Feb 19, 2025 Downtown Commission

CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING VIRTUALLY.

IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.

UM, OKAY.

UM, I HAVE FOUR CHARTS AND I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH 'EM REAL QUICKLY.

THE THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, SOME OF THESE OBSERVATIONS THAT I'M MAKING IN DIFFERENT FORMS ARE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF, UH, OF, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A A GRADUATE LEVEL SEMINAR IN, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT.

UM, THE TOPIC I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY, PROBABLY BEST FALLS INTO WHAT I WOULD REFER TO AS MOBILITY ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

UH, NEXT CHART, PLEASE.

UM, SO BA BASICALLY THE, WHAT, WHAT I'M HERE TO DO IS SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU PROBABLY WANNA BECOME STAKEHOLDERS IN THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY PLAN BECAUSE IT BORDERS DOWNTOWN.

UH, IT, IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO MLK AND MLK IS ONE OF THE FOUR, UH, BORDERS FOR, UH, THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALSO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

UM, SO I WANTED TO, UH, POINT OUT TO YOU ALL THAT THEY'VE STARTED DOING SOME HIGH LEVEL REVIEWS AND REVEALED THE SCHEDULE THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS.

UM, THEY'RE HOPING TO TAKE UNO FORWARD TO PLANNING COMMISSION ON, ON A APRIL 22ND AND CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 8TH.

SO, UM, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER TRYING TO GET, UH, AN UNO REVIEW IN FOR, UM, FOR YOUR MARCH 19TH, UH, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING.

UM, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND, TO ME IS A, IS A PLANNING PROFESSIONAL, UM, HIERARCHY IS, IS ABSOLUTELY, UH, FOUNDATIONAL IN PLANNING.

AND THAT COMES INTO PLAY A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS HERE.

UM, BUT I, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, MLK IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE CENTER.

SO DOWNTOWN IS PART OF THE PRIMARY ACTIVITY CENTER IN IMAGINE AUSTIN, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, WEST CAMPUS, ARE WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF AS UNO AND DOWNTOWN.

SO THE MLK BORDER IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE CENTER, WHICH IS THE TOP OF THE PLANNING HIERARCHY IN IMAGINE AUSTIN.

UM, THE OTHER BORDERS ARE I 35, AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE VERY RIGHTLY TAKING AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

UM, ANOTHER BORDER IS THE LAKE.

UH, AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU TAKING AN INTEREST THERE, BUT THERE'S TALK ABOUT EXPANDING THE BORDERS FOR, UH, THIS COMMISSION AND FOR DOWNTOWN ACTUALLY TO GO BEYOND THE LAKE.

SO THAT WOULD BE EXTENDING THE BORDERS OF THE CENTER.

AND OF COURSE, THE FOURTH BORDER IS LAMAR THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA REALLY TALK ABOUT TODAY.

BUT I THINK IT IS W WORTH, UH, NOTING THAT THAT'S GONNA BECOME A, AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TRANSIT CORRIDOR AS WE DEAL WITH, UH, WHATEVER I 35 BRINGS TO US.

UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN.

VERY NIGHT ITEM BUSINESS.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO, PARDON TO INTERRUPT.

APOLOGIES.

UM, I'M SORRY, I I WAS GOING AHEAD AND NEGLECTED TO TURN MY MIC BACK ON.

UH, YOU WOULD THINK I WOULD KNOW BETTER EIGHT YEARS INTO THIS, UH, THIS

[00:05:01]

LITTLE, UH, COMMISSION OF OURS.

UM, I THANK MR. WILEY FOR HIS ATTENDANCE AND THEN WENT

[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on January 15, 2025.]

ON WITH THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS, WHICH WAS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

UM, I'M HOPING EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES.

ARE THERE ANY MODIFICATIONS, QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, COMMENTS? I MOVE APPROVAL.

I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION.

AND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

HEARING NO OPPOSITION.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO THE MEAT OF OUR AGENDA STAFF BRIEFINGS.

ALRIGHT,

[2. Staff briefing regarding the Seaholm area multi-modal improvements by Alex Payson, Capital Improvement Program Manager, Austin Transportation and Public Works.]

UM, THE FIRST ITEM IS A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE C HOME MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, WE HAVE ALEX PAYSON, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER, AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

WELCOME TO THE FLOOR.

GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? NOT THAT WELL.

YOU, WELL, NOT VERY WELL.

I THINK I HAVE THE MIC ON NOW, SO, OKAY.

NOW THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE INCLUDES A PLAZA CONCEPT.

GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.

AS MENTIONED, I'M ALEX PAYSON WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT A FEW PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE SEA HOME AREA.

NOW, THERE ARE A, A HOST OF PROJECTS, BUT THE ONE THAT I'LL BE FOCUSED ON FOCUSING ON PRIMARILY IS ONE IN THE THIRD AND POWER PLANT DRIVE OR WEST AREA, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING THROUGH A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERIOD AND ARE SEEKING PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON SOME DESIGN ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE COMMENT ON.

ALL RIGHT, SO JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY OF THE C HOME AREA AND ESSENTIALLY WHERE THESE PROJECTS CAME FROM AND HOW WE ENDED UP HERE.

SO IN 2008, THE TURS, OR THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCE REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR SEA HOME WAS CREATED.

ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WAS OUTLINED AS A PART OF THAT, UM, THAT TURS AND THE FINANCING WITH IT WAS, UM, TO CREATE A PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE UNDERPASS UNDER THE RAILWAY AT BOWIE STREET OR THE BOWIE UNDERPASS.

NOW, THE CITY TRIED TO, UM, REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD, BUT THAT DID NOT COME TO FRUITION.

UM, AND THE PROJECT DID NOT COME TO THE FORE.

AND SO WHEN COUNCIL CLOSED TOURS 18 IN DECEMBER OF 2023, THEY REALLOCATED 12.5 MILLION FROM THE TOURS TO THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO PUT FORWARD FIVE PROJECTS THAT WOULD ACHIEVE SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WERE THE ORIGINAL, UM, INTENT OF THE BOWIE UNDERPASS.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN.

SO I'LL BRIEFLY GO THROUGH EACH ONE.

UM, NUMBER ONE, THE YELLOW THAT YOU SEE THERE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE IMAGE, THIS IS A SIDEWALK SHARED USE PATH ALONG CAESAR CHAVEZ.

IT'S, UM, ON THE SOUTHERN CURB CONNECTING SANDRA MAIDA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO STREET.

AND THIS SHARED USE PATH IS ACTUALLY CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

PROJECT NUMBER TWO DEALS WITH DYNAMIC SIGNS AT BOTH THE INTERSECTIONS OF CAESAR CHAVEZ AND WEST AND CAESAR CHAVEZ AND WALTER SEAHOLM MEANT TO HELP DRIVERS, UM, KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO STOP, UH, TURNING TRAFFIC NEEDS TO STOP FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIAN.

THIS PROJECT IS ALSO CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, MEANT TO HELP WITH TRAIL CONNECTIVITY IN THE AREA.

NOW, PROJECT NUMBER THREE DEALS WITH MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SEA HOME, UM, EXCUSE ME, IN THE WEST THIRD POWER PLANT DRIVE AREA.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS BRIEFING.

UM, BUT JUST TO SHIFT TO THE LAST TWO PROJECTS, UM, PROJECT NUMBER FOUR DEALS WITH THE NORTHERN TRAIL ALIGNMENT OF SHOAL CREEK.

AND THEN PROJECT NUMBER FIVE DEALS WITH EAST AND WEST CROSSINGS OF SHOAL CREEK AT, UH, THIRD STREET.

SO IF WE TURN TO THE THIRD AND WEST AREA, UM, THIS IS THE EXISTING CONDITION AS IT IS TODAY.

IF YOU WERE TO GO OUT THERE ON THIRD STREET POWER PLANT DRIVE, THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE.

NOW WHAT THE CITY IS PROPOSING, WE HAVE FOUR DESIGN ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN, UM, SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW, COMMENT, AND SURVEY, UM, THAT PROVIDE VARIOUS LEVELS OF IMPROVEMENT, AND WE'RE SEEKING FEEDBACK ON THOSE.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE EXISTING CONDITION, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS TWO-WAY TRAFFIC ON THIRD STREET WITH PARKING ON EITHER SIDE.

ONE-WAY, TRAFFIC ON POWER PLANT DRIVE WITH PARKING ON EITHER SIDE, AND A MEDIAN IN BETWEEN BOTH OF THOSE ROADWAYS.

[00:10:03]

UM, TO GO BACK IN THE HISTORY A LITTLE BIT, UM, ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, WITH COMING UP OR COMING UP WITH THE LIST OF FIVE PROJECTS, OR WE CONSULTED THE SHOAL CREEK, UM, PUBLIC SPACE STRATEGY.

AND THEIR GOAL WAS TO IMPROVE CYCLIST AND PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY AND CONNECTION, UM, IN THE SHOAL CREEK VICINITY.

AND ONE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT THEY PUT FORTH OR IDEAS THEY PUT FORTH IN THAT DOCUMENT, UM, WAS A PLAZA.

AND SO THAT, THAT IS SOME OF THE HISTORICAL CONCEPT FOR THIS PROJECT.

BUT AS WE CONTINUED TO LOOK AT THIS AREA AND LOOK AT THE GOAL FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY TO INCREASE SAFETY, INCREASE COMFORT FOR MOBILITY OF, OF ANY FOLKS MOVING THROUGH THIS AREA THROUGH WIDENING, UM, TRAVEL PATHS OR INCREASING VISIBILITY OR MAKING TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS THROUGH THIS AREA MORE PREDICTABLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT OBSERVED WAS THAT A LOT OF THE CONFLICTS IN THIS AREA BE THAT WITH DRIVERS, PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, SCOOTER RIDERS CAME FROM CONFUSION AROUND THESE DUAL STREETS OF THIRD STREET, UM, AND POWER PLANT DRIVE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE WAY, CAN I GO DOWN THIS ONE WAY STREET? CAN I TURN HERE? CAN I DO THIS? CAN I PARK HERE? IS THERE PARKING AVAILABLE? ALL OF THESE THINGS.

AND SO, UM, THIS CONCEPT WOULD CLOSE POWER PLANT DRIVE, THEREBY IN A SENSE SIMPLIFYING THAT VEHICLES ARE TO TRAVEL ON THIRD STREET AND PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, SCOOTERS ARE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE PLAZA TO NAVIGATE EAST WEST BETWEEN WEST AVENUE AND WALTER SEA HOME.

UM, WITH THIS PLAZA CONCEPT, EMERGENCY ACCESS WOULD BE MAINTAINED.

SO A-F-D-E-M-S, THOSE FOLKS WOULD STILL HAVE THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED TO SERVICE THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS.

WE WOULD ALSO BE IMPROVING THE RAMPS, UM, ON EITHER SIDE TO HELP WITH CONNECTIVITY, AND WE WOULD BE RETAINING PARKING ALONG THIRD STREET.

SO AS YOU SEE, THE, THE PARALLEL PARKING THAT EXISTED IN THE CURRENT CONDITION STILL EXISTS IN ALTERNATIVE ONE.

NOW, WHAT THAT DOES MEAN IS THAT IF WE CLOSE POWER PLANT DRIVE, THE PARKING THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS, THERE WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SO THAT IS A LOSS OF 29 PARKING SPACES IN THE AREA.

ALTERNATIVE NUMBER TWO IS VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO ALTERNATIVE NUMBER ONE IN THAT IT IS A PLAZA CONCEPT.

WE ARE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THE RAMPS.

UM, WE WOULD BE KEEPING PARKING ON THIRD STREET, REMOVING PARKING ON POWER PLANT DRIVE.

BUT THE REAL DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT YOU STILL LOSE THOSE 29 PARKING SPACES ON POWER PLANT.

BUT IN USING BACKEND ANGLE PARKING ON THE SOUTH CURB OF THIRD STREET, WE ARE ABLE TO RECAPTURE 10 PARKING SPACES.

SO A NET LOSS OF 19 INSTEAD.

AND WE WOULD BE, UM, ESSENTIALLY NARROWING THE AREA TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT BACKEND ANGLE PARKING NARROWING.

THE, THE PLAZA AREA OF THE CURB.

ALTERNATIVE NUMBER THREE IS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TWO IN THAT POWER PLANT DRIVE REMAINS OPEN PARKING, UM, THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.

THERE WOULD REMAIN ON THE SOUTH CURB OF POWER PLANT DRIVE PARKING WOULD REMAIN ON BOTH CURBS OF THIRD STREET AS THEY DO FOR THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES.

WE WOULD BE LOOKING, UM, TO DO THE, THE RAMP IMPROVEMENTS AND ALL OF THAT.

BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS HERE WE WOULD BE TAKING THE PARKING FROM THE NORTH CURB OF POWER PLANT TO CREATE A WIDENED MEDIAN TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE FOR A SHARED USE PATH AND A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN SPACE TO FACILITATE THAT EAST WEST MOVEMENT BETWEEN WALTER SEAHOLM AND WEST AVENUE.

AND THEN ALTERNATIVE FOUR, UM, SEEKS TO, TO DEAL WITH A PARTICULAR CONCERN.

SO BACK IN 2021, WHEN THE, UH, CYPRESS AND SHOAL DOCUMENT CAME OUT, THE PUBLIC, UH, SPACE DOCUMENT, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WAS DOCUMENTED THERE WAS, UM, HOW LOSS OF PARKING WOULD IMPACT THE RETAIL SPACE IN THE AREA.

AND AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WAS GOING THROUGH, LOOKING AT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, THIS SAME CONCERN CAME UP.

WHAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS RETAIL SPACE? SO THIS DESIGN IS SIMILAR TO THE FIRST TWO IN THAT IT IS A PLAZA, UM, CLOSING

[00:15:01]

POWER PLANT DRIVE, AND THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PARKING ON BOTH, UM, BOTH SIDES OF THIRD STREET WOULD BE MAINTAINED.

THE KEY DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT ON THIRD STREET, THE, THE SOUTH CURB, THE EASTERN END, WE CREATE A COMMERCIAL DELIVERY ZONE.

SO WE ESSENTIALLY TAKE FOUR SPACES FROM THAT CURB AND REALLOCATE THEM TO THE COMMERCIAL DELIVERY ZONE, CREATING A RAMP SPACE FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS TO HAND CART OR PALLET JACK THEIR DELIVERIES, UM, ACROSS THE PLAZA AND INTO THE BUILDINGS.

AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, THAT IS A LOT OF TIMES HOW, UM, DELIVERY DRIVERS WILL USE THE SPACE OF POWER PLANT DRIVE, THEY'LL USE PALLET JACKS.

SO WE'VE ACCOUNTED FOR THAT HERE.

AND THEN WE'VE ALSO ADDED AN A DA ACCESSIBLE SPACE WITH RAMP ACCESS, UM, TO THE CURB AS WELL.

THERE'S CURRENTLY ONE ON THE NORTH CURB, BUT WE'VE GONE AHEAD AND ADDED ONE ON THE SOUTH CURB.

AND SO NOT TO RUSH THROUGH EVERYTHING, BUT I DO WANT TO CIRCLE BACK FOR A MOMENT TO THE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

SO, AS I MENTIONED, PROJECT NUMBER ONE DEALT WITH A SHARED USE PATH OR TRAIL ON CAESAR CHAVEZ FROM SANDRA MORIDA TO SAN ANTONIO STREET.

THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

THESE PHOTOS ARE, UM, OF CURRENT CONDITION.

SO THE CREWS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE ALONG CAESAR CHAVEZ SINCE OCTOBER.

THEY'RE CONTINUING TO WORK AND WE WILL HAVE THIS PROJECT FINISHED A LITTLE BIT LATER ON THIS SPRING.

UM, IF YOU'RE OUT ON CAESAR CHAVEZ A LOT, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE CREWS OUT THERE.

THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING AROUND THE WEST AVENUE AREA.

AND THEN THE PROJECT NUMBER TWO, THE DYNAMIC SIGNS, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE FIRST IMAGE, THE TOP IMAGE.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEY'LL LOOK LIKE, UM, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE SIGNS INSTALLED AT SANDRA MARDA AND BR REYNOLDS.

SO WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME SORT OF CONCEPT AT BOTH WEST AND WALTER SEA HOME.

UM, AND THIS PROJECT IS ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BOTTOM IMAGE, THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THOSE SIGNS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND WE ARE SIMPLY WAITING FOR THE LED SIGNS THEMSELVES TO BE DELIVERED AND WILL FINISH THE INSTALLATION.

WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THE PROJECT IN THE COMING WEEKS, UH, PENDING NO ISSUES WITH DELIVERY.

AND THIS SLIDE SIMPLY SUMS UP THE NEXT STEPS RELATED TO EACH PROJECT.

BUT THE THING THAT I WANT TO CALL OUT FOR YOU ALL, UM, IS THIS AREA UNDER THIRD AND WEST.

JUST A REMINDER, WE ARE UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THESE FOUR OPTIONS.

WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE COMMUNITY TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE, WHICH YOU CAN FIND ON THE, UM, EXISTING CONDITIONS SLIDE OF THIS PACKET, AND TAKE THE SURVEY TO WEIGH IN ON THE OPTIONS THEY LIKE OR COMMENTS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT EACH OPTION.

WE'RE ALSO DOING AN IN-PERSON POPUP EVENT ON MARCH 1ST FROM 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM OUT IN THIRD AND WEST.

SO WE'LL HAVE STAFF OUT THERE READY TO TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT THE PROJECT, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, WE'LL EVALUATE IT, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, INTEGRATE IT AND FINALIZE OUR DESIGN AND MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION AT THAT POINT.

UH, COMMISSIONER PITA, UH, I I HAVE A QUESTION.

I I'VE HAD SOME PERSONAL, UH, DIRECT INVOLVEMENT, UH, WITH THE CYPRESS AND SHOAL, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER LISTING OF THE THIRD STREET TRESTLE, WHICH IS SORT OF THE CORNERSTONE OF THIS WHOLE AREA, THIS WHOLE ENHANCEMENT.

SO I, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS BASICALLY THE, THE 12.5 MILLION THAT'S BEEN REDIRECTED AND IS THAT BROKEN DOWN FOR EACH OF THE FIVE PROJECTS? IT'S, AND DO YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN OF THAT? UM, THAT, THAT TOTAL OF 12.5? SO THE 12.5 YES IS BROKEN DOWN FOR EACH PROJECT.

THERE IS A MEMO THAT WAS RELEASED IN DECEMBER OF 2023 THAT ROUGHLY BREAKS DOWN THAT 12.5 MILLION.

UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS 200,000 FOR THE, UM, BLANK OUT SIGNS, A MILLION FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AT THIRD AND WEST, 1.3 FOR THE, UM, FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG CESAR CHAVEZ AND APPROXIMATELY, UH, NINE AND A HALF TO 10 MILLION FOR THE TRESTLE OR THE, UH, THE OTHER TWO IMPROVEMENTS.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THAT'S AWESOME.

YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THERE'S REAL OPPORTUNITY THERE SPECIFICALLY WITH THE TRESTLE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION IN SHOAL CREEK, UH, CONSERVANCIES INVOLVEMENT AS A NONPROFIT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE, THERE COULD BE, UM, UM, THE POSSIBILITY

[00:20:01]

OF GOING AFTER, UM, STATE TAX CREDITS TO, TO LEVERAGE, UH, THE CURRENT FUNDING.

I THINK THAT WOULD, UM, BE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO, UH, BECAUSE THAT, THAT TRESTLE TRULY IS, UM, A CONNECTOR HISTORICAL CONNECTOR AND A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, FOR THIS PROJECT.

IT'S A, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT.

YES, AS A, AS A PART OF THE C HOME SUITE OF PROJECTS, WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH UNION PACIFIC REGARDING THE PROPERTY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE CAN'T COMMENT MORE ON IT AT THIS TIME, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THOSE AS WELL.

ALRIGHT, SO TO BE CLEAR, THERE ARE ACTIVE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON WITH UNION PACIFIC AT THIS TIME? YES.

AND I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE 10 MILLION OF THAT GO TO THE TRESTLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND HOW THESE THINGS GO, UH, QUESTION REAL QUICKLY AND THEN I'LL, I'LL PASS IT ON.

UM, HAVE, DID Y'ALL CONSIDER A FIFTH OPTION THAT WOULD INCLUDE WIDENING THIRD STREET A LITTLE BIT MORE AND PUTTING BACK IN PARKING ON EITHER SIDE TO RECAPTURE MORE OF THOSE PARKING SPACES? THAT WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE FOUR PRIMARY OPTIONS THAT WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE, HAVE PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO EVALUATE, UM, THE, THE AVAILABILITY OF RIGHT OF WAY THE TREES THAT EXIST, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ON EITHER SIDE AND, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY FOR ANYONE WHO HAS COMMENTS, UM, ON, ON ANY OF THESE OPTIONS OR THINGS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IN FINALIZING THIS DESIGN IS PLEASE TAKE THE SURVEY.

PLEASE PUT YOUR COMMENTS IN THERE.

IT'S, IT'S OPEN-ENDED.

UM, AND WE DO READ ALL OF THEM, SO WELL, DO YOU, YOU DO, THE CITY DOES OWN POWER PLANT DRIVE, DOESN'T IT? YES.

SO POWER PLANT DRIVE AND THIRD STREET ARE JUST BASICALLY ONE VERY LARGE THOROUGHFARE.

SO YOU WOULDN'T BE TAKING, OR YOU WOULDN'T BE WORRYING ABOUT TREES OR TAKING ANYTHING, YOU WOULD JUST BE WIDENING THIRD STREET A LITTLE FURTHER TOWARDS SEA HOME.

IT WITHIN BASICALLY THE SAME RIGHT OF WAY TO CREATE BACKEND PARKING ON BOTH SIDES TO RECAPTURE AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE 10 SPACES, NET 10 THAT ARE LOST.

I SUPPOSE THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE HEAVILY CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME.

I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE, I REALIZE Y'ALL ARE FAIRLY LATE IN THE PROCESS.

I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THAT OPTION WASN'T CONSIDERED BECAUSE THE NET LOSS OF SURFACE PARKING IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

NOW I'M GONNA HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH THE CHAIR HERE.

I HATE TO SAY IT BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY HATE BACKEND ANGLE PARKING .

I DIDN'T SAY I LIKE IT.

IT'S, IT'S THOSE PARKING SPACES.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE WORST.

UM, I WOULD PREFER EITHER ALTERNATIVE FOUR OR ALTERNATIVE ONE, EITHER ONE.

UH, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ELIMINATE THE CONFUSION BETWEEN POWERPOINT.

I'VE SEEN SOME VERY UGLY SITUATIONS THERE.

MM-HMM .

WHEN I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE AT, YOU KNOW, AT TRADER JOE'S OR TO AT TRUE FOOD KITCHEN.

YEP.

UM, I WALK DOWN THERE, SO IT ISN'T AN ISSUE FOR ME, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME REALLY UGLY THINGS JUST ABOUT HAPPEN AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT CONFUSION ELIMINATED.

SO, UH, I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THOSE ALTERNATIVES HERE AND I HOPE YOU GUYS CHOOSE ONE OF THEM.

TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T LIKE THE BACKEND PARKING EITHER.

IT'S THE NET SPACES THAT ARE OF GREATER CONCERN.

ALRIGHT.

YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UH, YEAH, I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO SAY I, I PREFER ALTERNATIVE ONE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN AUSTIN'S GOALS IN THE A SMP.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE FORCING MORE PARKING, UM, IN THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THERE'S A PARKING GARAGE RIGHT THERE.

CORRECT.

UM, AND TO THAT POINT, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ON THESE ALTERNATIVES THAT SPEAK TO MAINTAINING THE CAP METRO BIKE SHARE THAT'S ON THIRD STREET CURRENTLY.

IS THAT PART OF THE PLAN? I DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY INFORMATION ON THAT, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE APARTMENT AND GET YOU SOME INFORMATION.

I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE TO, TO KEEP THAT STATION, THAT BIKE STATION THERE.

UM, AGAIN, MULTI-MODAL OPTIONS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR HERE.

UNDERSTOOD.

THANK YOU ALL.

OKAY, OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

AT THE RISK OF, UH, SAYING EVERYBODY GOING DOWN THE LINE AND SAYING WHAT THEY WANT, , UM, I WILL CERTAINLY FILL OUT THE SURVEY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THAT ON, ON YOUR SIDE.

I DO LIKE THAT A DA UH, SPOT ON OPTION FOUR.

I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL JUST SO THAT YOU CAN'T FIND A SPOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIRD THAT YOU CAN GET IT ON THAT SIDE OF THIRD, THE NORTH SIDE OF THIRD, YOU CAN GET IT ON THE SOUTH

[00:25:01]

SIDE OF THIRD.

THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO CROSS OR FIGURE OUT AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.

IT JUST MAKES IT SIMPLER.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? NOT HEARING ANY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TONIGHT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING AN UPDATE AS THIS PROGRESS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD.

APPRECIATE IT.

UH, WE'RE MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, THE NEXT ONE UP IS AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PRESENTATION BY AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP STAFF.

[3. Update on the progress of the Austin Light Rail. Presentation by Austin Transit Partnership staff.]

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING.

HEAR ME OKAY? THERE YOU GO.

THERE IT IS.

GOOD EVENING.

CHRISTIAN CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.

MY NAME IS DARREN LOZANO WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE SEAN BERRY, AND WE'RE EXCITED HERE TO PRESENT AN UPDATE TO AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL, A REFRESHER THAT WE ARE, WE'VE BEEN AWAY FOR ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE INITIATED OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS OR WE WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC DEMONSTRATING AND SHOWING WHAT THE PROJECT, UM, HAD ENTAILED FOR THE LAST YEAR.

WE'VE BEEN ADVANCING THE DESIGN, DOING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, AND WE'RE HERE TO SHARE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND TALK ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS FORWARD.

A REMINDER THAT THIS IS A PROJECT REALLY PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIGHT RAIL, IT'S A NEW MODE FOR AUSTIN AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE IS A VERY POSITIVE BENEFIT FROM EVERYTHING YOU SEE LISTED HERE AND JUST SOME A SNAPSHOT.

UM, AND WE TRY TO TELL PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIGHT RAIL ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE HERE.

NOW.

WE WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, QUESTIONING ABOUT HOW THE RED LINE AIRLINES, BUT THE RED LINE CERTAINLY IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRANSIT MODE, WHEREAS THE LIGHT RAIL IS REALLY MEANT TO INTEGRATE IN OUR CITY STREETS AND OPERATE, UH, SEAMLESSLY WITH ADDITIONAL STATIONS AT HIGHER FREQUENCY ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

SO IN JUNE OF 2023, THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WAS APPROVED BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT TRANSIT, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD, AND THE CAP METRO BOARD AS WELL.

AND THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE.

UM, THE EXTENT OF THE FA OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN INCLUDED A PHASE ONE AS PART OF THE PROJECT THAT'S INDICATED BY THE SOLID YELLOW LINE.

UM, REALLY OPERATING FROM 38TH STREET IN GUADALUPE, GOING DOWN SOUTH PAST THE UT CAMPUS ALL THE WAY INTO DOWNTOWN WHERE IT'D CROSS, UM, OVER ALONG CONGRESS TO THIRD OR ALONG THIRD, AND THEN IT'D CROSS SOUTH AT TRINITY.

AND A BRAND NEW LIGHT RAIL BRIDGE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE A BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT IT BRANCHES OFF, UH, HEADING SOUTH ALONG CONGRESS DOWN TO, UM, ALT WHARF AND THEN HEADING OUT EAST ALONG RIVERSIDE TO YELLOWJACKET.

NOW, AS PART OF THAT PLAN, WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS FOR FUTURE PHASES WHERE IT WAS DESIRED TO GO NEXT.

UM, AND GOING NEXT ENTAILED GOING NORTH FROM 38TH UP TO CRESTVIEW AND HEADING EAST ALONG, UM, PAST YELLOW JACKET TO THE AIRPORT.

UM, WE'VE HEARD QUITE A LOT OF INPUT TO, TO DATE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND REALLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT AIRPORT EXTENSION HAS BEEN SEEN AS THE MORE FAVORABLE EXTENSION BETWEEN THE TWO PRIORITY EXTENSIONS RELATED TO THIS GRAPHIC AS WELL.

UM, THE SOLID LINE INDICATES OUR CURRENT RECOMMENDED PROJECT AND AS I MENTIONED A YEAR AGO WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC.

WE HAD SEVERAL DESIGN OPTIONS THAT WERE, UM, BEING PROPOSED, UM, THAT INCLUDED INCLUDED ADDING A NEW STATION IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA NEAR WILDRIDGE SQUARE.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE RECOMMENDING WE ADVANCE AS PART OF THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION.

UH, WE ALSO LOOKED AT HOW WE WOULD MAKE THAT 90 DEGREE TURN NEAR, UM, NEAR CESAR CHAVEZ NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ALIGNMENT RIGHT NOW, WE'VE OPTED TO TAKE THAT 90 DEGREE TURN.

UM, ALSO WHEN WE CROSSED PAST THE RIVER, WE HAD AN OPTION TO CONTINUE AT GRADE AS WE CROSSED SOUTH THE RIVER OR TO EXTEND THE BRIDGE.

AND RIGHT NOW THE EXTENDED BRIDGE OPTION IS THE RECOMMENDED OPTION ALONG THAT LOCATION.

UM, ANOTHER OPTION WAS TO REMOVE THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS STATION AND THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND THEN GOING ALONG EAST, WE DO HAVE WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE GREENWAY, UM, FROM APPROXIMATELY LAKESHORE DOWN TO YELLOW JACK.

AND THAT ENTAILS MOVING, UM, A BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN FACILITY ADJACENT TO THE LIGHT RAIL REALLY NEAR THE CENTER MEDIAN RATHER THAN ALONGSIDE, UM, THE OUTSIDE OF THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY.

UM, AND FINALLY WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT IT WAS DESIRED TO MAINTAIN TWO STATIONS IN THE MONTOPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONE OF OUR DESIGN OPTIONS WAS TO ACTUALLY CONSOLIDATE IT, BUT FROM HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY, IT MADE SENSE TO RETAIN THE STATION AT MONTOPOLIS AND ADD THE OTHER ONE THERE AT GROVE.

UM, THE LOCATION NEAR GROVE.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SEAN TO TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE RENDERINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE TONIGHT.

[00:30:01]

THANK YOU DARREN.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS THE FIRST OF OUR NEW SET OF RENDERINGS THAT WE'VE RELEASED AS PART OF OUR DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

UM, AND THESE ARE ALL AVAILABLE ON THE A TP WEBSITE AS WELL.

THIS FIRST ONE REALLY REFLECTS THE CONDITION THAT YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE IF YOU WERE ON THAT GREEN WAY.

SO THIS IS THE AREA THAT DARREN WAS SAYING EAST RIVERSIDE, GENERALLY FROM AROUND LAKESHORE BOULEVARD EAST TO THE EASTERN TERMINUS OF THE LINE WHERE IT'S REALLY GIVING A HIGH QUALITY BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE IN THE, THE MEDIAN OF THE ROADWAY NEXT TO THE TRAIN.

IT'S A WAY TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THE CONFLICTS THAT FREQUENT DRIVEWAYS THAT YOU FIND ALONG THE OUTSIDE AT EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND REALLY ILLUSTRATES ONE OF OUR CORE PRINCIPLES OF COMMITTING TO SHADE, UM, THAT WE'VE HEARD REPEATEDLY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT SHADE IS A, A HIGH PRIORITY FOR OUR SYSTEM AND THAT TREES ARE OBVIOUSLY A HIGH PRIORITY AND IS CERTAINLY IS AN AREA WHERE WE HAD ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY AND ALLOWED US TO USE A DIFFERENT DESIGN CONCEPT TO IMPLEMENT THAT.

UM, THE OTHER PARTS OF THE ALIGNMENT WON'T HAVE SPACE FOR THIS TYPE OF CONCEPT, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY TRYING TO STILL ACHIEVE HIGH QUALITY BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG THE ALIGNMENT AS WELL AS SHADE.

THIS NEXT RENDERING IS KIND OF TAKEN FROM A SOMEWHAT SIMILAR LOCATION, SO THIS IS STILL SHOWING THE, THE GREENWAY.

THIS IS FROM BASICALLY HOVERING ABOVE THE INTERSECTION OF RIVERSIDE AT PLEASANT VALLEY AND, AND REALLY IS TO ILLUSTRATE CONNECTIVITY IN A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS.

ONE IS JUST THAT OUR PROJECT REALLY HELPS WITH THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE DIFFERENT AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN PARTICULAR YOU CAN SEE DOWNTOWN IN THE BACKGROUND, RIGHT, THAT WE REALLY SEE THIS AS A CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY AND THE CORE OF THE CITY.

BUT ADDITIONALLY, IT ALSO REFLECTS THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE TRANSIT SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF CONNECTIVITY THAT WILL HAPPEN TO OTHER TRANSIT MODES IN DOWNTOWN, BUT THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL CONNECTIVITY AT LOCATIONS LIKE THIS WHERE CAP METRO'S PLEASANT VALLEY LINE IS ACTUALLY LAUNCHING NEXT SUNDAY, UM, WITH ITS FIRST PHASE OF SERVICE.

AND SO THIS WOULD BE A HUB WHERE YOU COULD BE ABLE TO TRANSFER BETWEEN THAT METRO RAPID LINE, OUR LIGHT RAIL LINE AND ADDITIONAL BUS BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE, IN ADDITION TO THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS TO THAT AREA.

OUR NEXT RENDERING HERE SHOWS A VERY FAMILIAR LOCATION BUT LOOKING VERY DIFFERENT OVER AT THE DRAG BY UT.

UM, SO REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE THE PEDESTRIANIZATION OF THE DRAG THAT THE PROPOSED APPROACH HERE WOULD STILL, UM, MOVE BUSES THAT WE ARE SHOWING BUSES ALONG THIS CORRIDOR IN ADDITION TO LIGHT RAIL, IN ADDITION TO BIKES, IN ADDITION TO PEDESTRIANS.

BUT IT'S REALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE HIGH VOLUMES OF THE DIFFERENT MODE USAGES IN THIS AREA AND PROVIDING THAT CONNECTIVITY BOTH ALONG THE CORRIDOR BUT ALSO ACROSS THE CORRIDOR FROM THE RETAIL AND THE DENSE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN WEST CAMPUS OVER TO CAMPUS.

AND VICE VERSA.

AND I THINK THIS IS OUR LAST ONE, BUT THIS IS SHOWING THE SOUTH END OF THE LINE.

SO THIS IS OUR OLTORF STATION AND, AND REALLY I THINK, ILLUSTRATES IN A LOT OF WAYS THE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE STATION AREAS THAT WE, WE SEE EVERY STATION AREA IS UNIQUE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN PROGRAM AND WHAT THE SPACE ALLOWS FOR.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTIVATE AND MAKE IT A MORE PEDESTRIAN, HUMAN SCALED, UM, INTERFACE THAT THAT CAN BE PLEASANT AROUND THESE STATIONS.

I'LL TURN IT BACK TO DARREN.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SEAN.

SO WE ARE IN A FEDERAL PROCESS AS WE'RE SEEKING FEDERAL FUNDS.

SO OF COURSE IT'S VERY RIGOROUS AND THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE ALONG THE WAY.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE MAKE QUITE A BIT OF PROGRESS.

AND, AND WHERE WE'RE AT NOW IS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PLANNING DESIGN AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT MEANS.

IT'S REALLY A, A STANDARD PROCESS THROUGH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION PROCESS WHERE WE GO THROUGH, WE ADVANCE DESIGN, WE OBTAIN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE.

SEAN ALLUDED TO THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH IS FEDERALLY REQUIRED, AND WE ADVANCE THE DESIGN TO PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

AND SO OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL ACTUALLY BE WORKING TO, UM, GET ON BOARD OUR FINAL DESIGNER AND CONTRACTOR, AND THAT'LL TAKE US INTO THE ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING PHASE STARTING IN 2026.

AND WE LOOK TO INITIATE CONSTRUCTION IN 2027.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE TIMELINE, ANTICIPATE OPENING IN 2033 AS AS PART OF THAT MAJOR MILESTONE.

AGAIN, GOING TO THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, IT'S A DOCUMENT THAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IS A VERY LENGTHY DOCUMENT THAT WAS RELEASED ON JANUARY 10TH, BUT WE'VE PUT IT TOGETHER IN A WAY WHERE HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE AND, AND GO RIGHT TO, AT WHATEVER TOPIC REALLY INTERESTS YOU.

WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT'S BEEN PREPARED AS PART OF THE DOCUMENT, SO VERY CONDENSED VERSION OF THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT.

WE OVER WHAT'S CALLED THE MAIN BODY OF DOCUMENT, WHICH IS A SEQUENCE OF SEVEN CHAPTERS, ALL IN ALL.

AND THEN WE HAVE MANY, MANY DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE TECHNICAL REPORT.

SO IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO DIG DEEP INTO AN ISSUE, WE REALLY

[00:35:01]

HAVE IT COVERED HERE.

UM, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WITH CAP METRO TO ACTUALLY PUT THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER.

UM, SO IT HELPED US AS WE DEVISED AND AND DEVELOPED THIS DOCUMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO THIS IS A VERY, UH, COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS TO DATE.

WE'VE HAD FOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS ALONG THE CORRIDOR WITH OVER 700 ATTENDEES AT, AT THOSE MEETINGS IN TOTAL, WHICH IS A GREAT TURNOUT.

UM, DAILY WE'RE RECEIVING COMMENTS ON THE DOCUMENT ITSELF AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS 60 DAYS, UH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY MORE THAN THE, THE REQUIRED MINIMUM.

SO WE'RE KEEPING OUT THERE 'CAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION.

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS CAN COMMENT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE.

UM, AND I, AND I NOTE THAT NUMBER ONE IS THAT YOU'VE HEARD US USE THE WORD AS A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

THEY ARE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT'S TRULY BECAUSE WE DO WANNA GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION TOO IS THAT EVERY SINGLE COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVE IS DOCUMENTED AND IS A RESPONSE IS PROVIDED FOR EACH DOCUMENT.

AND THOSE RESPONSES ARE PUBLISHED AS PART OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH ALONG WITH THAT, THE FINAL THEY CALL CLEARANCE IS THE RECORD OF DECISION.

SO THAT'LL ALL BE, UM, DEVELOPED AND DOCUMENTED AND PROVI PROVIDED BACK TO THE PUBLIC.

UM, AND WE'RE TARGETING TOWARD, UH, THE END OF THIS YEAR.

AND WITH THAT, SHAUNA AND I ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION FOR QUESTIONS.

CAN I, OH, GO AHEAD.

UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, SOME CLARIFICATION.

UM, IN, IN YOUR TALK JUST NOW, YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOU'VE ADDED A PARTICULAR STOP THAT, UH, I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, HAVING MORE INFORMATION ON WILDRIDGE SQUARE.

YOU SAID NEAR WOOLDRIDGE OR ARE YOU SAYING AT WOOLDRIDGE OR NEAR WOOLDRIDGE IN CLARIFICATION ON THAT WALL STREET? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

IT, IT WOULD BE AT, UM, IT WOULD BE ON GUADALUPE STREET BETWEEN NINTH STREET AND 11TH STREET.

SO REALLY CENTERED AT THE 10TH STREET INTERSECTION, WHICH IS THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE PARK.

BUT IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY.

NOT WITHIN THE , NOT WITHIN THE PARK, BUT NEXT TO THE PARK ALONG GUADALUPE STREET.

RIGHT.

WELL, AND, AND JUST FOR, UH, CLARIFICATION FOR YOU TO KNOW, AND I'M SURE YOU ALREADY DO, UM, WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE IS A STATE ANTIQUITIES LANDMARK AND IT'S ALSO OWNED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

IT'S NOT OWNED BY THE CITY.

IT'S, UM, MANAGED BY THE CITY WITH A 99 YEAR LEASE THAT WAS RENEWED IN 2016 BY THEN SENATOR KIRK, UH, WATSON, HE NEGOTIATED NOT JUST THAT SQUARE BUT THE THREE REMAINING HISTORIC SQUARES.

SO, UM, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE ALREADY DESIGNED CONCEPTUALS.

UH, DO YOU HAVE THE CONCEPTUAL FOR THAT PARTICULAR STOP? UM, UH, YES, THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE, THE PUBLIC MATERIALS THAT ARE ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL AS WITHIN THE PLAN SHOWN WITHIN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

THEY DO SHOW FOR THE WDR STATION, WALDERS SQUARE STATION OPTION.

IT DOES SHOW THE, THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR THAT STATION.

WILL CONTINUE THAT COORDINATION.

COMMISSIONER ISHMA? YES, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION BY THE WAY.

UM, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO WORD THE QUESTION, BUT I'M WONDERING WITH ALL THAT'S HAPPENING IN WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WITH DODGE AND WITH ELON MUSK AND WHATEVER IT IS HE'S DOING, UM, HOW IS THAT IMPACTING YOUR PLANNING AND ARE YOU AS CONFIDENT AS YOU WERE AT ONE TIME THAT EVEN FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATED BY CONGRESS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA BE USED FOR WHAT THEY WERE APPROPRIATED FOR COMMISSIONER? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

UM, SO I'LL START BY STATING THAT, UM, THIS PROJECT IS GOING THROUGH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

UM, IT'S A LONGSTANDING PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES FUNDING SIMILAR PROJECTS.

UM, WE ARE IN VERY CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.

UM, WE ARE VERY WELL THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT ARE BEING, UM, PUT OUT DAILY ALMOST, AND AS IS THE FTA.

AND ONE THING THAT REALLY HELPS US IS THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROCESS IS IT'S, IT'S A LONG PROCESS, SO IT'S SEVERAL STEPS THAT YOU TAKE.

IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE TO DATE IS KIND OF IS HIT THE MARK IN TERMS OF WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECT.

UM, AND, AND AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR COORDINATION WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, BUT EVEN UNDER THE PREVIOUS, UM, TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THERE WERE GRANTS THAT WERE APPROVED UNDER THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM THAT FUNDED SIMILAR TYPES OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AND I THINK, UH, COMMENT THAT, UH, I THINK IT WAS THE, UH, THE NEW TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY, UH, POSED WAS THAT ANY GRANT THAT WAS ISSUED HAD TO MEET ADDITIONAL CRITERIA, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE

[00:40:01]

THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND MARRIED COUPLES.

AND OBVIOUSLY GOING THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS ROUTE IS NOT SERVED BY, UM, BY OR DOES NOT SERVE MARRIED COUPLES AND CHILDREN.

WHICH LEADS ME TO A GREATER CONCERN ABOUT FUNDING BECAUSE RULES ARE CHANGING, UH, DAILY AND THERE IS NO MORE CERTAINTY.

THE PROGRAMS THAT Y'ALL HAVE BUILT ALL OF THIS ON, WERE BASED ON A FUNDAMENTAL OF, UH, WHAT HAS BEEN, UH, STANDARD IN THE PAST.

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN B IN THE EVENT THAT FEDERAL FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROJECT? UH, UH, COMMISSION CHAIR.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD, UH, POINT TAKEN.

AND AGAIN, WE CONTINUE DOWN OUR CURRENT PATH, UH, ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS UNDER, UNDER THE CIG PROGRAM.

THAT'S HOW WE'RE ADVANCING.

BUT WHAT IF THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE? WE WILL HAVE TO COMMISSIONER CHAIR, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT IF, IF THAT BECOMES THE CASE.

ALRIGHT.

YES SIR.

COMMISSIONER CARROLL.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

MY QUESTION IS, UH, REGARDING THE RIGHT OF WAY NECESSARY TO, TO BUILD THIS OUT.

DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY NECESSARY ON THESE CORRIDORS? UH, WE HAVE MOST OF THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT IS NECESSARY.

WE DO HAVE PROPOSED ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.

THOSE ARE OUTLINED WITHIN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AS WELL.

THE FOOTPRINT OF THAT IS SHOWN.

UM, GENERALLY IT'S MOSTLY SMALL SLIVERS.

THERE ARE A FEW LARGER, UH, ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY IN PARTICULAR FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY SITE.

UM, BUT THOSE ARE ALL OUTLINED FOR THE ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE PROJECT.

AND DOES THAT INCLUDE ANY, ANY WORK NECESSARY FOR AUSTIN ENERGY? BECAUSE THESE, THESE CORRIDORS HAVE, UM, POWER LINES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PLEASANT VALLEY AND EVEN NORTH LAMAR HAVE HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES AND THOSE ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE MOVED TO ACCOMMODATE THIS PROJECT AND WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE MOVED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT HAS TO BE VACATED.

UH, THAT THE OVERALL ANSWER TO THAT IS CASE BY CASE SITE SPECIFIC, BUT ABSOLUTELY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT LAND AVAILABILITY, FIRST CHOICE IS ALWAYS TO USE THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY.

UM, THERE ARE CASES WITH EXISTING EASEMENTS OR THE POTENTIAL FOR PROPOSED EASEMENTS RELATED TO UTILITY WORK.

UM, WE ARE IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE PRIVATE UTILITIES AS WELL AS ALL THE CITY UTILITIES ABOUT, UM, POTENTIAL RELOCATIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR OUR PROJECT AND ARE WORKING WITH THE STAFF TO IDENTIFY THE BEST POSSIBLE RELOCATION THAT WOULD HAVE THE MINIMAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES.

OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ANYBODY? YES.

I SEE COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.

YEAH, SO, UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL PROBABLY JUST START WITH ONE.

UM, ON, IN THE, YEAH, IT TALKS ABOUT THE DESIGN OPTION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF USING SOME EXISTING DEVELOPMENT THERE.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S LIKE ACTIVE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY NEGOTIATIONS THERE, BUT YOU EXPAND ON WHY YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.

SURE.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

I'LL, I'LL START AND I'LL SEE IF SEAN NEEDS TO ADD ANYTHING.

BUT FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR, UM, AT OUR TURN AT THIRD AND CAESAR CHAVEZ, UM, ACROSS FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER, THERE'S A PROPERTY THERE THAT WHEN WE STARTED THE ANALYSIS LOOKED LIKE IT'D BE A POTENTIAL, UH, JOINT USE DEVELOPMENT OR WE COULD ACTUALLY USE THAT PROPERTY TO HAVE A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AS WE GO FROM TRINITY TO THIRD.

UM, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT DEVELOP, WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY FULLY COMMITTED.

AND SO RATHER THAN, UM, HOLD UP THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AT THIS POINT, WE DECIDED TO USE THE RIGHT OF WAY.

AND THAT BEING SAID, THAT DOESN'T SHUT THE DOOR IN THAT OPTION.

IF FURTHER DOWN THE LINE AS WE GET INTO DESIGN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND IT SEEMS THAT THAT IS AN OPTIMAL, UM, MEANS TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT, WE CERTAINLY CAN TAKE THAT ROUTE, BUT IN THIS POINT IN TIME IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS CERTAIN TO ADVANCE.

DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? OKAY.

COMMISSIONER KOFO, THANK YOU.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PRESENTERS IN THIS GREAT WORK.

THIS IS SOMETHING I'M PERSONALLY REALLY EXCITED FOR.

UM, I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY I BELIEVE FIRMLY, UM, THAT GREAT CITIES DESERVE GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

[00:45:01]

SO I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS GO THROUGH.

UM, IN ADDITION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE EMPHASIZE THE WHY HERE, UM, AND HAVE MEASURABLES AROUND SUCCESS.

UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S EASY TO SEE LIKE, OH, WELL THIS IS GREAT AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED BETTER, UM, URBAN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

LIKE YES, YES, YES.

BUT WHY? MY QUESTION IS AROUND AN ECONOMIC STUDY.

HAVE YOU OR IS IT A NEW ROADMAP TO CONDUCT AN ECONOMIC STUDY AROUND, HEY, IF YOU KNOW WE HAVE THESE DIFFERENT CORRIDORS OF OUR CITY CONNECTED, HERE'S THE ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT WE BELIEVE WILL HAPPEN IN OUR CITY.

HERE'S THE BENEFIT ECONOMICALLY TO OUR CITY.

YEAH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

ACTUALLY WE DO HAVE IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS A SOCIOECONOMIC SECTION AND IN THAT SECTION WE TALK ABOUT, UH, NUMBER OF JOBS, UH, NUMBER OF JOBS AND EQUATED TO REVENUE RELATED TO THE PROJECT ITSELF.

UM, I CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL AND LOOK MORE INTO IT, BUT THAT, THAT SECTION DOES PROVIDE HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE INQUIRING ABOUT.

COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, MY, I HAD A, A BRIEF QUESTION AND IT WAS JUST ON, UM, THE ADDITIONAL PHASES OF THE METRO RAPID EXTENSIONS LIKE THE SOUTH EXTENSION OF 8 0 3 AND IF THERE'S AN ESTIMATED, UM, TIMEFRAME FOR WHEN THOSE ADDITIONAL PHASES WILL BE ROLLING OUT.

I DUNNO, APOLOGIES.

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT HARD TO HEAR, BUT I BELIEVE YOU WERE ASKING FOR THE OVERALL PHASING OR, AND KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE FOR METRO RAPID.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SPECIFICALLY THE 8 0 3 GOING SOUTH.

I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON RAIL, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT A LOT OF US DEPEND ON THOSE RAPID ROUTES DOWN SOUTH.

SO NO, I A ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTOOD AND, AND I AS A BUS RIDER MYSELF, VERY MUCH UNDERSTOOD.

UM, THAT SAID, FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION, WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE LIGHT RAIL BECAUSE WE ARE REPRESENTING AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND WHERE THAT IS AT ULTIMATELY THAT, THAT QUESTION WILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED BY CAP METRO, UM, AS THEY'RE THE ONES IMPLEMENTING THE, UH, METRO RAPID PORTIONS OF PROJECT CONNECT.

OH, OKAY.

COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE, SIR.

YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, SO THE ONE THING I JUST WANNA SAY OFF THE BAT, UM, ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO SERVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WAS TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON DOWNTOWN ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER.

UH, AND IT WAS VERY EVIDENT THAT WHEN THE CORE TRANSPORTATION, UH, PLAN CAME OUT, YOU GUYS WERE HAVING EXTENSIVE TALKS.

UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PERFECT MESH BETWEEN THE EIS AND THE CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IS COMMITTING TO BUILD THE FOURTH STREET BIKE LANE BEFORE THE THIRD STREET BIKE LANE, UH, IS TAKEN AWAY.

UM, THAT IS A GREAT MITIGATION, UH, UM, FACTOR THAT WE CAN HAVE THERE.

UH, ANOTHER BIKEWAY MITIGATION THAT'S PROPOSED DOWNTOWN IS IN LIEU OF BIKE LANES ON QUAD HAVING A TWO-WAY PROTECTED, UH, BIKE LANE ON NEW ACS.

UH, BUT THERE ISN'T ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PHASING OF THAT.

SO DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY ANTICIPATION ON WHETHER THAT WILL BE BUILT BEFORE CONSTRUCTION ON QUAD OR WHAT THE GENERAL PHASING LOOKS LIKE FOR THAT? YEAH, WE'RE, WE ARE IN COORDINATION, UH, A TP AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR BIKE LANE AS WELL.

UM, STILL WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE EXACT IMPLEMENTATION OF IT, BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD I, YOU KNOW, TRY TO TAKE THE SAME APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING WITH THIRD STREET TO WHERE WE WOULD PUT THE BIKE LANE IN PLACE BEFORE A BIKE LANE'S REMOVED.

SO THAT'S CERTAINLY OUR INTENT UNLESS THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL BARRIER THAT WOULD C CREATE A CHALLENGE WITH THAT AND WE WOULD COMMUNICATE THAT VERY CLEARLY TO THE PUBLIC.

YEAH, THAT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL YOUR WORK AND HOW FAR AHEAD YOU GUYS WERE THINKING WITH THIS EIS.

YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS A DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION OF CERTAIN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OUTLINED IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION 2 0 2 4 12 12 3 3.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

[4. Discussion of the proposed reorganization of certain Boards and Commissions as outlined in Austin City Council Resolution 20241212-133.]

DO WE HAVE THAT? CAN WE PULL THAT UP FOR CHANCE? IT IS NOT IN BACKUP, BUT, UM, I CAN SEND OUT THE LINK TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

UH, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION IS MERGING THIS WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD AND PERHAPS OTHERS.

UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE WAS, UH, A, A, UH, RESOLUTION THAT WENT THROUGH COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT, UH, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CONSOLIDATION AND CHANGES TO SOME OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

[00:50:01]

UM, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION STAYS ENGAGED IN ON A GO FORWARD BASIS AS, AND CERTAINLY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

UH, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO EARLY FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO COME HERE TO DISCUSS THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN A POSITION I SUSPECT TO, UH, REPORT BACK AND REPRESENT WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE SUGGESTING.

UH, I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE IS ON TOP OF THIS, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS HIS DISTRICT AS WELL.

UH, SO, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING FOR Y'ALL TO, UH, SEE HOW THIS EVOLVES.

UM, WE MAY FIND THAT THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER COMMISSION WITH A BROADER SCOPE.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAS THAT WAS IN, UH, IN YOUR BACKUP, UM, WAS, UH, A RESOLUTION, UM, TALKING THAT CAME FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ABOUT, UH, A NEW DOWNTOWN VISION AND HOW MUCH, AND THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS EVER BROUGHT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

SO THIS WAS DONE ABSENT OUR INPUT.

UH, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH IT WOULD OVERLAP OR, UH, SUCCEED THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, WHICH IS OUR PRIMARY MISSION.

UH, AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, UH, I DON'T, COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS? NO, NO.

IT'S BEEN, SORRY.

IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN NUMEROUS MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN IN.

I THINK MANY PEOPLE VIEW IT AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT TO HAVE A CENTRAL POINT FOR THE COORDINATION OF DOWNTOWN AFFAIRS.

AND THEORETICALLY THE DAP COULD BE RUN THROUGH THAT.

YEAH.

WELL, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD SEEM TO EXPAND THE SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITY, AT LEAST FROM MY EYES, OF WHAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS HERE TO DO.

UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT THERE IS A ROBUST CONVERSATION THAT GOES ON BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT COUNSEL, UH, BRINGS THIS TO THE COMMISSION TO HAVE A, A DISCUSSION HERE.

AND THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE, RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST, IT WAS NOT BROUGHT BEFORE THE, THE ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN, NOTHING WAS BROUGHT TO US FOR INPUT CHAIR.

UM, YEAH, ACTUALLY IT HAPPENED FAIRLY QUICKLY AND IT KIND OF TOOK A LOT OF US BY SURPRISE.

UM, AND IT WAS SORT OF A LAST MINUTE EFFORT, UM, ON THE PART OF SOME PEOPLE AT THE DAA AND THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WORKING GROUP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WAS, WAS MENTIONED AS A STAKEHOLDER THAT WOULD, UM, BE, I GUESS, ADVISED OR WOULD, UM, THIS INITIATIVE WOULD SEEK THEIR, OUR ADVICE MM-HMM .

UM, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF CONFUSING AND NEBULOUS AT THE MOMENT.

WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT INITIATIVE WILL FIT WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, THE GOALS OF THAT INITIATIVE WITH OUR GOALS, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND THE UPDATE TO IT IS MENTIONED AS ONE OF SEVERAL ASPECTS OF WHAT THEY WILL BE LOOKING INTO.

SO I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL INTEND TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO, BUT SINCE WE'RE LISTED IN IT, WE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN IN THE FUTURE.

YES.

UM, OKAY.

AND THAT LEADS US INTO AN UPDATE FROM THE, UM, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, UH, WORKING GROUP.

AND WE HADN'T REALLY DISCUSSED ABOUT WHO ON THE DOWNTOWN WORKING GROUP, BUT MAKE THE PRESENTATION.

BUT I, I'LL, I GUESS I'LL TAKE THE LEAD.

WE'VE MET THREE TIMES SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, AND THE FIRST MEETING WAS SORT OF JUST GENERAL IN SCOPE, UM, SORT OF GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, GETTING TO DISCUSS WHAT WE THOUGHT THE SCOPE OF OUR EFFORT WOULD BE.

UM, THE SECOND MEETING THAT WE HAD, WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH A SWOT ANALYSIS THAT COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER, UH, LED AND DID A VERY, UM, A VERY GOOD JOB OF DOING, UH, WHICH SORT OF HELPED US FOCUS OUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AND AS, YOU KNOW, SWAT THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS, UM, SURROUNDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

AND THEN THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD, UM, WE FOCUSED ON COMING UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR HIGH LEVEL GOALS OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND DREW UP THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE CONSIDERING HERE TODAY.

WELL THEN THAT MOVES US TO ITEM SIX, UH, APPROVAL RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING HIGH LEVEL GOALS FOR THE

AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE ON THE WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN, BUT THAT SUMS IT UP PRETTY WELL.

YEAH, YOU DID GREAT.

OKAY,

[5. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding High Level Goals for the Downtown Austin Plan Update.]

[00:55:01]

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE.

AND I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU FOR PRESENTATION.

ALRIGHT.

I WILL READ THROUGH THE RESOLUTION, UM, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.

WHEREAS THE AUSTIN COUN, UH, CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 14TH, 2024 PASSED RESOLUTION 20 24 0 8 1 4 DASH OH TWO EIGHT, CALLING FOR AN UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, THE DOWNTOWN, WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS CHARGED WITH STEWARDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS HAVE RECEIVED PRESENTATIONS CONCERNING THE CENTRAL CITY PLANS OF OTHER CITIES SIMILAR TO AUSTIN.

AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT CONCERNING THE CITY'S PRELIMINARY PLANS FOR EVALUATING THE NEEDS OF DOWNTOWN, BOTH CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED, DRAFTING AN UPDATED DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN TO MEET THOSE NEEDS AND IMPLEMENTING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN ONCE ADOPTED.

AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN WORKING GROUP HAS COMMUNICATED WITH OTHER DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS, AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION DESIRES THAT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLANT UPDATE BE SUCCESSFUL, COMPREHENSIVE, AND ACCOMPLISH, UH, AND, AND ACCOMPLISHED IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AND WHEREAS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL OUTLINING THE ESTIMATED SCOPE, COST AND PRELIMINARY TIMELINE FOR THE DAP, UM, I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, WHEREAS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS PRESENTED A MEMO TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO WE MIGHT WANT TO ADD THAT, UM, OUTLINING THE ESTIMATED COST SCOPE AND PRELIMINARY TIMELINE FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE.

AND WHEREAS DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION HAS IDENTIFIED CERTAIN HIGH LEVEL GOALS FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE AUSTIN DOWNTOWN COMMISSION DO HEREBY STRONGLY RECOMMEND AND URGE THAT THE EARLY PLANNING FOR THE INITIAL STEPS IN CREATING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, UPDATE, ADOPT, AND KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING GOALS, NUMBER ONE, FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.

THEREFORE, THE NEW DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN SHOULD COMPRISE A COMPREHENSIVE RECONSIDERATION OF DOWNTOWN RATHER THAN MERE UPDATES TO THE EXISTING PLAN.

TWO, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN SHOULD SUPPORT THE ONGOING EVOLUTION OF A SAFE, VIBRANT, AND BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN, WHICH INCLUDES INCREASED RESIDENTIAL POPULATION, A DIVERSITY OF USES AT A RANGE OF PRICE POINTS, INCLUDING ACTIVE, CULTURAL AND CIVIC USES, AND WHICH IS RESPONSIVE TO EMERGING TRENDS.

THREE, KEEPING IN MIND THAT MUNICIPAL PLANS FREQUENTLY EXIST SOLELY AS ASPIRATIONS AND ARE NOT IMPLEMENTED IN ANY EFFECTIVE MANNER OR AT ALL.

AND IN ORDER TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE USE OF CITY RESOURCES, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN SHOULD SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFY A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND INCLUDE THE CREATION OF A SINGLE CITY ENTITY WITH SUFFICIENT AUTHORITY TO ENSURE COHESIVE, EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND KEEP THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION INFORMED OF ITS PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE NUMBER FOUR, THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD CONTACT THE HIGH WITH, SHOULD CONTRACT WITH A HIGH QUALITY CONSULTANT TO CARRY OUT THE PLANNING AND GIVE THE CONSULTANT THE FREE FREEDOM TO APPROACH THE PLAN AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY WITH A FRESH EYE, INCLUDING THE FREEDOM TO RECONSIDER APPROPRIATE BOUNDARIES FOR DOWNTOWN WITH REFERENCE TO THE PLAN.

AND FIVE, THE PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE ECONOMIC MODELING OF DIFFERENT LAND USE OPTIONS AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO ASSURE THAT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE MEETS THE GOALS AS STATED ABOVE.

POSSIBLY STARTING FROM SCRATCH SHOULD BE AN OPTION.

UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE THAT WE PASS THIS? DO DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? COMMISSIONER CARROLL? UM, THE, THE WAY I'M READING THE FIRST, THEREFORE SEEMS A BIT VAGUE TO ME.

IT SEEMS. I'M SORRY.

IT SEEMS WHAT, IT SEEMS VAGUE.

UM, WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE INTENT? NOT ONE.

THE MAIN INTENT WAS THAT WE WERE SEEING A TREND TOWARDS DISCUSSION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE AS BEING SIMPLY THAT TAKING WHAT IS THERE AND THEN REVISING IT SOMEWHAT, UPDATING IT SOMEWHAT.

AND IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WE CONCLUDED THAT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH DOWNTOWN, THAT TAKING THAT RE-IMAGINING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND EVEN

[01:00:01]

SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY SAYING, NOT AN UPDATE, BUT A WHOLE NEW PLAN.

IT'S SAYING THAT THAT'S ON THE TABLE.

THAT IT'S ON THE TABLE.

THAT IF THE CONSULTANT TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT'S ALREADY THERE AND SAYS, I REALLY HATE THIS, THAT IT'S OKAY, HE CAN THROW THAT OUT.

UM, I MEAN, I I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH, WITH THE INTENT.

I GUESS I JUST WONDER, MAYBE IT'S JUST ME.

IF IT, IF IT'S INTERPRETED THAT WAY FOR EVERYBODY OR IF IT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED, UH, UH, IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTED LANGUAGE, UH, WE WOULD ALL BE HAPPY TO HEAR IT AND CONSIDER IT.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

IF YOU ABOUT IT.

SO THE WAY THAT I READ THIS IS THAT IT SHOULD BE A COMPREHENSIVE, LIKE, FULL REWRITE, WHEREAS I, I WOULD THINK ALMOST LIKE SHOULD CONSIDER IF, IF WE'RE ASKING FOR A CONSIDERATION TO PUT IT ON THE TABLE THAT THE NEW DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN SHOULD CONSIDER A COMPREHENSIVE, I GUESS RECONSIDERATION WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE, BUT I THINK THE, THE VERBIAGE THERE MIGHT WORK.

I THINK IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AND WITH SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE, THE CONCERN WAS THAT A, AN UPDATE IS NOT ADEQUATE GIVEN THE MASSIVE CHANGES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

AND WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY START OVER PUSHING THEM TO START OVER.

UM, IN TERMS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, YOU WILL HAVE, UH, AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.

WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S YEAH.

WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR THAT.

YEAH, I HAVE A, I HAVE A SEPARATE QUESTION ABOUT THIS.

UM, SO BEING THAT WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND THERE ARE A, A NUMBER OF, UM, STATED GOALS FOR THIS CITY, THE ONE THAT CAME TO MIND WAS THE, A STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

IS THERE, SHOULD WE INCLUDE SOMETHING HERE THAT SAYS, UH, ESSENTIALLY THAT THE PLAN SHOULD SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE GOALS OR THE REACHING OF THOSE GOALS? MAYBE NOT THE IMPLEMENTATION ITSELF.

SO WE, WHEN WE MET WITH SOME OF, WITH MELISSA BARRY SPECIFICALLY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT A, A GOOD PLAN ANY GENERIC GOOD PLAN WOULD INCLUDE, AND IT WOULD INCLUDE MOBILITY, TRANSPORTATION, CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND WE DIDN'T WANNA INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE AS SUB BULLET POINTS IN THE GOALS, BUT THOSE SHOULD BE PART OF A GOOD PLAN.

SOUNDS RIGHT TO ME.

OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ON LINE? OKAY.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

UH, CALL THE QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

A AYE.

OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK THE THANKS TO THE WORKING GROUP FOR THEIR GOOD WORK AND, AND ONWARD YOU GO .

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, UH, OFFICER ELECTIONS WILL BE IN APRIL, MAY, AS REGULARLY SCHEDULED IN APRIL.

IS REG REGULARLY SCHEDULED? UM, THAT SAID, TONIGHT IS MY LAST NIGHT.

UM, I, MY END OF TERM IS, UH, FEBRUARY 28TH.

UH, I'VE SERVED EIGHT YEARS ON THE COMMISSION, THE LAST FOUR, I THINK, AS CHAIR.

UM, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE, UH, WITH EACH OF YOU AND, AND YOUR PREDECESSORS, OF WHICH THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW.

UH, AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK THE PARTICULARLY, UH, YOU KNOW, AS I ALWAYS MENTION, OUR LIAISONS AND, AND I WANT TO REINFORCE THAT OUR LIAISONS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE, THE ROLE AND MISSION, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

AND, UH, UH, I APPRECIATE EACH OF YOU.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU CAME OUT TONIGHT WHEN IT'S 20 DEGREES AND WE'RE UNDER WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES.

YOU ARE A HARDY BUNCH.

UH, MY, MY, UH, COMMISSIONERS ONLINE, YOU ARE AN EQUALLY HARDY BUNCH.

YOU MAYBE WERE A LITTLE WISER THAN SOME OF US, UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE TIME.

I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF, UH, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, UM, AND, UH, YOU'VE BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH FOR BELOW THESE PAST MANY YEARS.

UH, AND WITH THAT, UM, CHAIR HARRIS, I'D LIKE TO RAISE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, PLEASE.

YOU ALL THE BEST IN WHATEVER CAPACITY YOU CHOOSE TO CONTINUE YOUR EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE CITY.

I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR LEADING THIS COMMISSION AS CHAIR FROM THE TIME YOU JOINED THE COMMISSION IN JUNE, 2017 TO THE TIME YOU BECAME CHAIR IN JUNE OF 2020.

AND ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL TODAY, YOU HAVE SERVED THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND MOST ESPECIALLY, ITS DOWNTOWN RESIDENCE AND BUSINESSES WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION.

WE LIVE IN A CONTENTIOUS TIMES, BUT YOU HAVE ALWAYS TREATED EVERY ONE OF US AND EVERYONE WHO CAME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION WITH COURTESY AND RESPECT.

I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US IN SAYING THAT IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR SERVING WITH YOU, AND WE WISH

[01:05:01]

THANK YOU, CHAIR HARRIS.

CAUGHT, CAUGHT, CAUGHT BY SURPRISE.

AND, UH, UH, I, MY WIFE WILL TELL YOU I'M AN OLD SOFTIE AND, AND, UH, YOU ALL SEEN THIS ONCE BEFORE AND WE ALSO HAVE A PARTING GIFT.

OH, OH MY GOODNESS.

WELL, IN CASE YOU GET BORED ON THOSE NIGHTS THAT YOU'RE AT HOME, , YOU KNOW, WE, WE DID HAVE A, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SAY THAT, UH, THIS IS HIS FAVORITE, UH, TELEVISION PROGRAM.

SO , I, I, I WILL BE WATCHING IT FROM HOME.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M VERY HARD, HEARTFELT.