[00:00:07]
[Call to Order]
I CALL TO ORDER THE ZONING AND PLATING COMMISSION.UH, IT IS TUESDAY, MARCH 21ST, 2023, AND WE ARE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UM, WE WILL START WITH A ROLL CALL.
WE HAVE THREE NEW COMMISSIONERS, SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH A ROLL CALL.
UH, COMMISSIONER ACOSTA IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER FLORES, I'LL GET YOU GUYS TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES IN IN A MINUTE.
LET ME GO THROUGH THE ROLL CALL FIRST.
COMMISSIONER FLOYD, RIGHT HERE.
HE IS AT A MEETING WITH TRANSPORTATION AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND COMMISSIONER THOMPSON? I AM HERE.
CAN I CONFIRM THAT FLORES AND FLOYD AND FOUTS SAID HERE? YES.
YOU GUYS CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
YOU'VE NOT MADE A MEETING YET, SO, UH, YEAH.
SO I'M RYAN JOHNSON, UH, APPOINTED BY, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, EXCITED TO JOIN AND, UH, SERVE, SEE WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
UM, COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? MM-HMM.
I WAS APPOINTED BY RYAN ALTAR WITH DISTRICT FIVE.
I WAS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AS WELL.
UM, GOING THROUGH THE AGENDA, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? START WITH HEARING NONE.
[Consent Agenda]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.ITEM ONE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF MARCH 7TH, 2023.
THESE WILL BE CONSENT ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2022 DASH OH ONE THIRTY THREE TEN SEVEN OH ONE DESAL ROAD DISTRICT ONE.
IT IS UP FOR AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS SF TWO TO MF FOUR AND IT IS SCHEDULED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, ITEM THREES ARE REZONING, UH, C 14 20 22 DASH OH 110 AT 76 0 5 ALBERT ROAD IN DISTRICT FIVE.
IT IS, UH, FROM DR TO SF SIX, AND IT IS SCHEDULED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM FOUR IS A REZONING C 14 20 23 DASH 0 0 6 WIND LANE, SINGLE FAMILY IN DISTRICT FIVE.
IT IS A REZONING FROM MH TO SF THREE, AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL 4TH.
ITEM FIVE, PRELIMINARY PLAN C 8 20 22 DASH OH THREE THREE OH HARRIS BRANCH, COMMERCE PARK PRELIMINARY PLAN.
IT IS 14 LOTS ON 297.37 ACRES, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR DISAPPROVAL FOR REASONS AS OUTLINED IN EXHIBIT C.
ITEM SIX IS A SITE PLAN, HILL COUNTRY ROADWAY AND VARIANCES.
SPC 2021 DASH OH 1 9 5 C KALO STUDIO IN DISTRICT 10 AT 79 0 1 FM 2222 ROAD.
UM, THERE WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THE VARIANCES AND IT IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COMMISSIONER GREENBERG? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE VARIANCE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION INCLUDES THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT WOULD, I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
OKAY, MS. COMMISSIONER KE ELBASO, DO I HERE A SECOND.
I SECOND THE, I SECOND THE MOTION COMMISSIONER ALEJANDRO SECONDS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[2. Rezoning: C14-2022-0133 - 10701 Dessau Road; District 1]
TO, THE FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM IS ITEM TWO, AGAIN AT C 14 20 22 DASH OH ONE THIRTY THREE TEN SEVEN OH ONE DESSAU ROAD, DISTRICT ONE.IT IS A REZONING FROM SF TWO TO MF FOUR, AND I WILL HEAR A SIX MINUTE PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT.
AND THEN ANY OTHER APP, UH, SPEAKERS IN FAVOR WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THEN A SIX MINUTE PRESENTATION FROM THE OPPOSITION.
AND ANY OF THOSE MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND LET SIT ON THE RECORD THAT WE NOW HAVE.
WHO IS THE STAFF PERSON ON THIS? OKAY, COME ON UP.
WE HAVE SOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS TOO.
SHOULD THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AS WELL? YEAH.
[00:05:01]
IS JONATHAN TOMKO.I'M WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING CASE C 14 2020 2 1 33, WHICH IS 10,000 7 0 1 DESSAU ROAD.
THE PARCEL IS 11.9 ACRES AND THE REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT IS TO GO FROM SF TWO TO MF FOUR.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THE MF FOUR ZONING.
THE APPLICANT ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS REQUESTED ANNEXATION OF THE SUBJECT TRACK.
THE TRACK HAS BEEN IN AUSTIN'S LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION SINCE 1984 AND IS CURRENTLY SERVED BY TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT FOUR.
IF THE ANNEXATION IS APPROVED, THE AREA WOULD BECOME PART OF AUSTIN'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THERE IS ALSO A VALID PETITION FOR THIS CASE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK.
UM, THE SUBJECT IS CURRENTLY, UH, A VACANT SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE ON THE 11.9 ACRES.
THE HOME IS APPROXIMATELY 2,700 SQUARE FEET AND WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1970S.
TO THE NORTH IS WOODCLIFF BA BAPTIST CHURCH AND SEVERAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BUILT ALONG WANDERING WAY IN THE LATE SEVENTIES TO THE SOUTH ARE TWO ADDITIONAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON VERY LARGE PARCELS.
THEY ARE 10,000 6 0 1 DESAW, WHICH IS ON 3.2 ACRES, WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE 1990S AND 10,800 WANDERING WAY, WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE 1970S.
AND IT IS ON 9.36 ACRES TO THE EAST ARE 18 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ALONG WANDERING WAY AND FIVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ALONG ECHO BL BLUFF COVE.
UH, LARGELY BUILT IN THE 1970S.
TO THE WEST IS THE COLLINWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS A PREDOMINANTLY SINGLE FAMILY HOME NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE LEGENDS OAKS HEALTHCARE AND REHABILITATION NORTH AUSTIN CENTER.
UM, THERE IS NO FUTURE LAND USE MAP OR REGULATING PLAN THAT HAS THIS PARCEL IN IT.
UM, WHILE THERE'S NO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FOR THIS PARCEL, THE HERITAGE HILLS WINDSOR HILLS COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD AREA PLAN, UH, IS ACROSS DESAL ROAD TO THE WEST.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN 2011 AND DESAL ROAD FUNCTIONS AS A SIX-LANE ARTERIAL ROADWAY, WHICH IS A LEVEL FOUR UNDER THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, OR AS MP.
IT HAS MANY MORE INTENSIVE USES THAT ARE ALONG THE ROADWAY.
THERE IS A CAPITAL METRO BUS STOP WITHIN A HALF MILE OF THE SITE, AND THE SITE IS ON AN IMAGINED AUSTIN CORRIDOR.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED THE MF FOUR MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE HIGH, MODERATE HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT ZONING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE 330 PROPOSED MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
UH, THE PETITION CURRENTLY, UH, AS IN YOUR BACKUP, UH, INCLUDED 22.56% OF ELIGIBLE SIGNATURES TO MEET THE 20% THRESHOLD FOR A VAL VALID PETITION.
THIS HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 42.5% OF ELIGIBLE SIGNATURES AND TWO ADDITIONAL SIGNATURES, WHICH SHOULD HAVE YET TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE CITY CLERK.
UH, THE BASIS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE PROPOSED ZONING SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE STATEMENT OF THE DISTRICT'S SOUGHT.
UH, THERE ARE, UH, AS I MENTIONED, MANY EXAMPLES OF LI CS MF G AND L O ZONING ALONG DESSAU ROAD TO THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.
UH, THE ADOPTED HERITAGE HILLS WINDSOR HILL COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST IDENTIFIES PARCELS ALONG DESSAU ROAD FOR HIGHER DENSITY.
SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY USES THE PARCEL LIES ON AN IMAGINE AUSTIN CORRIDOR BETWEEN TWO IMAGINE AUSTIN JOB CENTERS, THE BFI CENTER AND CAMERON 180 3 AND ONE IMAGINE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AT LAMAR AND RUNDBERG.
