CURRENTLY A VERY, VERY LARGE RETAINING WALL ALONG THAT NORTHERN BORDER, WHICH WILL BE REMOVED AS A PART OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, THIS IS THE EXHIBIT G THAT I WAS MENTIONING AND THE GRADING PLAN THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE IS, UM, THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE, THE CUT FILL, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO, TO THAT, UM, NORTHERN EDGE.
SO THIS IS THE, UM, EXHIBIT THAT KIND OF DEMONSTRATES HOW THE 25 8 2 81, THE MODIFICATION TO THE CF SETBACK IS BEING PROPOSED ON THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROJECT.
THE SEEP THAT'S MARKED AS S ONE IS HAVING ITS BOUNDARY MODIFIED SUCH THAT IT IS EXPANDING AND KIND OF, UH, CREATING MORE PROTECTED BUFFER SPACE, CONNECTING S ONE, THE SEEP WITH THE SPRING S TWO AND THE WETLAND, UH, THAT AREA THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN RED IS ALSO A PART OF THE TO BE RESTORED VEGETATED SECTION OF PARKLAND, DEDICATED PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE.
SO THAT SETBACK IS BEING MODIFIED AS PROPOSED IN THE, IN THE PROJECT.
ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRMAN'S CAVE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, PLAN VIEW, IS THAT, THAT THE CAVE IS VERY FAR UNDERGROUND AND THE PROPOSED IMPACT AND ENCROACHMENT ON THAT SETBACK IS UP TO 80 FEET, BUT WITH CONDITIONS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S PROTECTIVE FENCES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TO PROTECT THE, THE EXISTING CFS.
SO THE NEXT EXHIBIT IS ACTUALLY A PROFILE VIEW.
THAT SHOWS WHAT THE GEOLOGICAL PROFILE LOOKS LIKE FOR THE CAVE UNDER THE, UNDER THE PROPERTY.
AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THESE LAYERS REPRESENTS A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROTECTIVE CAPACITY FOR THE CAVE FEATURE ITSELF.
AND SPECIFICALLY THE DEL RIO CLAY LAYER IS A VERY THICK AND PROTECTIVE LAYER THAT BASED ON THE INPUT FROM NICO HOWARD, A GEOLOGIST WITH AUSTIN WATER AND, UH, ERIC BROWN GEOLOGIST WITH A WATERSHED PROTECTION, A UH, 20 FOOT LAYER OF DEL RIO CLAY WILL REMAIN INTACT EVEN TO ANY POINT WHERE THE, LIKE IT CANNOT EXCEED THAT 20 FOOT BUFFER.
THAT WOULD BE THE DEL RIO CLAY PROTECTING THE CAVE FEATURE UNDERNEATH IT.
AND IN THE EXCAVATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, ANY TRENCHING OR EXCAVATION OF THE, OF THE LAND OF UP TO FIVE FEET IS WILL REQUIRE THE, UH, THE REVIEW OF A, A PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST.
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SO LOTS OF THE GEOLOGISTS ARE GETTING INVOLVED WITH THIS ONE.SO A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS AREA, AND I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH, IS THE WATER QUALITY ASPECT OF IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS PROJECT IS IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE AND IS CURRENTLY NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE REDUCTION AND POLLUTANT LOADING THE NON DEGRADATION REQUIREMENT WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS, UH, ORDINANCE.
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PROJECT IS A, AS A SYSTEM THAT IS A TWO-PART SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES BOTH THE COLLECTION OF SURFACE WATER, UM, STORM WATER ON SITE, TH THAT COMES FROM IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THEN IS COLLECTED IN UNDERGROUND PONDS AND IS RETAINED THERE AND THEN IS USED IN RE IRRIGATION OF AREAS WITHIN THE OPEN SPACE AREA.
SO IN THAT RE IRRIGATION, THE WATER THAT HAS BEEN RETAINED AND COLLECTED FROM IMPERVIOUS COVER, IT THEN INFILTRATES THROUGH THE SOIL AND IS TREATED AND THE POLLUTANT LOAD IS REDUCED THROUGH THAT SYSTEM SUCH THAT IT PULLS THAT WATER OUT AND IT DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE, UM, TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT.
ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF THE, THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE PROPOSED ON THE PROPERTY WILL HAVE SYSTEMS THAT WILL ALLOW ALL OF THE RAINWATER TO BE COLLECTED IN A VERY LARGE, UM, RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM.
AND THAT WATER WILL THEN BE REUSED IN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND REUSED AS THE COOLING WATER, UM, AS THE COOLING TOWER MAKEUP WATER TO OFFSET POTABLE WATER DEMANDS.
UM, SO BOTH OF THESE SYSTEMS WILL BE WORKING IN TANDEM DURING ANY RAIN EVENT, ALLOWING FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE PROPOSED AS IT IS AND TO STILL MEET THE WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE SOS ORDINANCE.
ADDITIONALLY, AS A PART OF THIS WATER QUALITY, UH, TREATMENT, THERE IS, UM, INFILTRATION TESTING AND SOIL TESTING THAT WILL ALLOW FOR ANY OF THE, THE CONDITIONS OF THE SOIL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT THAT, THAT THEY PROVIDE IN THE RE IRRIGATION PART OF THE, UH, THE WATER QUALITY FEATURES THAT ARE IN THE OPEN SPACE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY OF THE PROJECT.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH THE PROJECT IS EXCEEDING, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND PROVIDING A SUPERIOR DEVELOPMENT THAN OTHERWISE WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED BY CODE.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS, IS CLUSTERING IMPERVIOUS COVER 75 TO 250 FEET AWAY FROM THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELTS.
THE APPLICANT WILL BE GIVING A, A PRESENTATION LATER, WHICH WILL GO A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO SOME OF THE DESIGN IDEAS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPEN SPACE AND THE PARKLAND.
UM, BUT THAT BUFFER IS, UH, MEANT TO BE CLUSTERED AND, AND PROVIDE, UM, A PROTECTIVE BUFFER BETWEEN THE GREEN BELT AND WHAT IS NOW IN PERVIOUS COVER AND PROVIDE A, UH, A TRANSITION AREA FROM THE, THE MORE HEAVILY DEVELOPED AREA ALONG THE ROAD FRONTAGES INTO THE NATURAL AREA.
ADDITIONALLY PRO THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE RESTORING TWO OF THE ACRES TO, UH, NATIVE VEGETATION WITH NATIVE PLANTS.
UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE WATER QUALITY CONTROLS WILL BE GREEN STORM WATER INF UH, GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE RAIN WATER HARVESTING FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION, IF NOT LESS THAN 50% OF THE LANDSCAPE AREA.
THE PROJECT PROVIDES SUPERIOR TREE PROTECTIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF HERITAGE TREES, PROTECTED TREES AND NATIVE TREES.
THE PROJECT EXCEEDS LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, PROVIDES SUPERIOR OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND DEDICATION, AND WILL COMPLY WITH AT A MINIMUM THE AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING THREE STAR RATING.
SO I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE, THE PROJECT DID RECEIVE A UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM THE PARKS BOARD, UM, WHEN SHOWN WHEN, UH, PRESENTED AT THE MOST RECENT PARKS BOARD MEETING.
SO SOME ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF DISCUSSED, BUT IS THE REDUCTION OF IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM 84% TO 56%, WHICH IS A 36% DECREASE IN IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.
UM, THE RAIN WATER WILL BE USED TO OFFSET POTABLE WATER DEMANDS FOR IRRIGATION, UM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, THE REMOVAL OF THE LARGE RETAINING WALLS FROM THE GREEN BELT EDGE WILL RESTORE THE NATURAL GRADE IN AREAS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE SENSITIVE AREAS OF THEIR GREEN BELTS.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT IS COMMITTING TO COMPLY AND GET CERTIFICATION FOR LEAD NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL SITE CERTIFICATION.
SO I WANNA GO INTO JUST REALLY QUICKLY WHAT THE OPEN SPACE EXHIBIT LOOKS LIKE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE AREA THAT IS, IS HIGHLIGHTED THE AREA IN YELLOW AND THE AREA
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THAT'S HATCHED WITH THE DIAGONAL LINES, THAT IS THE AREA THAT IS GOING TO HAVE THE TRAILS AND THE, THE SPACES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE RESTORED TO NATIVE VEGETATION WILL PROVIDE A, A PASSIVE RECREATIONAL, UH, IMPROVEMENT TO THE PEOPLE THAT GET TO USE THAT.AND THERE'S ALSO A TRAILHEAD, UM, THAT IS BEING PROPOSED THAT WILL, UH, ALLOW FOLKS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE GREEN BELTS.
AND THEN I WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT THE THREE STAR RATING.
SO IN 2022, UH, IN SEPTEMBER, THE UH, AUSTIN, UH, UH, GREEN BUILDING, UH, COMMERCIAL GUIDELINES CHANGED.
SO IN SEPTEMBER, THOSE REQUIREMENTS WERE, UM, MADE MORE STRICT, INCLUDING MORE BICYCLE PARKING AND SUPPORTING FACILITIES, SHOWERS AND WHATNOT.
UH, ELECTRIC CHARGING VE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, IMPROVEMENTS IN ENERGY PERFORMANCE AND ADDITIONALLY DUAL PLUMBING TO REDUCE POTABLE DEMAND.
SO A LOT OF NEW RESTRICTIONS WERE, UM, ADOPTED AS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR GREEN BUILDING RATING.
AND YOU CAN SEE ALONG THE RIGHT HAND SIDE SOME OF THE KIND OF CATEGORIES THAT GET USED FOR RATING, INCLUDING ENERGY, WATER, INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MATERIALS OR RESOURCES, ET CETERA.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UM, CATEGORIES OF MEASUREMENT.
AND FOR A THREE STAR RATING, IT REQUIRES 45 TO 54 POINTS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TRAJECTORIES THAT A DEVELOPMENT CAN TAKE TO GET THAT RATING.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT WILL BE SUBJECT TO WHATEVER THE RATINGS ARE AT THE TIME IT SUBMITS AT SITE PLAN.
SO IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, MAYBE MORE STRICT, MAYBE MORE BIKE PARKING, I DON'T KNOW.
OKAY, SO FOR THIS SECTION THERE'S TWO, I HAVE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY ACTUALLY LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT FOR THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AS IT RELATES TO THE APPROVAL OF THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, THESE ARE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
REDUCTION, REDUCING A PERVIOUS COVER FROM 84 TO 56%.
CLUSTERING IMPERVIOUS COVERS 75 TO 250 FEET AWAY FROM THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT, RESTORING TWO ACRES OF THE TRACT TO NATIVE VEGETATION, PROVIDING A HUNDRED PERCENT GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER QUALITY CONTROLS.
THAT MEAN THAT MEAT SOS NONDEGRADATION POLLUTANT REMOVAL PROVIDE RAINWATER HARVESTING FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION OF NOT LESS THAN 50% OF THE LANDSCAPED AREA, PROVIDE SUPERIOR TREE PROTECTIONS, EXCEED LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, COMPLY WITH AUSTIN GREEN, BUILDING THREE STAR RATING, PROVIDE SUPERIOR OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND DEDICATION, LEAD NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATION, AND US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL SITE CERTIFICATION.
OKAY, SO THERE'S THIS WHOLE OTHER PART OF THE PROJECT, AND IT'S THE SOS SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT.
WHEN I WAS MENTIONING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CODE MODIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT, I MENTIONED THIS ONE SPECIFIC PROCESS THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE BARTON SPRING ZONE, AND IT IS THE SOS SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS POD.
SO WHAT A SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT IS AS IT RELATES TO SOS IS FIRST OF ALL IT'S SITE SPECIFIC.
IT HAS ONLY TO DO WITH THIS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS ONLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
AND IT IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY A CITIZEN INITIATIVE IN 1992 TO PREVENT THE POLLUTION OF THE, UH, BARTON SPRINGS, UH, BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND VARIANCES TO SOS.
UNLIKE A LOT OF THE OTHER LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT WE TALK ABOUT ARE NOT ALLOWED, AND THE MODIFICATIONS THAT, UM, ARE DEVELOPED IN PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE PROVIDED ARE NOT, UH, ABLE TO AMEND SOS THE SOS ORDINANCE IN THIS FASHION.
SO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT REQUIRES A SEPARATE, UH, SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT.
UM, THERE IS ANOTHER, UM, WAY IN WHICH TO REDEVELOP IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.
AND THE BARTON SPRINGS EXCEPTION IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE WAS DEEMED NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND THE SOS SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT, IT REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY OF COUNSEL.
SO THE BAR FOR APPROVAL AND THE BAR FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS VERY, VERY HIGH BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY APPLIES TO THIS, BUT IT APPLIES TO THE PUT.
SINCE BOTH OF THEM ARE TIED TOGETHER, YOU CAN'T REALLY HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO I WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT IT ONLY APPLIES, ONLY APPLIES TO THE BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT POD PROJECT.
