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FOR, UH, TODAY, NOVEMBER 13TH.
IT'S 6:02 PM UH, WE WILL START OUT WITH, UM, ROLL, UH, VICE CHAIR MINORS.
AND COMMISSIONER, WHICH DRUG? HERE.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO APPELLATE COMMUNICATION TODAY.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE WAITING ON JACKSON TOO.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER LADNER JOINED VIRTUALLY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ALL RIGHT.DO, UH, WE GOTTA DO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE DESIGN COMMISSION FROM OUR LAST MEETING ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2023.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH OUR STAFF BRIEFING, WE'RE GONNA SKIP AHEAD AND WE'RE GONNA DO OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UM,
[4. Discussion and possible action to recommend to City Council whether the project 14th and Lavaca, located at 301 West 14th Street, complies with the Urban Design Guidelines for the City of Austin. Presented by Leah Bojo, Drenner Group, PC]
OUR FIRST ITEM, UH, UP FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION IS THE, UH, PROJECT ON 14TH AND LAVACCA, LOCATED 3 0 1 WEST 14TH STREET, UH, TO SEE IF IT COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS PRESENTED BY LEAH BOJO FROM THE DRE GROUP.I'M LEAH BOJO WITH RENER GROUP HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UH, AND I AM JOINED BY PAUL SETTLES, WORKING ON ARCHITECTURE, UH, CAMERON CAMPBELL WITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, AND THEN DREW ELL FROM OUR TEAM AT RENER.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU, YOU'VE SEEN THIS PROJECT ONCE BEFORE.
UM, IT CAME BEFORE YOU LAST YEAR IN APRIL.
UM, BUT SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE AGAIN.
UM, WE'VE CHANGED IT FROM CONDO RESIDENTIAL TO HOTEL.
WE HAVE CHANGED THE FAR, WE'VE INCREASED IT, UM, FROM 15 TO ABOUT 17.
SO WE, WE, WE WILL BE GOING TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR THAT ADDITIONAL FAR.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO REDUCED THE PROJECTS PARKING BY ONE FLOOR.
UM, SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU QUICKLY THROUGH, DO I HAVE A REMOTE OR SHOULD I JUST, JUST SAY NEXT, NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO I'LL JUST WALK YOU QUICKLY THROUGH SORT OF A, A REINTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME NEW FACES HERE, UM, AND THEN I WILL HAND OFF TO SOME OF MY TEAMMATES.
UM, SO THE SITE IS OWNED CBD, AND IT IS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY CBD AND OTHER STATE OWNED PROPERTIES.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF ORIENT YOU TO WHERE WE ARE IN THE DENSITY BONUS AREA, UM, WE ARE IN THE 15 TO ONE AREA AND WITH THE 400 FOOT HEIGHT CAP, SO, LIKE I SAID, WE WILL BE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FAR, BUT WE WILL ACTUALLY, UM, BE COMPLYING WITH THE 400 FOOT HEIGHT CAP, THOUGH WE DON'T, THOUGH WE AREN'T REQUIRED TO.
UM, SO HERE'S SORT OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.
IT IS AT THE CORNER OF 14TH AND LAVACCA 3 0 1 WEST 14TH.
UM, IT'S ABOUT 0.41 ACRES, SO IT'S A PRETTY SMALL SITE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 280 HOTEL ROOMS, UM, JUST UNDER THAT 400 FEET, 35 FLOORS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKOUT OF OUR FAR AND THE, THE BONUS FAR.
THE DIFFERENCE IS, UM, 160,500 SQUARE FEET.
SO WHAT WE'LL REVIEW HERE WITH YOU, OF COURSE, IS THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS WITH YOU THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE DISCUSSING OUR GREAT STREETS COMPLIANCE AND OUR AUSTIN ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
SO HERE, UM, JUST SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING, UM, WE, WE USE THIS, IT'S NOT TO SCALE, BUT WE JUST USE THIS DIAGRAM TO KIND OF SHOW, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW THE ENTITLEMENTS BREAK OUT.
SO UP TO EIGHT TO ONE FAR, WHICH IS THE BY RIGHT AREA, UM, UH, IS RESULTING IN OR IS THE, IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY A FEE FOR.
AND THEN FIF EIGHT TO 15 TO ONE IS
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ABOUT A $1.6 MILLION, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE IN LIE.UM, COMBINED WITH WE'RE AIMING FOR A THREE STAR AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING RATING.
AND THEN THE AREA ABOVE THE 15 WHERE WE'LL, WHICH WE'LL BE GOING TO COUNCIL FOR IS AN ADDITIONAL 642,000 TOTALLING ABOUT JUST OVER $2.2 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES.
AND WITH THIS I WILL TURN OVER TO PAUL TO TALK YOU THROUGH THE BUILDING.
I'M PAUL SETTLES, UH, PROJECT DESIGNER FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO IN THIS VIEW, UH, WE'LL JUST TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL TOWER DESIGN.
UH, ORIENTATION WISE, WE'VE GOT, UM, LAVACCA STREET RUNNING NORTH SOUTH, UH, AND 14TH, UH, STREET RUNNING EAST WEST HERE.
UM, HERE YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE HOW THE INTERIOR PROGRAMMING IS INFORMING OVERALL, UH, MASSING, UH, THROUGH MATERIALITY.
UM, AT THE GROUND FLOOR, WE HAVE OUR MAIN ENTRANCE AND PUBLIC RESTAURANT SPACE, UH, WITH PARKING ABOVE.
AND THEN AT THE MAIN BREAK IN THE BUILDING'S FORM, UH, WE HAVE OUR AMENITY LEVEL THAT FEATURES A PUBLIC PATIO AND RESTAURANT, UH, WITH VIEWS OF THE STATE CAPITOL TO THE SOUTH AND DOWNTOWN.
BEYOND ABOVE, UH, THE AMENITY LEVEL ARE 26 FLOORS OF HOTEL WITH 11 ROOMS PER FLOOR.
UH, THE INDIVIDUAL BALCONIES OF THE ROOMS, UM, PROVIDE A TEXTURE AND SCALE TO THE OVERALL DESIGN AESTHETIC.
UH, THE PENTHOUSE LEVEL IS DISTINGUISHED AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING, UH, BY LARGER HOTEL ROOMS, INSET TERRACES, UH, AND A CHANGE OF MATERIAL FROM THE FLOORS BELOW.
WE HAVE LARGE OVERHANGS PROVIDE SHADE FOR THE TERRACES, UH, AND ALSO GIVE THE TOWER A UNIQUE LOOK WITHIN THE OVERALL SKYLINE.
UH, AND THEN TO SHIELD ANY VIEWS OF ROOFTOP EQUIPMENT, UH, FROM NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, WE'VE EXTENDED THE EXTERIOR CLADDING ABOUT EIGHT FEET UP, UH, VERTICALLY ABOVE THE ROOF.
AND THEN ROTATING AROUND THE BUILDING TO THE SOUTH AND ZOOMING IN ON THAT BREAK AND THE MASSING.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LEVEL NINE AMENITY, UH, LEVEL IN MORE DETAIL, UH, IN THE FOREGROUND OF THIS VIEW, WE'RE DEDICATED.
WE'VE DEDICATED A VARIETY OF OUTDOOR SEATING TO THE, TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PLAN, REALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SITE'S UNIQUE PROXIMITY TO THE STATE CAPITOL, WHICH IS BEHIND US AND TO THE RIGHT, UH, IN THIS VIEW.
ALL THE SEATING HERE AND THE INTERIOR RESTAURANT SPACE BEYOND ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, FROM THE GROUND FLOOR LOBBY, WE'VE DESIGNED A RANGE OF SPACES, UH, DEFINED BY LUSH PLANTERS AND ORNAMENTAL SHADE TREES THAT PROVIDE A COMFORTABLE, VIBRANT DESTINATION.
UP HERE, ALONG WITH THE INTERIOR PROGRAMMING SHAPING THE BUILDING, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR, UH, RUNNING DIAGONALLY ACROSS OUR SITE, ABOVE THIS DECK, UH, WHICH THAT GIVES THE, UH, TOWER ON THIS FACADE A, UH, ANGULAR LOOK.
UH, MOVING DOWN THE STREET FLOOR, THE STREET LEVEL, UH, YOU CAN GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MATERIALITY AND FACADE ARTICULATION AT THE GROUND FLOOR, WE HAVE A SERIES OF ARCHES PROVIDING A BASE FOR THE BRICK AND GLASS CLADDING, UH, FOR THE PARKING GARAGE.
THE FACADE DETAILING HERE LOOKS TO CELEBRATE LOCAL CONTEXT AND CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH MATERIALITY AND FORM.
AND WE HAVE AN ACCIDENT GREEN TILE HERE THAT'S INSPIRED BY THE CAPITOL'S COPPER ROOF, UH, COLOR AND LARGE GLASS OPENINGS ALLOW VIEWS INTO THE RESTAURANT AND LOBBY SPACE, PROVIDING AN ACTIVE STREETSCAPE.
THE SERIES OF ARCHES ANCHOR THE SITE'S PREMIUM CORNER ON THE LEFT IN THIS VIEW, UH, ALONG 14TH.
UM, AND IT HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERIOR PROGRAM.
UH, ALONG THAT FACADE, WE'VE LOCATED VEHICULAR ACCESS FOR THE PARKING GARAGE FURTHEST AWAY FROM THAT CORNER AND RECESSED IT FROM THE MAIN ELEVATION TO HELP SEPARATE THE VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.
HERE'S OUR CORNER PATIO THAT WE HAVE ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
ON THE LEFT HERE, YOU CAN SEE A DEDICATED ENTRY TO THAT RESTAURANT, A RECESSED WITHIN THE BUILDING NEXT TO THE SEATING, UM, AND THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE, UH, HOTEL AND AND UPPER FLOOR RESTAURANT IS NOTED WITH THAT EXTENDING CANOPY, UH, FROM THE BUILDING THERE.
AND THEN WALKING AROUND THE CORNER.
UH, WE CONTINUE WITH THE, UH, ARCHED FACADE DETAILING MATERIALITY.
THE SIDEWALK SPACE IS ACTIVATED WITH THOSE LARGE WINDOWS VISUALLY CONNECTING THE RESTAURANT SPACE.
AND THE ARCHWAY IS FURTHER DETAILED WITH GREEN ACCENT TILES TO THE LEFT OF THE WINDOW.
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A SMOOTH STONE FINISH AT THE BASE OF THE COLONNADE AND BRONZE METAL WALL LIGHTS, UH, DETAILED INTO THE STONE.THEN HERE, STEPPING BACK, UH, GETTING A WHOLE ELEVATION VIEW OF THE LAVACCA FACADE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE RESTAURANTS, HOW THE RE RESTAURANT SPACE IS WRAPPING AROUND THE CORNER, UH, AS WELL AS THE MOSAIC ARTWORK, UH, BY LOCAL ARTISTS ANCHORING THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS ELEVATION.
AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE HOW WE'VE MAINTAINED THE BRICK AND GLASS DETAILING ABOVE FOR THE PARKING GARAGE.
WITH THAT, WE HAVE RECESSED COVE LIGHTING TO EX ACCENTUATE, UH, THE ARCHED OPENINGS AND ENSCONCED LIGHTING TO MAINTAIN VISIBILITY AND ACTIVATION AT NIGHT.
HERE'S, UH, A CLOSEUP ON OUR MATERIAL PALLET, UM, BRICK ON THE FAR LEFT, THAT'S, UH, CLADDING PARKING GARAGE.
AND WE HAVE OUR ACCIDENT TILE ON THE BOTTOM LEFT ACCENT STONE TILE ON THE BOTTOM LEFT, UM, WHICH IS MAKING UP THAT ARCADE, UH, DETAILING.
AND WE HAVE OUR ACCIDENT GREEN TILE INSIDE THE WINDOW OPENINGS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A LITTLE DETAIL SHOT OF HOW THAT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER AND HOW THAT MAY LOOK AT AT NIGHT.
ON THE FAR LEFT, ON THE FAR RIGHT, SORRY.
LOOKING, LOOKING AT THE PLAN NOW, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE BUILDING IS ORGANIZED AROUND A CENTRAL, UH, CORE OF STRUCTURE AND VERTICAL CIRCULATION.
THE FRONT OF FRONT OF HOUSE SPACES ARE ANCHORED ALONG THE STREET FRONTAGE AND OUR BACK OF HOUSE SPACES, SUCH AS TRASH LOADING AND THE ENERGY VAULT ARE, UH, LOCATED ALONG THE ALLEY.
THE MAIN ENTRY IS LOCATED, LOCATED AT THE TOP CENTER OF THE PAGE HERE OFF OF 14TH STREET.
UM, THE RESTAURANT AND LOBBY WILL BE CURATED AS ONE, UH, LARGE SHARED SPACE WITH A VARIETY OF SEATING CONFIGURATIONS, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC AND HOTEL TO SHARE.
UH, THE RE THE ROOFTOP PATIO AND RESTAURANT WILL BE ACCESSED VIA THE ELEVATORS AT THE CENTER OF THE PLAN.
AND THEN HOTEL CHECK-IN TO THE LEFT.
AND THEN MOVING, MOVING UP TO LEVEL NINE.
UH, THE PUBLIC INTERIOR SPACE IS HIGHLIGHTED USING, UH, THE SALMON COLOR AND A HATCH PATTERN TO SHOW THE EXTERIOR PUBLIC SPACE.
THE POOL, AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR SPACE SHOWN IN PURPLE ARE HOTEL SPECIFIC, UH, WITHIN THE RESTAURANT SPACE.
ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PLAN, THE INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNITURE CONFIGURATION CREATE LIKE AN URBAN LIVING ROOM WITH AN ALL GLASS PERIMETER WITH VIEWS TO THE CAPITOL AND DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN THE SOUTH CORNER OF THE PLAN, WE'VE RE WE RESERVED FOR THE ROOFTOP PATIO WITH CLEAR VIEWS TO DOWNTOWN AND THE CAPITOL.
AND THEN HERE'S, UH, THE PROJECT WILL BE, UH, UM, UH, ATTAINING TWO STAR AGB, BUT, UH, TARGETING THREE STAR.
UM, AND WAYS WE'RE DOING THAT IS INCREASED BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE, EV CHARGERS, UH, AND SUSTAINABLY SOURCED MATERIALS.
UH, CAMERON CAMPBELL, UH, THE PROJECT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE SITE PLAN AND THE GREET STREETS COMPLIANCY IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
OKAY, JUST TO ORIENT EVERYONE AGAIN, UH, LA VACA IS ON THE EAST, AND, UH, 14TH IS ON THE NORTH.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC ALLEYWAY TO THE SOUTH, AND OUR PROPERTY ABUTS THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, UM, UH, TO THE, TO THE WEST.
UM, THIS, UH, FOR SCALE PURPOSES, THE SIDEWALK, UM, ALONG LAVACCA IS 10 FEET WIDE, AND THE, UM, SIDEWALK ALONG 14TH IS 12 FEET WIDE.
UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY EXPANDING OUT THE CURB LINE ON LAVACCA TO ALIGN WITH THE BLOCK TO THE NORTH, THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO EXPAND THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND PEDESTRIAN AREA BY EIGHT FEET.
ALSO, ON THE LAVACA SIDE, WE HAVE, UM, SOME STATE-OWNED PARKING SPOTS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN.
UM, AND WE THOUGHT THE POSITIONING OF THOSE, UM, SPOTS WOULD BEST ALIGN WITH THE AUSTIN ENERGY VAULT, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE TREES IN THAT AREA ANYWAY FOR THE ACCESS.
SO WE'RE KIND OF KEEPING THAT AREA OPEN.
AND THAT IS WHERE THE PROPOSED, UM, MOSAIC MURAL WILL BE WITHIN THE ARCHWAY ALCOVES ON THAT PORTION.
UM, ALONG 14TH STREET, WE HAVE, UM, NOT ONLY THE, THE 12 FOOT SIDEWALK, WE
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ALSO HAVE A, UM, 66 FOOT DROP OFF ZONE, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE STREET FURNITURE ZONE.UM, AND ALSO ALONG THAT SECTION OF 14TH, UM, ON THE FAR WESTERN PORTION, WE HAVE A, A WATER METER THAT WE'RE HAVING TO WORK WITH ON THAT FAR WESTERN SIDE, UM, NOT ALLOWING US TO PUT IN A STREET TREE THERE.
UM, ALWAYS TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THOSE UTILITIES, UM, TO TRY TO OPTIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF STREET TREES.
SO WE THOUGHT THE BEST SOLUTION HERE IS TO HAVE FOUR CONTIGUOUS TREES ON BOTH LA VACA AND 14TH STREET, AND REALLY PLAY UP THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE OF THAT INTERSECTION WHERE MOST OF THE GATHERING WILL TAKE PLACE.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO SEE A VERY RHYTHMIC PATTERN OF SOCK CUT AND SANDBLASTED CONCRETE IN ADDITION TO, UM, STONE PAVING AT THE FRONT ENTRYWAY OF THE, THE LOBBY, THE RETAIL AND THE RESTAURANT SPACE.
UM, AND ALSO AT THE, UM, OUTDOOR DINING AREA, WHICH IS UNDER THE BUILDING OVERHANG UNDER THE ARCHWAY COLON AID.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE JUST, UH, WANTED TO BREAK DOWN SOME OF THE, THE ELEMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PRETTY STANDARD GREAT STREETS.
UM, FOR THIS QUARTER BLOCK SITE.
WE HAVE FOUR BIKE RACKS ON EACH SIDE AND TWO BENCHES.
WE HAVE TWO, UM, PEDESTRIAN STREETLIGHTS.
WE HAVE THE TRASH CANS AT THE INTERSECTION.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UM, UH, PRECEDENT IMAGES OF THE MATERIALITY OF THE SAW CUT AND SANDBLAST PATTERN THAT WILL RELATE TO THE ARCHWAYS OF THE BUILDING, REALLY TYING THE BUILDING INTO THE, TO THE STREET SCAPE.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, SMOOTH STONE PAVING EMBEDS, UM, ALONG THE FRONT ENTRYWAY IN ADDITION TO STEEL EMBEDS, WHICH WE THINK IS GONNA BE A REALLY NICE, UM, DECORATIVE ACCENT TO REALLY HELP, UM, BRING SOME INTEREST TO THE, THE ENTRY SIDE.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO BEST ADDRESS THE INFLUX AND E INGRESS EGRESS OF TRAFFIC INTO THE PARKING GARAGE.
UM, SO WE'RE PROPOSING A 12 INCH WIDE, UH, DETECTABLE WARNING STRIP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE, UM, VEHICULAR ENTRY INTO THE PARKING GARAGE IN ADDITION TO SIGNAGE, UM, AT THAT ENTRYWAY, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, SO RELATED TO STREET, UH, TO TREES AND PLANTINGS, UM, RED OAKS ALONG LAVACCA AND CEDAR ELMS ALONG 14TH STREET, WHICH WE THINK WILL TIE IN NICELY WITH WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, STEEL PAVER GRATES, UM, AND THEN NATIVE GRASSES AND SEGS AND, UM, SITE APPROPRIATE VEGETATION, WHICH WILL ALSO WRAP AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE BUILDING ON, UM, BOTH LAVACCA AND 14TH STREET.
ANYWHERE WHERE WE CAN CREATE A NICE LAYER AND BUFFER BETWEEN THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE LANDSCAPE.
UM, THAT VEGETATION WILL ALSO TAKE PLACE, UM, IN AREAS IN BETWEEN THE STREET FURNITURE WHERE WE, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME IN-GROUND PLANTING TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE VIEWS.
THIS IS LOOKING AT THE INTERSECTION, 14TH AND LA VACA.
YOU CAN SEE THE STREET TREES, THE STREET FURNISHING, UH, FURNISHING ZONE, THE PAVER, UM, AND, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE SAW CUT AND SANDBLASTED PATTERN STREETLIGHTS, UM, AND SO ON FROM THIS INTERSECTION ALONG WITH THE, UH, PLANTING STRIPS AT THE CORNER.
