[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
UM, VICE CHAIR.DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? COMMUNICATION.
UH, THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY, UM, APPROVAL TO, UH,
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OR IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING ON FEBRUARY 26TH? YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? SECOND.[2. Discussion and action on the engagement plan for the update to the Urban Design Guidelines. Presented by Sophia Benner, Planning Department.]
AND ACTION ITEMS. SO, THE DISCUSSION AND THE ACTION ITEM ON THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE UPDATE TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES PRESENTED BY SOPHIA PRINTER.SO IN THE BACKUP, THERE'S REALLY TWO DIFFERENT PDFS, BUT I THINK THEY'RE COMBINED INTO ONE.
UM, THIS AND THEN A PRESENTATION THAT WAS PDFED.
SO WHEN IT COMES TIME, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT IMAGE SHOW UP IN THE PRESENTATION, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T READ IT AT ALL.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I INCLUDED A SEPARATE PDF.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ZOOM IN, UM, IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT, TO READ IT.
WELL, Y'ALL KNOW WHO I AM, SOPHIA FROM HERBA DESIGN.
UM, AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATES.
UM, I WON'T BE LABOR THIS BACKGROUND.
I THINK Y'ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT, UM, THE TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT I'M CALLING OUT ARE THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION HAD COME UP WITH, AND THEN THE RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL, UH, THAT REFERENCES THAT DRAFT FRAMEWORK AND ALSO DIRECTS FOR, UH, THE, THE ACTION OF UPDATING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK, UH, CREATED THE FRAMEWORK FOR A FEW THINGS.
UM, THIS YOU'VE ALSO SEEN A LOT.
UH, IT'S JUST AN EASY SNIPPET OF THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK.
UM, BUT IT REALLY DID CREATE THE, KIND OF LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE THREE, THREE GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS, THE TIMELINE FOR ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN THE DESCRIPTION OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO THIS IS THE, UM, ENGAGEMENT PLAN OVERVIEW.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER THE PRESENTATION I DID BACK DECEMBER, UM, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A, AN IDEA, RIGHT, OF AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
AND IT WAS, UM, THERE WAS A LOT, AND THIS IS A CONDENSED VERSION OF THAT BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THAT MEETING, BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IS THE THREE GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, UM, ON THE LEFT AND KIND OF FLESHED OUT.
AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE, UM, THAT, THAT MEETING IN DECEMBER.
SO JUST ALL, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT COULD FIT TO THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, WHICH INCLUDE THE DESIGN FOCUS, THE TECHNICAL FOCUS, AND INTEREST GROUPS.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME OVERLAP, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF KIND OF WRAPPING OUR MINDS AROUND ENGAGEMENT AND IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDERS, THOSE ARE THE THREE GROUPS.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT COLUMN IS GONNA BE THE PHASES.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HADN'T REALLY BEEN SUPER FLESHED OUT BEFORE THIS, THIS TIME AROUND.
I JUST WENT AHEAD AND AGAIN, USING THAT, UM, THE KIND OF GROUNDWORK FROM THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ALREADY.
PHASE ONE, UM, AND PHASE ONE IS CALLED PREPARATION.
THAT'S ALSO COMING FROM DRAFT FRAMEWORK.
PHASE THREE IS CALLED FINALIZATION.
UH, PHASE ONE IS ESSENTIALLY COMPRISING OF THE ENGAGEMENT THAT Y'ALL DID IN WORKING GROUPS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE COMMISSIONER CARROLL CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT THE BEST.
AND COMMISSIONER MINORS AS WELL, VICE CHAIR MINORS.
UH, PHASE TWO IS REALLY WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.
[00:05:01]
SO IT'S THE CREATION OF THE DRAFT GUIDELINES AND THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF THE ENGAGEMENT WITH TECHNICAL STAKEHOLDERS.PHASE THREE IS THE FINALIZATION.
THIS, THERE'S ALSO ON THE RIGHT, THIS IS THE GENERAL TIMELINE THAT I'VE COME UP WITH.
AND THERE WAS A TIMELINE IN THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I MATCHED IT UP TO DATE WITH SOME OF THE REALITY, RIGHT? SO LIKE MAY, 2021 WAS WHEN, UH, THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK, UM, HAD COME OUT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S THE STARTING DATE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT I DID IT BY PHASE.
AND SO I AM CALLING PHASE ONE, UM, TIMELINE FROM MAY, 2021 TO SEPTEMBER, 2022.
UM, THAT'S JUST BASED, THAT'S LOOSELY BASED OFF OF LIKE WHAT I SAW IN MEETING MINUTES.
UM, KIND OF THE CLOSURE OF THOSE WORKING GROUPS, UH, THAT THAT HELPED TO CREATE THE, THE DRAFT SECTIONS.
SO THEN STARTING SEPTEMBER 22 TO, I ACTUALLY CAN'T SEE THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S SEPTEMBER, 2024, UM, IS WHAT I AM PREDICTING PHASE TWO TO LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN PHASE THREE, SEPTEMBER, 2024 TO FEBRUARY, 2025.
UM, AND I'LL SAY THE REASON WHY I'M ADDING THE FINALIZATION DATE IN 2025 IS JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE MAKE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE SUMMER AND FALL, OFTENTIMES IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET ON A COUNCIL AGENDA FROM, UM, ALMOST FROM OCTOBER ON, BUT CERTAINLY FROM NOVEMBER ON.
SO I JUST, I WAS TRYING TO CREATE A TIMELINE THAT FELT, UH, DOABLE AND, AND ALSO WAS KEEPING US ON TRACK.
SO TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE.
I I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD TIMELINE, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS DISCUSSION AND ACTION, SO THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO DISCUSS.
OKAY, SO NOW I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A LITTLE OVERVIEW ON THE PHASES OF ENGAGEMENT.
SO PHASE ONE, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS THAT PREPARATION PHASE FROM MAY, 2021 TO SEPTEMBER, 2022.
THERE WAS THE FORMATION OF WORKING GROUPS, THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, UM, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DESIGN FOCUS AND THE INTEREST GROUP STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEN STARTED TO DRAFT THE CHANGES.
AND THIS IS THAT BODY OF WORK THAT WAS REALLY LED BY COMMISSIONERS AND BY THE WORKING GROUPS.
SO PHASE TWO, NOW WE HAVE THE NEW ITERATION OF A, OF A WORKING GROUP FOR THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE NARRATIVE AND, AND THIS NEW WORKING GROUP IS COMMISSIONERS PLUS STAFF PLUS ME.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE NARRATIVE.
WE'RE FINALIZING THE DRAFT SECTIONS AND GOING TO TEST THE GUIDELINES.
I STARTED TO, AS YOU CAN SEE, PUT IN PARENTHESES KIND OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THING.
LIKE WHAT IS REALLY COMMISSION LED, WHAT IS MORE OF JOINT WORK AND WHAT IS GONNA BE STAFF LED.
UM, THIS IS WHERE THE ENGAGEMENT WITH TECHNICAL FOCUS STAKEHOLDERS, UM, IS REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN.
I WILL BE LIAISING THAT BETWEEN A WHOLE SLEW OF DIFFERENT STAFF THAT ARE EXPERTS IN DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
UM, AND OUTSIDE OF CITY OF AUSTIN, IF THERE'S SOMEONE, SAY FROM CAPITAL METRO THAT WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH.
AND THEN FINALIZING THE DRAFT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND THAT IS MORE COMMISSION LED.
UM, AND THEN, YES, SO SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE WORKING GROUP ABOUT THIS, ABOUT ENGAGEMENT IN THIS PHASE IS CREATING SLASH RECORDING A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE UPDATE AND INCLUDING THE DRAFT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ON SPEAKUP, JUST AS KIND OF LIKE A PUBLIC LINK TO BE REFERENCED.
