[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:10]
IT'S 5:33 PM UH, THIS IS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
IT IS JUNE 26TH, AND WE ARE, WE DO HAVE A FORM PRESENT.
UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE EITHER TRYING TO GET IN THE BUILDING OR TRYING TO, UH, COMPLETE THEIR LOG ON, BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED FOR THE, THE SAKE OF TIME.
UM, FIRST ITEM IS TO CALL THE ROLE, UH, RICHARD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? SURE, I CAN DO THAT.
WELL, OH, I GUESS THAT'S RIGHT, CHRISTIE.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT, UH, OFFICIALLY RE DESIGNATED.
THIS IS MR. LAROCHE MS. SHORT LANDMARK COMMISSION AT CHRISTIE.
UM, LIZ IS ASKING TO BE ADDED AS A PANELIST 'CAUSE SHE'S, SHE SAYS SHE'S ON, BUT SHE'S ONLY ON AS AN ATTENDEE.
DO YOU SEE HER? OH, THERE SHE IS.
SHE'S BEEN ADDED AS A PANELIST.
I'M STILL JUST WAITING FOR HER.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO COUNTER IS HERE.
UM, I THINK I SEE MR. LEVINE'S LEGS
YOU WERE RECOGNIZED BY YOUR LEGS.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM, A BUSINESSES PUBLICATION.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY TO SPEAK OR IS IT ON? YES.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission May 15, 2024 meeting.]
NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.I HOPE EVERYBODY SAID THE OPPORTUNITY YOU MAY REVIEW LAST FOR SIX.
UM, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OF CORRECTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS? I SEEN NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCRUE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED.
HEARING NO OPPOSITION, NO QUESTION CARRIES.
IF YOU ARE VOTING TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, COULD YOU JUST RAISE YOUR HAND? 'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO HEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE, UH, ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES OR A HELLO BOTH.
[2. Presentation on the Downtown Austin Plan by Chad Sharrard and Jill Amezcua, Austin Planning Department. ]
IS, UH, WE'VE GOT TWO STAFF BRIEFINGS.THE FIRST ONE IS A PRESENTATION ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN BY CHAD SHERROD AND JILL AND
I WILL PROJECT YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE MISPRONUNCIATION.
YEAH, JUST NEED TO GET IT CHECKED.
AND IF YOU WANNA JUST LET ME KNOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE SLIDES.
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HI.UH, MY NAME IS CHAD ARD, SENIOR PLANNER WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE LONG RANGE VISION.
UM, TONIGHT WE'RE PROVIDING A DOWNTOWN AUSTIN LAND IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE, UH, WITH SOME PUBLIC FELLOW COLLEAGUES,
UM, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND AND COVER TONIGHT, UM, WITH SOME GREAT TOPICS, UM, AND WORKING DONE DOWNTOWN.
UH, HERE'S SOME OF THOSE TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSING TONIGHT FROM GREAT STREETS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PALM DISTRICT.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
UM, SINCE OUR LAST BRIEFING INVOLVED 2023, UH, INITIALLY ADOPTED IN 2011, IT HAD A HUNDRED MILLION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, AND IN 2018, 75% OR 82 OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ARE PARTIALLY COMPLETE OR UNDERWAY.
UH, AND THEN SIX OR 6%, UH, AT THE SD INITIATED, UM, AND STILL ACTIVE PLAN TRACKING FOR THE DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL IS PAUSED SINCE 2018.
UM, DUE TO A FOCUS ON REWRITE FOR THE LEC, THE PANDEMIC
UH, DOWNTOWN DENSITY FOCUS PROGRAM.
UH, AND SO, UH, SINCE OUR BRIEF LAST FALL, WE'VE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, UPDATES TO THIS.
UH, SIX ADDITIONAL PROJECTS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE FOR THAT TOTAL OF 37, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, AN ADDITIONAL $6.46 MILLION OF LOO HAVE BEEN MADE HOLDING TO THAT 13 MILLION, UM, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 9 MILLION OF FEES AND LOOP PENDING HOLDING TO THAT 32.8 MILLION PENDING.
UM, THERE'S STILL IN 81 REMAINING AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED, HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL 610 ARE PROPOSED.
SO IN TERMS OF DENSITY, OUR DEPARTMENT, BASICALLY BOTH IN TERMS OF
UM, AND THEN IN PARALLEL HERE ARE THOSE, UH, SAME PROJECTS, BUT REFLECTED REBUILDING NIGHT.
UM, WE PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED THE SLIDE OF THE LAST BRIEFING.
UM, THE FEES FOR THE DOWNTOWN THAT SAVE BONUS PROGRAM STILL REMAIN WITH $12 RESIDENTIAL $9 COMMERCIAL.
AND THEN THE OTHER BASE SOUNDS WITH $10 RESIDENTIAL $6 COMMERCIAL.
FOR GRAVE STREETS, JILL MEDICAL CLUB IS GONNA TAKE OVER.
I'M JILL QUA AND I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR GRADE STREETS AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO, WITH THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, WE HAVE INSTALLED OVER 25 DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE GREAT STREETS ON THEM, AND IT'S BEEN HAD RECENTLY VERIFIED THERE ARE 230 BLOCK FACES THAT HAVE GREAT STREETS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROGRAM IN THE LAST 25 YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED DOWNTOWN.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE GRAPH ON THE, ON YOUR SCREEN THAT A LOT OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IN RAINY STREET.
AND THAT IS EVIDENCE IN THE TOWERS THAT YOU CAN SEE IN DOWNTOWN THE CRANES.
ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE GREAT STREETS AT THE BOTTOM.
SO, WITH THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM, THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING TIME TO BE IN URBAN DESIGN AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY UPDATING THE GREAT STREETS PLAN, UM, AGAINST 25 YEAR PLAN THAT WE'RE PROJECTING TO BE COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER OF 2025.
SO ONE YEAR FROM NOW, THAT'S WHAT OUR GOAL IS TO, UM, GET THIS PLAN ADOPTED IN COUNCIL.
AND THIS PLAN INCLUDES A STANDARD PLANNING PROCESS, UM, TO FINISH UP IN EXISTING CONDITION ANALYSIS, UH, LOOKING AT ALL OF THE BOT CASES DOWNTOWN.
SO ALL 230 BOT CASES WERE EVALUATED FOR THE CONDITION OF THE BRIDGE
[00:10:01]
STREETS ELEMENTS AS THEY EXIST TODAY IN DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS AN INVENTORY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN CREATED IN 25 YEARS SINCE THIS PROGRAM.SO WE NOW HAVE THAT DATA TO USE SOME FORM OUR DECISIONS, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
SO THESE ON THE SLIDE, WHICH ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UM, I PULL FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN THAT ARE RELATED TO GREAT STREETS.
AND ONE OF THEM THAT I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, THERE ARE 230 BLOCK BASED, WHAT WE IMPLEMENT OVER THE LIFE OF THE GREAT STREETS PLAN WILL LAST, UH, 25 YEARS.
AND DEVELOPERS CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT STREETS PLAN THROUGH, UM, THE BREAK STREETS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS WHERE A DEVELOPER WILL DECIDE TO OFTEN THROUGH GREAT STREETS.
AND ONCE THE GREAT STREETS ELEMENTS ARE INSTALLED, THE DEVELOPER WILL BE REIMBURSED BASED ON, ON THE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL, A PORTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO INSTALL GREAT STREETS AT
AND THE LAST ITEM, UM, FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION IS THAT RECENTLY, UM, LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE GREAT STREET PROGRAM HAS CREATED A P AND L FOR TECH STOCK FRONTAGES, WHERE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ON TEXT STOCK FRONTAGES ARE DOWN
THEY HAPPENS TO SOLVE GRAPE STREET THAT CAN'T BECAUSE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF TECH STOCK.
SO FOR THOSE PORTIONS OF THE STREET FRONT, THOSE PROJECTS THE DEVELOP INTO A FUND OF WHICH THOSE FUNDS COULD USE FOR XAVIER
AND SO NEXT, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT TON PLAN WAS TO STREAMLINE THE LICENSE AGREEMENT IN GRAPE STREET'S, UM, REALLY SIDE PLAN HOMELESSNESS AND HOW THAT LOOKS IN RELATION TO ALL THE INITIATIVE AND WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
WE STILL MADE WITH
AND THE LAST GOAL I HAVE ON HERE IS TO ENSURE THAT PLAN TRANSIT FACILITIES LIKE PROJECT CONNECT, WE'RE LITERALLY WORKING ON THE RIGHT PATH OF THE PROJECT CONNECT TEAM, IDENTIFY CROSS SECTIONS OF DOWNTOWN THAT MEET BOTH GREAT STREETS AND
SO THE LAST SLIDE THAT I HAVE ON HERE IS ADDITIONAL, UM, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS RELATION TO GREAT STREETS LEAGUE FOR TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING.
SO THE GOAL OF THE GREAT STREETS PLAN CURRENTLY IS TO FOCUS ON PEDESTRIANS IN DOWNTOWN.
SO THAT IS WHY IN THE EIGHT FOOT RIGHT OF WAY, THERE'S INCREASED AREA FOR PEDESTRIANS AND LESS OF FOCUS ON VEHICLES AND ALSO INCLUDES TRANSIT AS WELL AS BIKE LANES.
AND ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING ISSUE THAT WE DEAL WITH EVERY DAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS IN BOUNCE GROUND, AND SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE ON STREET HARPING AS WELL AS FLOATING AREAS, SPECIFICALLY BALLET.
SO GREAT STREETS HAS A 100% SUCCESS RATE AND WORK WITH DEVELOPERS AND TO GET THESE PROJECTS APPROVED AND TO MEET GREAT STREETS.
AND THE LAST MOST IMPORTANT ITEM I HAVE ON HERE IS UTILITIES VERSUS TREES.
SO WHEN WE DO CONSTRUCTION, WE GET HOME AND WE OPEN UP THE THE GROUND TO SEE WHAT'S THE DIRTY, THERE ARE UTILITIES GOING EVERY BUSH WAY.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, UM, WITH THESE GRACE TREES PROJECTS, THE TREES NEED TO BE INSTALLED.
WHAT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING IS MOVING THE UTILITIES TO INSTALL THE TREES.
SO THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR ACT PLAN.
UM, SO THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY WORKING, UM, ON THE, THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION ACT PLAN.
UM, I IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AND BY END ME 24.
UM, AND YOU WANNA MAKE NOTE THAT THE COORDINATION IN THIS PLAN, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE COORDINATION BETWEEN URBAN DESIGN AND THE GREAT TREAT PROGRAM WILL BE AN ESSENTIAL STEP FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTS PLAN.
AND THEN, UH, THE HOME DISTRICT PLAN.
SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT SOME HOME DISTRICT PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE, JUST THROUGH MY MERIT COUNCIL ADOPT PLAN LAST FALL.
UM, THE HOME PLAN COVERS THE AREA SEEN HERE DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND THEN SOME EXCITING UPDATES, UH, THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FALL DISTRICT PLAN.
SO CURRENTLY, UM, WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, THERE'S BEEN A STEERING COMMITTEE CREATED, UM, FOR SOME CONCEPT PLANNING FOR THE PALM SCHOOL SITE.
[00:15:01]
CENTER EXPANSION, UH, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, OR WELL, YES, HAVE APPROVED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS.UM, FOLLOW OF LAST YEAR, UH, WITH THIS SUMMER 3 24, SOME COMPLETION ON THE CONCEPT OF LINES THEMSELVES.
UM, AND THEN AS ESTIMATED DEMOLITION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION IS SET TO OCCUR BETWEEN APRIL, 2025 THROUGH JANUARY, 2029 IN TANDEM, WE HAVE THE WATERLOO GATEWAY DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY OF CON THIS SUMMER, SOME RESTRICTION POND, STORM WATER PERTAINING WALLS, THE PORT BLOCK, SO ON AND SO FORTH ULTIMATELY.
AND LASTLY, WE HAVE THE PALM PARK DESIGN, UH, WHICH IS UPDATED BUYING ENGAGEMENT REPORT IS COMING OUT THIS SUMMER OF 2024.
WE'D LIKE TO BRING UP, UH, MANAGEMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE A BRIEF, UH, MEETING.
UH, MATCH SHOWED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
WE BRING IN OUR PRESENTATION HOME WITH UPDATES FROM OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND PARTNER DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT INITIATIVE THAT SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN ACTION PLAN.
UH, STARTING WITH RALLY AUSTIN, OUR ECONOMIC, OUR AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, Y'ALL MAY SEE A NEW NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, UH, CORPORATION THAT GETS ADOPTED AND REBRANDED.
UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PASSED MONTH INTO RALLY OF AUSTIN.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THAT AND, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, SO THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, BEGAN IN 29 OR 2021, UH, TO CARRY OUT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, CONSULTING SERVICES AS THE CITY'S NON-PROFIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
UH, THIS ORGANIZATION LIBRARY IS THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT, UH, ACCESS TO CREATE INCLUSIVE, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UH, THROUGH THIS ACTIONS, THE AG, UH, AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHERE RALLY AUSTIN, I TRY AND DO BETTER JOB USING THEIR BRANDING AS WELL.
UH, HAS BEEN LEADING THE REDEVELOPMENT OF BLOCK 16 AND 18, UH, THE EAST 11TH CORRIDOR IN AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTROL, HERITAGE DISTRICT, UH, LEADING SUPPORT, UH, OF LEVERAGING OUR CULTURAL TRUST FUND AS SAW ON THE NEWS, UH, HELPING, UH, LAND A, UH, LONG TERM LEASE FOR HOLE IN THE WALL AND DOING OTHER WORK IN OUR CREATIVE VENUES, UH, AS WELL AS MONITORING, UH, SUPPORT WORK IN THE I 35 EXPANSION, UH, CITYWIDE ASSET MAPPING INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING WORK AROUND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE AUSTIN, UH, CONVENTION CENTER.
ADDITIONALLY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO SUPPORT OUR CULTURAL NON-PROFITS AND BUSINESSES TO BOTH LIKE JOB GROWTH AND, UH, CREATIVITY IN OUR, OUR CITY.
UH, AND THEY ARE PROVIDED THIRD VARIETY OF GRANTS AND LOANS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES, BEGINNING WITH OUR CHAPTER THREE POLICY, WHICH IS THE OVERARCHING POLICY PROVIDED BY THE STATE THAT GIVES THE CITY AUTHORITY TO ENTER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE A BUSINESS EXPANSION INCENTIVE PROGRAM REALLY FOCUSES ON JOB CREATION AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS, REQUIRING OUR BUSINESSES TO PAY LIVING WAGES, UH, AND MEETING A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UH, IMPACTS, HEALTHCARE BENEFITS AND SO FORTH.
UH, AND A HIGH LEVEL OF, UH, INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND JOB CREATION.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH AN UPDATE OF THAT PROGRAM, SO HOPEFULLY, UH, OPEN THE DOORS A LITTLE BIT WIDER TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE TAKEN THAT PROGRAM AND THEIR UPDATES, UH, TO COUNCIL AT THE END OF AUGUST.
WE ALSO PLAN TO, UH, DEAL A NEW PROGRAM CALLED OUR PLACE BASED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND FOCUSING ON, UH, COMMERCIAL AFFORDABILITY.
UH, THIS PROGRAM, UH, WAS DIRECTED TO US, UH, COUNCIL IN 2018 WHEN THE ORIGINAL CHAPTER THREE, UH, PROGRAM WAS ADOPTED.
AND WE HAD FINALLY DEVELOPED THE, UH, UH, BONUS TO THAT PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE TAKING THAT SPECIFIC PLACE-BASED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AS A COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION IN AUGUST 20, OR AUGUST 20.
UH, ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS TO CREATE A SPACE CITIZEN PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS GRANT BETWEEN 5,050 THOUSANDS, UH, TO CREATE ORGANIZATIONS OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS ARE LIVE MUSIC FUNDS, SUPPORTING OUR EQUITABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN OUR MUSIC SECTOR.
UH, THE FAMILY AND BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM, SUPPORTING, UH, UM, COMPETITIVE, UH, LOW INTEREST LOANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EXPANDING, CREATING JOBS.
UH, THAT'S OFFERED THROUGH OUR SECTION 1 0 8 FUND FUNDING.
UH, THEN OF COURSE, OUR CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, LIKE VARIETY ELEVATE, AND I'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THAT PROGRAMMING.
I BELIEVE THAT APPLICATIONS THAT OUT.
SO IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING THOSE FUNDS, UH, PLEASE HAVE THEM SUBMIT THESE OBLIGATIONS NOW.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, SOME INITIATIVES THAT NEAR DEAR TO MY HEART ARE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES THAT FOSTER
[00:20:01]
THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, SPACES THAT, UH, THAT CREATE AUSTIN AND, AND CREATE THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR AREA.UH, SO OUR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT REALLY FOCUSES ON STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PLACE-BASED INITIATIVES.
UH, ONE OF THOSE ITEMS IS THE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT FRAMEWORK POLICY, WHICH I'LL BE PRESENTING, UH, NEXT AS THE STAFF BRIEFING, UH, WORKING ON DEVELOPING AND FORMALIZING A POLICY OF HOW WE ACTUALLY RESOURCE OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
ACTUALLY, WE ARE SUPPORTING AND DEVELOPING A CREATIVE DISTRICT COMBINING DISTRICT, WHICH ACTUALLY, UH, HELPS PRESERVE SPACES AND CREATIVE SPACES, UH, IN, UH, COMMUNITY SUPPORTED, UH, REGULATORY, UH, SETTINGS, UH, OR REGULATORY INCENTIVES IN, IN AREAS THAT ARE DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY.
UH, THEN WE ALSO HELP SUPPORT THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, SPECIFICALLY HELPING DEVELOP A FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN, UH, AREA CORRIDOR IN DEVELOPING THEIR CULTURAL DISTRICT AND CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT, UH, MANAGEMENT ENTITY, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, SERVICING THE DIRECTOR FOR CULTURAL DISTRICT AND THEIR, UH, THEIR NEEDS AS AN ORGANIZATION AND DISTRICT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE THE STEWARDS OF THE EAST SIXTH STREET PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THAT'S MANAGED BY SIXTH, UH, THE SIXTH STREET BOSTON ORGANIZATION.
UH, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT POLICY IS OVERSAW OR OVERSEEN BY OUR, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN SOME REORGANIZATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, THAT OUR REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION, WHICH WAS FORMERLY HOUSED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HAS NOW TRANSFERRED OVER INTO FINANCIAL SERVICES.
UH, WITH THAT, THE DOWNTOWN, UH, UH, HOSPITAL ALLIANCE, OUR DOWNTOWN PIT, HAS ACTUALLY TRANSFERRED WITH, UH, THE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, TEAM.
SO THAT, UH, UH, ADMINISTRATION OF THAT PIT HAS GONE OVER INTO THE, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND ONCE WE CLOSE OUT THIS SUMMER OF THE RENEWAL AND REAUTHORIZATION OF THE E SIX PIT, THAT WILL ALSO TRANSFER OVER INTO OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS WELL OUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE MONITORING THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR SPECIFIC AREAS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UH, THE ONE ESTABLISHED CURRENTLY IS THE RAINY STREET, UH, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, UH, WHICH SUPPORTS, UH, UH, OF HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, OF PROJECTS IN THAT AREA.
UH, AND THEN RE RECENTLY THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO SECURE A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, UH, THAT WOULD SUPPORT ECONOMIC, CULTURAL DISTRICT PROJECTS, UH, WITHIN THEIR AREA, SPECIFICALLY PLACE MAKING AND WAYFINDING PROJECTS.
UH, THESE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF TEMPORARY USE OF OUR RIDE FEES,
UH, THE SPECIFIC, UH, RAINY STREET FUND, I THINK IS CA AT 300,000 A YEAR, UH, WHERE RED RIVER IS CA AT 150,000 A YEAR BASED ON THE THRIVE GRANTS.
UH, AGAIN, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE, UH, OUR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS PARTNERS, AS THEY ARE CONSIDERED, UH, THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ARE CONSIDERED PART BENEFITS DISTRICTS BASED ON THOSE, UH, DERIVATIVE, UH, FUND SOURCES.
UH, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH 'EM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS ALIGN WITH THEIR DISTRICT SPECIFIC NEEDS.
AND ROBEL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE LEVERAGING OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND FLATTENED.
UH, BACK IN 2019, UH, THE CITY ESTABLISHED A HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION WITHIN THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND THIS WAS TO MANAGE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, WHICH IS A PORTION OR THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
UH, AND THIS FUND PROACTIVELY RECRUITS TOURISM MARKETED HISTORIC DESIGNATED PROJECTS, UH, FOR FUNDING TO RESTORE ARCHITECTURALLY OR, UH, CULTURALLY RESTORE PROJECT PROPERTIES.
UH, NO, AGAIN, THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, THE HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION HAS NOW TRANSFERRED INTO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE REASON FOR THAT WAS MAINLY BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF FUNDS IN OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, UH, TYPICALLY GOES TO PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
UH, SO WE PROVIDE THAT A BETTER ALIGNED WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
UH, SO WE ARE, WE, WE REPOSITIONED THEM INTO THAT DEPARTMENT.
UH, BUT WE ARE STILL KEEPING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH 'EM, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, UH, FUNDED IN DOWNTOWN PROJECTS AND THROUGH THE BRUSH SQUARE PLAN, AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER INNOVATION, SEE ALL INTAKE BUILDING PHASE, THE OLD BAKERY
I CAN GET NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS THE LOVELY THANK YOU SLIDE.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, IF I CAN GET NEXT SLIDE,
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UH, I PROVIDED SOME DEPARTMENT CONTACTS FOR PLANNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FSD, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, ALL OF WHICH HAVE, UM, BEEN INSTRUMENTAL INUH, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
HONOR, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE YOU GOT, UH, 721 AFFORDABLE UNITS BEING CLOSED IN BITSY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO THAT CAME FROM THE HOUSING, UH, HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
SO I, I CONTACT THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION HERE.
YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW UP 'CAUSE I'VE REVIEWED EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBER IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO THAT.
I MEAN, THE FACT THAT IT IS, IT'S BEEN 81 IN 10 YEARS, IT'S PRODUCED 81 UNITS.
SO THAT, THAT NUMBER'S WAY OFF.
UH, DID THAT COME FROM JORGE? NO.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR GREAT STREETS AND THE UPDATE, IS THERE ANY PLAN TO INCREASE BOTH THE BOUNDARY AND THE, THE BOUNDARY OF THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM? BECAUSE IT'S A VERY SMALL BOUNDARY THAT REALLY ENCOMPASS ALL OF THEM? UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH BRADY STREET, POTENTIALLY, WHERE THEY'RE ALREADY INSTALLING GRAY STREETS THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BUS PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CURRENT GRAY STREET BOUNDARIES I JUST MENTIONED.
THERE IS POTENTIAL TO LOOK AT OTHER AREAS ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN.
ONE OF THE ITERATIONS IS THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY WIDTH, LIKE ON RAINING, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT 80 FEET.
AND SO LOOKING AT HOW YOU INSTALL BRIDGE STREETS ON A STREET TYPOLOGY THAT'S LESS 90 FEET, LIKE I WAS MENTIONING MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION THERE CALLED PLOT HAPPENING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO ALTHOUGH THERE'S POTENTIAL TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER CHALLENGES THAT
WELL, IT IT'S THE, THE BOUNDARY OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF, BUT THEN ALSO THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, THE REIMBURSEMENT, UH, IT STOPS AT 11TH STREET CORRECT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT JUST GOING NORTH OF 11TH TO AT LEAST MK.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTIES THERE THAT, UH, MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND THEREFORE THAT DOING BRIDGE TREATS WITHOUT HAVING CORRECT.
SO THAT'S, AGAIN, THEY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS PART IT IS OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND BOTH OF THOSE BOUNDARIES, NOT JUST FOR THE DOWNTOWN THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, BUT JUST THE OVERALL GREAT STREETS BOUNDARIES THAT GO ALL WHITE.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS GOT MY QUESTION? YES, SIR.
UH, SO I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT GREAT STREETS AND UH, A CT AS WELL.
SO FOR GREAT STREETS, I KNOW ORIGINALLY MOST OF THE FUNDING WAS COMING FROM, UH, PARKING METER REVENUE FUNDS, AND THEN IT SWITCHED TO MOSTLY DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
ARE YOU STILL GETTING FUNDS FROM PARKING METER REVENUE? YEAH.
I'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH AND, AND, YEAH.
SO CURRENTLY OUR FUNDING IS STILL 100% COMING FROM THE PARKING METER FUND FROM TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UPWARDS OF $700,000 ANNUALLY.
THAT SET NUMBER THAT WE RECEIVE EACH YEAR FROM TRANSPORTATION IS A PORTION OF, EXCEPT 30% OF THE OVERALL VIEWS THAT ARE SELECTED FROM PARKING WITHIN THE
BUT THAT'S, UM, A CONVERSATION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN AS, AS PART OF THE UPDATE AND LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS AND HOW IT'S FUNDED.
THERE'S NO PORTION OF THE GRAY STREET PLAN THAT'S CURRENTLY FUNDED THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN, UM, DENSITY OR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
THOSE TOWERS THAT ARE GOING INTO DOWNTOWN, THOSE ARE PAID FOR THE GRAY STREETS ELEMENT PEOPLE THROUGH THE DEVELOPER GOTCHA.
REQUIRED TO INSTALL GRAVE RATES.
THAT'S A WHOLE, THERE'S ONE OF THE OTHER WAYS TO INSTALL RACE RATES.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A HELPFUL CLARIFICATION.
QUICKLY TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS, COULD YOU BRIEFLY TELL THE COMMISSION HOW YOU GET TO THAT 30% NUMBER OF THE METER REVENUE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THAT'S A QUESTION FOR, I I DON'T FOLLOW UP.
SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE COST OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE EQUIPMENT.
[00:30:01]
KEEPS THE LINES SHARE ABOUT THAT, UH, AND THE COST OF PROCESSING SO FORTH AND SO ON.SO, SO I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU DEAL WITH THAT INCENTIVE STRUCTURE YOU GUYS KIND OF HAVE AND THEN RIGHT.
GREAT STREET'S KIND OF NECESSARILY NEED REDUCING ON STREET PARKING AND THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE REDUCTIONS IN ON STREET PARKING FROM THE A A CT.
ARE, IS THAT A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCE FOR YOU ALL GIVEN THAT WE ARE DECREASING STREET PARKING? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT.
BECAUSE THE PROJECTS THAT RECENTLY APPROVED IN DOWNTOWN DON'T HAVE PARKING.
THERE'S NO, UM, PARKING MINIMUMS ON THE PROPERTIES THEMSELVES, DEPENDING ON THE USE AS WELL AS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON WITH THE, UM, DOWNTOWN, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS, THEY'RE NOT A FULL BLOCK BASE.
THERE'S A PORTION OF THE BLOCK BASE.
SO TRYING TO MEET GRAPE STREETS ON HALF BLOCK OR QUARTER BLOCK OR LIKE A THIRD BLOCK IS REALLY CHALLENGING, OF WHICH THE PARKING AND THE DAILY PARKING AS WELL GETS REMOVED.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY ISSUE WITH REMOVING THOSE FEW PARKING SPACES AND HAVING THAT FUN DECREASE BECAUSE OVERALL, DOWNTOWN AND DOING OUR CONDITIONS, UM, ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS, THERE'S STILL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ON STREET PARKING UP, BUT SHOULD GENERATE THAT REVENUE.
AND I'VE SEEN OVER REALLY THE LAST 10 YEARS, BOTH PRICES INCREASE TOO.
KIND OF THE TRADE OFF OF WE'RE LOSING A FEW PARKING SPACES, BUT IT DOESN'T COST GO UP.
MAYBE THAT'S WHERE IT'S THINKING OUT LOUD.
GUESS FOR THE, AND I'M CURIOUS, I KNOW THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF YOUR PURVIEW, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS UPDATE, RIGHT? I, I THINK THINKING IN THE, UH, BOTH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND, UH, UH, THE GREAT STREETS PLAN IS KIND OF OLD IN TERMS OF ON STREET PARKING, RIGHT? I THINK WE HEAR ALL THE TIME THAT PEOPLE CAN'T FIND PARKING, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN REALLY THAT MEANS THEY CAN'T FIND OFF STREET PARKING, RIGHT? THERE'S PLENTY OF OFF STREET PARKING, ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
SO ARE YOU GUYS CONSIDERING WAYS TO MAYBE DO A LITTLE BIT OF A PARADIGM SHIFT TO START, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE GONE IN AND RETROFITTED SOME OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE A COUPLE FLOORS OF A PUBLIC PARKING.
THERE ARE ALSO CITIES THAT HAVE STARTED TO REQUIRE, UM, UH, LOADING ZONES OFF STREET RATHER THAN ON STREET, UH, IN DOWNTOWN AREAS.
ARE YOU GUYS CONSIDERING WHETHER THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER WAY TO MANAGE STREET PARKING GOING FORWARD? SO THAT'S A QUESTION FOR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, A CPW.
AND SO THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE REALLY THE SCOPE OF GREAT STREETS.
HOWEVER, IN URBAN DESIGN WE'RE CURRENTLY TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PARKING, NOT THIS ON STREET PARKING.
AS WELL AS URBAN DESIGN IS LOOKING AT THE LOW PUBLIC GROUND AND NOT JUST THE RIGHT OF WAY.
GRACE STREETS IS JUST BUILDING BASE TO BUILDING BASE IN THAT 80 FOOT SECTION.
SO THAT'S THE, THE SPACE THAT REBECCA CURB THAT I HAVE JURISDICTION OVER SURE.
AND SO, YEAH, IT'S A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE HAVING.
ANOTHER GRACE STREET QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE LARGER INITIATIVE AS A WHOLE.
OUTSIDE OF THIS, DO YOU SEE EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES AT ALL HERE WOULD BE THAT MORE IMPACT? YEAH.
UM, CAN YOU TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT MORE THE EXPANDING, AND I KNOW ONE OF MY COMMISSIONERS COMMENTED ON THIS BEFORE EXPANDING, UM, THE BOUNDARIES OF THE GREAT STREET INITIATIVE.
