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[CALL TO ORDER]
RIGHT ON TIME.UH, MY NAME IS NATASHA HARPER MADISON.
I AM THE CHAIR FOR THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UM, I ALSO GET THE DISTINCT HONOR OF REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, THE TIME IS 2:00 PM ON THE DOT.
WE ARE MEETING IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THE FAIR CAPITAL CITY ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2024.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE TO ORDER.
[Public Communication: General]
DO THIS IS TAKE UP SPEAKERS FIRST.SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE STAFF CALL UP SPEAKERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE WHO BROUGHT US SOME SLIDES TODAY.
SO WE'LL CALL UP THAT SPEAKER AT THE TIME THAT THE ITEM COMES UP.
STAFF, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND CALL UP SPEAKERS? HI, SORRY.
WE'RE STILL GETTING ORGANIZED.
OH, NOT, UM, WE HAVE CHRIS GANNON.
UM, ON THIS TUESDAY, UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST BRING ONE THING UP.
UM, AND THIS IS ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE LCD CHANGES, UM, FOR THE CRESTVIEW TOD HEIGHT AMENDMENT.
UM, WE THROUGH THE A I A ARE, ARE, UM, ENCOURAGING THE CRESTVIEW TOD HEIGHT AMENDMENT TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD AS A STANDALONE ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, UH, AS OPPOSED TO INCORPORATING IT INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE.
UH, THERE'S PROJECTS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A HEIGHT INCREASE IN THIS AREA RIGHT NOW, AND IF WE HAVE TO WAIT THE 18 MONTHS, IT MIGHT TAKE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE.
UM, THOSE PROJECTS MIGHT, YOU KNOW, NOT MAKE IT, THEY MIGHT DISAPPEAR OR THEY MIGHT GET BUILT AT A LOWER DENSITY THAN WHAT COULD BE DONE.
UM, SO THAT IS OUR, OUR ONE COMMENT, AND THAT'S ON NUMBER THREE IF WE COULD, UM, IF WE GET THE CRESTVIEW 2D HEIGHT AMENDMENT AS A STANDALONE ISSUE, AND THIS IS TO, UH, INCREASE THE HEIGHT TO MATCH THE ETOD.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER THAT REPRESENTS, UM, CRESTVIEW ABOUT THAT REQUEST? UM, I HAVE NOT.
THIS IS, UM, FROM THE HOUSING COMMITTEE AT THE A I A, THIS WAS A REQUEST THAT WAS SORT OF BROUGHT FORWARD.
UM, I WILL, I'LL HAVE TO, UH, GET WITH DAVID CARROLL, WHO'S, WHO'S WORKING IN THAT AREA.
I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO DO THAT.
DID THEY ROB YOU OF A MICROPHONE TOO? NO.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE CONFIRMING ON ITEM TWO, UM, AND WE'LL, UH, HELP OUR SPEAKERS FOR THAT ITEM.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, I'LL KEEP MY EYES PEELED.
UM, AND, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, SO IN ORDER, UH, BY WAY OF OUR AGENDA, UM, THE FLOW'S GONNA GO LIKE, WE'LL TAKE UP OUR ITEMS IN, UM, A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN USUAL.
UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP ITEMS 5, 3, 4, 7, 6, 2, AND EIGHT IN THAT ORDER.
AND THEN FINISHING WITH ITEM NUMBER NINE REGARDING FUTURE ITEMS. UM, SO NOW WE'LL BEGIN WITH
[1. Approve the minutes of the October 1, 2024, Housing and Planning Committee meeting]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES? UM, MOTION BY VICE CHAIR ALTER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORALES.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR LOOKS UNANIMOUS WITH THE THREE OF US ON THE DAY.
AS I WAS REMISS BY NOT MENTIONING THAT.
I AM ALSO JOINED BY VICE CHAIR ALTER AND CHAIR MEMBER ELLIS.
UM, WITH THAT, THE MEETING MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[5. Discussion and possible action on the 2025 Housing and Planning Committee meeting dates.]
HAVE ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UM, THAT'S DISCUSSION ON THE 2025 HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING DATES.UM, COLLEAGUES, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTED CHANGES? I KNOW THERE WAS A POTENTIAL CHANGE FOR ONE, BUT, UM, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE, I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE IS HERE TODAY, AND IF WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT LATER, WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
AND WITH NO CHANGES, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION FOR US TO, AGAIN, MOTIONED BY VICE CHAIR ALTER AND SECONDED BY, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBER ELLIS.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, THUS TWO UNANIMOUS VOTES IN A ROW.
UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH
[3. Discussion and possible action on the status and timeline of amendments to the Land Development Code]
IS DISCUSSION ON THE STATUS AND TIMELINE OF AMENDMENTS OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.I BELIEVE WE'LL BE HEARING FROM OUR
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PLANNING STAFF AT THIS POINT.GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
I'M A DIVISION MANAGER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, IN THE BACKUP FOR THIS ITEM, YOU'LL FIND A MEMO THAT INCLUDES THE NOVEMBER 20, 24 VERSION OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENTS TIMELINE, GANTT CHART.
SINCE WE LAST BRIEFED THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE IN OCTOBER, SEVERAL ITEMS HAVE MOVED FORWARD AND STAFF HAS MADE A FEW REFINEMENTS TO THE TIMELINE.
UM, ON OCTOBER 10TH, CITY COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT CODE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO PROVIDING A DENSITY BONUS SUPPORTING CREATIVE SPACES.
UM, SEVERAL ADDITIONAL CODE AMENDMENTS ARE IN PROCESS AND LIKELY TO BE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
UM, AND APOLOGIES THERE IS A SLIGHT TYPO IN THE SLIDE THAT SHOULD SAY DECEMBER 10TH.
PLANNING COMMISSION DOES NOT MEET ON SUNDAYS.
UM, THEY WILL BE MEETING ON TUESDAY, THE DECEMBER THE 10TH, UM, ON OCTOBER 22ND, PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERED AND TOOK ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT AREA TWO AND A DENSITY BONUS FOR COMMERCIAL HIGHWAY INDUSTRIAL ZONES.
THOSE ITEMS WERE POSTPONED BY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 21ST AND ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION ON DECEMBER 12TH.
ON NOVEMBER 12TH, PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERED AND TOOK ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO SITE PLAN LIGHT PHASE TWO AND INFILL PLATS, WHICH WILL BOTH BE MOVING FORWARD TO COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 12TH AS WELL.
ON NOVEMBER 12TH, PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO TOOK ACTION TO POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF CODE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO SAFETY BOLLARDS AND COLORADO RIVER PROTECTIONS.
UM, THESE ITEMS WILL RETURN TO PLANNING COMMISSION ON DECEMBER THE 10TH.
THE ITEMS ARE BOTH CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE CONSIDERED BY CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 12TH, BUT DEPENDING ON HOW THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION, UM, EVOLVES IN TIMING, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE ITEMS WOULD BE, UM, POSTPONED AT THE DECEMBER 12TH MEETING.
IN ADDITION, STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT TEAM TO FINALIZE A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS AND ANTICIPATE RELEASING THE STUDY WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, AS WILL BE DETAILED BY MY COLLEAGUE ALAN PONEY.
UNDER ITEM NUMBER SIX ON TODAY'S AGENDA, LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025, WE ANTICIPATE ANOTHER BUSY YEAR OF CODE REFORM ACTIVITIES.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING PROPOSALS AND SCHEDULING REVIEW AND ADOPTION PROCESSES FOR AMENDMENTS RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS, AS WELL AS AN UPDATE TO THE PRESERVATION BONUS PROVISIONS OF HOME PHASE ONE AND ANTICIPATE BRINGING THOSE ITEMS THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY, PLANNING STAFF ARE WORKING WITH OUR ETOD EQUITABLE TOD CONSULTANT TEAM TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND DEVELOP A PROPOSAL FOR PHASE TWO OF THE EQUITABLE TOD OVERLAY THAT COULD COME THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS BY MAY NOW THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A PLANNING CONSULTANT BENCH, WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING TO ONBOARD A CONSULTANT TEAM FOR THE POTENTIAL UPDATE TO THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR PLAN, WHICH WILL KICK OFF IN EARLY 2025.
WE WILL BE REVISING THE TIMELINE SHOWN ON THE GANTT CHART FOR THIS WORK ONCE THAT TEAM IS ONBOARDED AND WE HAVE SPECIFIC DATES ATTACHED TO THAT UPDATE PLANNING.
STAFF HAVE ALSO BEEN ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS RELATED TO AN UPDATE OF THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY AND ANTICIPATE PRESENTING A PROPOSAL IN THE SPRING.
WE'LL BE WORKING TO FINALIZE THE SCOPE FOR AN UPDATE OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE COORDINATED WITH TIMING AND SCOPE OF A POTENTIAL UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
AND WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING TO FINALIZE SCOPE AND PHASING FOR AN UPDATE TO THE NORTH LAMAR, JUSTIN TOD PLAN, AKA CRESTVIEW, UM, WHICH IN THAT TIMING WAS ACTUALLY JUST REFERRED TO BY YOUR SPEAKER AHEAD OF THIS MEETING.
SO WE WILL STILL BE, UM, REFINING AND DETERMINING WHETHER THAT CRESTVIEW TOD HEIGHT AMENDMENT WOULD COME FORWARD AS A STANDALONE AMENDMENT IN THE NEW YEAR.
UM, OR AS PART OF THE LARGER CRESTVIEW UPDATE.
WE HAVE BEGUN TO SCOPE AN APPROACH TO CREATING NEW TRANSIT-ORIENTED MIXED USE SPACE ZONES AND ANTICIPATE CONDUCTING ENGAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THAT WORK IN 2025.
AND WE ALSO ANTICIPATE USING THE RESULTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS TO GUIDE ADDITIONAL WORK IN THE NEW YEAR.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE A DESIRE TO EXPEDITE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THIS STUDY OR TO INITIATE ADDITIONAL WORK BASED ON THE STUDY AND ANTICIPATE CONTINUING TO REFINE THIS TIMELINE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATELY BALANCING PRIORITIES AND DELIVERING HIGH PRIORITY REFORMS AS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE AS WE HEAD INTO 2024 OR 2025 HERE, THIS IS THE DETAILED SCHEDULE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE MEMO AND THE BACKUP.
UM, I WON'T GO THROUGH IT IN DETAIL SINCE I'VE JUST KIND OF PROVIDED THE HIGHLIGHTS, BUT FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING A COPY OF THIS DETAILED SCHEDULE, UM, FOLKS CAN VISIT SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG/LDC UPDATES OR CALL THE PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ON SCREEN.
AND WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES, VICE CHAIR ALTER, I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU COULD GIVE AN UPDATE ON SITE PLAN LIGHT INFILL PLAT.
I KNOW WE, IT HAS COME AND GONE AND COME AND GONE.
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WHAT CAN YOU JUST GIMME AN UPDATE ON? SO I THINK THAT IT'S BEEN, THE POSTPONEMENTS HAVE HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF WAITING FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION TO OCCUR.PLANNING COMMISSION HAS NOW TAKEN ACTION AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS READY FOR MOVING FORWARD TO CONSIDERATION.
WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING SITE PLAIN LIGHT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION ON A DIFFERENT ITEM.
I SEE MIRRORED GLASS ON YOUR GANTT CHART AS FAR AS A PLANNING COMMISSION PLD SITUATION.
UM, HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH THE RECENT ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION THAT WE JUST HAD AT COUNCIL THAT WAS ABOUT KIND OF THE BIRDS AND REFLECTIVE GLASS ISSUE.
ARE THOSE THE SAME OR ARE THEY DIFFERENT ISSUES? THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY RELATED.
THE MERIT GLASS ITEM THAT'S ON THE GANTT CHART IS AN OLDER ITEM THAT WAS INITIATED, UM, SPECIFIC TO THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY REGULATIONS.
THE RESOLUTION RELATED TO BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN IS A BROADER, UM, RESOLUTION LOOKING AT HOW TO CREATE MORE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN, UM, CITYWIDE.
SO DEPENDING ON WHAT COMES BACK AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A CITYWIDE APPROACH TO BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN, THAT COULD ABSOLUTELY END UP ADDRESSING, UM, THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED AS PART OF THE MERIT GLASS RESOLUTION.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A FEW CONVERSATIONS AROUND THINGS LIKE INTERNATIONAL DARK SKIES AND WE'VE HAD SOME SHARED USE PATHWAYS, UM, THAT HAVE THE KIND OF THE LOWER LEVEL LIGHTING THAT ONLY GOES THREE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND OR FOUR FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
UM, SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION IN THE FUTURE, BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO THIS AND UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT COMPREHENSIVELY IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, SO MOVING FORWARD, UM, THIS IS SUPER EXCITING.
[4. Discussion and possible action on the Northeast Planning District Update.]
NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS ABOUT, UM, THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT.UM, HOPEFULLY THIS CONVERSATION WILL PROVIDE US A BROADER OVERVIEW ON LONG RANGE PLANNING AND, UM, THE EXTRAORDINARY PLANNING EFFORTS BY OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I SEE A ISHA AND I SEE CHRISTIE MOFFITT FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
ARE YOU GUYS BOTH COMING UP AT THE SAME TIME? YEAH.
SO THE CADENCE LOOKS LIKE WE'LL GO TO CITY STAFF AND THEN, UM, POSSIBLY JUMP OVER TO, YEP.
JOHN'S THE CHOREOGRAPHER HERE.
CAN YOU, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE ON.
UM, HELLO, UH, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ISHA JOHNSON, PLANNER, PRINCIPAL AND PROJECT LEAD FOR THE COLLABORATIVE NORTHEAST DISTRICT PLAN AND THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT.
AND I AM ACCOMPANIED HERE BY CHRISTIE MOFFITT AND I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN THE PLANNING AND BUDGET OFFICE.
THIS UPDATE IS TO BRIEF YOU ON OUR PROGRESS THUS FAR FOR THE COLLABORATIVE NORTHEAST, UM, DISTRICT PLANNING PROCESS.
AS A REMINDER, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, CITY COUNCIL AND TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVED AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR A COLLABORATIVE NORTHEAST DISTRICT PLAN.
THE ILA SCOPE OF WORK OUTLINES THE DELIVERABLES PRODUCED THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS.
THE CITY COUNTY WORKING GROUP, AND STARTING AT THE END OF PHASE ONE, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH CO-CREATION OF VISION PLAN ELEMENTS.
