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[CALL TO ORDER]
STARTED ON THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.UH, MARCH 20TH, 2024, UM, AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER EVENT CENTER ROOM 1 4 0 5 AT 6 3 1 0.
WILL JIMENA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN FIVE TWO.
OH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, KRUGER.
OH, IT LOOKS LIKE SHE MIGHT BE HAVING MIC ISSUES.
I CAN, BUT SHE IS PRESENT, I BELIEVE.
UM, ELIZABETH IS, IS THAT OKAY? ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED.
I THINK IF YOU CANNOT BE HEARD, YOU CAN'T TECHNICALLY BE COUNTED AS PART FOR QUORUM.
UH, BUT WE'VE GOT SIX, SO YOU'RE GOOD.
UM, AND THEN THE ACTION IS THE SECOND ITEM, UH, WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE UNLESS WE CAN GET THE MICROPHONE WORKING.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL, AND WE HAVE, UH, SANTIAGO, AND YOU'LL HAVE THE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AS YOU START, TOO.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS MAYBE THE THIRD TIME I'VE SPOKEN TO THIS DIOCESE, UH, HERE AGAIN TO, UM, TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
UH, I'VE SPOKEN TO, TO THE STAES AMONGST MANY OTHER COMMISSION, UH, BODIES ABOUT, UH, THE IMPACTS, ADVERSE EFFECTS OF, UH, THE OP PROPOSED PROJECT OF I 35 EXPANSION.
UM, I AM REQUESTING AT THIS TIME, UH, SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMISSION TO, UM, COLLABORATE ON SOME, SOME WAY TO EFFECT CHANGE, WHETHER THAT IS A LETTER, WHICH IS THE AVENUE THAT HAS HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS TAKEN, OR, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR FROM THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
UM, AND JUST LOOKING FOR SOME STRATEGIES.
AND, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND OF GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS THERE IS, OR COMMUNICATIONS IN GENERAL, THERE IS RECIPROCITY.
SO AT THE END OF THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM AT LEAST ONE OF YOU TO VOICE BACK, UH, TO GUIDE ME FORWARD.
UM, SO A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS.
JUST AS A, A REMINDER TO US ARMY CORPS ENGINEER PERMITS NATIONWIDE PERMIT SEVEN, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE OUTFALL STATION OR THE OUTFALL PROPOSED OUTFALL IN THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, AND THEN, UH, NATIONWIDE, NATIONWIDE PERMIT, UM, 14, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH, UH, THE IMPACTS OF UP TO A 10TH OF AN ACRE, OR LESS THAN A 10TH OF AN ACRE, UM, IN THE, UH, FOR THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION AND DECONSTRUCTION, THEIR ENGINEERS HAVE STATED THAT, UH, THE SIZE OF THEIR COLUMNS, UH, THEY CAN AVOID HAVING TO TAKE OUT A PERMIT, UM, INCLUDING, UH, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY QUITE RIGHT WITH CALCULATIONS, INCLUDING THE DECONSTRUCTION OF THE EXISTING COLUMNS AND THEN REPLACING NEW COLUMNS.
AND THEN, UM, THE SORT OF DECIMATED, UH, UM, UH, BANKS THAT ARE BENEATH THE BRIDGE, IT'S NEARLY 300 FEET LINEAR FEET.
UM, AND, UH, IT, THERE'S, IT'S A DEAD ZONE.
UM, AND, UH, THEN, UH, WITH REGARDS TO MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PARKS BOARD, UM, AND HISTORIC COMMISSION, UH, A PECAN GROVE THAT IS ADJACENT TO, UM, I 35, UH, THOSE TREES ARE NOT MARKED IN THE PARKS BOARD, UM, INVENTORY, THE TREE INVENTORY, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE IN THE WETLANDS OF, UH, OF, OR THE WATERSHED OF THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, AND SO I BELIEVE THAT FOLLOWS FALLS UNDER WATERSHED PROTECTIONS, UH, EVALUATIONS OF THE HEALTH OF THESE TREES.
UM, UH, SPEAKING WITH STAFF, I'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO, UH, ASK FOR LIKE A FUND, FUND TO STUDY, UM, IN PARTICULAR THE EFFECTS OF THE 10 HILL WATERSHED TRIBUTARIES, UH, WITH THE CUT AND CAP, UM, HOW ARE THE STORM WATER GOING TO ACTUALLY BE DIVERTED.
AND THEN, UM, UP TO, UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND $20 MILLION REQUESTED FOR, UH,
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FUNDING A WET POND, UH, AT THE OUTFALL IN COLORADO, THE COLORADO RIVER, AND EVALUATING SORT OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, AND, AND REQUESTING FOR THIS BODY TO BE ABLE TO, TO SEE SOME DOCUMENTATION FROM THAT.UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY TIME IS, BUT YEAH.
AND, UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, SORRY, WE HAVE SHANG LEE, IF YOU COULD, UH, STEP UP TO THE PODIUM AND EXCUSE ME, UH, CHAIR, BEFORE WE START WITH THE NEW PRESENTER, IF THE PREVIOUS PRESENTER HAS SOME SLIDES OR TEXT OF THEIR PRESENTATION, COULD HE MAIL THEM TO ELIZABETH TO DISTRIBUTE? SURE.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY SLIDES OR ANY DOCUMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION, UM, YOU COULD REACH OUT TO ELIZABETH AND GIVE THAT TO HER.
AND THEN EMAIL 'EM TO ELIZABETH SO THAT SHE COULD THANK YOU.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR SHANG LEE IS THE PRESENTATION.
THAT IS THE PRESENTATION BEING LOADED.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE PODIUM TOO? YES, OF COURSE.
MY NAME IS SEAN LEE WITH THE TEXAS, UH, PERS.
SO THE, IT'S THE TEXAS, UM, PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CAMPAIGNS, AND WE ARE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN CALLED SAVE MONEY AND SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO RAISE A LOT OF AWARENESS ABOUT THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, WHICH IS WHAT OUR PRESENTATION IS ABOUT TODAY.
AND SO OUR, I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THE INFLATION RE REDUCTION ACT, SOME SPECIFIC BENEFITS AND HOW YOU CAN USE THE TAX CREDITS.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? OH, YEAH.
SO THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT IS A FEDERAL POLICY THAT WAS PASSED IN AUGUST OF 2022.
IT LASTS 10 YEARS, SO YOU CAN GET THE TAX CREDITS FOR UP TO 2032.
AND IT COVERS A LOT OF, UH, DIFFERENT CREDITS THAT YOU CAN GET FOR A LOT OF HOME IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENT, UM, HOME IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THE TAX CREDITS, UH, COVER A, A VARIETY OF HOME AND LIFE IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEY WILL HELP YOU SAVE MONEY BY, UH, IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR HOME AS WELL AS THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND IT'S AN INVESTMENT FOR A MORE RENEWABLE, ENERGY CENTERED FUTURE, UM, THAT WILL BENEFIT YOUR HOME.
AND SO, THE US DEPARTMENT OF UH, ENERGY SAYS THAT HOME WEATHERIZATION CAN SAVE AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $300 IN ANNUAL UTILITY COSTS WHILE ADDING AN ESTIMATED $1,000 TO THE VALUE OF A HOME, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD REASON TO, UM, CONSIDER THESE, UH, MORE EFFICIENT HOME IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SO THE TAX CREDITS ARE AVAILABLE FOR WEATHERIZING YOUR HOME, ELECTRIFYING YOUR HOME ROOFTOP, SOLAR AND ENERGY STORAGE, AS WELL AS ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, SO FOR WEATHERIZING YOUR HOME, YOU CAN GET UP TO 16,000 FOR IMPROVED INSULATION TO PREVENT ENERGY WASTE, UH, UP TO 2000 FOR EFFICIENT, UM, HEATING UP TO 1,200 FOR MEASURES THAT REDUCE, UH, HOME ENERGY WASTE.
AND A, UH, 150, UH, CREDIT TO HELP PAY FOR AN AUDIT, UH, WHERE A LOCAL PROFESSIONAL CAN COME INTO YOUR HOME AND MAKE PERSONALIZED, UH, RE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR HOME.
YOU CAN ALSO ELECTRIFY A HOME, SAVE ON, UH, AIR CONDITIONER, WATER PANELS, FURNACES, HOT WATER BOILERS, AND YOU CAN SAVE 30% ON CERTAIN ENERGY EFFICIENT EXPENSES FOR UP TO $3,200, WHICH WILL HELP, UH, CLEANER INSIDE AIR.
IT'S ALSO SAFER, MORE RELIABLE, AND, UM, IT'S MORE CONTROL OVER YOUR COMFORT.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SAVE UP TO SEVEN, UH, THOUSAND 500 ON A NEW CLEAN VEHICLE UP TO 4,005, UH, 4,000 ON A USED CLEAN VEHICLE AND UP TO ONE, UH, 1000 ON A HOME CHARGER, WHICH WILL MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AS WELL AS HELP, UM, BUILD THE, UH, CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN
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YOUR CITY.AND THE LAST THING IS ROOFTOPS SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE.
YOU CAN SAVE 30 ON THE COST OF SOLAR, UH, PROJECTS INCLUDING, UM, SOLAR INSTALLATION AND HOME BATTERY STORAGE.
AND THERE'S NO MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT YOU CAN BE CLAIMED YOU CAN CLAIM FOR.
UM, SO YEAH, TO GET THESE CREDITS, YOU CAN JUST, UM, FILL IN THE TAX FORM AND CHECK IF YOUR PROJECTS AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS QUALIFY.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU WANNA SHARE THOSE WITH THE COMMISSION, YOU COULD EMAIL THOSE SLIDES TO ELIZABETH AND SHE'LL GET DISTRIBUTED TO US.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, SOME FLYERS IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED.
YEAH, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THE REASON WE WANTED TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON A CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SAVE MONEY AND SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT USING THESE TAX CREDITS.
UM, SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPREAD THE INFORMATION ON A WIDER SCALE.
WE CAN SEND YOU LIKE EMAIL TEMPLATES IF YOU HAVE, UM, LIKE LISTERVS OR ANY OTHER PLACES YOU CAN SEND THAT OUT.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO DO THAT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IN AUSTIN, UM, CAN WORK ON SAVING MONEY AND HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO YEAH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US DO THIS AND APPRECIATE IT.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on March 6, 2024]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.I DON'T KNOW IF, IF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT.
I, UM, I JUST HAD ONE COMMENT ABOUT THE MINUTES.
UH, I HAD NOTICED, UH, COMMISSIONER SHIRA'S NAME WAS MISSPELLED.
THAT WAS THE ONLY COMMENT I HAD.
I CAUGHT THAT RIGHT AFTER I SAID THAT.
SO I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECONDED BY BRIER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.
[2. Presentation on the South Central Waterfront Combining District with a Density Bonus – April Geruso of the City of Austin Planning Department.]
DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMBINING DISTRICT WITH A DENSITY BONUS.AND, UH, APRIL CARUSO OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THANKS FOR, UH, HAVING ME AND ALSO A GREAT JOB IN MY LAST NAME.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANYONE'S GOTTEN ON THE FIRST TRY.
I AM APRIL JSO FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU CAN PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
SO WE ARE HERE TO CHAT TONIGHT ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND THE COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN DRAFT FORM AND IN PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENT ENDS TONIGHT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GLAD TO BE TALKING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TONIGHT ABOUT, UH, THIS AND TO RECEIVE YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK.
I FORGOT I HAD THE CLICKER, BUT I DO.
UM, SO VERY QUICKLY IN THE PRESENTATION, I'LL BE GOING OVER A QUICK HISTORY AS TO HOW WE GOT HERE.
