[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
IT'S WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2025.
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO CALL ROLL.
CHRISTIE, WOULD YOU MIND DOING SO? NOT AT ALL.
PAT, CAN YOU UNMUTE? OKAY, WE'LL COME BACK.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ONLINE.
LES GINA HOUSTON WILL JOIN SHORTLY.
SO I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE QUORUM.
SIX COMMISSIONERS MAKE QUORUM.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.AND I UNDERSTAND WE DO HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM THREE.
SO WHOEVER THAT IS, THE FLOOR IS YOURS,
WE HAVE MATT GUKE SPEAKING ON ITEM THREE.
MY NAME IS, UH, MATTHEW OR MATT SKE, UM, VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
I'M HERE SPEAKING ON ITEM THREE RELATIVE TO THE, UM, DOWNTOWN DISNEY BONUS, SB UH, EIGHT 40.
UM, ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, UH, BOARD, UH, DIRECTORS, I'M SPEAKING TODAY, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING A, A DELAY 120 DAY DELAY ON ITEM 63 FOR GOING FORWARD NEXT WEEK AT CITY COUNCIL.
UM, ESSENTIALLY DO THREE THINGS.
SO CONDUCT, GIVE US TIME AND THE CITY TIME, UM, TO CONDUCT A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING TO TEST THE FULL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, IS, IS SHIFTING FROM A AN FAR TO A, UH, HEIGHT RESTRICTION, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ADEQUATE TIME FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK.
SO WE'VE, UH, OUR BOARD AS WELL AS OUR STAFF, HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY STAFF ON, ON THIS AMENDMENT.
UM, WE JUST DON'T KNOW EXACTLY AT THIS TIME IF, IF, IF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE THROUGH SWAPPING TO A HEIGHT RESTRICTION.
UM, UH, WE WILL, UH, PRODUCED THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS THAT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE UNDER THE OLD DENSITY BONUS.
AND WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE WANT TO EXPLORE ALTERNATE METHODS TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO STARTING NEXT MONTH, UH, THE CITY STAFF WILL BEGIN, UM, LOOKING AT DEBT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL CITY, UH, PLAN GOING FORWARD.
AND WE THINK THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD TIME TO, TO START, UH, AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS AMENDMENT, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BETTER ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THIS AMENDMENT IS IN RESPONSE TO, UH, THE LEGISLATURE'S SB EIGHT 40, UH, WHICH FUNCTIONALLY REMOVED FLORIDA AIR RATIO, AS Y'ALL KNOW, AS REGULATORY TOOL FOR THE DOWNTOWN
HOWEVER, THE FULL ECONOMIC, UH, AND BUILT FORM IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED HEIGHT LIMIT ARE NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD ENOUGH TO PASS AT THIS TIME.
UM, FURTHER, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE MAIN ECONOMIC ENGINES OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, PRODUCING REVENUES, NOT JUST FEES THAT FUND MANY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS CITYWIDE.
IF WE DO NOT TAKE TIME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS, UH, AND HAVE A WELL CONSIDERED REGULATORY RESPONSE, A SBA 40, WE MAY FURTHER STIFLE GROWTH AT A TIME WHEN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES NEEDED MOST, UM, CHALLENGES RESULTING FROM REDUCED FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT, PERSISTENT OFFICE VACANCIES.
RISING BUSINESS COSTS REQUIRE ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND CREATIVE POLICY AND FUNDING SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT ROBUST ECONOMIC CENTERS SUCH AS DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
UH, ITEM 63 DOES NOT ADDRESS THE COMPLEX COMPLEXITY, EXCUSE ME, OF THE SITUATION INSTEAD ONLY REACTING TO STATE LEGISLATION.
UM, SBA 40 WAS DESIGNED TO UNLEASH THE MARKET TO SUPPLY HOUSING IN VOLUME, SOMETHING DESPERATELY NEEDED STATEWIDE.
AND HERE IN AUSTIN TO HELP ADDRESS OUR ONGOING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND ITS EFFECT SHOULD BE SEEN AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW AND CREATIVE THINKING, UM, ABOUT HOW WE FUND CITY PROGRAMS. UM, IN CLOSING, WE BELIEVE THE 120 DAY DELAY WILL PROVIDE CITY STAFF AND STAKEHOLDER SUFFICIENT TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE, UH, APPROACHES TO FUNDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
YEAH,
UM, I THINK THERE WILL PROBABLY BE QUESTIONS LATER ON, BUT FOR NOW, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on September 17, 2025.]
UM, AND NOW, UH, MOVING ON.THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
I HOPE EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO
[00:05:01]
REVIEW THOSE.UM, IF SO, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
MOTION, UH, COMMISSIONER VEDO MADE A MOTION.
AND COMMISSIONER LEVINSON SECONDED.
JUST NOTING THAT COMMISSIONER HOUSTON AND MCDANIEL HAP JOINED US.
AND, UH, I'LL COMMISSIONER HOUSTON, I'LL INTRODUCE YOU AT THE END.
[2. Update on the Downtown Density Bonus Program/Affordable Housing and SB 840. Presentation by Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Austin Planning.]
UM, MOVING ON TO THE MEAT OF THE AGENDA.WE HAVE SOME STAFF BRIEFINGS, UM, AN UPDATE ON THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SB EIGHT 40 F EFFECTS PRESENTATION BY ALAN PANY, PLANNER, PRINCIPAL AUSTIN PLANNING.
ALAN PANY, UH, WITH A AUSTIN PLANNING PRINCIPAL PLANNER.
AND, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION, I'LL BE WALKING THROUGH THE STATE BILL EIGHT 40, UM, AND HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT, UH, THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AS WELL.
SO, UH, THE STATE BILL EIGHT 40, UH, ALLOWS BY RIGHT MIXED USE OR MULTIFAMILY IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS THAT ALLOW NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, UM, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS, INCLUDING EXCLUDING ZONES WITH HEAVY INDUSTRIAL.
UH, I'LL GET INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
IT SETS SOME MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR HEIGHT, DENSITY, AND MAXIMUM SETBACKS FOR MULTIFAMILY AND MULTI AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR COMMERCIAL ZONES, UM, AS WELL AS EXEMPTS RESIDENTIAL CONVERSIONS OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL OR OFFICE BUILDINGS FROM IMPACT FEES AND OTHER CITY REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THIS STATE BILL WENT INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, SO GETTING INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE DETAIL.
AS I MENTIONED, IT ALLOWS BUYRIGHT ON ANY PROPERTY WHERE MIXED USE OFFICE, COMMERCIAL, RETAIL, OR WAREHOUSE USES ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN THE ZONING DISTRICT.
IT DOES NOT APPLY TO ZONES THAT ALLOW HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USE PROPERTIES WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USE OR DEVELOPMENT SITE, UH, OR WITHIN 3000 FEET OF AN AIRPORT OR MILITARY BASE.
UH, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO AN AREA DESIGNATED BY A CITY AS A CLEAR ZONE OR ACCIDENT POTENTIAL ZONE.
UM, JUST AS A REFERENCE, THAT IS TYPICALLY, UH, A ZONE AT THE END OF RUNWAYS.
SO VERY SIMILAR TO KIND OF THE AIRPORT OVERLAY.
SO AS I MENTIONED, UH, THE RESIDENTIAL USE OR MIXED USE WOULD BE ALLOWED BY RIGHT IN THE FOLLOWING ZONE ZONING DISTRICTS IN AUSTIN.
UM, I WON'T GO LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM, BUT IT IS ESSENTIALLY ALL OUR OFFICE BASE ZONES, ALL OF OUR COMMERCIAL BASE ZONES, SOME SPECIAL PURPOSE BASED ZONES SUCH AS AGRICULTURE, UM, AND PUDS.
UH, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MOST OF OUR INDUSTRIAL BASE ZONES EXCEPT FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN CERTAIN CASES.
UM, AND SO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND PUDS ARE SET BY ORDINANCE.
WHAT USES ARE ALLOWED IN THOSE, UH, ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON WHAT IS IN THAT ORDINANCE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USE WAS INCLUDED, IT WOULD NOT BE APPLIED.
IF IT WAS ALL COMMERCIAL, IT WOULD APPLY.
UH, IT ALSO APPLIES TO SOME OF OUR REGULATING PLANS SUCH AS THE TODS, UH, EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR AND NORTH BRUNET GATEWAY.
IT DOES NOT APPLY EVERYWHERE WITHIN THOSE REGULATING PLANS, BUT CERTAIN SUBDISTRICTS WITHIN THEM.
SO THE NEW MINIMUM ENTITLEMENTS THAT THE BILL SETS, UH, FOR THESE MIXED USE AND RESIDENTIAL, UH, AND MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE, UH, WHERE SB EIGHT 40 APPLIES.
SO MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL MEANS ANY SITE IN WHICH THE RESIDENTIAL USES ARE AT LEAST 65% OF THE DEVELOPMENTS TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
AND MULTIFAMILY IS ANY SITE FOR, FOR THREE OR MORE DWELLING UNITS WITHIN ONE OR MORE BUILDINGS.
WHAT IS ALLOWED IS A NEW DENSITY, WHICH IS THE GREATER OF 36 UNITS PER ACRE, OR THE HIGHEST RESIDENTIAL DENSITY CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN THE CITY.
FOR US, THAT WOULD BE 54 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE.
UH, IT RESTRICTS CITIES FROM, UH, RESTRICTING FLORIDA AREA RATIO.
SO FAR WAS NO LONGER, UH, SOMETHING WE CAN RESTRICT HEIGHT.
UH, IT ALLOW CITIES MUST ALLOW THE GREATER OF 45 FEET OR THE HEIGHT THAT CURRENTLY APPLIES TO A NON-RESIDENTIAL USE ON THE SAME SITE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A CS SITE, WHICH HAS A HEIGHT LIMIT OF 60, THAT WOULD BE 60 FEET, UH, LIMITED OFFICE, UH, WHICH IS 40 FEET, WOULD BE INCREASING TO 45 FEET.
BASED ON THE BILL SETBACKS, THE CITIES MUST ALLOW THE LESSER OF 25 FEET OR THE SETBACK THAT CURRENTLY APPLIES TO A NON-RESIDENTIAL USE ON THE SAME SITE FOR MOST OF OUR COMMERCIAL, UH, BASE ZONES, THE SETBACKS ARE ALREADY SMALLER THAN 25 FEET.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS WHERE IT IS GREATER AND THAT WOULD BE REDUCED DOWN TO 25 FEET AS A SETBACK FOR THAT.
SO MOVING ON TO SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
[00:10:01]
GENERAL IMPACTS TO DENSITY BONUSES.SO OUR DENSITY BONUSES THAT DO NOT ALLOW ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, VMU ARE LIKELY NO LONGER VIABLE AS THE STATE BILL GRANTS.
THE SAME ENTITLEMENTS DENSITY BONUSES THAT ALLOW ADDITIONAL HEIGHT SUCH AS DB ETA, DB 90 RC ET CETERA, MAY BE LESS ATTRACTIVE THAN WHAT'S AVAILABLE BY RIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY THE VIABILITY WILL VARY BY LOCATION AND OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION COSTS, UM, HEIGHTS THAT ARE GRANTED.
UH, PROJECTS, UH, UNDER AFFORDABILITY AND LOCKED MAY HAVE TO COMPETE WITH MARKET RATE DEVELOPERS ON MORE PROPERTIES, GIVING THAT THERE ARE MORE AVAILABLE SITES FOR RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE BY RIGHT, UM, THAN THERE WERE BEFORE THAT POTENTIALLY LEAD TO HIGHER LAND COSTS FOR THESE SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
UH, THE IMPACTS FOR TIERED CITYWIDE DENSITY, BONUSES AND DENSITY, UH, DBE TODD.
SO COUNCIL INITIATED CHANGES ON, ON JUNE 5TH TO CREATE NEW TIERED DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. AND IN THAT I ALSO ASKED US TO REVISE THE EXISTING VMU AND DB 90.
THE GOALS FROM THE RESOLUTION INCLUDED, UH, ADDITIONAL TYPES OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS, THE REQUIREMENT FOR PARTIAL OR FULL REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE UNITS.
UH, WE WILL BE WORKING TO ANALYZE THE NEW REALITY POST STABILITY 40 TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THESE, UH, BONUS PROGRAMS WOULD PENCIL, UH, IN THE SAME WAY WITH THE SAME OR FEWER OR MORE BENEFITS THAN ARE REQUIRED TODAY.
LASTLY, GETTING TO THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE FOR THIS COMMISSION DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, UH, OUR DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PRODUCES OUR HIGHEST DENSITY AND HEIGHTS WITHIN THE CITY, UH, AND THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES IN LIEU.
UH, IT APPLIES TO CBD AND DMU ZONING TODAY.
CBD HAS NO HEIGHT LIMIT, BUT HAS A FAR LIMIT OF EIGHT TO ONE.
AND DMU HAS HEIGHT LIMIT OF 120 FEET AND A FAR LIMIT OF FIVE TO ONE.
THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS ALLOWS FOR DEVELOPMENTS TO GO ABOVE THESE BASE ENTITLEMENTS.
IN GENERAL DEVELOPMENTS, UH, WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS CAN INCREASE UP TO 25 TO ONE FAR AND UP TO UNLIMITED HEIGHT DEPENDENT ON WHERE THEY ARE MAPPED AND CAN GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL TO EXCEED THESE LIMITS.
THE IMPACTS FROM THE BILL, UH, THE STATE BILL ARE TO REMOVE FAR LIMITS FOR DEVELOPMENTS WITH RESIDENTIAL, WHICH WOULD MEAN SITES THAT ARE SHOWN AS CBD WOULD HAVE UNLIMITED HEIGHT SINCE THERE WOULD BE NO REGULATION ON FAR AND NO HEIGHT LIMIT AT THE MOMENT.
UH, DMU WOULD SONY WOULD ALLOW TO DEVELOP TO 120 FEET STILL WITH UNLIMITED FAR.
UH, THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY GREATLY REDUCE THE INCENTIVE FOR PARCEL ZONED CBD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DENSITY BONUS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE IN LIEU AND GREAT STREET PARTICIPATION.
UM, AS YOU WILL SEE IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION AFTER THIS ONE, OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WE'RE DOING IS ADDING A HEIGHT LIMIT TO CBD THAT WOULD BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH THAT PREVIOUS EIGHT TO ONE FAR.
UM, SOME ADDITIONAL IMPACTS TO THE STATE BILL FROM THE STATE BILL ARE IMPACTS ON LEGACY COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AND REGULATION OF ACTIVE USES.
UM, OUR AIR AIRPORT OVERLAY, WHICH IS GREATER THAN THE 3000 FOOT BUFFER, UM, THAT IS IN THE STATE BILL, FUTURE LAND USE MAPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS, UM, AND OUR WATERFRONT OVERLAY WOULD BE IMPACTED AS WELL POTENTIALLY.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS, UM, FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS TO UPDATE THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO ESTABLISH A CVD BASE HEIGHT AND UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY ONE TO INCORPORATE SAID HEIGHT LIMIT.
UH, WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON NEW CITYWIDE TIER DENSITY ONE, UH, SYSTEM THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE IMPACTS FROM THE BILL.
WE ARE WORKING ON CREATING A CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN, UM, THROUGHOUT 2026.
AND THIS WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A SIMULTANEOUS EFFORT TO UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS COMPREHENSIVELY THROUGH 2026.
WE ARE LOOKING AT EVALUATING OTHER TYPES OF INCENTIVES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEYOND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS, GIVEN THE IMPACTS OF THE STATE BILL AND THE LOWER VIABILITY OF SOME OF OUR DENSITY BONUSES, UM, AS WELL AS IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AS NEEDED, INCLUDING UPDATING THE CODE TO REFLECT THE CHANGES FROM THE STATE BILL ITSELF.
SO THAT IS ALL I HAVE ON THE STATE BILL, UM, AS FAR AS ITS IMPACTS AND HOW IT RELATES TO DENSITY CITY BONUS.
I KNOW I HAVE A SEPARATE PRESENTATION AFTER THIS ABOUT THE AMENDMENT ITSELF TO CBD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? YES.
COMMISSIONER WIT? YEAH, MY, UH, MY FIRST QUESTION WILL BE ON DMU PLEASE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT SAID THAT DMU IS 120 FOOT WITH A UNLIMITED FAR CURRENTLY, I THINK DMU VARIES DEPENDING ON WHERE IT IS IN, ON THE MAP.
IS THAT RIGHT? SO UNDER THE STATE BILL IT WOULD HAVE UNLIMITED FAR BECAUSE IT'S A COMMERCIAL BASED ZONE.
THE STATE BILL GRANTS UNLIMITED FAR, SO
[00:15:01]
IT WOULD STILL HAVE THE HEIGHT LIMIT THAT EXISTS, BUT THEN THE FAR WOULD BE UNLIMITED.AS BIG AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE 120 FEET
I THINK, UM, PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION SAID THAT THE, UM, SB EIGHT 40 CHANGES WOULD MEAN LESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE IN LIEU.
UM, BUT HAVE YOU COMPARED THAT TO THE INCREASE IN TAX BASE THAT MIGHT COME FROM THE HIGHER, THE HIGHER HEIGHT LIMITS? UH, NO, WE HAVE NOT DONE ANALYSIS ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, CALL IT UNLIMITED HEIGHT MM-HMM
UH, VERSUS, UM, THE FEES IN THE WHEAT WE CURRENTLY SEE.
WE HAVE DONE ANALYSIS ON WHAT THE COMPARISON IS OF WHAT THE FEES ARE OR WOULD HAVE BEEN ON AUGUST 31ST, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH AN EIGHT TO ONE EQUIVALENT VERSUS, UH, THE PROPOSAL THAT STAFF HAS FOR THE CBD HIGH LIMIT.
HAVE YOU GIVEN CONSIDERATION TO SIMPLY MAKING GREAT STREETS NOT TIED TO DENSITY BONUS, BUT HAVING IT BE FOR ALL DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, UM, NOT AS PART OF THIS CODE AMENDMENT? I, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HEARD FROM DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND, AND, UM, STAKEHOLDERS THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS AN OPTION.
UM, I THINK IT IS SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER DURING THE UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS THROUGHOUT NEXT YEAR, UM, AS WELL AS HOW IT RELATES TO THE CENTRAL CITY, UH, DISTRICT PLAN.
BUT WE DID NOT LOOK AT IT ON, ON THIS SHORT, UH, NOTICE FOR THIS AMENDMENT.
CAN I ASK YOU WHY IT HASN'T BEEN REQUIRED UP TO NOW? UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE GREAT STREETS, UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE, THE, THE HISTORY OF GREAT STREETS.
I'M NOT REALLY AWARE OF WHY IT HASN'T BEEN EXPANDED TO RECREATED.
I KNOW IT FALLS WELL OUTSIDE OF OUR TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT GUIDES, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RIGHT OF WAYS IN GENERAL IN THE CITY WHEN NOT PARTICIPATING IN A DENSITY BONUS.
I DO KNOW THAT GRAY STREETS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AS, YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT WE WANTED IN DOWNTOWN.
JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THERE WAS ANYTHING FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU KNEW ABOUT THAT WAS RELATED TO IT.
NO, AND I, I, I DO KNOW, UM, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THE TCM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT FUNCTIONS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS.
THE TCM FUNCTIONS WITH A ROUGH ALITY.
SO DEPENDING ON HOW BIG YOUR SITE IS IN THE PROJECT, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A PROPORTIONATE, UH, PART OF WHAT IS THE, THE STANDARDS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY VERSUS GREAT STREETS IS MORE OF A SET STANDARD THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING BECAUSE IT'S VOLUNTARY.
YES, COMMISSIONER WILEY? UM, I DO HAVE ONE CONCERN THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A, A LITTLE BIT, AND THAT IS, UM, WHEN THE, WHEN THE CITY WAS LAID OUT IN THE CBD MAP, UH, WAS ORIGINALLY PUT TOGETHER, IT KIND OF, IT SUPPORTS THE TROLLEY CARS THAT USED TO BE HERE MANY DECADES AGO, AND IT'S KIND OF BUILT AROUND CONGRESS AS THE MAIN STREET.
UM, NOW THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND IN 2014 WE, WE MORE OR LESS ESTABLISHED THAT GUADALUPE IS GOING TO BE THE TRANSIT SPINE FOR THE METRO, UM, WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE ANYTHING TO ADJUST THE ENTITLEMENT OR THE, THE INCENTIVE FOR WHERE PEOPLE BUILD.
WE DON'T HAVE AN OBVIOUS INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD NEAR TRANSIT.
SO, SO MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS IF WE LOOK AT THIS LIKE IT'S A PRODUCT PLAN AND YOU HAVE TWO MAIN CATEGORIES OF PRODUCTS.
ONE IS CBD AND THE OTHER IS DMU.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF WE UPDATE ONE OF THE PRODUCTS AND DON'T UPDATE THE OTHER, UH, WON'T WE CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE A SYSTEM WHERE THE INCENTIVE IS IS STILL TO BUILD THE TALLEST CENSUS BUILDINGS, UH, AWAY FROM TRANSIT AND NOT REAL CLOSE TO YEAH, I MEAN WE SEE THIS MORE AS TRYING TO RESET THE STANDARD THAT EXISTED A MONTH AGO, UM, AND NOT REALLY UPDATE ONE NECESSARILY VERSUS THE OTHER.
WE WOULD BE LOOKING AS PART OF THE UPDATE NEXT YEAR IN THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AT WHERE DIFFERENT SUBDISTRICTS EXIST, WHAT THOSE HEIGHT LIMITS MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT STAKEHOLDERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF DOWNTOWN IN THE CENTRAL CITY AND AREA.
AND THAT INCLUDES OBVIOUSLY NEAR TRANSIT AS WELL.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE FORESEE LOOKING AT, UM, WHEN WE DO THE ACTUAL UPDATE TO THE DENSITY BONUS.
AND THAT INCLUDES ZONING AS WELL, BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CONSIDERED FOR, FOR THIS AMENDMENT, WHICH WAS MORE TRYING TO RESET THE STANDARD THAT WE HAD A MONTH AGO IN A COMPARABLE FASHION.
[3. Update on a proposed amendment to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a base height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district and update the Downtown Density Bonus (DDB) and Rainey Street Subdistrict to incorporate the CBD base height limit into the DDB program. Presentation by Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Austin Planning.]
UM, MOVING ON.I GUESS YOU'RE GONNA BE HANDLING THE NEXT UPDATE ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT
[00:20:01]
TO CITY CODE TITLE 25 LAND DEVELOPMENT TO ESTABLISH A BASE HEIGHT LIMIT WITHIN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ZONING DISTRICT AND UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AND RAINY STREET SUB DISTRICT TO INCORPORATE A CBD BASE HEIGHT LIMIT INTO THE DVD PROGRAM PRESENTATION AGAIN BY MR. PAN.SO AGAIN, ALAN PINEY AUSTIN PLANNING FINAL PRINCIPAL, UH, HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AMENDMENTS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING.
UM, AGAIN, I WILL PROVIDE A LETTER OF THE BACKGROUND, UH, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU JUST HEARD, AND THEN GO INTO THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND NEXT STEPS.
SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THE STATE BILL EIGHT 40 WENT INTO EFFECT, UH, A LITTLE BIT OVER A MONTH AGO, OR SIX WEEKS AGO ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT ALLOWS FOR THIS MULTIFAMILY AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN ANY COMMERCIAL ZONE.
UM, I WENT OVER SOME OF THOSE BASE ENTITLEMENTS THAT ARE GRANTED UNDER THE STATE BILL, BUT THE PRIMARY ONE TO FOCUS ON IS THAT IT ALLOWS FOR DEVELOPMENT UN WITH UNLIMITED FLORIDA AREA RATIO.
SO AGAIN, IT RESTRICTS THE CITY FROM REGULATING FAR.
UM, AS YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT IS THE DESIGNATION FOR AN OFFICE, COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL CIVIC USE LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
IT CURRENTLY IS REGULATED BASED ON FLORIDA AREA RATIO, SO EIGHT TO ONE FAR.
THERE IS NO MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT UNDER CBD.
SO AGAIN, AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, THE CITY CAN NO LONGER REGULATE FAR IN DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE UTILIZING THE SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
SO IF YOU ARE A RESIDENTIAL OR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT UNDER CBD, YOU ARE NOT REGULATED FOR FAR OR HEIGHT.
IF YOU ARE A PURELY COMMERCIAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT OR YOU DON'T MEET THE, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MIXED USE AK, YOU HAVE TOO MUCH COMMERCIAL, UH, YOU WOULD STILL HAVE AN FAR LIMIT ON THAT CASE.
UM, BUT NO HIGH LIMIT OBVIOUSLY.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, OUR DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PRODUCES OUR HIGHEST DENSITY IN HEIGHTS AND MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEES IN LIEU.
IT PROVIDES THE GREAT STREETS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, IT IS BASED ON GRANTING ADDITIONAL FAR AND HEIGHT DEPENDING OF YOUR CBD OR DMU.
UM, AND AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN THE MAPPED SUBDISTRICTS, IT GOES UP TO 25 TO ONE OR UP TO UNLIMITED HEIGHTS.
SO AS WE WERE ANALYZING, UH, THE EFFECTS OF THE STATE BILL, WE LOOKED AT OUR CBD ZONING, UM, AND WE F FOUND THAT BY ANALYZING THE MEDIAN AND AVERAGE HEIGHT FOR SITES PARTICIPATING IN THE DENSITY BONUS, UH, THAT THE EQUIVALENT HEIGHT OF AN EIGHT TO ONE FAR.
SO WHAT WAS CURRENTLY REGULATED, UH, WAS THE MEDIAN WAS 207 FEET.
UH, THE AVERAGE WAS AROUND 233, SO SOMEWHERE IN THE TWO 20 FOR MOST SITES.
AS WE DID THE ANALYSIS, UH, FOR THESE DEVELOPMENTS, WE FOUND THAT THE MEDIAN HEIGHT IN GENERAL FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN CBD HAS BEEN INCREASING OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AS THESE HEIGHTS HAS BEEN INCREASING, THE MEDIAN LOT SIZE HAS BEEN DECREASING.
UH, MOST OF OUR BLOCK SIZE LOTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED.
WE ARE HAVING SMALLER AND SMALLER SITES REMAIN, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES BEING DEVELOPED.
UM, WE LOOKED AT WHAT WAS REMAINING, UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING FOR RE DEVELOPERS LOT SIZE AND THEN OBVIOUSLY CONTINUES TO BE SMALLER SITES.
THESE TEND TO DEVELOP FOR TALLER HEIGHTS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR RETURNS.
SO AS WE DID ALL OF THAT ANALYSIS, WE, UH, PROPOSED TO CREATE A NEW MAXIMUM BUY RIGHT HEIGHT LIMIT OF 350 FEET FOR THE CBD DISTRICT.
UM, SO WE WENT ABOVE THE TWO 20 THAT WE FOUND TO BE EQUIVALENT, UM, AND FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
ONE WAS TO FOLLOW THE TREND TOWARDS TALLER BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN TO HELP SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH IN THE CITY CENTER.
UH, WE ARE ALSO HOPING IT WILL ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF THE REMOVAL OF FAR LIMITS FOR THESE RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE STATE BILL.
IT WILL ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNTOWN DEN CITY BONUS PROGRAM TO EXCEED THIS NEW MAXIMUM HEIGHT, UH, VIA COUNCIL APPROVAL.
AND THE 350 FEET WAS ALSO CHOSEN BECAUSE IT INCLUDES PARKING AND ANY OTHER ABOVE GRADE STRUCTURE, WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN FAR LIMITS WHEN CALCULATED.
UH, THE EIGHT TO ONE FAR DOES NOT INCLUDE PARKING WHEN YOU DO THE ANALYSIS, SO WE WANTED TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT, UM, AS WELL.
UH, JUST FOR SOME REFERENCE ON HEIGHTS, WE ARE DISCUSSING THE CURRENT CBD 8 2 1, UH, KIND OF HEIGHT EQUIVALENT OF 207 FEET FOR THE MEDIAN IS AROUND WHAT THE CITIZEN M HOTEL IS, WHICH IS AROUND 204 FEET.
OUR PROPOSAL FOR A MAX BASE HEIGHT OF 350 IS AROUND THE WINDS AROUND THE LAKE, UH, WHICH IS 330.
AND THEN THE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE UTILIZING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS WOULD BE ANY HEIGHT, UH, THEORETICALLY ABOVE THAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, 44 EAST AVE, WHICH IS AROUND 570.
UH, LASTLY, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING TO AMEND THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY
[00:25:01]
BONUS IN A LIMITED FASHION TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSED, UH, HEIGHT.SO THIS MEANS AMENDING SOME HEIGHT MAPS OR THE HEIGHT MAP AND THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS IN RAINY SUBDISTRICT LANGUAGE TO ENSURE THAT THIS NEW CBD HEIGHT LIMIT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THERE ARE NO NEW EFFECTS OR CHANGES TO THE WAY THE PROGRAM ITSELF FUNCTIONS.
UH, LASTLY, OUR NEXT STEPS ARE, UH, WE HAVE BEEN TO COJC ON SEPTEMBER.
WE WENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION LAST NIGHT.
WE ARE HERE AT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, TONIGHT ON OCTOBER 15TH, AND WE ARE HOPING TO BE AT COUNCIL, UH, NEXT WEEK ON OCTOBER 23RD.
UM, AGAIN, I WILL MENTION THAT THIS IS A NARROW AMENDMENT, UH, TO THE CBD TO ADD A HEIGHT LIMIT, BUT WE ARE STILL PLANNING ON DOING THE FULL REWORK OR, YOU KNOW, UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL CITY, UH, DISTRICT PLAN WORK THROUGHOUT NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY INCORPORATE SOME OF THE IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS WE'VE HEARD ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OR CHANGING PERHAPS HOW GREAT STREETS ARE, YOU KNOW, INTERACTING WITH THIS AREA.
UM, THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
SO I, PER YOUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, YOU SAID THE GOAL OF THIS WAS TO GET TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE SB 40, RIGHT? IT WASN'T TO MAKE NEW POLICY.
THAT SAID, LOOKING AT YOUR WORK HERE, YOU'RE TELLING US THE HEIGHT EQUIVALENT TO EIGHT TO ONE IS 207 FEET, BUT YOU'RE PROPOSING 350 FEET, WHICH SEEMS ARBITRARY TO ME.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT NUMBER IS COMING FROM, BUT THAT DIFFERENCE IN REAL WORLD PRACTICE WILL LEAVE A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE THAT WILL NOT GO INTO THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
I, I AGREE WITH THE, THE PERSON THAT FROM DA THAT PRESENTED EARLIER, I THINK THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE STUDIED FURTHER.
I THINK IF THERE'S A FIX TO MAKE IT APPLES TO APPLES, YOU MAKE IT 200 FEET AND THEN YOU MOVE ON TO THE COMPREHENSIVE REWRITE OF THE PROGRAM.
I THINK MAKING THIS CHANGE NOW IS JUST GOING TO HURT THE PROGRAM EVEN MORE THAN IT'S HURTING NOW UNTIL THAT FIX CAN BE DONE LATER.
SO I'M JUST SAYING, I I, I DON'T AGREE WITH 350 FEET AT ALL.
IT JUST SEEMS ARBITRARY AND, UH, HURTFUL TO THIS PROGRAM.
ANY RESPONSE? UM, NO, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I, I TRY TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REASON FOR THE 350 FEET.
UM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, DOWN.
SO ZONING IN ESSENCE, ANYONE, UH, MAKE IT EQUIVALENT AS WE COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT THAT PARKING IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE EIGHT TO ONE FAR.
UM, AND THAT VARIES BY SITE AS WELL.
AND SO WE WANTED A NUMBER THAT STAFF COULD FEEL SAFE WAS A, YOU KNOW, A TRUE VALUATION OF, OF AN EQUIVALENCY.
KNOWING THAT MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP, LIKE YOU MENTIONED THAT IS ABOVE THAT, BUT MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE WITH THE 8 2 1 FAR ISN'T TRULY REFLECTED IN THAT HEIGHT LIMIT.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? SO I HAVE ONE.
SO WE HEARD A RECOMMENDATION OR, UM, PROPOSAL THAT THE DECISION OF CITY COUNCIL BE POSTPONED FOR 120 DAYS.
DOES STAFF HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? WE DO NOT RECOMMEND OR SUPPORT, I GUESS 120 DAY OR, YOU KNOW, LONGER DELAY AS SUCH.
UH, WE WOULD FIND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE VERY PRACTICAL TO COME BACK IN 120 DAYS AND THEN DO A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE A FEW MONTHS LATER.
