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[Call to Order]
UH, I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL.IT'S 10:01 AM IT IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL, WHICH IS 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, FOLLOWING, UH, IS THE ORDER OF THE MEETING FOR TODAY.
WE WILL HEAR FROM CONSENT SPEAKERS, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON.
UH, WE WILL THEN GO TO A CONSENT VOTE WITH BRIEF COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE WILL HEAR THEN FROM NON-CONSENT SPEAKERS, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON.
UH, AND WE'LL TAKE UP THE NON-CONSENT ITEMS, UH, FOR THOSE THAT, UH, ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS.
ITEMS THAT ARE REFERRED FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
THEY ARE ON THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA BY OUR RULES, IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS, UH, AND PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS 57 AND 58.
THE IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM IS 55.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS. I'LL CLARIFY THAT ANYONE THAT WISHES TO BE SPEAK AND IS REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON A PUBLIC HEARING ITEM OR A NON-CONSENT ITEM MAY BE HEARD AND WILL BE CALLED AT THE NON-CONSENT ITEM OR THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE HEARD DURING THE CONSENT SPEAKERS.
IT'S, IT'S UP TO YOU FOR CONVENIENCE PURPOSES, BUT I ASK THAT YOU, UH, GET WITH THE CITY CLERK SO THAT THE CITY CLERK KNOWS WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND WE CAN CALL YOU APPROPRIATELY AS SOON AS WE HAVE FINISHED WITH THAT.
UM, OR AT 10 30 GETS HERE, WHICHEVER IS SOONER.
UH, WE WILL RECESS THE REGULAR MEETING AND CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
WE'LL HEAR SPEAKERS, IF ANY, WE'LL ACT AND WE'LL ADJOURN THAT CORPORATION MEETING AND, UH, GO BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING UNTIL WE, UM, FINISH WITH WHATEVER AGENDA WE HAVE PRIOR TO OUR NOON TIME, CERTAIN PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL THEN HAVE A, UH, OUR, OUR LIVE MUSIC.
AND THEN AT TWO O'CLOCK WE WILL CONVENE THE, UM, ZONING ITEMS AT THAT TIME.
I'M GOING TO NOW READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.
WE HAVE, UH, ONE CHANGE IN CORRECTION, AND THAT IS WITH REGARD TO BOARDS AND COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT SHOULD READ JANUARY 17TH, 2024, RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON AN EIGHT TO ZERO VOTE WITH THREE ABSENCES.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NO ITEMS THAT ARE PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE'RE WORKING ON ITEM NUMBER 30 SO THAT I HAVE CLARITY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 30.
AND, UM, WHAT I WOULD ALSO SAY ON ITEM NUMBER 46, THAT ITEM IS A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO BRING BACK A, UH, AN ORDINANCE BY FEBRUARY 1ST.
AND ANYTHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING WILL COME BACK FOR THE COUNCIL TO VOTE ON IT IN THAT PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
ON THE FIRST, THERE WILL NOT BE, UH, AN IMPLEMENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.
UM, SO FIRST GROUP OF SPEAKERS WILL HAVE, WILL BE
[Public Comment ]
ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
WE WILL THEN GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR A VOTE WITH BRIEF COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS, AND LET'S NOW GO TO THE SPEAKERS AND I'LL, UH, LOOK TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO HELP US WITH THAT.
THE FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS BILL BUNCH, SPEAKING ON 5 14, 27, 28, 29, 37, 49, 7 AND EIGHT.
UH, YES, HELLO, BILL BUNCH HERE WITH SAVE SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, JUST WANTED TO, UH, VERY QUICKLY SPEAK AGAINST THE MCKENZIE.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED AS, UH, NOT THE KIND OF CONSULTING FIRM.
ANYBODY WHO CARES ABOUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR INTEGRITY IN THEIR WORK, UH, SHOULD BE DOING BUSINESS WITH.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDS, UH, JUST AS A POINT OF INTEREST AND REQUEST.
UM, THE BIGGEST ITEM I SEE IN THAT LIST
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IS FOR THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE, WHICH THEY'RE NOW CALLING A REHABILITATION RATHER THAN A RESTORATION.THERE'S STILL SOME, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A TWO OR $3 MILLION PROJECT, AND NOW I THINK WE'RE AT 20 MILLION AND COUNTING.
UM, AND THERE'S BEEN NO REAL EXPLANATION FOR ALL OF THAT.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THERE, THE PLANS INCLUDE REMOVING AN A DA RAMP FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCESS AND SHUTTING DOWN THE CURRENT, UH, MAIN ACCESS, UH, WINDOW GATE ON THE FRONT THAT IS SERVED BY THAT RAMP.
UH, I DOUBT THAT ANYBODY IN THE A DA COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THIS.
UH, IT CERTAINLY HADN'T BEEN, UH, DISCLOSED.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IN THE WORLD WE WOULD EVER GO BACKWARDS ON, UH, A DA ACCESS TO THE POOL.
UM, ALL OF THE REGULAR SWIMMERS, THE LIFEGUARD, THE STAFF, ARE COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO SHUTTING DOWN, UH, THAT MAIN FRONT GATE EXCESS AND INSTEAD FORCING EVERYBODY TO GO THROUGH THE BATHHOUSE, UH, THROUGH A BUILDING THAT THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO GO INTO, AND WHERE THERE'S A BLIND ACT, BLIND VIEW FOR STAFF.
THANK MUCH BEFORE WE GO FORWARD.
SO FOR THOSE THAT JUST HEARD THE, THOSE CHIMES, UH, DURING THE BREAK, THE HOLIDAY BREAK, WE, UH, MADE SOME CHANGES IN OUR TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING, UH, THE SPEAKER SYSTEM, THE MICROPHONES, UH, HOW THE COUNCIL CAN LET ME KNOW THAT THEY WANNA BE RECOGNIZED.
AND APPARENTLY WE NOW HAVE CHIMES.
UM, WE WILL ALL DECIDE LATER ON WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT, BUT WE'RE SURE HAPPY TO BE HERE
NEXT SPEAKER IS MONICA GUZMAN ON ITEM 30 AND 46.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA.
OFTEN, GAVA HAS A QUESTION ABOUT ITEM 30.
DOES THIS ITEM GIVE THE PLANNING DIRECTOR MORE DISCRETION TO DETERMINE WHAT CONSTITUTES QUOTE UNQUOTE REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING UNITS? OR IS IT CITY STILL SUBSCRIBING TO TRADITIONAL INCOME LIMITS? AS FOR ITEM 46, GAVA ADVOCATES FOR EQUITY IN ALL DECISIONS MADE IMPACTING THE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
SINCE THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT EQUITABLE AND WILL NOT RESULT IN AN EQUITABLE CITY, GAVA IS OPPOSED, AVAILABLE FUNDS NEED TO BE DIRECTED TO ADDRESS THE GREATEST THREATS TO OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTHY FOODS, PARKS, SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING, TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, AND HOME-BASED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
THE EVEN MORE ARE DETAILED IN GAVA, CITY OF AUSTIN.
BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
THANK YOU, ENOVIA JOSEPH ON ITEM 44, 14, 27, 28, AND 29.
THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ITEM 44.
I AM OPPOSED TO THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR CAPITAL METRO.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, TRANSPORTATION CODE 4 5 1 0.5021 SPECIFIED TWO MEMBERS, ONE MUST BE AND ONE MAY BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THERE IS NO ONE ON THE BOARD THAT'S TRANSIT DEPENDENT, AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT SOMEONE WHO IS, HOWEVER, YOU HAVE UNILATERALLY DECIDED TO KEEP CHEETO VELA AND LESLIE POOLE ON THE BOARD.
AND NEITHER ONE OF THEM HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO CLOSE THE MIDBLOCK STOPS IN THEIR DISTRICTS AT CHINATOWN AND WALNUT CREEK, WHICH IS ALSO THE METROPOLITAN PARK.
AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THESE AREAS, AND SO THEY ARE NOT SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO ITEM 41, I'M NEUTRAL.
THAT'S THE $1 MILLION FOR CDC GRANTS FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, $31.7 MILLION, THAT PROCESS WAS NOT FAIR.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, I DID FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST MELISSA ALVARADO BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS EXCLUSIONARY WAS THE FACT THAT YOU COULD NOT ACTUALLY SUBMIT CREATIVE WRITING OR OTHER ARTS PROJECTS, AND IT RELIED ON THE EAST AUSTIN SURVEY VOLUME THREE, WHICH DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE DEIDRICK HAMILTON HOUSE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE OLDEST
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STRUCTURES IN THAT AREA.AND SO IT WAS EXCLUSIONARY AND IT FAVORED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WHITE PREDOMINANTLY.
AND LASTLY, AS IT RELATES TO ITEM 19, I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AUSTIN ALLIANCE GROUP, THAT $450,000 LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS REALLY JUST PERSONALITY TRAITS,
AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE AS TAXPAYERS NEED TO SPEND $450,000 FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU'RE TYPE A OR SOME OTHER PERSONALITY THAT'S A WASTE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
31 IS THE $118 MILLION FOR AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, WHICH I HOPE THANK YOU.
I'LL ANSWER ANY, UH, MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES REMOTE SPEAKER.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SWITCH OVER TO IN PERSON.
WE HAVE SCOTT JOHNSON, JOHN IRELAND, AND KATHY MITCHELL.
IF YOU'RE YOUR NAME CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE FRONT AND SPEAK YOUR NAME INTO THE PODIUM.
SCOTT JOHNSON IS SPEAKING ON 14 27, 28 AND 29.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS SCOTT JOHNSON, I'M A CITIZEN AND I'M THE CREATOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN HOMELESS STUDENT ASSISTANCE FUND.
AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS WONDERING ALOUD WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAD REACHED OUT FOR A ISD AND OTHER ISDS IN A CONVERSATION I HAD JUST PRIOR TO THE MEETING WITH THE STAFF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I LEARNED THAT THAT CONVERSATION CAN BE NOW AND IT CAN BE ONGOING.
ANY TYPE OF CHANGES THAT HAPPEN, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT RELATES TO STUDENT HOMELESSNESS, THEY SHOULD BE CONSULTED AND ASKED.
THIS, THIS IS BROADER THAN STUDENT HOMELESSNESS, BUT AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS FUND ON THE UTILITY BILL, MY EFFORT WAS TO BROADEN THE CONVERSATION WHILE MOST STUDENTS ARE NOT WANDERING AROUND ON THEIR OWN, LOOKING FOR RESOURCES AND ALL THEY ARE WITH FAMILIES.
AND THERE'S A ISD HELPED IN THE 20 22, 20 23 SCHOOL YEAR, 935 STUDENTS.
SO IT IS AN ISSUE THAT HASN'T EMERGED QUITE AS LARGE AS I'D HOPE, BUT THERE'S A 1500 APPROXIMATELY OR MORE IN THE AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE AREA THAT ARE CONSIDERED HOMELESS OR YOUTH AND THAT ARE, THAT ARE HOMELESS.
SO I HOPE GOING FORWARD, YOUR OFFICE, THE MAYOR AND OTHER OFFICES THAT COLLABORATE ON THIS, WILL ENGAGE THE ISDS TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE.
THEY'RE ON THE FRONT LINE OF STUDENT HOMELESSNESS, SO PLEASE DO THAT.
AND OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS THE HOME INITIATIVE AND OTHER ONES THAT IMPACT TAX BASES, IMPACT STUDENTS IMPACT THE COMMUNITY.
IF WE'RE NOT COLLABORATING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE NEED TO, I DON'T HAVE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WHEN THE HOME INITIATIVE WAS PUT TOGETHER THAT YOU DID MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO REACH OUT FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHERS WITHIN AIS, SD AND THE OTHER I, SDS.
KATHY MITCHELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MCKENZIE PROPOSAL.
UH, IT'S PRETTY WELL DOCUMENTED.
THE MCKENZIE IS FAR AND AWAY THE MOST EXPENSIVE CONSULTING FIRM IN THE WORLD, CHARGING ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 25% MORE THAN THEIR COMPETITORS.
EQUALLY ADEPT AT COMING UP WITH REPORTS, PWC, ACCENTURE, KPMG.
SO AT THE FIRST I WOULD, I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE YOU WOULD GO OUT FOR A MORE COMPETITIVE BID.
SECOND, MCKENZIE'S ALREADY DONE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS ON HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING FOR DALLAS, HOUSTON, SAN FRANCISCO, COLUMBUS, OHIO, UH, LOS ANGELES.
ALL THESE REPORTS ARE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AS WELL AS MANY, MANY OTHER STUDIES.
30,000 FOOT VIEWS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEY ALL MAKE ALL THE SAME RECOMMENDATIONS.
CREATE MORE SHORT TERM, LONG TERM HOUSING, UH, COORDINATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING, CREATE LARGER UMBRELLA PROGRAMS, ENLISTING BUSINESS TO HELP, UH, USING UNDER NEW UTILIZED PROPERTIES, THINGS OF THIS THING, UH, NATURE.
SO IT'S BASICALLY ALL THE SAME REHASH.
SO I WOULD URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER WHETHER THEY WANNA SPEND TEN TWO MILLION DOLLARS TO GET JUST BASICALLY THE SAME INFORMATION FROM MCKENZIE, WHICH IS ALREADY HIGHER PRICE.
IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, YOU COULD HIRE A, A, A HOMELESS CZAR FOR $200,000 A YEAR FOR 10 YEARS AND GET THE SAME, IF NOT MORE THAN YOU'RE GONNA GET OUT OF PAYING MCKENZIE FOR A REPORT THAT THEY'VE ALREADY PUBLISHED SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY.
THANK YOU, KATHY MITCHELL, AND THEN CHRIS HARRIS.
HI, KATHY MITCHELL ON BEHALF OF EQUITY ACTION.
I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND GLAD TO BE BACK.
[00:15:02]
I'M GONNA START WITH THE MCKINSEY ITEM, UH, BECAUSE THIS WEEK, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT POLITELY DECLINED THE CITY'S OFFER TO FUND A PORTION OF THE PROPOSED MCKINSEY STUDY.I WOULD EXPECT, AS IT CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH ITS OWN BUS BUDGET ISSUES, THAT INTEGRAL CARE MAY ALSO SO DECLINE WITHOUT THE COOPERATION AND SUPPORT OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE THAT ANY OF THE OBJECTIVES LAID BEFORE YOU FOR THIS CONTRACT CAN ACTUALLY BE MET.
UNTIL THEN, I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE SHELVED AND CONVERSATIONS LAUNCHED WITH THOSE SAME PARTNERS THAT MIGHT PRODUCE A PROJECT ABOUT WHICH EVERYONE AGREES.
STAFF NOTES IN THE BACKUP THAT THE CITY WILL ULTIMATELY ONLY PAY FOR THE STUDY FOR THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE SERVICES, AND THE PARTNERS WILL PAY FOR THE REST.
BUT STAFF IS ASKING YOU TO VOTE NOW TO APPROVE THE FULL AMOUNT OF $2 MILLION WITH NO PROVISION THAT I COULD FIND TO BACK OUT OF IT.
IN THE ABSENCE OF THOSE PARTNERS, IT APPEARS THIS PROJECT WILL LAUNCH WITH OR WITHOUT THEM.
BUT THAT MAKES NO SENSE BECAUSE THE PROPOSED GOAL HERE IS TO ASSESS STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT AMONG THE PARTNERS.
THE TERM ALIGN OR ALIGNMENT APPEARS FIVE TIMES IN THE OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE.
ADD TO THAT COORDINATION, COLLABORATION, AND SYNERGY.
AND YOU PRETTY MUCH UNDERSTAND THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT.
STAFF ESTIMATES THAT A REVIEW OF JUST CITY CONTRACTS AND SERVICES BY MCKINSEY WILL COST A MILLION DOLLARS, AND THE TOTAL FOR THE PARTNERS IS ANOTHER MILLION.
