[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
UH, THIS IS THE APRIL MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.UH, FIRST ITEM IS TO CALL ROLL.
UH, SETH, WOULD YOU HANDLE THAT OR WOULD YOU PREFER THAT I DO THAT? EITHER WAY IS FINE.
IF YOU WOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission March 20, 2024 meeting.]
RIGHT.THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED? UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? YEAH, I MOVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[2. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair.]
IS TO CONDUCT OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.UM, SO WELL I WOULD, UM, IS THIS ON? NO, IT IS.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE, UM, AUGUST HARRIS TO CONTINUE AS CHAIR THROUGH THE END OF, OF HIS TERM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY AND, UM, IF NECESSARY, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE UNTIL WE HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY, UH, AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, UM, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A SUPER MAJORITY.
SO THAT'S MY PREFERENCE ANYWAY.
UH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK WE SHOULD TABLE THIS.
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT A FORMAL MOTION IF YOU WANT TO TABLE THIS UNTIL THE, EITHER THE NEXT MEETING OR WE HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY MUCH ELSE WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW.
ANYWAY, IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN.
I, I, UM, I SEE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ISHMAEL TO POSTPONE AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LEVINSON.
THE MOTION IS TABLED OR THE, THE ITEM IS TABLED, UH, TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO FOR, FOR THE INTERIM, UH, I WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS CHAIR AND, UH, VICE CHAIR ISMAIL WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS VICE CHAIR THERE.
SO, UH, IF THERE ARE COMMISSIONERS WHO WOULD, UM, LIKE TO BECOME CHAIR, UM, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYBODY WHO WAS SO INCLINED, IF THERE IS ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO SERVE AS CHAIR, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LET ME, TO LET STAFF KNOW AND I APPRECIATE IT.
UH, OTHERWISE I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE IN THIS ROLE, UH, AS, AS, UH, DURING THE REMAINDER OF MY, MY TERM.
[3. Approve a Recommendation to centralize graffiti programs within the City of Austin by creating and funding a new department.]
TO APPROVE, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO CENTRALIZE GRAFFITI PROGRAMS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN BY CREATING A NEW FUNDING, A NEW DEPARTMENT CREATING AND FUNDING A NEW DEPARTMENT.AS Y'ALL WILL REMEMBER, THIS WAS BROUGHT LAST YEAR.
IT WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, UM, AND IT WAS, UH, BROUGHT BACK AS AN UPDATE LAST, LAST MONTH.
UH, AND I THINK THE, THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE IT READOPTED, UH, AND SENT BACK TO COUNSEL.
THAT'S, I WENT AHEAD AND BASICALLY REJIGGERED IT TO BE UP TO DATE
UM, DO I HAVE, SO I, I'LL TAKE THAT AS A MOTION.
YEAH, I WILL MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THIS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SONJA, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER SECONDS.
UH, DO I, HAVE WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, JUST ONE THING.
UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR PARKS FOR GRAFFITI
[00:05:01]
ABATEMENT, IT SHOULD BE 546,000.COMMISSIONER ISHMAEL, I'M SORRY.
IS THERE A, A NEED FOR AMENDMENT? I ASSUME? SHOULDN'T THAT BE 4 540 6,000? OH, YEAH.
IT SAYS 546 COMMA ZERO ZERO AND IT'S MISSING A ZERO.
I, I I GUESS IT'S A, I MOVE TO AMEND
DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO GUESS? YES.
SO I'VE GOT A, A MOTION TO AMEND AND I'VE GOT A SECOND FROM THE, THE AUTHOR.
UH, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE, THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
NOW WE RETURN TO THE MAIN MOTION.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER, UH, POINTS OF DISCUSSION FOR THE MAIN MOTION? ALL HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
WE ALREADY HAD A MOTION IN A SECOND.
UH, SO, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
DID I SAY I DID SAY THAT YOU DID.
I HAD A PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH AT 11 O'CLOCK TODAY, SO IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE PUNCHY
UM, AND PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES ARE GOOD.
UH, ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO
[4. Presentation on mental health resources for people experiencing homelessness by Marlene Buchanan, Director of System of Care, and Kathleen Casey, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Integral Care.]
OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM IS A PRESENTATION ON MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY MARLENE BUCHANAN, DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM CARE, AND KATHLEEN CASEY, CHIEF STRATEGY AND INNOVATION OFFICER AT INTEGRAL CARE.MARLENE BUCHANAN, DIRECTOR OF OUR SYSTEM OF CARE AT INTERVAL CARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ABLE TO SHOW THAT OR NOT.
UM, SO AGAIN, MARLENE BUCHANAN, DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM OF CARE, AND I'LL INTRODUCE RUTH AHERN.
HI, SORRY, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A, A FROG IN MY THROAT.
I'M THE PRACTICE ADMINISTRATOR OF HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS INITIATIVES.
SO I'M GONNA START JUST BY GIVING AN OVERVIEW OF INTEGRAL CARE, WHAT WE DO, WHAT OUR SERVICES ARE, UM, AS A WHOLE.
AND THEN RUTH IS GONNA HONE IN SPECIFICALLY ON HOW OUR SERVICE, WHAT SERVICES, AND WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT INTEGRAL CARE.
INTEGRAL CARE IS A LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY.
SO IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S 39 LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES THAT ARE ASSIGNED COUNTIES OR CATCHMENT AREAS.
SO INTEGRAL CARE, UM, IS ASSIGNED TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE'RE THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR THE COUNTY.
WE PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE, YOUTH AND INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES, UM, FOR EVERYONE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, CITY OF AUSTIN, AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY IN THE COUNTY.
WE ARE FUNDED FROM THREE MAIN SPONSORING AGENCIES, SO CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THEN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE ALSO RECEIVE STATE FUNDING FROM HHSC, THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE, FROM THE CITY.
WE HAVE 22 DIFFERENT CONTRACTS.
A LOT OF OUR CONTRACTS ARE HOMELESS RESPONSE, AND SO THAT'S WHY ONE REASON WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOMELESS SERVICES TONIGHT.
WE'RE ALSO A CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC.
SO THIS IS A DESIGNATION, A CERTIFICATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TO SAY THAT WE'RE DOING TOP OF LINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, ALL 39 CENTERS IN TEXAS HAVE ACHIEVED THIS CERTIFICATION.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO JOINT COMMISSION ACCREDITED, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, HAS STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS THAT WE MUST FOLLOW AS AN AGENCY.
UM, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE JUST SOME DATA.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A WIDE STRETCH IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE SERVED ALMOST 30,000 INDIVIDUALLY INDIVIDUALS LAST YEAR.
MOST OF THE, OUR SERVICES ARE FACE-TO-FACE.
OUR, IT'S JUST WITH OUR CLIENT.
OUR POPULATION FACE-TO-FACE IS, UM, THE PREFERRED SERVICE MECHANISM.
UH, WE HAVE DO PROVIDE SOME TELEHEALTH AND TELEMEDICINE SERVICES AND SOME TELEPHONE SERVICES.
WE ALSO OPERATE THE HELPLINE FOR THE COUNTY.
SO ANYONE IN ANYWHERE REALLY CAN CALL FOUR SEVEN TO HELP AND BE REDIRECTED TO CRISIS SERVICES.
UM, OUR HOTLINE SERVICES AND THEN ALSO CAN BE REDIRECTED TO OUR APPOINTMENT LINE, OUR RESOURCE LINE, UM, THAT SORT OF THING.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR SERVICES WERE IN ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
ABOUT 44% OF OUR POPULATION WAS IN OUR ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIVISION.
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UH, THE NEXT ONE IS CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES.SO WE DO SERVE CHILDREN IN THEIR FAMILIES IN THE CLINIC, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND, UM, IN SCHOOLS.
WE'RE IN THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE'RE IN, UM, DEL VALLEY, ISD, PFLUGERVILLE, ISD, AND MAINOR, ISD.
AND THEN A FEW, UM, CHARTER SCHOOLS IN A ISD IN AUSTIN, PUBLIC IN AUSTIN SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, WE ALSO PROVIDE CRISIS SERVICES, WHICH I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, AND THEN INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES AND HOTLINE SERVICES.
THIS IS A LOOK AT WHERE OUR CLINICS ARE PLACED.
WE PROVIDE A LOT OF COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES, SO THAT IS NOT AS REPRESENTED HERE, WHERE WE GO INTO INDIVIDUALS HOMES, WE GO UNDER BRIDGES, WE GO TO SHELTERS.
UM, BUT THESE ARE WHERE OUR MAIN CLINICS ARE.
UM, SO MOSTLY UP AND DOWN THE 35 CORRIDOR.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY CLINIC FOR INDIVIDUALS, UM, IN A PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS.
I CALL IT LIKE A WALK-IN OR URGENT CARE CLINIC, JUST LIKE I WOULD TAKE MY KID TO, UH, URGENT CARE IF HE GOT A CUT OR WHATNOT.
UM, AND SO IT'S MAYBE NOT THE NEED, THE LEVEL OF HOSPITALIZATION, BUT YOU NEED TO BE SEEN IMMEDIATELY.
UM, WE ARE, RIGHT NOW, THE HOURS FOR THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE LISTED HERE, BUT WE ARE EXPANDING TO 24 7 THIS YEAR.
UM, THEN WE HAVE ADULT INTEGRATED CLINIC.
WE PARTNER WITH LONE STAR CIRCLE OF CARE TO PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE WITHIN SOME OF OUR CLINICS.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND THEN CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES.
WE, UM, WE'LL ALSO START PROVIDING P PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE AT OUR ST.
JOHN CLINIC LATER THIS FALL AS WELL.
THIS IS JUST SOME DEMOGRAPHIC, UM, OVERVIEW OF OUR CLIENTELE.
SO YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THE CLIENTS WE SERVE ARE WHITE, NON-HISPANIC, UM, AND THEN CLOSELY THERE, FOLLOWED BY HISPANIC AND THEN AFRICAN AMERICAN, ASIAN, AND OTHER NON-HISPANIC.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE OUR CLIENTS RESIDE.
SO WE SHOW THIS JUST TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE A CONCENTRATION IN, UP AND DOWN THE 35 CORRIDOR, UM, WITH A LARGER CONCENTRATION DOWNTOWN AND, UM, EAST AUSTIN, UM, TOWARDS THE SOUTH OF THE CITY.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OUR TOTAL SYSTEM OF CARE.
SO ALL OF THE THINGS WE PROVIDE IN SYSTEM OF CARE.
RUTH IS GONNA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOMELESS SERVICES, UM, BOTH DOWNTOWN AND OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RUTH.
UH, WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, BEFORE I GO INTO THAT, DO I DO, I JUST DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT ALL OF THE SERVICES MARLENE JUST TALKED ABOUT, ANYONE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN ACCESS THOSE SERVICES, RIGHT? THEY CAN ACCESS OUR CLINICS, OUR PES, OUR HOTLINE.
UM, THE, THE TEAMS AND PROGRAMS I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT ARE THOSE SPECIALTY TEAMS, THOUGH.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE THIS, UM, KIND OF CONTINUUM, UH, GRAPHIC SHOWS THAT INTEGRAL CARE IS PROVIDING SERVICES REALLY ACROSS THE WHOLE, UM, HOMELESS AND HOUSING CONTINUUM.
SO WE PROVIDE SERVICES FROM THAT OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ALL THE WAY TO HOUSING FOLKS, UM, AND SUPPORTING THEM ONCE THEY'RE HOUSED AND THEY RECEIVE, UM, PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO I'M GONNA START ON OUR THREE OUTREACH TEAMS. SO OUR FIRST IS OUR PATH OUTREACH TEAM, AND THAT STANDS FOR PROJECTS FOR ASSISTANCE AND TRANSITION FROM HOMELESSNESS.
SO THIS IS A, UM, PRIMARILY A STATE FUNDED TEAM.
WE ALSO DO RECEIVE SOME FUNDS THROUGH OUR MAIN, UM, CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THIS TEAM.
UM, BUT THIS TEAM PROVIDES OUTREACH SERVICES TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ALL AROUND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND, UM, REALLY THEIR GOAL IS TO, UM, CONNECT WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THEN LINK THEM TO ONGOING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
SO AGAIN, IT'S OUTREACH, IT'S, UM, SHORT OR NOT SHORT TOUCHES, BUT LIGHTER TOUCH SERVICES, REALLY ENGAGING AND THEN GETTING THEM ENROLLED IN ONGOING SERVICES.
UM, THAT TEAM IN, UM, HAD ABOUT 515 OUTREACH CONTACTS IN FISCAL YEAR 23, AND WE'RE ABLE TO FULLY ENROLL ABOUT 220 PEOPLE IN THEIR SERVICES.
YOU ALL HAVE MAYBE HEARD ABOUT OUR HOST TEAM.
SO THAT IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM.
UM, SIMILAR TO PATH, IT IS AN OUTREACH TEAM, BUT HOST FOCUSES REALLY ON OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AREA.
THAT'S ALSO A COLLABORATION WITH, UM, UM, A PD EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
SO THAT'S A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM.
UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF DIVERSION, UM, IN PARTICULAR.
SO WITH THIS, THE DIFFERENT, UM, AGENCIES INVOLVED.
IF SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN AND HAVING SOME SORT OF CRISIS, THAT TEAM IS REALLY WELL EQUIPPED TO, TO GO ASSESS THE NEED, HOPEFULLY DIVERT FROM JAIL, HOPEFULLY DIVERT FROM HOSPITALS, AND REALLY GET THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE.
UM, THAT TEAM SERVED, UM, A LITTLE OVER 1400 INDIVIDUALS, UM, LAST YEAR, UM, AS WELL.
[00:15:01]
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.OUR THIRD OUTREACH TEAM IS OUR CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS SERVICES, UM, TEAM.
AND SO, EXCUSE ME, OUR CARE TEAM, UM, PRIMARILY WORKS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UM, DIAGNOSED WITH HIV OR AIDS.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE THIS, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, UM, SIDE THAT ACTUALLY DOES OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CURRENTLY HEAR OR HISTORICALLY USE SUBSTANCES.
MOST OF THOSE FOLKS THAT WE ARE OUT OUTREACHING TO ON THAT TEAM ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO IT'S NOT CONSIDERED LIKE A, A TRADITIONAL HOMELESS SERVICES TEAM, BUT JUST BY THE NATURE OF THE WORK, MOST OF THE FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT TEAM PROVIDES A LOT OF HARM REDUCTION EDUCATION AND SUPPLIES.
UM, WE DO A LOT OF REFERRALS TO AND COORDINATION WITH SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
UM, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR OTHER OUTREACH TEAMS AND NAVIGATION CENTERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND CAN PROVIDE FUNDING FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, TRANSPORTATION IF SOMEBODY WAS INVOLVED IN, UM, LIKE METHADONE SERVICES OR ANY SORT OF MAT SERVICES, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO IN, UM, FISCAL YEAR 23, THAT TEAM HAD OVER 3000 CONTACTS, UM, AND PROVIDED OVER 500 REFERRALS TO SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
UM, LINKED 379 FOLKS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND PROVIDED, UM, ALMOST 300 OVERDOSE REVERSAL KITS TO INDIVIDUALS.
SO THESE NEXT COUPLE OF TEAMS ARE ACTUALLY, UM, MOVING FROM OUTREACH TO THE, THE TRUE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE TEAMS. RIGHT? UM, SO OUR FIRST ONE IS THE M THREE TEAM, AND THIS STANDS FOR MOBILE MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.
SO THIS IS A REALLY COOL TEAM THAT'S A COLLABORATION WITH INTEGRAL CARE, DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CARE.
THAT TEAM WORKS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE EXPERIENCED CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND HAVE TRI MORBID HEALTH CONDITIONS.
SO SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON WORKING WITH BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN CLIENTS ON THAT TEAM, UM, BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH DISPARITIES WE SEE WITH THAT POPULATION.
SO THAT TEAM IS ABLE TO RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM ANY OF OUR OUTREACH TEAM AS WELL AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH PARTNERS.
FOLKS JUST DO HAVE TO HAVE THAT ELIGIBILITY OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS WITH THE TRI MORBID HEALTH CONDITIONS.
UM, SO WITHIN THAT TEAM, THERE ARE A LOT OF SPECIALTIES.
WE'VE GOT THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICAL MANAGER, WE HAVE PEER SUPPORT.
UM, WE HAVE A SPECIALIST THAT WORKS ON THE CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, HOUSING STABILITY SPECIALISTS.
AND THEN THE PRIMARY CARE IS BROUGHT BY DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL.
TIM MERCER IS THE PROJECT LEAD ON THIS TEAM.
UM, AND SO WE ALSO CONNECT PEOPLE TO COMMUNITY CARE, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY CARE TEAM HAS A NURSE, A MEDICAL NURSE EMBEDDED ON THE TEAM, AS WELL AS, UM, AN MA A MEDICAL ASSISTANT.
UM, SO I'M JUST SHARING SOME OUTCOMES FROM THAT TEAM AS WELL.
AND IT OVERALL IS A, IT'S A SMALL TEAM AS OUR, OUR SPECIALTY TEAMS TEND TO BE.
SO WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO SERVE AROUND, UM, 50 TO 60 INDIVIDUALS AT A TIME, BUT WE SEE REALLY GREAT OUTCOMES WITH THIS TEAM IN TERMS OF JUST DECREASING, UM, THEIR ADMISSIONS TO HOSPITALS, UM, AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO OUR SECOND SPECIALTY HOMELESS, UM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM IS OUR OAK SPRINGS CLINIC DOWNTOWN TEAM.
ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, MARLENE SHARED THAT WE HAVE THE 3000 OAK SPRINGS CLINIC WAS, WHICH IS AN INTEGRATED ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC WITHIN THE AGENCY.
THAT CLINIC DOES HAVE A SPECIAL FOCUS ON WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND THIS TEAM IS BASED OUT OF THAT CLINIC.
UM, SO THAT TEAM RECEIVES REFERRALS FOR INTENSIVE COMMUNITY BEHAVE, UH, BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, UM, DIRECTLY FROM OUR HOST TEAM AS WELL FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
SO DAC, UM, SUPPORTS THAT TEAM WITH FUNDING, UM, AND WE RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM, UM, FROM THEM.
UM, WE MEET WITH HOST AND DAC LEADERSHIP WEEKLY TO STAFF POTENTIAL FOLKS THAT THEY'RE ENCOUNTERING AND ENGAGING WITH THAT ARE READY TO MOVE FROM OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT INTO ONGOING BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE.
SO WE HAVE A COMMUNITY-BASED NURSE ON THAT TEAM PRESCRIBER SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE AN EMBEDDED PEER RECOVERY COACH ON THAT TEAM AS WELL FOR SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES THROUGH COMMUNITIES FOR RECOVERY.
SO, UM, WE SERVED ABOUT 70 CLIENTS WITH THAT TEAM LAST YEAR.
UM, 90 OF THOSE HAD A HOUSING SUPPORT SERVICE, UM, THAT THEY RECEIVED AS WELL.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT, UM, OVER THREE QUARTERS OF THEM TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER.
SO THEY ACTUALLY CONNECTED AND WENT IN AND SAW A PROVIDER.
UM, OUR THIRD SPECIALTY, UH, TEAM IS THE HOUSING FIRST ACT TEAM.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS OUR MOST INTENSIVE MODEL OF, OF CARE.
UM, AND SO INDIVIDUALS ON THIS TEAM HAVE A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, AND THEY ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE AND LENGTHY HOSPITALIZATIONS OR CRISIS EPISODES TO QUALIFY.
UM, UM, SO THEY HAVE, UM, SORRY, ALSO RECEIVE, UH, EXPERIENCED CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND THEY'VE GOT THAT TRI MORBID HEALTH CONDITION AS WELL.
UM, SO THIS IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL.
IT'S AGAIN, MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM.
IT HAS A NURSE PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST, THE QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS.
UM, AND THEY REALLY DO, AND MARLENE CAN PROBABLY ADD MORE TO THIS,
[00:20:01]
BUT, UM, THEIR FOCUS REALLY IS ON DECREASING THAT UTILIZATION OF THOSE EMERGENCY SERVICES.UM, AND SO THAT TEAM HAS SEEN, YOU KNOW, FANTASTIC RESULTS WITH THAT MODEL AS WELL.
UM, AND WE SAW 60% DECREASES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF UTILIZATION, INCLUDING HOSPITALIZATIONS, EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, AND EMERGENCY EMS SERVICES.
UM, AND I THINK THIS WAS THE MOST RECENT, UM, WE DID A RETURN ON INVESTMENT ANALYSIS FOR THIS TEAM, UM, AND THAT RESULTED IN AROUND $40,000 PER CLIENT COST REDUCTION OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
THAT'S, I'LL JUST ADD, WHEN YOU SCALE THAT TO THE FULL TEAM, IT'S ABOUT A $1.3 MILLION COST REDUCTION FROM JAILS, ERS, HOSPITAL STAYS, THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, AND ANOTHER THING TO ADD WITH THIS TEAM, THIS IS A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM.
UM, BUT THEY WORK REALLY INTENSELY WITH INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ARE ABLE TO LINK THEM TO THOSE ONGOING HOUSING SUPPORTS.
AND AS YOU SEE THERE, 77% OF THEIR CLIENTS WERE ABLE TO ACCESS HOUSING, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.
SO I THINK THAT IS OUR LAST SLIDE, I BELIEVE.
UM, ONE THING I ALSO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT THOSE ARE OUR THREE SPECIALTY HOMELESS SERVICES, OR THOSE ARE THE THREE HOMELESS SERVICES TEAMS AND OUR THREE OUTREACH TEAMS. UM, BUT WE ARE DOING A LOT OF THINGS JUST WITHIN OUR BROAD, BROADER SYSTEM OF CARE TO REALLY ENSURE WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS COMING INTO OUR, OUR SERVICES.
SO WE DO HAVE STAFF ON SITE AT SUNRISE COMMUNITY CHURCH.
WE WORK TO DO INTAKES OVER THERE AS WELL.
UM, AT OUR 3000 OAK SPRINGS CLINIC, WE HAVE A FOOD PANTRY ON, UH, LOCATED ON SITE THERE THAT'S OPEN TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
BUT IT'S, UM, ANYONE IS ABLE TO ACCESS THAT, INCLUDING ANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CONNECTED TO ANY OF OUR CLINICS OR PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR AGENCY.
UM, WE RECENTLY HAVE DEDICATED SOME OF OUR RESPITE BEDS IN ONE OF OUR RESPITE FACILITIES TO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SPECIFICALLY, OR THAT HAVE HOUSING INSTABILITY, UM, THAT COULD BE MITIGATED IF THEY WERE ABLE TO COME IN AND GET THEIR MENTAL HEALTH STABILIZED.
UH, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO EMBED HOUSING STABILITY SPECIALISTS IN OUR ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS.
SO INDIVIDUALS THAT CONNECT TO CARE THROUGH OUR ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS, THEY COME IN AND THEY'RE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SOME SORT OF HOUSING INSTABILITY, CAN ALSO GET REFERRED TO THIS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UM, THROUGH A HOUSING STABILITY SPECIALIST WHO COULD WORK WITH THEM TO COMPLETE A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, FOR INSTANCE, UM, PAY OFF A RENTAL DEBT OR AN EVICTION DEBT, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
UH, AND THEN OUR AGENCY ALSO PROVIDES ROBUST HOMELESS, UM, PREVENTION AND DIVERSION FUNDING.
SO WE, UM, HAVE BEEN RECIPIENTS OF A GRANT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, THROUGH, UM, ARPA FUNDING TO, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE TO PROVIDE THESE, UM, HOMELESS PREVENTION FUNDS.
SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK WITHIN JUST OUR BROADER, BROADER SYSTEM OF CARE WITH OUR POPULATION, WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE POPULATION THAT REALLY IS AT RISK, RIGHT? IF THEY LOSE A JOB OR THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND THEY'RE ALREADY LIVING ON VERY FIXED INCOMES OR DISABILITY BENEFITS, UM, AND THEN THEY'RE UNABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT, UM, THEY'RE THE GROUP THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, COULD QUITE EASILY FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS.
UM, BUT THROUGH THIS FUNDING, THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR CASE MANAGER AT A CLINIC OR A HOUSING DISABILITY SPECIALIST.
UM, AND WE'VE JUST WORKED REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN PAYING THAT BACK RENT OR UTILITY BILL WHEN INDIVIDUALS HAVE PERHAPS, UM, GOT BEHIND, UM, TO JUST DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO, YOU KNOW, PREVENT THE INFLOW, UM, INTO HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT, I DO BELIEVE IS THE LAST SLIDE.
UM, WE CLEARLY HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING SERVICES.
I, WE MAY HAVE GOTTEN OVER OUR 15 MINUTES.
WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE NEEDED 15 MORE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING.
UM, BUT IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THINK WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UM, UM, PREVENTION SERVICES.
HOW ARE THOSE PUBLICIZED AND HOW DO PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THEM? SURE.
SO THEY ARE, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE, UH, THROUGH OUR STATE GRANT, FOLKS DO HAVE TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE DIAGNOSIS AND BE OPEN TO INTEGRAL CARE SERVICES.
UM, SO I DO GET REGULARLY IN MY JOB, PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO US THROUGH OUR HELPLINE, THROUGH OUR, OUR, UM, UM, ONLINE SYSTEM AS WELL, STATING THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING SOME SORT OF HOUSING INSTABILITY AND HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
UM, SO PART OF MY ROLE IS JUST LETTING THEM KNOW, HEY, THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT.
ARE YOU CONNECTED TO INTEGRAL CARE? AND IF YOU ARE, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THESE FUNDS AND CONNECT WITH YOUR CASE MANAGER.
I DIRECTLY CONNECT THEM TO THEIR CASE MANAGER.
UM, IF THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED WITH OUR SERVICES, THEN WE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
THIS IS HOW YOU GET OPEN INTERVAL CARE, HERE ARE OUR CLINICS, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN ACCESS INTAKE.
UM, AND THEN ONCE IN, IF WE HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE AND YOU'RE ELIGIBLE, THEN WE WILL WORK TO CONNECT THEM.
I'LL JUST ADD TO, UM, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE MOVED TO A WALK-IN OPEN INTAKE ACCESS, UM, FOR ALL OF OUR CLINICS.
AND SO IF SOMEONE'S NOT CONNECTED TO OUR CLINIC AND NEEDS THESE SERVICES, IT'S REALLY EASY.
WE JUST TELL 'EM TO WALK IN AND YOU'LL BE SEEING THAT SAME DAY.
SO WE USED TO BE APPOINTMENT BASED, UM, AND WE HAD ABOUT A 40% NO-SHOW RATE.
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SO WE'VE MOVED TO A WALK-IN MODEL.UM, AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO ADDED STAFF CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO BE SEEN SAME DAY.
COMMISSIONER ISHMA, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME CITIES AROUND THE NATION HAVE CRISIS INTERVENTIONS CENTERS.
HOW IS WHAT THEY PROVIDE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU PROVIDE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE A URGENT, THAT URGENT CARE CLINIC THAT I TALKED ABOUT, PES, WHICH IS GOING TO 24 7, WHICH WILL BE OUR, UM, OUR CENTRALIZED HUB FOR ASSESSING FOR CRISIS.
WE ALSO HAVE A MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM, UM, AND AN EMERGENCY MODE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM.
ONE PARTNERS WITH 9 1 1 TO RESPOND TO CRISES, UM, WITH CIT OFFICERS.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, UH, RESPONDS TO CRISES VIA OUR HELPLINE.
SO IF SOMEONE CALLS 4 7 2 HELP IS IN A CRISIS, WE DISPATCH A MOBILE TEAM TO THEM.
UM, AND SO IT'S KIND OF TWOFOLD.
WE'RE COMMUNITY BASED AND THEN WE'RE ALSO HAVE THAT URGENT CARE CLINIC.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL AND OR RESPITE CENTERS.
WE HAVE BOTH, AND THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, AND SO IF SOMEONE NEEDS, WE EITHER CAN, CAN DISPATCH TO A HOSPITAL, UM, OR THEY CAN TAKE HELP FACILITATE SOMEONE TO GET INTO A RESPITE CENTER, WHICH IS A SHORTER STAY, UM, JUST FOR CRISIS STABILIZATION AND THEN RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT ALL OF IT IS CENTRALIZED THROUGH 4 7 2 HELP.
AND SO IF, UM, ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS IN CRISIS, THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS EITHER WALK INTO ANY OF OUR CLINICS OR PICK UP THE PHONE.
UM, AND THEN WE KIND OF TAKE IT FROM THERE.
WE HAVE A TRIAGE SYSTEM AND ALL OF THAT.
COMMISSIONER MAJOR, I THINK YOU HAD A QUESTION.
UH, SO ON THIS SLIDE TITLED CARE, CHW PROGRAM SERVICES, THE, UH, FIRST BULLET POINT SAYS HARM REDUCTION EDUCATION AND SUPPLIES.
UH, CAN YOU GUYS JUST TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS, PLEASE? SURE.
UM, SO OUR, UM, TEAM WILL PROVIDE, UM, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT JUST AROUND SUBSTANCE USE, UM, AND, AND HARM REDUCTIONS.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO REALLY BE MEETING INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY ARE, UM, WITH WHAT, UM, SUBSTANCE THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH.
SO, UM, IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE A CLEAN NEEDLE KIT, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, OR JUST TEACHING THEM HOW TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, HOW TO DISPOSE OF NEEDLES, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
UM, NARCAN AND NALOXONE OVERDOSE, UM, SPRAY AS WELL.
WE PROVIDE THAT, UM, IN OUR KITS, UM, AS WELL AS EDUCATION ON HOW TO USE THEM.
UM, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SAFE USE LINES, THINGS ALONG THOSE, UM, LINES.
SO
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE IS IF YOU'RE DRINKING A GALLON OF VODKA A DAY, UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN REDUCE THAT.
AND SO, AND OR IF YOU'RE USING SUBSTANCES, UH, OR IF YOU'RE INJECTING SUBSTANCES, DO YOU NEED SAFE NEEDLES? DO YOU NEED NARCAN? SO IF YOU'RE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE NEED TO DO AN OVERDOSE REVERSAL, SO HOW TO DO THINGS THAT ARE SAFEST FOR THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE SERVING.
I ALSO ADD, UM, A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, OUR CHW TEAM IS OUTREACHING TO, ARE ENGAGED IN, UM, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SEX WORK AS WELL.
AND SO SOME OF THAT MAY JUST BE SAFER SEX, UM, MATERIALS, UM, TO AN EDUCATION AROUND THAT.
UH, ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION, PLEASE.
MM-HMM,
UH, I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON THE THIRD ONE THAT WAS ON THE SLIDE.
AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE WAS, WAS MENTIONED THAT THE, UH, STATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING.
UH, DO ALL FOUR OF THOSE ENTITIES PROVIDE FUNDING FOR, FOR THIS THIS CARE PROGRAM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE? THE CARE CHW PROGRAM IS A STATE FUNDED PROGRAM.
AND I'LL JUST SAY THOSE ARE OUR MAIN FUNDERS.
WE ALSO HAVE PHILANTHROPY AND GRANTS AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS TOO.
WE COULD SPEND HOURS TALKING ABOUT OUR FUNDING AND HOW IT'S ALL BRAIDED AND TIED AND, YOU KNOW, NOT FUN AND VERY COMPLEX.
BUT THOSE ARE THREE KIND OF TRAVIS COUNTY APPOINTING AGENCIES.
COMMISSIONER SCHMILL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL YOU DO.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU TREAT PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PREVENTION EFFORTS ALSO, LIKE YOU RECOGNIZING IDENTIFYING PEOPLE EARLY ON? AND WE DO.
SO, UM, WE SERVE INDIGENT INDIVIDUALS AND FOLKS WITH MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND OR LOW INSURED ARE UNINSURED.
AND SO 99% OF THE 98 ACTUALLY PERCENT OF THE CLIENTS THAT WE SERVE FALL IN THAT 200
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BELOW FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.SO IT'S ALWAYS REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND.
I THINK RUTH WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MISS ONE PAYCHECK HAVE ONE MEDICAL BILL, UM, AND WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WE DO, UM, AT INTAKE, WE DO A HOUSING STABILITY ASSESSMENT, UM, AND WE ASSESS FOR HOUSING STABILITY AND THEN WE UPDATE THAT EVERY TIME WE UPDATE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS.
UM, SO EITHER ANNUALLY OR AS OFTEN AS INFORMATION IS UPDATED IN OUR SYSTEM, WE'LL ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS AND UM, AND THEN THAT CAN FLAG AND WE CAN PULL REPORTS AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE IN THE WEEDS, BUT, UM, ALL THAT TO SAY YES, WE, UM, ARE ASKING THAT AT VERY, AT ALMOST EVERY SESSION.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE FUNDS THAT RUTH WAS TALKING ABOUT THROUGH ARPA AND THROUGH, UM, A HOUSE RESOLUTION, UM, CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE STATE.
AND SO THEN WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY RENT OR PAY UTILITY BILLS OR THAT KIND OF THING.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH FUNDING THAT VERY COMPLEX, UM, MESS OF THINGS.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE THREAT OF LOSS OF FUNDING FROM ANY OF THE AGENCIES? I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED RECENTLY IS THAT A LOT OF THE STIMULUS MONEY IS NOW GONE OR WILL SHORTLY BE GONE.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOU? AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I'LL HAVE IS, UM, THE STATE IS ABOUT TO OPEN ITS NEW BRAIN HEALTH FACILITY AT AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL, AND SO MUCH OF THIS OVERLAPS WITH WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING THERE.
AND I'M WONDERING, AND IT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH UT'S PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW Y'ALL PLAN ON INTERACTING WITH THEM AND WHAT KIND OF RESOURCE IT WILL BE FOR YOUR FUNCTION.
SURE, I CAN ANSWER BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO AS FAR AS THE BRAIN CENTER, UM, ON THE ASH CAMPUS, WE WERE VERY INVOLVED WITH, UM, DR.
SIKOWSKI AND HIS TEAM ON THE PLANNING.
DAVID EVANS, WHO IS OUR FORMER CEO AND DON HENLEY, OUR, UM, COO WAS INVOLVED IN THAT PLANNING.
WE WILL LIKELY BE A REFERRAL SOURCE COMING OUT OF THERE.
AND SO WE'LL BE THE ONGOING, UM, TREATMENT PROVIDER FOR INDIGENT OR UN UNINSURED UNDERINSURED.
AND THEN THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT, YES, EVERY DAY I, I LOSE SLEEP AT NIGHT ABOUT LOSS OF FUNDING, ESPECIALLY WHAT WE CALL THE ARPA CLIFF, UM, OR THE FISCAL CLIFF THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT FUNDED THROUGH ARPA.
WE HAVE, MOST OF OUR FUNDS ARE COME FROM GENERAL FUNDS.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME PROGRAMS. WE, UH, I JUST WAS LOOKING AT IT TODAY, WE HAVE ABOUT $2 MILLION IN FUNDING THAT WE'RE AT RISK OF LOSING, UM, THIS YEAR THAT SOME OF IT'S FOR HOSTS, A TEAM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND SO, UM, THAT CONTRACT IS ENDING THIS YEAR AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'LL NEED TO BE RENEWING IT.
UM, I THINK, UH, THE COMPLICATED THING ABOUT OUR FUNDING IS WE'RE, I MENTIONED ON ONE SLIDE WE HAVE 22 DIFFERENT CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY, THE CITY ALONE.
UM, AND THAT'S 22 RENEWALS AND 22.
AND SO IT JUST GETS REALLY COMPLICATED AND THEN YOU'RE ALWAYS KIND OF JUGGLING OF LIKE, AM I GONNA LOSE THIS ONE AND CAN I USE THIS ONE TO FUND THIS? AND UM, SO THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT STREAMLINING THROUGH INTERLOCALS OR OTHER, UM, OTHER WAYS TO HAVE ONE CONTRACT INSTEAD OF 22.
UM, I DON'T, WAS ABOUT TO SUGGEST THAT
UM, AND I THINK THAT FOLKS ARE MORE OPEN TO IT, SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
SO YOU ARE GETTING SOME SUPPORT IN THAT REGARD? WE ARE, UM, AND A LOT OF OUR HOMELESS CONTRACTS HAVE MOVED TO HSO NOW, SO THAT'S A NEW, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
UM, SO THAT'S A NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR US, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO EXPLORE THAT AND SEE HOW WE CAN KIND OF STREAMLINE THERE.
I I WOULD ADD THOUGH, UM, I'M SAYING THIS WITH MY BOSS STANDING NEXT TO ME, UM, THAT ALL, I MEAN ALL OF THE SPECIALTY PROGRAMS THAT WE SHARED ARE, THEY'RE GRANTS.
I MEAN, THEY ARE GRANTS WITH END DATES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
SO I THINK THAT IS A CHALLENGE.
LIKE THEY, THEY ARE ALL DOING REALLY, REALLY AMAZING WORK AND THEY'RE DOING THE INTENSE LEVEL OF WORK THAT'S NEEDED.
BUT AS MARLENE WAS SAYING, NONE OF THEM ARE IN AN INTERLOCAL.
WE HAVE TO GO, WE HAVE TO REAPPLY.
UM, IF THAT SPECIFIC POT ENDS AND THERE'S A RENEW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO GO COMPETE, UM, WITH EVERYONE FOR A PROGRAM THAT MAY HAVE A HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS IN IT THAT HAVE A LOT OF HIGH NEEDS, A HIGH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY ATTEMPTING TO MEET.
UM, AND THAT CAN BE ANXIETY PROVOKING FOR FOR SURE.
TWO OF THE, I THINK YOU TALKED ABOUT SIX, TWO OF THE SIX ARE UP FOR RENEWAL THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE, THAT'S PART OF THE 2 MILLION THAT WE'RE AT RISK OF.
I THINK IT SPEAKS WELL FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE TO SEE HOW MANY GRANTS YOU HAVE RECEIVED, BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, THEY ARE COMPETITIVE, THEY'RE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, AND TO HAVE
[00:35:01]
SECURED THOSE IS REMARKABLE.AND A, UH, UH, CREDIT TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UH, I SEE COMMISSIONER MOCK HAS HER HAND UP, COMMISSIONER MOCK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK AND OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME VERY POSITIVE RESULTS.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, UH, DO YOU ALSO WORK WITH OTHER NON-PROFIT ONE, ONE PARTICULAR ONE THAT I'M THINKING OF IS THE ASK FROM THE STREET.
UM, DO YOU WORK WITH THAT ORGANIZATION? BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE ARE, YEAH, I I I KNOW CRISIS INTERVENTION TREATMENT IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS SUCH PROGRAM LIKE US FROM THE STREETS.
UM, I, I'M WONDERING DO THEY HAVE WORKSHOPS OR SUPPORTIVE GROUP THERAPY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE CREATIVE TO, TO HAVE AN ONGOING TYPE OF SUPPORT SYSTEM? CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, WE, WE ACTUALLY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE THAT.
UM, IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU KNEW, HOW DID YOU KNOW
SO WE, UM, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING, UM, THOSE DETAILS.
BUT I THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS ON, UM, I THINK EVERY FRIDAY THEY WILL, WE WILL HAVE ART FROM THE STREETS ON SITE DOING OUTREACH IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, MEETING AREA DOWNSTAIRS THAT IS OPEN TO ANYONE.
SO, UM, WHAT WE DIDN'T SHARE ABOUT OAK SPRINGS 2000 OAK SPRINGS CLINIC IS THAT IT'S ALSO CO-LOCATED WITH TERRACE AT OAK SPRINGS, WHICH IS A 50 UNIT PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING COMPLEX.
SO WE HAVE 50 INDIVIDUALS LIVING THERE, 25 OF WHOM ARE VETERANS, UM, WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
SO ART FROM THE STREETS WOULD BENEFIT THEM, BUT IT'S ALSO OPEN TO ANYONE THAT OUR TEAMS ARE SERVING AND ESPECIALLY INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAT HAVE CONNECTED TO THAT CLINIC.
UM, WE ARE REALLY HOPING TO GET THEM IN THAT SPACE AND, UM, JUST HAVE THAT AS ANOTHER, UM, OUTLET AND ANOTHER COMMUNITY FOR THEM TO, UM, BE A PART OF.
AND THEN OUTSIDE OF ART FROM THE STREETS, WE DO A LOT OF OTHER NON-PROFITS, UH, TOO IS ONE THAT IT'S COMING TO MIND.
THEY HELP US WITH OUR FOOD PANTRY AND SO WE EMPLOY, UM, SOME OF THEIR, THEIR CLIENTS TO PICK UP OUR FOOD FROM CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, BRING IT TO THE PANTRY.
UM, SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM AND THERE'S LOTS OF OTHERS TOO.
UM, WE COULD HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER PRESENTATION ON COLLABORATION, BUT YES.
WELL OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? I, I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU? LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
IS THERE, I'M NOT EVEN EXACTLY SURE HOW ALL THOSE WORK, UM, BUT I IMAGINE THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, CHEFS IN THAT KITCHEN.
UM, SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE COMMISSION COULD DO TO SUPPORT YOU? UM, YES, I'M SURE THERE IS.
UM, I THINK THAT JUST CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON HOMELESS SERVICES AND HOUSING LONG-TERM HOUSING BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE HAVING SHELTERS AND SHELTERS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF SHELTERS IN THE CITY NOW ARE COMING UP AND, BUT THEN THEY FOLKS NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, WE GET A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED WITH THAT.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A FOCUS ON SHELTERS AND WE ALSO, YES, AND WE ALSO NEED TO FOCUS ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND SERVICES.
UM, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE GET FUNDING TO BUILD HOUSING.
UM, BUT MAINTAINING SERVICES FOR HOUSING IS, YOU KNOW, A DONOR CAN GIVE A ONE-TIME CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, BUT ONGOING SERVICES IS UM, YOU KNOW, LESS EXCITING TO FUND.
AND SO, UM, JUST CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR HOMELESSNESS, YES, BUT ALSO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND LONG-TERM HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS EVENING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM YOU.
[5. Presentation on a proposed sound assessment requirement for residential development near Outdoor Music and Performance Venues and a disclosure requirement about nearby venues when units are leased/sold by Brian Block, Nightlife and Entertainment Services Manager, Development Services Department. ]
A PRESENTATION ON A PROPOSED SOUND ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, NEAR OUTDOOR MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE VENUES, AND A DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT ABOUT NEARBY VENUES WHEN UNITS ARE LEASED, SOLD, OR SOLD BY BRIAN BLOCK, NIGHTLIFE ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES MANAGER, DSD WELCOME MR. BLOCK, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.UM, GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
[00:40:01]
BLOCK, NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES MANAGER WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ON THIS PROPOSAL RELATED TO SOUND ASSESSMENT AND DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.UM, AND WITH THAT I'M GONNA GET STARTED.
UM, FIRST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
UM, I GUESS HIGHEST LEVEL BACKGROUND IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR TWO DECADES OR MORE.
UM, JUST OVERALL EFFORTS TO, UM, IMPROVED COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC RELATED BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS AND HOTELS.
AND KIND OF MOST SPECIFICALLY, UM, COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION IN 2018.
IT WAS PRETTY WIDE RANGING AND OPEN-ENDED.
THERE'S STILL ITEMS WE'RE WORKING ON, AND THIS IS ONE OF 'EM.
IT DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO PROPOSE PROGRAMS, RULES AND ORDINANCES TO IMPROVE COM COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN RESIDENTS, LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS, AND MUSIC RELATED BUSINESSES.
THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, PART OF OVERALL EFFORTS TO SUPPORT MUSIC, ARTS AND CULTURE AS WELL.
UM, SO A LOT HAS BEEN DONE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT SOUND LEVELS FOR MUSIC RELATED BUSINESSES ARE REASONABLE, THAT RESIDENCES MAINTAIN LIVABILITY AND THAT COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT IS BOTH RESPONSIVE AND EFFECTIVE.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST ENTERTAINMENT RELATED SOUND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
WE'VE DONE CONSOLIDATION AND HAVE DEDICATED STAFF THAT WORK ON, UM, SOUND ENFORCEMENT.
THAT STUFF'S BEEN DONE, IT'S WORKING WELL.
HOWEVER, POLICY RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITY, THAT'S SOMETHING STILL OUTSTANDING AND WHAT WE'RE ADDRESSING HERE.
UM, OVERALL, UM, THE, UM, IN ADDITION TO SOUND, THE SOUND ORDINANCE AND ENFORCEMENT, THE SOUND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SHOULD ALSO ANTICIPATE AND ADDRESS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR RESIDENCES THAT ARE IN PROXIMITY TO NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENTS IN DISTRICTS.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ON THE POLICY GOALS.
UM, AGAIN, SOME OF THIS WILL BE REPETITIVE, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE GOOD AND MAKE SURE IT'S COVERED.
UM, TO IMPROVE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN ENTERTAINMENT USES WITH AMPLIFIED SOUND AND RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL USES TO ANTICIPATE AND PLAN FOR AND MINIMIZE COMMON CONFLICTS BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL USES AND ENTERTAINMENT RELATED AMPLIFIED SOUND IF THEY'RE NOT ADDRESSED PROACTIVELY.
UM, AND THEN TO REALLY THE CORE OF IT, TO ENSURE RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS UNDERSTAND THE SOUND LEVELS IN THE AREA WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING AND THEY HAVE INFORMATION AT THE TIME THAT THEY NEED IT WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNING, SO THEY CAN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THE BUILDING CONSIDERING THE SOUND IMPACT FROM NEARBY CODE COMPLIANT ENTERTAINMENT USES.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND NEW RESIDENTS WITH ACCURATE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SOUND THAT'LL BE PRESENT IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
I'M GONNA OVERVIEW THE APPROACH.
UM, THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH MORE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I'LL START WITH AN OVERVIEW AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON IN A COUPLE SLIDES TO THE MORE DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, WHAT WE THINK THIS IS IS A COMMON SENSE SOLUTION THAT'S NOT PRESCRIPTIVE.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE REQUIRED BUILDING STANDARDS.
INSTEAD IT FOCUSES ON EDUCATION AND AWARENESS.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS REQUIRE RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS NEAR OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUES AND PERFORMANCE VENUES TO CONDUCT A SOUND ASSESSMENT AND THEN DISCLOSE TO FUTURE RESIDENTS WHEN THEY SELL OR LEASE UNITS ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE NEARBY VENUES.
AND THAT A SOUND ASSESSMENT WAS CONDUCTED.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE INTENT BEHIND IT BEFORE, UM, I GIVE YOU THE SPECIFICS ON THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, SO IT DOES NOT MANDATE BUILDING STANDARDS.
INSTEAD IT REQUIRES RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPERS TO DOCUMENT THAT THEY'VE STUDIED THE SOUND LEVELS IN THE AREA WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING.
AND OF COURSE, THIS INCLUDES AND REALLY FOCUSES ON
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ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF LEGALLY COMPLIANT SOUND FROM NEARBY MUSIC AND, UM, NIGHTLIFE ESTABLISHMENTS.UM, AS I'VE SAID, DEVELOPERS WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE TO FUTURE RESIDENTS THE PRESENCE OF NEARBY MUSIC AND NIGHTLIFE ESTABLISHMENTS AND THAT A SOUND ASSESSMENT WAS CONDUCTED.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT BEHIND THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THE DISCLOSURE, POTENTIAL NEW RESIDENTS WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT SOUND MITIGATION EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND JUST HAVE THE INFO THEY NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.
UM, ONE THING TO POINT OUT, UM, THIS APPROACH DOESN'T REQUIRE ANYTHING FURTHER FROM OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUES OR PERFORMANCE VENUES.
AS I'VE KIND OF SAID, WE'VE GOT A ROBUST SOUND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
THEIR SOUND LEVEL'S ALREADY REGULATED WITH A FIXED SOUND LEVEL STANDARDS.
IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR CONTEXT.
IT DOESN'T CHANGE WHEN NEW RESIDENTIAL IS BUILT NEARBY.
UM, SO THE FOCUS HERE IS JUST TO MAKE SURE, UM, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND RESIDENTS HAVE, UM, GOOD INFO AND CAN HAVE ACCURATE EXPECTATIONS.
SO NOW ONTO THE DETAILS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, IT'S TO REQUIRE NEW RESIDENTIAL AND THIS IS FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL, NOT EXISTING, REQUIRING A SITE PLAN AND HOTEL AND LODGING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITHIN 600 FEET OF AN ESTABLISHMENT WITH AN OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUE PERMIT OR WITHIN 300 FEET OF A PROPERTY WITH A PERFORMANCE VENUE.
FIRST, CONDUCT A SOUND ASSESSMENT.
UM, THE THAT AT A MINIMUM DOCUMENTS THE CURRENT SOUND CONDITIONS AT THE SITE AND JUST ASSESSES THE PROJECTED SOUND LEVELS AT, AT THE BUILDING.
AND TWO, UM, PROVIDE A DISCLOSURE WHEN THE UNITS ARE SOLD OR LEASED AND WHEN THE BUILDING IS SOLD REGARDING THE PRESENCE OF THOSE, UH, PERMITTED OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUE ESTABLISHMENTS AND OR PERFORMANCE VENUES THAT ARE WITHIN 600 FEET AND 300 FEET RESPECTIVELY OF THE BUILDING THAT A SOUND ASSESSMENT WAS COMPLETED.
UM, A COUPLE KIND OF FURTHER CLARIFICATIONS ON THE SOUND ASSESSMENT.
THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPER.
THE MAIN ONE IS THAT THEY HIRE A QUALIFIED ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS THAT THE SOUND ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT KIND OF PEAK HOURS.
SO THEY'RE GETTING A REAL GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE SOUND LEVEL IS AT PEAK HOURS.
SO FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE VENUE THAT WOULD BE DURING A PERFORMANCE FOR A BAR OR CLUB THAT'S REALLY, IT'S NOT CENTERED ON PERFORMANCE, THAT WOULD JUST BE DURING THEIR PEAK HOURS.
SO HIRE A QUALIFIED ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT, DO A SOUND ASSESSMENT AT THE SITE TO UNDERSTAND THE SOUND LEVELS IN THE AREA AND DO IT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
UM, THOSE ARE REALLY THE CRITERIA.
UM, AGAIN, I HIGHLIGHTED THIS BUT WE WANTED TO CLARIFY IT AGAIN, JUST TO BE REALLY CLEAR.
UM, THIS IS FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT WOULD NOT IMPACT PROJECTS ALREADY SUBMITTED FOR PLAN REVIEW PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE AND IT WOULD NOT BE RETROACTIVE OR APPLIED A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED OR, OR CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION AND, AND HOW THIS WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND I THINK THE, THE KEY THEME HERE IS THAT THIS IS A SIMPLE CERTIFICATION PROCESS WITH NO STAFF REVIEW.
THE INTENT HERE IS THIS WOULD HAVE AS LIGHT A TOUCH AS POSSIBLE ON THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS, THAT IT WOULDN'T INCLUDE A STAFF REVIEW, THAT IT WOULDN'T LENGTHEN THE TIME OR, UM, OR PROCESS RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE, UM, AN IMPACT ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENT AND NOW I'M GONNA GO THROUGH WHY WE THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
UM, SO HERE'S HOW IT WOULD WORK.
THE SOUND ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT WOULD BE ADDED TO THE SITE PLAN CHECKLIST.
SO, UH, PROJECT OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS WOULD BE AWARE OF IT.
UM, IN ADVANCE OF SITE PLAN REVIEW.
UM, A MAPPING TOOL HAS ALREADY BEEN CREATED FOR EASY IDENTIFICATION BY THE APPLICANT AND THE STAFF.
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DOES IS YOU ENTER AN ADDRESS INTO IT AND IT POPS UP, UM, THE OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUES THAT ARE WITHIN 600 FEET, WHAT THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR SOUND LEVELS AND HOURS ARE.AND THE SAME THING WILL BE DONE FOR PERFORMANCE VENUES PRIOR TO, UM, THIS BECOMING EFFECTIVE.
UM, IF THE SOUND ASSESSMENT IS REQUIRED, UM, AGAIN, YOU'LL, THAT MAPPING TOOL WILL BE USED TO UNDERSTAND IF IT IS OR ISN'T.
IF IT'S REQUIRED, THE APPLICANT WOULD COMPLETE THE SOUND ASSESSMENT DURING THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.
SO THAT IS NOT UPFRONT AT COMPLETENESS CHECK BEFORE SITE PLAN REVIEW.
IT'S ANY TIME DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW WHEN THEY THINK, UM, IT'S BEST TO DO IT.
UM, AFTER THEY COMPLETE IT, THE APPLICANT SUBMITS A CERTIFICATION THAT THE ASSESSMENT WAS COMPLETED.
THEY DON'T SUBMIT THE ASSESSMENT ITSELF.
UM, JUST A CERTIFICATION STAFF WOULD ENSURE THAT THAT CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.
AGAIN, THERE'S NO STAFF REVIEW OF THE SOUND ASSESSMENT.
IT'S NOT SUBMITTED, AND STAFF OF COURSE IS NOT REVIEWING IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE IT.
UM, THERE ARE NO REQUIRED APPLICANT RESPONSES OR MANDATED BUILDING STANDARDS BY THE APPLICANT.
THE GOAL IS THAT THEY, UM, HAVE DONE THE SOUND ASSESSMENT, THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED.
SO IF THEY'RE, UM, THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO DURING DESIGN, UM, MAYBE THOSE ARE SIMPLE THINGS.
THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION, THEY CAN MAKE THAT DECISION ON THEIR OWN.
UM, THAT'S IT FOR DURING THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
AFTER THE UH, BUILDING IS BUILT, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO SELL OR LEASE UNITS.
THE APPLICANT WOULD PROVIDE THAT DISCLOSURE BEFORE THE UNITS ARE SOLD OR LEASED TO THE NEW BUYER OR TENANT.
UM, ONE KIND OF THING TO POINT OUT, UM, I THINK COMMON SENSE, BUT WE WANTED TO PUT IT IN HERE.
IF THE TRIGGERING VENUES ARE NO LONGER PRESENT IN THE FUTURE, OF COURSE THE DISCLOSURE WOULD NO LONGER BE REQUIRED 'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THERE TO DISCLOSE ON.
UM, NOW A LITTLE BIT ON OUR TIMELINE, UM, WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, WE'VE HAD TWO PUBLIC INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK SESSIONS WE'VE PRESENTED AT THE MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSION.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT WITH YOU AT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
ON MONDAY WILL BE AT THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
OUR TARGET AND, AND THIS IS STILL A TARGET RIGHT NOW, IS A PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 30TH AND A TARGETED EFFECTIVE DATE IF IT WERE TO BE ON THAT SCHEDULE AND ADOPTED OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.
UM, WE'RE, UM, HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND WE, UM, CAN ALSO COME BACK NEXT MONTH TO BE BACK AND KIND OF, UM, SEEK A RECOMMENDATION IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO PURSUE THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS, BUT I DO HAVE TO ASK YOU, UM, IF THE STAFF IS NOT RE REVIEWING THE ASSESSMENTS, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN DONE AT ALL? SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A CERTIFICATION THAT'S SIGNED, THAT THEY'VE DONE THE ASSESSMENT FROM WHOM? UM, FROM THE PROJECT OWNER.
IT COULD BE DONE BY THE ARCHITECT AS A DESIGNEE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CERTIFICATION SIMILAR TO WHAT'S DONE THROUGH OTHER PARTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A STATEMENT OF SPECIAL INSPECTIONS THAT A PROJECT OWNER OR APPLICANT WILL COMPLETE.
UM, THAT'S A SIMILAR SCENARIO WHERE, UM, THEY CERTIFY THAT THEY'VE DONE THOSE THINGS.
WOULDN'T IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO HAVE THE PERSON WHO DOES THE ASSESSMENT SUBMITTED? I THINK DETAILS OF EXACTLY WHO WILL SIGN THAT CERTIFICATION ARE STILL TO BE WORKED OUT.
UM, BUT YES, IT, THE ARCHITECT, THE ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT, RIGHT, THE ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT, THOSE ARE OPTIONS FOR WHO COULD SIGN IT.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE ANSWER THAT IT WOULD BE CERTIFIED LIKE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REAL QUICK.
UM, SO IT'S FROM YOUR PRESENTATION, I UNDERSTAND THAT EXISTING BUILDINGS ARE GRANDFATHERED, RIGHT? SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT TO PERSPECTIVE PURCHASERS, PERSPECTIVE TENANTS OR EXISTING TENANTS OR OWNERS.
[00:55:01]
THAT'S CORRECT, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO THE PROJECT DEVELOPER AT A TIME WHERE THEY CAN DO THINGS TO MAKE AN IMPACT.
UH, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, AND I THINK YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS, THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT LEVEL YOU ARE IN A BUILDING, UM, THE SOUND HAS DIFFERENT EFFECTS AND DIFFERENT VOLUMES.
IS THIS TAKEN JUST AT GROUND LEVEL? WE WOULD LOOK TO THE ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT.
THAT'S A QUALIFIED ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT THAT KNOWS HOW TO DO THESE ASSESSMENTS AND DOES IT ON BOTH SHORT AND TALL BUILDINGS TO USE THEIR EXPERTISE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING IT EFFECTIVELY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE AT THE HIGHER LEVELS.
I THINK IT COULD HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE SALEABILITY OR LEASE ABILITY OF A UNIT.
AND CLEARLY AS THE SOUND IS MITIGATED FROM HIGHER LEVELS, UM, THOSE HAVE HIGHER VALUES ANYWAY.
BUT, UM, I I WAS JUST KIND OF THINKING THROUGH SOME ADVERSE SCENARIOS, NOT OBJECTING TO IT, JUST THINKING THROUGH SOME ADVERSE IMPACTS THAT IT MIGHT HAVE ON, UH, OWNERS AND, AND, UH, LESS, LESS ORS.
UH, I THINK I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION, BUT OH YEAH.
UM, HOW, IS THIS JUST A ONE-TIME DEAL OR WILL IT BE UPDATED PERIODICALLY? UM, THE, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE SOUND ASSESSMENT? THE ASSESSMENT, IT'S JUST DONE DURING ONE TIME DURING THE SITE PLAN.
IT'S PART OF REVIEW, PROCESS'S PLAN PROCESS.
IT DOESN'T, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK INTO ANOTHER ASSESSMENT TWO OR THREE YEARS LATER IF THAT'S WHAT YOU, OKAY.
NO, WELL I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THAT VENUE REMAINS OR NOT.
THE, THE, THE VENUE, IT'S CAUSING THE SOUND, WHETHER THAT IS THERE OR NOT.
THERE MAY BE A, A VENUE A BLOCK OVER THAT THAT OPENS UP AND IT HAS AN IMPACT.
AND SO THE ASSESSMENT COULD CHANGE, BUT THE IMPACT COULD STILL BE THERE.
EXCEPT THAT THE ONE THING THAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THE VENUES THEMSELVES, IF ANOTHER VENUE OPENS UP, THAT VENUE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE REGULATIONS AND THAT SHOULD MITIGATE ANY IMPACT.
BECAUSE THEY WILL, UM, THEY'RE STILL GOING, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE ENFORCEMENT ON THAT.
THOSE WERE TWO OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GONNA MENTION AS WELL, UM, THAT IT WOULD BE ONE TIME BECAUSE AGAIN, NOTHING IS MANDATED.
IT'S JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE GOOD INFORMATION AT THE TIME THE DESIGN'S BEING DONE SO THEY CAN DECIDE ARE THERE MAYBE SIMPLE THINGS WE COULD DO, YOU KNOW, COULD WE MOVE A BEDROOM TO THE OTHER SIDE RIGHT.
UM, SO THE GOAL IS KIND, MAYBE THERE'S LOW HANGING FRUIT.
SOME PROJECT DEVELOPERS ARE ALREADY DOING THIS.
UM, IF IF IT'S DONE MORE, COULD IT HELP BE PROACTIVE SOLVING PROBLEMS, GETTING LOW HANGING FRUIT.
UM, AND THEN COMMISSIONER LEVINSON'S POINT IS A GOOD ONE.
ALL NEW VENUES, THE OUTDOOR VENUES WOULD NEED TO BE PERMITTED, EVALUATED.
WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT RESIDENTIAL IS NEARBY, TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT, POTENTIALLY LIMIT HOURS AND SOUND LEVELS.
SO THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE IN OUR SYSTEM TO LOOK AT NEW VENUES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT RESIDENTIAL THAT'S EXISTING.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS THE OTHER SIDE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE RESIDENTIAL, JUST TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT'S THERE ALREADY AS WELL.
OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON HAVING A LIGHT TOUCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND PROVIDING TIMELY INFORMATION WHEN IT CAN REALLY BE HELPFUL.
FOR AFFORDABILITY AND FOR EVERYTHING.
COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER? YEAH, SO, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ON HOW THIS WORKS WITH HOTELS, RIGHT? SO OBVIOUSLY IF I, UH, AM BUILDING, YOU KNOW, LIKE A CONDO OR APARTMENT COMPLEX, I DISCLOSE THAT NOISE LEVEL TO THE, UH, RES FUTURE RESIDENCE.
IF, IF I'M A HOTEL, DO I HAVE TO DISCLOSE A HIGH NO NOISE LEVEL TO, UH, A FUTURE OCCUPANT RIGHT BEFORE THEY BOOK A HOTEL ROOM? NO, THIS DOESN'T APPLY
[01:00:01]
TO GUESTS AT THE HOTEL.FOR THE HOTEL, IT'S WHEN THE BUILDING IS SOLD.
UM, SO THE SOUND ASSESSMENT IS, WOULD BE REQUIRED WHEN THAT HOTEL IS BEING DEVELOPED, BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY KIND OF NOTIFICATION TO GUESTS WHEN THEY RENT A ROOM FOR THE NIGHT OR A FEW NIGHTS.
I, I WILL SAY AS SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD THEIR PARENTS, UH, KNOCK ON THE DOOR AT MIDNIGHT BECAUSE, UH, THEIR RAINY STREET HOTEL ROOM WAS TOO LOUD, UH, I WOULD WOULD'VE LOVED IF THAT GOT IN THERE.
BUT, UH, I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE LIGHT TOUCH HERE.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, SOMEBODY SAID BEFORE, I DIDN'T CATCH IT, BUT, UH, IT'S GONNA BE GREAT FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND I'M GLAD YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT ISN'T TOO CUMBERSOME TO GET THIS ACROSS.
THAT MAY BE WHY, UH, THERE'S SOME, UH, ONLINE REVIEW SITES THAT WILL GO UNNAMED.
I THINK THAT'LL SHOW UP ON Y'ALL.
WHAT, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM HOTELS IS THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF UNDERSTANDING WHO THE GUEST IS AND MOVING 'EM TO THE RIGHT PART OF THE HOTEL AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD LIKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE THAT GUEST.
IF THEY KNOW SOMEBODY'S COMING IN FOR CONCERTS AND PARTYING THAT THEN THEY DON'T WORRY ABOUT PUTTING THEM ON THAT, THE NOISY SIDE OF THE HOTEL AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO THE CAPITOL, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO THE CAPITOL FOR BUSINESS ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU KNOW, MR. THREE PIECE SUIT, THEY'RE GONNA GO ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO HOW DOES ONE BECOME A QUALIFIED SOUND CONSULTANT? AND SO THERE IS NOT A CERTIFICATION.
UM, THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANTS, THEY HAVE A DIRECTORY.
A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ALREADY USE THEM.
UM, MAYBE THEY'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF INTERIOR WALL, YOU KNOW, INSIDE FROM ROOM TO ROOM AND MANAGING THAT, OR THEY'RE LOOKING AT MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT.
SO IF THEY'RE ALREADY DOING IT, THIS IS A SIMPLE KIND OF AD.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOT A CERTIFICATION OR A LICENSE LIKE THERE IS SAY FOR AN ARCHITECT, BUT THERE IS A, A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND A DIRECTORY AND UH, I THINK ARCHITECTS ARE ALREADY ADDING THEM TO THE DESIGN TEAM IN SOME INSTANCES.
CONTINUING ACOUSTICAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. UH, COMMISSIONER MAJOR.
UH, SO I, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF POSITIVES ABOUT THIS, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE OR RULE, IF YOU WILL.
UH, MAINLY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THE BUILDING CODE.
UM, I DO ALSO APPRECIATE THAT IT'S NOT RETROACTIVE.
UH, AND I ALSO LIKE THAT, UH, STAFF IS NOT REALLY REVIEWING THESE SORT OF JUST PROVIDE THE CERTIFICATION.
UM, BUT WHEN, SO I'M A DEVELOPER AND A HOME BUILDER.
AND A, A LOT OF THE ISSUES I RUN INTO SOMETIMES WITH STAFF IS WHEN THERE'S AMBIGUITY.
SO I, I WOULD JUST SAY IT, IT MIGHT BE WORTH SORT OF FLUSHING OUT WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE CERTIFICATION, RIGHT? UH, BECAUSE ONE STAFF MEMBER WHO'S REVIEWING IT MIGHT SAY, OH, SURE, YOU KNOW, SIGNATURE FROM THE ARCHITECT IS OKAY.
AND A DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBER MIGHT, MIGHT WANNA SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THEY CAN CREATE, UM, JUST, JUST CHALLENGES FOR DEVELOPERS IF THE RULE IS NOT HARD AND FAST ABOUT WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR THE CERTIFICATION.
UH, JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND THEN I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THE SOUND ASSESSMENT, WILL THAT PROVIDE IT TO FUTURE TENANTS OR, OR, OR HOMEOWNERS? SO THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DISCLOSURE WOULD BE THE PRESENCE OF THE NEARBY VENUES IN PROXIMITY AND THAT A ASSESSMENT WAS DONE.
THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE THE ASSESSMENT TO STAFF OR TO ANYONE ELSE.
SO, SO THAT BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO I, I PERSONALLY VIEW THIS AS A, UH, I TRY TO USE A PHRASE, WHAT'S A GOOD ONE? MAYBE CONSUMER PROTECTION IS, IS THE RIGHT PHRASE.
SORT OF LIKE THIS IDEA THAT CONSUMERS HAVE GOOD INFORMATION, THEY CAN MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES.
SO I, I FULLY SUPPORT THE DISCLOSURES LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THIS COMBO BUILDING OR, OR THIS, THIS NEW HOUSE WE'RE BUILDING IS WITH, IS WITHIN 600 FEET OF, OF A VENUE THAT DOES LIVE MUSIC.
UH, MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS, WHY IS THE CITY SEEKING TO REQUIRE THE SOUND ASSESSMENT IF IT'S NOT GONNA BE DISCLOSED? THE CONSCIENCE OF IT WON'T BE DISCLOSED TO THE END BUYER.
THE SEEKING THE SOUND ASSESSMENT IS TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED AND CAN TAKE IT INTO ACCOUNT.
[01:05:01]
IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DONE.I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENT THAT IT'S DONE, IT'S DONE BY SOME NOW, BUT IF IT'S DONE BY MORE, AND IF IT'S DONE ROUTINELY, THE GOAL IS THAT IT WOULD BE PROACTIVE AND IT WOULD SOLVE PROBLEMS AND MANAGE EXPECTATIONS, UM, IN ADVANCE AND PROACTIVELY.
BUT WHY NOT DISCLOSE IT TO THE BUYER? WHY SHOULDN'T THE, WHY SHOULDN'T THE, WHY SHOULDN'T THE ASSESSMENT BE DISCLOSED HAVE BE REQUIRED TO BE DISCLOSED TO THE BUYER OR LESSOR? AND SO, BUT DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER? MAJOR FIRST? UM, AND THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE.
WELL, I THINK HE'S ASKING BASICALLY THE SAME THING TOO.
I, I THINK, WAS THAT COMMISSIONER LEVIN OR SCHUMACHER WHO, WHO SPOKE LEVIN? YEAH.
SO I THINK COMMISSIONER LEVIN DID A BETTER JOB ARTICULATING MY POINT.
KIND OF WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS, IF, IF WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND WE WANT TO GIVE IT TO BUYERS TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE, WHY NOT MAKE SURE BUYERS HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION? OKAY.
SO YOU WERE SUGGESTING WHY NOT RIGHT.
DISCLOSE THE ASSESSMENT ITSELF? CORRECT.
AND WE WILL, THAT'S GOOD FEEDBACK TO CONSIDER.
I, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT IF I WERE REPRESENTING A BUYER THAT WAS LOOKING AT A UNIT IN ONE OF THESE BUILDINGS AND I KNEW THERE WAS AN ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE FOR MY CLIENT'S INTERESTS, I WOULD WANNA SEE THAT ASSESSMENT.
SO MAKING IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IS THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO.
MAKING IT TRANSPARENT AVOIDS QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE.
AND IT, IT AVOIDS SOMEBODY WALKING ON A PROJECT THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN INSTEAD OF MOVING FORWARD WITH A UNIT, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT DISCLOSED IN THE CITY OF, SORRY, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO, SO ASKING FOR IT WOULDN'T REALLY BE SUFFICIENT.
YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE IT BE REQUIRED.
REQUIRED TO SEE IT REQUIRED TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY PURCHASING OR RENTING IN THE BUILDING.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT IF I WAS GONNA RENT A UNIT OR BUY A UNIT, I WOULD, AND I KNEW THAT AN ASSESSMENT HAD HAD TO BE DONE, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE ASSESSMENT WAS.
AND IF SOMEBODY WASN'T WILLING TO PROVIDE IT, I PROBABLY WOULD WALK BECAUSE I WOULD SAY, OKAY, SOMETHING'S REALLY WRONG HERE.
AND I GUESS OUR THINKING WAS LEAVE IT BETWEEN THE BUYER AND SELLER.
BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS NEW INFORMATION.
I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY THE INTEREST OF THE OWNER TO PROVIDE THE ASSESSMENT IF THE BUYER'S ASKING FOR IT.
MAYBE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE ASSESSMENT SAYS, MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.
IT DEPENDS ON THE ASSESSMENT AND THAT'S THE ISSUE.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ISSUE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
SPEAKING FOR COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, I THINK THE COMMISSIONER MAJOR AGREES WITH THAT ALSO.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
THE FEEDBACK FROM EXPERTS IN THE REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS GREAT FEEDBACK.
WELL, WE, WE, UH, PROBABLY OUGHT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SAFER SIXTH STREET, BUT THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THE AFTER AFTERMATH OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND GET WHATEVER FEEDBACK YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD ON THAT.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BACK IN THAT CAPACITY AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CHAIRMAN.
I, I THINK I SAW, UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON HAD HER HAND UP.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE SUPPORT FOR, UH, THE DISCLOSURE BEING PRESENTED TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS.
AND BECAUSE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE MUSIC VENUE, I THINK THAT THIS CAN LIKE MITIGATE NOISE COMPLAINTS IF, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR A LOT OF VENUES, THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BE, BUT NEW NEIGHBORS MOVE IN AND THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF WHAT, UM, WHAT TO EXPECT SOUND WISE FROM LIVE MUSIC VENUES.
AND SOMETIMES THOSE VENUES WILL BE, YOU KNOW, EVEN LIKE, THEY'LL HAVE TO CANCEL LIVE MUSIC FOR THE EVENING OR SOMETHING WHILE THINGS ARE, ARE DURING THE PERIOD WHILE THAT'S BEING SORTED OUT.
SO I THINK BOTH FROM THE DEVELOPER STANDPOINT AND THE LIVE MUSIC VENUE STANDPOINT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISCLOSE TO THE OWNER.
UM, BUT YEAH, THANKS FOR COMING TO DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND MUSIC COMMISSION.
BRIAN, GET TO SEE YOU TWICE THIS MONTH,
THANKS SO MUCH AND WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
[6. Update and discussion regarding the Urban Transportation Commission Recommendations 20240402-003: South Central Waterfront and 20240402-004: ETOD as they relate to the Downtown Commission]
BUSINESS IS AN UPDATE AND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 4 0 4 0 2 DASH OH OH THREE SOUTH CENTER, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND 2 0 2 4 0 4 0 2 DASH 0 0 4 E.
TODD, AS THEY RELATE TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
[01:10:01]
SCHUMACHER, THAT IS YOURS.UH, I JUST THOUGHT WE HAD TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MAY BE INTERESTING FOR FOLKS HERE.
UM, ONE, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE TRACKING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UH, PLAN.
UH, WE, WE HAD A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THAT.
UM, THEY WERE MAINLY CENTERED AROUND THE GOAL OF CREATING A, A, A MORE, UH, TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE FLAGGED THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS THE STREET NETWORK LAID OUT INSIDE THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UH, DISTRICT PLAN.
UM, IT WAS CREATED IN 2016 BACK BEFORE WE KNEW REALLY WHERE PROJECT CONNECT WAS GOING TO BE.
UH, AND IT LEADS TO US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE THAT WILL BE PRIMARILY FOR LIGHT RAIL AND, UH, A SHARED USE PATH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS.
UM, IT HAS THAT INTERSECTING WITH A, UM, EXTENSION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, UH, THAT WILL BE FOUR LANES ACROSS WITH A MEDIAN, UM, PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT'S QUITE A LOT OF RIDE AWAY.
UM, AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO CONNECT THIS NEW NEIGHBORHOOD TO DOWNTOWN, UM, VIA A TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE, A VERY PEDESTRIAN FORWARD, UH, GATEWAY, UH, OR ARE WE, WE JUST GONNA KIND OF DUMP THEM INTO AN AUTOCENTRIC GRID, UM, RIGHT.
AND, AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY CREATE THAT EXTENSION OF THE PEDESTRIAN VIBRANCY OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING WE FLAGGED.
AND I KNOW THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO AGREED WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION AND, UM, THROUGH THAT INTO THEIRS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS, UH, ABOUT THE EO UH, UH, OVERLAY THAT'S, UM, COMING FOR COUNCIL FAIRLY SOON.
UM, RIGHT, SO THIS IS THE PROJECT CONNECT, UM, ZONING OVERLAY.
ONE THING WE FLAGGED, AND I I BELIEVE THIS WILL GET FIXED BY, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UM, CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE AWARE, BUT MEMBERS MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW.
UM, THERE ARE PARCELS THAT ARE PART OF THE, UH, ETOD OVERLAY THAT ARE ZONED CBD, UH, OR ZONED DOWNTOWN MIXES.
AND THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT YOU CAN ACHIEVE THROUGH THIS OVERLAY, UH, WITH ALL THE BONUSES IS 120 FEET, WHICH YOU COULD ALREADY ACHIEVE, UH, EASILY IF YOU HAVE THOSE OTHER TWO, UM, ZONING CATEGORIES.
SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HURT THOSE PROPERTIES, BUT IT BEGS THE QUESTION OF WHY ARE WE INCLUDING THEM? UH, THERE'S NO BENEFIT.
AND SO ALSO BEGS THE QUESTION OF IS THERE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR CREDIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITY ON THESE DOWNTOWN PARCELS THAT ARE IN THE
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR OF LOTS MORE THAN 120 FEET, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREAS FOR THOSE THAT TRANSIT SUPPORTED OVERLAY.
SO WE'VE ALREADY SENT A LETTER TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO THAT EFFECT.
SO, UH, IF YOU WANT ANYBODY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT, WE'RE THERE.
YEAH, WE, WE'VE CERTAINLY WEREN'T THE FIRST PEOPLE TO FLAG IT EITHER.
I THINK THIS IS A, A FAIRLY KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE UTAH TO OVERLAY.
SO I THINK HOPEFULLY THERE'S A CRITICAL MASS BUILDING, UH, TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT I DID THINK, UH, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE, THE NEXT ITEM IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A REQUEST FROM COMMISSIONERS TO INCLUDE IN OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, A DISCUSSION OF, UH, OF THE STREET IMPACT FEES.AND IF STAFF WOULD BE KIND ENOUGH TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE PARTY TO COME AND PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE PRIMARY ONE THAT, THAT THAT'S THE PRIMARY ONE WAS REQUESTED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT FOLKS, I, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A WORKING GROUP, UH, TO LOOK AT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND TO TRACK THE METRIC PERFORMANCE METRICS.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT, THAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL.
MAYBE IF WE COULD GET SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF MORE, UH, OF A PRESENTATION ON THE DOWNTOWN PLAN ITSELF AND WHERE IT IS FROM CITY STAFF CURRENTLY.
THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, WAS GETTING A REPORT ON THE STATUS.
AND IT IS A MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL PROJECT, SO NOT WITHOUT ITS COMPLICATIONS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
SO, UH, WE MAY HAVE AN ITEM, UH, TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, TO, UH, TO FOCUS ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
DO YOU WANNA HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN CREATE THE WORKING GROUP? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMISSION? JUST A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL BE COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL IN ORDER TO STAY COMPLIANT WITH CITY CODE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS ACCESSING IT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.
I'M HAPPY TO HELP OR PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH CTM.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THERE IS A SEXUAL HARASSMENT AWARENESS TRAINING THAT THE, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAS EMAILED ABOUT.
[01:15:01]
DEADLINE OF MAY 10TH, SO PLEASE COMPLETE THAT.IF YOU DON'T LIKE ONLINE TRAININGS, UH, FEEL FREE TO SIGN UP FOR THE APRIL 23RD IN-PERSON TRAINING, UH, HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND THAT HAS BEEN EMAILED, UM, FROM THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL.
I THINK THAT'S IT FOR THIS EVENING.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I SO I HAVE A MOTION.
THE COMMISSION STANDS IN ADJOURNMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AS ALWAYS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY AT OUR MAY MEETING.