[00:00:05]
I'M TRYING TO COUNT THE, WE, WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? ANYBODY READY TO TELL ME? NO? OKAY.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, IT IS 2:01 PM
[2:00 PM – City Council Convenes]
ON APRIL 1ST, 2025, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE, THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS THAT ARE LOCATED AT CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND I HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, WITH A QUORUM OF
[2:00 PM - Planning Commission Convenes]
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND JOIN, UH, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER AT TWO 1:00 PM ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST, 2025 IN THE CITY.
UM, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT, UH, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET.
THIS IS A, AS WAS POINTED OUT, THIS IS
[1. Conduct a joint public hearing to receive public comments on proposed amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) that would increase the maximum square footage limits of two new housing units when the property owner preserves the existing housing unit. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact]
A JOINT MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN PLANNING COMMISSION.UM, I WANNA WELCOME EVERYONE AND EVERYONE THAT'S PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS AND WATCHING TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PRESERVATION BONUS CODE AMENDMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM CITY STAFF ON THIS AGENDA ITEM FIRST.
AND THEN, UH, MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE, UH, MEMBERS OF BOTH THE COMMISSION AND THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BRIEF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, UH, AFTER THE, AFTER THE PRESENTATION, UH, PLEASE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE WISHING THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND EACH PERSON WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
LEMME POINT OUT THAT THERE WILL BE NO VOTE TODAY.
THIS WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ONLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AGAIN ON APRIL 8TH, AND AT THAT TIME THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT.
AND IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS READY AT THAT TIME, IT WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IT MAKES TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
CITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM ON APRIL 24TH.
THIS WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT.
AND WITH THAT AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, UH, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS JOINT MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN PLANNING COMMISSION.
THERE BEING NO OBJECTION, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPENED AND I WILL TURN IT OVER AND ASK, UH, OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO GIVE US A BRIEFING.
AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS PLANNING COMMISSIONERS KEITH MARS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE STAFF PRESENTATION AND, UH, AFTERWARDS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AS THE MAYOR MENTION, THIS IS THE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE OR PRESERVATION BONUS ORDINANCE REVISION, AND A VERY SPECIFIC AMENDMENT TO THAT ORDINANCE.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND OF WHY THIS ORDINANCE, UH, IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS IN FRONT OF YOU, THE STAFF PROPOSAL, UH, AND THE TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO IN DECEMBER OF 2023, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED HOME PHASE ONE AND HOME PHASE ONE ALLOWED A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS CONSTRUCTING UP TO THREE UNITS ON A RESIDENTIAL LOT.
IT EXCLUDED WHAT'S CALLED THE FLOOR TO AREA RATIO CALCULATIONS FOR PRESERVING THE EXISTING HOME ON THE PROPERTY.
IT ALSO LIMITED THE TWO NEW UNITS THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED, 2.55 FLOOR AREA RATIO OR ROUGHLY 3,200 SQUARE FEET AFTER THAT ORDINANCE HAS PASSED IN DECEMBER, COUNCIL CAME BACK THROUGH A RESOLUTION IN JULY OF 2024 AND ASKED STAFF TO COME BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE ON A VERY SPECIFIC AMENDMENT.
AND THAT WAS TO REVISE THE TWO NEW UNIT LIMIT FROM 0.55 FAR UP TO 0.65 FAR OR ROUGHLY 4,300 SQUARE FEET.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO INCENTIVIZE PRESERVATION OF SMALLER RESIDENTIAL UNITS AS PART OF THAT RESOLUTION, IT WAS ALSO LOOK AT THE CITY'S PRESERVATION PROGRAMS AT LARGE, AND MY COLLEAGUES IN THE PLANE DEPARTMENT ARE WORKING ON THAT MORE LONG-TERM EFFORT.
BUT BEFORE YOU TODAY IS VERY SPECIFIC TO CHANGING THE FLOOR TO AREA RATIO.
SO THE PROPOSAL IS CHANGING ONE LINE IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IN THE ZONING CHAPTER TO STATE THAT THE TWO DWELLING UNITS MAY NOT EXCEED 0.65 FAR OR 4,350 SQUARE FEET IF THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL UNIT IS PRESERVED.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS CHANGE IS NO OTHER LAND USE REGULATIONS.
THIS IS NOT CHANGE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
THIS IS NOT CHANGE BUILDING HEIGHT OR SETBACKS.
THIS IS LIMITED TO THAT FLOOR OF THE AREA RATIO.
NOW THE IMPACT AND PART OF THIS IS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE.
[00:05:01]
DOES THIS MEAN? IT INCENTIVIZES PRESERVATION OF THE SMALLER HOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY SUCH THAT THE FULL FLOOR OF THE AREA RATIO ALLOWANCE CAN BE ACHIEVED FOR THE PROPERTY WHEN IT WAS FIRST ADOPTED AT 0.55 FLOOR.THE RATIO, OUR ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT THE TIPPING POINT FOR THE AVERAGE LOT IN AUSTIN IS THAT IF YOU PRESERVE A HOME ABOUT 800 SQUARE FEET OR LESS AND YOU STILL BUILD TWO NEW UNITS ON THE PROPERTY, YOU CANNOT REACH YOUR FULL 0.65 FER THAT'S ALLOWED ON THE PROPERTY.
SO THIS VERY SPECIFIC AMENDMENT TO ALLOW 0.65 FOR THE TWO NEW UNITS TRULY INCENTIVIZES PRESERVING THE SMALLEST OF HOMES, ANYTHING LESS THAN AGAIN, ON AVERAGE 800 SQUARE FEET, 700 SQUARE FEET.
THE 600 SQUARE FEET EXISTING MORE NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL NOW HAVE INCENTIVE IN CODE TO PRESERVE THOSE WHEN YOU BUILD TWO NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THE PUBLIC NOTICE FOR THIS WENT THROUGH, UH, WITH THE SHORT, SHORT-TERM RENTAL NOTIFICATION.
THIS IS A CHANGE TO THE CITY ZONING CODE.
IT WAS PUT OUT WITH CITYWIDE NOTICE ALONG WITH SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT WAS ISSUED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
ON THAT, UH, ON THAT NOTICE, IT LAID OUT THE, THE NEXT STEPS AND THE DATES ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
HERE TODAY IS THE APRIL 1ST JOINT HEARING OF CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION ON APRIL 8TH.
THIS SPECIFIC ITEM WILL GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATION ON APRIL 24TH FOR CITY COUNCIL TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT CHANGES TO THIS ORDINANCE.
AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, STAFF ARE HERE, UH, TO ANSWER THEM.
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF AT THIS POINT? OKAY, THEN, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, SO I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE HELP US WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR.
UH, MY SHORT, MY STATEMENT WILL ACTUALLY BE SHORT.
I'VE GOT PEOPLE ASKING ME ABOUT IT.
MAIN THING IS I, I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE TRYING TO PRESERVE ORIGINAL HOUSING, BUT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T FEEL THAT THEY'RE FORCED TO GET IT, ONLY IF THEY BUILD MORE UNITS.
I'M MEGAN KING, POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR ORGANIZATION'S SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENT, WHICH SEEKS TO RECTIFY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION'S.
BONUSES FOR ENTITLEMENT PRESERVATION BONUS AIMS TO PROMOTE PRESERVATION AND DISINCENTIVIZE DEMOLITION, CREATING NET BENEFITS FOR PRESERVATION, AFFORDABILITY, ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY.
WE'RE LOSING OLDER, SMALLER AND MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES TO LARGER, LESS AFFORDABLE ONES.
AUSTIN AVERAGES OVER 500 RESIDENTIAL DEMOLITIONS ANNUALLY, AND THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION IS 2,800 SQUARE FEET.
IN A DEVELOPMENT CLIMATE THAT INCENTIVIZES DEMOLITION, THE PRESERVATION BONUS CREATES MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESERVE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO TAKE IT, RECALIBRATING THE BONUSES.
FAR ENTITLEMENT TO MATCH THE PLANNING, COMMISSION AND COUNCIL'S INTENT IS THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THE BONUS WORK FOR MORE POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
COUNCIL'S JULY RESOLUTION DIRECTED STAFF TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS INCLUDING ALLOWING RELOCATED PRE 1961 HOMES TO ACCESS THE BONUS REDUCING REAR AND FRONT SETBACKS AND ALLOWING FOR FRONT BACK SUBDIVISIONS.
IN ADDITION TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COUNCIL, INCREASING SITE COVERAGE AND ENTITLING PRESERVATION BONUS PROJECTS TO A FOURTH UNIT WILL INCREASE THE BONUSES EFFICACY IN, IN ADDING DENSITY TO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN AND OUR PARTNERS AT AUSTIN INFIELD COALITION AND A I A AUSTIN'S HOUSING ADVOCACY COMMITTEE ARE PROUD OF OUR COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CREATE THE PRESERVATION BONUS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED WORK TO MAKE THE BONUS STRONGER, UNLOCK ITS POTENTIAL TO SAVE MORE AUSTIN HOMES FROM THE LANDFILL AND GENERATE MORE HOUSING.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS, MAYOR.
AS YOU'VE HEARD, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
LET ME, UH, ANNOUNCE AGAIN THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MEET AGAIN ON APRIL 8TH, AND AT THAT TIME, THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT
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AND INPUT.IF THE PUBLIC, IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS READY AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE AND IT WILL VOTE ON RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS ALSO SCHEDULED TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM ON THE APRIL 20, AT THE APRIL 24TH REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
AND AT THAT TIME, WE WILL ALSO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIS WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE WILL BE IN A POSITION, UH, TO VOTE ON IT IF WE DECIDE THAT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO VOTE ON THIS.
UH, SINCE THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'M JUST SAYING THANK YOU FOR RUNNING THE SMOOTHEST, QUICKEST WHOLE RUN MEETING.
UM, HE, HE, HE, THE REASON HE'S TALKING IS HE WAS BETTING ON THE OVER UNDER THAT IT WOULD BE TWO 11, UH, THAT WE WOULD, UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED WITHOUT, UH, ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED ALTERNA TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR.
WITHOUT FURTHER OBJECTION, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
SEEING ANYTHING WE CAN MOVE AHEAD WITH THAT AND WITH NO OBJECTION, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT 2:11 PM THANK YOU, HONOR.