THIS TO US FEELS LIKE A AMENDMENT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN SOON TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LOSE PARTICIPATION IN THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND LOSE GREAT STREETS PROJECTS OR POSTPONE UNTIL THE ACTUAL COMPLETE UPDATE OCCURS AND NOT TRY TO HAVE SOMETHING KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE THAT DOES NEITHER VERY WELL.
ALRIGHT, MR. SHIPPER, HAVE YOU DONE ANY MODELING OF THE IMPACT THAT THIS PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD HAVE ON BUILT FORM? UM, IT, WE, WE HAVEN'T, WE, WE HAVE FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN GOING WELL ABOVE 300 AND AND 50 INTO THE FIVE
[00:30:01]
HUNDREDS.SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT IF PEOPLE ARE SUBMITTING FOR APPLICATIONS ON THESE SITES, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TARGET THOSE HEIGHTS.
UH, THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT CHANGE ANY OF KIND OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES, ANY OF THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS, ANYTHING ELSE IN THE PROGRAM.
SO WE ANTICIPATE PEOPLE WOULD CONTINUE TO BUILD TO THAT.
THERE MAY BE SITUATIONS WHERE SOMEONE WAS TARGETING 375 OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND WOULD FALL A LITTLE BIT LOWER BEYOND, BEYOND, YOU KNOW, BELOW THAT NUMBER TO NOT PARTICIPATE AND HAVE TO DO THE, UH, DENSITY BONUS REQUIREMENTS.
HOWEVER, I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT OUR DENSITY BONUS FEES ARE HONESTLY A PRETTY SMALL AMOUNT IN, IN THE SCALE OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
UM, AND SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE PEOPLE TO NOT PARTICIPATE OR LIKE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THE HEIGHTS OF THEIR BUILDINGS BECAUSE OF THIS UPDATE.
YEAH, I WASN'T THINKING JUST OF THE HEIGHT, BUT OF THE FACT THAT WHEN IT WAS UNDER FAR LIMITS, YOU MIGHT LIKE NOT MAX OUT YOUR FOOTPRINT ON YOUR SITE AND GO A LITTLE HIGHER, WHEREAS NOW YOU MIGHT CHOOSE TO MAX OUT YOUR FOOTPRINT, YOU MIGHT END UP WITH A BUNCH OF SHORT STUBBY BIG BUILDINGS.
I MEAN, THAT IS DEFINITELY A SCENARIO THAT COULD HAPPEN.
I WOULD SAY WITH UNLIMITED FAR, YOU, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY DO A SIMILAR THING.
UH, YOU'VE JUST MAXIMIZED YOUR BUILDING IN WHICHEVER WAY IS, YOU KNOW, MOST AFFORDABLE.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMISSION? NO ONE ONLINE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THE NEXT PRESENTATION ON THE AGENDA, UM, WAS FROM AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT HAS BEEN SCRATCHED FOR THE EVENING.
[5. Update on the Downtown Austin Alliance’s (DAA) construction mitigation strategy. Presentation by Matt Geske, Vice President - Public Affairs, DAA, and Vanessa Olson, Vice President -Communication and Marketing, DAA]
ON TO ITEM FIVE, UPDATE ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION STRATEGY, PRESENTED BY MR. KY.AGAIN, UM, VICE PRESIDENT PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND VANESSA OLSON, VICE PRESIDENT COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING FOR THE DALLAS, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ASSOCIATION.
AND YEAH, I'M BACK IN WITH VANESSA HERE.
I'M WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON OUR, OUR, UH, UH, CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION PLAN.
UM, DO I JUST TELL YOU TILL? THERE WE GO.
UM, SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, STARTING EARLIER THIS YEAR, UH, AS WE KNEW WE WERE APPROACHING ROUGHLY 15, 10 TO 15 YEARS OF, OF PRETTY IMPACTFUL INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION, UM, STARTING WITH, UH, I 35 AS WELL AS CONVENTION CENTER THAT'S UNDERGOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED, IN ORDER TO KEEP DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HEALTHY, WE NEEDED TO KEEP DOWNTOWN AUSTIN FOR BUSINESS.
SO WE, UM, PARTNERED WITH A FIRM OUT OF TORONTO CALLED JC WILLIAMS GROUP TO ESSENTIALLY DO A GAPS NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR US, UH, AS DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THE CHALLENGE, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, SO 15 YEARS OF ROUGHLY UN UH, UNPRECEDENTED CONSTRUCTION, AND I'LL MENTION TO PARTNERED THEIR, THE WORK THAT JC WILLIAMS GROUP DID FOR US WAS TO LOOK AT OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE UNDERGONE SIMILAR, UH, CONSTRUCTION DISRUPTIONS.
SO SOME HAVE HAD MAYBE TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES DOING CONSTRUCTION, UH, AT, AT, AT SOME POINT WE MAY HAVE THREE TO FOUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES DOING CONSTRUCTION, EITHER IN OR ON THE EDGES OF DOWNTOWN.
SO, UM, THAT'S GONNA TAKE, UH, COMPLEX COORDINATION AMONG NOT JUST THE AGENCIES, UH, THEMSELVES, BUT AS WELL AS, UH, THE STAKEHOLDERS, UH, THAT, UH, SORT OF MAKE DOWNTOWN, UH, UH, UH HUM.
SO, JUST, SO, UH, JUST AS Y'ALL PROBABLY AWARE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 40 PLUS UPCOMING PROJECTS IN PROGRESS OR PLANNING, THAT THAT'S INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UM, 9,000 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS PLANNED, AND THEN 6.4 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF NEW OFFICE SPACE PLANS AS WELL.
SO, JUST TO KINDA GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE BACKGROUND OF THE, THE, THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH WITH JC WILLIAMS GROUP.
UM, SO THEY DID A LOT OF MARKET RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, SORT OF LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE FOOTPRINT OF RETAIL TOURISM, UH, LIVE MUSIC, UH, CULTURE, UM, ACTIVITIES DOWNTOWN, UH, AS WELL AS THEY DID STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE, WE HAVE, UH, I THINK MAYBE A FEW OF Y'ALL ON THE COMMISSION AS WELL, PARTICIPATING IN THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT REALLY JUST STARTED GETTING FEEDBACK AS TO, UH, THE EXPERIENCES OF MANY DIFFERENT, UH, FOLKS, UH, DOWNTOWN AND WHAT, WHAT TO EXPECT.
UH, AND THEN, THEN DID THE GAPS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND THEN PRESENTED THE MITIGATION PLAN TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, LAST MONTH, AS I MENTIONED.
SO 60 PLUS STAKEHOLDER, UH, STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATED.
SO THAT REPRESENTED A BROAD RANGE OF, OF INDUSTRY, UH, AS WELL AS
[00:35:01]
BUSINESSES AND MUSIC MUSICIANS, UH, BARS.AND SO WHAT HAVE YOU, THE THREE CONCERNS, THE TOP THREE CONCERNS IDENTIFY WERE TRAFFIC CONGESTION, WHICH, UH, I, I JUST AS A A NOTE, UH, I NORMALLY TAKE THE TRAIN DOWNTOWN, BUT TODAY I HAD TO DRIVE, TOOK ME AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET HERE 'CAUSE OF CONGESTION, AND THAT WOULDN'T EVEN END DOWNTOWN.
SO TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS ALWAYS A CONCERN, BUT ESPECIALLY AS PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A A RESTAURANT OWNER, A BUSINESS OWNER, UM, IS WILL PEOPLE USE TRAFFIC CONGESTION DOWNTOWN AS AN EXCUSE NOT TO COME DOWN HERE AND, AND, AND SPEND THEIR MONEY BUSINESS ACCESS AS WELL.
SO, UH, IF YOU HAVE, UH, IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS OR YOU OWN A PROPERTY AND YOU HAVE BUSINESSES LEASING WITHIN YOUR, YOUR FOOTPRINT, WILL COMPANIES CHOOSE TO WORK FROM HOME, SORT OF USING THE, THE COVID EXAMPLE AS WORKING FROM HOME FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, DEVASTATE DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS COMMUNICATION GAPS.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE, NOT ONLY ARE WE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS DOWNTOWN, BUT HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING WITH THE AGENCIES AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE MOST UPTODATE INFORMATION TO PROVIDE TO THOSE BUSINESSES AND PROPERTIES FOR WHEN STREETS WILL BE CLOSING DOWN AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO FOR DAA, OUR STRATEGIC VISION, UH, IN THIS PROJECT, ESSENTIALLY POSITIONING US, UH, FOR, UH, AS LEADERSHIP FOR, AND A VOICE FOR DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS.
SO, UM, WE WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL COMING OUT OF, UNFORTUNATELY, STILL COMING OUT OF THE COVID, UH, UH, UH, ISSUES WHERE WE'RE HAVING THOSE OFFICE VACANCIES.
UM, OUR FOOT, OUR FOOT TRAFFIC IS INCREASING DOWNTOWN, BUT IT'S STILL NOT BACK TO WHERE WE NEED IT TO BE.
SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT VOICE, UH, FOR, FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS BE A CENTRAL AUTHORITY ON CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION EFFORTS.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING THAT, UH, UM, AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND UPCOMING CONGRESS AVENUE CONSTRUCTION.
BUT HOW DO WE, UH, UH, PLAY A ROLE IN WORKING WITH THESE AGENCIES, ESPECIALLY AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR CONSTRUCTION PHASING PLANS, MAKING SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT BUSINESS TYPES.
UM, JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, LIKE MAYBE A BUSINESS IS GONNA DO SUNDAY BRUNCHES OUTSIDE, AND, UH, DUST MAY ACCUMULATE ON THEIR TABLE.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE, THE, UH, AGENCIES AND CONTRACTORS ARE AWARE OF THAT, AND WE CAN PLAY A MITIGATING ROLE IN, IN MAYBE USING OUR OWN, UH, FUNDS TO DO CLEANING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THEN A THREE TIERED APPROACH.
SO WE DO THIS ON ALL OF OUR PROJECTS, UM, NOT, NOT ONLY CONSTRUCTION, SO LEAD, ADVOCATE AND PARTNER.
AND SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO OUR BOARD AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS WE'LL TAKE THE LEAD ON.
UH, VANESSA'S GONNA TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THOSE.
UM, WE ALSO ARE AN ADVOCATE, AND YOU SAW ME A COUPLE ITEMS EARLIER, BEING AN ADVOCATE.
SO HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH OTHER, WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO MOVE, MOVE THE VISION FORWARD? NEXT SLIDE.
SO OUR ORIGIN ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDS IN APRIL.
SO WE ARE, UM, GONNA BE, UH, CREATING A CONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE, UH, THAT WILL BE, UM, UH, MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH EACH AGENCY.
SO, UH, STARTING, UH, UH, NEXT MONTH WE'LL HAVE COURSE, CITY OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
WE'LL HAVE TEXTS OUT AT THE TABLE, UM, AS WELL AS INVITING THE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE EVERYONE'S AT, WHAT, UH, STREETS WILL BE CLOSED DOWN, WHAT, UM, UM, MAKING SURE THE RESTAURANTS AND THE BARS AND EVERYONE KNOWS SORT OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THAT OUT, UH, VIA, UH, MARKETING AS WELL AS, UH, TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS DOING BUSINESS INVENTORY AND OUTREACH.
SO WE'VE STARTED THAT ALREADY WITH CONGRESS AVENUE AND, AND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, JUST LAST WEEK WE, OR THIS WEEK WE'VE BEEN HOLDING BRIEFINGS.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, YESTERDAY AND TODAY DOING BLOCK BY BLOCK BRIEFINGS WITH, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS IN STOREFRONTS AND RESTAURANTS ABOUT THE PHASING FOR PROGRESS AVENUE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO DOING, UM, UH, UH, BUSINESS SORT OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION SUPPORT THAT VANESSA WILL TALK ABOUT, AND THEN THE BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT DOING SLIDE.
SO AGAIN, THESE AGENCY MEETINGS ARE REALLY TO INFORM OUR COMMUNICATION, UH, WITH, WITHIN OUR, UH, WITH, IN OUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS THE AGENCIES, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATING THAT TO, TO OTHERS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S COORDINATED ON, ON DECISION MAKING, UM, AND ALSO BE A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ISSUES.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR AMBASSADORS ON THE STREET.
THE, THE FOLKS IN THE RED CHURCH, THEY DO PHENOMENAL WORK.
I, I MEAN, I THINK THERE PROBABLY ARE, ARE ROCK STARS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT THEY ALSO HEAR A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO SOMETIMES, UH, A BUSY SHOP, A BUSY SHOP OWNER MAY NOT HAVE TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHO DO I NEED TO CALL BECAUSE THERE'S, UH, SH YOU KNOW, SHOVELS IN, IN MY DOORWAY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING OUR, OUR, UH, OWN STAFF AS WELL AS AMBASSADORS.
WE CAN SORT OF BE A LIAISON FOR, FOR THE CITY AND HELP, UH, MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES AS THEY COME ALONG.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, OF COURSE CENTRALIZING COMMUNICATION.
[00:40:01]
YOU'LL PROBABLY AWARE OF THIS, BUT, UH, ENGINEERS TYPICALLY DON'T SPEAK IN LAY MEN LAYMAN'S TERMS. SO WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, SORT OF HELPING DISTILL THAT INFORMATION TO PROVIDE TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO SO THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND SORT OF WHAT TO EXPECT.WE, IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WE'VE TALKED TO LIKE DENVER AND SEATTLE, UM, TYPICALLY, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS ARE OKAY WITH THE MESS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PARDON OR DUST CAMPAIGN TYPE THINGS, AS LONG AS THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF THEY'RE NOT AWARE, THAT'S WHEN THEY TEND TO BE UPSET.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, OUR BUSINESS OUTREACH AND INVENTORY.
AND I SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS LANGUAGE HERE ON THE, ON THE SCREEN IS A LITTLE MORE, UM, VANILLA.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING THIS AND SORT FINE TUNING IT BASED ON THE CONSTRUCTION NEEDS.
SO CON, YOU KNOW, CONVENTION CENTER MIGHT ACTUALLY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN CONGRESS AVENUE, BUT IT'S HELPING US SORT OF, UH, UM, DISTILL INTO OUR MINDS SORT OF HOW DO WE BEST ADDRESS THE, THE ISSUES OF THE BUSINESSES.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, HAVING A BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, ANOTHER PLATFORM NOT FOR, UH, THE AGENCIES, BUT FOR THE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES.
WE, UH, OUR, OUR NEW CEO HAS CREATED THESE AFFINITY GROUPS.
SO WE'VE GOT THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
UM, TOURISM MIGHT BE ONE, HOTELS AND LODGING RESTAURANTS, WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT WE CAN, UM, BE ABLE TO, TO, UM, LIA LIAISE WITH, UH, EVERY MONTH ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE SEEING.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE DOING OUR, UH, OUR, WE'VE BEEN DOING THE CONVENTION CENTER AND WE'LL BE DOING CONGRESS AVENUE, OUR, OUR ENGAGEMENT MARKETING SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES, UH, THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IN A MINUTE.
AND THEN BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE AT THE MOMENT, UM, BUILDING SOME OF THOSE FOR CONGRESS AVENUE.
UM, WE WILL BE, UH, WE HAVEN'T FULLY FORMED THOSE YET, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE WE MAY BE DOING, UH, OURSELVES, UH, FUNDING, DIRECT BUSINESS OUTREACH.
SO THEY COULD BE SORT OF A BUS BUSINESS QUOTE UNQUOTE SURVIVAL TOOLKIT OR SUCCESS KIT THAT WE'VE SEEN LIKE DENVER UTILIZE, WHERE YOU GIVE A, UH, UH, UH, GRANTS, UH, SMALL GRANTS TO, TO BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM THROUGH CONSTRUCTION.
THAT COULD BE SIGNAGE, THAT COULD BE, UH, CLASSES AND GUIDES.
SO WE, WE MAY BE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH, UH, CREDIT UNIONS OR SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO DO, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE SMALLER GROUPS, UH, SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY DO THINGS THEIR OWN WAY.
BUT IF YOU'RE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR BUSINESS, UH, SUPPORT GRANTS FROM OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR, OR AGENCIES, YOU'LL HAVE TO TRACKING.
SO HOW DO, HOW DO THEY GET THEIR, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, BEING ABLE TO USE QUICKBOOK, QUICKBOOKS OR WHAT HAVE YOU? AND THEN WE'LL BE DEVELOPING A LOT OF KPIS FOR TRACKING, SO KEEP IT, UH, UM, PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
UH, WE'LL HAVE A LANDING PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO, UM, THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 15 YEARS, WE'RE GONNA BE TRACKING FOOT TRAFFIC, UM, UH, BUSINESS SUCCESS ON DIFFERENT CORRIDORS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO SEE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ROLLING OUT THIS FALL.
I THINK THIS IS, OH, THE LAST, I THINK THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE THAT I HAVE, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL STOP TALKING.
ONLY VANESSA, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE COOLER STUFF.
SO OUR MEDICATION FRAMEWORK IS AROUND FIVE DIFFERENT, UH, BUCKETS.
SO COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION THAT, THAT GOES, UH, UP AS WELL AS DOWN, AS I MENTIONED.
SO NOT ONLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COORDINATED, UH, WITH THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES DOING CONSTRUCTION, BUT ARE WE COORDINATING AND COMMUNICATING OUT TO NOT JUST OUR STAKEHOLDERS ON THE GROUND, BUT ALSO TO THE PUBLIC.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME DOWNTOWN, UH, DURING THE DAY AS WELL AS NIGHT, UH, WEEKENDS.
AND SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE IT, UH, AS EASY AND CONVENIENT, UH, AS THAT MIGHT SOUND LIKE A, A MISNOMER, UH, FOR COMING DOWNTOWN, BUT HOW DO WE MAKE IT EASY AS CONVENIENT FOR FOLKS TO COME DOWNTOWN TO ENJOY ALL, EVERYTHING AUSTIN HAS TO OFFER? UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A LOT OF OUR, UH, UH, TRACKING METRICS ONLINE.
WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE, THE, THE PUBLIC THROUGH VARIOUS, UH, METHODS, WHETHER IT'S SOCIAL MEDIA, QR CODES, TO GET YOU TO THE, THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, AS WELL AS WE'LL BE DOING SORT OF QUOTE UNQUOTE OFFICE HOURS.
SO LIKE, WE WALKED CONGRESS AVENUE LAST WEEK, WE'LL BE WALKING IT THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, JUST MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHO WE ARE, HOW CAN WE HELP SORT OF THAT CONCIERGE LEVEL OF SERVICE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION.
WE DISCUSSED PROMOTING LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT VANESSA WILL BE, UH, TALKING ABOUT IN AN URBAN DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT'S MORE OF AN ADVOCACY ROLE FOR US, UM, WHERE WE'VE BEEN ALREADY, PROBABLY FOR THE LAST, AS EACH PROJECT HAS PROGRESSED, I, I KNOW I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN WORKING ON THE CAP AND STITCH PROGRAM FOR, SINCE ITS INCEPTION 2018.
SO LIGHT RAIL, HOW ARE WE MAKE, UH, INFLUENCING THE, THE URBAN DESIGN OF THOSE PROJECTS, UM, TO ENSURE THE BEST, UH, OUTCOME FOR PEDESTRIANS, UH, BIKES, WHAT HAVE YOU, WHEN THEY COME DOWNTOWN, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE, OH, I STILL GOT ANOTHER ONE.
SO, UH, SO THIS IS A, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALREADY GIVEN THIS ONE, THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE.
I SHOULD KNOW MY SLIDES BETTER.
UH, IMMEDIATE OPERATIONAL, LONG-TERM STRATEGIC.
SO ESSENTIALLY, AS YOU CAN SEE THIS, THIS, THIS FIRST YEAR OR TWO IS GONNA BE FOUNDATION
[00:45:01]
BUILDING, REALLY, UM, IMPLEMENTING, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS. UH, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPACTFUL, UH, TO THE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES, UH, AND THEN, AND HOW DO WE WORK WITH OTHERS, PARTNER WITH OTHERS TO, TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWNTOWN.AND WE'RE COMMUNICATING AND MARKETING DOWNTOWN AS THE, THE VIBRANT, UH, CULTURAL AND, UH, BUSINESS, UH, CENTER OF AUSTIN.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY AS WE CONTINUE ON INTO OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO, TO THOSE, THOSE FOUNDATIONS THAT WE LAID.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO CARRY THOSE AS LIGHT RAIL BEGINS TO COME ONLINE AS THE, UH, THE CENTRAL PIECE OF, UH, I, UH, I 35 IS BEING DUG IN.
AND OF COURSE THEN THE CITY'S GONNA BE ADJUSTING SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH STREETS.
UH, SOME OF THOSE STREETS WILL BE CHANGING DIRECTION, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE, UH, HAVING IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.
SO HOW ARE WE ALL COMMUNICATING, UH, AND, AND GOING FORWARD LONG TERM INITIATIVES AND ESSENTIALLY BUSINESS RESILIENCE.
SO THROUGH 2030, UH, YOU KNOW, TECH STOCK, UH, PROJECT WILL BE, UM, WILL BE WINDING DOWN.
UM, KNOCK ON WOOD, UH, WE WILL BE, UH, HAVING AT LEAST ONE OF THE CAPS PUT IN, UH, LIGHT RAIL WILL BE SORT OF FINISHING ITS END.
BUT, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVEN AFTER THIS CONSTRUCTION'S OVER, WE, WE'VE MADE DOWNTOWN STRONGER, UH, AND MORE, UH, RESILIENT AND MORE, UH, UM, UH, UH, UH, CO UH, THE, THE CULTURE THERE IS NOT MI MISSED BECAUSE AS BLESS YOU AS AS CONSTRUCTION, UM, ALONG, UH, ESPECIALLY THE EASTERN EDGE FINISHES, THERE'S GONNA BE, UH, SOME DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES, ESPECIALLY ALONG OUR SORT OF ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, RED RIVER SIXTH STREET.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE, THOSE CULTURAL ASSETS ARE PRESERVED AS WELL.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT ON OUR OWN.
WE'RE GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S MY LAST ONE THEN.
AS YOU KNOW, I'M, MY TITLE IS PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SO I JUST PROMISE THINGS AND I, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE THE LAST ONE.
IF IT'S NOT, WE'RE JUST GONNA SKIP IT AND GET TO VANESSA'S PART
SO, ECONOMIC VITALITY, CULTURAL PRESERVATION, AS I MENTIONED, AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
SO WE WANT TO, WE HOPE THAT WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH ALL THIS CONSTRUCTION, I ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'RE A COMMUNITY THAT FOR YEARS FOUGHT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE'RE NOW THE DOG THAT CAUGHT THE CARS ALL SORT OF HAPPENING AT ONCE.
I DON'T CARE IF THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, I'M KICKING IT.
NOW I WANT GIVE IT OFF TO VANESSA.
UM, AND MAYBE WE, AFTER VANESSA FINISHES, WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SO, SOUNDS GOOD.
SO, UM, MATT REFERENCED THIS A LITTLE BIT.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATION FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UM, SO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CONGRESS AVENUE, MASS, PROBABLY MORE OF AN EXPERT ON THIS ONE THAN I AM, BUT WE ARE, UM, AS MATT MENTIONED, WE ARE WORKING ON A STRATEGY CANVASSING BUSINESSES AND REALLY ENSURE THAT, UM, THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE AVENUE ARE NOTIFIED OF, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION THAT IS COMING AND THAT THEY HAVE OUR SUPPORT DURING THIS TIME.
AND THEN TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF THAT COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE LAYING.
UM, I'LL GO A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
SO HERE'S THE PARTS OF THE STRATEGY THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION AND PROMOTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY.
SO HERE'S SOME MARKETING BENEFITS THAT WE OFFER TO HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES THROUGH THIS TIME.
OUR DOWNTOWN CALENDAR GETS ABOUT 1100 VIEWS EVERY, UH, MONTH.
AND SO THIS IS A FREE TOOL FOR ANY BUSINESS OR HOTEL, UM, SERVICE DOWNTOWN TO USE WHERE THEY CAN SUBMIT EVENTS AND FOLKS CAN FIND THINGS TO DO.
UM, AND WE DO PROMOTE THIS ONLINE.
SO THERE'S AN ADDED, UH, VALUE MARKETING BENEFIT THERE TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS CAN, UM, FIND PLACES TO, TO BE, AND DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES TO DO DOWNTOWN.
I'LL ALSO MENTION THIS IS SORT OF, UH, THIS IS DEFINITELY PART OF OUR, UH, MISSION TO MAKE DOWNTOWN FOR EVERYONE.
SO THE MORE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE ON THIS CALENDAR THAT SERVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE, THE BETTER.
UM, VARIOUS INTEREST GROUPS, AGE GROUPS, UM, FAMILIES, SINGLES, WHAT HAVE YOU, UM, MORE PEOPLE FEEL.
SO WE HAVE PUT EMPHASIS ON SHARING, UM, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, THEIR SPECIALS, WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUE, UM, INCLUDING IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, BUSINESS OPENINGS AND MORE.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 50,000 FOLLOWERS ACROSS OUR CHANNELS, SO THIS IS A RESOURCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.
[00:50:01]
UM, AS MATT MENTIONED, SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATES, AND, UM, AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO PROVIDE THESE SMALL BENEFITS WHERE WE CAN.UM, SO ON THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE MOONSHINE AND KINFOLK.
WE DID A SERIES OF IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH THEM.
THEY'RE A REALLY INTERESTING BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORY IN DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN COVERING THE HOKI SAN, UH, JAPANESE, UM, CONVENIENCE STORE OPENING.
SO FOR INSTANCE, UM, UH, THERE'S A CAFE, NOT MIRANDA'S CAFE, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MORE FOOT TRAFFIC.
SO WE PARTNERED WITH THEM TO RECEIVE 30 $10 GIFT CARDS, AND WE WILL SEND A TEXT MESSAGE AND SAY, THE FIRST 30 PEOPLE TO FIND OUR INFO CARD AROUND THIS AREA WILL GET A GIFT CARD.
SO THINGS LIKE THIS REALLY HELPING TO DRIVE FOOT TRAFFIC TO BUSINESSES AND ALSO JUST TO ENGAGE PEOPLE.
UM, WE WANT TO REALLY BUILD THAT FOOT TRAFFIC BACK UP DOWNTOWN TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT IT WAS PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
AND SO, UM, THINGS LIKE THIS FOR EMPLOYEES TO EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY DOWNTOWN JUST GIVES THAT LITTLE INCENTIVE FOR FOLKS TO COME DOWNTOWN.
ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT IS OUR, UM, XOXO STICKERS.
SO WE PROVIDE A WINDOW CLINGING FOR FOLKS TO, UM, PUT ON THEIR, ON THE STOREFRONT OF THEIR BUSINESSES.
OUR XOXO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN APP GIVES PEOPLE, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DOWNLOAD ANYTHING, BY THE WAY.
UM, IT'S A WEB BASED APP THAT PEOPLE CAN USE TO EXPLORE DOWNTOWN, UM, A-FRAMES.
SO, UM, SOMETIMES WHAT IS MOST DIFFICULT FOR BUSINESSES DURING CONSTRUCTION IS JUST PEOPLE KNOWING THAT THEIR BUSINESS IS OPEN OR WHERE TO FIND IT, WHERE TO FIND THE ENTRANCE IF YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE FENCING UP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE WILL PROVIDE A-FRAMES AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE AND THEN STOREFRONT WRAPS.
UM, SO WE WILL PROVIDE, UM, STOREFRONT WRAPS FOR BEAUTIFICATION OR JUST FOR MARKETING PURPOSES.
SO WE, UM, RECENTLY WRAPPED UP A CAMPAIGN FOR SOAK UP SUMMER.
THIS WAS SORT OF OUR FIRST CAMPAIGN FORAY INTO, UM, SUPPORTING BUSINESSES, UH, DURING A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
SO THIS WAS TARGETED TO THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE HALF MILE, UH, RADIUS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE HAD 51 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE, WHICH WAS A GREAT, UH, PARTICIPATION FOR OUR FIRST CAMPAIGN.
UM, WE PROMOTED THESE BUSINESSES THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CHANNELS, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE.
UM, CITY CAST CULTURE MAP DATA FIVE, WHICH, UH, DATA FIVE IS A COOL NEW TOOL THAT WE ARE USING TO ACTUALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACT OF OUR ADS.
AND THEN 6:00 AM CITY A TX TODAY.
SO REALLY, UM, FOCUSING ON A HYPERLOCAL HYPER-ENGAGED AUDIENCE FOR THESE TYPES OF ADS.
UM, AND WE ULTIMATELY HAD OVER 13,000 VIEWS ON THE CAMPAIGN LANDING PAGES.
WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT PRIZES, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS.
SO, UM, STAYCATIONS AT DOWNTOWN HOTELS AND THINGS LIKE, UM, RESTAURANT GIFT CARDS, POOL PASSES TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION.
UM, SO AS THIS WAS OUR FIRST CAMPAIGN, WE ARE LEARNING, UM, AND WE ARE HOPING THAT WE GET BETTER WITH EACH CAMPAIGN SO WE CAN REALLY, UM, HELP TO, TO, UH, STRENGTHEN THESE BUSINESSES AND PROMOTE THEM DURING, UM, TIMES THAT WE KNOW WILL BE CHALLENGING.
HERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR CONVENTION CENTER, UM, SUPPORT SO FAR.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR APP, WHICH WE ARE ALSO PROMOTING THROUGH GIVEAWAYS, UM, WILL LEAD PEOPLE TO, UM, NAVIGATION WAY FINDING.
PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR TEXTS TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, CONSTRUCTION.
SO YOU CAN GET A TEXT WHEN THERE'S A MAJOR, UM, LET'S SAY THE AUSTIN MARATHON, WHICH WILL RESULT IN MAJOR DELAYS IN STREET CLOSURES OR A PARADE OR, UM, A CLOSURE.
UM, SO WE, UH, ARE UTILIZING THE APP FOR A LOT OF THIS COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
AGAIN, THE SOAK UP SUMMER CAMPAIGN TO DRIVE BUSINESS TO CONSTRUCTION IMPACTED AREAS.
AND THEN WE ALSO CREATE OUR, UM, ADS, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PHOTOGRAPHY FELLOWS AND VIDEOGRAPHY FELLOWS WHO, UM, PROVIDE US WITH CREATIVE SUPPORT TO JUST AGAIN, BOLSTER THE BUSINESSES.
WE, UH, PARTNERED WITH VISIT AUSTIN IN THE CONVENTION CENTER TO CREATE BANNERS AGAIN.
UH, WE KNOW, AS MATT ALLUDED TO EARLIER, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO NAVIGATE DOWNTOWN SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THINGS ARE CHANGING FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT.
SO, UM, PART OF OUR BANNER ADS WERE DEDICATED TO, UM, UM, DIRECTING PEOPLE TO THE BUSINESSES.
SO THE BOTTOM MIDDLE THERE, YOU'LL SEE TUCK AREA 10, DAY 10, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER FOOTPRINT.
UM, ON THE TOP RIGHT IS REVOLUCION
[00:55:01]
COFFEE SHOP, AGAIN, RIGHT THERE IMPACTED.AND THEN A FEW, UM, OTHER ADS JUST DIRECTING PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE NEW COMMUNICATION CHANNELS AND TOOLS THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE, KNOWING THAT, UM, WE'RE SORT OF IN THIS LIGHTER PERIOD OF CONSTRUCTION NOW, BUT THINGS ARE REALLY GOING TO RAMP UP.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WEBPAGE, ON THE VERY TOP RIGHT CORNER CIRCLED IN RED IS A CLOSURES AND CONSTRUCTION PAGE.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU CLICK ON THAT, YOU'LL SEE WHAT IS BELOW, WHICH IS YOU CAN, UM, TEXT A TX CONSTRUCTION TO RECEIVE, UM, CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.
WE DO HAVE A LINK TO PRE-BOOK PARKING DOWNTOWN, SO REALLY TAKING SOME OF THAT SEARCHING AND, UM, CIRCLING OUT.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, UPDATES.
SO, UH, AS WE DO COMMUNICATE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, WE, UM, BRING UPDATES HERE SO FOLKS CAN REALLY PLAN THEIR TRIPS DOWNTOWN AND KNOW, UM, SORT OF DAY TO DAY WHAT MAY BE IMPACTING THEM.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT OUR, UM, WEB BASED APP LOOKS LIKE.
HERE ARE THE DIFFERENT TEXT CHANNELS.
SO KNOWING THAT DIFFERENT FOLKS HAVE DIFFERENT INTERESTS, WE HAVE KEPT THE CONSTRUCTION TEXT TO ONE CHANNEL.