UM, AND REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DESIGN AND INTEREST GROUPS AND INVITING THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND AGAIN, KIND OF LOOPING EVERYTHING BACK TO THE SPEAK UP PAGE, WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE, THE PRESENTATION CAN LIVE THERE, THE DRAFT GUIDELINES CAN LIVE THERE, AND THERE'S GONNA BE THIS KIND OF ALMOST INDIVIDUAL REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS, UM, TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT GUIDELINES.
AND THEN THERE'S INCORPORATING THE FEEDBACK, UH, INTO THE GUIDELINES.
SO THAT, THAT WAS HOW, UM, AS A, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT WORKING GROUP, THAT WAS HOW WE KIND OF DISCUSSED HOW THIS ENGAGEMENT WOULD GO.
AND REALLY CURIOUS TO GET, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS ON THAT, IF THAT FEELS RIGHT.
[00:10:01]
TO THE NEXT SLIDE.UM, I DID JUST WANNA FLAG SOMETHING THAT HAD COME UP WITH COLLEAGUES AROUND THE LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION THAT CALLS FOR INCLUSIVE AND ROBUST MULTI FACE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE, OUR RELATIONSHIP, IT IS ADVISORY.
SO, UH, AS STAFF, I JUST AM CALLING OUT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THIS, WHETHER THIS FITS THE NEEDS, KIND OF FITS THE INTENTION OF THE INCLUSIVE AND ROBUST MULTI-PHASE STAKEHOLDER LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION.
UM, IT'S KIND OF A BALANCE OF, WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN WITH THE UPDATE? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS FEASIBLE FOR Y'ALL AS COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE ON? AND, UM, AND YEAH.
AND WHAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT ARE YOU, ARE YOU LOOKING TO GET FROM, FROM STAKEHOLDERS? UM, NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT I AM PREDICTING FOR PHASE THREE IS SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, 2024, TO FINALIZE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, FINALIZE THE GRAPHIC DESIGN OF THE DOCUMENT.
ANOTHER PART OF, I SHOULDN'T SAY ANOTHER PART 'CAUSE THERE'S ENGAGEMENT FOR EACH PHASE, RIGHT? SO AN ENGAGEMENT PIECE FOR THIS PHASE IS GOING TO BE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, WE WERE TRYING TO COME UP WITH WHAT ARE THE COMMISSIONS THAT WE SHOULD ENGAGE WITH.
UM, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION PLANNING, COMMISSION CITY COUNCIL ARE THE THREE THAT CAME UP.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S GONNA BE FEEDBACK PROBABLY FROM THOSE AND INCORPORATING THAT FEEDBACK INTO THE FINAL, FINAL URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATE.
AND THEN UPON CITY COUNCIL'S ADOPTION, FINGERS CROSSED, UM, UPDATING THE WEBPAGE AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT WILL OF COURSE BE A STAFF LED ITEM.
BUT I WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT BECAUSE, UM, WE GOTTA GET THE WORD OUT LIKE ONCE THIS IS ADOPTED.
UM, SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THAT MIGHT BE, YEAH, THAT, UM, THAT WAS ALL I HAD AS A POWERPOINT AND HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR TRY TO FACILITATE ANY DISCUSSION.
BUT THE IDEA, THE INTENTION TODAY, UH, IN POSTING THIS AS DISCUSSION AND ACTION IS THAT WE CAN UNITE ON THIS ENGAGEMENT PLAN AND JUST CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING GROUP IS CONTINUING TO WORK, AND SO A LOT OF GOOD WORK IS GETTING DONE.
I KNOW THIS ENGAGEMENT PLAN HAS BEEN KIND OF A STICKING POINT, SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GIVE THESE PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT, LIKE SINCE, SINCE DECEMBER TO GET EVERYONE ON BOARD AND JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WE'RE BEING CLEAR ABOUT EXPECTATIONS.
UM, QUICK QUESTION ON THE ENGAGING WITH THE TECHNICAL FOCUS GROUP, WHICH YOU ARE LEADING, BUT ARE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP GOING TO BE SITTING IN ON THOSE STAKEHOLDER SESSIONS? I THINK I AM, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN.
I AM ENVISIONING KIND OF AN ARRAY OF POTENTIAL ENGAGEMENT.
SOME THINGS COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS I'M SENDING A QUESTION ABOUT.
I MEAN, UTILITIES IS GONNA COME UP A LOT, RIGHT? AND UTILITIES IS BROAD.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR SPECIFIC STAFF.
SOME OF THAT COULD BE ME SENDING AN EMAIL AND ME REPORTING BACK TO WORKING GROUP AND THEN TO DESIGN COMMISSION, IF THAT FEELS RIGHT.
I THINK SOME OF IT COULD BE A MEETING, WE COULD SET UP A MEETING WITH CERTAIN STAFF, WITH DESIGN COMMISSION MEMBERS, UM, AND REALLY KIND OF GET INTO IT.
I THINK, I MEAN, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND IS DRIVEWAYS.
UM, I REALLY THINK THIS IS COMING FROM AS URBAN DESIGN STAFF, I THINK, AND HAVING DONE FIELD WORK RECENTLY ON GREAT STREETS, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO THE URBAN DESIGN FABRIC DOWNTOWN IS THE AMOUNT OF DRIVEWAYS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED OUR TRANSPORTATION COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM BECAUSE WE CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS AS GUIDELINES.
UM, BUT IF WE REALLY WANNA PUT, YOU KNOW, SOME POWER BEHIND THAT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO FACILITATE A MEETING, FACILITATE A WORKSHOP WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN TRANSPORTATION.
DO WE THINK THAT, 'CAUSE ONE OF, AS SOMEONE WHO DOES A LOT OF WORK, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ENERGY IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT PIECES OF THIS PUZZLE.
[00:15:01]
I HEARD FROM A CLIENT TODAY THAT THEY ARE NOW RETROACTIVELY REQUESTING AN EASEMENT AND NO STREET TREES CAN BE INSTALLED ON A PROJECT.SO THAT AFFECTS WHAT WE DO HERE.
WE REVIEWED THIS PROJECT AS A BODY AND NOW WE ARE BEING, YOU KNOW, SLAPPED WITH A CARD THAT SAYS, WE DON'T CARE, WE'RE AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO I THINK THAT IF WE, IF I COULD REQUEST ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE THAT, THAT BE A MEETING YEAH.
AND THAT SOMEONE ACTUALLY SHOW UP TO THAT MEETING BECAUSE THAT'S HARD TO GET SOMETIMES.
UM, I MEAN SOME OF THAT HAPPENS, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE INTERNALLY.
UM, AND SO I'M, I'M HOPING THAT THIS FORCE OF POWER OF COMING FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATE AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE COMMISSION AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR STAFF CAN PROVIDE THAT SETTING.
THERE'S SO MUCH NEEDED CONVERSATIONS.
WE HEAR FROM THAT A LOT TOO, OF LIKE THE BIG BLANK WALLS 'CAUSE IT'S A VAULT OR UNDERGROUND VAULTS.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T, SO WE CAN'T PUT NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I THINK THAT WEIGHS HEAVIER TO ME THAN THAN TRANSPORTATION MIGHT FOR SOME OF THE IMPEDIMENTS WE RUN UP AGAINST JUST COMMISSION.
BUT BY THE WAY, LAST WEEK, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION TO PRIORITIZE TREES OVER UTILITIES.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME AND WE SEE MANAGERS GONNA HAVE TO EMBRACE THIS, BUT I'M TOLD EVEN THE INTERIM MANAGER IS GOING TO PUSH IT OFF OR GET IT GOING, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP LONG TERM.
WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE.
'CAUSE I'M SURE AE IS GONNA PUSH BACK THE ENTIRE WAY.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? SORRY, COMMISSIONER MCKAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I CUT YOU OFF THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AS FAR AS THE BENCHMARKS AND MILESTONES WITHIN EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE, OBVIOUSLY COMMISSION LED, WE'RE CREATING THOSE OURSELVES, UM, TRYING TO JUST UNDERSTAND LIKE SPECIFIC DEADLINES THAT WE SHOULD REALLY WORK.
SO WE SHOULD WORK TO, UH, IT'S A DRAFT OF, UH, THE A LIST THAT YOU, THAT YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING IN MIND THAT, THAT, THAT YOU'VE COME UP AGAINST THAT, OH, WE SHOULD DO THIS BY THIS DATE, OR SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO JUST KEEP IN MIND.
SO WE, WE SHOULD PROBABLY AGREE ON SOMETHING JUST SO THAT WE CAN TOTALLY HIT OUR BENCHMARKS.
AND, AND IF WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE SMALL BENCHMARKS WITHIN THESE KIND OF BROAD ONES.
UM, I'M KIND OF HAPPY TO HELP TRY TO FACILITATE THAT.
THE WORKING GROUP CAN BE A GOOD, UM, PLACE FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT KIND OF DYNAMIC OF WORKING GROUP, DOING WORK AND THEN COMING TO DESIGN COMMISSION OBVIOUSLY ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND REPORTING OUT A LITTLE.
UM, AND SO IN THAT WAY COULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HELP US ALL HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE, UM, THROUGH SOME MONTHLY UPDATES.
I THINK IT'D BE, IT'D BE, UH, YEAH, WE'RE ALREADY INTO MARCH.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'D BE GOOD TO START LOOKING AHEAD AND TRYING TO HIT A GOOD DEADLINE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I MOTION TO APPROVE THE DRAFT ENGAGEMENT PLAN AS PRESENTED.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL AGAINST HAVE SET THAT? YEAH.
[3. Conduct a nomination for the representative for the Downtown Commission.]
UH, ITEM HERE IS THE CONTESTED NOMINATION FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.[00:20:01]
IS, IS NO LONGER ABLE TO, UM, SERVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE.UM, SO, UM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOUR ROLE IS THERE, WHAT THE, WHAT, WHAT DAYS THEY MEET AND YEAH.
IT IS THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERYONE, I BELIEVE IT COINCIDES WITH A, A BOARD THAT I'M ON.
UM, AND SO I CAN'T ATTEND BOTH.
UH, IT IS A NON-VOTING POSITION.
YOU'RE JUST A LIAISON FROM THIS COMMISSION TO THAT COMMISSION.
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION ON ITEMS, BUT YOU CANNOT, UH, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY CALL FOR A VOTE ON ANY VOTED ITEMS, YOU, YOU CAN'T VOTE.
UM, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF, AND I MEAN THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT BODY DOWNTOWN.
UM, EVENTS, CULTURAL INITIATIVES.
IT KIND OF IS A COMBINATION OF THINGS THAT TOUCH A LOT OF OTHER BOARDS IN MISSION.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERESTING PRESENTATIONS, UM, IN THE COUPLE MEETINGS THAT I WAS ABLE TO GO TO.
AND IT WAS, THEY DID A
LIKE, OH, I GUESS, YEAH, SOMEONE PROBABLY SHOULD SEE IF WE HAVE A LOT OF SCOOTER INJURIES.
WE DO SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, UM, MORNING BETWEEN TWO AND 3:00 AM PRIME SCOOTER INJURY TIME.
BUT, UM, IT WAS, YEAH, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE KIND OF PULLING FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS AND IT MEETS, UM, AT CITY HALL.
THEY MEET IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UM, AT LEAST THEY WERE, WHEN WENT THE FEW MEETINGS THAT I WENT TO, YOU SIT UP LIKE ON THE COUNCIL DIOCESE.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S VERY OFFICIAL, UH, FROM SIX O'CLOCK TO WHAT DID THAT? SIX TO? LET'S SEE.
AND THE FEW MEETINGS THAT, I MEAN, I THINK THE TIME VARIES PRETTY WILDLY BASED ON, WAS PRESENTED IN WHAT'S DISCUSSED.
THE MEETING THAT I WENT TO, I THINK IT WENT FROM FIVE 30 TO EIGHT, WAS A RATHER SHORT RUN.
UM, 'CAUSE A LOT OF IT IS JUST RECEIVING PRESENTATIONS FROM PEOPLE TOO.
THEY, UM, WE DIDN'T VOTE ON ANYTHING AT THIS COUPLE MEETINGS THAT I WENT TO.
IT WAS JUST PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE REQUESTED.
THERE'S A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION THAT LIVE DOWNTOWN.
AND SO IT'S A VERY ACTIVE DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENS.
DOES THIS SOUND INTERESTING TO ANYONE THAT'S BE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE? UM, WHAT DID WE DO? UH, WHEN I WAS ON THE FENCE ABOUT THE JSC AND THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT I WAS ABLE TO JUST TRY IT OUT.
UH, WASN'T REALLY APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE, BUT I JUST, I, I THINK I WENT FIRST TIME AND THEN DECIDED YES.
IS THAT, UM, LIKE SERVING AS A LIAISON TEMPORARILY? YEAH, JUST IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CHECK IT OUT TO SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING.
RIGHT, SIR, I'M ON THE JSC AND THAT NEEDS UP A LOT OF TIME.
SO ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED? SO IF WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYONE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYONE.
GO GET A COOKIE
BUT, SO AN UPDATE FROM THE URBAN
[4. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding the meeting on March 1, 2024.]
DESIGN GUIDELINE WORKING GROUPS.WE'VE GOT SOME SLIDES DATED
[00:25:09]
TO THE NEXT ONE.SO JUST AS A RECAP, THESE WERE THE ADOPTED PRIORITIES THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY AGREED TO TWO YEARS AGO, WHENEVER IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO.
UM, SO ALL OF THE POST GUIDELINES DRAFTS ARE VETTED AGAINST THESE.
AND, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE FORMAT EACH GUIDELINE, THEN WE'LL REFERENCE WHICH ONE OF THESE, UH, MULTIPLE OF THESE THAT, THAT IT ADDRESSES IN A POSITIVE WAY.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG.
THESE WERE THE FIVE ADVISORY GROUPS THAT WERE CREATED TO WORK ON THE FIRST DRAFT.
THEY WERE ORGANIZED VERY SIMILAR TO THE CATEGORIES THIS IS TODAY WITH INFRASTRUCTURE BEING THE NEW CATEGORY.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE, THE PRIORITIES.
EACH GROUP LOOKED AT THE SAME PRIORITIES, UM, BASED ON THEIR OFFICE.
EACH ONE OF THESE GROUPS LED BY DESIGN COMMISSIONERS, BUT THE GROUPS THEMSELVES WERE MADE UP OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS THERE WAS SOME, A FEW CITY STAFF ON SOME OF THESE GROUPS.
UH, BUT GOING BACK TO THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE IDEA OF INCLUSIVENESS, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO ENGAGE THE STAKEHOLDERS EARLY ON AND HAVE THEM BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
NOT JUST WRITE SOMETHING BEHIND THE DOORS, THEN SAY, HERE IT IS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? UM, AND ONE OF THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THAT IS THAT IN A PROCESS LIKE THAT YOU GET BETTER BUY-IN AT THE END, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN PART OF THE PROCESS AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE INPUT THROUGHOUT THAT, THAT FIRST DRAFT.
THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, THIS JUST IN, UH, THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED.
WE'VE, WE'VE GONE, UH, AWAY FROM ORGANIZING IT.
UM, LIKE, LIKE YOU SAW THE ADVISORY GROUPS AND LIKE IT'S TODAY AND WE'VE DECIDED TO ORGANIZE THE GUIDELINES BY FOUR URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES.
I'LL SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE IN A MINUTE.
BUT, UM, THAT WAY THERE'S LOTS OF SEVERAL REASONS THAT THIS IS BENEFICIAL.
UM, 'CAUSE AT FIRST I THINK IT COULD BE CONFUSING BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO BUILDING THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO STREETSCAPE ALL IN SIMILAR CATEGORIES TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, UH, PRINCIPLE IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE A GOAL, AND THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED IN MULTIPLE WAYS, THEN IT COULD AFFECT THE BUILDING, IT COULD AFFECT THE STREETSCAPE.
UM, AND THE OTHER BENEFIT TO THIS IS THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF HAVING GUIDELINES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE AND OTHERS THAT ARE OPTIONAL.
AND SO EACH CORE PRINCIPLE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE REQUIRED GUIDELINE, AND THAT WAY WE WOULD AVOID WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
WHEREAS PROJECTS MAY DO SOME GUIDELINES OVER HERE AND THEN COMPLETE, IGNORE ALL OF THESE OTHER GUIDELINES IN THIS STRATEGY.
THEY WILL HAVE TO DO ONE OF AT LEAST EVERY CORE PRINCIP.
UH, WE HAVEN'T LANDED ON HOW MANY CORE PRINCIPLES WE HAVE YET.
UM, I SUSPECT BE THERE, UM, APRIL.
BUT, BUT THAT'S THE GENERAL IDEA IS THAT, AND THEN WE'LL SHOW YOU MORE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SLIDE THAT, THAT'S HOW WE WOULD ORGANIZE THESE.
SO THERE'LL BE NO MORE BUILDINGS CATEGORY OR
[00:30:01]
STREETSCAPE CATEGORY.SO HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT A CORE PRINCIPLE MIGHT BE.
UH, YOU KNOW, PROTECT, PROTECT PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES.
UM, SO THIS IS EXAMPLE, LIKE SOPHIA MENTIONED, THE CUTS IN DRIVEWAYS.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, THE FIRST ONE PREVENT PEDESTRIANS A BICYCLIST FROM THE ELEMENTS.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE FIRST ONE.
THAT, THAT COULD BE, UM, A TREE IN THE STREETSCAPE OR IT COULD BE A NODDING.
THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS YOU CAN ADDRESS, UM, SOME OF THESE.
SO WE WOULD LIST THESE PRINCIPLES AND THEN UNDER ALL OF 'EM IS WHERE THE GUIDELINES WOULD BE.
SO HERE'S BREAKING DOWN THE ORGANIZATION A LITTLE MORE, UH, GUIDING CORE PRINCIPLE.
THEN UNDER THAT YOU HAVE A GUIDELINE, CLEAR INTENT, TRYING TO MAKE THE, THE ACTUAL GUIDELINE LANGUAGE VERY SHORT AND CLEAR OF WHAT THE INTENT WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
UM, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE PRIORITY.
SO THAT TIES BACK TO THOSE ADOPTED PRIORITIES.
THE BEGINNING LIST, ALL THE PRIORITIES THAT HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
THE TIERS WE'RE CURRENTLY CALLING TIERS.
AND THAT IS, UH, EITHER TIER ONE, WHICH IS THE REQUIRED, A REQUIRED GUIDELINE, OR TIER TWO, WHICH IS A HIGHLY ENCOURAGED, UH, GUIDELINE, UH, WILL HAVE A CONDITION, WHICH IS THE SITUATION THAT EACH GUIDELINE IS ADDRESSING.
UH, CURRENTLY HAVE APPLICABILITY.
THIS PROBABLY DOESN'T, PROBABLY WON'T BE USED MUCH NOW, BUT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WHEN, WHEN, AND IF THESE ARE APPLIED TO OTHER AREAS OF TOWN.
APPLICABILITY IS LIKE WHAT LOCATION IS IT? IS IT AS AN EXAMPLE? IF IT ISN'T, THESE ARE APPLIED TO OTHER AREAS OF TOWN.
UH, YOU KNOW, SITUATION IN DOWNTOWN MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FROM A TOD SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, IT COULD ALSO BE CORE TRANSIT CORRIDORS VERSUS, UM, SOME OTHER THREE TYPE.
SO ALL OF THAT DESCRIPTION IS APPLICABILITY.
UM, MEASUREMENTS, WE ADDED THIS TO TRY AND SPECIFY SPECIFIC MEASURABLE CONDITIONS IN THAT GUIDELINE IN ORDER TO MORE EASILY DETERMINE IF A PROJECT IS ACTUALLY COMPLYING.
UH, IT'S NOT THE INTENT TO GET REALLY DOWN IN THE WEEDS WITH THIS, BUT TO HAVE SOME MEASURABLE CONDITION.
LIKE IF YOU SAY, UH, YOU NEED AN AWNING TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS, MEASURABLE NEEDS MIGHT BE THE AWNING NEEDS TO REPRESENT 75% OF THE LENGTH OF THE FRONTAGE OF BUILDING EXAMPLE.
UH, AND THEN EXAMPLES WE WOULD LIST AND ILLUSTRATE EXAMPLES OF HOW TO ACHIEVE, UH, EACH GUIDELINE.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING A TON OF INFORMATION FOR EACH GUIDELINE.
THE IDEA OF, YOU READ THIS, YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE INTENT IS.
AND, UM, WHILE THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES, IDEAS THAT WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION DESIGN TEAMS CAN COME UP WITH THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS TOO.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE IDEA OF A SORT OF ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE, UH, FOR PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE REQUIRED ONES.
IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE'S SOMETHING PREVENTING THEM, BUT THEY PROVIDE SOMETHING ELSE THAT REALLY GETS TO THE INTENT OF THE GUIDELINE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY THERE.
SO THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARD TO READ TOP
[00:35:01]
CUT OFF WITH THAT LITTLE THING, BUT THIS IS A QUICK EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.THE, THE TEXT AT THE TOP THAT'S CUT OFF IS THE CORE PRINCIPLE.
UH, THIS ONE IS PROTECT PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS FROM THE ELEMENTS.
THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE, UM, UNDERNEATH THAT.
AND THEN THE GUIDELINE ITSELF UNDER THIS IS PROTECT PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS FROM WIND.
UH, SEE THE PRIORITIES, TIER TWO DON'T HAVE APPLICABILITY FILLED OUT, BUT THEN CONDITION.
UM, HERE WE'VE GOT SOME LISTED DISRUPT, MITIGATE, STREET CANYON EFFECT AND SOME, UH, GRAPHICS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT.
UH, DON'T HAVE THE MEASUREMENT LISTED HERE.
AND THEN SOME EXAMPLES AT THE BOTTOM.
THE IDEA OBVIOUSLY THIS IS COMPLETE, UM, IS TO JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THIS ALL LAYS OUT AND IT START TO LOOK AT IT GRAPHICALLY.
UM, AND THEN IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY GO INTO SECOND GUIDELINE UNDER THIS
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL THE SLIDES I HAD ON HERE.
YEAH, THE, THE BACKUP, THE ORIGINAL BACKUP ACTUALLY HAD DRAFT GUIDELINES.
