Sep 17, 2025 Downtown Commission

UH, COMMISSIONER SONYA SCHIFFER.

WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK.

HOPEFULLY YOU'RE ABLE TO SORT THAT OUT.

PRESENT.

PHILLIP WILEY.

PRESENT.

JENNIFER FRANKLIN WON'T BE HERE TONIGHT.

THE NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK TONIGHT? UH, WE DO NOT.

CHAIR.

ALRIGHT.

[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on August 20, 2025.]

UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH'S MEETING.

I'M HOPING EVERYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO READ.

UH, DOES ANYBODY, UM, HAVE WANNA PRESENT A MOTION TO ACCEPT SO MOVED AND SECOND COMMISSIONER BOOK TO SECOND? UH, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

UM, NOW MOVING ON TO, UH, THE MEAT OF THE AGENDA.

[2. Update on the Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative (DASI). Presentation by Jon Fortune, Deputy City Manager, Austin City Manager’s Office.]

WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING TODAY.

UH, LET ME FIND MY NOTES ON THE DITY INITIATIVE.

YEAH, SO IT'S AN UPDATE ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE PRESENTATION BY JOHN FORTUNE, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, AUSTIN CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

UM, YES.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

UM, WITH ME, I HAVE ROB TREVINO, WHO'S A POLICY ADVISOR FOR MY OFFICE, AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAG TEAM THIS A LITTLE BIT, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.

SURE.

'CAUSE HE'S THE SMART ONE, AND I'M JUST HERE TO BE THE EYE CANDY.

NO, I'M KIDDING.

UM, I, I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

YOU KNOW, UM, UM, THIS INITIATIVE REALLY STARTED WITH A VISION FROM THE MAYOR WHO HAS A DEEP PASSION FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE DOWNTOWN IS A VIBRANT, SAFE AND, AND, UM, ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, UM, A LOT OF EFFORTS, A LOT OF INITIATIVES THAT MANY CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING ON, THAT MANY PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING ON, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS AND OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE HOUSED IN AND AROUND, UM, THE DOWNTOWN PROPER.

AND SO, UM, THE VISION OF THE MAYOR REALLY WAS, WE NEED A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN CONSOLIDATE SOME OF OUR COORDINATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN ONE ENTITY IS DOING SOMETHING, THAT THOSE PLANS AND ISSUES ARE ALIGNED WITH OTHER EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE AREN'T DUPLICATING RESOURCES AND THAT WE'RE MAKING THE MOST VALUE OUT OF THE EFFORT THAT'S BEING PUT INTO MAKING THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DOWNTOWN.

AND SO, UM, WITH THE MAYOR'S, UM, LEADERSHIP AND HIS, AND HIS ENCOURAGING, THE COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE.

AND, UM, AGAIN, REALLY WITH HIS, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF COORDINATING AND IMPLEMENTING SO MANY OF THE VARIOUS DOWNTOWN, UM, PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES, UM, THIS, THESE COULD BE MOBILITY, MUSIC AND ARTS, CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS VERY IMPORTANT IN PARKS AND GREEN SPACE.

NOW, I WANT TO CLARIFY, THOUGH, JUST MAKE SOME DISTINCTION HERE.

THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE AN ENTITY OR DEPARTMENT THAT CONTROLS AND ACTUALLY MANAGES ALL THE DIFFERENT E EFFORTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

IT'S REALLY MEANT TO BE THE CONVENER, THE, THE ENTITY WHO HELPS BRING, UM, UH, THE, THE FOLKS TOGETHER WHO ARE DOING THESE VARIOUS EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL IN ALIGNMENT.

UM, ONE OF THE, THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL WAS TO IDENTIFY NEAR TERM PROJECTS AND STRATEGIES TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE DOWNTOWN REMAINS VIBRANT, SAFE, AND ACCESSIBLE.

I I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, WHILE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY STANDING THIS OFFICE UP, UM, ROB IS GONNA TALK TO US IN JUST A FEW MINUTES ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED IN WHAT, WHAT ARE THE VERY SHORT TERM KIND OF WINDOW THAT, SO WE DIDN'T WANNA WAIT UNTIL THIS HAS TO GO THROUGH A BUDGET CYCLE AND EVERYTHING

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TO GET IMPLEMENTED.

WE WANTED TO DO SOME THINGS.

AND SO ROB'S GONNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE FOR US.

AND THEN, THEN REALLY THE LAST BIG BUCKET, IF YOU WILL, FROM THE RESOLUTION WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH TO HEAR FROM FOLKS WHO ARE USING THE DOWNTOWN, WHO ARE LIVING IN DOWNTOWN, WHO, WHO RESIDE, UH, OR, UM, WORK DOWNTOWN.

AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT FROM THE RESOLUTION THAT I THINK IS, IS THAT IS GONNA BE REALLY CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.

UM, THE CITY MANAGER, AS A RESULT OF THE RESOLUTION CREATED THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE.

IT, THIS, UH, OFFICE WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

AND, UM, PENDING THE ADOPTION, UM, WE CREATED THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICER POSITION AND A COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS OFFICER POSITION, WHICH ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FILLED.

UM, WE'RE GONNA START WITH TWO PEOPLE.

UM, WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT AS THIS GROWS, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO GROW SOME OF OUR RESOURCES FOR THE OFFICE, BUT WE NEED TO GET STARTED.

SO, UH, INITIALLY THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA START WITH.

WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE POSITIONS FILLED WITHIN THE NEXT 60 DAYS.

AND AGAIN, ONE OF THE KEY REASONS FOR US STARTING NOW IS PRIMARILY ENSURING THAT WE, WE HAD THE SUPPORT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO, TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.

UM, THE PRIMARY FOCUS INITIALLY WILL BE, UM, DEVELOPING THE STRUCTURE FOR THE COORDINATION AND HOW THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS WILL, WILL FUNCTION.

BUT AS I MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO, UM, WE, WE DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE OFFICE TO BE ESTABLISHED BEFORE WE WANTED TO HAVE SOME WINS.

AND SO ROB IS GONNA TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CURRENT THINGS THAT ARE UNDERWAY AND SOME OF THE RESULTS WE'VE SEEN FROM THE, THE, THE EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES THAT HE'S BEEN HELPING TO, TO SPEARHEAD ROB.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

AGAIN, MY NAME'S ROB TREVINO, AND I'M A POLICY ADVISOR TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FORTUNE.

AND I'M, I'M THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT, UH, TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, UM, ON SIXTH STREET TO MAKE IT SAFER, UH, MORE CONNECTED AND VIBRANT, YOU KNOW, UH, MANY OF YOU'RE LIKELY AWARE.

UM, AND MAY RECALL, BACK IN JANUARY, THE, THE MAYOR HAD HELD A, A MEDIA AVAILABILITY WHERE HE, ALONGSIDE CHIEF DAVIS, UH, SHARED SOME THINGS THAT WE WERE GONNA DO MOVING FORWARD AS IT PERTAINS TO MANAGING, UH, UM, SIXTH STREET, UM, UNDER THE SIXTH SIXTH STREET PILOT PROGRAM.

AND REALLY HIS, YOU KNOW, THE IMPETUS BEHIND THAT, UH, UM, REALLY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN THERE, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT HE OFTEN REFERS TO, AS THE LIVING ROOM FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THAT SIXTH STREET IS A, UH, SPECIAL PART OF, UH, OF, OF, OF THAT LIVING ROOM.

