[00:00:03]
I MEAN, CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[CALL TO ORDER]
UH, WE'LL START WITH, UH, ROLE, UH, VICE CHAIR MINORS PRESENT.UH, COMMISSIONER CARROLL PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER WALLACE PRESENT AND COMMISSIONER RE HERE AND VAC.
WE HAVE VACANCY AT DISTRICT SIX, IF ANYONE KNOWS ANYONE INTERESTED IN THAT DISTRICT NORTHWEST QUADRANT.
UM, ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION CHAIR? NO.
HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING ON DECEMBER 9TH.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MINUTES? MOTION TO APPROVE.
COMMISSIONER WALLACE WAS THE SECOND.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? ANYONE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.
AND COMMISSIONER GALA DIDN'T VOTE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
[2. Staff briefing regarding the process and implementation of the Downtown Density Bonus Program, including the Design Commission and Staff review process for compliance with the Urban Design Guidelines. Presented by Jorge Rousselin, Planning Department. Sponsors: Chair Salinas and Commissioner Howard.]
BRIEFING, UH, REGARDING THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, INCLUDING THE DESIGN COMMISSION STAFF REVIEW PROCESS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES PRESENTED BY JORGE LIN.THE FLOOR IS YOURS, JORGE, CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
JORGE LAN WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS EVENING THAT WAS ALSO PART OF YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL.
WE'LL ASK THAT THAT BE BROUGHT UP PLEASE.
AND I DON'T HAVE A CLICKER, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I'M GONNA BE SAYING NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME IN SOME LEEWAY ON THAT.
UH, AS WE ARE BRINGING UP THE PRESENTATION, JUST TO CAVEAT THAT THERE, THERE IS NO PERFECT PROCESS TO ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO I WANNA PREFACE OUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING BY SAYING WE DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE FOUND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SUCCESS WITH THE PROCESS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING THAT WE FULLY UNDERSTAND STILL NEEDS, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WITH THAT CAVEAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO BRIEF YOU ON THE PROCESS THAT STAFF TAKES IN TERMS OF THE STEPS AND THE MOSTLY ON PROCESS, UH, AS WELL AS HOW WE HAVE FOUND SUCCESS IN A DIALOGUE WITH THE APPLICANT.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE IN A SECOND WHEN THE PRESENTATION COMES UP.
SO TONIGHT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING, UH, AND BRUSHING UP ON SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU FIND IN CITY CODE REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT AN OVERVIEW OF THE STAFF PROCESS AS WELL AS THE INTEGRATION OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND REVIEWS AND COMMENTS, SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW THE MOST RECENT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION HAVE COME TO FRUITION, AS WELL AS THE WHAT COORDINATION AND DIALOGUE HAPPENS WITH THE APPLICANTS IN ORDER TO REACH COMPLIANCE.
WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME CASE STUDIES, UH, RECENT, UH, SITE PLANS AND SOME THAT HAVE COME IN IN THE PAST AS WELL.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF COMPARE AND SEE HOW STAFF WORKS WITH THE APPLICANT TO INFUSE SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, AS, AS A REMINDER THAT THE, THE CITY CODE HAS PUT IN PLACE THAT THE PROCESS FOR ACHIEVING A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, UH, PROGRAM REQUEST IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS UP TO THE LIMITS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN CHAPTER 25 2 5 8 6.
THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS AND THERE'S ALSO A LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT WHEN A PROJECT SEEKS ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS BEYOND THE BASE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PORTIONS OF THE PROGRAM, THOSE GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNCIL WITH A STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND A DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OR SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS, THOSE ARE FOUND UNDER THE GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS
[00:05:01]
THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.AND THEY'RE ALSO PART OF THAT SPECIFIC CODE SECTION THAT YOU SEE.
THERE ARE NO SUCH THING AS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, THEY'RE JUST CODE REQUIREMENTS.
AND THESE ARE, THESE ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, STAFF HAS COME UP WITH.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY OUTLINED IN THE CODE.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN EXPLORING WAYS TO STRENGTHEN THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY BE PERHAPS PART OF A RECOMMENDATION YOU WISH TO FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL.
IN TERMS OF THE ROLE OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, THE CODE IS, UH, EXPRESSLY CLEAR AND DIRECT, UH, AS TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION SHALL EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FORWARDED TO THE STAFF, TO THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, WHICH ARE ALSO SHARED WITH THE APPLICANT.
AND THERE'S EXPLICIT DIRECTION GIVEN TO BOTH THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF AS TO WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THE, THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSION IS TO EVALUATE WHETHER THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND THE DIRECTOR OR STAFF SHALL CONSIDER THOSE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
SO IN FAR, AS FAR AS THE TECHNICAL PROCESS GOES, WE ARE NOT COMMENCING THE EVALUATION OF THOSE PROJECTS UNTIL WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION.
THE EMPHASIS ON THIS SLIDE IS FROM STAFF.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS NOT THE WAY THE CODE IS WRITTEN.
UH, I WILL NOT READ THIS PROCESS TO YOU THAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR BACKUP.
BUT OF NOTE IS THAT WHEN AN APPLICANT MEETS WITH STAFF AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE FOUND MUCH GREATER SUCCESS WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH AN APPLICANT, UH, ROLES, EXPECTATIONS, AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT TO, UH, EXPECT WHEN PRESENTING TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
UH, YOU'VE SEEN EVIDENCE OF THAT WITH SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A FULL PRESENTATION WITH VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION.
AND SOME PROJECTS CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE THIS, UH, WHAT WE CALL PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE.
WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE OUR PROCESS TO MAKE THIS MANDATORY SO THAT ANY PROJECT THAT WISHES TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE STAFF, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH AT LEAST SOME LEVEL OF PRE-APPLICATION PROCESS.
NOW, I WANNA NOTE THAT THERE IS NO OFFICIAL APPLICATION PROCESS FOR A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT WOULD FALL UNDER A FEE SCHEDULE.
AND AS YOU WILL NOTE, THERE IS NO FEE TO PROCESS CURRENTLY A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM REQUEST.
SO WE CALL IT AN APPLICATION, BUT IT'S MORE OF A PROCESS AFTER THAT.
AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A PROCESS THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN STAFF AND THE APPLICANT.
USUALLY ONE MEETING WILL SUFFICE.
UH, OFTENTIMES THERE ARE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO STAFF IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS.
SOON AFTER THAT, OR PERHAPS AT THE SAME TIME, A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS FILED WITH THE CITY.
AND THAT IS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BY WHICH IT GOES TO A MULTITUDE OF REVIEW DISCIPLINE, WHICH MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM HAVE QUITE AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE GOING THROUGH.
THEN ESSENTIALLY KIND OF BREAKS UP IN THE TWO PROCESSES YOU HAVE.
THE GRAY STREET REVIEW COMMENCES FROM THE URBAN DESIGN TEAM AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS DESIGN COMMISSION, REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION.
THE STAFF IS AT, AT THIS TIME REVIEWING THE SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE A WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS THE FIRST PASS OF A MEMBERSHIP OF THIS COMMISSION, TO REVIEW THE REQUEST ITSELF AND FORMULATE INPUT TO THE COMMISSION.
A WORKING GROUP INPUT IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION, AND ONCE THAT HAS BEEN FORMALIZED, THAT BECOMES PART OF THE SUBMITTAL THAT YOU OFTEN SEE APPLICANTS BRING TO THE COMMISSION ITSELF.
THE DESIGN COMMISSION WILL ISSUE AN EVALUATION UPON A PRESENTATION BY THE APPLICANT THAT WILL INCLUDE THAT, UH, REVIEW COMMENTS AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT IS, UH, REVOLVING AROUND THE COMPLIANCE OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AFTER ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED, STAFF COMMENCES THE REVIEW FOR COMPLIANCE, UH, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE COMMISSION IS ASKED TO FIND COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
STAFF IS GIVEN THE ROLE OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
UM, STAFF WORKS WITH THE APPLICANT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROJECT CAN ACHIEVE AS MANY RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS BODY TO BE INFUSED INTO THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK
[00:10:01]
MOVING FORWARD ANY CHANGES TO THE DESIGN, UH, ONCE COMPLETED, THAT GETS FORWARDED, UH, INTERNALLY, UH, WITHIN STAFF TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE A MEMO THAT GRANTS THE ACTUAL ENTITLEMENTS ON THE PROPERTY TIED TO A SPECIFIC SITE PLAN AS OUTLINED BY THE PROGRAM.WHEN PROJECTS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE ACTION, UH, BY THE COUNCIL, THE ORDINANCE ITSELF WILL REFERENCE THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN FILED IN REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING REQUEST FOR A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROCESS, WE'D RELY ON THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION, AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT HOW SOME OF THOSE ARE STRUCTURED.
UH, AGAIN, NOTING THAT THE WORKING GROUP, UH, INPUT IS NOT THE DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION.
WHEN LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCT OF THE RECOMMENDATION LETTER, IT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CLEAR OUTLINE.
AND MOST OF THE LETTERS THAT WE'VE SEEN OF LATE ARE SPECIFIC AS TO THE, WHETHER THE PROJECT COMPLIES OR DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THAT IS KEY LANGUAGE THAT WE MOST DEFINITELY NEED FROM THIS BODY ENABLE, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO EVENTUALLY REACH COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
O ONE AREA THAT, UH, WE BELIEVE COULD BE IMPROVED IS THE, THE LACK OF SPECIFIC ON DESIGN GUIDELINES.
TIE THEM TO SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES SO THAT STAFF COULD WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO ADDRESS AS MANY GUIDELINES AS, UH, CAN SEE, UH, CAN BE INFUSED INTO THE PROJECT ITSELF IN ORDER TO BE FOUND SUBSTANTIALLY.
COMPLIANCE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR LE LETTER LACKS CLARITY ON WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.
AS OPPOSED TO A MORE RECENT LETTER THAT YOU SAW, WHICH CLEARLY OUTLINED SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT WERE LACKING IN THE PROJECT, THIS IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO STAFF BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT YOU FOUND LACKING AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT ON WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACHIEVE SAID COMPLIANCE.
THERE'S ALSO SPECIF SPECIFICITY ON DESIGN ELEMENTS TO BE EXPLORED, WHICH IS FOUND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LETTER.
SO THIS TYPE OF FORMAT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR STAFF AND IT WAS FOUND NOT TO BE COMPLIANT WITH, UH, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO THIS WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
THEN THE PROCESS OF A DIALOGUE COMMENCES WITH THE APPLICANT.
YOU SEE HERE AN EXAMPLE OF A LETTER, UH, ADDRESS TWO STAFF TO TRY AND WORK OUT HOW THE APPLICANT WILL BE.
AND THE PROJECT WILL BE ADDRESSING THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE START WITH THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE SPECIFICITY OF THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE LACKING IS THE STARTING POINT FOR THE STAFF REVIEW.
AND WE GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE APPLICANT TO BE ABLE TO INFUSE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS ONTO THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ITSELF IN THE FORM OF NOTES, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ACTUAL CHANGES TO THE SITE PLAN TO BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THOSE.
THERE'S ALSO A DIALOGUE THAT CONTINUES WITH THE APPLICANT, WITH THE FORM OF THE MATRIX APPROACH, WHERE WE HAVE FOUND SUCCESS WITH CERTAIN PROJECTS TO BE ABLE TO LIST AND OUTLINE EACH SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINE AND HAVE THE APPLICANT DEMONSTRATE WHETHER THEY FEEL THEY HAVE REACHED COMPLIANCE OR, OR NOT.
UH, SOME MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A NUMERIC COUNT, MORE OF A QUALITATIVE APPROACH AS TO HOW THEY ARE MEETING AND DEMONSTRATING THE, THE PROJECT MEETING THOSE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES.
SO THIS TOOL HAS ALSO BEEN HELPFUL IN THE STAFF REVIEW TO BE ABLE TO POINT OUT AND DEMONSTRATE WHICH, UH, PARTICULAR GUIDELINES MAY BE LACKING IN THE PROJECT.
SO WE'LL TAKE A REALLY QUICK LOOK AT SOME CASE STUDIES SO YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION WITH AN ADDITIONAL CAVEAT THAT THE, THE REVIEW OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THE COMMISSION IS NOT APPROVING OR DISAPPROVING A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO YOU MAY NOT SEE ALL THE ELEMENTS INFUSED INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SITE PLAN, BUT YOU'LL SEE SOME NOTES BEING
[00:15:01]
ADDED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.SO THE GOAL IS TO INCORPORATE THE COMMISSION AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS VIA THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 'CAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRACKED INTERNALLY AND WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE INTO THE PHASE OF BUILDING PERMIT AT THE TIME THAT THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS APPROVED.
OFTENTIMES AFTER A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT OR PLAN IS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION, IT'S GOT QUITE A WASTE TO GO IN TERMS OF BEING FINALIZED AND APPROVED FOR AN ACTUAL SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
DO CHANGES HAPPEN BETWEEN THE COMMISSION REVIEW AND FINAL SITE PLAN? ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME, NOT QUITE A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT NINE TIMES OUTTA 10.
YOU SEE CHANGES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
MOST OF THOSE ARE BASED ON DISCIPLINE REVIEW.
AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, NAME YOUR FAVORITE, UH, UTILITY MAY PROVIDE COMMENTS.
UH, THE URBAN DESIGN REVIEW FOR GRAY STREET COMPLIANCE MAY ALSO MODIFY SOMETHING.
SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS THE IMPACT TO THE ENTITLEMENT AND THE REQUEST THAT THE PROJECT IS SEEKING THROUGH THE PROGRAM ITSELF WHEN IT COMES TO HEIGHT AND FAR AND ACTIVATION AND TREATMENT OF THE GROUND FLOOR WITH THE PEDESTRIAN REALM.
YOU'LL SEE HERE THE FIRST EXAMPLE, ANDOVER BRASS STREET PROJECT, AND, AND THAT'S ALONG THE THIRD STREET.
YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION, WHICH IS ON YOUR LEFT, AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED OR SUBMITTED IN THE SITE PLAN IN THE RIGHT.
FAIRLY SIMILAR, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU WITH FULL CONFIDENCE THAT IS EXACTLY THE SAME.
ONE IS ILLUSTRATIVE, WHICH IF YOU RECALL, PART OF THE SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS IS A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN.
SO MOST OF YOU THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM THROUGH YOUR WORK WITH YOUR CLIENTS, KNOW QUITE WELL THAT NO ONE SUB SUBMITS A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN.
THE ONE THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IS ABOUT AS CONCEPTUAL AS YOU CAN GET IN TERMS OF THE ILLUSTRATED PURPOSES OF WHAT THE REQUEST AND THE PROJECT IS TRYING TO CONVEY.
BUT WHAT YOU OFTEN SEE APPROVED IN PROCESS IS THE ONE ON THE RIGHT, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
HERE'S A DEPICTION OF, UH, THE ACTUAL RENDERING THAT WAS PRESENTED VERSUS WHAT, UH, WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED OR WAS CONSTRUCTED.
I BELIEVE THIS, THIS PROJECT HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED, UH, NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY LANGUAGE IN THE CODE THAT REQUIRES THAT A RENDERING MATCH THE FINAL PRODUCT DUE TO NUMEROUS CHANGES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THERE MAY BE SOME VARIATIONS ON WHAT YOU SEE IN THE FACADE MATERIAL, FOR EXAMPLE, OR THE NUMBER OF STORIES, UH, IN TERMS OF THE TREATMENT.
BUT YOU'LL HAVE ELEMENTS LIKE GREAT STREETS AT THE GROUND LEVEL THAT WILL TAKE PRECEDENT OVER A RENDERING THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS SIX 17 COLORADO.
HERE AGAIN, IS THE COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT WAS SHOWN AT DESIGN COMMISSION AND THE FINAL SITE PLAN.
QUITE SIMILAR IN TERMS OF THE CONSTRUCT SLIGHT VARIATIONS THAT OFTEN HAPPEN AT TIME OF SITE PLAN UPDATES OR SITE PLAN CORRECTIONS.
