[00:00:01]
WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS THING STARTED.
IT IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH, 2023.
I'M GONNA BRING THIS MEETING IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER AT, UH, SIX 11, RUN A LITTLE BIT LATE.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE PLENTY OF FOLKS HERE.
UM, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A, UH, A ROLL CALL TO KICK THINGS OFF AND I'LL START, UM, OVER ON MY LEFT AND MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE ONLINE JOINING US TOO.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY THIS EVENING.
UM, SO STARTING OVER HERE ON THE LEFT, WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.
AND THEN I SEE COMMISSIONER HAYNES HERE, AND COMMISSIONER WOODS HERE.
UH, AND THEN MOVING DOWN THE ROAD, WE GOT COMMISSIONER, UH, AZAR HERE, AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER CONLEY HERE.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON HERE, COMMISSIONER COX HERE.
AND, UH, VIRTUALLY WE HAVE COMMISSIONER RAM MUTAL HERE, AND WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
AND SO THE ONLY ONE WE DON'T HAVE, UM, THIS EVENING WHO I THINK WILL SHOW UP A LITTLE LATER IS COMMISSIONER, UH, VEDO RAMIREZ, BUT I THINK SHE SAID, UH, PROBABLY AN HOUR OUT.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING AROUND EXOFFICIO MEMBERS.
COMMISSIONER COHEN IS JUST ALL RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER COHEN IS JUST WALKING UP.
AND THEN WITH THAT, UM, WE'LL KIND OF MOVING THROUGH THE AGENDA, UM, OH, FOR THOSE ONLINE, WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF VOTING ACTIVITY LATER IF WE GET AROUND TO, UH, OUR AMENDMENT ON THE HOME INITIATIVE.
BUT, UH, HAVE YOUR GREEN, UH, YELLOW AND RED CARDS READY FOR ME.
WE'VE, UM, WE'VE GOT FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE OF COURSE, AND WE HAVE FOLKS, UH, PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY.
UM, SO THAT'S THE HYBRID ELEMENT TODAY.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE HAVE NONE, UH, ON THE MINUTES.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'VE GOT TWO SETS OF MINUTES.UM, WE'RE GONNA ROLL THOSE INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, UH, CHAIR COMMISSIONER LEES ON ANDREW, IF WE COULD POSTPONE THOSE TO YOUR NOVEMBER 28TH MEETING.
WE'RE POSTPONING APPROVAL OF MINUTES TO THE SECOND MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
[Consent Agenda]
HELP, UH, WELL FOR A LARGE PART OF THE EVENING FROM MY PARLIAMENTARIAN AND THE VICE CHAIR, HEMPEL VICE CHAIR HEMPEL IS GONNA START OFF BY READING THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING, AND WE'LL DECIDE ON WHICH ITEMS TO GET, UH, APPROVED ON CONSENT.ITEM NUMBER TWO, CODE AMENDMENTS C 20 DASH 2023 DASH 24 CHANGES TO RESIDENTIAL USES AND STANDARDS.
UH, HOME AMENDMENTS IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM THREE, PLAN AMENDMENT NPA A DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 2 2000 EAST SIXTH STREET AND 2007 EAST SEVENTH STREET PULLED FOR OUR ON APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR NPA DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 1 3 0 1 200 WEST MARY STREET.
THAT IS UP FOR APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 12TH.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, REZONING C 14 DASH 20 20 20 23 DASH 0 21 200 WEST MARY STREET.
THAT IS UP FOR APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 12TH.
ITEM SIX, PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 2 5 0 1 57 25 WEST US HIGHWAY TWO 90 EASTBOUND.
THAT IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO JANUARY 9TH.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 1 5 0 1 TRAER LANE, MPA THAT IS UP FOR APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 2 2 1 0 6 AND ONE 18 REDBIRD LANE.
THAT IS UP FOR PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
ITEM NINE, REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 3 4 54 0 2 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
THAT IS UP FOR PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
ITEM 10, REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 4 0 1 0 3 1 7 TO 1 0 4 2 3 MACAL PLACE IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
ITEM 11, REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 1 0 1 4 10 PRESLER IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 12TH.
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AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 1 15 0 1 FM 9 69.THAT IS UP FOR PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONEMENT NOVEMBER 28TH.
NUMBER 13, REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 8 7 FM 9 69 IS UP FOR PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
NUMBER 14, PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 2 0 3 300 TO 400 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD, MPA UP FOR PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
NUMBER 15, REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 4 4 300 TO FOUR 40 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD IS UP FOR PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONEMENT TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
NUMBER 16, REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 1 0 4 NORTH BURNETT GATEWAY, CMU MIDWAY REZONING IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
NUMBER 17 REZONING C 14 DASH 0 2 1 9 5 RCT WATERLINE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
NUMBER 18 REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 4 6 600 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT NUMBER 19 REZONING C 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 5 6 WEST US HIGHWAY TWO 90 IS OFFERED FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 12TH, NUMBER 20, SITE PLAN SPC DASH 20 22 4 8 4 A 1505, AND 1209 MULTIFAMILY OFFERED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO DECEMBER 12TH.
NUMBER 21 SITE PLAN, SP 2023 DASH 0 2 4 D LONGHORN DAM, MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT NUMBER 22 SITE PLAN SPC DASH 2023 DASH 0 2 4 7 C.
LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREENBELT PARK IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT 23 SITE PLAN SP DASH 2022 DASH 1 3 8 7 C.
THE EDDIE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND NUMBER 24 CODE AMENDMENT C 20 DASH 2023 DASH 0 27 PARKLAND, DEDICATION, REPEAT AND REPLACE, SORRY, REPEAL AND REPLACE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, UM, I THINK WE HAD A FEW FOLKS THAT WANT US TO SPEAK ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS NOW.
I THOUGHT WE WERE ENTERTAINING PEOPLE TALKING ON THE
SO COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? CHAIR, COMMISSIONER, LADIES ON ANDREW THERE IF WE COULD JUST, UH, MAKE NOTE, UM, THAT ON ITEMS 1415 AND 18, THOSE ARE PLANNING COMMISSION POSTPONEMENTS TO NOVEMBER 28TH.
1415 AND ITEM 18 ARE NOT CONSENT, THEY ARE PLAN PLANNING COMMISSION, POSTPONEMENT, POSTPONEMENT TO THE 28TH, CORRECT.
UH, SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THE COMMISSIONER? MAX HAD HER HAND UP? NO, IT'S VERY GOOD.
SO WITH NO QUESTIONS OR UH, COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, DO I HAVE A MOTION CHAIR? COMMISSIONER LAVER, APOLOGIES FOR THE INTERRUPTION.
UH, DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE YOUR 2024 CALENDAR? THAT'S ITEM 25.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR? OKAY, WE'LL ROLL THAT IN.
I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE INCLUSION OF ITEM 25, OUR 2024 MEETING CALENDAR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
UH, ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL SEEING NONE, UH, CLEARED THAT ONE.
UH, OUR FIRST ITEM
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN ADAM? OH, YES.
UH, SORRY, MR. CHAIRMAN, BEFORE, UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, AND I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS AT THE OUTSET OF THE, AT THE HEARING, UM, LITTLE BIT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, BUT A ASK OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, WE ARE HERE ON IMPORTANT MATTERS TONIGHT AND, AND IT'S GOING TO SHED A A LONG COURSE AND, AND THEY ARE IMPORTANT, BUT I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND EVERYBODY HERE THAT THIS WEEKEND WE HAD REALLY IMPORTANT MATTERS AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S GONNA DIE TONIGHT, BUT
[00:10:01]
WE HAD AN OFFICER, TWO OFFICERS GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR US.AND SO I WOULD ASK FOR A MOMENT, JUST A MOMENT, A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE JUST TO REMEMBER AND PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE OF, THERE'S, THERE'S IMPORTANT BUSINESS TONIGHT AND THERE'S REALLY SERIOUS BUSINESS THAT THIS CITY DOES.
AND SO JUST A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
I THINK THAT WAS, UM, VERY APPROPRIATE.
[2. Code Amendments: C20-2023-024 Changes to Residential Uses and Standards (HOME Amendments)]
ITEM, WHICH IS I THINK THE ITEM MOST FOLKS ARE HERE FOR, UM, ITEM TWO, THE PUBLIC HEARING.UM, WHAT I WANNA KIND OF GO OVER IS, UH, WE'RE GONNA OF COURSE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THOSE WHO SIGNED UP TO BE HERE IN PERSON.