AND SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, AND AS, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, UH, FORTUNE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VISION FOR THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE, WE, WE ESTABLISHED A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TASK FORCE, UH, COMPRISED OF, UH, AUSTIN POLICE, AUSTIN FIRE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, THE ARTS, UH, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT OFFICE, THE, UH, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER LAW, AND, UM, THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE.

I HOPE YOU'RE IMPRESSED BY, UH, ALL , MY ABILITY TO NAME ALL THOSE.

THEY ALL HAVE, UH, UH, BROUGHT, UH, TO BEAR EXPERTISE, RESOURCES, AND CAPABILITIES, UM, REALLY TO FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THREE STRATEGIES AS IT PERTAINS TO SIXTH, UH, SIXTH STREET, UH, AS PART OF THE SIXTH STREET, UH, UH, PILOT PROGRAM.

UH, FIRSTLY, THEY ARE WORKING TO BOLSTER LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, ON SIXTH STREET TO DISMANTLE CRIMINAL NETWORKS THAT ARE AND, AND PROTECT AGAINST, UM, PHYSICAL HARM, UH, IN THAT AREA.

SECONDLY, THEY ARE ACTIVELY WORKING, UH, TO CHANGE THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, TO ELIMINATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR, UH, CRIMES TO OCCUR OR FOR DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR TO, UH, TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, UM, NOT ONLY INTERNALLY, BUT EXTERNALLY WITH SOME OF OUR KEY PARTNERS, WHICH I'LL SHARE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, UH, TO, UM, TO PUT THESE SOLUTIONS IN PLACE, BUT TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRESS THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT WE'VE SEEN.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS BODY HAS REALLY BEEN AS, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, FORTUNE, UH, COMMUNICATED.

UH, IT WAS

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THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED WITH THE, UH, KNOWING THAT, UH, IT WOULD LIKELY BE, UH, A MODEL OR EXEMPLAR FOR HOW WE WOULD, UH, CONDUCT THIS TYPE OF WORK ACROSS THE CITY, UH, AS PART OF THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC, UH, OFFICE TO CONSOLIDATE AND COORDINATE, UH, AND IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS.

AND SO, UH, TO BEST, UH, ACHIEVE, UH, THE RESULTS OF THE STRATEGY, UM, THE CITY HAS BEEN, UM, EXECUTING AND REFINING OUR PERFORMANCE AND SCALING, UH, UH, OUR PILOTS TO PUT A NUMBER OF THINGS IN PLACE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND THE EAST SIXTH STREET, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TO INSTALL AND BEAUTIFY, UH, CONCRETE BARRICADES THAT WILL IMPROVE TRAFFIC AND, UH, CROWD MANAGEMENT, ALL THE WHILE KEEPING SIXTH STREET CONTINUOUSLY OPEN, UH, TO VEHICLE TRAFFIC EVEN DURING THURSDAY AND SUNDAY WHEN THEY HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN CLOSED.

ADDITIONALLY, AUSTIN ENERGY IS, UH, REPLACING OR HAS REPLACED ALL ALLEYWAY LIGHTING ALONG THE EAST SIXTH STREET CORRIDOR, AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF, OF, UH, REPLACING ALL THE STREET LANTERNS THAT, UH, TO IMPROVE LIGHTING ON THE STREETS OF EAST SIXTH STREET.

THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, EXPANDED THEIR PARKING GARAGE HOURS, UH, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SAFE AND AFFORDABLE PARKING TO DOWNTOWN WORKERS, TO PATRONS, TO MUSICIANS, UM, DSD OR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

UH, FIRE AND POLICE HAVE, UM, UH, ASSEMBLED A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT ARE, UH, UH, CONDUCTING, UH, WEEKLY PATROLS TO REMEDY LEGAL ACTIVITIES, UH, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON, ON PROPERTIES.

WE'VE ESTABLISHED RIDE SHARE, UM, AREAS ON THE NORTH CURB OF THE 200, 300, 400, 500 BLOCK, UH, FOR PASSENGER, UH, DROP OFF AND PICKUP TO IMPROVE, UH, TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION.

AND FINALLY, THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UH, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPLORE LEGAL, UH, UH, INSTRUMENTS THAT WE CAN, UM, APPLY TO ABATE BOTH NUISANCE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, UH, AT THEIR ROOT, NOT JUST AFTER THEY OCCUR.

SO, REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THESE THINGS ARE OCCURRING, AND EXPLORING WHAT LEGAL INSTRUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE OR NEED TO BE, UM, NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO, UM, TO, TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT HAND, BUT TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THAT BEHAVIOR DOES NOT RETURN.

EARLY SUCCESS IN THE SIXTH STREET PILOT PROGRAM HAS DEMONSTRATED, UH, UH, BOTH THE VALUE AND, AND COMPASSION AND COORDINATION.

ALL OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, INDICATORS ARE PO UH, ARE SHOWING POSITIVE RESULTS, UH, UH, FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME FROM JANUARY TO, UM, TO NOW, UH, USE OF FORCE.

REPORTS ARE LOWER, ARRESTS ARE LOWER, OFFICER INJURIES ARE LOWER.

UM, OUR DISPATCH CALL NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED, UH, SIGNALING THAT THE COMMUNITY, UM, IS MORE OPEN TO REPORTING.

ALL THE WHILE OUR, OUR, OUR DISPATCH, OUR, OUR OFFICER INITIATED DISPATCHES, HAVE, HAVE DECREASED.

AND SO ALL THESE THINGS, UH, COMMUNICATE TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INCIDENTS THERE ARE, UH, THAT ARE OCCURRING ARE LESS SEVERE, AND THAT THE INFOR, UH, ENVIRONMENT IS MORE STABLE, UM, DESPITE, UH, YOU KNOW, MINOR, UH, INCREASES IN NONVIOLENT CRIME.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES, THE PILOT HAS ALSO IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION CIRCULATION.

AND ALL THE WHILE, UM, ALL ECONOMIC INDICATORS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING HAVE INDICATED THAT THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN HAS REMAINED STABLE, UM, RELATIVELY STABLE AND CERTAINLY BEEN OUTPERFORMING OTHER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL BUS BUSINESS DISTRICT, UH, INDICATING, UH, ITS RESILIENCE, UH, TO ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING BUSINESS, UH, RIGHT NOW.

UM, AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO COLLECT OUR DATA AND REFINE OUR APPROACH TO GET AFTER, YOU KNOW, MAKING SIX STREETS SAFER AND MORE CONNECTED AND VIBRANT, THERE'S ALSO WORK THAT IS, UH, CONCURRENTLY UNDERWAY, UH, TO INCORPORATE PUBLIC, UH, INPUT INTO LONG RANGE PLANNING EFFORTS, UH, AS YOU MAY OR, OR, UH, AS YOU LIKELY KNOW.

AND, UH, UH, AS IT RELATES TO UPDATING THE, YOU KNOW, THE CENTRAL CITY, UM, UH, DISTRICT PLAN AND UPDATING THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

IN FACT, UH, EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, WE HELD, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, HELD THEIR SECOND, UH, ENGAGEMENT MEETING, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MEETING, UH, WITH THE INTENT TO, UH, CONTINUE TO DEFINE THE LONG TERM, UH, AND, AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SIXTH STREET.

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AND, AND WHERE THAT WORK COMES INTO PLAY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WORK THAT THIS, THAT THIS, UH, MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IS DOING, OR THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE WILL DO, IS THAT IT IS SETTING THE GUIDE, UM, UM, THAT WILL, THAT WILL DRIVE THE WORK THAT IS TO BE EXECUTED BY THESE OFFICES, YOU KNOW, ALONG, UM, ALONG OTHER, UH, STRATEGIC, UH, DIRECTION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, AUSTIN POLICE HAS ESTABLISHED A NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S STILL, UM, GETTING UNDER OFF THE GROUND, IT, IT WILL BE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY OR CROSS DEPARTMENTAL, UM, UH, BODY, UH, THAT WILL INCLUDE EXTERNAL, UH, STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT TO REALLY IMPLEMENT PACE, PLACE-BASED, UH, FOCUSED INTERVENTIONS THAT, UH, DISMANTLE THE ENVIRONMENT, REGULATORY AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS THAT ALLOW CRIMES TO, UH, TO EXIST.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE THEME THROUGHOUT ALL THIS, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM OR, UH, UM, THE SAFE SIXTH STREET PILOT OR THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS ARE UNDERPINNED BY THE COORDINATION OF EFFORT, UM, AND BRINGING THE RIGHT RESOURCES, UH, TO BAR.

AND SO WITH THAT, THAT PROV, UH, CONCLUDES MY UPDATE, SIR, AS IT RELATES TO SIXTH STREET AND I, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FORTUNE.

THANK YOU, ROB.

AND I, I WANTED ROB TO GO THROUGH THAT AS AN EXAMPLE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUCKET, IF YOU WILL, OF THE POWER OF THE COORDINATION THAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS NEW OFFICE.

AND SO THINK ABOUT THE MOBILITY, THINK ABOUT THE, THE, THE GREEN SPACE, OPEN SPACE, AND HOW WE USE THOSE THINGS, UM, DOWNTOWN AND, AND THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO GROW AND EXPAND THOSE SERVICES.

UM, I, I THINK, UM, THIS, UM, THE ELEMENTS THAT ROB MENTIONED, I THINK DEMONSTRATE A LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH, WITH THESE OTHER AREAS AS WELL.

AND AGAIN, THEY ALL LINK, HE MENTIONED THE MOBILITY.

ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WAS REALLY, UM, COMPLICATING SIXTH STREET WAS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO CONSISTENT DROP OFF ZONE FOR RIDESHARE.

AND SO YOU HAVE EVERY RIDESHARE TRYING TO TAKE PEOPLE TO A VERY SPECIFIC LOCATION, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY CREATING MORE OF A TRAFFIC PROBLEM BY COORDINATING AND, AND CENTRALIZING DROP OFF ZONES AND PICK UP ZONES.

IT IS HELPING WITH THAT OVERALL TRAFFIC MOBILITY IN THAT AREA.

SO, UM, THIS IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY.

I WASN'T SURE HOW DETAILED THAT THE COMMISSION WANTED TO GO.

UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS KICKOFF.

I REALLY HOPE TO HAVE THINGS IN FULL SWING BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, WITH THE PRIMARY FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO GET SOME STAFF ON BOARD WITH SOME EXPERTISE THAT CAN ACTUALLY START WORKING ON A MORE, UM, UH, DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR OBJECTIVES.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

UM, I ACTUALLY WANT TO START WITH A QUESTION.

UM, SO WE AS A COMMISSION OFTEN MEET WITH VARIOUS STAFF, UM, AND DEPARTMENTS, AND QUITE OFTEN DSI COMES UP AS AN ENTITY AND A, A GROUP THAT THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS EITHER IN SOME WAY REPORT TO OR COORDINATE WITH, BUT IT SEEMS DIFFICULT TO GET A SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF WHAT DSI DOES.

AND SO TAKING THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, I UNDERSTAND IT'S MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF COORDINATION GOING ON, A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT, WE'VE HEARD BEFORE FROM OTHER, FROM EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, COMPONENTS OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY GROUP.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES DSI DO AS FAR AS COORDINATION EFFORTS? UM, I MEAN, IS THERE LIKE A MONTHLY MEETING? DO PEOPLE GET CALLED TO A DOSSI OFFICE? UM, WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY, HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU COORDINATING WITH ALL OF THESE GROUPS? WELL, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, THE BEST ANSWER I CAN GIVE YOU RIGHT NOW IS, IS WE HAVE A VISION FROM THE COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO, HOW THEY WANT IT TO OCCUR.

UM, WE HAVE SOME REAL TIME EXAMPLES OF HOW THAT COORDINATION WILL WORK.

IT WILL CLEARLY INVOLVE COORDINATING THOSE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHETHER THAT CADENCE IS WEEKLY, MONTHLY, QUARTERLY, THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED.

AND SO, UM, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU THOUGH IS I DON'T EXPECT THAT EACH DEPARTMENT IS GONNA REPORT TO DSI AS A CONTROLLING SUPERVISOR, IF, IF YOU WILL.

I MEAN, EACH OF, LET'S BE REAL.

I MEAN, THE MAGNITUDE OF JUST MOBILITY DOWNTOWN, UM, IS, IS WELL BEYOND THE, THE, THE, THE, THE,

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THE ABILITY FOR ONE OR TWO INDIVIDUALS TO CONTROL HOW WE COORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF MOBILITY.

BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS THROUGH THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS, THE LEVEL OF MEASURING THESE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OCCURRING AND HAVING A MORE ORGANIZED STRUCTURE AROUND THE VARIOUS INITIATIVES, WE CAN THEN IN, IN TURN HAVE, I BELIEVE, BETTER COORDINATION WITH HOW WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE HEAR FROM, UM, CAPITAL PRO, THAT WE HAVE FROM CAPITAL PROGRAMS, AND FROM, UM, DIFFERENT, UM, DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY ARISE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC ANSWER EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS, AND OTHER, OTHER THAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT THROUGH THE VISION THAT IS ESTABLISHED BY THE RESOLUTION.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.

UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, MR. VID.

YOU KNOW, I THINK AS THIS EVOLVES, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND EACH ONE OF THOSE STAKEHOLDERS IS A DOT CONNECTING TO THE BIG SIXTH STREET, UH, INITIATIVE DOT, YOU KNOW, AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, EVENTUALLY IT EVOLVES INTO A PROTOCOL OF ISSUES, BECAUSE ALL ISSUES WITH, YOU MENTIONED SIXTH STREET, UM, DON'T, ARE NOT CONFINED TO SIXTH STREET.

THERE'S OVERFLOW AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES, YOU KNOW, UM, DOWNTOWN EVOLVES, IT CHANGES AFTER DARK ESPECIALLY.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK HAVING, UM, DEVELOPING A PROTOCOL OF HOW, UM, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO REACT WHEN THERE'S A, A SITUATION, WELL, I, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE SIXTH STREET PILOT WASN'T JUST ABOUT SIXTH STREET.

IT WAS ABOUT HELPING US TO IDENTIFY A STRUCTURE.

UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT INDIVIDUALS IN PLACE TO HELP LEAD THIS, BECAUSE WE WANNA SEE THAT CONTINUE, THAT THE SUCCESS FROM THAT STRUCTURE THAT WE CAN APPLY THROUGHOUT THE, THE, THE DISTRICT.

COMMISSIONER SHIPPER.

I THINK WE'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE.

I HAD A SPECIFIC QUESTION, UM, REGARDING GREAT STREETS, WHICH HAS A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE QUALITY OF PLACE DOWNTOWN AND ALSO ON REAL ESTATE PROJECTS AND HOW THEY PLAY OUT AND GET DEVELOPED.

