[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
SO HAVING A QUORUM PRESENT WITHIN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND DIGITALLY, I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER AT SIX 8:00 PM I'LL START WITH ROLL CALL.
I'M GONNA ASK FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE IF Y'ALL CAN, YOU KNOW, SIMMER DOWN OR WALK OUT IF YOU NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION JUST SO WE CAN GET ON WITH BUSINESS.
ALSO, UM, A REMINDER, IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY ITEM, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SIGNED UP WITH STAFF.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT DONE TODAY AS WELL.
SO I'LL START WITH THE ROLL CALL AND PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRESENCE.
I'LL CALL IN THE ORDER LISTED ON OUR AGENDA.
SHE'S NOT HERE AND WILL BE JOINING US SLIGHTLY LATE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER, UH, HEMPEL WHO IS NOT HERE, BUT YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THAT SEAT.
COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE HERE, AND COMMISSIONER HILLER HERE.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR EX-OFFICIAL MEMBERS.
SO WE HAVE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS CHAIR, JESSICA COHEN HERE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR COHEN FOR JOINING US.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING OUR HYBRID MEETING.
SO OUR USUAL TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL BE HYBRID ALONG FOR A VIRTUAL QUORUM AS LONG AS THE COMMISSIONER SERVING AS CHAIR PRESENT IN CHAMBERS.
AS SUCH, WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS HERE IN CHAMBERS AND ATTENDANCE, VIRTUALLY, SIMILARLY, SPEAKERS CAN PRESENT FROM THE CHAMBERS OR PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY VIRTUAL COMMISSIONERS.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR SIGN IN SHEET TO OUR STAFF LIAISON FOR THE CLERK'S, UH, GUIDELINES.
AND ALSO REMEMBER TO HAVE YOUR GREEN, RED, AND YELLOW VOTING ITEMS JUST SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT.
UM, IF YOU'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL PRIOR TO THE COMMISSION TAKING UP YOUR ITEM.
OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE IN PERSON, YOU'LL BE CALLED UPON AND I WILL HAVE ASSISTANCE FROM MS. GARCIA IN ANNOUNCING THE SPEAKERS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, WE'RE GONNA START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.MS. GARCIA, DO WE HAVE ANY SIGNED UP? ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES, CHAIR.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER SIGNED IN FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IS RYAN CROWLEY.
RYAN, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
ELLA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, I WANNA SPEAK ON, I BELIEVE THAT ON YOUR, UH, CONSENT AGENDA TODAY IS A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE DISCUSSION AND VOTING AND AMENDING ON THE UNO UPDATE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE PLAN, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS SPECIFICALLY TO POSTPONE THAT UNTIL MAY 13TH, WHICH WOULD BE AFTER CHAIR POINT OF ORDER PLEASE.
I A TO WAIT, WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO BE CONSENTED.
IF I WAS INCORRECT, YOU'LL BE SI CAN, YOU'LL, CAN YOU'LL SPEAK ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
CAN YOU JUST MAKE SURE WITH MS. GARCIA THAT YOU ARE INDEED SIGNED UP ON THAT ITEM SO THAT WE'LL CALL UP YOUR NAME ON THAT.
YEAH, I DIDN'T SEE IT WHEN I WAS LOOKING TO SIGN UP.
I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING PROCEDURALLY INCORRECT.
AND MS. GARCIA, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT SPEAKERS? YES, CHAIR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER SIGN IN FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IS ADAM MATNEY.
ADAM, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE I WANNA THANK YOU ALL AND ONE OF YOUR NUMBER IN PARTICULAR, I WANTED TO THANK ONE OF YOU FOR REVIVING DISCUSSION ABOUT WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS AND THE WITS OF ROADWAYS DURING THE APRIL 8TH MEETING.
LET ME SAY I GET CONFUSED SOMETIMES, WHICH MAKES IT REALLY HELPFUL WHEN HEARING STAFF COMMENTARY TO HAVE AN EVERY MAN ON THE COUNCIL WHO CAN REDUCE THEIR ANSWERS DOWN TO A POINT THAT I CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND.
UH, WHEN STAFF ANSWERS A YES OR NO QUESTION, I APPRECIATE HAVING SOMEONE JUST ADD CONTEXT TO THEIR ANSWERS.
OF COURSE, WITH CONTEXT COMES NUANCE AND WITH NUANCE, WELL, WHO CAN EXPECT SOMEONE LIKE ME TO UNDERSTAND A BINARY ANSWER? OFTENTIMES STAFF ANSWERS EQUATE OFTENTIMES AFTER STAFF ANSWERS, I'M QUITE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THEIR CLEAR AND CONCISE ANSWERS.
BUT THEN A COMMISSIONER COMES IN AND PUTS A SPIN ON THINGS TO CLEAR THINGS UP.
SOMETIMES THERE'S SO MUCH SPIN THAT IT'S ALMOST LIKE I'M HEARING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANSWER THAN THE ONE THAT WAS GIVEN.
FOR INSTANCE, I THOUGHT ROADWAYS WIDE ENOUGH TO QUICKLY LET FIRE TRUCKS THROUGH AN EMERGENCY WERE A GOOD THING.
BUT ONE OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS WAS ABLE TO REVEAL SIMPLE TRUTH TO ME, WHAT IS A FIRETRUCK, BUT A FAST CAR? THEY SAY THE MORE YOU LEARN, THE QUICKER YOU COME TO REALIZE HOW LITTLE YOU KNOW.
I SUPPOSE I LEARNED SO MUCH AS A FIRST RESPONDER IN PUBLIC POLICY AND POLICY SCHOOL AND LAW SCHOOL AND IN PUBLIC POLICY AFTER THAT.
AND FINALLY AS A COMMISSIONER IN THIS VERY CITY THAT WITH ALL
[00:05:01]
THAT LEARNING, I SHOULD ACCEPT THAT I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND I SHOULD JUST ACCEPT WHAT'S PARROTED BACK TO ME.I CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT FIRETRUCK ARE REALLY JUST FAST CARS.
MENAS NO BETTER THAN STREET RACERS.
I MUST HAVE LEARNED TOO MUCH THOUGH BECAUSE I STILL DON'T QUITE GET IT.
I DON'T GET WHY DEVELOPER PROFITS ARE WORTH HOUSING OUR STUDENTS IN WINDOWLESS BOXES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'D WANT TO INCENTIVIZE DESIGNS THAT ENSURE THERE'S NO SUNSHINE AT STREET LEVEL.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DISCUSSING ITEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED AND ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
HECK, THERE'S A TINY CONFUSED PART OF ME THAT THINKS THAT DYING IN A TENEMENT FIRE MIGHT BE SUBOPTIMAL.
I'M SURE A COMMISSIONER WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY IT MATTERS MORE THAT A DEVELOPER IS MARGINALLY MORE PROFITABLE THAN IT DOES TO HAVE A LIVABLE CITY.
I'M SURE WE'LL GET THERE BY GRILLING CITY STAFF AND THEN COMPLETELY MISCHARACTERIZING THEIR RESPONSES.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO COME TODAY TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR TIME, AND I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER ANDERSON IN PARTICULAR FOR REMINDING US THAT WITH WIDE ROADS WE GET FIRE TRUCKS AND FIRE TRUCKS ARE JUST FAST CARS.
MS. GARCIA, DID WE HAVE CHAIR AS I, AS I ALWAYS CALL IT OUT RIGHT THERE, I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THERE'S ENDLESS STUDIES AND ENDLESS DATA THAT JUST SHOWED THE WIDER THE LANE IS THE FASTER VEHICLES GO AND THE FASTER VEHICLES GO, THE MORE PEDESTRIAN DUSTS WE HAVE AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
UH, MS. GARCIA, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES, CHAIR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IS DANIEL MILLER.
DANIEL, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND JUST TO CONFIRM, MR. MILLER HAS SIGNED UP FOR AN ITEM IS YES, HE SIGNED UP FOR THE UNO, SO WE'LL HEAR, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT HE'S LISTENED AT THE RIGHT TIME.
UM, THIS TAKES US TO OUR FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
THIS ITEM IS POSTPONED TONIGHT, SO THIS WILL GO ON OUR NEXT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
DID NOT RECEIVE IT.OUR STAFF IS WORKING HARD TO GET THAT DONE AND WILL RECEIVE IT SOON ENOUGH.
UM, OUR NEXT PART IS REALLY GOING OVER OUR, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. I DO HAVE VICE CHAIR WOODS WHO'S GONNA HELP ME HERE WITH THAT AND HELP US GET THROUGH OUR, UM, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS IN NOTING ANY THAT ARE FOR CONSENT APPROVAL, DISAPPROVAL OR POSTPONEMENTS.
UM, AND COMMISSIONERS, YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST THAT ITEMS BE EITHER PULLED FROM OR SPEAK TO ANY OF THE ITEMS AND WE WILL LIKELY BE TAKING UP TESTIMONY AS WELL.
ITEM NUMBER TWO ON OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 2 5 0 1 OAK HILL APARTMENTS DISTRICT EIGHT.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM THREE IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 3 8 OAK HILL APARTMENTS DISTRICT EIGHT.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13.
ITEM FOUR IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 25 9 SH WAVERLY NORTH DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13.
ITEM FIVE IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 3 4 POINT SH WAVERLY NORTH DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM SIX IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 2 0.0 1 1 3 1 3 0 1 1 3 0 3 1 3 5 EAST FOURTH STREET DISTRICT THREE.
ITEM SEVEN IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 9 1 3 0 1 1 3 0 3 AND 1 3 0 5 EAST FOURTH STREET DISTRICT THREE.
ITEM EIGHT IS A PLAN AMENDMENT EAST EIGHTH, EXCUSE ME, EAST 11TH AND 12TH STREET, URBAN RENEWAL AREA MODIFICATION NUMBER 13 EAST 11TH AND 12TH STREET URBAN RENEWAL PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT ONE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 27TH.
ITEM NINE IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 3 12 0 1 EAST 11TH STREET DISTRICT ONE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 27TH.
ITEM 10 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 2 6 LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, DISTRICT 10.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 27TH.
ITEM 11 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 1 6 0 1000 RED RIVER DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 13 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 1 15 5 15 0 1 THROUGH 1603 SHOUL CREEK BOULEVARD, DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 13 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 1 74 GILL FILL HOUSE ADAPTIVE REUSE DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR CONSENT WITH THE FOLLOWING.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONAL USES, COMMUNITY RECREATION, PRIVATE COMMUNITY RECREATION, PUBLIC AND THE FOLLOWING.
ALTERNATIVE FINANCIAL SERVICES, AUTOMOTIVE WASHING OF ANY TYPE BAIL BOND SERVICES, COMMERCIAL
[00:10:01]
OFF STREET PARKING, CONSUMER REPAIR SERVICES, COUNSELING SERVICES, CUSTOM MANUFACTURING, GENERAL RETAIL SALES, CONVENIENCE, HOTEL MOTEL, INDOOR SPORTS AND RECREATION, LOCAL UTILITY SERVICES, OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT, OUTDOOR SPORTS AND RECREATION PAWN SHOP SERVICES, PETTY CAB STORAGE AND DISPATCH, PERFORMANCE VENUE, PET SERVICES, PLANT NURSERY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER.ITEM 14 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 68 6 2 0 1 CROW LANE DISTRICT TWO.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 15 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 75 AIRPORT IN OAK SPRINGS DISTRICT ONE.
ITEM 16 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH THREE SIXTH AND WALSH DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JUNE 10TH.
ITEM 17 IS A REZONING C EIGHT 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 1 500 SOUTH CONGRESS PUD, DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 18 IS A REZONING C EIGHT 14 DASH ZERO SIX DASH 0 1 0 9 0.03.
LAKESHORE PUTT AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 19 IS AN LDC AMENDMENT C 20 DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 AMENDMENTS TO THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR REGULATING PLAN DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 12 IS A DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS SP 2023 DASH 0 4 3 7 C 7 0 1 WEST SIXTH STREET.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR STAFF POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 21 IS AN LDC AMENDMENT, SPC DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 9 1.
A WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED TREATMENT PLANT ENHANCEMENT AND EXPANSION PROJECT DISTRICT ONE.
ITEM 22 IS AN LDC AMENDMENT C 20 DASH 2024 DASH 10 UNO UPDATE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 23 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 9 0 2 UNO AMENDMENT.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 24 IS A REZONING C 20 DASH 2024 DASH ZERO 10 UNO UPDATE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL MAY 13TH.
ITEM 25 IS AN LDC AMENDMENT C 20 DASH 2024 DASH ZERO 16 PRESERVATION BONUS.
ITEM 26 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 7 0.01 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT FOUR.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 27 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH ZERO 7.01 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT FOUR.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 28 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH ZERO 7.02.
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT SEVEN.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 29 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 8 0.01 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT FOUR.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 30 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 2 6 1 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT FOUR.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 31 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 0 1 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 32 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 2 0 0.01 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 33 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 2 0 0.02.
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 34 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 22 0.01 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 35 IS A CODE AMENDMENT C 20 DASH 2024 DASH 0 24 AREA PLAN PROCESS AMENDMENT.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 36 IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT CPA DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREA VISION PLAN.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AND FINALLY, ITEM 37 IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT CPA A DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 2 SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATIONARY VISION PLAN.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR, UM, PUBLIC BRIEFING ITEMS. UM, JUST TO REMIND COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEF BRIEFING THIS ITEM NUMBER 38 REGARDING THE INTEGRATED BOND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY PLAN.
THIS TIME IS BEING POSTPONED TO THE APRIL 29TH MEETING, SO WE WILL NOT BE HEARING THAT.
ONE OTHER NOTE I'LL QUICKLY MAKE, UH, COMMISSIONERS TO NOTE IS IN OUR ACTION ITEMS TONIGHT IN THE, IN THE, IN OUR PC ACTION ITEMS, YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO OUR VARIOUS JOINT COMMITTEES WITH THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS.
WE WILL BE COMING TO THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO PLEASE, UM, YOU KNOW, DURING RECESS OR SOMETHING, FEEL FREE TO GO TO THE WEBSITE.
WE'LL SHOW YOU REGULAR MEETING TIMES AND IT WILL ALSO SHOW YOU SORT OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THAT BODY
[00:15:01]
SO YOU CAN DECIDE WHICH ONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN.HAVING SAID THAT, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS NEED TO RECUSE OR ABSTAIN THEMSELVES FROM ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA CHAIR? PARDON? GO AHEAD.
UH, I NEED TO ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS NUMBER 36 AND 37, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO STAY ON THE DICE AND LISTEN UNTIL THE VOTE.
UH, MR. ANDERSON, AND ONE QUICK CHANGE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ON ITEM 15, REMOVE THE, THE WAIVER OF GROUND FLOOR RETAIL AND I HAVE OKAYED THIS WITH BOTH STAFF AND THE APPLICANT.
UH, DOES ANY COMMISSIONER HAVE ANY CONCERN WITH NOTING THAT THE WAIVER IS NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE CONSENT MOTION? NOT SEEING THAT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS ADDED TO IT.
UM, MS. GARCIA, CAN WE START WITH THE SPEAKERS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE SPEAKING FOR ITEMS TWO AND THREE.
LEE ZE ZIEGLER LEE WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
LEE, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
THIS IS LEE ZIEGLER, CHAIR OF THE OAK HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING CONTACT TEAM.
THE CONTACT TEAM REQUESTED A TWO WEEK POSTPONEMENT REGARDING THE LAND USE CHANGE FOR THE PROPERTY AT 55 26 WEST US HIGHWAY TWO 90 TO ALLOW INTERESTED NEIGHBORS TO PARTICIPATE DESPITE PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH THE REGISTRATION FORM YESTERDAY AND THE NOTIFICATION WHICH WAS POSTED AND DATED SENT ON APRIL THE 10TH, WHICH I AS CHAIR ONLY RECEIVED BY MAIL TODAY.
RETURNING FROM A WEEKEND EASTER TRIP, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WOULD BENEFIT BY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE IMPACT OF UPSO UPON GAINES CREEK PROPERTIES AND AN AREA WELL-KNOWN FOR PREVIOUS FLOODING AS WELL AS BUYOUTS IMPACTING INCREASED BLOW DOWNSTREAM TO GAINES CREEK.
AND THIS PROPERTY INCLUDES ACREAGE WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE OF GAINES CREEK.
RECENTLY, MULTIPLE MIXED USE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE AREA.
THE MIXED USE DESIGNATION HAS TAKEN EFFECT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET AND A 1000 FOOT HEIGHT APPROVED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A MILE.
THIS SIDE OF THE SUBURBAN INTERSECTION OF MOPAC AND WEST US TWO 90 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
ADDITIONALLY, ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY, THERE IS A PREVIOUS REQUEST NOW AND IN, IN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT FOR AN IDENTICAL CHANGE FROM NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL TO MIXED USE BY THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY AT 55 24 WEST US HIGHWAY TWO 90.
FURTHERMORE, THE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY RELATED TO THE FLOODING POTENTIAL SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN LIGHT OF THIS POTENTIAL CHANGE.
OTHER CONCERNS NOT UNDERSTOOD OR DISCUSSED, RELATE TO WALKABILITY ON THE FRONTAGE PROPERTY ACCESS AND FIRE DURING DROUGHT IN PROXIMITY, UH, BY TWO AND IGNORED RIPARIAN CREEK.
THAT'S, UM, GAINES CREEK AND THE IMPACT IF A DECISION IS MADE TO REMAIN COMMERCIAL UNDER EXPANDED MIXED USE.
PLEASE, PLEASE ALLOW FOR AND GRANT THE TWO WEEKS POSTPONEMENT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM SIX AND SEVEN, LEAH BOJO.
LEAH, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND SHE'S WAIVING HER, RIGHT? SHE'S REPRESENTS THE APPLICANT.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS MICHAEL WAYLAN.
MICHAEL, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
MR. WAYLON IS WITH THE APPLICANT TEAM AS WELL.
MR. WAYLON, ARE YOU WAIVING YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK OR DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? I.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER FOR ITEM 13 IS WILL CAMPOS.
WILL, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM 15, WE HAVE THE SAME TWO SPEAKERS, MICHAEL WHALEN FOR FIVE MINUTES AND WILL CAMPOS FOR THREE.
I SEE THE APPLICANT WAIVING THOSE, THAT THOSE TWO SPEAKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AS WELL.
MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 16.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS MILA SANTANA.
MILA WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
MILA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO JUNE 10TH, AND I KNOW THAT MS. SANTANA REPRESENTS THE APPLICANT TEAM.
[00:20:10]
I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON.IF MS. SANTANA COMES BACK AND DOES WANT TO SPEAK, WE CAN, UM, TAKE UP THAT TESTIMONY.
YES, I'M WAIVING MY RIGHT TO SPEAK.
THIS IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 13TH.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS THE APPLICANT, RICHARD SU.
RICHARD, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES MR. SUTTLE WAVES THAT DIRECT AS WELL.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS RYAN CROWLEY.
RYAN, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO MAY 13TH.
I APOLOGIZE FOR POSSIBLY BEING, UH, INCORRECT EARLIER.
AND THEN ALSO I ACTUALLY, UH, OPPOSE, UH, POSTPONEMENT.
UM, THE MAIN REASON FOR THAT IS I DO BELIEVE THAT STAFF HAS TO BE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB REACHING OUT TO, UH, RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I AM THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR FOR COLLEGE HOUSES.
UH, SINCE THE START OF UNO, WE HAVE USED UNO TO, UH, PROVIDE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COOPERATIVE HOUSING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE, SO WE ARE, WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT, UH, FOR 20 PLUS YEARS NOW.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT STUDENT LEADERS HERE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ALL YEAR LONG WITH STAFF TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOU, UH, HELP YOU AND CITY REACH, UH, THE GOALS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SET FOR THIS UPDATE.
WE WANNA BE COLLABORATIVE, UH, HELPFUL PARTNERS ON THAT.
AND WE DO BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT STUDENT VOICES BE VERY WELL HEARD IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS SO PREDOMINANTLY, UH, STUDENT BASED.
AND A POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 15TH AND THEN INTO THE SUMMER FOR THE COUNCIL APPROVAL WILL VERY LIKELY LEAD TO A MAJORITY OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY, NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEIR VOICES PROPERLY HEARD.
UM, AND, AND SO IT'S OUR POSITION THAT WE BELIEVE THAT POSTPONEMENT IS NOT NECESSARY.
UM, I MYSELF ALSO REPRESENT COLLEGE HOUSES ON THE UAP, WHICH I BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE PE GROUPS THAT REQUESTED THE POSTPONEMENT.
AND I PERSONALLY SAW HOW THE HEAD OF UAP VIEWS THIS PROJECT AS SOMETHING THAT HE WANTS THROWN IN THE TRASH AS HOW HE DESCRIBED IT DIRECTLY.
UM, SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT ORGANIZATION IS ACTUALLY WORKING IN A GOOD FAITH WAY WHEN THEY REQUEST THIS POSTPONEMENT.
THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO KILL IT BY KNOWING THAT THEY'LL LEAD TO FEWER STUDENT VOICES BEING HEARD IN THE PROCESS.
UM, AND SO THAT IS WHY I REALLY DO THINK THAT IF IT MUST BE POSTPONED, IF YOU GUYS DO, AND I UNDERSTAND RESPECT, IF YOU AND STAFF DO FEEL YOU NEED MORE TIME, WE REQUEST THAT YOU POSTPONE IT UNTIL THE FALL WHEN STUDENTS WILL BE BACK IN THE AREA AND WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO ONCE AGAIN LEND THEIR VOICES COLLABORATIVELY TO THIS PROCESS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER ON ITEM 22 IS EDWIN BATISTA.
EDWIN WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
EDWIN, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, LOOKS LIKE HE'S NOT CURRENTLY IN OUR QUEUE, BUT WE'LL BE SURE TO COME BACK TO HIM IF HE JOINS US.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR ON ITEM 22 IS JOSEPH L HABER.
JOSEPH, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME I WANTED TO SPEAK, UH, FIRSTLY IN SUPPORT OF THE UNO AMENDMENTS.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR SIX YEARS, WHICH IS QUITE A LONG TIME FOR OBVIOUSLY A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S KNOWN FOR A VERY TRANSIENT POPULATION.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY THOUGH I'M GENERALLY IN SUPPORT OF, UH, EVERYTHING THAT UNO PROPOSES.
UM, SPECIFICALLY, OBVIOUSLY THE TALLER BUILDINGS HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL, BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT GIVEN THE LIMITED DEVELOPABLE UH, PARCELS THAT ARE LEFT WITHIN WEST CAMPUS.
BUT, UH, WITH A CAVEAT, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY I WAS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED WITH, UH, THE STAFF PROPOSAL THAT I SAW A COUPLE MONTHS AGO THAT DIDN'T EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES, UH, MORE THAN THEY'VE BEEN PROPOSED.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE REASONS, UH, THAT I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR SORT OF, UH, AN EXPANSION OF THE BOUNDARIES, UH, NORTH OF DEAN KEATON.
THIS IS SORT OF THE AREA THAT I THINK IS PASSED DUE FOR, UH, AN INCREMENTAL UPZONING.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE SORT OF DEVELOPED TO THE SAME INTENSITY AS WEST CAMPUS.
BUT, UH, I TOOK A LOOK AT SORT OF THE STAFF REPORT ON THE HOUSING CAPACITY, UH, ANALYSIS THAT THEY DID.
AND THEY SORT OF TALKED ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT THEY CONSIDERED.
ONE, UH, IF LIKE EVERY PARCEL THAT THEY ANALYZED WAS TO DEVELOP TO THE FULL CAPACITY AND THEN A SECOND WHERE THEY EXCLUDED SORT OF THESE FRAT SORORITIES, UH, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND SO ON.
AND THEY FOUND THAT, UM, IN THE SCENARIO WHERE THESE SORT OF, UH,
[00:25:01]
IN THE SCENARIO WITHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, THESE INSTITUTIONS OR THESE INSTITUTIONAL PARCELS, IT ACTUALLY FALLS 17% BELOW, UH, SORT OF THE HOUSING CAPACITY GOAL.UH, BUT THEY MENTION THAT IF EVERY SORT OF DEVELOPMENT SITE WITHIN WEST CAMPUS AND THE PROPOSED BOUNDARY WERE TO DEVELOP, INCLUDING THOSE, THAT THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 27% ABOVE.
UM, THAT IS A HUGE BUFFER FROM 27% ON EVERY DEVELOPABLE PARCEL VERSUS NEGATIVE 17% IF YOU WERE TO, UH, EXCLUDE SORT OF THE FRAT SORORITIES OR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND SO ON.
SO THAT'S A HUGE, IT'S NOT GUARANTEED, UH, THAT HOUSING WOULD DEVELOP, UH, IN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.
SO THAT IS A BIG REASON THAT, UH, I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR, UH, A LARGER BOUNDARY EXPANSION TO GET A MORE GUARANTEED SORT OF HOUSING SUPPLY.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK NORTH CAMPUS SORT OF OFFERS THAT.
I THINK THERE ARE, UH, AREAS THERE THAT UM, DEFINITELY COULD, COULD USE IT.
AND I, I HEAR THAT UH, THE CITY NOW HAS A NEW HOUSING TOY TO PLAY WITH, WITH, UH, SINGLE SARAH APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
I THINK IT'D BE GREAT, UH, TO SEE SOME OF THAT IN NORTH CAMPUS TO OFFER MORE OF A, A GENTLE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION THERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER FOR ITEM 22 IS PHILIP WILEY.
PHILIP, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND AS, JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 13TH.
HE BRIEFS HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK SO WE CAN MOVE ON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS KEVIN OP.
KEVIN WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
KEVIN, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
THANK YOU, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
MY NAME'S KEVIN OP, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CASCADE CONDOS, HOA, UH, WHICH WOULD BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED OUTER WEST CAMPUS SUBDISTRICT IN THE UNO UPDATE.
UM, WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF EXPANDING UNO'S BATTERIES AND GROWING TALLER IN EXCHANGE FOR COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UM, CASCADE CONDOS IS 113 OWNERSHIP UNITS AND RETAIL SPACES, UH, THAT INCLUDED 10% INCOME RESTRICTED OWNERSHIP UNITS AT 80%.
MFII AM THE RECIPIENT OF ONE OF THOSE, UH, OWNERSHIP, UH, INCOME RESTRICTED OWNERSHIP UNITS.
A TWO TWO, UH, FOR WHICH I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR.
UM, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS DON'T OWN CARS.
THEY PREFER TO WALK BIKE SCOOTERS, SKATEBOARD TO CAMPUS OR THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AUSTIN.
UM, HOWEVER, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU'RE AWARE FOR HOW DENSE AND WALKABLE WEST CAMPUS IS, THERE'S A REAL LACK OF AMENITIES, ESPECIALLY RETAIL AND GROCERIES THAT WOULD MAKE WEST CAMPUS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE FOR EVERYONE.
UH, THE PROBLEM BEING WITH THE SUCCESSFUL RETAIL AND A REASONABLY PRICED GROCERY STORE IS THAT MOST OF THE RESIDENTS OF WEST CAMPUS LEAVE FOR THE SUMMER.
