[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
ON MAY 8TH, 2025.AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
THIS IS A REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
WE ARE MEETING AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHICH IS THE CITY HALL, AND WE'RE MEETING IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, UH, MEMBERS, UH, BRIEFLY, I'LL RUN THROUGH THE ORDER OF THE DAY.
UM, I'M GOING TO SHORTLY, UH, READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.
UH, WE WILL THEN GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
PRIOR TO THE CONSENT AGENDA BEING VOTED ON, WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS RIGHT NOW, NO ITEMS HAVE BEEN PULLED.
NO ITEMS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, IF YOU WISH TO BE, UH, A SPEAKER, IF YOU WISH TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, PLEASE, UH, LET ME KNOW, UH, SO THAT I'LL, I'LL BE, UH, ABLE TO CALL ON YOU IN AN APPROPRIATE ORDER, UH, AROUND 10 30 OR AS CLOSE TO 10 30 AS WE CAN DO IT.
I WILL, UH, WE RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE WILL CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
UH, AT SOME POINT WE WILL THEN GO TO NON-CONSENT ITEMS. WE HAVE THREE ITEMS THAT ARE COMING TO US FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE TWO IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS. WE WILL ALSO TAKE UP PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ITEM NUMBER 49.
THERE'S NO ACTION ON ITEM NUMBER 49 AND ITEM 50 AND 51.
THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ITEMS 50 AND 51 HAVE BEEN POSTPONED.
ITEM 50 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND, 2025, AND ITEM 51 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO JUNE 5TH, 2025.
UH, AT NOON WE WILL TAKE UP GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE WILL RECESS AT THE END OF THAT, SO AROUND 1230 TO 1235.
WE WILL RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND WE WILL HAVE LIVE MUSIC.
UH, WHEN WE RECESS, WE WILL RECESS TO APPROXIMATELY ONE 10 AT TWO O'CLOCK.
WE HAVE OUR TIME CERTAIN WITH REGARD TO ZONING ITEMS, MEMBERS, I WILL NOW READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS WITHDRAWN.
ITEM NUMBER 13 IS POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 24 IS POSTPONED TO JULY 24TH, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 50 SHOULD READ WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP.
THIS ITEM WE POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 51, WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, THIS ITEM WILL BE POSTPONED TO JUNE 5TH, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 78 IS WITHDRAWN MEMBERS.
THOSE ARE ALL OF THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD.
[Consent Agenda]
US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, AND I WILL, UM, ASK THAT THE CITY CLERK BEGIN THE PROCESS OF CALLING ON PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.YES, MAYOR, WE'LL TAKE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.
AND ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, CELINE RENDON.
LET ME ASK, IS MS. RENDON HERE, MS. REN? CELINE RENDON.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, CELINE RENDON FOR ITEM THREE.
WE'LL NOW GO TO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE PAUL ROBBINS ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
UH, I'LL MAKE THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
I'M IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF THE ITEM TO FUND WATER PIPE, WATER
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SERVICE LINE REPAIRS.MY ONLY COMMENT IS MEANT TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE.
UM, IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU, UM, CONSIDER TRYING TO ESTABLISH AN IN-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION TEAM TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY.
MR. ROBS FOR ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 14.
IS MS. REONE HERE, CELINE REONE, UH, ON ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 14? ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO ITEM 15.
WE HAVE CELINE RENDON AS WELL ON ITEM 15.
CAROL PHILLIPSON, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CAROL PHILLIPSON.
I'M SPEAKING ON THE, UH, COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, ADDING NEW POTENTIAL WILDFIRE RISKS LIKE CELL TOWERS TOO CLOSE TO ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITATS.
AS YOU ALL RECALL, AT THE APRIL 11TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING, I WAS TOLD THAT S CELL TOWER RISK WOULD BE DISCUSSED.
CAPTAIN VIRUS CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WERE DISCUSSING THE CELL TOWER ISSUE, AND THAT A RESPONSE FROM THE CITY HALL WAS NOT TOO FAR IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
APRIL 23RD, I CALLED CAPTAIN BYERS TELLING HIM I HAD NOT HEARD FROM STAFF.
APRIL 26TH, APRIL, UH, CAPTAIN BYERS TEXTED ME THAT ROB TREVINO WOULD CALL ME APRIL 28TH, NO CONTACT AS OF TODAY.
MAY 1ST I SENT YOU MAYOR WATSON, VICKI GWIN SPEECH AND TALKING POINTS FOR THE HEARING ON ON HOUSE BILL 40 TH 38 MAY 6TH.
I EMAILED YOU ANOTHER STAFF SHARING THE INTEREST ON NEXTDOOR 8,500 PEOPLE READ CELL TOWERS OR WILDFIRE RISK.
I ALSO READ THAT I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT BELIEVES THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE ALREADY TWO WILDFIRE RISKS, HOMES AND POWER LINES, THAT IT'S OKAY TO ADD A THIRD WILD WILDFIRE RISK.
A CELL TOWER BUILT TOO CLOSE TO ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT WITH NO SAFE PLACE FOR IT TO FALL.
AS CHAIRPERSON FOR THE JUSTER FIREWISE COMMITTEE, I WAS TAUGHT THAT THE WAY TO REDUCE ANY FIRE RISK IS TO REDUCE THE WAYS IT CAN START.
CELL TOWERS MAY BE INFREQUENT, BUT THEY DO OCCUR, THEY'RE DEVASTATING TO THOUSANDS OF SURROUNDING HOMES BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE FIRE DOING TO THE STATE TERRAIN AND LITTLE ACCESS TO FIGHT THE FIRE.
WILDFIRE IS EVERYONE'S BATTLE.
SO SAYS THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
SO WHEN DOES CITY'S COUNCIL START? MA'AM? WE, WE, WE DON'T SET UP SO WE DO THIS, BUT I, BECAUSE I HAVE, WE HAVE COMMUNICATED BEFORE, YES, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON WHAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF REGULATION, INCLUDING IF WE WERE, I BELIEVE IF WE WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE REGULATED THE CELL TOWER WHERE THEY COULDN'T PUT A CELL TOWER IN A CERTAIN PLACE AS YOU REQUEST.
THAT IS, THAT'S NOT WHAT I REQUEST.
IT JUST HAS TO BE A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT.
WELL, THAT MEANS IF YOU CAN'T PUT IT IN CERTAIN PLACES, RIGHT? THAT'S, OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE NOT, ACCORDING TO YOU, A SAFE DISTANCE.
THAT IS THE REASON I BELIEVE THAT REPRESENTATIVE, GOOD ONE, IS ACTUALLY CARRYING LEGISLATION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROTECTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE ANSWER.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT LEGISLATION.
BUT, UH, WE, WE HEAR YOU, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE, THE TIME TO BE HERE AND YOUR PASSION, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS PUT ON CITIES.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY, FOR ITEM 15, WILLIAM BUNCH, FOR ITEM 16, CELINE RENDON FOR ITEM 17, ZENOBIA JOSEPH, ITEM 17 AS WELL.
CELINE RENDON, ITEM 18, WILLIAM BUNCH.
JOSEPH, IS SHE SUPPOSED TO BE CALLING IN? SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE REMOTE, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALL.
BUT YOU'VE NOT RECEIVED A CALL.
SAME THING WITH WILLIAM BUNCH AS WELL.
ITEM 19, CELINE RENDON, ITEM 20.
[00:10:02]
ITEM 22, CELINE RENDON.LEMME PAUSE RIGHT THERE AND ASK AGAIN.
IS MS. REONE IN THE CHAMBERS OR, UH, WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE THAT WANTS TO, TO TALK ON THESE ITEMS? CELINE REONE.
OKAY, FOR ITEM 23, ENOVIA JOSEPH FOR ITEM 23.
CELINE RENDON FOR ITEM 24, SPEAKING ON THE POSTPONEMENT, XIA JOSEPH, AS WELL AS THE POSTPONEMENT.
CELINE RENDON FOR ITEMS 25 THROUGH 40.
MICHAEL BULLOCK, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UH, I'M MICHAEL BULLOCK, THE PRESIDENT FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE JUST A COUPLE MINUTES, ONE TO THANK MAYOR WATSON AND COUNSEL EVERYONE THAT JOINED ON THIS ITEM.
UH, WE STARTED WORKING LAST YEAR WITH REPRESENTATIVE COLE AND SARAH ECKHART TO DESIGNATE A PORTION OF FM 9 6 9 AS A MEMORIAL HIGHWAY IN HONOR OF OFFICER ANDY TRAILER, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, RESPONDING TO A 9 1 1 CALL.
AND, UH, HIS, HIS WIFE WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT SHE DID ASK ME TO RELAY TO YOU THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO HER AS WELL, FROM THE ASPECT OF IT GIVES HER HER KIDS, UH, A LITTLE PIECE OF HIM TO SEE EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THAT ROAD.
IT'S THE LEAST HIS KIDS DESERVE AFTER LOSING THEIR FATHER FAR TOO YOUNG.
AND ANDY WAS A PHENOMENAL OFFICER THAT WAS VERY WELL LOVED WITH THE DEPARTMENT, VERY COMMITTED TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO THIS CITY, AND IN DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT AND TO PROTECTING ITS CITIZENS.
SO WE GREATLY APPRECIATE BOTH THE REPRESENTATIVE, THE SENATOR, MAYOR COUNCIL, Y'ALL, FOR HELPING US TO GET THIS DONE, AS IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART TO REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE TO BOTH THE CITY AND TO ALL THE OFFICERS WHO SERVED HERE WITH HIM, AND THAT STILL REMEMBER HIS LEGACY AND ARE DOING THEIR VERY BEST TO CARRY IT ON.
SO WE WOULD ASK FOR Y'ALL TO SUPPORT IT.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR HELPING MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SIR, FOR ITEMS 41, 42 AND 77, CELINE RENDON, MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE CONSENT SPEAKERS.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CON THE CONSENT ITEMS. LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANY, UH, ITEM THAT ANYONE LIKE WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA IN THAT CASE IS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IT'S MADE THE MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ IT, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
IS, UH, THERE ANYONE, I'M GONNA CALL FOR DISCUSSION IN JUST A SECOND, BUT I WANT TO START WITH, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UH, GO AHEAD.
UH, I WISH TO ABSTAIN ON ITEM 14, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUCH WILL BE SHOWN TO ABSTAINING ON 14.
I'LL ABSTAIN ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL IS ABSTAINING ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON AN ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES ON ONE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS? ALRIGHT, THEN LET'S GO TO DISCUSSION.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
AND, UM, I'LL JUST BRIEFLY OUTLINE A COUPLE OF IDEAS I HAVE ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, I'M STANDING ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UM, EVEN THOUGH I MYSELF WAS A FORMER AMERICORPS MEMBER, UH, AS A TEACHER BACK IN 99, UM, MY CONCERN HERE IS THAT THERE'S BASICALLY A SEPARATE CATEGORY OF CITY WORKERS THAT ARE PAID LESS THAN OUR, UH, ESTABLISHED LIVING WAGE.
AND I KNOW THIS IS A LARGER QUESTION THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR RELATING TO CONTRACTORS AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE PAID AT THE SAME WAGE STANDARDS.
UH, AND I WANNA SUPPORT THAT EFFORT, BUT TODAY, I'M ABSTAINING FROM THIS ITEM.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 28 IS AN EXCITING, UH, PROGRESSION OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEEING THIS WORK MOVE FORWARD.
UH, FOOD INSECURITY IS A REALLY CRITICAL ISSUE IN THE CITY, AND THIS PLAN CREATES A VISIONARY, COLLABORATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO BUILDING JUST AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS. SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE FOOD PLAN IN THE DAYS AHEAD, INCLUDING HOPEFULLY THROUGH OUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
UM, THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE HAS IDENTIFIED A PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY AND INQUIRE LAND FOR FOOD FARMS, WHICH I WANNA SUPPORT.
AND ALSO, UH, THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS A DISTRICT SEVEN COMPONENT.
UM, JOY VALIER IS THE CHAIR OF THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.
UH, SHE'S SOMEONE WHO REALLY CARES
[00:15:01]
ABOUT THIS WORK, AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR REAPPOINTING HER.UM, ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, DR.
DESAR WA WHO IN ITEM 31 WE'RE REAPPOINTING AS THE HEALTH AUTHORITY.
UH, REALLY WANT TO CONGRATULATE HER.
UM, SHE'S BEEN A ROCK FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY THROUGH A LOT OF CHALLENGING TIMES, INCLUDING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
UM, I ACTUALLY GOT TO WORK WITH HER WHEN WE WERE MAKING SURE THAT LOCAL AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE MASKING POLICIES DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
UH, AND HER TESTIMONY HELPED, HELPED, UH, ACTUALLY WIN A, A COURT CASE THAT ALLOWED FOR MULTIPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE THOSE POLICIES, PROBABLY SAVING, UH, LIVES AND DEFINITELY PROTECTING OUR HEALTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS, UM, BEFORE I CALL ON OTHER MEMBERS FOR DISCUSSION, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE, UH, ALWAYS ASK, UH, OUR LEGAL STAFF TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS ON ITEMS RELATED TO SETTLEMENTS.
AND, UM, WE BLEW THROUGH THAT TODAY, AND I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT.
SO LET ME CALL ON, UH, LAW TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A PRESENTATION ON ITEMS 26 AND 27.
I EVEN SAW HIM SITTING OUT THERE AND THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND THEN BLEW IT.
A GRAY LAYERED ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY ON ITEM NUMBER 26.
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $90,000 TO SETTLE THE CAROLYN NELSON VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN LAWSUIT.
THIS LAWSUIT RELATES TO A MAY, 2022 FALL CAUSING INJURY ON CITY PROPERTY.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PAYMENT, MS. NELSON WILL RELEASE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY FROM THE INCIDENT AND WILL ALSO DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE HER LAWSUIT FILED IN THE DISTRICT COURT FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE PAYMENT BASED UPON THESE TERMS. AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 27, I'M HERE TODAY TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $550,000 TO SETTLE THE JESSICA ORANO VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN AT AL LAWSUIT.
THIS LAWSUIT IS, IS RELATED TO THE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING, WHICH OCCURRED ON JANUARY 5TH, 2021, AND MS. ANO SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HER INJURY STEMMING FROM THIS INCIDENT.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS PAYMENT, MS. ANO WILL RELEASE ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY AND ANY A PD OFFICERS FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF THE JANUARY 5TH, 2021 INCIDENT.
SHE'LL ALSO DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE TO THE LAWSUIT SHE FILED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF 10 OF TEXAS.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE PAYMENT BASED UPON THESE TERMS. MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? THANK YOU, SIR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ FOLLOWED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
SORRY, I WAS, UH, DISTRACTED FOR A SECOND.
UM, UH, COLLEAGUES I WANTED TO TOUCH ON ITEM NUMBER 32.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE ADDITIONAL FUNDS GOING TO THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE ON THE AGENDA THIS WEEK.
UH, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S BASED IN DISTRICT THREE.
THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE DOES AMAZING LIFESAVING WORK.
UH, IT'S A DROP-IN CENTER, UH, WITH A DROP-IN CENTER STREET OUTREACH TEAM, AND MUCH MORE, I'M JUST HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE SENDING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS THEIR WAY SO THEY CAN CONTINUE SAVING LIVES IN AND AROUND THE CITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AND COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
I WANTED TO SPEAK VERY QUICKLY TO ITEMS NUMBER 18 AND 35.
THESE ARE REGARDING SOME ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN SCHOOL ZONES AROUND BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF SITTING DOWN WITH THE ACADEMIC DIRECTOR, SOME OF THE PARENTS THAT LEAD THE BOOSTER CLUBS AND THE STUDENT CO-PRESIDENT.
IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, HAVE SOME REALLY MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT SLAUGHTER LANE IN FRONT OF BOWIE HIGH IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE RECEIVING A SPEED LIMIT.
AND AT WOLF TRAP, UM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 35, IS ALREADY SLATED TO HAVE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK, UM, SCHOOL SAFETY, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO I AM THANKFUL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UNPACK SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW AND WHEN WE DESIGNATE FOR THESE AREAS AROUND SCHOOLS.
UM, BUOY HIGH SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR HAS ATHLETIC FIELDS ACROSS THE STREET, SO THEY REALLY SEE THIS AS, YOU KNOW, A A WIDE ROAD GOING THROUGH THEIR CAMPUS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE STAFF BEING FLEXIBLE WITH US AND SITTING DOWN AND LISTENING TO THE FOLKS WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED FOR THAT.
WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT CONVERSATIONS, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THESE ITEMS MOVING FORWARD TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN AND THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY TODAY'S A A REALLY SPECIAL DAY FOR TEAM D ONE AND, UH, AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME, SOME SPECIAL VISITORS JOINING US FROM LA PORTE, TEXAS TODAY TO GIVE A PROPER SENDOFF TO SOMEBODY WHO'S GIVEN, UM, EVERYTHING HE'S GOT THROUGH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, JOHN LAWLER IS GONNA BE RECEIVING A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD TODAY.
IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, IF I MIGHT INTERRUPT YOU.
UH, IT, IT, YOU'RE CUTTING OUT AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S ON OUR END OR ON YOUR END.
I'M SOME TROUBLE WITH MY AUDIO EARLIER, BUT I HEAR Y'ALL JUST FINE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY NOW? NO, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU
[00:20:01]
TRY IT AGAIN.TRY, TRY GETTING A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE TO SEE IF THAT HELPS.
HOW ABOUT NOW? WELL START TALKING
HOW ABOUT NOW? IS THAT FAIR, MR. MAYOR? REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
I WAS SAYING THAT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME SPECIAL VISITORS JOINING US AT IN CHAMBERS TODAY FROM LAPORTE TO, TO GIVE A SPECIAL SEND OFF TO JOHN LAWLER.
CAN YOU HEAR THAT PART? UM, WE HEARD, WE HEARD THAT, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FOLKS FROM LAPORTE HELPING, UH, HELPING US CELEBRATE LAWLER.
BUT, UM, YOU'RE STILL CUTTING OUT AND WE MIGHT ASK SOMEBODY TO.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOLLOWED BY THE MAYOR, PRO TEM.
I WANNA SPEAK REALLY BRIEFLY ON ITEMS 14 AND 15.
14 IS A TECHNOLOGY CONTRACT WITH CTM.
OUR VENDOR HAS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY.
THERE ARE SOME CURIOSITIES I'VE GOT ABOUT THIS CONTRACT.
I THINK IN GENERAL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUES WE'RE HAVING, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO GENERATE SOME EFFICIENCIES IN THIS SPACE.
WE'VE GOT 900 IT WORKERS ACROSS THE CITY, AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, BETTER AGREEMENTS WITH SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT WE'VE GOT.
WE'VE GOT DEPARTMENTS THAT OFTEN USE, UH, THE SAME VENDOR BUT DON'T EVEN KNOW IT OR HAVE, UH, SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE SAME SERVICES.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT GOING FORWARD, WE CAN WORK ON THESE TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS WITH THE COUNCIL AND COME UP WITH SOME, HOPEFULLY AS WE'RE IN A PLACE OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
ITEM 15, AS OUR SPEAKER NOTED, IS THE UPDATE TO OUR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WILDFIRE PROTECTION AND PREVENTION.
AND, UH, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT WITHIN A YEAR OF, UH, THE CONTRACT BEING EXECUTED THAT WE'LL GET AN UP-TO-DATE PLAN.
OUR PLAN IS OVER A DECADE OLD THINGS HAVE CHANGED HERE.
OUR RISK FACTORS HAVE INCREASED, INSURANCE HAS CHANGED.
UH, WE'VE GOT, WE JUST VOTED ON A EXPANDED WWE MAP MAP THAT IS GONNA IMPACT FOLKS.
SO I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT OUR UPDATED PLANE IS GONNA GIVE US NEW DIRECTION ABOUT HOW WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE AUSTIN IS SAFE AND PRO AND PREPARED FOR WILDFIRES GOING FORWARD.
MAYOR PROAM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LANG.
JUST WANNA ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL'S COMMENTS ON THE FOOD PLAN ITEM.
THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE MOVE FORWARD, AND I LOVE THAT IT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND BY WORKING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY TO IDENTIFY A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO HELP US IMPLEMENT THE FOOD PLAN.
YOU KNOW, AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT STRUGGLE WITH FOOD INSECURITY AND KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO MANY OF US WHO LIVE IN AREAS THAT ARE FOOD DESERTS.
I THINK THIS IS, THIS NOT ONLY IS A PRIORITY OF OUR CITY, BUT I LOVE THAT IT'S MOVING FORWARD WITH COMMUNITY VALUES IN MIND.
AND I KNOW THIS ISSUE IS ALSO EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND ALSO WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO THE ARMADILLO WATER TANK ITEM.
THIS, THERE'S AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THAT MOVES FORWARD ON, UH, WORKING WITH AN ARTIST TO INSTALL ARTWORK AROUND THAT WATER TANK.
THIS IS GONNA BE AN INCREDIBLE VISUAL PIECE FOR SOUTH AUSTINITES IN THE ARMADILLO NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THIS ITEM MOVE FORWARD AND FOR US TO HAVE ARTWORKS ALL OVER OUR CITY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
UM, I WILL ECHO MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THE CHALLENGES OF FOOD INSECURITY.
I SEE THIS AS WELL, UM, IN AREAS MANY OUTLYING AREAS OF AUSTIN, UM, WHERE TRANSIT IS TOUGH AND I LOVE TO SEE THIS TYPE OF ACCESS TO FOOD BE BROUGHT CLOSER TO WHERE THESE PEOPLE LIVE AND CAN ACCESS IT.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO COMMENT BRIEFLY ON NUMBER 28, THE IMPROVEMENTS TO SLAUGHTER LANE.
I AM SO PLEASED TO SEE THIS ROADWAY, THIS BUSY ARTERIAL GET, BE SAFER FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL.
I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AS A CITY TO INCREASE SAFETY IN NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS AND, AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL CARRY FORWARD TO LOOKING AT THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THESE BUSY ARTERIALS, WHERE THERE ARE SPEEDING FAST SPEED LIMITS, OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO USE THEM TO GET TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ALTERNATIVES.
SO I WELCOME THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
AND FINALLY, ON ITEM 41, UH, I APPRECIATED MICHAEL BULLOCK'S COMMENTS AND ALSO WANTED TO EXTEND MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF SENIOR OFFICER LEWIS TRAY, WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE MEASURE WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY AS A SMALL COMFORT TO HIS LOVED ONES.
AND I WANT TO THANK A PA PRESIDENT BULLOCK FOR SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF.
THANK YOU ALSO, MAYOR WATSON FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CO-SPONSOR THIS MEMORIAL VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
I, THIS IS OFF CONSENT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, A HAPPY BIRTHDAY OF SORTS TO AUSTIN ENERGY.
[00:25:01]
ENERGY WAS FOUNDED A VERY, VERY WISE DECISION FROM, UH, THE LEADERS OF, UH, AUSTIN IN THE 1895 AND THE VOTERS WHO APPROVED, UH, A, A REALLY, UH, A GROUNDBREAKING IDEA OF, UH, A MUNICIPALLY OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITY.UH, IT WAS A GREAT DECISION IN 18 95, 1 THAT WE STILL BENEFIT FROM TODAY, UH, THAT A UTILITY THAT WAS STARTED 130 YEARS AGO IS NOW, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THE BEST ELECTRIC UTILITY IN THE COUNTRY WITH SOME OF THE HIGHEST, UH, RATES OF, OF RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION, LOW RATES, GOOD, EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
UH, JUST PROUD TO, TO HAVE THEM AS PART OF OUR CITY.
THANKS TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF AUSTIN ENERGY THAT WORK SO HARD TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, UH, IN, IN, IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
UH, JUST THANK YOU AND, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, UH, UH, THE HUNDRED 50TH ANNIVERSARY AND THEN THE, THE 200TH AND THE 300TH.
UH, IT IT'S REALLY AN INSTITUTION THAT HELPS OUR CITY IN SO MANY WAYS.
UH, WE RECOGNIZED THEM THIS MORNING AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND RECOGNIZE THEM FROM THE DIOCESE.
THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
AND, AND FOR THE RECORD, THAT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE I WAS MAYOR, THE FIRST TIME.
UM, I, I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VELA COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE FOR JOINING ME THIS MORNING, UH, AS WE GIVE A PROCLAMATION FOR ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH.
UH, SO JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY A API MONTH.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, IF YOU'D PLEASE TURN BACK ON IF YOU, THERE YOU ARE.
ALL THOSE, UH, WITHIN WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ITEM 14.
AND COUNCILMAN COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
[43. Approve an amendment to the Zero Waste Advisory Commission bylaws to remove the Organics Management Committee. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
WILL NOW TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 43.WE'RE GONNA GO, WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP ITEMS FROM THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 43 IS FROM THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND I WOULD MOVE AS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, UH, TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION BYLAWS TO REMOVE THE ORGANICS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
UH, THIS WAS VOTED ON UNANIMOUSLY BY THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? GO AHEAD AND CALL THE NAME FOR ITEM 43.
WE HAVE CELINE RENDON, CELINE RENDON, CELINE RENDON.
ALRIGHT, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE SIGNED UP ON THAT ITEM, RIGHT? UH, MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[44. Approve a resolution reappointing Kavita Gupta and John Umphress for terms of three years to the Municipal Civil Service Commission. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
UH, ALSO COMES FROM THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.AND AS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION REAPPOINTING KAVITA GUPTA AND JOHN FRIS FOR TERMS OF THREE YEARS TO THE, THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
IT IS SECONDED BY THE VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
UH, AND, AND, AND LET ME TURN TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR ITEM 44, CELINE RENDON, CELINE RENDON.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 44 IN ANY DISCUSSION.
HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 44 IS ADOPTED.
[45. Approve a resolution appointing Laurie Eiserloh to fill a vacancy on the Sobering Center Local Government Corporation Board of Directors. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
COMES TO US FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.I'LL RECOGNIZE THE AMERIPRO TEAM AS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE.
I MOVE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING LORI ELOW TO FILL A VACANCY ON THE SOBERING CENTER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
UH, CALL THE NAME CELINE RENDON.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 45? WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 45 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.
[Items 46 & 47]
NUMBER 46 AND 47 MEMBERS.THESE ARE IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS. UM, I'LL, UH, CALL FOR THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY BEFORE I CALL FOR A MOTION ON THOSE 46 AND 47 FOR BOTH ITEMS. CELINE RENDON, CELINE RENDON.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, THAT'S ALL THE PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP ON ITEMS 46 AND 47.
SO WITH RESPECT TO ITEMS 46 AND 47, THESE ARE BOTH NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEMS. THE MOTION THAT THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZE AS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN TEXAS AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THIS CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USES THAT ARE DESCRIBED THEREIN.
IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER? IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
DISCUSSION ON ITEMS 46 AND 47 WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[00:30:01]
46 AND 47 ARE ADOPTED.MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Finance Corporation Meeting]
THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 10:30 AM WE ARE NOW IN RECESS AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MEMBERS.WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND CITY HALL, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AND WE HAVE ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION PRESENT.
IT IS 10 30 IN THE MORNING, AND I WILL RECOGNIZE, UH, MANDY DEO.
MANDY DEO, HOUSING DEPARTMENT TREASURER OF AUSTIN, UH, HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
TODAY ON YOUR AGENDA, YOU HAVE SIX ITEMS. I OFFER THEM ALL ON CONSENT.
THE FIRST ITEM IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 6TH, UH, A HFC MEETING.
THE SECOND AND THIRD, UH, ITEMS ARE RELATED.
THE SECOND ITEM IS TO APPROVE STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A $5.5 MILLION LOAN WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES OR AN AFFILIATED ENTITY TO DEVELOP 56 UNITS, UH, TO BE KNOWN AS THE BLOOM AT LAMAR SQUARE.
THAT WILL RESULT IN 56 UNITS, RANGING FROM 30% TO 60% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME UNITS.
THE SECOND ITEM IS AUTHORIZING STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A LOAN WITH THE MARY LEE FOUNDATION.
UH, THE LOAN AMOUNT IS $4.5 MILLION THAT WILL RESULT IN 45 UNITS, ALL AT 30% OR BELOW MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
THAT IS ALSO IN DISTRICT NINE.
ITEM FOUR AND ITEM FIVE ARE RELATED.
UH, ITEM FOUR IS AUTHORIZING, UH, THE EXECUTION OF A, UM, ACQUISITION OF ABOUT 0.16 ACRES IN D THREE, UH, FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION FOR A LOT AT 28 0 1 CASTRO STREET.
UM, A HFC WILL BE ACCEPTING THAT LOT.
AND THEN IN ITEM FIVE, WE WILL BE CONVEYING THAT LOT TO GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, OF AT LEAST TWO UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
ITEM SIX IS AUTHORIZING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR HAKA FOR A LONGSTANDING HOME FUNDED PROGRAM, TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH WILL SERVE, UM, APPROXIMATELY 65 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT IS FOR APPROXIMATELY $1.2 MILLION.
I OFFER ALL OF THOSE ON CONSENT.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER.
UM, LET ME ASK IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
YES, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
I WAS CURIOUS FOR ITEMS TWO AND THREE, UH, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND THE, SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK IS THE, THE STATESMAN PUT, I KNOW PART OF THE DISCUSSION THERE WAS THAT SOME OF THE MONIES COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
ARE THESE DOLLARS TIED TO THAT, RELATED TO THAT IN ANY WAY? OR IS THAT CORRECT? THESE DOLLARS ARE NOT, UH, AS A RESULT OF THE STATESMAN PUD, YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE STATESMAN PUD THE FEE IN LIEU THAT IS ANTICIPATED FROM THE STATESMAN PUD, UH, THE TRIGGERING THE TIA THAT TRIGGERS THE FEE IN LIEU ACTUALLY HAS NOT OCCURRED YET.
UH, WE ANTICIPATE THOSE DOLLARS IN THE FUTURE.
RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THESE DOLLARS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ARE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, BUT WE DO AN, THIS IS REALLY JUST THE FIRST PHASE IN A MULTI-PHASE DEVELOPMENT AT LAMAR SQUARE, RIGHT? SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS IN THE FUTURE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ALIGN WITH, UH, THE RECEIPT OF THE, THE FUNDS FROM THE STATESMAN POD.
UH, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE A SPEAKER.
I'LL UH, TURN TO THE CLERK SPEAKING ON ITEM SIX.
CARLA COURTNEY, THAT CONCLUDES ALL SPEAKERS, MAYOR.
ALRIGHT, WE, UM, HAVE CONCLUDED ALL THE SPEAKERS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, MADE BY THE VICE PRESIDENT, UH, FUENTES, SECONDED BY, UM, BOARD MEMBER VELA.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, THANK YOU MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION ON MAY 8TH, 2025 AT 10:34 AM IS THERE OBJECTION.
I WILL NOW CALL BACK TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 10:34 AM MEMBERS, WE WILL NOW GO TO ITEM
[49. Conduct a public hearing and receive public input on community needs concerning the City's Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Action Plan, which serves as the City’s application for federal funding, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Texas Local Government Code Chapter 373. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
NUMBER 49, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING.THIS REMEMBER, UH, REMEMBER THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING THAT
[00:35:01]
RE IS DOES NOT REQUIRE ACTION, BUT WE ARE TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.OH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
AND NOW I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.
ON ITEM 49, WE HAVE CELINE RENDON.
ALSO ON ITEM 49, WE HAVE ZIA JOSEPH WHO'S MAKING HER WAY IN RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO FIGHTER NINE AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE ITEM BEFORE YOU.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING OVERALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, IN BACKUP IT DOES HAVE THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN.
BUT I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT MANDY DE MAYO CIRCUMVENTED THAT REQUIREMENT.
WHEN THIS PLAN WENT BEFORE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, SHE ACTUALLY RAN OUT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO HER.
SHE UNILATERALLY ACTUALLY USED THE 15% OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES FOR CHILDCARE.
BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE, AND I DO RESPECT THAT YOU ARE HAPPY ABOUT SLAUGHTER LANE.
THIS IS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT SEVEN MIKE SIEGEL'S AREA.
UP AT THE TOP, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT 15% COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN USED FOR CONNECTIVITY AND SAFETY.
THERE IS NO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON IN NORTH LAMAR, NORTH OF US, 180 3 BY THE METROPOLITAN PARK, WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK.
BUT DOWN BELOW, YOU CAN SEE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN ON 46TH STREET, THERE ARE TWO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THIS IS THE AREA WHERE DONALD NORTON WAS KILLED.
THERE'S STILL NO SIDEWALK AND YOU'VE RECEIVED OVER $47.5 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.
SO IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS GETTING TO SCHOOL SAFELY, NOW YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL IS ON THE LEFT SIDE.
YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THE PICTURE, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT WAS ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 30TH, 2016 WHEN MR. NORTON WAS KILLED.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM HUD.
IT IS DISINGENUOUS AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS ALWAYS, THAT YOUR INEQUITIES VIOLATE TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
AND I WOULD ASK MANDY DE MAYO TO RESIGN.
THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED MEMBERS.
THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON, UH, THE, AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 49.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 49.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED MEMBERS.
[50. Conduct a public hearing on an appeal of the Transportation and Public Works Department Director’s denial of an application to vacate a total of approximately 0.104 acres (4,516 square feet) of developed right-of-way to Anchor Equities Ltd., being that certain 40-foot-wide right-of-way commonly known as Sayers Street, comprised of a north segment measuring approximately 2,253 square feet and shown as a portion of a called 40-foot street in the Map of Survey recorded in Volume 3, Page 171 of the Plat Records of Travis County, Texas, and a south segment measuring approximately 2,263 square feet and shown as a 20-foot Alley in Block 10, Sayers Subdivision, a subdivision recorded in Volume 1, Page 29 of the Plat Records of Travis County. This item has no fiscal impact.]
ITEM NUMBER 50, BUT AS HAS BEEN INDICATED AND READ INTO THE RECORD, ITEM NUMBER 50 IS BEING POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND, 2025.I'LL ASK, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO I'LL ASK THAT THEIR NAME BE CALLED TO SEE IF THEY WANNA SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 50.
ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, THERE ARE NO, UH, PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 50 AS THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
THAT ITEM WILL BE POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND, 2025.
[51. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to repeal University Neighborhood Overlay District requirements and regulations and to create a new zoning district for a density bonus program that grants additional building height and modifies uses and site development regulations, including compatibility standards, in exchange for affordable housing and other community benefits, for properties that are located west of the University of Texas, east of Lamar Boulevard, south of 29th Street and north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
BE PO HAS BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD, WILL BE POSTPONED TO JUNE 5TH, 2025.[00:40:01]
UH, BUT I'LL ASK IF, UH, THERE'S ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND WISHES TO SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.SO APPARENTLY THAT'S THE CASE.
WHY DON'T YOU, UH, GO AHEAD AND CALL THE NAMES.
FOR ITEM 51, SPEAKING TO THE MERITS OF POSTPONEMENT.
STUART HIRSH, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES MAYOR.
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, STUART HARRY HIRSCH, STU FROM DISTRICT TWO.
UH, I'M HOPING THAT THIS POSTPONEMENT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY IN JUNE CONCERNING SPECIFICALLY TWO ITEMS, THE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS OF SMART HOUSING, WHICH HELPS SERVE SOME OF THE POOREST AMONG US AND ALSO THE REASONABLY PRICED STANDARDS OF SMART HOUSING THAT LINK TO, UH, THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY THAT CREATE A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN WHAT IS USUALLY DISCUSSED AT COUNCIL, WHICH IS INCOME RESTRICTED, REASONABLY PRICED, REALLY HITS THE POOREST AMONG US.
AND I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DELIBERATE ON THAT BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THIS ITEM RETURNS TO BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND TO Y'ALL.
THANK YOU FOR ITEM 51, SPEAKING TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
NO ALIAS, BRAD MASSENGILL AND CELINE RENDON.
ARE ANY OF THOSE THREE PEOPLE HERE? OKAY, THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS, THOSE ALL MEMBERS.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 51 TO THAT COULD SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
SO ITEM NUMBER 51 WILL BE POSTPONED TO JUNE 5TH, 2025 MEMBERS.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS FOR SET FOR A 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
SO, UH, WE WILL NEED TO RECESS UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK, UH, FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE COUNCIL.
WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL, UH, COME BACK IN PROMPTLY AT 12 O'CLOCK.
WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UH, I ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL TAKE UNTIL 1230 TO 1235.
THE COUNCIL WILL RECESS AT THAT POINT IN TIME UNTIL ONE 10, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE LIVE MUSIC AND THEN WELL ACTUALLY WE WILL NOT RECESS UNTIL ONE 10.
WE WILL RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK BECAUSE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS WE'LL COME BACK AT NOON.
WE WILL RECESS AT THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT UNTIL 2:00 PM WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS IN RECESS UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK NOON.
IT IS 10:42 AM THANKS EVERYBODY.
[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]
ON MAY 8TH AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.UH, OUR FIRST ITEM OF THE ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS A 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
SO I WILL TURN TO, UH, THE CITY CLERK.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE IRBY FOSTER.
HONORABLE MAYOR WATSON, UH, CITY COUNCILORS.
MR. BROAD X IRBY FOSTER DISTRICT TWO.
I WANT TO ASK FOR THE COUNCIL'S HELP WITH FREEWAY STREET LIGHTING OUTAGES.
AUSTIN ENERGY HAS NOT ACTED IN GOOD FAITH TO COMPLETELY AND THOROUGHLY REPAIR FREEWAY STREET LIGHTING OUTAGES.
NEXT, I NEED HELP IN CHANGING THE 3 1 1 PROCESS TO NOT ALLOW AUSTIN ENERGY TO CLOSE 3 1 1 REQUESTS UNTIL THOSE REPAIRS ARE COMPLETELY REPAIRED.
AUSTIN ENERGY IS NOT ACTED IN GOOD FAITH.
A YEAR HAS PASSED FROM MY FIRST COMPLAINTS AND THEY'RE STILL REFUSING TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT REPAIRS AT ALL, EVEN THOUGH THEY REPEATEDLY PROMISED THOSE REPAIRS.
REPAIRS LIKE CONDUIT BREAKS, WIRE SHORTS OR PULLING NEW WIRE FOR DARK UNDERPASSES HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED.
QUICK FIXES FOR THEM LIKE RUNNING OVERHEAD WIRES TO GET THE LIGHTS WORKING SOONER.
HOWEVER, THE AUSTIN ENERGY ELECTRIC SYSTEM FIELD DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO ACT AND REFUSE TO ACT IN GOOD FAITH.
THAT DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN HONEST WITH ME ABOUT WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO.
THEY PROMISE REPAIRS AND DON'T DO THEM, OR THE OUTAGES CONTINUE FOR MONTHS AND IN SOME CASES NOW TWO YEARS, POLLS ALONG OUR FREEWAYS HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN FOR OVER A YEAR AND NOT REPAIRED.
THE DEPARTMENT CLOSES THE 3 1 1 REQUESTS THAT WE SUBMIT SAYING THE REPAIRS WILL BE SCHEDULED ONLY TO LET MONTHS PASS WITHOUT ACTION, ALL WHILE FREEWAY AND NON VEHICLE FATALITIES CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN A NINE MAJOR FREEWAYS IN THE CITY.
I'VE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE BEFORE YOU LAST YEAR DURING BUDGET, THEN AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER AND IN OCTOBER I SPOKE BEFORE THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
I SHARED THE STATUS OF THE LINGERING OUTAGES IN AN APRIL 27TH LETTER TO MAYOR WATSON AND MR. BRONA.
RECENTLY I REPORTED NEARLY A HUNDRED MORE OUTAGES TO 3 1 1 ONLY TO HAVE THOSE TICKETS ALL CLOSED.
AGAIN, FREEWAY LIGHTS WORK LIKE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.
MOST OF THEM, I'LL SAY FREEWAY LIGHTS WORK LIKE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.
SO WHEN ONE GOES OUT, THEY ALL GO OUT.
WHEN A POLE IS HIT, THEY ALL GO OUT OR THE WIRES WITH THE FOUR 80 VOLTS ARE EXPOSED ALONG THE FREEWAY FOR MORE THEFT
[00:45:01]
OR INJURY FATALITIES.OUTAGES AND THEFT ARE WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT AE TAKE THESE REPAIRS SERIOUSLY.
THE KNOCKDOWN POLES, UNDERPASS LIGHTS AND SECTION OF FREEWAY LIGHTS, INCLUDING THE UNDERPASS FOR I 35 AT TWO 90, WHERE WE'VE HAD TWO MURDERS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
AND MAIN LANES OF I 35 DOWNTOWN ARE STILL OUT A YEAR LATER.
EVEN THOUGH MY 3 1 1 TICKETS AND IN FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS WITH AE, THEY SAID THOSE REPAIRS WOULD BE SCHEDULED.
AE NEEDS TO DO MORE TO BEGIN REPAIRS TO THE DIFFICULT OUTAGES.
THEY NEED TO IMMEDIATELY CHANGE THEIR PROCESS TO REPAIR THE KNOCKDOWN POLLS QUICKER.
AND THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR HELP TO STEP IN AND STOP THE PRACTICE OF CLOSING THE 3 1 1 REQUEST WITHOUT REMEDY.
I ASK COUNSEL FOR YOUR HELP TO COMMUNICATE.
WHAT AM I ASKING FOR? TO COMMUNICATE TO CITY STAFF AUSTIN ENERGY AND PARTNERS LIKE TDO AND C-M-T-R-A THAT DARK FREEWAYS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE EVER AND THEY'RE A PRIORITY FOR US.
MY NAME'S JAMES DAVIS WITH J DAVIS CONSTRUCTION, HONORABLE MAYOR WATSON AND CITY COUNCIL.
APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN CONSTRUCTION FOR 30 PLUS YEARS.
I BUILT EMBASSIES IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA, HOSPITALS IN ONTARIO, CANADA, UH, DATA CENTERS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, ALL A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR PLUS PROJECTS.
I'M AN INFIELD BUILDER NOW IN AUSTIN, CURRENTLY WITH 18 TO 20 HOMES IN ALL PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION, FROM PROCUREMENT AND DESIGN ON THE MARKET.
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY SINGLE FAMILY, SINGLE UNIT PROPERTIES UPGRADED TO SINGLE FAMILY THREE UNIT PROPERTIES UNDER THE HOME INITIATIVE, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY REGARDING NEW HOMES, UH, COMING TO THE MARKET TAX BASE AND JOBS CREATED.
I WANNA SHARE A MINUTE OF PRAISE AND A MINUTE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AUSTIN HOME INITIATIVE HAS BEEN GREAT FOR AUSTIN.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S ALL WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE IT PASSED.
THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN REGARD TO INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES NEEDED WITH TIMING AND COST.
A AUSTIN ENERGY HAS DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB RESPONDING TO OUR NEEDS FROM INTAKE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
AUSTIN ENERGY DESIGN IS VERY INFORMATIVE.
THEY TEACH US ONSITE JOB SITE VISITS, WHAT'S NECESSARY FOR POTENTIAL AUSTIN ENERGY UPGRADES BEFORE WE EVEN PURCHASE LOTS.
UH, THEY HELP US WITH BUDGETING AND SCHEDULING.
UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, CONSTRUCTION HAS STEPPED UP.
THEY WORK SATURDAYS TO GET US NEW LINES RUN POLE SET AND TRANSFORMERS REPLACED AND UPGRADED.
UH, AE HAS RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST SINCE EXPRESSING OUR NEEDS AND CONCERNS A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UH, TO FACILITATE BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH AE, WE JOINED THE AUSTIN INFILL COUNCIL AS A MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS AND WE AS A TEAM PLAN TO CONTINUE TO HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS THROUGH THAT BODY.
THE CONCERN I'M BRINGING TO THIS GROUP IS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THESE UPGRADES TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS BUILDERS, WE HAVE COSTS, WE HAVE SCHEDULE, AND WE HAVE QUALITY AND WE CAN ONLY CONTROL TWO OF THOSE THREE.
THIS CAN VARY FROM PROJECT TO PROJECT BASED ON WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S A $0 AND NO SCHEDULE IMPACT.
AND OTHER TIMES THESE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES CAN COST 15 TO $20,000 AND MONTHS OF DELAYS.
WE BUILD HOUSES TYPICALLY UNDER THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS.
AND IF THERE ARE UPGRADES NEEDED, WE BEAR THE FULL BRUNT OF THAT COST BOTH TIME AND SCHEDULE AND COST.
EXCUSE ME, WE JUST HAPPEN TO BE NEXT IN LINE NEEDING POWER.
AN EXAMPLE AS A 25 KVA TRANSFORMER POWER CAN POWER ROUGHLY FIVE HOMES.
IF WE ADD MORE TO THIS INFRASTRUCTURE LOAD BY ADDING MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND ADDITIONAL HOMES THAT ARE BIGGER, WE NEED TO UPGRADE TRANSFORMERS TO A 50 KVA, WHICH CAN SUPPORT 15 PLUS HOMES.
THE FIRST PRODUCER NEEDING THE POWER IS ME, WHICH GETS THE FULL FORCE OF THE DESIGN, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THESE UPGRADES.
AND THE SCHEDULE IMPACT CURRENTLY, AGAIN, FOUR TO SIX MONTHS, CAUSING US TO COMPLETELY MISS WINDOWS FOR REAL ESTATE MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND ADDITIONAL INTEREST PAYMENTS, WHICH CAN BE NORTH OF $20,000 A MONTH PER PROJECT.
SO I WANNA PROPOSE A SUGGESTED SOLUTION.
WE RECOMMEND A GROUP OF INTELLIGENT PEOPLE BE CONVENED AND COORDINATED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COST AND SCHEDULE CAN BE EQUITABLE AND EXPEDITED.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, I SAY I'M FROM AUSTIN 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF A RARITY THESE DAYS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY THAT, UM, I'M FROM TEXAS, JEWS FOR DEMOCRACY AND I'VE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF ANTISEMITISM, UH, IN AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOLING.
IT'S JUST AN UNFORTUNATE FACT.
UM, BUT THIS SESSION I FOUND MYSELF AT THE CAPITOL DOING SOMETHING I THOUGHT I'D NEVER DO, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ARGUING AGAINST, UM, THE ANTISEMITISM BILLS THAT ARE, UH, GOING UP, UH, IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE RIGHT
[00:50:01]
NOW.UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THEM AND THEY ALL USE A VERY MISGUIDED DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM CALLED THE IHRA DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM.
UM, AND I ACTUALLY SPOKE PERSONALLY TO THE, UH, MAN WHO DRAFTED THAT DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM.
AND, UM, HE AGREED WITH ME THAT THEY SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO DEFINE WHAT SPEECH IS AND ISN'T.
UM, I SAY THIS JUST BECAUSE, UM, WITH THE RECENT SORT OF INTIMIDATION TACTICS WE'VE SEEN, UM, USED BY THE GOVERNOR, UM, TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF SAN MARCO, UM, AND A FEW OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, TEXAS SENATORS AND STUFF, UM, IT KIND OF MIRRORS WHAT WE SAW WITH, UM, HB 21, 27, THE DEATH STAR BILL, UM, WHICH WAS RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES, THERE'S THIS FIGHT KIND OF GOING ON ABOUT, UM, WHAT SPEECH IS AND ISN'T.
AND I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF AUSTIN COULD TAKE SOME SORT OF STANCE THAT WOULD, UM, MAKE IT CLEAR TO, UM, UT STUDENTS WHO ARE REALLY VALUABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THE PROFESSORS THAT TEACH THEM, UM, JUST REALLY EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE KIND OF A, UM, ALMOST A FREE SPEECH SANCTUARY CITY IN A WAY.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY IMPORTANT MOVE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL MANEUVERING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT, UM, I WOULD JUST APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK IT WOULD KEEP, UH, JEWISH STUDENTS SAFER BECAUSE, UH, THIS WHOLE, UM, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH, IT'S KIND OF PUTTING THE ONUS ON JEWISH STUDENTS.
UM, IT'S MAKING US LOOK LIKE WE WANT TO STIFLE SPEECH RATHER THAN ANSWER IT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT ENDANGERS US FURTHER.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE BACKDROP OF ALL THESE REALLY, UM, HORRENDOUS DEPORTATIONS GOING ON.
UM, AND YEAH, I WOULD JUST REALLY APPRECIATE IF, UM, AUSTIN COULD TAKE A STRONG STANCE ON THAT AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN THAT.
MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT OUR TWO, OUR 12 O'CLOCK, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TIME, CERTAIN, UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS SET FOR A 2:00 PM TIME, CERTAIN.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND WE WILL RECONVENE PROMPTLY AT 2:00 PM FOR THE TIME CERTAIN ZONING MATTERS, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'RE IN RECESS AT 12:11 PM HIM.
[Live Music John Gaar]
EVERYONE.JOHN GARR, A NATIVE OF LOUISIANA HAS CALLED AUSTIN HIS HOME FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS.
HE IS SELF-TAUGHT GUITARIST AND VOCALIST WITH THREE ALBUMS OF ORIGINAL SONGS RECORDED AND RELEASED.
JOHN PICKED UP THE GUITAR AT AGE 13 IN LOUISIANA.
HE STEEPED HIMSELF IN MANY DIFFERENT MUSICAL TASTES AND STYLES FROM ROCK RHYTHM AND BLUES, SERIOUS BLUES TO CAJUN COUNTRY AND ZYDECO.
BEFORE GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, HE'D ALREADY LANDED STEADY WORK AT A LOCAL NIGHTCLUB IN HIS HOMETOWN.
BY 1980, JOHN WAS HOLDING DOWN FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK, SHOWS WITH HIS OLDER BROTHER, SINGER SONGWRITER BURTON GAR AND FAMED ZYDECO ARTIST ROCKING SYDNEY OF DON'T MESS WITH MY TOOT TOOT FAME.
FROM THERE, JOHN WENT ON TO WENT ON THE ROAD FOR TWO YEARS WITH AN EIGHT PIECE RHYTHM AND BLUES GROUP TOURING THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST.
IN 1984, HE STARTED DOING REGIONAL AND NATIONAL TOURS WITH LOUISIANA PHENOMENON, MISS MOLLY AND THE PASSIONS.
HIS FIRST SHOW WITH MOLLY WAS AT THE FABULOUS ANTONES ON GUADALUPE, AND HE ALSO PLAYED THE VERY FIRST SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WITH MOLLY.
IN 2003, JOHN AND HIS WIFE SANDRA, RELOCATED TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.
JOHN ALWAYS LOVED AUSTIN AFTER YEARS OF TOURING THROUGH THE CITY, WHILE ON THE ROAD WITH OTHER BANDS.
SO IT JUST MADE SENSE TO MOVE TO AUSTIN.
IN 2003, JOHN RELEASED BITTERSWEET SUCCESS, HIS FIRST RECORD, WHICH WAS SELECTED FOR AMERICA'S BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST PROGRAM AND AWARD NATIONWIDE DISTRIBUTION AT TARGET STORES.
IN BETWEEN TOURING REGIONALLY AND PLAYING IN AUSTIN, HE HAD A CHANCE TO DO A SHOW WITH THE WONDERFUL AND UNBELIEVABLE MS. LAVELLE WHITE.
AFTER THE FIRST SHOW WITH MS. LAVELLE, HE BECAME A VOCALIST AND GUITARIST WITH HER FOR MANY YEARS, JOHN ALSO BEGAN PERFORMING WITH MALFORD MILLIGAN THAT BEGAN A LONG RUN OF PERFORMANCES WITH MALFORD AS MEMBER OF HIS BAND AND AS A DUO.
IN LATE 2018, GARS THIRD ALBUM ROLE LIKE THAT LAUNCHED WITH THE WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE OF THE SAME TITLE.
THE ROLE LIKE THAT VIDEO ALSO TOOK HOME TOP HONORS BY WINNING AN INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARD HONORING THE YEAR'S MOST EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS AT THEIR CEREMONY IN NEW YORK CITY IN JUNE, 2019.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, JOHN GARR
[00:55:25]
IN A CAR, GOT THE CAT, GOT A FULL TANK OF GAS.WHEN THE LU DON'T RACK, TH WILL THE COOLER JAM PACK.
LET AND IN HURRY GOT PLENTY OF TIME.
I'M GOING DOWN TO LOUISIANA TO VISIT THE FOLK.
GOTTA HIT THE ROAD, LOAD UP THE GOTTA GET BACK HOME.
WE GONNA UP, WE'VE GOT THE HIT RUG.
LOAD UP THE POODLES, WE GOTTA GET BACK HOME THEM BACK OFF.
WE'LL KEEPING AND MATCH JUST A FACT.
DADDY'S GOT THE MAMA'S GOT THE MAP.
DADDY'S GLORY JUST LIKE THAT DADDY, BECAUSE WE ROLL RIGHT? THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
CAN YOU TELL PEOPLE WHERE WE CAN FIND YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? YOU CAN FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AT FUNKY FOOT, UH, 59.
AND IF YOU JUST LOOK FOR JOHN GARR AND SPELL THE NAME RIGHT, YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING.
AND DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER SHOW LINED UP IN AUSTIN WHERE WE CAN SEE YOU? I THINK WE'RE PLAYING.
UH, WHERE ARE WE AT NEXT WEEK? 17TH.
YEAH, WE'LL BE AT SEA BOYS ON THE 17TH, SATURDAY.
ALRIGHT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND READ THIS PROCLAMATION NOW.
BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.
[01:00:01]
AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC BY LEGENDS OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I PAIGE JEALOUS, JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, MAYOR PRO TEM VANESSA FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, THE MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL TO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 8TH, 2025 AS JOHN GARDE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action)]
IT IS TWO O'CLOCK ON MAY 8TH, 2025, AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.UH, WE NOW HAVE AN, UH, ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT IS FOR OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M ERIC THOMAS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
YOUR ZONING AGENDA TODAY BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 52 NPA 20 24 0 0 0 5 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS A REQUEST FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT BY THE APPLICANT.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM NUMBER 53 C 4 20 24 0 9 9.
AGAIN, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT BY THE APPLICANT.
CAN I INTERRUPT YOU RIGHT THERE AND, AND JUST, UH, I WANNA SAY FOR THE RECORD, UH, THOSE TWO ITEMS. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, ON THOSE TWO ITEMS, BUT THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE GOING TO BE INDEFINITELY POSTPONED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE MOTION THAT I WILL TAKE WILL BE FOR THOSE TWO ITEMS TO BE INDEFINITELY POSTPONED.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THEM.
ITEM NUMBER 54 IS NPA 20 24 0 0 0 8 0.02.
THERE IS A REQUEST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR JUNE 5TH MEETING, AND WE DO HAVE SPEAKERS HERE FOR THIS IN THE RELATED ZONING ITEM.
HOWEVER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED AND, AND WAS GRANTED A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM YOUR APRIL 10TH COUNCIL MEETING TO TODAY.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE MEETINGS FACILITATED BY THE DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL OFFICE IN WHICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL STAFF AND CITY STAFF FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS HAVE WORKED TO ADDRESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CONCERNS.
WITH THAT, WE ARE OFFERING IT TODAY AS CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, AND RETURNING ON MAY 22ND FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.
SO WITHOUT THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM NUMBER 55 C 4 20 24 0 1 0 7.
AGAIN, WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR JUNE 5TH MEETING, BUT WE ARE OFFERING IT TODAY FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY TO ALLOW THE CASE TO MOVE FORWARD IN TANDEM WITH CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS.
AND THIS ITEM WOULD ALSO RETURN FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION AT YOUR MAY 22ND COUNSEL MEETING, ITEM NUMBER 56 C 4 2 25 0 2 4.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED AS A POSTPONEMENT BY STAFF TO YOUR JULY 24TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER 57 IS C 4 20 25 0 0 2 8 POINT SH.
IT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS WITH THE FOLLOWING MOTION SHEET.
AMEND PART TWO OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO REMOVE COMMERCIAL OFF STREET PARKING AS A PROHIBITED USE.
AND WITH THAT, AGAIN, THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM NUMBER 58 IS NPA 20 23 0 0 0 2 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED AS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
THERE ARE TWO RELATED REZONING ITEMS. THE FIRST IS ITEM NUMBER 59 C 4 20 24 0 0 1 0.
THIS IS ALSO OFFERED AS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
THE NEXT REZONING ITEM, WHICH IS ALSO RELATED TO ITEM 58, IS ITEM NUMBER 60 C 1 4 20 24 0 0 1 7.
AGAIN APPLICANT OR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
ITEM NUMBER 61 IS NPA 20 22 0 0 0 5 0.01.
THIS IS OFFERED AS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
THE RELATED REZONING ITEM IS NUMBER 62 C 14 20 22 0 0 7.
THIS IS ALSO BEING OFFERED AS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
ITEM NUMBER 63 IS NPA 20 25 0 0 1 9 0.02.
THIS IS OFFERED AS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR JUNE 5TH COUNCIL MEETING.
THE RELATED ITEM IS NUMBER 64 C 2 0 20 24 0 1 0 AGAIN POSTPONEMENT BY YOUR STAFF TO YOUR JUNE 5TH MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER 65 IS C 4 2 2 4 0 1 65.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS IS THE SECOND POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE APPLICANT IS NOT OPPOSED TO
[01:05:01]
THE REQUEST.ITEM NUMBER 66 C 20 24 0 1 6 9.
THIS ITEM IS RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS CASE, ITEM 65, AND IT IS ALSO BEING OFFERED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.
THE NEXT THREE REZONING ITEMS ARE RELATED, SO BEGINNING WITH ITEM NUMBER 67 C 1 4 2 2 4 0 1 1 2.
THIS IS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VELA TO YOUR MAY 22ND MEETING.
THE RELATED ITEM IS NUMBER 68 C 1 4 20 24 0 1 1 3.
THIS IS ALSO A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VELA TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.
THE NEXT RELATED ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 69 C 1 4 20 24 0 104, AND THIS ITEM HAS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.
MOVING ON, THE NEXT SEVEN ITEMS ARE ALL RELATED, BEGINNING WITH ITEM NUMBER 70 C 1 4 20 25 0 0 1 0.
WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THIS CASE AND THE NEXT SIX RELATED ITEMS, AND THAT CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR BACKUP.
WITH THAT, THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS CONSENT.
THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH AGAIN IS RELATED, IS ITEM NUMBER 71 20 20 C 1 4, 20 25 4.
THIS IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
THE NEXT RELATED ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 72 C 4 20 25.
AGAIN, CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
THE NEXT RELATED ITEM IS ITEM 73 C 4 79 9 RCT.
THIS IS A PUBLIC RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TERMINATION, SO IT ONLY GETS ONE READING, AND WITH THAT IT IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE NEXT RELATED ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 74 C 4 2 25 0 0 1 5.
THIS IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
THE NEXT RELATED ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 75 C 1 4 20 25 0 0 1 7.
AGAIN, CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
AND THE FINAL RELATED ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 76 C 4 20 25 6.
THIS IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE AGENDA, AND OF COURSE, ALL THIS IS AT YOUR DISCRETION.
UM, MEMBERS, I'M GONNA READ THE POTENTIAL CONSENT AGENDA, UH, INTO THE RECORD AND SEEK A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, BEFORE, UH, WE GO FURTHER.
SO LET ME READ THE, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS 52 AND 53 AND INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT 54 AND RELATED ITEM 55, CONSENT ON FIRST READING ONLY 56 POSTPONEMENT TO 7 24 57.
CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS SUBJECT TO THE MOTION SHEET THAT WAS ALREADY READ INTO THE RECORD.
58, 59 AND 60 INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENTS, 61 AND 62, INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENTS 63 AND 64, POSTPONEMENT TO 6 5 65 AND 66.
UH, REQUEST FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL ON BOTH INSTANCES TO MAY 22ND AND THE APPLICANT'S NOT OPPOSED.
67, 68 AND 69 POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 22ND, 70, 71 AND 72.
SECOND AND THIRD READINGS 73, IT ONLY REQUIRES ONE READING, SO IT WOULD BE ON CONSENT FOR THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TERMINATION, 74, 75 AND 76.
CONSENT ON SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
UH, MEMBERS, WE WILL NOW GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AGAIN, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE HERE TO TESTIFY, LET ME POINT OUT THAT IF YOU'RE HERE ON 52, 53, 58, 59, 60, 61, AND 62, THOSE ARE THE, THE MOTION IS THAT THOSE BE POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE YOUR COMMENTS, THEY NEED TO BE LIMITED TO THE MERITS OF A POSTPONEMENT, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE POSTPONED INDEFINITE INDEFINITELY.
IF THE MOTION PASSES 63 AND 64 ARE IS ALSO A POSTPONEMENT.
65 AND 66 ARE POSTPONEMENTS 67, 68 AND 69 ARE POSTPONEMENTS.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK FOR YOUR HELP, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD ON PUBLIC COMMENT.
ON ITEM 52, WE HAVE NO ALIAS WITH TIME DONATED BY MONICA GUZMAN, YOU WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT, AND THIS IS ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THAT.
AND, UH, MAY I ASK, MAY I SPEAK ON ITEM 62 AND 63? THAT'S ALSO ON THE CONSENT WHEN, WHEN THEY ARE CALLED UP.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ON THE MERITS OF THE
[01:10:01]
POSTPONE.GOOD MORNING, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 52 AND 53, THE SAXON ACRES CASE.
UH, SO THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT, SO WE WANT A CHANCE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE DEVELOPER AND EXPLORE SOLUTIONS THAT SERVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IF YOU READ THE STAFF REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE CITY STAFF RECOMMENDS AGAINST GRANTING THIS UP ZONING.
WHY? BECAUSE THE PROPERTY IS AT THE END OF A DEAD END STREET.
IT'S SURROUNDED BY HOMES, AND THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL INCREASE TRAFFIC.
AND THIS DEVELOPMENT, IT SIMPLY DOES NOT, UH, BELONG IN THIS AREA.
IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS ALREADY RECEIVED AN UPZONING IN 2020.
UH, THEY WENT FROM SF THREE TO SF SIX, UH, AND THEY HAVEN'T BUILT ANYTHING, AND NOW THEY'RE ASKING FOR ANOTHER ZONING CHANGE.
SO THIS LOOKS LESS LIKE A PLAN TO BUILD HOUSING AND MORE LIKE AN ATTEMPT TO INCREASE LAND VALUE.
SO YOU FAVOR POSTPONEMENT? YES, SIR.
UH, SO THIS DEVELOPMENT, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S SPECULATION AND THE COMMUNITY SEES RIGHT THROUGH THAT, THAT PROCESS.
SO WE ALREADY SEEN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, UM, ALONG THIS AREA, UH, LIKE RIGHT NEXT TO ALLISON ELEMENTARY, AND USUALLY THEY TALK ABOUT AN INCREASE IN STUDENT POPULATION.
BUT ALLISON HAS NOT SEEN ANY STUDENT POPULATION INCREASE BASED ON THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, SO THE NEW RESIDENTS ARE OFTEN HIGHER INCOME RESIDENTS.
THEY DON'T SEND THEIR KIDS TO OUR SCHOOL.
UH, SO THAT'S NOT COMMUNITY THAT CAUSES DISPLACEMENT.
SO WHAT I'M HERE TO SAY IS THAT THE COMMUNITY URGES THE CITY COUNCIL NOT ONLY TO POSTPONE THIS CASE, BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT, UH, HOW THESE ZONING CASES CAUSE DISPLACEMENT AND WHAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE REALLY FOR, AND WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS THE CITY COUNCIL, AS THE CITY IS WE NEED TO SOUND THE ALARM ON DISPLACEMENT.
WE NEED TO SOUND THE ALARM ON UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE NEED TO SOUND AN ALARM ON POLICIES THAT ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO PROFIT WITHOUT REAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO IF YOU'RE OFFERING BONUSES, MARK, WE NEED ACTION.
NEXT, WOULD YOU PLEASE THE DEVELOPER? WE NEED ACTION NEXT.
NEXT STAND TO THE DEVELOPER'S FOR TWO, TWO PLEA.
PLEASE STAND TO THE DEVELOPER THAT, UH, MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:30 PM PLEASE EVERYBODY, IT'S 2:30 PM ON MAY 8TH, AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AFTER A BRIEF RECESS AND TURN TO THE CITY CLERK FOR ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 52.
YES, WE HAVE MARIANNE SANCHEZ, SUSAN MANSA, AND PEDRO HERNANDEZ.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY COMING FORWARD OTHER THAN THAT.
VALERIE MENARD, CARLOS PINON, AUBREY LANGSTON.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
JENNY GRAYSON, BRAD MASSENGILL, CELINE RENDON.
THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 52, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MOTION IS FOR AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
SO PLEASE SPEAK ONLY TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
UM, AND I, UH, APPRECIATE THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
UH, I THINK ALMOST 50 PEOPLE SIGNED A PETITION AGAINST THIS, SO TO, TO NOT CHANGE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, UH, JUST SO EVERYBODY AT HOME KNOWS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS WAS AT THREE 18 SAXON, UH, 6 3 28 MIRANDA, AND IT'S IN THE COUNTRY CLUB EAST AND THE COLORADO RIVER WATERSHEDS IN D THREE.
AND I KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD APPRECIATES THE, UH, THANK YOU.
MARYANNE SANCHEZ, SUSANNA MONSA, PEDRO HERNANDEZ, VALERIE MENARD, CARLOS PINON, MARY RALEY, FRANK RIO, JENNY GRAYSON,
[01:15:02]
BRAD MASSENGILL, CELINE RENDON.IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA TESTIFY, YOU MIGHT JUST HANG UP FRONT.
IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA TESTIFY, LET US KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE.
UH, JUST JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR THAT I, ITEM 52 IS FOR THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UH, ALTERATION IN 53 IS FOR THE ZONING CHANGE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO WELL, THANK YOU.
WE HAVE JESSICA NEGLEY SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 54 IS, UH, IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR FIRST READING.
IT MAY BE THAT SHE SEEKS A POSTPONEMENT, BUT, UH, THERE'S, SHE CAN SPEAK ON AS ON THE MERITS OF THE MATTER.
JESSICA, PLEASE UNMUTE, PLEASE.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
YEAH, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ECHO MY NEIGHBORS IN THE AUSTIN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND REQUEST, UM, JUST A FIRST READING SO WE CAN REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT'S DONE WITH, UM, AFFORDABILITY, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY IN MIND.
WE HAVE JIM WALKER ON ITEM 54.
GRAYSON, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M JIM WALKER, WAS A CHERRYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE ARE ADJACENT TO THIS CASE ACROSS, UH, MANNAR ROAD, BUT STILL VERY MUCH ACTIVE IN THE TODD THAT THIS IS BEING CARVED OUT OF.
UH, MY POINT IS ONLY TO THAT, AND I THINK WITHIN THIS POSTPONEMENT PERIOD, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR I THINK STAFF TO LOOK MORE DEEPLY AT WHAT THE PRECEDENT IS BEING SET WITH CARVING OUT THIS PROPERTY FROM A TODD.
IT'S LARGELY BUILT OUT, BUT IT'S STILL THERE FOR A REASON.
THERE ARE TWO NEW METRO RAPID LINES CROSSING THERE, UH, WITH THE, ALL THE ATTENTION THAT WENT INTO THE NORTH LAMAR AND THE SOUTH CONGRESS OF SMALL AREA PLANS AND UPDATING THOSE AS SMALL AREA PLANS.
I THINK THAT KIND OF VIEW WOULD BE WARRANTED, UH, IN THIS CASE AS WELL.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT WITHIN THE POSTPONEMENT PERIOD.
SHE HAS TIME DONATED BY MONICA GUZMAN FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR MINUTES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAJOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LIVE IN AUSTIN HEIGHTS, A DEEPLY ROOTED NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE GATEWAY TO EAST AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU THAT THE ONLY GRANT A FIRST READING FOR ITEMS 54 AND 55 REGARDING 29 67 MAINOR ROAD.
I STAND BEFORE YOU NOT IN OPPOSITION OF HOUSING.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT WELCOMES GROWTH.
WE ASK FOR THOUGHTFUL, INTENTIONAL PLANNING, NOT A RUSH TO RE ZONE ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX PIECES OF LAND IN OUR DISTRICT WITHOUT FULLY UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT.
THIS PROPERTY SITS AT THE EDGE OF MULTIPLE OVERLAPPING CRISIS.
CRISISES FLOODING IS ALREADY A REALITY FOR FIVE HOMES NEARBY.
RESIDENTS SANDBAG THEIR DOOR DOORSTEPS, FAMILIES BRACE EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
AND NOW A 50 FOOT BUILDING THREATENS TO ACT LIKE A WALL, PUSHING WATER FAST AND HARD INTO PLACES THAT CANNOT TAKE IT.
THE SITE DESERVES MORE TIME AND MORE CARE.
TRAFFIC IS ANOTHER MAJOR CONCERN.
THE MAINER AND AIRPORT INTERSECTION IS ALREADY DANGEROUS.
THERE HAVE BEEN FATALITIES, EMERGENCY VEHICLES STRUGGLE TO NAVIGATE IT, AND YET THIS PROJECT PROPOSES JUST ONE ENTRANCE AND EXIT RIGHT INTO THE CHAOS.
THAT'S NOT PLANNING, THAT'S PLAYING WITH LIVES.
AND THEN THERE'S AFFORDABILITY.
WE'RE ASKING FOR HOMES OUR PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY LIVE IN.
RIGHT NOW, ONLY THE MINIMUM IS BEING OFFERED THAT WON'T CUT IT.
WE NEED A DEEPER AFFORDABILITY COMMITMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS, THE TEACHERS, THE RESTAURANT STAFF, AND SENIORS WHO ALREADY CALL THIS PLACE HOME.
I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING PERSONAL.
JUST LAST WEEK WE SPOKE WITH A 93-YEAR-OLD BLACK NEIGHBOR, SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED IN AUSTIN HEIGHTS HER ENTIRE LIFE.
SHE TOLD US HOW MUCH SHE LOVES HER HOME, BUT ALSO HOW AFRAID SHE IS.
SHE TOLD US WITH TEARS IN HER EYES, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I'LL BE ABLE TO STAY.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL AND WATERSHED, AND BOTH HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED HOW COMPLICATED THIS SITE IS.
[01:20:01]
MISTAKES.THEY AGREE THIS PROCESS NEEDS MORE TIME, MORE COLLABORATION, MORE DIALOGUE, BUT NONE OF THAT IS POSSIBLE IF WE CHARGE AHEAD TODAY.
THIS CASE IS ACTUALLY HISTORIC.
THIS IS THE FIRST DV 90 CASE TO BE REMOVED FROM A TOD DISTRICT.
IF APPROVED, IT SAYS IT SAYS A PRECEDENT, AND WE YET HAVE NOT A BIG, WE DON'T HAVE A BIG PICTURE VISION, NO PLAN TO INTEGRATE THIS INTO THE BROADER NEIGHBORHOOD.
EVERY OTHER DB 90 CASE AROUND US HAS HAD MORE HOLISTIC PLANNING.
WHY NOT THIS ONE? ON TOP OF IT ALL TODAY, WE LOSE JOHN LAWLER AND WE'LL BE LEFT WITH A CAST OF THREE TEMPORARY APP ABSENTEES.
THAT MEANS WE'RE STARTING ALL OVER MID-PROCESS WITH NO ONE REALLY IN OUR CORNER.
AND YET, EVEN NOW, WE'RE NOT DIGGING IN OUR HEELS.
WE'RE WORKING IN GOOD FAITH WITH THROUGH OUR DESIGN TO SHAPE THIS PROJECT INTO SOMETHING WE CAN ALL BE REALLY PROUD OF.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET THAT TIME IS IF YOU GRANT THIS FIRST READING ONLY TODAY.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST GROWTH, WE'RE AGAINST DOING IT BLINDLY.
WE WANT A FUTURE THAT LIFTS EVERYONE, NOT JUST THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO DISPLACE OTHERS.
OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY STRONG AND WE'RE UNITED AND WE ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PROTECT THE SOUL, THE SAFETY, AND THE FUTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE MOTION IS THAT IT BE ON FIRST READING ONLY FOR ITEM 54.
JENNY GRAYSON VINCENT CALZONE.
HI, MY NAME IS VINCENT CALZONE.
I'M THE HOMEOWNER AT 29 39 MOSS STREET, JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE.
UH, AND I'M PART OF THE AUSTIN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, I'M HERE TODAY MAINLY TO ASK YOU TO ONLY HEAR A FIRST READING OF ITEMS 54 AND 55.
UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE TIME, BOTH SO WE CAN WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER ON A PLAN THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE INTERSECTION.
AND ALSO SO CITY COUNCIL CAN FULLY CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF DB 90 AND A TOD.
UH, NOT ONLY IS A DB 90 CARVE OUT AND A TOD UNPRECEDENTED, THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE AT THE AIRPORT AND MAINOR INTERSECTION, WHICH IS LACKING IN BOTH VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE URGING CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT A SMALL AREA PLAN FOR THIS INTERSECTION BEFORE ANY INTENSIFICATION OF DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ITEM 54, OF COURSE, IT'S ANOTHER FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UH, CASE.
AS I WERE MENTIONING BEFORE, IT'S, UH, TO CHANGE THE TOD INTO A MULTI-USE AREA.
UH, I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS, THIS IS, UH, PER READING THIS ON THE FIRST READING ONLY.
THIS IS AT 29 67 MAINOR ROAD AT BOGGY CREEK AND TANA HILL BRANCH CREEK.
AND IT'S, IT'S WORTH NOTING AS THE PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS, UH, SPEAKER WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FLOODING ISSUE HERE.
UM, LATER CASES TODAY ARE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING UP A LOT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THE TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED, WHICH IS RIGHT UPSTREAM FROM THIS.
SO TAKING ALL THESE PIECE BY PIECE IS DOING THE WATERSHED A DISSERVICE IN AS MUCH AS THERE'S A CUMULATIVE EFFECT FROM ALL OF THESE PROJECTS AND IT'S AFFECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I SUPPORT THE FIRST READING ONLY.
NEXT WE HAVE JOSEPH DURANTI, DARINI, CELINE RENDON.
ON ITEM 55, WE'LL MOVE TO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
YES, I ACTUALLY ALREADY SPOKE, UM, BUT SPOKE JUST KIND OF ECHOING THE NEIGHBORS THAT YOU JUST HEARD FROM.
UH, REQUESTING A FIRST READING ONLY.
WE HAVE DANIELA VIA WITH MONICA.
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AS WELL? THAT'LL BE FOUR MINUTES.
SO YES, UH, ANYTHING I'VE SAID PREVIOUSLY, ECHO AGAIN, FIRST READING PLEASE, AND THANK YOU.
[01:25:03]
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK OR WA YOUR HE, HE'S, HE'S WAIVING HIS TIME.HE SPOKE PREVIOUSLY ON ITEM 54.
AND JUST BRIEFLY, ITEM 55 IS FOR, I GUESS A DB 90 OVERLAY ZONE, WHICH I'M NOT SURE IF I'VE HEARD OF THAT BEFORE, OF A WHOLE ZONE.
IT CAN BE JUST AUTOMATICALLY DB 90.
FOR ITEM 55, JOSEPH DURANTI, CELINE REONE FOR ITEM 56, CELINE REONE, 57 AND 58 WOULD BE CELINE REONE.
THIS IS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
YEAH, AND, AND I, UH, ANOTHER AGREEMENT.
THIS IS A GOOD, A GOOD THING TO DO.
UM, ITEM 59 IS THIS, UH, A SOUTH PLOT OF THIS DV 90 THING.
IT'S IN, AND IT'S AT, AT ONE 12 MEDINA 1005 EAST SECOND, AND 1 0 5 SAN MARCUS IN THE WALLER CREEK SOUTH WATERSHED.
ITEM 60, BRAD MASSING, UH, NOT ITEM 60, APPARENTLY IT'S THE, THE NORTH EDITION OF THE SAME, UH, DB 90 THING AT ONE 12 MEDINA, 1005 EAST SECOND, AND 1 0 4 SAN MARCO.
AND OF THIS IS IN, IN D THREE ITEM 60, CELINE RENDO.
ITEM 61, MARIANNE SANCHEZ, 61, ADRIAN MACIAS, ITEM 61, SUSANNA ALMANZA, PEDRO HERNANDEZ, JR.
ITEM 61, VALERIE MENARD, CARLOS PINON, AUBREY LANGSTON, MARY ROSKI, FRANK RIO, JENNY GRAYSON, BRAD MASSENGILL ON ITEM 61.
UM, AGAIN, WITH THE, THE SEPARATION OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FROM THE NEXT CASE, 62, WHICH WILL BE THE DB 90.
UH, THIS IS AT 400 VARGAS AND 65 20 LYNCH LANE, AND THAT'S IN THE COUNTRY, CLUB EAST AND THE COLORADO RIVER WATERSHEDS.
AND IN DISTRICT D THREE, IT SUPPORT THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT ON THAT.
ONE LAST PERSON FOR ITEM 61 IS CELINE RENDON.
ITEM 62, NO, ELIAS, MONICA GUZMAN,
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR OF GABA, GO AUSTIN.
I'M ALSO HERE WEARING MY OTHER HAT, JUST A DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENT.
UH, WELL, IT IS GOOD TO HEAR ABOUT THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
I WANNA SPEAK AS OTHER OTHERS HAVE REGARDING THE DENSITY BONUS 90, UH, CASES.
THIS ONE, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ACACIA CLIFFS.
IT'S MEANT TO ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS, BUT THE AFFORDABILITY THAT COMES WITH IT IS NOT DEEP ENOUGH.
IT'S ONLY GOING TO SERVE TO DISPLACE FOLKS WHEN DEVELOPMENT IS DONE IN MORE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES SUCH AS MONTOPOLIS.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, FOR WHAT YOU POSTED ON THE COUNCIL MESSAGE BOARD YESTERDAY.
AND WE HOPE THAT THE REST OF COUNCIL WILL WALK WITH HIM AND MAKE THAT CHANGE.
FIND A WAY TO IMPROVE LIVING CONDITIONS, IMPROVE BUILDINGS, MAKE THEM HEALTHIER, MORE HABITABLE WITHOUT DISPLACING THE PEOPLE
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WHO NEED THAT LOW RENT.I KNOW WHAT IT IS PERSONALLY TO WALK IN THOSE SHOES, AND WHAT A STRUGGLE IT IS.
SHOW THAT IT CAN BE DONE TO PROTECT PEOPLE, PROTECT NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OR IF IT'S A CASE OF RENT, FINALLY AFTER 20 YEARS, PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT 20, 30 YEARS FOR THE RENT TO GO DOWN.
THAT MEANS INCREASING THE PEOPLE LIVING UNDER BRIDGES AND ON THE CORNERS.
ONE IS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE OTHER.
YOU GOTTA FIND A WAY TO MAKE BOTH WORK.
ADRIAN MACIAS, SUSAN ALMANZA, PEDRO HERNANDEZ JR.
VALERIE MENARD, CARLOS PINON, AUBREY LANGSTON, MARY VEASLEY, FRANK MUNRO, VIRGINIA GRAYSON, BRAD MASSING.
UM, THAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT, WHAT MONICA WAS SAYING A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AUSTIN USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE BIGGEST SMALL TOWN IN THE COUNTRY.
PEOPLE COULD COME AND FEEL WELCOME HERE.
AND WE FLIPPED THE SCRIPT, AND NOW WE'RE LIKE THE SMALLEST BIG TOWN.
WE'RE JUST BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING AFFECTED BY THIS ARE OUR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND ARE WORKING POOR, THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY MAKE THE CITY WORK.
AND IF WE'RE NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHERE THEY'RE LIVING NOW AND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING NOW, AND THEIR ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES NOW, AND ENSHRINED THAT INTO SOME KIND OF CODE THAT REFLECTS WHAT I THINK IS THE VALUES OF AUSTIN, AT LEAST THE OLD VALUES OF AUSTIN, AND NOT NUMB SOME NEW REPLACEMENT SHINY FACELIFT THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY NEED.
YOU KNOW, SO I I, ON ALL OF THESE, I, I THINK THE DB NINETIES ARE OUT OF SYNC, AS OF COURSE, Y'ALL KNOW I'M, I COME HERE EVERY WEEK.
I'M NOT JUST DOING IT FOR MY HEALTH.
I COULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS.
BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, Y'ALL KNOW THAT ME AND SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT I KNOW ARE WATCHING Y'ALL, AND Y'ALL ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS IN THE LONG TERM.
SO DON'T THROW EVERYBODY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
THANK YOU FOR ITEMS 62 THROUGH 67, CELINE REONE.
BRIAN BEDROSIAN ON ITEM 67, SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
MR. MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, THE COUNCIL, UH, MY NAME IS BRIAN BEDROSIAN.
I'M THE PRE THE CHAIR OF THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
I, I'M JUST HERE TO, UH, THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CADRE AND VELA FOR PERMITTING THE POSTPONEMENT OF THIS CASE.
WE ARE IN ACTIVE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THIS DEVELOPER ON THIS CASE, UH, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE 22ND.
THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, MR. BOROW.
AND YOU'RE ALSO SIGNED UP FOR 68.
WOULD YOU LIKE I PASS THEM NEXT TO, OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR.
AGAIN, JUST SO FOLKS KNOW WHERE THESE THINGS ARE.
UH, IT'S IN DISTRICT FOUR AT, UH, 7 0 4 EAST 53RD STREET IN THE 10 HILL BRANCH WATERSHED, AND I SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 68, CELINE RENDON, ITEM 69, BRAD MASSENGILL.
UM, ANOTHER DB 90 AND THIS ONE IS AT 5 52 10 BRUNE.
UH, THIS ONE'S IN DISTRICT NINE, AND IT'S ON THE BOGGY CREEK WATERSHED.
AND AGAIN, SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 69, CELINE REONE, ITEM 70, BRIAN BEDROSIAN.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, BRIAN BEDROSIAN, UH, CHAIR OF THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM, UH, 70 AND 76, AND THIS WILL COUNT FOR ALL THOSE.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA'S OFFICE FOR ASSISTING US IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THIS PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPER UNITED PROPERTIES FOR ALL THE, THE WORK THEY'VE DONE IN NEGOTIATING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THIS.
[01:35:01]
CASES.WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THESE CASES.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER VALEN REALLY LIKES A LOUD WHISTLE WHEN YOU'RE COMPLIMENTING HIM FOR ITEM 70, BRAD MASSENGILL AND CELINE RENDON.
ALL, ALL THESE, ALL THESE PROJECTS, UH, 69 THROUGH 76, THEY'RE ALL IN A TRIANGLE, BASICALLY PRESCRIBED BY I 35 AIRPORT.
AND CAN LANE, UM, THIS ONE IS AT, UH, 6 0 5 EAST 56TH STREET, AND AGAIN, IT'S IN THE TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED AND D FOUR.
UH, A LOT OF CONCRETE GOING ON IN THIS SECTION AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A, AN OVERALL PLAN FOR THIS AND MY CONCERN WITH HOW ALL THIS SINGULAR, BUT ONE SINGLE PROJECT IS GONNA TIE IN WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THERE.
SO SUPPORT THIS, SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 71.
WE HAVE BRIAN BEDROSIAN, BRAD MASSENGILL, AND CELINE RENDON.
ALRIGHT, ITEM 71, SOMETHING THEY CALL PARCEL C.
UM, IT'S IN D FOUR AS WELL AT 5,500 MARTIN IN THE TANA HILL BRANCH, UH, WATERSHED.
FOR 72, WE HAVE BRAD MASSENGILL AND CELINE RENDON.
IT'S SOMETHING CALLED PARCEL D.
IT'S 7 0 1 AND 7 0 3 EAST 55TH STREET.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS IN THE TANA HILL BRANCH, UH, WATERSHED.
UH, IN D FOUR ON 73, WE HAVE BRAD MASSENGILL AND CELINE REONE.
UM, I GUESS THIS IS HAVING TO DO WITH RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THERE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF THE, THE, UH, POSTPONEMENT.
SO I SUPPORT THAT 74 BRAD MASSENGILL AND CELINE RENDON.
UM, ITEM 74, IS IT 55 0 9 MARTIN AND 7 0 7 EAST 56TH STREET.
IT'S ON SOMETHING CALLED PARCEL E.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER DB 90 THAT'S IN THE TAN HILL BRANCH, UH, WATERSHED IN D FOUR, ITEM 75, BRAD MASSENGILL AND CELINE RENDON.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING CALLED PARCEL F, SO I, THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
AND THE COMBINED ADDRESS IS ON MIDDLE FISKVILLE ROAD OR 55 0 2, 55 0 8 55, 22 AND A HALF.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S IN THE TAN HILL BRANCH WATERSHED IN D FOUR.
OUR LAST SPEAKER ON ITEM 76 IS CELINE RENDON.
MS. RENDON, I DON'T THINK SHE'S HERE.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, UH, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON A CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS READ.
UH, LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANYBODY WISHING TO PULL AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AFTER PUBLIC TESTIMONY? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, I JUST WANNA DRAW OUR ATTENTION VERY QUICKLY TO THE, UH, THE STRING OF SIX DEVELOPMENTS.
I THINK THESE ARE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DISTRICT FOUR DEVELOPMENTS, AND ONLY BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A PARALLEL HAPPEN IN SOME OTHER PLACES.
AND I'M SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO WHAT TRIGGERS A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS.
UM, THERE'S I THINK A COMBINATION OF ABOUT 1500 UNITS.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE EPA SMART GROWTH TRIP GENERATOR METER, THAT COMES OUT TO SOMETHING LIKE, UH,
[01:40:01]
OVER 9,000 TRIPS PER DAY, UH, I KNOW THE LIMIT IS 2000 TO TRIGGER A TIA, UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION THAT IT MIGHT BE VALUABLE GOING FORWARD TO THINK ABOUT IN THESE CASES WHERE WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE PARCELS AND MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING, THE SAME GEOGRAPHY, IT MIGHT BE WORTH FIGURING OUT IS IT WORTHWHILE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT TRIGGERS MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ANALYSIS FOR TRAFFIC? THAT'S ALL.COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO ACTUALLY ON THE ITEMS 70 THROUGH 76, UH, THIS LOOKS LIKE A VERY STRONG PROJECT TO CONVERT CAR LOTS WITH, BY THE WAY, A HUNDRED PERCENT IN PREVIOUS COVER TO AN AREA, UH, THAT'S GONNA HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING.
UM, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS VERY RICH, UH, TRANSIT ACCESS.
WE'VE GOT THE A CC HIGHLAND CAMPUS AND A GROWING ARRAY OF AMENITIES.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR LEADING ON THIS, YOUR STAFF, FOR ALL THE WORK AND FOR COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE I'VE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO PUSH THIS FORWARD.
YES, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, HE TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUTTA MY MOUTH,
UH, PLUS I'VE GOTTA, UH, THANK, UH, UH, MR. HARTMAN WHO'S, UH, THE AGENT ON THE PROPERTY.
AND, AND JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, THEY HAD VM U2 AND THEN IT WAS STRUCK DOWN IN COURT.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A, A LONG, DIFFICULT JOURNEY, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, MR. HARTMAN AND, UH, BOTH, UH, BRIAN AND, UH, STEVE FOR ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT.
THEY, THEY DO THIS JUST BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO A, A, A REALLY GOOD PLACE.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I JUST REALLY, UH, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE TIME AND AND EFFORT THAT THEY, UH, PUT IN.
UH, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT ON, UH, ON ITEM 67 AND 68, UH, AGAIN, APPRECIATE, UH, LEAH A BOJO AND THAT ONE'S, UH, POSTPONED, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET TO A GOOD PLACE.
AGAIN, THE SAME PEOPLE INVOLVED, DIFFERENT AGENT, BUT, UH, BRIAN AND, UH, STEVE AND THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS GENERALLY BEEN EXTREMELY, UM, ATTENTIVE TO ALL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THERE.
AND, UH, FLEXIBLE AND WILLING TO WORK AND GETTING THE KINDS OF, OF, OF CONCESSIONS THAT ARE PRO WALKABILITY, PRO QUALITY OF LIFE.
YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S GONNA TURN, BUT WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POSITIVE ELEMENTS ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THE PLANS.
UH, REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH, WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND, AND, UH, JUST GLAD TO SEE THESE PROJECTS, UH, MOVING THROUGH.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA ON I, UH, THE ZONING ITEMS, ITEMS 52 THROUGH 76 IS, IS ADOPTED MEMBERS, UH, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING WITH THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 3:00 PM WE ARE ADJOURNED.