AND THIS SPECIFIC SITE, SPECIFIC AMENDMENT WAS INITIATED ON OCTOBER 13TH
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IN A COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 76.AND IT DEALS WITH VARYING THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS AS DESCRIBED IN THIS POD.
NOW, IN THE LAST DECADE OR SO, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF SOS SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS, BUT THEY HAVE DEALT WITH THE IMPER COVER LIMITS.
ONE WAS IN BARTON SPRING, I MEAN IN ZILKER PARK, ANOTHER ONE, DOBIN DRIVE.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ALSO IN BRODY, I MEAN, UM, OFF OF LAMAR.
AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IN GARZA RANCH.
ALL VERY SIMILAR KIND OF SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS.
AND HOW THE, THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT IS, UH, BEING PROPOSED IN THIS PROJECT DEALS WITH THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS AS THEY RELATE TO THE RECHARGE ZONE AND THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE.
SO FOR THIS PROJECT AND FOR ANY PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE AND IN THE RECHARGE ZONE, THEY ARE LIMITED TO 15% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE, THEY'RE LIMITED TO 20%, AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER ZONE, THEY ARE LIMITED TO 25%, BUT THAT IS, THAT CONDITION IS NOT HERE.
SO THE OTHER PART OF THE SOS POLLUTION PREVENTION REQUIREMENTS IS THE WATER QUALITY CONTROLS REQUIRED TO TREAT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM THE RUNOFF TO MEET UNDEVELOPED CONDITIONS.
UM, AND SPECIFICALLY THE, THE, THE AMENDMENT BEING PROPOSED WITH THIS PUD ONLY RELATES TO THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS.
SO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE MODIFIED TO ALLOW A MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR THE SITE OF 56% NET SITE AREA.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MODIFICATIONS BEING PROPOSED WITH A PROJECT.
BUT THE OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY RELATED, UH, CODE MODIFICATIONS ARE MODIFICATIONS TO 25,000 8, 341 AND 3 42, THE CUT AND FILL REQUIREMENTS, AND THEN THE MODIFICATION TO 25 8 2 81, THE PROJECTION FOR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
SO THIS IS, UH, JUST A REITERATION OF THE LAND USE PLAN, THE LAND, UH, LAND USE TYPE ONE AND LAND USE TYPE TWO.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS ON IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR THESE TWO TYPES.
SO AS I MENTIONED, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS BEING, UH, CLUSTERED AWAY FROM THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT AND AWAY FROM THE, UH, PARKLAND THAT IS BEING DEDICATED IN THE OPEN SPACE THAT'S BEING RE-VEGETATED AND BEING CLUSTERED MAINLY IN THE, UM, LAND USE AREA TOO THAT EXISTS AS A FRONTAGE, THE FRONTAGE AREA ALONG LAMAR AND 360.
AND THEN AGAIN, TO REITERATE THAT THE PROJECT IS BRINGING THE WATER QUALITY, UH, TREATMENT OF THE PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE WITH, UM, THE SOS ORDINANCE THROUGH THESE TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF SUBGRADE PONDS THAT COLLECT, UH, SITE WATER THAT DRAINS FROM IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THEN ALSO COLLECTING ALL OF THE RAIN WATER OFF OF ALL OF THE ROOFTOPS OF THE BUILDINGS ON THE PROJECT.
AND WE COME TO THE EXACT SAME SLIDE BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE POD ARE THESE SAME AS THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SITE SPECIFIC SOS AMENDMENT, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, REDUCING IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM 84 TO 56% NET SITE AREA CLUSTERING IMPERVIOUS COVER 75 TO 250 FEET AWAY FROM THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT, RESTORING TWO ACRES OF, UH, TO OF THE TRACT TO NATIVE VEGETATION, PROVIDING A HUNDRED PERCENT GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER QUALITY CONTROLS, PROVIDING RAINWATER HARVESTING FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION OF NOT LESS THAN 50% OF THE LANDSCAPE AREA, PROVIDING SUPERIOR TREE PROTECTIONS, EXCEEDING LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, COMPLYING WITH AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING THREE STAR RATING, PROVIDE SUPERIOR OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND DEDICATION AND LEAD NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATION AND US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL SITE CERTIFICATION.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA JUST SAY YES QUESTIONS.
OF COURSE, THE APPLICANT ALSO HAS A QUICK PRESENTATION, PROBABLY DEFINITELY QUICKER THAN MINE, MUCH PRETTIER PICTURES.
UM, SO THEY CAN GIVE A PRESENTATION.
AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, YEAH, APPLICANT, IF YOU GUYS ARE READY, UM, IF YOU COULD TEE UP THEIR PRESENTATION, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, I'M WITH THE BAR SHOP IN OS COMPANY.
UH, WE ARE THE OWNERS OF BRO OAK SHOPPING CENTER AND
[00:30:01]
THE APPLICANT THIS EVENING, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE GOT HERE.UH, AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A, A ANOTHER PRESENTATION ABOUT BRODY OAKS.
UH, BARHOP AND OS UH, IS AUSTIN BASED LOCAL COMPANY THAT'S BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
UH, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE DONE A LOT OF BUSINESS WITH OUR FRIENDS AT HEB.
SO YOU MAY KNOW SOME OF OUR WORK FROM THE ORIGINAL CENTRAL MARKET THAT WE DID ON NORTH LAMAR MANY YEARS AGO.
UH, IT TOO IS A MIXED USE PROJECT THAT INCLUDES THE HEART HOSPITAL, THE RESIDENTIAL, AND ALL THE PARKS AND PONDS THAT ARE PART OF THAT, UH, BAR SHOP.
AND OS HAS OWNED BRODY OAKS SINCE 2008.
UH, AND FROM, FROM THE TIME WE'VE OWNED IT, WE'VE KNOWN THAT A REDEVELOPMENT, UM, SHOULD HAPPEN.
IF YOU VISITED BRODY OAKS, I THINK YOU CAN REALIZE THAT YOURSELF.
UH, WE DIDN'T ACQUIRE ALL OF THE PROPERTY IN 2008 UNTIL 2018 WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE OLD TOYS US BUILDING AND PARKING LOT.
UH, AND AT THAT TIME IS WHEN WE DECIDED TO REALLY LOOK STRONGLY AT A REDEVELOPMENT, UH, AND PUT TOGETHER THE TEAM TO DO IT.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS FOR, YOU KNOW, WELL OVER THREE YEARS.
MANY OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, DAVID ARMREST WITH ARMREST AND BROWN, OUR LEGAL ADVISOR, UH, REBECCA LEONARD, AND A ABBY GLIN WITH LIONHEART PLACES, OUR LEAD PLANNER, UH, JOEL ONGARO, OUR CIVIL ENGINEER, BOB ARAN, OUR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER, MICHAEL AND BISI, WHO'S BEEN OUR ARBORIST.
UH, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO REBECCA LEONARD, UH, TO DO THE PRESENTATION.
OH, AS MILO SAID, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR THREE YEARS.
IT'S BEEN IN, UH, THE PUD PROCESS HERE FOR A COUPLE YEARS, UH, GOING ON A COUPLE YEARS, AND SO WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE.
THIS IS A BIG PROJECT, REALLY BIG PROJECT IT'S GONNA TAKE, UM, MOST OF THE TIME THE VERY FIRST QUESTION WE GET IS WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME FOR THIS? UH, EVEN, UH, WE'VE BEEN TO THE PARKS BOARD AND WE'VE BEEN TO CODES AND ORDINANCES COMMITTEE.
UH, WE GOT UNANIMOUS APPROVAL FROM BOTH OF THOSE RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL FROM BOTH OF THEM.
UH, WE HOPE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE REST OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COUNCIL, UH, LATE THIS YEAR, MAYBE DIPPING INTO NEXT YEAR A LITTLE BIT.
BUT EVEN THEN, WE, WE SIMPLY JUST MOVE INTO A DESIGN PHASE OF PHASE ONE.
UH, WE DON'T, UH, AN ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY BEING ABLE TO LIVE ON THE SITE TILL PROBABLY ABOUT 20, 27.
SO IT'S A VERY LONG PROJECT, AND IT'LL TAKE TIME TO UNFOLD.
SO, THE TEAM THAT, THAT MYLO MENTIONED, UH, IS A BIG ONE.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE CAME TOGETHER TO DO, UH, WAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE SAID WAS TRANSPARENCY.
THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS, THAT WE ENGAGE THE, UM, NEIGHBORS, WE ENGAGE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THE GREEN BELT FOR YEARS.
UH, AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD OVER A HUNDRED HOURS WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, 20, UH, PLUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'VE MET WITH.
UH, WE'VE MET WITH SEVERAL OF YOU OUT ON SITE AS WELL.
UH, WE, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT HAS A LOT OF DETAILED INFORMATION, HOPING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE ALSO, UH, YOU MAY RECALL IN APRIL, I THINK IT WAS THIS YEAR, PUT A COUPLE CRANES UP ON SITE SO THAT EVERYBODY COULD KIND OF SEE THE SCALE OF THE PROJECT THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
SO, JUST A COUPLE IMAGES OF WHAT THE SITE LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
UH, I THINK Y'ALL, UH, KNOW THAT THIS SITE WAS DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, WAY BEFORE THE SOS ORDINANCE, BEFORE THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, BEFORE THE HILL COUNTRY ROADWAY ORDINANCE BEFORE IMAGINE AUSTIN.
UM, AND BEFORE ALL THE INVESTMENTS THE VOTERS HAVE, UH, APPROVED FOR MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS AREA OF THE CITY.
SO IT, IT'S NOT AN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VISION OF THE FUTURE, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS TODAY.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE'VE KNOWN THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
BUT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IS REALLY THINK ABOUT, WELL, WHAT ARE THE ASSETS OF THE SITE? AND THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THIS SITE, UH, PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL TREES.
THIS ONE ON THE LEFT HERE IS ONE THAT WAS MOST LIKELY THERE WAY BEFORE, UH, THE SHOPPING CENTER WAS, BUT THERE ARE EVEN SOME REALLY HARDY LITTLE TREES THAT WERE PLANTED IN 1982, UH, THAT ARE NOW, UH, UH, PROTECTED TREES AS WELL.
AND THEY'RE LOVELY GROVES OF TREES, BUT THE MOST SPECTACULAR ASSET OF THIS ENTIRE SITE IS THE VIEW.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE PEOPLE THAT GET TO VIEW THAT ARE THE ONES ON THE LOADING DOCKS OF TOYS R US AND, UM, A HOBBY LOBBY.
SO WE REALLY THINK THESE ASSETS ARE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD WANT TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO AND, AND HAVE A MORE ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE WITH.
I THINK WE'RE ALSO AWARE THAT THERE'S A FEW LIABILITIES, A FEW NEGATIVES ABOUT THE SITE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER THERE.
BEFORE, UM, MILO IS ABLE TO OBTAIN
[00:35:01]
A LITTLE CHUNK OF RIGHT AWAY, IT WAS CLOSER TO 90% IMPERVIOUS COVER.I MEAN, THIS THING WAS REALLY COVERED, CAPPED, LIKE FROM WALL TO WALL PRETTY MUCH, UH, BACK IN THE 1980S.
SO ONE OF THE HOPES, UH, WE'VE HAD SINCE THE BEGINNING IS TO, TO BREAK DOWN SOME OF THAT, THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER, PEEL IT AWAY, GET RID OF THE WALL THAT SEPARATES THE GREEN BELT FROM, UH, THE COMMUNITY, AND REALLY MAKE THIS, UH, A MORE SEAMLESS CONNECTION TO THE GREEN BELT.
UH, LESLIE COVERED THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN, WHICH IS, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR TEAM'S CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
BUT ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT, THAT, THE OTHER THING THAT WASN'T MENTIONED IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN IS THAT THIS IS ALSO ON A HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
IT'S ON OUR CITY'S SECOND BEST TRANSIT LINE.
AND SO WE, UH, THE, THE PLAN REALLY TALKS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE GOOD ON THOSE INVESTMENTS AND TRANSPORTATION.
SO THAT'S BEEN KIND OF A DRIVING FORCE FOR US AS WELL.
WE WAS THE, UM, THE COMMITMENT TO, UH, REALLY THE HIGHEST ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS FOR THE SITE.
WE KNEW WE WOULD BE DEAD IN THE WATER IF WE DIDN'T.
AND BECAUSE SO MANY OF US ON THE TEAM WERE LOCALS, WE REALLY CARED, UH, THAT WE ACHIEVED THAT.
UH, AND BALANCING THAT WITH CREATING A GREAT PLACE, THIS PLACE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE COMMERCIAL HUB OF THIS CORNER OF THE CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, IT'S KIND OF DEGRADED A LITTLE FROM THAT, AND WE REALLY HOPE TO MAKE THIS A BIG PART OF THE GATHERING SPACE OF SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
SO SOME OF THE KEY STRATEGIES, YOU KNOW, ARE RELATING TO, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL.
LESLIE'S GONE OVER MOST OF THESE VERY, VERY WELL, YOU KNOW, REDUCING IMPERVIOUS COVER, MEETING THE SOS ORDINANCE, INCREASING THE OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND, PRESERVING AND TRANSPLANTING, UH, TREES ON THE SITE, UM, AND CAPTURING AND REUSING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF, UH, THE, THE ROOFTOP, UH, WATER THAT FALLS ON THE SITE, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS LIKE, UH, REDUCING RELIANCE ON THE SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE, BUT ALSO, UH, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO INTEGRATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON SITE AS OPPOSED TO FUNDING IT INTO A BANK THAT MAY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO AS A RESULT, UM, THE, UH, IT RESULTED IN A MIX OF USE.
APPROXIMATELY HALF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS RESIDENTIAL, HALF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS COMMERCIAL.
THERE'S, WE'VE, UH, FOCUSED THE RETAIL AROUND A CENTRAL GREEN SPACE SO THAT IT'LL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL, UM, IN TODAY'S DESIRES, UH, FOR RETAIL.
UH, WE'VE ALSO FOCUSED ON AFFORDABILITY, 200, APPROXIMATE 200 UNITS OF 30 TO 60% AMI UH, AFFORDABILITY.
WE ALSO ARE COMMITTING TO 25% OF SPACE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES ON SITE, AND 10,000 SQUARE FEET OF ARTIST SPACE AT A REDUCED RENT.
SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON MAKING THIS A PLACE THAT IS OF SOUTH AUSTIN.
SO I'LL JUST END ON A COUPLE, UH, RENDERINGS.
UH, THIS IS A IMAGE OF WHAT THE CENTRAL GREEN SPACE IS ENVISIONED TO LOOK LIKE.
IT WILL BE THE GATHERING PLACE FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE HOPE FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, UH, A QUADRANT OF OUR CITY.
IT'S SIZED ROUGHLY AROUND THE SAME SIZE AS REPUBLIC SQUARE AND BRUSHY SQUARE AND, AND OUR BELOVED PLAZAS DOWNTOWN.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT IT WORKS FROM AN URBAN STANDPOINT TO REALLY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
UH, THIS IS A VIEW FROM OVER THE GREEN BELT, UH, INTO THE SITE.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS THAT WE'VE TRIED TO C UH, CLUSTER THE DENSITY FARTHEST AWAY FROM THE GREEN BELT AND WORK OUR WAY DOWN AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE GREEN BELT.
AND AS LESLIE MENTIONED, WE HAVE BUFFERED THE GREEN BELT, 75 TO 250 FEET, UH, IN, IN AREA IN THE WHOLE WAY AROUND IT.
UH, YOU CAN ALSO SEE FROM THIS IMAGE THAT THE WALL AT THE BACK OF THE SITE HAS COME DOWN AND WE'RE RESTORING THE GRADES, WE'RE RESTORING THE, THE VEGETATION, UH, AND REALLY BLENDING IT MORE INTO THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE INTERNAL, UH, STREET.
WE'VE GOT SPACE, ADEQUATE SPACE.
WE'VE REALLY WORKED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ATD TO KEEP THE ROADS, UH, NARROW SO THAT, UH, WE'RE DEDICATING MORE SPACE TO BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS, UH, MAKING A REALLY FANTASTIC, UH, RETAIL ENVIRONMENT, ACTIVE AND VIBRANT.
ALSO, UH, MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE BY MULTIPLE MODES.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM SOUTH LAMAR AND OUR OTHER MODE OF TRANSPORTATION TRANSIT.
UH, WE ARE, UH, COMMITTING TO, UH, A CAT METRO, UH, STOP RIGHT ON, UH, THE EDGE OF THE PROPERTY AND DIRECT CONNECTIVITY INTO THE DEVELOPMENT AT ALL OF THE EDGES OF THE BLOCKS, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF A BLOCK, UH, AS WELL.
[00:40:01]
THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PLANNED FOR SOUTH LAMAR, BUT THEY STOP NORTH OF OUR SITE.WE'RE TAKING THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE CORNER.
AND WE'LL GO INTO ANY DETAILS THAT YOU HAVE FOR QUESTIONS LATER.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THESE AND, UH, SINCE WE HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS, UH, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU GUYS SIX MINUTES, OR THREE PLUS THREE IS SIX.
UM, BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN PRACTICING FOR, FOR THREE MINUTES, WE WOULD APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T USE ALL SIX JUST CUZ YOU HAVE 'EM, UH, KIND OF THING.
BUT, UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH THESE AND THEN, UH, OPEN IT UP FOR, FOR Q AND A FROM THE COMMISSION.
GENE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND, UH, YOU GO, GO FROM THERE.
UM, MY NAME IS GENE WILKINS AND I LIVE IN BARTON VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WILL BE SOUTHWEST OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I ATTENDED VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH THE DEVELOPER AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR BARTON VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I OPPOSE THE DEVELOPMENT AS PROPOSED.
THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT COULD GO FARTHER, EVEN AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, GIVING IMPERVIOUS CO OR, YOU KNOW, PERVIOUS COVER.
THE HEIGHT AND DENSITY WILL LEAD TO A DOWNTOWN LIKE HALO EFFECT OF LIGHT POLLUTION, WHICH I BROUGHT UP EVERY MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH THE DEVELOPER.
UM, AS A CITY, I THINK WE SHOULD PUSH FORWARD WITH INITIATIVES FOR LIGHTING STANDARDS TO DECREASE THE IMPACT OF LIGHT POLLUTION.
UH, THE TALLEST BUILDING AT 2 75 IS PROPOSED AS A HOTEL AND WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INTERNAL LIGHT SOURCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE DOING THINGS THAT WILL HAVE THE LIGHTS POINTING DOWN ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTERNAL LIGHT SOURCE.
IT IS TOO TALL AND HAS TOO MUCH DENSITY FOR SOUTH AUSTIN BY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES.
UH, THE HEIGHT AND LIGHT POSES A THREAT TO OUR BIRD POPULATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS.
THIS DEVELOPMENT IN ALL CASES SHOULD BE A BIRD FRIENDLY BUILD.
UM, MY NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE A BIG CONCERN AS TO WHAT IS ALLOWED ON THIS SITE AND OTHER SHOPPING CENTERS THAT SURROUND IT BECAUSE I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL OLD EIGHTIES SHOPPING CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO GO, THEY NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK ANYONE COULD STAND UP AND ARGUE THAT THAT'S BETTER.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE DENSITY AND THE HEIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CANYON EFFECT THAT'S GONNA OCCUR WHEN YOU HAVE ONE TO THE LEFT AND ONE TO THE RIGHT AND THEN CENTRAL MARKET AND YOU KNOW IT, IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER DOWNTOWN.
UM, THIS PROPERTY SITE, HOWEVER, IS VERY UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS BEING BUILT OVER AIRMAN'S CAVE.
I'M STILL HAVING TROUBLE WRAPPING MY MIND AROUND THAT ONE WITH THE, THE DENSITY AND THE EXCAVATION AND, AND WHAT'S GONNA HAVE TO OCCUR TO PULL THAT BUILD OFF.
UM, CAN IT WITHSTAND THE EXCAVATION AND THE WEIGHT AND THE DENSITY OF THE PROJECT? UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT, THAT CRACK THAT RUNS DOWN AIRMAN'S CA.
I'M NOT A GEOLOGIST, UH, BUT I MEAN, TO ME IT JUST SEEMS TOO, TOO SENSITIVE.
YOU COMING? ALL RIGHT, MRS. MARTIN, ARE YOU READY? GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
MY NAME'S INGRID MORTON AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE BARTON VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT IS AIRMAN'S CAVE.
UM, I HAVE SPENT SOME TIME WITH BILL RUSSELL BACK WAY BACK WHEN, AND HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY VENTURED INTO THE CAVE.
AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF AREAS OF THE CAVE HAVE BEEN UNEXPLORED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ACCESSIBLE.
SO I, AND I KNOW THAT IN CERTAIN AREAS THE CEILING OF THE CAVE IS ABOUT A HUNDRED FEET, A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED TO, TO 140 FEET, BUT IT STARTS AT A HUNDRED.
[00:45:01]
AND WITH THE HEIGHT OF A 275 FOOT BUILDING, LIKE HOW DEEP ARE THEY GONNA HAVE TO EXCAVATE THE GROUND? AND SINCE THERE IS ALREADY A MAJOR CRACK THAT GOES THROUGH THE WHOLE CAVE SYSTEM, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL IMPACT OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM.AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE ALL IT GO LEADS TO AND HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE SURFACE.
SO, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, HABITAT, THE ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT ARE IN THE CAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT COULD BE DESTROYED AND THAT, THAT IS MY BIG CONCERN.
I WOULD LIKE MORE, UM, RESEARCH DONE ON THE ACTUAL DEPTH THAT WILL HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW FAR DO THEY HAVE TO DIG TO SUSTAIN THE WEIGHT OF A BUILDING, THE HEIGHT OF 275 FEET.
SO I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE MORE RESEARCH DONE ON THAT.
HOW DO Y'ALL, MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY.
I'M THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
AND I AM HAPPY AND SIERRA CLUB IS HAPPY THAT THERE IS A MAJOR REDUCTION IN THE IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THIS SITE TO 56%, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T MEET SOS REQUIREMENT.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE DEVELOPER WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO BUY MITIGATION LAND TO HELP BRING IT DOWN TO A TOTAL OF 15% NET FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND WE DID SUPPORT THE, UH, THE WATER QUALITY, UH, AT THE PARKS, UH, MEETING.
AND, AND APPRECIATE THAT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE APP UH, WE APPROVE OF EVERYTHING AT THIS, UH, PROJECT.
UM, FOR ONE THING, IF AT ANY TIME DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OR DECONSTRUCTION THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL UNKNOWN VOID DISCOVERED THAT THE PROJECT SHUT DOWN, THAT WE STOP AND DO A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ENDANGERING ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THE ACTUAL PROJECT ITSELF.
UM, ALSO THE BUILDING HEIGHTS, WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THAT AT PARKS, BUT THAT IS, UH, THAT HAS A LOT OF NEGATIVE ENVIRON EMBEDDED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON THE MATERIALS THAT GO IN.
UH, BEING AN OLD CONSTRUCTION MANAGER MYSELF, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE TO TURN A PRO A PROFIT FOR YOUR PROJECT, BUT I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE ALSO AS AN OLD, UH, CONSTRUCTION MANAGER DURING THE DECONSTRUCTION AND REMOVAL OF THIS, UH, OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND SILT FENCES, A VERY STRONG BOND AND A VERY STRONG OVERSIGHT OF THAT BOND.
AND IF THEY ARE IN VIOLATION, AGAIN, THE PROJECT SHUTS DOWN.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT MR. AMBU IS HERE.
I KNOW THAT HE'LL DO HIS BEST TO PROTECT THE TREES, BUT WE WOULD HOPE THAT ANY TIME THAT THAT IS HAPPENING, THAT THERE WILL BE AN ARBORIST ON SITE AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TREES ARE PROTECTED, UH, WHILE, WHILE THEY'RE BEING RELOCATED.
AND I'M ASSUMING THERE WILL BE ALSO ON THE THREE STAR, UH, ENERGY RATING.
UM, UH, I'M CURIOUS ON HOW THE DUAL PLUMBING WILL WORK AND ALSO HAS BEEN, UH, SAID BEFORE ABOUT THE, UH, THE BIRDS IN THE AREA.
UH, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF, OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION, UH, GOING UP IN THESE MIGRATORY PATHS.
AND SO WHAT KIND OF NON-REFLECTIVE BIRD AVA AVIARY PROTECTION OF GLASS WILL BE DONE ON THESE BUILDINGS.
ALSO, THE LIGHTING HAS A TERRIBLE IMPACT ON MIGRATORY BIRDS, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT REDUCED TO THE MINIMUM.
UM, AND ALL AGAIN, ON, ON THE, UH, THE, THE REMOVAL OF THE, THE RETAINING WALLS,
[00:50:01]
I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING SOME RUNOFF INTO THE GREEN BELT AND POSSIBLY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CREEK.UM, ALSO IT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE FROM OLD SMITHVILLE OR THRALL TO WORK IN AUSTIN, THEN THAT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
UM, WHAT RE WHAT MFI WILL THIS BE IF IT'S 80% MFI? OKAY, GREAT.
SLIGHTLY LESS AFFLUENT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT REAL AFFORDABILITY AND AT A MINIMUM 60%.
ALSO, HOW LONG WILL THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, BE, UH, PROTECTION BE MAINTAINED? UM, LET'S SEE.
THERE'S A LOT OF OF OTHER THINGS TO BE SAID, BUT MR. BILL BUNCH WITH SOS IS GOING TO SAY IT MUCH BETTER THAN I WOULD.
I WOULD ALSO, UH, SAY THAT LORRAINE ATHERTON HAD WANTED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SHE WASN'T.
AND, UH, MELISSA HAWTHORNE, UH, SPARED YOU BY NOT COMING DOWN HERE BECAUSE SHE HAS PNEUMONIA.
AND UH, HOPEFULLY SHE DID COMMUNICATE WITH YOU THOUGH, AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE LETTER, UH, THAT SOS SENT IN THIS AFTERNOON.
AND IF NOT, UH, I KNOW THAT LETTER WILL BE PASSED OUT AND PLEASE LOOK THAT OVER.
LOOKING AT SOME OF THE, UM, THE SUPERIORITY, UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE, FROM THE PAST, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, DAVID AND COMPANY LOOKED AT THOSE, BUT I'M NOT ENTIRELY CERTAIN.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, A REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL LOOKED AT, BUT FROM WHAT I READ, IT WAS VERY VAGUE.
ALSO, UM, THE OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENT IS NOW SUBTERRANEAN AND THE, UH, THE CITY GOES THROUGH A LOT OF WORK AND, AND HAS A LOT OF CITIZEN INPUT.
AND THE WATER FORWARD PEOPLE ARE A PART OF THAT.
AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AS THEY GO FORWARD.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, I'M BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT HAS BEEN 30 YEARS SINCE THE SS ORDINANCE PASSED AND 30 YEARS SINCE WE INCORPORATED AS A NON-PROFIT A FEW MONTHS LATER.
WE'RE CELEBRATING THAT OCCASION, UH, IN A FEW WEEKS.
AND, UM, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS TO PROTECT THE SPRINGS.
AND, UM, THIS IS IN SOME WAYS THE VERY FIRST ONE OF ITS KIND.
AND SO WE DO FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO TRY TO GET IT RIGHT.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE DEVELOPERS APPLICANT, THE TEAM.
THEY'VE BEEN MEETING WITH US, PROVIDING US INFORMATION, VERY TRANSPARENT.
UH, WE WANT TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THIS.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE IT BE A MODEL FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE, UH, ACTIVITY CENTERS AS THIS ONE IS.
UM, AND THERE'S SOME GOOD POINTS HERE, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME REAL MAJOR STICKING POINTS.
AND THE BIGGEST ONE IS THE DENSITY, UH, OF THE SITE THAT IS ATTACHED WITH THE VERY TALL BUILDINGS, UH, RIGHT AT THE, AT THE INTERSECTION.
INITIALLY THE, THOSE TALL BUILDINGS WERE CONCERN OF, OF VISIBILITY FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, WE WERE HAD THAT CONCERN A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT THAT MUCH.
UH, I SWIM IN BARTON SPRINGS, I SEE THE, THE TOWERS DOWNTOWN.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY RATHER BEAUTIFUL FROM THE POOL.
[00:55:01]
EVER THOUGHT UNTIL THIS PROJECT CAME ALONG CUZ WE DO WATER PRIMARILY TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT DO THE SKYSCRAPERS MEAN FOR OUR CLIMATE.AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COMMISSION HAS LOOKED AT THAT ISSUE.
UM, BUT THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH OUT NOW THAT SHOWS THAT GOING UP VERY TALL, UH, IS NOT WHAT CITIES WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE, UH, CLIMATE ARE DOING TODAY.
UM, THERE'S TOO MUCH EMBEDDED, UH, ENERGY THAT GOES INTO MANUFACTURING THE CONCRETE AND THE STEEL, UH, TO SUPPORT THOSE ENORMOUS STRUCTURES.
AND THAT EMBEDDED ENERGY CONSUMPTION, UH, OFFSETS WHAT YOU MIGHT GAIN FROM MORE DENSE GROWTH AND REDUCING.
UM, AND THAT A MORE MID-LEVEL RANGE OF DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS WHAT'S THE CLIMATE FRIENDLY APPROACH.
THEY HAVE SAID THEY WANT TO APPROACH CLIMATE, UH, NET ZERO CARBON AND NET ZERO WATER.
UH, WE SIMPLY CAN'T DO THAT WITH SKYSCRAPERS.
AND I'VE CITED ONE OF THE MOST SORT OF STRAIGHT UP SHORT, UH, EXPLANATIONS OF THAT.
SO THAT'S AN ISSUE ON THIS SITE AND EVERY SITE IN THE CITY, IN THE CITY.
BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE I THINK, UM, THE, WE DI WHERE WE DISAGREE WITH THE STAFF QUITE A BIT HERE IS ON THEM FINDING THAT THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IF YOU READ CAREFULLY AND LOOK AT THE PLAN, IT IS NOT, AND WE'VE DOCUMENTED THAT IN THE LETTER AND THE ATTACHMENT WITH REFERENCES TO VERY SPECIFIC PROVISIONS IN THE AUSTIN, UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN THAT CALL THAT DESCRIBE WHAT AN, AN ACTIVITY CENTER IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA MEANS IN THE PLAN.
UH, AND AT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS DESIGNATED AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SHOWN WITH THE CIRCLE.
UM, AND WHAT IT DOES CALL FOR IS MID-RISE DEVELOPMENT AND THE KIND OF MID-RISE THAT NOW THE RESEARCH TELLS US IS WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CLIMATE.
UM, AND OUR CITY HAS DECLARED A CLIMATE EMERGENCY, OUR COUNCIL, AND WE HAVE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY PLANET WIDE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN KICK DOWN THE ROAD.
THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE WATER ISSUES.
UH, BUT THE WATER ISSUES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
IN MY LETTER THAT I PASSED OUT AND I EMAILED TO Y'ALL EARLIER TODAY, UM, IDENTIFY SOME REALLY KEY ISSUES WHERE WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU RECOMMEND SOME CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED POD AND WE ALSO KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN AGREEMENT.
I HOPE YOU'LL FOCUS ON THE BOLD NUMBERED POINTS AS BEING THOSE WHERE YOU'LL CONSIDER, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.
UH, WE SHARED A CONCERN ABOUT THE, THE, UH, AIRMAN'S CAVE.
IT'S AN AMAZING, UH, FEATURE IN OUR WHOLE PART OF OUR REGION.
WE TRUST COMPLETELY NICO HOWARD AT THE CITY TO HIS OPINION THAT IF THEY ARE CAREFUL ALONG THE WAY, UM, THE CABLE WILL BE PROTECTED.
UM, SO I HOPE THAT YOU WON'T GET TOO FAR AFIELD ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
UM, ON THE, UH, THE UH, SOS SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT, WE SUPPORT IT AS FAR AS IT REDUCES THE IMPERVIOUS COVER TO ROUGHLY THAT 56% IN THAT SITE AREA.
UH, WE'VE SAID THAT SORT OF AT THE OUTSET, OUR EXPERT, DR.
LAUREN ROSS PHD, UH, CIVIL ENGINEER, LONGTIME WATER EXPERT, LOOKED AT THEIR DETAILED ANALYSIS OF HOW THEY'RE GONNA MEET THE TREATMENT STANDARDS.
SO WHAT COMES OFF OF THAT REDUCED IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, AND SHE'S FAIRLY, UH, COMFORTABLE THAT IT, IT'S GONNA MEET THOSE, UH, POLLUTION PREVENTION STANDARDS AND CONTROL AND TREAT THE RUNOFF THE WAY IT NEEDS TO.
UM, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A, IN A GOOD WAY TO GUARANTEE A, UH, IS THAT MY TIME UP? OH, OKAY.
YOU COULD JUST, IF I, I'LL TRY TO WRAP UP PLEASE.
UM, WE DO ASK THAT THERE, THAT YOU RECOMMEND OFFSITE MITIGATION SO THAT ANOTHER TRACT IS PROTECTED FURTHER OUT IN THE WATERSHED SO THAT THE NET SITE COMES DOWN TO 15%.
WE ASK THAT THE BUILDINGS BE REDUCED IN HEIGHT FOR CLIMATE, BUT ALSO FOR WATER PROTECTION.
CUZ THAT ADDED DENSITY IS DRIVING SECONDARY GROWTH, CREATING A JOB CENTER OUT OVER THE AQUIFER THAT WAS NOT INTENDED AND IN FACT IS IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE AUSTIN TOMORROW, EXCUSE ME, THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLANT.
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YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.I THINK THAT IS ALL OF THE COMMENTERS.
UM, LET US, UH, YEAH, DON'T FORGET THAT.
THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THIS CREATES A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HILL COUNTRY AND HAYES COUNTY, AND WE GOT TOO MUCH ALREADY, BUT I JUST CAME UP HERE TO GET MY PHONE.
UM, LET'S GO TO, UH, QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IF YOU WANT.
MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, RAISE YOUR HAND.
COMMISSIONER GARY, YOU FORE CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
RIGHT, WE GOT UNANIMOUS CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TRY TO KIND OF KEEP THIS ORGANIZED AND, AND MAYBE WE GO AROUND ONE ROUND AND IF THAT SPURS SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UPS, BUT, UM, I THINK THIS
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, YOU'RE UP.
UM, I HAVE, I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, IF YOU WANTED TO TRY AND KEEP UP WITH MY LOGIC ON THIS, I JUST WENT THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, SO I'LL SAY LIKE PAGE 10, YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY, IF YOU WANNA REFERENCE WHAT I'M ASKING.
UM, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I WOULD LIKE FOR THAT TO BE ADDED, UM, ON SITE BECAUSE IT'S, I DIDN'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE THERE.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GOING TO BE IN A SEPARATE DWELLING, AND YET THE HEIGHT IS GOING TO BE IN, UM, DIFFERENT BUILDINGS.
AND SO, UM, OR AT LEAST I BELIEVE THAT IS THE PROPOSAL AT THIS POINT.
AND SO, UM, WHEN I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FIRST IN ORDER TO, UH, DESERVE THE PIPE THAT THEY'RE GOING AFTER.
BUT I THINK, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS WITH THAT.
AND THE FA COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, LET'S SEE IF THE APPLICANT MAYBE HAS A RESPONSE TO THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, QUESTION FIRST AND THEN YOU CAN GET PRIME FOR YOUR NEXT ONE.
UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IS GOING TO BE, THERE'S RESIDENTIAL GENERATED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO IT'S BONUS SQUARE FOOTAGE BECAUSE OF RESIDENTIAL USE.
AND THERE'S, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING GENERATED FROM COMMERCIAL OR NON-RESIDENTIAL USE IN THE BONUS AREA.
THE RESIDENTIAL GENERATED AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL BE HANDLED ON SITE WHERE THERE'S RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING.
SO IT'LL BE MIXED INTO THE DEVELOPMENT.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS GENERATED FROM THE COMMERCIAL OR NON-RESIDENTIAL BONUS AREA WILL, UH, BE GOING TOWARDS, UH, THE, UH, PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S GONNA GO ON THE BLOCK THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE TRANSIT STOP OR JUST ADJACENT TO THE TRANSIT STOP.
AND, UM, THIS IS A SITE THAT FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES HAS LOOKED AT AND, UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH, UH, MEMORANDUM AMONG UNDERSTANDING WITH THEM AND COORDINATING ON THAT PROJECT.
AND, UH, THE, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH WITH THE REVIEWERS TO GUARANTEE THAT THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BUILT ON SITE, WHICH BY THE WAY, IS A SUPERIORITY ITEM FOR US BECAUSE NON-RESIDENTIAL, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS ARE TYPICALLY PAID IN LIEU.
IN FACT, THE CODE DOESN'T EVEN REALLY ADDRESS THEM ON SITE.
SO WE'VE OFFERED TO BUILD THEM ON SITE AND, BUT THE CITY WAS ALSO WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GOT BUILT SOMEDAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES HAS A PROCESS AND THEY HAVE NO GUARANTEES THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET THE, THE, UH,
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FUNDING THAT THEY NEED.SO WE HAVE AGREED TO PUT A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON THAT BLOCK OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IT CAN BE USED ONLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MUTED.
UM, BUT CONTINUE AT YOUR THANKS AS YOU'RE READY.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS, UM, THIS IS GONNA GO THROUGH A REVIEW PROCESS AND THE MODIFIED CONTROLS ARE GONNA BE REVIEWED BY STAFF AS, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION GOES ALONG.
AND I WONDERED IF THOSE THINGS COULD BE PRESENTED TO THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AS, UM, THESE INNOVATIVE THINGS WERE DONE.
SO I'M ASKING FOR, UM, US TO GET PRESENTATIONS WHEN STAFF GOES TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY.
UM, I'D LIKE FOR US TO BE UPDATED AS PART OF THAT PROCESS AND, UM, IN VARIOUS, UM, THINGS THROUGHOUT THIS IT SAID THE LANDOWNER MAY ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.