I HONESTLY DON'T THINK MCKINSEY TAKES A DEEP BREATH FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
I AND EQUITY ACTIONS SUPPORT EXTERNAL REVIEWS.
WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED KROLL'S WORK, AND THAT HAS COST A PRETTY PENNY.
THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT AS WRITTEN IS GREATER, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CITY WILL GET MUCH FOR A MILLION DOLLARS EXCEPT A REHASHING OF WORK ALREADY DONE ON THIS TOPIC BY STAFF AND OTHER CONSULTANT.
MA'AM, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, BUT THANK YOU.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION.
UM, AND I'M, I'LL SAY FIRSTLY, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, FOR, UH, YOUR PUBLIC COMMITMENT, UH, THAT THE ITEMS IN ITEM 46 WILL BE BROUGHT BACK, UH, FOR AN ADDITIONAL VOTE.
IT IS INCUMBENT ON THIS COUNCIL, UH, THAT, UH, FULL CLARITY AROUND THE COSTS OF THE PROPOSED ITEMS IN ITEM 46, UH, ARE KNOWN, UH, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THAT THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MID-YEAR BUDGET RECONCILIATION PROCESS HAPPENING SOON.
AND WITHOUT FULL CLARITY OF THE COST OF THESE ITEMS, BOTH KNOWN TO YOU AS WELL AS TO THIS COMMUNITY, IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO, TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS AND ENSURE THAT THOSE THINGS THAT, UH, WERE PUSHED FROM AUGUST TO MARCH, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN BE FUNDED, AND TO WHAT EXTENT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD PROJECTS THAT WERE LEFT SHELLED IN AUGUST, UH, THAT DESERVE TO BE, UH, TO BE LOOKED AT YET AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT FULL UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ITEM 46.
AS IT RELATES TO THE MCKINSEY ITEM, UH, I JOINED, UH, ALL THE SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.
UH, THERE ARE NO PARTNERS FOR THIS ITEM.
THE SCOPE OF WORK IS ALL ABOUT WORKING WITH PARTNERS WHO DO NOT EXIST.
UH, MCKINSEY IS CANNOT BE TRUSTED AND IS WAY EXPENSIVE.
AND, UH, THESE ARPA DOLLARS ARE SO, SO SCARCE AND, AND, AND CRUCIAL.
AND WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT MCKINSEY'S GONNA SAY IS TO FUND, UH, COUNCILMAN NOVELLA'S ITEM FROM AUGUST AROUND, UH, ADDITIONAL TENANT STABILIZATION.
THEY'RE GONNA SAY, FUND ZOE CADRE'S ITEM FROM AUGUST ABOUT MORE, UH, UH, WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHAT THESE ARPA DOLLARS SHOULD BE GOING FOR, NOT, NOT A A A, A CORRUPT FIRM CONSULTING FIRM PROVIDING A REPORT THAT THEY'VE WRITTEN 10 TIMES THAT WILL NOT INCLUDE, UH, ANY REGIONAL PARTNERS.
SPEAKING ON ITEM 46, MICHELLE DIAZ, WHITNEY KNIGHT, AND ALICIA CASTILLO.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM AND THEN STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE RECORD.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, NOT DISTRICT ONE.
AND, UM, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT TODAY.
UM, OVER THE SUMMER, YOU ALL SAW OVER A HUNDRED, UH, AUSTIN RESIDENTS COME AND
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TALK ABOUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, WHICH HAS BEEN A COALITION THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN PART OF FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS WHERE, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY, AND WE WE'RE GROWING THOSE, UM, NUMBERS OF COALITION MEMBERS ALL THE TIME, UM, COME TO THE TABLE AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR CITIES.THESE ARE FOLKS FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO CARE ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO CARE ABOUT NON CONGREGATE SHELTER, RIGHT? ALL, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT FOLKS.
AND THEY, UM, OFFERED TO YOU ALL YOUR OFFICES KIND OF A, A SHEET OF OUR PRIORITIES AS THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE SUMMER, UH, CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE BUDGET, THERE WERE, UM, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM OUR PRIORITIES THAT REMAIN UNFUNDED IN THE CITY'S BUDGET.
AND SO, AS WE COME HERE DURING THIS MID-YEAR CYCLE, WE'RE, UM, CONCERNED AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT PRIORITIZING SOMETHING THAT I SEE AS A FAILED TACTIC.
UM, OFFERING MORE MONEY TO INCENTIVIZE OFFICERS TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE, UM, OVER THOSE OTHER ITEMS. AND SOME OF THOSE ITEMS ARE THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY LED CRISIS RESPONSE, SOMETHING THAT AS A JUSTICE POLICY, UH, ANALYST I REALLY BELIEVE IN, AND REALLY VALUE AND BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD BE FUNDING MORE.
UM, AND PRIORITIZING, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, NON CONGREGATE SHELTER, PREGNANCY AND INFANT, UM, CARE SUPPORT.
UM, JUST, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THOSE ITEMS. AND SO, UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ON, UH, WHAT THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND, UM, PLAN TO COME SHARE WITH YOU ALL THEN.
MICHELLE DIAZ, WHITNEY KNIGHT.
THANK YOU MARY WATSON AND COUNSEL FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT ITEM TODAY.
I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, DOWNTOWN TENANT ATTORNEY, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, AND MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
I SUPPORT ITEM 46 BECAUSE FOR AUSTIN TO CONTINUE TO BE A SAFE PLACE AND A THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY, WE MUST BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE.
I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN MOST OF MY LIFE, AND I'VE SEEN AUSTIN TRANSFORM OVER THE PAST DECADE.
IN 2011, WE HAD SO MANY COPS ON THE STREET.
WE HAD AN ENTIRE UNIT DEDICATED TO JAYWALKING ON CONGRESS.
I WON'T GO INTO DETAILS ABOUT HOW I KNOW THAT TODAY THE SITUATION COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT AS WE'RE CURRENTLY FACING A LARGE SHORTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS AND HAVE A HIGHER THAN NORMAL ATTRITION RATE.
I GO WEEKS SOMETIMES WITHOUT EVER SEEING A POLICE CAR OR AN OFFICER IN UNIFORM.
A PD HAS HAD TO BACKFILL PATROL VACANCIES BY REASSIGNING OFFICERS FROM ESSENTIAL INVESTIGATIVE AND SPECIALIZED UNITS TO WORK PATROL SHIFTS AND BY ASSIGNING OFFICERS TO WORK OVERTIME.
HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THESE INTERIM MEASURES IN PLACE, PATROL SHIFTS CITYWIDE REMAIN UNDERSTAFFED.
I SEE THIS ON A DAILY BASIS IN MY ROLE AS A BUSINESS OFFER BUSINESS OWNER DOWNTOWN, OUR FIRM'S OFFICE ASSISTANT AND RUNNER, WAS ATTACKED ON HIS WAY TO THE POST OFFICE JUST LAST SUMMER.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO EMPLOY PEOPLE IN THESE POSITIONS WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE OUTSIDE THE OFFICE DOORS.
DURING THE PAST YEAR, I HAVEN'T FELT SAFE IN THIS CITY, WHETHER IT'S WALKING FROM MEETING TO MEETING TO A LOCAL RESTAURANT FOR DINNER, BIKING ON THE JOHNSON CREEK TRAIL WITH MY FAMILY, OR TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO THE PARAMOUNT THEATER FOR SUMMER CAMP EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS, WHERE WE HAD SOME VERY SCARY RUN-INS ON CONGRESS.
VANDALISM CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AT LOCAL BUSINESS GOES COMPLETELY UNPUNISHED.
WHILE MANY COMMUNITIES ARE FACING SIMILAR STAFFING ISSUES, WE MUST HAVE PLANS TO ADDRESS IT.
THE CITY A PD AND THE COMMUNITY ARE COMING TOGETHER TO MARKET AUSTIN AND RECRUIT NEW OFFICERS, BUT WITHOUT GUARANTEED WAGES AND BENEFITS, ALL OF THESE EFFORTS WILL BE FER NAUGHT.
WE ALSO NEED FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION TO COME TO THE, THE TABLE WITH THE CITY TO WORK ON A LONG-TERM AGREEMENT.
EVERY MONTH THAT GOES BY WITHOUT A CONGRE, A CONTRACT EVERY MONTH THAT GOES BY WITHOUT A CONTRACT PLACES A GREATER STRAIN ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.
MAYOR WATSON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS MARY MICHELLE DIAZ.
I WORK FOR ROYAL BLUE GROCERY, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN WORK ON THE FRONT LINES IN OUR STORES EVERY DAY.
WE SUPPORT ITEM 46 TO INITIATE THE PROCESS OF EXTENDING THE TEMPORARY AGREEMENT WITH A PD.
WHILE THE MORE PERMANENT CONTRACT IS CRAFTED, A PD AND ITS SUCCESS AS AN AGENCY ARE VITAL TO THE SAFETY AND THE SECURITY OF OUR CITY.
LIKE MANY OTHER BUSINESSES, OUR STORES LITERALLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXIST WITHOUT THE CARE AND RESPONSIVENESS THAT THE A PD OFFICERS IN DOWNTOWN HAVE SHOWN US OVER THE PAST 17 YEARS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, BEING A POLICE OFFICER TODAY IS DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO BE.
IT IS TIME FOR THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT OUR OFFICERS.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT SUPPORT STARTS AT THE TOP WITH CITY LEADERSHIP.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT PAY AND BENEFIT, IT'S ABOUT THE ENTIRE AUSTIN COMMUNITY SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP US SAFE AND ARE DOING
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WHAT IS ARGUABLY THE HARDEST JOB IN PUBLIC SAFETY.THE CARE, RESPECT, AND SUPPORT THAT YOU SHOW THE DEPARTMENT BY ENSURING THAT EQUITABLE CONTRACT IS IN PLACE WILL GO A LONG WAY IN AD'S ABILITY TO HIRE, RETAIN GREAT PEOPLE.
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES TODAY, YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS SUBJECT IS ALSO KEY IN THE BUILDING COMMUNITY AND BUILDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FOR A PD THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SADLY LACKING AND IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.
MAYOR, YOU AND THE COUNCIL HAVE AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF YOU.
THIS IS A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE IN OUR CITY ON HOW WE VIEW OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE CAN REJECT THE POLITICS AND DIVISIVENESS THAT HAVE BEEN INJECTED INTO POLICING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO WE CAN ALL GET BACK TO DOING WHAT WE LOVE BEING AUSTINITES.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE P SPEAKERS FOR CONSENT.
THAT, UH, CONCLUDES ALL OF THE SPEAKERS.
SO WE WILL NOW GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]
UH, ITEM THE, THE ONE CHANGE THAT I NEED TO READ IN THE RECORD IS ON ITEM NUMBER 30.IF THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES, THAT WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST.
THE MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE TO POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER 30 TO FEBRUARY 1ST.
UH, I WILL ASK NOW, IS THERE ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT ANY MEMBER WISHES TO WITHDRAW? ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCILOR, ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION? NO, I, I JUST, THE, THE TERMINOLOGY YOU USED CONFUSED ME FOR A SECOND.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, UM, FROM THE CITY MANAGER ON 14 IN LIGHT OF THE COUNTY'S, UM, VOTE, HOW HE, HOW HE PLANS TO PROCEED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA PULL IT FROM CONSENT OR TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
LET ME, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN WE GET A MOTION AND AND A SECOND AND THEN DO THAT? SURE, NO PROBLEM.
MOTION IS MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO.
TIM IS SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ MANAGER, WOULD YOU, UH, PLEASE ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER'S QUESTION.
UH, THIS MORNING I ASKED, UH, MY STAFF TO BEGIN TO SET UP MEETINGS WITH, UH, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
SO I'LL, WE BEGIN TO VISIT WITH THEM, UH, AS SOON AS, UH, THEIR CALENDAR PERMITS AND MY CALENDAR PERMITS.
UH, SECOND IS I KNOW THAT OUR, UH, THAT SUSANNA CARAL WILL BE, UH, CHAIRING A MEETING OR WORKING ON A MEETING, SORRY, CHAIRING IT ON THE 22ND, WHICH IS MONDAY.
ALL THE PARTNERS ARE COMING AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE SAID THEY'RE COMING.
WE'LL WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THE COUNTY WAS GIVEN AUTHORIZATION TO NEGOTIATE.
THEY JUST DIDN'T GET THE, THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE.
WE'LL WORK THROUGH THE, THEIR SPECIFIC ISSUES.
WE'LL WORK THROUGH THE SPECIFIC ISSUES OF, UH, ANY SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT CENTRAL HEALTH MAY HAVE.
AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT INTERVAL CARE IS ON BOARD.
THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, SPLIT UP HOW THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT.
WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT ALREADY.
BUT, UH, AS WE, WELL, THE MEETING ON MONDAY WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TERMS OF THEIR, UH, ISSUE.
AND THEN WHEN I SIT DOWN AND VISIT WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT THEMSELVES, INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, I THINK I'LL GET ADDITIONAL INSIGHT.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THEM THERE.
UM, MANAGER, COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY, UM, IN ADOPTING, NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE TODAY, WE'RE NOT AGREEING THAT WE'RE SPENDING 2 MILLION IF THEY DON'T COME FORWARD WITH THEIR SHARE OF FUNDS.
WE, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENT.
UH, AND IF THAT, UH, IF IT WERE OUT THAT THE PARTNERS DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS, WE WOULD ADJUST THE CONTRACT SO THAT WE WOULD BE PAYING FOR OUR SHARE.
SO WE WOULD STILL BE GOING FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACT FOR THE MILLION DOLLARS, EVEN IF WE WERE, WHAT WE WOULD, I DON'T WANNA, I MEAN, THIS SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE HYPOTHETICAL 'CAUSE I'M HOPING THAT THEY'LL ELABORATE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO.
WE, WE, WE WON'T, THE AUTHORIZATION THAT YOU GIVE US TODAY IS TO PROCEED.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL GET, IF WE GET JAMMED UP, WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNSEL AND SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT, AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET FURTHER DIRECTION IF THAT'S NECESSARY.
AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT ALL THE PARTNERS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF US WORKING TOGETHER ON HOMELESSNESS AND, AND THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE, ARE PERHAPS PART OF MAKING US BE MORE COLLABORATIVE AND WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THEM.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I GUESS IS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I GUESS WAS, UH, THAT I, A REALIZATION ON MY PART.
I HAVE NOT VISITED WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT INDIVIDUALLY SINCE BEING HERE FOR NOW, ALMOST A YEAR.
I'M, I'M GONNA, I'VE COMMITTED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT LEAST A AS OFTEN AS WE CAN TO BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH ISSUES.
THESE, SOME OF THESE, UH, CONCERNS THAT THEY'VE EXPRESSED ARE HISTORY, HISTORY THAT I WASN'T PART OF, UH, HISTORY, THAT THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE NOW AREN'T PART OF IT, NOR WAS THE COUNCIL.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO SORT THROUGH THAT.
BUT I, BUT I WANT TO SAY TO THE, TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL, IT'S OUR INTENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE ENTER INTO THIS COLLABORATIVE, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO RUN THE, THE TABLE WITH OUR OWN LENS.
IT IS THAT EACH PARTNER HAS TO BE PART OF THIS WORK TEAM AS WE WORK THROUGH IT.
IN THE END, THAT COORDINATION IS CRITICAL
[00:30:01]
ON THIS ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.AND I THINK I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE CITY HAS TAKEN A LEAD ROLE AND HAS NOT, UH, AVAILED ITSELF OF THESE IMPORTANT PARTNERS THAT CAN HELP US SORT THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED IN AS WELL AS US.
AND THAT'S OUR INTENT, AND I THINK WE CAN GET THEM THERE.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE CLARIFICATION AND, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO CREATE THIS COLLABORATION THAT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED.
THANK YOU MANAGER AND, AND THANK COUNCIL MEMBER TER.
UM, FOR THE QUESTION WITH THAT, UM, LET ME ASK IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL THAT WISH TO WISHES TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UM, FOR 44, I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON THE APPOINTMENT OF RYAN JOHNSON TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT I HAVE NO CONCERNS WITH HIS OVERALL MERIT AND TALENT, AND HIS APPOINTMENT MAY BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CHARTER REQUIREMENTS, WHICH LEGALLY PROHIBITS MORE THAN FOUR MEMBERS OF OUR PLANNING COMMISSION BEING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH REAL ESTATE AND LAND DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT AS TO WHICH OF OUR CURRENT APPOINTEES MEET THIS DEFINITION AND WHETHER WE ARE CURRENTLY EXCEEDING OR EVEN CLOSE TO EXCEEDING THIS CHARTER LIMIT.
SO, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, I WILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THAT APPOINTMENT.
ANYONE ELSE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON? UM, THANK YOU MAYOR.
I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ITEMS NUMBER 14, 27, 28, AND 29.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON WILL BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON 14 27, 28, AND 29.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS ABSTAINING ON ITEMS 14 27 28 29.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON 14 27, 28, AND 29.
ANY OTHER ABSTENTIONS, ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO.
THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT'S READ WITH ITEM NUMBER 30 FOR CLARITY PURPOSES BEING POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY ONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ITEM 44 AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HARPER, MADISON AND CADRE BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING ON 14 27, 28, AND 29.
WE WILL NOW GO, UH, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
[10:30 AM Austin Housing Finance Corporation (Part 1 of 2)]
ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AND I WILL RECOGNIZE STAFF, UH, FOR A PRESENTATION.
AND I'VE GOT, SO THE BREAK OF COURSE, I I, I SCREWED THIS UP ALL TIME LAST YEAR TOO, BUT I'M GONNA BLAME THE BREAK.
UM, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'M GOING TO RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION WITHOUT OBJECTION AT 10 34, WHICH NOW MAKES THAT THE SHORTEST MEETING WE EVER HAD OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
UM, AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN
[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]
CITY COUNCIL.AND I WILL RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE JUST ADOPTED.
UH, WE WILL BLAME THE HOLIDAY BREAK, BUT WE KNOW BETTER.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST.
UM, SO COLLEAGUES TODAY, WE TOOK THE FINAL STEP TO FULLY IMPLEMENT PROPOSITION TWO FROM LAST NOVEMBER.
UM, ITEM 13 PROVIDES A PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT TO CHILDCARE CENTERS THAT SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN.
AUSTIN IS NOW THE FIRST MUNICIPALITY IN TEXAS TAKING ACTION, DEMONSTRATING A COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND THE ESSENTIAL CHILDCARE SECTOR.
THIS ACTION WILL PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO CHILDCARE CENTERS WHOSE BUSINESSES OPERATE AS WE KNOW, AT VERY THIN MARGINS WITH THE, AND THEY'RE FACING VERY MUCH HIGHER COSTS FOR THEIR RENT AND THEIR MORTGAGES.
UNLIKE MANY OTHER BUSINESSES, CHILDCARE CENTERS CANNOT AFFORD TO PASS THEIR COSTS ONTO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
OUR AUSTIN FAMILIES WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING MOMENT FOR US TO PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF TO CERTAIN CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
BUT THIS IS BY NO MEANS A SILVER BULLET, AS I REMARKED LAST NOVEMBER, MORE TRADITIONAL INVESTMENT IS NEEDED.
AND I AND A FEW OTHER COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOU ON THAT FRONT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AS A REMINDER, THE RESOLUTION FROM LAST YEAR ALSO DIRECTED THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO IDENTIFY SIMILAR RELIEF OPTIONS FOR OUR HOME-BASED PROVIDERS.
THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF UNDER THE STATE LEGISLATION, AND THEY'RE A VERY KEY PART OF OUR CHILDCARE ECOSYSTEM.
THAT WORK IS STILL ON TRACK TO BE BACK, UM, IN MAY TO US.
[00:35:01]
UM, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP AS WE SEEK TO STABILIZE THIS SECTOR WITH EQUITY AND CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN MIND.I LOOK FORWARD CITY MANAGER TO REVIEWING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL ON ASSISTING THE CHILDREN, CAREGIVERS AND CHILDCARE WORKERS IN AUSTIN.
FINALLY, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND THANK AUSTIN'S OWN REPRESENTATIVE, JAMES TOCO, SENATOR WEST AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WHO TOGETHER WITH GROUPS LIKE CHILDREN AT RISKS AND MANY OTHERS, CREATED THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROVIDE THIS RELIEF.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ITEMS I AUTHORED AND BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY THAT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED AND MY STAFF FOR SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS THIS MORNING FOR CLAIMING JANUARY AS NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH.
UM, THOSE ARE CRITICAL ISSUES AND THEY ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT WAS ITEM 45, WHICH APPROVES A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS RE REGARDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES TO INCREASE THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S VICTIM SERVICES EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE BUDGET FOR SAFETY RESOURCES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS.
I WANNA THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CHEETO VELA FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT ITEM.
THE SECOND ITEM IS AN ITEM I'VE DONE EVERY YEAR SINCE MY TERM BEGAN ITEM 48, WHICH APPROVES A FEE WAIVER OR REIMBURSEMENT OF SPECIFIC FEES FOR THE TEXAS PEACE OFFICER'S MEMORIAL PROCESSION, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 28TH, 2024.
I WANNA INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO ATTEND WITH ME THIS YEAR, AS I'VE DONE EVERY YEAR SINCE I WAS ELECTED.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE FOR DETAILS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MY CO-SPONSORS, MAYOR KIRK WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AS PART OF THE HOMELESS INITIATIVES ON THIS AGENDA, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE ALLOCATING FUNDING FOR AUTHORIZING NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF HOMELESS STRATEGIES.
I SPONSORED A SPECIAL REQUEST AUDIT THAT WAS LIMITED IN SCOPE IN 2021 RELATED TO HOMELESS SPENDING.
AND I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT SPACE.
I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT STAFF DID ON THIS TO BRING IT BEFORE US TODAY.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY OF HOMELESS RESOURCES TO FIND GAPS AND AREAS IMPROVEMENT WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY.
I'VE EXPRESSED THIS SENTIMENT PREVIOUSLY, AND I WANT TO REITERATE IT NOW.
THE INDIVIDUALS MOST ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE INEFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF FUNDS ARE THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE SERVICES.
I HOPE THAT THIS ITEM'S APPROVAL WILL GIVE COUNSEL THE ABILITY TO EXPLORE WASTE TO IMPROVE THIS.
AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICE PAY AND BENEFITS ITEM 46, THAT WILL COME BACK TO COUNSEL FOR FINAL APPROVAL IN FEBRUARY.
I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT GETTING TO A NEW CONTRACT IS ESSENTIAL, AND ONCE THIS ORDINANCE COME BACK, COMES BACK, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SUPPORT OFFICERS IN CRITICAL WAYS, AND WE CAN SUPPORT THEM IN WAYS THAT DON'T REQUIRE A CONTRACT, LIKE SHOWING THEM THAT THEY'RE VALUED.
I'VE SPOKEN TO OFFICERS AND SEVERAL OF THEM, INCLUDING IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION, HAVE INFORMED ME THAT ONE-TIME BONUSES DON'T PROVIDE THE STABILITY OFFICERS NEED.
AND I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST POTENTIALLY EXPLORING USING THOSE FUNDS FOR A LONG-TERM PROGRAM TO HELP THE DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANNA NOTE THAT I WANT THE CITY AND THAT POLICE ASSOCIATION TO WORK TOWARDS A CONTRACT, BUT WE CANNOT, AND WE SHOULDN'T USE A LACK OF A CONTRACT TO AVOID ADDRESSING THE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS.
AND WITH THAT, MAYOR, I YIELD BACK.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND HARBOR MEDICINE.
UM, I JUST WANNA EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR ITEM 45.
AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UH, EVERY AUSTINITE DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE IN THIS CITY, AND IT'S CRUCIAL THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE CONTINUED SECURITY FOR SURVIVORS.
THAT'S WHY I WAS GLAD WE INCLUDED $250,000 WITHIN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO ASSIST WITH VICTIM SERVICES AND LOCAL NONPROFITS WITH DIGITAL DELIVERY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES BACK IN THE BUDGET, UH, BACK IN AUGUST.
AND IT'S, UH, MY HOPE THAT WE CAN SOON IMPLEMENT THIS ITEM AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S ITEM, UH, TO BUILD ON THE GREAT WORK THAT VICTIM SERVICES DOES.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I GOT TO USE OUR NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY HERE.
HAPPY FIRST COUNCIL MEETING OF 2024.
I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT PART OF TODAY'S CONGEN CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH WE JUST APPROVED, INCLUDES BECOMING THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO ADOPT AND CODIFY THE ORDINANCE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR 100% CITY PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR CHILDCARE
[00:40:01]
CENTERS HERE IN AUSTIN.UH, SO IF THAT'S IMPORTANT WORK, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND, AND GIVE CREDIT TO MY COLLEAGUE HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALT ALTER FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND SPEARHEADING THIS, UM, THIS ACTION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY PUT INTO MOTION.
AND THE REASON WHY THIS MATTERS IS THAT WE KNOW AND WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY IN AUSTIN.
PART OF THAT IS ENSURING THAT EVERY FAMILY HAS ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO WE'VE TAKEN A NUMBER OF ACTIONS IN, IN RECENT YEARS, INCLUDING UPDATING OUR ZONING REGULATIONS AS WELL AS DEDICATING $11 MILLION AS PART OF OUR AMERICAN RESCUE ACT, FEDERAL RELIEF DOLLARS, UH, TO, TO HELP.
UH, BUT THERE IS A CLIFF THAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL TAKE ACTION NOT ONLY HERE LOCALLY, BUT AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT ALL FAMILIES HAVE THAT ACCESS.
AND SO, WHILE WE'RE THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO ADOPT THIS PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WE'LL BE THE, THE ONLY ONE.
UH, AND SO IN SHARING WITH, WITH OUR COMMUNITY, I'M THRILLED THAT THIS WILL PROVIDE SOME SORT OF RELIEF TO WORKING FAMILIES.
AND I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO PUT OTHER STRATEGIES, OTHER INITIATIVES INTO MOTION.
AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE PARTNERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UM, I AM, UH, REALLY HAPPY ABOUT BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE, THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO, UM, BY WAY OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO I'M HAPPY THAT THIS FIRST 2024 MEETING, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I GET TO SAY ARE THINGS THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, LIKE BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT CLIMATE REALITY IS EVERYBODY'S CONCERN AND SHOULD BE.
AND FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES WHO GET LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, AND SO I AM HAPPY THAT WE GET TO LOOK FORWARD TO CAPACITY-BASED INCENTIVES FOR PATHWAYS AT CHALMERS COURT.
UM, IT WILL EXPAND ACCESSIBILITY OF SOLAR ENERGY AMONG ONE OF THESE COMMUNITIES THAT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE BENEFITS OF, UM, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES.
SO HAPPY ABOUT BEING ABLE TO, UM, START THAT CONVERSATION.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.
I'M ALSO EXCITED ABOUT SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN D ONE.
SO ROSEWOOD PARK, BETHANY CEMETERY, PIONEER FARMS, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T REALIZE THAT DISTRICT ONE GOES THAT FAR OUT, BUT, UM, DISTRICT ONE INCLUDES ALL THE WAY UP NORTH TO PALMER.
SO PIONEER FARMS, UM, HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY AND OTHERS WILL RECEIVE DOLLARS FROM OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND GRANT.
UM, SO THIS INVESTMENT IN THESE PROJECTS REALLY PROVIDES US WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOWCASE AND CELEBRATE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE EAST SIDE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, UM, AND CONNECTS EAST SIDE AUSTINITES WITH OUR VISITORS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, AND LASTLY, I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF FOR ALL Y'ALL, ALL YOUR TIRELESS WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ADOPT CHILDCARE, PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, UM, BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE PROMPTLY, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE CHILDCARE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND MORE AFFORDABLE ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, BEING THAT, AND I THINK SOMEBODY MIGHT'VE SAID IT ALREADY, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, UH, WHO IT WAS, BUT I WILL JUST SAY IT BEARS REPEATING CHILDCARE IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE THINGS THAT AUSTINITES HAVE TO PAY FOR.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ANY OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO OFFER THAT SUPPORT AS A BODY.
I ACTUALLY, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A, A SHOUT OUT TO THE AUSTIN ACHIEVE, UH, STUDENTS, UH, SENIORS I BELIEVE, UH, STUDYING GOVERNMENT AND, UH, AND POLITICS.
IF Y'ALL WANNA RAISE YOUR HAND AND, AND, UH, JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELVES.
JUST WANTED TO WELCOME THEM, UH, TO THE CHAMBERS AND, UH, ENJOY YOUR TIME AT CITY HALL.
LOOK FORWARD TO CHATTING WITH Y'ALL A LITTLE BIT LATER.
THOSE ARE ALL THE MEMBERS THAT WISH TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE, I MEAN RECESS, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[10:30 AM Austin Housing Finance Corporation (Part 2 of 2)]
I WILL NOW CALL BACK TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, PLEASE.GOOD MORNING, MS. PRESIDENT, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'M THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, ON YOUR AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AGENDA.
TODAY YOU HAVE FOUR ITEMS. UH, THE FIRST IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 30TH AND THE DECEMBER 14TH MEETINGS.
AND THEN THE OTHER THREE, I'D LIKE TO GO IN REVERSE ORDER 'CAUSE THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, UNDERSTANDABLE.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET JOY HARDEN TO DO THAT, BUT SO, SO LET'S SEE HOW IT'S DONE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, IS TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AMENDING OUR CAP, THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION CAPITAL BUDGET.
UH, THAT IS TO MOVE A, AN AMOUNT OF FUNDS, UH, TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR PECAN GARDENS HOTEL.
AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS OWNED BY THE CITY AND NOT
[00:45:01]
BY THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.UH, HOWEVER, THE FUNDS ARE HELD BY THE HOUSING CORPORATION.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO DO THAT AMENDMENT THIS.
THE ITEM NUMBER THREE IS, UH, TO ADOPT OR TO APPROVE THE, UH, UH, OR ACCEPT THE $1 MILLION FROM THE BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE FUND, UH, AS WAS APPROVED DURING THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
UH, AN AMENDMENT BY CON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, THOSE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR OUR, UH, UM, OUR LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND ITEM COMBINES THOSE TWO TO, UH, AMEND OUR FISCAL YEAR SERVICE AGREEMENT.
SO WE ARE REMOVING $400,000 FROM OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, ADDING $1 MILLION TO OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
AND THEN THE SUM TOTAL IS A, AN INCREASE OF THE OPERATING OR THE SERVICE AGREEMENT OF $556,532.
MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF WITH REGARD TO THESE ITEMS? ALRIGHT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN, WE HAVE SOMEBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO LET ME, UH, ASK THE CLERK TO DO THAT FIRST AND THEN I'LL YES, MA'AM.
SORRY, WE HAD ONE PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THEY HAVEN'T CALLED IN REMOTELY.
I JUST WANNA SEE IF MS. SENOIA JOSEPH IS HERE TO SPEAK.
ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, WE, UH, DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ARE YOU GONNA MAKE A MOTION? COUNCIL MEMBER? I'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, BOARD MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
I MOVE PASSAGE OF ALL ITEMS. UH, THE, UH, BOARD MEMBER ALTER HAS MOVED PASSAGE OF, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL ITEMS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL, UH, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION, ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES? ANYONE VOTING NO WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA OF PASSES AND ALL ITEMS ARE PASSED.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AT 10 47 ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.
I WILL NOW CALL BACK TO ORDER THE, UM, MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND WE WILL GO TO NON-CONSENT ITEMS, ITEMS FROM COUNCIL, COMMITTEES, MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ITEMS 53 AND 54.
