[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE HAVING A QUORUM PRESENT WITHIN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 6:04 PM FIRST, LET'S TAKE ROLE.
PLEASE LET US KNOW YOU'RE HERE WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, CHAIR WOODS.
I'M HERE, VICE CHAIR HANEY HAS NOT JOINED US YET.
COMMISSIONER LAWN IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING.
COMMISSIONER GANNON, I'M HERE.
COMMISSIONER BRETTON IS NOT JOINED US YET THIS EVENING.
COMMISSIONER SKIDMORE IS NOT JOINING US THIS EVENING.
AND COMMISSIONER HILLER HERE AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR EX OFFICIO MEMBER BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS CHAIR JEFFREY BOWEN IS WITH US AS WELL.
HERE AS USUAL, TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL BE HYBRID ALLOWING FOR A VIRTUAL QUORUM AS LONG AS THE COMMISSIONER SERVING AS CHAIR IS PRESENT IN CHAMBERS.
THEREFORE, WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS HERE AT CITY HALL AND IN ATTENDANCE VIRTUALLY SIMILARLY, SPEAKERS CAN PRESENT HERE FROM COUNCIL CHAMBERS OR PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY VIRTUAL COMMISSIONERS.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR SIGN-IN SHEET TO OUR STAFF LIAISON FOR THE CLERK'S GUIDELINES AND PLEASE HAVE YOUR GREEN, RED, AND YELLOW ITEMS FOR VOTING.
PLEASE REMAIN MUTED WHEN YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING AND RAISE YOUR HAND TO BE RECOGNIZED, BUT IF I DON'T SEE YOU, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE AND LET ME KNOW VERBALLY ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA THIS EVENING AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK AND OUR PLANNING STAFF'S TIME, I'M GONNA MAKE THE SAME REQUESTS AS LAST MEETING TO KEEP US MOVING EFFICIENTLY.
SO MS. BROWN WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE SPEAKERS DURING OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND FOR CASES WITH A LOT OF SPEAKERS, SHE'LL CALL THREE SPEAKERS AT A TIME WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED.
PLEASE COME DOWN TO SIT IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE THREE MICROPHONES IN THE FRONT SO THAT IT'S YOU, SO THAT YOU'RE READY TO SPEAK WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN.
AND IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM AND WANT TO WAIVE YOUR TIME, YOU DO NOT NEED TO COME DOWN.
PLEASE JUST GIVE ME A WAVE AND I'LL KNOW THAT YOU ARE PASSING COMMISSIONERS ONCE AGAIN TO KEEP US MOVING QUICKLY.
PLEASE BE READY WITH YOUR QUESTIONS WHEN YOU STATE WHO YOUR QUESTION IS FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STAFF LIAISON, THE APPLICANT, OR A DIFFERENT SPEAKER, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND START ASKING YOUR QUESTION AS THEY'RE MAKING THEIR WAY UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR HELPING US TO GET THROUGH OUR AGENDA TONIGHT AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WITH THAT MS. BROWN, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO CHAIR.
[ Consent Agenda]
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 28TH MEETING.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EDITS TO THOSE MINUTES? OKAY, SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES WILL BE ADDED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND OUR FIRST ACTIVITY TONIGHT IS TO VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEMS THAT ARE CONSENT APPROVAL, DISAPPROVAL, POSTPONEMENTS OF PUBLIC HEARINGS OR NON-DISCUSSION ITEMS. COMMISSIONER MAXWELL WILL READ THE PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA AND SPECIFY THOSE THAT ARE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT AND NON-DISCUSSION.
AND AFTER THIS COMMISSIONERS YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST ANY CONSENT ITEMS BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, WOULD YOU MIND READING THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR US? HAPPY TO HELP CHAIR, UH, THIS EVENING.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 26 0 0 2 2 0.01 H ROWAN VALE, DISTRICT NINE.
ITEM NUMBER THREE OF REZONING CEASE 14 20 26 0 0 1 OH SH ROWAN VALE, DISTRICT NINE.
THAT ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A PLAN AMENDMENT AND PA 0 0 2 25 0 0 3 0 0 1 BEN WHITE DISTRICT FIVE, THAT'S APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A REZONING C 14 20 25 4 BEN WHITE DISTRICT FIVE, THAT'S UP FOR APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS NPA 20 23 0 0 4 0 1 4 4 43 2 KNUCKLES CROSSING DISTRICT TWO, THAT'S UP FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A REZONING C 14 20 25 0 0 6 5 4 3 0 2 KNUCKLES CROSSING DISTRICT TWO THAT'S OFFERED ON CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 24 0 0 1 8 0.0 1 7 0 0 3 7 0 0 5 7 0 0 7 GUADALUPE STREET, REZONE DISTRICT FOUR, UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE AND THAT ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER NINE IS A REZONING C 14 20 24 0 0 3 6 7 0 0 3 7 0 0 5 7 0 0 7 GUADALUPE STREET, REZONE DISTRICT FOUR.
THAT ITEM ITEM IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 10 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NP 20 26 0 0 2 1 0 1 14 0 4 EAST RIVERSIDE PUD NPA DISTRICT THREE THAT'S OFFERED ON CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 11 IS A REZONING C 18 14 20 25 0 1 1 1 14 0 4 EAST RIVERSIDE PUD, DISTRICT THREE THAT IS OFFERED ON CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 25 0 0 1 6 0 2 0.02 FORMER A ISD BROOK, UM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REDEVELOPMENT
[00:05:01]
DISTRICT THREE, THAT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 26TH.ITEM NUMBER 13 IS A REZONING C 14 20 25 0 0 1 2 5 FORMER A ISD BROOK, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT THREE, THAT'S NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 26TH.
ITEM NUMBER 14 IS IN A PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 25 0 0 1 8 0.02 AIRPORT AND CANING MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT FOUR, THAT'S APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO JUNE 9TH.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS C 14 20 25 0 1 1 5 AIRPORT AND KIG MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT FOUR, THAT'S APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO JUNE 9TH.
ITEM NUMBER 16 IS A REZONING C 14 20 26 0 0 0 2 SOUTHEAST AIRPORT, MLK REZONING DISTRICT ONE.
THAT ITEM IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 17 IS A REZONING C 14 20 26 0 0 0 7 EAST SIDE HUB DISTRICT ONE THAT'S OFFERED ON CONSENT NUMBER EIGHT.
ITEM NUMBER 18 IS A REZONING C 14 20 25 0 1 2 3 7 4 0 1 HIGHWAY 2290 REZONING DISTRICT EIGHT, THAT'S APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 26TH.
AND ITEM NUMBER 19 IS A RESTRICTIVE GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT C 14 9 5 0 1 7 OH RCA 3 1 13 0 1 13 0 1 AND SOUTH MOPAC EXPRESSWAY SERVICE NORTHBOUND AND 2 9 7 6 BARTON SKYWAY RC AMENDMENT DISTRICT EIGHT.
THAT'S APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 20 IS A SITE PLAN EXTENSION SP EIGHT, UH, 2 0 1 8 5 2 8 C UH, XT 2 16 19 SOUTH FIRST DISTRICT NINE THAT'S OFFERED ON CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 21 IS AN LDC AMENDMENT CC 2 20 26 0 0 1 AMENDMENT TO THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR REGULATED PLAN DISTRICT THREE THAT'S OFFERED ON CONSENT.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 22 IS A REZONING C 20 24 0 1 8 DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS UPDATE PHASE ONE.
ITEM NUMBER 23 IS THE LDC AMENDMENT C 20 24 20 24 8 DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS UPDATE, PHASE ONE THAT'S OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
AND FINALLY, UH, ITEM NUMBER 22 IS IMAGINE AUSTIN, IMAGINE AUSTIN PC FFY FISCAL YEAR 20 26 27 SIP LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'S OFFERED ON CONSENT.
AND THEN CHAIR DID WANNA MAKE A QUICK CLARIFICATION, UM, FOR THE MEETING MINUTES FROM UM, APRIL 28TH.
WE'LL BE POSTPONING THOSE THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. BROWN AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
DO ANY COMMISSIONERS NEED TO RECUSE OR ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? OKAY, MS. BROWN, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? YES, CHAIR.
AND AFTER WE HEAR THOSE SPEAKERS, THE COMMISSION CAN EITHER LEAVE THE ITEM ON CONSENT OR PULL FOR DISCUSSION.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS FOR ITEM FOUR AND FIVE FOR BEN WHITE.
UM, WE HAVE AND WHAT IS UP FOR APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
WE HAVE ANDY JOSHI WHO IS IN OPPOSITION.
ANDY, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES CHAIR RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, SO ANDY, ONCE WE GET YOUR PRESENTATION PULLED UP, WE CAN BRING IT BACK UP.
UM, NEXT SPEAKER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS FOR ITEMS SIX AND SEVEN, WHICH IS KNUCKLES CROSSING, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT, STEWART GERSTACKER.
STEWART, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES
[00:10:26]
TESTING.HELLO, UH, THIS IS THE CASE FOR 4 3 0 2 KNUCKLES CROSSING THAT IS, UH, SOUTH OF BEN WHITE AND EAST OF 35.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS EXACTLY, UH, THIS IS A REZONING CASE, UH, SPECIFICALLY PROPOSING A MF THREE, UH, CONP FOR A 40 UNIT MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, UH, PRETTY MUCH, UH, A 6.61 ACRE LOT, UH, WITH 4.48 ACRES, PRETTY MUCH BEING IN THE, UH, EROSION HAZARD ZONE AND A TOTAL USABLE LAND OF 1.76 ACRES.
UH, AND WE PROPOSE A 40 UNIT MULTIFAMILY LOT.
UH, THE ISSUES THAT WE AIM TO SOLVE AFTER THE REZONING WOULD BE THE, UH, SITE DISTANCES AND ANY TRANSPORTATION ISSUES THAT WE MAY RUN INTO.
UM, BUT YES, PRETTY MUCH THIS IS FOR KNUCKLES CROSSING.
UH, MY NAME IS STUART GERSTACKER AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ZONING CHANGE FOR, FOR THIS PROPERTY ON KNUCKLES CROSSING.
AND, UH, WHAT I, WHAT I WANNA BRING UP IS THAT, UH, PUBLIC POLICY REQUIRES EQUAL TREATMENT FOR SIMILAR PROPERTIES AND THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR AT 4,400 KNUCKLES CROSSING, IT WAS ZONED SF TWO NP AND THEN REZONED, UH, MF FOUR CONP.
UM, THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THAT, WHICH IS A WOODWAY VILLAGE RESUB IS ZONED MF THREE NP.
THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THAT AT 4,600 KNUCKLES CROSSING IS OWNED BY HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THAT'S ZONED MF TWO CONP.
AND THE KING FISHER CREEK SUBDIVISION AT 46 0 1 ST.
ELMO IS ZONED SF SIX CONP, BUT THEY STILL HAVE A MULTI-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING ON THEIR, ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO THE AREA THAT THIS PROPERTY IS SITUATED IN IS BASICALLY IT'S SURROUNDED BY MF THREE PROPERTIES.
THERE'S A FEW SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES IN THERE, AND THEN ON THE NORTH SIDE IT'S ALL LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, LET'S SEE THE AREA SOUTH OF BEN WHITE BETWEEN I 35 AND THE AIRPORT IS DESIGNATED AS A JOB CENTER AS PER THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP ON PAGE 1 0 3 OF THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, THE PLAN ON PAGE ONE 17 INDICATES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WANTS TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY AND VARIETY OF HOUSING IN A NEAR JOB CENTERS TO ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE CLOSER TO THEIR JOBS, WHICH IS WHAT A REZONING WOULD DO BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY WITH THE WAY EVERYTHING IS, IS SITUATED WITH THE, UH, THE SLOPES AND, UH, WILLIAMSON CREEK.
THERE'S ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT'S DEVELOPED THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED.
AND IF WE'RE LIMITED TO SINGLE FAMILY, IT, IT, IT, IT BASICALLY, IT BASICALLY MAKES THE PROJECT UNPROFITABLE FOR THE OWNER.
UM, ALSO THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE, I'M SORRY, AM I AM OUT OF TIME.
I ACTUALLY THINK MR. ACKER'S TIME DIDN'T RESTART AFTER THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
COULD WE GIVE HIM ONE MORE MINUTE PLEASE THINK THE, FOR THE FIRST SPEAKER, COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD PLEASE? UH, MY NAME IS JOSHUA ALEC ABDO.
OKAY, MR. GERSTACKER, YOU CAN FINISH UP, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH UP, GIVE YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH UP AND GIVE YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS.
UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT THE, YOU KNOW, BA BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S PUBLIC POLICY THAT THEY'VE, THAT THEY'VE PUBLISHED IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, WE WANT TO PROMOTE A COMPACT AND CONNECTED CITY AND OUR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT COUNTERACTS TO PREVAILING TREND OF SPRAWLING DEVELOPMENT THAT CONSUMES VACANT LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND BASICALLY THE GIST IS WE WANT EQUAL TREATMENT FOR THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY COMPARED TO SIMILAR, SIMILARLY SITUATED PROPERTIES.
AND AUSTIN CITY POLICY ALREADY FAVORS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTIFAMILY IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED AS A JOB CENTER.
[00:15:01]
WE'RE COMING FROM ON THIS AND IT'S, IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE, THE REZONING CHANGE, NOT THE EXACT ONE WE'RE ASKING FOR.THEY WANT TO CONDITIONAL OVERLAY, BUT, UH, THAT'S BASICALLY THE GIST OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PROJECT.
WELL, YES, THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S COMMENTS.
NOW WE'RE SWITCHING OVER TO OUR SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION, WE HAVE LAUREL FRAN LAUREL, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M PRESIDENT OF LOS ARGOS, HOA AND A MEMBER OF THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
LOS AUS IS A DEVELOPMENT WITH 313 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ACROSS FROM 43 0 2 KNUCKLES CROSSING.
WE OPPOSE THE REZONING UNTIL THE APPLICANT HAS A PLAN FOR A DRIVEWAY INTO THEIR PROPERTY THAT WILL BE SAFE FOR THEIR RESIDENTS AND SAFE FOR DRIVERS ON KNUCKLES CROSSING.
WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING A DEVELOPMENT, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE.
THE ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET EXHIBIT A AND A ONE SHOW THAT THIS PROPERTY SITS JUST SOUTH OF THE SHARP BLIND CURVE OF THE ROAD WHERE EAST ST.
ELMO TURNS INTO KNUCKLES CROSSING.
THERE ARE NO SHOULDERS OR RIGHT AWAY ON THIS ROAD.
I'VE INCLUDED PHOTOS, UM, OF WHAT THE ROAD ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE THE PHOTOS THERE.
IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS STRETCH OF ROAD.
I DRIVE THROUGH THERE MANY TIMES A WEEK AND I FREQUENTLY WALK DOWN TO THE INTERSECTION OF VIEWPOINT.
AND THIS, UH, PICTURE THAT'S UP THERE RIGHT NOW THAT IS THE INTERSECTION OF VIEWPOINT DRIVE AND KNUCKLES CROSSING.
SO JUST NORTH OF THIS IS WHERE, UM, THE PROPERTY IS.
YOU CAN SEE THERE IS NO SIGHT LINE AT ALL ON THIS ROAD.
UH, 44, THE PROPERTY AT 4,400 KNUCKLES CROSSING ECHO CITY HEIGHTS WAS ONLY APPROVED AFTER THEY INCLUDED A RIGHT TURN LANE INTO THEIR DRIVEWAY AND A SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY.
A DEVELOPMENT AT 46 0 5 PLEASANT VALLEY, THE SAGE AT FRANKLIN PARK WANTED TO PUT A DRIVEWAY BETWEEN FORTY SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR HUNDRED KNUCKLES CROSSING, BUT THE CITY DENIED THAT REQUEST DUE TO THE DANGER TO DRIVERS ON KNUCKLE CROSSING THAT ANOTHER DRIVEWAY WOULD CREATE.
NOW 43 0 2 KNUCKLES CROSSING NEEDS A DRIVEWAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNA AND AGUIRE.
ANNA, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M HONORABLE, UH, COMMISSIONER WOOD AND WOODS AND COMMISSIONERS.
I AM THE DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE AND I'M THE CURRENT PE CHAIR OF THIS IMMEDIATE OF THE SOPA NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
WE ASKED FOR A POSTPONEMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU TOOK INTO TAKING INTO THAT, INTO INTO CONSIDERATION.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN IS ON APRIL THE 13TH, THE APPLICANT CAME TO OUR MEETING AND SAID THE OWNER WOULD DONATE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO WIDEN KNUCKLES CROSSING.
ONE OF THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES TOLD US IN HIS OWN WORDS, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO BUILD HERE UNLESS THE ROAD IS WIDENED ON APRIL THE 23RD, WE EMAILED ASKING FOR THE TRAFFIC PLAN.
ON MAY THE FIFTH AND THE EIGHTH, WE FOLLOWED UP TWICE, STILL NO PLAN WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT.
LAST NIGHT THE CONTACTING VOTED UNANIM UNANIMOUSLY TO OPPOSE A REQUEST BEFORE YOU, WE SUPPORT GOOD DEVELOPMENT.
THE SAGE AT FRANKLIN PARK, THE DAKOTA RES RESORT HOTEL, EVEN THE ECHOS PROPERTY OWNERS ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY, NEGOTIATED WITH US TO CREATE A SAFER TRAFFIC SOLUTION, A WIN-WIN FOR THE OWNERS, RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT ANTI-GROWTH, BUT RESIDENTS HERE, WE HAVE NO FOR RESIDENTS HERE.
WE WOULD HAVE NO SAFE WALK OR BIKE ACCESS IN THIS, ON THIS ROADWAY.
THIS IS A COMMON SENSE DECISION,
[00:20:01]
A DANGEROUS BLIND CURVE ON A SUBSTANDARD ROAD WITH NO ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ON THE HORIZON.WE WANT EQUAL SAFETY CONSIDERATION MEASURES FOR THE FUTURE RESIDENTS AND CURRENT USERS OF THIS ROADWAY.
AS WAS CONSIDERED FOR THE ECHOES PROPERTY, PLEASE DENY THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT AND THE REZONING AND TAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFETY INTO CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, NOW WE ARE ABLE TO GET THE PRESENTATION, UM, FOR BEN WHITE FOR FOUR AND FIVE.
SO ANDY JOSHI, YOU CAN COME BACK UP AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR TWO MINUTES CHAIR.
PERSON WOODS ESTEEMED COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR DONATING YOUR TIME TODAY.
THIS IS MY THIRD TIME BEFORE YOU.
FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ANDY JOSHI AND I HAVE, UH, TAKEN THE TIME, THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE HYBRID NATURE ONLINE AND IN PERSON TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PRESENTATION IN THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, UM, THIS IS A QUOTE FROM THE APPLICANT OF WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? MY PROPERTY IS CIRCLED IN RED, UH, ON THE RIGHT.
SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL TO US? ON THE LEFT YOU SEE A CIRCLE WHERE THE APPLICANT'S EXIT IS AND IT LEADS RIGHT INTO OUR BACKYARD, WHICH IS A PARKING LOT AND WE USE FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
AND ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE A RED LINE GOING FROM THE APPLICANT'S EXIT DIRECTLY INTO OUR PROPERTIES.
AND WE, WE ARE, UH, WE ARE HERE TO, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMPATIBLE DENSITY.
UH, WE ALSO ARE MEMBERS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT'S INTERESTED IN CONTEXT SENSITIVE INTENSITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR, YOUR GIVING US LIVING STREETS, SOMETHING WHICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REALLY APPRECIATES.
SO WE WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN IN OUR RESEARCH THAT, UM, THAT THERE WAS A VIOLATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY SPECIFICALLY TO SELL OFF CAMPUS, OFF-PREMISE WINE, BEER AND ALCOHOL.
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IN THE ZONING APPLICATION, WHICH I HIGHLIGHTED, UM, THE APPLICANT ZONE WANTED TO REQUEST ALLOWING ALCOHOL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABC, IT'S FINE, MIGHT BE FINE TO SELL ALCOHOL IF IT'S A RESTAURANT.
BUT IN THE APPLICANT'S IN THE APPLICATION, HE SAYS, WE DO NOT SELL FOOD.
SO IT'S A RESTAURANT WITH NO FOOD.
YOUR STAFF SAYS THAT THE, UH, PLANNING IS INCOMP INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE ZONING AS IT IS CURRENTLY.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? WE ARE ALREADY DOING IT.
WE THINK THAT, UH, HE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT.
IT'S NOT ZONED FOR IT AND IT DOESN'T SERVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE GOING ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, UM, WHICH IS ITEMS 12 AND 13 FOR THE FORMER A SD BROOK E ES REDEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE THE APPLICANT RICHARD SU, AND THIS IS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT, UM, TO 5 26.
RICHARD, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, THE APPLICANT'S WAVING IT'S TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FOR ITEM 17, TANYA PLEASANT WRIGHT, WHO'S JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
TANYA, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, YES, I'M TANYA PLEASANT WRIGHT.
I'M A PROPERTY OWNER ON 46 0 4 LITTLE HILL CIRCLE AND I'M DISCUSSING, UM, REZONING FOR C 14 20 26 0 0 0 7 EAST SIDE HUB AND DISTRICT ONE.
THERE'S A TRACK OF LAND THAT SITS DIRECTLY BEHIND MY HOUSE AND I PROVIDED, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT WITH YOUR BACKUP AND I ALSO SENT SOME OF YOU AN EMAIL TODAY.
THIS TRACK OF LAND HAS BEEN VACANT FOR MANY YEARS AND THERE'S TWO TRACKS.
THERE'S TRACK ONE AND THEN THERE'S TRACK TWO.
ONE OF MY MAJOR CONCERNS IS THAT THIS SITS ON, UM, FM 9 69 MLK ONCE YOU CROSS OVER 180 3 AND IT'S ALREADY A TRAFFIC CONCERN.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE CITY STEP THAT I SPOKE WITH, THE ONLY INTEREST TO THIS PIECE OF TRUCK WILL BE FROM 9 6 9 AND NOT 180 3.
SO MY, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THE TRAFFIC THAT WILL BUILD UP BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GO WEST ON 9 6 9
[00:25:02]
AND THEN ALSO TO BUILDING A RETAIL IN FIVE WAREHOUSES.AND THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, THE MAP, ORIGINAL MAP OF THE PROPOSAL FOR LIST IS THE, TO THE WEST OF THE, UM, TRACK.
THERE'S THE APARTMENTS, BUT THE MAP YOU HAVE SHOWS AN OLD MAP, WHICH DOESN'T LIST THE APARTMENTS.
THESE APARTMENTS FIT AT LEAST 20 FEET ABOVE MY HOUSEHOLD.
THE BOTTOM OF THE APARTMENTS OVERLOOKS MY ROOF.
YES, WE HAVE THE TRACK AND I DO HAVE PRIVACY, BUT THE CONCERN IS THE STU STORM RUN OFF WHEN IT RAINS REALLY BAD, THE, THE BACK OF MY HOUSE FLOODS AND I LIVE ON TOP OF THE HILL.
SO THE RAIN COMING FROM THIS APARTMENT IS FLOODING.
SO NOW ADDING ANOTHER SET OF BUILDINGS, WE'LL CALL IT ANOTHER SET.
ALSO, I HAVE A NEIGHBOR WHOSE HOUSE IS IN THE CUL-DE-SAC NEAR THE RETENTION POND.
THE RETENTION POND OVERFLOWS AND FLOODS THIS HOUSE.
THESE PLANS NEED TO BE RESURVEYED RE-LOOKED AT ALSO TWO, HAVING ONE INTEREST TO THIS TRACK, TWO TRACKS OF LAND AND BUILDING FIVE WAREHOUSES BEHIND US.
IT'S A BAD IDEA, IT'S GONNA CAUSE NOISE AND IT'S NOT THAT WIDE.
HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR US? YOUR TIME IS UP MA'AM, CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY.
GOING ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE FOR ITEM 20, UM, THIS IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE HAVE AMANDA SWO, THE APPLICANT.
OKAY, AND CHAIR THAT CONCLUDES SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WANT TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR OTHERWISE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
COMMISSIONER BARRER RAMIREZ, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE NICHOLS CROSSING CASE AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, THE AS SMP AND WHAT'S BEING DETERMINED THERE AS FAR AS WHAT THE, WHAT RIGHT OF WAY IS REQUIRED.
OKAY, I KNOW THAT A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT CASE.
I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND PULL IT MAYBE.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PULL, SO THOSE, THAT IS ITEMS SIX AND SEVEN FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT DISCUSSION.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR ANY COMMISSIONERS WISHING TO PULL ANY ITEMS? OKAY, IS THERE A MOTION, A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GANNON.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT ITEM PASSES AND THIS CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Items 2 & 3]
MOVE INTO OUR REGULAR ZONING CASES.OUR FIRST CASE IS ITEMS TWO AND THREE.
SO FIRST WE'LL HEAR FROM STAFF ON THIS CASE, MARINE MEREDITH AUSTIN.
PLANNING ITEM NUMBER TWO IS PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 26 0 0 2 2 0.01 POINT SH ROWAN VALE.
DISTRICT NINE PROPERTY ADDRESSES ARE 2 0 6 2 0 6 AND A HALF EAST ANNIE STREET AND 1710 BRACKENRIDGE STREET.
IT'S LOCATED WITHIN THE GREATER SOUTH RIVER CITY COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
THE REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FROM CIVIC TO MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE AND IT IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
ITEM NUMBER JONATHAN TOMKO WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS CASE NUMBER C 14 2020 6 0 0 OR DASH 0 0 1 0 SH.
IT IS A REZONING REQUEST OF 2 0 6 AND 2 0 6 1 HALF EAST ANNIE STREET AND 1710 BRACKENRIDGE STREET FROM SF THREE NP TO MF THREE NP STAFF RECOMMENDS GRANTING MF THREE NP.
THE SUBJECT TRACT IS APPROXIMATELY 0.9 ACRES AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF EAST ANNIE STREET AND NICKERSON STREET, APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET EAST OF SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE AND APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE AUSTIN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO BUILD A 64 UNIT FULLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT INCLUDES 44 UNITS.
UH, STAFF IS MAKING RECOMMENDING THIS REQUEST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
UH, AND IMAGINE AUSTIN, THE REZONING REQUEST PROMOTES CLEARLY IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY GOALS TO PROVIDE INCOME RESTRICTED, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE FAMILY FRIENDLY HOUSING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO AN IMAGINE AUSTIN ACTIVITY CORRIDOR.
IMAGINE AUSTIN ENVISIONS ACTIVITY CORRIDORS BECOMING DENSER WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF THOSE CORRIDORS AND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO RESIDE, WORK, SHOP, ACCESS SERVICE PEOPLE, WATCH, RECREATE, AND HANG OUT WITHOUT TRAVELING FAR DISTANCES.
GRANTING THIS REQUEST WOULD SUPPORT THAT COMMUNITY VISION ARTICULATED WITHIN THE CITY'S 30 YEAR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM THOSE IN FAVOR.
[00:30:01]
PLEASE MCR PUBLIC HEARING? YES, CHAIR.UM, FOR ITEMS TWO AND THREE, WE HAVE ABBY AND KO, WHO'S THE APPLICANT.
ABBY IS RECEIVING FOUR MINUTES FROM MEGAN LASH AND CADENCE IS MEGAN IN THE AUDIENCE AND THEN IS CADENCE IN THE AUDIENCE? OKAY, I DON'T SEE CADENCE, SO YOU'LL BE ALLOTTED.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ROW AND BAIL.
I I'M HERE THIS EVENING REPRESENTING OSTA INDUSTRIES.
WE'RE A WOMAN OWNED, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FIRM WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING PRIMARILY LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS AND DFW AREAS.
UH, WE HAVE EIGHT AFFORDABLE COMMUNITIES IN OPERATION.
WE HAVE ONE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT HAS AN ONSITE PRE-K, UH, THAT WILL HAVE AN ONSITE PRE-K IN ROSEDALE AND WE HAVE ONE IN PERMITTING THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CON, UH, IN PERMITTING IN THE NORTH UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, OUR FIRM FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES AND LONG-TERM OWNERSHIP.
UH, IN MANAGEMENT TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY THAT IS BEING PROPOSED AT THE SITE OF 2 0 6 EAST ANNIE STREET, UH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE SITE OF THE SOUTH AUSTIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
UH, THE PROPERTY FOR THE LAST 80 YEARS HAS NOT BEEN ON THE, ON THE PROPERTY TAX ROLL, BUT WE AS A FOR-PROFIT ENTITY WILL BE PUTTING THAT BACK ON THE TAX ROLL.
THE PRIMARY, UH, POINT TO DRIVE HOME IN THIS CASE IS THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THE DEEP LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY THAT IS AFFORDED FOR A DEVELOPMENT THAT RECEIVES TAX CREDIT, SUCH AS, UM, ROWAN BAIL, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO FOLKS AT 50% AND 30% A MI.
UM, YOU, IT DOES REQUIRE A DEEP LEVEL OF SUBSIDY AND THE TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.
UM, THE ROWAN BA SITES SCORES VERY WELL AND, UM, THIS IS A, AN INCREDIBLE, UH, LOCATION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO DEEPLY, UH, TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
AT A HIGH LEVEL, ROWAN VALE IS AN AFFORDABLE MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED WITH ONSITE PRE-K THAT WOULD BE FREE OF CHARGE TO THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE.
IT WOULD BE 64 INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS.
UH, WE ARE PROPOSING TO REZONE THE SITE FROM SF THREE NP.
INITIALLY WE WERE PROPOSING TO REZONE IT TO MF FOUR NP, UM, BUT BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAVE REDUCED THAT REQUEST TO MF THREE.
UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF PROPERTY PROFILE, WHICH I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, THE PRIMARY POINT TO DRIVE HOME HERE IS THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH THE TEXT IS PRETTY SMALL, UH, TO REITERATE, UH, SOME INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL FIND IN STAFF'S REPORT, THERE ARE SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF MF THREE ZONING BOTH TO THE EAST AND WEST OF SOUTH CONGRESS AVE, UH, EMBEDDED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ALREADY.
AND WE'RE PROPOSING THIS A BLOCK OFF SOUTH CONGRESS, UM, 4 64 AFFORDABLE UNITS, ROWAN VALE, UH, IN ADDITION TO ITS, UM, UH, PROVISION OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT NINE, UH, WHICH, UH, AT THIS POINT HOT OFF THE PRESS HOUSING WORKS HAS RELEASED ITS, UH, 2024, UH, STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT NUMBERS.
AND, UH, DISTRICT NINE IS ONLY REACHING 39% OF THAT GOAL.
SO IT IS CRUCIAL THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES LIKE ROWAN VAIL BE APPROVED IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS.
IN ADDITION TO MEETING THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS, UH, THE, THE PROJECT IS BEING PROPOSED LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE FROM THE FUTURE SOUTH CONGRESS RAIL STOP AND SOUTH CONGRESS ALREADY PROVIDES HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSIT, AGAIN, LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE FROM THIS PROPOSED PROPERTY.
UH, THE SITE IS ALSO WITHIN 500 FEET OF AN IMAGINE AUSTIN CORRIDOR.
SOMETHING THAT THE STRATEGIC, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IMAGINE AUSTIN, UH, CALLS US TO PROMOTE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WELL VERY WELL, SOUTH CONGRESS IS A, A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE FOR FOLKS THAT LIVE HERE AS WELL AS FOLKS WHO VISIT OUR CITY.
THERE ARE A TON OF RETAIL, RESTAURANT AND OTHER JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW INCOME FOLKS, UM, AND WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LIVE CLOSE TO WHERE THEY WORK.
IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING THESE OTHER CITY GOALS, UH, WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING TO PRESERVE AT LEAST 10 VERY MATURE TREES ON THE PROPERTY.
WE'VE COMPLETED A NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.
THE TRAFFIC COUNTS ARE WELL BELOW THE RECOMMENDED LEVELS.
[00:35:01]
AS, UM, WE HAVE INDICATED, UM, IN PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION, UH, SINCE JANUARY WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NINE MEETINGS WITH, UH, STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, BOTH SRCC AND OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS IN THE MILTON AREA.AND FROM THOSE, UH, FROM THOSE MEETINGS WE HAVE, LIKE, AS I HAD PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE'VE REDUCED OUR REZONING REQUESTS TO MF THREE.
WE'VE ALSO MADE SEVERAL CHANGES TO OUR DESIGN, UH, IN ADDITION TO THIS REDUCTION TO MF THREE, UM, WHICH INCLUDES A REDUCTION OF THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ON SITE, A REDUCTION OF THE TOTAL UNITS ON SITE FROM 75 TO 64, WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES ON SITE, UH, WHICH IS A PRIMARY POINT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
UH, WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF EGRESSES FROM THE SITE.
UH, WE'VE MOVED THE DUMPSTER FROM ITS INITIAL LOCATION THAT WAS CLOSEST TO THE NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH, UM, ONTO ANNIE STREET.
SO IT IS AS FAR FROM OTHER RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS AS POSSIBLE.
UH, AND THE CURRENT CIRCULATION AND, UH, PARKING, UH, PLAN ON THE SITE NOW ALLOWS FOR QUEUING OF THE PRE-K WITHIN A SITE, WHICH WAS A PRIMARY CONCERN OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE TO OUR DESIGN, UM, WE HAVE EXPLORED OTHER REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE'VE HAD TRANSPARENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF THOSE REQUESTS.
UM, MOST RECENTLY WE RECEIVED A REQUEST, UM, TO CONSIDER, UH, AN ELIMINATION OF ALL PARKING ON THE SITE, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, SOME OF OUR INVESTORS THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS CONCEPT WITH WERE COMFORTABLE PURSUING AND THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT THIS WOULD BE A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST TO MOVE, UM, MANAGEMENT FROM THE SITE TO HAVE OFFSITE MANAGEMENT, WHICH WITH ALMOST, YOU KNOW, OVER 20 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE MANAGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE FELT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PURSUE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, UM, WE, WE RECEIVE A LOT OF INQUIRIES AND COMMUNICATION FROM THE NEIGHBORS OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITIES WHO MAYBE THEY SEE A TREE IS LOOKING LIKE IT MIGHT FALL OR MAYBE THEY HAVE OTHER FEEDBACK.
AND IT'S REALLY HONESTLY VERY USEFUL FOR OUR NEIGHBORS OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO VISIT THE, THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ONSITE AS WELL AS WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE LIVING THERE.
AVAILABLE FOR OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID GOSS WHO'S JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
DAVID, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZEN NEIGHBORHOOD AREA AND A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION AND I'M A TERRANCE OF A 6-YEAR-OLD AT TRAVIS HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE ROWAN VALE PROJECT.
I'VE HEARD MY NEIGHBOR'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEIGHT TRAFFIC ON EAST ANTE AND WHETHER THIS FITS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
THESE CONCERNS ARE REAL AND I SHARE THE DESIRE TO PRESERVE WHAT MAKES TRAVIS HEIGHT SPECIAL.
WHAT MAKES TRA HEIGHTS AND AUSTIN SPECIAL IS DIVERSITY.
TRAVIS HEIGHTS IS NOT ABOUT THE BUILDINGS, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
WE NEED MORE YOUNG FAMILIES IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE PROJECT MEANS FIREFIGHTERS TEACHERS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SERVICE WORKERS ON SOUTH CONGRESS COULD ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY SERVE.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE PRICED OUT ENTIRELY.
THE LOCATION AND PARKING RATIO MAKES SENSE.
THIS SITE IS ONE BLOCK OFF SOUTH CONGRESS WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WALKABLE TO RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS, AND LESS THAN A MILE FROM TRAVIS HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY AND LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MANY RESIDENTS WON'T NEED CARS FOR DAILY LIFE, WHICH ACTUALLY REDUCES TRAFFIC RATHER THAN INCREASING IT.
THE ONSITE PRE-K REINFORCES THIS PARENTS WALK THEIR KIDS DOWNSTAIRS INSTEAD OF DRIVING ACROSS TOWN.
I UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS DOESN'T REFLECT OUR HISTORIC NATURE, BUT WHAT'S TRULY HISTORIC ABOUT TRAVIS HEIGHTS IS ECONOMIC DIVERSITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE LOST OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS AND WHAT THIS PROJECT WILL TRY TO PRESERVE, IF NOT HERE IN A WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD, NEAR JOBS, TRANSIT, AND GOOD SCHOOLS, THEN WHERE I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS REZONING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CARLY GRATTON, WHO'S JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
[00:40:04]
SHE'S NOT HERE, SO IF SHE POPS UP WE'LL GO BACK TO HER.AND SO OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN STALLINGS.
ROBIN, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES, MS. BROWN, CAN WE CALL THREE SPEAKERS AT A TIME? YES.
NEXT UP WILL BE BEN SULY, WHO WOULD BE VIRTUAL.
THEN WE HAVE ALLISON HARMON ON DECK.
IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST PRESSING THE BUTTON ON YOUR MICROPHONE SO THAT IT TURNS GREAT.
UH, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M A TRUSTEE AND TREASURER OF SOUTH AUSTIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.
AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT AND THE REZONING TO, UH, MF THREE MP FOR ROWAN VALE.
UH, OUR CHURCH HAS SERVED TRAVIS HEIGHTS FOR 80 YEARS.
ORIGINALLY, MUCH OF OUR CONGREGATION LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
OVER THE DECADES, MANY MEMBERS PASSED AWAY.
NO ONE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY HAS DEEPER ROOTS IN THIS COMMUNITY OR A GREATER STAKE IN ITS FUTURE THAN THE MEMBERS OF SOUTH AUSTIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
WE'VE WATCHED THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE.
WE'VE SEEN NEIGHBORS BUY HOMES AS YOUNG FAMILIES AND WATCHED THEIR CHILDREN UNABLE TO, TO AFFORD TO RETURN.
WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS BECAUSE HOUSING WAS SIMPLY OUTTA REACH.
WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT HOUSING INSTABILITY MAKES EVERYTHING HARDER, HOLDING A JOB, RAISING CHILDREN, BUILDING LIFE.
AS A CONGREGATION, WE SPENT YEARS DISCERNING WHAT WE WOULD DO.
WHEN IT WAS TIME TO TRANSITION OUR PROPERTY.
WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER FOR LUXURY HOMES THAT WOULD'VE HELPED OUR AFFILIATED MINISTRIES.
SOME CHURCHES IN OUR POSITION HAVE CONVERTED THEIR PROPERTIES TO SERVE THE UNHOUSED.
WE CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH, ONE THAT WE BELIEVE HONORS BOTH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR MISSION.
WE SOUGHT THE DEVELOPER WITH THE EXPERIENCE, THE TRACK RECORD, AND THE GENUINE COMMITMENT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WOULD SERVE THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS OF THE NEXT 80 YEARS, NOT SIMPLY PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF THE LAST 80.
64 INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS, 100% AFFORDABLE SERVING HOUSEHOLDS FROM 30 TO 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THAT MEANS A FIREFIGHTER FROM 120 FEET FROM THE SITE, A TEACHER AT LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL OR TRAVIS ELEMENTARY, AN ESSENTIAL WORKER ON SOUTH CONGRESS.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THIS HOUSE HOUSING IS DESIGNED FOR.
THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, OR THEY SHOULD BE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF BOTH THE PLAN AMENDMENT AND THE REZONING.
WE BELIEVE THAT RECOMMENDATION IS WELL FOUNDED.
I WANT TO RESPECTFULLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THE COMMISSION, UH, WILL HEAR OR HAS HEARD ON SCALING COMPATIBILITY.
THE SITE IS ONE BLOCK FROM SOUTH CONGRESS AND APPROXIMATELY TWO BLOCKS FROM THE FUTURE LIGHT RAIL STATION.
UM, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH, UH, THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN, UH, AND THE CALL FOR DENSITY IN YOUR TRANSIT AND EMPLOYMENT CORRIDORS.
IT'S THE KIND OF LOCATION WHERE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING BELONGS CLOSE TO JOBS, SCHOOLS, SERVICES ON A SITE WHERE A CONGREGATION HAS MADE A DELIBERATE VALUES DRIVEN CHOICE TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY BENEFIT OVER MAXIMUM FINANCIAL RETURN ON TRAFFIC AND PARKING.
THE DEVELOPER HAS COMPLETED A NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC ANALYSIS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY.
AND COMPARABLE AFFORDABLE COMMUNITIES DEMONSTRATE THAT ACTUAL VEHICLE OWNERSHIP AMONG RESIDENTS AS CONSISTENTLY LOWER THAN OPPONENTS ASSUME PRE-EXISTING CONGESTION ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS IS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN.
IT DESERVES THE CITY'S ONGOING ATTENTION, BUT IT IT IS A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM WHETHER 64 FAMILIES DESERVE A HOME ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
THESE PLANS ARE LIVING DOCUMENTS DESIGNED TO EVOLVE AS COMMUNITY NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE.
AUSTIN HAS CHANGED PROFOUNDLY.
THE HOUSING CRISIS IS NOT ABSTRACT.
IT IS THE YOUNG FAMILY DOUBLING UP IN AN APARTMENT.
THE ESSENTIAL WORKER WITH A TWO HOUR COMMUTE, THE SENIOR WITH NO SECOND HOME TO MOVE TO WHEN COST ARRIVES.
AMENDING THIS PLAN WILL ALLOW MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE ON THE SITE IS PRECISELY THE KIND OF THOUGHTFUL TARGETED UPDATE THE PLANNING PROCESS WAS DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE.
WE'VE HEARD SOME NEIGHBORS PROCLAIM THEIR SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, JUST NOT THIS TALL, NOT THIS ENT, NOT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT CHANGE IN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIFFICULT, BUT WE ASK THE COMMISSION TO WEIGH THAT DISCOMFORT AGAINST THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LIVE HERE.
AND TO CONSIDER WHAT KIND OF CITY AUSTIN INTENDS TO BE OUR CONGREGATION MADE ITS CHOICE.
WE SAY IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR FAITH, YES, IN GOD'S BACKYARD.
WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COMMISSION TO DO THE SAME.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS, I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
CARLY IS NOW ON, SO WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO HER.
AND CARLY, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CARLY GRATTON.
I AM A RESIDENT OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD AND A MEMBER OF SRCC.
I SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF AFFORDABLE
[00:45:01]
MULTI MULTI-UNIT HOUSING IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.EXPANDING ACCESS TO HOUSING WILL HELP MAINTAIN THE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND SCHOOLS THOSE STRONG.
IT ALSO ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE AREA TO LIVE CLOSER TO THEIR JOBS, REDUCING TRAFFIC FROM LONG COMMUTES.
MANY PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT FROM MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TEACHERS IN THEIR EARLY TO MID STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS BASED ON THE 20 25 20 26 A ISD COMPENSATION SCALE, OFTEN EARNED BETWEEN 58,060 $4,000 ANNUALLY.
THIS FALLS WITHIN THE INCOME RANGE FOR HOUSING AT ROWAN VALE, MEANING THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT COULD PROVIDE A REALISTIC AND MUCH NEEDED HOUSING OPTION FOR THE VERY PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR CHILDREN AT A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
I ALSO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE INCLUSION OF A PRE-K PROGRAM.
ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS LIMITED, AND ADDING IT HERE WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT IN FAMILIES.
IT HELPS WORKING PARENTS PROMOTE STABILITY AND CONTRIBUTES TO A HEALTHIER LOCAL ECONOMY SINCE IT GIVES PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN MONEY OUTSIDE OF THE HOME THAT THEY CAN THEN INVEST BACK INTO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
OVERALL, THE ROWAN VALE PROJECT IS A THOUGHTFUL INVESTMENT IN BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS.
IT STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY BY MAKING IT MORE INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND CONNECTED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER JOINING US VIRTUALLY BEN WILL BE BEN.
SO SOTHEBY WHO IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
BUT BEFORE I GO ON, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE NEXT SPEAKERS ARE ALLISON HARMON AND THEN JORDY.
SO BEN, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
I, HELLO, MY NAME IS BEN SOTHEBY.
UH, I'M SPEAKING VERY STRONGLY IN FAVOR FOR MANY OF THE REASONS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, UH, BUT I WANT TO PROVIDE A PERSPECTIVE, UH, THAT I HEAR WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE ALL ACROSS OUR CITY.
AND IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR WORKING PEOPLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND THE LARGE PART THAT HOUSING, THE LARGE ROLE THAT HOUSING HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, PLAYS IN IN THAT REALITY FOR THEM.
UM, THIS, UH, PROPOSED CHANGE, UM, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT PLAYS INTO, UH, AND, AND FEEDS INTO ADDRESSING ONE OF THE MOST DEEPLY FELT NEEDS IN OUR CITY, BOTH FROM AN INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE AND, UH, TAKING A BIGGER PICTURE.
LOOK, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE SPENDING ON ADDRESSING THE, THE CRISIS THAT WORKING PEOPLE ARE FACING BY NOT HAVING AN AOW IN OUR AREA.
WE SEE, UH, A PROPOSAL HERE THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD WANT THIS TYPE OF HOUSING TO BE.
IT IS WALKING DISTANCE FROM MANY SERVICE INDUSTRY JOBS.
IT IS CLOSEST TO THE SOUTHERNMOST, YOU KNOW, METRO BIKE STATION.
SOMEONE CAN HOP THAT BUS AND BE DOWNTOWN IN 15 MINUTES AND BE AT A JOB THAT CHANGES THEIR LIFE.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF MY SAME UNION WHO LIVE CAR FREE, WHO BIKE TO THEIR JOBS AT A LIBRARY AT A CITY BUILDING.
UH, AND THIS IS A REALITY FOR A LOT OF WORKING PEOPLE.
UH, AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE HOUSING IN AREAS THAT, UM, PUT THEM CLOSE TO THEIR JOBS, PUT THEM, YOU KNOW, 0.7 MILES FROM A BRAND NEW HEV WALKING TO A GROCERY STORE.
UH, THE, UH, THE OTHER REALITY THAT, THAT YOU KNOW, REALLY STRIKES, UH, WHEN YOU READ THROUGH SOME OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT'S BEEN RECEIVED IS PEOPLE WITH CONCERNS ABOUT CHARACTER, NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
I BELIEVE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER COMES FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALLOWED TO CREATE THERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALLOWED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT OR SCARY WHEN, WHEN THERE'S CHANGE.
BUT THE REALITY OF AUSTIN IS THAT IF WE DON'T CREATE AND INTENTIONALLY CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'RE GOING TO BE INCREASINGLY, INCREASINGLY PUSHING THOSE PEOPLE OUT TO THE MARGINS.
AND THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY THESE CORE CENTRAL AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS, WILL BECOME ONLY AVAILABLE TO RICH PEOPLE.
AGAIN, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS LOCATION, I SEE A, A POTENTIAL FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO WALK TO THE GROCERY STORE, DROP THEIR KIDS OFF LIVE A A, A CAR FREE EXISTENCE OR A CAR LIGHT EXISTENCE, MAYBE A FAMILY SHARING ONE VEHICLE THAT THEY USE RARELY BECAUSE THEY'RE ON TRANSIT.
UH, SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE
[00:50:01]
STABILIZE AND IN EFFECT ALSO IN CONNECTION CONTRIBUTE TO THE STABILIZATION OF OUR PUBLIC BUDGETS BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE ON AND, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOUSING LIKE THIS ARE LESS OF A DRAIN ON OR LESS, UH, CONSUMERS OF OTHER RESOURCES THAT OUR, OUR CITY IS FORCED TO OFFER IN, YOU KNOW, AT EVER INCREASING PRICES.SO I, I REALLY DO URGE YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS AND ENCOURAGE THIS TYPE OF, UH, OF THING TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND, AND LIVE IN A CITY WHERE THEIR WORK IS VALUED BUT MAYBE THEIR PRESENCE ISN'T.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALLISON HARMON, WHO RECEIVED FOUR MINUTES.
AND THE NEXT IS JORDY TELL AND THEN MELANIE MIN, ME JOINING US VIRTUALLY MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, MY NAME IS ALLISON HARMON.
UM, I'VE NEVER TESTIFIED BEFORE A COMMISSION ON ANYTHING BEFORE.
UM, UH, I FELT LIKE I HAD TO BE HERE TODAY.
I GREW UP ATTENDING SOUTH AUSTIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH WITH MY THREE SIBLINGS.
UM, THAT CHURCH IS WOVEN IN THE FABRIC OF WHO I AM.
I REMEMBER EASTER EGG HUNTS AT STACEY PARK JUST DOWN THE STREET.
I REMEMBER EASTER POTLUCKS UNDER THE HERITAGE OAK TREES ON THAT PROPERTY, THE VERY SAME TREES THE DEVELOPERS COMMITTED TO PRESERVE.
UH, I REMEMBER WEDDINGS THERE AND FUNERALS THERE, INCLUDING MY FATHER'S FUNERAL JUST THREE YEARS AGO.
MY PARENTS GAVE EVERYTHING THEY HAD TO THAT CONGREGATION.
THEY VOLUNTEERED, THEY SERVED ON THE BOARD, THEY WERE DEACONS AND FOR 25 YEARS THEY PRODUCED THE WEEKLY BULLETIN EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
UM, WHEN OUR FAMILY HIT ROUGH PATCHES AND WE DID, THE CHURCH WAS THERE, UM, WITH FOOD, HELP, WITH RENT, HELP WITH UTILITIES, UM, THAT COMMUNITY CAUGHT US WHEN WE NEEDED IT.
UM, I WANT THIS COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WOULD'VE MEANT TO MY FAMILY GROWING UP.
UM, WE NEVER LIVED ANYWHERE AS NICE AS THE APARTMENTS THAT COULD BE BUILT AT ROWAN BILL.
IF YOU VOTE YESTERDAY, UH, WE WERE ALWAYS ON THE EDGE.
UM, HOUSING WAS ALWAYS THE THING THAT COULD TIP US OVER.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS A CAR OR WANTS ONE.
I GREW UP IN A FAMILY THAT NEVER HAD TWO WORKING CARS AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, THE IDEA OF LIVING SOMEWHERE THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE A CAR SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING, SOMEWHERE SAFE AND STABLE AND BEAUTIFUL, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A DREAM.
TODAY I MANAGE A DENTAL LABORATORY AND I OWN FOOD TRUCK BUSINESS.
I'VE WORKED HARD MY WHOLE LIFE AND WILL TELL YOU I WOULD ALMOST QUALIFY TO LIVE AT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S HOW EXPENSIVE AUSTIN HAS BECOME.
UM, I'M GRATEFUL THAT MY PARENTS WERE A PART OF THE DECISION TO TRANSFORM OUR BELOVED CHURCH INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING INSTEAD OF CHASING THE HIGHEST SALE PRICE.
UM, THAT DECISION REFLECTS EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE AND EXACTLY WHO THAT CONGREGATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN.
UM, I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THIS PROJECT IS TOO TALL, UM, OR THERE WILL BE A LOT OF TRAFFIC OR IT'LL CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I JUST WANNA OFFER A DIFFERENT FRAME.
UM, HOUSING INSECURITY IS THE REAL THREAT, UM, TO NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
UH, FOOD INSECURITY IS THE REAL ABOMINATION.
UM, THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE RARE.
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU VOTE YES ON AGENDA ITEMS TWO AND THREE TODAY, UM, AND THAT FAMILIES WHO MOVE INTO ROWVILLE ARE WELCOMED IN THE COMMUNITY AS NEIGHBORS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JORDY TAO.
AND THEN FOLLOWING, UM, MEINA NEWMAN WILL BE DON GARNER.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JORDY TE, A RENTER IN DISTRICT NINE AND I SUPPORT, UH, ITEMS TWO AND THREE ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
AUSTIN IS IN A HOUSING EMERGENCY AND WE NEED EVERY SINGLE UNIT OF HOUSING WE CAN GET.
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
64 UNITS, 100% INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.
THE ONLY REAL TRAGEDY ABOUT THIS IS THAT THEY HAD TO CUT IT DOWN BY 11 UNITS.
I HOPE IT PASSES TODAY AND I HOPE THAT 64 FAMILIES CAN LIVE IN THIS AREA IN THE FUTURE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER JOIN US VIRTUALLY MELINA NEWMAN.
I AM A WORKER ON SOUTH CONGRESS AND I AM HERE TO REPRESENT A GOOD CHUNK OF MY COWORKERS AT THE TOP CANDY SHOP.
MY FAMILY IS FROM HERE AND I AM IN SUPPORT, UH, THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACT.
AND WITH THAT I SAY THE, WE, THE
[00:55:01]
WORKERS OF SOUTH CONGRESS BELIEVE IN AN EQUITABLE AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR EVERYONE.OVER THE PAST DECADE, SOUTH CONGRESS HAS HAD AN INFLUX OF NEW BUSINESSES AND HAS INCREASED IN POPULARITY.
IT WAS ONCE THE WORST IN CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN MY PARENTS COULD AFFORD TO LIVE.
IT HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIKE ME CANNOT, UH, OFTEN THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS FEEL SUFFOCATING.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO MOVE FURTHER AND FARTHER AWAY JUST TO AFFORD RENT.
THIS, THIS INITIATIVE SYMBOLIZES MORE THAN 64 AFFORDABLE UNITS TO RENT.
IT SYMBOLIZES THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO LIVE NEAR THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE INSTEAD OF BEING SHUT OUT.
I URGE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO VOTE YES STUFF CONGRESS RUNS BECAUSE WORKERS SHOW UP LIKE ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DON GARNER, AND THEN WHO WILL BE NEXT IS SHEVA MAY, UM, WHO'S RECEIVING TIME AND THEN CHRISTOPHER GOODPASTER.
AND DON, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DON GARNER AND I HAVE LIVED IN WHAT IS NOW CALLED TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UH, FOR 46 YEARS.
UH, FIRST ON MONROE STREET AND THEN ON LIVE OAK STREET.
UH, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN DIRE NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS EVERYONE KNOWS.
UH, I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT TO SUPPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO AN AREA THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS IT.
I AM A RETIRED ENGINEER AND DEVELOPED A SEVEN UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT EIGHT YEARS AGO ON LIVE OAK STREET BETWEEN BRECKENRIDGE AND NICKERSON.
UH, THIS IS A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS DEVELOPED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE HISTORIC AREA WHERE THIS IS LOCATED.
THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT COULD HAVE PORCHES AND BALCONIES TO HELP REFLECT THIS OLDER CHARACTER.
THE OVERALL HEIGHT OF 50 FEET IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN OBJECTIVES FOR DEVELOPMENT NEAR LIGHT RAIL, WHICH HOPEFULLY IS COMING SOON.
THIS IS AN ASPECT OF GOOD PLANNING, NOT A DEPARTURE FROM IT.
THE TRAFFIC ON NICKERSON AND ANNIE IS A PREEXISTING AND A REAL CONCERN.
THE TRAFFIC ON BRECKENRIDGE BETWEEN LELAND AND LIVE OAK IS EVEN WORSE, ESPECIALLY AT SCHOOL TIME WITH LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
LET TELL THE RESIDENTS WHO EARN 30 TO 60% OF MEDIAN INCOME WILL HAVE FEWER CARS, ESPECIALLY COMPARED WITH A MARKET RATE PROJECT.
THE SOUTH AUSTIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS CHOOSING, UH, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER AND DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR RESIDENTS TO LIVE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK AND NOT COMMUTE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLAN WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A BARRIER TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I WELCOME ROWAN VALE FAMILIES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLEASE VOTE YES ON THESE AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND SO NOW WE'RE SWITCHING OVER TO SPEAKERS AND OPPOSITION AGAIN.
UM, SO SHIVA MAYER, UM, WHO'S OUR PRIMARY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION, HE IS RECEIVING A TOTAL OF EIGHT MINUTES.
IS TINA CURRY HERE? AND THEN ALSO IS CHRISTOPHER GOODPASTER HERE.
OKAY, SO THE TOTAL COMES OUT TO 18 MINUTES.
SORRY, I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD QUITE SO MUCH TIME AND I PROMISE I WON'T USE IT ALL.
I LIVE AT IN, UH, A 1700 SQUARE FOOT BAL BELOW, ROUGHLY 100 FEET FROM THE PROPOSED ROWAN VALE DEVELOPMENT AT 2 0 60 STAN STREET.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT MY NEIGHBORS HERE IN SPEAKING TONIGHT.
AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS, FOR ALLOWING
[01:00:01]
US TO LEAD THIS EFFORT.I'M HERE TO VOICE OUR CURRENT OBJECTION TO THIS AMENDMENT AND THE EFFORTS WE'VE TAKEN TO MAKE THIS A PROJECT WE CAN SUPPORT.
I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPER FOR THEIR TIME THUS FAR.
TO THE COMMISSIONERS WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UH, OUR APOLOGIES.
WE REACHED AS MANY OF YOU AS WE COULD.
WE APPRECIATE THAT NEARLY ALL OF YOU ANSWERED OUR SOMETIMES CHALLENGING QUESTIONS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE LENDED THEIR TIME AND VOICE IN THIS PROCESS.
TONIGHT I WANT TO OUTLINE FOR YOU A FEW THINGS.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS A COMMUNITY, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THIS PROPOSAL, OUR VISION FOR THIS PROJECT AND WHERE THIS BRINGS US TO TONIGHT.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR PRINCIPLES.
AS MANY OF THE COMMENTERS THAT YOU HEARD IN FAVOR SAID, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WELCOMES ALL WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION AND REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEEDS OF BOTH THOSE WHO LIVE HERE TODAY AND THOSE WHO WILL JOIN US AS FUTURE RESIDENTS.
BECAUSE OF THIS, OUR COMMUNITIES MUST CHANGE AS OUR NEEDS DO.
WE SHOULD EMBRACE THAT CHANGE WHILE PRESERVING THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE AUSTIN SPECIAL.
I BELIEVE THESE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE GOALS.
AND LASTLY, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE RISING COST OF HOUSING HAS AN OUTSIZE IMPACT ON THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY AND HAS HAD A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
IN PART, THIS IS A BYPRODUCT OF A HISTORICAL DYNAMIC WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS COULD BLOCK EVERYTHING.
YET WE ARE EQUALLY CONCERNED WITH OUR CURRENT POLICY FRAMEWORK WHERE DEVELOPERS CAN GET ANYTHING.
AS I'LL DISCUSS IN A MOMENT, WE BELIEVE THIS IS COUNTER TO OUR COMMON OBJECTIVE OF THRIVING AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMISSION HAS LIMITED TOOLS TO BRING NEIGHBORS AND DEVELOPERS TOGETHER, BUT WE ARGUE A VOTE IN OPPOSITION TONIGHT IS NOT JUST A VOTE AGAINST THE PROJECT, BUT A VOTE IN FAVOR OF A BETTER PROCESS.
LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR.
THE LAND WAS PURCHASED BY THE DEVELOPER IN SEPTEMBER, 2025, BUT THE MAJORITY OF US FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL FOUR MONTHS LATER IN JANUARY, 2026.
BY THAT POINT, THE CONCEPT FOR A 75 UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH NOTE PRE-K WAS ALREADY IN PLACE AND DESIGNED.
A PRE-K WAS THEN ADDED AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS WAS COMMENSURATELY REDUCED TO 64 BEFORE THE TAX CREDIT APPLICATION WAS FINALIZED.
THE DEVELOPERS HAS REPEATEDLY CITED THE FINALIZED APPLICATION AS A REASON FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ALTER THEIR PLANS.
AS THE DEVELOPER NOTED, THE APPLICANT CHANGED THEIR APPLICATION FROM MF FOUR NP TO MF THREE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS REVEALED.
THIS DECISION WAS MADE AFTER THE DEVELOPER EMAILED STAFF ASKING, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT THE STAFF DISCUSSION? STAFF REPLIED, THE ZONING TEAM NOTED MF THREE BASED DISTRICT ZONING DEEPER INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT NO MF FOUR.
THESE DECISIONS WERE LARGELY MADE BEFORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD A CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROPOSAL, LET ALONE RESPOND.
WE SUBMIT THIS WAS A STRATEGIC CHOICE ON THE PART OF THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM BEST TO DENY THE NEIGHBORHOOD A MEANINGFUL VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
THIS ZONING CHANGE APPLICATION COULD HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED LAST YEAR, ALLOWING TIME FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE FROM THE VOLUME OF COMMUNICATION.
WE HOPE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE INITIAL PLANS RAISED EXTRAORDINARY CONCERN.
YOU'VE SEEN THE NUMBER OF LETTERS AND SPEAKERS BEFORE THIS COMMISSION AND NEARLY EVERY HOUSEHOLD THAT LIVES WITHIN THE STATE MANDATED 200 FOOT RADIUS HAS SIGNED THE POSITION REQUIRING COUNSEL CONSIDER THIS MATTER.
WE'RE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT NEARLY EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED BELIEVES NOT JUST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS LOT, KNOWING MANY PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THEY'RE SINCERE, A LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR NEIGHBORS IS TURNING THOSE WHO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUPPORT IT IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS AGAINST IT.
LET ME BE CLEAR, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD BE ABLE TO STONEWALL AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT, BUT NOT BEING MINDFUL OF HOW AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT FITS INTO COMMUNITIES IS DOING TO A DISSERVICE TO THOSE WE SHOULD SUPPORT MOST BY PRESENTING A BINARY EITHER OR CHOICE BETWEEN AFFORDABILITY AND COMPATIBILITY.
I'LL ELABORATE MORE ON THIS IN A MOMENT.
SO WHAT IS OUR VISION FOR THIS PRODUCT? WE UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEVELOPER, CITY STAFF, YOUR COMMISSION AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT ON THIS SITE.
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IS CLOSE TO AMENITIES AND EMPLOYMENT OFFERS, MOBILITY OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF DRIVING AND IF I MAY, IS PICTURESQUE AND CHARISMATIC.
THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE A RESULT OF HUMAN CENTERED URBAN DESIGN.
NARROW STREETS LIMIT TRAFFIC SPEEDS AND ENCOURAGE WALKING AND BICYCLING BUSINESSES, MULTIFAMILY RESIDENCES, EXCUSE ME,
THESE ARE QUALITIES THAT ARE SHARED WITH CITIES WE WISH TO EMULATE BOTH IN THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY.
WE WANT TO WELCOME AS MANY PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE AND WE WANT TO DO SO WHILE REFLECTING THE URBAN
[01:05:01]
DESIGN BEST PRACTICES I JUST DISCUSSED, IN PARTICULAR, PROMOTING INTERACTION, IMPROVING THE STREETSCAPE AND REDUCING MASSING.WE PROPOSE DOING THAT BY BRINGING HUMANS NOT CARS TO STREET LEVEL.
AS OUR NEIGHBOR SAID EARLIER, THIS PROJECT COULD HAVE PORCHES.
THIS HAPPENS EITHER BY BURYING THE PARKING UNDERGROUND OR ELIMINATING THE PARKING IN AN ENTIRELY CAR-FREE TRANSIT FORWARD DEVELOPMENT.
AS MR. STALLING SAID, VEHICLE OWNERSHIP IS CONSISTENTLY LOWER THAN DEVELOPERS STATE.
IN FACT, IT'S REMARKABLE THAT NI NEARLY ALL OF THE COMMENTERS IN FAVOR REFERENCED SUCH A CAR-FREE ENVIRONMENT.
I WISH I COULD SAY I TOLD THEM TO SAY THAT.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THESE ARE THE URBAN DESIGN GOALS THAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR, AND THEY'RE THE ONES CALLED FOR IN IMAGINE AUSTIN AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
BUT SOME HAVE SUGGESTED THESE IDEAS ARE QUOTE, LUXURIES THAT DON'T GO WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE RELEGATED TO A LOWER TIER OF URBAN PLANNING.
SO WHERE ARE WE TODAY? WE BELIEVE OUR VISION IS STRAIGHTFORWARD, REASONABLE, AND WOULD BRING HIGH DENSITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO THIS LOT.
WE BELIEVE IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE IDEALS OF MOST ON THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL AND EVEN THE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR.
YET WE HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE.
THE DEVELOPER HAS ENGAGED WITH US ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAS POLITELY LISTENED TO EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE SAID AND EQUALLY POLITELY, THEY'VE SAID NO TO ANY MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
THEY'VE SAID NO TO A SMALLER DEVELOPMENT.
THEY'VE SAID NO TO PARTNERING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS ON AN OFFSITE PRE-K.
THEY'VE SAID NO TO ELIMINATING PARKING.
THEY'VE SAID NO TO BURYING PARKING.
OF COURSE IT'S THE T-D-H-C-A, IT'S THE INVESTORS, IT'S THE LENDERS, IT'S THE ROCKS UNDER THE GROUND.
FOR EVERY SUGGESTION THAT WE'VE MADE, THEY'VE COME UP WITH A REASON WHY IT CAN'T BE DONE.
AS A LIFELONG BENEFICIARY OF DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, I JOINED A SMALL GROUP OF MY NEIGHBORS TO TRY AND FIND A COMPROMISE WITH THE DEVELOPER THAT WOULD WORK FOR EVERYONE.
BUT AS THIS PROCESS HAS UNFOLDED, SOME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE COME TO DISAGREE WITH US.
THEY'RE FRUSTRATED THAT OUR REPRESENTATION HAS AMOUNTED TO NOTHING.
THIS IS AN OVERWHELMING FEELING THAT THE PROCESS IS PERFORMATIVE AND THE OUTCOME IS PREDETERMINED.
EVERY DAY I SEE MY COMMUNITY'S FAITH IN THE CITY'S STEWARDSHIP OF DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT BEING ERODED.
WE BELIEVE THIS APPLICATION IS DEFICIENT ON ITS MERITS, BUT ANOTHER REASON TO OPPOSE IT IS TO RECONSIDER A SYSTEM THAT IS ULTIMATELY DAMAGING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.
IN SUMMARY, WE HAVE OFFERED SIGNIFICANT COMPROMISE ON MATTERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US, LIKE SCALE IN EXCHANGE FOR CHANGES TO PARKING, THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO AGREE WOULD IMPROVE COMPATIBILITY AND BE AN INVESTMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOWEVER, THE DEVELOPER HAS THUS FAR REJECTED ANY CHANGES.
AS SUCH, WE MUST CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT FEW POLICY TOOLS EXIST TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION.
ONE TOOL YOU CAN USE IS VOTING NO TONIGHT TO GIVE ALL NEIGHBORS A VOICE AND TO ALLOW US A CHANCE TO COLLABORATIVELY SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. YOUR COMMISSION WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECONSIDER AN AMENDED APPLICATION BY THE DEVELOPER THAT WE WOULD BE EXCITED TO SUPPORT.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONCERN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SEAN RAN BERG.
SEAN, YOU HAVE TIME BEING DONATED FROM SHEILA.
OKAY, SO YOU'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHT MINUTES AND ON NEXT UP WILL BE BARBARA SEALEY, AND THEN AFTER THAT WOULD BE FRANCISCO, UM, PASANTE.
I'M SORRY MS. BRENAN, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION AS IT RELATES TO MR. MAYOR'S TESTIMONY, BUT CAN WE, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THE TIME DONATION AND HOW WE'RE GETTING TO EIGHT MINUTES HERE? YES.
AND SO THIS WAS INITIALLY, UM, MY ERROR AT THE BEGINNING, BUT WE'RE TAKING, SINCE BOTH ITEMS ARE BEING TAKEN UP, THAT MEANS THE TIMES FROM EACH ITEM ARE BEING COMBINED.
I'LL ONLY USE FOUR, BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MY NAME IS SEAN RANDBERG AND MY FAMILY AND I LIVE WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE ROWAN VALE PROJECT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO OPPOSE ROWAN VALE AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED.
NOT BECAUSE I OPPOSE HOUSING AND NOT BECAUSE I OPPOSE AFFORDABILITY, BUT BECAUSE AUSTIN SHOULD NEVER BE FORCED A CHOICE BETWEEN COMPASSION AND COMPATIBILITY.
I WANNA BEGIN WHERE OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE TRIED TO BEGIN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS WITH HUMANITY.
THE FAMILIES WHO NEED AFFORDABLE HOMES ARE HUMAN BEINGS.
THE CHILDREN WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM THE PRE-K ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND THE NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE BESIDE THIS SITE WHO HAVE BUILT THEIR LIVES ON THESE STREETS ARE HUMAN BEINGS TOO.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE FRAMED AS PROGRESS FOR ONE GROUP AND PAIN FOR ANOTHER.
A GREAT CITY FINDS WAYS TO RESPECT BOTH.
[01:10:01]
LET ME BE VERY CLEAR.I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO REJECT GROWTH.
I'M ASKING YOU TO REJECT THIS APPLICATION AS FILED.
IN FACT, I WOULD SUPPORT 64 HOMES AND A PRE-K ON THIS SITE IF THE PROJECT WERE REDESIGNED TO GENERALLY FIT ITS SURROUNDINGS.
THAT IS THE HEART OF OUR POSITION.
NOT KNOW, BUT DO IT RIGHT AND DOING IT RIGHT IS NOT MYSTERIOUS.
IT MEANS REAL HUMAN SCALE COMPATIBILITY AT THE STREET.
IT MEANS WINDOWS AND DOORS AT THE GROUND LEVEL INSTEAD OF EXPOSED PARKING.
IT MEANS BEARING THE PARKING ARE BETTER YET ELIMINATING IT ALTOGETHER.
IN A TRANSIT FORWARD PROJECT THAT IS PRESENTED AS CAR FREE, IT MEANS REDUCING THE OVERALL HEIGHT AND MASSING.
SO THE BUILDING MEETS THE NEIGHBOR'S NEIGHBORHOOD WITH RESPECT INSTEAD OF LOOMING OVER IT.
THAT IS NOT OBSTRUCTION, THAT IS COMPROMISE.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THOUGHTFUL PLANNING IS, IS SUPPOSED TO PRODUCE.
AND BECAUSE PROCESS MATTERS, TRUST MATTERS.
WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD SPENDS WEEKS TRYING TO ENGAGE, TRYING TO NEGOTIATE AND TRYING TO FIND A REASONABLE MIDDLE GROUND, THAT EFFORT SHOULD COUNT FOR SOMETHING.
IF AUSTIN WANTS NEIGHBORHOODS AND DEVELOPERS TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH EACH OTHER, THEN THE CITY HAS A DUTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DIALOGUE MATTERS.
OTHERWISE, WHAT PEOPLE HEAR IS THIS, THE DETAILS CAN COME LATER, THE COMPATIBILITY CAN COME LATER AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN SIMPLY ABSORB THOSE CONSEQUENCES.
THAT IS NOT HOW YOU BUILD TRUST IN A GROWING CITY.
AND THE SIGNAL YOU SEND TONIGHT MATTERS NOT AS AN ABSTRACT POLICY DEBATE, BUT AS A QUESTION OF CIVIC CHARACTER, DO WE TELL RESIDENTS THAT IF THEY SHOW UP, ORGANIZE, OFFER, COMPROMISE, THEY SHOULD SHAPE, THEY CAN HELP SHAPE GROWTH? OR DO WE TELL 'EM THAT THEIR ROLE IS TO STEP ASIDE? AUSTIN IS BETTER THAN THAT.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HEAR OPPOSITION AND ASSUME FEAR OF CHANGE.
THIS IS A CALL FOR BETTER CHANGE, SMARTER CHANGE, MORE DURABLE CHANGE.
CHANGE THAT ADDS HOMES WITHOUT BREAKING THE FAITH OF THE PEOPLE ALREADY HERE.
CHANGE THAT HELPS AUSTIN GROW WITHOUT LOSING THE VERY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAKE THIS CITY WORTH LOVING.
AUSTIN DOES NOT NEED, IT DOES NEED, AUSTIN DOES NEED MORE HOUSING, BUT GROWTH WITHOUT TRUST IS NOT PROGRESS.
PLEASE DO NOT MOVE ROWAN VALE FORWARD IN ITS COURT CURRENT FORM.
USE YOUR VOICE TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE.
COME BACK WITH A REAL COMPATIBLE SOLUTION.
KEEP THE HOMES, KEEP THE PRE-K, BUT FIX THE GROUND FLOOR.
FIX THE PARKING, FIX THE MASSING, AND SHOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD THE RESPECT THAT EVERY AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES.
WE CAN BUILD MORE HOMES AND STILL BUILD TRUST.
WE CAN WELCOME MORE PEOPLE AND STILL HONOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT RECEIVE THAT GROWTH.
PLEASE OPPOSE THIS PROJECT AS FILED AND SEND THE APPLICANT BACK TO THE TABLE TO EARN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BARBARA SEALEY.
I'M BARBARA, I KNOW KELLY GOOD PASTOR IS DONATING TO YOU.
IS KELLY IN THE AUDIENCE? THANK YOU.
AND SO IT'S GONNA BE BARBARA AND THEN AFTER THAT FRANCISCO AND THEN AFTER THAT MICHAEL, SORRY, I HAVE TO SHUFFLE ALL MY PAPERS.
OKAY, SO WHY ARE WE HERE? IT IS NOT BECAUSE WE CHECK THE BOX FOR BEING NIMBY OR YIMBY.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF SHARED VALUES THAT BELIEVES IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALL THAT TERM IMPLIES.
RECENTLY IN THE QUEST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE CITY HAS DEVELOPED A FORMULA THAT TREATS PLANNING AND ZONING AS THE ANSWER VERTICAL MIXED USE WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF DENSITY.
IT IS THE CURRENT POLITICAL ANSWER TO THE MANY DILEMMAS THAT AUSTIN IS EXPERIENCING THAT RANGE FROM TRANSPORTATION TO THE UNHOUSED.
THE PROJECT IN FRONT OF YOU CHECKS ALL THE BOXES, WALKABLE, AFFORDABLE, CLOSE TO SCHOOLS, AND IN THE E TODD QUARTER, IT IS JUST THIS OLDER ENTITLED GROUP OF PEOPLE STANDING IN THE WAY OF THE GREATER GOOD AND OBJECTING.
THE REALITY IS NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
SO WHAT IS THE REALITY? IT IS THREE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT CLOSING.
IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR LOCAL TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL FOR AN EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM.
IT IS 500 CHILDREN AT MY HOUSE ON HALLOWEEN AND I GIVE THEM LOTS OF CANDY AND IT IS MY NEIGHBORS WHO COME LIFT THINGS FOR ME WHEN
[01:15:01]
I CAN'T.IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD WHO MONTHLY WORKS ON MAINTAINING OUR LOCAL PARKS.
THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD I BELIEVE IN AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE AS COMMISSIONERS FOR HELPING US TO SUSTAIN.
SO WHAT IS THE REALITY OF THIS TYPE OF ZONING YOU'RE RECOMMENDING? LOOK AT EAST AUSTIN IN THIS SALT PLAZA QUARTER, ANOTHER E TODD QUARTER.
YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED ENORMOUS DECREASES IN WHAT IS TERMED THE BIPOC POPULATION IN THE CENSUS TRACTS ADJACENT TO THIS QUARTER.
SO THIS IS A REAL WORLD EXAMPLE OF WHAT VERTICAL MIXED USE SCENARIO PLANNING HAS CREATED.
WHILE THE LABEL AFFORDABLE MAY BE ATTACHED TO THIS PROJECT, IT IS SETTING THE NEXT PREDICATE FOR UPZONING IN THIS LOCATION.
WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IS NOT FACING A ZONING, A SCHOOL CLOSURE, AND IT DOES HAVE A BIPOC POPULATION.
THIS ZONING CASE IS THE OPENING SHOT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO PUT TRACKS OF LAND TO CREATE THE NICE NEXT EAST AUSTIN DISASTER.
WE ALREADY HAVE DEVELOPERS SCOUTING OUT TRACKS OF LAND FOR ACQUISITION TO PUT PARCELS TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT UPZONING CASE.
THEY WANT TO GET INTO THE GAME BEFORE THE COST OF ACQUISITION GOES UP AS A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SHARED VALUES.
WE VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE TWO OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE WANT TO RETAIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS KEPT THREE INNER CITY SCHOOLS OPEN.
AND AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AUSTIN I HAVE CHERISHED, WE ARE THE HEART OF KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD.
AND THIS ZONING CASE IS THE OPENING SHOT IN CREATING A HOMOGENIZED ANOMAL ANONYMOUS CONGLOMERATION OF BUILDINGS THAT WILL NOT ENGENDER A COMMUNITY OF SHARED VALUES.
WE ARE NOT JUST A PLOT OF DIRT ON THE MAP TO PUT THE LATEST PROJECTIONS OF THE PLANT.
I PULL THIS OFF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TODAY TO SHOW YOU WHAT DIVERSITY OUR COMMUNITY HAS CREATED.
AT TRAVIS HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE 8.5% AFRICAN AMERICAN, 38.8% HISPANIC, 32.4%, WHITE 0.6% AMERICAN INDIAN, 12.8% ASIAN 0.2% PACIFIC ISLANDERS, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT ONE, TWO OR MORE RACES, 6.6%.
SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
WE'VE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL AT PROVIDING THIS CITY THE KIND OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY THAT AN E TODD IS SUPPOSED TO PRODUCE.
DO NOT UPS ZONE THIS DO NOT SET THE PREDICATE FOR THE NEXT ONE TO COME ALONG BECAUSE IT WILL NOT BE AFFORDABLE.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, IF I WERE SCORING THIS, I WOULD LOOK AT THE $740,000 PER UNIT COST OF THIS AND SAY, IF I'M SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I WANT SOMETHING MORE COST EFFECTIVE.
I HOPE YOU CAN SERIOUSLY VOTE AGAINST THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FRANCISCO PASANTE AND UP NEXT AFTER THAT IS MICHAEL BREEN.
AND THEN JOIN US VIRTUALLY WILL BE MICHELLE CONNORS AND THEN DIANA PHILLIPS.
MY NAME IS FRANCISCO PASANTE AND I LIVE IN TRA RESIDES AFFORDABILITY AND DIVERSITY ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SITES TOO.
THE BEAUTY OF TRAVER SIGHTS IS AN ASSET FOR AUSTIN ESSENTIAL TO ITS APPEAL AS A CITY OF SKYSCRAPERS, WHICH HAS MAINTAINED ITS ORIGINAL CONNECTION TO THE LANDSCAPE.
TRA HEIGHTS AND ZILKER PARK ARE TO AUSTIN.
WHAT CENTRAL PARK IS TO NEW YORK.
THE DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSED, IS
[01:20:01]
BLATANTLY OUT OF SCALE FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.IT IS SHORTSIGHTED TO UNDERMINE AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF AUSTIN'S APPEAL FOR THE SAKE OF A SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO AFFORDABILITY.
THAT'S LIKE SAYING THAT NEW YORK NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO LET'S PUT APARTMENT HOUSES IN CENTRAL PARK AND THEN FEWER PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO LIVE IN MANHATTAN.
AND I'LL END WITH A QUESTION, WHAT GUARANTEES ARE THERE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL REMAIN AFFORDABLE AFTER A FEW YEARS? THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL BRE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE CONNORS IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
AND NOW AFTER THAT, DIANA DIANA PHILLIPS.
HELLO, THIS IS MICHELLE CONNOR.
THEN I JOINED MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS IN SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, VERY ELOQUENT, UH, PROPOSALS ABOUT WHY THEY LOVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK AND AS SOMEBODY WHO'S LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE 2008 AND BUILT MY FAMILY HERE, UM, WELL, TRAVIS HEIGHTS HAS CERTAINLY EVOLVED OVER TIME.
IT HAS ALWAYS DONE SO IN A WAY THAT REALLY RESPECTS THE BALANCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL LIVABILITY, NEARBY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
I LOVE THE ACTIVITY AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE CROWDS.
IT WAS A HUGE DRAW OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT MAKES ME AND THE COMMUNITY FEEL ALIVE.
IT HAS CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY IN THE RESIDENCES.
AND AS SOMEONE HAS MENTIONED, THE QUIRKINESS AND THE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHAT MAKES AUSTIN WEIRD.
THE SCALE AND INTENSITY OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT HERE WOULD COMPLETELY DISRUPT THAT BALANCE RATHER THAN BUILD OR COMPLIMENT UPON IT.
UM, LIKE THE OTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE INTENT OF BRINGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS NOT MY OPPOSITION, BUT I THINK IT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE NOTED THAT IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THIS MASSIVE TOWERING PROJECT WOULD NOT ONLY HOVER OVER IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT HOMES BUT BE TALLER THAN ALL OR MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ON SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
IT'S, THERE'S NOT A GRADUAL SHIFT IN THE DENSITY, IT'S JUST COMPLETELY OUT OF PROPORTION WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT AND THAT WILL REALLY HAVE A LASTING EFFECT ON WHAT MAKES UP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MY NEIGHBORS FOR HELPING TO RAISE AWARENESS.
YOU KNOW, WHILE I NO DOUBT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS ON NICKERSON STREET, UH, I ACTUALLY DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION FROM THE DEVELOPER THAT I CAN RECALL.
AND IT WAS ONLY THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH THAT I REALLY LEARNED ANYTHING.
FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE REQUESTED REZONING AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DIANA PHILLIPS.
WHO'S RECEIVING TIME? IS DAVID PHILLIPS HERE AND IS ELIZABETH COUCHER.
SO DIANA PHILLIPS, YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 12 MINUTES AND THE NEXT PERSON WILL BE GRETCHEN SCARDINO.
AND THEN KIMBERLY, ME IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
FROM THE CITY'S NEW INFORMATION KIOSKS TO THE T-SHIRTS AND MAGNETS SOLD ON SOUTH CONGRESS, ROWAN VEIL WOULD SERIOUSLY HARM A NATIONAL HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS A KEY PART OF THE MAGIC AND VITALITY OF SOCO AND WHICH SUPPORTS A VIBRANT MULTI-GENERATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WHEN I MOVED TO MILTON STREET 46 YEARS AGO, SOUTH CONGRESS FEATURED HISTORICAL JUST GUNS WITH A WATER COOLED MACHINE, GUN AND GRENADES IN THE WINDOW, AND LADIES OF THE EVENING WALKING THE STREETS.
A RENAISSANCE OF LOCAL STORES LIKE TERRITORIES AND UNCOMMON OBJECTS MIRRORED THE RESTORATION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
HAND-BUILT HOMES OF WORKING AND MIDDLE CLASS AUSTIN FROM THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
NOW WE ARE PART OF THE FEDERALLY DESIGNATED TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
73% OF THE HOMES WITHIN 200 FEET OF THE PROJECT ARE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES TO THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND AT LATEST COUNT, 87% OF ALL THE HOMEOWNERS WITH WITHIN 200 FEET HAVE SIGNED A CITY PETITION OPPOSING THE PROJECT.
VISIT AUSTIN, A NONPROFIT FUNDED BY THE CITY WITH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
TOUTS AT SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE IS IN A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
EEB TOURS GO THROUGH, UM, POINTING OUT OLD HOUSES, OLD HOUSES, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TAKE PICTURES OF
[01:25:01]
OUR HISTORIC HOMES AND STAY IN LOCAL AIRBNBS.JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, THREE KLM AIRLINES, CABIN CREW MEMBERS WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE TAKING PICTURES.
UH, WE VISITED AND THEY TOOK PICTURES ON OUR FRONT PORCH.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, CABINET ATTENDANTS IS IN OUR PORCH SWING IN A DUTCH PERSONAL TRAVEL LOG.
AND YOU KNOW, I HAD PEOPLE FROM AUSTRIA, SPAIN.
EVERYBODY COME AND TALK TO US AND TAKE PICTURES OF OUR FRONT PORCHES.
CRITICALLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOSTERS THE KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD VITALITY OF SOCO, WHICH IS NOW AN AVENUE OF SEVEN BOOT STORES, SIX EYEGLASS STORES, $24 BURGERS AND FRIES, SOME EMPTY STOREFRONTS, HENRY MAZE, AND A HOTEL CLOSING FOR A YEAR.
WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THE CITY.
AN ESSENTIAL PART OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND CULTURE WILL BE LOST AS DEVELOPMENT AND ROACHES INTO THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
ROWAN VALE OVERWHELMS THE SURROUNDING SINGLE FAMILY COMMUNITY WITH A COOKIE CUTTER OF FOUR TO FIVE STORY, 21ST CENTURY MODERN BUILDINGS AND A PRE-K TRAINING DEFENDANT INTO LESS THAN AN ACRE WITH MULTIPLE HERITAGE LIVE OAKS ROWAN VALE 64 UNITS WILL COST $426,731 EACH TO BUILD A TOTAL OF 27.3 MILLION.
THAT SEEMS LIKE UNAFFORDABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CURRENT OSDA MIXED INCOME PROPERTIES ARE STRUGGLING TO COMPETE WITH OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MARKET APARTMENTS.
THEY HAVE BROUGHT DOWN VACANCY RATES BY OFFERING 12 WEEKS OF FREE RENT NOW DOWN TO 10 WEEKS.
JUST CITY'S PLEDGE TO ROWAN VALE OF HOUSING FINANCE FUNDS AND WAIVE DEVELOPERS FEES.
$5.5 MILLION COULD FUND $500 IN MONTHLY RENT VOUCHERS FOR 64 LOW INCOME FAMILIES FOR 15 YEARS.
AND THEY COULD LIVE WHERE THEY CHOSE JUST WITH THE CITY MONEY.
CLARA, WITH HABITAT FREE HUMANITY AND YOU CAN HELP 55 LOW INCOME FAMILIES BUY A PERSIMMON 0.2 OR THREE BEDROOM TOWN HOME FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BEYOND ITS COMPATIBILITY, ITS INCOMPATIBILITY.
UNLIKE A FEASIBILITY, THE PROJECT WOULD UNLOCK THE ENTIRE HISTORIC DISTRICT TO HIGH DENSITY LUXURY APARTMENTS BY AMENDING THE GREATER SOUTH AUSTIN RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND GETTING PRECEDENT TO MUCH HIGHER ZONING LEVELS.
AUSTIN LEAVES THE NATION IN INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND YES, WE NEED MORE WITH FUNDING FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING INCREASINGLY LIMITED.
LET'S TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND EVALUATE THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF HOUSING DOLLARS ONE OUT, EXPAND THE NEARBY TRAVIS PARK, SECTION EIGHT TOWN HOMES TO THIS SITE YOU'D SERVE.
THE LOWEST INCOME FAMILIES HAVE COMPATIBLE SF FIVE ZONING AND WOULD NOT NEED TO NE TO AMEND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
THIS PROJECT IS A GOOD SQUARE PEG IN AN UNWORKABLE ROUND HOLE, WE CAN DO BETTER.
LET'S USE THE CITY'S NEW MISSY AND MIDDLE INITIATIVE TO FIND AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION THAT INCREASES AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING AND ENHANCES AN HISTORIC, A NATIONAL HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
LET'S KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD FOR ALL OF US.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GRETCHEN SCARDINO, GRETCHEN GIN.
ANY TIME IS DANIEL SCARDINO HERE.
OKAY, SO GRETCHEN, WE'RE RECEIVING EIGHT MINUTES.
WHO'S NEXT IS KIMBERLY MEET IS VIRTUALLY.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS FOR 25 YEARS AND I OPPOSE, UH, THE PLAN AMENDMENT AND THE REZONING.
UM, A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT IS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC REASONS WHY THE ROWAN VEIL, UH, DEVELOPMENT IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR GOOD REASON.
I LIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD IN FAIRVIEW PARK.
SO I'D LIKE TO PAN OUT A LITTLE AND STATE MY VIEW VERY SIMPLY.
THE REZONING OF ANY INTERIOR SF THREE PROPERTY TO A CATEGORY THAT ALLOWS THE SCALE AND DENSITY OF ROWAN VALE IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
EVERY HOMEOWNER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS ZONING CASE AND SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED JUST LIKE 2 0 6 EAST ANNIE.
I LIVE IN A HISTORIC HOUSE ZONED SF THREE, NOT TOO FAR FROM A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE SOUTH CONGRESS.
THIS DRAMATIC UPZONING ON ONE LANE STREETS LINED WITH SINGLE FAMILY HOMES SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF ANY DENSITY OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING EFFORT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT CITY PLANNERS AND STAFF HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BUILD AT ANY AND ALL COSTS TO ADDRESS THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, BUT AT WHAT POINT DOES BULLDOZING OVER ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS LIKE PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU RISK UNDERMINING WHO AND WHAT WE ARE AS A CITY? AS YOU SURELY KNOW, ON MARCH 26TH OF THIS YEAR, CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF TWO NEW ZONING CATEGORIES.
ONE IS MEANT TO SUPPORT MULTI-UNIT HOUSING
[01:30:01]
AT SCALES IN BETWEEN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND BIGGER APARTMENT COMPLEXES.THIS CATEGORY IS AUSTIN'S LONG AWAITED VERSION OF AN URBAN DEVELOPMENT ADVANCE CALLED THE MISSING MIDDLE 2 0 6.
EAST ANNIE AND DOZENS LIKE IT ACROSS THE CITY ARE PERFECT CANDIDATES FOR MISSING MIDDLE DEVELOPMENT.
THE REASON ROWAN VAIL DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AND HAS UPSET SO MANY PEOPLE IS BECAUSE THE CODE AS IT RELATES TO THIS KIND OF LOCATION DOES NOT MAKE SENSE EITHER.
I BELIEVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN KNOWS THIS AND THAT IS WHY THEY APPROVED THE MISSING MIDDLE ZONING CHANGES AND IS NOW WORKING OUT THE DETAILS.
INSTEAD OF SETTING A TERRIBLE PRECEDENT WITH THE WRONG ZONING CHANGE AT 2 0 6 EAST ANNIE TO PUSH A SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE.
LET'S TAKE A MINUTE TO ATTRACT A DEVELOPER WHO IS MORE SENSITIVE TO THE FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WILL BUILD A PROJECT THAT IS IN LINE WITH A THOUGHTFUL GROWTH THAT MISSING MIDDLE INTENDS TO FOSTER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KIMBERLY MEADE, JOINING US VIRTUALLY THEN DAVID SWAN AND THEN LYNN COX.
HELLO, MY NAME IS KIMBERLY MEADE.
I LIVE IN A 900 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE AND CAME HERE IN TO TRAVIS HEIGHT FROM 2001.
AND LIVING HERE HAS ASKED A LOT OF ME OVER THE YEARS I'VE HAD ROOMMATES TO PAY THE BILLS WHEN I WAS LAID OFF, I'VE HAD TO BREAK IN AND I'VE ALSO SEEN MY NEIGHBORHOOD BECOME FAMILY FOR ME, SOMETHING I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYWHERE ELSE THAT I LIVED.
MANY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE RAISING CONCERNS TONIGHT ARE OFTEN PRESENTED AS BEING ANTI-GROWTH OR NIMBY.
WE ARE NOT PRIVILEGED ELITES IN GENERAL.
WE ARE TEACHERS AND NURSES AND RETIREES AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE OFTEN LIVED HERE FOR DECADES BEFORE THIS RAPID CHANGE THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS WE'VE INVESTED AND WE'VE BUILT FOREVER HOMES.
EVERYONE HERE HAS EXPRESSED THE PORT AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR THOUGHTFUL GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND A WELCOME OF NEW NEIGHBORS.
THE CORE ISSUE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS THE OVERWHELMING SCALE AND THE RESULTING IMPACT ON TRAFFIC, ON PARKING, ON INFRASTRUCTURE PRESSURE.
THIS DOES NOT ONLY IMPACT CURRENT RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO THE FUTURE RESIDENTS THAT WOULD COME TO A PLACE LIKE ROWAN VALE BEING BLOCKED IN BY THINGS LIKE PAID PARKING DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO EASILY WORK.
THIS COMMISSION EXISTS TO HOLD MULTIPLE NEEDS AND GOALS AT ONCE AND CREATE A BALANCED OUTCOME.
WHAT CONCERNS MANY OF US IS THAT THIS BALANCE FEELS INCREASINGLY ONE SIDED, PUSHING ONE NEED OVER THE OTHER, MAKING US FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER, ABANDONING A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, BRUSHING ASIDE NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS, PUSHING THROUGH A PROJECT THAT SEEMS SO ILL SUITED TO THE LOCATION THAT IT ERODES TRUST IN OUR PLANNING AND ZONING AND FEELS PERFORMATIVE TOWARDS A PREDETERMINED OUTCOME THAT EMPHASIZES ONE ABOVE ALL.
OTHER GROWTH SHOULD NOT OVERWHELM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IT SHOULD STRENGTHEN THEM.
I ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
OTHER DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO DO A BETTER JOB.
ROWAN VALE THUS FAR HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED THAT IT IS SMART GROWTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID SWAN JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
IF EDEN HOPS ON, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE HIM THE FLOOR AND COME BACK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LYNN COX, WHO'S WAVING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK HUTCHINSON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DREW ECK, UH, EXCUSE ME, ECKY.
AND YOU HAVE TIME THAT'S BEING DONATED FROM WILLIAM COATES IS HERE AS WELL AS VICTORIA CANTO IS VICTORIA HERE? OKAY, PERFECT.
SO, UM, DREW, YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 12 MINUTES AND ON DECK IS BEN MAY.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME'S DREW ZER AND I'M THE ZONING CHAIR OF THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, FRIEND OF MINE, UH, LIVES NEAR THE SITE AND MAY HAVE TEASED ME A BIT FOR BEING ON A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
CALLED ME UP A FEW WEEKS AGO AND ASKED ME TO CHECK OUT THE ROWAN VALE PROJECT.
AND WHAT I FOUND IS SOMETHING BOTH OF OUR NEIGHBOR, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS DEAL WITH, UM, ZILKER AND TRAVIS HEIGHTS AREN'T IDENTICAL, BUT WE DO SHARE A LOT IN COMMON.
WE'RE BOTH FRAMED BY MAJOR CORRIDORS.
WE BOTH RELY ON SMALL INTERIOR STREETS TO ABSORB WHATEVER SPILLS OFF THOSE CORRIDORS.
AND WE BOTH GET TO EXPERIENCE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CITY TELLS US WE'LL DEAL WITH AN ISSUE AT SITE PLAN.
[01:35:02]
SO I WANNA WA UH, TALK TONIGHT ABOUT THE PATTERN OF THIS KIND OF DEFERRAL, UH, BECAUSE IT REALLY GOES TO THE HEART OF THIS CASE IN, IN MY OPINION AT LEAST.UM, SO TO BEGIN, LET ME TAKE MANY OF YOU COMMISSIONERS BACK TO THAT FATEFUL NIGHT OF JUNE 13TH, 2023.
ANYONE REMEMBER C 14 20 23 0 0 3 9? THAT'S THE HEARING THAT THIS COMMISSION VOTED 11 TO ZERO TO REZONE A PROPERTY ON EVERGREEN AVENUE, WHICH IS A SMALL SIDE STREET BETWEEN SOUTH LAMAR AND WEST MARY.
AND THAT VOTE RESTED ON SPECIFIC REPRESENTATIONS THAT THE PROJECT WOULD BE TRIP REDUCING WORKFORCE HOUSING, THE PARKING WOULD BE ON SITE, AND THE TRANSPORTATION MITIGATION WOULD, AND I'LL QUOTE THE ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET OCCUR AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN APPLICATION, LEAVING ASIDE THE ACTUAL VOTE.
I THINK THE COMMISSIONERS DID GET IT RIGHT, UH, THAT NIGHT BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS A BIG PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
THEY ASKED THE RIGHT, UH, QUESTIONS AND THEY GOT SPECIFIC ANSWERS.
BUT FLASH FORWARD TO THIS MARCH WHEN THE SITE PLAN WAS APPROVED AND RELEASED, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED? THE TRIP REDUCING WORKFORCE HOUSING BECAME A TWO STORY EVENT PAVILION.
THE ONSITE PARKING LOT BECAME A ONE PARKING SPACE AND THAT'S AFTER THE APPLICANT TOLD THE CITY IN WRITING THAT GUESTS WOULD SIMPLY USE STREET PARKING AND RIDESHARE PICKUP IN THE RIDE OF WAY ON A TINY LEVEL ONE STREET THAT HAS 23 FEET OF PAVEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, DURING THE HEARING, THE CITY, YOU KNOW, ASSURED THE COMMISSION THAT THE TRANSPORTATION, UH, MITIGATION WOULD BE ASSESSED AT THE SITE PLAN.
BUT THERE WAS NO MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT THAT'S BEEN, UH, THAT HAD BEEN PROMISED.
AND WE SUBMITTED PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORTS ASKING FOR TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, SUPPORTING STREET PARKING.
AND WAYMO'S CITY CAME BACK, UM, WITH NO PRODUCTION AND CERTIFIED AT COMPLETE.
AND THE MOST REASONABLE INFERENCE IS THAT NO ANALYSIS WAS EVER PERFORMED.
AND WHEN ZNA TRIED TO CHALLENGE THE RELEASE, ADMINISTRATIVELY THE DIRECTOR WHO'S A GOOD DUDE BY THE WAY, UM, WROTE I QUOTE, INTERESTED PARTIES HAVE NO RIGHT TO APPEAL FINAL DETERMINATIONS OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE SITE PLAN.
SO THIS IS WHAT DEFERRAL TO SITE PLANS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE IN THIS DISTRICT, LIKE THREE YEARS DOWNSTREAM OF AN 11 TO ZERO VOTE.
UM, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE NTA UH, IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT.
UM, WHICH ON HIS FACE, YOU KNOW, SAYS THAT THERE'S A 40 STUDENT PRE-K THAT MAY NEED A QUEUING ANALYSIS TO KEEP CARS FROM SPILLING INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THEN IT DEFERS THAT ANALYSIS TO SITE PLAN REVIEW.
THOUGH THE CITY'S TRAFFIC MANUAL REQUIRES THAT IT BE IN THE ZONING, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.
MEANWHILE, THE PROJECTED DAILY VOLUME IN THE STREET, UM, IS RIGHT AT THE LDCS DESIRABLE THRESHOLD ON TWO COUNTS THAT MISS HIGH VOLUME DAYS.
AND AS MANY HAVE SAID AS I UNDERSTAND IT TOO, ANNIE STREET IS ON THE ROUTE.
UH, THE FIRE ENGINE ROUTE, UH, LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, IS ONE BLOCK AWAY.
UM, SO, SO THIS IS WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS GONNA HAPPEN DAILY WITH PRE-K DROP OFFS.
KIDS WALK, WORK, UH, WALKING TO SCHOOL AND IT'S NOT A SITE PLANNED STAGE PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPATIBILITY ISSUE.
UM, AND IS EVERGREEN IS MADE PERFECTLY CLEAR.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE KICKED TO SITE PLAN WHEN THOSE WHO USE THE STREET HAVE NO MEANINGFUL ROLE AND CANNOT APPEAL.
AND SO, TO BE FAIR, I UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S MAKING STRIDES WITH RESPECT TO THE DOWNSTREAM REVIEW, BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN TRUST THOSE DECISIONS TO CATCH WHAT GETS MISSED HERE.
SO WE HAVE TO TACKLE IT HERE AT ZONING AND ACCORDINGLY, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THIS COMMISSION TO DENY THESE APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN SUFFICIENT TRANSIT ANALYSIS REQUIRED BY THE LDC.
WHO'S GETTING DONATED? TIME IS MIKEY MIX HERE.
SO BEN WILL BE RECEIVING A TOTAL OF EIGHT MINUTES.
UM, WE, I HAVE PATRICK MCKENNA ON DECK AND THEN MIKE YBARRA BUR JOIN US VIRTUALLY.
I DO HAVE MY UH, PRESENTATION QUEUED UP.
IT'S JUST LEFT AND RIGHT WITH THIS.
[01:40:04]
CAN WE COME BACK TO MR. MAY WHILE WE WORK ON THE PRESENTATION? WAIT, GOING ON TO PATRICK MCKENNA.OKAY, GOING ON TO MICHAEL YBARRA.
I'VE WORKED IN SUPPORT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SOUTH AUSTIN FOR MANY YEARS.
SO MY ARGUMENT TONIGHT ISN'T AGAINST THIS PROJECT PER SE, BUT IT'S ABOUT THIS COMMISSION TAKING BACK CONTROL OVER THE REZONING PROCESS BY IMPOSING SOME REASONABLE STANDARDS ON THE PROJECT.
THUS FAR, THIS PROJECT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPER'S DESIRE TO OBTAIN REZONING AND TIME FOR THEIR L-I-H-T-C APPLICATION.
AND Y'ALL ARE BEING ASKED TO LET A TAX CREDIT PROCESS SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL DELIBERATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REASONABLE COMPROMISE.
AND AS PART OF THAT, YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO SET ASIDE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN REQUIRES COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
CITY STAFF ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS PROJECT DOESN'T MEET THAT STANDARD.
IF YOU GUYS MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ADDITIONAL DESIGN STANDARDS BEYOND WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED THAT WOULD RENDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND INDEED ALL AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS IN GENERAL PRETTY MEANINGLESS.
YOU'RE ALSO BEING SET ASKED TO SET ASIDE.
IMAGINE AUSTIN, THIS PROPERTY IS 400 FEET FROM THE CORRIDOR, NOT WITHIN IT.
YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO MOVE FORWARD ON A PROJECT THAT'S IMPACTING A NATIONAL AND HISTORIC DISTRICT BEFORE THE LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS HAD TIME TO REVIEW IT.
ALL THESE THINGS SHOULD MEAN SOMETHING AND Y'ALL SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO MEAN SOMETHING.
SO WHILE I DON'T OPPOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS LOCATION, I DO THINK THAT HOW IT GETS BUILT MATTERS.
I WISH IT WAS BEING BUILT BY A DIFFERENT, MORE REASONABLE DEVELOPER.
BUT IF YOU DO APPROVE A REASON ZONE TONIGHT, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CONDITION IT ON DESIGN STANDARDS THAT ENSURE COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SCALE AND HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
OKAY, WE ARE PULLING THE PRESENTATION FOR BEN AND YOU SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO.
I LIVE ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THIS PROJECT.
UH, I JUST WANNA REITERATE, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN MADE OUT TO BE THESE LIKE NIMBY, TOTALLY OPPOSED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EVERYTHING, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER IN THE TRUTH.
EVERYBODY THAT'S IN HERE AND AS WE TALKED WITH THE DEVELOPER, WE'VE REITERATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN WE'RE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'RE EVEN FOR SOME INCREASED SENSIBLE DENSITY.
BUT THIS IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THE SITE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PRE-K WHEN BASICALLY, I KNOW WE'RE IN A BIG RUSH TO GET THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DELIVERED.
EVERYONE'S CHASING THAT $4 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE PUTTING MONEY OVER SAFETY AND SANITY.
THIS PRE-K ESPECIALLY IS PERILOUS.
I MEAN THE APPLICANT IN THEIR OWN WORDS, THEY ORIGINALLY, YOU KNOW, PRESENTED THIS TO CITY, GOT CITY APPROVAL, BUT THERE WAS NO PRE-K INVOLVED IN THAT ORIGINAL SUBMITTAL.
CITY DIDN'T APPROVE IT WITH THE PRE-K IN THERE.
THEN THEY WENT BACK, SAW THEIR SCORING, SAW THEY WERE BOTTOM OF THE LIST AND THEY ADDED THIS PRE-K IN 'CAUSE THEY NEEDED THE POINTS, THEIR WORD.
THEN AS WE WERE GOING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING, THEY WERE TRYING TO RALLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LIKE, NO, WE DON'T REALLY SUPPORT IT IN THIS SCALE.
AND THEY WERE VERY SNARKY AND WE'RE LIKE, WE DON'T NEED IT.
WE'VE GOT THE PRE-K, THIS IS WHAT THE CITY HAS PROMISED THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS A TP LIGHT RAIL.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE DEVELOPER BUILT PARKING AT GROUND LEVEL DUMPSTERS IN FRONT SIX STORIES TO THE SKY.
NO BALCONIES, NO YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
THERE'S NO NEIGHBORHOOD BUILDING HERE.
YOU'RE HIDING LOW INCOME PEOPLE IN BUILDINGS IN THE SKY, SUBPAR, NTA QUESTIONABLE CALCULATIONS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY HERE.
THIS IS THEIR CURRENT SITE PLAN.
THE BLUE BOXES IS HOW THEY PLAN ON QUEUING THESE PEOPLE.
SOME KID IS GONNA DIE IN THIS AND Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE ACCOUNTABLE PUTTING EVERYBODY ON NOTICE.
I'M HERE SPEAKING PUBLICLY SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS.
THESE CARS ARE BEING FORCED TO RUSH IN.
KIDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CROSSING ACROSS THIS TRAFFIC.
IT'S LIKE, LET'S BREAK THIS UP.
THESE BLUE BOXES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MISSING MIDDLE.
YOU GUYS HAVE APPLAUD YOU IN A PURSUIT OF THE MISSING MIDDLE THAT MAKES SENSE.
THE CITY KNOWS THESE BIG BOXES DON'T MAKE SENSE.
[01:45:01]
PRESENTING.THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE WAY AROUND IT.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE PRESENTING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S OBSCENE, IT'S ABSURD.
IT'S, IT'S NEIGHBORHOOD DESTROYING.
AND REALLY ALL IT'S SAYING IS THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE NOT BEING UNREALISTIC.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
WE'RE ASKING FOR GROUND LEVEL ENGAGEMENT.
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN DONE TIME AND TIME AGAIN CITY THROUGH CITY.
YOU GUYS ARE PUSHING TO THE MISSING MIDDLE MUELLER SET THE STANDARD FOR THE MISSING MIDDLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THROUGH.
I'VE, I'VE DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED PROJECTS IN MUELLER.
I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THIS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES.
HERE'S THE MISSING MIDDLE SECTION.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE WE DON'T GO FROM MAX DENSITY DOWN TO THESE HOMES.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LOOK AT THIS THREE STORIES, THREE AND A HALF STORIES.
IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE WE'RE WE DON'T MIND DENSITY, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR PROPERLY SCALED NEIGHBORHOOD BUILDING DENSITY.
THESE ARE EXAMPLES THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD PROUDLY GET BEHIND.
AND I THINK THIS POINTING COMMISSION AND THIS CITY COULD BE PROUD OF TO PUT THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SCROLL THROUGH REAL QUICK.
YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO LOOK AT THESE LATER, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING NO, WE'RE SAYING PLEASE, THIS MAKES SENSE.
AND WITH SB EIGHT 40, THEY CAN GO TO ANY COMMERCIAL SITE THEY WANT, TAKE THEIR HUGE PROGRAM.
LOOK, THEY'RE GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO AT THAT SCALE.
THEIR INVESTORS WON'T LET THEM DO ANYTHING LESS.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN MORE SITES AVAILABLE THAN EVER BEFORE.
I MEAN IT'S, THERE'S MORE DISTRESSED COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OUT THERE THAN EVER BEFORE.
IT'S NOT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS TO PUT THIS MONSTROSITY, OH, I STILL HAVE TIME SLEEP TO PUT THIS MONSTROSITY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.
I MEAN, AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT PUTTING PARKING AT GROUND LEVEL.
WE'VE ASKED THEM, IT'S LIKE, LOOK, LET'S BRING THIS DOWN TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE NEIGHBORS.
WE WILL GLADLY WELCOME NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE CLEARLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATED WITH EACH OTHER.
THERE'S NOTHING UNREAL UNREASONABLE ABOUT THIS.
AND THIS IS A PROPER TAPERING.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY 'CAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY NEVER GONNA FIND A BETTER GROUP OF NEIGHBORS OR A BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I KNOW SRCC HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN VERY KIND OF RESISTANT TO DENSITY AND STUFF.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, EVEN ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, WE'VE ALL BEEN VERY, VERY VOCAL.
WE SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE SUPPORT INCREASED DENSITY EVEN WITHOUT CHANGING THE ZONING UNDER THE NEW HOME ORDINANCE, YOU COULD PUT UP TO 22 UNITS ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S A 11 X UPSCALE FROM WHAT THEY HAVE THERE NOW.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE, WE'RE NOT ASKING TOO MUCH.
IT'S THAT WE'VE TALKED TO THE DEVELOPER ABOUT IT AND EVERY TIME WE TALK TO THEM IT'S, OH, OUR INVESTORS MIGHT WANNA DO IT.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT.
THEY PAID A MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT OFFER.
THEY STARTED A MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT OFFER.
SO OF COURSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT.
THEY'RE ALREADY OVERPAYING FOR THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S PROFIT OVER SENSITY SENSIBILITY AND SANITY.
AND I MEAN, WHEREAS WE COULD COME IN AND DELIVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE COULD BE A STEWARD NOT ONLY FOR THE REST OF THE CITY, BUT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
IT JUST SORT OF DEFIES LOGIC IN MY MIND THAT YOU GUYS WOULDN'T CONSIDER THIS MUCH MORE FAVORABLE AND LOOK AT THE DENSITY YOU CAN ACHIEVE HERE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVEN A, EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE FOR IT WERE SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO SEE PORCHES ENGAGING THE STREET ACTUAL NEIGHBOR INTERACTION.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
PLEASE CONSIDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, CHAD.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
AND SO WE CAN MOVE TO APPLICANT REBUTTAL, WHICH WILL BE FOUR MINUTES.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET MORE THAN FOUR MINUTES? 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT I GOT THE DOUBLE TIME UPFRONT.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? UH, I I THINK YOU HAD EIGHT MINUTES UP FRONT.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA BE CONSISTENT.
I JUST WANNA TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY IF'S ALL QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS CAN PULL YOU BACK UP.
UM, I JUST WANNA TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT
[01:50:01]
WERE MADE.UM, AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO DISCUSS THE ZONING.
UM, I KNOW THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE ABOUT OUR INTENTIONS AND WHY WE REDUCED OUR ZONING REQUEST TO MF THREE.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNICATIONS WITH DIFFERENT NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC ISSUE AND ABOUT THE, IF WHETHER THERE WOULD BE MORE SUPPORT, UM, GIVEN IF WE REDUCED OUR ASK.
AND WE, WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF SEVERAL NEIGHBORS INDICATING THAT THIS REDUCTION WOULD BE FAVORABLE TO THEM.
SO JUST WANTED TO DISPEL ANY CONCERN THAT THIS WAS DUE TO ANY STAFF COMMUNICATION.
UM, OF COURSE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INDICATION IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN RECEPTIVE TO REQUESTS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, IN MY PRESENTATION, I DID INDICATE SEVERAL, UH, DESIGN ELEMENTS IN WHICH WE DID MAKE REVISIONS.
UM, NAMELY THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED HERE, WHICH IS A REDUCTION FROM 75 TO 64.
UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IN THE, IN TERMS OF SCALE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT TALKING HERE ABOUT A MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, A HOUSING INTERVENTION THAT IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS A MINIMUM WAGE OF 7 25.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING CLASS, WHO ARE WORKING ON SOUTH CON CONGRESS, WORKING DOWNTOWN, UH, AND MAYBE MAKING MINIMUM WAGE.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU DO HAVE TO BUILD A, A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS AT SOME SORT OF SCALE.
UH, 64, UM, WAS, WAS A SCALE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR NUM UNIT COUNT TO IN ORDER TO STILL ACHIEVE THAT LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY.
UM, IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT REVISIONS THAT WE HAVE MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, ON, ON APRIL 22ND, WE DID HAVE A REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF OUR MILTON NEIGHBORS, UM, MILTON NICKERSON AND BRACKENRIDGE NEIGHBORS ABOUT SOME OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS.
UM, WE WANT, WE WANNA BE CLEAR THAT PRIOR TO SUBMITTING OUR FORMAL APPLICATION TO T-D-H-C-A, THERE WAS A DESIGN THAT WE HAD PROPOSED THAT HAD AN ELEMENT OF FIVE STORIES.
BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT WE PROPOSED TO T-D-H-C-A ACTUALLY DID JUST HAVE THREE STORIES, UH, OF UNITS OVER PARKING.
UM, THAT HEIGHT WAS CAPPED OUT AT 43 FEET.
WE HAVE SINCE OFFERED TO REDUCE THE HEIGHT TO 40 FEET, UM, WHICH WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MF THREE ZONING CATEGORY.
UM, ON THE APRIL 22ND MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DID DISCUSS UNDERGROUND PARKING.
WE HAD SINCE PROVIDED SOME DOCUMENTATION FROM OUR ARCHITECT AS TO WHY THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE FEASIBLE ON THIS SITE BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED APPROACH FROM ANNIE AND NICKERSON.
UM, SO WE WERE RESPONSIVE TO THAT.
WE WERE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE RATIONALE AND THE LACK OF FEASIBILITY WITH THAT, BUT THERE WERE SOME MASSING CONSIDERATIONS THAT, UM, WERE DISCUSSED DURING THAT MEETING.
UH, THERE WAS SOME FOLLOW UP ACTIONS ON THE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE JUST, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME TOGETHER ON A RESOLUTION.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF DUE DILIGENCE THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE HARD AND FAST INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE REAL IMPLICATIONS FOR HEIGHT AND PERMITTING, UM, COMMENTS THAT WE MAY RECEIVE.
ONE OF THE, UM, CONCESSIONS AND AND FEEDBACK THAT WE DID PROVIDE ON APRIL 22ND IS THAT IF DURING PERMITTING WE'RE ALLOWED TO, WE WOULD BE WILLING TO REDUCE OR PUSH THE BUILDING SOUTH, OR EXCUSE ME, YES, PUSH THE BUILDING SOUTH, UM, AN ADDITIONAL FIVE FEET IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE IN PERMITTING AND THAT WOULD INCREASE THE SETBACK FROM THE NORTHERN NEIGHBORS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING, AGAIN, SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE PUSHING BACK ON ALL OF THE FEEDBACK WE'RE RECEIVING.
I THINK WE'RE RECEIVING THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, WE'RE DISCUSSING, WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE FEASIBILITY.
ONCE WE HAVE PERMITTING INFORMATION IN A GEOTECH REPORT, WE'LL JUST HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, CONCRETE RESPONSES.
I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BEDROSIAN.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT ITEM PASSES.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT COMMISSIONER BRETTON HAS JOINED US VIRTUALLY AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OUR ROUND ROBIN.
SO WE HAVE QUESTION SLOTS FOR EIGHT COMMISSIONERS AT FIVE MINUTES EACH.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO START US OFF? GO AHEAD.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT, PLEASE.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UM, AS A COMPROMISE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU WENT FROM 75 TO 64 UNITS AND CHANGED TO MF THREE, BUT YOU ALSO INCREASED PARKING FROM 37 TO 46, AND I HEARD SEVERAL OF THE NEIGHBORS TALK ABOUT WANTING LESS PARKING THAN MORE.
[01:55:01]
WHY YOU INCREASED PARKING THERE? ABSOLUTELY.UM, SO THE, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE JANUARY, UH, AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY CONCERNS THAT'S BEEN RAISED IN MOST OF THE MEETINGS IS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY NOT HAVING ENOUGH PARKING TO SERVE 64 UNITS.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE DID SOME MANEUVERING WITH OUR ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE TEAM TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.
UM, THE RECENT REQUEST ABOUT, UM, CONSIDERING A NO PARKING COMMUNITY WAS, UM, THAT WAS JUST THAT, THAT WAS A RECENT PIECE OF FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED AND RESPONDED TO.
SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE INCREASE IN PARKING WAS IN RESPONSE TO NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS NOT DESPITE THEM.
UH, ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HOW LONG THESE UNITS REMAIN AFFORDABLE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT WAS ON MY LIST I DIDN'T GET TO.
UM, SO T-D-H-C-A IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE PREMIER MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE ENTITIES WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, THEY WILL REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE A LAND USE RESTRICTION AGREEMENT THAT WILL LAST 40 FOR 45 YEARS, THAT THE UNITS WILL NEED TO REMAIN AFFORDABLE FOR THAT PERIOD.
AND THEN I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR STAFF, PLEASE.
UM, MY QUESTION THERE WAS THAT, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NTA WAS CONDUCTED HERE, BUT THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS FROM ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS ON THE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT THE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC ANALYSIS WAS INADEQUATE AS REQUIRED BY THE LDC.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT PLEASE? HEY, THIS IS MATE HAMAN, UH, WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
LIKE, UH, IN NTA, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, THE REQUIREMENT OF THE TRAFFIC COUNT AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKED TO DO A TRAFFIC COUNT ON THE MID DAYS.
THAT'S LIKE WHERE WE SEE THE PICK.
SO TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, WE KIND OF LIKE EXCLUDE MONEY AND FRIDAY DEPENDING ON THIS ONE.
SO THIS IS A VERY STANDARD PROCESS THAT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR NTA, ANY OF THE NTAS.
AND THAT'S THE SAME PROCESS WE HAVE FOLLOWED FOR THIS ONE.
SO EVERYTHING WAS ADEQUATE PER THE CO PER THE CODE TO YOUR C THEY PREVIOUSLY THEY PROMISED.
THE QUESTION IS JUST DIRECTED TO STAFF.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? NO, THANK YOU.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ROEN.
UM, COULD I PLEASE CALL SHIVA BACK UP TO THE STAND? MY APOLOGIES FOR HAVING FORGOTTEN YOUR LAST NAME.
UH, HI AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BRU.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS DONE AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, YOU'VE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF US AND, AND WE HAVE, UH, HAD, UH, SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
WHAT I WANT TO ASK YOU TONIGHT IS WE HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW BETWEEN THIS HEARING AND COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY BELIEF THAT THERE IS MORE HAY TO BE MADE ON THIS PROJECT WITH THE DEVELOPER OR WITH THE APPLICANT? MY APOLOGIES.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION AND I DON'T HAVE A FIRM ANSWER FOR YOU.
LIKE I SAY, UH, DURING MY REMARKS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS CURRENTLY EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED THAT IT SEEMS THAT ANY MEANINGFUL SUGGESTION THAT THEY HAVE MADE HAS CONTINUED TO BE REJECTED.
I RESPECT, UH, THE APPLICANT'S COMMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE EXPLORED MOVING, FOR EXAMPLE, MASSING FROM ONE ELEMENT TO ANOTHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, A RECENT PROPOSAL WAS TO TAKE THE, UH, BRECKENRIDGE SIDE BUILDING AND MAKE IT FOUR STORIES IN EXCHANGE FOR REMOVING SOME MASSING.
BUT MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS VIEW THESE AS FALSE CHOICES OR CHOICES BETWEEN TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE EQUALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
WE FELT THAT OUR BEST AFTER LOOKING AT ALL OF THE, MAYBE I SHOULD BACK UP A SECOND WHEN WE STARTED IN THIS PROCESS, AND I WANNA RESPOND TO THE COMMENT ABOUT HOW THE PARKING SITUATION HAS INVOLVED, THERE WAS A LARGE SCALE BELIEF WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT A MOST EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY POSITION WOULD BE, AS YOU HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ADVOCATING FOR MISSING MIDDLE.
WE UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER, HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND NOW UNDERSTANDING THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROCESS A LOT BETTER THAT THE DEVELOPER IS CONSTRAINED TO THE 64 UNITS AND THE PRE-K, WE ARE SEARCHING FOR A SOLUTION THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO KEEP THEIR CURRENT APPLICATION AT 64 UNITS AND ADD A PRE-K AND WOULD STILL SATISFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS SINCE THAT APPLICATION IS NOW LOCKED IN.
[02:00:01]
STARTED EXPLORING EITHER UNDERGROUND PARKING OR PARKING FREE DEVELOPMENTS, ALLOWING US TO REDUCE THAT MASSING IN SCALE.HOWEVER, IN ANS DIRECT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE COUNCIL, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, NO I DON'T, UM, THE A THE APPLICANT, YOU KNOW, HAS MADE VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNDERGROUND PARKING, UH, IS NOT AVAILABLE TO THEM DUE TO THE RAMP CONSTRAINTS, CONSTRAINTS I MIGHT ADD THAT ARE A RESULT OF THE SIZE OF THEIR BUILDING AND THE LACK OF SETBACK FROM THE CURB.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMS TO BE OFF THE TABLE.
THEY'VE ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY'RE, AS YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT SAID DURING THEIR COMMENTS THAT THEIR INVESTORS AND LENDERS ARE UNWILLING, UH, TO ALLOW, UH, THEM TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH A PARKING FREE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO BASED ON THAT, I'M, I'M REALLY NOT SURE WHERE ELSE WE GO.
I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS LOST FAITH IN US AS A NEGOTIATING TEAM.
AND YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT THAT HERE TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE, THE, THOSE OF US WHO, UH, PUSH MOST STRONGLY FOR A COMPROMISE HAVE BEEN KIND OF SOLD OUT IN THIS FIELD FIELD, VERY SOLD OUT IN THIS PROCESS WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THAT SOLUTION, BUT YET HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE ONE.
SO THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING THAT MAY HAVE MADE YOU UNPOPULAR WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
I THINK THE, THE INTENT TO NEGOTIATE ON THESE PROPERTIES IS, IS IMPORTANT.
UM, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBORS OBVIOUSLY TO CONTINUE TO WORK.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SOMETIMES A NO, EVEN THOUGH WE REALLY WANT THEM TO BE A YES AND IT FEELS LIKE IT SOLVES ALL THE PROBLEMS WE NEED TO MOVE PAST THOSE AND GET TO OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE IS ROOM TO MOVE ON THIS PROJECT AND I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU GUYS STAY IN THE GAME.
UM, SHOULD THIS PASS TONIGHT, UM, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, DO YOU FEEL THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES STILL TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LAST GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE SHOWED, UM, SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING A MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD PROJECT THAT WOULD BRING SAY, PORCHES, ET CETERA, UM, TO THE, TO THE STREET FRONTAGE? AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT IS A VALID QUESTION.
UM, I THINK THESE PROJECTS, WHILE I DON'T DISA I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE THAT THESE ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THERE CAN BE MORE COMPATIBLE PROJECTS THAT ARE BUILT.
UH, MEGAN AND I WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PORCH CONCEPT AND, AND I THINK HONESTLY THE, THE MEETING ON ON APRIL 22ND FELT VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD HAD PREVIOUS.
YOU CAN FINISH ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
YOU CAN FINISH ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
UM,
I THINK WHERE, UM, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN, UM, TENSION HAS BEEN PRIMARILY ON THE MASSING AND THE HEIGHT.
UH, AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT LIKE, SORT OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT BEFORE WE CAN MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS.
AND PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH ZONING TO BE ABLE TO REALLY CONFIRM YES OR NO ON SOME OF THESE ASPECTS.
SO AS FAR AS SETBACKS GO AND, AND DIFFERENT ELEMENTS LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CERTAIN THAT WE WILL HAVE DEFINITIVE ANSWERS BEFORE WE MOVE THROUGH ZONING, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE'VE HAD NINE MEETINGS, UH, WE'RE DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO CONTINUING DIALOGUE.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MAXWELL? UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND STAY RIGHT THERE.
YEAH, DON'T WALK AWAY JUST YET.
UM, COUPLE OF QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN SORT OF THE TIGHT TIMELINE AND WHY THIS IS, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT BEING RUSHED, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SORT OF IN A PROCESS WHICH SOME PEOPLE SEEM TO UNDERSTAND, BUT MAYBE JUST EXPLAINING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE.
UH, THE, THE TAX CREDIT PROCESS IN AND OF ITSELF IS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
UM, AND IT REALLY DOES START YOU OFF IN A BAD POSITION WITH NEIGHBORHOOD DIALOGUE BECAUSE, UH, THE PROCESS BEGINS IN DECEMBER WHEN EVERYONE IS VERY BUSY WITH THE HOLIDAYS AND, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT A GREAT TIME TO TRY TO ENGAGE FOLKS.
UM, SO WE HAVE SUBMITTED, WE SUBMITTED OUR FORMAL APPLICATION TO T-D-H-C-A IN MARCH.
UM, AGAIN, SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
[02:05:01]
BUT, UM, THE, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE OUR ZONING IN PLACE WITHIN A MONTH OF RECEIVING THE T-D-H-C-A AWARD.UM, THOSE AWARDS OCCUR AT A-T-D-H-C-A BOARD MEETING IN JULY.
UH, AND TYPICALLY WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY TO GO TO COUNCIL IN JULY, BUT BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE COUNCIL IS TAKING THEIR BREAK THIS YEAR IN JUNE, IT HAS REALLY FLIPPED EVERYTHING ON ITS HEAD AND REQUIRED THAT WE EVEN SPEED UP THE PROCESS EVEN MORE THAN WE ALREADY HAVE TO.
UM, SO WE ARE EXPECTING, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IF EVERYTHING MOVES FORWARD THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE A-T-D-H-C AWARD IN JULY AND THAT'S WHY WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD THIS EVENING.
A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT, BECAUSE THESE TAX CREDITS AS YOU MENTIONED ARE VERY COMPETITIVE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN SORT OF HOW THESE, HOW YOUR PROJECT SORT OF LOOKED, LOOKS IN COMPARISON FROM OTHER PLACES IT POTENTIALLY IN AUSTIN AND JUST SORT OF HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET THIS FUNDING TO ALLOW THE AFFORDABILITY LEVELS WE'RE LOOKING AT? SURE.
SO IT'S AN EXTREME, LIKE CANNOT REITERATE ENOUGH THAT THIS IS JUST AN EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
UM, EACH YEAR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS LIMITED IN THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT CAN MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE SPECIFIC ALLOCATION, IT'S PER CAPITA, UM, FOR EACH MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS.
UM, AND SO TYPICALLY AUSTIN WILL RECEIVE, YOU KNOW, THREE, MAYBE FOUR UM, ALLOCATIONS OF TAX CREDIT AWARDS.
UM, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS OCCURRING THIS YEAR.
UM, OUR PRIORITY AS DEVELOPERS IS TO BUILD IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE T-D-H-C-A-Q-A-P OR, YOU KNOW, GUIDING GUIDEBOOK IF YOU WILL, UM, ALSO PRIORITIZES THAT AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS THE PRE-K GOES, THE GOVERNOR, UM, HAS ADDED THAT AS A, AN ADDITIONAL COMPETITIVE ELEMENT, UM, BECAUSE HIS OFFICE WANTS TO SEE ONSITE PRE-K AVAILABLE, UM, FOR, UH, FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT ALSO ALIGNS WITH WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WOULD WANNA SEE AS WELL.
AND JUST TO TOUCH ON THIS, SOME, UH, FACT THAT SOMEBODY ELSE BROUGHT UP EARLIER THAT RENTAL RATES ACROSS THE CITY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY IN A KIND OF CHALLENGING PLACE FOR BOTH MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE UNITS.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO SORT OF THAT MARKET DYNAMIC RIGHT NOW AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT? SURE.
UM, SO THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
I MEAN, THIS IS, UM, AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS, WE HAVE DONE AN IN INCRED AND MARKET RATE DEVELOPERS HAVE JUST DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB BECAUSE OF THE TOOLS THAT, UM, YOUR COMMISSION AND THE CITY HAS HAS AFFORDED US TO SPEED UP THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND JUST ALLOW, UM, MORE HOUSING TO BE BUILT.
UM, SO AS A RESULT, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, UM, AS A CITY WE HAVE REDUCED THE AVERAGE RENT BY 20%.
UH, AND SO THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS ON AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENTS IS THAT MARKET RATE RENTS ARE ACTUALLY REALLY SIMILAR TO 80 AND 60% RENTS.
UM, WHAT, WHAT THE MARKET DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR IS FOR THE DEEP AFFORDABILITY, 30% A MI AND 50% A MI UNITS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS HAVE A NEED FOR THOSE UNITS BECAUSE THE MARKET DOESN'T PROVIDE FOR IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PROVIDED FOR HERE.
UH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GONNA ASK.
THAT'S WHY YOU TARGETED THOSE LOWER AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS TO REALLY BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHERE OUR MARKET IS CURRENTLY AND WHERE WE EXPECT IT TO BE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND THEN JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL HAVE HAD A REALLY GREAT TRACK RECORD OF DEVELOPING ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH IN AUSTIN, BUT I KNOW THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
DO, DO YOU FEEL THAT THIS IS AN ALIGNMENT WITH A LOT OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DEVELOPMENTS WE'VE SEEN SAY FROM FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES AND OTHERS? VERY SIMILAR WHERE WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO FIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTO SOUTH AUSTIN COMMUNITIES? SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION,
SO I GUESS I I DON'T SEE A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE VERSUS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN BEING BUILT ACROSS SOUTH AUSTIN, UM, IN MANY OF THESE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE BOLDEN AND ZILKER AND FURTHER SOUTH.
ABSOLUTELY, AND IN FACT, WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN A PROJECT IN THE ROSEDALE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WROTE A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO T-D-H-C-A ON OUR BEHALF.
UM, SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY SEEING AN, UH, AN IMPACT IN BEING ABLE TO BUILD IN AFFORDABLE, IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS OF THE CITY.
THANKS COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? OKAY, I HAVE A COUPLE ACTUALLY.
MS. TCO, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING BACK UP THERE ALSO FOR YOU, I HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS FROM THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT HOW MUCH THE UNITS COST TO BUILD AND THAT PERHAPS MEANING THAT THE UNITS WILL NOT IN FACT BE AFFORDABLE AS THEY'RE PURPORTED TO BE.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNIT COST AND RENT? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AND I KNOW WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOME QUICK MATH WHEN WE HEARD A NUMBER QUOTED, I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND SEVEN, 700 SOMETHING THOUSAND PER UNIT.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COST, IT WAS MUCH LESS THAN THAT.
SO I, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE
[02:10:01]
I, THAT NEIGHBOR GOT THAT INFORMATION.BUT A HUGE COMPONENT OF THE COST OF THESE UNITS IS RELATED TO THE LAND VALUE.
UM, IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND ZILKER AND OTHER VERY EXPENSIVE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, IT, IT'S VERY RARE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD AN ALMOST ACRE PARCEL OF LAND.
AND SO, UM, A, A MAJOR REASON THAT THE UNIT COST WOULD BE HIGHER ON THIS PROJECT WOULD BE AS A RESULT OF THE LAND COST.
AND SO WILL THAT HIGHER LAND COST AND, AND THEREFORE HIGHER UNIT COSTS TRANSLATE TO HIGHER RENTS FOR FUTURE RESIDENTS? NO, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO BECAUSE OF THE TA THE WAY THE TAX CREDIT PROCESS WORKS, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO EXCHANGE THOSE TAX CREDITS FOR EQUITY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO UTILIZE AS MUCH CONVENTIONAL DEBT TO BUILD THE PROJECT.
AND THE UNITS WILL BE, WILL REMAIN THE, THE RENTS ARE ACTUALLY CAPPED BY HUD, UM, AND CAN ONLY INCREASE A CERTAIN AMOUNT EACH YEAR.
SO IT, IT'S, THE TWO ARE NOT LINKED.
SO THE IMPACT OF THAT HIGH PER UNIT COST IS NOT ON FUTURE RESIDENTS.
IS THAT, WHO KIND OF BEARS THAT IMPACT? IS IT NEEDING MORE LOAN FUNDING EQUITY INVESTORS? WHERE DOES THAT END UP? SO IT MORE IN THE RECENT PAST, IT HAS REQUIRED THAT THERE BE ADDITIONAL GAP FINANCING NEEDED.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN A HUGE CHAMPION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SO WE HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY.
UM, THAT WILL, SHOULD HOPEFULLY HELP PROVIDE SOME OF THAT GAP FUNDING.
UM, BUT WE DO RELY EXTREMELY HEAVILY ON THE TAX CREDITS TO BE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE THIS.
IF, IF THE 9% TAX, IF THIS WASN'T A HIGH SCORING APPLICATION IN THE TAX CREDIT PROCESS, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
THERE WAS ALSO A REQUEST THAT Y'ALL POTENTIALLY TRY TO FIND A DIFFERENT SITE FOR THIS PROJECT.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT IS AS IT RELATES TO THE TAX CREDIT PROCESS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO DURING THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS, WHICH WE TYPICALLY BEGIN ALMOST AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE AN AWARD IN JULY, UM, WE REVIEW HUNDREDS OF SITES AND WE SCORE EACH OF THOSE SITES BASED ON THE QAP.
UH, THIS SITE WAS ONE OF, AGAIN, OF HUNDREDS OF SITES THAT WE REVIEWED AND SCORED, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST SCORING SITES THAT WE SAW.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT TO FIND A DIFFERENT SITE FOR THIS PROJECT? NO, IT IS NOT.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? I, COMMISSIONER BARRER RAMIREZ.
UM, SO I AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE PARKING AND THE MASSING AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, UNDERGROUND PARKING IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND AS IS A STRUCTURED PARKING.
HOW DOES THAT MISMATCH WORK AT FOLLOWING COMMISSIONER WOODS' QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAP IN FUNDING? IS THAT PART OF WHY YOU CAN'T DO EITHER STRUCTURED OR UNDERGROUND PARKING? YES.
SO IT CERTAINLY IS ONE OF THE, THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY PURSUING UNDERGROUND PARKING IS, IS INFEASIBLE.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY, UH, AND IT WOULD PROBABLY ADD ALMOST $2 MILLION TO THE PROJECT, IF NOT MORE.
UH, SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A, A LARGE REASON WHY WE WOULDN'T INITIALLY WANT TO PURSUE THAT.
UM, IT'S ALSO A REASON WHY DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS SCALE TYPICALLY DO NOT PURSUE UNDERGROUND PARKING.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN WE DID REVIEW THIS WITH OUR ARCHITECT, WE FOUND THAT THE APPROACH WAS NOT GONNA BE LONG ENOUGH TO GET UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THAT THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE GEOTECH REPORT CAME BACK IN, IN A MANNER THAT WHERE THE, THE GROUND WAS EVEN, IT WAS EVEN FEASIBLE TO GO UNDERGROUND LIKE THAT, UM, THE BUILDING WOULD HAVE TO BE LIFTED UP.
SO IT WOULD REALLY KIND OF, UM, IT, IT WOULD NOT RELIEVE THE ISSUE OF HEIGHT ON THE PROJECT TO GO UNDERGROUND WITH THE PARKING AND OTHER OPTIONS LIKE THE MISSING MIDDLE WHERE YOU'RE KIND OF SHIELDING THE PARKING BY HAVING ALL OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT UP FRONT ON THE STREET, ON THE STREET FRONT.
IS THAT AN OPTION THAT YOU'VE CONSIDERED KIND OF MOVING THE PARKING AROUND OR, YOU KNOW, THE TEXAS DONUT WHERE PARKING'S IN THE MIDDLE AND EVERYTHING'S AROUND, IS THAT WE DID LOOK AT THAT AND, UH, IT WAS JUST A VERY PRELIMINARY LOOK, BUT MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT IT DIDN'T GARNER THE SAME NUMBER OF UNITS.
UH, AND SO I THINK THE, THE MAIN FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD LOUDLY IN THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL MONTHS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NOT ENOUGH PARKING, SO WE WANTED TO TRY TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE LANDED WITH WHAT WE SUBMITTED TO T-D-H-C-A, UM, WHICH WAS THREE STORIES OVER PARKING AND WITH 47 SPACES.
[02:15:01]
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? OKAY.IN THAT CASE, I AM LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER AHMED, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE APPLICANT REQUEST.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
SO WE HAVE SPOTS FOR THREE SPEAKERS FOR AND AGAINST COMMISSIONER AHMED, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START BY SPEAKING TO YOUR MOTION? SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
I APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS FROM NEIGHBORS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE WAYS TO OPTIMIZE THIS DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
I HOPE THE DEVELOPER AND, UH, NEIGHBORS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS ITEMS LIKE THE FRONT PORCHES AND PARKING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT SATISFIES BOTH PARTIES.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT, I'M JUST VERY STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF THIS ZONING CHANGE IN PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE DENSER MULTI-FAMILY ZONING ANYWHERE IN AUSTIN, IT SHOULD BE IN WALKABLE, BUSTLING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE SOUTH CONGRESS WITH STRONG ACCESS TO JOBS, UM, JOBS, TRANSIT AND DAILY NEEDS.
AND I THINK THIS PROJECT ITSELF, UM, UH, A HIGH QUALITY PROJECT WITH 100% DEEPLY AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY, UH, RESIDENCES ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH THE CITY'S, UH, HOUSING GOAL GOALS.
AND THE ONSITE PRE-K IS ALSO A WONDERFUL AMENITY, UH, FOR YOUNG FAMILIES.
UM, YEAH, THIS IS JUST AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO HELP MIDDLE CLASS HOUSE KNIGHTS, LIKE SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS, ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS TO LIVE IN, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY HELP MAKE GREAT AND WEIRD.
COMMISSIONER AHMED, ANY COMMISSIONERS SPEAKING AGAINST THE MOTION? ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO SPEAK FOR THE MOTION? COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER POWELL? YEAH, NO, I, I WANT TO ECHO A BIT OF WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER MA SAID, BUT I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, I, ONE REFLECTION I HEARD FROM A SPEAKER WAS SQUARE PEG, ROUND HOLE, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND THAT IS TRUE ACROSS EVERY ANGLE OF THIS.
I THINK A COMMON MISCONCEPTION, UM, WITH CAPITAL A SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING LIKE THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY THAT ACTUALLY CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE REALITY IS, IS THAT DEVELOPERS OF THIS TYPE OF HOUSING ARE JUMPING THROUGH MORE HOOPS, MORE RED TAPES THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF HOUSING.
AND I, I JUST, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BLANKET STATEMENT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY A, UH, IT'S PROBABLY JUST ACCURATE, WHICH IS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FUNDER, THE STAFF, THE DEVELOPER SIDE, EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROJECT THAT THEY DON'T LIKE AND IT IS WORTH DOING BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY HARD TO BUILD SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS IS WORKING CLASS HOUSING.
THIS IS HOUSING THAT SUPPORTS FOLKS AT THE LOWEST INCOME LEVELS.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING 30% A MI WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS WHO LEGITIMATELY COULD BE UNHOUSED AT THIS MOMENT WHO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING.
SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE NEIGHBORS FOR COMING IN.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR, UH, THE APPLICANT, FOR THE DEVELOPER, FOR THE FOLKS COMING IN AND ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD MOVEMENT.
I HOPE THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT I ALSO WANNA BE HONEST IN SAYING THAT IF THIS PROJECT DOESN'T QUITE MEET THE MARK ON ANY OF THOSE ELEMENTS, I STILL STRONGLY BELIEVE IT'S WORTH DOING.
AS SOMEONE BORN IN AUSTIN DISPLACED OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS FROM A YOUNG AGE, THIS IS THE TYPE OF STUFF THAT WE ARE IN ABSOLUTE CRISIS MODE TO NEED.
AND THERE ARE COMPROMISES WITHIN THAT.
BUT I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY THANK THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR BEING ACTIVE AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND THAT DOESN'T STOP TONIGHT.
SO, SPEAKING IN FAVOR, BUT AGAIN, JUST WANT TO LET FOLKS KNOW IF IT WAS EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD TO BUILD THIS TYPE OF HOUSING THAT SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EVERYONE WOULD DO IT.
AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING EVEN IF THE SOLUTIONS AREN'T THE CLEANEST.
COMMISSIONER SPEAKING AGAINST COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
UM, AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, I MIGHT GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL.
UM, WE'RE SOMETIMES LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A CASE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER A PLANNING AND A SPECIFIC PASSION.
IN THIS CASE, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT LIVELY, LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UH, JUST BLOCKS FROM THIS ROWAN VALE SITE, UH, FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE, LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL, FORMERLY FIT FILLMORE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS CELEBRATING 140 YEARS AS A SCHOOL IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
I'M SO LUCKY TO HAVE HAD BOTH MY CHILDREN ATTEND LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, THROUGH YOUR AMAZING MAGNET AND DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS AS THEIR BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL MURAL NOTES, LIVELY FALCONS ARE LIMITLESS, A MINDSET I'VE SEEN NURTURED IN MY OWN KIDS, UH, DURING THEIR TIME AT THIS WONDERFUL, ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE MIDDLE, MIDDLE SCHOOL AT A TIME WHEN THE TRANSITION FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL FEELS FRAUGHT AND CHALLENGING.
LIVELY HAS NAVIGATED THIS CHANGE CHANGING EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE WITH COMMITMENT TO THEIR STUDENTS, TO LEARNING, TO GROWING IN THEIR ROLES AS YOUNG ADULTS AND FUTURE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN FACT, DURING MY MOTHER, MY DAUGHTER'S TIME AT THE SCHOOL, I MET A THIRD GENERATION LIVELY FAMILY.
[02:20:01]
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER HAD ALL ATTENDED THE SAME SCHOOL AT VASTLY DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT EACH VALUING THEIR LIFE LESSONS THAT THEY LEARNED.WHILE THERE, SADLY, THIS FAMILY NO LONGER LIVES IN SOUTH AUSTIN, DRIVEN UP BY HIGH HOUSING PRICES, BUT THEY COMMITTED TO DRIVING THEIR DAUGHTER TO LIVELY TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY WITH THE SCHOOL AS MY TIME AS A PARENT.
IT LIVELY COMES TO AN END, VERY SADLY.
OBVIOUSLY I AM THINKING ABOUT THAT LEGACY, ABOUT LEAVING BEHIND A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY AND HOW TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US.
A PLACE THAT HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR SOUTH AUSTIN FAMILIES, MINE INCLUDED, LIVELY, HAS SURVIVED AND THRIVED OVER 140 YEARS IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SUPPORTING THIS REZONING IS TO ME A WONDERFUL LEGACY TO INVITE THE NEXT GENERATION OF THOSE FUTURE FALCONS TO BE LIMITLESS IN THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.
I'LL BE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION.
OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR APPLICANT REQUEST MADE BY COMMISSIONER AHMED, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, TO THE APPLICANT AND TO MS. MEREDITH AND MR. TOMKO FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS CASE.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT CASE, KIND OF QUICK STRAW POLL, WOULD WE LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK NOW OR AFTER THE NEXT CASE READY FOR 10 MINUTE RECESS.
OKAY, I'M GONNA MOTION A 10 MINUTE RECESS.
CAN I GET A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT ITEM PASSES.
SO WE WILL RECONVENE AT 8 35 30 5:00 PM WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR
[Items 6 & 7]
NEXT ZONING ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM SIX AND SEVEN THAT WILL BE TAKEN UP TOGETHER.WE WILL FIRST HEAR FROM STAFF ON THIS ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PLAN AMENDMENT MPA 20 23 0 0 1 4 0 4 30, I'M SORRY, 43 0 2.
KNUCKLES CROSSING IN DISTRICT TWO.
PROPERTY ADDRESSES ARE 43 0 2, 43 0 4 AND A HALF, AND 43 1 6 KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD.
IT IS WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA, THE FRANKLIN PARK DISTRICT OF THE PLAN.
THE REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
NANCY ESTRADA WITH CURRENT PLANNING.
THIS IS CASE NUMBER C 14 20 25 6 5 43 2 KNUCKLES CROSSING.
IT'S LOCATED AT 43 0 2, 43 0 4, AND 43 16 KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED SF TWO CO MP AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING MF THREE NMP.
THE SUBJECT REZONING AREA IS UNDEVELOPED AND CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 6.61 ACRES.
IT'S LOCATED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD NEAR THE BEND WHERE IT TRANSITIONS INTO EAST ST.
ELMO TRIBUTARY RUNS ALONG THE WESTERN PROPERTY BOUNDARY LINE AND EXTENDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SITE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN, LEAVING APPROXIMATELY 1.7 ACRES OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODPLAIN AND CREEK BUFFER AREAS.
FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTS MEDIUM DENSITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, MF THREE MP COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT WITH 40 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL BE LOCATED WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE SITE ALONG THE FRONTAGE OF KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD.
WHILE THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTY IS PROPOSED TO REMAIN UNDEVELOPED.
ACCESS IS PROPOSED FROM KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD WITH NO ACCESS PROPOSED FROM EAST ST.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING MF THREE CO NP COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING WITH A CONDITION OVERLAY LIMITING THE NUMBER OF UNITS TO 40.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING ZONING PATTERN AND EXISTING RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES, WHICH INCLUDE MF FOUR CONP AND MF TWO CONP ZONING TO THE SOUTH AND MF THREE MP ZONING TO THE SOUTH AND WEST, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSING WITHIN THE AREA.
THE APPLICANT IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UM, AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE TRANSPORTATION STAFF HERE THIS EVENING.
I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM SPEAKERS ON THIS CASE, BUT WE WILL, ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AGAIN IF THEY WISH TO.
UM, SO I'LL PASS IT TO YOU, MS. BROWN, TO MCR PUBLIC HEARING.
THANK YOU, CHAIR FOR SIX AND SEVEN, WE HAVE OUR APPLICANT, STEWART GERSTACKER.
STEWART, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
AND THEN NEXT UP WOULD BE JOSHUA, AND THEN LAUREL.
[02:25:14]
GOOD EVENING.I'M A LITTLE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME COMING IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO, UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT IT IS I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AT THIS PARTICULAR JUNCTURE.
SO WE'VE PULLED THIS CASE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION SO IT DIDN'T PASS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, SO SINCE YOU'VE ALREADY HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK ON THE CASE.
YEAH, WELL, I SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT ABOUT WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY WE WANT THIS ZONING CHANGE AND HOW IT'S IN, IN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY OF AUSTIN POLICY.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
SO UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL REMARKS, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO TAKE A SEAT.
AND WHEN WE MOVE INTO OUR COMMISSION ROUND ROBIN, A COMMISSIONER MAY ASK YOU A QUESTION AND ASK YOU TO COME BACK UP AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
DO, ACTUALLY, THE ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS THAT THE, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE OPPOSED TO THE ZONING CHANGE.
AND THEIR PRIMARY REASON IS BECAUSE KNUCKLES CROSSING IS A SUBSTANDARD ROAD, WHICH, WHICH IS TRUE, WE'RE NOT DISPUTING THAT, BUT WE CONSIDER THAT TO BE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE FROM THE ZONING CHANGE.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER GETS CONSTRUCTED ON THIS PROPERTY, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO PASS THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
AND SO IF THE STREET IS SUBSTANDARD AND THERE'S NO WAY TO CONNECT INTO IT, I MEAN, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL, UNTIL LATER WHEN THE CITY ACTUALLY IMPROVES THE STREET.
SO I DON'T SEE HOW THE ZONING CHANGE WOULD'VE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE, WITH KNUCKLES CROSSING BEING SUBSTANDARD.
I THINK THEY'RE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ISSUES.
BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY.
AND YOU MIGHT STAY CLOSE BECAUSE COMMISSIONERS MAY ASK YOU QUESTIONS DURING OUR Q AND A PORTION.
SO YOU MIGHT JUST SIT CLOSE BY.
YOU WANT ME TO STAY RIGHT HERE? YOU'RE WELCOME TO, OR, OR MAYBE JUST IN A, IN, I'M JUST GONNA GO BACK TO MY SEAT.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE A QUESTION, I'LL COME BACK UP.
AND, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE'RE GONNA BE COMBINING TIME.
SO YOU ACTUALLY HAD A TOTAL OF 10 MINUTES, BUT I KNOW YOU USED YOUR TIME, SO WE'LL BE, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO, SIR.
YOU WANT ME TO SIT BACK DOWN? OH, NO, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
UM, SO NOW THAT MEANS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, JOSHUA.
YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES, SIR.
ARE YOU WAIVING YOUR TIME? I'M OKAY NOW.
SWITCHING TO SPEAKERS AND OPPOSITION AND PRIMARY SPEAKER AND OPPOSITION IS LAUREL FRANSO.
LAUREL, YOU'LL HAVE 10 MINUTES.
UM, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, OUR CONCERN IS THE EGRESS AND E THE, IN, INTO AND OUT OF THIS PROPERTY.
NOW, IF YOU KNOW THIS STREET, AS I SAID ABOUT THE STREET, IT'S A VERY NARROW TWO LANE STREET WITH A VERY SHARP CURVE THAT IS JUST, UM, IT'D BE NORTH OF THIS PROJECT.
SO AS PEOPLE COME OFF OF EAST ST.
ELMO AND IT TURNS INTO KNUCKLES CROSSING THE DRIVEWAY FOR THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE RIGHT THERE, UM, VERY SHORT DISTANCE UP THE, UH, TO THE SOUTH, WHICH IS UP AN INCLINE OF THE HILL IS THE DRIVEWAY TO THE ECHOS PROPERTY, CITY HEIGHTS.
THEY ARE A A FIVE STORY APARTMENT BUILDING WITH, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY UNITS, BUT IT'S A 55 PLUS ACTIVE JUST PAST THEIR DRIVEWAY IS OUR TWO DRIVEWAYS TO WOODWAY VILLAGE ACROSS FROM THE FIRST DRIVEWAY TO, UH, WOODWAY VILLAGE IS VIEWPOINT DRIVE, WHICH IS THE MAIN STREET INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT WHAT WE'RE ASKING, WHAT WE ASKED IN OUR MEETING IS THAT HOW WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PUT A RIGHT TURN LANE INTO YOUR PROPERTY? THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE WHO ARE TURNING IN OR OUT OF THAT PROPERTY FROM IT'S WELL SAFE, BASICALLY.
UM, OTHERWISE THEY'RE GONNA BE TURNING RIGHT, RIGHT PAST A VERY SHARP CURVE, WHICH WE CALL DEAD MAN'S CURVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND THERE IS NO SIGHT LINE.
THERE'S NO SIGHT LINE FROM THE CURVE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE GOING SOUTH, THERE'S NO SIGHT LINE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE SHARP CURVE WHEN YOU'RE COMING FROM, WHEN YOU'RE GOING NORTH, THERE'S NOT MUCH SIGHT LANE, UH, UH, SIGHT LINE BECAUSE YOU'RE
[02:30:01]
GOING DOWN A HILL.UM, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THERE'S ONLY 1.7 5, 7, 6 ACRES OF BUILDABLE SPACE.
WE REALLY RESPECT THEM FOR TAKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF OUR BIG ISSUES IS THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVE AREA.
THERE'S A LOT OF SPRINGS THERE.
THERE'S THE CREEK THAT GOES RIGHT DOWN TO MCKINNEY FALLS STATE PARK.
HOWEVER, OUR OPPOSITION IS ALL ABOUT WILL THEY BE ABLE TO PUT A RIGHT TURN LANE IN THERE.
YOU JUST HEARD HIM SAY, OH, THEY ASSUME THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO FIX THE ROAD IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THE CITY HAS NO PLANS TO WIDEN OR IMPROVE KNUCKLES CROSSING.
THERE IS NO MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE OR WIDEN THAT ROAD.
AND SO IT REALLY WOULD BE UP TO THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE A SAFE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING IS WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO IT? WE'RE VERY CONCERNED THAT WITH THAT LITTLE SPACE, AND HE ALSO SAID THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING THE BUILDING UP PRETTY MUCH AGAINST KNUCKLES CROSSING.
WILL THEY HAVE ENOUGH ROOM THAT THEY CAN PUT A RIGHT TURN LANE INTO THEIR PROPERTY? AND, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUR CONCERN.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE CHAIR, WOODS AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE A, A DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE AND ALSO THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR OF THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR DELAYING AND POSTPONING OUR REQUEST OR ASK, UM, HONORING OUR REQUEST TO POSTPONE THIS, UM, SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO VISIT WITH THE APPLICANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DID NOT BEAR OUT.
UM, AGAIN, OUR CONCERN IS ABOUT THE SHORT LINE OF SIGHT FOR IN AND OUT TRAFFIC AT THIS PROPERTY.
WE UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT FOR HAVING THE SAME EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AS OTHER NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS PROPERTY? IT IS LOCATED RIGHT ON THE CURB.
THERE IS NO SHOULDER, THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS, MUCH LESS THE BIKE LANE BOTH ROUTES.
THE CONTACT TEAM HAS ADVOCATED IN THE 2018 BOND TO ASK FOR ALLOWANCES TO DO A STUDY, AN ENGINEERING STUDY OF THE SUBSTANDARD ROAD.
WE SUCCESSFULLY GOT THAT STUDY, NOW WE'RE GONNA BE WAITING FOR FUNDS TO FIX THIS ROAD THAT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE WILL HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE CHALLENGE AGAIN.
I WANT TO SAY THAT US WORKING WITH THE ECHO DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A PROPERTY JUST IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THIS PROPERTY, WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM A, A TRAFFIC MEASURE THAT WAS GONNA KEEP IT EVERYONE SAFE.
WHETHER THEY WERE ENTERING THAT PROPERTY OR IN, IN EXITING THAT PROPERTY.
AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND THAT THEY KNEW WHAT WE WERE, WHAT OUR CONCERNS WERE, THE SAGE, UM, PROPERTY JUST SOUTH OF THE ECHOS PROPERTY, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, HAVE AN ACCESS POINT INTO THEIR PROPERTY FROM KNUCKLES CROSSING AGAIN.
THEY ALSO RECOGNIZED THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD REGARDING TRAFFIC AND THEY WITHDREW THAT ALLOWING ENTRY AND EXIT FROM THE SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY PROPERTY SITE.
AGAIN, WE ASK US, WE HAVE ASKED TO MEET WITH THE APPLICANT.
WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY, WE NEED ANSWERS.
WE SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THIS PROPERTY, NOR SHOULD WE COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THE CURRENT PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL ON THIS ROAD ON A DAILY BASIS.
AGAIN, UM, I WOULD NOT EVEN RECOMMEND ANYBODY RIDE A BIKE ALONG THIS ROAD.
IT WOULD BE BASICALLY COMMITTING SUICIDE BECAUSE THEY WOULD GET HIT BECAUSE OF THE BLIND CURVE.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
UH, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE
[02:35:01]
OUR SAFETY INTO CONSIDERATION.NOT JUST THE SAFETY OF US THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT ARE GONNA BE FUTURE RESIDENTS AT THIS PROPOSED SITE.
WE NEED ANSWERS NOW, AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR IT TO BE POSSIBLY DEVELOPED AS A SOLUTION LATER ON.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US.
I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE OUR, A UNIQUE REQUEST.
THIS IS NOT A BAD SONY AND MAKING IT COMPATIBLE TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION, AGAIN, ON A BLIND CURVE THAT HAS A VERY, VERY SHORT LINE OF DISTANCE AND IT CREATES A TRAFFIC HAZARD FOR ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE TRAVELING ON THAT ROAD.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
UM, WE CAN MOVE TO APPLICANT REBUTTAL.
UM, SO STEWART, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
SO AS THE APPLICANT IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU CAN HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME.
DID Y'ALL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS YOU WANTED TO ASK? SO THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING THAT CAME UP IN THE OPPOSITION SPEAKER'S TESTIMONY.
I UNDERSTAND THE RE THE, THE, THE RESERVATIONS THAT THE NEIGHBORS HAVE REGARDING THE SUBSTANDARD, UH, STATE OF KNUCKLES CROSSING.
AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WHEN, WHEN WE SUBMIT OUR CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS FOR APPROVAL, WE HAVE TO CONFORM TO ALL OF THE CITY CODES, DRIVEWAY SPACING, SITE DISTANCE.
UM, THE OWNER IS WILLING TO MAKE A A RIGHT OF WAY DEDICATION AS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO WIDEN UP THE ROAD AND PUT IN A SIDEWALK.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA GET DEALT WITH IN, IN THE, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION PLAN PHASE RATHER THAN IN THE ZONING PHASE.
SO IT, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S RELEVANT TO, TO THESE PROCEEDINGS, BUT IT'LL BECOME RELEVANT LATER ON WHEN WE ACTUALLY NEED TO GET APPROVAL FOR AN ACTUAL SITE PLAN BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED TO HAVE A RIGHT, BASICALLY A RIGHT DECELERATION LANE TO ALLOW CARS COMING AROUND.
ELMO AND, UH, KNUCKLES CROSSING, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE OTHER TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN IN.
UM, ALSO POSSIBLY A, UH, YOU KNOW, WIDENING THE ROAD AND PUTTING IN A, UH, UH, A LEFT BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, EXTENDING OUT THE LEFT TURN LANE SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE TURNING LEFT, THAT THEY'LL HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
ALSO, IT'S WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FORM AN AGREEMENT WITH OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS AT, AT UH, ECHO CITY HEIGHTS TO HAVE ACCESS THROUGH THEIR SITE.
RIGHT? BUT I MEAN, THIS, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH IN THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN PHASE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, WHETHER IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY OR WHETHER IT'S MULTI-FAMILY, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE A DRIVEWAY TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ISSUES INVOLVING KNUCKLES CROSSING WILL BE THE SAME EITHER WAY.
AND SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD IN ANY WAY INTERFERE WITH THE, WITH THE ZONING CHANGE.
I THINK IT'S PROPER TO DO THE ZONING CHANGE AND DEAL WITH THE, THE SPECIFICS OF THE STREET AND HOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE ACCESS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN PHASE.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THAT IN ORDER TO GET APPROVAL OF OUR PLANS.
WAS THAT IT? THAT THAT WAS IT? UNLESS YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD.
LET'S TAKE A VOTE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRA RAMIREZ.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROJAN.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT ITEM PASSES.
WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR ROUND ROBIN.
SO WE HAVE SPOTS FOR EIGHT COMMISSIONERS TO ASK QUESTIONS AT FIVE MINUTES EACH.
I'M GONNA START WITH COMMISSIONER BRA RAMIREZ IF YOU'D LIKE.
'CAUSE YOU, UH, HAD AN ORIGINAL QUESTION ON THIS.
BUT I THINK THE APPLICANT SAYS ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, I HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, DON'T TELL MY PARENTS, BUT MY HUSBAND USED TO LIVE OFF OF KNUCKLES CROSSING AND I WOULD EITHER RIDE MY BIKE OR DRIVE THERE AT NIGHT AND IT'S VERY SCARY.
I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND ANYBODY DO THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S COMING FROM.
'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING AND RIDING ON THIS ROAD.
AND SO IT QUAL IT'S A SUBSTANDARD STREET AS DEFINED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THERE, IT, UH, IS IN THE ROADWAY CAPACITY PLAN, WHICH MEANS IT RECEIVES, UH, SIF FUNDS, SO STREET IMPACT FEE FUNDS.
SO THERE SHOULD BE FUNDING FOR THE
[02:40:01]
THINGS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ASKING FOR, BUT THE APPLICANT JUST STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WIDEN THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ASKING FOR AND PROVIDE SIDEWALK AND A SAFE WAY INTO AND OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT.SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I THINK IF THAT'S WHAT THE, IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPLICANT CAN GET TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEN I THINK THAT WAS THEIR MAIN CONCERN.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GANNON? YEAH.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO'S HERE.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UH, SPECIFICALLY TRANSPORTATION, IF THERE'S SOMEONE FOR, FROM TRANSPORTATION OR, OR THE CASE MANAGER.
UM, AT THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE IS, ARE THESE, UH, ARE THESE ITEMS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS BROUGHT UP, UM, WILL THESE BE ADDRESSED AT THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE? UH, GREAT QUESTION.
DANIELLE MOORE IN TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
SO ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WILL BE LOOKED AT, UM, WHEN THEY FILE A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
UM, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, DRIVEWAYS, SIDEWALKS, UH, A-P-A-S-M-P, RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S NEEDED.
UM, AND ANY SORT OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES IF THEY ARE TRIGGERED.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS DEVELOPMENT IS SMALL ENOUGH THAT IT WON'T TRIGGER A TRANSPORTATION ASSESSMENT.
UM, SO YEAH, THESE WILL BE THINGS THAT WE'LL LOOK AT WHEN THEY SUBMIT A PLAN FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
COMMISSIONER REEN, MY QUESTION IS ALSO FOR TRANSPORTATION STAFF.
SO THANK YOU FOR NOT GETTING UP OUTTA YOUR SEATS.
UM, RELATIVE TO KNUCKLES CROSSING, WHICH I THINK SEVERAL OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH AS BEING A SOMEWHAT DANGEROUS ROAD, ARE THERE ANY FUTURE PLANS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THIS ROADWAY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THIS AREA? UM, SO YEAH, THIS, I BELIEVE THIS IS IN SIF SERVICE AREA, UH, O UM, AND WE DID TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SECTION OF KNUCKLES CROSSING.
UNFORTUNATELY IT RANKS PRETTY LOW ON THE PRIORITY MATRIX, SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY FUNDING BEING AVAILABLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, WHEN SITES DO COME IN FOR SITE DEVELOPMENT, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DEDICATE RIGHT OF WAY BUILD SIDEWALKS, BIKE LANES, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW WE GET THOSE INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS.
HOWEVER, WE DON'T HAVE, UM, FUNDING IDENTIFIED FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS ROADWAY.
AND IT'S LOW RATING IS RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF CARS THAT UTILIZE THIS ROAD.
IS THAT ACCURATE THERE? YEAH, THERE, THERE'S A PRETTY IN-DEPTH PRIORITY MATRIX.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY, BUT I DID TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND IT WAS FAIRLY LOW ON THAT.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THESE WOULD ALL BE HANDLED AT SITE PLAN AS FAR AS THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SITE RELATIVE TO THE INTERFACE WITH TRANSPORTATION.
WOULD ANY IMPROVEMENTS BE REQUIRED FOR A PROJECT OF THIS SIZE ON THIS ROADWAY RELATIVE TO AN ENHANCED, UH, EGRESS OR INGRESS? BASICALLY, IF THE NEIGHBORS ARE ASKING FOR IMPROVEMENTS, ARE ANY OF THESE GONNA COME FROM THE CITY? ARE THEY GONNA HAVE TO GO TO THE DEVELOPER TO REQUEST THESE? SO ANY OF ANY OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE DEVELOPER, UH, PROPOSES WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT.
AGAIN, I THINK, UM, THE, THE IMPACT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH WHERE WE WOULD GET A WHOLE LOT FROM THEM.
I THINK IT'LL PROBABLY END UP BEING, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS AND WE WILL LOOK AT THE DRIVEWAY AND THE SAFETY CONCERNS.
WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT SITE DISTANCE.
UM, IF, IF THE DEVELOPER IS WANTING TO PROVIDE MORE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT.
UM, BUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY PROVIDE, WE DO HAVE TO RUN IT AGAINST ROUGH PROPORTIONALITY.
AND BECAUSE THIS DEVELOPMENT IS FAIRLY LOW, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH WE WOULD GET BEYOND BASE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK UP IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO LOOK INTO IMPROVING.
SORRY, I'M BEING ASKED BY MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO MOVE FASTER.
UM, WELL, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM THE CITY, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ACCESS POINT AT KNUCKLES CROSSING.
UH, DESPITE THE FACT OF WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A SUBSTANDARD ROAD, ARE YOU WILLING TO COMMIT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, PER THE RE PER, PER THE COMPLAINTS AND LETTERS THAT WE RECEIVED TO LOOK AT IMPROVING THAT ACCESS POINT, UH, PER YOUR PREVIOUS COMMENTS? WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO GET PERMISSION TO ATTACH A DRIVEWAY INTO NOLES CROSSING.
AND WITH THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET PERMISSION.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT IN SOME KIND OF A RIGHT TURN ACCESS ROAD.
[02:45:01]
GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA SATISFY THE CITY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA JUST LET US CONNECT TO THE ROAD JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE.WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE'S SUFFICIENT SITE DISTANCE.
WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE DRIVEWAYS ARE NOT TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF HURDLES THAT WE HAVE TO GO OVER IN ORDER TO GET THE CITY TO APPROVE OUR, OUR CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
BUT THE NEIGHBORS, UH, SPOKE TO THE FACT THAT THE DEVELOPER OF ECOS WAS WILLING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CITY REQUIREMENT.
IS THAT A, IS THAT AN OPTION THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN? WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HE, THEY WENT UP ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CITY REQUIREMENTS IN THAT THEY PUT IN A RIGHT TURN LANE AND THEY PUT IN A SIDEWALK.
AND I MEAN, I DON'T SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA GET APPROVAL FOR THIS PROJECT WITHOUT DOING THE SAME THING.
I MEAN, THE CITY'S GONNA REQUIRE A SIDEWALK ON OUR SIDE, THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE ACCESS COMING IN.
SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THE RIGHT TURN LANE IS PRETTY MUCH SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IN, IN ORDER TO GET THE CITY TO APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
BUT IF THE CITY DOESN'T REQUIRE IT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'D BE WILLING TO AGREE TO FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WELL, I MEAN, THE THING IS, I, WHEN YOU SAY THE CITY DOESN'T RE IT DOESN'T REQUIREMENT REQUIRE IT.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT CONTRADICTS MY EXPERIENCE WITH CITY OF AUSTIN PROJECTS.
CITY OF AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT JURISDICTIONS TO GET APPROVAL IN BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT REGULATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
AND IF YOU DON'T MEET THEM ALL, OH WELL, YOU KNOW, TOO SAD.
BUT YOU, YOU JUST DON'T GET YOUR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE OWNER'S FAULT THAT KNUCKLES CROSSING IS A SUBSTANDARD ROAD.
BUT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, AND ULTIMATELY TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE DRIVEWAY ACCESS REGARDLESS WHAT KIND OF A ZONING IT IS.
AND SO WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHETHER, WHETHER THE ZONING STAYS THE SAME OR WHETHER IT CHANGES TO MULTIFAMILY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I I I DON'T SEE THAT THE, UH, WITH THAT, THE OBJECTION BASED ON THE SUBSTANDARD QUALITY OF KNUCKLES CROSSING IS RELEVANT TO THE ZONING CHANGE.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S RELEVANT TO THE ACTUAL DESIGN, BUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE ZONING IS, IS WHAT THE ZONING IS.
I JUST DON'T, I JUST DON'T, I APPRECIATE YOUR POSITION, WHAT YOU'VE STATED MULTIPLE TIMES.
I, WHAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW IS IF IF THERE IS NO REQUEST FROM THE CITY TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MENTIONING, ARE YOU WILLING TO MAKE THOSE CHA CHANGES ON YOUR OWN TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY? WELL, WE, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE IT RIGHT AWAY.
DEDICATION, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S BECAUSE THE ROAD'S GONNA HAVE TO BE WIDENED, RIGHT? AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO GIVE UP SOME OF OUR PROPERTY.
AND THEN AS FAR AS LIKE THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE STUCK WITH IT, WE'RE STUCK WITH IT.
IF THE CITY'S GONNA PAY FOR SOME OF IT, THEY'RE GONNA PAY FOR SOME OF IT.
BUT YOU SAY YES, SAY WHAT? WE ARE DEDICATED THE RIGHT AWAY.
WE ARE DEDICATED THE RIGHT AWAY.
SO I MEAN, IF WE'RE WILLING TO DEDICATE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO PROVIDE ACCESS INTO THE, INTO THE SITE, I MEAN, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, I MEAN HOW DOES THE, HOW DOES THE STATE OF KNUCKLES CROSSING MATTER IF WE MEET ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO GET THE PERMITS IN THE FIRST PLACE? 'CAUSE WE CAN'T JUST DO WHATEVER WE FEEL LIKE DOING.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO CITE DISTANCE MATTERS, STOPPING DISTANCE MATTERS, ALL OF THAT STUFF.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE CITY THAT OUR PROPOSAL MEETS ALL OF THOSE GUIDELINES OR THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA PERMIT THE PROJECT.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION STAFF AND POSSIBLY ALSO MS. ESTRADA.
MY QUESTION IS, AND AND WHOEVER WANTS TO ANSWER THIS CAN COME UP.
HOW DOES STAFF TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD ALONG A PROJECT LIKE THIS THAT IS BEING PROPOSED IN THEIR ZONING RECOMMENDATION? NANCY ESTRADA CURRENT PLANNING, UM, WE DID, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS BASICALLY WE DID REACH OUT TO TRANSPORTATION TO, UM, GET SOME FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS.
WE KNEW THERE WAS NOT GONNA BE ANY ACCESS ALLOWED FROM ST.
ELMO ROAD AND WE KNEW THAT ACCESS WOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED FROM KNUCKLES CROSSING.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CONSIDERED.
UM, WE ALSO KNEW THAT ZTA WAS NOT REQUIRED JUST BECAUSE OF, AGAIN, IT WAS ONLY PROPOSING 40 UNITS.
SO, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE FURTHER REVIEWED AS IT WENT ON TO SITE PLAN.
AND SO AS WELL, THOSE WERE THE, THOSE WERE THE, UM, POINTS THAT WE LOOKED AT WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING THIS CASE.
THANKS MS. ESTRADA, I APPRECIATE THAT.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR MS. AGUIRE OR MS. FRANCI, WHICHEVER WANTS TO COME UP,
[02:50:01]
IF YOU CAN BOTH COME UP IF YOU'D LIKE TO.BUT I WANNA UNDERSTAND FIRST KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE LAST POSTPONEMENT AND WHAT CONVERSATIONS WERE HAD.
AND THEN I'LL JUST ASK MY SECOND QUESTION AS YOU'RE MAKING YOUR WAY UP HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE HEARD A LOT OF PROPOSALS ABOUT ROAD SAFETY BY THE APPLICANT.
WE HEARD A LOT OF IDEAS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN FROM THE CITY, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF GUARANTEES BEING MADE HERE IN TERMS OF SAFETY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WOULD GIVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD MORE COMFORT THAT SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS WILL ACTUALLY BE MET? THANK YOU.
UM, SO WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE OUR POSTPONEMENT ON APRIL THE THIRD 13TH, THE APPLICANT CAME TO OUR MEETING AND SAID THE OWNER WOULD DONATE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO WIDEN KNUCKLES CROSSING.
ONE OF THE APPLICANTS REPRESENTATIVES TOLD US IN HIS OWN WORDS, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO BUILD HERE UNLESS THE ROAD IS WIDENED ON APRIL THE 23RD.
WE EMAILED ASKING FOR THE TRAFFIC PLAN REGARDING THE CITY'S RESPONSE ON THE RIGHT OF WAY DONATION AND HOW RESIDENTS WOULD ENTER AND EXIT THE SITE.
WE GOT NO REAL ANSWER ON MAY THE FIFTH AND THE EIGHTH.
WE ARE NOT HEARING ANY RESPONSE THAT WILL ENSURE US THAT THEY'RE TAKING OUR SAFETY INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD HAPPEN WITH A POTENTIAL FUTURE POSTPONEMENT? BECAUSE I AGREE THAT THERE IS NOT A LOT OF, UH, ASSURANCES THAT ARE BEING MADE HERE THAT COULD MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL BETTER ABOUT WHAT I AGREE IS A VERY DANGEROUS ROAD SITUATION HERE.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR CONVERSATION ONGOING AND WHAT COULD THAT LOOK LIKE? ABSOLUTELY.
WE WOULD INVITE THEM TO COME TO THE TABLE AND MEET WITH US.
WE WOULD ALSO ASK THE CITY STAFF TO BE THERE AND ANSWER OUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
SO ABSOLUTELY WE'D MORE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY.
THAT'S ALL WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR.
WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT AND WHEN THEY, WE DON'T HEAR A RESPONSE, WE'RE WONDERING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO ABSOLUTELY, WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP FROM THIS COMMISSION.
THANKS MS. AGUIRE AND TO THE APPLICANT.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON NOT TAKING THIS INTO ACCOUNT AS PART OF OUR ZONING DECISION, BUT I SPECIFICALLY WANNA ASK IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH NEIGHBORS AND WITH CITY STAFF ABOUT THIS CASE, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO HAVING FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT IT? UM, YES.
WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE CITY STAFF AND, UH, WE MISSED THE LAST MEETING.
THERE WAS A MEETING YESTERDAY THAT WE DIDN'T, WE DID NOT ATTEND.
UM, BUT I MEAN ULTIMATELY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS ACCESS INTO THE SITE IS WE'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ROW FOR A, FOR A DECELERATION LANE AND A UH, YOU KNOW, A UH, BASICALLY A LEFT TURN LANE.
SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE MAKING A LEFT TURN OUT, THERE'LL BE ENOUGH ROOM IN THE RIGHT OF WAY TO EXPAND THE ROADWAY OUT.
UM, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE I JUST HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE WILLING TO HAVE A FUTURE CONVERSATION.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT FUTURE CONVERSATION SHOULD TAKE PLACE WHEN WE'RE DOING THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE GET, HAVE TO GET THE NITTY GRITTY WORKED OUT AS FAR AS WHERE EXACTLY WE'RE GONNA PUT EVERYTHING.
MY LAST QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY TIME CONSTRAINTS THAT WOULD MAKE A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ZONING CASE UH, MAKE THE PROJECT NOT FEASIBLE? UM, WELL, I MEAN IT WOULD BE INCONVENIENT FOR US BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT IS TO HAVE THE REZONING SO WE CAN GET BUSY WITH THE, WITH THE SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED US TO, IF YOU NEED US TO DO SITE PLANS TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE YOU DO THE REZONING, I MEAN IF THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT WORK AT SOME POINT ANYWAYS.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? OKAY, I AM LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER BEDROSIAN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS CASE.
CAN YOU SPECIFY THE DATE CERTAIN TO WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE IT, NOTING THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS A CONSENT ONLY AGENDA.
AM I ABLE TO ASK A QUESTION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? NOT REALLY.
UM, I THINK YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR BEST ESTIMATION AT THIS POINT AND MAYBE THEN I WOULD MAKE IT FOR A MONTH FROM TODAY.
UH, I'M GONNA SECOND THAT MOTION TO POSTPONE TO JUNE 23RD.
COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, SOME FURTHERANCE
[02:55:01]
OF THIS DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPLICANT.I THINK IF THIS ITEM CAN BE RESOLVED, UM, THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO I THINK ALLOWING THAT TIME WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO THIS CASE.
ANYONE SPEAKING AGAINST THE MOTION SPEAKING FOR COMMISSIONER BREWER RAMIREZ? YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY OUR CHARGE IS ABOUT LAND USE AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ZONING IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE LAND USE.
BUT ADDITIONALLY WE ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THOSE U THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, USING THE LAND.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT WE AREN'T HEARING A DEFINITIVE ANSWER FROM THE APPLICANT SAYING WE ARE DEDICATED TO SAFETY AND SAFETY IS OUR PRIMARY, IS MY PRIMARY CONCERN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THIS ROADWAY.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE MOTION? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS ONE MONTH UNTIL JUNE 9TH MADE BY COMMISSIONER ROJAN.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WOODS.
THOSE IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER POWELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR SPEAKERS ON THIS CASE AND TO OUR STAFF LIAISONS.
WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR NEXT ZONING CASE, WHICH IS ITEMS 10 AND 11, I'M SORRY, ITEMS EIGHT
[Items 8 & 9]
AND NINE.WE'LL HEAR FROM STAFF FIRST RE MEREDITH AUSTIN.
PLANNING ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS PLAN AMENDMENT NPA 20 24 0 0 1 8 0.0 1 7 0 0 3 7 0 0 5 AND 7 0 0 7 GUADALUPE STREET.
REZONE PROPERTY IS IN DISTRICT FOUR.
THE REQUEST IS TO CHANGE A FUTURE LAND USE MAP FROM HIGH DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY TO MIXED USE.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE AND THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE BRENTWOOD HIGHLAND COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
JONATHAN TOMKO WITH AUSTIN PLANNING.
ITEM NUMBER NINE IS CASE NUMBER C 14 DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 3 6.
IT IS A REZONING OF 7,003, 7,005 AND 7,007 GUADALUPE STREET FROM MF ONE E TODD D-P-D-B-E, TODD NP, EXCUSE ME, SUBDISTRICT TWO S3 OR SF SIX NMP AND MF TWO E TODD DBE TODD NMP, SUBDISTRICT TWO TO CS E TODD, DBE TODD CO NMP SUBDISTRICT TWO STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND GRANTING THE REQUEST AND OFFERS AN ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATION OF MF FOUR E TODD, DBE TODD NP SUBDISTRICT TWO.
THE SUBDISTRICT UH, THE SUBJECT TRACT INCLUDES THREE LOTS THAT ARE, EXCUSE ME, ONE LOT FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF GUADALUPE STREET AND A SMP LEVEL TWO ROADWAY AND SOI DRIVE AND A SMP LEVEL ONE ROADWAY AND IS NOT ON THE CORNER WHILE THE SUBJECT TRACK IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LAMAR JUSTIN LANE, TOD.
THERE IS NOT AN ADEQUATE STREET GRID TO GET TO THE STATION AREA WITHOUT A WALK GREATER THAN A A HALF MILE.
THERE'S A LARGE LHA SHOPPING CENTER, THE CRESCENT TO THE WEST THAT UNCOVERS SEVERAL BLOCKS TO THE EAST OF THE STATION AREA FROM EASILY REACHING THE STATION.
THE AREA TO THE EAST OF THE CRESCENT SHOPPING CENTER TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IS PREDOMINANTLY A MULTI-FAMILY DISTRICT THAT TRANSITIONS TO A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE PARK.
THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY SUBSTANTIAL COMMERCIAL ON GUADALUPE STREET EVEN.
AND MORE MAJOR INTERSECTIONS LIKE WEST ST.
JOHN'S AVENUE AND GUADALUPE STREET, BOTH A SMP LEVEL TWO CORRIDORS CS BASED ZONING DISTRICT IS TYPICALLY FOUND AT AN INTERSECTION OF A MAJOR ROADWAY AND KEEPING AND STAFF BELIEVES KEEPING THIS POCKET OF MULTIFAMILY BASED DISTRICT ZONING COULD BETTER SUPPORT COMMERCIALLY OR MIXED USE ZONING PROPERTY ALONG MORE MAJOR ROADWAYS AND WITHIN THE TOD ITSELF RATHER THAN TO TRY AND COMPETE WITH IT ON A NEW CORRIDOR.
THERE IS NO OTHER INSTANCE OF CS BASED DISTRICT ZONING ON GUADALUPE STREET WITHIN THE VICINITY THAT DOES NOT FRONT A MORE MAJOR ROADWAY.
I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT, JERRY PARALIS, WHO IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
JERRY, YOU'LL HAVE 10 MINUTES AND YOU ARE COMBINING THESE ITEMS.
[03:00:05]
UH, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONERS.MY NAME IS JERRY PERES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
SO I AM REPRESENTING THIS SITE AT 7,003, 7,005 AND 7,007 GUADALUPE STREET.
AND UM, WE HAVE, WE WERE, UH, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE WERE APPROACHED BY, UM, THE CITY TO FIND AN ACCESS POINT TO THE PARK THAT IS BASICALLY GOT ONE O UH, OFFICIAL PARK, UH, ENTRANCE ON ST.
SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE WE WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, THE OWNERS WEREN'T EVEN INTERESTED IN REALLY ANYTHING AND, UM, EXCEPT FOR NOW THAT WE WERE APPROACHED TO SAY, HEY, HOW CAN WE HELP THE NEIGHBORHOOD? AND THAT BECAME A BIG ISSUE.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE STARTED TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH TALKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT BEST, HOW BEST WE COULD SERVE.
AND IT SEEMS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE AN ACCESS POINT AS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT, UM, BY PROVIDING SOMETHING THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE WORKING WITH PARKS DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH OUR PARKS, UM, PARK PLAN, DEDICATION, FEES, AND UM, ANY WAY THAT WE CAN TO TRY AND PROVIDE ACCESS.
AND ON THE NOTE OF THE CS, IT WAS REALLY A COMMUNITY ACCESS, UM, REQUEST THAT SAID, WELL, WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE A COMMUNITY RETAILER OR A COFFEE SHOP OR SOMETHING THAT'S LOCAL THAT COULD BE UTILIZED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT HAVING TO WALK ALL THE WAY TO ST.
SO IT WOULD BE VERY COMMUNITY BASED.
SO THAT'S HOW THE CONVERSATION, UM, BEGAN.
AND IT'S GONE THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT ITERATIONS AS FAR AS DISCUSSIONS HAVE GONE.
UM, WE HAVEN'T REALLY DEVELOPED ANY PLANS OR ANYTHING BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS FIND OUT WHAT WOULD SERVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THE BEST.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE, UM, THE POSITION OF THE CITY AND UNDERSTAND, UM, THEY NOT AGREEING WITH OUR US BUT WHAT WE FEEL IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO, TO PROVIDE A DEVELOPER TO COMMUNITY CITY SOLUTION, A COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION.
AND, UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER THAT, UM, IS THE, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP AND THE PERSON THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING A VERY LONG TIME WITH TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
AND THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEJANDRO DELA VEGA, WHO'S JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
ALEJANDRO, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
HI, UH, ARE MY SLIDE GREEN? AREN'T MY SLIDES BEING SHOWN? THEY ARE, UH, DO YOU KNOW IF IT'S AN ORANGE SLIDE? WE HAVE AN ORANGE SLIDE THAT SAYS HIGHLAND SLASH SKYVIEW CONTACT TEAM.
OKAY, UH, LET'S GO TO THE SECOND SLIDE PLEASE.
UH, MY NAME IS ALEJANDRO DEL VEGA.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HIGHLAND SKYVIEW CONTACT TEAM.
SINCE THIS LAST SUMMER, I'VE HEARD YOU WANTED TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES QUICKLY.
UH, WE REPRESENT BOTH HIGHLAND AND SKYVIEW AND ONE THING I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO SINCE BECOMING CHAIR IS ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A BROADER MEMBERSHIP.
SO AT THE TIME OF THAT MEETING, THERE WAS SIX OFFICIAL VOTING MEMBERS PER THE BYLAWS THAT REQUIRED TWO PLUS MEETINGS IN THE LAST YEAR.
UH, BUT NOW FOR FUTURE MEETINGS, WE HAVE, UM, UP TO 11 VOTING MEMBERS AND WE REGULARLY PRESENT TO HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND AS WELL HAVE, UH, MULTIPLE SKYVIEW MEMBERS.
UH, WE'RE, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY IS, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN AN IMAGINE AUSTIN TOWN CENTER.
UH, IT'S ALSO NEAR A EIGHT TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UH, CRESTVIEW AREA.
TO ME, THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE ALREADY MANY USES IN THIS AREA.
THIS IS ALREADY A HIGHLY WALKABLE AREA WITH SHOPPING, GROCERIES, COFFEES, BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND IMPORTANTLY TRANSIT.
SO TO ME, THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF THAT AND IS WELL LOCATED FOR THAT AREA.
IMPORTANTLY, THIS AREA IS HIGHLY DENSE IN REGARDS TO TRANSIT.
SO THIS, UH, AREA HAS SIX BUS LINES TO WHICH ARE HIGH FREQUENCY, AND THERE'S TWO RED LINE STATIONS.
ALTHOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT THE GRID.
ULTIMATELY IT'S A 10 MINUTE POINT, FOUR MILE WALK TO THE CRESTY STATION.
AND I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS FEASIBLE BECAUSE I LIVE FURTHER AWAY AND I REGULARLY TAKE TRANSIT TO WORK.
UH, ONE IMPORTANT ASPECT OF HIGHLAND IS THAT IT IS ALREADY HIGHLY WALKABLE, BUT IN SOME WAYS IT'S A HIGHLY WALKABLE ISLAND, AS YOU CAN SEE FOR BEING SO FAR FROM DOWNTOWN.
IT'S VERY WALKABLE, BUT THE WALKABILITY QUICKLY FALLS OFF.
AND ONE WAY TO MAKE THIS BETTER IS TO HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE RETAIL.
AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER THROUGH FACEBOOK DISCUSSIONS AT MY TIME IS CHAIR, THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE MORE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE RETAIL AND THAILAND.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S PRIMARILY THROUGH THESE LARGE SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE NOT VERY WALKABLE.
[03:05:01]
AND OFTEN, UH, MANY DEVELOPERS ARE ACTUALLY NOT WILLING TO DO THIS OR NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THIS PERHAPS 'CAUSE NOT THEIR EXPERTISE.SO THEY HAVE A DEVELOPER WILLING TO WORK WITH US TO DO THIS WAS VERY EXCITING.
UM, IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS PERHAPS THE ZONING CODE, RIGHT? UM, I THINK THAT THE PLANNING STAFF MADE A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR CS BEING NOT THE NORMAL ZONING HERE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT MS DOESN'T GIVE US THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE RETAIL, SO IT BECOMES A CHICKEN OF THE EGG PROBLEM, RIGHT? UH, IS THIS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO DO WE HAVE A VISION FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WE DO.
IT'S A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? THIS SHOULD HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN WALK TO AND HAVE DENSITY OF HOUSING.
SO WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE.
I WANTED TO JUST QUICKLY SHOW THE PARK.
UM, SO THAT'S A HIGHLY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IN THE MIDDLE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S CURRENTLY ONLY ACCESS TO THE NORTH.
UM, SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY WANTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE WEST.
THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN POTENTIAL DISCUSSIONS.
UH, I THINK WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S STILL ONGOING OF POTENTIALLY ADDING A TRAIL ENTRANCE FROM THERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FEASIBILITY QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED, BUT WHAT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE IS THAT TO THE SOUTH THERE IS A POTENTIAL TRAIL THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT DUE TO IT BEING NEXT TO A PARK, THERE'S VERY FEW CONCERNS ABOUT THE ADJACENCY OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO THERE TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HAS BEEN NO IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE RAISED ANY CONCERNS.
UM, AND IF ANYTHING, THIS ACTUALLY ADDS EYES ON THE STREET TO THE PARK.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THE CURRENT, UH, PROPOSED TRAIL NETWORK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE WALLER CREEK TRAIL GOING TO THE PARK IS A TIER TWO TRAIL.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO, UH, FORGET THE TEXT.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY FROM ANOTHER SLIDE.
THERE ARE NO FUNDS FOR THIS TRAIL, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, I WANTED TO SUMMARIZE THE WHAT WE HAVE RECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPER THAT WE WANT TO, TO FORMALIZE AT THE MOUA $20,000 CONTRIBUTION TO THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FUND TO POTENTIALLY, UH, EITHER IMPROVE THE PARK OR HELP DEVELOP TRAILS.
UH, A COMMITMENT TO ENGAGE WITH STAFF IN SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT, THANK NEIGHBORHOOD PARK TRAIL SYSTEM.
UH, PERHAPS THROUGH YOUR TIME IS UP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
I AM LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROSN.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT ITEM PASSES AND WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR ROUND ROBIN.
SO WE HAVE SLOTS FOR EIGHT COMMISSIONERS AT FIVE MINUTES EACH.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? UH OH.
COMMISSIONER ROJAN, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, QUESTION FOR, UH, ALEJANDRO FROM THE PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
UH, ALEJANDRO, DO YOU HAVE ANY EXISTING, UH, AGREEMENTS WITH THE DEVELOPER THAT YOU'VE NEGOTIATED ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? THANK YOU.
UH, WE HAVE A AGREEMENT WITH A DEVELOPER.
THEY HAVE AGREED TO HOLD $20,000 IN ESCROW FOR THE HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FUND.
UH, THEY HAVE AGREED TO WORK WITH STAFF TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
UM, THERE IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ACTUALLY MET, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I'VE MET WITH SOME CITY STAFF AND WE'RE TRYING TO CREATIVELY UNDERSTAND HOW PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES CAN BE USED.
SO WE WANNA ENSURE THERE'S A COMMITMENT ON EVERYBODY'S END TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE USING THESE, YOU KNOW, COSTLY FEES, UH, IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE PARK.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED A LIST OF PROHIBITED CS USES, UH, TO ENSURE THAT DESPITE THE ZONING, PERHAPS NOT BEING THE MOST NATURAL FIT FOR THIS PROPERTY, ENSURING THAT, UH, COMMERCIAL SPACE IS NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE RETAIL.
AND TO THAT END, UH, A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO EVALUATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COULD SUPPORT KITCHEN CAPABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE, INCLUDING CIVIL WATER AND WASTE WATER CAPACITY.
UM, THE REASON FOR THIS LAST, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ITEM IS BECAUSE IN MANY PROJECTS, UH, DON'T END UP DOING NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL REALLY.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS ABOUT.
TO OUR UNDERSTANDING, THEY REALLY WANNA ENSURE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THIS DOES BECOME SOMETHING THAT IS ACTIVATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT, UM, RELATIVE TO THE, UH, TO THE PARK ACCESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY WITH SOME OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO, UH, LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF THE EGRESS THROUGH THE PROPERTY, UH, WITH POTENTIAL ACCESS THROUGH THE, UH, CURRENT DETENTION POND.
IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE THAT THERE'S STILL WORK UNDERWAY? WE
[03:10:01]
HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED AS, WE HAVEN'T YET.WE HAVEN'T STARTED WITH THE ARCHITECT IN ANY OF THE DESIGNS YET, SO WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THAT OPEN.
AND EVEN TODAY THERE WAS A DISCUSSION OF IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD COMBINE, YOU KNOW, FIXING THE DETENTION POND ON SITE AND UM, AND CREATING MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT WHOLE CONFIGURATION SO THAT THE SITE IS THE ACCESS.
SO, WHICH WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR ME AS AN ENGINEER, A GREAT PUZZLE TO TRY AND SOLVE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT SPOT.
AND THE ONLY OTHER SPOT FOR ACCESS IS THROUGH A DRAINAGE CHANNEL.
PEOPLE LIKE ARE WALKING THROUGH THERE TO GET TO THE PARK IF YOU'RE NOT DRIVING.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE AS ENGINEERS COULD FIX TO TRY AND GRANT THAT ACCESS THROUGH THIS SITE.
AND IT WOULD BE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THIS? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE CAN DELIVER THIS PROJECT.
IN FACT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY THE BEST WAY FOR IT ALL.
SORRY, IT, I WAS COMPOSING MY QUESTION IN MY HEAD WHEN I HIT IT EARLIER.
UM, SO THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
SO, SO CS ZONING IS ONE OF THE MORE INTENSIVE ZONINGS.
UM, CAN YOU TALK TO, UH, WHY YOU'RE REACHING FOR A CS AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING LIKE A, LIKE A GR OR AN LR OR SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, LESS INTENSE? LIKE WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REQUESTING? WELL, THE CS DOES HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT LAND USES, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS LIMIT THOSE LAND USES TO BE RESTRICTIVE AND IN, IN LINE WITH, UM, THE TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THE CS ZONING IS, UM, IS E MAKES IT EASIER FOR OUR ARCHITECT AND, AND DIFFERENT OPTIONS AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN DELIVER, UH, ON THE DESIGN SIDE OF IT.
SO REALLY FOR ME IS THAT IF WE CAN GET THE CS ZONING, IT GIVES US DESIGN FLEXIBILITY AND IF WE LIMIT THE LAND USES, WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE IN THE CS ZONING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE NOT GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THAT HAS GOTTEN THERE.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE CS JUST FOR SORT OF MAXIMUM DESIGN POTENTIAL? THERE, THERE HASN'T BEEN A, UH, A CONSIDERATION FOR GR, WHICH IS, UM, SLIGHTLY LESS INTENSIVE AND HAS A SLIGHTLY LESS, UH, HIGH IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS MORE BASED ON, UM, FAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF THE APPLICANT DIDN'T WANNA GO WITH A-D-A-D-B-T-O-D TYPE OF DESIGNATION AND NOT GET THE, THE GR WOULD HAVE A ONE-TO-ONE SAR, WHICH WOULD REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT EVERYTHING.
SO EVEN THE GOD STUFF, SO, AND, AND I'M NOT AN ARCHITECT, SO IT'S WAS TAUGHT TO ME BY THE ARCHITECT, SO I'M LIKE, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF NOW.
UM, SO IT, IT SEEMS VERY CLEAR THAT THE APPLICANT IS LOOKING TO DO AN INTERESTING MIXED USE PROJECT AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THIS.
UH, SPECIFICALLY ON THE MIXED USE PORTION.
I'M WONDERING WHERE THE DECISION TO, UM, INSTEAD OF FINDING A, A LESS DENSE OR A LESS INTENSIVE MIXED USE CATEGORY, UH, STAFF HAS DECIDED THAT, UH, MULTIFAMILY IS, IS THE MORE APPROPRIATE ZONE FOR THIS.
CAN YOU TALK TO YOUR DECISION THERE? YES, CERTAINLY JONATHAN TOMKO WITH AUSTIN PLANNING, UH, AS NOTED IN MY INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE, THIS IS A POCKET AREA OVER HERE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL EXISTING.
UH, AND WE SPOKE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN INTEREST IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN SEEING MORE NEIGHBORHOODS, SCALE RES UH, RETAIL, UH, IN THOSE KIND OF ASSETS.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THE, AND THE POINT WAS RAISED THAT IT'D BE PLACED IN PLACES WHERE IT'S MOST LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SPEAKING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE STREET GRID, TALKING ABOUT WHERE THE EXISTING CONCENTRATIONS OF COMMERCIAL ALREADY ARE, ALONG THOSE MORE MAJOR CORRIDORS, THERE WERE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THERE WOULD BE COMMERCIAL VIABILITY IN THIS POCKET AREA LIKE THIS.
AND I THINK THERE COULD BE, UM, AN ISSUE IF, YOU KNOW, ZONING IS GRANTED FOR SPECIFIC USES THAT MAY NOT BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND IF THOSE DO NOT, YOU KNOW, BECOME SUCCESSFUL, THEN THEY BECOME A NARRATIVE THAT TAKES US FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT INTENDED GOAL OF TRYING TO GET MORE NEIGHBORHOOD COMM, UH, COMMERCIAL.
SO, UH, SO I THINK STAFF HAD A HARD TIME GETTING, UH, WRAPPING THEIR HEAD AROUND THAT WITH A CS BASE, UH, UH, NOT AT A CORNER.
AND ON A STREET THAT DIDN'T REALLY
[03:15:01]
HAVE A LOT OF OTHER, UH, DRAW, UH, FEATURES TO IT.AND SO, SO THE STAFF, RIGHT, SO THE STAFF UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE DEVELOPER WAS PROPOSING A, A ZONING CATEGORY THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK WAS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THE DEVELOPER DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HIS, HIS, UH, HIS REQUEST WOULD, WOULD WORK FINANCIALLY WELL.
SO IT'S NOT JUST SOLELY FINANCIALLY, I THINK IT'S PLANNING PRINCIPLES AS WELL, BUT THERE'S CONCERN AROUND THE SIGHTING OF AN INTENSE, AS YOU NOTED, CS IS AN INTENSE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, UH, WITHIN A MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT LIKE THIS.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER AHMED? YEAH, I HAD A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
I WAS LOOKING AT, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOUR LETTER IN THE BACKUP TO, UH, PLANNING STAFF, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT.
SAID, UH, ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A WAIVER OR REDUCTION IN THE E OS REQUIREMENT THAT NON-RESIDENTIAL BASED ZONE SITES MUST PROVIDE 75% OF THEIR BUILDING FRONTAGE, UH, FOR COMMERCIAL OR CIVIC USES.
UH, IS THAT PART OF THE OFFICIAL REQUEST IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE, UH, BASE ZONING CHANGE? UH, JUST, AND, AND IF SO, WHY WERE YOU LOOKING FOR THAT WAIVER REDUCTION? UM, THAT IS PART OF OUR REQUEST AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE COMMERCIAL DESIGN STANDARDS AND THE, UM, ALIGNMENT OF THE BUILDING.
AND THAT WE, I DON'T THINK WE COULD PHYSICALLY GIVE THE, UM, THE, THE TRAIL HEAD BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE BUILDING OVER THE ACTUAL ACCESS PATH.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE WOULD WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MEET THAT STANDARD IF WE GAVE THE RIGHT OF THE, THE TRAP, THE TRAIL.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ASKED COULD WE MAKE THE ACCESS POINT UNDERNEATH OR SOME KIND OF PODIUM AND GO UNDERNEATH OUR BUILDING SO THAT WE COULD MEET THE 75% OF OUR, OF THE WIDTH OF OUR, OF OUR FRONTAGE.
BUT THAT'S STILL, THAT MAKES IT SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T LET US HAVE THE BUILDING OVER IT.
SO THEN THAT'S WHY WE'RE LESS THAN 75% IF WE PUT A BUILDING PHYSICALLY ON THE BLOCK.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WITH THIS PROJECT IS THE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
UH, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, EVEN WITH THAT WAIVER, YOU BELIEVE THERE WILL BE, UH, MEANINGFUL, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE OF GROUND FLOOR RETAIL WITH THIS PROJECT, RIGHT? OH YEAH.
THAT, THAT WOULDN'T LIMIT THE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXPECTING SOME TYPE OF 25 FOOT ACCESS EASEMENT FROM A PROPERTY LINE, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT SO WE DON'T HAVE 75 FOOT UP FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO THEN I WOULD HAVE ALL OF THE GROUND FLOOR INTENTIONALLY, HOPEFULLY BEING, YOU KNOW, RETAIL.
OKAY, THEN I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER REEN MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR A SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GANNON.
COMMISSIONER REEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? SURE.
UM, WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF'S, UH, RESERVATIONS FOR THE CS ZONING HERE.
AND I DON'T WANNA MAKE IT SEEM LIKE WE'RE NOT TAKING THESE VERY SERIOUSLY, UM, CASES LIKE THIS THAT COME IN WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE APPLICANT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THE DISTRICT, UH, AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS BEHIND THEM ON A CASE LIKE THIS.
UH, I DO AGREE THAT THIS ISN'T A PRECEDENT WE NECESSARILY WANNA START, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS ALSO JUST A UNIQUE CONDITION, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS PROPERTY BACKING UP TO A PARK LIKE IT DOES, UM, AND THE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACCESS THAT IT AFFORDS.
UM, AND I THINK THE, THE WISDOM OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE ACCESS POINTS NEED EYES ON THEM AT ALL TIMES.
AND I THINK THAT THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE RES, UH, COMMERCIAL WOULD OFFER THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND FOR THAT REASON I'M SUPPORTING THIS CASE.
THANKS, COMMISSIONER ROSN, COMMISSIONER SPEAKING AGAINST ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO SPEAK FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER POWELL.
YEAH, JUST WANNA SUPPORT THIS ITEM AS WELL AND THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
AND MOSTLY JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM.
I MEAN, THAT IS REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, THAT LEVEL, LEVEL OF CARE AND CONSIDERATION COLLABORATION WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THE APPLICANT.
UM, AND THEN TO SEE THAT RECIPROCATED, UH, KNOWING THIS AREA, IT IS A UNIQUE AREA IN AUSTIN THAT DESERVES SOME REALLY GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO JUST REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS COLLABORATION AND EXCITED TO SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF IT.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST COMMISSIONER GANNON.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK FOR IT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UH, HAVING A COMMERCIAL PROJECT RIGHT ON A PARK WITH A PATH ON
[03:20:01]
IT, I THINK THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A REALLY KILLER, UH, LOCATION AND REALLY, UM, I THINK IT, I THINK WE NEED MORE, UH, COMMERCIAL FRONTAGES THAT OPEN UP TO PARKS.UH, WHEN YOU TRAVEL AROUND FREQUENTLY IN THESE WORLD CLASS CITIES THAT YOU GO AND VISIT, YOU'RE GETTING AN ICE CREAM AND THERE'S A PARK THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE I