[00:00:06]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
IS 6 0 2.I'M BEN HEIM STAFF, THE INTERIM CHAIR OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
LET ME START WITH, UH, ROLL CALL, UH, COMMISSION.
AND WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE ALMOST A FULL COMPLIMENT OF MEMBERS.
WE HAVE ONE VACANCY, BUT, UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO HAVE, UH, TAKEN THEIR SEAT.
UH, LET ME START WITH, UH, JAIME ALVAREZ.
I BELIEVE HARMONY IS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS EVENING.
AND JUAN RAMON RUBIO HERE? YEP.
SO, AND THEN AGAIN, ONE VACANCY.
SO, UH, WE WILL AT THIS POINT, UH, CHECK AND SEE IF
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THERE ARE ANY, UM, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.IS, IS THAT ON THE AGENDA? IS ANYBODY OH, FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES.
ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WE DO NOT.
AND THIS IS FOR AN ITEM THAT IS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY, UM, SHARE SOME NEWS WITH YOU.
IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE, UM, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS PROPOSING TO DEMOLISH THE, A BUILDING ON ITS CAMPUS REFERRED TO AS A UNIVERSITY JUNIOR HIGH.
UM, AND THIS BUILDING HAS, UM, HIS IS DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC NATIONAL, UM, A NATIONAL HISTORIC PLACE.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT, UM, NECESSARILY RELEVANT TO THE COMMISSION, THIS COMMISSION, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT, UM, WE COULD POSSIBLY COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO POSSIBLY, UM, UH, LET THE UNIVERSITY KNOW THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THE, UH, BUILDING DEMOLISHED.
UM, I WROTE AN OPINION PIECE FOR THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, IN WHICH I ARGUE, UM, MY OPINION FOR PRESERVATION.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS COMMISSION ALSO SHARES THAT SAME SENTIMENT.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, THERE'S ALSO NUMEROUS, UH, THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN A COLUMN BY BRIDGET, UH, FROM THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATEMENTS, WHICH SHE ALSO GIVES SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION, UM, PARTICULARLY AROUND A MURAL THAT IS IN THE BUILDING, UM, AND, AND GIVES EVEN MORE REASON TO PRESERVE THE BUILDING.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, UH, WOULD LIKE, UM, AND HOPE THAT THE COMMISSION, UM, CAN DO WHATEVER, UM, IN ITS POWER TO, UH, UH, POT POTENTIALLY OPPOSE THE PROJECT IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND IF POSSIBLE, ALSO TO ENCOURAGE THE UNIVERSITY TO LOOK INTO, UM, PRESERVING THE BUILDING AND FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF ACC, UM, AND THEIR RESTORATION OF THEIR RIO GRANDE, HIS, UH, CAMPUS ON, UH, ABOUT, ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM HERE.
UM, THAT'S A GREAT, UH, EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD BE DONE TO RE UH, TO PRESERVE HISTORIC BUILDINGS SUCH AS UNIVERSITY OF JUNIOR HIGH, UM, THAT REALLY MEAN A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, UH, YEAH, MY HOPE IS THAT EITHER A NON-PROFIT, SUCH AS PER PERSEVE PRESERVATION AUSTIN CAN COME FORWARD AND, UH, PUT FORTH THE STATEMENT OR, UM, IDEALLY SUPPORTED BY THE COMMISSION, IF POSSIBLE, THAT THE UNIVERSITY LOOK INTO RECONSIDERING, UM, THEIR PLAN FOR THIS DEMO DEMOLITION.
AND, UM, YEAH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP IN THIS EFFORT, I, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AND WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO ME.
I'M HOPING TO, UH, GATHER SOME SUPPORT ON THIS TOPIC AND COME TO THE UNIVERSITY, UM, FORMALLY AND EXPRESS, UM, THIS, UH, OPINION IN THE SENSE AND HOPING AND HOPE TO, UH, UH, CONVINCE THEM TO, UH, RECONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING MR TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, I WILL SAY WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION WHEN IT COMES TO STATE, UH, PROPERTIES.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, YOUR SUGGESTION THAT WE OFFER, UH, SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT, UH, THAT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.
SO, UH, UH, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER COMMISSIONER? I DO.
SO IN, IN ESSENCE, UH, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FROM THIS DIOCESE, A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
AND JUST AS A SHOW FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE COMMISSION, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY IS, IS BEHIND IN THE SENSE OF PRESERVATION AND, AND KEEPING WITH, UM, THE, THE, UH, LEGACY OF AUSTIN, AND PARTICULARLY THIS SPECIFIC BUILDING HAS A LOT OF, UH, SENTIMENTAL VALUE TO THE COM LOCAL COMMUNITY, AS IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY
[00:05:01]
AND, UH, A I S D.AND SO I, I BELIEVE WITH THAT, IT WAS WHAT QUALIFIED IT FOR HISTORIC, UM, LANDMARK COMMISSION ON TOP OF THE ARCHITECTURAL, UM, UM, THE ARCHITECTURAL, THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING AS WELL IS, IS ALSO, UM, HISTORIC IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS, UM, UH, TO A DEGREE, UM, UM, BASED AROUND THE, THE MASTER, THE UT'S MASTER PLAN, AND THOSE ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES AS WELL.
IS THERE A PRECEDENT FOR SUCH, UH, LETTERS OF SUPPORT CHAIR HEIM? NOT FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO THE STATE OF TEXAS'S ACTIONS THAT I CAN REMEMBER.
UM, IN THIS SITUATION, WE'RE NOT POSTED TO TAKE AN ACTION LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO.
SO CAN WE, UH, ASK STAFF TO AT LEAST TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT HAS BEEN THE CASE IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE A SENTIMENT THAT'S VERY STRONG, PERHAPS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN OUR JURISDICTION? YEAH.
AND WE CAN REACH OUT TO THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION WHO MANAGES, UH, NATIONAL REGISTERED BUILDINGS, UM, TO SEE WHAT THEIR PROCESSES LOOK LIKE AS WELL.
AND CERTAINLY AS INDIVIDUALS, EVERY ONE OF US HAS THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS THAT.
BUT I THINK ALSO TOGETHER, IF IT IS APPROPRIATE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME EXPRESSION, UH, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT.
IF IT'S, IF IT'S ALREADY, IS IT ALREADY SLATED FOR DEMOLITION? AND IF THAT, IF THAT'S THE CASE, IS IT KIND OF BEYOND CONTROL AT THIS POINT? LIKE IS THERE A DEVELOPER THAT'S ALREADY, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND I THINK THE ANSWER FOR I, AS FAR AS I'VE LOOKED INTO THE BOARD OF REGENTS MEETINGS AND HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OFFICIAL, UM, AUTHOR AUTHORIZATION FROM THEM THAT THE BUILDING TO BE DEMOLISHED.
AND THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN PROPOSED RENDERINGS OF, OF THE BUILDING THAT THEY, THE UNIVERSITY WANTS TO BUILD IN THAT SPOT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL, UM, COM CONFIRMATION THERE.
THERE'RE ACTUALLY JUST NOW STARTING TO VACATE THE BUILDING AND ARE PREPARING IT, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN AN OFFICIAL, UM, DEMOLITION.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT HOPEFULLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD STILL BE STOPPED BEFORE IT'S OFFICIALLY GIVEN THE, UH, CONFIRMATION BY THE BORDER REGENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IN OUR SYSTEM OR PERMITTING SYSTEM, THERE IS NO ACTIVE OR OPEN PERMIT FOR DEMOLITION FOR THIS SITE YET, SO, BUT NO, BUT IT, OH, NEVERMIND, IT'S ON THE UT CAMPUS, SO IT WOULDN'T BE, UM, THOUGH, THOUGH, UH, IT IS THC, UH, TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION'S JURISDICTION, SO MOST LIKELY THERE ARE SOME STEPS ALONG THE WAY AS THAT GROUP, UH, HAS, UM, SOME JURISDICTION AND EVEN OUR SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED IN THOSE FORUMS MAY VERY WELL BE APPROPRIATE.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE CONNECTION WITH A I S D AND THE JOINT VENTURE THAT WAS THE SOURCE, BECAUSE THAT MAY GIVE US SOME STANDING.
AND I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO PROVIDE OR HELP IN ANY KIND OF WAY I CAN.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR OF COURSE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, LET ME JUST PROCEED WITH THE AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
THE AGENDA FIRST AND THEN WE'LL TAKE ACTIONS, UH, AS APPROPRIATE.UH, WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST POSTED ITEM, THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
THAT'S FROM THE MAY 20, UH, THE MAY 3RD MEETING, 2023.
UH, WE ARE SLATED HERE TO HAVE, UH, BRIEFING, UM, ON THE 29 40 EAST 12TH STREET DEMOLITION PERMIT THAT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED.
THAT'S ITEM TWO ON PUBLIC HEARINGS AND DISCUSSIONS, UH, FOR, UM, COUNCIL INITIATED CODE AMENDMENT.
UH, THIS IS ITEM THREE, UH, THE SIXTH STREET CODE REVISION.
UM, THAT IS POSTED AS A CONSENT, BUT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT THAT IS A, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM AND ONE THAT WE MAY VERY WELL WANT TO, UM, SINCE YOU MAY TAKE SOME TIME, UH, TAKE UP A LITTLE LATER IN OUR MEETING.
UH, WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
ON ITEM FOUR, UH, THAT WAS THE 6 0 6 EAST THIRD STREET, AND 10 0 5 LYDIA STREET.
THAT APPLICATION WAS WITHDRAWN, SO THERE'S NO ACTION REQUIRED ON ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS 115 EAST FIFTH STREET, UH, THERE IS A POSTPONEMENT THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT ON ITEM SIX POSTED, UH, WHICH IS 2300 WINDSOR ROAD, UH, THAT IS POSTED FOR CONSENT ON ITEM SEVEN, UH, 1906 MAPLE AVENUE.
THAT ONE IS POSTED FOR CONSENT.
OH, AND BY THE WAY, IF, UH, ANY OF THESE THAT ARE POSTED FOR CONSENT, IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS, OR IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, PLEASE GET MY ATTENTION AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THAT, UH, AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
OTHERWISE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, IF THEY'RE VOTED IN FAVOR, THEN THEY WILL BE PASSED.
THAT'S 6 0 4 BRAK STREET, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
[00:10:01]
ITEM NINE ON THE AGENDA? DID IT SOMETHING SLIP OFF THE AGENDA? HOLD ON.IS THERE AN I ITEM BEFORE THE FIVE 12 EAST MONROE STREET? WE'RE, WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING BETWEEN EIGHT AND NINE ON OUR, OH, YEAH, THERE IS NO NUMBER NINE.
SO THAT IS MY NUMBERING ERROR.
I TAKE THE ORDER AS THEY COME AND THEY SKIP NUMBER NINE.
TH THESE ARE REQUESTS, UH, FOR PERMITTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT APPLICATIONS, UH, FIVE 12 EASTMAN MONROE STREET.
UH, AN APPLICATION, UH, APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT ITEM 11 13 15 AND 1317 NOON AVENUE.
UH, THAT ALSO IS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT, ITEM NUMBER 12 15 13 MURRAY LANE.
UH, THAT ALSO HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT.
AND SO NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON NUMBER 12.
ON ITEM 13 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE, UH, THERE IS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST AGAIN BY THE APPLICANT.
ITEM 14 18 12 WEST 11TH STREET THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, I WILL NOTE, UH, THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE WORK ON THIS PROJECT BY THE OWNER, THE ARCHITECT, AND THE NEIGHBORS.
AND, UH, IF IT STAYS ON CONSENT, THAT'S FINE, BUT WE CERTAINLY SHOULD GIVE THEM A, UH, COMPLIMENTS FOR SOME EXCELLENT WORK.
USE THAT AS A MODEL IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
ITEM 15, UH, 10 0 4 EASTON STREET, UH, OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND ITEM 16 25 12 WOOLDRIDGE DRIVE.
UH, THIS IS FOR PROPOSAL FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, THAT IS A GARAGE REMODEL, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE THEN HAVE, UH, ITEMS THAT ARE INVOLVED AS DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED THAT ARE NOT PART OF, UH, AN, UH, A, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND ITEM 18, UH, WAS, UH, 6 0 8 EAST THIRD STREET, AND, UH, EVIDENTLY HAD AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION.
AND SO THAT WITHDRAWAL IS PENDING.
IS THAT STILL CURRENT? I HAVE CONFIRMATION FROM THIS MORNING THAT IT IS BEEN, UH, WITHDRAWN.
SO IF IT DOES COME BACK, IT WOULD BE A NEW APPLICATION, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, IT'LL BE, UH, A NEW RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS FOR BOTH 6 0 6 AND 6 0 8.
UH, BUT THAT IS TO COME LATER ON.
ITEM NUMBER 19 4 0 1 RIDGEWOOD ROAD.
UH, THAT ONE IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, THAT IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.
UM, ITEM 20 22 0 4 CURTIS AVENUE.
UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, YES, COMMISSIONER, MAY WE POLL ITEM 20, ITEM 20 FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 21, UH, 27 0 4 CANTERBURY STREET.
UH, THAT IS ALSO, UH, REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION, PERMIT OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THOSE ARE THE LAST OF THE CASES AS THEY'RE POSTED.
WE ALSO HAVE POSTED COMMITTEE UPDATES, UH, FOR THE, UH, FOR STANDING COMMITTEES, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, GRANTS COMMITTEE AND PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO POSTED FOR THE 2023 COMMISSION, UH, ELECTIONS, AND ALSO, UH, POSTED FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION NOMINATION.
UH, AND THEN STAFF WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE COMMISSIONER TRAINING AND RETREAT SCHEDULED FOR LATER IN THE SUMMER.
SO THAT'S THE REVIEW OF THE AGENDA.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE, UH, CONSENT ITEMS CHAIR.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THAT WILL BE, UH, ITEM, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, THAT WAS MOVED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
AND, UH, THE ITEMS FOR CONSENT ARE THE MINUTES, UH, FROM MAY 3RD.
UH, AND I WILL ABSTAIN SINCE I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING.
AND, UM, 2300 WINDSOR ROAD NUMBER 6 7 19 0 6 MAPLE AVENUE, 86 0 4 BRAS 14 18 12 WEST 11TH STREET, UH, 15 10 0 4 EASTON STREET, AND 16 25 12 WALBRIDGE DRIVE, 17 3 0 1 PARK LANE.
UH, NUMBER 20 HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, 21 27 0 4 CANTERBURY STREET.
SO THOSE ARE THE ITEMS PERTAINING
[00:15:01]
TO THE MOTION.WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UH, THOSE ITEMS HAVE PASSED ON.