SO THIS IS THE VIEW OF 14TH STREET AT THE, THE ENTRYWAY TO THE RESTAURANT AND THE LOBBY, YOU CAN SEE THE DROP OFF ZONE WHERE WE'VE EXTENDED THE PAVING PATTERN OUT ACROSS THE CURB LINE FOR, UM, UBER LYFT DROP OFF, UM, ACCESS TO ACCESS THE, THE, UM, RESTAURANT AND THE HOTEL, UM, THE BIKE RACKS AND THE STREET FURNISHING ZONE, AND THEN THE 12 FOOT WIDE SIDEWALK WITH THE PAVING EMBEDS, THE STEEL EMBEDS, AND THE, UM, STONE ON THE GROUND PLANE ALONG WITH THE VEGETATION.
SO THIS IS KIND OF MORE OF THE, THE PROMINENT VIEW UPON THE ENTRYWAY.
UM, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A LITTLE BIT TO THE, TO THE, TO THE TOP OF THE BUILDING.
THE, UM, ENTRYWAY EXTENDS OUT AND KIND OF CREATES A SHELTERED CONDITION, UM, HELPING KIND OF CREATE A PUBLIC VISUAL TO DRAW PEOPLE IN.
UM, WE WANT THEM TO COME UP AND ACCESS THE, THE ROOF TERRACE, SINCE THAT'S GONNA BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
UM, THE PLANTING STRIPS ON EITHER SIDE, WHICH ACTUALLY WRAP ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CORNER, UM, AND THE PAVING PATTERN, UM, ALL FLUSH, ALL ADA ACCESSIBLE, UM, MEETING ALL CODE CRITERIA.
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THIS IS LOOKING AT THAT INTERSECTION A LITTLE BIT CLOSER UP.YOU CAN KIND OF FOCUS IN ON THE, UM, OUTDOOR, UM, SEATING TERRACE THAT'S BUFFERED BY A RAISED PLANTER.
UM, THE PLANTING KIND OF WRAPS AROUND, UM, AND HOW THE COLONNADE, UM, ARCHWAYS REALLY KIND OF WRAP AROUND BOTH SIDES OF, UH, THIS INTERSECTION.
AND THE SAW CUT AND SANDBLASTED PATTERN CONTINUES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
WE WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION IN MORE DETAIL SINCE WE ONLY HAD A COUPLE FOLKS THAT WERE ABLE TO COME TO THE WORKING GROUP, SO I APPRECIATE YOU, UM, HANGING WITH US ON THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, SO NOW I'LL WORK THROUGH WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE WORKING GROUP AND WHAT CHANGES WE'VE MADE AS A RESULT.
UM, SO OUR OVERALL WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT THEY, Y'ALL WERE NOT SURE THAT WE COMPLIED.
SO WE, UM, HAVE GONE THROUGH THESE, UM, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I'LL, I'LL KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THOSE AND OF COURSE, WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AT THE END.
AND WE DID GO TO WORKING GROUP ON NOVEMBER 1ST.
AND ACTUALLY, IF YOU REMOVE THE NON-COMPLIANT, UM, IF YOU MOVE THE REMOVE, THE NOT APPLICABLE, WE'RE AT 40 OUT OF 41 ARE EITHER COMPLIANT OR PARTIALLY COMPLIANT.
UM, SO I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT THE SITE LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE MINIMIZING CURB CUTS.
UM, WE'VE CLO ALL OF THOSE RED STRIPS ARE CURB CUTS TODAY.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE MINIMIZED IT DOWN TO JUST THE ONE, UM, CURB CUT ON THE SIDEWALK FOR, UM, ENTRY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO, OF COURSE, ARE INSTALLING STREET TREES AND REINFORCING PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY.
UM, SO HERE WE HAVE, UM, PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN WHERE THE BUILDING MEETS THE STREET, REINFORCING THAT PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, ENHANCING STREET SCAPE, INSTALLING STREET TREES, OF COURSE, UM, PEDESTRIAN SCALE LIGHTING.
I KNOW THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S COME UP A COUPLE TIMES, AND SO WE WANTED TO REALLY SHOW, UM, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT UNDER THAT BUBBLE, BUT THERE, YOU SAW IT IN ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT, UM, THAT PAUL SHOWED THAT WE'VE REALLY ACCENTUATED THE, UM, THE PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING, UM, AND PROVIDING GENEROUS STREET SCALE WINDOWS AND, UM, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY MATERIALS AS PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR CIVIC ART THAT, UM, CAMERON MENTIONED.
SO I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY A LAST TIME WHEN WE WERE WITH YOU BEFORE ON THE DIFFERENT PROJECT, WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO INCORPORATE CIVIC ART, AND IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
I THINK THIS IS A MUCH BETTER MATCH.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE PUT IT INTO THOSE ARCHWAYS SO THAT IT REALLY DOES FIT IN THE BUILDING.
WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING SOMETHING LIKE A MOSAIC.
WE HAVE NOT OF COURSE, FOUND THAT ARTIST YET, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO, UM, USE A SPACE THAT WE CAN'T PUT TREES ON, HAVE A VISIBILITY, A HIGH VISIBILITY AREA, AND, UM, BUT ALSO, UM, TO, TO INCORPORATE LOCAL CHARACTER INTO THE BUILDING.
AND WE WILL HAVE, IT'S NOT SHOWN IN THIS, UH, RENDERING, BUT WE WILL HAVE LIGHTING IN THOSE ARCHWAYS ABOVE, SO AT NIGHT AS WELL THAT, UM, THAT ARTWORK WILL BE VERY VISIBLE.
UM, SO THIS IS A CIRCULATION MAP.
UM, WE, I THINK, UH, WHEN WE WERE WITH THE WORKING GROUP, WE TALKED A LITTLE, THERE WERE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS AND SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WOULD MOVE THROUGH AND AROUND THE BUILDING.
UM, SO WE THINK THIS IS, WE'RE HOPING THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO SORT OF SHOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY IS THERE A RESTAURANT AT THE GROUND FLOOR RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNER, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT, BUT ALSO, UM, THAT ENTRY AND THERE'S AN ENTRY INTO JUST THE RESTAURANT.
THERE'S ALSO AN ENTRY INTO THE LOBBY AND THE RESTAURANT TOGETHER, WHICH IS SORT OF AN INCORPORATED SPACE.
I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN, THERE'S SOME RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN WHERE YOU CAN GRAB A DRINK AND WHILE YOU WAIT FOR THE TABLE, YOU CAN KIND OF USE LOBBY TABLES AND CHAIRS.
SO IT'S REALLY, REALLY A MIXED AREA.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THAT ENTRY INTO THE, INTO THE LOBBY AND RESTAURANT IS WHERE YOU WOULD GO INTO THE ELEVATORS TO GO UP TO THE NINTH FLOOR PUBLIC SPACE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T EVEN THE LOBBY PORTION OF THIS SPACE WILL REALLY BE A VERY ACTIVE SPACE.
IT'LL BE INCORPORATED INTO, UM, BOTH RESTAURANTS REALLY.
UM, SO THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN THE WORKING GROUP WAS, WAS THE PUBLIC VIEWS.
SO YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM KIND OF HOW MUCH OF THAT TOP NINTH FLOOR SPACE HAS A PUBLIC VIEW, UM, AVAILABLE TO IT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR THAT WE'VE IN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE CUT INTO.
AND SO WE HAVE AN, A REALLY AMAZING VIEW FROM THAT NINTH STORY.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
SO IT'S GONNA BE, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY WELL USED AREA BY THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND SO THIS, ON THIS IMAGE YOU CAN SEE, UM, AGAIN, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT OUR TEAM HAS TALKED ABOUT ALREADY.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THE PAVERS DELINEATE THE PUBLIC ZONE, THE PUBLIC SPACE, AND THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE FROM THE BUILDING.
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CAN SEE THE CONTRAST, THE METAL INLAY, UM, THE TREES, OF COURSE.UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HOW THOSE WINDOWS REALLY ARE, ESPECIALLY AT THE GROUND FLOOR.
AND THE, AND THE, UM, THE CAN, THE, THE ARCHES
UM, AND THEN THIS IMAGE WE WANT WE ADDED TO SHOW, WE ADDED SOME SIGNAGE THERE, SO YOU CAN GO INTO THE RESTAURANT EITHER DIRECTLY OR YOU CAN GO IN THROUGH THE LOBBY ENTRANCE AND KIND OF LIKE MAKE YOUR WAY, THE WAY I WAS DESCRIBING.
UM, SO WE REALLY WANTED TO SHOW HOW THAT WILL WORK, CLARIFYING BOTH ENTRANCES.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE MYSELF AND MY TEAM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE, UM, YOU ADDRESSING THE WORKING GROUP COMMENTS, UH, IN THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU DID.
UH, AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND, UM, SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UH, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE GLAZING AT THE KITCHEN OF THE RESTAURANT ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
UM, IT, IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE RENDERING IT WAS GLAZED, BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW COMMITTED Y'ALL ARE TO THAT.
YEAH, SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, RETAIL COMPONENT YET, BUT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT SOMETHING AS AN OPEN KITCHEN, BE ABLE TO SEE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE AS WELL AS SPILLING OUT INTO THE RESTAURANT SPACE.
BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING CURATED, UH, BY THE TENANT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? CAROL, COMMISSIONER CAROL? THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, I'LL START, I GUESS BY SAYING I THINK IT'S A VERY HANDSOME BUILDING AND, UM, I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU'RE USING THE ARTWORK TO, TO SCREEN THE VAULT.
UH, THAT SAID, I DO HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS.
UM, THE PARKING IS BREAKING MY HEART.
UH, THIS AREA IS SURROUNDED BY STATE GARAGES.
THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES, JUST LIKE THE, THERE'S ANOTHER HOTEL A FEW BLOCKS UP THE STREET THAT DIDN'T PROVIDE ANY PARKING AT ALL.
UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PARKING THIS ALMOST ONE SPACE PER KEY, I THINK.
UM, IT'S A LOT OF PARKING, SO, UH, AND THEN ON THE GARAGE ALSO, I, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE DIFFERENTIATION IN PAVING.
UM, IT'S ALSO NICE TO HAVE SOME PEDESTRIAN PROTECTIONS AT THE GARAGE.
THERE'S NO OVERHANGS OR ANYTHING IF, IF A PEDESTRIAN HAS TO WAIT AND INCLEMENT WEATHER FOR CARS COMING AND GOING, IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE WAS A PLACE THAT THEY COULD DO THAT COMFORTABLY.
UM, SO SOMETHING TO TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, ALSO, UH, THE, THE ARCHWAYS ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE, BUT WHAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THEM IS THE HUMAN SCALE.
THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE MAYBE 25 FEET OR SOMETHING TALL.
UM, AND SO WHILE ON THE BUILDING THEY LOOK GREAT, BUT AS YOU INTERACT WITH THEM, WHEN YOU SEE THE, THE ENTOURAGE AND THE RENDERINGS, IT LOOKS WAY OUT OF SCALE TO TO, TO REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THAT SPACE.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THE BIGGEST ONE FOR ME, AND I FEEL LIKE THE RENDERINGS EVEN REINFORCE THIS WITH, WITH LANDSCAPING SORT OF BUTTED UP ALL AROUND THE BUILDING, IS I SEE VERY LITTLE STREET ACTIVATION.
I MEAN, THERE'S GREAT STREETS THAT IS REQUIRED, BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE CORNER FOR THE RESTAURANT, BUT IT'S ALSO TUCKED BACK UNDER THE ARCHWAY.
AND I COULD SEE HOW THERE COULD BE VERY LITTLE TO, TO NO ACTIVATION AND THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT SPACE VERSUS PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALK.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE REALLY THE MOST PROBLEMATIC TO ME ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS IT REALLY FEELS LIKE THERE'S LIKE A, YOU'RE INSIDE OR YOU'RE OUT.
UM, AND THERE'S REALLY NOTHING HAPPENING.
SO JUST ONE, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE ARCHES ARE 15 FEET TALL, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS.
AND, UM, THE, WE ARE PLANNING FOR OUTDOOR SEATING AS WELL AS THERE'S A PORTION, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW WHAT SIDE IT IS, DREW.
[00:30:01]
THERE'S A PORTION OF THE SEATING THAT IS, THAT IS TUCKED INTO THAT CORNER BUT IS NOT COVERED.AND THEN THERE'S A PORTION THAT'S COVERED, AND THEN THERE'S OF COURSE INSIDE WITH, UM, WITH THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE WINDOWS.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT THERE ARE SORT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF, OF, IT'S NOT, WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING NOT TO MAKE IT INDOOR OUTDOOR, BUT ACTUALLY HAVE KIND OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF INDOOR NESS OR OUTDOORNESS YOU'RE SAYING AT THE CORNER.
YEAH, THE, I GUESS IT'S THE RENDERINGS MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST REALLY TUCKED IN THERE.
UM, BUT IF, IF YOU 35, COULD YOU PULL UP, DO YOU MIND PULLING UP SLIDE 35 PLEASE? 35? THERE IS, THERE IS PLANNED TO BE SIDEWALK SEATING AND THEN THERE'S A PORTION OF THAT CORNER THERE.
THAT IS OUT ALL THE WAY OUTSIDE AND SEE ON THE LACA SIDE, ACTUALLY THE ONE YOU JUST HAD WOULD BE PERFECT.
I SEE ON THE LOCA SIDE'S A LITTLE BIT OUT.
BUT IT'S A TINY LITTLE PIECE TOO.
ONE, ONE OTHER THING THAT'S, I MEAN, AGAIN, AND I LIKE THE ARCHES, BUT EVEN AT THE, I GUESS THE ENTRY, THERE'S A LITTLE CANOPY.
I MEAN, THE ARCHES, THERE'S NO HIERARCHY AS TO LIKE WHERE THE BUILDING ENTRANCE IS, RIGHT? I MEAN, I SEE THERE'S LIKE A LITTLE ROOF STICKING OUT OF ONE OF 'EM, ASSUMING THAT'S THE BUILDING ENTRANCE, IT'S, UH, ON THE RIGHT.
BUT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ARCHES ITSELF COULD CREATE SOME HIERARCHY THERE TOO.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
ANYONE ELSE? I MAY, UH, COMMISSIONER RE UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THAT WORKING GROUP MEETING AND, UH, I WAS NOT.
AND, UH, APOLOGIZE TO THE APPLICANT FOR THAT.
UM, I THINK, UH, APPRECIATE THE TIME GOING IN AND, AND, UH, MAKING, UH, THAT A PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS A VERY HELPFUL, CONCISE PRESENTATION.
I ECHO COMMISSIONER CARROLL'S.
UM, I THINK THE, THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE A GORGEOUS BUILDING.
UM, I REALLY LIKE THE FOCUS ON THE MATERIALS, UH, COMMEND THE COORDINATION BETWEEN, UH, LANDSCAPE AND ARCHITECTURE ON, ON THE, THE MATERIALS OF THE, OF THE HARDSCAPE AS WELL AS THE, AS THE FRONT.
UM, I HAVE, UH, A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT SORT OF POPPED UP THAT DON'T NEED AN ANSWER TODAY, BUT JUST FOR, UH, UH, THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT GRADING UP, UM, FROM THE LANDING AREA, FROM THE DROP OFF AREA IS A VERY NICE TOUCH.
UM, IT'S HARD TO DO, UH, 'CAUSE YOU'RE COVERING YOU, AND TO MAKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UNDER 5% IS, IS A CHALLENGE I'M SURE THAT'S BEING LOOKED AT AND, AND THAT GRADING WORKS OUT.
UM, BUT I, I, UM, WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T END UP WITH ANY SORT OF TRIP, UH, CORNERS, UH, ON THOSE TREES.
BUT, UM, APPLAUD THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT, THAT'S A REALLY NICE TOUCH.
UH, I QUESTION WHETHER THE, THE, UM, DETECTABLE PAVERS ARE, UM, LEGAL AT, UM, OR, OR ACCEPTABLE AT THE DRIVEWAY.
UM, I'VE, I'VE BEEN UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AT DRIVEWAY CUTS.
UH, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT.
AND IT'S, IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT WE TALKED TO STAFF AND, AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE WAS HAPPY ABOUT IT.
I SUPPOSE IF IT'S NOT ALLOWED, WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE SOMETHING ELSE OUT.
BUT THAT'S, WE DID RUN IT BY, I THINK AT THE LAST, OR AT THE WORKING GROUP MEETING, THIS IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES UP, YOU KNOW, IS HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT, UM, THAT CONFLICT POINT.
AND SO WE WANTED TO, WE DIDN'T WANNA MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS AT THAT TIME WITHOUT SEEING IF STUFF WOULD APPROVE IT.
SO HOPEFULLY, AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE A RAZZ ON THE TEAM WHO COULD CONFIRM THAT IN DESIGN TOO.
SO JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.
UM, LOVE THE FOCUS ON THE TREES.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF RESPONDING TO THE TREES ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, WITH, WITH THE GREAT STREETS, UM, YOU KNOW, I AM LESS OF A STICKLER ABOUT THE 22 FEET.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE GOT THAT FRONTAGE AND, AND DOLING OUT THAT SPACE THAT IS IN A WAY THAT WOULD BEST, UM, UH, SUIT THE, UH, PEDESTRIAN NATURE OF THAT STREET AS WELL AS THE HEALTH OF THE TREES.
UH, APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION ON WHY THE TREE WASN'T, UH, IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE CORNERS THERE WITH THE UTILITY CONFLICTS.
UM, THE, THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO KINDA LAND ON, AND I I ECHO COMMISSIONER CARROLL'S, UM, YOU KNOW, LAMENT ABOUT THE PARKING AND, AND CERTAINLY WISH THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT LESS PROMINENT AND LESS A PART OF THE BUILDING.
AND, UH, FIND WAYS JUST AS YOU KNOW, BROADLY TO ACTIVATE THE SECOND STORY OF BUILDINGS, UM, WHICH ARE SO OFTEN OCCUPIED BY PARKING PLANTS.
UM, THAT MIGHT NOT BE SOMETHING WE, WE GET WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT IT BEARS SAY 'CAUSE I, I HOPE WE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AS
[00:35:01]
A COMMUNITY.THE THING THAT CHASED ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ONE IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE, TO THE RESTAURANT.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND PROGRAMMATICALLY WHY THAT'S SET UP TO BE IN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOTEL ENTRANCE, UM, WITH THE PICKUP AREA OFF OF UM, 14TH STREET.
UH, BUT NOWHERE IN THIS PRESENTATION HAVE WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT CONNECT IS GOING TO BE PUTTING, UH, A LIGHT RAIL DOWN LAVACCA.
AND THAT REALLY MAKES LAVACCA THE FRONT DOOR OF THIS BUILDING INSTEAD OF 14TH STREET.
UH, NOW YOU'VE GOT THE, YOU'VE GOT PROGRAMMATIC CHALLENGES, DRIVEWAYS, AUSTIN ENERGY THAT ARE GONNA MAKE TURNING THE INCOME.
I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO JUST TURN THE WHOLE BUILDING, UH, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT RESTAURANT COULD REALLY SIGNAL ITS PRIMARY ENTRANCE AS NOT BEING THROUGH THE HOTEL LOBBY, BUT BEING AT THAT CORNER, UM, IN THE MIDWEST, YOU'VE GOT THIS GREAT TYPOLOGY OF THE CORNER RESTAURANTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY ACTIVE FROM BOTH SIDES.
I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, A DIAGONAL, A REALLY STRONG ENTRANCE AT HOLDING THAT CORNER IS ACTUALLY GOING TO ACTIVATE THE STREET SCAPE BETTER THAN A COUPLE TABLES OF DINING.
UH, I THINK A COMMISSIONER PREVIOUS SAID ON ANOTHER PROJECT THAT, THAT OUTDOOR DINING ISN'T REALLY CONTRIBUTING A LOT TO THE, UH, STREET SCAPE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE, I DON'T THINK IT'S AN UNREASONABLE DESIGN ASK TO, TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER LOOKING AT THAT AND REALLY HOLDING DOWN THAT CORNER.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRANSIT USERS AND, AND ARE, ARE GOING TO BE APPROACHING FROM THE STOP AT 15TH STREET.
UH, THAT REALLY TO ME SIGNALS THAT THIS RESTAURANT IS A RESTAURANT FOR EVERYBODY IN AUSTIN AND NOT, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY INTENDED FOR, UH, THE PEOPLE JUST STAYING AT THE HOTEL.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY.
I ALSO HAD THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WAS ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE WORKING GROUP AND LET'S TALK NOT AVAILABLE, SO I APOLOGIZE.