AND HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WAS SHOWN IN THE RENDERING, IN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT.
UH, AGAIN, FAIRLY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS SHOWN, PERHAPS SOME SLIGHT VARIATIONS ON SOME MATERIAL.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE STONE LAKE PROJECT ON FIFTH STREET.
AGAIN, WHAT WAS SHOWN AT DESIGN COMMISSION AND WHAT WAS APPROVED IN THE SITE PLAN.
AND WHEN STAFF IS REVIEWING FOR COMPLIANCE, WE TAKE THE APPROVED SITE PLAN.
AND WHEN WE GO ON SITE TO INSPECT GRAY STREET ELEMENTS, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ELEMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED ON THE SITE PLAN.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOTE ANY CHANGES THAT AFFECT THE SITE PLAN THROUGH THE INFUSION OF SPECIFIC URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
BE ANNOTATED IN THE SITE PLAN ITSELF.
THAT FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE AN ART ELEMENT OR AN ART PIECE THAT, THAT BE DESIGNATED IN THE SITE PLAN.
SO WHEN THE INSPECTION HAPPENS ON ON SITE WE'RE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AN ART BASE.
WE DON'T DELINEATE WHAT ART SHOULD BE, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE INPUT OF THE COMMISSION OF WHAT IT COULD BE IN TERMS OF A RECOMMENDATION.
UH, HERE'S WHAT YOU HAVE A RENDERING.
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IT'S, IT HAS NOT BEEN BUILT YET, SO IT'S IN PROGRESS.WE DON'T HAVE, UH, AN ACTUAL IMAGE SHOWING THE BUILT PRODUCT.
UH, I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE IN RAINY, UH, THAT CAME THROUGH THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UH, IN 2020.
AND AGAIN, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION UP TOP AND THE FINAL SITE PLAN AT, AT THE BOTTOM.
QUITE SIMILAR, SOME SLIGHT DIFFERENCES.
AND HERE'S THE DEPICTION OF A RENDERING THAT WAS SHOWN AND THE WORK IN PROGRESS THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION TODAY.
SO, SO THE POINT TO TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE IS THAT STAFF RELIES SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE COMMISSION'S COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN CONSIDERING A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, UH, PROJECT.
UH, OUR REVIEW DOESN'T START TO RECAP UNTIL WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION.
AND, AND IN GOOD FAITH, BOTH THE STAFF AND THE APPLICANT TRY TO ADDRESS AS MANY OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SOME, SOME ARE NOT ABLE TO BE INFUSED INTO THE DESIGN BASED ON THE DESIGN PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT FOR, FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE FOUND SUCCESS IN THE DIALOGUE APPROACH.
UH, RATHER THAN SAYING YOU MUST MEET X NUMBER OF GUIDELINES, WE HAVE FOUND GREATER SUCCESS WITH THE DIALOGUE APPROACH AND THE MATRIX APPROACH.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION CHAIR.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SORRY, COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
UH, THE ORDINANCE SAYS IF THE DESIGN OF A BUILDING CHANGES AFTER A BONUS IS GRANTED UNDER THIS SECTION, THE DIRECTOR SHALL REVIEW THE NEW DESIGN FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES PRIOR TO BUILDING PERMIT APPROVAL.
DOES STAFF HAVE A DEFINITION FOR WHAT A DESIGN CHANGE IS THAT WOULD TRIGGER THIS? THE CODE DOES NOT DEFINE WHAT LEVEL OF CHANGE, BUT WHEN WE ARE PART OF THE PROCESS FOR UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS ON A SITE PLAN, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE CORRECTIONS AND CHANGES AND DETERMINE WHETHER THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE DESIGN VERSUS WHAT WAS PRESENTED.
FOR EXAMPLE, THINGS THAT HAVE COME BACK AT TIMES, I CAN ONLY PERHAPS RECALL A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, PROJECTS THAT CHANGED THEIR ENTITLEMENTS, MADE THE PROJECT TALLER, FOR EXAMPLE, OR CHANGED THE DESIGN, UH, IN, IN A WAY THAT IS, IT IS A DIFFERENT PROJECT NOW.
WE USE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF DISCRETION IN TERMS OF STAFF REVIEW IS, DOES IT, CAN ANY REASONABLE PERSON SEE THE PROJECT AND NOT IT AS BEING DIFFERENT THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A RE-REVIEW? MOST OF THE TIME, THESE ARE MINOR CHANGES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THIS SIDELINE PROCESS THAT SINCE NOT BEING GIVEN A DEFINITION AS TO THE LEVEL OF CHANGE, STAFF USES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONAL DISCRETION TO BE ABLE TO GO ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT TOO IS THAT LIKE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IF THEY CHANGE THE CLADDING MATERIAL IN THE BUILDING VERSUS IF THEY, YOU KNOW, HAD A RESTAURANT AND REMOVED THAT FROM THE PROJECT.
BUT THE BUILDING LOOKS THE SAME FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT MAYBE THAT'S A LOBBY.
NOW, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STAFF WOULD CONSIDER A DESIGN CHANGE TO RE-REVIEW? NOT NECESSARILY A DESIGN CHANGE, MAYBE A USE CHANGE.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTIVATION ON THE FIRST FLOOR, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST FLOOR, RIGHT? SO OFTENTIMES LOBBIES ARE NOT ACCEPTED AS AN ACTIVATION BY STAFF.
YOU USUALLY HAVE, WE SEE THIS DOWNTOWN, ONE PERSON STANDING OR SITTING AT A DESK AND NOTHING IS HAPPENING.
SO WHEN, WHEN THOSE DESIGN PROPOSALS OR CHANGES ARE PRESENTED TO STAFF, WE TRY AND WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO ACTIVATE THE LOBBY.
IF THERE IS A CHANGE, WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE LOBBY? COULD PART OF IT BE A RESTAURANT? COULD IT BE A COFFEE SHOP? COULD IT BE AN ART GALLERY? COULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, COULD BE ACTIVATED IN TERMS OF ALLOWING PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY TO HAPPEN.
BUT, BUT THOSE KIND OF CHANGES DO NOT CONSTITUTE A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IF THE REST OF THE DESIGN REMAINS.
THAT'S MORE OF A USE LAND USE APPROACH, LAND USE CASE, THAT WOULD BE EVALUATED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
YEAH, I THINK IT GETS TO THE, UM, AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, ACTIVATION, LIKE SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS
[00:25:01]
THE GUIDELINES THEMSELVES.VERSUS JUST SIMPLY A AESTHETIC DESIGN CHANGE.
DOES, DOES YOUR STAFF ALWAYS RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THAT THESE PROJECTS, IF, LIKE ONCE YOU APPROVE IT, WHAT MAKES THEM COME BACK TO YOU IF THEY CHOOSE TO CHANGE THE DESIGN? I'LL BE VERY HONESTLY AND VERY BLUNT WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER, NOT ALL THE TIME DO, ARE WE NOTIFIED OF THESE CHANGES? AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO WORK IN THIS NEW SITE PLAN PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY THE COUNCIL THROUGH THE, AM I SAYING THIS RIGHT, MCKINSEY? IS THAT RIGHT? THE MCKINSEY PROCESS THAT IS CHANGING THE ENTIRE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS TO INCLUDE EVEN UPDATES AND CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO SITE PLANS.
WHEN WE ARE MADE AWARE OF THOSE CHANGES, WE TRY AND WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NOT ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH BETWEEN WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT COMMISSION REVIEWED BY STAFF AND THEN CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WHICH DOES HAPPEN.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU FOR A FACT THAT SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN.
I I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TO TELL YOU THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? UH, YOU HAD, YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, INSPECTIONS, UH, AND, AND HOW THE SITE PLAN WOULD IDENTIFY ITEMS, UH, LIKE ART FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WERE EXPECTED TO BE A PART OF A PROJECT BASED ON COMP, UH, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, ARE THERE, ARE THERE INSPECTORS THAT ARE, ARE LOOKING AT THOSE ITEMS TO ENSURE THEY'RE ON SITE? SO, SO COMMISSIONER TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THERE ARE NUMEROUS LEVELS OF INSPECTIONS THAT HAPPEN.
OUR DEPARTMENT, OUR DIVISION, WILL INSPECT FOR THE COMPLIANCE OF GRAY STREET STANDARDS BECAUSE WE MANAGE THE GRAY STREET PROGRAM.
OFTENTIMES WE HAVE A COPY OF THE ACTUAL SITE PLAN WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE AN ART PIECE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
WE CAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU WITH CONFIDENCE THAT A BUILDING INSPECTOR IS INSPECTING FOR ART ELEMENTS OR ART PIECES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S NOT IN THE CODE ITSELF AS PART OF A BUILDING PERMIT.
SO WE WILL TRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR ONSITE INSPECTION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITHIN REASON TO BE ABLE TO CATCH THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE SITE PLAN ITSELF.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE NOTES, SITE PLAN NOTES AND ACTUAL ARROWS DEPICTING WHERE THE POTENTIAL ART PIECE IN YOUR EXAMPLE COULD GO.
AND SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO, UH, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THOSE ELEMENTS.
SOMETIMES SUCCESSFUL, SOMETIMES NOT.
SO ARE YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UM, THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION, UM, INSPECTS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WITH GREAT STREETS, BUT NOT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES? URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE A RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION.
AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO INFUSE CERTAIN GUIDELINES OR AS MANY AS WE CAN, AND THEY'RE NOTED ON THE SITE PLAN AND WE'RE ABLE TO INSPECT THEM, WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE AT THAT POINT TO INSPECT FOR THOSE, BUT NOT AS A CONDITION OF, OF, FOR EXAMPLE, REVOCATION OF THE SITE PLAN OR THE PERMIT ITSELF.
IN, IN YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF HOW IT'S WRITTEN INTO CODE, WOULD YOU SAY THAT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THESE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UH, PROJECTS? UH, THE CODE DOESN'T USE THE WORD REQUIREMENT, SO I CANNOT STEP INTO THE REALM OF A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THE CODE DOESN'T USE THAT LANGUAGE.
SO MY OPINION HERE, UNFORTUNATELY, IS NOT VALID BECAUSE I'M NOT READING INTO THE CODE, I'M JUST READING THE CODE.
SO I'M RELUCTANT TO READ INTO THE INTENT OF THE COUNCIL WITHOUT SPECIFIC DIRECTION AS TO WHAT THEY MEANT BY SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE OR COMPLIANCE OR WHETHER IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
NOW WE SEE IT AS PART OF A GATEKEEPER ELEMENT.
SO PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM ITSELF DOESN'T ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE ADMINISTRATIVELY UNTIL THOSE GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS ARE MET, ONE OF WHICH IS REVIEWED BY THIS BODY AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS WORKING WITH STAFF FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
J UM, JUST SO I'M TRYING TO COMPLETELY TO COMPREHEND ALL THIS.
SO, UM, THE CODE SAYS THAT, UH, WE WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER WE THINK THAT THE, A PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES TO STAFF COMPLIES SUBSTANTIALLY.
[00:30:01]
AND THEN STAFF WILL, WHERE DOES THE SUBSTANTIALLY COM COMPLY COME INTO EFFECT? AND AND WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THE CODE SAY THAT STAFF IS IN IS SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION? SO, SO STAFF SHALL CONSIDER THE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION.THAT IS THE EXPLICIT DIRECTION GIVEN BY THE CODE, BY THE COUNCIL TO THE STAFF.
SO OUR MANDATE IS TO CONSIDER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UM, AND I, I HAD ANOTHER ONE JUST KIND OF FOLLOWING ON MORE TO DAVID'S QUESTION IS ONCE THE, JUST A FULL CLARIFICATION.
UM, ONCE Y'ALL HAVE CERTIFIED THAT IT, I GUESS YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN CERTIFY THAT IT'S COMP SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT, THE PROJECT WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE DO ISSUE A LETTER THAT FINDS A PROJECT IN SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS REQUIRED BY CODE.
AND IS, IS THAT A REQUIREMENT FOR THEIR APPROVAL OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS? NO, THE APP APPROVE THE APPROVAL IS THROUGH THE MEMO ITSELF.
THERE, THERE'S A MEMO PACKET AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE EXAMPLES OF THAT WITH THE COMMISSION.
SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL APPROVAL OF THE DENSITY BONUS REQUEST IS THROUGH THAT MEMO THAT GRANTS THE ENTITLEMENT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENTITLEMENTS HERE RELATED TO HEIGHT AND FAR FLORIDA AREA RATIO.
THERE'S NOT AN APPROVAL OF URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IN THE CODE THAT IS EXPLICIT.
THAT'S A GATEKEEPER ELEMENT TO GET PROGRAM, UH, PROJECTS INTO THE PROGRAM THAT IS BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE.
AND SO THE CERTIFICATION THAT YOU ISSUE IS RE AS IT RELATES TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, WHAT DOES THAT CERTIFICATION SAY? IT'S JUST SAYING THAT STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE PROJECT AND HAS FOUND IT BASED ON AND WITH HELP FROM THE COMMISSION AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR ANALYSIS THROUGH THE DIALOGUE.
THE LETTERS THAT YOU SAW IN THE PRESENTATION, THE MATRIX, THAT THE PROJECT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT.
SO THE PROJECT CAN PROCEED THROUGH THE PROCESS ITSELF, BUT IT'S NOT AN APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF THE PROJECT.
BUT WITHOUT THAT CERTIFICATION, THEY CANNOT CONTINUE.
WE, WE TYPICALLY DO NOT CONTINUE THE PROCESS.
NOW, THERE'S BEEN PUSHBACK SIGNIFICANTLY FROM PROJECTS THAT WISH TO GO TO PC AND COUNCIL THROUGH THIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
WE HAVE CHANGED OUR PROCESS SIGNIFICANTLY TO SAY WE WILL NOT SCHEDULE ANY PROJECTS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS UNTIL ALL GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUND THAT THERE'S BEEN ISSUES IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF, SAY ANOTHER GATEKEEPER, AIL, A RESTRICTED COVENANT.
THAT IS, THAT IS A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THAT GETS FILED WITH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY DECENT AND RECORDS, UH, THAT SOMETIMES THOSE HAVE BEEN LACKING MM-HMM
BY THE TIME IT GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSIONER THE COUNCIL, AND THE COUNCIL IS MAKING OR CONSIDERING GRANTING ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS BEYOND THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVELS WHEN THERE'S A GATEKEEPER ELEMENT MISSING.
SO SINCE A FEW MONTHS AGO, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, WE ARE REFRAINING FROM SCHEDULING ANY PROJECTS THAT ARE SEEKING LEGISLATIVE ACTION OF THE COUNCIL UNTIL ALL GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
SO I'M JUST GONNA TRY TO SAY THIS IN MY OWN WORDS AND YOU'LL CORRECT ME IN YOUR WORDS, I'M SURE.
BUT, UM, I APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT COMMUNICATING CORRECTLY.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA LIKE MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE, YOU'RE BEING VERY, UH, ACCURATE IN YOUR LANGUAGE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M TRYING TO BE, I'M TRYING TO BE, YES.
UM, SO, UH, AS WRITTEN BY, IN CODE, UH, UH, THE PROCESS TO PRESENT TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS RE UH, TOWARD THE RECOMMENDATION OF COMPLIANCE OR NOT COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS A REQUIREMENT.
THE YOU, IT'S A GATEKEEPER ELEMENT.
IT'S A, IT'S A GATEKEEPER ELEMENT.
UM, WHICH IT'S REQUIRED THAT YOU MEET ALL OF YOUR GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS.
WELL, IT'S, IS THAT NOT TRUE? IT IS REQUIRED AS PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT THE CODE DOESN'T CALL IT A REQUIREMENT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF IS NOT INFUSING WORDS THAT THE CODE IS NOT USING.
SO SURE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CALL IT OR QUALIFY IT AS A REQUIREMENT.
BUT A REQUIREMENT OF THE PROCESS ITSELF, NOT A REQUIREMENT OF THE PROGRAM.
IT'S A GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ARGUE AGAINST WHAT THE CODE SAYS, BUT WE'RE NOT CALLING IT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THE ENTITLEMENTS ARE GRANTED THROUGH THE ME I'M NOT EXPLAINING MYSELF CORRECTLY.