UH, THOSE ITEMS FOR POSTPONEMENT, UH, ALL OF THEM APPLICANT REQUESTED WERE ITEM FIVE 115 EAST FIFTH STREET, ITEM TEN FIVE TWELVE EASTMAN MONROE STREET, ITEM 11 13 15 AND 1317 NOON AVENUE, ITEM 13, 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
UH, ALL OF THOSE, UH, ARE OFFERED FOR, UH, CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
UM, I'M GONNA GET OUR NEW, NEW MEMBER OVER HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, UM, IS SECONDING, AND, UH, I'LL HAVE A VOTE ON THE MOTION.
THOSE ITEMS ARE POSTPONED, UH, AT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
WE DON'T REQUIRE ACTION ON THE WITHDRAWN CASES, BUT JUST FOR REVIEW, ITEM NUMBER 4, 6 0 6 EAST THIRD STREET, AND 10 0 5 LYDIA, ITEM 12 15 13 MURRAY LANE, AND ITEM 18, 6 0 8 EAST THIRD STREET.
UH, THOSE ARE NO LONGER, UH, NO LONGER POSTED ITEMS AS THEY HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN.
[2. 2940 E. 12th Street – Demolition Permit Application Administratively Approved Presenter: Kalan Contreras (staff) ]
ITEM THEN THAT WE CAN TAKE UP IS THE BRIEFING, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO PERTAINING TO 29 40 EAST 12TH STREET.UH, MS. CONTRERAS, I GUESS YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE SOME, UH, OVERVIEW TO GIVE US AS WELL AS JUST INDICATING SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT THE CASE? I DO.
UM, AND WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBER, ONE MUR RAMON RUBIO.
UM, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
UM, ITEM TWO IS A BRIEFING ON A DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION FOR PROPERTY OWNED BY A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION.
UM, TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TWO 11.0 1 65 PROVIDES MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
IN 2019, THE LEGISLATURE AMENDED THAT AUTHORITY THROUGH HOUSE BILL 24 96 DASH 86, IN ADDITION TO INTRODUCING A SUPER MAJORITY REQUIREMENT FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION OVER OWNER OBJECTION, THE BILL BILL PROVIDED THAT PROPERTY OWNED BY A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION MAY NOT BE DESIGNATED WITHOUT OWNER CONSENT PER THE 2021 MEMO.
UM, TO COMPLY WITH CITY CODE AND STATE LAW, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE MUST ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVE, UM, ALL APPLICATIONS FOR THE DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION OF A BUILDING OWNED BY A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION WITHOUT FIRST SCHEDULING A HEARING AT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
AT EACH MEETING, UH, WE PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH A BRIEFING REGARDING ANY SUCH ACTION TAKEN SINCE THE PRIOR COMMISSION MEETING, UM, THIS MONTH, THE PROPERTY AT 29 40 EAST 12TH STREET, OWNED BY A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION, WAS APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION.
UM, IT WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1935 AND ORIGINALLY USED AS A RESIDENCE.
THE PROPERTY DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN EVALUATED IN CITY HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEYS.
UM, I, I WILL SAY THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS WHERE, UM, THE LAW THAT, UH, MS. CONTRERAS IS CITING IS RELATIVELY NEW, UH, REALLY CAME ABOUT FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON OTHER THAN I THINK SOMEBODY JUST WANTED TO, TO TAKE A SWIPE AT HISTORIC PRESERVATION, FRANKLY, BECAUSE, UH, THE, UH, NUMBER OF CHURCHES THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN HELD UP OR HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEM BECAUSE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, I DON'T KNOW OF, I MEAN, SO THIS IS ONE OF THESE WHERE, UM, WE'RE DEALING WITH FALLOUT OF SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS FIXING A PROBLEM THAT NEVER EXISTED.
UH, AND THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION, BUT I WORK WITH CHURCHES RATHER EXTENSIVELY IN MY WORK.
AND, UM, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, UH, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE.
IT WAS NOT A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BUILDING, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS OWNED BY A CHURCH, WE BASICALLY LOST ANY ABILITY TO HAVE JURISDICTION, OVERSIGHT, OR EVEN COMMENT, UH, OTHER THAN AFTER THE FACT.
SO, AGAIN, MS. CONTRERAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JUST REMIND US THAT WE MAY SEE MORE OF THESE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE ONES THAT WE MIGHT SEE MAY BE QUITE VALUABLE PROPERTIES, BUT IF A CHURCH OWNS THEM, UH, THEY BASICALLY GET, GET TAKEN OFF THE TABLE.
I MEAN, THIS IS EDUCATIONAL THAT, THAT MORE OF THESE MAY BE COMING TO US.
I RECALL THE CHURCH THAT WAS OFF OF OLTORF, THAT I THINK AT THE TIME IT CAME TO US, IT WAS NOT OWNED BY A RELIGIOUS GROUP, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THEN THEY SORT OF DISMANTLED IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AS MONTH AFTER MONTH.
WE SAID, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE? UM, IT, YEAH, I, I
[00:20:01]
DON'T KNOW.I'M PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE AND ALSO LIKE A DOOMSDAY SCENARIO WHERE A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION COULD MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP, UH, BUT DEMOLISH IT WHILE THEY'RE UNDER CONTRACT.
UM, IF THEY SO CHOSE, WELL, LET'S NOT GIVE ANYBODY ANY IDEAS.
NO, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THIS AS A, THIS LOOPHOLE, AGAIN, FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON, IT WOUND UP MAKING SOME PEOPLE FEEL GOOD, BUT REALLY OPENING UP, UH, A LOOPHOLE THAT'S BIG ENOUGH IN SOME CASES TO DRIVE A DEMOLITION TRUCK THROUGH.
SO WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED THERE, I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OUT LOUD JUST THEN.
WELL, THERE'S ALSO SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS THAT GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE RIGHT TOOLS WOULD BENEFIT FROM.
AND POSSIBLY, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR ASSISTANCE MAY BE VERY HELPFUL, BUT WE WON'T KNOW AND POSSIBLY ONLY UNTIL AFTER THE FACT.
SO AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU ALL, UH, BUT MS. CONTRERAS, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
UH, WE JUST HAVE TO BE MINDFUL AS WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SITUATION.
UM, THE FIRST DISCUSSION CASE THAT WE'RE, UH, POSTED FOR IS, UM, GOING TO BE THE, UM, UPDATE ON THE SIXTH STREET CODE REVISION.
WE HAVE TWO CASES THAT WERE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THOSE FIRST, BECAUSE I THINK THE, UH, CODE DISCUSSION IS GONNA TAKE A BIT OF TIME.
SO IF I CAN HAVE THE OKAY OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO, UM, TAKE THESE ITEMS OUT OF ORDER.
AND, UH, POSTPONE NUMBER THREE UNTIL THE END OF THE AGENDA.
I MOVE TO TAKE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE AFTER WE'VE HEARD AGENDA ITEMS 19 AND 22ND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OKAY, THEN WE WILL PROCEED.
SO, UH, LET US GO TOWARDS THE NEXT ITEM
[19. PR-2023-030371 – 401 Ridgewood Rd. – Discussion Council District 8 ]
POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.THAT IS, UH, 4 0 1 RIDGEWOOD ROAD.
IT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION, AND THAT IS A PROPOSAL FOR, UH, TOTAL DEMOLITION.
ITEM 19 IS A, UH, AN APPLICATION AT 4 0 1 RIDGEWOOD ROAD FOR A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1953 HOUSE.
THIS IS A ONE STORY VERNACULAR RANCH HOUSE WITH RUSTIC STONE VENEER, A FULL WIDTH FRONT PORCH, AND A SHALLOW SIDE GABLE ROOF.
THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT AROUND 1953 AND WAS PURCHASED BY LEGENDARY AUSTIN PERFORMER RICHARD S OR CACTUS PRYOR JR.
IN 1955, THE PRYORS LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL 1960.
ACCORDING TO DAUGHTER, CARRIE PRYOR, GUTHRIE PRYOR WAS A FIXTURE IN LBJS, TEXAS WHITE HOUSE, AND BELOVED BY TELEVISION AND RADIO FANS, AS WELL AS HIS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PEERS.
AFTER HIS DEATH IN 2011, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN'S OBITUARY PAGE EMPHASIZED PRYOR'S IMPORTANCE AS AN AUSTIN ORIGINAL DEEMING HIM THE MOST FAMOUS MAN IN AUSTIN.
UPON RECOUNTING THAT THE FIRST PERSON EVER TO APPEAR ON AUSTIN TELEVISION WAS CACTUS PRYOR, LUCY VAES JOHNSON RECALLS THE IMPACT PRYOR HAD ON HER FAMILY, HIS HOMETOWN, AND ON THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IN THE FOLLOWING QUOTE, FOR NEARLY 90 YEARS, HE MADE US LAUGH, LEARN LOVE, AND SOMETIMES CRY ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
HE COULD HAVE SPENT HIS EXTRAORDINARY TALENT ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.
INSTEAD, HE CHOSE TO GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THIS PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THE BUILDING IS A VERNACULAR STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTED WITH RANCH STYLE INFLUENCES AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH RICHARD OR CACTUS PRYOR.
THE PRYOR'S LIVED IN THE HOUSE FOR FIVE YEARS.
UM, HOWEVER, PRYOR'S DAUGHTER INDICATED IN A MAY 20, 23 LETTER IN YOUR BACKUP THAT THE PRYOR'S LATER HOME AT 3 0 9 BLUE RIDGE TRAIL LOCATED IN THE WEST LAKE HILLS, ETJ HAS STRONGER ASSOCIATIONS.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE PRYOR'S FIVE YEAR TENURE IN THE HOME IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE CRITERION FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
IF NOT, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
OKAY, THANK YOU MS. CONTRERAS.
UM, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE OWNER? THANK YOU.
UH, WELCOME NEW COMMISSIONERS, UH, MICHAEL WHELAN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, REQUESTING YOU TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 4 0 1 RIDGEWOOD.
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS CASE INVOLVES A 1950S HOUSE ON THE BORDER OF ROLLINGWOOD AND WESTLAKE HILLS, WITH A LIMITED CONNECTION TO AUSTIN HUMOROUS CACTUS PRYOR.
WHILE PRYOR WAS A WELL-KNOWN FIGURE IN AUSTIN, AS YOU HEARD, WE BELIEVE THAT HIS CONNECTION TO THIS HOUSE DOES NOT MEET LOCAL OR NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING HISTORIC ASSOCIATION.
AND PRYOR'S OWN DAUGHTER LETTER IN THE BACKUP
[00:25:01]
WHO HAS, WHO HAS ABSOLUTELY NO FINANCIAL INTEREST OR CONNECTION TO THIS CASE, AGREES THAT HER FATHER'S ASSOCIATION WITH THIS STRUCTURE IS WEAK AT BEST, AND SHE SUPPORTS DEMOLITION.SO, AS I MENTIONED, 4 0 1 RIDGEWOOD IS LOCATED IN A SMALL CARVED OUT AREA, LARGELY SURROUNDED BY WEST LAKE HILLS IN ROLLINGWOOD.
YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THE SCREEN.
IT IS OTHERWISE A RELATIVELY UNREMARKABLE ONE-STORY POST-WAR RANCH HOUSE.
IT WAS BUILT AS YOU HEARD IN 1953, AND THEN CACTUS PRYOR MOVED IN TWO YEARS LATER IN 1955 AND LIVED THERE FOR FIVE YEARS.
THAT FIVE YEAR OCCUPANCY IS THE CRUX OF THIS CASE AS STAFF NOTES IN THE CASE REPORT, THIS CASE CENTERS ON WHETHER THE PRYOR'S FIVE YEAR TENURE IN THE HOME IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE CRITERION FOR HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS END.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS STRUCTURE RISES TO THAT HIGH STANDARD.
BOTH FEDERAL AND LOCAL GUIDANCE ON THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION CRITERION SPEAK TO THE LENGTH AND STRENGTH OF ASSOCIATION.
THE CITY MAKES CLEAR THAT THIS CRITERION IS FOR LONGSTANDING SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS.
THE FEDERAL STANDARDS PROVIDE AN EVEN MORE SPECIFIC TEST STATING THAT THE PROPERTIES MUST BE COMPARED TO OTHER ASSOCIATED PROPERTIES TO IDENTIFY THE ONE THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE PERSONS NATIONALLY OR IN THIS CASE, LOCALLY, HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS, FEDERAL GUIDANCE ALSO SPECIFICALLY NOTES THE QUOTE, THE LENGTH OF ASSOCIATION IS OFTEN AN IMPORTANT FACTOR.
WE, WE BELIEVE THE CASE DOES NOT MEET THESE STANDARDS TO EVALUATE THIS, WE FOLLOWED THE TEST DESCRIBED IN FEDERAL STANDARDS, COMPARING THE RIDGEWOOD HOUSE TO THE OTHER HOMES ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE CACTUS PRYOR, AND DISCUSS THESE CONNECTIONS WITH PRYOR'S OWN CHILDREN.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, PRYOR SPENT LESS TIME IN THE RIDGEWOOD HOUSE THAN EITHER OF HIS OTHER HOMES ON BRADY LANE OR AND BLUE RIDGE TRAIL.
AND ONLY TWO OF HIS FOUR CHILDREN WERE BORN BY THE TIME HE MOVED.
IN CONTRAST, HE LIVED A FULL LIFE ON BLUE RIDGE TRAIL WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY.
THAT IS WHY PRYOR'S DAUGHTER WHO LIVED AT THE HOUSE BRIEFLY WITH HER PARENTS, WROTE TO THE COMMISSIONER TO THE COMMISSION.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BACKUP THAT QUOTE, IF THERE IS A CACTUS PRYOR HOUSE, QUOTE UNQUOTE ANYWHERE, IT WOULD BE THE BLUE RIDGE TRAIL HOUSE, NOT THE RIDGEWOOD HOUSE.
IN THAT QUOTE, AT THE VERY LEAST, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE AN ODD CHOICE TO CONNECT MY FATHER'S LEGACY TO THE RIDGEWOOD HOUSE RATHER THAN TO THE PLACE, TO THE PLACES HE LIVED AND WORKED FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE.
SHE SUPPORTS THE DEMOLITION PERMIT REQUEST AND IS NOTED, HAS ABSOLUTELY NO STATE IN THIS CASE WHATSOEVER SINCE HER FAMILY'S ONLY CONNECTION TO THE HOUSE IS HAVING LIVED THERE BRIEFLY SIX DECADES AGO.
I'LL JUST CONCLUDE BY SAYING THAT WE BELIEVE PRYOR'S CONNECTION TO THIS STRUCTURE IS GENERALLY WEAK.
PRYOR'S OWN DAUGHTER BELIEVES IT IS WEAK.