UM, AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS CONTAINED IN THE COMBINING DISTRICT, AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S CONTAINED IN THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, AND JUST A VERY BRIEF
AND THEN ALSO THROUGHOUT, UH, THE COURSE OF, UM, THE ADOPTION PROCESS, WHICH COMES NEXT.
SO HOW DID WE GET HERE? THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION FRAMEWORK PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2016.
UM, AND AS A PART OF THAT FRAMEWORK, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT A REGULATING PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT BE WRITTEN INTO THE CITY'S CODE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VISION PLAN.
SO THIS CODE WAS INITIATED TWICE, UM, IN BOTH VERSIONS OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITES, FULL REWRITES, UM, BOTH OF WHICH, AS YOU MAY, UH, REMEMBER, HAVE FAILED.
AND SO THEN IN 2022, CITY COUNCIL REINITIATED THIS PROCESS AND PUT FORWARD A RESOLUTION TO REIGNITE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CODE PERTAINING TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, THE RESOLUTION IN PART CALLED FOR DEVELOPING A CODE THAT INCREASED DEVELOPMENT ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM MAXIMIZES COMMUNITY BENEFITS INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OPEN SPACE, AND PUBLIC ART, ET CETERA, MAXIMIZES INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, NEW STREETS, PARKS, BIKEWAYS, AND TRAILS, AND WOULD
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BE REEVALUATED AND UPDATED AT LEAST EVERY FIVE YEARS.ADDITIONALLY, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION ASKED THAT WE CREATE A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AKIN TO DOWNTOWN SUPPORTING PROJECT CONNECT TRANSIT INVESTMENT, AS WELL AS ALLOWING ENTITLEMENTS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO ACHIEVE THE REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS, ENSURING ENTITLEMENTS MEET MARKET DEMAND TO ACCOUNT FOR INCREASED COSTS, AND TO AVOID CONTINUAL REQUESTS TO AMEND THE CODE OVER TIME AND CREATING AN ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARD AND PROTECTIONS.
FINALLY, UH, WE WERE ASKED TO CREATE A CONNECTED, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED MIXED USE DISTRICT WHERE THOUSANDS MORE AUSTINITES CAN LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
IT'S NOT MOVING FORWARD ANYMORE.
UM, SO IT WAS NO SMALL TASK THAT WE WERE ASKED TO CREATE.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, SOME THINGS HAVE COME ABOUT OVER TIME THAT HAVE, UM, INITIATED SOME CHANGES IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS ASKED FROM THE VISION FRAMEWORK AND FROM COUNCIL.
AND I'LL GO INTO SOME DETAIL ABOUT SOME OF THOSE HERE.
UM, SO FIRST, THE VISION FRAMEWORK AND COUNCIL RESOLUTION ASKED FOR THIS TO BE A REGULATING PLAN.
HOWEVER, THE STRUCTURE OF THE CODE IS DIFFERENT FROM A REGULATING PLAN, AND THIS IS FOR TWO IMPORTANT REASONS.
AND JUST AGAIN, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO, UM, FIRST, A REGULATING PLAN IS WHAT MUST HAPPEN, AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN DIRECTED TO CREATE AN INCENTIVIZED PROGRAM.
UM, AND THIS MEANS AN OPT, UH, RECENTLY LEGAL FINDINGS HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT WE CANNOT SIMPLY WRITE A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THAT IT MUST BE, UH, PAIRED WITH A COMBINING DISTRICT.
AND SO, UM, WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF IN THE PAST, AND CERTAINLY WILL HERE OF HERE, IS THAT THIS COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, ARE GOING TO BE REFERRED TO AS A PAPER DISTRICT AT FIRST.
THIS MEANS THAT THE DISTRICT AND BONUS PROGRAM HAVE BEEN CREATED ON PAPER, BUT THE PARCELS WITHIN THE DISTRICT NEED TO GO THROUGH THE REZONING PROCESS IN ORDER TO OPT IN.
UM, AND, UH, THE ZONING REGULATIONS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT WILL THEREFORE BE IMPLEMENTED IN A COUPLE OF STEPS.
SO FIRST, UM, WE HOPE THAT COUNCIL ADOPTS THE OPTIONAL SET OF REGULATIONS AND BONUS PROGRAM THROUGH THIS COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IN THE SPRING OF 2024.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD, UH, INITIATE A CITY INITIATED REZONING OF PROPERTIES IN THE DISTRICT WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS, WHICH I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN, IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENT REZONINGS AND CODE AMENDMENTS, UH, FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES THAT ASKED TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS DISTRICT WOULD BE REQUIRED, UM, AT A LATER DATE.
SECOND, UH, IN TERMS OF THE CHANGES THAT WE ARE, UH, UH, PLANNING TO UNDERTAKE, UM, IS THAT THE REGULATION REVIEW IS GOING TO OCCUR SOONER THAN FIVE YEARS.
AND THIS IS TO ACCOUNT FOR UPDATED DETAILS COMING FROM PROJECT CONNECT AND OTHER CITYWIDE INITIATIVES.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON PAR AS THINGS ARE BEING DECIDED.
UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT ALIGNMENT AND, UH, UM, AND, UH, SYSTEM THAT GOES THROUGH OUR DISTRICT, UM, IS GOING TO COME ABOUT, UH, AS A RESULT OF SOME PUBLIC INPUT THAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS, UM, AND OTHERS THAT ARE GOING ON, UM, UH, ARE REFLECTED IN THIS COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT THAT WE MADE IN THIS COMBINING DISTRICT IS THE ADDITION OF A NUMBER OF PARCELS EXTENDING THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE AREA.
AND THAT'S SHOWN ON THE MAP ON YOUR SCREEN HERE.
UM, AND THIS WAS DONE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, IN SUPPORT OF THE GOAL OF COUNCIL, UM, FOR THIS DISTRICT TO SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT.
AND AS YOU SEE, PROJECT CONNECT'S ALIGNMENT, UH, IS SHOWN IN GREEN, PARTICULARLY HIDING, HIGHLIGHTING THE AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED, UM, IN, UH, IN OUR DISTRICT IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, AND MAN, I WAS GONNA TRY AND DO SOMETHING TRICKY.
I WAS GONNA TRY AND DO A LASER POINTER, BUT I CAN'T.
UM, AND IF YOU SEE, UM, ABOUT MIDPOINT BETWEEN LADY BIRD LAKE AND EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT, UM, IS WHERE THE ANTICIPATED
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PROJECT CONNECT STOP IN THE DISTRICT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE.SO, UM, WE WANTED TO, UH, BOTH, UM, ADD PARCELS THAT WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY A PROJECT CONNECT AND SUPPORT THE TRANSIT, UH, ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA, UM, UH, WITHIN, UM, A HEALTHY BOUNDARY OF, UH, THE PROJECT CONNECT STOP, UM, UH, AS IS SORT OF IN ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER OVERLAYS THAT ARE HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY, INCLUDING THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY THAT'S, UM, BEING DRAFTED NOW.
OKAY, SO AS TO THE DRAFT CODE ITSELF OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE DRAFT COMBINING DISTRICT CODE INCLUDE GENERAL PROVISIONS, WHICH ARE THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE COMBINING DISTRICT LAND USE STANDARDS.
THOSE ARE BOTH PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL LAND USES, UM, DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, UH, THOSE THAT CAN BE WHAT CAN BE BUILT IN THE DISTRICT AND WHERE DESIGN STANDARDS, MEANING HOW THE AREA WILL LOOK, AND THEN DEFINITIONS, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY THOSE DEFINITIONS THAT AREN'T FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE CODE.
BEYOND THIS, THE DENSITY BONUS COMPONENTS INCLUDE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS.
WE'VE GOT GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS OR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE, UM, REQUIRED IN ORDER TO SORT OF OPT INTO ANY OF THE ADDITIONAL DENSITY, UH, WITHIN THE COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
THOSE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, WHICH I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL IN JUST A FEW MINUTES ABOUT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND IMPROVE STREET SCAPE AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT ELEMENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, IN THE DENSITY BONUS, UM, PROGRAM, WE IDENTIFY IN LIEU FEES AND DEDICATIONS, AND THEN ONSITE COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UH, THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL BONUS AREA.
SO TO SORT OF, UM, BRING THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, WHEN THE VISION FRAMEWORK WAS PASSED IN 2016, THEY IDENTIFIED A ROADWAY NETWORK.
THAT ROADWAY NETWORK WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN OR A SMP.
THAT NETWORK IS SHOWN HERE WITH LEVEL ONE AND LEVEL THREE STREETS.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE'VE PULLED IN, UH, THE PROJECT CONNECT LIGHT MAIL ALIGNMENT, WHICH, UM, TRAVELS BOTH NORTH SOUTH AND THEN, UM, AND THEN, UH, ALONG TO THE EAST ON EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
SO MOST OF THE ELEMENTS RELATED TO THE STREETS AND LIGHT RAIL ARE NOT ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE CODE, BUT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY ARE FOUND, UM, ELSEWHERE IN THE CODE OR ARE BEING WORKED ON ACTIVELY, LIKE THE PROJECT CONNECT ALIGNMENT.
SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'VE APPROACHED THIS IS TO DIVIDE THE, UM, AREA INTO FIVE SUBDISTRICTS.
AND THESE SUBDISTRICTS ARE, UM, PULLED TOGETHER, UM, UH, BY, UM, FLOOR TO AREA RATIO, UM, THAT DECREASES, UH, OR YEAH, DECREASES IN DENSITY STARTING TOWARDS DOWNTOWN AND HEADING, UM, FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST AS SHOWN HERE ON THE MAP.
UM, AGAIN, THE DENSITY IS SORT OF, UH, HIGHEST TOWARDS, UM, THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THEN, UH, REDUCES DOWN AND OUT AS YOU HEAD BOTH, UM, A LITTLE BIT SOUTH AND WEST, AND THEN SOUTH AND EAST.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OVERLAYS THAT, UM, EXIST IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND, UH, THOSE OVERLAYS REMAIN, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF EACH OF THE OVERLAYS THAT ARE SUPERSEDED BY THIS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AND CHAD OVER HERE, UH, ASSURES ME THAT HE WILL ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN OMITTED.
I HAVE NOT MEMORIZED THOSE, BUT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY STONES REMAIN, AND WE WANTED TO SHOW THOSE HERE, UM, AND HAVE BEEN TELLING EVERYONE IN ALL THE PRE, UH, PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS ABOUT, UM, THE ADHERENCE OF, UH, THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES, UM, UH, IN THIS DISTRICT.
AS FOR THE LAND USES THAT I MENTIONED, UH, THE PERMITTED LAND USES SUPPORT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANT IN SORT OF A, A MORE DENSELY, UH, UH, TRANSIT ORIENTED AREA.
SO, TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE USES PEDESTRIAN, UH, SUPPORTIVE USES A MIX OF USES, UH, TO ALLOW FOR SORT OF AN ACTIVE, UM, AREA, UM, AT MANY TIMES OF DAY, UH,
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LAND USES THAT SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ENTERPRISE AS WELL AS RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITY.AS FOR THE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, UM, THE REQUIREMENT WITHIN THIS CODE IS THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR 5% OF THE SITE TO BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE OPEN SPACE.
ADDITIONALLY, PARKLAND DEDICATION MAY BE CREDITED TOWARDS PARKS FEE IN LIEU AMOUNT, MEANING IF THERE IS PARKLAND DEDICATION WITHIN, UH, UH, A SITE ITSELF, THAT WOULD BE CREDITED, UM, AGAINST THE PARKS FEE IN LIE AMOUNT.