ITEM 53, UH, IS RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER 36, WHICH WAS PASSED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO ITEM NUMBER 53 DOES NOT NOW NEED TO BE BROUGHT BACK UP BECAUSE WE PASSED ITEM NUMBER 36 PREVIOUSLY.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 54,
[54. Approve a resolution reappointing Dr. Maram Museitif to the Central Health Board of Managers.]
WHICH IS ALSO A, WHICH IS A REAPPOINTMENT.AND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, UH, TO MAKE A MOTION SINCE THAT CAME FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE AND SHE SERVES AS CHAIR.
I MOVE THE RECOMMENDATION COUN COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES MOVES THE RECOMMENDATION AND IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON ITEM NUMBER 54.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS IT WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 54 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.
THAT WILL NOW TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER
[55. Approve a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire a fee simple property interest needed for the ETJI GRN3 project for the public use of providing parkland along Onion Creek. The property is 10.99 acres (478,852 square feet), more or less, of land situated in the Santiago Del Valle Grant, Abstract 24, Travis County, Texas and being out of a 43.02 acres tract described in a Special Warranty Deed to BVF-V Onion Creek LLC, recorded in Document No. 2021217347, Official Public Records, Travis County, Texas, currently appraised at $430,967, subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals or a Special Commissioner's award. The owner of the needed property is BVF-V Onion Creek LLC. The property is located at approximately 12000 South Interstate Highway 35, Austin, Texas 78652. The general route of the project is east along Onion Creek from Old San Antonio District Park to the Cascades development east of Interstate Highway 35.]
55, WHICH IS AN ITEM RELATED TO IMMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS.AND, UM, WITH RESPECT TO ITEM, LET ME FIRST ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 55.
DID YOU SAY 45 MAYOR 55? NO, I ONLY HAVE 57.
UM, MEMBERS WITH RESPECT TO ITEM NUMBER 55, THAT'S A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM.
THE MOTION THAT THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN IS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT MEETING, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC USE DESCRIBED IN IN THAT AGENDA ITEM, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM MOVES THAT WE ADOPT.
ITEM 55, AS I HAVE READ THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 55 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEMS 57 AND 58
[Items 57 & 58]
WITH OUR, WHICH ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 57 AND ITEM NUMBER 58 AND ASK STAFF TO COME FORWARD.MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE CITY'S FLOOD PLAIN ADMINISTRATOR FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE VARIANCE REQUEST IF YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT.
UM, OR WE CAN, IT'S WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE TO DO.
LEMME, LEMME ASK A QUESTION FIRST.
IS THERE ANY, UH, ITEM ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ITEM 57 TO 58? YES, MAYOR, I HAVE ONE SPEAKER FOR 57.
[00:50:01]
OKAY, THEN WHY DON'T YOU MAKE A SHORT PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL CALL THAT SPEAKER.UM, THIS IS A FLOOD PLAIN VARIANCE REQUEST AT 1 1 2, 1 EBERT AVENUE, WHICH IS IN THE 10 HILL BRANCH WATERSHED.
THERE'S A BRIEF VIEW OF THE AREA.
WE HAVE SPRINGDALE AND AIRPORT INTERSECTION DOWN ON THE, ON THE LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER AND THE PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A VERY LARGE EXPANSIVE FLOOD PLAIN IN THIS AREA.
IT'S, IT'S AN AREA OF, OF SHEET FLOW, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY VERY DEEP WATER, NOT NECESSARILY VERY WA WATER THAT'S FLOWING VERY FAST.
NONETHELESS, IT IS IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
THERE'S A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPERTY ITSELF AND THE PROPOSED HOUSE WITH A DETACHED GARAGE, UM, THAT THEY'RE, UH, REQUESTING TO BE BUILT THERE.
UM, THE ENTIRE LOT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE AND FROM THE PREVIOUS LOT, IS ENTIRELY IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE, UH, THE LOTS IN THE HUNDRED FLOOD PLAIN FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, FLOOD PLAIN, AS WELL AS A FEMA FLOOD PLAIN.
THIS AREA, THEY CALL IT AN AO ZONE.
THEY PUT A DEPTH OF ONE FOOT ON IT.
IT'S NOT AN AREA, IT HAS THAT VERY DEEP CLUTTER, BUT IT IS A AREA THAT IT, IT'S VERY EXPANSIVE IN THIS AREA OF TOWN THAT'S VERY FLAT.
THAT'S WHY THE FLOOD POND IS VERY LARGE.
THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS BUILT ON THIS LOT IN 1963, AND THEN MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO, THAT HOUSE BURNED DOWN AND WAS DEMOLISHED.
AND THE HOUSE IS, HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE THEN, AND IT'S CURRENTLY VACANT TODAY, THE DEVELOPER PROPOSES TO BUILD A SINGLE FEMA DWELLING UNIT THAT'S ABOUT 2,400 SQUARE FEET WITH A DETACHED GARAGE OF ABOUT 484 SQUARE FEET.
IN THEIR DESIGN PLANS THAT EXIST TODAY, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING, 2.2 FEET ABOVE THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, WHICH IS ABOVE THE MINIMUM REQUIRED BY OUR REGULATIONS.
AND I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A MINUTE.
IN ADDITION, THEY'RE BUILDING THE HOUSE ON PUR BEAMS, WHICH ALLOWS FLOOD WATER, FLOOD WATER TO FLOW UNDERNEATH THE HOUSE ITSELF.
SO IT'S JUST A VERY BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT CITY OF AUSTIN FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS COMPARED TO FEMA FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS.
AND I WANTED TO TOUCH ON FOUR REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT DO APPLY TO THIS PROPERTY.
THE FIRST IS, HAS TO DO WITH FLOOD HEIGHTS AND, AND THE IMPACT THAT THE DEVELOPMENT MAY HAVE ON FLOOD HEIGHTS.
AND FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, REGULATIONS DEVELOPMENT CANNOT CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOODING ON ANOTHER PROPERTY.
THAT MEANS ZERO INCREASE IN THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOOD LEVELS ON THE PROPERTY OR NEAR THE PROPERTY AS OPPOSED TO IN THE FOR, FOR FEMALE FLOODLINE REGULATIONS.
THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE DEVELOPMENT CAN CAUSE UP TO A ONE FOOT INCREASE IN FLOOD LEVELS.
VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
THE NEXT REQUIREMENT, FLOODLINE REGULATION, HAS TO DO WITH THREE BOARD, WHICH IS THE HEIGHT THAT THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IS BUILT ABOVE A PRE-TERM LEVEL.
IN THIS CASE, THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAN.
HERE AT THE CITY OF BOSTON, THE FREE BOARD REQUIREMENT IS A MINIMUM OF TWO FEET ABOVE THE 100 FLOOD PLAIN.
FOR FEMA, THEIR REQUIREMENT IS THAT BUILDINGS BE BUILT ZERO FEET ABOVE OR AT THE FLOOD PLAIN ELEVATION ITSELF.
THE NEXT REGULATION IS CALLED THE SAFE ACCESS REGULATION.
AND THAT IS, UH, JUST FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
IT'S NOT A FEMA REGULATION AT ALL.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT REGULATION STATES IS YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK FROM THE BUILDING TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, ALL AT AN ELEVATION THAT'S AT LEAST ONE FOOT ABOVE THE HUNDRED FLOOD POINT, AND THAT TO PROJECT IN EGRESS AND INGRESS OF THE BUILDING AT, AT A AT THE TIME THAT IT MAY BE FLOODING.
AND THEN LAST REGULATION IS, IS THE, THE NEED, THE REQUIREMENT TO DEDICATE A TRINITY EASEMENT.
AND FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON REGULATIONS, THE REQUIREMENT IS TO DEDICATE TRI EASEMENT TO THE LIMITS OF THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
FEMA DOES NOT HAVE THAT RULE AS FAR AS THEIR MINIMUM STANDARD FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS.
SO WITH THOSE REGULATIONS IN MIND AND WITH THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IN MIND, THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, CRITERIA OR VARIANCES THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING BECAUSE THEY CANNOT MEET.
THERE ARE REGULATIONS AND THE, THE KEY ONE OF THOSE REGULATIONS IS THE SAFE ACCESS REGULATION.
AND THAT'S, AGAIN, BEING ABLE TO WALK FROM THE BUILDING TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, ALL ENTERED ELEVATION.
THAT'S A MINIMUM OF ONE FOOT ABOVE THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN SINCE THE WHOLE LOT AS WELL AS THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR THAT MATTER.
THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD ISN'T IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS LOT TO SATISFY THAT RULE.
AND WE HAVE TO COME TO CITY COUNCIL TO REQUEST A VARIANCE FROM THAT RULE.
IT CANNOT BE THIS, IN THIS CASE, IT CANNOT BE WAIVED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
[00:55:04]
THE BUILDING DOES ENCROACH IN THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD LINES.SO THAT'S JUST REALLY A BASIC, UH, VARIANCE REQUEST TO, UH, ADD ON TO THE SAFE ACCESS VARIANCE.
AND THEN FOR THE HUNDRED FOR THE DREAM EASEMENT REQUIREMENT, THE REQUEST FOR THE VARIANCE IS NOT TO, NOT TO NOT ALLOW THE DRAIN EASEMENT AT ALL, BUT IT'S TO ACCEPT, SAVE AND ACCEPT THE HOUSE AND THE, THE GARAGE SET DETACHED GARAGE FROM THE, FROM THE EASEMENT ITSELF.
THE REST OF THE LOT WILL BE IN A DRAINAGE DRAINAGE EASEMENT SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THIS CASE THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT ARE DETAILED IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENT THAT WE SUBMITTED.
THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF DOES NOT CAUSE ADVERSE FLOODING ON OTHER PROPERTIES.
IT DOES NOT INCREASE FLOOD HEIGHTS FOR OTHER PROPERTIES AT ALL.
HOWEVER, AS I DISCUSSED, THERE'S NO SAFE ACCESS FROM THIS BUILDING TO THE, TO A TO A RIGHT OF WAY.
THAT'S ONE FOOT ABOVE THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAN.
THE PROPOSED FURNACE FLOORS ACTUALLY EXCEED THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO BUILD HERE IN AUSTIN.
THEY'RE PROPOSING TO GO 2.2 FEET ABOVE THE, THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAN.
SO THAT'S, WE ALWAYS, WE TELL PEOPLE A LOT THAT THE HIGHER THE BUILDING, THE MORE SAFE THE BUILDING IS FROM FLOOD, FROM FLOOD RISK.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UM, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DESIGN ELEMENT THAT THEY'VE INCORPORATED WITH THEIR DESIGN.
AND THE HARDSHIP ADDITION FOR THIS PROPERTY DOES EXIST INSO MUCH AS THE ENTIRE LOT, AS WELL AS THE RIGHT OF WAY IS ON THE HUNDRED FLOOD POINTS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A WAY FOR THEM TO MEET THE SAFE ACCESS REQUIREMENT DUE TO THE FLOOD RISK IN THIS AREA BEING RELATIVELY LOW.
IT'S RELATIVE NOT, IT'S RELATIVELY NOT DEEP AND NOT NOT FLOWING VERY FAST.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE EXCEEDING YOU, SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS WITH OUR DESIGN STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS VARIANCE.
ANY QUESTIONS? NOT HAPPY YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BASED ON THAT PRESENTATION? THANK YOU.
AND I'LL NOW ASK THE CITY CLERK IF, UH, YOU'LL CALL THE PER PERSON.
I THINK YOU SAID PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I'M THE OTHER PROPERTY OWNER, UH, AT ABRA A AVENUE ALONG WITH JASON RODRIGUEZ LISTED, UH, HERE ON THE ITEM.
WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THE PROPERTY, UM, WE DID NOT KNOW THAT ATLA 14 WENT INTO EFFECT FOUR MONTHS PRIOR.
WE DID KNOW THAT IT WAS IN A FLOODPLAIN.
HOWEVER, WITH ALL THE REDEVELOPMENT JUST WITHIN OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS, WE DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT BUILDING A NEW HOME.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED AND FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE WE DESIGNED A STRUCTURE THAT EXCEEDS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS BY THE CITY, INCLUDING BUILDING ON P AND B.
WE ASK THAT YOU ALL AGREE WITH THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPROVE THIS VARIANCE SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD OUR DREAM HOME.
MEMBERS, WE HAVE NO ONE ELSE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON, UH, THIS ITEM NUMBER 50 IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 57.
WE'VE OPENED IT ON BOTH 57 58, BUT WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL CLOSE THE, YOU WANT ME TO RECOGNIZE YOU BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? GOOD.
UM, WELL, LET ME CLOSE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON I'M NUMBER 57 AND I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I'M STILL GETTING USED TO THE NEW BUTTONS AND MICROPHONE.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SPEAKER COMING, UM, TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS TODAY, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, BUT I JUST WANNA ISSUE A COUPLE OF WORDS OF WISDOM.
WE HAVE HAD, UM, ANOTHER PERSON WHO BUILT A HOME IN THIS EXACT SAME NEIGHBORHOOD COME TO US A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THEY DIDN'T BUILD THE SUBSTRATE CORRECTLY AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU SAY 2.2 FEET ABOVE THAT FLOODPLAIN, THAT YOU'RE REALLY MAKING SURE YOU'RE BUILDING THAT FOUNDATION CORRECTLY.
AND I HOPE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? ITEM NUMBER 57, MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS MOVES TO APPROVE.
ITEM NUMBER 57 IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 57 IS ADOPTED ON ITEM NUMBER 58.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM.
UH, MEMBERS, THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 58.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ON ITEM NUMBER 58, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ITEM NUMBER 58 CHAIR, UH, RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON IS MOVING FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 58.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM 58? WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ITEM NUMBER 58 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS THAT TAKES US, UH, TO OUR TIMES CERTAIN OF NOON, WHICH IS, UH, OUR, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[01:00:01]
WE HAVE NO OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL UNTIL THAT TIME, CERTAIN OF NOON.SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL, UH, 12 O'CLOCK NOON WHEN WE WILL TAKE UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS IN RECESS UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK NOON.
IT'S 12 O'CLOCK NOON AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.
UH, WE ARE AT OUR TIME CERTAIN FOR PUBLIC
[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]
COMMUNICATION AND BEFORE WE START THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, I, I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW THINGS, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT NEEDS TO LEAVE THE DIOCESE.I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
HE, HE WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
UH, PLEASE EXCUSE MY, MY ABSENCE DURING, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M HOSTING SOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, FOR LUNCH TODAY.
I'LL BE SPENDING IT WITH THEM.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR THE SPEAKERS AND ADVOCATES FOR, UH, CEASEFIRE.
I PERSONALLY SUPPORTED CEASEFIRE AND HAVE SIGNED ON TO THE LOCAL PROGRESS, AND I'VE, I'VE SIGNED ONTO THE LOCAL PROGRESS LETTER CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.
I'VE MADE MY VIEWS KNOWN TO MY CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, AND I'M GLAD BOTH REPRESENTATIVE DOGGETT AND REPRESENTATIVE CASAR SUPPORT A CEASEFIRE.
HOWEVER, I DO NOT WANT THIS COUNCIL TO BECOME EMBROILED IN FOREIGN POLICY MATTERS.
THESE ARE FAR BEYOND OUR PURVIEW AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND WE HAVE TOO MANY CRITICAL LOCAL ISSUES THAT DEMAND OUR ATTENTION.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT BEFORE I STEP OFF THE D AGAIN, I APPRECIATE SO MUCH THAT SO MANY PEOPLE COME AGAIN.
UH, AND AGAIN AFTER SO MANY MEETINGS, IT, IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S REALLY AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY OF ADVOCACY, UH, AND STRENGTH.
UH, AND YOU HAVE MY UTMOST, UH, RESPECT AND ADMIRATION.
BUT BEFORE WE START, UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, I WANNA MAKE, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I'LL JUST, I'LL DO IT AGAIN.
