[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
COMMISSION TO ORDER, UM, ON, UM, JULY 8TH, 2025 AT SIX 2:00 PM AT AUSTIN CITY HALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
ROOM 1101 AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET AT CITY HALL.
THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL BE GOING OVER IS ROLL CALL.
SO COMMISSIONERS, AS I CALL OUT YOUR NAME, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, INDICATE THAT YOU'RE HERE.
PER USUAL, TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL BE HYBRID LONG FOR VIRTUAL QUORUM AS LONG AS THE COMMISSIONER SERVING AS CHAIRS PRESENT IN CHAMBERS.
AS SUCH, WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE HERE IN CHAMBERS AND IN ATTENDANCE, VIRTUALLY, SIMILARLY, SPEAKERS CAN PRESENT FROM THE CHANGE CHAMBERS OR PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
REMINDER AGAIN TO SEND YOUR SIGN IN SHEET TO OUR STAFF FOR THE CLERK'S.
REMAIN MUTED UNLESS YOU NEED TO SPEAK.
IF WE CANNOT, UH, YOU KNOW, SEE YOU FOR SOME REASON, WE DO NOT SEEM TO BE ACKNOWLEDGING YOU, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND SPEAK UP AND WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
UM, AND IF I MISS YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST LET US KNOW.
AND REMINDER AGAIN TO HAVE YOUR RED, GREEN, AND YELLOW ITEMS PRESENT AS WELL.
TO HELP US GET THROUGH THE VOTING.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WE'RE GONNA START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.UM, AND I BELIEVE MS. GARCIA, WE HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR THAT, SO I'LL LET YOU HELP US WITH THAT.
SIGN IN FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
LORRAINE, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I LIVE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BLUEBONNET AND SOUTH LAMAR, AN AREA THAT HAS A MIX OF LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES AND LARGE AND SMALL MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS TO HELP THE SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES SURVIVE.
I'M ASKING YOU TO REASSERT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S AUTHORITY OVER CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
AT YOUR PREVIOUS MEETING, YOU HEARD A CASE THAT SHOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE LITTLE LION HAIR SALON.
THE, UH, UH, CUP IS A STREAMLINED PROCESS WITH, UH, ONE HEARING ONLY AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THE PC HAS WIDE LATITUDE TO IMPOSE CONDITIONS OR GRANT VARIANCES.
ONE HEARING THE COMMISSION DECIDES AND IT'S DONE, BUT BECAUSE STAFF PRESENTED LITTLE LYON'S CASE AS A REZONING, EVERYBODY WILL HAVE TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR THE CASE ALL OVER AGAIN.
THE REZONING WILL BENEFIT THE LANDOWNER BY ADDING NINE USE CLASSIFICATIONS AND ALLOWING THE LANDLORD TO PURSUE NEW TENANTS WHO CAN BRING IN MORE REVENUE AND PAY HIGHER RENT.
UPZONING DOES NOT BENEFIT THE EXISTING TENANTS.
I COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FLOOR AREA ISSUE AND THE SITE PLAN ISSUE SPECIFIC TO LITTLE LION, BUT IT WOULD ALL BE MUCH EASIER IF YOU COULD REASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY AND BRING THE CASE BACK TO BE HEARD AS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND THANK YOU MS. ATHER ATHERTON.
[Consent Agenda]
UM, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.UM, THIS IS FROM OUR JUNE 21ST, 24TH MEETING.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO RECOMMEND ANY EDITS TO THOSE MINUTES OR HAS ANY OTHER CONCERNS NOT SEEING OTHERWISE? I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
OUR FIRST ACTIVITY, AS USUAL, IS TO VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEMS, UH, THAT ARE CONSENT APPROVAL, DISAPPROVAL, POSTPONEMENTS OF PUBLIC HEARINGS OR NON-DISCUSSION ITEMS WHILE SHE WOODS, WILL READ THE PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA.
IDENTIFY THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE, UH, CONSENT POSTPONEMENT AND NON-DISCUSSION.
AND AFTER THAT, COMMISSIONERS YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST CONSENT ITEMS TO BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION AND MAKE REMARKS.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 1 9 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL AUGUST 12TH.
ITEM THREE IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 21 RED RIVER DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD
[00:05:01]
POSTPONEMENT UNTIL AUGUST 12TH.ITEM FOUR IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 20 25 0 0 2 0 3 4 8 1 SOUTH CONGRESS DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM FIVE IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 4 4 8 1 SOUTH CONGRESS DISTRICT THREE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM SIX IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 1 9 0.02 34TH, AND WEST LUM AMENDMENT DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM SEVEN IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 6 34 AND WEST TRACK ONE DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM EIGHT IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH SEVEN 34TH AND WEST TRACK TWO DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM NINE IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH EIGHT 34TH AND WEST T TRACK THREE DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM 10 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 9 30 FOURTH AND WEST T TRACK FOUR DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 22ND.
ITEM 11 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 1 7 9 SIXTH AND LAMAR DISTRICT NINE.
ITEM 12 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH 0 5 8 1600 WEST BEND WHITE DISTRICT FIVE.
ITEM 13 IS A REZONING C 14 DASH 2025 DASH ZERO THREE SIXTH AND WALSH DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 14 IS A REZONING C EIGHT 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 1 500 SOUTH CONGRESS POD DISTRICT NINE.
THIS ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 15 IS A HISTORIC ZONING, C 14 H DASH 2025 DASH FIVE NINE WHITEHALL COOPERATIVE DISTRICT NINE.
ITEM 16 IS A CUP SITE PLAN, SPC DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 8 C-A-C-C-X CONVENTION CENTER C TWO.
ITEM 17 IS A CUP SITE PLAN S PC DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 2 1.
A STOUT HOUSE AT THE LINK COCKTAIL LOUNGE, CUP DISTRICT FOUR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.
VICE CHAIR WOODS COMMISSIONERS.
UM, DOES ANYBODY NEED TO RECUSE OR ABSTAIN THEMSELVES FROM ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA? OKAY, I'M NOT SEEING THAT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE ALL OF US ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, MS. GARCIA, I BELIEVE WE HAVE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT? YES.
OUR FIRST SET OF SPEAKERS WILL BE SPEAKING ON ITEMS TWO AND THREE.
WE'LL FIRST BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT VICTORIA HASSI.
AND YES, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AGAIN WHERE IF YOU'RE AN APPLICANT OR YOU WISH TO WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM, JUST WAIVE YOUR HAND AND WE'LL ACKNOWLEDGE YOU.
MS. HASSI WAIVES HER RIGHT TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
AND REMINDER, THIS ITEM IS UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO AUGUST 12TH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS RON THROWER.
RON, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HE'S WAIVING HIS RIGHT AS WELL.
WE'LL NOW BE HEARING FROM THOSE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS LIZ MCPHAIL.
LIZ, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES MOVING FORWARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BARBARA EPSTEIN.
BARBARA WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
BARBARA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
UM, I AM, UH, I'M BARBARA EPSTEIN.
AND I I AM NOT GONNA COMMENT TONIGHT.
I'LL SAVE MY REMARKS FOR THE, FOR THE POSTPONED HEARING.
MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL NOW BE HEARING HEARING FROM SPEAKERS WHO, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING FOR ITEMS SIX THROUGH 10.
OUR PRI WILL FIRST BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT MICHAEL GINI.
MICHAEL WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
MICHAEL, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
UM, WE, UM, JUST HERE IN CASE THERE IS ANY ISSUES, BUT WAIVE MY RIGHT TO SPEAK.
WE DO NOT OBJECT TO THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
WE'LL NOW BE HEARING FROM THOSE IN OPPOSITION.
OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS JENNIFER CARLSON.
JENNIFER, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES YOUR TIME.
UM, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YEAH.
UM, I AM A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WE SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT.
UM, WE ALSO SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
WE ACTUALLY DO NOT OPPOSE THIS PROJECT, NOR DO WE SUPPORT IT.
WE, UM, ARE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT NEGOTIATING ON WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AGREEMENT FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING HOUSING AND BUSINESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
[00:10:01]
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA GRIM.
LAURA, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, SHE WAIVES HER RIGHT TO SPEAK.
WE'LL FIRST BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT RICHARD SUTTLE.
RICHARD, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHEILA LEON.
SHEILA, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, WE CAN, UM, WE CAN GO OUT OF ORDER SO IF FOLKS ARE FINE WITH IT, WE CAN GO TO THE OTHER SPEAKERS AND THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE WHEN MS ON COMES BACK, WE ALLOW HER TO STILL, OF COURSE COME BACK AND TAKE HER SLOT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR FOR ITEM 11 IS STEVE AMMOS.
STEVE, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, YOU WANT SHEILA FIRST? ME? OH, SORRY.
SOMEBODY SAID WE WERE GONNA, SOMEBODY WAS GONNA GO BEFORE US.
AND IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD AS WELL, MA'AM.
I AM SHEILA, UH, WHEN I AM SHEILA LYON.
AND I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION KNOWN AS ANA.
WE ARE HERE TO VOICE OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE REZONING REQUEST AT WEST SIXTH AND WALL STREETS TO L-I-P-D-A, MA'AM, WHILE ANA IS TYPICALLY VERY CONSCIOUS.
MA'AM, I WANNA, I WANNA REMIND YOU, THIS IS FOR ITEM NUMBER 11.
ITEM SIX AND LAMAR, OH, THIS IS SIX.
AND LAMAR I SAW, I THOUGHT THAT WENT ON CONSENT.
IT IT IS MA'AM, BUT YOU HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO YOU WANT ME TO DO, SORRY, THAT'S WHY I MIXED UP.
I AM SHEILA LYONS PEAK ON, ON BEHALF OF THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, KNOWN AS ANA TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR ITEM 11, THE REZONING OF SIX AND LAMAR.
THIS PROJECT IS A RESULT OF 24 MONTHS OF DIRECT AND SUSTAINED COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR ZONING COMMITTEE, NEARBY NEIGHBORS AND ENDEAVOR REAL ESTATE GROUP.
WE BELIEVE THE OUTCOME REFLECTS A THOUGHTFUL BALANCE BETWEEN URBAN GROWTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
FROM THE BEGINNING, IANA'S PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN CLEAR.
ENSURE THE DEVELOPMENT FITS THE SCALE OF, OF THE SURROUNDING HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, ENHANCE THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AND PROVIDE ENFORCEABLE PROTECTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
ENDEAVOR HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THESE GOALS AND THE COMMITMENTS THEY'VE MADE ARE NOW OUTLINED IN A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
LET ME HIGHLIGHT A FEW KEY AREAS.
THE ORIGINAL 43 FOOT TOWER IS SIGNIFICANTLY, HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY SCALED DOWN THE CURRENT PLAN CAP HEIGHT AT ONE 12 A LOT.
FEET ALONG LAMAR AND STEPS DOWN TO 62 FEET ON BAYLOR STREET, PROVIDING A THOUGHTFUL BUFFER TO NEARBY HOMES.
SECOND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.
ENDEAVOR HAS COMMITTED TO WIDER SIDEWALKS AND LANDSCAPE ON ALL FRONTAGES 18 FEET TOTAL.
A SEVEN FOOT SIDEWALK, SEVEN FOOT PLANTING ZONE, AND FIVE FOOT BITE LINE, UH, ALONG SIXTH STREET AND A 12 FOOT PEDESTRIAN ZONE ON BAYLOR WITH NO VEHICLE DROP OFFS ALLOWED.
THIRD DESIGN AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, THIRD DESIGN AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
95% OF PARKING WILL BE LOCATED UNDERGROUND OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES WILL BE BURIED AND THE BUILDING'S EXTERIOR WILL TAKE CUES FROM THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD'S CHARACTER.
NO MORE THAN 10% OF UNITS MAY BE USED AS SHORT TERM RENTALS WITH REQUIRED PERMIT PERMITS AND ANNUAL AUDITS RIGHTS, UH, AUDIT RIGHTS FOR ANA.
ANA BELIEVES THAT THIS REZONING SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN A DEVELOPER TRULY ENGAGES WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE PROJECT HARMONIZES WITH NEARBY DEVELOPMENTS WHILE OFFERING REAL PUBLIC BENEFITS.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT PLANNING COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THIS REZONING REQUEST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR FOR ITEM 11 IS STEVE AMMOS.
STEVE, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SO I, DO I NEED TO PRESS THE MAGIC BUTTON? YES.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR TIME AND THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE ALAWA OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE COVER FROM LADY BIRD LAKE TO INFIELD 15TH STREET FROM LAMAR TO MOPAC.
WE COVER THREE OF THE MOST HISTORICAL OR MAYBE FOUR OF THE HISTORICAL AREAS IN AUSTIN FROM, IF NOT THE OLDEST TO SECOND OLDEST FIRE STATION IN 1904.
THE SECOND, IF NOT THE OLDEST, CONTINUALLY OPERATING SCHOOL IN MATTHEWS ELEMENTARY AS WELL AS OF COURSE CLARKSVILLE, UH, FROM FREE SLAVES.
[00:15:02]
WHY ARE WE SO THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT ENDEAVOR HAS DONE? THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SIGNIFICANT BUILDING AND YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS, IT'S TAKEN AWAY.OUR WONDERFUL WATERLOO AND AMY'S ICE CREAM IS BASICALLY THE GATEWAY COMING FROM THE CITY INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEY'VE REALLY WORKED TO BE SURE THEY'RE MAINTAIN AN INTEGRITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, WE THINK THAT'S VERY CRITICAL.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THEIR WORK AND OTHERS AS WE FOCUS ON BUILDING 'CAUSE WE NEED MORE HOUSING, BUT ALSO BUILD FOR COMMUNITY IN MIND.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MIKE BANGER.
MIKE, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
WE CAN CIRCLE BACK IF MIKE SHOWS UP.
BUT MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM 12, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
MICHELLE, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
AND MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM 17, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT VICTORIA HASI.
VICTORIA, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
AND THEN I'LL GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 11.
MIKE BENHART, ARE YOU PRESENT? YES, I, I'M IN SUPPORT.
YOU'LL HAVE OH, PERFECT CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND SO, UH, JUST TO CONFIRM ON THE RECORD, UH, HE WAIVES HIS RIGHT AS WELL.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, AS WE PROCEED, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WANT TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR OTHERWISE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR REMARKS? COMMISSIONER MAXWELL? UH, YES.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE ON ITEMS TWO AND THREE REGARDING THE RED RIVER CASE.
FOR THOSE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN WITH US, WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THIS CASE IN FEBRUARY AND I'M EXCITED TO HAVE IT COME BACK AND GET IT FINALIZED WITH THE NEW SORT OF DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S BEEN POSTPONED AGAIN.
SO I'D LIKE TO REALLY URGE THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO AHEAD AND GET THIS MOVING SO WE CAN FINALIZE THIS CASE AND MOVE IT FORWARD TO COMMISSION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT SEEMS LIKE SOME GOOD WORK HAS BEEN DONE, BUT REALLY WHEN IT COMES BACK, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE ACTUALLY HEAR THIS CASE AND HAVE A CHANCE TO FINALIZE AS PER OUR EARLY DISCUSSION IN FEBRUARY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE CHAIR COHEN, UM, ONE OF OUR EX-OFFICIAL MEMBERS PRESENT AS WELL.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR BEING HERE.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IS THERE A MOTION AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER POWELL, SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
THIS WOULD BE TO PROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ OUT BY WESTER WOODS WITH THE INCLUSION OF OUR MINUTES.
UM, AND IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'RE GOING TO PASS THAT CONSENT AGENDA THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[14. Rezoning: C814-2024-0001 - 500 South Congress PUD; District 9]
AS WE COME TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANT TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, GIVEN SOME GUIDANCE FROM OUR LAW DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL BE GOING A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.WE'LL BE TAKING UP, UM, ITEM NUMBER 14, WHICH IS THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS P REZONING WILL BE GOING OVER THAT ITEM FIRST.
AND I KNOW MS. GARCIA, DID YOU WANT TO OKAY, WE HAVE STAFF WALKING UP RIGHT NOW.
COMMISSIONER SHERRY SWEISS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AS YOU SAID, THIS IS ITEM 14 ON YOUR AGENDA.
THIS IS CASE C 14 C 8 14 20 24 0 0 0 1, WHICH IS THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS PUD, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 400 505 10 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE, 4 0 7 AND A HALF HAYWOOD AVENUE AND 1 0 5 WEST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS THE 6.4856 ACRE PARCEL THAT IS GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF WEST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPED WITH A TWO STORY OFFICE STRUCTURE.
A MULTIFAMILY USE A RESTAURANT, AND A FIVE STORY OFFICE BUILDING.
THIS TRACT IS DESIGNATED AS MIXED USE IN THE PLUM FOR THE BOLDEN CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
SO A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT IS NOT REQUIRED.
THE REQUEST IS FROM CS ONE MP AND CS ONE VNP ZONING TO P-U-D-N-P ZONING.
THE APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR A REZONING TO PUD MP ZONING TO RE TO REDEVELOP THIS SITE WITH A MIXED USE PROJECT THAT WOULD APPRO INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY 950 RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO 225 KEY HOTEL, 600,000 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE, 20,000 SQUARE FEET OF RESTAURANT USES 90,000 SQUARE FEET SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL USES, AND A 25,000 SQUARE FOOT GROCERY STORE OF FOOD SALES USE.
THE MAJORITY OF THE PARKING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A BELOW GRADE PARKING STRUCTURE WITH A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 650 FEET FOR AREA ONE AND 500 FEET PER AREA TWO.
[00:20:01]
THE APPLICANT IS ASKING, ASKING FOR A MAXIMUM FLORIDA AREA RATIO OF 24 TO ONE AND A MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVER AND BUILDING COVERAGE OF 90%.THE PUD PROPOSES ZERO SETBACKS ALONG ALL PROPERTY LINES.
IN ADDITION, THE PUD PROPOSES TO MAINTAIN AN AVERAGE 50 FOOT PRIMARY SETBACK PARALLEL TO THE CENTER LINE OF EAST BOULDER CREEK.
AND TO REMOVE THE SECONDARY SETBACK LINE, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING 29 CODE MODIFICATIONS TO THE CODE AND CRITERIA MANUAL REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES, ZONING, SITE PLAN, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL WATER AND WASTEWATER AND SIGNAGE.
THE PROPOSED PUD MEETS THE APPLICABLE ALL APPLICABLE TIER ONE REQUIREMENTS AND OFFERS ELEMENTS OF SUPERIORITY IN 10 TIER TWO CATEGORIES, WHICH ARE OPEN SPACE PARKLAND, ENVIRONMENTAL DRAINAGE, GREAT STREETS, COMMUNITY AMENITIES, TRANSPORTATION, BUILDING DESIGN, PARKING STRUCTURE, FRONTAGE DEVELOPMENT, BONUS ACCESSIBILITY, AND LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
THE CONDITIONS OF THE PUD SHALL BE ESTABLISHED IN THE PROPOSED LAND USE PLAN AND ASSOCIATE IT EXHIBITS THAT ARE ACCOMPANYING IT.
THE PUD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE 21% IMPERVIOUS COVER PROPOSED IN OPEN SPACE IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE SHALL BE ADDED AS A NOTE TO THE PUD AND OF A CODE MODIFICATION COMPLY WITH NOTES LISTED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY EXHIBIT.
THE PUD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A FINAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR EACH BUILDING, THE APPLICANT WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY $9 PER SQUARE FOOT OF BONUS AREA ABOVE THE BASELINE FAR OF TWO TO ONE.
THE CITY CAN USE ALL OR A PORTION OF THIS FEE IN EXCHANGE FOR ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS AT A RATE OF $591 PER SQUARE FOOT.
ANY SUCH ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE AFFORDABLE 60% MFI FOR A PERIOD OF 40 YEARS.
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE DENSITY BONUS AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS, THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE $1,500 PER UNIT RELOCATION FEE FOR TENANTS LOCATED WITHIN THE PROPERTY.
AT THE TIME OF ISSUANCE OF A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, THE APPLICANT WILL COMPLY WITH SEPARATE REQUIREMENTS AND TENANT NOTIFICATION AS REQUIRED BY THE CODE AND THE TENANT NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.
THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUESTS A DEDICATED SPACE FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY STATION WITHIN FIVE, WITHIN THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS PUD AND ARE REQUIRING THE FOLLOWING BE PROVIDED BY THE DEVELOPER 9,000 TO 11,000 SQUARE FEET OF UNFINISHED SPACE WITHIN A LEVEL OF DISCHARGE, WHICH IS THE GROUND FLOOR AND FLOOR ABOVE WITH PRIVATE CON CONVENIENCE, STAIR ADEQUATE SPACE FOR TWO TO THREE APPARATUS BAYS AND APPROPRIATE APRON FOR FIRE EMS APPARATUS AND AN ENTRANCE EGRESS ON A MAJOR ROADWAY.
FINAL SELECTION OF THE LOCATION MUST BE APPROVED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS AND DEVELOPER WITH A LEASE EXECUTED THE ORA SPACE CONVEYED PRIOR TO 55% OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT HAVING BEEN ISSUED.
THE PUD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE NOTES APPROVED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF THAT ARE LISTED ON THE CONCEPTUAL OATH SPEND SPACE PLAN SIX.
THE AUSTIN WATER PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE BE INCLUDED IN THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS PUD ORDINANCE.
A LANDOWNER, THE LANDOWNER SHALL CONSTRUCT A LANDOWNER'S EXPENSE AT LANDOWNER'S OWNER'S EXPENSE.
A PUBLIC RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM, MAINE STARTING AT MIDPOINT WITHIN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE SITE AND THE INTERSECTION OF WEST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE AND CONTINUING WEST ALONG THE WEST RIVERSIDE DI DRIVE AND CONNECTED TO THE RECLAIMED WATER MAIN AT THE INTERSECTION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND WEST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
THE PUBLIC RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM SHALL BE TEMPORARILY CONNECTED TO A POTABLE PUBLIC POTABLE WATER MAIN AND CAPPED AT THE ENDS BY READY FOR FUTURE CONNECTION TO PUBLIC RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM BY OTHERS.
LANDOWNERS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GO PURPLE INCENTIVES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CONNECTING TO CENTRALIZED RECLAIMED WATER PROGRAM OR SUCCESS SUCCESSOR PROGRAM OF EQUAL OR GREATER BENEFIT TO THE LANDOWNER TO ALLOW FOR COST SHARING WITH AUSTIN WATER AND B-E-D-P-U-D SHALL BE REQUIRED TO INSTALL RECLAIMED WATER SERVICES AND METERS AND CONNECTION AND CONNECT TO UTILIZE RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEMS PURPLE PIPE FOR ALL IRRIGATION, COOLING AND TOILET URINAL FLUSHING USES IN THE PUD SEVEN.
THE P THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE PUD SITE WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE TIA MEMORANDUM FOR THE PUBLIC FROM THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE PUD SHALL ADHERE TO THE TO BACK OF CURB STREET SCAPE IMPROVEMENTS AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE STREET WALK, CROSS STREET CROSS SECTION EXHIBITS.
THESE INCLUDE SIDEWALK PLANTING ZONES AND PROTECTED BICYCLE FACILITIES.
TWO TPW HAS AGREED TO WAVE RIGHT AWAY.
CONNECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR AS SMP BARTON SPRINGS TO CONGRESS AVENUE CONNECTOR, THE DEV DEVELOPMENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO DEDICATE INTERNAL DRIVEWAY AS
[00:25:01]
PERMANENT PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT ALLOWING FOR PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.AND THREE GATED ROADWAYS ARE PROHIBITED.
WE DO HAVE SOME OUT UNADDRESSED PUD COMMENTS FROM TPW OUTSTANDING TPW REQUESTS THAT AN O BE ADDED, STATING THAT IF ANY SURFACE PARKING PARKING IS PROVIDED, THEN A DA PARKING SHALL ALSO BE PROVIDED.
OUTSTANDING IS PERMANENT ACCESS EASEMENT DESIGNATION MUST BE ADDED TO PRO STREET CROSS SECTIONS IN LIEU OF SIDEWALK EASEMENT AND ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY AND PERMANENT ACCESS EASEMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SMP 70 FEET FROM THE EXISTING CENTER LINE IS REQUIRED.
AND THEN EIGHT AUSTIN ENERGY FACILITIES REVIEW HAS REQUESTED THAT MAJOR UTILITY FACILITIES BE ADDED AS A PERMITTED USE ON THIS PROPERTY TO ALLOW FOR ANY FUTURE SUBSTATIONS THAT MAY NEED, NEED TO BE NEEDED IN THIS AREA.
A E SYSTEMS PLANNING IS CONCERNED ABOUT SERVICING THE FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA.
ADDING THIS USE AS A PERMITTED USE WILL BE NEEDED IF THEY EVER DO REQUIRE A SUBSTATION AT THIS SITE.
SO THE BASIS OF THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS THE PROPOSED PUD ZONING WILL PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WITH A RESIDENTIAL HOTEL OFFICE, RESTAURANT, RETAIL USES, AND A GROCERY STORE OF FOOD SALES USE THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR HOUSING SERVICES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A DESIGNATED REGIONAL CENTER BY THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP ON THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE PROPOSED PUD WILL ENABLE THE APPLICANT TO UTILIZE THIS PROPERTY TO CONSTRUCT A HIGHER DENSITY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ON A PROPERTY WITH ACCESS TO TWO DESIGNATED COURT TRANSIT QUARTERS, CONGRESS AVENUE, AND EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
THE PROPOSED PUD WILL PROVIDE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS SUPERIOR AND WILL ENHANCE UPON GUIDING PRINCIPLES OUTLINED IN THE CURRENT SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION FRAMEWORK PLAN.
THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WILL IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN SOUTH FIRST AND SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE BY PROVIDING ELEVATED BOARDWALK AND TRAILS ALONG EAST BOULDER CREEK AND A SHARED PATHWAY FROM SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE THROUGH THE SITE TO HAYWOOD AVENUE.
THE PUD WILL REDUCE EXISTING IMPERVIOUS COVER, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AND FLOODPLAIN AREAS, INCORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY.
THE PROPOSED PUD MEETS 10 OF THE TIER TWO REQUIREMENTS IN THE CODE AND PROVIDES 11 OTHER SUPERIORITY ELEMENTS THAT THE APPLICANT IS OFFERING AS SPECIFIC TO THIS PUD.
THE PUD WILL ENCOURAGE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT BY EXPANDING OPEN SPACE TRAIL ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY IN AN AREA NEAR PROJECT CONNECT BLUE LINE AND WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF A PROPOSED FUTURE CAPITAL METRO RAIL STATION ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE THAT WAS A MARATHON, SO NO, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU DID A GREAT JOB,
WELL, I HAD TO GET IN ALL THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, MS. GARCIA, CAN YOU HELP US MC THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO OTHER ITEMS? YES, CHAIR.
WE'LL NOW BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT, MICHAEL LAN.
MICHAEL, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES, PUT TOGETHER A QUICK PRESENTATION AND ACTUALLY AS YOU'RE STARTING, I'M JUST GONNA SAY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE STANDING, WE DO HAVE SHARES.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO USE THESE, YOU CAN.
THEN WE HAVE SOME ON THIS SIDE AS WELL.
UM, SO, HI, UH, MY NAME IS, UM, MIKE IONE.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF, UH, RELATED, TEXAS RELATED IS ONE OF THE LARGEST REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'VE BUILT OVER, UH, $70 BILLION OF, OF RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE COURSE OF OUR 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS.
96,500 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, OVER 60,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS.
UM, WE'VE BUILT IN BASICALLY EVERY MAJOR GATEWAY CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND, UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROJECTS WE'VE DONE HUDSON YARDS, UH, THE DEUTSCHE BANK CENTER, UH, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE TIME WARNER CENTER, UM, BRENT CROSSTOWN IN LONDON.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE BUILDING SOME PRETTY COOL, UH, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE WORLD.
THREE YEARS AGO, UM, I MOVED MY FAMILY, UM, FOUR KIDS, WIFE AND DOG TO AUSTIN AND, UM, REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLACE AND THE PEOPLE.
AND ONE OF THE REALLY INTERESTING THINGS THAT I SAW WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE CITY WAS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATER VISION PLAN.
AND WHILE I DIDN'T AGREE WITH EVERY SINGLE THING IN THE PLAN, I THOUGHT THE IDEA OF CREATING THIS MIXED USE CITY OF THE FUTURE, KIND OF SITUATED BETWEEN DOWNTOWN RIGHT ON THE LAKE, RIGHT ON THE TRAILS, RIGHT ON THE PARK, AND KIND OF DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO SOUTH CONGRESS, WHICH IS KIND OF THE, THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE CITY, WAS JUST A, AN INCREDIBLE IDEA AND SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO BE A PART OF.
[00:30:01]
OF WHERE THIS SITE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 500 SOUTH CONGRESS, IT REALLY IS KIND OF THE HEART OF THAT SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.AND THIS WAS A SITE THAT WE ACQUIRED, UM, ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
UM, AND HAVE BEEN KIND OF PLANNING GOING THROUGH PROCESS EVER SINCE.
IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, IT'S KIND OF IN DISREPAIR, RIGHT? IT'S MOSTLY PARKING, VACANT OFFICE BUILDINGS.
AND IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK AS A CITY WE HAVE TO REALLY CREATE SOMETHING GREAT THAT I THINK NOT MANY CITIES IN THE COUNTRY HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITE TODAY, THERE'S NO PERIMETER ENGAGEMENT.
IT PRIORITIZES PARKING OVER PEOPLE, AND THERE'S CLEARLY A DISREGARD FOR NATURE BECAUSE THE CREEK IS, IS KIND OF A MESS TODAY.
SO WHAT COULD THIS SITE BE? AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS COULD BE, WE HAVE THESE KIND OF PLACEMAKING PRINCIPLES, AND ONE IS PRIORITIZING PEOPLE.
TWO IS HUMAN SCALE AND PERIAL PERIMETERS.
THREE IS MIXED ABUSES, AND FOUR IS INTEGRATION OF NATURE.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PRIORITIZING PEOPLE, UH, THIS QUOTE BY Y GEL, IF YOU SEE A CITY WITH MANY CHILDREN OR MANY OLD PEOPLE USING THE CITY'S PUBLIC SPACES, IT'S A SIGN THAT'S A GREAT QUALITY PLACE FOR GOOD PEOPLE.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LOOKING AROUND THE WORLD, YOU'VE GOT PLACES LIKE THE SPANISH STEPS THAT PEOPLE JUST GO AND THEY GATHER AND THEY ENJOY A CONVERSATION AND HANG OUT.
UH, THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT IN SHANGHAI CALLED SHANT D AND AS YOU NOTICE, THERE'S NO STREET PARKING, THERE'S NO WIDE SIDEWALKS, THERE'S NO PLANTING BEDS, RIGHT? THIS IS A PLACE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORLD CHANGES A LOT OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THESE OLD PLACES THAT WERE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE, THEY STILL FEEL GREAT.
AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS IS GONNA BRING.
20 YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE'D BE ROBOT CARS DRIVING AROUND OUR STREETS, BUT WE HAVE THOSE TODAY.
THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A, UH, PRIORITIZING PEOPLE, HUMAN SCALE PERMEABLE PERIMETERS.
SO AGAIN, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE ARCHITECTURE IS COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE, BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO ENGAGE PEOPLE AT THE STREET.
AND OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, CONNECTING TO NATURE, I THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS SITE GIVEN, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE ON THE CREEK.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? SO 2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF DEVELOPMENT, UM, 800 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, 600,000 FEET OF OFFICE, BLUE GRADE PARKING, 225 KEYS OF HOSPITALITY, 135,000 FEET OF RETAIL.
AND AGAIN, THIS PROGRAMMING PULSE IS, IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OFFICE AT NIGHT GOES DARK, BUT RESIDENTIAL DURING THE DAY GOES DARK.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THOSE USES TO REALLY CREATE A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT.
THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
UM, YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT, YOU KNOW, THE GROUND PLANE AND KIND OF THE PERMEABLE PERIMETER, RIGHT? AND HOW THE BUILDINGS STACK AMONGST EACH OTHER.
THIS IS, UH, AN EXAMPLE FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF HOW WE'RE GONNA INTEGRATE THE CREEK AND REALLY BRING THAT NATURE INTO THE, UH, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE URBAN PLAZA AND THAT HUMAN SCALE, HUMAN SCALE IS ABOUT INTIMACY.
IT'S ABOUT CREATING THESE TIGHT SPACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN INTERACT AND REALLY ENJOY THEMSELVES.
THE PERMEABLE, PERMEABLE PERIMETER, THIS IS CONNECTING.
YOU DON'T WANNA CREATE ISLANDS, YOU WANNA CREATE PERMEABLE SPACES THAT PEOPLE CAN GO OUT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
SHARED PLA SHADED PLACES TO GATHER.
WE LIVE IN TEXAS, THE SUN IS HOT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND AGAIN, BALANCING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
SO I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER, UM, TO MAYBE WE CAN WATCH A, A QUICK VIDEO, UM, WHICH I THINK GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DOY IF YOU CAN KIND OF TALK US THROUGH THE VIDEO AND I'LL, UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE MS. GARCIA, THAT YOU GET TO CALL UP FOLKS AS WELL AND, BUT YOU CAN JUST SWITCH THE ORDER AS NECESSARY.
SORRY, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK YOUR NAME IN MS. GARCIA? JUST KEEP MAKING SURE WE HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP.
HI, DWD RUBIN FROM, UH, RELATED, UH, VICE PRESIDENT DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, I WORK WITH MIKE.
UH, SO IF ANYBODY'S LOOKING FOR AN ELIGIBLE BACHELOR, THIS AMM SHOOTING MY SHOT.
UM, BUT UH, ONTO THE VIDEO PLEASE.
UM, SO AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE COMING OVER, UH, THE PROJECT HERE FROM THE SOUTH, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, WHERE MUSIC LANE IS, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE TRAIL, UM, UH, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT BOTH NORTH SOUTH POTENTIALLY TO THE SCHOOL OF DEATH, BUT CERTAINLY EAST WEST, UM, WITH THESE LOW RISE TYPOLOGY TYPE, UM, ARMATURES FROM EACH OF THE BUILDINGS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KIND OF LIKE TURN INTO THE PROJECT LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF THAT PERMEABILITY AND POROSITY THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE RETAIL, UM, AT GRADE AND ACTUALLY BECOME CURIOUS ABOUT THE PLACE THAT THEY'RE IN, BUT ALSO TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN
[00:35:01]
BEING ABLE TO MEANDER AROUND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SAFELY, WHICH ISN'T QUITE THE CASE TODAY.UM, DUE TO LINES OF VISIBILITY AND, AND WHAT WE CALL DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
SO ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CRAFT HERE IS, UM, THIS REALLY INTERESTING, UH, AND DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.
UM, AND ALSO ABILITIES, UM, WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE, AND I KNOW MIKE'S TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT, BUT THE F-150 IS JUST KINDA LIKE DRIVING THROUGH RIGHT AT SPEED.
UM, AND SO IT'S ABOUT REALLY GETTING PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN AND APPRECIATE, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY'RE IN, UH, BECOMING VERY CONSCIOUS OF LIKE ALL OF THESE LIKE OVERHANGS, SHADED, UH, KIND OF LIKE UNDER HANGS, RIGHT? UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THE LANDSCAPING AND THE, AND THE TREES.
UM, THIS, THE SITE OBVIOUSLY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF ITERATIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE DESIGN.
SO THIS IS VERY, VERY EARLY DAYS.
BUT ANOTHER REASON FOR THAT PERMEABLE PERIMETER IS TO ACTUALLY ALLOW WIND FLOW, UH, THROUGH THE SITE AS WELL, SO THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST CREATING THIS LIKE WALLED OFF ENVIRONMENT THAT JUST GETS SUN ALL DAY BUT DOESN'T GET ANY, UM, UH, ANY AIR THROUGH IT.
UM, I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE, BUT, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICED THAT WAS NOT PRESENT AND IS NOT PRESENT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH CONGRESS, BRI, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS BRIDGE AND MUSIC LANE IS THERE IS NOWHERE ON THE SIDEWALK FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE STASIS AND HAVE A MOMENT OF CALM OR JUST GET A SANDWICH, RIGHT? LIKE, THERE AREN'T THAT MANY PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WE DO TRULY BELIEVE IN THE POTENTIAL OF THIS SITE, UM, AS ONE OF THE FUTURE BEST PLACES, NOT JUST IN AUSTIN, NOT JUST IN TEXAS, BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
WE'LL NOW BE HEARING FROM RICHARD SETTLE, WHO WILL BE RECEIVING THREE MINUTES OF DONATED TIME FROM AMANDA MORROW.
AMANDA, ARE YOU PRESENT? RICHARD, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
THIS I, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S NOBODY IN OPPOSITION TO THIS CASE, BUT WE HAVE THREE MINOR THINGS THAT WE JUST DON'T AGREE WITH STAFF AND, AND AFTER TWO YEARS IN THE PROCESS, WE JUST HAVE COME TO AN IMPASSE ON THEM.
THE FIRST IS, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WANTS A FIRE STATION EMS STATION ON OUR SITE.
IT'S KIND OF A, A CONTINUING TREND.
EVERY P THAT WE'VE DONE OUT HERE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS SAID THEY NEED A FIRE DEPART OR FIRE STATION.
WE DON'T TAKE ISSUE WITH THE NEED.
IN FACT, AS THIS AREA GROWS OUT, WE PROBABLY ARE GONNA NEED A FACILITY SOMEWHERE.
UM, BUT AS YOU SAW THAT VIDEO, THIS ISN'T THE PLACE.
YOU CAN'T HAVE THE ESTATES ABOVE FIRE STATION AND HAVE A, A THRIVING, UH, RESIDENTIAL AREA.
NUMBER TWO ON, ON ON WHY IT DOESN'T WORK HERE IS ONE DEVELOPMENT SHOULDN'T SHOULDER THE ENTIRE REGION FOR FIRE SAFETY.
WE JUST DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE FIRE STATION EMS STATION ON, ON THE SITE.
THE CITY ACTUALLY OWNS PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT DOOR THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE PLANNED OUT.
AND, AND IT'S IS MORE, HAS BETTER FRONTAGE, BETTER ACCESS, AND WOULD BE BETTER OFF FOR A FIRE STATION ON CITY PROPERTY, WHICH FRANKLY IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
A SECOND ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS WITH, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY'VE ASKED FOR 70 FEET OF CENTER LINE ON THE RIGHT OF WAY ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
AND WHERE THAT CAME FROM WAS, ORIGINALLY IT WAS ONE 20 AND THAT WORKS.
THEN THE TRAIN COMPANY CAME AND SAID, WELL, WE'RE GONNA PUT THE TRAIN DOWN SOUTH CONGRESS, SO WE NEED ONE 40.
AND WE THOUGHT, HMM, OH, THAT'S TOO BAD.
THEN THE TRAIN COMPANY LEFT THE BUILDING ON THAT ONE.
AND SO WE THOUGHT, OH GOOD, IT'S GONNA GO BACK TO ONE 20.
EXCEPT THE TRANSPORTATION GUY SAID, NOPE, WE WANT ONE 40 STILL BECAUSE WE WANT A BUS LINE.
WELL, THEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE K METRO BUS LINE THING, IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THE GOLD LINE MAY OR MAY NOT WORK.
WE DON'T THINK THAT A RIGHT OF WAY THAT IS ACTUALLY WIDER THAN THE MAIN LANES OF I 35 IS A GOOD USE OF, OF RIGHT OF WAY ON SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE BECAUSE WHERE DOES IT GO? IT HITS THE BRIDGE AT SOUTH CONGRESS, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO SKINNY BACK DOWN AND AS IT GOES SOUTH, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE PLAN WORK, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE OUT ALL THE PARKING.
NOW SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE FOLKS ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS DON'T THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE IT, THE ON STREET PARKING HELPS THE RETAIL AND THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL, AND THE NEIGHBORS LIKE TO HAVE IT OUT THERE BECAUSE THAT'S LESS PEOPLE THAT TRY TO COME PARK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALTHOUGH WE'VE DONE AWAY WITH THAT TOO.
BUT ANYWAY, SO THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG ONES.
THE MAJOR UTILITY USE THAT AE WANTS, WE'RE A LITTLE PERPLEXED ABOUT THAT ONE BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT IN CASE THEY NEED TO PUT A SUBSTATION ON US, UM, THEY NEED THE USE.