IN THIS BRIEFING, I WILL REVIEW THE NORTHEAST DISTRICT PLAN WORKING GROUP, UH, WHICH IS THE CITY COUNTY WORKING GROUP, UH, THE SUMMARY REPORT, SOME NEXT STEPS FOR THE UPCOMING QUARTER, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR PROJECT WEBSITES, CITY AND COUNTY PROJECT STAFF.
LEADS BEGAN WORKING THE WEEK AFTER ILA ADOPTION TO DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND PREPARE FOR MEETINGS OF THE WORKING GROUP.
THE FIRST MEETING WAS HELD ON MAY 8TH, AND AFTER THAT MEETING, A RESTRUCTURING OF THE WORKING GROUP SIZE OCCURRED.
THE SECOND MEETING WAS HELD ON JULY 10TH, AND SINCE THEN, MEETINGS ARE OCCURRING AT A CADENCE OF EVERY TWO WEEKS.
ON OCTOBER 16TH DURING THE WORKING GROUP'S EIGHTH MEETING, THE GROUP CHARTER WAS COMPLETED AFTER THE FULL FORMATION OF THE WORKING GROUP.
THE ILA SCOPE OF WORK STIPULATES THAT A WORK PLAN MUST BE CREATED TO GUIDE THE CREATION OF THE SUMMARY REPORT.
AT THIS TIME, THE WORKING GROUP IS WRAPPING UP THE FINAL EDITS OF THE WORK, THE WORK PLAN, AND WE ANTICIPATE THIS WORK
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PLAN WILL BE COMPLETE.ONCE THE WORK PLAN IS COMPLETE, STAFF WILL BEGIN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DATA COLLECTION, FORMATTING, AND ASSEMBLAGE OF THE SUMMARY REPORT.
THE SUMMARY REPORT, WHICH IS BRIEFLY DESCRIBED ON THE SCREEN, WILL SERVE TWO MAIN PURPOSES TO SPRINGBOARD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THEIR NEEDS AND GAPS, AND TO ASSIST THE COUNTY IN DEFINING THEIR PLANNING BOUNDARY, WHICH MAY EXTEND BEYOND THE CURRENT NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT.
AFTER FURTHER ANALYSIS, CITY STAFF HAVE ONBOARDED A CONSULTANT TEAM TO HELP WITH TASK RELATED TO THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE ILA SCOPE OF WORK.
THIS INCLUDES A SHORT TERM PROJECT LIST AND PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR LAND USE AND REGULATORY RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE CONSULTANTS WILL ALSO HELP, UH, WITH DATA COLLECTION FOR THE SUMMARY REPORT.
AND THIS WORK IS TO BEGIN SOON, LOOKING TO THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025.
THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE PROJECT BEYOND WHAT I JUST DISCUSSED ABOUT THE SUMMARY REPORT INCLUDE THE INITIATION OF AN INTER-AGENCY TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP TO REVIEW DELIVERABLES CREATED BY THE WORKING GROUP.
THE INTER-AGENCY TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, ALSO KNOWN AS A TAG, INCLUDES OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND AND AGENCY SUCH AS CAP METRO, UH, BUT WILL NOT INCLUDE THE COUNTY AND MEETS ONCE MONTHLY.
UH, WE WILL ALSO WORK ON DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF AN ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT TO HELP OVERSEE THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONING OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND POTENTIALLY ASSIST WITH ENGAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
AND, UM, AS WELL, THE COUNTY WILL FINALIZE THEIR BOUNDARY, UM, UH, WITH THE CREATION OF THE SUMMARY REPORT, THE CITY AND COUNTY LAUNCH, UH, RESPECTIVE OR PROJECT WEBSITES ON RESPECTIVE PAGES.
UH, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE IS A SCREENSHOT, UH, AT THE TOP OF THE COUNTY'S, UH, COLLABORATIVE NORTHEAST DISTRICT PLAN, UM, PROJECT PAGE ON TRAVIS COUNTY TEXAS.GOV.
AND, UH, JUST BELOW, UM, THE CITY'S PROJECT PAGE ON SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG.
OH, THERE WAS ONE THING I FORGOT.
SO THE CONTENT ON EACH OF THE PROJECT PAGES, BOTH SITTING COUNTY ARE IS CO-CREATED.
SO YOU'LL FIND THE SAME INFORMATION ON EACH PAGE NEARLY VERBATIM.
THAT WAS GONNA BE A QUESTION FOR ME.
AND AS I MENTIONED, I'M THE CITY'S PROJECTS LEAD FOR THIS PLANNING EFFORT, AND MY COUNTERPART AT THE COUNTY IS BILL WILSON AND HIS BOSS IS CHRISY MOFFITT.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, DID YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO PRESENT OR JUST AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE CITY FOR INVITING ME HERE TO BE HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THIS WORK AND TO SHOW THAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT.
AND THEN WE'LL BE PROVIDING OUR QUARTERLY PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ON DECEMBER 17TH.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE CONTENT WILL BE SIMILAR? YES.
AND WILL WE BE PRESENT FOR THAT PRESENTATION AS WELL IN CASE, UM, UM, WE'VE NOT DISCUSSED YET.
UM, BUT UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I ASSUME THAT ONCE WE KNOW MORE AROUND THE TIMING, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHO FROM THE CITY CAN BE PRESENT, UM, SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT WE ARE WORKING, UM, IN LOCKSTEP TOGETHER.
UM, NOT TO TOOT MY OWN HORN, BUT TO TOOT MY OWN HORN
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF Y'ALL'S BOUNDARIES, UM, JUST RECOGNIZING THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL THERE.
UH, COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIR ALTER? I WAS GOING TO TOOT YOUR HORN A LITTLE BIT MYSELF,
I THINK IT'S A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY CAN BE A MODEL FOR HOW WE PLAN OTHER AREAS THAT ARE ALSO GONNA BE GROWING.
SO, UM, JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE TOOT.
I KNOW QUESTIONS FROM ME, BUT JUST, UH, APPRECIATE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS TAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MAKE THEM WORK.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO ALSO REPRESENTS A
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DISTRICT THAT HAS A LOT OF OVERLAPPING, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE COUNTY AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WORK WITHIN AND WITH, YOU KNOW, INSIDE THE, THE CITY LIMITS, OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, AND KNOWING THE GAPS THAT EXIST ON THE EAST SIDE ALREADY.UM, IT'S FANTASTIC THAT GROUPS ARE TRYING TO GET THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND REALLY SAY, WE WANNA HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE WANNA SEE WHAT IT IS WE CAN DO WITH THIS, WITH THIS PROCESS AND AND WITH THIS INPUT.
AND SO I THINK GOOD THINGS ARE GOING TO COME OF IT AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS, THIS FOCUS HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE AND THAT OUR ELECTED LEADERS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN ARE TRYING TO MAKE BIG THINGS HAPPEN AND THAT YOU'RE HERE TO, TO MAKE IT WORK.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[6. Update on the City’s comprehensive density bonus analysis]
GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AROUND THE COMPREHENSIVE DENSITY BONUS.UM, WE TOUCHED ON IT BRIEFLY WITH, UM, MS. GREATHOUSE AND GONNA EXPAND.
HI, UM, MY OR PRINCIPAL WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF DENSITY BONUSES.
UH, SO BACKGROUND, UH, THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF.
BUT, UH, LAST YEAR IN JUNE, CITY COUNCIL KIND OF APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION FROM HPC REGARDING PRIORITIZING INITIATED AMENDMENTS TO THE LDC.
UM, LATER THAT JUNE, UH, HPC APPROVED THE STAFF BRIEFING TO ADDRESS DENSITY BONUSES THROUGH A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UH, SO I WILL BE PROVIDING JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE STUDY, UH, WILL ENTAIL AND, UH, WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE ONCE IT'S RELEASED.
SO THE STUDY, UH, WILL INCLUDE A PROGRAM COMPARE AND CONTRAST BETWEEN OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. IT WILL HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON DENSITY BONUS ECONOMICS TO HELP KIND OF EDUCATE AND INFORM, UH, LITTLE BIT OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS IN THERE.
IT WILL HAVE SOME PROGRAM PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS ON HOW OUR DENSITY BONUSES ARE CURRENTLY PERFORMING.
UH, WE INCLUDES ALL THE STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED AS WELL AS PEER CITY CASE STUDIES.
AND THEN FINALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION WILL BE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE STUDY.
UH, SO AS I MENTIONED, THERE WILL BE A SECTION FOR PROGRAM COMPARISON, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, UH, GEOGRAPHY OF WHERE THE DIFFERENT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS PERFORM, UH, THE DIFFERENT INTENTS AND PURPOSES OF EACH DENSITY BONUS, UH, THE INCENTIVES THEY ALL HAVE, AS WELL AS HOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKS IN EACH ONE OF THOSE AS IT RELATES TO INCOME LEVELS, YOU KNOW, MFI RENTS, PERCENTAGES, REQUIRED FEES LIMIT AND WHATNOT, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, THERE WOULD BE A SECTION ON DENSITY BONUS ECONOMICS, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, MATHEMATICAL EXAMPLE OF TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, COST OF CONSTRUCTION MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE UNITS YIELDS ON COST, HOW THOSE AFFECT, UH, DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS, THE COMPARISON OF IN LIEU FEES VERSUS, UH, THE COST OF HAVING ONSITE UNITS, AS WELL AS HOW THESE CAN VARY BY TIME, PLACE HEIGHT AND DENSITY.
UH, THE PROGRAM ANALYSIS AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK SECTIONS WILL INCLUDE, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT HOW OUR PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED.
SO, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION SUCH AS RATE OF PARTICIPATION, HOW MANY UNITS OR IN THE CASE OF UNO, FOR EXAMPLE, BEDROOMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED, UH, FEES AND L THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE.
AND THEN INFERENCES BASED ON THIS ANALYSIS, THE STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK WILL INCLUDE HOW WE, UH, CONDUCTED THE OUTREACH PROCESS, GENERAL FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED ABOUT THE PROGRAMS IN GENERAL, OR THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH A DENSITY BONUS, UH, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC FEEDBACK FOR, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS. PURE CITY, UH, CASE STUDY WILL INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH CITIES WERE REVIEWED.
GENERAL TRENDS WE ARE SEEING, UH, NOT ONLY NATIONWIDE BUT IN TEXAS AS WELL AS BEST PRA BEST PRACTICES THAT, UH, WE ARE FINDING AND POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THESE CASE STUDIES.
LASTLY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS SECTION WILL HAVE BROAD RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE ALL BASED ON STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, THE ANALYSIS AND THE CASE STUDIES.
THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT GENERALLY HOW OUR PROGRAMS CAN BE MORE IN LINE, UH, PROCESSES THAT THE CITY CAN, UH, TAKE ON TO HELP IMPROVE FOR, UH, INTERNAL USE AND EXTERNAL USE.
UH, AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THOSE SAME FEEDBACK OF STAKEHOLDERS ANALYSIS AND CASE STUDIES THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE SPECIFIC UPDATES OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UPDATES, UH, ON THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS. SO OUR TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS IS I'M HERE PROVIDING THE UPDATE.
UH, THE STUDY ITSELF WILL BE RELEASED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE OUR CONSULTANT COME TO WHAT IS SOUNDING LIKE THE FEBRUARY 4TH MEETING BASED ON YOUR SCHEDULE, UH, TO PRESENT ON THE STUDY, UH, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
AND THEN ONGOING FROM THERE, UH, WE WILL HAVE RECALIBRATION SLASH CREATION OF NEW PROGRAMS
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AS NEEDED.UH, I DO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BRING UP THE FACT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THESE IN PROCESS.
SO OBVIOUSLY OUR, UH, STUDY WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PROGRAMS WE ALREADY HAVE IN OUR SCHEDULE BASED ON THE GANTT CHART THAT WAS UPDATED TODAY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL, UH, THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY, WHICH IS IN MAY.
AND THEN CRESTVIEW DOWNTOWN AND NORTH BERNETT GATEWAY AS WELL.
UH, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THE STUDY AND ANY OTHER, UH, GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE TRIED TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THESE AS WELL AS RECALIBRATION, UH, FOR THESE.
UM, HERE IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND YEP, THAT IS ALL.
ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? I HAVE A, A HIGH LEVEL AND HOPEFULLY BRIEF MM-HMM.
I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DENSITY BONUSES AT THIS POINT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CONDITIONS LIKE OVERLAYS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED WITH THIS? THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS LIKE THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY WHERE THERE'S KIND OF A BASE HEIGHT, AN OVERLAY, AND A DENSITY BONUS.
AND SO CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF, OBVIOUSLY BASE ZONING IS ITS OWN CONVERSATION, BUT YEAH, SO THE STUDY WAS ONLY RELATED TO THE DENSITY BONUS OF THOSE OVERLAYS.
AS WE WORK ON UPDATES, IT WILL BE A COMPREHENSIVE, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY WILL BE AN UPDATE THAT RELATES NOT ONLY TO THE DENSITY BONUS COMPONENT OF THAT, BUT THE OVERLAY ITSELF SIMILAR WITH DOWNTOWN AND ANY OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HAVE, UM, KIND OF LIKE YOU SAID, MULTIPLE LAYERS.
THE STUDY HOWEVER, IS MORE ON THE PERFORMANCE AND ANALYTICS AND HOW TO IMPROVE THE ACTUAL DENSITY BONUS COMPONENTS OF THOSE.
I WAS CURIOUS ON, ON SLIDE FIVE WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMICS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS HOPED WE'D BE ABLE TO DO, AND I KNOW IT'S VERY COMPLICATED AND, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT PRACTICAL, BUT WE CREATE THESE DENSITY BONUSES BASED ON SOME SET OF ASSUMPTIONS, WHETHER THAT IS, AS YOU MENTIONED HERE, COST OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THE POTENTIAL PREVAILING RATE IS OF THAT UNIT.
BUT AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST TWO, THREE YEARS, RIGHT? YOU CAN HAVE HUGE SWINGS THAT HAPPEN REALLY FAST AND A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT MADE SENSE THREE YEARS AGO TODAY MAKES ZERO SENSE.
AND DO WE WANT TO CONSIDER HAVING SOME KIND OF FLEXIBILITY IN THERE SO THAT AT A LATER DATE, YOU KNOW, IF LET'S SAY IT'S 10% WHEN THINGS ARE REALLY BURNING AND AND REALLY GOOD, BUT 5% WHEN CONDITIONS ARE REALLY TOUGH, YOU KNOW, 5% OF SOMETHING IS ALWAYS MORE THAN 10% OF ZERO.
UH, AND SO I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY NUANCES AND CHALLENGES IN DOING THAT, BUT AS YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IF YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL FOR THESE PROGRAMS. YEAH, UNDERSTOOD.
UM, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? IF, IF THAT WERE TO BE A POSSIBILITY, WHEN COULD WE EXPECT TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU ALL ABOUT MAKING THAT POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENT? UM, IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON A KIND OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM BY DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALLY UPDATE THEM, UM, OR IF WE DID A REVAMP OR A, A NEW PROGRAM.
BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BASICALLY UPDATING EACH DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AS WE DID IT.
IF THERE WAS A WAY TO DO THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE SAID IN THESE CONDITIONS IT DOES THIS AND THAT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AS PART OF AN UPDATE TO THAT, WE COULDN'T DO IT GLOBALLY VERY EASILY, I GUESS I WOULD SAY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT THOUGH.
YOU KNOW, I WAS READING A HEADLINE THE OTHER DAY ABOUT, UM, HOW NATIONALLY THERE'S BEEN A TREND TO SLOWING DEVELOPMENT, IN WHICH CASE, TO YOUR POINT, 10% OF NOTHING IS STILL 10% OF NOTHING.
UM, AND SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THOSE KINDS OF FLUCTUATIONS WITH THE MARKET WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THOUGH THAT A UNIVERSAL APPROACH MAY NOT BE, UM, PRACTICAL AND, AND I DON'T POTENTIALLY WILDLY IMPRACTICAL, BUT IF THE DENSITY BONUS IS A FORMULA BASED ON SOMETHING THAT CHANGES MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOME, IF THAT'S MULTIPLIED IN SO THAT IT UPDATES ITSELF WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO UPDATE IT,
[00:30:02]
I THINK THAT WOULD BE INNOVATIVE.YEAH, I MEAN THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT DURING RECALIBRATION OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS, FED FUNDS.
THAT'S THE WORD I WAS LOOKING FOR.
'CAUSE I LIKE THE FLEXIBILITY OF SOME OF THESE, IF WE ARE GOING TO BE HINGING THEM UPON THINGS LIKE COST OF LIVING OR OTHER SORTS OF CONSUMER PRICE INDEXING.
UM, I KNOW AT LEAST THE DOWNTOWN BONUS, IF I'M CORRECT, HAS SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THINGS LIKE GREEN ROOFTOP GARDENS OR OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
ARE THOSE GOING TO BE FACTORED IN AS WELL? THESE SEEM TO BE FOCUSED MORE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING COST.
CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT VERSUS OTHER THINGS LIKE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS? SO THE, THE STUDY DID INCLUDE SOME ANALYSIS AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK ON THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BENEFITS, WHICH ONES ARE BEING USED, WHICH ONES ARE NOT BEING USED, UH, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION RATES, HOW TO CALIBRATE.
UM, AND SO I THINK AGAIN, ONCE WE DO INDIVIDUAL RECALIBRATIONS OF THE DENSITY BONUS AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE UPDATING THEM, THAT WILL BE THE TIME WHEN WE CAN LOOK AT EITHER ADDING OR, YOU KNOW, UPDATING OR INCLUDING OR HAVING A FORM TO RECALIBRATE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UM, LIKE DOWNTOWN HAS THAT, THAT'S MORE THAN JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I KNOW THIS D CARES A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MARKET RATE HOUSING THAT CAN BECOME MORE AFFORDABLE OVER TIME.
UM, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING OUR HEAT ISLAND SITUATIONS AND DIFFERENT RAINWATER RECAPTURE AND GREEN STORM WATER STUFF THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OVER THE YEARS.
IT'D BE GREAT TO KNOW HOW WE CALIBRATE THAT, HOW WE LET PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING THESE PROJECTS PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT WORKS FOR THEM.
WE WANT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT WE ALSO WANT SOME OF THE, THE OTHER GOOD COMMUNITY BENEFITS TO COME FROM IT TOO.
WE NEED EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.
SO, UM, IF YOU ALL WILL BEAR WITH ME, WHAT I DID WAS I SKIPPED OVER ITEM NUMBER FOUR AND WENT DIRECTLY INTO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
NOW THAT COULD BE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS AND I'LL LET YOU TAKE YOUR PICK EITHER, I WAS TRYING TO LET CHRISTIE MOFFITT GET BACK OVER TO THE COUNTY, OR I WAS TAKEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT TWICE, UM, OR I INADVERTENTLY SKIPPED OVER ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S MULTIPLE CHOICE.
[7. Update on long-range planning efforts by the Planning Department.]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS ABOUT LONG, I'M SORRY, WHICH IS ABOUT LONG RANGE PLANNING.THE PREVIOUS ITEMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NUMBER FOUR, WHICH WAS AN UPDATE ON NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT.
I WAS JUST MAKING SURE WE HAD THE RIGHT PRESENTATION.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M ERIC LEE, DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
TODAY I'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S PLANNING IN INITIATIVES.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S LONG RANGE PLANNING INITIATIVES THAT ARE SCHEDULED THROUGH 2026.
IT INCLUDES ACTIVITIES RANGING FROM THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE TO A DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY TO A GREAT STREETS PLAN AND STANDARDS UPDATE.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT SOME OF THESE HAVE A PHASE DESIGNATED IN YELLOW.
THESE PROJECTS ARE IN THE SCOPING AND COST ESTIMATING PHASE.
AND I'LL GO INTO THAT IN A BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO REGARDING THE IMAGINE AUSTIN UPDATE, WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY COLLABORATING WITH COUNCIL TO DEVELOP A SCOPE FOR THE UPDATE AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT, BRINGING FORWARD A RESOLUTION FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN EARLY 2025 FOR THE 7 8 7 0 2 INITIATIVE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE AND OTHER DISTRICT PLANS POTENTIALLY INCLUDING DELL VALLEY.
WERE WORKING TO DEVELOP THOSE SCOPES OF WORK REGARDING THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ANALYSIS FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
WERE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS A RECOMMENDED IMPLEMENTATION ITEM FROM THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
AND WE'RE WORKING TO BETTER DEFINE WHAT THAT WORK SHOULD INCLUDE IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE FOR THE INITIATIVES AND THE SCOPING AND COST ESTIMATING PHASE.
WE'RE PROVIDING THIS UPDATE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PLANNING PROJECTS TODAY AT THIS COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE'LL THEN BE DEVELOPING THE SCOPES OF WORK FOR THESE PROJECTS BY EARLY 2025 AND WE'LL THEN REQUEST COST ESTIMATES FOR THEM, WHICH SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY MARCH.
AT THAT TIME, WE'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO COUNCIL ABOUT THE COST ESTIMATE ABOUT THE COST ESTIMATES THAT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO CONFIRM INITIATIVE FUNDING AND POTENTIAL TIMELINES IN APRIL.
AND, UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
[00:35:01]
QUESTIONS? COLLEAGUES? UM, ONE HIGH LEVEL QUESTION, UM, AS WE LOOK AT IMAGINE AUSTIN, UM, HOW WILL THE INFORMATION AROUND WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED OR PROPOSED TO BE DEVELOPED WITHIN SOME OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS IN IMAGINE AUSTIN? HOW WILL YOU FACTOR IN WHAT, WHAT IS ALREADY BUILT VERSUS GOING TO BE BUILT POTENTIALLY AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE LEFT TO REACH THE GOALS THAT WERE INITIALLY SET OUT IN 2012? SO THAT TYPE OF ANALYSIS WOULD, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE LOOKED AT AS PART OF, OF THE UPDATE.UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY CONSIDERING THE, THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAPS, ET CETERA.
I KNOW I LIVE IN ONE THAT OVERLAPS ONE OF THE, UM, ENVIRONMENTALLY, UM, SENSITIVE AREAS THAT'S IN ONE OF THOSE GROWTH CONCEPT AREAS.
I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY DONE ANOTHER REZONING NEARBY IN, UH, VICE CHAIR ALTERS DISTRICT THAT INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE DRAWN AS CIRCLES, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE NEAR THOSE AREAS THAT DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHAT IS LEFT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OUT OF THOSE AREAS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
SO I, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT, BUT I REALIZE WE'RE EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE AS THOSE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE.
UH, SAME IN TERMS OF, UH, THE QUESTION BEING HIGH LEVEL, JUST CURIOUS IS SPEAK UP BOSTON THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE LOCATION FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO GO TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION FOR EACH OF THE INITIATIVES BEING PROPOSED TO DISCUSS MOVING FORWARD? I THINK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, MY OFFICE HAS MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT, UM, MOST ESPECIALLY TO ENCOURAGE THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT I THINK IT FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT EXCLUSIVE AND I REALLY LIKE MORE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, LAY PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSIONS, IN WHICH CASE HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY ON THE FRONT END REALLY FRONT LOAD THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE, EXCUSE ME, ABOUT SOME OF THE SUBJECTS WE'RE DISCUSSING IS VERY HELPFUL.
AND YES, AS PROJECTS LAUNCH, UM, PROBABLY ALL OF THEM WILL HAVE SPEAK UP PAGES.
UM, I'M, I'M TRYING TO THINK IF THERE ARE ANY EXCEPTIONS, BUT IN GENERAL, UM, WE DO TRY TO USE THAT AS A TOOL, UM, BECAUSE IT HAS LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN IT TO SHARE DOCUMENTS EASILY TO CREATE SURVEYS, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE IT FAIRLY EASILY.
SO, UM, SO THEY, THEY WOULDN'T ALL HAVE SPEAK UP PAGES YET BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE IN THE ACTIVE PHASES AND WE GENERALLY DON'T LAUNCH THE SPEAK UP PAGES UNTIL WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO, UM, BEING AT A STAGE TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC.
UM, BUT THAT IS THE INTENTION.
AND THIS IS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE FOR YOU, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING TO A FRIEND ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND KEEPING FOLKS INFORMED AND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE ARE STRATEGICALLY PLACED QR CODES AROUND THE CITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO SCAN THE QR CODE, WHICH TAKES THEM DIRECTLY TO ISSUE AREAS.
AND I JUST, I HOPE THAT MOVING FORWARD AS WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SMART CITY INNOVATION, THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ENGAGE WITH, UM, THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ETOD WORK DONE AROUND THE TWO OF THE THREE METRO RAPIDS WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
IS THERE A PLAN TO PUT OAK HILL AREA INTO THIS? A LOT OF THOSE CONCRETE PARKING LOTS ARE LOOKING AT REDEVELOPING AND HOW TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION TO BE PART OF THIS.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDED TO THE LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS? SO THE TOD UM, PLAN AND, AND I MIGHT BRING STEVIE UP IF WE WANNA GET INTO MORE DETAIL, BUT, UM, IN GENERAL THE, THE TOD PLANNING IS KIND OF ITS OWN LINE IN, IN THE CHART IN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ETOD PLANNING PLANNED.
UM, I DON'T OFFHAND KNOW THE SEQUENCE OF ALL OF THAT.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE THAT.
I THINK WE'RE STILL TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING.
THERE'S BEEN THREE OR FOUR REZONINGS OR RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENTS IN THAT AREA ALREADY.
UM, SO THOSE, THOSE PROPERTIES ARE GOING TO REDEVELOP AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THEY REDEVELOP IN A SMART WAY AND THAT THE CITY IS AT THE TABLE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR MULTIMODAL GOALS.
I WANT DISTRICT EIGHT TO BE PARTICIPATING AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER DISTRICT IN TOWN.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING HAPPENING YET.
[00:40:01]
DOING IT ON THEIR OWN IN A SILO.AND I WANNA MAKE SURE FOLKS KNOW WHAT IT IS THE COMMUNITY WANTS, THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO PROVIDE OUR INPUT AND TO TALK ABOUT WALKABLE FIRST FLOOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHERE DO WE WANT THAT TO BE IN THE DISTRICT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING THE BOAT 'CAUSE THEY WILL REDEVELOP, THEY JUST WON'T REDEVELOP IN A WAY THAT ACTUALLY HELPS US REACH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE CONSIDERATIONS SOMEBODY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION RECENTLY, UH, DURING THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATION, UM, ONE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TALKED ABOUT THE RETAIL STACK.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW TO MAKE ALL THE NUMBERS MAKE SENSE FOR A VERTICAL MIXED USE PROJECT, RECOGNIZING THE RELEVANCE OF THE RETAIL STACK AND HOW THIS BUSINESS COMPLIMENTS THIS ONE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE JUST FORGET THAT NOT EVERYBODY SPEAKS, UM, URBAN PLANNING.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THOSE CONSIDERATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYBODY TO CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIVELY TO THE DIALOGUE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO ONE OF OUR FINAL ITEMS TODAY, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS JOINING US IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION WE GET FROM STAFF.
[2. Discussion about building designs that support sustainability including green rooftops and solar panels.]
ITEM NUMBER TWO.I REQUESTED THIS TOPIC TO BE ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
UM, SO WE CAN REALLY START A CONVERSATION AROUND BUILDING DESIGN THAT SUPPORTS TO YOUR POINT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER LSR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS INCLUDING GREEN ROOFTOPS AND SOLAR PANELS.
I SORT OF ALWAYS FIND MYSELF DRIVING OVER THAT 180 3 FLYOVER WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE TOP OF ALL THESE BIG BOX STORES AND BUILDINGS THAT ARE JUST CONCRETE AND IMAGINING A WORLD WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT OF WHAT COULD BE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO ALLOW MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES TO REALLY HEAR FROM LOCAL EXPERTS AND CHECK IN WITH CITY STAFF JUST TO SEE WHERE, WHERE WE ARE IN INCENTIVIZING AND ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRACTICES.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE REALLY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DIG INTO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW PRACTICAL, UM, THESE ASK ARE AND WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE TO MAKE IT MORE PRACTICAL.
UM, WHICH ACTUALLY LEADS ME TO, TO BE EXCITED ABOUT FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIALS AND OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN SO MANY WAYS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, AT THE FOREFRONT OF, UM, INNOVATION NATIONWIDE.
I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO US TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AGAIN.
SO, UM, FIRST IS MR. PLIN FISK, ONE OF THE CO-DIRECTORS FROM THE CENTER FOR BUILDING MAXIMUM POTENTIAL BUILDING SYSTEMS. HE HAS A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR US ON THE TOPIC THIS AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
SO WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
WE'RE NOW THE OLDEST IN THE US DOING SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING.
WE WERE ON THE THINK TANK TO CREATE LEAD.
WE DID THIS BUILDING, WE DID THE LIBRARY DOWN THE STREET, MANY THINGS THAT YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT, INCLUDING MANY, MANY SCHOOLS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU ALL SHOULD COME AND VISIT.
WE'RE IN THAT SECTOR CALLED ONE.
HAVE YOU BEEN THERE? I KNEW IT.
SO OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO COME BECAUSE THE STATE GREEN BUILDING IS THERE AND TWO SOLAR DECATHLONS ARE THERE, WHICH ARE OFF THE GRID AFFORDABLE BUILDINGS.
SO OUR LIMIT FOR THE FIRST ONE WAS $250,000 TOTAL, INCLUDING ALL ENERGY SYSTEMS, WATER SYSTEMS, EVERYTHING.
AND THE SECOND WAS MORE EXPENSIVE.
BUT THAT ONE BEGAN TO GET INTO ISSUES OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION WHERE OUR COMPETITORS WERE SPENDING 3.4 MILLION ON A PROTOTYPE AND WE WERE DOING 650,000.
ANYWAY, THE SLIDES THAT I HAVE, GREEN ROOFS IS A HUGE TOPIC.
GREEN BUILDING PROGRAMS ARE A HUGE TOPIC.
SO IF I WERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THIS? WELL THAT WAS INTERESTING.
WHAT DO I PRESS HERE? SHOULD BE THE, THE, THE RIGHT ERA.
SO THIS IS WHO I AM BASICALLY AND WHO WE ARE, UM, TO GIVE YOU A FEW CREDENTIALS AND I'M AT PROFESSOR EMERITUS AT THAT PLACE CALLED TEXAS A AND M.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS A QUITE AN INTERESTING ONE BECAUSE THE NEXT SLIDES ARE GONNA SHOW AUSTIN AS BEING PART OF A GLOBAL ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND AS A FRIEND SAID, YOU'LL SOON REALIZE THAT WE ARE LUCKY AND LUCK IS NOT A PLAN AS HER BOOK
[00:45:01]
SAYS.SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT BASICALLY GOES OVER THE FACT THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO BE INUNDATED WITH MANY DIFFERENT CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES.
SO ROOFS IN GENERAL CAN, YOU KNOW, RELATE TO TEMPERATURE.
CITYWIDE TEMPERATURES 20 TO 30 DEGREES COOLER OF CITY AT 80% GREEN ROOFS ACCORDING TO A PA, UH, WE GREW ROOFS LIKE BUILDING PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, WATER HARVESTING.
WE'VE DONE, AND SOME PEOPLE CALL THAT A GREEN ROOF WIND RESISTANCE, WHICH IS MAJOR.
OUR PARTICULAR NON-PROFIT ON FM 9 69 AND DECKER LANE HAS HAD AT LEAST TWO TORNADOES.
TWO ROOFS HAVE DISAPPEARED ACROSS THE STREET IN AUSTIN.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SORT OF WONDER IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A TORNADO ALLEY IN A TORNADO CONFIDENT CITY? AND WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT EXTENSIVELY IN SOME WAYS IN THE PAST.
ENERGY IS A BIG ISSUE AND SOME PEOPLE CALL THE ENERGY ISSUE RELATED TO GREEN ROOFS, THE GREEN ROOF OF THE FUTURE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID FOR A COMPETITION FOR ICON, FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY RELATED TO AGRI HOODS IS WE ACTUALLY USED A QUO ROOF IN ORDER TO CREATE ENERGY WITH FLEXIBLE PVS AND ALSO RERADIATE TO THE NIGHT SKY, WHICH ENABLED US TO BRING A POSSIBILITY TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A QUANTUM TYPE ROOF THAT HAS PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO HANDLE THE EXTREME VARIATION IN CLIMATE CONDITIONS THAT WERE HANDED IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
UH, AND THEN I'M GONNA SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OPPOSITE END, THE BOTTOM OF THE BUILDING CALLED ROOF OF COLD FOUNDATIONS VERSUS THE ROOF.
SO FOUNDATIONS ACTUALLY ARE PER MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ACTIVITY, THE HIGHEST GREENHOUSE GAS SUPPLIER INTO THE ATMOSPHERE OF ALL MATERIALS RELATED TO SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.
AND WE RARELY DO ANY VERY MUCH ABOUT IT.
SO WE LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND WE REALIZE THAT THE BIG PICTURE ALSO SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, A LEARNING SYSTEM.
CAN WE LEARN FROM THESE OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE SIMILAR CONDITIONS? AND WE'VE LEARNED A LOT, BUT I CAN'T POSSIBLY GO OVER THAT IN THIS PRESENTATION.
WE ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WILDFIRES EVEN THOUGH THAT DATA THERE DOESN'T SHOW US IN WILDFLOWER FIRE CONDITIONS, FLASH FLOOD, WE KNOW ABOUT TORNADO, WE KNOW ABOUT CROP DISRUPTION.
ALL THESE THINGS COME TOGETHER AND SEEM TO WANT TO PLACE THEMSELVES IN TEXAS.
SO WE DID THIS GREAT THING OF CALLING ALL THESE OVERLAID AND SEE WHAT OVERLAYS WOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN IF WE SAID, LET'S GO AND LOOK AT TEXAS.
SO HERE WE ARE IN SOME OF THE DARKEST AREAS IN TEXAS, WHICH MEANS THAT MANY OF THESE DISASTERS COULD HAPPEN HERE.
AND SO ROOFS ARE THE FIRST THING THAT CONNECT TO THIS ISSUE.
SO OUR BUILDING AT THE TIME RELATED TO WATER.
SO WE INCREASED THE UH, SERVICE AREA OF OUR ROOF BECAUSE AUSTIN ENERGY SAID THAT A LOT OF THE ENERGY THAT THEY USE IS FOR PROCESSING AND PUMPING WATER AND DISTRIBUTING IT AS WELL AS WASTEWATER.
SO THIS BUILDING AS THE STATE DEMONSTRATION BUILDING IN AUSTIN EMPHASIZED TWO THINGS, WATER AND WASTEWATER RELATED TO THE THAT DATA.
SO THIS BUILDING HAS MANY, MANY THINGS IN, IT HAS 14 DIFFERENT MATERIALS, EIGHT DIFFERENT WALLS, UH, ZERO PORTLAND CEMENT, UH, THAT IS NOW COMING AROUND AGAIN 20 YEARS LATER TO ACTUALLY BE A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WAS A GAP PERIOD WHERE WE COULDN'T USE OLD MATERIALS THAT WE WERE USING PREVIOUSLY.
NOW WE CAN, ACCORDING TO WORK DONE AT MIT, THE OTHER THING ABOUT GREEN BUILDING THAT IS VERY CRITICAL IS WHERE IS YOUR MONEY GOING? SO WE MIGHT DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE MIGHT DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
I'M ABOUT TO SHOW IS THAT HOUSING, AS WE SHOWED IN THE STATE DEMONSTRATION, BUILDING ACTUALLY TRACKABLE TO BUSINESSES WITHIN OUR REGION AND OF THOSE BUSINESSES BEING EMPHASIZED BECAUSE OF THEIR GOOD WORK IN ANY NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND HOW DID THEY COME TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE A BUILDING THAT IS RELEVANT FOR THE FUTURE.
I'M GONNA SHOW SOME PROJECTS NOT BUILT BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET FUNDING.
THIS IS A PROJECT CALLED AVIARY AND IT WAS ALL BASED ON QUO TYPE BUILDINGS AND IT HAD
[00:50:01]
GREEN ROOFS AND OTHER ROOFS, BUT IT ALSO HAD A PROTECTED AREA ON A SIDEWALK.THERE IS SORT OF A MICRO GRID THAT SHADES PEOPLE BUT ALSO PROTECTS UTILITIES AS WELL AS PEOPLE IN SUPPLYING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT SMALL COMMUNITY.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE MICROGRID WINDING THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW THESE BUILDINGS ACTUALLY USING AN EXISTING BUILDING SYSTEM IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS CAN ACTUALLY END UP TO BE A FAIRLY ATTRACTIVE, UH, POSSIBILITY.
SO THESE BUILDINGS WERE SPECIFICALLY DONE IN ORDER TO NOT HAVE OVERHANGS, TO NOT HAVE THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY CREATE HAVOC RELATED TO OR TORNADO SITUATION.
AND THAT RIBBON THROUGH IT ACTUALLY IS THE UTILITY SYSTEM SO THAT WE DID NOT HAVE TO PUT THESE THINGS ON ROOFS.
AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANTED THE ROOF TO BECOME FLEXIBLE TO DO MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
SO THESE WERE SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT THE ROOF WAS DOING, BUT THESE WERE SOME OF THE CONFIGURATIONS THAT USUALLY THOUGHT OF AS A GEOMETRIC SHAPE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TOO MANY OPTIONS.
UH, THIS IS THE HOOD THAT WE PROPOSING AT OUR PLACE AT DECKER LANE AND 9 69 AND IT HAS THE SAME KIND OF ROOF.
AND I DON'T WANT TO KEEP OVEREMPHASIZING THE FACT THAT THIS ROOF HISTORICALLY HAS UNBELIEVABLE PRECEDENCE IN LASTING AND THAT'S WHY MANY FARMS HAVE THIS KIND OF THING.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT IT CAN BE DONE AN ATTRACTIVE WAY.
UH, BUT THE COMBINATION HERE IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS WAS AN ICON 3D PRINTED COMPETITION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND WHAT WE DID IS THAT WE HAD OUR GANTRY TO DO ALL THE HOUSING SPANNING THE ENTIRE THING FROM ONE, UH, MICROGRID, UH, SPINE TO THE END NEXT AND POWERED THE ENTIRE THING WITH SOWER TO MANUFACTURE THE BUILDINGS IN SITU.
THE ROOFS THEMSELVES ARE STRIPED.
IN FACT, IT BECAME A LITTLE BIT OF A JOKE.
PEOPLE SAID THAT THIS IS A ZEBRA ROOF, BUT THE ZEBRA ROOF IS ZERO ENERGY BUILDING ROOF.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS THAT EVERY OTHER STRIPE THAT YOU SEE THERE RERADIATE TO THE NIGHT SKY USING THREE M'S.
NEW FILM THAT BRINGS THE TEMPERATURE 20 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW AMBIENT.
NEXT TO THAT IS A FLEXIBLE PV BETWEEN THE FLEXIBLE PV BEING BLACK AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THAT BLACKNESS ENDING UP PART ELECTRICITY, BUT ALSO PART KEAT.
WE BEGAN TO REALIZE AS WE MODELED THIS, THIS IS ZERO ENERGY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND A LOT OF THE, UH, CONCRETE THAT I'M NOT IN THIS CASE A BIG FAN OF BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT USING QUITE THE RIGHT CONCRETE YET, UH, IS A HEAT SINK.
SO AS WE GO AND MODEL THIS WITH UT, WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THIS IS ONLY REQUIRING A FAN TO RUN ANY ONE OF THESE BUILDINGS.
THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES, BY THE WAY, INTERNALLY WERE MADE TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE BECAUSE DIFFERENT FAMILIES NEED DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO YOU COULD START OFF WITH NO TWO STORIES WITHIN AND YOU COULD BUILD THOSE TWO STORIES OVER TIME WITH A KIT THAT WE WERE SUPPLYING WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN ALL THIS IS THAT ALL THE GADGETRY AND ALL THE TECHNOLOGY IS GREAT, BUT IS IT A LIVABLE ENVIRONMENT? SO THE FIRST THING THAT PEOPLE LOOK AT, DO I WANNA LIVE THERE? SO WE WERE VERY CONSCIOUS OF TRYING TO MAKE THESE BUILDINGS LOOK AND FEEL WARM AND ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE THAT WERE APPARENTLY TRYING TO GET AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAY OF OPERATING.
LAST ITEM, THE OTHER END OF THIS IS THE FOUNDATION.
SO ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS BESIDES DOING ALL THE GREEN SPECKING FOR THE LARGEST BUILDING IN OUR COUNTRY CALLED THE US PENTAGON, WE BEGAN TO FIND CERTAIN THINGS AND AS WE INVESTIGATED MORE AND MORE WITH THE 12.5 MILLION BUSINESSES WITHIN OUR DATABASE, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO TAKE A BUILDING TYPOLOGY, ONE OF 18 IN THIS CASE, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND DRILL DOWN HIERARCHICALLY ALL THE WAY TO THE FACT THAT OF ALL THE ISSUES RELATED TO MATERIALITY AND GREEN BUILDINGS AND SO ON AND GREENHOUSE GASES WAS HOW YOU DO THE FOUNDATION.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO FOUNDATIONS TODAY, BUT I WILL WELCOME YOU ALL TO COME AND VISIT US TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS AREA.
OH, WELL IF YOU WANTED TO SEE SOME OF THAT IN MORE DETAIL,
[00:55:02]
ONE CAN READ ALL THAT STUFF.AND I'M, I, IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME THAT ALL THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR US IN BACKUP, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE SHARON WITH THE COUNT, WITH THE BROADER COUNCIL, UM, AND THE MAYOR, I, I FULLY INTENDED FOR THIS CONVERSATION TO JUST BE THE START OF MANY CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY US DIGGING DOWN DEEP.
I HADN'T HEARD THAT STATISTIC ABOUT THE FOUNDATION BEING THE LARGER PRODUCER OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND I ALSO HADN'T HEARD, OR MAYBE IT JUST DIDN'T REGISTER FOR ME, THAT AE PUT EMPHASIS ON THE GENERATION OF, UM, AND DISTRIBUTION OF WATER, UM, BEING SUCH A, A LARGE ENERGY EXPENDITURE.
AND SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY AND FOR US TO REALLY JUST GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED IN A COMPREHENSIVE SUB SUBSTANTIVE WAY.
UM, COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIR ALTER, UH, REALLY A, A A COMMENT AND WE HAVE, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ZACH IN THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, UH, TO DO THIS FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HAVE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS DO MORE WITH THEIR ROOFS, WE SHOULD LEAD THE WAY, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, ZACH IS, HAS BEEN WORKING ON HOW WE CAN GET, UH, MORE SOLAR PANELS ON OUR CITY FACILITIES WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE STUDY OF, OF CITY ENERGY USAGE, WHICH WE ARE THE NUMBER TWO ENERGY USER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN BEHIND SAMSUNG AS AN ENTITY.
UM, BUT AUSTIN WATER IS ALMOST 50% OF THAT BECAUSE OF YEP.
THE PUMPING AND THE MOVING AND EXACTLY.
SO IT'S A, A HUGE PIECE OF THE PIE WHEN IT COMES TO WATER.
BUT, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
I THINK AT A BARE MINIMUM, IT JUST, IT CAN SAVE OUR GENERAL FUND OVER TIME IF WE ARE ABLE TO PUT THE SOLAR ON THESE ROOFS, BUT WE CAN ALSO DEMONSTRATE TO THE PUBLIC THAT HEY, THIS IS REALLY POSSIBLE AND, AND WE CAN DO THIS AND WE'RE GONNA LEAD THE WAY.
SO I SEE ZACH OUT THERE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH
I'D LIKE TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT WATER AND WASTEWATER THOUGH, BECAUSE I JUST VISITED THE ONLY FACILITY APPARENTLY IN THE US THAT HAS PIGGYBACKED ONTO THEIR WASTEWATER SYSTEM WITH A GERMAN SYSTEM THAT IS ANCIENT, THAT HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN UNTIL SIX YEARS AGO CALLED HYDROTHERMAL CARBONIZATION.
AND THIS TAKES THE WASTEWATER AND THE ORGANICS AND CONVERTS IT TO HYDRO CHAR INSTEAD OF BIOCHAR, WHICH NO ONE'S EVER HEARD OF.
EVERYBODY IS A BIOCHAR BUT NEVER HYDRO CHAR.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT ALL THE PFAS, ALL THE HEAVY METALS AND EVERYTHING IS CAPTURED IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT ENABLE IT GET TO GET INTO THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE IT USES THE SILICA TO ACTUALLY TRAP CHEMICALLY ALL THOSE BAD THINGS.
SO THEY ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
BUT ANYWAY, IF ANYONE EVER WANTS TO SEE THAT PRESENTATION, THEY, THEY CITY JUST SENT IT TO ME TO SHARE WITH YOU FOLKS.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT PRESENTATION IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND CHEERING WITH OUR OFFICES.
ALSO SOUNDS LIKE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR A STUDY TRIP ABROAD.
UM, SO JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO QUESTIONS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE LEADERS IN THIS SPACE.
AND I, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BUILDING STRUCTURES RIGHT NOW IN THIS CITY THAT EVEN IF IT'S NOT REQUIRED, LIKE THE STATE SAYS, WE MAY NOT MAKE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THESE STRUCTURES.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST WANNA DO IT BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT OUR FUTURE, THEY CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE SUSTAINABLE FOR SOLAR ENERGY AND WATER USAGE.
UM, AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT CONSERVATION AND HELP PEOPLE GET OFF THE GRID, I THINK IS FANTASTIC.
I WAS LUCKY TO GET OFF THE GRID LAST WEEK AND SO I'M REALLY MINDFUL OF THAT WAS LOVELY AND IT, AND IT IS DOABLE AND YEP.
UM, AND, AND IT'S QUITE PLEASANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN CERTAIN REGARDS AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST WANNA DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING THING.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THIS INFORMATION AND ANYTHING YOU CAN SEND TO US, I'M SURE WE'LL COME BACK WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER FOR US.
AND I MIGHT SAY THAT, SORRY, WE HAVE TWO SOLAR DECATHLONS THAT WERE DONE BY STUDENTS AND TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE TOTALLY CONNECTED TO THIS AS POSSIBLE AND THEN COMPETE ON A NATIONAL BASIS ON THE MALL WAS REALLY A PHENOMENAL EPISODE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE QUESTIONS.
I I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION.
[01:00:01]
WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS ON THE ITEM.SO NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, UH, MR. GANNON AGAIN, UH, WITH THE AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC.
UM, THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND, UH, PLINY FISK WHO IS, UM, I'M, I'M, UH, HONORED TO BE HERE AND I'M HONORED TO GO AFTER PLINY, WHO'S AN ABSOLUTE VISIONARY, UH, SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECT.
I ACTUALLY DID ONE OF THE, THE, UH, SOLAR DECATHLON BUILDINGS THAT'S ON HIS LAND.
THE, UH, OR I PARTICIPATED SNAP HOUSE FROM, UH, 2009.
UM, SO I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM UP.
UM, RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN ARCHITECTURE IS, UH, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW AND IS GONNA GET MORE AND MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT AS WE GO.
UM, I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH PREPARED IN TERMS OF, UM, PROPOSALS OR PRESENTATION, BUT THE A I A AUSTIN CHAPTER, UH, HAS RECENTLY RESHUFFLED ITS ADVOCACY, UH, ORGANIZATION AND WE'VE CREATED A NEW COMMITTEE, UH, AND IT'S THE COMMITTEE FOR RESILIENCY.
UM, AND THIS IS GONNA BE AN ADVOCACY CHAPTER JUST, OR AN ADVOCACY, UH, COMMITTEE, JUST LIKE THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, UH, COMMITTEE WITH A CHAIR AND A WORK GROUP.
AND, UM, WE WOULD, UH, LOVE TO, UH, ENGAGE AND PARTICIPATE WITH YOU IN THESE THINGS.
WE HAVE, UM, A VERY ROBUST, UH, MEMBERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY RESILIENCY, UM, AND THESE PRACTICES IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS EXTREMELY CLOSE.
UM, I, I REACHED OUT, UH, QUICKLY, UH, AND I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UM, UH, LIKE PLINY WAS SAYING, UH, HOW DO WE TOUCH THE GROUND LIGHTER WITH OUR BUILDINGS? AND, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE, UH, PIN FOOTINGS, SIMILAR TO A DIAMOND FOOTING, WHICH, UM, IS A WAY THAT YOU CAN CITE A BUILDING CLOSER TO A TREE WITHOUT DESTROYING ITS ROOT ZONE.
UM, 'CAUSE IT ALL COMES BACK TO TREES, REALLY.
HOW DO WE PRESERVE TREES? HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE THE GROWTH OF TREES? AND HOW DO WE NOT, UH, HOW CAN WE BUILD DENSITY NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR EXISTING TREES AND CANOPY? UM, SO, SO PIN FOOTINGS AND MICRO PILINGS, UH, FOR FOUNDATIONS NEAR TREES IN GENERAL, HOW DOES OUR, HOW CAN OUR CONSTRUCTION BE A LIGHTER TOUCH? UM, AND HOW DO WE INTEGRATE GREENERY SUCH AS TRELLIS AND GREEN ROOFS INTO OUR, UM, OUR BUILDINGS MORE AND IN A MORE, UH, PUBLIC WAY? UM, I GOT A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS JUST BY REACHING OUT AND I, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE, UM, BRING IN THE A I A RESILIENCY COMMITTEE FOR, FOR FURTHER CONVERSATIONS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF IT.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT SOME COMMENTARY COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY IN THIS SPACE,
UM, I'M, I'M A DREAMER, AND SO I OFTEN THINK ABOUT JUST WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM,
SO THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME IN ANOTHER LIFETIME I WAS A FLORIST.
I STARTED WHEN OF AUSTIN'S ONLY, UM, ECO CHIC, FLORAL, UM, WE WERE LOCALLY SOURCED PLANTS AND FLOWERS BACK, UM, BEFORE IT WAS POPULAR.
UM, NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS,
THAT SAID, THOUGH, AT THE TIME, I FOUND MYSELF HYPER FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES, INCLUDING GET IN THE SHOWER, YOU GET WET AND YOU TURN OFF THE WATER, YOU LATHER YOURSELF, THEN YOU RINSE AND YOU DID SO OVER A BUCKET AND REPURPOSED THAT WATER.
'CAUSE WE COULDN'T RETROFIT THE HOUSE TO REPURPOSE GRAY WATER.
UM, LET'S JUST SAY THOSE WERE SHORT SHOWERS,
UM, ALL THAT TO SAY IT WASN'T ENTIRELY PRACTICAL AND KIND OF BECAME A THING OF THE PAST.
BUT I REALLY DO THINK ABOUT RETROFITTING OUR PLUMBING SYSTEMS, UM, BEING IMPRACTICAL, BUT A STARTING FROM THE GROUND UP WITH SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES BEING THE STANDARD.
UM, I, I DREAM ABOUT IT PRETTY FREQUENTLY, AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT DURING THE COURSE OF WANTING TO BRING THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD.
UM, I THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, AND SOME FOLKS WON'T BE FAMILIAR WITH IT, SO I'LL READ, IT'S A WIKI DESCRIPTION, SO, YOU KNOW, GRAIN OF SALT, UM, HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE.
I REMEMBER, UM, BEING, I THINK IT WAS MINNEAPOLIS IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, BUT I REMEMBER THINKING, THIS BENCH IS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND OUR GUIDE AT THE TIME TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES BEHIND HO HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE.
ESSENTIALLY IT'S LIKE ANTI LOITERING ARCHITECTURE,
[01:05:01]
ANTI BM XING AND SKATEBOARDING, UM, ANTI SLEEPING, UM, URINE DEFLECTORS, ALL THESE, I MEAN, THERE'S A WHOLE PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE AROUND HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE.UM, AND I JUST THOUGHT IF THERE ARE MAJOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN ROBUST HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE, WE SHOULD BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN ROBUST SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE, AT LEAST IN EQUAL MEASURE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT REALLY KIND OF GOT ME THINKING ALONG THOSE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DEPLOY SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AS JUST A MATTER OF COURSE, UH, THIS IS JUST WHAT YOU DO.
UM, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET ANY OF THEM TO JOIN US TODAY.
IT WAS SORT OF SHORT NOTICE INVITATION.
BUT AS WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, I'D LOVE FOR US TO BE TALKING ABOUT INCOME RESTRICTED MULTIFAMILY, MULTIFAMILY IN GENERAL, GIANT BIG BOX STORES, MALLS, YOU KNOW, UNDERUTILIZED, UM, OFFICE SPACES.
I KEEP READING THESE ARTICLES ABOUT, UM, COMMERCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S JUST LAYING AND WASTING, FRANKLY.
UM, SO I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AROUND HOW WE ARE USING BUILDINGS, UM, AND NOT FRANKLY MM-HMM,
UM, SO JUST REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION AND, AND CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS AT LYNN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO A FRIEND AND FAVORITE, UM, WE'RE GONNA CALL UP, UH, UH OH, DANG IT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA CALL UP, UM, OUR AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF RIGHT NOW.
RACHEL, DON'T THINK I FORGOT ABOUT YOU.
UM, I'LL, I'LL KEEP THE, THE SENTIMENT OFFENDED FRIEND AND FAVORITE.
I'D LIKE TO CALL UP OUR AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF TO DISCUSS OUR CURRENT SOLAR PANEL INITIATIVES COLLEAGUES.
UM, I WANT YOU TO FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS THEY GO ALONG, OR ANY COMMENTS RELATED TO THE TOPIC.
I'M THE CUSTOMER RENEWABLE SOLUTIONS MANAGER AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU, BUT I'M GONNA JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH OUR SOLAR PROGRAMS AND, AND I'M SURE SOME OF THIS WILL REALLY INTEREST YOU.
SO I'LL START OFF WITH OUR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS. UM, WE OFFER AN INCENTIVE OF $2,500.
IT'S A FLAT INCENTIVE, UM, FOR QUALIFYING RESIDENTIAL SOLAR ARRAYS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAMS. SO A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER CAN SUBSCRIBE TO RENEWABLE ENERGY IF THEY, UM, PERHAPS DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL TO DO A SOLAR INVESTMENT OR HAVE A SHADED ROOF, OR, UM, ARE A RENTER.
THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SOLAR, UM, AS AN OPTION OR GREEN CHOICE.
AND THE GREEN CHOICE IS A WIND OPTION COMMUNITY.
SOLAR IS MORE LOCAL, SOLAR, UM, FOCUSED.
THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM, BY THE WAY, IS, UM, A, IT, IT COMES FOR AT A PREMIUM FOR MARKET RATE CUSTOMERS, AND THEN THERE'S A 50% CARVE OUT FOR LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS TO PARTICIPATE AT NO COST.
UM, THEY CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE BILL SAVINGS, UM, THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND GET GREEN ENERGY.
UM, SO IT'S A, A PRETTY GOOD PROGRAM.
IT HAS BEEN FULLY SUBSCRIBED FOR YEARS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT, WHICH, UM, KIND OF LEADS TO THE NEXT OPTION FOR SOLAR AT AUSTIN, UM, WHICH IS A NEW OPTION.
UM, AND SO IT'S THE IDEA THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE UNUSED COMMERCIAL ROOFS, UM, ROOFTOPS, UM, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE DON'T GET SOLAR INVESTMENTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE, UH, TENANTS WHERE THERE'S A SPLIT INCENTIVE SCENARIO.
SO THE BUILDING OWNER, UM, DOES NOT, UM, GET THAT DIRECT RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT BECAUSE WE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO INSTALL THE SOLAR BEHIND THE METER AND THEN THEIR TENANTS GET BILL REDUCTIONS FROM THE SOLAR PRODUCTION.
SO WHAT THIS ALLOWS FOR IS THAT, UH, SOLAR ARRAY TO BE INSTALLED IN FRONT OF THE METER AND WE PAY THE, UM, SOLAR OWNER DIRECTLY.
SO THAT MAY BE A BUILDING OWNER THAT MIGHT BE, UM, A THIRD PARTY THAT GIVES THE BUILDING OWNER A ROOF LEASE.
SO IT ALLOWS THEM TO MONETIZE THEIR ROOF, UM, WHILE, UM, FACILITATING AND HOSTING THIS SOLAR ARRAY THAT THEN GOES INTO THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM AND EXPANDS THAT OFFERING TO MORE PEOPLE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE MULTIFAMILY INCENTIVES.
UH, SO, SO THOSE CAN BE IN THE FORM OF AN UPFRONT CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE.
WE HAVE UPFRONT AND CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVES FOR NONPROFITS AS WELL.
THAT HELPS TO GET OVER THE COST HURDLES THAT LAY IN FRONT OF A SOLAR PROJECT.
[01:10:01]
UM, WE HAVE RECENTLY SOLD OUT THE, UM, THE CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE PROGRAM, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ADDING, UM, ANOTHER TIER TO THAT PROGRAM TO EX EXTEND IT BY FIVE MEGAWATTS.UH, SO THAT SHOULD BE UP RELATIVELY SOON, PROBABLY WITHIN A MONTH.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES, SO THAT CAN BE MULTIFAMILY AS WELL.
IF THEY'RE MASTER METERED, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE WHAT THEY WOULD GO TOWARDS UNLESS THEY'RE A NONPROFIT.
UM, AND THE COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES ARE PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVES.
SO WE PAY THOSE OUT OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD AND, UH, IT'S BASED ON THE ACTUAL PRODUCTION OF THE SYSTEM.
AND THEN EVERYONE, UM, THAT INSTALLS SOLAR BEHIND THEIR METER IS, UM, UH, HAS ACCESS TO THE VALUE OF SOLAR RATE, WHICH IS AN ONGOING, UM, RATE FOR THAT.
WE PROVIDE, UH, CUSTOMERS AS A CREDIT ON THEIR BILL FOR ALL OF THEIR PRODUCTION.
SO THAT IS KIND OF A, OUR PROGRAM'S IN A NUTSHELL, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
VERY, THE ROOF LEASE THING FASCINATED ME.
I DON'T OWN MY ROOF, BUT SOUNDS FASCINATING.
WE HOPE TO LAUNCH IT IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH.
IT'S BEEN SLIGHTLY DELAYED, BUT WE WERE HOPING THIS MONTH, BUT NOW IT'S NEXT MONTH.
LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS MEMBER.
IT WAS GENERALLY ABOUT WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR SOMEONE WHO SAYS THEY WANNA BUY THESE SOLAR PANELS TO GET THEM, YOU KNOW, PURCHASED, I GUESS THAT'S MORE ON THE PRIVATE END, BUT THEN AUTHORIZED FOR, FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON THEIR ROOF, APPROVED BY AE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THOSE LOGISTICS LIKE AND HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE SOMEONE IF THEY HAVE THE SOLAR PANELS IN HAND AND RECEIVED AND TO COMMUNICATE WITH AUSTIN ENERGY ABOUT, I'M GONNA INSTALL THESE, CAN YOU COME INSPECT IT TO GETTING UP AND RUNNING? YEAH, SO THERE'S A PROCESS OF THAT.
IT VARIES FROM, UH, RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL OF COURSE.
UM, IF IT IS AN EXISTING HOME, THEN IT ALSO MATTERS LIKE WHAT THE CON WHAT CONDITION THEIR MAIN ELECTRICAL PANEL IS IN AND, AND THEIR SERVICE.
IF THEY HAVE TO DO A SERVICE UPGRADE, THEN THEY HAVE TO SCHEDULE SHUTDOWN AND THAT CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S SMOOTH SAILING, ADOPTING, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A TYPICAL CUSTOMER, THEN UM, THEY CAN, THEY GO PULL THEIR PERMITS, THEY GET INSTALLED.
IT USUALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOME IT CAN TAKE DAYS, UM, FOR COM, A BIGGER COMMERCIAL PROJECT MONTHS.
UM, AND THEN ONCE THEY'VE GOT THAT INSTALLED AND IT'S READY TO BE INSPECTED, THEY CALL US, AUSTIN ENERGY GOES OUT AND INSPECTS THAT, AND THEN, UM, WE GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO OPERATE AND SET THE METERS FOR THEM, THEY'RE READY TO GO.
AND DOES THAT TAKE ADDITIONAL PERMITTING TO ALERT YOU THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE INSTALLING THESE SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF OR WHAT DOES THAT YEAH, THERE'S A SPECIFIC, IS THAT DSD, HOW DOES THAT WORK? THERE'S A SPECIFIC PERMIT FOR SOLAR, UM, PROJECTS.
IT'S CALLED THE AUXILIARY POWER PERMIT, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, ANY, UM, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR WOULD NEED TO GO PULL THAT PERMIT PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE PROJECT.
UM, IF IT'S A MORE COMPLICATED JOB, WE'LL GO OUT THERE, GO OUT THERE AND DO ONSITE, UM, ANALYSIS WITH THEM AND KIND OF WALK 'EM THROUGH IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UM, ONCE THEY'RE DONE WE DO THE FINAL INSPECTIONS AND HELP THEM THROUGH THE END OF THE PROCESS AS WELL, MAKING SURE IT'S ALL SAFE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THAT'S BROUGHT ABOUT A COUPLE THINGS FOR ME, ESPECIALLY WHAT YOU JUST CLOSED WITH, WITH THE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR AND PERMITS.
UM, 'CAUSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOESN'T HAVE ANY SLOW DOWN CAUSED ON PERMITTING
UM, SO I'M GONNA ASK SOME QUESTIONS OF OUR, UM, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER FOR, UM, THAT BODY, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE HEARD FROM, FROM ELECTRICIANS ABOUT ANY, UH, IMPEDIMENTS TO THE SPEED OF PROGRESS BASED ON PERMITTING.
UM, SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED TO ME AND LET ME KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A WILD IDEA, BUT, SO AS A RENTER, THERE ARE MULTIPLE REBATES AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMMINGS RELATED TO WEATHERIZATION AND EFFICIENCY THAT I WASN'T ELIGIBLE FOR BECAUSE MY LANDLORD JUST WASN'T INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING WITH THE PROGRAMMATIC EFFORTS, DIDN'T WANNA DO THE PAPERWORK, WHATEVER THE THING WAS.
UM, BUT LIKE FOR A RENTER LIKE ME, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M A LONG TERM RENTER.
ALL IN ALL, I WILL HAVE HAD A SIX YEAR LEASE.
UM, SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR ME ON THE FRONT END TO INCUR SOME COSTS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, REAP THE BENEFITS, IF YOU WILL, OF PARTICIPATING IN THOSE PROGRAMMATIC EFFORTS.
[01:15:01]
TEMPORARY SOLAR OPTION FOR LONG-TERM LEASES LIKE MYSELF? SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SORT OF STICK IT IN THE GROUND OR, YOU KNOW, PUT IT ON THE ROOF FOR JUST DURING THE COURSE OF MY LEASE IN THE PROPERTY, THAT SORT OF THING.SO YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM.
SO, UM, WHAT THAT DOES IS, UM, O THROUGH YOUR PARTICIPATION, AUSTIN ENERGY WILL GREEN UP ALL OF YOUR ENERGY THROUGH A SOLAR PROJECT THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING THOSE RENEWABLE ENERGY ATTRIBUTES FROM OUR SOLAR PROJECT AND APPLYING THEM TO YOUR CONSUMPTION.
AND WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY THAT VERIFIES ALL THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOUBLE ACCOUNTING AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S ALL ON THE UP AND UP.
UM, THERE'S NO COST TO GET INTO THAT PROGRAM AS A MARKET RATE CUSTOMER, NON LOW INCOME, UM, THAT YOU PAY A, A SMALL PREMIUM OF, UM, I THINK IT'S, UH, POINTS, OR SORRY, IT'S, UH, 1.50 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR MM-HMM.
AND THEN, UM, OUR CURRENT PROGRAM, YOU'D LOCK IN AT THAT PRICE.
SO IT REPLACES THE PSA ON YOUR BILL.
SO WHERE THE PSA, THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT MAY GO UP FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS IF YOU'RE A COMMUNITY SOLAR CUSTOMER THAT'S LOCKED IN FOR 15 YEARS.
I THINK MAYBE THE QUESTION I'M ASKING THOUGH IS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE UTILIZATION OF THE SPACE THAT I OCCUPY, IN WHICH CASE GENERATING SOME OF THAT RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE SPACE THAT I OCCUPY AS OPPOSED TO PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM WHERE AUSTIN ENERGY IS, YOU KNOW, GENERATING, SO I HAVE A ROOF, I HAVE A FRONT YARD, I HAVE A BACKYARD, I HAVE A SIDE YARD, I HAVE PANEL, YOU KNOW, OPTIONS.
I'M, I'M MORE LOOKING FOR TEMPORARY OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY.
SO LIKE KIND OF A PLUG AND PLAY IDEA, LIKE LEASE IT FOR EXAMPLE.
LIKE BEING ABLE TO LEASE THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN GIVE IT BACK WHEN IT'S TIME FOR ME TO MOVE.
YOU CAN POTENTIALLY LEASE EQUIPMENT IN AUSTIN.
WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IS ENTER INTO A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
BUT YOU CAN ENTER INTO AN EQUIPMENT LEASE WHERE YOU'RE JUST LEASING THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN THE POWER IS YOURS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
I THINK THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I, UH, MAY HAVE HAD, AND ALONG THE LINES OF YOUR QUESTION AROUND TIMELINE, YOU SAID IF YOU'RE A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, POTENTIALLY WITHIN DAYS, IF YOU'RE A COMMERCIAL CUSTOMER, POTENTIALLY MONTHS, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TODAY, I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT TYPES OF INCENTIVES WOULD BE APPEALING TO COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS TO LEAN IN THAT DIRECTION? UM, WHAT SORT OF INCENTIVES WE COULD OFFER AS A BODY? SO WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF INCENTIVES ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I, I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO YOU SAID, SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS ASKED ABOUT THE TIMELINE, WHAT'S THE POTENTIAL TIMELINE FOR THE TURNAROUND, RIGHT? YOU SAID FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS LONGER.
THE ASSUMPTION FOR ME WAS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME INCENTIVE TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.
OH, WELL, IT, IT IS REALLY JUST A MORE COMPLEX I SEE INSTALLATION.
IT HAS, YOU KNOW, MORE EQUIPMENT I SEE TIED TO IT AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S ABOUT LOGISTICS, NOT ABOUT NOT, YEAH.
IT'S NOT ABOUT PERMITTING DELAYS.
THERE, THERE IS A MORE EXTENSIVE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR, FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL, UM, THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE ROOFS ARE CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE LOAD, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO LIKE THOSE OTHER REVIEWS, UM, THAT OCCUR FOR COMMERCIAL, THEY PROLONG THE PROCESS MINIMALLY.
YOU KNOW, THEY, BUT IT'S, IT'S LIKE WHEN, WHEN THEY RUN INTO SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, THAT'S WHEN THE, YOU GET INTO THE LONGER DELAYS.
I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING FOR US TODAY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST ON THIS ITEM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE RACHEL STONE JOIN US TODAY.
UM, SHE'S REPRESENTING THE GU GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I ALSO WAS AN INTERN AT CENTER FOR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL BUILDING SYSTEMS WITH PLENTY, SO FEELS LIKE A ROOM OF OLD GREEN BUILDING FRIENDS.
UM, I WANTED TO COME TALK ABOUT, UH, GREEN, GREEN ROOFS OR SOLAR FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, JUST A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THAT SPACE.
SO WE HAVE WORKED PRETTY CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN ENERGY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THESE, UM, GREEN, UH, SOLAR REBATES.
SO I THINK THE, THE PROGRAM, THE MULTIFAMILY PROGRAM THAT TIM TALKED ABOUT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING US, UM, GET SOLAR ONTO A ROOFTOP.
WE USE IT AT, AT GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD
[01:20:01]
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.WE DO SINGLE FAMILY, UH, HOME OWNERSHIP, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS WELL AS MULTIFAMILY, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE BOTH OF OUR EXISTING MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES WE'RE IN THE SHARED SOLAR, UM, PROGRAM THAT THEY ESTABLISHED, AND THEY BOTH HAVE SOLAR ON THEM, SO THAT HELPS REDUCE WHAT, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORLD IS.
A LITTLE CONFUSING ON HOW THE SOLAR REACHES THE, UH, END USER.
IT CAN EITHER GO DIRECTLY TO REDUCING THEIR BILL OR THE NONPROFIT OFTEN WILL TAKE OVER PAYING THEIR BILL SO THAT IT KEEPS, UM, IT KEEPS BILLS STABLE.
IT'S MORE, IT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, IT'S REALLY COMPLICATED AND I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE WHOLE UTILITY ALLOWANCE THING THAT GOES ON WITH, UM, LOW INCOME HOUSING.
UM, IF I MAY INTERRUPT YOU BRIEFLY, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GET INTO IT HERE, BUT IT WOULD BE, I THINK, HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF THAT.
IF WE COULD GET A, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD ELABORATE IN A SEPARATE, UM, COMMUNICATION.
UM, TENANTS, THE WAY THAT THE RENT IS, UM, CALCULATED IS BASED ON WHAT TENANTS CAN AFFORD.
AND YOU CAN EITHER HAVE TENANTS PAY THE FULL RENT THAT THEY CAN AFFORD, MINUS A UTILITY ALLOWANCE THAT IS CALCULATED BASED ON A VERY OUTDATED SYSTEM THAT IS SET BY BASICALLY ASSESSING HOW HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTIES ENERGY IS USED.
UM, AND THAT ALLOWANCE IS REMOVED FROM THE RENT SO THAT THE TENANT CAN KEEP IT AND USE IT TO PAY THEIR UTILITY BILL.
BUT THAT'S JUST A MONTHLY NUMBER.
SO IF THEIR UTILITY BILL IS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A HOT SUMMER OR A COLD WINTER, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY GONNA REFLECT THEIR ACTUAL USAGE.
IT'S JUST AN, AN ALLOWANCE VERSUS IF IT'S ALL BILLS PAID, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER IS COVERING THE UTILITY BILL, SO THE RENT, THE TENANT IS PAYING THEIR MAXIMUM RENT AS OPPOSED TO GETTING THAT ALLOWANCE.
SO AT GNDC, WE HAVE, WHEN WE'VE INSTALLED SOLAR, WE HAVE TAKEN OVER THE UTILITY BILL OF THE RESIDENCE SO THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE FLUCTUATIONS.
THEY LIKE IT, THEY LIKE HAVING, UM, THEIR, THEIR BILLS PAID, WHEREAS THE SOLAR HELPS REDUCE OUR OVERALL OPERATING COSTS.
SO IT'S A SAVINGS TO THE NONPROFIT SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY TO DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO.
SO THE WAY THE REBATE PROGRAM WORKS IS THAT WE, WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD TO DO SOLAR, WE ARE FINDING A CONTRACTOR WHO'S GONNA INSTALL THE SOLAR, THE REBATE COMES IN TO REDUCE THE COST THAT WE OWE.
AND THEN MAYBE WITH THE, IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR, THE IRA AND ALL OF THE FEDERAL INVESTMENTS, WE WOULD HAVE A FURTHER, UH, INCENTIVE COME BACK.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT PROGRAM IS GONNA SURVIVE THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION, BUT WE'VE BEEN PLANNING TO USE, UM, THE SOLAR INCENTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THE FRAMEWORK IS QUITE GOOD.
RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU'RE PURSUING SOLAR AS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING NONPROFIT, THE PROBLEM IS YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY UPFRONT, UM, THAT NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE REBATE PROGRAM THAT, UH, TIM JUST DESCRIBED, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA GET INCENTIVES BACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT COMES AFTER THE INSTALLATION.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A TAX, UM, LIKE IT'S A, A TAX RETURN THAT YOU WOULD GET AFTER YOU'VE INSTALLED IT.
SO THE ISSUE IS REALLY JUST THAT THERE'S NOT MONEY TO PUT THESE THINGS INTO PLACE WITH THE CURRENT SCALE, THE, THE CURRENT ECONOMY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF TAX CREDIT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD, AND THERE'S JUST NOT MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
LIKE I CAN BARELY MAKE THE BUDGET WORK TO BUILD THE HOUSING TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO SOLAR IS STILL CONSIDERED AN ADD-ON.
SO RIGHT NOW IN THE BUDGET, WHEN YOU'RE PURSUING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU, YOU BASICALLY HAVE A CONTINGENCY THAT'S LIKE, THIS MONEY IS SET ASIDE AND IF WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT ON EIGHT THINGS THAT GET MESSED UP, THEN WE WILL USE IT TO INSTALL THE SOLAR.
SO IT'S PRETTY UNCOMMON, I THINK, IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORLD THAT YOU'RE GOING IN WITH SOLAR IN YOUR BUDGET, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, OUR BUDGETS ARE NOT WORKING OUT RIGHT NOW.
LIKE THE, THE REAL HINDRANCE TO SOLAR ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THAT WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM.
THAT'S NOT SO MUCH IN THE ENERGY SIDE OF THINGS, BUT JUST THAT WE STILL NEED MORE MONEY IN OUR ROTA PROGRAMS. WE NEED MORE MONEY AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE, UM, MAKE THE HOUSING WORK AT ALL.
IT'S BEEN A REALLY TOUGH SITUATION WITH INTEREST RATES BEING REALLY HIGH AND CONSTRUCTION GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO WE'RE STILL JUST IN THAT FRAMEWORK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN GET THIS BUILT AND IF I HAVE CONTINGENCY LEFT, THEN YES, THERE'S GREAT PROGRAMS TO PUT SOLAR IN.
BUT IF I CAN GET THERE IS LIKE A HUGE IF, UH, STILL.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE, THE, AND WE, THE SINGLE FAMILY, UM, OUR HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM SORT OF WORKS THE SAME WAY.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO PUT THOSE DEALS TOGETHER, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE, UM, THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNER REBATE AS WELL.
SO WHEN WE'RE BUILDING, UH, PUTTING SOLAR ON
[01:25:01]
OUR HOMEOWNER PROGRAMS, OBVIOUSLY THOSE SAVINGS ARE GOING DIRECTLY TO THE HOMEOWNER.AND SO IF YOU COME BY OUR, UM, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, ALMOST EVERY HOUSE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT SOLAR ON, ON THE STREET, THEY ALL HAVE SOLAR.
AND THEY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR THEM.
THEY HAVE, I'D SAY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE EVERYONE'S GOT AFFORDABLE MORTGAGES AND STABLE TAXES BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST PROGRAM AND SOLAR ON THEIR HOMES.
LIKE THEY HAVE EXTREMELY STABLE HOUSING BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SEEING, UM, SPIKING COSTS IN ANY OF THOSE AREAS.
THAT, UM, A HOMEOWNER WHO'S NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST PROGRAM, MY EXPERIENCE MM-HMM.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FRAMEWORK AROUND I APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME THERE IS, UM, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY AN INTEREST BEARING BANK ACCOUNT WORKS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND, AND I JUST KEEP THINKING WHAT PART DOES THE PRIVATE SECTOR PLAY HERE? THE ENDOWMENTS AND TRUST AND, UM, GRANTS POTENTIALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK OFTENTIMES THE RISK AVERSION IS WHY THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T GET OFFERED, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF ALTRUISTIC PURPOSES.
BUT GIVEN THAT THERE IS THAT FEDERAL GUARANTEE IT'S JUST REBATE OR A TAX RETURN, LIKE YOU DESCRIBED IT, I WONDER WHAT THE APPETITE IS FOR MORE PRIVATE DOLLARS TO BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SOLAR, CONSIDERING THEY WILL GET THEIR MONEY BACK.
YOU KNOW, WELL, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH GETTING THEIR, THE, I MEAN, I, I DID TALK TO, UM, FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES ABOUT HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO DO A BUNCH OF SOLAR ROOFTOP PROJECTS AND THEY ACTUALLY WORKED WITH, UM, OUR, WITH CONGRESS TO GET AN ALLOCATION OF FUNDS THAT HELP THEM DO THE UPFRONT COST AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT JUST CARRIES YOU TO THE NEXT PROJECT.
TYPICALLY, WE WOULDN'T BORROW TO, UM, WAIT ON REBATES.
'CAUSE FIRST OF ALL, YOU THE, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA COME.
AND SO WE WOULDN'T WANNA BE PAYING INTEREST ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I DO THINK IF I HAD A PROJECT WHERE I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO CLOSE AND GET TO THE FINISH LINE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE PLANNING TO PUT SOLAR ON THE ROOF.
CERTAINLY, LIKE THERE IS THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO ONCE WE'RE IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND ABLE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE CONTINGENCY AND START FUNDRAISING, YES, THERE ARE SOURCES OUT THERE TO HELP WITH THAT UPFRONT COST.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A, I DON'T THINK THE, UM, GETTING THE MONEY TO MAKE IT TO THE TAX RETURN IS AN ENORMOUS HURDLE.
UM, IT, IT WOULD BE EXCITING FOR FUNDERS OR FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS TO, TO PUT THE MONEY IN.
IT'S JUST REALLY GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE I'D EVEN BE ABLE TO RIGHT.
'CAUSE IT'S LIKE, IS THE, IS THERE GONNA BE A ROOF TO PUT THE SOLAR ON? UM, SO IT'S REALLY JUST, UM, A MORE FRAGMENTED PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN GET THERE AND GET THE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE, WE DESIGN OUR BUILDINGS COMPLETELY SOLAR READY.
THE INTENTION IS TO PUT THE SOLAR ON THEM.
UM, SO IT IS JUST A, IT MIGHT NOT BE THERE WHEN THE RIBBON CUTTING HAPPENS, BUT WITH BOTH OF OUR PROJECTS WE PUT SOLAR ON AFTER THEY WERE ALREADY BUILT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE KNEW WE COULD GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
THANK I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, YOU COMING OUT AND TALKING WITH US TODAY.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
UM, LAST AND CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I THINK WE HAVE ZACH FROM THE, UM, SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT TO TALK TO US ABOUT, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EFFORTS AND ROLE AND, UM, AND THE SUBJECT MATTER SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE.
UH, I THINK PROBABLY DOES A, A BROAD SPECTRUM OF THINGS, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE AROUND GREEN ROOFTOPS AND OTHER GREEN BUILDING DESIGN INITIATIVES AND JUST WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP TO, UM, FACILITATE MOVING THOSE INITIATIVES FORWARD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I'M ZACH BAUER, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER HERE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UM, SO WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WE HAVE THE GOAL OF NET ZERO COMMUNITY-WIDE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2040.
UM, A MAJOR COMPONENT OF OUR, OF OUR EMISSIONS COMES FROM BUILDINGS.
UM, OVER 45% OF OUR EMISSIONS COME FROM ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS USE THAT'S USED IN BUILDINGS.
UM, SO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ESSENTIAL TO US REDUCING COMMUNITY-WIDE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
UM, I WAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY TODAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT GREEN ROOFS.
UM, AND IN AUSTIN, OUR AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM REALLY IS LEADING THE WAY ON, UH, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND BUILDINGS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN, UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, BUT TWO GREEN BUILDINGS, UM, ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO ACTUALLY WAS THE SORT OF INITIAL PUSH AND CHARGE AND EXCITEMENT THAT SORT OF CAME, UM, AROUND, UH, AROUND GREEN ROOFS.
SO BACK IN, ACTUALLY, BACK IN 2009, CITY COUNCIL
[01:30:01]
PASSED THE FIRST, UH, RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY STAFF LOOK INTO GREEN ROOFS.UH, THERE WAS A GREEN ROOF ADVISORY GROUP, UH, THAT CONCLUDED THEIR WORK IN 2011.
SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY 13 YEARS AGO, UM, PUBLISHED THEIR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, UM, TO ADVOCATE FOR AND PUSH AND, UH, SUPPORT THE CREATION OF GREEN ROOFS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THEY ESSENTIALLY CREATED SORT OF FOUR MECHANISMS, UM, TO SUPPORT, UH, AND INCENTIVIZE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN ROOFS, UM, IN AUSTIN.
AND GREEN ROOFS CAN BE A GREAT SORT OF SOLUTION FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS AND, UH, PREPARING FOR ADAPTING CLI AND PRE PREPARING AND ADAPTING FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE.
THEY CAN CAPTURE STORMWATER, TREAT STORMWATER, CAN INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WATER EFFICIENCY, CREATE BIODIVERSITY IN ECOSYSTEMS. UM, COOL.
THE AREA TO, UM, TO MITIGATE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS FOR THE COMMUNITY WHEN THESE THINGS DO GET BUILT.
UM, SO THE FOUR AREAS THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY, UH, INCENTIVIZES, GREEN ROOFS ARE THE FIRST ONE'S, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
UM, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE PERMITS ACCESS ACCESSIBLE GREEN ROOFS TO FULFILL PRIVATE COMMON OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THE SECOND ONE IS PLAN UNIT.
THE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, UM, WITHIN PUN ZONING, UM, ACCESSIBLE GREEN ROOFS CAN COUNT TOWARDS OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS, ALLOWING DEVELOPERS TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA BY INCORPORATING GREEN ROOFS INTO THEIR DESIGNS.
UH, THE THIRD ONE IS THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
UH, THE PROGRAM OFFERS ADDITIONAL FLORIDA AREA FOR DEVELOPMENTS THAT INCLUDE GREEN ROOFS, UM, AND SO THAT THAT'S A BENEFIT TO, UM, IN THAT SECTOR.
AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE, THE FOURTH ONE IS THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM ITSELF.
UH, SO THE RATING SYSTEM PROVIDES SEVERAL OPTIONS TO SECURE YOUR POINTS TO USE GREEN ROOFS TO CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING HIGH CERTIFICATION LEVELS, UH, IN THEIR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
UH, SO THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS, HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THIS, UM, OF THE SOLUTION.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD SAY WHEN, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS WHEN I WENT AND TALKED TO EXPERTS AT AUSTIN ENERGY GR IN GREEN BUILDING AND EXPERTS AT WATERSHED PROTECTION, UM, I SORT OF HEARD THAT, UH, GREEN ROO HAVEN'T REALLY FULLY CAUGHT ON AND YOU DON'T SEE THEM EVERYWHERE WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE BUILDINGS IN OUR CITY DUE TO SEVERAL FACTORS.
UM, THEY HAVE A HIGH INSTALLATION COST, RIGHT? WHEN YOU BUILD A NEW BUILDING AND PUT THIS IN, UM, IT'S NOT CHEAP.
UH, THERE'S ALSO INCREASED MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL ROOFS.
TRADITIONAL ROOF, YOU JUST LEAVE IT, YOU'RE GONNA PUT PLANTS, UM, ON A ROOF, IT'S, IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE, UM, ATTENTION.
UH, THERE ARE STRUCTURAL CONCERNS AND YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY DESIGN THE BUILDING A SPECIFIC WAY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ADDITIONAL SOIL WATER PLANTS ON TOP OF A BUILDING, UM, NEED FOR SPECIALIZED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION EXPERTISE.
AND THEN CHALLENGES WITH PLANT SELECTION AND WATER MANAGEMENT.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY THE MAIN ONE, UH, THAT I HEARD IS THAT IN NORTHERN CLIMATES LIKE DETROIT, CHICAGO, NEW YORK, TORONTO, SEATTLE, WE GET CONSISTENT RAIN.
UM, AND THOSE CITIES GET CONSISTENT RAIN AND IT CAN BE A LOT SIMPLER TO ESSENTIALLY INSTALL PLANTS AND THEN JUST LET THEM GROW OVER TIME.
UM, IN OUR, IN OUR VERY HOT AND DRY CLIMATE IN AUSTIN, UM, IT CAN BE JUST MORE, A LOT MORE CHALLENGING TO CONTINUE TO WATER PLANTS, UM, AND, AND SUPPORT THEM TO STAY ALIVE ON TOP OF A GREEN ROOF.
UM, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.
UM, I THINK IT'S A, IT CAN BE A REALLY GOOD PART OF, OF A GREEN BUILDING AND OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE THE RIGHT SPECIFIC, UM, BUILDING OWNER OR A DESIGNER AND SORT OF SITUATION FOR IT TO WORK.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? A QUESTION? THERE'S NO OFFSETS CURRENTLY, IF THERE'S A GREEN ROOF AND STORM WATER CAPTURE FOR RAINWATER GARDENS, THERE'S NO OFFSET FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER.
RIGHT? I'M THINKING OF A BUILDING THAT'S RECTANGULAR AND THEN IT IS TRYING TO FULLY CAPTURE ALL OF THE WATER THAT'S FALLING ON THE ROOF AND, UM, UTILIZING RAINWATER CAPTURE ON SITE.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR THE FOOTPRINT UNDERNEATH, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK SO.
AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION YOU AND I MM-HMM.
AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN THAT.
I KNOW I BROUGHT IT UP DURING THE DENSITY BONUS UPDATE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY TALKING ABOUT, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW CAN WE BETTER INCENTIVIZE THIS AND SAY THIS IS ACTUALLY BETTER IF PEOPLE ARE LIVING, YOU KNOW, CLOSER IN WALKABLE COMMUNITIES, CONNECTED COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, AND GETTING THAT ROOFTOP GARDEN RAINWATER CAPTURE FORMULA.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHERE MY IDEAL IS.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ANY INSIGHT YOU CAN PROVIDE US ON THE BACKEND ABOUT HOW WE AS COUNCIL CAN BETTER SUPPORT THAT AND HELP INCENTIVIZE THESE WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
AND THIS IS JUST WHERE I STARTED DREAMING AGAIN AND START THINKING ABOUT,
[01:35:01]
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT, IN MY MIND'S EYE, THE FUTURE OF FARMING DOESN'T LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, THE CLIMATE OR THE GLOBE WARMING.UM, THE FUTURE OF FARMING DOESN'T LOOK LIKE STICKING SEEDS IN THE GROUND AND HOPING FOR THE BEST.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE FUTURE OF FARMING IN SO MANY WAYS IS GONNA BE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY ADDRESSING GOING VERTICAL, GOING INDOORS, GOING, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL SOIL.
IT'S AQUAPONICS, IT'S HYDROPONICS, IT'S THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I'M A, A BIG GARDENER AND A LOT OF MY PLANTS, NOT ONLY ARE THEY NATIVE REQUIRE VERY LITTLE WATER, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TRADITIONAL SOIL EVEN.
UM, SO COCO QUO FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT, IT DOESN'T WEIGH WHAT SOIL WOULD WEIGH WHEN WET.
I THINK THIS IS JUST A ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY DIG DOWN DEEP AND WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AROUND INNOVATIVE PRACTICES AND LANDSCAPING DESIGN AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, UM, BEING ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF POLLINATORS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WILDFLOWER SEEDS, THEY DON'T WANT A LOT.
YOU COULD PUT AN INCH OF SOIL ON TOP OF A ROOF AND JUST DUMP A BUNCH OF WILDFLOWER SEEDS THAT ARE NATIVE AND LET 'EM GO CRAZY AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE OUR POLLINATORS, UM, HAVE A FEAST.
YOU KNOW, I JUST, I REALLY WANT US TO START THINKING WAY OUTSIDE OF THE BOX ABOUT, UM, JUST UTILIZING THE SPACE AND NOT NECESSARILY BEING ENCUMBERED BY WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE A BARRIER.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE'RE JUST NOT EVEN CONSIDERING YET.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, MY OFFICE, UM, WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW ABOUT THIS.
SO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, THE MCCOMB SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, THEY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE MBA PLUS PROGRAM.
SO BASICALLY A COHORT OF GRAD STUDENTS ARE TAKING ON A SERIES OF PROJECTS.
SO THE APPLICATION FOR THE SPRING SEMESTER IS, IS LIVE CURRENTLY.
SO WHAT YOU DO IS YOU COMPLETE THE APPLICATION, THEY GO THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS, AND THEY PICK A PROJECT, AND BASICALLY YOU GET A COHORT OF GRAD STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING ON YOUR PROJECT TO SOLVE A CHALLENGE.
AND SO PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TWO FOLKS WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, HERE TODAY AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REUNITE WITH MR. FISK.
IT'S LIKE, IF WE REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AND FULLY UTILIZE THEM, SO, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DO WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THAT WE COULD BE WORKING WITH TO REALLY TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX FOR MAXIMUM USE OF SPACE IN PLACE, MAXIMUM CONSIDERATION AROUND CLIMATE REALITY, MAXIMUM CONSIDERATION AROUND, GOD FORBID WE WORK WITH OUR FRIENDS UP THE ROAD AT A AND M, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY START THINKING ABOUT FROM AN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO WE HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO, I MEAN, THOSE GREEN ROOFS DON'T HAVE TO JUST NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, GROW FLOWERS AND ORNAMENTAL GRASSES.
WHAT IF WE'RE PRODUCING FOOD? WHAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT URBAN FARMING AND FOOD PRODUCTION ON TOP OF THESE ROOF? DOES IT CHANGE THE CONSIDERATIONS IF THERE'S SOME COMPONENT OF THE POTENTIAL FOR REVENUE GENERATION CUT FLOWERS COST MONEY? WHAT IF WE COULD DO THAT? YOU KNOW, I JUST, I REALLY WANT US TO START THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE CONSIDERATIONS.
SO I'M GLAD, GLAD THIS IS, I THINK, IN MY MIND'S EYE, THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG FOR, UH, THESE CONVERSATIONS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.
SO, UM, WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM
[8. Update on next steps related to the development of strategies to build awareness and minimize barriers to relocating residential structures as requested in Resolution No. 20231102-024.]
NUMBER EIGHT, UM, WHERE WE ARE GONNA DISCUSS MINIMIZING BARRIERS TO RELOCATING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES, WHICH BY THE WAY, I DID NOT KNOW WAS A THING UNTIL ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.UM, AND I STARTED TALKING TO SOME FOLKS WHO, WHO MOVE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES AND RECOGNIZING ALL THE THINGS THAT GO INTO IT, THE EXPENSE THAT GOES INTO IT, YOU KNOW, FROM A LOGISTICS PERSPECTIVE, IT IS FASCINATING.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA, UM, TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM AND THEN, UM, AFTER WE HEAR FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON THIS TOPIC, OUR FINAL ITEM IS GONNA DISCUSS FUTURE MEETINGS AND ITEMS WE MAY TAKE UP AT THAT TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BRENDA DE LA GARZA AND I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND TODAY I AM GONNA BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE STRATEGIES WE'VE DEVELOPED REGARDING RELOCATING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES ON NOVEMBER 2ND, 2023.
RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 0 2 3 1 1 0 2 0 2 4 WAS PASSED.
THIS RESOLUTION ASKED STAFF TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES, BUILD AWARENESS OF HOUSE RELOCATION OPTIONS, AND IDENTIFY AND MINIMIZE THE BARRIERS FOR A PERSON SEEKING TO RELOCATE A HOME.
TO BEGIN THIS WORK, DSD HELD A STAKEHOLDER
[01:40:01]
ENGAGEMENT SESSION LAST SPRING TO DISCUSS SOLUTIONS AND POTENTIAL CHALLENGES AROUND THE PROCESS OF RELOCATING A HOME.REPRESENTATIVES FROM REUSE PEOPLE PRESERVATION AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN INFILL COALITION AND MEMBERS OF THE ARCHITECTURE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED IN THIS SESSION AFTER DSD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
A MEMO ON DSDS RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATIONS WAS ISSUED TO MAYOR CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGEMENT ON JULY 16TH, 2024.
DURING THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SESSION, FOUR KEY FOCUS AREAS ROSE TO THE TOP.
THE FIRST IS TO BUILD MORE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT HOME RELOCATIONS.
THE SECOND WAS THE NEED FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR CONTRACTORS AND GENERAL EDUCATION OF THE HOME RELOCATION PROCESS FOR THE PUBLIC.
THE GROUP ALSO IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO STREAMLINE THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR HOME RELOCATIONS.
AND THE FOURTH AREA WAS TO EVALUATE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH THOSE FOUR FOCUS AREAS IN MIND.
OUR FIRST STRATEGY WAS TO DEVELOP AN ENHANCED INFORMATIONAL WEBPAGE ON HOME RELOCATIONS.
WHILE DSD ALREADY HAD AN EXISTING IN INFO, HAD EXISTING INFORMATION ON RELOCATIONS, THIS NEW PAGE IS WRITTEN FOR THE CUSTOMER THAT MAY BE GOING THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
AND IT FEATURES MORE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION TO GUIDE OUR CUSTOMERS STEP BY STEP ON THIS PAGE, CUSTOMER CUSTOMERS WILL FIND IMPORTANT PREPARATION STEPS SO THAT INFORMED DECISIONS CAN BE MADE BEFORE BEGINNING THE PERMIT PROCESS.
THE RELOCATION PROCESS ALSO INVOLVES WORKING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THOSE RESOURCES, CHECKLIST AND PERMIT APPLICATIONS ARE ALL LISTED IN A CENTRALIZED LOCATION ON THE WEBSITE.
A KEY ENHANCEMENT OF THE SITE ALSO INCLUDES DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SEVEN, SEVEN DIFFERENT RELOCATION OPTIONS THAT EXIST FOR A CUSTOMER.
FOR EXAMPLE, A CUSTOMER MAY WANNA MOVE A HOME FROM INSIDE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS TO INSIDE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, OR IT MAY BE MOVING INSIDE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS TO OUTSIDE, UM, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.
THIS WEBPAGE IS NOW LIVE AND CAN BE FOUND AT AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/RELOCATION.
OUR NEXT STRATEGY WAS TO DEVELOP A WAY TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF ACTIVE DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PROJECTS.
WE ACCOMPLISHED THIS THROUGH AN ONLINE DEVELOPMENT TRACKER THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SEE ALL OF THE ACTIVE DEMOLITIONS AND RELOCATIONS IN THE CITY.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE AGE OF ANY STRUCTURE FOR A PROPOSED DEMOLITION, AND THERE'S A FEATURE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO FILTER BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
THE TRACKER IS LIVE AND AVAILABLE FOR USE TODAY.
ALONG WITH THAT TRACKER, DSD IS ALSO DEVELOPING A COMPANION INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO FOR THE TRACKER, WHICH IS PROJECTED TO LAUNCH IN SPRING OF 2025.
SHIFTING TO AN EDUCATION FOCUS, DSD IS PLANNING TO LAUNCH ONLINE TRAINING IN THE SPRING OF 2025.
THE TRAINING WILL BE TAILORED TO CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC AND WILL HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS OF A HOUSE RELOCATION, AS WELL AS REVIEW OF THE PERMIT PROCESS.
DSD IS ALSO MAKING UPDATES TO OUR RELOCATION AND DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS WILL BE FOUND IN FULLER DETAIL AND WE'VE ADDED A LINK TO THE DEVELOPMENT TRACKER ON OUR FORMS. AND OUR DEMOLITION APPLICATION NOW FEATURES RELOCATION INFORMATION ON THEM SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THERE ARE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITIONS.
THOSE APPLICATIONS WILL BE COMPLETED NEXT MONTH.
AND LAST DSD HAS EVALUATED THE PERMIT PROCESS FOR RELOCATIONS AND HAS MADE THE CHANGE TO PRIORITIZE RELOCATION APPLICATIONS FOR FASTER PROCESSING.
THROUGH THE PRIORITIZATION AND ATTENTION TO RELOCATION APPLICATIONS, STAFF CAN ADHERE TO THE THREE TO FIVE BUSINESS DAY TIMELINE FOR RELOCATIONS ON THE HORIZON.
DSD HAS ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND FURTHER ANALYSIS SURROUNDING RELOCATIONS.
DSD INTENDS TO DEVELOP INTERNAL METRICS FOR RELOCATIONS, WHICH GIVE US IMPORTANT DATA TO MAKE FUTURE DECISIONS.
AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY INTENDS TO EXPLORE DECONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSIDER PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT REUSE OUTLETS.
AND FINALLY, DSD WILL PERFORM FURTHER ANALYSIS ON THE FEASIBILITY OF LOWERING FEES AND OR IDENTIFYING A FUNDING SOURCE TO WAIVE FEES.
THOSE ARE THE UPDATES I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
[01:45:01]
QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK SO.THAT'S JUST, I LOOKED UP THE DEVELOPMENT TRACKER LINK AND IT HAS A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ON IT.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
UM, AND LASTLY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE
[9. Identify items for future meetings.]
A ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE OPPORTUNITY FIRST TO DISCUSS FUTURE MEETINGS AND, UM, ITEMS THAT WE MAY WANNA BRING FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION HERE AT THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, VICE SHARE ALTER WAS ONLINE, BUT I DON'T SEE HIM ANYMORE, SO WE GET TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT.
OH, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? UM, I HAVE AN ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD FOR FUTURE FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO TO GO FIRST IF THERE'S ANYTHING ON YOUR MIND.
I JUST THINK THAT'S A FASCINATING CONVERSATION AROUND THE ROOFTOP GARDENS.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW, I, I WAS KIND OF INSPIRED TO SAY LET'S WORK ON THIS.
MAYBE WE WORK ON IT BEHIND THE SCENES TOGETHER.
I'D LOVE TO, YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS ABOUT THIS OVER THE YEARS.
UM, SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO FOR MY RETIREMENT PLAN, SOMETIMES LOOKING AT MY RETIREMENT PLAN OFTEN GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THINGS ABOUT THAT ARE APPLICABLE HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, AND YES, MY RETIREMENT PLAN IS TO BE A FARMER.
UM, AND SO I'M LEARNING A LOT ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND FARMLAND.
DID YOU KNOW THAT FARMLAND IS ONE OF ONE THE MOST, UM, SOUGHT AFTER PROPERTY THERE IS IN REAL ESTATE, BUT ALSO, UM, ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS YOU CAN INVEST IN? WARREN BUFFET SAYS FARMLAND AND ART.
UM, AND SO, AND I LISTEN TO WARREN BUFFET AND SO THAT TO SAY, I THINK REPURPOSING SPACE IN THAT WAY COULD HELP US TO SORT OF BYPASS THE BARRIER THAT IS URBAN FARMERS NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE REAL ESTATE THAT IS FARMLAND.
SO JUST THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.
BUT THE THING THAT I WANNA THINK ABOUT, UM, FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION IS ZOMBIE REAL ESTATE.
SO I'M HEARING, UM, UPWARDS OF 60% OF OFFICE SPACE BEING COMPLETELY ABANDONED AND NOT JUST POST COVID NECESSARILY, BUT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WORKING DIFFERENTLY.
UM, AND SO I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT ZOMBIE REAL ESTATE BEING REPURPOSED FOR HOUSING.
I'VE SEEN A FEW EXAMPLES IN PEER CITIES AND I'M SUPER FASCINATED TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE COULD DO TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE TAKING UP SPACE AND JUST SIT IN THERE.
UM, MOST ESPECIALLY DURING THE COURSE OF US HAVING, UM, UH, A CONTINUED HOUSING CRISIS, UM, NOT JUST IN AUSTIN BUT NATIONALLY.
UM, AND SO, UH, A FUTURE ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION FOR UM, FOR ME WOULD BE LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CAN REPURPOSE SOME OF THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD REQUIRE VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ADDITIONAL BUILD OUT.
UM, AND GET MORE HOUSING ON THE GROUND AND PLACES AND SPACES THAT COULD BE DUAL PURPOSE.
UM, SO MIXED USE, UM, SPACES THAT OTHERWISE WERE SIT AND EMPTY OFFICE SPACES.
AND THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE I HAD TO BRING FORWARD.
ALL WELL, Y'ALL, WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
IT IS NOW 3:48 PM AND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE ARE CALLING THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING ADJOURNED.