BUT, UM, QUICK THOUGHT QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUTTING, PUTTING THE DETECTABLE WARNING PAPERS AT THE GARAGE, AND I THOUGH I THINK THE HOTEL ENTRY AS PRESENTED IS VERY SEXY.
UM, BUT YOU CAN WALK RIGHT OUT INTO TRAFFIC IF YOU USE A MOBILITY DEVICE.
SO THERE IS GONNA BE NEED TO BE SOMETHING THAT THAT SIGNALS THAT YOU ARE ENTERING INTO THAT DROP-OFF PICKUP ZONE WHERE YOU COULD HAVE CONFLICTS WITH CARS.
UM, AND ALSO AS PART OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES TO PROTECT THE PEDESTRIAN.
AND IT, MY MIND JUST GOES TO LIKE THE WORST PLACE THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A WIDE BREADTH OF OPENING THAT YOU HAVE NO FURNITURE, YOU HAVE NO CURB, YOU HAVE NO TREES FOR SOMEONE WHO DECIDES TO DRIVE THEIR CAR INTO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING, I KNOW IT INTERRUPTS THAT BIG, BEAUTIFUL ENTRY, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING THAT KIND OF PROTECTS THAT AREA FROM I I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK.
UM, PERHAPS A BOLLARD IN THAT AREA WOULD, WOULD DO JUST THAT TO PROTECT THE PEDESTRIAN, UM, WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK A BALLARD COULD BE A GOOD, GOOD SOLUTION THERE.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WAS IT ALL MY FEEDBACK.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS CHAIR IF I MAY? YES, PLEASE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S A VERY HANDSOME PROJECT.
I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE MATERIALITY THAT YOU'VE SELECTED.
I THINK THE, UM, THE BRICK AND ALSO THE TEXTURE ON THE GROUND SURFACES THAT YOU'RE EMPLOYING, UM, ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO GIVE IT AN AIR OF QUALITY AND THOUGHT AND CARE AND CONSIDERATION IN THE DESIGN.
UM, I, I DO, UM, WANT TO QUESTION HOWEVER, THE APPROACH TO THE SOUTH FACADE AND, UM, I THINK THIS GOES IN MY MIND TO, UM, THE CATEGORY PSS 0.4, THE ENHANCING THE STREETSCAPE, UM, REQUIREMENT.
AND GIVEN THAT LAVACCA IS A NORTHBOUND TRANSIT ROUTE WAY, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND, UM, TRYING TO GET THAT, UH, GET TO THAT, YOU KNOW, 8 0 1 RAPID TRANSIT METRO BUS STOP.
AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE SOUTH CORNER, THE SOUTH ELEVATION, UM, FEELS A LITTLE IGNORED.
UH, I, I APPRECIATE THE MURAL, UM, OCCUPYING THE THREE ARCHES ON THE EAST FACADE.
UM, HOWEVER YOU WRAP THE BRICK AND YOU WRAP THE ARCHES, BUT, BUT THE MURALS DON'T WRAP OR THE ARTWORK DOESN'T WRAP, AND SO YOU DON'T REALLY GET A VISUAL SIGNIFIER OF A PUBLIC SPACE.
AND, UH, THE, THE VIEW AS YOU POINTED OUT IS, IS GONNA BE SPECTACULAR.
AND I THINK HAVING THAT ARTWORK WRAPPED TO THE SOUTH SIDE AND PROVIDING A SIGNPOST TO SAY, THIS IS A PUBLIC BUILDING COME UP TO THIS, UM, UPPER LEVEL, YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, FIND A SPECTACULAR AMENITY UP HERE
[00:40:01]
WOULD BE, UM, VERY, UM, IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE A LOT, I THINK, TO THE EXPERIENCE OF TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ALONG THE VACA.UM, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT THE FACT THAT THE ARCHES DO HAVE LIGHTING IN THEM, I THINK HOWEVER DYNAMIC THAT ARTWORK IS GOING TO APPEAR WILL DEPEND ON HOW EFFECTIVE THE LIGHTING IS.
UH, THE BRICK IS VERY DARK AND HEAVY AND DOES HAVE A LOT OF DEPTH TO IT.
AND SO I THINK TO, UM, JUST CREATE A MORE FRIENDLY, PLEASING, SORT OF INVITING, UM, SITUATION ON THAT SOUTH CORNER, I WOULD EQUALLY RECOMMEND WRAPPING THE PLANTING, UH, TO AS MUCH AS IS POSSIBLE.
I UNDERSTAND YOU DO HAVE A, THE ELECTRICAL GEAR WITHIN THAT CORNER TUCKED IN.
UM, BUT, BUT AT THIS MOMENT I FEEL THE SOUTH FACE, YOU KNOW, CARS DRIVING UP THAT STREET IS GONNA APPEAR VERY BLANK AND, AND NOT, UH, ENGAGING, UM, AS MUCH AS IT AS IT COULD BE.
UM, SO SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE THOUGHTS ON, ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
I DID, UH, ALSO JUST WANT TO ASK REGARDING THAT UPPER AMENITY DESK, UH, DECK.
SORRY, IT WASN'T CLEAR WHAT THE INTENT WAS FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER.
I KNOW THE VIEW TO THE SOUTHEAST IS SPECTACULAR, BUT ON THAT NORTHWEST, UH, I DID SEE SOME SORT OF GATED SECTIONS AND I WONDERED WHETHER THAT WAS ALSO ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SAY THERE IS A PORTION OF THAT NINTH FLOOR IS, IS HOTEL AMENITY, UM, WHICH WOULD BE FOBBED LIKE THE POOL FOR LIABILITY REASONS, OBVIOUSLY.
AND THEN THE, BUT A A PROBABLY TWO THIRDS OF IT, OVER HALF OF IT IS IT'S PUBLIC AND PART OF THAT RESTAURANT.
SO THAT'S A PLACE WHERE SOMEONE, THERE'LL BE TABLES AND THINGS OUT AND THEN ALSO PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A DRINK AND LOOK OUT.
UM, WE SHOWED THIS THE ONE, THE, THE EXCITING VIEW OF THE SOUTHEAST, BUT PEOPLE COULD WALK ALL AROUND THAT SIDE.
SO THE ENTIRETY IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WE CAN PULL UP THE SLIDE, NOT THE WHOLE 15.
WOULD YOU MIND PULLING UP SLIDE 15 PLEASE? NOT THE ENTIRETY, BUT THE WHOLE, UM, FRONT, THE WHOLE EASTERN SIDE OF THIS BUILDING.
I'LL SHOW YOU HERE, SEE BACK, OH YEAH, THIS SECTION HERE.
I THINK IT'S THE P THE PEACH COLORED PART, AND I THINK THE OTHER PART IS LIKE A BLUE OR GREEN.
AND IS THAT JUST TO PROVIDE A SORT OF SEPARATION FOR THE HOTEL GUESTS? YES, AND THAT'S, THAT'S MORE LIKE THE GYM, THE POOL, LIKE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT FACE THAT SIDE.
AND THEN THE RESTAURANT IS, IS THE REST.
SO YEAH, SO THAT WHITE PART IS THE AMENITY, THE HOTEL AMENITY PORTION AND, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, BACK OF HOUSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THAT, THAT ORANGEISH AND THE BLUE IS PUBLIC.
ARE THERE ANY VICE CHAIR MINORS? YEAH.
UM, CAN YOU SHOW THE SOUTH ELEVATION AGAIN WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE ELEVATION, INCLUDING THE ROOFTOP AND THE PARKING GARAGE? YES.
WHAT SIDE WAS THAT, DO YOU RECALL? DREW, DO YOU KNOW WHICH SIDE? THAT 1 39 PLEASE.
OKAY, SO I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE STICKING POINTS THAT I STILL HAVE THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE WORKING GROUP IS THE PARKING PODIUM'S VISIBILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU INTERPRET THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ROOFTOPS CAN BE SEEN FROM OTHER BUILDINGS.
AND I, I THINK IN THIS CASE, UM, YOU COULD CONSIDER THAT AMENITY SPACE A ROOFTOP.
UM, AND IT DOES MENTION THAT NOT JUST FOR FUNCTIONAL PURPOSES, BUT FOR AESTHETIC PURPOSES, UM, TO ENHANCE, UM, THOSE AREAS AS IT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE STREET AND OTHER BUILDINGS.
UM, SO FOR ME, I LOVE THE, UH, INTENT BEHIND THE WRAPPING OF, UH, THE EAST AND NORTHERN FACADES.
UM, I JUST THINK WITH THE PROMINENCE OF THAT SECTION, AND GIVEN THE CONVERSATION TOO ABOUT, UH, POTENTIALLY THE SUPERFLUOUS AMOUNT OF PARKING
[00:45:01]
I, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT THAT'S ADDRESSED.DID YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION ON THAT? WE DID, WE DID TALK ABOUT IT ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT.
AND, UM, WHAT WE JUST, THERE'S A, THERE'S A FEW THINGS.
ONE OF THEM IS THE VENTILATION OF THE GARAGE.
UM, WE, AND, AND ALSO JUST THE QUALITY OF THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE, WE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE THE FULL GLASS FRONT OF THOSE PARKING SPACES ON THE, ON THE STREET FACING PORTION OF THE BUILDING.
UM, WHICH BOTH FROM A COST AND FROM A VENTILATION PERSPECTIVE, UM, MEANS THAT THE BACK OF IT HAS TO BE MUCH MORE OPEN AND, AND LOOK MORE LIKE THIS.
UM, THAT SITE TO THE SOUTH, THERE IS AN OFFICE BUILDING THAT SERVES THE METHODIST CHURCH.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR PLANS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A CHURCH ITSELF.
IT COULD REDEVELOP, IT DOES HAVE A CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR, BUT THE VIEW CORRIDOR IS QUITE A BIT HIGHER THAN, THAN THE, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHERE OUR NINTH FLOOR IS.
UM, SO YOU KNOW IT, AND THEN ALSO IT'S RIGHT ON THE PROPERTY LINE THERE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE A FIREPROOF, UM, A FIREPROOF WALL OR SIDE THERE.
SO WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM MY TEAM IS THAT, WELL, IT'S NOT IDEAL IF WE TRIED TO FIX IT, IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE THE FRONT LOOK NOT NEARLY AS, UM, APPEALING.
SO WITH THE CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HINDER A PORTION OF YOUR BUILDING THAT WE'RE NOW USING? UH, SORRY, I DIDN'T SAY THAT VERY CLEARLY.
NO, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT THERE IS A CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR THAT GOES OVER THAT SITE TO THE SOUTH OF US.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S HIGHER THAN, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHERE IT IS ON OUR BUILDING.
LIKE YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT KIND OF SNIPS OFF THE TOP AT, AT, AT OUR NINE FLOOR AMENITY LEVEL.
SO, UH, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF THAT BUILDING TO THE SOUTH WERE TO REDEVELOP, IT WOULD LIKELY DEVELOP REDEVELOP TALLER THAN IT IS TODAY AND, UM, POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, CO COVER THAT SIDE OF THE GARAGE.
IT'S JUST THAT RIGHT NOW IT'S AN OLDER BUILDING THERE AND IT'S SHORTER.
YEAH, I MEAN IT STANDS OUT TO ME.
UM, BUT UH, OVERALL I LIKE THE DESIGN, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING I HEARD THE GARAGES CAN BE COMPLETELY ENCLOSED AND MECHANICALLY VENTILATED, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE OPEN GARAGES.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING THE HOTEL LOBBY AND IT LOOKS LIKE, AND I CAN'T RECALL FROM THE WORKING GROUP, UM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE, UH, SOMETHING IN THERE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVATED.
AS FAR AS THE, THIS LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A CURVED BAR IN THERE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE CREATED IN THERE IN THAT LOBBY TO ACTIVATE THAT OR ANY PLANS TO ACTIVATE THAT LOBBY SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST A LOBBY? I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WE, WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT ALSO QUITE A BIT AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OF THE DESIGN, BUT REALLY WHAT WE DID IS JUST TRY TO BETTER REFLECT THE WAY THAT AREA'S GONNA BE USED AND THAT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COME IN THAT DOOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHERE YOU WOULD CHECK INTO THE HOTEL.
IT'S ALSO WHERE YOU COULD GO TO THE, GO TO THE RESTAURANT INTERIOR.
IT'S ALSO WHERE YOU COULD HOLD A DRINK OR, YOU KNOW, WE TRIED TO SORT OF BETTER SHOW THE WAY THAT THAT SPACE WOULD BE USED.
UM, AND WE DID, I BELIEVE CHANGE THE SIGN OVER.
WE REMOVE THE WALL, REMOVE THE WALL, THANK YOU.
BETWEEN THE TWO SO THAT IT REALLY IS AN OPEN MORE OF A, OF AN OPEN SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO USES.
UM, AND YEAH, AND THEN IT'LL BE, WE DID ALSO TALK ABOUT THE IDEA THAT SOMEONE COULD IN THE FUTURE PUT IN LIKE A SMALL, YOU KNOW, COFFEE BAR OR A CART OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, IN THAT SPACE, BUT THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PART OF THE RESTAURANT BECAUSE THAT IS GONNA BE ONE KIND OF ONE USER SPACE.
UM, YEAH, I GUESS JUST THINKING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S LIVE MUSIC OR ANY KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE ENTERTAINMENT OR THE RESTAURANT, UH, INDUSTRY, JUST THINKING OF OTHER USES FOR THAT HOTEL LOBBY THAT WOULD ACTIVATE IT FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T GOING TO THE RESTAURANT.
UM, AND, AND THEN, UH, YEAH, I SEEN A LOT OF POINTS MADE ABOUT ACTIVATING THAT OUTDOOR, UM, THE OUTDOOR PLAZA AREA WITH, UH, VARIOUS TYPES OF SEATING.
I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT OVERALL I, I REALLY LIKE THE DIRECTION THAT, THAT THIS PROJECT'S, UM, GONE AND SO, UM, YEAH, IT LOOKS GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, I, I'M JUST MORE CURIOUS THAN ANYTHING.
UM, THERE'S A, A REDUCED, UM, SIDEWALK ON LAVACCA, UM, AND IT SAYS PER, UM, ATD AND URBAN DESIGN.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD FILL US IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT CONVERSATION AT WHAT LED TO THE REDUCED SIDEWALK WIDTH.
[00:50:04]
SORRY TO, TO GIVE MORE CLARIFICATION ON THE REDUCED SIDEWALK WIDTH ALONG LAVACCA.I, I, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN EXPANDED OUT BY, UM, SIX FEET, UM, TO THE EAST.
SO THE, THE SIDEWALK IS ACTUALLY GROWING, UM, AND GETTING LARGER.
I GET, UH, REDUC REDUCED FROM THE, THE GREAT STREET STANDARD THOUGH, UH, A 10 FOOT AND THE EIGHT FOOT, UM, STREET FURNITURE ZONE.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THE SIDEWALK IS 10 FEET AND I CAN MAYBE WEIGH IN HERE TOO.
I, I KNOW THAT LA VACA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT RECENTLY, BUT THE, THERE'S A, AN AGE OLD AGREEMENT ABOUT LA VACA BEING A TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND THEREFORE WHEN IT CAME TO GREAT STREETS, THAT WAS A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC CONCESSION, WAS THERE ON LA VACA WHEN IT CAME TO THE GREAT STREET'S COMPLIANCE WITH THE FRONTAGES.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE IT PROPOSED AT 10 FEET AND AN EIGHT AND A HALF FOOT WIDE STREET FURNITURE ZONE AND THE, TO THE CURB AS WE HAVE IT DRAWN CURRENTLY, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE, THE BLOCK TO THE NORTH.
YEAH, I GUESS I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE CIVIL DRAWING AND IT'S GOT NINE AND SEVEN.
UM, I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THEN AND WE NEED TO UPDATE IT ON, ON THE CIVIL DRAWINGS IN THE UPDATED SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT SUBMITTAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION.
UH, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT 14TH AND LAVACCA COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
LOOKS LIKE YOU'LL BE GETTING A RECOMMENDATION FROM US, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
[2. Staff briefing regarding the Downtown Density Bonus Program. Presented by Jorge Rousselin, Planning Department. Sponsors: Chair Salinas, Vice Chair Meiners]
ALL RIGHT.GOING BACK TO OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS, UM, WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM PRESENTED BY JORGE RUSSIN WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, FOR THE LAST ITEM, COMMISSIONER CAROL ABSTAINED.
UH, COMMISSIONER, GOOD EVENING.
JORGE LAND WITH URBAN DESIGN HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING AND OVERVIEW, INCLUDING THE DESIGN COMMISSION'S ROLE IN A DENSITY BONUS PROJECT.
SHOULD YOU EVER SEE ONE, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE WOULD APPROACH IT.
IT GOES THROUGH SOME OF THE MECHANICS OF THE PROGRAM AND UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS PROJECTS COME BEFORE YOU AS IT IS A CODE REQUIREMENT.
I DO WANNA GIVE YOU A POP QUIZ IF YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THESE IMAGES AND I'LL TAKE ANY VOLUNTEERS IF YOU WANNA SPEAK OUT ANY OF THE IMAGES.
TOP RIGHT IS, UH, SECOND STREET.
TOP RIGHT? IS SECOND STREET OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE? ANY OTHER IMAGE? THAT'S GUADALUPE ON THE UPPER RIGHT.
GUADALUPE IN THE UPPER RIGHT, YOU THINK? PERHAPS.
ANY TAKERS? ALRIGHT, WELL IT IS NOT GUADALUPE THAT'S SHOWN, UH, THE UPPER RIGHT HAND PICTURE IS SECOND STREET.
LOOKING TOWARDS THE BARBECUE PLACE.
UH, THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS SHOWING THE CURRENT SIDE OF AUSTIN CITY HALL.
AS YOU'RE LOOKING SOUTH ON FIRST STREET, YOU CAN SEE ONE TEXAS CENTER STANDING TALL
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ON THE BACK.CONSTRUCTED IN, I BELIEVE IN 1982.
LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE ORIGINAL CARPET STILL SURVIVES.
UH, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE LONG CENTER ON THE BACK, UH, AS WELL.
AND UM, THE OTHER IMAGE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS THE OTHER SIDE OF SECOND STREET.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE STARTED BEFORE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM CAME TO FRUITION.
SO HERE'S AN IMAGE, UH, OF DOWNTOWN AT THE WATERFRONT.
CIRCA THE TURN OF THE CENTURY LOOKS QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SEE TODAY.
A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF GROWING UP HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
AT THE TIME THE TOOL THAT WAS BEING USED WAS THE CURE OVERLAY.
IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CENTRAL URBAN REDEVELOPMENT COMBINING DISTRICT, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND BY SHOWING YOUR HAND.
GREAT ONE COMMISSIONER, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
UH, WE'RE GONNA LEARN JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CURE OVERLAY.
BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PRECURSOR TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO THE CENTRAL URBAN REDEVELOPMENT COMBINING DISTRICT IS COMBINED WITH ANY BASE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
THIS IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE WONKY WITH THE ZONING NOMENCLATURE, BUT IT IS A COMBINING DISTRICT, MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD A MIXED USE OVERLAY, FOR EXAMPLE, OR A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY.
THE CURE DISTRICT IS COMBINING TO ANY, UH, COMMERCIAL BASED ZONING DISTRICT.
MOST OF DOWNTOWN IS ZONED EITHER CBD OR DMU.
YES, THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS FOR DOWNTOWN, BUT CURE CAN BE COMBINED WITH ANY OF THOSE.
SO CURE AT THE TIME, MODIFIED SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, HEIGHT AND FAR, ALL AS WELL AS MANEUVERING IN THE ALLEY AND PARKING AS WELL AS SIGNAGE AND OTHER LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.
WITH THE, UH, CREATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THE COUNCIL MODIFIED THE CURE COMBINING DISTRICT TO ELIMINATE THE MODIFICATION OF BUILDING HEIGHT AND FAR AS A VEHICLE TO ACHIEVE GREATER HEIGHT AND DENSITY.
THE OTHER ELEMENTS STILL REMAIN IN CURE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE CURE SECTION OF THE CODE, YOU STILL SEE THE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT THE COMBINING DISTRICT CAN MODIFY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE TO TO SERVE.