[00:40:01]
DON'T SEE A SUBSTATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS THING.UM, AGAIN, WE DON'T QUARREL WITH THE NEED.
IN FACT, WE, WE WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THE UTILITIES IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL AREA ARE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE AND WILL NEED UPGRADING, BUT YOU CAN'T, AGAIN, PUT A REGIONAL FACILITY ON A, ON ONE DEVELOPER.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT BETWEEN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PLAN AND, UH, ONE TEXAS CENTER, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE IT'S A FRESH SITE, IT'S OWNED BY THE CITY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN THERE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS.
OTHERWISE, THIS CASE, I, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL AND FROM WHAT OUR CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN WITH, UH, NEIGHBORS AND, AND VARIOUS GROUPS IS THAT THIS IS, COULD BE REALLY COOL, BUT IT WON'T BE SO COOL WITH A FIRE STATION SUBSTATION AND A HUNDRED FEET RIGHT OVER AN I 35 GOING RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MR. SU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, JUST TO NOTE, UH, WE'RE GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF A UNIQUE, AGAIN, GUIDANCE FROM OUR STAFF.
WE'RE NOT GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS AND WE'LL SORT OF TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT DOES MOVE US INTO SORT OF OUR REGULAR WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO, WHICH IS OUR ROUND ROBIN.
SO WE HAVE EIGHT COMMISSIONERS WHO CAN ASK QUESTIONS FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES AND ANYONE CAN GET STARTED.
DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
I ALWAYS HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASK STAFF, WE CAN START THERE IF THERE'S SOME COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE P UH, SO I'LL JUST START WITH I THINK THE THING THAT YOU TOUCHED ON, BUT, UM, BASICALLY IF YOU COULD REVIEW THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN THIS, AND THEN JUST THE SPECIFIC QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THAT REGARDING, UM, RELOCATION AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE, HOW CLOSELY THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR FOUR 18 CHAPTER, FOUR 18 STANDARDS THAT WE'VE BEEN USING IN OTHER CASES.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE OUR HOUSING STAFF HERE, BUT I CAN REVIEW THOSE COMMENTS FOR YOU.
WHOEVER, SORRY, I I WASN'T SURE THAT THEY WERE HERE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, UH, THE P SHELL COMPLY WITH HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A FINAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR EACH BUILDING, THE APPLICANT WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY $9 PER SQUARE FOOT OF BONUS AREA ABOVE THE BASELINE FAR OF TWO TO ONE.
THE CITY CAN USE ALL OR A PORTION OF THE FEE IN EXCHANGE FOR ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS AT A RATE OF $591 PER SQUARE FOOT.
ANY SUCH ONSITE AFFORDABLE UNITS WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE AFFORDABLE AT 60% MFI FOR A PERIOD OF 40 YEARS.
AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER FOUR DASH 18, ARTICLE TWO DENSITY BONUS INCENTIVE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS, THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE $1,500 PER UNIT RELOCATION FEE FOR TENANTS LOCATED WITHIN THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF ISSUANCE OF A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE.
I'M SO SORRY, I I DIDN'T ACTUALLY MEAN FOR YOU TO REREAD THIS.
I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COMPARES TO CHAPTER FOUR 18 OR IS THERE SOMEONE FROM HOUSING HERE? UH, I HAVE ROBERT ANDERSON WITH ME IF WE YEAH, BE SORRY THAT I'M SORRY.
IT'S JUST WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THE CONDITIONS RUNNING.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONER.
IT'S ROBERT ANDERSON WITH HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT CHAPTER FOUR 18 SPECIFIES A PARTICULAR DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR, UH, RENTAL RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
IN THIS CASE, THE, UH, DEVELOPERS PROPOSED A SPECIFIC AMOUNT TO BE PROVIDED PER UNIT.
AND THEN I GUESS A RELATED QUESTION IS, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN ORIGINALLY, WE HAD SORT OF PUT SOME BOUNDARIES ON WHERE THE FEE AND LIE COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED.
THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS PUD IS THAT, SO THE DOLLARS WOULD JUST GO INTO THE GENERAL HOUSING FUND OR HOW WOULD THOSE POTENTIALLY BE USED? THE FEE AND LIE? I DON'T KNOW THE QUESTION TO THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HONESTLY.
AND, AND IT DOESN'T SPECIFY THAT IN THE ORDINANCE.
I MIGHT, UH, DEFER BACK TO, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
UM, AND THEN I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AND I GUESS MR. SUBTLE, WHOEVER WANTS TO, UM, I'LL START WITH YOU MR. SETTLE OR WHOEVER WANTS TO ANSWER THIS ONE.
I KNOW THAT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT A LOT ABOUT THE WIDTHS THAT WE WANTED FOR SOME OF THESE INTERNAL CIRCULATION STREETS.
AND BASED ON THE BEAUTIFUL VIDEO WE SAW, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE QUITE NARROW AND SORT OF MORE PEDESTRIAN SCALE, I GUESS THAT, THAT, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THAT WAS SORT OF CODIFIED SOMEWHERE OR HOW THAT WAS GONNA BE HANDLED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE BOTH COMPLIANT AS WELL AS DOWN.
SO THEY'RE MORE NARROW, IS THAT CORRECT? WE DID, YEAH.
IT, IT'S A, IT'S ACTUALLY A ONE-WAY STREET.
UM, AND THAT WAS KIND OF DONE IN CON CONDUCT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
WE KIND OF FIGURED OUT WHAT THE RIGHT WIDTH WAS AND HOW EXACTLY IT WOULD WORK AND KIND OF WHERE THE ENTRANCES AND EXITS TO THE SITE WOULD BE.
[00:45:01]
SEVERAL MENTIONS OF SORT OF, UM, NEW TRAILS AND PATHS.CAN YOU JUST SORT OF WALK US THROUGH WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, THINKING ABOUT SORT OF THE STREETS, IF YOU CAN SORT OF, I KNOW THAT'S HARD TO DO WITHOUT A VISUAL, SORRY,
NO, I MEAN, SO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS WHEN YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU EVER TRIED TO RIDE A BIKE OR WALK AROUND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DISTRICT, IT'S NOT SO EASY TODAY
YOU END UP HAVING TO GO DOWN SOUTH CONGRESS AND ACROSS RIVERSIDE AND THEN BACK.
OR IF YOU'RE COMING OVER FROM WHERE RIVER SOUTH IS, THERE'S A SUPER DANGEROUS INTERSECTION WHERE YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY CROSS THE RIGHT HAND TURN LANE IN THE BIKE LANE.
UM, WHICH I GUESS IN THE FUTURE HOPEFULLY WE CAN TRY TO AVOID.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY BETWEEN SOUTH CONGRESS AND SOUTH FIRST, THERE WILL BE A CONNECTIVE TRIP TRAIL THAT WOULD ALLOW SOMEBODY KIND OF TO KIND OF TRAVERSE THAT WAY MM-HMM
AND THEN IDEALLY, UM, AFTER THE TRAIN IS BUILT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOWN ALL THE WAY DOWN, UH, TO WHERE THE BRIDGE IS AND THEN GO ACROSS TO THE CONVENTION CENTER ON RAINY STREET.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY ALONG THE, UH, THE AVENUES AND, UH, THE RIVER IN RIVERSIDE, UM, YOU'LL HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS.
SO I THINK FROM A PEDESTRIAN AND, YOU KNOW, BICYCLE PERSPECTIVE, IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY COOL ENVIRONMENT AND SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY IS ABLE TO KIND OF BE NAVIGATED SAFELY.
AND THEN A RELATED QUESTION ON THE UM, UH, CREEK SITUATION.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HAVING SORT OF A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY IN THERE AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AGAIN SHOWN, UM, BUT THERE'S PARTS OF THAT CREEK THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT INACCESSIBLE AND THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS, I GUESS, ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD ALL BE BUILT OUT.
DO YOU HAVE SORT OF A SENSE OF WHO YOU'D BE WORKING WITH? I GUESS THAT'S WATERSHED PROTECTION TO SORT OF MAKE SURE ALL OF THAT'S GONNA BE DONE HARMONIOUSLY? I, I, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S A, IT IS GONNA BE A REAL COLLABORATION THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY, UH, PARKS, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WETLAND BIOLOGISTS.
IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BALANCE A KIND OF MATERIALITY WHERE THAT SITS WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
NAVIGATING AROUND KIND OF THE HERITAGE TREES.
WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT, BUT WE NEED TO COLLABORATE.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, PLEASE GO AHEAD, MS. JOHNSTON.
HI, LIZ JOHNSTON, INTERIM ENVIRONMENT OFFICER.
UM, SO THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF PRELIMINARY WORK, UM, WITH MY STAFF AND THE APPLICANT LOOKING AT THE CONDITION OF THE CREEK RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PRETTY POOR AND MOST OF THE, UH, MOST OF IT, UH, IT'S MOSTLY A CONCRETE EMBANKMENT AND THEN THERE'S BUILDINGS THERE.
SO THEY, THEY WILL BE DOING A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR ALONG THIS POD.
UM, AND WITH THAT FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION, THEY'RE GONNA BE TAKING MORE OF THE FLOODPLAIN INTO THE BANKS OF THE, UH, OF THE CREEK.
AND SO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE IS ACTUALLY GOING ALONG THE CREEK WILL ACTUALLY GET A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.
UM, AND SO YEAH, WE WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM DURING THE SITE PLAN, BUT, UM, VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS RESTORATION GO FORWARD.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON QUICKLY PLEASE.
UM, SO JUST ONE, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE PUT ORDINANCE AS PUT TOGETHER CURRENTLY GIVES YOU ALL THE RIGHT LATITUDE TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS PROJECT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT SORT OF SET OF TOOLS TO GET TO THE BEST VERSION? UH, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND YEAH, AND I, I SHOULD ALSO MENTION WE'RE, UH, COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH THE PARKS, UH, STAFF AS WELL FOR THE TRAIL THAT GOES THROUGH.
I JUST, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL STARTED TO BUILD ON THIS AND I'D LOVE TO ASK THE RELATED FOLKS.
SO I REMEMBER FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS RILEY USED TO REALLY LAMENT THE LOCAL EXEMPTION TO THE RULE REQUIRING LARGER LANES AND JUST THE FACT THAT THAT ENCOURAGES SPEEDING, WHICH MAKES IT LESS IDEAL FOR PEDESTRIANS.
AND SO CAN YOU WALK THROUGH THAT? LIKE IS THIS THE IDEAL OR WOULD YOU HAVE RATHER HAD 10 FOOT LANES THAT WERE TWO WAY? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE MORE ON THAT? YOU YOU MEAN THE INTERNAL ROAD ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? CORRECT.
UM, WELL, I, I THINK ONE WAY WAS IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WITH SOMEBODY WITH FOUR KIDS AND IF YOU'RE KIND OF IN A SPACE, IT'S EASIER, EASIER FOR THEM TO CROSS THE STREET WHERE THERE'S TRAFFIC IN ONE DIRECTION AS OPPOSED TO TWO, IT ACTUALLY WORKS BETTER FOR DROP OFF AS WELL, SO YOU CAN DROP OFF IN TWO SIDES OF THE STREET BECAUSE A LOT OF THE SITE IS ACTUALLY KIND OF BURIED DEEPER INSIDE WITHOUT ACCESS TO KIND OF A STREET ON TWO SIDES OF IT.
UM, AND SO THE IDEA WAS REALLY CREATING NOT A CUT THROUGH STREET.
WE DIDN'T WANNA CREATE THESE, WHEN YOU CREATE A HIGHWAY FOR CARS, YOU RUIN THE PLACE FOR PEOPLE.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS REALLY GOING BACK TO THAT BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT IF YOU CREATE A REALLY GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE THAT'S SAFE, THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO HANG OUT THERE, THEY'RE GONNA LIKE TO HANG OUT THERE.
LIKE, AND, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE CRUX OF EVERYTHING THAT WE LOOK AT.
AND IT'S ALSO WHEN WE LOOK AT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE, THE
[00:50:01]
WIDER YOU MAKE STREETS, THE LESS INTERACTION FROM SIDE TO SIDE.THERE IS, NOBODY WILL STAND ON, FOR EXAMPLE, SOUTH CONGRESS BRIDGE ON ONE SIDE AND ON THE OTHER SIDE SAY, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE
I JUST REALLY WANT TO HANG OUT THERE OTHER THAN MAYBE WHEN THE BATHS ARE COMING.
BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK AS A CITY ABOUT NARROWING THESE SPACES.
AND THERE'S SPACE FOR CARS, THERE'S PLACES FOR CARS, THERE'S PLACES FOR TRAINS, THERE'S PLACES FOR BUSES, BUT THOSE PLACES AND THE PLACES FOR PEOPLE SHOULDN'T KIND OF INTERACT IN SUCH A, YOU KNOW, STRIDENT WAY.
WE'VE BEEN BUILDING OUR CITY AROUND THE TRUCKS WE WANT INSTEAD OF BUILDING OUR TRUCKS AROUND THE CITY WE WANT, BUT MAYBE NOT FOR TOO MUCH LONGER.
IS THAT ALL YOUR QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? THAT IS.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER HAMMED? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF ON THE FIRE STATION REQUIREMENT.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK TWO THINGS ON THAT.
ONE IS, UM, WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE NEED OF A FIRE STATION, PARTICULARLY IN THIS, UH, AREA OR ON THIS DEVELOPMENT HERE? AND SECONDLY, UM, UH, THE APPLICANT HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A CITY OWNED PROPERTY VERY CLOSE BY OR NEXT DOOR THAT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A POTENTIAL STATION.
SO WHY ARE WE MAKING THIS REQUIREMENT, UH, FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF PURSUING THAT OTHER PROPERTY? UH, STEPHEN TRUDA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH RESPECT TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, THE NEED IS, UH, BEEN PRESENT FOR MANY YEARS AND EVERY TIME A NEW DEVELOPMENT IS ADDED, THAT NEED ONLY GETS LARGER.
UH, WE HAVE NOT MET OUR DOWNTOWN RESPONSE TIME GOALS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND ACTUALLY OUR PERFORMANCE IS GETTING WORSE EVERY YEAR.
UH, WE HAVEN'T ADDED ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, FIRE RESOURCES AS FAR AS FIRE STATIONS OR FIRE TRUCKS DOWNTOWN SINCE THE 1970S HAVEN'T ADDED AN ADDITIONAL LADDER TRUCK TO THE CITY SINCE THE 1990S.
AND SO, UH, THIS, THIS DEVELOPMENT BRINGS MORE PEOPLE, WHICH IS, WHICH INCREASES OUR DEMAND, WHICH IN FACT, UH, WHICH IN TURN, UM, DRIVES A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FIRE STATIONS.
AND SO IT'S NOT THIS, UM, THIS SINGLE DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S, IT'S EVERY, UH, ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS JUST EXACERBATING THE PROBLEM.
IS ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT WITH RESPECT TO ONE TEXAS CENTER AT 5 0 5 BARTON SPRINGS, THAT IS NOT A FIRE DEPARTMENT PROPERTY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLANS FOR THAT PROPERTY ARE.
UM, I KNOW THAT CURRENTLY THERE'S SOME PLANS FOR RELOCATION OF FACILITIES AND I I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
I MEAN IT, AS FAR AS THE LOCATION, IT'S SIMILARLY SITUATED TO THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY.
SO IT COULD SERVE A NEED IF, IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITY DECIDED TO DO WITH THAT PROPERTY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS PURSUED AT ALL, UH, WITHIN THE CITY TO SEE IF, UH, TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT PROPERTY COULD, UM, BE ADEQUATE? SO WE HAVEN'T MODELED FROM THAT ADDRESS, UH, RESPONSES, BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE THE, THE, THE MATERIAL THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FOR OUR RESPONSE AREA, UM, SHORTCOMINGS IF YOU WILL, UM, JUST ANECDOTALLY, UM, AND A RESPONSE FROM THAT SIDE OF THE BLOCK VERSUS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BLOCK WOULD BE PRETTY COMPARABLE.
BUT A AGAIN, WE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN EVER, UH, AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT PROPERTY, THEREFORE WE HAVEN'T INVESTED THE TIME IN, IN COMPLETING THAT STUDY.
COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? OH, COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE.
UH, THIS QUESTION IS AROUND THE, UH, RAT OF WAY DEDICATION REQUEST THAT, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS IS, IS REQUESTING.
SO I GUESS MAYBE SOMEBODY FROM STAFF AND TRANSPORTATION COULD HELP.
UH, LOOKING AT THE APPLICATION, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S 120 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY.
WE'RE REQUESTING 70 FROM CENTER LINE.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO DRAW THIS PICTURE IN MY HEAD WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A 10 FEET OF ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY FROM THIS TRACT OF LAND? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I AM CURTIS SPA TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SO THEN IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 10 FEET ON THE
[00:55:01]
CONGRESS FRONTAGE, IT SOUNDED LIKE RIVERSIDE, THAT THE APPLICANT AND CITY WERE IN AGREEMENT OF LOOKING AT THE PLANS FROM A TP AND THEIR RAIL ALIGNMENT.UH, THE CONGRESS RAIL, UH, TURNS RIGHT AND HEADS EAST, UH, ESSENTIALLY JUST AFTER JUST SOUTH OF OUR SITE I GUESS, AND KIND OF GOES OVER TOWARDS THE NEW BRIDGE OF WHAT IS, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ENVISIONING AT THE INTERSECTION OF RIVERSIDE AND CONGRESS THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY IT SOUNDS LIKE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADWAY.
I CAN'T FIND ANY SCHEMATICS OR DRAWINGS THAT MIGHT SHOW WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WHEN WE FIRST CREATED THE A SMP AND ADOPTED IT IN 2019, IT WAS 120 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY AS IS CURRENTLY EXISTS.
WHAT WAS ENVISIONED AT THAT TIME WAS A FOUR LANE ROAD, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE APPROACH FROM RIVERSIDE ALONG THE FRONTAGE OF THIS PROPERTY.
SO GOING SOUTH IT WOULD BE A FOUR LANES MM-HMM
UH, IN E TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTIONS, DUAL LEFT TURN LANES AND A RIGHT TURN BAY GOING TO I 35.
SO MORE OR LESS MAINTAINING WHAT IS CURRENTLY THERE WITH THE ABILITY TO ADD A TRAIN LINE DOWN THE CENTER LINE.
WHEN, UH, PROJECT CONNECT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY CAP METRO PROVIDED US ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OF THEIR LONG RANGE PLAN AND THAT INCLUDED WHAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO A SIX LANE, THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.
TWO LANES OF VEHICLE TRAVEL AND ONE LANE OF DEDICATED BUS OF TRANSIT PATHWAYS IN EACH DIRECTION, PLUS THE DUAL LEFT TURN LANE AND THE RIGHT TURN LANE GOING TO EAST RIVERSIDE OVER TO I 35.
SO WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED IS BASICALLY WHAT IS ADOPTED BY THE CAP METRO LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND THAT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED AND PRESENTED TO US TO REMOVE OR MODIFY THE A SMP REQUIREMENT.
AND I DON'T, I CAN'T, I DON'T IMAGINE WE HAVE ANY CAPITAL METRO REPRESENTATIVES HERE TONIGHT.
WELL, THE BEST WOULD BE COMMISSIONER.
AND, AND I WILL SAY, I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO RECONCI RECONCILE IS WHEN I LOOK AT THE A TP SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS, THEY'RE NOT SHOWING DEDICATED BUSWAY BEYOND THE, THE RAIL, OBVIOUSLY THE DEDICATED SPACE FOR THE RAIL, BUT NOT DEDICATED BUS LANES FURTHER SOUTH ON, ON CONGRESS.
AND THEY'RE NOT SHOWING ANY ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WEIGHT TO BE ACQUIRED, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ALONG THE FRONTAGE OF THE SCHOOL FOR THE DEATH.
SO I'M, I GUESS I'M QUESTIONING THE, THE NEED FOR THE ADDITIONAL 10 FEET FOR A LANE THAT I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER CONCRETE DRAWINGS OR DOCUMENTS THAT, UH, SHOW THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BUILD ANYTHING LIKE THAT AT THIS LOCATION.
AM I MISSING SOMETHING? NO, YOU ARE CORRECT.