UM, OUR HOPE IS FOR A WEST CAMPUS, UM, THAT IS, UH, FULL OF A MIX OF INCOMES AND AGES AND, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO UNO THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UM, AFFORDABILITY BONUS, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL DENSITY AT 80% MFI.
UM, WHILE WE, UH, TOTALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE PRIMARY NEED FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, UM, THE FOCUS ON BEDROOMS AND THEN 50% MFI DOESN'T COVER THE ENTIRETY OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY OR EVEN THE UT COMMUNITY WHERE THERE'S MANY GRAD STUDENTS, UH, TAS, STAFF, UH, PROFESSORS WHO LIKEWISE WE'RE AT TIME, UH, SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, WALK TO CAMPUS.
SO, UH, THAT IS OUR REQUEST OF Y'ALL, UH, TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS JUSTIN LANIER.
JUSTIN, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I APPRECIATE YOU PUSHING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, ONE OF A COUPLE STUDENTS, UM, NOT A LOT CAN MAKE IT DOWN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT IS FINALS.
UM, SAD TO SEE THAT IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE POSTPONED.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO TAKE MORE TIME WITH THE POLICY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT THREE KEY TENANT PROTECTIONS THAT THE UNIVERSITY TENANTS UNION WOULD LIKE TO SEE PASSED AS PART OF THE UNO UPDATE.
UH, I'M THE POLICY DIRECTOR FOR THE UNIVERSITY TENANTS UNION, JUSTIN LANIER, SORRY, SKIPPED THAT PART.
UM, THE THREE TENANT PROTECTIONS WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN YOUR INBOX IN GREAT DETAIL ARE NUMBER ONE, UM, PROVIDING COMPENSATION AND ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY
[00:30:01]
FOR DELAYED MOVE-INS.SO IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE A STUDENT.
UM, YOU SIGN A LEASE FOR AN APARTMENT 12 MONTHS IN ADVANCE, YOU SHOW UP TO THAT APARTMENT ON THE DAY YOU'RE READY TO MOVE IN WITH YOUR MOM'S COUCH IN THE BACK OF YOUR CAR, AND THE APARTMENT IS NOT READY FOR YOU.
FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LIVE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WHILE WE FINISH THE APARTMENT.
UM, WE FIND THIS STATE OF ACTION TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
UH, LEGAL SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AT UT ANTICIPATES IT.
UM, AND IN SHORT, WE, WE NEED PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENTS SO THAT THEIR INSURED COMPENSATION, THEIR INSURED, THE ABILITY TO BREAK THEIR LEASE, UM, THEY ARE ALLOWED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCEPT ALTERNATE ACCOMMODATIONS IF THAT IS POSSIBLE FROM THE LANDLORD.
UM, SECONDLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LIMIT ON PRE-LEASING.
SO AGAIN, IMAGINE YOU ARE A FRESHMAN AT UT, YOU ARRIVE ON CAMPUS WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
YOU ARE BEING TOLD IT IS TIME TO SIGN YOUR LEASE FOR THE FOLLOWING AUGUST.
UM, YOU HAVE NOT MET YOUR FRIENDS, LET ALONE YOUR PROFESSORS.
YOU ARE JUST GETTING YOUR BEARINGS RIGHT, YOU'VE NEVER LEASED BEFORE, AND YOU'RE BEING PRESSURED TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST INTIMATE AND IMPORTANT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE.
UM, WE WOULD SEE THIS PRE-LEASING TIMELINE LIMITED TO SIX MONTHS BEFORE, UH, A LEASE WOULD START FOR RENEWALS AND FIVE MONTHS TO BEFORE A NEW LEASE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS, UH, THE BETTER PART.
UM, THIRD PIECE IS JUST AROUND, UH, ENDING PRO PROHIBITING BORROWED LIGHT, UH, IN APARTMENTS IN NUNO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS GRANT GILKER, OR GRANT? YEAH, GRANT GILKER.
GRANT, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
I'M GRANT, I'M A MEMBER OF THE TENANTS UNION, BUT I'M ALSO THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE LARGEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER IN WEST CAMPUS, CURRENTLY UNDER THE UNO DISTRICT, WHICH IS COLLEGE HOUSES.
AND TOGETHER WE'VE BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER A COALITION OF THE TWO LARGEST COOPERATIVE BUSINESSES WITH WHEATSVILLE CO-OP TO EXPLORE OPTIONS ON HOW TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP, UM, AND, AND BUILD LEGITIMATE FOOD AND WHOLE AND PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS, UM, IN A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESIDENCY MIXED USE PROPERTY.
THEY'VE ASKED FOR SOME SPECIFICS TO CHANGE SOME DEFINITIONS THAT YOU CAN SEE IN OUR PROPOSAL HERE.
LOWERING THE SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENT FROM 8,000 SQUARE FOOT.
THERE SIMPLY ISN'T ENOUGH SPACE THERE, AND THEY'VE PROPOSED SEVERAL DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE MODELS TO A LARGE SORT OF HEB TYPE FORMAT, BUT INSTEAD HAVING A SMALLER, UM, MIXED USE FINISHED GOODS, BUT STILL WHOLE AND PERISHABLE ITEMS. SO THERE'S A PROPOSED DEFINITION CHANGE ON, UM, PAGE TWO OF THIS DOCUMENT AS WELL FOR, UM, THAT WE JOIN IN, UH, SOLIDARITY WITH THE TENANTS UNION TO LIMIT PRE-LEASING, NOT JUST FROM A TENANT'S RIGHT PERSPECTIVE, BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT FROM AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER PERSPECTIVE, WE SIMPLY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH PRIVATE MARKET.
WE HAVE TO SET OUR BUDGET BASED ON THE MFI DATA AND WE CAN'T SEND OUT CONTRACTS UNTIL BASICALLY SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE, UM, UH, THE START OF A THE FALL MOVE IN TIMELINE.
AND SO WE THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO LIMIT THIS, UM, THESE, UH, PRE-LEASING PRACTICES THAT ARE VERY PREDATORY FOR NEW STUDENTS AND EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS.
UH, WE HAVE A SMALL RECOMMENDATION ON PAGE THREE TO EXPAND THE INNER CAMPUS BOUNDARY.
THE HEIGHT INCREASE BY JUST ONE BLOCK BACK, IT WOULD COVER FIVE COOPERATIVE PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALLOW US TO EVENTUALLY DEVELOP HIGHER.
UM, WE THINK THAT LIKE, BECAUSE MOST OF THE COOPERATIVE HOUSES ARE FURTHER BACK IN WEST CAMPUS, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERING SOME, UM, LITTLE BIT TALLER THAN MID-RISE OPTIONS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DEVELOP TALLER.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE JUST WANNA SPEAK ON A SECURING THE FEE AND LIE TRUST FUND SYSTEM.
UM, IT'S INCREDIBLY ESSENTIAL THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT WILL BE THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND DEVELOP.
THIS WAS RATIFIED BY 400 STUDENTS AT OUR GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING JUST LAST WEEK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS ZACH FERRIS.
ZACH, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UH, HOW Y'ALL, UH, MY NAME IS ZACHARY FADI.
UM, I AM, UH, HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT.
UH, I AM NOT, I AM GENERALLY, IF I HAD TO VOTE TO, YOU KNOW, I AM IN FAVOR OF STAFF'S CURRENT PROPOSAL THAT LIKE, I WOULDN'T VOTE AGAINST IT, BUT I THINK IT IS, UH, UNAMBITIOUS AND NOT UP TO THE, THE TASK OF, UH, OF HOUSING OUR STUDENT POPULATION.
UM, THERE IS TONS OF STUDENT HOUSING, OF MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING THAT IS ALREADY PRIMARILY STUDENT OCCUPIED ALL AROUND, UH, CAMPUS THAT IS GONNA BE LEFT OUT OF THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.
UM, WE ORA HAS A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE EMAILED TO ALL, ALL, I BELIEVE ALL OF THE PLAN COMMISSIONERS AND HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OF Y'ALL.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH SEVERAL STUDENTS GROUPS INCLUDING THE LY DEMOCRATS THAT LONGHORN URBANNESS,
[00:35:01]
THE COLLEGE S UH, UNIVERSITY TENANTS UNION.UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME OF THEM TO, TO SIGN ON TO THE, THE, THE SORT OF POLICY RECS THAT WE'VE BEEN, THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THEM WITH.
UM, YEAH, I I THINK IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT TIMELINE AND IF IT WAS POSTPONED, UH, THAT IT'S GONNA BE LARGELY HAPPENING WHILE STUDENTS ARE OUT, UH, OR VERY BUSY WITH FINALS AND THEN OUT, UH, I WISH THEY COULD BE MORE ENGAGED.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT WAS PASSED, IF IT PASSED THROUGH THIS BODY TODAY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE WITH MOST OF, WITH LARGELY HOW IT IS.
AND I THINK I WANT TO GIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TIME TO, TO TALK AND THINK ABOUT AND LOOK AT, UH, POTENTIALLY EXPANDING BOUNDARIES AND, AND WORK WITH AURA AND OTHER STUDENT GROUPS, UM, ON THOSE ISSUES.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT.
UM, YEAH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS DANIEL MILLER.
DANIEL, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES AND THEN OUR NEXT TWO SPEAKERS AFTER WILL BE JOEL MCNE AND ROWENA DASH IF Y'ALL WANNA MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH THIS EVENING.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR COLLEGE CHAIS.
UM, I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE UNO AMENDMENT AND ALSO, UM, IN FAVOR OF, UM, HANDLING THIS EITHER NOW OR AFTER THE STUDENTS HAVE RETURNED IN THE FALL.
THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER FOR THE DECISIONS AFFECTING THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PRESENT AND ABLE TO GIVE INPUT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TENANTS UNION WITH, UM, OUR COOPERATIVE NEIGHBORS AND WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AT WHEATSVILLE.
SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY TO BRING, UM, BOTH MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MORE, UH, AFFORDABLE GROCERIES TO WEST CAMPUS.
WE ARE ALSO VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THE TENANT PROTECTIONS THAT ARE HERE AND ARE VERY STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, PARTICULARLY THE ADDITION OF WINDOWS AS A REQUIREMENT.
THE ADDITION OF, UM, LIMITS ON HOW EARLY PEOPLE CAN BE REQUIRED TO COMMIT TO PRE-LEASE.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT THE CONTINUED WORK TO BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF UNO WILL MAKE THIS A PART OF THE CITY THAT MORE AND MORE AUSTINITES ARE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF.
ARE NOW MOVING FORWARD TO SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION FOR ITEM 22 SPEAKING.
UM, AS A REMINDER, AGAIN, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 13TH.
THE PRIMARY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS JOEL MCNE.
JOEL, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE, SO THANK YOU ELLA FOR HELPING ME NAVIGATE THIS.
I DID PRINT MATERIAL BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE 12 HOUR WAITS FOR TWO MINUTES.
SO I, I'M A LITTLE ANXIOUS ABOUT HAVING SO MUCH TIME, BUT THIS IS A VERY HOT TOPIC.
UM, SAFE HORNS IS A NONPROFIT THAT ADVOCATES FOR SAFETY ON AND AROUND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
WE ARE PARENTS, ALUMNI STUDENTS.
WE BEGAN AFTER THE TRAGIC, BRUTAL RAPE AND MURDER OF HAAH WISER ON OUR CAMPUS IN 2016.
MUCH OF THE WORK THAT WE DO ADVOCATING FOR SAFETY ARE THINGS LIKE THESE INITIATIVES.
SO I AM THE PRESIDENT OF SAFE HORNS.
I AM ALSO A CERTIFIED SEP TED PRACTITIONER.
I AM ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE US SEP TED ASSOCIATION AND A MEMBER OF UNIVERSITY AREA PARTNER STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
SO I KNOW IT WAS DIFFICULT TO POSTPONE THIS BECAUSE THE STUDENT VOICE IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE STAKEHOLDERS CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WE DO.
UH, SAFE HORNS HAS WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY TO BE A PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TAKE ACTION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE, UM, OPENED SAFE HORNS PLACE, WHICH IS IN THE AREA OF THE ARTIST MARKET AT 23RD AND SAN ANTONIO LAST YEAR.
IT'S BASICALLY JUST TO BE A STED EXAMPLE OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE ARTIST MARKET IS AN AREA THAT HAS SEEN A LOT OF CRIME.
HOME TO MACHETE GUY, POLE GUY, THAT IS WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR HEAD ON PIVOT.
THAT IS WHERE I DAILY REMOVE GRAFFITI, HUMAN FECES, PICK UP TRASH.
A LOT IS GOING ON IN THAT AREA.
SO THAT IS WHY THIS TOPIC IS SO IMPORTANT AND SO SERIOUS TO US.
SO IN TERMS OF HOUSING, THIS IS TRULY ONE OF MY PASSIONS.
I BECAME A SUBHEAD PRACTITIONER BECAUSE FEMALE STUDENTS WERE BEING STALKED AND THEY WERE IN FEAR OF BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THEIR OFF-CAMPUS STUDENT HOUSING.
THE PROPERTY OWNER REFUSED TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE MALE STUDENTS WERE MOVING IN SOON.
SO HE DIDN'T NEED TO DO THAT ANYWAY.
STED IS CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT YOU ALL CAN MAKE, WHICH MAKES A SIGNIFICANT RIPPLE EFFECT IN OUR ENTIRE CITY IS IF YOU ADD STED CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN TO CODE, IT IS COMMON
[00:40:01]
TO HAVE IT IN CODE.WE ARE ASKING IT TO BE ADDED TO CODE.
THAT'S WHY I PRINTED THIS INFORMATION.
THERE IS A LOT OF GRANT MONEY THAT CAN BE DONE.
A LOT OF POSITIVE IMPACT CAN BE DONE IN MULTI-HOUSING PROPERTIES ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CITY AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY BY IMPLEMENTING STED AND JUST SAYING IT OUT LOUD, CURRENTLY THE CODE REFERS TO STREETSCAPE.
I HAVE GIVEN YOU ON THE FRONT PAGE OF MY PRINTOUT THE DEFINITION OF STREETSCAPE VERSUS THE DEFINITION OF STED.
I KNOW THAT'S WHAT DE DEVELOPERS ARE USED TO, BUT CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN IS AN AVENUE THAT YOU ARE NOW EMPOWERING OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
THAT THIS IS HOW WE WANT TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THIS AREA.
WE WANT THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF CRIME PREVENTION AS PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
CURRENTLY, THIS IS WHAT WE DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, WE HAVE SECURITY GATES IN OUR PARKING GARAGES, NOT FUNCTIONING.
REPAIRS TAKE MONTHS IF EVER TO BE RESOLVED.
WE HAVE SECURE MAIN ACCESS DOORS.
SO THESE ARE THE MAIN ACCESS POINTS OF PROPERTIES.
ONE PROPERTY HAS FIVE DOORS THAT ARE NON-SECURE WITH MANAGEMENT NOT RESPONDING.
WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL SCREAMING ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR, MASTURBATING OUTSIDE THE STUDENT'S APARTMENT.
DEFECATING, URINATING IN THE CORNER AND NOTHING IS DONE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE, UM, SENDING US PICTURES OF PRIMARY CRASH BARS, EXIT BARS IN STAIRWELLS THAT ARE ZIP TIED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FUNCTIONING.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE INCIDENTS ABOUT ELEVATORS.
SO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT THIS DENSITY THAT YOU ALL WANT TO CREATE SO BADLY.
I WISH UNO WAS A MODEL ALREADY.
THERE'S SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.
SAFE HORNS IS THE PRIMARY OVERSIGHT AND WE'RE JUST A NONPROFIT.
IF YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO THIS, THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE OVERSIGHT.
THERE'S FOUR ELEVATORS IN THIS PROPERTY.
ONE JUST DROPPED WITH SIX FLOORS WITH STUDENTS IN THE ELEVATOR.
WE CAN TELL YOU DIFFERENT INCIDENTS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY HAPPENING.
PROPERTIES ARE NOT SECURE, THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINED.
THE COMMUNICATION IS NOT TRANSPARENT, IT'S NOT RESPONDED TOO QUICK ENOUGH.
SO THESE SECURE PROPERTIES NEED OVERSIGHT.
SO I'M ASKING YOU PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU.
WE WANT STED IN CODE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PHYSICAL SECURITY ASSESSMENTS THAT INCLUDE STED IN THESE PROPERTIES THAT WILL HELP US MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.
THIS IS A STUDENT COMMUNITY OF UT.
WE HAVE STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN, A CC MA'AM, WE'RE IT.
IDEALLY IT'S A PERFECT MODEL OF CLOSE PROXIMITY FOR STUDENTS, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS ROWINA DASH ROWENA.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES MOVING FORWARD.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER ON ITEM 22 IS CARRIE LEAGUE.
CARRIE, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM 23.
THIS IS ALSO A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO MAY 13TH.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS RYAN CROWLEY.
RYAN, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS DANIEL MILLER.
DANIEL, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE OR THREE MINUTES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS GRANT GILKER.
GRANT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER ON ITEM 23 IS ZACH FERRIS.
ZACH, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES JUST SO THAT WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORD.
ALL FOUR OF THOSE SPEAKERS HAVE CHOSEN TO WAIVE THEIR TIME.
AND WE HAVE THE SAME FOUR SPEAKERS FOR ITEMS 24.
RYAN CROWLEY IS THE PRIMARY SPEAKER.
DANIEL MILLER, GRANT GILKER AND ZACH FERRIS.
THEY'RE ALL WAIVING THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM AS WELL.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BEFORE WE PROCEED, CAN I, WE JUST MAKE SURE IF YOU ARE IN THIS ROOM AND WISH TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS AND WE HAVE NOT CALLED UPON YOU, PLEASE DO RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT ALLOWS US TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO CHAIR POINT OF PRIVILEGE ON ITEM 22, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS THE STUDENTS WHO ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THIS POSTPONEMENT TO AFTER THE
[00:45:01]
SEMESTER HAS ENDED.AND NOTE THAT WE WILL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE UM, TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM IN MAY.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY IF YOU DO HAVE MORE COMMENTS AND YOU'RE NOT IN TOWN AT OUR MAY 13TH MEETING.
'CAUSE WE DO WANNA REALLY HEAR FROM YOU ON THIS MATTER THAT IMPACTS YOU SO DIRECTLY.
UM, AS YOU PROCEED, I ALSO JUST WANNA MENTION VERY QUICKLY THAT ON THE UM, VISION PLANS THAT ARE UP FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT, UM, JUST TO LET THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW, KNOW WE DID HAVE A REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL POSTPONEMENT SO IF Y'ALL REMEMBER WE ALREADY HONORED THE NEIGHBORHOOD REQUEST AND UM, POSTPONED THIS ITEM ONCE AND THERE IS ANOTHER REQUEST JUST MENTIONING THAT BECAUSE WE RECEIVED COMMUNICATION REGARDING THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO SPEAK OR HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY, NOT SEEING ANY, UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION? NOT SEEING ANY.
I GUESS I WILL GO AHEAD AND UM, SEE IF SOMEBODY HAS A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL MOVES AND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, JUST TO CONFIRM, THIS IS ON GILFILLAN HOUSE, THE LIST THAT UM, UH, VICE CHAIR WOODS HAD READ AND THEN THE AMENDMENT FROM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AS WELL INCLUDED.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND FROM UH, COMMISSIONER HANEY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CONSENT AGENDA? NOT SEEING ANY THAT PASSES.
AND I'LL START BY SAYING I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS.
I HAVE A GAVEL TODAY THANKS TO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS GAVEL WAS BRALY USED BY MAYOR LEFFINGWELL AT THE LAST MEETING OF OUR AT LARGE COUNCIL AND THEN USED BY MAYOR ADLER AT THE FIRST MEETING OF OUR ATTEND ONE COUNCIL.
I GENERALLY DO NOT THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR ME TO BE SHARING THIS MEETING AND USING IT, BUT I DO HONOR THAT AND THIS DIES.
[12. Rezoning: C14-2024-0155 - 1501-1603 Shoal Creek Boulevard; District 9]
DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 12.THIS IS C 14 DASH HUNDRED FOUR DASH 0 1 55.
WE'LL START WITH STAFF PRESENTATION ON THE ITEM.
NANCY ESTRADA WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 12 ON YOUR AGENDA.
CASE NUMBER C 14 20 24 0 1 5 5 LOCATED AT 15 0 1 15 0 7 15 0 9 15 11 16 0 1 AND 1603 SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD.
THIS PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED GOE TODD, DBE TODD FOR TRACT ONE AND LOE TODD DBE TODD FOR TRACK TWO AND FALLS WITHIN THE SUBDISTRICT TWO OF THE E TODD ZONING DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING GOVE TODD DBE TODD FOR TRACK ONE AND L-O-M-U-V-E, TODD DB TODD FOR TRACK TWO AND TO MODIFY THE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED COMMERCIAL SPACES REQUIREMENT TO 0% OF THE REQUIREMENT.
THE SUBJECT AREA IS APPROXIMATELY 1.41 ACRES AND IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD AND WEST 15TH STREET ALONG NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.
IT IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPED WITH 14 MULTIFAMILY UNITS AND TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
ALTHOUGH WE DON'T TYPICALLY REVIEW ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AT THE TIME OF ZONING.
THE SITE IS ADJACENT TO AN AREA OF STEEP SLOPES AND A RIM ROCK CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED ALONG A PORTION OF THESE SLOPES.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS VOICED THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS A SITE CHARACTERISTIC THAT WOULD BE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED DURING THE SITE PLAN PROCESS, WE DID COORDINATE A MEETING ON MARCH 10TH WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPROPRIATE STAFF FROM WATER FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEIR CONCERNS COULD BE HEARD.
IN ADDITION, THERE IS A VALID PETITION FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THIS CASE THAT CURRENTLY INCLUDES 43.73% OF ELIGIBLE SIGNATURES MEETING THE 20% THRESHOLD.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE REZONING FOR A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF 124 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS AND THREE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
AND AS I STATED BEFORE, THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING A MODIFICATION TO THE GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE ORIGINAL ZONING REQUEST SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT WAS FOR G-R-M-U-V-E, TODD, DBE TODD FOR TRACK ONE AND L-O-M-U-E, TODD DBE TODD FOR TRACK TWO.
KNOWING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITIES AT THIS LOCATION, STAFF WAS NOT AMENABLE TO INCREASING IMPERVIOUS COVER AT THIS LOCATION BY RECOMMENDING GR.
AS SUCH, THE APPLICANT AMENDED THEIR REQUEST TO MATCH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION BUT THEY ARE STILL REQUESTING THE MU FOR TRACK TWO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING GOVE, TODD DBE TODD COMBINING DISTRICT FOR TRACK ONE AND LOVE.
TODD DBE TODD FOR TRACK TWO STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS GRANTING THE MODIFICATION REQUEST TO PROVIDE GROUND FLOOR, UH, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED COMMERCIAL SPACE TO NOT PROVIDE IT.
SO AGAIN, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST
[00:50:01]
AND THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS THE MU THAT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING FOR TRACK TWO.WE DO HAVE STAFF IN ATTENDANCE FROM WATERSHED DSD AND TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
MS. GARCIA, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? YES.
WE WILL NOW BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT.
I'M LEAH BOJO WITH RENER GROUP HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO SORT THROUGH THIS IN A SIMPLE WAY, UM, AND I'LL OF COURSE BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END.
UM, SO JUST TO ORIENT EVERYBODY TO THE SITE, THIS IS, THIS IS THE LOCATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR ADDRESS IS SHOUL CREEK BOULEVARD, BUT UM, WHICH I'LL GET TO LATER.
PART OF THE REASON FOR THE RETAIL REQUIREMENT, REALLY THE MAIN REASON IS BECAUSE SHOUL CREEK IS SORT OF A SLIP STREET HERE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT REALLY FRONTING LAMAR, ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF THE ADVANTAGES OF LAMAR LIKE, UM, SOME TRANSIT SERVICE.
UM, THIS IS JUST A LITTLE CLOSER IN SO YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF THE SITE.
THE TRACK ONE IS WHERE WE'RE ASKING FOR JUST THE RETAIL WAIVER IS THE ONLY REQUEST ON THAT PORTION WE ALREADY HAVE E TODD, DBE, TODD, UM, AND THEN TRACK TWO.
THE LITTLE PORTION, JUST THE OUTLINE IN BLUE IS CURRENTLY ZONED LO E TODD, DBE TODD.
AND WE ARE ASKING TO ADD AN MU THERE SO THAT WE CAN PUT, UM, PROBABLY TWO TO THREE DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THERE, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE DBE TODD SORT OF AS A TRANSITION TO THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO HERE IS JUST KIND OF A BIG PICTURE TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT.
WE ARE IN DOWNTOWN, WE'RE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PARK.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE TRANSIT STOPS NEARBY.
WE HAVE SOME PRETTY EXCELLENT TRANSIT SERVICE THERE ON LAMAR.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE THE SETBACK AND THE CEF AND THEN THE 150 FOOT STEP BACK THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO BE REQUIRED BY, UM, CODE WHEN WE GET TO SITE PLAN.
UM, AND POINT THIS OUT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GONNA COME UP A LOT AND I WANTED EVERYBODY TO SEE IT IS NOT ACTUALLY ON OUR SITE, BUT IT IS.
OUR SITE IS CERTAINLY IMPACTED BY IT AND WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THAT, UM, OF THAT CONCERN OR THAT CONSTRAINT.
UM, HERE IS THE ZONING MAP AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE LO PORTION AND THE UM, GEO PORTION.
UM, AGAIN, THE ONLY REQUEST THAT WE'RE MAKING IS THE RETAIL WAIVER ALONG SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD AND THEN THE MU ON THAT LITTLE LO PORTION.
UM, HERE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLANATION OF THAT MODIFICATION.
UM, SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S SORT OF A SLIP STREET.
IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE, IT'S NOT REALLY GONNA HAVE PASS BY PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.
THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYWHERE TO GO THERE EXCEPT FOR THOSE, JUST THOSE FEW BLOCKS OF SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD.
UM, WE THINK A MUCH BETTER USE HERE IS, UM, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE SOME AMENITY SPACE AND SOME HOUSING THERE ON THAT FIRST FLOOR.
UM, THAT WOULD BE THE, THE EXPECTATION.
UM, THAT'S ALSO A VERY HIGH SLOPE THERE, WHICH IS A SORT OF NOT AN FACTOR IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT I THINK ADDS TO THE IDEA THAT THIS ISN'T REALLY A PLACE FOR PASS THROUGH PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC THAT'S GONNA CREATE THE KIND OF PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES WE'RE EXPECTING IN AN EOD.
UM, I ALSO AM POINTING OUT HERE THAT WE ARE ADDING A V TO BOTH TO THE ENTIRE SITE, JUST REALLY AS A BACKUP.
IF THE EOD PROJECT DOESN'T WORK, A V WOULD STILL HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH IT.
SO WE'VE UM, INCLUDED THAT AND THEN ALSO THE MU AS WAS DISCUSSED.
UM, SO HERE'S JUST A LITTLE SUMMARY FOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE ONE TO SEE WHAT THE E SUBDISTRICT TWO AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE.
I THINK ACTUALLY WHEN I EMAILED Y'ALL, I SAID 10% AND THAT WAS INCORRECT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, 12%.
SO WE'D BE REPLACING 14 UNITS WITH 15 AFFORDABLE UNITS APPROXIMATELY, PLUS ALL OF THE MARKET RATE UNITS THAT WOULD GO WITH IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED AND UM, 10, UH, MARKET RATE UNITS.
SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE EO IS INTENDING TO DO AND THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF LOCATION, UM, THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THIS AND PARTICULARLY FOR THIS, UM, SLIGHT VARIATION.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO QUE FOR QUESTIONS.
MS. GARCIA, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS PHILLIP WILEY.
PHILIP, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I HAVE A FEELING I'M GONNA BE OUTNUMBERED 20 TO ONE MAYBE.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA FOR, UH, 33 YEARS.
THIS IS A PICTURE TAKEN THIS MORNING FROM MY BACKYARD, UM, SHOWING A NEW FENCE THAT'S GONE IN THAT'S COVERING A NEW EXCAVATION AREA.
A NEIGHBOR DID A DIG, UH, THIS YEAR TO REPLACE, UH, AND EXPAND, UH, THE AREA THAT THEY'D EXCAVATED BELOW MY LOT.
UM, IT'S NOISY, IT'S DIRTY, IT'S THEIR LAND.
THIS HAPPENED, I DON'T KNOW, 50 YEARS AGO, I'M GONNA GUESS MAYBE 40 YEARS
[00:55:01]
AGO.THIS IS A RETAINING WALL THAT'S ON SHOAL CREEK, THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, THERE'S THE SITE THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AND THERE'S AN OFFICE BUILDING AND THEN THERE'S THIS RETAINING WALL.
I'VE ONLY LIVED THERE 33 YEARS, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN IT FALL DOWN.
I'VE NEVER SEEN WORK DONE ON IT.
I'M SURE THERE PROBABLY HAS BEEN MAINTENANCE.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THIS TO KINDA REFLECT ON THAT AND, AND, AND USE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HERE AND WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TO HELP MAKE THEIR CASE.
SO GETTING DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS CHART, I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS YEAR THERE WAS SOME WORK DONE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE RETAINING WALLS ALONG, UH, VANS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A COMMON THING AROUND HERE.
I'VE NEVER KNOWN OF ANY REAL ISSUES THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED.
UM, SEVERAL OF THE PETITIONERS HAVE DONE DIGGING AT THE TOP OF THE HILL TO PUT IN, UM, UH, UH, SWIMMING POOLS AND THAT IS NOISY.
UM, AND, AND SO I WOULD JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LET THEM THINK ABOUT THAT AND ARTICULATE WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR AREA THAN ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER TIME.
UM, THEN GETTING UP TO THE TOP.
I SOMEBODY IN THE LAST, UM, AND I DON'T WANNA NAME CALL ANYONE OUT, BUT SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE GOALS? LIKE AS YOU'RE SITTING UP THERE, WHAT ARE THE GOALS THAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS? AND I WOULD REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT THAT A LOT AND ORGANIZE YOUR WORK AROUND GOALS.
UM, THIS SITE IS ACTUALLY WITHIN A HALF MILE OF, OF A UT CLASSROOM, WHICH I'VE SHOWN BEFORE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO, UH, SEND YOU, UH, ONE OF MY DIAGRAMS ON THAT.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT WITHIN A THIRD OF A MILE OF A CC, IT'S WITHIN HALF MILE OF THE MBA BUILDING.
UM, THE, THE PARK ACCESS IS UNBELIEVABLE AND I'M GONNA STOP THERE.
MOVING FORWARD TO SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS PAUL GOLINK.
PAUL WILL BE RECEIVING THREE MINUTES OF TOTAL DONATED TIME FROM MARGARET GOLINK, KEITH LAWSON AND BENNETT SHOALS.
ARE ALL THREE OF Y'ALL PRESENT? YES.
UH, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS PAUL GOLINK AND I AM RESIDENT AT 9 0 3 WEST 16TH STREET.
THAT'S THE HOUSE THAT SITS ON TOP OF THE HILL THAT SURROUNDS, UH, THIS PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, LIKE EVERY ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS, UH, I'M, MY WIFE AND I ARE SIGNATORIES ON THAT VALID PETITION.
UM, I'M ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE JUDGE'S HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING BOTH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE ASSOCIATION.
UH, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, AND I THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, WE ARE NOT OPPOSED CONDOMINIUMS OR APARTMENTS IN THIS LOCATION.
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION AS PROPOSED.
OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT THERE IS A CANYON RE ROCK CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
WE HAVE LOCATED IT OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENTLY THAN THE APPLICANT.
WE HAVE, AND WE'LL SHOW YOU OUR, OUR MAP AND WE HAVE, UH, PROFESSOR GILBERT OF UT WITH US AND IF NECESSARY, UH, PHIL BULLOCK, A GEOLOGIST WHO FIRST, UH, LOCATED THE SITE, UH,
UH, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXCAVATION AT THE TOE OF A SLOPE, NOT THE THINGS AT, ON THE TOP OF THE HILL DIFFERENT THAN WHAT MR. WILEY'S TALKING ABOUT.
VERY DIFFERENT, VERY IMPORTANTLY, DIFFERENT, UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER, DR. GILBERT, WILL EXPLAIN HOW THE EXCAVATION OF THE TOE OF THE SLOPE CREATES SLOPE INSTABILITY.
SLOPE INSTABILITY, UH, LEADS TO THE RISK OF A COLLAPSE OF THAT SLOPE, AS HAS OCCURRED IN OTHER, OTHER NEARBY LOCATIONS THAT YOU'RE NO DOUBT AWARE OF BECAUSE THE CITY WAS A PARTY TO A LAWSUIT OVER THE
[01:00:01]
WOOLRIDGE DRIVE PEA PARK COLLAPSE.IN ADDITION, THERE WAS THE POPULAR LAND COLLAPSE ACROSS THE STREET NEAR WHERE THEY SOLD CHRISTMAS TREES EVERY YEAR.
IT TERRIFIES US THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO OUR HOUSE.
UM, IT IS, THE PICTURES THAT YOU WILL SEE OF RESULTS OF THOSE SLOPE COLLAPSES ARE PRETTY STAGGERING.
UH, THEY, THEY CAUSE DAMAGE ON THE TOP AND ON THE BOTTOM.
UM, WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH YOU WAS MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T NORMALLY HEAR.
UM, WE HAVE AN IDEA AND WE REQUEST THAT YOU NEITHER APPROVE NOR DENY THIS APPLICATION AT THIS TIME.
RATHER YOU PUT IT ON TEMPORARY HOLD.
THERE'S A VERY IMPORTANT FACT THAT NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THIS PLACE.
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THERE IS A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE THAT CREATES A RISK.
WE HAVE ONE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ALREADY.
I SAW THE MAP AND I DISAGREE WITH IT COMPLETELY.
UH, THE OTHER THOUGH IS CAN ANY, CAN THE APPLICANT PUT TOGETHER A GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN THAT CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM? WELL, THAT PICTURE THAT LEAH SHOWED IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN ANY REFERENCE, UH, THAT THEY CONCEDE THAT THERE'S EVEN A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE NOT IN THE APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE INTENTIONALLY IGNORING IT NOW, BROUGHT IT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION, AND NOW THEY'RE NOT.
UM, I, I ASK YOU, AS YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY, IF YOU INSIST ON GOING FORWARD, FORWARD WITH THIS APPLICATION NOW, HOW MANY MORE COLLAPSES MUST OCCUR IN YOUR VIEW BEFORE THE CITY IS FAILING TO, TO TO PERFORM ITS DUTY TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY? UH, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES UP AND DOWN THIS STRETCH OF LAMAR AND SHOAL CREEK.
ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME THAT THE CITY STEP UP, PERFORM ITS DUTY, AND MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HOW TO CONDUCT, UH, SITE PLAN REVIEWS, UH, REVIEWS OF A PROJECT, UH, THAT HAS A REAL RISK OF, OF A COLLAPSE? UH, IT COULD BE VERY SIMPLE.
IT COULD BE THE SAME WAY YOU HANDLE BUILDING REQUIREMENTS IN FLOOD ZONES OR CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES.
THEY HAVE A 150 FOOT BUFFER RIGHT NOW REGARDING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CEF, UH, AND, UH, ANY EXCAVATION.
UH, YOU COULD MAKE THAT MUCH HARDER FIRMER POSITION, JUST LIKE THE, JUST LIKE THE WORK FLOODPLAINS ARE, ARE DEALT WITH.
UM, THE APPLICANTS HAVE GENERALLY COME UP WITH A, UM, ARGUMENT THAT SAYS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT NOW.
WE WANT TO GET OUR, OUR ZONING FIRST BEFORE WE SPEND ANY MONEY ON ANY TYPE OF LOOKING INTO THIS TECHNICAL PROBLEM.
SO YOU CAN FINISH YOUR THOUGHT.
UM, THE, THE WHAT THEY, WHAT, WHAT ACTUALLY IS GONNA HAPPEN HERE IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO DO ANYWAY.
YOU CANNOT BUILD THE 90 FOOT TALL BUILDING WITHOUT DOING THE GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATION.
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BUY THE LAND WITH IF YOU DIDN'T DO THAT.
SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT WHETHER THEY GET ZONING OR THEY DON'T GET ZONING, IT'S GONNA RESULT IN THE SAME TASK AND THE SAME MONEY.
THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DIFFERENT IS IF THEY DID IT AT THE FRONT END AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA, THEN NOBODY SPENT THE MONEY ON THE ZONING.
WE'LL NOW BE HEARING FROM THE PRIMARY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION ON THIS ITEM, BOB GILBERT.
BOB WILL BE RECEIVING THREE MINUTES OF TOTAL DONATED TIME.
SLIDES UP FROM MEGAN MEISENBACH, JOE SUE HOWARD, AND PHIL BOCK.
ARE ALL THREE OF Y'ALL PRESENT? THANK YOU, BOB.
I'M A PROFESSOR OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
AND I'VE WORKED FOR THE LAST 32 YEARS ON SLOPES
[01:05:01]
LIKE THIS ALONG THE SHOAL CREEK.UM, WHAT THIS SLIDE SHOWS IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNDERSTANDS AS THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE THING I WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT, WHERE THE PARKING GARAGE EXTENDS DOWN ROUGHLY 30 FEET BELOW THE GROUND SURFACE.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT GROUND SURFACE ACTUALLY IS, WHICH IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT.
CAN WE ADVANCE THE SLIDES? YEAH.
WHICH IS THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
SO THIS CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE IS CALLED RIM ROCK.
IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL CLIFF THAT GOES UP AND DOWN BOTH SIDES OF SHOLL CREEK AND IS ALSO ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
AND THAT RIM ROCK IS A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
AND THAT RIM ROCK EXISTS AT THIS SITE AND THAT RIM ROCK BELOW IT HAS A FORMATION CALLED THE DEL RIO CLAY, WHICH IS A VERY SOFT, WEAK MATERIAL THAT NATURALLY HAS BEEN FAILING AND CREATED THAT SHOLL CREEK VALLEY.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS SCHEMATIC IS FROM A 1970 BOOK THAT WAS PRODUCED BY A GEOLOGY PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN, SHOWING THE GEOLOGY OF THIS RIM ROCK.
THE BUTYL LIMESTONE IS THE BLOCKING MATERIAL AT THE TOP OF THAT CROSS SECTION.
AND BELOW THAT IS THE SOFT, HIGHLY PLASTIC DEL RIO CLAY.
AND WHAT HAPPENS NATURALLY IS THE CREEK CUTS INTO THE DEL RIO CLAY AT THE TOE, IT REMOVES THE TOE, THE CLAY SPREADS OUT, AND THE BUTYL LIMESTONE BEHIND IT FAILS.
AND THAT PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR CENTURIES, FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS ALONG SHOAL CREEK.
WE MAN HAVE ACCELERATED THAT PROCESS.
IN 1972, JUST TWO YEARS AFTER THIS BOOK CAME OUT, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX ON BARTON SPRINGS CUT INTO THE DEL RIO AND CAUSED A SLOPE FAILURE.
THAT SLOPE FAILURE IS THE SUBJECT OF ONE OF THE HOMEWORK PROBLEMS THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS NOW FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU PROBABLY ALL RECOGNIZE THIS.
THE REASON THE GRAFFITI WALL EXISTED WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A RETAINING WALL THAT WAS BUILT IN ORDER TO HOLD THAT SLOPE BACK WHEN THEY CUT INTO THE DEL RIO CLAY AT THE BASE OF THE BUTTA LIMESTONE, THAT RETAINING WALL WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL, THAT SLOPED MOVED.
THE DEVELOPER ABANDONED THE PROJECT, AND THAT'S WHY THERE WERE THESE WALLS THAT TURNED INTO THE GRAFFITI WALL.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, GOING FASTER IN TIME, UP UNTIL LAST YEAR ON THE EAST SIDE OF SHOAL CREEK, THERE WAS A SLOPE FAILURE AT POPLAR STREET.
THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT DID GET A VARIANCE FOR BEING WITHIN 150 FEET OF THAT CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, AND THAT LED TO A SLOPE FAILURE.
NOT LONG BEFORE THAT, ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK, ABOUT 10 BLOCKS NORTH OF THE PROPOSED SITE, THERE WAS A MAJOR SLOPE FAILURE, MUCH BIGGER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER SLOPE FAILURES THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR AT WILDRIDGE DRIVE, UH, THAT SLOPE FAILURE TOOK OUT THE BACKYARDS OF SEVERAL HOMES AT THE TOP AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED 400 AND FEET OF THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR US IS THAT NO ONE WAS ON THE TRAIL WHEN THAT SLOPE FAILURE OCCURRED.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS SHOWS THE POPLAR STREET SLOPE FAILURE IN THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE WOOLRIDGE DRIVE SLOPE FAILURE.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS A CROSS SECTION.
SO LOOKING AT THE SIDE THROUGH THE GROUND OF THAT WOOLRIDGE DRIVE SLOPE FAILURE.
AND THE SIGNIFICANT PART ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT'S A MUCH BIGGER FAILURE THAN IS SHOWN IN THAT 1970 GEOLOGIC HANDBOOK.
AND IT'S A MUCH BIGGER FAILURE THAN ANY OF THE OTHER FAILURES THAT I'M AWARE OF ALONG SHOAL CREEK.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, HERE IS THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
THAT'S THAT BLACK LINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SLIDE, WHICH IS THE RIM ROCK THAT'S BEEN CONFIRMED BY A GEOLOGIST RETAINED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT RED HASHED AREA IS WITHIN 150 FEET AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS WITHIN THAT BUFFER ZONE FOR THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANNA LOOK AGAIN AT THIS PARTICULAR SLOPE.
THIS IS TAKEN BY ME RIGHT BELOW THAT RIM ROCK ON THAT PROPERTY JUST ABOVE WHERE THAT DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA BE.
AND THAT TREE IS LEANING, THE TREE IS LEANING BECAUSE THE SLOPE IS FAILING.
IT'S MARGINALLY STABLE, JUST LIKE ALL THE SLOPES ALONG SHOAL CREEK AND DOING ANYTHING TO IT, LIKE CUTTING INTO IT POTENTIALLY WILL CAUSE IT TO BECOME MASSIVELY UNSTABLE IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WORRIED ABOUT IS THIS WHAT
[01:10:01]
HAPPENED IN 2018 ON WOOL RIDGE DRIVE.IF YOU CUT INTO THE TOW OF THE DEL RIO, YOU POTENTIALLY ARE GONNA DESTABILIZE A MASS OF GROUND THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT.
THAT IS A HUGE FORCE TO TRY TO RESIST.
I WORKED ON A PROJECT IN 2007 AT CASTLE HILL TO TRY TO HOLD THAT SLOPE BACK.
THAT DEVELOPER ENDED UP DECIDING NOT TO DO IT.
BUT WHEN I WORKED ON THAT PROJECT, WE DID NOT ENVISION THIS KIND OF GEOMETRY.
WE WERE THINKING OF SOMETHING THAT WAS FIVE FEET BELOW THE GROUND SURFACE COMING DOWN TOWARD US, NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS 30 FEET BELOW THE GROUND SURFACE, EXTENDING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE DEL RE CLAY.
THAT'S WHAT A GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER IS GONNA HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT ON THIS SITE IS SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS MARELA MADDOX.
MARELA WILL BE RECEIVING TWO MINUTES OF TO, UH, TOTAL DONATED TIME FROM ATLAS SMUCKLER AND ALBERT MEISENBACH.
ARE Y'ALL BOTH PRESENT? THANK YOU.
UM, SO A MASTERCLASS IN THE SLOPE FAILURE AND THE TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF THIS AREA.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SIMPLE RELATED TO THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT'S PROPOSED AND THAT'S THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS.
UM, I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE THIS IS, THIS SITS ON THIS LITTLE INLET STREET CALLED SHUL CREEK BOULEVARD.
IT RUNS PARALLEL TO NORTH LAMAR AND IT'S BETWEEN 15TH STREET AND MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD.
UM, AND IT HAS TWO ENTRANCES AND ONE EXIT, AND NONE OF THEM ARE OPTIMAL FOR TRAFFIC.
SO THE FIRST ENTRANCE I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT IS YOU'RE COMING DOWN THAT HILL ON 15TH STREET AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THAT RAMP OVER TO NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.
YOUR CAR'S GOING FAST AND FURIOUS AROUND THAT CORNER AND THINK ABOUT HITTING YOUR BRAKES SUPER QUICK BECAUSE THERE'S A CAR THAT'S GONNA TURN INTO THAT INGRESS RIGHT THERE.
IT'S VERY NARROW, IT'S VERY QUICK AND IT'S NOT EASY TO GET INTO.
THAT IS THE FIRST ENTRANCE INTO THIS AREA.
AND THEN IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO GO THAT WAY, OR IF YOU'RE TRAVELING NORTH LAMAR AND YOU GO INTO THE INGRESS OR EGRESS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER UP ON NORTH LAMAR.
THIS IS THE SECOND ENTRANCE AND THE ONLY EXIT OUT OF SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT MIGHT BE MORE OPTIMAL.
AND THE REASON IS IT'S A VERY SHARP TURN INTO THIS ENTRANCE AND YOU ACTUALLY KIND OF HAVE TO MAKE A U-TURN TO STAY ON THE STREET.
SO I PICTURE TWO CARS SIMULTANEOUSLY GOING INTO THAT TO GET TO THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND THAT COULD REALLY SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC RUNS VERY FAST.
ON NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD, THERE'S ONLY TWO, UH, LANES GOING NORTH.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS, THEY'VE, UM, INDICATED THAT THERE WILL BE 585 TRIPS PER DAY TO ACCOMMODATE THE 124 CONDO UNITS IN THE THREE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THIS IS ACCORDING TO THEIR APPLICATION.
UM, THIS DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR ANY POTENTIAL MIXED USE VENDORS THAT MIGHT BE AT THAT PROPERTY, EVEN THOUGH AT THIS TIME THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT SEEKING THAT.
SO AGAIN, ONE INGRESS, UH, ONE EGRESS AND TWO INGRESS.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THE TOP PICTURE IS THE ONE COMING OFF OF THAT RAMP.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY NARROW.
AND THEN THE TWO PICTURES ON THE BOTTOM ARE OFF LAMAR.
AND THESE OBVIOUSLY DON'T SHOW YOU ALL THE TRAFFIC THAT COULD BE HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, AT EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OR FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SOMEONE LIKE ME.
I GO ACROSS MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, I GO ACROSS LAMAR BOULEVARD AT MARTIN LUTHER KING, WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF THIS, UM, INGRESS EGRESS RIGHT HERE.
IT'S THE ONLY LIGHT IN THE AREA THAT'S SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS TO TRY AND CROSS INTO PEAS PARK, WHICH IS NOW OUR GEM DOWNTOWN OF A BEAUTIFUL, UM, PARK.
AND IT'S ATTRACTING A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS, THE STROLLERS, THE BIKES, THE DOGS, THE WALKERS, THE RUNNERS.
THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET ONTO THE BIKE TRAIL THAT TAKES 'EM DOWNTOWN.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY TRAFFIC STAFF AS A POTENTIAL HAZARD FOR PEDESTRIANS.
I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND THEY'RE WORKING ON VARIOUS MODALITIES TO TRY AND FIX THIS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND MAKE IT SAFER.
I'M PICTURING THE FRUSTRATED DRIVERS COMING OUT AND IN, THEY CANNOT TURN TO GO SOUTH ONTO LAMAR FROM THIS EGRESS SO THEY ONLY CAN GO NORTH.
THEY DON'T GET TO PICK WHICH WAY THEY WANNA DRIVE.
THEY'RE FORCED INTO ONE DIRECTION.
THEY'RE GONNA GO UP TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, THEY'RE GONNA CUT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, FRUSTRATED DRIVERS TYPICALLY EQUATE TO AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS.
AND THIS IS A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION AT MARTIN LUTHER KING AND LAMAR.
SO WE HAVE SOME GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC THAT THEY HAVE NOT ADDRESSED TO OUR SATISFACTION, AND WE THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT THE COUNCIL ADDRESSES IT WITH THEM.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS JOHN SPONG.
JOHN WILL BE RECEIVING TWO MINUTES OF DONATE, OF TOTAL DONATED TIME FROM MARK SEGER AND JEFF HARPER.
UH, THANKS FOR HEARING US OUT.
I WAS A STAFF WRITER AT TEXAS MONTHLY FOR 25 YEARS, AND NOW I HOST A WILLIE NELSON PODCAST AT PRX.
AND I JUST ALWAYS LIKE TO MENTION THAT, BUT I'M HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AS A JUDGES HILL RESIDENT AND A PARENT OF TWO YOUNG BOYS, AND BOTH OF WHICH FACTS FACTOR INTO MY OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT, AT LEAST AS IT'S PROPOSED RIGHT NOW.
I'LL NOTE ALSO THAT I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN SINCE 1972.
THE CITY'S THE ONLY HOME I'VE EVER KNOWN, AND I'VE WATCHED IT GROW AT TIMES WITH EXCITEMENT.
BUT THEN LATELY WITH THE SAME CONCERNS THAT CITY LEADERS EXPRESS ABOUT THE COST OF LIFE HERE AND THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I'LL ADD THAT I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE BROKE IN AUSTIN.
WHEN I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT UT IN THE EARLY NINETIES, I LIVED OFF STUDENT LOANS AND TO MAKE THAT WORK, I LIVED IN A LITTLE TOOL SHED WITH NO RUNNING WATER FOR REAL.
AND IT WAS A GOOFY SITUATION AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT'S NOT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE THESE DAYS, LEAST OF ALL FOR A FAMILY.
SO I COMPLETELY GET THAT THE GROWTH OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS OF REALLY IMPORTANT PRIORITY OF THE CITIES.
BUT I ALSO KNOW FROM THE LEGAL TRAINING AT UT THAT THE CITY HAS A DUTY TO KEEP ITS CITIZENS SAFE.
AND IN THIS INSTANCE, I'M THINKING PRIMARILY OF MY KIDS AND MY NEIGHBORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE FOLKS THAT VISIT PEACE PARK AND THE FOLKS THAT, UM, DRIVE LAMAR BOULEVARD.
I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW ABOUT THOSE FAILURES THAT YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT ALONG THE SLOPES AT SHO CREEK CORRIDOR FIRSTHAND.
I SPENT A LOT OF THE NINETIES HANGING OUT AT A FRIEND'S RENT HOUSE ON 12TH AND BAYLOR, A STONES THROW FROM THE ABANDONED CASTLE HILL DEVELOPMENT.
I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL WITH WILLIAM HIRE WHO LIVES IN PEMBERTON, AND HE LOST HALF HIS BACKYARD IN THAT SLIDE IN 2018.
AND IT'S A GOOD THING HIS KIDS WEREN'T IN THE BACKYARD WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
AND WE BUY CHRISTMAS TREES EACH YEAR AT THE LOT JUST DOWN FROM THE PROP LANE SLIDE.
AND I DROVE MY KIDS BY THERE EVERY DAY AS WE WATCHED THE YEARLONG CONSTRUCTION PROJECT TO TRY AND GET THAT REBUILT AS UT'S PROFESSOR GILBERT JUST TESTIFIED EARLIER, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS THREAT OF JUST SUCH A SLIDE HAPPENING AS A RESULT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND I'M TERRIFIED AND I THINK JUSTIFIABLY TERRIFIED THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN TO US AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND I THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT PROFESSOR GILBERT WAS THE CITY'S EXPERT ON SLOPE FAILURE IN THE PEMBERTON SLIDE.
BUT I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION OF SHOAL CREEK AND LAMAR THAT MARELA JUST DESCRIBED.
SOON THEY'LL BE RIDING THEIR BIKES DOWN TO PEACE PARK AND HOUSE PARK, THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, 124 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS DOWN THERE.
HOW MANY VEHICLES DOES THAT ADD? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN DURING THOSE PEAK HOURS OF TRAFFIC DOWN THERE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE TURNOFF OF OFF OF LAMAR SOUTHBOUND INTO THE DEVELOPMENT IS UNPROTECTED.
THE TURN SOUTHBOUND OUT OF THERE IS UNPROTECTED.
ARE YOU, IS THE CITY GONNA PUT A STOPLIGHT THERE TO, TO MANAGE THAT? AND DOES ANYBODY IN AUSTIN WANT THAT EXCEPT MAYBE, I GUESS THE DEVELOPERS, I GUESS.
AND I SAY I GUESS WITH REGARD TO THE DEVELOPERS, BECAUSE THEY'VE NOT ADDRESSED WHAT'LL HAPPEN TO TRAFFIC ON LAMAR AND HAVE MUCH MORE CONCERN TO ME AND MY FAMILY AND OUR NEIGHBORS, THEY'VE NOT ADDRESSED THE LIKELY FAILURE OF THAT SLOPE, WHICH THE CITY HAS LONG RECOGNIZED AS THE CEF IN ANY OF THEIR PLANS.
I'D NOT HEARD THEM ADDRESS IT EVEN IN CONVERSATION UNTIL TONIGHT.
RATHER, THEY'RE STILL HOLDING TO THEIR PLAN TO DIG A THREE STORY HOLE IN THE GROUND AT THE TOE OF THAT SLOPE.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A PAUSE.
PLEASE ALLOW TIME TO EXAMINE THESE VERY REAL SAFETY ISSUES.
PLEASE DON'T GREEN LIGHT THE ZONING REQUEST AND SEND THE PROJECT ONTO THE SITE PLAN STAGE WHERE THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC INPUT.
PLEASE ALLOW TIME TO FIND AN ANSWER THAT HELPS WITH THE HOUSING NEEDS, WHICH ARE REAL, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LI EXPENSE OF THE LIVES AND PROPERTY OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS, OF MY, OF OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR KIDS, AND THE REST OF AUSTIN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
MS. GARCIA, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING A REBUTTAL? I SEE A MOTION FROM VICE CHAIR CHAIR.
WE DO HAVE A TWO OH, I'M SORRY.
I DO JUST WANNA MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF THE CEF.
WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF IT THE WHOLE TIME.
HE BOUGHT IT NOT THAT LONG AGO.
UM, THE REASON THAT IT HADN'T COME UP IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT USUALLY PART OF HIS ZONING APPLICATION, BUT THERE IS AN APPROVED SITE PLAN FOR THE SITE.
WE'VE OF COURSE LOOKED AT THAT, UM, FOR AN OFFICE PROJECT THAT DIDN'T GET BUILT RIGHT BEFORE COVID.
[01:20:01]
WE ARE, WE ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THAT.UM, AND UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW PER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE'S OFFICE'S DISCUSSIONS WITH THEIR OFFICE OF GETTING A GEOTECHNICAL STUDY DONE.
AND WE HAVE ASSURED THEM THAT WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING IN HAND BY THE TIME WE GET TO CITY COUNCIL.
THEY HAVE EXPRESSED TO US THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE.
THEY DON'T, I I I WOULD SAY WE ASK THAT NOT TO BE SLOWED TO GET TO THAT POINT, UM, PARTICULARLY SINCE THIS IS A SITE PLAN, VERY MUCH A SITE PLAN RELATED QUESTION.
BUT WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION BEFORE THE FINAL DECISION IS MADE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ASKED AS WE OFTEN ARE FOR, UM, SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND WE PROVIDED IT LIKE THE THREE STORIES OF PARKING.
I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY TWO AND A HALF 'CAUSE OF THE SLOPE.
BUT POINT BEING THOSE THINGS WOULD ALL BE CHANGED.
THE, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO DESIGN YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE GEOTECHNICAL BECAUSE THAT'S ALL SITE PLAN AND IT DEPENDS ON THE ZONING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SORT OF A, AN ORDER OF THINGS THAT GOES HERE.
AND SO I'M ALWAYS RELUCTANT TO SHOW PRELIMINARY DESIGNS BECAUSE PEOPLE GET KIND OF FOCUSED ON THEM.
AND THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY CHANGE.
UM, WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA BUILD A DBE TIDE BUILDING HERE.
UM, BUT SOME OF THESE DETAILS WILL OF COURSE CHANGE ONCE WE GET GEOTECH BACK AND GET INTO DESIGN.
UM, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE CEF, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN POINT HERE, REALLY HAS NO RELATIONSHIP TO A RETAIL WAIVER OR TO AN MU ON THAT TRANSITION PORTION.
UM, WE HAVE THE ENTITLEMENTS TO BUILD THIS PROJECT TODAY.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE IT BETTER.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE GROUND FLOOR MORE VIBRANT AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE TRANSITION BETTER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT BASED ON THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO, OF COURSE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICE AND WITH THE NEIGHBORS AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE PLANNING.
MY APOLOGIES FOR RUSHING BEYOND THAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING? CAN I ASK A QUESTION? UH, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEN WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE SECONDED BY, UH, VICE CHAIR.
UM, ANY OBJECTIONS TO CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING? SEEING NONE, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THAT PUBLIC.
THIS TAKES US TO OUR ROUND ROBIN.
SO JUST A REMINDER TO COMMISSIONERS.
UH, WE HAVE EIGHT COMMISSIONERS WHO EACH GET FIVE MINUTES AND I SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER AMIT, I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE CLAIMED THE FIRST SPOT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING FOR, I I KNOW THE APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR A WAIVER FOR GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
UH, I WAS WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THE PROJECT TO BE DESIGNED FOR GROUND FLOOR FLOOR RETAIL SO THAT EVEN IF THERE'S NOT INITIALLY GROUND FLOOR RETAIL THAT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY LATER WITH A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING IN THIS AREA.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT STRATEGY.
WHEN THE SITUATION IS THE GROUND, THERE'S NOT A MARKET FOR GROUND FLOOR.
LIKE THERE'S NOT THE DENSITY SURROUNDING GROUND FLOOR RETAIL TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
AND WE SEE THAT A LOT WHEN WE'RE STRETCHING OUT SORT OF ON CORRIDORS AND THINGS IN THIS SITUATION.
IT'S REALLY LIKE A SITE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE ANYTIME SOON.
IT'S A SHORT BLOCK, IT'S A SIDE, IT'S A BASICALLY A SLIP STREET AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, A PRETTY STEEP TOPOGRAPHY.
SO IF I THOUGHT THERE WAS A FUTURE WHERE GROUND FLOOR WOULD BE, UM, SUCCESSFUL HERE, I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT, THINK THAT THIS IS THAT SITUATION.
COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
UM, GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER FA UH, COULD YOU GIVE US MORE CONTEXT AROUND THE MU PIECE, SPECIFICALLY THE INTENTION FOR THERE TO BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IS A TRANSITION AREA? ABSOLUTELY.
DO YOU MIND PULLING UP MY PRESENTATION? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I THINK IT'S SLIDE TWO OR THREE.
OKAY, SO IT'S ACTUALLY, SO HERE YOU CAN SEE, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD VIEW.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF THE TRACT IS WHERE THE DBE TODD BUILDING WOULD GO.
AND THEN THAT LITTLE TRACK TWO IS CURRENTLY LO DBE TODD, THERE IS SLOPE THERE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE BUILT WITHOUT THE MU WOULD JUST BE A, A TALLER BUILDING THERE, TO BE FAIR.
UM, BUT WHAT WE HAVE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE IS SORT OF TRANSITION DOWN BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, THAT'S, THAT LITTLE GRAY BOX IS ACTUALLY ZONED SINGLE FAMILY.
AND SO THEN IT CONTINUES TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THE, TO THE, TO THE EAST THERE.
COMMISSIONER PAUL, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UH, AM I THE ONLY ENGINEER LEFT ON THE DAAS
AND IF WE HAVE, SORRY, I'M TRYING TO FORMULATE IT AND KEEP AWAY FROM MY ENGINEERING BRAIN, BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS, IS IS THERE A POLICY FRAMEWORK BY WHICH THIS SOIL CONDITIONS WOULD AFFECT
[01:25:01]
OUR ZONING? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, LES JOHNSTON INTERIM ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, UH, SORRY, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.I ALMOST SAID ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION AND IS ONE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS STRUGGLE WITH QUITE A BIT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REVIEWED FOR DURING THE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND IS NOT TYPICALLY SOMETHING THAT IS ADDRESSED DURING ZONING.
SO, UM, STAFF ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
WE'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE, UM, THE PAST SLOPE FAILURES AND THE KIND OF THE SLOPE INSTABILITY ALONG THIS SECTION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER THAT UM, THERE IS A 150 FOOT STANDARD BUFFER FROM THAT RIM ROCK, WHICH, UM, WOULD PROTECT MOST OF THE SLOPE.
PERHAPS NOT ALL OF IT, BUT MOST OF IT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A VERY UNLIKELY TO BE, UH, REDUCED GIVEN THE UH, LOCATION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS QUESTION'S FOR Y'ALL OR FROM SOMEBODY ELSE FROM DSD, BUT DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW, IS IT TYPICAL TO REVIEW THE, UH, A GEOTECHNICAL ASSESSMENT OR A GEOTECHNICAL REPORT FOR A BUILDING PROJECT? PROBABLY BEST FOR DSD, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, UM, IF THERE WERE TO BE A VARIANCE REQUEST TO AMEND THE, THE BUFFER, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF, THE, THE PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST STAFF THAT WOULD BE REVIEWING THE, UM, CEF BUFFER COULD ASK.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS TO MY KNOWLEDGE STANDARD FOR SITE PLAN REVIEW IN GENERAL.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
I MAY COME BACK WITH SOME MORE.
COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS.
GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER, I HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION.
IS THE KEY ISSUE THE ISSUE OF THE TWO AND A HALF STORY UNDERGROUND PARKING AFFECTING SOIL OR IS IT ANY UNDERGROUND PARKING AT ALL THAT MIGHT CAUSE THE INSTABILITY? YOU MIGHT JUST SPECIFY WHO YOUR QUESTION IS FOR WHETHER IT'S STAFF OR THE APPLICANT OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I GUESS I'LL BE PROFESSOR GILBERT PLEASE.
UM, ANY SORT OF DEVELOPMENT AT THE TOW OF THE SLOPE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS, WHICH THEREFORE IS A CONCERN IN TERMS OF STABILITY.
SO THINGS LIKE VEGETATION, THE VEGETATION THAT ARE LEANING, THE ROOTS ARE HOLDING THAT SLOPE UP RIGHT NOW.
SO IF YOU CHANGE THE VEGETATION, YOU'VE CHANGED THE CONDITIONS OF THAT SLOPE.
COMMISSIONER, THAT'S ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS CHAIR, I HAVE WHAT I HOPE TO BE A VERY QUICK QUESTION FOR STAFF.
SO LOOKING AT THIS ONE, CAN'T TELL THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING TO REMOVE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL JUST LOOKING AT THE POSTING LANGUAGE RIGHT HERE.
AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THERE A REASON WHY WE DON'T KIND OF JUST READILY SHARE THAT? AND IF YOU NEED TIME TO ANSWER THIS, LIKE MAYBE IN A WEEK EMAILING US, THAT'S FINE.
I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A QUESTION MIGHT CATCH YOU OFF GUARD.
SO IS THERE A GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT ONE? WELL, IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN, ARE YOU SAYING IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE POSTING LANGUAGE OR JUST RIGHT HERE? SO RIGHT.
IS THERE A REASON WHY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ZONING, LIKE WE, WE SHARE EVERYTHING THERE, BUT WHEN THEY'RE REQUESTING THE WAIVER FOR RETAILER, IS THERE A REASON WHY WE CAN'T MAKE THAT MORE READILY APPARENT WHEN LOOKING AT POSTING LANGUAGE? WE, WE CAN, LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION.
I KNOW YOU PUT IT IN THE STAFF REPORT, IT'S IN THE RECOMMENDATION AND IT'S ALSO LIKE THROUGHOUT UH, THE INFORMATION ALONG THE STAFF REPORT, BUT I GUESS IT WASN'T INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA.
RIGHT? AND THIS ISN'T A ONE OFF.
YEAH, IS THERE A WAY TO MAYBE DO THAT IN THE FUTURE? 'CAUSE THAT'S A PRETTY BIG DEAL AND I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS JUST LOOK, LOOK AT AN AGENDA.
THEY DON'T LOOK AT HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF BACKUP.
I SEE MISS HARDEN COMING UP MAYBE WITH A LITTLE
WE HAVE NOT INCLUDED IT AND WE GOT THAT FROM LAW AND OTHERS, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY CAN.
THERE'S NO HARM IN THAT AND WE CAN'T START INCLUDING IT.
WE DID NOT HAVE TO INCLUDE IT AS A NOTIFICATION BECAUSE IT DID NOT CHANGE ANY REGULATIONS, HEIGHT, SETBACKS OR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO WE WERE TOLD THAT WE DID NOT HAVE TO.
BUT IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY WILL MOVING FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MAXWELL? UH, YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
SO LET'S START WITH THE EASY QUESTIONS.
WE, UM, SAW A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL ARE REQUESTING A GROUND FLOOR RETAIL WAIVER.
IS THAT PARTIALLY TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF TRIPS THAT WOULD BE RELATED TO THE TRAFFIC EGRESS AND INGRESS? UM, WE DIDN'T DO IT TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF TRIPS, BUT WE DID SUBMIT OUR, UM, REQUEST FOR A TRAFFIC ANALYSIS BASED ON THAT REMOVAL.
'CAUSE IT'S BASED ON THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
SO IN SOME WAYS NOT HAVING THE GROUND FLOOR ACTUALLY DECREASES SOME OF THE CONCERNS AROUND SAFETY, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND THEN RELATED TO THAT, YOU'VE INDICATED THAT BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T DOING GROUND FLOOR RETAIL, YOU LIKELY WOULD DO HOUSING, SO ACTUAL UNITS ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
[01:30:01]
IT WOULDN'T JUST BE DEAD SPACE LIKE A CLUB ROOM OR SOMETHING THAT'S UNUSABLE? NO, NO, NO.IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE OCCUPIED SPACE, ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN RELATED TO THE SITE THAT'S BEHIND YOU ALL WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING LIKE TOWN HOMES, IS THAT CORRECT? THE, SOMETHING LIKE EITHER IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SAY RIGHT NOW WHETHER THEY WOULD BE FULLY DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR POSSIBLY ATTACHED, BUT UM, IT WOULD BE A LOWER DENSITY UNIT AS IT GOES TO THE EAST AND THAT'S WHY.
AND UH, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WOULD NOT PERMIT FOR THAT, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
IS THAT, SO THIS IS WHY YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP THE UH, ONE OF THE OTHER WE'D LIKE TO ADD THE MU MU SO THAT WE CAN DO THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TRANSITION? EXACTLY.
AND, UM, RELATED TO THE VMU VERSUS DBE TODD, IS THAT BECAUSE THERE'S CONCERNS THAT THAT TYPE OF ZONING MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE OR JUST WHY YOU WANTED TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE INCLUDED? IN ALL HONESTY, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SHIFTING IDEAS OVER TIME, OVER LONG TIME ABOUT WHETHER DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE WHETHER THE VMU INCLUDES THE MU AND WHETHER DB 90 INCLUDES VMU AND EVERYTHING.
AND I THINK IT'S GETTING BETTER, BUT IT'S JUST THE KIND OF THING WHERE IF YOU'RE GOING IN FOR A ZONING, IT'S SORT OF CLEANER TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALL VERY CLEARLY AVAILABLE TO THE SITE.
AND THEN RELATED TO, UM, THE QUESTIONS ON SORT OF HOW THE STRUCTURE MIGHT ACTUALLY END UP BEING BUILT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PARKING GARAGE, WHICH YOU ALL SHOWED IS AN OPTION IS NOT BY ANY MEANS.
LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE INCLUDED DEPENDING ON HOW THE SITE INFORMATION MOVES FORWARD ONCE YOU GET INTO SITE DEVELOPMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S DEFINITELY CORRECT.
SO THERE MAY NOT END UP BEING A THREE STORY UNDERGROUND PER GARAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE ARE IN THE VERY PRELIMINARY STAGES OF DESIGN AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LOOK LIKE TO SEE, BUT WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH MANY MORE, UM, STUDIES AND DESIGN WORK BEFORE WE KNOW FOR SURE WHAT'S GONNA BE THERE.
AND THEN JUST TO CONFIRM, YOU SAID HOW MANY UNITS ARE THERE CURRENTLY? 14.
AND YOU WOULD BE REPLACING WITH HOW MANY AFFORDABLE UNITS? 15.
AND HOW MANY OTHER MARKET RATE UNITS DO YOU THINK MIGHT BE A PART OF THIS? 109.
SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NEW HOUSING YES.
DIRECTLY ACROSS IN YOUR, AND YOU'RE EXPECTING THESE TO BE OWNERSHIP, IS THAT CORRECT? YES MA'AM.
SO MAYBE FOR PROFESSORS, STAFF MEMBERS, THINGS LIKE THAT? YEP.
SEEMS LIKE A GREAT LOCATION WHERE THEY MAY NOT NEED AS MANY CAR TRIPS GIVEN FOR PROXIMITY TO FOR SURE.
COMMISSIONER WOODS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UM, MS. ESTRADA, AND I APOLOGIZE IF YOU COVERED THIS IN THE STAFF BRIEFING AND I MISSED IT, BUT I JUST WAS HOPING TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT STAFF'S JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT RECOMMENDING THE MU ON TRACK TO WELL STAFF.
UM, WE RECOMMENDED THE V BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION AT, AT THE SHOAL CREEK AND 15TH STREET AND ALONG A CORRIDOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
AND SO THAT IS TYPICALLY WHERE WE WANT, UM, A VMU OVERLAY ALONG A URBAN CORRIDOR.
AND WE ALSO THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL DIRECTIVE TO EXPAND THE VMU OVERLAY THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
UM, AND THIS WAS A GOOD APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR THAT AS WELL AS JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE A, A LOCATION TO HAVE THE VMU BUILDING TYPE THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE, UM, AT THIS LOCATION.
SO THAT WAS OUR, OUR THINKING ON THIS.
AND, AND THEN FOR THE APPLICANT, JUST TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT YOU WOULD BUILD IF IT WERE JUST V AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH THE MU KIND OF WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS THERE? UM, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MU WE WOULD PROBABLY DO A, A DENSER, I MEAN, AGAIN, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH DESIGN, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SAY WITH THE WHERE THE SLOPE IS AND EVERYTHING.
THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS, THE, THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES A LITTLE BETTER.
THERE'S A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY, THEY CAN BE KIND OF MOVED AROUND MORE EASILY.
UM, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MU WE WOULD HAVE THE V ONLY, SO WE WOULD EITHER PUT BE, NOT BE ABLE TO PUT ANY HOUSING THERE OR POTENTIALLY WE WOULD TRY TO PUT, UM, A LOWER V BUILDING THERE.
IT'S ONLY LOV, SO IT'S ALSO, UM, REDUCED HEIGHT.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY UNITS COULD GO ON THAT TRACK? UNDER VI DON'T, IT'S VERY SMALL.
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD BE IN INCORPORATED.
IT MIGHT BE PART OF THE BUILDING THAT KIND OF WRAPS AROUND AND COMES DOWN IN HEIGHT.
AND THEN REMIND ME UNDER MU YOU SAID THREE? YES, THAT'S THE GOAL.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HANEY? YEAH, I GUESS, UH, THIS QUESTION WOULD BE FOR MR. GILBERT.
SO, UH, MR. GILBERT, I, MY, I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN, UH, REGULATORY, UM, DEALING WITH LANDFILLS AND STRIP MINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND YOU KNOW, I I KNOW THE BFI LANDFILL THAT'S 800 FEET TALL AND THAT'S, UH, GENERALLY REGARDED AS STABLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S BUILT ON TRASH, RIGHT? AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT MAKES THIS FORMATION UNBUILDABLE YET WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH LANDFILLS THAT ARE OF THAT SIZE THAT ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
UM, WHY, WHY WOULD THIS BE DIFFERENT FROM, FROM SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I MEAN, WHY COULDN'T WE JUST, YOU
[01:35:01]
KNOW, HAVE A VERY COMPETENT GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER LIKE YOURSELF PROPOSE A SOLUTION AND, AND GO FORWARD LIKE THAT? YEAH, I I THINK YOU COULD OKAY.BUILD SOMETHING THERE, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING AND SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO MAKE IT WORK LIKE THE FOLKS DID OVER AT THE GRAFFITI PARK.
UH, WELL WHAT I DON'T THINK WHAT ANYONE WANTS IS ANOTHER GRAFFITI WALL BECAUSE IT DIDN'T WORK, RIGHT? UM, NO, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I, I, UH, I ACTUALLY PROBABLY LIVED IN THE HOUSE THAT MR. SPONG USED TO VISIT OVER ON 12TH AND BAYLOR, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT SITE.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I MEAN I ASSUME THAT THAT'S WHAT MADE THE COST OF THAT PROJECT SO HIGH WHEN THEY REDEVELOPED IT WAS A LOT OF THE ENGINEERING IS, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT ONE, BUT I MEAN, I'M NOT, I'M FAMILIAR WITH AN ATTEMPT TO DO IT IN 2007, 2008 THAT THEY ULTIMATELY BACKED OUT OF BECAUSE OF THE COST.
WELL I DID, I I I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, I I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF THOSE UNITS AND THEY'RE IN THE MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THE THE ONES THAT ARE ABOUT TO BE COMPLETED THERE.
AND, UM, UH, SO, SO I, I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT IS POSSIBLE, IT JUST IS A QUESTION OF MONEY AND, AND HAVING A COMPETENT, UH, ENGINEERING STAFF, UM, UH, YES TO ADVISE HIM.
COMMISSIONER THAT IS ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS, EXCEPT I KNOW COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF QUESTIONS IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, CAN WE ADD TWO MORE SLOTS OF QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I, WE'RE ADDING TWO MORE SLOTS.
COMMISSIONER SMORE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
IF PROFESSOR GILBERT, IF YOU COULD COME BACK UP.
I, WE, IF Y'ALL WOULD INDULGE ME IN A COUPLE MORE MINUTES, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER HANEY TO KIND OF DRILL INTO THE POINT BECAUSE I, I TOO ACTUALLY AM WELL AWARE OF HOW WEAK THESE DEL RIO CLAYS ARE.
AND AS AN ENGINEER I WORRY ABOUT, LIKE, I DON'T LIKE TO DESIGN ON THEM AND MY WORK IS MORE ON TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH EXCAVATIONS.
SO YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION OF IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONSTRUCT SAFELY A FOUNDATION FOR A BUILDING, WHETHER OR NOT IT INCLUDES UNDERGROUND PARKING OR NOT IS IS IMPORTANT TO ME TO EXPLORE HERE ON THIS DEL RIO CLAY.
AND, AND I THINK WHAT I HEARD FROM THE LAST QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER HANEY IS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO DESIGN A SOLUTION.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MOST FEASIBLE WAY OF DOING IT IS TO WORK WITH THE BETA FORMATION DIRECTLY BY PUTTING NAILS INTO IT.
I WAS THINKING SOIL NAILS OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? YEAH, ROCK NAILS, WHICH MEANS YOU'RE NOW ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY, NUMBER ONE, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S 150 FEET UP FROM WHERE THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS FOR THE MOST PART.
IT ALSO MEANS YOU'RE DRILLING INTO A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
SO THE ECOLOGY AND THE, THE GEOLOGY OF THE BEAUTIFUL LIMESTONE IS THIS BEAUTIFUL PART OF AUSTIN.
SO YOU'RE CHANGING THAT AND YOU'RE PUTTING AN ENGINEERING STRUCTURE TO HOLD IT UP.
AND IF, IF SOIL NAILS OR IF ROCK NAILS WEREN'T POSSIBLE, UH, AND THE THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL IN TERMS OF DRILL SHAFT WALLS INTO THE MATERIAL BELOW THE DEL RIO CLAY, IF POSSIBLE, IT, IT, IT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT THE GRAFFITI WALL HAD DRILL SHAFTS THAT WENT DOWN INTO THE GEORGETOWN AND THEY ACTUALLY KEPT DRILLING MORE SHAFTS BECAUSE IT WASN'T HOLDING IT AND THEY ULTIMATELY ABANDONED IT BECAUSE IT JUST WASN'T WORKING.
SO YES, IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE SERIOUS ENGINEERING AND, AND A LOT OF MONEY MORE SERIOUS ENGINEERING TODAY.
NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 2018, THAT SURPRISED ME.
I'VE WORKED ON THESE SLOPES FOR 30 YEARS AND I DIDN'T EXPECT SOMETHING THAT WOULD GO 75 FEET BACK RIGHT IN THE BUDDA.
THAT WOULD BE AS LARGE OF A VOLUME.
AND IF I BACK IT OUT IN TERMS OF FORCE, AS MUCH OF A FORCE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO HOLD BACK IF I'M TRYING TO RETAIN IT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS, SKIDMORE.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I'LL GO.
MS. JOHNSTON, CAN I ASK YOU TO COME UP, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE, SO I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT AT THE TIME OF ZONING, WE WOULD NOT LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.
WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS AT SITE PLAN? CAN YOU HELP US WALK THROUGH THAT? SURE.
SO, UM, THE APPLICANT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY, UM, WHICH I'M SURE THEY'VE ALREADY, UM, DONE.
UM, UM, THAT WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO BE REVIEWED BY A PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST WHO WORKS FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION.
[01:40:01]
AND IF ASSUMING THEIR APPLICANT IS, UM, OKAY WITH THE 150 FOOT BUFFER, THAT IS THE STANDARD BUFFER FROM THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, THE APPLICANT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, THEN THE, THE, UH, HYDRO GEOLOGIST ON STAFF WOULD REVIEW IT, MAKE SURE THAT IT COMPLIES WITH CODE, AND THEN IF IT DOES A, A APPROVE IT, UM, IF THERE IS A VARIANCE REQUEST, THEN AT THAT TIME THEY, UM, THE, UH, REVIEWER WOULD, WOULD, UM, REVIEW THE REQUEST, UM, AND EITHER, YOU KNOW, APPROVE OR DENY DEPENDING ON JUST ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION AND OTHER STAFF CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER AS WELL, WHICH WAS GOING TO BE IF INDEED, LET'S SAY THE FINAL ANALYSIS HAPPENED AND THE CEF AND THE BUFFER VARIES, RIGHT? I THINK RIGHT NOW WE ARE JUST SORT OF IN A PRELIMINARY PHASE, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE CEF IS MUCH FURTHER OFF AND THE BUFFER CUTS INTO THE PROPERTY, WOULD THEY, WHAT KIND OF RESTRICTIONS ARE THERE FOR THE PARTS THAT WOULD BE WITHIN THE BUFFER? RIGHT.I BELIEVE THE PART OF THE BUFFER WOULD BE ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO AT THAT POINT THE, THE CODE WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY DISTURBANCE WITHIN THE 150 FOOT BUFFER.
AND SO, UM, PART OF THE REVIEW WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION IS OUTSIDE OF THAT, THAT BUFFER.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS THE, THE MAIN THING.
SO AS LONG AS THERE'S NO CONSTRUCTION IN THAT BUFFER, YOU KNOW, THAT THEN THEY'RE GOOD.
IF THERE IS CONSTRUCTION, THEN WE WOULD LOOK TO SEE, WELL, WELL YOU, MAYBE YOU CAN MOVE IT OR MAYBE MITIGATE IT, BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A VARIANCE TO HAVE ANY KIND OF DISTURBANCE AT ALL.
BUT OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I DO WANNA CAVEAT THAT THIS 150 FOOT BUFFER IS REALLY TO PROTECT THE RIM ROCK.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY DESIGNED TO PROTECT A, A SLOPE THAT'S PRONE TO FAILURE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
THEY HAPPEN TO COINCIDE IN THE SAME SPACE.
BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE A FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF OTHER STAFF WOULD, BUT IS THERE AN ANALYSIS OF THE TIME OF SITE PLAN THAT WOULD ALERT US TO THE SORT OF QUESTION OF SLOW FAILURE OR SORT OF HOW DO THE FOUNDATIONS NEED TO GO? HOW DO WE SORT OF ENCOUNTER IT THROUGH ENGINEERING? NO, NOT AT THE BUILDING.
SO OUR STAFF LOOK AT THE RIM ROCK, IS THE RIM ROCK PROTECTED? UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE, THE, IF, IF THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH CODE, THEN THAT'S IT.
WE, OUR STAFF DO NOT LOOK AT BUILDINGS.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING OR, OKAY.
UM, MS. BOJO, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU JUST TO CONFIRM.
WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU IS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING A GEOTECHNICAL REPORT WITH THE ZONING, CORRECT? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND Y'ALL ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SORT OF PROCEEDING WITH THAT.
UM, AND YOU'RE, THE TIMELINE WOULD BE THAT ESSENTIALLY WE WOULD HAVE THAT IN HAND BY THE TIME THIS GOES TO COUNCIL, THE CITY WOULD HAVE EXACTLY.
UM, I'LL JUST QUICKLY ASK, I GUESS FOLLOWING UP TO THAT, I KNOW YOU HAVE A REQUEST FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD, NOT HOLD THE CASE.
IF WE DO DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY, UM, CAN YOU COMMIT THAT THE FINDINGS FROM THAT WILL BE SHARED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL IN ADDITION TO THE, THE CITY AND COUNCIL AND WHOEVER ELSE IT MAY BE? YES.
AND THAT YOU ARE SORT OF OPEN TO HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUING AS THIS GOES TO THIRD READING WITH COUNCIL? YES.
IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC DOCUMENT ANYWAY TO BE SUBMITTED WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY WOULD BE SUBMITTED WITH OUR SITE PLAN.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR SPOTS, INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL TWO.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION CHAIR, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN? YEAH, MAY I, MAY I CLARIFY ONE THING? PLEASE, SIR, WE CANNOT BECAUSE OUR PER OUR PROCESS, YOU CAN ONLY DO IT IF YOU'RE CALLED UPON.
AND SINCE WE'RE OUT OF OUR QUESTION SPOTS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME A QUESTION ABOUT GEOTECHNIC ENGINEERS? I'LL ANSWER IT.
YEAH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE RUN OUT OF OUR QUESTION.
IT'S GONNA BE HARD FOR THEM TO REVIEW IT.
CHAIR I MOVE APPLICANT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, IT, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS INCLUDES THE WAIVER FOR THE COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENT AS WELL? IT DOES.
I'M GONNA SPEAK TO THAT THOUGH.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? MR. AHMED? UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, IT, THIS IS A REALLY GREAT SPOT FOR A CONDO BUILDING AND I KNOW THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE PRETTY MUCH THE ENTITLEMENTS THEY NEED TO GO OFFICE TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE WRONG MARKET FOR THAT.
IT DOES PAIN ME A BIT TO WAVE RETAIL RIGHT HERE, BUT I'VE, I'VE WALKED THIS AREA, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA AND THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT OF CONNECTIVITY IN THIS AREA, SO IT WOULD BE ISOLATED RETAIL.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, VERY WEIRD ODDBALL REASON.
BUT, UM, IT, IT IS VERY NICE TO HEAR FROM STAFF THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT'S GONNA BE PLAINLY STATED ON OUR AGENDAS AND HOPEFULLY MOST APPLICANTS IN PLACES WHERE IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO WAIVE RETAIL, WILL NOT ASK TO WAIVE RETAIL.
BUT THIS IS A GREAT SPOT FOR CONDOS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TERSON, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST THE MOTION?
[01:45:02]
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? ANY FOREIGN AGAINST FOR THE MOTION AT ALL? I'LL JUST SPEAK, UM, IN FAVOR JUST TO HONESTLY ITERATE, REITERATE MY QUESTION TO MS. BOJO, WHICH IS TO SAY I THINK WE HAVE A COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE AS WE MOVING FORWARD, THERE WILL BE A GEOTECHNICAL STUDY DONE BEFORE SORT OF THE ZONING IS APPROVED FINALLY BY THE CITY OR COUNCIL.AND IN DOING THAT, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS BECAUSE I DO WANNA MAKE SURE, I THINK WE HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATION STARTERS HERE.
HAVING THAT REPORT WILL ALLOW MORE CONCRETE CONVERSATIONS AND I HOPE THAT THE APPLICANT CAN REALLY WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HONESTLY ANYONE CONCERNED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OR AGAINST? SO THIS IS A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER AHMED ALL, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH APPLICANT REQUEST, INCLUDING THE WAIVER FOR THE GROUND FOR COMMERCIAL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS OR SAY AYE, OR SHOW US YOUR GREEN CARDS.
THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COMMISSIONER HOWARD.
COMMISSIONERS, THIS TAKES US TO,
[Items 26 - 37]
AND SOMEONE'S GONNA HELP ME HERE WITH ITEM NUMBER.WE'RE GOING TO OUR VISION PLAN ITEMS AND OTHER ITEMS I KNOW IN THE ASSOCIATED PLUM CHANGES AS WELL.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE STAFF THAT WILL BE COMING UP FOR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AS WE DO THIS, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY ONE THING FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND FOR ANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GOING SLIGHTLY OUT OF ORDER IF Y'ALL WOULD ALLOW US.
THESE ARE PACKAGED ITEMS AND WE SAW THIS LAST TIME.
I THINK FOLKS HAVE A, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE YOU TALK ABOUT THEM.
SO IF IT, THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM COMMISSIONERS.
THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS IS WE'RE GONNA GIVE STAFF 15 TO 20 MINUTES, SO MUCH LONGER THAN USUAL TO GIVE A FULL PRESENTATION ON THE FLUS AND OTHERWISE WHATEVER THEY NEED TO COVER, INCLUDING THE PROCESS AMENDMENT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE WILL GO THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL OF THE ITEMS FOR AS MANY ITEMS THAT SOMEONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR.
AND THEN WE WILL GO INTO Q AND A.
DO WE HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT IN COMBINING THE ITEMS? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE A REQUEST? NO, IT'S FINE.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS VIE PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HERE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER IN SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER, STATIONARY VISION PLANS AND RELATED AMENDMENTS.
THESE PLANS WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ARE GUIDED BY EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES TO CONNECT THE COMMUNITY TO HOUSING, JOBS, SERVICES AND RETAIL NEAR TRANSIT.
PRIORITIZING THOSE HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT OF PLA PAST PLANNING EFFORTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE CITY HAS WORKED TO INTEGRATE ETOD INTO TRANSIT INVESTMENTS.
FOLLOWING VOTER APPROVAL OF PROJECT CONNECT IN 2020, WE CONDUCTED AN ETOD STUDY LEADING TO THE ETOD POLICY PLAN ACCEPTED IN 2023.
THIS PLAN PROVIDES AN A VERY COMPREHENSIVE POLICY FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM DIRECTING, IMA IMAGINE AUSTIN AND LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENTS AND IT ALSO INCLUDES ETOD GOALS, STATIONARY TYPOLOGIES, POLICY TOOLKIT, AND PRIORITIZES PLANNING FOR THE NOR LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREAS.
THE AREAS FOR THE TWO PLANS INCLUDE THE NOR LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER AND THE SURROUNDING HALF MILE RADIUS.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE PLANS HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO THIS PROCESS.
BEGINNING IN 2023 WE PARTNERED WITH CAB METRO TO CONDUCT THREE ROUNDS
[01:50:01]
OF ENGAGEMENT.THAT INCLUDED TABLING EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, OPEN HOUSES, SURVEYS, AND MANY BRIEFINGS TO GATHER FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS NEAR BOTH TRANSIT CENTERS.
AFTER THESE ITEMS WERE POSTPONED AT THE MARCH 25TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING STAFF REACHED OUT TO NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPATED IN ABOUT A DOZEN ADI ADDITIONAL FOCUS MEETINGS.
ON THIS PROPOSALS A DETAILED SUMMARY OF THIS ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS BACKUP FOR YOUR REVIEW.
THE INPUT RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS SHAPED THE DRAFT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND CELL CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATIONARY VISION PLANS THAT WERE RELEASED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW LAST OCTOBER.
THE PLANS INCLUDE AN EXISTING CONDITION ANALYSIS, PROPOSED CHARACTER MAPS, RECOMMENDATIONS, CONCEPTUAL IMAGES, AND AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
THESE PLANS WERE REFINED WITH FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING HOUSING DEPARTMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE AND CAP METRO AND WERE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE SPEAKUP AUSTIN WEBSITE IN OCTOBER OF 2024.
NOW LET'S DIVE INTO THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOR LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER STATIONARY VISION PLAN LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM 36.
THIS STATION AREA CAN BE FOUND AT THE INTERSECTION OF US 180 3 AND NORTH LAMAR.
THE TRANSIT CENTER IS A KEY BUS TRANSFER HUB FOR THE AREA.
CHALLENGES IN THIS AREA INCLUDE CAR DEPENDENT INFRASTRUCTURE, LACK OF PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY, OLDER HOUSING STOCK AND LIMITED OPEN SPACE.
TO UNDERSTAND THE STATION AREA, WE REFER TO THE ETOD POLICY PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIES NORTH LAMAR AS THE ENHANCED TYPOLOGY FOR THE PROTECTION OF LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
WHILE ENSURING AFFORDABILITY THROUGH SENSITIVE DEVELOPMENT.
ETOD EFFORTS SHOULD INCLUDE PROTECTING EXISTING RESIDENTS AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT, BUILDING AND PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND INCREASING ACCESS TO SERVICES.
THE PLAN VISIONS THE TRANSIT CENTER TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CAB METRO'S TRANSIT OPERATIONS WHILE ADDING AMENITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
THOSE MAY INCLUDE MIXED INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITH STOREFRONT RETAIL LOCAL BUSINESSES, A PUBLIC PARK I SHADED TRANSIT PLAZA.
ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT OF THIS PLAN IS THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
THIS PARCEL LEVEL MAP ILLUSTRATES THE AREAS WHERE GROWTH IS ENCOURAGED IN AREAS WHERE OUR PRIORITY SHOULD BE PRESERVATION AS A COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO EVOLVE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IS NOT A ZONING MAP BUT WOULD GUIDE FUTURE CITY DECISIONS ABOUT ZONING.
WE HAVE THREE BROAD CHARACTER DISTRICTS ON THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT INCLUDE A TOD MIXED USE IN BROWN, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY, IDEALLY WITH A MIX OF BROWN FLOOR COMMERCIAL OR OTHER ACTIVE USES WITH RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND OR OFFICE USES ON THE UPPER FLOORS.
WE ALSO HAVE MIXED USE INDUSTRIAL AND PURPLE, WHICH IS PROPOSED TO INCLUDE LOW IMPACT INDUSTRIAL USES WITH ADDED OPTIONS FOR RETAIL OFFICE AND ATTACHED MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
LASTLY, WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION IN ORANGE, WHICH IS PROPOSED TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES OR SMALL SCALE OFFICES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
THE PURPOSE OF OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION DISTRICT IS TO ENABLE AN AREA TO BLINK TO BLEND MORE SEAMLESSLY BETWEEN A PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL AREA IN A MORE ACTIVE COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE U USE AREA.
THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IN THIS VISION PLAN DESIGNATES PROPERTIES NEAR 180 3 AND THE TRANSIT CENTER AS TOD MIXED USE, ENCOURAGING HIGH INTENSITY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AREAS NEAR ANDERSON LANE.
OUR DESIGNATED MIXED USE INDUSTRIAL AND THE NORTHERN END OF NORTH LAMAR IS DESIGNATED NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION TO BLEND RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS.
WE ARE PROCESSING FIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS IN TANDEM WITH THIS VISION PLAN TO AVOID CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE CURRENT AND PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USE MAPS IN THE AREA.
A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON THESE AMENDMENTS WAS HELD ON MARCH THE FOURTH FOR THE NORTH AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION NAKA.
THE SOUTHERN TIP AROUND THE TRANSIT CENTER IS PROPOSED TO BE PART OF THE STATION AREA'S.
THE AREA'S CURRENT FUTURE LINE USES ARE MOSTLY COMMERCIAL AND MIXED USE.
THE MPA APPLICATION 2025 DASH 7 0 1 LISTED ON THE AGENDA ITEM AS NUMBER 26 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED NORLAND MARCH TRANSIT CENTER PLUM.
THE VISION PLANS PROPOSED PH FLU INCLUDES A MIXED OF TOD MIXED USE NEAR THE TRANSIT CENTER AND NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION FURTHER UP NORTH LAMAR
[01:55:03]
IN THE WOODEN NEIGHBORHOOD.INCLUDED IN THE CRESTVIEW WOODEN COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
THE FORMER HOBBY LOBBY SITE AND THE AREAS ACROSS ANDERSON SQUARE FROM IT ARE PROPOSED TO BE IN THE STATIONARY VISION PLANS PLUM.
THE M-P-A-M-P-A APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 0 1 7 0 1.
LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM NUMBER 27 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER PLUM.
THIS AREA IS DESIGNATED AS MIXED USE UNDER THE CURRENT PLUM.
THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES ON THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER VISION PLAN OR TOD MIXED USE, WHICH WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING PLUM DESIGNATIONS IN THE CRESTVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
INCLUDED IN THE CRESTVIEW WOODEN COMBINED NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
THE PLAN AMENDMENT INCLUDES PROPERTIES ALONG ANDERSON LANE AND NORTH LAMAR.
THE MPA APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 0 1 7 0 2.
LISTED IN THE AGENDA AS ITEM 28 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.
PLUM BUSINESSES ALONG ANDERSON LANE AND NORTH OF MAR.
CURRENTLY DESIGNATED MIXED USE ARE PROPOSED AS MIXED USE STU INDUSTRIAL, SORRY, THE SAME IS TRUE IN HIGHLAND INCLUDED IN BRENTWOOD HIGHLAND COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA WHERE OFFICES, WAREHOUSES, AND RETAIL NORTH OF MORROW AND GUADALUPE ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED NEW PLUM.
THE MPA APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 1 8 0 1.
LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM 29 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER PLUM.
THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES FOR THE NOR LA MAR TRANSIT CENTER VISION PLAN IN THIS AREA WOULD BE CATEGORIZED AS MIXED USE INDUSTRIAL.
AND LASTLY, THE LARGEST LAND AREA IN, UH, THIS, UH, VISION PLAN WILL BE THE GEORGIAN ACRES, WHICH IS A PART OF THE NORTH LAMAR COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 26 0 1.
LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM 30 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER LUM.
THIS AREA CURRENTLY HAS VARIOUS FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS INCLUDING MIXED USE, COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY, SINGLE FAMILY, HIGHER DENSITY CITY, SINGLE FAMILY AND CIVIC.
UNDER THE PROPOSED NEW NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER VISION PLAN.
PLUM AREAS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF POWELL LANE AND NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD WILL BE TOD MIXED USE AND AREAS FARTHER FROM THE INTERSECTION WILL BE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION.
NOW MOVING ON TO THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREA, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER IS LOCATED OFF OF SOUTH CONGRESS IN RED LANE.
THIS AREA FACES CHALLENGES INCLUDING A CAR DOMINANT INFRASTRUCTURE, US TWO 90, ACTING AS A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE BARRIER AND RAPID REDEVELOPMENT INCREASING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES.
ACCORDING TO THE ETOD TYPOLOGIES, THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER AREA IS CLASSIFIED WITH THE TYPOLOGY ALIGNED POLICIES TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY AS DEVELOPMENT OCCURS, MEANING THAT ETOD EFFORTS SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHANGE OCCURRING TODAY TO MAXIMIZE COMMUNITY BENEFITS IN REDEVELOPMENT AND INFILL OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE WHILE PROTECTING EXISTING RESIDENTIAL RESIDE RESIDENTS AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.
THE PLAN ENVISIONS THE TRANSIT CENTER TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CAB METRO'S TRANSIT OPERATIONS, WHILE ADDING AMENITIES SUCH AS THE FUTURE BERGSTROM PER TRAIL, MIXED INCOME HOUSING, ACTIVE STOREFRONTS, SMALL BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE TRAINING SPACES, CAB METRO AMENITIES CENTER, AND ACCESS TO FIRST AND LAST MILE MICRO MOBILITY CONNECTIONS.
THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP PROPOSES HIGH DENSITY TOD MIXED USES ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AND RAT LANE.
CURRENT INDUSTRIAL AREAS ARE MOSTLY DESIGNATED AS MIXED USE INDUSTRIAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION PROPERTIES ARE THOSE CLOSEST TO THE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
WE ARE PROPOSING FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS ASSOCIATED TO THIS VISION PLAN.
THE COMMUNITY MEETING ON THESE AMENDMENTS WERE HELD ON MARCH THE FIFTH IN THE DAWSON NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SOUTHERN TIP AROUND THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH CONGRESS AND BEN WHITE IS PROPOSED TO BE PART OF THIS STATIONARY VISION PLAN.
THE NORTH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT APPLICATION 2025
[02:00:01]
DASH 0 0 1 0.01.LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM 31 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.
PLUM CURRENT FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS IN THE AREA INCLUDE A MIX OF INDUSTRIAL AND MIXED USES.
THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES FOR THIS AREA FRONTING SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE RTOD MIXED USE IN THE WEST CONGRESS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PART OF THE SOUTH CONGRESS COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TO THE EAST TO THE WEST OF SOUTH CONGRESS, UM, INCLUDES PARCELS ALONG THE SOUTH CONGRESS AND BETWEEN RAD AND WEST ST.
ELMO ARE PROPOSED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER VISION PLANS PH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 0 2 0 0 1.
LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM 32 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER PLUM A PRESENT.
THIS AREA IS MOSTLY CONSIDERED MIXED USE WITH SOME PARCELS CATEGORIZED AS MULTIFAMILY OR INDUSTRIAL.
THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES FOR THIS AREA WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO THEIR CURRENT DESIGNATION.
IT IS PROPOSED TO HAVE DOD MIXED USES WITH SOME NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITIONS IN THE AREAS CURRENTLY CATEGORIZED AS MULTIFAMILY.
OKAY, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SOUTH CONGRESS IS THE EAST CONGRESS NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
THIS IS A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AREA WITH MANY SMALL MANUFACTURING AND ARTIST SPACES THAT IS EXPERIENCING A TRANSITION TO A MIXED USE CORRIDOR IN THE PARTS CLOSE TO SOUTH CONGRESS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 0 2 2 0 0 2.
LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM NUMBER 33 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER PLUM.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE MANY NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES WITH GROUND FLOOR RETAIL BEING BUILT AND ACCORDINGLY THE CURRENT PLUM SHOWS A MIX OF MIX OF MIXED USE AND INDUSTRY.
THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES FOR THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER VISION PLAN ARE SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT PLUM, WHICH INCLUDES TOD MIXED USES ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AND THE FUTURE BERGSTROM SPUR TRAIL AND ALSO MIXED USE INDUSTRIAL.
EDWARDS NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA AS PART OF THE GREATER SOUTH RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH CONGRESS IN BEN WHITE.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT APPLICATION 2025 DASH 0 2 2 0 1 LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 34 IS TO ELIMINATE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM TO INCLUDE IT IN THE PROPOSED, UH, CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER PLUM.
THIS AREA CURRENTLY CONTAINS PARCELS WITH MIXED USE AND CIVIC PARCELS, THE LATER BEING THE POST OFFICE AND INDUSTRY ALONG WOODBURY DRIVE.
THE PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES FOR THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER VISION PLAN ARE TOD MIXED USE ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AND ALSO MIXED USE INDUSTRIAL ALONG WOODBURY.
UNDER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 34 STAFF IS PROPOSING A CODE AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CODE TITLE 25 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO ESTABLISH THE REGULATIONS AND AMENDMENT PROCESS FOR THE STATIONARY PLANS SHOULD THEY BE ADOPTED.
THIS CODE AMENDMENT WILL ENSURE THAT THE PROCESS FOR AMENDING THIS NEW TYPE OF PLAN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS PROCESS AND THAT THE PUBLIC RECEIVES ADEQUATE PUBLIC NOTICE.
IN CLOSING, WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD A TOTAL OF 12 ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND THOSE INCLUDE THE NOR LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND SELF CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER, STATIONARY VISION PLANS, NINE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS, AND ONE CODE AMENDMENT.
THE PROPOSED ITEMS ARE THE RESULT OF WIDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND CAP METRO AND REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS CREATING MORE EQUITABLE, CONNECTED AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES AROUND THE TRANSIT STATIONS.
WE BELIEVE THIS PLANS OFFER A CLEAR PATH FORWARD TO HELP US REALIZE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF OUR TRANSIT INVESTMENTS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT IN MOVING THEM TOWARDS ADOPTION, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, WE'LL GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST, AND I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS.
SO THIS IS AGAIN, AND STAFF MENTIONED THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 30 34, UM, WHICH IS THE PLUMB CHANGES.
I NUMBER 35, WHICH IS THE PROCESS AMENDMENT I NUMBER 36 AND THREE SEVEN, WHICH IS THE VISION PLAN.
[02:05:01]
UH, TESTIMONY IN ALL OF THOSE AT THIS TIME.MS. GARCIA, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
WE WILL NOW BE HEARING FROM THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM 26.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS MONICA GUZMAN.
MONICA WILL BE RECEIVING THREE MINUTES OF DONATED TIME FROM KIM TI KIM, ARE YOU PRESENT? MONICA, YOU'LL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE DONATED TIME.
I DON'T THINK I'LL NEED ALL OF IT.
I'M MONICA GOSMAN SPEAKING AS A NORTH AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION CONTACT TEAM CHAIR AND DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENT.
WE APPRECIATE PLANNING STAFF PRESENTING AT THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, STAFF PRESENTS THE UTAH STATIONARY VISION PLANS AS COMMUNITY DRIVEN.
APPENDIX SEVEN HAS SUMMARIZED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, YET STILL NO EVIDENCE RESIDENTS OF COLOR AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT WERE ENGAGED AND THEIR COMMENTS AND OR RECOMMENDATIONS RECORDED AT THE MARCH 25TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, SEVERAL, INCLUDING MYSELF, REQUESTED INCLUSION OF RESIDENTS IN THE EAD WORKING GROUP, BUT RECEIVED NO WORD THAT THE REQUEST WAS HONORED.
WE NEED TO SEE AND HEAR PROPOSALS ABOUT IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN AND PUBLIC SAFETY, IMPROVING ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ESPECIALLY FOR TRANSIT DEPENDENT FOLKS.
AND LET ME BE CLEAR, TRANSIT DEPENDENT DOESN'T MEAN I RIDE MY BIKE AND LEAVE MY CAR AT HOME.
TRANSIT DEPENDENT MEANS YOU HAVE YOUR FEET AND YOU HAVE THE BUS.
OR YOU'RE DEPENDENT ON SOMEONE ELSE GIVING YOU A RIDE.
UH, BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING, ESPECIALLY FOR TRANS INDEPENDENT FOLKS, RIGHT TO STAY RIGHT TO RETURN OPTIONS AND DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ALIGNS WITH THE COMMUNITY, MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
I HAVE SEEN PLENTY OF OTHER PLANS IN MY DAY JOB, ESPECIALLY DENSITY BONUS, WHERE THE AFFORDABILITY IS 50% MFI, 60% MFI, 80% MFI, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, AND ON PAPER THAT SOUNDS GREAT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING OR REDEVELOPING IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS 40% AND 30% MFI, IT IS STILL UNAFFORDABLE TO THEM.
WE REQUEST LEAVING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES IN THE NACA NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PLUM HAKA, THURMAN HEIGHTS, PALMS ON NORTH LAMAR APARTMENTS, AND THE NORTH LAMAR MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY.
WHILE WE CANNOT SPEAK FOR OTHER CONTACT TEAMS, WE ASK YOU TO CONSIDER LEAVING HAKA GEORGIAN MAINOR OAKS ON LAMAR APARTMENTS, MOBILE HOME ADDRESSES, AND THE GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH AND THE NORTH LAMAR COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PLUM FOR GEORGIAN ACRES.
WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER UTAH STATION AREA PLAN THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE AN EQUITY ANTI DISPLACEMENT OVERLAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER ON ITEM 26 IS BRAD MASSENGALE.
BRAD, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HEY, Y'ALL, THIS IS OBVIOUS A LOT.
UM, THIS, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZING GOING ON UP, UP IN THIS AREA.
UM, I KNOW Y'ALL MAILED OUT A LOT OF POSTCARDS, BUT COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSES THAT'S UP THERE, THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE OUTREACH DEPARTMENT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT, THAT, UH, I'VE LIVED UP IN THAT AREA AND THERE'S A TON OF HOUSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AFFORDABLE.
UM, IT, IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DEAD SET ON A, A WAR AGAINST WORKING CLASS FAMILIES BY PUTTING THESE HUGE PROJECTS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF WHERE PEOPLE ALREADY ARE.
THERE'S A SWEET SPOT WHEN YOU'RE WORKING AND YOU CAN'T AFFORD A CAR BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD ASSURANCE OR YOU CAN AFFORD ASSURANCE, BUT YOU CAN'T AFFORD A CAR.
THERE'S, THERE'S JUST THIS, THIS WHOLE DISCONNECT BETWEEN US THAT HAVE A WAY TO GET AROUND AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T THAT WORK AND DEPEND ON THE BUS.
AND THIS, BOTH THESE TRANSIT CENTERS HAVE A INSTITUTE POPULATION OF PEOPLE THAT DEPEND ON IT TO GET TO WORK AND TO DISPLACE THEM.
TO PUT SOMETHING UP FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO WORK ON THE BUS JUST MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.
AND TO JUST DRAW A CIRCLE ON A MAP AND START CARVING OUT PIECES OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS RATHER THAN DOING SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE FORM FITTED TO THE ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE.
AND THEN JUST THROWING A SOMETHING AT THE REFRIGERATOR AND HOPING IT STICKS AND DISPLACING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE,
[02:10:01]
I THINK WE NEED TO POSTPONE THIS AND, AND LET THE COMMUNITY DO SOME MORE OUTREACH AND DOOR KNOCKING AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS CARL WEBB.
MS. GARCIA, COULD YOU ALSO DO, UH, CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR? I KNOW WE'RE GOING A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.
CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT WE MENTION WHAT ITEMS, UM, SOMEONE WAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON? CAN WE JUST DO THAT FOR MS. GUZMAN AND MR. MESSENGER AND THEN GO ON FROM THERE? YES.
SO FOR ITEM 27, WE ALSO HAVE MONICA GUZMAN AND BRAD MASSENGILL.
I, I GUESS JUST TO SAY WE'RE GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE ITEMS IN ONE GO SO EVERYBODY GETS TO TESTIFY.
SO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE MENTION WHAT ITEMS THEY SIGNED UP FOR AND AFTER THAT, HOW MUCH TIME THEY HAVE CUMULATIVELY.
AND THEN IT IS UP TO THEM ON HOW MUCH THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR.
I HAVE DONATED TIME ON THIS ONE TOO, RIGHT? YES.
YOU'LL BE RECEIVING THREE MINUTES OF DONATED TIME FROM KIM ZAIA WHO IS CURRENTLY PRESENT.
SO YOU'LL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES ON ITEM 27.
I'M MONICA GOSMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR OF GAVA GO AUSTIN BAMO AUSTIN, BOTH EAD STATION AREA VISION PLANS.
STATE THE PLAN SUPPORTS THE PROJECT CONNECT TRANSIT VISION BY PLANNING FOR THE CAPITAL METRO OWNED TRANSIT CENTER AND BROADER STATION AREA TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT MAXIMIZES PUBLIC TRANSPORT, EXCUSE ME, TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS TRANSIT RIDERSHIP AND ENSURES THAT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM SERVES EXISTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN PARTICULAR, THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT UNQUOTE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
EQUITABLE, IN NAME ONLY SPECULATION HAS BEEN PERVERTING OUR MARKET FOR YEARS.
THIS IS MASSIVE TRANSIT UPZONING WITH NO SPECIFIC TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS.
WE NEED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE TRANSIT.
NOW, E TODD, GOAL NUMBER THREE IS TO PRESERVE AND INCREASE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE.
USE OF A DENSITY BONUS DOES NOT ENSURE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE DON'T NEED MORE EMPTY BUILDINGS THAT COST TOO MUCH.
WE NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP TO PRESERVE EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, THAT WE HAVE AND CANNOT GET BACK.
THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER, UTAH STATION AREAS VISION PLANS ARE BEING PROMOTED AS COMMUNITY DRIVEN AND THE APPENDICES FOR EACH PLAN SHOW SUMMARIZED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE KNOCKED ON THE DOORS OF AND SPOKE WITH RESIDENTS AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT, WE FOUND THEIR CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS HAD NOT YET BEEN HEARD.
THERE IS A WAY TO PRESERVE EXISTING AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES, BUT ONLY YOU, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MUST LEAD THE WAY.
INSTEAD OF FAST TRACKING APPROVAL OF CONTINUED GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT.
WE INVITE YOU TO SIT DOWN WITH GAVA, WITH COMMUNITY POWERED A TX AND OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DISCUSS AND PLAN HOW IT CAN LOOK DIFFERENT, HOW IT CAN PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND PRODUCE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY, MULTI-FAMILY INCOMES, REGARDLESS WHICH COMMUNITY IT'S BEING DONE IN.
MONICA WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF 50 MINUTES ON ITEMS 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, AND 37.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, MS. GUZ, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO SEE THAT ALL OF YOUR ITEMS, AND YOU CAN TAKE AS MUCH OF THE TIME THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ON ALL OF THEM.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO SHARE, YOU'RE ABLE TO SHARE AND DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY COME ON UPON EACH ITEM.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH SPEAKER IN THAT WAY.
WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
I THOUGHT BRAD WAS GONNA GO NEXT.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, DISTRICT FOUR, RESIDENT NATIVE AUSTINITE.
I HAVE NOT MEMORIZED THE PLAN, STILL READING IT OVER IT, LIKE MANY PEOPLE, PROBABLY YOURSELVES INCLUDED.
YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD ME SPEAK TWICE.
YOU'VE HEARD MANY OTHER PEOPLE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRANSIT CENTER, ESPECIALLY NORTH LAMAR ONE, IT'S A WASTE OF SPACE.
IT'S, IT'S EMPTY, BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN IN MANY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE YEARS, MAINLY AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT.
WE DON'T HAVE A RAIL GOING UP THERE, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.
YOU'VE GOT THE CRESTVIEW STATION TO COVER THAT, WHAT WE REALLY NEED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND THOSE ARE OLD STOMPING GROUNDS FOR ME.
I GRADUATED FROM NAVARRO, ACTUALLY, I GRADUATED FROM LANIER
[02:15:01]
MY SON IN, IN THAT AREA MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I COULD FIND A PLACE TO AFFORD TO LIVE.RIGHT NOW, IT'S STILL A RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE AREA TO LIVE IN.
I ALSO KNOW THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT, NO MATTER HOW LITTLE IS GOING TO CHANGE PROPERTY VALUE, IT DOES INCREASE TAXES.
AND OF COURSE, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE RENTERS, IT GETS PASSED ONTO US.
BUT AS I SAID IN MY PREVIOUS STATEMENT, AS A GAVA SPOKESPERSON, THERE ARE WAYS TO PRESERVE WHAT WE HAVE.
THERE ARE WAYS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE.
DENSITY BONUS DOESN'T WORK LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
I WAS EVEN READING THAT IN A NEWS REPORT JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
THERE ARE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN BEFORE COUNSEL THAT ARE GOING TO DESTROY NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I I ALSO KNOW THAT DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPER AGENTS HAVE SPOKEN.
IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE BUILD SOMETHING NEW, WAIT 20, 30 YEARS, IT'LL BE AFFORDABLE AT THAT POINT.
SO AM I SUPPOSED TO STAND ON THE CORNER WAITING FOR THE 20, 30 YEARS? ARE SINGLE PARENTS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY? WE CANNOT WAIT AS A COMMUNITY.
WE CANNOT WAIT AS A CITY FOR THOSE 20, 30 YEARS TO PASS.
I KNOW IT'S NOT SAFE TO LIVE IN, UH, AGING BUILDINGS ALL THE TIME.
BUT THEY ALSO, IF THEY'RE NOT THAT BAD, IF THEY STILL HAVE HABITABILITY, THEN THERE IS A WAY TO REHAB.
IT'S A MATTER OF FINDING THE FUNDING AND THE PARTNERSHIPS AND WORKING WITH THE RESIDENTS.
THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF A DEVELOPMENT OR RISING RENTS, PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN PLACE.
I'M BASICALLY REPEATING MY TESTIMONY OR PART OF IT FROM THE HOME INITIATIVE.
PHASE TWO, YOUNG COUPLES, YOUNG FAMILIES, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN IN PLACE.
PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING OLDER LIKE ME, I, I AM A GRANDPARENT.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THAT
I DON'T HAVE A HOUSE WITH A BACKYARD.
NEVER DID FOR THEM TO PLAY IN.
SO THEY GET BORED HANGING OUT IN THE CONDO.
BUT THE POINT IS, OLDER FOLKS, SENIORS, THEY NEED A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN AGE IN PLACE.
AND WHILE IT'S OKAY TO DEVELOP, I'M NOT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT.
I'M NOT AGAINST, UH, OTHER STUFF, BUT IT NEEDS TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
YOU CAN'T JUST SAY IT ON A PIECE OF PAPER, IT'S GOT TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO SPEAK WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE DISPLACEMENT, WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE STRUGGLES.
'CAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, NOBODY KNOWS THE ANSWERS BETTER THAN THEM.
SO I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THESE COMMENTS.
MY PREVIOUS STATEMENTS, OTHER PEOPLE'S STATEMENTS, WHAT'S BEEN SAID IN THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS.
I KNOW COMMENTS IN MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE NOT IN THE BACKUP.
THEY'RE NOT IN THE VISION PLAN 'CAUSE THEY WEREN'T WRITTEN.
BUT ONE THING I KEPT PUSHING WAS THE NEED FOR AN EQUITY ANTI DISPLACEMENT OVERLAY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, BECAUSE THOSE OF US NORTH OF RESEARCH, WHICH IS NACA AND GEORGIAN ACRES, THAT'S A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL.
WHEREAS HIGHLAND, CRESTVIEW AND WOOTEN, IT'S COMMERCIAL.
SO THE ONES WHO LIVE CLOSEST TO THE TRANSIT CENTER ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTED WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR HOME.
SO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
PLEASE PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES OR TRY TO WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING THIS OVER MAKING DECISIONS.
WE WILL NOW BE HEARING FROM BACK BRAD MASSING FOR A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES.
YOU'LL BE SPEAKING ON ITEMS 27, 31 AND 36.
AGAIN, YOU'LL HAVE NINE MINUTES.
UM, THE SOME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING NATIONWIDE IS THE PLUGS BEING PULLED ON A LOT OF BIG PROJECTS.
AND THE FACT THAT, UH, BOTH THE POLES OF THIS, THE NORTH AND SOUTH TRANSIT CENTERS ARE OUTSIDE OF THE, THE RAIL PROJECT THAT'S, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED AND IT'S OSTENSIBLY GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
IT MAKES MOST SENSE TO ME TO, TO COMMIT MORE GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION ON THE WHOLE THING.
BUT TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, UH, IN, IN SOUTH AUSTIN, THE, THE SOUTH TRANSIT CENTER AND THE CIRCLE THAT'S DRAWN IT, IT INCLUDES PART OF WILLIAMSON CREEK, UH, SOME OF THE REALLY FUNKIEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTH AUSTIN THAT, THAT ARE SOUTH AUSTIN, THE TEMPLE OF JUNKS IN THAT CIRCLE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU START, UH, LOOKING EAST EAST OF, UH, CONGRESS, YOU'LL FIND A LOT MORE APPROPRIATE BILLING SPACES.
[02:20:01]
THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN BILLED.OTIS J BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY BACK IN THE SIXTIES OR SEVENTIES BEFORE BEN WHITE WAS EVEN A A, A TRENCH IN THE GROUND TO BE WHAT IT IS NOW, AN INVESTMENT PROPERTY.
BUT WHEN YOU GET WEST, IT'S A BUNCH OF SMALL HOUSES AND IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY GONNA HELP ANYBODY TO DISPLACE THESE PEOPLE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A PIE IN THE SKY KIND OF THING.
AND, AND LOOKING AT THE PICTURES, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S BENEFIT FOR ANYBODY EXCEPT THE FRONT FACING BEN WHITE.
UM, IT'S BEEN A, THE WHOLE SOUTH CONGRESS CONTACT AREA, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEING CARVED UP.
THEY'VE ALREADY TAKEN PARTS OF IT AWAY FOR THE, UH, SOUTH LAMAR CONS, UH, TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
NOW THIS, IT'S GONNA BE JUST A LITTLE BITTY SLIVER LEFT WHENEVER ALL THIS IS OVER.
I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE GONNA BE, UH, DEFENDING? UM, THE OTHER ASPECT OF THIS IS, AT LEAST IN THE SOUTH PART OF TOWN, THE, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THE MEETINGS WERE PRACTICALLY NON-EXISTENT AND TRYING TO GET RETURN CALLS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE RUNNING THAT I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM.
AND I WAS PROMISED SOME INFORMATION.
SO AGAIN, ALL THIS STUFF IS LEADS TO THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND Y'ALL PLEASE POSTPONE ALL OF THESE IF FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL NOW BE HEARING FROM CHIP HARRIS FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.
CHIP WILL BE SPEAKING ON ITEMS 28 AND 36.
CHIP WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
CHIP, PLEASE PRESS SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
AGAIN, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES.
UH, MY NAME IS CHIP HARRIS AND I LIVE IN CRESTVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT AS AN INDIVIDUAL ON ITEMS 28 AND 36.
AS MENTIONED, THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.
BY DRAWING A MILE A HALF MILE CIRCLE AROUND THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, THE CITY IS COMMITTING ITSELF TO THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS THAT WILL UTILIZE THE TRANSIT CENTER.
THE HALF CIRCLE EXTENDS ACROSS TWO MAJOR AND DANGEROUS ROADWAYS, US HIGHWAY 180 3 AND NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.
THE SAFETY RECORD OF NORTH LAMAR REFLECTS THAT IT IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF, OF THE INCREASE IN PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, THE CITY WILL NEED TO DESIGN, FUND, AND BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
AS A REFERENCE, THE CITY'S ABOUT TO START WORKING ON THE C FOUR SEGMENT OF THE BURNETT ROAD CORRIDOR.
IMPROVEMENTS THAT RUN FROM US 180 3 NORTH TO BRIGHT DU WAY, AND WILL COST NEARLY 24 MILLION IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CRASHES CURRENTLY AT 60 PER MONTH PER CITY STAFF.
BEFORE THIS PLAN IS APPROVED, PLEASE CONSIDER TAKING THE TIME TO INITIATE A STUDY TO DETERMINE WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE NEEDED AND HOW AND WHEN AND BY WHOM IT WILL BE FUNDED.
ONLY THEN, AFTER YOU HAVE GAINED TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY, SHOULD YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AMBITIOUS PLAN FOR TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THE AREA, IT WOULD REQUIRE PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS TO NAVIGATE TWO OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADWAYS IN AUSTIN.
IF ADEQUATE REVIEW AND PLANNING ISN'T DONE ON THE FRONT END, THIS E TODD MAY BECOME KNOWN AS THE EMS. TODD, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION WILL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM 31, JULIE WOODS.
JULIE WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
JULIE, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
OH, MY NAME IS JULIE WOODS AND I LIVE IN THE DAWSON NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND I WISH TO FIRST OF ALL THANK TIM MCCARTHY AND ANNA VIAL FOR COMING TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SPEAKING TO US.
AND, UM, WE DEFINITELY FEEL THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE PROPOSAL MUCH MORE CLEARLY.
UM, BUT WE DO WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION
[02:25:01]
TO SOME CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.FIRST OF ALL, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BEN WHITE FROM THE PROPOSED TRANSIT CENTER AND WALKING FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE TRANSIT CENTER IS DANGEROUS AND SCARY.
IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, NONE OF WHICH IS SHOWN IN ANY OF THE PLANS, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT UNDERTAKEN AT THE SAME TIME AS AT LEAST THE PLANNING UNDERTAKEN AT THE SAME TIME.
FURTHERMORE, UM, WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER ZONING IN OUR AREA.
WELL, WE REALIZED THAT CURRENTLY UNDER UM, CITY ORDINANCE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT TO ZONING CHANGES.
I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS BILLS AND PROCESS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO PROTEST.
WE WOULD LIKE THE ORDINANCE TO BE REWRITTEN SO THAT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORHOODS TO WEIGH IN ON THESE CHANGES BE PERMANENTLY INCLUDED REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS PERMITTED UNDER STATE LAW.
ANOTHER MATTER THAT I WISH TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THAT THERE IS NO APPARENT PLAN TO CONNECT THIS TRANSIT CENTER WITH THE AIRPORT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY DESTINATIONS FROM THIS SIDE OF TOWN.
IT'S SOMETHING OF IT, IT'S BAFFLING TO US THAT AFTER ALL THIS TIME, THE CITY DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY KIND OF A CLEAR PLAN FOR TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY TO THE AIRPORT.
AND BUILDING MORE DENSE HOUSING WHERE THERE MIGHT SOMEDAY BE TRANSIT TO THE AIRPORT MAKES NO SENSE.
IT'S NOT PLANNING, IT'S JUST A BIG CONFUSING GIVEAWAY TO DEVELOPERS, WE THINK.
LAST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU NEED NEIGHBORHOOD OVERSIGHT IS BECAUSE ONE OF THE PROPERTIES INCLUDED IN THE EAD LUM IS A RETAINING POND, A A RETENTION POND THAT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO, UM, THAT, THAT IS, IS INVALUABLE FOR PREVENTING, UH, FLOODING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, WHEN THERE IS HEAVY RAIN AND RUNOFF FROM BEN WHITE 30 YEARS AGO, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOUGHT VERY HARD TO HAVE THAT FARM BUILT, MA'AM, WE'RE AT TIME AND SHE TAKEN FROM OUR CONTROL IS DISHEARTENING.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS MATTHEW MEJIA.
MATTHEW, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
UH, HELLO AND THANK YOU PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
I'M A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLANNER AT CAP METRO.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTH MA TRANSIT CENTER AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREA VISION PLANS.
UH, THESE VISION PLANS REPRESENT YEARS OF RESEARCH, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, THOUGHTFUL PLANNING, AND INTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
THEY LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AT AND AROUND TWO OF CAP METRO'S HIGHEST RIDERSHIP STATIONS, A STRATEGY THAT AIMS TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND CAP METRO'S SHARED EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
THEY OUTLINE IDEAS FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT WE BELIEVE CAN HELP IMPROVE ACCESS TO RELIABLE, HIGH FREQUENCY, HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RETAIL TO A WALKABLE, LIVABLE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY'RE GROUNDED IN THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GATHERED FROM THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THROUGH ROBUST ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
IN 2023, CAT METRO WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF TO HOST TWO MAJOR ROUNDS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TO DEVELOP THE INITIAL DRAFTS OF THESE DOCUMENTS ACROSS THOSE ROUNDS.
WE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM 375 PEOPLE THROUGH SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS.
WE ALSO HOSTED SIX PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, DROPPED FLYERS AT AROUND 150 AREA BUSINESSES, UH, WITH INVITATIONS TO THE SURVEY AND PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.
AND WE HOSTED AND ATTENDED DOZENS OF AT STOP TABLING AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION EVENTS.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN TEAM MAILED THOUSANDS OF FLYERS TO ALL ADDRESSES WITHIN A HALF MILE, UH, STATION AREAS.
ACROSS THESE TWO ENGAGEMENT PERIODS, WE SENT MULTIPLE EMAILS TO HUNDREDS OF CONTACTS FOR EACH ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY.
WE POSTED TO OUR ORGANIZATION SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, AND WE PROVIDED OUR COMMUNICATIONS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AS WELL AS PAID FOR SURVEY TRANSLATIONS AND SPANISH, CHINESE, MANDARIN, VIETNAMESE AND ARABIC.
WE ALSO ASKED STATION AREA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AUSTIN'S QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS TO HELP PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES
[02:30:01]
TO ENGAGE.THIS WAS ALL JUST FOR THE 2023 EFFORTS BEFORE WE HANDED THE INITIAL, UH, VISION PLAN DRAFTS OVER TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN TEAM FOR THIS CURRENT PHASE OF VETTING.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE PROVIDED PROMOTIONAL AND STAFFING SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF SURVEYS AND PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.
THESE STATION AREA VISION PLANS HAVE BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING AND HAVE INCLUDED AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR STATION AREA RESIDENTS TO INFORM THEIR CONTENTS.
TODAY, THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTERS ALREADY SERVE AS MAJOR CAP METRO TRANSFER HUBS WITH CONNECTIONS TO SEVERAL BUS AND RAPID LINES.
THEY ALSO HAVE BOTH HAVE LARGE UNDERUTILIZED PARK AND RIDE LOTS, AND THEY ARE BOTH FUTURE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL STOPS.
SINCE CAP METRO ALREADY OWNS DEVELOPABLE LAND AT THESE SITES, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE AND BUILD ROBUST MULTIMODAL TRANSIT CENTERS WITH ONSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RETAIL, AND VALUABLE PUBLIC AMENITIES.
THESE VISION PLANS AIM TO ENSURE ADEQUATE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND STRONG NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS TO THE GREAT POTENTIAL BENEFITS.
THESE MULTI-USE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS STAND TO BRING TO THESE COMMUNITIES TO AID IN OUR EFFORTS TO PRODUCE THESE GREAT, UH, THE GREATEST COMMUNITY BENEFITS POSSIBLE AT OUR FUTURE.
TODS AT THE NORTH MAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTERS, INCLUDING GENERATING THE HIGHEST TRANSIT RIDERSHIP POSSIBLE THROUGH IMPROVED ACCESS CAP METRO STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE ADOPTION OF THESE STATIONARY VISION PLANS TO THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM 37, OUR SPEAKER.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS MARIO CANTU.
MARIO, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS BARBARA CA.
BARBARA WILL BE RECEIVING TWO MINUTES OF DONATED TIME FROM BRAD MASSENGILL WHO IS CURRENTLY PRESENT.
BARBARA, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
MEMBERS OF PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, WELL, I HAVE NOT SAT IN YOUR CHAIR.
I AM A PLANNER BY PROFESSION, AND THE FIRST THING THAT YOU DO WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PLAN IS YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WHAT IS THE DATA AND WHAT ARE THE ASSUMPTIONS? ONE OF THE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES OF THIS IS PROJECT CONNECT.
AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, I ESTIMATE 90% CHANCE THAT IT WILL NOT EVER BE BUILT.
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION HAS ANNOUNCED TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GRANTS WILL BE BASED ON BIRTH RATES.
UH, I KNOW THAT STATEMENT IS PROBABLY NEWS TO MOST OF YOU, BUT, UH, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOT REALLY IN FAVOR OF RAIL PROJECTS.
AND THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE AUSTIN $3.5 MILLION IS REALLY NOT ON THE CARDS.
THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAS BILLS.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT WANT US TO ISSUE THE BONDS, AND THERE ARE LAWSUITS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT.
SO WHEN YOU ADD ALL THAT UP, I THINK THERE IS EXTREMELY HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THE MATCH THAT THE CITY NEEDS OF $3.5 BILLION IS NOT GOING TO MATERIALIZE.
SO YOU NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT ETOS AS YOUR ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE.
SO THEN LET ME GET TO THE DATA PART.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS VISION PLAN, IT LISTS INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY HAS UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS, UH, DIRECT PAYMENTS AND DEVELOPER BONUSES.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT WHERE IS THE INFORMATION TO SHOW THE RESULTS? WHEN HAS THERE EVER BEEN AN AUDIT TO SHOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS DIS THE PLA THE DOLLARS IN LIEU OF ACTUALLY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE UNITS? HOW MANY UNITS CAN YOU DEMONSTRATE THAT WE
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CAN SAY TO THE PUBLIC AND THE PEOPLE LISTENING TO THIS, WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH THESE PAYMENTS.I DON'T HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY DOLLARS.
YOU SPEND $18 MILLION ON DISPLACEMENT WITH THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.
HOW MANY ACTUAL PEOPLE HAVE THEY HELPED? YOU KNOW? SO THEN YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THESE PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES AND SHADE AMENITIES.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID FOR MY SINS WAS I HELPED TO START A TREE PLANTING ORGANIZATION TO PLANT URBAN TREES ALONG STREETS.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN AND MAINTAIN THESE TREES.
THE CITY'S TRACK RECORD WITH STREET MAINTENANCE AND TREE MAINTENANCE AND SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE IS POOR TO FAILING.
SO THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO PLANT THOUSANDS OF NEW TREES, HAVE THEM SURVIVE AND PROVIDE THE SHADE AMENITIES THAT YOU ARE PROMISING IN THIS VISION, WHERE ARE THE DOLLARS FOR THOSE? WHERE IS THE IDEA OF THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE IN URBAN FORESTRY THAT YOU NEED TO EVEN IMPLEMENT AND MAINTAIN THESE? SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT UPZONING, WHICH IS THE BASIS FOR GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT, WHERE IS THE DATA TO SHOW THIS WORKS? WELL, YOU DO HAVE ONE REAL WORLD EXAMPLE IN FRONT OF YOU.
I ASSUME YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH PLAZA SALTILLO.
LOOK AT THE CENSUS DATA, LOOK AT THE INFORMATION THAT'S CONTAINED IN THAT, AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT A TRANSIENT PLAZA DOES TO THE LOW INCOME AND THE PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO WHILE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, SUSTAINABILITY, LOOK AT PLAZA SOILL, LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE AND THEN ASK YOURSELF, IS THAT YOUR VISION? I COULD WRITE LANGUAGE TO SAY, I WANT AFFORDABILITY, I WANT ACCESSIBILITY, I WANT ALL THESE THINGS.
WELL, WHERE'S THE DATA? WHERE'S THE REAL WORLD INFORMATION AND THE DOLLARS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS KIM LANZA LOTTI KIM, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, I RECENTLY HAVE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND UH, I KEEP HEARING ABOUT HOW ALL OF THIS IS STARTED IN T 2023 AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT, BUT UNTIL, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A PLAN AND IT WAS ALREADY DECIDED THAT THE, THAT THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT.
I I HAVEN'T SEEN, UM, ANY INFORMATION TO THAT.
WE RECENTLY GOT A NOTIFICATION THAT PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE PLUM, AND I WAS TOLD IT'S BEEN THAT WAY EVER SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAN.
THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU LET US KNOW IN 2023? THAT'S WHAT SORT OF GOT PEOPLE INTERESTED BECAUSE I WAS GIVEN SOME, UH, POSTCARDS, BUT IT'S ABOUT A TRANSIT CENTER THAT'S ACROSS A EIGHT LANE HIGHWAY FROM MY HOME.
SO IT DIDN'T REALLY AFFECT ME, I DIDN'T THINK.
AND NOW I FIND OUT THAT IT DOES AFFECT ME AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OUT OF THE PLUM, WHICH IS THE GREATER RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU AT LEAST LEAVE PENFIELD WITHIN OUR PH.
IT PROVIDES A BUFFER TO OUR SMALL LITTLE RESIDENTIAL AREA AND, UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON ALL 12 ITEMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. GARCIA.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, SO THIS TAKES US INTO Q AND A WITH STAFF OR COMMISSIONERS OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
REMINDER AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, ALL ITEMS FROM 26 TO 37.
THIS INCLUDES THE PLUM ITEMS, THE, UH, PROCESS AMENDMENT, AND THEN THE VISION PLANS THEMSELVES AS WELL.
AND JUST A REMINDER AGAIN, UH, AS A COMPREHENSIVE
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PLANNER CODE ITEM, UM, EVERY COMMISSIONER GETS TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS.ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS? AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COMMISSIONER BARRY RAMIREZ HAS JOINED US AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE COMMENTS WAS ABOUT NO, UH, TRANSIT OPTIONS TO THE AIRPORT FROM THESE, UH, FROM THE TWO, UH, UM, UH, UH, EAD, UH, ZONES, THE SOUTH LAMAR ONE IN NORTH LAMAR.
UH, IS THERE A RE IS THAT THE CASE THAT WE HAVE NO BUS LINES THAT, UH, WILL TAKE YOU TO THE AIRPORT FROM THESE TWO UH, AREAS? AND IF SO, WHY HAVE WE NOT ADDED ANY BUS LINE? ANY SUCH BUS LINES? YEAH, I MAY ACTUALLY STEVIE GREENHOUSE AND HIS MICROPHONE ON, AH, THE GREEN LIGHT WOULD INDICATE IT'S ON APOLOGIES.
STEVIE GREENHOUSE DIVISION MANAGER WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, I MAY ACTUALLY SORT OF HAVE, UM, OUR CAP METRO PARTNERS COME UP AND ANSWER THE QUESTION IF IT GETS SUPER DETAILED.
BUT THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY, AS FAR AS I KNOW, DIRECT CONNECTION FROM, UM, THE BEN WHITE, UH, PARK AND RIDE TO THE AIRPORT.
THE CURRENT, UM, AIRPORT FLYER, I BELIEVE COMES DOWN RIVERSIDE.
UM, THE LIGHT RAIL EXTENSION TO RIVERSIDE AND EVENTUALLY TO THE AIRPORT WOULD ALSO COME DOWN RIVERSIDE, UM, INTO DOWNTOWN RATHER THAN GOING DOWN BEN WHITE.
UM, THERE IS DEFINITELY TRANSIT THAT YOU CAN TAKE WITH A TRANSFER TO CONNECT FROM THAT STATION TO THE AIRPORT, BUT THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY, UM, A, A CONNECTION THAT'S A DIRECT CONNECTION FROM THE TRANSIT CENTER TO THE AIRPORT.
UM, NOT TO SAY THERE WOULD NEVER BE ONE IN THE FUTURE, BUT THERE IS NOT ONE TODAY.
IS THERE A REASON THAT WASN'T, UH, PRIORITIZED? THIS PLAN, UM, IS REALLY ABOUT BUILDING LAND USE AND CONCERT WITH TRANSIT.
UM, THE CITY PARTNERS WITH CUT METRO ON PLANNING THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
UM, BUT THIS, THIS PLAN DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF, UM, PLANS FOR PARTICULAR FUTURE TRANSIT LINES.
THAT PLANNING, UM, TENDS TO HAPPEN THROUGH CAP METRO'S SERVICE PLANNING EFFORTS.
SO THIS, THIS PLAN IS NOT A TRANSIT SERVICE PLAN.
UM, THIS PLAN IS ABOUT CAPITALIZING ON THE TRANSIT SERVICES THAT ARE THERE AND THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE THERE IN THE FUTURE TO BUILD LAND USES, WHICH SURE WAS IN THE CITY'S WHEELHOUSE TO SUPPORT, UM, AROUND THOSE TRANSIT VISIONS AND TO PUT IN PLACE, UH, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONNECT TO THE TRANSIT CENTER SITE.
BUT THIS PLAN IS DEFINITELY NOT A TRANSIT SERVICE PLAN.
UM, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? I KNOW I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS SO I MIGHT JUST UM, JUMP IN.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WAS, UM, I KNOW MS. GUZMAN HAD A QUESTION REGARDING SOME OF THOSE, UH, PROPERTIES FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT ALSO SOME OF OUR OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPERTIES.
I THINK THERE'S A LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT AND THEN THE CHURCH AS WELL.
UM, WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OF LOOKING AT SORT OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE AREA AND HOW THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE PLUM? SURE, I'LL, I'LL TACKLE THAT ONE.
VIE GREATHOUSE, UM, PLANNING DEPARTMENT DIVISION MANAGER, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAPS THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THESE DRAFT PLANS ACTUALLY INDICATE THE LOCATION OF EXISTING SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
UM, THE INTENTION HERE AS THE, AS DEVELOPMENT OCCURS AS FOLKS REQUEST REZONING, UM, REQUESTS THAT THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE PRESENT AS PART OF THE SORT OF CASE REVIEW FOR THAT REZONING REQUEST.
UM, AND CERTAINLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY CITY INITIATED REZONINGS IN THE AREA, WE WOULD BE INCREDIBLY MINDFUL OF THE EXISTING LOCATIONS OF SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I DUNNO IF YOU WANTED TO, SORRY, MS. VIEL, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? JUST TO CLARIFY, I THINK YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING, I KNOW THIS WAS MENTIONED THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION CHANGES.
THIS DOES NOT IMPACT THE ZONING ON THE GROUND.
SO IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO BUILD UP TO THAT PLUM USE, THEY WILL LIKELY HAVE TO COME IN THE FUTURE AND APPLY FOR A ZONING CHANGE.
AND I GUESS FROM A FUTURE LAND USE MAP PERSPECTIVE, IS IT POSSIBLE OR, OR I SHOULD SAY SUGGESTED AMONG GOOD PLANNING PRINCIPLES TO TAKE OUT PARCELS OR WOULD STAFF SAY THAT IT'S BETTER PRINCIPLES TO GO AHEAD AND MAP IT AND THEN DURING THE ZONING PROCESS ENSURE THAT WE'RE PRESERVING IF WE WANNA PRESERVE A PROPERTY? YEAH, I THINK THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, LEAVING IT IN AND WORKING THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT THE, THE DETAILS ON
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A PARCEL BY PARCEL BASIS OF WHAT ZONING MAKES SENSE FOR PARTICULAR PARCELS.UM, WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID KIND OF THE SWISS CHEESE EFFECT OF HAVING A FUT LAND USE MAP THAT HAD HOLES IN IT.
UM, BUT THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, MODIFICATIONS THAT THIS BODY COULD RECOMMEND THAT WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES TO THE FUT LAND USE MAP IF THE THREE, UM, CATEGORIES THAT AREN'T INCLUDED AREN'T COVERING SORT OF ALL OF THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS THAT YOU WOULD WANNA SEE WITHIN THE STATION AREA.
THANK YOU MS. GREATHOUSE, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, AND THEN I, WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS FROM, UM, MARIO CANTU FROM THE SOUTH CONGRESS, UM, COMBINED, UM, CONTACT TEAM, UH, IN TERMS OF I GUESS, PRESERVATION OF BUSINESSES OR HAVING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIPOC OR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE TO HAVE LIKE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
CAN YOU ALL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN THE VISION PLANS OR OTHERWISE SORT OF STAFF'S CONCEPTION ROUND? OF COURSE WE HAVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS, BUT ALSO SOME OF THOSE COMMERCIAL THINGS WE WANNA HAVE A DIVERSE COMMERCIAL IMPACT.
AND I'LL JUST SORT OF ANSWER THAT GENERALLY AND THEN LET ANNA ADD IN THE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
BUT, UM, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY RECEIVED NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDBACK NOT JUST FROM MR. CANTU BUT FROM OTHERS ASKING HOW THE EQUITY GOALS THAT ARE EXPRESSED IN THE PLAN AND THE CITY'S ETOD POLICY PLAN WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND THE PLAN INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE TOOLS THAT WOULD BE DEPLOYED BY THE CITY IN ADDITION TO THE LAND USE CHANGES AND INVESTMENTS CALLED FOR BY THE PLAN IN ORDER TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
UM, THOSE TOOLS IN GENERAL INCLUDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT SMALL AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AS WELL AS PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS, UM, IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND THEY'RE DESCRIBED IN MORE DETAIL IN THE PLAN, PARTICULARLY, UM, PAGES EIGHT AND NINE OF BOTH OF THE PLANS.
YOU'LL FIND KIND OF A DESCRIPTION THAT PROVIDES SORT OF AN OVERARCHING DESCRIPTION OF HOW THOSE ADDITIONAL, UM, PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS NEED TO BE LAYERED IN.
AND THEN IN THE DETAILED KIND OF BACKGROUND OF THE PLAN, YOU'LL FIND THE EQUITY TOOLKIT, UM, LISTED.
MANY OF THOSE TOOLS ARE CITYWIDE TOOLS, WHICH IS WHY IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING TO SAY IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, THIS PARTICULAR THING IS HAPPENING BECAUSE A LOT OF THE EQUITY TOOLS AND INVESTMENTS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE REALLY CITYWIDE PROGRAMS. UM, I, ANA IF YOU WANTED TO ADD SPECIFICS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEAH, LIKE STEVIE MENTIONED CHAPTER FIVE, UM, THE ETOD POLICY TOOLKIT DOES INCLUDE THE 46 DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT THE CITY, UM, IS DEPLOYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE, UM, UH, PRESSURES.
AND THEY'RE DIVIDED BY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
ONE OF THEM IS LIKE LAND USE DESIGN, THE HOUSING, THERE'S LIKE DIFFERENT FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND WE HAVE, UM, INCLUDED A PRIORITIZATION TOOL, UM, THAT UH, DESCRIBES WHICH ONES OF THOSE THOSE TOOLS ARE UNDERWAY, UH, AND WHICH ONES, UH, OF THOSE THAT HAVE NOT, UH, STARTED WOULD, UM, NEED TO BE, UH, WORKED ON TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO UH, CONSIDER UH, PROTECTIONS FOR THESE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA BEFORE THE AREA STARTS TO REDEVELOP.
I APPRECIATE THAT AND MY TIME IS GONNA END.
I'M JUST GONNA QUICKLY MENTION FOR ANYONE LISTENING OR UH, SPEAKERS, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT HERE.
WE HAVE A PROJECT CONNECT ANTI DISPLACEMENT DASHBOARD INVESTMENT DASHBOARD THAT INCLUDES THE INVESTMENT.
SO IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SEE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH THAT WORK, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, COMMISSION AS A REMINDER AGAIN, SO THIS IS ON ALL OF THESE ITEMS. AFTER THIS WE WILL BE TAKING ACTION ON THESE ITEMS SO IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA GET FEEDBACK ON AMENDMENTS OR OTHERWISE YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE WE CAN CALL UP STAFF FOR QUESTIONS RELATED TO AMENDMENTS AS WELL GOING ONCE.
OH, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
UH, YES, JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
UH, UH, SOME OF THE SPEAKERS SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD TRACK RELATED TO THE ACTUAL TRANSIT THAT'S OCCURRING IN THESE CENTERS.
SO ESSENTIALLY HOW IS THIS DATA DRIVEN? HOW DOES THIS HELP SUPPORT RIDERSHIP? AND I GUESS WE DID SEE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, BUT THEN OBVIOUSLY THAT'S HARD TO SORT OF SQUARE WITH ALUM AMENDMENT.
SO HOW CAN YOU EXPECT TO SPEAK TO THE DATA DRIVEN PART OF THIS AND HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP THROUGH THESE CHANGES? SURE, AND I CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO SORT OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH TRANSIT PIECE OF IT AS WELL AS WE WERE DEVELOPING, UM, THESE PLANS ACTUALLY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IN 2023, THESE TWO STATIONS WERE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE, THE PRELIMINARY ORANGE AND UM, BLUE LINE LIGHT RAIL THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY SCALED BACK TO HAVE THESE BE, UM, RAPID BUS STATIONS.
UM, AND SO THE PLANTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED REALLY ON THE NOTION THAT FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE THOSE WILL BE BUS CONNECTIONS.
THEY ARE BUS CONNECTIONS NOW, UM, THE CAP METRO PARK AND RIDES ARE UNDERUTILIZED NOW IN TERMS OF A LAND USE AND IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY THOSE THE TWO LOCATIONS HAVE.
SO THE GOAL OF THESE PLANS IS REALLY TO WORK ON THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE BEST OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, UM, IN THE TRANSIT SERVICE THAT EXISTS THERE.
NOW, UM, MOVING FORWARD WE ALSO KIND OF IN, IN WORKING WITH
[02:50:01]
CAP METRO AND THEIR TEAM, UM, LEADING INTO SORT OF THE DRAFTS REALLY THEY WERE DEVELOPED UM, BASED ON DATA AROUND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STATIONS, UM, BASED ON DATA AROUND EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICE AND THE DESIRE TO KIND OF TO IN BOTH INCREASE RIDERSHIP ON THAT EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICE BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE FOLKS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TIE INTO THE TRANSIT NETWORK AND HAVE ACCESS TO THAT TRANSIT NETWORK.UM, THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF EXISTING CONDITIONS DATA THAT IS PRESENTED IN BOTH OF THE PLANS AS WELL AS THE, THE QUALITATIVE DATA AND THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGHOUT 2023 AND 2024, UM, PROVIDED THE, THE INPUT.
AND WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UM, REPORTS UP ON THE WEBSITE THAT PROVIDE A THOROUGH DESCRIPTION OF THAT QUALITATIVE INPUT, WHICH IS ALSO AN A KEY PIECE OF DATA THAT WE HAD FROM THE COMMUNITY PROVIDING INPUT ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN THOSE TWO PLACES.
UM, AND THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AND FAIRLY LARGE REPORTS THAT ARE UP ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THE PLAN DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES ACTUALLY DO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF DATA AND PRESENT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS INFORMATION THAT OUR CONSULTANT TEAM LOOKED AT.
AND RELATED TO THAT, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS, GIVEN THAT THIS IS THE, THE GOAL HERE IS TO OBVIOUSLY INCREASE RIDERSHIP THAT SOME FUTURE POINT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MEASURE TO SAY BY CHANGING SOME OF THESE LAND USE AND WE'VE SEEN SOME NEW BUILDING COMING IN AND THE UNDER UTILIZATION HAS BEEN SORT OF REVERSED, THAT WE WOULD SEE INCREASED RIDERSHIP.
IS THAT TYPE OF DATA GOING TO BE TRACKED? SO WE CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF THIS THAT CERTAINLY THE GOAL AND CAP METRO ABSOLUTELY TRACKS RIDERSHIP AT THEIR STATIONS.
SO IF MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE LAND USE CHANGES MIGHT ACTUALLY HELP US TO SEE BETTER TRANSIT SERVICE IN THESE SPACES IS THE I SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ONE OF THE KEY GOALS? THAT IS A GOAL FOR SURE.
AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I DID WANNA TOUCH ON, WHICH WAS THE SORT OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT KIND OF, THAT QUESTION WAS RAISED OF HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE AFFORDABILITY SORT OF LEVELS THAT WE MIGHT OFFER IN SOME OF THESE SPACES.
I KNOW THAT'S QUITE DIFFICULT GIVEN THE LEVEL OF SUBSIDY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN UNCERTAINTY IN THE MARKETPLACE AND WHATNOT.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER SOME TRULY LOWER INCOME, YOU KNOW, SORT OF BELOW 60% MFI TYPE UNITS AND WOULD THAT BE IN PARTNERSHIP OR IS THAT A POSSIBILITY FOR THESE STATION SORT OF SITUATIONS GIVEN THE TIE BETWEEN TRANSIT RIDERSHIP AND LOWER INCOME HOUSING NEEDS? YEAH, I THINK WE'VE GOT A RANGE OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE PROVIDE AFFORDABLE UNITS, OBVIOUSLY ALL THE WAY FROM A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY SUBSIDIZED UP THROUGH THE 60% MFI AS A PERCENTAGE THAT CAN BE INCENTIVIZED THROUGH REGULATIONS.
AND WE WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT ENTIRE RANGE COULD OCCUR IN THESE STATIONS.
UM, THE REGULATIONS REALLY ONLY GET YOU THE INCENTIVIZED UNITS.
THEY MAY HELP WITH GETTING A 50% AFFORDABLE PRODUCT IF SOMEBODY'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, BUT ANYTHING DEEPER AFFORDABILITY THAN THAT, UM, IS TYPICALLY GONNA REQUIRE, UM, A, A PUBLIC SUBSIDY OR PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP OF SOME SORT.
UM, I THINK CAP METRO AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH KIND OF RE-ENVISIONING THE TRANSIT CENTER SITES WILL BE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD HAPPEN ON THE SITES THEMSELVES TO GET TO THAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND THEN THE CITY IS OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE PARTNERS AT AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT ARE IN PROXIMITY TO TRANSIT, UM, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CITY SUBSIDIZED UNITS OR PRESERVE UNITS.
SO THE UH, THE OUTCOME COULD END UP BEING THAT WE ACTUALLY DO GET SOME DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS, PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE WORKING CAP METROS SAY USING PART OF THEIR LAND WHICH THEY OWN.
SO SITUATIONS WHERE WE CAN REALLY PUSH THAT AFFORDABILITY LIMIT LOWER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SUBSIDY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP OR SOMETHING ELSE IS THAT WOULD AGAIN BE SOMETHING, A GOAL THAT WE MIGHT TRY TO STRIVE FOR.
AND THERE ARE EXISTING, UM, SUBSIDIZED UNITS IN BOTH OF THESE LOCATIONS THAT WE WOULD ALSO MAKE SURE CONTINUE TO EXIST.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
BEFORE YOU GO FOR THE QUESTION, CAN I JUST DO ONE QUICK HOUSEKEEPING ON MY ERROR I MISSED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR.
SO THIS IS A MOTION BY, UH, CHAIR HAR, UH, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
IF I DO NOT SEE ANY OPPOSITION, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT THAT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY WITH COMMISSIONER ANDERSON OFF THE DICE AND COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE JOINING US VIRTUALLY AT THIS TIME.
VICE CHAIR, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHICH IS ARE WILL STAFF BE WORKING TO ACTIVELY BRING THE BASE ZONING INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE VISION PLANS OR WILL THAT REZONING JUST HAPPEN KIND OF ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AS DEVELOPMENT OCCURS? BOTH.
UM, SO INITIALLY WE WOULD EXPECT THAT IT WOULD BE PROPERTY OWNER INITIATED REZONINGS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
UM, STAFF WILL BE WORKING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, AS YOU ALL MAY BE AWARE, UM, TO CREATE SOME ADDITIONAL ZONING TOOLS INCLUDING PHASE A, POTENTIAL PHASE TWO OF THE EQUITABLE TOD OVERLAY.
UM, AND OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO COME BACK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH A REQUEST TO INITIATE A CITY INITIATED
[02:55:01]
REZONINGS, UM, ONCE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX, UM, TO SUPPORT THE DESIRED OUTCOMES IN THESE LOCATIONS.AND THEN I ALSO HEARD FEEDBACK THAT THE SORT OF JUST CIRCLE AROUND THE STATIONS FEELS A LITTLE ARBITRARY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE HALF MILE RADIUS AROUND THE STATIONS AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? I'LL LET ANA TACKLE THAT ONE.
YEAH, THE, THE 15 UH, OR THE HALF A MILE BOUNDARY REALLY COMES FROM UM, A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DONE THAT HAS POINTED OUT THAT ABOUT 10 OR 10 15 MINUTE WALK, BIKE OR ROW IS REALLY WHAT'S COMFORTABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO WALK TO A STATION.
SO, UH, WE TRIED TO UM, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT THAT HALF MILE BOUNDARY WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, COMFORTABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS AROUND THE AREA TO WALK TO.
SO WE'RE IMAGINING THAT USERS OF THAT STATION ARE LIVING IDEALLY WITHIN THAT HALF MILE BOUNDARY? YES, CORRECT.
AND THEN OF COURSE ALSO HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS AROUND DISPLACEMENT.
CAN Y'ALL SPEAK TO KIND OF HOW YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DISPLACEMENT IN THESE PLANS AND, AND UH, WHAT DATA IS IN THERE TO SHOW THAT THIS WILL NOT, OR YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DATA IS IN THERE TO BACK UP THE BELIEF THAT THIS WOULD NOT CAUSE DISPLACEMENT? THAT I THINK IS STAFF'S UNDERSTANDING.
YEAH, I THINK DEFINITELY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD OVER AND OVER DURING THE DIFFERENT, UH, COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HOSTED.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE INCLUDED THE EQUITABLE COMPONENT OF IT.
THE ETOD POLICY TOOLKIT THAT ADDRESSES LIKE MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH THE CITY IS WORKING ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO TRY TO ADDRESS, UH, DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES, UH, IN THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.
YEAH, AND I WOULD, I WOULD ADD TO THAT IN TERMS OF THE, THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP PROPOSALS THAT YOU'LL SEE WERE DRAWN FAIRLY INTENTIONALLY TO FOCUS ON THE SORT OF LARGER GRAYFIELD SITES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE TRANSIT CENTER, UM, WITH THE NOTION THAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENT THOSE THROUGH ZONING TOOLS SIMILAR TO THE E TODD OVERLAY THAT INCLUDE A REDEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENT AS PART OF THE ACTUAL ZONING TOOL.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S LEAST IN KIND OF STAFF'S GOAL FOR THE PLANS AS WELL.
SO THE IDEA IS TO TARGET SITES THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY DEVELOPED FOR DEVELOPMENT UNDER THIS PLAN.
I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THEY ARE DEVELOPED SITES BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO TARGET KIND OF INDIVIDUAL EXISTING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, UM, TO CHAIR'S POINT POINTING OUT WHERE THE EXISTING, UM, SUBSIDIZED AND NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS SO THAT WE COULD FACTOR THOSE LOCATIONS INTO OUR FUTURE LAND USE DECISIONS.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICE CHAIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FROM ANYONE? SEEING NONE.
SO JUST TO REMIND FOLKS WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO WE AT THIS POINT HAVE GOTTEN A STAFF PRESENTATION, COMMUNITY COMMENT Q AND A, CLOSED OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEMS 26 TO 37.
AT THIS POINT WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING MOTIONS.
IF I DO NOT HEAR OTHERWISE, WE CAN PROCEED WITH THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE VISION PLANS FIRST, SO 36 37 INCLUDING ANY WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS OR OTHER AMENDMENTS AT THIS TIME.
WE WOULD THEN TAKE A SEPARATE MOTION ON THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP CHANGES, ITEM 26 TO 34 IN ONE GO AS WELL, UM, AGAIN WITH ANY AMENDMENTS THAT COMMISSIONERS MIGHT HAVE.
AND THEN LASTLY WE WOULD TAKE UP ITEM 35 JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT GERMANE ITEMS ARE SORT OF TOGETHER SO WE CAN CONSIDER THEM TOGETHER AT ANY TIME AS WELL.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD OR DO WE HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS? MS. LAN, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UH, JUST TO BE IN ABSOLUTELY IN THE CLEAR.
I LIKE TO ALSO ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS 26 THROUGH 34.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT YOU'RE ABSTAINING FROM ITEMS 26 THROUGH 37? YES.
UM, MS. BARR RAMIREZ, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE NOTE AS SUCH ON THAT.
UM, OKAY, SO DO I HAVE, JUST TO START OFF THE CONVERSATION, DO I HAVE A BASE MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITEMS 36 AND 37? THESE ARE THE TWO VISION PLANS.
UM, I SEE COMMISSIONER POWELL SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HANEY.
SO WE NOW HAVE A BASE MOTION FOR ITEMS 36 AND 37, THE TWO VISION PLANS AS POWELL HANEY.
AND THE FIRST ITEM WILL BE GOING OVER THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS.
THESE ARE POSTED TO OUR BACKUP.
THEY SHOULD BE ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL.
UM, AND WE'RE DISTRIBUTED VIA EMAIL AS WELL.
SO WE'LL HAVE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS COMMISSIONER WOODS.
UH, WALK US THROUGH THAT JUST SO THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF NEW COMMISSIONERS.
THE IDEA TO DO AT THIS POINT IS COMMISSIONER WOODS WILL WALK THROUGH THE ITEMS, SORT OF LAYING THEM OUT.
AFTER THAT WE CAN DECIDE WHICH ONES WE WANT TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION.
THOSE WILL BE PULLED OUT OF THE CHART.
[03:00:01]
WILL APPROVE AS IS AND THEN CONTINUE PULLING MEANS ESSENTIALLY THAT THERE'S SOMETHING YOU EITHER HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THAT OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE EXISTING AMENDMENT.SO JUST TRACK THAT ALONG BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND REVOTE ON AN ITEM, I MEAN, WITH SOME CAVEATS, BUT WE'LL SORT OF TAKE IT FROM THERE.
COMMISSIONER WOODS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
SO I WILL WALK THROUGH THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS THAT PERTAIN FIRST TO THE VISION PLANS, AND I'M GONNA PULL OUT THOSE THAT PERTAIN TO THE PLUMS SO THOSE AMENDMENTS THAT PERTAIN JUST TO THE VISION PLANS AND WE HAVE THEM UP ALSO, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL, UM, RECENTLY WITH THOSE OUTLINED.
BUT THE AMENDMENTS FOR THE VISION PLANS ON THIS LIST WILL BE 2, 3, 4, AND SEVEN.
SO, AMENDMENT TWO RELATES TO THE NORTH LAMAR STATION AREA VISION PLAN.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER WITH IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY FROM THE TRANSIT CENTER NORTHBOUND TO POWELL LANE EXTENSION AND EASTBOUND ACROSS NORTH LAMAR, WITH A SEPARATE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ALIGNING WITH PROPOSED AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PLANS.
NUMBER THREE APPLIES TO BOTH VISION PLANS.
IT IS TO REQUEST THAT STAFF PROVIDE AN UPDATE WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO SHARE NEXT STEPS TO BRING BASE ZONES WITHIN THE ETOD INTO COMPLIANCE WITH VISION PLANS.
ITEM FOUR APPLIES TO BOTH VISION PLANS.
IT'S TO PROHIBIT NEW AUTO ORIENTED USES, CONSISTENT WITH USES PROHIBITED IN D-B-E-T-O-D, WITHIN THE ETOD AREAS.
AND JUST TO NOTE THAT IS NOT TO PROHIBIT EXISTING AUTO OR ORIENTED USES, BUT JUST NEW NEW USES IN THOSE AREAS.
AND THEN FINALLY, AMENDMENT SEVEN JUST APPLIES TO THE SOUTH CONGRESS STATION AREA VISION PLAN, WHICH IS TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL EAST, WEST AND NORTH SOUTH MULTIMODAL CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE SOUTH CONGRESS STATION AREA IN BETWEEN SURROUNDING AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN ALPINE ROAD AND WAREHOUSE ROW, AND BETWEEN LAINA DRIVE IN SOUTH CONGRESS.
UM, THIS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY OTHER WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THESE.
IF I MAY, I'LL JUST, UH, QUICKLY MENTION THIS IS RELATED TO NUMBER FOUR, THE PROHIBIT NEW AUTO ORIENTED USES.
I JUST REALLY WANNA CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, IN SOME OF THESE PLACES THERE ARE EXISTING AUTO SHOPS, OTHER SORT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SEEING THAT THOSE BE PROHIBITED, BUT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT IS NOT NEW DRIVE-THROUGH BUSINESSES, LARGE STORAGE, UM, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FOLKS.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AUTO ORIENTED USES CAN MEAN A LOT OF THINGS TO OTHER PEOPLE.
AT THIS POINT, THE, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
UM, IF I WANTED TO ADD A SMALL AMENDMENT TO THESE TWO ITEMS, SHOULD I PULL THEM? YES.
WHICH TAKES US TO THAT THING OF, WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN FRONT OF US AMENDMENTS 2, 3, 4, 7 FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, WHICH ONES ARE YOU WISHING TO POLL? I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND POLL NUMBERS TWO AND SEVEN.
SO NUMBER TWO AND SEVEN GET POLLED.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERN WITH, UH, UH, AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE AND FOUR? OKAY, LET'S, AND, UM, COMMISSIONERS ONLINE, JUST TO REMIND YOU ALL, BECAUSE WE'RE SHARING THE SCREEN, WE CAN'T ALWAYS SEE.
SO ALL THAT SAID, IF YOU NEED TO SAY SOMETHING, JUST PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND SPEAK AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE YOU.
JUST QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION ON NUMBER FOUR.
I SEE, UH, YOU JUST CLARIFIED IT AND IT HAS THE LANGUAGE CONSISTENT WITH USES PROHIBITED DBE.
TODD, DO YOU FEEL THAT THAT'S SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR FOR US TO PASS THE CLARIFICATION THAT YOU SAID VERBALLY? I WOULD HOPE SO.
AND I THINK THIS IS RECOMMENDATION FOR STAFF TO CONSIDER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SIMILAR, BUT WE ALSO REFER TO STAFF.
'CAUSE THESE ARE, HONESTLY, THE LIGHT RAIL S THAT WE WORKED ON.
WERE MUCH MORE CENTRAL CITY OVER HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME PLACES THAT ARE NORTH OF 180 3, SOUTH OF TWO 90 THAT HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MIX OF, AND I KNOW OUR STAFF CAN HOPEFULLY JUST, YOU KNOW, GO WITH THE INTENTION OF THAT.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, COMMISSIONER POWELL? YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
AND, UH, LIKE THE INTENT OF IT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE AND FOUR FROM THE WORKING GROUP? OKAY.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER POWELL.
COMMISSIONER, UM, SKIDMORE AND HOWARD, COULD YOU PLEASE SAY YES? COULD YOU JUST SPEAK THROUGH THIS SECTION? I CANNOT SAY MY VISION IS THE BEST.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD, YOU'RE A YES ON THIS ONE AS WELL? YES.
THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH A REMINDER THAT COMMISSIONER BAR RAMIREZ AND COMMISSIONER LAN ARE ABSTAINING ON THESE ITEMS AND ARE OFF THE DIE AT THIS TIME.
THIS TAKES US TO UP TO, UM, AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO FROM THE WORKING GROUP SINCE, UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, YOU PULLED IT.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? UH, YES.
[03:05:01]
THAT WE ADD AT THE END OF THAT PARTICULAR, UM, SET OF EXCELLENT AMENDMENT AND ALIGNED WITH A SMP UH, PROVISIONS.DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT? AND I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THAT IF SOMEONE HAS IT.
WHAT IS A SMP
UM, AND I ACTUALLY REALLY APPRECIATE, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO IT, SO I'LL STOP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, YES, AND I AM HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THE AMENDMENT, ESSENTIALLY ALIGNING WITH THE, AND BEFORE YOU DO, I'M SO SORRY, CAN WE GET A SECOND ON IT AS WELL? OKAY.
I HAVE A SECOND FROM, UH, VICE CHAIR WOODS, PLEASE CONTINUE.
SO, UM, IT WAS JUST, UH, POINTED OUT THAT WE HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS ABOUT INCREASING CONNECTIVITY TO AND FROM THESE TRANSIT CENTERS, BUT THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR A SMP GOALS, WHICH ARE SORT OF OUR BLUEPRINT FOR HOW WE DO A LOT OF OUR UPGRADES RELATED TO MOBILITY AND TRANSIT IN THE CITY.
AND BY DOING SO, WE HAVE BOTH OUR PROJECT CONNECT PLANS AS WELL AS OUR AS SMP PLANS, UM, COORDINATING, JUST TO MAKE THAT REALLY CLEAR IN THIS AMENDMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SPEAKING IN FAVOR OR AGAINST? I'LL JUST VERY QUICKLY SAY THANK YOU.
PART OF PUTTING IT IN A SMP IS ALSO THAT ONCE THE RIGHT OF WAY IS PART OF IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON IN THE FUTURE, UM, AS LONG AS IT MEETS ROUGH PROPORTIONALITY.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IS, UM, ALIGNING IT OF COURSE WITH OUR EXISTING PLAN.
SO WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT AND STAFF.
I'M SO SORRY, WE'RE GOING THROUGH IN, IN A LITTLE BIT OF AN ODD ORDER.
IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP AND HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO WHO MADE A MOTION OR NOT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
BUT THIS IS AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, THE NUMBER TWO, SORRY, FROM THE, UH, WORKING GROUP.
UH, I'LL ALSO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS JUST BECAUSE AS AND P'S A GREAT BLUEPRINT, SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE CONSISTENTLY REFERENCING.
AND APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER MAXWELL FOR THE CATCH ON THAT.
ANYONE SPEAKING AGAINST OR FOR NOT SEEING ANYTHING? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE, INCLUDING THE FOLKS ONLINE, YOU MIGHT HAVE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND SAY AYE.
THAT AGAIN PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, UM, WITH OUR TWO ABSTAINING
THIS TAKES US TO, UH, WORKING GROUP AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN, UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
AND I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THE SAME EDIT FOR THIS.
UM, PARTICULAR IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH A SMP PLANS, WHICH WE COULD PROBABLY JUST ADD AGAIN TO THE END OF THAT SENTENCE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER POWELL.
SO THIS IS, AGAIN, WORKING GROUP AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN WITH THAT ADDED LANGUAGE AT THE END, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE JUST DID FOR TWO.
UM, AND THIS IS BY MAXWELL AND POWELL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANYONE WANNA SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? NOPE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HANDS.
ALL THAT AGAIN PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THIS GETS US TO THE END OF THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS, UM, AND GETS US TO INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENTS.
SO JUST TO REMIND FOLKS OF THE WAY THE INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENTS WORK THAT WERE NOT SHARED IN ADVANCE, WE'LL GO THROUGH ONE ROUND OF AMENDMENTS.
IF YOU WANT TO DO ADDITIONAL ROUNDS, WE CAN, THAT'S UP TO THE DAIS.
I'LL, UH, BE GOING, UM, IN THE ORDER THAT I SEE AND I'LL JUST GO IN THAT WAY.
I'LL SAVE MYSELF JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET TO OTHER FOLKS FIRST.
DO YOU HAVE AN AMENDMENT? I DO NOT.
UM, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL? I DO.
JUST MENTION WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS AND THEN WE CAN TAKE A MOTION ON IT.
SO, UM, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT, UM, WE USE OUR URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS TO REALLY ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOME GREAT OUTCOMES WITH REGARDS TO OUR BUILDINGS AND HOW OUR FORM LOOKS ACROSS THE CITY, GIVEN THAT WE'RE ADDING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF DENSITY IN SOME PARTS OF THESE PLANS.
THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT WE COULD HAVE STAFF, UM, LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCUR, INCLUDE OUR URBAN DI UM, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS PART OF THESE TOD UPDATES.
IT WOULD BE A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION JUST SO THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, KEEP THAT STANDARDIZATION ACROSS ALL OF OUR PLANS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? I, I THINK YOU SAID THIS WHEN WITHIN IT, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, BUT YOU'RE SAYING AN EX A RECOMMENDATION, NOT NECESSARILY A ONE-TO-ONE EXPLICIT MUST FOLLOW? UH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED IN PARTICULAR AREAS TO ENCOURAGE.
SO SORT FOR EXAMPLE, DOWNTOWN UNO, WE HAVE STANDARDS THAT WE USUALLY USE TO ENSURE THAT WE GET A SPECIFIC TYPE OF BUILDING FORM.
UM, IN THIS CASE IT MIGHT BE ALIGNED WITH OUR TOD, UM, THESE TWO AREAS BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CURRENT URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS.
SO THE IDEA WOULD BE FOR STAFF TO TAKE DIRECTION TO LOOK AT THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD THOSE STANDARDS IN, UM, AND INCLUDE THEM IN BOTH OF THE TOD PLANS.
[03:10:01]
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS AMENDMENT? DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THIS AMENDMENT? UM, COMMISSIONER WOODS IS THE SECOND AND COMMISSIONER WOODS.CAN YOU ACTUALLY, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, YOU'RE MAKING THE MOTION AS STATED AND I THINK COMMISSIONER WOODS WILL STATED FOR YOU.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME, BUT I HAVE A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF TO INCLUDE THE CITY'S URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AS PART OF THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS VISION PLAN UPDATES.
AND COMMISSIONER WOODS, YOU'RE AGREEABLE TO THAT LANGUAGE AS ASSUME.
UH, THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS STATIONARY VISION PLAN UPDATES.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK FORWARD OR AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT? NOT SEEING ANY.
THIS IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WOODS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY A OR RAISE YOUR HANDS.
THANK YOU ALL AND, UH, ONLINE COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE YOU BACK VISUALLY SO WE CAN SEE YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HUMORING ME THROUGH THAT.
THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL.
UM, THIS TAKES US TO COMMISSIONER HANEY.
DO YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME? UM, COMMISSIONER HOWARD? NOPE.
UM, COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE ON FOR ME.
OKAY, THIS TAKES TO ME, I'LL JUST DO AN AMENDMENT.
THIS IS NOT HONESTLY A BIG AMENDMENT.
IT'S REALLY MORE OF A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF.
IT WOULD BE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE MAPS THAT WE HAVE AND THE BACKUP THAT COMES INCLUDES EXISTING, UM, INCOME RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RELIGIOUS SPACES IN ANY MOBILE HOME, UH, PROJECTS THAT MAY BE THERE.
SO WE WOULD BE SAYING THAT IN FUTURE MAPS, THOSE WOULD BE ADDED IN.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT AMENDMENT? NOT SEEING ANY.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION.
COMMISSIONER WOODS, CAN YOU STATE MY MOTION FOR ME? YES.
SO THIS IS A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF TO ENSURE THAT ALL MAPS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTHLAND MARTIN SOUTH CONGRESS STATION AREA VISION PLANS INCLUDE EXISTING INCOME, RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RELIGIOUS SPACES, AND MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES.
UM, SECOND AND BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING NOTES ON OUR AMENDMENTS.
ALSO, WHAT A GREAT FEELING TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE NOTE YOUR AMENDMENTS NEW FEELING TO ME.
UM, SO THIS IS A MOTION MADE BY US HAR, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
OR RAISE YOUR HANDS, SHOW US YOUR GREEN CARDS.
THAT AGAIN PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
IT WAS, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL WAS THE SECOND ON THIS.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AMENDMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS ON THE VISION PLANS THEMSELVES NOT HEARING ANY.
THIS TAKES US TO OUR BASE MOTION AND I'M SO SORRY.
THE BASE MOTION WAS, IT WAS, COULD SOMEONE PLEASE REMIND ME WHO, WHO THE BASE MOTION WAS? BY MY APOLOGIES.
I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER POWELL WAS THE MOTION MAKER.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER HANEY WAS THE SECOND.
UM, SO THEN WE HAVE THE BASE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER POWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY AS AMENDED BY ALL THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE JUST VOTED ON.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? NOT SEEING ANYONE.
THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH OUR TWO COMMISSIONERS OFF THE DI AND ABSTAINING.
UM, THIS TAKES US TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP ITEMS. THESE ARE ITEMS 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, AND 34.
AGAIN, JUST TO START OFF THE CONVERSATION, WOULD SOMEONE BE WILLING TO MAKE A BASE MOTION, UM, TO APPROVE THESE FUTURE LAND USE MAPS AS, UM, RECOMMENDED BY STAFF ITEMS NUMBER 26 TO 34? DO I HAVE A MOTION? I, UH, I SEE COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, YOU'VE MADE A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT AS WELL? UH, COMMISSIONER HANEY.
SO WE HAVE, THIS IS THE BASE MOTION FOR ALL THE FUTURE LAND USE MAPS.
I KNOW WE WILL START OFF WITH LOOKING AT SOME OF THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS.
UM, SO YEAH, WE CAN START THERE.
SO THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAPS ARE ONE FIVE.
CAN YOU HOLD ON A SECOND? I'M SORRY.
OUR STAFF IS PULLING UP THE ITEM SO CAN SEE IT.
SO THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS, UH, AGAIN ARE ONE, FIVE AND SIX.
THE AMENDMENT ONE RELATES TO THE NORTH LAMAR STATIONARY VISION PLAN FLU, AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXPAND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION ZONE TO INCLUDE THE REMAINING SITES WITHIN THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER HALF MILE BOUNDARY, EXCLUDING OPEN SPACE LAND USE.
AND I WANNA NOTE THAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS WOULD TRIGGER RE NOTICING OF PROPERTIES.
[03:15:01]
WORKING PERSPECTIVE AT THIS TIME, THIS IS A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS MAKING, CORRECT? CORRECT.UM, AMENDMENT FIVE RELATES TO THE SOUTH CONGRESS STATIONARY VISION PLAN.
IT IS TO EXPAND THE TOD MIXED USE, EAST AND WEST, ALONG BOTH SIDES OF US.
TWO 90 TO THE EDGE OF THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER HALF MILE BOUNDARY, EXCEPT WHERE DOING SO WOULD REDUCE, ALLOW EXISTING ALLOWABLE DENSITY.
AGAIN, WANNA NOTE THAT THIS WOULD TRIGGER RE NOTICING.
AND FINALLY, AMENDMENT SIX ALSO RELATES TO THE SOUTH CONGRESS STATIONARY VISION PLAN, UM, WHICH IS IN THE PLUM TO EXPAND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITION ZONE TO INCLUDE THE REMAINING SITES WITHIN THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER HALF MILE BOUNDARY, EXCLUDING OPEN SPACE, EXISTING LAND USE.
AND THOSE RECOMMENDED FOR TOD MIXED USE IN AMENDMENT FIVE, WHICH WAS, WHICH RELATES TO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS AMENDMENT.
SO I THINK WE MAYBE NEED TO TAKE THOSE UP IN ORDER OR MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THEM UP TOGETHER.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS ONE, FIVE AND SIX RELATED TO THE FUTURE LAND USE, UM, MAPS.
DOES ANYBODY WISH TO PULL ANY OF THESE AMENDMENTS? CHAIR, CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? YES, GO AHEAD.
UM, SO I, I THINK WE, JUST TO SORT OF CONFIRM OUR SUGGESTIONS HERE, THAT WE'RE SUGGESTING SOME MAP CHANGES THAT ARE UNFORTUNATELY NOT POSSIBLE TO OFFICIALLY APPROVE.
SO THEY ARE COMING THROUGH AS GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONSIDER THESE MAP CHANGES AT A FUTURE POINT IN TIME.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I, I WILL DEFER TO THE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP, BUT YES, THESE ARE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD REQUIRE DIFFERENT NOTICE.
WE'RE AT THIS POINT SENDING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL AND DEFER TO THEM.
BUT WE'RE NOT ASKING STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE NOTICE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
COMMISSIONER WOODS, IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WORKING GROUP ITEMS? ONE, FIVE AND SIX ONTO OUR BASE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL MAKES THE MOTION SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY.
ANYONES WISHING TO SPEAK FOR AND AGAINST.
SO AGAIN, REMINDING FOLKS, THIS IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY HANEY ON WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS ONE, FIVE AND SIX TO ITEMS 26 TO 34.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.
GREEN CARDS OR SAY, AYE, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL.
THIS TAKES US TO INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENTS, UM, AND IF Y'ALL WILL HUMOR ME TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS.
IS THERE ANY COMMISSIONER WHO WISHES TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT IN ADDITION TO THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS TO ANY OF THE FLUB ITEMS, WHICH IS 26 TO 34? OKAY, NOT SEEING ANY, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT WE'RE MOVING TO THE BASE MOTION.
SO THIS WAS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, SECONDED BY HANEY AMENDED, UH, WITH THE WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE BASE MOTION AS AMENDED? NOT SEEING THAT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HANDS AGAIN, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH DUE COMMISSIONERS OFF THE DI AND ABSTAINING.
THIS TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER 35.
THIS IS THE PROCESS AMENDMENT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WE WOULD NEED, UM, A BASE MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON 35.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE THE PROCESS AMENDMENT HERE.
CAN I, I GET A SECOND ON THAT.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY.
UM, SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THIS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENTS RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER 35? NOT SEEING ANY.
UM, SO THIS IS AGAIN, ITEM NUMBER 35, STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, MOTION BY AS HAR, SECONDED BY HANEY.
ANY, UH, ONE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST NOT SEEING ANY? UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.
THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL.
AGAIN, WITH THOSE TWO COMMISSIONERS, ABSTAINING AND OFF THE D UM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
THIS GETS US TO THE END OF ITEM NUMBER 37.
UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I JUST WANNA THANK STAFF AND THANK THE WORKING GROUP AND ALSO COMMISSIONER WOODS FOR CHEERING THAT WORKING GROUP AS WELL.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, ITEM NUMBER 38 HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
[Items 39 - 43]
OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS THAT ARE BY THE, UH, BY THE COMMISSION ITSELF.[03:20:01]
TO GIVE FOLKS AN IDEA, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 39 40 41, 42, 43.WHAT THESE ARE IS APPOINTMENTS TO OUR VARIOUS DIFFERENT BODIES AND I'M GONNA DO A BIT OF HELP WITH FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M NOTING HOW MANY VACANCIES WE HAVE ON EACH ONE.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE, THE, THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT JOINT COMMITTEES.
THERE'S CODES AND ORDINANCES, JOINT COMMITTEE, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, JOINT COMMITTEE, SMALLER YEAR PLANNING, JOINT COMMITTEE, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, AND THEN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I WOULD ALSO MENTION IF SOMEBODY WISHES TO VACATE THEIR SEAT OR MOVE TO ANOTHER, THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? AND I WILL SAY I WILL NUDGE US ALL TO FILL AS MANY VACANCIES TONIGHT AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY SINCE SOME JOINT COMMITTEES ARE HAVING QUORUM ISSUES BECAUSE WE DO NOT, NOT HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO THEM.
SO FOLKS WILL NEED TO HELP ME HERE.
LET'S START WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SERVING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE.
ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED? COMMISSIONER POWELL.
I'M INTERESTED BECAUSE, UM, WELL, FRANKLY, IT WORKS WELL WITH MY WORK SCHEDULE AND, UH, HAS SOME GOOD CONTINUITY WITH THE PREVIOUS DISTRICT SEVEN COMMISSIONER RYAN JOHNSON SERVING ON THAT.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN JOINING.
WE DO NEED THREE MORE FOLKS ON HERE, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY.
OH, I HAVE, UH, AMAD AND LAN GOING IN AS WELL.
CAN, CAN I ASK, UH, SO I WAS ABLE FIND WHEN YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR MICROPHONE ON, I, I APOLOGIZE.
WHEN ARE THE MEETINGS FOR THIS? I'M INTERESTED IN THIS COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CHECK TO CONFIRM.
CAN SOMEONE HELP ME WITH THAT? I'M SURE WE CAN PULL IT UP.
IT'S QUARTERLY AND SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 4:00 PM AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
SO YES, THESE ARE QUARTERLY MEETINGS AND ARE OFTEN CALLED BASED ON AVAILABILITY.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE JULY 9TH.
SO WE HAVE THREE, IS THERE A FOURTH PERSON WILLING TO BE ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE? OKAY, WE'LL STICK TO THESE THREE FOR NOW.
AND IF FOLKS ARE FINE, I MIGHT JUST MAKE COLLECTIVE MOTIONS.
THIS TAKES US TO, LET'S GO TO CODES AND ORDINANCES, JOINT COMMITTEE AND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, CHAIR, IF THERE IS A SPOT AVAILABLE ON CODES AND JOINT ORDINANCE, I WOULD LIKE TO REJOIN THAT COMMITTEE HAVING ROLLED OFF PREVIOUSLY.
UM, CAN SOMEONE REMIND ME, I KNOW COMMISSIONER ANDERSON YOURSELF AND I AM ON IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, YOU'LL BE ON IT.
UM, WOULD WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? YES.
JOINT COMMITTEE BEFORE MOVING? WE WILL.
SO I, IF IT'S FINE BY EVERYBODY, I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO IT COLLECTIVELY.
THANK SO MUCH AND JUST READ OUT, OUT THE SLATE.
BUT YES, WE WILL BE MAKING A MOTION AND WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE A MOTION.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE BARR RAMIREZ ON THERE AND MAXWELL WILL TAKE THE FOURTH CALL.
YES, I, I WAS GONNA SAY MY UNDERSTANDING IS HAVING CHAIR HEMPEL HAVING ROLLED OFF THAT THERE IS NOW A SPOT AVAILABLE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS TAKES US TO, I'M SO SORRY FOLKS.
UM, SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE.
AND ON THIS ONE WE CURRENTLY HAVE COMMISSIONER BAR RAMIREZ AND HOWARD.
ANYONE ELSE WHO'S INTERESTED IN SERVING ON SMALL AREA? JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M ALREADY SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S IN THE NOTES AS WELL.
AND MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SO SORRY.
I THINK WE HAVE A, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY NOTES.
SO COMMISSIONER HANEY SERVED ON IT.
SO THIS IS COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, HOWARD HANEY AND, UM, SKIDMORE.
AND SO THERE'S NO VACANCY ON THAT JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
MY UNDERSTANDING CURRENTLY IS WE HAVE A, A VACANCY FOR THE PRIMARY PERSON AND THEN A SECONDARY ALTERNATIVE AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, GO AHEAD.
WHEN, WHEN DOES THAT ONE MEET? I AM INTERESTED, BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW.
THAT ONE MEETS ON THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
AT WHAT TIME IN THE EVENING? AT 6:00 PM I BELIEVE? YES, IT IS.
COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, ARE YOU STILL INTERESTED? I AM NOT.
AND NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, MY APOLOGIES.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? I DO WANNA GIVE FOLKS HONESTLY, THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISION, BUT IF I COULD, I WOULD REALLY URGE, UM, SOMEONE TO SERVE ON THIS IN THE PRIMARY
[03:25:01]
ONE.I WOULD NOT WANNA KEEP A VACANCY ON THERE.
WE CAN DECIDE AND ALTERNATE LATER.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN INTEREST IN SERVING ON JOINT SUSTAINABILITY AT THIS TIME? CHAIR? I'LL VOLUNTEER AT LEAST TEMPORARILY CHAIR.
I'LL VOLUNTEER AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.
WE'LL HAVE YOU, IS ANYONE INTERESTED RIGHT NOW FOR THE ALTERNATIVE? WE CAN COME BACK TO THAT LATER.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A NOTE THAT WE'RE COMING BACK TO THIS LATER.
AND THEN SOUTH CENTER WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, I KNOW YOU'RE SERVING ON IT.
DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD? UM, I, I AM I, IF NECESSARY, I CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE, BUT I WOULD PREFER TO, UM, PERHAPS FIND ANOTHER WONDERFUL PERSON FROM PLANNING COMMISSION TO TAKE THAT SPOT.
UH, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT WHO THOSE ERNA IS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE AREA JUST OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN IN SOUTH AUSTIN THAT'S GOING, CURRENTLY GOING THE PROCESS OF BEING REDEVELOPED.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, WHEN DO YOU MEET? UH, THOSE MEETINGS ARE MONDAYS AND I THINK IT'S EVERY THIRD MONDAY.
WHAT, WHAT TIME, WHAT TIME IS IT? SORRY.
6:00 PM AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THAT COM, THAT COMMISSION HAS BEEN ON HOLD SOMEWHAT BECAUSE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY.
THE PLANNING FOR THAT IS ALSO CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN MEETING, WE'VE BEEN MEETING INFREQUENTLY.
UM, I, IN THAT SCENARIO, I THINK WE CAN LEAVE THIS ONE VACANT FOR RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
LET ME READ MY NOTES AND FOLKS TELL ME IF I GOT THIS RIGHT.
SO WE WOULD BE APPOINTING COMMISSIONER MAXWELL TO CODES AND ORDINANCES.
WE'RE APPOINTING COMMISSIONER POWELL HAMID AND LAN TO, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE WITH ONE VACANCY, WHICH IS OKAY.
AND WE'RE APPOINTING, UH, COMMISSIONER HILLER TO JOIN SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
DID I MISS ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, SO THIS WOULD BE, I THINK I CAN MAKE A COLLECTIVE MOTION.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION ON ITEMS NUMBER 39 40 AND 42 WITH COMMISSIONER MAXWELL ON 39 BEING APPOINTED TO CODES AND ORDINANCES.
POWELL AMAD LAND BEING APPOINTED TO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON, UH, ITEM 40 AND COMMISSIONER HILLER BEING APPOINTED TO JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ON ITEM NUMBER 42.
DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? I HAVE A SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR.
UM, SO THIS IS AGAIN, A MOTION BY MYSELF, SECOND BY VICE CHAIR.
I'M ASSUMING THERE'S NO DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM AND IF THERE'S NO CONCERN, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT THIS WAS APPROVED WITHOUT ANY ABSTENTIONS AT ALL.
SO THIS IS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED AS WELL.
SO THIS WAS AZAR, UM, WOODS ON THESE ITEMS AND THIS PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES]
A WORKING GROUP AND COMMITTEE UPDATES.SO STARTING WITH CODES AND ORDINANCES, JOINT COMMITTEE, UM, I'LL START.
YOU WOULD THINK I WOULD REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT WE DISCUSSED,
UM, SO I'LL GO TO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE AND SEE IF SOMEBODY HAS AN UPDATE AND COME BACK TO CODES AND ORDINANCES.
I AND SINCE THERE WAS NOBODY ON IT, I'LL MOVE ON TO JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE FOR AN UPDATE CHAIR.
DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE? WOULD ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS WANT TO PROVIDE THAT UPDATE? WE SERVE ON IT.
WE, WE MET A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE TOD VISION PLANS THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER BAR RAMIREZ.
AND GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 44, THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE.
UH, WE LOOKED AT THE SMART HOUSING PHASE TWO ITEMS THAT WILL BE COMING TO US SHORTLY.
UM, AND THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT WE DID AT THAT MEETING.
SOUTH CENTER WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UM, WE DID NOT MEET.
APPRECIATE THAT CITY BOSTON BUILDINGS WORKING GROUP.
THIS IS ONE OF THE, UH, WORKING GROUPS THAT WILL BE DISSOLVED.
NO ACTION ON THIS OR THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT OUT.
SAME GOES FOR OUTREACH AND PROCEDURES WORKING GROUP.
THERE WILL BE NO OUTLET 'CAUSE THE COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVED ON IT HAVE LEFT THAT TAKE TEST TO THE GOVERNANCE RULES AND PROCEDURES WORKING GROUP.
UM, WE MET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND WE'LL MEET AGAIN AND PRESENT OUR WORK PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WOODS ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND VISION PLANS WORKING GROUP.
WE, WE MET AND PRESENTED OUR WORK AND CAN DISSOLVE THAT WORKING GROUP AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL TAKE THAT OFF THE AGENDA AND DISSOLVE IT.
SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR UPDATES.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
TAKES US TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, UM, CHAIR, CAN WE DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING AN UNO WORKING GROUP? YES.[03:30:01]
JUST THINKING OF TIMELINE IN MY HEAD.IF WE'RE TAKING ACTION ON IT IN THE NEXT MEETING, THERE'S NO POINT IN PUTTING A WORKING GROUP FORMATION ON THAT.
IF IT MOVES, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD IT IN THERE SO THERE'S A TWO WEEK THING, BUT IF NOT, IT JUST WOULDN'T WORK IN TERMS OF TIMING.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I HAVE AN ITEM FOR Y'ALL, WHICH IS, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER FOR THE FIFTH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, WHICH THIS MONTH HAPPENS TO HAVE IT, WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR A SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON APRIL 29TH.
SHOW OF HANDS, THIS WOULD BE STARTING AT 5:00 PM OR 6:00 PM AND MS. GARCIA, IT'LL BE AT, IT'LL BE AT 6:00 PM THIS WAS JUST FOR CONTEXT FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS.
THIS WAS VOTED ON AT OUR FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING IF Y'ALL WANTED TO.
I KNOW I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THAT.
THEN IT'LL BE STARTING AT 6:00 PM AT THE REGULAR TIME AND IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SO IT'LL FEEL LIKE A REGULAR MEETING.
SO THIS WOULD BE NEXT THURSDAY JUST TO LET, I GUESS OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS KNOW OFTEN WHEN WE HAVE A MONTH WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE FIVE TUESDAYS, WE WILL TAKE THAT FIFTH ONE TO GO OVER BRIEFINGS AND OTHER ITEMS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOND, UM, ADVISORY BRIEFING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET TODAY WOULD LIKELY GO ON THAT MEETING AND SO ON.
THERE WILL BE NO REGULAR ZONING CASES ON IT.
WE MIGHT OCCASIONALLY LOOK AT COMPREHENSIVE ITEMS, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND CODE ITEMS ON THAT.
ALL THAT SAID, WHAT I NEED TO CHECK WITH Y'ALL IS ROUGHLY, LET'S SAY BETWEEN SIX AND 9:00 PM NEXT TUESDAY ON THE 29TH WHO IS AVAILABLE JUST SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, A QUORUM.
LEMME MAKE SURE I'M COUNTING THAT.
DO WE GET TO SEVEN? I'M SO SORRY.
SO THAT'S SKIDMORE EZ, I LOVE THE PINEAPPLE.
UH, POWELL, MAXWELL WOODS, MYSELF AND I THINK THAT'S SIX.
I'M SO SORRY I KEEP MISSING YOU IN MY VISION.
UM, I'LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD REQUEST IF ONE MORE COMMISSIONER WHO IS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE CAN HAVE A MEETING, BUT A REMINDER THAT MEANS, UM, IF SOMEBODY HAS TO GO TO A RESTROOM OR SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO RECESS, UM, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, BUT, SO IT WOULD BE, UM, A REQUEST.
MS. GARCIA, DID YOU NOTE WHO ARE ALL THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE PRESENT? YES.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY, UNLESS THERE IS NO OBJECTION, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT 9:41 PM THANK Y'ALL.