UH, THE SECOND BASIS OF ZONING WAS THE PROPOSED ZONING SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
RECENTLY THIS CORRIDOR WAS IDENTIFIED AS A MEDIUM COMPATIBILITY COORDINATOR CORRIDOR BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 2 12 1 DASH 56, WHICH MODIFIES COMPATIBILITY AND PARKING STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN CORRIDORS TO INCREASE HOUSING CAPACITY AND SUPPORT TRANSIT INVESTMENTS.
THIS ORDINANCE REDUCES THE DISTANCE AT WHICH COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS APPLY, ALLOWS GREATER HEIGHT AND THUS MORE HOUSING ALONG CORRIDORS IN EXCHANGE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND REDUCES MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL OR MIXED USE PROJECTS, UNLISTED CORRIDORS.
THESE CORRIDORS WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED BY COUNCIL WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING GENERATE MORE HOUSING AND SUPPORTING TRANSIT.
AND THE THIRD BASIS OF RECOMMENDATION IS INTENSIVE.
MULTI-FAMILY ZONING SHOULD BE LOCATED ON MA MAJOR ARTERIAL ROADWAYS AND HIGHWAYS.
THE MF FOUR MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONING CATEGORY IS A DESIGNATION FOR MULTI-FAMILY AND GROUP RESIDENTIAL USES WITH A MAXIMUM DENSITY OF 36 TO 54 UNITS PER ACRE, DEPENDING ON THE UNIT SIZE.
UH, THE CITY'S CODE RECOMMENDS THAT THIS DESIGNATION MAY BE APPLIED TO HIGH DENSITY,
[00:10:01]
UM, WHERE HIGH HIGH DENSITY HOUSING AND IN CENTRALLY LOCATED AREAS WHERE SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION, COMMERCIAL FACILITIES AND MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AND EMPLOYMENT CENTERS ARE LOCATED.AS I MENTIONED, UH, DESAL ROAD IS A MAJOR ARTERIAL.
IT'S SIX LANES, THREE IN EACH DIRECTION.
I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENTS IF YOU, OR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT, UH, I WANNA GIVE SOME TIME FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO SPEAK.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECEIVED THIS MEMORANDUM WITH ADDITIONAL BACKUP.
I RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENTS WITHIN THE LAST 48 HOURS, AND I'VE DONE MY VERY BEST.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A FEW THINGS THAT WERE LEFT OUT OF THE BACKUP FROM THE PREVIOUS CASE MANAGER AS THIS WAS A CASE THAT I INHERITED FROM A PREVIOUS CASE MANAGER.
SO I DID MY BEST TO GET, OBTAIN AS MUCH AS I COULD AND CORRESPOND WITH FOLKS ACCORDINGLY.
AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD POINT OUT IS IN THE MEMO, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO SIGN THE PETITION, BUT WERE NOT WITHIN THE 200 MILE RADIUS OF THE SITE.
SO I EXPLAINED, IN ORDER TO BE ON THE CITY'S, UH, OFFICIAL PETITION, THEY WOULD NEED TO BE WITHIN THE 200 FEET.
AND IF THEY'D LIKE TO CREATE A KIND OF UNOFFICIAL PETITION OF OTHER FOLKS WITHIN A LARGER AREA, THEY'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TO ACCEPT THAT AS WELL IN TERMS OF THE BACKUP.
I'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT, MR. DAVID HARTMAN.
MR. HARTMAN, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
DAVID HARTMAN ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE DEVELOPER, UH, O O H T PARTNERS.
I ALSO HAVE OUR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER AND CIVIL ENGINEER HERE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS FIRST BULLET REALLY SUMMARIZES THE ENTIRE ZONING CASE.
REALLY, IT'S 11 NINE, UH, 12 ACRES, BASICALLY ON DESAR ROAD, PROPOSING 330 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS ON DESAR ROAD, WHICH IS AN IMAGINED CORRIDOR, A MAJOR ARTERIAL A S AND P LEVEL FOUR STREET WITH CONTINUOUS BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS TO BUS STOPS, LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AWAY.
UM, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT THESE KIND OF PROJECTS TO BE, AS COMPARED TO THOSE WHO MIGHT WANT TO LOCK THIS, UH, TRACK IN AMBER WITH SF TWO.
CURRENTLY, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO WATER QUALITY DETENTION.
WE'LL BRING IT TO CURRENT CODE INCLUDING ATLAS 14.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED IN SF TWO AND IT'S ANNEX FOR A LIMITED PURPOSE IN THE EIGHTIES.
WE'RE PROPOSING MF FOUR ADJACENT USES INCLUDE MF FOUR, MF THREE.
UH, THE DEVELOPMENT IS AGAIN 330 UNITS.
I'VE GOT SLIDES THAT, UH, HIT EVERY ONE OF THESE BULLETS.
IT'S AGAIN, HALF A MILE TO THE BUS STOP ADJACENT BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS.
UM, PROJECT CONNECT HAS A FUTURE, UH, SHOWS YOU THIS IS A FUTURE EXPANSION AND IT'S GOT SIGNIFICANT EXISTING TREES AND VEGETATION ONSITE TO THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTH.
WE'RE, UH, VOLUNTARILY ANNEXING, UH, THIS TRACK.
SO WE'LL ADD TO THE CITY TAX BASE AND WE'VE MET WITH AT T D AND THERE'S A RIGHT IN WRITE OUT ONLY ACCESS TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ON OUR OWN PART WILL BE DEDICATING 15 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THERE'S MULTIPLE CURRENT FUTURE AREA MOBILITY OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA.
AND THE, UH, STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED MF FOUR OUR REQUESTS.
UM, THE AERIAL SHOWS IT JUST SOUTH OF BREAKER, UH, NORTH OF RUNDBERG LANE.
YOU ZOOM IN ON THIS AERIAL, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S PRETTY HEAVY VE VEGETATED BUFFER ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE SITE, AGAIN, ON AN IMAGINED AUSTIN CORRIDOR ADJACENT TO TWO JOB CENTERS.
UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTERS IN AN, IN A, IN A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AS WELL.
IT'S A LEVEL FOUR STREET AS M P, IT'S GOT A BUS, TWO BUS STOPS REALLY NEARBY, HALF A MILE AWAY.
CAT METRO HAS PICKUP SERVICE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO US, WHICH JUST MEANS THAT A PERSON CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND ASK CAT METRO TO COME PICK YOU UP IN A VAN AND BRING YOU TO A BUS STOP.
WE'LL, OBVIOUSLY PETITION TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT AFTER WE'RE DEVELOPED A PROJECT CONNECT SHOWS THIS AS A FUTURE POTENTIAL FUTURE EXPANSION FOR METRO RAPID RIGHT HERE ALONG THIS AREA.
AND THEN I'VE JUST DISCUSSED THE BIKE ROUTES HAVE BEEN MENTIONED AND THERE'S A BIKE ROUTES, UH, TO TWO BUS, NOT ONE, BUT TWO BUS STOPS IMMEDIATELY, LIKE NEXT DOOR.
AND THIS HAS, THIS IS BASICALLY DEAD CENTER IN THE FRONT OF OUR PROPERTY.
IT SHOWS THE STRIKE TO BIKE LANE THREE, THREE LANES NORTHBOUND AND A SEPARATED MEDIAN VEGETATED WITH TREES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY THE CONDITIONS RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR TRACT.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S BIKE ROUTES TO THE BUS ADJACENT SIDEWALKS TO THAT BUS STOPS.
AND THIS JUST SHOWS THE LIMITED PERSON PURPOSE ANNEXATION.
IT'S TRUE THAT THERE'S SF TWO RIGHT IN THIS AREA, BUT YOU DRAW BACK AND LOOK, THE REASON THAT STAFF, UH, AGREED WITH OUR APPLICATION WAS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MF THREE AND MF FOUR IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE BROADER TREND UP AND DOWN THIS CORRIDOR, THERE'S G RM U, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT MF FOUR FROM A RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT STANDPOINT, MF THREE TO THE NORTH, UM, YOU KNOW,
[00:15:01]
MORE, MORE INTENSIVE ZONING TO THAN SF TWO.FRANKLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST TRACKS, UM, THAT'S UNDEVELOPED.
AND YOU SEE THE MODERN TREND THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE ZONING CASES HAVE ALL BEEN RESIDENTIAL FOR THIS AREA.
SO THIS IS RIGHT IN LINE AND RIGHT IN KEEPING OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, I EXPECT WE'LL HEAR ABOUT, UM, SOME TRAFFIC CONCERNS FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
BOTTOM LINE IS THE CITY'S ALREADY GOT, UM, AREA MOBILITY PROJECTS, NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT DESSO AND BRADBURY HAS COMPLETED TR NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT DESSO AND CHILDREN NEW INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.
AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST REMIND YOU WHAT I SAID, THAT ON OUR OWN PART, WE'RE GONNA BE DEDICATING 15 FOOT OF RIGHT OF WAY, UM, FOR FUTURE FUTURE PROJECTS.
WE'RE PROVIDING A MUCH NEEDED HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE COUNCIL DIRECTOR FOR MORE HOUSING IN ALL AREAS THAN ALL MAJOR CORRIDOR NEAR TRANSIT, NO DISPLACEMENT, EXCUSE ME.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE POLICY CHOICE IS, IS THIS, UM, CITY COUNCIL, THIS CITY GOING TO BASICALLY REZONE FOR A MORE EQUITABLE, UM, MORE, EXCUSE ME, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE, UH, TYPE OF ZONING THAN THE CURRENT ZONING.
AND WE'VE GOT ALL THESE BULLET POINTS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
AND I, I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, RECOMMEND STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF FOR THE APPLICANT CHAIR WILL NOT HEAR FROM, UM, COMPOSITION.
UM, WELL ALSO REGISTERED FOR, UM, THE APPLICANT IS KELLY REESE WHO WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.
AND NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM THE, UM, OPPOSITION BEGINNING WITH CATHERINE HORTON.
MS. HORTON, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND COMMITTEE COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR THE OPPOSITION FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE.
I FIRST WANNA START OUT WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD UNDERSTANDS THE NEED FOR HOUSING IN AUSTIN.
SO THIS IS NOT AN OPPOSITION TO INCREASING HOUSING, BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY WHERE IT'S LOCATED AND HOW IT IMPACTS NOT ONLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE SAFETY WITHIN DESSA.
YOU ALSO HAVE THIS IN HANDOUT FORMAT FOR YOU, IF THAT'S EASIER FOR YOU TO, TO READ OR LOOK THROUGH AND WON'T GO THROUGH THIS BACKGROUND THAT WAS JUST SHARED.
I THINK A FEW THINGS TO NOTE THOUGH IS THAT THIS REZONING FROM SF TWO TO MF FOUR WOULD ALLOW UP TO 60 FEET TALL, GREATER THAN A THREE STORY APARTMENT BUILDING SET ONLY 150 FEET FROM ANY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AS ME MENTIONED, THIS PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED BY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON ALL SIDES.
ADDITIONALLY, IT WILL INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE, 70% SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT THAT SURROUNDS THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, WHICH WILL HELP WALK THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO THE, AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES ABOUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY AS COMPARED TO SOME OF THOSE JUST TO THE SOUTH WITHIN A MILE AND A HALF AT RUNDBERG OR NO, NORTH AT DEON PALMER.
AND SO SOME OF THAT'S ABOUT THE TRAFFIC SAFETY, THAT PROPERTY IMPACT TO HOMEOWNERS CURRENTLY IN THOSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HELPS SUPPORT A DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S 330 APARTMENTS OR UP TO THE 660 PLUS THE MF FOUR ZONING DESIGNATION WOULD ALLOW, THERE'S SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOME PRETTY HISTORICAL SITES HERE IN AUSTIN WITH, UH, THE CHANGES THAT WOULD COME WITH THIS PROPERTY.
IT ALSO SETS A POOR PRECEDENT, UM, AND ALSO AS AN INCOMPATIBLE USE COMPARED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING IT.
SO THIS JUST HELPS GIVE AN IDEA JUST IN THAT MILE AND A HALF STRETCH BETWEEN RUNDBERG TO WONDERING WAY THAT MILE AND A HALF, THERE'S OVER EIGHT INTERSECTIONS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE NO SORT OF TRAFFIC, UM, SIGNALS PROTECTED LANES.
SO IT'S A REALLY DANGEROUS SECTION OF ROAD, JUST THOSE EIGHT, UM, INTERSECTIONS FOR THAT ONE AND A HALF MILES FROM RUNDBERG ALL THE WAY TO WONDERING WAY THAT ALSO DOESN'T INCLUDE THE OTHER EIGHT INTERSECTIONS WITH OTHER APARTMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE FROM WANDERING WAY ALL THE WAY TO PALMER.
SO THIS SECTION OF RUNDBERG IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY, UM, HIGHLY TRAFFICKED AREA.
IN SOME OF THE TEXT DOT INFORMATION WE SEE OVER 40,000 TRIPS ARE MADE ON THIS SECTION ALONE OF DESAL, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER ARTERY THAT'S COMING THROUGH IN AUSTIN, WHETHER THAT'S LAMAR, BURNETT, METRICK, ANYTHING IN THAT NORTH TO SOUTH CORRIDOR.
REALLY, PALMER LANE IS ONE OF THE MO UH, DESAW LANE IS REALLY ONE OF THE HIGHLY TRAFFICKED AREAS IN AUSTIN.
WHAT WASN'T SHOWN REALLY WHEN YOU STARTED LOOKING, YOU CAN HEAR MY KIDDO IN THE BACKGROUND.
WHAT WASN'T SHOWN WHEN YOU SAW THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY IS THAT ACTUALLY TO GET TO 1 0 7 0 1 DESSAU ROAD, YOU'RE COMING UP A BLIND CORNER AND THE SPEEDS HERE AT 50 MILES PER HOUR.
SAME THING IS TRUE WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT, IF IT'S A RIDE IN RIDE OUT, ONLY YOU ARE GOING TO BE COMING ACROSS
[00:20:01]
A OVER THE HILL AT 50 MILES PER HOUR.JUST THE DANGER ALONE AT PUDDING, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OF 330 FAM HOMES IN THIS AREA IS SIGNIFICANT IN, IN TERMS OF SAFETY ON DESSA.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA ABOUT SAFETY ON DESSO ROAD ROAD ITSELF, ALMOST 200 CRASHES IN JUST A MILE AND A HALF SECTION OF DESSA BETWEEN RUNDBERG AND WONDERING WAY.
AND OF THOSE, A THIRD OF THEM ARE AT GREATER THAN 50 MILES PER HOUR.
WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY OF DESSA AND TRAFFIC ON THIS ROAD WITH THIS, UM, CHANGE FROM SINGLE FAMILY TWO TO MULTI-FAMILY FOUR.
FIRE STATION 23 IS THE MAIN FIRE STATION AT SERVICE FOR THIS AREA.
AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A HUGE SECTION OF HIGHLY TRAFFICKED AREAS IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING ALL THE WAY OVER TO 35 SOUTH, DOWN TO 51ST AND ONE OF THE BUSIEST STATIONS ALREADY IN AUSTIN.
JUST THE SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE ALONE TO SERVICE THESE COMMUNITIES IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FOR HERITAGE HILLS AND WIZARD WINDSOR HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY KEY ABOUT THIS ADOPTED, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IS THAT IT'S REALLY SUPPOSED TO HELP PRESERVE THE SINGLE STABLE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SURROUND IT.
WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE FROM THAT PLAN ITSELF IS THAT WHAT IS ACROSS FROM THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THOSE AS WELL ALONG THE WAY WHERE THERE ARE MODERATE CHANGES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IS NOT TO MF FOUR.
SO MF FOUR IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE COMPARED TO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ACCEPTED WITHIN ITS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
AND ONE OF THE PRIORITY ACTIONS HERE WAS TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER WITHIN THE SINGLE COURT, THE ESTABLISHED CORE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT ALSO TO ALLOW FOR GROWTH.
