[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
IT IS MONDAY, AND IT IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, NICOLE, CAN YOU PLEASE DO ROLL CALL CHAIR WEAVER.
PRESENT? UH, VICE CHAIR MINORS.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL? PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER RE, UM, CHAIR PARDONED ME.
DO YOU MIND IF I GO OVER THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS? SURE.
UM, SO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, THEY SENT OUT AN EMAIL ABOUT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS BACK IN JUNE, UM, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW THE PROCESS.
UM, SO WE, AS STAFF FOR THE DESIGN COMMISSION, WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING THE MICROSOFT FORM, UM, THAT YOU FILL OUT.
UM, BEFORE THE MEETING, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO USE THIS FORM TO GET AN IDEA OF ON QUORUM BEFORE THE MEETING, BEFORE EVERYONE HEADS TO THE MEETING.
UM, SO WE'RE BEING ASKED TO SWITCH BACK TO THE PHYSICAL ATTENDANCE SHEET.
AND IF YOU'RE ATTENDING REMOTELY, WOULD YOU PLEASE FILL OUT THE P D F VERSION OF THE ATTENDANCE SHEET PROVIDED, UM, IN THE UPDATED MEETING INVITE.
UM, IT'S ALSO PROVIDED IN, UM, THE EMAIL WITH ALL OF THE MEETING INFORMATION.
UM, OR IF YOU'RE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, YOU MAY EMAIL ME AND INDICATE, UM, IF YOU'LL BE PRESENT OR NOT, OR IF YOU HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
UM, AND THEN PLEASE SUBMIT THIS FORM BACK TO ME BEFORE THE MEETING BEGINS.
IT IS A CITY CODE REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT THE ATTENDANCE SHEET AND INDICATE IF THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
UM, FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE ATTENDANCE SHEET BEFORE THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MAY RESULT IN AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE AND IMPACT THE ACTION TAKEN AT MEETINGS, MEANING THE VOTE OF A MEMBER WHO DID NOT FILL OUT THE ATTENDANCE SHEET, MAY NOT BE COUNTED AND QUORUM MAY BE AFFECTED.
LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO WHEN DO YOU USUALLY SEND OUT THE ATTENDANCE CHECK-IN VIA EMAIL? THE MICROSOFT FORM? UM, SO TYPICALLY ON FRIDAYS BEFORE THE MEETING, UM, I WAS OUT OF OFFICE THIS FRI THIS PAST FRIDAY, SO I SENT IT EARLIER TODAY, BUT, UM, IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE CALENDAR INVITE.
UM, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL FOR COMMISSIONERS IF THE FORM GOES OUT THE SAME DAY AS BACKUP ON THURSDAY? OKAY.
I THINK A LOT OF US, UH, A LOT OF COMMISSIONERS HAVE THE COMMISSION EMAIL ONLY ON THEIR DESKTOP, NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THEIR DEVICES.
SO IF YOU SEND IT DAY OF OR OVER THE WEEKEND OR LATE ON FRIDAY, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE UTILIZED.
I THINK SENDING IT THURSDAY WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR HIGHER USAGE.
CAN YOU DO THAT? SO WE DO HAVE, UM, THE MEETING INVITE EMBEDDED.
THE LINK IS EMBEDDED IN THE CALENDAR INVITE, SO YOU COULD ACCESS IT THERE AT ANY TIME.
UM, AND THEN I'D, I'D LIKE TO JUST SEND ONE EMAIL OUT FRIDAY WITH ALL OF THE MEETING INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE WEBEX INFORMATION AND THE MEETING LINK.
UM, IF IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE, I CAN SEND OUT A SEPARATE EMAIL THURSDAY WITH THE MEETING LINK, UM, OR THE MICROSOFT PHONE LINK.
THE MEETING LINKS AVAILABLE A LIMITED TIME OF PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
UM, CTMS, UH, CREATES THE WEBEX EVENT ON FRIDAY, AND SOMETIMES I DON'T GET IT TILL LIKE THE VERY END OF THE DAY.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY I WAIT TILL FRIDAY TO SEND IT ALL TOGETHER.
UM, CAN WE WORK WITH THE FRIDAY EMAILS? I'M SEEING SOME NODS.
UM, ALSO NOTING COMMISSIONER WILSON HAS JOINED US POST ATTENDANCE, SO LET'S MAKE SURE TO MARK HER PRESENT.
UM, ON THE CALENDAR INVITE, I SEE A LINK TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT I DON'T SEE A LINK TO THE SIGNUP SHEET.
[00:05:01]
BUT BECAUSE I, I WAS LOOKING FOR IT EARLIER AS WELL.WHEN I CLICK ON IT, I GO, THERE'S AN OPTION TO LIKE VIEW THE SERIES IN THE TOP OF MINE.
AND IF YOU VIEW THE SERIES, THE FORM IS EMBEDDED IN THE SERIES.
I ALSO STRUGGLED TO FIND IT UNTIL I SIFTED AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND NICOLE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT YOU CAN LIKE BOOKMARK THE FORM AND IT WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY TO WHATEVER THE NEXT MEETING.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ATTENDANCE? OKAY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UM, ITEM ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.OH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ANY PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ANN COLEMAN IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM THREE.
UH, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK SEPARATELY FROM THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS ANNE COLEMAN, UH, COLEMAN ASSOCIATES LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND FORMER DESIGN COMMISSION MEMBER FOR EIGHT YEARS, WHICH IS MOST APPROPRIATE.
UH, SO TONIGHT WE ARE REVIEWING THE ENTIRE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE UPDATE, UM, STARTING FROM 2020 WHEN IT WAS APPROVED, THE PROCESS WAS APPROVED, UM, THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH VOLUNTEERS AND THE HUNDREDS OF MEETINGS HOURS THAT WE'VE SPENT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT TOGETHER IF POSSIBLE, BUT I UNDERSTAND, UH, WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND I UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE OTHER TIME COMMITMENTS.
SO I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU.
I, I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND.
I, WHERE IS IT ON THE AGENDA CHAIR? WE ARE AT ITEM THREE.
SO AFTER, BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE ONLY THE PRESENTATION OF, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
DOES STAFF HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT PREFERENCE? YES.
UM, SO PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS WILL JUST BE PEOPLE COMING TO SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING OFF THE AGENDA, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERAL SPEAKING, AND SINCE I BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK TO AGENDA ITEM, UH, NUMBER THREE, UM, WE, THE CHAIR IS WELCOME TO TAKE AGENDA ITEMS OUT OF ORDER SO WE CAN DO THINGS OUT OF ORDER.
UM, AND IT IS, I THINK, MOST APPROPRIATE IF YOU SPEAK IN LINE WITH THAT AGENDA ITEM.
WITH ALL RESPECT TO THOSE THAT HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LOT MORE TIME THAN I HAVE IN PREPARATION FOR THIS, THOSE HAVING REVIEWS, I'D LIKE TO DEFER TO THEM GOING FIRST.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS AGENDA ITEM, MAY I GO EARLY SINCE I'VE BEEN UP SINCE 5:00 AM HAVING A GRANDCHILD,
UM, ITEM ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION FROM THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING ON JUNE 26TH.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? ALL MOTION TO APPROVE? THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER MCKENNEY? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
COMMISSIONER LUKINS A ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES.
[2. Presentation by Melissa Barry, Downtown Austin Alliance, regarding the Downtown Austin Alliance Strategic Plan 2023-2028.]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, PRESENTATION BY MELISSA BARRY OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2023 TO 2028.CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME OKAY? YES, MA'AM.
I AM THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER AT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
AND, UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS JUST UPDATED, UM, EARLY THIS SUMMER.
UH, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, THE, THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE IS THE, UM, MANAGEMENT ENTITY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
[00:10:01]
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, UM, SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT, SORRY.UM, AND OUR, UH, MISSION AND FOCUS IS SOLELY ON DOWNTOWN.
SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE THE, THE BOUNDARY OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
SO THE RED BOUNDARY IS SHOWING YOU THE, THE, THE CURRENT BOUNDARY.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH A, THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HAS TO BE RENEWED EVERY 10 YEARS.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH A RENEWAL PROCESS THAT, UM, IS, INVOLVES WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET, UM, SIGN OFF FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON CONTINUING.
IT'S A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE PAYING AN ADDITIONAL TAX.
UM, AND SO THAT BOUNDARY, AS YOU SEE IT TODAY, IS OUR CURRENT MOST UPDATED BOUNDARY, ROUGHLY FROM, UM, 15TH DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT, UM, GOING SOUTH OF THE WATERFRONT TO ENCOMPASS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND THEN I 35, UM, WEST TO, UM, IT, IT VARIES TO INCLUDE PORTIONS OF, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND AREAS AROUND THAT DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NOW IS ABOUT 30 YEARS OLD.
WE, WE WERE FORMED IN 1993, UM, AND WE'RE, UM, KIND OF GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR CURRENT PLANS AND PROGRAMS. AND SO HERE TONIGHT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS JUST UPDATED.
THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, UM, TO, TO DEVELOP OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, SIMILAR TO MOST STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH THIS ASSESSMENT PROCESS WHERE, WHERE WE REALLY, UM, TRIED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHAT NEED, WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK FOR FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THAT INVOLVED A LOT OF INTERVIEWS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND IT WAS LED BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UH, SO THIS IS KIND OF GETTING TO SHARING SOME OF THE, THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE'VE HAD AN ONGOING, UM, MISSION, VISION, VALUES, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR, OUR, OUR LAST 30 YEARS, THEY'VE EVOLVED, THE MISSION VISION VALUES HAVE EVOLVED WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, THE THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THE, THE MISSION STATEMENT THAT IS NEW FROM THIS, UM, CURRENT EFFORT, THERE'S, THERE'S THE WORD VIBE IN THE MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH REALLY GETS TO THE, THE ENERGY, THE FEEL, THE, THE THINGS THAT ARE SPECIAL ABOUT DOWNTOWN.
AND, UM, VERY IMPORTANT AT THE END OF THE MISSION STATEMENT, THE WORDS FOR EVERYONE.
SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, UM, TALKING ABOUT WHO DOWNTOWN'S FOR AND TALKING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT DOWNTOWN.
AND, UM, REALLY KIND OF WANTED TO ITERATE VERY STRONGLY THAT DOWNTOWN IS IS MEANT TO BE FOR EVERYONE.
IT'S EVERYONE'S, IT'S A PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
UNLIKE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE TYPICALLY FOR CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE, DOWNTOWN IS MEANT TO BE FOR EVERYONE.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, MENTION ABOUT THIS SLIDE IS THAT, UM, IN 2017, WE WENT THROUGH A VERY EXTENSIVE, ROBUST PROCESS TO, UM, TALK WITH THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN ABOUT WHAT THEY VALUED AND WANTED TO SEE IN DOWNTOWN.
THAT RESULTED IN A, A DOCUMENT CALLED THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN VISION, WHICH, UM, REALLY HAS BEEN THE NORTH STAR FOR HOW OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS LOOKED AT AND DEVELOPED OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO EVERYTHING IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, ALL THE LANGUAGE, IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY VISION.
SO, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN HAS FIVE, UM, SORT OF HIGHLIGHTS, UM, OF PRIORITIES.
AND I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE, UM, REAL BRIEFLY.
AND, UM, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE, THE MOST OVERLAP WITH THIS COMMISSION IS THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, BUT I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE ELEMENTS WITHIN EACH OF THE PRIORITY AREAS THAT, THAT ARE RELATED TO WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
UM, SO PUBLIC SPACE EXPERIENCE IS REALLY ABOUT HOW IT FEELS.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE DOWNTOWN, DO YOU FEEL SAFE? IS IT WELCOMING? UM, IS IT CLEAN? JUST VERY BASICS, UM, BUT ALSO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, THAT EVERYONE FEELS COMFORTABLE IN DOWNTOWN.
ACTIVE URBANISM IS ABOUT THE, UM, THE SORT OF THE THI THE SPECIAL THINGS ABOUT AUSTIN AND, UM, THE EXPERIENCE YOU'RE GETTING FROM THEM.
SO ART ARTISTS, CREATIVES, UM, AND THE LIVE MUSIC, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT YOU FE SEE AND FEEL, THE BUILDINGS, THE STREETS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE MOBILITY IS ABOUT ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE IS REALLY SORT OF THE A, A THREAD THAT GOES THROUGH ALL OF OUR PRIORITY AREAS.
AND THAT'S REALLY MEANT TO ADDRESS, UM, HOW OUR BOARD AND OUR LEADERSHIP
[00:15:01]
IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.SO, WITH THE PUBLIC SPACE EXPERIENCE GOAL, UM, AGAIN, AS I SAID, THE, THE EFFORT HERE IS REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING.
SO MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN DOWNTOWN, YOU'VE SEEN OUR DOWNTOWN AMBASSADOR CREW OUT ON THE STREETS.
THEY'RE, UM, THE FOLKS IN THE RED SHIRTS MOSTLY.
SOME OF THEM ARE IN GREEN SHIRTS IF THEY'RE IN PARKS AND THEY'RE SORT OF HELPING PEOPLE NAVIGATE.
UM, THEY PRESSURE WASH THE STREETS, THEY REMOVE GRAFFITI.
THEY, UM, DO ALL SORTS OF, UM, HOSPITALITY THINGS.
THEY'RE SORT OF OUR FRONTLINE OF THE PUBLIC SPACE EXPERIENCE.
AND IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, SOME OF THE GOALS AROUND PUBLIC, OR OBJECTIVES AROUND PUBLIC SPACE EXPERIENCE ARE, UM, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN.
AND TO DO THAT IN A WAY THAT INCREASES ACCESS TO SERVICES AND FACILITIES.
SO, UM, WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, GIVING ALL OF OUR HOMELESS COMMUNITY THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
UH, THAT ANOTHER GOAL IS AROUND SAFETY AND REALLY, UM, THE FOCUS HERE IS ON REDUCING CRIME AND, AND SPECIFICALLY VIOLENT CRIME.
ANOTHER GOAL IS AROUND, UM, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, A VIBRANT AND ACTIVE DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE, THE, UM, EYES ON THE STREETS THEORY HERE, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE MOVING AROUND AND, AND TAKE HAVING A GOOD EYE ON WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND DOWNTOWN.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WELCOMING.
AND THEN LASTLY, CLEANLINESS IS REALLY SORT OF THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A, A CLEAN STARTING POINT.
SO THAT'S, UM, AS I SAID, THE AMBASSADOR'S ROLE IS REALLY TO FOCUS ON THAT CLEANLINESS.
SO, ACTIVE URBANISM, THIS GOAL IS ABOUT REALLY IGNITING AND ATTRACTING, UM, THE CUL AND CULTIVATING THE AUTHENTIC ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC, THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE LOVE ABOUT DOWNTOWN.
SO WE GO OUT AND ASK PEOPLE, WHEN WE WORKED ON THE DOWNTOWN VISION, WHAT PEOPLE LOVED ABOUT DOWNTOWN, WE HEARD THESE THINGS.
UH, WE LOVE PEOPLE, LOVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE CREEKS AND THE, AND HOW GREEN DOWNTOWN IS.
IT'S SURROUNDED BY, BY THIS, UM, SORT OF GREEN, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF GREEN, UM, GREEN WAY AROUND DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND PEOPLE REALLY LOVE THAT.
SO, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, I'LL GO INTO SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES AROUND ACTIVE URBANISM AND HERE, UM, REALLY LOOKING AT HOW YOU, UM, ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACE.
SO THINKING ABOUT HOW TO, UM, TO, TO PARTNER WITH EXISTING ENTITIES AND GROUPS TO ACTIVATE MORE PUBLIC SPACE.
UH, MAKING SURE THAT STREETS AND STOREFRONTS ARE AT THE GROUND LEVEL ARE ALWAYS ACTIVE.
SO WE HAVE A GOAL TO HAVE 90% OF THE GROUND LEVEL STOREFRONTS ACTIVE.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOT JUST, UM, VITALITY, BUT ALSO TO SAFETY.
AND THEN, UM, WE REALLY ARE, UM, THROUGH, THROUGH OUR 5 0 1 C THREE OUR NONPROFIT SIDE, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO, UM, INVEST IN ARTS AND CREATIVES AND REALLY FIND MORE WAYS TO, UM, PROVIDE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVES TO BE PART OF DOWNTOWN BECAUSE, UM, THAT IS A BIG CHALLENGE AS WE CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE UNAFFORDABLE.
ON THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SIDE, UH, THE PICTURE HERE SAYS A LOT.
SO, WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR, OUR BOARD MEMBERS REALLY LEANED INTO AND SPENT SOME TIME GRAPPLING WITH IS HOW WE, THE BALANCE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO GROW THIS MODERN CITY WHILE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PRESERVING THESE THINGS THAT ARE SO SPECIAL AND UNIQUE AND, AND REALLY A LOT OF THEM ARE THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE HERE TO BEGIN WITH.
SO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WORK IS REALLY, UH, MEANT TO BEGIN TO FIND THAT BALANCE.
SO IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE OUR, OUR FOCUS WILL BE IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ARE AROUND, UM, DEVELOPMENT POLICY.
AND THIS IS ALL PROBABLY VERY, UM, CLOSE TO HOME HERE, BUT REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTANDING AND ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES AND CODES THAT ARE GONNA HELP US FURTHER OUR GOALS, THE THINGS THAT I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, ONE THING, ANOTHER THING THAT WE REALLY, UM, STRUGGLED WITH IN THIS PLAN IS AROUND THE, THE, THE RIGHT WAY TO FRAME RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STRUGGLE TO, TO
[00:20:01]
DELIVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN, AND WE REALLY WANTED TO LEAN INTO THAT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, HOW DO WE BEGIN TO CREATE MORE DIVERSE RESIDENTIAL IN DOWNTOWN? WHAT ARE THE RIGHT, WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO LOOK AT IT? WHAT ARE THE RIGHT GOALS TO HAVE? SO WE KIND OF IDENTIFIED THIS AS AN AREA WHERE WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT WE NEEDED TO START FIGURING IT OUT.SO THAT'LL BE ONE THING THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON SOON.
ANOTHER GOAL IS AROUND TREE CANOPY AND REALLY, UM, LOOKING AT HOW WE INCREASE THE DOWNTOWN TREE CANOPY, UM, LIKE THE REST OF THE CITY, WE'RE ALL OUR TREES ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THESE, UM, EXTREME WEATHER CHANGES, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET AHEAD OF THAT AND REALLY START TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE BUILD A STRONGER TREE CANOPY.
WE WANNA CONTINUE TO WORK TO GROW OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN, UM, AS I'VE MENTIONED, PRESERVATION AND FINDING LIKE REAL MEANINGFUL TOOLS TO GET TO PRESERVATION GOALS IS, IS, UM, SORT OF ONE OF THE, THE TOP, UM, OBJECTIVES IN THIS AREA.
AND THEN OUR, OUR FIFTH CATEGORY, IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE IS MOBILITY, UM, AND MOBILITY.
UM, HERE, THIS IS, THIS IS A TOUGH ONE TOO BECAUSE IT'S A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT ON THE HORIZON WITH MOBILITY, WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND CHANGES TO I 35 IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL GET DOWNTOWN, AND WE NEED TO START PLANNING FOR, AS THESE BIG, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY, WE NEED TO START MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, GOOD PLANS IN PLACE FOR BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE WHO WORK DOWNTOWN AND PEOPLE WHO VISIT DOWNTOWN.
WHILE THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA LOSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA LOSE WHAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR A LONG TIME.
SO A LOT OF THE FOCUS AND MOBILITY IS REALLY LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR HOW WE PLAN FOR AND PREPARE FOR THESE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY ON LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, HERE WE'RE REALLY JUST LOOKING AT, WE'VE SPENT, UH, SEVERAL YEARS, UM, WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, ONE MORE SLIDE, SORRY.
UM, KIND OF WORKING INTERNALLY WITH OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON A LOT OF GOVERNANCE CHANGES.
SO WE'VE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TAKEN A GOOD LOOK ON HOW WE'RE STRUCTURE STRUCTURED AND SET UP TO DELIVER ON DOWNTOWN.
TIMES HAVE CHANGED THE ORGANIZATION MADE A LOT OF CHANGES AS WELL TO, UM, BE ABLE TO DELIVER ON SOME OF THESE BIG EFFORTS AND NEEDS.
SO, UH, GOVERNANCE CHANGES AND THEN, UM, REALLY KINDA LINING OUR RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY AND POLICY WORK AROUND OUR ORGANIZATION'S LEADERSHIP NEEDS.
THE LAST THING IN LEADERSHIP INFLUENCE THAT WE'VE, UM, SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME WORKING ON, UH, IS AROUND ENGAGEMENT AND HOW WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN DOWNTOWN.
AND, UM, AS YOU PROBABLY ALL KNOW, IT'S, PEOPLE ARE EXHAUSTED AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, AND IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE CREATIVE AND, AND REALLY GET PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE RIGHT WAY.
SO WE'VE SPENT, UM, A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME WORKING ON THAT.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID VERY RECENTLY, UM, WE HAVE, SO FOR EACH OF THESE, UH, PRIORITY AREAS, WE HAVE COMMITTEES THAT ARE LEADING THOSE PRIORITY AREAS AND REALLY GUIDING OUR BOARD IN THE DECISION MAKING.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID RECENTLY WAS WE OPENED THOSE COMMITTEES UP TO, UM, SORT OF A PUBLIC CALL FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, BRING MORE VOICES INTO THE DECISION MAKING AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DIVERSIFY OUR THINKING ON THE ISSUES AROUND DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY COMPLEX.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S, UH, MAYBE ONE OR TWO MORE SLIDES IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND KEEP GOING.
UM, THE LAST THING, UM, THAT I'LL SAY IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS THAT WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF WHAT WE CALL TRANSFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
THESE ARE VERY BIG PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA SORT OF, UM, TRANSFORM THE SHAPE OF DOWNTOWN MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO I 35, THE CAP AND STITCH PROJECT, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, AT TIMES LEADING AND NOW PARTNERING WITH THE CITY TO, UM, CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSELY WORKING WITH PROJECT CONNECT ALL ALONG, OR SORRY, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ALL ALONG.
AS THAT STARTS TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASE, WE WILL BE, UM, REALLY WANTING TO BE, UH, DIGGING IN AND BRINGING IN VOICES AROUND THE DOWNTOWN STATION, THE, UM, HOW IT SHAPES UP AND DOWNTOWN IN THE STREETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[00:25:01]
WANT TO BEGIN TO, UM, GET AT THE TABLE WITH THE PARTNERS WHO ARE WORKING IN THE HISTORIC ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, UM, THE EAST SIXTH STREET AREA, AND SEE IF WE CAN, UM, WORK TOGETHER TO TRANSFORM THAT AREA.UM, KIND OF LOOKING AT ALL OF THE GOALS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND OF COURSE, I COULDN'T, UM, MENTION, I HAVE TO MENTION THE CONVENTION CENTER BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG, UM, BIG AREA AND OPPORTUNITY FOR SHAPING THAT EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN TOO.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, KIND OF MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA, I GUESS CONCLUDE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS.
SO ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION? COMMISSIONER CARROLL? YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, VERY ADMIRABLE GOALS, VERY AMBITIOUS.
I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M, IN MY MIND, I'M KIND OF STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ACHIEVE THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM, LIKE, UH, 90% OF THE STOREFRONTS BEING ACTIVE, UM, LIKE DO YOU MEET WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING PROJECTS TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACTIVATE THE STREET IN THAT WAY? SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE DO AN ANNUAL, UM, STOREFRONT IN INVENTORY OF ALL THE SPACES IN DOWNTOWN.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE, WE'RE PULLING THAT ALL TOGETHER INTO OUR INVENTORY.
