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I'M GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO
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ORDER.IT'S 6 0 3, UH, DECEMBER 9TH, 2024.
UM, WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? CHAIR? NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UM, HAS EVERYONE TAKEN A LOOK AT OUR
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MEETING MINUTES? UM, AND HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE? CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SEC.UH, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, UNANIMOUS.
[2. Staff briefing regarding an update to the Great Streets Program. Presented by Jill Amezcua, Planning Department. Sponsors: Chair Salinas and Commissioner Carroll.]
STAFF BRIEFINGS, UH, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE UPDATE TO THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM, UH, PRESENTED BY JILL EMMAN, DIKA PLANNING DEPARTMENT.I CAN Y ALL HEAR ME OKAY NOW? YEAH.
MY NAME IS JILL ESCO, AND I AM THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM MANAGER IN URBAN DESIGN AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS EVENING, I'LL BE PRESENTING AN UPDATE TO YOU ALL ON THE GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.
AND COULD SOMEONE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
SO THIS EVENING, WE'LL BE GOING OVER AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO WITH THE GREAT STREETS PLAN.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA GO OVER IS DEMOGRAPHICS, AND THEN I'LL GO OVER WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE LAST YEAR ON EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UPDATE, AS WELL AS THE GREAT STREETS LIGHT POLE.
SO WHAT WE'VE STARTED TO WORK ON IN URBAN DESIGN ARE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT SOME OF THEM ARE SURPRISING, AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY OBVIOUS THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO IN AUSTIN, AND COMPARING AUSTIN TO DOWNTOWN.
SO LOOKING AT NOT ONLY DOWNTOWN'S POPULATION GROWTH, BUT AS WELL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A WHOLE.
WHAT REALLY SURPRISED ME WAS THAT THE DOWNTOWN AREA ONLY HAS RECEIVED ONLY 2% GROWTH, UM, IN THE PAST 10 YEARS OR SO, WHICH IS STILL SIGNIFICANT, BUT IT'S OVERALL OF THE OVER A MILLION PEOPLE OR SO IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE OVER 14,000 HOTEL ROOMS IN DOWNTOWN.
SO THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO WHAT TYPE OF LAND USES IN DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS THERE ARE OVER 130,000 EMPLOYEES.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO DIVE INTO THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE, WE'LL USE DEMOGRAPHICS SUCH AS THESE AND OTHERS TO IDENTIFY, UM, REALLY WHO WE'RE DOING THE PLAN FOR IN CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
SO THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS.
SO WHAT THE URBAN DESIGN TEAM HAS COMPLETED IN, UH, THE LAST YEAR OR SO, IS A FULL INVENTORY OF ALL 225 BLOCK FACES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN THAT CURRENTLY HAVE GREAT STREETS INSTALLED ON THEM.
AND THAT ONLY INCLUDES AN EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF GREAT STREETS ELEMENTS, SO LIKE TREES, BIKE RACKS, BENCHES, AND HAVING THAT INVENTORY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY USE THAT DATA TO INFORM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS PLAN UPDATE.
AND WITH THAT, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED THE CONDITION OF THE GREAT STREETS ELEMENTS.
SO THE TOP THREE AND BOTTOM THREE STREET SCAPE ELEMENTS WERE IDENTIFIED.
SO THE TOP THREE INCLUDE PLANTERS SIGNS AND SIDEWALK CAFES, WHEREAS THE BOTTOM THREE, ONE OF THEM WAS TRASH RECEPTACLES.
AND THAT WAS A LITTLE SURPRISING IN THAT DOWNTOWN OVERALL IS VERY CLEAN.
THERE'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF TRASH.
HOWEVER, WITH THESE TRASH RECEPTACLES, THEY'RE BEING BROKEN INTO SOMETIMES THAT THE LOCKS ARE ACTUALLY BEING BROKEN, AND THERE ARE SOMETIMES TRASH AROUND THOSE RECEPTACLES.
SO MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE WITH THE UPDATE TO UPDATE THE, UM, ACTUAL DESIGN OF THIS TRASH RECEPTACLE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING DOWNTOWN.
ALSO, THE BENCHES WERE NOT IN THE BEST CONDITION OVERALL EITHER.
UM, ON THESE 225 BLOCK FACES, THE BENCHES ARE QUITE OLD IN SOME INSTANCES WHERE JUST THE WEATHER IN TEXAS HAS
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REALLY TAKEN A BEATING TO THESE BENCHES AS WELL AS JUST USE.SO THESE BENCHES ARE HEAVILY USED.
THERE'S, UM, OFTEN INDIVIDUALS, UM, USING THESE BENCHES, AND SO THEY'RE JUST TAKING A, A REAL BEATING.
SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE TO UPDATE THOSE BENCHES AS WELL.
THE LAST ITEM THAT WASN'T, UM, THE IN THE BEST CONDITION WERE BOTH TREE AND PAVER GRATES.
AND WITH THAT, THE TREES IN DOWNTOWN THAT WERE PLANTED A LONG TIME AGO HAD EXPANDED IN SIZE, AND SO THE TREE AND PAVER GRS WERE NOT ALWAYS MAINTAINED.
AND SO WE'RE HAVING TO ACTUALLY CUT DOWN SOME OF THESE TREES BECAUSE THE TREES ARE BEING GIRDLED, UM, AND CHOKED BY THE TREE OR PAVER GATE THAT WAS NOT MAINTAINED.
SO WE'LL USE ALL THIS INFORMATION AS PART OF OUR GRAY STREET SUBJECT TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED.
ALL RIGHT, SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH.
SO WHAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON HERE EARLY NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDERS INTERNALLY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON GREAT STREETS, WHO REALLY KNOW THE PROGRAM AND IDENTIFY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT CHALLENGES AND ISSUES THEY HAVE.
UM, IN WORKING WITH BRAVE STREETS ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE WILL INCLUDE, UM, AS PART OF OUR ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH, NOT ONLY ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, BUT SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL HAVE A SURVEY AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE'LL TAKE ALL THIS INFORMATION AND WE WILL FORMULATE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HEAR OVER AND OVER WITHIN EACH ONE OF THESE, UM, ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH SESSIONS, AND IDENTIFY RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCLUDE IN THE PLAN UPDATE.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE GREAT STREETS LIGHT POLE.
SO Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS LIGHT POLE.
THIS LIGHT POLE WAS DESIGNED, BUT HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER INSTALLED IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THIS PLACE IS THE AUSTIN ENERGY LIGHT POLE.
AND WHAT WE SAW IN OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS WAS THAT THIS LIGHT POLE IS ACTUALLY SPACED TOO CLOSE TO THE TREE CANOPY.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE IN THIS PHOTO, BUT THE CANOPY IS ACTUALLY SOMETIMES BLOCKING THE LIGHT OF THE TREE.
AND SO TO SOLVE THAT, TO LIGHT THE STREET ADEQUATELY, THE CANOPY IS SOMETIMES BEING BEING CUT IN HALF.
AND SO THAT'S NOT ONLY DETRIMENTAL TO THE HEALTH OF THE TREE, BUT AS WELL AS JUST FROM AN AESTHETIC POINT OF VIEW, HAVING HALF OF A TREE IN THE STREETSCAPE IS A LITTLE AWKWARD.
SO THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO UPDATE THIS LIGHT POLE AS PART OF THE GRAY STREETS UPDATE AS WELL.
SOMETHING ELSE THAT URBAN DESIGN HAS BEEN WORKING ON RECENTLY ARE CROSS SECTIONS TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND TODAY.
SO THIS CROSS SECTION SHOWS ALL THE COMPETING INTERESTS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO YOU NOT ONLY HAVE VEHICLES AS WELL AS BIKE LANES AND PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE USING THIS 80 FOOT RIGHT AWAY, BUT HAVING THE AMENITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS LIKE BENCHES AND SHADE, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE OF THE PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE THESE CROSS SECTIONS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE ALL THESE COMPETING ADDRESS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE PROCESS, THIS IS YOUR TYPICAL PLANNING PROCESS, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE VISIONING PHASE.
SO AS I MENTIONED, UM, NEXT YEAR WE WILL, UM, CONTINUE TO, UH, KICK OFF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FROM THERE, WHAT WE HEAR IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE WILL IDENTIFY A SCOPE OF WORK AND TAKE THAT AND CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE PLAN AS WELL AS OUR STANDARDS, AND THEN GET THAT LAND ADOPTED OBJECT COUNCIL.
SO, NEXT STEPS INCLUDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS UPDATING THE GREAT STRAIGHTS PLAN AND STANDARDS.
AND FROM THERE, I WILL OPEN IT TO ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO WE HAD THE CONGRESS AVENUE, UH, INITIATIVE FOLKS OR REPRESENTATIVES COME WITHIN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO MM-HMM
AND, UM, WHEN WE TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT GRADE STREETS, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A LACK OF FAMILIARITY.
UM, SINCE THEN, HAS THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THAT INITIATIVE FROM GREAT STREETS? YES.
SO THE CONGRESS AVENUE INITIATIVE IS REALLY OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF GREAT STREETS BECAUSE THE, IT'S IN WITHIN THE GREAT STREETS BOUNDARIES, BUT CONGRESS AVENUE IS JUST LEFT BLANK ON THE PLAN.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S IN THE BOUNDARIES, BUT IT'S NOT ONE OF THE STREET TYPOLOGIES FOR GREAT STREETS CURRENTLY.
AND IN THAT TIME, UM, URBAN DESIGN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH TPW TO POTENTIALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE SOME OF
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THE ELEMENTS OF GREAT STREETS ARE PART OF THAT INITIATIVE, BUT WE'RE STILL IN CONVERSATIONS WITH TPW, IDENTIFY HOW THAT LOOKS.SO IT'S STILL, STILL UNDERWAY.
SO THERE IS SOME IDEA SHARING BETWEEN YES.
AND THEN, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RUN INTO OFTEN IS THAT, UH, SOME STREETS, UM, DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF BEING COMPLIANT, UH, WITH GREAT STREETS.
UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO KIND OF SCENARIOS THAT I'M THINKING OF.
ONE BEING, YOU KNOW, IF IT FRONTS, UM, LIKE A STATE OWNED, UH, YOU KNOW, I 35, SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT MM-HMM
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS CURIOUS, UH, HOW WE SHOULD, UM, REVIEW THOSE PROJECTS.
UH, AND A LOT OF THEM DO KIND OF TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO IMPLEMENT SOME ELEMENTS OF GREAT STREETS.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT DOING SOME SORT OF LIGHT VERSION OF GREAT STREETS FOR, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE KIND OF, UM, ABUTTING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF STATE RESTRICTED AREAS? UH, THAT'S ONE QUESTION.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER QUESTION IS JUST WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, WE HAVE ALL THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, INITIATIVES THAT, UH, ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING MORE TREES PLANTED, UM, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, GREAT STREETS.
BUT, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, UH, THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS GET IN THE WAY OF US BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF GREAT STREETS.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THOSE TWO SCENARIOS? YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE A STATE, UH, LIMITATION IN THE SECOND WHERE A ENERGY IS POTENTIALLY A HINDRANCE? SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, FOR THE CONFLICTS THAT WE SEE, LIKE ON TXDOT, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH GREAT STREETS, WHERE YOU CANNOT HAVE GREAT STREETS BECAUSE IT'S A VERTICAL ELEMENT THAT'S NOT ALLOWED BY THE STATE TXDOT REQUIREMENTS.
SO IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, WHAT URBAN DESIGN HAS CREATED IS A CODE AMENDMENT THAT ALLOWS FOR A, UM, THE DEVELOPERS TO PAY INTO A FUND WHERE THEY'RE STILL MEETING GREAT STREETS BECAUSE THEY, THEY CAN'T INSTALL PHYSICAL GREAT STREETS ELEMENTS, BUT PER A SQUARE FOOT BASIS, THE DEVELOPER CAN PAY INTO THAT FUND.
AND THAT'S WHERE, UM, WE HAVE A REALLY RECONCILED THAT ISSUE.
AND FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY EVERY SINGLE DAY TO LOOK AT WHERE TREES SPECIFICALLY OR GREAT STREET'S INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE PLACED.
AND THEN FROM THERE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MOVE UTILITIES BECAUSE THE, THE STRICT REQUIREMENTS OF GREAT STREET.
SO IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH THOSE UTILITY DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY WHAT DESIGN SOLUTIONS WE CAN ARRIVE AT TO INSTALL GRAY STREETS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THAT'S IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, LOOKING AT ONE OF YOUR DIAGRAMS HERE OF THAT, UH, CROSS SECTION OF THE STREET, HOW ARE, UH, LIKE THE SCOOTERS AND RENT BIKE RENTAL, ALL THAT GONNA PLAY INTO REQUIREMENTS FOR, UM, FOR THE STREETS? THAT'S A REALLY BIG QUESTION.
AS WE WORK THROUGH WITH THIS UPDATE, THAT IS ONE OF THOSE NEW THINGS THAT HAVE COME INTO PLAY IN THE LAST 25 YEARS SINCE THIS INITIAL PLAN HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH TPW TO IDENTIFY HOW THAT PLAYS INTO THESE CROSS SECTIONS.
'CAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT NECESSARILY STOP IT IS IT IS HAPPENING.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH TPW, BUT THIS TIME, I, I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ANSWER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I DON'T HAVE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT, YOU SAID THE, THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT TREE, UH, THE PAVER, UH, GRATE.
SO WHEN THE TREES ARE GET TOO BIG, AND YOU SAID IT WASN'T PROPERLY MAINTAINED, THEY HAVE TO CUT THAT TREE DOWN.
