[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
O'CLOCK.I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, IT IS 6:00 PM WE ARE IN AUSTIN CITY HALL.
I WILL START BY CALLING OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND WE DO HAVE TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
ONE IS PRESENT AND ONE I DON'T THINK IS QUITE HERE YET.
HERE, I'LL GET YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF IN A MINUTE.
DAVID FOUTS IS ACTUALLY BEEN REPLACED BY LOUIS D OTA LUGO, BUT HE IS NOT HERE.
WILLIAM FLOYD HAS BEEN REPLACED BY LOUIS D OLUGO, BUT DAVID FOUS IS NOT PRESENT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
COMMISSIONER MAJOR, WE WILL NEED YOUR CAMERA TO BE ON, FOR YOU TO BE COUNTED AS PRESENT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS. WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IN GENERAL.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025? DID WE GET THEM? YES, THEY WERE INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP.
THEY WERE POSTED ONLINE OKAY AS WELL.
OKAY,
[Consent Agenda]
ITEM TWO IS A REZONING CASE C 14 20 24 DASH 0 1 6 5 ZIMMERMAN SF SOUTH.IT'S 1 1 3 0 1 ZIMMERMAN LANE.
IT IS A REZONING CASE FROM DR TO SF DASH SIX.
IT HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM THREE IS C 14 20 24 DASH 69 ZIMMERMAN SF NORTH ONE THREE ZIMMERMAN ZIMMERMAN LANE.
AND IT HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
WE'LL PULL THOSE BOTH UP AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, ITEM FOUR, REZONING CASE C 14 20 24 DASH 0 1 7 8 AT 8 1 1 6 FERGUSON CUTOFF.
IT IS A REZONING CASE FROM INTERIM SF TWO TO LI AND WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL.
ITEM FIVE IS A REZONING CASE, C EIGHT 14 2009 0 0 9 4 0.03.
IT IS A CITY INITIATED WHISPER VALLEY PUTT AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE.
UM, IT IS AT 96 0 5 AND 95 0 1 NORTH FM 9 73 TAYLOR LANE, NEZ PIERCE TRACE 83 12 AND 9 0 1 5.
TAYLOR LANE, GILLAND CREEK, COLORADO RIVER DECKER CREEK WATERSHEDS.
IT IS JUST A CHANGE IN THE CONDITIONS OF ZONING.
UH, IT IS ON CONSENT AGENDA AND RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
ITEM SIX IS A PUD AMENDMENT C 8 14 0 4 DASH 0 180 7 0 3 SH GOODNIGHT RANCH PUD AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, EAST SIDE OF OLD LOCKHART ROAD BETWEEN KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD AND CAPITAL VIEW DRIVE, EXCEPT LOT THREE BLOCK J OF GOODNIGHT RANCH, PHASE TWO ONION CREEK WATERSHED.
IT IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO APRIL 15TH, 2025.
ITEM SEVEN IS A PARTIAL PLAT VACATION C EIGHT 2019 0 0 5 7 0.2 A PEARSON RANCH WEST PHASE TWO, A PARTIAL PLAT VACATION IN THE TWO MILE ETJ AT 1 4 4 0 0 NORTH FM SIX 20 ROAD SOUTHBOUND.
AND ITEM EIGHT IS A TOTAL PLAT VACATION C EIGHT 2019 DASH 0 0 5 7 0.3 A PEARSON RANCH WEST PHASE TWO B TOTAL PLAT VACATION.
THE TWO MILE ETJ AT 1 4 3 20 NORTH FM SIX 20 ROAD SOUTHBOUND.
UH, AND IT IS A, AGAIN, A REQUEST TOTALLY VACATE THE PLAT.
SO WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 18TH.
ITEMS TWO AND THREE HAVE BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM FOUR IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO FOUR 15.
ITEM FIVE IS A CONSENT ITEM WITH STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION ITEM SIX IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL 15TH.
ITEM SEVEN IS A TOTAL PLAT VACATION ON CONSENT AGENDA WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AND ITEM EIGHT IS A TOTAL PLAT VACATION ON CONSENT AGENDA WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
[Items 2 & 3]
TWO AND THREE WE'RE GONNA PULL UP TOGETHER.UM, SO ITEM TWOS, REZONING CASE C 14 20 24 DASH 0 1 6 5 ZIMMERMAN SF SOUTH AND ITEM THREE IS C 14 20 24 DASH 0 1 69 ZIMMERMAN SF NORTH.
I SAY WE'RE GONNA PULL 'EM TOGETHER.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? COMMISSIONER STERN?
[00:05:01]
OKAY.THEY'RE KIND OF THE SAME THING.
SO DO YOU LIKE ME TO JUST TO GIVE A PRESENTATION IN TANDEM FOR BOTH OF THEM? YEP.
COMMISSIONER SHERRY CTIS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS KC 14 20 24 0 1 65, WHICH IS ZIMMERMAN SF SOUTH.
IT'S LOCATED AT 1 1 3 0 1 ZIMMERMAN LANE.
ZONING DEVELOPMENT RESERVE TO SF SIX TOWN HOME CONDOMINIUM ZONING.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS S OF SIX TOWNHOUSE CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCE DISTRICT ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY.
SO THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS 6.62 ACRE VACANT TRACK OF LAND THAT TAKES ACCESS TO ZIMMERMAN LANE.
THE AREA TO THE NORTH ACROSS ZIMMERMAN LANE IS DEVELOPED WITH A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE THAT IS ZONED DR TO THE SOUTH.
THERE IS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WAS ZONED PUD AS PART OF THE FOUR POINT CENTER PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT THAT TAKES ACCESS TO NORTH FM SIX 20 TO THE EAST.
THERE ARE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ALONG THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF ZIMMERMAN LANE AND TOWNHOUSE CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCES ALONG THE NORTHERN SIDE OF ZIMMERMAN ZIMMERMAN LANE.
TRY TO SAY THAT REALLY QUICKLY THAT OUR ZONED SF SIX EO TOWARD THE TERMINUS OF ZIMMERMAN LANE.
THERE IS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ZONE, DR.
AND AN UNDEVELOPED AREA ZONED SF ONE.
THE PROPERTY TO THE WEST IS ZONED MF TWO AND IS UNDEVELOPED.
THERE IS ALSO UNDEVELOPED LAND ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF ZIMMERMAN LANE THAT IS ZONED SF OR MF TWO CO.
THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THIS SITE FROM DR TO SF SIX ZONING TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY FOR SINGLE FAMILY CONDOMINIUM USE THIS TRACT LAND FRONT'S ONTO ZIMMERMAN LANE, WHICH IS A 20 FOOT WIDE COLLECTOR ROADWAY THAT DEAD ENDS INTO A CUL-DE-SAC.
ZIMMERMAN LANE IS CURRENTLY A COUNTY ROADWAY THAT WAS ANNEXED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 1997.
THERE ARE NO PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS FOR THIS PORTION OF ZIMMERMAN LANE AND THERE WILL NOT BE A TRAFFIC LIGHT CONSTRUCTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF ZIMMERMAN LANE AND FM SIX 20 BECAUSE THERE IS ALREADY A LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF PARK DRIVE AND FM SIX 20 TO THE NORTH PARK DRIVE AND ZIMMERMAN LANE WILL NOT BE ALIGNED IN THE FUTURE.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR SF SIX ZONING AT THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE THE PROPOSED ZONING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED F SIX CO ZONING ALONG ZIMMERMAN LANE TO THE EAST.
THERE ARE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND TOWN HOMES LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THIS SITE.
WHILE THERE IS UNDEVELOPED MF TWO ZONING TO THE WEST OF THIS TRACK THAT TAKES ACCESS TO FM SIX 20 ROTE.
SO NOW I'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND REPORT.
UM, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS CASE C 14 2 2 4 0 1 69, WHICH IS ZIMMERMAN LANE, SF NORTH.
IT'S LOCATED AT 1 1 300 ZIMMERMAN LANE.
THE REQUEST IS FROM DR TO SF SIX.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS S OF SIX TOWNHOUSE ON CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCE.
DISTRICT ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY IS A 4.97 ACRE TRACT OF LAND THAT IS DEVELOPED WITH A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE THAT TAKES ACCESS TO ZIMMERMAN LANE.
THE PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH ARE DEVELOPED WITH SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND UNDEVELOPED LAND AND ARE ZONED SF TWO DR AND LO RESPECTIVELY TO THE SOUTH ACROSS ZIMMERMAN LANE.
THERE IS AN UNDEVELOPED TRACT LAND ZONE DR, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT TRACK FOR THE FIRST CASE THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING TO THE EAST ALONG ZIMMERMAN LANE.
THERE ARE TOWNHOUSE CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCES AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ZONED SF SIX CO AT THE TERMINUS OF ZIMMERMAN ZIMMERMAN LANE TO THE EAST, THERE IS UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY ZONED SF ONE.
THE PROPERTIES TO THE WEST WAS ZONED MF TWO CO THROUGH ZONING CASE C 14 20 22 0 44 AND IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF NORTH FM SIX 20 ROAD.
THERE'S A CONVENIENCE STORAGE VEHICLE STORAGE USE, WHICH IS LONG HOME B BOAT AND CAMPER STORAGE THAT IS ZONED SF TWO THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO ANNEXATION WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THIS SITE FROM DR TO SF SIX TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY AGAIN WITH SINGLE FAMILY CONDOMINIUM USES THIS TRACT OF LAND FRONTS ONTO ZIMMERMAN LANE AGAIN, WHICH IS A 20 FOOT WIDE COLLECTOR STREET THAT DEAD ENDS INTO A CUL-DE-SAC TO THE EAST ZIMMERMAN LANE IS A COUNTY ROAD THAT WAS ANNEXED BY THE CITY AND THERE ARE NO PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS TO ZIMMERMAN LANE AS THERE WILL NOT BE A TRAFFIC LIGHT CONSTRUCTED AT THE INTERSECTION WITH SIX 20.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS SF SIX, SF SIX ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE THE PROPOSED ZONING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PREVIOUSLY CITY COUNCIL APPROVED SF SIX CO ZONING ALONG ZIMMERMAN LANE TO THE EAST.
THERE ARE EXISTING TOWNHOUSE RESIDENCES LOCATED TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE SITE.
WHILE THERE IS UNDEVELOPED MF TWO CO ZONING TO THE WEST OF THIS TRACK, THE PROPERTY IS LIMITED TO 32 DWELLING UNITS AND SITE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR THE SF SIX DISTRICT SHALL APPLY UNLESS THE SITE PLAN IS APPROVED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THAT GRANTS V VEHICULAR ACCESS TO FM SIX 20.
IN ADDITION, THE MULTIFAMILY COMPLEX TO THE SOUTH, WHICH IS ZONED MF TWO AND PUD ALSO TAKES ACCESS TO S FM SIX 20 ROAD, NOT ZIMMERMAN LANE.
AND SO THEREFORE THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING
[00:10:01]
SF SIX ZONING, WHICH IS AGAIN TOWNHOUSE CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCE, UM, WHICH WILL ALLOW, WILL PERMIT THE ADDITION OF MODERATE DENSITY RESIDENTIAL LOTS ON THIS LEVEL.TWO 20 TO 20 FOOT WIDE ROADWAY.
AND SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME AND GET A SITE PLAN, OBVIOUSLY YES.
ANYTHING THEY DO, IS THIS AFFECTED AT ALL BY THE NEW SITE PLAN, LIKE REGULATIONS THAT WERE RECENTLY PASSED? UH, I DON'T BELIEVE SO BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS NOT WITHIN SF ONE TWO SF SF ONE, SF TWO AND SF THREE CATEGORIES.
SO
AND THIS WOULD BE AT LEAST 18 TO 32 UNITS DEPENDING ON THE SITE.
CURIOUS, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT? EVENING COMMISSIONERS? UM, HENRY GILMORE WITH JACKSON WALKER REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT.
UH, IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE ZIMMERMAN SOUTH POWERPOINT.
THIS IS A LOW DENSITY 21 UNITS SINGLE FAMILY CONDO DEVELOPMENT TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE TOLL BROTHERS LUXURY NATIONAL HOME BUILDER THAT'S BEEN BUILDING QUALITY HOMES FOR ALMOST 60 YEARS NOW.
AS STAFF MENTIONED, THE 21 UNITS WILL BE ON 6.62 ACRES, WHICH WORKS OUT TO AN AVERAGE DENSITY OF 3.17 UNITS PER ACRE.
THE REQUEST THAT SF SIX ZONING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE, UH, SF SIX ZONING DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THIS SITE AND ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE SF SIX ZONING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ZIMMERMAN LANE.
AS STAFF MENTIONED, THE ZONING SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF IMAGINE AUSTIN AND AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT BY EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS IN AUSTIN AND PROVIDING DIVERSE HOUSING OPTIONS, THE SITES WITHIN A HALF MILE OF ESSENTIAL GOODS AND SERVICES AND EMPLOYMENT CENTERS.
AND SO IT'S IDEALLY LOCATED, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
UH, NEXT DOOR IS SF SIX AND SF TWO CADDY CORNER.
ON THE OTHER SIDE IS THE SF SIX CO ZONING FOR THE EXISTING WOODS AT FOUR POINTS.
SINGLE FAMILY CONDO DEVELOPMENT, WHICH BY THE WAY IS DEVELOPED AT 4.2 UNITS PER ACRE.
UH, TO THE WEST IS THE MF TWO AND GRCO, WHICH IS THE RUDY'S BARBECUE SIDE ON THE HARD CORNER.