MEMO ITSELF GRANTS THE ENTITLEMENTS, NOT THE GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS.
THE GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS ALLOW THE PROCESS TO MOVE.
SO IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE CALLED REQUIREMENTS, THAT'S FINE.
SO THE, THE STAFF IS NOT CALLING THEM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM.
THESE ARE GATEKEEPER ELEMENTS.
[00:35:02]
UH, OKAY.LET'S, LET'S THINK OF IT AS GATE.
UM, THE, THE SUBMISSION INTO THIS PROCESS IS A REQUIREMENT TO ENTER THE GATE.
THAT'S KINDA WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, FINE.
SO ONCE THEY HAVE CHECKED THIS BOX OF COMING AND PRESENTING, THE GATE IS OPEN AND EVERYTHING HAPPENS ADMINISTRATIVELY FROM THERE.
UH, HOWEVER, YOUR, UH, YOUR DIVISION DOES NOT CERTIFY THAT A PROJECT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT UNTIL YOU GUYS HAVE RA ARRIVED AT SOME DISCUSSION BASED SORT OF, UH, APPROACH, UM, THAT EVERYBODY FEELS HAPPY ENOUGH WITH.
UM, AND NO, I COULDN'T SAY HAPPY ENOUGH BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE DON'T HAVE HAPPY APPLICANTS.
HOWEVER, WE, WE CONSIDER THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION SURE.
UM, SO YOU COME TO SOME AGREEMENT, UH, YOU CERTIFY, UH, YOU CERTIFY THAT IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT AND WITHOUT THAT CERTIFICATION, THEY CANNOT MOVE FORWARD, OR THEY DO, THEY GENERALLY DO NOT MOVE FORWARD.
THEY DO NOT MOVE FORWARD FOR THE LEGISLATIVE PIECE OF IT? OR WHAT ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE? SO THE ADMINISTRATIVE THROUGH THE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY'S REVIEW SYSTEM, IT'S CALLED THE AMANDA SYSTEM.
IN AMANDA, THERE'S A HOLD FOR GRAY STREETS.
NOW, THAT'S WHERE THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PUSHBACK FROM THE APPLICANT BECAUSE WE'RE HOLDING THE GRAY STREET PIECE OF IT, BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER ALLOW THE EXPRESSION BUTTON TO HOLD UNTIL THE COMPLIANCE IS MET.
I, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO, TOO BOGGED DOWN WITH THE DETAILS OF THAT, BUT OB OBVIOUSLY THE, THERE'S A SOFTWARE THAT YOU ALL USE AND THAT IS A CURRENT LIMITATION OF THE SOFTWARE.
BUT, UM, I GUESS RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION IS REVIEWING FOR COMPLIANCE WITH GREAT STREETS, UM, AND IT'S ALSO, UH, CERTIFYING PROJECTS AS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND ONCE THAT CERTIFICATION IS ACHIEVED, UM, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE NOTIFIED IF THERE'S ANY SITE PLAN AMENDMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO NO, UM, NOR NO FORMAL INSPECTION TO, TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S BEEN A, BEEN A TRUE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, NOT THE GUIDELINES.
'CAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SITE PLAN ITSELF.
AND SO WHAT WE TRY AND DO IN THE DIALOGUE PHASE WITH THE APPLICANT IS TO INFUSE AS MANY NOTES INTO THE SITE PLAN THAT ADDRESS THOSE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES.
SO WE'RE NOT INSPECTING FOR GUIDELINES, WE'RE INSPECTING FOR COMPLIANCE OF THOSE SITE PLAN ELEMENTS, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL INCLUDE SOME, MOST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS BODY AS WELL AS STAFF REVIEW.
SO I GUESS, SO THAT'S PART OF IT IS, IS THAT YOU GUYS ARE CERTIFYING THE PROJECT, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS DO WE, DO YOU ALL GET NOTIFIED? DO, IS THERE ANOTHER, LIKE WITH OTHER SITE PLAN AMENDMENTS, IF, IF THERE'S A SITE PLAN AMENDMENT THAT IMPACTS THE, UM, THE ROAD BED, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE TPW IS GONNA HEAR ABOUT IT? UM, TYP TYPICALLY, YEAH.
I MEAN, IF, IF THEY DON'T, THEN THERE'S BEEN A PROBLEM, LIKE, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
UM, AND SO IN THIS CASE WHERE I'M, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT GREAT STREETS 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S KINDA A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMALIZED, BUT AS FAR AS, UH, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE URBAN DESIGN ELEMENTS ARE EXPENSIVE AND A PROJECT UNDERGOES A, UH, A CUT, UH, AND A LOT OF ELEMENTS ARE VEED OUT.
WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE, UH, THAT YOUR TEAM WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE? AGAIN, IF, IF THE SITE PLAN NOTE IS DROPPED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD BE THE CLOSEST THING I CAN COME TO IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE RELY ON THOSE SITELINE NOTES THAT IF THERE WAS A, TO USE THEIR WORDS, A DROP ON THE PROJECT BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE, OR IT CHANGES TO WHERE THEY NEED TO DROP CERTAIN NOTES, THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD HOPEFULLY BE INVOLVED.
I CAN'T TELL YOU FULL CONFIDENCE THAT WE ARE IN EVERY CASE.
IT'S, THAT'S THE PRO THAT'S THE PROCESS WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE ON.
I, YEAH, I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE VE YOU KNOW, UH, THINGS THAT AREN'T REGULATORY WILL GET VEED BEFORE THINGS THAT ARE REGULATORY.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT WITHOUT HAVING THESE, WITH ANY SORT OF, UH, FORCE OF LAW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, AND, AND THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY A FORMAL PROCESS FOR, UM, IDENTIFYING THESE ITEMS EVEN BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A, A, YOU KNOW, A SECTION TO REFERENCE IN THE CODE OR IN THE CRITERIA MANUALS.
UM, A LOT OF THESE, UH, THE ZONING, UM, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA USE THE WRONG TERM, BUT THE, THE REVIEWER THAT THAT'S HANDLING THE, THE CASE, THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, I'M USING THE WRONG TERM, I APOLOGIZE.
[00:40:01]
MANAGER, UM, IS NOT NE NECESSARILY EVEN GOING TO THINK TO REACH OUT TO THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION.SO IT, IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS LIKE A, I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN LIKE KIND OF CHATTING ABOUT IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE, UM, CONVERSATION.
LIKE, HOW DO WE EVEN GET IMPLEMENTATION OF GUIDELINES IF WE MADE, EVEN IF WE MADE THEM SPECIFIC? WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHERE I, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE STARTING TO DEMONSTRATE TO THIS COMMISSION THAT STAFF IS MAKING A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO INFUSE AS MANY OF THESE NOTES INTO THE SITE PLAN.
NOW, THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THIS THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T TOUCH ON IS THE LICENSE AGREEMENT PORTION.
AND THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD THAT THESE, THE SIP PLAN AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT HAVE TO MATCH FAIRLY CLOSELY, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
THE LICENSE AGREEMENT PROCESS WILL GIVE AN APPLICANT THE ABILITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND PROVIDE FOR INSURANCE AND MAINTENANCE AND ALL THESE THINGS.
AND THE ACTUAL RIGHT OF WAY THAT DOESN'T TOUCH THE PRIVATE ELEMENTS.
IT'S ALL RIGHT OF WAY ELEMENTS THAT CLOSELY MUST MATCH THE GRAY STREET ELEMENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE REVIEW FOR.
SO THIS DIVISION IS FAIRLY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE SAME NOTES REFLECTED ON BOTH.
OFTENTIMES, THAT'S WHAT CAUSES CERTAIN DELAYS WHEN WE DON'T SEE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE TWO ELEMENTS, THOSE TWO PROCESSES MATCH UP.
HOWEVER, WE, WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE CASE MANAGER, SITE PLAN, CASE MANAGER TO MAKE US AWARE WHEN THERE ARE CHANGES TO THESE, UH, BOTH THE SITE PLAN AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT.
NOW LICENSE AGREEMENT IS DONE, DONE THROUGH THE REAL ESTATE OFFICE, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT ENTITY.
SO IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY DIFFICULT TO, TO MANAGE BOTH SIDES OF IT.
F FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, FROM THE STAFF POINT OF VIEW.
I, I DIDN'T MEAN TO ARGUE WITH YOU ON THE REQUIREMENTS COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP US IN THE SAME SPOT FOR TOO LONG, BUT JUST FOR MY CLARITY TODAY, AS THE PROCESS CURRENTLY STANDS, IF YOU ARE ON SITE INSPECTING FOR GREAT STREETS, AND YOU DO OBSERVE THAT ELEMENTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED AS PART OF THE URBAN DESIGN, UM, COMMISSION PRESENTATION, AND WERE ORIGINALLY ON THE SITE PLAN, BUT ARE NO LONGER IN THE PROJECT, UM, IF, IF YOU ARE ON SITE AND YOU NOTE THAT THOSE ELEMENTS ARE MISSING, ARE YOU SAYING CURRENTLY A HOLD IS PLACED IN THE AMANDA SYSTEM? THAT'S SORT OF THE PATH OF ACTION? OR, OR MY QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU TAKE OR CAN YOU TAKE IN THAT INSTANCE? I, I WISH COMMISSIONER THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO HAVE A HOLD, BUT ONCE OUR DIVISION HAS GRANTED OR CLEAR COMMENTS IS THE PHRASE THAT WE USE, ONCE WE HAVE CLEAR COMMENTS, WE NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNCLEAR COMMENTS IF, IF I'M MAKING SENSE.
SO THEN IT MOVES, ONCE THE SITE PLAN PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED, IT MOVES ONTO BUILDING PERMITS AND CONSTRUCTION WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
AND I, I'M TRYING TO RECALL IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.
I WISH I HAD ONE AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE OFTEN ENTER INTO A DIALOGUE WITH THE SITE PLAN CASE MANAGER, THE BUILDING PERMIT MANAGER AND THE APPLICANT TO REMIND THEM THAT THERE WERE ELEMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED AND TO BE ABLE TO TRACK OR TRACE BACK WHERE CHANGES HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE ON OUR SIDE, ON THE STAFF SIDE IS THE CONSISTENCY OF HOW THOSE CHANGES ARE, FIRST OF ALL, PRESENTED TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF AN UPDATE OR A CORRECTION, HOW THAT GETS PROCESSED.
AND THE, THE CORRECTION PRO, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE, UH, IT'S, IT'S THE CORRECTION AND THE, UH, THE CORRECTION IS A MUCH FASTER PROCESS THAN THE UPDATE.
UPDATE GOES THROUGH THE ENTIRE REVIEW.
ALL DISCIPLINES, THE CORRECTION IS MEANT TO BE A FASTER, SHORTER PROCESS THAT DOES NOT GO TO ALL REVIEW DISCIPLINES.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS LIMIT THE UNIVERSE OF THOSE TO DOWNTOWN SO THAT URBAN DESIGN IS PART OF THAT REVIEW ON CORRECTIONS, WHICH OFTENTIMES DO NOT GO TO ALL REVIEW DISCIPLINES WHEN IT COMES TO AN UPDATE THAT ESSENTIALLY GOES TO THE ENTIRE GROUP OF DISCIPLINES THAT REVIEW.
SO NO, WE DO NOT HAVE A PROCESS NOW TO BE ABLE TO STOP THE PROCESS.
ONCE PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE CASE MANAGERS AND A DIALOGUE WITH THE APPLICANT TO TRY AND FIND A REMEDY TO THAT.
YOU COMMISSIONER WALLACE, HOW OFTEN WHEN Y'ALL ARE ON SITE AT THE END OF A PROJECT, ARE YOU NOTICING LIKE MAJOR ELEMENTS ARE NOT
[00:45:01]
BEING BUILT? IS THIS LIKE A, LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM OR NOT? NOT NECESSARILY.UM, THE EASY ONES ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, STREET TREES WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD A STREET TREE AND ONE IS MISSING, OR THEY HAD PUT IN A STREET TREE AND NOW IT'S GONE.
THE, THE, THE MINOR ONES ARE MUCH HARDER TO CATCH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE ELEMENTS WHEN YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE AN ART PIECE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S EASIER TO CATCH.
BUT I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER OR FIGURE FOR YOU AS TO HOW OFTEN THAT HAPPENS.
LIKE, DOES IT FEEL LIKE A MAJOR ISSUE OR ARE WE CREATING AN ISSUE? NOT, NOT TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES WANNA CHIME IN THAT ARE AWARE OF THAT.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S A, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATION FROM WHAT WAS APPROVED.
JASPER, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? NO, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD, WE WERE HAPPY TO CONFER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN CY PLAN REVIEW TO INQUIRE ON THE NUMBER NOW IF WE ASK HOW MANY CORRECTIONS? THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THE UNIVERSE TO DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS, WHICH ARE ONLY IN DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE, I BELIEVE THIS IS CONJECTURE ON MY PART, THE DISCONNECT IS HAPPENING.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, I, I'M, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT SOME OF THIS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE A REALLY, YOU GUYS HAVE A RELATIVELY CLEAR WAY TO ENFORCE, UM, GREAT STREETS, BUT I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT GET ASKED, THE RESPONSE IS USUALLY ABOUT GREAT STREETS RATHER THAN URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH, UM, LIKE IS THERE A FORMAL PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING WHICH ELEMENTS ARE PROVIDING SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE AND THEREFORE ABLE TO EVEN CHECK THEM? OR, I MEAN, IS IT, IS IT SOMETHING THAT THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION IS KEEPING IN MIND AS THEY'RE REVIEWING SITE PLANS PAST THAT INITIAL CERTIFICATION? OKAY.
UH, WELL, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION AND RANKING, WHICH WOULD BE BEST.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SAYING THAT.
HOWEVER, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTALITY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEEING HOW MANY OF THOSE CAN BE INFUSED INTO THE DESIGN, THE SITE PLAN DESIGN.
SO ONCE THOSE HAVE BEEN INFUSED, BE ABLE THEN TO COMPARE, HAVE THEY ACTUALLY NOT ONLY SHOWN IT ON THE SITE PLAN THROUGH A SITE PLAN NOTE OR A DESIGN CHANGE THAT YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, THE PHYSICAL DESIGN CHANGE ON THE, ON AN UPDATE.
BUT WHEN WE ARE DOING THE GRAY STREET INSPECTION, BE ABLE TO CHECK FOR THOSE ELEMENTS THAT WE CAN SEE ARE REFLECTED ON THE SITE PLAN, BUT THERE'S NOT A FORMAL PROCESS TO CHECK FOR COMPLIANCE FOR DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THERE'S A PROCESS TO CHECK FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SITE PLAN DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M USING THE RIGHT WORD, BECAUSE THOSE ARE PART OF THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, WHICH IS CODIFIED.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED, AND THAT'S THE REASON, PLEASE DON'T TELL ANYONE.
WE KEEP ADDING TO THE SITE PLAN THESE NOTES TO MEMORIALIZE THOSE CHANGES ONTO THE SITE PLAN.
NINE TIMES OUTTA 10, THE APPLICANT IS MORE THAN WILLING TO COL COLLABORATE WITH STAFF ON THE INFUSION OF THOSE NOTES.
NOW, THE GUIDELINE OR GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CARRY ON THROUGH, OBVIOUSLY YOU WILL NOT SEE THOSE REFLECTED, BUT THEY ARE CONSIDERED BY STAFF IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTION GIVEN BY THE CODE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE, THERE, THERE'S A OBVIOUSLY LANGUAGE, UM, HURDLES THAT WE'RE GOING OVER HERE, BUT CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN, UM, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR IN SITE, IN THE SITE PLANS, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AS FAR AS WHEN YOU'RE REVIEWING SITE PLANS? UH, OKAY.
UH, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION CORRECTLY, THE, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT PERHAPS ARE PART OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION AND EVEN THE STAFF REVIEW THAT DON'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT ONTO THE SITE PLAN IN TERMS OF A NOTE OR A DESIGN CHANGE.
SO THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE BECAUSE PERHAPS TO A CERTAIN DEGREE OR LEVEL THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH, SAY, A LANDSCAPE ELEMENT, WHICH IS PART
[00:50:01]
OF THE GRAY STREETS REVIEW.SO THAT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN, THAT THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS COMMISSION AND FROM THE STAFF REVIEW THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AND MAY IMPACT GRAY STREET COMPLIANCE.
NOW WE HAVE GRAY STREET STANDARDS, UH, GRAY STREET DESIGN STANDARDS IN, IN WHAT WAS, WHAT IS THE, THE WHOLE CONSTRUCT OF THE PLANT ITSELF AND THE, THE ACTUAL GRAY STREET STANDARDS.
AND SO, SO WHEN THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME FORTH THAT POTENTIALLY MAY BE IN CONFLICT WITH SAY, TREE SPACING, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OVERLOOKED.
AND WE LOOK TO GRAY STREETS TOO TO PROVIDE THAT.
I GUESS IF WE, IF YOU COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME, BUT OKAY.
REMOVE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS, THIS BODY ENTIRELY.
JUST, JUST ABOUT THE, AT THE STAFF REVIEW OF URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES MM-HMM
UM, AND ALSO REMOVE GREAT STREETS ENTIRELY FROM THAT CONVERSATION.
COULD YOU JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? SO THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS THE STAFF REVIEWS IT.
SO, SO KEEP IT, I'M TRYING TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH MY WORDS BECAUSE THIS IS BEING RECORDED.
UM, WHEN STAFF CONDUCTS THE REVIEW, WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF THINGS AND HOW I'M TRYING TO REFRAIN FROM USING THIS COMMISSION, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS.
HOWEVER, WE DO OUR OWN REVIEW THROUGH THE MATRIX AND THE DIALOGUE.
SO IN GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THERE ARE NUMEROUS GUIDELINES THAT ARE MET AND NUMEROUS THAT ARE NOT MET, BUT IT IS A QUALITATIVE REVIEW, NOT A QUANTITATIVE, I'VE SAID THIS MANY A TIME HERE IN THIS COMMISSION.
IT'S NOT THE NUMBER OF GUIDELINES THAT A PROJECT IS MEETING, BUT HOW THEY ARE MEETING.
AND IT IS DISCRETIONARY FOR THE STAFF.
I, YOU, YOU WILL NOTE I DIDN'T PRESENT TO YOU OR PROPOSE TO YOU A SPECIFIC PROCESS THAT DISSECTS HOW THE STAFF REACHES SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE BECAUSE IT IS NOT DEFINED IN LACK OF THAT DEFINITION, WHETHER YOU WANT TO CALL IT COMPLIANCE OR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
NEITHER ONE IS DEFINED IN TERMS OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO STAFF IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO DICTATE WHAT THAT IS UNTIL WE'RE GIVEN DIRECTION BY THE COUNCIL AS TO WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO IT IS SUBJECTIVE AND IT IS THROUGH A DIALOGUE WITH THE APPLICANT TO REACH AS MANY DESIGN SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES.
NOT WHAT JORGE THINKS, NOT WHAT URBAN DESIGN THINKS.
WE'RE RELYING ON THE GUIDELINES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AS MANY OF THEM.
I CAN'T TELL YOU FULL CONFIDENCE THAT WE GET THERE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT.
CAN YOU JUST CONNECT TO THAT REVIEW WITH WHAT, HOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SITE PLANS THOUGH, AND THEN, AND IF YOU'RE RECORDING ANYTHING ABOUT THE SITE PLANS IN THAT, BECAUSE I, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS REVIEW THE PROJECTS, BUT HOW IT, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S DOCUMENTATION OF HOW CON UH, SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE OR, UM, COMPLIANCE OR COMPLIANCE IS MET.
WHAT, WHAT IT TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SITE PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS OR YOUR BUILDING PERMIT REVIEW PROCESS.
WE DON'T REVIEW BUILDING PERMITS, SO WE'RE PART OF THE SITELINE REVIEW PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO GRAY STREET COMPLIANCE, OR WE'RE PART OF THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR LICENSE AGREEMENTS.
SO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, WORKING WITH THE SITE PLAN CASE MANAGER, AND WITH JILL'S TEAM WHO REVIEWS GRAY STREETS, WE TRY TO INFUSE SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT ARE RELATED TO GRAY STREETS.
BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE WORK WITH THE APPLICANT THAT AS THEY ARE MAKING UPDATES TO THE SITE PLAN, THERE ARE INFUSING THOSE SITE PLAN NOTES AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE DOCUMENTING IT.
WE'RE NOT CREATING A SEPARATE PROCESS.
WE'RE CREATING THIS CERTIFICATION LETTER THAT SAYS WE HAVE FOUND IT TO BE COMPLIANT, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT TO INFUSE AS MANY OF THOSE NOTES AS POSSIBLE.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER, WICH STRUCK.
UM, I'M TRYING TO FORMULATE MY THOUGHTS INTO A QUESTION FORMAT, BUT, UM, I THINK THE, THE SUBJECTIVITY OF THE REVIEW IS PRECISELY WHAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THE PROCESS, UM, AND THE, THE, THE LACK OF CLARITY THAT THIS BODY HAS ABOUT HOW ITS RECOMMENDATIONS PLAY INTO THAT.
UH, AND THEN TO COMMISSIONER HOWARD'S POINT, I THINK IF THIS WAS WHERE YOU WERE GOING WITH THIS, IS THAT THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY CLARITY PROVIDED TO THE APPLICANT ABOUT PRECISELY HOW THEY MET.
SO THERE IS NOTHING HOLDING THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE VIS-A-VIS ANY OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS.
AND SO WE'RE LASER FOCUSED ON THE DESIGN ELEMENTS THEMSELVES, UH, IN, IN PROVIDING OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, ONE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE FOR STAFF I HAVE FOR STAFF IS IN THE EVENT THAT THIS BODY
[00:55:02]
AS, AS WE HAVE DONE IN, EVEN IN MY SHORT TENURE HERE, UH, UM, MAKES, UH, A RECOMMENDATION THAT A PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, BUT ALSO PROVIDES FEEDBACK ON WAYS THAT PROJECT COULD BE IMPROVED, IS THAT TAKEN BY STAFF IN THAT SUBJECTIVE NE NEGOTIATION WITH THE APPLICANT? OR HAVE WE HANDED OFF ALL OF OUR LEVERAGE FOR THAT DISCUSSION? IN DOING SO, I, IF I MAY ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, COMMISSIONER CHAIR, IF I MAY.IT'S NOT A NEGOTIATION, IT'S A DIALOGUE JUST TO CLARIFY.
SO WE'RE NOT NEGOTIATING WITH APPLICANT.
WE'RE SAYING, CAN, CAN YOU MEET THESE GUIDELINES? AND IF NOT, WHY NOT? SO EVEN WHEN A PROJECT IS FOUND TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE TAKE THAT AND HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE APPLICANT TO BE ABLE TO INFUSE GUIDELINES, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE RELY ON SPECIFIC GUIDELINES.
SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT WHERE IT HELPS US TO REFLECT THAT ON A SITE PLAN IS IF YOU TIE IT TO A SPECIFIC GUIDELINE OR GUIDELINES.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO SAY, HERE'S HOW IT'S CONNECTED TO A GUIDELINE, AND THAT COULD BE TURNED INTO EITHER A DESIGN CHANGE IMPROVEMENT OR A SITE PLAN NODE.
I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT IS IT, IT APPEARS TO DISINCENTIVIZE THIS BODY EVER GRANTING OR RECOMMENDING THAT A PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
IF WE HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISIONS WHATSOEVER, THAT IS THE PREROGATIVE OF THIS BODY.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I WILL, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A QUESTION HERE, BUT, UM, SINCE THE CONVERSATION IS COMING UP, IT, IT, UM, I THINK PART OF WHY THIS BODY IS WANTING TO, UH, WE'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME TRYING TO UPDATE THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES IS THAT, UM, TWO REASONS.
ONE, I THINK TO TO VARYING DEGREES, THE CURRENT URBAN DESIGN GUIDE ARE GUIDELINES ARE OUTDATED AND NO LONGER REFLECT BEST PRACTICES IN URBAN DESIGN OR, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE MORALS AND AND PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND TWO IS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS, UH, SIMILAR TO THIS MANY IN THIS BODY, DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO INTERPRET THEM, OR THEY'RE SO WIDELY PRESENTED AS TO AS TO PROVIDE, UM, TOO MUCH OF A RANGE OF INTERPRETATION WHERE AN APPLICANT CAN WRITE A LETTER, SAY TO STAFF SAYING THAT THEY, UH, DO MEET, UH, THEY DO SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH A CERTAIN GUIDELINE, UH, WHEN THIS BODY WOULD INTERPRET IT DIFFERENTLY.
UM, THERE'S NO QUESTION THERE.
THAT'S JUST ME STATING WHY, WHY WE ARE UNDERTAKING THAT, UH, EFFORT.
UM, AND I, I THINK I WOULD JUST VOICE A LITTLE FRUSTRATION THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A CLEAR, UM, SYSTEM OF MEASURE OF, I I, I GUESS OF, OF QUANTITATIVELY MEASURING SUCCESS.
I I DON'T WANNA GET INTO A CHECKLIST SYSTEM NECESSARILY, BUT, UH, IT FEELS TO ME TO THIS BODY HEARING THE WAY, HEARING MORE ABOUT HOW STAFF, UM, INTERACTS WITH AN APPLICANT, IT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD PUT STAFF ON STRONGER FOOTING FOR A DISCUSSION WITH AN APPLICANT OR THIS BODY TO COME OUT STRONGLY OR NOT STRONGLY TO COME OUT AND NOT APPROVE ANY PROJECT OR NOT RECOMMEND ANY PROJECT, UM, SUBSTANTIALLY, UH, UH, COMPLIES WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT RATHER THAN TO, UH, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT DOES COMPLY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND I, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THAT BODY WANTS TO BE ON THIS BODY WANTS TO BE IN THAT POSITION.
COMMISSIONER LUKINS, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? GOOD SHAPE.
SO AFTER THE, UH, CERTIFICATION LETTER GOES OUT, THE STAFF ONLY REVIEWS FOR CODE REQUIREMENTS AND FOR WHATEVER NOTES ARE ON THE SITE PLAN.
SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS THAT HOW DO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS COMMITTEE COMMISSION RATHER GET TRANSLATED INTO SITE PLAN NOTES? OR DO THEY GET TRANSLATED INTO SITE PLAN NOTES IF I MAY CHAIR? YES.
SOME DO GET ADDED AS NOTES ON THE SITE PLAN.
SOME ARE ADDED ON THE ACTUAL LANDSCAPE PLAN, FOR EXAMPLE.
WERE, WERE YOU EVER TOLD ABOUT THAT? I'M SORRY.
DOES THE COMMISSION EVER GET INFORMED OF THAT? IS THERE ANY WAY TO, FOR THE COMMISSION TO BE INFORMED OF THAT SORT OF FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR RECOMMENDATION? YOU'RE WELCOME TO REQUEST STAFF GIVE YOU OKAY.
BUT NO, THE PROJECT IS NOT REQUIRED TO COME BACK TO THE
[01:00:01]
COMMISSION.I MEAN, AND DEMONSTRATE MEAN I MEANT YOU, I MEAN NOT, I MEAN YOU PERSONALLY, BUT THE, UH, THE STAFF TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT, WHICH OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS MANAGED TO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO SITE PLAN NOTES IT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU THE OKAY.
APPROVAL PACKET THAT SHOWS YOU ALL THAT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY THAT IF, AGAIN, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LETTER OF THE ORDINANCE, IT'S PROBLEMATIC TO ME THAT URBAN DESIGN STAFF'S NOT INVOLVED WITH THE BUILDING PERMIT BECAUSE IT SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR CHANGES IN DESIGN OF THE BUILDING, NOT THE SITE.
IT SAYS PRIOR TO BUILDING PERMIT APPROVAL AND THAT BUILDING PERMIT APPROVAL WILL NOT BE APPROVED, UM, UNTIL THE CHANGES ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ONLY REVIEWING THE SITE PLAN, I THINK REALLY TAKES YOU OUT OF THE PROCESS AS THE ORDINANCE INTENDED.
UM, SO I, I REALLY THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CHANGES, NOT JUST WITH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS, BUT ALSO WITH THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE VOTE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, IF IT SUBSTANTIALLY MEETS AND WE VOTE AND EVERYBODY AGREES, OR THE MAJORITY AGREES, UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S REALLY ALL WE NEED TO SAY OR DO WE NEED TO EXPEL OUT WHERE THEY'RE WEAK OR ANYTHING IN MORE DETAIL? STAFF IS NOT IN A POSITION TO DICTATE TO THE COMMISSION HOW TO SHAPE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
HOWEVER, WE RESPECTFULLY AND KINDLY ASK THAT WHEN YOU FIND A PROJECT TO BE NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, THAT PART OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND FINDING OF THAT ENUMERATE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES THAT ARE DEFICIENT MM-HMM
THAT THIS BODY WOULD FEEL THAT IF ADDRESSED COULD POTENTIALLY THEN BRING THE PROJECT INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE RELY UPON THAT TO DO OUR ANALYSIS, AS YOU SAW ON THE PRESENTATION, LACK OF THAT SPECIFICITY MM-HMM
AND GENERAL COMMENTS, WE, WE'LL TRY OUR BEST TO TRY TO TIE THOSE TO SPECIFIC GUIDELINES.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE PUTTING STAFF INTO A VERY PRECARIOUS SITUATION WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO INTERPRET WHERE THE COMMISSION IS TRYING TO FIND THOSE DEFICIENCIES IN RELATION TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, ONE OF THE LETTERS YOU SAW IN THE PRESENTATION WAS VERY SPECIFIC IN ENUMERATED MANY SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE LACKING.
THAT'S WHAT STAFF RELIES UPON TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, DIALOGUE WITH THE APPLICANT TO SAY, LOOK, THE COMMISSION HAS FOUND, LET ME JUST THROW OUT A NUMBER 10 DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT ARE DEFICIENT.
WHERE DO WE START? WHERE CAN WE START TO ADDRESS AS MANY OF THESE 10 MM-HMM
AS A STARTING POINT? LACK OF THAT SPECIFICITY MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT AND YOU'RE PUTTING STAFF IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO TRY AND PERHAPS TIE IT TO A DESIGN GUIDELINE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE INTENT OF THE COMMISSION.
AND STAFF IS VERY CAREFUL AS NOT TO READ INTO THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S WHY IF YOU CAN BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE, WHETHER YOU FIND THE PROJECT COMPLIANT OR NON-COMPLIANT, THEN WE RELY UPON YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND REVIEW AS STATED IN THE CODE, AND WE ARE MANDATED TO CONSIDER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK JUST FOR MY OWN PERSONAL MANAGEMENT OF HOW WE DO THIS, UH, JUST SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO FIND SOMETHING IN NON-COMPLIANCE THAT WE GO INTO THAT LEVEL.
BECAUSE I KNOW ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, UM, THOSE WERE ALL FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS THAT WERE ADDED TO IT.
UM, BUT DOES IT NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF, YOU KNOW, THE RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THOSE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? OR IF WE, IF THERE, OR I GUESS IF I WAS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE VIDEO AND GET NOTES FROM THE VIDEO THAT WEREN'T FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, IS THAT OKAY AS WELL? THE, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE COMMISSION REACHES OR ACHIEVES A RECOMMENDATION IS OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF STAFF.
[01:05:01]
IF YOU WISH TO USE THE METHOD OF FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO.HOWEVER, YOU JUST NEED TO RESTATE THE MOTION AND ALL THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS AT THE END YEAH.
FOR, FOR THAT TO BE PART OF THE OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAW IN THE LETTER THE ENUMERATION OF ALL THOSE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES, BECAUSE IT WAS REPEATED AS PART OF THE MOTION.
IT WAS ACCEPTED BASED ON NUMEROUS AMENDMENTS THAT WERE MADE ON THE FLOOR MM-HMM
AND IT'S A PERFECTLY GOOD METHOD TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THOSE.
NOW AS YOU START YOUR DELIBERATION AND DISCUSSION, YOU OFTEN START WITH A MOTION TO FIND THE PROJECT IN COMPLIANCE OR NON-COMPLIANCE.
YOU HAVE NOT ADDED ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU HAVE NOT ADDED ANY FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS.
THAT'S A GREAT STARTING POINT, WHETHER IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER.
AND AS YOU DISCUSS THE PROJECT ITSELF DEMERITS THE PROS AND THE CONS, YOU CAN BUILD YOUR LIST OF EITHER FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS OR HAVE THE ORIGINAL MAKER OF THE MOTION INFUSE THOSE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TIED TO SPECIFIC DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT WOULD HELP STAFF IN THE EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WIT STRUCK.
UH, I, I APPRECIATE, UM, SIR RULAND STAFF'S, UH, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION TO TIE TO SPECIFIC GUIDELINES THAT'S, THAT'S WELL HEARD.
UM, I DO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE TO A, TO AN EXTENT ADDRESSING MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, WHETHER THE EXAMPLE LETTER THAT WE PUT TOGETHER THAT LISTS OUT ALL THE, UM, CRITERIA THAT IT DOESN'T MEET THAT WE DON'T THINK IT MEETS IS BETTER THAN THE, THE FIRST EXAMPLE SHOWN TO US TONIGHT.
UM, FOR THE REASON BEING THAT THE FIRST EXAMPLE ACTUALLY DETAILS THE, THE SPECIFIC NATURE OF OUR CONCERN.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MY, MY TWO S OF RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL THAT MAYBE THE, THE, A GOOD PATH FOR US MOVING FORWARD WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO WRITE LETTERS THAT DO SPECIFICALLY STATE THE NATURE OF OUR CONCERN.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN REFERENCE THAT WITH, UH, WITH A, A NUMBER.
BUT I THINK THAT THE, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THAT THE LANGUAGE FROM ONE OF THE EXAMPLES, UM, THAT, UH, LACK OF ACTIVATED USE OF THE FIRST FLOOR, DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE DEDICATED TO PARKING, GARAGE UTILITIES AND PRIVATE RESIDENCES RATHER THAN PUBLIC USE, IS POTENTIALLY MORE VALUABLE TO STAFF.
AND US SIMPLY SAYING IN THE OTHER EXAMPLE, PS SIX, ENHANCE THE STREETS SCAPE.
SO I THINK IF WE'RE ABLE TO TIE THOSE TWO SPECIFIC, UH, UH, GUIDELINES TO BETTER ASSIST STAFF WITH THE ORGANIZATION, I THINK STAFF WOULD BE WELL SERVED BY US CONTINUING TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON EXACTLY WHY WE THINK, UH, A PROJECT DOES OR DOES NOT COMPLY WITH ONE OF THE, UM, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THERE WAS NO INTENTION IN OUR PRESENTATION TO SAY THAT ONE LETTER IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER.
THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT THE WAY THEY WERE STRUCTURED AND THE POINT WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THE ONES THAT TIED IT TO SPECIFIC GUIDELINES ARE MUCH MORE HELPFUL THAN TRYING TO ASCERTAIN OR TRYING TO HAVE STAFF CONNECT GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND LACK OF A SPECIFICITY TO A GUIDELINE.
SO THERE WAS NO INTENT TO CALL ONE BETTER THAN THE OTHER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? I HAVE ONE VERY SHORT ONE.
UM, THE, THE LETTER THAT YOU HAVE ON SLIDE 10, UH, FROM THROWER DESIGN, UM, ARE THOSE COMMONPLACE WHERE YOU GET KIND OF A RESPONSE BASED, UH, FROM THE, THE COMMISSION, UM, PRESENTATION AND, AND NOT AT FIRST IT STARTS OUT WITH A DISCUSSION.
SO WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP MEETING, AND WE TEND TO HAVE IT AFTER WE RECEIVE THE OFFICIAL LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION, WHETHER IT ENUMERATES THE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES OR NOT, AND GO THROUGH THAT STEP BY STEP, POINT BY POINT WITH THE APPLICANT.
THEY OFTEN COME BACK AFTER THAT MEETING WITH A RESPONSE LETTER WHERE WE WISH TO SEE IT IN WRITING, WHERE THEY'RE ADDRESSING OR NOT ADDRESSING THOSE GUIDELINES AND WHY.
SO THAT IS AN IMPORTANT KEY PART OF THE REVIEW PROCESS, THAT THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S THE ONLY REVIEW POINT, BUT STAFF IS DOING THE REVIEW THROUGH THE MATRIX ITSELF.
UM, I, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY INTERESTING KIND OF DATA POINT FOR US TOO.
I THINK, UM, IF IT WAS, IF IT'D BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO, UH, EVEN IF IT'S JUST BACKUP FROM, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE MADE, JUST KIND OF SEE THE CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WOULD, IF, IF THE COMMISSION WOULD, UH, WERE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE LETTER LIKE THE ONE SHOWN ON SLIDE 10, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND KINDA THE REASONS WHY FOLKS AREN'T, UH, AREN'T ABLE TO ACHIEVE CERTAIN, UM, GUIDELINES OR, UH, AND THAT SORT OF THING MIGHT BE A GOOD FEEDBACK LOOP.
WE, WE CAN INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE APPROVAL PACKET
[01:10:01]
IF YOU WANT.ANY MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I'M HERE ALL NIGHT CHAIR, SO, ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
[3. Discussion and action to support the Downtown Density Bonus Program applicant preparedness for their required presentation to the Design Commission. Sponsors: Chair Salinas and Commissioner Howard.]
IS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM, UH, TO, UM, SUPPORT DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM APPLICANT PREPAREDNESS FOR THE REQUIRED PRESENTATION TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.IS THERE A, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTER ON THIS OR IS THIS JUST A DISCUSSION? UM, CHAIR, THIS IS THE REQUESTED ITEM FROM COMMISSIONER HOWARD AND FROM YOU.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, WE HAVE SOME BACKUP MATERIAL THAT WAS SENT TO US, UM, THAT WE COULD PULL UP ON THE SCREEN.
AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS OF WHAT IS REQUESTED, UH, IF I'M, IF I MAY JUST KIND OF PROVIDE KIND OF HIGH LEVEL NARRATIVE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT PIECES.
THERE'S ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S REQUIREMENTS AS, AS SPECIFIED IN CODE.
UH, AND THERE'S ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE HOST OF WAYS THAT, UM, STAFF ADMINISTRATIVELY SUPPORTS SORT OF, UH, UM, APPLICANT PREPAREDNESS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO SITE PLAN REVIEW, WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING, UH, BUILDING REVIEW, AS WELL AS, UM, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT DOCUMENTATION THAT THAT IS, UM, THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO APPLICANTS TODAY ON THE WEBSITE.
THERE'S ALL, UH, A WIDE RANGE OF KIND OF FORMATS FOR HELPING APPLICANTS BE PREPARED TO COME, COME TO ANY SORT OF, UH, EVENT AS THIS ONE OR, UH, TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
UM, AND SO I, UH, IN OUR DECEMBER MEETING, I THINK WE, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LIKE WHAT THE LIMITATIONS ARE AND WHETHER WE NEEDED TO ASK COUNCIL TO AMEND THE CODE ABOUT WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS BEFORE COMING, UH, WERE TO COME TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT IS, THAT'S PROBABLY ON ONE SIDE OF ONE SIDE OF THE EXTREME IS TO GO TO COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, MEN CODE SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THESE REQUIREMENTS.
AND THEN THE OTHER WOULD BE, THERE'S SOME ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTATION THAT HAPPENS ON THE WEBSITE, UM, THAT HELPS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME POINTERS TO APPLICANTS, UM, THAT WOULD HELP THEM BE MORE PREPARED, UH, TO COME TO THE COUNT, COME TO THE COMMISSION.
AND SO I THINK, UM, PART OF WHAT SPURRED THIS CONVERSATION, UH, WAS THERE WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME APPLICANTS THAT HAVE COME IN WITH REALLY BARE BONES PRESENTATIONS THAT DIDN'T REALLY PROVIDE US ENOUGH INFORMATION TO, UM, DETERMINE WHETHER, UH, UH, WHETHER THE PROJECT WOULD CONFORM WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, AND OTHER PROJECTS HAVE COME IN WITH, YOU KNOW, TONS OF BACKUP MATERIAL THAT REALLY HELPED US DRILL DOWN INTO SOME OF THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE GUIDELINES.
AND SO, UM, IT'S NOT THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO COME IN WITH, YOU KNOW, EXPENSIVE 3D RENDERINGS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE, ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE GUIDELINES OR IS THERE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO APPLICANTS THAT COULD HELP THE, UM, DESIGN COMMISSION SERVE THEM BETTER? MY THOUGHT ON THIS IS THAT I FEEL LIKE THE EXHIBITS THAT ARE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THE REQUEST FOR THESE EXHIBITS IS THAT IT REALLY DOESN'T TALK ABOUT THE INTENT OF WHAT WE NEED TO SEE OR WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A, AN ELEVATION OR EVEN A 3D VIEW, SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE SO LARGE THAT WE CAN'T SEE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND SO TO JUST ADD LANGUAGE THAT ADDRESSES THE INTENT IS MY THOUGHT.
UH, WHETHER IT'S A SCALE, UM, WHICH MORE THAN LIKELY IT IS A SCALE, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDE, UH, LI UH, SITE PLAN AND THE LANDSCAPE PLAN OF, OF HOW THEY'RE INDICATING, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATED SPACES VERSUS UTILITY SPACES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST A LITTLE, IT'S A BIT TOO VAGUE IN, IN THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE JUST TO ADD THOSE, THAT LANGUAGE TO JUST UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INTENT SO THAT WE CAN SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? I, I, I WOULD ALSO ADD TO THAT, I MEAN, UM, WE HAVE REALLY GREAT EXAMPLES THAT ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, FROM APPLICANTS THAT HAVE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB.
[01:15:01]
COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HERE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE CORE REQUIREMENT, WE RECOMMEND THIS, AND HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE THAT'S DONE THAT WELL COLOR COAT THEIR GROUND FLOOR, UH, USES.AND FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT, COMMISSIONER TRO, UH, I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF US PROVIDING MORE GUIDE GUIDANCE TO APPLICANTS ABOUT THE MATERIAL, NOT JUST THE MATERIALS, BUT I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE ALSO HEARD PRESENTATIONS IN THE LAST YEAR OF WHERE THE MATERIALS WERE, MAYBE WHAT WE WANTED, BUT THE PRESENTATION ITSELF WAS NOT GEARED TOWARD THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT.
UM, SO I AM SYMPATHETIC TO THE APPLICANTS.
I HAVE PERSONALLY BROUGHT TWO ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE PROJECTS TO THIS BODY.
UH, AND THIS BODY DOES NOT REVIEW THOSE.
UM, AND NO ONE TOLD ME AS AN APPLICANT, UH, EITHER AHEAD OF TIME OR FROM THE DAIS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT IT'S CONTINUING TO BE A STRUGGLE AND, UH, I THINK WE WANT, UH, IT WOULD BE A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD TASK FOR US TO PROVIDE MORE FEEDBACK ON TO APPLICANTS ON HOW TO STRUCTURE THEIR PRESENTATION, WHAT WE ARE AND ARE NOT LOOKING FOR, UM, IN THE, UH, NOT IN THE DOCUMENT THAT IS BEING SHOWN, NOT THE DENSITY BONUS PA PACKET CHECKLIST.
IT'S BEING SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, UH, BUT IN THE, UM, THE APPLICATION, UH, DOCUMENT THAT WAS ALSO PROVIDED IN BACKUP TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS, I GUESS AS WHERE OUR COMMENTS ARE BECOMING, UH, MAYBE MOVING TOWARD ACTION? UM, UH, IF ANYONE HAS ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED MM-HMM
UM, WITHOUT FORMING A WHOLE NOTHER WORKING GROUP
JUST TO ADD TO, UH, COMMISSIONER HOWARD AND COMMISSIONER WOODRUFF'S COMMENTS, UH, UH, REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESENTATION HERE, I WONDER, UM, IF THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO, UM, PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE TIMELINE, UM, OF REVIEW WITH THE WORKING GROUP.
IT SEEMS FROM THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE PRESENTED, UM, AS A VERY SORT OF STRUCTURED SCHEDULE FROM RECEIPT OF APPLICATION TO REVIEW, UH, OR FIRST CONTACT WITH WORKING GROUP TO THE DATE THAT IT APPEARS HERE BEFORE THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, I WONDER IF THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERHAPS ADD AN ADDITIONAL WEEK TO THAT PROCESS, IF THAT CAN BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
IT SEEMS, UM, BETWEEN WORKING GROUP REVIEWING THE PROJECT AND THE PROJECT APPEARING BEFORE DESIGN COMMISSION, THERE HAS BEEN PRECEDENT FOR, UM, DESIGN TEAMS, UM, STILL GOING AHEAD WITH THEIR SCHEDULED MEETING.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THE RECOMMENDATION PERHAPS WAS NOT FAVORABLE FROM THE INITIAL WORKING GROUP MEETING, PERHAPS BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY A WEEK, UM, BETWEEN THAT INITIAL MEETING AND THEM APPEARING HERE, IF THEY HAD MORE TIME, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE WORKING GROUP'S COMMENTS BEFORE THEY, UM, ATTENDED THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UH, PRESENTATION MEETING.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST PERHAPS LOOKING AT THAT SCHEDULE.
YEAH, I, I MEAN, I AGREE THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, UH, GO ON THAT POINT.
UH, SOMETIMES WE WILL GET PROJECTS THAT THE BACKUP MATERIAL'S NOT MATCHING THEIR PRESENTATION TOO.
AND SO, AND ALL THAT IS USUALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO CONDENSE EVERYTHING, UH, WHETHER, UH, FROM THE WORKING GROUP COMMENTS, UM, TO THE TIME THEY PRESENT, I FEEL LIKE, YEAH, THE, THERE'S NOTHING KEEPING THEM FROM GOING TO THE WORKING GROUP ONE WEEK AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UH, PRESENTING AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS EITHER A WEEK AWAY OR TWO WEEKS AWAY.
SO, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UM, I, I ALSO, I WONDER IF SOME OF THIS INTENT BASED LANGUAGE, UM, MIGHT SHOW UP ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKING GROUP MEETING AND WHAT SORT OF, HOW PREPARED MUST YOU BE FOR THAT VERSUS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS, UH, AND, AND, AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, UM, COMING TO DESIGN COMMISSION, JUST WHAT, WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT, HOPEFULLY FOLKS CAN COME TO THE WORKING GROUP, UM, WITHOUT HAVING EVERYTHING SOLIDIFIED, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NLK HOTEL, UH, SITE THAT WE SAW, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAD KIND OF FIGURED THINGS OUT AS MUCH AS THEY WERE GOING TO, IT SEEMED, UM, BY THE, BY THE, UH, WORKING GROUP MEETING AND PRESENTED PRETTY MUCH THE SAME MATERIAL THE, THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I BELIEVE, AT THE DESIGN
[01:20:01]
COMMISSION.UM, AND I THINK THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.
OBVIOUSLY NO NEED TO PICK ON THEM.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NO WORSE THAN EVERYONE ELSE.
BUT, UM, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, IF IT WERE, IF WE COULD PROVIDE SOME CLARITY AROUND WHAT THE PURPOSE AND LEVEL AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF EACH OF THE, UH, THE DESIGN SHOULD BE AT, AT EACH OF THE STAGES MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I AND COMMISSIONER CARROLL, I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, WHEN, WHEN I WAS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP, I WOULD TELL THE APPLICANTS, YOU'RE MISSING THESE THINGS WHEN YOU COME TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
YOU NEED TO BRING THESE THINGS, OR THEY WON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROJECT.
I WOULD JUST TELL 'EM SPECIFICALLY, THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS LISTEN.
COMMISSIONER WIRICK, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO PUT UP THE BACKUP EXHIBIT ON THE SCREEN, UH, THAT IS THE, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION OR THE DESIGN COMMISSION PROJECT REVIEW APPLICATION, UH, SPECIFICALLY GOING TO PAGE THREE, I THINK IN THE, IN THE INTEREST OF, UH, NOT JUST COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT RECOMMENDING SOME SOLUTIONS, UM, THAT PART OF THE DOCUMENT DOES SHOW THE EXHIBITS TO PRESENT.
UM, AND I SORT OF WONDER WHY EVERY PRESENT PRESENTATION COMES TO US EXPLAINING TO ME THE ZONING AND ADJACENT LAND USES AND OTHER THINGS THAT I DON'T MUCH CARE ABOUT.
IN THE REVIEW OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UM, IS, IS IN THIS, SO PERHAPS THIS, UH, THIS SPOT ON THE, UH, APPLICATION ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE THREE WOULD BE, UM, AN APROPOS WAY TO, UH, LOOK SPOT TO TARGET AND A REVISION TO THIS DOCUMENT.
UH, TO CLARIFY THE EXHIBITS HERE, ALONG WITH, UH, AS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE, HAVE SUGGESTED ALREADY THE, UH, THE INTENT, UM, WITH WHICH WE'RE REVIEWING.
THIS IS THIS, UH, MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS THE, UM, LIST OF EXHIBITS THAT'S PROVIDED.
SO THIS IS THE GUIDANCE THAT'S PROVIDED APPLICANTS RIGHT NOW.
COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY IN REGARDS TO THIS DOCUMENT.
WHEN, WHEN WAS THIS PRODUCED AND HOW OFTEN IS THIS UPDATED? THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT WAS UPDATED A YEAR OR SO AGO, BUT AS FAR AS THE REQUIREMENTS, THAT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED PROBABLY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE THAT IS LANGUAGE FROM THE CODE THAT PULLED IN.
I AM JUST CURIOUS ABOUT NEXT STEPS IF FOR WHAT IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD, IF YOU KNOW, THIS TO ME IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THE INTENT AND UNDERSTANDING A LITTLE BIT, TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION IN THERE ABOUT THE INTENT.
UM, AND HOW WOULD THAT WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN THE CODE VERSUS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO DO? I THINK I CAN SEE A COUPLE OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD, AND ONE OF THEM, UH, NOT THAT IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER, BUT ONE OF THEM WOULD BE HAVING MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, MORE KIND OF NARRATIVE DIRECTIONAL INFORMATION.
AND ANOTHER WOULD COME IN THE FORM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED AS, AS STAFF IS HAVING THESE PRE-CONFERENCE MEETINGS, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UM, AND I THINK IF, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR JORGE, BUT I THINK HE'S HAD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH THAT WHEN AN APPLICANT TAKES US UP ON IT.
AND SO THERE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CATCH TO THAT IS WHETHER THE APPLICANT DOES OR DOES NOT WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO HAVE A MEETING WITH US ABOUT DOWN THEIR APPLICATION OR THEIR REQUEST BEFORE THEY END UP SUBMITTING IT.
UH, AND I'LL LET JORGE SAY MORE.
AND JUST TO CAVEAT THAT ANY RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS BODY TO COUNSEL, UH, WOULD TAKE THE SHAPE IN THE FORM OF A RECOMMENDATION LETTER, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN FORWARD THAT TO COUNSEL TO SPECIFICALLY MODIFY THAT SECTION OF THE CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
ANYTHING WE PUT ONLINE OR ANYTHING THAT
[01:25:01]
COMES OUT OF THIS BODY CANNOT SUPERSEDE OR BE IN CONFLICT WITH CODE.YOU MAY RECOMMEND CHANGES TO THE COUNCIL THAT DEVIATE FROM THAT, BUT THOSE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'RE FORWARDING TO THE COUNCIL IN THEIR CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY'RE MAKING CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS HAPPENING AT THE LATER PART OF THIS YEAR.
UM, I THINK JORGE BRINGS UP AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, THERE'S, THERE IS KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, FOR ANY CHANGES, BUT, UM, I THINK THERE ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S JUST FOR KIND OF LIKE INFORMATION AND WE COULD EVEN SAY VOLUN, VOLUNTARY EXHIBITS,
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT A CODE REQUIREMENT OF, OF THE, THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT I, I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AND IF STAFF HAS CAPACITY TO PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL, UH, FOR WHAT, UM, WHAT Y'ALL THINK MIGHT BE AN APPROACH THAT WE COULD INCLUDE SOME INTENT LANGUAGE AND SOME HELPFUL, SOME HELPFUL SORT OF TIPS, UH, FOR APPLICANTS.
UM, AND MAYBE WE COULD CHAT ABOUT THEM ON IN THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, IF THAT'S ENOUGH TIME, UH, CHAIR, IF I MAY.
I BELIEVE THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT STAFF CAN INITIATE, SO I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO RELY UPON YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL AND THEN HAVE, WHETHER IT'S, AND THE CODE AMENDMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATED TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, SO THERE'S NO, GIMME ONE SECOND, IF I MAY.
SO, SO THERE'S NO NEED TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION AND NOR ARE WE TASKED WITH A PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW TO CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS.
THE APPROPRIATE APPROACH WOULD BE TO HAVE THIS BODY COME UP WITH AS MANY OR AS LITTLE CHANGES THAT YOU WISH TO SEE, SEND THAT TO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION WHEN THESE AMENDMENTS ARE COMING FORTH.
UM, SO WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING AT THIS MOMENT, I BELIEVE, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ON THE, THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, NOT, NOT RECOMMENDING ANYTHING TO COUNCIL AT THE MOMENT, BUT ACTUALLY JUST PROVIDING AT A, LIKE ASKING STAFF AND, AND, AND YOUR DIVISION TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE HELPFUL INFORMATION TO APPLICANTS THAT MIGHT HELP THEM FEEL MORE PREPARED.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE, I THINK THAT YOU BRING UP AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT AND PERHAPS STAFF COULD RECOMMEND, LIKE, HEY, CERTAIN PIECES HERE ARE, ARE, CAN BE DONE AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
BUT WE ALSO MIGHT RECOMMEND, UH, BASED ON THE INTENT THAT WE'VE KIND OF SET HERE TODAY, UM, MAYBE PUTTING FORWARD A, A RECOMMENDATION ON THIS SUBJECT TO COUNCIL THAT, THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN DO.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY CANNOT DEVIATE FROM CODE THOUGH, SO, OF COURSE.
SO WHEN, WHEN THESE ELEMENTS ARE INTRODUCED OR SHARED WITH AN APPLICANT, IF I MAY CHAIR MIKE, APOLOGIES.
IT, IT IS NOT, THESE ARE NOT CODE MANDATED ELEMENTS, THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS.
SO TECHNICALLY THIS BODY NOR STAFF CAN HOLD AN APPLICANT TO ANY REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE PERCEIVED AS BEING ABOVE AND BEYOND OR SEPARATE FROM THE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
IT COULD BE CONVERSATIONS OR DIALOGUE LIKE WE HAVE WITH AN APPLICANT.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND, AND POTENTIALLY EVEN COPY ON THE WEBSITE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTARY SURE.
SORT OF SUBMITTALS THAT HELP AND REVIEW.
SO ALONG THOSE LINES, THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EXHIBITS TO PRESENT, ARE THOSE PULLED DIRECTLY FROM CODE LANGUAGE OR ARE THOSE, WHICH PART OF THE CODE OUTLINES THESE EXACT EXHIBITS THAT NEED TO BE PRESENTED? I'M SCROLLING THROUGH TO C BUT IT SHOULD BE, UM, IN 25 DASH TWO DASH 5 86, THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO YEAH, I THINK THE EXHIBITS, YEAH, THE, IT'S JUST SAYS SCHEMATIC LEVEL SITE PLAN, BUILDING ELEVATIONS AND OTHER DRAWINGS, SIMULATIONS OR OTHER DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO FULLY DESCRIBE THE URBAN DESIGN CHARACTER OF THE PROJECT AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PROJECT TO
[01:30:01]
ITS SURROUNDINGS.SO I THINK EVEN IN THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH ISN'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GUIDE, IT'S PART OF GUIDING THE APPLICANT THROUGH THE PROCESS, I THINK IS, IS TAKING SOME LIBERTIES WITH SOME THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, BUT I THINK WE WOULD LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPOUND ON THESE EXHIBITS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO PROVIDE CLARITY.
AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE TIMELINE SECTION OF THIS PRESENTATION, IS THAT CODIFIED IN CODE? OR AGAIN, IS THAT JUST A GUIDE TO APPLICANTS TO SAY, IF YOU WERE GOING TO PLAN TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, HERE'S A ADVISABLE WAY TO GO ABOUT THAT? THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN FIRST.
UM, AND OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE TIMELINE WOULD BE ALMOST SIMILAR TO THIS DOCUMENT WHERE THERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF GUIDANCE OF WHAT, GENERALLY HOW IT OCCURS.
THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT JORGE MENTIONED THAT APPLICANTS HAVE TO HAVE ALL THEIR GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS MET BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THAT IS VERY SOLID, BUT OTHER THINGS WOULD BE MORE OF INFORMATIONAL.
SO I THINK, I THINK I'M GONNA ROLL THE DICE HERE AND TAKE A STAB AT A MOTION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION THAT STAFF PROVIDE MODIFICATIONS TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION PROJECT REVIEW APPLICATION DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE REVIEWING NOW, SPECIFICALLY TO THE EXHIBITS TO PRESENT SECTION, AS WELL AS THE, UM, PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS SECTION TO BETTER ALIGN WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE ON PROJECTS IN THE PAST, SPECIFICALLY THOSE THAT WE DON'T FEEL HAVE PROVIDED ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR US TO EVALUATE EFFECTIVELY WITH COMPLIANCE WITH URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SHORT STORY THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT STAFF PROVIDES TO US, MODIFICATIONS TO THIS DOCUMENT WE ARE REVIEWING SPECIFICALLY TO THE EXHIBITS TO PRESENT SECTION.
TO BETTER ACCOMMODATE, TO BETTER EXPOUND ON SOME OF THESE EXHIBITS AND ALSO TO THE PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS TIMELINE TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW OR TO ADVISE APPLICANTS FOR MORE TIME BETWEEN THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION AND PRESENTING AT THE COMMISSION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'M GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR VIDEO HERE.
COMMISSIONER GILLES IS A SECOND.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, JUST PUT IT TO STAFF AND TO THE, THIS COMMISSION, UM, WHETHER THE MOTION COULD BENEFIT FROM EXPOUNDED AMENDMENTS TO SPECIFY WHERE IN THE, UH, LIST OF EXHIBITS WE WOULD REQUIRE, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I CAN OFFER SUGGESTIONS IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AT THIS TIME.
UM, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT SOUNDS LIKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
UM, SPECIFICALLY, UH, FROM PAST, UH, PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAVE SEEN HERE.
I BELIEVE THE, UH, EXHIBIT NUMBER SIX, UM, ELEVATIONS TO BE SPECIFIED TO SHOW ALL STREET ELEVATIONS INCLUDING ALLEY WOULD BE A SUGGESTION.
UM, 3D VIEWS TO INCLUDE BOTH STREET LEVEL AS WELL AS BIRD'S EYE VIEW, UM, FOR, UM, MAJORITY OF THE PRESENTATIONS AND PRIORITIZING, I WOULD SAY THAT STREET VIEW AND THE, UH, PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
DO YOU ACCEPT THESE AMENDMENTS? I, I ACCEPT.
[01:35:02]
BUT I'LL, I'LL GO BACK TO OUR VIDEO AND GET IT.ALL IN FAVOR? I WOULD, I WANTED TO OFFER ANOTHER FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
ARE THESE UNLIMITED? 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE BRENDAN MIGHT HAVE ONE AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER GILLES, DO YOU ACCEPT THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER WITCH TRUCK? UH, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE AN AN ADDITIONAL FRIENDLY, UM, BUT SINCE THE, UH, FLOOR IS OPEN, UM, TWO THINGS.
ONE, I MISSPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENT COMPLIANCE.
I OVERLOOKED THAT THERE IS A, THERE WAS A SENSE OF RESOLUTION, UM, BUT I THINK MY, MY OTHER, OTHER THAN UNDERMINING MY OWN POINT, THE POINT GENERALLY STILL STANDS, UH, SECOND, UH, NO MOTION, NO RECOMMENDATION FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ON THIS.
BUT, UM, IF STAFF DOES UNDERTAKE A LOOK AT, UM, REVISIONS TO THIS DOCUMENT, I BELIEVE THAT LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION REQUIRED OF AN APPLICANT FOR, UH, SECTION A PROJECT INFORMATION, B PROJECT BACKGROUND, UH, C PRO, UH, EXISTING CONDITIONS, D RELATIONSHIP TO PUBLIC REALM AND E ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, UH, ARE ALSO DESERVING OF ANOTHER LOOK.
UM, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY ASK THE APPLICANT TO WRITE A LOT OF FLOWERY LANGUAGE THAT DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY REFER BACK TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
IN FACT, THE, THE DOCUMENT REFERS BACK TO IMAGINE AUSTIN GUIDELINES, UH, WHICH IS POTENTIALLY VERY CONFUSING TO AN APPLICANT, UH, NOT TO UNDERMINE THE CONNECTION TO IMAGINE AUSTIN AT ALL.
IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT, UH, IT DOES SORT OF HAVE THE UNINTENTIONAL EFFECT OF BURYING THE, UH, DESIGN GUIDELINES THEMSELVES, WHICH SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY POINT OF FOCUS FOR THE APPLICANT.
SO I WOULD MAKE A, A, UM, A JUST A LIGHT RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF THAT SHOULD, UH, REVISIONS BE UNDERTAKEN TO THIS DOCUMENT THAT THOSE MIGHT BE, UM, WORTH CONSIDERING A, A SECOND LOOK AS WELL.
UM, COMMISSIONER WALLACE, YOU HAD
UH, I JUST HAVE AN UNPOPULAR OPINION, WHICH IS THAT I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM THAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING, AND I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT, LIKE, I THINK YOU'LL ALWAYS SEE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FULLY PREPARED, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T COME IN FRONT OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION CONSISTENTLY BECAUSE IT'S COMPLICATED.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I BELIEVE THAT UNDERTAKING LIKE A CHECKLIST FIX IS GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IF THERE IS ONE.
SO I'M JUST VOICING MY UNPOPULAR OPINION BEFORE THE VOTE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT THE VOTES EITHER WAY.
COMMISSIONER CAROL, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE? NO.
SO ANYONE ELSE?
I'M GONNA WRITE THE, I'M GONNA TYPE THIS.
MY ORIGINAL MOTION WAS THAT STAFF PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BODY FOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN DESIGN COMMISSION PROJECT REVIEW APPLICATION DOCUMENT, WHICH WE ARE REVIEWING SPECIFICALLY TO THE EXHIBITS TO PRESENT SECTION AND A MODIFICATION TO THE PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS TO POTENTIALLY ADD SOME ADDITIONAL TIME BETWEEN THE DESIGN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND THE PRESENTATION TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND CHAIR.
MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WAS TO EXPOUND ON, UH, EXHIBIT, UH, REQUIREMENT NUMBER SIX TO INCLUDE ALL BUILDING ELEVATIONS AND ALLEY ELEVATIONS WITH 3D VIEWS, PRIORITIZING STREET LEVEL PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
[01:40:06]
AND MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WAS TO INCLUDE INTENT LANGUAGE, UH, IN THE TIMELINE SECTION, UH, RELATED TO, UH, TO ADVISE APPLICANTS AS, UH, TO THE LEVEL OF DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AT EACH STAGE.JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE YOURS, YOUR FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ALSO INCLUDED ALLIE'S.
CHAIR POINT OF ORDER? UH, YES.
WAS IT COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY'S? UM, INTENT TO SAY, UH, UH, ADDITIONAL TIME BETWEEN THE DESIGN COMMISSION WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION AND PRESENTATION TO DC TO TO COM COMMISSION? YES.
OKAY, CHAIR, CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? YES, PLEASE.