AND I'VE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, THIS IS A, A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF COMPETING PRIORITIES, LIKE AUSTIN AND JAY WILL SAY ONE THING, OUR ISTS WILL SAY ANOTHER THING, AND IT ALL NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER SMOOTHLY AND SEAMLESSLY AND WITH SOME FLEXIBILITY.

AND DO YOU SEE A ROLE FOR YOUR OFFICE IN COORDINATING THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I'VE HEARD THAT CONFLICT BEFORE.

AND, UM, I THINK THIS IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO OCCUR.

UM, I'M SURE WE WILL IDENTIFY MANY OTHERS AS WE GO ALONG, BUT I, I HAVE HEARD OF THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY, AND I DO BELIEVE, UM, THIS COULD PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR A GOOD RESOLUTION.

EXCELLENT.

COMMISSIONER WILEY? UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M A BIG FAN OF THE INITIATIVE, UH, DOING CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COORDINATION AND REPORTING TO THE TOP, AND ONE TO THANK YOU ALL AND WISH YOU THE BEST.

SO, OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SURE.

UM, SURE.

I WAS WANTING TO KNOW, UM, SINCE YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD SPOKEN TO TPW AS PART OF THIS, UM, OFFICE, HAVE THEY DETERMINED FOR CERTAIN WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP SIXTH STREET, UH, ONE WAY OR WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT IT TWO-WAY, AND DO THE POLICE HAVE A VIEW ON THAT? UM, ROBIN MAY HAVE MORE DETAILS, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE, THERE IS A PROCESS INVOLVING ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ON, UH, REDESIGN FOR THE PERMANENT INSTALLATION OF THE, OF, UH, UM, LANES AND THE, BASICALLY A ROAD DIED, IF YOU WILL, TO KIND OF BRING THIS RIGHT, THE STREET IN.

EXACTLY.

AND I, I, I THINK THERE MAY BE, IF I'M, WE MAY HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU, I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN SEGMENTS THAT WILL STAY ONE WAY, AND THERE MAY BE SOME SEGMENTS THAT WOULD OPEN UP TO TWO WAY, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE FULL, UM, DETAILS HERE.

AND THAT'S PERHAPS SOMETHING WE COULD BRING BACK AT ANOTHER DATE AND, AND, UH, AND REPORT OUT.

THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD DO.

I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT HAD BEEN DECIDED YET, BUT THANK YOU.

UH, AND PLAN FOR ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AS WELL? UH, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND TO ANSWER THAT ONE BEFORE I ASK THE OTHER, WELL, I, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE TOPIC OF, SO, SO I'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE.

COMMISSIONER BTA, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.

UH, THIS IS GREAT WORK, UM, TO MY COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

MY FIRST QUESTION, UH, EXPANDING ON COMMISSIONER, UH, VETO'S INQUIRY, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND, UM, COMMUNITY INPUT, YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FRAMEWORK, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS WOULD BE FUNNELING, UH, FROM THE SPECIFIC OFFICES UP TO THE, UH, OFFICE, BUT, UM, WHAT IS THE FRAMEWORK,

[00:25:01]

IN SIXTH STREET, WE HAVE OUTREACH, COMMUNICATE, AND, AND ACTIVITY.

TOMORROW.

TOMORROW, RIGHT? TOMORROW IT IS HAPPENING NOW.

AND SO THAT WAS, UM, AN, YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE OF AROUND THE SIXTH STREET.

THE, THE BUSINESSES, THE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE SIXTH STREET ARE COMING TOGETHER THROUGH, I THINK THIS IS OUR SECOND OR THIRD VERY DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM IN A BROAD SCALE.

BUT I COULD SEE IN A DIFFERENT SECTOR OF THE DOWNTOWN THAT IT MAY BE TO BE A DIFFERENT GROUP, A DIFFERENT ENTITY, A DIFFERENT MAKEUP OF PEOPLE, BUT IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE RESTRICTIVE.

UM, WE ALL LIVE AND ENJOY SIXTH STREET, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS THERE.

I THINK WE ALL HAVE A STAKEHOLDER IN THAT.

SO IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE EXCLUSIVE TO CERTAIN AREAS OR PEOPLE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY TO TOPICAL, IF YOU WILL.

AND SO, UM, THAT'S ONE MECHANISM FOR OUTREACH.

I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER WAY, UM, AND SOME IMPROVED MECHANISMS FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, UM, IN, IN AROUND DOWNTOWN.

AND I, AND I, AND I, I SAY THAT TO, TO PREFACE OR I PREFACE THAT BY SAYING ENGAGEMENT IS HEARING FROM PEOPLE, BUT IT'S ALSO US MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING GOOD SUCCINCT AND CLEAR, UM, UH, VISION FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN.

AND WHEN WE'VE GOT THIS PLAN ON THE SHELF OVER HERE, AND THIS DEPARTMENT'S WORKING WITH THIS GROUP, AND WE'VE GOT THIS PLAN OVER HERE, I I REALLY ENVISION THIS OFFICE CREATING SOME BENCHMARKS FOR HOW WE ARE TRACKING THE PROGRESS FOR THE VARIOUS INITIATIVES AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE.

AND, AND THAT IN ITSELF, I THINK WILL HELP THE PUBLIC FEEL MORE AWARE AND ENGAGED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

SO, UM, YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.

I THINK I DID INDEED.

AND JUST A LITTLE CONTEXT.

UM, SO IN MY ROLE, UH, ADVOCATING LOCALLY FOR 6,000 MUSICIANS, IT SOUNDS EXHAUSTING JUST SAYING THAT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, FOR MUSICIANS WORKING DOWNTOWN, SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES ARE, UM, PARKING, SAFETY AFTER HOURS, AND, UH, HAVING KIND OF A SOBER SAFE COMMUNITY SPACE TO GO TO.

UH, JUST EARLIER TODAY I WAS MEETING WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOWNTOWN AMBASSADORS.

THE BLOCK BY BLOCK GUYS ONLY WORK UP TO A CERTAIN, OR ONLY CAN DO THE ESCORT UP TO A CERTAIN, UH, TIME PERIOD TO 10 O'CLOCK, AND THEN AFTER HOURS, THEY'RE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ESCORT SERVICE SO THAT MUSICIANS SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS CAN GET BACK TO THEIR CARS SAFELY.

UH, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE THERE WOULD BE SOME MORE FUNDING TO GO TO DA'S FOUNDATION TO HELP EXPAND SOME OF THOSE SERVICES, UH, UH, TO PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE, UM, SAFE ESCORTS AND THE LIABILITY INSURANCE REQUIRED TO DO SO.

UM, YEAH, I, I KNOW THIS COMMISSION HEARD ME TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS ALREADY, BUT, UM, I, ALL OF THIS TO SAY, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY FOR US TO INTERACT, UH, WITH YOUR OFFICE? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE CORNERSTONE REALLY, OF WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHAT WE DO.

WELL, QUITE FRANKLY, I, I, IN MY OPINION, ONCE THE OFFICE HAS STOOD UP AND WE WE'RE REFERRING TO IT AS SOMETHING THAT EXISTS MM, IT'S NOT REALLY IN PLACE YET.

UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD SOME, YOU KNOW, EXERCISES AND TRYING TO ENVISION HOW WE MIGHT FUNCTION THIS, RIGHT, UM, I WOULD ENVISION THE, THE, THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICER BEING A REGULAR FIXTURE OF, UM, COMMUNICATION ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS BODY.

AND SO I, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT WOULD BE A NATURAL, ORGANIC, UM, RELATIONSHIP THAT'S GOING TO DEVELOP.

AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS BODY IS, IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS, IF YOU WILL, FOR WHAT WE WOULD BE, UM, HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH IN THAT CONNECTIVITY.

SO THEY, THE PROBLEM THAT YOU JUST IDENTIFIED, I WOULD IMAGINE WOULD BE, UM, EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD BE A RESOURCE OR, OR USEFUL RATHER, FOR THE, THE OFFICER TO KNOW SO THAT THEY COULD GO AND TRY TO FIX THAT AND SOLVE IT.

AND, AND PART OF THIS IS ABOUT IDENTIFYING WHERE WE NEED RESOURCES SO THAT WHEN A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY COMES AVAILABLE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A WAY TO PLUG THAT NEED INTO THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF ALL THE OTHER BUDGETARY REQUESTS THAT MAY BE PRESENTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT UNIFIED VOICE.

GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER COVER, UH, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH, MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND PRESENTATION.

I RUN A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, THAT'S RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF CONGRESS IN SIX.

SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR WORK DOWNTOWN.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW, JUST FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE, HOW ARE YOU DEFINING SUCCESS AND HOW ARE YOU MEASURING IT? I, I THINK I HAD HEARD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, SOME POLICE DATA, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR AN

[00:30:01]

EXPANSION ON THAT.

WELL, AGAIN, UM, IT GOES TO PLANS AND INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS, RIGHT? CRIME DATA IS OBVIOUSLY ONE THING.

I THINK THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH, UM, IS, IS, IS IN THE ABILITY TO TRACK AND MANAGE HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO AND GET THEM OUT OF THEIR SITUATION AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSING IS, IS AN EXAMPLE OF A BENCHMARK.

BUT I THINK, UM, WELL, I KNOW WHEN WE HAVE THIS POSITION, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT ALL THOSE VARIOUS BUCKETS ALL 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT BENCHMARK FOR TRANSPORTATION.

IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT ONE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.

IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT, AND SO THAT HASN'T BEEN CREATED YET.

AND SO THAT WILL BE PART OF THE TASK AND PART OF THE BIG LIFT IN THE EARLY ERA OF THIS DEPARTMENT.

AND SO I WOULD THINK THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OR SO IS GONNA BE ABOUT DEVELOPING STRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS AND THE WATTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE AND TRACK DURING THIS, THIS THE INITIAL STAGES OF THE OFFICE.

YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE, RIGHT? THAT YOU'RE STILL DEFINING THOSE KPIS.

I WOULD LOVE, UM, TO INVITE YOU GUYS BACK HERE WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR CHAIR AND CO-CHAIRS BLESSING ONCE THOSE KPIS ARE ESTABLISHED, THAT WAY WE KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AS A COMMISSION.

WELL, AND, AND LIKEWISE, I MEAN, I I WILL SAY THIS EVEN AHEAD OF THE COMMITTEE, THE, THE OFFICE BEING CREATED, UM, IF, IF THERE ARE IDEAS ABOUT KPIS THAT THIS COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH ME, THAT WOULD BE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING ME GUIDE THE NEXT EARLY STAGES OF THIS PROCESS.

SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ROB OR ME VIA EMAIL.

AND JUST SHOOT US YOUR THOUGHTS.

UM, WE'D BE HAPPY TO.

YEAH, I THINK WE, WE ALL ABSOLUTELY WILL.

ONE THING THAT I WOULD ADD TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO, WHO WORKS IN TECH DOWNTOWN IS JUST THE, UM, OFFICE RESIDENTIAL SPACE, JUST OUR, OUR OCCUPANCY RATE.

AND LIKE, I THINK THAT COULD BE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD ONE.

AND I KNOW WE WORK WITH DAA DIRECTLY ON SOME OF THAT, AND SO THEY WILL BE A PA A PARTNER IN STAKEHOLDER AS WELL.

SO, SUPER QUICK.

YES, GO AHEAD.

UM, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE OFFICE WILL BE STOOD UP? SO I, I HOPE TO, AND THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT ON, YOU KNOW, INTEREST AND FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON, BUT MY GOAL WOULD BE WITHIN THE NEXT 60 DAYS TO HAVE ONE OR IF NOT BOTH OF THESE POSITIONS FILLED.

UM, NOW DEPENDING ON WHEN THAT, IF THAT INDIVIDUAL CAN START RIGHT AWAY OR WHATEVER.

SO I, I REALLY THINK A, A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SAY IS BY THE END OF THE YEAR, I THINK WE'LL HAVE THE OFFICE IN FULL SWING, UM, AT LEAST STARTED INITIALLY WITH THE FIRST STEPS OF CREATING THE STRUCTURE AND THE, AND THE, THE ORGANIZATION AROUND IT.

MM-HMM .

SO WHAT DO YOU ENVISION, UM, AS A SORT OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE? SO ABOVE THIS DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICER AND WITH THIS SECOND EMPLOYEE, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SECOND EMPLOYEE AND WHO'S ABOVE THE DOWN TRUMP? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I, I KIND OF ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER.

I, I, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYBODY HAS IN, IN, IN THEIR ORGANIZATION A DIFFERENT BOSS, RIGHT? YOU GOT A DIFFERENT, UM, COMMAND STRUCTURE, IF YOU WILL, OR A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.

AND THE WAY THE CITY IS, IS CURRENTLY ORGANIZED.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF US REPORT TO ONE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND SOME DEPARTMENTS REPORT THROUGH ANOTHER.

AND, UM, SO THE GOAL HERE IS TO CREATE THIS OFFICE REPORTING TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

IT WILL START BY REPORTING TO ME, BUT IT EVENTUALLY MAY RESIDE WITHIN ANOTHER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER STRUCTURE.

BUT THE GOAL IS, IS TO ELIMINATE THE BARRIERS, TO ELIMINATE SILOS AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME WEIGHT TO THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COORDINATION AND THE REQUIREMENTS THAT EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE AND, AND, AND WORK TOWARD THE COMMON GOAL.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A, A FUNCTION OF THE OUT OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UM, AND THE, THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICER WILL BE KIND OF THE, THE, THE HEAD OF THAT DEPARTMENT.

NOW, THE, THE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS PERSON IS GONNA BE VERY FOCUSED ON ENGAGING ON, UH, REALLY THE CRIMINAL AND THE, UM, THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL STRUCTURE OR STRUCTURE AROUND SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE BELIEVE COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

YOU KNOW, MY FORMER LIFE, I WORKED IN AN ORGANIZATION WHERE WE REALLY SAW DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS BY FOCUSING ON JUST THE PROBLEM, THE CAUSES OF PROBLEM, THE ROOT CAUSES.

AND ROB MENTIONED THAT EARLIER, RATHER THAN JUST KIND OF REACTIONARY TYPE RESPONSE TO THINGS.

AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS SECOND POSITION WILL FOCUS ON.

I DO BELIEVE, UM, THAT WE WILL NEED PROBABLY MORE POSITIONS AT SOME POINT.

I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE THE INPUT FROM THE, THE STAFF WE INITIALLY SET IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN GET THEIR GUIDANCE ON WHAT THEY THINK THEY NEED.

IT'S ONE THING FOR ME TO SAY IT IN, IN ADVANCE.

SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF PERSON OR THAT, OR THAT MAY NOT FIT THE NEEDS.

AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING THAT

[00:35:01]

AS A SECOND PHASE.

DO YOU FEEL, UM, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, YOU HAVE THE BUDGET THAT YOU NEED, THE FUNDS THAT YOU NEED INITIALLY? YES.

WE'RE, WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE TO START AND KICK THINGS OFF.

UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE ONLINE? YES.

UM, COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ? I, YEAH, I ACTUALLY JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXAMPLE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M PREDICTABLE BY SAYING THAT, BUT I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXAMPLE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT SAFETY DOWNTOWN, AND THE IMMEDIATE SORT OF GUT REACTION IS LET'S GET MORE POLICE THERE, LET'S GET MORE AMBULANCES ON SITE.

AND SO CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS TO ADDRESS SAFETY, UM, ARE GREAT, RIGHT? WE CAN TALK ABOUT LIGHTING, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SAFE ACCESS TO PARKING LOTS, UM, ESCORTS.

THERE'S ALL THESE SORT OF FACTORS THAT CAN HELP DOWNTOWN FEEL SAFER FOR NOT JUST TOURISTS AND VISITORS, BUT FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING DOWNTOWN.

UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT CROSS-FUNCTIONAL APPROACH.

I REALLY, UM, AM EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM AND REPLICATING THIS MODEL.

LIKE AT, ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT HEAT, HEAT MAPS, RIGHT? PROBLEM AREAS ALL OVER TOWN.

UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A STRUCTURE BUILT OUT HERE THAT WE CAN THEN SCALE AND APPLY TO ALL OVER THE CITY SO THAT WE HAVE A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OFFICE FOR SOUTH AUSTIN, A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OFFICE FOR THE DOMAIN AREA, A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OFFICE FOR EAST AUSTIN.

AND SO I'M, I'M REALLY HOPING THAT, UM, THERE'S A, A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION GOING ON AND A LOT OF LIKE LESSONS BEING LEARNED ABOUT HOW TO CREATE THESE COLLABORATIVE TEAMS AND HOW TO KEEP THE COMMUNICATION FLOWING AND TO A, IN, IN A NOD TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS EARLIER, MAKING SURE THAT THE OFFICE IS BUILDING IN, UM, FUNNELS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT AND CONSTANT COMMUNITY INPUT, NOT LIKE A MEASURED COMMUNITY INPUT THAT THEN ENDS, AND NOW WE'RE DONE WITH THAT PART, UM, SO THAT IT CAN CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

UM, I THINK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE, MY QUESTION, AND I THINK THIS COMMISSION HAS ASKED THIS QUESTION FOR YEARS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SIXTH STREET, IS IT'S JUST REALLY CRITICAL THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SIXTH STREET AND SAFETY ON SIXTH STREET, THAT IT EXPANDS BEYOND JUST SIXTH STREET AND THAT IT EMBRACES THE ENTIRE AREA AND THE WALK PATHS AND, UM, AND THE, AND THE TRAFFIC PATHS.

SO YEAH, JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WELL, YEAH, NO, AND I, I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY.

AND IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT SIXTH STREET.

UM, I KNOW SCIENTIFICALLY THOUGH, FROM PAST EXAMPLES IN JUST HOTSPOT POLICING, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S TREMENDOUS BENEFIT WHEN YOU AFFECT A POSITIVE OUTCOME AND TREATMENT IN ONE AREA TO THE OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS.

AND SO, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOCUS AND ATTENTION ON SIXTH STREET, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS THE PILOT TO START THAT.

AND I DO BELIEVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE US MAYBE TAKE THAT ELSEWHERE.

SO, ABSOLUTELY.

BUT EVEN JUST LIKE WITH THINGS LIKE LIGHTING, LIKE SIXTH STREET IS THE DESTINATION, BUT THE PATH TO SIXTH STREET IS WHERE A LOT OF THE UNSAFE INTERACTIONS HAPPEN.

IT'S ON THE WALK BACK TO YOUR CAR THAT'S PARKED AT EIGHTH AND BRAZOS, IT'S LIKE, OR AT 10TH AND, YOU KNOW, TRINITY OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE.

LIKE, IT'S, IT'S ANY, IT'S IN THESE, IT'S IN THE PATHS TO SIXTH STREET, WHERE A LOT OF THE UNSAFE INTERACTIONS, WHERE THE CAR BREAK-INS HAPPEN, WHERE THE DARK PATHWAYS ARE.

AND SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE EXPAND BEYOND THAT COMMISSIONER LEVI.

THAT'S WHERE A TEAM THAT FOCUSES ON URBAN ARCHITECTURE, SO TO SPEAK, COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING I WAS ACTUALLY JUST LOOKING AT TODAY ONLINE, AND, UM, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A MULTIFUNCTION TEAM, I DEFINITELY WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THEY WOULD FOCUS ON.

DESIGN OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRITICAL.

I, I SEE IT MYSELF.

I LIVE DOWNTOWN.

I SEE IT DAILY WHERE I THINK WE, WE MISS THE MARK, PERHAPS IN SOME WAYS IN WHICH WE DESIGN SOME, SOME, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO DOSSEY'S NAME HAS DOWNTOWN IN THE NAME.

UM, AND YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THE CENTRAL DISTRICT, CENTER CITY, I GUESS, UM, MR. TREVINO, DID YOU MENTION IT? I THINK YOU DID.

UH, SO IT'S THE CENTER CITY CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN, UM, WHICH IS TIED TO WHAT USED TO BE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, UM, YEAH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

TONIGHT IS AN EXPANSION OF OUR BOUNDARIES TO INCLUDE THIS CENTER CITY CENTRAL DISTRICT BOUNDARY.

AND WE AS A COMMISSION ARE CHARGED WITH SHEPHERDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TAKING UP

[00:40:01]

SO IS DSI ALSO CONSIDERING THE BOUNDARY OF THEIR JURISDICTION TO BE CONCURRENT WITH THAT CENTER CITY CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN? UH, YES, SIR.

I MEAN, I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT IT MORE, BUT I THINK THE IMPETUS OF, OBVIOUSLY THE MAYOR'S RESOLUTION WAS, UH, BASED ON THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

SO I WOULD THINK THAT'D BE A GOOD STARTING POINT TO, UH, TO, AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE BOUNDARIES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS OFFICE.

I, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION AND ONE THAT WE DO NEED TO RESOLVE FROM THE INITIAL PHASE OF SETTING THIS UP.

I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, DAA HAS ONE BOUNDARY IDENTIFICATION FOR WHAT'S, WHAT THEIR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY ARE.

AND, AND I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE, UM, DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF WHAT DOWNTOWN IS.

AND I THINK WHAT ROB SAID IS REASONABLE.

I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT OUR, OUR MAIN PLANNING INSTRUMENT IS, AND THAT WE BELIEVE IS THE DOWNTOWN PLAN IS UNDERWAY.

SO GOING BACK TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, WHAT DO YOU SEE IS DOSSEY'S ROLE, UM, AND HOW WILL YOU COORDINATE WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, IN DEVELOPING THIS UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, WHICH IS NOW MORE THE REGIONAL PLAN? YEAH.

AND, AND THE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS THE LEAD.

THEY'RE GONNA BE THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING AND ORGANIZING AND DEVELOPING THAT PLAN.

I THINK THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE WILL BE A, A STAKEHOLDER.

I THINK THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, UH, INPUT AND A LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND, UH, MAYBE EXPOSURE TO WHAT THEY SEE, OR MAYBE CONFLICT OR OPPORTUNITIES, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN DIFFERENT VARIOUS CITY, UM, OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS OR JUST THEIR OB OBSERVATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE CONTROLLING AND MANAGING THAT PROCESS.

I, I'D LIKE TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER BTA.

ONE MORE.

UM, UH, I THINK THIS COMMISSION LEARNED JUST LAST MONTH THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, SPACES, HISTORIC SPACES, SOME THAT ARE, UH, UNDERUTILIZED OR HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR EXPANDED USE, UH, DOWNTOWN.

WITH THAT, UM, I, I WOULD ASK, AND FORGIVE ME IF YOU DID MENTION 'EM, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR YOU MENTION, UH, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR INTERACTING WITH RALLY AUSTIN AND THE CULTURAL TRUST IN THAT CAPACITY? WELL, AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA KEEP SAYING THE SAME THING.

I DON'T KNOW YET.

I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT I SEE AS A, AS A RESOURCE AND POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDER.

UM, ONCE WE HAVE THE OFFICE STOOD UP, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME, UM, INVENTORY, IF YOU WILL, OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

AND I AGREE WITH THE, THE HISTORICAL PIECE.

I MEAN, I, I, I, I WANT TO SAY THIS BECAUSE I FEEL SO EXCITED TO SAY I NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE TREATY OAK DOWNTOWN, AND I DISCOVERED THAT RECENTLY, AND I WAS FLOORED BY THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TREATY.

OAK JUST STEPS AWAY FROM WHERE WE ALL DRIVE BY EVERY DAY, AND NOBODY KNOWS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HISTORICAL.

SO THAT WOULD BE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND IN THE LIVING ROOM OF DOWNTOWN.

THE COOL THINGS THERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME.

IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.

UM, I WISH YOU WELL AND FURTHERING YOUR, UH, ORGANIZING EFFORTS AND GETTING THE, UH, DOSSI DEPARTMENT.

IS IT A, ARE YOU GONNA CALL IT A DEPARTMENT? WHAT DO WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO IT? THE A DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE.

OFFICE.

GETTING THE OFFICE UP AND GOING AND, UH, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE BACK IN A FEW MONTHS TO KIND OF GIVE US AN UPDATE.

[3. Update from the Public Safety Commission representative regarding the Austin Police’s response to questions about their process with regards to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Public Safety Commission’s future discussions regarding this topic.]

THE, UH, NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS AN UPDATE FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, UM, REGARDING THE AUSTIN POLICE'S RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR PROCESS WITH REGARDS TO IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION'S FUTURE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THIS TOPIC.

COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO DO THIS.

YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A MOUTHFUL OF AN AGENDA.

IT IS ACTUALLY.

UM, AND I THINK ALL IT, ALL IT REALLY IS IS, UM, A, A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHAT WE KNOW AS A COMMISSION ABOUT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND A PD AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.

AND WHAT WE KNOW IS, I MEAN, TO BE FRANK IS REALLY WHAT THE, WHAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS, AND THAT'S THAT A PD DOES NOT, UM, PARTICIPATE IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.

UM, A PD IS NOTIFIED

[00:45:01]

MM-HMM .

UM, WHEN THOSE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE GOING TO BE IN THE CITY OR IN THE AREA.

UM, AND I THINK, UM, CHIEF DAVIS HAS AT POINTS PUBLICLY ALSO SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE IN IMMIGRATION ACTIVITIES, BUT THAT THEY, THEY MAY BE ASKED TO DO TRAFFIC CONTROL OR THINGS, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT THAT HAS HAPPENED, UM, TO DATE.

UM, WE WILL BE HEARING FROM A PD AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND BE ASKING SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS THAT I IMAGINE, UM, AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CRAFTING, UM, A DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN HAVE AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL AND IMMIGRATION AND JUST IMPACTS ON IMMIGRATION.

UM, SO FAR, I THINK WHAT WE ARE MOST INTERESTED OR MOST WEARY OF IS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT THAT ALL OF THIS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT CAN HAVE ON REPORTING.

UM, WELL ACTIVELY CALLING 9 1 1, PEOPLE CALLING.

UM, AND I THINK THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD SO FAR WITH THE CHIEFS OF STAFF HAD JUST BEEN LIKE, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND METRICS AND HOW TO MEASURE THAT AND HOW, HOW WE WOULD LOOK AT REPORTING AND ATTRIBUTE IT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY JUST KIND OF WRAPPING OUR HEADS AROUND HOW TO HAVE A USEFUL DISCUSSION AND HOW TO FRAME AND HOW TO TRACK, UM, ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON CALLS FOR SERVICE, CALLS FOR HELP AND REPORTING ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL THREE OF THE AGENCIES.

AND I GUESS MY, I COME TO YOU GUYS WITH, WITH QUESTIONS MORE THAN ANYTHING, AS YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY, WHAT QUESTIONS COME TO MIND FOR YOU ALL, UM, SO THAT AS WE'RE CRAFTING OUR, UM, AGENDA ITEM AND OUR DISCUSSIONS, WE CAN KEEP THAT STUFF IN MIND? WELL, A QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE IS, UM, OR MAYBE A POINT TO BE MADE AND WHEN YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH A PD TO BRING UP POSSIBLY, IS HOW DOES THE CITY, HOW DOES A PD MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THEIR ROLE, IF THEY PLAY A ROLE AT ALL, EVEN IN TRAFFIC, IS NOT SOME SORT OF ENDORSEMENT OR, UM, PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITY THAT IS GOING ON, UM, AS FAR AS THE ARRESTS, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, MASKED PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND DOING WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE DOING TO CITIZENS, UM, OR, UM, EVEN THOSE IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE UNDOCUMENTED.

UM, BECAUSE THE SCENES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT WE ARE SHOWN, THE SCENES THAT WE SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ON THE NEWS, IT'S VERY HARD TO NOT SEE THE POLICE AS BEING AN ACTIVE PART OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

AND, UM, SO AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A QUESTION.

I THINK IT'S MORE A COMMENT SUGGESTION, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

NO, I, I DO THINK, I DO THINK THAT IS VERY MUCH A QUESTION.

WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, ACTIVELY DOING TO KIND OF DRAW A LINE BETWEEN WHAT THEY DO AND, AND, AND THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT ARE.

AND I, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I DON'T THINK SO.

WELL, I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MAYBE IN A FEW MONTHS COMING BACK AND LETTING US KNOW.

UM, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL POTENTIALLY OF A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S BOUNDARY EXPANSION.

UM, AND OF COURSE, AND I ALSO JUST WANNA MENTION BRIEFLY AS KIND OF JUST AN ANNOUNCEMENT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS COMMISSION DOES.

UM, AND I WOULD JUST KIND OF, UH, SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, KEYING IN SOME OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY'RE HAVING.

UM, UH, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL SORTS OF STUFF, UM, THAT'S RELATED TO IMMIGRATION SPECIFICALLY, AND THEY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC SPECIFICALLY AS WELL.

SO, UM, JUST KIND OF POINT YOU THERE AS WELL AS A REFERENCE.

[4. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding Downtown Commission Boundary Expansion.]

UM, I BELIEVE, UM, CHRISTIE ACTUALLY POSTED A DRAFT OF THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, I WILL READ IT SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION BOUNDARY EXPANSION, WHEREAS THE AUSTIN CITY ACTUALLY ALREADY THERE IS A, AN EDIT

[00:50:01]

THAT I WOULD SUGGEST, WHICH IS TO PUT CITY BETWEEN AUSTIN AND COUNCIL.

THAT WAS ONE THAT, UH, WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME, AND I AGREE.

UH, WHEREAS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 14TH, 2024 PASSED RESOLUTION 20 24 0 8 1 4 DASH OH TWO EIGHT, CALLING FOR AN UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

WHEREAS THE PURPOSE OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, AS SPELLED OUT IN ITS BYLAWS, IS TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF REGARDING POLICIES AND PROJECTS IMPACTING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SERVE AS STEWARDS OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.

AND AS SUCH, SERVE AS A SOUNDING BOARD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS ON AMENDMENTS TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AS NEEDED.

AND WHEREAS THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION ARE SET FORTH IN THE BYLAWS AS BEING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

BOULEVARD TO THE NORTH INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 35 TO THE EAST LADY, BIRD LAKE TO THE SOUTH, AND LAMAR BOULEVARD TO THE WEST.

AND WHEREAS THE CURRENT DAP BOUNDARIES ARE CONCURRENT WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONS BOUNDARIES, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PLANNING DEPARTMENT BY MEMO IN RESPONSE TO CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 24 0 8 1 4 DASH OH TWO EIGHT RECOMMENDED THAT THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN BE EXPANDED.

AND WHEREAS THE PLANNING STAFF NOTED THAT A RENEWED VISION OF DOWNTOWN SHOULD ACCOUNT FOR ITS IMMEDIATE NEEDS WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE REGIONAL CONTEXT OF ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SURROUNDING AREAS PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DISTRICT PLAN AND BROADENING THE DAP UPDATE TO A DISTRICT PLAN WITH A LARGER GEOGRAPHY WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE REGIONAL NATURE OF THE URBAN CORE IN THE CITY AND CREATE INTENTIONALITY IN PLANNING FOR IT.

WHEREAS PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROPOSED DISTRICT PLAN INCLUDE DOWNTOWN, THE UNIVERSITY NORTH OVERLAY AREA TO THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA TO THE SOUTH, BORDERED BY LAMAR BOULEVARD TO THE WEST AND I 35 TO THE EAST, AND WOULD BE REFERRED TO AS THE CENTER CITY SLASH CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN AREA.

WHEREAS THERE CONCURRENT, THERE CURRENTLY EXISTS A SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD CHARGED WITH PROVIDING CONTINUITY AND COMMUNICATION AMONG STAKEHOLDERS AND ADVOCATES AS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN MOVES TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION AND TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.

AND WHEREAS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT IS BOUNDED BY SOUTH FIRST STREET ON THE WEST BLU CREEK TO THE EAST LADYBIRD LAKE ON THE NORTH AND EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE, AND EAST BOLD CREEK ON THE SOUTH.

AND WHEREAS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD HAS NOT MET OR HAS MET ONCE IN 2025, AND WHEREAS THE WEST CAMPUS AREA IS BOUNDED BY MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD ON THE SOUTH GUADALUPE STREET TO THE EAST 29TH STREET TO THE NORTH AND NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD TO THE WEST, AND INCLUDES ALL OF THE UNIVERSITY NORTH OVERLAY.

AND WHEREAS THE WEST CAMPUS UNO IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF, OF THE URBAN CORE AND AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF ANY CENTRAL CITY REGIONAL PLAN.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION RECOMMENDS AND URGES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AMEND THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S BYLAWS.

TWO ONE, EXTEND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

UM, AND HERE, UM, THERE IS AN EDIT TO BE MADE, BUT, SO I'LL READ IT WITH THE EDIT, EXTEND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE CENTRAL CITY CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN AREA, INCLUDING ALL OF WEST CAMPUS, UNO, WEST CAMPUS SLASH UNO AREA, AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.

NUMBER TWO, BROADEN THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITIES TO INCLUDE STEWARDING ANY PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CENTER CITY SLASH CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN AREA, INCLUDING ALL OF WEST CAMPUS AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA.

AND THREE, BROADEN THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INCLUDE ADVISING THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF REGARDING POLICIES AND PROJECTS IMPACTING THE CITY, THE CENTRAL CITY SLASH CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN AREA, INCLUDING ALL OF WEST CAMPUS AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA.

SO THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION.

UM, DO WE HAVE A, UM, MOTION? SO MOVED.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? NOTHING, UH, OPENING IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IF NOT, UH, ALL IN FAVOR?

[00:55:01]

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? I BELIEVE, UH, THE MOTION CARRIES.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I HAD A QUICK QUESTION.

I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY PASSED IT.

UM, IS THIS, I KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POTENTIALLY MERGING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMMISSION AND THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

IS THIS AN EFFORT? IS, IS THIS IN SUPPORT OF THAT? IS THIS I TO THAT, IS THAT NO LONGER CA LIKE IT'S RELATED TO THIS? WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA DO THAT OR NOT, BUT IF SO, IF THEY'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THAT, THEN WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE BODY THAT THESE THINGS SHOULD BE MERGED UNDER AS OPPOSED TO A DIFFERENT GROUP.

UM, SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW BUSINESS? YES, MR. CHU? I HAVE TWO SUGGESTIONS.

GOOD QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

UM, THAT IS ALL THEN.

DO WE HAVE ANY,

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, FIRST OF ALL, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS CURRENTLY UPDATING THE GREAT STREETS MASTER PLAN, AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO GET AN UPDATE ON THEIR UPDATE.

I WOULD SECOND THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

AND SECONDLY, JUST FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT WAS STATED ABOUT SIXTH STREET, UM, THEY ARE CONDUCTING A, THEY'RE MAKING A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT RIGHT NOW.

IT SHOULD BE OUT PRETTY SOON.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND.

ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS SUGGESTIONS? I HAVE ONE.

UM, THIS IS INSPIRED BY A CONVERSATION I THINK I SHARED WITH A COUPLE OF YOU, BUT, UM, WE HEARD FROM A, UH, CONSTITUENT DOWNTOWN THAT THE VALET PERMITTING PROCESS IS BROKEN.

UM, AND I'M THINKING ESPECIALLY HOW WE CAN BE HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS OFFLINE.

I'D LOVE TO ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA.

THAT FEELS LIKE A SMALL WIN, UM, FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IF WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, TO FIX THAT PROCESS.

UM, AND THEN OPENING UP FOR HOW WE COULD SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS DOWNTOWN WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER.

I'LL SECOND THAT ONE TOO.

WHO DO WE THINK WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE COME AND TALK TO US? OR WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PROCESS WOULD BE? I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMEBODY FROM THE PERMITTING OFFICE, I WOULD IMAGINE.

I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, I WOULD LOVE SPECIFICALLY TO KNOW WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT PROCESS AND HOW DO WE POTENTIALLY ISSUE PROVISIONAL VALETS, UM, VALET PERMITS TO, UM, SMALL RESTAURANTS AND BARS DOWNTOWN THAT NEED IT.

THANKS COMMISSIONER KOUL.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.

THAT CHAIR, ISHMAEL HAD REQUESTED THIS BEFORE, AND SO THAT IS THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT UNDERNEATH ONE OF THEIR SUB DEPARTMENTS.

I'LL REACH OUT AND SEE IF SOMEONE CAN COME AND PRESENT.

GREAT.

THANKS CHRISTIE.

UM, SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMISSION TONIGHT? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

I'LL SECOND.

NO OPPOSITION.

I BELIEVE WE ARE FINISHED FOR THE NIGHT.