[CALL TO ORDER]
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UH, CALLING A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH INTO ORDER.
UH, NICOLE, CAN YOU CALL ROLL CHAIR WEAVER.
UM, ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING FROM OCTOBER 24TH.DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVED FOR APPROVAL.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LUCAS.
UM, NEXT APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE FOR THE MINUTES.
UM, DO IT ALL VOTE IN APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UM, NEXT APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING FROM JANUARY 23RD.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, DO WE HAVE A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[3. Staff briefing regarding Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative. Presented by Jana McCann, McCann Adams Studio, and Benedict Patrick, HDR Engineering, Inc.]
THREE, STAFF BRIEFING.UH, WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE PRESENTED BY JAN MCCANN FROM MCCANN ADAMS AND BENEDICT PAT PATRICK FROM H D R.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE HAD A CHANGE OF CHARACTERS.
UM, MY NAME'S LAURA DEERFIELD.
I'M WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE, UH, BENEDICT PATRICK HERE, AND JANET MCCANN WITH THE CONSULTANT TEAM AS WELL AS AMALIA CARMONA WITH, UH, THE DA A A AS THIS IS THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE D A A.
UM, ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE JORGE AND HIS TEAM AS, UM, THE CO-SPONSORS OF, OF THIS PROJECT.
I'LL JUST OFFER A FEW OPENING REMARKS AND THEN PASS IT OVER TO, TO JANNA FOR THE BULK OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUE JILL ESCO IS VIRTUAL, I BELIEVE.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA BRING HER IN MOMENTARILY TO OFFER SOME OPENING REMARKS.
J JILL, WE'LL NEED YOUR CAMERA ON, PLEASE.
I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR GREAT STREETS AND URBAN DESIGN AND DIVISION IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
FOR OVER FIVE YEARS, THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE, AND WE ARE NOW IN THE IMPLEMENTATION STAGE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF CONGRESS AVENUE AND THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE.
AND WE HAVE A VERY TALENTED TEAM WHO IS WORKING ON THIS UPDATE ON EXCEL.
TURN IT OVER TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THANK YOU, JILL, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
UH, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON BEAUTIFUL DESIGN, WHICH IS KINDA THE HEART OF THIS, THIS ENTIRE PROJECT REALLY.
UM, THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE WAS, UH, STARTED WITH, UH, THE, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AS WELL AS THE CITY BACK IN 2017.
AND WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO BRIEF YOU ON, UH, THE NEXT PHASE OF THE WORK, WHICH IS TO SAY WE HAVE SOME FUNDING FROM THE 2020 BOND, AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, REALIZING THE VISION PLAN, UM, UH, TOWARDS A, A FIRST PHASE OF DESIGN.
[00:05:01]
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.SO FOR THIS EVENING, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE, UM, UH, FOLKS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, JILL AND JORGE FROM THE, UH, DESIGN URBAN DESIGN, UH, GROUP, AS WELL AS MYSELF WITH TRANSPORTATION, ARE, UM, CO-SPONSORS OF THE PROJECT, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNER, UH, DAA, AND THEN HAVE BROUGHT ON A REALLY TALENTED, UH, TEAM, UH, WITH LED BY HDR TO AGAIN, TAKE THAT VISION PLAN INTO ACTION.
UM, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE PROJECT ITSELF, AS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE PROJECT, UM, SINCE WE HAD A, A PANDEMIC BETWEEN WHEN WE'VE LAST, UH, UH, LEFT OFF WITH THE VISION PLAN AND WENT THROUGH A, A BOND, UH, CYCLE FOR FUNDING.
AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE, THE CURRENT SCOPE AND OUR NEXT STEPS.
UM, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
ALL RIGHT, SO HERE'S THE PROJECT TEAM.
UM, MYSELF AND NATHAN WILS WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ARE, UM, LEADING ON THE MOBILITY SIDE AND THE FUNDING WE HAVE FOR THIS FIRST, UM, EFFORT TO TRY TO BEST UNDERSTAND THE VISION PLAN IN A SET OF DESIGN DRAWINGS AND, AND MOVE FORWARD TO AT LEAST ONE PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION IS, UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT MOBILITY BOND.
UM, AND THEN, UH, JORGE AND JILL WITH URBAN DESIGN, UH, AND THEN CRAIG MCCULLOUGH, OUR PROJECT MANAGER, AND THEN AMALIA CARMONA, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT, UH, WITH THE DAA AND OUR CONSULTANT TEAM WHO WILL BE SHARING A LOT MORE HERE MOMENTARILY.
OH, CAN I KEEP GOING? ALL RIGHT, THANKS JORGE.
SO, AGAIN, TO, UM, MAYBE REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES, UH, AND BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF ANYONE HAS HEARD OF THIS PROJECT AS WELL, IN CASE THERE'S ANY, UH, TURNOVER WITH THE COMMISSION.
BUT, UM, THIS IS, UH, ENCOMPASSES CONGRESS AVENUE FROM 11TH STREET DOWN TO RIVERSIDE DRIVE, SO ABOUT 1.2 MILES IN LENGTH.
AND THE VISION PLAN WAS THIS REALLY INCREDIBLE EFFORT TO DIG DEEP INTO THE VISION, UH, OF THE CITY FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT STREET.
AND, UH, HAD, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM REALLY DELIGHTFUL, UM, DEMONSTRATIONS, YOU KNOW, IN THE STREET TO, UM, MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF FEEDBACK AND RESULTING IN THE VISION PLAN, UM, THAT WE'RE NOW TRYING TO PUT INTO PRACTICE.
UM, THE, UM, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE 2020 BOND IS SOME INITIAL DESIGN AND, AND CONSTRUCTION FUNDING, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
OF COURSE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANYWHERE NEAR, UH, THE ENOUGH FUNDING TO GET THE WHOLE THING DONE, BUT WE ARE, WE DO NEED TO SORT OF MOVE INTO THAT NEXT PHASE OF HOW, HOW COULD THIS ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY COME TO LIFE.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET A 30% DESIGN AND AT LEAST SOME INITIAL CONSTRUCTION PHASE, UM, STARTED WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
WE'RE ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS INTO AN 18 MONTH PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TONIGHT WITH YOU TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY OF THIS VISION PLAN AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND HAND IT OVER TO JANNA MCCANN ON, UM, A BIT MORE ABOUT THE VISION PLAN.
MY NAME'S JANNA MCCANN WITH MCCANN ADAMS STUDIO, AND WE'RE THE URBAN DESIGN SUB CONSULTANTS TO THE HDR TEAM.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS GREAT ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT IT'S NOT BEING VIEWED JUST AS A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE, IT HAS SINCE THE VISION PLAN BEEN ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES PEOPLE, UM, SOCIAL EQUITY, ECONOMICS, CULTURE AND HISTORY, THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHILE WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THIS FIRST PART OF, I WOULD SAY FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE PROJECT ON REALLY FIGURING OUT THE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ASPECTS, WE'RE NOW KIND OF FILLING IN AND BRINGING ALL OF THESE OTHER ASPECTS AND VALUES TO THE FORE.
SO THIS IS THE MANTRA REALLY OF THE VISION PLAN WAS BALANCE THE AVENUE, BRING IT INTO HOW PEOPLE USE AND NEED TO USE THE AVENUE ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO THAT MEANT SORT OF RE UM, MANAGING THE SPACE OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH I'M SURE YOU GUYS KNOW, IT'S 120 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY AND MOST OF IT, HALF OF IT, UH, IS CURRENTLY GIVEN OVER TO AUTOMOBILE LANES.
THAT'S CHANGED COME SOMEWHAT RECENTLY BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME INTERIM SORT OF READJUSTMENT OF THE STREET TO ALLOW FOR BICYCLE LANES TO BE ON THE AVENUE IN A PROTECTED, SOMEWHAT PROTECTED WAY WITH I THINK, FLEXIBLE DELINEATORS.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY INSIDE THAT CURB TO CURB LEVEL.
BUT THIS WAS JUST SHOWING THE, THE IDEA AND THE VISION PLAN OF NARROWING TO
[00:10:01]
A 52 FOOT, UM, WIDTH OF THE AVENUE FROM WHAT WAS 60 FEET BEFORE.AND THEN REAPPORTIONING, UH, CHANGING THE SORT OF PARKING, THE ANGLE PARKING SITUATION.
SO WE'VE, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, DEVELOPED, UM, NEW CROSS SECTIONS, AND THIS WAS REALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR PROCESS TO SORT OF DEFINE VERY PRECISELY WHAT DID THE VISION PLAN MEAN IN TERMS OF FINAL DIMENSIONS OF THE SIDEWALK.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SECTION ABOVE THAT WAS THE TYPICAL EXISTING STREET SECTION, UH, BEFORE THE PROJECT.
AND THEN THE VISION PLAN CALLED FOR A FIVE LANE CROSS SECTION, CUTTING DOWN THAT 10 FEET FROM, UM, GETTING RID OF A LANE AND THEN JUST, BUT CONTINUING TO HAVE A CENTER TURN LANE.
SO UP AGAINST THE SIDEWALK, I MEAN, UP AGAINST THE ROADWAY, YOU HAVE A TWO FOOT BUFFER, ABOUT A SIX AND A HALF FOOT BIKE LANE.
SO IT'S RAISED UP A BIKE AND SCOOTER LANE, AND THEN EIGHT FEET OF WHAT WE WERE CALLING AN AMENITY ZONE, WHICH IS WHERE THE TREES ARE.
AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUOUS TRENCH PLANTED WITH TREES AND BENCHES, BIKE RACKS, FURNISHINGS, MAYBE PUBLIC ART.
UM, MAYBE THAT AREA GETS TO BE DETERMINED TO SOME DEGREE BY THE, THE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER AND WHOSE FRONTAGE IT IS.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT AMENITY ZONE IS THE THROUGH OR THE WALKING ZONE, AND THEN THE STOREFRONT ZONE.
SO THOSE SECTION ON THE BOTTOM REALLY SHOWS HOW THAT CAN, HOW THE, THE SORT OF RIGHT OF WAY THEN GETS RE MANAGED AND REAPPORTIONED CAN GO TO THE NEXT.
SO THIS IS FROM, AGAIN, FROM THE VISION PLAN, CALLING OUT THOSE MAIN ZONES.
AND YOU'LL ALSO NOTE IN THE ROADWAY, ROADWAY THERE'S A POTENTIAL NORTH OF SEVENTH STREET TO INTRODUCE A FLEX LANE, WHICH COULD BE USED FOR PARKING OR MAYBE THERE'S FOR PERMANENT, NOT NECESSARILY NEEDED FOR CAR MOBILITY, BUT WE WANTED TO KEEP THAT FIVE LANE CROSS SECTION THERE TO SORT OF, UM, THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND UNDER AND JUST KEEP THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF AN IMPORTANT DECISION MADE EARLY ON IN THE PROJECT.
AND SO THIS IS JUST AN, A VERY EARLY VIEW OF WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE, WHAT COULD THE 100 CONGRESS AVENUE PRO, UM, FRONTAGE LOOK LIKE GIVEN THIS REDISTRIBUTION OF SPACE? AND OF COURSE, THIS IS THE ODD BLOCK
SO IF YOU'RE A CAR AND YOU'RE GOING SOUTHBOUND, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SIX LANES IN THAT CROSS SECTION, SO THAT'S ONLY HAPPENING IN THIS ONE BLOCK.
SO THIS PARTICULAR BLOCK IS SHOWING THE SORT OF THROUGH PEDESTRIAN SPACE, THEN A TWO FOOT SORT OF TACTILE BUFFER SPACE BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK ZONE AND THE, AND THE, UM, BICYCLE PATH.
THE BICYCLE SCOOTER LANE, AND THEN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CONGRESS AVENUE BEFORE WE HIT THE LAKE.
YOU'RE SEEING THEN SORT OF THE APPEARANCE OF POTENTIALLY RAIN GARDENS IN A REAL TREATMENT OF CREATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE IN THIS AREA OF THE, UM, OF THE AVENUE THAT WE CALL THE GREEN GATEWAY.
IT'S THE LOWER PART OF THE C B D, THE BRIDGE AREA, AND THEN TO THE SOUTH ALL THE WAY TO RIVERSIDE.
SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS A VIEW, A PERSPECTIVE VIEW FROM, FROM THE VISION PLAN, KIND OF SHOWING HOW SORT OF THE MORE CENTRAL AREA MIGHT LAY OUT THE CENTRAL ZONE OF NORTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
SO THIS WAS FROM THE VISION PLAN, AND THIS IDEA WAS TO REALLY, THEY SORT OF DEVELOPED A NOTION OF CREATING DIFFERENT CHARACTER ZONES.
AND SO I JUST MENTIONED THE GREEN GATEWAY FROM THIRD STREET TO RIVERSIDE DRIVE, WHERE THE EMPHASIS IS REALLY ON SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT, SORT OF TELLING THE STORY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, ENHAN ENHANCING THAT ENVIRONMENT, THAT'S RIGHT BY OUR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PRECIOUS, UH, RIVER, COLORADO RIVER THAT'S PASSING BY.
BUT THEN ABOVE THAT, NORTH OF THAT IS THE HEART OF AUSTIN.
AND THEN ABOVE THAT IS THE CIVIC STAGE FROM NINTH TO 11TH STREET, WHICH IS REALLY THE AREA WHERE WE IMAGINE THERE BEING FEWER FIXED FURNISHINGS IN ORDER TO BE, TO ALLOW FOR, UM, EVENTS, SPECIAL PARADES OR OTHER CIVIC RELATED EVENTS THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THAT NORTHERN SECTION.
AND THEN THERE'S THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS A WHOLE SORT OF ENTITY UNTO ITSELF.
AND IT CERTAINLY WILL BE AN ICONIC
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ENTRANCE INTO THE DOWNTOWN AND A PLACE WHERE HOPEFULLY ONE IS REALLY WELCOMED AND, AND HAS A DISTINGUISHED MOMENT ON THAT BRIDGE BEFORE YOU ENTER INTO THE DOWNTOWN AND GO TO THE NEXT.AND SO PART OF THE THING THAT WE ASK OURSELVES AS URBAN DESIGNERS IS SHOULD THE WHAT THINGS SHOULD BE CONSISTENT ON THE AVENUE VERSUS THINGS THAT COULD VARY WITHIN THE STREET.
AND SO OUR TAKE ON THIS, WHICH IS I THINK SIMILAR CONFIRMS OR AFFIRMS THE VISION PLAN IS TO REALLY MAINTAIN CONSISTENT TREE LINES THROUGHOUT AND, UM, PLACING THE PLACEMENT OF STREET LIGHTING POLES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THOSE TREES, UM, USING THE SAME PAVERS FOR THE STOREFRONT AND THE WALKING ZONES, WHICH WAS DEPICTED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
AND THEN USING A SMALLER PERMEABLE PAVER FOR THE AMENITY ZONE, REMEMBERING THAT THE AMENITY ZONE IS WHERE THE TREES ARE.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT SORT OF PERVIOUS AT THAT POINT, UH, IN THAT WHOLE EIGHT FOOT WIDTH OF THE AMENITY ZONE.
SO ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, WHICH IS, UM, A REAL STUDY UNTO ITSELF IS WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE TREES? A LOT OF THE TREES ON THE AVENUE ARE KIND OF NEARING THE END OF THEIR LIVES.
MANY OF THEM ARE, UM, STRUCTURALLY HAVE BEEN, UH, DAMAGED OR ARE NOT IN GREAT HEALTH.
SO WE'VE GONE TO THE TROUBLE OF REALLY ANALYZING, UH, ANALYZING THE TREES, SEEING WHICH ONES COULD BE SAVED AND RELOCATED.
BUT THE SORT OF END GAME IS TO ULTIMATELY REPLACE ALL OF THE TREES IN THE AVENUE AND PLANT THEM IN A MUCH MORE, UH, AN ENVIRONMENT UNDERGROUND THAT'S MUCH MORE, UM, A GREAT PLACE FOR THE THR TREES TO THRIVE.
AND SO WE'LL PROBABLY BE USING SOIL CELLS, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION AT THE BOTTOM THERE TO, UM, USE THOSE KINDS OF SOIL CELLS BECAUSE THEY ALLOW FOR THE TREE TO HAVE GREAT ROOT, UH, GROWTH AND SPREAD WHILE BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT PAVEMENT ON TOP OF THE ROOT BALL.