AND BASED ON THE FACTS YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, WE BELIEVE THE MOST APPROPRIATE COURSE IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
I'D ALSO NOTE THAT THERE IS, UH, AN OWNER OBJECTION THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO STAFF AND IS, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THE BACKUP, BUT IT IS, UH, HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AS STAFF AND STAFF CAN CONFIRM THAT.
UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
UH, YES, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, IS THERE ANY INDICATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE AND, UH, HOW THAT PERTAINS TO, UH, WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ITS CONDITION IN THE FIFTIES WHEN THEY LIVED THERE? YEAH, SO THE, UM, THERE WAS A RENOVATION IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE NINETIES INSIDE.
I WENT BACK AND FOLLOWED UP ON THAT.
IT IS UNCLEAR FROM AERIALS WHETHER THERE'S BEEN ANY ADDITIONS WHEN YOU LOOK AT HISTORICAL AERIAL.
SO WE COULDN'T TELL WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN ANY EXTERIOR.
UM, BUT IT, IT HAS, THERE HADN'T BEEN ANYTHING DONE SINCE, UH, THE NINETIES INTERIOR WISE AND IT'S BEEN, UM, ABANDONED.
ANY QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? I I HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF WITHOUT ANY PREJUDICE TOWARDS THE MERITS OF THE CASE, UH, CONSIDERING THERE'S AN OWNER OBJECTION, WHERE DOES THAT, WHAT, IN WHAT POSITION ARE WE RIGHT NOW? OR DOES IT MATTER FOR INITIATION ONLY FOR RECOMMENDATION? IT, IT WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF OUR INITIATION OF ACTION IF THAT'S, UH, OUR COURSE.
UH, HOWEVER THE BAR IS HIGHER THAN IF IT'S NOT HAVING AN OWNER'S OBJECTION.
AND I THINK IT'S WORTHY OF INQUIRING, UH, TO THE STAFF.
JUST TO CLARIFY IN PARTICULAR, RELATIVE TO OUR VACANCY.
SO, UH, UH, EITHER, UH, AMBER OR MS. CONTRERAS, WOULD EITHER OF YOU ALL WANT TO, UH, UH, MS. ALLEN OR MS. CONTRERAS? WOULD EITHER OF YOU WANT TO JUST GIVE BRIEFLY AN OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN OWNER OBJECTS IF WE WERE TO TAKE THE INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU BRING THE CASE BACK, UM, IN ORDER FOR THE CASE TO PROCEED TO PLANNING COMMISSION, A SUPER MAJORITY IS REQUIRED ON THE RECOMMENDATION STAGE.
UM, INITIATION IS JUST KIND OF A RESEARCH PHASE WHERE IT'LL COME BACK BEFORE YOU NEXT
[00:30:01]
MONTH, UM, WHILE WE DO SOME MORE DIGGING.UM, BUT FOR RECOMMENDATION TO GET FURTHER, UH, WE'LL NEED A SUPER MAJORITY.
AND IF WE HAVE A VACANCY ON THE DIAS, THIS, THAT SUPER MAJORITY NUMBER CHANGES? YES.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 10 MEMBERS SITTING ON THE SUPER MAJORITY IS THREE-FOURTHS, SO THAT WOULD BE EIGHT.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, IN EITHER THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION OR COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO HAVE THREE QUARTERS AS WELL.
THAT WOULD BE NOT JUST THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT COUNCIL ALSO IS THAT, SO IT, IT'S A HIGHER BAR SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, SO, AND FOR YOU NEW MEMBERS, THAT, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE ON THIS CASE.
UH, THE 75 DAYS THAT WE HAVE TO REVIEW THIS PERMIT STARTS TODAY SINCE IT WAS, IT WAS APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT LAST MONTH.
UH, SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE THREE MEETINGS TO INITIATE AND RECOMMEND.
UM, YOU CANNOT INITIATE AT THE LAST MEETING CUZ IT WILL BE RELEASED BEFORE IT CAN COME BACK.
SO IF YOU DO PLAN ON DOING THAT, JUST KEEP THOSE TIMELINES IN MIND.
UM, WE JUST HEARD FROM THE FIRST SPEAKER, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? WE DO HAVE MICHAEL GINI WHO JOINED US BY PHONE.
I'M JUST HERE WITH THE APPLICANT'S TEAM, SO I DON'T NEED TO, UM, SPEAK UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTION FOR MR. CARDINI AND WHAT IS, WHAT IS YOUR, UH, POSITION? ARE YOU, UH, INVOLVED AS AN OWNER OR, UH, IF I COULD ASK, OH, I, I ACT I HAVE THE, THE HONOR AND PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MICHAEL WAYLAND.
BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO ADVISEMENT BEFORE WE DECIDE WHETHER TO ASK YOU A QUESTION OR NOT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO WHO IS OPPOSED TO THE APPLICATION? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THAT IS THE COMMISSION'S DESIRE.
UH, THE MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BY COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I WILL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YES.
AS, AS LARGE AS CACTUS PRYOR LOOMS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY AND IN MY MIND FROM HEARING HIS VOICE ON THE RADIO AND JUST MY MEMORIES OF THE CITY, THAT THE HOUSE ITSELF, I BELIEVE IS UNREMARKABLE.
THE ASSOCIATION'S UN UNREMARKABLE AND I'M PRETTY CERTAIN WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THE EJ IN WESTLAKE HILLS TO HAVE ANY AUTHORITY ON LISTING THE HOUSE THAT WOULDN'T BE MORE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED.
I JUST DON'T FEEL IT'S JUSTIFIED TO, UM, TRY TO TRY TO REMEMBER HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR HISTORY WITH THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE.
I THINK HIS NAME IS FOUND MANY OTHER PLACES AND, UH, HIS LEGACY WILL LIVE ON COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS? UH, BEING THAT I ALSO STILL HEAR HIS VOICE IN MY HEAD FROM ALL THOSE YEARS THAT HE WAS ON THE RADIO, UH, STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT HIS SIGN OFF THERMOS GLUCO MORICA WAS.
NO, NO ONE EVER SEEMED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT, UH, THAT WAS HIS TAGLINE.
UH, I THINK AT THIS POINT, UH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND JUST, UH, CALL THE QUESTION AND LET'S, UH, SEE WHAT WHAT HAPPENS.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, UH, AFTER A, UH, REQUESTED, UM, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UH, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE, UH, OR I SHOULD SAY, RAISE THE HAND.
UH, LOOKS LIKE IT IS UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND WE WILL GO ON TO THE NEXT, UH, MS. ROCK AND MORTAR
[20. PR-2023-052574 – 2204 Curtis Ave. – Consent Council District 1 ]
20, UH, 2204 CURTIS AVENUE.SO CHAIR HK, I THINK I CAN BE BRIEF HERE ON WHY I PULLED THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
IT APPEARS TO ME THIS IS A, A SIMILAR
[00:35:01]
DEMOLITION CONTRACTOR, AND I WAS TRYING TO RECALL, ALTHOUGH AMBER WILL REMIND ME THAT IF I'D COME TO THE MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS, I WOULD BE ABLE TO RECALL, BUT THAT WASN'T THIS THE SAME DEMOLITION CONTRACTOR THAT DEMOLISHED THE, WHAT WAS IT, THE RESTAURANT WITHOUT PRIOR TO THE PERMIT? MM-HMM.I WILL DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO RECALL MAYBE COMMISSIONERS, YOU GUYS REMEMBER, UH, I KNOW THIS, THIS, UH, DEMOLITION COMPANY IS VERY ACTIVE IN AUSTIN, UH, AND CERTAINLY KNOWS THEIR WAY AROUND.
UH, I DON'T RECALL THE CASE, UH, MR MAYBE YOU WOULD REMEMBER, BUT THERE WAS A CASE, I THINK THEY WERE INVOLVED IN, WAS IT FRISCO? THEY MAY JUMPED THE GUN.
YEAH, NO, I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER RESIDENTIAL PROJECT WHERE THEY JUMPED THE GUN AND OH, THEY WERE TRENCHING IN THE FRONT YARD.
BEFORE, BEFORE THE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO, WASN'T THERE THE, OH, SHOOT MEMORY SPADE? THE, THE RESTAURANT, UH, THAT'S THE NIGHTHAWK.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE THEY WEREN'T INVOLVED IN THE NIGHTHAWK DEMOLITION IS WHAT? SO THEY HAVE NO, BASICALLY THEY HAVE NO PREVIOUS OFFENSES FOR JUMPING THE GUN.
I, I, I'M, OF COURSE NOW I'M ALSO GONNA WORK ON MY MEMORY.
SO I, AGAIN, I THINK NO OFFENSES, I'D SAY IRRITATION.
THEY DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK THAT I'M PROFESSING AND I, I PULLED THAT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION SO THAT WE'RE, I I DON'T THINK WE'RE AS PUNITIVE AS WE SHOULD BE IN THOSE INSTANCES, SO, SURE.
APPRECIATIVE, APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO JUST WANT TO, UM, JUMP IN TO SAY THAT THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT, UM, IT CAME TO US TO PULL A PERMIT AFTER THE FACT OF DEMOLITION WITHOUT A PERMIT.
UM, THE, UH, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY TOOTH IN THE GAME AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT TOOLS WE HAD TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING, UH, THAT THE COMMISSION DID TAKE NO ACTION AND THEY WAITED THE FULL 75 DAYS BEFORE THE PERMIT WAS RELEASED.
SO I, I, I GUESS WITH THAT DISCUSSION, AND I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF MS. CONTRERAS, BUT I WOULD MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. CONTRERAS, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL INSIGHT BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING OR WERE YOU PREPARED TO JUST PRESENT THE CASE? UM, WERE YOU ABLE TO VERIFY THE CONTRACTOR? UM, THIS ONE IS D R.
YEAH, WE HAVE A PROJECT FROM D R ALMOST EVERY MONTH.
THEY'RE SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT I DON'T THINK THEY TAKE CASES WHEN THEY'D HAVE TO SHOW UP TO THIS COMMISSION.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THE FRISCO CONTRACTOR WAS D I R THOUGH.
AND THE CONTRACTOR, OOH, I HAVE THE APPLICANT LISTED AS W G I INC.
UM, I, I KNOW WE PULLED THIS, TYPICALLY THAT WOULD MEAN A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF.
UH, HOWEVER, IF THIS WAS THE CLARIFICATION THAT WAS NEEDED, UH, I DON'T, NOT SURE WE'RE OBLIGATED TO HAVE ONE.
UH, UNLESS COMMISSIONERS, YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM.
UM, AND IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEEN PULLED, SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO HAVE CONVERSATION FOR OR AGAINST.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP.
WELL THEN LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I THINK I PUT THAT MOTION FORWARD.
UH, MOVE BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK, ALTHOUGH IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS, UH, POSTED ITEM.
I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE AN DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING OF CITY OF DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S A GREAT LITTLE HOUSE, BUT THERE'S NO HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, SO, UH, ANOTHER ONE WE CAN'T SAVE.
UM, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? ALL RIGHT, LET ME CALL THE QUESTION, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION TO, UH, RELEASE THE DEMOLITION, UH, PACKAGE, UH, WITH A PACKAGE FOR, UH,
[00:40:01]
DOCUMENTATION, UH, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.THE MOTION PASSES AND IT HAS BEEN RELEASED.
[3. C20-2022-009 – Sixth Street Code Revision – Consent]
THEN TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.UH, THE, LET'S SEE, COUNCIL INITIATED CODE AMENDMENTS, AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH, UH, SIXTH STREET CODE REVISIONS, AND I WILL CALL UPON MS. CONTRERAS TO START THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN.
MS. ITEM AMENDMENT C 20 DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 9 WAS INITIATED BY CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE, 2022.
UNDER RESOLUTION 2022 DASH 0 6 9 DASH 1 24, THIS PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENT WOULD REPLACE THE 45 FOOT MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT IN CODE SECTION 25 2 6 43
IT ALSO REQUESTS THE CREATION OF DESIGN STANDARDS TO ENSURE REDEVELOPMENT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
WHILE ALLOWING THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT REQUESTED, UH, COUNSEL HAS INDICATED THAT THEY ARE READY TO SEE THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AFTER HLC AND PLANNING COMMISSION, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENT ONLY WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
FIRST, THE AMENDED SECTION MUST APPLY ONLY TO BUILDINGS LOCATED ON THE 500 AND 600 BLOCKS OF SIXTH STREET BETWEEN NECHES AND SABINE.
THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT REQUESTED IN THIS AMENDMENT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR AREAS OF THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
OUTSIDE OF THE 500 AND 600 BLOCK FACES, WHICH ARE LESS INTACT AND CONTAIN FEWER INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS THAN ANY OTHER BLOCK IN THE DISTRICT, THEN CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS SHOULD BE REHABILITATED AND ADAPT AND ADAPTIVELY REUSED, INCLUDING THE RETENTION OF HISTORIC FACADES ON CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS.
IN ADDITION, BUILDINGS WITHIN THE SUBJECT AREA SHOULD COMPLY WITH THE DESIGN STANDARDS OUTLINED IN THE STAFF ASSESSMENT IN YOUR BACKUP.
THESE STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE CITYWIDE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS WITH TWO NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS TO REFLECT REQUESTED CHANGES INCLUDING ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WHICH HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 140 FEET FOR THE RESOLUTION AND ALLOWABLE SETBACK, WHICH HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A MINIMUM OF 15 FEET.
UH, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE REVISIONS ARE STILL SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT WHO WILL BE DRAFTING THE ORDINANCE, UH, PRIOR TO PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW ON JUNE 27TH.
UH, STAFF WILL COLLECT REVISIONS REQUESTED BY THE COMMISSION TONIGHT TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT LEGAL REVIEW.
MS. CONTRERAS, YOU MENTIONED THE 45 FOOT HEIGHT IS IN THE, UH, OVERLAY CURRENTLY, AND THAT WOULD BE ADJUSTED TO 140 IF THIS INITIATION PASSES.
UH, THE SETBACKS REDUCED TO 15 FEET FROM WHAT, UH, THE CITYWIDE DESIGN STANDARDS CURRENTLY SPECIFIED? 20 FEET.
DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE, UH, THE, THE, WELL, THE INITIATOR
UH, AND DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION? CHAIRMAN OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION? I'M RICHARD SETTLE.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF STREAM, THE ONE THAT HAD THE IDEA TO, TO DO THIS, UH, CODE AMENDMENT.
WE, WE GOT HERE WITHOUT THE FLASH DRIVE
WITH, WITH THE PRESENTATION, BUT IT'S, UH, SO WE GET YOU INSTEAD.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YOU GET ME? I INSTEAD, I'M SORRY, BECAUSE CAITLIN, CAITLIN CAN VERBALIZE IT FOR YOU, BUT, BUT BOTTOM LINE, IT'S THE SAME THING.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT A LONG WHILE BACK, AND THAT IS SIXTH STREET IS, UH, HAS BECOME A REAL PROBLEM AND IT'S, IT'S IN WHAT I WOULD CALL A, A DEATH SPIRAL BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYBODY TO GO IN THERE, ESPECIALLY IN THE 700 BLOCK AND PUT ANY MONEY IN THOSE BUILDINGS, NOT KNOWING, UM, WELL, KNOWING THAT THEY ARE WALKING INTO A, BASICALLY A SHOOTING GALLERY.
IT HAS BECOME A SHOOTING GALLERY.
STREAM'S IDEA WAS IF YOU GO IN AND REVITALIZE THIS AREA OF SIX AND TURN IT INTO A, UM, IF NOT A 24 7 OPERATION, MAYBE A 20 HOUR A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WHERE YOU MIX UP THE USES.
BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN MIX UP THE USES IS TO PROVIDE, UH, MORE OPPORTUNITIES, MORE DENSITY AND MORE IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO, UM, BEFORE STEVE PASSED STEVE SADOWSKI, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT.
AND WE, WE, WE LIMITED IT TO THIS, THIS, THESE, THIS AREA OF SEA BLOCKS, STREETS TWO BLOCKS, THE TWO BLOCKS, UM, WE AGREED TO, TO MEET THE RULES OF, OF THE LITTLE SETBACKS.
AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT BASICALLY KEEP THE FACADES, KEEP THE BUILDINGS, BE ABLE TO STEP BACK AND
[00:45:01]
THEN BE ABLE TO MIX THE USES.AND THE IDEA IS TO GET RESTAURANTS THAT ARE OPEN DURING THE DAY, NOT BARS RIGHT NOW.
SIXTH STREET, OF COURSE, THE, THE, THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE OPEN NOW ARE BASICALLY BARS AND, AND, UM, AND IT'S A TRAIN WRECK OVER THERE.
THE IDEA IS TO BE ABLE TO MIX THE USES, GET SOME OFFICE, MAYBE SOME RESIDENTIAL.
HERE'S AN INTERESTING THOUGHT.
I THINK ONE OF, ONE OF YOU ASKED ME THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, WHY NOT RESIDENTIAL? AND THE RESPONSE WAS, WE DIDN'T THINK RESIDENTIAL WAS GOOD FOR A, AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
CAITLIN HAS GONE AND RESEARCHED OTHERS AND HAS DETERMINED THAT IT'S VERY POSSIBLE TO DO SOME, SOME RESIDENTIAL HERE.
SO WE WANT TO HAVE THE, THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THE MIX OF OFFICE RESTAURANTS, UM, MAYBE RETAIL, RESIDENTIAL, MAYBE MUSIC VENUES, BUT BREAK THE CYCLE OF JUST SOMEBODY GOING IN, THROWING A BAR AND HAVING, HAVING A WRECK.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYBODY TO PUT MONEY INTO DOING A RESTAURANT BECAUSE YOU GOT GREASE TRAP AND YOU GOT CODE TO COME UP AND YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO RISK A BUNCH OF MONEY IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DANGEROUS AREA.
SO WE CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN, UM, COUNCIL INITIATED IT, AND UH, WE, WE DO HAVE SOME, CAITLIN, WE DO HAVE SOME PAPER COPIES OF YOUR STUFF, RIGHT? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT OVERHEAD CAMERA STILL WORKS OR NOT.
I'M SO OLD SCHOOL, I SHOULD BE HOLDING A BOARD HERE OR SOMETHING,
UM, BUT WE WERE, IF YOU DO WANT TO HAND OUT, UH, AND WE'LL PASS THAT AROUND, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING TONIGHT IS, IS TO GIVE US THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SEE IF WE CAN REVIVE SIXTH STREET.
WE ALSO HAVE THAT STREETSCAPE IN, UH, IN OUR BACKUP PACKAGE.
SO IF, IF AMBER YEAH, PULL THAT UP.
I THINK YOU COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF THAT, RICHARD.
THE, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HERE IS TO GET ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE BUILDINGS, CLEAN UP THE STREETSCAPE.
OUR IDEA IS TO OPEN UP THE STREET AGAIN ON THE WEEKENDS TO, TO TRAFFIC SO THAT YOU'RE NOT CREATING WHAT I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT VERY, I'M NOT VERY ARTICULATE, BUT I CALL IT A CAGE FIGHT WHEN THEY BALLARD BOTH ENDS OF SIXTH STREET AT NIGHT AND THEY INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME DOWN THERE AND THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE UNABLE TO, TO REALLY MINGLE UNTIL THERE'S A PROBLEM.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A BAD SITUATION.
OUR IDEA IS WIDEN THE SIDEWALKS, CREATE SOME SIDEWALK CAFES.
UM, ACTUALLY YOU'RE RESPONDING TO A QUESTION, SO PLEASE PROCEED.
GET TRAFFIC MOVING THROUGH THERE AND OPEN IT UP ON A 24 7 TO WHERE IT'S NOT JUST THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHTTIME ACTIVITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN FIGURE OUT TO DO IT IS TO BE ABLE TO ADD A LITTLE MORE DENSITY TO THE, UH, THE OLDER FABRIC IN THESE TWO BLOCKS.
THANK YOU MR. UM, SU IS THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THE EXPERT'S WITH ME.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE CAITLIN RYAN.
THIS WAS HER IDEA AND SHE'S BEEN WORKING REAL HARD ON IT FOR YEARS AND SHE KNOWS IT INSIDE AND OUT.
WELL, UM, CALL ON EITHER ONE OF YOU.
SO I WENT BACK AND VISITED THE MAY, 2022 PRESENTATION THAT SHOWED VISION AND, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT MAY BE DONE ON EACH GIVEN BLOCK.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PROPERTIES INCLUDED THAT ARE OUTSIDE THESE BLOCKS.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE PLAN IS WITHOUT THE HEIGHT BEING RAISED ON THESE OTHER LOCATIONS FOR WHAT MAY PROCEED IN THOSE LOCATIONS.
UM, SO SOMETHING WE WERE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT, UM, LOCAL AUSTIN, I JUST, YOU KNOW, WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, NOT JUST COLLEGE, JUST GREW UP HERE.
SO LOVE THIS AREA OF SIXTH STREET SO MUCH.
UM, ONE THING WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS TO TAKE THE TIME AND THOUGHTFULNESS AND CHOSE TO TWO DENSITY ON THIS STREET THAT WOULD PROMOTE WALKABILITY AND A LOT MORE PEDESTRIANS, FREQUENTING THIS STREET ON THE STREET, THE TWO BLOCKS ON SIXTH STREET THAT HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES ON THE PROPERTIES.
SO WE OWN QUITE A BIT OF OTHER STRUCTURES.
WE ARE DOING NOTHING BUT RETENANTING THOSE.
AND SO RETENANTING IN THE WAY OF A LOT OF THESE STRUCTURES AREN'T MADE FOR RESTAURANTS AND LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE GREASE TRAP BEN HOODS AND AREN'T CAPABLE.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT'S GONNA TAKE TO UPGRADE THESE TO RESTAURANTS IS GONNA BE SIGNIFICANT.
OUR PLAN IS, I ALWAYS SAY SIXTH STREET DOESN'T HAVE A BAR PROBLEM AND HAS A RATIO PROBLEM.
SO THERE'S ONLY THREE RESTAURANTS ON THE COURSE FROM 35 TO CONGRESS AVENUE ON SIXTH STREET.
AND SO WE'RE NOT LEASING TO ANY BARS THAT ARE JUST OPEN AT NIGHT.
WE'RE HAVING VERY STRICT RESTRICTIONS OF SAYING, IF YOU COME INTO THIS DISTRICT, YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN DURING THE DAY TO PROMOTE WALKABILITY AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS,
[00:50:01]
AND YOU HAVE TO SERVE FOOD.AND SO WE WANNA REALLY DIVERSIFY THIS DISTRICT FROM BEING ONLY OPERATING FROM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY FROM 9:00 PM TO 3:00 AM AT NIGHT, TO DOING AN 18 HOUR DISTRICT PROMOTE, YOU KNOW, FARMER'S MARKETS BRING LIVE MUSIC BACK TO THE STREET.
AND WE THOUGHT THE ONLY WAY WE COULD REALLY DO THAT IS TO TAKE ALL THE STRUCTURES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED AND WITH OUTSIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT DENSITY AND JUST MAKE THOSE RESTAURANTS AND VERY PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE STRUCTURES LIKE THE OLD BUFFALO BILLIARDS BUILDING AT 2 0 1 E SIX, WHICH WAS, I MEAN, IT WAS BUILT IN 1864.
IT WAS AUSTIN'S FIRST BOARDING HOUSE FOR THE COWBOYS CAME AND SETTLED THE WEST.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US FOR NOT ONLY GET A RETAIL TENANT IN THERE AND A RESTAURANT OR SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA BE OPEN DURING THE DAY, BUT ALSO FIND A TENANT THAT'S GOING TO RESPECT THE HISTORY OF ONE OF AUSTIN'S OLDEST STRUCTURES AND REALLY BRING THAT HISTORY TO LIFE WHERE PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN THAT THEY'RE WALKING THROUGH.
SO THERE'S NO PLAN TO DEMOLISH ANY OTHER SIR CONTRIBUTING, OKAY.
UM, WHAT ATTEMPTS WERE MADE WITH THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OWNED ON THESE BLOCKS IN PARTICULAR? I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF SPOTTY.
UH, BUT WHAT TEMPS WERE MADE, WHEN I WALK THROUGH THIS SECTION, I'LL BE QUITE HONEST, THE ONE THING THAT KIND OF GETS MY EYE IS THAT THEY'RE ALL BOARDED UP.
AND SO TO BUY UP TWO AND A HALF BLOCKS AND BOARD 'EM UP AND THEN SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONE DOWNHILL, IT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, DISINGENUOUS.
SO I, I'D JUST LIKE TO LIKE YOU TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY PURCHASED QUITE A FEW PROPERTIES ON THE STREET.
WE HAVE ONLY PURCHASED TWO PROPERTIES THAT HAVE GONE VACANT DURING COVID.
SO A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES WHO BROUGHT, BOUGHT VACANT, AND THE REASON THEY WERE PURCHASED VACANT IS BECAUSE A LOT, THE FORMER PROPERTY OWNER, UM, A MAN NAMED JOHN MCCALL, UH, THOROUGHLY BELIEVED THAT THEY COULD ONLY GET ENOUGH REVENUE DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST EVENTS.
SO THEY WOULD KEEP 'EM VACANT ALL YEAR AND ONLY LEASE 'EM DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
WELL, DURING COVID SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, REVENUE WASN'T COMING.
AND SO FOR US, UM, THE, UH, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS POPULATION, WE HAVE SEEN, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE EASY TIGER LOCATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THEY'VE KICKED OVER 300 PEOPLE OUT OF THAT BUILDING THIS MONTH.
AND SO OF THE TRANSIT WE'VE ORDERED UP, DONE EVERYTHING WE COULD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THESE ARE BUILDINGS THAT ARE TRACKED A GREAT DEAL.
SO, UM, WE'VE HAD OVER 45 BROKEN WINDOWS.
AND SO THE REASON THOSE WERE BOARDED UP IS TO PREVENT THE, THE BROKEN WINDOWS AND THE PEOPLE ACCESSING THE STRUCTURES.
SO THOSE WERE CLOSED DOWN BEFORE COVID? ABSOLUTELY.
AS A MATTER OF MARKET, YES, SIR.
UM, IN THE PRESENTATION FROM MAY, 2022 INCLUDED, AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE RESOLUTION, IS THERE RE, YOU KNOW, INTENTION TO DEMOLISH SOME CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON RETAINING FACADES OF CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES? WE ARE A HUGE FAN, AND SO SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES, SO WE HAVE WORKED, UH, EXCUSE ME, LINDSAY DARRINGTON.
SO WE ACTUALLY ON OUR OWN, UH, DIME WENT AND HIRED ANNA MOD, WHO'S A VERY, UM, NOTEWORTHY PRESERVATIONIST.
SO SHE DID, WE DIDN'T EVEN JUST DO EXCLUSIVELY, WE HAD ANNA EVALUATE ALL THE BUILDINGS, BUT NOT JUST OUR BUILDINGS.
WE WANTED TO DO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, JUST, UH, EMILY WHO USED TO BE, UH, JUST BEFORE SHE, WE LOST HER A LITTLE BIT, LOVED HER.
AND THEN CALVIN CONTRERAS HAS BEEN AMAZING.
STEVE SADOWSKI, UM, LINDSEY DARRINGTON WITH HER PRESERVATION AUSTIN, TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND CONSIDERATE OF THIS WHOLE DISTRICT BEFORE WE CAME TO EVERYBODY HERE.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND DONE THE RESEARCH AND WE HAD CALLEN'S DEPARTMENT DO THE RESEARCH TO TELL US WHICH PROPERTIES WOULD ELICIT THAT THEY HAVE SOME HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
AND WE WOULD LOVE TO KEEP THE FACADES OF EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY THAT WE POSSIBLY COULD THAT WAS CONTRIBUTING BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT MAKES SIXTH STREET, SIXTH STREET LIKE THESE STRUCTURES.
AND SO IF THEY HAVE ITS HISTORICAL, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND HAVEN'T BEEN CHANGED IN A GREAT WAY, WE WOULD LOVE TO KEEP THEM.
I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IF ANYONE GOES BACK AND RESEARCHES THE BACKUP FROM MAY, 2022 OR THE RESOLUTION ITSELF, IT, IT WOULD GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE IS ANY INTENTION TO DEMOLISH CONTRIBUTING FACADE.
UM, BUT THE DISCUSSION OF STREET SCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT IN THIS AMENDMENT.
AND I KNOW THAT WAS KIND OF PUT OUT THERE AS A YOU PART AND PARCEL WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT IMPROVING THE WHOLE AREA, BUT THAT BEING CITY PROPERTY ALWAYS SEEMED A LITTLE, MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT, WHAT THE, THE INTENT IS FOR STREET SCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, UP TO THE CURB LINE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION, ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER PUBLIC UTILITIES IN AUSTIN TO FIGURE OUT THE MOST UNIQUE WAY.
THERE IS A LOT OF OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE GOING ON AT THE SAME POINT, OBVIOUSLY WITH CODE NEXT AND JUST OUR, UM, TRANSPORTATION BILL THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO BE VERY ACCEPTING OF THAT.
BUT ALSO, IF I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS, I, WHAT I DON'T WANNA SAY IN HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO BE ON SIXTH STREET, BUT WHAT I'LL SAY, COLLEGE
YOU HAD SUCH ECLECTIC AMOUNTS OF, YOU KNOW, JAZZ, RAP COUNTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMED TO BE POURING OUT IN THE STREET.
[00:55:01]
THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AND THE INCREASE IN CRIME THAT WE HAVE SEEN, ALL THESE, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS REALLY CLOSED THEIR DOORS.AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE IT A VERY PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY STREET THAT SEEMED TO REALLY, IT ALMOST IS LIKE SIXTH STREET POURING OUT INTO THE STREET, WHICH ANYBODY WHO WAS ON SIXTH STREET IS A LIKE, YOU KNOW, 10, 15 YEARS AGO.
SO WE HAVE PROPOSED SIDEWALK CAFES OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, WHICH ACTUALLY REPRESENT AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN VERY PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, SIT, ENJOY, AND IT PROMOTES RESTAURANT ACCESS, SO THEY CAN HAVE DINNERS OR LUNCHES OR BREAKFAST OUTSIDE ON THE SIDEWALK AND PROMOTING MORE, YOU KNOW, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO IT ON THE STREET, BUT JUST ALSO THE LIGHTING.
UM, I'M ALSO, I'M SO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SIXTH STREET OWNER, UH, SIXTH STREET OWNERSHIP ASSOCIATION.
AND ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS THE LIGHTING IS MALFUNCTIONING BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN ATTENDED TO.
SO IT'S ALL OF THAT IS INCORPORATED INTO THE STREET SCAPE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY TALKING TO AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION ABOUT INSIGNIFICANT DETAIL.
MR. SU HAD MENTIONED ACKNOWLEDGING THAT CLOSING THE STREET KIND OF PROMOTES THE PROBLEMS. UH, JUST WANTED YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT, YOUR COMMITMENT TO REOPENING THE STREET AND MAYBE ANY DISCUSSIONS AS TO WHY THE CITY MAY HAVE NOT DONE THAT ALREADY.
UM, HALF OF THAT CONVERSATION'S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE, SO I'M GONNA SAY IT TO AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN, UM, WHY WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO OPEN THE STREET IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AND THE HISTORY OF CRIME ON SIXTH STREET IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE AVERAGE AGE OF A SHOOTING LIKE A, A PARTICIPANT WHO'S BEEN ARRESTED FOR A SHOOTING CRIME OR A VIOLENCE OR, OR ANY CRIME IS 14 TO 17 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS SORT OF APPALLING.
AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW AND TALKING TO THE APD WHO'S OBVIOUSLY VERY UNDERSTAFFED AND THEIR SERVICES ARE VERY STRETCHED THIN RIGHT NOW IS THEIR PROBLEM IS THEY HAVE 18 YEAR OLDS AND UP GOING INTO THESE BARS, BUT THEN THEIR COUNTERPARTS WHO MAY BE A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CONGREGATING IN THE STREETS AT NIGHT.
AND SO THEY ARE GETTING ALCOHOL FROM VARIOUS WAVES AND THEY ARE STAYING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, UH, THE CRIME IS PERPETUATING FROM.
AND SO I'M NOT SAYING BY ANY MEANS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD OPEN UP THE STREET PERMANENTLY, BUT I'M SAYING UNLESS WE TRY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW, AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY ONLY BECAUSE SIXTH STREET ALREADY HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE WHERE THEY HAVE STOPLIGHTS AT EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION.
SO YOU'RE GONNA CONTROL THE, THE MOMENTUM OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, SO THERE WON'T BE ANY SPEED IN THAT DISTRICT.
BUT ALSO IT, I THINK IT'S TIME TO MAYBE LOOK AT SIX STREETS OPERATIONS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND ADDRESS IT SO THERE'S NOT SO MANY PEOPLE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET THAT WE'RE SEEING A CONSTANT, UM, CRIME HAPPENING EACH WEEKEND THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING CURRENTLY.
THOSE ARE ALL GREAT RESPONSES.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANTS.
UM, EARLIER YOU WERE MENTIONING, UM, WORKING WITH A TEAM TO EVALUATE THESE BUILDINGS.
IS THAT UPDATED EVALUATION SOMETHING THAT STAFF NOW HAS TO REFLECT THE CHANGES SINCE THAT DECEMBER OR OR PREVIOUS PACKAGE? I THINK THEY SHOULD.
UH, WE DO HAVE THE, AN AMOD SURVEY THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANTS, UM, AND WE HAVE CONCURRED WITH THAT.
THE FINDINGS THERE, YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT AND WE HAVE, YES.
I KNOW OUR REVIEW IS, IS, IS EXTERIOR.
I GUESS JUST IN MY HEAD, I'D BE CONCERNED WITH SOME OF THOSE AND, AND I KNOW MOST OF THESE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED, SO I, I'M NOT EX EXPECTING SPECTACULAR INTERIORS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SAVE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE DEMOED FOR A, A HIGH RISE INSERTION.
BUT JUST SOMETHING TO AT LEAST FALL BACK ON, LIKE YOU SAID, WE CAN HAVE THAT BACKEND STAFF FILES.
THANK YOU MS. CONTRERAS, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, UH, JUST ONE CLARIFICATION.
UH, THE CODE AMENDMENT ADDRESSES THE HEIGHT AND THE SETBACK.
THE PROCESS FOR ANY PROJECT THAT WOULD BE COMING FORWARD WILL STILL GO THROUGH THE REVIEW SINCE THIS IS IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO WE STILL HAVE, UH, ALL OUR REGULAR PROCEDURES FOR LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC REQUESTS AND IF SOMETHING DOES COME UP THAT MERIT SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, PRESERVATION ACTION, UH, OR WE FEEL LIKE THE OWNER SHOULD REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THOUGH IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, THEIR TEAM WILL HAVE ALERTED THEM AS WELL.
BUT, UH, EXACTLY WHAT THESE THINGS LOOK LIKE AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE HISTORIC FABRIC.
UH, WE'RE JUST AT THE BEGINNING.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS ALONG THE WAY, UH, AS THESE APPLICATIONS COME FORWARD.
JUDGE, JUST WANNA CLARIFY, MS. CONTRERAS, THAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WELL? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THESE APPLICATIONS, UM, WHEN THEY ARRIVE, WILL FOLLOW THE HISTORIC REVIEW PROCESS THAT WE HAVE NOW COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UM, IF NEED BE.
THEY'LL STILL MEET WITH THE MORE, UH, PERMISSIVE PROPORTIONS, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO WORK WITHIN ALL THE CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD REVIEW.
[01:00:01]
WITH THE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT, UM, WE ADD, UH, TO THIS AMENDMENT.UH, I'M SORRY IF I MAY ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION OR IF YOU CAN CONFIRM THAT OUR CURRENT LIMIT OF REVIEW IN THE DISTRICT IS, UH, COMMENT ONLY ON NEW CONSTRUCTION AND COMMENT ONLY ON DEMOLITION WITH THE POTENTIAL OF A SIX MONTH DEMOLITION DELAY FOR CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES THAT WE REALLY COULD NOT CURRENTLY WITH OUR REVIEW PROCESSES IN PLACE, STOP A DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY OR HAVE ANY BINDING, SAY, IN THE APPLICABILITY OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS IN NEW CONSTRUCTION.
OTHER THAN JUST COMMENT, COMMENT ONLY.
SO RIGHT NOW IN ALL OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, UM, FOR, UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION, NEW PROJECTS, UM, THE COMMISSION'S PURVIEW IS ADVISORY.
UM, SO YOU COULD COMMENT ON PLANS, UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S IT.
UM, FOR DEMOLITIONS OF CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS, UM, YOU STILL WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, UM, OR TO INITIATE 180 DAY DEMOLITION DELAY FOR, UM, THE COMMISSION AND THE APPLICANT TO EVALUATE ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW, UM, THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT OPERATES, UH, WITHIN OUR PROCESS.
AND IF I COULD HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THE APPLICANT MM-HMM.
AND FOR THE LANDMARKS WITHIN THOSE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, CERTIFICATE OF CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS ARE REQUIRED.
AND IF I CAN HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THE APPLICANT RELATED TO THAT, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF A FULL CERTIFICATE APPROPRIATENESS REQUIREMENT FOR ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ALL CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES, NOT JUST LANDMARKS? IF, IF YOU FELT LIKE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, MAYBE ADD IT TO YOUR CON I I CAN'T ANSWER IT ON THE FLY, CUZ I, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT IF YOU FELT LIKE THAT WAS APPROPRIATE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA STAND HERE AND HOLD OUR BREATH UNTIL WE PASS OUT.
IF IT WENT INTO THE RECOMMENDATION, I, I APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE, BUT I AM CURIOUS HOW YOU MIGHT RESPOND TO THAT.
IF THAT WAS OUR RECOMMENDATION AND IT WENT UP TO UPPER OTHER LEVELS AND PLANNING AND CITY COUNCIL, WHERE DO YOU ASK YOU THAT SAME QUESTION ABOUT HOW YOU FELT ABOUT THAT? IF IT WERE OUR RECOMMENDATION, WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE? WE WOULD TRY TO COMPLY WITH THAT BECAUSE WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN IN OUR, OUR TEAM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET US DESIGN ANYTHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO PASS MUSTER COMING TO YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
SO UNLESS THERE'S A GOTCHA THAT I'M CAN'T THINK OF JUST OFF THE FLY, THEN WE WOULD COMPLY WITH IT.
ALSO, I THINK THAT, UM, THE MECHANISM OF HAVING A REVIEW THAT BASICALLY GIVES US A, A A CHANCE TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU.
AND IF YOU REALLY TRULY ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE THE SPIRIT OF SIXTH STREET, UH, YES, YOU'LL HAVE A CERTAIN PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERTISE FROM AN OWNER'S POINT OF VIEW, BUT YOU HAVE A REPRESENTATION OF THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT AND ENGAGE WITH YOU WHEN YOU GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE READY TO PULL PERMITS, UH, I I CAN SEE THAT BEING A, A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE.
UH, AND REALLY A WAY TO ADVANCE, UH, THE, UM, THE QUALITY OF THE LONG-TERM PROJECT, UH, OVER THE, THE LIFE OF THESE, THESE, UH, THESE BUILDINGS.
AND IF, IF I SOUND EVASIVE, I DON'T MEAN TO BE IT, THERE JUST MAY BE A TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT THAT I'M NOT THINKING OF THAT SOMETHING TRIGGERS BECAUSE OF THE APPROPRIATENESS, BUT I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
QUESTION FOR CALL OR STAFF CALLAN.
UH, SO YOU CAN CONFIRM CUZ I'M A LITTLE RUSTY.
THIS IS NOT A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, CORRECT? RIGHT.
RIGHT NOW THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THE COMMISSION HAS, UH, APPROVED I AUTHORITY, A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS.
UM, COMMISSION HAS ADVISORY ONLY AUTHORITY, AND I'M JUST THROWING HYPOTHETICALS OUT THERE.
WHAT WOULD THAT CHANGE IF THIS WAS A HISTORIC, A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT? IS THAT GREATER PROTECTIONS AGAINST DEMOLITIONS FOR CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS? I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT LINE BY LINE.
UM, THE DESIGN STANDARDS WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
UM, IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE EXISTING CITYWIDE DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH WOULD INVOKE THAT 45 DEGREE HEIGHT LIMIT.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT EVEN THOUGH THIS AMENDMENT WOULD, I GUESS, EXEMPT THAT AND SAY WE COULD DO THE ONE 40 OR YEAH, THE ONE 40, RIGHT.
THIS AMENDMENT IS, UH, TO INCORPORATE THE REQUEST FOR ONE 40, UM, INTO THE EXISTING,
[01:05:01]
UH, 25 2 CODE SECTION.I GUESS MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS IF, IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN ADD TO THIS ABOUT, UH, CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR EVERYTHING? IS THAT KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE HEADING? IS THAT SOMETHING WE, WE CAN DO? SO THAT'S, UM, IDEALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO HERE, UM, BY AMENDING 25 2, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE FOR, UM, ANY DEMOLITION OR, UM, ADDITION PERMITS OR NEW CONSTRUCTION PERMITS TO COME FORWARD TO THIS COMMISSION.
UM, SO AS A CODE AMENDMENT, BASICALLY THIS, THIS FUNCTIONS AS AN OVERLAY FOR THESE TWO BLOCKS.
AND WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE THE NORMAL PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE AMENDED SPECIFIC TO THIS AREA.
IT, IT'S ACTUALLY A TIFF IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, EXCUSE ME, IT'S NOT REALLY A, UH, UM, AH, THERE'S ANOTHER ACRONYM.
BUT, BUT, UH, WHERE, WHERE YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, GO START FROM SCRATCH AND WRITE YOUR OWN CODE, BUT IN THIS CASE IT IS, THESE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT ARE MENTIONED WOULD SUPERSEDE ANYTHING ELSE.
SO CONCEIVABLY THE REVIEW PROCEDURE COULD BE ALSO, AND SO EVEN JUST IF IT'S JUST FOR THESE BLOCKS AS PART OF THE CODE AMENDMENT THAT UH, YES, THEY ADHERE TO THE REQUEST FOR THE HEIGHT, THE SETBACK ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THEY ALSO WOULD THEN, UH, IF, IF THE OWNER WILL ACCEPT THIS, THEY WOULD ALSO THEN COME AS FAR AS, UH, THE PERMIT RE REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR JURISDICTION FOR REVIEW.
AND THAT'S MORE THAN WE HAVE IN EITHER THE NATIONAL REGISTER OR A LOCAL, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS AMENDMENT IS ONLY FOR THESE TWO BLOCKS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THAT'S THE ONLY BLOCKS THAT WOULD BE PERTAINING TO THE AMENDMENT.
AND I WOULD THINK IF, IF ONLY IF WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW CODE.
CUZ CUZ WHAT WE'RE DOING BY SAYING THAT WE WILL ACCEPT THIS, IS WE'RE GIVING YOU VETO POWER OVER THE DESIGN WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT TODAY.
BECAUSE AS YOU ARE, ARE AWARE, EVEN, EVEN OUR DISAPPROVAL DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT NOTHING EVER HAPPENS, BUT IT IT DOES RAISE THE BAR, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THE BAR RAISED CUZ IT IT'S, IT'S AN IMPORTANT STREET.
YEAH, NO, I THINK IT WEIGHS HEAVILY FOR, UH, THE IMAGE OF AUSTIN AND FOR GENERATIONS WHO HAVE, UH, VERY, VERY LONG, UH, CONNECTIONS TO THE, TO THE SIXTH STREET OVER ITS VARIOUS ITERATIONS.
I I THINK IT ENSURES BETTER DESIGN, UM, YOU KNOW, FEEDBACK FROM THE ARC AND WHEN IT GETS TO THAT POINT, UH, WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND PEOPLE COME AND GO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US COME AND GO, EVERYBODY AND DIFFERENT PRIVATE COMPANIES COME AND GO AND, YOU KNOW, TO AT LEAST HAVE THIS IN WRITTEN DOWN FOR US TO REVIEW THESE PROJECTS.
CUZ IT IS A FAMOUS STREET IN AUSTIN.
SO IT'D BE SOMETHING GREAT TO ADD OTHER CONVERSATION.
COMMISS WEK, I, I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT I 35 IS TERRIBLE.
THAT IT IS PROBABLY THE IMPETUS FOR MOST OF THESE PROBLEMS AND FOR GENERATIONS IT'S BEEN A BLIGHT ON OUR CITY AND IT'D BE BETTER IF IT WASN'T THERE.
UM, UH, TO HOUSING IN PARTICULAR.
I THINK I WOULD NEVER WANT TO EXCLUDE HOUSING AS A POSSIBILITY.
I THINK THIS ANECDOTALLY FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF, OF LIVING THROUGH SORT OF THE, THE ARC OF RED RIVER AND WHAT A LIVELY SCENE, IT WAS SO, SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO BE THAT PEOPLE PUT HOUSING THERE AND THEN, AND THEN YOU HAVE A NOISE ORDINANCE THAT SHUT DOWN A LOT OF THE MUSIC AS A RESULT.
UM, THAT WAS A PRETTY TERRIBLE SNAKING ITS OWN TAIL ARC.
UM, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT ANY HOUSING THAT WE PUT IN THIS AREA WOULD, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION, BUT, YOU KNOW, A A CONSTRUCTION QUALITY THAT WOULD WITHSTAND THE, AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND STILL LET PEOPLE SLEEP AT NIGHT.
SO LET'S NOT KICK OURSELVES IN OUR OWN BUTTS.
TALK ABOUT, BUT, UH, THE REQUESTED SETBACKS.
IT, IT WOULD SEEM THAT A REDUCED SETBACK, UH, WOULD LESSEN THE VISUAL IMPACT OF THE HISTORIC FACADES.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THESE LOTS ARE ROUGHLY A HUNDRED FEET DEEP.
IS THAT CORRECT ABOUT THERE? UH, YEAH, YOU MAY COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND ADDRESS THAT ABOUT THERE.
SO WHEN WE GO AND WE ARE MASKING A, A POTENTIAL STRUCTURE, OBVIOUSLY WE CAME IN WITH THE STEP BACKS BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANNA DO IS SIXTH STREET IS SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE A POINT OF PRIDE ON.
UM, YOU DON'T WANT, UM, AND THIS IS NO OFFENSE TO RAINY STREET BY ANY MEANS, BUT YOU DON'T WANT THE CLAUSTROPHOBIC EFFECT OF RAINY STREET THAT YOU WANNA BE IN.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A STEP BACK ON THE STREET FROM
[01:10:01]
THE ORIGINAL FACADES THAT WE'RE PROTECTING SO YOU CAN GO DOWN THE STREET AND NOT FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING THAT CAVERNOUS.AND FROM A DESIGN STANDARDS, THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, BUT LIKE WE MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE NOT PLANNING ON DEMOING.
WE DON'T WANT ANY ADDITIONAL HEIGHT FOR ANY OF THE OTHER STRUCTURES THAT WE OWN, WHICH ARE ABOUT 20, ROUGHLY 24.
AND SO THE PRICE TO HAVE A RESTAURANT AND TO PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ALL THESE OTHER ADDITIONAL HISTORIC, LIKE IF IT'S A HISTORIC STRUCTURE, IF IT'S CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IS ASTRONOMICAL RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IF A SINGLE PERSON CAME AND AN INVESTOR CAME TO BUY THESE PROPERTIES, THEY WOULD NEVER DO IT BECAUSE IT JUST WOULDN'T MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE.
SO WE HAD TO MASK THESE BUILDINGS THAT WERE PUTTING ON SIXTH STREET TO NOT ONLY BE FINANCIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS, BUT ALSO FROM OUR PROTECT THE FEELING OF SIXTH STREET, BUT ALSO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE ON TO MAKE IT A DISTRICT-WIDE CHANGE THAT REALLY CAN BE SOMETHING THAT CAN LIVE ON FOR SIXTH STREET FOR VERY FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.
SO WE CAME UP WITH THIS STEP BACK IN CONJUNCTION WITH, WE'RE WORKING WITH CLAYTON, LITTLE EMILY LITTLE CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND I KNOW I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE FAMILIARITY WITH EMILY.
SHE'S THE BEST, BEST PERSON EVER.
UM, BUT WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FROM A DESIGN STANDARDS THAT DIDN'T MEET HER SEP HER FEEDBACK, A LOT OF IT WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, SOME LARGE DEBATES ON, BUT SHE ALL AUTOMATICALLY WINS CUZ SHE, IT'S EMILY.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE BEING VERY CAREFUL AND CONSIDERATE ABOUT THE STEP BACK HEIGHT WHERE WE'RE HITTING, MAKING SURE WE DON'T GET THAT CAVERNOUS BUT STILL GET THE DENSITY WE NEED TO MAKE THIS WHOLE DISTRICT WORK FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED WORKING WITH CLAYTON CORTE.
HAVE YOU ALL DONE ANY STUDIES ON WHAT THAT SETBACK WOULD LOOK LIKE? AND, YOU KNOW, SUN DIAGRAMS AND SUCH, AND I KNOW THAT'S GETTING INTO THE DETAILS, BUT AS THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, WE, WE WOULD BE REDUCING THAT FROM 20 TO 15 IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
UHHUH
IT'S, SO IT'S FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC, SO IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY WIDE, UM, ONE WAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE WIDER STREETS IN DOWNTOWN.
SO HAVE YOU GUYS DONE ANY STUDIES OR ANYTHING ON THAT? SEVERAL.
YES, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, TO THE POINT WHICH WHY WE ORIGINALLY SAID WE WANTED OFFICE ON THIS STREET WAS STRICTLY SO WE COULD HAVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL THE RETAIL WE WERE PUTTING ON THE STREET, WE COULD HAVE A BUILT-IN POPULATION TO REALLY HELP FACILITATE AND MAKE THOSE BUSINESSES THRIVE AND GROW.
AND TO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE'S POINT, IT'S UM, THE LAST THING YOU EVER WANT IS TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE MUSIC OF SIXTH STREET, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING BACK TO THE STREET.
UM, AND SO, BUT WITH THAT YOU HAVE TO HIT VARIOUS LEVELS, RIGHT? LIKE CUZ IT'S JUST WITH OFFICE, WITH MULTI-FAMILY, WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, THE SUN HAS TO BE VERY MUCH POSITIONED SO IT BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE BUILDING, BUT ALMOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE STREET.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S BEEN ON SIXTH STREET ANYTIME LATELY AT 2:00 PM OR 3:00 PM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
BUT IT IS, IT IS A ROUGH, SWEATY GO OF IT, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S NO STREET TREES OR REALLY ANYTHING TO OFFSET THAT SUN.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH, UM, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN VERY MUCH IN DISCUSSING BECAUSE A WHOLE PORTION OF OUR PLAN IS FOR SIDEWALK CAFES AND NOBODY WANTS TO SIT THERE IN THE AUSTIN, TEXAS HEAT AND MAKE SURE.
SO WE'RE BEING VERY, VERY CAREFUL AND WE HAVE A WHOLE STUDY AND I'M HAPPY TO SEND IT OVER TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT.
COMMISSIONERS, I'LL REMIND YOU, THIS IS A INITIATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO US FOR OUR ACTION, WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION.
UH, AND CERTAINLY OUR DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.
BUT, UH, I WILL, UH, AT THIS POINT, SINCE IT WAS, UM, POSTED, I GUESS DID WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND IT NEEDS TO BE CLOSED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE NEED TO ASK FOR OPPOSING INPUT? OH, EXCUSE ME.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO WISH TO SPEAK AGAINST? OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, ONCE AGAIN, A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE TO START THE DISCUSSION? AND I HOPE THIS DOESN'T GET TOO TEDIOUS WITH DETAILS AS WE ALL HAVE INPUT, BUT I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THE CLARIFICATION THAT THE RETENTION OF CONTRIBUTING FACADES AS DEFINED BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE IS A REQUIREMENT.
UM, AND THAT THERE IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS REVIEW PROCESS
[01:15:01]
THAT IS A BINDING REVIEW BY THIS BODY, UH, REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL OF ALL DESIGNS.AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO AMEND BY ASKING COUNSEL TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, SPECIFICALLY ON THE LAND RESULTING FROM THIS INCREASED ENTITLEMENT ON OTHER PROPERTIES IN THESE TWO BLOCKS AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STREET.
AND CONSIDER TAX CAPS FOR LEGACY BUSINESSES THAT EXIST HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT PRICE OUT THE TREASURES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON SIXTH STREET.
IF I COULD, UM, I BELIEVE IF I COULD STATE YOUR MOTION AS, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, OR SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT IN ADDITION, REQUESTS THAT ALL CONTRIBUTING FACADES REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND THAT WE INITIATE A PROCEDURE FOR THAT AND NEW CONSTRUCTION AND OKAY.
UH, THE RE ADDING, THE REQUIREMENT, THE RETENTION OF EXISTING FACADES WAS LISTED IN KIND OF THE INTRODUCTORY TEXT TO WHAT I WOULD CALL THE MINI STANDARDS AND THEY WEREN'T IN THE STANDARDS THEMSELVES.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT RETENTION OF EXISTING FACADES IS ONE OF THE STANDARDS CONTRIBUTING FACADES.
AND THAT CERTIFICATE, APPROPRIATE REVIEW FOR ANY DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT IS BINDING.
AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO, IN OUR REQUEST AT LEAST ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER TAX CAPS IN THE ADJACENT AREAS FOR LEGACY BUSINESSES, IF I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? YES.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON, ON YOUR DESCRIPTION THERE ABOUT THE FACADES IN BEING RETAINED.
UM, WOULD THAT BE A REQUIREMENT? ARE YOU SUGGESTING, I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY FOR NOW.
REQUIREMENT FOR RETAINING THE FRONT 15 FEET OF ALL CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES AS DEFINED BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, NOT THE 1975, UM, LISTING AND THE CONTRIBUTING FACADES WOULD THO BE THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY INDICATING SOME HISTORIC MERIT AS OPPOSED TO THERE ARE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACADES THERE THAT ARE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED YES.
OTHER THAN, THAN REVIEW OF NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO, SO THIS LANGUAGE WE'RE WE'RE NOTING THAT CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS SHOULD HAVE, OR THE RETENTION OF HISTORIC F FACADES WHERE POSSIBLE THAT WOULD CHANGE TO, WE, WE WANT, WE'RE REQUIRING THOSE CONTRIBUTED BUILDING FACADES BE RETAINED.
THE WHERE POSSIBLE I STRUGGLED WITH BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT WHERE ECONOMICALLY POSSIBLE SINCE THAT SUBJECTIVE, UH, THAT COULD BECOME WHERE TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE, WHICH WE HAVE TRIED TO ADJUDICATE HERE.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SOMEHOW CAPTURE THE RETENTION OF CONTRIBUTING FACADES.
THAT YOU CAN'T REMOVE A CONTRIBUTING FACADE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT A PARKING GARAGE UNDER IT, THAT IT'S ONLY IF IT'S ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE.
THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY REASON FOR REMOVING IT.
WELL, THEY, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COME AND MAKE THE CASE IF THAT WAS THE CASE, AND IT WOULD BE UP TO THE COMMISSION AT THAT POINT AS THEY WOULD CONSIDER A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS IN THOSE SITUATIONS.
SO I GUESS IT WOULD BE RETENTION OF EXISTING FACADES WHERE REASONABLY TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE
BUT IT'S, IT'S THE PROCEDURE THAT'S PROBABLY THE MORE, MORE IMPORTANT HERE THAT, UH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THE REVIEW COMES TO THE COMMISSION IS, IS THAT THE INTENT OF THE MOTION? WELL, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THE LEVEL OF REQUIREMENT FOR THE RETENTION OF THOSE FACADES BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT HAVE BEEN SLATED FOR DEMOLITION DESPITE OUR OBJECTIONS.
UM, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DETERMINATION OF WHAT IS ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE AND WHAT IS NOT IS BINDING.
BECAUSE I GUESS MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THESE CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS CAN BE DEMOLISHED AND UNLESS THEY HAVE A LOCAL LANDMARK, SO EVEN TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, WE CAN'T REQUIRE THEM TO KEEP THOSE CONTRIBUTING FACADES.
I THINK WE CAN, AS I UNDERSTAND, I HAVE THAT QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, WE, WE CAN REQUIRE THAT IN LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
THIS IS NOT TECHNICALLY A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO REQUIRE THAT WE'RE CREATING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
IT'S, IT'S LIKE A MINI LIKE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT OF KIND.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A REQUIREMENT FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
AND SO THAT IS AN ACTION OF THE COUNCIL.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A CHECKLIST ON THE WAY TO THEIR PERMITTING, UH, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, CAN THOSE BE UPENDED AND CAN SOMEBODY HIGHER UP THE CHAIN, UH, UNDO SOME OF THAT? POSSIBLY YES.
BUT, UH, THE FACT IS, IS THAT NONE OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS RIGHT NOW, UH, HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENT AS OUR LANDMARK PROPERTIES.
THE LANDMARK PROPERTIES DO REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UH, OTHERS DON'T.
[01:20:01]
THIS CRITERIA TO THIS DISTRICT.WELL, OUR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPERTIES, DO WE GET A REVIEW CONTRIBUTING, CONTRIBUTING, CONTRIBUTING, CONTRIBUTING NOT THE RIGHT CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES TOO, RIGHT? YES.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BRING IT SLIGHTLY CLOSER.
UM, IT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF HAVING A HISTORIC LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT WITH THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES.
BUT UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THESE WOULD BE RECOMMENDED BY Y'ALL AS BINDING.
UM, OF COURSE COUNSEL CAN CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO FOLLOW THAT.
BUT, UM, THAT IS, UH, AT THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMISSION.
THE, THE REASON WHY I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS CUZ I, I, THE WAY I'M UNDERSTANDING IT AGAIN, IS THAT THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PROVIDE EVEN THROUGH THE CERTIFICATE APPROPRIATENESS AND THAT THERE CAN STILL BE THINGS DONE, UM, THAT WE MAY NOT BE IN AGREEANCE WITH.
A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS REVIEW.
WE ARE A SOVEREIGN BOARD BECAUSE OF OUR ABILITY TO GRANT CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS AND WE CAN DECIDE WHAT CAN AND CAN'T HAPPEN.
BUT WE CAN BE OVERRULED BY COUNCIL YES.
IN THAT, IN THAT DETERMINATION.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY LIMITATION.
UM, IT IS OUR DECISIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS IN FOR LANDMARKS AND TRUE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE BINDING.
BUT THIS WOULD NOT TECHNICALLY BE A HISTORIC ZONING SITUATION.
THIS WOULD BE A REVIEW PROCESS ESTABLISHED BY THE AMENDMENT THAT MIMICS THAT REVIEW PROCESS, WHICH MAY GET COMPLICATED, BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS WITH LEGAL THAT TEND TO SUPPORT OUR ABILITY TO REQUEST THIS AND THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE THIS LEVEL OF REVIEW SINCE, SINCE, UM, WE HAVE A LAWYER HERE WHO MIGHT WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
MR. SULE, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? I HAVE NOTHING LAWYERLY, BUT NOW YOU'RE STARTING TO SCARE ME,
BECAUSE IF YOUR INTENT IS TO TURN THIS INTO A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE VETO POWER OVER CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE NO NOTHING, THEN, THEN I WILL, I CAN'T COMMIT TO YOU THAT I'M GONNA BE OKAY WITH THAT IN THE END, YOU MENTIONED IF YOU NEEDED TO PUT AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE UNDER SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS AND IT BECAME, UH, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT OR A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, WE NEED TO DECONSTRUCT A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE FACADE AND THEN PUT IT BACK.
AND IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT UNDER THIS NEW PROPOSAL WE COULDN'T DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A TECHNICALITY THAT I MAY RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT MAKES ME NERVOUS.
CUZ OTHERWISE YOU'RE SAYING WE REALLY WANT TO RETAIN THESE BUILDINGS UNLESS WE DON'T WANT TO, WHICH IS NOT REALLY A COMMITMENT OR AN ASSURANCE THAT WE RETAIN THESE PROPERTIES WHICH ARE CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES TO A NATIONAL REGISTERING DISTRICT.
UM, WELL THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I MEAN, WE COULD GO AND LAY WASTE ALL SIXTH STREET TODAY IF YOU WEIGH OUT SIX MONTHS.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT IS NOT
BUT IF IT BECAME, IF, IF LET'S SAY IT'S NOT YOU SITTING HERE AT SOMEONE ELSE AND WE COME IN, THEY JUST DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF A TALL BUILDING AND ALL THEY GOTTA DO IS VOTE NO ON A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, THEN WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
AND UNLESS I, I GUESS A QUESTION, DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW, IS A, IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS TO YOUR POINT CHAIR, ARE THEY APPEALABLE? YES.
YEAH, NO, I, IT, IT, AS, AS, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK SAID IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A QUESTION OF JURISDICTION.
AND IF, IF ALL WE'RE DOING IS TAKING A LOOK AT THESE WHEN THEY COME UP AND JUST GETTING TO TALK ABOUT THEM, WE CAN DO THAT ALREADY IN SOME OF OUR, UH, SOME OF OUR DISTRICT REVIEWS AND WE ARE VERY AWARE OF, OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PROPERTIES THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, UH, SLIPPING AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM AUSTIN.
UH, AND ALL WE COULD DO IS JUST SAY, WE DON'T LIKE THAT.
WE PART WAYS AND THEY GET DEMOLISHED.
AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO THAT COMMENT OF YOUR CONCERN ABOUT ANY FUTURE POTENTIAL COMMISSION.
WE ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ANY FUTURE POTENTIAL DEVELOPER.
SO, UH, YOU WOULD AT LEAST HAVE APPEAL POWER TO CITY COUNCIL AS, AS ALL OF OUR CERTIFICATE APPROPRIATENESS DUE.
UH, WHEREAS WE WOULD NOT HAVE APPEAL POWER WITHOUT ANY AUTHORITY TO, UH, REVIEW AND, AND GIVE OUR BLESSING.
AND I THINK THE LANGUAGE OF THAT, UH, IN WORKING OUT HOW THIS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE SINCE IT IS NOT CREATING A NEW LOCAL DISTRICT, I THINK THAT, UH, IT JUST PERTAINS TO THESE TWO BLOCKS.
IT PERTAINS TO THIS CODE AMENDMENT AND, UH, I THINK WE CERTAINLY ARE OPEN TO, UH, CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE SOME OF THESE MECHANISMS HAPPEN SO THAT THEY WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I THINK LEGAL WILL NEED TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T RUN AFOUL OF ANY OF THE CURRENT STATE RESTRICTIONS ON ESTABLISHING HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
BECAUSE THIS WOULD NOT BE A LOCAL HISTORIC
[01:25:01]
DISTRICT.UH, THIS WOULD BE A REVIEW PROCESS FOR DESIGN STANDARDS.
NOW WITH THAT CLARIFICATION, IS EVERYONE CLEAR ABOUT THE MOTION? CUZ I NEED A SECOND FOR US TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS SECONDS THE MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, YOU'VE SAID QUITE A BIT.
DO YOU WANT TO ADD, UH, ANY CONVERSATION TO, UH, SUPPORT YOUR MOTION? NO, I THINK ALL MY THOUGHTS ARE IN THERE.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE STREET, PARTICULARLY SOME SIXTH STREET TREASURES THAT EXIST ON THE STREET AND IN THE NEARBY AREA TO MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT PRICE THEM OUT.
UM, WE, WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE THE CHARACTER OF WHAT SIXTH STREET HAS BEEN AND THE CREATIVE VENUES THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR A GENERATION AND NOT INVITE ONLY WORLDWIDE, BOUTIQUE CHAINS THAT COULD AFFORD THE RENTS THAT RESULT FROM THE INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES.
I THINK WE'D HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.
MY OTHER CONCERN IS ABOUT SUNLIGHT AND 12 STORY BUILDINGS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING, BECAUSE IF YOU WALK DOWN SIXTH STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 2:00 PM IN THE SUMMER, IT'S MISERABLE.
BUT IF YOU WALK DOWN SIXTH STREET AT 2:00 PM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER, YOU KNOW, TWO BLOCKS OF THE STREET ARE BLO, THE SUN IS BLOTTED OUT OF SIXTH STREET BECAUSE OF VERY HIGH RISE CONSTRUCTION NEARBY, BUT YOU'RE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
NOR WOULD WE HAVE ANY SAY IN THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T ADJUDICATE ANY AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT THAT HITS THE STREET.
BUT THAT IS MY ONLY OTHER CONCERN IS A 12 STORYTELLER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET AND THE IMPACT AND THE CANYON EFFECT THAT YOU, THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED.
BUT, UH, BEYOND THAT, I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH.
COMMISSIONER EVANS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? THANK YOU.
UH, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS PROJECT, I'VE SEEN, UH, PRESENT, UH, PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF PRESERVATION AUSTIN AND A FEW OTHER SPACES.
AND CONCEPTUALLY IT, IT, IT IS APPEALING, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THE INTEGRITY REMAINS THE INTEGRITY OF THE ENTIRE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND THAT WE DON'T MAKE THE AREA, UH, TOO EXCLUSIVE.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE VALUES OF SIXTH STREET IS IT'S KIND OF AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN DISTRICT THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ALL INCOME LEVELS, UH, CAN GATHER TO APPRECIATE AUSTIN AND APPRECIATE MUSIC.
SO I WOULD ALSO WANNA STRIKE THAT SAME BALANCE WITH, UH, PROTECTION AS WELL AS, UH, TRYING TO CREATE A NEW IMAGE AND A NEW, UH, A NEW SIXTH STREET, FRANKLY.
AND IF I CAN MAKE DROP WELL, WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT THOUGH.
DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, KEVIN.
THE, UH, I DO SUPPORT THE MOTION, UH, IN, IN MY OPINION, I, I THINK IT'S A BIT MORE THAN A DESIGN STANDARD.
IT'S, IT, IT IT'S MORE THAN THAT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT BROADER AND IT ALSO HAS THE, UH, PROTECTION OF THE LEGACY BUSINESSES AS YOU ARTICULATED IN YOUR MOTION.
I THINK, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PATH FORWARD.
I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP TERM CHAIRMAN, CUZ I THINK IT, I THINK RICHARD, TO BEGIN TO EMBRACE IT THAT WAY, I THINK WE'LL ALL EXPERIENCE SUCCESS.
UM, JUST ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER COOK, I JUST HAD ONE OTHER COMMENT THAT I'VE RECENTLY REREAD JANE JACOB'S DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT AMERICAN CITIES, AND SHE'S APPEALED TO BY NEW URBANIST AS WELL AS PRESERVATIONIST.
AND SHE REALLY WALKS THE FINE LINE AND, UH, THE COMMENT THAT SHE HAD ABOUT DEVELOPMENT VERSUS HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE BALANCE AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE SMALLER, OLDER PROPERTIES BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE CREATIVE THINGS HAPPEN.
THAT'S WHERE EVOLUTION HAPPENS.
THAT'S WHERE THINGS ARE KEPT INTERESTING.
AND YOU NEED DENSE DEVELOPMENT, BUT SHE TERMED A THING CALLED CATACLYSMIC DEVELOPMENT AND YOU'D HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T DESTROY WHAT YOU'RE WORKING AROUND.
UH, BUT SHE, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY GOOD CHAPTER ON HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT AMERICAN CITIES.
AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ IT.
REQUIRED READING BEFORE OUR, BEFORE OUR JULY, UH, UH, UH, UH, GATHERING HERE.
CAN WE JUST START A BOOK CLUB?
UH, CAITLIN, YOU MENTIONED THE AN AMOD SURVEY.
CAN WE BE GIVEN ACCESS TO THAT? I'D BE INTERESTED IN THAT.
COMMISSIONER, UM, WE HAVE A COPY I CAN SEND, UH, OUT TO ALL OF Y'ALL AFTER THIS MEETING.
WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER
[01:30:01]
COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER EVANS.UM, ANY MORE CONVERSATION AND I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE EFFORT AND, UH, I, I THINK AS WE SAY THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE WITH FOR, WITH YOU ALL FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE OR SOME FURTHER, UM, DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AS YOU GO WORK YOUR WAY BACK TO COUNCIL, UH, I THINK YOU, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE SUPPORT HERE AND I THINK WE WANNA OFFER OUR ENCOURAGEMENT.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THAT BRINGS US TO, OH, I SKIPPED AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AGENDA THAT I WAS MEETING AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
[Additional Item]
WHO, UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER RUBIO, YOUR FIRST MEETING, CORRECT? YES.AND, UH, JUST OUT OF TRADITION, I THINK WE ALWAYS HAVE A SHORT INTRODUCTION, SO PLEASE, UH, UH, WELCOME AND, AND GIVE US JUST A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT OF WHO YOU ARE.
UH, MY NAME IS JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO.
UH, ORIGINALLY COMING FROM CHICAGO, UH, HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, WHICH IS ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH OF CHICAGO.
UM, CAME TO TEXAS BY WAY OF TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY IN LUBBOCK, WHERE I STUDIED ARCHITECTURE AND HAVE A CERTIFICATE IN PRESERVATION.
UM, SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS NOW.
UH, WORKING WITH AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM, PRESERVATION ARCHITECTURE FIRM ARCHITECTS WHERE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON A LOT OF, UH, STATE OR COUNTY COURTHOUSES ACROSS THE STATE AND, AND A LOT OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND, UH, WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT LAST VACANCY FILLED.
I HAVE A, YOU KNOW, I I STOOD IN, UH, YOUR SEAT LAST MONTH AND I DON'T BELIEVE I AFFORDED THAT SAME INTRODUCTION TO COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
NO, I'M, I THINK THAT WE BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
UM, UH, RAY CASTILLO, UM, BORN, UH, BORN IN HOUSTON, RAISED IN CORPUS, UH, WENT TO SCHOOL AT RICE, UM, LIVED IN DALLAS BACK TO HOUSTON, UH, FORT WORTH FOR ABOUT 10 AND A HALF YEARS AND MOVED TO AUSTIN ABOUT ALMOST NINE YEARS AGO.
SO, UM, YEAH, JUST, UH, I, UH, DO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, UH, WITH AECOM, UH, A FIRM ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING FIRM, UM, OWNER'S REP, BASICALLY, UM, BEEN DOING THAT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW, BUT BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR 16.
SO, UM, YEAH, JUST, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS, THIS COMMISSION.
WELL, WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AS WELL, SO THANK YOU.
AND COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, UM, WE ALSO APPRECIATE YOU BEING AT THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS COMMITTEE MEETING LAST MONTH.
UM, AND SINCE I DIDN'T GET TO SAY IT FROM ONE FORMER CORPUS RESIDENT TO ANOTHER, WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS WILL, WILL HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WHEN WE HAVE OUR TRAINING AND RETREAT TO GET INTO SOME MORE DETAIL ABOUT OUR STANDING COMMITTEES AND, UH, EVEN OCCASIONALLY SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
UH, BUT I DO, RIGHT NOW WE'RE POSTED TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, EACH OF THOSE, UH, AND WE CAN
[22. Architectural Review Committee]
JUST START WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.UH, SO THERE WAS A MEETING AND, UM, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS JUST WANTED TO GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW.
I WAS SO CONSUMED BY THE SIXTH STREET STUFF, I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO
WE SAW THE, UH, THE DRISCOLL, UH, BALCONY DETAILS.
AND THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
UM, I THINK, UM, HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS REVIEWING THAT AS WELL.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING DETAILED, UH, PROJECT.
UM, I FORGET WHAT ELSE WE SAW.
THAT WAS THE MOST, THAT'S WHAT STUCK IN MY HEAD WAS THE DRISCOLL.
BUT, UM, AS ALWAYS, UH, WE NEED TO POPULATE THE COMMITTEE, BUT WE ALWAYS WELCOME OTHER MEMBERS BECAUSE, UH, EVERYONE HAS A GREAT INPUT.
WE, WE ARE NOTING THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO VACANCIES AND, UH, SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT IN ADDITION TO COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THIS PERMANENT, BY THE WAY.
IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO TRY IT OUT, THEN WE CAN REARRANGE THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
BUT IF ANYBODY IS SO INCLINED, WE COULD, UH, WE ARE POSTED, WE CAN FILL THOSE VACANCIES AND, AND WE HAD A DISCUSSION LAST MONTH, WE MAY HAVE HAD ONE PREVIOUSLY THAT AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, OTHERS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN.
SO AS LONG AS WE DETERMINE AHEAD OF TIME IF OTHER MEMBERS WILL COME IN, WELL, LESS THAN SIX.
[01:35:01]
WE HAVE LESS THAN SIX, WE COULD HAVE A THREE STANDING TO HAVE A QUORUM OF THAT COMMITTEE.TWO OR TWO TO HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMITTEE OF THREE.
SO IT'S KIND OF GOOD TO HAVE THAT ESTABLISHED PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE IT AT 3:00 PM IN THE AFTERNOON.
UH, BUT, UH, IF YOU SEE CASES ON THERE, UH, WE WELCOME HAVING OTHERS TO JOIN IN CUZ MORE IDEAS ARE ALWAYS BETTER AND IT GIVES THE APPLICANT A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE WHOLE COMMISSION.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, WE HAVE KEVIN COOK, OBVIOUSLY ON THE COMMITTEE, AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, IF YOU WANNA KEEP ON THE COMMITTEE, YOU CAN.
UM, SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT? YEAH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO JOIN AS A THIRD LOOKING AT YOU OVER THERE?
AND I SAID RUBIO BECAUSE WE'RE THINKING HE MIGHT BE INTERESTED WITH YOUR BACKGROUND.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT TO TEST IT OUT, BUT NOT COMMIT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WILL KEEP IT AT, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
UM, AND ANYBODY ELSE, YOU WELCOME TO JOIN AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM.
AND, AND WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REMOTE ATTENDANCE AS WELL FOR THE, YES.
WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REMOTE ATTENDANCE.
YOU CAN JOIN VIRTUALLY AND SEE ALL OF THE PRESENT, ALL THE PRESENTED DRAWINGS, AS LONG AS THEY'RE SENT TO ME DIGITALLY.
[23. Operations Committee]
COMMITTEE.SO PRETTY MUCH THE REST OF THE COMMITTEES ARE ON HOLD.
UM, I'M GONNA DO A DEEP DIVE INTO ALL FOUR COMMITTEES AT THE AMAZING SUMMER TRAINING, AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME APPOINTMENTS THROUGH THAT.
UM, SO WE CAN KIND OF DIVIDE AND CONQUER THE COMMISSION, UM, EVENLY.
[24. Grants Committee]
OF COURSE THE GRANTS COMMITTEE, UH, FUNCTIONS IN CONNECTION TO OUR GRANT PROGRAM.UH, BUT WE'RE NOT IN A GRANT CYCLE RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT.
[25. Preservation Plan Committee]
PLAN COMMITTEE WILL HAVE SOME VERY HEAVY LIFTING, UH, SOME MAJOR WORK THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, UH, IS NOW WAITING FOR, UM, PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT SHOULD BE ON, ON THEIR WAY SHORT.WE'RE INTERVIEWING IN A COUPLE WEEKS, SO HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
UH, AND, UM, MS. ALLEN, YOU AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UH, POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A SPECIAL CALL PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MEETING, JUST SO THAT WE CAN START UNDERSTANDING AND GETTING OUR OPERATIONS TOGETHER BEFORE.
SOME OF THE, THE OTHER WORK STARTS I'VE CONSULTED WITH STAFF AND WE WILL UPDATE YOU AS SOON AS OUR SCHEDULES ALLOW
SO NOT BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING, BUT POSSIBLY WE COULD POST SOMETHING SHORTLY AFTER THAT.
YEAH, DEFINITELY NOT BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING, BUT MAYBE SOMETHING SHORTLY AFTER.
AND I, I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT, AND I THOUGHT THAT OH YEAH.
RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL EVERYTHING IS SORTED OUT.
AND THEN OF, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE ALSO WORKING ON OUR BEHALF.
I THINK THAT IF WE GET A AHEAD AND USE OUR, UH, POSITION, UH, AS A, AS A COMMITTEE AND REPRESENTING THE WILL OF THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION, UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S TIME BETTER SPENT.
SO, UH, ANY OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED, LET'S, UH, LOOK AHEAD POSSIBLY TO A MEETING IN JULY, EVEN OUTSIDE OF OUR, UH, SUMMER RETREAT.
UH, THAT BRINGS US UP TO, UH, THE COMMISSION ELECTIONS.
[26. 2023 Commission Elections]
AND I AM GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO OUR, UH, ONE OF OUR SENIOR, UH, MEMBERS, UH, WHO CAN THEN, UH, FACILITATE THE, THE MEETING WHILE, UH, NOMINATIONS ARE ENTERTAINED SINCE, UH, I'M POSSIBLY GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE NOMINATED, SO COMMISSIONER COOK, SO APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE.UM, BUT I WOULD, UH, ENTERTAIN MOTIONS TO OR ENTERTAIN NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR.
I'D MOVE TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER HEIM, THAT FOR CHAIR.
WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SORRY.
NOMINATION BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS TO CONSIDER? OKAY, I'LL CALL THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER HYACK BEING CHAIR.
AND THEN WE ALSO, FOR THE VICE CHAIR, YOU CAN'T TAKE OVER.
THANK, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
AND, UH, I'M VERY HONORED TO FOLLOW SOME VERY LARGE SHOES THAT, UH, I'M REMEMBERING MY, MY CHAIR WHEN I WAS ON THE COMMISSION MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, UH, JIM CHRISTENSEN AND, UH, SOME AMAZING WORK THAT HE ACCOMPLISHED AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND OF COURSE, OUR IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDING CHAIR, UM, UH, JUST
[01:40:01]
HAD METAPHORICALLY LARGE SHOES.HAD METAPHORICALLY LARGE, YES, BUT ACTUALLY PROBABLY PRETTY SMALL SHOES.
SO, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN, UH, ELECTION, UH, NOMINATIONS FOR THE VICE CHAIR AT THIS TIME.
I NOMINATION EIGHT COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
AND WE ACTUALLY DON'T NEED SECONDS FOR NOMINATIONS, BUT, UM, BUT THAT'S FINE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER, I JUST WANNA CHAIR NOMINEE.
THEN THE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED AND I WILL SAY THAT IF WE HAVE ONE NOMINEE, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON SHALL WE BY ACCLIMATION APPROVE, UH, MR. UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON IS THE VICE CHAIR.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT SOME TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW HERE SINCE YOUR MEETING THAT YOU RAN WITH MY ABSENCE TOOK PLACE IN UNDER AN HOUR.
UH, THAT IS A RECORD, AND I DOUBT I'LL EVER BE ABLE TO MEET THAT.
I THINK I WAS LUCK OF THE DRAW
WE'RE POSTED WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE THAT SHORT, THEY'RE NOT AS FUN.
UH, WE'RE ALSO POSTED FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AND, UH, MS. ALLEN, IF YOU COULD GO OVER THE COMMISSION TRAINING AND RETURN, WHAT ABOUT
[27. Downtown Commission Nomination]
DOWNTOWN COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS? OH, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.UH, AS CHAIR, UH, I WILL, UH, SUGGEST IT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR ME TO CONTINUE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UH, I HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE TIME REPRESENTING THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT THE COMMISSION, UH, RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVE, SINCE YOU'RE EX OFFICIO, YOU DON'T VOTE, UH, IS REALLY JUST TO TAKE INFORMATION AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY TAKING IN THE INFORMATION, FRANKLY, IT'S ALL PUBLIC RECORD, BUT I, I HOPE I WAS AT LEAST INSTRUMENTAL AT TIMES DURING DEBATES TO BRING UP THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THE AREA.
UH, AND ALSO THE PRESSURES ON HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND SO, UH, THAT WOULD REALLY BE THE BIGGEST COMMITMENT.
ANY, ANY OF YOU, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, WOULD NEED TO MAKE, IS JUST TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
SO IF THERE'S SOMEBODY INTERESTED, WE CAN, UH, FILL THAT VACANCY NOW.
IF NOT, WE CAN CERTAINLY PICK THAT UP AND POST THAT ON OUR NEXT MEETING.
I'M NOT SURE THERE'S GONNA BE A MEETING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT, UH, AS, AS SOON AS WE HAVE AN, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO FILL THAT.
COMMISSIONER, LAROCHE, ARE YOU INTERESTED? I AM.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE? SO, LET'S, UH, TAKE A VOTE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, LAROCHE WOULD THEN FILL OUR POSITION AS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, I WILL PASS ON YOUR NEW APPOINTMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION TO, UH, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THEY WILL REACH OUT TO YOU ABOUT NEEDING INFORMATION AS I'M NOT LIAISON TO THAT.
SO YEAH, AND, AND SEND THEM MY BEST
[28. 2023 Commissioner Training and Retreat ]
WOULD YOU GO AHEAD AND GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE COULD EXPECT OF THE TRAINING AND THE TREATMENT? SO THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO TOOK THE SURVEY.UM, THE MOST POPULAR DATE, UH, IN JULY WAS MONDAY, JULY 24TH.
UH, THAT WOULD BE 9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM.
UM, USUALLY FOR THESE TRAININGS WE DO A REALLY DELICIOUS BOXED LUNCH FROM CENTRAL MARKET, UM, ALONG WITH COFFEE AND, YOU KNOW, BREAKFAST FAIR AND SNACKS AND AMAZING TRAINING FROM AMAZING PEOPLE.
KIND OF JUST GOING OVER SOME THINGS WE DID LAST YEAR AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL ME IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN A SPECIFIC TOPIC.
UM, I WILL ALLOW FOR AN HOUR OR SO FOR OPEN DISCUSSION, UH, AS TIME ALLOWS.
YES, SO WE'LL DO A DEEP DIVE INTO HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND COMMISSION REVIEW PROCESSES.
UM, A LOT OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THINGS, UM, THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
UM, I THINK THIS WILL BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS, UH, FROM, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET KARA TO DO THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THEN, UH, MARY FROM OUR LAW, SHE'S OUR LAW LIAISON.
UM, WE'LL DO STANDARD MOTIONS FOR H HLC MEETINGS, UH, TO GET YOU MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE, UM, VOCABULARY AND LANGUAGE OF, UH, ROBERT'S RULES.
AND THEN, UM, A REFRESHER FOR THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THAT CL G UH, SORRY.
CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRAINING, AGAIN FROM KELLY.
LITTLE, UH, JUST BASICALLY DIAS DOS AND DON'TS, UH, ETIQUETTE FOR BEING A COMMISSIONER ON THE DIAS.
AND THEN A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
I'M GONNA TRY TO GET MELISSA ALVARADO TO DO A PRESENTATION ABOUT HERITAGE GRANTS AND OUR INVOLVEMENT
[01:45:01]
IN THAT.UM, YEAH, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL OF THOSE AMAZING DIFFERENT TOPICS, UH, TO GET YOU GUYS COMFORTABLE IN YOUR NEW SEATS AND EXISTING SEATS.
SO THERE WAS GONNA BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION COMING.
UM, YEAH, SO JUST KEEP OUT, KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UM, MS. ALLEN AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE, THE COURSE OF THE DAY BECAUSE THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO FOR RETREAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, EITHER WITH THE HELP OF A FACILITATOR OR, UH, I CAN PROVIDE SOME OF THAT.
UH, BUT TO GET, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY, UH, NEW VOICES, UH, AND WE ALSO, THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES FOR A WHILE KNOW A LOT OF THE LIMITATIONS IN PLACES WHERE WE'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED.
AND I THINK THIS GIVES US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME BRAINSTORMING AND LOOKING AT HOW ARE WE, UH, FOCUSING OUR PRIORITIES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE MAXIMUM EFFECT, YOU KNOW, AS VOLUNTEERS.
EACH OF US HAS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT I THINK WE LEVERAGE THAT TIME EFFECTIVELY WHEN WE INTERFACE WITH, UH, ALL THE OTHER PRESERVATION EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
AND, UH, I THINK WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING, BUT I THINK WITH, AGAIN, AN OPPORTUNITY TO RE SORT OF RESTART AND REFOCUS, I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO, UM, PROBABLY GO THROUGH MORE OF THE TRAINING AND I'M, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE AGENDA YET, BUT MORE THAN LIKELY IN THE MORNING.
AND THEN AS WE PROCEED, UH, THEN WE CAN SHIFT INTO MORE BRAINSTORMING AND RETREAT FUNCTIONS DEFINIT BY THE DEFINITELY AFTERNOON, DEFINITELY.
UH, THERE'S, SO THE ROOM WE'RE GONNA BE USING IS THE ROOM WE USE FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SOME OF YOU ARE, UM, FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THERE IS A RESERVATION IN THAT ROOM FOR 7:00 PM BUT THE ENTIRE DAY IS FREE, SO I'M GONNA RESERVE IT FROM EIGHT TO FIVE.
SO, UM, IF PEOPLE WANNA STAY AFTER FOR LIKE MORE PROLONGED DISCUSSIONS, THAT'S TOTALLY AN OPTION AS WELL.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WE COULD MAKE IT, OUR BRAINS WILL BE FRIED
I WILL SAY THERE'S AN EASY TIGER AROUND THE CORNER, SO MAYBE LIKE A HAPPY HOUR AFTERWARDS.
WELL, SO GET IT ON THE CALENDAR AND UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY WILL BE ABLE TO BE THERE.
AND IF YOU'VE GOT IDEAS, UH, FOR ANY OF THE PROCEDURE OR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, FEEL FREE TO RUN THEM BY ME OR, UH, MS. ALLEN AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT, GOT THAT ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
S SPEAKING OF CELEBRATIONS THAT GO LATE INTO THE EVENING, IS THIS EVENING NOT THE PRESERVATION AUSTIN BIRTHDAY AND THAT'S MAYBE WHY THEY WEREN'T HERE TO TELL US ABOUT IT.
AUSTIN, WHICH PREVIOUSLY WAS THE HERITAGE SOCIETY DATES NOW 75 YEARS.
AND UH, SO WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE GET SOME PASS ON THE BACK AS WELL, SO THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS? THEY NORMALLY IS THE SHINE IN SHEEP? WHAT HAPPENED? I FORGOT TO PRINT IT.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT'S EVER HAPPENED.
THERE'S EVIDENCE WE'RE HERE, THERE'S VIDEO EVIDENCE AND, AND WE DON'T NEED ANY VERBAL CONFIRMATION THAT NO ONE HAD ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ON ANY OF THE CASE.
I MEAN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO DOWN THE LINE, THAT'S FINE, BUT I'M SURE SOMEONE WOULD'VE SP SPOKEN UP CONSIDERING STATE LAW IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA IF WE DO THAT.
LET ME JUST CALL EACH COMMISSIONER AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU, FOR THE RECORD, INDICATE THAT YOU HAD NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ANY OF THE CASES WE, UH, HAD ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
UH, I CAN START WITH MYSELF AND THAT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? NONE.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON? I HAD NONE.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
I TOLD YOU I HAD BIG SHOES TO FILL.
I WAS GONNA BE SO GRAND ABOUT IT AND IT WAS GONNA BE AWESOME.
AND THEN I JUST, OLD HABITS DIE HARD.
OKAY, EVERYBODY HAVE A KITTY THING INTO THE LIGHT OF THE DARK
[01:50:03]
BLACKBIRD SINGING IN THE, TAKE THESE BROKEN WINGS AND LEARN TO PLAY.