WHAT DOES THAT MAINTENANCE LOOK LIKE, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY OF HOW DO YOU KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO FOR THE TRUE GRATE SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE DESIGN, SO THAT WAY THE RINGS CAN BE EXPANDED, BUT IN SOME CASES, THOSE RINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS EXPANDED DUE TO THE VARIOUS REASONS.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT'S CAUSING THE TREE TO GIRDLE AS IT GROWS INSIDES AND EXPANDS OVER THAT RING, AND POTENTIALLY BE CUT DOWN IN SOME INSTANCES THAT I'VE SEEN.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? UM, I HAD A QUESTION.
UM, IS THERE ANY, UM, HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN LOOKING INTO REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR THESE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN? ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS STILL, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING THE GREAT STREETS TREE? SO IT DEPENDS.
UM, IF THE TREE WAS INSTALLED, IT'S THROUGH A LICENSE AGREEMENT, WHETHER IT WAS A CIP PROJECT OR THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM OF WHICH GREAT STREETS IS ONE OF THE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS OF.
AND SO THROUGH THAT APPROVED SITE PLAN, THROUGH EITHER OF THOSE AVENUES OR A LICENSE AGREEMENT, THE TREE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE FIVE INCH CALIPER OR WHATEVER SPECIFIED ON THOSE SPECIFIC DOCUMENTS, UM, TO THE SAME SPECIES OF WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED.
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THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, THAT DOES.UM, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, AS IT RELATES TO IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, UM, I, I THINK I, I KNOW OF ONE IN THE ROOM, UM, WE'D BE, WE'D LOVE TO PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S OTHER EFFORTS THAT I, UM, THAT I'M, I'M WORKING ON AS WELL THAT, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO ENGAGE WITH THE, THIS PROCESS ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIRMAN, MINOR COMMISSIONER, LUIN.
SO YOU MENTIONED, UH, RE UH, REPLACING, UH, SPECIES, SPECIES, WHICH MADE ME WONDER ABOUT, UH, SPECIES DIVERSITY FOR, UH, URBAN FOREST HEALTH.
SO WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING THINKING ABOUT, UH, THE HEALTH OF THE URBAN FOREST DOWNTOWN RELATIVE TO SPECIES DIVERSITY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO CURRENTLY I AM WORKING WITH THE CITY ARBORIST TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT SPECIES THAT, UM, ARE PART OF A, RIGHT NOW A VERY LENGTHY LIST THAT WE'RE GOING TO NARROW DOWN AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE MORE DIVERSITY IN DOWNTOWN.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ONLY SIX TREES THAT ARE SPECIFIED BY STREET LOCATION AND LIKE THE WHOLE STREET.
SO POTENTIALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT CREATING MORE DIVERSITY, HAVE NOT ONLY THE SPECIES TYPE, BUT AS FAR AS THE LOCATION OF THE TREES PLANTED AS WELL, TO HAVE A HABITAT DOWNTOWN WHERE THE, THESE TREES HAVE MORE OF A CHANCE TO SURVIVAL.
SO WHEN THERE'S A SPECIFIC, UM, LIKE INFESTATION OF A BUG, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE NOT WIPING OUT ALL THE TREES.
SO JUST THINKING AHEAD ON THAT.
UM, SO, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF GREAT STREETS, UM, IS, IS THERE CONVERSATION ABOUT EXTENDING BEYOND JUST KIND OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA INTO THE URBAN CORE OR INTO OUR CORRIDORS? SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES ARE JUST THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN.
HOWEVER, AS PART OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THERE ARE PROJECTS LIKE IN RAINY STREET, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN GREAT STREETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, AS I JUST MENTIONED, 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE CHOOSING TO, UM, BUT THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE GREAT STREETS BOUNDARIES.
SO THAT'S ONE REALLY LOW HANGING FRUIT IS POTENTIALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTALL GREAT STREETS IN THOSE AREAS ON A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH INSTEAD OF THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY, UM, TYPE SITUATION THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING THROUGH DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE CROSS SECTION FOR GREAT STREETS.
UM, LIKE I SHOWED, THIS IS 80 FEET, AND SO, AND LIKE IN RAINY STREET FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE 80 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY.
SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN THINKING ABOUT WHERE WE EXPAND THESE BOUNDARIES TO BECAUSE OF THOSE CONSTRAINTS WITH THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL SPACE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, IT DOES.
I THINK, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING THAT THERE'S URBANIZATION GOING ON BEYOND JUST DOWNTOWN IN OUR CORRIDORS.
UM, THERE'S PUDS, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE KIND OF UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THERE'S MAYBE SOME, UH, POTENTIAL MOVEMENT BEYOND, UH, WHAT WE TYPICALLY IDENTIFY AS THE URBAN CORE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PROGRESS FURTHER.
[3. Discussion and action on whether the Asian American Resource Center Phase II Improvement Project, located at 8401 Cameron Road, complies with the City Design and Sustainability Standards. Presented by David Sweere and Trey Trahan, Trahan Architects.]
AND ACTION ITEM, UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM, UH, ON WHETHER THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LOCATED AT 84 0 1 CAMERON ROAD, COMPLIES WITH THE CITY OF DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS, UH, PRESENTED BY DAVID SWER AND TREY TA RAD.UM, THIS IS TREY TREHAN, FOUNDER OF TREHAN ARCHITECTS.
AND JOINING ME THIS EVENING IS DAVID SWEARER AND SANDRA ERMAN.
PARDON? TREY, IF YOUR TEAM COULD COME ON CAMERA, PLEASE.
WELL, GOOD EVENING COMMISSION.
UM, MY NAME'S TREY REHAN, UH, FOUNDER AND DESIGN PRINCIPAL WITH TREYHAN ARCHITECTS.
I'M LOCATED IN OUR NEW ORLEANS OFFICE.
JOINING ME THIS EVENING IS DAVID SWER, PROJECT MANAGER AND SANDRA BAGGER AND, UH, UH, PROJECT DESIGNER.
UM, AS MENTIONED THIS EVENING, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT THE PHASE TWO PERFORMANCE PAVILION OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER MASTER PLAN.
UM, WE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH, UM, THE GOALS, THE MISSION STATEMENT, THE VALUES THAT WERE
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ESTABLISHED, UM, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.UM, WE'LL DISCUSS THE PROGRAM, UH, REVIEW SITE ANALYSIS, SOME OF OUR CONCEPTUAL WORK, AND THEN END WITH THE CONCEPTUAL BUILDING PLAN AND SOME RENDERINGS.
UM, SO WE SHARED OUR PRESENTATION.
I'M, I CAN SHARE WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR SCREEN.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS EVENING AND, AND, UM, WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE, UM, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO THE, THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, UM, UH, MASTER PLAN, THIS, THIS PROJECT IS, UH, IS THE CREATION OF A PAVILION, UH, WITHIN THE GREAT LAWN AREA ON THE SITE.
UM, THE PAVILION AIMS, UH, TO ENHANCE THE A RC BY PROVIDING A VERSATILE SPACE, UH, WHERE AUSTIN'S DIVERSE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES CAN COME TOGETHER AND SHARE IN THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND PARTICIPATE IN ENRICHING PROGRAMS. SO THE PAVILION WILL SERVE AS A MULTIPURPOSE VENUE, REALLY WITH THE KEY FEATURES OF A PERFORMANCE AREA AND ACCESSIBLE, UH, FACILITIES AND AMENITIES, AND THEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
SO, THE MISSION STATEMENT BEHIND THE A RC IS CREATING A SPACE OF BELONGING AND HEALING FOR REALLY THE DIVERSE AND LARGE ASIAN AMERICAN, UH, COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN.
AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS THROUGH THE VALUES OF DIVERSITY.
SO, UH, SOLIDARITY, PEACE, UH, COLLABORATION, AND THEN, UH, INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTION.
SO THIS IS JUST PART OF A VISION PLAN FOR THE SITE.
UM, PHASE ONE INCLUDED, UH, WHAT IS EXISTING ON THE SITE, CURRENTLY IN AN 18,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING WITH A BALLROOM, UH, LIBRARY, CLASSROOM, OFFICE SPACE, UM, STORAGE, AND A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN.
ON THE SITE ALREADY IS AN ART AND PUBLIC PLACE, UH, SCULPTURE, UM, AND AN EXISTING GREAT LAWN OF, OF REALLY STUNNING, UM, LIVE OAKS.
THIS PROJECT IS, UM, JUST PART OF PHASE TWO, UH, IN BOLD, UM, WE'LL SEE THE PAVILION AND STAGE, WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE VISION PLAN.
AND THEN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS, IS REALLY THE SURROUNDING EVENT AND ACTIVITY LAW, AND ALSO IN BOLD.
UM, SO, UM, A LOT OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE PLANNED AND THE VISION PLAN AS WELL.
SO THIS IS THE EXISTING CONDITION ON SITE, UH, AND THE RED DASH LINE IS WHERE YOU SEE THE, UM, THE GREAT LAWN.
AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL OPENING WITHIN THAT BETWEEN THE TREES THAT REALLY, UH, IS THE, OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LOCATION OF THE PERFORMANCE PAVILION.
SO THIS IS PULLED DIRECTLY FROM THAT, UH, VISION PLAN YOU SEE.
NUMBER THREE, UH, LOCATED IN THAT GREAT LAWN IS THE STAGE IN PAVILION.
UM, OTHER PARTS OF PHASE TWO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL PARKING AND REVISIONS TO THE RING ROAD, UH, AND THEN THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WHICH WE WERE INVOLVED IN, UM, STARTING IN 2022.
UH, AND, AND A LOT OF THE, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF THAT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, UM, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS AT A HUNDRED PERCENT SD.
UM, 13 IS THE, IS THE AREA ALLOTTED FOR A PHASE THREE BUILDING.
AND THEN TWO, THE EAST IS A CONCURRENT PROJECT THAT'S ONGOING, UH, IN THE WATERSHED.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT CREATING A, A, A REALLY, A LARGE SITE, UM, THAT'S, UM, ACCESSIBLE.
BUT NUMBER THREE IS, UH, THE STAGE IN PAVILION, WHICH IS REALLY SERVING AS SORT OF THE LINCHPIN OF THE CAMPUS, ESSENTIALLY LOCATED ON THE SITE.
SO, THERE'S BEEN AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT THAT REALLY GOES EVEN BEYOND
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OUR INVOLVEMENT FROM THE 2019 VISION PLAN.UM, BUT STARTING WITH THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, GOING BACK TO EARLY 2022, WE CONDUCTED A SERIES OF, OF, UM, MEETINGS BOTH IN PERSON AND REMOTE WITH A, WITH A LARGE SE, UH, SERIES OF, OF, UH, STAKEHOLDERS AND GROUPS, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PULL IN A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE, IN THE SMALLER PERFORMING, UH, PERFORM PERFORMANCE PAVILION.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE TO THE RIGHT ALL OF THOSE GROUPS THAT WE'VE MET WITH, AND THE DATES AND ON, UH, UNDER THE PROJECT GOALS ARE REALLY WHAT WE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN FROM THOSE GROUPS.
SO A SENSE OF HOME FOR THE COMMUNITY ACCESS AND INCLUS AND INCLUSIVITY, UM, HARBORING CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE, UM, FOCUSING AROUND PERFORMING ARTS AND ARTIST CULTIVATION, UH, BEING A HYBRID FOR PERFORMANCE AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, BEING ACCESSIBLE, UH, BEYOND THE, PER JUST THE PERFORMANCE OR EVENTS TIME, UH, EVENT TIMES, UM, BEING INFLUENCED BY APPROPRIATE AND INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL INFLUENCES OF ASIAN CULTURE.
UM, SIMPLE AESTHETIC, NATURAL LIGHT, AND THEN OF COURSE, HAVING, UH, AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE.
SO ALL OF THESE WERE ITEMS THAT WE PULLED FORWARD AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
AND SIMILARLY, AS REGARDS TO THE SITE IN BOLD, THE, THE SPACES FOR OUTDOOR GATHERING IS ACT IS VERY APPLICABLE HERE.
UH, SECURITY, UM, AND ACCESSIBILITY WERE ALSO NOTED IN ALL OF THAT, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE DID IN 2022.
SO AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE DEVELOPED A SERIES OF PROJECT DESIGN GUIDELINES, UH, WITH THE A A RC TEAM FOCUSED AROUND FIRST GRANDEUR, UM, OR GRAND GESTURES INTO THE LANDSCAPE BEING A, A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ICON, UH, OR PROMINENCE AS A RECOGNIZABLE BUILDING ON THE CAMPUS FLOW AND TRANSPARENCY, REALLY ABOUT CONNECTION.
UM, THEY COINED AS PART OF THAT PROCESS TEXT ASIAN OR INTERCONNECTEDNESS.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT THAT INNER HAVING INFLUENCES THAT ARE AT THE INTERSECTION OF BOTH ASIAN AND LOCAL TEXT AND INFLUENCES.
AND THEN LASTLY, HAVING A HARMONY WITH NATURE, UH, IN THE, IN THE BUILDING.
SO, AS IT SPECIFICALLY RELATES TO THE PERFORMANCE PAVILION, WE WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF, UH, VISIONING QUESTIONNAIRES, UM, WHERE WE DISCUSS WITH A RC STAKEHOLDERS AND THE A-A-Q-O-L, UH, COMMISSION WORKING GROUP JUST TO DEVELOP THE PRIMARY GOALS.
UM, THERE IS A SERIES OF THESE QUESTIONS, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDICES, UH, AS PART OF THE DOCUMENTATION, UH, FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
BUT REALLY, UM, WHAT WE HEARD IN THAT FEEDBACK IS THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR A MULTIPURPOSE, HYBRID, FLEXIBLE SPACE AMONG, UM, ALL OF THESE OTHER, UM, NOTED ITEMS. UH, NEXT SLIDE AND NEXT SLIDE.