AND TO THE SOUTH IS THE PUD ZONING THAT STAFF MENTIONED, WHICH IS DEVELOPED AS MULTIFAMILY.
THIS IS AN OVERHEAD SHOWING THE SITE WITH THE EXISTING MULTIFAMILY TO THE SOUTH AND EXISTING WOODS AT FOUR POINTS DEVELOPMENT CADDY CORNER TO THE NORTHEAST.
THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL LAYOUT AND THIS ACTUALLY SHOWS BOTH SITES.
UM, THE SOUTH SIDE IS, IS OF COURSE SOUTH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ZIMMERMAN LANE.
UH, THE NORTH SIDE, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE, IS ON THE NORTH SIDE
AND THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE HOUSING THAT'S GONNA BE PROPOSED FOR THE SITE.
NEXT SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE.
OKAY, THAT'S ZIMMERMAN SOUTH ZIMMERMAN NORTH.
IT'S RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET THAT WE'RE PROPOSING 16 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS.
SO A TOTAL OF 37 FOR BOTH SITES.
UM, THIS IS 4.97 ACRES AVERAGE DENSITY OF 3.2 UNITS PER ACRE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE SF SIX ZONING DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO IT.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IS ZIMMERMAN LANE.
UM, IT PROMOTES THE GOALS OF IMAGINE AUSTIN AND AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
IT'S IDEALLY LOCATED, UH, IT'S LOW DENSITY.
UM, NEXT SLIDE AGAIN, YOU SEE THE SITE SURROUNDING ZONING.
THE EXISTING, UH, SINGLE FAMILY CONDO DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR AND THE MULTIFAMILY TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.
AND I'VE ALREADY SHOWED YOU THE, UH, SAMPLE HOUSING.
SO AT THIS POINT I'LL JUST ASK THAT YOU APPROVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOLL BROTHERS HERE IN CASE YOU HAVE A QUESTION OF THEM.
ANYBODY ELSE END UP TO SPEAK? YES, CHAIR.
WE WILL NOW BE HEARING FROM THE PRIMARY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION, MATT JOHNSON.
MATT WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
[00:15:01]
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.UM, AS THEY SAID, MY NAME IS MATT JOHNSON.
I'M A RESIDENT, UH, ON RYAN'S WAY AT THE WOODS AT FOUR POINTS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS DIRECTLY DOWN THE STREET FROM THE SUBJECT TRACK AS ILLUSTRATED, UH, IN A POWERPOINT SLIDE, UH, I BELIEVE SHOULD BE BEING PULLED UP NOW.
CAN'T QUITE SEE THE SCREEN DUE TO THE DELAY HERE, BUT, UM, YEAH, I THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALONGSIDE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO ULTIMATELY OPPOSE IMPOSE THE REZONE DUE TO JUST SOME GRAVE TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST AND THINK WOULD JUST BE EXACERBATED BY THE REZONING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPLICANT'S INTENDED SITES.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE APPLICANT, THEY'VE BEEN VERY OPEN, VERY CONSIDERATE AND COMMUNICATIVE, AND US AS A NEIGHBORHOOD WE'RE GENERALLY PRO DEVELOPMENT.
AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, WE'RE JUST RELUCTANTLY FORCED TO HAVE TO OPPOSE THIS APPLICATION REALLY FOR TWO REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, JUST THE GENERAL SAFETY FOR GENERAL SAFETY PURPOSES FOR THE SIX 20 CORRIDOR AND THE GREATER 14TH AREA.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AS IT STANDS, EXCLUDES ANY SORT OF UNIT CAP, WHICH ALL OTHER RECENT REZONINGS ON ZIMMERMAN, INCLUDING MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND ONE IN 2022 DOWN THE STREET, 11 400, UH, THEY HAVE HAD, UH, AS RECENTLY AS JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
AND SO AS, AS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION STANDS TODAY, IT'S NOT FULLY CONSISTENT WITH THAT RECENTLY, UH, REZONED TRACK.
AND SO THIS POSITION FOR US HAS BEEN INFORMED NOT ONLY FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCES, BUT WITH CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY OFFICIALS, TRAFFIC ENGINEERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO JUST REALLY FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, I'D LIKE TO DO TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, JUST BRIEFLY ILLUSTRATE AND WALK THROUGH THE DANGEROUS TRAFFIC SITUATION THAT AFFECTS THIS WHOLE SIX 20 CORRIDOR, THE GREATER FOUR POINTS AREA AND NOT JUST OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, JUST CLEARLY COMMUNICATE OUR ASK, WHICH IS MORE IN THE SPIRIT OF NOT NOW AS OPPOSED TO A BLANKET NO, UH, FOR REDEVELOPMENT ALONG ZIMMERMAN LANE.
SO NUMBER ONE, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGE HERE, THE BLUE IS OUR CURRENT 30 HOME NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE RED WAS THE SUBJECT TRACK BACK IN 2022 THAT RECEIVED THE FOUR UNITS PER ACRE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY AND A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT FROM THE LANDOWNER.
AND THE PURPLE REPRESENTS BOTH THE APPLICANT'S TRACKS COMING INTO ZAP TODAY.
IT'S A VERY SMALL 20 FOOT WIDE UNCURED UNTRIED UN GUTTERED DINKY ROAD OFF OF HIGHWAY SIX 20, AND THEN AT DEAD ENDS INTO THE BALCONES CANYON LAND PRESERVE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO AT THE INTERSECTION THERE IN THE GREEN THERE AT SIX 20 AND ZIMMERMAN, THERE EXISTS ONLY A STOP SIGN, WHICH MADE IT REALLY DANGEROUS TO TURN BOTH LEFT OR RIGHT AT REALLY ALL TIMES OF THE DAY DUE TO THE HIGH SPEEDS OF SIX 20 AND THE NEARBY VISTA PARK DRIVE SIGNAL THIS INTERSECTION'S OFTEN TOO CONGESTED OR TOO DANGEROUS TO TURN EITHER WAY.
AND SO THEREFORE, THE MANY PEOPLE, NOT JUST OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT THE USERS OF THE, THE BOAT STORAGE RUDY'S CUSTOMERS, GAS STATION CUSTOMERS, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FORCED TO CUT BACK THROUGH THE RUDY'S PARKING LOT AND GAS STATION TO MAKE A LEFT OR A RIGHT TURN IN ORDER TO GET AWAY FROM THAT CONGESTION.
AND SO ALTHOUGH THAT DOESN'T FIX THE SPEED OF THE, THE ISSUE OF THE SPEED OF THE ONCOMING CARS, THAT AT LEAST ALLEVIATES THE MASSIVE CONGESTION RIGHT THERE IN THIS LITTLE POCKET.
AND SO UNFORTUNATELY THESE TURNS, ESPECIALLY THE LEFT, ARE STILL VERY UNSAFE, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE ONLY REASONABLE SOLUTION TO GET INTO CENTRAL AUSTIN.
PEOPLE INSTEAD OFTENTIMES WILL TURN RIGHT BUT THEN FLIP AN ILLEGAL U-TURN OR GO THROUGH A HOME DEPOT PARKING LOT.
AND THIS HAPPENS A LOT TO ENTER THE RETAIL ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH ITSELF RECEIVED A POOR GRADE FROM A TRAFFIC ENGINEER WHEN IT WAS DEVELOPED.
SO HAVING LIVED HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR JUST FOUR YEARS, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY COMMON TO SEE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN THIS POCKET ALONG SIX 20.
IF YOU USE THE CITY'S VISION ZERO VIEWER, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S BEEN 11, UH, DEEMED, QUOTE UNQUOTE SERIOUS INJURY ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ALONG THIS SIX 20 CORRIDOR IN JUST THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED HERE.
AND THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE A LOT OF MINOR ACCIDENTS THAT SEEM TO FREQUENT THE AREA EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND SO, AS YOU CAN SEE THIS ISSUE, THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A WHILE NOW, LONG BEFORE THIS TRACK HAS BEEN UP FOR REZONE.
AND SO OUR POSITION IS THEREFORE ADDING ADDITIONAL UNITS ALONG ZIMMERMAN WITHOUT FIRST SOLVING FOR THIS EXISTING CONGESTION, ONLY ENDANGERS THE SIX 20 CORRIDOR AND PUT SOME MORE PEOPLE OF THE FOUR POINTS AREA IN DANGER.
THIS ISSUE'S BAD ENOUGH TODAY.
YOU COULD PROBABLY MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST PLACE UNTIL THIS CONGESTION ISSUE IS PROACTIVELY SOLVED FOR, UH, BY EITHER ADDING A LIGHT, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS WOULD BE A TALL TASK OR SOME SORT OF SECONDARY ACCESS POINT TO SIX 20.
AND SO THEREFORE, OUR ASK IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION, AGAIN, IS NOT A BLANKET NO, BUT IT'S MORE OF A NOT NOW WITH THREE COMPONENTS.
AND SO NUMBER ONE IS PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE THIS REZONE UNTIL A SOLUTION CAN BE CREATED FOR THIS UNSAFE TRAFFIC SITUATION.
TWO SITUATIONS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IS SOME SORT OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR SOME SORT OF SOMETHING THAT'S IMPROVED ABOVE A STOP SIGN AT SIX 20 AND ZIMMERMAN AND OR A SECONDARY ACCESS POINT FOR ZIMMERMAN LANE LANE ALONG SIX 20 AS WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS
[00:20:01]
WITH NEIGHBORING LANDOWNERS.NUMBER TWO IS JUST IF POSSIBLE REQUIRING A FORMAL TIA FROM EVERY REZONE AND DEVELOPMENT APPLICANT ON ZIMMERMAN LANE.
SINCE THE AREA HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN STEPS, THE PROJECTS HAVEN'T MET THE THRESHOLD AND AGGREGATE.
AND SO, UM, IF A STUDY WAS DONE, IT WOULD BE ABLE TO ILLUSTRATE HOW POOR OF A TRAFFIC AREA THIS POCKET IS.
AND THEN NUMBER THREE, BY WAY OF A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY OVERLAY AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANT LIKE WE HAVE, UH, FOR THE 11 400 TRACK, PLEASE RESTRICT THE UNIT COUNT TO BE AT LEAST FOUR UNITS PER ACRE, MUCH LIKE THE OTHER REZONINGS ALONG ZIMMERMAN LANE.
AS A SIDE NOTE, THE APPLICANT'S INTENDED USE, I BELIEVE, IS UNDER THIS CAP ACROSS BOTH TRACKS.
SO IT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE FOR THEM, BUT IT JUST PROTECTS THE DENSITY IN CASE FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY NEEDED TO SELL, UH, FOR A DIFFERENT USE.
AND SO, IN SUMMARY, THANKS FOR HEARING US OUT AND, UH, PLEASE OPPOSE THIS AS IT STANDS UNTIL A SAFE SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND TO PROTECT BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THIS POCKET.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS JORDAN MURRAY.
JORDAN WILL ALSO BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
JORDAN, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
MY NAME IS JORDAN MURRAY AND I AM, UH, A RESIDENT OF THE WOODS AT FOUR POINTS AND ALSO AN HOA, UH, BOARD MEMBER FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, I AGAIN, UH, SIMILAR TO MATT JOHNSON, UH, OPPOSE OR, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND OPPOSITION OF THIS, UH, FOR THE MANY REASONS THAT WERE ALREADY LISTED, UH, BY MATT VERY ARTICULATELY.
UH, AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE THE, THE DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN VERY KIND AND GRACIOUS WITH SHARING INFORMATION, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR, UH, RECOMMENDATION OR THEIR APPLICATION, BUT MORE SO THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY, UH, FOR THE EXISTING, UH, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL THE ADJACENT, UH, UH, BUSINESSES AND PROPERTIES.
UH, ZIMMERMAN LANE CONTINUES TO JUST GET NEGLECTED, UH, AS IT CONTINUES TO BUILD UP ALL AROUND US.
UH, AS MATT ARTICULATED, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A, A, A CONNECTION TO A, A BUSINESS, A VERY BUSY BUSINESS WITH RUDY, UH, BOAT STORAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, AN EXISTING APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS TONS OF FOOT TRAFFIC ON OUR, UH, UH, A 20 FOOT ROAD.
UH, AND THEN THEY'RE ALREADY CLEARING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOAT STORAGE FOR ANOTHER APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UH, THAT'S GONNA FURTHER EXACERBATE, UH, THE ISSUES THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN STATED, UH, IN MY, YOU KNOW, FOUR PLUS YEARS OF LIVING IN THE AREA.
YOU KNOW, I ALREADY KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, I COULD NOT GET INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF A TRAFFIC FATALITY RIGHT OUTSIDE OF, UH, ZIMMERMAN LANE A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO AGAIN, JUST FURTHER REINFORCES THE NEED FOR THE GROWING ISSUES.
WHEREAS IF YOU, UH, HONESTLY, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL COME AND HAVE COFFEE AND A BREAKFAST TACO AT RUDY'S AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE ARE NOT ANTI-DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE ARE PRO SAFETY.
UH, AS AN ARMY VETERAN HAVING SERVED BOTH IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, UH, I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE IN MY OWN COUNTRY, IN MY OWN BACKYARD WITHOUT HAVING TO FEAR FROM MY AND MY OWN KIDS, UH, YOU KNOW, GETTING GRAILS GOING ON OR OFF SIX 20.
UH, SO AGAIN, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY OF CONCERN.
ADDITIONALLY, SOMETHING THAT WAS POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE PREVIOUS, UH, ITERATIONS OF REZONINGS IS WE ARE WITHIN A FIREWISE AREA.
UH, IT EXTENDS, I THINK, FROM RIVER PLACE.
AND WITH THE GROWING WILDFIRE CONCERNS, I THINK THAT, UH, WE ARE CON WE'RE NOT BEING CONSIDERED.
AND IT HASN'T BEEN IN THE, IN THE CITY'S, UM, RESPONSE, UH, TO THE APPLICATION OF THE, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY DOUBLE THE DENSITY OF THE EXISTING FOLKS ALREADY ON ZIMMERMAN.
SO AS IT ALREADY TAKES FIVE TO 10 MINUTES TO TURN OFF OF ZIMMERMAN LANE OR OUTSIDE OF RUDY'S, WHEN YOU DOUBLE THAT DENSITY WITH THE INCREASED FIRE RISK, WE ALREADY TALKED TO SOME PARK RANGERS FROM CITY OF AUSTIN THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BORDERS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE BELCON IS PRESERVED.
AND, UH, THE GROWING FIRE RISK CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE THAT, UH, I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND CAN EASILY STRIKE AS IT'S DONE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN NEARBY FREDERICKSBURG WITH THE FIRE.
UH, SO AGAIN, REITERATING, YOU KNOW, OUR POSITION, UH, YOU KNOW, SAFETY IS THE PRIORITY HERE AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF NO, WE JUST NOT NOW.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY AND REALLY TXDOT TO TAKE OWNERSHIP AND COLLABORATE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS, UH, ARE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? DO I HEAR A SECOND? DID WE DID, SORRY.
WE CAN ALSO HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT FOR A THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
I, I WON'T USE ALL THREE MINUTES.
UM, THIS IS A REALLY LOW, LOW DENSITY DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S LESS DENSE THAN THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT NEXT DOOR.
[00:25:01]
UH, AS FAR AS TRAFFIC IS CONCERNED, IT'S MINUSCULE.THE AM PEAK HOUR TRIPS IS 29, THE PM PEAK HOUR TRIPS IS 30.
SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY LOW TRAFFIC GENERATOR.
IT, IT, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING AROUND IT.
WE, WE COULD HAVE COME IN WITH A MF ONE OR MF TWO REQUEST, BUT, UH, LEGITIMATELY COULD HAVE, BUT SF SIX IS CONSISTENT AND FITS OUR NEEDS.
UM, IN YOUR STAFF REPORT, YOU'LL NOTICE ALSO THAT, UH, STAFF NOTES THAT AT TIME OF SITE PLAN OR SUBDIVISION WILL BE ASKED TO DEDICATE RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE EXPANSION OF ZIMMERMAN LANE.
UH, SO WE'LL BE DOING OUR PART TO HELP THAT SITUATION WITH RESPECT TO WILDFIRES.
UM, I'LL POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, FIRE STATION NUMBER 54 IS LITERALLY FOUR MINUTES AWAY FROM THE SITE.
IT'LL BE SERVED BY CITY OF AUSTIN FIRE, NOT SOME RURAL FIRE PROTECTION, NOT SOME RURAL OR VOLUNTEER FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
UM, THE CITY IS VERY PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING WILDFIRE ISSUES.
JUST IN FACT, JUST LAST MONTH THEY COMMITTED $50 MILLION TOWARD WILDFIRE MITIGATION.
UM, SO WITH THAT I'LL CLOSE AND JUST, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM,
NOW DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I HEAR A SECOND.
QUESTIONS START ON THAT END AND COME DOWN, OR I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, I WAS LOOKING AT, UH, PICTURES OF THE, OF ZIMMERMAN LANE AND IT DOES FEEL, UH, UNSUITABLE FOR CONTINUED EXPANSION.
IS THAT GOING TO BE IMPROVED IN ANY WAY? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT'S NOT ON THE AS SMP FOR IMPROVEMENTS, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S REQUESTED RIGHT OF WAY, THEY'VE BEEN PIECEMEALING AND REQUESTED RIGHT OF WAY UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
SO EVENTUALLY I WOULD IMAGINE ONCE, YOU KNOW, THE A SP GETS UPDATED, AGAIN, CONSIDER IT FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT AS I NOTED IN MY STAFF REPORT, THIS WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE A CONNECTOR TO 360 ORIGINALLY, BUT BECAUSE THE STENNIS TRACK WAS A GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER HABITAT THAT WAS THEN TAKEN BY THE CITY CONVERTED TO UH, YOU KNOW, BCCP LAND.
AND SO THAT WAS NEVER, THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
THERE'S ALSO A REASON MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS AT THE END OF ZIMMERMAN LANE, WHY AT DEAD ENDS AND WHY THAT SF ONE PROPERTY IS NOT DEVELOPED.
THERE IS ALSO AN ENDANGERED SALAMANDER THERE, SO IT'S NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ANYWHERE.
UM, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ROADWAY IS, AND WE'VE BEEN LOOKING, I'VE BEEN THE CASE MANAGER OUT HERE FOR THE LAST 24 YEARS, AND SO ALL THESE CASES ON ZIMMERMAN HAVE COME THROUGH ME
SO, UM, ORIGINALLY, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF WAS CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY ON THE EASTERN SIDE, TOWARDS THE DEAD END WHERE THIS SALAMANDER IS AND WHERE THERE ARE SOME CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
UM, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT DENSITY AND ADDING, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC TO THE ROADWAY THAT WE KNEW THAT WASN'T GOING TO BE IMPROVED.
BUT, UM, WE WERE LOOKING AT OBVIOUSLY SINGLE FAMILY TOWN HOST DEVELOPMENTS, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT RECOMMEND IN 2022, THE MF THREE THAT CAME IN FURTHER TO THE WEST ACROSS THE STREET.
SO WHEN WE, WE RECOMMENDED STRAIGHT SF SIX, WE DIDN'T RECOMMEND A UNIT CAP ON THAT PROPERTY EITHER.
UM, BECAUSE THE INTENT OF COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, AS THEY HAVE PROVEN, IS TO ALLOW FOR MORE RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SINGLE FAMILY CATEGORY TO ALLOW SOME MORE DENSITY, BUT NOT, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DENSITY THAT IS ALLOWED UP AND DOWN ZIMMERMAN AT THIS TIME.
I MEAN, IT IS, IT IS A MUCH LARGER ASK, BUT IT COULD IT NOT BE CONNECTED TO ROCK, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED? ROCK HARBOR DRIVE TO THE NORTH.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS WITH OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ACCESS OFF OF SIX 20 AND THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL TRIED TO DO IN THE 2022 CASE.
THEY WERE BASICALLY ON THE MF TWO CO TRACK THAT IS TO THE NORTHWEST.