AND WE WOULD THINK ABOUT, LOOK AT RELOCATING ALL OF THOSE EXISTING HEALTHY TREES TO ANOTHER LOCATION SUCH AS NEARBY PARKLAND.
BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY ARBORIST AND WATERSHED PROTECTION AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO REALLY COME UP WITH A AVENUE SPECIFIC TREE PLAN.
AND THIS IS A, A PERSPECTIVE VIEW THAT WE DID JUST TO, IT'S A PROBABLY ONE YOU RECOGNIZE OF THE OLD BAKERY LOOKING NORTH TOWARDS THE CAPITOL OR TOWARDS THE 11TH STREET INTERSECTION.
AND HERE WE'RE JUST SHOWING, SHOWING AND WANTING TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW VERY PRECIOUS HISTORIC RESOURCES ON THE AVENUE.
THIS ONE IS A, THE OLD LUNDBERG BAKERY, AND WE'RE, THE PROJECT WILL NOT AT ALL DISTURB THIS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER, UM, PROJECTS OR BUILDINGS ON THE AVENUE THAT ALSO HAVE SIMILAR STRUCTURES THAT COME OUT INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT THE PROJECT LOVE WILL NOT DISTURB EITHER.
HERE TOO, WE'RE SHOWING A CONTEMPORARY STREETLIGHT, WHICH IS THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION IS TO INTRODUCE, UH, MORE SORT OF SLEEK, THE MINIMALIST, UH, STREETLIGHT THAT CAN BE SEEN AS BEING COMPATIBLE WITH THIS NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WE ARE IN, IN THIS AREA CAN GO NEXT.
SO LIGHTING IS A BIG THING AND IT'S NOT GREAT ON THE AVENUE TODAY IN TERMS OF, IT'S A, UM, FAIRLY STANDARD TYPE OF LUMINAIRE, ALTHOUGH IT IS ON A SORT OF A SPECIAL POLE THAT'S BEEN AROUND, I THINK SINCE THE SEVENTIES.
AND IT'S A DARK GREEN PAINTED FLUTED POLE THAT HAS, UM, SORT OF A ONE LUMINAIRE, THE TOP OF THE ROADWAY LUMINAIRE.
AND THESE ARE PLACED FAIRLY FAR BACK FROM THE SIDE.
I MEAN THE CURB EDGE TODAY, KIND OF IN THOSE LITTLE LANDSCAPED ISLANDS OR THE ISLANDS BETWEEN PARKING SPACES.
SO THEY'RE NOT DOING A GREAT JOB AT LIGHTING AND THEY'RE NOT TRULY A HISTORIC FIXTURE.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE OF THE CITY AND TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION TO REALLY COME UP WITH WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF LIGHTING TO USE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE, UM, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE THE SAME LIGHT THAT'S ON IN, ON EAST SIXTH STREET PECAN STREET? BUT ANY LIGHT THAT WE WOULD CHOOSE WOULD HAVE TO CONFORM TO DARK SKY STANDARDS.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE MAIN POINTS AROUND LIGHTING.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS FINAL SCHEMATIC DESIGN.
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SO THESE ARE JUST, UM, IDEAS ABOUT THE STREET AND AND PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING AND THE NOTION FROM THE VISION PLAN SAID TO ACTUALLY ADD AN ADDITIONAL, A PEDESTRIAN LUMINAIRE TO THE EXISTING POLE, WHICH WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK AUSTIN ENERGY WOULD APPROVE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE INTERVENING ON, UM, AN OLDER FIXTURE WITH LOTS OF ISSUES WITH THAT.AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE A MORE CONTEMPORARY, UH, LIGHT POLE IN LUMINAIRES AT BOTH THE PEDESTRIAN AND THE ROADWAY LEVELS.
SO NEXT SLIDE, SEATING AND FURNISHINGS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE IN THAT NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT FROM CESAR CHAVEZ ALL THE WAY TO 11TH STREET.
THERE HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME THE SUITE OF DARK GREEN PAINTED FURNISHINGS THAT INCLUDE THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU SEE HERE, THE, THE PLANTERS, THE WASTE, THE LITTER BINS, THE, THE STREET LIGHTING POLE ITSELF, UM, ET CETERA.
BUT YOU ALSO SEE THINGS LIKE IN THE TOP LEFT JORGE AND JILL.
THOSE ARE GREAT STREETS BENCHES ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION.
DO WE MAINTAIN THAT SORT OF DARK GREEN FAMILY OF FURNISHINGS OR DO WE, YOU KNOW, PROPOSE TO VEER OFF AND DO SOMETHING, SOMETHING ELSE? AND SO THIS IS WHAT PART OF OUR HOMEWORK THAT WE HAVE WITH THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM TO REALLY DEVELOP THE NEW TYPOLOGY OR THE NEW TYPE FOR CONGRESS AVENUE.
BUT I THINK THERE IS A, UH, A FEELING FROM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE LANDMARK COMMISSION THAT FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD STICK WITH THESE DARK GREEN FURNISHINGS, POSSIBLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT LOW PLANTER NEXT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALL KINDS OF AMENITIES THAT WE, WE COULD IMAGINE BEING THERE.
UM, IN TERMS OF FURNISHINGS, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT ZONES LIKE THE STOREFRONT ZONE, WE DEFINITELY WANNA GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO CREATE THEIR OWN IDENTITY, THEIR OWN LOOK THERE, THEIR OWN FURNISHINGS.
SO WE CAN IMAGINE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS BEING IN THAT STOREFRONT ZONE, WHICH IS THE FIRST EIGHT FEET OR SO FROM THE, FROM THE FACE OF THE BUILDINGS, WHICH ARE RIGHT ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
BUT THERE PROBABLY SHOULD BE SOME, UH, DESIGN GUIDELINES AROUND WHAT COULD BE THERE.
UH, THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE WHOLE NOTION OF PUBLIC ART AND SHOULD WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY HAVEN'T EMBARKED ON YET IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, BUT THAT'S THE, THE IDEA EVENTUALLY.
AND I KNOW THE DAA HAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN HOW, HOW DO WE EXPRESS OUR HISTORY AND CULTURE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PUBLIC ART.
AND SO THERE'S A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE AVENUE OR IN MULTIPLE PLACES OR IN SINGULAR PLACE LIKE THE BRIDGE.
SO THIS IS AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO ADVANCE A BIT ON IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER LITTLE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE DID THAT SHOWS THAT SORT OF CENTRAL ZONE, THE HEART OF AUSTIN ZONE.
SO AGAIN, YOU'RE SEEING KIND OF THESE GRANITE OR GRANITE LIKE LARGE FORMAT PAVERS IN BOTH THAT STOREFRONT ZONE AND THE WALKING OR THROUGH ZONE.
AND THEN YOU START TO SEE THAT AMENITY ZONE WITH ALSO SORT OF THE PINKISH COLORED PAVERS.
AND THIS IS ALL TO KIND OF CREATE A MORE OF A SIMPLE FLOOR OF THE KIND OF GRANITE LOOKING, UH, PAVING.
AND, AND THIS WOULD BE PROBABLY ONLY IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT PART OF THIS, OF THE AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS.
NEXT, THIS IS A IMAGE, A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE VISION PLAN THAT, UH, ENVISIONED THESE CANOPIES PERFORATED SORT OF SHADE STRUCTURES WITH PLANTERS AND WITH SOLID GUARDRAILS THAT OPEN UP INTO, UM, MORE TRANSPARENT ONES.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE TAKING, WHILE WE'RE TAKING LOTS OF CUES FROM THE VISION PLAN, THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE WE, WE'D LIKE TO DIFFER FROM WHAT THEY SAID AND NOT DO THE PLANTERS IN THIS AREA BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A LIMITATION ON SPACE AND THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF CONGESTING THE SPACE AND NOT GIVING THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF SHY ZONE FOR THE CYCLISTS.
UM, THEY ALSO, THE CYCLISTS ARE KIND OF HAVE A VEHICLE BARRIER ON ONE SIDE AND THEN THESE PLANTERS ON ANOTHER.
SO THE IDEA EVEN FROM THE VISION PLAN, WAS THAT THESE SPACES WOULD FLOW A BIT MORE AND NOT BE QUITE SO RELEGATED TO AND SEGMENTED NEXT.
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THE BRIDGE, UM, HAS BEEN DEFINED AS A GATEWAY AND A GATHERING PLACE.AND SO THERE IS A REAL INTEREST IN CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OVERLOOKS OF THE BRIDGE, LIKE CANTILEVER SECTIONS OF, UM, THE BRIDGE THAT COULD BE USED FOR FOUR SMALL GATHERINGS OR FOR BAT VIEWING OR SUNSET VIEWING.
BUT THIS IS, UM, THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO REALLY UNDERSCORE THE IDEA THAT THIS IS A GATEWAY.
AND YOU CAN SEE BOTH THESE IMAGES ARE FROM THE VISION PLAN AND WE'RE CURRENTLY STUDYING, WELL WHAT COULD THOSE OPPORTUNITIES REALLY LOOK LIKE NEXT? AND THIS IS WHATEVER WE DO ON THE BRIDGE, WE, THE MOST PHENOMENAL THING ABOUT IT, I THINK AESTHETICALLY AND HISTORICALLY IS THESE BEAUTIFUL BIG ARCHES UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE AND THE PIERS THAT SUPPORT THOSE ARCHES.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN, UM, THE BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1910, FORTUNATELY IN, UNFORTUNATELY THE HIGHWAY PROJECT CAME IN IN 1980 THAT WIDENED THE BRIDGE BY ABOUT 30 FEET AND THEN CLIPPED THE TOPS OF THOSE LITTLE SECONDARY ARCHES AND REALLY MADE THE ARCHES NOT FUNCTION ANYMORE, EVEN THE PRIMARY ONES.
SO THERE'S THESE HUGE FOUR AND A HALF FEET DEEP BOX BEAMS THAT ARE, THAT'S THE NEW STRUCTURE FOR THE BRIDGE.
AND THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE BATS IS IT MADE A PERFECT HABITAT FOR THEM.
AND SO WE'RE BEING VERY VIGILANT ABOUT NOT DISTURBING THAT HABITAT.
AND THAT WILL ALSO, TO SOME EXTENT, LIMIT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BRIDGE.
LIKE WE WOULD NOT WANNA LIGHT THE BRIDGE UNDERNEATH IT.
WE WOULDN'T WANT TO INTERFERE STRUCTURALLY WITH ANYTHING UNDER THE BRIDGE TOO MUCH, OR CERTAINLY NOT DURING THEIR, THEIR SEASON WHEN THEY'RE NESTING.
BUT WHATEVER WE DO, WE ALSO WANT TO RESPECT THAT SORT OF STRUCTURAL RHYTHM OF THE BRIDGE AND WHATEVER SORT OF OVERLOOKS THAT WE MIGHT, UM, PROJECT OUT FROM THE EDGE OF THE BRIDGE WOULD BE CENTERED ON THOSE PEERS OR THOSE BENDS.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT AS WELL AS A VISUAL ONE NEXT.
AND SO THIS WAS AN, UH, IS AGAIN, A VERY PRELIMINARY RENDERING OF WHAT THE BRIDGE COULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW THE MATERIALS MIGHT WORK AND CHANGE.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, WE'RE SH SEEING HERE A VIEW PRETTY CLOSE TO CAESAR CHAVEZ AND LOOKING NORTH TOWARD THE CAPITAL.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A, A VEHICLE BARRIER THAT THE TOP RAIL OF WHICH IS AT 42 INCHES TO PROTECT CYCLISTS FROM THE TRAFFIC.
AND THEN YOU SEE A VERY SMOOTH, PROBABLY CON CONCRETE WITH INTEGRAL COLOR CONCRETE THAT SIGNIFIES ON THE BIKE LANE.
AND THEN YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE A TRENCH DRAIN BECAUSE THIS IS THE POINT OF DRAINAGE OF THE BRIDGE TODAY WHERE THE OLD RAISED SIDEWALK CAME IN.
BUT THEN WE WANT KEEP THE, THOSE LEVELS BETWEEN THE BIKE AND THE, THE SIDEWALK AREA, PEDESTRIAN AREA FAIRLY FLUSH AND WE'RE, UH, PROPOSING TO CHANGE THE MATERIAL TO SOMETHING WOOD LIKE IF NOT WOOD ITSELF LIKE EPE OR ANOTHER SUSTAINABLE HARDWOOD TO CREATE THE SENSE OF A, A SORT OF A LIGHTER DECK THAT YOU MIGHT FEEL LIKE, ALMOST LIKE NAUTICAL OR THAT YOU'RE NOT ON A HOT PAVEMENT.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ISSUES THAT STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE BRIDGE IS THAT IT CANNOT TAKE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF NEW WEIGHT OR NEW DEAD LOAD.
SO LIGHT IS THE NAME OF THE GAME AND WE CAN STILL DO THESE OVERLOOKS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT AS WE ADD FURNISHINGS IN, IN HEAVY OBJECTS, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE DISPENSED WITH PUTTING PLANTERS ON THE BRIDGE NEXT.
SO THE, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PIECES OF THE PROJECT IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE GREEN, WHAT THE VISION PLAN CALLED THE GREEN GATEWAYS.
SO THOSE AREAS FLANKING THE RIVER AND THE BRIDGE ITSELF.
AND THIS WAS FROM THE VISION PLAN, WHICH SHOWED THIS VERY, UM, AMBITIOUS BUT BEAUTIFUL IDEA OF CREATING CASCADING RAIN GARDENS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE, UM, SET OUT FROM THE CORNER OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND CONGRESS AVENUE ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER.
AND SO WE WANT TO PAY A SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THAT SORT OF, THAT IMPORTANT INTERSECTION BECAUSE IT'S A WAY WAY TO GET DOWN TO OUR TRAILS.
AND TODAY YOU MUSTER, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD MISS THE FACT THAT THERE'S A WHOLE TRAIL SYSTEM 30 FEET BELOW YOU.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE WITH THIS PROJECT, IS ITS CONNECTION TO THE ENVIRONMENT, TO THE GREEN AND TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM BELOW NEXT.
[00:30:01]
SO THIS IS JUST A, A CENTRAL IMAGE IS JUST DEPICTING THESE KIND OF FOUR CORNER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AT EACH OF THE BRIDGE ABUTMENTS AND KIND OF WHAT DO THEY, HOW COULD WE, ESPECIALLY ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER, WHICH IS YOUR LOWER RIGHT OF THAT CENTER IMAGE.THAT'S WHERE THE STATESMAN PUT IS.
AND AS YOU'LL PROBABLY KNOW, CUZ I THINK THEY CAME TO VISIT WITH YOU MOST LIKELY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN AREA OF A GREAT SORT OF OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, UH, THE DEVELOPER THERE TO ACHIEVE A SEAMLESS SORT OF REALLY UNIFIED STREET SCAPE EDGE AND CONNECTION DOWN FROM THE BRIDGE LEVEL TO THE TRAIL LEVEL NEXT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK AGAIN, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS ABOUT IT IS DOING THIS INTERPRETIVE AND PUBLIC ART ELEMENTS, WHICH REALLY AGAIN, HAVE NOT EMBARKED ON YET.
BUT THIS WAS, UM, THESE ARE JUST SORT OF SOME IMAGES OF WHAT'S THERE NOW ON THE AVENUE AND AROUND THE AVENUE IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ART.
UM, SO I'M SURE THESE ARE ALL FAMILIAR TO YOU ALL AND THIS, THAT LITTLE EXCERPT IS ACTUALLY THE MAP FROM THE CITY'S OWN PUBLIC ART SORT OF MAP AND UM, THAT LINKS WITH WHAT IT IS TODAY.
BUT, SO I THINK SOME QUESTIONS HERE ARE WHAT IS IT THAT WE DO WANNA INTERPRET HERE ABOUT THE HISTORY AND THE CULTURE OF THIS AREA AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT FORM COULD THAT TAKE? UM, I THINK ON SECOND STREET, THE SECOND STREET DISTRICT PROJECT, THE CITY OPTED TO HIRE A MASTER PLAN ARTIST, IF YOU WILL, WHO THEN SORT OF ESTABLISHED, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE IDEA WOULD BIG IDEA WOULD BE.
AND IN THAT CASE IT WAS THE CREEK SYSTEM OF AUSTIN.
AND SO THEN SHE HIRED VARIOUS ARTISTS TO, TO DO, UH, DESIGNS FOR DIFFERENT BLOCKS.
UH, THAT WOULD DEPICT IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER THE SENSE OF THE CREEKS.
SO SHOULD IT BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR SHOULD IT BE, UM, SOME SET ASIDE FUNDING FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES THAT COULD EVOLVE MORE OPPORTUNISTICALLY THROUGH TIME NEXT.
AND SO THIS WAS A BIG IDEA IN THE VISION PLAN CALLED VIBRANT CROSSINGS.
AND SOMEHOW LIKE WITH THE, IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS YOU SEE THESE EAST WEST OR THE CROSS STREETS, THE IDEA WAS TO, THROUGH THE USE OF ASPHALT ART WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, TAKING WHAT WAS IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT STREET AND MAKING IT COME ALIVE EVEN ON THE SURFACE OF THOSE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.
SO THAT'S AN IDEA AND A LOT OF THAT, UH, THESE IDEAS WERE DERIVED FROM THE AUSTIN, THE STORY OF AUSTIN AUSTIN STORY, WHICH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE COMMISSIONED FROM A HISTORIAN AND INTERPRETIVE HISTORIAN TED UBANK, SO THAT THAT DOCUMENT COULD ACTUALLY BE THE INSPIRATION FOR SOME OF THESE ARTISTIC OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I THINK I'LL HAND IT BACK OVER TO LAURA, TALK ABOUT PHASING.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT AND, AND JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK WITH YOU AS DESIGN, UH, PROFESSIONALS AND AS PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE CITY, UM, TO OFFER WHERE WE ARE.
WE HAVE THIS INITIAL DESIGN, UH, PHASE, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE ARE UNDER UNDERGOING NOW, WHICH WILL INCLUDES ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, UH, THE STREET AND AND BRIDGE DESIGN, LIGHTING, HARDSCAPE, LANDSCAPE, UTILITY ANALYSIS, REALLY TRYING TO GET AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO REALLY REALIZE THIS VISION PLAN.
UM, WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IMMEDIATELY NEXT IS TO OFFER, UH, SOME, UH, DESIGN CONCEPTS, UH, THAT WE HOPE TO REALLY REALIZE THAT VISION PLAN AND, AND CHECK IN WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, ABOUT THAT, UH, HERE COMING UP SORT OF LATE SPRING TIMEFRAME.
UM, AND THEN BIG PICTURE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE FUNDED TO DO AT THIS POINT IS TO GET TO A 30% DESIGN PHASE THAT REALLY KIND OF SETS, YOU KNOW, THE STAGE, IF YOU WILL, FOR WHAT, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT THE, HOW THE SPACE WOULD START TO, TO SHAPE UP AND START TO GET AT SOME OF THE, UM, WHAT CAN WE, UH, PULL OFF IN TERMS OF A PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE, UH, TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS JUST YET CUZ WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET AT WHAT IS THE TRUE COSTS, UH, FOR THIS, FOR THIS WHOLE PROJECT, NOT JUST THE THE HORIZONTAL FLOOR, THE SURFACE, BUT, BUT ALL OF IT, UM, UTILITIES AND ALL OF THE PIECES THAT, PIECES THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
BUT CERTAINLY THIS IS GETTING US STARTED AND AS, AS THE RESULT OF THE 2020 BOND.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO COME TO YOU TODAY WITH AS MUCH AS WE KNOW NOW AND, AND WORK WITH Y'ALL AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THAT FIRST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WITH THAT, I'LL, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, JUST TO OFFER, UM, A PICTURE OF THE REALLY TALENTED
[00:35:01]
TEAM THAT'S LED BY BENEDICT, UH, PATRICK AND THE TEAM AT HTR AND ALL OF THEIR REALLY TALENTED SUB-CONSULTANTS THAT REALLY HAVE BROUGHT THE WHEREWITHAL TO, TO GET THIS, THIS PROJECT REALLY UNDERWAY.UM, AND THEN NEXT SLIDE WE'LL JUST, UH, OFFER NOW QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION, ANYTHING THAT COMES TO MIND AND WE CAN FLIP BACK THROUGH THE DECK IF ANYTHING, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ANYTHING AGAIN.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER WATLEY? YES.
IT'S A REALLY EXCITING PROJECT.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION JUST ABOUT WHERE Y'ALL ARE IN THE TIMELINE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, IN THE PRESENTATION THERE'S A LOT OF VERY SPECIFIC KIND OF DESIGN MOVEMENTS AND PROPOSALS AND HOW MUCH SOME OF THOSE ARE KIND OF HIGH LEVEL THINGS THAT ARE Y'ALL FEEL ARE SET AND, UM, THE INPUT TO COME AND FURTHER DESIGN WOULD BE MORE DETAILED OR ARE YOU GONNA KIND OF COME BACK AND RETHINK SOME OF THE, THE LARGER MOVES? IS IT, THAT'S A QUESTION.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS WITH REGARDS TO THE, THE TRAVEL FLEX PARKING CIRCULATOR LANE.
I'M NOT SURE IF I QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS WITH DELIVERY VEHICLES AND RIDE SHARE AND BUS AND CIRCULATOR AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S QUITE AN ABILITY FOR SOME OF THESE LANES.
IF WE DON'T HAVE A PLATE FOR EVERYTHING THEY GO, JUST A LOT OF CONGESTION TO HAPPEN ST.
THANK YOU FOR BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO KIND OF TO THINK BACK TO THAT, UH, SECOND TO LAST SLIDE THERE, JUST IN TERMS OF TIMELINE, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE SEVEN MONTHS INTO AN 18 MONTH PROCESS TO GET TO AT LEAST LIKE THAT 30% DESIGN CONCEPT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE IMMEDIATE KNOWN TIMELINE.
OF COURSE THE, IF WE THINK ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THE PROJECT ITSELF STARTED IN 2017 TO REALLY ESTABLISH THAT VISION PLAN.
SO REALLY WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IN TERMS OF THE ANSWER TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION IS TAKING THAT VISION PLAN AND TAKING A LOT OF GUIDANCE FROM IT.
SO A LOT OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT JUST IN, UH, SERVICE TO THE AUDIENCE HERE TONIGHT AND, AND YOURSELVES AS DESIGN PROFESSIONALS.
WE, UM, WE REALLY ARE THINKING A LOT ABOUT THOSE ELEMENTS OF THE DESIGN PLAN AS IT IS REALIZED INTO A 30% DESIGN.
UM, AS FAR AS WHERE WE WOULD GO FROM THAT 30% INTO IN A, INTO A CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
I WILL SAY WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE OR KNOWING HOW THAT WOULD ACTUALLY UNFOLD.
WE, WE HAVE A FEW MORE, UM, THINGS TO FIGURE OUT YET, BUT I THINK BY THE TIME WE'RE READY TO SHARE AN INITIAL KIND OF DESIGN CONCEPT WITH THE PUBLIC, WHICH WOULD BE LATER THIS SPRING, WE'D, WE'D HAVE A LOT MORE, UM, UNDERSTOOD AND, AND MORE YET AS WE GO INTO A SECOND, THERE'D BE A, YOU COULD EXPECT A SECOND MEETING THAT WOULD REFLECT BACK WHAT WE HEARD IN THE FIRST TO KIND OF BRING, UH, BRING US ALL ALONG IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE WOULD REALIZE THIS VISION PLAN.
OH, AND THEN, SORRY, AS FAR AS OPERATIONS GO WITH THE FLEX LANES.
UM, MAYBE THERE WERE THREE QUESTIONS IN THOSE TWO QUESTIONS NOW,
UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY AS WE ALL EXPERIENCE IT, IT IS, IT, IT AS WELL, BUT FROM A JUST TRAFFIC OPERATIONS STANDPOINT, IT FUNCTIONS REALLY DIFFERENTLY.
WHAT IS CONSISTENT ARE, ARE PEOPLE ARE MOVING THROUGH IT AND ACROSS IT, UM, AS WELL AS DELIVERIES AS YOU MENTIONED.
SO, UM, WITH THE FIVE LANE SECTION THAT'S GONNA OFFER THE MOST AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GET UP INTO THE UPPER BLOCKS THAT ARE A LOT QUIETER, SORT OF NORTH OF SEVENTH, UM, BEING ABLE TO USE THAT SPACE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY IN SOME OF THE BLOCKS WHERE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE LEFT TURN LANES TO THINK ABOUT MAYBE DELIVERIES COULD BE DONE, UM, IN THE MIDDLE, UH, OF THE STREET THAT IS DONE IN OTHER CITIES AROUND NORTH AMERICA.
JUST THINKING REALLY CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE THAT STREET SPACE TO BETTER, UM, OFFER THE FUNCTIONS THAT BOTH, UH, RETAIL, UM, PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, PEOPLE ON SCOOTERS, DRIVERS ALL NEED TO, TO USE THE SPACE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UNDERSTANDING, UM, CONGRESS IN THE CONTEXT OF ALL OF ITS, OF ITS CROSSINGS AND SIDE STREETS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE THING AS A NETWORK WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN, UH, FOR MANAGING SOME OF THAT CURB DEMAND THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING TO, WHETHER IT'S RIDE SHARE OR OTHERS.
THERE'S, THERE'S WAYS YOU CAN MANAGE THAT, UM, MUCH, MUCH BETTER WITH, UM, AS, AS WE THINK ABOUT RE LIKE REDESIGNING RIGHT, THE STREET ITSELF AND KIND OF USING, USING A LOT OF THE SPACE IN, IN SORT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO CREATE THAT CURB.
[00:40:02]
UH, COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER WILLIS IN.UH, SO CAN I JUST CLARIFY ON THAT LAST POINT, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE BOOK AS WELL.
UM, SO IT'S LESS AT CHANGES IN TIME, LIKE ONE MINUTE OR ONE DAY IN PARKING, THE NEXT DAYS OF TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE MORE THAT IT CHANGES FROM ONE BLOCK TO THE NEXT.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S HARD TO HEAR.
IT WAS VERY HARD TO HEAR YOU, YOU WERE KIND OF CUTTING IN AND OUT.
DO YOU MIND SAYING THAT ONE MORE TIME? I THINK THIS HAPPENED TO ME LAST TIME AS WELL.
UM, IS THIS BETTER? IT'S A BIT, YES.
YEAH, I CAN, I, SO I'M JUST ASKING IS IT LESS THAT IT CHANGES THE FLEX LANE? IS IT LESS THAT IT CHANGES IN TIME AND MORE THAT IT CHANGES FROM ONE BLOCK TO THE NEXT? SO YES, IT'S FLEXIBLE IN SPACE RATHER THAN FLEXIBLE IN TIME, IS THAT RIGHT? I IT'S REALLY BOTH AND PERHAPS MORE FLEXIBLE IN TIME.
UM, BUT SPACE IN AND OF ITSELF, THAT'S WHERE THE FLEXIBILITY COMES OUT OF, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT TALKING MAYBE, UH, UM, IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF THINGS.
MAYBE IT'S A, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY FOR FESTIVALS, RIGHT? THERE'S, UM, CLOSURES OF THE STREET, SO THAT'S MAYBE ON ONE SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, MAYBE THERE'S, UM, IN CERTAIN, BACK TO THE CURB MANAGEMENT QUESTION, UM, THAT COMMISSIONER WALEY, UH, ASKED ABOUT MAYBE THERE'S SOME EXPERIMENTATION ON CERTAIN BLOCKS, UH, AROUND USE OF THAT OUTSIDE LANE FOR CERTAIN FREIGHT OR RIDE SHARE TO KEEP EVERYBODY BOTH MOVING BUT ALSO SAFELY EMBARKING DISEMBARKING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S WAYS TO UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S JUST THAT IF YOU STEP BACK A SECOND THAT, THAT FIVE LANE SECTIONS, WHAT REALLY OFFERS THAT FLEXIBILITY BOTH IN TIME AND SPACE.
I, UM, I LOVE THE IDEA AS LONG AS WE ARE AMBITIOUS WITH THAT FLEX SPACE, BECAUSE I WANNA THINK THAT IT WILL JUST BECOME A TRAFFIC LANE AND THEN WE WILL HAVE LOST THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TAKE THAT SPACE BACK IN A MORE DEFINED WAY.
SO, UM, I GUESS MY COMMENT IS, UM, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE REALLY AMBITIOUS WITH THE WAY WE USE THAT, THOSE EXTRA FLEX LANE.
UM, BUT I'M REALLY EX AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT CONGRESS CAN BE.
I LOVE THE, UM, RESTROOMS, DRINKING FOUNTAINS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SEATING, UM, UH, IT'S, YEAH, I'M EX I'M EXCITED.
THANK YOU FOR, APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.
I'VE GOT A FEW, UH, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
UH, SO FOR ME, PART OF THE ICONIC NATURE OF CONGRESS AVENUE ARE THE TREES AND YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE TAKING ALL THE TREES AWAY.
UM, I GUESS IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A RECOMMENDATION THAT WHAT TREES YOU GO BACK WITH.
I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET THE LARGEST TREES THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE IF WE HAVE TO WAIT 50 YEARS TO GET MORE SHADE ON CONGRESS, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY GONNA AFFECT THE WAY THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THAT, THAT STREET.
AND I, YOU KNOW, WHILE I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE REMOVING 'EM, IT'S ALSO KIND OF HEARTBREAKING AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I, AND I REALIZE THEY'RE NOT ALL IN GREAT SHAPE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A COMMENT ON THAT.
UH, ALSO COMMENT ON, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, DESIGN INTENT TO SORT OF WEAVE THE, THE BIKE LANES AND THE, AND THE SIDEWALKS TOGETHER, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY IT'S SEPARATE IS ALSO GOOD IN SOME LOCATIONS.
AS, AS AN AVID BIKER AROUND TOWN, I'VE DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED WHERE THE BIKE LANE GETS BLOCKED BY PEDESTRIANS AND IT, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO GET BY ON A B ON A BICYCLE.
SO, UM, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S CONDITIONS WHERE BOTH ARE APPROPRIATE IN LOOKING AT THOSE.
UM, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE, WELL, I KNOW THERE'S THAT AMENITY ZONE OR WHATEVER YOU CALLED IT IN BETWEEN THERE, SOME OF THE RENDERINGS SHOWED THAT THEY WERE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER AND MAYBE NOT EVEN HAVING ANY, UH, TREES OR FURNITURE SEPARATING THE TWO.
AND THEN A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE BOND FUNDING THAT YOU MENTIONED, IS THE, THAT'S
[00:45:01]
JUST FOR THE 30% DESIGN THAT'S FUNDED OR IS THE ENTIRE DESIGN FUNDED? UH, GREAT QUESTION.SO, UM, THIS IS ONE OF FOUR NAMED BOND PROJECTS.
UH, SO IT'S DEFINITELY, UM, IN A RARE CLASS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR REALIZATION.
WITH THAT SAID, IT DOESN'T HAVE QUITE ENOUGH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'D LIKE TO GET TO SOME PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION, CERTAINLY HAVE FUNDS FOR THE 30% DESIGN AND, AND BEYOND TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
IT'S JUST THAT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS APPROACH IT STRATEGICALLY, UH, TO FIND WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
SO FIRST WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHAT IS IT GONNA COST
AND THEN, UM, FROM THERE, BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE WHAT THE BOND FUNDING THAT WE DO HAVE TO GET TO THAT FIRST CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
SO I WOULD SAY THERE WILL BE A CONSTRUCTION PHASE, UH, THERE WILL BE 30% TO 60, 90, A HUNDRED OF THAT CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
AND THEN CERTAINLY WE WANNA GET TO A FULL 30% OF THE ENTIRE THING SO WE CAN REALLY GRAB ALL THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE THOSE OTHER PHASES AS OTHER AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING MATERIALIZES, UM, TO PULL OFF THE ENTIRE THING, WHICH IS YES, GONNA BE DAUNTING, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO KIND OF SET THAT BAR HIGH.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST PIECE, UH, THE BRIDGE, AND YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE BRIDGE, WHICH I APPRECIATE, AND, UH, THE BATS THEMSELVES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S SACRED TO THIS CITY, AND I SEE YOU HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT ON YOUR TEAM.
ARE THEY TASKED AT, AT BEING PROACTIVE AT KIND OF LOOKING AT HOW THE DESIGN IS GONNA SPECIFICALLY IMPACT THESE BATS? THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, AND I THINK BENEDICT COULD PROBABLY OFFER, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BE AT A MICROPHONE, UH, FOR OTHERS.
YEAH, WE HAVE, UH, THE HJR TEAM, UH, IS LEADING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ALSO.
WE HAVE A SPECIFIC FIRM CALLED, UH, ZARA, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL FIRM.
AND THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR THE 30%, THEY'RE DOING A PRELIMINARY STUDY.
UH, THEY'RE INVESTIGATING THE SPECIES OF THE BATS, UH, AND, UH, WHAT KIND OF NOISE LEVELS AND LIGHT LEVELS ARE IMPACTED BY.
AND THEY'RE GIVING US A RECOMMENDATION, UH, IN TERMS OF CON LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO DO DURING CONSTRUCTION SO THAT WE DON'T DISTURB THE BATS AND WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR WE NEED TO DO THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT WAY, UH, WHEN THE BATS ARE FLYING AWAY, UH, THAT IS WHEN WE WANT TO DO THE WORK, UH, BUT NOT WHEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE ROOSTING SO THEY'RE DOING THE REPORTS AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE DO THE PLAN AND THEN ALSO THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.
YEAH, WELL I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND I LOVE THE URBAN DESIGN CONCEPTS AND EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I'VE BEEN ON THIS, UH, ON THIS COMMISSION A LONG TIME AND I WAS LOOKING BACK AT MY NOTES AND I SAW ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS BALANCE THE AVENUE THAT WAS 2018.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN REALLY DOWNPLAY THE TRANSPORTATION PART OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON BACK AT THAT TIME.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, WHERE'S THE PARKING GONNA HAPPEN? HOW'S ALL THIS? HOW'S THE TRAFFIC GONNA BE? KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, PACIFIED THROUGH CONGRESS AVENUE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I SEE ALL THESE KIND OF GREAT IMAGES IN.
THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY EXCITED ME ABOUT CONGRESS AVENUE WAS WHEN BART WALEY, COMMISSIONER WATLEY AND I WORKED ON THE SOUTH SHORE MASTER PLAN, AND WE WERE LOOKING AT CONNECTIONS TO SOUTH SHORE IN CONGRESS AVENUE, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS.
AND NOW THAT SOUTH SHORE IS GONNA HA BE A MAIN TRANSIT AREA, AND YOU KNOW, I I'D LIKE TO KIND OF SEE WHERE THE, THE TRANSPORTATION REALLY, YOU, YOU CAN'T DOWNPLAY TRANSPORTATION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ANYTHING IN AUSTIN.
SO NO MATTER WHAT EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T GET THE CARS OFF THE STREET, IF YOU DON'T, DON'T GET THE P CARS PARKING IN A CERTAIN PLACE, IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR KIND OF LIKE WHAT IS YOUR, WHAT IS Y'ALL'S THOUGHT ABOUT CONNECTING TO SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN TOWN AND THAT COULD REALLY MAKE CONGRESS AVENUE MORE SUCCESSFUL? BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT MY NOTES FOR 2018, THE, UH, BALANCE AVENUE, THAT WAS OUR BIGGEST CONCERN.
WHERE ARE PEOPLE GONNA PARK? WHERE ARE THE SERVICE, UH, VEHICLES GONNA PARK WHEN THEY'RE BLOCKING UP THE STREET? YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS, I THINK THAT WAS SIX LANES BACK THEN, 13 FOOT SIDEWALKS.
SO CAN YOU KIND OF LIKE ADDRESS THAT FOR ME AND KIND OF, LET'S GO BACK A LITTLE BIT IN HISTORY AND LET'S, LET'S BE REAL THAT TRANSPORTATION IS A BIG PART OF THIS.
YES, IT, IT'S DEFINITELY A, A, A BIG PART, ALTHOUGH IT IS THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE.
[00:50:01]
THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE CONGRESS CAN FUNCTION, UM, AS A STREET AS WELL AS INTERACTION WITH ALL OF THE OTHER, UH, STREETS IN THE DOWNTOWN AND ALL OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE ITS ITS ROLE AS REALLY AN ICONIC IMPORTANT STREET WITHIN OUR CITY, RIGHT? SO REALLY TAKING BOTH, UM, AND NOT THAT ONE NEEDS TO PLAY AGAINST THE OTHER AT ALL.I THINK IT, THIS IS ABOUT BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER AND, UM, THAT, THAT BALANCE, THE AVENUE CONCEPT FROM 2017 WAS REALLY ONE OF THOSE CATALYTIC, UM, PIECES OF THE VISION PLAN THAT WE'RE NOW TRYING TO REALIZE IN THIS NEXT PHASE.
SO WE'RE ABSOLUTELY, UM, IN THE, THE THICK OF, OF WORKING THAT OUT WITH, WITH ROBUST ANALYSES AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT, NOT A, THE PROBABLY THE BEST TIME TO DO THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO, BUT NOW WE KNOW RIGHT? WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, AND THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER PROJECTS LIKE PROJECT CONNECT AND, AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND SO REALLY THIS IS, AND NOT TO MENTION THERE IS A WHOLE DOWNTOWN, UM, AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE ACT PLAN, THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, SO TO KIND OF UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, UM, CORE MOBILITY PLAN.
SO THERE'S REALLY THE, THE BEST TIME OTHER THAN 20 YEARS AGO IS NOW
UM, SO, SO THOSE ARE ALL PART OF THIS PLANNING OR THIS DESIGN AND PLANNING PROCESS REALLY TO TAKE THE VISION PLAN AND INTEGRATE IT IN WITH ALL THESE OTHER INITIATIVES FOR SURE.
UM, AND WHY THE TEAM AT HDR IS REALLY SO DEEP AND BROAD WITH ALL THE EXPERTISE TO REALLY GRAPPLE WITH THAT AND HELP TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, THAT VISION PLAN INTO REALITY.
SO MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS THAT I THINK SINCE THE, UH, 2018 BALANCE AVENUE HAPPENED, I THINK CAPITAL METRO ACTUALLY REORGANIZED THEIR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHERE THEY HAD BUS ROUTES GOING, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY AND THE OTHER WAY, WHICH IS VERY STRATEGIC MOVE.
BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD KIND OF LIKE TO SEE HOW YOUR NEW PLAN IS GONNA KIND OF LIKE COORDINATE WITH THOSE EFFORTS AND MAYBE I DIDN'T SEE ANY BUS STOPS OR ANYTHING IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL RENDERINGS AND STUFF, BUT HOW THAT'S ALL GONNA KIND OF LIKE WORK TOGETHER SO PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE CARS AND WE CAN EARN, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN TO ENJOY CONGRESS, BUT TO TAKE THE BUS BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET OFF AND WALK OVER TO A GREAT PLACE LIKE Y'ALL SHOW IN YOUR IMAGES.
I THINK THAT'S THE CORE TO THE REBALANCE THE AVENUE OR BALANCE THE AVENUE IS REALLY ABOUT UNDERSTANDING TO YOUR POINT THAT THERE'S, IF WE CAN GIVE PEOPLE CHOICES IN HOW THEY GET AROUND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO SCENARIO BY WHICH SOMEONE SHOULD DRIVE FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT TO DOWNTOWN EVER, RIGHT?
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER, IF WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE RESOURCES, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THAT NEXT PHASE OF DESIGN OR THAT INITIAL PHASE OF DESIGN FROM THE VISION PLAN
YOU KNOW, I WENT TO JAPAN THIS LAST FOUR, FOUR WEEKS, FOUR MONTHS AGO, AND IT'S JUST TOTALLY AMAZING HOW EVERYTHING IS SO WELL COORDINATED.
YOU CAN GET, YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A CAR, YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO DRIVE A CAR BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS SO SIMPLE AND EVERYTHING'S SO CONVENIENT, EVERYTHING'S ON TIME.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE EMPHASIS PUT ON LIKE, LET'S, LET'S KIND OF MIX THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
LET'S KIND OF LIKE USE CONGRESS AVENUE AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND MAKE IT SO EASY TO GET DOWN THERE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO START THEIR CAR UP AND LOOK FOR A PARKING SPACE.
THAT, I GUESS THAT'S MY BIGGEST MESSAGE.
UH, SO ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO KIND OF TACK ONTO THE, UH, QUESTION ABOUT TRANS OPTIONS IS, UH, THE CONSIDERATION FOR PETTY CABS, I MEAN, KNOW THAT THAT'S KIND OF ARCHAIC GIVEN THE SCOOTER CULTURE, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY THEY DO UTILIZE THAT PATH QUITE A BIT, ESPECIALLY, UH, DURING FESTIVALS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO YEAH, PENNY CABS ARE GENERALLY COMPATIBLE WITH ANY OF OUR PROTECTED BIKE LANE, YOU KNOW, DIMENSIONING, LIKE THEY CAN WORK.
UM, IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO TWO PETTY CAPS SIDE BY SIDE
[00:55:01]
THE PEDESTRIAN, THE SIDEWALK, LIKE HOW ALL THAT IS SORT OF INTERACTING RELATIVE TO SOMETHING THAT MAYBE COULD GO A BIT FASTER AND, AND BE, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPATIBLE WITH A, A RELAXED KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENT.UM, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN PULL THAT OFF, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE OVERALL APPROACH TO THE DESIGN.
COMMISSIONER LUKINS, THAT GREAT COMMISSIONER LUKINS IN THE MICROPHONE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF US WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND HERE A LONG TIME, UH, REMEMBER JUST, UH, HOW IT WAS BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED AND, BUT THERE ARE TWO THINGS.
ONE I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST OR RECOMMEND THAT DOWN THE TREE PLANT HAPPENED THAT THERE'S A DIVERSITY OF TREE SPECIES, YOU KNOW, IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
THERE'LL BE, UH, UH, I DON'T KNOW, DISEASE OR INSECT INFESTATION OR KILL ALL THE TREES AT ONCE, SO A DIVERSITY OF TREE SPECIES.
THE OTHER THING THOUGH WAS, UH, ARE THERE BUSES ON CONGRESS AVENUE? YES, THERE'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, WE DON'T, THERE'S NOT CURRENT BUS SERVICE.
THERE WAS SOME NIGHT SERVICE AT SOME POINT AND IT DOES CHANGE VERY FREQUENTLY.
UM, SO YEAH, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE KIND OF THING WHERE YOU'D WANT TO THINK ABOUT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO THINK ABOUT DOWNTOWN AS A GRID, YOU KNOW, THAT SERVES ALL MODES AND WE THINK ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD, I MEANT WAS ARE THERE, IS, ARE THERE, DO YOU ENVISION HAVING BUZZED ON CONGRESS? I THINK WE, WE WOULD WANT TO APPROACH THIS WITH, AND TO NOT FORECLOSE ON THAT, BUT TO LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY WITH ALL THE OTHER NEEDS OF THE STREET AND SORT OF THINK ABOUT HOW WOULD WE INTEGRATE THAT TOGETHER AND, AND HOW WOULD WE USE THE SIDE STREETS AND THE CROSS STREETS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROXIMITY AND EASE AND TIME COMPETITIVENESS WITH TRANSIT SERVING THE DOWNTOWN AS A WHOLE AND, AND WHERE CONGRESS FITS INTO THAT AND, AND THEN APPRECIATING THAT, YOU KNOW, BUS, LOCAL BUS SERVICE CAN CHANGE.
SO WE, WE NEED TO JUST EMBRACE THAT FLEXIBILITY THROUGH, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS AND, AND, UH, YEAH, TO KEEP THOSE OPTIONS OPEN REALLY.
I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT.
UM, OH, DO YOU MIND ONE OTHER THOUGHT, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT ON THE TREES AND I JUST WANTED TO PLUG THE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE DID, UH, A TREE STUDY AND IDENTIFIED I THINK A VARIETY OF SPECIES THAT WOULD BE MORE COMPATIBLE, UM, FOR, UM, YEAH, FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS AREA.
SO COMMISSIONER CARROLL, SORRY, I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF, OF CONVERSATION RECENTLY THAT WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF, EVEN WHEN WE'RE USING NATIVE TREES, WE'RE PUTTING THEM IN NON-NATIVE CONDITIONS WHEN THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY BUILDINGS.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING THEIR EXPOSURE TO SUN AND, AND LIGHT AND, AND WIND AND THOSE CONDITIONS ON CONGRESS.
UM, UH, CHAIR, CHAIR WEAVER, COMMISSIONER ROLLON.
CAN I SAY IT WAS THE LAST COMMENT? UM, I JUST WANNA GO ADD TO, UH, CHECK HER'S COMMENT ABOUT THE BIKE LANES.
UH, JUST THAT I AGREE THAT A SHARED USE PATH WHERE IT STRENGTH THE BIKES ARE SHARING THE SAME SPACE IS NOT, IS NOT IDEAL AND SHE SEPARATES SPEED A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT IF POSSIBLE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE SHARED SPACE PER SE, BUT TO WHAT JANICE SHARED, WE HAVE SOME, UM, FLUID LOCATION YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S ALWAYS A MAJOR BUFFER BETWEEN BIKES AND PETS.
SOMETIMES IT'S AN EIGHT FOOT BUFFER KNOWN AS THE AMENITY ZONE.
SOMETIMES IT'S A TWO FOOT BUFFER IN THE ONE BLOCK OF CONGRESS AVENUE, THE 100 BLOCK.
AND THEN ON THE BRIDGE WHERE WE ACTUALLY ARE MORE COMPRESSED IN SPACE, THERE WILL STILL BE A TWO FOOT BUFFER.
BETWEEN PETS, WONDERFUL BIKES AND PETS.
THAT WILL BE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FEEL IT IF YOU'RE A BIKE AND YOU VEER OVER A TRENCH DRAIN OR RAISED COBBLES IN THE CASE OF ON THE AVENUE, YOU WILL VERY WELL SINCE, UH, SINCE THAT, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPRESS EARLIER IS THAT ON THE BRIDGE WE DON'T WANNA PROHIBIT ANY, UM, AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THOSE TWO ZONES CUZ THERE ARE GONNA BE OCCASIONS WHERE A CYCLIST WILL WANNA DISMOUNT AND GO TO THE BAT OBSERVATION DECK OR WHATEVER.
[01:00:01]
THAT.WE'VE ONLY SPENT AN HOUR ON YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE ARE THE DESIGN COMMISSION, SO WE, WE EMBRACED THAT.
UM, OKAY, UH, FOR JILL, UM, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING, IS JILL STILL ON THE LINE? YES, I AM.
UM, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE.
UM, CON CONTEXTUALLY, UH, THERE IS A COMMISSIONER WHO, UH, IS NOT PRESENT TODAY, BUT SHE'S VERY INTERESTED IN THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THAT OR CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON YOUR THOUGHTS? YEAH, I BELIEVE WE WERE SPEAKING TO ANNE COLE, UM, IS WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY.
UM, YEAH, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF LOOKING AT DOING A GREAT STREETS UPDATE AND THAT IS A FULL UPDATE AND WE'RE THE INITIAL STAGES OF JUST LOOKING AT TIMELINES AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT ON THE BENCH CONFLICT IN BETWEEN GREAT STREETS AND CONGRESS, UM, THAT THAT IS, IT'S STILL CONSISTENT IN THE REST OF DOWNTOWN, AND SO IT'S PRETTY IRRITATING
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT RESOLUTION YOU HAVE.
UM, IF THERE'S PROGRESS POINTS IN THE FUTURE, I'M HOPEFUL THAT DESIGN COMMISSION CAN BE HELPFUL OR A STOP ALONG THE WAY.
UM, SO YOU DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE FOR THAT? NOT AT THIS TIME.
ON THE VIBRANT CROSSINGS, UM, SO THAT WAS 11TH STREET, NINTH STREET, SIXTH STREET, FIFTH CESAR CHAVEZ, AND RIVERSIDE.
UM, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT WAS A HISTORIAN FROM DAA SELECTED THOSE, UM, I THINK THE TERM VIBRANT WAS REALLY, UM, AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AT 11TH AND NINTH STREET.
UM, SO IS IT JUST COLORED ASPHALT OR WHAT'S THE FULL VISION FOR, FOR THE VIBRANT CROSSINGS? YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION AND MAYBE THE CHANCE TO CLARIFY, AND, AND JANET PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I HAVE ANY OF THIS WRONG, BUT, YOU KNOW, VIBRANT CROSSINGS WASN'T NECESSARILY DERIVED FROM THE, UM, DAA, UM, OUR, THE, THE HISTORY, UM, EFFORTS THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THE STORYTELLING EFFORTS THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER IS JUST A, PERHAPS A PALLET FROM WHICH WE CAN THEN SORT OF INTERPRET THAT HISTORY AT THESE VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FROM A TRAFFIC OPERATIONS STANDPOINT, THEY SERVE A CERTAIN PURPOSE AND FROM, UH, A CONNECTIVITY STANDPOINT THEY'LL, THEY SERVE A CERTAIN PURPOSE.
SO THEY JUST BECOME THESE LITERAL CROSSROADS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT REALLY CRITICALLY FROM ALL ASPECTS, ALL DIMENSIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, AND THEN THINKING ABOUT THIS, THE, THE AVENUE IN THOSE KIND OF FOUR CATEGORIES, IF YOU WILL, THE CIVIC STAGE, THE HEART, UH, DOWN TO THE GREEN GATEWAY.
YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY TO COULD HELP US IMAGINE, UM, YOU KNOW, OR PUT THE VISION PLAN, YOU KNOW, INTO A DESIGN THAT REALLY CELEBRATES THOSE CROSSINGS.
WELL,
SO IT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENT SCALE OF, I DON'T WANNA SAY PUBLIC ART, BUT JUST KIND OF A DIFFERENT SKILL OF PLACEMAKING THAN ART THAT'S KIND OF DEFINING SPACE, WOULD YOU SAY? OR? I, YES.
I THINK THOSE ARE, YOU'RE GETTING TO IT.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE NECESSARILY HAVE THAT FULLY REALIZED AND, AND WE'RE SO EARLY IN THE PROCESS, WE JUST WANNA POINT OUT SOME OF THE, UM, WHERE THE VISION PLAN LEADS US AND REALLY HONE IN ON THOSE KEY ELEMENTS THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE THINKING ABOUT.
AND AS WE PROGRESS THIS EFFORT AND BRING SOMETHING MORE TO Y'ALL AS A, AS US AS A COMMUNITY, I THINK THOSE ARE THE AREAS WE'D WANT TO GO DEEPER INTO FEEDBACK, GET SOME IDEAS ABOUT WOULD THERE BE POTENTIALS FOR, UH, DIFFERENT, UM, YEAH.
UM, WHAT DO THE BUILDINGS AROUND THEIR SORT OF PLAY TO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT THINKING ABOUT IT SPATIALLY AT THOSE KEY LOCATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE UNIQUELY AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER MIDBLOCK AND OTHER LOCATIONS.
BUT DO YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD ON THAT? SORRY.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST COMMENT, QUESTION, COMMENT, UM, IS KIND OF ABOUT FINANCING.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS, I'M LIKE, WELL, HOW DOES, HOW DOES, HOW CAN ALL OF THESE THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR A MORE BENEFICIAL OUTCOME?
[01:05:01]
UM, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT IN TOWN RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE A BIG VISION FOR CONGRESS.UM, AND IT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ULTIMATE FI TOOL OF IMPLEMENTATION WOULD, WOULD BE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S HEADING TOWARD JURORS, I WOULD GUESS.
OR IS IT GOING TO BE A BOND THAT THE CITY JUST PAYS FOR ALL OF THIS IMPROVEMENT ON CONGRESS? YEAH.
NONE OF, UM, THOSE ARE ON THE TABLE AT THIS TIME.
BUT TO, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT IS THIS, IS, THIS IS, IT'S COSTLY
UM, THERE ARE OPTIONS MAYBE TO CREATE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT, YOU KNOW, GO ABOVE AND BEYOND GREAT STREETS TO REALLY OFFER GUIDANCE ON HOW TO REALIZE THE VISION PLAN.
THAT'S ONE, I THINK, UH, IMPORTANT PIECE THAT WE THINK WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THESE, UM, LEVERAGED OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, AND THEN REALLY THINKING STRATEGICALLY ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL MANNER OF, OF FINANCING OPTIONS, REALLY.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, AN AREA WE WANNA GO TO ONCE WE SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST.
UM, AND I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE, UM, YOU HONING IN ON THAT, CUZ WE'VE GOTTA WRESTLE WITH IT.
SO I THINK THE FIRST OPTION IS REALLY WHERE I WAS HEADED AND KIND OF GETTING EXCITED.
UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT LIKE, GREAT CITIES THAT I LOVE TO BE IN, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE TO BE ON AN OUTDOOR TERRACE.
I WANNA HAVE A COCKTAIL AND I WANNA WATCH THE MARATHON.
I WANNA BE IN THE MARATHON, I WANNA WATCH IT AS A SPECTATOR.
AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THOSE SPOTS IN DOWNTOWN VERY MUCH.
LIKE THERE'S A FEW BARS THAT ARE OLDER THAT HAVE THAT ON CONGRESS, BUT BETWEEN PARKING PODIUMS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH ACTIVE SPACE.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY EXCITING OPTION TO ADD INTO A HIGHER ENTITLEMENT IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY MULTI-LAYERED TERRACES WITH OUTDOOR ENGAGEMENTS THAT PEOPLE CAN WATCH THE PARADES THAT WE DO HAVE ON CONGRESS.
UM, SO YEAH, I, I THINK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ENCOURAGE WHILE WE'RE STILL BATTLING PARKING AND F A R AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, I THINK THERE COULD BE A LOT OF INCENTIVE GIVEN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT KIND OF HELPING US THINK H HIGH AND WIDE IN
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SORRY, I, I WANTED TO ASK THIS WHEN I INITIALLY LOOKED AT THE PRESENTATION AND UH, THE CHAIR JUST TRIGGERED MY MEMORY.
UH, SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I LOOKED AT, UH, YOUR PLAN AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU ARE, UH, GIVING A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO, UM, THE STOREFRONT, UH, TO KIND OF PROGRAM THE SPACE IN FRONT OF THEM.
UM, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT A LOT OF PLACES THAT WERE KIND OF AKIN TO WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, CHAIR WEAVER WAS SPEAKING OF, UM, DON'T EXIST ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD ANNIE'S CAFE THAT IS NOW MEDICAL USE, SO THAT'S GONE.
THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, ELEMENT THERE, UM, TO, TO SIT OUTSIDE AND ENJOY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR MEDICAL EXPERIENCE,
UM, SO I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, UH, PLANNING YOU HAVE HAVE IN PLACE FOR, UM, KIND OF COMPENSATING FOR THE FACT THAT VENDORS, WE DON'T HAVE THE FOOD STALLS, THE FOOD TRUCKS THAT WE USED TO, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT, UM, BEING, UH, CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH UTILITIES IS, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, MORE INCUBATORY UH, INCLUSION OF THESE TYPES OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ESSENTIALLY BEEN PUSHED OFF OF OUR MAIN STREET? YEAH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT AND TAKE A TURN.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE IS IN THE REALM OF CODE AMENDMENTS FOR WHEN, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE HAS DONE A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN TERMS OF RECRUITING THE SMALL BUSINESS, THE LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND THOSE BUSINESSES THAT REALLY COULD HELP THE AVENUE THRIVE AND REACH ITS POTENTIAL AS A, AS THE MAIN STREET OF TEXAS.
THAT'S VERY IMMERSIVE AND, AND GREAT TO HANG OUT AND TO YOUR POINT, AND THE COMMISSIONER.
SO, UM, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, SHORT OF CODE AMENDMENTS AND, AND DOING SORT OF SMALL BUSINESS AND RECRUITMENT, I THINK THE CITY EVEN HAS POLICY ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE LOANS AND GRANTS FOR SUCH SMALL BUSINESSES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY.
[01:10:01]
AVENUE IS ONE OF THEM, BUT IF YOU KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT THAT THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, YES, I THEY DO, I KNOW THEY HAVE A PROGRAM AS TO HOW IT YEAH, CONGRESS.SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO USE SOME TOOLS THAT WE MAY ALREADY HAVE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE CODES.
I GUESS I'M THINKING MORE OF IN THE, IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE STOREFRONTS BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, EDIFICES I'VE ALREADY BEEN SPOKEN FOR OR, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
SO IT'S MORE WHAT CAN WE DO THAT'S WITHIN THE PUBLIC, UH, REALM, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN, WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU DO AS FAR AS UTILITIES ARE CONCERNED WHEN YOU'RE DOING ALL THIS UTILITIES WORK TO POTENTIALLY PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MORE MY THOUGHT IS KIND OF CREATING OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE OF JUST THOSE EDICTS ON, ON CONGRESS.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE AMENITY ZONE IS AROUND FOR THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SUPPORT STUFF LIKE THAT.
SMALL, LIKE LITTLE, UM, CARTS AND THINGS LIKE OF THAT NATURE, ENTREPRENEURIAL STUFF.
BUT, UM, AS FAR AS A STOREFRONT ZONE, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO PUT SOMETHING IN THAT ZONE IF IT'S REALLY KIND OF MORE OR LESS CONTROLLED BY THAT PROPERTY OR BY THAT BUSINESS FRONTING IT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA LEAN ON DAA SOME TO HELP US SORT OUT, YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY HAVING THAT PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY CRITICAL CUZ THAT'S WHAT THEY DO REALLY WELL.
WELL THANK YOU MCCANN ADAMS. THANK YOU.
I HAD ONE, I HAVE ONE LAST, UH, IT'S BROUGHT UP AN ISSUE WITH ME BECAUSE I FORGOT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND JAN'S HERE, AND THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE I MENTIONED, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AS A LINK TO SOCIAL EQUITY, RIGHT? TO GET PEOPLE DOWN THERE THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO DRIVE THEIR CARS, PARK THEIR CARS IN THE GARAGE.
AND THEN WHEN I STARTED THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT AREA, CONGRESS AVENUE, THE REAL ESTATE IS SO EXPENSIVE.
SO HOW ARE YOU GONNA CONVINCE ALL THESE LANDOWNERS TO KIND OF LIKE, JUMP INTO THIS SOCIAL EQUITY THING AND MAKE THAT AREA, UH, ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE OF LOWER INCOME AND, AND DIFFERENT, UH, ETHNIC, UH, GROUPS? WELL, I THINK PART OF THE, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS CREATING THIS PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HANG OUT.
THEY'RE NOT JUST ALLOWED, BUT THEY'RE INVITED AND CREATING THIS COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENTS THAT DO HAVE SEATING AND BENCHES AND, AND THINGS THAT ARE FREE TO DO.
UM, AGAIN, I THINK ALSO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE HAS REALLY GOT THAT IN THEIR FOCUS ABOUT MAKING DOWNTOWN A PLACE THAT'S WELCOMING TO EVERYBODY.
AND THE CITY WANTS TO DO THAT TOO.
AND THIS IS A, AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK THERE'S JUST BEEN AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WORK DONE THROUGH THE DAA IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS FOR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REFOCUSING ON, ON PUBLIC SPACE AS THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SORT OF CREATE US MORE OF A SENSE OF EQUITY AND, AND WELCOMINGNESS.
CUZ I REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN 10 YEAR, 12 YEARS AGO, AND WE DID A SURVEY FOR PEOPLE AND SAID, WHAT KEEPS YOU FROM COMING TO DOWNTOWN? TOO EXPENSIVE.
I DON'T WANT TO, WHERE AM I GONNA PARK MY CAR? AND SO I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY SOLVING FOR THOSE THINGS RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THIS, THE VISION PLAN REALLY SET THAT UP AND I, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS IN THAT ARENA, WHICH WE ALL THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
NOW I'M, I'M AWARE OF ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT WHEN, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHEN THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, HOW'S THIS GONNA BE ENFORCED? IS IT GONNA BE ENFORCED IN ANY WAY? THE, WHAT WHAT ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT? IF, IF PEOPLE BUY INTO THIS EQUITY AND, AND KIND OF LIKE AGREEING WITH THIS SOCIAL EQUITY DEAL, ESPECIALLY PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, ARE THEY GONNA BE, UH, COMMITTED, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING, IT'S GONNA BE INVO ENFORCED? ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE TO SIGN SOMETHING THAT COMMITS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, UH, AGREE WITH THE PLAN, RIGHT? RIGHT.
ALLOW PEOPLE TO HANG OUT IN FRONT OF THEIR STOREFRONT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A GENERAL SENSE, RIGHT.
WELL, I, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I HOPE THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
BUT DO YOU WANNA TAKE THAT? I GIVE ALL THE HARD QUESTIONS,
SO THAT'S ALL, IT'S JUST, YEAH,
[01:15:01]
JUST TO MAYBE BRING US BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE REALLY LOOKING TO MAKE CONGRESS, I THINK, AN INCLUSIVE, INVITING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY.SO THROUGH THE DESIGN, WE AIM TO BRING ABOUT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME AND, AND CAN, UH, OF, OF ALL AGES ABILITIES.
UM, SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S THE GOAL I THINK, WITH THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE AND STANDING NEXT TO ALL THESE OTHER COLLECTIVE EFFORTS.
I THINK TO ALL THAT YOU SPOKE TO AND THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, THE PROJECT CONNECT EFFORT, ALL OF IT KIND OF WORKS TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY TO GIVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE OPTIONS TO GET AROUND AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATES YEAH, I THINK A, YOU KNOW, AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO BE REALLY.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE ROLE THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT CAN PLAY IN THAT MUCH BIGGER PICTURE.
HDR MCCANN ADAMS, CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING AND PLANNING DAA.
I RECOGNIZE THIS IS A, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THIS IS A TREMENDOUS EFFORT TO BRING THE PROJECT TO 30%, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
UM, JUST WANTED TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT COMMISSIONER WATLEY LEFT THE MEETING.
DO WE STILL HAVE QUORUM? YES, WE HAVE SIX.
NO ONE ELSE CAN LEAVE THE MEETING OR WE WILL HAVE TO NOT HAVE THE MEETING.
[4. Discussion and possible action to determine whether the project Oertli Neighborhood Park, located at 1238 Pearl Retreat Lane, complies with City Design and Sustainability Standards and on a recommendation on requested Alternative Equivalent Compliance (AEC) in accordance with Land Development Code Title 25 § 2.2.5 and 2.3.1. Presented by James Wheeler, Parks and Recreation Department]
UH, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PROJECT, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THAT.WORTLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK LOCATED AT 1238 PEARL RETREAT LANE COMPLIES WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS ON A RE RECOMMENDATION ON REQUESTED ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE PRESENTED BY MR. JAMES WHEELER OF PARKS AND REC.
OKAY, WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, MY NAME'S JAMES WHEELER AND I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR ORLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UM, I HAVE A PRESENTATION WE GOT PULLED UP.
IT'S NOT QUITE AS EXCITING AS THE LAST, UM, AND IT'LL BE SHORTER AND WE'RE HEADING OUT TO THE SUBURBS, SO IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE SIMPLER.
OKAY, WELL, I'LL OPEN UP HERE, UM, WITH JUST A, A STREET VIEW TO KIND OF GIVE YOU THE IDEA OF WHAT THE TWO ACCESS POINTS LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN, UM, ONE VICINITY MAP UP ON THE LAST, IF YOU WANNA GO BACK ONE AND THEN A VICINITY MAP UP IN THE TOP LEFT HAND CORNER.
UH, WALNUT CREEK IS THE BIG PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP.
I 35 IS GONNA BE TO THE EAST OF THAT.
AND THEN ORLEY PARK IS GONNA BE LOCATED, UM, PARMER AND DESAL TECH RIDGE AND THAT AREA OF TOWN, UH, IF YOU CAN SEE BLAINE ROAD IS TO THE NORTH, AND THAT'S, UH, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ON EACH SIDE, AND IT'S A DEAD END STREET.
AND THE, TO THE SOUTH OF THE PARK IS, UM, PEARL RETREAT LANE, AND THAT'S THE, UH, THE STREET VIEW FROM THERE WITH, UH, MULTIFAMILY TO THE WEST AND SINGLE FAMILY TO THE EAST.
SO WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
UM, I'VE GOT ANOTHER VICINITY MAP AFTER THESE, BUT I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS.
THIS IS THE OVERALL SITE PLAN, UM, FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, TOP TO BOTTOM.