WHAT YOU WILL NOTICE FROM THIS PROPERTY IS SOUTH IS MUCH MORE INDUSTRIAL AND THAT TRANSITIONS THROUGH PIONEER HILL, THROUGH MF FOUR TO MF THREE, AND ALL THE OTHER APARTMENT COMPLEX AROUNDS NORTH OF THAT BECOME MF TWO.
SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE AND NOT A MODERATE CHANGE AS UM, SUGGESTED THIS HELPS KIND OF DEMONSTRATE WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE ZONING SPECIFICALLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALSO IS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT TO HOMEOWNERS ALONG THIS PROPERTY.
WHETHER THAT'S THE HOMEOWNERS IN, IN, UH, WOODCLIFF THAT WILL BE BACKING UP TO IT, WHERE THEY NOW WILL HAVE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX JUST 150 FEET AWAY FROM THEM BECAUSE OF THE HEIGHT.
THEY'LL ACTUALLY BLOCK OUT SETTING SUN FROM OUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING TO THINK THROUGH, BUT ALSO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE VALUE OR RESALE VALUE OF THEIR HOMES.
UM, JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME LARGER TRACK ACREAGE, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, AND THOSE HOME NUMBERS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THEIR PROPERTY.
WHAT WILL THAT CHANGE? FOR EXAMPLE, THE RIGHT NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR ON A FEW ACRES, RETIRED VETERAN, PRETTY HOME BOUND, THIS IS THEIR RETIREMENT HOME AND THEY'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAS THAT CHANGE BOTH IN TERMS OF THE USE OF THEIR PROPERTY, THE TAXATION, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO STAY IN THAT HOME, AND THEN THE SAFETY OF BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND OUT.
IT REALLY HAS A DESTABILIZING EFFECT ON THESE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SURROUND IT.
WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS THERE'S OTHER SLIDES IN HERE, BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US TOO IS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS PROPERTY ACTUALLY BACKS UP TO, UM, WALNUT CREEK AND TO PIONEER FARMS, AND THE IMPOUNDING OF ANY WATER ON IT WILL ACTUALLY IMPACT THE ABILITY OF PIONEER FARMS TO MAINTAIN THAT HISTORICAL SITE, INCLUDING OWN OVER 500 YEAR OLD TREE.
OKAY, IF YOU CAN WRAP UP, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
THAT WAS THE BUZZER, SO I HAVE LOST POWER TO MOVE TO YOUR VERY LAST ONE.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY RESPECTFULLY THAT YOU, UM, DENY BOTH THIS REZONING REQUEST AND REALLY THINK THROUGH THE IMPACT BOTH TO THE SUBSTANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT.
WE AREN'T OPPOSED TO INCLUDING HOUSING, RIGHT? BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY ABOUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY WHERE IT'S LOCATED AND THE IMPACT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MS. HALL CORTEL ON THE, UH, TELECONFERENCE.
IF YOU'LL SELECT STAR SIX, PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
I OWN A HOME AT 1502 ECHO BLUFF CO.
I BOUGHT IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND SINCE I BOUGHT IT, I PUT OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF IMPROVEMENTS INTO IT.
MY CONCERN, BESIDES EVERYTHING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED BY THE FIRST SPEAKER IS THAT IT'S REALLY GOING TO REDUCE THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY.
IN FACT, I THINK IT BASICALLY NEGATES THE WHOLE A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT I PUT INTO IMPROVEMENTS.
I HAVE BEEN A REALTOR IN AUSTIN FOR 40 YEARS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO SELL A HOUSE THAT BACKS TO MULTI-FAMILY, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE THERE.
IN ORDER TO GET ANYBODY EVEN SLIGHTLY INTERESTED IN BUYING A HOME LIKE THAT,
[00:25:01]
IT HAS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY CHEAPER THAN THE HOUSES JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.IT HAS THE SAME IMPACT AS BACKING TO A MAJOR ROAD.
SOMEBODY IS GONNA MAKE ABOUT 500 TIMES MORE THAN THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF VALUE THAT I GET ROBBED OF AND ALL THE OTHER NEARBY PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ROBBED OF.
YOU KNOW, THIS IMPACTS PEOPLE DIRECTLY IN THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FUTURE.
I'M ASKING THAT THE DEVELOPERS SHOULD MAYBE COMPENSATE THE OWNERS WHOSE VALUES ARE DEVASTATED OUT OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PROFITS THEY STAMP AND MAKE.
OR MAYBE THEY COULD BE REQUIRED TO LEAVE A SUBSTANTIAL GREEN BELT BETWEEN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND OUR PROPERTIES, OR MAYBE EVEN BUILD AN AREA OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO BACK UP TO OUR HOUSES.
BUT THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T WANNA DO THAT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT NOBODY WOULD WANNA BUY THOSE HOUSES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO A GINORMOUS APARTMENT COMPLEX.
IT'S CHANGES LIKE THIS THAT ARE DEVASTATING THE NATURE OF THE CITY.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR GROWTH.
UH, BELIEVE ME, I'M A REALTOR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY IS GROWING AND HOUSING IS NECESSARY.
I SOMEHOW REALLY DOUBT THAT THAT APARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN BEING BUILT IS LUXURY APARTMENTS THAT COST AS MUCH TO RENT AS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, BUT OFFER FAR LESS.
IT DEVASTATES THE PRIVACY AND THE SERENITY OF MY PROPERTY AND ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO IT, WHICH IS THE REASON THAT I BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ALTERNATIVE BUILDING SITES AVAILABLE THAT ARE NOT ADJACENT TO ESTABLISH NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY CAN BE DEVELOPED TO THEIR HEARTS CONTENT WITHOUT DISRUPTING ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY.
WE'LL, NOW HEAR FROM MS. NATALIE JOHNSON.
UM, MS. JOHNSON, SELECT STAR SIX, PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NATALIE JOHNSON.
DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY UNDER MULTI-FAMILY ZONING WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOT ONLY WOULD IT INCREASE TRAFFIC ON AN ALREADY HIGH TRAFFIC AND HIGH ACCIDENT ROAD, BUT IT WOULD DRASTICALLY IMPACT PROPERTY VALUES, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO SHARE A PROPERTY LINE WITH THIS LAND.
A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT WOULD DESTROY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS A QUIET AND SERENE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT WOULD DESTROY THAT SERENITY AND ADDITION WOULD CREATE A MASSIVE INVASION OF PRIVACY FOR THOSE DIRECTLY ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT DEVELOPMENT IS INEVITABLE.
THERE IS NO LACK OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES ALONG DESAL ROAD, BUT WHAT WE ASK IS TO PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP THIS PROPERTY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MR. BURR'S CARPENTER, FOLLOWED BY RHONDA EVANS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, MY NAME IS BERT CARPENTER AND I'M OPPOSED TO THIS REZONING.
UH, I'M A 35 YEAR RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE WOODCLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'VE SEEN THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE CITY.
UM, AND PARTICULAR THIS ONE WE NOTING IS THAT THIS IS A CHANGING THE CHARACTER OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S BEEN EXISTING SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES.
UM, THE WOODCLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD, AS YOU HEARD ALREADY, YOU'LL HEAR MORE OF IS A UNISON UNIFORMLY OPPOSED TO THIS CHANGE.
UM, THE APPLICANT MADE THE STATEMENT THAT THE, UH, ADJACENT, UM, PROPERTIES OR MULTI-FAMILY OR ZONING, THAT'S A BOLD PLACE LIE.
YOU LOOK, NONE OF THEM, THEY'RE ALL SINGLE FAMILY EV EVERYTHING AROUND THAT, THAT LAND IS SINGLE FAMILY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PERSON CAN MAKE THAT STATEMENT.
AND YOU LOOK UP AND DOWN, UP AND AROUND ACROSS THE STREET, UP AND DOWN WITHIN, I DON'T KNOW, WITHIN AT LEAST QUARTER
[00:30:01]
MILE OR MORE ALL SINGLE FAMILY AS, AS KATE POINTED OUT.SO THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD BE, THIS WOULD DESTROY THE INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER OF, OF THAT AREA.
SO WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT DESSA ROAD AND, UM, IT'S USE, WELL, LET ME PUT IT FOR YOU VERY SIMPLY.
IT'S A KNIFE THAT CUTS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY'S DEATH SIDE OF TOWN.
UH, THERE ARE MANY ACCIDENTS ALMOST DAILY OUT THERE.
UH, THERE IS, UH, IT GAINY ACCESS TO THAT ROAD IS DIFFICULT AS IS.
WE COME OUT, UM, ON FROM OUR WOODCLIFF SUBDIVISION AND I HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST THREE SECONDS, FOUR SECONDS BEFORE I GO OUT THERE BECAUSE SOMEONE 70 MILES AN HOUR WILL BE COMING THROUGH THAT LIGHT.
YEAH, THERE'S A BIKE LANE THERE.
YOU'D HAVE TO BE INSANE TO RIDE A BIKE ON DES R ROAD.
YOU DID BE TAKE, YOU'D BE TAKING YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HAND.
NO ONE HAS RIDDEN THAT BIKE LANE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE TAKE THE BUS DOWN THERE.
SO YEAH, THIS IS YOUR MAYBE THE VISION FOR, FOR GROWTH, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT WORKING OUT LIKE I THINK IT'S LOOKS ON PAPER LIKE IT LIKE IT WAS PLANNED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF LOCATIONS IN AUSTIN WHERE HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT IS APPROPRIATE WEDGED IN IT AMONG SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
IT, IT'S DESTROYING THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF AUSTIN.
UH, I THINK THE BEST APPROACH TO, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS HOME OWNERSHIP.
THAT'S HOW WE, WE ENCOURAGE AND DEVELOP, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT PARTICULAR TRACK DEPARTMENTS THERE ARE GONNA HELP THE HOUSING SITUATION AT ALL.
IT'S GONNA MAKE SOME DEVELOPERS AND SOME PROPERTY OWNERS, SOME RICH AT THE EXPENSE OF THE, THE NEIGHBORS.
BUT IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE A DENT ON THE, UH, ON, ON WHAT'S YOU REALLY NEED.
CUZ THE TYPE OF PEOPLE ARE MOVING IN THERE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE DRIVING THEIR CARS.
NO ONE'S GONNA BE TAKING THE BUS, SO IT'S NOT GONNA WORK OUT LIKE IT WAS, LOOKS LIKE ON THAT, UH, PLAT.
I LISTEN, HOPE YOU LISTENED TO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN AND, UM, DENY THIS, THIS APPLICATION.
WILL NOW HEAR FROM RHONDA EVANS, FOLLOWED BY MATT HORTON.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THIS REZONING.
UH, WOODCLIFFE IS A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MOVED THERE IN 2018 OR 19, I FORGET PRE PANDEMIC TIMELINES.
UH, I MOVED THERE FROM SOUTH CONGRESS WHERE I WAS LIVING IN A HIGH DENSITY AREA AND I FELT LIKE I TRAVELED BACK IN TIME.
I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN OHIO, AND THAT'S WHAT THE WOODCLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD IS LIKE.
UH, NEIGHBORS LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.
WE'RE WE, WE TEXT ONE ANOTHER.
WHEN PACKAGES COME UP, PEOPLE COME AND PICK THEM UP FOR YOU.
WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD PICNIC.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW MY NEIGHBORS IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS DID NOT KNOW THEM.
AND SO WHEN MOVING THERE WAS JUST A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY.
IT IS LIKE WHAT OLD AUSTIN FELT LIKE, AND IT'S ALSO A DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE HAVE AFFORDABLE RENTAL PROPERTIES, DUPLEXES IN THE FIRST TWO STREETS BETWEEN DESAW AND MY PROPERTY ON 1,110 BLUFF CANYON DRIVE.
SO WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO BEING A PART OF SOLVING THE OBVIOUS HOUSING PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN AUSTIN, BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT SOME JUDICIOUS DISCRETION BE EXERCISED IN WHERE YOU LOCATE THESE SORTS OF DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, THIS HOUSING, UM, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE BOUGHT IN WAS STILL RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE.
IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST PLACES WHERE SOMEONE WHO'S FACING RETIREMENT COULD BUY A HOME AND LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
PRICES HAVE GONE UP SINCE EVEN WHEN WE BOUGHT INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT IS THIS GREAT LITTLE BASTION OF OLD AUSTIN AND WE JUST ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE, WHO'VE MADE THEIR LIVES HERE, AND WHO WANNA PRESERVE THAT QUALITY OF LIFE AND WHO AREN'T OPPOSED TO HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEARBY.
BUT THIS SORT OF HOUSING DENSITY ON THIS PROPERTY IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF PROPERTY A LITTLE FURTHER OUT, UH, THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING, UH, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH OF WHERE WE ARE.
WEDGING THIS INTO THESE PROPERTIES IS, IS JUST A BAD DECISION.
AND MY NEIGHBOR BIRD IS RIGHT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE RIDE A BIKE ON THOSE BIKE LANES, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD.
I'M CONSTANTLY TELLING THE KIDS TO BE CAREFUL WHEN THEY EXIT WANDERING WAY ONTO DESSAU, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE RUN THAT RED LIGHT.
THE MANEUVERS I'VE SEEN PEOPLE MAKE AT THAT INTERSECTION OF DESSAU BREAKER ARE RIDICULOUS.
AND SO TO INTRODUCE A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO, LET'S BE HONEST, ARE GONNA BE DRIVING THEIR CARS, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE MAKING USE OF THESE MYTHICAL BUS STOPS THAT EXIST AROUND THERE.
I MEAN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT AND ACTUALLY SEE THIS
[00:35:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD AND SEE THE PROPERTY.AND I THINK BERT'S POINT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
THE WAY THIS LOOKS ON PAPER, THE WAY THIS SOUNDS, UH, AS A THOUGHT BUBBLE IS ONE THING.
BUT COMING OUT THERE AND SEEING HOW THIS WOULD CHANGE THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, IS SOMETHING, UM, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE, UM, THIS DENSITY ON THIS LOVELY GREEN SPACE IS JUST A, IT'S A VERY BIG MISTAKE.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED IN AUSTIN MOSTLY SINCE 1997, JUST ASK YOU TO TAKE IN MIND THE, THE LONGTIME AUSTIN KNIGHTS AND TRY TO BALANCE THIS A LITTLE BETTER.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MATT HORTON, FOLLOWED BY BRIAN
MR. HORTON, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS FOR SHOWING UP AND, UM, BEING IN SUPPORT, UH, OF ALL THIS.
UM, MY, UH, AND MY, MY WIFE WHO'S ACTUALLY HAD TO STEP OUT, UM, AND TAKE CARE OF THE, UH, UM, OUR THREE-YEAR-OLD, UM, WHO'S NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME TONIGHT.
BUT THIS I JUST WANT, WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS, LIKE THAT'S THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE'RE WILLING TO GO TO, TO OPPOSE, UH, THIS, UM, IS THIS THE, THE CONTROL STORE? ALL RIGHT, GOOD.
BEFORE I GET TO THIS, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE, UM, THE CASE MANAGER'S COMMENTS.
I WOULD TAKE UMBRIDGE WITH THE, UH, WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS A FEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UH, NORTH OF THE, OF THE DEVELOPMENT WE'RE AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR NAME IS WOODCLIFF.
UM, UH, THE, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE, UH, UM, UH, THE COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, WHICH, WHICH DOES ACTUALLY PROTECT, UM, UH, WINDSOR HILLS AND HERITAGE HILLS ON THE OTHER SIDE, UH, OF, OF DESSAU UNDER THE BASIS OF RECOMMENDATION.
THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, LAST PAR, UH, LAST SENTENCE OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH DESCRIBES THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST OF DESSAU IDENTIFIES SEVERAL PARCELS ALONG FOR HIGHER DENSITY, UM, AND MULTI-FAMILY, UH, UH, USE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY FACTUALLY INCORRECT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UM, AT, AT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, THOSE PARCELS ARE ACTUALLY ON BLUFF BEND, WHICH IS ABOUT TWO MILE MI MILE AND A HALF, TWO MILES TO THE WEST OF US.
SO THAT ACTUALLY BASES THAT, THAT, THAT STATEMENT IS ACTUALLY FACTUALLY INCORRECT.
AND I WOULD LIKE IT REMOVED FROM THE RECORD.
UM, UH, UM, AS, AS, AS BEING SUCH, UM, FURTHER DOWN, IT TALKS ABOUT THE, THIS AREA BEING CENTRALLY LOCATED AND NEAR SUPPORTING TRANS, UH, TRANSPORTATION COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.
WE'RE NOT CENTRALLY LOCATED TO CENTRAL AUSTIN.
WE'RE NOT NEAR, UH, ANY KIND OF TRANSPORTATION SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT BUS STOP THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S HALF A MILE FROM THERE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT AND CERTAINLY HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY WAITING FOR IT.
UM, AND THE NEAREST GROCERY STORES ARE AT PARMER, AND THEN OTHER NEXT NEAREST ONE IS DOWN AT 51ST STREET.
SO DON'T TELL ME THAT ANY OF THOSE ACTUAL STATEMENTS OF FACT ARE REALLY ACTUALLY TRUE.
UM, FURTHER ON, FURTHER DOWN, IT SAYS THAT THIS, IT CLASSIFIES DESAL AS NOT A SCENIC ROADWAY WHEN WE MOVE THERE.
IT WAS, BUT IF Y'ALL KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IT'S NOT GONNA BE FOR MUCH LONGER.
UM, THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS, UM, EXHIBIT C ON PAGE 12.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS SUBJECT PLAT IS, BUT IT'S NOT THE, IT'S NOT THE SUB.
IT'S, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS PLAT IS, BUT IT'S NOT THE SUBJECT PLAT.
SO THIS NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST CORRECTED.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT MADE IT INTO THE RECORD COPY AND PASTE IS WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD GUESS.
BUT WHAT I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HERE IS, AND NOW WE'VE GOT 45 SECONDS, IT'S QUICKLY WALK THROUGH A, UM, A TIME LAPSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PIONEER HILL AREA.
AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GONNA CHARACTERIZE AS THE DEFORESTATION OF THIS AREA.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN FEBRUARY, 2015.
I'M GONNA STEP FORWARD ONE YEAR LATER, FEBRUARY, 2016, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THIS CLEAR CUT THAT'S HAPPENED FURTHERMORE, A YEAR LATER YET, YET MORE ANOTHER YEAR AFTER THAT.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN JUST WATCH THIS DEFORESTATION HAPPENING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND THIS IS THE CURRENT LOOK, AND THIS IS THE CURRENT LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE DECRY DEFORESTATION, WHAT HAPPENS IN SOUTH AMERICA, THE DEFORESTATION OF THE AMAZON RAINFOREST.
BUT WHEN IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR BACKYARD, NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY AS, AS PART OF MY JOB, MY DAY JOB IS TO HELP PROTECT THE GROUNDWATER NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS TO WALNUT CREEK, IT ABSOLUTELY IMPACTS THE WATERSHED THERE.
AND, AND, AND 100% A NEGATIVE WAY.
AND THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO IMPACT, IT MIGHT NOT FEEL LIKE VERY MUCH, BUT IT ACT IT WILL IMPACT THE WATERWAY.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO FINISH BY SAYING THIS, IT CAN'T BE THE EXTENT OF, UH, OF, OF, OF, OF THE ZONING COUNCIL IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S STR STRATEGY IN, IN TERMS OF SOLVING THE, THE, THE, THE WHAT, WHAT'S CHARACTERIZED AS THE HOUSING PROBLEM.
JUST SLAP HIGH DENSITY HOUSING IN WHEREVER THERE'S AN OPEN SPACE ON THE MAP.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I THANK MY NEIGHBORS FOR SHOWING UP AND, UM, AND I THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM BRIAN BLAK, FOLLOWED BY TWO TRAN.
GOOD TO GIVE YOU ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT OUR HOUSE IN WOODCLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1995 WHEN IT WAS THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOOD
[00:40:01]
EAST OF DIE 35 THAT WAS IN THE CITY LIMITS.EVERYTHING ELSE WAS THE COUNTY.
SO WE'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
WE WELCOME PIONEER CROSSING TO THE, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH.
SO WHEN THEY CAME IN, AND WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO NEW HOUSING IN THE AREA OR NEW HOMES, BUT AS A LOT OF PEOPLE MENTION HERE, THAT'S JUST NOT THE RIGHT SPOT FOR A COMPLEX LIKE THIS.
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS TRIED TO, WHAT WAS PROPOSED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO DOWN THE ROAD, ACROSS ON DESSAU ROAD, RIGHT ALONG THE CREEK FOR SOME LOHAN HOUSING.
MUCH LIKE THIS ONE IS NOW THE, THE BUS STOP THAT'S A HALF A MILE.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN OUT THERE, BY THE WAY? THE, IT'S, IT'S A REALLY NEAT PICTURE HE SHOWED, BUT IT'S ON THE TOP OF THE HILL FOR PETE SYKES.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A TREACHEROUS AREA TO DO TO TO, TO PLAY SOMETHING.
AND AS THERE WAS MENTIONED IN THE TRAFFIC, UM, DESAL IS ALREADY DESIGNATED AS A HIGH CONGESTION, HIGH COLLISION AREA.
UH, AND SO WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO ADD TO THAT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS SIMPLY AREN'T, UH, VIABLE.
UH, NOBODY HAS SEEN A BICYCLE ON THE BICYCLE LANES ON DESSA ROAD.
BELIEVE ME, IT'S KINDA LIKE THE BIKE LANE THAT'S ALONG 180 3 NEAR THE AIRPORT.
YOU EVER SEEN A BICYCLE TRY TO RIDE SOMETHING ALONG THAT THE DEBRIS THAT'S ALONG THERE IS SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP HERE.
THE EMS, THE GREEN BELT, PIONEER FARMS, OUR PROPERTY VALUES AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS AREA.
UM, IT WAS BE OUR BEST INTEREST IN THIS CITY TO RETAIN THIS PROPERTY IS PROBABLY IS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND PART OF WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE ABOUT AUSTIN, UH, IS WHAT THIS WOULD BE, UH, KEPT AS IT IS.
SO WE WOULD REALLY WANNA CONSIDER WHAT HOUSING SOLUTIONS CAN BE FOR THE CITY.
THIS IS JUST NOT PART OF THAT.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM TOAN TRAN.
THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK UP AGAINST THIS ZONING CHANGE.
MY NAME IS TUAN AND I HAVE BEEN HERE IN AUSTIN FOR 42 YEARS, AND I HAVE SPENT 40 YEARS RESIDING IN THE WOODCLIFF COMMUNITY.
IN FACT, MY FAMILY OWNS THREE HOUSES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
MY PARENTS STARTED RIGHT THERE 40 YEARS AGO, AND THE CHILDREN GREW UP, THEY GOT MARRIED.
SO MY SISTER AND, AND HER FAMILY HAS HAVE A HOME.
I GREW UP HAVE A FAMILY AND I HAVE ANOTHER HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THIS COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH IS SMALL, BUT IT OFFERS A LOT OF AWESOME QUIET CHARM WITH MANY HERITAGE TREES, UH, NEAR THE WALNUT CREEK.
THAT IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT THIS COMMUNITY OFFERS.
UH, YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE PEOPLE, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO ARE VERY FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL.
DURING THE LAST EYE STORM, MY NEIGHBOR LENT ME A BATTERY BECAUSE MY HOUSE LOST POWER FOR EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE EYE STORM, ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS AS HELP OF MY PARENTS, MY AGING PARENTS TO CLEAN UP ALL OF THE BRO, THE BROKEN BRANCHES IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE.
I POSE THIS ZONE CHANGE BECAUSE THE, THE CHANGE FROM A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE TO A MULTI-FAMILY ZONE WOULD FOREVER CHANGE THE CHARM CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THIS, THE SURROUNDING SINGLE FAMILY COMMUNITIES.
THIS, THIS MULTI-FAMILY ZONE, BASICALLY THIS WEDGE AMONGST THE MULTIPLE SINGLE FAMILY COMMUNITIES.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE TRAFFIC ON DESSA ROAD AND THAT IS HAS BEEN VERY NOISY, VERY CROWDED, AND VERY DANGEROUS.
I, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE, UH, GO FROM WANDERING LANE, UH, OUT TO DESAL, IT TAKES SEVERAL ROUNDS OF, UM, OF, OF TRAFFIC LIGHT IN ORDER TO TURN.
AND WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE WE DARE TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT BECAUSE OF SUCH, SUCH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND DANGEROUS TRAFFIC ON DESAL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSES IN AUSTIN, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE APPROACH IS TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSE OWNERSHIP.
YOU HAVE HEARD THAT MORE THAN 80% OF THE OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FEET OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION AGAINST THE ZONE CHANGE.
AND SOME US ARE HERE TO STATE OUR OPPOSITION TO PROTECT THE HOMES THAT WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD FOR SO MANY YEARS TO BUILD.
WE WANT TO RETAIN THE SMALL SINGLE HOME AND PRIVATE, UH, PERSONALITY OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE VALUE THAT AUSTIN HAS OFFERED TO OUR CITIZENS.
SO PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR REQUEST AND DENIED THIS ZONING CHANGE PROPOSAL.
AND I HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT FOR A THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
[00:45:09]
LIKE, ANDREW, CAN YOU PULL UP, SORRY.AREA MOBILITY PROJECTS AREA MOBILITY PROJECTS AREA.
UM, PRIMARY POINTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE.
UH, ONE OF WHICH YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, THE AREA AS PUBLICLY FUNDED, UM, AREA MOBILITY PROJECTS.
AND SO THAT THE FIRST ITEM IS BASICALLY THAT NOT ONLY THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ONGOING OR COME HAVE RECENTLY OCCURRED OR ARE COMING UP, BUT THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT FUNDS INFRASTRUCTURE, OFTENTIMES THIS PROJECT'S GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WITH THE STREET IMPACT FEES, WHICH WILL GO TOWARDS THE ROADWAY CAPACITY PLAN IMPROVEMENTS OF WHICH THERE'S A NEW, UM, SIGNAL, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT DESAL AND APPLEGATE PRETTY CLOSE BY SOUTH TO THE SUBJECT TRACT.
AND THEN SECONDLY, FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, THIS, UH, TRACT IS GONNA BE LIMITED BY IMPERVIOUS COVER TO 60% MAXIMUM PERUS COVER PER THE WATERSHED.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE STATE-OF-THE-ART DETENTION AND WATER QUALITY PONDS, UH, BRINGING THEM TO CURRENT CLO UH, CURRENT CODE, WHEREAS THERE'S NONE EXISTING.
WE'RE GONNA PRESERVE AS MANY HERITAGE TREES AND OTHER TREES AS POSSIBLE FOR THE SITE.
AND THEN THIRD, I WOULD JUST CORRECT THAT THERE'S A MAXIMUM 330 UNITS, SO NOT 600 HAS THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, WHICH ON A 12 ACRES SITE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY LARGE SITE, IS A PRETTY MODEST AND REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN FINALLY, AGAIN, WHERE I STARTED IS THAT THIS IS A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD LAND USE AND POLICY CHOICE ZONING CASE FOR THE ZAP AND FOR FOR COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, ON A MAJOR CORRIDOR, UM, ON AN IMAGINED WASHINGTON CORRIDOR.
UM, THIS IS THE EXACT TI TYPE OF AREA THAT, UH, A CITY AND A HOUSING CRISIS SHOULD BE PLACING A REASONABLE SIDE SIZE MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL JOIN, UH, IN A SUPPORTING STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND ZONING FOR AN EQUITABLE, RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? COMMISSIONER GREENBERG, UM, MAYBE FOR STAFF.
SO THEY SAY THEY WANT 330 UNITS AND IT'S 11.9 ACRES, WHICH IS 28 UNITS PER ACRE.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHY YOU DIDN'T RECOMMEND MF THREE.
I THINK WITH THE IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THE, THE, UH, SITE, UH, THE WATER SITE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY HAD RECOMMENDED, UH, THAT WOULD BE TAKING UP A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE PARCEL.
UH, I, I DON'T THINK THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BRING US KIND OF IN LINE IF THEY WEREN'T MAKING THOSE CHANGES TO THE PARCEL WITH MS. MF FOUR.
UM, I THINK THE, THE OTHER THING THAT WAS A FACTOR WAS THE FACT THAT THE, UH, I THINK IT WAS LARGELY THE DR THE, THE FLOOD CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, SINCE THOSE ARE TAKING UP A LARGE PORTION OF THE SITE, UM, HAVING IT AT AT MF FOUR WOULD ALLOW THE DEVELOPER TO DO WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER THE THRESHOLD OF MF FOUR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'M SORRY, THE CHAIR? YEP, GO AHEAD.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION WITH THE APPLICANT OR SHOULD I HOLD? NOPE, GO FOR IT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, WHAT ENGAGEMENT, UH, YOU'VE HAD WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVE THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING THE VEGETATIVE BUFFER OR SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM DIFFERENT COMMENTERS TONIGHT? HAVE YOU HAD ANY INTERACTIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD? YEAH, WE COULD
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YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? YEAH, WE FILED THIS LATE LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANY, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE, THE ORGANIZED, UH, HOMERS ASSOCIATION OR NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION SUCH AS ZILKER OR BOLDEN.SO IN THESE CONTEXTS WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE SUBURBS, UM, WE DID NOT HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION TO REACH OUT TO ANYONE.
UM, AND WE DID NOT HAVE ANYONE REACH OUT TO US.
WE HAD ONE GENTLEMAN CALL ME ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO AND ASKED, UH, ASKING ME FOR, OR BASICALLY STATING THAT HE, UH, THOUGHT WE WERE DOING 600 UNITS.
UM, I ASKED HIM WHERE HE LIVED, ASKED, TOLD HIM THAT I'D LIKE TO VISIT WITH HIM ABOUT HIS CONCERNS, TOLD HIM THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND HIM, UM, THE ZONING APPLICATION THAT STATES THAT WE'RE DOING A MAXIMUM 330 UNITS AND HE REFUSED TO IDENTIFY WHERE HE LIVED AND, AND HIS EMAIL ADDRESS.
SO, UM, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE BASICALLY SAW WHEN WE RECEIVED THE VALID PETITION THAT SAID NOTHING BUT SF TWO, UM, UH, THAT THEY WOULD AGREE TO, THEN IT JUST BECAME PRETTY SIMPLE POLICY CHOICE.
AND SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
IS THERE, IS THERE A WILLINGNESS TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOLLOWING THESE PROCEEDINGS? I THINK BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, MY POSITION STILL REMAINS THE SAME THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE WILL OF THE DICE.
UH, BUT I, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PRETTY STARK TO ME THAT THERE'S A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD, SIMPLE CHOICE OF MF FOUR OR, UM, SF TWO BEFORE THIS APP.
AND COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT WHETHER, UM, CHAIR IF, UH, UM, IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THE APPLICANT BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION HERE BECAUSE THEY'VE ALL SHOWED UP AND SEEM TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
BRETT CARPENTER, AGAIN, I'LL SPEAK BRIEFLY ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE APPLICANT NEVER REACHED OUT TO ANYONE.
HE CLAIMS THAT THERE WAS NO CONTACT PERSON, BUT, UM, SURELY WHEN WE CONTACTED STAFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE BECAME AWARE OF THIS IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, I KNOW I EMAILED AND HEARD NOTHING BACK, NO CRICKETS.
UH, THEY COULD HAVE PUT US IN CONTACT WITH A DEVELOPER THAT HE COULD REACH OUT TO US.