UM, AS, AS WE BEGIN THESE, THESE UH, SESSIONS EACH TIME, UH, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE'S BEHAVIOR THAT THAT CAN VIOLATE THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING AND WE CAN'T PERMIT THAT.
SO, UH, YOU CAN'T SPEAK OUT OF TURN.
YOU CAN'T CRITICIZE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, BUT YOU MAY NOT USE, YOU CAN CRITICIZE
YEAH, MAYBE THAT WAS WISHFUL THINKING.
UM, UH, YOU MAY CRITICIZE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, BUT YOU CAN'T USE PERSONALLY DEROGATORY OR DISPARAGING REMARKS.
YOU CAN'T DEFAME ANOTHER PERSON.
YOU CAN'T USE OBSCENE LANGUAGE OR USE ABUSIVE LANGUAGE THAT IS LIKELY TO INCITE A BREACH OF THE PEACE.
YOU CAN'T MAKE THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ANOTHER PERSON OR OTHERWISE DISRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING, SUCH AS SCREAMING COMMENTS.
ALSO NOTE THAT COMMENTS FROM A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ON A, ON ANY OF IT, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING ON AN AGENDA ITEM, IT HAS TO BE RELATED TO THAT.
BUT THIS IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AND HAVE, UH, ACCESS TO THE PROCESS AND ALSO WITNESS THE COUNCIL'S, UH, CONSIDERATION AND DELIBERATIONS.
YOU, YOU MAY NOT SIT OR STAND IN THE AISLES OR OTHERWISE OBSTRUCT THE EXITS OR EMERGENCY EXITS, UH, AS IS BEING DONE RIGHT NOW, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
IF YOU WISH TO DISPLAY A SIGN OR A FLAG OR A BANNER OR SOME OTHER OBJECT, YOU NEED TO DO SO IN THE DESIGNATED AREA AT THE BACK OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UH, YOU, WE ASK THAT YOU NOT DO IT IN THE SEATS BECAUSE GENERALLY THAT WILL OBSTRUCT THE VIEW OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE SEATED IN THE SITTING AREA.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU NOT DO IT AT ALL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA GET INTO A DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE ACTUALLY OBSTRUCTING VIEWS.
WE'RE GONNA ASSUME IT DOES, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE, THE, UH, SPACE IN THE BACK.
UM, YOU MAY NOT, UH, HAVE DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE PODIUM.
THE SPEAKER MAY, UH, CANNOT BE ACCOMPANIED BY OTHERS UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE FOR THAT.
SO, UH, WE JUST ASK THE SPEAKERS TO COME FORWARD, UM, VIOLATION OF THOSE RULES.
YOU CAN, WE CAN HAVE TIME CUT SHORT OR SOMEONE CAN BE ASKED TO, UM, LEAVE THE, THE, THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING TODAY, BUT I DO FEEL, UH, WE OUGHT TO ALWAYS, UH, BE AWARE OF WHAT THE RULES ARE.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL BEGIN OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND I WILL ASK THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP REMOTELY, SO I'LL GO RIGHT INTO IN PERSON WITH TORAH COOK FOLLOWED BY ARAWA DEBEI.
IF YOUR NAME'S CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU AND I ARE ALIKE.
OUR SALARIES HAVE BEEN PAID BY THE TAXPAYERS OF AUSTIN.
[01:05:01]
AGO WHEN I WAS A CITY PLANNER.OUR EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION WAS THEMED.
STRIVING TO SERVE AUSTIN IS WHAT I TREASURE MOST ABOUT THOSE YEARS AT A HIGHER LEVEL, YOU SERVE ALL OF AUSTIN.
ON OCTOBER 9TH, YOU MADE A PUBLIC STATEMENT SUPPORTING THE SAFETY OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
YOU EXPRESSED EMPATHY FOR LOVED ONES IN ISRAEL.
YOU MADE THE ISSUE OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE A LOCAL ONE AND IMMEDIATELY SERVED ONE GROUP WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT YOU HAVE NOT SERVED THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY.
THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY IS ALSO AT RISK.
WHAT DO YOU NEED IN ORDER TO FEEL EMPATHY FOR THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR LOVED ONES IN GAZA? PALESTINIANS AND THEIR ALLIES HAVE BEEN ASKING YOU TO STAND FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE WHICH WILL SAVE ALL LIVES.
YOU HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THAT OVER 60% OF AMERICANS FAVOR A CEASEFIRE.
THE SUPPORT IN AUSTIN IS LIKELY CLOSE TO THAT.
JEWS LIKE MYSELF ARE CALLING FOR CEASEFIRE.
WE FEEL THAT JEWS ARE NOT SAFE AND ISRAEL WILL NOT BE SAFE UNLESS PALESTINIANS ARE EQUALLY SAFE.
WE DO NOT HOLD JEWISH LIVES OVER AND ABOVE PALESTINIAN LIVES.
WE DO NOT SUPPORT 100 DAYS OF HELL BENT REVENGE ON THE PEOPLE OF GAZA ON OCTOBER 9TH, YOU RESPONDED TO THE EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE YOU IDENTIFY WITH.
THAT HAPPENS, BUT IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO BE PARTISAN.
YOUR JOB IS TO SERVE EVERYONE.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY, WELCOME THEM TO YOUR OFFICES WHEN THEY APPROACH YOU, MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR VIEWPOINTS AND TO EXPAND YOUR DEFINITION OF WHO IS INCLUDED IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS VANESSA ES JOSE VELAZQUEZ, AND SO CADRE THEMSELVES, MEMBERS OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
AND I ASK THE REST OF YOU, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SERVE YOUR PALESTINIAN NEIGHBORS AND FEEL EMPATHY FOR THEIR LOVED ONES? WHEN WILL PALESTINIANS BE INCLUDED IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE? MY FOOT.
OUR WA BECKY FOLLOWED BY ZACH SLOSBERG RA DEBEI, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS BECKEN AND I'M A VERY CONCERNED PALESTINIAN AMERICAN.
THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES,
WE'RE ALL HERE AGAIN TOGETHER, PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS, CREEDS, RELIGIONS, AND NATIONALITIES TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION BECAUSE AUSTIN SHOULD BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND THIS AFFECTS ALL OF US LOCALLY.
AS MANY OF YOU CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES, CHRISTMAS AND BETHLEHEM, THE HOLY LAND WAS CANCELED.
INSTEAD OF NEW YORK FIREWORKS, THERE WERE NEW YEAR BOMBS DROPPED IN PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCE BOMBS FUNDED BY OUR TAX DOLLARS, YOUR TAX DOLLARS, ALL OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.
SOME OF YOU SIT COMFORTABLY COMPLICIT FUNDING AND SUPPORTING THE GENOCIDE OF A NATION WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS FOR 140 DAYS OF ILLEGAL WAR CRIMES AND MURDER OF MORE THAN 31,497 INNOCENT CIVILIANS, 64,783 WITH HORRIFIC LIFE ALTERING INJURIES.
40% ARE CHILDREN WE'RE NOT JUST NUMBERS.
TAKE A MOMENT AND TRY TO COMPREHEND HOW IT FEELS TO BE A CITIZEN OF A NATION, WHICH IS THE UNITED STATES THAT IS BLATANTLY SUPPORTING AND FUNDING THE COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
LOS SAN TELLINGLY IGNORING ITS PEOPLE'S NEEDS, ALL WITH YOUR HEART EARNED DOLLARS.
EXPLAIN TO US HOW THIS IS NOT A LOCA ISSUE WHEN BIDEN AND OTHER OFFICIALS HAVE $3.8 MILLION BUDGET FOR WAR ANNUALLY.
A HUNDRED MILLION JUST FROM TEXAS, BUT TEXAN CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL.
HUNGRY VETERANS ARE STRUGGLING.
OUR HOMELESS POPULATION HAS EXPONENTIALLY GROWN.
[01:10:01]
WHEN ARMS COMPANIES HERE IN TEXAS ARE MASSIVELY PROFITING FROM FUNDING GENOCIDE AND TEXAS HAS INVESTED IN ISRAELI BONDS SINCE 1994.IT'S ESTIMATED TO TAKE 20 BILLION IN HOMELESSNESS HERE IN THE US.
HOW OUR MONEY SPENT, IT'S A LOCAL ISSUE AND YOUR VOTERS' NEEDS ARE LOCAL ISSUES.
HOW OUR GOVERNMENT EXPLAINED TO US HOW OUR GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE A BUDGET AGAIN FOR FREE HEALTH CLEAR OR STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS CAN PROVIDE ALL THESE BASIC NEEDS TO ANOTHER NATION.
PEACEFUL RELIGIONS SHOULD NOT BE TWISTED AND TO AID THE GENOCIDE OF ANY PEOPLE.
AND HOW DOES CALLING FOR PEACE EVER HARM ANYONE? YOUR DUTY IS TO REPRESENT US ALL YOUR DUTIES TO HELP FUND OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN AUSTIN, NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND NOT A GENOCIDE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES K AND VELAZQUEZ FOR SUPPORTING THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AND THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND MAKING AUSTIN PROUD.
ZACH SCHLOSBERG, FOLLOWED BY AMIRA VIRAS.
HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS ZACH.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR AND I'M HERE TO ASK FOR THIS COUNCIL TO ADOPT A CEASEFIRE RELU RESOLUTION AS RECOMMENDED BY THE AUSTIN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND AS MANY OTHER PROGRESSIVE CITIES HAVE FROM OAKLAND TO DETROIT AND PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO SEE THIS COUNCIL ADOPT PROGRESSIVE MEASURES THIS TERM.
WHY NOT THIS ONE? WHERE DOES THE HESITATION COME FROM? MY COUNCIL MEMBER, MR. VELA, JUST EXPRESSED TREPIDATION ABOUT WA INTO A GLOBAL ISSUE.
BUT THIS IS A LOCAL ISSUE BECAUSE YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE HERE TELLING YOU THAT IT IS.
SO WHY THE HESITATION? WOULD IT HELP YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY JEWS LIKE ME HERE IN AUSTIN WHO RESIST THE CONTENTION THAT CRITIQUE OF ISRAEL IS ANTISEMITIC AND FOR WHOM IN FACT CRITIQUE OF THE ACTIONS OF ISRAEL AND GAZA IS INEXTRICABLE FROM THEIR JUDAISM AT ITS DEEPEST ROOT? I'M COMPELLED HERE TODAY, NOT IN SPITE OF MY JUDAISM, BUT BECAUSE OF IT AS I WAS TAUGHT LIKE SO MANY OF MY JEWISH PEERS TO RECOGNIZE WHEN A POPULATION HAS BEEN SINGLED OUT BY THE STATE FOR DISPOSSESSION AND SLAUGHTER AND TO SPEAK BEFORE IT IS TOO, TOO LATE.
ALTHOUGH SURELY AS WE STAND HERE TODAY, MORE THAN A HUNDRED DAYS INTO ISRAEL'S SLAUGHTER OF GAZA WITH OVER 24,000 DEAD, WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO TOO LATE.
BUT I STAND HERE TO URGE YOU TO HEAR OUR JEWISH VOICES WHICH ARE STRONG AND MANY AND WILL NOT GO AWAY.
AND IT'LL BE HERE WITH YOU WHEN THE COUNCIL PASSES A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PERMANENT CEASE FIRE AND AN END TO THE DAILY SLAUGHTER.
NEIRA VERAS FOLLOWED BY SOPHIA SHAPIRO.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MAYOR AR RAANAN SIM RAH OR MAYOR ROS.
I'M A MEMBER OF ASHLEY 1624 AUSTIN DSA AND AUSTIN JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE AND I'M AN ANTI ZIONIST JEW.
I TOOK PERSONAL TIME TO SPEAK TODAY TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU WEREN'T THOROUGHLY CONVINCED BY THE VOICES OF OUR PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY AND YOU WANTED JEWISH PERSPECTIVES ON THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT TOPIC FOR ME TO BROACH BECAUSE I'M AN ADULT CONVERT TO JUDAISM.
UH, MUCH LIKE RUTH, I SOUGHT SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE FAITH TRADITION.
I WAS RAISED IN THE SOLACE AND RIGOR OF THE JEWISH TRADITION AND THE INTIMACY THIS PATH WOULD BRING BETWEEN ME AND A VERY CLOSE FRIEND AND THE RELIGIOUS ADHERENCE TO KOON OLAM OR THE HEALING OF THE WORLD, A PHRASE I'D ALWAYS FELT AND NEVER HAD WORDS FOR.
AS NAOMI CONFRONTED RUTH ON THE ROAD TO BETHLEHEM, I WAS CONFRONTED BY MANY HARD TRUTHS ON MY ROAD TO JEWISHNESS.
FIRST THE RACIST HATE FUELED FIREBOMBING OF CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL IN OCTOBER OF 2021 AND SECOND FROM LATE 2021 ONWARDS THE VIOLENT AND ILLEGAL EVICTIONS IN THE PALESTINIAN NEIGHBORHOOD OF SHIK, SHARAH AND EAST JERUSALEM BY ISRAELI FORCES.
ON THE ONE HAND I HAD TO RECKON WITH HOW I WOULD RELATE TO A RELIGION AND A PEOPLE THAT HAS LONG LIVED IN FEAR OF PERSECUTION AND HOW MY OWN INHERENT PRIVILEGE AS AN INHERITOR OF WHITENESS MIGHT AFFECT THAT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I HAD TO DECIDE HOW I COULD SQUARE THE CIRCLE OF JOINING A CULTURE ACTIVELY INVESTED IN THE DISPLACEMENT AND ETHNIC CLEANSING OF A WHOLE PEOPLE.
AND AS THE CONTRADICTION I MAY NEVER TRULY RESOLVE, BUT I AM A JEW.
I HAVE FOUGHT WITH RACISTS, I HAVE BROKEN UP MEETINGS OF THE SO-CALLED WHITE NATION.
I HAVE WORKED TO ACTIVELY UNDO THE RACISM INSCRIBED UPON ME SINCE BIRTH IN THE RACIALIZED SOCIETY IN THE UNITED STATES AND I AM A JEW.
I HAVE STUDIED AND DISCUSSED AND STUDIED AND DISCUSSED AND GONE TO THE MIKVAH AND BEEN TOLD AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT OUR TRADITION, AT LEAST IN REFORM, JUDAISM TEACHES US NEVER TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN CONVERT AND MATRILINEAL.
JEW, I AM A JEW BUT I AM NOT A ZIONIST AND I WILL NEVER BE ONE 'CAUSE I'M NOT SAFER BECAUSE OF AN ETHNOSTATE HALF A WORLD AWAY.
I AM NOT SAFER BECAUSE OF GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING IN THE LAND THAT IS NOT MINE
[01:15:01]
AND NOT SAFER.WHEN MY FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS GO TO FREE EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE IN ISRAEL, WILL I ROTTEN DEBT AND MY HEALTHCARE IS TIED TO MY EMPLOYMENT.
THERE ARE MANY WHO WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT MY ANTI-ZIONISM MAKES ME AN ANTI-SEMITE AND I CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA OF THE NAZI HOLOCAUST AND MUST CONSTANTLY RECKON WITH MY LACK THEREOF.
BUT ZIONISM AND THE PROJECT OF ISRAEL ARE OLDER THAN THE SHOAH AND MASQUERADE BEHIND CLAIMS OF PROTECTING JEWS TO DEFLECT FROM THE VERY REAL HORRORS THEY PERPETUATE IN OCCUPIED PALESTINE.
DOES IT THEN MAKE ME ANTI-SEMITIC TO OPPOSE GENOCIDE? WHENEVER I ROLL THESE CONTRADICTIONS AROUND IN MY MIND I THINK OF THE OLD YIDDISH TERM DUATE.
HERENESS JEWS HAVE LONG BEEN A PEOPLE WITHOUT A LAND AND THAT WAS NOT A NEGATIVE DESCRIPTION, BUT A POSITIVE ONE.
WE HAVE NO LAND OF OUR OWN AND SO WHILE THE EARTH IS OUR LAND IN COMMON, OUR LOYALTY AND OUR HEART ARE WITH THE LAND IN WHICH WE RESIDE AND I HAVE NO LAND OF MY OWN.
SO I WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF MY COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN TO THOSE WHO WOULD SAY TO GIVE UP ON THIS FIGHT OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OR MAYBE EVEN I'M NOT A REAL JEW.
I TURN TO RUTH FOR INSPIRATION AND I SAY, DO NOT URGE ME TO LEAVE YOU TO TURN BACK AND NOT FOLLOW YOU FOR WHEREVER YOU GO.
I WILL GO WHEREVER YOU LODGE, I WILL LODGE YOUR PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE AND YOUR GOD MY GOD, PLEASE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SOPHIA AND I AM A JEWISH AND MEXICAN ORGANIZER WITH JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE.
I AM CALLING ON THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PASS A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION IMMEDIATELY.
I AM HERE TODAY TO VOICE MY DEEPEST SOLIDARITY AND LOVE FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE BECAUSE I SEE MYSELF IN THEM.
I SEE ALL PEOPLE STRUGGLING AGAINST GENOCIDE, AGAINST SETTLER COLONIALISM AND ETHNIC CLEANSING AS MY KIN.
MY JUDAISM COMPELS ME TO FIGHT FOR THE FREEDOM OF ALL PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MY STRUGGLE AGAINST THE DANGEROUS IDEOLOGY OF WHITE SUPREMACY IS COMPLETELY LINKED WITH THAT OF PALESTINIANS.
IF YOU WANT PALESTINIANS AND JEWS LIKE ME TO BE SAFER, YOU WOULD SIGN THIS CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
IF YOU WANT US TO BE SAFER, YOU WOULD ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE DANGEROUS WHITE SUPREMACISTS WHO ARE BOTH ANTI-SEMITIC AND ISLAMOPHOBIC.
YOU WOULD DEFUND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED FIST BOMBING THE NEO-NAZIS THAT ARTS AND LIKE CHILDHOOD SYNAGOGUE THAT'S REAL ANTI-SEMITISM, NOT CRITICISM OF ZIONISM IN THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
IF YOU WANT IT TO BE SAFER, YOU WOULD GIVE FREE HOUSING AND REPARATIONS TO THE BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES BEING PRICED OUT OF THE CITY AND TARGETED BY A PD AND ICE USING ISRAELI SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES FROM COMPANIES SUCH AS GOOGLE, AMAZON, BAE SYSTEMS, DELL, IBM, AND HP ENTERPRISE COMPANIES THAT ARE RIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY.
THESE COMPANIES TEST OUT THEIR TECHNOLOGIES ON PALESTINIANS, PROFIT FOR THEIR GENOCIDE AND SELL IT RIGHT BACK TO DPS ICE AND THE AUSTIN FUSION CENTER IN ORDER TO SURVEIL OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO KEEP MIGRANTS DETAINED IN THE BORDER IN THE FREEZING COLD IBM STAYING TRUE TO ITS EVIL HISTORY AS THE TECH BACKBONE FOR THE NAZI HOLOCAUST HAS NOW REPURPOSED ITSELF AS THE CENTRAL DATABASE AND COMPUTER SYSTEM PROVIDER FOR ISRAEL'S POPULATION, IMMIGRATION AND BORDERS AUTHORITY STORING DATA THAT HAS NOW BEEN USED TO CARPET BOMB GAZA IN AN ALGORITHMICALLY PREDETERMINED WAY IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE DESTRUCTION AND CASUALTIES.
IN 2023, AUSTIN'S DELL TECHNOLOGIES WON THE LARGEST SERVER CONTRACT IN ISRAEL WITH THE ISRAELI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE.
THIS CONTRACT WAS FUNDED BY US FOREIGN AID, IN OTHER WORDS, WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS.
SO TO THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK THIS ISN'T A LOCAL ISSUE, THINK AGAIN.
THIS TECHNOLOGY IS FUNDED BY OUR TAX DOLLARS.
IT'S DEVELOPED RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN AND THEN WEAPONIZED AGAINST OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE SAY ENOUGH, WE SAY NEVER AGAIN IN OUR NAME AGAINST ANYONE.
THANK YOU GEORGE SAE, FOLLOWED BY ABIGAIL MALLARD.
I'M AND I LIVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT 20.
AS OF THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, OVER 24,000 PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED.
OVER 70% OF GAZA HOMES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.
OVER 90% OF THE POPULATION HAS BEEN DISPLACED.
53,000 TONS OF EXPLOSIVES DROPPED.
THAT IS THREE TIMES MORE THAN THE HIROSHIMA NUCLEAR BOMB THAN THAT SINK IN.
OVER 500,000 PEOPLE ARE AT RISK RIGHT NOW OF LOSING THEIR LIVES DUE TO CURABLE DISEASES.
THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT IS USING GENOCIDE AND DISPLACEMENT TO FACILITATE ETHNIC ENCY.
[01:20:01]
FORCES TOLD THE MEDIA THEY ESTABLISHED SAFE ZONE IN AL AREA.THEY WANT TO PUSH 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE IN AN AREA THAT IS 5.4 SQUARE MILES, WHICH TRANSLATE TO TWO SQUARE FEET PER PERSON.
THAT MEANS THERE'S NO SPACE TO SLEEP, NO AREA TO FOR ROADS, WALKWAYS, COOKING MEDICINE, HOSPITALS, OR EVEN A PLACE FOR THE INJURED TO LAY DOWN TO GET TREATED.
THEY ALSO RECENTLY BOMBED THAT AREA, KILLING 12 CHILDREN.
THAT IS A WAY TO ANNIHILATE POPULATION IN A MASSIVE WAY VIA EITHER BOMB DROPPING OR DISEASES.
THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS ETHNIC POLICING.
I COME TO YOU TODAY AS A PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN, BORN AND RAISED IN BETHLEHEM AND I AM NOT A HUMAN ANIMAL.
I AM HERE WITH A MESSAGE OF LOVE TO BOTH PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS OF ALL RELIGIONS AND BACKGROUNDS.
GROWING UP IN BETHLEHEM, I WENT TO A FRENCH
I WAS BEATEN AND SHOT AT BY THE ISRAELI FORCES WHILE IN CLASS AT THE AGE OF 12.
MY FRIEND WAS KNIGHT AT IN THE HEAD AT THE AGE OF 14.
MY YOUNGER BROTHER WAS SHOT IN THE BACK THREE TIMES AT THE AGE OF 10 WHILE PLAYING THE IN THE PLAYGROUND.
MY FATHER WAS BEATEN BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SPEAK HEBREW.
I CAN GO ON, BUT AS MUCH AS IT IT, IT WAS HARD FOR ME.
UH, IT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THAT EXPERIENCE OF THE KIDS OF GOD.
I DON'T HOLD GRUDGES OR SEEK ANY SYMPATHY.
I SEEK PEACE AND FOR BOTH NATIONS AS THAT IS THE ONLY WAY BOTH PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN PEACE AND ENJOY LIFE WITHOUT FEAR.
ISRAEL IS COMMITTING WAR CRIMES AND GENOCIDE.
THE US MUST PROTECT ISRAEL NOT BY SENDING THEM MORE WEAPONS, BUT BY TELLING THEM TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE FIRE AND STOP THE OCCUPATION.
WHY? BECAUSE GIVING THEM MORE MONEY AND WEAPONS WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BULLY TO COMMIT FURTHER VIOLENCE AND TO INCITE MORE CRIMES TO WHICH YOU BECOME COMPLICIT.
THE $56 MILLION THAT AUSTIN IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE $14.3 BILLION THAT'S EARMARKED TO GO TO ISRAEL TO SUPPORT THIS WAR CAN DO SO MUCH GOOD RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE AT HOME FOR OUR OWN PEOPLE.
THANK YOU, SIR, TO CALL FOR CEASE FIRE.
ABIGAIL MALLICK, FOLLOWED BY ROSEANNE EF.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE AND I'M PROUDLY VOTED FOR NATASHA HARPER MADISON.
I'M A UT GRADUATE, A THERAPIST, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I AM A JEWISH MOTHER.
I AM ALSO THE DESCENDANT OF SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST IN GERMANY AND THE POGROMS IN RUSSIA.
I HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED EVERY DAY WATCHING THIS GENOCIDE UNFOLD IN GAZA.
THE USE OF WHITE PHOSPHORUS, WHICH IS BANNED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW, THE BOMBINGS OF HOSPITALS, REFUGEE CAMPS, AND CROWDED URBAN AREAS AND THE RESTRICTION OF FOOD AND AID INTO GAZA ARE ALL HORRIFYING WAR CRIMES.
AND FOR ME, AS A DESCENDANT OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNBEARABLE KNOWING THAT MY TAX DOLLARS ARE FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE.
IN GAZA, 85% OF THE POPULATION HAVE BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES AND INTO OVERCROWDED, MAKESHIFT CAMPS.
SEVERE OVERCROWDING IS LEADING TO OUTBREAK OF PREVENTABLE DISEASES AND INFECTION MADE WORSE BY THE COLLAPSED MEDICAL SYSTEM.
DUE TO THE RESTRICTION OF AID TRUCKS INTO GAZA, THERE IS ONLY ENOUGH FOOD AND WATER FOR EACH PERSON TO RECEIVE 25% OF WHAT THE UNITED NATIONS CONSIDERS DAILY BASIC NEEDS.
I KEEP THINKING ABOUT ANNE FRANK, THE YOUNG GIRL WHOSE DIARY WE ALL READ IN SCHOOL, WHO WHOSE FAMILY HAD IN AN ATTIC FOR OVER TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE CAUGHT AND SENT TO A CONCENTRATION KIT.
DO YOU REMEMBER READING THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK? DO YOU REMEMBER HOW SHE DIED? ANNE FRANK AND HER SISTER MARGO.
BOTH TEENAGERS DIDN'T DIE IN THE GAS CHAMBERS.
THEY BOTH DIED OF TYPHUS AN EASILY TREATABLE DISEASE THAT WAS CONTRACTED DUE TO OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS AND LACK OF MEDICAL CARE.
IF WE CAN LEARN ABOUT ANNE FRANK IN SCHOOL AS A WARNING TO NEVER REPEAT THAT HISTORY, WE MUST ACT NOW TO SAVE LIVES IN GOD.
AS A JEWISH MOTHER, I HAVE TO SHOW MY DAUGHTER THAT I WILL DO ANYTHING IN MY POWER TO STOP GENOCIDE OF WAR CRIMES.
AS A TAXPAYER, AS A DESCENDANT OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, I WILL NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT THE GENOCIDE AND GAZA.
[01:25:01]
ABOUT IT, EDUCATING ABOUT IT, AND I'LL NOT STOP COMING TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.WE MUST PASS A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AS 35 OTHER US CITIES HAVE ALREADY DONE.
WE MUST JOIN THE GROWING CHORUS OF VOICES SAYING NEVER AGAIN.
I'M GONNA START WITH A VIDEO FOR MY TESTIMONY.
I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE VERY SIMPLE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO AGREE THAT STRIPPING MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN OF THEIR CLOTHES AND BURNING THEIR UNDERGARMENTS IN AN ACT OF DEHUMANIZATION CONSTITUTES SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND NOT SELF-DEFENSE AS ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES AND OFFICIALS WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE.
AND AS HORRIFIC AS THAT TESTIMONY WAS, THE PTO WOMAN IZA TAKES ON A MORE TRAGIC AND CATASTROPHIC DIMENSION.
ISRAEL'S DRACONIAN, DRACONIAN CI DISCRIM BOMBING MEANS THAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN ARE DISPLACED IN UNSANITARY CONDITIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER OR EVEN SANITARY PRODUCTS.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THEN THE VERY UNPLEASANT AS WELL AS MEDICALLY DANGEROUS PREDICAMENTS OF MENSTRUATING AS YOU TRY TO SURVIVE A GENOCIDE.
THIS IN ADDITION TO THE HARROWING CONDITIONS, THOUSANDS OF PREGNANT PALESTINIAN WOMEN ARE SUFFERING THROUGH OR MISCARRIAGE RATES HAVE INCREASED 300% AND WOMEN ARE UNDERGOING C-SECTION SURGERIES AND DELIVERIES WITH NO ANESTHESIA AND IN MANY CASES NOT EVEN A HOSPITAL SETTING LEADING TO BOTH MOTHERS AND INFANTS DYING SHORTLY AFTER DELIVERY.
THIS IN ADDITION TO ISRAEL'S PURPOSEFUL USE OF STARVATION PER HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, WHICH HAS LED TO PREGNANT MOTHERS BEING SEVERELY MALNOURISHED AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING FETUSES GOING THROUGH INTRAUTERINE STARVATION ACCORDING TO P PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST, NAN, ALL OF WHICH ARE REASONED.
SOUTH AFRICA ARGUED IN THEIR INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE CASE, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF, THAT ISRAEL IS COMMITTING CRIMES THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE FOURTH CATEGORY OF GENOCIDAL ACTS IN ARTICLE 2D OF THE GENOCIDAL CONVENTION, WHICH IS REPRODUCTIVE VIOLENCE AND OPPOSING MEASURES INTENDED TO PREVENT BIRTHS WITHIN A GROUP AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
GIVEN THAT THE US BECAME A PARTY TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE IN 1988 IN A BILL THAT WAS ACTUALLY SPONSORED BY BIDEN HIMSELF, IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY CITY AND EVERY STATE AND EVERY LOCALITY TO MAKE SURE THE US IS COMPLIANT WITH THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION AND NOT COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CURRENTLY IS.
IN SUMMARY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE A CHOICE EITHER SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW OR STATE SIGNED DURING ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC MODERN DAY GENOCIDES OF OUR TIME.
GABRIELA DEN, FOLLOWED BY ELAINE COHEN, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE MEMBER OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION FOR DISTRICT ONE.
BORN IN TWO MONTHS AGO, I CO-OPTED A RESOLUTION THAT RECOMMENDED THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CALL FOR HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE, KAZA AND RELEASE OF HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS.
SINCE THEN, 30 CITIES ACROSS AMERICA, INCLUDING OAKLAND, SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, ALBANY, AND ST.
LOUIS HAVE ALREADY CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE.
AND A RELEASE OF HOSTAGES IS ONLY RIGHT FOR AUSTIN TO JOIN THIS MOVEMENT.
THERE IS SUCH LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
MANY THINK THAT IT'S ISLAM VERSUS JUDAISM, BUT I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME ARE DEAD, ARE DYING IN HAA BECAUSE THEY ARE ARAB.
I STAND DEVASTATED THAT THE COUNCIL REMAINS SILENT.
AS THE RESPONSE OF HAMAS' BRUTAL ASSAULT AGAINST ISRAEL HAS DEVELOPED INTO A CRUEL INDISCRIMINATE WAR AGAINST PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS AND
[01:30:01]
HAA.SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A LOCAL ISSUE, BUT IN SAYING THAT YOU DISMISS US.
IT IGNORES THE PAIN AND TRAUMAS OF AUSTINITES WHOSE FAMILIES RESIDE IN HAA AND THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES IN ISRAEL AND LEBANON AND YEMEN AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION.
LOCAL ISSUE OR NOT, THERE IS A CLEAR MORALLY CORRECT ACTION TO TAKE HERE.
THE HISTORY OF THIS CONFLICT IS ONE THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE INFLICTION OF TRAUMA AND OTHERS IN THE NAME OF ONE'S OWN TRAUMA AND HISTORY.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE DISPOSITION BY THE POWERFUL OF THE LAND OF THE WEAK, THE SEGREGATION, THE USE OF THE MILITARY, VIOLENCE ON CIVILIANS, REPRESSIVE INCARCERATION AND DISREGARD TO HUMAN RIGHTS.
AND EVEN THOUGH HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF AND EVEN THOUGH WE TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND CHANGE, WHY DO WE SAY ALL THESE THINGS? AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL REMAINS SILENT.
WE KEEP HEARING THAT THERE ARE TWO SIDES, BUT IF YOU TAKE TIME TO LOOK CLOSER, ONE SIDE PROMOTES AN UNFOLDING GENOCIDE THAT EVEN SOUTH AFRICA COURAGEOUSLY STOOD UP AGAINST AT THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE.
ANOTHER PROMOTES THE RIGHT OF HUMAN LIFE, LIBERTY, FREEDOM, AND PEACE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER.
IT IS NO WONDER THAT OUR COMMUNITY FEELS AS THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED AND DISMISSED BY THIS COUNCIL, THAT OUR VOICES ARE LESSER, THAT OUR DEATHS AND OUR LIVELIHOODS ARE LESSER.
BUT DESPITE THAT, WE ARE HERE SHOWING UP BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HERE.
AND ROBERT, AND HAVING THIS DEBATE WITH YOU, WE ASK YOU TO STAND ASIDE IN THIS MOVEMENT WITH US WHERE YOUR CHILDREN, MY CHILDREN CAN ASK US WHAT DID WE DO IN THIS WAR? DO YOU WANNA REMAIN SILENT OR DO YOU WANNA SAY THAT YOU STOOD UP AND FOUGHT FOR PEACE, FOR UNITY? AND OVERALL THE HUMANITY, THAT HUMANITY DOES NOT DIE WITHIN OUR SILENCE ONCE AGAIN WHEN THE YOUTH ASKS US WHAT DID WE DO? I KNOW WHAT I WILL SAY.
WHAT WILL YOU DO AS MY REPRESENTATIVES? WHAT WILL YOU SAY? THANK YOU ELAINE COHEN.
MS. COHEN, MY NAME IS ELAINE COHEN.
I'M HERE TODAY TO DISRUPT YOUR THINKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF JEW IN AUSTIN BELIEVES IN A CEASEFIRE FOR PALESTINE AND THE URGENT AND NEED TO END THE BRUTAL ISRAELI ASSAULT ON GAZA.
IT IS NOT BECAUSE I HAVE FORGOTTEN THE HOLOCAUST.
IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE I GREW UP ON A STREET WHERE A NUMBER OF MY NEIGHBORS WERE SURVIVORS.
MY PARENTS BOUGHT THEIR HOUSE IN EVANSTON, ILLINOIS FROM POLISH.
JEWISH BROTHERS WHO SURVIVED BOOK INVOLVED THEIR ARMS STILL BORE THE TATTOOS WITH WHICH THEY WERE BRANDED.
AND MRS. ANN NEVER LEFT HER HOME ALONE.
IN FACT, SHE HARDLY EVER LEFT HER HOME UNLESS WITH HER HUSBAND, BROTHER-IN-LAW, OR EVENTUALLY WHEN HER TEENAGE CHILDREN COULD DRIVE IN THE HOUSE NEXT TO THEM LIVED A JEWISH FAMILY FROM VIENNA.
EDDIE'S FATHER WAS HIDDEN BEHIND A DOOR WHEN THE NAZIS ENTERED AND KILLED HIS ENTIRE FAMILY EXCEPT FOR HIM.
BUT JUST AS I KNOW THESE STORIES, I ALSO LISTENED TO THE STORIES OF TIBETANS LIVING IN EXILE IN INDIA IN THE US AND SR COLONIAL MASSACRES.
HOW MANY LAKOTAS WERE KILLED? HOW MANY GU MAYANS WERE KILLED IN GUATEMALA WITH THE HELP OF US MILITARY ADVISORS, RWANDA, CAMBODIA, SERBIA.
NOW GAA, THERE IS A FICTION CREATED IN THE WAKE OF THE VERY REAL HOLOCAUST THAT THE SHOW OF THE HOLOCAUST WAS SOMEHOW UNIQUE IN HUMAN HISTORY.
AND NOW ISRAEL, ONCE A VICTIM OF EUROPEAN ANTISEMITISM, REPLICATES THAT RACISM ON THE PALESTINIANS WHOSE LAND THEY WANT.
HOW CAN THAT BE WHEN JEWS SAY NEVER AGAIN? IT IS NOT ONLY NEVER AGAIN FOR US, BUT FOR ALL OF HUMANITY.
PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DENIES THAT PALESTINIANS ARE A PART OF HUMANITY.
FINALLY, I DO NOT THINK ISRAEL'S RELENTLESS ATTACK ON GAA IS PURELY FOR SETTLER COLONIAL DESIGN.
ONE OF THE ENORMOUS PROFITS BEING MADE BY THE WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS, THE MAKERS OF TANKS AND HELICOPTERS AND DRONES.
THE CITY COUNCIL MEETS TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO BE KNOWN AS BEING ON THE SIDE OF THE VORACIOUS WAR PROFITEERS OR ON THE SIDE OF THE WOUNDED AND HUNGRY PALESTINIANS IN GAZA TO DENY AUSTINITES JOINING OTHER AMERICANS IN A CALL FOR CEASEFIRE IS TO ALLY WITH KILLERS WITH
[01:35:01]
THE GREEDY, THEWHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? THANK YOU MA'AM.
MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL COMMUNICATION MEMBERS.
THAT CONCLUDES THE 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE WITH UH, WE, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN RELATED TO ZONING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION WE WILL RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.
HOWEVER, EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE LIVE MUSIC PRESENTATION THAT WILL HAVE ONCE THAT SET UP.
BUT THE UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CITY COUNCIL STANDS IN RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK.
IT'S THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH AT 12:36 PM THANK YOU ALL.
[Live Music Paul "Buddha" Mills]
GET A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO PAUL BUDA MILLS, UH, AND HIS BAND HERE TODAY.PAUL BEGAN PLAYING MUSIC IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, UM, JUST LIKE FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO.
UM, HE MOVED TO AUSTIN, UH, UPON GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND HE'S WORKED AS A FULL-TIME MUSICIAN FROM 1983 UNTIL NOW.
HE'S BEEN THE BACKBONE OF MANY IMPORTANT AUSTIN BANDS, UH, AMONG OTHERS.
AND I LOVE LISTING THESE BANDS BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME GREAT BANDS FROM OVER THE YEARS.
HE PLAYED WITH PONTY BONE, CHRIS DUARTE, PAPA MOLLY, THE TAXON DAMES, THE IMPERIAL CROWN HARMONIZERS AND MISS LAVELLE WHITE.
HE CURRENTLY IS THE DRUMMER FOR THE LMAN FUNKY FOOT, THE MATTHEW ROBINSON BAND AND BIRD LEG AND THE TIGHT FIT BLUES BAND.
PAPA MOLLY REALLY LIKED PAUL'S CHILDHOOD NICKNAME, WHICH WAS WAS AND IS BUDDHA.
AND SO NOW PAUL IS KNOWN AS BUDDHA IN THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMUNITY.
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET ME INTRODUCE TO YOU PAUL BUDA MILLS AND HIS BAND.
THIS 1, 2 1 2 DOGS IN THE CAR.
NEIGHBORS GOT THE CAT, GOT A FULL TANK BASS WITH THE LUGGAGE ONS FULL OF COFFEE, THE COOLER JAM PACKED AIN STOPPING FOR NOTHING UNLESS DADDY'S GOT THE WHEEL.
NO, WE JUST LIKE THAT DOWN THE HURRY.
PLENTY DOWN LOUISIANA VISIT THE, WE GONNA HAVE A PARTY.
WE HAVE SOME GOING HAVE A REAL GOOD COMES UP, HIT THE ROAD, GET BACK HOME, HEAD THEM BACK TO AUSTIN WHEN YOU GOTTA GET BACK.
DADDY'S GOT THE WHEELS, GOT THE ROBINSON,
[01:40:18]
WE GOING HAVE A PARTY.STILL BEGIN WIN THE SIGN COMES UP, PACK UP YOUR CAR, GOTTA HIT THE ROAD ON WE BACK TO GET BACK HOME.
HEAD BACK TO, WE'VE GOTTA GET BACK WHERE WE'LL MAKE MATCH.
WHAT? YEAH, WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE WE ROLL LIKE THAT.
GOD WANT YOU TO HELP ME WET LIKE THAT.
WHY DON'T Y'ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND THEN I'M, I'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION I WANNA READ.
MY NAME IS JOHN GARR FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I'M MICHAEL CROSS FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENTS EXTEND TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.
AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTIST NOW THEREFORE I KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 18TH, 2024 AS PAUL BUDDHA MILLS DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I'LL CALL THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL BACK TO ORDER FOR THIS REGULAR MEETING.
IT'S 2:00 PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.
WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AND WE WILL TAKE UP OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN
[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action)]
WHICH ARE ZONING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS AND I'LL RECOGNIZE MS. HARDEN.THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL JOY HARDEN WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND JUST A NOTE BEFORE I BEGIN READING THE AGENDA, THERE ARE SOME FORMATTING ERRORS ON THIS AGENDA, SO JUST PLEASE BEAR WITH ME UM, AS I READ THROUGH AND I'M HAPPY TO REPEAT ANY UM, NUMBERS OR UH, CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS AREN'T ALWAYS LISTED IN TANDEM WITH THE REZONING CASES AS THEY TYPICALLY ARE.
SO YOUR ZONING AGENDA BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 59 C 1 4 20 22 0 0 9 0.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS A JOINT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND APPLICANT TO YOUR FEBRUARY 29TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 60 IS NPA 20 22 0 0 0 5 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS A APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 29TH COUNCIL MEETING.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 61 C 1 4 2 2 2 0 1 0 7.
AGAIN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 29TH COUNSEL MEETING.
UM, MOVING ON TO ITEM CC TWO, WHICH IS C 1 4 20 23 0 0 3 2.
AND ITEM 63 IS C 1 4 20 22 0 1 0 0.
[01:45:04]
THESE UM, TRACKS ARE ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER AND BOTH ARE BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.BUT PLEASE KNOW THERE IS A VALID PETITION SO NINE VOTES WOULD BE REQUIRED ON ALL THREE READINGS.
UM, AND JUST SOME FOR SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS.
UM, THE REQUEST IS FOR SF SIX.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS SSF SIX C AND THE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY WOULD LIMIT THE DENSITY TO 70 UNITS PER ACRE, WHICH WOULD MIRROR THE S FB SSF THREE UM, REGULATIONS, UM, ARIZONA CASE ON ALBERT ROAD WITH THE SAME STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION CONDITIONAL OVERLAY WAS APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL ON AUGUST 31ST, 2023.
UM, HOWEVER, THE Z RECOMMENDATION IS FOR SSF SIX CO AND AS YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ZONING AND PLANNING RECOMMENDATION THAT MOVES FORWARD.
UM, AND THERE WILL BE TWO ACCESS POINTS THAT ARE PERMITTED HERE.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE OFFERING THIS CASE, UM, WITH THE TWO ACCESS POINTS AND OF COURSE WITH THE Z.
UM, THE ZONING AND PLATTS RECOMMENDATION ON CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS AND WE DO HAVE OPPOSITIONAL SPEAKERS HERE FOR THIS.
UM, ITEM 64 C 1 4 20 23 0 1 0 4 THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 65 IS NPA 20 23 0 2 0 0.2.
THIS ITEM'S BEING UM, OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 66 C 4 20 23 0 0 3 4.
AGAIN, THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, ITEM 68 A C 1 4 0 0 2 1 9 5 RCA FORMERLY KNOWN AS C 1 4 0 0 21 95 RCT.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST COUNSEL MEETING.
ITEM 69 IS NPA 20 23 0 0 2 9 0.01.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 70 C 1 14 20 23 0 0 6 3.
AGAIN THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SECOND READING ONLY AND WILL RETURN WITH THESE ITEMS. THEY'LL BE PLACED ON YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST.
COUNSEL AGENDA FOR THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.
ITEM 71 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 1 1 3.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MARCH 7TH COUNCIL MEETING AND ON 72 A C 1 4 20 23 0 0 7 2.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS AND I HAVE A MOTION SHEET WHICH READS PART 6 1 6 C.
ONE OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
NUMBER ONE, FOUR FEET FROM THE SOUTH SIDE AND WITH THAT MOTION SHEET, UM, READ INTO THE RECORD I CAN OFFER THIS FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS ON WHICH THEN THAT WAS ITEM 72.
ITEM 73, SCENE 14 H 20 23 0 1 3 7.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
FIRST READING CALL CONTRERAS, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.
UM, IT DOES HAVE OWNER OPPOSITION, UM, UM, TO THIS.
SO NINE VOTES WOULD BE REQUIRED ON THIRD READING.
IT IS ONLY READY FOR FIRST READING TODAY.
ITEM 74 IS C 1 4 2 2 3 0 1 1 16.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 75 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 0 8 9.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 76 IS MPA 20 22 0 0 1 7 0.01.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
THE RELATED REASON IS ITEM 77 C 1 4 20 22 0 0 35.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
ITEM 78 IS NM PA 20 23 0 0 1 5 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 79 C 1 4 20 23 0 0 8 7.
AGAIN, THIS IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY.
AND THESE ITEMS WILL BE PLACED ON YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION OF SECOND AND THIRD READINGS FOR UH, BOTH 78 AND 79.
UM, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 80 C 1 4 20 23 0 0 4 0.
THE ASSIGNMENT IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 81 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 1 25.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS AND THERE IS A RELATED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REZONING AND WE'LL GET TO IT LATER.
I JUST WANTED TO READ THAT INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM 83 IS C 14 20 23 0 1 0 7.
[01:50:01]
FOR CONSENT ON FIRST READING ONLY.THERE IS A MOTION SHEET THAT HAS BEEN HANDED OUT FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, SO UM, UM, YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.
THIS ITEM ALSO HAS THE NEIGHBOR PLAN AMENDMENT, WHICH WE'LL GET TO LATER, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 92 ON THIS AGENDA.
AND JUST TO NOTE, UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS LRMU.
UM, THE APPLICANT HAS AMEN THEIR REQUESTS AGAIN, THE MOTION SHEET IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO WITH UM, SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PC'S RECOMMENDATION OF GR WITH THE MOTION SHEET ON FIRST READING, UM, ITEM 80, SO THAT WAS 83.
SO ITEM 84 IS C 14 20 23 0 1 0 1.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS, UM, WITH A MOTION SHEET WHICH READS PART FOUR D TWO OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
NUMBER TWO, THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING OR STRUCTURES 120 FEET PLUS ADDITIONAL HEIGHT ALLOWED BY SECTION 25 2 531, WHICH IS THE HEIGHT LIMIT EXCEPTION.
PART FOUR E TWO OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
NUMBER TWO, THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING OR STRUCTURE IS A HUNDRED FEET PLUS ADDITIONAL HEIGHT ALLOW BY SECTION 25 2 5 31 HEIGHT LIMIT EXCEPTIONS.
AND THEN PART 4G OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
G SECTION 25 6 531 OFF STREET LOADING FACILITY REQUIRED IS MODIFIED TO ALLOW MANEUVERING WITHIN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY OFF PRESLER STREET.
UM, AND WITH THAT ITEM 84 IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
UM, THERE'S A APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 15TH COUNCIL MEETING.
THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 87 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 0 4 4.
THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THIS DOES HAVE A RELATED NPA, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 89.
ITEM 88 IS SCENE 14 20 23 0 0 4 3.
THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THIS AGAIN HAS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT, UM, WHICH IS ITEM 91.
ITEM 89 IS NPA 20 23 0 0 2, 0 0.03.
AGAIN, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING.
AND THIS WAS RELATED TO THE ZONING CASE THAT I READ INTO THE RECORD, WHICH WAS 87 NUMBER 90TH NPA 20 23 0 0 1 5 0.02.
UH, THIS WAS RELATED TO THE REZONING ITEM OF 80, NUMBER 82.
AND THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT AT ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 91 IS NPA 20 23 0 0 2 0 0.01.
AGAIN THIS WAS RELATED TO THE REZONING OF 88 AND THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 92 IS NPA 22 3 0 0 2 3 0.02.
THIS IS READY FOR CONSENT ON FIRST READING ONLY AND WAS RELATED TO THE REZONING OF 83, WHICH YOU HAD A MOTION SHEET FOR.
AND ON 93 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 0 0 5.
AND THIS IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 15TH COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE READING OF THE AGENDA.
UM, THE, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T THINK, UM, I THINK ON JUST FOR CLARITY, UH, 62 AND 6 3 3.
THE ZAP RECOMMENDATION IS SF SIX WITH NO CO THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I READ, BUT APPARENTLY I MAY NOT HAVE.
AND THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS MOVING FORWARD SSF SIX PERIOD.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE AGENDA OF COURSE IS A YOUR DISCRETION.
UM, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? YES.
SO FOR 62 AND 63, THE SF SIX WITH NO CO WAS NOT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THAT WAS CORRECT THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT IS THE SOGAN FLIGHTS COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
WANNA TRY THIS? I WONDER IF THIS WILL WORK.
YEAH, IT'S THE, UM, NON-DIGITAL.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK ON 65 AND 66, IS THAT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING FOR VMU AND THAT IS CORRECT.
WE NOW HAVE OUR THAT IS CORRECT.
[01:55:01]
THAT QUESTION JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED THAT, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE OF THESE CASES WHERE PEOPLE WERE PLANNING ON DOING SOMETHING AND NOW ARE STUCK IN LIMBO.
WE'VE GOT A PROJECT, UH, IN D FOUR, UH, ON THE CORNER OF I BELIEVE THE 51ST AND CAMERON RIGHT THERE THAT I, I THINK THEY HAD VM U2.
UH, SO MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE ALSO TO RESOLVE THAT UNCERTAINTY SOONER THAN LATER SO THESE PROJECTS CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD AND CAN START WRITING THE CITY BIG PROPERTY TAX CHECKS.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA CALL FOR A MOTION, BUT I WANT TO READ THROUGH THIS, WHAT THE MOTION WOULD BE.
AND, UM, SO ITEM NUMBER, THIS IS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE MOTION WILL BE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT'S READ ITEM 59, POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 29TH, 60 AND 61 AS RELATED ITEMS POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 29TH.
62 AND 63 ARE RELATED, BUT THERE WOULD BE CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
UH, AND THERE'S A VALID PETITION.
64 IS CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
65 AND 66 ARE RELATED POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.
67 CONSENT, UH, ON FIRST READING 68, POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 1ST.
CONSENT ON SECOND READING, 71 A POSTPONEMENT TO MARCH 7TH.
CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 74, ALL THREE READINGS 75, ALL THREE READINGS 76 AND 77 ARE RELATED POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.
78, THE CONSENT ON FIRST READING 79, CONSENT ON FIRST READING 80, ALL 3 81.
AND IT'S RELATED TO ITEM 90, WHICH IS THE RELATED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT 83.
IT'S ALSO RELATED TO 92 AND WE'LL GET TO THAT.
84 IS CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS WITH THE MOTION THAT WAS WRITTEN TO THE RECORD BY STAFF.
85 POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 15TH BY THE WAY.
ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER 83, YOU HAVE A MOTION SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU AND THAT IS CONSENT ON FIRST READING, UTILIZING THE MOTION SHEET THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
85 POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 15TH, 86.
FEBRUARY POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 1ST, 87.
POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 1ST WITH ITS RELATED ITEM 89, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, POSTPONED AS WELL.
88 POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 1ST RELATED TO ITEM ITEM 91, WHICH IS THE NPA POSTPONED AS WELL TO FEBRUARY 1ST.
89, POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 1ST.
90 CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
AND THAT'S RELATED TO ITEM 82.
91, POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 1ST RELATED TO ITEM 88 92.
CONSENT ON FIRST READING ONLY RELATED TO ITEM 83 AND 93, UH, POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 15TH.
UH, CHAIR, MAYOR, JUST I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE 67 IS, I'M NOT QUITE SURE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE FOR THE RECORD, IT IS A POSTPONEMENT TO FEBRUARY 1ST, 67.
WELL, I'S I DID NOT YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
I I HAD THAT AS A CONSENT ON GARY.
AND THEN 68 WAS POSTPONED ON FEBRUARY TO FEBRUARY 1ST, BUT YES, IN 67 AND 68.
UH, SO MEMBERS, UH, 67 WOULD BE A POSTPONEMENT TO FEBRUARY 1ST.
DO YOU, DO I HAVE, HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
UM, AND NOW DISCUSSION MAYOR PRO KIM ON, UH, REDBIRD LANE ITEMS. ARE YOU ON? YEAH.
I KNOW I DID MANAGE TO RAISE MY HAND AND NOW IT'S DOWN.
I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE IT WAS LISTED AS DISCUSSION.
SO WHERE ARE WE STAFF WITH THAT? UM, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE APPLICANT AND UM, THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY APPLIED FOR THE V THINKING THEY WOULD HAVE 90 FEET IN HEIGHT.
BECAUSE OF THE COURTS, WE NO LONGER HAD THAT OPTION.
SO THEY WANT TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE UNTIL I THINK, AND THIS IS FOR THE V VM U2 DESIGNATION? YES.
AND SO THEY WOULD LIKE, OH, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY.
AND THE D THE VM U2 DESIGNATION ALLOWS FOR AFFORDABLE PRICED UNITS AND REQUIRES AFFORDABILITY IF YOU BUILD TO THE 90 FEET.
AND I JUST WANTED TO PUNCTUATE THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF INFORMATION.
IT'S UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THE DA HERE IS HAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE VMU
[02:00:01]
TWO ORDINANCE WAS MOOTED BECAUSE IT IS SLOWING DOWN AND POTENTIALLY STOPPING, UH, US BEING ABLE TO SEE MORE, UH, AFFORDABILITY IN OUR HOUSING STOCK.SO HERE'S HOPING THAT WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY STAFF ON GETTING THE VM U2 LANGUAGE, UH, REPRESENTED AND WE CAN MAYOR GET THAT, UM, BACK ON TRACK.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACT ON ZONING CASES LIKE REDBURN LIGHT RED BIRD LANE.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE EXPECTATION? YES.
MAYOR TIM, THANK YOU MUCH MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO BRINGING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU SOONER THAN LATER.
WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU.
YEAH, I, I HAVE, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT, UM, A COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PULL? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND THAT WOULD LIKE, LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS READ.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES IS ITEM 73 PULLED FOR DISCUSSION? ITEM 73 IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
IT'S NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, DO WE HAVE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
MAYOR, PLEASE CALL THOSE SPEAKERS.
UH, SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 65 IS BILL BUNCH.
BILL BUNCH WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE, THE POSTPONEMENT AND IN SUPPORT OF THAT WITH JUST ENCOURAGE THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL TO LOOK FURTHER AT THE FLOODING AND DRAINAGE PROBLEMS HERE.
THIS SITE, UH, AND GIVEN ITS SETTING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DRAINAGE ISSUES THERE IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ANY KIND OF ZONING THAT WOULD ALLOW 90 OR 95% AND OUS COVER.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S TIME NOW TO LOOK AT THAT.
THAT WAS THE ONLY REMOTE SPEAKER WE HAD.
SO I'LL MOVE TO IN PERSON ON ITEM 62 AND 63 JEFF DICKERSON, FOLLOWED BY BRAD SGO.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT.
SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF POSTPONEMENT FOR 64 AND SIX, I'M SORRY, 65 AND 66.
I HAVE ANDREA MCCARTNEY, JOE RIDDLE, ROY WHALEY, VIRGINIA PALMER.
IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME ON FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THESE ITEMS ARE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE POSTPONED SO YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
I'M, I'M BRAD MASSING, BUT THAT LAST LIST OF NAMES Y'ALL LISTED OFF WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE GONNA SPEAK TO THE, THE ISSUE, ANOTHER ISSUE ON THIS.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT HERE.
SINCE A POSTPONEMENT HAPPENED.
SINCE A POSTPONEMENT HAPPENED, UM, OUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT HERE BASICALLY.
JUST LETTING Y'ALL KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS.
WE'RE JUST, WE, WE, WE, NONE OF US FEEL SLIGHTED.
DO WE POTE? AND THEN I DO HAVE SOMEONE SIGNED UP FOR 73.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WANNA SPEAK NOW OR WAIT FOR DISCUSSION.
LET'S WAIT TILL WE GET TO 73 THEN.
MEMBERS, WE HAVE A, UM, MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IS READ.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWING THEMSELVES AS RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE VOTING NO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
I'D LIKE TO BE SEEN VOTING NO ON 62 AND 63 PLEASE, MAYOR.
MY NAME'S KAREN FERNANDEZ AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MATTHEWS LANE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, JEFF, KRISTEN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE NOT FOR CONSENT, BUT HE'S IN OPPOSITION.
I'M SORRY FOR, BECAUSE THERE JEFFERSON WAS OUR VICE PRESIDENT HEARD PART, HEARD PART.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE ALL KNOW WHICH ONE YOU'RE SPEAKING ON.
62 AND 63 SINCE WE'RE HEARING THEM TOGETHER.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO DISCUSS THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN, UM, AGREEMENT WITH CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE BE A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY.
UM, WE WERE TOLD BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HE WAS NOT SUPPORTING THAT CONDITIONAL OVERLAY LIMITING UNITS.
[02:05:01]
UM, WE HAD A WHOLE PRESENTATION ON WHY THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS LOCATION.OUR ROADS ARE ABOUT A LANE AND A HALF.
WE DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT DRAINAGE, THE CORRECT WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND MOST OF ALL THE DAMON LOT DOES NOT ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO A ROAD BECAUSE THE ROAD DOES NOT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THAT LOT.
SO ON TOP OF THAT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME IN DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER, UM, POSITIONS.
I BECAME PRESIDENT WHILE ANN KITCHEN WAS STILL IN OFFICE AND KIND OF LEARNED THE ROPES THAT WE NEVER PASSED.
UM, AN ORDINANCE ON ALL THREE READINGS ON THE FIRST TIME WHEN THERE IS TWO.
ACTUALLY THERE'S A VALID PETITION FOR BOTH OF THESE LOTS AS WE'RE HEARING THEM TOGETHER.
UM, WE WOULD USE THIS TIME TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH THE DEVELOPER TO TRY TO FIND A COMPROMISE AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.
I FEEL THAT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME, I BELIEVE IT WAS ALISON ALTER THAT UM, THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CASE ON ALBERT, SAME THING THAT STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED CONDITIONAL OVERLAY AND Y'ALL DECIDED TO PULL IT.
UM, YOU SAID YOU WERE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH VOTING ALL THREE READINGS WHEN WE HAVE A VALID PETITION, SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S FEELING VERY DEFEATED.
AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING THE SAME REPRESENTATION.
AND FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, LONGTIME NEIGHBORS AND TAXPAYERS, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU NOT PASS THIS ON ALL THREE READINGS AND GIVE US SOME TIME TO ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE STATED.
THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS DOWN THERE.
MEMBERS, THE, UM, CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN READ.
I HAVE, I WANT TO ASK AGAIN IF THERE'S ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON 62 AND 63, THAT BEING THE CASE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS READ ITEM 62 AND 63, PASS ON A VOTE OF 10 TO ONE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER BEING SHOWN VOTING NO.
SO THEY PASS ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 73.
[73. C14H-2023-0137 - Sinnigson House - Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 by rezoning a portion of the property locally known as 1100 East 2nd Street, Unit A (Waller Creek Watershed). Historic Landmark Commission (Applicant) Request: To rezone the front house on the property from family residence-neighborhood plan (SF-3-NP) combining district zoning to family residence-historic landmark-neighborhood plan (SF-3-H-NP) combining district zoning. Staff and Planning Commission Recommendations: To grant family residence-historic landmark-neighborhood plan (SF-3-H-NP) combining district zoning on a portion of the property. Owner: Pecan Properties, LLC. Agent: Joshua Brunsmann. City Staff: Kalan Contreras, Planning Department. A valid petition has been filed in opposition to this rezoning request. Disttictis): District 3]
THANK YOU MAYOR.MAYOR PERAM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS CALL CONTRERAS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
ITEM 73 IS AN OWNER OPPOSED REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING INITIATED BY THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, UPON THEIR REVIEW OF A DEMOLITION APPLICATION.
OKAY, MA'AM, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU AND ASK YOU TO PUT THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE CLOSER OR HAVE THEM TURN UP THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT? ALRIGHT, HOW ABOUT NOW? THAT'S BETTER.
I'M TALLER THAN I THOUGHT I WAS.
THIS ITEM IS POSTED FOR FIRST READING ONLY AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED HISTORIC ZONING FOR A PORTION OF THE BUILDING ONLY, UH, AND NOT THE ENTIRE PARCEL.
IF THE ITEM PASSES, WE WILL, UH, REQUEST A SURVEY FROM THE OWNER TO DEFINE THE EXTENT OF THE HISTORIC ZONING IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AT Y'ALL'S SECOND AND THIRD READING.
UH, STAFF AND THE PROPERTY OWNER ARE HERE FOR QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 73? YES, MAYOR, I HAVE ONE.
MY NAME IS JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO.
I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF PRESERVATION AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UH, D TWO APPOINTEE ON THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
JUST WANTED TO URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THIS VOTE, UM, TO REZONE, UH, FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE AS WELL THAT WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, A UNANIMOUS DECISION FROM THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
AND ACTUALLY THIS TIME, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED TO, UH, APPROVE THIS AS WELL.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ONCE, UH, DETERMINED TO BE HAZARDOUS DUE TO A 1934 REDLINING MAP.
OBVIOUSLY, MOST OF US KNOW THE HISTORY OF THAT, WHICH REGARDED BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS AS SLUMS AND PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM MAINTAINING AND BUILDING ON THESE LOTS.
SO THIS IS, UH, A CHANCE FOR US TO START THAT NEW EQUITABLE CHAPTER OF PRESERVATION.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS THAT THE CITY HAS DONE THAT SAYS PRESERVATION, UH, AND, AND PRESERVING HISTORIC RESOURCES AND FOSTERING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IS IMPORTANT TO THIS CITY.
IF YOU PARTNER THAT WITH, UH, THE RECENTLY PASSED HOME INITIATIVE, YOU KNOW, THE OWNER CAN STILL MAKE SOME MONEY.
WE CAN STILL SAVE A HISTORIC HOUSE, HAVE ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS FOR PEOPLE, WHICH WE ALL KNOW HOUSING IS A PROBLEM HERE IN THE CITY.
WE HEARD, I WAS HERE DURING THAT HOME INITIATIVE COMMENTS.
WE HEARD A LOT OF ANGRY CITIZENS THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT DISPLACEMENT, AND I THINK THIS IS PART OF THAT CONCERN AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN TEARING DOWN THESE HOUSES AND DEMOLISHING NEIGHBORHOODS.
NEW PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND NOT HAVING ANY REGARD FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES NOR THE COMMUNITY AT, AT ALL.
UH, THE MAYOR'S ANTI DISPLACEMENT TASK FORCE AS WELL RECOMMENDED THAT YOU ALL SHOULD USE MORE HISTORIC DISTRICTS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, TO KEEP PEOPLE, UH, AND COMMUNITIES INTACT.
SO I CONSIDER YOU ALL TO URGE THIS.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S LOCAL, UH, OPPOSITION.
UH, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S TOOLS THAT THIS BODY HAS,
[02:10:01]
UH, WHEN IT'S A PUBLIC BENEFIT AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN SEE THAT.ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, UM, THAT'S ALL SIGNED UP.
SO, UH, WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER 73.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 73.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ MOVES APPROVAL IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 73 IS APPROVED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN VOTING NOW.
UM, THEN ITEM NUMBER 73 PASSES ON A VOTE OF 10 TO ONE ON FIRST READING ONLY.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL BE ADJOURNED.
IT IS 2:27 PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH.