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[CALL TO ORDER]
CALLED MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.IT IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2026.
SO LET'S START WITH THE READING OF THE ROLE.
RYAN, WOULD YOU MIND DOING THAT? MM-HMM
PRESENT, VICE CHAIR, LEVISON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL? ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER PRESENT.
OH, COMMISSIONER FANG, ARE YOU ABLE TO TURN YOUR CAMERA ON? YES.
IT'S UH, IT'S SLOW, BUT I'M ON CAMERA.
COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN PRESENT.
AND COMMISSIONER HOUSTON IS ABSENT.
ALRIGHT, COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL SO WE HAVE A QUORUM.
YES, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE CAN GET STARTED.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular meeting of August 19, 2026.]
ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 19TH, 2026 MEETING.I ASSUME EVERYONE'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THOSE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
CAN I SECOND? UH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION IF HE WASN'T THERE, CAN HE SECOND THE MEETING? OKAY.
KIMBERLY LEVINSON MADE THE MOTION.
UM, DO WE HAVE A, OH, WE HAVE THE VOTE, DON'T WE?
I'LL JUST, UM, SORRY, CHAIR REAL QUICK.
I'LL ALSO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
SORRY, WHAT? YOU'RE HA I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING.
IS THIS BETTER? THAT'S BETTER.
UM, I'LL JUST NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
THIS MEETING MAY BE ME FORGETTING A LOT OF THINGS.
WE JUST HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
[2. Staff briefing regarding the Creative Reset Phase II: Reimagining Austin’s Cultural Facilities and Museums. Briefing by Marjorie Flanagan, Division Manager, Cultural Education & Programs, ACME.]
ALONG TO STAFF BRIEFINGS.UM, WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE CREATIVE RESET.
TWO RE REIMAGINING AUSTIN'S CULTURAL FACILITIES AND MUSEUMS BRIEFING BY MARJORIE FLANAGAN, DIVISION MANAGER, CULTURAL EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS, A CME CHAIR.
IT LOOKS LIKE OUR PRESENTER ISN'T ONLINE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I'LL REACH OUT TO HER AND I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE UP THE NEXT PRESENTATION FIRST.
YEAH, LET'S TABLE THAT FOR NOW.
THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AS LONG AS THERE'S NO OBJECTION TO DOING SO AND I DON'T SEE ANY OBJECTION.
[3. Staff briefing on the Central City District Plan. Briefing by Shanisha Johnson, Principal Planner and Chris Ryerson, Division Manager, Austin Planning]
SO, ITEM NUMBER THREE, STAFF BRIEFING ON THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN.BRIEFING BY ISHA JOHNSON, PRINCIPAL PLANNER AND CHRIS RYERSON, DIVISION MANAGER, AUSTIN PLANNING.
UM, GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS ISHA JOHNSON AND I LEAD, UH, UM, THE AUSTIN PLANNINGS DISTRICT PLANNING TEAM.
UM, TODAY I WILL BE, WILL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN.
AND I'M JOINED HERE, UM, BY ONE OF THE LONG RANGE DIVISION MANAGERS.
ALRIGHT, SO FOR THIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL, I WILL PROVIDE A PROGRESS UPDATE JUST TO KIND OF ORIENT US TO WHERE WE ARE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, WE, WE'LL DISCUSS HOW WE, UM, APPLY ALL FEEDBACK RECEIVED, UH, THROUGH PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT, UM, TO INFORM A FUTURE FUTURE GROWTH VISION.
WE WILL, UM, INTRODUCE TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS AND, UM, KIND OF QUICKLY REFLECT ON, UH, THE DOWNTOWN, THE 2011 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, UH, TRANSFORMATIVE STEPS.
UM, THEN WE'LL PROVIDE SOME KEY MILESTONES FOR OUR TIMELINE TO ADOPTION
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BEFORE, UM, O UH, GOING OVER A FEW KEY NEXT STEPS.THE, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER.
CAN WE HAVE THE SCREENS UP APPEAR TURNED ON, OR IS THAT NOT POSSIBLE? UH, MINE'S ON, IT'S JUST NOTHING'S COMING THROUGH.
MINE'S NO, I THINK COME UP THERE JUST A SECOND.
UM, SO NOW FOR, UM, SOME PROGRESS UPDATES.
SO, UM, WE LAST PRESENTED TO THE FULL COMMISSION ON JUNE 17TH, AND SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STARTED THERE WITH, UM, RECAPPING, UM, ON THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, UH, THUS FAR.
UM, THIS SLIDE REALLY FEATURES, UM, OUR ENGAGEMENT IN RELATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF DELIVERABLES.
AND WE HAVE FOUR KIND OF ENGAGEMENT, UH, GROUP BUCKETS.
AND SO WE HAVE OUR DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WORKING GROUP.
UM, AND SO AT OUR JULY MEETING OF THE COMMISSION WORKING GROUP, WE, UM, WORKED THROUGH, UH, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, UM, THE WORKING GROUP IN COMMISSION'S FEEDBACK ON, UM, OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT.
AND THEN IN OUR AUGUST MEETING, WE REVIEWED OUR NARRATIVE PLAN OUTLINE, UM, UH, TALKED THROUGH MILESTONES IN THAT TIMELINE TO ADOPTION, AND THEN DISCUSSED THE FIRST DRAFT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS FOR WHICH WE WILL, UM, DISCUSS, UM, IN FURTHER DETAIL.
UH, LATER ON IN THE SLIDE, OUR SECOND, UM, ENGAGEMENT GROUP BUCKET IS OUR STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP.
AND, UM, IN OUR JULY MEETING, WE WORKSHOPPED WHAT'S DRIVING CHANGE IN AUSTIN, UM, KIND OF THOSE EXTERNAL FORCES, UM, THINGS THAT, UH, FOR WHICH WE NEED TO DEVELOP RESPONSES TO, UM, AND, UH, ADDRESS IN THIS PLAN.
UM, SO IN THAT JULY 13TH MEETING, WE DISCUSSED AND PRIORITIZED THOSE, UM, RESPONSES.
UM, THOSE RESPONSES WE'RE CALLING ACTIONS, UM, TO THOSE DRIVERS OF CHANGE.
AND THEN IN OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING WITH THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP, WE REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED DRAFT TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS AND REVIEWED HIGH, UH, A HIGH LEVEL GROWTH CONCEPT WITH SELECT, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
OUR THIRD BUCKET OF, UM, ENGAGEMENT IS, UH, WITH OUR INTER-AGENCY TECHNICAL ADVISOR GROUP.
AND SO AS A REMINDER, THAT GROUP IS, UH, COMPRISED OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES, UM, WHO ALL HAVE A STAKE IN, IN, UM, FUTURE GROWTH IN THIS AREA.
AND SO IN OUR JULY MEETING, WE REVIEWED THE NARRATIVE PLAN OUTLINE, SHARED OUR TIMELINE TO ADOPTION, AND ALSO DISCUSSED, UM, AN EARLY DRAFT OF ACTIONS RELATED, RELATED TO DRIVERS OF CHANGE.
AND THEN OUR MEETING, IN OUR MEETING, UM, LAST MONTH WITH THE, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP WE INTRODUCED AND, UM, WORKSHOPPED TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS.
UM, WE ALSO INTRODUCED A DRAFT LIFT LIST OF, UH, PLAN ACTIONS, ALL ACTIONS THUS FAR TO BE CONSIDERED, UM, UH, FOR THE PLANS IMPLEMENTATION SECTION.
AND THEN OUR FOURTH BUCKET IS, OF COURSE, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO, UM, LAST MONTH, LAST MONTH WE WORKED THROUGH DEVELOPING AN INFORMATIONAL VIDEO, WHICH IS NOW HOSTED.
UM, IT'S NOW, UH, LIVE ON, UM, THE CITY'S A TXN YOUTUBE PAGE.
UM, AND THEN, UM, LAST STARTING LAST MONTH, WE ALSO BEGAN ONE-ON-ONE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.
SO JUST THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR MICROSOFT BOOKING APP AND, AND, UM, PROMOTING THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH OUR SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE.
BUT AS WELL, UM, THROUGH, UM, AN EMAIL BLAST, WE HELD A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS TO PROVIDE JUST, UM, YET ANOTHER, UM, AVENUE FOR FOLKS TO, UM, SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE PLAN IN THE FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT.
AND THEN YESTERDAY WE HELD AN IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE TO IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE AT, AND I MAY GET THIS NAME WRONG, BUT AUSTIN SDE HALL, WHICH IS A GERMAN HALL.
IT IS, UM, ONE OF THE OLDEST BOWLING, IF NOT THE OLDEST, UH, BOWLING ALLEY IN TEXAS, UM, HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE BOWLING HALL SINCE 1904.
UM, THERE WE INVITED THE COMMUNITY TO EXPLORE DRAFT TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS AS WELL AS, UM, UH, A DRAFT, UH, GROWTH CONCEPT MAP.
UM, AND THEN TO, UM, WEIGH IN ON, UM, ALL OF THOSE ITEMS AND KIND OF, UM, IDENTIFY OTHER IDEAS THAT WE COULD, UM, CONSIDER.
TOMORROW WE HOLD A VIRTUAL, UM, WE HOLD A, WE HOLD TOMORROW, WE HOLD A VIRTUAL, UH, VERSION OF THE IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE,
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UH, FOR WHICH WE WILL, UM, GO OVER THE SAME MATERIALS AS AS THE IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE.IT WAS EITHER A PROMISE OR A WARNING.
LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION,
SO, UM, AND NOW WE'LL GO OVER HOW WE APPLY THIS FEEDBACK, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, A FUTURE GROWTH VISION.
WE ARE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND SO WE, UM, WE ARE TASKED WITH THINKING THROUGH LAND USE POLICY.
AND SO, UM, WE WILL GO OVER SOME DETAILS OF HOW WE GET TO EXPLORING THAT LAND USE POLICY.
SO THE FUTURE OF THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT IS MULTI-LAYERED AND INFORMED BY A NUMBER OF, UM, INTERIM DELIVERABLES AND, UM, OTHER, UM, MOMENTUM THAT, THAT HAS BEEN BUILT, UM, WITH ONGOING EFFORTS.
SO WE'VE DEVELOPED A VISION AND GOALS, UM, THAT WAS INFORMED BY WHAT WE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY AND ALSO A PLANNING ANALYSIS TO SYNTHESIZE THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, WE, UM, HAVE INCORPORATED, UM, EXISTING PROJECTS AND POLICIES AND, UM, AND, UH, WORKED THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF THAT, UM, ANTICIPATED GROWTH BASED ON THOSE ONGOING EFFORTS, AS WELL AS ANTICIPATED GROWTH FROM SUGGESTED ACTIONS FOR, FOR THE, UM, PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SO THROUGH THAT WORK, WE HAVE REALLY COME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IN ADDITION TO PROGRAMS AND OTHER TYPES OF POLICIES AND EVEN PROJECTS, HOW, UM, WE START TO BUILD A LAND USE VISION.
SO THIS MAP SHOWS A HIGH LEVEL GROWTH CONCEPT, UM, OH, I'LL SAY UPFRONT THAT, UM, THIS IS LIKE, UM, STEP ONE IN, IN BEGINNING TO EXPLORE, UM, A FUTURE LAND USE VISION, UM, FOR WHICH WE THEN WILL BE, UM, WORKING WITH THE IMAGINE AUSTIN TEAM WHO WILL LEAD ENGAGEMENT AROUND, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLACE TYPES.
UM, EVENTUALLY THIS, THIS, THIS MAP WILL TRANSFORM INTO A PLACE TYPES MAP ONCE, UM, IMAGINE AUSTIN HAS, UM, FULLY DEVELOPED, UH, THOSE PLACE TYPES.
SO FOR THIS HIGH LEVEL GROWTH CONCEPT MAP, THE AREAS IN PURPLE, UM, ARE, ARE CHARACTERIZED AS AREAS THAT ARE GENERAL, GENERALLY, UM, UM, EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN THEIR EXISTING CHARACTER IN DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
UM, IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS IN THIS AREA, AND SO THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE, WE, UM, PROPERTY THAT WE DO NOT GOVERN, UM, AND SO DOES MAKE SENSE THAT WE DON'T SAY WHAT HAPPENS THERE.
UM, ALSO THE CAPITAL COMPLEX IS INCLUDED IN THIS AREA IN PURPLE.
UM, THE LONG CENTER, UM, AND AUDITORIUM SHORES IS INCLUDED IN, IN THIS, UM, AREA.
AND, UM, WEST CAMPUS HAVING DONE SO WELL, UM, ALREADY WITH, UM, GROWTH, WE'RE NOT YET.
UM, LOOKING AT, UM, AT LIKE, UH, CHANGING, UM, THAT CHARACTER AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
THE AREAS IN, UH, BROWN ARE MID TO HIGH DENSITY MIXED USE AREAS.
THOSE AREAS ARE CONCENTRATED AROUND THE LIGHT RAIL, BUT ALSO, UM, ARE, ARE SHORES, SO THE NORTH SHORE, UM, AND, UH, THE SOUTH SHORE.
UM, AND SO THESE AREAS ARE IDENTIFIED AS THOSE THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE GREATEST RESIDENTIAL GROWTH, UM, BUT ALSO SUPPORT EXISTING NON-RESIDENTIAL USES.
THE, THE AREA IN THE PINKISH REDDISH COLOR IS WHERE, UM, WE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ENHANCING AND FOSTERING AND CONTINUING TO UPHOLD AUSTIN'S IDENTITY.
AND SO THROUGH CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT, UH, SUPPORTIVE USES, UM, WE, WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THAT PARTICULAR AREA, UM, REALLY HOUSE, UM, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, RETAIL.
AND THEN ALSO THAT AREA DOES INCLUDE SOME OF OUR EXISTING ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
THE AREA IN ORANGEISH, UM, IS A TRANSITIONAL MIXED USE AREA.
AND SO IN THIS AREA WE ARE, UM, WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE TRANSITION FROM HIGHER DENSITY AROUND THE LIGHT WORLD CORRIDOR AND THEN ALSO FROM FROM NORTH MAR.
AND SO HERE, THIS IS, UM, WHERE WE ARE THINKING ABOUT, UM, MAYBE BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT ADAPTIVE REUSE, BUT ALSO IT JUST BEING, UM, MORE, UM, MIXED LOW TO MID DENSITY BASICALLY.
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UM, AND THEN THE AREAS IN GREEN ARE AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UM, THROUGH EXISTING FEEDBACK AND ALSO PLANNING ANALYSIS AREAS THAT CAN SUPPORT MORE ADAPTIVE REUSE, UM, LIKE THROUGH EXISTING, UM, SUPPORTING EXISTING CHARACTER, UM, THE PRESERVATION OF EXISTING CHARACTER WHILE ACCOMMODATING NEW GROWTH NEW BUSINESSES AND ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL DENSITY.SO HOW DO WE EVALUATE THIS FUTURE? WELL, THE MAP SHOWS WHERE GROWTH COULD OCCUR, UM, BUT REALLY DOESN'T TELL US WHAT THAT GROWTH COULD MEAN FOR PEOPLE AND THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
UM, SO WE ARE THINKING THROUGH A SET OF MEASURES, UM, TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS FUTURE SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY'S VISION AND, UH, GOALS.
UM, AND SO WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE WE MEASURING OR WHAT ARE WE THINKING ABOUT MEASURING, OF COURSE, POPULATION AND JOBS, UM, HOUSING UNITS, A COMMERCIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE, UM, POTENTIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE, UH, HOUSING DIVERSITY, HOUSING COST PRESSURE JOBS AND HOUSING BALANCE, AS WELL AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW THE DISTRICT CAN REMAIN COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE TO NAVIGATE.
SO THINKING THROUGH TREE CANOPY AND CONTINUING TO REDUCE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT OR TEMPERATURES, UM, NEAR THE GROUND.
UM, WE'RE ALSO THINKING THROUGH TRANSIT TRIPS, CAR TRIPS AND TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITY AS SOME EXAMPLES OF, OF THINGS, UM, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE.
AND SO WE HAVE A FEW SELECT, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
UM, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT THERE'S, BASED ON OUR CURRENT, UH, ZONING, UM, AND LAND USE POLICY, THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF GROWTH ENABLED.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, HOW DO WE PUSH THAT THAT ENABLEMENT EVEN, EVEN FURTHER FOR FUTURE GROWTH? AND SO IF THE PLAN'S IMPLEMENTATION IS SUCCESSFUL, WE THINK THAT IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, POPULATION ENABLED TODAY, WE COULD ADD AN ADDITIONAL 40 5K, UM, TO FUTURE GROWTH.
AND THAT WOULD BE SPREAD ACROSS 25,000 ADDITIONAL, UM, HOUSING UNITS.
IN TERMS OF JOBS, WE, UM, IF, IF THE PLAN IS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED, UM, WE COULD ENABLE, UH, CAPACITY FOR JOBS AND BUSINESS GROWTH THAT GOES BEYOND THE CAMP.
UM, UH, OH, CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN ORGANIZATIONS, FORECASTED JOB GROWTH ACRONYMS, UM, FOR 22, UH, 2045, UM, WHILE ALLOWING GREATER DENSITY, UH, DIVERSITY OF USES AND FOR VARIETY.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF TRANSIT TRIPS, WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, WITH, WITH OUR GROWTH CONCEPT, WE CAN ENABLE, UM, 25% MORE TRANSIT TRIPS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, ARE THEN ARE ALREADY ENABLED TODAY.