SO YES, WE DO HAVE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL ORGANIZATION, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, A COMMUNITY THAT, UH, WORKS TOGETHER AND WE WOULD BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THE DEVELOPER.
UH, IF, IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, I ASSUME IF THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED, UH, AS WE POINTED OUT, THEY JUST WANNA WEDGE UH, MULTI-FAMILY WHEREVER IT FITS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SINGLE FAMILY, THAT'S FINE, BUT UH, WE'D BE WILLING TO MEET.
OTHER QUESTIONS? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? DO I HEAR A SECOND? COMMISSIONER KA UH, KASAR.
I, SORRY, I, ALTHOUGH
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED SO NOW WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE DIAS OR ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MEAN MEAN TO ME, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT THE CITY IS LOOKING FOR.
IT'S A SITE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY BEING DISPLACED.
THERE'S NO FLOODPLAIN, THERE'S NO CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE TREE ORDINANCE.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPLY WITH COMPATIBILITY, SETBACKS, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPLY WITH TRANSPORTATION.
SO A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED ARE GONNA BE DEALT WITH AT THIS SITE PLAN PHASE, NOT AT THE, THE ZONING PHASE.
UM, I THINK THERE'S TIME BETWEEN NOW AND CITY COUNCIL TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I'LL ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THAT.
UH, SO WHEN THIS COMES BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, THEY CAN HOPEFULLY PRESENT A MORE UNIFIED GROUP.
IT'S AN AS AND P LEVEL FOUR STREET, SO IT'D BE A SHAME IF IT STAYED SUCH A LOW DENSITY.
UM, AND ALSO THEY'LL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS.
I WILL ACTUALLY DISAGREE SLIGHTLY BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE WATERSHED, UM, DEPARTMENT'S MAPS FOR THAT AREA, I NOTICED I DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE WATER QUALITY AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THAT AREA.
UM, IT'S IN A HIGH TO VERY HIGH, UH, WATER QUALITY PROBLEM AREA.
IT'S 400 FEET AWAY FROM A DOCUMENTED LOCALIZED FLOODING AREA ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT ZONE MAP.
AND THAT PART OF WALNUT CREEK THAT IS THE CLOSEST TO THAT, WHICH IS PRETTY CLOSE, IS A HIGH TO VERY HIGH EROSION
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ZONE.AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY, THIS IS A REALLY TOUGH CASE BECAUSE OF THAT AND ALSO BECAUSE TO HAVE SINGLE FAMILY ALL THE WAY AROUND, I AM A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THE APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR MF FOUR AND I WOULD'VE BEEN MORE COMFORTABLE WITH SOMETHING I'M, I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE APPLICANT SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR SOMETHING NOT MF FOUR.
UH, LET ME GO TO COMMISSIONER FLOYD, UH, UH, CHAIR.
I'M GONNA AGREE WITH YOU AND COMMISSIONER FLORES THAT I AGREE THIS IS WHAT THE CITY'S LOOKING FOR AND IT FITS THE, THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT FOR CORRIDOR SUCH AS SAU.
I THINK THEY'VE EXPLAINED WHY THEY WANT MF FOUR, WHICH IS TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO, UH, DEAL WITH THE WATER DETENTION ISSUES AND PROTECT THE WATERSHED.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT I'VE HEARD FROM STAFF AND THE APPLICANT MAKES ME THINK THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A CITY TO HELP ALLEVIATE OUR HOUSING CRISIS.
COMMISSIONER COSTA MORGAN, UH, I KNOW WE ALREADY A, UH, CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT CAN I STILL ASK A QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? YES.
SO WE HEARD FROM STAFF, BUT I AM JUST WANTING TO CON CONFIRM, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, TO BUILD YOUR SITE WITH THE D LEVEL OF DENSITY THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, IF YOU WERE AT MF THREE, IF YOUR HEIGHT WAS REDUCED, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO STILL BUILD YOUR PRODUCT? THE PRIMARY RATIONALE, THE PRIMARY REASON WE, UM, SUBMITTED ON AN MF FOUR IS FROM MF THREE.
THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT IS 40 FEET AND MF FOUR IT'S 60 FEET.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER? EXCUSE ME.
UH, THE PRIMARY REASON WE APPLIED FOR MF FOUR WAS BECAUSE MF THREE, THE CAP HEIGHT IS 40 FEET, MF FOUR, THE CAP HEIGHT IS 60 FEET.
AND SO YOU CAN DO FOUR STORIES, UH, PRODUCT, UM, AT A MA AT MORE THAN 40 FEET.
SO THE MF FOUR GIVES US THE 60 FEET WITH A SOME FLEXI, WHICH OFFERS THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO SOME FOUR STORY STRUCTURES SOMEWHERE ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH WE BELIEVE WE'LL NEED.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THE MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT CAPPED, UM, MAX WE'RE GONNA DO IS 330 UNITS.
SO YOU'D HAVE THE ACREAGE WITH ALMOST 12 ACRES TO DO THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT YOU WANT WITH MF THREE, BUT I GUESS THAT'S WHY I'M STILL NOT CLEAR ON.
SO IS THE HEIGHT, IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE SITE THAT REQUIRES YOU TO BUILD 60 FEET AS OPPOSED TO BUILDING AT 40 FEET? I WOULD SAY THAT YOU CANNOT DO FOUR STORIES AND MAXIMUM 40 FEET.
SO THE FOUR STORIES IS NOT GONNA GO MAXIMUM 60 FEET.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED, FROM THE DENSITY STANDPOINT, WE DON'T NEED THE UNITS PER ACRE, BUT WE NEED THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OUT OF M FOUR.
THE, THAT HEIGHT COULD BE ACHIEVED THROUGH VARIANCE THOUGH, IS THAT CORRECT? YOU, YOU THINK YOU MAY ONLY NEED ONE AREA TO BE FOUR STORIES AND THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED THROUGH VARIANCE? NO, I, NO, NO.
COMPATIBILITY WILL HAVE SETBACKS ADJACENT TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY, BUT YOU CAN'T DO A, YOU CAN'T GET A VARIANCE OF THE HEIGHT.
YOU CAN GO THE OTHER WAY IN OTHER COMPATIBILITY WILL LIMIT THE HEIGHT NEAR THE BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, SO IT'LL STAIR STEP UP AS YOU GET TOWARDS THE MIDDLE.
YEAH, BUT I'M SAYING A VARIANCE TO THE MF THREE HEIGHT RESTRICTION I THINK, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GO THAT DIRECTION.
I THINK YOU CAN GO THE OTHER DIRECTION.
YOU CAN DO MF FIVE AND LIMIT THE HEIGHT, BUT YOU CAN'T GO MF THREE AND GET A VARIANCE TO GO HIGHER.
GET A VARIANCE FOR THE FOURTH.
WELL WHILE I, WHILE I'VE GOT THE STAGE HERE, I WOULD, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, I, I DO AGREE THAT, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS A CORRIDOR, IT MAKES SENSE FOR, FOR DENSITY.
I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE CONSIDER MEETING AND TALKING.
I HEARD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, UM, MENTIONED FOR, UM, FACTORS THAT COULD BE BUILT INTO THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD TAKE INTO SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE NEIGHBOR'S CONSIDERATIONS COULD BE BUILT INTO SITE PLAN AND UM, MAYBE SOME OF THESE CONCERNS COULD BE, YOU KNOW, ASSUAGED OR MINIMIZED WITH A LITTLE MORE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE, THE APPLICANT TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND TRY TO CONSIDER THEM AND SITE, SITE PLAN.
I THINK THEY COULD GO TO COUNCIL WITH, LOOK AT THE SETBACKS BETWEEN THE ADJACENT PROPERTY, LOOK AT THE HEIGHT ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY AND SEE IF THEY COULDN'T COME BACK WITH SOME RESTRICTIONS.
LIMITING THOSE THINGS I THINK COME TO A, A MUCH BETTER CASE GOING TO CITY COUNCIL.
BUT I THINK MF FOUR IS APPROPRIATE TO GIVE THEM THE FLEXIBILITY.