SO THROUGH ALL OF THAT ENGAGEMENT, GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO, UM, THE, UM, VISION PLAN, THIS IS THE RESULTANT PROGRAM, UH, OF THAT.
SO IT COMES DOWN TO AN EXTERIOR MULTIPURPOSE PLATFORM OR PORCH OR STAGE, UH, DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO AN INTERIOR FLEXIBLE BACK OF HOUSE SPACE WHERE CHANGING AND THINGS WOULD HAPPEN.
UH, AN ASSOCIATED RACK ROOM, AN MEP SPACE IS REQUIRED, AND THEN A SINGLE USER WASHROOM.
SO THE SITE IS ON, UH, CAMERON ROAD.
IT'S, IT'S A BUSY ROAD THAT IS HIGHLY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR BIKING CURRENTLY, BUT THERE IS, UM, A, AN IMPROVEMENT THAT IS HAPPENING ON THAT, UH, STRETCH OF THE ROAD, UH, UH, TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, UM, AND IN BUS, ENHANCED BUS STOPS.
UM, SO THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT, UH, MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION.
THERE IS ALSO CURRENTLY A BUS STOP LOCATED, UM, NEAR THE SITE THAT GETS YOU ACCESS TO NORWOOD TRANSIT CENTER.
AND FROM THERE, UH, TO DOWNTOWN, UM, THE BUS IS BUS 3 25.
[00:30:01]
AND THEN LASTLY, THERE IS, UM, ALONG WI, UH, LITTLE WALNUT CREEK, WHICH YOU SEE IN BLUE.UM, ON THIS MAP, UH, THERE'S PROPOSED, UH, URBAN TRAIL ALONG THAT CREEK.
AND SO THAT WILL CONNECT, UH, TO THE ADJACENT AND CONCURRENT WATERSHED PROJECT.
THE SITE IS, UH, ZONED AS PUBLIC, UH, OR MULTIFAMILY THREE CURRENTLY.
AND SO THIS IS AN AERIAL OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ON THE SITE.
LIKE I STATED EARLIER, WE REALLY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THIS REALLY STUNNING GROVE OF, OF LIVE OAK TREES.
SO DASHED IN GREEN IS THE AREA THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PERFORMANCE PAVILION.
AND SO WE ALSO HAVE AN ADVANTAGEOUS, UM, UH, TOPOGRAPHY WHERE WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO SERVE AS NATURAL AMPHITHEATER SEATING.
SO IT KIND OF DID, UM, INFLUENCE THE LOCATION OF THE PAVILION AND THE SIGHTING OF IT.
AND SO THIS IS A VIEW THE EXISTING BUILDING IS BEHIND US IN THIS VIEW.
UM, BUT THIS GREAT LAWN IS A HUGE ASSET TO THE A A RC.
IT'S REALLY THE ONLY LARGE, UM, OPEN LAWN AREA, UM, THAT IS FLAT, RELATIVELY FLAT ON THE SITE.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE TREES ARE OFFERING, UM, A SHADE FOR THE, FOR A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE AREA.
SO WE DID DO A, AN ARBORIST REVIEW OF THIS SITE THAT, UM, AND THERE WERE A FEW TREES THAT, UH, HAVE THE POTENTIAL, UH, TO BE REMOVED, UH, FROM, FROM THE AREA, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF LEANING OR, OR POOR HEALTH.
UM, SO PRUNING JUST WASN'T, UH, UH, POSSIBLE.
BUT THOSE TREES ARE, UM, ARE MARKED HERE ON THIS REVIEW, UH, FROM THE ARBORIST NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THE LARGEST EVENT THAT THE, UM, ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER HOSTS EVERY YEAR IS THEIR CELEBRATION EVENT.
UH, WE ATTENDED THEIR 2022 EVENT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WHERE THEY LOCATED THE STAGE, UM, AND THE REQUIREMENT OF AN ANCILLARY STRUCTURE FOR, UM, FOR SHADE, IT WAS REALLY HOT THAT DAY.
UM, AND THE AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP TO, UH, THE STAGE AND THE PERFORMERS, UM, WAS, COULD BE QUITE AWKWARD BECAUSE OF HOW HOT IT WAS.
THE FIRST FOUR ROWS OF, OF THE BLACK SEATS WERE ALMOST UNUSABLE, UM, BECAUSE OF HOW HOT IT WAS THAT DAY.
SO WITH ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS, UM, MEETING WITH THE A RC STAFF, UH, WE CAME, WE DEVELOPED A SERIES OF CITING GUIDELINES, UM, LISTED HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, THE, THE PRESERVING OF THAT VALUABLE O OPEN, GREAT LAWN AREA AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, INTEGRATING IT WITH THE LANDSCAPE, UM, AND THE LIVE OAK TREES.
SO JUST REALLY USING THE SPACE THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, LEFT TO US, UH, BETWEEN THOSE TREES.
UM, MAXIMIZING THE VIEW ANGLE OF THE PERFORMANCES.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT ALL THE WAY FROM PHASE ONE, UM, BUT THEN ALSO FROM THE NATURAL SHADE CANOPIES OF THOSE TREES ON THE SITE.
UM, SHADING, UH, THE AUDIENCE FOR THERMAL COMFORT, UH, AGAIN, USING THE EXISTING GRADE FOR NATURAL AMPHITHEATER SEATING.
AND THEN LASTLY, CONSIDERATION FOR LOADING ACCESS, UH, FROM THE RING ROAD.
SO WHAT THAT, WHAT THOSE SIGHTING GUIDELINES REALLY LEFT US IS A SORT OF WEDGE, UH, ON THE SITE, ALMOST TRIANGULAR SHAPED.
UM, AND, AND FROM THAT, UH, WE DEVELOPED THIS CONCEPT OF USING ORIGAMI AS A FORMAL STRATEGY, UH, TO DEVELOP THE FORM OF THE PAVILION.
AND SO THROUGH A SERIES OF MOVES, UH, WHERE ALMOST LIKE WE'RE BENDING, WHERE WE'RE FOLDING PAPER, WE CREATED THE FORM OF THIS PAVILION THAT FITS NICELY WITHIN THAT WEDGE SHAPE, UH, GIVEN TO US, UH, THROUGH THE SITING GUIDELINES.
AND THEN FROM THERE, WE'VE TAKEN THAT ESSENTIALLY PIECE OF ORIGAMI OR PIECE OF PAPER AND PLACED IT ONTO THE SITE, UM,
[00:35:01]
IT ONTO A, UH, CONCRETE PLANT THAT SERVES AS THE STAGE, UH, AND ALSO GIVES, UM, ONE TO 20 ACCESSIBLE ACCESS TO BOTH THE INTERIOR SPACE AND THE STAGE.AND SO THAT ACCESS IS WHAT'S SHOWN HERE IN THE SITE CIRCULATION.
UH, THE THICK, UH, BLUE LINE IS REALLY THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE, UH, THROUGH THE CAMPUS, ESPECIALLY AS IT EXPANDS.
AND SO ACCESS FROM THERE WAS DEEMED CRITICAL.
UM, SO REALLY THAT'S THE CLOSEST ACCESS POINT.
AGAIN, ALL OF THIS IS, IS ONE TO 20, UH, GRADE, UM, ALL THE WAY FROM THAT SIDEWALK TO THE STAGE, UH, AND INTERIOR SPACES.
BUT REALLY, ONCE YOU GET THROUGH THAT PATH, UM, THERE'S 80 DA, UH, SEATING DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE LAWN, BUT THEN THE TWO RAMPS, LIKE I SAID, TAKE YOU UP TO THAT STAGE LEVEL AND INTO THE INTERIOR SPACES.
AND THIS, THIS PAVILION IS MEANT TO SERVE AS A POINT OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THESE, FOR THESE, UH, EVENTS AS WELL.
SO PART OF IT IS THE FRONT OF HOUSE MIXING POSITION, UH, ALONG THE EXISTING TRAIL, UM, THEATRICAL LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, WITHIN THE LAWN SO THAT THEY CAN RENT, UM, THESE LARGE, UM, BRING IN THEATRICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THESE LARGER EVENTS.
AND THEN LASTLY, POWER THAT CAN SUPPORT THESE EVENTS FOR, FOR THINGS SUCH AS FOOD TRUCKS.
AND SO THIS IS THE RESULTANT PLAN.
UM, IT'S THE, THE TRIANGLE SHAPE, LIKE I SAID, THAT IT'S FITTING WITHIN THOSE TREES, UM, INSPIRED BY, UH, THE FOLDING PAPER CONCEPT.
UM, BUT BOTH RAMPS, UH, GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THE STAGE AND THAT INTERIOR FLEXIBLE BACK OF HOUSE SPACE.
UM, AND, UH, WASHROOM AND, UH, WRAP ROOM, NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THROUGH THE FORMAL MOVES THAT WE'VE MADE, THERE'S AN OPENING THROUGH THE BACK TO WHERE YOU ALMOST GET THIS CONTINUOUS LINE ALL THE WAY FROM PHASE ONE, UH, THROUGH THE GREAT LAWN, THE PAVILION OUT THE RING ROAD, AND A VIEW OF, UH, THE WATERSHED PROJECT WHILE USING THE NATURAL GRADE FOR, FOR SEATING.
AND SO THEN HERE WE'VE JUST GOT A SERIES OF RENDERINGS TO REVIEW.
THIS IS, UH, A VIEW OF THE LAWN OF THE PAVILION FROM THE, UH, FROM THE GREAT LAWN.
YOU CAN SEE BOTH OF THOSE RAMPS GOING INTO THE INTERIOR AND THE STAGE.
SO THIS IS CLOSER TO THE EXISTING PHASE ONE BUILDING.
THE, UM, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES LOTUS SCULPTURE IS, IS RIGHT BEHIND US FROM THIS VIEW.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT, UH, LAWN STARTS TO BE ACTIVATED.
SO THIS VIEW IS FROM THAT MAIN SIDEWALK THAT I HAD DIS, UM, THAT I HAD MENTIONED.
UM, SO AGAIN, ACCESSIBLE ROUTES FROM THAT SIDEWALK, UH, TO THE POINT WHERE THEN YOU GET, UM, THE INTERIOR, UH, ROUTE OR THE, THE NATURAL ROUTE TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE.
IT'S JUST A ZOOMED IN VERSION OF THAT VIEW.
AGAIN, A VIEW OF THE STAGE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT OPENING OUT TOWARDS THE WATERSHED PROJECT.
AND THIS IS THE OTHER, THE, THE VIEW FROM THE RING ROAD, UH, THROUGH THAT SPACE.
THERE'S AN EXISTING PICNIC AREA THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE TAPPED INTO, UM, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THAT IS, UH, THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION SO WE COULD DISCUSS OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS AHEAD OF TIME? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
[00:40:01]
MICROPHONE? YEAH.UH, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS MEETS THE, UH, THE SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES.
AND I, I'LL SECOND THIS, YOUR MOTION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR, UH, OUR PRESENTERS? IS THAT COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? YEAH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST QUESTION IS, YOU SAID YOU GUYS CONSULTED WITH AN ARBORIST FOR THE PROJECT.
WAS THAT THE CITY ARBORIST? IT WAS EITHER THE CITY ARBORIST OR THE PARD.
UM, I THINK PARD HAS A FORESTER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A ARBORIST ON STAFF, BUT EITHER WAY, AS LONG AS KRISTEN OR NAOMI WAS INVOLVED.
UM, SECOND QUESTION THERE, IT LOOKED LIKE ON ONE OF THE PLANS THAT YOU HAD SOME GRADING THAT WAS OCCURRING, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE GRADING WAS GOING RIGHT THROUGH SOME OF THOSE EXISTING TREES WE WERE TRYING TO SAVE.
I ASSUME, I'M GONNA ASSUME THIS HAS BEEN COORDINATED WITH THE CITY ON MAKING SURE THAT THOSE TREES ARE ACTUALLY GONNA SURVIVE.
THAT THE, THE TWO TREES THAT WERE NOTED IN THE ARBORIST REPORT FOR POTENTIAL REMOVAL, WE ARE CALLING FOR THOSE TO BE REMOVED, UH, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, ANY GRADING IS OUTSIDE OF THE 100% CRITICAL ROOT ZONE FOR THOSE, UH, TREES.
AND SO THE ONLY TREES BEING REMOVED ARE ONES THAT NAOMI OR KRISTEN DEEMED GOOD TO REMOVE? THEY WERE DOING POORLY.
AND THEN FINAL QUESTION, 'CAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REVIEWING THIS AGAINST SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES.
UM, I ASSUME THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF THERE.
THIS, THE GREAT LAWN IS GONNA BE COMPLETELY REDONE, UM, IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE CONSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF THIS, IS THERE A PLAN TO FULLY IRRIGATE THE, THE NEW EVENT LAWN WHEN IT'S RESTORED? YES, WE'VE GOT FUNDS ALLOTTED FOR IRRIGATION OR, AND FOR ANY REPAIR TO THE LAWN, UH, THAT ANY OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, CAUSES.
ARE THERE ANY MORE? COMMISSIONER WIRA? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UM, UH, DAVID, TREY, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS A, A GORGEOUS PROJECT.
UH, I, I THINK IT, IT IS, UM, A LITTLE UNCLEAR TO ME WITH THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, UH, ABOUT EXACTLY, PRECISELY HOW THIS PROJECT DOES MEET THE SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES.
I, I LACK CLARITY RIGHT NOW ON WHETHER THE PROJECT IS, IS THIS A QUALIFYING FOR SITES OR IS THIS A LEAD PROJECT? UM, I THINK THAT IT'S A, I THINK I, I'M FINDING MYSELF IN A, IN A POSITION OF, UH, THIS IS A FANTASTIC PROJECT AND I'M, UH, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE MOTION A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I, I LACK THE INFORMATION I NEED ABOUT WHETHER THIS DOES MEET THIS, THE CITY'S GUIDELINES.
SO, UH, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, BUT I, I, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE, HAVE WORKED LIKE, LIKE CRAZY ON THIS, UH, FOR, TO GIVE YOU BACK THE FLOOR AND SEE IF YOU COULD CLARIFY ON SOME OF THOSE, UH, SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY GERMANE TO, TO THIS COMMISSION'S CHARTER.
THIS PROJECT WILL MEET, UH, AT LEAST SITES CERTIFICATION.
THERE ARE, UM, GOALS OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT ON THE TEAM IN GREEN NEXUS TO POTENTIALLY EVEN EXCEED THAT TO GET TO THE SITE'S SILVER.
UM, UM, SO THAT IS IN REVIEW IS IN PROCESS OF THE, UM, TO MAKE ENSURE THAT WE'RE IN, THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MEET THOSE GOALS.
ON TOP OF THAT, THERE ARE BASE SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES, UM, THAT ON THE ARCHITECTURE SIDE THAT WE NEED, THAT WE ARE ON TOP OF AND, AND, UH, CONFIRMING THAT, THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH WHERE APPLICABLE.
I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
IS, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD SPEAK TOWARD THE MATERIAL SELECTION OR, OR FOUNDATIONS OF THE PROJECT THAT MIGHT HAVE A LIGHTER TOUCH ON THE EARTH OR, OR OTHERWISE QUALIFY?
[00:45:01]
YEAH, SO THE, THE WE, THAT'S CURRENT INVESTIGATION ON OUR TEAM.UM, BUT WE'VE RECENTLY, UM, FOUND AND HAVE INVESTIGATED A, A WOOD SPECIES IN BLACK LOCUST.
IT'S A HARDWOOD THAT'S GROWN IN, UH, NORTH AMERICA, UM, THAT CAN MEET ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS FOR, WE ARE IN A WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROXIMITY DISTRICT.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR FLAME SPREAD AND, AND HARDNESS ALSO HAIL RESISTANCE, UM, FOR THIS PRODUCT.
BUT WE'VE ENGAGED A, A MANUFACTURER, UM, THAT'S LOCAL TO US, AND, UM, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US, UH, TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THE SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND, UM, AND OTHER CHARACTERISTIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE, THE EXTERIOR MATERIAL.
WE THINK IT PLAYS BEAUTIFULLY, UH, NARRATIVE WISE WITH THE, UH, LIVE OAKS AND IT WOULD AGE NATURALLY AND, AND NOT REQUIRE THE, THE SORT OF CONSTANT MAINTENANCE, UM, OF, OF OTHER NON-NATURAL MATERIALS.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY ON, UM, ON THE EXTERIOR MATERIAL.
I APPRECIATE YOUR FOCUS ON THAT WITH A, WITH A PROJECT THIS, YOU KNOW, SMALL AND FOOTPRINT, THAT, THAT MATERIAL BEING THE, THE BEACON FOR LOCALLY, LOCALLY PRODUCED FSC CERTIFIED, IT'S GONNA GO A LONG WAY TOWARD YOUR POINTS.
TURN TO, UH, COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY'S COMMENT ABOUT THE IRRIGATION.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A TOUGH ONE FOR Y'ALL.
UM, I THINK WE PRE WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO IRRIGATE THIS OR THE, THE, THE, THE ADORING CROWDS ARE GONNA BEAT THE HELL OUT OF THIS THING.
UM, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TREATED EFFLUENT LINE WITH THE SITE IS SMALL.
IT IS REMARKABLY DIFFICULT TO MEET YOUR OUTDOOR WATER USE CRITERIA FOR SITES.
I I MEAN, MY, MY SOAPBOX BEING THAT SITES IS NOT WRITTEN FOR PROJECTS THIS SMALL, AND IF MY MEMORY OF THE RFQ TIMELINE IS CORRECT ON THIS, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE GONE INTO THIS PROJECT EVEN KNOWING YOU WERE GOING TO DO SITES.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A RELATIVELY NEW, UM, SO I, I RECOGNIZE THAT ALL THOSE, THOSE ARE CHALLENGES AND I THINK THOSE ARE CHALLENGES THAT FROM MY PART, I'M, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO REWARD GOOD FAITH EFFORTS.
UH, UH, BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO, TO HEAR IF THAT'S COME UP.
I KNOW WE'RE ONLY IN SD KIND OF HOW, HOW Y'ALL MANAGE TO, HOW Y'ALL THINK YOU CAN, UH, REALLY THREAD THAT NEEDLE IN TERMS OF WATER USE AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS IN MAINTAINED IN A GOOD QUALITY THAT IS RESPECTFUL FOR THE, THE PURPOSES OF THE FACILITY.
UM, COMMISSIONER TRO, THANK YOU FOR CHALLENGING US ON THESE.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO, WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S A SMALL SITE, BUT, UM, WE BUILT OUR PRACTICE ABOUT PRIORITIZING EVEN THE SMALLEST ISSUES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO.
AND SO, UM, WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE, UM, YOU AND COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY, UM, ADDRESSING, ELEVATING THESE ISSUES TO THE LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE THAT, UM, Y'ALL BELIEVE THEY ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THANK YOU AND, AND I, UH, SINCERELY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK.
UM, YOUR, YOUR FIRM NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, UH, ON THIS DAIS, UH, AT LEAST ON THIS VIRTUAL REMOTE ONE.
UM, SO REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE Y'ALL PART OF THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT, UH, UM, ADDITION TO AUSTIN AND I THINK THE, THE, THE NATURE OF, OF, UH, COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY'S AND MY COMMENTS REALLY SORT OF UNDERSCORE THE, THE, THE DIFFICULTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTY OF, OF DOING SOME OF THESE, AND SOME OF THESE ARE KIND OF SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS ON THE CITY PART.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THOSE GOOD FAITH EFFORTS AND, AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE FINELY TUNED AND ADJUSTED APPROACH TO BEING DELICATE ABOUT IT.
YEAH, WE, WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT EACH OF THE ISSUES YOU'VE RAISED, AND WE'LL TAKE, UM, THEM WITH US AFTER THIS CALL AND ELEVATE THEM TO A PLACE WHERE WE CONTINUE TO PUSH AND FIND, UH, RESPECTFUL RESPONSES TO EACH CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UH, THANK YOU.
UM, THIS, THIS PROJECT LOOKS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.
UM, I HAVE JUST SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
UM, A LOT OF THE RENDERINGS ARE SHOWING PRETTY CASUAL AND LIGHT USE OF THE SPACE.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LOT EASIER TO RENDER SOMETHING WITH NOT A, YOU KNOW, A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN IT.
UM, BUT I, I'M WONDERING, UM, WHAT IS YOUR KIND OF TARGET EVENT SIZE OR WHAT ARE YOU DESIGNING FOR, UM, WHAT IS THE LARGEST EVENT SIZE YOU'RE DESIGNING FOR? UM, AND I HAVE, UH, AND I GUESS SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE RELATED TO THAT, AND HOW HAVE YOU, HOW HAVE YOU PLANNED FOR ACCOMMODATING THE, THAT SIZE EVENT?
[00:50:01]
UM, SUCH AS WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALKS, THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, FOR EXAMPLE? YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO TELL FROM THE DRAWING, UM, YOU KNOW, DUE TO SCALE, UH, IT COULD BE PLENTY WIDE, BUT I'M, I'M CURIOUS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SO, AND THE, THE USE OF THE, UM, UH, FOOD TRUCKS, UH, NEARBY THE PAVILION ARE VERY INTERESTING.I THINK, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY FIT THE AUSTIN CULTURE, UH, FOR EVENTS.
UH, I NOTICED YOU GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING, UM, EXTENSION COURTS FROM THE PAVILION TO THE, UM, TO THE PARKING AREAS, UH, IN SOME CASES CROSSING THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT COULD CAUSE SOME, SOME CHALLENGES, UH, WITH ACCESSIBILITY AND, AND TRIPPING HAZARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I'M JUST, I'M CURIOUS IF YOU, HOW MUCH YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT KIND OF THE MAX CAPACITY EVENT AND HOW YOU'RE ACCOMMODATING THAT? YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO THAT.
THE, SO THE SIZE OF THE, THE CELEBRATION EVENT HAS ROUGHLY A THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT COME AND GO THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'VE, THAT THE TEAM HAS GIVEN US IS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR AN AUDIENCE SIZE OF ABOUT 300 PEOPLE AT A TIME.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE LARGEST GROUP THAT THEY WOULD SEE, UM, AT ONE TIME ON THE LOT.
AS FAR AS THE, THE SIZE AND WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALKS, UM, WE ARE OPERATING WITH A, A SIX FOOT MINIMUM FOR ANY OF THE TRAILS THAT WE ARE ADDING, UH, TO, UM, THE, TO THE SITE, UM, OR IMPROVING.
AND THAT'S BASED ON, ON FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, FROM PARD AND OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ON, ON THE, THAT REALLY BEING A MINIMUM SIZE FOR, FOR MAINTAINING THOSE TYPES OF, UM, OF TRAILS.
UM, ON THE, THE FOOD TRUCKS, THIS IS A, A PROGRAM THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE AND THEY USE FOR CELEBRATION CURRENTLY.
UM, NOW THEY, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A GENERATOR.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE, THE REQUEST CAME, UH, FOR US TO PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THOSE FOOD TRUCKS FOR THOSE, UM, EVENTS THAT HAPPEN JUST A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR.
UM, DEFINITELY HEAR YOU ON THE, THE, THE POTENTIAL FOR TRIPPING HAZARDS WITH THE EXTENSION CORDS.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE CONSIDERED NOT PART OF OUR, UM, OF OUR REVIEW RIGHT NOW, BUT DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AND BRING FORWARD TO THE CLIENT TEAM, I THINK, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, FEEDBACK.
DOES THAT ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS? UM, YEAH, I, I, I THINK SO.
I, I GUESS, UM, I, MY OTHER, MY OTHER QUESTION THAT'S ONLY SLIGHTLY RELATED TO THAT SAME QUESTION IS, UM, ARE YOU PROVIDING BICYCLE, UH, PARKING, ANY SORT OF FACILITIES AND SHADE FOR THAT PARKING? AND HOW DOES, HOW, HOW ARE BICYCLES MOVING THROUGH THE SITE? OR ARE THEY, THERE IS, UH, BICYCLE PARKING CURRENTLY AT THE A A RC AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
WE DON'T HAVE IT ANY EXPANSION OF THOSE EXISTING, UM, UM, BICYCLE STORAGE AREAS.
UM, I, I WOULD, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A, A RECOMMENDATION FROM US MIGHT BE TO CONSIDER WIDER SIDEWALKS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, SIX FOOT IS QUITE NARROW.
IN FACT, UM, NTO IS RECOMMENDING SIX FEET FOR A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AS THE KIND OF STANDARD WALKABLE SIDEWALK.
SO PART, UH, ESPECIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, A SPACE THAT IS, IS DESIGNED FOR EVENTS OF UP TO 300 PEOPLE MAY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER AN EIGHT FOOT SIDEWALK OR, OR MORE.
UM, IF YOU ARE EXPECTING ANY SORT OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CAMERON, CAMERON ROAD AND THE CREEK TRAIL IN THE REAR, UM, UH, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER EVEN WIDER.
UM, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO TAKE THAT SAME ROUTE, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SORT OF ACCOMMODATIONS MADE, UH, THAT, THAT ARE APPROPRIATELY, UM, UH, SUPPORT THE, YOU KNOW, WIDTHS FOR DIFFERENT MOS, UM, INTERMINGLING.
UM, I THINK, YEAH, I GUESS THAT, I GUESS THAT WAS IT.
JUST THAT, AND, AND I GUESS THAT ALSO THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE, YEAH, UH, PERHAPS THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SORT, UM, ELECTRIC, UM, OUTLETS THAT ARE, THAT WON'T CROSS THE, THE SIDEWALK.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT AMENITY FOR THIS SORT OF SPACE.
UH, I, I LIKE THAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT IT ALREADY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION?
[00:55:01]
I HAVE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO KEVIN'S COMMENT,UM, I THINK THE SIX FOOT SIDEWALKS FOR, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY USE OF THIS IS GONNA BE, THOSE ARE MORE THAN ADEQUATE, I THINK.
UM, AND I WOULD CAUTION US NOT TO OVERSIZE THESE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE TWO, THREE TIMES A YEAR THAT WE HAVE.
WE REALLY PLAN ON PEOPLE WALKING ALL OVER THE LAWN AS A MEANS OF, OF CELEBRATING FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY.
UM, JUST BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, LAYING DOWN MORE IMPERVIOUS COVER DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GREAT WAY TO, TO USE THE SITE JUST FOR THOSE COUPLE TIMES A YEAR WHERE WE HAVE EVENTS.
UM, AT THIS, THE PAVILION IN PARTICULAR.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? UM, THAT, THAT VERY MAY WELL BE? I, I, I WONDER SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE SIDEWALK, UH, SIMPLY AS IT IS KIND OF THIS MAJOR CONNECTION BETWEEN CAMERON ROAD AND THE, THE STORMWATER AND, AND, UH, TRAIL SYSTEM IN THE BACK.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A FUTURE EXPANSION SORT OF AMENITY.
UM, PERHAPS, PERHAPS EIGHT FOOT IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
MAYBE ALL THE OTHER SIDEWALKS ARE FINE AT SIX.
WELL, I SUPPOSE IT IS A MATTER OF OPINION, UH,
BUT, UM, I, I, I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH, UH, INVESTIGATING, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE SEEING, UH, UH, TRAIL SYSTEM KIND OF BEHIND AND BICYCLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FRONT VICE CHAIR MINOR.
SO MY, UH, COMMENT IS SOMEWHAT CONNECTED TO THIS.
UM, FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS SITE.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW A HUNDRED PERCENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT'S LIKE, UH, TO EXPERIENCE IT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT, UM, I DO WONDER, YOU KNOW, IF I WERE TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE PUBLIC TRANSIT, TAKE THE BUS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, AND WALK TO THE FRONT DOOR OF EACH OF THESE FACILITIES, UM, HOW FAR AM I WALKING AND HOW MUCH OF THAT IS NOT COVERED WITH SHADE? BECAUSE IF I LOOK AT AERIALS RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S VERY SUBURBAN AND, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENTRANCES ARE MAYBE ORIENTED AWAY FROM CAMERON ROAD.
SO AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PEDESTRIAN, WHAT IS THAT JOURNEY FROM THE BUS STOP TO THE, TO THE FRONT DOOR, AND WHAT ARE THEY TRAVERSING AND IS IT THE, IS IT THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE IN, IN ITS CURRENT STATE? IT IS AN UNFRIENDLY PEDESTRIAN ROUTE FROM THE BUS STOP TO THE A A RC FACILITY.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A CAMERON ROAD IS A BUSY ROAD, UH, FAST CARS.
AS PART OF THE, UM, ADJACENT WATERSHED PROJECT, THERE IS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, MULTIPLE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CONNECTING THE WATERFORD CAMPUS AND THE ASSOCIATED PARKING.
AND SO THAT WILL IMPROVE THAT PEDESTRIAN ROUTE, UM, FROM THE BUS STOP TO THE PHASE ONE BUILDING.
UM, I GUESS AS FAR AS DISTANCE GOES, CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE IT'S UNDER, UH, 500 FEET, UM, BUT PROBABLY ABOUT A HUNDRED FEET OF THAT AT LEAST, IS ALONG THAT SIDEWALK, UH, OF CAMERON ROAD.
AND IS THAT PATHWAY, WOULD YOU SAY IT'S THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE OR, I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS LIKE, HOW MUCH OUT OF THE WAY IS IT TO TAKE THAT SIDEWALK RATHER THAN TO JUST WALK RIGHT THROUGH THE LAWN AND GET TO THE FRONT DOOR? I THINK THE SIDEWALK IS BASICALLY IS YOU WOULD NATURALLY JUST TAKE THE SIDEWALK, UM, TO THE PAVILION AS I WOULD UNDERSTAND IT, I GUESS BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE IS ACCESS TO BOTH SIDES IN OUR PLAN, UM, THAT THE BUS STOP IS TO THE, TO THE EAST.
AND SO IF YOU ARE COMING FROM THE EAST, I THINK YOU WOULD JUST NATURALLY USE THE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE EXISTING AND IT DOESN'T ADD MUCH DISTANCE AT ALL.
YEAH, IT'S JUST A CONSIDERATION AND CAN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THAT IS SHADED, UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT FOR SOME OF THESE EVENTS, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO, UH, ARE, YOU KNOW, DRIVING, UH, MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE TAKING RIDE SHARES
[01:00:01]
AS WELL.SO, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THERE A PLACE FOR SOMEONE TO CATCH A RIDE SHARE WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE FLOW WITHIN THE PARKING LOT? I KNOW A OR C CURRENTLY HAS A, A GREAT, UM, ACCESS OR RIDE ACCESS PROGRAM.
UM, I'M NOT SURE OF THE EXACT NAME OF IT, UH, BUT THE RING ROAD WITH ACCESS TO THE EXISTING FACILITY, UM, OFFERS A, A SORT OF PSEUDO DROP OFF AREA, A LARGE PAVED AREA IN FRONT OF THE, THE MAIN, UM, FRONT ENTRANCE.
AND THEN THAT'S SORT OF THE GATEWAY OF THE CAMPUS RIGHT NOW AS IT RELATES TO THIS PAVILION.
UM, THE REALLY, YOU WOULD ACCESS IT ANYWHERE ALONG THAT NORTH, UM, THOROUGHFARE OR SIDEWALK, UH, IN THE RING ROAD.
YEAH, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, PREVALENCE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES THAT LIKELY WILL BECOME EVEN MORE, UH, USED.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO THAT I WANTED TO ASK, UH, IS, UM, LIKE EV CHARGING, IS THERE ANYTHING AS FAR AS LIKE EV CHARGING IN ANY OF THESE, UH, PARKING LOTS? WE'RE NOT SHOWING THAT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
I KNOW WE'VE SEEN, UH, SOME OF, UH, SIMILAR PRESENTATIONS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CITY LOOKING TO MEET THE SUSTAINABILITY REQUIREMENT WHERE THEY'VE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE EV PARKING, UM, AND THEN, UH, AS FAR AS OVERFLOW PARKING.
SO IF, IF, YOU KNOW, YOU EXCEED THE CAPACITY FOR OVERFLOW PARKING OR FOR PARKING WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ON SITE, UH, WHAT WOULD THE OVERFLOW PARKING SITUATION BE AND WOULD THEY ACCESS THE SAME SIDEWALKS THAT WE SPOKE OF EARLIER? YEAH.
SO THAT'S REALLY IN THE SCOPE OF THAT WATERSHED PROJECT AND THAT CONNECTION TO THAT PARKING LOT.
THAT'S HOW, UM, THE VISION PLAN SEES THAT, UM, BEING HANDLED AT THIS PHASE, UH, IS ALSO PART OF THE CONTINUATION OF PHASE TWO, THAT RING ROAD GETS EXPANDED.
AND SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL PARKING ON THE LOCAL SITE, UM, THAT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PAVILION, THE EXISTING PHASE ONE BUILDING AND THE, THE FUTURE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
AND I GUESS TO ADD TO THE, THAT'S WHEN I THINK THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT AS PART OF THAT NEXT PROJECT, ADDING THOSE EV SPOTS AS THAT'S REALLY WHEN THE PARKING CHANGE WOULD BE MADE.
I GUESS I JUST AM, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ENCOURAGE YOU, ENCOURAGING YOU TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF SOMEONE WHO IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE WALKING THERE VERSUS THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS WHO, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS CONSIDER THEIR PERSPECTIVE WALKING FROM THEIR CAR TO THE FRONT DOOR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
I GUESS I WOULD OFFER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UM, THAT THIS DOES MEET THE CITY'S, UM, SUSTAINABILITY AND DESIGN STANDARDS, UM, UH, WITH, UH, ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT IT APPROPRIATELY ACCOMMODATES INCREASED BICYCLE USAGE, UM, AND, AND INCREASED TRANSIT USAGE, AND IS ACCOMMODATING, UM, UH, APPROPRIATELY A ACCOMMODATING, UH, CIRCULATION THROUGH THE SITE AND ACROSS THE SITE IN FUTURE PHASES.
IT'S VERY LONG
UM, CAN YOU JUST READ IT AGAIN? I ASSUME YOU WROTE THIS DOWN HERE,
WE'LL GET IT FROM THE RECORDING.
UM, I ACCEPT THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, COMMISSIONER LUIN.
YEAH, JUST WANNA CLARIFY THE ORIGINAL MOTION LANGUAGE, UM, WAS SUSTAINA SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES AND WE ARE POSTED FOR THE CITY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS.
DO WE NEED TO RE IF WE COULD RESTATE THE, THE MAIN MOTION COMMISSIONER WILKINS? YES.
THE, UH, THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY AND DESIGN STANDARDS AND, AND I SECOND THAT WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UH, STATED FOR ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS THROUGH THE SITE,
[01:05:01]
UM, AS STATED, WE'LL, CAN WE GET THAT LANGUAGE FROM THE RECORDING? ALRIGHT, SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ALL JUST TAKE A VOTE.ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, THE, THE MOTION AND THE, UM, FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT.
LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ALL ON BOARD.
WE'LL, UH, GET THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION POSTED AND SENT OUT TO YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THIS IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
[4. Discussion and action to recommend to City Council guidance on billboard placement and community and urban design impacts due to the Interstate Highway 35 corridor improvements. Presented by Margaret Lloyd, Scenic Texas, and Jim Walker and Girard Kinney, Cherrywood Neighborhood Association. Sponsors: Chair Salinas and Commissioner Wittstruck]
UH, DISCUSSION AND ACTION.UH, TO RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL GUIDANCE ON BILLBOARD PLACEMENT AND COMMUNITY AND URBAN DESIGN IMPACTS DUE TO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, UH, 35 IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY MARGARET LLOYD OF SCENIC TEXAS, JIM WALKER AND GERARD KINNEY, UH, OF THE CHERRYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
MARGARET, COULD YOU PLEASE COME ON CAMERA? MARGARET, CAN YOU HEAR US? OH, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME NOW? YES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE ME.
HOW DO I DO, HOW DO I MAKE THAT HAPPEN? I DUNNO.
DO YOU KNOW? ANYBODY HELP ME? UM, YES.
LET ME ASK OUR TECH REAL QUICK.
I'VE NEVER DONE THIS SOFTWARE BEFORE, SO I APOLOGIZE.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET TO VIDEO SETTINGS.
WELL, I COULD SEE MYSELF FOR A SECOND.
IS, IS UM, GERARD IN THE ROOM? YES.
IS HE, MAYBE HE COULD START AND THEN I CAN TRY TO GET ON HERE WHILE HE'S DOING HIS PIECE.
WOULD THAT WORK? MARK? YES, THAT WOULD WORK.
UM, MARGARET, THE TEXT IF YOU PRESS START VIDEO, IF YOU HAVE A CAMERA SET UP, IT SHOULD, SHOULD WORK OUT.
THIS IS GERARD KENNY, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES.
I THINK WE, I WAS GOING TO FOLLOW MARGARET, BUT WHAT I'LL DO IS GO AHEAD AND, AND EXPLAIN, FIRST OF ALL, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE PACKETS THAT WE PROVIDED AHEAD OF TIME.
THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT WAS PROVIDED I SAW ON THE AGENDA THAT WAS LISTED.
I'M HERE TONIGHT, KIND OF WEARING TWO HATS.
ONE IS THE CHAIR, UH, FOR IN BEHALF OF THE CHERRYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THERE'S A ZONING CASE THAT'S GONNA BE, IT'S BEEN POSTPONED TO JANUARY, LATE IN JA IN JANUARY.
UH, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION MAY WEIGH IN ON IT.
IT, IT IS ON EAST 30TH STREET AT I 35, WHERE THE WIDENING OF I 35 IS TAKING THE PROPERTY.
AND THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTS TO, THERE'S A BILLBOARD ON THAT PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTS TO, UH, RE WHAT THEY CALL RELOCATE.
THEY DON'T ACTUALLY RELOCATE BILLBOARDS, BUT WHEN YOU REFER TO RELOCATING A BILLBOARD THAT YOU TAKE ONE DOWN AND PUT ONE
[01:10:01]
UP IN, IN ANOTHER PLACE, THEY WANT TO PLACE IT NEXT IN, IN A PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN NEXT TO THAT PROPERTY.AND THEY SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THEIR ZONING CASE THAT, THAT THAT WAS THE REASON THAT THEY WERE COMING FORWARD WITH THE ZONING CASE.
BUT AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, THE, UH,
AND SO STAFF AT THIS POINT IS NOT, THEY'RE NOT READY TO, THEY HAVEN'T MADE A RECOMMENDATION, I DON'T THINK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER YET.
BUT WE, CHERRYWOOD IS GOAL IS THAT WHEN THE BILLBOARDS COME DOWN, BECAUSE OF THE WIDENING OF I 35, THAT THEY NOT GO BACK UP AT ALL IN, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT LEAST.
AND SO WE, WE, WE WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK FAVORABLY UPON A, A, UH, REZONING OF THAT PROPERTY IS, WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, BEING THERE ON I 35, BUT NOT, BUT NOT TO INCLUDE RELOCATING THE BILLBOARD.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM US TO YOU.
THE OTHER HAT I'M WEARING ACTUALLY GOES BACK QUITE A WAYS.
I, I WAS THE FOUNDING CHAIR OF SCENIC AUSTIN AND SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF SCENIC TEXAS FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
MARGARET LLOYD, WHO'S GONNA BE FOLLOWING ME, IS, IS AN ADVISORY MEMBER OF THAT BOARD AND HAS BEEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND SHE'LL, SHE'LL EXPLAIN THE WHOLE STATE LEVEL, UH, POSITION IN HER PRESENTATION, WHICH, UM, BUT WHAT I CAN, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO, WELL, I, IT GOES BACK TO ME BEING CHAIR OF C AUSTIN AND ON THE BOARD OF CITY TEXAS, BUT ALSO I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
I SERVED ON THE DESIGN COMMISSION FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, UH, AND WAS EVENTUALLY CHAIR OF IT.
AND IN I, IN 2008, WE WROTE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
DO YOU ALL HAVE THAT RECOMMENDATION, THAT LETTER THAT WE WROTE? I BELIEVE SO.
UH, IT'S PART OF THE BACKUP MATERIAL HERE.
WELL, I WE WILL REFER YOU TO, TO IT.
BUT IT, BUT THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE, IT, IT MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE, AND THE DESIGN COMMISSION AT THAT TIME HAD BECOME, YOU KNOW, IN A ROBUST WAY, UH, TRYING TO GET THE CITY COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY ELIMINATE RELOCATION OF BILLBOARDS AT ALL.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM MAR MARGARET LLOYD THAT AUSTIN IS ONE OF, IF, IF NOT THE ONLY, IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES IN THE STATE THAT ALLOWS RELOCATION OF BILLBOARDS.
THE WAY THAT HOUSTON AND OTHER CITIES HAVE DRASTICALLY REDUCED THEIR BILLBOARDS IS THROUGH ATTRITION.
THAT IS TAKE ONE DOWN AND YOU DON'T PUT IT BACK UP.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED AUSTIN TO DO.
AND SO WE WERE, AT THAT TIME, IN 2008, WE WERE, WE WERE RESPONDING TO SOME, SOME SPECIFIC, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, BUT THAT, THAT WAS THE OVERALL GOAL.
SO WEARING THOSE THREE HATS AND NOT REALLY REP REPRESENTING ANY OF THEM AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST REPRESENTING MYSELF.
I REALLY WANT TO URGE YOU TO START A PROCESS THAT WOULD EVEN EVENTUALLY ACHIEVE A GOAL THAT WAS A GOAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND ORIGINALLY AND BECAME A GOAL OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION IN ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO TAKE STEPS THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY ELIMINATE BILLBOARDS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, MARGARET, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY, MY, UM, INABILITY TO WORK THIS THING.
MY NAME IS MARGARET LLOYD, AND I'M ON THE ADVISORY BOARD, AS GERARD SAID, OF SCENIC TEXAS.
I'M ALSO A LICENSED ATTORNEY, SO I, JUST AS A DISCLOSURE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF MY COMMENTS HERE, I'M RETIRED, SO I DON'T WANT ANY OF MY COMMENTS HERE TO BE INTERPRETED AS LEGAL ADVICE.
YOU HAVE EXCELLENT LAWYERS IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHO GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE.
UM, SO YOU HAVE TWO HANDOUTS IN YOUR PACKAGE THAT
[01:15:01]
I PREPARED.ONE IS, ONE IS A SUMMARY OF A US SUPREME COURT CASE THAT AUSTIN JUST WON, UM, AGAINST TWO BILLBOARD COMPANIES, REAGAN AND LAMAR.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS A LIST OF THE ALMOST 350 CITIES IN TEXAS THAT HAVE STOPPED NEW BILLBOARD CONSTRUCTION.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THOSE HANDOUTS, BUT I, I'M, I'M GOING TO REFER TO THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UM, I WANT TO, UM, OUR PRESENTATION, AS GERARD SAYS, HAS TO DO WITH I 35 CONSTRUCTION AND THE BILLBOARDS THAT ARE COMING DOWN, AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE STAY DOWN RATHER THAN MOVED.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ONE PENDING, UM, REQUEST RIGHT NOW TO, TO MOVE A BILLBOARD.
AND SO OUR PRESENTATION, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT TWO OVERRIDING ISSUES.
ONE IS THE DECADES OF TEXAS CITIES, TXDOT AND, AND ACTUALLY ACROSS THE NATION, UM, HAVE FACED MULTIPLE LEGAL CHALLENGES FROM A VERY LITIGIOUS INDUSTRY, THE BILLBOARD INDUSTRY, UM, PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED IN TEXAS, PROBABLY OVER THOUSANDS OVER THE, OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND SECOND, I WANNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE 350 TEXAS CITIES, NEARLY THREE 50 THAT HAVE STOPPED NEW BILLBOARD CONSTRUCTION, THE TWO LARGEST BEING HOUSTON AND FORT WORTH.
UM, SO OUR OVERRIDING MESSAGE IS VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU.
ALL I KNOW, WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO AVOID LAWSUITS AND TO PROTECT THE VISUAL QUALITY OF YOUR CITY IS TO HAVE CLEAR ORDINANCES THAT CITY STAFF CAN EASILY IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE, AND THAT THE CITY CAN SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND.
THE MOST RECENT LITIGATION EXAMPLE IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN VERSUS REAGAN, LAMAR, OUTDOOR ADVERTISING, UM, WHICH I, AS I SAID, TOOK ALL THE WAY TO THE, THE CITY TOOK ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WON.
SO IT ACCOMPLISHED THAT GOAL OF HAVING A DEFENSIBLE ORDINANCE.
UM, AT ISSUE IN THAT CASE VERY BRIEFLY WAS, UM, WHETHER THE CITY COULD CONSTITUTIONALLY PROHIBIT 80 DIGITAL OFF-PREMISE BILLBOARDS TO BE CONVERTED TO, OR OR NON-DIGITAL WILL BE CONVERTED TO DIGITAL 80 OF THEM, UM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWING ON-PREMISE SIGNS TO BE DIGITIZED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE PROVIDES ON-PREMISE SIGNS CAN BE DIGITIZED, OFF-PREMISE SIGNS CANNOT BE.
THE SUPREME COURT VERY SIMPLY SAID, YES, THAT IS PROPER.
IT, IT IS PERMISSIBLE ON ITS FACE.
AND THE REASON THAT THEY SAID IT WAS PERMISSIBLE ON ITS FACE IS BECAUSE THEY JUST, THEY CONSIDERED THIS TO BE A LOCATION, WHICH IS A NON-CON BASED REASON THAT A CITY CAN, UM, RESTRICT SPEECH.
IT, IT CAN'T BE CONTENT BASED.
AND THEY SAID THIS ON OFF-PREMISE DISTINCTION WAS A LOCATION, THE ON-PREMISE BEING ADVERTISING FOR A BUSINESS LOCATED INSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, UM, THAT ADVERTISES GOODS AND SERVICES FOR THAT BUSINESS.
AND OFF PREMISE BEING A SIGN THAT ADVERTISES GOODS AND SERVICES SOMEWHERE ELSE, NOT ON THAT BUSINESS.
COULD BE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN AUSTIN, IT COULD BE SOMEWHERE ELSE OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN.
UM, THE SUPREME COURT SAID, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, BUT IT DID SEND THE CASE BACK TO THE FIFTH CIRCUIT TO, TO MAKE A FACTUAL DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THE DISTINCTION, THE ON OFF-PREMISE DISTINCTION, FURTHERED AN IMPORTANT GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST AND DID SO THROUGH A MEANS THAT SUBSTANTIALLY RELATED TO THE GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE SUPREME COURT FIRST AMENDMENT TEST FOR WHAT THEY CALL INTERMITTENT INTERMEDIATE SCRUTINY.
UM, IT WENT BACK TO THE FIFTH CIRCUIT, THE FIFTH CIRCUIT CASE AGAIN, AND AFTER HEARING EVIDENCE AND ARGUMENTS, THE FIFTH CIRCUIT SAID THAT THE CITY DID PASS THE STANDARD.
THEY HAD A, A, UM, AN ACCEPTABLE, UM, UH, PURPOSE BEING SAFETY AND AESTHETICS, AND THAT IT FURTHERED AN IMPORTANT GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST PROPERLY.
SO THEY UPHELD THE, THE SIGN CODE.
THE SECOND POINT I WANNA MAKE ABOUT THIS CASE, THOUGH, IS THE SECOND PAGE OF THE HANDOUT, WHICH GIVES YOU A LISTING
[01:20:01]
OF ALL OF THE PARTIES WHO JOINED US IN AN AMICUS BRIEF TO THE, THE SUPREME COURT.WE SUPPORTED THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT.
UM, AND WE HAD ON-PREMISE SIGN ASSOCIATIONS JOIN US.
WE HAD CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE JOIN US.
WE HAD LAND DEVELOPERS JOIN US, AND OF COURSE, WE HAD THE GARDEN CLUBS AND THE SCENIC ORGANIZATIONS JOIN US.
SO WE HAD A VERY BROAD AND MAYBE UNEXPECTED VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS JOINING US TO BASICALLY SAY, SAY SOMETHING THAT WE ALL AGREE ON, EVEN THOUGH WE'D ALL ALL AGREE ON EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME, WE ALL AGREED THAT, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, FOR, FROM THE BUSINESS STANDPOINT, THERE NEEDS TO BE CERTAINTY.
THE BUSINESSES WANT CERTAINTY.
THE BUSINESSES ALSO WANT BEAUTIFICATION BECAUSE BEAUTY SELL AND UGLY DOES NOT.
SO THAT'S, I WANTED TO FOCUS YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO CITY SCENIC ORGANIZATIONS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BUSINESSES AS WELL.
UM, THE, THE SECOND HANDOUT IS THE CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED NO NEW BILLBOARD ORDINANCES IN TEXAS.
I CAN'T SWEAR THAT THIS IS ACCURATE RIGHT NOW.
THIS WAS DONE ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND AS YOU KNOW, ORDINANCES CAN CHANGE ANY DAY.
SO, UM, THIS WAS A MOMENT IN TIME ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, BUT MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE, THERE'D BE MORE THAN, THERE'D BE MORE CITIES THAN FEWER CITIES ON THAT LIST IF WE CHANGE, IF WE LOOKED AT IT TODAY.
UM, BUT IN ANY CASE, THOSE, THOSE CITIES HAVE ALL STOPPED NEW BILLBOARD CONSTRUCTION.
AND THE THING THAT GERARD MENTIONED IS ON THAT LIST, IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW HIGHLIGHTS NEXT TO AUSTIN, BECAUSE WHAT THE CITY DID, I DON'T KNOW GERARD CAN TELL YOU WHEN, BUT MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO, ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO, AT LEAST, CITY SAID, WELL, YOU CAN RELOCATE BILLBOARDS AS LONG AS YOU MOVE THEM FROM A SCENIC HIGHWAY TO A NON SCENIC HIGHWAY, WHICH SORT OF MAKES SENSE, BUT IT DOESN'T DO WHAT GERARD SUGGESTED, WHICH IS, ONCE THE BILLBOARDS GO DOWN, WE WANT THEM TO GO DOWN PERMANENTLY, NOT BE RELOCATED AND MOVED.
AND TO MOVE THAT FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO US.
SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THOSE 340 CITIES ON THAT LIST, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, AUSTIN'S THE ONLY ONE WHO ALLOWS THAT.
UM, SO WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN ORDER TO REALLY STRENGTHEN YOUR ALREADY STRONG SIGN CODE ACCORDING TO THE US SUPREME COURT, UM, TO, UM, REMOVE THAT, REMOVE THAT PROVISION, UM, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL CAN'T DO THAT, THAT HAS TO BE CITY COUNCIL ACTION, BUT THAT HAVING THAT PROVISION OPENS UP AN ARGUMENT FOR THE BILLBOARD COMPANIES TO COME IN AND SAY, YOU'RE ALLOWING IT OVER HERE.
WHY AREN'T YOU ALLOWING IT OVER, OVER THERE? SO IT'S JUST, UM, A STRONGER CODE IF YOU CAN TIGHTEN THAT UP.
UM, AND THEN A COUPLE OF FINAL ISSUES, I JUST WANNA MENTION QUICKLY, UM, ON BILLBOARDS IN GENERAL.
SO THERE'S A VALUATION IN EQUITY HERE.
IT, IT'S VALUABLE FOR THE LANDOWNER, IT'S VALUABLE FOR THE SITE OWNER TO HAVE A BILLBOARD, BUT IT CAUSES, UM, A DEGRADATION OF PROPERTY VALUES NEARBY.
THERE WAS A STUDY DONE BY, UH, JONATHAN SNYDER, WHO IS A, AN URBAN PLANNER IN PHILADELPHIA.
AND HE DID A STUDY ABOUT EIGHT, UM, ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
AND HE FOUND THAT A SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITHIN 500 FEET OF A BILLBOARD WERE WORTH $30,800 LESS THAN BILLBOARD THAN, THAN HOMES THAT WERE FARTHER AWAY FROM THAT BILLBOARD.
SO THERE IS A, THERE'S A REAL PROPERTY DEVALUATION FOR PROPERTIES AROUND THE BILLBOARD.
THE SECOND THING I WANT, THE LAST THING I WANT YOU TO, UM, THINK ABOUT IS, UM, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES MAY NOT REGULATE SIGN MESSAGES.
AND SO ONCE THE BILLBOARD GOES UP, ANYTHING CAN BE ON THAT SIGN, THE ADVERTISER, THE SIGN COMPANY, OR BOTH MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL
[01:25:01]
ENTITIES DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO, DO WITH IT.SO, UM, STRIP JOINTS, ALCOHOL, AN PRO ABORTION, MESS MESSAGES, POLITICAL MESSAGES, ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THAT CAN HAPPEN.
WHOEVER PAYS FOR THE ADVERTISEMENT GETS THE ADVERTISEMENT.
AND, UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO THIS, THIS IS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY, IS ANYBODY INTERESTED IN MAKING A MOTION? COMMISSIONER RIDGE STRUCK CHAIR? UH, UH, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION.
UM, SHE'S THE COMMISSION AND, UH, ADVANTAGE OF BEING REMOTE.
UH, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL TO NOT SUPPORT THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTIES AT 1106 AND 1110 EAST 30TH STREET FROM SF THREE MP TO CSMU, VCO NP, WITHOUT ASSURANCE THAT A NEW BILLBOARD SIGN WILL NOT BE CONSTRUCTED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
UM, SECOND PART OF THE MOTION, AND TO RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND TWO CITY COUNCIL GENERALLY THAT THE CITY REMOVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE A BILLBOARD SIGN ONCE IT IS REMOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
UM, ALRIGHT, WE'RE UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER WIT STRUCK CHAIR, I MAY TO, TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I SPONSORED THIS EVENT LARGELY, UH, THROUGH DISCUSSION WITH THE CHERRYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC REZONING CASE.
UH, SO I WANT TO, I WANT TO EXPRESS TO YOU WHY I BROUGHT IT TO YOU, UH, THIS EVENING.
UM, THE, THE PARTICULAR ZONING CASE, AND YOU SEE IN THE BACKUP THAT THE, THE REQUEST FOR THE ZONING CHANGE SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE ZONING CHANGE IS TO ALLOW FOR A NEW BILLBOARD TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
UH, I PERSONALLY LOVE THE MIND THAT IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT I 35 ITSELF IS ENCROACHING FURTHER, UH, INTO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, IN THE CHERRYWOOD, IN HANCOCK AREAS, UH, WITHOUT BRINGING THE, THE REST OF THE DETRITUS OF A HIGHWAY WITH IT.
UM, SO I THINK THAT IT, IT, I, AND FURTHERMORE, UH, I IS MY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE EXISTING CITY CODE, UH, THAT I HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF ME, UM, TWENTY FIVE TEN ONE FIFTY TWO, THAT THE, UM, WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE DIS OF THE PROXIMITY TO A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT ALREADY.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR ME WANTING TO BRING THIS BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS NOT OUR PURVIEW TO, UM, UH, TO, TO WRITE CODE OR MAKE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT.
UM, BUT AS, AS I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE BILLBOARD, UH, ISSUES OF BILLBOARDS, GENERALLY, IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE AUSTIN IS A BIT OF AN OUTLIER IN ALLOWING, UM, THE BILLBOARDS TO PROLIFERATE.
UH, AND, UH, I FINALLY, UH, WOULD CLOSE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THAT AS WE ARE WRITING THE HERBA DESIGN GUIDELINES, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER, UH, AS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS EXPANDING INTO LARGER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT WE MIGHT INCLUDE, UH, A RECOMMENDATION AGAINST BILLBOARDS AS PART OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? PARDON ME? CHAIR SALINAS? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE CITY STAFF HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR STAFF.
HE'S WITH US ONLINE, SO JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RE RE UH, CONSTRUCTION OF I 35, IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, STANDARD TO GET, YOU KNOW, GET RIGHT, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT REFLECTS HOW AUSTIN SEES ITSELF AND, UH, THE WAY WE WANNA REBUILD OUR CITY, UM, EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE FULL CONTROL OF I 35.
UM, SO IT SEEMS LIKE, I GUESS IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING THAT, UH, BRIAN SAID, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TIMING IS, IS REALLY CRITICAL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER, WHICH STRUCK THERE? APOLOGIES.
UH, ONE, UH, ITEM I LEFT OUT IS I, I DO WANNA EXPRESS TO STAFF AND, AND, AND THANK YOU, UH, BOTH TO OUR SPEAKERS WHO, WHO MADE THE TIME TONIGHT AND, AND TO MR. WALKER FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
MY RECOMMEND, MY, THE, THE INTENT OF MY RECOMMENDATION IS NOT, NOT OUTRIGHT MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO OPPOSE THIS ZONING CHANGE.
UM, THE, THE LANGUAGE WITHOUT ASSURANCE THAT A NEW BILLBOARD SIGN WOULD NOT BE CONSTRUCTED
[01:30:01]
IS VERY INTENTIONAL.UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE CHERRYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THAT THEY DO NOT OUTRIGHT OPPOSE IN, IN PRINCIPLE, THE UPZONING OF PROPERTIES ALONG I 35 IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BUT THEY DO OPPOSE IT FOR THE PUR FOR THE SINGULAR PURPOSE OF BUILDING, OF BUILDING A BILLBOARD.
SO THE POINT, THE PURPOSE OF MY RESOLUTION IS NOT TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THE LAND USE.
UH, IT IS SOLELY TO, UM, HAVE THIS COMMISSION WEIGH IN ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF, UM, EXPANDING BILLBOARDS IN AS, AS PART OF THE PRECEDENT OF THE I 35 EXPANSION.
ANY, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER WILLIS? I WONDER IF IT MAKES SENSE TO SPLIT THE TWO ITEMS INTO TWO SEPARATE VOTES.
BECAUSE I WOULD BE A DIFFERENT VOTE ON EACH THE ITEMS PERSONALLY.
SO IF I'M OVERRULED ON, IF I'M THE ONLY NO ON ANY OF THEM, THEN IT MAY NOT MATTER.
BUT, UH, CHAIR, IF THAT WAS, UH, OFFERED AS A SUBSTITUTE, UH, AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, I WOULD HA I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SPLIT, UM, MY, MY MOTION INTO TWO MOTIONS.
YEAH, I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION INDIVIDUALLY, UH, TO, TO GO OVER YOUR ORIGINAL MOTION.
AND SO, UM, CAN THE ORIGINAL PERSON WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION DO A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO OVERRIDE THE ORIGINAL MOTION? ALL RIGHT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, INDIVIDUAL SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL TO NOT SUPPORT THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTIES AT ONE AT 1106 AND 1110 EAST 30TH STREET FROM SF THREE AND P TO CSMU VCO NP WITHOUT ASSURANCE THAT A NEW BILLBOARD SIGN WILL NOT BE CONSTRUCTED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.
UM, IS, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO BRING ANY OTHER POINTS UP TO THIS AND DISCUSS IT FURTHER? COMMISSIONER LUKINS? WELL, I, THE STAFF'S HERE AND I HATE TO WASTE, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT DOES THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THIS CASE? UH, YEAH, THIS IS BRIAN WALKER WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CITY OF BOSTON.
UM, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE NO RECOMMENDATION IN THIS CASE, BUT, UH, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON WHAT, WHAT THE CODE IS CURRENTLY AND WHAT'S ALLOWED AND WHAT'S NOT ALLOWED, I CAN CERTAINLY EXPLAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, PERTAINING TO THE, IS THERE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON THIS FOR THE, THE ZONING IN THIS, IN THIS BILLBOARD, WE, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN APPLICATION TO
SO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION ON THE ZONING CASE, NOT WITH ZONING.
I'M HERE TO, I'M HERE AS YOUR, YOU KNOW, STAFF PERSON FOR STAFF ALL THINGS SIGNS RELATED.
THAT'S, WELL, THE ZONING CASE, AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE, YOU KNOW, ARGUMENTATIVE, BUT IS IT IS A ZONING CASE AND, AND THE ZONING CASE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THIS, WHAT THE STAFF HAS THE RECOMMENDATION IS, THEN THERE'S NO STAFF RECOMMENDATION WILL GO FORWARD ON OUR OWN.
YOU HAVE TO TALK TO PLANNING ON THAT.
CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND GO DO A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE ZONING AND THE APPLICABILITY? SORRY, PARDON ME? YES.
UM, I CAN LOOK UP THE STAFF STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF THE ZONING CASE IF YOU JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, JUST TALK TO TALK ABOUT THE APPLICABILITY OF, UH, WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE CURRENT ZONING, WHAT IS PROPOSED FROM A ZONING.
I, I'M NOT WITH PLANNING ZONING, SO SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU COULD DISCUSS WHAT WAS ALLOWED CURRENTLY VERSUS PROPOSED.
I CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU CHAPTER 25 10, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE SIGN REGULATIONS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS IT, YOU KNOW, RELATES TO MOVING NON-CONFORMING SIGNS, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT, UH, I'M NOT WITH PLANNING.
NO, I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATE YEAH.
SOME IN THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE.
UM, I DID READ THROUGH IT, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR, UM, YOUR EXPLANATION OF THE SIDE ORDINANCE.
SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE A SIGN THAT IS ON ATTRACTIVE LAND THAT IS BEING ENTIRELY TAKEN BY TXDOT.
ORDINARILY CODE WOULD ALLOW A SIGN TO BE RELOCATED TO THE REMAINDER
[01:35:01]
OF THE TRACT.UM, YOU KNOW, JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY, UM, IN THIS CASE, THE WHOLE TRACT IS, IS BEING MOVED, IS GOING AWAY.
SO, UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE APPLICANT OR WHICH MAY BE THE SAME PERSON AS THE, THAT'S DOING THE ZONING THING, THEY WANTED TO MOVE THE SIGN POSSIBLY TO THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR THAT THEY OWN.
I GUESS THEY'RE ALSO THE OWNER OF, OF THE OFF PREMISE SIGN.
UM, SO THEY HAVE TO MEET A BUNCH OF CRITERIA, THEN THEY HAVE TO, TO BE MORE THAN 500 FEET AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL.
THEY, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BE AN EXPRESSWAY CORRIDOR OR NON SCENIC, ALL THESE THINGS.
UM, IN THIS CASE, ONE OF THE HURDLES IS, YOU KNOW, THE 500 FEET FROM RESIDENTIAL, THEY DON'T MEET THAT, THE WHOLE ZONING THING, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE ZONING TO A COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL BASED ZONING DISTRICT BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE THE SIGN TO A SITE, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN A COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL BASED ZONING DISTRICT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THEIR SOLE PURPOSE FOR, YOU KNOW, REZONING THE PROPERTY, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE, THE REQUIREMENTS TO RELOCATE A SIGN ONTO THAT TRACK.
UH, BUT YEAH, IN, IN THIS ONE CASE, YEAH, THEY DON'T MEET ALL THE CRITERIA TO RELOCATE THAT SIGN ONTO THE TRACK.
ADMINISTRATIVELY, THEY DO HAVE SOME OPTIONS, WHICH I CAN GET INTO, BUT YEAH, IT'LL, NOTHING ADMINISTRATIVELY, IT'LL BE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL OR, YOU KNOW, OKAY.
THINGS OF THAT NATURE, OR THEY'LL HAVE TO MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN TOWN THAT MEETS ALL THAT CRITERIA.
BUT YEAH, LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, NICOLE, UM, YEAH, PARDON ME, CHAIR.
UM, SO THE ZONING CASE, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEING POSTPONED, SO THERE CURRENTLY ISN'T A STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR IT.
UM, AND SINCE WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION REGARDING THE BILLBOARD SIGNS, THAT'S WHY BRIAN IS HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE, WE'RE NOT REVIEWING THE ZONING CASE OBVIOUSLY, UM, BUT IT'S OF COURSE AN EXAMPLE OF A BILLBOARD ALONG 35.
SO, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THEY POSTPONED IT? IS IT TWO? IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO TOMORROW, RIGHT? JANUARY 28TH? UM, JANUARY 28TH.
COMMISSIONER WALLACE, DO ANY OF Y'ALL KNOW THE REASONING AS TO WHY THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALLOWS FOR RELOCATION OF BILLBOARDS? LIKE WHAT'S THE LOGIC BEHIND IF YOU TAKE ONE DOWN, IT CAN GET, GET PUT UP SOMEWHERE ELSE? UH, BRIAN WALKER, AGAIN, CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I CAN'T EXPLAIN ALL THE, YOU KNOW, INTRICACIES OF WHY IT'S ALLOWED OR, YOU KNOW, THE REASONINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU IT IS ALLOWED UNDER CURRENT CODE IF IT MEETS ALL THIS CRITERIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ESTABLISHED CODE THAT, THAT I ADMINISTER.
UM, BUT YEAH, I, I CAN'T GET INTO THE REASONING.
I'M SURE THERE'S HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS OUT THERE, BUT YEAH, IT'S, IT'S TOO MUCH TO SUMMARIZE.
EXCUSE ME, CAN I CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING HERE? YES, PLEASE.
IT IS, AS MARGARET MENTIONED, THE BILLBOARD INDUSTRY IS VERY, VERY, IT'S A VERY, VERY PROFITABLE INDUSTRY FOR THE BILLBOARD OWNER, AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, UH, ADVOCATING TO CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES.
AND IT IS BECAUSE IT IS BECAUSE OF THE, THAT PRESSURE IN MY, IN MY OPINION IN ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, THOSE, THOSE BILLBOARD COMPANIES WERE SIMPLY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THEIR GOAL AND WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN STOPPING IT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WALLACE? I DON'T KNOW WHO IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO DIRECT THIS QUESTION AT, BUT DO WE KNOW IF THE CONCEPT AFTER I 35 IS, UH, REBUILT THAT THE LAND ALONGSIDE I 35 WOULD BE REZONED OR, OR IS IT ON LIKE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR GREATER DENSITY DOWN THE LINE? OR WHAT'S, DO, DO WE HAVE ANY BACKGROUND ON THAT? HMM.
THERE, THERE'S NO SMALL AREA PLAN OR ANYTHING THAT ARE CURRENT
[01:40:01]
PUT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.THE, THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS WHO PREVIOUSLY WERE NOT ADJACENT I 35 OR NOW ADJACENT I 35, AND THEY WOULD BE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE REZONING OF THEIR PROPERTIES OVER TIME, I BELIEVE.
SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE, UH, FROM, UH, SUBSTITUTE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER UCK.
UM, DOES ANYBODY NEED US, NEED COMMISSIONER UCK TO REPEAT THAT MOTION BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? UM, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED TO HAVE HIM REPEAT IT, BUT I, I WOULD, UM, UH, PROPOSE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO, UH, ABOUT THE LANGUAGE AROUND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, JUST TO, UM, JUST TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THIS PROPERTY BESIDE THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS REZONED, IT WOULD NO LONGER BE WITHIN THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, SO IT'S VERY TECHNICAL.
UM, AND THEN I WONDER IF WE COULD ALSO ADD A STATEMENT THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION DOES NOT OPPOSE REZONING ALONG 35 OR UPZONING AROUND ALONG 35 GENERALLY.
COMMISSIONER UCK, DO YOU ACCEPT THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? UH, YES.
AND I APPRECIATE, I, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE KEEN, UH, KEEN GRAMMAR OF MY COLLEAGUE.
WELL, LET'S, LET'S VOTE ON THE MATTER.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER UCK AND SECONDED BY ME.
I THINK I SEE YOUR COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S UNANIMOUS.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, COMMISSIONER COLE? UM, ALRIGHT.
ARE THERE ANY VOTING NAY? OH, I'M SORRY.
WE DIDN'T GET A VOTE FOR COMMISSIONER WALLACE NAYS.
SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE A YANG.
AND THEN YOUR SECOND MOTION COMMISSIONER UCK, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
THE SECOND MOTION IS A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL GENERALLY THAT THE CITY REMOVE THE RIGHT TO REPLACE A BILLBOARD SIGN ONCE IT IS REMOVED.
I'LL SECOND, IS THAT COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? YES, IT WAS.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MOTION? ALL RIGHT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? AND OPPOSED, I'M GONNA ABSTAIN ON THIS ONE.
WELL, WE'LL GET THIS DRAFTED AND POSTED.
UM, JORGE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU,
[01:45:09]
CHAIR SALINAS, IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE THE MEETING.I WE'RE JUST WANTING TO CLARIFY TAKING ACTION, TAKING TWO DIFFERENT ACTIONS ON ONE ITEM.
BUT IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK.
JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THE COMMISSION IS WELCOME TO CRAFT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ON YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO A ZONING CASE, YOU ARE NOT POSTED TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ZONING CASES.
HOWEVER, YOU MAY PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE BILLBOARDS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE POSTED FOR.
NOW, STAFF CANNOT TELL THE COMMISSION HOW TO CRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR.
SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADD THAT.
YOU CANNOT PUT THAT ON YOUR OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION GOTCHA.
IN REGARDS TO THE SPECIFIC ZONING CASE.
UM, AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN, OR, OR IS IT JUST BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION? WE, WE KEEP IT MORE GENERAL AS IT APPLIES TO BILLBOARD SPECIFICALLY.
YOU, YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION ON THIS ITEM.
HOWEVER, IN YOUR FINAL DRAFTING OF THE RECOMMENDATION, YOU CANNOT REFERENCE THE ZONING CASE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT POSTED FOR ACTION ON THE ZONING CASE.
THAT IS BEYOND THE JURISDICTION OF WHAT THE COMMISSION CAN CONSIDER.
BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO DISCUSS THAT IN, IN A PUBLIC FORUM AS YOU DID TODAY.
HOWEVER, YOU'RE NOT POSTED FOR ACTION ON THAT ITEM.
THE BILLBOARD DISCUSSION AND ACTION.
[5. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding the meeting on November 22, 2024.]
UH, IS AN UPDATE FROM, OF THE, UH, FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP, UH, REGARDING THE MEETING ON NOVEMBER 22ND, 2024.UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, ARE YOU PART OF THAT, UH, WORKING GROUP? WERE YOU THERE? I BEL I BELIEVE, UM, I, I WASN'T THERE.
I WAS SICK, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT, THAT ONLY DAVID CARROLL AND SOPHIA ATTENDED THAT MEETING MM-HMM
AND I'M ASSUMING YOU CAN'T GIVE AN UPDATE? I DON'T, I GUESS I CAN GIVE AN UPDATE.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH OF AN UPDATE TO GIVE.
THERE'S, UH, THE MOVING FORWARD AS, AS THE OTHER WORKING GROUP MEMBERS ARE AWARE, THE IDEA IS TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY, REVIEWING STAFF COMMENTS.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT IS SET IN, I THINK JANUARY.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE DATE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED YET.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, A MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY THE 12TH.
UM, SO THERE IT'LL BE A WORKING MEETING, BUT, BUT I, I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE WILL BE INDEPENDENT WORK IN ADDITION TO THAT TO REVIEW STAFF COMMENTS.
UH, UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REGARDING THE MEETING ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024.
I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S MADE IT TO THE FIRST MEETING YET, BUT, UM, OUR NEXT ONE IS FOR
[7. Update from the representative of the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding the meeting on November 20, 2024.]
THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, UM, REGARDING THE NOVEMBER 20TH, UH, MEETING COMMISSIONER LUIN.WELL, I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT, UH, THAT WE GOT APPOINTED ON THE 19TH AND
BUT I'LL BE THERE THE NEXT TIME.
OR HIGH WATER? WHEN IS IT? I'M ASSUMING IT'S, I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE 17TH.
I'M NOT SURE THOUGH, BECAUSE THEY'RE UNLIKE OUR COMMITTEE, THEY DON'T SHOW FUTURE AGENDA DATES FOR SOME REASON, BUT I'M GONNA CALL.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UH, LIKE TO DISCUSS ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, FOR THE COMING YEAR FOR 2025? I JUST WANTED TO, UM, REMIND THAT WE HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY, UM, WE ALREADY GOT MOTIONS FOR THAT ARE IN THE WORKS, AND SO WE'LL HEAR OF ONE IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE, UM, RELATED TO KIND OF LIKE THE, I DON'T KNOW, SOPHIA, IF YOU WANT TO UPDATE US ON LIKE THOSE TWO ITEMS ACTUALLY.UM, THE ITEM THAT IS GOING TO BE
[01:50:02]
COMING IN JANUARY AND JORGE IS GONNA BE PRESENTING THAT WILL BE ABOUT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, PROCESS REVIEW PROCESS, AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM THAT WAS ABOUT MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT I, I WANTED TO, UH, PERHAPS USE THIS TIME TO KIND OF CLARIFY WHAT YOU WERE HOPING TO SEE AND, AND RESPOND TO THE INITIAL KIND OF, UM, QUESTION, WHICH WAS, I THINK YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THEY ARE, BUT HOW, UM, WERE YOU ASKING HOW THEY ARE SHARED OR IF WE CAN CHANGE THEM? DO YOU MIND REITERATING WHAT, WHAT THE QUESTION WAS? YEAH, I, I GUESS, UM, IT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, IN PREVIOUS PREVIOUS YEARS THERE WERE MINIMUM STANDARDS, LIKE SUBMISSION STANDARDS FOR DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS APPLICANTS.THEY HAD TO COME PREPARED WITH CERTAIN MATERIALS, RIGHT.
AND SUBMIT THOSE AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I GUESS PART OF THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS OUR POLICY TODAY AND IS THEIR ABILITY TO, TO CHANGE THEM AND, AND THE AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE TO, TO HEAR ABOUT THAT AND THEN POTENTIALLY TAKE ACTION MM-HMM
ON CHANGING THOSE OR CLARIFYING THOSE.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, RESTATING THAT.
SO THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, THEY ACTUALLY DO APPEAR IN THE CODE LANGUAGE UNDER THAT 25, UM, DASH TWO SECTION WHERE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS DESCRIBED AND THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OR THOSE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS HAVEN'T CHANGED.
UM, AND SO THAT IS REITERATED IN THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, PROJECT APPLICATION FORM OR BASICALLY THE REQUEST FORM THAT THE APPLICANT IS SUPPOSED TO FILL OUT.
SO THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE THERE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE, THIS CAME UP BECAUSE OF ONE PARTICULAR PROJECT, AND I THINK IT WAS A GOOD POINT TO BRING IT UP.
THEY DID TECHNICALLY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED TO PRESENT.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT WE'RE USED TO SEEING APPLICANTS WHO ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS AND THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF NOT ONLY FAMILIARITY WITH THE COMMISSION, BUT JUST THE LEVEL OF DESIGN THAT THEY BRING WAS NOTABLY DIFFERENT.
SO I, I THINK I, I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS LEFT THERE AS FAR AS LIKE WE'RE SEEING DIFFERENT QUALITY WORK ESSENTIALLY FROM DIFFERENT APPLICANTS, OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO, TO DIG INTO A LITTLE BIT WITH PREPARING PERHAPS ON THE STAFF SIDE, LIKE PREPARING THE APPLICANT BETTER FOR, UH, FOR DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, WHETHER IT'S IN THE MATERIALS THAT THEY PRESENT, SO NOT NECESSARILY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT.
BUT THE MATERIALS THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING, UM, AND ALSO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CONVERSATION AT DESIGN COMMISSION, HOW IT REVOLVES AROUND URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE COMPLIANCE.
AND POTENTIALLY IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST KIND OF THAT SORT OF LIKE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, IN EVERYBODY'S BEST INTEREST FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY PEOPLE WITH THE MOST, UH, KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IT.
WE, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK THAT IT ALIGNS TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HERE THAT MM-HMM.
ANYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH AND UNDERSTAND WHAT EXPECTATION IS.
UM, UH, NOT THROUGH, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT THROUGH THE DESIGN REVIEW, UH, THE DESIGN, UH, THROUGH, UM, HOW WE'RE REVIEWING AGAINST THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, SO I MEAN, IF THERE'S NO ACTION WE CAN TAKE ABOUT THAT, IS THERE, IS THERE MAYBE DISCUSSION THAT WE SHOULD BE PUTTING ON THE AGENDA JUST TO GET, TO CLARIFY LIKE, WHAT WE'RE HOPING? WELL, AND, AND I CAN SHARE IF, IF THIS IS HELPFUL TO HEAR AFTER, DURING THAT MEETING AND, AND AFTER THAT MEETING, WHICH I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COMMENTS THAT, UM, YOU AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS MADE.
'CAUSE IT HELPED ILLUMINATE TO ME SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS, IS NEEDED.
AND WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING AS A TEAM WAS PERHAPS OFFERING A PRE DESIGN, UM, SORRY, NOT DESIGN COMMISSION, BUT A PRE, LIKE A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, UM, SUBMITTAL KIND OF CONVERSATION, A MEETING WITH THE APPLICANT, UH, JUST TO HELP GO OVER EXPECTATIONS OF, OF THE PROGRAM IN ITS ENTIRETY.
SO NOT JUST DESIGN COMMISSION, BUT DESIGN COMMISSION IS CERTAINLY A BIG COMPONENT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE DESIGN STAFF, URBAN DESIGN STAFF.
UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO ALSO JUST POST RECOMMENDED MATERIALS? UH, EVEN IF IT ISN'T A MINIMUM BY CODE REQUIREMENT? I MEAN, IT, IT WOULD BE HELP.
YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL LIKE APPLICANTS
[01:55:01]
WOULD COME AS PREPARED AS, AS WE CAN ALLOW THEM TO BE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF, IF THEY HAD KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT, WHAT MATERIALS WOULD BE RECOMMENDED FOR THEM TO COME WITH.AND ITEMS THAT I'M THINKING ARE JUST LIKE A LIST OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES AND WHETHER THEY, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY MEET THEM OR NOT AND WHAT, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF MATERIAL WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR EVERYBODY INCLUDING THEMSELVES IN THE, IN THEIR PROCESS CHAIR, IF I MAY.
AT THE RISK OF CONTINUED DISCUSSION, WHICH WE ARE NOT POSTED FOR, JUST TO REMIND TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS UNDER GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS ARE FOUND IN THE CODE 25 2 5 86 C AS IN CHARLIE ONE A ONE.
SO THOSE ARE CLEARLY OUTLINED TO CHANGE.
THOSE WOULD REQUIRE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL TO INITIATE A CODE AMENDMENT TO MODIFY THOSE, YOUR WORDS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.
SO THE CODE DOES NOT ADDRESS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, IT JUST LETS LISTS OUT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
THE COMMISSION, HOWEVER, MAY PROCEED WITH FORMULATING IN A FUTURE AGENDA RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER WHEN THEY ENTERTAIN CHANGES TO 25 2 5 8 6 DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS COMING UP IN 2025.
SO THAT'S WELL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMISSION.
AND SINCE WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR DISCUSSION, THIS IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION WE COULD HAVE JANUARY, UM, FOR THESE REQUIREMENTS.
'CAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S THE INTENT THAT IS MISSING.
UH, SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE FURTHER WITHOUT CHANGING THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT THERE'S AN INTENT THERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SEE, UM, THAT'S NOT REALLY SPELLED OUT.
SO, AND IF I MAY FOLLOW UP CHAIR YES.
AND THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION THE COMMISSION COULD CRAFT TO THE COUNCIL.
AND YOU CAN INCLUDE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL, IF YOU LIKE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE ALSO, UH, IN THE PIPELINE OF REVIEWING A POTENTIAL CODE AMENDMENT SHOULD EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE COUNCIL, UH, TAKE THAT ON.
NOW, THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY INITIATED THE CODE AMENDMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO THERE IS NO NEED TO REQUEST A CODE AMENDMENT.
YOU WOULD BE PROVIDING A RECOMMENDATION THAT AS PART OF THE CODE AMENDMENT TO THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THEY CONSIDER X, Y, Z 1 23.
WHICHEVER RECOMMENDATIONS YOU HAVE FOR THEM.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT'S GONNA GET VOTED ON OR, UH, AS FAR AS VOTING, I DON'T HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMELINE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT LEAST LATE SPRING TO SUMMER OF 2025.
BEFORE THAT'S EVEN READY FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, IS MY, THAT'S MY BEST GUESS CHAIR, BUT PLEASE DO NOT HOLD ME TO THAT TIMELINE.
I MEAN, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT JANUARY AND NO, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS IN JANUARY, UH, PERHAPS 20, 28 MAYBE, BUT
AND WAS THERE ANOTHER ITEM THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED OR THAT THOSE ARE, IT THOSE, OKAY.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS ANOTHER ITEM THOUGH, OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAS WORKED AND WHAT HASN'T WORKED.
UH, IS THAT PART OF THIS? THAT, THAT WAS THE FIRST ITEM.
WELL, UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER ITEMS THAT ANYONE WANTS TO BRING UP FOR A FUTURE, UH, MEETING, UH, OR IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? UH, I'M GONNA ADJOURN, UH, ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 8 0 2 OR IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? EVERYBODY HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY BREAK AND, UH, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.