SO IF THAT'S ALL FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING, THEY DON'T HAVE TO RECEIVE, UM, TEXTS ABOUT, LET'S SAY OUR HOLIDAY STROLL OR OUR PROMOTIONS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A GENERAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN UPDATES CHANNEL, UM, AN A TX SUMMER, UM, WHICH WILL BE CHANGED OUT NOW FOR THE HOLIDAYS, UM, AND FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, AND THEN EVENTUALLY IN THE SPRING.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE OUR DOWNTOWN SAFETY NETWORK, WHICH, UM, IS SORT OF A COMBINATION OF ANY SORT OF SAFETY RELATED BEYOND THE LOOKOUT TYPE TEXT AND ALSO CONSTRUCTION.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR TEXTS LOOK LIKE, DEPENDING ON, UM, WHAT CHANNEL FOLKS ARE SIGNED UP FOR.
WE'RE SIGNED UP FOR ALL THE CHANNELS, SO WE CAN'T REALLY CHANGE IT.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE VARIOUS MAPS ON THE APP, AGAIN, WITH THE HOPES OF HELPING PEOPLE TO NAVIGATE DURING THIS TIME.
SO, UM, ON THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE HOW PEOPLE CAN FIND ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS AND, UM, FILTER FOR WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND ON THE RIGHT YOU'LL SEE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW UH, FOLKS COULD PRE-BOOK THEIR PARKING DOWNTOWN.
THIS IS HOW YOU ADD YOUR APP, UH, THE APP TO YOUR HOME SCREEN SO YOU CAN EASILY REFERENCE IT.
THAT IS MY DOG ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THERE,
AND THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR OUR, UM, CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? YES, COMMISSIONER WILEY.
SO BASICALLY THE PROBLEM IS GONNA BE GETTING IN AND OUTTA DOWNTOWN.
W WHAT IF YOU WERE ALREADY DOWNTOWN AND LIVED HERE? WOULDN'T THAT HELP? IT WOULD TOTALLY HELP.
SO WHEN WERE, WERE THE PROTECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN AND WHEN WILL WYNN KICKED THIS OFF IN 2005.
HE SET A TARGET OF 25,000 DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS BY 2015.
AND, AND THAT ADMITTEDLY IS PRETTY AMBITIOUS.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME, IF WE TOOK THAT TO HEART AND SAID THERE WERE REALLY GOOD REASONS TO DO THAT, ESPECIALLY KNOWING ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE WAS GONNA HAVE, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE I MUST REALLY BE MISSING SOMETHING.
BECAUSE TO ME, THE MOST COMPELLING NEED IS TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD HOUSING DOWNTOWN.
AND I THINK IT'S A PERFECT TIME
SO CAN YOU COMMENT ON WHY THAT ISN'T A BIGGER PRIORITY IN SOME OF THE SPEAKING POINTS, UH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION? ARE YOU, ARE YOU ASKING RELATIVE THE THE MITIGATION PLAN? YEAH, JUST IN GENERAL, DEALING WITH THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE ENTERING INTO, WHICH IS GONNA BE DIFFICULTY ACCESSING DOWNTOWN AND, AND HOW EASY IT IS IF YOU LIVE HERE TO GET TO THE OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT ARE SITTING EMPTY NOW, AND THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL, ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GONNA BE STRUGGLING TO GET PATRONS.
WELL, FROM A I I'LL HONESTLY SAY I'M NOT TECHNICALLY, UH, ADEPT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON H HOUSING POLICY.
BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, AS, YOU KNOW, AS I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IN THE, THE PREVIOUS ITEM, I THINK, ACTUALLY, I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUTTA TERM, BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM A HOUSING PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THE MORE WE CAN PROVIDE RESOURCES AND AMENITIES DOWNTOWN AND
[01:00:01]
MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO BUILD MORE DENSE HOUSING, I THINK MORE PEOPLE WILL FIND IT, UH, CONVENIENT TO LIVE DOWNTOWN.SO, AND TRANSPORTATION PLAYS A ROLE IN THAT TOO, AS, AS WELL, YOU KNOW, HAVING, HAVING THE ABILITY TO GET INTO AND AROUND DOWNTOWN IS IMPORTANT.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE COMMISSION? I JUST WANNA SAY YES.
I DI I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION, I JUST HAD A COMMENT.
AND THAT IS TO SAY, THIS IS, UH, PHENOMENAL WORK.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS AND I'M SURE ALL THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS.
YEAH, I, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO.
YOU DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.
I DO THINK THAT COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION IS GONNA BE THE KEY TO MAKING ALL THIS WORK WHILE ALL THIS CRAZINESS IS GOING ON DOWNTOWN, AND I KNOW YOU'LL DO A GREAT JOB AT IT.
AND I ALSO NOTICED, YOU KNOW, YOU COMMENTED THAT, YOU KNOW, ENGINEERS ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY KNOWN FOR SPEAKING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, BUT I HEAR AI IS REALLY GREAT AT TRANSLATION, SO MAYBE AI CAN TRANSLATE SOME ENGINEERING SPEAKING TO ENGLISH.
I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP HOUSTON ON THE PREVIOUS COMMENT THAT IF WE WANT MORE RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN USING THE F THE AMENITIES AND THE FACILITIES DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE TO MAKE DOWNTOWN AFFORDABLE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WELL, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DOWNTOWN, UM, AUSTIN ALLIANCE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
I MEAN, IT'S A AMAZING RESOURCE FOR OUR CITY, AND I THINK THAT MUCH OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN A BEAUTIFUL AND AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND ALL.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, FROM MATT.
SO IN, I GUESS, IMPLEMENTING THIS MITIGATION PLAN, HOW CLOSELY ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE AND WHAT IS THEIR ROLE AND YOUR ROLE TOGETHER? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, AND YOU'RE REFERENCING THE, THE, THE, UH, WELL, WE'RE JUST CALLING DSI, SO THIS, YEAH.
UH, THE, UM, THERE, I THINK BELIEVE THEY'RE STILL STAFFING UP.
SO WE WERE WORKING, UH, WITH CITY COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET, THE DISCUSSION TO GET THAT OFFICE FUNDED.
AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE, SO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE IS ESSENTIALLY, UM, RECOGNIZING IS A RECOGNITION OF ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WORKING ACROSS DOWNTOWN AND MAKING SURE WE'RE WORKING ACROSS THE SILOS.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY BEING A CLEARING HOUSE AND SORT OF A REFEREE, AS YOU KNOW, IF, YOU KNOW AUSTIN WATER WANTS TO GET INTO A, AN AREA AND SO DOES TPW AND MAYBE THERE'S A PARADE GOING ON, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT, PEOPLE AREN'T TRIPPING OVER THEMSELVES.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR, UH, UH, ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, ASSISTANT CITY OR, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, JOHN FORTUNE, WHO IS, UH, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE HIM THIS JOB TITLE, BUT I BELIEVE HE'S SORT OF HELPING STAND UP THE DOSSEY OFFICE.
AND THAT WILL BE, UM, ONCE THEY GET STAFFED UP, THAT WILL BE SORT OF, UH, OUR HOPE.
AND WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR IS A LOT OF THE COORDINATION GOES THROUGH, GOES THROUGH THAT OFFICE BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE OVERSEEING ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, AS WELL AS AGENCIES.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I WON'T, I WON'T GIVE THEM, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALL THE, UH, UH, ANOTHER JOB, UH, TO DO.
BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE GONNA BE HELPING OVERSEAS SORT OF RIGHT OF WAY COORDINATION, UH, ACROSS AGENCIES.
SO TDOT IS GONNA BE BEGIN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN WITH A LOT OF THEIR DIGGING ALONG, UH, FOR THE DRAINAGE TUNNEL.
SO MAKING SURE THAT THE AGENCIES ARE AWARE OF WHO'S GONNA BE WHERE AND WHEN.
UM, SO YEAH, SO THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO MAKE THAT THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC OFFICE WILL BE, WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL.
WE'LL CONTINUE ADVOCATING THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE, UM, CONFUSION POINTS DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UH, CONTINUE WITH BUSINESS, UH, DOWNTOWN.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? JUST ONE COMMENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER VID, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE THANK YOU, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT DAA DOES DOWNTOWN.
I LIVE DOWNTOWN AND, UH, I EXPERIENCE THE BENEFIT EVERY SINGLE DAY, SO I THANK YOU.
WE, WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME LETTING US COME HERE AND, AND, UM, WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO COME BACK ON ANY OTHER, OTHER SUBJECT.
I KNOW WE GOT ANOTHER COLLEAGUE THAT'S GONNA COME UP AND TALK ABOUT ALL THE COOL, LIKE, COOL STUFF.
NOT
THANKS AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[6. Update on the Downtown Austin Alliance’s (DAA) active urbanism team regarding programs to support Artists and Creatives: DASA, Musicians activating spaces. Presentation by Raasin McIntosh, Vice President - Active Urbanism, DAA, and Emily Risinger, Director of Planning, DAA.]
AN UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE'S ACTIVE URBANISM TEAM REGARDING PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT ARTISTS AND CREATIVES,[01:05:01]
DASA MUSICIANS ACTIVATING SPACES, PRESENTATION BY RUSSIN, IS IT RUSSIN? EMILY RICE? EMILY RICE, RAISIN'S NOT HERE.UM, EMILY REISINGER, UM, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, DAA.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US TONIGHT TO GIVE SOME UPDATES.
UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE MATT MENTIONED, I'M HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE COOL, FUN, UM, ARTS AND COMMUNITY WORK THAT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS ALSO DOING, IN ADDITION TO OUR, UM, MOBILITY AND, AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT WORK.
MY NAME, UH, IS EMILY REISINGER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND PLACE ACTIVATION FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY, UM, INCREDIBLE WORK.
BUT JUST QUICK REMINDER, OUR MISSION AS AN ORGANIZATION IS TO CREATE, PRESERVE, AND ENHANCE THE VIBE, VITALITY, AND VALUE OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN FOR EVERYONE.
AS MY COLLEAGUE VANESSA, UH, ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER, AND TONIGHT I'M JUST REALLY FOCUSING, WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT SERVICES, BUT REALLY DIVING INTO OUR ACTIVE URBANISM PILLAR OF WORK WHERE WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON HOW TO CULTIVATE AND CELEBRATE AND BOLSTER AUTHENTIC CULTURAL EXPERIENCES IN A VERY RAPIDLY CHANGING URBAN LANDSCAPE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DOING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN A FEW YEARS AGO, PUTTING TOGETHER OUR, OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
AND WE WERE GRAPPLING WITH THIS QUESTION OF HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU, UM, CULTIVATE HOMEGROWN CULTURE IN SUCH A, A, A RAPIDLY CHANGING TOWN AND CITY? HOW DO WE PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE THINGS THAT DREW PEOPLE TO AUSTIN THAT MAKE IT SPECIAL? LIKE YOUR LIVE MUSIC AND YOUR INCREDIBLE ARTISTS AND TALENT HERE THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE DRAWN TO AUSTIN BECAUSE OF ITS CREATIVE SCENE? SO I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON EVERY DAY, AND THE DOWNTOWN CBD FIRST ONE, WRITING ON THE WALLS.
THIS IS OUR LARGE SCALE MURAL PROGRAM.
ALSO WANNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT SOME THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH OUR MUSICIANS ACTIVATING SPACES PROGRAM AND OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SPACE ACTIVATION PROGRAM.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE WANTED TO JUST SHARE A FEW WEEKS AGO, UM, IN SEPTEMBER, IN LATE SEPTEMBER, WE HAD OUR PILOT VIBE DOWNTOWN WEEKEND.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
HOPEFULLY SOME OF Y'ALL EXPERIENCED IT.
UM, BUT HIGH LEVEL, ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE REALLY WORKING TO ENSURE THAT ARTISTS AND CREATIVES ARE ABLE TO THRIVE, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES IN DOWNTOWN, SPECIFICALLY IN THE HEART OF THE ECONOMIC HUB, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, AS Y'ALL WERE JUST SAYING, AFFORDABILITY IS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING.
HOW, HOW ARE WE CARVING OUT MOMENTS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN, UM, PUBLIC SPACES TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVES TO SHOWCASE THEIR WORK TO, UM, BE, BE, UM, TO CREATE NEW AUDIENCES FOR THEIR CRAFTS AND TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS MAKE AMAZING INTERACTIVE ART MOMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES IN DOWNTOWN.
SO, WRITING ON THE WALLS, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR RECENT, UH, MURALS THAT WE COMPLETED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OLD BAKERY ARTISTS AND, AND EMPORIUM RIGHT AT NEXT TO THE CAPITOL AT 12TH IN CONGRESS.
SO WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BIG ARTWORKS, UM, BIG CANVASES, BIG WALLS, LARGE ICONIC ARTWORKS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE DOWNTOWN.
AND, UM, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIPS FOR HOW TO HAVE MORE WALLS, GREAT CITIES, AND GREAT DOWNTOWNS.
OUR WHOLE TEAM JUST RECENTLY WENT TO OUR INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, AND IT WAS IN WASHINGTON THIS YEAR.
AND WE ALWAYS, I NOTICED WHEN WE TRAVELED TO, TO NEW TOWNS FOR THAT CONFERENCE THAT GREAT CITIES AND WORLD CITIES HAVE WONDERFUL ART, MEMORABLE ART THAT YOU, YOU HAPPEN UPON AS YOU'RE MOVING THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY.
AND SO WE REALLY WORK TO CREATE THOSE MOMENTS IN DOWNTOWN.
AND THE OTHER ASPECT OF OUR WRITING ON THE WALLS PROGRAM, THERE'S A SUSTAINABILITY COMPONENT AND AN EDUCATION COMPONENT.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO CREATE LARGE SCALE MURALS, BUT WE'RE ALSO REALLY WORKING TO PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CREATING ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, COMMUNITY
[01:10:01]
COLLABORATION, OPPORTUNITIES TO INSPIRE EITHER UPCOMING ARTISTS, EMERGING ARTISTS, NEWER ARTISTS, JUST GRADUATING ARTISTS, AND ESPECIALLY, UH, WHAT I CALL OUR LITTLE ARTISTS, THE FUTURE, FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY WHEN THESE, THEY EXPERIENCE THESE MOMENTS OF PUBLIC ART IN A DOWNTOWN.UM, THAT THEY WILL ALSO BE INSPIRED TO GO INTO THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES THAT DRIVE OUR ECONOMY.
RIDING ON THE WALLS, WE'VE DONE ABOUT 50 INSTALLATION, MORE THAN 50 INSTALLATIONS THAT VARY IN SIZE.
SO WE DO THE LARGE SCALE MURALS, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE LEFT, ON THE LINE HOTEL.
WE ALSO DO INTERACTIVE SCULPTURAL MURALS, UM, AND PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR POP EXHIBIT THAT WE HAD IN REPUBLIC SQUARE, UM, RECENTLY.
AND WE ALSO DO THINGS LIKE CONSTRUCTION WALKWAYS, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PERMANENT WALL SOMETIMES.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL EXHIBIT IN REPUBLIC SQUARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ME CARTE EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, AS WELL.
SO IT, IT REALLY IS, UH, A COOL PROGRAM.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BIG WALL, IT COULD BE A LITTLE ART BOX.
SO WE ALSO PAINT THE UTILITY BOXES AT THE INTERSECTION.
SO WE TRY TO CREATE THOSE LITTLE MOMENTS OF WHIMSY WHERE WE CAN, AND WE ARE ALWAYS WELCOMING NEW IDEAS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US.
AS YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN IS RAPIDLY CHANGING.
UM, IF YOU KNOW PARTNERS OR, UM, PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ADDING ART TO THEIR, THEIR SPACE DOWNTOWN, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AND LET US KNOW.
SO THAT'S ONE ASPECT, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN OUR ACT OF URBANISM REALM.
AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF OVER THIS PAST YEAR IS WE LAUNCHED OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SPACE ACTIVATION PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE GOT DASSI, THIS IS DASA.
UM, AND THIS IS REALLY OUR STOREFRONT PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE TAKING AN UNDERUTILIZED UNDER LOVE'S VACANT, OFTENTIMES VACANT SPACE, UH, SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE WITH NOTHING GOING ON, UM, FOR A WHILE.
AND WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO A SHORT TERM ACTIVATION OF THAT SPACE.
SO OUR FIRST AND THE IDEA IS THAT WE WANNA CREATE THESE, UH, COMMUNITY HUBS, SO PLACES WHERE WE CAN HAVE ARTIST RESIDENCIES POP UP, UM, EXHIBITS OF ALL KINDS, AND JUST REALLY CREATING ESSENTIALLY REAL ESTATE, AFFORDABLE REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, A STOREFRONT DOWNTOWN.