AND THEN AS WELL, THINKING GOING BACK TO URBAN HEAT ISLAND, UM, THROUGH SUPPORTIVE POLICIES, UH, UH, THROUGH POLICIES THAT SUPPORT GREEN ROOFS, COOL ROOFS, EVEN BIOSWELLS AND OTHER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN, WHILE INCREASING GROWTH, UM, CONTINUE TO MAKE, UH, HAVE CENTRAL CITY, UH, BE AN AREA WHERE FOLKS FEEL COMFORTABLE, UM, GETTING OUT AND, AND, UM, UH, MAKING USE OF THE, THE ACCESS THAT FUTURE GROWTH, UM, WILL PROVIDE NOW ONTO TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS.
SO, AS MENTIONED, WE'LL START WITH THE 2011, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLANS TRANSFORMATIVE STEPS.
UM, AND SO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN PROPOSED SEVEN TRANSFORMATIVE STEPS, UM, ACROSS A, A RANGE OF TOPICS.
UM, AND, UH, THROUGH THESE TRANSFORMATIVE STEPS, WE, WE HAVE ENHANCED, UH, WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN SPECIFICALLY.
SO, UM, ALONG THAT SAME LIKE KIND OF VISION FOR THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN, WE ARE IMAGINING TRANSFORMATIONAL STEPS.
AND SO OUR WORKING DEFINITION IS THAT TRANSFORMATIONAL STEPS ARE BOLD AND HIGH IMPACT IDEAS, UH, TO REALLY HELP ANCHOR THE LONG-TERM, UM, VISION.
THE COMMUNITY'S, UM, LONG-TERM VISION FOR GROWTH.
UM, THESE IDEAS ARE ASPIRATIONAL.
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AND, AND STAKEHOLDER PRIORITIES, UM, WHILE GUIDING FUTURE INVESTMENT.AND THEY GO BEYOND, UM, A SINGLE PROJECT OR LOCATION.
AND SO THESE ARE THE IDEAS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WORKING GROUP, UM, THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP AND YESTERDAY WITH THE PUBLIC.
SO WE HAVE FIVE TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS, UM, IN DRAFT FORM.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING OUR VARIOUS, UM, GROUPS TO, UH, HELP REFINE THESE ACT, UH, HELP REFINE THESE IDEAS AND EVEN ADD ON TO, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK AND ARE STILL RECEIVING THAT FEEDBACK THROUGH TOMORROW.
AND SO, UM, THE, THESE ARE THE IDEAS WE, WE, UM, HAVE TO PRESENT TODAY.
AND SO THE FIRST IDEA IS TO REALLY, UM, MAKE AUSTIN'S CULTURAL CORRIDORS ALL DAY DESTINATIONS WITHOUT THEM LOSING THEIR IDENTITY.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT CULTURAL CORRIDORS MAY NEED DIFFERENT THINGS TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION.
AND SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT STRATEGIES, UM, SUCH AS REGULATORY, FINANCIAL, AND ALSO DESIGN TOOLS AS WELL AS DIVERSIFIED USES.
UH, WE HAVE MENTIONED, UH, EAST SIXTH STREET, UH, THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS THE FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR, AND OF COURSE, RED RIVER.
UM, THIS, UM, IDEA ALSO SPEAKS TO TAILORING, UM, EACH CORRIDOR STRATEGIES TO THE SPECIFIC, UH, THEIR SPECIFIC CONTEXT.
THE SECOND TRANSFORMATION IDEAS REALLY, UM, BUILDING ON, UH, A GREEN NECKLACE, BUILDING ON, UM, THAT CLIMATE RESILIENCE BY, UM, FURTHER ENHANCING AND CONNECTING, UM, OUR BLUE GREEN NETWORK, BLUE BEING OUR, OUR WATERS, OUR WATERSHED, AND GREEN BEING THOSE OPEN SPACES, OUR TREE CANOPY.
UM, AND SO WE, UM, HAVE IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BUILDING OFF OF THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT'S HAPPENED WITH WATERLOO GREENWAY, OUR ENHANCEMENTS TO, UH, THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, UM, AS WELL AS TO THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL.
UM, SOME IDENTIFIED STRATEGIES WITH THIS I, UM, TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEA, OUR BIOSWELLS NATIVE PLANT CORRIDORS, BUT ALSO SHADE STRUCTURES.
UM, AS WE, WE BUILD OUT THAT CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND COOL COMFORT, THAT'S HUGE.
THE THIRD TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEA IS FOCUSED ON REPURPOSING VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED SPACES TO SUPPORT CREATIVE SPACES AND BUILD, UM, UH, EVEN MORE SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO WE'RE THINKING ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OBSOLETE OFFICES THAT CAN SUPPORT ADAPTIVE REUSE, UM, AS WELL AS VACANT STOREFRONTS.
AND WE'RE THINKING INCUBATOR SPACES, CULTURAL SPACES AND BUSINESS THAT, THAT, UM, PROVIDE THOSE, UH, ACCESS TO THOSE DAILY NEEDS.
UM, WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THIS, UM, IDEA ALSO COMES FROM, UH, SOME OF THE WORK, UH, BEING DONE WITH THE ECO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK.
THE FOURTH IDEA IS REALLY CENTERED AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR A, OUR AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN GOALS, UM, THE CENTRAL CITY, UH, CONTINUING TO BE WELL RESOURCED WITH TRANSIT AND MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE A LEADER IN, UM, ADVANCING OUR 50 50 MODE SPLIT, UM, THROUGH, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF, UH, THE PROJECT CONNECT TRANSIT NETWORK, BUT ALSO ALL AGES AND ABILITIES, BICYCLE, UH, NETWORK, AS WELL AS, UM, POTENTIAL FOR CAPS AND STITCHES.
AND THEN THE FIFTH, UM, TRANSFORMATIONAL DRAFT TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS REALLY CENTERED AROUND EXPANDING AFFORDABLE AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ACROSS THE CENTRAL CITY.
UM, IN THE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLANS TRANSFORMATIVE STEP, UM, A RELATED, UM, ITEM WAS ABOUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE REALLY SEE THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT AS BEING ABLE TO GROW AND THRIVE AND SUPPORT AUSTINITES AND, AND FOLKS, UM, NEW FOLKS, UM, BY BEING ABLE TO HAVE MORE OF A MIXED INCOME DISTRICT.
AND NOW FOR SOME MILESTONES, UH, THROUGH OUR TIMELINE TO ADOPTION.
SO THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, WE WILL BE WORKING ON THE FOLLOWING, HAVE ALREADY BEGUN SOME OF THESE STEPS, OUR ONE-ON-ONE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, WHICH WRAPPED UP AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, UM, WORKING THROUGH OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS AND, UM, GROWTH CONCEPT MAP THROUGH COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES, ONE YESTERDAY AND ONE TOMORROW.
UM, WE WILL BEGIN A ROUND OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BRIEFINGS, UH, STARTING NEXT MONTH THROUGH DECEMBER.
UM, SOME TO JUST INTRODUCE THE CENTRAL CITY
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DISTRICT PLAN AND SOME JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING REGULAR UPDATES SUCH AS WITH THIS COMMISSION.UM, AND THEN IN, UH, LATE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER, AS IMAGINE AUSTIN HAS, UM, REFINED THE PLACE TYPES PALETTE, WE WILL THEN ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY ON, UM, HOW, HOW WE BEST APPLY, UM, THE, THOSE PLACE TYPES TO THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT.
AND SO ALL OF THAT WILL OCCUR BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THROUGH, UM, UM, THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST HALF OF 2027, UM, WE WILL WORK THROUGH RELEASING THE DRAFT PLAN FOR WHICH WE'LL THEN HOLD A FOURTH SET OF OPEN HOUSES.
UM, WE WILL ENSURE THAT THERE'S AT LEAST A ONE MONTH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UM, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS CAN WEIGH IN ON THE PLAN.
WE'LL THEN BEGIN A SECOND ROUND OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETINGS, UM, AND, AND, UM, POTENTIALLY SEEK A SEEK ACTION, UM, FROM SOME OF THOSE BOARD AND COMMISSIONS BEFORE MOVING FORWARD TO POTENTIAL PLAN ADOPTION, UH, COUNCIL, POTENTIAL COUNCIL ADOPTION IN LATE SPRING OF 2027.
AND THEN JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME KEY NEXT STEPS, PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW FOR THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE.
YOU CAN REGISTER, UM, AT SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG/CENTRAL CITY.
AGAIN, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING, UM, THE PLANS, TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS, YOU CAN ADD ON TO THOSE IDEAS.
UM, YOU CAN HELP REFINE AND REVISE THOSE IDEAS.
AND THEN WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING THROUGH THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP SHOWN HERE, UM, AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, WE CAN CONSIDER ALL THE NUANCE ONCE WE'RE READY TO, UH, APPLY PLACE TYPES.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AS ALREADY MENTIONED, I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF.
WE'LL BE CON CONVERTING THE HIGH LEVEL GROWTH CONCEPT MAP INTO PLACE TYPES, UM, FOLLOWING THE IMAGINE AUSTIN OPEN HOUSES, UM, WHICH BEGIN, UM, LATE NEXT MONTH IN OCTOBER.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING.