UH, THEN WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT, UH, AS A PRIVILEGE.
I WILL THEN, FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO SIGN UP AND YOU'RE HERE STILL, UH, WE'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SPEAK AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THOSE THAT ARE VIRTUALLY ONLINE.
UM, BASED ON THE NUMBERS, THIS COULD, UH, IF YOU JUST DO THE MATH AND EVERYBODY DOES SPEAK, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR ABOUT FIVE HOURS.
UM, SOMETIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HANG IN THERE AND AT THAT TIME GETS COMPRESSED, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY LONG STRETCH HERE.
UH, IS, UH, ANDREW, AS FAR AS HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROCEED AS FAR, ARE WE GONNA CALL MORE THAN ONE UP AT A TIME? WHAT'S KIND OF THE PROCESS HERE TO GET PEOPLE A FEEL FOR HOW WE'RE GONNA CALL SPEAKERS? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER LADIES ON ANDREW RIVERA.
SO YES, I WILL CALL FIVE SPEAKERS AT A TIME.
WE HAVE TWO PODIUMS. UM, SO IF YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY TO, UM, UH, IF ONE PERSON'S AT THE, UM, FIRST PODIUM, MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE SECOND PODIUM AND, UH, WE CAN WORK THAT WAY.
DO SPEAKERS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IN THE ORDER? IS THAT INFORMATION CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION? UH, THE, UH, SPEAKER LIST IS POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE IT, UH, PRINTED SHORTLY.
JUST TO GAUGE YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE HERE OR OUTSIDE, JUST TO KNOW KIND OF ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE.
BUT YEAH, WE DON'T WANNA MISS YOUR, UH, PLEASE, UH, PAY ATTENTION TO THE MONSTERS SO YOU DON'T MISS YOUR PLACE IN LINE.
AND WITH THAT, UH, IS THERE ANY BUSINESS WE NEED TO, UH, DISCUSS BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER CHAIR, COMMISSIONER LAZARA? SO ACTUALLY WE WILL BEGIN WITH STAFF PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC TESTIMONY, THEN YOUR Q AND A DELIBERATION.
I'M ANDREA BATES, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I'LL BE GIVING A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO RESIDENTIAL USES AND STANDARDS IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, INCLUDING THE CODE AMENDMENTS REFERRED TO AS THE HOME INITIATIVE.
THE PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENTS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WOULD DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS.
THEY WOULD ALLOW UP TO THREE HOMES ON PROPERTIES ZONED SSF ONE, SF TWO, AND SF THREE.
THEY WOULD SIMPLIFY SOME OF THE EXISTING REGULATIONS FOR BUILDING TWO HOMES.
THEY WOULD REMOVE DUPLICATIVE ACCESSORY, APARTMENT, GUEST HOUSE, AND ONSITE WORKER HOME PROVISIONS THAT ARE IN THE CODE TODAY.
THEY WOULD LIMIT THE APPLICABILITY OF THE RESIDENTIAL DESIGN AND COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS OR MCMANSION STANDARDS TO LOTS WITH ONE HOME.
THEY WOULD ALLOW TINY HOMES THAT MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS TO BE CONSIDERED A DWELLING UNIT AND THEY WOULD REMOVE THE LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF UNRELATED ADULTS ALLOWED TO LIVE TOGETHER.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECEIVED A FULL BRIEFING ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS DURING YOUR JOINT MEETING WITH CITY COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 26TH.
STAFF HAS MADE SOME MINOR CHANGES TO THE PROPOSALS SINCE THAT TIME.
THESE CHANGES ARE REFLECTED IN THE UPDATED BACKUP THAT YOU RECEIVED FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
FIRST, THE TEXT CLARIFYING THAT TINY HOMES ARE ALLOWED AS A DWELLING UNIT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE DEFINITION SECTION OF THE CODE.
NEXT, THE PROPOSAL TO EXEMPT DUPLEX TWO UNIT AND THREE UNIT USES FROM THE MCMANSION STANDARDS WAS, UH, PUT IN SUBCHAPTER F, WHERE THOSE STANDARDS ARE LOCATED BY ACTUALLY AMENDING SUBCHAPTER F.
THE FAMILY HOME AND GROUP HOME USES WERE ALSO DELETED FROM THE MCMANSION STANDARDS IN SUBCHAPTER F.
AND THEN THERE WAS A CLARIFICATION MADE TO SUBSTITUTE THE SUBSTANDARD LOT LIMITATION FOR THE THREE UNIT RESIDENTIAL USE WITH
[00:15:01]
A, THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE LOT BE AT LEAST 5,750 SQUARE FEET.WE REMOVED TO REFERENCE TO SUBSTANDARD LOTS AND CLARIFIED THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS TOTAL ON THESE CODE AMENDMENTS.
THE FIRST WAS THE JOINT MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 26TH.
AFTER THAT LAST MONDAY ON NOVEMBER 6TH, THERE WAS AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.
THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IS TONIGHT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
THE COMMISSION COULD VOTE TONIGHT TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL ON THIS PROPOSAL.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSAL ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, WHICH IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING STARTING AT 10:00 AM HERE AT CITY HALL.
AT THAT TIME, THE COUNCIL COULD CHOOSE TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS.
THIS IS A SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS.
TO DATE, 387 COMMUNITY MEMBERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK OR REGISTERED FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSAL AT THE OCTOBER 26TH JOINT MEETING.
AS OF YESTERDAY, STAFF HAVE RECEIVED 55 EMAILS, 118 PHONE CALLS, AND 386 COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSAL SUBMITTED VIA THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN WEBSITE.
THAT WEBSITE HAS HAD ABOUT 10,500 VISITORS TOTAL.
WE ALSO HAD APPROXIMATELY 70 PEOPLE ATTEND THE OPEN HOUSE LAST WEEK.
WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO VISIT THE WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND TO STAY UP TO DATE ON THE PROPOSAL AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THE WEBSITE INCLUDES A SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AND THE DRAFT CODE LANGUAGE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES A VIDEO OF STAFFS PRESENTATION FROM THE OCTOBER 26TH MEETING, WHICH WENT INTO FAR MORE DETAIL EXPLAINING WHAT IS ALLOWED UNDER TODAY'S CODE AND WHAT WOULD BE CHANGED BY THE PROPOSAL.
THERE IS A QUESTION AND ANSWER SECTION WITH ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO PROVIDE INPUT AND HOW TO PROTEST THE CHANGES.
UH, THE PUBLIC CAN EMAIL STAFF WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THE ADDRESS ON THE SCREEN OR ALSO CALL AND RECEIVE A CALLBACK.
STAFF IS RESPONDING TO COMMENTS OR TO QUESTIONS, UH, SUBMITTED IN THESE FASHIONS.
AND ALL OF THE COMMENTS ARE BEING COLLECTED.
THE ONES RECEIVED TO DATE WERE SHARED WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND EVERYTHING WILL BE COLLECTED AND SHARED WITH CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, JUST, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, JUST POINT OF PROCEDURE AND ANDREW, HELP ME OUT HERE WHERE A DONATION OF TIME IS ALLOWED UP TO TWO.
SO, UH, YOUR, THOSE DONATING TIME NEED TO BE PRESENT AND RECOGNIZED, UH, BEFORE YOU COME ON AND SPEAK.
SO WE WILL ALLOW DONATION AND TIME WITH UP TO TWO PERSONS.
SO YOU HAVE, IF YOU MAX IT OUT, YOU GET SIX MINUTES TOTAL.
WE'LL, UH, BEGIN, UH, OUR, UM, PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION AND I HAVE, UH, MS. BEGG, UH, PRESENTING WITH, UM, DONATION A TIME OF UP TO, SO SHE'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS LUCY BEGG AND I'M AN ARCHITECT HERE ON BEHALF OF A I A AUSTIN'S HOUSING ADVOCACY COMMITTEE.
WE ARE A GROUP OF PRACTICING ARCHITECTS WORKING ON HOUSING AT ALL SCALES AND INCOME LEVELS IN THE CITY.
WITH DEEP EXPERIENCE OF HOW AUSTIN ZONING IMPACT, WHAT TYPES AND SIZES OF HOMES GET BUILT.
WE HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS MODELING POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OF THE HOME PHASE ONE DRAFT AND ARE HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE EMERGED FROM THOSE EFFORTS.
OUR GROUP IS MOTIVATED BY OUR CONCERNS WITH HOW OUR CURRENT RESIDENTIAL ZONING LIMITS HOUSING CHOICES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO SMALLER HOMES.
WE APPLAUD THE INTENT OF THE HOME INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND ARE EAGER TO MAKE SURE THE DETAILS OF THE POLICY WORK IN SUPPORT OF ITS GOALS.
PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF OUR CURRENT ZONING STANDARDS, IN 1984, HOMES IN AUSTIN AVERAGED AROUND 1500 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE, AND ALMOST
[00:20:01]
ONE IN FIVE OF THOSE WERE PART OF A DUPLEX, TRIPLEX, OR FOURPLEX.AFTER OUR CURRENT ZONING WAS PUT IN PLACE, RESTRICTING LARGE AREAS OF THE CITY TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON LARGE LOTS, THOSE UNIT SIZES BEGAN TO INCREASE.
THIS CHART SHOWS HOW THE AVERAGE HOME BUILT SINCE 1990 IS ALMOST 50% LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE BUILT PRIOR.
AND HOW JUST A FRACTION OF THOSE LESS THAN 3% HAVE BEEN WITHIN TWO, THREE OR FOUR UNIT BUILDINGS.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF HOUSES PERMITTED IN THE LAST DECADE.
IN AUSTIN, OVER 75% OF THE NEW HOMES BUILT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT TIME EXCEEDED 2000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.
WE ARE ACTUALLY ADDING HOMES GREATER THAN 5,000 SQUARE FEET TO OUR HOUSING STOCK AT A FASTER RATE THAN HOMES UNDER 1000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PHENOMENON IS BEING DRIVEN BY THE COLLISION OF OUR 1980S ZONING STANDARDS WITH TODAY'S HIGH LAND COSTS, WHILE OUR MINIMUM RESIDENTIAL LOT SIZE IS 57 50 SQUARE FEET, OUR MEDIAN LOT SIZE IS MUCH LARGER AT ALMOST 8,000 SQUARE FEET, WITH ENTITLEMENTS LIMITED TO TWO DWELLING UNITS ON MOST RESIDENTIAL LOTS, AND WITH MANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE SIZE AND CONFIGURATION OF THE SECOND UNIT.
THE MOST COMMON DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME TODAY IS A SINGLE HOUSE THAT'S AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE, UP TO 40% OF THE LOT SIZE TO MAKE THE ECONOMICS WORK.
PUT SIMPLY OUR CURRENT RESIDENTIAL ZONING HAS A BIG HOUSE BIAS AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT HOUSING OPTIONS HAVE WE BEEN EDITING OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? OUR UNIT RESTRICTIONS AND SETBACKS MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS ONE THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF EAST CESAR CHAVEZ IN 1926 AND RENOVATED A FEW YEARS AGO.
THESE THREE LIVABLE SMALL HOUSES ON A 9,600 SQUARE FOOT LOT EACH HAVE A FRONT PORCH, A SMALL PRIVATE BACKYARD, AND AN OFF STREET PARKING SPACE.
THEY'RE OWNED BY A YOUNG COUPLE, A SINGLE DAD AND AN ELDERLY RETIREE WHO ALL ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF OUR HIGH QUALITY NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE IN AREA.
THEY TOTALED THE SAME SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT TODAY YOU WOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED TO BUILD AS ONE OR TWO HOUSES TO MEET THE HOME INITIATIVE'S GOAL OF GIVING SMALLER HOMES LIKE THESE A BIGGER CHANCE.
IN AUSTIN, WE BELIEVE THE DETAILS ARE CRITICAL.
THE FOLLOWING ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE HOW THE HOME ORDINANCE SHOULD BE FINE TUNED TO BETTER MEET ITS GOALS.
RECOMMENDATION ONE IS TO FURTHER INCREASE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE TWO UNIT USE.
THE REDUCTION OF LOT SIZES FOR DUPLEXES.
REMOVAL OF THE COMMON WALL MANDATE AND LOOSENING OF ADU REQUIREMENTS ARE ALL GREAT STEPS.
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE 1100 SQUARE FOOT CAP THAT APPLIES TO DETACHED SECOND UNITS ALSO BE REMOVED.
THIS WILL FURTHER INCREASE FLEXIBILITY FOR ADDING A SECOND UNIT TO EXISTING PROPERTIES, INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF UPTAKE.
OUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO CREATE A NEW FLOOR AREA RATIO TOOL FOR TWO AND THREE UNIT U USE.
AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, REMOVING SUBCHAPTER F FOR TWO AND THREE UNITS TAKES AWAY THE CURRENT FLOOR AREA CAP FOR RESIDENTIAL USE TO MITIGATE AGAINST THE HOME ORDINANCE PRODUCING EQUALLY LARGE UNITS AS OUR CURRENT CODE, WE RECOMMEND A FOUR-PART APPROACH.
THE FIRST PART IS TO CREATE AN FAR CAP FOR TWO AND THREE FAMILY USES.
THE SECOND IS TO INCENTIVIZE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO AND THREE UNITS BY MODESTLY INCREASING THIS TOTAL ALLOWABLE FAR CAP AS YOU GET MORE UNITS.
THE THIRD PART IS TO SET A MAXIMUM SIZE LIMIT FOR A SINGLE UNIT, AND THE FOURTH PART IS TO INCLUDE GARAGES AND CARPORTS IN THE FLOOR AREA DEFINITION.
OUR THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS TO REDUCE FRONT YARD AND STREET SIDE YARD SETBACKS TO HELP WITH FLEXIBILITY IN HOW MULTIPLE UNITS ARE PLACED ON A LOT, WHICH WILL BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL WHEN WORKING AROUND PROTECTED TREES AND WILL ALIGN WITH TYPICAL SETBACKS IN OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND FINALLY, OUR FOURTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADOPT A PRESERVATION INCENTIVE TO MITIGATE AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF OLDER, SMALLER, AND MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT THE INDI THAT THE ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS OF HOME COULD ACCELERATE.
WE DEFER TO PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON THIS PIECE.
AND AT THIS POINT I'LL BE PASSING, UH, THE MICROPHONE TO MY COLLEAGUE CHRIS GANNON TO EXPAND ON THE DETAILS OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IF I COULD JUST CONFIRM THAT MS. ANDREA FREIBERGER IS PRESENT.
UM, MR. AND THEN, UM, LET'S SEE,
[00:25:05]
SALINAS, JOHN SALINAS.ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE INCOMING CO-CHAIR OF A'S HOUSING GROUP.
UH, WE LOOKED AT PORTLAND'S RESIDENTIAL INFILL PROJECT, UM, AS PRECEDENT.
THIS IS A VERY SIMILAR INITIATIVE PORTLAND UNDER, UH, UNDERTOOK IN 2021.
UM, THE PROJECT ALLOWS NEW MIDDLE HOUSING TYPOLOGIES, THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN IN, IN DECLINE SINCE THE NINETIES IN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THEY'RE ALLOWING ADUS ALL THE WAY TO SIX PLEXES IN THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE ADAPTATION OF THIS POLICY SAW A DRAMATIC UPTICK IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS MIDDLE HOUSING WITH NEARLY THREE QUARTERS OF ALL NEW UNITS IN FOURPLEXES.
UH, PORTLAND ADDED AN FAR CAP TO THEIR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND STEPPED THAT FAR AN ADDITIONAL 0.10 FOR UNIT.
WE LOOKED MOST CLOSELY AT THE R SEVEN LOTS AS THEY'RE MOST ALIGNED WITH AUSTIN'S LOT SIZE.
SO UNDER THIS PROGRAM, THEY FOUND THAT BY INCREASING THE FAR 0.10 PER ADDED UNIT, THEY WERE ABLE TO BOTH ENCOURAGE MORE UNITS AND THOSE UNITS ON AVERAGE WERE SMALLER.
SO OUR MODELING, WHICH WE DID COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF PORTLAND'S REPORT, FOUND A VERY SIMILAR THING, UH, THAT AN FAR CAP WITH A GRADIENT WOULD INCENTIVIZE MORE UNITS AND THAT WOULD ON AVERAGE BE SMALLER.
SO WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL GRADIENT INCREASES AND BELIEVE THAT 0.10 WORKS FOR AUSTIN AS WELL.
UM, OURS STARTS AT 0.55 FOR TWO UNITS AND GOES TO 0.65 FOR THREE.
UM, THIS IS A CRUCIAL DETAIL TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS.
OUR SINGLE FAMILY UNITS CURRENTLY BEING BUILT UNDER MCMANSION ARE CAPPED AT AN FAR OF 0.4, BUT THROUGH THE SET OF EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE BAKED INTO MCMANSION OR THE SUBCHAPTER F THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY HOME IS ACTUALLY CLOSE TO 0.45 FAR.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, SOME ARE EVEN GETTING UP TO 0.57 OR HIGHER.
UM, SO WHAT ARE THESE EXEMPTIONS? THERE'S ONE FOR ATTICS FOR GARAGES AND BASEMENTS.
UM, AND THIS IS ALL BUILT INTO THE DEFINITION OF FAR UNDER MCMANSION, SUB CHAPTER F.
SO OUTSIDE MCMANSION, UH, FAR IS DEFINED DIFFERENTLY AND THE EXEMPTIONS WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE.
ALL PARKING STRUCTURES ARE ALREADY EXEMPT IN THE BASE CODE.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION HERE IS, UH, OR OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TAKE THIS DISPARITY INTO ACCOUNT AND WE'VE ADDED A 0.05 FAR BUMP TO OUR STARTING POINT TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THESE EX UH, OF THESE EXEMPTIONS.
THAT'S WHY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 0.55 AND A 0.65, UH, BUT TO, TO MAKE THIS WORK, IT'S CRUCIAL THAT WE INCLUDE PARKING STRUCTURES IN THE DEFINITION OF FAR.
SO WE MODELED WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE ON AN AVERAGE 7,500 SQUARE FOOT MIDLOCK MID-BLOCK LOT.
UH, YOU'LL HEAR THAT THE STEPPED FAR GENERALLY ENCOURAGES MORE SMALLER UNITS.
UH, SO IN THIS FIRST ONE YOU'LL SEE IT'S SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND IT'S SUBJECT TO THE F TO THE SUBCHAPTER F TENT AND IT'S CAPPED AT FAR.
BUT WITH THE EXEMPTIONS WE'RE GETTING TO 0.45.
AND THEN, UH, THE NEXT TWO MODELS SHOW TWO UNITS AND THREE UNITS.
UM, SO WE SUPPORT CAPPING THE FAR OF A SINGLE UNIT IN MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS THE, UH, THE GUARDRAIL THAT KEEPS THE STEALTH MCMANSIONS AT BAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD IMAGINE A VERY SMALL POOL CABANA WITH A GIGANTIC HOUSE ATTACK THAT POOL CABANA COULD BE A UNIT.
UM, SO BY LIMITING ONE, ANY ONE UNIT OF A MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN FAR, UH, THAT'LL PREVENT THAT.
WE SUPPORT, UH, PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION INCENTIVE, AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT BOLSTERED AND EXPANDED TO TREES AS WELL.
IN PHASE TWO, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT A PROJECT HERE, UM, BY, UH, THOUGHT BARN AND DELINEATE STUDIO.
UM, THIS IS TWO EXISTING HOMES THAT WERE PRESERVED AND THERE WERE TWO NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE BUILT IN BACK.
EACH ONE OF THESE IS A FOURPLEX.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THIS KIND OF STUFF.
WE SUPPORT REDUCING OUR SETBACKS AND ENCOURAGE THIS RESOLUTION TO GO FURTHER THAN THE FRONT YARD AVERAGING, UM,
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WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BUILT IN UNDER SUB CHAPTER F UH, BUT WE'D LIKE TO GO FURTHER.UM, FRONT YARD AVERAGING, WHICH IS EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING.
UH, IT ALSO RELIES ON THE LUCK OF THE DRAW.
IF YOUR HOME IS IN AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN MAYBE YOU'LL GET FRONT YARD AVERAGING AND YOU GET UP TO, UH, 15 FOOT.
IF IT'S NOT, THEN YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK.
AND, UH, WE DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS FAIR FOR A CITY CODE.
UM, WE ALSO SUPPORT, UH, UH, REDUCING THE SIDE YARD, THE STREET SIDE YARD DOWN TO FIVE FEET.
THIS WOULD PERMIT TWO AND THREE UNITS TO GET CLOSER TO THE STREET, AND IT JUST MAKES IT WORK EASIER.
THERE'S MORE FLEXIBILITY, UH, BUILT IN LIKE WE SAW IN LUCY'S SLIDE WITH THOSE THREE UNITS.
UM, AND FINALLY, WE DO NEED TO INCLUDE PARKING STRUCTURES IN THE DEFINITION OF FAR.
UH, CURRENTLY YOU COULD BUILD A LARGE GARAGE WITH A HOME ON TOP AND YOU EXCLUDE ALL THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE GARAGE FROM THE FAR CALCULATIONS.
UM, AND I GOT 10 SECONDS LEFT.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MS. AGUIRE RE WITH DONATED TIME FROM JULIA WOODS.
MS. WOODS PRESENT, SPECIFICALLY MARY
UH, WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE DONATOR OF, UM, MS. INGLE AND, UM, MS. MACARTHUR.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR SHAW AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS ANA GIRE AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL.
THE ANC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REACHED OUT TO YOU IN ORDER TO HA FOR US TO HAVE SOME DIALOGUE REGARDING THE HOME OPTIONS FOR MIDDLE INCOME EMPOWERMENT RESOLUTION.
WE WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SHAW, HAMPEL PHILLIPS, AZAR, HAYNES WOODS BARR, RAMIREZ, MUCH TALLER AND COX FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, FROM THEIR VERY BUSY SCHEDULE TO MEET WITH US.
WE ALSO THANK COMMISSIONERS ANDERSON AND CONNELLY FOR SPEAKING WITH ME.
RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO OPPOSE THE HOME RESOLUTION AS IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN.
THIS PLAN IS NOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IT IS NOT ABOUT EQUITY.
THIS PLAN WILL GENTRIFY THE REMAINING AFRICAN-AMERICAN BLACK, HISPANIC, AND LATINO RESIDENTS THAT ARE HOMEOWNERS OR RENTERS IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
THIS KIND IS ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE DIRT AND IT SHOULD BE ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON IT.
THE COMMITTEE ARE JUST MAYOR WATSON AND THE COUNCIL TO FOLLOW THE MAYOR'S MAYOR WATSON'S CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO STEP BACK AND INITIATE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN EACH DISTRICT APPOINTED TO A TASK FORCE AND CHARGED WITH CONSENSUS ON FINDING REALISTIC DENSITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS IN EACH DISTRICT, AND ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS WE ASK FOR CO A TRUE COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS REGARDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS SUMMER, WE WERE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES TO LIMIT OUR ELECTRICITY USE AND AVOID TO AVOID A BLACKOUT.
WE LOSE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER DUE TO LEAKING PIPES, AND WE HAVE A LOSS OF OUR TREE CANOPY DUE TO EXTREME CLIMATE, UH, CLIMATE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE, THE COUNCIL SHOULD NEEDS TO FUND AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THESE ZONING CHANGES.
WE SHOULD MAINTAIN SUBCHAPTER F AND EXISTING FAR REQUIREMENTS AND REEVALUATE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
OCCUPANCY LIMITS SHOULD FOLLOW NATIONAL AND STATE LAWS, AND ONCE ADOPTED, MUST BE ENFORCED SO AS NOT TO RESULT IN HARM FOR THE VULNERABLE POPULATION.
THOSE THAT ARE SU SUSCEPTIBLE TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SEX TRAFFICKING, THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
AUSTIN IS NATIONALLY KNOWN AS SLASH FLOOD ALLEY.
I LIVE IN THE SPRINGS ONION CREEK, WHERE ONION CREEK AND WILLIAMSON CREEK CONVERGE.
IN 2015 AND 2013, WE SUSTAINED SERIOUS LOSS OF HOMES AND LIFE.
FOR THIS REASON, WE RECOMMEND YOU PROHIBIT ANY DUE DENSITY IN AREA SUSCEPTIBLE TO CREEK FLOODING, LOCALIZED FLOODING, STREAM BANK EROSION, OR DESIGNATED TO BE WITHIN THE ATLAS 14 PLANE FLOODPLAIN.
THERE SHOULD BE NO INCREASING IMPERVIOUS COVER ALLOWANCES OVER THE CURRENTLY ASSIGNED LIMITS SITE PLAN AREA, EVALUATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN CASES OF EXPANSION TO MEET THOSE LIMITS MODIFIED TO INCREASE DENSITY, THERE SHOULD BE A PROHIBITION OF BEING IN LIEU OF STORM WATER CONTROL OPTIONS TO, TO NEW DENSITY.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, YOU, WE SHOULD COMPLY WITH THE FEMA REGULATIONS SO AS NOT TO COMPROMISE ANY PROPERTY OWNER'S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FEDERAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.
WE SHOULD ADDRESS THE IMPACT THAT ADDITIONAL DENSITY WILL HAVE ON SANITATION RELATED SERVICES, SUCH AS, UH, STREET ACCESS FOR PICKUP, FOR TRASH RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING.
WE SHOULD ENSURE BASIC PUBLIC SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WHEN HOUSING, HOUSING DENSITIES INTRODUCED, INTRODUCED UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE,
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HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.WE SHOULD COMPLY WITH ALL NATIONAL HOUSING STANDARDS.
WE SHOULD MAINTAIN RESPECT AND NOT UNDERMINE EXISTING HOMEOWNER DEED AND COVENANT RESTRICTIONS.
WE SHOULD INCENTIVIZE HOMEOWNERS SO THEY CAN AFFORD TO PARTICIPATE IN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THEIR LOT AND THAT MEET PROTECTIVE AND FUNCTIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE.
AND WE SHOULD EXPLORE HOUSING OPTIONS ON CITY OWNED AND VACANT PROPERTIES.
SO GOING BACK TO WHY DOES FLOODING MATTER IN 2013, THIS IS WHO WE LOST.
EDWARD JACKSON, 72 ONION CREEK, JOSEFINA RODRIGUEZ AND HER EIGHT MONTH OLD SON.
THERE WERE TWO UNIDENTIFIED MALES IN ONION CREEK.
THERE WERE 200 STUDENTS THAT BECAME HOMELESS IN 2015.
WE LOST JORGE AGUILAR TORRES 50 FROM DEL VALLEY, EDWARD HERNANDEZ JR.
HE WAS WITH TWO OTHER MALES AND THEY WERE RESCUED IN ORTIZ GARZA, 67 FROM SOUTHEAST TRAVIS COUNTY.
SHE WAS WITH HER HUSBAND WHO WAS RESCUED.
AGAIN, THIS SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT THE VALUE OF DIRT.
THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MS. BETSY GREENBERG.
DONATED TIME FROM MS. ANN DANGLER AND MS. HELEN PVI.
MY NAME IS BETSY GREENBERG AND I LIVE IN THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD, JESS NORTH OF THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF OCCUPANCY LIMITS, THE CHANGE TO THE DEFINITION OF GROUP RESIDENTIAL AND THE PROPOSED REMOVAL OF DEFINITIONS FOR FAMILY AND GROUP HOMES.
THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF GROUP RESIDENTIAL IS THE USE OF A SITE FOR OCCUPANCY BY A GROUP OF MORE THAN SIX PERSONS WHO ARE NOT A FAMILY ON A WEEKLY OR LONGER BASIS.
GROUP RESIDENTIAL IS CURRENTLY PROHIBITED IN SSF ZONES AND IS ONLY ALLOWED IN MF ZONING.
BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, IN 2004 THERE WAS A CODE CHANGE TO SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF UNRELATED ADULTS IN EACH DWELLING UNIT OF A DUPLEX OR SECONDARY APARTMENT.
THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO SUPER DUPLEXES IN 2014 IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS ABOUT NEW HIGH RENT SIX BEDROOM HOUSES IN THE ASSOCIATED DEMOLITIONS.
A TWO YEAR TRIAL WAS PASSED, REDUCING OCCUPANCY LIMITS ON NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES TO FOUR.
EACH TIME A CHANGE WAS MADE, LARGE FAMILIES WERE PROTECTED, EXISTING USES WERE GRANDFATHERED AND NOBODY WAS DISPLACED.
CONCERNS WITH OCCUPANCY LIMITS HAVE PERSISTED.
THE FIRST ISSUE IS ALWAYS AFFORDABILITY.
THE REALITY IS THAT THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS EXISTING HOUSING.
NEW HOUSING IS ALWAYS MORE EXPENSIVE.
AFTER CONSIDERING THE DATA THE COUNCIL MADE THE 2014 REDUCTION PERMANENT IN 2016, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CONCERNS THAT OCCUPANCY LIMITS VIOLATE FAIR HOUSING LAWS THAT PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING BASED ON FAMILIAL STATUS.
THIS CONCERN IS EASILY ADDRESSED BY ADDING AN EXCEPTION THAT PERMITS A HIGHER OCCUPANCY AS NEEDED TO ALLOW FOR COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING LAW GROUP RESIDENTIAL HAS BEEN REDEFINED OR A NEW, THE STAFF HAS PROVIDED A NEW DEFINITION FOR GROUP RESIDENTIAL AS THE USE OF A SITE FOR OCCUPANCY BY A GROUP OF MORE THAN 16 ADULTS WHEN A THIRD PARTY PREPARES OR PROVIDES FOOD WITH THIS DEFINITION, IF THERE ARE 17 OR MORE ADULTS AND A THIRD PARTY PREPARES OR PROVIDES FOOD, THEN THE USE IS GROUP RESIDENTIAL AND ONLY ALLOWED IN MF ZONES.
IF THERE'S ISN'T A THIRD PARTY PREPARING FOOD, AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF ADULTS ARE ALLOWED IN SSF ZONES.
I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHY HAVING A THIRD PARTY PREPARING FOOD MATTERS AND SUGGEST THOSE WORDS BE DELETED ON JUNE 1ST.
COUNCIL RESOLUTION MENTIONED THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE HAS OCCUPANCY LIMITS THAT ARE EASIER TO ENFORCE.
THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE SAYS A BEDROOM FOR THREE ADULTS MUST BE AT LEAST 120 SQUARE FEET, UM, WITH APOLOGIES TO THE ARCHITECTS IN THE ROOM.
UM, THIS ILLUSTRATION SHOWS A 2300 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE WITH 11 BEDROOMS THAT ARE EACH 120 SQUARE FEET.
TEXAS PROPERTY CODE SPECIFIES THAT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ADULTS ALLOWED TO OCCUPY A DWELLING UNIT IS THREE
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TIMES THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. SO THIS HOUSE COULD BE RENTED TO 33 ADULTS.I DON'T THINK THIS IS WHAT COUNCIL INTENDED WITH THEIR RESOLUTION.
16, 17 33 OR MORE IN ONE RESIDENTIAL UNIT WITHOUT MULTIFAMILY HEALTH SAFETY AND FIRE CODES ALONG WITH INSPECTIONS IS A BAD IDEA.
THE PROPOSED CODE CHANGE WILL SUBJECT DISADVANTAGED PERSONS TO SUBSTANDARD OR DANGEROUS HOUSING.
THE STAFF ALSO PROPOSED THAT FAMILY AND GROUP HOME DEFINITIONS ALSO BE REMOVED FROM THE CODE WHEN THE DEFINITIONS ARE REMOVED.
THESE USES WILL EITHER FIT THE GROUP RESIDENTIAL DEFINITION MORE THAN 16 RESIDENTS, AND THE THIRD PARTY PROVIDES FOOD, WHICH IS ALLOWED ONLY IN MF ZONES OR THEY'RE ALLOWED IN SSF WITH NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS.
UM, I HAVE THESE USED DEFINITIONS, BUT TO SAVE TIME, I'LL GO RIGHT TO THE SUMMARY
OKAY, SO FAMILY HOME AND GROUP.
HOME TYPE ONE LIMITED BOTH ALLOW SIX RESIDENTS AND TWO SUPERVISORS.
THE RESIDENTS ARE PEOPLE WITH ILLNESSES OR DISABILITIES, AND THESE USES ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN SSF ZONES GROUP.
HOME GENERAL ALLOWS UP TO 15 RESIDENTS AND THREE SUPERVISORS, AND IS CURRENTLY A CONDITIONAL USE IN SF ZONES GROUP HOME TWO ALSO ALLOWS ONLY 15 RESIDENTS AND THREE SUPERVISORS, THE RESIDENTS OR INDIVIDUALS NEEDING CORRECTIONAL OR MENTAL INSTITUTIONALIZATION, INCLUDING JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.
THIS USES CURRENTLY PROHIBITED IN SSF.
REMOVING THESE DEFINITIONS AND THE LINES IN THE TABLE MEANS THAT THEY ARE ALL PERMITTED IN SSF WITH NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS AND LESS THE MORE THAN 16 AND A THIRD PARTY PROVIDES FOOD.
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS NEVER FIT THE DEFINITION FOR GROUP RESIDENTIAL AS THEY ARE NOT ADULTS.
FAMILY AND GROUP HOMES ARE OFTEN RUN BY FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES.
HOWEVER, LOCAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSING AND INSPECTION WILL ONLY BE REQUIRED FOR PROPERTIES THAT MEET THE NEW DEFINITION FOR GROUP RESIDENTIAL.
THESE CODE CHANGES WILL SUBJECT THE SICK, THE POOR, THE ELDERLY, EX-OFFENDERS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
AND POSSIBLE ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION CODE THAT IS ALTERED WITHOUT CAREFUL ATTENTION TO DETAIL CAN RESULT IN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM MR. SCOTT TURNER.
DO I HAVE CODY CARR PRESENT? DO I HAVE OD MUDHAL PRESENT? YES.
DO I HAVE SEAN KIRKPATRICK PRESENT? DO I HAVE NANCY ROEDER PRESENT? MR. TURNER, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
I BROUGHT A, UH, COUPLE OF SLIDES TO SHOW YOU WHY I THINK THE HOME INITIATIVE IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, THIS FIRST ONE HERE JUST SHOWS THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME AND THE RELATED HOME PRICES THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD.
MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS, THIS DATA BEFORE, BUT FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T, FOR THE MEDIAN INCOME EARNER IN AUSTIN, YOU CAN AFFORD A $311,000 HOME ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S STANDARD CALCULATIONS.
UH, THE STATS BELOW ARE MEDIAN HOME PRICES FOR AUSTIN AND FOR BASTROP COUNTY.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE ONE THERE FOR BASTROP, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MORE AFFORDABLE SURROUNDING MARKETS, UM, $349,000.
SO TODAY THE MEDIAN INCOME EARNER IN AUSTIN CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY THE MEDIAN HOME IN BASTROP, MUCH LESS IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT TODAY.
SO THIS SLIDE IS, UH, UH, CENSUS DATA FROM THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER.
UH, IT SHOWS, UH, POPULATION DENSITY.
I KNOW I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THE D WORD DENSITY, BUT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THIS SHOWS.
UM, YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE IT ON THE SCREEN THERE, BUT, UH, THE, THE TWO LIGHTEST COLORS ARE, UH, RURAL AND SUBURBAN LEVEL OF DENSITY, FOUR TO 10 PEOPLE, UH, PER ACRE.
UH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE CITY.
UM, THAT IS SSF THREE ZONING IN A NUTSHELL,
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AND FOR THE 10TH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, UM, THAT, THAT THAT IS ONE REASON WHY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING.AND THAT'S COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT 30% OF OUR JOBS ARE WITHIN THREE MILES OF DOWNTOWN.
UH, THAT STATS FROM TERRY MITCHELL, UM, I'M SURE HE HAS A SOURCE FOR IT.
BUT, UH, UH, SO THAT'S 200,000 JOBS RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, EVEN THAT AREA DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING, UH, BEYOND A, A SUBURBAN LEVEL OF DENSITY.
UM, AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE THIS IN THE PERMIT DATA.
SO, UH, WE ASSEMBLED THE ADU PERMITS, UH, SINCE THEY BECAME LEGAL ON EVERY LOT IN 2015.
UM, SO THIS SHOWS ADU AND DUPLEX PERMITS BY YEAR.
UH, FROM 2015 TO DATE, UM, ONLY 12% OF NEW PERMITS WERE FOR TWO.
THE SECOND UNIT, YOU KNOW, UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE MAP IN TERMS OF POPULATION DENSITY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE CODE HERE.
OUR CODE FAVORS, AND I KNOW A, I A TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER, OUR CODE FAVORS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND, AND THE DATA REALLY SHOWS THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE OUR, OUR APPROACH TO HOUSING.
I I IF, IF THE AVERAGE AUSTINITE IS GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANYTHING, UH, UM, IN, IN THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, WE JUST NEED MORE HOUSING.
UH, OTHERWISE, AND I'M GOT GOT ONE MORE SLIDE HERE.
OTHERWISE, UH, WE END UP WITH THIS.
THIS IS POPULATION GROWTH FROM 2010 TO 2020.
UM, THE, THE BLUE COLORS ARE, ARE THE MOST RAPID GROWTH OVER THE 10 YEARS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S ALMOST A CIRCLE THERE, UH, CENTERED ON CENTRAL AUSTIN, UH, WHERE WHITE IS ALMOST, ALMOST NO GROWTH.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW SOME AREAS OF AUSTIN DIDN'T GAIN ANY POPULATION, BUT THEY DIDN'T.
APPARENTLY THOSE ARE THE ORANGE FIELDS.
SO, SO THAT, THAT BLUE AREA, THAT'S THE WAVE OF DISPLACEMENT THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.
UM, THAT IS, THAT IS FAMILIES BEING FORCED TO MOVE FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM AUSTIN, FROM THEIR HOMES IN ORDER TO FIND A PLACE THAT WILL FIT THEIR FAMILY AND THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD THAT DRIVE UNTIL YOU QUALIFY, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF NOM IN THE PAST.
BUT, UM, THAT'S A, A VERY REAL REPRESENTATION OF IT HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO, UM, EVERYTHING YOU DO TONIGHT REALLY, I THINK IS, IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF, OF THE FOLKS WHO, WHO PERHAPS CAN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, BUT WHO, UH, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT WE DO AS A CITY BECAUSE, UH, WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
NOT EVERY HOUSE IN AUSTIN IS AFFORDABLE CERTAINLY, BUT WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN, IN MORE NEIGHBORHOODS OR, OR THIS PATTERN IS JUST GONNA CONTINUE.
LAY, DO I HAVE MR. DAN KENNEDY PRESENT? DO I HAVE KEVIN BRODERICK PRESENT? UH, MR. LEE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE HOLD, HOLD.
DO I HAVE ALSO KATHY GATTUSO PRESENT IS JASON HASKINS PRESENT.
AT THIS TIME I'LL START CALLING FIVE SPEAKERS AT A TIME.
IF YOU'RE PRESENT, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO A PODIUM.
MR. PAUL ZOSS, MR. RON THROWER, MS. VICTORIA HASI, MS. BILL, MR. BILL MCCOLLY AND MS. HOLLY REED SWITCH.
WHERE, JUST ON THAT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE PERMISSION RON THROWER? UM, MANY OF Y'ALL HEARD ME TALK ABOUT HOW OVER THE LAST 38
[00:50:01]
YEARS THERE'S BEEN HUNDREDS OF CODE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE WHITTLED AWAY AT DEVELOPABLE LAND.AND WHAT'S BEFORE YOU DENIED IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND CAPTURE SOME OF THAT BACK SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET HOUSING AS A PRIORITY.
AND FOR THAT, I SUPPORT IT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL HAD PASSED THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT SHOULD BE RUNNING PARALLEL WITH THIS.
AND THAT IS FOR THE ABILITY TO CREATE LOTS IN A MUCH SIMPLER WAY.
RIGHT NOW TO TAKE A 12,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT, DIVIDE IT INTO TWO, SO YOU CAN HAVE TWO 6,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS, TAKES SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, TAKES ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS RIGHT NOW TO DO AN AMENDED PLATT, YOU CAN ONLY REMOVE A LOT LINE OR SHIFT A LOT LINE.
BUT THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE STATE CODE AND COUNCIL HAS RECOGNIZED THAT AND IT HAS INITIATED A CODE AMENDMENT THAT HAS KIND OF STALLED OUT.
BUT IT'S THE ABILITY TO CREATE LOTS THROUGH THIS AMENDED PLATT PROCESS.
IT GOES FASTER, IT IS A LOT CHEAPER, AND IT HAS THE ABILITY TO CREATE LOTS MUCH EASIER SO THAT WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL UNITS ON THE GROUND AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU MS. VICTORIA HASSEY, FOLLOWED BY BILL MCCOLLY AND HOLLY RE.
VICTORIA HASI, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO SAY.
UM, SO I'M BECOMING A LITTLE MORE CONCERNED WITH, SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A SENTIMENT OF I GOT MINE IN THE HELL WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
SOMETIMES THESE AMENDMENTS HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR CITY AND SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE AGING IN PLACE RATHER THAN GENTRIFICATION.
ANOTHER, UH, THESE AMENDMENTS ALLOW MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOUSING AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BACK THE FAMILY VILLAGE THAT A LOT OF FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN LONG FOR THESE AMENDMENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL UNITS AND AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT CAN SUPPORT DENSITY OR CAN SUPPORT TRANSIT.
SO I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THESE AMENDMENTS AND, AND TAKE THEM VERY SERIOUSLY.
A LOT OF THE LOVELY HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE THAT PUT AUSTIN ON THE MAP, THEY WERE THE ORIGINAL DISRUPTORS OF THE CITY.
AND TRUTH BE TOLD, WE'RE ALL DISRUPTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE ALL CAME HERE WHAT WAS ONCE GREEN OPEN LANDS ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER.
WE'VE ALL COME HERE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE.
WE NEED MORE HOUSING AND IT ONLY MAKES SENSE IF WE'RE GONNA BRING MORE HOUSING, BRING IT TO THE AREAS WHERE WE'VE ALREADY DISRUPTED LAND.
LET'S NOT DISRUPT MORE LAND IN SPRAWLING OUTSIDE OUR CITY AND LET'S GAIN MORE HOUSING, MORE UNITS, MORE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO LIVE CLOSER AND CREATE BETTER COMMUNITY INSIDE OUR CORE.
THIS CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS BILL MCKINLEY, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT FORWARD.
WE'RE AN AWESOME BASE 5 0 1 C THREE THAT WORKS ON EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT REGARDING PROJECT CONNECT AND TRANSIT AS A WHOLE.
REALLY LIKE TO THANK, UH, COMMISSIONERS ANDERSON, CONNOLLY AND MAXWELL FOR ATTENDING A TALK WE HAD LAST WEEK.
UH, WITH PETER PARKS, WHO IS A CONSULTANT BEING EMPLOYED BY THE CITY'S PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
IT IS REALLY VITAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF PROJECT CONNECT THAT WE HAVE MORE DENSITY AROUND TRANSIT CORRIDORS AND MR. PARKS ACTUALLY ACTUALLY HAD A REALLY WONDERFUL INTERACTIVE MAP AROUND THE HALF MILE, AROUND THE PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL LINE SHOWING HOW THE DIFFERENT OVERLAYS UNIVERSITY OVERLAY THE RIVERSIDE OVERLAY AND IT INCLUDED THE HOME INITIATIVE WOULD ADD DENSITY.
THIS IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE SYSTEM IN GENERAL, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP HAS THESE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SHOW MORE DENSITY AROUND THESE TRANSIT CORRIDORS WHEN THEY APPLY FOR THEIR TWO AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS IN A COMPETITIVE GRANT.
SO THIS INITIATIVE IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PROJECT CONNECT DIRECTLY, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR TRANSIT MORE GENERALLY AT A CITYWIDE LEVEL.
AND LEMME GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.
LAST YEAR WE HAD A PANEL DISCUSSION WHERE WE HAD THE HR DIRECTOR FROM CAT METRO WHO SAID THAT I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER SHE SAID WAS ABOUT 80% OF THEIR MECHANICS DO NOT LIVE IN AUSTIN BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
WE WERE PART OF A, UH, RECENT PROGRAM WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS WHERE THEY ESTIMATED THAT ALL OF THE TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS BEING BUILT IN THE IN TOWN WILL REQUIRE 10,000 WORKERS PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT 17 YEARS.
IF WORKERS CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO WORK HERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS SAID, THIS SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT DIRT, THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT PEOPLE.
AND I AGREE OUR WORKERS SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO LIVE NEAR THE JOBS THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED THEM FOR AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO PASS THIS TODAY.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR TIME AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE REST OF YOUR EVENING, MS. HOLLY REED PRESENTATION
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MS. OR BLA BLAZE CROSSLEY AND KYLE VANEK, IF YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.MY NAME IS HOLLY REED AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
IN OPPOSITION TO THE HOME DRAFT ORDINANCE AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, THE LACK OF SIZE RESTRICTIONS IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT OF OCTOBER 23RD STATES THE LACK OF SIZE RESTRICTIONS, LACK OF PRESERVATION INCENTIVE, AND EXCUSE ME, DELAYING MINIMUM LOT SIZE REDUCTIONS TO PHASE TWO SEVERELY LIMITS THE PROPOSAL'S EFFICACY.
IT ALSO STATES THAT UNITS MAY NEARLY TRIPLE THEIR ALLOWABLE SIZE WITHOUT SUBCHAPTER F FLOOR AREA RATIO RESTRICTIONS WITHOUT UNIT SIZE RESTRICTIONS EITHER BY SUBCHAPTER F OR ANOTHER FAR LIMITATION, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS MAY RESULT IN UNITS WITH SIMILAR SIZE AND PRICE TO CURRENT SINGLE UNIT USES.
WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT IF THE ORDINANCE PASSES AS WRITTEN, IT COULD RESULT IN MORE EXPENSIVE HOUSING THAN CURRENTLY EXISTS.
DEMOLITION OF OLDER, MORE AFFORDABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND DUPLEXES, DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LOWER LAND VALUES, INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES, MORE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND LESS PERMANENT HOMES FOR FAMILIES TO PURCHASE IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
REMOVAL OF TREES WITH ADDED IMPERVIOUS COVER FLOODING, INADEQUATE CITY UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, SAFETY ISSUES WITH ADDED STREET PARKING, VIOLATION OF DEEDED RESTRICTIONS, RESTRICTED COVENANTS AND DISREGARD FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAS STATED THAT, SORRY, NEXT SLIDE.
COUNCIL MEMBER POOL STATED THAT SHE SUPPORTS LIMITING SIZE FOR TWO AND THREE UNIT BUILDINGS AND SHE ALSO SUPPORTS ADDING A PRESERVATION INCENTIVE TO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
WE ASK THAT YOU RET RETAIN SUBCHAPTER F FLOOR AREA RATIO TO 0.4 FOR TWO AND THREE UNITS AND WE HAD SOME OTHER ONES THAT I WANTED TO TELL YOU AS WELL.
PLEASE MAKE THE CHANGES IN ONE PHASE.
NOW HEAR FROM KYLE SEK, REYA, ISAAC COHEN AND IRENE, IF YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
UM, HI, MY NAME'S JAY CROSSLEY AND HOPEFULLY I HAVE A SLIDE AND I WAS JUST HOPING TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS ONE POINT.
UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US HERE.
UM, AND SO MY POINT IS THAT THE, THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT, UM, HAD US A LINE IN IT THAT SAID UPZONING CAUSES DISPLACEMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S A VERY RADICAL CLAIM, UH, TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED CAUSALITY BETWEEN UPZONING AND DISPLACEMENT.
AND I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY ACADEMIC LITERATURE THAT SHOWS THAT TO BE TRUE.
HOWEVER, IF WE LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN AUSTIN, THERE ARE PLACES THAT HAVE NOT GONE UP IN HOUSING COSTS.
UH, THERE'S REALLY TWO SIGNIFICANT PLACES AND THAT IS WHERE UNO WAS IN WEST CAMPUS AND THEN A LONG EAST RIVERSIDE THAT HAD PLANS A WHILE AGO THAT ALLOWED MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SLIDE IS SHOWING YOU.
WHEREAS IN SAY, HYDE PARK, UH, YOU KNOW, IF I WANNA LIVE IN HYDE PARK, IT COSTS $682 MORE A MONTH TO LIVE IN HYDE PARK IN 2021 THAN IT DID IN 2011.
UM, THAT STORY IS NOT THE SAME IN THE PLACES WHERE WE DID UPZONING AND ALLOWED MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE THERE.
AND SO WE NEED EQUITABLE GROWTH AND IF YOU CARE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, THE THINGS LIKE HOME WILL ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, THANKS FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GONNA TAG TEAM THIS ONE.
UM, WE'RE TWO CO-FOUNDERS OF A A LITTLE STARTUP WE'RE BUILDING HERE IN AUSTIN CALLED CEDAR.
UM, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON HELPING THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE WALKABLE, DENSER, MORE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND WE'RE HERE IN, YOU KNOW, FIRM SUPPORT OF THE HOME INITIATIVE, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS AN, AN IMPORTANT STEP IN.
WELL WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE REALLY FUN ANIMATIONS TONIGHT.
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UH, YEAH, I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT WE'RE, UM, VERY MUCH HERE STANDING IN SUPPORT OF THE HOME INITIATIVE AS WE BELIEVE IT'LL BRING MORE LIVABILITY, WALKABILITY, AND AFFORDABILITY TO AUSTIN BY UNLOCKING A REAL DIVERSITY OF HOUSING OPTIONS THAT SUPPORT THE DESIRE OF CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES HERE TO LIVE CLOSE TO WORK, TO LIVE CLOSE TO THEIR FRIENDS AND TO LIVE CLOSE TO CULTURAL AMENITIES, THE THINGS THAT THEY FIND BEAUTIFUL ABOUT LIVING IN THE CITY.UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T SHARE, UH, WHAT WE'VE BUILT WITH YOU, BUT WE ESSENTIALLY BUILT A, AN AN OPEN SOURCED CATALOG OF, UH, HOUSING OPTIONS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S ON THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, IT'S JUST CALLED THE CATALOG.
AND YOU CAN REALLY SEE HOW BEFORE AND AFTER WITH THE HOME INITIATIVE, UH, THE CHANGES THAT, UM, WILL BE UNLOCKED IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF UNITS AND REALLY THE, THE DIVERSITY OF HOUSING OPTIONS THAT'LL BECOME AVAILABLE.
SOMETHING LIKE FOUR OR FIVE HOUSING TYPES ARE NOW AVAILABLE WILL GO TO SOMETHING LIKE 30 PLUS HOUSING UNITS OR HOUSING TYPES THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE POST THE HOME INITIATIVE.
IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE LIVING IN A REALLY FAST GROWING VERY DIVERSE CITY, WE NEED A DIVERSE ARRAY OF OPTIONS TO, TO MEET THAT DEMAND.
UM, SO
WE'LL, UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS ISAAC COHEN.
I AM A HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT NINE IN A BOULDER CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR TREE CANOPY, IT'S GOT NOTHING ON THE THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF RANCH LAND BEING TURNED INTO SUBDIVISIONS.
OFFSETTING THE CARBON MONOXIDE FROM THE MILLIONS OF EXTRA DRIVEN MILES AND REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE UNNECESSARY SUBURBS.
70% OF YOUR WATER IS WATERING, YOUR LAWN LAWNS AREN'T GREAT FOR WATER.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT THAT SORT OF THING, YOU COULD BRING OUT LOCALIZED HEAT.
BUT TALKING ABOUT IT WITHOUT SPRAWL IS DISINGENUOUS.
OUR SEWER PLANTS OPERATE AT 55% CAPACITY WITH A $78 MILLION UPGRADE UNDERWAY.
HIGHLY DENSE CITIES SUPPORT HIGHLY DENSE, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PUBLIC TRANSIT, WHICH LOWERS COST OF LIVING AND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BE MOBILE AS THEY AGE IN PLACE.
HOME PRICES AND TAXES HAVE RISEN, HAVE RISEN THROUGH 40 YEARS OF CONTINUOUSLY TIGHTENING LAND USE REGULATION IN SINGLE FAMILY AREAS.
MEANWHILE, RENTS HAVE DECREASED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS DUE TO RECORD BREAKING CONSTRUCTION OF NEW RENTAL UNITS.
UM, I HEAR THAT HOME IS A HANDOUT FOR DEVELOPERS THAT THE OPPONENTS OF HOME BUILD THEIR OWN HOUSES.
THERE ARE, THE DEVELOPERS NOT ONLY BUILD THE HOMES AND WRITE THE RACIST RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS, THEY HOLD SO VALUABLE IF HOMES ARE NEEDED AND SOMEBODY'S GONNA BUILD IT.
WHO ELSE BUT DEVELOPERS? I MEAN, SERIOUSLY.
UM, I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UPSET ABOUT STAFFING LEVELS AND NOT ENOUGH EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND THEN I HEAR ABOUT THE ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REJECTING DENSITY AT THE SITE OF THE ROSEDALE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC.
'CAUSE APPARENTLY THE SCHOOL THAT WAS THERE BEFORE DIDN'T CAUSE TRAFFIC.
I HEAR ABOUT HOW SMALLER HOUSES DON'T GET BUILT ANYMORE, BUT THEN ZNA AND BREER WOODS ARE READY TO DIE ON SMALL LOT SIZES.
OUR CITY CODE MADE YOUR AFFORDABLE 1930 BUNGALOW IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD AT A PRICE TO MARKET WILL BEAR BECAUSE OF THE ANC.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM IRENE PICARD, JAMES VALDEZ.
GO RIGHT TO THE SECOND SLIDE IF YOU WOULD.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TONIGHT.
AND I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR TREE CANOPY.
UM, IN FACT, TONIGHT IN THE CAR COMING OVER HERE, I HEARD A FEDERAL REPORT WAS JUST RELEASED TODAY ABOUT THE, THE COST, THE FINANCIAL COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS THE EFFECT ON NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE LINED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND LACK A TREE CANOPY.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE HAVING MORE HEALTH EFFECTS, FLOODING EFFECTS AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS BE BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT TREE PLANTING WAS CRITICAL.
UH, WE HAVE SOMETHING IN AUSTIN THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF, AND IT'S OUR TREE ORDINANCE.
THIS TREE ORDINANCE PROTECTS TREES THAT ARE FOUR AND A HALF FEET OFF THE, THE,
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THE, UH, THE LAND, 19 INCHES IN DIAMETER.I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON HOW MANY TREES IN AUSTIN ARE PROTECTED AND HOW MANY TREES WE WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE THEY LIKELY WILL REMAIN WHERE THEY ARE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART, YOU WILL SEE THE DIAMETER CLASS ACROSS THE BOTTOM AND YOU WILL SEE THE PERCENT COMING UP THE SIDE.
AND YOU SEE FOR THOSE TREES THAT MEET THE PROTECTED STATUS IN OUR CITY, UM, ONLY 3.4% OF THOSE TREES IN AUSTIN ARE PROTECTED.
THAT MEANS THAT OVER 96% OF THE TREES ARE NOT AND ARE EXPENDABLE.
AND THIS IS A, AN AUSTIN, DOES THAT MEAN I'M WARNED OR DONE? GO AND FINISH YOUR THOUGHTS.
GO AND FINISH THIS SLIDE AND WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO MOVE ON.
UM, I, I JUST HAVE A REQUEST THAT WE STRENGTHEN THE TREE ORDINANCE TO, TO PROTECT TREES THAT ARE 14 INCHES IN DIAMETER.
PATRICK LAUREN, JEFFREY BOWEN.
MR. GEORGE FER, RITA THOMPSON.
NEVER HAVE I BEEN SO CONFLICTED AND AMBIVALENT WHERE OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE CLARITY.
WELL, I'VE BEEN HERE 45 PLUS YEARS.
CO-OPS WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH AS A, UM, EVEN WORKING FOR NONPROFITS AS A SOCIAL WORKER, MY HUSBAND BEING A TEACHER AT ACC, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME.
AND I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE IN THOSE PROFESSIONS TODAY OR OTHERS SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO SO.
AND SO I KNOW WE NEED ZONING REFORM.
AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW THAT, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MORE THAN SOMEONE SAID IS DIRT.
THEY'RE MORE THAN BUILDINGS AND THEY'RE LOTS.
I'VE LEARNED FROM THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT THEIR CONNECTIONS, THEIR