WE'RE ABOUT, WE'RE AT ABOUT 71% THE LAST TIME WE DID AN INVENTORY.
UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, GOT, WE WANNA GO FROM ABOUT 71 TO 90.
UM, AND ON THE, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROGRAM, THERE'S FOLKS WORKING ON A STOREFRONT ACTIVATION PROGRAM.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A TEAM WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION IN ACTIVE URBANISM THAT'S WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER A STOREFRONT ACTIVATION PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE A TOOL THAT WE COULD OFFER TO, UM, DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY OWNERS, DEVELOPERS, ET CETERA, TO ACTIVATE VACANT SPACES.
AND, UM, WE'RE PILOTING THAT THIS YEAR.
AND THE GOAL IS TO, TO PILOT, LEARN, IMPROVE, UM, MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS AROUND INSURANCE AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO WORK ON.
SO PUTTING ALL THOSE, THOSE PIECES IN PLACE SO WE CAN REALLY OFFER A, A VIABLE TOOL.
UM, ON, UH, SPECIFICALLY YOU MENTIONED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I CAN TELL YOU, I MEAN, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT THERE IS THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS, IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE BIGGEST FAILURES, UH, THAT THIS CITY HAS EVER SEEN.
UM, SO IF THE D A WANTED TO GET INVOLVED TO HELP, UM, UPDATE THAT PROGRAM, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE WILLING TO, TO MEET WITH Y'ALL AND, AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE DEFINITELY DO WANNA GET INVOLVED.
IN FACT, WE MET WITH THE, THE PLAN WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN, IN GETTING INVOLVED AND, AND GETTING, UM, ENGAGED IN WHATEVER EFFORTS Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON AS WELL.
UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, FROM THAT POINT, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, DO YOU MIND SHARING THE STATS ON HOW MANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED THROUGH THE PROGRAM? I, I THINK YOUR TESTIMONY AT HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, I'M NOT SURE THE REST OF THE COMMISSION HAS HEARD THAT.
THE, THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE A LITTLE OLD NOW, OLD BEING LIKE, I THINK NINE, NINE MONTHS OR MORE.
BUT THE, THE NUMBERS THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS, UH, FOUR UNITS OUTSIDE OF RAINY STREET HAVE BEEN PRODUCED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS TO BE AFFORDABLE, UM, IN THE RAINY DISTRICT, 87 UNITS.
UH, AND TO PUT THAT IN PER PERSPECTIVE, UH, I DID A PRESENTATION ON FRIDAY AT THE AA CONFERENCE.
UH, I'M DOING ONE OF THE FIRST V M U TWO PROJECTS IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT PROJECT WE'RE PRODUCING 45 AFFORDABLE UNITS IN ONE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HALF OF WHAT THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS CREATED IN 10 YEARS WE'RE DOING IN ONE PROJECT.
SO, UH, AND WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR A HIGH RISE
[00:30:02]
THANK YOU.UM, COMMISSIONER ESON, I JUST HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT.
DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT ACCOUNT FOR THE MONEY THAT'S BEING COLLECTED FROM FEE AND LOW? IS THAT LIKE THE, THE, THE MONEY COLLECTED FOR FEE AND LO FOR THE DOWNTOWN NC BONUS PROGRAM? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING UP UNTIL, WAS IT A YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO WHEN SOME OF IT WAS USED FOR A HOTEL, UM, CONVERSION, UH, ALL OF IT HAD BEEN USED FOR HOUSING VOUCHERS.
NONE OF IT HAD EVER BEEN USED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS, I WAS CURIOUS ON THE MOBILITY SLIDE.
UH, THERE'S A BULLET OUT MAXIMIZING PARKING, UM, CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE GETTING DOWNTOWN ON, UH, VIA CAR.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS MORE ABOUT, UH, THE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT AND WHETHER, UM, THE BOARD AND KIND OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONVERSATION, UH, SPOKE ABOUT KIND OF TRADE OFFS AROUND THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW ALLIANCE IS THINKING ABOUT MAXIMIZING PARKING, UM, AND WHERE IT MIGHT COMPETE WITH OTHER, UM, MORE ACTIVATING USES.
SO, UM, WE'D, YEARS AGO, I'M, I'M BLANKING ON THE ACTUAL DATE.
WE DID A, UM, PRETTY ROBUST DOWNTOWN PARKING STRATEGY WITH NELSON NYGARD, WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO BE OUR ROADMAP FOR HOW WE THINK AND TALK ABOUT PARKING IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER CONVERSATIONS AROUND PARKING GOING AROUND O OTHER AREAS OF DOWNTOWN.
WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT BARRIER, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH THE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN, WITH THE CODE AND THE PARKING DOWNTOWN.
UM, OUR BARRIER'S REALLY THE MARKET, UM, AND THE FINANCING, UM, SIDE OF THINGS AND WHAT DELI, YOU KNOW, WHAT, UM, DEVELOPERS FEEL THEY CAN MAKE WORK.
UM, AND SO WE'VE REALLY, UM, KIND OF LEANED INTO THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THE MARKET LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
AND I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN, I WILL SAY IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD TO FIGURE THAT OUT WITH THE, THE CURRENT, UM, OFFICE TRENDS DOWNTOWN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, UM, THEY'RE NOT PREDICTABLE RIGHT THIS MOMENT.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN HARD TO KIND OF WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I I THINK IS CERTAINLY A LOW HANGING FRUIT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, IS JUST HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THE PARKING THAT'S ALREADY OUT HERE? HOW DO WE BEGIN TO UN UNBUNDLE PARKING FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, OFFICE LEASES AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN, UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF IT.
HOW DOES, YOU KNOW OPERATIONALLY, HOW DO YOU BRING IN DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO USE PARKING? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, FOCUSED ON IN THIS, IN THIS KIND OF IN BETWEEN TIME WHEN, WHEN, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE UNCLEAR WHAT THE PATH FORWARD IS.
SO MORE ABOUT THE OPTIMIZING AND MAXIMIZING THE UTILIZATION OF EXISTING PARKING, THEN MAXIMIZING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PARKING.
THAT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO SAY, MAX, MAKE MORE PARKING.
THAT WAS INTENDED TO SAY, WE HAVE ALL THIS PARKING CURRENTLY, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING ITS USE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PARKING THAT GOES UNUSED.
SO THE, THE GOAL THERE WAS REALLY TO SAY, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE USING WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, AS, AS A, A FIRST TOOL FOR PARKING.
IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO SAY, BUILD MORE PARKING.
THAT'S, YOU'VE ASKED, YOU'VE ASKED A GOOD QUESTION, THOUGH.
THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN COME, COME UP A FEW TIMES.
SO I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO WORK ON THE LANGUAGE ON THAT ONE A LITTLE.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UM, I AM GOING TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.
90% OF STOREFRONTS, UM, EVERY, NEARLY EVERY PROJECT THAT COMES THROUGH FOR THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, A COMMON EVERY TIME IS THAT LOBBIES ARE NOT ACTIVATED STORE FUNDS.
UM, CAN YOU EXPAND ON, ON THE DEFINITION OF ACTIVATED STOREFRONT HERE AND, AND REALLY WHAT D A A IS SEEKING? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LOBBIES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTIVATED STOREFRONTS, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A PIECE OF THE EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY THOSE CORNER LOBBIES.
UM, SO I DON'T HAVE A GREAT ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BRING BACK AND TALK ABOUT.
IT'S HARD, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO TAKE A LOBBY, YOU KNOW, TO, TO WORK THROUGH IT, AN OFFICE TENANT AND TAKE A LOBBY AND DO
[00:35:01]
SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S BEEN DONE WITH IT.SO, WHEN WE TALK WITH DEVELOPMENT TEAMS COMING THROUGH, WE'LL SOMETIMES RECOMMEND RESTAURANTS OR HIGHER OCCUPANCY MM-HMM.
UM, IS, IS THAT KIND OF WHERE, WHERE YOU GUYS ARE TARGETING AND WHAT LANGUAGE ARE YOU USING AROUND THAT? WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE EXISTING STOREFRONTS, AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING RIGHT AT THE, THE, THE KIND OF BUILT THE WAY THAT STOREFRONTS ARE BEING BUILT OUT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IT, I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT IS HOW WE'RE BUILDING OUT THOSE GROUND FLOOR SPACES IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE FOCUSING ON THE EXISTING, UM, AND DO YOU MIND EXPANDING ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE NEWLY FORMED COMMITTEES AND THAT ARE BRINGING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND VERSUS THE EXISTING BOARD? YEAH.
SO THE COMMITTEES, UM, WE'VE ALWAYS, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS ALWAYS HAD PROGRAMMATIC COMMITTEES THAT ARE RELATED TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, INTENTIONALLY OPENED THE COMMITTEES UP TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND THE IDEA IS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, SOME BOARD MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEES AND SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEES, AND THEY'LL BE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR BOARD.
SO VERY MUCH FUNCTIONING LIKE, UM, WORKING COMMITTEES.
THEY'LL BE, YOU KNOW, ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES AND TACKLING THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND, AND BRINGING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR BOARD FOR OUR BOARD TO CONSIDER.
SO LIKE A TOPIC WOULD FUNCTION AS ONE GROUP, NOT TWO SEPARATE GROUPS? YES.
ONE MEETING EVERYONE EQUAL VOICE AT THE TABLE,
UM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CAN GO A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, TO ME, IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S VACANT OR ACTIVATED IN THE SENSE THAT SOMEONE IS THERE, LIKE, USING THE SPACE.
SO MAYBE THEY'RE LOOKING AT STOREFRONT ACTIVATION DIFFERENTLY THAN HOW WE LOOK AT IT.
'CAUSE WE LOOK AT IT SORT OF MORE LIKE THERE'S A RESTAURANT VERSUS, UH, A LOADING DOCK
SO THAT MIGHT BE THE DIFFERENCE.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE, UM, ACTIVATION WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A LOBBY, THEN NOT EVERY MEMBER CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, I'D, I'D BE EXCITED TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION WITH YOU.
UM, ARE THERE, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MS. BERRY? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[3. Discussion of the update to the Urban Design Guidelines. Presented by Sophia Benner, Planning Department.]
TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION OF THE UPDATE TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES PRESENTED BY SOPHIA DENNER PLANNING DEPARTMENT.BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO STAFF, I LIKE TO START, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE STAFF WAS NOT AWARE OF ALL OF THE UPDATES AND WORKS THAT HAVE REALLY BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
SO, THIS PAST WEEKEND I REVIEWED ALL OF THE TAPES OF DESIGN COMMISSION FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND I HAVE NOTES A TRANSCRIPT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, SAID ON THE DAIS.
I'LL READ THAT NEXT, BUT FIRST, LET'S HAVE COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, UH, PRESENT HER GROUP SO THAT SHE CAN MOVE ON.
IT WAS A BOY IN CASE ANYBODY WAS ON EDGE WONDERING.
I, I, I DON'T HAVE, I DO HAVE THE SPECIFICS, BUT WHAT I WANNA TALK FIRST OF ALL MORE IS ABOUT THE GENERALITIES OF THIS.
I THINK FOR ALMOST THE WHOLE DURATION OF THE EIGHT YEARS THAT I SERVED WITH MANY OF YOU HERE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED SO MUCH, UH, AND OVER THE YEARS, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT, UM, THERE'S LACK OF CLARITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
THERE'S LACK OF CLARITY FOR STAFF.
AND SO, UM, TOWARDS THE END OF MY REIGN AT THE COMMISSION, THESE WORKING GROUPS WERE ARRANGED.
AND, UM, AND DAVID, FOR ONE AND OTHERS, UE AND MYSELF, UH, TOOK SECTIONS TO START WORKING ON.
AND AT THE TIME I WAS VERY, VERY SLUGGISH FROM SOME PROFESSIONAL THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON IN THE ORGANIZATION FEELING VERY GUILTY BECAUSE TRYING TO RUN AN ORGANIZATION IN A CRISIS WHILE, UH, GIVING OF YOUR TIME AND TALENT AND ENERGY, UH, WAS, I FOUND VERY CHALLENGING.
[00:40:01]
NEED OUTWEIGHED THE CHALLENGE, AND WE DID OUR VERY BEST AND WE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES BESIDES JUST MYSELF AND OUR COMPANY ON IT.SO WE HAVE, IN ADDITION TO MY TIME, WE HAVE RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF A HUNDRED HOURS, UM, BILLABLE TIME, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, 15, 16, $17,000 WORTH OF, UH, MONEY.
AND I THINK THE REASON I'M BRINGING THAT IS IMPORTANCE IS THE WHOLE TIME I WAS ON THE COMMISSION, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR DO QUITE A BIT IS PUT A MONETARY VALUE TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN ANY ROOM.
AND WHAT ARE YOU GETTING FROM IT, OR WHAT ARE YOU GIVING TO A COMMUNITY FOR THAT VALUE SO THAT THE CITY FEELS GOOD ABOUT IT, THE CUSTOMERS FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT EVERY TIME WE SHOW UP HERE.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST A REMINDER THAT, UM, IN ANY PROCESS THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF LIKE THIS, THERE'S AL ALWAYS A LEVEL OF WE SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER.
WE SHOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
WE SHOULD HAVE, WOULD'VE COULD'VE.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE GIFT THAT PEOPLE BRING IN THEIR TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE TO THE TABLE.
AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AND, UH, UTILIZING IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.
AND AT, AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING VAGUE, I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE.
UM, DAVID IN PARTICULAR, UH, CAN, UH, VOUCH TO THIS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A ROBUST, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE SIGNING UP TO DO.
SO I'M EXPERIENCING THAT ON ANOTHER PRO NONPROFIT PROJECT THAT I WORK ON THAT IS A CITY OF AUSTIN PROPERTY.
JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO SHOW UP AND GIVE THEIR INPUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A COVID THING.
I THINK WE'RE JUST ALL BUSY PEOPLE WITH SOCCER GAMES TO ATTEND AND OUR WORKS TO DO IN OVERTIME.
I THINK WE'RE ALL JUST DOING OUR BEST.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
WE DID DOCUMENT A DOZEN MEETINGS THAT WE HAD VIA THOSE, OH, WAIT, SORRY.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE WORK, DO YOU MIND, UM, DISCUSSING WHO YOUR VOLUNTEERS ARE? AND YOU CAN, IF YOU WANT TO NAME THEM, BUT JUST KIND OF THEIR PROFESSION AND, AND, UM, WHAT, WHAT YOUR OUTREACH, OUTREACH WAS.
SO YOU HAD SO MANY PEOPLE FROM SPEAKUP NOW, AND THEN YOU REACHED OUT TO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
YEAH, WE HAD, UH, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS REPRESENTED.
WE HAD ARCHITECT, UH, WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WAS A FORMER ADMINISTRATOR IN ANOTHER CITY THAT PARTICIPATED.
WE HAD SOMEONE, I DON'T KNOW THAT DAVID RECENTLY, UH, CAME, CAME TO US AND, AND OFFERED SOME COMMENTS THAT WE SAID WE WOULD INCORPORATE WHEN WE DO OUR NEXT RUN, BECAUSE IT WAS LATE TO THE PROCESS.
SO WE HAD, UH, IN ANY GIVEN TIME, SOMETIMES WE HAD HARDLY ANYBODY THAT COULD SHOW UP, AND SOMETIMES WE HAD FIVE, SIX PEOPLE ON THE LINE.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR GROUP TOPIC? UH, STREETS SCAPE.
AND WE TRIED OUR BEST TO COLLABORATE WITH, UH, JOSE'S GROUP AS MUCH AS WE COULD FOR OPEN SPACE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, JUST TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AS YOU'RE DECIDING WHAT THE PROCESS WAS, HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS.
I GUESS I'M SAYING I REALLY HOPE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF VALUE PUT INTO THIS.
MAYBE NOT WITH THE QUANTITY OF PEOPLE WE NEEDED, BUT IN SOME CASES I FELT LIKE, ESPECIALLY IN OUR GROUP, THE ONES THAT PARTICIPATED HAD EXPERIENCE IN WHAT THEY WERE GIVING AS FEEDBACK, WHICH IN MY OPINION, MORE IS ALWAYS BETTER IN A COMMUNITY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE CODE OR GUIDELINES, THE VALUE OF PEOPLE THAT ADMINISTER THAT AND UPHOLD CODES AND ORDINANCES AND GUIDELINES IN THIS COMMUNITY ON A REGULAR BASIS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DID NOTICE OVER MY EIGHT YEARS, UH, ON THE COMMISSION.
WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE HAD TURNOVER ON STAFF.
WE'VE, WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED THAT, BUT I THINK THE COMMISSION'S ALWAYS BEEN HIGHLY RESPECTFUL OF THE TIME TALENT THAT THE STAFF PUTS IN THEMSELVES AND, AND OVERSEEING WHAT WE DO HERE.
THERE'S BEEN FRUSTRATION, OF COURSE, THAT IT'S NON-BINDING AND A LOT OF EFFORT GOES INTO IT.
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE FOLLOW-UP THAT WE KIND OF WISH WE HAD TO DO A BETTER JOB OR TO TRACK OUR SUCCESSES AND, AND NOT OUR SUCCESSES, OUR FAILURES, OUR SHORTCOMINGS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER REALLY HAD THAT.
BUT WHAT I SAW AS MOST CHALLENGING IS THAT INTERSECTION OF CODE AND THIS COMMISSION, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES COMMISSION.
I HAVE SEEN SO OFTEN, AND THIS ACTUALLY DOES CIRCLE BACK TO DESIGN GUIDELINES, REWRITE.
WHAT I'VE SEEN SO OFTEN IS, UH, DEVELOPERS IN SOME CASES I SAW AT ONE MEETING, PEOPLE FLY IN FROM NEW YORK, ATLANTA, WHATEVER, EVERY, THEIR ARCHITECTS, MULTIPLE WERE THERE.
DEVELOPERS, MULTIPLE WERE THERE, AND THEY MADE THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD HAD A WORKING GROUP MEETING, THE MEETING ITSELF REALLY OFFERED A LOT OF NEW REQUESTS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FIX THAT, BUT IN SOME WAYS IT REALLY THROWS THE CONSULTANT COMMUNITY OFF.
AGAIN, I HOPE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ADDRESSES THAT BETTER, SPECIFICALLY CODE WHEN WE ASK THINGS.
THIS COMMISSION DOESN'T ALWAYS KNOW WHETHER IT APPLIES WITH CODE OR NOT.
AND, AND IN SOME CASES, I'VE EITHER FELT OR HEARD OR OR EXPERIENCED
[00:45:01]
THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT'S MOST CRITICAL, BUT JUST ASKED ANYWAY TO SEE IF IT COULD BE ACHIEVED.BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME PROBLEMS IN THAT.
I HAVE, I HAVE SAID THIS UNTIL I'M BLUE AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS SICK OF HEARING IT, JUST LIKE AT THE OFFICE SOMETIMES GREAT STREETS HAS BEEN INTERPRETED DIFFERENTLY SINCE WE'VE HAD CHANGES, MULTIPLE CHANGES.
AND AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT STAFF INTERPRETATION IN EVERY DEPARTMENT AND EVERY CODE VARIES BY THE PERSON OVERSEEING IT, JUST BY THE NATURE OF INTERPRETATION.
BUT GREAT STREETS NOW, IN MY OPINION, HAS BEEN DILUTED TO PRETTY MUCH TREE SPECIES AND LAYOUT OF STREET FURNITURE.
BUT THE CONTINUITY THAT I FELT, I DID THE FIRST GREAT STREETS PROJECT HAVE DONE MANY, MANY SINCE THEN.
I HAVE FELT LIKE GREAT STREETS IS NO LONGER AS EFFECTIVE AS IT USED TO BE.
YES, IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, BUT IT, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE AS CODE.
UM, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE, THE BENCHES.
THE BENCHES SAY THAT THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE BACKS.
THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN THE CODE.
BUT WE ARE CONSIDERING AS A COMMISSION ON SOME PROJECTS LIKE BLOCKS OF LIMESTONE, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SAT IN A BLOCK OF LIMESTONE FOR AN HOUR OR SO.
IF BLOCKS OF LIMESTONES ARE ALLOWED BY GREAT STREETS, LET'S PUT 'EM EVERYWHERE.
BUT IF THE GOAL OF GREAT STREETS IS TO HAVE A LEVEL OF CONTINUITY, I SEE THE DESIGN.
UM, THE D A A HAS NOW LOOKED AT DOING A, A DISTRICT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE I THINK GREAT STREETS COULD DO.
SO THEY'VE GOT WEST, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT SOUTH CONGRESS, THEY'VE GOT, THEY'VE GOT DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WHERE GREAT STREETS COULD BE MODIFIED TO FIT A CERTAIN, UH, DISTRICT'S PERSONALITY.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE JUST BLANKET, YOU KNOW, RANDOMNESS.
I TEND TO GET OFF, I'M GOING DOWN A RABBIT HOLE HERE, BUT I THINK I'VE MADE MY POINT.
SUB CHAPTER E OFTEN CONFLICTS WITH GREAT STREETS.
AND SOME OF THE PRO PROPERTIES WE LOOK AT ARE SUBCHAPTER E URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TREE PRESERVATION, OF COURSE PREVENTS OR HELPS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA INCLUDE IN THE OTHER CODE.
BUT THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT ARE BECOMING CHALLENGING FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND ARE ABSOLUTELY AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES, WHICH WE'RE FACED WITH YOU ARE FACED WITH ON THIS COMMISSION ARE PARKLAND DEDICATION AND FUNCTIONAL GREEN PARKLAND DEDICATION, NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT IT AND WHERE YOU FEEL ON IT, IS A BIG INVESTMENT BY OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S A BIG THING FOR OUR PARKS, UH, AND PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO MANAGE AND IMPLEMENT.
BUT I THINK ALONG WITH THE ONSET OF FUNCTIONAL GREEN, THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS STARTING TO SAY, OKAY, I'M PAYING INTO PARK LAND, WHICH IS, IT SHOULD IN SOME RESPECT BE GREEN.
SO I'M PAYING INTO PARKLAND AND NOW I'M GONNA BE DOING FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INTERSECTION BETWEEN PARKLAND DEDICATION AND FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
UH, I WAS JUST TALKING TO SOPHIA ABOUT THIS.
WE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF TIME DURING CODE NEXT ON FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE HOW MANY CONSULTANT HOURS ON FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
AND THEN CODE NEXT DIED CUTOFF DATE STAGNANT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO NOW THERE'S BEEN, UM, DESIRE BY THE, BY THE BY PEOPLE TO START IMPLEMENTING FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
AS SOON AS WE STARTED TO DO THAT, WE REALIZED THAT IT WASN'T MAPPING OUT, IT WASN'T WORKING, AND WE HAD AT LEAST TWO, MAYBE THREE, I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT AT LEAST TWO PRESENTATIONS BY STAFF THAT DEMONSTRATED THAT IT WASN'T WORKING OUT WELL.
AND WHAT WE DISCOVERED AS CONSULTANTS IS THE ONLY WAY WE COULD GET IT WORK IN A DOWNTOWN A HUNDRED PERCENT ALLOWABLE SITUATION BY ZONING WAS IF YOU PUT IT ON THE ROOFTOP, WHICH AGAIN IS OKAY, AS LONG AS THERE IS CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR THE DEVELOPER MARKET, THAT THEY KNOW THAT IF THEY BUY A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS COVER TRACK THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT GREAT STREETS.
BUT THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT FUNCTIONAL GREEN'S GOING TO IMPACT THEIR SITE PLANT UNLESS THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE ROOF.
NOW WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY AND HOW THAT WORKS WITH ALL THE OTHER CODES AND ORDINANCES, INCLUDING GREAT STREETS.
THE OTHER THING WE'VE, THAT WE'VE NOTICED ABOUT FUNCTIONAL GREEN IS IT DOESN'T WORK WELL ON LARGER SITES BECAUSE THE POINTS GET DILUTED.
AND IT WAS QUITE THE, THE EYE-OPENING.
SO AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LAST TWO MEETINGS, STAFF WAS WONDERFUL.
THEY, THEY WERE EMPATHETIC TO THE, TO THE, THE REASONS THAT WE WERE BRINGING OUT.
BUT IT WAS, UH, TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS.
SEVERAL LOOKS AT PROJECTS, SEVERAL CASE STUDIES.
NOBODY COULD GET IT TO WORK OUT.
THEN IT, THEN THERE WERE SEVERAL OF US TALKING AMONGST EACH OTHER.
IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO US WHAT HAPPENED.
AND THAT WAS THAT WE THINK THAT THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN
[00:50:01]
PROCESS JUST HAD A CUTOFF DATE BEFORE IT WAS FULLY VETTED.THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS FUNCTIONAL GREEN MAKES EVERYBODY FEEL GOOD.
IT POINTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM ANYBODY.
WE ALL WANT OUR DOWNTOWN TO BE GREENER, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR.
AND YET WE'RE ADDING ONE MORE THING TO THIS COMMISSION.
THAT'S NOT CLEAR, IN MY OPINION, MY SOLE OPINION AS I WRAP UP GREAT STREETS IS NOT CLEAR, FUNCTIONAL GREEN IS NOT CLEAR.
PARKLAND'S NOT FULLY INTEGRATED IN THIS PROCESS FROM A, UH, FINANCIAL STANDPOINT.
AND NOW WE'RE REWRITING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA SHAKE OUT.
I'M NOT GONNA CONCLUDE BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A HUGE PROBLEM THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO DEAL WITH.
BUT I THINK THE AWARENESS OF IT, I HEARD A WORD USED EAR EARLIER, CHANGING GOVERNANCE.
I THINK A GOAL OF THIS COMMISSION WHILE REWRITING THE URBAN DESIGN ON IS MAYBE EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL THAT MAYBE WE CAN BRING SOME OF THESE THINGS TOGETHER.
WAIT, UH, CAN I ASK A FEW MORE QUESTIONS? I, UH, I APPRECIATE THE OVERVIEWS.
THOSE ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WE'RE ALSO JUST DOCUMENTING THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
UM, SO YOU HAD A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE PUBLIC, SOME SPEAK UP NOW, FOLKS.
UM, DO YOU MIND KIND OF TALKING ABOUT YOUR PROCESS? 'CAUSE YOU STARTED, THIS WAS AN UPDATE MM-HMM.
AND, AND, UH, CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON WHERE YOU STARTED WITH THE EXISTING GUIDELINES AND HOW YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU WERE WRITING A DRAFT? WE, WE APPROACHED IT IN A SIMPLISTIC APPROACH.
WE TOOK EACH ITEM ITEM BY ITEM AND READ IT TO THE GROUP AND SAID, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
SO WE GATHERED THE COMMENTS AND THEN I SCRIBED SOME THINGS.
ADRIANA IN OUR OFFICE, SCRIBED SOME THINGS AND SENT IT OUT TO EVERYONE FOR COMMENT.
AND THAT'S THE PROCESS WE FOLLOWED.
UM, SO IT VERY MUCH WAS BASED ON THE EXISTING GUIDELINES, IT SOUNDS LIKE VERY MUCH MM-HMM.
UH, DID YOU USE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE EVALUATOR? NO.
I AM GOING TO REVIEW THE LOG OF WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED AT COMMISSION, AND THEN WE'LL REVIEW ALL OF THE GROUPS, UM, IN A SIMILAR MANNER ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEIR PROCESS WAS, THE VOLUNTEERS, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STAFF FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
ITEM AGENDA, ITEM TWO B, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPOINT A WORKING GROUP TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS UPDATES.
THE URBAN SIGN GUIDELINES, CHAIR CARROLL UPDATES THE COMMISSION BASED ON A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF LIAISONS JORGE RUSLAN AND AARON JENKINS TO CREATE A PLAN TO APPROACH COUNCIL.
THE PLAN SHOULD ADDRESS LACK OF RESOURCES FOR CREATING THE NEW URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THE INTENT IS ON THE WORKING GROUP, IS TO CREATE AN OUTLINE OF A PLAN TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL REQUEST FOR RESOURCES AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
LOOK, UM, HE'S LOOKING FOR COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN THE WORKING GROUP, UM, LOOKING FOR PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS AT A LATER DATE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKING GROUPS, UH, SPECIFICALLY D A A COMMISSIONER MARTHA GONZALEZ.
NOTES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER LIA GARZA, UH, FEELS RESOURCES LIKE MONEY WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
UM, CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT THE PLAN WOULD INDICATE THE NEED FOR CONSULTANTS RESOURCES LATER, AND WHAT THE ASK WOULD BE FOR THIS SPECIFIC FRAMEWORK ON CREATING THE URBAN INSIDE GUIDELINES CHAIR WEAVER? YES.
WHILE WE'RE LISTENING TO THIS LOG, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO SPECIFICALLY BE THINKING ABOUT? OR HOW, HOW, HOW, WHAT'S THE OVERVIEW OF THE LOG? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE AND HOW, JUST SO THAT I CAN KIND OF GET MY BRAIN READY.
SO STAFF CALLED ME LAST WEEK AND SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE, UM, THAT ANYTHING HAD BEEN DISCUSSED ON THE DAIS AND THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND ANY RECORD OF ANY DISCUSSION OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE GUIDELINE UPDATE ON THE DAIS.
SO I'M REVIEWING WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED EVIDENCE ON THAT, ON THE, THAT HAS BEEN OKAY.
AND THAT THIS HAS IN FACT BEEN DISCUSSED ON THE DAIS THAT WE DID WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS, BUT WAS APPROVED BY COUNSEL, SO THAT THE HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK THAT HAS BEEN USED TO CREATE THE FIRST DRAFT CAN CONTINUE.
IN THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[00:55:01]
MARTHA GONZALEZ.NOTES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, OH, I ALREADY READ THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER UCCI VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN, NOTING THAT IT'S HIS 10TH YEAR TO WORK TOWARD THIS EFFORT.
COMMISSIONER COLEMAN NOTES THAT AN INTERIM UPDATE COULD BE APPROPRIATE IN LIGHT OF THE CODE.
NEXT REJECTION CHAIR, CAROL NOTES THAT THE PLAN COULD ACCOUNT OF FOR ANY FUTURE CODE REVISIONS, BUT CAUTIONS AGAINST PUNTING THE PROCESS DOWN THE FIELD.
ONCE THE PLAN PROCESS IS GIVEN, THE GREEN LIGHT CONTENT CAN BE FURTHER CONFIGURED AT THAT TIME BASED ON CODE POLITICS.
COMMISSIONER TUCCI NOTES THAT A BROAD PICTURE CAN START BEING ASSESSED SINCE THE LAST CODE REVISION CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT THE PROCESS SHOULD START AT WHERE THE GUIDELINES ARE, WHAT FUNCTIONS AND WHAT DOES NOT.
AND THEN START THINKING OF CODE REVISIONS.
CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT THE REAL WORK WILL BEGIN, UM, AFTER THE FRAMEWORK IS CREATED, COMMISSIONER ROLLISON VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A WORKING GROUP.
UH, COMMISSIONER MINORS VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKING GROUP.
COMMISSIONER LUKINS VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, ALSO HE ALSO VOLUNTEERED, UH, VICE CHAIR HANNAH ROBLEDO
UH, AARON JENKINS NOTED THAT STAFF WAS ANALYZING THE EXISTING URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES TO SEE WHAT FUNCTIONS AND IS NOT, AND ALSO STARTING CASE STUDIES TO REVIEW BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER CITIES.
THOSE MAY BE SOME NOTES THAT YOU CAN REFERENCE.
UM, JORGE RUSLAN NOTES THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING AND, UM, THIS IS THE BEGINNING.
AND HE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THE WORKING GROUP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT LEVEL OF CHANGE DESIGN COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE UPDATE.
HE NOTES PAVERS ARE NOT A PART OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UM, WHICH WOULD BE A STANDARD, NOT A GUIDELINE.
HE ALSO NOTES THAT THERE IS INFORMATION IN THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE UPDATED.
HE RECOMMENDS REFERENCING THE PAST PILLARS CREATED BY DESIGN COMMISSION IN 2012 AS A POTENTIAL STARTING POINT.
HE NOTES THE AFFORDABILITY COULD BE INCLUDED.
HE ASKED THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER WHAT LEVEL OF UPDATE TO REQUEST IN THE FRAMEWORK.
NEITHER THE STAFF NOR THE COMMISSION GIVE EACH OTHER DIRECTION.
UM, THEY BOTH WORK AT THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL.
HE NOTES A PAST ATTEMPT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL DUE TO BEING A 30 PAGE WISHLIST.
UM, HE NOTES THAT EVENTUALLY THE COMMISSION CAN APPROACH THE CITY MANAGER REGARDING BRINGING SPECIALISTS IF FUNDING IS REQUESTED.
BRIEFING ON THE PROGRESS TO THE UPDATE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES REVIEW, UH, DRAFT THAT AARON JENKINS SENT OUT BASED ON SEVERAL MONTHS OF WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S BACK AT COMMISSION.
UM, DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING CAN INFORM THE WORKING GROUP, HOPING TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S A WORKING GROUP NEXT MONTH.
UM, REPORTS CHAIR CARROLL, UM, CHAIR CARROLL REVIEWS PAGE 11, DOCUMENTING THE PHASES AND THE WORK.
THIS PLAN EXPLAINS THAT THE ASK IS TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE NEED AND THE PROCESS AND HOW LONG THE PROCESS MAY TAKE.
IT COULD BE A YEAR AND A HALF OR MORE TO DO THE WORK.
PHASE ONE IS PREPARATION TO DEFINE CORE VALUES.
CREATE THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN FROM WORKING GROUPS WITH, UH, A SPECIFIC SUBJECT MATTER.
WORKING GROUP MEMBERS SHOULD BE DIVERSE, COMPOSED OF CITY STAFFERS, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE PUBLIC COMMISSIONERS AND SUB SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS SHOULD BE IN THE GROUP TO INFORM THE WORKING GROUPS ON INDIVIDUAL SUBJECT MATTERS.
PHASE TWO IS WHERE THE WORK HAPPENS.
WORKING GROUPS ARE DIVIDED BY CORE VALUES.
UM, WORKING GROUPS AND STAKEHOLDERS ARE DOING THE WORK OF WRITING THE DRAFT.
THEN THE GUIDELINES WOULD BE PRESENTED AT EACH PHASE TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
PHASE THREE IS FINALIZATION ABOUT COMPILING ALL THE WORK INTO A DELIVERABLE WITH ONLINE PRESENCE AND ANOTHER STAKEHOLDER MEETING AND PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD TAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND REVISE THE DOCUMENT AS NEEDED.
THEN WE WOULD START TO ENGAGE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS AS NEEDED, UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE'D COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL WITH THE COMPLETED PRODUCT.
UH, COMMISSIONER TUCCI NOTES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO IS WORKING TO RECALIBRATE THE DENSITY BONUS AND THAT TOVO IS UNAWARE OF THE WORK OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
HE NOTES THAT IF DENSITY BONUS CHANGES THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES RULES COULD CHANGE AS WELL.
CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT WE SHOULD PROCEED AS PLANNED, AND THAT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES COULD INFORM THE FUTURE DENSITY BONUS CHANGES.
COMMISSIONER WATLEY NOTES THAT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES COULD OR SHOULD APPLY TO ALL URBAN AREAS IN AUSTIN.
HE SUGGESTS ARTICULATING THE VALUES OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR GREATER MOMENTUM.
IN COLLABORATION CHAIR, CAROL RESPONDS THAT IT COULD ALSO APPLY TO TOD'S PUDS AND REGIONAL CENTERS.
COMMISSIONER LUKINS NOTES THAT HIS COUNCIL MEMBER IS WAITING ON THE DESIGN COMMISSION FOR SOLVING THE DENSITY, RESOLVING DENSITY THROUGH DESIGN.
UM, COMMISSIONER FRANCO QUESTIONS THE RULES AND ENFORCEMENT.
HE NOTES THAT THE PROCESS IS ADMINISTRATIVE AND APPLICANTS MOVE THROUGH
[01:00:01]
UNSCATHED AFTER LETTERS OF NON-COMPLIANCE.FROM DESIGN COMMISSION CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT THE PLAN DOES NOT PROPOSE CHANGES TO CODE LANGUAGE OR PROCESS CODE.
LANGUAGE SAYS THAT THE PROJECTS MUST SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT IF THE BAR IS RAISED AND THE UPDATE, THEN THE PROJECTS WOULD BE BETTER WITHOUT CHANGING THE LANGUAGE OF THE CODE.
COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI NOTES THAT WE CANNOT GET THE L E D C THROUGH LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE AND ALSO URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, COMMISSIONER FRANCO IS HAPPY TO HELP, BUT WANTS TO SEE MORE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
COMM, UH, COMMISSIONER FRANCO IS WORRIED EFFORTS WILL BE FOR NOTHING AND THAT STAFF WILL NOT SUPPORT OR ENFORCE THE ULTIMATE WORK CHAIR.
CARROLL NOTES THAT THE DENSITY, BONUSES CODE AND URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE NOT CODE.
COMMISSIONER ROLLON NOTES THAT THE MAKING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS USEFUL AND RELEVANT SO THAT PEOPLE OR NOTES THAT IT'S A POWERFUL TO USE, UM, USE AS A GO GOAL MAKING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES RELEVANT SO THAT PEOPLE, DEVELOPERS AND PROFESSIONALS, PROFESSIONALS WANT TO USE IT IN MORE PROJECTS.
COMMISSIONER WATLEY DOESN'T FEEL THAT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE OUTDATED.
FOR EXAMPLE, HE URGES TO STICK TO THE BROAD CONCEPTS AND NOT AWNING DIMENSIONS, WHICH WOULD BE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE.
CAROL NOTES THAT MANY GUIDELINES WILL PUSH THROUGH AND WILL BE UPDATED.
COMMISSIONER ROLLON NOTES THAT THE PROCESS IS EXPANSIVE TO COVER MORE GROUND, AND THAT, UH, THE BABY SHOULDN'T BE THROWN OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
SHE SEEKS TO INCLUDE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY, NOT BE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE.
SHE SEEKS TO RAISE THE BAR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
COMMISSIONER GUCCI NOTES THAT THE GUIDELINES ARE NOT THE 21ST CENTURY AND DO NOT REFLECT ISSUES IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEEKS HUGE PROGRESSIVE CHANGES THAT ARE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
CARROLL NOTES THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION NEXT MONTH IN ORDER TO GET TO CITY COUNCIL, WORKING GROUP AND THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE SUMMER BREAK.
HE NOTES THAT THIS IS JUST THE PLAN AND NOT THE ACTUAL WORK.
HE REQUESTS FEEDBACK FROM COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI NOTES THAT AARON JENKINS AND JORGE RUSLAN PRESENTED HELPFUL MATERIAL AT THE LAST MEETING AND REQUESTS THEIR INPUT.
JORGE RUSLAN REVIEWS THE HISTORY OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN UPDATE AND A REWRITE FOR MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, GUIDELINES.
HE NOTES THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK IS A ROADMAP, AND THAT THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN PAST ATTEMPTS TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
HE SUGGESTS WORKING WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING FOR SUPPORT THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE FROM CITY COUNCIL MAY 24TH, 2021.
ITEM TWO B, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO RE REQUEST AND UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
DRAFT FRAMEWORK WAS POSTED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
UM, COMMISSIONER WATLEY NOTES THAT THE PROCESS IS VALUABLE AND THE GOAL TO RAISE THE BAR.
HE HOPES TO SEE THE OTHER DENSITY BONUS FOLLOW THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS A REQUIREMENT OR A BONUS.
HE NOTES THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT CONSIDERED BUT SHOULD BE.
HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
THE LONGER IT TAKES, THE CHAMPIONS FALL OFF AND ARE NOT THERE TO SUPPORT THE ENDING OF THE PROCESS AND THE PROJECT.
UM, THESE TWO COULD BE COMPRESSED OVERALL.
HE THINKS IT'S A GREAT PROCESS AND WANTS TO KNOW WHEN TO START.
CAROL NOTES THAT PHASE TWO COULD BE SIX TO 12 MONTHS, AND THAT THE PENCIL WILL BE SHARPENED ON THE SCHEDULE AFTER THE PROCESS IS APPROVED.
UM, HE NOTES THAT THERE ARE NO CONSULTANTS IN THE PROJECT, ONLY STAFF TIME, BUT THAT IT'S HARD TO QUANTIFY.
PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL ARE NEXT.
COMMISSIONER OR VICE CHAIR HANNAH ROBLEDO IS CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL CONFLICTS WITH THE NEW LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
COMMISSIONER TANIGUCHI REQUESTS TO MOVE FORWARD AND ALSO REQUESTS MORE COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN THE GREAT EFFORTS JUST SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MINORS.
COMMISSIONER WATLEY NOTES THAT CIVIC ART IS ALREADY IN THE GUIDELINES AND COULD BE PROMOTED MORE.
HE SUGGESTS TRYING TO FOCUS ON A FEW THINGS WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES NOT GOING SO BROAD TO SUBURBAN PURPOSES.
SUGGEST REFERENCING OTHER GUIDELINES FOR BUDGET PURPOSES SUGGESTS, UM, DISCUSSING OTHER BARRIERS LIKE UPDATING GREAT STREETS AND SUB CHAPTER E.
URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES SHOULD STAND ON THEIR OWN.
DESPITE OTHER CODE UPDATES HE SUGGEST INCLUDING OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAN JUST DOWNTOWN GROUPS.
COMMISSIONER LUIN SUGGESTS URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES CAN APPLY TO CORRIDORS CENTERS AND PUDS.
HE'S WORRIED THE BAR WAS SET SO LOW WITH THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE DOESN'T MATTER.
HE SUGGESTS A SEPARATE MATRIX FOR SUBURBAN PROJECTS.
THE INTENT IS TO KEEP THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FLEXIBLE FOR A LARGER POTENTIAL APPLICATION.
THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT CONFLICT WITH OTHER CODES.
CHAIR CARROLL REVIEWS THE PLANNING COMMISSION PRESENTATION AND CITY COUNCIL APPROACH.
COMMISSIONER MINORS POINTS OUT A FEW TYPOS IN THE DRAFT CHAIR.
CARROLL ASKS TO SEND A, ASKS TO, UM, THAT IT BE SENT TO AARON JENKINS, WHO'S THE GATEKEEPER OF THE DOCUMENT AND UPDATING IT.
UM, AND THEN, YEAH, DECEMBER 13TH, 2021.
[01:05:01]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECENT COUNCIL APPROVAL TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, CHAIR, CAROL NOTES A LOT OF TIME IS LOST.HE'S SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO ACT, UH, TO VOLUNTEER IN THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
ITEM TWO B, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECENT COUNCIL APPROVAL TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THE NEED TO PUSH FORWARD.
THE STEERING COMMITTEE WILL OVERSEE THE PROJECT AND IMMEDIATELY START WORKING, BUT WILL BE LIMITED IF FIVE PEOPLE, ALL MEMBERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORKING GROUPS.
JORGE SULA NOTES THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE WOULD ACTUALLY BE A WORKING GROUP.
STAFF CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT ON SPECIFIC ITEMS TO SUPPORT THE UPDATE PROCESS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL NOTES.
GREAT STREETS WILL BE A DIFFERENT PROCESS.
CAITLYN MEYER, A FORMER ADMINISTRATOR OF THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM, DISCUSSES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GREAT STREETS UPDATE VERSUS THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE.
UPDATE THAT THE PROCESSES ARE PARALLEL, BUT GREAT STREETS IS, UH, STAFF PROCESSING UP AND URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS, UH, PROCESSED BY THE COUNCIL DIRECTION.
COMMISSIONER TUCCI ASKED ABOUT THE WORK AND WHERE IT WAS LEFT OFF.
HER ULA NOTES THAT THE NARRATIVE AND HOW THE STORY IS TOLD ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND CIRCLES BACK TO THE FIVE PILLARS ADOPTED IN 2012.
TALKING POINTS, UM, FROM NARRATIVE ALLOW RALLYING AROUND THE GOALS REMINDS COMMISSIONERS TO REFERENCE GUIDELINES AND THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED.
CHAIR CAROL CONFIRMS THE WORKING GROUP STRUCTURE AND SUBJECT MATTER GROUPS.
WORKING GROUP MEMBERS ARE COMMISSIONER MINORS, ROLLISON, TANA GUCCI, AND COLEMAN COMMISSIONER ROLLON NOTES THAT COMMISSIONERS WILL TERM OUT, UM, AND NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN GROUPS SO THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS MAINTAINED.
UM, SHE NOTES THAT THE NARRATIVE IS BAKED AND THE WORK JUST NEEDS TO START.
CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT THE SUBJECT MATTER GROUPS WILL INVOLVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, SO MEMBERS TERMING OUT CAN PARTICIPATE AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COMMISSIONER.
COLEMAN NOTES THAT HOUSTON AND DALLAS HAVE PUB BETTER PUBLIC, UH, IMPROVEMENTS.
SHE NOTES THAT AUSTIN IS BEHIND OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE LARGE COMMITMENTS, BETTER CROSSWALKS, BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE THAN AUSTIN.
NOW SHE ENCOURAGES COMMISSIONERS TO THINK OUTSIDE THE AUSTIN BOX FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS TO HAVE BETTER QUALITY OF PUBLIC SPACES.
SHE SUGGESTS TO QUIT THINKING SMALL AND TO BE AMBITIOUS.
ERIN JENKINS NOTES THAT IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, A GOAL OF STAFF IS TO EXPAND BEYOND THE DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT, AND THAT WE NEED TO TELL THE STORY AT A PEOPLE LEVEL BEYOND JUST A POLICY LEVEL.
ITEM TWO C, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
ON THE RECENT COUNCIL APPROVAL TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, CHAIR CARROLL NOTES THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN MEETING AND THERE'S A DRAFT NARRATIVE, BUT THERE IS, IT'S NOT YET IN A SHAREABLE FORM.
SUBJECT MATTER GROUP WILL START MEETING IN THE SUMMER AND THEN COMMITTEE MEMBER MEMBERS CAN JOIN.
UM, JORGE RUAN ADDED COMMENTS, BUT IT'S NOT DECIPHERABLE FROM THE TELECONFERENCE.
ITEM TWO C, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECENT COUNCIL APPROVAL TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
CHAIR ROLSON NOTES, UH, TO WAIT FOR CHAIR CAROL TO RETURN.
COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI NOTES THAT THE WORKING GROUP WILL HAVE A CALL OUT TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION TO JOIN THE EFFORT.
AND THERE ARE CONTINUED EFFORTS, UH, TO DRAFT THE NARRATIVE WITH STAFF.
ITEM TWO C, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECENT COUNCIL APPROVAL TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI NOTES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE, THAT QUORUM ALLOWS FOR THE GROUP.
UM, SO HE SUGGESTS HAVING TWO DIFFERENT WORKING GROUPS.
JORGE RUSSULA NOTES THAT, UM, TO JUST USE THE EXISTING STRUCTURES AND HAVE SUBGROUPS.
ITEM SEVEN, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING MEMBERSHIP OF WORKING GROUPS TO CRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
PLANNING COMMISSIONERS REQUESTED TO JOIN SUBJECT MATTER GROUPS AND WERE INCLUDED.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT THE BUILDING ADVISORY GROUP STARTED MEETING.
THEY HELD A KICKOFF, UH, MEETING THAT DAY AND OUR MEETING TWICE A MONTH FOR NINE MONTHS, WHICH HIS VOLUNTEER IS ACCEPTED.
ITEM FIVE, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT THE GROUPS ARE ACTIVELY MEETING AND WORKING ON GUIDELINES.
HE WELCOMES ANY COMMISSIONERS NOT INVOLVED TO JOIN GROUPS.
THEY, HIS GROUP MEETS ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY AT NOON AT URBAN FOUNDRY CHAIR WEAVER.
UM, NOTES THAT, UH, THERE WAS AN UPDATE PROVIDED TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, AND I FORWARD FORWARDED DUCKS TO COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI AND COMMISSIONER COLEMAN FOR THEIR GROUPS.
UM, COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI REQUESTED COMMISSIONER ROLLISON TO JOIN HIS GROUP.
HIS INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP HAD NOT SET MEETING YET.
THE URBAN FABRIC IS HALFWAY THROUGH THEIR PROCESS.
[01:10:01]
MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK AT LUNCH.VICE CHAIR MINORS IS A THIRD OF THE WAY THROUGH PUBLIC SPACES, AND THEY MEET EVERY OTHER FRIDAY.
COMMISSIONER COLEMAN STREETSCAPE GROUP HAS NOT STARTED A MEETING.
ITEM SIX, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT THE GROUPS ARE MOVING FORWARD.
HE ASKED THAT COMMISSIONER CAN TUCCI IF THEY'VE STARTED WORKING.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL REQUESTS TO TALK OFFLINE TO ASSIST COMMISSIONER TANANA GUCCI NOTES THAT HIS VOLUNTEER IS READY, BUT THAT HE IS HAD TROUBLE RECRUITING CITY STAFF LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER, AND REPORTS TO BE FAR BEHIND.
COMMISSIONER IS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF, UH, COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI WITH THE HELP OF COMMISSIONER ROLLISON VERY SOUGHT AFTER.
UM, COMMISSIONER CARROLL REPORTS SEVERAL COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS ARE AT WORK.
HE'S HOPEFUL FOR FEEDBACK SOON AND INVITED THEM TO SIT ON HIS SUBJECT MATTER GROUPS.
REQUESTS TO CIRCLE UP WITH STAFF SOON TO SCHEDULE.
UM, COMMISSIONER CARROLL REQUESTS TO CIRCLE UP WITH STAFF SOON TO SCHEDULE A COMMUNITY EVENT AROUND THE FIRST DRAFT.
JORGE RELAND NOTES THAT IF STAFF ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO JORGE OR NICOLE.
ITEM SEVEN, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT HE WANTS TO WORK WITH STAFF ON LEADING A COMMUNITY EVENT THIS SUMMER TO REVIEW THE FIRST DRAFT.
HE WANTS TO MEET, TO DISCUSS DATES AND LOCATION OPTIONS.
NOTES THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER COLEMAN IS STILL LEADING THE LANDSCAPE GROUP.
UH, CHAIR WEAVER NOTES THAT THE DATE WOULD BE A HELPFUL DEADLINE FOR GROUPS.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL EXPLAINS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC EVENT IS TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC.
FOR THE SECOND DRAFT, THE GROUPS WITH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WOULD INCORPORATE, UM, PUBLIC FEEDBACK FOR THE SECOND DRAFT.
THE SECOND DRAFT WOULD THEN CIRCULATE TO THE PUBLIC AGAIN FOR ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
IT WOULD THEN INFORM THE THIRD DRAFT.
THE THIRD DRAFT WOULD THEN CIRCULATE TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WOULD BE REVISED AGAIN AND THEN CIRCULATED TO CITY COUNCIL.
ITEM EIGHT, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL STILL MOVING FORWARD ON DRAFTING, STILL WAITING TO SCHEDULE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH STAFF.
HE WANTS TO TOUCH BASE WITH COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI ON PROGRESS WILL BRING DRAFT TO THE COMMISSION WHEN THE FIRST DRAFT IS READY.
COMMISSIONER TED REQUESTS TO JOIN A GROUP REVIEW, UH, REQUEST TO JOIN A GROUP.
COMMISSIONER O' CARROLL NAMES ALL FIVE GROUPS.
CHAIR WEAVER IMPRESSES THE IMPORTANCE FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN GROUPS.
UH, COMMISSIONER O' CARROLL NOTES THAT IT COULD BE ANOTHER 20 YEARS BEFORE THE DOCUMENT IS UPDATED.
ITEM EIGHT, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT THE GROUPS ARE MOVING FORWARD, HOWEVER, THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP IS CONCERNING.
HE MAKES A PLEA FOR ANYONE WHO IS NOT ON A GROUP TO JOIN AND TO TAKE THE LEAD ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
HE NOTES THAT COUNCIL REQUESTED INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES 10 YEARS AGO.
HE NOTES THAT, UH, HE STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF ON THE COMMUNITY EVENT.
COMMISSIONER UCK IS ALREADY ON A GROUP STREET SCRAPE STREET SCAPE.
UM, I DID NOT FINISH THAT SENTENCE.
UH, CHAIR REQUEST TO ASSIGN STAFF COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT IT'S NOT IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
CHAIR ASKED IF COMMISSIONER CARROLL REACHED OUT TO VOLUNTEER.
JULIA AGA, UM, AND NOTES THAT THE THREE COMMISSIONERS WHO TERMED OUT DID NOT MEET IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP.
COMMISSIONER ROLISON REQUESTS MORE INFORMATION ON THE TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS AT WRITING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT JORGE RUS LAWTON HAS A COPY OF COMMISSIONER STED VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
COMMISSIONER ESON SUGGESTS A TARGETED CALL FOR SPECIALIST CHAIR.
WEAVER ASKED IF, UM, COMMISSIONER CARROLL IS SEEKING A NEW LEAD FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
ITEM SEVEN, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL IS WORKING WITH STAFF TO NAIL ON A TIME AND DATE FOR THE FIRST COMMUNITY EVENT IN AUGUST.
WHILE THE GROUPS ARE FINISHING THE FIRST DRAFT, YOU REQUEST STAFF ASSISTANCE TO PREPARE MATERIAL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER WHIR ASKED IF HIS APPOINTMENT TWO DESIGN COMMISSION VIOLATES QUORUM, BUT THERE'S ONLY TWO MEMBERS ON HIS GROUP IN PUBLIC SPACES, SO IT'S NOT A VIOLATION.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS LAGGING BEHIND.
TWO OF THE THREE MEMBERS HAVE TURNED OUT TERMED OUT.
HE REQUESTS HELP FOR SUBSTATIONS, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES THAT WOULD BENEFIT.
NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR THAT GROUP REQUEST.
SUGGESTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS OR, UM,
[01:15:01]
PUBLIC EVENT WAS POSTED, SUPPOSED TO BE POSTED BY EARLY AUGUST.NOTES THAT GROUPS ARE NOT QUITE FINISHED SUGGESTS MEETING AFTER SUMMER BREAK, BUT AT THE MOST END OF AUGUST, VICE CHAIR MINORS NOTES THAT HIS MEETING IS NOT SCHEDULED, THAT HIS MEETING IS NOT MEETING AT THE REGULAR TIME AND NOTES A FEW DELAYS DUE TO SUMMER SCHEDULES.
HE REPORTS THAT PUBLIC SPACES HAS TWO MORE MEETINGS.
STREET SCAPE IS STILL PROCESSING, HAS BEEN FOLLOWING PUBLIC SPACES, METHODOLOGY, UM, PUBLIC SPACES.
NOTES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH STREET SCAPES, BUT STREETS SCAPES HAVE BURNOUTS.
CHAIR WEAVER ASKED NEW COMMISSIONERS IF THEY'RE IN GROUPS.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD JOIN STREETS SCAPE.
SOPHIA REPORTS TO HAVE A RESERVE SPACE FOR AUGUST 16TH AT AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS AND REQUEST A DRAFT BY JULY 7TH TO ALLOW FOR STAFF PROCESSING SUGGESTS HAVING AN ITERATIVE PROCESS BEFORE THE STAKEHOLDER MEETING SUGGESTS IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDERS.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL NOTES THAT HE'S OUT OF TOWN AND SUGGESTS PUSHING BACK THE PUBLIC MEETING.
SOPHIA REQUESTS PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT DESIGN COMMISSION, WHICH WE ARE DOING NOW.
CHAIR WEAVER NOTES THAT THE NEXT MEETING IS AUGUST 28TH TO REVIEW AS A GROUP BEFORE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT.
UM, CHAIR CAROL, OR FORMER CHAIR CAROL, UH, COMMISSIONER CAROL NOTES, UH, TO MAINTAIN THE SIX WEEK OF PREP DRAFT IS DUE TO STAFF THE THIRD WEEK OF JULY, WHICH WE DID TURN IN.
UM, SO PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED THE PROJECT ON JUNE 8TH, 2021 AS ITEM C ONE.
UM, AND DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT PROCESS? COMMISSIONER CAROL? THE PLANNING COMMISSION? YES.
UH, YEAH, THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE DRAFTING THE PLAN.
UM, IT WENT THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION.
THEY PROVIDED FEEDBACK AND WE UPDATED IT.
UH, I HAD DID A PRESENTATION TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, IT ACTUALLY WENT TO ONE OF THEIR WORKING GROUPS AND THEY PROVIDED FEEDBACK AND, AND WE UPDATED IT ACCORDINGLY, UM, BEFORE IT WENT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN EVEN, UH, COUNCIL HAD A FEW COMMENTS THAT WE ULTIMATELY UPDATED IT BEFORE THEY APPROVED IT.
UM, SO IT WENT TO CITY COUNCIL JULY 29TH, 2021.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE COMMENTS WERE FROM COUNSEL? UH, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY JUST TO ADD, UM, WE HAD LISTED SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WERE GONNA REACH OUT TO, AND THEY WANTED TO ADD A FEW TO THAT LIST.
SO THERE WERE NO OTHER ISSUES WITH THE FRAMEWORK? NOT THAT I RECALL, NO.
SO WE HAD A REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS ON SPEAKUP.
NOW THAT WAS POSTED IN AUGUST, 2022.
DO YOU HAVE THE LIST OF VOLUNTEERS OR DO YOU RECALL HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS SIGNED UP FOR THAT? UM, I DO HAVE THE LIST.
I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME, BUT YES, WE HAVE THE, IT, IT WAS A, THERE WERE SURVEYS THAT THEY HAD TO FILL OUT ON SPEAKUP AND, UM, I HAVE ALL OF THE SURVEYS THAT WERE COMPLETED BOTH FOR, UM, ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS AND FOR THE AMBASSADORS, COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS.
UM, AND, UM, YEAH, THE, THE TURNOUT WASN'T QUITE AS GOOD AS, AS WE HAD HOPED.
SO WE ALSO HAD A MORE, UH, POINTED RECRUITING EFFORT TO SUPPLEMENT THE GROUPS, UM, WITH THE GOAL OF EACH GROUP HAVING, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST AROUND 10 MEMBERS IN EACH GROUP.
AND, UM, DO YOU MIND EXPANDING ON THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR ROLE IN THE PROCESS? SURE.
THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR ROLE, UH, WAS TO TRY TO GET A LITTLE MORE FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY BEFORE THE FIRST DRAFT TO HELP INCORPORATE INTO THE FIRST DRAFT.
UM, WE, WE GOT A VERY POOR RESPONSE WITH THE SPEAKUP.
WE HAD ONE, ONE PERSON SIGN UP, UH, FOR THAT.
AND SO I, UM, ALSO, UM, SORT OF TO SUPPLEMENT THAT, REACHED OUT TO SOME, UH, PEOPLE I KNEW AT UT TO GET SOME STUDENTS INVOLVED.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY ENDED UP WITH ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN, UH, COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS.
UM, THAT SAID, THEY DIDN'T, DIDN'T, UH, PROVIDE A TON OF FEEDBACK.
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WE DID HAVE A LITTLE, BUT NOT AS, AS MUCH AS I WAS IT WAS HOPING FOR.BUT, UM, YEAH, IT WAS JUST, UH, DIFFICULT TO FIND ANYONE THAT, THAT WANTED TO FILL THAT ROLE.
UH, BUT I DO HAVE THAT LIST O OF, OF PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED.
UH, SO DO YOU MIND, YOU'RE THE ARCHITECT OF THE ORIGINAL PROCESS.
DO YOU MIND JUST GIVING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW? UH, SO WE COMPLETED A INITIAL DRAFT.
WE WERE, UM, SO THE PLAN WAS TO SCHEDULE A COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, TO GET MORE PUBLIC FEEDBACK, UM, ON THAT DRAFT.
YOU KNOW, THAT SAID, AS YOU NOTED EARLIER, EVERY GROUP HAD, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN IT.
UM, MY GROUP, WE, WE HAD A, WE HAD 11 MEMBERS THAT SAID ONLY ABOUT NINE, UM, PARTICIPATED IN A, IN A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, AMONG, AMONG THAT, THERE WAS THREE ARCHITECTS, THREE DEVELOPERS, AN URBAN DESIGN CONSULTANT, AN M E P ENGINEER, AND A LAND USE ATTORNEY.
SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO, WHO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WOULD USE THESE GUIDELINES.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO YOUR SPECIFIC GROUP WORK, UM, JUST KIND OF CAPTURING WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
WE WERE PREPARING FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
THERE WAS SOME PUBLIC FEEDBACK WITH THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE GROUP AND THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS.
AND THEN, UM, HOW MANY, HOW MANY DRAFTS IN TOTAL WERE IN THE PROCESS, AND HOW MANY ROUNDS OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK WERE IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN? YEAH.
I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL PLAN IS, IS YOU, UM, MENTIONED IT EARLIER, WAS LOOKING AT THREE DRAFTS, UM, WITH, WELL, TWO DRAFTS AND THEN THE FINAL THAT WOULD GO THROUGH, UH, TO COUNSEL.
UM, SO YEAH, WE, WE'VE JUST COMPLETED THE FIRST DRAFT, THE, AND THE, AND THE FIRST DRAFT IS, WAS REALLY ALL TEXT.
UM, AND SO THE THOUGHT WAS THE SECOND DRAFT WOULD BE COMMU WOULD BE INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, BUT, BUT ALSO THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO LOOK AT THE ILLUSTRATIONS, IMAGES, THINGS THAT WE WANT TO, UH, INCLUDE.
BEFORE WE GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, DO YOU MIND, UH, DISCUSSING THE EVALUATION TOOL AND HOW THAT WAS CREATED AND THE ROLE IT SERVED IN THE PROCESS? YEAH.
SO THE EVALUATION TOOL WAS, UM, SOMETHING I THOUGHT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR THIS PROCESS TO CREATE TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, SORT OF PREDICTABILITY IN THE PROCESS THAT, UM, THE, THE TOOL ITSELF USES THE, UM, IF YOU WANNA USE THE, THE PILLARS WORD, UH, THE PILLARS THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAD COME UP WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE BROKE OUT INTO THESE ADVISORY GROUPS, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD DIRECT THIS EFFORT.
AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT EACH DE, EACH DESIGN GUIDELINE THAT IS PROPOSED WOULD THEN GO THROUGH THIS EVALUATION TOOL TO ENSURE THAT IT HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THESE PRIORITIES THAT ARE LISTED IN THE TOOL.
UH, DO YOU MIND EXPLAINING, UM, HOW PAST MEMBERS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE REWRITE AND, AND WHY YOU'RE THE HOW, HOW THE FRAMEWORK SETS UP THAT YOU'RE THE LEAD OF THIS PROJECT? UM, UH, WELL, I GUESS BECAUSE, UH, IT WAS MY IDEA
I WAS ALSO, UH, CHAIR, UH, FOR MANY YEARS OF THIS COMMISSION AS, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, AND SO I, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO, TO SORT OF LEAD.
BUT AS YOU NOTED, THE, THE STEERING COMMITTEE WAS MADE UP OF FIVE OF US,
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AND THEN EACH ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS LED AN ADVISORY GROUP AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.UM, SO WHILE I WAS STEERING THE SHIP, IT WAS VERY MUCH A, A GROUP EFFORT TO GET THIS DONE.
SO THE PROCESS WAS SET UP TO MAINTAIN INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CREATION OF THE NEW GUIDELINES.
UH, FRANKLY, THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE,
UH, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO A GROUP LEAD REVIEW.
UM, ONE, ONE THING THAT BECAME APPARENT WHEN I WAS REVIEWING THE PAST VIDEOS AND, AND, UM, WITH STAFF LAST WEEK, A REWRITE VERSUS AN UPDATE.
DO YOU, DO YOU WANNA EXPAND ON WHY THIS IS AN UPDATE AND NOT A RE-RATE AND HOW THAT'S, UM, SHAPED THE PROCESS? UM, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THAT'S A SUBJECTIVE, THOSE ARE SUBJECTIVE TERMS. I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE THRESHOLD IS BETWEEN THE TWO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DID, UM, I, I THINK IN EVERY GROUP, I KNOW, CERTAINLY IN SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT I CAN RECALL, AND CERTAINLY IN OUR GROUP, WE DID RETAIN SOME EXISTING GUIDELINES.
UM, UH, BUT WE ADDED NEW ONES AS WELL.
UM, SO YOU STARTED WITH THE BASIS OF THE EXISTING GUIDELINES? YEAH.
DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE WORK OF YOUR GROUP AND YOUR PROCESS? SURE.
UM, I LED THE BUILDINGS GROUP.
UH, AS I SAID, WE ORIGINALLY HAD 11 PEOPLE SIGN UP, UM, BUT ONLY NINE REALLY PARTICIPATED.
ONE OF THE ONES THAT DID NOT REALLY PARTICIPATE WAS, UH, PLANNING COMMISSIONER, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAD EXPRESSED THEY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AS WELL, SO WE REACHED OUT TO THEM.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE COULD DO IS, IS, IS INVITE THEM IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY DON'T SHOW UP, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
UH, SO WE MET, UM, TWICE A MONTH FOR, UH, LET'S SEE, WE STARTED, I WANNA SAY IT WAS LAST OCTOBER, AND WE FINISHED THE END OF JULY, SO ALMOST 10 MONTHS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME BREAKS OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF MEETINGS.
UM, WE, ONCE WE, WE ALSO MET WITH LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY ATTENDED.
UM, ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, WE SET IT UP TO, FOR, LIKE, EACH MEETING WAS CERTAIN SUBJECTS IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, BUT THEN WE STARTED WRITING THE GUIDELINES.
WE DIVIDED EVERYONE UP INTO TEAMS OF TWO.
WE ENDED UP DIVIDING OURS INTO FIVE SECTIONS.
UM, AND WE HAD TEAMS OF TWO DRAFT EACH SECTION.
UM, AND THEN THEY WOULD BRING THEIR SECTION BACK TO THE LARGER GROUP, AND WE WOULD REVIEW AND DISCUSS AND COMMENT AS A GROUP, UM, AND, UH, AND THEN RUN THEM THROUGH THE EVALUATION TOOL.
AND SO, ULTIMATELY, UH, THE GUIDELINES THAT WE ENDED UP WITH WERE WRITTEN BY EVERYONE.
UH, THEY ALL PARTICIPATED, SO.
UM, AND HOW DID YOU FIND THAT EVALUATION TOOL CHANGED YOUR, YOUR GUIDELINES? ACTUALLY, IT, I, I THINK BECAUSE WE WERE SO AWARE OF IT, UM, THEY, MOST OF 'EM SCORED REALLY WELL.
UM, I THINK BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAD THE MINDSET OF THEY NEED TO ALIGN WITH THESE PRIORITIES.
AND SO, UM, I, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OFFHAND THAT SCORED REALLY NEGATIVELY.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE NEUTRAL, UM, BUT MOST OF THEM SCORED VERY, VERY POSITIVELY.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA SAY ABOUT YOUR, YOUR GROUP OR THE PROCESS? UM, NO, OTHER THAN I, I THINK I HAD A, A REALLY GOOD GROUP.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT, IT'S A GROUP OF FOLKS THAT, UM, THAT USE THESE GUIDELINES.
AND SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
THEY WERE, MOST OF 'EM WERE VERY
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FAMILIAR WITH THE GUIDELINES.AND, UM, AND SO YEAH, IT WAS, I MEAN, WE WERE ALL BUSY, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO LIKE, FIND TIMES AT WORK, BUT ONCE WE DID, WE SET REGULAR MEETINGS AND GOT TO KNOCK IT OUT, SO, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER SALINAS WAS, WAS IN THIS GROUP AS WELL.
UM, VICE CHAIR MINORS COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT HE LED THE PUBLIC SPACES GROUP.
UM, HE HAS A FEW ARCHITECTS, UM, COMMISSIONER WHIR, WHO'S NOW ON THE COMMISSION, HAS BEEN VOLUNTEERING IN THIS GROUP IS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
UM, AND SOMEONE WHO'S EMPLOYED AT WATERLOO GREENWAY.
UM, THEY WORKED FOR AN HOUR EVERY OTHER WEEK FROM OCTOBER UNTIL JUNE.
UM, SO LET'S SEE, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
SO FOR A TOTAL OF 16 HOURS, UM, YOUR PROCESS INVOLVED LOOKING AT THE EXISTING GUIDELINES AND CONDUCTING A START, STOP, CONTINUE APPROACH.
UM, AND THEY USE THE NEW SHARED VALUES OF THE EXISTING GUIDELINES WHEN CREATING THE NEW GUIDELINES.
UM, HE HAS HIS NOTES ON HIS COMPUTER, HIS BASE COMPUTER, AND WE'LL EMAIL WHEN HE IS BACK IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT COMMISSIONER TUCCI AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP, NOT REALLY MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YES, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, UH, I, I DO WANNA, UH, POINT OUT, UM, YES.
THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP NEVER, NEVER GAINED ENOUGH MOMENTUM, NEVER HAD ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS.
THE COMMISSIONERS WE HAD ON THE GROUP, UM, CYCLED OFF THE COMMISSION, AND SO THEY DID NOT COMPLETE THEIR WORK.
THAT SAID, UM, WHAT WAS SUBMITTED TO STAFF WAS THE, THE PREVIOUS EFFORT BY THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION THAT HAD INTERIM INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND SUBMITTED THAT.
UM, SO WE CAN DISCUSS AS A GROUP WHETHER WE THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S DATED, UM, VERSUS HAVING NOTHING, BUT JUST WANTED TO.
WHEN WAS THAT DRAFTED? 10 YEARS AGO, PROBABLY.
UM, ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP COMMENTS? OKAY.
UH, MY GROUP WAS URBAN FABRIC.
WE STARTED AS URBAN STRUCTURE.
WE HAD 10 MEMBERS, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
UM, WE HAD A ATTORNEY WHO WORKS ON DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS.
WE HAD SOMEONE FROM WATERLOO GREENWAY, WE HAD A STAFFER FROM PARD.
UM, WE HAD SOMEONE FROM D A A, WE HAD A CIVIL ENGINEER, A PLANNER, AND OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER.
SO WE HAD TWO STAFFERS IN MY GROUP.
UM, WE STARTED OUT AS URBAN STRUCTURE AND BECAME URBAN FABRIC.
OURS WAS A NEW GROUP, SO OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS DEFINING
UM, SO WE STARTED BY REALLY LOOKING AT, UM, LET'S SEE.
WE WERE MEETING EVERY OTHER WEEK, AND THEN WE JUST OPTED TO MEET ONCE A MONTH AND HAVE LONGER MEETINGS.
THAT WAY WE WOULD HAVE MORE PRODUCTIVE TIME TOGETHER.
UM, YEAH, AND I, SO WE STARTED BY REVIEWING KIND OF EXISTING POLICIES WHERE WE FELT, UM, DOWNTOWN COULD BE BETTER.
UM, WE REVIEWED THE EXISTING GUIDELINES.
WE REVIEWED GUIDELINES FOR OTHER CITIES THAT HAD URBAN STRUCTURE OR URBAN FABRIC GUIDELINES.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE CREATED A NEW DEFINITION, WHICH CHANGED A LOT OF TIMES.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ULTIMATELY WE STARTED DRAFTING OUR OWN, WHEN WE SENT OURS TO THE, UM, EVALUATION TOOL, WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THE, I WAS AWARE OF THE EVALUATION TOOL, I FORGOT ABOUT THE EVALUATION TOOL.
AND, UM, IT DID HELP SOME OF OUR, SOME OF OUR GUIDELINES, SOME OF THEM WERE NEUTRAL.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT WAS OVERALL VERY HELPFUL.
AND I THINK OUR GROUP WAS VERY PROUD OF OUR ULTIMATE PRODUCTS.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF HIGH FIVES AT THE END.
IT FELT LIKE VERY COLLABORATIVE.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE SAID IT WAS THE FAVORITE THING AT WORK THAT THEY HAD DONE IN YEARS.
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UM, BECAUSE IT WAS, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE FELT STUCK WITH AN IDEA, SOMEONE ELSE WOULD LIFT IT UP AND TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP.AND IT FELT MORE LIKE CHARADE, A POSITIVE FORM OF CHARADES, BUT WITH REALLY HIGH IDEAS ON POLICY.
SO WE JUST, WE, WE WERE VERY PROUD OF THE PRODUCT.
UM, WE, I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT, THERE'S A FEW ARTICLES IN THE PRESS.
AUSTIN MONITOR COVERED, UH, THE DESIGN COMMISSION WORKING GROUPS STARTING TO REVISE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
IN SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2020, A B J AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL COVERED THE UPDATE, UM, AND THAT IT WAS INCORPORATING IDEAS LIKE COMMUNITY GOALS LIKE AFFORDABILITY.
AND MOST RECENTLY I WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR TEXAS ARCHITECT MAGAZINE CALLED CIVIL CIVILITY AND ARCHITECTURE, WHICH CAME OUT IN JULY THAT TALKED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND OUR, OUR PROCESS IN DEFINING URBAN FABRIC FOR AUSTIN.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO STAFF, I DO FEEL LIKE WE FOLLOWED THE INTENTION OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
I WOULD ASK FOR STAFF TO RESCHEDULE OUR PUBLIC INPUT MEETING THAT WAS CANCELED SEPTEMBER 28TH.
UM, I AM MEETING WITH THE PLANNING DIRECTOR TO DISCUSS THIS.
UM, COMMISSIONER CAROL, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME, I'D BE HAPPY FOR THAT.
AND, UM, YEAH, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH STAFF ON MOVING THIS PROCESS, WHICH HAS BEEN LENGTHY TO THE NEXT STEPS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE, UM, AND, UH, A LOT OF GOOD EFFORTS THAT THAT HAVE BEEN SPENT.
SOPHIA, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR, YOUR ITEM? YES.
UM, I REALLY WANTED TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA IN HOPES OF GETTING SOME DISCUSSION AMONG COMMISSIONERS.
UM, THIS PROCESS AS CHAIR WEAVER AS NOTED, HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF Y'ALL WERE INVOLVED IN IT BEFORE YOU WERE COMMISSIONERS.
'CAUSE OF COURSE WE'VE HAD THE RECENT CHANGE, RIGHT? BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF Y'ALL WERE INVOLVED IN WORKING GROUPS ALREADY, AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE.
AND I WAS ALSO HOPING THAT EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW ALL THE WORK, UM, ALL THE DRAFT SECTIONS THAT WERE SENT OUT AHEAD OF THIS.
AND WE'VE ALREADY HEARD SOME UPDATES FROM WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
UM, I'M STILL, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS SINCE A LOT OF THIS WORK HAS HAPPENED, LIKE IN THESE SPACES, IN THESE WORKING GROUP SPACES, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A GREAT WAY TO GET A LOT OF THIS WORK DONE.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE, HOW DID YOU APPROACH IT? AND, UM, I MEAN, A LOT OF THESE DETAILS CAN BE WORKED OUT VIA EMAIL
THIS, THIS, I WANTED THIS AGENDA ITEM REALLY TO BE FOR DISCUSSION AMONG Y'ALL.
UM, I KNOW WE ONLY GET TO MEET MONTHLY AND WE CAN'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF DIALOGUE VIA EMAIL.
AND SO THAT IS THE POINT OF THIS DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND FOR ME ON THE STAFF SIDE, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT KIND OF SPACE TO GET THAT HOLISTIC AND SPECIFIC OVERVIEW FROM ALL THE WORKING GROUPS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH EVERY WORKING GROUP GOT TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS THE PRODUCT OF, UM, IF ANYONE GOT TO EDIT ALL THE SECTIONS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, OR IF THIS IS REALLY A GOOD SPACE HERE TO START KIND OF LOOKING INTO THAT AND GIVING IT A MORE CRITICAL EYE.
BUT SOME, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED CHAIR WEAVER HAS ALREADY KIND OF GONE INTO THEM, JUST LIKE, WHAT WAS THE PROCESS BEHIND THE, UM, THE, THE UPDATE FOR THE SECTIONS? LIKE WHAT WAS COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS WERE MENTIONED, SO LIKE, WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND UM, LIKE WHO ARE THEY? AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WORK DID THEY DO? AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE SECTIONS, LIKE WHAT WERE THE MAIN ISSUES IN THE CURRENT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT YOU WERE HOPING TO SOLVE? AND, AND WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? LIKE
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WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WERE THE KIND OF VICTORIES? UM, SO JUST, JUST LIKE A DISCUSSION BASED, ANYTHING AGAIN, SPECIFIC CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF VIA EMAIL, BUT JUST TRYING TO GET THAT DISCUSSION GOING.UM, IF I WORKING GROUP LEADERS WANNA SPEAK TO THAT.
AND JUST A REMINDER, I'LL CONVERSATION GOES TO AS CHAIR.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO SET THE FORUM FOR THAT AND, AND CHAIR WEAVER, YOU CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM HERE.
UH, TWO, TWO COMMENTS TO THAT.
UH, AS FAR AS THE, THE SPEAK UP PAGE, I MEAN, WE WORKED WITH STAFF FOR QUITE A WHILE ON THAT.
I MEAN, THAT STAFF DROVE THAT.
THEY CREATED THE SURVEYS FOR THE AMBASSADORS.
UM, I MEAN WE, WE WORKED WITH THEM, BUT THEY CONTROLLED ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED ON THE STAFF SIDE.
UH, ONE THING I, THAT MAYBE WAS NOT MENTIONED IS ONCE WE, UH, DIVIDED INTO THESE WORKING, THESE ADVISORY GROUPS, UM, THE STEERING COMMITTEE CONTINUED TO MEET.
AND SO IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LEADERS OF EACH OF THESE GROUPS.
WE'D COME TOGETHER AND SAY, WHAT'S WORKING WITH YOUR GROUP? WHAT'S NOT WORKING WITH YOUR GROUP? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE UPDATES? AND SO WE WERE, WE WERE STILL COLLABORATING IN, IN THAT WAY THAT, THAT I THOUGHT WAS HELPFUL TOO.
UM, IT WASN'T THAT WE WERE ALL NECESSARILY IN THESE BUBBLES DOING OUR OWN THING.
UH, UH, CORRECTION, I THINK WE WERE MEETING EVERY OTHER WEEK ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS QUITE A BIT OF CROSS MEETING.
I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, UM, OKAY.
COMMISSIONER ROLLON, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK IF YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW WAY BACK.
WE CREATED, UM, OVER MONTHS OF MEETING VIRTUALLY DURING, YOU KNOW, THOSE DAYS.
UM, WE, UH, HAD THIS MIRROR BOARD WHERE WE WENT THROUGH, PROBABLY JORGE CAN REMIND, REMIND ME AS WELL, BUT LIKE MAYBE 10 OR SO QUESTIONS, LIKE, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? WHAT ARE THE CURRENT CHALLENGES? WHAT ARE THE GAPS? WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE THE GOALS? WHY ARE WE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AFTER ANSWERING ALL THOSE QUESTIONS COLLECTIVELY, WE, THAT'S WHAT DROVE OUR PROCESS AND THE PLAN THAT WE CAME UP WITH.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY HELPFUL, THAT MIRO BOARD IS A REALLY HELPFUL DUMPING GROUND OF A TON OF THOUGHT.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE A GOOD LITTLE DOCUMENT IN A SENSE OF A LOT OF CONVERSATION.
SO IF ANYONE'S LOOKING TO KIND OF JUST SEE WHY THIS WAS ALL HAPPENING, THAT COULD BE GOOD TO REVIEW.
AND CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? DID, WAS THIS MIRROR BOARD, DID THAT INFORM THE DRAFT UPDATE FRAMEWORK? YES.
SO, UM, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WANNA CHIME IN ON THE PROCESS OR ANY OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE? UH, FORMER COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, THANK YOU.
AGAIN, I AM FORMER COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
I THINK A QUESTION I HAVE FOR, FOR YOU GUYS, UH, FOR STAFF IS, ARE THERE SPECIFIC CONCERNS YOU HAVE? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO VET OUT HOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS WHERE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE OR HAVE YOU SEEN THINGS OR READ THINGS THAT CONCERN YOU THAT POINT TOWARD LACK OF PROCESS OR CONTENT CHAIR, IF I MAY? YES.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE OF CONCERN.
I AM RELATIVELY NEW TO THIS BODY AND I AM JUST HOPING TO CREATE A FORM FOR DISCUSSION ON THE DAIS AND HOPING TO BRING IN ALL THE WORK THAT THE WORKING GROUPS HAVE DONE, WHICH HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, NOT ON PUBLIC RECORD.
AND OF COURSE THERE'S NO MEETING NOTES.
STAFF DON'T ATTEND THOSE AND THEY'RE NOT ON, THEY'RE NOT RECORDING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO HELP BRING TO LIGHT ALL THE WORK THAT THE WORKING GROUPS HAVE DONE, UM, AND HOPEFULLY HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THE DIET.
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S, I KNOW IT'S LATE, I DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT YOU, BUT IS THAT, I GUESS, TAG ON, IS THAT, IS THIS BECAUSE STAFF WANTS TO HAVE LIKE A LAST DRAFT YOURSELF THAT YOU PLAN ON TAKING WHAT'S BEEN DONE AND POLISHING IT YOURSELVES WITH THE HELP FROM, I GUESS, CURIOUS WHAT THE PROCESS FOR Y'ALL LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD TO PERMISSION? YEAH.
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UM, SO I WILL SAY ONE THING THAT I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND HERE IS THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN SECTION.SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT DONE WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS, UM, THROUGHOUT THESE DIFFERENT STAGES.
THERE, THERE IS AN EXPLICIT CALL FOR AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN TO BE DONE.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED COLLABORATIVELY.
UM, AND SO I, I CERTAINLY HAVE SOME IDEAS, YOU KNOW, AROUND THAT RANGING FROM IDEAS HOW IT COULD HAPPEN.
LIKE WE COULD CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO CREATE THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN AND STAFF CAN ATTEND THAT.
UM, WHEN I SAY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, AND I, I'M CONSTANTLY GOING BACK TO THE LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION.
SO WE'VE GOT THE GUIDING RESOLUTION FROM 2021.
IT DOES CALL FOR ROBUST, UM, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO, AND THEN THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK CALLS FOR A, UH, ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
AND I DID HAVE MEETINGS WITH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND THEY GAVE ME A LOT OF TIPS ON, OKAY, WELL WHAT DOES ROBUST ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE? AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO, TO START ASKING? UM, AND SO ANYWHERE FROM IDENTIFYING THE STAKEHOLDERS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF INPUT STAKEHOLDERS WILL HAVE, UM, WHAT, HOW MANY MEETINGS DO WE WANNA HAVE? HOW FAR SPACED APART? LIKE WHAT TOOLS DO WE WANNA HAVE? DO WE WANNA HAVE A SURVEY? DO WE WANNA BRING IN THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AGAIN, LIKE ANYTHING, ALL, ALL OF THAT, RIGHT? ALL OF THAT KIND OF NEEDS TO BE, UM, FLESHED OUT AND, AND CERTAINLY DOCUMENTED.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT IS SOMETHING FOR ME THAT I THINK NEEDS CLARITY AND NEEDS WORK AND MYSELF AND OTHER STAFF ARE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON THAT.
AND THEN TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS FROM HERE AND LIKE WHETHER STAFF KIND OF CREATES THEIR OWN DRAFT.
SO STAFF IS DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE A, BASICALLY LIKE A STAFF REPORT.
I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THOSE BEFORE.
AND I BELIEVE THE PROCESS IS TO GO TO VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WILL INCLUDE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE GETTING TO COUNCIL.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE THE BODY OF WORK THAT THE COMMISSION PUTS TOGETHER.
THERE'S GONNA BE A STAFF REPORT, AND THEN Y'ALL PROBABLY ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE DANCE OF GOING AROUND ALL THE MANY COMMISSIONS BEFORE GETTING TO COUNCIL.
UM, I WILL NOTE THAT WHILE I RECEIVED IN A GREAT AMOUNT OF WORK, IT WASN'T A FULL DRAFT, RIGHT? LIKE WE'RE MISSING THE NARRATIVE AND THE SHARED VALUES OR WHATEVER THAT, UM, WHATEVER THOSE SECTIONS ARE INTENDED TO BE, WE GOT LIKE THE, THE, THE MEAT OF THE WORK OF, OF THE SECTIONS.
BUT WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE A FULL DRAFT PUT TOGETHER YET.
WHEN YOU SPEAK OF ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, IS THAT BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GO BACK IN THE PROCESS TO HAVE A ROBUST ENGAGEMENT TO KIND OF REINFORM THE DRAFT AS IT IS? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT TAKES THE DRAFT AND MOVES IT FORWARD? TO ME, I SEE THE DRAFT.
IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SEPARATE, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, IT CAN BE CONCURRENT IS WHAT I WANNA SAY.
SO I, THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR DISCUSSION HERE AS FAR AS HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH THOSE MEETINGS.
AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR ALL OF STAFF AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE COMMISSION, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHO DO, WHO ARE, WHO DO WE WANT TO TALK TO AND WHAT DO WE WANNA ASK THEM THAT IS A LITTLE BIT SEPARATE FROM THE DRAFT ITSELF, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO KNOW, ARE WE ASKING COMPLETELY OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS? ARE THEY GONNA BE ABLE TO GIVE INPUT THAT WILL ULTIMATELY CREATE A GUIDELINE? OR ARE WE, AND I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, LARGELY DISCUSSED BY COMMISSIONER CARROLL, ARE WE GOING TO PRESENT A PRETTY WELL FORMULATED DRAFT OF THE GUIDELINES AND SAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE GUIDELINES WHEN WE DO THAT THOUGH? WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF INPUT THAT WE'RE INVITING? WHAT IF THEY DON'T LIKE ANY OF THE GUIDELINES? ARE WE GOING TO THEN ARE, YOU KNOW, IS THE COMMISSION GOING TO GO BACK AND REWRITE ALL OF THEM? SO WHAT, HOW DO YOU WANT TO FRAME THAT KIND OF INPUT? AND I CAN SEE THEM VERY MUCH GOING CONCURRENTLY.
SO CONTINUING TO WORK ON THIS PROCESS OF THE DRAFT.
AND AGAIN, I THINK CREATING THE PLAN IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HONING IN ON THOSE QUESTIONS.
[01:50:01]
THIS, I MEAN, I THINK WHEN YOU READ IT EARLIER, YOU SAID IT WAS MARCH THAT I BROUGHT UP THE COMMUNITY MEETING.I MEAN, THIS IS WHY THIS IS TO TO PLAN.
IT MEANS PLANNING HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT UP SIX MONTHS AGO.
AND NOW WE'RE SIX MONTHS LATER AND WE'RE NOWHERE.
AND SO I, I REALLY WANT A COMMITMENT FROM STAFF TO WORK WITH US TO DO THIS AND DO THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE THIS PROCESS IS TAKING WAY TOO LONG.
IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN SIX MONTHS TO GET TO THE POINT OF SCHEDULING A MEETING AND HAVING IT SCHEDULED, SCHEDULING A MEETING AND HAVING IT CANCELED.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENED.
UM, COMMISSIONER O' CARROLL HAS BEEN REQUESTING TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC MEETING SINCE MARCH, WHICH WE COVERED WHEN WE REVIEWED THE MEETING NOTES.
UM, WE DID HAVE A, A MEETING SCHEDULED FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO REVIEW THE FIRST DRAFT, ONE OF THREE DRAFTS, WHICH IS NOT THE ONLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING.
IT WAS ONE OF ONE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING.
AND THAT MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELED BY STAFF DUE TO LACK OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
CHAIR ROLLON OR COMMISSIONER ROLLISON.
AND UM, I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, WE HAD A WORKING GROUP, WELL STEERING COMMITTEE GROUP CALL WITH STAFF, SOMEBODY FROM THAT, THEIR EXPERTISE IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO TRY TO CREATE AN ENG ENGAGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULTING DOCUMENT WAS FROM THAT CONVERSATION, BUT IT WAS MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, I THINK.
UM, AND I THINK WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND ALSO POTENTIALLY AREN'T EXPERTS IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DUNNO HOW TO CREATE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT A EXPERT IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THINKS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO THEN THERE'S LIKE THIS FRUSTRATION THAT WE SPEND ALL THIS TIME TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE AND THEN IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE OR IT'S NOT INCLUSIVE ENOUGH, OR IT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE INVOLVED OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN IT, PEOPLE JUST GET BURNT OUT AND FALL OFF THE, OFF THE, YOU KNOW, THE PATH OR WHATEVER.
SO I THINK WHAT, WHAT YOU, WHAT WE'RE PROBABLY ALL HEARING AND FEELING IS A GREAT DESIRE TO JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR HELP, ESPECIALLY SOMEBODY WHO CAN PROVIDE THAT GUIDELINE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
'CAUSE I THINK IN THE PAST IT WAS THAT SPEAK UP AUSTIN THING, WE HAD ONE PERSON COME OUT OF THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S MY, AND I MEAN, I, I STARTED OUT ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND LIFE HAPPENED.
I, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GROWING FAMILY AND FELL OFF THE TRACKS.
SO
TO CLARIFY, WE HAD ONE COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR VOLUNTEER.
WE HAD MORE VOLUNTEERS AS GROUP MEMBERS.
UM, BUT WE WE DID HAVE MORE THAN ONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY I WANNA ADD TOO THAT I THINK, SOPHIE, IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THERE'S A FEAR THAT BY PRESENTING THE DRAFT TO PEOPLE AND ASKING FOR COMMENTS AND SAYING LIKE, WE'RE COOKED RIGHT, DINNER'S READY, WE'RE GONNA SEE IF MAYBE YOU LIKE IT AND IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA ADD SOME SALT AND COME BACK.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
AND I THINK IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON WHAT APPEARS TO ME TO BE A KIND OF TECHNICAL DOCUMENT, UM, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF CUMULATIVE TECH TECHNICAL EXPERTISE WORKED ON, UM, BECAUSE THEY IMPLEMENT THE GUIDELINES A LOT AND WE, WE REVIEW THEM EVERY MEETING, I THINK COMING AND ASKING FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON SOMETHING TENDS TO SPUR OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT.
SO WE'RE NOT, I DON'T THINK THE HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOW UP AND PEOPLE SAY, YEAH, IT LOOKS GREAT, GO, GO FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE COMMENTS.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH CERTAIN THINGS OR THAT THEY DO.
AND THAT IT MAY HELP SPUR OTHER CONVERSATIONS AND OTHER GUIDELINES TO BE ADDED OR MODIFIED.
I DON'T THINK SHOWING UP TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND SAYING, WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE? I THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SIT THERE AND BLINK AT YOU RATHER THAN, I MEAN, WHEN WE SHOW UP TO DO PUBLIC PROCESS FOR SCHOOLS, WE WORK ON A LOT OF SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THE ARCHITECTURE
[01:55:01]
AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE TEAMS DON'T JUST SHOW UP AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT YOUR SCHOOL TO LOOK LIKE? WE COME WITH IMAGES AND PAST SCHOOLS AND PAST, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE COLLECTED THAT LOOK DIFFERENT JUST LIKE THESE GUIDELINES DO AND ASK FOR FEEDBACK ON THOSE IDEAS THAT WE WERE, WE'RE TRENDING TOWARDS.SO, UM, I THINK THE PATH THAT WE'RE ON IS NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN COME TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT AS A VERY QUITE LARGE COLLECTIVE GROUP WE'VE COME UP WITH AND NOW WE'RE READY TO GET INPUT ON IT SO WE CAN COME BACK AND MAYBE REMAKE A FEW SIDE DISHES AND, YOU KNOW, REVAMP OUR DESSERT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, FORMER COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
I'LL MAKE ONE WRAP UP COMMENT AND THEN EXIT.
UM, BUILDING UPON WHAT MARISSA IS SAYING, THIS IS NO ZILKER PARK WHERE THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS IT, THEY LOVE IT, IT'S EMOTIONAL, UH, AND WE HAVE A MIXTURE OF PEOPLE, EVERYBODY THAT JUST CARE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE PART PLANNERS AND TECHNICAL EXPERTS.
I THINK MY PERSONAL OPINION, THAT'S WHY I ASKED, IS THIS A MOVING FORWARD ENGAGEMENT OR IS THIS A START OVER ENGAGEMENT? I THINK THAT'S MY CONCERN, MY PERSONAL CONCERN, I THINK WHEN I GAVE MY WHOLE DIALOGUE ABOUT FUNCTIONAL GREEN, GREAT STREETS, PARKS, ALL TREE PRESERVATION, TREE PLANTING DETAILS, LET'S FACE IT, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK MY PERSONAL OPINION THAT THE MORE EXPERTS WE CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE GUIDELINES, THE IMPLEMENTERS, THE KNOWLEDGEABLE ONES, THE THE ONES THAT TEACH IT AT UT, THE ONES THAT TEACH IT AT A AND M.
IF WE COULD GET EXPERTS TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AND LOOK AT THE INHERENT CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITHIN WITH, LIKE I MENTIONED CODES AND THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE ALL OUT THERE THAT INFLUENCE EVERY LITTLE DECISION THAT DEVELOPERS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURES FACE.
I'M JUST GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE.
I THINK THAT'S THE BEST PART OF OUR ENERGY.
I'M NOT SAYING EXCLUDE PEOPLE.
IF YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE OFF THE STREET THAT REALLY WANT TO COME, BUT FOCUSING ON THOSE THAT ARE EXPOSED TO THIS ON A PROFESSIONAL OR RECEIVE IT LIKE A DEVELOPER, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR EFFORTS.
YEAH, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP ON EVERYTHING.
SO, AND I, I, I NEED TO FIGURE OUT, SO THE INTENT HERE IS TO GO BACK OUT OR TO GO BACK OUT TO, TO DO ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT DURING THE PROCESS.
I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU ALL, IS THERE A RUN A SHOW THAT'S BEEN PREPARED, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA PRESENT TO THE COMMUNITY OR THESE STAKEHOLDERS, HOW YOU'RE GONNA PORTRAY? 'CAUSE I'M READING THROUGH SOME OF THESE DOCUMENTS AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO HOW DO WE ACTUALLY GET FEEDBACK ON THAT WITHIN AN OPEN HOUSE FORMAT, IF THAT'S THE INTENT? UM, IS THERE A, THIS IS WHAT IT WAS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING, HERE ARE THE CHALLENGES WITHIN EACH AREA, AND I, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
I THINK WE HAVE TO GET OUT THERE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S A RUN OF SHOW.
I KNOW Y'ALL ARE DOING A THOUSAND OTHER THINGS.
SO COMMISSIONER CARROLL, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THIS? THE THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING FROM STAFF IS TO HELP SCHEDULE, FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS, HOW DO WE PRESENT IT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND I THINK THE WAY THE EVENT WAS PLANNED OR DISCUSSED, IT WAS FIVE TABLES FOR EACH OF THE GROUPS.
UM, AND IT WAS, YEAH, WE, WE ROUGHLY TALKED ABOUT, YEAH, MAYBE IT'S DIVIDED UP INTO EACH OF THESE FIVE SECTIONS, BUILDINGS, STREET SCAPE, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IF IT'S PRINTED BOARDS, IF IT, I, I DON'T KNOW.
WE NEVER GOT THAT FAR, BUT THAT THEN PEOPLE COULD GO AROUND TO EACH AREA THEY'RE INTERESTED IN AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THOSE GROUPS, UM, RATHER THAN JUST MAYBE STADIUM SEATING WHERE THEY'RE KIND OF SHOUTING THE MORE INTERACTIVE, RIGHT, WITH THE PEOPLE, MORE PERSONAL WHERE THEY CAN TALK TO PEOPLE AND ANSWER, THEY'VE GOT QUESTIONS, THEY CAN TALK ONE-ON-ONE MM-HMM.
BUT, BUT YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE FIGURED OUT TO, TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
COMMISSIONER SALINAS, SO IS THE ISSUE, THE GRAY AREA IN BETWEEN WHERE WE HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS AND I FEEL THE HESITATION ON STAFF TO PROMOTE IT.
YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE WE ARE SHOWING THE WHAT'S IN THE DOCUMENTS VISUALLY OR THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT IT'S GONNA SEE READ TOO TECHNICAL THAT IT'S NOT READY TO BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIGURING OUT HERE.
UM, BUT YEAH, I WOULD JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I, I AGREE WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT'S
[02:00:01]
GONE INTO IT AND KEEPING, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED, YOU KNOW, FOR AS LONG AS WE HAVE TO, TO BE PART OF IT.UM, I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT JUST KIND OF STOP HERE.
SO FOR ME IT'S LIKE, HOW DO WE MOVE TO THAT NEXT STEP? AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO IT TOGETHER.
SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE ON, ON THAT DISPLAY.
UM, I THINK AS FAR AS ENGAGEMENT IN ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS CONCERNED, I, I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND I'VE BEEN, UM, IN DIALOGUE WITH COMMISSIONER CARROLL, BUT I THINK WE NEED, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO KIND OF GET ON BOARD AND HELP ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, BUT LIKE SOME OF THE, THE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT WERE POSED JUST NOW ARE SOME OF THE SAME KIND OF QUESTIONS I WAS ASKING ACTUALLY, JUST LIKE, ABOUT RUN OF SHOW AND IS ANYONE GOING TO PLAN A PRESENTATION? UM, BUT AGAIN, REALLY BACKING UP HERE, LIKE WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS? I HAVE HEARD, UM, I HAVE HEARD COMMISSIONERS MENTION THAT THE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO THE COMMUNITY IS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THE OBJECTIVES OF THE MEETING IN A SPECIFIC WAY.
SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TALKING IN TERMS OF RUN OF SHOW WOULD BE HELPFUL AS FAR AS JUST INSTEAD OF TALKING MAYBE A LITTLE BIT TOO PHILOSOPHICAL OR A LITTLE TOO COMMUNICATION, TEAM JARGON, JUST LIKE REALLY GETTING INTO WHAT IS THIS MEETING GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHO'S GONNA BE THERE? UM, COMMISSIONER CAROL.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN, IT VERY SPECIFICALLY LISTS THE STAKEHOLDERS.
IT, IT LISTS 20 ORGANIZATIONS AND INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, D A A, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC IN THAT PLAN WHO THIS IS INTENDED FOR, WHO'S GONNA PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
OBVIOUSLY WE'D OPEN IT UP TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ANYBODY CAN SHOW UP.
BUT AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, THIS IS GONNA BE OVER A LOT OF PEOPLE'S HEADS, BUT THESE OTHER GROUPS HAVE INVESTED INTEREST AND THAT'S WHO WE AGREED WITH.
COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WE WOULD INVITE, UH, TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, YOU ADDED SOME GROUPS TO THE LIST BASED ON COUNCIL FEEDBACK.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED.
IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A WANT FROM STAFF TO, TO PUT A STICK IN IN THE WHEEL AND, AND STOP THE PROGRESS BECAUSE IT IS VERY CLEARLY LISTED.
I'VE SEEN THE EMAILS GO BACK AND FORTH.
DAVID'S POINTED THIS OUT TO YOU BEFORE.
I I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED.
SO TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS, 'CAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST LIKE TOSSING THE BALL ACROSS THE TABLE IS DO WE NEED TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO FINALIZE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS? AND CAN WE NOT MODEL THIS AFTER I ATTENDED SOMETHING EXACTLY LIKE THIS WHEN WE WERE DOING CODE NEXT? EXACTLY.
IT WAS SET UP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF CITY HALL.
THERE WAS STAFF REPRESENTATION AT EVERY SINGLE TABLE TALKING ABOUT THE VARIOUS SECTIONS.
THERE WAS BIG POSTER BOARDS, EVERYWHERE OF DIAGRAMS. THERE WAS BIG STICKY, GIANT STICKY NOTE THINGS WHERE YOU COULD WRITE YOUR FEEDBACK COMPLETELY ANONYMOUSLY.
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I, I THINK ELEANOR MC KITTY INVITED ME.
AND SO IT WAS JUST LIKE A GIANT FREE FOR ALL
SO CAN WE CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO FINALIZE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, SCHEDULE AN EVENT, AND MOVE FORWARD? I I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.
UM, THE EXISTING FRAMEWORK HAS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE PLAN.
UM, I HESITATE TO DO ANOTHER WORKING GROUP THAT HAS TO COME BACK TO COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT THEIR FINDINGS.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONNA ADD A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF TIME.
AND THE MORE TIME WE ADD TO THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS IN EACH ONE OF THESE DRAFTING GROUPS.
IF, YOU KNOW, WE WAIT THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, OUR VOLUNTEERS FALL OFF AND THEN THE SAME GROUP CANNOT COME BACK AND REVISE THE DRAFT THAT THEY WROTE BECAUSE LIFE HAPPENS.
UM, SO I JUST, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO HONOR THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
AND WE'VE REQUESTED THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SINCE MARCH, IT'S SEPTEMBER NOW, UM, THAT, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[02:05:01]
FEEL LIKE THERE'S A REAL DANGER HERE.UM, SO COMMISSIONER CARROLL, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT EXISTS, UM, THAT IS MADE UP OF THE LEADERS OF EACH GROUP.
AND SO MAYBE THAT'S, THAT'S THE PATH FORWARD HERE THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE NEEDS TO MEET WITH STAFF AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS EVENT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THE ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I HAVEN'T GIVEN YOU THE FLOOR YET.
I WANNA EXPAND ON A FEW MORE THINGS.
UH, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT LOSING TIME? UM, I MEAN, DO IT QUICKLY.
LIKE, LET'S MEET NEXT WEEK AND WITH STAFF AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE AND FIGURE OUT, UM, THE LOGISTICS OF THE EVENT.
AND I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER.
WE MAY BE LOOKING AT OCTOBER, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN 2024 AT THIS POINT.
I FEEL LIKE MOST OF THE COMMENTS REQUESTED BY STAFF ARE IN EXISTING INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS, OR WERE COVERED ALREADY BY ESSENTIALLY REVIEWING ALL OF THE NOTES.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT ALL OF THE GROUPS THAT MET, IT'S NOT IN THE DARK.
THERE ARE MEETING NOTES THAT CAN BE POSTED AS BACKUP.
UM, SO I, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN NO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK THE WORD COMMITTEE IS A LITTLE TRIGGERING FOR ME.
'CAUSE I'M THINKING, WAIT, WHAT IS THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEES IN THE, IN OUR BYLAWS, THEY HAVE TO BE CREATED IN THE BYLAW.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A WHOLE THING AND STAFF IS THERE AND IT'S TELEVISED ON A T X N.
SO I WAS CURIOUS, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THE STEERING COMMITTEE COMMISSIONER? IT'S, IT'S A WORKING GROUP OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
IT'S MADE UP OF FIVE DESIGN COMMISSIONERS.
WE JUST CALL IT THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE, THE INITIATIVE.
SO THEY'RE STEERING THE INITIATIVE, BUT IT'S TECHNICALLY A WORKING GROUP OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
I'LL SAY IT WAS IN THE FRAMEWORK.
IT'S ALSO BEEN REVIEWED AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING THAT I LISTED FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE GROUP.
UM, SO IT'S NOT A SECRET THAT THIS GROUP WAS MEETING OR WHAT THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? UH, COMMISSIONER LADNER, JUST REAL QUICK.
YOU NEED FOUR WEEKS TO ADVERTISE.
SO IF YOU GO FOR OCTOBER, JUST WORK BACKWARDS FOUR WEEKS FOR WHEN YOU HAVE TO GET THE DROP DEAD DATE.
[4. Discussion and possible action to recommend to City Council whether the project Block 32, located at 304, 306, 308, and 310 East 3rd Street and 301 San Jacinto Boulevard, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the City of Austin in accordance with Land Development Code § 25-2-586 (C)(1)(a)(ii). Presented by Brett Rhode, Rhode Partners, and Dustin Dorph, Manifold Real Estate.]
ITEM FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO RECOMMEND SEC CITY TO CITY COUNCIL.WHETHER THE PROJECT BLOCK 32 LOCATED AT 3 0 4, 3 0 6, 3 0 8, AND THREE 10 EAST THIRD STREET AND 3 0 1 SAN JACINTO BOULEVARD, COMPLIES WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE PRESENTED BY BRETT ROADIE, DUSTIN MORPH, AND DUSTIN MORPH OF MANIFOLD PARTNERS.
DUSTIN DO, MAN, I GUESS I'M SORRY.
BRETT ROADIE, ROADIE PARTNERS.
YEAH, I'M, I'M DUSTIN DO FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR MANIFOLD REAL ESTATE.
I'M HOPING TO SAY A LITTLE, THAT'S THE STAR OF THE SHOW HERE, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COME UP THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THAT, UH, THAT DESIGN GUIDELINE DOCUMENT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THEY CAME UP WITH THE WORD, I THINK, THE, THE PHRASE.
SO, UH, JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP, KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO BLOCK 32 IS, UH, UH, A TWO PHASE PROJECT, THE TWO TOWERS.
I'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
JUST TELL ME TO SLOW DOWN IF YOU NEED, UH, IF YOU NEED ME TO, OR YOU WANNA COMMENT ON SOMETHING AS I GO.
BUT, UH, IT'S IN NEAR THE CONVICTION CENTER, UH, THE EXISTING, UH, SIDE OF VINCE YOUNG STEAKHOUSE.
[02:10:01]
THAT'S OUR, UH, TRANSIT ZONING MAP.UM, THE, UH, ONE OF THE NEW TRANSIT LINES IS SLATED TO COME, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE SITE AND TURN DOWN TRINITY CURRENTLY.
UH, THIS JUST EXPLAINS HOW THE, UH, THE OVER THE, UH, SITE, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGES ARE WORKING.
WE HAVE ABOUT A TOTAL OF 884,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET, 41 STORIES ON PHASE 1, 54 STORIES ON PHASE TWO.
UH, LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS, WHICH WE THINK WE'VE, IT'S, IT'S SIGNIFICANT, UH, HERE BECAUSE OF THE SCALE OF THIS PROJECT.
BUT, UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR 25 TO ONE F A R WITH A, UH, OF COURSE, CONTRIBUTION TO THE, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UH, AND OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UH, I THINK THINGS TO POINT OUT THERE, UH, THAT ARE INTERESTING IS, UH, THE WALK OF STARS ALONG TRINITY.
I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE OF THEM'S NOT LABELED, BUT IN THE MIDDLE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE IS A BIKE STORAGE ROOM, WHICH IS QUITE SIZABLE, HAS DIRECT ACCESS TO THIRD STREET.
THAT IS FOR THE USERS, THE TENANTS IN THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, OF COURSE, IS THE, THE BIG RETAIL SPACE THAT'S ON THE, UH, UH, EAST SIDE FACING THE CONVENTION CENTER ALONG TRINITY STREET.
UH, THIS IS A TYPICAL PARKING GARAGE FLOOR PLATE.
IT, UH, IT APPLIES, UH, JUST GENERALLY FOR THE UPPER, UH, PARKING LEVELS ABOVE GRADE.
WE ALSO DO HAVE BELOW GRADE PARKING UNDER PHASE TWO.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
YEAH, THIS IS OUR LEVEL 10 AMENITY DECK, WHICH WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PLANTED ROOF AREAS, UH, UM, FOR THE RESIDENCE.
SO A S SIZEABLE, UH, PORTION OF THE ROOF HERE IS DEVOTED TO, UH, LANDSCAPING.
TYPICAL FLOOR PLATES FOR THE APARTMENTS THEMSELVES.
OKAY, SO THIS JUST, UH, DESCRIBES AND EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE BUILDING.
WE HAVE, UH, NINE, EIGHT LEVELS OF, OF, UH, PARKING ABOVE THE FIRST FLOOR.
AND THEN WE HAVE A, AT LEVEL 10 AMENITY LEVELS.
UH, AND THEN ABOVE THAT IS, UH, RESIDENTIAL.
THIS IS, UH, THE EAST, WEST ELEVATIONS OF THE BUILDING.
SO, GREAT STREETS, UH, FULLY COMPLIANT.
WE BELIEVE, UH, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THE COORDINATORS AND OUR CIVIL ENGINEERS HAVE WORKED PRETTY HARD TO, AND WE'VE ASSISTED THEM, AND WE'VE MADE A LOT OF CHANGES.
UH, LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT A LONG TIME.
I LEARNED QUITE A BIT THIS, THIS TIME AROUND AGAIN.
SO LET'S LOOK AT THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, UH, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING HERE AND SHOWING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PLANTING AREAS, THE BENCHES, TYPES OF TREES.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IN DETAIL LATER.
UM, OUR SIDEWALK WIDTHS, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
UH, SO THIS IS A CUTAWAY SECTION IS THROUGH TWO POINTS IN THE SITE.
AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMPLIANT WITH THE, UH, CURBSIDE AND PEDESTRIAN ZONES, BUT WE HAVE, UH, BECAUSE OF OUR INSET ALONG THE BUILDING FRONTAGE, WE HAVE CURB TO BUILDING FRONTAGE AT THE GROUND LEVEL, ABOUT 25 FEET, JUST TYPICALLY ACROSS THE SITE.
AND IN SOME AREAS, WE ACTUALLY GO UP TO 40 FEET.
SO QUITE A LOT OF, UH, SIDEWALK WIDTH, UH, BEING DEVOTED TO, UH, UH, PARTICULARLY THIRD, BUT THE, UH, SAN SAN JACINTO AND TRINITY FOR INTES AS WELL.
SOME OF THE MATERIALS AND SOME DETAILS.
UH, WE, UH, WERE PROPOSING, YOU KNOW, UM, OCTAGONAL, PAVERS AND VARIATED, UH, COLORS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WALK OF STARS, WHICH OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA PUT BACK IN AND MAKE THAT ALL LOOK GREAT.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EXISTING ART PIECE, UH, THAT WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO, UH, PRESERVE AND REINSTALL NEXT.
SO WE WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE, I WON'T GO THROUGH THIS NOW, BUT WE DID WANT TO KIND OF ENUMERATE THE, UH, THE ITEMS THAT, UH, FROM OUR COMMENTS, WHICH,
[02:15:01]
BY THE WAY, I DIDN'T MENTION.WE HAD A NICE WORKING GROUP SESSION, AND WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT.
AND I THINK WE'VE RESPONDED TO ALMOST ALL OF THE REQUESTS.
NOT EVERY ONE OF 'EM, BUT WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE.
AND, UH, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, ENGAGING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS.
UH, WE'LL PRESERVE THE, UH, EXISTING PIECE, AARON CURTIS PIECE, AND REINSTALL IT.
UH, IN THE SAME PLACE, WE HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL, UM, SCULPTURES THAT PUT PLACES FOR SCULPTURES, AND THEN TWO, UH, LARGE MURALS ON THE BUILDING ITSELF.
AND THEN ONE MORE AT ONE OF THE GARAGE ENTRIES.
SO THIS IS A PLAN, A, UH, DIAGRAM THAT KIND OF SHOWS WHERE THESE, THESE PIECES ARE GOING.
SO IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THERE, THE RED HIGHLIGHTED AREAS OF WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING VARIOUS TYPES OF ART.
WE HAVEN'T SOURCED THE ART YET.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THIS, DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THIS FAR IN ADVANCE.
BUT WE HAVE A COMMITMENT OF, OF DUSTIN AND HIS GROUP TO GO OUT TO LOCAL ARTISTS AND FIND HIGH QUALITY SCULPTURE, UH, AND ART FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, ROOFTOPS, THIS IS ONE AT, UH, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT WE WANTED TO POINT OUT WITH THE NEXT SLIDE THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, SCREENING FOR ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT ON THE ROOFS ON THE TOPS OF THE BUILDINGS.
AND THEN NEXT SLIDE BACK TO THE LEVEL 10 WHERE WE'RE, UH, PROVIDING GREEN ROOFS AND OTHER AMENITIES, LANDSCAPING ON LEVEL 10 ON THAT ROOF LEVEL.
UH, THIS NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UM, UH, IF YOU CAN GO ONE MORE.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS WHERE WE, WE REALLY CAN TALK ABOUT THE, THE CHANGE AND THE KIND OF, UM, UM, UH, IMPROVEMENT THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE PROJECT SINCE WE'VE STARTED, NOT ONLY FROM YOU ALL IN THE WORKING GROUP, BUT ALSO FROM CITY STAFF.
SO THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT, THE DIAGRAM ON THE LEFT SHOWS WHERE WE STARTED THE PROCESS, WE HAD FOUR GARAGE ENTRY POINTS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO PHASES FOR THIS PROJECT, SO THEY BOTH NEED TO FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY.
UH, WE ALSO HAD PROPOSED DROP-OFFS FOR, UH, THE RESIDENTS.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE, THOSE ARE IN THE ORANGE BOXES.
WE HAD TWO ON THIRD AND ONE ON SAN JACINTO.
UM, SO AFTER GETTING COMMENTS, UH, AND, AND CRITICISM, FRANKLY, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, UM, THE GREAT STREETS ISSUES, THE TRAFFIC ISSUES, WE, TODAY WE'RE AT THE DIAGRAM ON THE RIGHT, WHICH, UH, WE REMOVE THE, THE DROP OFFS FOR ONE THING.
SO THOSE, UM, THOSE ELEMENTS ARE SHOWN IN GREEN HERE.
AND THEN WE REMOVE ONE OF THE GARAGE ENTRIES ON PHASE ONE.
AND THE WAY THAT WORKS IS THAT PHASE ONE, UM, IS, IS A QUARTER BLOCK SITE, BUT IT HAS ONLY ABOVE GRADE PARKING.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK WITH THE ENTRY POINT OFF OF TRINITY.
PHASE TWO IS A LARGER PROJECT.
UM, IT HAS BELOW GRADE PARKING THREE LEVELS, AND IT ALSO HAS ABOVE GRADE PARKING.
SO, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE FUNCTIONALITY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE TWO DIFFERENT, UH, PARKING AREAS.
NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT WITH ONE, BUT IT, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT WE WIND UP USING SO MUCH, UH, OF THE GROUND FOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE TO MAKE THAT WORK WITH THE RAMPING.
SO, UH, WE FEEL THIS IS THE, THE BEST SOLUTION.
UH, WE'VE, UH, GOTTEN, UM, APPROVAL THROUGH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS WITH, UH, A T D.
SO, UH, MOVING ON THEN TO, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS JUST A, A RE AN ITERATION, ANOTHER, UH, RESTATEMENT OF THIS WHERE WE HAVE THREE CURB CUTS, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE TWO LOADING ZONES ON THE ALLEY.
OKAY, SO THIS IS ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE POINTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORKING GROUP, UH, AND WE TOOK IT TO HEART.
SO, UH, WHERE WE DO HAVE THESE, THESE CURB CUTS WHERE WE HAVE THESE VEHICLES ENTERING AND EXITING THE BUILDING, UH, WE NEED TO PROVIDE SAFETY FEATURES.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS, UH, UH, STRIPED CROSSWALKS, UH, WARNING SIGNS AND SIGNALS.
[02:20:01]
KIND OF SHOWS WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.UH, SO THE SIGNAGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WOULD BE AT EACH OF THESE POINTS AND, UH, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY, UH, OBVIOUS AND VERY VISIBLE, UH, TO THE PEDESTRIAN.
UM, SO, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF ON SOME OF OUR OTHER PROJECTS RECENTLY, BUT NOT ANYWHERE NEAR TO THIS EXTENT.
SO, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITIES, UH, VERY IMPORTANT, OF COURSE.
AND SO I MENTIONED THE RETAIL SPACE AT TRINITY, UH, AND FORTH.
UH, SO WE, WE WANTED TO, UH, CREATE A VERY LARGE, UH, SPACE THERE, UH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S ADJACENT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE GOING INTO RENOVATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WE HOPE THAT IT COMES BACK BETTER THAN EVER.
SO, UH, ON YOUR RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA THAT IS, UH, UH, FACING THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND OF COURSE, THAT SPACE THAT'S, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OUTDOOR AREA IS SLATED TO BE RETAIL ON THE, UH, WEST SIDE.
ON YOUR LEFT IS WHERE WE HAVE, UH, ANOTHER VERY GRACIOUS OUTDOOR, UH, SPACE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE, UH, FACILITIES FOR, UH, TEMPORARY, UH, UH, KIOSK, UH, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, UH, YOU NAME IT, YOU KNOW, MUSIC, ET CETERA.
SO ALL OF THESE SPACES HAVE THAT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL BENCH SEATING OUTSIDE OF WHAT'S REQUIRED BY GREAT STREETS ALSO INCORPORATED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, ALONG WITH, UH, A LOT OF, UH, ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING THAT'S WITHIN THE PROPERTY LINE.
UH, THE, THE SPACES ON THE LEFT ARE FOR TWO SEPARATE, UH, APARTMENT LOBBIES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT, OF COURSE, AND, UH, WOULD, UH, BE VISIBLE, WOULD HAVE A LOT OF GLAZING.
I'LL SHOW YOU SOME RENDERS IN A MOMENT, BUT WOULD NOT BE CLOSED OFF SPACES WOULD BE, UH, VIS VISUALLY INTERESTING, UH, WITH ART AND SO FORTH.
AND OF COURSE, FOR THE RESIDENTS, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT ON THE STREET, UH, AND NOT, YOU KNOW, JUST GO FROM YOUR APARTMENT INTO YOUR CAR, IN YOUR PARKING LOT, IN YOUR PARKING GARAGE, AND, UH, MISS THAT ENTIRE EXPERIENCE.
UH, WE'VE WORKED ON A PROGRAM FOR LIGHTING THAT, UH, NOT ONLY HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR GREAT STREETS LIGHTING, OF COURSE, BUT WE ALSO, UH, PLAN TO INCORPORATE SIGNIFICANT, UH, PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING ALONG THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BUILDING AND ALONG THE SIDES OF THE BUILDING.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE COMMENTED ON FROM THE WORKING GROUP THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS, THAT WE BELIEVE WE'VE, UH, WE'VE, UH, UH, GREEN ROOFS ON THE, ON THE LEVEL 10, AGAIN, ABOUT 12,200 SQUARE FEET, UH, BACK TO THE GROUND FLOOR.
AND BY THE WAY, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THEY'RE VERY, UH, UH, REPETITIVE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP BETWEEN THEM, SO I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE ADDRESSING THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF REPETITION HERE, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
UH, SO BACK TO FOOD SERVICE AND THE PLAZAS.
UH, I MENTIONED THE, UH, FACILITIES FOR ELECTRICAL POWER AND, AND, UH, AND THE LIGHTING AND SO FORTH THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR VARIOUS THINGS TO HAPPEN IN THOSE, THOSE PLACES.
LOCAL CHARACTER, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO LOCAL ART.
SORRY, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE BEEN REMISS IN ASKING YOU TO GO FORWARD.
SO THIS IS THE, THE, UH, STREET SCAPE, THE, UH, THE, UH, FOOD SERVICE AND FOR THE PLAZA PARTICIPANTS.
AGAIN, ANOTHER, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF A, UH, HINT OF THE KIND OF THING WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WOULD BE LOCAL.
AND THESE ARE MURALS MURAL EXAMPLES.
AND, UH, JUST A DIAGRAM SHOWING WHERE WE'RE, UH, INTENDING TO PUT THESE MURALS.
NEXT SLIDE, ELEVATIONS APPLYING AN EXAMPLE, LARGE SCALE, AND AT THE CORNERS WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE THE ALLEY, SO OFTEN NEGLECTED, OFTEN NEGLECTED PARTS OF BUILDINGS.
[02:25:01]
UM, NEXT SLIDE, SOME RENDERS.THESE ARE SOMEWHAT PRELIMINARY.
WE'RE EARLY IN THE PROCESS, BUT, UH, GIVES YOU A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE SCALE, AT LEAST.
WE WANT TO HAVE SOME ARTICULATION IN THE FACADE.
UH, WE WANT TO HAVE A, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, INTRODUCES SOME LIVELY ASPECT TO THE BUILDING, AND ALSO SOME BIT OF AN ARTISTIC, UM, IDEA ABOUT, UH, ARTICULATION AND MATERIAL.
THIS JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A, A, A HINT OR A VIEW OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE FOR THE, UH, AREA AT, UH, THE SAN JACINTO, UH, FRONTAGE CORNER, IF YOU WILL.
THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE THE, UH, BIG RETAIL, UH, SPACE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FROM, THE CONVENTION CENTER AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN LAST SLIDE IS, IS A, UH, JUST SORT OF A TYPICAL FRONTAGE.
TYPICAL FRONTAGE ALONG, UH, THIRD, AND THIS, UH, TO YOUR LEFT IS LOOKING INTO ONE OF THOSE LOBBIES, UH, LOOKING, YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN TOWARD THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND YOU'RE SEEING, UH, ONE THING I DID MENTION ABOUT THE GREAT STREETS.
UH, WE MANAGED TO, UH, INTRODUCE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PLANTING ASPECT, UH, WITH A KIND OF CONTINUOUS PLANTING BED IN AT ON OCCASION, UH, WHERE WE COULD, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE UTILITY CONFLICTS AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
UH, AND THIS HAS ALL BEEN, UH, VETTED WITH THAT, UH, WITH THE, UH, GREAT STREETS COORDINATOR AND, UH, ALSO UTILITY.
AND THEN, UH, OVER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPE PLANNING THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING, UH, INSIDE OF OUR, UH, PROPERTY LINE.
SIR, UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S IT, UH, FOR WHAT I HAVE.
AND DUSTIN, UH, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN AND OR NOT, UH, BUT, UH, READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE TONIGHT TO GET TO YOUR ITEM.
UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE GREAT RESPONSE YOU'VE HAD TO THE WORKING GROUP MEMO.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A CONCERTED EFFORT, UH, PUT IN.
DO YOU MIND REVIEWING THE HIGH POINTS FROM THE WORKING GROUP? MEMO? N NOT AT ALL, BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION YOU GAVE TO THE, UH, COMMENTS IN THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT THIS, UH, THE, I WASN'T GONNA READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT I, I WANTED TO JUST START WITH, UH, THE CLOSING.
UM, THERE WAS A GABON WALL INVOLVED.
AND YOU ORIGINALLY, UH, PUSHED, UH, HAD SHOWN US, UM, THE QUESTION, A LOT OF THIS HAD TO DO WITH THAT, AND I COULD SEE THAT THAT'S GONE COMPLETELY.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE DESIGN, UH, THINGS THAT YOU, YOU SORT OF THINK, THIS IS, THIS WOULD BE REALLY BE BEAUTIFUL, BUT I THINK, UH, MAYBE YOU AND SOME OF THE OTHERS POINTED OUT SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH IT.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BELABOR THAT, AND SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REINVENT OR INVENT SOMETHING ON THE FLY WITHOUT HAVING REALLY, WITHOUT BEING REALLY SURE THAT IT WORKS AND DOESN'T HAVE ISSUES.
SO WE PULLED THAT AND WE MOVED TO JUST LANDSCAPE GREEN WALLS WITHOUT THE, UH, THE STONE, UH, INFILL.
SO, UH, ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE GREEN WALLS NOW AND, AND NOT GIAN.
I, I THINK, UH, YEAH, I WAS REALLY CURIOUS HOW THOSE ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, UNFOLD, UH, FROM OUR WORKING GROUP.
SO I'M SAD TO SEE THEM, UH, GONE.
'CAUSE I, I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS GONNA BE A VERY CREATIVE SOLUTION TO MAKE A GIAN WALL AS TRANSPARENT AND AND WHATNOT.
BUT, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS ON, HAS TO DO WITH THE FIRST FLOOR AND THE, UH, ACTIVATION ON THAT FIRST FLOOR.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU'VE GOT, UM, TWO, OR YOU'VE GOT RETAIL ON, UH, TRINITY AND THIRD, IS THAT CORRECT? WE HAVE RETAIL ON TRINITY AND, AND THIRD, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEN THE OTHER USES ARE, UM, ARE JUST AS A LOBBY OR, YES, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TWO, UH, RESIDENTIAL LOBBIES THERE ON THE CORNER OF SANSANO AND THIRD FOR THE LARGE PROJECT, THE 54 STORY.
AND THOSE ARE, THOSE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNCTION AS FAR AS BEING, UH, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UM, AS A, ANY KIND OF RESTAURANT OR NOT AT, NOT AT THIS TIME, BUT THE AREA IN FRONT OF, OF THESE SPACES, OF COURSE, IS.
AND I DO APPRECIATE HOW YOU'VE REALLY ACTIVATED THOSE PLAZAS, UM,
[02:30:01]
AT, IN PROVIDING THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LIVE MUSIC AND A KIOSK.BUT YEAH, I WAS REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, HOW THE OTHER, HOW 75% OF THIS GROUND FLOOR LEVEL, YOU KNOW, IS, IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, IS WHAT ABOUT THE BIKE STORAGE? IS THAT JUST FOR RESIDENCE ONLY? BIKE STORAGE IS, IS FOR RESIDENCE? UH, YES.
THIS IS A, A, UH, AN, THESE ARE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, SO, YOU KNOW, UH, THESE ARE HOMES FOR PEOPLE.
UH, SO CURRENTLY, UH, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE RETAIL PIECE AND THE, ALL THE FRONTAGE THAT WE HAVE DEVOTED TO THE PUBLIC, IT IS A, UH, A RESIDENTIAL PROJECT.
WAS THERE ANY EXERCISE DONE TO TRY TO MOVE THAT TO A SECOND FLOOR TO TRY TO ACTIVATE THIS? WE DID.
AND, UH, THE, THE BIG ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT WE HAVE PARKING STARTING AT LEVEL TWO.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A MAJOR IMPACT WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE A SMALL SPACE LIKE THAT, BECAUSE OUR PARKING, IF WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE, THE PARKING LAYOUT, THERE'S A FLOW AND A RAMPING SCENARIO THAT, AND, AND WE HAVE A VERY KIND OF LARGE, UH, STRUCTURAL CORE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING, UH, THAT IS, IS VERY NECESSARY.
SO WE'RE CIRCULATING AROUND THIS CORE, AND IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S KIND OF ALMOST, IT IS A VERY LIMITED KIND OF ARRANGEMENT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THESE CARS UP.
SO WHEN YOU DO BRING UP SPACES LIKE LOBBIES OR OTHER SPACES, YOU REALLY HAVE A HUGE IMPACT.
AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS IT DRIVES YOUR PARKING RAMP EVER HIGHER TO BE ABLE TO REACH THAT.
AND SO, UM, THE IMPACTS CAN BE EVEN DIMINISHING THE AMOUNT OF FLOOR AREA YOU HAVE ON THE GROUND FLOOR, FOR INSTANCE, BECAUSE OF THE RAMPING.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S ENORMOUS COST.
I'M JUST SO CURIOUS ABOUT THESE TWO LOBBIES AS FAR AS WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF BOTH OF THEM OR TWO? WELL, WHAT, UM, DUSTIN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THIS.
I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY PART OF THE PROGRAM, THE DEVELOPER.
I'M HAPPY TO CHIME IN HERE TOO.
SO, UH, THE PROJECT ITSELF, UH, WITHIN PHASE TWO IS TWO SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENTS WITH IT WITHIN IT.
SO THINK OF IT AS TWO SEPARATE BUILDINGS ON THE SAME QUARTER BLOCK SITE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE PARKING AREAS BELOW GRADE AND ABOVE GRADE PARKING AREA, WHICH SERVE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE BUILDING.
AND THOSE TWO SEPARATE LOBBIES WOULD SERVE BOTH OF THOSE SEPARATE ENTITIES OR BOTH OF THOSE SEPARATE, UH, RESIDENTIAL FUNCTIONS WITHIN, UH, BESIDE THE SAME STRUCTURE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SEPARATE? LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THE TWO ENTITIES OF, SO YOU'LL HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE BASICALLY, UH, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE, UH, DECK, YOU'LL SEE RESIDENTIAL, I THINK IT'S, UH, DENOTED AS RESIDENTIAL A AND RESIDENTIAL B WITHIN PHASE TWO.
UM, SO THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL POTENTIAL USES.
SO THINK OF IT, ONE COULD POTENTIALLY BE CONDOMINIUMS, ONE COULD POTENTIALLY BE RENTAL UNITS YEAH.
MICRO UNITS, UM, THAT HAS YET TO BE FINALIZED AT THIS POINT.
UH, BUT THEY WOULD FUNCTION AS TWO SEPARATE, UM, TWO SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WITHIN THE SAME BUILDING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
I MEAN, YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING.
UM, IT IS INTERESTING,
AND ALSO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, ACTIVATING THOSE TWO PLAZAS ON EACH CORNER.
UM, I KNOW IN OUR WORKING GROUP WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, AND ALSO INCLUDING OUR IN PUBLIC PLACES, UM, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SCREEN AROUND THE GARAGE.
UM, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A MOVEMENT.
IS THAT STILL, THAT IS STILL IN, IN THE PLAN? YES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN PLACE NOW, NOT IN AUSTIN, BUT IT IS PRETTY BEAUTIFUL.
SINCE WE MET WITH THE WORKING GROUP, WE ACTUALLY HAVE ACHIEVED THAT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, DOES ANYONE ELSE FROM THE WORKING GROUP? I THINK COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY, DID YOU ATTEND? NO.
OH, COMMISSIONER ROLLISON, DO YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UPS? OOPS.
UM, NO, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND I, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A PRESENTATION THAT WE MAYBE USE MOVING FORWARD TO SHOW OTHER PROJECTS LIKE, HEY, LOOK AT THIS AWESOME PEDESTRIAN, UH, SIGNAGE AND STRIPING AND, UH, SAFETY FEATURES.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A HELPFUL TOOL MOVING FORWARD AS WELL.
UM, AND I WAS ALSO SAD TO SEE THE GABON WALLS COMPLETELY GO, BUT I UNDERSTAND, UM, MAYBE AN IDEA AHEAD OF ITS TIME A LITTLE BIT.
WE CAN, IT'S A REALLY OLD IDEA THOUGH.
I'M SURE IT'LL BE WON AGAIN AT SOME POINT.
[02:35:01]
UM, BUT I, I, I SEE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE PROJECT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.IS ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER LADNER.
I REALLY LIKE SEEING KIND OF THE CHANGES YOU MADE FROM THE WORKING GROUP TO, TO THIS.
UH, I'M GONNA JUST STICK ON THE CORNER A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T MOVE THE LOBBY.
I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE SIZING OF THE LOBBY.
UM, I JUST, THAT'S SUCH A GREAT SPACE, RIGHT? THAT CORNER HAS MAXES, UH, VINCE YOUNG STEAKHOUSE.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF ACTION THERE FROM A KIND OF MOVEMENT STANDPOINT.
I, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING THE RETAIL UPPER BY THE CONVENTION CENTER.
IT, IT'S A LITTLE OUTTA SIGHT OUTTA MIND FOR ME WHEN I'M LIKE MOVING AROUND DOWNTOWN.
BUT, SO I GUESS I'M JUST CURIOUS, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM THIS, LOOKING AT ALL THE SPATIAL PARAMETERS, BUT MM-HMM.
AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, YOU'VE SHOWN SOME STUFF OUTSIDE, I KNOW IT'S JUST LUMION RENDERING, BUT, UM, ARE YOU PLANNING TO ACTUALLY BUILD A STAGE, OR ARE YOU KIND OF JUST SAYING YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT AND IT'S JUST ON PAPER? THANK YOU.
ON, UH, ON LOBBY, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGES, I, I'VE GOT OUR, OUR KIND OF, UH, AREA SPREADSHEET HERE.
AND FOR, FOR PHASE TWO, OUR TOTAL LOBBY, AND THIS INCLUDES LEASING FUNCTIONS AS WELL, UH, FOR THE PARK THAT IS FOR RENTAL APARTMENTS OR MICRO UNITS, UH, CORPORATE APARTMENTS, 46, 36.
UM, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY, UM, WE WOULD SEE, UM, BIGGER NUMBERS TYPICALLY FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT USE.
SO, UH, BUT IT'S, THAT'S THE NUMBER.
AND, UH, AND THEN AS FAR AS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, OUTDOOR AREAS, UH, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO NOT PROGRAM, BUT DUSTIN, YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT? YEAH, AND TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO DO A POP-UP KIOSK, WHETHER IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, FOOD SERVICE, BEVERAGE SERVICE, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY AT THIS POINT.
UH, THAT DOESN'T DETER US AWAY, THOUGH, FROM PROVIDING ELECTRICAL HOOKUPS, UTILITY HOOKUPS, UH, UH, THE ABILITY TO BUILD THAT SPACE OUT.
AND OF COURSE, AS, UH, WE DEVELOP THE PROPERTY, UM, AS A DEVELOPER WILL PROVIDE, UH, TENANT INCENTIVES AND THE, HIS ABILITY TO PROVIDE DOLLARS TOWARDS, UH, WHATEVER FUNCTION THAT MIGHT BE, WHENEVER, AS SOME, UH, FUN PROP UP SPACE OR, OR AT LEASE AGREEMENT IS, IS WORKED OUT WITH THE POTENTIAL TENANT.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT USER OF THE SPACE ULTIMATELY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TAKE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD? COMMISSIONER HOWARD, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, YEAH, I WASN'T A PART OF THE WORKING GROUP, BUT I DEFINITELY HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, THE DESIGN GUIDELINE ABOUT PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN, UH, WHERE THE BUILDING HITS THE STREET, UM, THAT GUIDELINE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN FROM THE ELEMENTS.
UM, UH, AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF INTERESTING IN YOUR SECTION, UH, WHERE YOU SEE THE STREETSCAPE, UH, YOU SEE THAT THE DRIP EDGE OF THE PARKING GARAGE IS RIGHT ACTUALLY IN THE CLEAR ZONE, IN THE 10 FOOT CLEAR ZONE, UM, WHERE THE PEDESTRIANS WILL BE WALKING.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY, IT IS ACTUALLY DRIPPING DIRECTLY ON, UH, DRIPPING RAIN DIRECTLY ON THE PEDESTRIANS RATHER THAN PROVIDING CANOPY.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TO LOOK INTO.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THAT AT ALL.
AND I, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHAT YOU DID PROVIDE, UM, UNDER THAT SECTION ABOUT PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIANS.
UM, TODAY, UH, THE SITE HAS JUST ONE CURB CUT.
UM, AND IT'S THE ONE ON EAST THIRD STREET.
I MEAN, IT HAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC.
IT'S ALMOST NOTHING, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PRIMARY EAST, WEST, UH, BICYCLE, UM, PATHWAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
IT'S ONE, ONLY ONE OF THE ONLY PROTECTED BIKE ROUTES THAT CUTS UNDER, UM, UNDER I 35.
UH, AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING TWO, UM, TWO HEAVILY USED, UH, CURB CUTS, UM, DISRUPTING THE BIKE LANES, UM, WHICH IS, I, I THINK, HUGELY PROBLEMATIC.
AND I DON'T THINK A T D SHOULD HAVE, UH, APPROVED YOUR SITE PLAN FOR THIS.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SAN SAN JACINTO BOULEVARD HAS, YOU KNOW, HAS THE CAPACITY FOR, FOR ACCESS, UH, FOR AUTOMOBILES.
BUT TRINITY AND EAST THIRD ARE OUR PRIMARY BICYCLE ROUTES.
UM, AND SO I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ADDING A HUGE AMOUNT OF, OF, UH, OF, UH, KIND OF INTERFERENCE WITH THE EXISTING, UM, BIKE TRAFFIC
[02:40:01]
ON THIS SITE.SO, AS FAR AS REDUCING CURB CUTS, WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT DOING THAT.
UM, WE HAVE AN ALLEY HERE, PERHAPS THE ALLEY NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE ACCESS WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE ACCESS, UM, UM, ON THE SITE.
UM, THAT'S WHERE, UH, ONSITE PARKING IS ACCESSED TODAY.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT'S PROBABLY THE MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR ACCESS TO, TO ACHIEVE FEWER CURB CUTS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PEDESTRIAN, UH, PROTECTIONS.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS KIND OF LIKE LITTLE EXHIBIT OF THE FLASHING STOP SIGN AND, UM, AND THE WARNING SIGN.
UM, THAT SLIDE, I, I JUST WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR ON A, ON A SIDEWALK TODAY, UH, THE PEDESTRIAN HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND THE DRIVER, UH, IS ACTUALLY FORCED TO YIELD TO THE PEDESTRIAN.
AND SO HERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE SIGNS THAT SAY, CAUTION VEHICLE EXITING, UH, ON WHAT IS A SIDEWALK AND SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE CROSSWALK, UH, RATHER THAN A CONTINUATION OF THE SIDEWALK.
THIS, I KNOW, HAS A LOT TO DO WITH KIND OF SOME OF THE STANDARD DETAILS FOR DRIVEWAYS IN AUSTIN, BUT WE'RE KIND OF, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT ONLY SAYING THIS, YOU KNOW, IS THIS NOT A PEDESTRIAN SPACE, BUT YOU BETTER YIELD TO CARS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THIS GARAGE.
SO I THINK THAT ON TWO, SO THIS, IN SOME WAYS, THIS IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GOING AGAINST TWO DESIGN GUIDELINES, PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN AT THE STREET, UH, FROM THE ELEMENTS, BUT ALSO CURB CUTS AND PROTECTING THE STREET, UH, PEDESTRIANS CARS.
UM, I DO, I DO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE REMOVING THE DROP-OFF ZONES, UM, THOSE REALLY WOULD'VE MESSED UP THE, THE EXISTING, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE FOR BIKES ON THAT ROUTE.
UM, SO, AND THE OTHER, OTHER ONES, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE HAVE REALLY HIT ON THE ACTIVATION ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A MASSIVE SINK OF DENSITY, AND YES, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, PARKING IS HUGELY EXPENSIVE AND, AND REALLY DRIVING THIS, UM, THIS SCHEME IN A VERY SERIOUS WAY.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS, UH, RELATIVELY DEAD GROUND FLOOR.
SADLY, THERE'S A LOT OF VISUAL TRANSPARENCY, BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT USES THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE VERY HIGHLY ACTIVE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE EYES ON THE STREET FROM THOSE USES.
UM, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GET 'EM FOR THE NEXT EIGHT STORIES BECAUSE WE HAVE KIND OF A MONOTONOUS SCREENED PARKING GARAGE, UM, FOR, FOR EIGHT STORIES.
SO THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY VISIBILITY, NO KIND OF PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC REALM IN THIS AREA.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE MY PRIMARY ISSUES WITH THIS.
I DON'T THINK THIS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING ABOUT THIS, THIS SLIDE, AND THAT IS THE STOP SIGN IS ACTUALLY FOR THE CAR.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CLEAR, BUT WE INTEND THE, THE DESIGN, I THINK THE DIAGRAM, THE PLAN DIAGRAM SHOWS THIS, UH, BUT WHAT WE ARE WANTING TO DO HERE IS HAVE THE CAR STOP AND HAVE, GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE PEDESTRIAN HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, UH, I WANT TO RESPOND TO COMMISSIONER HOWARD'S COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, WE HAVE HAD LOSS OF LIFE AT A NUMBER OF PARKING GARAGES DOWNTOWN WHERE, UH, THE CROSSWALK, OR THERE ARE, THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT FOLKS ARE CROSSING AN ACTIVE DRIVEWAY.
UM, SO I THINK ACKNOWLEDGING BOTH THE INTERACTION FROM BOTH PERSPECTIVES IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, SO SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE APPLICANTS THAT WILL CHANGE THE PAVER, UM, AT THE PAVER COLOR OR THE PAVER PATTERN.
UM, SOMETHING TO INDICATE TO THE PEDESTRIAN WHO MIGHT JUST BE CRUISING BY AND NOT LOOKING UP THAT THEY ARE IN FACT CROSSING A DRIVEWAY.
UM, SO IN, IN THIS INSTANCE, THE APPLICANT HAS USED A CROSSWALK, UM, AND I, I CAN SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ON, YOU KNOW, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S, IT'S THE THOROUGH, THE MAIN PATH IS, IS FOR THE CAR, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO INDICATE TO BOTH, BOTH USERS THAT THEY ARE PASSING EACH OTHER, COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
ANYTHING WE CAN, I WAS, SORRY.
UM, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, I WAS JUST, I WAS CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING A LOT ABOUT THE BIKE PATH AND, AND CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, PARALLEL PARKING THERE WOULD'VE REALLY DESTROYED THAT BIKE PATH.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WAS TAKEN OUT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS THAT THOSE BIKERS ARE GOING MUCH FASTER THAN PEDESTRIANS, AND SO THE ROOM FOR ERROR IS, IS EVEN LESS.
UM, WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH A T D ABOUT PROVIDING SOME TYPE OF WARNING SYSTEM FOR THE BIKERS IN THAT RIGHT OF WAY?
[02:45:01]
NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE S SEEN THAT ANYWHERE ELSE AROUND TOWN, MAYBE YOU KNOW, OF, OF A PLACE, BUT NO, I, I DON'T, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I MEAN, SIMILAR TO THE PEDESTRIANS YEAH.
IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE GOING REALLY FAST AND THEN A CAR'S TURNING, YEAH, IT, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULDN'T, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY NOT, UH, A MATTER OF EXPENSE.
IT'S JUST, IT COULD JUST BE A, UH, A SIGN ON A PEDESTAL WHERE, UH, A BI UH, UH, SOMEBODY RIDING A BICYCLE BE AT THEIR LEVEL.
AND, UH, YEAH, I MEAN, IT SEEMS EASY, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE ALREADY PUTTING ALL THE OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SWITCHING AND, AND, UH, OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, FOR THE OTHER PEDESTRIAN SIGNAGE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE A MUCH OF A ISSUE TO GO GO AHEAD WITH THAT.
A T D WOULD'VE TO GET BEHIND IT.
SO YEAH, I'M SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO FOR SURE.
I'M SURPRISED, NOT SURPRISED THAT THEY DIDN'T BRING THAT UP
C A COMMISSIONER ONSET AGAIN? NO.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER LUKINS, WELL, THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BUMP IN, UM, SQUARE FOOTAGE, SO I WONDER IF YOU COULD, UH, UH, KIND OF SUMMARIZE THE PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT WARRANT THIS SIGNIFICANT BUMP IN SQUARE FOOTAGE? UM, WELL, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH ALL THE THINGS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR ONE THING AND THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING TWO STARS, UH, AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE THE, UH, THE FEE AND MOVE PAYMENT, WHICH IS, I THINK IT'S ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE SITUATION TODAY WITH THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO, SO IT'S, SO YOU'RE MEETING THE DESIGN GUIDELINES AND PROVIDING THE SEVEN MIL, AND THAT'S THE PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THAT IS, AND I, I THINK IT'S SIGNIFICANT.
NOW, COULD IT ADDRESS OTHER ASPECTS OF OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS? ABSOLUTELY, IT COULD.
AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL SEE COMING OUT OF YOUR, UH, YOUR WORK.
UM, SO I WAS ALSO IN THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, THIS PROJECT STICKS OUT AS SIGNIFICANT IN ITS LOCATION TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, AND ALSO IT'S HALF AN ACRE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE PROJECTS THAT ARE ONLY A QUARTER OF AN ACRE, AND SOMETIMES IT'S UNDERNEATH AN ACRE.
SO ONE OF THE COMMENTS, UM, IN THE WORKING GROUP, ACTUALLY AFTER WE ENDED OUR CONVERSATION, AND WE WERE TALKING INTERNALLY, ACTUALLY CAME FROM STAFF, UM, KIND OF NOTING THAT ANOTHER PROJECT WE HAD REVIEWED THAT WAS ALSO ON HALF AN ACRE, UM, HAD VOLUNTARILY GIVEN UP SOME EXCESS SPACE ON THE GROUND FLOOR FOR PLAZA.
AND ONE THING I SEE THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE INITIAL PASS, UM, YOU KIND OF HAVE TWO LITTLE HALF PLAZAS ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S NOT REALLY TREATING IT AS ONE GIANT PLAZA, UM, LIKE THE OTHER PROJECT THAT WE REVIEWED SOMEWHAT RECENTLY THAT HAD A HALF AN ACRE.
BUT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SPACE, AND IF MARKET CHANGES ALLOW IT IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE IS SOME REASON TO REVISIT THE DESIGN, UM, I WOULD JUST KIND OF THINK ABOUT HOW TO MAYBE INCORPORATE PLAZA CONCEPTS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH TWO HALF PLAZAS ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BUILDING IS ALSO SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT LARGER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OPEN SPACE.
YEAH, I THINK WHAT'S, WHAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT, I DON'T, IT, IT'S, IT IS SOMETHING YOU'D NOT EASILY REMEMBERED WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE PLANS IS THAT WE HAVE TWO PHASES, AND THESE PHASES COULD HAPPEN AT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TIMES, DIFFERENT YEARS, DECADES.
BUT, SO TO PLAN A, A LARGE PLAZA, WHICH MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR A PROJECT THAT, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, USING A HALF OF A, OF A BLOCK, OH, SORRY, HALF A BLOCK,
ANYWAY, SO THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT I THINK
[02:50:01]
OBVIOUSLY WE WANT THESE OPEN SPACES TO BE ON THE CORNERS, UH, TO ACTIVATE THESE CORNERS, ESPECIALLY ON THE, UH, TRINITY, UH, AND THIRD SIDE.BUT, UH, SO IT'S A, IT'S A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
I THINK THE BENEFIT THOUGH, OF LOOKING AT BOTH PHASES IS THAT THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, CAN, WHERE, WHERE POSSIBLE IT CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, BE COORDINATED, ESPECIALLY WITH STREETSCAPE.
UM, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ONE CURB CUT ON THIRD, WHICH IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT OF WHERE WE STARTED.
UH, I THINK PART OF THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THAT POINT IS BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT BOTH PHASES AT THE SAME TIME.
JUST CORRECTING MY MATH, THIS IS 0.81 ACRES, UM, JUST REALLY SIGNIFICANT.
YEAH, IT'S A HALF, HALF A CITY BLOCK.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USED TO DEALING WITH QUARTER BLOCKS OURSELVES QUITE A BIT.
SO, BUT THIS IS BOTH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BOTH PLANNED, UH, TO BE BUILT INDIVIDUALLY ON ONE QUARTER OF A BLOCK, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE A COHESIVE LOOK, UH, AND, UH, FUNCTION, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE ENTIRE BLOCK.
IT JUST MAY NOT HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR OUR APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, COMMISSIONER ROLLISON A MOTION THAT THIS PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE DESIGN GUIDELINES? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SALINAS, UM, TO MOVE IT TO A VOTE.
SO, UH, ALL ARE IN FAVOR EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
WHAT ABOUT COMMISSIONER HOWARD? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? UH, THAT WAS AN I FROM COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
THAT WAS NOT, NO, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S A NAY.
SO WE HAVE A NAY FROM COMMISSIONER HOWARD AND FROM COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
SO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, THE MOTION PASSES.
WE'LL GET YOU A LETTER PROBABLY BY MONDAY.
[5. Conduct a nomination for the representative for the Downtown Commission.]
CONDUCT A NOMINATION FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.UM, SO COMMISSIONER STEAD WAS OUR JOINT LIAISON FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
I AM SERVING ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, BUT I AM APPOINTED FOR DISTRICT ONE.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE WORK OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN BEING A JOINT LIAISON FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? OKAY.
UM, WE DO NEED TO FILL THIS POSITION.
UM, YOU'RE ALREADY ON THE COMMISSION.
AND WHY DON'T YOU JUST BE OUR, A LIAISON TO THE COMMISSION.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE, UM, THE CITY CLERK SAID THAT WE NEED TO COMMISSIONER HOWARD, WERE YOU VOLUNTEERING
UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, UM, THE CITY CLERK HAS SAID THAT I CANNOT SERVE AS A VOTING MEMBER AND ALSO THE JOINT LIAISON.
COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY, I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHAT DOES THIS ENTAIL? BEING A JOINT LIAISON? YEAH.
SO WE HAVE JOINT LIAISONS FOR A JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UM, AND DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
SO IT'S, UM, JUST ATTENDING THE MEETINGS AND THEN YOU REPORT TO DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WHAT DESIGN COMMISSION IS DOING.
UM, YOU GET UP PARTICIPATING, UM, DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU CAN BRING ITEMS TO THE CHAIR IF YOU WANNA BRING THEM TO THE AGENDA.
UM, SO, UH, AND THEN YOU, YOU COME BACK AND REPORT WHAT'S DISCUSSED THERE AT THIS MEETING.
WHEN AND HOW OFTEN DO THEY MEET? THEY
[02:55:01]
MEET ONCE A MONTH, UM, LIKE WE DO, I THINK THEY MEET THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE WE MEET.UM, SO YOU ONLY HAVE TO RUN, REMEMBER STUFF FOR LESS THAN A WEEK, UM, ON THE CYCLE THIS WAY.
AND, UH, IT'S AT 6:00 PM DOWNTOWN, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CALL IN OR VIDEO IN THE MEETINGS ARE USUALLY AT CITY HALL.
AND IS THERE AN ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT LIKE THERE IS TO SERVE AS A COMMISSION MEMBER? IT, OBVIOUSLY, SOMEONE SHOULD TRY TO ATTEND.
IF THEY VOLUNTEER TO DO SOMETHING, IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE QUORUM VOTE.
SO I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT AS STRICT.
UM, I IDEALLY, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ATTEND, BUT THE COMMISSION CAN STILL MOVE FORWARD ON A VOTE IF, IF THE JOINT LIAISONS ARE, ARE NOT THERE, THERE ARE MORE JOINT LIAISONS FOR DOWNTOWN COMMISSION THAN WE HAVE.
LIKE, THEY HAVE AN ARTS COMMISSION, A TRANSPORTATION, A PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT COMMISSION TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT HAPPENINGS WITHIN THE CITY.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON ONE SUBJECT MATTER, AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE KIND OF INTEGRATED ON ON MORE, UM, MORE MATTERS.
I I'LL VOLUNTEER TO LIAISE FOR THAT.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND OR DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? YES.
COMMISSIONER LADNER FOR THE MOTION TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER MCKENNEY AS JOINT LIAISON FOR DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER SALINAS IS SECONDING.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR? OH MY GOODNESS, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
[6. Discussion and possible action on the membership of Working Groups. ]
SEVEN OR ITEM SIX, UH, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE MEMBERSHIP OF WORKING GROUPS.UM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CHANGE WORKING GROUPS? DO WE NEED TO CHANGE WORKING GROUPS CHAIR? MAY I, UH, YES.
UM, I PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UM, SINCE COMMISSIONER ANTED IS NO LONGER ON THE COMMISSION, HE WAS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANTED TO UPDATE THAT OR NOT.
SO THE WORKING GROUPS THAT ARE SUBSETS OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE, LIKE THAT'S A WORKING GROUP BECAUSE IT HAS FIVE COMMISSIONERS ON IT.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THE, ARE THEY FORMAL WORKING GROUPS FOR EACH SUBJECT MATTER? YEAH, THE, THE, UM, WORKING GROUPS CAN BE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TOO.
SO I MEAN, TECHNICALLY THOSE FIVE GROUPS ARE ALSO WORKING GROUPS.
BUT, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP, ESSENTIALLY, THERE'S NO ONE LEFT ON IT.
THEY'VE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL GONE.
THEY'VE ALL, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE LEFT.
AND, UM, SO I MEAN, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE DISSOLVED AT THIS POINT.
I, I DON'T SEE US FINDING PEOPLE TO PUSH IT FORWARD AND REVIEWING THE NOTES.
UM, I THINK WE WERE ASKING FOR AN INFRASTRUCTURE
UM, AND I AGREE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS THAT SPECIALIZE IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, DO YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? UH, NO, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD THAT.
AND IT DIDN'T HELP THAT, UM, A, A BIG PART OF THE SUCCESS FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP WOULD'VE INCLUDED CITY STAFF MEMBERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND THEY SHOWED, UH, NO APPARENT WILLINGNESS TO ATTEND ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, WE'LL ATTEND A MEETING IF, IF, IF YOU WANT.
BUT, UM, SO THAT I DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T HELP THEIR CASE EITHER.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DISSOLVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM
[03:00:01]
COMMISSIONER ROLLON ROLLON.UH, SO THAT'S UNANIMOUS, UH, OMITTING COMMISSIONER LUKINS, WHO'S NOT IN THE ROOM.
[7. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding updates to the guidelines.]
ON TO ITEM SEVEN, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES GROUP REGARDING UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES.COMMISSIONER CAROL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? I'M HAVING DEJA VU.
DID WE NOT DO THIS ALREADY?
[8. Update from representative on the Downtown Commission regarding last meeting.]
ITEM A UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.COMMISSIONER STEAD STEPPED DOWN DUE TO OUT OF TOWN WORK COMMITMENTS THAT COINCIDE WITH OUR MEETINGS.
UM, SO WE DO NEED TO APPOINT SOMEONE FOR DISTRICT THREE.
UM, IF ANYONE KNOWS ANY GOOD DESIGN FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE, WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH DISTRICT THREE AND COULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, PLEASE KEEP ME POSTED AND WE'LL WORK WITH DIS DISTRICT THREE STAFF FOR SPEEDY APPOINTMENT.
UM, WE ALWAYS HAVE BETTER VOTES THE MORE COMMISSIONERS THAT WE HAVE PRESENT.
UM, WE'RE MISSING A FEW FOLKS TONIGHT, AND THAT WAS A REALLY TIGHT VOTE FOR THE PROJECT WE REVIEWED.
[9. Update from representative on the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding last meeting.]
ITEM NINE, UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.OH, COMMISSIONER SALINAS, I FORGOT.
WELL, THE, UM, THE J SS C THEY, WE, WE'VE MET THREE TIMES ACTUALLY SINCE THE LAST TIME WE'VE MET.
UM, DO Y'ALL WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE LATEST ONE OR DO YOU JUST WANT ME TO DO SOME QUICK HIGHLIGHTS ON ALL THREE? SO I'LL GO FOR THE CLIFF NOTES,
WELL JUST, UH, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WERE PASSED.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
AND IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT PASSED, UH, WITH, UH, WITH UNANIMOUSLY 10 10 TO ZERO.
SO, UM, WHAT IT IS, IT'S, UM, IT'S 101 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH, AFFORDABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND SAFETY.
ABOUT 7.8% OF THIS YEAR'S, 1.3 MILLION GENERAL REVENUE BUDGET.
UM, AND IT ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS OF THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY IN AUSTIN.
UM, THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN TELEWORK POLICY.
UM, THAT IT'S, IT, IT'S A RESPONSE TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER'S RECENT ORDERS TO REVOKE THE WORK FROM HOME.
UM, AND THE RESOLUTION WAS BASICALLY THAT, UM, THE ASSESSMENT SHOULD EXAMINE THE FULL ENVIRONMENTAL AFFORDABILITY AND EQUITY IMPACTS OF THE 2022 POLICY, UM, AND, UH, CONSIDER POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY CHANGES THAT EXPAND OR IMPROVE THE CITY'S ABILITY TO OFFER ITS EMPLOYEES SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND EFFICIENT RE RE REMOTE WORK FROM HOME OPTIONS.
UM, SO, AND THEN IT WAS FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, UH, THE, THE, THEY EVALUATE THE, THE INTERIM CITY MANAGERS EVALUATE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF BENEFIT AND ENCOURAGING OF CITY EMPLOYEES TO WORK FROM HOME WHENEVER POSSIBLE, WHEN AN OZONE ACTION DAY IS FORECASTED AND IMPLEMENT THIS QUICK OR THIS CHANGE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THE THIRD ITEM THAT WE'VE, UH, PASSED RECOMMENDATIONS ON, UM, WAS TO KEEP THE OFFICES OF SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCE, EQUITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, TO BE, TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT IN AUTONOMOUS OFFICES THAT REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER THAT ALSO PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE GREAT PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAD WAS WITH, UH, THE EV UPDATE FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, AND I THOUGHT MAYBE IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE THEM COME AND PRESENT TO US.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PROCESS IS LIKE, UM, BUT IT'S ABOUT THEIR EXPANSION OF CHARGING STATIONS AND WHAT THE, WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE LOOKING AHEAD.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO KIND OF GET THEM TO COME PRESENT TO US? GREAT QUESTION.
AND THIS GOES FOR ANY COMMISSION MEMBER.
IF YOU HAVE A SUBJECT MATTER THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IS GOOD FOR THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW, PLEASE COPY ME AND VICE CHAIR MINORS, AN EMAIL STAFF, SO NICOLE AND SOPHIA, UM, AND JUST, UH, KIND OF INTRODUCE WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER IS.
[03:05:01]
FOR THE ITEM TO APPEAR ON THE AGENDA, SO IF YOU WANNA TALK TO ANOTHER COMMISSIONER, UM, UH, IF THEY WANT TO SECOND THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.UM, AND THAT IS, THAT IS HOW WE ACTUALLY REVIEWED THE D A STRATEGY UPDATE TODAY.
UM, I THINK I REQUESTED THAT AND VICE CHAIR MINE IS SECONDED THAT UPDATE AND THIS ALL THROUGH EMAIL.
UM, SO PLEASE USE YOUR BC EMAILS FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, STAFF WILL CO COORDINATE WITH THE PRESENTER ON, ON SCHEDULING, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ALL OF THAT WORK.
UM, JUST INTRODUCE IT, UM, COPY US AND, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SECOND.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR UPDATE, UH, REGARDING THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCE, UM, MAINTAINING ITS OWN INDEPENDENT OFFICE.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THAT IS? I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS.
UM, AND DID THAT COME FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE THESE FOUR OFFICES INTO ONE STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION? I, I HEARD RESILIENCE MAY EVEN MOVE TO PLANNING.
UM, JORGE, DO YOU, EXCUSE ME, JORGE, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON RESILIENCE OR KIND OF WHERE, UH, STAFF DEPARTMENTS LANDED AT THE END OF THIS BUDGET CYCLE? I FEEL LIKE, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATE ON THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTING THOSE OFFICES.
I THINK THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE ACTUAL FINAL VOTE FROM COUNCIL INCLUDED SEVERAL STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO DEPARTMENTS.
HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE CITY MANAGER FROM MAKING FURTHER CHANGES.
THAT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
IT COULD EASILY BE TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH OTHER, UH, VENUES THROUGH A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT.
WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN IN THE PAST.
I'M NOT SAYING ANY OF THESE OPTIONS WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER AT THIS TIME, BUT HE HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES AT ANY POINT AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED A BUDGET ACTION FROM THE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME.
SO, UM, YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF THESE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT CHANGES? I, I DON'T BELIEVE THE ACTUAL CHANGES TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY OFFICE MERGING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WERE ACTUALLY VOTED IN THE BUDGET.
I'M NOT AWARE OF THE OTHER ONES, THOUGH.
I, I WAS ONLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR JORGE BEFORE HE STEPS AWAY? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, SIR.
UM, YEAH, SO I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT SPECIFIC OFFICE CHANGE.
UM, SO RESILIENCE AS ITS OWN INDEPENDENT OFFICE CAN INTERACT WITH ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, APPLYING RESILIENCE STRATEGIES TO EXISTING BUILDINGS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY SET UP IN A WAY CURRENTLY WHERE IT CAN BE A PART OF ANY PROGRAM IN THIS CITY AND INTERACT WITH THEM DIRECTLY WHILE MAINTAINING ITS OWN AUTONOMY.
UM, AND SO IF IT MOVES TO PLANNING, THEN IT, IT'S IN DANGER OF ONLY BEING APPLICABLE TO NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REAL LOSS FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS ON THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE.
UH, COMMISSIONER SALINAS UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE
[10. Update from representative on the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board regarding last meeting.]
ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.YES, I'M ON THAT ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, I WAS AT THE MEETING TWO MONTHS AGO, LAST MEETING I DIDN'T CATCH, UH, BUT I DID GET THE NOTES FROM IT.
SO REALLY THE MAIN THING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW TO GET A REGULATING, UH, PLAN PUT TOGETHER.
'CAUSE AT THIS POINT, DEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING WITHOUT REALLY ANYTHING TO REGULATE IT.
AND SO, UM, FROM MY NOTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, UH, THEY'VE ASSEMBLED A WORKING GROUP WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
UH, THE REGULATING PLAN, UM, WILL, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT OF IT IS TO CODIFY, UH, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION FRAMEWORK PLAN AND PROVIDE THE BOARD THE PURVIEW TO ENFORCE THAT ALIGNMENT.
UM, THERE IS A DRAFT OF THAT FROM 2018.
[03:10:01]
WAS MY NOTE.HE CAME AND SPOKE TO US ABOUT THAT DRAFT.
SO I THINK RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST REALLY WORKING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET A REGULATING PLAN PUT TOGETHER SO THAT THERE CAN BE SOME CODIFIED REQUIREMENTS.
DO YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ORIGINAL PROCESS WAS TRYING TO PASS THE TURS, THE TAX INCREMENTAL REGULATING ZONE TO SUPPORT THE COST OF BUILDING IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, HAS THAT CONVERSATION BEEN DROPPED CO COMPLETELY IN LIEU OF THE REGULATING PLAN? MY NOTE IS UPDATE ON T'S PLAN.
THERE IS NO UPDATE CURRENTLY UNDER LITIGATION, WHICH THAT MIGHT HAVE NOT BEEN THE RIGHT, I JUST, THAT WAS A NOTE ON THERE, BUT, SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN PASSED AT THIS POINT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
I HAVE IT IN MY NOTES FROM TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO HOPEFULLY THOSE THINGS MOVE FORWARD AND THERE CAN BE SOME, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO BEAT UP AGAINST WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER LADNER? THANK YOU.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE TO ADJOURN, I KNOW WE GAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP A QUITE A HARD TIME THIS EVENING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND TO HONOR COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI'S COMMITMENT TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE 15 YEARS THAT HE DID SERVE.
UM, AND HE, HE REALLY WAS SPEAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT UP UNTIL HIS LAST MEETING YEAH.
SO I, I REALLY, UH, JUST WANNA, HE CONTINUED TO SERVE FOR THREE OR FOUR MORE MEETINGS AFTER HIS ELECTION CYCLE TERMED OUT.
SO I JUST REALLY WANNA APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THAT.
COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI DID BRING TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE UPDATES WHILE HE, WHILE HE DID SERVE, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, SERVING FOR A DECADE AND A HALF IS, IS QUITE A COMMITMENT.
COMMISSIONER ROLLON, JUST BEFORE YOU ADJO ADJOURN, CAN I MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WE HAVE FOUND A REPLACEMENT FOR ME ON THE COMMISSION.
UM, SHE'S AN EXCELLENT APPOINTEE.
I THINK SHE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO BRING A LOT OF THE PASSION AND ATTENDANCE AND ENERGY THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MORE RECENTLY.
SO, UM, I THINK, YEAH, SHE SHOULD BE VOTED IN OR SOMETHING AT CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK AND BE ABLE TO ATTEND NEXT MONTH.
SO I'M REALLY SORRY THAT I'LL BE LEAVING YOU ALL.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT, NOT 15 YEARS
UM, I'M REALLY SAD TO SEE YOU GO, UM, YOU, YOU'VE SERVED, WHAT IS IT, FOUR YEARS? THREE.
THREE? YEAH, I THINK JUST THREE.
I THINK I CAME ON DURING THE MIDST OF COVID.
UM, WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
I'M, I'M SAD THAT YOU'RE LEAVING, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING UP AND, AND HELPING WITH THE APPOINTMENT.
'CAUSE THAT IS, IT IS WORK TO FIND NEW APPOINTEE.
SO I, I APPRECIATE YOUR VETTING AND, AND ALSO GETTING THAT COMPLETED.
I HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PERSON I CAN RECOMMEND FOR DISTRICT THREE IF WE'RE LOOKING OH, YES, PLEASE.
YEAH, WE CAN CONNECT OVER THAT.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, WERE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND? OH, FIXING YOUR HAIR.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY FOLKS? ALL RIGHT.
THIS MEETING OF SIGN COMMISSION IS ADJOURNED.