SOME OF THEM LISTED INTERESTED, BUT, UM, BUT I THOUGHT I'D FOCUS CHANGE THE FOCUS ON THIS FORMATTING SINCE IT IS SUCH A DEPARTURE FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT GOING THERE, GOING THIS WAY,
BUT WALLACE, I LIKE THE NEW ORGANIZATION.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE OTHER, UM, DOCUMENT.
SO THE CONCEPT LIKE WHERE YOU HAVE BUILDING GUIDELINES AND THERE'S 22 OF THEM, IT WOULD GET BOILED DOWN ALMOST INTO A BIGGER HEADER AND THEN MAYBE EVEN COMBINE SOME IN WITH LIKE STREETSCAPE.
LIKE THERE'S A LOT ABOUT LIKE DESIGN EXCELLENCE, LIKE THAT'S ALMOST LIKE A BIGGER HEADER WITH YEAH.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING WE WERE FINDING IS THAT SO MUCH OVERLAP, RIGHT? AND THE GUIDELINES WERE BEING REPEATED IN DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
AND SO BY PUTTING THEM UNDER THESE PRINCIPLES AND NOT HAVING TO PARK IT IN BUILDINGS, RIGHT, OR STREETSCAPE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT OVERLAPPING, THERE'S JUST ONE GUIDELINE.
SO IT SIMPLIFIES AND CLARIFIES THAT.
AND SO, UM, EVEN THE 20 SOMETHING THAT WAS ORIGINATED BUILDINGS, IT'S GONNA BE GREATLY REDUCED.
IT'S GONNA SHRINK INTO LIKE A BIGGER HEADER WITH SOME OF THESE SMALLER GUIDELINES UNDERNEATH BIGGER HEADER.
I THINK IT'LL, IT'S A GOOD DIRECTION,
AND I'M, THIS IS PROBABLY AN OBVIOUS STATEMENT AND ONE WE PROBABLY COVER, BUT WHO'S GONNA DO ALL THE CONTENT FOR THESE? IS THAT THE MARKETING GROUP? UH, THE, WE'RE WE'RE, I MEAN THE, THE GUIDELINES THEMSELVES ARE ALREADY DONE BY THOSE ADVISORY GROUPS.
WE'RE, WE'RE SMITHING THEM A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, BUT ALL THE OTHER ITEMS, THE PRIORITIES, ABILITY, CONDITION, MEASUREMENT, EXAMPLES, MOST OF THAT THAT THIS WORKING IS DOING.
SO THE ADVISORY GROUPS, SOME OF 'EM DID HAVE EXAMPLES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PULLING FROM.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE THE GRAPHICS WE GOTTA DO, BUT WE'RE GONNA LEAN AND ON PHASE THREE, LEAN ON STAFF TO HELP ACTUALLY FORMAT THE DOCUMENT INTO BOOKLET INTO THAT.
BUT A LOT OF THE CONTENT TO BE DRIVEN BY THE GIL.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ADOPTED PRIORITIES.
UM, NOT KNOWING THE SORT OF FULL HISTORY OF THIS PROCESS SINCE BETWEEN 2022 AND 2021.
UM, AND SINCE YOU PLACED THEM BEFORE THE ADVISORY GROUP CATEGORIES WERE THE ADOPTED PRIORITIES, SOMETHING THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE URBAN GUIDELINES THAT IS IN LINE WITH A LARGER CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN PRIORITIES AS IT FALLS OUT ACROSS MULTIPLE COMMISSIONS, NOT
[00:40:01]
JUST DOWNTOWN OR DESIGN COMMISSION.I ASKED ABOUT THE PRIORITIES THINKING AHEAD TO WHEN WE DO GO OUT TO MEET WITH THESE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
I'M WONDERING, HAVE WE ALREADY IDENTIFIED ALL OF THESE AS BEING IN LINE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH? IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO REVIEW AS WELL? IS THAT THE FOCUS OF ANY OF THE WORKING GROUPS? OVERRIDING QUESTION.
HOW HAVE WE ARRIVED AT THIS LIST OF ADOPTION PRIORITIES? THAT LIST WAS CREATED BY THE ORIGINAL WORKING GROUP WHEN THE PLAN WAS WRITTEN.
SO THE, THE PLAN THAT SOPHIA REFERRED TO THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL INCLUDED THAT LIST, THIS LIST OF A PRIORITIES.
THE I WHICH BASICALLY CAME FROM, THE REASONING BEHIND THIS WHOLE EFFORT WAS THAT, HEY, THIS DOCUMENT IS 20 YEARS OLD, REALLY, AND THERE'S BEEN ALL THESE CHANGES IN THE CITY CITY'S GOALS, CITY'S PRIORITIES, INCLUDING NEW PLANS, UM, THAT BE NEEDED TO BRING THIS DOCUMENT TODAY.
UM, THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS, THINKING ABOUT EQUITY, THINKING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, BUT IT WAS THE ORIGINAL WORKING GROUP THAT CAME UP WITH THAT AND, AND IDENTIFIED THE PLAN, ALSO IDENTIFIES A LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT, UM, THAT THE WORKING GROUP WITH STAFF CAME UP WITH.
AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO PLANNING COMMISSION, THEY ADDED SOME STAKEHOLDER NAMES AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF THE HISTORY OF WHERE THOSE CAME FROM.
SO THEN I, I WOULD THEN ASSUME BASED ON THAT, THAT AS YOU SAID, THIS LIST OF ADOPTED PRIORITIES WAS PUT TOGETHER BY BOTH THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND STAFF AND HAS ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED, UM, TO COUNCIL AND HAS ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED AND WILL THEREFORE, AS PART OF THIS UPDATE, NOT BE READDRESSED OR RECONSIDERED.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S JUST SORT OF ALREADY SEALED.
UM, AND, AND IT, IT STRIKES ME AS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IN YOUR OUTLINE, YOUR NEW OUTLINE, YOU ARE REFERRING BACK TO THE PRIORITIES, SORT OF THE SECOND HEADLINE.
ESSENTIALLY YOU'VE GOT YOUR PRIMARY HEADLINE AND THEN IT REFERS BACK TO THIS LIST OF PRIORITIES AND MENTIONS HOW THIS, UM, GUIDELINE IS GOING TO TACKLE EACH OF THESE PRIORITIES.
IS THAT THE UNDERSTANDING? YES.
UM, BECAUSE, I MEAN, ONE THING I, I DIDN'T MENTION WAS THAT, UH, WE ALSO CREATED A, WHAT WE'RE CALLING AN EVALUATION TOOL, AND THERE WAS, THERE'S ONE FOR EACH OF THOSE PRIORITIES.
AND IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A SIMPLIFIED LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT EACH GUIDELINE WAS RATED ON HOW IT POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THESE PRIORITIES.
AND IF IT CREATED A NEGATIVE IMPACT, IT'S TOSSED OR IT'S REWORDED TO THEREFORE CREATE A POSITIVE IMPACT.
SO, SO YEAH, WE WANTED TO KEEP THOSE PRIORITIES AT THE FOREFRONT AS WE GO THROUGH THESE GUIDELINES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS DRIVING THE WHOLE PROCESS.
LIKE WHY WE WANTED TO UPDATE THIS TO MAKE IT LINE, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIES IN 2024 AT AUSTIN VERSUS 2000 AND, AND THAT THE EVALUATION TOOL THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED IS STILL GONNA BE PART OF THE OVERALL DOCUMENT, OR IS IT JUST FOR THE WORKING GROUP OR IT WAS, IT'S JUST FOR THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, IT WEREN'T NECESSARILY GONNA PUBLISH IT IN THE GUIDELINE DOCUMENT ITSELF AS BACKUP FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, WHERE YOU CAN SEE HOW STUFF SCORED AND, AND IT, IT ALSO, THE INTENT WAS TO SORT OF LEVEL THE FIELD BETWEEN ALL THE ADVISORY GROUPS AND PROVIDE SOME TRANSPARENCY ON HOW AND WHY CERTAIN GUIDELINES ARE BEING PROPOSED AND WHY OTHER ONES WEREN'T.
ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE MEASUREMENT.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO GET A MEASUREMENT FOR YOU.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT JUST DON'T HAVE A MEASUREMENT, BUT I THINK IF, IF
[00:45:01]
THERE IS, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ADD THAT.AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD MENTIONED TRYING TO INCORPORATE LIKE AN ALTERNATE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE, UM, WHICH IT SEEMS LIKE YOU, WE'VE JUST GOT, YOU JUST HAVE EXAMPLES HERE.
IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S SAYING YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, THIS, OR THIS.
UH, SO IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, YEAH, IF YOU DID AN ALTERNATE COMPLIANCE THAT WOULD ALMOST MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THIS IS THESE ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO OR YOU, OR YOU CAN DO YOUR OWN THING.
LIKE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING YOU COULD DO THIS, BUT IF YOU CAN'T DO THIS, YOU CAN DO THIS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE GOAL.
WANT YOU TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT HOW YOU, I THINK THE IDEA IS TO NOT, NOT OPEN IT UP TO WHERE ANYTHING, ANYBODY CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT, BUT RECOGNIZE THAT SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS THAT MAY NOT ALLOW A PROJECT TO DO WHAT WE THINK ARE THE OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS YEAH.
TO SOME OF THESE AND COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS THINK OF THAT PROJECT AT THE END OF RED RIVER THAT HAD LIKE 15 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY.
THEY JUST HAD NO RIGHT FRONTAGE, RIGHT.
AND THEY HAD TO SET THE BUILDING OH YEAH.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOME WEIRD OUTLIERS.
AND SO HAVING A, HAVING SOME WAY TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS AND KNOWING THAT, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE IN OUR MINDS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO KEEPING, UM, WELL IF THESE ARE APPLIED TO OTHER AREAS, UH, THE TOWN, THERE'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR, FOR A HIGHRISE VERSUS MIDRISE RISE.
UM, SO OVERALL I THINK IT'S A GREAT NEW FORMAT VERSUS THE PREVIOUS ONE.
SO I LIKE THAT IT'S GOT, YOU KNOW, COMBINED SECTIONS BASED ON GOALS.
SO YEAH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP TREMENDOUSLY.
IT'S GONNA SIMPLIFY IT AND THE, THE FORMAT IS PART OF WHAT WE'VE KIND OF BEEN GOING OVER AND AND STRUGGLING WITH FOR, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.
AND NOW THAT WE'VE KIND OF LANDED ON THIS, I THINK IT BE ABLE TO KIND OF MOVE A BIT FASTER TO WRAP UP THIS, THIS PHASE.
MUCH MR. CHAIR, THIS IS RELATED, UNRELATED.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR MY ABSENCE.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
I MIGHT KNOW THE INTENT IS TO HAVE, UH, APPLICABILITY BROADER OUTSIDE OF JUST THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
UM, AND ALREADY I KNOW THAT, UH, VELA, UH, HIS OFFICE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME, UM, TO LEARN ABOUT THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING AT, UH, SOME REVISIONS TO THE, UH, MIXED USE PROGRAM ON CORRIDORS IN PARTICULAR, UM, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO HE WAS ASKING FOR PEOPLE'S NAMES AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, I JUST HAPPEN TO BE A PART OF THIS, UH, COMMITTEE THAT IS PART OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
UM, SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE TACTICS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING.
SO JUST I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE THAT, UM, THERE IS SOME, UH, SOME, UH, ACTION UNDERWAY.
ANOTHER QUESTION, WHERE DO YOU NEED HELP? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ANYONE THAT'S NOT ON IN A WORKING GROUP CAN? UH, YOU THINK THERE ALWAYS SOME IN THE BUS, DAVID, WE NEED, IT'S LIKE ACTUALLY SHOT
UM, I, I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST HOLE RIGHT NOW IS AND HAS BEEN THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND THAT, THAT GROUP NEVER MATERIALIZED ENOUGH TO, UH, DO A PROPER DRAFT.
AND SO THE, THE DRAFT WE HAVE NOW IS ACTUALLY THE DRAFT THAT THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION DID.
AND WHEN I SAY PREVIOUS, I MEAN BEFORE ME LIKE 12 YEARS AGO.
[00:50:01]
TO FIND, UH, ENOUGH INTEREST FOR FOLKS TO, TO TACKLE THAT.BUT IT'S BEEN 12, 13 YEARS OR MORE SINCE, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2010 WHEN COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION FOR US FOR DESIGN COMMISSION TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO I JUST, I WANTED THEM BADLY TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS,
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOT SO MUCH OF ITS OWN, ITS OWN NEEDS THAT IT, YOU JUST CAN'T REALLY APPLY ALL OF THIS TO INFRASTRUCTURE 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF GOT ITS OWN.
YEAH, I MEAN THE STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING NOW AFFECTS, I MEAN IT DOES APPLY TO INFRASTRUCTURE AS IT, UH, INTERACTS WITH PEDESTRIANS AND BUILDINGS, BUT NOT, IT JUST, IT'S NOT REALLY ADDRESS STANDALONE INFRASTRUCTURE FRAUD, WHICH WAS MY UNDERSTANDING REALLY THE INTENT OF COUNCIL.
SO THAT'S, SAY THAT'S THE TOTAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE, IS THAT STILL JUST FOR DOWNTOWN AREA OR IS THAT ALL OVER? I THINK IT'D BE ALL OVER.
I MEAN, WE SEE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY SUBSTATION IN THE NORTH, THE MALL, YEAH.
SO TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE TO HOLD THIS PRODUCTS ACCOUNTABLE.
BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY CREATE THESE SUBSTATIONS IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT A BIG CONCRETE WALL AND THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT, NO ONE'S GONNA BE WORKING THERE.
IT'S LIKE PEOPLE ARE LIVING RIGHT AROUND YOU.
SO COMMISSIONER WALLACE, I WAS JUST GONNA VOLUNTEER IF YOU WANT A SET OF LIKE OUTSIDE EYES REGARDING ORGANIZATION, LIKE JUST KIND OF PROVIDING COMMENTS FROM SOMEONE WHO'S NOT SUCKED INTO THE PROCESS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, IF STAFF, IF Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
I'M JUST READING IN THE MEDIA THAT, UH, THERE IS SOME DISSATISFACTION WITH THE AMOUNTS OF HOUSING THAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS PART OF THE DENSITY PROGRAM.
AND IN FACT, OUTSIDE OF BRANDY STREET, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY, IS WHAT I HEARD.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN ANY OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS OR DISCUSSIONS.
UM, NO ONE'S ASKING ME, BUT I, I CAN, I GUESS, ILLUMINATE A PROBLEM THAT FEELS, FEELS HARD TO SOLVE, WHICH IS THAT IT IS SO PARTICIPATION, IT'S VERY KEY THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE, IN THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY PER STATE OR THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN STATEWIDE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A, A FEAR TO REQUIRE ON SITE BOTH FOR THAT REASON OF THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT AND ALSO FOR NOT, I GUESS NOT HAVING PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE, UM, AND Y'ALL WILL KNOW BETTER AS PRACTITIONERS THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE THE WAY THAT THE BONUS IS CREATED.
IT'S CERTAINLY MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD THE UNIT ON SITE THAN TO DO THE FEE IN LIEU.
AND, UM, SO YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE THAT THERE'S BEEN A CONSULTANT, UM, AT ECHO NORTHWEST THAT DID A BUNCH OF WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN HOUSING AND THE NUMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY RUN THEIR CALCULATIONS, BUT THEY ARE CONSULTANT THAT DOES THIS KIND OF WORK AND THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE MUCH LOWER.
THE FEE AND L NUMBER PER SQUARE FOOT IS MUCH LOWER THAN IT WOULD BE TO BUILD IT.
AND SO I, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON THERE WITH LIKE TRYING TO GIVE A CARROT, UM, MAYBE A COUPLE CARROTS.
UH, AND SO THAT WE GET ULTIMATELY PARTICIPATION IN A DENSITY BONUS PROJECT THAT IF IT'S NOT GIVING US ONSITE AFFORDABILITY, IT'S GIVING US A LOT OF MONEY TO DO AFFORDABILITY, UM, I GUESS ALL OVER THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF THOSE PROGRAMS TOO, BUT IT'S QUITE COMPLEX.
[00:55:01]
WE'RE CERTAINLY GETTING A LOT OF MONEY PUMPED INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST, UM, AND DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT END UP FUNNELING THE MONEY TO DIFFERENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS. THAT'S KIND OF, AS MUCH AS I KNOW, I THINK IT'S JUST, I I CAN'T REALLY ELABORATE ON THE DIFFICULTIES BEYOND THAT.BUT MR. CO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS, THREE WEEKS AGO OR SO, SOME OF THAT MONEY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT TO BUILD NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS PROGRAM.
ANY OF THAT MONEY HAS EVER BEEN USED TO BUILD NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING EVER.
THERE WAS SOME MONEY USED AT THE BEGINNING, THE PANDEMIC FOR SOME HOTEL CONVERSIONS FOR HOMELESS.
THE REST OF IT'S BEEN USED FOR HOUSING VOUCHERS.
SO THERE'S A BIG DISCONNECT IN IN THE MEDIA AND EVERYWHERE ELSE.
AND PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A LONG DISCUSSION TOO.
THIS, AND, AND WHEN THEY RECALIBRATED THE FREE THE FEES, EVERYBODY WAS SCREAMING AND YELLING.
NO ONE EVER ASKED WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? WHAT IS IT SPENT ON, SPENT ON VOUCHERS? AND WE HAVE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS TELLING ME THEY HAVE WAIT LISTS.
PEOPLE WITH VOUCHERS DON'T HAVE A HOUSING VOUCHER PROBLEM.
WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE HAVE VOUCHERS THAT PEOPLE CAN'T USE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WRITTEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, TO THE OLD COUNCIL THAT FELL IN DEAF EARS, UH, WHEN THEY CHANGED THE FEES TO SAY, LOOK, THE FEES HAVE DOUBLED.
YOU CAN STILL PUT ALL THIS MONEY INTO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, BUT TAKE THE REST OF IT, GIVE IT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS TO BUILD UNITS.
BUT YEAH, SO I I ALMOST FELL OUTTA MY SEAT WHEN I READ IT A FEW WEEKS AGO.
THEY FINALLY DID THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
HOPEFULLY IT'S A TREND, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD IT'S STAFF THAT DECIDES WHERE THAT MONEY GOES.
IT'S NOT COUNCIL, UH, DICTATING.
SO THAT'S, AND AS FAR AS THE ONSITE, WHEN I'VE SPOKEN TO DEVELOPERS, WHAT I'VE HEARD IS, ONE, THE CONSTRUCTION COST TO THE OPERATION, BECAUSE 99 TIMES OUT OF A HUNDRED OR MORE IT'S MARKET RATE DEVELOPERS AND YOU'RE TELLING THEM TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMES WITH A LOT OF STREAMS, OPERATIONS, INCLUDING QUALIFYING RENTERS OR BUYERS.
AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
AND SO I'VE HEARD EVEN SOME OF THE UNITS THAT WERE BUILT ON RAIN OR, 'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH ALL THE STRAINS.
SO MY SENSE IS THAT'S WHY NOW MORE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, LET'S JUST GET THE FEE AND GIVE, GIVE IT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS.
BUT I'M LIKE, WELL THAT'S NOT, IT'S BEING DONE WITH MONEY.
I, I THINK HOW, I THINK VOUCHERS ARE GREAT, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S MORE VOUCHERS THAN THERE ARE FOR ME.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY SOAP BOX.
WHAT'S YOUR GUESS? I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID, SPECIFICALLY THE PROJECT THAT HAS GONE AHEAD.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SUCCINCTLY WITHOUT GOING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL, WHETHER THERE WAS ANYTHING SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT ABOUT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT THAT DID RECEIVE THE FUNDS? AND AS TO WHY IT WAS THE FIRST ONE EVER? HAVE THEY DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT IN THE PROCESS? NO, NOT THE PROJECT ITSELF.
I THINK IT WAS JUST STAFF BECAUSE, UM, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE DEMAND FOR THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
LIKE THE, THE BOND THAT WAS PASSED AND THE DISPLACING MONEY FROM PROJECT CONNECT.
IT'S NOWHERE NEAR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.
UM, I TELL PEOPLE, UH, WAS IT SECOND QUARTER LAST YEAR, I HAD A PROJECT GO.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A COMMITTEE THAT SEES THESE PROJECTS FIRST THAT'S MADE UP OF, OF CITIZENS.
THEY PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATION.
UH, THERE WAS SIX OR SEVEN PROJECTS ASKING FOR MONEY THAT QUARTER, TOTALING ABOUT $84 MILLION IN ASK.
AND THEY SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, BY THE WAY,
[01:00:01]
WE HAVE $84 MILLION FOR THE YEAR AND THAT'S JUST THE ASK FOR ONE QUARTER.SO THAT'S ALL WE CAN DISTRIBUTE FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THERE'S A HUGE DEMAND, IT'S NOT BEING MET.
AND I THINK FINALLY SOMEONE IN HOUSING SAW THAT WAS ABLE TO MOVE, I THINK IT WAS $3 MILLION THAT THIS PROJECT GOT.
UM, UPDATE, YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
[5. Update from representative of the Downtown Commission regarding the meeting on March 20, 2024.]
FROM, UH, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, MARCH 20TH MEETING, MARCH AND UPDATE FROM THE[6. Update from representative of the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding the meeting on February 28, 2024.]
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE DURING OUR FEBRUARY 28TH MEETING.UH, THE BIG THING IS I EMAILED EVERYONE ABOUT WAS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TASKED TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.
AND THIS IS A BIG PICTURE PLAN TO HELP PROVIDE, IDENTIFY, AND PROVIDE FUNDING, UH, TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN, UH, ALL OF THESE PROPOSED, UH, SUSTAINABILITY PLANS AND, AND TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S KEEPING US FROM MOVING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS A, THIS INCLUDES ABOUT 12 PLANS.
AND SO WE'RE ZOOMED OUT REACHING BACK OUT TO THE, UM, ALL THE FOLKS THAT HAVE WORKED ON EACH ONE OF THESE PLANS TO, OR THE TEAMS TO GET THEIR INPUT ON WHAT IS, WHAT'S HOLDING, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES Y'ALL HAVE AND IMPLE.
AND WE HAVE IMPLEMENTING THESE, ALL THESE VARIOUS, UH, SUSTAINABILITY PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED.
UM, SO WE HAVE A OPEN HEARING, UH, AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, SIX TO 10.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO AN ONLINE FORM.
I CAN EMAIL THAT BACK OUT TO EVERYONE.
AND THAT'S JUST TO GET PEOPLE'S INPUT ON WHAT THEY THINK THE BIGGEST GOALS ARE.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS ZOOMED OUT.
THIS IS BIG PICTURE OF NOT REALLY SPECIFICS INTO THE PLAN OF WHAT'S HOLDING THOSE UP, BUT WHAT IS IT GENERALLY ABOUT THOSE PLANS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A PERSON OR, OR TEAM OR SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDS TO KEEP THEIR EYES ON IT TO FOLLOW IT? SO THE DATES WE HAVE IS, UM, MARCH 27TH, OUR OPEN HEARING, APRIL 24TH.
UH, WE PLAN ON VOTING ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE GOTTA GET IT TO ON MAY 1ST TO GET THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
UM, THERE'S THESE PLANS ARE HUGE.
UH, THE SECOND ITEM IS WE'VE PASSED, I THINK 12 DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR LAST MEETING.
UH, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH 'EM REAL QUICK.
SO RECOMMENDATION, SUPPORTING PROLI FOOD CHOICES, UH, AND THE AUSTIN FOOD PLAN, UH, SUPPORT FOR THE GOALS OF THE GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE.
WE DID WITH OUR GROUP, UH, RECOMMENDATION ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY FOR PARKING.
UM, AND THEN WE PASSED A CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, PROJECT MANAGER OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY INCENTIVES, SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING SET, AND EDUCATION FOR PRO CLIMATE AND LOW CARBON CONCRETE.
UM, AND I CAN GO AND IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN GET INTO THE, THE GIST OF IT.
UH, SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR IMPLEMENT A PASSIVE AND EMBODIED CARBON REDUCTION HOUSE PILOT PROGRAM.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES NEEDS ASSESSMENT, HEAT RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE, CONVERTING IN IMPERVIOUS COVER TO FUNCTIONAL GREEN, UH, NO MO SIGNAGE AND CARBON NEUTRAL PUBLIC LANDS.
ALL OF THESE ARE BASED ON THE, UM, ON THE WORKING GROUPS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE CLIMATE EQUITY, UH, PLAN.
IT'LL BE BUSY FOR NEXT MONTH OR SO, MONTH AND A HALF GETTING THIS, THE SLOW PLAN TOGETHER AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.
UM, DOES IT EVER COME UP LIKE HOW DESIGN COMMISSION CAN HELP OR LIKE WHAT THE CONNECTION IS BETWEEN LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS GOALS AND THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN? YEAH, UM, I MEAN IT HASN'T COME UP, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON THERE THAT I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, WHERE WE CAN, WHERE I FIT IN
[01:05:01]
AND WHAT WE DO.AND SO IT'S TAKEN ME A WHILE, BUT FEEL LIKE I FOUND GETTING A, UM, AND IT MOVES REALLY FAST.
SO YES, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT, IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS MORE ACTIVELY.
UM, I WOULD JUST, IF MY COMMENT IS KEEP, KEEP AFFORDABILITY IN MIND.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.
I'VE BEEN THE ACCREDITED FOR 20 YEARS, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, MY MIND MOST RECENTLY IS ON THE, THE NEW WATER FORWARD THAT'S REQUIRING LARGE PROJECTS TO, UH, BRING GRAY WATER INTO THE BUILDING AND USE IT FOR TOILETS AND SHOWERS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE DOING A AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
AND I LOOKED AT THAT FOR ONE OF OUR PROJECTS.
IT WOULD ADD A BILLION DOLLARS TO THE PROJECT THAT WOULD JUST, THAT WOULD KILL THE PROJECT.
SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE BETWEEN SOME OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS AND, AND RECOGNIZING, UH, THAT THERE'S A DOLLAR ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THINGS.
AND I WISH THERE WASN'T, OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU GOTTA GOTTA PAY FOR IT.
[7. Update from representative of the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board regarding the meeting on March 18, 2024.]
UM, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD COMMISSIONER LANNER.UM, SO JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYONE, UH, I'M JUST GONNA READ OFF MY NOTES.
SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT FRAMEWORK PLAN WAS APPROVED IN 2016.
IN 2022, COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN ADVISORY GROUP WAS PUT TOGETHER AND THE GROUP IS WORKING WITH STAFF TO HELP WITH THE CREATION OF A COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
IT'S GETTING PRETTY INTERESTING.
UM, WHEN I KIND OF ENGAGED IN IT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO, IT WAS KIND OF STALLED OUT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE, LIKE SOME OF IT'S, IT'S JUST THERE'S A LOT TO IT.
UM, THEY, THERE WAS, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT RECENTLY.
UM, AND UH, SO THERE WAS OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
UH, OUR CHAIR, UH, STEVENSON HAS REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB KIND OF DIVING INTO THAT ORIGINAL PLAN AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
UM, WE HAD THIS PAST, UH, MONTH RELATED DEVELOPERS PRESENTED THEIR 500 CONGRESS AVENUE PROJECT.
AND FOR MOST OF US THAT ARE IN THIS FIELD, REALLY INTERESTING.
UM, THEY'RE DOING SOME INTERESTING IDEAS, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S NOTHING HOLDING ANYONE TO DOING THOSE IDEAS NECESSARILY.
UM, AND SO THAT MIGHT BE SOME OF THE CONVERSATION THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE IN THIS COMBINING DISTRICT.
THERE'S MULTIPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT HEIGHT ALLOWANCES AND FAR BASED ON THE DISTRICT.
UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS A LACK OF ADVISORY BOARD ONCE THE COMBINING DISTRICT IS APPROVED.
SO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A BOARD OR SOMETHING IN PLACE TO HELP THE CITY APPROVE CONTENT.
WILL IT CONTINUE ON AS THE ADVISORY BOARD WHERE THOSE PROJECTS WILL COME THROUGH THAT? DO THOSE PROJECTS COME THROUGH THE DESIGN COMMISSION? THERE'S LIKE KIND OF A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE.
ANYWAY, STAFF AND AND CHAIR, UM, ASKED THE ADVISORY GROUP TO HOLD OFF ON FINALIZING DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY LOOKING AT IT AND THEY'RE GONNA SEND A LIST OF COMBINING DISTRICT PROGRAM CHANGES EARLY THIS WEEK.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET THAT, WE'LL PROVIDE MORE COMMENTS.
MAYBE DON'T ASK ME A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
VICE CHAIR MEYERS IS THE HOW CONGRESS, PUD, THE NEW ONE WHERE HE GOES THAT'S THE ONE THAT RELATED, JUST PRESENTED.
THAT'S WHO YOU'RE REFERRING TO? OH, 500.
YEAH, IT'S 500 CONGRESS AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PAST MONTH, THEY HAVE THE WHOLE PRESENTATION ON THERE JUST LIKE WE DO.
I MEAN IT LOOKS, YOU KNOW, WELL I WON'T GET INTO DETAIL ON WHAT IT LOOKS.
YEAH, I THOUGHT ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL THAT WE COULD LEARN ON THIS COMMISSION FOR WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE THAT ARE REPLACING SOME OF THESE BELOVED ENTITIES IS THAT THEY'RE INCORPORATING EGOS INTO THE PLAN FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD.
SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT'S KIND OF SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT WE COULD BORROW FROM FOR SOME OF THESE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN GO BACK IN GARAGE.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN IT IS LIKE RIGHT TO RETURN, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
[01:10:01]
ALL THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ANYTHING THAT SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON FOR THE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA THAT YOU THINK OF? YEAH, CAN EMAIL THAT? WELL, WE'LL DO IT THROUGH EMAIL.YOU NEED TO AND GIVE US A SECOND.
UM, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.