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IT'S NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2026, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THIS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION.
WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, AND WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED IN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UH, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA, UH, BRIEFINGS IN BOTH INSTANCES.
AND WHAT WE'LL DO MEMBERS IS I THINK JUST GO IN THE ORDER OF THE TWO THAT WE HAVE, UH, WITH REGARD TO, TO THOSE WHERE THE AGENDAS JUST SET OUT.
UH, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I'LL RECOGNIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND THEN WE'LL GO TO, UH, THE BRIEFINGS.
[B1. Briefing on the current status of data center uses in the City and possible future amendments to the City Code or regulations. [Joi Harden, Acting Assistant Director - Austin Planning, Shay Roalson, Director - Austin Water, Stuart Reilly, General Manager - Austin Energy].]
UH, TODAY IS RELATED TO DATA CENTERS, UH, AND ON MAY 15TH, 2026, MAYOR WATSON, YOU ASKED STAFF THROUGH THE MESSAGE BOARD TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON MANAGING LARGE LOAD DATA CENTERS IN AUSTIN.ON AUGUST 19TH, THE CITY STAFF DISTRIBUTED A MEMORANDUM REGARDING STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS A RESPONSE TO THE MESSAGE BOARD POST TODAY, JOY HARDIN, UH, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH AUSTIN PLANNING.
STUART RILEY, GENERAL MANAGER WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND SHAA ROLSON, DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER, WILL GIVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN, IN ANTICIPATION OF ITEM 61 ON AUGUST 27TH, CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER, UH, TO MS. HARDEN, UH, TO BEGIN, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
UH, BEFORE MS. HARDIN SPEAKS, LET'S CALL THE SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WE HAVE, UH, FOR ITEM B ONE, TREY SALINAS, STACY SCHMIDT, CRAIG NASER, PHILLIP FITZGERALD, DR.
GABRIELA KRONIS, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
MR. SALINAS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER.
I'M TRACE SALINAS HERE ON BEHALF OF CCARE, WHICH IS THE COALITION FOR CLEAN, AFFORDABLE, AND RELIABLE ENERGY.
UH, WE'RE A COALITION OF SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, AND COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS FOR AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING, AND WE WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE AGREE THERE NEEDS TO BE REGULATION THAT PROVIDES CLARITY AND CERTAINTY AROUND LAND USE DEFINITIONS.
WE WANNA REMAIN A HIGH TECH CITY, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS OUR RESOURCES AND ALLOWS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.
WE ENCOURAGE REGULATIONS THAT ALLOW FOR MORE NORMAL, SMALLER TYPE, RESPONSIBLY BUILT DATA CENTERS LIKE THE ONES WE'VE HAD INSIDE THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE LAST 10 TO 20 YEARS.
NOW, THESE ARE THE SMALLER CENTERS THAT OUR LOCAL TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS DEPEND ON.
CCARE IS HERE AS A RESOURCE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS YOU WORK THROUGH THESE RULE CHANGES, UH, TODAY, TOMORROW, AND THURSDAY.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH REGARDS TO DATA CENTERS INSIDE YOUR CITY AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMIT LINES, WE'RE HERE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AGAIN, WE ARE HERE AS A RESOURCE AND APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TODAY.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
STACY SCHMIDT, AND I AM WITH OPPORTUNITY AUSTIN.
I, AS TREY SAID, I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS, UH, DISCUSSION TODAY AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT IT IS TO OUR CITY.
DATA CENTERS ARE NUANCED AND VERY COMPLEX ISSUES THAT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE AND COUNTRY ARE WORKING THROUGH IN REAL TIME.
NOT EVERY PROJECT IS RIGHT FOR EVERY COMMUNITY.
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NOT SIMPLY WHETHER TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE DATA CENTERS BROADLY.IT'S WHETHER THAT PROJECT MAKES SENSE FOR THAT COMMUNITY BASED ON ITS LOCATIONS, IT'S RESOURCE NEEDS, ITS BENEFITS, AND ITS COMMITMENTS TO THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THIS GOES BACK TO YOUR WORK BACK IN APRIL WITH A RESIDENT RESOLUTION FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK.
AS IT STATED, AUSTIN WILL BE STRATEGIC ON ITS INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES WHO SEEK TO RELOCATE IN AUSTIN.
SIMPLY PUT, WE WANT COMPANIES THAT FIT WITH AUSTIN VALUES AND WILL HELP BALANCE THE TAX BASE.
AUSTIN HAS REAL STRENGTHS ON THESE COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES WHO WANNA LOCATE HERE, BUT AS REY MENTIONED, THERE ARE MANY COMPANIES WHO HAVE ON-PREMISE DATA CENTERS THAT SUPPORT THE WORK THAT THEY DO RIGHT NOW AND HAVE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS.
THE STATE IS WORKING THROUGH THEIR FRAMEWORK.
THE GOVERNOR HAS IDENTIFIED GUIDELINES AND HAS CALLED FOR AN AUDIT.
SO I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR TAKING THIS MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE APPROACH WHILE THE STATE DEVELOPS THEIR LARGER FRAMEWORK.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE STAFF TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR OUR CITY WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
I'LL ALSO CAUTION TO KEEP IN MIND THOSE COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE THOSE DATA CENTERS THAT SUPPORT THEIR WORK RIGHT NOW FOR THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR MANY YEARS.
WE DON'T WANNA CAUSE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
AUSTIN CAN CONTINUE TO WELCOME RESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT WHILE PROTECTING THEIR RESOURCES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE.
MR. NASER, YOUR NAME WAS CALLED AND YOU WEREN'T IN THE ROOM.
UM, THIS WHOLE DATA CENTER THING IS A HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IT USES IN PARTICULARLY, UH, ELECTRICITY, WATER, UM, LIGHT AND SOUND.
THOSE CAN ALL BE CON CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS WHEN DATA CENTERS MOVE INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD OR EVEN SITTING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
NOW, IT'S ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, IS THIS IS A RAPIDLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND THE WAY THEY TRAIN THERE, THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF DATA CENTERS.
BASICALLY, THERE'S THE KIND WE USE FOR THE INTERNET, THE SMALLER KIND THAT WE HAVE, ALL DISTRIBUTED ALL AROUND ALL, UH, AUSTIN RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AI, WHICH IS HUGE.
THE USUALLY VERY HUGE CENTERS, UH, WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, THE NEW IDEAS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT CHINA HAS OUTLAWED CRYPTO.
SO CRYPTO HAS MOVED TO AMERICA.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD I THINK TO SAY SOMETHING CAN BE HERE OR CAN'T BASED ON WHAT IT IS, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE THOSE KINDS OF CHOICES IF WE WANT CRYPTO CENTERS ALL OVER AUSTIN.
SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, THERE ARE, THERE IS ANOTHER THING.
IS THIS A RAPIDLY MOVING TECHNOLOGY? AI IS GETTING MORE EFFICIENT.
THERE'S GOOD AND BAD THINGS TO AI THAT'S KIND OF LIKE OUT OF THE SCOPE OF A TWO MINUTE CONVERSATION.
BUT THERE ARE GOOD AND BAD THINGS ABOUT IT.
BUT THE THING TO KNOW IS THIS, THE HUMAN BRAIN USES 20 WATTS OF ELECTRICITY.
UH, THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF COMPUTATION IN A COMPUTER USES ABOUT 20 MILLION WATTS.
THAT IS, AND, AND THAT HAS GOT TO GET MORE EFFICIENT.
IT'S GOING TO GET MORE EFFICIENT, MEANING THESE BIG DATA CENTERS ARE GONNA CHANGE RAPIDLY.
I THINK YOU JUST LOOKED AT US AND SAID WE'RE NOT A DATA CENTER, UM, EVEN COMBINED AS A COUNCIL.
THE MANAGER, WE DO HAVE REMAINING SPEAKERS.
MAYOR, WE, WE HAVE MORE? YES, SIR.
CONTINUING FOR ITEM B ONE, WE HAVE BRAD MASSENGILL, BOBBY LAVINSKY, KABA WHITE, CAMILLE COOK, AND ALL SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM HAVE BEEN CALLED.
UM, SO BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT, I WANT TO, I, I WANT TO, IF THE, INDULGE ME A SECOND BECAUSE I, I, I THINK THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY REVEALED HOW IMPORTANT IT SEES THIS ITEM, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S TAKING THE KIND OF CARE AND MAKING THE KINDS OF STATEMENTS IT'S MADE THAT ARE PRETTY CLEAR ON, ON WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE.
AS THE MANAGER POINTED OUT IN MAY, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, UM, BY THE MESSAGE BOARD POST.
AND I'VE, I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE WAY THE COUNCIL HAS,
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UH, WORKED TO KIND OF COALESCE AROUND THINGS ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.BUT THE, THE IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD PROPOSE A, A FRAMEWORK FOR PREVENTING AND REGULATING DATA CENTERS IN AUSTIN, UH, UTILIZING ALL OF THE AVAIL.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, UTILIZING ALL OF THE AVAILABLE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AS, AS A MUNICIPALITY TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND I BELIEVE I CAN SPEAK FOR THIS COUNCIL BASED UPON WHAT I'VE SEEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SAY WHEN I SAY THAT WE ALL WANT TO MAKE SURE WE END UP WITH A FRAMEWORK THAT CREATES LEGAL, DURABLE, AND ENFORCEABLE RULES THAT PROTECT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
AND THOSE, AS HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT THIS MORNING, INCLUDE LIGHT NOISE, HEAT, LAND, ENERGY USE, WATER USE, AND ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION AS A MUNICIPALITY TO SAFEGUARD.
I ALSO, AND I THINK, AGAIN, THE COUNCIL HAS INDICATED THIS AS WELL, COUNCIL, INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE WANT TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE THINK WHAT WE'RE, THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN A THOROUGH WAY, SO THAT WE DON'T, BY DOING SOMETHING, DON'T CREATE ANY LOOPHOLES FOR BAD ACTORS IN THE WAY WE GO ABOUT THIS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I, I POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW, BUT A FEW DAYS AGO, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME FOLLOW UP ON THAT FOR A FREEZE.
AND, AND, AND I'M, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO SEE COUNCIL MEMBER SUPPORT ON THAT, A FREEZE ON THE APPROVAL OF ANY APPLICATION TO ANY CITY DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLACING A DATA CENTER IN THE CITY LIMITS OR THE ETJ OR IN OUR, UM, SERVICE AREAS WITH OUR, OF OUR UTILITIES UNTIL WE HAVE A COMPLETED POLICY THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL.
UM, IN FACT, ON THURSDAY WHEN WE TAKE UP THE RESOLUTION, I'M WORKING ON A, UM, UH, AN I AN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT GIVES DIRECTION ON THAT AGENDA ITEM THAT CALLS FOR SUCH A FREEZE, BUT MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS LEGAL, DURABLE AND ENFORCEABLE.
AS I'VE INDICATED, UM, NONE OF US, AND I WANNA SAY THIS CLEARLY, I THINK, AGAIN, I THINK THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT HOW IT FEELS ABOUT THIS.
NONE OF US WANT TO HAVE ANYBODY TRY TO PLAY THE SYSTEM, UH, IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
AND THAT IS THE GOAL OF OUR THOUGHTFUL, APPROPRIATE PROCESS.
AND IT STARTS WITH THIS, UH, WELL, IT STARTS STARTED BEFORE, BUT, BUT PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS HAVING THIS WORK SESSION THAT I KNOW WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO.
SO MS. HAR HARDEN, UM, WE'VE BEEN WAITING BREATHLESSLY FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD.
THE MANAGER'S ALREADY SAID THIS, BUT I, I WANNA SAY ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, AND I THINK, UH, AGAIN, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, WE APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING INTO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THIS IN A WAY THAT'S PROTECTIVE OF OUR CITIZENS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M JOY HARDEN, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH AUSTIN PLANNING.
I'M STUART RILEY, AUSTIN ENERGY GENERAL MANAGER.
GOOD MORNING, SHAY RAWLS ROLSON AUSTIN WATER DIRECTOR, AND WE WILL BE PROOFING YOU TODAY ON DATA CENTERS.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE EMERGENCE OF HIGH IMPACT DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE AUSTIN REGION AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE AREAS FOR CONSIDERATION.
THE MAYOR INTRODUCED THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT DATA CENTERS WITH A POST ON THE COUNCIL MESSAGE BOARD.
AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, STAFF HAVE PROVIDED A MEMO IN RESPONSE TO THE MAYOR'S POST.
AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE MEMO, YOU MAY FIND IN THE BACKUP FOR THIS THURSDAY'S COUNCIL AGENDA.
THE RESOLUTION IS ITEM NUMBER 61.
THE DISCUSSIONS WE'LL HAVE TODAY ARE MEANT TO BUILD UPON THE RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED IN THE MEMO AND CHART A PATH FORWARD.
AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THERE'LL BE A RESOLUTION ON THIS WEEK'S COUNCIL AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THAT IF SUPPORTED, WE'LL INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE RESOLUTION FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ONLY INITIATE THE CREATION OF DEFINITIONS AND ANY ASSOCIATED CODE AMENDMENTS, BUT DOES NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CODE AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS ONLY STEP ONE IN THE PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION OUTLINES AREAS TO ADDRESS AND BEGINS THIS WORK.
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THE CITY SHOULD ADDRESS DATA CENTERS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS DO NOT ADDRESS LARGER DATA CENTERS.
SMALL, LOW, LOW IMPACT DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES UNDER THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION AND THE MEMO WE'RE REFERRING TO THESE SMALL DATA CENTERS AS TRADITIONAL DATA CENTERS.
THESE SMALL DATA CENTERS ARE CURRENTLY PERMITTED IN LO WELL LIMITED OFFICE LO ZONING AND LESS RESTRICTIVE ZONING DISTRICT CLASSIFICATIONS.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, OF COURSE, WAS WRITTEN LONG BEFORE THE RISE OF CLOUD COMPUTING, LARGE SCALE DATA PROCESSING AND AI.
THESE PROCESSES HAVE RESULTED IN LARGE LOAD HYPERSCALE AND OTHER HEIGHT, HIGHER IMPACT DATA CENTERS, WHICH DO NOT FALL UNDER ANY OF THE CITY'S EXISTING LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS.
THE OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE LARGER DATA CENTERS RAISE SEVERAL SERIOUS CONCERNS, INCLUDING THE SCALE AND BUILDING OF THEIR COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING USES AND STRUCTURES.
CONTINUOUS NOISE IMPACTS FROM LIGHT AND HEAT EFFECTS OF BACKUP GENERATORS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT USE OF ENERGY AND WATER.
AGAIN, AS MENTIONED, THERE IS NO LAND USE CATEGORY THAT ADDRESS LARGER DATA CENTERS.
SO THERE'S NO CURRENT CATEGORY TO TRACK OR REGULATE THESE FACILITIES.
AS I SAID BEFORE, UNDER TODAY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, TRADITIONAL DATA CENTERS ARE ASSIGNED THE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES LAND USE.
GENERALLY, THIS MEANS THAT LOWER IMPACT DATA CENTERS ARE PERMITTED IN LIMITED OFFICE OR LO AND LESS RESTRICTIVE ZONING DISTRICTS.
CURRENTLY, LARGER CO-LOCATION FACILITIES MIGHT BE LOCATING IN LIMITED OR INDUSTRIAL OR ALLIED ZONING DISTRICTS.
AS I MENTIONED THIS, UH, I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT I WILL JUST STATE AGAIN THAT BECAUSE THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE DOES NOT INCLUDE A LAND USE DEFINITION THAT IS SPECIFIC TO DATA CENTERS, IT IS CHALLENGING FOR STAFF TO RELIABLY TRACK DATA CENTERS THROUGH EXISTING ZONING AND PERMITTING RECORDS.
WITH THAT, AUSTIN ENERGY CURRENTLY SERVES 10 DATA CENTERS.
THESE FACILITIES, FOR THE MOST PART ARE 20 MEGAWATTS UNDER.
AT THIS TIME, AUSTIN ENERGY IS NOT AWARE OF ANY INTERCONNECTION OR REQUESTS THAT A HYPERSCALE FOR A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER.
LIKEWISE, AUSTIN WATER SERVES NO DATA CENTERS THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF A LARGE VOLUME WATER CUSTOMER.
THE TOTAL DATA CENTER WATER USE IS LESS THAN 0.3% TOTAL.
CITYWIDE, HOWEVER, PLANNING STAFF ARE RECEIVING INQUIRIES SUGGESTING THAT HIGHER IMPACT DATA CENTERS MAY BE UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, FEDERAL AND STATE POLICIES AROUND DATA CENTERS ARE RAPIDLY EVOLVING.
AS THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY EVOLVES, DATA CENTERS ARE GETTING MUCH LARGER IN SIZE AND CAPACITY.
THE LARGEST DATA CENTERS OFTEN REQUIRE CAMPUSES EXCEEDING 1000 ACRES, INCLUDING EXTENSIVE COOLING SYSTEMS, ONSITE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, BACKUP POWER GENERATION, AND EXPANSIVE EQUIPMENT YARDS.
OF COURSE, NOT ALL DATA CENTERS HAVE THE SAME IMPACT.
EACH FACILITY HAS DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS, CAPACITY, PHYSICAL SIZE, AND OPERATIONAL FEATURES.
YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA CENTERS.
AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, WHAT WE HAVE NOW FALLS WITHIN THE TRADITIONAL DATA CENTER CATEGORY.
AND AS THE SLIDE NOTES, THE TRADITIONAL DATA CENTERS ARE MUCH SMALLER IN TERMS OF BUILDING SIZE ACREAGE, AND THEY USE MUCH LESS WATER AND ENERGY WHEN COMPARED TO HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS.
UM, ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE AN EXAMPLE OF EACH OF THESE CLASSIFICATIONS, AS YOU CAN SEE, IN ADDITION TO HAVING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ENERGY USE, THEY CAN ALSO LOOK DIFFERENT ON THE GROUND.
THE MAJORITY OF FACILITIES IN AUSTIN ARE EDGE, TRADITIONAL OR SMALLER COALITION TYPES.
AND WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE THREE, UM, ON THE SLIDE FOR YOU TO SEE.
AS THE CITY CONTEMPLATES THE CREATION OF DATA CENTER REGULATIONS, SEVERAL KEY LAND USE IMPACTS MUST BE CONSIDERED.
FOR INSTANCE, DATA CENTERS ARE OFTEN ENLARGED, VISUALLY UNAPPEALING INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WITH ROOFTOP MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, AND SPRAWLING EQUIPMENT AND LOADING AREAS.
SOME EXISTING DATA CENTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY PRODUCE CONSTANT NOISE.
SOME DATA CENTERS GENERATE A GREAT DEAL OF HEAT AND REQUIRE COOLING.
INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES MAY INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT FREIGHT ACCESS AND LOADING OPERATIONS, AND THE CONSUMPTION OF POWER AND WATER BY DATA CENTERS CAN BE DISPROPORTIONATELY
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HIGH.SO AUSTIN'S CURRENT CODE SHOULD BE AMENDED TO ADDRESS ANY REGULATORY GAPS.
TODAY, THE CODE DOES NOT DEFINE HIGHER IMPACT DATA CENTERS AS A SEPARATE LAND USE, DIFFERENTIATE TRADITIONAL FROM HYPERSCALE FACILITIES.
ESTABLISH CITING REGULATIONS, REQUIRE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, PROVIDE A MECHANISM FOR TRACKING DEVELOPMENT OR FULLY ADDRESS COMPAT COMPATIBILITY IMPACTS.
THE EXISTING REGULATIONS DO NOT MATCH OR ACCOUNT FOR THE SCALE AND OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EMERGING HIGHER IMPACT FACILITIES.
AGAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE A DEFINED, WE DO NOT HAVE DEFINED LAND USES SPECIFICALLY FOR HIGHER IMPACT DATA CENTERS.
CODE DOES NOT SPECIFY WHETHER OR WHERE HIGHER IMPACT DATA CENTERS ARE PERMITTED, CONDITIONAL, OR PROHIBITED.
AND LASTLY, OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS DO NOT MITIGATE FOR POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THESE FACILITIES ACROSS TEXAS.
SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE BEGUN TO ADDRESS DATA CENTERS IN VARYING WAYS.
SEVERAL CITIES SUCH AS FRISCO AND HU, REQUIRE PROPOSED DATA CENTERS TO GO THROUGH A CONDITIONAL OR SPECIFIC USE PROCESS AND ALLOW THEM ONLY IN PARTICULAR ZONING DISTRICTS FOR WORTH IS CONSIDERING BUILDING SETBACKS AND OTHER SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS RANGING FROM LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORMANCE BASED NOISE REQUIREMENTS.
IRVING HAS DEFINED DATA CENTERS AS EITHER PRINCIPLE OR ACCESSORY USES BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE AND ALLOW PRINCIPAL USES AS CONDITIONAL USES SUBJECT AND COMPATIBILITY AND SITE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
AND SAN MARCO CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY PROHIBITED HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS OUTSIDE OF TEXAS.
SOME JURISDICTIONS HAVE CREATED REGULATIONS THAT CATEGORIZE DATA CENTER BASED ON SIZE AND ENERGY DEMAND, AND THAT REQUIRES SPECIAL USE PERMITS AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND RESTRICT LOCATION AND NOISE.
IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA, FOR EXAMPLE, A PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN APPROVAL IS WITHHELD UNTIL A UTILITY PROVIDER CAN AFFIRM THE DATA CENTER'S CAPACITY AND COMMIT TO SERVICE THE PROPOSED FACILITY.
UM, JUST AS SOME BACKGROUND, UH, ON AUSTIN ENERGY AROUND THIS ISSUE.
TYPICALLY WHEN A NEW CUSTOMER COMES TO AUSTIN ENERGY, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT CUSTOMER INTENDS ON DOING WITH THE ELECTRICITY.
THEY'RE FOLLOWING ALL REGULATIONS IN TERMS OF LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THEY SUBMIT THEIR ELECTRIC SERVICE PLANNING DOCUMENTATION TO AUSTIN ENERGY AND WE ENGINEER THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND RELIABLE MEANS OF SERVING THAT NEW CUSTOMER.
IN DOING SO, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS A LEGAL OBLIGATION UNDER THE TEXAS UTILITIES CODE TO SERVE ALL CUSTOMERS IN OUR CERTIFICATED SERVICE AREA.
NEW CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS GO THROUGH ENGINEERING STUDIES TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO RELIABILITY IMPACTS TO THE ELECTRIC GRID OR TO OTHER CUSTOMERS.
AND WE DO THIS IN A COUPLE WAYS.
FIRST, WE DO AN ANNUAL PLANNING STUDY THAT LOOKS AT OUR SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, AND WE ALSO DO ADDITIONAL STUDIES AS NEEDED PER CUSTOMER.
IF A LARGE CUSTOMER COMES ALONG, THAT STUDY IS PAID FOR BY THAT CUSTOMER.
IF A CUSTOMER IS 75 MEGAWATTS OR LARGER, THEY'RE CONSIDERED A LARGE LOAD UNDER THE STATE DEFINITION.
UM, THAT 75 MEGAWATTS OR GREATER LARGE LOAD MUST GO THROUGH THE ERCOT PLANNING PROCESS, UM, THAT WILL LOOK AT WHETHER THERE IS ENOUGH TRANSMISSION CAPACITY AND OTHER RELIABILITY IMPLICATIONS TO MEET EVERY CONT RELIABILITY CONTINGENCY.
UM, TYPICALLY THAT WILL REQUIRE TRANSMISSION UPGRADES AND THOSE, IF THERE ARE TRANSMISSION UPGRADES THAT ARE ARE NECESSARY, THOSE CAN TAKE, UM, MULTIPLE YEARS TO COMPLETE.
WE DO NOT AS, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY IN AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE AREA THAT FIT THAT CATEGORY.
IF A NEW CUSTOMER IS LESS THAN 75 MEGAWATTS, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE OR CO PLANNING PROCESS, BUT IT'S UP TO EACH UTILITY TO STUDY THE RELIABILITY AND ENGINEERING IMPLICATIONS OF THAT CUSTOMER.
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DO SO AND THAT CUSTOMER PAYS FOR THAT ENGINEERING STUDY.
IF WE FIND THROUGH THAT STUDY THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S REQUIRED TO SERVE THAT CUSTOMER, THE CUSTOMER MUST PAY 100% OF THE COST OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO SERVE THEM.
AND THIS PROTECTS OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS AND RATE PAYERS FROM HAVING THEIR RATES SUBSIDIZE THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.
IN ADDITION, IF A NEW CUSTOMER COMES IN OVER 20 MEGAWATTS, AUSTIN ENERGY IS REQUIRING THEM TO AGREE TO CURTAILING AT LEAST 50% OF THEIR ENERGY USAGE IN AN ERCOT EMERGENCY OR IN A LOCALIZED RELIABILITY EVENT.
AND OF COURSE, ERCOT COULD ALWAYS CALL FOR MORE CURTAILMENT THAN THAT.
UM, THIS IS JUST US, UM, WORKING WITH THE CUSTOMERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT RELIABILITY BEFORE WE GET INTO THE WORST TYPES OF OF ERCOT GRID IMPACTS.
SO MANY, UH, UTILITIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE
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ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOW TO ENSURE THAT THE COSTS ARE COVERED AT AUSTIN ENERGY.WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE AND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ARE PAID UPFRONT AND NOT SUBSIDIZED BY OTHER CUSTOMERS.
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO SHAY.
SIMILAR TO AUSTIN WA AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER HAS A LOT OF POLICIES IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS.
UH, NEARLY ALL OF AUSTIN WATER'S SERVICE AREA IS EITHER IN THIS FULL PURPOSE CITY JURISDICTION OR COVERED BY A CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, WHICH IS A STATE OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS SERVICE BY AUSTIN WATER TO THAT AREA.
UM, SIMILAR TO AUSTIN ENERGY, WE NEW DEVELOPMENT FUNDS AND BUILDS THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO SERVE THEIR SITE.
WE DO PLANNING FOR OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND THEN WHEN A NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES IN, THEY FILE, UH, A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST, AND WE LOOK AT WHAT'S REQUIRED TO SERVE THEIR DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE COSTS TO EXTEND, UH, THE SYSTEM TO SERVE THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, UH, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITY IMPLEMENTED THE GO PURPLE PROGRAM, WHICH REQUIRES DEVELOPMENT.
THE REQUIREMENTS VARY BASED ON DEVELOPMENT SIZE, BUT IT REQUIRES DEVELOPMENTS TO DO ONSITE WATER REUSE, WHICH IS LIKE RAINWATER CAPTURE OR CONDENSATE CAPTURE, AND REUSE THAT WATER ON SITE, AS WELL AS CONNECT TO THE CENTRALIZED RECLAIM SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN SO THAT THEY CAN USE NON-POTABLE WATER FOR NON-POTABLE NEEDS.
WE ALSO HAVE A COOLING TOWER EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, UM, THAT, THAT REQUIRES, UH, ALL COOLING TOWERS IN OUR SYSTEM SYSTEM TO BE REGISTERED WITH US AND TO UNDERGO INSPECTIONS.
AND, UM, NEW COOLING TOWERS ARE REQUIRED TO USE AT LEAST 10% RECLAIMED WATER, UH, OR NON-POTABLE WATER FOR, UH, FOR THOSE SYSTEMS. AND, UM, WE ALSO KNEW CUSTOMERS, UH, ONCE THEY GET INTO THE SITE, UH, PLAN PERMITTING PROCESS, THEY SUBMIT A WATER BENCHMARKING APPLICATION THROUGH THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT IS REVIEWED WITH OUR STAFF, UH, THAT LOOKS AT WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE, UH, FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT TO, UM, TO, UH, USE WATER EFFICIENTLY, WHAT KIND OF WATER NEEDS THEY HAVE, AND HOW THEY CAN SERVE THOSE WATER NEEDS MOST EFFICIENTLY.
UH, AND THEN ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, WE HAVE AN EXISTING PRETREATMENT PROGRAM, UM, FOR INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS THAT PROTECTS AUSTIN WATERS WASTEWATER SYSTEM.
AND THAT INCLUDES INSPECTIONS AND MONITORING AND SAMPLING TO, UH, CONFIRM THAT CUSTOMERS ARE, UM, ARE, UH, MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL PERMITS BASED ON WHAT THEIR USE AT THEIR SITE.
UM, AND SO THESE, UH, TAKEN TOGETHER THESE, UH, PROCESSES AND POLICIES, UM, PROTECT AUSTIN WATER'S EXISTING SYSTEM, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, ENSURE THAT OUR NEW CUSTOMERS ARE BEING EFFICIENT WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR WATER USE AND PROTECTIVE OF THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM.
SO MOVING FORWARD, STAFF RECOMMENDS A COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE LAND USE, OPERATIONAL AND UTILITY IMPACTS OF HIGHER INTENSITY DATA CENTERS.
A SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY WOULD ADDRESS ALL OF THESE AREAS AND WOULD ALSO DEVELOP A REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN NOT PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO DATA CENTERS AND THAT THE CITY REQUIRE THAT ANY DATA CENTER MEET RESOURCE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS.
AS IT RELATES TO LAND USE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY CA, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL INITIATES AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
NEW LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS SHOULD BE DEFINED FOR DATA CENTERS.
ADDITIONALLY, A NEW ZONING DISTRICT SPECIFIC TO DATA CENTERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ANY SITE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR DATA CENTERS SHOULD INCLUDE INCREASED COMPATIBILITY, SET STANDARDS, SETBACKS, AND BOTH LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS SHOULD INCLUDE NOISE LIMITS AND MITIGATION, OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES FOR GENERATOR GENERATORS, AND STRATEGIES FOR EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE PROCESS FOR MONITORING AND ENSURING COMPLIANCE.
UM, THESE ARE JUST SOME AREAS WHERE STANDARDS COULD BE CREATED.
COMPATIBILITY AND SIGHTING, LIGHTING, SITE DESIGN, DESIGN AND SCREENING, NOISE MITIGATION AND MONITORING GENERATOR OPERATIONS AND COOLING INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGIES.
AGAIN, THIS SLIDE MENTIONS JUST SOME OF THE AREAS FOR CONSIDERATION.
[00:30:01]
ENERGY, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION UNDER STATE LAW TO SERVE ALL CUSTOMERS.UH, WE CAN'T WITHHOLD UTILITY SERVICE AS A MEANS OF REGULATING LAND USES, AND FOR THAT REASON, WE SUPPORT ADOPTION OF LAND USE AND ZONING CATEGORIES FOR LARGE COMPUTATIONAL LOADS BECAUSE THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO COMING TO AUSTIN ENERGY FOR AN ELECTRIC SERVICE CONNECTION.
ESSENTIALLY, THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT LAND AND RESOURCES ARE BEING USED ACCORDING TO OUR COMMUNITY'S WISHES BASED ON LAND USE AUTHORITY, RATHER THAN DOING SO BY VIOLATING AUSTIN ENERGY'S OBLIGATION TO SERVE.
SO WE'RE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF UPDATING THE PLANNING DEFINITIONS IN A WAY THAT REGULATES LAND USE AND BETTER ACCOUNTS FOR THE CHANGING DATA CENTER LANDSCAPE.
SIMILARLY, ADOPTING LAND USE AND ZONING CATEGORIES WILL ASSIST WITH WATER SUPPLY PLANNING, UH, FOR OVERALL PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN WATER SERVICE AREA AND ACCOUNTING FOR DATA CENTER WATER USE SO THAT WE CAN REPORT ON THAT WATER USE.
UM, AND, UH, WE ALSO RECOMMEND REQUIRING NEW HIGHER IMPACT DATA CENTERS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY'RE USING, UH, BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY, WATER EFFICIENT MEASURES THAT REDUCE THEIR POTABLE WATER USE.
SO IN CONCLUSION, STAFF OR STAFF ARE APPROACHING THIS ISSUE WITH AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATIVE APPROACH THAT DRAWS ON EXPERTISE FROM ACROSS THE CITY.
MOVING FORWARD, STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH PARTNER DEPARTMENTS ALONG WITH INDUSTRY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AGAIN, IF THE RESOLUTION ON YOUR THURSDAY AGENDA IS SUPPORTED, STAFF WILL DRAFT THE PACKAGE OF PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENTS, AND THOSE AMENDMENTS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION PROCESS BEFORE BEING PLACED ON A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION.
WE ARE HOPING TO BRING BACK THE PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENTS BY SPRING OF 2027.
I KNOW I SAID THIS A FEW TIMES PREVIOUSLY, BUT JUST AS A FINAL REMINDER, THE RESOLUTION FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ONLY INITIATES THE CREATION OF DEFINITIONS IN ANY ASSOCIATED CODE AMENDMENTS, BUT DOES NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CODE AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS ONLY STEP ONE IN THE PROCESS.
BEFORE WE CLOSE, I WANT TO NOTE THE STAFF IS AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ENDEAVOR, AS WELL AS THE EXTRAORDINARY LEVEL OF PUBLIC INTEREST SURROUNDING DATA CENTER INDUSTRY.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT RESPOND TO THE CHANGING DATA CENTER LANDSCAPE AND PROTECTING AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS RESOURCES AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, MEMBERS, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK, UM, OR HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST.
UM, AND REALLY, MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LAYING OUT OUR INTENTIONS AS A BODY AND ALSO EXPLAINING A BIT OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND I REALLY WANNA THANK MS. HARDEN FOR BEING THE POINT PERSON ON THIS, UH, IMPORTANT POLICY ENDEAVOR.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE SPICY, YOU KNOW, UH, SMALL AMOUNT OF WORK, BUT, UH, APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THE STAFF FOR SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS, MS. HARDEN, IF THAT'S OKAY? OF COURSE.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF WANNA JUST DISCUSS THIS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND.
UH, SOME OF US ON COUNCIL HAVE SIGNALED THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BAN HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE CAN'T FORMALLY TAKE THAT STEP TODAY? UM, YES.
A COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, BEFORE ANY ACTION CAN BE TAKEN, A LAND USE CLASSIFICATION DEFINITIONS HAS TO BE CREATED.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS IN OUR CODE, SO THURSDAY'S ACTION, IF YOU SUPPORT THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP.
AND THEN, UM, STAFF WOULD LOOK AT CREATING DEFINITIONS AND THE LIKE, BRING THAT BACK TO Y'ALL FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN ANY ACTION AS WHETHER WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, WHETHER THEY'RE LOCATED, COULD OCCUR AT THAT TIME.
AND I'VE ALSO HEARD A CONCERN FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THE VOTE THURSDAY IS GONNA SOMEHOW ALLOW NEW DATA CENTERS.
UH, WOULD YOU, UH, RESPOND TO THAT CONCERN? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AGAIN, THURSDAY'S VOTE IF SUPPORTED, WOULD ONLY INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS.
UM, IT WOULD ONLY BEGIN OUR WORK TO START THE PROCESS.
AND THEN, UM, IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE, UM, CODE, AT LEAST CODES AND ORDINANCES, PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN BACK TO COUNCIL.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN ANY AN ORDINANCE WOULD BE PUT BEFORE THE COUNCIL, THE BODY, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE DECISIONS WOULD BE MADE.
WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT, UM, BACK TO YOU BY SPRING OF 2027, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME THE CODE COULD CHANGE.
AND YEAH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALSO FOR THE, ALL THE STAFF WHO WORKED ON THE MEMO THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
[00:35:01]
COULD YOU SUMMARIZE A LITTLE BIT, UH, AGAIN, FOR US, WHAT DATA CENTERS WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN AUSTIN AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF SIZE RESOURCE USE? UH, COULD YOU SUMMARIZE THAT A BIT? UM, UM, SO I SHOWED SOME ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE POWERPOINT, HOWEVER, FROM ZONING, I DON'T SEE THAT, BUT I'VE SPOKEN TO THE GENERAL MANAGER AND MAYBE HE CAN GIVE SOME MORE CLARIFICATION, CLARITY ON THAT.UH, FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, WE'VE DONE, UH, ASSESSMENT OF THE DATA CENTERS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY.
WE HAVE 10 THAT RANGE IN SIZE FROM ONE MEGAWATT TO 20 MEGAWATTS.
WE, WE HAD COULD NOT REALLY ACCOUNT FOR THOSE THAT WERE SMALLER.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME VERY SMALL ONSITE DATA CENTERS.
WE HAVE ONE AT OUR CONTROL CENTER.
UM, SO BETWEEN A MEGAWATT AND 20 MEGAWATTS, WE CURRENTLY SERVE 10 OF THOSE TODAY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, UM, YOUR TYPICAL AND INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE TYPE BUILDING FROM THE FRONT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IN AUSTIN OR WHAT WE'VE BEEN SERVING FOR MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, MS. HARDEN, IT LOOKS LIKE STAFF IS CONSIDERING, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITTING, WHICH MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE, AT LEAST FROM MY POINT OF VIEW FOR THE SMALLER SCALE DATA CENTERS.
SO LET'S IMAGINE THAT WHEN THIS COMES BACK, UM, A MAJORITY OF US WANTS TO BAN LARGE OR HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS, BUT WE DON'T WANNA GIVE A FREE PASS TO THE TYPES OF DATA CENTERS WE'VE ALWAYS HAD AND LIVED WITH.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING PROTECTIONS IN FOR THOSE FACILITIES AS WELL.
COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH HOW THESE CONDITIONAL USE TOOLS ARE USED? UH, YES.
SO, UM, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS ARE, UH, HANDLED THROUGH OUR AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UM, DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WHEN A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT COMES IN, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONDITIONAL AND PERMITTED USES IS THAT PERMITTED, IT'S ALLOWED BY RIGHT.
CONDITIONAL USE IS NOT ALLOWED BY, RIGHT.
SO THE APPLICANT WOULD SUBMIT A SITE PLAN.
THAT SITE PLAN WOULD GO THROUGH A THOROUGH REVIEW, UM, NOT JUST WITH DSD OR NOT WITH JUST AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BUT ALL APPLICABLE DEPARTMENTS.
SO IT'S A THOROUGH INTERNAL REVIEW.
AND THEN THAT SITE PLAN WOULD GO TO THE APPLICABLE LAND USE COMMISSION, WHERE THAT LAND USE COMMISSION COULD, UM, APPROVE, DENY, OR ATTRIBUTE OTHER, UM, APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS.
AND THEN, UM, FROM THERE, ADDITIONALLY, THE GRIEVE PARTY, MEANING IF THE APPLICANT, UM, RECEIVED APPROVAL, THEN, UM, SAY THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS IN OPPOSITION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD, UM, APPEAL TO COUNSEL OR IF THE APPLICANT WAS DENIED, THAT APPLICANT COULD APPEAL TO COUNSEL.
AND SO I, JUST TO TRY TO SUM UP A BIT, BEFORE COUNCIL CAN LIMIT DATA CENTERS, UH, FIRST WE NEED TO DEFINE THEM IN THE CODE.
IS THAT RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND THEN UNDER STATE ZONING LAW, WE CAN'T BAN SOMETHING BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THE CODE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WHICH IS BEING INITIATED IN ITEM 61.
UM, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO THE STATE LAW, THAT'S, UM, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT BEFORE, UM, WE CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES WE HAVE TO INITIATE, UM, THE ZONING AND THURSDAY, THAT WOULD BEGIN THAT INITIATION.
AND, UH, BRIEFLY, COLLEAGUES, UM, YOU'VE BEEN, UH, HANDED A MOTION SHEET THAT MY OFFICE HAS PUT TOGETHER AFTER MEETING WITH STAFF.
AND THE GOAL IS, LIKE WE'VE ALL SAID, UH, NOT TO JUMP AHEAD OF THE PROCESS THAT STAFF HAVE LAID OUT, AND THAT I, UH, UNDERSTAND IT'S REQUIRED UNDER THE LAW, UH, BEFORE WE CAN START LIMITING AND PROHIBITING CERTAIN TYPES OF DATA CENTERS.
BUT WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THAT IN TERMS OF THE RESOLUTION WE'RE VOTING ON THURSDAY, IF THERE ARE CATEGORIES OF EXPLORATION THAT AREN'T COVERED IN THE STAFF BACKUP, WE SHOULD ADD THOSE NOW.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE IN THAT SPIRIT, UH, THIS MOTION WOULD PRESENT A FEW ADDITIONS.
UH, FIRST, IN TERMS OF AREAS OF IMPACT OF DATA CENTERS AND HOW WE SHOULD CONSIDER MITIGATION, UH, IT'S ADDING CONSIDERATION OF LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS AROUND DATA CENTERS, IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITATIONS, IMPACT OF FLOODPLAINS, AND ALSO HEAT MITIGATION.
UH, A SECOND ADDITION IS TO DEVELOP STANDARDS WHEN A DATA CENTER IS LOCATED ON THE SAME SITE AS A POWER GENERATION FACILITY.
UM, THIRD, TO DEVELOP AN ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM REGARDING ANY DATA CENTERS AND CITY REGULATIONS.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE, UH, IS SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD CONCERN ABOUT FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T ANY LOOPHOLES RELATED TO PERHAPS MULTIPLE SMALLER DATA CENTERS, UH, LOCATED IN THE SAME AREA.
AND ALSO, UH, THE, THE PROBLEM THAT'S OCCURRED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU START OUT WITH A SMALL DATA CENTER THAT MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T FALL UNDER REAL CRITICAL REVIEW, BUT THEN COULD EXPAND ON THE SAME PROPERTY.
UM, SO HAPPY TO DISCUSS THESE, BUT WANNA OFFER THESE WITH HOPE THEY'RE HELPFUL AND STRENGTHEN OVER OUR EFFORT.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, JUST TO MAKE CLEAR, AS SEVERAL OF MY COUNTS, UH, COLLEAGUES SHARED IN A MESSAGE BOARD POST, UH, I JUST WANNA SHARE MY INTENTION THAT ONCE WE GET BACK THESE REGULATIONS FROM STAFF, I THINK COUNCIL SHOULD DECIDE TO BAN THE SO-CALLED HYPERSCALE DATA
[00:40:01]
CENTERS FROM OUR CITY.I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE SERVER IN THE BACK ROOM OF A BANK OR SOME OF THE SMALLER DATA CENTERS AT AUSTIN ENERGY OR HOSPITALS OR UNIVERSITIES THAT WE'VE HAD WITHOUT, UH, ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME IN AUSTIN.
BUT THESE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THEM HERE.
AND SO I WANNA REASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT OUR INTENTION IS NOT TO OPEN THE, THE DOOR TO ANY OF THESE KINDS OF FACILITIES BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THEM IN AUSTIN.
AND, AND ALONG THOSE LINES, UM, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT WHEN YOU ASKED THE SPECIFIC QUESTION OF MS. HARDEN, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THURSDAY'S VOTE WOULD ALLOW SOME PEOPLE WORRY THAT IT WOULD'VE ALLOW DATA CENTERS.
HER ANSWER YOU, THE WAY YOU ASKED THE QUESTION WAS YOU SAID, WOULD YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION? AND SHE SAID, YES, ABSOLUTELY
AND, AND SHE DID NOT SAY, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THE RESOLUTION'S GOING TO ALLOW DATA CENTERS.
UM, BUT, BUT REALLY WHAT I WANNA ALSO, I SAY THAT KIND OF AS A JOKE, BUT WHAT I WANNA SAY IS THE SERIOUS PART OF IT IS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ON THURSDAY IS THE COUNCIL WANTS TO PROVIDE AND ASSURE PROTECTIONS.
SO IT IS NOT, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VOTING ON THAT WILL ALLOW DATA CENTERS.
IT IS IN FACT, TO ASSURE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO LET THE PROTECTIONS AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL HAS JUST REITERATED.
AND AS I INDICATED IN, IN, WHEN WE, WHEN I SET THIS UP FOR THEM TO SPEAK, IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M WORKING WITH LEGAL ON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE, THE MAXIMUM PROTECTION WE CAN, IS THAT WE PUT A, WE HAVE A FREEZE IN PLACE ON THE GRANTING OF APPLICATIONS THAT MIGHT CREATE A LOOPHOLE, UM, AS, AS PEOPLE SEE US ACTUALLY CONSIDERING THESE THINGS.
AND, AND AS SOON AS I HAVE SOMETHING, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GOES UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AND EVERYBODY GETS TO SEE THAT AS WELL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LANE.
I, I WANTED TO START WITH MS. HARDEN TO TOUCH ON YOU.
YOU MENTIONED THAT RIGHT NOW DATA CENTERS ARE A COMMUNICATIONS, UH, OR THEY FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE WHEN THE CODE WAS DESIGNED, WE NEVER ENVISIONED DATA CENTERS OF THIS SCALE.
AND YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THEM BEING ALLOWED IN LO LIMITED OFFICE OR MORE OR LE LESS RESTRICTIVE.
COULD YOU JUST TALK ABOUT LIKE, WHAT WOULD THOSE LESS RESTRICTIVE CATEGORIES BE? IS THAT LIKE CS, GR, THOSE, THOSE THAT YOU JUST OUTLINED? SO LO IS LIMITED OFFICE, SO THAT'S A, UM, OFFICE CATEGORY.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR OFFICE AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR COMMERCIAL, LIKE YOU JUST OUTLINED YOUR L-R-G-R-C-S, AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR INDUSTRIAL.
SO ALL OF THOSE, UM, ARE LESS RESTRICTIVE ZONING.
SO OFFICE, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL.
AND IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SAY, AND YOU TOUCHED ON WE NEED TO CREATE A DATA CENTER ZONE, RIGHT? THAT, THAT, THAT THIS IS A, A NEW PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES A NEW TOOL.
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE WOULD BE LIMITED TO SAY THAT DATA CENTERS CAN ONLY BE IN THAT NEW ZONE, NOT IN ANY OF OUR EXISTING COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL ZONES? THAT COULD BE AN OPTION WHEN THE ORDINANCE RETURNS.
AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF INITIATING RESOLUTIONS, RIGHT? WE, WE TELL STAFF KIND OF WHICH DIRECTION WE WANT YOU TO GO, RIGHT? WE DON'T, UH, SAY HAVE A RESOLUTION TO MAKE HOUSING BETTER IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? WE GIVE YOU SOME GUIDELINES AND, AND, AND CHART A PATH FOR YOU.
'CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT POINTING IN THAT DIRECTION OF HAVING THESE NEW DATA CENTER ZONES AND THAT BE THE ONLY MECHANISM BY WHICH A DATA CENTER COULD COME HERE, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE AN APPLICATION, WOULD REQUIRE A PUBLIC PROCESS, THAT PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL THAT, THAT BE THOSE PROTECTIONS BE PUT IN PLACE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS OKAY.
UH, GENERAL MANAGER RILEY, I WAS CURIOUS, WHEN THE DATA CENTER COMES HERE OR, OR, OR EVEN THE CURRENT DATA CENTERS, LET'S JUST SAY DO THE, THE, THE REGULATORY CHARGES ARE BASED ON THE, THE FOUR CP PEAKS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND DO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THOSE ARE GONNA BE, OR WE JUST GUESS BASED ON EDUCATED KNOWLEDGE WHEN THE FOUR COINCIDENT PEAKS WILL BE? YES.
UM, NO, WE, OUR, OUR TEAM, UH, DOES A LOT OF WORK TO FORECAST THAT AND
[00:45:01]
TO DEPLOY DEMAND RESPONSE RESOURCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO, UM, TO LOWER OUR DEMAND ON THOSE DAYS.THAT COULD BE THE FOUR COINCIDENT PEAK DAYS.
I, I WILL SAY THAT THE TEAM HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB THIS SUMMER AND HAS HIT ALL OF THOSE SO FAR.
AND, UM, AND SO, UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE, UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO FORECAST WHEN THOSE WILL BE, SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO GET THE TEAM TO HELP US BUY THE LOTTO TICKETS
BUT, UH, ASIDE FROM THAT, WHEN THOUGH, BASICALLY THE, THE MORE USAGE YOU HAVE AT ONE OF THOSE FOUR CP THE FOUR INCIDENT PEAKS, THE HIGHER OUR REGULATORY CHARGE.
DO YOU TALKED ABOUT IF A NEW DATA CENTER WANTED TO COME HERE, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY YOU NEED TO DO THE FULL BUILD OUT IN TERMS OF ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET CONNECTED.
BUT IS IT CORRECT TO ASSUME THAT IF YOU, LET'S JUST SAY YOU PLOP DOWN A 50 MEGAWATT DATA CENTER THAT'S RUNNING ALL THE TIME, THAT THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR FOUR CP AND THEREFORE INCREASE OUR REGULATORY CHARGE THAT WE ALL PAY FOR? OR IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? OR, OR NOT? UM, YES.
I MEAN, IT'S TRUE THAT ANY INCREMENTAL NEW CUSTOMER INCREASES OUR DEMAND IN, COULD INCREASE OUR PEAK DEMAND.
AND, UM, AND WOULD THAT, AND AND JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, UM, KIND OF SOME OF THE BACKGROUND AROUND THIS, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE REGULATORY CHARGE, THAT'S THE ITEM ON THE CUSTOMER'S ELECTRIC BILL THAT IS AN ALLOCATION FROM ERCOT OF OUR PROPORTIONATE EXPENSE OF ERCOT TRANS TRANSMISSION GRID.
SO WHENEVER ANY TRANSMISSION SERVICE PROVIDER BUILDS NEW TRANSMISSION ACROSS ERCOT, THOSE COSTS ARE SOCIALIZED ACROSS TO ALL UTILITIES.
OUR PERCENTAGE OF ERCOT ARE, OUR PERCENTAGE OF THE PEAK DEMAND ON THESE FOUR COINCIDENT PEAK DAYS, UM, IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO OF ALL THE TRANSMISSION INVESTMENTS GOING ON ACROSS ERCOT, WE RECEIVE AN ALLOCATION OF THAT.
UH, OUR CUSTOMERS END UP PAYING THREE AND A HALF, UH, THREE AND HALF PERCENT OF, OF THOSE COSTS.
AND, UM, AND SO THE MORE WE CAN KEEP OUR PEAK DEMAND LOW, THE LESS ERCOT WILL ALLOCATE TO US.
UM, THE, THE REGULATORY CHARGE HAS BEEN GOING UP QUITE A LOT IN RECENT YEARS AS MORE AND MORE TRANSMISSION BUILD OUT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS ERCOT, SOME OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND IS VERY NECESSARY.
WE, AND SOME OF IT COULD BE BECAUSE OF DATA CENTERS IN OTHER AREAS OR, OR JUST OTHER LO LARGE LOAD CUSTOMERS OR, OR NEW LOADS ACROSS THE STATE AND THE NEED TO GET POWER AROUND.
UM, AND SO ANY NEW CUSTOMER THAT COMES TO AUSTIN ENERGY COULD INCREASE THAT PEAK.
UM, WHETHER THE NEW LARGE CUSTOMER, IN YOUR EXAMPLE, IF A NEW 50 MEGAWATT CUSTOMER COMES TO AUSTIN AND THEY INCREASE OUR PEAK DEMAND, WHETHER THEIR CHARGE, UH, INTO THAT PAYMENT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO OFFSET THAT THEIR, TO THEIR OWN PROPORTIONATE USE.
I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S A ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP, AND ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE DEPLOYING MORE BATTERIES AND SOLAR AND, AND SETTING RECORDS OVER, YOU KNOW, YEAR OVER YEAR, WE WE'RE WORKING TO KIND OF KEEP OUR DEMAND, UH, AS AS LOW AS WE CAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'VE BEEN MANY NEW PEAK DEMAND DAYS ACROSS ERCOT THIS SUMMER.
WE HAVE NOT SET A NEW PEAK DEMAND HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT SPEAKS TO ALL THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND RESPONSE WE'RE DOING.
AND, AND SPEAKING OF DEMAND RESPONSE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO REQUIRE, LET'S SAY, A NEW DATA CENTER TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMAND RESPONSE? LIKE, COULD THAT BE A CONDITION OF, OF THEM RECEIVING SERVICE? WHAT WE ARE REQUIRING OF ANY NEW CUSTOMER THAT'S OVER 20 MEGAWATTS, UH, IS THAT IF IN A, IN ANY KIND OF LOCAL RELIABILITY EVENT THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CURTAIL.
SO I IMA I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT'S A KIND OF A DIFFERENT PERMUTATION OF THE SAME THING AND, UH, PARTICIPATING IN DEMAND RESPONSE.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT AND, UM, GET BACK MORE INFORMATION TO YOU.
AND THEN FROM THE WATER SIDE OF THINGS, YOU TOUCHED ON YOU OBLIGATION TO SERVE, BUT ALSO THE SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST.
CAN YOU JUST HELP RECONCILE FOR EVERYBODY? IF, IF WE'RE REQUIRED TO SERVE SOMEBODY BUT SOMEBODY HAS A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST, WHY ARE WE NOT REQUIRED TO APPROVE THAT SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST IF WE'RE, IF THEY'RE REQUIRED TO RECEIVE OUR SERVICE OR? SO THE, UH, SERVICES EXTENSION REQUESTS ARE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE FULL PURPOSE CITY LIMITS, UH, CITY JURISDICTION, AND WITHIN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, WHICH IS GENERALLY THE THREE WATER, UH, SHEDS THAT ARE IN THE WEST PART OF THE CITY.
[00:50:01]
UM, AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS ARE ALSO COVERED BY OUR CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, CCN WITH THE STATE AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE DESIRE DEVELOPMENT ZONE.UM, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE DE DESIRE DEVELOPMENT ZONE IS THAT WE SERVE IS IN OUR, UM, CCN.
AND SO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE.
SO WHEN A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST COMES IN, THAT IS REALLY US DEVELOPING A SERVICE PLAN.
AND WE DO THAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR LAND USE, UH, WHERE THEY ARE IN OUR SERVICE AREA.
SO ANYONE WHO COMES IN, UM, THAT NEEDS NEW SERVICE FROM US, WE EVALUATE WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED TO SERVE THAT PROPERTY AND WE PROVIDE THEM A SERVICE PLAN.
UH, AND THEN, AND, AND THAT IS A, THAT'S A COMMITMENT TO SERVE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY BUILD.
A LOT OF THOSE SERVICE ACCENTURE REQUESTS COME IN VERY EARLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND IT PROVIDES THE DEVELOPERS, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE COST CERTAINTY ABOUT THE UTILITY COSTS THAT THEY MAY BEAR TO EXTEND SERVICE TO THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
SO, BOTTOM LINE THOUGH, IF SOMEONE IS WITHIN THE CCN AND THEY APPLY FOR A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST, DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY NO? OR DO WE JUST HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SET CONDITIONS BUT ULTIMATELY HAVE TO SAY YES? SO THE, IF WE WERE, IF THE CITY COUNCIL WERE TO DECIDE NOT TO SERVE A PROPERTY THAT IS WITHIN OUR CCN, WE WOULD HAVE TO SEEK TO RELEASE THAT PROPERTY FROM OUR CCN WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS.
UM, AND THEY WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY YES OR NO.
UM, AND THEY, UH, THEY COULD REQUIRE US TO SERVE WITHIN RCCN, PREVENT US FROM RELEASING IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
I I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR INITIATING THIS CONVERSATION AND STAFF FOR YOUR THOROUGH WORK IN RESPONSE.
I ALSO WANNA SIGN ON TO THE CALL FOR PROHIBITING HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT CAN'T COME AT THE SACRIFICE OF OUR WATER, ENERGY, AIR, AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
CLEAR AND PREDICTABLE ROLE RULES ALSO SERVE EVERYONE BUILDING PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE WHILE ENSURING THAT BUSINESSES AND ANYONE WEIGHING A A PROJECT IN AUSTIN KNOWS THE RULES OF THE ROAD GOING IN.
I ALSO HOPE THAT WE BRING OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS INTO THE CONVERSATION AS THESE FACILITIES DRAW RESOURCES WE SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITIES AROUND US.
SO, UM, WITH THAT INTRO, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST ON SLIDE SIX, THE WHOLESALE TIER IS LISTED AS 20 TO 100 MEGAWATTS AND HYPERSCALE AT 75 PLUS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP BETWEEN THESE CATEGORIES AT THE TOP END AND A LARGE WHOLESALE FACILITY CAN MATCH A SMALLER HYPERSCALE FACILITY AND LOAD MASSING AND WATER DEMAND.
WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION ON PA ON SLIDE 16 REFERS TO THE HIGHEST IMPACT DATA CENTERS, CAN STAFF CLARIFY WHETHER THAT DESIGNATION IS INTENDED TO CAPTURE WHOLESALE AS WELL AS HYPERSCALE? UM, YES, IT WOULD CAPTURE BOTH.
UM, SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE'S A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD ABOUT EXTENDING THE PROHIBITION TO THE WHOLESALE DATA CENTER TYPE AND CLARITY ABOUT OUR POLICY, POLICY PREFERENCES IN THAT AREA, UM, COULD BE HELPFUL.
AND SO I JUST WANNA OPEN UP THAT ASPECT OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL TO MY COLLEAGUES.
SO, UM, AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE REGIONAL PIECE.
WE'RE REGULATING LAND USE WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES, BUT THE GRID IS ERCOT WIDE, OUR WATER SOURCES ARE SHARED.
IF AUSTIN ADOPTS PROHIBITIONS AND OUR NEIGHBORS DON'T, THERE WILL STILL BE PRESSURE ON THOSE SHARED RESOURCES.
IS THERE A PLAN TO BRING SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS INTO THE CONVERSATION TO SEE WHETHER THEY'D CONSIDER ALIGNED STANDARDS OR HOW TO WORK ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS? I MEAN, I, I BELIEVE AS WE LOOK TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING BACK, UM, TO THIS BODY, WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO OUR, OUR PARTNERS SURROUNDING, UM, WE'RE BRINGING IN SO MANY PEOPLE.
SO YES, THAT IS A CONSIDERATION AND WE DEFINITELY LOOK TO BE SPEAKING WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, IF I COULD JUST CHIME IN ABOUT THE, UM, RELATIONSHIP TO ERCOT AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ON THAT SLIDE THAT YOU POINTED OUT, WE DID SNAP THE LINE AT, AT 75 AND ABOVE FOR HYPERSCALE.
I THINK THE DATA CENTER INDUSTRY MIGHT DISAGREE THAT 75 IS IS HYPERSCALE, BUT, UH, I I THINK THAT NUMBER'S GETTING LARGER AND LARGER ALL THE TIME AS TO WHAT'S CONSIDERED NORMAL AND WHAT'S CONSIDERED HYPERSCALE.
THE 75 MEGAWATT AND ABOVE THRESHOLD, UH, DOES ALIGN WITH THE ERCOT THRESHOLD FOR GOING THROUGH THE FULL ERCOT PLANNING PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT CAN BE INTERCONNECTED
[00:55:01]
AND STILL STILL MEET ALL RELIABILITY CONTINGENCIES.AND THE ERCOT PROCESS HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT PERMUTATIONS, BUT NOW THOSE WHO ARE 75 MEGAWATTS OR ABOVE ARE IN THE BATCH ZERO PROCESS WITH ERCOT.
THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO PLAY OUT AS TO WHO CAN, WHO ALL CAN BE, UH, INTERCONNECTED IN THAT BATCH ZERO PROCESS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO AN ERCOT DATA CENTER AUDIT PROCESS THAT'S HAPPENING, WHICH IS DIFFERENT.
AND, AND THAT PROCESS COULD BE DECEMBER, UH, IS I THINK WHAT THEY'RE TARGETING FOR THE AUDIT.
I THINK WE'LL KNOW THE FULL BATCH ZERO IMPLICATIONS MAYBE IN APRIL.
BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY IN THAT BATCH ZERO.
SO FROM AUSTIN ENERGY'S PERSPECTIVE, IT WOULD BE BEYOND WHEN BATCH ZERO HAPPENS THAT ANY POTENTIAL 75 MEGAWATT OR ABOVE AND, AND THAT'S NOT THAT STUDY AND THOSE INTERCONNECTIONS AREN'T COMING ANYTIME SOON.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, THANK YOU AND PERSON WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AND, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA JUMP IN WITH SOME QUESTIONS THEN IF I'VE GOT TIME, MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
FIRST I WANNA START WITH MS. HARDIN, WHAT ROADBLOCKS OR DIFFICULTIES SHOULD THE COUNCIL BE AWARE OF AS WE'RE REWRITING THE, UH, ORDINANCES TO MAKE SPECIFICALLY THE NON CO-LOCATED DATA CENTERS, RIGHT, THE ONES THAT WE'RE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, A CONDITIONAL USE FOR SOME OF THE ZONING CATEGORIES LIKE, UM, IP, LI, MI R AND D, UH, COMMERCIAL AND THEN PROHIBITED ELSEWHERE.
LIKE WOULD THIS NOT BE AN EASIER METHOD THAN CREATING A NEW ZONING CATEGORY? CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THE LOGIC THAT YOU GUYS CHOSE FOR THIS APPROACH? I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE STILL THINKING THROUGH WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE BEST APPROACH.
SO I THINK THAT MAKING SURE WE LAY EVERYTHING OUT, ALL CONSIDERATIONS SO THE COUNCIL KNOWS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS A POOR APPROACH THAT YOU LAID OUT, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S ONE THAT WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING.
UM, WE ARE JUST CONSIDERING WE'RE, WE'VE DONE RESEARCH, WE'VE LOOKED AT, WE'RE LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK TO MANY PEOPLE, UM, AND GO FROM THERE.
SO I DON'T, I WOULDN'T SAY WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING THAT APPROACH, UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
SO THAT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, WE'RE JUST REALLY DEFINING THINGS AS A FIRST STEP AND THEN GONNA MAKE THOSE DECISIONS DOWN THE LINE.
UH, I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS FOR GM RILEY.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH, UH, I WOULD ASSUME YOU WOULD BE THE COMMERCIAL RATE CATEGORIES THAT ARE LISTED ON THE AE WEBSITE? UH, THINGS THAT ARE LIKE IN THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMER CATEGORIES? YES.
SO GENERALLY, UH, THE DETAILS I'D HAVE TO HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME FOR, BUT YEAH.
WELL, I, I PULLED THEM UP AND, AND THERE ARE THINGS LIKE PRIMARY VOLTAGE THREE AND FOUR, AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY, UH, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PRIMARY VOLTAGE THREE AND FOUR, WHICH ARE JUST BASICALLY GREATER THAN 20 MEGAWATT CUSTOMERS.
DO WE HAVE AT THIS TIME? UM, PROBABLY JUST A HANDFUL, UM, YOU KNOW, HALF A DOZEN OR SO, UH, OVER, OVER THAT SIZE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, 10 I I SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, BETWEEN LIKE THE 20 MEGAWATT LIMIT THAT WE'VE GOT FOR THE DATA CENTERS THAT IN HERE IN AUSTIN, THERE ARE FIVE OR 10 ABOVE LARGER CUSTOMERS THAT MIGHT BE, THAT MIGHT BE ABOVE THAT THRESHOLD.
BUT I'D HAVE, I'D HAVE TO LOOK FOR TO BE SURE, BUT NOT MANY.
AND JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE PRICE THAT WE CHARGE FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, LIKE IN A KILOWATT HOUR RATE? CAN YOU SPEAK TO ANY OF THAT? WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, UTILITY RATES ARE SET BASED ON COSTS AND COSTS ARE DIFFERENT BASED ON CUSTOMER CATEGORY.
SO IF YOU'RE SERVED AT A HIGHER VOLTAGE, LET'S SAY YOU'RE A TRANSMISSION OR YOUR PRIMARY SERVICE CUSTOMER, YOU DON'T TAKE SERVICE AT THE LOWER DISTRIBUTION LEVELS.
THERE'S LESS INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED, THERE ARE FEWER LINE LOSSES, YOU'RE USING THE SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENTLY.
UM, AND SO THE COST TO SERVE THOSE CUSTOMERS IS LOWER.
UM, BUT WE ALWAYS TRY TO GET THEM TO COST, BUT THE, THE COST OF SERVING A LARGER CUSTOMER IS LOWER.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THAT.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND NEXT WHAT VISIBILITY DO DOES COUNCIL HAVE OR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE OVER THE NEWER COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS YOU MIGHT ACQUIRE OR MIGHT BE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO EXTEND SERVICE TO? UM, IN TERMS OF ANY CUSTOMER SPECIFIC INFORMATION,
[01:00:02]
I, I CAN'T DISCLOSE PUBLICLY.UM, THAT'S THAT CUSTOMER'S OWN INFORMATION, UM, BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A RIGHT OF ACCESS TO, SO WE COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, MEET WITH YOU AND DISCUSS OR, OR SHARE THAT INFORMATION, UM, WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED CONFIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, YOU KNOW, UH, USAGE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.
SO, UM, BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD HAVE A RIGHT OF ACCESS.
BUT THERE'S NO CURRENTLY LIKE A PERIODIC REPORTING THAT EXISTS THAT SAYS EVERY YEAR OR SIX MONTHS, HERE'S THE UPDATED LIST OF LARGE COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD SHARE? UM, NO, WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT.
UH, LAST QUESTION IS, WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIMITATIONS FOR REPORTING? UH, I KNOW THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SHARE AND YOU CAN'T AND, AND, AND THEN YOU, UM, WE HAVE TO PUT A DIFFERENT HAT ON, UH, FROM THE WAY THAT YOU CHARACTERIZED IT PREVIOUSLY TO ME.
SO WHAT ARE YOU ALLOWED TO SHARE ABOUT THOSE LARGE CUSTOMERS? UM, WELL IN TERMS OF IF IT, IT, IT BEING ABLE TO DISCLOSE ANY CUSTOMER USAGE INFORMATION, I'M, I'M NOT PERMITTED TO DISCLOSE HOW LARGE A CUSTOMER IS, WHAT THE CUSTOMER DOES, WHAT THEIR, UM, ELECTRIC USAGE OR LOAD PROFILE IS.
ANY OF THOSE ELECTRIC CUSTOMER SPECIFIC DETAILS, UM, I ARE, ARE CONSIDERED CONFIDENTIAL, UM, FOR THAT CUSTOMER AND THEY WOULD CONSIDER THAT TO BE THEIR OWN COMPETITIVE INFORMATION AS WELL.
BUT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE SOMETHING LIKE, WE HAVE FIVE NEW LARGE INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS THAT ARE OVER 20 MEGAWATTS THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF.
UM, Y YES, IF, IF THERE, IF, IF COUNSEL WAS SEEKING, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOAD GROWTH AND CUSTOMER ADDITIONS GENERALLY.
AND DIRECTOR ROLSON, IS THAT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME FOR WATER? SO FOR WATER WE HAVE, UM, UH, A HANDFUL OF CUSTOMERS THAT ARE CONSIDERED LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS THAT USE MORE THAN 85 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A YEAR, AND THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
SO I, I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, I MAY NOT BE GOING EXACTLY SOMEWHERE WITH THIS, BUT THERE IS A, THERE IS A PLACE I'M GOING BECAUSE THIS IS A TOUGH ISSUE RIGHT NOW FOR THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH A SPECIFIC, UM, NEW LARGE CUSTOMER THAT, UM, THAT IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE WHAT WORK THEY'RE DOING OUT THERE.
AND THEY MAY WIND UP AT LEAST THERE'S ONE REPORT AND I'LL, I'LL, I'M GETTING SOME DETAILS HERE, BUT THERE ARE SOME, THERE IS SOME INDICATION THAT THEY MIGHT BE IN THE LARGEST DATA CENTER THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN BY A FACTOR OF TWO OR THREE TIMES.
AND, UH, AND WE TALKED WITH THEM AS RECENTLY THIS MORNING TO TRY AND GET CLARITY ON THAT PROJECT.
AND I AM ABLE TO SHARE THAT, UH, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S A COMPANY CALLED GRAPHCO THAT'S COMING THERE, THAT'LL BE THEIR US ENGINEERING HEADQUARTERS.
BUT JUST TO START AT THE BEGINNING, I THINK THIS IS A TOUGH ISSUE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS HERE.
ONE IS, LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE THE STAFF PRESENTATION, THERE'S SOME NUANCE HERE IN TERMS OF CO-LOCATED DATA CENTERS IN TERMS OF CLOUD-BASED AI DATA CENTERS, IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT WE DECIDE WE NEED HERE TO SERVE OUR HIGHER ED AND OUR HOSPITALS AND OTHER VITAL INDUSTRIES AND THINGS THAT, UH, WE DECIDE AREN'T NECESSARY.
THEY COULD BE HELD IN A DIFFERENT STATE OR DIFFERENT COUNTRY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEM HERE.
THERE'S NOT A PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THIS INSTANCE THAT WE'RE GETTING INTO THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHERE YOU'VE GOT THESE SORT OF BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE IN DATA ADJACENT SPACES THAT MIGHT REQUIRE SOME OF THE COMPUTE POWER OF DATA CENTERS, BUT NOT ACTUALLY BE DATA CENTERS THEMSELVES, WHICH CREATES, I THINK, A, A SEPARATE CHALLENGE FOR US TO THINK THROUGH.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE MOVING THIS DIRECTION OF, UM, PROHIBITING LARGE DATA CENTERS OR HYPERSCALERS.
AND I AGREE WITH THAT POSITION WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
I THINK THE REAL CHALLENGE IS GONNA BE HASHING OUT WHERE DO WE DRAW OUR LINE, RIGHT? IS IT GONNA BE AT 70 MEGAWATTS, WHICH IS JUST SORT OF WHAT THE STATE CONSIDERS THESE LARGE DATA CENTERS.
UH, IS IT, AND THE PRESENTATION INDICATED THIS MORNING, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT THRESHOLD IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING AT A, A POTENTIAL 50 MEGAWATT, UH, DATA CENTER THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED UNDER CURRENT ZONING, UNDER THE COMMERCIAL, UM, UH, ALLOWANCE THAT WE'VE GOT, THEN THAT WOULD BE CERTAINLY A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FOR WHERE WE'VE CURRENTLY BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES.
AND SO SOME OF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE 3M CAMPUS OFF 2222,
[01:05:01]
WE CALL IT HIGH POINT NOW.UH, IT WAS RECENTLY SOLD AGAIN TO A COMPANY CALLED SOFTBANK.
AND WE HAD BEEN TOLD UP UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, THE INTENT WAS FOR ADVANCED R AND D.
AND, UH, AND THE CHALLENGE IS THERE'S SOME STUFF THAT CAME OUT THEIR OWN INFORMATION APPARENTLY THAT PUT OUT THAT WAS INACCURATE, SUGGESTING IT WAS A SINGLE TENANT WHOLESALE DATA CENTER WITH A 50 MEGAWATT CRITICAL IT LOAD, UH, THREE DATA CENTER HALLS, OFFICE SPACE, BENCH LAB, ET CETERA.
WE'RE TOLD THAT, UM, THAT WAS A MISTAKE ON THEIR PART.
AND, UH, BUT IT DOES RAISE A CONCERN, AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO GET TO, WHICH IS, IS IT POSSIBLE RATHER THAN SORT OF BEING SURPRISED, LIKE THEY, THEY WERE SURPRISED, BUT WE INDICATED THEY BUY, THEY'D BE ONE OF THE LARGEST, UH, AE CUSTOMERS.
AND, UH, AND WE WERE CERTAINLY SURPRISED BY THE CONFUSION AROUND THIS ITEM, UH, OR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
I AM INTERESTED IN, IN SEEING IF WE CAN, IF YOU GUYS WOULD BE OKAY WITH BRINGING FORWARD AN AMENDMENT OR WE CAN BRING FORWARD AMENDMENT THAT DOES ASK FOR PERIODIC REPORTING OF THE LARGE SCALE CHANGES, UH, OR THE CHANGES IN LARGE SCALE CUSTOMERS FOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST BE AWARE OF OR DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE AROUND PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE AND NOT KIND OF RUN UP TO THE WIRE ABOUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE PROJECTS ENTAIL.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH AT AUSTIN ENERGY OR AUSTIN WATER? ARE YOU SAYING PRIOR TO BEING ABLE TO ENGINEER SERVICE TO A CUSTOMER? WE WOULD, YOU'RE SEEKING A SUMMARY FROM AUSTIN.
I'M JUST SEEKING LIKE A PERIODIC REPORT EVERY SIX OR 12 MONTHS.
SOME WHATEVER YOU THINK THE RIGHT CADENCE IS, SO THAT AS YOU'RE, AS YOU'RE EXTENDING SERVICE, UH, THROUGH PROJECTS, UH, BECAUSE IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE APPROVE THE FINAL VERSION OF OUR DATA CENTER POLICY.
IF WE'RE STARTING WITH JUST, UM, THE DEFINITIONS TO, ON THURSDAY, I'M ASKING IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET UPDATES ON LARGE SCALE CUSTOMER CHANGES IN THAT YOU'RE EXTENDING SERVICE TO SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO DUE DILIGENCE ON OUR END AND NOT BE CAUGHT UNAWARES OF, UM, PROJECTS THAT MIGHT HAVE IMPLICATIONS IN THE DATA CENTER SPACE OR IN OTHER SPACES THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAY SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS A REPORTING OF POWER USE OR WATER USE BY CUSTOMER CLASS, SO THAT WAY WE COULD AVOID INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER DATA, BUT YOU COULD SEE THE TRENDS.
YEAH, I, I THINK ANYTHING THAT WOULD JUST GIVE US SOME CLUES THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH OR INVESTIGATION AROUND SOME CHANGES THAT YOU ALL ARE ANTICIPATING IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS, LOOK, THE, THE PURPOSE, A PURPOSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS SO THAT WE CAN GET CLARITY.
WE CAN HAVE A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO IT.
AND BY THE WAY, ADDED TO THAT, A COMPLETE APPROACH TO IT.
AND THAT'S, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE, A UNIVERSAL DESIRE HERE.
WE HAVE LIMITATIONS ON WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
AND, AND SO I THINK LETTING THEM COME BACK, YOU'RE, YOU'RE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE AFTER.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN THAT.
WE, WE, WE WANT TO KNOW SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE AND PLAN AND WE MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT FINDING LOOPHOLES OR PROBLEMS IN THE CLEAR, THOUGHTFUL, AND COMPLETE APPROACH.
SO PLEASE COME BACK WITH SOMETHING ON THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD, THAT'D BE A HELPFUL PART OF ALL OF THIS GREAT OTHER, OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LOOPHOLES, OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GAPS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS, NOT, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL, APPROPRIATE, LEGAL WAY.
WHAT I WAS GETTING AT AND, AND YEAH, JUST TO AVOID A PLACE WHERE I'M HAVING TO INVESTIGATE THE MORNING OF WORK SESSION ON WHAT A POTENTIAL PROJECT ENTAILS, UM, AND GIVE US SOME MORE RUNWAY ON SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE THROUGH ALL THE SPEAKERS AND ALL THE QUESTIONS.
WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I THINK MY OPENING COMMENTS, UH, RING TRUE HERE AT THE END TOO.
WE HAVE WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE IS A PRETTY UNITED COUNCIL ABOUT WANTING TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY, BUT BE PROTECTIVE OF THE INTEREST OF OUR CITIZENS IN QUALITY OF LIFE AND WATER AND ENERGY AND ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE ON IT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THURSDAY, IF NOT BEFORE.
UM, I'LL ALSO JUST SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME, THERE'S BEEN A, THERE
[01:10:01]
WAS A MESSAGE BOARD POST IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THERE BEING, UH, SOME PRESS AVAILABILITY, UH, AFTER THE MEETING, AFTER THE WORK SESSION.HOWEVER, FIVE, IT'S, MY, MY COUNT WAS THERE WERE FIVE PEOPLE THAT WERE ALREADY ON THAT MESSAGE BOARD POST.
AND WHILE IT INVITED OTHER MEMBERS TO BE A PART OF THAT, UH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND SO IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE, GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
BUT THERE MAY BE PEOPLE NOT AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE, AND I DON'T WANT ANYTHING READ BY ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC OR ANY PART OF THE MEDIA THAT PEOPLE AREN'T INTERESTED IF THEY'RE NOT AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE POST PUBLICLY THAT THERE, THERE'S AN, YOU KNOW, A QUORUM OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED AND WE MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE'RE HAVING PRESS AVAILABILITY THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE ABLE TO ATTEND.
SAID PRE PRESS CONFERENCE THERE, IT WASN'T POSTED AS A MEETING, RIGHT? NO, IT'S PO BUT I, WE POSTED IT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD SHOWING PUBLIC INTENT.
SO IN THE YEARS PAST, HOW DID WE, HOW DID WE NAVIGATE THIS? 'CAUSE I REMEMBER MANY YEARS IN WHICH WE'VE HAD PRESS CONFERENCES AND WE'VE INVITED THE MEDIA TO BE THERE AND THE FULL COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO ATTEND SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WE REACHED MORE THAN FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ACTUALLY ATTENDING.
WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU DIDN'T, THAT WE YOU'RE SAYING FOR US TO HAVE SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEAKING ON A TOPIC WITH THE MEDIA, WE WOULD HAVE TO POST FORMAL NOTICE.
UM, BUT, AND YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, YOU INDICATED INTEREST IN JOINING OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, UH, CERTAINLY KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT THIS TOPIC IS TO US AS A DAIS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, NOW KNOWING THAT WE WILL NEED TO FORMALLY POST EVERY TIME WE WOULD LIKE, OR WE KNOW THAT MORE THAN FIVE HAVE AN INTEREST IN SPEAKING ON A TOPIC, WE'LL BE SURE TO FORMALLY POST A MEETING NOTICE.
AND CAN YOU REMIND US THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT? IS IT, UH, 72 HOURS? YES.
BUT THAT, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO CALL IF, IF SOMEBODY'S NOT THERE, UM, IT SHOULD NOT BE READ AS A LACK OF INTEREST OR LACK OF DESIRE TO DO RIGHT BY THE CITIZENS WITH REGARD TO, UM, THIS, THIS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ITEM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO ITEM B TWO AND, UH, MANAGER, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.
[B2. Human Rights Framework: Impact Review and Report. [Dr. Lindsey Wilson, Director; Shafina Khaki, Human Rights Officer - Austin Equity and Inclusion, and HeneKom Group].]
TODAY IS RELATED TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK, UH, IMPACT REVIEW AND REPORT.TODAY, YOU WILL HEAR A PRESENTATION ON THE CITY'S FIRST HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK, UH, IMPACT, REVIEW AND REPORT.
DR. LINDSAY WILSON, DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN'S EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UH, OFFICE, SHAINA KHAKI HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, AND MENAL DAVIS, FOUNDER AND CEO OF HONEYCOMB WILL PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THEIR WORK TO CATEGORIZE AUSTIN'S MOST PRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS RISK AND IDENTIFY MITIGATIONS THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND LOCAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
THE RESULT IS THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT REVIEW REPORT THAT DETAILS THOSE RISKS DESCRIBES AUSTIN'S CURRENT SITUATION AND SUGGESTS MITIGATIONS THE CITY CAN IMPLEMENT TO MEET THE RESIDENT'S NEEDS.
SO I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO DR. WILSON.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MAYOR PEARL TIMON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS MENTIONED.
I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE SHAINA KHAKI, WHO SERVES AS THE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER IN MENIAL DAVIS, WHO IS THE CEO OF HONEYCOMB AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S SELECTED VENDOR FOR THIS PROCESS.
AND IF YOU CAN'T TELL, WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE SPACE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, TO SHARE THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN LEADING AROUND THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT AND REPORT ALONGSIDE OVER 120 OF OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS ALL 10 OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AND SO BEFORE I PASS THE MIC TO SHAINA, I WANTED TO LEVEL SET THAT THE IMPACT REPORT, IN FACT IDENTIFIES 12 PRIORITY AREAS, REALLY DRIVEN BY OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY VOICES, THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES, AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS EXPERTISE.
AND SO, AS YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THE MITIGATIONS TODAY, WE WANTED TO JUST FIRST START WITH A MOMENT OF GRATITUDE, UH, FOR OUR VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR PARTNERING DEPARTMENTS, QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS TO WHOM WE'VE BRIEFED, AND TO EACH OF YOU AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT MEANINGFUL
[01:15:01]
IMPACT REALLY REQUIRES COLLECTIVE EFFORT.AND SO I WILL PASS IT TO SHAINA TO KICK US OFF.
IS IT, DO I HAVE, I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY? A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK PROVIDES A STRUCTURED WAY TO EVALUATE WHETHER OUR CITY POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES ARE ADVANCING DIGNITY, ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
RATHER THAN EXAMINING ISSUES DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, IT'S ASKING A BROADER QUESTION.
IS THE OVERALL SYSTEM OF CITY GOVERNMENT WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE IT'S INTENDED TO SERVE? WHILE IT'S GROUNDED IN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS, IT IS CENTERED IN COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE.
THE IMPACT REVIEW HELPS US IDENTIFY WHERE RIGHTS ARE BEING FULFILLED AND WHERE BARRIERS STILL REMAIN.
IT ALSO PROVIDES THE CITY WITH A ROADMAP FOR ACTION THAT REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT REVIEW IS NOT A LINEAR EXERCISE.
IT IS A STRUCTURED, INTERACTIVE PROCESS THAT MOVED FROM RESEARCH TO ENGAGEMENT TO CO-CREATION, AND ULTIMATELY TO IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING.
THIS PROCESS BEGAN WITH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH LED BY HONEYCOMB OUR HUMAN RIGHTS VENDOR.
THEY REVIEWED MORE THAN 160 SOURCES ACROSS 12 HUMAN RIGHTS TOPIC AREAS.
USING THAT RESEARCH, THE TEAM IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL HUMAN RIGHTS RISKS AND MITIGATION OPPORTUNITIES, WHILE ALSO BUILDING A STAKEHOLDER NETWORK OF MORE THAN 300 INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS ALL 10 CITY DISTRICTS.
THROUGH CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS, HONEYCOMB THEN CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF EXISTING CITY PROGRAMS, ORDINANCES, INITIATIVES AND SERVICES TO ENSURE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BUILD ON CURRENT EFFORTS RATHER THAN DUPLICATE THEM.
THE MARCH 23RD HUMAN RIGHTS WORKSHOP WAS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE PROCESS AND THE PRIMARY CO-CREATION OPPORTUNITY.
THROUGH STRUCTURED DIALOGUE, PARTICIPANTS HELPED IDENTIFY THE MOST SALIENT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AND PRIORITIZE THE MITIGATIONS THAT SHOULD BE ADVANCED.
FOLLOWING THE WORKSHOP, A SURVEY WENT OUT TO ALL REGISTERED ATTENDEES WHO COULD NOT MAKE IT IN PERSON TO ENSURE THEIR RESPONSE AND FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY WAS COLLECTED.
HONEYCOMB THEN ANALYZED PARTICIPANT INPUT, INCORPORATED THE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, AND TRANSLATED THOSE FINDINGS INTO FEASIBLE EVIDENCE-BASED MUNICIPAL STRATEGIES INFORMED BY BEST PRACTICES AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
92 HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND 69 PROPOSED MITIGATIONS WERE BROUGHT FORTH.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE OVERALL PROCESS USED TO CONDUCT THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT REVIEW AND REPORT.
WHILE PRESENTED AS A SERIES OF STEPS, I THINK IT IS BEST UNDERSTOOD AS A CYCLE OF RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT, CO-CREATION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
EARLIER THIS SPRING, FINDINGS WERE SHARED WITH ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK AND BEGIN SUPPORT WITH INTERNAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION.
WE ALSO WANTED TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH OUR COMMISSIONS WHOSE WORK INTERSECTS WITH HUMAN RIGHTS.
WE HAVE, OF COURSE, CONTINUED TO BRIEF CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND CITY LEGAL HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE FINAL REPORT.
CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN UPDATED THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH A MEMORANDUM THAT WAS JUST SENT OUT AUGUST 14TH, THAT INCLUDED THE FULL REPORT AND THE AT A GLANCE THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU.
OUR 12 HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE AREAS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN INCLUDE ACCESSIBILITY, AGING, AND SENIORS, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, HATE CRIMES, HOMELESSNESS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEES, LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, REENTRY, VETERANS, AND WORKERS' RIGHTS.
WHILE 12 AREAS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, EACH OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE AREAS ARE DEEPLY INTERSECTED AND ALSO INCLUDE OTHER MAJOR HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES EMBEDDED WITHIN THEM.
THIS SLIDE IS MEANT TO SERVE AS A SNAPSHOT, A SAMPLE OF A MITIGATION FROM EACH SECTION OF THE REPORT.
THE KEY TAKEAWAY IS THAT THESE ARE ACTIONABLE AUSTIN'S SPECIFIC STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO ADDRESS BARRIERS IDENTIFIED BY OUR RESIDENTS, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
ACROSS THE FINAL REPORT, MITIGATIONS ARE PAIRED WITH A CONSISTENT SET OF FIVE IMPLEMENTATION INDICATORS.
THESE INDICATORS WERE DESIGNED TO GIVE THE CITY AN AT A GLANCE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EACH MITIGATION WILL
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REQUIRE.IN PRACTICE, A FILLED CIRCLE WILL MEAN THAT CATEGORY APPLIES.
AN EMPTY CIRCLE MEANS IT DOES NOT.
THOSE FIVE IMPACT INDICATORS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU ARE FISCAL IMPACT, POLICY IMPACT, CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION, COUNTY, STATE, OR FEDERAL COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO WALK YOU THROUGH ONE EXAMPLE OF A MATTER OF A MITIGATION TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT THIS REPORT WILL LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE.
ONE OF THE RISKS IDENTIFIED UNDER THE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE AREA IS THAT IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN AUSTIN FEAR CONTACTING LOCAL POLICE BECAUSE OF CONCERNS SURROUNDING IMMIGRANT ENFORCEMENT OR OTHER LEGAL CONSEQUENCE.
THE REPORT OUTLINES THE RISK IN DETAIL AND IT BACKS IT UP WITH RELEVANT DATA.
YOU WILL SEE IN THE REPORT THAT FOR THIS PARTICULAR RISK, DATA WAS PULLED FROM A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE SAFE ALLIANCE, WHO HAS SHARED THAT THE FEAR OF IMMIGRANT ENFORCEMENT IS DRIVING MORE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SEEK HELP DIRECTLY FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS.
INSTEAD OF CALLING 9 1 1, THE MITIGATION ITSELF PROPOSES THAT A PD POLICIES SEPARATE LOCAL POLICING FROM FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT CLEARLY AND IT RECOMMENDS THIS COULD BE DONE THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL'S SAFE TO CALL WORKING GROUP.
THE MITIGATION SHARES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD UPON THE SAFE TO CALL RESOLUTION BY ASKING THE WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND A PD.
THE MITIGATION OUTLINES THAT CITY COUNCIL WITH INPUT FROM AUSTIN POLICE OVERSIGHT AND A PD COULD ALSO CHOOSE TO CODIFY THE REMAINING DISTINCTION BETWEEN LOCAL POLICING AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, CREATE A FORMAL REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE, AND COMMIT THE CITY TO DEFENDING THE POLICY THROUGH ANY STATE LEGAL CHALLENGE.
THIS SPECIFIC MITIGATION, AS AN EXAMPLE, WOULD TOUCH THREE OF THE FIVE IMPACT INDICATORS, POLICY, CITY DEPARTMENT COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE BREADTH OF CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY PLAY A ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROPOSED MITIGATION.
ADVANCING HUMAN RIGHTS WILL REQUIRE COORDINATION AND SHARED OWNERSHIP.
IN ADDITION TO THE MEETING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COMMISSIONS ON JUNE 10TH, WE BROUGHT BACK ALL STAKEHOLDERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT REVIEW PROCESS TO REVIEW ALL THE MITIGATIONS THEY SET FORTH AND SHARE HIGH LEVEL FINDINGS AND HIGHLIGHTS OVERALL POSITIVE FEEDBACK MANY STAKEHOLDERS SHARED, THEY FELT THEY HAVE A SPACE HERE IN AUSTIN NOW, AND THAT THESE MITIGATIONS ARE REFLECTIVE OF COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE AND VOICE, WHILE ALSO BEING ACTIONABLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AUSTIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND CONTINUES TO HOLD STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND COMMISSION BRIEFINGS.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS THE MIC OVER TO HONEYCOMB TEAM TO BRIEFLY SHARE HOW TO BEST READ THE FULL REPORT, WHICH IS THE 200 PAGE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE ALL RECEIVED.
I MIN, WE'RE GONNA SWITCH THE SLIDES.
UH, THAT WILL HELP YOU GUYS IN THE PRESENTATION.
BUT LET ME, WHAT SLIDE IS THAT? AND FOR
WHAT SLIDE? THE HONEYCOMB TEAM.
WHAT SLIDE? WHAT NUMBER? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS MINO DAVIS, LIKE THEY'VE MENTIONED.
WE'RE BOUTIQUE ADVISORY FIRM THAT WORKS ON HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE AND HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTISE.
WE OFTEN FIND OURSELVES AT THE INTERSECTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND MEGA SPORTING EVENTS THAT MAY SEEM UNUSUAL AND UNIQUE, BUT IT IS A UNIQUE NICHE.
I'M JOINED BY ANNA FRAZIER, WHO IS ALSO ON OUR TEAM.
SHE'S JOINING VIRTUALLY, UH, IN WASHINGTON, DC AND IS ONLINE.
JESSICA MCGOWAN IS NOT WITH US TODAY, BUT WAS ALSO A PART OF THIS PROJECT TEAM.
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO READING THE FULL REPORT, I DO WANNA REMIND COUNSEL THAT THE FULL REPORT IS ABOUT 262 PAGES.
SO IT IS EXTENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE 12 ISSUE AREAS THAT WE LOOKED AT AND THE NUMBER OF ENGAGEMENTS WE DID WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THOSE AREAS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE REPORT, YOU'LL HAVE AN
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INTRODUCTION TO THAT ISSUE AREA, AND THERE'LL BE A GREEN MITIGATION BAR THAT WILL START WITH THE FIRST MITIGATION TO ADDRESS THAT RISK, THE HUMAN RIGHTS RISK WILL FOLLOW BY THE CURRENT SITUATION.AND THEN A DEEPER SECTION ON MITIGATIONS.
SO THE HUMAN RIGHTS RISK ESSENTIALLY EXPLAINS WHAT THE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE IS, WHO IS AFFECTED, WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE GROUPS THAT ARE AFFECTED, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND THIS IS BASED ON DESK RESEARCH AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
WE BELIEVE IN REFLECTIVE GOVERNANCE, SO THAT STAKEHOLDER INPUT IS CRITICAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR IDEAS, THOUGHTS, AND BELIEFS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THIS REPORT.
THE CURRENT SITUATION IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE A LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT.
BEFORE WE RECOMMEND MITIGATIONS, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A DECENT IDEA OF WHAT IS ALREADY IN THE CITY'S LANDSCAPE.
SO THAT DESCRIBES HOW THE ISSUE CURRENTLY IMPACTS AUSTIN, BUT IT ALSO OUTLINES THOSE EX EXISTING CITY POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES RELATED TO THAT ISSUE AREA.
WHEN WE GO INTO THE MITIGATIONS, THESE ARE THE PR, THE, THE PRACTICAL COMMUNITY INFORMED MITIGATIONS FOR THE CITY TO CONSIDER TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THAT HUMAN RIGHTS RISK.
IT'S DEVELOPED WITH AUSTIN'S LEGAL AUTHORITY, THE RESOURCES AND OPERATIONAL REALITIES IN MIND.
SO THE RIGHT LENS FOR THE MITIGATIONS REPORT.
THE OVERALL REPORT CONTAINS RECOMMENDED MITIGATIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS RISKS PRIORITIZED BY BY THE STAKEHOLDERS AT THE WORKSHOP THAT SHAFINA MENTIONED, YOU REALLY WANNA TREAT THE MENU, TREAT THE REPORT AS A MENU OF OPTIONS.
IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE PRESCRIPTIVE.
IT WAS MADE CLEAR TO THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'VE COMMUNICATED WITH THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, THAT THE CITY WOULD CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY CHECK, BOTH FINANCIAL AND LEGAL, AND THAT NOT NECESSARILY EVERYTHING WOULD BE ACTED UPON.
SO THE CITY CAN SELECT A SET OF MITIGATIONS TO EXECUTE ACROSS THE 12 ISSUE AREAS.
IF THERE IS THAT PRIORITIZATION THAT HAPPENS FURTHER, OF COURSE YOU WANNA COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE STAKEHOLDERS AND MAKE SURE THE COMMUNICATION LOOP STAYS OPEN WITH THEM TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE MITIGATIONS WITH THE FISCAL IMPACT.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT SHAFINA MENTIONED WITH THE IMPACT INDICATOR GRAPH.
THE ONES THAT CITY CHOOSES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CAN BE PRIORITIZED FOR THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE AS I KNOW THAT BUDGET HAS BEEN PASSED.
ALSO, SOME HAVE A MINOR FISCAL IMPACT LIKE PRINT COSTS.
THIS ALSO PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE BECAUSE THERE IS CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORK TO BE DONE WITH THE BUDGETS AT OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE REPORT TO BE PRIORITIZED.
SO THERE IS THE ABILITY TO SORT OF WORK CROSS-FUNCTIONALLY AND LEVERAGE EXISTING BUDGETS.
AND THEN A LOT OF THE COSTS ARE UNDETERMINED AND THERE'S HOMEWORK TO BE DONE THERE.
SO THERE'S A BIT OF AN EXPLORATION PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN THERE AS WELL.
SO WHY MAY YOU SEE EFFORTS THAT ALREADY EXISTED, EXIST LISTED AS NEW MITIGATIONS IN THE REPORT? IF YOU SEE A MITIGATION THAT YOU KNOW THE CITY IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING, THEN IT INDICATES THAT RESEARCH AND STAKEHOLDER IN, UH, ENGAGEMENT SHOWED A GAP IN EXECUTION.
A STRONGER COMMUNICATION PLAN MAY BE NEEDED OR EXPANDED.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MAY BE NECESSARY.
WE GATHERED A GROUP OF RIGHTS HOLDERS AND RIGHTS HOLDER REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH NGOS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IF THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY IS DOING IT, THEN THAT'S THAT GAP, RIGHT? SO A CITY DEPARTMENT MAY CONFIRM OF COURSE, THAT A PROGRAM OR POLICY EXISTS, BUT IF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS IT, THE DESK RESEARCH WE DID, WHICH WAS ABOUT 85 PAGES LONG, COULD NOT FIND IT.
OR THE STAKEHOLDERS SHARED THAT IT, THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AND IT'S NOT BENEFITING THE COMMITTEE.
IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT THE CITY TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT MAKING MORE ROBUST OR DOING A PRESS RELEASE AROUND OR HAVING STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION AROUND.
AND I JUST WANTED TO LET, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL KNOW.
YES, THE REPORT IS 200 PLUS PAGES.
THIS IS THE BRIEF, UM, TO SUPPORT THAT REPORT.
UH, SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? THE NEXT STEPS INCLUDE ASSIGNING MITIGATION LEADS TO CITY DEPARTMENTS AND PARTNERING WITH NECESSARY STAKEHOLDERS TO SUPPORT THE MITIGATIONS.
STARTING THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, THE FOCUS SHIFTS TO IMPLEMENTATION OPERA, OPERATIONALIZING RELEVANT MITIGATIONS WHILE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND STA AND TRACK PROGRESS.
THE KEY TAKEAWAY IS THAT THIS REPORT IS NOT AN ENDPOINT, IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CITY'S FIRST HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY, COLLABORATION, AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS ACROSS AUSTIN.
SO WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS MAYOR OR COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES? YES, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND I SHOULD HAVE CALLED ON THEM BEFORE WE HAD THE PRESENTATION.
UH, ONE OF 'EM IS A REMOTE SPEAKER, I THINK, AND THEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE IN PERSON.
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MIND, I'LL, I'LL COME TO YOU RIGHT AFTER THAT.MAYOR, WE ONLY HAVE THE IN PERSON SPEAKER.
HEATHER MOGA FOR ITEM B TWO, AND NO OTHER SPEAKERS TO CALL AT THIS TIME? YEP.
OH, I JUMPED THE GUN, DIDN'T I? ALL RIGHT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE THE FLOOR.
AND FIRST FOREMOST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INCREDIBLE REPORT AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THIS ALL LAID OUT AND TO KNOW THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I'M CURIOUS WITH THIS, UM, WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'VE LAID OUT HERE, AND PARTICULARLY AROUND THE MITIGATION ONES, HOW DO YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, ONCE I GUESS THE MANAGER ASSIGNS A DEPARTMENT LEADS, AND WITH YOUR COOPERATION AND, AND COLLABORATION, WILL WE SEE TO WHAT EXTENT WE THE CITY PROVIDES A SERVICE OR, UH, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY PARTNER? DOES THAT PROGRAM, LIKE HOW WILL WE KNOW, UM, TO WHAT LEVEL ARE WE FULFILLING EACH MITIGATION THAT'S OUTLINED HERE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY HERE TO TRACK OUR PROGRESS.
AND SO THE WAY THAT WE SEE THAT IS TO HAVE THIS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO, TO, ALL RIGHT.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS ON OUR WEBSITE TO REALLY BE ABLE TO REFLECT EACH OF THESE MITIGATIONS AS THEY COME, AS BEAL SHARED, IT'S NOT A PRESCRIPTIVE MENU.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, WHICH MITIGATIONS WE CAN EASILY DISTRIBUTE AND START IMPLEMENTING WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR.
UM, BUT AS WE TRACK EACH OF THAT PROGRESS, WE'LL ALSO HAVE THOSE IMPACT INDICATORS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE REPORT.
SO MAYBE THE POLICY SIDE OF THE, UH, OF THE, UH, MITIGATION HAS BEEN MOVED FORWARD, POSSIBLY THE FISCAL IMPACT HAS BEEN MOVED FORWARD.
AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO ALSO TRACK EACH MITIGATION THROUGH THOSE IMPACT INDICATORS.
AND KNOWING THAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH A SOCIAL SERVICE RESET, HOW DOES THE WORK LAID OUT HERE WITH THIS HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK? HOW WILL THAT INTEGRATE WITH THE WORK THAT THE CITY'S DOING OVERALL? ABSOLUTELY.
SO RECOGNIZING, UM, SOME OF THE BUDGETING AROUND OUR SOCIAL SERVICES, WHAT WE HAVE IS THAT EACH MITIGATION DOES NOT HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT.
AND SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A POLICY, AN ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE? IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIMPLY COLLABORATE WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE OR ESSENTIALLY PUSH FORTH A MITIGATION THROUGH THAT SUPPORT? SO THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN EACH MITIGATION AND ACTUALLY EXAMPLES IN THE REPORT FOR EACH MITIGATION ON MOVING IT FORWARD.
THERE MAY BE, FOR EXAMPLE, AN ADJUSTMENT ON ONE SIDE THAT CAN BE MADE WITH OUR COLLABORATION OF OUR PARTNERS VERSUS A POLICY OR A FISCAL IMPACT.
AND IF I CAN ADD, UM, TO, TO THAT RESPONSE, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING IN LOCKSTEP ACROSS OUR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, WHILE OUR OFFICE, OF COURSE DOESN'T KNOW ALL OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS THE DEPARTMENTS DO.
AND SO AS THEY'RE WORKING ON THOSE MITIGATIONS, IF THEY SEE OVERLAP OR IF IT EXTENDS TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEIR SOCIAL SERVICE CON, UH, CONTRACTORS ARE DOING, UH, THEY WOULD BRING THAT TO THE TABLE AS WELL.
UM, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT COLLABORATION WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE TOUCH POINTS ARE.
I I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT THE CITY IS EMBEDDING HUMAN RIGHTS INTO ALL OF OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, AND IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR US.
I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, IMPORTANT WORK.
UM, I THINK FIRST, UH, UH, ON RELATION TO SLIDE 15 AND KIND OF WHAT COMES NEXT, UH, SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS THE FUTURE CYCLE, REPEAT AND UPDATE.
AND I'M WONDERING WHAT THE RECOMMENDED FREQUENCY IS OF REPEATING AND UPDATING.
AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION AFTER THAT.
I'LL ACTUALLY LET MENAL TAKE THAT QUESTION, JUST 'CAUSE UM, WE CAN PROBABLY BEST ANSWER.
YEAH, I THINK IT, WITH THE DASHBOARD THAT SHAINA'S TALKING ABOUT HOSTING, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE MENTIONED, BUT SHE MEANT MEANS FOR THAT TO BE PUBLIC.
SO ONE, IT'LL BE ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND THEN WE'D MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION OF QUARTERLY UPDATES WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND CONVENING THEM.
AND WHAT YOU SEE OVER TIME WHEN WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE COUNCIL MEMBER, IS THAT THE ATTENDANCE SEEMS TO GET SMALLER AND SMALLER AS TRUST BUILDS.
AND THAT TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE EMBEDDED INTO EVERYTHING THAT CITY GOVERNMENT DOES IS BEING WITNESSED BY 'EM.
SO THAT WOULD BE OUR UPDATE, AND THEN YOU CAN DO IT LESS FREQUENTLY AS YOU SEE THE ATTENDANCE WING.
AND IT ALSO ANSWERS MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION ALREADY THAT, UH, AND I LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT CONSULTING CONTRACTS, AND SO I WAS ALSO KIND OF WONDERING ABOUT ARE WE BUILDING CAPACITY INTERNALLY SO THAT WE ARE, OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A RECURRENT CONSULTANT CONTRACT? AND SO I LOVE WHAT I HEARD IN ANSWER TO THAT.
UM, I DO, I ALSO AM WONDERING HOW DO, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE OUR FEEDBACK ON THESE MITIGATIONS? I, YOU KNOW, I HAD
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REVIEWED THE SLIDES, WHICH PROVIDE NOT ALL OF THE INFORMATION, AND I ALREADY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK, AND I MAY WELL HAVE MORE AFTER THIS.IF YOU, UM, CAN REACH OUT TO OUR DEPARTMENT, WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT, THAT FEEDBACK, UH, AND THE BRIEF ACTUALLY OUTLINES THE MITIGATIONS IN EACH ONE OF THE SECTIONS.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT GRABS YOUR ATTENTION, IT WILL SUPPORT THE, THE CONNECTION TO THE LARGER REPORT SO THAT YOU CAN DIG DEEPER IN THERE.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD IMAGINE BASED ON WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO HEAR, EITHER FROM COUNCIL OR AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS RECURRENT PROCESS, UM, THERE WILL BE SOME MITIGATIONS THAT ARE PRIORITIZED AND OTHERS THAT ARE LEFT ASIDE.
AND I KNOW THE SLIDES MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AS TO WHAT IS SET ASIDE.
I I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY LIKE ACCESS TO THE PRIORITIZATION AND WHAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE MIGHT EVEN ALREADY ADDRESSED SOME OF MY FEEDBACK IF I SEE THAT.
BUT, UM, SO WHAT IS, HOW WILL YOU KEEP COUNCIL OFFICES IN THE LOOP AS, AS IT RELATES TO THOSE MATTERS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO ONE IS, I THINK HAVING THAT DASHBOARD IS GONNA BE SUPER SUPPORTIVE IN SHOWING LIKE HOW EACH MITIGATION IS MOVING FORWARD.
AS MENAL SAID, WE PLAN TO UPDATE THAT QUARTERLY, UM, SO THAT, UM, IT'S CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED TO ALSO SEE ACROSS THOSE 12, UH, HUMAN RIGHTS PRIORITY AREAS, WHICH MITIGATIONS ARE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WE'RE ALSO VERY HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO BRIEF COUNSEL AND SO, UH, VERY HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOUR OFFICE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN IN LOCKSTEP WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
WE SEE SOME OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS HERE SUPPORTING US, BRINGING IN THE BRIEFING.
AND SO ONCE WE, UH, START THE IMPLEMENTATION AND WE START TO HEAR FROM STAKEHOLDERS WHICH ONES WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE VIA ME MEMO AS WELL.
UM, I ALSO DO JUST REALLY WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, IT'S BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL AND I WANNA BRING UP SOME OTHER RECENT WORK OF THE EQUITY OFFICE, THE LEVERS OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY INDEX.
WHEREBY WE REVIEW ECONOMIC MOBILITY BARRIERS BY CENSUS TRACT FOR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT WITH VARIOUS OVERLAYS AND LEVERS.
AND I'M, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAIR THE INFORMATION IN EACH OF THESE RECENT EFFORTS ABSOLUTELY.
IT WAS, UH, INCREDIBLE MEETING WITH YOUR OFFICE, AND ROBIN HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
AND SO THE INTENT IS TO USE THE LEVERS OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY, THE LEMI ACROSS OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANY DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.
AND SO THIS IS A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEAD WITH THAT.
UM, AND SO WE'VE STARTED OUR FIRST COHORT AND NOT TO SHIFT THE CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT THE LEVERS THAT OP UH, LEVERS OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ALSO HELP US IDENTIFY WHERE WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THOSE, UH, GREATEST STRUCTURAL BARRIERS.
UM, SO YES, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER LANE MEMBERS, UH, I THINK THAT IS ALL THE FOLKS THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR THE VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION AND FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE BRIEFINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR THIS WORK SESSION.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE OH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU TOLD ME TO PAY ATTENTION AND I, I FORGOT, BUT I ALSO, BUT I ALSO TOLD YOU, REMIND ME OR I'LL FORGET.
SO I, I APPRECIATE YOUR CALL ON.
UM, WELL, I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE IT'S A, IT'S A SAD DAY IN THE DISTRICT NINE OFFICE.
UH, TODAY'S, UH, LAST DAY FOR CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE DISTRICT NINE OFFICE.
HARRY BARGE, HASS BEEN WITH THE OFFICE SINCE DAY ONE, THREE YEARS AND EIGHT MONTHS AND SOME CHANGE.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK SARAH AND SEND HER A BUNCH OF LOVE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE, UH, ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES, THOUGH AS BEING, UH, MORAL COMPASS AND LEADING WITH EMPATHY, UH, AND KINDNESS ON ISSUES AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO EXCITED FOR HER, HER, HER NEXT ADVENTURE, AND I APPRECIATE HER BEING A PART OF THE D NINE OFFICE AND THE D TWO OFFICE FOR A BIT TOO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S THIS WORK SESSION ON AUGUST 25TH, 2026.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED AT 10:38 AM THANKS EVERYBODY.