UM, WE HAVE THE BLAINE ROAD, UH, DEAD END STREET UP AT THE NORTH.
THE, UH, WE HAVE A LOOP TRAIL OR A SHARED USE PATH FOR THIS MATTER THAT, UH, CONNECTS BOTH SIDES.
AND WE HAVE THREE PAVILIONS, AN OFF-LEASH AREA AND A FITNESS CENTER.
UM, TO NOTE THOSE THREE PAVILIONS, I BELIEVE ARE BEING, UM, BEING TERMED AS BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE OPEN AIRED PAVILIONS, UH, SO THERE'S NO WALLS, UM, NO AIR CONDITIONING.
UM, THERE WILL ONLY BE ELECTRICITY TO POWER LIGHTS FOR THE PAVILIONS.
IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, THIS IS A ZOOM IN OF THE, THE NORTH AREA THAT SHOWS, UM, A BIG PEANUT SHAPE.
THAT IS THE, UH, PLAYGROUND AREA.
THERE'S A 25 BY 40 PAR STANDARD, UH, PAVILION FROM CLASSIC RECREATION.
[01:20:01]
UM, THE MAIN PICNIC PARK, UM, EVENT SPACE, IF YOU WILL.UH, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT, NEXT SLIDE, IT'S THE, UH, CENTRAL OPEN AREA.
AND IT ALSO SHOWS THE, UH, THE OFF-LEASH AREA WITH THE PAVILION, UH, 18 BY 18 PAVILION THAT'S GONNA BE LOCATED KIND OF SOUTH OF THE PLAN.
AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAN IS A 12 BY 12 PAVILION.
DO YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SHEET, PLEASE? THE, UH, THE SOUTH SITE PLAN ZOOM, UH, SHOWS THE FITNESS AREA IN THE MIDDLE, AND THAT'S SECOND 12 BY 12 PAVILION.
THAT'S GONNA BE A RESTING AREA FOR THE FITNESS AREA.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS A, UH, A RENDERED SITE PLAN JUST TO SHOW SOME TREES AND, UH, ADD SOME COLOR SO YOU CAN GET A LITTLE MORE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THE, UM, THE PROPERTY IS, HAS VERY LITTLE SHADE ON IT CURRENTLY.
UM, SO ADDING SHADE ALONG WITH PAVILIONS WAS KIND OF A PRIORITY.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS A, UM, BUS STOP AND TRAIL NETWORK.
UH, THE PINK ROUTE TO THE TOP LEFT CORNER IS PARMER LANE, AND THERE ARE THE, UH, BUS STOP LOCATIONS.
THERE'S A A HALF MILE RADIUS ON ORLEY PARK, AND THEN IT SHOWS THE SURROUNDING LAND USES.
UM, YOU CAN KIND OF MAYBE FLESH IT OUT THAT THIS WAS A A P U D AT ONE TIME.
SO THIS PROPERTY WAS PARKLAND DEDICATION ALONG WITH THE P U D.
UM, THE FIRST PORTION THAT WAS DEVELOPED IS THE MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENTS TO THE WEST OF ORLEY PARK.
UH, ONCE THAT WAS DEVELOPED, THE PARKLAND WAS OFFICIALLY DEDICATED, AND THAT'S THE LITTLE SLICE OF PIE WE GOT.
AND, UM, WITHIN THE P U D, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS WRITTEN TO ALLOW, UM, SOME INTERNAL CIRCULATION RUSE TO SUB SUBCHAPTER E ITEMS, BUT WHEN IT WAS ALL DEVELOPED, IT BECAME DEVELOPED AS RESIDENCES.
SO THE SUBCHAPTER E WERE NOT INTO EFFECT ALONG THE, UH, PEARL RETREAT LANE THAT GOES TO THE MIDDLE OF THE P U D.
SO THAT LEAVES ORLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, UM, TO MEET COMPLIANCE WITH SUBCHAPTER E.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENCY COMPLIANCE REQUEST.
AND I'M COMING HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT.
UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE JUST TO SHOW YOU, UH, THE, THE ACTUAL P D LAND USE PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE, UH, THE AREA HASHED OUT IN THE MIDDLE KIND OF GOT MOVED ONCE, UH, PHASE ONE WAS DEVELOPED.
SO THAT WAS A SHOWN AS A P UD PLAN AMENDMENT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE.
SO THE P U D WAS WRITTEN RIGHT AROUND THE TIME SUB CHAPTER THREE WAS COMING INTO PLAY.
SO THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT THEY WERE WORKING THROUGH THAT NOW, UM, MADE THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED, BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS JUST SHOWS THE, UM, PART OF THE APPLICATION, SOME OF THE BUILDING ELEVATIONS.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE, THESE ARE CLASSIC ACROSS, UH, THE PARKS, UM, ALL OVER AUSTIN.
WE UTILIZE THIS COMPANY AND, UM, WE UTILIZE ONE OR TWO MODELS.
THE ORLANDO MODEL IS ONE OF THEM.
SO THIS IS THE LARGE PAVILION.
THIS SHOWS, UM, SOME ORNAMENTATION AS A SUNBURN BURST ORNAMENTATION ON THIS PAVILION.
IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IT'LL BE A, A COPY OF THIS ONE.
IT'S GONNA BE AN 18 BY 18 PAVILION ON THE NEXT SLIDE, OR A 12 BY 12.
SO I JUST PROVIDED THESE FOR, FOR REFERENCE TO SHOW THE BUILDINGS AND THE PAVILIONS THEMSELVES.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF, UH, GEORGIAN ACRES PARK.
IT'S GONNA BE THE MOST COMPARABLE TO THE LARGE 25 BY 40 PAVILION WITH THE SUNBURST ORNAMENTATION, UH, PENDING FINAL COSTS AND BUDGETS.
UH, THE, THE STONE MASON ON THE, ON THE POSTS WILL BE, UH, WILL BE INCLUDED IF POSSIBLE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
HERE'S A MEMORANDUM FROM THE, UH, PARKS DIRECTOR APPROVING THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT WENT THROUGH A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, IN MARCH OF 2021, AND AGAIN IN JUNE OF 2021.
SO AFTER THE, UH, THE TWO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, UM, THE CONCEPT PLAN WAS PROPOSED AND IT WAS APPROVED BY THE PARKS BOARD.
IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AND YOU CAN JUST RUN THROUGH THESE SLIDES TO THE END.
[01:25:01]
UM, THERE FOR REFERENCE, THESE ARE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DATA THAT WE COLLECTED.SO THERE'S SOME, SOME WORD GRAPHS, THERE'S SOME, SOME CHARTS WITH PERCENTAGES OF, UH, PARK AMENITIES REQUESTS AND, UM, SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHICS REALLY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE INTO THE LAST SHEET.
AND THEN THIS IS THE ORLEY NEIGHBORHOOD PART CONCEPT PLAN WEBPAGE, WHICH WAS SET UP, UM, END OF 2020, JUST TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC OF IT, AS WELL AS, UH, NOTIFY ALL PROJECT UPDATES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, AND, UM, KIND OF LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT THE PROGRESS IS FOR THE PROJECT.
SO WE HOPE TO, UH, SEEK PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE SITE PLAN IN MARCH.
SO PRIOR TO THAT, I'M HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR, UH, AGREEANCE AND COMPLIANCE OF THE URBAN DESIRE GUIDELINES.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER? TANA GUCCI.
YOU'RE ON MUTE, MR. OH, I'M MUTED.
COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF? SORRY, AGAIN, COMMISSION UCCI, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF THIS KIND OF STUFF FOR, UH, BRUSH CREEK MUD AND, AND, AND SOME CITY AUSTIN STUFF, AND I APPRECIATE THIS.
BUT THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO, UH, MY, MY MIND WAS, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THE RESTROOMS? YOU KNOW, UH, WE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PAVILIONS AND STUFF, AND THERE'S USUALLY ANOTHER BUILDING WHERE THERE ARE RESTROOMS AND AMENITIES LIKE THAT, WATER FOUNTAINS AND ALL.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WE DO HAVE TWO WATER FOUNTAINS, ONE IN THE NORTH AREA, UM, ACTUALLY THREE, ONE IN THE NORTH AREA, A DOG ONLY FOUNTAIN AT THE OFF-LEASH AREA, AND THEN ONE, UH, DRINKING FOUNTAIN AT THE SOUTH AREA BY THE FITNESS.
UH, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL PARK.
UH, TYPICALLY BATHROOMS ARE NOT PROPOSED AT NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL PARKS.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY A, A DISTRICT OR A, A SPECIAL PARK SITUATION, UH, BUDGET WISE, BRINGING IN UTILITIES FOR A BATHROOM AND STAFFING MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, THAT WAS NOT PROPOSED FOR THIS PROJECT.
UH, WHILE I AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENT, AND AS A PARK USER MYSELF, I AGREE WITH THE IDEA, UM, BUT WE ARE BRINGING IN WATER SERVICE TO THE AREA.
SO IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S A NEED FOR IT, UM, AND THERE'S MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED.
UH, OFTEN THESE, THESE ITEMS, UM, KIND OF COME IN AFTER THE FACT AS A OH, A CAP, A COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PROJECT.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S A GREAT ENOUGH NEED, THEN THE COMMUNITY CAN KIND OF TAKE IT UP AND, UH, THE PARKS PLANNING DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH DEVELOPMENT TO KIND OF IMPLEMENT THOSE, UM, AS THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO QUESTION YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RESTROOM WHEN YOU HAVE A PARK BUILDING OR YOU KNOW, A, A PAVILION, BECAUSE I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT THERE AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A HUNDRED YARDS, IF THEY'RE THERE, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? I MEAN, IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE, UH, IT'S A NO BRAINING QUESTION.
AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THIS, BUT YEAH, FOR ME, IT'S KIND OF A NO BRAINER QUESTION.
SO YEAH, THERE ARE, UM, THERE'S OVER 230 PARKS IN THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN SPREAD.
SO, UM, SO PROVIDING A BATHROOM ON ALL OF THOSE, UM, IS A CHALLENGE.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE LONG RANGE PLAN ARE, ARE PLANNED OUT TO, UM, BE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITHIN HALF A MILE TO ONE MILE OF THEIR RESIDENCE.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, I, I DO AGREE A RESTROOM WOULD BE GREAT, BUT, UM, BUT THE LEAST I CAN DO IS GET SOMETHING TO DRINK SO THEY'RE NOT THIRSTY AND, UH, DEHYDRATED.
AND WHAT PUTS YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR MINS.
UH, SO I LOOKED AT THIS EARLIER AND I WAS REALLY TRYING TO ACQUAINT MYSELF WITH THE AREA BECAUSE I KNOW IT GENERICALLY, BUT NOT IN DEPTH.
SO, UM, I THINK THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME, UM, FIRST I, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SUBURBAN AREA.
UM, SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE LOCK SCORE, IT'S, UH, CLEARLY CAR DEPENDENT.
UM, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE KIND OF IN THE PERIPHERY AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO KIND OF TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND LOOKING
[01:30:01]
AT THE INFOGRAPHIC THAT YOU SHARED, WHERE IT LOOKED LIKE BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY WAS THE SECOND MOST REQUESTED, UH, FEATURE FOR, FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THE, UM, SECTIONS.UM, I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF, IS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO, UM, CREATE MORE CONNECTIVITY? YOU KNOW, ARE THE ROUTES THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING THESE SHARED PATHS, ARE THEY CREATING CONNECTION, UM, OR ARE THEY MAKING THESE MEANDERING, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL SCENIC PATHWAYS THAT REALLY DON'T OFFER THAT UTILITY? UM, AND, AND I ALSO AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE POINTS OF ENTRY.
YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT THERE ARE TWO POINTS OF ENTRY.
UM, IS THIS RELEGATED TO THESE TWO POINTS OF ENTRY? AND YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE IT'S EXCLUDING SOME OF THE MULTI-FAMILY SECTIONS AND THE ZONING.
AND I JUST QUESTION, YOU KNOW, IS THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, A CASE OF SINGLE FAMILY HOME WELLERS WHO DON'T WANT, UH, EXPANDED ACCESS FOR A MULTI-FAMILY? THOSE, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD.
SO CAN YOU BETTER ACQUAINT ME WITH THAT? UM, YEAH, IF, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO MAYBE THE SIXTH SLIDE, UM, THAT KIND OF SHOWS THE VICINITY WITH, UH, ONE MILE RADIUS CIRCLE.
UM, I GUESS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, THE PARK PROPERTY, UM, IS SURROUNDED BY EXISTING BUILT, AND YEAH, THIS'LL WORK.
UM, SO TO THE, TO THE WEST IS A MULTI-FAMILY.
UM, AND ACTUALLY TO THE SOUTH OF PEARL RETREAT, WHICH IS A PRIVATE LANE, IS ALSO MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENTS.
UM, WE CANNOT, AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT REQUESTS A PRIVATE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO ADD AN ACCESS ROUTE TO OUR PARK.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME SAFETY CONCERNS AND JUST PERSONAL PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, EVERY, EVERY PROPERTY OWNER CAN KIND OF CHOOSE IF THEY WANT ACCESS TO THE PARK OR NOT.
UM, TO THE EAST, THERE ARE, THERE'S WOODEN FENCE, SIX FOOT PRIVACY FENCING ALONG THE EAST PROPERTY.
THE NORTH PROPERTY ALSO HAS SIX FOOT PRIVACY FENCING, AND IT'S A, UH, THERE'S A OPAQUE, UH, ORNAMENTAL IRON FENCE ON THE EAST PROPERTY.
SO WE ANTICIPATE, OR WE HOPE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX MIGHT ADD A GATE, UM, ALONG THERE ORNAMENTAL IRON FENCE.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO THERE.
THE, UM, IF YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IN THE, THE NORTHEAST OF ORLENE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, THERE'S A RETENTION FACILITY, UM, THAT IS FENCED OFF, SO THAT'S A, A MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY THING AS WELL.
SO THERE'S NO ACCESS FROM THERE.
THE ONLY OTHER POINTS OF PUBLIC ACCESS ARE BLAINE ROAD, WHICH IS TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS A DEAD END STREET AND PEARL RETREAT, WHICH HAS ABOUT, UH, 120 FOOT, UH, STREET FRONTAGE ON PEARL RETREAT.
UH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT CONNECTIVITY, WE ARE PROVIDING THE ONLY CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS AS OF RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, THE, SO THE CONNECTION OUTSIDE OF IT IS PRETTY STRAIGHT, IN MY OPINION, FROM SPOT TO SPOT.
UH, WE ALSO DON'T WANNA MAKE THIS A, A BICYCLIST THOROUGHFARE WHERE IT'S, UM, THAT'S THE MAIN PURPOSE OF IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PARK.
SO, UH, SO WE AIM TO SERVICE ALL ALL TYPES OF PROGRAMMING AND ALL USERS, UM, IN MY OPINION, KIND OF HAVING, HAVING AN ACCESSIBLE PATH THAT CYCLISTS CAN USE, UM, IS GOING TO IMPROVE THE, UH, THE AREA ITSELF.
UH, ONE THING WE DID WORK ON IS, UH, PROVIDING, SO AS FAR AS THE ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE PLAN GOES, WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE P U D AND SUB-CHAPTER E.
IF IT'S OVER FIVE ACRES AS A PARK, IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INTERNAL CIRCULATION ROUTE.
AN INTERNAL CIRCULATION ROUTES ARE VEHICULAR IN NATURE.
UM, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING INTERNAL CIRCULATION ROUTE.
UM, SO THE SHARED USE PATH IS OUR PROPOSED ICR, UM, WITH SUBCHAPTER E AND THAT CIRCULATION ROUTE IS GOING TO BE, UH, EIGHT FEET, THE WHOLE LOOP TRAIL.
WE ARE PROPOSING, UM, KIND OF A BIKE SHARED USE PATH BIKE RAMPS FROM PEARL PEARL RETREAT TO THE SOUTH THAT, UM, ALLOW EXISTING CYCLISTS ON THE ROAD TO ACCESS THE PARK WITHOUT HOPPING OVER A CURB RAMP.
UM, AND THEN ONCE THEY REACH BLAINE ROAD, THERE'S EXISTING CITY SIDEWALKS AND, UM, ADA COMPLIANT RAMPS THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE AT THE INTERSECTIONS TO GET ONTO THE BIKE LANE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY NO EXISTING BIKE LANE, AND THERE'S NO PROPOSAL
[01:35:01]
TO MAKE ANY BIKE LANE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE NORTH, CUZ IT'S STRICTLY A RESIDENTIAL AREA.AND THERE'S, UM, THERE'S RESIDENTIAL PARKING ON THE STREET AS WELL, AND THERE'S NO BIKE LANES.
SO WE, WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH SOME OF THOSE AND MADE SURE THAT THERE'S NO CONFLICTS, PARTICULARLY ON PEARL RETREAT SIDE, UM, BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS, PARK USERS AND CYCLISTS.
I DUNNO IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I, I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THE MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITY TO CONNECT TO THE, TO THE PARK.
UM, I THINK FOR ME IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I SEE PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND I QUESTION, IS IT RECREATIONAL CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE OR IS IT FUNCTIONAL THAT THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, AND SO TO ME, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS PROVIDES THAT FUNCTIONAL PIECE.
I, I, SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO'S A CYCLIST, UM, DON'T WANT TO GO ON THIS MEANDERING PATH.
I, I WANT THE FUNCTIONALITY, YOU KNOW, WHO GETS ME TO, TO AMENITIES, UM, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, TRANSIT.
SO THAT'S JUST MY FEEDBACK IS, YOU KNOW, TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE OFFERING, UM, WHAT THEY WERE REALLY ASKING FOR WHEN IT CAME TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OR WAS IT REALLY TRULY RECREATIONAL CYCLING THAT THEY WERE AFTER.
I THINK IT WAS CONNECTION FUNCTIONALITY FROM A TO B.
AND, UM, EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE SOME, SOME CURVES ON THAT PATH, I THINK IT, UH, IT SERVES THAT PURPOSE AND IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN THEY, WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW.
UM, CAUSE THEY CAN'T EVEN CUT THROUGH THERE.
IT'S AN OPEN FIELD AS OF RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY'D HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO PALMER OR DESSAU AND THEN UP TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE'RE SAVING THEM, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST A MILE TREK BY PROVIDING A CUT THROUGH IN THAT LOCATION.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, THANK YOU.
I, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT VICE CHAIR MINERS WAS DISCUSSING CUZ I HAD THE SAME COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT FORCING THE MULTI-FAMILY TO DO ANYTHING.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE CREATING AN AMENITY THAT, AS MY UNDERSTANDING WAS PART OF THEIR PUT, AND THERE'S NO GREEN SPACE IN THOSE APARTMENTS CURRENTLY.
THEY'RE GONNA LOVE TO WANT TO USE THIS PARK.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH SHOULD HAVE ALSO INCLUDED THOSE APARTMENTS TO SAY, HOW DO YOU WANT TO CONNECT? BECAUSE WE KNOW YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO CONNECT AND BUILD A SIDEWALK UP TO WHEREVER THEY WANT TO CONNECT.
UH, AND I THINK QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S THE SAME WITH THE, THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTHEAST, THOSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
RIGHT NOW IT ONLY APPEARS TO BE CONNECTING TO THE OLDER SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH.
UH, AT LEAST FROM THAT, UM, PE PEDESTRIAN, UH, LEVEL.
THE, THE OTHER PART IS, YOU KNOW, WITH, THERE'S NO VEHICLE PARKING, WHICH, WHICH IS FINE, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, BUT WE TALK ABOUT, UM, BICYCLE BEING A PRIORITY.
I COUNT FOUR BIKE RACKS IN THIS PARK, AND THAT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH BIKE PARKING.
IF, IF PEOPLE ARE TRULY COMING FROM ALL AREAS OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE GONNA BE BIKING AND WALKING.
AND SO I THINK YOU NEED MANY MORE, UH, BIKE PARKING SPACES THAN THAN FOUR.
UM, AND, AND I CONCUR WITH COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI'S, UH, COMMENT ABOUT THE RESTROOMS. UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIVE NEARBY BY THE APARTMENTS, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH, IT'S A, IT'S A LONG TREK BACK TO, TO GET TO A RESTROOM.
AND IF YOU'RE ALREADY PUTTING, UH, BRINGING IN PLUMBING TO THE PARK, IT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY NEXT STEP TO, TO DO AT LEAST A UNISEX RESTROOM THERE.
UH, SO THAT'S ALL THE COMMENTS I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? DO WE HAVE THE MOST, I I HATE TO BE A, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO BE SO WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER CAROL THE RESTROOM THING.
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE'RE PAYING MONEY, IF PEOP TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR A FACILITY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD ENCOMPASS EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, AND IT SHOULD MAKE, MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE AND NOT JUST THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING TAXED ANYMORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE WITH.
AND IT COMES BACK TO THAT, THAT, THAT SOCIAL EQUITY DEAL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE PLAN THESE PUBLIC PARKS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS 'EM.
IT HAS RESTROOMS SO EVERYBODY CAN ENJOY 'EM.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE UP A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY.
AND THAT'S ALL I WANNA SAY IS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY KIND OF LOOK AT THIS IS BECAUSE, UM, SOCIAL EQUITY IS KIND OF LIKE ON THE HEIGHT, BUT MY TOP OF MY LIST.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A QUESTION.
[01:40:01]
UH, WELL, COMMISSIONER CAROL SAID REGARDING THE BIAS RACKS WAS CRITICAL.COMMISSIONER TOAG GUCCI SAID ABOUT THE RESTROOM WAS CRITICAL.
BUT CAN WE SAY THAT IT DOESN'T MEET, UH, WHAT THE STANDARD YOU WERE DESCRIBING? CAUSE IT LACKS THOSE FEATURES.
IS THAT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW TO SAY THAT IT, THAT IT, UH, DOES NOT COMPLY CAUSE IT LACKS THOSE FEATURES? SURE.
UM, I RECOMMEND THE PROJECT AT 1 2 38 PEARL RETREAT LANE, UM, AS COMPLIANT WITH THE ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WITH THE INCLUSION OF BIKE ROCKS, A CONNECTION TO THE APARTMENTS AND ADDED RESTROOM.
DOES THAT FUNCTION? COMMISSIONER CARROLL, I GOT GOT A QUESTION.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WE NEED TO VOTE ON.
UH, I WAS MAKING A SINGLE MOTION, THE AEC AND THE COMPLIANCE? NO, IT'S, IT'S A E C IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LDC, BUT THERE'S ALSO COMPLIANCE WITH CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD.
DO WE NEED TO SEPARATE 'EM INTO TWO MOTIONS? OKAY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UM, THAT IS GOING TO BE REVISED TO BE, UH, LET'S REVISE IT TO COMPLY WITH A E C.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND MOTION TO ADDRESS? UM, PARDON OF ME CHAIR WEAVER, WE NEED A VOTE ON THE FIRST MOTION.
ON THE FIRST MOTION THAT, UH, 1238 PAROLE RETREAT LANE COMPLIES WITH, UM, ALTERNATIVE, UM, EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE WITH THE INCLUSION OF MORE BIKE RACKS CONNECTION TO THE APARTMENTS AND AN ADDED RESTROOM.
UM, CAN WE HAVE A VOTE FOR ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
GUCCI, ARE YOU VOTING? UH, WELL WITH MORE REST WITH RESTROOMS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I JUST WANT TO BRING THE SOCIAL EQUITY THING IN.
THIS THING IS, IT'S NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK KIND OF A THING.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA SPEND MONEY, IF WE'RE GONNA, TAXPAYERS GONNA GIVE MONEY TO THIS CITY, THIS LITTLE PARK, NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, IT NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI.
UM, AND THEN COMMISSIONER LUKINS, DID YOU VOTE? NO.
UM, I'LL MAKE A SECOND MOTION THAT 1238 PAROLE RETREAT LANE, UM, COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS WITH THE INCLUSION OF MORE BIKE RACKS CONNECTION TO THE APARTMENTS AND A RESTROOM.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
UM, MOVING THE MOTION TO A VOTE.
SO THE MEASURE IS RECOMMENDED.
[5. Discussion and possible action on the Planning and Urban Design Working Group meeting structure.]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN WORKING GROUP MEETING STRUCTURE.SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE HA WITH ENOUGH COMMISSIONERS COMING TO THE WORKING GROUPS TO REVIEW DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS.
UM, THERE'VE BEEN A FEW SUGGESTIONS THROWN AROUND, UM, SOME BY SOPHIA WHO'S NO LONGER WITH US.
SHE'S GOING TO BE WORKING IN, UM, ZONING FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS DUE TO SHORT STAFFING.
[01:45:01]
UM, SHE'S HOPEFUL TO RETURN TO BE OUR STAFF LIAISON, BUT UNTIL THEN WE STILL ARE WORKING WITH NICOLE.UM, SO, AND JORGE, UM, SO SOPHIA'S IDEA WAS TO HAVE A STANDING MEETING AT MAYBE EVERY OTHER MONDAY AT NOON SO THAT WE KIND OF HAVE THOSE HOLD SPOTS READY TO GO.
SO IT'S NOT SUCH A CHALLENGE TO GET THE MEETING SCHEDULED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, GENERALLY, WHAT ARE OUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? LIKE IF IT WERE THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY OF THE MONTH AT NOON AND JUST TO HAVE THE HOLD, DOES THAT FUNCTION FOR FOLKS? YES, WE LIKE THAT.
THE TIME, THE SCHEDULE, THE TIMES KIND OF VARY SO MUCH.
THE, YOU KNOW, I I I HAVE TO SAY I'M SEMI-RETIRED, BUT I STILL HAVE A PRETTY, UH, HEAVY SCHEDULE IN CALENDAR AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THE CITY, MY BOARD AND COMMISSIONS, UH, UH, EMAILS COME IN DIFFERENTLY THAN MY OWN PROFESSIONAL ONES.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I CAN'T LOOK BACK AND FORTH AND SEE ALL THAT.
SO SOMETIMES I LOOK AT IT LIKE, UH, LIKE THE NEXT, UH, LIKE THE NEXT WORKING GROUP MEETING WE'RE GONNA HAVE, I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THAT TILL TODAY BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SHOW UP ON MY PERSONAL OR MY BUSINESS ONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA SAY IS THAT THE, UM, IS IS THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STREAMLINED IN THE FACT THAT I THINK, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER ROLLON AND I COULDN'T EVEN GET ON THE MEETING TONIGHT BECAUSE THE, THE INVITE WE WERE SENT SAID IT WAS KIND OF LIKE T B D, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE DETERMINED.
AND I'M JUST GOING LIKE, WELL, WHAT, WHAT, WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO LOG INTO? SO THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, COORDINATION AS FAR AS SCHEDULING AND A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, APPRECIATION THAT WE AS CIVIL, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS.
WE, WE HAVE TOO MANY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TOO MANY, UM, MAILBOXES TO GO THROUGH.
IT'S ALL YES, IT'S ALL THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN A COMMENT FROM A FEW COMMISSIONERS THAT IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET THE B BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL ON THE PHONE.
LIKE THEY CAN ONLY DO IT FROM THEIR DESKTOP.
UM, OH, YOURS IS THE OPPOSITE.
UM, IS IT POSS WOULD IT HELP FOLKS IF WE COULD KIND OF GO THROUGH THE EMAIL SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT ON ALL OUR, ALL OF EVERYONE'S DEVICES SO IT'S A LITTLE EASIER? IS THAT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH STAFF ON LIKE A TRAINING ON HOW TO LOG IN WITH THAT? HI, HR.
I BELIEVE YOU CAN ALSO PUT IN A HELP DESK TICKET WITH CTM THROUGH YOUR BC EMAIL ADDRESS.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SET YOU UP DIRECTLY ON YOUR DEVICES.
CAN I JUST MENTION, I, I'VE REACHED OUT IN THE PAST TO TRY TO GET THE, THE SERVER SETTINGS TO HAVE IT INTEGRATE WITH MY IPHONE MAIL, UM, AND I WAS REJECTED FOR THAT.
SO JUST FYI, UM, I HAVE THE OUTLOOK APP, BUT IPHONE AND MICROSOFT ARE NOT FRIENDS WITH EACH OTHER.
EVEN ON MY MAC, I HAVE THE HARDEST TIME NAVIGATING ANY OUTLOOK PRODUCTS.
SO JUST THROWING THAT OUT THAT I HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND MAYBE SOMETHING'S CHANGED.
UM, COMMISSIONER MINORS, YOU DO TECH SUPPORT, RIGHT? I DO.
AND SO I KNOW VERY WELL LIKE HOW, I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT.
YEAH, I MEAN, I DO MUSIC AND MEDIA, BUT STILL, LIKE I, I KNOW HOW TO USE AN IPHONE AND I KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, I JUST KNOW THE OUTLOOK IN MICROSOFT, YOU KNOW, THEIR PRODUCTS DO NOT WORK WELL WITH APPLES AND IT'D BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IT INTEGRATED INTO MY MAIL, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE I'M, I'M HINDERED AND RESTRICTED FROM DOING THAT.
SO, UM, CHAIR WEAVER, I CAN CREATE A CTM TICKET FOR, UM, WHICHEVER COMMISSIONERS ARE HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING THEIR EMAIL TO WHATEVER KIND OF PLATFORM THEY'RE USING.
UM, BUT YEAH, SO THERE'S NO TRAINING WE COULD OFFER, BUT I CAN, UM, CREATE A HELP DESK TICKET FOR, FOR ANYONE HAVING ISSUES.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANNA SAY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO KIND OF LIKE LOG INTO STUFF AND, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT RO COMMISSIONER ROLLON SENT THIS MESSAGE BECAUSE I GOT ALL THESE, UH, KIND OF THESE DEALS THAT SAID, OH, JUST LOG IN AND THEN IT SAYS T B D, YOU KNOW.
SO I FINALLY RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT SAID, WELL LOOK AT THE LATEST ONE.
WELL, THERE ARE SO MANY LATEST ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT LIKE THE PLAN, OUR WORKING GROUP DEAL, THE DATE CHANGES SO MUCH ON THAT IS THAT I JUST CAN'T NOT KEEP UP WITH ALL THOSE CHANGES.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I GOTTA SAY.
[01:50:04]
OKAY.SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN A BIT OF STAFF CHANGE, BUT I THINK NICOLE'S TAKEN THE NOTE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THE LINK ON MAYBE A WEEK PRIOR.
SO MAYBE WHENEVER THE AGENDAS GO OUT, THAT CAN BE A FUTURE THING BUT BECOMES REGULAR.
SO THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS THAT CTM UPLOADS THE LINK, THEY CREATE THE MEETING INVITE AND THEY DO IT THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETING.
BUT I CAN, UM, REQUEST THAT THEY PROVIDE IT A WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN HAPPEN OR NOT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MEETING INVITES BEING SENT OUT AND IT MIGHT BE KIND OF OVERWHELMING.
UM, BUT I TRY TO, I SEND THE UPDATE AND IT JUST, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY,
I THINK ONE THING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL, CUZ I AM JUST LOOKING AT THE ONE EMAIL, UM, AND I THINK YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY REGULAR THE PAST FEW MEETINGS ABOUT SENDING EVERYTHING OUT LIKE THE THURSDAY BEFORE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE READY TO POST THE AGENDA.
SO IF LIKE AT THAT TIME WHEN YOU SEND THE AGENDA OUT, IF THE LINK COULD BE THE ONE THAT WE'RE USING, SO IF PEOPLE ARE COPYING IT TO OTHER CALENDARS AND THEY CAN JUST LOOK AT THAT EMAIL ONCE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO BACK TO THE EMAIL MULTIPLE TIMES, DOES THAT, DOES THAT WORK? IS THAT POSSIBLE? OKAY.
I CAN PUT A REQUEST, UM, TO CTM TO SEE IF THAT, IF WE COULD DO THAT.
I, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF MOVING PARTS OVER THERE.
UM, GUCCI, COMMISSIONER ROLLON, DOES THAT SOUND LIKE THAT WILL HELP YOUR PROBLEMS? OKAY.
SO THIS AGENDA ITEM IS ACTUALLY ABOUT THE PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN WORKING GROUPS.
AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT EMAILS.
UM, SO WE DECIDED MONDAY AT NOON FUNCTIONS AS LIKE A HOLD, MAYBE THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY OF THE MONTH.
UM, AND THEN IF WE HAVE WORKING GROUPS, WE'LL JUST TRY TO SCHEDULE THEM DURING THOSE TIMES.
DOES THAT WORK FOR FOLKS? COMMISSIONER CARROLL IS, UM, COMMISSIONER SALINAS ON THAT GROUP? HE IS AND HE IS NOT HERE
SO THE, THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAYS OF THE MONTH IS WHEN OUR BUILDING ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS ARE AT NOON.
SO MAYBE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAYS? I CAN'T DO ANY MONDAYS AT, NO, I HAVE A STAFF MEETING.
UM, IT'S, UM, THAT'S FOR, THAT'S FOR UNCOMMONS WORKING GROUP THAT I'M PART OF.
IS THAT, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING? OH NO, THIS IS FOR THE WORKING GROUPS TO REVIEW THE DENSITY BONUS PROJECT.
THE NAME OF THE MEETING, THE NAME, THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE GROUP IS CALLED PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO WE NEED A KIND OF PICK A REGULAR MEETING TIME SO WE CAN KIND OF MORE EASILY SCHEDULE AND THEN PROBABLY UPDATE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THAT GROUP.
UM, I LIKED MONDAYS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT DOESN'T REALLY WORK FOR EVERYONE.
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY I CAN'T MEET.
UM, HOW ARE WEDNESDAYS AT NOON? FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THESE ARE VIRTUAL OR ALWAYS IN PERSON? THEY'RE VIRTUAL.
SO WE'LL TRY FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY AT NOON.
UM, AND THEN THE CURRENT MEMBERSHIP.
NICOLE, DO YOU WANNA SHARE THE CURRENT MEMBERSHIP? DO YOU HAVE THE CURRENT MEMBERSHIP? UM, YES.
SO JUST SOME CLARITY FOR THE FIRST AND THIRD, UM, AT NOON.
WHEN SHOULD THIS START? UM, AFTER THE MEETING ON THE 20TH.
UM, I THINK IT'S TOO SOON TO SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY FOR THE APPLICANT AND US
SO, UM, BUT MOVING FORWARD WE CAN TRY TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN WORKING GROUP ARE, UH, COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI, COMMISSIONER WATLEY, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN AND COMMISSIONER SALINAS SHERIFF.
THESE ARE ALL MEMBERS THAT WILL BE COMING OFF THE COMMISSION WITHIN THE NEXT 60 DAYS OR BEFORE.
AND THERE IS NO NEED TO MAKE A MOTION OR TAKE A VOTE ON WORKING
[01:55:01]
GROUPS BECAUSE THERE IS NO QUORUM NECESSITY.SO THE CHAIR IS WELCOME TO ASSIGN ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION AT ANY POINT.
SO COMMISSIONER SALINAS IS STAYING ON BECAUSE HE JUST ROLLED ON.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN, UM, BECAUSE I'M THE CHAIR.
UH, SO THAT LEAVES US WITH THREE MORE SPOTS.
UM, I HAD TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN JOINING TOO.
THIS IS TO PRE, THIS IS TO PREVIEW PROJECTS BEFORE THEY COME.
AND YOU HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.
UM, SO WE HAVE TWO MORE SPOTS.
UM, JESS, ARE YOU ABLE TO COME AND THEN WE HAVE ONE MORE SPOT, WHICH I THINK, UM, WHEN I INITIALLY SPOKE WITH FORMER CHAIR CAROL, UM, HE SUGGESTED KEEPING AN OPEN SPOT FOR KIND OF A GUEST WHO MIGHT BE A SUBJECT MATTER.
UM, SO I THINK MAYBE LET'S JUST KEEP THE MEMBERSHIP AT FOUR AND THEN, UM, WE'LL JUST KIND OF DO FILL-INS AS NOT SAY, UM, IN MAY CHAIR.
THE, THE ONLY LIMITATION YOU HAVE IS A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION.
SO LONG AS YOU HAVE UP TO FIVE OR LESS COMMISSION MEMBERS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO HAVE AS LARGE MEMBERSHIP AS YOU LIKE SO LONG AS THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED COMMISSIONERS.
SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO INVITE AS MANY OUTSIDE EXPERTS OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SO LONG AS THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED COMMISSIONERS.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS COMMISSIONERS, TANA GUCCI, COLEMAN, AND CAROL ARE SERVING LIFE SENTENCES.
THEY ARE WELCOME TO CONTINUE THEIR LIFE SENTENCE AFTER THEY'RE REPLACED ON THE COMMISSION.
I I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH MY FRIEND KIRK WATSON, YOU KNOW, WHO'S THE MARY? AND I ACTUALLY TOLD HIM, YOU NEED TO APPOINT SOMEBODY ELSE.
CAUSE I'M TIRED OF DOING THIS.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I I CAN'T DO THIS IF YOU WANT, HEY AND I LOVE Y'ALL, BUT RIGHT.
IT, IT IS TIME TO TURN IT OVER TO SOME NEW LEADERSHIP.
SO HE, HE, HE APPARENTLY IS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME, UH, ASSIGNING POSITIONS RIGHT NOW.
AND HE ASKED ME TO JUST BE PATIENT AND I HOPE IT, YOU KNOW, I'D HATE TO LEAVE YOU ALL, BUT I HOPE IT'S WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
NICOLE, ARE THERE ANY MORE ITEMS ON THE WORKING GROUP THAT YOU WANNA DISCUSS? UM, NO, I THINK THAT'S GOOD, JORGE.
[6. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding updates to the guidelines.]
SIX, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.I, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI IF HE'S HAD A CHANCE TO GET HIS GROUP GOING.
WE, SINCE WE DIDN'T TOUCH BASE LAST WEEK, Y YEAH.
COMMISSIONER CAROL, I LOVE YOUR EFFORT AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF, BUT MY INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE IS KIND, KIND OF LIKE DEAD IN THE WEEDS.
UH, THE ONE PERSON THAT VOLUNTEERED TO HELP US, YOU KNOW, SHE'S WILLING TO GO.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH, UH, COMMISSIONER FRANCO AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, UH, RECRUIT ANY CITY OF STAFF PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE'S GONNA INVOLVE LIKE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER IN A, IN ESPECIALLY WASTEWATER AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
BUT I HAVEN'T HAD ANY KIND OF, UM, UM, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM AT ALL.
SO WE ARE REALLY FAR BEHIND AND I KIND OF WAS WONDERING WHERE, UH, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN'S GROUP IS, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL TOO.
SO, YEAH, HER GROUP IS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF YOURS,
UM, BUT WE, WE'VE ALSO RECRUITED COMMISSIONER ROLLON TO HELP COMMISSIONER COLEMAN LEAD THAT GROUP.
SO I'M HOPING THEY CAN RAMP UP QUICKLY.
UH, BUT THEY DO HAVE A LARGE, UH, UH, A LARGE GROUP UNLIKE YOURS.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS IN YOUR GROUP, SO I'M CONFIDENT THEY CAN CATCH UP QUICKLY.
UM, SO I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO KIND OF TALK OFFLINE AND, AND SEE THAT
[02:00:01]
WE MIGHT NEED A NEW APPROACH FOR YOUR GROUP, UM, TO GET IT GOING.BUT THE OTHER GROUPS ARE, ARE GOING WELL AND, UM, I THINK I MENTIONED TO THOSE LAST WEEK WHEN WE MET.
I, UH, GOT SEVERAL COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS GOING AS WELL OUT THERE AND HOPE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM SOON TO, TO PLUG INTO OUR GROUPS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I'VE INVITED THEM TO SIT IN ON ANY OF THE GROUPS THAT THEY WANT TO AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON HOW THAT PROCESS IS GOING.
UM, BUT YEAH, AND THEN I THINK, UH, WE'LL NEED TO KIND OF CIRCLE UP WITH STAFF SOON TO, AS WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE OF COME, UH, SUMMER FIRST DRAFT, YOU KNOW, IN THE SUMMER AND SCHEDULING A COMMUNITY EVENT, UH, AROUND THAT FIRST DRAFT.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THE COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF STAFF ASSISTANCE, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO NICOLE OR MYSELF AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU SHEPHERD ANY STAFF ASSISTANCE SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE THEME OR OR DESIGN GUIDELINE YOU WISH TO DISCUSS.
AND WITH SOME LEAD TIME, UH, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO SAY COME IN THREE DAYS BECAUSE THE WORKING GROUP IS MEETING.
BUT IF YOU GIVE US ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO WEEKLY LEAD TIME, WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU PLUG IN WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF.
COREY'S GONNA FIX ALL YOUR PROBLEMS. COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI
[7. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting.]
SEVEN, UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.REGARDING THE LAST MEETING, WE REALLY ONLY HAD ONE SUBSTANTIAL AGENDA ITEM, UM, ARCH, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE AUSTIN RE RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS.
UM, THERE WAS AN EXECUTION OF A NEW CONTRACT WITH URBAN ALCHEMY FOR THE NEXT 13 AND A HALF MONTHS, UM, FOR $4 MILLION.
AND IT TOOK EFFECT OCTOBER 1ST.
SO THEY WERE KIND OF GIVING A PROGRESS REPORT ON, ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION.
[8. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding last meeting.]
EIGHT, UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONER CARROLLSO WE, WE DID MEET AND UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING ON KIND OF A WORK PLAN FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, UM, BEING VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT IT.
BUT WE ALSO GOT A BRIEFING ON ATX WALK BIKE ROLL, WHICH IS UPDATES TO THE BIKEWAYS URBAN TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND SHARED STREETS MASTER PLANS.
AND THAT WAS VERY EXCITING TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT IS BEING MADE ON BUILDING THOSE OUT.
UM, AND THAT WE'RE, UH, MEETING OUR GOALS, UM, ON THOSE PLANS.
AND, UH, FOR ME, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THAT THEY'RE FINALLY GONNA CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE ON THE SIDEWALK FEE IN LIEU.
UH, SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
[9. Update from representative on the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board regarding last meeting.]
NINE, UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.COMMISSIONER FRANCO IS NOT PRESENT.
SO WITH THAT, IT IS EIGHT 19 AND THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN IS, IS THERE SOME NEW BUSINESS TO TALK ABOUT? SO, I, I JUST WANNA BRING UP SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE, I LOVE ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF.
I'M THINKING ABOUT SOCIAL EQUITY ALL THE TIME, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH SINCLAIR BLACK ABOUT I 35.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T ADDRESSED IN.
AND WE'RE, SINCLAIR AND I ARE GOING TO SEE CHITO VELO, UH, TOMORROW.
AND HE RE HE INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN I 35.
CUZ THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, RE REPERCUSSIONS, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY FROM THE SOCIAL EQUITY STANDPOINT.
UH, I 35 HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF THE RACIAL DIVIDE AND, AND THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER CAROL KNOWS THIS, THAT AI IS TRYING TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS TOO.
SO I WISH THAT THE, UH, DESIGN
[02:05:01]
COMMISSION MIGHT BE ABLE TO VOCALIZE SOME OF THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, UH, SINCLAIR BLACK HAS BEEN MY FRIEND FOR A LONG TIME AND I REALLY RESPECT WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING AND I WISH THAT WE MAY, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT HIS.AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE A PUBLIC ENTITY, SO WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT AS PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS.
AND I JUST WANT TO PUSH THAT BEFORE WE CONVENE, BEFORE WE CONVENE
ARE YOU ASKING FOR A STAFF BRIEFING ON THE CABIN STITCH? I'M ACTUALLY ASKING FOR SOME, UH, SUPPORT.
I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR EVERYBODY KIND OF LOOK AT HIS PROPOSAL OR LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING ON FOR A PROJECT RECONNECT.
AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER CAROL IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT I, I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY ELSE CAN KIND OF FAMILIARIZE HIM THEMSELVES WITH THAT BECAUSE I'M, I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP HERE IN AUSTIN AND I MOVED HERE IN 63 AND THAT'S WHEN AGE 35 REALLY WAS BEING BUILT.
IT WAS BEING COMPLETED AT THE TIME.
AND MY PARENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY PROGRESSIVE.
THEY TOLD ME BACK THEN, 63, I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, THEY SAID THIS IS A RACIAL DIVIDE BECAUSE IT IS A DIVISION BETWEEN EASTON WEST AUSTIN.
AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY CONCERNS ME THE MOST IS THIS SOCIAL EQUITY KIND OF THING.
AND I DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE, THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN CUZ I DON'T EVER TAKE I 35 ANYMORE.
I'M SMART ENOUGH TO FIND THE OTHER ROUTES.
BUT I WISH THAT WE COULD GET MORE INVOLVED IN, IN KIND OF THAT URBAN DESIGN PART, THE QUALITY OF LIFE PART OF WHAT I 35 MEANS FOR OUR FUTURES AND, AND KIND OF LIKE MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.
AND WE CANNOT MAKE ANY DECISIONS AS A GOVERNMENTAL, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, GROUP, RIGHT? BUT JUST, UH, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE, WE CAN HAVE OFFSITE WHATEVER.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AS INDIVIDUALS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO KIND OF LOOK AT SINCLAIR'S PLAN AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER CARROLL IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT IF WE CAN KIND OF LIKE LOOK AT IT AND KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, GIVE, GIVE ME SOME SUPPORT HELPING SINCLAIR MOVE THIS FORWARD, THAT'S ALL.
MAYBE THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE TO DO THAT.
AND WHAT, HEY MIKE, CALL ME DOWN FOR THIS.
BUT YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE MY DEAL RIGHT NOW.
I 35, WELL, SO I SERVE ON DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
I KNOW IN OUR LAST MEETING WE REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON THE CAP AND STITCH IMPLEMENTATION FROM STAFF.
UM, I KNOW CHEETO'S OFFICE IS WORKING ON THIS, AND I KNOW IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, I SUGGESTED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, PROPOSING A, A RESOLUTION FOR, I SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL WORK ON A RESOLUTION REGARDING, UM, REQUIRING AN URBAN PLANNER TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE AREAS OF THE CAP AND STITCH.
AND THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT I HEARD FROM AIA ADVOCACY GROUPS.
SO I THINK ALL OF THESE IDEAS ARE DEFINITELY BEING CIRCULATED.
UM, I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO IS POTENTIALLY ASK FOR STAFF BRIEFING ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH, UM, CAP AND STITCH, AND WE COULD WRITE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL, UM, REGARDING THAT.
BUT I, I THINK AS A COMMISSION, THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE COULD DO.
UM, FOR A EIGHT, IF I MAY CHAIR? YES, SIR.
WELCOME TO PROPOSE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
AT ANY POINT, YOU'LL NEED A CO-SPONSOR FOR THAT ITEM, AND WE WILL CONTACT STAFF, THE APPROPRIATE STAFF AT THE, UH, PROBABLY CORRIDOR OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU THAT BRIEFING.
SO COMMISSION, TANA GUCCI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? WELL, YEAH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
I, I, I REALIZE NO, OH, SORRY.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MAKING A REQUEST FOR A STAFF BRIEFING AND WE NEED, UM, SOMEONE TO CO-SPONSOR THAT HAVE YES.
I, I WOULD LIKE A STAFF BRIEFING, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE REALIZED IT'S POLITICAL ISSUE AND NOT SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING UNDER OUR PURVIEW, BUT I WOULD REALLY, UH, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, SOME KIND OF A, YEAH, AN UPDATE OR A BRIEFING ON THAT FROM WHOEVER AT THE CITY.
AUSTIN HAS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS.
AND I GOTTA SAY, I, I, I'M IN CON CONSTANT CONTACT WITH YOU, VELA, AND HE'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, HE REALLY IS PUSHING SINCLAIR'S PLAN AND HE'S, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M REALLY INSPIRED BY THIS BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF THIS LAST MINUTE THING AND IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING OR ANYBODY THAT CARES ABOUT THAT, OUR COMMISSION CARES ABOUT IT, I WOULD LOVE TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
SO WE HAVE A SECOND FROM A CO-SPONSOR FROM COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
UM, SO JORGE AND NICOLE ARE GOING TO
[02:10:01]
WORK ON THAT.UM, AND WITH THAT, IT IS 8 25 THAT BRINGS OUR REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION TO A CLOSE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
I'LL BE THERE TO TAKE YOU HOME WHEN YOU'RE FEELING TIRED AND SCARED AND THIS SO UNFAIR.