UM, I DO JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT DESIGN COMMISSION MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, NOT DIRECTLY TO STAFF, THAT'S ALL.
SO DO WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO SAY, I MEAN, I GUESS LANGUAGE OF THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS FOR COUNSEL TO TELL, TELL STAFF, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO CHANGE ANY OF YOUR WORDING.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, MOTION ON THE TABLE AND THE ADDITIONAL, UM, FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, ANY OPPOSED? COMMISSIONER WALLACE? AND SO, COMMISSIONER LUKINS, YOU DIDN'T VOTE? I DID VOTE, ACTUALLY.
WE'LL GET THAT RECOMMENDATION WRITTEN UP.
[4. Update from the Urban Design Guidelines Working Group regarding the meetings on December 23, 2024 and January 17, 2025.]
ITEM IS THE, UH, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP, UH, REGARDING THE MEETINGS FROM DECEMBER 23RD AND JANUARY 17TH.THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS WE HAD BEEN WORKING TO ADDRESS COMMENTS WE RECEIVED FROM CITY STAFF.
I BELIEVE WE HAD, WE HAVE ADDRESSED MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THOSE AT THIS POINT.
UM, THERE ARE A FEW OTHER ITEMS THAT WE PLAN TO ADDRESS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WITH THE INTENT TO DELIVER A DRAFT TO STAFF, UM, IN FEBRUARY FOR THEM TO WORK ON THE, THE FORMATTING FOR THE PUBLIC DRAFT.
AND THE FORMATTING INCLUDES ALL THE PHOTOS AND, UH, THE LAYOUT.
AND WHAT IS THAT, HOW LONG IS THAT PROCESS YOU, DO YOU THINK? OH, GOSH, I DON'T WANT TO
WE DID, WE DID HAVE DATES IN THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT STICKING TO THE DATES EXACTLY, BUT 2025 IS THE GOAL, AND SUMMER IS, WAS THE GOAL.
SUMMER WAS GENERALLY THE GOAL OF HAVING THE DRAFT, THE PUBLIC DRAFT ONLINE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE STICKING TO THAT GOAL RIGHT NOW BASED ON HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING.
AND ONCE IT'S ON ONLINE, THEN, THEN WHAT, WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S, WHAT IS AFTER THAT? UM, WERE YOU, IF MY MEMORY'S CORRECT, WE SAID THE 30 DAY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AND THEN WE'D ADDRESS ANY COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CHAIR IF I MAY.
I, I HAVE A COMMENT REGARDING THE UPDATE TO THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH THE WORKING GROUP.
UH, I BELIEVE IT'S SUCCINCT ENOUGH, I HOPE AND CLEAR ENOUGH THAT I COULD POTENTIALLY SHARE IT HERE.
UM, AND WITHOUT SEEING THE, THE UPDATE, PERHAPS
[01:45:01]
IT'S ALREADY REDUNDANT, BUT MY, MY COMMENT WAS REGARDING THE, UM, TIER ONE AND TIER TWO GUIDELINE DISTINCTION.IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TIER ONE GUIDELINES ARE, ARE MANDATORY, UM, OR, OR INDEED THE GUIDELINES INTEND TO PRESENT THEM AS SUCH, WHEREAS THE TIER TWO, UM, ARE, ARE OPTIONAL.
AND EXCUSE ME, IF THAT, THAT ISN'T THE INTENT.
BUT IF, IF THAT IS THE INTENT, UM, THROUGH, I, I WOULD HOPE THROUGH THE ORDERING AND THE, UM, GRAPHIC PRESENTATION, WHICH WILL COME WITH THE UPDATE, THERE IS A, A CLEAR DISTINCTION OF BETWEEN THAT, THOSE TWO.
AND THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS NOTED THROUGH THAT REPRESENTATION.
UM, BECAUSE THROUGH THE DRAFT, IT, IT WAS SORT OF IT IN SOME INSTANCES, UM, NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR THAT THAT WAS THE INTENTION, THAT THERE IS THE HIERARCHY BETWEEN TIER ONE AND TIER TWO.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, THE RESORTING DEFINITELY HAS BEEN ON OUR AGENDA.
WE WANTED TO KIND OF FINISH THIS LAST DRAFT AND THEN DO A FULL RESORT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT YOU BRING UP A GRAPHIC RE UH, UH, REPRESENTATION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN A TIER ONE AND A TIER TWO, VERY, VERY CLEAR TO THE I IS A, IS A GOOD ONE.
UM, AND SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE SHOULD ALL THINK ABOUT AND PERHAPS STAFF CAN RUMINATE ON, UH, AS THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT FORMATTING.
UM, AND I, AND I WOULD JUST, UH, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA PULL A JORGE RIGHT NOW.
UM, LANGUAGE CLARIFICATION, UM, UH, THAT TIER, TIER ONE WELL, UH, ARE NOT REQUIRED, RIGHT? THEY'RE, THEY'RE GUIDELINES STILL.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY REQUIRED THAT THE GUIDELINE IS ADDRESSED RATHER THAN YOU FOLLOW SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE.
ALRIGHT, UH, UPDATE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE
[5. Update from representative of the Downtown Commission regarding the meeting on December 18, 2024]
OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER GALLES FROM THE DECEMBER 18TH MEETING CHAIR.THERE'S CURRENTLY NO UPDATE, UH, AS I'M STILL IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, BEING PROCESSED.
UM, THE OATH HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN NOTARIZED, AND I WILL BE INFORMED AS TO WHEN I CAN ATTEND THE FIRST MEETING.
[6. Update from representative of the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding the meeting on December 18, 2024.]
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, UH, COMMITTEE REGARDING THE, UH, DECEMBER 18TH MEETING.SO THERE WERE SOME, UH, UH, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION ON LOW CARBON CONCRETE IN, IN, UH, PORTLAND.
AND, UM, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST PHENOMENAL.
THEY DID, THEY'VE, UH, DONE STUFF WITH, UH, VARIOUS LOW CARBON CONCRETE MIXES ON VARIOUS CITY PROJECTS.
UH, IT TOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, GOSH, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS BEGINNING WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS AND GETTING THE PEOPLE TO MAKE DIFFERENT MIXES.
AND, AND IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT.
IT HAS SIGNIFICANT, UH, CHANGE IN GREENHOUSE GAS, UH, FROM THE VERY VARIOUS LOW CARBON MIXES WITH NO REAL, UH, NO SUBSTANTIVE, UH, REDUCTION IN, IN, UH, IN HOW WELL THEY WORK.
AND A GOOD, GREAT PRESENTATION ON THE AUSTIN URBAN FOREST.
AND I THINK THERE'S A, A WEBSITE SORT, A NATIONAL WEBSITE CALLED, UH, MY TREES, I THINK IT'S CALLED, AND IT ZEROS DOWN INTO, UH, PRETTY FONDLY GRAINED STUFF ON OUR TREE CANOPY, WHICH I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY GOOD.
AND, UH, THEN THERE WAS A, UH, PRESENTATION ON, ON, UH, PFAS WATER TESTING AND EVERYTHING'S OKAY.
SO THAT WAS THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, UH, COMMISSION.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS. UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT WE COULD BRING UP TO OUR NEXT MEETING? OR ANY ITEMS? COMMISSIONER HOWARD? I DON'T HAVE A PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM AT THE MOMENT, BUT I DID WANT TO, UH, POTENTIALLY OPEN UP DISCUSSION.UH, WE, WE GOT A BRIEFING FROM JORGE ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I KNOW WE ARE CURRENTLY DRAFTING, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UPDATE, UH, REVISIONS TO THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
UM, DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY FEELINGS ABOUT, UH, AN AGENDA
[01:50:01]
ITEM TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP? AND DIVING INTO THAT, SHOULD WE BE REVIEWING ADDITIONAL PROJECTS? JORGE BROUGHT US A NUMBER, UM, ABOUT KIND OF LIKE THE BEFORE AND AFTER, UH, WHICH, WHICH WAS HELPFUL.UM, AND THERE ARE DOES SEEM TO BE SOME COORDINATION WITH THESE LETTERS, UM, THAT GO BETWEEN SORT OF, UH, THE COMMISSION'S REVIEW, UM, AND KIND OF A RESPONSE TO THOSE THINGS ARE, I GUESS, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL, DO, WOULD THE COMMISSION FIND IT HELPFUL TO BE PRESENT, UH, TO TO SEE PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT WE FEEL THE OUTCOMES WERE FAR FROM, UH, THE DESIGN COMMISSION'S, UM, THE, WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
AND SECONDLY, UM, LET'S JUST START, LET'S JUST STOP THERE.
'CAUSE I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
BUT I MEAN, WOULD, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO SEE PROJECTS, EXAMPLES FOR US ALL TO LOOK AT THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO? I THINK SO, YEAH.
LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ACTUALLY A PROBLEM.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE THOUGH? UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, I WOULD MOTION THAT WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM POTENTIALLY AS EARLY AS, UH, NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, UM, FOR, UH, JORGE OR OR STAFF TO PRESENT, UM, ASK STAFF TO BECOME PRESENT ON, UM, SOME SELECTED PROJECTS TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS ON THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS SO THAT WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT TO WHAT MAY HAVE GONE WRONG OR MAYBE NOTHING WENT WRONG.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
AND WE'LL GET JORGE'S INPUT HERE, SIR, IF I MAY.
STAFF'S GONNA NEED SOME CLARITY AS TO WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, WHAT PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE CAN RESEARCH THE PROJECTS AND PROVIDE YOU THE INFORMATION WE HAVE.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN CREATE NEW INFORMATION THAT CAN COMPARE AND CONTRAST FOR YOU.
THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND HAVE EITHER AN APPROVED SITE PLAN OR IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING AN APPROVED SITE PLAN.
SO WE WOULD NEED A LIST OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS FROM THE COMMISSION THAT YOU WISH TO SEE, SO WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THE INFORMATION, WHETHER THAT'S THE APPROVAL PACKET OR THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
STAFF DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST WHAT THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED AND WHAT WAS APPROVED.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE STAFF CAPACITY FOR THAT.
THAT GOES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT CERTAINLY OUR, UH, IN A POSITION TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR DIRECTOR TO SEE HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE PROVIDING YOU THE INFORMATION WE DO HAVE ON THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
IS THERE, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN THE COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE, HEY, THIS, THIS THING GOT, YOU KNOW, BUILT IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT Y'ALL CONGRATULATIONS.
AND SO ARE THERE KNOWN SUCCESSES AND, UH, UH, FOR THIS URBAN DESIGN STANDARD FOLLOW THROUGH, UH, AND THEN KNOWN FAILURES, AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU SPECIFICS ON PROJECTS YOU WISH TO SEE.
I'M TRYING TO UN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SPECIFIC ASK IS.
COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY, IS THERE A LIST SOMEWHERE THAT IS KEPT, UM, BY ANY DEPARTMENTS ON WHICH PARTICULAR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR DENSITY BONUS? AND CAN THAT LIST BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION? YES.
UM, HOW MANY, IF WE GAVE A SPECIFIC LIST OF PROJECTS, UH, THAT WERE THEORETICALLY, UM, CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE, SO WE COULD KINDA LOOK AT THE FULL LIFECYCLE, UM, NOT COMPLETE IN CONSTRUCTION THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND APPROVED, THERE MAY BE AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF CONSTRUCTION.
SOME MAY HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED ALREADY AND SOME ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
YEAH, LET ME, LEMME FINISH THAT THOUGHT.
UM, SO, UH, IF HOW MANY PROJECTS, IF IF THEY WERE PROJECTS THAT WERE CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED, UM, HOW MANY PROJECTS WOULD STAFF HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REPORT BACK ON IF WE GAVE A SPECIFIC LIST? I DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME.
WE WOULD NEED TO SEE THE LIST TO SURE.
ASCERTAIN THE ASK, UH, IN BALLPARK.
ARE WE THINK, ARE WE THINKING LIKE BY NEXT MONTH WE COULD SEE FOUR OR ARE WE THINKING MAYBE TWO OR MAYBE 10? I'M GOING TO REFRAIN FROM GIVING A NUMBER ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH
[01:55:01]
STAFF CAPACITY WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT ASK.THAT'S A, THAT'S AN INTERNAL CITY STAFF DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, FIRST OF ALL UNDERSTOOD AND SEE IF WE HAVE THE STAFF CAPACITY TO PROVIDE THAT.
UM, IF WE WERE TO BE ABLE, I MEAN, PERHAPS WE CAN'T ON THE DAIS PROVIDE A SPECIFIC LIST OF ADDRESSES, UM, BUT IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND SAY THE NEXT WEEK,
IT'S NOT TYPICAL TO GET THESE KIND OF REQUESTS FROM A COMMISSION.
UH, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU, UH, A LIST OF ALL THE PROJECTS AND THE APPROVAL PACKET.
IT'S THE COMPARING OR CONTRASTING, IF I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, THAT'S GOING TO BE A, A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE.
AND MAYBE I CAN CLARIFY WHAT AT LEAST I WAS INTENDING, UM, IN THE, IN THE ASK AND, AND IT, IT'S, I THINK IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE IN THIS PRESENTATION WITH LOOKING, YOU WERE LOOKING AT, UM, YOU SHOWED US MAYBE THREE OR FOUR PROJECTS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE THE SAME EXCEPT PERHAPS ONE OF US ON THE COMMISSION WOULD, UM, PROVIDE THE ADDRESS AND YOU COULD, YOU COULD KIND OF LIKE WALK US THROUGH LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE STORY OF HOW THAT WAS PROCESSED AND THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
I I WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS OF STAFF AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LUKINS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING SINCE WE'RE, WHICH I THINK YOU COULD DO BY NEXT MONTH TO HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS IN THE LAST, UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSIONS FOR EIGHT YEARS, UH, AS BUILT THE LAST AS BUILT DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS.
AND THEN IT'LL BE INTERESTING FOR US TO LOOK AT THIS, SOME OF US, ONCE WE HAVE THAT, SOME OF US CAN JUST DRIVE AROUND AND LOOK AT THESE BUILDINGS AND SAY TO OURSELVES, FOR THESE, UH, ARE THESE REALLY BUILDINGS THAT WERE WORTHY OF DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUSES? WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THEM THAT GAVE 'EM THIS DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS? SO WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS, UH, IS A LIST OF AS OF PROJECTS BUILT UNDER THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
THEN I GUESS SOME OF US COULD JUST DRIVE AROUND, TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM, AND THEN COME BACK WITH YOU AND SAY TO YOU HOW IN THE WORLD DID, WHAT DID, HOW DID THIS PROJECT GET APPROVED? OR WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE PROCESS TO GET GRANT THIS DENSITY BONUS.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL CAN DO AND PUTS ALL THE WORK ON US DRIVING AROUND DOWNTOWN, WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN.
YOU WOULDN'T WANNA DRIVE, UH, COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY.
SO ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER UP A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UM, I MOTION THAT, UM, WE RE THAT THE COMMISSION RECEIVES A LIST OF DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS FROM THE LAST 10 YEARS.
WE'LL JUST ROUND UP TO DAVID'S NUMBER, UH, THAT, THAT BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU'D WANNA MAKE THAT BUILT PROJECTS ONES THAT ACTUALLY GOT BUILT.
I THINK THE, UM, COMMISSION IN OUR RESEARCH OF THAT LIST COULD DISCERN WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN CONSTRUCTED CHAIR.
I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY'S MOTION.
IS THIS AN ACTUAL, IS THIS A MOTION OR IS THIS ALRIGHT? BUT WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS.
IT'S, THAT'S SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO THIS IS A NEW MOTION THAT WOULD SUPERSEDE THE PREVIOUS MOTION.
WE ARE ON FUTURE ITEMS. WE DON'T NEED A MOTION OR A SECOND.
WE JUST NEED TO SPONSOR AND A CO-SPONSOR.
YEAH, SO SORRY, I WANNA SPONSOR IT.
I WANNA SPONSOR, I WANNA LIST.
ALL RIGHT, SO SUBSTITUTE SPONSORSHIP.