AND THEN THE BUILD OUT OF PARKS AMENITIES IS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL BONUS AREA, UM, TO ATTRACT MORE OPEN SPACE AND, AND BONUS AREA, UH, AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, BOTH PARKLAND DEDICATION AND BUILD OUT MUST MEET THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT CRITERIA AND MUST BE ACCEPTED BY THE PAR DIRECTOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN A QUESTION A LOT, AND PERHAPS YOU'LL HAVE A QUESTION FOR US TONIGHT ABOUT THE VISION PLAN HAS VERY SPECIFIC PARKS IDENTIFIED.
WE ARE NOT LEGALLY, UH, PERMITTED TO ACTUALLY REQUIRE THOSE PARKS.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS DESIGN SOMETHING TO BEST GET TO AN OUTCOME WHERE WE ARE ALL, UM, UH, GETTING TO THE INTENT OF THE VISION.
UM, IT IS THE PART, UH, AND THE PART DIRECTOR'S INTENT TO, UM, USE THE VISION PLAN AS THEIR FRAMEWORK, UM, AS, AND, AND SO THIS LAST BULLET REALLY SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE PARKS THAT ARE PROPOSED, ALL OF THE OPEN SPACE THAT IS PROPOSED WILL GO THROUGH, UM, UH, CRITERIA, UM, THAT IS TYPICAL WITHIN PARD AND MUST BE ACCEPTED BY THE PARD DIRECTOR.
SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AS YOU SEE HERE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST AND HIGHEST DENSITY, UM, UH, IS TOWARDS DOWNTOWN, AND THEN IT TAPERS, UM, DOWN IN SOUTH, UM, AS DEPICTED IN THAT SUBDISTRICT MAP.
NOW, THIS IS JUST FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY, UM, BUT WE DID WANNA SHOW HOW THIS MIGHT LOOK, UM, SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO CONCEPTUALIZE IT AND NOT JUST HAVE IT BE A BUNCH OF BULLETS,
SO THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE, UM, UH, A PEDESTRIAN COMMUNITY, A PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE DESIGNED, UM, INTERNAL WALKWAYS, WHICH WERE NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDED IN THE A SMP, UM, THAT REQUIRE AT LEAST 10 FEET OF SIDEWALK AND FIVE FEET OF PLANTING OR AMENITY ZONES, SIDEWALKS ALONG ROADWAYS THAT HAVE AT LEAST 10 FEET OF SIDEWALK WITH AN EIGHT FOOT PLANTING AN AMENITY ZONE.
UM, AND, UH, ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL, UM, INTERNAL WALKWAYS THAT ARE ACCOMMODATING FOR, UH, THE BIKE NETWORK AS WELL FROM, UH, PUBLIC FEEDBACK THAT'S NOT IN THE CURRENT VERSION, BUT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT IN THE UPDATED VERSION, ONCE PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSES AND WE HEAD TOWARDS ADOPTION, THAT ADDITIONAL, UM, PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE WILL BE INCLUDED AS, UH, A RECOMMENDED ADOPTION.
SO WHY DOES THIS MATTER? UM, IN TERMS OF THE INTERNAL PEDESTRIAN NETWORK, THE VERY STRANGE THING ABOUT THIS DISTRICT IS THAT, UM, WHILE IN DOWNTOWN YOU HAVE VERY STANDARD BLOCK SIZES WITH VERY STANDARD ROADS.
THIS DISTRICT HAS ALMOST NO ROADWAY NETWORK, AND THE LOT SIZES AND CONFIGURATIONS VARY WILD WILDLY.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SOME, UH, LOTS THAT ARE FOUR ACRES IN SIZE, AND THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE 30,000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.
AND SO TO THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW TO CREATE A PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE THAT WE WOULD ALL WANT TO BE IN, WE'VE COME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT OF DENSITY DISTRIBUTION AREAS, OR WHAT WE CALL DDAS.
AND SO, UM, THE FLOOR TO AREA RATIO OR FAR WOULD BE CALCULATED SEPARATELY FOR EACH DDA A, UM, AND FAR MAXIMUMS WOULD APPLY SEPARATELY.
UM, THE, THE, UM, DDAS ARE, ARE NOT GOING TO BE ANY GREATER THAN 90,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND THIS IS APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A DOWNTOWN BLOCK, 300 SQUARE FEET, EXCUSE ME, 300 FEET BY 300 FEET.
UM, AND THE INTERNAL WALKWAYS ARE REQUIRED ALONG THE DDA BOUNDARIES FOR INTERNAL PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION.
AND AGAIN, SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN, UH, AUSTIN.
[00:30:01]
AND AGAIN, THIS IS MEANT TO BE SO THAT WE ALL ARE SORT OF ATTRACTED TO BE IN THIS AREA, WALK AROUND AND FEEL A MORE, UH, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT WITH A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION WITH SO MANY WONKY, UH, LOT LINES.SO AS FOR THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM ITSELF, AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE ON ONSITE, UH, GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
THOSE ARE THE ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS.
THOSE ARE THE STREETSCAPE AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT STANDARDS.
AND, UM, IMPORTANTLY, 5% OF HOUSING ON SITE MUST BE AFFORDABLE, UH, WITHIN THE FIRST THREE TO ONE FAR, UH, ACHIEVABLE IN THIS DISTRICT.
UM, THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COULD BE AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS AT 60% MFI OR IF WHAT'S BEING DEVELOPED IN, IN AN AREA IS CONDOS, THE AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP UNITS ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME OR AN MFI.
ADDITIONALLY, IF THEY ARE DEVELOPING CONDOS, A FEE IN LIE, UM, FOR THOSE OWNERSHIP UNITS IS AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION.
AND ONE THING I PARTICULARLY WANTED TO CALL OUT ABOUT, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE VISION FRAMEWORK IDENTIFIES, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A, AS A KEY ASPECT TO THIS AREA, AND WE FIND IT TO BE VERY IMPORTANT WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND SO JUST TO SORT OF COMPARE
AND THAT'S, UM, COMPARED WITH THE 527 THAT WE'RE, UM, IMAGINED IN THE, IN THE VISION FRAMEWORK.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ON PAR, UM, WITH, UH, WHAT WAS ENVISIONED, UM, WHICH IS, I, LET ME TELL YOU NO, WELL, FOR OUR STAFF TO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, SO BEYOND THE ONSITE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS, THE WAY THAT WE'VE STRUCTURED THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS SPLITTING IT INTO TWO.
SO 70% OF THE DESIRED BONUS AREA MAY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH FEES IN LIEU AND DEDICATIONS.
AND, UM, THESE WILL BE DIVIDED AMONGST AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE IS IDENTIFIED TO BE SPENT WITHIN A BOUNDARY, WE'RE CALLING THAT BOUNDARY.
THE SOUTH CENTRAL, UM, UH, DISTRICT, I BELIEVE IS THE, THE, THE OFFICIAL TITLE THAT WE'VE BEEN CALLING IT.
UM, WITH, UH, LADY BEARD LAKE TO THE NORTH, UM, MOPAC TO THE WEST I 35 TO THE EAST, AND THEN OLD TURF TO THE SOUTH.
UH, THE PARKS FEE WOULD BE SPENT WITHIN A DISTANCE, UH, FROM THE PROPERTY FROM WHICH IT'S OBTAINED.
THIS IS VERY TYPICAL AND THE TYPICAL WAY THAT PARKS IDENTIFIES, UM, THE WAYS IN WHICH PARKS FEES WILL BE SPENT, AGAIN, UNDERSCORING THE FACT THAT PARD REALLY WANTS TO REALIZE THIS VISION AS MUCH AS WE DO.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE'LL BE TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE PARKS FEES AS WELL.
AND THEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE FEE, UM, IS, UH, DESIGNED TO BE SPENT ON AND SUPPORTING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DISTRICT ITSELF.
THEN, UH, THE REMAINING 30% OF THE DESIRED BONUS AREA MAY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH ADDITIONAL ONSITE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
YOU SEE A BUNCH OF THEM UP HERE, I'LL HIGHLIGHT THE, SOME OF THE ONES THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.
UM, PUBLIC OPEN SPACE, INCLUDING PLAZAS AND OTHERS, UM, AS WELL AS CULTURAL USES, ART GALLERIES, MUSEUMS, LIVE MUSIC VENUES AMONG OTHERS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE GOT PARK AND PLAYGROUND AMENITIES, AND THEN TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE BUS STATIONS, BIKE SHARES.
AND, UM, THERE'S A, A LIST THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE FOR THAT TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WHAT THE WAY THAT THIS SORT OF LIKE SHAPES UP IN TERMS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, WE HAVE, UH, AS YOU OPT INTO THIS PROGRAM, YOU ARE ALLOWED AS A PROPERTY TO, UM, BUILD UP TO TWO TO ONE FAR.
UH, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE INITIAL, UH, BUMP TO THREE TO ONE FAR, UM, YOU FIRST MUST ACHIEVE THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS THAT I'VE MENTIONED AND ARE IN FRONT OF YOU HERE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE, UH, THE REMAINING FAR THAT IS IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE SUBDISTRICT MAP THROUGH THE 70% IN, IN LIEU FEES AND DEDICATIONS, PLUS THE 30% ONSITE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
[00:35:03]
THE WAY THAT WE'RE HAVING THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES FOR COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UM, IS WE'VE DESIGNED A DENSITY BONUS CALCULATOR WHERE YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN SOME INPUTS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OUTPUTS FOR THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS ARE, AND ALSO FOR THE HEIGHTS AND, AND SORT OF, UM, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.UM, THE OUTCOME OF THE DENSITY OUTPUT, IF YOU WILL, OF THE DENSITY BONUS CALCULATOR INCLUDES THE TOTAL FEE IN LIEU AMOUNT, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE DESIRED BONUS AREA, AN ESTIMATED NUMBER OF ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS, UM, AT ASSUMING 60% MFI AND THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS TO BE PROVIDED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED BONUS AREA.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WE DON'T HAVE THAT SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT WE DO AND CAN PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL BACKUP, UM, UH, A SLIDE THAT IDENTIFIES, UM, ONE PROPERTY THAT HA IS SORT OF IN THE MIDST OF, UM, UH, A DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROCESS WHO'VE SUBMITTED SOME INFORMATION TO US AND WE'VE RUN THE NUMBERS AND DONE THE OUTPUT, UM, TO SHOW WHAT THAT OUTPUT COULD LOOK LIKE.
AND AGAIN, HAPPY TO SHOW THAT IN BACKUP AND SHARE WITH THAT IN BACKUP, UM, AFTER THIS PRESENTATION.
AS FOR THE TIMELINE OF WHERE WE ARE, WE HAD OUR LAST PUBLIC MEETING THIS MORNING VIRTUALLY, UM, WE'RE TALKING TO YOU ALL NOW AND PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
UM, AND THEN WE HEAD TO, UH, THE ADOPTION PROCESS WHERE WE ARE TALKING TO VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, UH, BEYOND THIS ONE.
UM, AND THEN HEAD TO BOTH PLANNING COMMISSION AND ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION AND APRIL AND CITY COUNCIL, IDEALLY IN MAY.
IN TERMS OF GIVING US YOUR FEEDBACK, UM, WE HAVE, UH, A SPECIFIC PAGE FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ON OUR SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG SITE.
UM, IT'S SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG/SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.
A LINK TO THE, UM, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UH, WEBSITE, THE DRAFT COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, AND THEN VARIOUS DIFFERENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING TO.
UM, IF, UH, ADDITIONALLY THERE IS A SURVEY WHERE WE'RE ASKING FOR VERY SPECIFIC INPUT, UM, YOU CAN ACCESS THAT SURVEY BY, UH, HEADING TO THE QR CODE OR, UM, IF THE, UH, RESPONSES THAT YOU HAVE ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO THE SURVEY, BUT UM, YOU STILL WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US ABOUT THEM, UM, WE ASK THAT YOU SEND AN EMAIL TO THE LDC UPDATES@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV EMAIL ADDRESS.
UM, AND IF YOU, UH, WOULD BE SO KIND TO REFERENCE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT THAT WOULD HELP US SORT OF NAVIGATE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ONES THAT ARE PARTICULAR TO THIS PARTICULAR CODE.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO CALL AND LEAVE A MESSAGE ON 5 1 2 9 7 4 7 2 2 0.
AND WITH THAT, I, UH, THAT IS OUR PRESENTATION AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO SAY.
UM, WE ARE GONNA TRY PAUSING THE MEETING SO WE COULD, UM, NAVIGATE THE WEBEX ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING.
I'M TRYING TO, UH, SO I DON'T, WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED FOR THAT, ELIZABETH? SO YOU WILL CALL A RECESS AND SET AMOUNT OF TIME.
I, I THINK LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES WILL BE FINE.
AND THEN, SO LET'S RECESS IN, UM, ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FROM NOW, WHICH WOULD BE
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO, I BELIEVE WE'RE UP TO QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
UM, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, IF YOU WANNA GO UP WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, YEAH, I WANNA JUST MAKE POINT OUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THIS.
IT'S SPECIFIC IN THE COMBINING AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM DRAFT THAT, THERE'S SEVERAL SECTIONS.
IT'S A SECTION IN THERE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND IT INCLUDES HERITAGE TREES, PROTECTED TREES, THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY, ZONE PROTECTION, LANDSCAPING, UH, RESOURCE EFFICIENCY, LIKE WATER REUSE AND RECLAIMED WATER, AND THEN GREEN BUILDING.
SO YEAH, SO THERE'LL BE A TWO STAR BUILT GREEN BUILDING, UH, REQUIREMENT.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE, I'M ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT,
[00:40:01]
UM, ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.AND, UM, THOSE ARE SPECIFIC THINGS IN THERE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALSO, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THE PODS THAT COME THROUGH, WHICH ARE NOT PART OF THE COMBINING DISTRICT AND, UM, DENSITY BONUS REGION, UM, THAT THEY'RE STILL TIED INTO IT.
THAT IT'S A POROUS AREA WHERE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, WALK, RIDE A SCOOTER, RIDE A BIKE WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE OR SEE A SIGN THAT SAYS NO TRESPASSING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, WITHIN THIS WHOLE DISTRICT.
AND SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT AND THAT'S PART OF THE VISION THAT THIS IS A POROUS AREA THAT'S FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY AS WELL AS LIVE WORK, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ENJOY THE, THE WATERFRONT, ET CETERA.
AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF IS GONNA BE LOOKING FOR WHENEVER APPLICATIONS COME IN.
AND, UM, JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT AND ADD ON TO IT, THE GOAL IS THAT THIS COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, IF PARCELS ELECT NOT TO OPT IN, UH, TO THE PROGRAM, BUT DO OPT IN TO, UH, THE PUD PROCESS, PDA PROCESS OR OTHERWISE, UM, THIS WOULD BE SORT OF A BASELINE STANDARD THAT OUR TEAM WOULD BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE'RE IN COORDINATION WITH THE ZONING TEAM WITHIN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, AND IN CLOSE CONTACT SO THAT THIS WOULD BE SORT OF THE COHESIVE STRATEGY.
SO I WON'T HAVE TO TALK LATER UNDER COMMITTEE UPDATES 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, DOES THE CITY OWN ANY LAND IN THAT AREA? YES, WE OWN ONE, UH, TEXAS CENTER.
THAT'S ONE PARCEL WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
AND IS THAT GONNA REMAIN A OFFICE BUILDING THAT IS STILL BEING DETERMINED AT THIS POINT? THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK FOR MANY YEARS OF, UM, POTENTIALLY TRANSITIONING THAT PARCEL.
UM, BUT, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE COULD DO TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE THINK THAT ONSITE, UM, OR EXCUSE ME, IN-DISTRICT, UM, POSSIBILITY FOR ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS OR OTHERWISE COULD COME FROM THAT POTENTIAL SITE IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT IT WILL NO LONGER BE CITY OFFICES.
IS CITY PLANNING ON PURCHASING ADDITIONAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE AREA? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
UM, THE MONEY FOR NEW PARKS, YOU SAID HAS TO BE SPENT WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF, OF THE PROPERTY.
NOW, IS THAT NEW PART LITERALLY NEW PARKS OR IS THAT IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING PARTS? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, CHAD, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT? YES, CHAD CHAR HERE.
UH, IT'S FOR BOTH WITHIN A HALF MILE RADIUS IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW PARTS.
BECAUSE, UM, ARE THERE MANY NEW PARKS WITHIN, ARE THERE ANY EXISTING PARKS WITHIN THE RADIUS THERE BESIDES ZILKER AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE LAKE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, SO YEAH, YOU DID IDENTIFY THE, THERE IS THE ONE, UH, ON THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN THAT WAS, UH, DEDICATED OR IS TO BE DEDICATED, I BELIEVE FROM THE, THE POD PROCESS THEY WENT THROUGH.
THERE'S ALSO THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, A LOCATION AVAILABLE FOR THIS.
UM, BUT, UH, A LOT OF THE REMAINING VISION OF THE VISION PLAN AND, AND WHAT THIS REGULATING PLAN IS GOING TO SUPPORT TOO, IS ALSO THE ACQUISITION OF NEW PARKS.
NOW WE DO HAVE LEGAL LIMITATIONS OF, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE CERTAIN PARKS IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS, BUT PART IS INTENDING TO BE VERY PROACTIVE ABOUT, UM, REALLY MAKING AS MUCH OF THE VISION, UH, COME TO FRUITION AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE'VE GOT THOSE FEES, DEDICATIONS CAN BE REDUCED FROM THOSE FEES.
[00:45:01]
WE ALSO HAVE THAT, UM, UH, BONUS FOR PARKLAND BUILD OUT AS WELL.SO, UM, AN APPLICANT CAN ACTUALLY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BUILD OUT, SAY A PLAYGROUND OR WHATEVER ON, ON THIS PARK.
UM, THEY WOULD BE GRANTED BONUS AREA AND THAT WOULD NOT COME OUT DIRECTLY OUT OF THE CITY'S, UH, POCKET EITHER.
SO THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE, UM, UH, TOOLS TO SUPPORT, UH, ACQUISITION AND BUILD OUT OF PARKS IN THE DISTRICT, BUT PARK CAN'T BE NECESSARILY WHERE THEY PUT THIS PLAYGROUND WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE, UH, NEAR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE UP IN, UH, NEAR THE ARBORETUM, SO CAN CAN, THEY COULD PUT A PLAYGROUND UP THERE IN A PARK NEAR WHERE I AM.
SO ALSO, SO WELL, OKAY, SO I ASKED YOU A QUESTION ABOUT WHERE THE PARKS ARE AND YOU LISTED, UH, BASICALLY ZILKER PARK AND A PARK AT, YOU KNOW, ON THE, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN PUTT.
SO THOSE WERE TWO PLACES WHERE THEY COULD DO SOMETHING.
COMMISSIONER BRIER, I THINK THAT, UM, STAFF IS WANTING TO JUMP IN HERE REAL QUICK.
WE, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE STAFF INTRODUCES THEMSELVES.
SORRY, MY NAME IS TYLER TRIPP.
I'M A SENIOR PLANNER WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO I'M, I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHERE THE MONEY IS GONNA BE SPENT.
NOW, MY, YOU MENTIONED THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT MONEY THEN WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, UH, FOR THAT SORT OF THING.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO IS THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
IS THAT, SO THE, THE BUILD OUT OF, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD, UH, AND IT WOULD BE TIED TO THE PARTICULAR PARCEL AND A RADIUS FROM THAT PARCEL? CORRECT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT WOULD NOT GO TO BUILD OUT OF PARKS NEAR YOU IN THE ARBORETUM.
SO WHICH PARK WOULD IT BE BUILT OUT? I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY TWO.
SO THE ONLY TWO THEY CAN BUILD OUT ARE THOSE TWO.
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS THIS, WE'RE GONNA BE AT BUILDING A LOT OF STUFF THERE AND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, WALK AROUND AND EVERYTHING.
THERE'LL BE SOME PUBLIC OPEN SPACES, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE NO NEW PARK LAND IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AS A RESULT OF ALL THIS BEING BUILT.
SO THE VISION FRAMEWORK IDENTIFIED THREE TO FOUR NEW PARKS THAT WOULD BE DESIRABLE IN THE AREA.
AND, UH, THE GOAL OF STAFF AND COMMUNITY IS TO SEE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE THE CLOSEST APPROXIMATION OF THOSE PARKS BUILT OUT.
UM, AND SO THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO USE THOSE FEES IN LIEU OR DEDICATION OF LAND WITHIN, WELL, THE DEDICATION OF LAND WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE WITHIN THE, IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT THE FEES IN LIEU WOULD BE TO HELP SUPPORT, UH, THE BUILD OUT OF THAT VISION.
BUT THAT VISION DOESN'T INCLUDE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES TO TURN INTO A PARK.
UM, IT, 'CAUSE WHAT I HEAR IS WORDS LIKE GOAL AND VISION, BUT I DON'T HEAR WE'RE GOING TO BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND TURN IT INTO A PARK.
I'M GETTING REALLY DOWN INTO SPECIFICS BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, ADD MONEY TO EXISTING PARKS AND THAT SORT OF THING, WE'RE NOT CREATING NEW PARKLAND THAT WE'RE ATTRACTING THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTS INTO THIS SMALL AREA THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD UP AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, A NEW DOWNTOWN.
LITERALLY IT'S A NEW DOWNTOWN SOUTH OF THE RIVER PARKLAND.
DEDICATION IS AN OPTION AND A GOAL, UM, FOR THE CITY.
THERE ARE JUST, UM, VARIOUS LIMITATIONS LEGALLY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN REQUIRE, WHAT YOU REQUIRE IF THE CITY CAN BUY THE PROPERTY.
AND SO I I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE THINGS CLEAR.
A, UM, THE CITY IS INTENDING TO USE THESE FUNDS, UH, IN TERMS OF ACQUISITION.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS, UH, UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW, UH, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS.
HOWEVER, UP TO 10% OF A SITE'S AREA CAN BE REQUIRED TO BE DEDICATED.
UM, SO THAT IS IS ONE OPTION AND, AND WE ARE EXPLORING ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BOOST, UH, VARIOUS DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS AND OR INCENTIVES.
UM, SO WE ARE VERY PROACTIVELY LOOKING AT, AT OPPORTUNITIES
[00:50:01]
TO GET ADDITIONAL PARKLAND.IT IS, IT IS VERY, VERY MUCH INTENDED.
NOW, UH, WE JUST HAD TWO PUDS SHOW UP FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AT THREE 11 SOUTH CONGRESS AND 500 SOUTH CONGRESS AND WE APPROVED THOSE, WHATEVER THEY SAID IN THERE, ARE THOSE GOING TO BE COVERED BY THIS? AND HOW DOES THAT PUD THEREIN, ARE THEY GONNA OPT INTO THIS WHOLE THING AND IS THAT GONNA CHANGE WHAT WE JUST APPROVED THEM FOR? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK INTO WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED? 500 CONGRESS IS NOT AN APPROVED PUD AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THREE 11 IS NOT EITHER.
SO ANYTHING PROCESS, UM, TO OPT IN, UH, TO THIS.