SO WE HAVE THREE SPACES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY, UM, OPERATING.
WE HAVE ONE AT 5 0 6 CONGRESS.
IT'S A SMALL INTERIOR BRICK AND MORTAR SPACE, AND WE HAVE HAD JUST AN INCREDIBLE PILOT THERE THIS YEAR.
UM, THE, THE, WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A PROPERTY OWNER GIVING A HIGHLY DISCOUNTED OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SPACE FOR A YEAR AT A TIME.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO PROGRAM IT OUT WITH ARTISTS, RESIDENTS, AND EVERYTHING FROM FASHION SHOWS TO COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS.
WE HAD, UM, THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE THERE AT DASA THIS WEEK, THOSE WORKSHOPS THIS WEEK.
WE'VE HAD, UM, LOTS OF SMALL BUSINESS, UM, NETWORKING EDUCATION SERIES.
WE'VE HAD HEALTH AND WELLNESS PEOPLE COMING IN, DOING, UM, EDUCATIONAL TOPICS.
UM, WE'VE HAD YOGA IN THE SPACE, ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
SO IT'S VERY CREATIVE IN HOW EACH, UM, PRODUCER USES THE STOREFRONT.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE THINGS LIKE THE ARTISANS MERCADO THERE ON SATURDAYS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO THE ARTISANS MERCADO DEFINITELY COME DOWN.
WE ALSO HAVE 3 0 1 CONGRESS PORCH, AND WE HAVE USED THIS, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR MUSICIANS ACTIVATING SPACES PROGRAM.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT'S A WONDERFUL ALFRESCO OUTDOOR MOMENTS.
AND THIS, UM, BUILDING OWNER TRANSFORMED THE BACK ALLEY INTO A WONDERFUL PLAZA.
UM, SO IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, UH, PUBLICLY WELCOMING SPACE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO ONE OF OUR LARGE SCALE MURALS THERE.
AND IT'S REALLY CREATED A TRANSFORMATION WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE OUTDOOR MUSIC, COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTIES, UM, PULL UP FOOD TRUCKS, POP UP BANDS, UH, WE'VE HAD MARKET STALLS.
WE'VE, UH, ME CARTE HAS TRANSFORMED THIS AS PART OF THEIR MARTOS MERCADO, UM, DAY OF THE DEAD PARADE.
SO IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY AMAZING TO SEE THIS SPACE COME TO LIFE.
AND IT ALL STARTED WITH THAT ONE ARTWORK AND INSPIRED THE REST OF THE CHANGE.
UM, SO WE REALLY SEE ART DRIVING
[01:15:01]
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.WE REALLY SEE ART CREATING THOSE MOMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, TAKE THE TIME TO MAYBE SIT THROUGH TRAFFIC OR, UM, GO TO A NEW SPOT THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE OTHERWISE VENTURED OUT TO EXPLORE DOWNTOWN.
AND WE'RE FINDING THAT THESE ARTWORKS AND THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE MAKING THOSE MOMENTS.
AND THEN ANOTHER THING WE'VE WORKED ON WITH OLD BAKERY AS PART OF OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SPACE ACTIVATION PROGRAM IS, UH, CREATING MOMENTS FOR FOOD TRUCKS.
SO WE'RE PILOTING OUT FOOD TRUCKS IN THAT SPACE TO BRING MORE FOOT TRAFFIC TO THAT ART GALLERY AND TO SEE, GET MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, UH, ON THE NORTHERN PART UP BY THE CAPITOL WHERE IT CAN BE KIND OF SLEEPY, UM, WHEN A SESSION IS OUT.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE SPACES THAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S BEEN REALLY INCREDIBLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE SO MANY LIVE MUSICIANS POP UP IN THESE SPACES.
AS WELL AS, UM, A LOT OF SMALLER, INDEPENDENT CULTURAL PRODUCERS WHO, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE LOOKING FOR SPACE WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER'S, UM, BEING REVAMPED OR, UM, EVENT SPACE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE DOWNTOWN.
AND SO WE OFFER A VERY, VERY AFFORDABLE WAY, A VERY EASY ACCESSIBLE WAY, SIMPLE APPLICATION FOR PEOPLE WHO WANNA HAVE EVENTS AND GET COMMUNITIES TOGETHER DOWNTOWN TO BE ABLE TO DO, TO DO THAT IN AN INTERIOR OR AN EXTERIOR SPACE.
SO WE'VE HAD, UM, ABOUT GOING ON PROBABLY UPWARDS OF 7,000 PARTICIPANTS NOW, AND WE ARE BEING, UM, VERY PROACTIVE IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHO WE ARE SERVING THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN, UM, REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE'RE REALLY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THAT STOREFRONT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF CONGRESS.
AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD, SO THAT WAS OUR PILOT YEAR, AND WE ARE IN OUR NEXT YEAR GOING TO BE REALLY RAMPING UP OUR ARTIST RESIDENCY.
UM, WE'VE, WE HAD FOUR COHORTS OF ARTISTS, RESIDENTS IN THE 5 0 6 PLACE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING EVEN MORE ARTIST RESIDENCIES, UM, IN THIS COMING YEAR.
SO, UM, PLEASE STAY TUNED AND HELP US PROMOTE, IF YOU KNOW ARTISTS, UM, NEEDING SPACE, PLEASE HELP CONNECT THEM TO OUR PROGRAM, REACH OUT TO ANY OF OUR STAFF, UM, OR JUST, UH, THERE'S A VERY SIMPLE ONLINE APPLICATION@DOWNTOWNAWESOME.COM, BUT WE WELCOME ARTISTS AND CREATIVES TO, UM, LOOK FOR THOSE CALLS.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER CALL FOR ARTISTS, UH, THIS WINTER AND JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PLUG IN IF THEY'RE NEEDING SPACE.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO, FOR, UM, NEW SPACES TO DO MORE OF A BUSINESS INCUBATOR MODEL.
SO THESE WOULD BE, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT NEED, UM, MORE OF A DEDICATED KIND OF, UM, I WANNA SAY OFFICE ENVIRONMENT OR STOREFRONT LIKE YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT.
AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR PARTNERS THAT MIGHT HAVE MULTI-FLOOR SPACES WHERE, UM, AN ENTREPRENEUR COULD LIVE ON THE TOP FLOOR AND HAVE LIKE A STUDIO OR A RETAIL COMPONENT ON, OR A GALLERY ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IDEAS AND PARTNERS AND WELCOME, UM, IDEAS, UH, FOR THOSE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.
DOWNTOWN, THIS IS A QR CODE, SO YOU CAN, UM, LEARN ALL ABOUT THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET PLUGGED IN.
AND WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT UPDATE.
WE'VE PILOTED OUR DASA PROGRAM, AND WE'RE GONNA BE CONTINUING TO SCALE THAT UP TO EVEN MORE LOCATIONS THIS YEAR.
AND THEN A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH A A, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO EXPLAIN.
WE HAD A TWO DAY EVENT WHERE IT, WE TOOK SPACES ON SIXTH STREET AND WE WANTED TO BRING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN FOR A TOTALLY NEW EXPERIENCE OF THAT SPACE.
SO WE, UM, WE HAD A, LET'S SEE, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS IN 2023, AND WE HAD STARTED OUTREACH TO UNDERSTAND DID DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEED ANOTHER FESTIVAL? THAT WAS THE THE CORE QUESTION WE STARTED THIS PROCESS WITH.
AND IN GOING THROUGH, UM, VERY, VERY INTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH FUTURE FRONT TEXAS, WE FOUND THAT WE DIDN'T NEED ANOTHER FESTIVAL OF SORTS.
BUT WHAT PEOPLE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR WAS, UM, SPACES KIND OF LIKE DASA, THE DASA STOREFRONT WHERE PEOPLE COULD EXPLORE MUSIC MAKERS, MURAL AND ART, UM, AND CREATE
[01:20:01]
MOMENTS WHERE ARTISTS CAN HAVE, UM, TELL THEIR STORIES IN, IN A SPACE THAT THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, AS AN OUTLET FOR THEIR CREATIVE PROCESS.SO WE DID VIBE DOWNTOWN, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A GRANT PROGRAM.
SO WE DID A CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS, AND WE HAD $30,000 THAT WE WANTED TO GET OUT TO, UM, A SERIES OF CULTURAL PRODUCERS.
SO WE HAD ABOUT 80 DIFFERENT GROUPS APPLY, AND THESE WERE OUR, OUR INAUGURAL YEAR AWARDEES, FIVE INCREDIBLE CULTURAL PRODUCERS AND ARTISTS THAT ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ACTIVATE THESE TWO SPACES, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU HERE.
SO THESE WERE THE TWO SPACES THAT WE PARTNERED WITH THESE AWARDEES TO ACTIVATE ON SIXTH STREET.
ONE WAS A BUILDING, A BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN SITTING VACANT FOR A WHILE, HAD SOME EVENTS HERE AND THERE, BUT MOSTLY WAS SITTING VACANT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD, UH, AN EMPTY PARKING LOT ON SIXTH STREET AT THE CORNER OF RED RIVER AND SIXTH.
SO A PRIME LOCATION, UM, WITH LOTS OF ACTIVITY AROUND IT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ANYTHING HAPPENING IN THAT PARKING LOT.
SO WE WANTED TO TEST THIS OUT AND WORK WITH THESE FIVE CULTURAL PRODUCERS TO COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR, HEY, HOW CAN WE TAKE THESE CANVASES AND TURN THEM INTO REALLY INCREDIBLE PUBLIC, UM, PUBLIC GATHERING OPPORTUNITIES THAT IS JUST INFUSED WITH ART, CREATIVITY, PERFORMANCE.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE, UM, AUSTIN A COOL, COOL TOWN.
SO I'LL QUICKLY FLIP, FLIP THROUGH THESE.
WE REALLY WANTED TO CREATE FAMILY ORIENTED MOMENTS ON SIXTH STREET.
WE WANTED TO TRY TO ACTIVATE IT ALSO DURING THE DAYTIME, WHICH TYPICALLY THIS END OF SIXTH STREET IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S HOPPING AT NIGHT, BUT DURING THE DAYTIME, NOT SO MUCH.
YOU'RE NOT SEEING A WHOLE LOT OF FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR STROLLERS COMING DOWNTOWN, UH, TO THIS, TO THIS SPOT.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO CREATE MOMENTS THAT ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO, TO MAKE THAT JOURNEY, TO TAKE THAT CHANCE TO COME SEE THIS PART OF OUR DOWNTOWN IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND SO WE PARTNERED WITH WHERE Y'ALL AT, UM, AND THEY HAD AN INCREDIBLE EVENT ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON CALLED AUNTIE'S HOUSE.
AND SO IT REALLY HAD A COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY VIBE.
THERE WAS JUST, UM, IN INCREDIBLE, UM, GAMES, A LIVE INTERACTIVE DJ, SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IN THE, THE CLIPS THE VIBE OF IT.
IT WAS REALLY AMAZING, CREDIBLE PACKED EVENT.
AND, UM, IT REALLY JUST ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO COME DOWNTOWN THAT TO JUST MEET OTHER PEOPLE.
AND, UM, WE WERE SUPER PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THEM ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING AT 5 0 8 SIXTH STREET ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
WE HAD WHAT IS CALLED KOMU AMOUR, WHICH WAS A QUEER QUINCEANERA.
UM, THIS ALSO WAS A PACKED HOUSE.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE, UH, PERFORMANCE WITH DANCE, UM, A THEATER COMPONENT.
AND IT JUST REALLY CREATED THESE FAMILY, UM, MEMORABLE FAMILY MOMENTS FOR, UM, UH, FOLKS IN, UH, IN A QUINCEANERA THAT, UH, WANTED TO, TO CELEBRATE THIS QUINCEANERA TRADITION.
SO WE WERE REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH BOBBY RITO PRODUCTIONS TO MAKE THIS, THESE MOMENTS POSSIBLE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS A BLAST.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH, UM, JAY MUSAK AND THE MO MOSAIC WORKSHOP.
SO ON SATURDAY WE ACTUALLY TOOK THAT PARKING LOT AND MADE A MOSAIC MURAL IN REAL TIME DURING THE EVENT.
AND THIS, UM, YOU CAN SEE IN THE, IN THE VIDEO, WE HAD JUST PEOPLE WALKING BY THAT WERE STOPPING IN AND HELPING MAKE THIS MURAL.
AND WE ENDED UP WITH A 10 BY 10 FAIRLY LARGE, UH, MURAL THAT WE, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DAY OF DJ DIGGITY DUTCH.
HE ALSO PERFORMS DURING VIBE WEEKEND AND THE MURAL'S JUST INCREDIBLE.
SO WE'RE GONNA FIND A WONDERFUL LOCATION, MAYBE AROUND SIXTH STREET, MAYBE SOMEWHERE ELSE DOWNTOWN TO INSTALL THAT MURAL.
SO IT'S PUBLIC ART BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FAMILIES THAT HELPED PUT EACH TILE IN PLACE FOR THIS MURAL TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK DOWNTOWN AND SEE THE ARTWORK THAT THEY HELPED CREATE.
SO ANOTHER WAY WE'RE HELPING TO ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN, UM, SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS, BUT ALSO INSPIRE THOSE NEXT GENERATIONS OF HOPEFULLY FUTURE MURALISTS.
WE ALSO HAD A FASHION ELEMENT TO THIS WEEKEND.
WE PARTNERED WITH SLOW FASHION TEXAS.
[01:25:01]
HAD A WONDERFUL, UM, COMMUNITY QUILTING EVENT WHERE THEY INVITED PEOPLE DOWNTOWN INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT FASHION, SUSTAINABLE FASHION, UH, REUSING FASHION, LEARNING HOW TO DO STITCHING TO KEEP YOUR CLOTHES IN GOOD CONDITION INSTEAD OF BUYING, BUYING, BUYING MORE THINGS.UM, SO THIS WAS HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES, UM, A CLOTHING SWAP, AND THIS WAS ALSO A PACKED HOUSE.
UH, THEY CREATED AN AMAZING COMMUNITY QUILT THAT, UM, WAS JUST A REALLY WONDERFUL TIME.
AND, UM, SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO JUST LEARN MORE ABOUT SLOW FASHION FESTIVAL.
THEY DO THESE EVENTS AND THEY'RE WONDERFUL EVERY YEAR.
SO IF YOU'RE INTO FASHION, DEFINITELY CHECK THEM OUT.
WE WERE PROUD TO HAVE THEM DOWNTOWN WITH US AND THEN SHAKE IT AFRICA, CLOSE OUT THE EVENT WITH AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE, UM, MUSIC PERFORMANCE.
THEY HAD, UH, UH, ART, A HISTORIC ART GALLERY, SO WONDERFUL, UM, EXHIBITS OF AFRICAN ART, AND IT WAS SUPER FUN THAT WE GOT TO LEARN SOME DANCE.
UM, SO THEY DID A DANCE CLASS.
I WAS OUT THERE, WE WERE ALL OUT THERE TRYING TO LEARN THESE, THIS CHOREOGRAPHY, BUT IT REALLY JUST BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER IN, IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND WAS JUST ANOTHER, AGAIN, INCREDIBLE MOMENT THAT WE ARE REALLY PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY ON THIS PART OF SIXTH STREET.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THAT DANCE COMPONENT, WE STAY TUNED FOR OUR FULL IMPACT REPORT.
WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH Y'ALL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS IN FUTURE YEARS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE SCALING UP DASA, WE'RE CONTINUING WITH OUR WRITING ON THE WALL STUFF, AND WE ARE ALSO GONNA BE CONTINUING TO PRODUCE FIVE.
UM, OUR INITIAL STATS, WE REALLY WERE TRYING, HOPING TO BRING AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD.
SO WE ATTRACTED ABOUT 800 PEOPLE.
UM, WE HAVE 25 DIFFERENT VARIOUS COMMUNITY STORIES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE SHARING.
WE REALLY WANTED TO CAPTURE STORIES THAT MAKE AUSTIN SPECIAL, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
AND THEN, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT VANESSA, UM, WAS PRESENTING, WE ALSO MADE A VI A VIBE APP.
SO WE WANTED TO HAVE, HAVE A PLATFORM TO WHERE IT MADE IT SUPER EASY FOR FOLKS COMING DOWNTOWN FOR VIBE TO BE ABLE TO FIND WHERE TO PARK.
AND WE ALSO FEATURED, UM, A BUNCH OF LOCAL, WE GOT OUT AND DID DOOR TO DOOR OUTREACH TO ALL THE BUSINESSES, HOTELS AROUND THAT PART OF SIXTH STREET.
AND WE WANTED TO FEATURE THEIR BUSINESSES.
THEY HAD SPECIAL, YOU KNOW, DEALS AND MEALS OR, HEY, COME STAY AT OUR HOTEL, WE'LL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT, KIND OF STUFF.
SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET THAT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO DOWNTOWN.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF ONLINE TRACTION ABOUT A QUAR, QUARTER MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS, UM, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALLY SO FAR.
AND WE'RE JUST STARTING OUR IMPACT REPORT ON THAT.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT, UPDATE SOME OF THE CULTURAL WORKS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO COME NEXT YEAR, UM, IF YOU DIDN'T COME THIS YEAR, IF YOU DID JOIN US THIS YEAR, PLEASE TAKE OUR SURVEY.
WE'RE GATHERING, UM, SURVEY DATA ABOUT EVERYBODY'S VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
WE WANNA LEARN AS WE GO AND GET BETTER EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO WITH THAT, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US THIS UPTIME, UH, THIS TIME TONIGHT TO SHARE SOME UPDATES ABOUT THE CULTURAL STUFF AND OPEN IT UP IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY I WANT YOUR JOB
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, BECAUSE THAT LOOKED LIKE AMAZING WORK, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THIS IS, THIS DASA IS RIGHT UP THE ARTS COMMISSION ALLEY.
SO, UM, IT'S OTHER, ANY ANY ARTS CREATIVE THING COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS? COULD DO AN ACTIVATION? YES.
YES, WE HAVE AN ONLINE APPLICATION, UM, AND ANYBODY CAN REQUEST TO USE THE SPACE AT ANY TIME.
AND IS IS THE SPACE IS DISCOUNTED TO THE ARTIST OR? YES.
SO WE HAVE DISCOUNTS FOR NONPROFITS AND, UH, SLIGHTLY HIGHER RATE FOR NOT, UH, FOR PROFITS.
AND THEN ARTIST RESIDENCIES, UH, PAY A SMALL FEE.
LIKE A STIPEND, VERY SMALL FEE.
AND THEN AT THE END, UM, THEY HAVE A, A EXHIBIT GALLERY, AND THEN THEY WOULD KEEP ALL OF THEIR PROCEEDS FROM THEIR EXHIBIT GALLERY SALES FROM IN THE SPACE.
SO THE RESIDENT, THE RESIDENT PAYS A FEE TO DASA AND THEN HOLDS THE PROCEEDS? YEAH.
SO THEY, THEY PAY A SMALL FEE TO BE ABLE TO USE THE SPACE FOR SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AND THEN, UM, HAVE THEIR EXHIBIT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO SCALE THAT UP IN OUR SECOND YEAR AND MAKE IT EVEN LONGER, YOU KNOW, SO WE DID RELATIVELY SHORT PILOTS, 68 WEEKS.
WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE THAT EVEN LONGER IN OUR YEAR TWO SPACES.
AND YOU SAY EXHIBITS COULD, BUT COULD IT BE PERFORMANCE? YES.
[01:30:01]
HAD FASHION SHOWS, UM, SPOKEN WORD, ALL SORTS OF PERFORMANCES IN THE SPACE.THIS IS A VERY EXCITING THANK YOU.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION AND JUST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO.
THANKS FOR COMING DOWN TONIGHT.
THERE WAS A QUESTION ON, OH, I'M SORRY.
I'D BE SURPRISED IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION, ACTUALLY.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME NOW? YEAH.
AND, UM, FORGIVE ME FOR, UH, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT THERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
I HAVE A HEAD COLD, SO THAT'S PROBABLY FOR THE BEST.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH, UH, 6,000 CENTRAL TEXAS MUSICIANS AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, HELP THEM GET MORE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS, THIS IS, UH, FANTASTIC.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE ANY SORT OF OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU GUYS ARE UTILIZING THAT CITY STANDARD PAY RATE.
AND, UM, I GUESS I'D, I'D SIMPLY LIKE TO SAY WE'D LOVE TO PROBABLY INTERACT WITH YOU MORE WHEN YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE, UM, UH, I THINK THOSE THREE SPACES YOU, YOU MENTIONED WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE ACTIVATIONS COMING UP, MAYBE, UH, IF YOU WANNA COORDINATE WITH US, WE'D PROBABLY LOVE TO I'M SURE COME OUT AND, AND HAVE A VISIT WITH YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
JUST NOTING THAT COMMISSIONER CHEN HAS ALSO JOINED ONLINE.
WELL, THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME, JUST REAL QUICK.
UM, I WANNA WELCOME COMMISSIONER CHEN.
IT'S, UM, YOUR FIRST MEETING AND YOU'RE WITH THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON, THIS IS YOUR FIRST MEETING AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
SHE'S WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION, AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM YOU A LITTLE LATER, I THINK RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY.
[7. Update from the Arts Commission representative on the Cultural Funding/Grants process and information regarding the work of Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) as it relates to the commission.]
UH, SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS AN UPDATE FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION FROM OUR BRAND NEW COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON.I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES OTHER THAN WHAT I SENT AT IN THE EMAIL FOR THE LAST MEETING BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD OUR MEETING YET.
OUR MEETING IS COMING UP ON MONDAY WHERE I'LL GET UPDATES, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE APPLICATIONS ARE SET TO GO LIVE ON OCTOBER THE 21ST FOR THIS NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING.
UM, IT, ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR THINGS THAT DOWNTOWN WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING ABOUT COMING FROM ARTS SO THAT I CAN KIND OF PINPOINT WHAT TO REPORT? WELL, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDING, YOU MIGHT WANNA EXPLAIN MORE BECAUSE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE FUNDING THAT'S COMING UP AND ALL.
UM, UH, ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT IS, UM, SUPERVISING CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING IN, UH, FOUR AREAS.
ELEVATE LIVE MUSIC FUND, CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OR CS A P AND HERITAGE PRESERVATION.
AND THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'LL BE, OH, IT'LL BE UP OCTOBER 21ST.
IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS A PROFILE THAT CAN BE FILLED OUT FOR KIND OF AN ENTRYWAY.
SO YOU'RE TELLING ACME WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO, AND WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR.
THE DEADLINE FOR THE CULTURAL FUNDING APPLICATIONS WILL BE THIS, THIS ROUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 WILL BE DECEMBER THE FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION AND I RELATED TO THE GRANT FUNDING AND, AND KIND OF, UH, I GUESS THE SITUATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL GET ANY FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
ALSO, I MAYBE SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE TOO, IF THEY HAVE ANY FUND, UH, PROJECTS THROUGH ANY FEDERAL GRANTS.
UM, BUT JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT, CHRISTIE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO LOOK INTO HOW THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTING ANYTHING GOING ON DOWNTOWN, UH, IN A GRANDER SCHEME.
UH, BUT SINCE YOU HAD THE MIC, I I THOUGHT I'D ASK YOU ALL OF THE CULTURAL FUNDING FOR, FOR ARTS COMES FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX HOT TAX.
WE GET A PERCENTAGE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TALKS GOES TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND THEN A PORTION OF IT COMES TO CULTURAL FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS IN THE CITY.
SO WE ARE, WE'RE NOT REALLY AFFECTED BY THE STATE FUNDING.
WE, WE HAVE HAD SOME ARTS ORGANIZATION,
[01:35:01]
FEDERAL FUNDING.WE HAVE HAD SOME ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AUSTIN ECOSYSTEM WHO LOST THEIR NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS FUNDING AND THE, THE, UH, COUNCIL AND ACME TOOK UP THE CAUSE TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THAT.
UM, BUT THE REGULAR JUST CITY FUNDING IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE FEDERAL.
[8. Discussion of the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association proposal for replacing the current Downtown Density Bonus Program.]
SO DISCUSSION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PROPOSAL FOR REPLACING THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.THANK YOU, ROGER COLVIN, UH, ON THE BOARD OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, DANA OPPOSES HEIGHT LIMITS AND OTHER EXCLUSIONARY ZONING DOWNTOWN.
AND WE SPECIFICALLY, UH, OPPOSE THE BASE HIGH HEIGHT LIMIT THAT'S PROPOSED FOR THE, UH, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
WE DO RECOGNIZE THE MOTIVATION FOR THE, UH, PROPOSED HEIGHT LIMIT, UH, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAVE YOU, AS YOU'VE HEARD, IS TO, UH, RESTORE THE INCENTIVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DENSE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UH, WITHIN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS, HOWEVER, ABOUT THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IN GENERAL.
A TURNER CENTER STUDY OF THE TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITIES PROGRAM IN LOS ANGELES LOOKED AT ALL THE WAYS OF CALIBRATING ALL THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY FOR CALIBRATING THEIR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, THAT TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
AND WHAT THEIR MODEL FOUND WAS THAT ALL LEVELS OF, AT ALL LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS, THE PROGRAM WOULD LOSE MARKET RATE UNITS, FIVE MARKET RATE UNITS AT A BARE, AT A MINIMUM FOR EVERY AFFORDABLE UNIT GAINED.
SO THE, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS CALIBRATION CURVE, THERE IS NO POINT ALONG THIS CALIBRATION CURVE WHERE YOU DON'T LOSE AT LEAST FIVE MARKET RATE UNITS FOR EVERY AFFORDABLE UNIT GAINED.
ANOTHER CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY WAS THAT IF THEY SIMPLY ELIMINATED THE AFFORDABILITY, THE, UH, AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT ENTIRELY, AND GRANTED THE BONUS ENTITLEMENTS UNCONDITIONALLY, IT WOULD RESULT IN 38% MORE HOUSING PRODUCTION OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, EVEN IF THEY'RE, AND, AND BY THE WAY, THAT 11% IZ FIGURE THERE, THAT IS THEIR CURRENT AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT.
AND ON THE PREVIOUS CHART YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT'S ABOUT AS WELL CALIBRATED AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET.
SO EVEN WITH THEIR PERFECTLY CALIBRATE, NEAR PERFECTLY CALIBRATED DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, IT WOULD STILL LOSE 38% HOUSING PRODUCTION RELATIVE TO, UH, JUST DOING AWAY WITH THE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT.
SO THIS IS A, UH, THIS SHOWS THE TAX REVENUE THAT WAS GENERATED BY A PROJECT HERE IN AUSTIN, HANOVER REPUBLIC SQUARE, THAT DID GO THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
IT PAID A FEE IN LIEU OF $3 MILLION, AND IN 2024, IT PAID ABOUT ONE POINT.
UH, WELL, LET ME JUST BREAK DOWN THE NUMBERS HERE.
IN AS FAR AS, UH, BASELINE FAR
[01:40:01]
AND WHAT WE COULD IN, WHAT WE CAN ATTRIBUTE IN PROPERTY TAXES THAT IT PAID IN 2024, IT WAS ABOUT 271,000.WHAT WE COULD ATTRIBUTE TO BONUS FAR IS ABOUT 577,000.
NOW, IF WE LOOK AT THE TURNER CENTER STUDY AND SAY, WELL, MAYBE WE COULD GENERATE ANOTHER 38% MORE HOUSING, AND WE LOOK AT WHAT THE EQUIVALENT TAX REVENUE WOULD BE FOR THAT, IT'S 322,000.
THAT'S 322,000 IN TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF PROP, CITY OF AUSTIN IN 2024 THAT WE DIDN'T GET BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO THERE IS A PRECEDENT FOR AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO FUNDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THAT ALTERNATIVE APPROACH COULD BE MUCH LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR 2000 WHEN THE, WHEN AUSTIN'S HOUSING TRUST FUND WAS CREATED, ONE OF THE INITIAL WAYS OF AND ONGOING WAYS OF FUNDING THAT HOUSING TRUST FUND WAS TO REZONE SOME PROPERTIES, UH, AND THEN, UH, DEDICATE 40% OF THE INCREMENTAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WAS GENERATED FROM THOSE PROPERTIES TO THE HOUSE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
SO, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, IN ADDITION TO OPPOSING THE PROPOSED BASE HEIGHT LIMITS FOR THE CBD CALLS FOR REPLACING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WITH A MECHANISM THAT CAPTURES THAT EXTRA PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WE COULD GET BY HAVING AND MAINTAINING THE NO FAR CAPS OR HEIGHT LIMITS AND DEDICATING OR ALLOCATING A PORTION OF THAT ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
AND I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT WE HAVE A STATUS QUO RIGHT NOW, A NEW STATUS QUO, UH, AS A RESULT OF SB EIGHT 40, WHERE WE HAVE NO HEIGHT LIMITS AND NO FAR LIMITS, AND DANA BELIEVES THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE ZONING FOR THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE WERE SEVERELY CONSTRAINING HOUSING SUPPLY BEFORE SB EIGHT 40 LIBERATED THE CBD AND IT'S TIME, IT'S, IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE STOPPED CONSTRAINING HOUSING SUPPLY.
THE STATUS QUO IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SB EIGHT 40.
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? YES.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT RESIDENCY PERCENTAGE DOWN IN THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD OF PEOPLE WHO, WHO OWN OR RENT PROPERTY AND ACTUALLY LIVE IN THAT PROPERTY? THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN RENT AND OWN? NO, OF, OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO OWN OR RENT PROPERTY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA? YEAH.
WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY RESIDE IN THAT PROPERTY? OH, I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION OR QUESTION.
SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THIS WOULD GIVE A MORE STABLE REVENUE SOURCE THAN ONE TIME FEE AND LOSE.
SO THE, UH, THE, THE PROPOSAL TO ALLOCATE, UH, THE INCREMENTAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WOULD RESULT FROM THE, UH, THE, THE ABSENCE OF HEIGHT AND FAR LIMITS, UM, THE, THAT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE RECURS EVERY YEAR.
AND SO INSTEAD OF THAT ONE TIME FEE, THOSE ONE TIME FEE IN LIEU, UH, INJECTIONS THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON PARTICULAR NEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING ONLINE DOWNTOWN, INSTEAD, YOU WOULD HAVE A STEAD, A STEADY AND INCREASING FUNDING STREAM, UH, FROM, FROM TAX REVENUE, UH, WITH THIS OTHER KIND OF PROGRAM.
[01:45:01]
YES.UM, SO IS IT YOUR ASSESSMENT THAT WE ARE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM HAS BEEN WORKING, NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING FEWER UNITS, BUT THE ONES THAT WE GET ARE ACTUALLY PRICED HIGHER.
SO THE TURNER CENTER STUDY FOUND THAT RENTS INCREASED OR WERE INCREASING AS A RESULT OF THEIR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THOSE CONSTRAINTS ON SUPPLY.
SO WHEN THE DAP WAS, UH, INITIATED, WE HAD A GOAL OF 25,000 PEOPLE AND WE HAVE 15,000 NOW.
AND, UH, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG GAP, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE, THE TIME LAG.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE, WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY RECONSIDER THE PATH THAT WE'RE ON AND, AND LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND MAKING, I ACTUALLY DO HAVE A QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER CHEN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON HOW THE HOUSING TRUST FUND IS CURRENTLY BEING USED TO BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS? I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON HOW THE HOUSING TRUST FUND FUNDS ARE BEING USED.
UH, COMMISSIONER CARROLL, I CAN HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, UP, UP UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, UM, THAT FUND HAD NEVER BEEN USED TO BUILD ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT WAS ONLY BEING USED FOR HOUSING VOUCHERS.
UM, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MONEY HAS SINCE BEEN USED ON AT LEAST TWO PROJECTS.
UH, ONE WAS A HOTEL CONVERSION INTO HOUSING THAT THE CITY DID, AND ANOTHER ONE WAS A NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, PROJECT THAT WAS AWARDED MONEY FROM FROM THAT THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE PROJECTS, BUT, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS HAS GONE TO A VOUCHER PROGRAM.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR PRESIDENT ING, WE APPRECIATE IT.
[9. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding changes to the Downtown Density Bonus Program.]
APPROVAL RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING CHANGES TO THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.AND COMMISSIONER LEVINSON IS GOING TO PRESENT THAT RECOMMENDATION.
I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING SINCE ABOUT 2024, THAT WE REALLY FEEL THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO GENERATE MORE AND STABLE FUNDS AND IT ALSO NEEDS TO STOP CONSTRAINING HOUSING SUPPLY BECAUSE THE MORE HOUSING YOU SUPPLY, THE LESS EXPENSIVE IT GETS, THE LESS YOU, YOU KNOW, THE MORE AFFORDABLE EVEN MARKET RATE UNITS WILL GET EVENTUALLY IN THE END,
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE DA, UH, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT REMOVING, HEIGHTENED FAR RESTRICTIONS DOWNTOWN AND DIRECTING A DEDICATED SHARE OF THE REVENUE PERMANENTLY INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND OR A SIMILAR ENTITY, WILL PROVIDE A MUCH MORE STABLE AND PERMANENT STREAM OF FUNDING, FUNDING FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
BECAUSE IT WON'T BE DEPENDENT ON CONSTANT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
IT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AS LONG AS THE BUILDING EXISTS.
SO WE THEREFORE WOULD REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL NOT ADOPT THEIR CURRENT PROPOSAL AND, UH, OR FURTHER DIS RESTRICTIONS ON DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WILL ONLY COMPLICATE AN ALREADY COMPLEX BUILDING CODE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE NAVIGATING AND INSTEAD SIMPLIFY THE CODE BY REMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS AND DESIGNATING THE INCREASED REVENUE AND DEDICATING IT TO HOUSING OUR NEIGHBORS AND FELLOW CITIZENS.
SO THIS WAS WHAT I PUT TOGETHER ON THE FLY.
IT'S PERFECTLY EASY TO AMEND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UM, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH PUTTING THIS ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION.
WELL, DO WE HAVE, FIRST OF ALL, A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER MAKES THE MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
COMMISSIONER BOOP TO SECONDS NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS? YES.
I AM, I'M AN AUSTIN NATIVE AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT FOR OVER 30 YEARS WE'VE BEEN SAYING IF WE BUILD MORE HOUSING, THE PRICES WILL COME DOWN, THE PRICES HAVE YET TO COME DOWN.
SO I THINK IT'S A FALLACY TO SEE IF WE BUILD MORE HOUSES, THE PRICES
[01:50:01]
WILL COME DOWN OR MORE, MORE, UM, APARTMENTS OR WHATEVER THAT THE PRICES ARE GONNA COME DOWN.WE'VE SEEN THAT THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN.
WE HAVE TO HAVE POLICIES IN EFFECT THAT CURTAIL THE HUMAN NATURE TO FIND THE HIGHEST PROFIT THEY CAN FIND IN ANY GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCE.
UM, YEAH, I'D, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A A COMMENT RELATED TO THAT BECAUSE I'M A SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING FELLOW.
UM, BALANCING SUPPLY AND DEMAND IS, IS IS A VERY COMPLICATED EXERCISE.
IF YOU CONSTRAIN SUPPLY PRICES ARE GOING TO GO UP.
UM, AND WE, WE HAVE BEEN CONSTRAINING SUPPLY THROUGH MOST OF DOWNTOWN PART.
PARTLY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE EFFECT, IN FACT, 7 8 7 0 1 FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN THE WEALTHIEST ZIP CODE IN, IN, UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND IT DIDN'T USED TO BE THAT WAY.
SO PART OF WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU CONSTRAIN SUPPLY SO THAT WHAT IS AVAILABLE IS BASICALLY LAKEFRONT, THEN YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO PAY LAKEFRONT PRICES.
YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE BUILDINGS WITH A LOT OF AMENITIES THAT ARE LUXURIOUS COMMAND A, A PRICE THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
WE COULD DO A LOT MORE TO HELP BRING DOWN THE AVERAGE PRICE OF HOUSING DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND I THINK THAT IS, I I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT YOUR OBSERVATION BECAUSE IT'S IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE.
I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN PART OF WHAT IS HAPPENING UNDERNEATH THAT THAT IS CAUSING THAT TO BE AN UNFORTUNATE REALITY.
OTHER COMMENTS? YES, AND I, I UNDERSTAND WE'VE HAD INCREASED DEMAND AS THE CURRENT STATISTIC OF OH, 150 PEOPLE MOVE TO AUSTIN EVERY DAY.
AND THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR 15 OR 20 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REAL NUMBER IS, BUT THAT'S OFTEN QUOTED.
SO IT'S NOT JUST SUPPLY, IT'S ALSO INCREASE IN DEMAND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MEET DEMAND IS DIFFICULT.
COMMISSIONER CARROLL, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH THE NOTION THAT WE'VE BEEN RESTRICTING HOUSING DOWNTOWN.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE, THE CURRENT FAR CAPS DOWNTOWN ARE REALLY JUST SOFT CAPS.
AND WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL PROJECTS GO TO COUNCIL.
YES, THEY HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL, BUT NOT ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL TO GO ABOVE THOSE FAR CAPS.
AND I THINK ONCE, ONCE THE FIRST ONE DID IT, EVERYONE REALIZED THAT YOU COULD DO IT AND OTHERS STARTED FOLLOWING.
UM, AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW HAS BEEN SEEING AS FAR AS LIMITED DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LAST 18 TO 24 MONTHS IS NOT A FUNCTION OF LIMITING DEVELOPMENT.
UH, IT'S A FUNCTION OF THE FINANCIAL REALITIES THAT, THAT WE'RE IN CURRENTLY.
UM, THAT SAID, I DO AGREE, UM, THAT THE CURRENT PROGRAM IS BROKEN, UH, AND THERE IS A LOT TO ADDRESS WITH IT.
UM, AS FAR AS THIS MOTION SPECIFICALLY, UH, I HAVE TWO, UH, SORT OF, UM, SPECIFIC DETAILED THINGS TO, TO RECOMMEND AND THAT IS, IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SAY THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM ANYWHERE IN HERE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE SPECIFIC BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS IN THE CITY.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, I THINK IT'S THE THIRD TO LAST LINE, UH, REFERENCES BUILDING CODE.
BUT ACTUALLY THIS IS LOCATED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, WHICH IS ITS SEPARATE SEPARATE CODE.
AMEND THAT TO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO ARE YOU OFFERING THOSE CHANGES AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES.
THANK, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, SAY AYE.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE QUESTION ITSELF.
UM, COMMISSIONER WILEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT, UM, WHEN, IF, IF YOU LOOK AT SEATTLE
[01:55:01]
WHERE THEY HAVE 300,000 JOBS DOWNTOWN AND ABOUT 115,000 RESIDENTS, AND YOU LOOK AT AUSTIN AND I, I'M NOT CURRENT ON THE DAA NUMBERS, BUT I THINK IT'S 130,000 JOBS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND 15,000 RESIDENTS.IT'S OBVIOUS WE HAVE A, A VERY BIG MISMATCH IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE DOWNTOWN.
AND IT'S, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT SEATTLE, THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE ZIP CODE DOWNTOWN TOO, BUT THEY HAVE SEVERAL ZIP CODES AND, AND THEY AREN'T ALL AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
BOSTON RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING THROUGH REVISIONS TO THEIR DOWNTOWN LAND CODE.
UM, AND AS HISTORIC AS THAT IS, THE LOWEST ENTITLEMENT THEY HAVE IS 90 FEET.
WE HAVE 35 FEET, WE HAVE 40 FEET, WE HAVE 60 FEET.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT CBD AND THOSE KIND OF ENTITLEMENTS, BUT A LOT OF DOWNTOWN JUST HAS NOT BEEN MADE AVAILABLE YET.
AND, AND THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM TO A LARGE EXTENT IN MY OPINION.
SO I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU, I'M JUST TRYING TO POINT OUT A DIFFERENT PROBLEM THAN I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH POINTS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMMENTING.
SO I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
I DO ACTUALLY HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT TO SUBMIT.
I KEEP FORGETTING TO LOOK AT OUR TV MOMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER HOUSTON SAID PREVIOUSLY ABOUT HOW ADDING SUPPLY DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY BROUGHT DOWN PRICES.
I FEEL THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT PROVISIONS FOR HOW THE HOUSING TRUST FUND SHOULD ALSO BE SPENT ON ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST, THE, UH, SORRY, HOUSING TRUST FUND HAS ONLY BEEN USED TO BUILD TWO PROJECTS.
IT SEEMS TO ME INCOMPLETE THAT SAYING THAT COLLECTING ADDITIONAL REVENUE WOULD ACTUALLY INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TO THE END THAT WE COULD BE BUILDING MORE HOUSING DOWNTOWN.
WHAT I FEAR IS WITHOUT HAVING A STIPULATION OF HAVING TO ALLOCATE THE MONEY TOWARDS LOWER INCOME AND MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE WIND UP IN A SITUATION WHERE ALL WE'RE DOING IS IMPLEMENTING TRICKLE DOWN HOUSING INSTEAD.
I'M NOT SURE I QUITE CAUGHT THE LAST PART.
COULD YOU CLARIFY THAT? SO ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT, IF WE JUST BUILD MORE HOUSING, IT'LL GET CHEAPER SEEMS TO BE THE IDEA THAT AS LONG AS WE BUILD HOUSING, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TYPE, THE OVERALL SUPPLY WILL BRING DOWN THE OVERALL COST.
AND WHAT WINDS UP HAPPENING IN AUSTIN, AT LEAST IN MY OBSERVATION IN THE 13 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, IS THAT WHENEVER WE BUILD NEW HOUSING, IT TENDS TO BE HIGHER END LUXURY HOUSING.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT THESE NEW HOUSING UNITS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE AND MORE FANCY AND SO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO MOVE INTO THEM WILL DO SO THUS VACATING THE OLDER, LESS FLASHY AND THEREFORE LOWER PRICED APARTMENTS.
AND WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD UP THE SUPPLY, WE SEEM TO NOT BE BUILDING THE LARGE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE, WE NEED AND KEEP BUILDING AT THE HIGH END COUNTING ON THE OLDER UNITS TO LOWER IN PRICE AS PEOPLE MOVE OUT OF THEM.
SO ARE YOU JUST LOOKING FOR SOME CLARIFICATION THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR OTHER SIMILAR ENTITY, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S SAYING, SHOULD UTILIZE THE RE REVENUE FOR BUILDING HOUSING? I MEAN, TELL ME WHAT YES, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M SUGGESTING.
SO I THINK THE RECOMMENDATION AS IT IS, IS STILL BETTER THAN WHAT CURRENTLY STANDS OF SAYING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD HIGHER.
I AGREE WITH THE IDEA THAT HAVING MORE STABLE AND CONSISTENT REVENUE IS GOOD.
THIS RECOMMENDATION FEELS TO ME INCOMPLETE WITHOUT PROVISIONS THAT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND ALSO IRREGULARLY SPENT ON NEW AFFORDABLE PROJECTS TO INCREASE OUR SUPPLY AT THE LOW END OF AFFORDABLE UNITS.
I HAVE A SUGGESTION MAYBE FOR SOME WORDING, UM, AND SEE IF THIS MIGHT FIT WITH WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
COMMISSIONER CHEN, UM, THE DTC BELIEVES THAT REMOVING HEIGHT AND FAR RESTRICTIONS DOWNTOWN AND DIRECTING A DEDICATED SHARE OF THE RESULTING REVENUE PERMANENTLY INTO AFFORDABLE, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND OR A SIMILAR ENTITY CHARGED WITH ACTUALLY BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL PROVIDE A MUCH MORE STABLE AND PERMANENT STREAM OF FUNDING.
[02:00:02]
I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC SUGGESTION.I'LL TAKE THAT AS AN AMENDMENT.
SO, UM, IS THAT A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT? THAT IS A MOTION TO ACCEPT.
ANY OTHER COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? AND THAT'S A GOOD, I I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT YES, BECAUSE I, I THINK, UH, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED SUBJECT MATTER AND WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A, A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT HERE.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN RECALL ANY OF THE WITNESSES, BUT THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY, UM, HAS BEEN ADDING A LOT OF HOUSING AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD WHAT THE PROTOCOL IS, BUT WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE WHO'S VERY WELL VERSED ON THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN MANAGING THE COST OF HOUSING THROUGH INCREASING SUPPLY.
WELL, I, I THINK FOR NOW, I DON'T KNOW, CHRISTIE, SHOULD WE FINISH THE MOTION VOTE? I MEAN, YOU'RE STILL DISCUSSING IF YOU WANTED TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE AND WILLING TO THAT'S FINE.
CAN CERTAINLY, WELL THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE.
YEAH, YEAH, WE CERTAIN WE CERTAINLY COULD.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO, THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA.
COULD YOU, AT SOME MACRO LEVEL PLEASE JUST ADDRESS UM, WHAT YOUR IMPRESSION HAS BEEN ON AFFORDABILITY BY, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING SUPPLY IN WEST CAMPUS, PLEASE? UM, I GUESS I WOULD SAY THAT THE WEST CAMPUS NEIGHBORHOOD IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN A LOT OF WAYS TO THE DOWNTOWN, MOSTLY DUE TO THE POPULATION THAT LIVES THERE, WHICH IS STUDENTS WHO ARE SEEKING THE PROXIMITY TO THE CAMPUS THAT THEY ATTEND EVERY DAY.
THERE'S A DIFFERENT, UH, RATIO OF PEOPLE WHO OWNED CARS IN THAT AREA.
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DEMOGRAPHICS.
I WOULD ALSO SAY A LOT OF THE RENTALS IN THAT AREA ARE BY THE BEDROOM AS OPPOSED TO BY THE UNIT.
UM, SO THE RENTAL RATES THAT YOU SEE ARE LOWER, BUT THEY ARE ALSO FOR A BEDROOM WITH A SHARED COMMON SPACE AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU WOULD SEE DOWNTOWN FOR A UNIT.
SO IT, IT'S A SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT MARKET COMPARED TO DOWNTOWN AS FAR AS THE TYPE OF RENTAL THAT'S AVAILABLE AND THE POPULATION THAT IS RENTING IT FOR THE MOST PART.
HAVE, HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN THAT THEY'VE BEEN DECREASING THE, THE, THE COST THAT STUDENTS ARE PAYING FOR HOUSING? UM, IT, IT IS ONE OF THE AREAS OF THE CITY WHERE RENTAL RATES HAVE INCREASED THE LEAST
RELATIVELY, RELATIVELY, WE GET IT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS AMENDED AND AMENDED? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
[10. Approve the Downtown Commission 2026 Regular Meeting Schedule.]
WE HAVE THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE AND UM, I THINK EVERYBODY MAY HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF THEM, SO, UM, HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT? YEP.UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT? I'LL SO MOVE.
AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL SECONDS.
ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, MOTION CARRIES.
UM, I THINK THAT MAY BE ALL ON OUR AGENDA.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW BUSINESS, UPCOMING BUSINESS? UH, COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER WAS JUST SAYING WE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY PROGRAMS OR SOMETHING, WHETHER IF, IF EVERYONE THINKS IT'S WORTH GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON, WASN'T A STRONG RECOMMENDATION JUST TO COMMENT.WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT THEM, SO IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO HAVE SOMEBODY PRESENT ON AND LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.
NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY PROGRAMS, I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT THEM.
SO COMMISSIONER SHIP, FIFTH SHIPPER, WOULD YOU MIND, UM, MAYBE SENDING AN EMAIL TO CHRISTIE THAT KIND OF LAY OUT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? MM-HMM
AND THEN I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SECOND THAT.
WHO WOULD BE PRESENTING THIS QUESTION? WE, WE WOULD FIGURE THAT OUT.
SO, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON.
I'D REALLY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTUAL RESIDENCY IS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BECAUSE
[02:05:01]
THE COMMUNICATION IN THE CITY IS THAT WE HAVE BUILDINGS THAT ARE, WE HAVE UNITS THAT ARE BEING BOUGHT BY ENTITIES THAT AREN'T RESIDING IN THE BUILDING.AND IF WE CAN GET A FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THOSE, GET BODIES IN THOSE SPACES, THAT MIGHT HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PROBLEM.
SO YOU'RE SAYING, UM, A PERCENTAGE OF DOWNTOWN RESIDENCES THAT ARE OWNER OCCUPIED? RIGHT.
AS AS OPPOSED TO SECOND HOMES.
SECOND HOMES, SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHO WE WOULD ASK FOR THAT, BUT CAN WE DISCUSS THAT? WE WE CAN DISCUSS THAT.
WELL, IT'S INVESTOR OWNED AND THEY'RE RENTING IT OUT.
THEN THERE'S STILL SOMEBODY IN IT.
UM, I THINK THAT IS IT FOR THE EVENING.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YES.
I BELIEVE WE ARE ADJOURNED FOR THE EVENING.
IT WAS A LONG MEETING, BUT I APPRECIATE IT.