AS A REMINDER, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WE ARE IN, IN TERMS OF REQUIRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTRIBUTIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR ZONING ENTITLEMENTS, WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE-BASED PROGRAM THAT IS ELECTIVE THAT A PROPERTY OWNER OR AN APPLICANT MAY CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE VOLUNTARILY IN THE PROGRAM IN EXCHANGE FOR PROVIDING CERTAIN COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND THEREFORE AN INCREASE IN ENTITLEMENTS.
IN AUSTIN'S DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN INCENTIVE-BASED PROGRAM, THOSE INCREASE ENTITLEMENTS COME IN THE FORM OF ADDITIONAL HEIGHT AND FAR BEYOND THE BASE DISTRICT ZONING.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COUNCIL DIRECTION IN 2008, AS THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WAS COMING TO FRUITION AND BEGAN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THE COUNCIL WANTED A PROGRAM THAT WAS UNIQUE TO DOWNTOWN AND WOULD IMPLEMENT THE GOALS AND VALUES OF A MODERN DAY DOWNTOWN AS IT TURNED INTO THE NEW, UH, 21ST CENTURY.
THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF HISTORY.
THIS IS FOR ANY OF YOU HISTORY BUFFS THAT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO PERUSE.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS TO YOU, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN YOUR BACKUP, BUT IT GOES BACK AND DATES BACK TO 2008 WITH THE INCEPTION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
AND CULMINATES ESSENTIALLY AT, UH, MIDWAY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
WHERE THE COUNCIL MADE, UH, SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE WAY THAT THE DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEES ARE APPLIED AND INSERTED INTO ESSENTIALLY THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS AND THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEES LIVE TODAY.
THIS IS A PAGE OUT OF THE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND YOU SEE A BREAKDOWN BY A PARTICULAR ZONE IN DOWNTOWN ALONG WITH THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEES.
COULD THESE FEES BE CHANGED? POP QUIZ GO LIKE THIS.
YES, THEY CAN BE CHANGED ON AND OFTEN ARE ON A REGULAR BASIS,
[01:00:01]
UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.ANY DEVELOPMENT FEE, WHETHER IT BE A ZONING CASE FEE OR A DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEE CAN'T BE CHANGED.
SO LET'S BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION IN THIS PROCESS.
IT'S IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY TO START OUT WITH SOME KEY DEFINITIONS.
I INVITE YOU TO PERUSE 25 2 5 8 6 TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THESE VARIOUS, UH, DEFINITIONS THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BONUS AREA, I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS DEFINITION TO YOU, BUT IT'S THE ACTUAL AREA BEYOND THE BASE ENTITLEMENTS.
THERE'S A WAY, SPECIFIC WAY THAT THE CODE DEFINES IT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT S IS DEFINED IN THE CODE.
THERE'S ALSO A LONG LIST OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS 25 2 5 8 6 E AS IN ECHO ONE THROUGH 12 ARE SPECIFIC NAMED COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT THE PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR AN APPLICANT TO CHOOSE FROM TO BE ABLE TO GAIN ADDITIONAL BONUS AREA.
THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEE THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT PURSUANT TO A SPECIFIC, UH, DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND THE WAY IT IS APPLIED TO A MIXED USE PROJECT.
THIS IS ANOTHER TRIVIA OF THE CODE.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES, IF NOT THE ONLY PLACE, A MIXED USE PROJECT IS DEFINED IN THE CODE.
SO THAT IS 25% A DIFFERENT USE NOTICE.
I'M NOT SAYING IT HAS TO BE RESIDENTIAL.
THE DEFINITION DOES NOT CALL FOR RESIDENTIAL.
IT SAYS FOR A DIFFERENT USE THAN THE PRIMARY USE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PRIMARY ENTITLEMENT, OBVIOUSLY, WHICH IS TIED TO THE BASE ZONING DISTRICT.
YOU'LL NOTICE ALSO THAT IN UH, CHAPTER 25, 2 5 8 6 OF THE CITY CODE, THERE IS A MAP THE LINE AREAS OF DOWNTOWN THAT ARE ELIGIBLE AND NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
NOT EVERY PRO PROPERTY IN DOWNTOWN IS ELIGIBLE FOR A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
YOU'LL SEE A LARGE AREA OF THE NORTHWEST DISTRICT THAT IS CURRENTLY EXEMPT FROM A DENSITY BONUS AS WELL AS THE HISTORIC SIXTH STREET.
AND THOSE TWO AREAS ARE PREDOMINANTLY NOT ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
YOU SAW, UH, PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REVISION MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN DOWNTOWN BE ELIGIBLE FOR DENSITY BONUSES AND THAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS ON MANY PROPERTIES DOWNTOWN.
ONE, CLEARLY BEING THE CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDORS THAT HAVE A PHYSICAL LIMITATION ON HEIGHT ON THESE PROPERTIES.
EVEN THOUGH THE PROPERTIES MAY BE SUBJECT TO PARTICIPATING OR ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THEY MAY HAVE A PHYSICAL LIMITATION ON HEIGHT BASED ON THEIR LOCATION IN RELATION TO ANY OF THE PARTICULAR CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDORS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THESE PROJECTS OR PROPERTIES MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR HEIGHT INCREASES, BUT THERE IS A LIMIT IF THEY INTERSECT OR BISECT ANY OF THE STATE OR CITY MANAGED, UH, CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDORS.
SO, THE CONSTRUCT OF HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS SPECIFIC TO GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE REFER TO AS STAFF.
THERE ARE SOME KEY CONSTRUCT ELEMENTS, ONE OF WHICH IS A DESIGN CONSULTATION WITH THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S THERE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IN 25 2 5 86 C ONE A ONE THROUGH TWO.
UH, YOU HAVE THE DESIGN COMMISSION SHALL EVALUATE AND MAKE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO LET'S KIND OF TAKE THAT APART.
THE EMPHASIS YOU ARE SEEING HERE IS BY STAFF.
THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN IN THE CODE, BUT YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE DIRECTOR IS THE ONE GIVEN DIRECTION THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS TO DETERMINE IF THE PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
RIGHT OFF THE BAT, THE CODE DOES NOT DEFINE COMPLIANCE OR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
THIS IS A THROUGH A DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS THAT THE COMMISSION COMES TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, THE SPECIFIC COUNCIL DIRECTION GIVEN THROUGH THE CODE IS THAT THE COMMISSION SHALL EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO WHOM TO STAFF ON WHETHER THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I'LL LET YOU IN ON BIG SECRET.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND THE PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES, THAT'S EVEN BETTER.
THE CODE DOESN'T REQUIRE YOU TO COME TO THAT FINDING.
THE CODE ASKS YOU TO MAKE AN EVALUATION AND A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER THE PROJECT COMPLIES.
IF YOU FIND IT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANCE, THAT ONLY HELPS STAFF THE MORE AND THE BETTER.
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COMMANDED BY THE CODE TO CONSIDER COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN BY THE COMMISSION.SO IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARRIVE AT A RECOMMENDATION ON EVERY DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROJECT.
WE UNDERSTAND AT TIMES YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO.
THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
HOWEVER, IT, THE CODE DOES NOT SPECIFY THAT THE COMMISSION HAS TO COME TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE.
IF THE COMMISSION COMES TO A FINDING OF NON-COMPLIANCE STAFF WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING HOW THE PROJECT COULD MEET CERTAIN GUIDELINES IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES TO ACHIEVE SET COMPLIANCE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE WORKED OUT AT THE WORKING GROUP, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH INPUT TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION.
AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND AS DESIGN PROFESSIONALS APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE YOU SEE THE PROJECT LACKING.
THERE WAS SOME GREAT DISCUSSION AT THE PREVIOUS PROJECT AS TO SOME AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF CERTAINLY CONSIDERS IN OUR EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM.
AND, AND NOT ONLY THE PROGRAM, EXCUSE ME, THE PROJECT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THERE THERE ARE NUMEROUS THINGS TO CONSIDER, UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS, IS NOT CHARGED THROUGH THE CODE TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE PROJECTS.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION OR EVEN STAFF CAN DISAPPROVE A SITE PLAN, FOR EXAMPLE, COMPLIANCE AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE IS NOT DEFINED AS WE DISCUSSED.
THE CODE REQUIRES THE COMMISSION TO EVALUATE AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S WORDED AS SHALL EVALUATE AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND THE STAFF IS COMMANDED TO CONSIDER THAT RECOMMENDATION BEFORE ISSUING THAT THROUGH THE CHAIR, PLEASE CHAIR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? YES, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, WHAT DOES STAFF CONSIDER SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE? WELL, THERE IS NOT A DEFINITION GIVEN TO STAFF FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
SO IT IS A SUBJECTIVE REVIEW OF COMPARISON OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, ALONG WITH STAFF ANALYSIS OF THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE BEEN SHOWN TO BE, HAVE BEEN MET IN THE PROJECT.
SO THERE'S NOT A QUANTITATIVE, UH, APPROACH THAT STAFF TAKES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT WORKING GROUPS OR CERTAIN WORKING GROUPS MAY TAKE THAT APPROACH, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WE DO RELY ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS STAFF ANALYSIS TO EVALUATE HOW SUCCESSFUL CERTAIN SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE PROJECT.
THE CODE NOR THE GUIDELINES ARE SPECIFIC ON WHAT ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE WOULD MEAN ON THOSE TWO APPROACHES.
AND SO IT IS A SUBJECTIVE APPROACH JUST AS THE DESIGN COMMISSION TAKES THAT APPROACH AS WELL.
SO WHEN, WHEN COMING TO THAT FINDING OF NON-COMPLIANCE, AS I HAD STATED, STAFF CERTAINLY APPRECIATES DIRECTION FROM THE COMMISSION AS TO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE IN THE OPINION OF THE COMMISSION TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE AND TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC AREAS RELATED TO DESIGN GUIDELINES WHERE THE PROJECT MAY BE LACKING.
ALSO, WHEN DISCUSSING THE ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE, THE COMMISSION IS MORE THAN ABLE AND, AND FREE TO DISCUSS THOSE ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
HOWEVER, YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO HELP STAFF NEEDS TO BE CENTERED AROUND THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
ANY SPECIFIC ONES YOU WISH TO CALL OUT OR, OR PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO SO THAT STAFF HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION.
AS THESE GUIDELINES ARE FURTHER UPDATED, UH, THE GUIDELINES CANNOT SUPERSEDE CITY CODE.
SO CITY CODE SUPERSEDES A DESIGN GUIDELINE, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION AS HAVE PASSED.
WHICH ONE, SUPERSEDES CODE ALWAYS SUPERSEDES.
YOU WON'T FIND DESIGN GUIDELINES IN THE CODE.
YOU WILL FIND DESIGN STANDARDS.
MOST OF YOU, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH COMMERCIAL DESIGN STANDARDS.
WELL, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS ACTUALLY SUBCHAPTER E IT'S JUST KNOWN AS COMMERCIAL DESIGN STANDARDS.
BUT THAT'S, WE DO HAVE DESIGN STANDARDS IN, IN THE CODE.
WHEN A RECOMMENDATION IS NOT SUCCESSFUL, STAFF CANNOT CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO POINTING TO A INPUT, AN INPUT FROM A WORKING GROUP DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
[01:10:02]
THERE ARE, UH, AFTER THE DIRECTOR DETERMINES THAT THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, WE WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT COMMUNITY BENEFITS THE APPLICANT CHOOSES.SO IT IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE APPLICANT TO CHOOSE.
NEITHER STAFF NOR THE COMMISSION CAN COMPEL AN APPLICANT TO CHOOSE A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY BENEFIT OR SET OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
IT'S THE APPLICANT WHO IS PROPOSING THAT, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THE MECHANICS AS TO HOW THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS ARE APPLIED.
SO HOW DO WE APPLY THAT TO THAT? SO WE ARE SHOWING YOU A DEPICTION.
THIS IS FOR ILLUSTRATION ONLY OF A TYPICAL TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU MAY SEE ON A REGULAR BASIS HERE AT THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
TYPICALLY, THESE PROJECTS ARE ZONED, UH, CBD.
THEY ARE A MIXES BUILDING LOCATED, UH, MOST OF THE TIME IN THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UP TO A 25 TO ONE FAR LIMIT AND HAS UNRESTRICTED OR UNLIMITED HEIGHT.
YOU WILL USUALLY SEE GROUND LEVEL ACTIVITY.
YOU'LL SEE A PARKING PODIUM AS YOU SAW WITH THE PREVIOUS PROJECT, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE A MIX OF OFFICE HOTEL, OFTEN RESIDENTIAL, PERHAPS RETAIL ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
SO HOW DOES THIS WORK? WE START OUT WITH THE PRIMARY ENTITLEMENT WITH, UH, ESSENTIALLY TAKING OUT THE PARKING STRUCTURE AS PARKING CURRENTLY DOES NOT COUNT TOWARDS THE FAR IN THE CITY CODE.
AND LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY ENTITLEMENTS IN THIS CASE UP TO EIGHT TO ONE FAR IF THE PROJECT IS ZONED CBD POP QUIZ, IF THE PROJECT WERE TO BE ZONED DMU, WHAT IS THE PRIMARY ENTITLEMENT IN TERMS OF HEIGHT AND FAR? THAT'S RIGHT, FIVE TO ONE FAR AND ONE 20, WHOEVER SAID THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE THE PRIMARY ENTITLEMENTS FOR THE PROJECT.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S CBD, SO IT'S EIGHT TO ONE AND NO, NO HEIGHT LIMIT.
YOU HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE BONUS AREA.
WHY AM I SAYING ADMINISTRATIVE BONUS AREA? THE CODE GRANTS ADMINISTRATIVELY, OBVIOUSLY UP TO THOSE LIMITS THAT YOU SAW IN THE CODE.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC MAPS THAT ARE EMBEDDED INTO THE CODE THAT HAVE LIMITS ON FAR AND HEIGHT.
HEIGHT DOES NOT APPLY TO CBD AS THERE IS NO HEIGHT LIMIT, BUT FAR DOES.
SO THE STAFF THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND CONSULTATION WITH THE DESIGN COMMISSION CAN BRING A PROJECT UP TO THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, LIMITS.
THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL BONUS AREA THAT IS GRANTED LEGISLATIVELY BY THE CITY COUNCIL THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WITH A STAFF REVIEW AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH A REVIEW BY THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE OR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE, GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING ONLY THE ADDITIONAL FAR AT THE TOP, NOT THE REST OF THE BUILDING AT THE BOTTOM.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE ORDINANCE IS ADDRESSING THE FLOATING AREA OF FAR FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, FAR ON THE PROJECT.
THIS KIND OF WALKS YOU THROUGH WHAT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
USING THE BASE ENTITLEMENTS AND THEN A BREAKDOWN OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BONUS AREA.
THAT THE FIRST 50% OF THE BONUS AREA GO TOWARDS CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THOSE COULD BE ONSITE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ONSITE UNITS OR A FEE IN LIEBE BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT BONUS FEE THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THROUGH THE, THE, THE FEE SCHEDULE ON A YEARLY BASIS.
THE REMAINING ADMINISTRATIVE BONUS AREA CAN BE ACHIEVED BY ANY OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS LISTED IN 25 2 5 86 E AS IN ECHO, ONE THROUGH 12, AND INCLUDING AND, AND NOT EXCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTRIBUTIONS ONSITE OR FEE IN LIEU.
MOST OF THE TIME YOU'LL SEE PROJECTS ONE, TO CONSIDER A FEE IN LIEU FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE BONUS AREA, WHICH IS COMPLETELY ACCEPTABLE AS AS THE CODE IS WRITTEN OR THEY DO A MIXTURE OF SOME ONSITE UNITS, UH, AS WE WILL DISCUSS BRIEFLY IN THE RAINY DISTRICT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE REMAINING 50% BONUS AREA THROUGH THOSE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
AND THE ADDITIONAL BONUS AREA THAT COUNCIL APPROVES IS THROUGH A SPECIFIC PROVISION IN THE CODE 25 2 5 86 B AS IN BETA SIX, THAT ALLOWS
[01:15:01]
COUNCIL TO GRANT ADDITIONAL FAR THROUGH THAT LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.THERE IS NO LIMIT AS TO WHAT THE COUNCIL CAN GRANT IN TERMS OF FAR.
UH, IT JUST HAS TO BE SHOWN THAT THE PROJECT IS PROVIDING ADDITIONAL MORE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAN THE, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT RAINY, THERE'S ACTUALLY A TWO TIERED APPROACH.
YOU HAVE TWO DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS COMING TO FRUITION INTO ONE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
YOU HAVE PRIMARY, PRIMARY ENTITLEMENTS.
MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL ENTITLEMENTS, UH, IN RAINY HAVE A 40 FOOT HEIGHT LIMIT.
UH, THAT'S DUE TO THE FACT THAT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO BE ALL RESIDENTIAL WITH A MAXIMUM HEIGHT AVERAGING ABOUT 35 FEET.
THAT WAS REZONED BACK IN 2005 TO CBD.
AND THE COUNCIL AT THE SAME TIME CREATED THE RAINING DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM UP TO EIGHT TO ONE FAR.
SO THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ONSITE UNITS AT 5% AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE REQUIRED UP TO THAT EIGHT TO ONE THRESHOLD.
AND THERE'S A, A CERTAIN MFI THAT NEEDS TO BE THE TARGET FOR THAT, UM, AFFORDABILITY FACTOR AS WELL AS THE PROPORTIONAL MIX OF BEDROOMS UP TO THAT EIGHT TO ONE FAR IN RAINY.
GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL SLIDE.
AFTER COMPLETING THE RAINY DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THE PROJECT IS, IS THEN ELIGIBLE TO JUMP INTO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM BY WHICH THEY NEED TO PARSE AGAIN, THE 50% INITIAL BONUS AREA, ALONG WITH THE ADDITIONAL 50% AND PERHAPS ADDITIONAL FAR GRANTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL THROUGH A LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
THAT'S QUITE A MOUTHFUL, ISN'T IT? THAT'S A LOT OF REVIEW, AND THAT'S WHY YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCESS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THE, THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEHIND THE SCENES AND IN FRONT OF YOU AS WELL.
STARTS OUT WITH A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
THE CODE DOES NOT REQUIRE A SITE PLAN.
THE CODE REQUIRES A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN, BUT THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH SITE PLANS KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S JUST AS EXPENSIVE TO DO A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN AS IT IS TO DO A FULL-BLOWN SITE PLAN.
SO I CAN'T RECALL MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER EVER SEEING A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN.
UH, 100% OF THE TIME UP TO THIS POINT, WE HAVE SEEN FULL-BLOWN SITE PLANS BEING SUBMITTED BECAUSE THE ENTITLEMENTS THAT THEY ARE SEEKING ARE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THROUGH A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN.
SO IT STARTS OUT WITH THAT PROCESS THAT IS A WHOLE SET OF REVIEW DISTRIBUTED TO URBAN DESIGN.
AND THERE'S ALSO A GRAY STREET REVIEW, WHICH IS A PARALLEL PROCESS AS REQUIRED THROUGH THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
AND THERE'S A DESIGN COMMISSION REVIEW OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES, PLEASE.
UH, WHO DOES THE GREAT STREETS REVIEW? WE HAVE A PROGRAM MANAGER OVER GRAY STREETS.
SHE'S THE PROGRAM MANAGER OF GRAY STREETS AND HAS A TEAM BEHIND HER TO DO THE, THE REVIEW.
THE STANDARDS ARE QUITE STRICT.
THERE'S A PLAN, GRAY STREET'S PLAN AND STANDARDS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT TYPOLOGY FOR DOWNTOWN DOES THAT, UH, AFTER GRAY STREET REVIEWS IS COMPLETE, UH, THAT USUALLY LASTS, UH, QUITE A WHILE THROUGH THE REVIEW OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THERE'S A LETTER THAT'S ISSUED.
THERE'S A DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION THAT IS COMPLETED, AS YOU HAVE DONE TONIGHT.
STAFF REVIEWS THAT RECOMMENDATION AND WORKS WITH THE APPLICANT TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND MEETS ALL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
AND THEN A MEMO IS ISSUED TO THE SITE PLAN CASE MANAGERS THAT GRANT THE DENSITY BONUS ENTITLEMENTS THROUGH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS.
IT USED TO BE A REZONING THROUGH THE CURE COMBINING DISTRICT.
IF YOU RECALL, NOW IT'S THROUGH THE FUND AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF THE SITE PLAN, WHICH CAN BE QUITE TEDIOUS, BUT YOU'RE A A KEY POINT IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
I BELIEVE THAT MAY BE THE LAST SLIDE, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE RELY ON YOUR EVALUATION AND COOPERATION TO EVALUATE THESE PROJECTS AND PROVIDE STAFF A RECOMMENDATION FOR COMPLIANCE.
[01:20:01]
THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.CHAIR, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A QUESTIONNAIRE.
MY, MY QUESTION REGARDING THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE, I'M CURIOUS HOW MUCH OF THE STAFF, UH, ANALYSIS OF THE DENSITY BONUS APPLICATION INCLUDES THE COMMENTARY IN THE DISCUSSION HERE IN THE DESIGN COMMISSION? WILL THAT BE RE-REVIEWED IN ADDITION TO OUR RECOMMENDATION AND THEN INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL REPORT? IT, IT'S NOT A RE-REVIEW.
IT'S, WE, WE ACTUALLY DON'T START OUR REVIEW UNTIL WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR REQUESTING CORRECTLY, THE CODE COMMANDS THE STAFF TO CONSIDER THE DESIGN COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE, FOR THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, WE AWAIT ON THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION FOR US TO GAIN A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE PROJECT IS ADDRESSING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND ALSO DO OUR INTERNAL REVIEW BASED ON WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED.
SO THERE'S NOT A RE-REVIEW IF, IF YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEANT BY RE-REVIEW.
I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS HERE IN THIS COMMISSION, THE RESULTING, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS EITHER, YES, IT DOES, UH, COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES OR, OR NO, IT DOES NOT.
UM, BEYOND THAT BINARY, I'M CURIOUS HOW MUCH OF THE GRANULAR INFORMATION THAT WE SHARE HERE IS TRANSFERRED ONWARDS TO THE SUBSEQUENT SITE PLAN RECOMMENDATION THAT STAFF WILL CARRY OUT.
A ACTUALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MY COLLEAGUE TO PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS ON THAT BECAUSE SHE'S PART OF OUR REVIEW TEAM, MS. SOPHIA BENNER, WHO HAS WORKED WITH NUMEROUS PROJECTS THAT INCORPORATE MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS RENDERED.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS, IF I MAY CHAIR, YES, THANK YOU.
YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND I WILL SAY, IF MUCH LIKE YOU'RE POINTING OUT WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION IS KIND OF A BINARY YES OR NO, UM, IT'S FOR US AS STAFF, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT TIME.
AND OBVIOUSLY I'M HERE AND I'M ALWAYS TAKING NOTES.
WE END UP HAVING A MEETING AFTER DESIGN COMMISSION AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT AT DESIGN COMMISSION AND THEN OUR IMPRESSIONS AND OUR KIND OF KNOWLEDGE OF, AND SO IT'S, IT'S VERY HELPFUL AS JORGE HAS GONE OVER ALL THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF, AND THIS IS JUST ONE WORK PORTFOLIO FOR US, THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE THE SPACE, BOTH THE WORKING GROUP COMMENTS, WHICH END UP IMPROVING THE PROJECT BY THE TIME IT COMES TO DESIGN COMMISSION.
IT'S ALSO, IT IS HELPFUL, IT'S NOT NECESSARY, BUT TO INCLUDE, UM, ANY MORE INFORMATION IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
LIKE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GONNA SAY THAT IT DOES MEET THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, IT DOES COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT EVERYONE IS FEELING LIKE IT COULD REALLY BE BETTER IF THAT IS OUTLINED.
IT'S REALLY HELPFUL QUESTION ON THAT.
UM, EVEN IF THOSE AREN'T FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS ADDED TO IT, WE COULD STILL ADD YEAH, THESE MENTS STATS SINCE WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE LISTENING TO, TO THE WHOLE DISCUSSION.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE CAPTURED.
UM, IT'S, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THIS COMES UP, BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF KIND OF LIKE A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, LOOKING AT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION AND LOOKING AT PROJECTS AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF THE RECOMMENDATION ON COMPLIANCE OF URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IN THESE PROJECTS.
AND I THINK FOR THOSE PURPOSES, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S EASIER IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION THAT STATES IT DOES COMPLY OR IF YOU WANNA SAY THAT IT DOESN'T COMPLY.
WHY? UM, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THAT COMES UP.
I'M KIND OF REFERRING TO MORE OF A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, RIGHT? BECAUSE ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS, WE ARE, WE AS IN MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT, I'M KIND OF WRITING DOWN KEY POINTS AND IF NECESSARY, WE'VE GOT THE RECORDING SO WE CAN GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THAT.
AND THAT'S A HELPFUL PART OF OUR DISCUSSION.
BUT HISTORICALLY IN JORGE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, BUT, OR, UM, COMMISSIONER CARROLL
[01:25:01]
DOCUMENTATION COULD BE HELPFUL.COMMISSIONER CARROLL, THANK YOU CHAIR.
I, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PROJECT THAT STAFF HAS SAID DOES NOT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A SINGLE PROJECT SCHULER HAS, BUT WE ARRIVE AT COMPLIANCE WITH WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT.
SO IT'S, IT'S DONE OUTSIDE OF ANY KNOWLEDGE OF DESIGN COMMISSIONERS, ESSENTIALLY, BECAUSE IT'S AFTER, IT'S AFTER IT GOES TO DESIGN COMMISSION.
IF YOU, IF YOU FIND THAT IT DOESN'T SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY, WE'RE NOT NOTIFIED, YOU JUST WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO MAKE IT, THAT'S GET TO A POINT THAT YOU'RE ASKING.
THAT'S HOW IT IS IN THE CODE OUTLINE THAT STAFF HAS TO CONSIDER, SHALL CONSIDER THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
THERE'S NO OPTION FOR US TO INITIATE OR REVIEW WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
WHEN THERE'S A FINDING OF NON-COMPLIANCE, WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND EVALUATE THE PROJECT.
BUT THAT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THROUGH THE SITE PLAN.
YEAH, I, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, RIGHT.
I I JUST, THERE'S ALSO NOTHING THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT EVERY PROJECT DOES COMPLY.
BUT WE GET THERE THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH THE APPLICANT AND MAKE CHANGES TO THE DESIGN, THE DEACTIVATION, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION THIS EVENING ABOUT ACTIVATION, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT'S ONE KEY ELEMENT WE LOOK AT VERY CLOSELY.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN FINDING PROJECTS COMPLIANT WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDEY.
COMMISSIONER MCKAY, I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON THIS A LITTLE BIT AND CLARIFY, SORRY, NOT ON COMMISSIONER CAROL'S POINT, BUT ON COMMISSIONER SALINAS'S POINT THAT WE TONIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, PROJECT COMPLIES, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MAYBE WE LEFT ON THE TABLE.
SO WHEN A COMMISSIONER CALLS FOR MOTION TO COMPLY, THERE'S A SECOND ON THE MOTION TO COMPLY.
HOW DO WE, WE DO, WE GATHER CONSENSUS ON WHAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DURING THE DISCUSSION PORTION, BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE REVIEWED A PROJECT AND HAD ABOUT 500 FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS.
IT WAS THE LONGEST MEETING OF OUR LIVES.
SO IS THAT, THAT DISCUSSION IS JUST US FREETHINKING DISCUSSION AND THEN WE AMEND THE MOTION? OR ARE ALL OF OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS JUST INCLUDED IN THE MOTION? WHAT, WHAT PART OF THIS PROCESS ALLOWS FOR US TO COLLABORATE ON A RECOM ON A UNIFIED RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF CHAIR? I MAY ANSWER YES, PLEASE.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE QUESTION, THE COMMENT AND THE UNDERSTANDING.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE COMMISSION, YOUR YOUR PROCESS IS BACKWARDS.
IF I MAY PRESENT THAT TO YOU THIS EVENING.
YOU, YOU OFTEN START THE DISCUSSION BEFORE YOU HAVE A MOTION.
THE PROPER PROCEDURE IS TO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND, AND THEN YOU MOVE INTO DISCUSSION WHICHEVER WAY THE MOTION SHOULD GO.
SAY YOU COME TO A MOTION OF THAT, THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, AND YOU HAVE A SECOND.
EVERY OTHER BODY YOU SEE, LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL INCLUDED, WOULD DO THAT PROCESS.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
YOU MOVE INTO DISCUSSION TO THEN AMEND THROUGH EITHER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR NOT SO FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR SUBSTITUTE MOTIONS THAT WOULD SUPERSEDE THE UNDERLYING MOTION.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THAT PROCESS BECAUSE YOU CAN QUICKLY LOSE TRACK OF THE MULTIPLE MOTIONS THAT MAY COMPETE WITH MOTIONS ON THE TABLES.
SO YOU MUST DISPENSE WITH THE ENABLING MOTION.
AND SECOND, WITH A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, OR YOU MAY SUPERSEDE THAT ANY COMMISSIONER CAN OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY SUPERSEDE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
AND THAT'S THE WAY TO APPROPRIATELY KEEP TRACK OF THE MANY CHANGES.
THAT'S WHY YOU WOULD SEE STAFF GO BACK TO THE MAKER OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION, PLUS ALL THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS AROUND THE TABLE.
AND THAT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR NOT ONLY STAFF, BUT THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS WE SAW IN PREVIOUS PROJECTS TO KEEP TRACK OF THE MANY MOTIONS.
SO WE WOULD ASK FOR YOUR COOPERATION TO FOLLOW A SET PROCESS BY WHICH, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION BY THE APPLICANT, YOU IMMEDIATELY MOVE INTO A MOTION, WHICHEVER MOTION THAT
[01:30:01]
IS.IF THE MOTION FAILS, THAT'S OKAY.
YOU CAN HAVE A, A DIFFERENT MOTION.
SAY FOR EXAMPLE, IF I MAY GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SAY THERE WAS A MOTION TO FIND THE PROJECT THAT YOU JUST SAW EARLIER THIS EVENING, COMPLIANT WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE.
A COMMISSIONER MAKES A MOTION.
THERE'S NO SECOND MOTION FAILS.
THEREFORE, ANOTHER COMMISSION COMMISSIONER OR THE CHAIR IS WELCOME TO OFFER A DIFFERENT MOTION.
IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD BE THAT THE PROJECT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
YOU'RE NOT MOVING INTO THE VOTE.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO AMEND THAT MOTION AS MANY TIMES AS YOU SEE FIT OR REINTRODUCE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET INTO THE REAL BIG WEEDS OF ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, WHICH IS MY FAVORITE.
IF YOU EVER CAN'T SLEEP, THERE'S A BOOK ON ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER THAT'LL PUT YOU TO SLEEP IN NO TIME.
SO YOU HAVE TO DISPENSE WITH THAT ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICHEVER WAY YOU'RE GOING.
DOES DOES THAT HELP, COMMISSIONER? YES.
I CAN'T SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND THE, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION AND WHAT IT DOES TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
IT IT, IT'S A GOOGLE IT, IT JUST SUPERSEDES IT CHAIR.
BUT DOES IT, BUT DOES THE PERSON WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION HAVE TO AGREE NO, TO THAT SUBSTITUTE? THAT'S A SUPERSEDING MOTION.
SO IT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.
AN UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS ALIGN WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
AND SECOND, AND THAT'S WHY YOU GO BACK TO THE MAKER OF THE MOTION AND THE PERSON THAT MADE THE SECOND FOR THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, THE TWO, THE ORIGINAL MAKER, AND THE SECOND CAN DECIDE WHETHER THE AMENDMENT IS FRIENDLY OR NOT SO FRIENDLY.
AND THEN IT WOULD TAKE ON THE FORM OF A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
I, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A QUESTION HERE.
SO WITH SUBCHAPTER E, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR EVOLVING THAT AND WITH HOW MUCH FREQUENCY HAS IT EVOLVED IN RECENT HISTORY? I, I'M NOT FAIR THAT THERE'S AN EVOLUTION OF THE ACTUAL STANDARDS.
THERE'S ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE, WHICH IS A SEPARATE PROCESS BUILT IN TO THE ACTUAL DESIGN STANDARDS.
BUT SUBCHAPTER E IN IT OF ITSELF, IT'S ITS OWN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THROUGH THE SITE PLAN.
THE COMMISSION IS WELCOME TO PROVIDE OPINIONS ON THAT, BUT YOUR RECOMMENDATION NEEDS TO BE FOUNDED UPON THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO DISCUSS SUB CHAPTER E.
HOWEVER, WE CAN ONLY, WE STAFF CAN ONLY CONSIDER WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
IF IT'S A PRIVATE PROJECT, IF IT'S A CITY PROJECT, NOW WE'RE GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, SUB-CHAPTER E AS WELL AS ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE FOR CITY PROJECTS ONLY.
I, I THINK MY QUESTION IS MORE ABOUT OUTSIDE OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, OUTSIDE OF OUR CAPACITY AND OUR DISCUSSIONS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A CODE AMENDMENT CORRECT.
TO CHANGE THE CONSTRUCT OF SUBCHAPTER E CORRECT.
THE COMMISSION, THIS COMMISSION, THE DESIGN COMMISSION MAY PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE CITY COUNCIL ON POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO SUB-CHAPTER E.
THAT'S WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
SO IF WE HAD AN, UH, DIFFICULTY, LET'S SAY WITH AN OVERHAUL OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, BUT WE KNOW THAT A LA CARTE, WE MIGHT WANT TO MAKE CHANGES TO PARKING PODIUMS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND HOW THEY LOOK, UM, AESTHETICALLY OR HOW THEY'RE INCORPORATED INTO THE BUILDING.
WE COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS A BODY IN NEW BUSINESS AND, UH, SEND THAT TO COUNCIL.
NOT, NOT FOR DESIGN AESTHETICS.
WE CANNOT REGULATE DESIGN AESTHETICS.
YOU CAN, UH, ANY OF THE STANDARDS WITHIN SUBCHAPTER, YOU CAN REGULATE OR SAY FOR EXAMPLE, COLORS OR DESIGN ELEMENTS.
BUT YOU CAN, ANY OF THE STANDARDS WITHIN SUBCHAPTER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND ARE THERE CURRENT GUIDELINES ON PARKING PODIUMS? UH, I'M NOT, I'M NOT VERSED IN SUB CHAPTER E.
THERE ARE PARKING SECTIONS WITHIN SUBCHAPTER EI DON'T RECALL IF THERE'S SPECIFIC DESIGN STANDARDS AROUND PARKING PODIUMS, I WOULD'VE TO REVIEW THAT VICE CHAIR AND GET BACK TO YOU.
[01:35:01]
YEAH, BUT IF I CAN ADD THE, IT'S OUTSIDE OF SUBCHAPTER E BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, A PLETHORA OF OTHER PLANS AND WE HAVE REGULATING PLANS.THOSE ARE SOME THAT I KNOW ABOUT.
AND THERE ARE STANDARDS AROUND PARKING PODIUMS IN, FOR EXAMPLE, NORTH VENET GATEWAY REGULATING PLAN.
IF THE PARKING GARAGE IS ALONG AN ACTIVE EDGE, THE PARKING HAS TO BE, UH, CONCEALED.
SO IT HAS TO BE TUCKED BEHIND, UM, A ROW OF USES ALONG THE PRINCIPAL STREET.
HOW, IF, IF I MAY CHAIR TO ADD, THANK YOU.
HOWEVER, THO THOSE ARE MINI CODES.
SO YOU HAVE A REGULATING PLAN FOR NORTH BURNETT GATEWAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR FAVORITES, UH, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH
WHETHER THEY ADDRESS PARKING PODIUMS OR NOT.
THEY MAY NEED TO BE WRAPPED, ACTIVATED AND SO ON.
AND WE HAVE NUMEROUS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND IT'S WITHIN OUR, UH, CAPACITY AS AN ENTITY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO ANY GIVEN CODE THAT MAY, UM, IMPACT WHAT WE DO WITH OUR URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL A RECOMMENDATION ON ANY OF THE CODE SECTIONS THAT YOU SEE ARE LACKING, AND PROVIDE A REASONING AS TO WHY YOU THINK AS A COMMISSION, YOU WISH TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHANGES THAT YOU SEE COULD BE ENACTED FOR ANY OF THE CODE SECTIONS.
AND THAT WOULD SUPERSEDE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO IF WE HAD CHALLENGES WITH THE OVERALL URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE COULD KIND OF A LA CARTE, MAYBE PUSH SOME OF THOSE THROUGH OTHER MECHANISMS, BUT WELL, WELL, OF COURSE, CODE WILL ALWAYS SUPERSEDE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS WE STATED.
UH, WHETHER THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER OR THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE YOU UP ON IT.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER, WAITER, CHAIR, CLARIFICATION QUESTION, AND PERHAPS A STUPID ONE.
UM, GREAT STREET'S PROGRAM IS THAT, UH, AND IS THAT WITHIN, IT IS NOT WITHIN SUB CHAPTER E.
IS IT AN AMENDMENT TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES? WHAT, WHAT SUPERSEDES WHAT BETWEEN SUB CHAPTER E AND GREAT STREETS? SO SUB CHAPTER E, IF I MAY CHAIR.
SUB SUBCHAPTER E IS EMBEDDED IN THE CODE.
GRAY STREET STANDARDS ARE APPROVED BY COUNCIL RESOLUTION.
THEY'RE NOT EMBEDDED IN THE CODE, BUT THEY'RE A SEPARATE SET OF STANDARDS.
SUBCHAPTER E, WHEN DOING, WHEN DOING GRAY STREET DOWNTOWN, SUBCHAPTER E DOES NOT APPLY WHEN DOING PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT DOING GRAY STREETS.
WHEN PROJECTS COME BEFORE STAFF THROUGH A SITE PLAN AND ARE NOT ELECTING TO DO GRAY STREETS ON THEIR OWN OR SEEKING A REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM, OR HAVING TO PROVIDE GRAY STREETS THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, SUB CHAPTER E APPLIES CHAIR.
MAY I ASK A FOLLOW UP? YES, PLEASE.
UH, IS IT THE CHARTER OF THIS COMMISSION TO COMMENT ON GRAY STREETS? IF IT'S NOT PART OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES? YOU ARE WELCOME TO PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS.
YOUR RECOMMENDATION NEEDS TO BE FOUNDED ON THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO PROVIDE RE UH, OPINIONS OR DIRECTION ON GRAY STREETS, BUT THAT IS A SEPARATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
UM, JUST A CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
AND, UM, WILL ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE SEE, UH, AS A COMMISSION, UH, BE CONFIRMED TO COMPLY WITH GREAT STREETS BEFORE THEY REACH US? NO, NOT BEFORE THEY REACH YOU.
LET ME CLARIFY THAT, THAT THAT'S THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE SITE PLAN, BECAUSE THE DESIGN COMMISSION WAS NOT CHARGED WITH THE REVIEW OF GRAY STREETS.
THE CHARGE GIVEN TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM GRAY STREET STANDARDS.
THE, UH, I NOTICED ON, UH, ONE OF YOUR CHARTS, THERE WAS A GREAT STREETS REVIEW THAT HAPPENED BEFORE SIGNED COMMISSION.
I WAS JUST, MAYBE I MIS MISUNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE'S NOT A BEFORE AND AFTER.
USUALLY BY THE TIME WE SEE IT, THE GR THE GREAT STREETS REVIEW HAS COMMENCED.
SO IT'S GONE AROUND THROUGH INTERNAL CITY STAFFING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, AS YOU'RE AWARE, FIRE, WATER, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS PLANNING, ET CETERA.
IT DOES INCLUDE URBAN DESIGN REVIEW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? I DO HAVE A QUICK THING TO PIGGY PIGGYBACK ON THAT ONE AS WELL.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES REQUIRES US TO EVALUATE THE PROJECT, UM,
[01:40:01]
CONSISTENT WITH THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM STANDARDS.IF THAT IS A SPECIFIC GUIDELINE, YOU MAY POINT TO THAT.
IT SAYS, PER THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM ORDINANCE, APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO MEET THREE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH URBAN DESIGN, PROVIDE STREET SCAPE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG ALL PUBLIC STREET FRONTAGES, CONSISTENT WITH THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM, AND COMMIT TO A MINIMUM TWO STAR GREEN BUILDING.
THAT'S NOT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, THAT'S CHAPTER 25 2 5 8 6 C AS IN CHARLIE ONE.
WE, WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH GREAT STREETS HERE.
WE JUST DO URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT STAFF IS SAYING.
STAFF IS SAYING YOU'RE WELCOME TO PROVIDE INPUT ON GRAY STREETS.
HOWEVER, YOUR RECOMMENDATION PER THE CODE CITATION IS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THE CODE DOES NOT GRANT THE COMMISSION THE ABILITY TO ADMINISTRATIVELY REVIEW FOR GRAY STREET COMPLIANCE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, THOUGH, FOR US TO KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE REVIEWING THIS STUFF EARLY.
AS COMMISSIONER CARROLL SAID, IT GOES BACK OUT WITH A RECOMMENDATION OR NOT TO YOU, TO STAFF, UM, WHO THEN ALSO REVIEWS THE, REVIEWS IT AGAINST THE GRADE STREET STANDARDS.
BUT IF ANY CHANGES OCCUR IN ANY PART OF THAT PROCESS, IT, IT'S LEFT US.
IT, WE DON'T, IT DOESN'T COME BACK TO US TO REVIEW.
SO NOT, ARE YOU REFERRING TO GRAY STREETS OR ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE URBAN A PRO? ANY PROJECT THAT COMES THROUGH THE COMMISSION.
SO, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE STAND UP HERE AND SAY OUR LIGHTING, OUR, OUR FURNITURE, OUR WHATEVER, COMPLIES WITH GREAT STREETS.
WELL, I, I KNOW THAT PROGRAM LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND, I'VE DONE 50 OF THOSE SITE PLANS.
I CAN TELL IT DOESN'T, BUT WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION TO SAY NO, NO, NO.
LIKE, 'CAUSE IT, IT'S, IT'S GONE.
IT'S WITH STAFF TO REVIEW THAT.
SO IS THERE A POINT AT WHICH STAFF CAN REPORT TO US THAT THEY HAVE REVIEWED THIS PLAN AND IT DOES SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH GREAT STREETS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COMMENT ON THAT? YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMMENT ON ANY OF THOSE ELEMENTS.
IF AN APPLICANT CHOOSES TO DIVULGE THAT THEY ARE MEETING GREAT STREET STANDARDS WHEN THEY ARE NOT, THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE.
BUT THAT WOULD BE A STAFF ASSESSMENT JUDGE AGAINST THE STANDARDS OF GRAY STREETS AS TO WHETHER IT COMPLIES OR NOT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATION LETTER IF YOU, IF YOU WISH TO SEE THAT FOR ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU REVIEW.
BUT THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THIS REVIEW TO, TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
A A COUPLE THINGS THAT MIGHT HELP CLARIFY THIS.
I BELIEVE APPLICANTS COME TO US TALKING ABOUT GREAT STREETS BECAUSE THERE IS, UH, A GUIDELINE THAT IT SAYS ENHANCE THE STREETSCAPE AND IT POINTS TO GREAT STREETS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
AND SO I THINK APPLICANTS COME TO US AND SAY, LOOK, I'M COMPLIANT WITH GREAT STREETS, SO I'M COMPLYING WITH THIS GUIDELINE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE, BUT MY, MY FEELING IS THAT'S WHY THEY KEEP SORT OF SHOVING GREAT STREETS DOWN OUR THROATS WHEN IT, IT'S A SEPARATE THING.
UM, AND, AND ALSO I THINK IT'S, IT'S, I MAYBE HELPFUL TO NOTE THAT GREAT STREETS IS A STANDALONE THING THAT IS TRIGGERED FOR PROJECTS THAT DO URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES OR THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
SO LIKE THE PROJECT WE SAW TONIGHT, IF THEY WERE NOT DOING THE DOWNTOWN CITY BONUS AND WERE JUST REDEVELOPING THAT CORNER, THEY WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO DO GRAY STREETS 'CAUSE THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE GRAY STREETS BOUNDARY.
UM, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY ENTITY BONUS, THEN THEY ALSO HAVE TO DO GRADE STREETS AS WELL AS THE GREEN BUILDING.
TWO STAR MINIMUM GREEN BUILDING.
ANYWAY, THE, THE ACTUAL CODE LANGUAGE MAKES REFERENCE, IF I MAY, HERE MY APOLOGIES.
THE ACTUAL CODE LANGUAGE IS REFERENCES A RESTRICTED COVENANT.
IT DOESN'T SAY COMPLY WITH GRAY STREETS.
IT SAYS THAT THE APPLICANT SHALL EXECUTE A RESTRICTED COVENANT COMMITTING TO INSTALLING GRAY STREETS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARDS.
SO THERE IS NO CODE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS YOU COMPLY WITH GRAY STREETS.
IT'S ACTUALLY A RESTRICTED COVENANT THAT HAS TO BE EXECUTED THAT TALKS ABOUT THE STANDARDS AND THAT'S ENCAPSULATED IN EVERY SINGLE PROJECT.
[01:45:01]
LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT RUNS WITH THE LAND AND PERPETUITY UNTIL DISSOLVED THROUGH A LEGISLATIVE PROCESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CHAIR? YEP.
COMMISSIONER WITCHER AT RISK OF BELABORING THE POINT, UM, BUT IT SEEMS SINCE THE TOPIC IS UP, UM, I HEARD EARLIER THAT IT, IN, IN MY SHORT TENURE ON THIS, UM, COMMISSION, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, UH, RANGE OF, OF MOTIONS, UH, PUT FORWARD BY THE COMMISSION.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE LEAST EXTREME OF WHICH PERHAPS, UM, WOULD BE A SIMPLE, UM, VOTE OF, OF SUPPORT OR NOT, UH, OR APPROVAL THAT IT, UM, COMPLIES OR NOT.
UM, THE MORE EXTREME BEING, UH, THAT RECOMMENDATION ALONGSIDE A SERIES OF NOTES WITH SPECIFIC, UH, REFERENCES TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT.
UM, NOW WHAT I THINK I HEARD FROM STAFF TONIGHT IS THAT, UH, WERE THIS COUNCIL UNDER ROBERTS TO, UM, VOTE IN AMENDMENTS OR VOTE IN THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.
THEN IT WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY STAFF AS, UH, THE MAJORITY OPINION OF, UH, THIS COMMISSION VERSUS CONVERSATION ON THE DAIS NOT LEADING TO SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN A, UM, RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE SOMETHING STAFF MIGHT CONSIDER OR HAS THE ABILITY TO CONSIDER, BUT DOES NOT NECESSARILY KNOW WHETHER THAT REFLECTS THE MAJORITY WILL OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, GIVEN THAT IT SEEMS THAT, UH, PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL REGARDING SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS IS IN THE INTEREST OF THIS, UH, COMMISSION TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT CLARITY TO STAFF, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER AT THIS POINT I SHOULD EVEN MAKE THAT INTO A QUESTION.
I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE THAT AS A COMMENT ON THE DAIS.
I THINK, I THINK WE'LL LOOK INTO THE OTHER OPERATION OF GOING, UH, SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT AND COME TOGETHER AS A, AS A MAJORITY DECISION ON IT.
AND, AND CHAIR, TO BE CLEAR, IF I MAY, THERE, THERE'S NOTHING THAT PRECLUDES THE COMMISSION FROM TALKING ABOUT ANY OF THOSE ELEMENTS.
AS THE COMMISSIONER WAS STATING THE RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT'S KEY.
THAT'S WHAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH.
AND OFTENTIMES YOU CREATE A LETTER OR A LETTER IS CREATED WITH THE OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION THAT IS SHARED WITH THE DESIGN TEAM AS WELL AS WITH STAFF FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE APPLICANT TO EVENTUALLY ARRIVE AT COMPLIANCE.
AND THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHERE IT TOOK QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO GET THERE.
SO IN CONCLUSION, IF I MAY CHAIR, THIS WAS NOT MEANT TO MAKE YOU AN EXPERT IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, BUT AN IN INTRODUCTION, UH, HOPEFULLY IT WAS HELPFUL FOR YOU TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING AND SEE THE PERSPECTIVE OF STAFF AS WE REVIEW ALONGSIDE WITH YOU AND RELY UPON YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO COME TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE, WHICH, IF I MAY VENTURE TO SAY ON BEHALF OF STAFF, IS WHAT I THINK WE ALL ARE AIMING TOWARDS.
THAT EVERY PROJECT ADDRESSES THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES EFFECTIVELY TO A FINDING OF COMPLIANCE.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT STAFF BRIEFING, UM, IS THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATE, UH, PRESENTED BY SOPHIA BRENNER BENNER PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I HOPE THIS IS STILL INTERESTING AFTER ALL THAT DISCUSSION.
SO I, THIS IS A SHORT PRESENTATION ON, UH, AN OVERVIEW, KIND OF A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
Y'ALL KNOW ME, I'M SOPHIA BENNER.
THE CREATION OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
SO IN 1986, CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT ESTABLISHED THE ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE COMMISSION TO RECOGNIZE AND ENCOURAGE QUALITY ARCHITECTURE AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THEN A YEAR LATER, COUNCIL MODIFIED THAT NAME TO DESIGN COMMISSION AND A NEW ORDINANCE WOULD DEFINE THE COMPOSITION AND ROLE OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
UM, I GUESS I GOTTA DO A POP QUIZ HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING ON THE LEFT, UM, YOU CAN'T SEE THE TEXT, BUT IT WAS FUNNY TO LOOK UP BUILDINGS, KIND OF THE HOT NEW BUILDINGS OF 1986 AND SEE THAT WRITEUP.
UM, AND THEN DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE TWO SMALLER
[01:50:01]
PICTURES ON THE RIGHT? YEAH.WHEN'S THE AIRPORT? YEAH, THE AIRPORT.
AND THEN DO YOU KNOW THE TOP ONE, TOP RIGHT, CONGRESS.
I REALIZE SOME OF THIS IS GONNA BE REDUNDANT AND MAYBE THAT'S HELPFUL AND MAYBE I'LL JUST SPEED THROUGH IT.
UM, BUT SECTION TWO DASH ONE OF THE CODE, WHICH IS WHERE, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE DEFINED, UH, PROVIDES THE DIRECTION FOR DESIGN COMMISSION, WHICH INCLUDES B WHICH IS KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED HERE.
THE COMMISSION SHALL PROVIDE ADVISORY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS REQUESTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND THIS IS THE BASIS FOR HERE, WE FIND THE BASIS FOR WHY YOU REVIEW PROJECTS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND ALSO HERE UNDER C YOU SAY YOU SEE PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION WORKFLOW AND THE WORKFLOW IS ESSENTIALLY FORMED THROUGH ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, UM, SET FORTH FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
HERE'S, HERE'S MY POP QUIZ, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDINANCES AND A RESOLUTION.
DOES ANYONE CARE TO DEFINE ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION?
AN ORDINANCE IS A LAW AND A RESOLUTION IS POLICY DIRECTION.
THAT'S, THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER THE DISTINCTION THAT, UM, SO HERE IN THIS WORKFLOW, UM, WE'RE SEEING TWO RESOLUTIONS ASKING THE COMMISSION TO WORK ON GUIDELINES.
THERE WAS ONE IN 2010 THE INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES.
UM, AND THEN ONE IN 2021, THE DIRECTION TO UPDATE THE 2008 URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE ALSO SEE TWO OTHER RESOLUTIONS DIRECTING CERTAIN MUNICIPAL PROJECTS TO PRESENT TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THE ONE PLACE IN THE CODE WHERE DESIGN COMMISSION COMES UP IS 25 DASH TWO DASH 5 86.
UM, SO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BONUS IS PRESENTING TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND I'LL SKIP THAT LITTLE PART 'CAUSE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT AT LENGTH.
SO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES HERE ARE ALL 47 OF THEM.
THEY'RE BROKEN INTO FOUR SECTIONS.
DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS, OR THEY ARE DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ARCHITECTURE, STREETSCAPE, SITE DESIGN, AND OPEN SPACE INTENDED TO PROMOTE DESIGN EXCELLENCE AND REFLECT AUSTIN'S SHARED VALUES.
SO HOW ARE THEY USED? DESIGN, COMMISSION AND STAFF USE THEM TO EVALUATE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS.
THEY'RE ALSO A RESOURCE FOR PLANNING PROFESSIONALS, DESIGN TEAMS AND URBAN DESIGN STAFF.
THEY BRING CLARITY AND PREDICTABILITY AND PROJECT DESIGN.
THEY SERVE TO SET EXPECTATIONS AND INCENTIVIZE HIGH QUALITY DESIGN AND PLACEMAKING.
ALL RIGHT, SO A GUIDELINE IS A DESIGN CALLED CONSULTATION.
LIKE WHEN WE SUGGEST A MURAL ON A PARKING GARAGE ENTRANCE WALL, WHEREAS A STANDARD IS A RULE LIKE IN GREAT STREETS REQUIRING AN 18 FOOT SIDEWALK IS SOMETHING THAT APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO MEET.
SO THE BIG DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT THERE'S AN ART TO CREATING AND A GUIDELINE.
SO THAT ONE, WE CAN SET THE TONE FOR A DESIGN CONSULTATION, AND TWO, IT CAN BE REASONABLY ASKED FOR.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN'T SAY NO RESIDENTIAL LAND USES ON THE GROUND FLOOR BECAUSE THAT IS DETERMINED BY ZONING CODE.
BUT WE CAN START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ACTIVATION AND JUSTIFY WHY LOWER LEVEL ACTIVATION IS IMPORTANT AND START TO ADVISE ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO WE CAN'T SAY TO AN APPLICANT THAT THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A PARKING GARAGE, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT PARKING, WE CAN TALK ABOUT ACTIVE EDGES, UM, ALONG THE PRINCIPAL STREET AND SAY THAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN ACTIVATED FRONTAGE, THEY SHOULD HIDE THE PARKING BEHIND THE BUILDING.
UM, A VERY HELPFUL, CLEAR, PREDICTABLE WAY TO TIE IN ANY RATIONALE TO THE GUIDELINES IS TO TIE IN ADOPTED CITY PLANS AND DIRECTION.
[01:55:01]
AND WE SEE THIS HERE, I PULLED OUT A COUPLE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT WENT INTO THIS PROJECT.THIS IS 5 0 6 WEST RESIDENTIAL.
UM, AND WE SEE PS FIVE ENHANCE, OR NO, NO, NO.
WE SEE PSS TWO MINIMIZE CURB CUTS.
SO THIS IS IN LINE WITH SEVERAL TRANSPORTATION PLANS, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT VISION ZERO, WE HAVE THE BIKE PLAN, THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN.
YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS COMING UP A LOT IN THE CURRENT DIRECTION OF NOT ONLY BEST PRACTICE IN TRANSPORTATION, BUT ALSO OUR ADOPTED POLICIES AND DIRECTION.
UH, PZ TWO CONTRIBUTE TO AN OPEN SPACE NETWORK IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP HERE.
SO WHAT NETWORK? WELL, UM, WE HAVE OUR PARKS PLAN.
WE HAVE OUR URBAN TRAILS PLAN THAT POINT TO SHOAL CREEK TRAIL, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE SITE.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO SAY AND START THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CONNECTION.
AND THAT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT THAT WAS MADE ON THIS SITE, WAS JUST IMPROVING, UM, IMPROVING IN THIS CASE.
IT WASN'T AN ACTUAL CONNECTION, BUT JUST AT LEAST AN ADMIRATION FOR THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL, WHICH CAN BE VIEWED ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THIS PROPERTY.
UM, I AM, I'M GONNA PICK ON PSS FIVE FOR A MINUTE HERE, WHICH IS ENHANCED KEY TRANSIT STOPS.
UM, I WISH THAT CAP METRO DID THIS, BUT THERE IS NO CURRENT PROCESS BY WHICH DEVELOPERS CAN OPT INTO ENHANCING TRANSIT STOPS, EITHER BY GIVING MONEY OR TO THE STOP OR THROUGH THEIR OWN CREATIVE DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO HAVE AN ASPIRATIONAL GUIDELINE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL CAP METRO IS READY TO CREATE A PROCESS FOR THIS, THIS GUIDELINE KIND OF HAS NO HOPE BECAUSE A COMMISSIONER CANNOT ADVISE AN APPLICANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT HAS NO PATH FOR POSSIBILITY.
SO HOW DO YOU ANA ANALYZE A PROJECT FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES? IT IS FAIRLY SUBJECTIVE, AND I BELIEVE DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF THE COMMISSION HAVE INTERPRETED COMPLIANCE DIFFERENTLY.
WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT APPLICANTS ARE NOT COMING TO US WITH A CONCEPT PLAN.
THEY'RE COMING TO US WITH A SITE PLAN.
AND SO THE STRENGTH IN THE EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT IS NOT WHAT COULD EVER HYPOTHETICALLY HAPPEN, BUT HOW WE COULD TAKE THIS SITE PLAN AND IMPROVE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT TO MEET THE INTENT OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IN THIS PROJECT, THIS IS, AGAIN, 5 0 6 WEST RESIDENTIAL.
UM, I REMEMBER THINKING, WOW, THIS IS A HUNDRED PERCENT IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A GREEN ROOF.
WE'VE GOT PZ FIVE DEVELOP, UH, DEVELOP GREEN ROOFS, BUT REMEMBER THAT THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS APPLICATION APPLICANTS CHOOSE WHAT COMMUNITY BENEFIT THEY WANT TO SELECT.
PERHAPS IF THE CALCULATION FOR THE GREEN, FOR THE CODIFIED COMMUNITY BENEFIT OF THE GREEN ROOF WERE MORE APPEALING, WE COULD BE PROVIDING MORE DESIGN CONSULTATIONS ON GRIEF GREEN ROOF PROJECTS.
TYPICALLY, WE SEE THESE APPLICANTS ARE SELECTING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR CONTRIBUTION GOING TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OFTEN THAT IS THROUGH FEE IN LIEU WITHIN THE CBD AREA.
AND I WILL NOTE THIS WAS ACTUALLY A VERY INTERESTING PROJECT BECAUSE THEY DID THE 50% AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE IN LIEU.
AND THEY ALSO DID A RARE THING WHERE THEY DID, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THIS ONE, WHERE A MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAME UP TO SPEAK AND WAS WANTING THE APPLICANT TO DO SOMETHING, WHICH THE APPLICANT DID, WHICH WAS THE OTHER 50% WENT TO E IN THE LIST OF THAT JORGE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND THE LIST OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
THE LAST ONE IS E, WHICH IS OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
AND THEY ENDED UP, UM,
THAT'S, THAT IS VERY RARE, BUT THERE WERE, IT'S A VERY ORGANIZED NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT WAS A STRONG DESIRE THAT WAS VOCALIZED AND THE APPLICANT CHOSE THAT.
SO THESE TWO RENDERINGS ARE DIFFERENT.
IT'S MAYBE SUBTLE, BUT THE ONE ON THE RIGHT WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS PRESENTED AND IT WAS PRESENTED AT WORKING GROUP.
WORKING GROUP MADE COMMENTS ABOUT THE DRIVEWAY WIDTH AND PROTECTING, PROTECTING THE PEDESTRIAN.
AND THEN THE APPLICANT MADE CHANGES AND THE DESIGN COMMISSION ENDED UP SEEING THE RENDERING ON THE LEFT, WHICH IS GREATLY IMPROVED FROM A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
[02:00:01]
AND EXPERIENCE PERSPECTIVE.UM, I LOOKED UP THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION LETTER FOR THIS PROJECT AND THREE THINGS WERE INCLUDED.
ONE, UM, PARKING GARAGE ENTRANCE, SAFETY DETAILS, TWO INCLUDING GREAT STREET BENCHES AND THREE INCLUDING, UH, GREAT STREET'S COMPLIANT LIGHTING.
AND SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKING GROUP INPUT AND WHAT WE CALL A MEMO AND THE PURPOSE, UM, OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATION LETTER.
SO THE WORKING GROUP EXISTS TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL DESIGN, COMMISSION DESIGN CONSULTATION TO THE APPLICANT AND PROVIDES NOTES TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION, THE INPUT FROM THE WORKING GROUP, THE MEMO IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PACKAGE.
THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS, AND IN THIS CASE, THERE'S NOT REALLY A REASON, AS WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT TO SUGGEST COMPLIANCE WITH GRADE STREETS, BECAUSE COMPLIANCE WITH GRADE STREETS IS ITS OWN GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT.