THEY SAID IF IN THE FUTURE THE APPLICANT IS ABLE TO WORK ON A COAC ACCESS AGREEMENT TO GET TO SIX 20, THEN THEY COULD GET UP TO 32 UNITS ON THAT PROPERTY UNDER MF TWO.
HOWEVER, AS YOU SEE THAT PROPERTY IS STILL UNDEVELOPED.
SO YEAH, THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
SO BECAUSE THERE ARE SURROUNDING REST, LIKE THERE'S THE SF SIX
[00:30:01]
RIGHT NEXT DOOR DURING SITE PLAN, I KNOW, I BELIEVE THEY'LL HAVE TO DO A NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE DENSITY AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE ROADWAY.
SO HOW MANY UNITS AND THEN HOW THOSE TRIPS WOULD IMPACT THE ROADWAY.
THAT'S WHEN SITE PLAN, THAT T BLESS YOU, TPW WILL DETERMINE IF IT'S REQUIRED OR NOT.
OH, THE N NA, THE NTA AT ALL? YEAH.
SO BASICALLY THEY CAN STILL REQUIRE IT AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN, BUT IT'S UP TO THEM TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL SITE PLAN LAYOUT, THE NUMBER OF UNITS, THE ROADWAY, AND THEN DETERMINE IF THEY FEEL IT'S NEEDED AT THAT TIME.
SO AGAIN, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD RECOMMEND FOR IMPROVEMENTS THOUGH.
RIGHT? YEAH, BECAUSE LIKE TYPICALLY I SEE LIKE EXTEND THE SIDEWALK OR RIGHT, WIDEN THE SIDEWALK.
I THINK IN THIS CASE, OBVIOUSLY SIDEWALK DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT COULD IT BE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, AT A LIGHT OR LIKE A, THERE WERE SIDEWALKS WOULD BE REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF, OF SUBDIVISION AND SITE PLANNING BEFORE THE SITE ONLY ANYWAY, BUT YES.
LIKE I DON'T THINK SIDEWALKS IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS LOOKING HERE ANYWAY.
BUT, UM, I WONDER IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE REQUESTED AT THE POINT OF THE INTERSECTION THAT WOULD APPROVE THE TRAFFIC AT ALL.
NO, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A TAKING THAT WOULD NOT BE ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT WOULD NOT BE WITHIN THEIR FRONTAGE.
BUT AS A RESULT OF THE NTA THOUGH, YES, BUT THE, THE NTA WOULD COVER THE STREET AND THE CAPACITY AND MAYBE LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TRIPS, BUT THEY CAN'T MAKE THEM DO IMPROVEMENTS ON ANOTHER PORTION OF ANOTHER PERSON'S PROPERTY.
I'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN ON THE EAST SIDE, LIKE EXTEND THE SIDEWALK LIKE A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY.
OR SIDEWALK, NOT STREET IMPROVEMENT.
SO, AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S WHY, UM, THIS IS A DIFFICULT, OKAY.
THESE ARE DIFFICULT CASES BECAUSE I MEAN, THIS AREA IS VERY LIMITED.
IT HAS RESTRICTIONS ON IT, SO MM-HMM
UM, WELL, SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CONNECTING TO OTHER STREETS AND SO I'M GUESSING THERE'S NO WAY TO CONNECT TO RIVER PLACE OR FOUR POINTS OR MCNEIL AS WELL? NO, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT IS UNDEVELOPABLE LAND THAT ALSO HAS, YOU KNOW, SOME BCCB CHARACTERISTICS TO IT AND SLOPES.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN IT'S TRUE THAT IT'S, I GUESS YOU'VE ALREADY STATED THAT THERE'S, WELL, LET ME ASK IT AS A QUESTION,
IS THERE, IS THERE ANY PLAN IN SIGHT FOR, UH, SIGNALED INTERSECTION AT ZIMMERMAN IN SIX 20? NO, NOT THE LAST THAT I CHECKED WITH TPW AND OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH TDOT BECAUSE OF THE ALREADY LIGHT AT VISTA PARK.
IT'S TOO CLOSE, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S TOO CLOSE.
UH, COMMISSIONER GREENBERG AND I WERE DISCUSSING THIS THAT IS DEBATABLE ABOUT THE CLOSENESS OF IT, BUT TEX HAD TOLD US BEFORE IT'S THE BACKUP OF TRAFFIC ON SIX 20.
IF YOU HAD TWO LIGHTS AT THAT, THAT CLOSE TOGETHER, THAT THE TIMING, YEAH, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT.
SO, AND WOULD YOU CLASSIFY THE TRAFFIC IN THIS AREA AS GOOD
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR TPW AND TXDOT TO LOOK AT.
OBVIOUSLY ZIMMERMAN, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY ZIMMERMAN IS, YOU KNOW, RESTRICTED AS FAR AS GETTING IN AND OUT ONTO SIX 20.
UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT SIX 20 ITSELF IS HEAVILY TRAVELED AND IT MOVES FAST, SO.
AND I, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN MM-HMM
AND, UM, AND I'M GUESSING, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE GOAL FOR DRIVE ALONE COMMUTING WITHIN THE A-A-S-M-P? SO, I'M SORRY, UH, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE DRIVE ALONE COMMUTING GOALS FOR A-A-S-M-P? I'M NOT, NO.
UM, WELL, SO, UM, WITHIN THE A SMP, UM, THE GOAL IS TO GET US FROM THREE QUARTERS OF PEOPLE DRIVING ALONE.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE HOMES ARE GOING TO ACCESS THESE HOMES WITHOUT DRIVING? UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DEVELOPED YET.
SO, UM, WELL, IS THERE ANY TRANSIT SERVICE TO THIS AREA AT ALL? THERE ARE BUS STOPS ALONG SIX 20, BUT I DUNNO, THE CLOSEST DISTANCE.
SO BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT ZIMMERMAN, UM, I, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S TRUE THAT THERE'S BUS SERVICE ON SIX 20.
UM, OR ON 2222, UM, EITHER AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN, UM, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT SITE PLAN.
IS THE SITE PLAN GONNA BE COMING BACK TO ZAP? NO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR MOMENT, UH, I'M GUESSING, WELL, IT'S OUR MOMENT, BUT WE ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THE ZONING.
SO WE'RE APPROVING IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE ZONING FOR THIS USE, KNOWING THAT THEY STILL HAVE TO GO TO GET A SITE PLAN WHERE THEY WILL BE REVIEWING FOR TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND UTILITIES AND FIRE AT THE SITE PLAN.
SO WE'RE NOT GUARANTEEING THEM ANY LEVEL OF DENSITY OR ANYTHING ELSE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING SF SIX IS THE APPROPRIATE ZONING YOU GET WHATEVER DENSITY YOU GET, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU GO THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS AT A CYCLING.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR ME AT THIS, AT THIS POINT.
[00:35:02]
YES.UM, SO ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES DO HAVE A, A UNIT CAP? THEY DO.
CAN I, THE EARLY ONES THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT ARE DOWN ON THE EASTERN PORTION OF ZIMMERMAN LANE? YES.
THE STAFF DID RECOMMEND A UNIT CAP.
WE DID NOT RECOMMEND, BUT THE COUNCIL DID.
BUT GIVEN THAT THE COUNCIL HAS CONSISTENTLY PUT UNIT CAPS ON THESE, WELL, THE COUNCIL DID NOT, WE RECOMMENDED UNIT CAPS ON THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE CLOSER TO THE DEAD END OF THE PROPERTY.
AS IT MOVED FURTHER TO THE WEST.
WE DID NOT, WE, IN THE 2022 CASE THAT YOU, MOST OF YOU WERE HERE FOR
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT ONE STOOD.
AND THEY RECOMMENDED MORE THAN WHAT THE STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED, BUT WITH THE UNIT CAP, IF THERE WAS ACCESS TO SIX 20 IN THE FUTURE, SO, WELL, JUST AS A COMMENT, I'D BE A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS WITH A UNIT CAP, UM, AS I WAS IN 2022.
WHAT KIND OF UNIT CAP WOULD YOU, WELL, THE NEIGHBORS SUGGESTED FOUR UNITS PER ACRE, WHICH IS MORE THAN WHAT THE, UM, APPLICANT IS SAYING.
THAT IS THEIR INTENTION, OF COURSE, INTENTIONS CHANGE.
UM, SO PUTTING THAT FOUR UNITS PER ACRE, UM, I GUESS I MAY AS WELL MAKE THAT MOTION.
UM, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE SF SIX WITH A UNIT CAP OF FOUR UNITS PER ACRE.
CAN I QUICKLY ASK THE APPLICANT, ARE YOU OKAY WITH A FOUR UNIT COUNT? NOT THAT IT MATTERS, BUT
I ASSUME, I ASSUME YOU GOTTA INTRODUCE YOURSELF AGAIN.
HENRY GILMORE FOR THE APPLICANT.
I ASSUME THAT IT PERTAINS TO BOTH SIDES.
AGAIN, NOT THAT IT MATTERS, BUT IT'S JUST HELPFUL TO KNOW TERMS SUPPORT.
IT'D ALSO BE HARD TO DEVELOP IN THIS PROPERTY WITH ALL THE LIKE, ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT SOUNDS, SO WE WANNA PREVENT TRAFFIC, THE TRAFFIC AND THE WILDFIRE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
UM, WELL, SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ADDING THE CO UM, I, I STILL WANNA POINT OUT TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING ON A SUBSTANDARD STREET THAT BUTTS UP TO A WILDLIFE PRESERVE IN A FIRE ZONE.
AND OUR JOB IS TO RECOMMEND GOOD POLICY TO COUNCIL.
AND AS A COMMISSIONER, I SEE MY ROLE AS SUPPORTING SMART GROWTH, WHICH MEANS SUPPORTING DENSE, WALKABLE HOUSING IN THE URBAN CORE SO THAT WE CAN AVOID APPROVING LOW DENSITY, DISCONNECTED SPRAWL IN THE OUTER RING.
AND JUST BECAUSE COUNCIL'S MADE MISTAKES IN THE PAST DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S PRECEDENT THAT WE WANT TO REPEAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S PRECEDENT THAT IS DIRECTING STAFF AT THE MOMENT, BUT AS A POLICY BOARD, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING THE MISMATCH BETWEEN THE LAND USE AND THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO THEIR ATTENTION.
AND SO BY RUBBER STAMPING IT, WE ARE NOT GONNA DO THAT.
AND SO, UH, THERE'S NO WAY THAT I, I'M GONNA BE A YES ON THIS AT THIS TIME, AND I, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REFLECT ON WHAT WE'RE DOING BY SAYING YES IS WE'RE TELLING ANOTHER COMMISSION THAT THEY SHOULD ALSO SAY YES.
AND IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT IT WILL ESCALATE OVER TIME BECAUSE THEY'LL, THEY'LL LOOK AT THE LAND USE AND SAY, WELL, IF IT WAS SF SIX AND THERE'S MF TWO, THEN WHAT'S WRONG WITH MF THREE, MF FOUR, MF FIVE, AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU HAVE LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES WITH NO TRANSIT AND EVERYONE MUST DRIVE TO GET THERE.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING, WELL, IF THEY BUILD A LOT OF MULTI-FAMILY THERE, THEN CERTAINLY THE TRANSIT WILL COME.
THE ONLY ROAD THAT CONNECTS TO SIX 20, THERE IS 2222, AND WHEN IT HITS MOPAC, IT HITS TRAFFIC.
SO PEOPLE DO NOT RIDE EXPRESS SERVICE THAT COMES FROM THAT LOCATION.
THAT'S WHY IT HAS BEEN PULLED FROM SERVICE.
SO AGAIN, I, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING GOOD PRECEDENT HERE.
THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE STREET.
YOU HAVE A SIGNAL LIGHT NOT FAR AWAY TO CROSS SIX 20 AND GET ACCESS, WALKABLE ACCESS AND BACKABLE ACCESS TO A LARGE RETAIL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO TO ME, THIS IS AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR A WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND A WALKABLE DENSITY.
SO IT'S NOT IN A MULTI-FAMILY.
UH, BUT I DO THINK WHAT WE'RE CREATING IS
[00:40:01]
A, A WALK MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITY.IF THERE WERE NOTHING OUT THERE AND THIS WERE REALLY ON THE PERIPHERY, THEN I WOULD KIND OF SHARE THE CONCERNS.
BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL.
YOU DO HAVE A SIGNAL LIGHT, A FEW HUNDRED FEET UP THE ROADWAY.
UM, SO IT DOES MAKE IT MUCH MORE WALKABLE TO A COMMERCIAL AREA.
UM, LIKE IF YOU WANNA WALK FROM THAT DEVELOPMENT TO THE STARBUCKS ACROSS SIX 20 THROUGH THE WALKWAY, AND WITH A LIGHT, IT'S AN 11 MINUTE WALK, HALF A MILE.
UM, SO I AGREE THAT IT'S NOT LIKE CENTRAL AUSTIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I LIVE IN EAST AUSTIN AND I HAVE TO WALK LIKE A MILE TO GET TO A COFFEE SHOP.
SO LIKE IN SOME WAY I FEEL LIKE THIS AREA IS FEEDING THE NEEDS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY I'D BE LEANING TO A YES OVER HERE.
I, I HAVE TO SAY SAFETY IS A CONCERN.
THE STREET IS SUBSTANDARD, BUT I, I THINK THE ZONING IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING NEARBY.
SO I, I AM GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, SF SIX WITH THE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY.
IT'S NOT ADDING THAT MUCH TRAFFIC, THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE A DENSITY CITY CAP ON THIS AT THIS TIME.
UM, YES, FELIX, UH, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER STERN.
I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU PLOTTED ON, ON THE MAP, YOU'RE IN AN 11 MINUTE WALK AWAY.
BUT LET'S BE REAL, NO ONE'S GONNA WALK.
YOU COULD CROSS SIX 20 AND NO ONE'S GONNA CROSS SIX 20 ON FOOT.
UM, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO LIVE ON PALMER LANE, THEY NEVER CROSS THAT STREET ON FOOT.
THAT'S JUST NOT, IT IS SUCH A HIGH SPEED ROAD THAT EVEN WITH THAT CROSSWALK AND EVEN WITH THAT LIGHT, NO ONE'S GONNA CROSS THAT ON FOOT.
SO, UM, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT MY ONLY CRITERIA, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT COMMISSIONER STERN WAS SAYING ABOUT PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY AND NOT IN THE PERIPHERIES, I'M GONNA BE VOTING NO.
UM, I ALSO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER STERN THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE BUILT.
HOWEVER, I FEEL LIKE IF WE JUST VOTE NO, THE SF SIX WILL GET APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
IF WE INSTEAD RECOMMEND SF SIX WITH A UNICAP, THE COUNCIL MAY PAY ATTENTION TO OUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO AS MUCH AS I THINK, WELL, THAT'S GREAT.
THE, THE CASE FROM 2022 DIDN'T GET BUILT AT LEAST SO FAR.
AND MAYBE THIS ONE WON'T EITHER.
I THINK TO BE SORT OF CAUTIOUS, WE SHOULD PUT THE UNICAP.
SO THE COUNCIL HAS THAT ADVICE.
ANYTHING ELSE? NO OTHER COMMENTS? CALL A VOTE.
COUNT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 YESES ALL OPPOSED? TWO OPPOSED.
AND IS THERE ANOTHER ABSTENTION? ONE ABSTENTION.
SO SIX YESES, TWO NOS, ONE ABSTENTION.
[WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES]
WORKING GROUPS AND COMMITTEE UPDATES, CODES AND ORDINANCES.WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT UNO, UH, AMENDMENTS.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANOTHER ITEM AS WELL.
I'LL GET, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
WE'LL POSTPONE THAT ONE PROBABLY.
BUT, UM, IT WAS A SUGGESTION THAT IF YOU REMEMBER THE DB 90 CASE WHERE WE COULDN'T, IT WAS LIKE ALL OR NOTHING.
SO, UM, TO SUGGEST A CODE CHANGE SO THAT IT'S NOT ALL OR NOTHING THAT WE COULD HAVE GROUND FLOOR USES AND PREVENT THEM ON THE UPPER FLOORS.
BUT, UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY TO DISCUSS THAT.
UNO WILL PROBABLY TAKE A WHILE.
WE'RE GONNA MEET AGAIN WITH THE REORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES AS MAY GO AWAY.
SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE.
UM, THERE'S A MEETING FOR TOMORROW ALSO, WHICH IS ABOUT, UM, THE NORTH, NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER PLAN AND THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER PLANS THERE.
THEY'RE BASICALLY FUTURE LAND USE MAPS OR THEY'RE NOT, BASICALLY THEY ARE FUTURE, FUTURE LAND USE MAPS JUST FOR THOSE TRANSIT CENTERS.
[00:45:01]
TOMORROW, THAT'S TOMORROW.TWO WEEKS AGO THERE WAS NO QUORUM.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS? UM, WITH MY REAPPOINTMENT, UM, I ASKED ABOUT THE APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES.THE COMMITTEE'S BYLAWS ALL SAY THAT ZAP MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED FOR FOUR YEARS.
NEVERTHELESS, ON THE COMMITTEE WEBPAGES, WE HAVE TERMS OF TWO YEARS THAT ARE ALL EXPIRED.
SO ALL THE COMMITTEES
UM, TOLD THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE WILL GET BACK TO ME, BUT MAYBE JUST IN CASE WE HAVE TO REAPPOINT TO THE COMMITTEES, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE THAT ON OUR AGENDA FOR APRIL 15TH.
JUST ADD AN AGENDA ITEM FOR MAYBE WE WON'T NEED TO BECAUSE WE'LL SEE MAY GO COMMITTEES MAY GO AWAY.
SO, WELL THE COMMITTEES, I DON'T THINK THE COMMITTEES ARE GOING AWAY THAT FAST, BUT SPEAKING OF THAT, UM, WE ASKED FOR A BRIEFING, BUT THERE'S NOT A BRIEFING.
I THINK WE KNOW WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND MAYBE ON THE 15TH WE SHOULD ALSO DISCUSS IF WE WANNA TAKE A POSITION ON THOSE CHANGES, WHICH ARE FAIRLY RADICAL.
UM, TO HOW THE WORK IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ZAP.
SO, AND WE HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA.
BEFORE WE LEAVE, CHRISTIAN, I DIDN'T GET YOU A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY NOW.
UH, I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KRISTA LANE, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX.
I AM A, UH, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER FULL-TIME.
I HAVE A COUPLE PROJECTS, STUDENT HOUSING, AND THEN ALSO A, UH, CONDO DEVELOPMENT IN BOLDON CREEK THAT'S ONGOING.
UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHAT ME UP ABOUT THOSE.
UM, AND YEAH, I, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION.
I HAVE A BACKGROUND ADVOCATING, UH, FOR, UH, LAND USE POLICIES AND TRANSIT POLICIES.
UH, I THINK A LOT OF, UH, THE, THE FACES ON THIS, UH, COMMISSION ACTUALLY WOULD RECOGNIZE ME.
SO, UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE AND, UH, OH YEAH, IF THERE'S ANY OPENINGS ON ANY OF THE COMMITTEES, I AM DEFINITELY OKAY.
UH, IF, IF ANYBODY WERE, UH, SEEKING TIME TO RETIRE, I WOULD LOVE TO STEP IN.
UH, JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS THEY'RE REORGANIZING ZAP CO AND PLANNING COMMISSION AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS SEPARATION OF WHO DOES WHAT.
AND UNDER THAT SCENARIO, SEVERAL OF THESE COMMITTEES MAY GO AWAY.
'CAUSE THERE WOULDN'T BE A JOINT COMMITTEE FOR CODES AND ORDINANCES.
IT WOULD BE JUST ALL THE CODES AND ORDINANCES WOULD GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO IT WOULD STAY THERE, THERE WOULDN'T BE A
'CAUSE ALL THE PLANNING GOES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND NOT TO HERE.
SO SEVERAL OF THESE COMMITTEES MAY GO AWAY.
WE MAY NEED TO CREATE NEW ONES.
ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT? WE ARE ADJOURNED.
I ALWAYS LEAVE AND TAKE THAT WITH ME.