AND I THINK THE TIMING WOULD BE FINE BASED ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS, UM, OF THOSE PUDS.
UM, OR THEY COULD CONTINUE ON THE PUD PLA PATH.
AND AS I MENTIONED TO UH, THE COMMISSIONER EARLIER, WE WOULD USE THE STANDARDS THAT ARE SET FORTH IN THIS COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AS SORT OF THE BASELINE.
HOW DEPENDENT IS THE LIGHT? IS THE LIGHT RAIL OR ARE YOU DEPENDENT ON THE LIGHT RAIL? UM, I THINK THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS SORT OF IMPORTANTLY UNDERDEVELOPED REGARDLESS OF OF LIGHT RAIL IN TERMS OF, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF REALIZE SOMETHING THAT IS LOVELY SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND UM, AND SO, UM, WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR LIGHT RAIL AND UM, AND GLAD TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF PROJECT CONNECT IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A STATION THAT IMPACTS IT.
UM, BUT UM, I THINK THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LOTS OF FOLKS TO WANT TO BE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
UM, REGARDLESS I'M ASKING BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S A MOVEMENT AFOOT BY UNNAMED THOSE THAT BEING UNNAMED, UH, TO KILL THE WHOLE THING.
AND I'M KIND OF CURIOUS, IS THE LIGHT RAIL A CORNERSTONE, YOU KNOW, A KEY PART OF THIS WHOLE THING? OR IS IT JUST LIKE, WELL, IT'D BE REALLY GREAT IF WE HAD LIGHT RAIL AND WE'LL MAKE THE BEST USE OF IT.
IF WE DON'T HAVE LIGHT RAIL, IT'S MEANT TO BE TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE.
UM, ANY MODE OF TRANSIT, INCLUDING BUSES THAT ARE, UM, ALREADY SCHEDULED TO COME THROUGH AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN AND, AND BIKE FRIENDLY AS WELL.
SO THIS IS SUPPORTIVE OF ALL FOLKS WHO, UM, CAN COME TO, UH, TO THE AREA.
UM, AND THAT WILL LIVE IN THE AREA.
SO I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S EXCLUSIVELY, UH, CODEPENDENT ON IT.
IS THERE GONNA BE, WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF ZONING IS GONNA BE IN THAT AREA? I MEAN, IS IT GONNA HAVE, IS IT GONNA RETAIN THE CURRENT ZONING IF PARCELS DO NOT OPT INTO THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND COMBINING DISTRICT, THEY WOULD KEEP THEIR CURRENT ZONING.
IF THEY DO OPT IN, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE A NEW ZONING STRING THAT WOULD BE RELATED TO THIS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND COMBINING DISTRICT.
UH, COMMISSIONER NICHOLS, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANNA THANK THE, UH, PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR BEING HERE AND DELIVERING THEIR PRESENTATION.
AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN'S COMMENTS, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER ENDS UP, YOU KNOW, BEING ON THE SITE WILL BE FAR VASTLY ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR TO WHAT IS THERE CURRENTLY.
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO I'M ALSO A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND SORT OF HOW I'VE SEEN THIS EVOLVE SINCE IT WAS FIRST SORT OF BROUGHT TO US LAST YEAR.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE NEEDLE THAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO THREAD WITH THE STATE LAW AS WELL.
I'M CURIOUS THOUGH, SORT OF HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER IDEAS TO HOW TO SORT OF MORE PROACTIVELY INCENTIVIZE OPEN SPACE? UM, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE RELYING ON AN OPT-IN FROM DEVELOPERS DOESN'T REALLY INCENTIVIZE THAT SORT OF DISTRICT LEVEL OPEN SPACES.
AND I REALIZED THAT YOU CAN'T SAY, OKAY, THESE PARCELS OR THESE 20 ACRES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED FROM THAT EPA GRANT, THOSE 20 ACRES, I THINK IN LIKE 2016, WE CAN'T SAY, WELL, YOU HAD TO BUILD THESE 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT EQUITABLE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S KIND OF GONE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY.
SO I WILL JUST SAY AGAIN, WE ARE VERY LEGALLY CONSTRAINED, UH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN RECENT STATE LAW.
UM, WE CAN REQUIRE UP TO 10%, UH, THROUGH JUST TYPICAL PROCESSES.
UM, HOWEVER, WE ARE AGAIN, UH, EXPLORING SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO FURTHER, UM,
[00:55:02]
BOOST PARKLAND DEDICATION.UM, AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS RELEVANT TO THIS TOO IS THAT, UM, THE STANDARD PARKS FEE, UH, WHAT WE ARE TAKING FOR FEE AND FROM FROM THIS PROJECT IS, IS JUST ADDED TO THAT SUM.
UM, SO THE, DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT BACK OF THE NAPKIN ESTIMATE, IT'S LIKE 30 TO 50% MORE FUNDS, UM, PER PROJECT.
UM, SO THAT IS GOING TO RESULT IN, IN MORE ABILITY FOR, UH, PART TO PAY FOR VARIOUS PARKS.
OBVIOUSLY THE DEDICATION, IT'S AN OPTION AND WE'RE EXPLORING, AGAIN, THOSE, THOSE FURTHER, UH, INCREASED REQUIREMENTS THAT, UH, AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED, UH, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HI CHAD CHAR.
UH, JUST WANTED TO ADD ALSO THAT, UH, PRIVATE COMMON AREA OPEN SPACE IS AN ONSITE COMMUNITY BENEFIT APPLICABLE FOR BONUS AREA, UM, IN EXCHANGE FOR GOING BEYOND THAT 5%.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE EXPLORING THE LEGAL FEASIBILITY OF REQUIRING, UM, PERMANENT ACCESS EASEMENTS OR PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENTS OVER THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE BEING CREATIVE WITH THAT.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR THAT? LIKE, WHEN WILL WE KIND OF SEE SOME OF THAT? 'CAUSE I HADN'T REALLY, I GUESS UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY REQUIRE 10%.
LIKE LET'S GET RID OF FEE AND LIE AND, UM, BUY LAND.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MORE OF IT KIND OF THING.
SO WHEN DOES THAT SORT OF NEXT ITERATION OF WHAT THIS CAN LOOK LIKE COME OUT? UM, BECAUSE WE'RE HUSTLING AND BUSTLING.
SO COMMENT PERIOD IS OVER TODAY.
UM, WE ARE VERY FEVERISHLY INCORPORATING ALL OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT WE, UM, UH, CAN AND HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS A RESULT OF, UM, FEEDBACK OVER THE LAST MONTH SINCE THE DRAFT HAS COME OUT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE BOARD AND COMMISSION RELATED TO, UM, UM, SORT OF THE, THE NEXT ITERATION OF THIS DOCUMENT IS APRIL 1ST.
SO, UM, WE NEED TO, UM, HAVE SOMETHING SOLID LOCKED IN, UM, HAVE OUR LEGAL UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THESE POSSIBILITIES, UH, BEFORE BACKUP IS DUE FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, AS WELL AS I, WE DO INTEND TO PROVIDE UPDATES ON, UH, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT SPEAK UP PAGE.
UM, AND WE HAVE AN EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST THAT AT MINIMUM INCLUDES THE SCHWAB MEMBERS.
UM, AND IT MAY ALSO INCLUDE THE CHAIR HERE AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ON IT SO YOU CAN, UM, GET UP TO DATE INFORMATION WHEN THE UPDATES ARE ARE AVAILABLE.
I REALIZE HOW QUICKLY YOU GUYS ARE HAVING TO, TO INCORPORATE THESE THINGS.
UM, LOOKING BACK AT THE AUGUST, 2023 REGULATING PLAN, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MIKE, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT AND SEEING SORT OF THE, THE EVOLUTION OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FAR AND THE HEIGHTS LEADING UP TO GOLDEN CREEK NOW WHERE IT USED TO KIND OF FEATHER DOWN INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S, UM, UNLIMITED HEIGHT AND THE 1 25 TO 24 TO ONE DENT FAR RIGHT THERE.
IS THERE, UM, WHY, UM, WELL, I MEAN, YOU WERE ABOUT TO TURN ON
I CAN TALK TO, I CAN SPEAK TO YOU.
WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THAT AND, AND FEEDBACK RELATED TO THAT AND, AND HAVE BEEN, UM, TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT SORT OF ITS, UH, RELATIONSHIP WITH, UM, UH, OTHER COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN OPTIONAL DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND WE HAVE TO SORT OF CONSIDER MARKET CONSIDERATIONS.
UM, BUT AS WE ARE WORKING ON, UH, CONSIDERATIONS AND UPDATES FOR THE NEXT VERSION, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING PUBLIC FEEDBACK ABOUT, UM, THE ABSENCE OF HEIGHT LIMITATIONS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, TYLER? YEAH, I, I GUESS JUST THE ONE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS, UM, THOSE FAR, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A DENSITY BONUS IS DOING THIS, BUT WE ARE INCLUDING PARKING IN THE FAR CALCULATION, UM, WHICH IS A, IT CONSIDERATE AS PART OF THAT DENSITY, BUT THEN B, WE'RE IT'S DISINCENTIVIZING ABOVE GRADE PARKING.
UM, THERE IS A, A CERTAIN BASE ENTITLEMENT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY HOW MUCH PARKING THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE UNDER NORMAL ZONING, BUT IT IS, IT IS DISINCENTIVIZING PARKING AND, AND REALLY FAVORING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MORE TRANSIT
[01:00:01]
SUPPORTIVE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION THINGS, UM, AS WELL.SO, UH, SEE THOSE FAR AND ALSO REALIZE THAT PARKING IS, IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THAT.
AND THEN JUST MAKING SURE I'M READING THIS RIGHT, SO THERE ARE NO HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ON ANY OF THE SUBDISTRICTS ANYMORE IN THE CURRENT VERSION THAT IS OUT.
I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS, SECRETARY BRISTOL.
UM, YEAH, I THINK, UM, I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN, UM, IS, UM, ALSO THE HEIGHT.
UM, WHEN I SERVED ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE VERY FIRST HEARING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, HEIGHT WAS THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN, EVEN MORE SO THAN THE CONNECTIVITY.
UM, AND, UM, AND, AND PEDESTRIAN, I MEAN, THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY WHAT THEY WERE SUPER HYPER-FOCUSED ON.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
UM, THERE IS A, AN ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, CONCERN WITH THAT ALSO, WHEN YOU START GETTING CANYON EFFECTS, UM, THAT IS EXTREMELY BAD FOR BIRDS.
UM, AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW, UM, THE, THE RIVER, UH, IS A GIANT SUPERHIGHWAY FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS, UM, COMING IN AND THEY'RE COMING IN RIGHT NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE THROWING UP THIS, YOU KNOW, EVEN MORE, UM, OBSTACLES IN THEIR WAY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE LOSE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF BIRDS EVERY YEAR TO BIRD STRIKES, UM, ON TALL BUILDINGS.
AND HERE WE ARE MAKING, YOU KNOW, THAT IN THIS CORRIDOR.
SO I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW THAT, UM, USING THE BIRD FRIENDLY GLASS AND UM, BIRD FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTION IS, IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEING CON CONSIDERED.
BUT THE CANYON EFFECTS REALLY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT JUST, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, PUSHES THE BIRDS THROUGH THERE SO QUICKLY IN, IN ADDITION TO THE BATS, UM, THAT LIVE THERE AND THAT'S WHERE THEY, YOU KNOW, RESIDE.
UH, AND IT'S NOT GREAT FOR HUMANS EITHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE WALKING IN THESE WIND TERMINALS ALL THE TIME.
SO I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEIGHT FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, NOISE, SOUND, ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK MY OTHER, UM, I WANNA TOUCH ON THE, ON THE, ON THE PARKLAND, UM, PORTION OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THE VERY FIRST PLANS CAME FORWARD, UM, IT WAS REALLY LOOKING LIKE THERE WOULD BE AN IN AN INCREASE, UM, ALONG, UM, LADY BIRD LAKE AND THE TRAIL GOING FROM LIKE 1% TO 9% OR IS, OR ONE ACRE TO NINE ACRES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
DOES THAT RING A BELL AND IS THAT STILL HOLDING TRUE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UM, IN THE VISION FRAMEWORK? YEP.
UM, WE ARE TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE AS MUCH AS LEGALLY POSSIBLE TO GET WHAT IS IN THE VISION FRAMEWORK REALIZED.
AND OUR LIMITATIONS ARE HARD AND, UH, CONSTRAINING, BUT THE GOAL OF PARD, THE GOAL OF OURS IS TO SEE THE PARKS, UH, REALIZED AS BEST AS WE ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO DO SO.
AND HOW CAN US CITIZENS ILLEGALLY INFLUENCE THAT
I'LL ASK SOMEBODY ELSE THAT QUESTION.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT EARLY ON WHEN WE VERY FIRST, YOU KNOW, WERE LOOKING AT THE PLAN, UM, THERE WAS, UH, SOME PLANS ABOUT HAVING A BOAT DOCK, UM, DOWN THERE, A BAT VIEWING STATION, YOU KNOW, ALL OF ALL OF THESE THINGS, UM, THAT WERE, WERE DISCUSSED AT SOME POINT.
UM, I, I WILL SAY, JUST TO COMMENT ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE, UM, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE SENT OUT RECENTLY IS JUST AN UPDATE IN TERMS OF NOT NECESSARILY NEW INFORMATION, BUT CLARIFYING INFORMATION THAT ANY EXISTING PUDS, UH, PDAS OR PLAN DEVELOPMENT AREAS WITHIN THE DISTRICT WILL NOT BE AUTOMATICALLY REZONED.
THEY HAVE TO REQUEST TO BE REZONED INTO THIS DISTRICT.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, SO THAT'S A APPROVED PUDS.
SO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS, UM, UH, EARLIER ARE PUDS THAT ARE NOT YET APPROVED, BUT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATESMAN PUD IS APPROVED AND THEY WOULD NEED TO OPT, OPT, UH, REQUEST TO REZONE THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, AND SO ANYTHING WITHIN THE, UH, STATESMAN PUD, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WHICH I DO, UH, BELIEVE INCLUDES THAT THAT VIEWING AREA,
[01:05:01]
UM, IS CURRENTLY INTACT RELATED TO THIS.AND CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MANY PUDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED? ARE THERE JUST TWO OR IS IT THREE? WE HAVE A MAP.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, ALL MY QUESTIONS AND THEN, UH, ONCE Y'ALL GET THAT NUMBER, UM, I'D, I'D BE INTERESTED IN, IN THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS WORTH OF WORK, UM, NOT JUST, UH, YESTERDAY PUTTING THIS TOGETHER CHAIR.
CAN I ADD ONE THING? UM, I, I THINK I MENTIONED TO YOU PRIVATELY BEFORE THE MEETING THAT AUDUBON DID SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE SCHWAB AND, UH, WE HAD A SPEAKER AT OUR MEETING ABOUT THE, ABOUT WHAT KIND OF GLASS REFLECTIVITY THERE WOULD BE, UH, TO MAKE IT MORE BIRD BIRD SAFE.
AND SO, UM, STAFF DID GET THAT INPUT, UM, FROM A VERY WELL REGARDED ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP OUTSIDE OF US.
AND AS A MEMBER OF AON, I APPRECIATE THAT
I HAD ONE THING THAT I, I WAS ALSO A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE, UM, HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS.
UM, ONE THING THAT I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, UM, WITH THE 'CAUSE THERE WAS A, A POSSIBILITY OF OUTDOOR CONCERT VENUE OR OUTDOOR CONCERT SPACE AND LIKE HOW CLOSE, UM, THE BATS ARE TO THAT.
AND SO I WAS KIND OF WONDERING IF THAT WAS AN ISSUE WITH SOUND COMING FROM THAT, WITH IT BEING IN THAT PROXIMITY OF THE BATS OR HAS THAT BEEN LOOKED AT? ANY? HI.
SO, UH, OUTDOOR MUSIC IS A PERMITTED USE AND, UM, I CAN IDENTIFY LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIVE MUSIC VENUES ARE, UM, AN ONSITE COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT ARE APPLICABLE, BUT DURING, UM, AND IT'S A CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USE, SO IT WOULD HAVE TO GET A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND SO GOING THROUGH THAT PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, THOSE CONSIDERATIONS WOULD BE LOOKED AT.
UH, WELL I JUST HAVE THE, THE PPDA NUMBERS.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, NINE PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITHIN A P.
WE HAVE ONE THAT IS WITHIN A PDA AND THEN WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN A PDA, WHICH IS A PLAN DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THAT INCLUDES THREE PROPERTIES, INCLUDING ONE TEXAS CENTER.
AND LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE DID I HAD? UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE PARCELS WERE, UM, IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REZONED, AND I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW LONG THAT PROCESS BE ESTIMATED TO TAKE.
YEAH, SO ASSUMING, UM, THAT THE PAPER DISTRICT, UM, IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN MAY, UM, WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING IS THAT THE REZONING PROCESS COULD HAPPEN OVER THE SUMMER, UM, AND CONCLUDE, UM, IDEALLY SOMETIME IN, IN AUGUST.
AND THAT'S SORT OF, UM, PENDING COUNCIL AVAILABILITY, IT BEING, UH, A BUDGET SEASON AND ALL.
UM, BUT WE THINK NO LATER THAN THIS FALL, UM, IF EVERYTHING IS SHAPING UP AS WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR COMMISSIONER KRUEGER, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YES.
YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T HEAR ALL OF IT BECAUSE OF THE WEBEX OUTAGE.
UM, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY CREATIVE WAY TO INCREASE EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHT IN THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
I DO HAVE SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS, I SEE 5% OF HOUSING ONSITE MUST BE AFFORDABLE UNDER THREE TO ONE FAR, AND THAT COULD BE AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS AT 60% MFI.
AND SO, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, WHEN YOU SAY AT 60% MFI, IS THAT AT 60% OR BELOW, OR IS THAT EXACTLY IN THAT BRACKET, OR CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? OKAY, GREAT.
UM, SO 5% SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SMALL AMOUNT TO ME, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S, UM, THE MINIMUM REQUIRED.
UM, BUT AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY OTHERS, YOU KNOW, COUNTING ON DEVELOPERS TO OPT IN ABOVE THAT, I, I DON'T HAVE A TON OF CONFIDENCE IN.
UM, AND THIS IS A HISTORICALLY, UH, MORE LOW INCOME
[01:10:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S RAPIDLY BEEN GENTRIFIED.SO, UM, AND I DO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE ONSITE UNITS ARE LOWER THAN WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED IN THE 2016 VISION PLAN.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT LIKE, SORT OF YOUR RATIONALE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL PARAMETERS THAT YOU PERHAPS RAN INTO IN TERMS OF INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS AREA.
AND ALSO IF THE CITY IS EXPLORING ANY RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL INEVITABLY BE DISPLACED FROM THE GENTRIFICATION IN THE AREA.
I'LL START AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OVER TO TYLER, UM, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
SO, UM, THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING DENSITY BONUS PROJECT.
UM, AND FIRST I'LL JUST START BY SAYING THAT THIS IS AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO IS DESIGN SOMETHING THAT INCENTIVIZES DEVELOPERS TO WANT TO TAKE PART IN IT IN ORDER FOR US TO ACHIEVE THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE'RE ALL HOPEFUL FOR, UM, WITH MEETING THE INTENTIONS OF THE VISION PLAN.
AND SO IN ORDER FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS VIABLY POSSIBLE, WE, UM, CONDUCTED SOME ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WITH THIRD PARTY CONSULTANTS, UM, TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THIS AREA, UM, AND THIS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WE'RE NOT ONLY, UM, SORT OF A AKIN TO WHAT'S HAPPENING ELSEWHERE WITHIN DENSITY BONUS PROXIMAL, UM, TO THIS AREA, INCLUDING IN DOWNTOWN, UM, BUT ALSO WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE VIABLE, UH, TO OPT IN.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I'LL SAY BEFORE I DO HAND IT OVER TO TYLER TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS IS THAT WHAT IS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT THIS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS NOT ONLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT OTHER THINGS AS WELL IN TERMS OF THOSE PARKS THAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE REALIZED IN AS MUCH AS WE CAN, THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT THAT NEEDS TO, UM, UH, OCCUR IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE A LOVELY SPACE TO WALK AROUND IN AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO THIS IS A MORE COMPLEX DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAN WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN THE PAST.
AND, AND THEREFORE WE NEEDED TO, UM, WORK WITH HOUSING, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS CONSTRUCTING SOMETHING THAT COULD ACHIEVE, UM, MORE THAN, UH, SIMPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO TYLER TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
SO, UM, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, UM, WE HIRED A COUPLE DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS, UM, ONE OF WHICH WE ASKED TO DO KIND OF AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ON A FEW THEORETICAL TEST, UH, PROJECTS.
UM, AND ALONGSIDE THAT, WE HAD THEM TEST VARIOUS FEE RATES AND VARIOUS, UM, RESIDENTIAL RATES, UM, FOR THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THE PROJECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, UH, WE JUST DO NOT HAVE A GREAT ECONOMY, UH, FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO RIGHT AS OF THIS MOMENT, UH, JUST ABOUT ALL THAT IS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, AND THIS IS COMING FROM AN OBJECTIVE, UH, CONSULTANT IS ABOUT 5% AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHILE HAVING THE REST OF THESE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
NOW WE ALSO HAVE THEM DO ANALYSIS AND IMPROVED ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
SO IN THE FUTURE THERE MAY BE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO, UM, INCREASE THAT PERCENTAGE AND OR FEE RATES.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S VERY MUCH GONNA DEPEND ON THE ECONOMY AT THE TIME.
NOW, I WILL ALSO SAY, UH, WE ARE INTENDING TO REEVALUATE THIS PROGRAM, UH, WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO TO BE REEVALUATED AT A MINIMUM OF EVERY FIVE YEARS TO ADJUST FOR THE ECONOMY AND OTHER FACTORS AT THE TIME.
YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, WILL ADMIT THAT I DON'T SPEND MY DAYS, UM, LOOKING AT THIS KIND OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OR HAGGLING WITH DEVELOPERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I JUST EARNESTLY FEEL AS A CITIZEN AND A LOW TO MIDDLE INCOME PERSON THAT WE NEED GOVERNMENT TO REALLY BE LEADING ON DEMANDING AND REQUIRING MORE FROM, UH, DEVELOPERS ON THIS FRONT.
AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS AND, UM, I'M SURE THERE ARE LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS WHO, WHO WERE A PART OF THIS PLAN, BUT TO ME, I MEAN, 5% OF HOUSING, NOT 5% OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND WE'RE LOOKING AT OPEN SPACES AND MIXED USE
[01:15:01]
AND OTHER THINGS, BUT JUST 5% OF HOUSING TO BE AFFORDABLE JUST FEELS SO LOW AND LIKE A REAL AFFRONT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN THAT COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME AND INEVITABLY ARE GOING TO BE DISPLACED.SO I'LL TAKE YOU AT YOUR WORD THAT 10% WASN'T POSSIBLE, BUT I REALLY WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE US AS A CITY TAKING BOLDER ACTION TO REALLY WHERE WE CAN DEMAND MORE FROM THE DEVELOPERS.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, UM, I I SHARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS BROUGHT UP ABOUT OPEN GREEN SPACE.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL HAVE EXPLORED AT ALL, UM, INCENTIVIZING COMMUNITY GARDENS OR FOOD FORESTS, WHICH ARE BOTH IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN FOOD PLAN THAT'S BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW? YES.
SO, UM, THE COMMUNITY GARDENS IS A PERMITTED LAND USE, UH, IN THIS DISTRICT, SO I JUST WANTED TO AFFIRM THAT.
SO THERE ARE NO, LIKE SPECIAL INCENTIVES THOUGH, OR COMMUNITY GARDENS AND OR FOOD FOREST, IT'S JUST PERMISSIBLE.
IS THAT CORRECT? I WOULD SAY NOT SPECIFICALLY.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT, UH, COMMUNITY GARDENS WOULD LIKELY FALL UNDER, INCLUDING, UH, CULTURAL USES AND, UH, PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.
SO THERE ARE BONUSES THAT, UH, IF SO DESIRED THAT THAT WOULD FALL UNDER.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A, UH, SECTION FOR ALTERNATIVE BONUSES NOT DESCRIBED.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY LISTED, UM, THAT, UH, A DEVELOPER WOULD LIKE TO, UH, LOOK INTO, WE WOULD, UH, DETERMINE A, UH, APPROPRIATE BONUS RATE AT THAT TIME FOR THAT USE OR FOR THAT COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
AND, AND WE'D, UH, GRANT BONUS, UH, ACCORDINGLY.
YEAH, I DO HAVE ONE, UM, QUESTION.
WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE, UM, KIND OF THE ECONOMY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO IS LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE KIND OF DEMOGRAPHICS ON THAT TOO? AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT.
THE POPULATION WHO'S LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YEAH, SO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT, WHICH ARE THE GOALS FOR, UM, HOUSING BUILD OUT, UM, BOTH AT SORT OF THE MARKET, YOU KNOW, UM, 120%, UH, MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME AND ABOVE, BUT THEN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, UH, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
AND SO THERE ARE GOALS THAT, UM, THE CITY IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN TERMS OF INCENTIVIZING, UM, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, AND REALIZING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, INTIMATELY ON THIS PROJECT AND, AND ARE, UH, WORKING WITH THEM TO HELP, UM, AS, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE INCENTIVIZE THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT, UM, PROBABLY, OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM, A, A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN? I, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK THAT UP AND PROVIDE THAT BACK.
AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, WE, WE TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT, THAT, UM, WITH CHILDREN, WITH FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WANNA BE NEAR PARKS, UM, AND, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN PROJECTS, UM, THAT, UH, DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO PARKS AND THOSE AFFORDABLE SPACES ARE SITTING EMPTY.
UM, AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA GET FAMILIES IN THERE.
THEY DIDN'T REALLY NECESSARILY PLAN ENVIRONMENTS FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE ACCESS TO PARKS, ACCESS TO SCHOOLS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND SO I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED, UM, OF THAT HAPPENING IN THIS AREA.
WELL, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF PARKS, UM, THAT WERE ARE TRULY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE RELYING ON THE DEVELOPERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
UM, AND IF THEY DON'T SEE FAMILIES AS BEING SOMETHING AS PART OF THEIR MIX OF WHO THEY WANT TO HAVE IN THEIR HOMES, THEN THAT'S LESS OF AN INCENTIVE, UM, FOR THEM TO, TO ADD THAT.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO NOT A SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY IN THE AREA OF THAT MASSIVE, MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO MOVE THERE.
YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR ECONOMIST.
UH, HE SAID THAT DUE TO THE ECONOMY,
[01:20:01]
WHAT WAS HIS TIMEFRAME WHEN HE MADE THAT STATEMENT? WHAT WAS, HE SAID THE ECONOMY'S NOT REALLY UP TO SNUFF FOR, UH, THINGS RIGHT NOW.WHAT WAS HIS TIMEFRAME THAT HE MADE THAT REFERENCE FOR? SO THAT WAS BASED ON THE ECONOMY.
UH, I LITERALLY TWO, THREE MONTHS AGO, UM, IS WHEN THEY DID THAT ANALYSIS.
SO WHEN IS THIS GONNA BE BUILT OUT? UM, SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH, FOLKS WOULD BE REZONED IDEALLY AT THE END OF THIS SUMMER, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO OPT IN AND, AND DESIGN BASED ON THIS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE PLANNING TO, UM, REVIEW AND UPDATE, UM, WITHIN A, A, A YEAR OR TWO, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THE UPDATED ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A BUNCH OF ACRES OF LAND THAT YOU'VE GOT THERE.
SO WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT TO BE COMPLETELY BUILT OUT? I WOULD, UM, ANTICIPATE PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
YOU'VE GOT AN ECONOMIST WHO TELLS YOU THAT THE ECONOMY SUCKS.
TODAY YOU'RE BASING YOUR, THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING BASED ON A, UPON ON A, AN ECONOMY THAT MAY NOT BE AT ITS BEST TODAY, BUT THIS ISN'T GONNA BE BUILT OUT FOR 50 YEARS.
NOW, I WAS A LITTLE BIT HEARTENED WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE GONNA RELOOK, REEXAMINE YOUR DATA EVERY FIVE YEARS, BUT I'D BE MORE HEARTENED IF THE WORDS IN YOUR DOCUMENT SAID THAT THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE YOU TO BILL, IT MAY CHANGE FROM 5% TO 10%, DEPENDING UPON WHATEVER YOU WANT TO WRITE IN THE DOCUMENT.
I AGREE THAT TODAY THE ECONOMY MAY NOT BE AT ITS BEST, BUT WE JUST APPROVE.
I MEAN, WE GET PUDS THROUGH HERE ALL THE TIME WITH PEOPLE BUILDING 500 APARTMENTS AND THESE AREN'T GONNA BE DONE FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
SO THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT BUILDING THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE OCCUPIED TODAY.
THEY'RE BUILDING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE OCCUPIED IN TWO TO THREE YEARS.
IF THEY THOUGHT THE ECONOMY SUCKED, THEY WOULDN'T BE COMING BEFORE US ASKING FOR VARIANCES ON THINGS.
THEY WOULDN'T BE COMING TO US AT ALL ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE THE ECONOMY SUCKED.
SO YOUR ECONOMIST IS WRONG, OR YOU'RE INTERPRETING HIS DATA ALONG.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING HIS REPORT TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID, BECAUSE THE WAY YOU'VE PORTRAYED IT IS NOT, DOESN'T QUITE MAP TO WHAT THE OTHER STUFF THAT'S COMING BEFORE US SEEMS TO INDICATE.
PLUS YOU'RE BUILDING OUT FOR 50 YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME, BUT THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, WHAT DO I KNOW? I JUST, ALL THE STOCK MARKET, WHAT PEOPLE FALL THROUGH HERE WITH 500 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
SO ANYWAY, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
UM, 1.2 IS THAT THE, UM, FEE IN LIE CAN BE SPENT OUTSIDE OF THIS AREA TO PRODUCE MORE HOUSING THAN WOULD BE PRODUCED INSIDE THIS AREA IN A NEW STEEL FRAME BUILDING THE PER UNIT COST IS GONNA BE HIGHER THAN BUYING AN OLD APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT ALREADY EXISTS AND THEN REFURBISHING IT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO WE CAN GET A HIGHER YIELD THROUGH THE FEE IN LIE THAN WE WOULD BY REQUIRING IT ON SITE HERE.
NOW THE OTHER ADVANTAGE OF HAVING DEVELOPMENT HERE IS YOU CAN LIVE HERE WITHOUT OWNING AN AUTOMOBILE, WHICH CAN COST BETWEEN 10 AND $15,000 A YEAR FOR UPKEEP AND INSURANCE, ET CETERA.
AND SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO USE MASS TRANSIT, WALK, BIKE, SCOOT, WHATEVER TO GO TO WORK DOWNTOWN OR NEARBY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SAY, JUST LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS HERE, WHICH ARE GOING TO CHANGE OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT, WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO IF WE CAN GET SOME MONEY TO BUY AN APARTMENT BUILDING RIGHT NOW
[01:25:01]
AND THEN REFURBISH IT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR MIXED INCOME, WE'LL GET A HIGHER YIELD THAN WE WOULD IF WE WAIT FIVE YEARS FOR, YOU KNOW, A STEEL, A 20 STORY STEEL FRAME BUILDING AND REQUIRE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF APARTMENTS IN THAT.I'M JUST GONNA ADD, UM, COMMISSIONER BRIAN TO, UM, TO YOUR THOUGHT AND, AND TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THE ECONOMY AND THEN WE PROBABLY SHOULD MOVE ON 'CAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ENVIRONMENTALLY, UM, RELATED, BUT, UM, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN I THINK 20 YEARS, UM, MORE PEOPLE HAVE MOVED OUT OF TRAVIS COUNTY THAN THEY HAVE MOVED INTO TRAVIS COUNTY AND OUR POPULATION IS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN.
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT THEY CITED WAS AFFORDABILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T HAVE FORECAST THAT FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT, UM, HERE WE ARE.
WELL THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
SO WE, ONE, JUST ONE LAST POINT.
AFTER THIS MEETING, WE CAN ALL EMAIL IN MORE, MORE, UH, COMMENTS BECAUSE COMMENTS CLOSE AND THEN LATER IT WILL GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT'LL GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMENT ON THIS IN THE FUTURE.
DOES IT CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT? YES, IT DOES.
FOR, FOR THIS? FOR THIS DRAFT.
[3. Consider a recommendation on the budget recommendations from the Joint Sustainability Committee – Presented by Haris Qureshi and David Sullivan, Environmental Commission Members]
UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION ON THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE PRESENTED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.WELL, UH, COMMISSIONER RESI IS NOT HERE AND HE, HE SERVES ON THAT.
UM, I GOT, I, I WENT TO ONE MEETING AND SO THEY CONTINUED TO CIRCULATE THE THINGS TO ME.
UM, SO IT WAS ABOUT A 6.5, $6.7 MILLION REQUEST FOR POSITIONS AND, UM, PROGRAMS THAT WOULD DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE, UM, HOW TO SAVE RESOURCES.
UM, THE, UH, IT WAS IN OUR BACKUP, UM, WHAT THE LIST WAS.
UH, SO THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND SOME OF THEM WERE FOR ADDING STAFF, SOME OF THEM WERE FOR YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
CAN I HAVE THAT? I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T PRINT IT OUT WELL,
SO, UM, YEAH, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, THE, UM, SUSTAINABLE PURCHASE PLAN, UH, UM, SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL, ALL OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH THINGS THAT THE, THE, UM, SUSTAINABLE, WHAT WAS IT THE JOINT SUSTAINABLE, UH, COMMITTEE HAD PUT TOGETHER.
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA SINCE THEY HAD POURED OVER IT WAS, WOULD BE FOR US TO SUPPORT IT ALSO.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THE CITY IS ASKING FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO SUBMIT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
DO YOU NEED A SECOND ON THAT? WELL, I THOUGHT HARRIS WAS GONNA BE HERE, BUT YEAH, I'LL SECOND IT BECAUSE I, I READ THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
ALRIGHT, WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE MUCH ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, IT, IT SEEMED TO BE ALL GOOD IDEAS AND SOME OF IT WAS HIRING STAFF, SOME OF IT WAS FOR FINANCING PROGRAMS. UM, I KNOW THE CITY IS IN A TIGHT POSITION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SALES TAXES, SALES TAXES, SALES TAX REVENUE WAS LOWER THAN EXPECTED, BUT ALL THE PEOPLE LEFT WELL AND THEN, SO ANYWAY, THEY PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF EMPTY POSITIONS IN THE CITY AND SOME OF THESE COULD BE PRO REPROGRAMMED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY DISCUSSION ON THE, UH, MOTION THAT'S BROUGHT FORWARD OR SHOULD I READ IT? LIKE YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND READ IT JUST SO IT'S ON RECORD.
SO THIS IS A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE JSC HAS CONSIDERED THESE ITEMS BASED ON REQUESTS FOR INPUT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND WHEREAS THESE ITEMS WOULD ALL WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS FOR AUSTIN.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING BUDGET ITEMS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE JSC ONE ONE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN PROJECT MANAGER BE ADDED TO THE OFFICE OF SU SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, THIS WOULD COST ABOUT $150,000 A YEAR, UH, 320,000 TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST, ONE FTE TO COORDINATE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH PROMOTING THE
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FULL SUITE OF CITY OF AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES, IE HOME WEATHERIZATION AND REPAIR WATER CONSERVATION, RAINWATER COLLECTION LANDSCAPE AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS WITH A FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THAT ONE FDE 120,200,000 FOR GRANTS CONTRACTS AND STIPENDS FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DO DIRECT OUTREACH TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE PROGRAMS AND TARGETED AUSTIN COMMUNITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
REGARDING THE SUSTAINABLE PURCHASE PLAN, $125,000 BE ALLOCATED TO HIRE A SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING CONTRACTOR AND OR PURCHASE NEEDED SOFTWARE AND DATABASES TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING PLAN THAT SETS MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ALL PRODUCTS, MATERIALS AND SERVICES PURCHASED BY THE CITY.
A FULL-TIME SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING DIRECTOR POSITION SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
IF AN FTE IS DETERMINED TO BE INFEASIBLE IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE, A TEMPORARY SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING DIRECTOR POSITION SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED AND FUNDED.
THAT'S ESTIMATED 170,000 A YEAR, 200,000 BE OUT 0.4 200,000 BE ALLOCATED TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR A PRO CLIMATE FOOD EDUCATION AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
THESE FUNDS WOULD BE SPENT ON A MULTILINGUAL PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE PRO CLIMATE PROHEALTH, PLANT-BASED MEAT DIARY, UH, DAIRY AND EGG ALTERNATIVES AND IDENTIFICATION OF OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE INCENTIVES FOR PRO CLIMATE PROHEALTH FOODS AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND GROCERY STORES.
THE OFFICE OF SUS SUSTAINABILITY AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH SHOULD WORK TOGETHER ON THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
POINT FIVE 150,000 BE ALLOCATED TO THE OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER DIVISION OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR, UM, A FIELD POOR DEMONSTRATION USING CONCRETE CONTAINING A TOTAL OOH UH, CEMENTATION CEMENT CONTENT THAT IS 50% OR MORE DECARBONIZED RELATIVE TO THE NATIONAL ORDINARY, UH, PORTLAND CEMENT AVERAGE EMBODIED CARBON INTENSITY OF 0.92 POUNDS OF CO2 PER POUND OF CEMENT.
'CAUSE THAT'S ONE, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES ABOUT THE USE OF, UH, CONCRETE IS HIGH HIGH CO2 EMISSIONS.
AND IN TURN TO ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT OF OF ENGINEERS TO PROCURE AND IMPLEMENT THE CEMENT TESTING.
THIS WORK SHOULD BE COORDIN, SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.
POINT SIX, A NEW SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR POSITION ONE FTE BE ADDED WITHIN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY TO REVIEW REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS AND PURCHASING REQUESTS FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND LEAD THE COORDINATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBUST LOW CARBON CONCRETE PLAN THAT WILL REDUCE EMISSIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
IF A FULL-TIME POSITION ISN'T GA GRANTED, A TEMPORARY POSITION SHOULD BE ADDED, ALTHOUGH THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING NEED.
SO A PERMANENT POSITION WILL SERVE THE CITY BEST.
THAT'S ESTIMATED AT 120,000 IMPLEMENT A PASSIVE AND EMBODIED CARBON REDUCTION HOUSE PILOT PROGRAM.
$2 MILLION BE ALLOCATED TO THE ENERGY EFFICIENT PROGRAMS FUND FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PASSIVE HOUSE AND EMBODIED CARBON REDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO INCOME RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT CERTIFY WITH, UH, F IAS AND CONDUCT.
AN EMBODIED CARBON ANALYSIS SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REBATES PAID IN THREE MILESTONE PAYMENTS DURING DESIGN.
THAT'S FOR HIRING A CONSULTANT AND COMMITTING TO CERTIFICATION CONSTRUCTION FOR PRE CER.
PRE-CERTIFICATION AND COMPLETION FOR FINAL CERTIFICATION PROJECTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SHARE CONSTRUCTION COST DATA, BOTH HARD AND SOFT AND POST OCCUPANCY GREEN, UH, ENERGY USE.
AND ALSO THE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE ALLOCATED ONE ADDITIONAL FDE OR A TEMPORARY POSITION TO DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS THAT'S ESTIMATED AT 90,000 A YEAR, THE EQUITY OFFICE SHOULD
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BE ALLOCATED AN ADDITIONAL 300,000 FOR THE FOLLOWING ELECTRIC VEHICLES NEEDS ASSESSMENT, 150,000 FOR A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST WITH THE ASSESSMENT.50,000 FOR THE EQUITY OFFICE TO CREATE A PAID AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STIPENDS TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALREADY HAVE TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY TO ASSIST IN THE ASSESSMENT.
AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PILOT FOR FOUR RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS IN, IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT, INCLUDING THE RUNDBERG AND DOVE SPRINGS AREAS.
POINT NUMBER NINE, 2.2 MILLION BE ALLOCATED TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR NATURAL AND ENGINEERED SHADE AND COOLING SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING DROUGHT DOUBT, DROUGHT, TOLERANT TREE PLANTINGS, SHADE STRUCTURES AT PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.
SHADED BUS STOPS, SHADED DRINKING FOUNTAINS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH COOLING BENEFITS.
THESE INTERVENTIONS SHOULD PRIO PRO PRIORITIZE LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WITH HIGH VULNERABILITY TO EXTREME HEAT.
ALSO A RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COORDINATOR, ONE FTE TO IDENTIFY AND COORDINATE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY AND IN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND COORDINATE DISPERSAL OF AFOREMENTIONED FUNDS TO RELEVANT PROJECTS LED BY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE ESTIMATED AT 120 K POINT NUMBER 10 IS 200, THERE'S ONLY TWO THREE MORE POINTS.
20 200,000 BE ALLOCATED TO AUDIT CITY OWNED AND NON-FUNCTIONAL OR UNNECESSARY IMPERVIOUS COVER INCLUDING SURFACE LEVEL PARKING LOTS AND DEVELOP A PLAN TO CONVERT AND AMBITIOUS PERCENTAGE OF THOSE TO FUNCTIONAL GREEN USES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
75 POINT 1170 5,000 BE ALLOCATED FOR PERMANENT SIGNAGE TO SHOW CITY LAND IS NOT BEING NEGLECTED, BUT RATHER MANAGED FOR WILDLIFE.
SIGNAGE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED AND LOW INCOME AND BIPOC NEIGHBORHOODS BE BILINGUAL AND INCLUDE VISUALS SUCH AS THE EXAMPLE BELOW.
AND THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A, UM, POLL POLLINATOR HABITAT ZONE SIGN ADJACENT TO A FIELD WITH APPARENTLY WILD, WILD, UM, UH, AGRICULTURE, UH, PLANTS GROWING.
AND THEN FINALLY POINT 12, UM, CARBON NEUTRAL PUBLIC LANDS 250,000 BE ALLOCATED FOR INSTALLATION OF EFFICIENT AUTOMATED DRIP IRRIGATION ON PARKS AND RECREATION PROPERTY WITH NATIVE TREES AND LANDSCAPING WITH PRIORITY NEAR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WITH LOWER ACCESS TO NATURE IN EAST AUSTIN USING RECLAIMED WATER PURPLE PIPE, WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
150,000 IN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL FUNDING BE ALLOCATED FOR MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING INSTALLATIONS AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND FULL-TIME.
UH, PROGRAM MANAGER ONE FDE BE CREATED AND FUNDED TO PLAN CITY LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS AND IDENTIFY AND APPLY FOR FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
ESTIMATED 150,000 AND WHEN I ADDED THIS ALL UP, I BELIEVE IT CAME TO 6.7 MILLION.
UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER SECONDED IT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, LET'S DO A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
PRIMER SULLIVAN FER, BRISTOL BEDFORD KRUGER.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINED NICHOLS ABSTAINED.
[4. Update from the Urban Forestry Committee on adding a discussion on ghost trees to the March 28th agenda – Richard Brimer]
NOW WE'RE UP TO COMMITTEE UPDATES.UM, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE.
YEAH, WE ADDED AN ANOTHER ITEM FOR THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS GHOST TREES AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY UPDATE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN? YEAH, I THINK I ALREADY COVERED IT.
VIDEO SHEETS ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL, THE SCHWAB SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, THE COOLEST NAME OF ANY BOARD,
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS TO DISCUSS OR BRING FORWARD? YEAH, UM, FUTURE ITEM, UH, SANTIAGO, WHEN HE SPOKE DURING, UM, UH, PUBLIC CITIZEN, UH, AT THE BEGINNING, UH, GAVE A GOOD I GOOD SUGGESTION THAT WE CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF THE EXPANSION OF IH 35.SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE DATA, HOW MUCH MORE, UM, DETAIL TO ADD TO THAT, BUT WE SHOULD SUE AT SOME POINT GET, IS THERE, LET ME ASK THE STAFF, IS THERE A PERSON WITHIN THE CITY WHO HAS BEEN
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LOOKING AT IH 35 AND IT'S POSSIBLE EFFECTS XM MORE THAN ONE PERSON, SORRY, KATIE COIN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.UM, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE STAFF INVOLVED THAT IN LOOKING AT IMPACTS OF IH 35, WELL, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, LIKE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO AIR QUALITY, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO LADY BIRD LAKE, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO, UM, FOR NOISE, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THEN ALSO HOW MUCH IS GONNA BE, HOW MANY, UH, BENEFITS WE'LL GET FROM CAPPING THAT BECAUSE NOW WE'VE GOT SOME GRANTS FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'D BE NICE FOR THE, I THINK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO HEAR.
WE CAN MAKE A NOTE, UH, FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND TRY TO COORDINATE THAT FOR SURE.
ANY OTHER FUTURE ITEMS? OKAY, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, UM, TO INVITE AUDUBON TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION TO US AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST PRESENTATION THAT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE, UM, BIRD FRIENDLY CLASS, BUT THE ENTIRE DESIGN PROCESS OF HOW DO YOU MAKE, UM, BUILDINGS MM-HMM.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT, UH, ELIZABETH WITH, WITH THEM AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE NO SECOND.
IT IS, SORRY, ONE, ONE QUESTION.
ELIZABETH, DO YOU WANT TO ELABORATE ON YES.
UH, ELIZABETH MONK WATERSHED, UH, SINCE KEVIN, HE PUT HIS OFFICIAL LAST DAY IS IN THE APRIL, ACTUALLY THIS IS HIS OFFICIAL LAST MEETING.
UM, SO WE WILL HAVE PUT OFFICER ELECTIONS ON A UPCOMING AGENDA EITHER IN A APRIL OR MAY.
UM, IT IS NOW SEVEN 50 AND LET'S ADJOURN.