THE GREAT STREETS PLAN PROVIDES STANDARDS THAT REQUIRE COMPLIANCE.
UM, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER CARROLL'S COMMENT SINCE THERE IS AN URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE, ONE OR TWO, I THINK TALKING ABOUT GREAT STREETS, I THINK THAT'S MAYBE WHY WE'RE SEEING APPLICANTS TALK ABOUT GREAT STREETS A LOT.
AND THERE'S AN OBVIOUS OVERLAP.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STREET SCAPE AND IF THERE ARE GONNA BE CHANGES ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S CHANGES RECOMMENDED WITH COMPLIANCE FOR URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES OR COMPLIANCE MANDATORY, YOU CAN SAY COMPLIANCE WITH GREAT STREETS, UM, THEY NEED TO BE ALIGNED, RIGHT? SO I DON'T THINK THAT IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO TALK ABOUT GREAT STREETS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF NOTE THAT DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND CERTAINLY WHEN YOU'RE WRITING THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION, IT IS HELPFUL TO HEAR THINGS OUTSIDE OF GREAT STREETS 'CAUSE THAT ONE IS KIND OF TAKEN CARE OF.
SO TO THE UPDATE IN THE SPRING OF 2021, THE DESIGN COMMISSION ADOPTED THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT, WHICH OUTLINED THE NEED AND PROCESS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THAT FALL COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION DIRECTING STAFF TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THE COMMISSION TO ACHIEVE THIS UPDATE.
WORKING GROUPS WERE CREATED TO FOCUS ON SPECIFIC SECTIONS AND ULTIMATELY SUBMITTED FIVE DRAFT SECTIONS OF THE UPDATE, UH, TO STAFF.
IN AUGUST, 2023, URBAN DESIGN STAFF DID REVIEW THOSE SECTIONS AND PROVIDE COMMENTS BACK TO COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
UM, THE FRAMEWORK CALLED FOR THE CREATION OF AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF, WHICH IS MYSELF AND MY COMMUNICATIONS COLLEAGUES HAVE WORKED ON AND WOULD LIKE TO BRING, UH, COMMISSIONERS INTO THE PROCESS SO WE CAN ARRIVE AT A COLLECTIVE CONCLUSION ON HOW TO APPROACH ENGAGEMENT FOR THE UPDATE.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE REALLY NEED AN ENGAGEMENT OR STEERING WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW STAFF'S COMMENTS OF THE DRAFT SECTIONS AND HELP FINALIZE THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATE THAT STAFF HAS DRAFTED.
AND I WILL SAY TWO PEOPLE HAVE ASKED TO SEE THE DRAFT SECTIONS, AND THAT IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT AT THIS POINT.
SO WE SHARED THAT WITH THEM AND WHAT WE HAVE ON THE SCREEN, I JUST WANTED TO PULL UP THE LANGUAGE.
I'M NOT GONNA READ IT, BUT THIS IS THE LANGUAGE FROM THE 2021 ORDINANCE.
UM, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, THAT'S JUST A SCREENSHOT OF THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK, WHICH, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE HERE HAS SEEN, 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF NEW COMMISSIONERS IN THE ROOM, BUT I CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU AFTER IT'S NOT ON THE DESIGN COMMISSION WEBPAGE, LIKE THE URBAN, LIKE THERE'S A LINK TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, BUT I CAN, I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT PDF IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
AND THAT'S ALL, ALL I'VE GOT TODAY, I GUESS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY NEW PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION.
WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP FOR THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE UPDATE.
WE HAVE AN UPDATE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
[02:05:02]
SO WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP MOVING FORWARD? WELL, THERE COULD BE A FEW STEPS.UM, WHAT YOU'RE ALLUDING TO IS THAT THERE'S NEW COMMISSIONERS AND THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY IS THAT THERE COULD BE MORE INFORMATION.
ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S ANOTHER PRESENTATION FROM STAFF OR AN OPPORTUNITY COMMISSIONER CARROLL HAS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE AND REALLY LED THE PROCESS AND HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP SIDE OF WORK.
UM, UH, BUT ON THE STAFFS, I'D SAY WHERE WE KIND OF LEFT OFF IN THE PROCESS IS THAT WE RECEIVED THESE DRAFT SECTIONS.
IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY A FULL DRAFT OF THE DOCUMENT, RIGHT? BUT WE SEE WE RECEIVED THESE DRAFT SECTIONS, STAFF DID AN INITIAL REVIEW.
AT THIS POINT, THE TURNOVER HAD HAPPENED AND SO WE WERE REALLY JUST INTERFACING WITH COMMISSIONER CARROLL AND WE SHARED THE COMMENTS FROM STAFF.
AND AT THAT POINT THEN, WITH THE ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT, WE WERE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT IN THIS WAVE OF DO WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING? WAIT, WE NEED TO DO AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
SO AS YOU CAN RECALL, THAT PUBLIC MEETING WAS POSTPONED.
UM, I STARTED WORKING ON THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN WITH MY COMMUNICATIONS COLLEAGUES AND WE HAD BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
AND AT THIS POINT, DEFINITELY WANNA TALK TO COMMISSIONERS ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT PLAN, UM, AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE WORK AND THE TIMELINE ALL BEHIND THAT.
UH, SO THAT'S, I THINK WHERE WE'RE AT THERE, KIND OF AT THE SAME, UH, ON THE DIFFERENT PLANE OVER HERE WE HAVE THE DRAFT SECTIONS AND THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE.
I THINK THAT IS WORK FROM THE COMMISSION.
AND THE WAY IT HAD BEEN DONE WAS WORKING GROUPS.
SO IT COULD JUST BE THAT THE DRAFT SECTIONS GO TO THE WORKING GROUPS.
I THINK I WOULD RECOMMEND SOMETHING MORE ALONG THE LINES OF LIKE THE, THE STEERING, STEERING COMMITTEE, WORKING GROUP, UM, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, TO HELP GUIDE THAT PROCESS AND EDIT.
AND IT COULD BE THE SAME GROUP THAT WEIGHS IN ON THE, UM, THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN AND REALLY JUST FOCUSING ON THAT PROCESS AND ON THAT, HOW TO GET TO THAT FINAL PRODUCT.
COMMISSIONER, CAROLYN, THANK YOU CHAIR.
I WASN'T SURE IF WE WERE PUSHING THIS TO A DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEM OR, OR TALKING ABOUT IT NOW, BUT, UM, I MEAN, SOPHIA KIND OF GAVE YOU A SYNOPSIS, BUT, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE, THE COMMISSIONS, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP HAD FIVE MEMBERS, THREE OF 'EM QUIT.
AND SO NOW IT'S JUST MYSELF AND VICE CHAIR MINORS.
UH, AND EACH ONE OF US WERE LEADING OTHER GROUPS, FIVE GROUPS OF ABOUT 10 PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, DOING, DOING THE WORK.
UM, SO THOSE GROUPS DON'T HAVE LEADERS NOW EITHER.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE SORT OF LEFT WITH, WE CAN'T FINISH THE MISSING PIECES OF THE DRAFT UNTIL WE FIND MORE COMMISSIONERS TO HELP WITH THIS EFFORT AND LEAD THESE OTHER GROUPS.
UM, SO WE COULD POLISH THIS FOR FIRST DRAFT AND, UM, WORK WITH STAFF ON COMPLETING THIS ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
UM, SO EVERYONE DOESN'T HAVE TO RAISE THEIR HANDS AT ONCE, BUT, UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE IDEALLY, UH, THAT COULD STEP IN TO THE WORKING GROUP.
ALRIGHT, JUST REAL QUICK, WE ARE, WE DO HAVE OTHER, UH, AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE ON THIS TOPIC.
SO DO WE JUST WANNA MOVE INTO THOSE? AND THANK YOU.
AND YOU'LL BE CHIMING IN ON THESE COMMENTS AS WELL.
[5. Discussion and possible action on the creation and membership of working groups. Sponsors: Chair Salinas, Commissioner McKinney]
THAT NEXT, UH, ITEM IS THE DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CREATION AND MEMBERSHIP OF WORKING GROUPS.UM, AND SO COMMISSIONER, UM, HOWARD, I ACTUALLY HAD A, A KIND OF CLARIFYING QUESTION MIGHT SPAN BOTH OF THESE, BUT, UM, I, I'M WONDERING SINCE THERE'S SO MANY OF US ARE NEW, UM, IF WE, IF THERE'S ANY DOCUMENTATION, UM, ABOUT KIND OF THE PROBLEM STATEMENT, UM, WHAT EXACTLY IT IS THAT COUNCIL WAS HOPING TO ACHIEVE AND WHAT ARE THE, THE PROBLEMS AND,
[02:10:01]
AND CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE HOPING TO ADDRESS WITH THIS, THIS, UM, REVISION? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.AND THE TWO THINGS THAT I'M THINKING OF AS FAR AS DOCUMENTATION, THERE'S THE RESOLUTION, THERE'S THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK,
UM, COMMISSIONER CAROL MIGHT BE YOUR BEST BET TO, TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE PROCESSES, BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH AT LEAST THE RESOLUTION, UM, THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK AND L LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AND NOT EXTREMELY TEDIOUS FOR YOU TO LOOK THROUGH.
UM, AND INCLUDE THAT IN AN EMAIL.
THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S GREAT QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, SO I GUESS LOOKING, UH, GOING, TALKING ABOUT WHAT COMMISSIONER CARROLL WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, WE'VE GOT THESE WORKING GROUPS, UM, THAT, AS HE MENTIONED, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME LEADERSHIP ON.
UM, AND DO YOU WANT TO GET INTO THOSE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE, THE WORKING GROUPS? UM, SURE.
UM, SO AS, AS I SAID, THERE'S THE, OUR, OUR, OUR MAIN WORKING GROUP, UM, WAS MADE UP OF FIVE PEOPLE, EACH ONE OF THEM LEADING ANOTHER GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, MADE UP OF ESSENTIALLY PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS AND CITY STAFF.
AND, UH, THERE MAYBE A COUPLE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UM, UNDER EACH SECTION.
SO WE HAD DIVIDED UP MUCH LIKE THE GUIDELINES ARE TODAY, WE HAD DIVIDED 'EM UP INTO FIVE SECTIONS, BUILDINGS, STREETSCAPE, UM, OPEN SPACE, UH, WELL, INFRASTRUCTURE WAS THE NEW ONE.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING DIDN'T INCLUDE IN YOUR PRESENTATION IS 2012, CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN GUIDELINES, AND THEY'VE NEVER BEEN DONE REALLY.
UM, SO WE WERE TRYING TO INCLUDE THEM AS PART OF THIS EFFORT RATHER THAN HAVING TWO SEPARATE DOCUMENTS.
UM, OH, AND THEN THE FIFTH ONE WAS, IT'S CHANGED NAMES.
UM, IT'S SOMEWHAT AKIN TO THE EXISTING AREA WIDE GUIDELINES.
UM, SO THOSE WERE THE FIVE GROUPS.
UM, COMM OR VICE CHAIR MINORS WAS LEADING THE STREET PUBLIC SPACE, OPEN SPACE, SORRY.
AND I'M LEADING THE BUILDINGS GROUP, WHICH, UH, CHAIR SALINAS WAS ALSO ON.
AND SO THE OTHER THREE ARE, ARE, UH, THOSE LEADERS HAVE LEFT.
UM, AND SO THOSE GROUPS IN THEORY STILL EXIST, BUT THEY HAVE NO LEADERS.
UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR LEADERS TO HELP GUIDE THOSE GROUPS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS PROCESS.
AND SO THE REST OF THE PROCESS MEANS FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, YOU KNOW, FILLING OUT THE LOOSE ENDS OF THE FIRST DRAFT, POLISHING IT UP, DOING THE ENGAGEMENT, HAVING, HAVING THE MEETING, THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING, UM, BUT THEN GOING BACK AND, YOU KNOW, DOING SUBSEQUENT DRAFTS.
I THINK THE, THE PLAN, THE PLAN THAT SOPHIA MENTIONED IS REALLY, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY DOCUMENT.
UM, BUT IT, IT TECHNICALLY OUT OUTLINES TO DRAFTS TO GO TO COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND THE THIRD DRAFT IS WHAT WOULD GO TO, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE'LL GO TO DESIGN COMMISSION, THEN GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
UH, SO IN ADDITION TO COMPLETING THE FIRST DRAFT, THERE'S TWO MORE SUBSEQUENT DRAFTS.
UH, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE DRAFT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE LEADERS OF THE WORKING GROUP,
[02:15:01]
I GUESS US AS COMMISSIONERS, CAN WE DO THAT? CAN WE RECONCILE THIS DRAFT WITHOUT GOING TO THE SMALLER GROUPS? UM, GRANTED, POSSIBLY.I MEAN, SOME OF IT IS, IS LIKE FILLING IN SOME OF SOME OF THE INTENT AND SOME OF THE FRONT END STUFF, SOME IMAGES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THEN I THINK THEN STAFF MAYBE HAD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE GUIDELINES SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO REVIEW TO, I GUESS, UNDERSTAND IF IT NEEDS A BROADER CONVERSATION WITH THE GROUPS OR NOT.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER WHIT STRUCK WAS ON MY GROUP BEFORE HE JOINED THE COMMISSION.
UM, SO HE HAS SOME EXPERIENCE THERE, BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DID, UM, YOU KNOW, I COULD SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP FOR THE MOST PART, UH, AND MAYBE REFINE IT.
SO I JUST WONDERED IF THAT WOULD EXPEDITE OUR PROCESS IF WE, YOU KNOW, REDUCED.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE THE BANDWIDTH, THEN POSSIBLY IT COULD, UH, IT JUST DEPENDS ON, I GUESS, HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE VERSUS THE WORKLOAD.
BUT I WAS THINKING LIKE THE WORKING GROUP, IF WE AS A WORKING GROUP PICK BACK UP WITH THOSE MEETINGS, COULD WE THEN KIND OF GO THROUGH EVERYONE'S SECTIONS HOLISTICALLY? UH, UH, YEAH, MAYBE.
THAT COULD BE EASIER THAN, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, I THINK I WAS MENTIONING THIS THE OTHER DAY.
I, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THOSE GROUPS INVOLVED UNTIL JANUARY.
BECAUSE THE HOLIDAYS, LIKE, IT'S JUST GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE TO START SCHEDULING AGAIN.
IF IT'S WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT WITH JUST OUR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, OR AT LEAST START PUSHING IT FORWARD.
I MEAN, EVENTUALLY, OBVIOUSLY WE WILL RUN INTO SCHEDULING ISSUES TOO, BUT SCHEDULING FIVE VERSUS 50 IS, IS EASIER.
SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIVE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS THAT WERE STEERING THIS? YEAH.
COMMISSIONER,
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER MINORS APPRECIATE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, UM, UH, WAS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, UH, UNDER HIS WORKING GROUP.
UM, PRIOR TO JOINING THE COMMISSION, UH, I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN ZERO TIME, UM, COMPILING THE DRAFTS THAT WERE PROVIDED, UM, IN AUGUST, I BELIEVE, INTO A SINGLE DOCUMENT SO THAT I COULD REVIEW.
UM, MY OBSERVATION IS THAT A, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
THERE'S SOME GOOD STUFF IN THERE.
THE ISSUE THAT I SEE IS A LACK OF CONSISTENCY AND FORMAT, UM, AND STRUCTURE ACROSS THE DIFFERENT WORKING GROUPS.
SO AS MUCH AS I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER MINORS, UH, APPLAUD THE IDEA OF, OF REENGAGING THE GROUPS, BUT MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT THEY WOULD ULTIMATELY BE DOING PARALLEL EFFORTS.
AND, AND, AND WHAT WE MIGHT NEED IS, UH, A WORKING GROUP FOR THE WORKING GROUP, FOR THE WORKING GROUP THAT IS TASKED WITH THE ASSIGNMENT OF LOOKING AT THE, AT THE DOCUMENT AS A WHOLE AND MAKING SUGGESTIONS FOR FORMAT THAT, YOU KNOW, TAKE WITHOUT WHAT, WHILE WE'RE RESPECTING THE SPIRIT OF THE DRAFT COMMENT, TRYING TO GET THAT INTO A COHESIVE HOLE THAT COULD THEN BE REVIEWED, UM, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY GET COMMENTS FROM STAFF ON VIABILITY OR CONCERNS ON SPECIFIC ITEMS. UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE A REASONABLE PATH FORWARD, ALTHOUGH IT'S, IT'S NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK.
UM, I THINK IN THE SPIRIT OF, UM, PUTTING MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST IN THAT EFFORT, UM, WHERE I WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BUT THAT'S, THAT WAS MY SH THAT STRUCK ME AS A TAKEAWAY IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STUFF IN HERE, BUT THE DOCUMENT AS A WHOLE IS, IS DIFFICULT TO READ.
UM, AND, AND UNDERSTAND COULD THE, WHERE ARE THE DOCUMENTS, WHERE COULD THE, UH, NEW MEMBERS ACCESS THE DOCUMENTS? I DID EMAIL THEM OUT, BUT NOW I'M THINKING WE HAVE NEWER MEMBERS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT.
AND I, I CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THE EMAIL THAT I SEND OUT WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE INFORMATION.
AND, AND MAYBE TO WHAT COMMISSIONER RE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS LIKE, WE'VE BEEN CALLING IT A FIRST DRAFT.
IT IT'S REALLY JUST THE GUIDELINES, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S A PIECE MISSING, RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT'S JUST GUIDELINES.
IN, IN TERMS OF PROCESS, JUST TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CHAIR AND THE COMMISSIONERS THAT THERE ARE RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WILL ALSO NEED TO REVIEW
[02:20:01]
AN EVENTUAL DRAFT.I'M NOT SAYING THE CURRENT DRAFT THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, BUT IN AN EVENTUAL FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WHEN THE COMMISSION DECIDES THAT THEY'RE READY TO ENGAGE WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THAT PROCESS NEEDS TO START AS WELL AS DIRECTED BY THE RESOLUTION.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEYOND THE PLANNING, PLANNING COMMISSION'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LAST STOPS BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT PERHAPS THERE ARE OTHER COMMISSIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION OR PERHAPS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
THERE ARE TWO RELEVANT BOARDS THAT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WE'LL WANT TO HAVE INPUT INTO ONE OF THE DRAFTS THAT YOU ARE DEVELOPING.
SO THAT'S COMING, UH, IN THE PIPELINE AS WELL AS RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THAT COULD INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THOSE ARE TWO KEY DEPARTMENTS.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WILL ALSO PROVIDE INPUT.
SO THERE'LL BE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT GOES ALONGSIDE THE EVENTUAL DRAFT THAT YOU WALK THROUGH THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
NO NEED TO DISCUSS THAT THIS EVENING.
THAT'S AT A FUTURE JUNCTURE AS YOU FORMULATE THE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE, THAT INITIATE AT THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND GET SHARED WITH MULTIPLE COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING STAFF AS WELL.
STAFF WILL HAVE ITS OWN RECOMMENDATION ON THIS THAT WILL RUN PARALLEL TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS AS THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED TO EVENTUALLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
HOW WILL WE KNOW WHICH COMMISSIONS THAT WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO AND PRESENT TO? THE RESOLUTION ITSELF DOES NOT ENUMERATE SPECIFIC COMMISSIONS.
SO CERTAINLY THIS BODY, THE DESIGN COMMISSION WOULD HAVE INPUT AS TO WHICH COMMISSIONS YOU FEEL ARE RELEVANT COMMISSIONS TO THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
THE TWO COMMISSIONS I MENTIONED ARE VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH QUITE A BIT OF THE WORK THAT THIS COMMISSION DOES.
THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE, AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES OF COMMISSIONS, HOWEVER YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONS.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WOULD WE, WE, WE'D BE SELECTING THESE COMMISSIONS THAT WE'D PRESENT TO, BUT IS THERE SOMEONE THAT KEEPS KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND SAYING, OH, WAIT, NOW YOU GOTTA GO TALK TO THIS COMMISSION? NO, NOW YOU GOTTA GO TO THIS COMMISSION.
THERE, THERE, THERE IS NO ONE TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.
BUT IT DOES SAY REVIEW BY RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO WHO DETERMINES THE RELEVANCY, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION? SO STAFF WOULD DETERMINE THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, PERHAPS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THERE MAY BE OTHERS AS WELL THAT I'M MISSING.
SO YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEN IT COULD BE KEEP, KEEP GOING.
WELL, WELL, THE INTENTION IS NOT TO KEEP GOING.
THE INTENTION IS TO HAVE, IF YOU ALLOW THE EXPRESSION CHAIR A COMFORTABLE DRAFT, THAT YOU ARE READY TO ENGAGE WITH NOT ONLY CITY STAFF, BUT OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S PROBABLY AN EVOLUTION, PERHAPS TWO MORE THAT NEED TO OCCUR.
WITH THE GUIDELINES DOCUMENT FOR YOU TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE AT A POINT AS A COMMISSION, NOT STAFF, YOU'RE NOT TAKING DIRECTION FROM STAFF AS A COMMISSION, THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU'VE DONE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH CITY STAFF.
PERHAPS YOU START WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WITH THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION THAT WE'VE PROVIDED YOU INITIAL COMMENTS.
DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH A DOCUMENT THAT PERHAPS IS IN CONFLICT WITH, SAY THE, UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT'S TOO BROAD OF AN EXAMPLE.
HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING BLUEPRINT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THERE MAY BE INCONGRUENCIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IN THAT PLAN.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF WHERE YOU WANT TO ENGAGE WITH STAFF AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR YOU TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING WHERE THOSE INTERSECTING POINTS MAY BE AN ISSUE BEFORE YOU START REACHING OUT TO OTHER SISTER
[02:25:01]
BOARD AND COMMISSION, UH, THROUGH THAT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, THAT YOU ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THAT REVIEW AS YOU GO OUT AND DO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.VICE CHAIR MINORS? OH, I THINK I AM A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE HAD SOLICITED FROM STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOLKS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONS TO BECOME INVOLVED, UM, IN THE PRIMARY DRAFTING.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OCCURRED.
SO I'M, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A MOVING TARGET, AND I'M NOT SURE, UM, WHO, WHO WE'RE ULTIMATELY GOING TO INCLUDE, BUT I THINK THAT WAS OUR INITIAL ASK WAS, YOU KNOW, IF ANY STAKEHOLDERS WOULD NEED TO BE INVOLVED, UM, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THEM INVOLVED FROM THE ONSET.
AM I MISTAKEN? NO, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
WE ALSO ASKED CITY STAFF FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, AND THEY'VE ALL DECLINED IS MY UNDERSTANDING TO, TO BE PART OF THESE WORKING GROUPS.
BUT YES, WE HAD SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS, OTHER COMMISSIONS SAY THEY WANTED TO BE PART AND WERE INVITED, BUT NEVER SHOWED UP.
IF I MAY CHAIR TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION.
I THINK WE'RE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, I'M TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR ADOPTION.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP PROCESS.
THAT'S TO DRAFT THE ACTUAL GUIDELINES.
AND THERE MAY HAPPEN OR NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVEMENT BY MEMBERS OF OTHER COMMISSIONS OR CITY STAFF.
HOWEVER, BEFORE RETURNING TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL IS THE PROCESS I'M POINTING TO THAT THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATE IS NOT DEFINED IN THE RESOLUTION APPROPRIATE REVIEW BY RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO THAT COULD BE DONE THROUGH THE WORKING GROUP PROCESS IF THAT'S HOW THE COMMISSION WANTS TO ADDRESS IT.
I THINK WITHOUT ANY EXPLICIT GUIDANCE FOR WHICH GROUPS WE SHOULD ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS AFTER THE DRAFT, TO ME, I MEAN, THE AMBIGUITY IS, IS PRETTY DAUNTING.
UM, SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT, BUT IF I MAY CHAIR YES.
BUT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE REFERENCING THIS EVENING.
YOUR ENGAGEMENT PLAN WILL OUTLINE THOSE DETAILS.
IT, IT IS RESPECTFULLY, IT IS NOT A MOVING TARGET.
YOU DON'T HAVE A TARGET YET BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT CREATED AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN WOULD OUTLINE YOUR SET OF STAKEHOLDERS.
I'M USING THAT AS A GENERIC, VERY HIGH LEVEL HOLISTIC APPROACH OF WHO ARE YOUR STAKEHOLDERS.
THAT INCLUDES APPROPRIATE, RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS, EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO OUTLINE IN YOUR ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION AS TO WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.
I'M CALLING ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CITY STAFF STAKEHOLDERS AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE YOU WILL BE GETTING INPUT AND RECOMMENDATION FROM THOSE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR DOCUMENT THAT YOU SHARED WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL.
AND THAT IS ALSO REFERENCED IN THE ENABLING RESOLUTION.
SO THE DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL IS TO HAVE AN INCLUSIVE AND ROBUST MULTI-PHASE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS FOR UPDATING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS OUTLINED IN THE DESIGN COMMISSIONS DOCUMENT, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UPDATE DRAFT FRAMEWORK THAT'S VERBATIM FROM THE COUNCIL DIRECTION.
AND IS THAT THE PROCESS YOU'RE SPEAKING OF SOPHIA, IS THAT UNDERWAY? YES.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS, IS THAT, UM, POTENTIALLY WE JUST NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY INTO THAT PROCESS, WHO IT MIGHT INCLUDE.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE, I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, COMMISSIONER CARROLL DOES EITHER.
SO I THINK, UM, YEAH, WE, I MEAN AT FIRST BECAUSE COMMISSIONERS LIKE YOURSELF, WERE DOING KIND OF LEADING ALL THIS WORK AND GOING TO DO THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
AND THEN WE HIT THAT STANDSTILL.
AND SO WE, LIKE MYSELF SAID, OKAY, WHY DON'T I TAKE THIS ON WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND YOU KNOW, WE, THIS IS WHAT WE DO RIGHT.
SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE A STAB AT THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN AND THEN, AND THEN LET'S COLLABORATE ON THIS.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN DO WE AS A BODY NEED TO VET AND OR APPROVE OF THAT COMMUNICATION PLAN, OR IS THAT, I MEAN, ARE YOU RELIANT ON US FOR ANY ACTION THERE? I, I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UH, I, I'M SURE JORGE WANTS TO CHIME IN OR OTHERS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, I REALIZE WE'VE BEEN, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN A WORKING GROUP ENVIRONMENT.
[02:30:01]
MM-HMM.UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS STANDARD FOR THIS KIND OF A PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S REALLY DIFFERENT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TYPE OF CONVERSATION YOU CAN HAVE IN A WORKING GROUP AND THEN QUORUM AND ALL THAT DESIGN COMMISSION.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT, I'LL THROW THIS OUT THERE.
UM, THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE WORKING GROUP, WHICH COULD INSTA INVOLVE STAFF LIKE ME, AND THEN SOME WORKING GROUP, SOME MEMBERS FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION HERE, CREATING THAT ULTIMATE DECISION ON THE, LIKE FINALIZING THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN AND THEN BRINGING THAT TO DESIGN COMMISSION AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
TO, TO ADD WHAT TO WHAT SOPHIA WAS SPEAKING ABOUT.
I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INPUT FROM THIS COMMISSION ON THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GONNA WORK.
IT HAS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO OUTLINE NOT ONLY THE STAKEHOLDERS, THAT'S ONLY ONE PIECE OF IT, BUT THE VARIOUS, IF YOU ALLOW THE EXPRESSION THAT'S VERY TIRED, THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX THAT YOU WANT TO USE FOR THE VARIOUS TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT THAT THE COMMISSION MAY WANT TO CONSIDER.
STAFF DOES NOT, I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR ON THE RECORD, DOES NOT WANT TO GUIDE OR GIVE DIRECTION TO THE COMMISSION AS TO WHAT KIND OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THE COMMISSION SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T DO.
WE WILL OFFER YOU IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THE COMMISSION ULTIMATELY WILL BE GUIDING SOME OF THAT ENGAGEMENT.
WE WILL HAVE TO DO ENGAGEMENT ON OUR OWN WITH CITY STAFF TO BE ABLE TO GATHER, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ANALYSIS ON YOUR DRAFT DOCUMENTS AND BRING THAT BACK TO THE COMMISSION OR WORKING GROUPS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES.
BUT WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE COMMISSION AS TO HOW THE ENGAGEMENT PORTION SHOULD BE DONE.
WE WILL BRING YOU RECOMMENDATIONS AS PART OF THAT ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT STAFF WAS TALKING ABOUT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY READY TO SIGN UP? COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? I HAVE A COMMENT.
I THINK WHAT'S DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS IS YOU'RE, WE'RE WE'RE, AND I'M THE ONE WHO, WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD THAT WE WANTED A PRESENTATION ON WHERE WE WERE, AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FILL THE WORKING GROUP WITH PEOPLE.
BUT TO CHAIR MY VICE CHAIR MINOR'S POINT, WE DON'T, WE WHO ARE BEING ASKED TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE WORKING GROUP DON'T KNOW THE KIND OF QUANTITY OF TIME, RESOURCES, ET CETERA, THAT WE ARE SIGNING UP FOR.
UM, SO THOUGH IT IS OUR DUTY AS COMMISSIONERS TO UM, ASSIST THE TWO MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, WE DUNNO WHAT WE'RE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO.
SO WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO GET A PRESENTATION TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION ON WHAT THE CURRENT ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS AND THEN TRY TO FILL THESE WORKING GROUP POSITIONS ONCE EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS? 'CAUSE IS IT FIVE HOURS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND 50 HOURS OF DRAFT TIME, OR IS IT 500 HOURS OF COMMUNITY? LIKE WE JUST WE'RE, WE CAN'T SIGN UP FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T, EVERYONE HERE HAS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF COMMITMENT THAT WE CAN MAKE TO THIS.
SO I THINK A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN PRIOR TO FILLING THESE POSITIONS MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
AND COMMISSIONER CARROLL, YOU AND VICE CAROLINAS HAVE SO MUCH MORE TIME INVESTED IN THIS THAN SOME OF THE FRESHMAN MEMBERS HERE.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TELL ME THAT I'M CRAZY.
WELL, UM, I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU, I MEAN THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS REALLY ABOUT GETTING INPUT FROM, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING IT, GETTING INPUT FROM PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE'S, THERE'S WORK OBVIOUSLY TO BE DONE THERE.
STAFF IS DOING A LOT OF THAT WORK TO HAVE WHAT WILL INITIALLY BECOME JUST A ONE, ONE DAY EVENT.
UM, ALTHOUGH THERE'LL BE OTHER, IDEALLY OTHER WAYS TO GET FEEDBACK LIKE MAYBE USING SPEAK UP AUSTIN, UM, TO, I, I CAN TELL YOU AS FAR AS WORKLOAD TO, TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, EACH OF THESE GROUPS WERE, WE'RE MEETING, WE MET EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR FIVE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK MOST OF THE GROUPS WERE THAT WAY TO SORT OF GET THAT
[02:35:01]
DRAFT OF, OF GUIDELINES TOGETHER.MY FEELING IS LIKE THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A HEAVY LIFT TO GET TO THAT POINT.
AND, AND MY SENSE IS IT'S GOING TO BE BE MUCH LIGHTER.
I MEAN, WE STILL NEED TO DO THE FRONT END STUFF AND THE IMAGES AND ALL OF THAT, BUT, UH, MY SENSE IS THAT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'LL GET, UH, THE REVISIONS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN WILL BE MUCH LESS WORK THAN, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE SEE THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, AND THEN IT WAS ESSENTIALLY MEETING WITH THE GROUPS AND TALKING AS A GROUP.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WORKS BEST FOR EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE.
YOU KNOW, FOR OUR GROUP IT WAS THAT WE MET EVERY TWO WEEKS ON THE SAME DAY, SAME TIME.
UM, I KNOW OTHER GROUPS MAYBE MET MORE REGULARLY, REGULARLY FOR, FOR LESS MONTHS THAN WE DID.
UM, AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FLEXIBILITY THERE.
YOU JUST MEET WITH YOUR GROUPS AND, AND DETERMINE THAT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, MY SENSE IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE DRAFTS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COUNCIL, THERE IS ANOTHER 12 MONTHS LEFT TO, TO GET THIS TO COUNSEL, UM, OFF AND ON WORK.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I WILL HAPPILY VOLUNTEER TO BE ON THE WORKING GROUP.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IF WE NEED A MOTION OR HOW THIS WORKS, BUT, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF THE WORKING GROUP.
HOW DOES THIS WORK? WE HAVE TO DOMINATE.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU CAN JUST ASSIGN SOMEONE TO A WORKING GROUP AND THEN, UM, MAKE A MOTION TO ASSIGN SOMEONE SECOND IT AND THEN IT WOULD GO TO A VOTE.
DOES IT HAVE TO GO TO THE A SPECIFIC WORKING GROUP? YES.
UM, AND I CAN ALSO READ OFF ALL OF THE WORKING GROUPS AND WHO IS IN EACH WORKING GROUP.
UM, WE DID DISSOLVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP AT THE AUGUST MEETING TOO.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU COULD READ OFF THE, OKAY.
UM, SO URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP IS COMMISSIONER CARROLL AND VICE CHAIR MINORS BUILDINGS WORKING GROUP IS CHAIR SALINAS AND COMMISSIONER CARROLL STREET SCAPES WORKING GROUP IS COMMISSIONER HOWARD OPEN SPACES WORKING GROUP, WHICH I THINK GOES BY A DIFFERENT NAME.
AND THEN THERE'S NOBODY ON THE URBAN STRUCTURES WORKING GROUP OR MAYBE THAT WENT BY THE NAME OF URBAN FABRIC.
SO IT LEAVES URBAN FABRIC OR URBAN STRUCTURES.
THAT ONE DOESN'T HAVE ANY MEMBERS ON IT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS WAS ABOLISHED APPARENTLY.
I DON'T, I DON'T RECALL THAT, BUT, UH, WE GOT RID OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S, UM, I WAS LOOKING AT BACK AT THE MINUTES FROM AUGUST AND I, IT WAS, UM, VOTED ON.
WE COULD ALL, Y'ALL COULD ALSO JUST MAKE A MOTION TO CREATE IT AGAIN, IF THAT'S SOLUTION.
UM, MR. HOWARD MIGHT, MIGHT, WE RECONSIDER HAVING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT WORKING GROUPS AND LIKE CONSOLIDATING AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING FIVE PEOPLE ON A SINGLE WORKING GROUP COULD BE PRETTY IMPACTFUL.
AND THEN WE COULD COME BACK, UH, WHOEVER GOES ONTO THAT WORKING GROUP COULD COME BACK TO COMMISSION WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS, UM, AND HAVE MORE SPECIFIC ASKS FOR THE GROUP.
HOW WOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO VOTE ON? OR HOW, HOW, HOW WOULD THIS WORK? I THINK WE JUST NEED TO
[02:40:02]
GET THREE MORE PEOPLE IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE WORKING GROUP TO DO IT.SO I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD MOTION TO DISSOLVE ALL OF THE GROUPS EXCEPT FOR THE URBAN DESIGN.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO DISSOLVE 'EM.
YOU DON'T WANNA DISSOLVE THEM? NO.
BUT WE CAN JUST NOMINATE FOLKS FOR THE WORKING GROUP, THE STEERING GROUP.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ON THE I WOULD LOVE TO BE ON THE URBAN DESIGN STEERING GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AS WELL.
WE GOT A, A APPOINT OR WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? MAKE A MOTION TO YES.
JUST MAKE A MOTION ON WHO WOULD IS GONNA BE ADDED TO THE WORKING GROUP AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE OR Y'ALL WILL TAKE A VOTE.
I'D LIKE TO, YOU NEED A SECOND TO CHAIR.
I'LL, I'LL JOIN AS WELL IF, OR I'LL JOIN THE NOMINATION GROUP.
UH, CAN WE DO ALL THREE AT ONCE? ALRIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, INCLUDE COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY.
COMMISSIONER WI COMMISSIONER HOWARD TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE WORKING GROUP.
YOU NEED TO CALL THE QUESTION CHAIR.
CALL THE WHAT? CALL FOR A VOTE.
ARE WE READY TO GO TO THE NEXT ITEM? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN WE GET A MEETING ON THE BOOKS WITH THE NEW FOLKS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD DO? UH, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, OR, OKAY.
[6. Discussion and possible action on the 2024 Design Commission meeting schedule.]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE 2024 DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULE.SO, UM, WE DID HAVE SOME CONFLICT WITH, UM, WITH RESERVING THIS ROOM, UM, ON MAY 20TH, NOVEMBER 18TH AND DECEMBER 16TH FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO, UM, WE'RE PROPOSING TWO DRAFT SCHEDULES.
UM, SO THE FIRST DRAFT, UM, WE'RE KEEPING THE MAY 20TH DATE, BUT THE MEETING WOULD BE MOVED TO AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE NOVEMBER MEETING, IT WOULD BE MOVED TO THE SECOND MONDAY AND IT WOULD BE IN THIS ROOM AT THE PDC.
AND THEN FOR DECEMBER 16TH IT WOULD BE MOVED TO AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND THEN FOR THE SECOND OPTION, UM, WE WOULD MOVE THE MAY, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER MEETING TO THE SECOND MONDAY, WHICH WOULD BE MAY 13TH, NOVEMBER 11TH, AND DECEMBER 9TH.
AND THEN WE COULD RESERVE THIS ROOM FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO THOSE ARE TWO OPTIONS FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER AND VOTE ON
I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY OBJECTION TO EITHER OF THESE.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT, THAT DEFINITELY DOES NOT WORK FOR SOMEBODY.
SO ON THE, ON THE FIRST ONE WITH THE RED, THOSE WOULD BE GOING TO AUSTIN ENERGY, RIGHT? YES.
SO, UM, AND CHAIR, IF I MAY, THAT'S AT THE MILLER LOCATION, I BELIEVE.
YEAH, IT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE, BUT STILL WASTES.
IT'S A MUCH NICER BUILDING THAN, NOT, NOT THAN THIS, THIS IS A PRETTY NICE BUILDING, BUT IN OTHER CITY BUILDINGS, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES.
FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY THEN, WE'LL, I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO GO WITH THE SCHEDULE ONE.
I'LL CALL IT THE FIRST SCHEDULE.
UH, NOW THAT WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION, IF I MAY.
WE'RE WE, I TO HAVE A BIAS HERE, UH, IT WOULD BE TOWARD HAVING, UM, RESCHEDULING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL THE MEETINGS HERE.
UH, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY AND NOT CONFUSING THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UM, I WOULD ACCEPT EITHER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AS BEING, UH, I, I LEAN TOWARD THE RESCHEDULING OF THE DATES FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THAT.
HOW WOULD WE, DO I NEED TO PULL MY MOTION OFF THE, YOU CAN
[02:45:01]
RETIRE YOUR MOTION AND THE SECOND AS WELL, OR THE COMMISSIONER CAN OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.HOW ABOUT THAT? WHY DON'T WE TRY THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? WE'LL TRY THIS OUT.
ALRIGHT, NOW YOU MOVE TO DISCUSSION CHAIR.
ALRIGHT, MOVE TO DISCUSSION IN WHICH WHAT WE, YOU MAY DISCUSS THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IF YOU WISH OR CALL THE QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? ALRIGHT, LET'S VOTE ON IT.
LOOKS LIKE SCHEDULE NUMBER TWO.
CONGRATULATIONS ON NAVIGATING YOUR FIRST SUBSTITUTE MISSION.
ALRIGHT, SO WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES, UH, THE URBAN DESIGN, UH, GUIDELINES, WORKING GROUPS.
YEAH, I THINK WE BEAT THAT TO DEATH, BUT I'LL, I'LL SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO THE NEW GROUP AND SCHEDULE A MEETING TO DISCUSS HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING THE LAST MEETING.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE
[9. Update from representative of the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding last meeting.]
OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.UM, WE JUST HAD A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UH, THERE WAS SOME ABOUT THE ZERO WASTE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
I SAW THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE SOME RESO, UH, VOTE ON SOME RESOLUTIONS TO, UM, FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT THEN I ALSO LOOKED ON THEIR WEBSITE AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PASSED BY COUNSEL ON NOVEMBER 3RD.
SO, UM, WE'LL BE MEETING AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD COMMISSIONER LADNER.
UH, NO UPDATE OUR MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
I'LL HAVE AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT ONE.
I, ALL RIGHT, WELL, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, ANYTHING WE NEED TO DISCUSS BEFORE WE ADJOURN? WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, UH, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.