SO AS PART OF THE PLAN UPDATE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY, UM, EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES LIKE IN RAINEY STREET, LIKE I MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO.
LOGICALLY THAT MAY BE PART OF THE
YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, WHAT ABOUT GOING NORTH IN THAT, LIKE GOING UP TO MLK FOR INSTANCE? SO THE CURRENT PLAN ITSELF, THAT THERE'S TWO LINES.
THERE'S ONE ON 11TH STREET, RIGHT? THAT SOUTH OF, THAT'S THE RIVER THAT'S ALL PART OF THE GREAT STREETS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
AND NORTH OF THAT LINE, THE SAME BOX, THEY OVERLAP ALL THE WAY TO MLA.
THAT IS THE CURRENT GREAT STREET IES.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? ONE OTHER.
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
UH, I DO HOPE, UH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM THAT'S GONNA BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO COUNCIL THAT YOU ALL STICK AROUND FOR, UH, THE, THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, JUST IN CASE QUESTIONS POP UP.
[3. Presentation on the Economic and Cultural District Framework Policy by Matthew Schmidt, Economic Development Department. ]
ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.UH, THAT'S THE PRESENTATION ON ECONOMIC DISTRICT FRAMEWORK POLICY BY MATTHEW SCH SMITH.
WELCOME BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR THE
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OKAY.UH, COMMISSIONER CHAIR HARRIS, VICE CHAIR MARYLAND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M PROGRAM MANAGER THREE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I LEAD OUR CHAPTER THREE STEM PROGRAMS AND OUR ECONOMIC CULTURAL DISTRICT INITIATIVES.
UH, TODAY I'LL BE SHARING, UH, UPDATE ON OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT FRAMEWORK POLICY.
UH, I'LL BE STARTING WITH A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE CITY'S APPROACH OR LACK THEREOF OF OUR APPROACH TO ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UH, AS NOTED, OUR CITY HAS NO UNIFORM APPROACH TO ADDRESSING OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, AND CONFUSING THAT SITUATION EVEN MORE IS THE MULTI-PURPOSE USE OF THE TERM DISTRICT.
SO I LIKE TO POINT OUT, UH, HOW THE TERM DISTRICT IS UTILIZED AMONGST THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WHERE IT'S UTILIZED IN SMALL AREA PLANS, AS WE JUST HEARD OF THE DOWNTOWN ACTION PLAN PALM DISTRICTS.
UH, AND HOW THAT IS, UH, CONFUSING WITH ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS BECAUSE THOSE DISTRICTS LIVE WITHIN PALM DISTRICTS.
UH, IT IS ALSO CONFUSED WITH HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS CAN BE CONSIDERED ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UH, BUT HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION IS ALSO A REGULATORY INCENTIVE THAT ACTUALLY APPLIES, UH, ZONING RESTRICTIONS AND DESIGN STANDARDS TO THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY THERE'S THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, WHICH IS A SELF TAX ASSESSMENT IN A SPECIFIC AREA, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A VALUE RECAPTURE TOOL FOUR DISTRICTS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED.
UH, ANOTHER CONFUSING STANDPOINT IS JUST THE COUNCIL DISTRICT IN GENERAL AND HOW THAT GETS, UH, USING IN TERMINOLOGY.
UH, SO OUR GOAL FOR THIS POLICY IS TO DEFINE OUR ECONOMIC CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, TO DIFFERE THE ROLES AND IMPACTS, UH, THAT THESE DISTRICTS HAVE ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS APPROACHED CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, THROUGH DISTRICT RESIGNATION, UH, DISTRICT RECOGNITION RESOLUTIONS.
UH, AND THESE ACTIONS HAVE LACKED THE HOLISTICS SET OF TOOLS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UH, AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, UH, ACTIONS, UH, WERE JUST SEEN AS A STEP IN GETTING THE DESIGNATION FOR CULTURAL DISTRICTS INTO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ARTS STATE CULTURAL DESIGNATION.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A BRIEF, UH, UH, KIND OF INFORMATION ON TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS STATE CULTURAL DESIGNATION, UH, THAT DESIGNATION ACTUALLY UNLOCKS THE STATE AND NATIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UH, THE PASS THROUGH FUNDING RESOURCES TO NONPROFITS OR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, UH, WITHIN THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES OF THOSE RECOGNIZED SPACES.
UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN SINCE 2007, THE CITY OF AUSTINS RECOGNIZED FOUR SPECIFIC AREAS AS CULTURAL DISTRICTS, BEGINNING OF 2007, UH, WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT.
AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST CULTURAL DISTRICT DESIGNATED.
UH, THEN IN 2011, OUR FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR, UH, WHICH IS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, SPREADING FROM REPUBLIC SQUARE ALL THE WAY ACROSS 35 TO PLAZA SALTILLO.
UH, THEN 2013 WAS OUR ESTABLISHING OUR RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, WHICH REGISTERS FROM FOURTH STREET ALONG RED RIVER, ALL THE WAY UP TO, I BELIEVE, 15TH STREET NOW.
UH, AND THEN OUR LATEST CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, IS SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL DISTRICT IN DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAT WAS DESIGNATED IN 2023.
IT GOES ALONG THE STRETCH OF BARTON SPRINGS, UH, FROM ABOUT FILTER PARK ALL THE WAY TO ABOUT SOUTH PERSON AREA.
AS WE ADDRESS OUR ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, OUR ECONOMIC DISTRICT, AND THE WHOLE SCHEME OF THINGS, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, DEVELOPED THE SOLELY BOSTON PROGRAM.
SO IN 2014, UH, OUR STAFF, UH, LOOKED AT HOW TO ADDRESS THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS, UH, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOP, OR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, AND DEVELOP THE SO AWESOME PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PLACE-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOCUSED ON CREATING AND ENTERTAINING, UH, THOSE VIBRANT AND CULTURALLY RICH, UH, RICH AND DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS.
OUR, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROCESS IS SUPPORTING THOSE AREAS THROUGH COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATING THOSE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITIES OR MERCHANTS ASSOCIATIONS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THOSE SPACES ARE, UH, AND THEN ALSO SUPPORTING THEM THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION.
SO ESSENTIALLY, I'D LIKE TO CALL THOSE THOSE FIVE YEAR PLANS FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, UH, AND HOW TO PARTNER WITH THE RIGHT INDIVIDUALS TO PUSH THOSE FORWARD.
UH, AND AGAIN, THIS POLICY INTENDS TO REFRAME, ORGANIZE THE CITY'S APPROACH TO THESE SPACES.
SO AGAIN, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY IS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY AND POLICY MAKERS THE GUIDANCE TO IDENTIFY, ORGANIZED AND RESOURCED OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
AGAIN, THESE, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS DESIGNED, UH,
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THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY WAS DESIGNED BY THE ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT TEAM THAT WAS GROUNDED IN OUR BEST PRACTICES OF NATIONAL RESEARCH, UH, ACROSS THE NATION OF OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICT AND ECONOMIC, UH, ECONOMIC DISTRICT PROGRAMS. OUR PRACTICAL RESEARCH OF HOW WE'VE APPLIED THE SOLELY AUSTIN PROGRAMS TO EXISTING DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS AND THROUGH PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT RESEARCH.UH, AND WHAT THIS, UH, TRULY DOES IS RECOGNIZE THE ECONOMIC, UH, BENEFITS OF THESE SPACES, UH, SUCH AS BUSINESS RETENTION AND ATTRACTION, UH, THE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION THAT COMES WITH THESE, UH, THESE SPECIFIC SPACES, UH, HOW DISTRICTS CAN BECOME HUBS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND FOSTER INNOVATION, UH, ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND LIVABILITY OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.
UH, THIS, UH, POLICY RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO UNIFORMLY APPROACH DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THESE SPACES.
SO, HOW DO WE DEFINE DISTRICTS? UH, WE LOOK AT THESE, UH, DEFINING DISTRICTS BY LOOKING AT THE PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL, UH, CHARACTERISTICS AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS, UH, THAT MAKE UP THESE DISTINCT SPACES.
SO, AGAIN, THROUGH OUR RESEARCH THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, HAS KIND OF COME UP WITH THIS DEFINITION, HOPEFULLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WOULD RECOGNIZE FOR ECONOMICALLY CULTURAL DISTRICTS TO TYPICALLY BE, AND I USE THAT PHRASE TYPICALLY, UH, VERY, VERY LIKELY BECAUSE, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS COME IN ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES.
BUT THIS IS JUST A STANDARD FROM WHAT BEST PRACTICES WE SEE.
UH, TYPICALLY THEY'RE ABOUT, UH, A COMPACT AREA FROM ABOUT A FOURTH OF A MILE TO ONE AND A HALF MILES LONG.
UH, THEY CONTAIN A CONCENTRATION OF THESE CREATIVE CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT, HERITAGE, OR COMMERCIAL ASSETS.
UH, THEY MAKE A, A USE OF A VARIETY OF ECONOMIC AND VALUE RECAPTURE TOOLS, UH, AND THEY ARE STEWARDED BY A DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITY.
UH, AGAIN, I JUST NOTE THAT HOWEVER WE HAVE CREATED THIS DEFINITION, WE RECOGNIZE THAT DISTRICTS COME IN ALL DIFFERENT SAFETY SIZES.
UH, WHILE WE HAVE A DEFINITION THAT SHOWS THAT THESE ARE COMPACT AREAS, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT, UH, THAT IS A SIX SQUARE MILE AREA, AND THAT IS MUCH MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
UH, AND WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY AS WE REFLECT, UH, DISTRICTS AND THEIR COMMUNITY VISION, UH, IN THESE SPACES.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S TYPICALLY A STANDARD TYPOLOGY OF DISTRICTS REFLECTING THE CHARACTERISTICS, DEFINING THESE SPACES.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN INCLUSIVE LIST OF ALL THE TYPES OF DISTRICTS, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE VISION OF THE COMMUNITY MAY PROMOTE, PROPOSED ITS LONG, UH, OR MAY PROPOSE A DIFFERENT VISION AS LONG AS IT ALIGNS WITH A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL, UH, UH, MISSION, UH, WITH THE CITY AND AN ORGANIZATION, AND HAS SUSTAINABLE CHARACTERISTICS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT.
UH, SPECIFIC TYPES OF DISTRICT THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN ARE ECONOMIC DISTRICTS, WHICH ARE STANDARD BUSINESS DISTRICTS, EITHER CONTAIN A HIGH PROPORTION OF COMMERCIAL ENTERTAINMENT OR CULTURAL USES, ENTERTAINMENT OR MUSIC DISTRICTS SIMILAR TO YOUR RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, WHICH HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF YOUR LIVE MUSIC VENUE OR ARTS, UH, UH, SPACES, UH, CULTURAL AND ARTS, UH, DISTRICTS, HIGH NUMBER PARTS AND CULTURAL USES, HERITAGE, UH, SPACES, HISTORIC HERITAGE, UH, SPACES, AND OF COURSE, SMALL BUSINESS DISTRICT, SIMILAR TO YOUR SOUTH CONGRESS DISTRICT, UH, JUST FULL OF RETAIL SPACINGS.
UH, SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA, UH, OF COURSE, LOOKING THROUGH OUR EXPERIENCE AND OUR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES SPECIFIC TO OUR DISTRICTS.
UH, THESE HELP SET THE DIRECTION IN DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AND RECOGNITION OF THE RICH AND OVERALL, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THESE SPACES.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THESE SPECIFIC, UH, UM, GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED FOR OUR, UH, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
OUR EVERYONE IS COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND STEWARDSHIP, WHICH IS EMPOWERING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, UH, WITHIN ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS THAT ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS.
UH, FOSTERING GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT, ORGAN ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS, SMALL BUSINESSES, CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND INSTITUTIONS HAVE A MEANINGFUL VOICE, UH, IN THEIR DISTRICTS FUTURE.
UH, OUR SECOND IS PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF CULTURAL IDENTITY, UH, PRESERVING, CELEBRATING AND PROMOTING THE UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND IDENTITY OF EACH CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT CULTURAL ASSETS, TRADITIONS, AND STORY ARE HONORED AND SHARED RESIDENTS AND VISITORS CONTRIBUTING THE SENSE OF PRIDE IN BELONGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THIRD IS EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES, PROMOTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, RESOURCES, AND AMENITIES WITHIN ECONOMIC, CULTURAL
[00:45:01]
DISTRICTS, IMPLEMENTING POLICIES AND INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO ACCESS, UH, SUCH AS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.ENSURING THAT ALL RESIDENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM DISTRICT SERVICES, UH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP WITHIN ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS, INTEGRATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES INTO DISTRICT PLANNING AND OPERATIONS TO MINIMIZE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ENHANCE RESILIENCY TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND THEN AN ECONOMIC CLUSTERING BY PROMOTING COLLABORATION, NETWORKING, AND SHARED RESOURCES, FOSTERING GROWTH AND RESILIENCY WITHIN THE LOCAL ECONOMY, ALLOWING SMALL BUSINESSES TO LEVERAGE EACH OTHER'S STRENGTHS, ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, AND COLLECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANCY AND IDENTITY OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY.
AS OF COURSE, WE ROOTED IN OUR POLICY IN ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF AUSTIN STATE POLICY AND PLANS.
NEXT SLIDE, UH, LISTED ON THE SCREEN ARE SEVERAL OF THE POLICY ALIGNMENTS THAT WE MAKE SURE THIS POLICY REFLECTS.
UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, SOME HIGHLIGHTS TO THAT IS THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN, UH, WHICH SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT PROMOTING MUSIC, ART, AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING AND FACILITIES, AS WELL AS CREATING COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, UH, SPECIFIC TO THE MUSIC AND CREATED ECOSYSTEM.
UM, STABILIZATION RECOMMENDATIONS IS CREATION OF AFFORDABLE CREATIVE SPACE, WHICH IS IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THIS POLICY.
UH, THE CULTURAL TOURISM PLAN IS FOSTERING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERS, SUPPORTING MARKETS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITIES.
UH, THEN ALSO THE THRIVING IN PLACE REPORT, UH, WHICH FOLLOW FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, UH, AND THE ROLE THAT DISTRICTS PLAY IN CULTURAL ENHANCEMENTS.
UH, SO WHAT THIS POLICY DOES IS ALSO ORGANIZE THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND TOOLS THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS TO OFFER.
AND SO THIS SLIDE NOW HAS A LIST OF THE CURRENT TOOLS, UH, THAT THE, UH, CITY HAS TO OFFER.
UH, AND THIS IS ORGANIZED FROM ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, UH, FROM OMBUDSMANSHIP THAT THE CITY HAVE OFFERED.
OUR, OUR, OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT TEAM, UH, PROVIDES OUR DISTRICTS AND THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THOSE DISTRICTS, UH, FINANCIAL TOOLS, UH, TO HELP BUILD, IMPLEMENT SPECIFIC PRODUCTS IN THE AREA OR REGULATORY TOOLS, UH, THAT WILL HELP BUILD, UH, SPECIFICALLY SET STANDARDS, DESIGN STANDARDS, OR ANY OTHER TOOLS THAT WILL HELP THEM PRESERVE THEIR CREATIVE SPACES WITHIN THAT AREA, OR VALUE RECAPTION TOOLS.
UH, THESE TOOLS WILL BE REGULARLY EVALUATED BY OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE UP TO DATE, UH, WITH THE MOST, UH, INNOVATIVE, UH, WAYS OF SUSTAINING OUR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND PROGRAMMING.
UH, OF THESE TOOLS, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THE TWO OF THEM THAT KIND OF RISE TO THE TOP IN MY MIND.
UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR DISTRICTS, UH, AND SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, IS THE EQUITABLE CULTURAL DISTRICT FUNDING MODEL.
UH, AND THEN OUR DISTRICT IDENTITY AGREEMENTS.
UH, THE EQUITY EQUITABLE CULTURAL DISTRICT FUNDING MODEL IS A RECOMMENDATION BY OUR TEAM, UH, HOW TO SUSTAINABLY FUND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UH, AND IT WILL BE DESIGNED AS A RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THE DISTRICT, UH, TO DETERMINE WHAT STUDENT ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES, UH, TO APPROPRIATELY PROGRAM THEMSELVES, UH, FOR A SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATION MOVING FORWARD.
UH, WE'RE STILL DESIGNING WHAT THOSE, UH, SPECIFIC BRANDERS LOOK LIKE, UH, BUT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IT WOULD BE BASED ON GEOGRAPHY.
IT WOULD BE BASED ON INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS COMPLETED WITHIN THOSE SPACES, UH, AND SO FORTH.
UH, THE OTHER, UH, TOOL THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE IN THESE SPACES ARE IDENTITY DISTRICT AGREEMENTS, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY TIED TO OUR BANNER PROGRAMS OR OUR STREET SIGNS.
UH, IN THE RED RIVER AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY, YOU SEE OUR AMAZING, UH, BANNERS THAT ARE UP CELEBRATING THE ARTISTS OF OUR, OUR CITY.
UH, AND THOSE ARE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND THE BANNER PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BANNER PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE FAIR PRICING FOR OUR DISTRICT PARTNERS.
UH, WE ARE CONTINUALLY WORKING WITH OUR, UH, BANNER PROGRAM PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR PRICING REMAINS, UH, MOVING FORWARD SO THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THOSE SPECIFIC, UH, DISTRICT IDENTITY, UH, TOOLS BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST KEY, UH, MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS, UH, FOR IDENTIFICATION, UH, IN OUR SPACES.
SO, ANOTHER THING THAT THIS POLICY WILL, UH, PROVIDE IS THE IDENTIFICATION AND RECOGNITION PROCESS.
UH, THIS WHOLE PROCESS CURRENTLY IS, UH, BLACK UNIFORMITY.
UH, SO THE POLICY LOOKS TO SOLVE THAT AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE CITY ON HOW TO EVALUATE AND IDENTIFY, UH, THESE SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.
SO, AS YOU'LL SEE, THE RECOGNITION PROCESS OF DIVIDED IN TWO, UH, TWO DISTINCT CAMPS.
THERE'S OUR ECONOMIC DISTRICTS, WHICH IS YOUR TYPICAL
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SMALL BUSINESS DISTRICTS, UH, AND THEN YOUR CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, WHICH ARE, UH, LOOKED AT A LITTLE BIT HEAVIER AND A HIGHER LEVEL OF SCRUTINY, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE TYPICALLY PURSUING THEIR STATE DESIGNATION, UH, AND THEY ARE HELD AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF, UH, OF, UH, RECOGNITION AT THAT STATE LEVEL.SO WE, OF COURSE, UH, REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR RECOGNITION, UH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UH, THE RECOGNITION PROCESS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT ANY SPACE OR ANY GEOGRAPHY THAT IS LOOKING TO BE DESIGNATED AS AN ECONOMIC CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, SUBMIT A LETTER OF INTENT, UH, BY THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT DEMONSTRATES A LEVEL OF SUPPORT, UH, AS WELL IN THAT AREA.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LEVEL OF SUPPORT SET AT 51%, SIMILAR TO OUR PIT POLICY.
UH, BUT WE'RE STILL KIND OF EVALUATING WHETHER THAT PERCENTAGE IS ACCEPTABLE, UH, TO DEMONSTRATE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF SUPPORT WITH BUSINESSES IN THESE SPECIFIC DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUSTAINABLE MOVING FORWARD.
UH, ANOTHER, UH, KEY COMPONENT OF THIS IS A DEMONSTRATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY FOR THESE DISTRICTS.
UH, WHILE OUR, OUR PROGRAMMING AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS A SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING, THE SOLELY OFTEN PROGRAM, UH, TO HELP BUILD UP THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, UH, WE KNOW THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS OR, OR ENTITIES OR AREAS CAN DO THAT AND ACCOMPLISH THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY ON THEIR OWN.
UH, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AREAS CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT IF THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN COME TO THE CITY THROUGH OUR PROGRAMMING EFFORTS, UH, AND BE SUPPORTED IF NEEDED.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, WE REQUIRE THAT THE DISTRICT STRATEGY, UH, AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS.
AGAIN, SIMILAR TO THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, WE ARE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM IF THEY NEED THAT HELP IN DEVELOPING THEIR DISTRICT STRATEGY.
UH, ONCE THEY'RE ABLE TO SUBMIT ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS, THEY WOULD GO THROUGH AN EVALUATION PROCESS WITH OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT TEAM, WHICH IS HOW IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, WE WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOGNITION OF THIS SPECIFIC AREA.
WE WOULD EVALUATE THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TOOLS AND SERVICES THAT WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SPECIFIC AREA.
WE WOULD MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE, UH, SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, UH, THAT WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATE, EXCUSE ME, THAT WOULD MAKE THAT, UH, THE, UH, PARTICULAR, THAT, UH, SPECIFIC DETERMINATION, UH, FOR THAT SPECIFIC AREA.
LOOKING AT CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WE ADD A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LEVEL OF, UH, REQUIREMENTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT CULTURAL ASSETS THAT ARE IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA.
SIMILAR TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ARTS, UH, THEY WERE REQUIRED THAT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CULTURAL ASSETS OR NON-PROFITS ARE LOCATED IN THOSE SPACES.
AS SO WE WERE TRYING TO MAP SOME OF THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.
UH, ONE THING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS IS TO RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE LOST ALREADY.
UH, ONCE, UH, KIND OF AN EXAMPLE, ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN, THE, THE FIFTH MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE A CORRIDOR.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT IN THE CORRIDOR LACKS A LOT OF THE, UH, UH, PHYSICAL CULTURAL ASSETS, UH, THAT ARE IN THE SPACE.
BUT HISTORICALLY, THERE WERE SEVERAL CULTURAL SPACES, UH, WITHIN THAT AREA BY TCA STANDARDS.
THEY DO NOT QUALIFY FOR LOCAL DISTRICTS IN THEIR CURRENT BOUNDARIES.
UH, AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO KIND OF EXPAND THE DEFINITIONS OF WHAT TCA LOOKS AT.
IT'S A CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, TO REALLY LOOK AT THOSE INTANGIBLE HISTORIES, UH, AND KIND OF, UH, OPEN THEIR MINDS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHAT CULTURAL DISTRICTS CAN REALLY STAND FOR.
UH, AND AGAIN, WITH CULTURAL DISTRICTS, THEY'LL LOOK THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS OF LETTER OF INTENT, LETTERS OF SUPPORT, THE CULTURAL ASSET MAP, UH, BUT WE TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER BECAUSE THEY NEED THAT DISTRICT DESIGNATION RESOLUTION.
UH, WE WOULD MAKE ANOTHER, UH, ATTEND TO GO THROUGH BY THE RECOGNITION PROCESS THIS TIME WITH ANY OF THESE SPACES.
WE WOULD COURSE TAKE IT, UH, TO A RECOGNITION, IF ANY, ANY OF ANY COMMISSIONS THAT, UH, MAY OVERLAP THE BOUNDARIES, UM, OR MAY HAVE INTEREST IN THESE SPACES.
AND THEN WE WOULD TAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL AGAIN WITH THE DISTRICT SERVICES OR PROGRAMS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SPECIFIC AREA.
UH, SO, UH, I WANNA JUST GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE YOU KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT INITIATIVES OF OUR, UH, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UH, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE, UH, OUR TEAM OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT SPECIALISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY ON SEVERAL, UH, DISTRICT INITIATIVES.
UH, MY ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT TEAM IS HERE TODAY.
UH, WE HAVE THREE FULL-TIME, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THAT.
AND I SAY THREE TIME FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES KIND OF
UH, SHE'S OUR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES, OUR SOLELY OFTEN PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE OUR BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT, DONALD JACKSON, WHO'S A, UH, I MEAN, HE DOES EVERYTHING, UH, FROM INCENTIVE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND CREATIVE DISTRICT DESIGN, UH, AND ALSO DISTRICT SUPPORT SERVICES.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, I MANAGE OUR TEAM AND KIND OF BALANCE OUR INCENTIVES IN OUR
[00:55:01]
DISTRICT TEAM.UH, SO ONCE WE SEE TO OUR NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE VARIETY OF DISTRICT INITIATIVES, UH, THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UH, STARTING WITH AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICTS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS IN COMPLETING, UH, THAT EFFORT, WHICH HAS BEEN WAY OVERDUE.
UH, THEY WERE DESIGNATED IN 2007, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING HAS NOT OCCURRED IN THAT SPACE SINCE THEN.
UH, WE ARE NOW TRYING TO SOLVE THAT FROM THEIR RESOLUTION.
THAT WAS, UH, UH, UH, PAST IN 2021, UH, WE WERE WORKING WITH THE FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR, UH, AND SOLVING FOR THEIR ACTUAL DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY LEAD TO THEIR ACTUAL CULTURAL DISTRICT DESIGNATION ON A STATE LEVEL AS WELL, UH, WORKING WITH MEXICAN FIRE TEAM.
AND THAT COMPLETED, UH, THE RED RIVER CULTURAL, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM AND ESTABLISHING THEIR FUNDING NEEDS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE SUSTAINABLE, UH, MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
UH, MONITORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHPORT CULTURAL DISTRICT AND THEIR NEEDS, UH, AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE IN LINE FOR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UH, COMPARED TO ALL OF OUR OTHER INITIATIVES, UH, THERE SLOWLY, OFTEN DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO CATCH UP FROM, UH, PAST, UH, INITIATIVES, UH, IN FY 1919 COMMITMENTS THAT WERE STALLED OUT BY COVID, UH, AS WE TRY AND COMPLETE THE SOUTH FIRST STREET DISTRICT, AS WELL AS THE ALDER STREET AND MILLER DISTRICT.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO ARE MANAGING THE EXISTING ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, WHICH ARE EAST, UH, 12TH STREET, EAST OF CHAZ, NORTH OF OUR INTERNATIONAL, UH, DISTRICT, AS WELL AS SOUTH OR SOUTH CONGRESS.
UH, AND THEN I'D JUST LIKE TO NOTE THE ONGOING CHALLENGES THAT AS WE PROGRESS WITHOUT THE POLICY, UH, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BASE OBSTACLES, UH, WITH OPPOSITE PLACE.
THE OBSTACLES WERE BASED ARE UNFUNDED ITEMS FROM COUNCIL.
A LOT OF THESE INITIATIVES, AS I NOTED, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL DESIGNATIONS, FROM A LOT OF THE ACTIONS THAT ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS OUR DISTRICTS, UH, HAVE NO FUNDING BEHIND.
SO THEY'RE ACTIONS THAT ARE ASKING OUR STAFF TO PROCEED THE STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS, UH, WITH, UH, IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS.
BUT THERE'S NO FUNDING TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THAT, UH, WHICH SOLVES US OUT ON ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING THAT.
UH, THE LIMITED FINANCIAL CAPACITY.
FINALLY, SOLELY, OFTEN PROGRAM AND OUR PLACE BASED INITIATIVES, OR ONLY RECEIVED THE BUDGETS ANNUALLY AND $362,000, AND THAT IS STRETCHED BEYOND ALL OF OUR EIGHT DISTRICTS THAT WE CURRENTLY SERVICE.
SO THAT'S NOT REALLY, UH, AN EQUITABLE WAY TO APPROACH DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICING THOSE BY LIMITED STAFFING CAPACITY.
THEY'VE KNOWN THAT WE HAVE THREE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO OUR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UH, AND THAT'S NOT EQUITABLE FOR THE AMOUNT OF DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, LIMITED COMMUNITY CAPACITY.
A LOT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE VOLUNTARILY LED.
UH, SO THAT LIMITS THEIR CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DEDICATE THE TIME AND RESOURCES TO THESE SPACES, UH, AS WELL AS THE LACK OF THE TRUE BUSINESS AND PRESERVATION TOOLS THAT ARE NEEDED, UH, FOR THE RESILIENCY OF THESE AREAS.
AND THAT IS THE PRESENTATION THAT I HAVE ON OUR POLICY.
UH, I THANK YOU, AND I'LL OPEN UP THE QUESTIONS NOW.
THANK YOU, MISS YOU COMMISSIONER LEE.
AND YOU MENTIONED MY GA, AMERICAN CULTURAL DISTRICT, CONSIDER CHAVEZ OR MEXICAN AMERICAN, THOSE DISTRICTS DO ANYTHING TO ACTUALLY HELP AFRICAN AMERICANS OR MEXICAN AMERICANS LIVE IN THOSE DISTRICTS, STAY IN THOSE DISTRICTS, OR IS IT JUST LIKE PLAQUE SAYING THEY USED TO LIVE HERE? THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THESE DISTRICTS, IS TO REALLY BUILD UP THIS SCHOOLS TO HELP RECRUIT THESE BUSINESSES BACK INTO THESE SPACES.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S LACKING IS THE ORGANIZATION OF TOOLS LIKE THIS POLICY TO BUILD THEM UP INTO THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY LEVELS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BRING THOSE, UH, COMMUNITIES BACK INTO, IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE ARE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE MADE.
AND WE TORE DOWN ALL THE OLD BUILDINGS, WE KICKED THE BUSINESSES OUT.
WE SAID, OKAY, DON'T WORRY, WE'LL GIVE YOU A DISTRICT.
AND THEN THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO THAT, AND THOSE BUSINESSES ARE LONG GONE.
AND SO NOW YOU'RE GONNA GO TRY TO FIND WHAT'S LEFT, I GUESS, MOVE 'EM BACK IN OR TRY TO INCENTIVIZE FOR NEW BUSINESSES.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE POINT.
THE POINT OF THIS PROGRAM, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR, SPECIFICALLY THAT AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT, UH, WITHIN THE 2021 RESOLUTION IS A CALL TO ACTION FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT INCENTIVES OF HOW TO BRING BACK THOSE BUSINESSES INTO THESE SPACES, UH, WITHIN OUR CHAPTER THREE POLICY.
THAT IS ONE OF OUR KIND OF REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OF HOW TO DESIGN IT IN A WAY, UH, THAT WE CAN EMPOWER OUR MERCHANT ASSOCIATIONS, UH, TO UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION, TO RECRUIT THOSE SPACES IN AS WELL.
UH, AND WHETHER WE PROMOTE, UH, UH, BONUS POINT, ESSENTIALLY, UH, INTO THOSE DISTRICTS, UH, WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT WAYS, UM, ONE OF THE KIND OF RESTRICTIONS TO OUR BUSINESS EXPANSION INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS THAT A BUSINESS MUST BE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 12 MONTHS, RIGHT? UH, WE'VE LOOKED BEYOND THAT BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE SO MANY BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN DISPLACED, AND NOW THEY'RE IN P VILLE OR
[01:00:01]
AROUND, AROUND, UH, WE'RE EXPANDING THAT DEFINITION TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF YOU'VE BEEN DISPLACED WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, UH, THAT YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR INCENTIVES AS LONG AS YOU'RE MOVING BACK INTO ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS, INTO ONE OF OUR CONTROL DISTRICTS.UH, SO IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, A LOT OF WORK WITHIN THOSE, UH, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, UH, TO BUILD UP THE CAPACITY SO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT ADVOCACY.
UH, BUT THAT IS THE BUILDING, THE STEPPING STONES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO, UH, TO HELP RECRUIT.
UH, AND TO YOUR POINT, IT IS, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME, IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE THIS, UH, INVESTMENT THAT'S OCCURRED.
UH, AND THE THING IS, IS WE DON'T WANT TO JUST NOT DO IT.
YEAH, WE, WE, IT MAY BE LATE, BUT WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET THIS SMOOTH QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK YOU HAVE A VERY HARD JOB AHEAD.
I'M SURE WE TAKE, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.
UM, IS THERE A TYPICAL WAY THESE DISTRICTS ARE INITIATED, OR DO THEY START FROM DIFFERENT WAYS? ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS HAVE KIND OF COME TO US AT DIFFERENT STAGES.
UM, PRIOR, PREVIOUSLY OUR DISTRICTS, WE TOOK OUR, I WOULD SAY OUR, OUR DISTRICT APPROACH HAS REALLY GRASSROOTS LEVEL.
UH, WE'VE MUCH RATHER THE COMMUNITY COME TO US WITH AN IDEA, UH, OF THEIR DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN HELP FORMULATE THAT.
UH, PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD A MUCH VARIED APPROACH WHERE COUNCIL WOULD KIND OF DIRECT US, UH, AND IT WAS MUCH, UH, IT WAS A TOP DOWN APPROACH, AND WE FOUND THAT TO BE A LITTLE TOO, UH, IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, UH, AND IT CREATED A LOT OF CONFUSION AND IT CREATED LONG DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES.
UH, SO WE HAVE REALLY GROUNDED THIS POLICY IN MAKING SURE THAT AS ONE OF THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES WAS, WAS IT SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE VERY BROUGHT IN TO THE, UH, TO THE NEED OF THAT DISTRICT, UH, DEMONSTRATING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY PROGRAM THE SPACE, UH, BECAUSE IT IS NOT STEVE'S RESPONSIBILITY EMPLOYEE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ORTEGA.
UM, I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU MAY BE OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD TO THINK ABOUT ABOUT HOW MANY LETTERS OF INTENT YOU RECEIVE ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND WHO INITIATES, WHO'S THE TYPICAL PERSON THAT'S INITIATING THESE LETTERS OF INTENT? UM, AS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF INPUT THE BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE.
UM, I COULD IMAGINE THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO HAVE A CERTAIN KIND OF DISTRICT, THEN MAYBE THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTIVE OF THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD FIGHT AGAINST IT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
SO I, SO AGAIN, I KNOW THIS IS A THREE PART QUESTION, BUT JUST HOW MANY LETTERS OF INTENT ARE YOU REALLY GETTING EVERY YEAR? UM, WHO'S INITIATING THEM AND WHAT KIND OF INPUT DO BUSINESS OWNERS TYPICALLY HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO DESIGNATING THESE DISTRICTS? SURE.
UM, OUR SLOWLY AUSTIN PROGRAM, WHICH IS FOR THE CITY'S ONLY DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WAS INITIALLY TURNING INTO AN APPLICATION PROGRAM.
UH, TO BE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS IS WE COULD ONLY TAKE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TWO DISTRICTS, UH, ANNUALLY.
UH, SO BACK IN 2019 WHEN WE OPENED IT UP, UH, WHAT WE DID WAS GO THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, MEET THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, OUR FIRST YEAR WE ONLY RECEIVED THREE, UH, DISTRICT INTEREST, UH, APPLICATIONS, UH, OVERALL.
AND OF COURSE, WE WERE ABLE TO SELECT THE TWO HIGH SCORING, WHICH WAS SOUTH FIRST AND ALDER STREET.
UH, SO IT REALLY JUST COMES DOWN TO THE MARKETING OF THIS PROGRAM, THE AVAILABILITY, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF THESE SPACES AREN'T AWARE OF THE PROGRAM SERVICES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, SO IT'S KIND OF CONNECTING WITH THE BUSINESSES IN THE SPACE THAT WE THINK WOULD BE GOOD CANDIDATES FOR THAT.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF IDEAS FROM COMMISSIONS AND COMMISSIONERS THAT WE HAVE SPOKE WITH, UH, SPECIFIC SPACES, UH, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, TURNED INTO DISTRICTS.
UH, SO THERE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF AREAS THAT WE'VE EVALUATED, UH, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE GUIDED BY THE COMMUNITIES, UH, KIND OF ALL OR HOW YOU WOULD SAY THAT.
UM, THE BUSINESSES, UH, THAT IS OUR KEY DRIVER.
UH, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT TELL US HOW TO APPROACH THESE DISTRICTS, UH, AND HOW TO PROGRAM THEM.
UH, SO TYPICALLY WE ARE ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION BY THE BUSINESSES IN THESE SPACES.
UH, ONE OF OUR REQUIREMENTS WITHIN OUR PROGRAM IS THAT WE TYPICALLY REQUEST THAT WHENEVER WE GO INTO A DISTRICT, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UH, BUSINESSES WITH AT LEAST 75%, UH, PARTICIPATING IN OUR PROGRAM.
UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN WE LOOK AT CULTURAL DISTRICTS BECAUSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE ENCOMPASSING COMMUNITIES, UH, AND NOT JUST BUSINESSES.
UH, SO WE'RE KIND OF, IT'S A DIFFERENT PIECE THAT WE'RE KIND OF FORMULATING AND HOW THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS, WE RESPECT, UH, BUSINESSES.
UH, WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD BUSINESSES THAT SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THESE DISTRICT PROGRAMS. UM, BUT IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON,
[01:05:01]
UM, I MEAN, MOST OF THE TIME THERE'S A MAJORITY OF BUSINESSES THAT DO.AND SO IT'S JUST ONE BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE.
UH, THEY'LL STILL PROBABLY BENEFIT FROM THE FOOT TRAFFIC THAT OCCURS IN THOSE SPACES.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA HOLD IT AGAINST THEM FOR NOT WANTING TO PARTICIPATE, AND WE HOPE THAT THEY'LL SEE THE BENEFITS THAT THEY'LL WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'VE APPROACHED ANYONE THAT'S, UH, TYPICALLY NOT WANTED TO NOT FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER TIGA, DID HE GET EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANTED? YES.
ONE, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL THIS BREAKING DOWN.
BUT I AM STILL CONFUSED ON, ON LIKE WHAT, WHAT SOMETIMES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND A MERCHANT ASSOCIATION IN TERMS OF WHICH ONE IS THE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT.
SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOUTH CONGRESS, THERE'S A SOUTH CONGRESS MERCHANT ASSOCIATION, SOUTH CONGRESS, PID, WHICH I BELIEVE ARE THE SAME BOUNDARIES, WHICH ONE IS CONSIDERED THE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT.
THE SOUTH CONGRESS MERCHANTS ASSOCIATED WOULD ACTUALLY BE CONSIDERED THE ECONOMIC CULTURAL DISTRICT, UHHUH
UH, BUT THERE IS AN OVERLAP IN THESE AREAS.
THIS IS WHERE THE PIT CAN ACTUALLY SERVE AS A VALUE RECAPTURE TOOL FOR YOUR, UH, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
IT JUST COMES DOWN TO THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE DISTRICT AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
UH, SO IN TEXAS, UH, THE MODEL IS THE PROPERTY AND OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, WHICH IS A SELF ASSESSMENT TO YOUR PROPERTY OWNERS.
UH, AND DEPENDING ON THE PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESS, UH, TO PROPERTY OWNERSHIP.
UH, AND THAT'S A RELATIONSHIP REALLY DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH OF, UH, HOW THAT FIT MAY RELATE TO YOUR DISTRICT IN GENERAL.
UH, SOUTH CONGRESS HAS A REALLY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR KIDS.
SO THEY DO A LOT OF, UH, COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITY TOGETHER.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO FOSTER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ECONOMIC GLOBAL DISTRICTS, UH, ONE OF THE FUTURE ONES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THEIR EC CHAVEZ AREA.
UH, IT IS, UH, A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THAT AREA HAVE A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES THAT OWN THEIR OWN PROPERTY.
SO WE LOOK AT THEM AS BEING A STRONG CANDIDATE FOR A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, BECAUSE THE BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE A HIGHER SAY OF HOW THOSE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS, UH, CAN BE SPENT IN THE SPACES.
UH, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND ECONOMIC CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
THE COULD BE A TOOL THAT CAN BE APPLIED ECONOMIC CULTURAL DISTRICTS, BUT THEY COULD ALSO BE SEPARATE
AND THEN, SO MY SECOND POINT, I GUESS I'LL JUST START BY SAYING, YOU'RE DOING FANTASTIC WORK ON A VERY LIMITED BUDGET AND STAFFING, AND THIS IS AN EXTREMELY NITPICKY THING TO BE TALKING ABOUT, BUT, BUT THE ONE, YOU KNOW, TOOL YOU GUYS HAVE IN YOUR TOOL CHEST, WHICH I HAVE REAL DIFFICULTIES WITH, IS HOW MERCHANT ASSOCIATIONS ARE USING PARKING, TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, UM, OR GOING TO USE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE REASON, SO I GUESS I'LL BACK UP HERE AND SAY RIGHT IN, IN MUELLER, MUELLER'S THE FIRST PTMD THAT'S GOING TO POST-DEVELOPMENT OVERSIGHT AND THE ALDRICH, UH, MERCHANT ASSOCIATION GETS A SEAT ON THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UH, I ASSUME PROBABLY WHEN SOUTH CONGRESS GETS THERE, THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN.
UM, I QUM WITH THAT FOR TRUE REASONS.
ONE, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I LOVE THE IDEA 'CAUSE ALL OF THE CURRENT PT MDS WE HAVE WERE RESIDENT INITIATED.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, I LOVE THE IDEA OF A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION,
AND THE SECOND PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, ON BOTH OF THOSE EXAMPLES, THERE ARE LOTS OF MERCHANTS ON ALL THE STREET, THERE ARE LOTS OF MERCHANTS ON SOME CONGRESS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN MUELLER, RIGHT? THERE ARE PLENTY OF MERCHANTS OUTSIDE OF THAT DISTRICT, SO THEY DON'T HAVE A SAY IN HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED THE SAME WAY THAT PEOPLE ON THAT ONE STREET DO.
SO I, I GUESS I, I'VE BEEN CURIOUS AS TO WHY THAT'S EVEN REALLY NEEDED.
WHY, WHY DO WE HAVE TO GUARANTEE THEM SOME LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN A PARKING TRADE STATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICT? AND AGAIN, I GET IT, LIKE IF THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT WANTED TO CREATE ONE FOR JUST RED RIVER RIGHT.
AND PUT THE MONEY BACK INTO THAT, THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE.
THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THEY SHOULD DO, HONESTLY.
RIGHT? BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MUCH BROADER AREA THAT'S VERY RESIDENTIAL, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE GIVEN THAT.
I MEAN, THE MAIN ARGUMENT IS THAT THE PARKING IS DRIVEN BY THE BUSINESSES.
THE BUSINESSES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE DRIVING IN THE PARKING REVENUES.
UH, AND THAT IS WHY THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DESERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN INPUT INTO THE ACTUAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THOSE TRANSPORTATION AND RIGHT OF WAY IMPROVEMENTS THAT IN THAT DISTRICT, UH, SO THAT THEY HAVE A SAY.
UH, AND THAT IS WHERE WE SEE THE VALUE IN THE MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION AND BEING ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARKING MANAGEMENT TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT.
AND, AND MERCHANT ASSOCIATIONS CAN PETITION FOR
[01:10:01]
A, A PARTNER TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICT THEMSELVES, RIGHT? AND IF IT, IF IT WAS A, IF THERE WAS A PARKING TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICT JUST FOR ALRICH STREET, RIGHT, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.BUT IN ALL THE CASES WE HAVE SO FAR, THEY'RE GETTING A VERY INFLATED PIECE OF VALUE FOR, OR INFLATED POSITION OF POWER COMPARED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN THE ASSOCIATION WHO ARE MERCHANTS AS WELL.
I MEAN, THAT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION.
I GUESS IT'S JUST A ONE MEAN BY THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT IN THE ASSOCIATION THAT ARE MARCHING AS WELL AT
WELL, SO YEAH, THE ALRIDGE MERCHANT ASSOCIATION REALLY CERTAIN ONLY INCLUDES ALDRIDGE, RIGHT? NO, THAT'S, DOCTOR, PLEASE, PLEASE DIRECT.
ADDITIONAL CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FOR THE UNDERSTAFFED AND NOT, BUT YEAH, THE BOUNDARIES OF ALL STREET IS BEYOND JUST THE STREET OF ALL.
SO, I MEAN, DISTRICT BOUNDARIES DOES, I MEAN, IMPACT DIFFERENT AREAS.
LIKE, I MEAN, THE TRIGGER POINT SOUTH CONGRESS IS STRICTLY SOUTH CONGRESS THAT DOES EXTEND BEYOND JUST SOUTH CONGRESS.
BUT AGAIN, THE MAJORITY OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING INTO THAT PTMD ARE DRIVEN BY
AND, AND LET'S UNDERSCORE HOW LITTLE REVENUE THEY ACTUALLY GENERATE.
UH, I MEAN, I, YEAH, THE DEALER BOUGHT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, RIGHT? SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S A MILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FOR SIX, SEVEN YEARS NOT BEING UTILIZED.
SO I HAVEN'T REALLY, AND AFTER THE SPLITS IN TRANSPORTATION YEAH.
THE PTMD BREAKDOWN, I BELIEVE IS 50% GOES TO TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, 1% GOES TO ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, TO THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS STAFF.
49% GOES TO THE ACTUAL PTMD UH, BUCKET OF FUNDING.
THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS THAT THE BUSINESSES DO DESERVE A SEAT ON THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE LOOK AT IT AS THEY ARE THE ONES DRIVING THE TRAFFIC AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THESE SPACES, UH, AND IT'S JUST ONE SEAT.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY ARE OVERTAKING, UH, THE, THE ENTIRE P CMT, UH, AND MAKING THE DECISIONS.
THEY SHARE A SEAT ON THAT COMMITTEE, UH, AND THEY'RE SHARING THOSE SPACES AND THOSE DECISION MAKING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
OTHER COMMISSIONER'S QUESTIONS? YES, CAROL? UH, SO I WOULD ARGUE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUCCESSES IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL DISTRICT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLOCK 16 AND 18, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE OF CITY ONLY THAT PROPERTY, EITHER GOOGLE PLAN.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OTHER AREAS LIKE SAY SOUTH FIRST, WHERE THE CULTURAL ASSETS DISAPPEARING QUICKLY EVERY DAY, IS THERE, HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT ABOUT A SIMILAR APPROACH WITH THE CITY BUYING SOME OF THAT LAND, UM, TO HELP EITHER PRESERVE EXISTING ASSETS OR, UM, CREATE NEW ONES THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.
UH, THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S ASPIRATIONAL WITHIN OUR PROGRAMMING, UH, TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT HOW WE CAN RAISE FUNDING TO PURCHASE CATALYTIC, UH, KIND OF PROPERTIES THAT WOULD ANCHOR OUR DISTRICTS.
UH, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERY DISTRICT IS MADE THE SAME.
UH, SO WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WHO WE HAVE PROPERTY OWNED, UH, THAT A CITY OWNED PROPERTY IN THOSE SPACES TO ACTUALLY REDEVELOP AND BE INFORMED BY OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, AND IT REALLY JUST COMES DOWN TO THE ADVOCACY OF THE DISTRICT, UH, IN THE CONJUNCTION WITH OUR, OUR, OUR CITY AND BUDGETING, UH, WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN PURSUE THE SPACES.
UH, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT, UH, WHEN WE GO THROUGH OUR DISTRICT STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT.
SO IDENTIFIED PROPERTIES THAT COULD BE RIGHT FOR REDEVELOPMENT OR COULD BE RIGHT FOR A PROJECT LIKE THAT.
WE IDENTIFIED THE DISTRICT STRATEGY.
WE IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL PARTNERS, UH, THAT COULD PURSUE THAT, WHETHER IT IS WITH THE CITY OR WHETHER IT'S ESTABLISHING A LAND TRUST WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION OF THAT DISTRICT THAT THEY COULD PURSUE ON THEIR OWN.
UH, SO IT'S A DIVERSE WAY OF TRYING TO LOOK AT IT, BUT WE TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT COULD PURSUE SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS.
COMMISSIONER AB, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND PRESENTING ALL THIS INFORMATION.
I HAD THE PARA QUESTIONS THAT GO TOGETHER.
UM, SO THE, YOU SAID THERE'S A DISTRICT MANAGING ENTITY FOR EACH DISTRICT.
ARE THOSE ALL, SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE THOSE ALL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATIONS OR ARE THEY DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS? AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION, SO I KNOW THERE'S A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE FUNDING FOR EACH OF THE DISTRICTS RIGHT NOW.
AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE WHAT THE DISTRICT MANAGING ENTITIES NEED TO PRESENT, UM,
[01:15:01]
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDING? SO, UM, DO YOU, YOUR FIRST QUESTION, I'M SORRY.OH, CAN YOU TELL, TELL US JUST ABOUT THE, WHAT THE DISTRICT MANAGING BECAUSE YEAH.
DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITIES, I, AND I'VE BEEN FLIPPING AROUND THE TERMS TERMINOLOGY, WHERE WE STARTED THE SO AUSTIN PROGRAM, IT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON MERCHANTS ASSOCIATIONS.
THAT IS THE, THAT WAS THE TERMINOLOGY.
UH, BUT I STARTED TO STRAY AWAY FROM THAT MAINLY BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN ON THE CULTURAL DISTRICT ASPECT AND BECAUSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS REPRESENT MUCH MORE THAN JUST BUSINESSES.
I'VE STARTED USING THE TERM DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITY.
IT ALSO FALLS IN LINE WITH THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS APPLICATION.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, REPRESENTS THEMSELVES, IS SOMETIMES BUSINESSES DON'T ACTUALLY REFLECT, UH, THEMSELVES AS A MERCHANT AS WELL.
UH, SO IT'S REALLY JUST A TERMINOLOGY ON HOW THEY SEE THEMSELVES.
UH, MOST OF OUR DISTRICTS DO UTILIZE THE TERMINOLOGY MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION JUST BECAUSE IT WAS HISTORICALLY USED IN ALL OF OUR COLLATERAL.
UH, AND LIKE I SAID, I'M TRYING TO STRAY INTO THE, UH, REALM USING DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITY, BUT ALLOWING THEM THE SPACE TO KIND OF DETERMINE THEIR OWN PATH FORWARD OF HOW THEY WANT TO, UH, NAME THEMSELVES WHEN THEY DEVELOP THEIR BYLAWS.
UH, BUT THE EQUITABLE FUNDING MODEL, UH, REALLY IT COMES DOWN TO THE ORGANIZATIONS REALLY DEMONSTRATING BASED ON THAT RECOGNITION PROCESS, UH, OF WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHAT THEIR MISSION IS, AND THEIR DISTRICT STRATEGY NEEDS ARE.
UH, THEN WHAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO KIND OF DETERMINE IN THAT EQUITABLE FUNDING MODEL IS WHAT THOSE ELEMENTS OF, UH, CONSIDERATION ARE THAT WE WOULD BE EVALUATING FOR THE SPACES.
UH, SO TIM, WHAT WE REALLY KIND OF LOOKED AT ALREADY IS REALLY THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT.
UH, SO, UH, THE SIZE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT IS GOING TO PROBABLY BE FUNDED DIFFERENTLY THAN
UH, OTHER IDEAS THAT WE LOOKED AT, UH, WERE SPECIFICALLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN A DISTRICT, UH, WHETHER THERE IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE GAP THAT NEEDS TO BE BUILT.
AND THAT COULD BE A CONSIDERATION FOR US TO DETERMINE WHETHER A ORGANIZATION PROBABLY NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE HELP IN TERMS OF FUNDING, UH, TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE
SO THERE'S STILL SPECIFIC LITTLE, UH, KIND OF, UH, LITTLE IDEAS THAT WE NEED TO IRON OUT, UH, IN THAT FUNDING MODEL.
WE ARE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS, UH, IF ANYONE HAVE ANY OF HOW TO KIND OF EVALUATE THAT.
UH, SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING FROM THIS COMMISSION THAT WE, THAT ALL WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT IN AS WE, UH, LIKE KIND OF DEVELOP THAT EQUITABLE FUNDING MODEL.
UH, BOARD COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUICK ONE.
SO THIS THE SOUTH CENTRAL CULTURAL DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANY OVERLAP WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT INITIATIVE? I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK THAT WE MADE SURE THE BOUNDARIES WERE SET SO THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO RUN INTO SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
IS PETER PAN PUT INCLUDED IN THAT? PETER PAN POP IS INCLUDED, AND I WANTED TO REV THE PETER PAN, SAY PETER PAN DISTRICT GIVE A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THAT.
WE DO, UM, I HAVE THREE BOLDEN THERE,
I DO HAVE, UH, TWO, TWO THINGS.
ONE THING ON THE ALL C ALIGNMENT SLIDE, IT'S JUST REALLY A POINT OF REFERENCE AND, AND I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, IN YOUR LIST OF POLICY ALIGNMENTS, THE, WHAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S NOT ON THERE,
UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH SO MANY OF THESE PLANS AND SO MANY OF THESE INITIATIVES COME THERE, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NECESSARILY INCONSISTENT, THE DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL PLAN, BUT IT'S NOT ENUMERATED WHENEVER YOU GO THROUGH A PLAN AMENDMENT OR WHATEVER WITH ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
YOU SAY IT'S CONSISTENT WITH E FIVE, E SEVEN, WHATEVER.
AND I THINK FOR THIS COMMISSION, AND THIS IS THE REQUEST OF EVERYBODY THAT COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION, IS THAT ANY INITIATIVE, ANY PLAN, ANYTHING THAT'S BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION SHOULD SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS WHAT ITEMS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN OFFICE PLAN IT IS CONSISTENT WITH AND WHY THIS COMMISSION SHOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UH, I DO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
I KNOW YOU'RE SHORT STAFFED, SHORT BUDGETED.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO ASK STAFF WHEN THEY COME AND MAKE PRESENTATIONS IS, UH, HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR WE'LL, AWAI IN THE BUDGET SESSION?
[01:20:01]
WELL, THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM COMMISSION MAY HELP TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT, UM, DO YOU HAVE, UH, A SPECIFIC FUNDING REQUEST IN OVER AND ABOVE YOUR BASE BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR THAT THIS COMMISSION CAN HELP ADVOCATE? UH, THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.UH, CURRENTLY IN OUR BUDGET REQUEST, SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE EQUITABLE FUNDING MODEL, TRYING TO GET THAT PASSED.
UH, WE HAVE MADE A REQUEST FOR $400,000 TO SUPPORT OUR, UH, CURRENT, UH, CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WHICH IS A REGULAR RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT DISTRICT TO EVALUATE, UH, WHAT FUNDING COULD SUPPORT THOSE TWO DISTRICTS MOVING FORWARD.
UH, AND THEN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO DISTRICT SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT REALLY IS VARIED DEPENDING ON THE DISTRICT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
UH, TYPICALLY WITH OUR SOUTH FIRST DISTRICT, UH, THAT'S ONE OF OUR NEAREST DISTRICTS THAT IS, UH, PRICED OUT WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS.
UH, DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IS AROUND $300,000.
UH, AND THAT'S UPDATED PRICING FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR CONSULTANTS.
UH, AND SO IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE, UH, TRYING TO DEVELOP DISTRICTS ON A REGULAR PACE, UH, WITH NEW DISTRICTS, WE WOULD NEED TO ESSENTIALLY DOUBLE OUR BUDGET FROM 362,000, UH, TO ROUGHLY 600, OR ESSENTIALLY I WOULD SAY A MILLION.
UH, AND THEY'RE CONTENDING ON THE INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICTS WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS, WE'RE ABOUT TO MOVE INTO PHASE TWO, OR WE'RE NOT OCTOBER STARTING PHASE ONE, WE HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
UH, BUT PHASE TWO IS UNFUNDED.
UH, WE EXPECT ON THE HIGH END TO COMPLETE A STRATEGIC PLAN APPROPRIATELY WOULD BE ABOUT $500,000.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE THE FUNDING WILL COME FOR THAT, UH, IN FY 25 AND 26.
UH, AND THEN I, AGAIN, WITH THOSE OF OUR OTHER INITIATIVES, IT'S REALLY JUST PLANNING OUT, UH, WHAT THOSE WILL LOOK LIKE IN FUTURE YEARS.
UH, SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE A FULL NUMBER FOR THAT, BUT, UH, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
THAT WILL WITH POINTS ON HOW FITS THE DOWNTOWN ACTION.
[4. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair.]
IS TO CONDUCT OFFICER ELECTIONS, THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR FOR THE DIRECTED BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT WE MUST HOLD IN ELECTION TONIGHT.UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY.
UM, SO IT IS UP TO THIS COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY A CHAIR.
WHAT? WELL, I THINK NINE IS A SUPER MAJORITY.
IF THAT EIGHT, I WOULD SAY YOU CAN DO, IF YOU GET IT, TRY, BUT IF, IF YOU WANT TO, I WAS GONNA, I WILL DEFER TO THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION.
AGAIN, UNDER OPEN NOMINATIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO RENOMINATE, UH, AUGUST HARRIS AS CHAIR.
UM, I THINK HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB AND HE HANDLES THE MEETINGS VERY WELL.
HE CARES A LOT ABOUT THE CITY, AND HE'S PROVEN HIMSELF AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, UH, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO OVERRIDE THE TERM LIMIT.
IS THERE, UH, COMMISSIONER ISHMAEL OR VICE CHAIR ISHMAEL, DO YOU MOTION TO OVERRIDE THE TERM LIMIT? YES, I SECOND.
IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND JUST RAISE THEIR HANDS SO THAT I CAN SEE AND COUNT EVERYBODY, WOULD IT BE SELF-SERVING FOR ME TO, OKAY, GREAT.
SO THAT TAKES CARE OF THE OVERRIDING THE TERM LIMIT.
AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO THE OTHER MOTION TO REELECT.
EVERYBODY COULD JUST RAISE THEIR HANDS TO REELECT.
WELL, I, I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S NINE AND THAT YOU, WE ARE GONNA
HE WAS SAYING HE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD REELECT HIM.
SO, UH, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT WE CAN, THAT EIGHT WERE PRESENT.
UM, WELL, AND SINCE, UH, A COUPLE OF MY COMMISSIONERS ARE GONNA BE ON VACATION, UH, NEXT MONTH, UH, IF, IF THEY HAD BEEN CHAIR BY CHAIR, IT WOULD'VE CREATED A ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEM.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE.
UM, AS I SAID, I DID NOT ANTICIPATE CONTINUING SHOULD, BUT, UH, UH, I I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, THE COMMISSION, MY TERM ENDS, UH, AFTER, UH, NOVEMBER'S ELECTION, UH, FOR NOVEMBER'S ELECTION.
UM, I'LL STAND AND HOLD OVER UNTIL THE NEW INDUSTRY 10 REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, S ARE THEIR, UH, PERSON.
UM, AND, UH, SO THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING THE HELM OF THIS AUGUST BODY, PLEASE, AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT IT NOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY.
AND I, I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND THERE ARE NO
[01:25:01]
HANDS UPUH, AND BEFORE WE, UH, MOVE ON FROM THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, UH, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, YOU'RE NEW TO THE COMMISSION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? INTRODUCE YOURSELF? UH, SURE.
I, UH, DAVID CARROLL, I'M AN ARCHITECT, UH, PARTNER AT URBAN FOUNDRY ARCHITECTURE IN, UH, PRACTICING ARCHITECTURE.
AND IN
PASSIONATE ABOUT, UH, NOT MY FIRST TIME ON COMMISSION.
I SERVED ON JULY, SUSTAINABILITY, FOUR YEARS AND DYING COMMISSION.
UH, WE STILL HAVE, UM, AND I'M, I REGRET TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT, UH, DARRELL AND GR BYER IS INDICATED AND IT, SHOULD SHE GIVE THEM FORMAL NOTICE? NO FORMAL NOTICE.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE THE VICE CHAIR POSITION TO, YEAH, MY APOLOGIES.
I JUST FOR, OKAY, SO I'M GONNA RENOMINATE, UH, ED.
SO COMMISSIONER LEVINSON IN MOTION AND SCHIFFER SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER ISHMA, DO YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION? UH, YES.
EVERY, EVERYBODY VOTING FOR COMMISSIONER ISHMAEL, PLEASE RAISE THEIR HAND.
UH, MR. ISHMAEL, DO YOU VOTE FOR YOURSELF?
ALRIGHT, SO THAT LEADS US TO, UH, UH, AN APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO UPDATE THE ED MASTER PLAN AND CREATE AN OVERSEEING DEPARTMENT CHARGE WITH IMPLEMENTING THE ELEMENTS OF THE UPDATED PLAN.
UH, VICE CHAIR ISHMAEL WAS THE AUTHOR, I BELIEVE, IS YOUR VOICE GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION? OBJECTION, WOULD YOU, MR. LEVISON? UH, ACTUALLY I WOULD PROBABLY, I, I MAY START COUGHING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, SO IF SOMEBODY ELSE CAN READ IT, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
[5. Approve a recommendation to Council to update the Downtown Austin Plan and create an overseeing department charged with implementing the elements of the updated plan. ]
UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMAND PLAN, UH, BOARD AND COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.WHEREAS IN 2005, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE DOWNTOWN, ALSO OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN OR ORIGINAL DOUBT.
AND WHEREAS IN 2011, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE ORIGINAL DW AND WHEREAS IN 2010, AUSTIN'S DOWNTOWN POPULATION WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 9,343.
BY 2020, IT HAD GROWN TO 13,041 AND IS NOW ESTIMATED TO BE 15,360.
AND WHEREAS 2010, THERE WERE 4,675 DWELLING UNITS DOWNTOWN BY 2020, APPROXIMATELY 9,343 DWELLINGS.
AND NOW IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE MORE THAN 10,300 DWELLING UNITS.
AND WHEREAS THERE ARE 7.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL 14.3 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF SPACE PLANNED FOR DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING MORE THAN 3000 ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS.
WHEREAS ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL OFFICE AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS WERE LIKELY TO OCCUR THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND WHEREAS THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WAS DRAFTED TO PROVIDE AUSTIN WITH A ROADMAP FOR ADDRESSING THE ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES FACING IN DOWNTOWN OVER THE SUBSEQUENT 10 YEARS.
AND WHEREAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CAUSED AN UNFORESEEN SHIFT IN HOW AUSTINITES AND VISITORS USED AND EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN PRESENTING AN ARRAY OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, WHEREAS THE ORIGINAL YEAH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WAS INTENDED AS BOTH A VISION FOR DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS AN ACTION PLAN TO ENCOURAGE DOWNTOWN TO BECOME MORE ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT, LIVABLE, VULNERABLE, MOBILE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE, AND CULTURALLY ALIVE.
AND WHEREAS THAT ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLANS 10 YEAR LIFE CYCLE ENDED IN 2021.
AND WHEREAS VISIT ARE THE COMPLEXITY AND BREADTH OF THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
NUMEROUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE CHA CHARGED WITH ACCOMPLISHING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF LAND, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND URBAN SUN PARKS AND RECREATION PLANNING AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND WHEREAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTING THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN IS SPREAD AMONG NUMEROUS DEPARTMENTS WITH POLITICAL CENTRALIZED CONTROL, OVERSIGHT, OR ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHEREAS THE CHARTER OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION EXPLICITLY STATES THAT IT'S CHARGED TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN
[01:30:01]
AUSTIN PLAN, WHEREAS THE CHARGE OF THE OTHER CITY OF BOSTON BOARD AND COMMISSIONS INTERSECT WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WHOSE CHARGE SPECIFIC TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.WHEREAS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS OCCURRED IN ACCOMPLISHING SOME OF THE GOALS OF THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
ELEMENTS OF THAT ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN ARE STILL NOT REALIZED, VIABLE OR RELEVANT, WHEREAS NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT IMP PRESENT DOWNTOWN SINCE THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WAS ADOPTED.
AND EVEN MORE SUCH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT YEARS.
AND WHEREAS INCREASING RESIDENTIAL GROWTH DOWNTOWN REQUIRES MORE AMENITIES FOR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MORE PUBLIC SPACE, DOG PARKS, CHILDCARE, GROCERY, AND OTHER SERVICES.
WHEREAS PROJECT CONNECT MAY CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE ACCESS DOWNTOWN, IN WHICH CHINA NECESSITATES INTEGRATED PLANNING TO ENSURE ADEQUATE CONNECTIVITY FROM DOWNTOWN STATION TO ALL DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS AND DESTINATIONS.
WHEREAS THE I 35 CABIN STITCH AS ENVISIONED MAY CREATE NEW DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND WHEREAS I 35 CAP CABIN STITCH MAY ENHANCE CURRENT CONNECTIONS AND RESTORE FORMER CONNECTIONS AND HISTORIC TIES BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND EAST AUSTIN CREATED BOTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND WHEREAS THE EXPANSION OF THE DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL, THE ARRIVAL OF MD ANDERSON AND THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE HEALTHCARE DISTRICT MAY BE A CATALYST OF CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHEAST AREA OF DOWNTOWN.
AND WHERE GROWTH ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD PRESSURE ON LIVE VENUES, CREATIVE SPACES AND SMALL BUSINESSES REQUIRE PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS TO RETAIN THE DIVERSITY IN ENVIRON AND SCHEME OF DOWNTOWN.
AND WHEREAS A THOUGHT THOROUGH UPDATED EVALUATION OF CURRENT AS WELL AS ANTICIPATED NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF DOWNTOWN IS ESSENTIAL.
WHEREAS MORE CENTRALIZED CONTROL, OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS ESSENTIAL TO SHEPHERD DOWNTOWN AUSTIN THROUGH THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
WHEREAS A NEW 10 YEAR BLUEPRINT FOR DOWNTOWN IS NEEDED TO HELP IT REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS NOT ONLY THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF OUR GREAT CITY, BUT ALSO AS OUR CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT HUB, AS WELL AS GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
NOW THEREFORE BE A RESULT THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION RECOMMENDS AND URGES THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PASS A RESOLUTION THAT DIRECTS US TO THE CITY MANAGER TO ONE, INITIATE THE PROCESS OF UPDATE UPDATING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND ORDINANCE COVERING THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND NOW WE CALL THIS THE UPDATED DOUBT.
PRESENT THE UPDATED D AND PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL IN SIX MONTHS.
THREE, WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
TRAVIS COUNTY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, CAPITAL METRO PLANNING COMMISSION DESIGN COMMISSION, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL, OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
JUDGES HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVOCATES, PARKS GROUPS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.
AND ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN AND AND IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK DOWNTOWN.
AND IDENTIFYING THE SUBSTANTIALLY ISSUES THAT FACES FOUR.
CREATE A SEPARATE DEDICATED DIVISION WITHIN PLAN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT CHARGED WITH IMPLEMENTING THE ELEMENTS OF THE UPDATED DATA.
EMPOWER THE DIVISION WITH THE AUTHORITY AND COORDINATE WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND OVERSEE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UPDATED DATA.
EMPOWER THE DIVISION TO HOLD OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ASPECTS OF AN UPDATED ADAPT FOR STAY RESPONSIBLE.
ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION AND COORDINATION OF RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS AND PLANS THAT WERE SHAPING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN'S FUTURE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A UPON MR. PLAN B, BREAK, STREET MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
C, DOWNTOWN HISTORICAL RESOURCES SURVEY D, TEXT I 35, HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL ER, FUTURE 35 I 35.
HIGHWAY CAP F PROJECT CONNECT TO UT MEDICAL CENTER DEVELOPMENT, H WATER LEAGUE, GREENWAY MASTER PLANNING CREEK SETBACKS HIGH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, WEIGHT FINDING PROGRAM.
J DOWNTOWN PARKING STRATEGY, CHAOS.
AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND REDEVELOPMENT.
L CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE.
M CYRUS AND PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY N AUSTIN PORT TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
BOTH SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, ANY PUBLIC SITES SUCH AS EAST SCHOOL, PALM SCHOOL, HEALTH SOUTH HEALTH SOUTH, ET CETERA.
Q, PRIVATE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SIXTH STREET, RAINY SEA HOME, ET CETERA.
PROVIDE THE DIVISION WITH THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE ELEMENTS OF THE UPDATED DOUBT.
ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR REVIEWING AND EVALUATING PROGRESS AND IMPLEMENTING THE ELEMENTS OF THE UPDATED DAP ON AN ANNUAL
[01:35:01]
BASIS.REQUIRE AN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION THAT IT'S NOVEMBER MEETING, UH, ALONG WITH THE BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS TO CO COMPLETE THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR'S PLANNED OBJECTIVES.
IDENTIFY ANY AMENDMENTS TO CURRENT CITY LAWS.
PLAN MODES NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE ELEMENTS OF THE UPDATED DOUBT.
I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THIS ITEM.
YES, CHAIR, UH, MELISSA BERRY.
MELISSA WILL, COMMISSIONER, HEARING YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THIS WILL NOT TAKE THREE MINUTES.
I'M THE CHIEF PLANNING PROGRAM OFFICER WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS THE MANAGING ENTITY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN P FOR THE CONVERSATION EARLIER.
UM, AND I'M REALLY JUST HERE TODAY TO VOICE EXPRESS, EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION FOR THIS ITEM THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION TODAY.
AND I STARTED MY TENURE AT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IN 2009, WHICH WAS 15 YEARS AGO.
WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN MIAMI.
YOU CAN ALL IMAGINE IF THEY'RE HERE, IF YOU WERE HERE AT THE TIME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO IMAGINE WHAT DOWNTOWN WAS LIKE 15 YEARS AGO.
WE WERE PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER FOR THE DOWNTOWN 15 YEARS AGO AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT PLAN TODAY.
WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF UPDATING THE DOWNTOWN PLAN AND REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING UP THE IMPLEMENTATION AS THE HEAT IMPLEMENT OF THIS.
AND A PLAN WITHOUT STRONG IMPLEMENTATION IS, AND YOU KNOW, IS, IS TIME CONSUMING FOR EVERYONE FOR NO PURPOSE.
AND UM, I WOULD ALSO JUST SAY THAT THE D AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS, UM, WILLING TO BE A PARTNER REALLY, UM, IN ANY PART OF THE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERING TO ME.
UM, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE STAFF HERE THAT'S FORTUNATE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM THAT, THAT AND BREAK.
WE STATE, UH, IF, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, I I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE SOME AMENDMENTS.
WELL TAKE THE FIRST STEP TO HAVE THE INITIAL VOTE.
YOU CAN TAKE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE AND THEN GET A SECOND AND THEN UP THE DISCUSSION.
WELL LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA REREAD IT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I'LL LET FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
NOW WE OPEN OUR DISCUSSION IN A MINUTE.
NOW I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE FORWARD DISCUSSION.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? I HAVE TWO ITEMS. ONE IS REQUESTED ON THE LIST OF PROJECTS AND PLANS THAT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES THE ADDED TO THAT LIST.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA SINCE THAT AFFECTS ANY OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE SEE DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UH, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY LANGUAGE PREPARED, BUT, UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE SOME LANGUAGE IN GEAR ABOUT USING EQUITY AS A LENS PART OF THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN PLAN WAS SO INEQUITABLE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT SPECIFICALLY, I MEAN THERE'S MULTIPLE EXAMPLES, BUT, UH, IT CALLS FOR PRESERVING THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF NORTHWEST DISTRICT DOWNTOWN, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ALSO CALLING POOR RAIN STREET RAIN DISTRICT.
WE TURNED IT INTO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL OR EXCUSE.
[01:40:01]
UH, AND IT'S CLEAR WHY THAT'S HAPPENED.'CAUSE THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF SECURITY WORKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OUT OF VOICE I AND EQUITY REALLY IMPORTANT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THAT THIS PLAN, UH, MUCH LIKE OTHER INITIATIVES OF BOSTON TAKE THAT EQUITY IS THAT CONVERSATION.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL ITEM TO SAY ITEM 10 TO INCLUDE EQUITY, AN EQUITABLE EVENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
LET'S SEE, WOULD BE ADD I ME ADD ANOTHER ITEM? I THINK WE PROBABLY ADD ANOTHER ITEM ON.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD JUST ADD INTO THE GUIDELINES UNDER THE, UNDER ITEM SEVEN.
DO YOU MIND JUST READ INTO THE RECORD YOUR PROPOSED AGENTS AND THEN CALL FOR
ARREST UNDER LENS AS FAR AND WHAT SENSE? COURT REVIEW, UM, REVIEW UPDATES THROUGH THE LENS OF WHAT DO YOU THINK? THAT'S FINE.
I MEAN, I THINK AS LONG AS IT'S, IT'S SITTING THERE THEN UH, SEE THROUGH.
SO, UM, YOUR, YOUR AMENDMENT IS, UM, UNDER, UH, NUMBER SEVEN TO ADD DESIGN GUIDELINES AND TO ADD ITEM 12 TO REVIEW UPDATES IS, AM I CORRECT? YES.
SO WILL THE, THE MAKERS OF THE MOTION ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES.
SO, UM, PD, WELL LET ME, SO I'VE GOT THE AMENDMENT AND IT'S A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN AMENDMENT OR TO THE MAIN MOTION.
UM, SO ALL QUESTION, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE SAY I AYE, OPPOSED, UH, THE AMENDMENT CARRIES AND WE'LL GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION.
I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND, UH, MOTION AS AMENDMENT.
ACTUALLY, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN OPPOSE AN AMENDMENT AS AN NON-VOTING MEMBER, BUT I HAVE ONE CONCERN ON IT.
UH, YEAH, THERE'S NOTHING PREVENTING YOU FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE DISCUSSION.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL KEEP IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM AND THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION IF YOU ALL AGREE.
BUT, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE A MOTION WITH SOMEBODY.
I CANNOT MAKE A MOTION, CORRECT? NO, BUT I, I I CLARITY ON THAT, I I THINK HE CAN MAKE A MOTION.
HE'S JUST NOT A VOTING MEMBER BECAUSE HE, I BELIEVE NON-VOTING MEMBER SAID MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE PASSED THAT ITEMS TO THE AGENDA.
I'LL JUST SAY WHAT I'M THINKING.
SO, UM, I THINK THE ONLY THING I HAVE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE, UH, TIMELINE, WHICH IS PREVENT WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR STAFF'S OPINION ON WHAT A REASONABLE TIMELINE WOULD BE FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, SIX MONTHS I THINK IS, IS FAIRLY AGGRESSIVE GIVEN WHAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS TO WORK ON WITH ALL OF THE BIG COUNCIL ITEMS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH, WHICH A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT 'EM DISRUPT THAT WORK.
AND THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS, I THINK THERE ARE, I, I LOVE THAT IT'S FOCUSING ON THESE OTHER PLANS, BUT A LOT OF THESE ARE PROBABLY GONNA COME AFTER THAT SIX MONTH PERIOD, RIGHT? LIKE THE GREAT STREETS MASTER PLAN.
UH, WE PROBABLY WON'T HAVE DESIGN FOR THE CAP AND STITCH BY THEN.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE PRODUCT CONNECT DIS RECORD OF DECISION UNTIL, UH, PROBABLY LATE 2025, WHICH WILL INCLUDE POSSIBLY ONE ADDITIONAL STATION IN DIFFERENT ALIGNMENTS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COURT TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT UNTIL LATE 2024.
UH, AND THEN CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE, I BELIEVE IS AT 30 OR 40% DESIGN.
IT'S NOT A A HUNDRED PERCENT DESIGN.
SO WHAT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER MIGHT, MIGHT BE A A A GOOD TIMELINE IS I THINK THERE ARE
[01:45:01]
A COUPLE OF ITEMS IN HERE THAT ARE GONNA, MIGHT REQUIRE, UH, UH, BONDING, UH, SOME SORT OF BOND IN NOVEMBER, RIGHT? THAT WAS, YEAH, TAP AND STITCH, MAYBE CONGRESS AVENUE REDESIGN, OFFICER COURT TRANSPORTATION PLAN.SO IF THIS IS MOVING ALONGSIDE THAT, PERHAPS, AND, AND I THINK COUNCIL RIGHT NOW IS THINKING THAT WOULD BE A 2026 BOND FOR MOST OF THOSE THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
SO I, I THINK IF WE SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE THIS DONE SUMMER OF 2026 SO THAT IT'S DONE IN TIME FOR THOSE BONDS, OR MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD DATE FOR ME BECAUSE I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE A VERY THOROUGH PROCESS.
BUT I'D ALSO, IF I THINK STAFF IS ABLE TO COMMENT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT THEY THINK IS A REASONABLE TIMELINE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.
UM, I MEAN, CURRENTLY I'M ON THE SAUCE OF THE WATERFRONT TEAM AND I THAT'S TAKEN WELL OVER A YEAR.
RIGHT? SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SENTIMENT IN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT
WELL, AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER REASON, MAY BE MORE HELPFUL TO SET A DATE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'D LIKE IT BY RATHER THAN JUST A TIMELINE WE'D LIKE IT COMPLETED BY IS ONE, LIKE, LET'S SAY COUNCIL LOOKS AT THIS SIX MONTHS FROM NOW AND THEY SEE SIX MONTHS.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S THE TIMELINE THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUSHING IT BACK A A YEAR.
BUT TWO, I, I THINK IT, IT HELPS JUSTIFY OUR OPINION IF WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, THERE ARE A LOT OF BIG PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS DOWNTOWN THAT A GOOD PORTION WILL PROBABLY GO TO THE VOTERS IN SOME FORM NOVEMBER 20, 26 BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO THE VOTERS.
WE SHOULD HAVE A DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
THERE'S A GOOD JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY WE NEED IT NOW, NOT FIVE YEARS FROM, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS, IS IT THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG OR, OR IS THE PLAN BEING WRITTEN TO SATISFY ALL THE, THESE OTHER PLANS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WRITE THIS PLAN TO, TO MEET WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE BOARD TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH PROJECT CONNECT RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
BUT IS THAT, IS THAT REALLY EVEN FEASIBLE? RIGHT? IF WE DID HAVE A NEW DOWNTOWN AWESOME PLAN IN SIX MONTHS AND IT CAME OUT AHEAD PROJECT CONNECT, AND IT SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE A STATION AT, UM, RIDGE SQUARE, RIGHT? IS THAT MOVING THE NEEDLE ON PROJECT CONNECT? I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS.
RIGHT? AND, AND HOW THEN ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO ANTICIPATE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH CAPS, RIGHT? AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE DESIGNED THERE? SO I THINK TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN DOES HAVE TO FOLLOW THESE OTHER PLANS BECAUSE THERE'S HARDLY MONEY ATTACHED.
WELL, I THINK IT'S INCORPORATING THEM THE GOALS OF THOSE YEAH, IT'S NOT THE PLAN, IT'S JUST RESTATEMENT GO AHEAD.
I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT, BUT IF YOU WAIT, THEY CAN MET THIS LATER.
PLUS IMAGINE AUSTIN WOULD REALLY CARE.
THEY DID WHATEVER THEY'RE GONNA DO ANYWAY IN TERMS OF BONDS OR ELECTIONS OR WHATEVER.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A BIG PROJECT DOWNTOWN.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA A NICE BIG FIX BETTER.
AND THIS PLAN IS MALLEABLE ENOUGH TO INCORPORATE ALL THESE THINGS THAT VOTERS COULD OR COULD VOTE AGAINST VOTER SIDE.
AND I HATE TO SIT AROUND WITH TWITTERING OUR THUMBS WAITING ON A POTENTIAL ELECTION, BUT CAPITALIST DID, WHICH WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN FOR SURE.
A LOT OF WELL INTENDED PEOPLE I THINK THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
WELL, BUT A LOT OF MONEY I WOULD VOTE.
DOES THAT NOT CAUSE AN ISSUE TO THE
LET'S SAY FIVE MONTHS FROM NOW, COUNCIL DECIDES, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THE HOLLY STITCH AND WE'RE NOT GONNA DO 11TH TO 12TH STREET.
AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN HAS CONTEMPLATED THAT.
IS THAT NOT AN ISSUE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN? I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THAT PLAN THAT CAN KEEP GOING.
WE CAN WORK WITH, AND WE FIX IT LATER.
I, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT GET MOVED.
THEY WOULD LIKE THE, THE BACKING OF THIS PLAN TO USE IT AS A REASON.
WELL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE IT SHOULD GET MOVING QUESTIONS WHEN SHOULD BE FINISHED.
AND I WOULD ALSO QUESTION WHETHER THIS CAN ADEQUATELY BE DONE IN SIX MONTHS WITH ALL THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO.
[01:50:01]
WOULD CONSIDER UPDATING THE WORDING OF THAT TO SAY THAT, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS ON IT DOWNTOWN THEN COME BACK WITHIN SIX MONTHS OR A DRAFT PLAN WITHIN SIX MONTHS.YOU KNOW, A DRAFT PLAN WITHIN SIX RATHER THAN EVEN IF IT'S NOT A YEAH.
EVEN IF IT'S NOT A FINAL PLAN.
BUT I DEFINITELY, SO I WOULD CONSIDER THAT AS AN THEN, THEN THAT'S, I JUST DON'T WANNA MAKE IT CONTINGENT ON, BUT I, BUT I, BUT I DON'T, I AGREE.
I DON'T WANNA WAIT FOR TWO MORE YEARS TO GET SO YES, CHAIR, YES.
STAFF HAS A, A RESPONSE FOR RESPONSE.
ONE OF THE, AND THIS IS FOR YOU GUYS TOO AND FOR ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES, AND I'M NOT COMMISSION CAN DO AS IT CHOOSES, AND I DON'T THAT I'M NOT PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT OTHER THAN HAVING PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS AN UPDATE.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF MOVING IT, UM, AND I THINK THIS WAS SOME OF THE DISCUSSION AND DRAFTING IS MOVING AS QUICKLY OR AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, IS THAT WE WANT AS A COMMISSION WOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION AND STAFF MIGHT BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO, UM, MAKE FUNDING REQUESTS IN ORDER FOR US TO GET THAT INTO OUR BUDGET REQUESTS IN MARCH, UH, TO THE COUNCIL.
'CAUSE AT OUR MARCH MEETING, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO ASK.
COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET AND IF WE MISS THAT WINDOW, WE'RE 12 MONTHS OUT AGAIN.
AND SO I THINK IN HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT TIMELINE, EVEN IF IT'S AN UPDATED ONE, IT GIVES FOLKS GUIDANCE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO MISS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU NEED 400,000 OR $600,000 OR A MILLION DOLLARS FOR PROJECT X, WE DON'T WANT TO MISS THAT MARK'S WINDOW AND WE'RE SITTING A YEAR FURTHER DOWN THE LINE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES YOU NEED TO EXECUTE, NOT JUST ON THIS PLAN, BUT ON ANY OF THE MYRIAD OTHER PLANS THAT YOU'VE GOT A NORM.
SO, SO CAN I, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT I THINK MIGHT ACCOMPLISH THIS.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO STRIKE NUMBER TWO AS WRITTEN AND REPLACE IT WITH THE FOLLOWING TEXT TO PRESENT THE UPDATED DAP DRAFT TO THE PUBLIC WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
AND, UH, A PROPOSED ORDINANCE PER COUNCIL IN 12 MONTHS, WHICH I FEEL STILL THINK IS AGGRESSIVE, RIGHT? BUT I THINK THAT OUR GOAL IS TO BE AGGRESSIVE, RIGHT? SO THIS AT LEAST CREATES, UH, BENCHMARKS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND IF THERE'S A DRAFT IN SIX MONTHS, NO MATTER HOW THOROUGH THAT DRAFT IS, THAT DRAFT PROBABLY GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT REQUEST FOR BUDGET ITEMS IN MARCH.
THAT COMMISSIONER, UH, I, I STILL THINK IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO GET A DRAFT SIX MONTHS, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE BIG PARTICIPATION.
IT'S GONNA BE STAFF DOING A DRAFT AND THEN GIVING IT TO STAKEHOLDERS SAME TIME AND FROM, VERSUS FACULTY PARTICIPATION FROM THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME.
AND IF, AND IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO HERE.
I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT, I THINK ONE OF THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES IS THAT IT'S AN UPDATE TO EXISTING FRAMEWORK.
SO WE, WE CAN START FROM SCRATCH, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A, PERSONALLY WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS WASTE OF TIME.
BUT WE DO HAVE A FRAMEWORK TO, AGAINST IT.
WE KNOW WHAT THEY COM STEPS COMPLETED OR THE CITY HAS COMPLETED SO FAR.
UM, AND OR IS IN PROCESS IN THE, LIKE THINK WE, I KNOW I'VE SEEN AN OLDER SCORECARD ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE AN UPDATED ONE, UH, TO UH, FILTER OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENT ITEMS ARE THAT ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF COMPLETION.
UH, BUT UM, THAT GIVES US SOMETHING TO WORK WITH UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO START FROM SCRATCH.
CAN I ASK TWO QUESTIONS FROM STAFF THAT ALSO MAY CLARIFY THE TIMELINE? SO, UM, I KNOW IN PAST PLANS, COUNCILS HAD TO INITIATE RIGHT, THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAN.
DOES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN HERE OR BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON TENURE CYCLE, DO YOU GUYS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO START THIS PROCESS ALREADY?
[01:55:01]
AND THEN SECONDLY, ON SOME PLANS YOU SEE COUNCIL DO LIKE AN INITIAL APPROVAL AND THEN A FOLLOW UP ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS LATER.DOES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN HERE OR CAN IT BE APPROVED ONCE? 'CAUSE IT'S JUST EDITING AN EXISTING PLANS FOR THE FIRST ONE, FIRST QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED, I KNOW FOR GREAT STREET AS AN EXAMPLE THAT A STAFF LED INITIATIVE THAT'S NOT A COUNCIL DIRECTION.
SO MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE THE SAME INSTANCE HERE.
I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR SEPARATE QUESTION.
SIMILARLY WITH SOUTH THE WATER CRIME DATING EXAMPLE, LIKE COUNCIL INITIATED THE STAFF AGAIN WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT INITIATIVES BRADY GETTING PLANNED EVIDENCE.
UM, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT REASON WILL OCCUR AFTER THAT.
SO I, I'LL LET MY MOTION STAND AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY SECOND.
BUT A DRAFT PLAN IN SIX MONTHS AND A, UH, ORDINANCE FOR BY COUNCIL 12 MONTHS, WHICH AGAIN, I, I STILL THINK IT, IT'S VERY AGGRESSIVE, BUT UM, I JUST THINK REALITY IS BE DROPPED IN 12 AND DONE IN 18 ON THE BOARD.
UH, ACTUALLY I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
I MEAN I HEAR WHAT THE CONCERN IS ABOUT TIMING AND I ALSO HEAR, UM, WHAT CHAIR HARRIS IS SAYING ABOUT BUDGETING.
BUT I DO THINK THAT UM, IT'S PROBABLY MORE REALISTIC TO GIVE MORE TIME THAN LESS.
SO I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT SECOND ME THE RECEIPT, THE MOTION FOR VOTE, UM, I BELIEVE YOU SAID PRESENT THE DRAFT UPDATED OR THE UPDATED DAP DRAFT TO THE PUBLIC WITH WITHIN SIX MONTHS AND 12 AND PRESENTED 12 MONTHS TO COUNCIL.
AND UH, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR COUNCIL IN 12 MONTHS.
ALRIGHT, I'VE GOT A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE AMENDMENT THAT YOU INDICATED AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS ANYBODY WANTS TO BRING FORWARD TO MAIN MOTION? MR. WILL THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT? YOU DID.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION, UH, AS A AMENDED WITH THE TWO AMENDMENTS WE JUST VOTED ON.
A OPPOSED HEARING AND SEEING NONE ION HEARINGS.
Y'ALL HAVE SOME WORK IF THIS GETS ASK COUNSEL.
ALL RIGHT, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
[6. Update on Creative Combining District and Development Bonus Program to enhance the development and preservation of live music venues and creative sector businesses, and to initiate a specific Red River Cultural District subdistrict.]
LET'S SEE.NOW WE'VE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, CREATIVE COMBINING DISTRICT AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT RESERVATION OF
DO I HAVE A PERCEPTION? YOU SHOULD HAVE TO, UM, SO I BELIEVE A LOT OF THIS IS ALREADY BEEN COVERED BY STAFF TODAY.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUNDING.
UM, SO I GUESS I WAS, I YEAH, WELL IT'S NOT REALLY POSTED FOR QUESTION, BUT OH, SO WE'RE NOT, ARE WE TAKING A VOTE OR IS THIS JUST AN INSTRUC? NO, JUST AN UPDATE.
UM, WELL I FEEL LIKE STAFF IS, THEY ANSWERED MY QUESTION AND THEY ARE DOING SOME STUDY RIGHT NOW ON THIS AND HOW TO PUT, HOW FUNDING CAN BE EQUITABLE ACROSS THE DISTRICTS.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE.
SO THIS, THIS CAME UP BECAUSE, UM, MY FOR DISTRICT WAS REQUESTING FUNDING AND FELT LIKE THEY HAD, UM, THEY WERE REQUESTING FUNDING EFFORT WITH OTHER DISTRICTS.
SO STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT ON THIS.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE THIS LATER ON, HOW THIS IS GONNA BE APPLIED
UH, AND I BELIEVE, UM, JUST FOR FORMATTING PURPOSES, THIS TAKES THE PLACE OF THE, UH, UPDATES FROM OUR, UH, OUR COMMISSIONS OR
SO THAT'S HOW IT APPEARS ON THE AGENDA THIS WAY.
SO
[02:00:01]
AND THEN THE MUSIC COMMISSION S LAND USE WORK APPROVED AND WORKED WITH[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
AGENDA ITEMS, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER M HAD REACHED OUT TO ME TO SAY THAT SHE'D LIKE TO BRING, UH, SHE DID HAVE TO LEAVE THE MEETING WITH IT EARLY FOR ANOTHER MEETING, BUT SHE DID SAY THAT SHE WANTED TO BRING AN UPDATE FROM HER COMMISSION AND IT'S IN REGARDS TO ART FUNDING.UH, SO IT'S MAYBE I CAN JUST GET A SPONSOR DO THAT.
SO THAT WILL BE COMING FOR THE NEXT AGENDA.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE, I'M SO SORRY.
UH, THERE'S STANDARD, IT'S AGENDA.
UH, THERE'S A FEW, UH, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, UH, FOLKS, UH, THERE'S A TRAINING FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
THERE'S A BIG COMMISSIONER THAT HAVE PLEASE WITH THAT IT SHOULD ONLY TAKE ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS ACCESSING IT, PLEASE REACH OUT.
IT AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
UH, WILL WE BE BACK IN CHAMBERS NEXT? I HOPE SO.
UM, AS A REMINDER, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME SORT OF REMODELING DOWN HERE, RIGHT? AND, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER LEVINTON HAD BEEN OVERSEEING IT,
BUT AS ALWAYS, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY AND UH, HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GREAT SUMMER AND SEE YOU.
AND JULY WE STAND AND JERK IT IS ACCEPTED.