AND WE DO HAVE INFORMATION FROM A TP THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO REQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY, THAT 140 FEET, UH, THEY HAVE NO PLANS THAT WOULD TRIGGER THAT.
HOWEVER, CAP METRO STILL HAS OTHER PLANS THAT INCLUDE SOUTH CONGRESS AND BUS TRA UH, BUS TRANSIT THAT IS STILL LOOKING AT THE NEED FOR DEDICATED LINKS.
AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CAP METRO, BUT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO US AT THIS TIME.
SO THEN THAT PLAN IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE, THE, THE CURRENT DRAWINGS FOR YES, THE, UH, FOR THE RAIL.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, THE RAIL ACTUALLY DOESN'T FRONT THE SITE.
IT TURNS AND HEADS EAST, RIGHT? AGAIN, I, I'M CORRECT.
INTERPRETING THAT CORRECTLY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER HANEY
HAVE Y'ALL DONE ANY PROJECTIONS ON, UH, RETAIL SALES PER SQUARE FOOT? DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT Y'ALL MIGHT EXPECT, UM, RETAIL SPACE TO, TO BE DOING PER SQUARE FOOT? I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT'S THE, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO WELL, I'M JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH, UH, CITY TAX REVENUE WE'RE GONNA BE FOREGOING IF WE GIVE 11,000 SQUARE FEET TO A, UH, TAX EXEMPT ENTITY THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRODUCING ANYTHING PER SQUARE FOOT AS FAR AS TAX REVENUE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, IF YOU LOOK AT SOUTH CONGRESS, IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST PRODUCTIVE RETAIL STREET IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, WHY IS THAT THE CASE? I THINK THE REASON THAT IS THE CASE IS, IS PROBABLY THE ONLY CONTINUOUSLY WALKABLE STREET IN THE STATE OF
[01:00:01]
TEXAS.AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO THINGS ACTUALLY GO TOGETHER.
UM, SO WE JUST, I THINK THERE'S THE MONETARY ARGUMENT AND THEN THERE'S, WE REALLY WANT THIS TO BE A GREAT PLACE.
WE WANT THE SOUTH WATERFRONT TO BE A REALLY GREAT PLACE.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT GREAT PLACES, YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE VALUES, RIGHT? AND WE, AS A CITY, I THINK I HAVE TO PRIORITIZE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WANT THIS PLACE TO BE? AND I THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION GOALS IN THE 120 FEET.
UM, AND I THINK WE CAN ALSO MAKE A GREAT PLACE TOO, AND ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE INTEGRATION OF THE PUBLIC TRANSIT, WHICH IS GONNA BE A FANTASTIC ADDITION TO THE CITY, I THINK.
I THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL HERE.
SO, UM, I WILL JUST MENTION THAT I, I TALKED WITH A RETAILER DOWN THE STREET ON SOUTH CONGRESS AND THEY DO 2000 A SQUARE FOOT.
SO IF WE TAKE 11,000 SQUARE FEET OUT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S $22 MILLION IN SALES A YEAR.
AND WITH REVENUE CAPS IN THE CITY, THE SALES TAX, OF COURSE, IS ONE OF THE EASIEST PLACES FOR US TO GROW OUR REVENUE AND LORD KNOWS WHERE REVENUE STARVED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT FOR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER HANEY, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, UH, AND NO, SORRY.
COMMISSIONER LAN, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I DO, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE FIRE CHIEF, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER LAN? YEAH, STEVEN TRUDA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT THE FIRE CHIEF.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT I'M THE FIRE MARSHAL.
FIRE MARSHALL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, MY QUESTION IS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FIREHOUSE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY EXAMPLES OR ANY PRECLUSIONS THAT WOULD, THAT DOES NOT ALLOW THE FIREHOUSE TO BE INTEGRATED AS PART OF A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT? UM, ARE THERE ANY RULES THAT THE FIREHOUSE HAS TO BE LIKE A STANDALONE STRUCTURE RATHER THAN CAN BE PART OF A BUILDING? NO.
UM, I'M, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY REQUIREMENTS, UH, PARTICULAR TO THIS.
AND I, I KNOW THAT IN OTHER PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS, UH, WE ARE CONSIDERING BEING INTEGRATED INTO AN EXISTING BUILDING.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR OUR STANDARD, YOU KNOW, UH, FOOTPRINT, UM, BUT IT'S NOT AN ALL OR NONE PROPOSITION.
ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT WILL PREVENT YOU FROM HAVING ANY TOPSIDE DEVELOPMENT ON TOP OF THE FIRE STATION? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND IF I CAN TURN THE QUESTION BACK TO THE APPLICANT, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE CASE STUDIES THAT YOU'VE SHOWN.
UM, FOR THE MIXES DEVELOPMENT, I HAVE BEEN TO THE SHANGHAI SEA CANDY, AND THAT IS A REALLY GREAT URBAN SPACE.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD PREVENT THE FIREHOUSE BE INTEGRATED AS PART OF THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT? UM, WHY WOULD THAT BE A CHALLENGE FOR THE SITE? IF I'M LOOKING AT THE KIND OF THE FIREHOUSES WITHIN THE PROXIMITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEAREST FIRE STATION IS PROBABLY MORE THAN LIKE A MI OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD, AND THERE ARE NO FIRE STATIONS SERVING THAT ENTIRE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO INTEGRATE THE FIREHOUSE AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENTS WITH OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT? SO, I MEAN, I, I, I THINK, I THINK THAT, I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION IS THE APPROPRIATENESS OF LIKE THE FIRE STATION WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND WHEN THE REQUEST CAME IN, WE, WE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND WE SAID, OKAY, WELL WHAT IF WE PUT IT ON KIND OF THE INSIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? WELL, THAT KIND OF DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE GOING AND RUSHING OUT TO A FIRE, RIGHT? HAVING LIKE A GIANT, I MEAN IMAGINE LIKE, YOU KNOW, A A, A LARGE PUBLIC PARK AND THEN HAVING THE FIRE STATION ON THE SIDE OF THE PUBLIC PARK AND ALL THE PEOPLE KIND OF MEANDERING ON THE STREET AND PEOPLE HAVING TO RUSH OUT TO A FIRE, PROBABLY NOT THE IDEAL SITUATION, RIGHT? I THINK THE SECOND THING IS, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT KINDA THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FIRE STATION, A LOT OF IT IS JUST TO COME OUT ON KIND OF LIKE THE AVENUES, RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT BETWEEN LOBBIES BETWEEN ALL OF THE OTHER, UM, REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY IN TERMS OF WHERE THE, HOW ACCESSIBLE KIND OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY VAULTS NEED TO BE, WHERE THE FIRE STATE, WHERE THE ACTUAL FIRE PANELS NEED TO BE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF, THERE'S ACTUALLY NO
[01:05:01]
ROOM BECAUSE THE SITE ONLY REALLY HAS TWO SIDES, RIGHT? ONLY HAS TWO PUBLIC FACING SIDES.IF YOU HAVE A SITE WITH FOUR SIDES, RIGHT, YOU TYPICALLY HAVE KIND OF LIKE A FRONT DOOR, A BACK DOOR AND TWO SIDE DOORS.
UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE GOT TWO FRONT DOORS AND THEN WE HAVE NO DOORS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT MAKES IT SO CHALLENGING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE LOOK AROUND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE PLACES TO DO IT.
UM, WE HAVE SOME IDEAS AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY, TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD DO THAT, BUT WE JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE IT ON THE SITE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO FRONT DOORS AND NO OTHER DOORS.
I THINK THIS, WELL, THE ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET THAT I'M SEEING, UM, THE DOCUMENT SUBMITTED ON PAGE 71, IT SHOWS ACTUALLY A THIRD STREET HAYWOOD AVENUE WITH 80 FEET OF RIGHT AWAY, WHICH IS THE SAME AS RIVERSIDE.
WHY COULDN'T THAT BE AN ADDITIONAL PLACE FOR FIRE, FIRE TRUCKS TO ENTER AND EXIT? SO WHEN, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT SITES, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO, AND, AND FIRST WE START OUT WITH ESSENTIALLY PLAYING AROUND WITH WHERE BUILDINGS GO, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU INGRESS AND EGRESS THE SITE? IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE RESTRICTIONS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THE STREET REQUIREMENTS, THERE'S ACTUALLY ONLY LIKE THREE OR FOUR PLACES THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ENTER OR EXIT THE SITE.
SOME CAN ONLY BE ONE DIRECTION, SOME CAN BE TWO DIRECTION.
IF YOU GO AROUND TO HAYWOOD IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE BUILDINGS THAT THE TWO RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO ACCESS ON HAYWOOD, RIGHT? AND THEN IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE PARKING GARAGE, YOU DIP DOWN INTO THE PARKING GARAGE ON, IF YOU CONTINUE, THINK ABOUT ENTERING ONE TEXAS CENTER WHERE YOU'RE IN FRONT OF THAT PARKING GARAGE THAT EXISTS TODAY, IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, YOU'RE GONNA KIND OF HANG A LEFT AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THAT PARKING GARAGE AND YOU KIND OF GO DOWN AND THEN YOU CAN DIP DOWN INTO THE PARKING DOWN THERE.
SO THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CONSTRAINTS OF YOU NEED LOBBIES, YOU NEED LOADING DOCKS, YOU NEED AUSTIN ENERGY VAULTS, YOU NEED EGRESS AT SPECIFIC POINTS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND EGRESS.
YOU NEED THE BIKE LANES, YOU NEED ALL THE STUFF.
WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BIG SITE REALLY ENDS UP BEING REALLY SMALL 'CAUSE YOU JUST CAN'T FIT IT.
AND WE DID STUDY THIS INTENSELY.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? UM, OKAY, COMMISSIONER POWELL, GO AHEAD.
UH, SO YOU JUST MENTIONED KINDA, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS STUDY THAT'S GONE INTO IT.
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS OF EXPLORING THIS FIRE PIECE? SO, I MEAN, I, I THINK IT'S KIND OF BASICALLY WHAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS START WITH THE CONSTRAINTS, RIGHT? WE CAN'T KIND OF ENTER IN OFF THE CREEK.
WE CAN'T ENTER IN THROUGH CITY PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE ONE TEXAS CENTER PROPERTY.
SO YOU REALLY HAVE HAYWOOD AND THAT'S ONE DIRECTIONAL OUT THAT WAY.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, UH, AN INGRESS AND EGRESS ON RIVERSIDE AND THEN ONE ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
AND THEN YOU COMBINE RK WELL, WHERE YOU HAVE INGRESS, YOU PROBABLY NEED LOBBIES, RIGHT? THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO GET OUT OF A CAR AND GO INTO A BUILDING.
SO THAT SHOWS YOU WHERE THE BUILDINGS ARE GONNA BE AND WHERE THE LOBBIES ARE GONNA BE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, I I WOULD SAY ACCESSORIES OR SERVICE SPACE FOR BUILDINGS, RIGHT? SO TYPICALLY YOU DON'T WANT THE SERVICE ENTRANCE DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE LOBBY, RIGHT? BECAUSE SERVICE AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU WOULDN'T PUT LIKE YOUR TRASH CANS NEXT TO YOUR FRONT DOOR OR YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? YOU KIND OF DON'T DO WANNA DO THE SAME THING IN THE BUILDINGS, RIGHT? I THINK MAYBE A, A BETTER WAY I COULD PHRASE IT WOULD BE, UM, IF THIS DID GO THROUGH WITH THE FIRE STATION REQUIREMENT, WHAT EXTENT OF WORK WOULD NEED TO BE DONE THEN TO ACCOMMODATE THAT REQUIREMENT? KIND OF HOW FAR ALONG IN THE PROCESS THERE, AND THEN WHAT WOULD THE REST OF THAT LOOK LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD KNOWING THAT WE SAW KIND OF A VIDEO AND OTHER PIECES WITHOUT IT.
JUST WANTED TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING THERE.
I I, I HONESTLY, I, I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW WE WOULD DO IT, RIGHT? UNLESS WE JUST BUILD NOTHING AND JUST PUT A FIRE STATION IN A SUBSTATION.
LIKE I JUST, I I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
IF, AGAIN, IF WE WANT TO CREATE THE PLACE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO IT.
RIGHT? I WISH I HAD A BETTER ANSWER.
DID I SEE YOU HAVE A QUESTION? GO AHEAD.
SO I HAD A QUESTION, WHAT IF IT WAS
[01:10:01]
SMALLER? I KNOW THAT THEY'VE MADE A BIG ASK AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO PICTURE THAT IN MY HEAD HOW YOU PUT A THREE BIG FIRE STATION.TRUST ME, I AM ALL ABOUT MORE FIRE STATIONS DOWNTOWN BECAUSE I WORK DOWNTOWN AND RESPONSE TIMES ARE NOT GREAT.
BUT WHAT IF IT WAS LIKE A GHOSTBUSTERS STYLE FIRE STATION, SKINNY AND LONG WHERE YOU COULD JUST STICK LIKE A, A QUINT OR A LADDER TRUCK IN IT? BUT THAT'S IT.
I MEAN, ALL YOU NEED IS ONE GARAGE DOOR.
I, YOU KNOW WHAT'S, YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING IS, SO, UM, WE, WE HAD TO, WE HAD SOMETHING WHERE, UM, WE WERE TRYING TO, WE OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY 9 0 1 SOUTH CONGRESS AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU COULD INGRESS AND EGRESS THE SITE.
THAT SITE IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE MOST LIKELY CONDEMNED BY THE CITY AND UM, THE TRAIN IS GONNA GO DIRECTLY THROUGH IT.
BUT WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING IT, WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW HOW YOU COULD ACTUALLY ACCESS A TRANSFORMER IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ENERGY WANTED THE TRANSFORMER ON SOUTH CONGRESS AND WE'RE LIKE, WELL, OUR FIRST PROJECT IN AUSTIN, IF WE PUT A TRANSFORMER ON
SO WE WERE LIKE, WHAT IF WE PUT IT IN THE BACK? AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WORKED UNTIL WE REALIZED HOW BIG THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRUCK IS THAT PICKS UP THE TRANSFORMER ONCE EVERY 30 YEARS WHEN IT DIES, RIGHT? AND IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO BE AROUND THE SAME SIZE AS A FIRETRUCK.
AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT HOW DO YOU PARK A FIRETRUCK? IT'S, YOU HAVE TO GET THE FIRETRUCK OUT AND YOU HAVE TO TURN IT AROUND.
AND THESE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, LITTLE MAZDA MIATAS THAT YOU CAN KIND OF LIKE JUST TURN ON A ONE LANE STREET.
I KNOW I'VE DRIVEN ONE, RIGHT? YOU HAVE
SO YOU NEED THESE HUGE RADIUSES TO ACTUALLY GET 'EM IN.
AND OUR PROBLEM IS, IS WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHERE THAT RADIUS WORKS.
AND THAT WAS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFORMER, WHERE WE'RE LIKE, IF, IF YOU HAD A SMALLER TRUCK, WE WERE LIKE, WELL, MAYBE WE'LL JUST BUY YOU A SMALLER TRUCK AND NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, I THAT'S, THAT'S THAT, THOSE ARE THE CONSTRAINTS BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN ONE TEXAS CENTER, RIGHT? WE DON'T OWN THE OTHER PROJECT ON HAYWOOD.
SO IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY GET OUT AND TURN THESE LARGE VEHICLES, THAT, THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE.
GO ONE, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO I WAS GONNA SAY, I KNOW COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE AND MYSELF HAVE QUESTIONS WE HAVE RUN OUT OF OUR SLOTS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE OBJECTIONS IF WE ADD TWO MORE QUESTION SLOTS FOR COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE TO GO AGAIN AND MYSELF? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SLOT NOT SEEING ANY OBJECTION? AND WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD.
UH, COMMISSIONER SKID, UH, SORRY, I'M SAYING SKIDMORE.
I WENT TO SAY MAXWELL COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, OKAY, COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, I AM CURIOUS FOR THE APPLICANT, UM, WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THE BUILD OUT ON THIS.
AND ALSO A RELATED QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE FINAL SORT OF POPULATION NUMBERS TO BE ONCE WE HAVE THIS FULLY BUILT OUT? UM, FINAL POPULATION NUMBERS? I'D PROBABLY HAVE TO GET BACK TO, UH, I, I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE EXACTLY.
UH, I'D HAVE, WE'D HAVE TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT NUMBER VISITORS? I THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE AT LEAST 800 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE APARTMENTS.
'CAUSE THERE'S 800 UNITS MM-HMM
HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE IN THOSE UNITS? I DON'T KNOW.
UM, SO WE COULD PROBABLY, I MEAN MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE TIA THAT WOULD NO, THAT'S FINE.
I WAS JUST GENERALLY CURIOUS HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT END UP BEING ON THIS SITE AND THEN SORT OF WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THE BUILDOUT.
WELL, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE IN A, AN, AN UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT TODAY, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE BY KIND OF THE LACK OF CRANES IN THE SKY.
UM, IDEALLY, UM, WE WOULD LIKE, UH, ASSUMING WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO KIND OF GET APPROVALS FOR, TO BUILD THE SITE, WE'D LIKE TO, TO GO DIRECTLY INTO THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PROCESS.
UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT PROCESS CAN TAKE, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TWO YEARS AT THIS POINT.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO BE NOT TWO YEARS.
UM, SO IF WE COULD DO THAT IN 12 MONTHS, THAT'D BE GREAT TOO.
UM, AND UH, THEN THE GOAL WAS ASSUMING, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS WERE APPROPRIATE AND FINANCING WAS AVAILABLE, WE WOULD GO AND START.
AND WHETHER WE BUILD IT IN ONE PHASE OR TWO PHASES, I THINK THAT'S STILL AN OPENING QUESTION.
I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO BUILD IT IN ONE PHASE.
I THINK IF YOU DID BUILD IT IN ONE PHASE, IT'S PROBABLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING ONE LADYBIRD LAKE AND THAT BUILDING WILL TAKE 30 MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE FIVE BUILDINGS THAT WILL ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY TAKE 30 MONTHS.
SO MY GUESS IS YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING HERE,
[01:15:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AROUND 29, 30, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.WELL, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, DETAILED RESPONSE BECAUSE I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS THERE SEEMS TO BE CONCERN ABOUT THE NEED FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THIS, A FIRE STATION IN THIS AREA, WHICH I THINK WE CAREFULLY REVIEWED AS PART OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN.
AND I THINK EVERYONE AGREES THAT IDEALLY WE WILL HAVE ONE EVENTUALLY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE JUST BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE HERE FIRST, THE ASK IS BEING MADE NOW, BUT WE WON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THE POPULATION NUMBERS EVEN FOR YOUR PROJECT OR SAY THE REST OF THE WHOLE DISTRICT WILL BE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND THAT THERE'S SORT OF THIS LAG TIME AS YOU'RE POINTING OUT BETWEEN SITE DEVELOPMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, FOR US TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST PLACE TO PUT A FIRE, A FIRE STATION.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT THAT'S ACCURATE? YES.
THERE, THERE, THERE, THERE CLEARLY IS TIME.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD SAY THAT FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, OF WHICH CLEARLY THE, THE FIRE STATION IS ONE OF THOSE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT POWER, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BASIC UTILITIES TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IF WE ALL BELIEVE IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY DOES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD START TAKING SERIOUSLY AND, AND REALLY FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S KIND OF THE ENDEAVOR FOLKS OR RIVERSIDE OR HUNT, RIGHT, OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO OWNS PROPERTY IN THIS, UM, IN THIS DISTRICT, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE READY, WILLING, AND ABLE, UM, TO KIND OF HELP FIGURE THIS OUT TOGETHER.
AND THAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO MY LAST QUESTION, WHICH IS IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY REQUEST AROUND THE SUBSTATION, BECAUSE THAT ALSO SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE IMPACTING THE PROJECT AND MAYBE, AGAIN, NOT THE IDEAL SITE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES THAT ARE GONNA NEED ENERGY IN THIS AREA.
UM, I I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT NEEDS A SUBSTATION.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S LIKE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF WHERE THINGS GO, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, SUBSTATIONS, I, AGAIN, I I DON'T KNOW KIND OF THE, THE EXACT PARAMETERS OF WHAT THE SUBSTATIONS LOOK LIKE.
UM, THERE'S A SUBSTATION KIND OF, UH, SLIGHTLY EAST OF RAINING AT THE PERIPHERY OF THAT DEVELOPMENT.
WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT THAT AT THE MIDDLE OF RAINY STREET, WOULD THAT BE A GOOD PLACE FOR THE SUBSTATION? PROBABLY NOT, RIGHT? I THINK IF WE CAN FIND, AND I, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF LAND IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AT THE PERIPHERY, UM, WHERE A SUBSTATION COULD GO.
I THINK IT'S ALSO, UM, WOULD BE, WOULD BEHOOVE ALL OF US TO ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE RADIUS OF WHERE ONE OF THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT COULD GO, RIGHT? HOW GIVEN THE, THE PROJECTED DEMAND, IS IT AN ACRE? IS IT FIVE ACRES? I DON'T KNOW.
CAN THE SUBSTATION BE A MILE AWAY? CAN IT BE 50 FEET AWAY? I, I DON'T KNOW.
UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, NOT SKIDMORE,
I KNOW, UH, MR. SU, IF YOU WANNA COME UP AS WELL, I KNOW WE HAD A QUESTION EARLIER REGARDING SORT OF SUPPORT FOR EXISTING TENANTS, AND I KNOW YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION, Y'ALL ARE VOLUNTARILY CONSIDERING SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL THINGS.
JUST WANTED TO CHECK IN ON SORT OF THAT REQUEST AS WELL THAT WE'RE LOOKING BEYOND SORT OF WHAT IS IN THE, IN THE POD ORDINANCE ITSELF.
YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS, AND I DON'T HAVE 'EM IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IF YOU WANTED TO READ 'EM INTO THE RECORD, WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THOSE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A CONDITION OF ZONING, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE VOLUNTARILY I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM OFFERING TO PROVIDE THIS.
SO, UM, I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, LIKE I THINK IT'S ALREADY MENTIONED, THERE'S A 1500 ASSOCIATED, UM, RELOCATION SORT OF MOVING FEE THAT'S PART OF IT.
UH, THE NOTICE REQUIRED PER CODE IS ALSO WITHIN THERE WHERE WE'LL BE EXPANDING IT TO POTENTIALLY 180 DAY NOTICE IF Y'ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT, NO PENALTY FOR EARLY TERMINATION OF LEASE BY TENANTS.
ONCE THAT 180 DAY NOTIFICATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
REFUNDING SECURITY DEPOSITS, UM, AND OTHER THINGS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR LEASES THAT ARE STILL IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF DEMOLITION.
THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERING A COURSE THAT THE APARTMENTS WILL NOT BE RENOVATED AT THE TIME OF EXIT OF THE LAST TENANT, UM, NO RENT PAYMENTS WITHIN THE LAST FINAL DAYS PRIOR TO DEMOLITION.
AND THEN ESSENTIALLY HAVING, UH, TENANT WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME BACK TO ANY OF THE HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON SITE AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO, UH, OCCUPY THOSE.
YES, WITH WITH THE CLARIFICATION, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT OF LEASING FOR A YEAR AGAIN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST, IF THERE'S A IN PLACE, ALL THOSE CONDITIONS ARE FINE.
AND OF COURSE, WITH THE CLAR CLARIFICATION THAT OUR HOPE WOULD BE THAT REALLY IF AT THE TIME WHEN DEMOLITION IS HAPPENING, IF THERE'RE TENSE IN PLACE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, DISPLACING THEM WITHOUT HAVING THE RESOURCE.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
UM, AND THE OTHER ONE I, I WOULD LOVE, I KNOW Y'ALL HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH EGOS.
I, I'M GONNA ASSUME FOLKS WILL WANNA KNOW WHAT THAT CONVERSATION IS.
[01:20:01]
A BIT ABOUT THAT AS WELL? SO FUNNY STORY WHEN BEFORE YOU GET GOING,WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT EGOS? NOW GO
UM, ACTUALLY BEFORE I EVEN SPOKE TO HIM, THE FIRST PERSON I TALKED TO ON THE SITE AFTER WE BOUGHT IT OUTTA BANKRUPTCY, UM, WAS COLLEEN WHO OWNS EGOS.
UM, AND THIS WAS IN THE MIX OF LIKE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WAS LIVING IN THE APARTMENTS BECAUSE THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO RECORD OF ANYTHING.
UM, SOMEBODY HAD FOUND COLLEEN'S NUMBER AND I WAS ABLE TO CALL HER AND I WENT AND SAT DOWN WITH HER AND HAD A BEER AT EGOS AND SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO? RIGHT? IS IT, DO YOU WANT TO OPEN EGOS 2.0? DO YOU WANT TO DO, ARE YOU, DO YOU NOT WANNA DO IT? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO? AND SHE'S LIKE, CAN I THINK ABOUT IT? I WAS LIKE, YEAH, NO PROBLEM.
SO SHE WENT AND SHE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND SHE CAME BACK AND SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HER AND HER HUSBAND, UM, WHO, YOU KNOW, STARTED THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND IT'S KIND OF MORPHED OVER TIME FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONCEPTS.
AND, UM, AND SHE'S LIKE, I, I WANNA DO IT.
AND SO PART OF THE REASON THAT WE PUT, YOU KNOW, THE AFFORDABLE RETAIL IN THERE, UM, INTO THE PUD WAS SO THAT WE COULD PROVIDE A PLACE FOR KIND OF THE NEXT INCARNATION OF, OF EGOS.
UM, AND I, I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO HER LAST NIGHT AND I, I WAS LIKE, COLLEEN, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LIKE, I WANNA DO THIS, YOU WANNA STILL WANNA DO IT? AND SHE'S LIKE, YEAH, LET'S DO IT.
SO, UM, EGOS WILL BE KIND OF REINCARNATED, UM, IN THE, IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IN A AFFORDABLE, UH, RETAIL SPACE SO THERE'S NO $10 BEERS, RIGHT? THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.
I WANTED A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD GET A FIVE, $5 BEER
UM, AND SO I THINK, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CREATE SOMETHING REALLY COOL FOR HER THAT WE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PRESERVE A, I THINK A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF BOSTON AND PROBABLY THE, THE ONE THING ON THE SITE OTHER THAN THE HERITAGE TREES THAT SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
IT IS A BELOVED INSTITUTION, SO WE'RE GLAD, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
UM, JUST LAST QUESTION, MR. SU, ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY REQUEST, ARE THERE ANY OUTSTANDING ISSUES OR REALLY THE OUTSTANDING ARE THE RIGHT OF WAY AND THEN THE UH, FIRE STATION, ARE THERE OTHER OUTSTANDING PIECES THAT Y'ALL ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THE AE PIECE, THEY WANNA INCLUDE MAJOR UTILITY USE AS A PERMITTED USE.
AND I HAVE A FEELING IT'S BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND WANNA DO A SUBSTATION ON US.
I'D RATHER THAT BE A CONDITIONAL USE.
THAT WAY IF THERE'S GONNA BE A SUBSTATION WE GOT, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT GONNA MESS UP THE REST OF THE, OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THIS? SO THAT THE MAJOR UTILITY? YEAH.
COMMISSIONERS, THAT TAKES US TOWARDS MOTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, I SEE YOUR HAND UP.
UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THREE ITEMS, UH, REMOVING FIRE EMS STATION REQUIREMENT, MAKE CONGRESS CENTER POINT, UH, CENTER LINE RIGHT OF WAY 60 FEET AND MAKE MAJOR UTILITY A CONDITIONAL USE.
AND IF THERE'S A SECOND HAVE TO, I'LL TAKE COMMISSIONER HANEY'S SECOND.
SO THAT'S A, A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON AND THEN SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION ITSELF? CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? WHAT IS THE RIGHT OF WAY ON SOUTH CONGRESS? 60 FEET CURRENTLY IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, IT'S 70.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE JUST TO CLARIFY THAT 60 FEET FROM THE CENTER LINE? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO IT'D STILL BE A HUNDRED AND 130 FEET IF THEY GO 70 THE OTHER DIRECTION.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THE END OF THAT.
DID YOU SAY NO SUBSTATION? CORRECT.
REMOVING THE FIRE EMS STATION REQUIREMENTS? NO, NO, NO.
UH, AUSTIN ENERGY SUBSTATION MAKE MAJOR UTILITY A CONDITIONAL USE, BUT NO SUBSTATION STEP.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BE BEFORE US.
AND I BELIEVE ALL QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, FOLKS SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION.
UM, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, YOU, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK YOUR MOTION.
I, I, I APPRECIATE STAFF BEING HERE TODAY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE TEXAS CENTER, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE EVER QUESTIONS WHY IT HAS THE NAME ONE THERE, BUT IT HAS THE FULL ENTITLEMENTS FOR TWO TEXAS CENTER RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO IT, BUT TWO TEXAS CENTERS ACTUALLY A GIGANTIC SURFACE PARKING LOT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CITY.
SO ALL THESE USES THAT THE CITY NEEDS, I THINK IT'S PRETTY GREAT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LARGE CITY OWNED PIECE OF LAND THAT IS CURRENTLY A PARKING LOT DIRECTLY NEXT TO THIS ENTIRE DISTRICT THAT ISN'T ON THE AMAZING SOUTH CONGRESS, BUT IT'S ADJACENCY IS PERFECT FOR ALL OF THESE USES.
SO IT WOULD BE A, AN AMAZING THING TO SEE TWO TEXAS CENTER EVENTUALLY BE SOMETHING.
AND THAT CAN OF COURSE TAKE A LOT OF THESE NEEDS.
UM, A SMP, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MORE WE DEAL WITH AS SMP, THE MORE WE REALIZE THAT THE, UH, THE RIGHT OF WAY REQUIREMENTS ARE A BIT OF A DISASTER, ESPECIALLY FOR WALKABILITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT KINDA REMINDS ME OF THAT
[01:25:01]
PICTURE OF HOUSTON WHERE HOUSTON WAS POPULAR.AND SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE TEAR DOWN THE BUILDINGS.
WE BUILT A TON OF PARKING LOTS.
THERE'S THAT AMAZING PICTURE OF HOUSTON IN THE SEVENTIES WHERE LIKE, OH, LET'S BUILD PARKING.
'CAUSE PEOPLE WOULDN'T DRIVE HERE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN NO ONE WANTED TO BE THERE ANYMORE.
SO WE HAD THESE REQUIREMENTS OF THESE HUGE RIGHT OF WAYS TO SERVE TRANSIT AND YET WE'RE TAKING AWAY HOMES AND TAKING AWAY BUSINESSES AND TAKE AWAY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THINGS THAT MAKE PLACES, PLACES THAT ARE GONNA HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, BRING PEOPLE ON THESE TRANSIT ROUTES.
SO JUST SEEMS LIKE A SP CAN HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, REVISIONS THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR AUSTIN.
AND THEN LAST THING, JUST IF ANYONE'S EVER BEEN TO THIS AREA, IT'S JUST SO POTENTIALLY AMAZING BUT SO NOT AMAZING TODAY.
SO THE FASTER WE CAN PASS THIS AND THE FASTER THEY CAN BREAK GROUND, THE BETTER IT IS FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.
AND COMMISSIONER, ACTUALLY I NEED TO CLARIFY ONE THING FOR YOUR MOTION.
UM, CAN I GET AN AGREEMENT FROM THE MOTION MAKER AND THE SECOND THAT WE'RE, THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, IT'S CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THE MOTION AS DESCRIBED BY THE MOTION MAKER COMMISSIONER SPEAKING AGAINST THE MOTION OR COMMISSIONER SPEAKING FOR THE MOTION.
I WILL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SPEAK FOR THE MOTION.
UH, I APPRECIATE SORT OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IT.
I ALSO REALLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE REQUEST FROM FIRE.
I THINK WE NEED TO SORT OF LOOK AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
UH, I HOPE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION SEPARATELY STILL LOOKING AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND OTHER WAYS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS INCLUDING FIRE, WATER, ELECTRIC, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IN A REASONABLE WAY FOR OF COURSE THE SOUTH CENTER WATERFRONT DISTRICT, BUT GENERALLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND HOW DO WE LOOK AT PLANNING INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THAT IN A WAY THAT LETS US DEVELOP THE WAY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FACILITIES AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL, BUT THEN ALSO UNDERSTAND SORT OF SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE COMING IN TODAY.
WE'VE HEARD THEM BEFORE, IF YOU HAVE A NARROW FRONTAGE, HOW DO YOU SORT OF MANAGE WITH THE PUBLIC SPHERE? AND OF COURSE, AS WE ALL KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS HERE WANNA TALK ABOUT WALKABILITY AND THE WAY WE INTERACT IN THESE POROUS, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS, BUT HOW DOES THAT INTERACT WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT CITY REQUIREMENTS? INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT.
SO I DO HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TOP OF MIND FOR ME AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT.
BUT I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, AGREEING WITH THE SORT OF MOTION MAKER THAT PERHAPS THIS IS NOT THE BEST PLACE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SPECIFICALLY ON THE SITE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS A CITY.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST? I HAD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I DO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER, UM, ANDERSON ON ALL POINTS EXCEPT FOR THE REDUCTION OF RIGHT OF WAY, SOUTH CONGRESS IS ONE OF OUR BUSIEST COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CORRIDORS IN THE CITY AND HAVING EXPANDED SPACE FOR DEDICATED BUS LANES WILL REALLY HELP SERVE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
SO ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO SPACE PLANNED TODAY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR RIDERSHIP AND UH, WILL STAY THE SAME IN THE YEARS TO COME, ESPECIALLY IF THIS LARGE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WILL COME INTO PLAY.
WE ARE GENERATING A LOT MORE PASSENGERS, SO HAVING THE RIGHT DEDICATED SPACE FOR BUSES IN THIS CORRIDOR WOULD REALLY HELP.
UM, COMMISSIONER, WOULD THAT BE SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION JUST SO I CAN NOTE IT ACCORDINGLY? MORE NEUTRAL OR NEUTRAL? WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE? IF I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING JUST EXCEPT THE, OKAY, SO WHAT, WE'RE GONNA COUNT THAT AS NEUTRAL, WHICH MEANS THERE'S ONE MORE SPOT SPEAKING.
UM, COMMISSIONER PAUL? YEAH, I'LL SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ONE THING INITIALLY IS JUST THIS SHEER AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS LEADING UP TO THIS MOMENT.
I RECOGNIZE AS A, YOU KNOW, NEWER COMMISSIONER ONLY BEEN ON THIS BODY FOR A FEW MONTHS, JUST HOW MUCH LEGWORK HAS GONE INTO MAKING THIS THE TYPE OF PRODUCT AND OUTCOME THAT'S REALLY GONNA BENEFIT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ECHO SOME OF THE CHAIR'S THOUGHTS ON THIS THAT, THAT THE NEED FOR FIRE IN THE AREA IS VERY REAL.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE GENTLEMAN WHO CAME, SPOKE, ARTICULATED THAT TO US.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING UP ON COMMISSIONER MAXWELL'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMELINE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT WILL BE UNTIL THIS COMES TO FRUITION THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO IDENTIFY AN IDEAL SPOT FOR, FOR THE FIRE NEEDS TO BE MET AS WELL AS THE SUBSTATION NEEDS.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT REALLY IT FEELS EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, NOT EVEN JUST US SITTING UP HERE RECOGNIZES THE NEED FOR THOSE THINGS AND I'M REALLY, REALLY HOPEFUL WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION OVER THE COMING YEARS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER POWELL.
ANY COMMISSIONER WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST NOT SEEING THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOTION.
SO THIS IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY.
UM, THIS WOULD ESSENTIALLY CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH MOVING MAJOR UTILITY TO CONDITIONAL USE.
UM, REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE, UH, FIRE STATION AND THEN HAVING THE RIGHT OF WAY 60 FEET FROM THE CENTER LINE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HANDS OR YOUR GREEN ITEMS, ALL THOSE AGAINST AND THERE'S NO ABSTENTION.
SO THAT MOTION PASSES WITH, WITH COMMISSIONER LAN, UH, VOTING AGAINST VICE CHAIR WOODS COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, COMMISSIONER
[01:30:01]
POWELL, COMMISSIONER HANEY, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON CHAIR, OUR UM, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, COMMISSIONER HILLER, AND COMMISSIONER M WITH VOTING IN FAVOR.THANK YOU ALL THAT, THAT WRAPS UP THAT ITEM AND
[13. Rezoning: C14-2025-0003 - 6th and Walsh; District 9]
THAT MOVES US TO ITEM NUMBER 13 AND THEN WHILE WE HAVE STAFF SITTING DOWN, I'LL JUST MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.DOES THIS WORK BETTER? THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX AND WALSH.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
AS SOON AS WE HAVE STAFF MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THIS ITEM.
MS. HURI, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
AND CHAIR, THAT WAS UH, ITEM 13, RIGHT? ITEM NUMBER 13, YES.
GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER CYNTHIA HORI WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS ITEM 13 ON YOUR AGENDA.
KC 14, 20 25 0 0 0 3 6 AND WALSH.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON 11 35, 11 37, 11 39, 11 41, AND 1143 WEST SIXTH STREET AND 5 0 3, 5 0 5, 5 0 7 5 0 9 AND FIVE 11 WALL STREET.
THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS APPROXIMATELY 1.19 ACRES IS DEVELOPED WITH MULTIPLE OFFICE BUILDINGS AND HAS ACCESS TO BOTH WEST SIXTH STREET AND WALL STREET.
THE SITE IS CURRENTLY ZONED CSM U AND CSM U COMBINING ZONING DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING LI PDA AND P TO DEVELOP APPROXIMATELY 297 RESIDENTIAL UNITS WITH APPROXIMATELY 21,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL SPACE.
A SITE PLAN FOR THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ITS CASE NUMBER SP 2 2 4 0 4 2 8 C.
STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE AMENDED REQUEST OF L-I-P-D-A-N-P AS IT WOULD SET A PRECEDENT FOR INDUSTRIAL BASED DISTRICT ZONING ALONG THE WEST SIXTH STREET CORRIDOR.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL MIXED USE PROJECT AND IS NOT INDUSTRIAL IN NATURE.
EXISTING LI PDA ZONE PROPERTIES IN THE AREA ARE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE SOUTH, ALONG ALONG AND SOUTH OF WEST FIFTH STREET.
AND WERE ZONED LI HISTORICALLY DUE TO PROXIMITY TO THE RAILROAD.
THE PREVIOUS CS TO L-I-P-D-A REQUEST IN THIS AREA WAS FOR A MAXIMUM OF 90 FEET AND RECEIVE STAFF SUPPORT AS IT WAS SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE CREATION OF THE CURRENT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WOULD RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 60 FEET IN HEIGHT WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED BY A ZONING ORDINANCE OR MONITORED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE INITIAL REQUEST OF DB 90 WITH A 90 FOOT HEIGHT ACROSS THE SITE WOULD PERMIT A SIMILAR SIZE DEVELOPMENT AS THE LI PDA NP THAT IS REQUESTED WITH THE TIERED HEIGHT LIMITS.
STAFF ORIGINALLY SUPPORTED THE REQUEST OF C-S-M-U-V-C DB 90 NP, BUT IS NOT RECOMMENDING THE AMENDED REQUEST OF L-I-P-D-N-P AS IT WOULD GRANT ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS WITHOUT CITY MONITORED COMMUNITY BENEFITS SUCH AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, MS. GARCIA, YOU'LL WALK US THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL FIRST BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT TYLER GROOMS TYLER WILL BE RECEIVING THREE MINUTES OF DONATED TIME FROM OLIVIA SCH FRANCE.
OLIVIA, ARE YOU PRESENT? TYLER, YOU'LL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES.
UM, SO THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU GUYS ARE SEEING OUR PROJECT IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT, THIS IS SIXTH AND WALSH.
UM, I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH A SLIDE DECK WITH YOU REAL QUICK, BUT WHAT THIS PROJECT IS RIGHT HERE IS, AS WAS MENTIONED, A MIXED USE, MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL PROJECT WITH GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
I THINK WHAT WE STARTED WITH HERE WAS A SPLIT ZONING AND WE WERE TRYING TO UNIFORM OR MAKE UNIFORM THE ZONING WITH, UH, ORIGINALLY VM U2.
SINCE VM U2 WAS REPEALED, WE WERE THEN GONNA GO BACK FOR DB 90 WHEN WE WERE GONNA GO SUBMIT FOR DB 90.
WE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED OUR ORIGINAL APPLICATION IN DECEMBER.
WE CALLED UH, AWANA TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE WERE SUBMITTING THAT APPLICATION, WE'RE NOT DOING IT WITHOUT THEIR INPUT.
AND SO WHEN WE WENT TO SIT DOWN WITH ANA, WE, WE WALKED THROUGH WAS KIND OF SOME CASES.
NOW THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED ARCHITECTURAL GEM, BUT THIS IS TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT THE CORNER WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE LOOKING DOWN WALSH ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AND WE'RE LOOKING DOWN SIXTH STREET TOWARDS DOWNTOWN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
BUT THIS IS A 60 FOOT MASSING.
THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO KIND OF BY RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE ALL REALIZED VERY QUICKLY IS NOBODY WANTS THIS, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT GREAT TO LOOK
[01:35:01]
AT, BUT BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAS NO DENSITY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.BUT IT ALSO IS NOT VERY CREATIVE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH RELIEF THERE IS.
UM, AS WE STARTED TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE SAID, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT A 90 FOOT MASSING WOULD LOOK LIKE, LIKE IT WOULD BE UNDER DB 90.
UM, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WAS, WELL WE HAVE AN HISTORIC ZONING OR AN HISTORIC DISTRICT TO THE NORTH OF US, WHICH WOULD BE KIND OF WHERE YOU'RE SITTING LOOKING AT THIS PICTURE, UM, AND HOW CAN WE REACT TO THAT? AND SO THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, WHAT WE STARTED TO REALIZE WAS THAT THIS SITS IN THIS KIND OF TRANSITION ZONE WHERE WE'RE BETWEEN FIFTH AND SIXTH STREETS AND ON THE NORTH OF US WE HAVE THE RESIDENTIAL AREA THAT'S VERY LOW RISE, BUT TO THE SOUTH OF US WE HAVE THE MIXED USE ZONE, WHICH HAS LOTS OF PRECEDENT NOW OF 120 FEET IN HEIGHT.
UM, AS WE STARTED TO WORK ON THAT, WE STARTED TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON WHAT WE COULD ACTUALLY DO ON THIS SITE THAT WOULD RESPECT BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HISTORIC DISTRICT ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THIS IMAGE, WHICH IS THE NORTH AS WELL AS REALIZE THIS IS A DENSIFYING AREA ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE IMAGE.
SORRY, SOME OF YOU DON'T HAVE GREAT VIEWS.
UM, IN DOING THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WAS TRYING TO BE ABLE TO REACT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH AND KEEP THE HEIGHT DOWN TO 60 FEET ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
WHEN WE WERE WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE POINTED OUT THIS IS A LOSS OF DENSITY IN THIS AREA AND THEY'RE VERY QUICK TO SUGGEST, WELL WHY CAN'T YOU ADD THAT ON THE BACKHAND SIDE OF THE SITE CLOSER TO THE 120 FOOT HEIGHT OF THE OTHER ZONINGS THAT WE'VE DONE RECENTLY.
AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF A NEIGHBORHOOD SUGGESTION, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY CREATIVE FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD TO THINK THAT WAY.
AND SO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS, WE ALL, YOU KNOW, GOT EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS IS ONE OF THE PRES, UH, PRESENTED IDEAS WAS, WELL HEY DEVELOPER, CAN YOU GUYS DO LARGER SIDEWALKS? AND WE SAID YOU LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE GREAT STREETS.
AND THEY SAID EXACTLY LIKE GREAT STREETS AND WE SAID, YES, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE PART OF THIS PROJECT IS IT NEEDS TO BE ACTIVATED ON A PEDESTRIAN SCALE.
AND SO HAVING GREAT STREET SETBACKS IS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN WHATEVER WOULD BE REQUIRED UNDER A BASE ZONING LIKE CS RIGHT NOW.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I THINK THAT THERE IS CONCERN THAT THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO THEM, WE SAID, WHY DON'T WE TRY AND MIMIC WHAT WE HAVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CODE AND WE'LL SUGGEST THAT WE CAN DO 10% OF UNITS AT 60% AT 50% A MI OR 12% AT 60%.
AND THAT WAS TAKEN UP AS WE GOT INTO IT, WE STARTED TO DISCUSS, WELL HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS ENFORCED? AND WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SUGGESTION WAS LET'S PUT IT INTO A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
AND AS YOU'LL HEAR, WE AGREE WITH THIS WHEN WE GO THROUGH TO GET FINANCING FOR THE PROJECT, WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE ZONING OF THE PROJECTS AND FROM THE CITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO ABIDE BY ANY PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS WITH OUR BANKS OR OUR EQUITY INVESTORS.
AND SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE KIND OF FELT LIKE WE HAD THIS GREAT PROJECT WHERE WE SAID, OKAY, WE'VE GOT THIS RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IDEA, WE'VE GOT THIS HEIGHT SETBACK, WHICH KIND OF REPRESENTS THE KIND OF TRANSITION AREA OF THIS PROJECT.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS THE ZONING AND WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD CHOICE FOR THE ZONING RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUGGESTION WHAT WE SAID IS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HERE? AND THEY SAID THE PRECEDENT HAS BEEN L-I-P-D-A.
AND SO WE HAVE HAD, THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WORKING THROUGH L-I-P-D-A REZONINGS IN THIS AREA.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANTED TO KIND OF STOP ON A SECTION HERE THAT KIND OF SHOWS WHAT THE TRANSITION LOOKS LIKE.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE NORTH OF THE PROJECT THAT'S TOWARDS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE LOWER DENSITY AREA, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS THE 120 FOOT, UH, 1209 WEST FIFTH STREET THAT WAS JUST REZONED I THINK IN DECEMBER.
UM, AND SO WE THINK THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF IN OUR SECTION FITS PRETTY WELL AS A TRANSITION THROUGH THIS AREA.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT AGAIN, WAS WAIT A MINUTE, L-I-P-D-A, THAT'S LIGHT, YOU KNOW, LIMITED INDUSTRIAL, IS THAT APPROPRIATE FOR THE AREA? AND WHEN WE PULLED UP THE MAP AND WE ACTUALLY FOUND THE CASES, A LARGE CHUNK OF THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY ALREADY ZONED LI AND ON TOP OF THAT WE FOUND THREE CASES FOR CS TWO L-I-P-D-A ZONING, UM, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WAS MENTIONED THAT IS NORTH OF FIFTH STREET.
AND SO WE'RE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THAT PROJECT AS WELL.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT OURS IS WE WOULD HAVE THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ACTUALLY HOLDING HEIGHTS DOWN ON SIXTH STREET THAT NONE OF THE OTHER LI PDAS HAVE.
SO WITH THAT I JUST WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GO THROUGH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS PROJECT IS HAVE A PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED GROUND FLOOR FOCUSED EXPERIENCE.
NEXT WE'RE PROPOSING AFFORDABILITY LEVELS OF 10 AT 50% A MI OR 12 AT 60.
AND WE WOULD DO THAT THROUGH RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITH A THIRD PARTY ABLE TO COME IN AND AUDIT US.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, NOT FINALLY,
[01:40:01]
UH, NEXT WE DO SETBACKS.UM, WE WOULD HAVE A 64 FOOT HEIGHT.
THIS IS A RESULT OF BASICALLY SOME TOPOGRAPHY ON THE SITE THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN HOW THE CITY WOULD CALCULATE IT, BUT IS EFFECTIVELY 64 FEET HEIGHT FOR THE FIRST 60 FEET SOUTH OF SIXTH STREET, 92 FEET FOR THE FURTHER OR FOR THE NEXT 30 FEET, AND THEN 120 FEET FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SITE.
OUR TARGET GOAL WOULD BE TO HIT 18 FEET OF A SIDEWALK EXPERIENCE, WHICH WOULD MIMIC GREAT STREETS.
WE'RE GONNA TRY AND ACHIEVE GREATER THAN THAT, UM, DESIGN STANDARDS.
WE DO A GB, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE STAR RATING AND THEN BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF LIMITED USES ON SITE, INCLUDING PROHIBITING SHORT TERM RENTALS AND OTHER NON NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY USES HERE.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAD ON THIS, BUT I THINK FOR US WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THAT WE STARTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROCESS.
I THINK WE GOT TO A GREAT PROJECT OUT OF IT AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE PRECEDENT OF OTHER PROJECTS IN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE RESPECTING WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS TO SEE IN A PROJECT LIKE THIS TO INTEGRATE DENSITY IN AN APPROPRIATE FASHION IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHEILA LEON.
SHEILA, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING OR GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION KNOWN AS ANA.
WE ARE HERE TO VOICE OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE REZONING REQUEST AT WEST SIXTH AND WALL STREETS TO L-I-P-D-A.
WHILE ANA IS TYPICALLY VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN IT COMES TO L-I-P-D-A ZONING, ESPECIALLY WHEN PAIRED WITH A CS BASE.
IN FACT, IT'S THE RESULT OF OVER SEVEN MONTHS OF COLLABORATIVE WORK BETWEEN ANA MANIFOLD AND THE GRIFFITH FAMILY.
THAT COLLABORATION LED TO A DETAILED, RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, UH, ONE THAT ENSURES THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPATIBLE WITH OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD AND DELIVER REAL LASTING COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
LET ME HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE KEY CONCERN, KEY FEATURES.
FIRST, THE BUILDING HEIGHT HAS BEEN SCALED CAREFULLY TO RESPECT HISTORIC CONTEXT.
IT STARTS AT 60 FEET, 64 FEET ALONG WEST SIXTH STREET, SETS UP TO 92 FEET AND THEN REACHES ONE 20 FEET CLOSER TO WEST FIFTH, PROVIDING A THOUGHTFUL TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE HEARTH AND CASTLE HILL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
NEXT, THE PLAN OFFERS EXCEPTIONAL PEDESTRIAN AND PUBLIC REALM ENHANCEMENT INCLUDES 18 FOOT SIDEWALK ZONES ALONG BOTH SIX WEST SIXTH AND WALL STREET.
75% ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USES TO SUPPORT A BY LANDSCAPE AND BELOW GRADE PARKING TO REDUCE VISUAL CLUTTER AND SURFACE ACTIVITY.
IT ALSO GO FURTHER, FURTHER WITH DV 90 AFFORDABILITY, 10% OF THE UNITS AT 50% MFI OR 12% AT 60% MFI ON SITE, WHICH IS NOT AS UNHEARD OF IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH 30 PARTY AUDITS IN A MINIMUM 40, UH, YEAR AFFORDABILITY TERM.
THE PROJECT ALSO INCORPORATES A BAN ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS, GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION, BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN STANDARDS, AND A $25,000 COMMUNITY BENEFIT, WHICH MAY FUND A PUBLIC ART OR NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT.
AND IMPORTANTLY, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ENSURES ACCOUNTABILITY.
ANA HAS A RIGHT TO REVIEW PERMITS 10 DAYS BEFORE CONSTRUCTION AND ANNUAL AUDITS WILL HELP KEEP THE PROJECT COMPLIANT OVER TIME.
WE BELIEVE THIS PROPOSAL REFLECTS CAREFUL URBAN PLANNING AND DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A REAL RESPECT FOR WHAT MAKES OLD WEST AUSTIN SPECIAL.
IT'S NOT JUST A GOOD PROJECT, IT'S THE RIGHT PROJECT FOR THIS SITE.
SO WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT TO ASK THAT THIS REZONING BE APPROVED SO THAT IT CAN MOVE FORWARD TOWARD A MARCH, 2026 GROUNDBREAKING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAUREEN MAIER.
MAUREEN, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF OLD WEST AUSTIN AND A MEMBER OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, THE PROJECT AT SIX AND WALSH AND THE REQUEST FOR L-I-P-D-A ZONING.
UM, UH, NOT TO REITERATE EVERYTHING THAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED, BUT UH, ANA DOES HAVE A, A HISTORY OVER THE LAST, UM, SEVERAL YEARS OF WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UM, SIX AND BLANCO, WHICH IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION FIFTH AND WALSCH, WHICH WAS RE REZONED A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN ANOTHER OF OTHER PROJECTS, ASIL LAMAR, UM, AND THINGS UP AND DOWN FIFTH STREET, BUT MET ABOUT A DECADE AGO, IANA UM, DEVELOPED WHAT WE CALLED THE FIFTH STREET VISION PLAN, WHICH
[01:45:01]
WAS, UM, AUTHORED BY A GROUP AT THE ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL AT UT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DEAN ALMI.AND THAT VISION PLAN TALKED ABOUT WHAT FIFTH STREET SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
IT IS LARGELY INDUSTRIAL RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU GOOGLE IT, YOU CAN FIND IT.
I DON'T HAVE COPIES OF IT FOR YOU, BUT I PROMISE IT'S ON THE INTERNET.
UM, AND WHAT IT TALKS ABOUT IS, IS REPLACING THAT INDUSTRIAL AREA AROUND THE RAILROADS WITH WALKABLE RESIDENTIAL, UM, PROPERTIES THAT CONNECT NOT ONLY TO THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, BUT THEN ALSO TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO PROVIDE A BETTER, UM, PEDESTRIAN OPTION FOR BUSY FIFTH AND SIXTH STREETS.
AND PART OF THAT IS, IS PLACING THAT HEIGHT AND PLACING THAT DENSITY, UM, AND, AND MAKING IT COMPATIBLE JUST AS MR. GROOMS DESCRIBED, TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND PUTTING THAT DENSITY CLOSER TO THE RIVER, CLOSER TO FIFTH STREET SO THAT THERE IS, UM, SOME MOVEMENT IN THAT YOU CAN RECLAIM A LOT OF THAT AREA AND, AND PRESERVE WHAT IS HISTORIC AND WHAT IS GREAT AND WHAT IS WALKABLE ABOUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND L-I-P-D-A IN THIS SITUATION HELPS US GET THERE.
IT'S BEING USED IN A VERY COLLABORATIVE, UH, IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY.
IT GAVE, IT GAVE PLENTY OF STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
UM, WE WORKED AROUND THE ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT THE DEVELOPER IS FACING.
IT'S ACHIEVING SYMPATHETIC DESIGN NEXT TO A HISTORIC AREA.
IT CAN BE A MODEL FOR HOW THIS GETS DONE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
UM, AND IT PROVIDES SOME REASONABLE COMPATIBILITY AND, AND STEPPING AWAY HEIGHTS SO THAT PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE NOT OVERWHELMED AND LIMITING THAT DISPLACEMENT FACTOR WHEN A GIANT, YOU KNOW, REALLY NICE DEVELOPMENT GOES IN AND, AND EVERYBODY'S PROPERTY TAXES GOES UP, THAT THAT IS ALSO, UM, AN ISSUE AND A CONCERN.
UM, AND AS STATED BEFORE, THERE'S ALREADY A PATCHWORK OF THIS ZONING THAT EXISTS ALL OVER THAT AREA.
I THINK, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD PROJECT LIKE THIS AND THERE IS AGREEMENT, IT IT IS, IT WOULD BE A, A WONDERFUL MOVEMENT AND A MODEL GOING FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE CITY TO, TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND, AND GET DENSITY, WALKABILITY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PROMOTING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEVE AMMOS.
STEVE WILL BE RECEIVING TWO MINUTES OF DONATED TIME FROM MIKE BANGERT.
MIKE, ARE YOU PRESENT? SO THAT MEANS I HAVE HOW MANY MINUTES? YOU'LL HAVE? FOUR MINUTES.
I'M STEVE AMMOS, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL FOR ME TO BE HERE TO LEARN, UH, THE QUESTIONS AND YOUR DILIGENCE AND THAT YOU LOVE THIS CITY AS MUCH AS WE DO AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR WALKABILITY AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE JUST SO VITAL.
UM, AND AS THE CHAIR OF THE OTTAWA SAUCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, I'M SPEAKING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER THE AFFORDABILITY CONDITIONS OUTLINED IN DB 90 ARE BEING PROPERLY ENFORCED IN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ANA AND THE APPLICANT.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S BEEN REFERENCED OF SIMILAR CONCERNS.
ACTUALLY, UH, WERE NOT RAISED FOR REZONING OF 1209 WEST FIFTH STREET, WHICH WAS APPROVED FOR IPDA ZONING JUST THIS PAST DECEMBER, JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS PROJECT.
IN THAT CASE, AFFORDABILITY WAS ADDRESSED THROUGH A THIRD PARTY RESTRICTED COVENANT WITH HOME BASE.
NO ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT MECHANISMS WERE REQUIRED BY THE CITY AND THE REZONING WAS APPROVED WITH BROAD SUPPORT.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT TO DATE, 1209 WEST FIFTH STREET HAS NO CONCRETE PLANS TO BUILD MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING, LET ALONE HAVE ON SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT THESE PROPERTIES ARE BEING REZONED, BUT THE PROJECTS AREN'T MOVING FORWARD 'CAUSE WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE HOUSING IN OUR AREA.
LET'S CONTRAST THAT TO WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED NOW FOR SIX, SIXTH AND WASH.
IT'S A SHOVEL READY FOR RENT, MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
IT HAS DEEP ONSITE AFFORDABILITY, COMPAT COMPATIBILITY, FOCUS, HEIGHT TRANSITIONS, WHICH ARE REALLY COOL AND WIDE SIDEWALK ZONES, WHICH WE REALLY NEED FOR THAT WHOLE.
IMAGINE THAT BEING NOW THE MODEL FOR THE REST OF SIXTH STREET AND FIFTH ALL ARE BEING FORMALIZED THROUGH A
[01:50:01]
RESTRICTED COVERING WITH AANA AFTER NOT THREE, NOT FIVE, SEVEN MONTHS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.AND IF YOU WONDER IF WE'LL BE ON, WE'LL BE
THE DEVELOPER MANIFOLD IS COMMITTED TO BREAKING GROUND BY MARCH OF 2026 IF THIS REZONING PROCESS PROCEEDS AS SCHEDULED AND REQUESTED.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF HOUSING PROJECT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WANTS.
IT'S AFFORDABLE, IT'S WALKABLE, IT'S WELL DESIGNED AND IT'S READY TO DELIVER UNITS.
WE RESPECTIVELY REQUEST YOU SUPPORT REZONING OF SIX AND WASH TO L-I-P-D-A SO THAT THIS COMMUNITY BACKED AND PACKED PROJECT CAN MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MILA SANTANA.
MILA, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
SHE WAIVES HER RIGHT TO SPEAK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN NERT.
JOHN, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF AWA SAA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ANA, TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR ITEM 13, THE REZONING OF SIX AND WALSH.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT CITY STAFF IS OFTEN CAUTIOUS ABOUT L-I-P-D-A ZONING DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR MISUSE.
THE PROPOSAL MEETS AND IN MANY WAYS EXCEEDS THE CITY GOALS FOR DEVELOPMENTS SEEKING ADDITIONAL HEIGHT.
IT PROVIDES FOR RENT RESIDENTIAL UNITS WITH DEEP ONSITE AFFORDABILITY.
IT INCLUDES 75% GROUND FLOOR ACTIVE USES AND GENEROUS 18 FOOT SIDEWALK AND LANDSCAPE ZONES.
IT INCORPORATES A DESIGN THAT TRANSITIONS SENSITIVITY TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING TWO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING L-I-P-D-A ZONING IS ALREADY IN PLACE DIRECTLY ACROSS WEST FIFTH STREET, MAKING THIS REQUEST CONTEXTUALLY APPROPRIATE AND ALIGNED WITH EXISTING ENTITLEMENTS.
REALITY IS THE CITY CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE A ZONING CATEGORY THAT PERFECTLY FITS THIS KIND OF CAREFULLY TAILORED COMMUNITY SUPPORTED PROJECT.
THE UNIQUE CONDITIONS OF THE SITE PAIRED WITH THE BUILDING BINDING COMMITMENT SECURED THROUGH A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITH OHANA CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO REPLICATE EVERYWHERE OR ANYWHERE.
WE RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS REZONING REQUEST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
UM, AND YEAH, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SPEAKING AGAIN, SO WE DO NOT HAVE A REBUTTAL.
AND I'M GONNA ASSUME MR. GROOMS THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO MAKE REBUTTAL.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COMMISSIONER UM, MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THIS, THIS TAKES US TO, UM, OUR ROUND DROPPING.
AGAIN, THIS IS EIGHT COMMISSIONERS AT FIVE MINUTE EACH.
UM, STAFF, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH YOUR NOT AGREEING WITH THE, THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTED ZONING AND WALK US THROUGH THE ZONING YOU'RE WISHING TO HAVE AND WHY.
I'M SORRY I MISSED THE LAST PART.
SO YOU'RE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE STAFF OR WITH THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTED ZONING.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHY THAT IS AND, AND WHAT THE ZONING IS YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING AND WHY? UM, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'RE JUST RECOMMENDING DEMI DENIAL OF THE L-I-P-D-A.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE, UM, GONE FORWARD WITH AS FAR AS THE STAFF REPORT GOES.
UM, SORRY, I'M JUST PULLING UP A COUPLE OF REASONINGS FOR YOU THAT YOU CAN FIND IN YOUR BACKUP AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IS LI IS NOT, UM, THE ZONING CATEGORY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON, UH, ALONG WEST SIXTH.
AND IF YOU WOULD, LEMME JUMP IN ON THAT ONE.
SO UNDERSTANDING WE DON'T WANT INDUSTRIAL THERE, BUT OF COURSE OUR CODE IS PRETTY BAD
SO WHICH ZONING WOULD YOU PREFER THEY HAVE GONE AFTER TO ACHIEVE THIS BUILDING AND THIS MASS AND THIS HEIGHTEN? UM, THERE WAS, WE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CODE IS, WE ALL AS STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT THE CODE IS NOT PERFECT AND THAT IT'S HARD TO WORK AROUND THIS, ESPECIALLY FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER CATEGORY THAT WAS A THOUGHT AND IT WAS A PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION, IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT STAFF FINALIZED WAS DMU, UM, AS A BASE DONNING.
BUT WE DO NOT, WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
WE CHOSE TO JUST, UH, CHOOSE TO DENY THE L-I-P-D-A OVER RECOMMENDING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
[01:55:01]
THANK YOU FOR THAT.AND, AND I SEE YOUR COLLEAGUE RIGHT HERE, BUT NEXT I'M GONNA, I'D LOVE TO TALK TO SOMEONE AT OH ONE AS FAR AS, UH, AFTER YOU SPEAK, I'D LOVE TO ASK YOU NEXT WHY NOT THE, THAT ZONE GATHER.
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND ERIC THOMAS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
JUST TO ADD BRIEFLY ON TOP OF WHAT SOMETHING JUST SAID IS, IS AS SHE MENTIONED EARLIER IN HER FIRST REMARKS, IS THAT WE DID, UM, AGREE OR WITH RECOMMENDING THE INITIAL REQUEST OF CSM U'S CO DB 90 NP, WHICH WOULD'VE GRANTED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME VOLUME OR LEVEL OF ENTITLEMENTS AND IT WOULD'VE INCLUDED, UM, IN EXCHANGE THE PROVISION OF CITY MONITOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO, BUT THAT WAS CAPPED AT 90 AND THEY WANTED TO STEP IT AWAY.
AND SO, SO WE ACTUALLY COULDN'T DO THAT WITH THAT, WITH THE NEW REQUEST.
THERE, THERE ARE THE TIERS RIGHT FROM 60 UP TO ONE 20.
SO I CAN'T SAY IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME VOLUME, BUT GENERALLY DB 90 WOULD'VE GRANTED.
AND THE RENDERING SHOWS THAT IT, IT'S NOT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILDING
SO ACTUALLY I'LL HAVE YOU QUICK QUESTION.
SO WHY THIS BODY INITIATED TOWN ZONING, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY PERFECT RIGHT HERE? JUST CURIOUS.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE TOWN ZONING.
JUST CURIOUS WHY I WOULD NEED TO DEFER THAT QUESTION TO OUR CODE AMENDMENTS TEAM.
AND THEN I'D LOVE TO JUST HEAR FROM YOU AS FAR AS LIKE THERE'S THAT OTHER ZONING CATEGORY THAT STAFF FELT MIGHT WORK.
IS THERE A REASON WHY, SORRY FOR ME BEING BRIEF, I ONLY FIVE MINUTES.
UM, IS THERE A REASON WHY THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S PREFERRING NOT TO HAVE THE DMU ZONING AT THIS LOCATION? YES.
UM, ARGUMENT AGAINST DMU ZONING AT SIX IN THE WALSH NUMBER 1D MU IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH ANA'S CHARACTER AND ZONING.
ANA IS A HISTORIC PREDOMINANTLY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NO DMU ZONING WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES.
DMU ALLOWS DENSE HIGH INTENSITY USES THAT ARE CONSISTENT.
UH, WITH OUR ES UH, THERE ARE INCONSISTENT WITH OUR ESTABLISHED DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
NUMBER TWO, THE SITE IS NOT ON THE CBD PERIPHERY, IT'S EMBEDDED IN ANA.
THE SITE IS LOCATED NEAR THE CENTER OF WANA AND DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF OUR HISTORICAL HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
THIS IS NOT A TRANSITION ZONE, IT IS A SENSITIVE INTERIOR NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATION WITH WHERE DMU WOULD INTRODUCE SCALE AND INTENSITY.
INTENSITY ENTIRELY OUT OF CHARACTER.
AND, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS FOR THAT, UM, CBD, BECAUSE IT'S DEFINED AS, UM, CBD IS DEFINED OR DOWNTOWN MIXED USE IS DEFINED AS BEING ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ZONING.
THE FIRST, UM, THE CLOSEST ZONING CBD ZONING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS EAST OF SHOAL CREEK.
I'M NOT DONE YET WITH MY OTHER POINTS AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE MORE IF YOU WOULD JUST LET ME JUMP IN WITH ONE MORE.
SO IF, IF THIS WAS TO GO TO LI AND LIKE YOU SAID THERE'S OTHER ALLY IN THE AREA, IF THE CITY FINALLY GETS TO REZONING OUR CITY AND GETS BETTER ZONING CATEGORIES AND WORKED WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY LATER ON TO RENAME THESE ALLIES AS SOMETHING THAT FITS BETTER WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? WELL, YES.
WE, WE DON'T, WE, AGAIN, THE ONLY REASON WE PICKED THE ALLY 'CAUSE EVEN WHEN WE GO TO ALLY BASED ZONING, YEAH, WE'RE STILL WANNA WANNA KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SOMEONE ANYBODY WANTS TO COMMIT TO.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT SOMEBODY COMING IN AND SAY THEY'RE GONNA DO ONE THING AND THEN THE OTHER.
WE WANT, WE WANT, WE COULDN'T FIND A CATEGORY THAT FITS, BUT WE ALSO DO NOT THINK DMU FITS AS WELL.
IT'S ALREADY IN OUR DATA ZONING TOOLBOX.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER MAC? OH, SORRY COMMISSIONER, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP, I DIDN'T SEE.
UH, MY QUESTION FOR STAFF IS, UM, SO YOU HAD, YOU SAID YOU HAD LOOKED AT DMU, UM, BUT YOU DECIDED, UH, YOUR RECOMMENDATION HERE WAS TO DENY THE REQUEST VERSUS, UH, RECOMMEND DMU INSTEAD HERE.
WHY IF YOU HAD LOOKED AT THAT BEFORE AND THAT COULD SOLVE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROBLEM AT HAND AND THE NEEDS OF THE, UH, THE PROJECT, WHY DID YOU DECIDE NOT THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE, UH, SOMETHING YOU'D RECOMMEND HERE? YES, SO WE DID CONSIDER D-M-U-V-C-O-P AS A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION.
SO DMU WOULD PROVIDE 120 FEET OF HEIGHT THE ALONG WITH A FIVE TO ONE FAR LIMIT.
SO THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE HEIGHT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED WITH L-I-P-D-A.
UM, THE FAR IS NOT UNLIMITED LIKE IT IS IN THE L-I-P-D-A REQUEST, BUT THE V WOULD PROVIDE UNLIMITED FAR THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO THERE WOULD BE CITY MONITORED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE CEO WOULD LIMIT USES AND COULD PROVIDE THE TIERED SETBACKS.
AND THEN NPS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, THE ISSUES WE RAN INTO, UM, OUR, THERE'S A, THERE'S THE NEW STATE LAW SB EIGHT 40.
[02:00:01]
IT'S, IT'S STILL BEING INTERPRETED BY OUR LAW DEPARTMENT.UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE A, A FULL GRASP OF HOW IT AFFECTS OUR CODE, BUT SB EIGHT 40 DOES PERMIT UNLIMITED FAR WITHOUT THE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THE V WOULD NOT BE, UM, USED ANYMORE.
THERE'D BE NO REASON TO USE THE V WE WOULDN'T GET THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO WE DIDN'T SEE A REASON TO HAVE AN ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION WHEN IT, IT'S ALLOWING THE ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS WITHOUT THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CONCERNS ABOUT DMU SETTING A NEW PRECEDENT ACROSS LAMAR.
SO WE'VE NEVER RECOMMENDED DMU ON THE WEST SIDE OF LAMAR.
UM, WE WANNA BE COGNIZANT OF WHERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING IT.
UM, SO WITH, WITH SB EIGHT 40, SORT OF MAKING THE VERTICAL MIXED USE BUILDING PROGRAM OBSOLETE, UM, AND THEN CREATING A OPPRESSIVE DMU IN THAT AREA WHEN WE KNOW, UH, THERE WAS THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT WAS APPROVED ON JUNE 5TH DIRECTING STAFF TO CREATE A VARIETY OF NEW DENSITY BONUS PRO OR TIERS.
SO WE KNOW THAT IN THE FUTURE, AND WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE, BUT IN THE FUTURE WE COULD HAVE NEW TOOLS THAT DO FIT THIS EXACT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
WE DIDN'T WANNA SET A PRECEDENT FOR DMU, UM, WHEN IT MIGHT NOT BE APPLICABLE SOON ANYWAY.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO EXISTING ZONING CATEGORY THAT YOU COULD THINK OF THAT, UH, THAT MAY BE OUT THERE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT TO REACH 120 FEET BUT ALSO HAVE THE AFFORDABILITY AFFORDABLE UNIT REQUIREMENT THAT YOU'RE SEEKING.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, COMMISSIONER HEATHER, DID YOU HAVE A OKAY, UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
OKAY, SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR SNAP.
SO FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO CLARIFY, AT ONE POINT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DV 90 AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE REQUIREMENTS AROUND CHAPTER FOUR 18.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE LOST IF WE WENT WITH L-I-P-D-A, IS THAT CORRECT? THE CHAPTER FOUR 18 DOES NOT APPLY TO A PDA PROJECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, ALSO JUST A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THESE CASES.
DO IDAS USUALLY ALLOW NEIGHBORHOODS TO MONITOR CITY AFFORDABLE PROJECTS OR, UH, HOUSEHOLD, HOW IS THAT USUALLY MANAGED? IS IT SOMETHING YOU ALL RECOMMEND? GO AHEAD.
THAT WOULD BE ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT FROM THE CITY.
SO IT WOULD BE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR THAT AGREEMENT.
IT, IT MAY BE SOMETHING THEY CAN ENFORCE PRIVATELY, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE CITY WOULD BE A PARTY TO IN ANY WAY.
AND I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU POINTED OUT IS THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU GENERALLY ARE, THAT'S ONE OF YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT RECOMMENDING THE LIPA.
IT'S A LACK OF CITY OVERSIGHT OF THIS, OF THE AFFORDABILITY IN, IN THIS PROJECT.
AND THEN A RELATED QUESTION, HAVE YOU ALL, I MEAN, JUST GENERALLY MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF YOU DO A SORT OF PRIVATE COMPANY, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND NECESSARILY WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE UNITS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN'T BE COUNTED IN OUR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY GOALS.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHO'S MONITORING OR HOW THAT'S BEING MANAGED.
AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD, WE TALKED ABOUT L-I-P-D-A-A LOT IN THIS COMMISSION LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT IT INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT REQUIREMENTS, BUT THAT DIDN'T QUITE COME THROUGH COUNCIL, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, YES.
SO WE WOULD'VE HAD A BETTER L-I-P-D-A TOOL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT TOOL RIGHT NOW.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT L-I-L-I-P-D-A WAS BEING USED AT THAT TIME AND MAYBE MISUSED AT THAT TIME.
IS THAT ALSO PART OF THE CONCERN THAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT? YES.
I THINK THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? UM, SORRY.
COMMISSIONER HANEY, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, SO I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE DEVELOPER, AND MAYBE THIS WILL ALSO BLEED OVER INTO STAFF, BUT IF WE DENY THIS TONIGHT, UM, Y'ALL HAVE A SHOVEL READY DATE OF MARCH, 2020 SIXTH.
UM, SO IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH L-I-P-D-A, UM, AND WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO US BY STAFF, UH, WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS PROJECT IS, IS IT ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AT ANY POINT? DOES IT, DOES IT WORK OUT WITH A DB 90? DO WE JUST WAIT UNTIL WE GET A BETTER, UH, MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME IN THE 2090S? UM, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS? I I, I THINK THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS THE PROJECT YOU'VE SEEN AND THE PROJECT WE'VE WORKED ON WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT EXIST.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T DO THAT UNDER TB 90.
AND AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO GET TO THIS POINT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR SEVEN MONTHS.
UM, AND HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL PROPERTY VALUE DO WE ANTICIPATE WE WOULD GET ON THE TAX ROLL, UM, UH,
[02:05:01]
TO FUND CITY SERVICES IF WE DO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT? ARE YOU COMPARING THAT TO A BASE CASE OF WHAT WE HAVE TODAY? YEAH.WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, BECAUSE I, I THINK THE, THE, THE CHOICE HERE IS DO WE DO THIS OR NOT? RIGHT? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'VE GOT AN ALTERNATIVE.
MY BEST ESTIMATE, AND THIS IS YOU ASKING ME IN FIVE SECONDS OF ANALYSIS YEAH.
IS THIS IS PROBABLY AN 80 TO A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TAX BASIS FROM PROPERTY TAX PERSPECTIVE.
AND, AND SINCE WE HAVE REVENUE CAPS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR WAYS TO GET MORE REVENUE FOR CITY SERVICES, WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH REVENUE FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, THAT WOULD BE, UM, MAYBE A DESIRABLE OUTCOME FOR, FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF AUSTIN AND NOT JUST OANA AND, UH, AND EVERYONE AROUND WAS WOULD EXPECT.
UM, AND I GUESS MAYBE, I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER HANEY, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. GROOMS, IF I CAN, YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO I MIGHT ASK YOU TO STATE, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM IN OUR BACKUP, WE HAVE A LETTER FROM YOU TO, UM, UH, DIRECTOR MIDDLETON BRAT.
AND ON THE SECOND PAGE THERE'S, OR THIRD PAGE, SORRY, THERE'S A LIST OF THE PROHIBITED USES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IN TERMS OF THE CO, THAT IS WHAT YOU ALL HAVE AGREED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU'RE FINE WITH NOT HAVING, YOU'RE FINE WITH HAVING THOSE USES PROHIBITED.
AND TO BE SURE SOME OF THOSE ARE INDUSTRIAL USES LIKE YOU'VE MENTIONED, BUT SOME OF 'EM ARE ADDITIONAL USES THAT MIGHT BE GENERALLY PERCEIVED AS COMMERCIAL USES THAT WE'VE ADDITIONALLY RESTRICTED THE SITE FOR.
AND MS. LYON, CAN I ASK YOU, UM, TO HELP AS WELL MM-HMM
SO JUST AGAIN, THIS LIST IN TERMS OF THE ADDITIONAL TED USES AND THE PROHIBITED USES.
I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT WAS SHARED IN THE CONVERSATION IS WHAT ALIGNS WITH WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS EXPECTING AS WELL, CORRECT? UH, THE PROHIBITED USES LIST, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES, YES.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN SO BUSY ON THIS, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY PROHIBIT SOME MORE USES AS WELL BEFORE IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL IF IT, IF YOU GUYS VOTE FOR US.
AND IF YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR MIND, WHAT SOME OF, WHAT SOME OF THEM ARE, UM, THROUGH'S, THE BASIC ONES THAT HAVE ALWAYS COME THROUGH AND RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY MIND, I MEAN, ONE OF THEM WE START TO ELIMINATE IS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS, UH, AFTER THE, UM, PICKLEBALL FIASCO THERE, WE ASK SOMETIMES TO PROHIBIT UH, OUTDOOR SPORTS AND RECREATION.
AND IT MIGHT SEEM SILLY, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMEBODY MIGHT COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, REALLY MIND BLOWING OR ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST, UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND STUFF.
SO, UM, AND WE, AND AGAIN, WE WERE, UH, ANA IS ALWAYS OPEN TO, UM, IF SOMEBODY COMES WITH SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FUTURE AND THEY'VE GOT A GOOD REASON FOR IT, WE'RE ALWAYS, UH, OPEN TO AMENDING STUFF.
EVEN, UM, THE SIX AND BLANCO PROCTOR, THEY SAID THEY WERE NEEDED TO, UM, THEY, UH, SAID THEY WOULD PRESERVE SOMETHING, BUT THEN THEY NEEDED TO RESTORE IT BECAUSE THE GROUT WOULD FALL APART.
SO WE AMENDED THE CODE, IT WAS REASONABLE, THEY'RE GONNA RESTORE IT AND LIKE, AND WHATEVER.
AND THEY, BECAUSE THEY WERE, ONCE THEY STARTED CONSTRUCTION, THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO PRESERVE IT.
WE HAVE THESE THINGS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE, AND AS FAR AS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOES, I'LL I GET, I AND THE REST OF AWA WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE, THE UNITS WANT THERE.
AND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE IT'S AUDITED, WHATEVER, WE'LL PUT IT IN OUR RESTRICTED COVENANT.
AND I THINK EVEN IN PART OF THE RESTRICTED COVENANT, WE SAID IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED TO AWANA THAT IT COULD GO TO ANOTHER NONPROFIT.
AND IF IT DIDN'T GO TO NONPROFIT, IT WOULD, THE RESTRICTED COVENANT WOULD GO TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BASES ARE COVERED, WHAT, UH, PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE GONNA DO, THEY GET, THEY DO.
AND UH, WE'RE DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE THAT IT HAPPENS.
UM, MR. GROOMS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S YOU OR THE APPLICANT.
CAN YOU ALL SPEAK TO, I'M ASSUMING THERE IS NO, UH, CURRENT PLAN TO HAVE COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL ON THE SITE? OR IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL JUST DON'T HAVE NOT CONSIDERED, I SUPPOSE COMMUNITY REC? NO.
THAT WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED THAT AT THIS POINT, NO.
AND SO THERE'S NO CONSIDERATION AND IT'S FINE IF IT WOULD BE ADDED TO, LET'S SAY IT MIGHT BE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT SO THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE.
I THINK, UH, WORST CASE CONDITIONALLY USE PERMIT WOULD BE TOTALLY FINE.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN FOR IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, NOT SEEING ANY, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON CHAIR? I'D LOVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH APPLICANT REQUEST
UM, AND OKAY, SO WE HAVE A, THIS IS,
[02:10:01]
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, THIS WOULD BE L-I-P-D-A MP? CORRECT.SO IT WOULD BE L-I-P-D-A AS REQUESTED.
AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER HANEY.
DO YOU WANNA ADD THE COMMISSIONER? YES, SURE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, QUESTIONS.
ANY COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION ITSELF? OKAY, UM, IN THAT CASE, UH, I ACTUALLY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
SO THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST IS IN THERE WITH THE USES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO ADD COMMITTEE RECREATIONAL AS A CONDITIONAL USE.
SO IT'S NOT A PROHIBITED USE, BUT IT WOULD BE A CONDITIONAL USE.
SO WE'LL BE ADDING COMMUNITY, UH, RECREATIONAL, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WOULD BE MOVING TO A CONDITIONAL USE.
THIS IS A MOTION BY MYSELF, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HANEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS OR COMMENTS? NOT SEEING ANY.
CAN WE TAKE A VOTE? THIS WOULD BE THE AMENDMENT ONLY FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE.
THANK YOU CHAIR KHAN FOR ALERTING ME THAT.
SO THAT WILL BE, UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL AGAINST ALL OTHER COMMISSIONERS IN FAVOR OF THIS TAKES US BACK TO THE BASE MOTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE BASE MOTION ITSELF? NOT SEEING ANY, UH, DO FOLKS WANNA SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION AND THE MOTION MAKER IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK FIRST BRIEFLY? YEAH.
SO FIRST OFF, DEFINITELY WANNA THANK ANA FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I SAT WITH ANA 20 YEARS AGO ON A DEVELOPMENT 10 BLOCKS AWAY AND WAS TOLD TO GET LOST.
THIS WAS 20 YEARS AGO THOUGH, SO THIS IS REALLY AMAZING THAT YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO WORK THIS OUT SO WELL WITH THE, UH, DEVELOPER IN THIS CASE.
UM, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE APPLICANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
UM, IT'S EMBARRASSING HONESTLY, TO ZONE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IN THIS LOCATION IN 2025, DESPITE THIS BEING AN AMAZING DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THAT'S OUR ZONING TOOLBOX.
IT'S EMBARRASSING, IT'S OUTDATED.
IT'S FROM 1984 AND YOU USE THE TOOLS YOU HAVE.
SO MY BIG HOPE AND IS THIS IS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT HB 24 AND WE NOW RECOGNIZE AS A CITY THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT OUT NEW ZONING CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO UPDATE OUR ZONING FOR 2025 AND NOT BE STUCK IN 1984.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY WHO FEELS THAT, UM, REWRITING OUR 1984 LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN UPDATING A 2012 VISION PLAN.
AND LET'S HOPE THAT THAT, UH, TAKES HOLD HERE IN THIS BUILDING AND IN, UH, STAFF BUILDINGS AS WELL.
AND THEN, UH, IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THINGS LIKE DB ONE 20 AND DB ONE 50, AND KNOCK ON WOOD WILL HAVE BETTER ZONING CATEGORIES SOON, BUT LET'S JUST HOPE WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ALSO MAP THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL, I I DO FEEL EMBARRASSED FOR THIS ZONING CATEGORY, BUT THE END RESULT IS GOING TO BE A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD TODAY.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WORKING TO GET US HERE.
UM, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, UH, CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE, UM, UM, I GUESS PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION OF DICK DOWNTOWN NEXT USE ZONING FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, JUST SO I, IT, WOULD IT BE SORT OF WHAT STAFF WAS SAYING IN TERMS OF DMUV AND P, I'M ASSUMING? YES.
D-M-U-V-N-P, UM, WITH THE, UH, HEIGHTS AS NOTED IN THE STAFF BACKUP.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? I HAVE A SECOND FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER WOODS.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION ITSELF? SO YOU'D BE ADDING A CO TO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
AND I CAN HONEST, I MIGHT JUST HONESTLY MAKE AN AMENDMENT ON THE COS IF WE ARE GONNA GO DOWN THIS ROUTE, JUST DO DO IT PROPERLY.
BUT WE DO HAVE A MOTION AT A SECOND ON CERTAIN BASE.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION ITSELF? NOT SEEING ANY? I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS FOR THE CO AND Y'ALL ARE GONNA HAVE TO BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
SO THE FIRST OF ALL, THE CO WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE PROHIBITED USES ON PAGE 15 OF OUR BACKUP.
I'LL JUST READ THEM INTO THE, UM, INTO THE RECORDS.
THIS IS ADULT ORIENTED BUSINESSES, AGRICULTURAL SALES AND SERVICES, AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SERVICES, AUTOMOTIVE WASHING BAIL BOND SERVICES, BASIC INDUSTRY CLUB OR LODGE, COMMERCIAL OFF STREET PARKING, CONSTRUCTION, SALES AND SERVICES, DROP OFF RECYCLING COLLECTION, UH, FACILITY EQUIPMENT, REPAIR SERVICES, EQUIPMENT SALES, EXTERMINATING SERVICES, FUNERAL SERVICES, GENERAL WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION KENNELS, LIGHT MANUFACTURING, LIQUOR SALES, RECYCLING, CENTER RESOURCE EXTRACTIONS, SCRAP AND SALVAGE.
UM, AND COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL, BOTH PRIVATE AND UH, PUBLIC WOULD BE A CONDITIONAL USE.
I HONESTLY, I WAS NOT, BECAUSE THIS IS COMING UP IN THE MOMENT.
I CANNOT SEE HOW TO RECONCILE WITH THE ALLOWED USES IN DMU,
[02:15:01]
BUT IF ANYTHING THAT I'VE LISTED WITHIN THE PROHIBITED USE, IT IS ALLOWED IN DMU IT WOULD BE REMOVED.THAT'S NUMBER ONE FOR THE HEIGHT.
UM, STARTING FROM THE BUILDING FACADE ON SIXTH, WE WOULD BE SAYING FOUR AND I'M GONNA LOOK AT THE APPLICANT TEAM AS WELL AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M DOING THIS RIGHT.
SO WE WOULD BE SAYING 60 FEET FROM THE FACADE ON SIXTH MOVING SOUTHWARDS WOULD BE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT OF 65 FEET AFTER THAT.
SO THIS WOULD BE BETWEEN 60 AND 90 FEET.
AGAIN, FROM THE BUILDING FACADE ON SIXTH IT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT OF 95 FEET.
AND THEN AFTER THAT IT WOULD BE 120 FEET GOING DOWN.
AND I SEE MS. SANTANA, YOU WISH TO SAY SOMETHING TO THAT? A ACTUALLY, CAN WE YEP.
I'M GONNA REQUEST THAT IT BE FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
SO THAT WILL BE FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND, AND THE HEIGHTS ARE 64 AND 92.
MEASURED FROM CURVE, I'LL BE HONEST, CURB SIXTH STREET ROUNDING UP.
FROM A CO PERSPECTIVE, IT SEEMS A LITTLE ARBITRARY TO
I UNDERSTAND LIKE YOU ALL HAVE A PLAN, BUT I JUST THAT'S OKAY.
WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT BEING VERY ARBITRARY IN TERMS OF OUR CO HEIGHTS.
UM, OKAY, SO THIS WOULD BE, I'LL REPEAT IT AGAIN.
SO THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO HAVE FROM THE PROPERTY LINE MOVING SOUTH FROM SIXTH STREET FOR UP TO 60 FEET DEPTH, 65 FEET LOUD, UP TO 90 FEET DEPTH, 95 FEET LOUD BETWEEN 60 AND 90.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT WOULD BE 120.
I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY YES, THAT SOME OF THESE INDUSTRIAL USES THAT WE ARE PROHIBITING ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE DMU DISTRICT.
SO WE WILL EVALUATE YES, THAT BETWEEN COMMISSION AND COUNCIL.
YEAH, BECAUSE I JUST COULD NOT RECONCILE, I KNOW IT'S A QUICK RUN THROUGH THE LIST.
I UNDERSTAND IN THE MOMENT, YES, PLEASE RECONCILE WHATEVER IS NOT ALLOWED IN DM U OFF, BUT OTHERWISE IT, WHATEVER APPLICANT AND NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE AGREED IS PROHIBITED AND THE HEIGHTS WOULD BE LIMITED AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON MY MOTION? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL OR COMMISSIONER WOODS.
UM, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS AMENDMENT? DO FOLKS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, PLEASE? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE THE TWO THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS CONCERNS OF STAFF FOR ONE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE OTHER, THE FACT THAT, UH, INDUSTRIAL MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT AREA.
UM, SO, UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO COMMISSIONER, UH, MAXWELL, JUST, UH, THE IMPLICATIONS ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH, UH, THIS CHANGE HERE? UM, WELL WE HAVE SOME EXPERTS, SO MAYBE I'LL LET THEM ADDRESS, ADDRESS THAT FIRST IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AND THEN I'LL ADD ANY COMMENTS.
SO ARE YOU, ARE YOU ASKING WHAT THE VERTICAL MIXED USE, UM, AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE? OR JUST TO CLARIFY? WELL, IT SOUNDED LIKE WHEN I'D ASKED BEFORE ABOUT DMU MM-HMM.
UH, BECAUSE OF THE STATE BILL THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT JUST PASSED, THAT THERE WASN'T ANY WAY FOR THE CITY TO, UH, ENSURE THAT UH, THERE WOULD BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO IS THERE SOME OTHER WAY THAT I'M MISSING? THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING WHERE THIS WOULD ADDRESS THAT.
UH, NO, JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, WE ARE NOT ENTIRELY SURE EXACTLY HOW SB 80, EXCUSE ME, SB EIGHT 40 WILL APPLY TO LAND DEVELOPMENT.
WE THINK THAT IF SBA 40 DOES APPLY TO THIS PROPERTY, THEN VERTICAL MIXED USE WOULD NOT BE AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR ANY DEVELOPER BECAUSE FAR WOULD BE WAIVED BY SB 40 BY RIGHT.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH OUR LAW DEPARTMENT TO, UM, FINE TUNE OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW.
SO AT THIS POINT, UM, WE ARE NOT 100% CERTAIN WHETHER SB 40 WOULD WAIVE FAR AT THIS PROPERTY OR NOT.
GIVEN THAT YOU'RE UNSURE, WOULD YOUR PREFERENCE, UH, RIGHT NOW BE, UH, DMU OR WHAT THE APPLICANT HAS UH, REQUESTED? WE, UH, DMU DV OBVIOUSLY.
DMUV, OBVIOUSLY COMMISSIONER, WE DID NOT RECOMMEND THE L-I-P-D-A BECAUSE WE DID NOT FEEL THAT THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION ITSELF? I'LL SPEAK TO MY, THE, THE AMENDMENT MOTION 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON IT.
I'LL JUST QUICKLY SAY, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO HERE IS JUST TO MAKE SURE SO COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND.
I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE JUST BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING FOR ANOTHER REZONING, WE DON'T MISS ALL OF THE NUANCE THAT HAD GONE INTO THE APPLICANT REQUEST THAT THEY WORKED ON WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO GET LOST REGARDLESS OF WHICH DIRECTION WE GO.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MATCHING THE MOTIONS.
UH, THIS WOULD, UH, COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, I'M SORRY, JUST, I JUST WANNA QUICK QUESTION TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M GATHERING IT CORRECTLY.
IT'S SORT OF CONTINUING ON THE AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT.
SO THEN THE PRIVATE AGREEMENT, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AROUND AFFORDABILITY WOULD STILL BE ENFORCED OR WOULD STILL BE IN PLACE? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE IMAGINING? THE CITY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ENFORCE IT,
[02:20:01]
BUT YES, THEY CAN STILL KEEP THEIR PRIVATE RESTORATIVE COVENANT.SO THEN CAN I SAY SOMETHING? OKAY, WE NEED TO, GOT IT.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOWARDS A A, A VARIATION OF DMU, WHICH WE'RE CONDITIONING IN THIS CASE TO AGREE TO MATCH WHAT THE APPLICANT AND THE OF THE COMMUNITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE HAVE NEGOTIATED.
WE NEED TO SPEAK, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S NEGOTIATED.
I'LL JUST ASK A QUESTION IF YOU, UM, WOULD ANYBODY WANNA JUST RESPOND TO SORT OF THE CEO PLEASE MS LINE? YOU'LL HAVE TO COME IN.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU SAY IT ON THE RECORD WITH THE MICROPHONE ON.
WE HAVE A, UH, RESTRICTED COVENANT FOR L-I-P-D-A.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANA WILL PARTICIPATE IN A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT FOR DMU.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'LL BE ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WILL PROLONG THIS CASE BECAUSE THEN WE WILL PROBABLY POSTPONE CITY COUNCIL IF IT GOES AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR DMU BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS IT AND LET THE, UH, MEMBERSHIP WEIGH IN WITH MANY, MANY LETTERS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND WHOEVER WE CAN, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ON BOARD WITH DMU, IF I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH IT, MS. DA SECURE THE OLD ASSAULT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WE DO NOT AGREE THAT DMU SHOULD BE.
IT'LL BE JUST BECAUSE OF OUR PROCESS.
I'LL BE CALLED OUT THAT JUST MR. NOT APPROPRIATE THAT VOIDS AND SORRY.
THANK YOU MR. AMS. I APPRECIATE IT.
AND BY THE WAY, I'M SORRY WE RULE MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, SO AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS JUST ON THAT CEO AMENDMENT ITSELF.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONERS HAVE ON THE AMENDMENT ITSELF? THIS IS A MOTION BY MYSELF, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WOODS.
JUST THE CO THIS IS JUST FOR THE CEO ITSELF.
THAT MOTION PASSES WITH COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE.
COMMISSIONER HILL IS IN FAVOR.
SO COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE AGAINST, UH, THE REST OF THE DYE IN FAVOR.
THAT MOTION PASSES AS THE CEO.
THIS TAKES US BACK TO THE BASE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WOODS AS AMENDED AND I, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, WE HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE MOTION.
I DUNNO IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO IT.
UM, YEAH, I I THINK I COVERED SOME OF THIS IN MY QUESTIONS AND I REALLY WANNA RESPECT THE APPLICANT IN THIS SITUATION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THIS PROJECT.
IT'S CLEARLY AN EXCELLENT PROJECT.
IT'S CLEARLY SOMETHING WE ALL WANNA SUPPORT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TYPE OF ZONING.
AND I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF OUR STAFF WHO'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS AND HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY REALLY PREFER WE NOT USE L-I-P-D-A PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY.
AND I THINK WE ALL SHARE THE SAME GOALS HERE OF ENSURING THAT THERE ARE UNITS ON SITE THAT ARE PROPERLY MONITORED THAT GET TO ACCOUNT TOWARDS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS AS A CITY.
AND I REALLY WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT CONCERN FROM STAFF AND WHAT, HOW IT'S BEEN PRESENTED, HOW WE WERE UNABLE TO FIX L-I-P-D-A AT CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY.
SO NOW WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE THIS ZONING ZONING TOOL THAT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO USE IT PROPERLY.
AND I WILL SAY THAT I KNOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION AND I AM NO WAY SAYING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE DME ZONING ANYWHERE ELSE IN, IN WEST AUSTIN.
I JUST THINK THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S A BETTER METHODOLOGY FOR ENSURING AND PROTECTING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE IN THIS PROJECT.
OTHER COMMERS SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION? UM, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
I'LL BE SPEAKING AGAINST THIS ITEM.
UM, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IS NOT AN IDEAL ZONING, THIS IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPLICANT HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND I JUST FEEL THAT WHEN WE HAVE A, A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT COME IN WITH NOT A SINGLE SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION AND EVERYBODY WANTING THE SAME THING BEFORE US, I FEEL THEY'RE BEING, BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT.
THERE'S LIGHT INDUSTRIAL SCATTERED AROUND ALL AROUND THEM, ALL OF THAT LIGHT INDUSTRIAL NEEDS TO BE A DIFFERENT ZONING.
AND I BELIEVE I HEARD THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAY THEY'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH STAFF IN A REZONING PROCESS, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WAS BROUGHT TO US WORKS.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS SPEAKING FOR AGAINST THE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER HANEY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION EITHER BECAUSE, UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO ENFORCE ANY SORT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF SB EIGHT 40, BUT WE DO KNOW, I THINK THAT ONE OF OUR MOST ACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE CITY WILL DEFINITELY BE ENFORCING A RESTRICTIVE GOVERNMENT.
SO I'LL, I'LL BE SUPPORTING COMMISSIONER ANDERSON'S MOTION AND I'LL BE OPPOSING THIS ONE OTHER COMMISSIONER SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION.
[02:25:01]
THE MOTION BY MAXWELL WOODS AS AMENDED.UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HANDS OR SAY, AYE, THIS, UH, ALL THOSE AGAINST OR, AND ALL, SORRY, AGAINST, I'M COUNTING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE FOUR IS COMMISSIONER WOODS AND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL AGAINST COMMISSIONER H UH, POWELL, COMMISSIONER HANEY, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER HILLER COMMISSIONER, UM, UM, AMIT, COMMISSIONER LAN, COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE, AND MYSELF.
THIS GOES BACK TO THE APPLICANT.
UM, THIS GOES TO THE ANDERSON HANEY MOTION, WHICH WAS APPLICANT REQUEST WITH THE AMENDMENT TO ADD COMMITTEE RECREATIONAL AS CONDITIONAL USE.
UM, FOLKS WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS, I'LL, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND SPEAK, UH, FOR THIS WITH RELUCTANCE.
I WANNA REALLY HONESTLY SAY I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE COMMISSIONER WOODS AND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL ARE COMING FROM AND I DO WANNA RESPECT WHAT OUR STAFF IS TRYING TO SAY.
I ALSO DO AGREE WITH OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT SORT OF THE WAY WE'RE USING L-I-P-D-A AS A TOOL TO EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EVEN WITH THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
OF COURSE THERE'S MANY MORE SORT OF SPILLOVER CONCERNS THAT FOLKS HAVE AND I DO WANNA HONOR THAT, BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR WORKING WITH THEM, RESOLVING OUT THE ISSUE.
SO HOPEFULLY COUNCIL CAN TAKE THIS UP, BUT I, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YES, THAT IS AN ISSUE.
AND BY NO MEANS MY VOTE FOR THIS IS BY NO MEANS SAYING THAT L-I-P-D-A IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IN MASS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WHEREVER SOMEBODY WANTS TO GO TO A HIGHER HEIGHT WHILE HAVING ESSENTIALLY RESIDENTIAL ON SITE.
IT IS SORT OF A UNIQUE SITUATION IN THIS SCENARIO.
ANY OTHER PERSON WISHING TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS NOT SEEING ANY? SO THIS IS THE MOTION BY, UM, ANDERSON, SECONDED BY HANEY.
THOSE AGAINST THAT MOTION PASSES WITH COMMISSIONER MAXWELL AGAINST COMMISSIONER EMMETT HILLER, AZAR ANDERSON, HANEY POWELL, SKIDMORE, WOODS, AND LAN IN FAVOR.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, THAT IS THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION CASES.
[WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES]
WE'LL BE GOING TO THE WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES.I'LL START WITH CODES AND ORDINANCES, JOINT COMMITTEE.
OUR LAST MEETING, UH, WAS CANCELED BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ITEMS. WE ARE GONNA BE SCHEDULING ANOTHER ONE COMING UP VERY SOON.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE.
I MEAN, WE KNOW FROM THE PUD CASE, THE LAST MEETING WAS CANCELED, SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
I AM NOW EXCEEDINGLY INFORMED ABOUT
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER HILLER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THAT.
UM, SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE.
WE COMMISSIONER HANEY OR IN SKIDMORE? YOU'RE THE ONLY TWO COMMISSIONERS HERE, UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE NOT MET.
UM, SOUTH CENTER WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
I KNOW THAT MEETING WAS CANCELED AS WELL.
UM, GOVERNANCE RULES AND PROCEDURES WORKING GROUP.
THIS IS MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER WOODS.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF AND WE'LL BE TALKING TO STAFF AND OF COURSE CHECKING IN, UH, WITH CLERK IN LAW OFFICE AND WE'LL BE HOPEFULLY BRINGING SOMETHING BACK TO Y'ALL BY EARLY-ISH FALL TO HAVE OUR NEW RULES IN PLACE.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I'LL JUST QUICKLY MENTION FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. WE ARE REQUIRED TO FILE AN ANNUAL REPORT, AS MANY OF YOU MIGHT KNOW.
I TRULY REALLY WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER WOODS FOR, UH, WORKING ON THAT.
MS. GARCIA WILL BE SHARING THAT WITH EVERYBODY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR YOU WANT SOMETHING AMENDED IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT, PLEASE RESPOND BACK TO HER AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD IN THOSE COMMENTS.
THE REASON I MENTIONING THIS IN WHY THIS WILL BE SHARED IN ADVANCE IS THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO THAT IS AN ITEM THAT ME AND COMMISSIONER WOODS HAD ASKED FOR TO BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? THIS ISN'T A REQUEST, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING SCHEDULED ON AUGUST 12TH FOR, IT'S GONNA BE ON PARKING MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, INCLUDING WAIVERS OR MODIFICATIONS ON CITY METERS FOR HYBRID OR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
AND, AND JUST TO LET FOLKS KNOW, THIS ALSO ADDS IN.
WE ALREADY HAVE A LIST OF SEVERAL BRIEFING ITEMS. SOME OF THEM WILL BE MEMOS, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT LIST, JUST LETTING YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING THROUGH THEM.
OKAY? ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? UM, UNLESS I HEAR OTHERWISE,
[02:30:01]
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT 8:32 PM THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.