I HEARD MOTION AND ACTION AND SO I WAS LIKE, YEAH, LET'S GO.
TO, TO ADD TO, UM, COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY'S SUGGESTION.
UM, GIVEN WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM JORGE, I'M CURIOUS ALONG WITH THIS LIST THAT, THAT WE WILL HOPEFULLY RECEIVE FROM STAFF OF BUILT PROJECTS THAT RECEIVE DENSITY BONUS.
WOULD IT BE FEASIBLE TO REVIEW AS A COMMISSION, UM, PROJECTS THAT FALL SPECIFICALLY ON THE SECTION OF DOWNTOWN THAT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT RAIL RUNNING THROUGH IT AS WE NOW HAVE AN UPDATE FROM, UM, FROM THE PROJECT CONNECT TEAM AND THOSE STREETS WOULD BE GUADALUPE AND, UM, BETWEEN 15TH STREET AND UH, CAESAR CHAVEZ.
[02:00:01]
IF, IF WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SPECIFICITY, UM, AND LIMIT THE PRESENTATION TO JUST PROJECTS ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, IS IT FEASIBLE TO REVIEW? UM, AND, AND PERHAPS WE PUT A, A BRACKET OF, UM, APPROVED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.WOULD THAT PROVIDE A SMALL ENOUGH SAMPLE TO REVIEW HERE AS A GROUP AT THE NEXT DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING? I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ALSO LIKE AN IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THAT CORRIDOR IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF WE HAVE TWO CONVERSATIONS HERE.
UM, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR, MINORS, I THINK PART OF, UH, LOOKING AT WHAT WAS, UH, DECIDED UPON BY THIS BODY, UM, AND ULTIMATELY CONSTRUCTED WOULD ALSO ENTAIL LOOKING AT WHAT WAS THERE PREVIOUSLY, UM, TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS REPLACED IF, IF APPLICABLE.
UM, SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN JUST SUBMIT, UM, TO, TO STAFF, UH, IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING? OR HOW CAN WE COUPLE THOSE IMAGES WITH, UH, THE LIST THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE US? COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? I THINK SOME OF THIS IS INCUMBENT ON THE COMMISSION TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF OUR HOMEWORK.
I MEAN, WITH THE AMOUNT OF DATA THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO US VIA STREET IMAGES, YOU KNOW, AERIAL IMAGE, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT NAMING A PARTICULAR COMPANY THAT PROVIDES THAT, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION ONLINE.
I THINK SOME OF IT IS INCUMBENT ON US TO LOOK INTO IT.
IF WE'RE PROVIDED A LIST OF PROJECTS, I THINK IT'S EASY ENOUGH FOR US TO PUT THE ADDRESSES IN ONLINE, LOOK AT WHERE THEY ARE, AND MAYBE EACH OF US, YOU KNOW, BRING A PROJECT OR, YOU KNOW, TWO PROJECTS WITH US THAT WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WE EITHER FEEL WE'RE SUCCESSFUL OR WE FEEL LIKE MAYBE DIDN'T MEET THE INTENT OF THE, THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
COMMISSIONER WALLACE? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I, I WOULD HAPPILY PUT TOGETHER IF SOMEONE WERE TO HAVE SOME ADDRESSES IN MIND, I WOULD HAPPILY PUT IMAGES ONTO A POWERPOINT TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S LIKE A, IF I'M THEN THE, IF I'M THE SPEAKER, THE
SO MY POINT IS THAT, UM, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WE CAN ALL KIND OF COLLECTIVELY LOOK AT IMAGES, BUT HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT THE SAME IMAGES AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS REVIEW? LIKE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING, UM, IN A, IN A WAY THAT, UH, IS APPROPRIATE WITH HOW WE CURRENTLY, UM, PRESENT MATERIALS? OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO MORE ON THE FLY? I DON'T KNOW.
LIKE WHAT, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE THERE? SO THAT'S MORE MY QUESTION.
IF COMMISSIONERS WANT TO LOOK INTO, UM, ESSENTIALLY DEVELOPMENT HISTORY ON SOME SITES, THERE ARE A FEW PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WEBSITES, UH, THAT YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW, UM, PROPERTY PROFILE THAT HAS A LOT OF DATA AND ALSO ALL APPROVED SITE PLANS ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION.
THE WEBSITE WAS A, B, C AND IT JUST GOT REBRANDED.
UM, BUT A B, C STOOD FOR AUSTIN BUILD AND CONNECT.
AND A HELPFUL WAY ACTUALLY TO GET THERE IS TO USE PROPERTY PROFILE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR ADDRESS IN MIND, YOU CAN TURN ON THE SITE PLAN LAYER AND JUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT FIFTH AND GUADALUPE AND YOU HAVE THAT LAYER ON, YOU CAN SELECT IT.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY ZONING, LIKE A, A LOT OF INFORMATION IS THERE THAT CAN BE HYPERLINKED.
SO I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE IF THERE ARE SITES THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED TO DISCUSS AS LIKE A DISCUSSION ITEM HERE ON THE DAIS, UM, Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO FIND A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION ONLINE.
SO I GUESS THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT IMAGES AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL, WHEN WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSION, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THE SAME THING, UM, OF, OF WHATEVER ADDRESS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND SO, AND, AND THAT WOULD COME DOWN TO PROVIDING THAT AS BACKUP, SUBMITTING IT TO Y'ALL SO THAT IT CAN GET POSTED?
[02:05:02]
UH, IS OR IS THAT WHAT I'M, IS THAT CORRECT? BY, BY CHAIR? IS THAT, THAT'S MY QUESTION.LIKE WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO DO THIS? BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET A LIST, RIGHT? AND WE CAN'T NECESSARILY COMMUNICATE ABOUT THAT LIST IN ADVANCE AS A, AS A BODY UNLESS IT'S IN THIS FORMAT OR IN THIS FORUM.
RIGHT? SO HOW CAN WE THEN, IF WE HAVE A LIST, HOW DO WE THEN ESTABLISH WHICH ONES WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT AND WHAT MATERIALS WE WANNA PROVIDE IN SUPPORT OF THAT DISCUSSION IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING? BECAUSE WE CAN'T NECESSARILY DO IT ON THE FLY, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE BE METHODICAL AND MAYBE I'M HAVING A HARD TIME ARTICULATING THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S MY INTENT IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BE METHODICAL AND LOOK AT THIS IN A WAY THAT UTILIZES THIS TIME AND WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT THE SAME IMAGERY.
UH, COMMISSIONER HOWARD, TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE.
UM, UH, THE FIRST POINT, UM, RELATED TO THIS, I WOULD, WOULD BE A QUESTION MAY PER MAYBE TO STAFF, UH, WOULD BE, WOULD BE, WOULD WE BE IN VIOLATION OF OPEN OPEN MEETINGS IF THERE WERE DIRECT EMAILS FROM A SINGLE COMMISSIONER TO, UM, BRITA, COMMISSIONER WALLACE, EXCUSE ME, UM, AND OTHERS WERE NOT INCLUDED ON THAT EMAIL, WOULD THAT BE IN VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS? I DUNNO, YOU WOULD HAVE TO JUST EMAIL LIKE FIVE OR LESS COMMISSIONERS TO AVOID A WALKING QUORUM.
'CAUSE A QUORUM IS SIX, RIGHT? UM, I'M NOT SURE ON THE BEST FORMAT TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR OTHER COMMISSIONS.
UM, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE, UM, AN EMAIL WITH THE LIST AND THEN PERHAPS WE CAN HASH IT OUT MORE LIKE IN A MEETING WITH JORGE AND SOPHIA AND JASPER, BUT, UM, ON THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH THAT.
SO AN IDEA ON THIS MAY BE IF WE RECEIVE THE LIST, WHEN WE RECEIVE THE LIST TIMELINE UNKNOWN, UM, EVERYONE PICKS THEIR COUPLE PROJECTS.
AND SO THE AGENDA ITEM FOR THE NEXT MEETING MAY JUST BE AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON ITEMS, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS ITEMS THAT ARE RECEIVED IN CITY BONUS.
AND DURING THAT DISCUSSION, EACH OF US LISTS ONE OR TWO PROJECTS, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FURTHER INTO.
AND ONCE THAT'S DECIDED UPON, UM, IF COMMISSIONER WALLACE IS STILL INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, DOING SOME RESEARCH IN A PRESENTATION, MAYBE THE FOLLOWING MEETING, UM, THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE ALL AGREED ON CAN BE RESEARCHED AND PRESENTED UPON.
THAT WOULD BE, WE COULD FOLLOW THAT PROCESS OR YEAH, WE COULD.
YEAH, CHIEF, I MAY, YES, THAT WOULD BE THE CLEANEST PROCESS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FORUM TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
WE STRONGLY CAUTION AGAINST YOU HAVING A DISCUSSION VIA EMAIL REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER THAT COULD BE CONSTRUED AS A WALKING QUORUM.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IF, EVEN IF IT'S FIVE OR LESS, IT'S ALWAYS THE OPTICS OF HOW THIS LOOKS IN AN OPEN FORUM IN A POSTED MEETING.
YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD UNTIL MIDNIGHT IF YOU LIKE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS, BUT IT'S JUST EASIER TO DO THAT IN AN OPEN FORUM SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE AND THEY MAY PARTICIPATE IF THEY SO WISH.
SO THE, THE FIRST MATTER IS GETTING THE LIST AND THEN FROM THERE, WHICH I'M ASSUMING PROBABLY IN OUR NEXT MEETING WE'LL DISCUSS THE LIST AND THEN THE ONE AFTER THAT, WE'LL TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF PHOTOS, WHATNOT.
SO TO BE CLEAR, I DO WANNA SPONSOR AN ITEM FOR NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA WHERE WE POTENTIALLY DISCUSS THE LIST THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO US.
UM, I, I'M, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE LEVEL OF EFFORT THIS WOULD TAKE, BUT, UH, IT WOULD ALSO BE VERY HELPFUL WITH THAT LIST IF WE, IF STAFF COULD IDENTIFY THE DATE THAT IT WAS SEEN AT DESIGN COMMISSION, IS THAT READILY AVAILABLE? OKAY.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL AND WOULD PROVIDE US THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO ACCESS THE MATERIAL.
[02:10:02]
CO I'LL CO-SPONSOR.SO WE GOT A SPONSOR AND A CO-SPONSOR ON THE LIST WITH THE DATES OF WHEN THESE CAME THROUGH THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I DO WANNA BRING ONE UP ABOUT SIDEWALKS TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO DISCUSS.
AS I UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT INCREASING THE WIDTH OF SIDEWALKS, UM, FROM WHAT IS CURRENTLY REQUIRED AT FIVE FEET.
AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT AND PROVIDE, UH, A RECOMMENDATION ON SOME POINT, WHETHER IT'S A WORKING GROUP OR DISCUSSION WE WANNA HAVE IN OUR NEXT MEETING? HOW DO Y'ALL, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK WOULD BE A GOOD ROUTE? COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY, WHERE, WHO IS, WHO IS SPONSORING THIS MODIFICATION TO SIDEWALK? WES? UH, I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT'S CAME COMING FROM, OF HOW FAR IT IS IN THE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, BUT IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN CONVERSATION THAT BECAUSE WE'RE MOVING AWAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THE PARKING REQUIREMENT AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS WALKABILITY? AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA, UM, AND SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, I WOULD LOVE THAT.
CO COMMISSIONER GILLI, UH, I WOULD CO-SPONSOR, BUT MY QUESTION WAS WOULD IT BE, UM, APPROPRIATE TO INVITE THE PLANNING GROUP TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON THEIR FINDINGS OR THEIR RESEARCH? YEAH.
IS THERE, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE HAVE, IF THERE IS ANY, HOW MUCH DOCUMENTATION IS OUT THERE YET FOR STUDIES OR THERE'S NOTHING COMING FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ABOUT INCREASING THE WIDTH OF SIDEWALKS.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW, THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS ALWAYS WELCOME TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL ON, UM, ISSUES OF, OF ENCOMPASSING DESIGN, URBAN DESIGN ISSUES.
SO JUST SO I'M CLEAR, WHO, WHO, WHICH DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT WIDENING THE SIDEWALKS CURRENTLY? ANYBODY.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER? 'CAUSE BA THIS CAME BACK FROM JUST OUR CONVERSATION, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW FAR, HOW FAR THAT HAD GONE DOWN IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S NOT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND THIS REALLY WOULDN'T COME FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S NOT, UH, ANYTHING ON THE TABLE FROM, I, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS FAR AS AN UPDATE TO THE SIDEWALK WITH REQUIREMENTS CITYWIDE, THINGS THAT WE ENGAGE ON ARE, UM, OF COURSE GREAT STREETS AND OUTSIDE OF THE GREAT STREETS BOUNDARIES, THERE ARE CERTAIN LIKE TOD GEOGRAPHIES THAT HAVE INCREASED SIDEWALK WIDTH REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, I THINK IN LIGHT OF THE CITYWIDE, AND THIS WAS CITY COUNCIL'S INITIATIVE TO DO AWAY WITH MOTOR VEHICLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, I THINK, DISCUSSION CITYWIDE OR NEWS OR OTHERWISE ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH PARKING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH HAPPENED.
UM, AND ANY IMPLICATIONS THAT HAS ON TRANSIT OR SIDEWALK WIDTHS, ANY OF THAT, I THINK THAT'S ALL HAPPENING CONVERSATIONALLY.
ALL I CAN SAY THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS DOING, OR HAS BEEN DOING IS INCREASING SIDEWALK WITH REQUIREMENTS, UM, VIA REGULATING PLAN.
UM, GEOGRAPH, I'LL SAY THE REGULATING PLANS HAVE CO BY MANY NAMES, UH, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS ONE OF THEM.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING CITYWIDE THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN ON.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT TPW TRANSIT, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS WOULD TAKE SOMETHING ON OR CITY COUNCIL LIKE THEY DID WITH THE NO PARKING MM-HMM
BUT AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, NO ONE IS GOING AROUND WITH A CITY PRESENTATION TRYING TO GET SUPPORT, NOT ON CITY SIDE.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, I'LL CONTINUE TO SPONSOR AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WE TALK ABOUT IT, EVEN IF IT'S A SHORT AGENDA ITEM.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT URBAN LOOKED IN.
UH, MY, MY FIRM URBAN AND DESIGN LAB LOOKED INTO WHEN WE INITIATED THE RESEARCH AROUND STREET TREES.
UM, BUT IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO LIMIT THE SCOPE.
UM, AND SO WE CHOSE THE HARDEST SCOPE.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, THIS SUBJECT
[02:15:01]
IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, AT, AT THE CITYWIDE LEVEL AS IT RELATES TO OUR TCM STREET SECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.ESP, UH, IF WE'RE GONNA GET OURSELVES UP TO A BEST PRACTICE SORT OF STANDPOINT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN OUR OTHER BEST PRACTICE ACTION.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO SPONSOR REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO PRESENT PRESENTATION FROM PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THERE IS A NEW NTO REPORT ON SIDEWALKS.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT SIDEWALK WIDTHS.
AND SO, UH, UH, I'M SURE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE SOMEWHERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
WHO THE HELL AM I
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I DON'T WORRY.
MAYBE WE CAN PULL IT UP AT THE NEXT MEETING WHEN WE BRING IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
WHAT ARE, JUST TO SAY I'LL CONTINUE TO CO-SPONSOR THAT.
SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ON SIDEWALK WIDTH, INCREASING SIDEWALK WIDTH OR SIDEWALK DESIGN IN GENERAL.
THE NTO REPORT WAS, WAS BROADER THAN JUST THE WIDTH OF SIDEWALKS.
SOME I'M LOOKING FOR TO HAVE IT SOMEWHERE.
AND WOULD THAT ITEM BE DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION AND ACTION? OH, NOT NEXT MONTH.
WE GOT, I THINK, I THINK FOR NOW IT WOULD BE A, A DISCUSSION AND THEN WE CAN CARRY IT FROM THERE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS FOR OUR NEXT MEETING? COMMISSIONER LADNER, ARE YOU DOING ALL RIGHT,
WELL, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, I AM GOING TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING.