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SUGGEST, UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION, IS THAT WE, UH, RECESS UNTIL 11 O'CLOCK SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET A CUP OF COFFEE OR WHATEVER ELSE THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO.WE WILL CONVENE IMMEDIATELY AT 11 O'CLOCK SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW.
UH, MY PLAN WOULD BE THAT WE, UH, AFTER WE CALL THE WORK SESSION TO ORDER, THE FIRST THING WE WILL DO IS HAVE THE BRIEFING, WHICH IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE 200 EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, PUD.
THEN WE WILL TAKE UP THE PRE-SELECTED AGENDA ITEMS I IN THIS ORDER, 34, 44 AND 61.
THERE IS NO EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.
UH, WE WILL HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THURSDAY, BUT THERE'S NOT ONE TODAY.
SO ONCE THOSE ARE COMPLETED, AND WHAT I WOULD ASK IS, CAUSE WE ARE GETTING TO THIS AT 11 O'CLOCK, WHAT I WOULD A ASK IS THAT, SO WE CAN STAY SOMEWHAT ON TIME.
WE HAVE THE BRIEFING, WE, WE GIVE TIME FOR THE BRIEFING AND ANY QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE THERE, BUT THEN LET'S IN OUR HEADS HAVE SAY NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES PER AGENDA ITEM SO THAT WE DON'T, UH, EAT UP TOO MUCH OF THE, THE REST OF THE DAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST FROM DISTRICT SIX HERE TODAY.
I WILL BE PRESENTING A PROCLAMATION ON OUR BREAK OUTSIDE.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE BARBECUE PIT WITH SAMPLES AND THEY'LL HAVE PEACH TEA, PORK BELLY SMOKED SCALLOP POTATOES AND JALAPENO SLOT FOR US TO TRY.
SO IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ME OUT THERE DURING OUR RECESS, I'LL BE OUT THERE IN JUST A COUPLE MINUTES.
ORDER THE FEBRUARY 21ST, 2023 COUNCIL WORK SESSION.
UH, IT IS, UH, AS I JUST INDICATED, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2023.
IT'S 11 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, AT THE AUSTIN CITY HALL, WHICH IS LOCATED ON SECOND STREET.
WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, INCLUDING ONE, UH, VIRTUALLY, AND THAT IS COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, UH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US WITH THAT, WE WILL CALL THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA
[B1. CD-2022-0003 - Presentation of a Project Assessment Report for the 200 East Riverside Planned Unit Development, located at 200 East Riverside Drive, within the Lady Bird Lake Watershed and the East Bouldin Creek Watershed.]
THAT WE WILL TAKE UP TODAY, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A PRESENTATION OF A PROJECT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE 200 EAST RIVERSIDE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.I'M JOY HARDEN WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND I AM HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THIS DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT ITEM.
AND THAT IS CASE NUMBER CD 20 22 0 0 3.
THIS IS A BRIEFING ON A PROPOSED PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT OR PUT LOCATED AT 200 EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
AND JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, UM, SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENTS, SOME OF YOU HAVE NOT.
SO YOU'RE WONDERING WHY THIS IS A ZONING DAY AND WHY, WHY I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, I AM HERE BECAUSE THE CITY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIRES THERE.
PRIOR TO AN APPLICANT SUBMITTING A PUT APPLICATION, THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO DO WHAT WE CALL A DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT, WHICH ESSENTIALLY A DRY RUN OF WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO SUBMIT.
STAFF OFFERS COMMENTS, AND THE COMMENTS COME FROM NUMEROUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE GIVE THEM BACK TO THE APPLICANT AND THEN WE GIVE A BRIEFING TO THE COUNCIL ON SOME OF THE OVERALL BIG PICTURE ITEMS IN REFERENCE TO WHAT THE APPLICANT IS GOING TO SUBMIT IN THEIR FUTURE.
THIS WILL BE THE TIME THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THIS PROPOSAL.
AS I STATED, THE SITE IS LOCATED AT 200 EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
THE SITE IS 3.955 ACRES IN SIZE AND IS CURRENTLY ZONED L AND P LAKE COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANT.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AREA, AND IT'S DESIGNATED MIXED USE ON THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP ON THE PLUM.
THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES A 51,285 SQUARE FOOT TWO-STORY VACANT OFFICE BUILDING WITH SURFACE PARKING, AND THAT'S THE FORMER TECH STOP BUILDING.
AGAIN, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING PUT AND PEON.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL INCLUDE TWO HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS INTENDED FOR 1,377,000 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE USES, AND 29,218 SQUARE FEET OF GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL RETAIL USES WITH A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 410 FEET.
A MIX OF BELOW GRADE AND ABOVE GRADE STRUCTURE PARKING IS PROPOSED.
THE PROPOSED PUT WILL ALLOW FOR THE FLEXIBILITY TO INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL USES.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION FRAMEWORK PLAN, BUT THE PLAN DOES NOT SET FORTH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ENTITLEMENTS FOR THIS SITE.
THE EXISTING LAKE COMMERCIAL L ZONING ALLOWS FOR A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 200 FEET.
HOWEVER, SINCE THE PROPERTY IS WITHIN THE SOUTH SHORE CENTRAL WATERFRONT OVERLAY, THE HEIGHT IS RESTRICTED TO 96 FEET.
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BASELINE HEIGHT WILL BE ESTABLISHED AS 96 FEET, AND THE VE AND THE DEVELOPER WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY $8 PER GROSS BONUS AREA OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, THE EXTRA SQUARE FOOTAGE IN FIEN LUU IF DEVELOPED AS A OFFICE.THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ALONG THE FUTURE BLUE LINE, WHICH IS A PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL LINE CONNECTING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN TO THE AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING FOUR CODE MODIFICATIONS AND THEIR MAJOR REQUEST, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 410 FEET, IN WHICH, OF COURSE, THE EXISTING ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW AN EXCHANGE FOR RECEIVING THE INCREASE IN TILE OF 410 FEET OF HEIGHT.
SOME OF THE THINGS OFFERED BY THE APPLICANT ARE AS SUPERIORITY RS FOLLOWS, PROVIDE A HUNDRED PERCENT ONSITE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
THE PUP PROPOSES TO REDUCE OVERALL IMPERVIOUS COVER 0.87 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE, WHICH WILL, WILL INCLUDE TWO PUBLIC POCKET PARKS BUILDING, WILL BE DUAL PIPED FOR RECLAIMED WATER AND PROVIDE A COMMUNITY IN, IN THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE A COMMUNITY MEANING SPACE ON THE GROUND FLOOR AT NO COST TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR, OR THE COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, THOSE, I'M JUST OUTLINING SOME OF THE, UM, WHAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING.
SO AGAIN, THE MAJOR REQUEST WILL BE THE INCREASED HEIGHT FROM 96 FEET TO 410 FEET.
AND JUST KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONCE THIS BRIEFING IS COMPLETE, THE APPLICANT MAY SUBMIT THEIR ACTUAL PLEA APPLICATION.
IT WILL GO THROUGH THE USUAL PROCESS OF REVIEW BY MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS, REVIEW A REVIEW BY, AT A MINIMUM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND FINALLY BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
AND THAT INCLUDES HIS PRESENTATION.
AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO RELAY ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS POINT? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE, UH, THE PRESENTATION MEMBERS.
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items]
ITEM A ON THE AGENDA, WHICH ARE PRE-SELECTED AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE THREE THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP, UH, HOPEFULLY BRIEFLY.ONE IS ITEM 34, THE SECOND IS ITEM 44, AND THE THIRD IS ITEM 61.
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA SEE IS THIS IS LIKE AN AUCTION.
IF YOU MOVE, YOU HAVE TO TALK.
THANK YOU MAYOR ROSIE TRU LOVEN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SHE'S A PLANNER, PRINCIPAL WITHIN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION IN A SHORT PRESENTATION AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR, UH, E T O D POLICY PLAN.
AND TIM, WHILE SHE'S GETTING SETTLED, I JUST WANTED TO DAYLIGHT.
UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON MAY HAVE, UM, SOME COMMENTS ON THIS AS WELL, BUT WE WERE GOING TO, WE HAVE POSTED A HOUSING AND PLANNING AND MOBILITY COMMITTEE, JOINT MEETING FOR THE SECOND, JUST TO GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE MORE TIME AND BREATHING ROOM TO HAVE TIME TO DIGEST THE E T O D PLAN.
UM, SO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON MAY HAVE SOME OTHER THOUGHTS, BUT I WANTED TO DAYLIGHT THAT AND, UM, AND SAY THAT WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR THAT POSTPONEMENT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE IT WAS, YOU, YOU KIND OF DROPPED YOUR VOICE ON THE LAST PART OF THAT.
YOU'RE A, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR A POSTPONEMENT TO AT LEAST THE MARCH 9TH MEETING THE NINTH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S POSTED FOR THIS THURSDAY.
CORRECT? YOU WOULD, WE WOULD ASK, YOU'LL BE ASKING FOR A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL THE MARCH 9TH MEETING.
AND PART OF THE REASON TO DO THAT IS SO THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN TAKE IT UP ON MARCH 2ND.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER MADISON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING BEFORE I, UH, HAVE STARTED HAVING COMMENT? NO, I CAN WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE SOME BRIEF COMMENTS.
AS ROSIE SAID, MY NAME IS WARNER COOK.
I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND I LEAD THE EQUITABLE T O D TEAM ON THE CITY SIDE.
BUT AS YOU'LL SEE, IT'S A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT, IN FACT.
UM, SO I WANTED TO PRESENT A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
SOME OF YOU WHO WERE ON THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE PROBABLY SAW THIS LAST NOVEMBER WHEN WE GAVE A PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT THERE'S NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND HERE.
UM, AUS THE CITY'S E T O D WORK REALLY STARTED OUT OF A JUNE, 2021 RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL PASSED ASKING STAFF TO CONTRIBUTE ACTIVELY TO CAP METRO STUDIES THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN ONGOING AND FUNDED AT THAT POINT, AS WELL AS TO TAKE THE RESULTS OF THOSE STUDIES AND DEVELOP A CITY E T O D POLICY PLAN, UM, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A LOT OF DIFFERENT GOALS.
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UPDATE OUR CURRENT T O D TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES AND, UH, FOR THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AREAS.THAT RESOLUTION, AS I MENTIONED, HAD MANY GOALS, UH, BUT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE IDEA OF EQUITABLE OUTCOMES AND INCORPORATING THE CITY'S ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES INTO OUR T O D WORK.
UM, THIS INCLUDES BOTH EXISTING AND CREATING NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL AS MARKET RATE HOUSING, UM, WALKABLE CONNECT COMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, WITH A MIX OF LAND USES AND SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS, AND A WAY TO CODIFY COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND CATEGORIZE TODS IN A CONTEXT SENSITIVE WAY.
SO THE COUNCIL ITEM THAT'S POSTED FOR THIS THURSDAY IS SUMMARIZED IN THIS SLIDE.
UM, AS, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE POSTPONED, BUT WHAT STAFF IS LOOKING FOR IS TO ACCEPT THE POLICY PLAN DOCUMENT, WHICH IS IN BACKUP AS ATTACHMENT A, INCLUDING SOME STAFF RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS, ATTACHMENT B, WHICH ARE BASED ON THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND VARIOUS EMAILS AND SURVEY RESPONSES WE RECEIVED.
WE'D ALSO LIKE YOU TO INITIATE E T O D STATION AREA PLANNING FOR THE NORTHEAST AUSTIN DISTRICT AREA, WHICH IS ABOUT 26 SQUARE MILES, UH, PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED BY COUNSEL TO INCORPORATE E T O D INTO THAT, UH, TO AMEND IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO INCORPORATE E T O D AND TO INITIATE SOME TARGETED AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO SUPPORT E T O D.
AND I'LL GO INTO EACH OF THOSE, UH, AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
UH, THE PROCESS SO FAR, UH, HAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE IDEA OF THE POLICY PLAN, WHICH AS A REMINDER IS A FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE OUR FUTURE DECISION MAKING.
IT'S BASICALLY A PLAN FOR HOW TO PLAN IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT THE DOCUMENT ITSELF DOESN'T NECESSARILY ADOPT OR AMEND ANY EXISTING REGULATIONS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE OUR PATTERNS OF INVESTMENT UNTIL COUNCIL MAKES BUDGET DECISIONS TO DO SO.
UH, IT DOESN'T APPROVE ANY SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC INTERVENTIONS.
SO THIS IS REALLY A GUIDING FRAMEWORK, UM, BUT NOT A REGULATORY PIECE OF, UM, WORK AT THIS POINT.
UM, THE FOCUS IS REALLY TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF ALL INCOMES AND BACKGROUNDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY BURDENED BY PREVIOUS CITY AND OTHER LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS.
WHAT IS E T O D? SO YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT IS THE EQUITABLE PART OF THIS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN IN THE PAST? SO, IN THE PAST WE FOCUSED ON TRADITIONAL T O D HERE IN AUSTIN AS, AS WELL AS NATIONWIDE, WHERE WE SAW, UM, A GOOD, UM, GOOD OUTCOMES FOR SURE, BUT THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE MARKET FOCUSED NATURE OF TRADITIONAL T O D SUPPORTED TRANSIT RIDERSHIP, BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY SUPPORT THE EXISTING COMMUNITIES, THERE DIDN'T IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO SINCE THEN, UM, WE'VE SEEN, UH, DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES INCREASE IN THESE KINDS OF DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO WE WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON DOING NO HARM AND ACTUALLY PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT, BUT JUST KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES DOESN'T ACTUALLY SHOW THAT THEY WILL HAVE IMPROVED OUTCOMES IN THE FUTURE IF THEY DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICES LIKE EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, CHILDCARE, THESE KINDS OF THINGS THAT REALLY MAKE LIVING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD FEASIBLE AND HELP PEOPLE STRIVE TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES PORTION COMES IN WITH THE CITY AND OUR PARTNERS LOOKING TO CREATE NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS.
THE E T O D TEAM, AS I MENTIONED, IS MADE UP OF MULTIPLE AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO MUCH OF THIS WORK HAS REALLY BEEN LED BY OUR PARTNERS AT CAP METRO.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT THUS FAR, IF YOU WILL, OF THE BUS.
UM, THEY HAVE RECEIVED OVER 3 MILLION IN FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, UH, GRANTS TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
AND THE CITY HAS BEEN, UM, PARTNERING WITH THEM AS THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THEIR STUDIES AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO DATE.
UM, ULTIMATELY THE CITY HAS THE LAND JUICE AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THERE.
AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP HAS SOME OF THE PIECE OF RESPONSIBILITY GOING FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE SYSTEM.
AND CAP METRO ALSO WILL HAVE A PIECE OF OWNERSHIP, UH, IN THIS WORK GOING FORWARD.
BUT THE FOURTH PARTNER THAT IS REALLY BEEN THE BACKBONE AND THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
BOTH THOSE THAT HAVE ENGAGED WITH US SO FAR THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS TO TELL US ABOUT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES AND WHAT EQUITY IN TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT MEANS TO THEM.
BUT ALSO THERE WILL BE NONPROFIT AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEMSELVES WILL HAVE TO LEAD SOME OF THIS WORK GOING FORWARD.
AS I MENTIONED, UH, THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF HAS BEEN VERY ROBUST.
UM, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUT, IT WAS STILL
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PRETTY, UM, NECESSARY TO DO VIRTUAL MEETINGS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.UH, BUT OF COURSE, WE, WE KNOW THAT THAT DID NOT REACH EVERYBODY AND ESPECIALLY NOT A LOT OF OUR INTENDED PRIORITY POPULATION AUDIENCES.
SO WE SUPPLEMENTED GOING FORWARD WITH TABLING AND INTERCEPT SURVEYS.
WE WORKED WITH OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP ON NEARLY A MONTHLY BASIS TO KIND OF CO-CREATE DELIVERABLES AND MAKE SURE WE WERE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND DOING THE RIGHT KIND OF ANALYSIS TO GET TO WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
WE ALSO HAD PAID FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPATION, AND ONE OF THE STRATEGIES IN ENGAGEMENT THAT I'M REALLY VERY EXCITED ABOUT WAS OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTORS PROGRAM, WHICH WERE 12 TRAINED INDIVIDUALS WHO CONDUCTED THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO OVER 200 COMMUNITY MEMBERS JUST ON THEIR OWN 60% OF WHICH WERE BIPO AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE PLAN DOCUMENT THAT STAFF IS ASKING FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF THE POLICY PLAN INCLUDES SIX GOALS FOR EQUITABLE TOD IN AUSTIN.
A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF HOW WE'VE DONE OVER ABOUT THE LAST DECADE SINCE SOME OF OUR EXISTING TODS HAVE COME ONLINE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES STATIONARY TYPOLOGIES AND PLANNING PRIORITIES, AN EQUITY-BASED TOOLKIT WITH SUCCESS METRICS AND A WORK STEP, A WORK PLAN FOR NEXT STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
THE SIX E T O D GOALS THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN COME FROM THREE MAJOR SOURCES THAT, UH, STAFF HAS KIND OF PUT TOGETHER IN CONCERT WITH OUR OTHER AGENCIES.
THE FIRST WAS LOOKING AT THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION GOALS FROM JUNE, 2021.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL, UH, REPORT THAT THE RACIAL EQUITY DRIVERS IN THERE.
AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO HELP DEFINE THESE GOALS THAT REALLY ARE VERY HOLISTIC, NOT THE WAY THAT WE LOOKED AT T O D PREVIOUSLY IN THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, CLOSING THAT RACIAL HEALTH AND WEALTH GAP.
THE NEXT PART OF THE POLICY PLAN INCLUDES E T O D TYPE POLICIES.
UM, THESE, THESE ARE BASICALLY CATEGORIES THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND AND HELP DECISION MAKERS UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT IS SIMILAR ABOUT SOME STATION AREAS TODAY.
THEY, UH, WILL HELP US TAILOR POLICY TOOLS MOVING FORWARD TO GET TO THE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUAL STATIONARIES, BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT IT SYSTEM-WIDE AND NOT JUST FOCUSING ON A SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THE INDICATORS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE THREE COLUMNS THERE, UH, LOOK AT RELATIVE POPULATION DISPLACEMENT RISK AND RATE OF CHANGE IN THE STATION AREAS.
TWO, ARRIVE AT THE EIGHT TYPOLOGIES, WHICH ARE THE COLORFUL RECTANGLES IN THE MIDDLE.
THOSE WORDS BASICALLY GIVE US A STARTING POINT FOR WHAT THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE IN A STATION AREA IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THEY DON'T PRESCRIBE A CERTAIN BUILT FORM OR A CERTAIN KIND OF LEVEL OF INVESTMENT OR INTENSITY.
UH, THEY REALLY JUST DESCRIBE THE CHARACTERISTICS TODAY THAT WE FEEL WE NEED TO MOST HAVE AT THE FOREFRONT WHEN WE GO INTO FUTURE DETAILED PLANNING.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE'S NOT LIKE ONE IDEAL OR BEST TYPOLOGY.
IT'S NOT A GRADIENT FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
UM, THESE WE EXPECT MIGHT CHANGE OVER TIME AS, UH, THE RATE OF GROWTH IN A STATIONARY CHANGES WHERE AS, UH, THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS INCREASES IN THE FUTURE.
WE ALSO HAVE A PLANNING PRIORITY RATING COMPONENT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL ASKED FOR IN THE RESOLUTION FROM JUNE OF 2021.
UM, STAFF CAN'T GO DO ABOUT A HUNDRED STATION AREAS WORTH OF PLANNING ALL AT ONCE.
SO WE NEEDED AN IDEA OF WHERE TO REALLY START TO HAVE THE HIGHEST IMPACT, THE MOST, UH, THE MOST IMPACT QUICKEST.
UM, SO WE'VE COME UP WITH A YEAR ONE PROGRAM OF STATION AREAS, WHICH BASICALLY LEVERAGES THE WORK EITHER BY CAT, METRO OR OTHER CITY PLANNING PROCESSES TO INFUSE E T O D INTO THOSE ONGOING PLANNING PROCESSES.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE HAVE A HIGH, MEDIUM AND LOW KIND OF RATING FOR HOW MUCH PLANNING SERVICES ARE NEEDED, HOW QUICKLY, AND WE WOULD LOOK TO COMBINE THESE, UM, CONTINUE OPERAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATIONS, SAY WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF THEY HAVE A PRIORITY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THAT CAUSE THAT COULD AFFECT HOW THE CITY WANTS TO APPROACH PLANNING.
UM, THE LAST MAJOR SECTION OF THE POLICY PLAN IS THE POLICY TOOLKIT.
THAT'S A MENU OF 46, UM, POLICY TOOLS THAT WERE DEVELOPED TO BE AUSTIN SPECIFIC TO FOCUS ON THE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES.
THEY COVER SMALL BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, MOBILITY, LAND USE, AND URBAN AND DESIGN AND REAL ESTATE AND FINANCE.
UM, EACH TOOL SAYS WHO'S GONNA BE THE LEAD ON IT, WHICH AGENCY, WHICH DEPARTMENT, WHAT KIND OF THINGS WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE GOING FORWARD AS WE CREATE
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AND IMPLEMENT IT, AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO MEASURE SUCCESS, UM, TOWARDS OUR SIX GOALS.THEY REPRESENT, REPRESENT THE DIRECTION THAT AUSTIN WANTS TO TAKE, BUT EACH TOOL WOULD NEED FURTHER REFINEMENT TO ACTUALLY CREATE IT AND IMPLEMENT IT.
AND IN SOME COUNT CASES, WE NEED SPECIFIC COUNCIL DIRECTION TO GO INITIATE THAT TOOL AND, AND BRING IT BACK AND ADOPT IT OR, UH, DIRECT THE BUDGET IN A DIRECT IN A WAY.
SO AS I MENTIONED, THESE ARE SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR WHEN THIS RESOLUTION IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, ONE OF THOSE BEING THE NORTHEAST AUSTIN DISTRICT STATION AREA PLANNING.
SO WE ALREADY IN DECEMBER, COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO WORK WITH CAP METRO ON THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTERS.
AND THAT WORK IS KICKING OFF BASICALLY AS WE SPEAK FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE NORTHEAST ISN'T TOO FAR BEHIND.
AND SO GETTING IN AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT PLANNING PROCESS AS IT GOES OUT WILL HELP BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT RATHER THAN TRYING TO INCORPORATE E T O D LATER ON IN THE PROCESS.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING COUNCIL TO INITIATE SOME AMENDMENTS TO IMAGINE AUSTIN.
SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP.
UM, WHEN THAT WAS LAST LOOKED AT, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE SCOPE OF PROJECT CONNECT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THE EXACT CORRIDORS OR STATION AREAS.
AND SO, UH, BECAUSE THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP IS SUPPOSED TO BE WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING GROWTH IN HOUSING AND JOBS AND SERVICES, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR THE TYPOLOGIES TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT.
UM, BUT THE ACTION WOULD JUST BE TO INITIATE THOSE.
WE WOULD DEFINITELY WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS ON WHAT THAT MEANS AND BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR ULTIMATE CONSIDERATION OF CHANGES.
AND THEN THE LAST, UH, MAJOR STEP THAT WE'RE ASKING COUNCIL TO INITIATE IS THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CHANGES.
UM, STAFF CONSIDERS THESE KIND OF AS THREE DIFFERENT PHASES OF WORK.
THE FIRST BEING MORE ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, EXISTING CODE TODAY INCLUDES A LIST OF WHAT IS AND ISN'T A T OD.
UH, ABOUT 11 OF THEM ARE DEFINED.
AND NOW STAFF WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK AND SAY, OKAY, WELL THESE ARE WHAT THE ETO ODS ARE, AND THIS IS THE ETOD PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, JUST TO CLEAN THAT UP AND MAKE IT VERY CLEAR FOR THE SECOND PHASE, THE SECOND SUB BULLETT THERE, THERE'S ALSO EXISTING INITIAL REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO DESIGNATED TODS TODAY.
UM, THINGS LIKE PREVENTING SURFACE PARKING LOTS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT BUILDING SETBACKS AND ENTRANCES ARE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND SO THAT PROVIDES A BASELINE FOR DEVELOPMENT UNTIL YOU CAN GO IN AND ACTUALLY HAVE MORE DETAILED STATIONARY PLANNING.
AND STAFF IS LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE STILL GOOD INITIAL REGULATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO BE APPLYING THEM TO MANY MORE STATIONARIES.
AND WHETHER THEY'RE REACHING OUR E T O D GOALS, WE MAY NEED TO MAKE UPDATES TO THAT SECTION.
AND THEN THE FINAL SECTION THAT OF CODE THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IS ACTUALLY TO CREATE A NEW E T O D OVERLAY.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE TOOLS IN THE POLICY TOOLKIT, AND IT WOULD HELP PROVIDE A CONSISTENT SYSTEM-WIDE FRAMEWORK FOR THE CITY TO OFFER ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS LIKE HEIGHT, FEE WAIVERS, RELAXATION OF SITE REGULATIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
THIS GOES BACK TO CODIFYING THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS PART THAT COUNCIL ASKED US FOR.
UM, THESE COULD BE BENEFITS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS OUR TYPICAL KIND OF DEVELOPMENT BONUS PROGRAM IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL OR NONPROFIT SPACE INCLUSION OF SPECIFIC MISSING COMMUNITY SERVICES, UM, FUNDING OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PUBLIC-PRIVATE, AND NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS COULD POSSIBLY PRESENT TO THE CITY IN EXCHANGE FOR ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS THAT REACH OUR GOALS.
THE DETAILS OF ALL OF THAT, UH, HAVE NOT YET BEEN WORKED OUT AND WE EX EXPECT AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WOULD BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO CRAFT AN OVERLAY LIKE THIS.
UM, SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO PROCURE A CONSULTANT TEAM TO HELP US WITH THE ANALYSIS AS WELL AS WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO CRAFT AND THEN LATER MAP THIS.
SO AGAIN, THAT WOULD JUST BE COUNCIL INITIATING STAFF TO GO WORK ON THIS, BUT NOT ACTUALLY, UM, CREATING OR CHANGING ANYBODY'S ZONING RIGHT AWAY.
THERE'S MORE INFORMATION IF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO GO REVIEW THE DRAFT POLICY PLAN.
YOU CAN GO FIND IT ONLINE@PUBLICINPUT.COM SLASH E O D.
YOU CAN ALSO SEND US A MESSAGE AT ETO OD AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV.
AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION LIKE ON THE NORTH LAMAR OR SOUTH CON TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREAS, YOU CAN GO TO THE UMBRELLA SITE, WHICH IS PROJECT CONNECT.COM/PROJECTS/ETOD.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU.UH, MEMBERS, BEFORE I GO TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, I WANTED TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, FOR ON THE DIAS? YES, MAYOR PRO TIM, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, QUICK RUN THROUGH OF THAT PRESENTATION.
I KNOW SOME OF US WERE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, BUT SINCE THERE'S NEW MEMBERS ON THE DIAS, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL, UM, TO DO THAT.
I I DID WANNA JUST FLAG THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR STAFF TO PREP FOR THE MARCH 2ND JOINT MEETING IF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS OR THINGS THEY WANNA MAKE SURE COME BACK AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AND I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS TOO, BUT WOULD LOVE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, OR OTHERS TO SPEAK FIRST? UH, THAT'S A GOOD COMMENT.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS THAT YOU, UH, WANT TO SEE ADDRESSED, GIVE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE BY MAKING THOSE KNOWN NOW.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, MAYOR PRO TIM.
AND THE SLIDES SHOW THAT, UH, WE JUST SAW, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MR. LOWE'S GONNA PUT THAT IN THE BACKUPS THAT YOU'LL ALSO HAVE THAT, UH, AS YOU GO FORWARD, CUSTOMER RYAN AL ALTER, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU OR QUESTION FOR ROSIE AND, AND IT, IT MAY NOT EVEN BE A QUESTION FOR YOU TO ANSWER AT THIS MOMENT, BUT YOU MENTIONED, UH, HIRING OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS TO HELP DO SOME OF THIS WORK.
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF WORK THAT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED AND DONE ON THIS ISSUE.
AND SO I JUST UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES THAT Y'ALL HAVE WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, WE SEND YOUR WAY TO THINK ABOUT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE MORE THIRD PARTY, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF IF THERE'S A DELAY IN PROJECT CONNECT, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE BECAUSE OF US.
AND SO IF, IF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE STAFFING CHALLENGES FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
SO IF, IF WE WANNA DEDICATE OUR STAFF TIME TO THIS AND NEED SOME THIRD PARTY TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE SENDING OR VICE VERSA, I JUST, I WANT US TO BE THINKING AND COGNIZANT OF THAT SO THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR THIS NEEDING TO BE DONE AND US MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP, NOBODY'S WAITING ON US.
YOU AND I SHARE THAT AS A PRIORITY.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WILL BE LOOKING AT.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR E T O D WORK, UM, AND THAT WAS ANTICIPATED TO BE CONTRACTED SERVICES.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT AND, AND WE WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNEXPECTED DELAYS.
VELA, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE EXTRA TIME TO, TO LOOK AT IT.
I KNOW WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL HAD OUR, OUR HANDS FULL IN, IN A, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
JUST A QUICK KIND OF COMMENT QUESTION.
UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF STATIONS.
HOW GRANULAR ARE WE GOING TO GET ON THE, YOU KNOW, E T O D? UH, BECAUSE I MEAN, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT PLANNING HAS TO BE CONTEXT SENSITIVE, BUT YOU KNOW, I I DON'T WANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, 40 DIFFERENT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC ZONINGS FOR THE 40 DIFFERENT AREAS.
I MEAN, AT ITS CORE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO CENTER ACTIVITY.
UH, AND ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT KIND OF JUMPED OUT FROM THE PRESENTATION IN TERMS OF KIND OF THE, THE, THE, THE CONTEXT.
WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK ABOUT THAT? YEAH, THANK YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND AGREE, CONTEXT SENSITIVE CAN GO DOWN A RABBIT HOLE TO WHERE YOU HAVE A HUNDRED DIFFERENT, UH, SETS OF STANDARDS OR GOALS.
SO WE ANTICIPATE ONE THAT ALL SIX E T O D GOALS WOULD BE, STR WOULD BE THE GUIDING LIGHT FOR ALL THE STATIONARIES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD FULLY KIND OF TIE THEM ALL TOGETHER.
THE A T T E T O D TYPOLOGIES, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE STAFF AND, AND OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND EVERY, WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A GOOD RANGE, UM, A GOOD NUMBER TO WORK WITH.
THERE'S ALSO OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER, OF COURSE, LIKE, IS IT GOING TO BE A LIGHT RAIL OR COMMUTER RAIL STATION VERSUS A BUS STATION? I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANSIT SERVICE, DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES, AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO KIND OF DO PLANNING IN BOTH A SYSTEM WIDE, SO THINGS LIKE THE OVERLAY THAT I MENTIONED KIND OF WAY AS WELL AS A DETAILED WAY, AS QUICK AS WE CAN, UH, I DON'T WANNA SAY LUMPING, UH, GROUPING STATIONS LIKE ALONG A CORRIDOR OR IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE IN THE, THE NORTHEAST AUSTIN PLAN INTO A SINGLE PROCESS TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES THERE TO GET TO YOUR POINT OF, OF NOT GETTING TOO BOGGED DOWN AND IT TAKING TOO LONG.
AND ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A T O D THEN LAYERED OVER THAT AN E T O D? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY LAYERS OF,
[00:30:01]
OF ZONING ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AT, AT THESE, UH, LOCATIONS? YES.SO, UM, WE DO HAVE THREE EXISTING TODS, UH, WHICH ARE IN THE ZONING STRING TODAY.
SO, UH, THOSE DID NOT JUMP UP NECESSARILY TO BE THE TOP OF THE PLANNING PRIORITY LIST, SINCE THEY ARE, WHILE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE ISSUES THAT COULD BE CORRECTED, WE ALSO DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE FAIRLY TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE TODAY ALREADY.
UM, SO AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, IT'S LIKELY THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK AND MAYBE AMEND THAT EXISTING TD STATION PLAN INTO AN E T O D STATION PLAN.
BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE IN THE SHORT TERM AT ALL SINCE AGAIN, IT, IT WOULDN'T BE THE PRIORITY.
UM, SO WE WOULDN'T BE LAYERING AN E T O D ON TOP OF A T O D TO YOUR, TO YOUR QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION MAYOR, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA, UM, VERY LIKELY DUPLICATE MUCH OF WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT I'LL DELIVER MY PREPARED REMARKS FOR THE RECORD AND FOR MY CONSTITUENTS.
UM, GOOD MORNING COLLEAGUES, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY TEAM, UH, PASSED AND PRESENT AND OTHER TEAMS AND HAS BEEN, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IN THAT PRESENTATION.
LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE PUT IN LOTS OF TIME ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, BUT THE POLICY, FRANKLY, SHOULD WE GET IT RIGHT, IT WOULD CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GREATER DIVERSITY FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE NEAR AND USE TRANSIT.
I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY, SHOULD WE GET IT RIGHT, WOULD ENSURE THAT PROJECT CONNECT, OUR HISTORIC TRANSIT INVESTMENT IS MAXIMIZED TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE EXTRACT THE MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY, UM, FROM THIS POLICY DOCUMENT.
UH, I, I GUESS I'M GONNA REFRAME THAT THOUGH, BECAUSE I LIKE THE WAY THAT IT WAS DESCRIBED DURING THE COURSE OF THE PRESENTATION AS FRAMEWORK AS OPPOSED TO POLICY.
I THINK THAT OFFERS A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT.
THAT'S WHY THE MAYOR PRO TIM AND I HAVE SCHEDULED A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO, UM, COMMITTEES, HOUSING AND PLANNING AND MOBILITY TO REVIEW AND REALLY DELIBERATE ON THIS CRITICAL TOOL.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE TRUNCATED VERSION OF THAT, BUT ALSO WOULD REALLY, UM, MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THE FULL EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WILL COLLECTIVELY DIG INTO MORE OF THESE DETAILS, UM, FOR THE FRAMEWORK AT THE MARCH 2ND JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, FOLLOWING THAT COMMITTEE MEETING, I HOPE THAT WE HOLD A FINAL VOTE ON THE PROPOSED POLICY AT THE MARCH 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
I'D SAY, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, BUT JUST LIKE HAS BEEN SAID TODAY, I REALLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TO THE MESSAGE BOARD AND REALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION THERE AND AT THE JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING ALSO, UM, TO COLLABORATE WITH THE MANY ADVOCATES, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND STAFF WHO REALLY HELPED TO CRAFT THIS DOCUMENT.
UH, IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
WE COULD DO SO MUCH GOOD FOR SO MANY GENERATIONS, IF WE GET IT WRONG, IT WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE MANY BINDERS OF GREAT PLANS THAT ARE STACKED ON OUR BOOKSHELVES AS WE SPEAK.
SO I REALLY WANNA GET THIS ONE RIGHT.
YES, MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND I'LL JUST WRAP UP MY LAST COMMENTS.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S TEAM WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL HAD PASSED.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG AGO, YEARS, MAYBE AGO.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THE WORK IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO I WANNA GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND I JUST WANNA DAYLIGHT ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD COLLABORATION BETWEEN CAT METRO AS THE OPERATORS OF OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THIS IS WHERE WE STEP UP WITH THE ZONING REGULATIONS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO TIGHTEN IT UP, WORK TOGETHER, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THESE, THESE GOOD PLANS MOVING FORWARD AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON HAD SO ELOQUENTLY SAID.
UH, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, UM, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON MARCH 2ND.
AND IF THERE'S ANY COUNCIL OFFICE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH STAFF TO HAVE A FURTHER IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION, EITHER BEFORE THAT MEETING OR SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, THEN WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, UM, AND FOR YOUR EAGERNESS, THE WAY YOU JUMPED UP AT THE BEGINNING.
NO, I TEASED, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE THE, THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'LL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER, UH, 44, UH, WHICH IS AN ITEM THAT WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
AND, AND JUST TO KIND OF LAY OUT THE ITEM THAT I HAD A, A SLIDESHOW THAT WE PREPARED FOR A,
[00:35:01]
UH, FORUM THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THAT WAS ACTUALLY CANCELED DUE TO THE, UH, UH, ICE STORM.AND IT'S JUST A HANDFUL OF SLIDES, AND I JUST WANTED TO RUN THROUGH IT RIGHT QUICK JUST TO KIND OF ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE, THE, THE CONCERNS THAT THE RESOLUTION IS, UH, IS GETTING AT.
AND, UH, GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS, AGAIN, JUST, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS A ONCE IN GENERATION OPPORTUNITY.
THE LAST TIME THERE WAS MAJOR WORK DONE ON THE FREEWAY WAS 1970, ESPECIALLY THE HEART OF I 35 WAS IN THE 1970S.
SO WHATEVER HAPPENS TODAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE WITH US FOR, YOU KNOW, 50, 60 YEARS.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.
GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A CAP THAT TEXDOT BUILT IN TEXAS.
IT'S CALLED, UH, CLOUD WARREN PARK ON THE, I THINK IT'S THE WOODALL ROGERS, UH, A FREEWAY.
UM, YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PHOTO WHERE YOU KNOW, THE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE KIND OF THE EDGE OF THE CAP THERE WITH THE LANES GOING, UH, UH, IN AND OUT THERE.
UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A SUBSEQUENT SLIDE THAT THAT SHOWS IT BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS, BUT THIS IS BEFORE IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, A, A A A A TRENCH, REALLY WITH THE FREEWAY RIGHT UNDERNEATH.
UH, THEY BUILT THIS, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PARKS IN DALLAS TODAY.
YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THE FEATURES THAT THEY HAVE ON TOP.
PEOPLE GO THERE AND THEY TAKE, YOU KNOW, WEDDING PHOTOS AND QUINAN PHOTOS AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE PICNICS AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, AGAIN, I GOTTA GIVE CREDIT WHAT CREDIT IS DUE.
GREAT, UH, WORK BY TECH DOT AND THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS JUST, I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THIS.
THEY WILL, TO THEIR HEART SAY THAT THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.
BUT IN 2002, THERE WERE ABOUT 200,000 VEHICLES CROSSING I 35 EVERY DAY.
UH, THE PROJECTIONS AT THE TIME WERE THAT IN, YOU KNOW, 2022, WE WOULD HAVE 320,000.
WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF VEHICLES, 200,000 VEHICLES USING I 35 EVERY DAY.
I ACCEPT NO ONE WILL BELIEVE YOU
THEY'LL BE LIKE, I KNOW THE TRAFFIC IS WORSE TODAY THAN IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO.
BUT, UH, THE, AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS GO, THE I 35 HAS, HAS NOT, UH, IS NOT CARRYING ANY MORE VEHICLES THAN IT DID 20 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT ONE TOO.
SO THIS IS AIRPORT BOULEVARD, UH, RIGHT AT THE BORDER OF, UH, OF D FOUR AND D NINE, REALLY.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT THIS OUT AS, UH, ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE ARE NOT, UH, REBUILDING IN A WAY THAT FACILITATES, UH, MOBILITY.
UM, HERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE LITTLE BLUE, UH, LINES, THOSE LINES ARE GOING TO BE THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS THROUGH THAT AREA.
UH, AND IF, YOU KNOW, JUST TO THE, TO THE, TO THE TOP LEFT HAND CORNER, THAT IS THE MUELLER, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M SORRY, THAT'S DELWOOD ACTUALLY, BUT MUELLER WOULD JUST BE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, BEHIND AND OVER THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, THE RAILROAD TRACK ON THE BOTTOM, UH, RIGHT CORNER, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE BEGINNINGS OF THE, YOU KNOW, HYDE PARK, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT THERE.
THE HANCOCK CENTER IS JUST OVER THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TWO VERY, UM, POPULATED, VERY, UH, UH, THRIVING, VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS WHO, YOU KNOW, AS THE CROW FLIES ARE A SHORT DISTANCE FROM ONE ANOTHER, BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO WALK OR BIKE SAFELY BETWEEN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE OTHER.
UH, IT'S EVEN DIFFICULT TO DRIVE FROM, YOU KNOW, ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE OTHER, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A VERY SHORT DISTANCE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN A HALF MILE, MAYBE A THIRD OF A MILE.
UM, THIS DESIGN HERE IS NOT GOING TO FACILITATE MOBILITY AND ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE BLUE LINES THERE, THAT'S A VERY LONG AND ROUNDABOUT WALK THAT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY, EXCEPT THOSE WHO ABSOLUTELY NEED, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE NO OTHER OPTION, REALLY WILL, UH, WILL TAKE.
AND IF YOU LOOK ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD AIRPORT BOULEVARD'S IN THE GREEN, UH, UH, RIGHT THERE, THAT KIND OF CURVES THROUGH I 35, THERE'S A LITTLE ORANGE, LITTLE DASH ON THE GREEN THERE THAT'S CONNECTING THE, THE TWO SIDES OF THE BLUE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY, THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS FOR AN UNDERGROUND WALKWAY, UH, THROUGH, UH, UNDERNEATH AIRPORT BOULEVARD, BASICALLY FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD.
YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I I JUST THINK THAT DISCOURAGES, UH, PEDESTRIANS, UH, I, I, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE
[00:40:01]
A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, CROSS AIRPORT BOULEVARD THROUGH A TUNNEL, YOU KNOW, AT NIGHT.UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO DO, DO BETTER IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, OF MOBILITY, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT, AT, AT PEDESTRIAN AND, AND, UH, UH, AND, AND BICYCLE, UH, MOBILITY.
UM, UH, AGAIN, ON THE BOARD OF D NINE AND D THREE, UH, THIS IS WHERE, UH, PRIOR TO THE, OR THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS, IS THAT THERE IS A ROAD WOODLAND THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE, WHERE IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BUTTING OUT OF THE, OF THE HIGHWAY ON BOTH SIDES THERE.
CURRENTLY, YOU GO RIGHT UNDER, UH, IT'S AN UNDERPASS, UH, RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD, UH, SIMPLE AND EASY.
UH, THERE IS ALSO PEOPLE WALK AGAIN, JUST THAT VERY SHORT DISTANCE THERE, UH, TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.
THE, THE, THE STREET IS GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, CUT OFF THERE.
UH, SO YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CROSS A HIGHWAY, UH, ON WOODLAND AVENUE.
UH, AND IT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, WHICH AGAIN, PROBABLY THREE TIMES, MAYBE FOUR TIMES THE NUMBER OF STEPS IT WILL TAKE TO, INSTEAD OF JUST SIMPLY CROSS UNDER THE HIGHWAY, THE SAME, YOU KNOW, DISTANCE THAT YOU'RE WALKING, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO, IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF BRIDGES OVER THE HIGHWAY THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SEE AT, AT, AT DIFFERENT, UH, LOCATIONS.
I THINK ABOUT THERE'S ONE ON LIKE, ABOUT AIRPORT IN LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? 12TH? A LITTLE BIT, UH, UH, RIGHT AROUND THERE BETWEEN LIKE MLK AND, AND IN, IN 12TH AIRPORT.
SPRINGDALE, IN MY EXPERIENCE, AND FROM THE TRANSIT PROFESSIONALS THAT I'VE TALKED TO ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, THESE KINDS OF LOOPING, YOU KNOW, LONG PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PATHWAYS OVER CORRIDORS ARE RARELY USED.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUILT, BUT VERY, VERY FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY USE THEM BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE TRIP SO LONG AND, UH, SO DIFFICULT.
THIS JUST IN AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE CAPS, AND AGAIN, GOTTA GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.
THE DOWNTOWN SECTION FROM SETH OPS CHAVEZ TO ABOUT EIGHTH STREET, UH, LOOKS GREAT.
UH, THERE ARE GOING TO BE CAPS THAT ARE GOING TO CONNECT, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE EAST AND THE WEST SIDE.
THERE'S JUST AN ILLUSTRATION OF, OF THE, THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CAPS AND THE PLAN, UH, WITHOUT THE CAPS, I THINK THAT THAT COULD VERY WELL BE TRANSFORMATIVE OF, UH, DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND ONE, I THINK, VERY CRITICAL ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE RADAR IS HOW STRONG THE CAPS ARE GONNA BE, OR HOW STRONG THE FOUNDATIONS THE SUPPORTS FOR THE CAPS ARE GOING TO BE.
THE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE, IN THE, THE, UH, CLADE WARREN PARK IN DALLAS, THEY RETROFITTED THAT ONTO THE HIGHWAY.
THERE WAS NEVER A PLAN TO CAP IT OR ANYTHING.
THEY, AND THEY CAN ONLY BUILD VERY, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUILDINGS.
THERE'S SOME KIND OF PARK TYPE BUILDINGS THERE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE BUILD THOSE CAPS AS STRONG AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, SO THAT A CITY COUNCIL, 40 YEARS FROM NOW, 50 YEARS FROM NOW, MAYBE THEY DO WANT TO PUT A FOUR STORY BUILDING, A SIX STORY BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY DO WANT TO ADD ON TO THOSE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, THE CAPS ARE.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT INTEND TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD SOMETHING ON THAT RIGHT AWAY, WE WANT TO FACILITATE THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, FUTURE AUSTIN THAT HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS, PARTICULARLY IN ITS DOWNTOWN CORE AREA.
AGAIN, GOTTA GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.
THE, THE, THE, THE SHADE THERE, THE SHADED AREAS, UH, ON THE TOP SLIDE THAT IS FROM CESA CHAVEZ TO WHERE THE SHADE STOPS.
THERE IS ABOUT A STREET, THE, A STREET CROSSING IS GONNA BE REMOVED.
UM, THE, AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM ARE THE CAPS THAT, UH, UT IS PLANNING WITH TECH DOT.
AND THOSE WILL BE GOING FROM, YOU SEE THE IRWIN CENTER DOWN IN THE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, BOTTOM, UH, RIGHT, UH, UH, PHOTO, UH, THE, THAT, THOSE CAPS ARE GONNA BE GOING FROM 15TH STREET TO DEAN KEATON.
AND HONESTLY, THE CAPS THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS PLANNING TO PUT IN, IN IT'S WORKING WITH TECH.TO PUT IN, ARE GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET.
IT'S GONNA CONNECT THE EAST AND WEST SIDES OF THE UNIVERSITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR BASEBALL STADIUM, YOUR FOOTBALL STADIUM, THE BASKETBALL STADIUM, THE MOODY CENTER, THE TENNIS COURTS.
UH, THIS IS REALLY, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, JUST ONE OF THE, THE PREMIERE, ALMOST A LITTLE OLYMPIC VILLAGE THERE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, UH, UT AND, AND, AND TECH DOT CAN CAN GET THIS RIGHT.
GONNA SEE SOME OF THE, THE BEST
[00:45:01]
TAILGATING IN THE COUNTRY IS GONNA BE TAKING PLACE ON TOP OF THOSE, UH, CAPS THERE AT, UH, THE, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.SO, AGAIN, PROPS TO THE UNIVERSITY AND TECH DOT FOR WORKING TOGETHER.
THIS WAS A RECENT ADDITION TO THE PLAN.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PLAN IS STILL EVOLVING, AS A MAYOR SAID, AND IT'S EVOLVING FOR THE BETTER.
IT'S IMPROVED FROM WHERE IT STARTED AND, AND IT'S GOTTEN BETTER AS WE'VE MOVED FORWARD.
THERE'S A BEFORE AND AFTER OF THE CLOUD WARREN PARK.
UM, AGAIN, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, PICTURE IT'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
YOU, YOU HAVE A, A VERY KIND OF DISMAL FREEWAY ENVIRONMENT ON ONE SIDE, UH, AND THEN THE AFTER IS A BEAUTIFUL, VIBRANT PLACE.
UH, AND, AND TO THAT POINT, THE, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REAL ESTATE VALUES ARE IN DALLAS AROUND THIS PARK, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY PROBABLY INCREASED AFTER THE PARK WAS BUILT.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A KEY PART OF FINANCING THE CAPS IS, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE CAP THE LAND ON THE FREEWAY, THE FRONTAGE TO THOSE CAPS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH MORE VALUABLE THAN IT WAS BEFORE, THAT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A, A TURS OR A TIF, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE THE, THE LAND VALUE INCREASES, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN USE THAT TO, TO PAY FOR, UM, UH, SOME OF THE CAPS.
UH, AND AGAIN, THERE'S JUST SOME, SOME DATA ON THERE.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS ALSO, I THINK, I DON'T THINK TECH STOCK PAID FOR ANY OF THIS.
I BELIEVE THE, THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, UH, UH, PAID FOR IT BOTH.
I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, UH, ABOUT THE, THE FINANCING OF THAT PROJECT.
AND NEXT SLIDE, A A BIG PART OF IT WAS THAT DUDE NAMED CLYDE WARREN
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA NEED, UH,
I'M HAPPY TO NAME THINGS AFTER PEOPLE FOR
UH, AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOME OF THE BENEFITS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS LIVE, UH, RIGHT AROUND, I MEAN, I 35 LITERALLY GOES THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, AND, UH, I, I, I TELL FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY HOUSE, WHICH IS MAYBE A HALF MILE OR SO FROM THE FREEWAY, UM, WHEN I WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, GETTING UP AT, AT AND GETTING ON THE ROAD AT, YOU KNOW, 5:00 AM FOR A, A HEARING DOWN IN SOUTH TEXAS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I COULD SEE THE LIGHTS FROM I 35 FROM MY HOUSE.
I COULD HEAR THE, THE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, ROLLING ON, UH, I 35, UH, A LATE AT NIGHT LIKE THAT.
AND HONESTLY, I WAS PROBABLY BREATHING IN THE FUMES AND THE, THE TIRE DUST AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF FROM, UH, THE VEHICLES AS WELL.
SO, AND, AND THAT'S A COMMON SENTIMENT I THINK IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S AROUND I 35, IS THAT THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH THE NOISE POLLUTION, THE LIGHT POLLUTION, THE AIR POLLUTION.
I MEAN, ONCE YOU HAVE DESCRIBED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COULD DO IN TERMS OF BEARING AND CAPPING THE, THE FREEWAY THAT, YOU KNOW, RUNS CLOSE TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, RUNS CLOSE TO THEIR HOUSE.
I MEAN, PEOPLE JUST ARE LIKE, WOW, LET'S DO IT.
THAT'S SUCH A GREAT IDEA THAT WE REALLY WANNA DO IT.
UM, AND, UH, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT THE CAPS WILL ALSO ENABLE THOSE EAST-WEST CONNECTIVITY THAT WE SO BADLY NEED.
THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES TO ILLUSTRATE A, A, A A POINT.
THIS IS, UH, THE NUMBER OF EASTWEST, UH, CROSSINGS IN THE, IN THE CENTRAL, UH, PORTION OF, UH, THE TECH DOT PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE, LIKE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, I WOULD SAY, ALL THE WAY UP TO ABOUT AIRPORT, YOU HAVE GOOD CONNECTIVITY.
UH, I MEAN, DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT SIXTH STREET, YOU'VE GOT SEVENTH STREET, YOU'VE GOT EIGHTH STREET, YOU KNOW, SE CHAVEZ JUST DOWN THE WAY.
AND THEN 11TH AND 12TH, THERE'S PLENTY OF WAYS TO, TO GET EAST AND WEST, UH, AS YOU MOVE FARTHER NORTH, UH, LESS, BUT THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL CONNECTIVITY.
32ND STREET, YOU KNOW, DEAN KEATON, UH, 38TH STREET, UH, YOU HAVE THAT, THE 41ST STREET CROSSING RIGHT BY THE, THE HANCOCK CENTER, H E B.
UM, THEN ONCE YOU GET OUT OF THAT CORE, THOUGH, BETWEEN AIRPORT AND 51ST, I THINK IS ABOUT 0.6 MILES, IT SAYS ON THERE, I JUST CAN'T READ IT FROM HERE, BETWEEN 51ST AND TWO 90, UH, WHICH IS DISTRICT FOUR, IT'S ABOUT 0.8 MILES WHERE THERE IS NOT A CROSSING.
AND BETWEEN AIRPORT AND TWO 90 IN THAT NORTHERN SECTION OF THIS PROJECT, I THINK WE'VE HAD FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE, UH, KILLED TRYING TO CROSS THE FREEWAY AT, NOT AT A CROSSING, BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO MAKE A RUN ACROSS AN ACTIVE FREEWAY, UH, WHICH JUST REALLY ILLUSTRATES THE NEEDS FOR BETTER EAST WEST CROSSING.
SO PEOPLE CAN GET ACROSS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TECHSTAR IS PLANNING TO, TO PUT IN A, A, A CROSSING ONE OF THOSE KIND OF LIKE ELEVATED WALKWAYS WITH THE, THE, THE KIND OF LOOPING RAMP, UH, UP TO THE CROSSING.
I THINK THAT'S A, A SUBPAR CONNECTION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW, HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO HELP.
THIS IS THE NORTH, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE JUST HUGE
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DISTANCES.I THINK THE AVERAGE IS WELL OVER A MILE BETWEEN, UH, 180 3 AND RUNDBERG.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1.8 MILES, UH, WITHOUT AN EAST WEST CROSSING.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE WHEN THE FREEWAY WAS BUILT IN THE, IN THE SEVENTIES.
THESE WERE LARGELY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RURAL AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, BUT, YOU KNOW, HUGE NEIGHBORHOODS, VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE SPRUNG UP AROUND, UH, UH, THE, THE HIGHWAY.
AND THAT'S JUST TOO FAR TO GO.
IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO WALK OR BIKE ACROSS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE NOT LIVING LIKE CLOSE TO ONE OF THOSE CROSSINGS.
AND TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE WANT TO DRIVE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY TO THE OTHER, AGAIN, WHAT MIGHT BE A HALF MILE, YOU KNOW, AS A CROW FLIES DISTANCE IS GONNA TURN INTO LIKE A THREE MILE LOOP, BUT BY THE TIME YOU CROSS AND, AND THEN DO A U-TURN AND THEN BACK AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN THIS IS THE LAST LINE, ONE MORE SOUTH.
SO SOUTH PROBABLY HAS THE WORST.
NORTH IS PRETTY BAD IN TERMS OF THE DISTANCES BETWEEN, UH, UH, CROSSINGS.
BUT THE SOUTH, I BELIEVE THAT THE ONE BETWEEN SLAUGHTER AND IS IT WILLIAM CANNON IS 1.9 MILES.
IT'S ABOUT TWO MILES OR SO BETWEEN EAST, WEST CROSSINGS.
AND, UH, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, MOST, UH, UH, FOLKS HAVE NOTICED THERE'S A LOT OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS BEING BUILT ALONG I 35, UH, BOTH ALONG THE NORTHERN STRETCH AND ALONG THE SOUTHERN STRETCH.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THE CORNER STORE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, A GALLON OF MILK MIGHT HAVE TO DO A, YOU KNOW, A FOUR MILE LOOP TO, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE CORNER STORE AND, AND, AND COME BACK.
UH, JUST THIS IS NOT FACILITATING THE, THE, THE KIND OF COMPACT AND CONNECTED, UH, CITY THAT, THAT WE WANT TO, TO LIVE IN.
UM, AND SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO POINT SOME OF THESE OUT JUST AS THIS IS SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES THAT ARE DRIVING THE, THE RESOLUTION.
AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE JUST VISUALLY LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE DOCUMENTS TO SHOW FOLKS EXACTLY WHAT, UH, UH, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IN, IN, IN THE KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM THE PROJECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MARVELLA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ENJOY THE PRESENTATION.
WELCOME MANY MORE PRESENTATIONS IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE MORE
UM, FIRST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY, 10, 20, 30, 40 YEARS FROM NOW, I AM 100% WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THESE CAP CONNECTIONS AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO BUILD OUT OUR CITY IN A WAY THAT IS FORWARD LOOKING.
AND, AND VISIONARY AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRO-GROWTH CITY.
AND AS A CITY THAT IS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT GROWING THE AUSTIN WAY.
SO HAVING THESE CAPS, ESPECIALLY WITH GREEN SPACE PARKS, TRANSIT BUILDINGS, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, THAT THAT'S GONNA REALLY, UH, MAKE FOR A MORE CONNECTED AND, UM, AND A A BETTER, A BETTER CITY.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU LAYING THIS OUT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
I THINK THIS IS, UM, A GREAT WAY FOR US TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO THINK ABOUT THE FUNDING NEEDED, THE THE COMMUNITY WILL THAT IS ALREADY THERE FOR US TO HAVE GREATER CONNECTIVITY.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE SOUTH AUSTIN PORTION THAT YOU JUST POINTED OUT.
1.2 MILES BETWEEN THE WILLIAM CANNON AND SLAUGHTER CROSSING, IF YOU ARE EVER IN THE SOUTH AUSTIN AND, AND MY NECK OF THE WOODS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALT ALTER'S NECK OF THE WOODS, UM, YOU WILL SEE IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH HAPPENING DOWN THERE, AND WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MORE CONNECTIONS IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT THIS RESOLUTION ALL ALSO DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR THOSE CONNECTIONS.
MAYOR PRO TIM, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I, I HOPE THE EXPECTATION IS NOT THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA BRING OUR OWN PRESENTATIONS WHEN WE PULL ITEMS FROM HERE ON OUT, BUT THE GRAPHICS ABOUT THE DISTANCE FOR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IS REALLY EYE-OPENING.
YOU KNOW, A MILE IN A CAR IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN A MILE ON FOOT OR A MILE USING A WALKER, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST NOT SURMOUNTABLE.
SO I APPRECIATE HAVING THAT INFORMATION, UM, SPELLED OUT SO CLEARLY, I HOPE THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE OF THOSE CROSSINGS, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT BUILDING BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IS MORE COST EFFECTIVE THAN BUILDING BRIDGES FOR CARS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M INTERESTED IN.
AND I'M ALSO REMINDED THAT WE HAD HAD A CONVERSATION ON THE DIAS PREVIOUSLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO HAD BROUGHT UP THE DISCUSSION OF SPEED LIMITS ON THE FRONTAGE ROADS AND REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS A VERY WALKABLE, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO I HAVEN'T WORKED OUT ANY LANGUAGE, OR I WOULD'VE PUT IT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD
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SOONER, BUT MAY OFFER US A SLIGHT, A SLIGHT ADDITION INTO THAT LANGUAGE TO REALLY SAY THAT WE AS A CITY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE SPEED LIMITS LOWERED ON THE FRONTAGE ROADS TO HELP WITH THAT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.UM, BUT THAT, THAT IS ALL MY NOTES, BUT I APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK ON THESE COMMENTS.
I'M STILL REVIEWING THEM IN THEIR ENTIRETY, BUT APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND WITH YOUR COLLABORATORS WHO ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY I 35 CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD MOVE IF I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU TO CLOSE.
UH, AND, AND JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK, YOU KNOW, THE MORE CONNECTIONS WE HAVE, THE BETTER TRAFFIC IS AT THOSE INDIVIDUAL CONNECTIONS.
WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE CONNECTION IN, LET'S SAY LIKE A MILE AND A HALF AREA, EVERYBODY HAS TO CROWD INTO THAT CONNECTION TO GET EAST AND WEST ALONG I 35, WHERE YOU HAVE MORE CONNECTIONS.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC CAN KIND OF DIFFUSE ITSELF A LITTLE BIT AND, AND FLOW BETTER.
I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I, I IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT PEDESTRIANS AND, AND, AND BICYCLISTS, BUT THE REALITY IS ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS DRIVE, THEY ALSO NEED BETTER CONNECTIONS.
DRIVERS NEED, UH, UH, BETTER CONNECTIONS, UH, A AS WELL.
UM, AND I JUST ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE NOT THE FIRST CITY TO DO THIS.
UH, IF YOU LOOK GLOBALLY, THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN A DOZEN CITIES OR SO THAT HAVE TAKEN STEPS IN, IN THIS DIRECTION.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY IN BOSTON, WHERE THEY BURIED, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S, UH, INTERSTATE 93 OR 95, UH, UNDERNEATH IT AS IT GOES THROUGH BOSTON.
AND FOR ANYBODY THAT'S BEEN TO BOSTON, UH, THE TRANSFORMATION IS JUST REMARKABLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, BOSTON WHEN THEY HAD THE, THE BIG GREEN MONSTERS, THEY WOULD CALL IT THE ELEVATED METAL FREEWAY THAT THEY HAD FOR YEARS AND AFTERWARDS AND, AND LOOK AT IT TODAY, IT'S PHENOMENAL.
SEATTLE IS ALSO BARRING IT'S, UH, ALASKAN HIGHWAY, UH, WHICH RUNS THROUGH, UH, DOWNTOWN.
THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO AGAIN, IT'S AN ENORMOUS, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA COMMENT ON HOW DIFFICULT AND, AND COMPLEX THOSE TASKS ARE, BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
AND, UM, AND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WITH TECHSTAR TO GET THE, THE BEST POSSIBLE, UH, HIGHWAY REBUILD WE CAN.
WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER 61.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 61 WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, AND I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR HER PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER REVELLA HAS SET THE STANDARD.
NO, I, YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES, I KNOW WE'VE HAD, UM, MANY COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ON THE TOPIC OF, UH, POLICE NEGOTI CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
AND SO I WANTED TO PULL THIS ITEM RECOGNIZING, UM, THE RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, IN RECOGNIZING THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN.
WE'RE ALL HERE COMMITTED TO THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT SAFETY AND ALSO ASKING FOR OVERSIGHT ARE NOT TWO SEPARATE THINGS, AND THAT WE CAN BE A CITY THAT HAS BOTH.
AND SO HAVING THIS RESOLUTION, UM, THAT PRESERVES PAY AND BENEFITS AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, INITIATES A, UH, THE OFFICE OF, OF OVERSIGHT AND AN INVESTIGATOR PROCESS, UM, FOR COMPLAINTS REGARDING POLICE MISCONDUCT IS THE RIGHT WAY FORWARD GIVEN THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.
UH, A COURSE WOULD LOVE IT IF OUR AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION RETURNED TO, UH, THE BARGAINING TABLE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT ULTIMATELY RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE TWO BALLOT PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT IN A FEW MONTHS THAT ARE REGARDING OVERSIGHT.
UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PATHWAY FORWARD FOR US.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE, UH, MAYOR IN, IN THE MESSAGE BOARD POST THAT YOU POSTED A FEW DAYS AGO, YOU, UH, TALKED ABOUT AN AMENDMENT THAT YOU WOULD BE BRINGING FORWARD REGARDING PAY.
AND SO I WAS GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU COULD SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THAT AMENDMENT MIGHT LIKE.
BE HAPPY TO DO THE, THE AMENDMENT WOULD LIKELY HAVE THREE PARTS TO IT.
ONE, AND I'LL, I'LL, IN A MOMENT, I'LL APOLOGIZE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTRA, I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO YOU, SO I'M NOT GIVING A SPEECH, BUT, UH, SINCE IT'S YOURS.
BUT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AS PART OF THIS ORDINANCE, SO THAT WE CAN, AS A COUNCIL, DEMONSTRATE, UH, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE POLICE, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ABILITY FOR THE POLICE TO MAKE DECISIONS AND, UH, FOR US TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN ATTRACT AND RETAIN POLICE OFFICERS.
AND, AND AS I POINTED OUT IN THE MESSAGE BOARD, BECAUSE I GOT DISTRACTED WITH SOME OTHER THINGS, UH, I WAS VERY PLEASED THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, RYAN AL ALTER PICKED THAT UP AND, AND PUT TOGETHER THAT VERY WELL, UH, CRAFTED ORDINANCE.
THE AMENDMENT WOULD INCREASE BASE WAGES, AND CURRENTLY THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THE, IT, THIS IS NUMBER ONE, IT WOULD INCREASE BASE WAGES, AND CURRENTLY THE THOUGHT IS THAT IT WOULD INCREASE BASE WAGES BY 4%.
UM, THAT ALL OUGHT TO BE DISCUSSED,
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BUT THAT IS TO INCREASE THE BASE WAGES SO THAT WAGES GO UP.THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING, UH, KNOW THAT IT GOES UP AND WE CAN, UH, MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS, IT WOULD, IT WILL INCLUDE A NEW INCREASE TO THE BASE WAGE, UH, WHERE IT CREATES HOPEFULLY AN INCENTIVE FOR CERTAIN BENCHMARKS TO BE ACHIEVED.
YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE PROPOSAL WE HAD IN FRONT OF US, UH, THE OTHER NIGHT, AT THE LAST MINUTE HAD HAD AN AD, UH, AN ADDITION PUT IN THERE THAT THE ADDITION WAS THAT ON RECRUITMENT, IF A CADET CLASS HAD, UH, 200 OR MORE, 200 PEOPLE OR MORE, THEN WHAT WOULD OCCUR IS THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE BASE WAGE FOR EVERYBODY, UH, IN, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A P D.
AND THERE WAS CONCERNED EXPRESSED THAT, THAT CREATED A COUNTERINTUITIVE INCENTIVE BECAUSE IF YOU STATE AT 1 98 OR 1 99, THEN THERE WAS A PAY INCREASE.
SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS IT WOULD INCLUDE, INCLUDE A NEW INCREASE TO THE BASE WAGE OF THE CURRENT THINKING IS A HALF A PERCENT FOR EVERY BENCHMARK ACHIEVED AT THE SWORN OFFICER LEVELS.
NOW, THIS IS NOT, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL WORKING AND TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT, BUT I WANT Y'ALL TO HEAR THIS PARTICULARLY SINCE, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE YOUR INPUT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU SET A STANDARD, AND I'M JUST GONNA USE ROUND NUMBERS, A 1500 IN, IN YOUR SWORN STAFFING, AND YOU SAY, IF WE ARE AT 1700, AGAIN, THIS IS TO BE WORKED OUT 1700, THEN EVERYBODY GETS AN INCREASE OF A HALF A PERCENT.
THEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS YOU IN HAVE INCENTIVIZED PEOPLE TO NOT RETIRE PEOPLE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO NOT RETIRE.
YOU'VE ALSO ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO HELP RECRUIT PEOPLE, AND THAT COULD GO UP TO A, A CERTAIN AMOUNT, IF YOU'LL RECALL IT.
THE, THE WAY IT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL WAS, UM, IT WOULD GO UP TO ONE AND A HALF PERCENT, I THINK WAS WHAT THE, THE, THE PAY INCREASE IN BASE WAGES WAS, WAS ONE AND A HALF PERCENT.
WHAT I WOULD ENVISION HERE IS THAT YOU WOULD STAGGER THAT OR CASCADE IT, OR WHATEVER'S THE RIGHT WORD.
SO THAT, AND AGAIN, I'M MAKING UP NUMBERS HERE, SO PLEASE, WHEN I READ THE NEWSPAPER TOMORROW, I'M, I'M, THIS IS A PROPOSAL OF A THOUGHT PROCESS.
UH, YOU WOULD HAVE, LET'S SAY 1700, IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF A HALF A PERCENT, 1900, ANOTHER HALF A PERCENT, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN COME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MANAGER, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND OTHERS PLEASE, CHIEF AND OTHERS, WE CAN COME UP WITH WHAT WE THINK IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THAT SO THAT WE INCENTIVIZE.
SO THAT'D BE THE SECOND PART OF THAT.
UM, THE THIRD PART, AND BY THE WAY, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY IS WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE BENCHMARKS MAKE SENSE, RIGHT? THEY CAN'T BE TOO LOW, BUT YET THEY CAN'T BE SO HIGH THAT THEY'RE NOT USEFUL, RIGHT? THEY DON'T, THEY, THEY, THEY NEED TO BE MEANINGFUL.
THE THIRD THING THAT, UH, I WOULD SEE PUTTING INTO THIS AMENDMENT IS TO INCLUDE A TIME LIMIT.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN ABOUT THAT QUICK TODAY WHEN I WALKED ON THE DIAS, THAT IT WOULD INCLUDE A TIME LIMIT OF SOME PERIOD OF TIME, AND I'M THINKING PROBABLY A 12 MONTH TIME LIMIT TO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER.
UM, I WOULD SEE THAT THAT WOULD BE, THE WAY I SEE IT IS A COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS REVISIT THAT ORDINANCE, BUT SETTING A SUNSET TIME WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT IT AGAIN, BUT I WANT TO BE IN A POSITION TO, UH, MAKE SURE BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN, SO TO SPEAK, ARE, ARE MET.
PEOPLE KNOW THEY'VE GOT THIS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT, UM, THERE MAY BE SOME LIMITATION ON IT SO THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING IN PERPETUITY IF WE'RE NOT O IF IT'S NOT OTHERWISE WORKING OR, OR MEETING OUR NEEDS.
I WILL SAY ONE THING ABOUT THAT AND THEN COUNCILMAN RO, I, I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCILMAN RYAN ALTER AND I'LL COME TO YOU.
UM, THE, THE, THE ONE OTHER THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT, AND I'VE SAID THIS TO OTHERS, ALTHOUGH I'VE NOT SAID IT, YOU KNOW, STANDING UP HERE OR SITTING HERE WITH Y'ALL, AND THAT IS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A ONE YEAR CONTRACT, UH, AND WE START TALKING ABOUT TIME LIMITS ON THINGS, A ONE YEAR CONTRACT IS NOT NE THAT IS, WE'VE SAID IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ALTHOUGH
[01:05:01]
SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, BUT THAT IS THAT THERE'S AN ELECTION IN MAY THAT THO THE PRINCIPLES OF ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO HAVE ITS VOICE ARE INTERTWINED, AND IT IS THE CONTEXT IN WHICH WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS, AND WE HAVE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.HAVING SAID THAT, THAT IS THE REASON FOR ONE YEAR AND WHY WE, WE TALK ABOUT AN EXTENSION OF ONE YEAR.
THERE MAY BE THINGS WE CAN DO FINANCIALLY THAT DON'T RELATE TO THAT ELECTION AND OVERSIGHT THAT COULD GO FOR MORE YEARS IF PEOPLE WOULD COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND DISCUSS THOSE THINGS.
WHEN WE TALK IN TERMS OF A ONE YEAR, PEOPLE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT IS TO PAY RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY WHEN THERE'S A VOTE COMING UP IN MAY.
AS IT APPLIES TO OVERSIGHT, SINCE I'M TALKING ABOUT MONEY, I THOUGHT I JUST MENTIONED THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS, PROBABLY WOULD BE WILLING TO LOOK AT THINGS BEYOND ONE YEAR WHEN IT CAME TO MONEY IF WE HAD PEOPLE AT A TABLE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
I, UH, I APOLOGIZE, I SHOULD HAVE CALLED ON YOU FIRST.
I, I, I APPRECIATE YOU KICKING OFF THE CONVERSATION BOTH A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH YOUR AMENDMENT AND CONTINUING HERE TODAY.
I WAS GLAD TO, TO PICK IT UP AND, AND MOVE FORWARD.
Y'ALL HAVE TOUCHED ON A LOT OF WHAT I WANT TO SAY, BUT I, I JUST WANT TO BE VERY, UH, CLEAR.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT TWO THINGS, CREATING AS MUCH STABILITY AS POSSIBLE, GIVEN THAT MANY OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE NOW FACED WITH A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT.
AND SO TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN CREATE SOME STABILITY, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT AND INCUMBENT UPON US TO DO THAT.
IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN AND CREATE ROBUST OVERSIGHT.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES SAID, THOSE TWO THINGS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER, AND THAT IS WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD DO.
SO THIS IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A CONTRACT.
EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM US BEING UNDER A CONTRACT, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THAT, WHETHER IT'S COMING BACK TO THE TABLE AND REACHING A ONE YEAR DEAL OR AFTER MAY REACHING A FOUR YEAR DEAL, IT EVERYBODY STANDS TO GAIN FROM AN AGREEMENT.
BUT TODAY, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE AUSTIN BETTER TOMORROW THAN IT IS TODAY.
BUT WITH THE PROSPECT OF FALLING OUT OF CONTRACT, I BELIEVE WE FACE THE REAL POSSIBILITY OF GOING BACKWARDS, AND THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
WE, WE CAN'T GO BACKWARDS WHEN IT COMES TO RECRUITING AND RETAINING OFFICERS.
WE CAN'T GO BACKWARDS WHEN IT COMES TO OVERSIGHT, AND WE CAN'T GO BACKWARDS WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITABLE PROMOTIONS.
SOME OF THE STUFF YOU MENTIONED THAT WE CAN DO ON A LONG TERM BASIS, WE, WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TODAY.
SO THAT IS WHAT MY, UH, ORDINANCE ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE COMPENSATION SIDE, AROUND THE TIME LIMIT.
I'LL TELL YOU MY THINKING ON THE TIME LIMIT, I, I GET BOTH SIDES.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, MY, ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES HERE IS TO CREATE STABILITY.
AND IF WE DO PUT A TIME LIMIT IN, I WANNA BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT IT IS NOT CREATING FUTURE INSTABILITY, THAT WE WOULD ADDRESS IT WITH ENOUGH, UH, ENOUGH IN ADVANCE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO PROPERLY PLAN AND HOPEFULLY PROPERLY MOTIVATED TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE, THE CONVERSATION, AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW.
AND I, AND I, I, IF I WASN'T CLEAR, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WHEN WE CONSIDER THE TIME LIMIT, WE'RE CONSIDERING BOTH SIDES OF THAT COIN, BUT SINCE THIS IS ABOUT STABILITY, WE CANNOT, LIKE, I CAN'T OVERSTATE THAT AND I'M GLAD YOU BRING THAT UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, AND THEN I'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER WHO, GREAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COMMENTS FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, UH, ALTER AND, AND THE MAYOR, UH, ON ALL THIS AND, AND KIND OF ECHO A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR, FOR A CONTRACT.
YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR IS STILL PREFERRED AND, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UH, AFTER HEARING FROM THE VOTERS, UH, COME MAY, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, AND GET SOMETHING LONGER ON THE BOOKS, UH, WITH, WITH THE POLICE.
UH, I, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, OUR OFFICE IS ALSO WORKING ON AN AMENDMENT, UH, KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT THE MAYOR HAD MENTIONED ON HIS RE RELATING TO A TIME LIMIT.
UH, I THINK THE BIG DIFFERENCE THOUGH, THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING VERSUS I GUESS WHAT
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YOUR OFFICE HAS WORKED ON, IS THAT OURS, UH, DOES NOT BRING, BRING IN FINANCIAL INCENTIVES.SO IT'S, IT'S JUST MAINLY FOCUSED ON A, ON A TIME LIMIT.
COUNCILOR POOL, THANKS SO MUCH.
AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS ADDITIONAL RESOLUTION.
UM, I SUPPORT THE DIRECTION THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD TAKE IN TERMS OF EXTENDING THE PAY AND BENEFITS TO POLICE OFFICERS WHILE WE PURSUE THE CONTRACT.
THE STABILITY OF OUR WORKFORCE IS PARAMOUNT, AND I APPRECIATE SHIFTING AWAY FROM INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE'S RETIREMENT TO INCENTIVIZING THEM TO REMAIN.
SO I, I VERY MUCH LIKE THAT, THAT PIVOT.
AND I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO ASK, UH, THE SPONSOR IF HE WOULD INCLUDE ME AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS ITEM.
UM, I TOO SHARE THE DESIRE FOR US TO BE UNDER CONTRACT.
UM, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, MAYOR.
UM, I THINK PART OF WHERE THE COMMUNITY'S STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW IS THAT, UM, THERE'S A SENSE THAT WE SHOULD BE DECOUPLING OVERSIGHT FROM PAY, BUT WE ARE STILL STUCK IN THAT SYSTEM.
AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING CREATE COMPLICATIONS IF WE ARE STILL IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ARE NOT GOING TO JUST ASSUME THAT WE DESERVE TO HAVE, UM, TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, AND OVERSIGHT.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO ASSUME AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD, SORT OF BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ON TWO DIFFERENT TIME TRACKS IS PROBLEMATIC IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE CONTRACT IS SET UP, WHERE WE HAVE TO PAY TO GET THE ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH.
WELL, OF COURSE, WHAT I SAID WAS THAT THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED IF PEOPLE WOULD COME BACK TO THE TABLE, THEY WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS ORDINANCE OR AS PART OF THE AMENDMENT.
UH, SO LET'S NOT CONFLATE POTENTIAL NEGOTIATION WITH WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES.
I MIGHT HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE, PERHAPS THE DIFFERENT TIMEFRAMES THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHETHER YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THEM IN THE ORDINANCE.
NO, THE ORDINANCE OR THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T MENTION OKAY.
AND IF, AND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD SET A TIMEFRAME AND, UM, IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR CERTAIN INCENTIVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MCC CONDRE.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT HE'S SAYING, BUT WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING IS THAT IF WE COULD GET PAST, UH, THIS IDEA OF TOTAL REJECTION OF TALKING TO THE, THE CITY ANYMORE, THAT, THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM THE POLICE ASSOCIATION, AND IF THEY WERE TO COME TO THE TABLE, THERE MIGHT BE WAYS TO ADDRESS STABILITY OVER TIME AND STILL RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF THE VOTERS BEING ALLOWED TO STATE THEIR OPINION.
I JUST WOULD BE, I WOULD BE CONCERNED IN THAT SCENARIO OF SETTING UP THE FINANCIAL TRACK TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE OVERSIGHT IF WE CAN'T, IF WE CAN'T GET WELL MOVING FORWARD.
SO OF COURSE YOUR, YOUR CONCERN IS REALLY PREMATURE SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANY, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A TABLE ANYMORE.
UM, I, UM, ALSO WANT TO, UM, JUST POINT OUT CUZ SOME OF THIS GETS LAUNCH LOST IN THE DISCUSSION OVER THE VOTE, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON OVERSIGHT.
UM, THERE WERE SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT WERE NEGOTIATED IN THIS CONTRACT THAT ARE TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR OFFICERS AND TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITY.
UM, I'LL POINT PARTICULARLY TO THE ARTICLES ON PROMOTION, WHICH CREATE A SYSTEM THAT THE APA VERY MUCH SUPPORTED AND ASKED FOR SO THAT WHEN FOLKS GET PROMOTED, THEY HAVE A PROBATIONARY PERIOD, THEY HAVE TO DO ASSESSMENTS AND THEY HAVE TO DO LEADERSHIP TRAINING, UM, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR THE FUTURE OF APD AND THE SUCCESS OF OUR POLICE FORCE.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE TABLE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN THINK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE IN THE CONTRACT, THAT WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT ON THAT DO PROVIDE BENEFITS, UM, AND SEE WHETHER THERE'S WAYS, UM, TO MOVE THOSE THINGS FORWARD WHERE WE AGREE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, AN EARLIER TIME.
UM, I WILL ALSO JUST POINT OUT, UM, AN EMAIL THAT WE RECEIVED FROM AT BENINO, UM, ABOUT THE DEADLINES FOR, UM, THE RETIREMENT PAYOUTS.
UM, I KNOW THE CHIEF SENT OUT A MESSAGE, UM, EARLIER THIS MORNING TO, TO OFFICERS,
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UM, WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR, THANK YOU, AND THE NEW CITY MANAGER, UM, WHEN I POINTED OUT THIS WAS A MECHANICAL DEADLINE, NOT A LEGAL DEADLINE.AND, UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE HAPPEN.
UM, WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS AT EMPOWER TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME BEFORE PEOPLE HAVE TO START MAKING DECISIONS, WHICH HOPEFULLY CREATES A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE, UM, AS WE MOVE AWAY FROM THE VOTE LAST WEEK, UM, FOR US TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY OF OUR CITY AND FOR THE SUCCESS, UM, AND LIVELIHOOD OF OUR OFFICERS.
YEAH, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
JUST, UH, AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR FOR POINTING OUT, UM, A WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THAT ISSUE WITH REGARD TO THE RETIREMENT DEADLINE THAT WAS BEING SET IN STONE, WHEN IN FACT IT WASN'T REALLY SET IN STONE.
WE WERE, IT WAS BEING REPORTED TO US AS BEING SET IN STONE, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY SET IN STONE.
AND, UH, AND, AND I I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT HOW, UH, THE, THE NEW CITY MANAGER IMMEDIATELY WENT TO WORK ON THAT, WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, MR. VANK.
AND, UM, AND TODAY THE CHIEF HAS SENT A NOTE OUT TO THE FORCE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
WE ALL APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
UM, SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WANNA BRING FORWARD AMENDMENTS, UM, TO THE, THE DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.
I'VE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME DOING RESEARCH AND, UM, GETTING QUESTIONS ANSWERED RELATED TO WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED IN FRONT OF US.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS TO BR BROUGHT FORWARD THAT WE WOULD HAVE AMPLE TIME TO BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO THEM AND FULLY VET THEM BEFORE HAVING THEM IN FRONT OF US.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT I SEE WHEN I'M HERE IS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FULLY THINKING THROUGH AND TALKING TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES WITHOUT MAKING DECISIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL UNDER A TIGHT TIMETABLE TO GET THIS DONE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WITH THAT REQUEST.
AND, AND, UM, I'VE GOT FOLKS WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW THAT I'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LANGUAGE, BUT I'M GLAD WE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO, UH, VERBALLY EXPRESS IT.
AND NOW OF COURSE I PUT IT UP ON THE, THE MESSAGE BOARD THAT, BY THE WAY, IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO BE THINKING ABOUT, NOT JUST ON THIS, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A, THIS IS A MORE TIME SENSITIVE, BUT, BUT THE, THE DESIRE TO PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA AS RAPIDLY AS WE CAN AND THEN HAVING ALL THE WORK THAT GOES INTO YELLOW SHEETS HITTING, YOU KNOW, THINGS COULD PROBABLY TAKE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS IN MOST INSTANCES WITH JUST ONE DEEP BREATH.
AND NOW WE'RE ON A TIME, WE HAVE TIMEFRAMES ON THIS ONE, BUT THAT WE, THAT'S NOT, PROBABLY NOT BAD ADVICE ON GOING FORWARD ON EVERYTHING.
IS THERE ANYBODY WANNA SAY ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THIS, UM, ITEM? UH, THE ONLY THING I'LL SAY IS THAT THOSE YES.
UM, I MEANT TO ADD THAT I DO SUPPORT THE, UM, UH, SOME KIND OF DEADLINE.
YOU SUPPORT THE DEADLINE OR YOU SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE WITH SOME KIND OF DEADLINE? I'M A CO-SPONSOR ON THE ORDINANCE.
AND I WOULD SUPPORT ADDING, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T CHANGE THAT TIMELINE.
NO, I, I WAS STILL, I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT VERY GOOD YOU WERE PROPOSING.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
UH, THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE US AT THIS WORK SESSION.
WELL, MAYBE THERE IS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL ITEM 43 WASN'T POOLED AND THAT'S THE AFFORDABLE STUDENT HOUSING.
I FFC THAT IS ALSO BEING BROUGHT BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S A SUPER IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR THE CITY.
THERE'S 10 COLLEGES LOCATED IN AND AROUND AUSTIN.
LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN TIP THE BALANCE IN THE DECISION MAKING THAT A STUDENT, UH, ENGAGES IN, IN CHOOSING NOT TO COME TO UNIVERSITY IN AUSTIN.
SO WE WANNA BE PROACTIVE AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY NAME AS A COSPONSOR TO THIS, UH, ADDITIONAL I C FROM MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
AND WELCOME YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR, YOUR NAME.
ALONG THAT, THOSE NOTES, UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS ITEM.
YOU HAVE TWO GREAT, UH, PROPOSALS THIS WEEK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I SURE HOPE THAT'S NOT YOUR QUOTA
AND NOT TO SKIP SUBJECTS, BUT WE DID PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO INTERSTELLAR BARBECUE FROM DISTRICT SIX OUTSIDE EARLIER TODAY.
THE BARBECUE SAMPLES ARE READY AS OF NOON, SO IF ANYBODY'S AT OR AROUND CITY HALL AND WANTS TO TRY IT OUT, THEY'VE GOT THE PIT ON THE EAST SIDE.
YEAH, I'LL MAKE THIS REALLY QUICK.
UM, JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON RECORD THAT I, I WON'T BE A PART OF THE PECAN STREET, UH, INCORPORATED.
UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, ARE NOW, ARE, ARE ON NOW.
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BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE US, UH, ON THE AGENDA? UH, WE ARE ADJOURNED.