QUESTIONS, YES, COMMISSIONER PIERO, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I ATTENDED LAST NIGHT, THE, THE OPEN HOUSE.
AND I'VE ATTENDED SOME OTHERS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I MISSED THE PRIMARY, UM, STAKEHOLDER MEETING WEEK AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, BUT I, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY LAST NIGHT TO MAKE COMMENT AND, AND I THINK AT THESE OPEN HOUSES, THESE MEETINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE COMMENTS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE MAKE COMMENTS, THERE'S CONVERSATIONS, BUT NONE OF THAT IS BEING CAPTURED.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET, UH, GOOD FEEDBACK FROM, UM, STAKEHOLDERS, ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
AND, UM, ONE THING THAT I, I NOTICED NOT JUST LAST NIGHT, BUT THAT OTHER, UM, OF THESE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS IS THE MAPPING.
YOU KNOW, UM, I, I THINK THAT THIS OBVIOUSLY THE, UH, THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN EXPANDED NORTH AND SOUTH, UM, BUT REALLY, UH, HAVING AN OVERLAY OF THESE DIFFERENT REGIONS, UH, THE ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN REGION.
UH, SO IT STANDS OUT IN THE, IN DISCUSSIONS, UM, HOW IT COMPARES TO THESE ADDITIONAL, UH, AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, UM, YOU TALK ABOUT CULTURAL CORRIDORS AND DISTRICTS AND ALL THAT, WITHIN THESE BOUNDARIES, THERE ARE ALREADY A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
HAVING THAT OVERLAY, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IN PLANNING.
UM, I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE, UH, WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT PLAN.
UM, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, JUDGES HILL, AND THERE'S SOME NORTH, UM, YOU KNOW, NORTH CAMPUS.
SO I, I WOULD CON, YOU KNOW, I'D RECOMMEND INCLUDING THAT OVERLAY DATA.
UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AGAIN, IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.
AND, UM, THE CAPITAL COMPLEX, YOU KNOW, THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT, BECAUSE
NOT JUST THE CAPITAL ITSELF, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMPLEX, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, PEDESTRIAN, UM, MALL THAT WAS CREATED BY NORTH CONGRESS CONNECTING TO THE BLANTON MUSEUM AND THEN THE UNIVERSITY, UM,
[00:30:01]
BOUNDARIES.YOU KNOW, I, I THINK REALLY JUST HAVING ALL THAT VERY CLEAR IN, IN MAPPING.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE STAKEHOLDERS LOOKING AT IT IN PERSON OR ONLINE OR WHATEVER, UM, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THIS BECAUSE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE REVIEWING ALL THIS INFORMATION ARE NOT, THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN.
SO HAVING ALL THAT FOR REFERENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO, I NOTICED LAST NIGHT YOU HAVE THE DATA, LIKE, UH, FOR INSTANCE, YOU SAY YOU WANT TO INCREASE RESIDENTS BY, UH, 45, UM, UH, THOUSAND, UM, INCREASE IT FROM WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE BASELINE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, WHICH, WHICH IS 15,000, RIGHT? AND, AND SO, AND SAME THING WITH JOBS, UH, THAT CATEGORY.
SAME THING WITH, UM, CAPITAL METRO, THE TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE BASELINE NUMBERS, UM, TO COMPARE TO WHAT YOUR PROJECTED INCREASES ARE, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO THAT'S SOME OF MY FEEDBACK FROM LAST NIGHT.
IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK.
I THINK YOU BRING UP SOME, SOME VERY IMPORTANT POINTS.
COMMISSIONER LEVINSON, UM, I ALSO WAS GONNA BRING UP, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ARE AIMING FOR THAT 45,000 PERSON INCREASE, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED FOR A WHILE ABOUT WANTING TO GET DOWNTOWN TO 60,000 RESIDENTS AT LEAST DOWNTOWN.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
I ALSO LIKE YOUR IDEA OF THE BLUE GREEN WAYS OF LINKING THINGS UP WITH SHADE, BECAUSE THAT, AS A PEDESTRIAN DOWNTOWN, THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME.
IT'S REALLY HOT
UM, THE ONE, ONE CAVEAT THOUGH THAT I HAVE ABOUT YOUR PLACE MAPPING IDEAS IS I DON'T THINK YOU'RE HAVING A LONG ENOUGH PERIOD OF ENGAGEMENT.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU NEED A SOLID MONTH OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THAT.
JUST LIKE YOU NEED A SOLID MONTH OF COMMENT PERIOD AFTERWARDS.
I, I THINK JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS IN LATE DEC LATE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER ISN'T NEARLY ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY PEOPLE WILL BE OUT OF TOWN DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT EXTENDED.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER, I GET YOUR REASONS WHY, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THE, THAT SPINE OF NORTH LAMAR AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE ADDING, THE, THE MORE DENSITY TO, AND YOU'RE STOPPING THAT AT MLK, I WOULD CONSIDER EXTENDING THAT UP TO 24TH BECAUSE THAT REALLY IS GOING, THAT, THAT'S ALSO WHERE THE TRANSIT IS GOING.
AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT SHOULD BASICALLY BE PART OF THE TRANSIT SUPPORTED DENSITY AREA.
AND, UM, THAT'S KIND OF MY COMMENTS FOR TODAY.
SO COMMISSIONER BTA, OH, SORRY,
UH, I JUST WANT TO, I, I KNOW WE WERE ALL MEETING, I THINK, ACROSS THE HALL ABOUT A YEAR AGO THIS TIME, AND I REALLY WANT TO COM COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE TO REALLY HOLD TOGETHER A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS PLAN.
UM, IT'S NO SECRET THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, THERE'S A CRISIS HAPPENING ON RED RIVER WITH A LOT OF OUR VENUES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE PRIVATE NEGOTIATIONS WITH LANDOWNERS AND LEASERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, AS, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, THESE DISTRICTS AND MAINTAINING THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, UH, SOME OF THE VENUES DOWN THERE ARE OWNED BY CORPORATE INTERESTS, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE FINE.
BUT THE INDEPENDENT VENUES THAT MAKE UP THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE CITY, UH, REALLY NEED SOME HELP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ROLE IS OF THE CITY IN HELPING TO SORT OF PRESERVE THOSE THINGS, BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED HELP, UH, DOWN THERE.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE VERY AWARE OF THIS, SO, UM, ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP IN THAT REGARD.
THERE IS SOME STRONG COORDINATE COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH A NUMBER OF KEY DEPARTMENTS, UM, ALL THE WAY UP TO SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICES.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
APPRECIATE OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER WILEY.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK THANK, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AGAIN TONIGHT.
AND, UM, AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, HOW, HOW MUCH ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY YOU ALL HAVE DONE WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
I THINK EVERYBODY HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE CHANCE TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT VARIOUS THINGS, AND JUST THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES, THE VENUES, THEY'VE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL.
[00:35:01]
AND, UH, SO I REALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.UM, I, I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE WITH THE, THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP, BECAUSE I'M, I'M MORE USED TO, UM, IN, IN THIS KIND OF PLANNING SITUATION, SEEING THINGS THAT ARE LIKE ZONING CASES OR, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT KIND OF LIKE CODE NEXT KIND OF VISIONARY THINGS.
DO YOU ENVISION THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP BEING SOMETHING THAT GOES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO THE BORDERS, UH, FOR THE DIFFERENT COLOR CODES? UM, AND THEN WOULD THAT TRADITIONALLY THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, STAFF WOULD HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, AND THAT WOULD GO TO COUNCIL, AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER ACCEPT ONE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS OR ANOTHER, OR PERHAPS CREATE YET A, A THIRD.
IS THAT KIND OF WHERE WE GO FROM HERE? OR, UM, CHRIS, MY BOSS HERE IS OVERSEEING THAT WORK WITH THE IMAGINE AUSTIN UPDATE TEAM.
SO I'M GONNA HAND THE MIC OVER TO HIM.
YEAH, NO, IT, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND AS WE CHATTED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LAST NIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAP THAT YOU SAW UP HERE IS INTENTIONALLY HIGH LEVEL AT THIS POINT, IS TRYING TO JUST REALLY LOOK AT THOSE BROAD PATTERNS, START INTRODUCING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, BUT AS ISHA EXPLAINED DURING THE PRESENTATION, UM, ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO START APPLYING THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLACE TYPES, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWING THE IMAGINE AUSTIN, UH, THERE'LL BE FOUR IN-PERSON AND ONE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE IN LATE OCTOBER.
UM, WE'RE ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE ALL OF 'EM.
I THINK WE'RE PINNING DOWN ONE LAST LOCATION, BUT THOSE WILL BE BETWEEN OCTOBER 20TH AND 28TH APPROXIMATELY.
UM, THE VIRTUAL MIGHT SKIP A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THAT, BUT FOLLOWING, RECEIVING THAT PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON THE PLACE TYPES, WE'LL WORK TO REFINE THOSE AS NEEDED.
AND THEN WE'LL START APPLYING 'EM TO THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT, AND IT WILL START LOOKING MUCH MORE, I THINK LIKE THE MAP YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHERE IT'S, IT'S MORE PARCEL BY PARCEL, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF THE FIVE KIND OF BROAD CATEGORIES WE HAD UP THERE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE 14 PLACE TYPES, UM, THAT ARE ENVISIONED RIGHT NOW.
UM, NOW NOT ALL 14 ARE GONNA BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT.
I'M GUESSING IT'S PROBABLY MORE LIKE FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX.
UM, BUT IT'LL START LOOKING MUCH MORE LIKE THAT TYPE OF MAP THAT EVERYBODY IS USED TO, LIKE A TRADITIONAL FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BECAUSE IT'S A MAP VERY MUCH LIKE THAT, IT CERTAINLY WILL GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND AS YOU DESCRIBED, THEY CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW IT SHOULD BE ADJUSTED IF THEY DON'T.
UM, AND WE'LL
YOU KNOW, WE MAY COME BACK WITH A REVISED VERSION ANYWAY.
UM, BUT YEAH, THEY CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATION THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL FOR FULL ADOPTION AND THEIR DECISION ON WHICH OF THE, ESSENTIALLY THE PROPOSED OPTIONS THAT THEY WANNA GO WITH.
SO VERY MUCH THE TRADITIONAL CADENCE THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE? I HAVE WHAT OTHER COMMENT? COMMISSIONER PITO AS A, A DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDER, UM, ATTENDING SOME OF THESE MEETINGS, AS MANY AS I CAN.
UM, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTINUE, UM, SELECTING LOCATIONS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN.
YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF MEETINGS OUTSIDE AT CITY FACILITIES, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE, THE DISTRICT.
SO I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTINUE FINDING LOCATIONS WITHIN
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT, UM, ABOUT AVAILABLE COMMUNITY MEETING SPACES MM-HMM
WHEN TRYING TO LOOK FOR LOCATIONS.
WE ARE TRYING TO REMAIN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR SPENDING AND SURE.
AND LOCATING VENUES AND IT'S, IT'S KIND OF TOUGH OUT THERE.
AND SO THAT HAS ILLUMINATED SOME THINGS FOR US IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL SPACES IN THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT.
WELL, I LOVE THE ONE LAST NIGHT, NOT JUST ABOUT ME, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S TWO BLOCKS FROM MY OFFICE AND PLUS THANK YOU FOR THE POTATO PANCAKES,
I WAS JUST GONNA OFFER, I KNOW A LOT OF MUSIC VENUES DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE HAPPY TO HOST YOU GUYS FOR FREE OR NOTHING, OR LOW COST.
YEAH, MOHAWK HAS HOSTED STUFF LIKE THAT, AND STUFFS MIGHT ALSO, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK, WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO,
[00:40:01]
TWO MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS, UM, AT AT, AT A MINIMUM TWO MORE.AND SO YES, WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING TO, AT THE PD, THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS EASY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY.
UM, BUT IT, IT, IT, WE CAN TALK THROUGH OPPORTUNITY.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE FREE, BUT WE ARE TRAINED TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH, WITH OUR DOLLARS.
YEAH, I THINK ONE, ONE LAST COMMENT IS, I, I THINK PART OF THE, THE CHALLENGE IN THIS EXERCISE AND AND TYPICAL OF PLANNING IS THAT WE'RE, THE ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING VERY, VERY RAPIDLY RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING THINGS IN SOME PEER CITIES AND IN STATES THAT WE COM COMPETE WITH AND, AND PARTNER WITH, UM, LIKE CALIFORNIA, UM, AND, AND SEATTLE AND THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING THERE WHERE THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE TAKING, UH, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.
AND, AND IN, IN FACT, THEY HAVE A, A, A BILL THAT'S, UH, CALLED, UH, ASSEMBLY BILL 2074, THAT'S ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THAT I ANTICIPATE WILL BE SIGNED SHORTLY.
IT'S CALLED THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION, UM, BILL.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE BIGGEST RETHINKING OF DOWNTOWNS THAT, THAT WE'VE SEEN IN, IN MY LIFETIME.
AND, AND I THINK WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ALL ARE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE TO MOVE AND MEET A VERY AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS SHIFTING OUT UNDERNEATH YOUR FEET.
AND, AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO KIND OF IN PARALLEL KINDA KEEP MOVING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING AND WHY THEY'RE DOING IT, AND WHY THEY THINK THAT IT'S SUCH A GOOD IDEA THAT THEY WOULD, UH, THAT THEY WOULD CREATE SUCH ENORMOUS INCENTIVES FOR, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO INVEST IN DOWNTOWNS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN, UH, TRANSIT FRIENDLY AREAS.
UH, ESSENTIALLY IN, UH, WHAT, WHAT CALIFORNIA'S DOING WITH THEIR AB 2074, IF WE WERE TO JUST MAP THAT INTO AUSTIN WOULD RESULT IN A SQUARE MILE OF DOWNTOWN BEING UP ZONED.
AND, UH, AND I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHY, UH, BECAUSE IT, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN, THAN WHAT WE'VE, UH, TRADITIONALLY SEEN HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE'LL BE SURE TO LOOK INTO IT.
YOU SAID ASSEMBLY BILL 2074? YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND CHAIR, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ONLINE MM-HMM
UM, SO I GUESS, RIGHT, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU GUYS DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRANSITIONAL MIXED USE, I GUESS, AREAS AND THE ADAPTIVE REUSE AREAS.
UM, BECAUSE I GUESS, LIKE, AS IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT, THERE'S A NATIONAL, UH, HISTORIC REGISTER DISTRICT THAT RUNS THROUGH LIKE OLD OR I GUESS NOT OLD, BUT WEST DOWNTOWN, UM, FROM SEVENTH STREET ALL THE WAY UP TO 15TH STREET.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU JUST KIND OF TOOK THAT FIRST PORTION OF THE TOP PART OF THAT, UH, DISTRICT AND LABELED THAT ADAPTIVE REUSE.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE THERE BETWEEN THE TWO AREAS.
YOU KNOW, UM, HONESTLY, TRANSITIONAL AND ADAPTIVE REUSE ARE SIMILAR.
UM, WHERE, SO A SIMILARITY, A SIMILARITY IS THAT, UM, BOTH OF THOSE AREAS OR CATEGORIZATIONS INCLUDE LOW DENSITY ADAPTIVE REUSE, UM, IS REALLY ABOUT, UM, HONORING EXISTING CHARACTER.
AND SO IN A PARTICULAR POCKET THERE, THERE'S ALREADY MORE LOW DENSITY.
AND SO, UM, THAT ADAPTIVE REUSE, IT CONTINUES AND SUPPORTS THAT LOWER DENSITY, BUT WITH EVOLVING THE, THE EXISTING USES, THE TRANSITIONAL USE INCLUDES, UM, A MIX OF DENSITY.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT DIFFERS FROM ADAPTIVE REUSE, THAT THAT TRANSITIONAL, UM, MAY INCLUDE HIGHER INTENSITY, HIGHER BUT NOT HIGHEST.
I WAS LIKE, DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OTHER QUESTIONS.
JUST GONNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BUILDING THIS PLANE WHILE YOU'RE FLYING.
I, I, UH, AS I WAS PREPARING FOR THE PRESENTATION, I REALLY THOUGHT THROUGH I, UM, HOW MUCH WORK IS GOING ON IN THIS AREA IN GENERAL, AND SO NEEDING TO BE THE MASTER COORDINATOR OF, OF, OF THAT INCORPORATION AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PLAN SPEAKS TO ALL THOSE THINGS
[00:45:01]
IS A, UM, A JOB SAVING TASK.WELL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO COME AND PRESENT TO US.
NOW, UM, IS MARJORIE FLANAGAN HERE NOW, OR NO? YES, SHE'S ONLINE.
SHE ONLINE OR SHE HERE? YEAH, SHE'S ONLINE.
UM, I GUESS WE'RE READY FOR THAT, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ARE WE READY? HI COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR SOME OF OUR ARTS AND CULTURE FACILITIES FOR THE ONE AND A HALF YEAR OLD DEPARTMENT OF ART, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, PRESENTATION BEFORE ME.
I REALLY LOVED HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THE HARD WORK THEY'RE DOING FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF ART, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTER AND ENTERTAINMENT WAS STARTED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BY OUR CITY MANAGER.
AND, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE DEPARTMENT EMBARKED ON ASKING AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY ASSEMBLE QUESTION, HOW CAN OUR ARTS AND CULTURE FACILITIES BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY? TODAY I AM HERE TO SHARE WHAT WE HEARD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT WORK.
THE FIRST PHASE OF WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE CREATIVE RESET WAS FOCUSED ON OUR GRANT FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR AUSTIN CREATIVES.
THE SECOND PHASE HAS FOCUSED ON OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES.
UM, THROUGH PHASE ONE, WE REALLY TRANSFORMED HOW WE INVEST IN PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDS.
PHASE TWO IS ABOUT TRANSFORMING THE PLACES WHERE ART AND CULTURE HAPPENS.
AUSTIN'S POPULATION, NEIGHBORHOODS AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE HAVE EVOLVED DRAMATICALLY.
AS WAS ALLUDED TO IN YOUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT MUSIC VENUES.
UH, COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS HAVE CHANGED THAT THEY WANT ACTIVATED SPACES, NOT JUST OUR BUILDINGS.
ACME, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REIMAGINE HOW OUR FACILITIES SERVE RESIDENTS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
THE QUESTION WAS NEVER ABOUT WHETHER OUR FACILITIES MATTER.
IF THE QUESTION IS ABOUT HOW CAN THEY BETTER SERVE AUSTIN TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE? UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
HERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THE OPERATIONS ON.
UH, THE COMMUNITY SPOKE, ACME LISTENED, AND NOW WE'RE ACTING PHASE TWO, ENGAGED RESIDENTS, ARTISTS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, VOLUNTEERS, UH, FRIENDS OF GROUPS, FOUNDATIONS, NONPROFITS, SPORTS AND COMMISSIONS.
WE EVALUATED NOT ONLY WHAT OUR FACILITIES DO, BUT HOW THEY OPERATE.
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENTS REVEALED OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE ACCESS, ACTIVATION, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, AND EFFICIENCY.
AND TODAY WE'RE INTRODUCING A CLEAR IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY THAT TRANSFORMS THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO ACTION.
PHASE TWO WASN'T SIMPLY ABOUT GATHERING MORE FEEDBACK, WHICH WE DID.
WE COMPILED OVER 14,000 PLUS COMMENTS.
UH, IT WAS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES MUST EVOLVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S AUSTIN.
I'D LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT WE HEARD AND HOW WE TRANSLATED THAT FEEDBACK INTO OPERATIONAL STRATEGY AND HOW WE'RE GONNA BEGIN IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO BEFORE RECOMMENDING CHANGE, WE WANTED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND BOTH THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE AND OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONS.
WE INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED A PROCESS AROUND LISTENING.
WE ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY, ASSESSED OUR OPERATIONS, AND WORKED ALONGSIDE STAFF EVALUATING EACH SITE'S IDENTITY, AND TRANSLATED THOSE FINDINGS INTO RECOMMENDATIONS AND AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
EVERY STEP HAS BEEN BUILT UPON THE PREVIOUS ONE TO ENSURE THAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS REFLECT BOTH COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND THE OPERATIONAL REALITIES.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PHASE TWO, BUT BY NO MEANS DOES THE CREATIVE RESET END THERE.
[00:50:01]
WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, OUR SOUND PERMITTING, OUR FILM PERMITTING, AND OUR SPECIAL EVENTS.ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING FINDINGS WAS HOW CONSISTENT THE FEEDBACK WAS ACROSS OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
THE COMMUNITY ISN'T ASKING US TO REBUILD FACILITIES ENTIRELY.
THEY'RE ASKING US TO BETTER ACTIVATE THE SPACES WE ALREADY OWN.
THEY WANT MORE PROGRAMMING, STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS, WELCOMING SPACES, FEWER BARRIERS AND EXPERIENCES THAT REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF AUSTIN.
THESE PRIORITIES BECAME THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN.
THROUGH STAFF, WE LEARNED MANY, UH, OPERATIONAL STANDARDS AND THINGS THAT WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE.
ONE THING BECAME CLEAR, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE A VERY PASSIONATE, THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED, AND THEY'RE DEEPLY INVESTED IN SERVING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WE FOUND THAT OPERATIONAL PROCESSES HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME, AND THEY VARIED DIFFERENTLY AT EVERY SITE, EVERY TIME THEY CREATED UNNECESSARY COMPLEXITY AND INCONSISTENCY.
OUR STAFF DON'T NEED TO WORK HARDER OR DO MORE WITH LESS.
THEY NEED SYSTEMS THAT HELP THEM WORK SMARTER.
THEY NEED SYSTEMS THAT ALLOW THEM TO SPEND LESS TIME NAVIGATING ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES AND MORE TIME SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH.
EVERYTHING WE SHARE TODAY CULMINATES IN A NEW OPERATING MODEL.
THIS FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHES ONE COMMON OPERATING PHILOSOPHY ACROSS ACME FACILITIES IN OUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHILE PRESERVING THE UNIQUE IDENTITY OF EVERY SPACE, IT PROVIDES CONSISTENCY IN HOW WE DELIVER SERVICE, MAKE DECISIONS, BUILD PARTNERSHIPS, AND MEASURE SUCCESS.
THIS FRAMEWORK BECOMES A FOUNDATION FOR HOW IME OPERATES AS A SINGLE DEPARTMENT SERVING MANY COMMUNITIES.
THESE PILLARS ARE DESIGNED TO ADDRESS BARRIERS AND CONCERNS WE LEARNED THROUGHOUT OUR CREATIVE RESET LISTENING SESSIONS.
SO, OUR IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIES.
WE INTENTIONALLY FACED IMPLEMENTATION SO WE COULD BUILD A STRONG OPERATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR EXPANDING SYSTEM-WIDE AND FY 26.
OUR FOCUS IS ON ALIGNING OUR WORKFORCE, STRENGTHENING OUR LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABILITY, LAUNCHING ACTIVATION INITIATIVES, EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS, AND ADVANCING STRATEGIC FACILITY PROJECTS.
THESE ACTIONS ALLOW US TO BEGIN RESPONDING IMMEDIATELY TO WHAT WE HEARD TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE POSITIONING ACME FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
ONCE THE FOUNDATION IS ESTABLISHED IN FYI FISCAL YEAR 2027, WE FOCUS ON EXPANDING AND STANDARDIZING IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENT, EXPANDING HOURS OF OPERATION SHARED SERVICES AMONG DIVISIONS WHERE APPROPRIATE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE STANDARDS IN A DEPARTMENT WIDE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT DASHBOARD.
THESE INITIATIVES HELP CREATE A MORE CONSISTENT EXPERIENCE FOR RESIDENTS WHILE IMPROVING OPERATIONAL CONSISTENCY AND EFFICIENCY ACROSS OUR FACILITIES.
AND OF COURSE, HOW WILL BE MEASURED SUCCESS.
ACME BELIEVES THAT SUCCESS SHOULD BE MEASURED BY OUTCOMES, NOT ACTIVITY.
IF WE CAN'T MEASURE IT, WE CAN'T IMPROVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, ACME WILL CONSISTENTLY TRACK FACILITY UTILIZATION, PARTNERSHIPS, ACTIVATIONS, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE, ATTENDANCE, AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ACROSS OUR SYSTEM.
THESE MEASURES WILL HELP ENSURE WE REMAIN ACCOUNTABLE TO BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND C CITY LEADERSHIP.
SO, LOOKING AHEAD, THE CREATIVE RESET HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT PRODUCING ANOTHER REPORT.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT TRANSFORMING HOW AUSTIN'S ARTS AND CULTURE FACILITIES SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THEM.
THE ENGAGEMENT'S COMPLETE, THE LISTENING'S COMPLETE.
WE'RE ROLLING OUT THE ROADMAP AND NOW THE WORK BEGINS.
[00:55:01]
WITH THE CITY MANAGER COUNCIL, ALL OF THE MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR RESIDENTS WHO COME INTO OUR ARTS AND CULTURE FACILITIES EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK, BRING THEIR KIDS, BRING, BRING THEIR GRANDPARENTS, BRING THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO OUR EVENTS.WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THIS VISION TO LIFE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I DO.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ASK, I'M NOT SEEING, UH, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF MUSEUMS, UM, IN YOUR DATA THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST AND AS WE SPEAK, UM, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY THERE'S NOT A CERTIFICATION FOR MUSEUMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THAT IS BEING MANDATED, UH, BY THE GOVERNOR, UH, WITH THIS NEXT SESSION.
AND SO I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU MONITOR THAT, YOU KNOW, AND EVENTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE THIS CERTIFICATION AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT IF MUSEUMS ARE LISTED ON ANY KIND OF LIST THAT THEY'RE CERTIFIED AT SOME POINT WHEN IT, THAT BECOMES A MANDATE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I I THINK AGAIN, THE, JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS LISTED THAT, UH, BECAUSE IT CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HAVING ALL OF THESE PARTNERS, UH, THESE STAKEHOLDERS OFFICIALLY PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THE, UM, SPACES LISTED ON SLIDE THREE ARE JUST THE SITES THAT ARE UNDER THE CITY'S, UM, OPERATING MANAGEMENT.
BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS TO UPDATE THE CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING PROJECT THAT WILL MAP ALL OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE SITES AND MUSIC SITES ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'LL DEFINITELY LOOK OUT FOR THAT MUSEUM ACCREDITATION BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR OUR MUSEUMS TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE.
OTHER QUESTIONS, JUST TO SAY THAT I THINK, UH, THAT CULTURAL MAPPING PRODUCT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL AND MORE THAN THAT, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE TRACKING MORE DATA BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GONNA REALLY INFORM ALL THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE.
IT'S BEEN A REAL PROBLEM THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN THAT KIND OF TRACKING IN THE PAST, AND I THINK THAT WILL HELP.
AS TO DOWNTOWN, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR ORGANIZATION? PARKING AND SAFETY.
THE SAME THINGS THAT CHALLENGE EVERYONE DOWNTOWN.
UH, I THINK, UM, AS WE ASK COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME TO OUR SITES, ENSURING THEY HAVE A A SAFE WALK FROM THEIR PARKING SPOT WHEREVER THAT MAY BE TO OUR SITES, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WORK HARD WITH ALL OF THE, THE CITY AND QUASI CITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS CAN HAPPEN, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO.
UH, SO SAME CHALLENGES AS EVERYONE.
UM, WHAT CAN WE, AS A COMMISSION WITH REGARD TO DOWNTOWN, HOW CAN WE HELP? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, SEND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO OUR MUSEUMS DOWNTOWN AND TELL 'EM TO ENJOY ALL OF THE WONDERFUL ART AND HISTORY AND RETAIL OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
I THINK WE ARE WORKING ON, UH, A MARKETING AND TOURISM PLAN FOR OUR MUSEUM SPECIFICALLY.
AND SO, UM, DRIVING, DRIVING COMMUNITY THERE IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR TAKING TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
NEXT PRESENTATION REGARDING SAFETY OF LARGE PETTY CABS.
PRESENTATION BY PATRICIA SCHWAB AND R O'KEEFFE PETTY CAB FOR PROGRESS AND REGULATION REFORMS. WELCOME I
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COMMISSIONERS.UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON, MAKING TIME FOR US ON YOUR AGENDA.
UH, MY NAME IS PATRICIA HAW AND THIS IS A, I'M RO O'KEEFE.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE PART OF A, AN AD HOC GROUP OF PETTY CAB OPERATORS AND O OWNERS.
UM, WE WE'RE PETTY CAB INDUSTRY MEMBERS WHO WANNA DO THINGS RIGHT AND WE WANNA PROVIDE A SERVICE THAT BENEFITS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL AUSTINITES.
UM, AS PETTY CAB OPERATORS, WE RELY ON AUSTIN'S BIKE LANES AND DOWNTOWN STREETS TO GET AROUND SAFELY AND QUICKLY WITH OUR PASSENGERS.
WE DEPEND ON THE PLACES AND EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE GATHER FOR OUR INCOME.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR INPUT AS, AS DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS WHO, WHO SHARE THESE PUBLIC SPACES WITH PETTY CALVES.
FOR SOME, FOR SOME BACKGROUND, UM, I MADE A LIST OF THE PAST, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND SOME OTHER, UM, LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
UM, THE PRIOR, PRIOR TO 2020, UM, LEADING UP TO THE ELECTRIC ASSIST, UH, OR CHANGING THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW ELECTRIC ASSIST.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET TO THESE, UH, THE TEXT OF ALL THESE THROUGH THE QR CODE OR THE, UM, THE, THE, THE URL AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, PETTY CABS HAVE RECEIVED PUBLIC SUPPORT AND, AND HAVE BEEN REGULATED IN AUSTIN AS A, A KIND OF BICYCLE.
UM, THE, THE DEFINITION OF A PETTY CAB IS A, IS A VEHICLE THAT'S PROPELLED BY PEDALS, CHAINS, AND GEARS.
AND, AND SINCE 2019, WE PETTY CABS MAY HAVE AN ELECTRIC MOTOR ADDED FOR ASSISTANCE WHILE PEDALING.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE KEY, UM, CODE RULES.
UM, WE, WE, WE HAVE A PASSENGER LIMIT, UM, OF THREE PASSENGER, THREE, THREE PASSENGERS.
UH, REGARDLESS OF AGE, UH, THE SMALLEST BABY COUNTS AS A PASSENGER AS MUCH AS A FULL GROWN ADULT.
UM, THE MAXIMUM SPEED, LIMIT SPEED THAT A PETTY CAPTURE GOING IS 15 MILES PER HOUR.
AND IT DECREASES WHEN WE'RE AROUND IN, AROUND PET PEDESTRIANS AND CROWDS.
AND WE HAVE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE AS WELL.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE HERE WE WANNA GET YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT.
UM, UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, THE, THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PECA MODELS.
THE MODEL ON THE RIGHT, THE THREE SEATER, UH, IT HAS A SINGLE SEAT BENCH.
UM, THAT WAS THE, THE MODEL OF PETTY CAB USED, UH, THE PRIMARY MODEL OF PETTY CAB USED, UH, IN AUSTIN AND, AND BASICALLY EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, UH, A A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, CITY STAFF BEGAN LICENSE LICENSING LARGER PETTY CABS WITH MULTIPLE SEAT BENCHES THAT CAN CARRY, THAT CAN CARRY FOUR TO SIX OR MORE ADULTS.
UH, THE, THESE CABS ARE CALLED SIX SEATERS WITHIN THE PETTY CAB INDUSTRY BECAUSE, BECAUSE THEY'RE BUILT TO CARRY SIX PASSENGERS WITH MORE POWERFUL MOTOR SYSTEMS, BIGGER BATTERIES, AND HEAVIER WHEELS AND FRAMES.
SO MUL BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND, BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT THAT THEY HAVE TO CARRY, MULTI BENCH PETTY CABS RELY ON MOTOR MOTOR POWER PRIMARILY.
AND, AND SOME ARE, ARE ONLY EQUIPPED WITH, UM, THEY'RE ONLY EQUIPPED WITH TOKEN YOU COULD CALL TOKEN BICYCLE COMPONENTS, UH, WHICH COULD BE DESCRIBED AS DECORATIVE.
UM, THEY'RE BASICALLY THERE TO CHECK A BOX TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE PEDALS.
SO I, I DON'T IF YOU KNOW A BICYCLE, I MEAN THE, THE DRIVE TRAIN ON THIS, THIS MODEL, WHICH IS SHIPPED WITH IT, IS THAT YOU WOULDN'T REALLY EVEN WANNA HAVE THAT ON YOUR TWO WHEELED BICYCLE FOR YOURSELF.
IT'S NOT CAPABLE OF MOVING THE CAB WHEN IT'S LOADED.
AND THE, SINCE THE PEDALS REALLY AREN'T REQUIRED, UH, TO, TO MOVE THE PETTY CAB, INDIVIDUAL OPERATORS SOMETIMES JUST REMOVE THE PEDALS.
UM, AS I TRIED TO SHOW HERE, THIS IS A, A PHOTO THAT WAS CAPTURED TO ONE, UM, THE HAVING MORE POWERFUL MOTOR SYSTEMS TO CARRY HEAVIER, HEAVIER LOADS, THESE CABS CAN GO A LOT FASTER THAN 15 MILES PER HOUR.
UM, THE, THE LEGAL CODE LIMIT OF
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THREE PASSENGERS HASN'T CHANGED, EVEN THOUGH THE PETTY CABS ARE BEING LICENSED BIG ENOUGH, CAPABLE ENOUGH TO CARRY FOUR, SIX AS MANY AS SOME OPERATORS CAN STACK IN THE CAB.AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THAT ONE ON THE LEFT HAS EIGHT OR NINE PEOPLE THAT WAS TAKEN IN FRONT OF THE MOODY CENTER, UM, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
UM, SOME OF THE ONES ON THE RIGHT ARE FROM OTHER, OTHER MARKETS.
UM, SO, SO BECAUSE OF THE CODE, THE CODE LIMIT HASN'T CHANGED, BUT IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A CROWD OF PEOPLE.
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN THE WATCH.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING LOADED INTO A PEDICAB? UM, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN OPERATOR INCENTIVIZED BY PROFIT, THE HAVING A PASSENGER LIMIT IS NONSENSICAL.
UM, HOW, HOW REALISTIC IS IT TO EXPECT SOMEONE WITH SEATING FOR SIX ONLY TO ACCEPT RIDES OF THREE PEOPLE OR LESS, OR TO OBSERVE A PETTY CAP SPEED LIMIT WITH A, A DEVICE THAT CAN REACH MUCH HIGHER SPEEDS? HERE, HERE'S ANOTHER MULTI BENCH DESIGN.
UM, IT'S CALLED THE BACK TO BACK AND YOU CAN SEE THE PASSENGERS ARE FACING BACKWARDS, UM, INTO TRAFFIC.
UM, AND THOSE, THOSE PITCHES WERE TAKEN IN AUSTIN AS WELL.
UM, AND, UM, WELL HERE'S SOME, HERE'S SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF SIX SEATERS.
WELL, THE MULTI BENCH PETTY CABS ARE INGENIOUSLY BUILT TO FIT THE WIDTH AND LENGTH, REG WIDTH AND LENGTH REGULATIONS FOR PETTY CALS.
I, I WANTED WE'RE HERE TO ASK THE COMMISSION, UM, IF YOU THINK THE WAY AND OVERALL POWER OF THESE LARGER PETTY CABS ARE CRO CROSSING A LINE, UM, WITH, WITH FOUR TO SIX OR MORE PASSENGERS, THE BATTERIES REQUIRED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE, THE MOTOR, UM, SPEAKERS, THE DRIVER, THE FULLY LOADED WEIGHT OF A MULTI BENCH PETTY CAB APPROACHES, UM, THE WEIGHT OF A A NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLE NEIGHBORHOOD, ELECTRIC VEHICLE, OR EVEN A COMPACT CAR.
I I HERE'S SOME THE VEHICLES, UM, THAT WOULD BE HAVE A SIMILAR WEIGHT, UM, VEHICLE WEIGHT IN, IN, IN MY OPINION, VEHICLE WEIGHT AND SPEED SHOULD BE BALANCED WITH EVERY EVERYONE'S COMFORT AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
I, I, I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN A VEHICLE PASSES ME TOO CLOSE AND TOO FAST, EVEN IF A CRASH DOESN'T OCCUR, UH, UH, AT THE, AT THE SAME TIME, PETTY CABS ARE VULNERABLE TO MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO, TO BIKE LANES AND SAFE WAYS TO MOVE AROUND THE CITY.
IN, IN, IN, IN ADDITION TO SA SAFE BIKING INFRASTRUCTURE, THE, THE INCOME OF OF PETTY CABS, THE BUSINESS DEPE DEPENDS ON HAVING SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE STAGING AREAS AND BEING ALLOWED INSIDE THE EVENT BARRICADES AND, AND, AND THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GATHER, STAND AND WALK TO PROVIDE THE FIRST AND LAST MILE TRANSPORTATION.
THAT, THAT'S BEEN THE KIND OF THE CORE OF OUR BUSINESS.
UM, BUT WITH THE LARGER PETTY CABS, I FEEL LIKE THERE HAS TO BE BALANCE THAT THE BUSINESS NEED HAS TO BE BALANCED WITH THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE MORE VULNERABLE USERS OF THESE SPACES.
UM, IN INJURIES TO A PEDESTRIAN FROM A COLLISION WITH A LARGE LOADED PETTY CAB, MOVING WITH THE KINETIC ENERGY OF AN AUTOMOBILE COULD BE LIFE CHANGING OR LIFE ENDING.
AS THIS DATA DONE THAT'S BEEN PREPARED FOR, UM, MOTOR VEHICLES, YOU CAN SEE WITH AS SPEED INCREASES, THE CONSEQUENCES OF A CRASH BECOME MUCH, BECOME MORE SERIOUS, SINGLE, SINGLE BENCH PETTY CABS IN COMPARISON, HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES ARE ARE SMALLER, LIGHTER, THEY, AND THEY WEIGH LESS WHEN LOADED BECAUSE THE, THE SINGLE SEAT BENCH IS A LIMIT ON PASSENGER WEIGHT BY, BY DESIGN.
S SINGLE BENCH PETTY CABS CAN BE PEDALED AND, AND THEY RAN ON HUMAN POWER FOR YEARS BEFORE EIST MOTORS BECAME WIDELY AVAILABLE.
AND, AND MANY ARE STILL IN SERVICE WITHOUT EIST MOTORS.
UM, S SINGLE BENCH PET SINGLE BENCH PETTED CABS EQUIPPED WITH MOTORS REQUIRE SMALLER BATTERIES BECAUSE OF THE SMALLER LOADS.
SO HERE'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, JUST SOME SUGGESTIONS.
THESE ARE ISSUES THAT COME UP, LIKE IF
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SHOULD, SHOULD, GIVEN THAT THERE, THE MULTIPLE BENCH PETTY CABS, SHOULD THE PASSENGER LIMIT BE INCREASED? SHOULD IT STAY AT THREE? IF IT STAYS AT THREE, SHOULD THERE BE AN EXEMPTION FOR SMALL CHILDREN OR YOUNG CH YOU KNOW, INFANTS IF THEY'RE SECURED IN AN ADULT'S LAP? UM, PETTY CAPS HAVE EXISTED AS AN URBAN TRANSPORTATION OPTION AND A BUSINESS BECAUSE NOT, NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALL CARS AND THEN NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE MINI BUSES.PETTY CABS ARE, ARE BIKES LIKE CARGO BIKES, FAMILY BIKES, TANDEMS, RECUMBENT, ADULT TRIKES, UM, IS A PETTY CAB.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOULD A PETTY CAB CARRY AND STILL BE A PETTY CAB? IS A PETTY CAB? IS A PETTY CAB WITH MORE THAN ONE, MORE THAN ONE SEAT BENCH STILL A PETTY CAB? OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE? AND WHAT OTHER REGULATIONS, UM, WOULD YOU SUGGEST FOR THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE ROAD, WHO SHARE DOWNTOWN WITH PETTY CABS? AND I GUESS JUST TO WRAP UP, UM, I I, I, I HELPED SOME, SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR.
I HELPED WITH THE E THE EIST ORDINANCE BACK IN 2019, UM, IN 20, IT ACTUALLY STARTED IN 2017.
AND THE, THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY STAKEHOLDERS AT THAT TIME HELPED TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW EIST MOTORS AND THE REASONS WERE FOR IMPROVED PETTY CAB SERVICE, IMPROVED RANGE AND IMPROVED DRIVER LONGEVITY.
THE RECOMME RECOMMENDATIONS WERE NEVER FOR BIGGER, HEAVIER PETTY CABS OR FULLY MOTOR FULLY MOTORIZED DEVICES OR FOR GREATER PEDICAB SPEED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING YOU COULD HELP MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OR, UM, HELP OUR EFFORTS TO CLARIFY AND AMEND THE EXISTING PETTY CAB REGULATIONS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CONTRADICTIONS.
AND THEN, ALRIGHT, UM, GOOD EVENING.
UM, MY NAME'S RO KEEFE AND I'VE BEEN A FULL-TIME PETTY CABER IN AUSTIN FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I WANNA THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION FOR THEIR TIME TODAY.
UH, APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO I TOOK THE INITIATIVE ON AUSTIN GROUND TRANSPORTATIONS AND AD'S REQUEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BEGIN SELF-POLICING AND DOCUMENTING PROBLEM WRITING BEHAVIORS.
I BEGAN RIDING MY PERSONAL BICYCLE AROUND UT CAMPUS, HAVING FACE-TO-FACE CONVERSATIONS IN THE FIELD WITH PETTY CAP OPERATORS AND SHOP OWNERS AND FILMING THE SMALL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IMPACTFUL GROUP OF BAD ACTORS WHO WORK, WORK ON AND NEAR UT CAMPUS.
FOR MOODY CENTER EVENTS, FOOTAGE IS ORGANIZED BY DATE TYPE OF PROBLEM, BEHAVIOR, AND IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER AS REQUESTED BY A PD AND GT, I HAVE POSTED THIS FOOTAGE TO OUR PETTY CAB COMMUNITIES FACEBOOK PAGE FOR INTRA COMMUNITY VISIBILITY AND SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I'VE ALSO SENT FOOTAGE TO PETTY CAB SHOP OWNERS, ALSO KNOWN AS OPERATING AUTHORITY OR OA HOLDERS IF THE PETTY CABER RENTS THEIR PETTY CAB.
UH, AUSTIN GROUND TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND THE RELEVANT POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS ON CAMPUS ARE ALSO BEING ENGAGED VIA CALLS, EMAILS, AND FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS, AND ARE BEING BROUGHT IN ON OUR EFFORTS SO THAT WE CAN DETER BAD ACTORS VIA NECESSARY ENFORCEMENT REGULATION AND WHERE POSSIBLE IMPOUNDS OF PETTY CABS.
OTHER CITIES WITH SAFE AND THRIVING PETTY CAB COMMUNITIES HAVE EXPERIENCED GREAT SUCCESS WITH TOWING AND IMPOUNDING, THE PETTY CABS OF OPERATORS WHO ARE UNPERMITTED UNLICENSED AND WHO REPEATEDLY VIOLATE LOCAL LAWS AND CITY ORDINANCES.
PROBLEM RIDING BEHAVIORS THAT WE NOW HAVE FOOTAGE OF INCLUDE OVERLOADING PETTY CABS PAST OUR THREE PASSENGER MAXIMUM IN AUSTIN, RECKLESS DRIVING OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC TO OFFER PARKING ASSISTANCE AND MAJOR AND BUSY THOROUGHFARES ON CAMPUS, AND REFUSING TO, OR FAILING TO DISPLAY ADEQUATE COMPANY SIGNS AND PHONE NUMBERS ON ONE'S PETTY CAB.
I WILL NOTE HERE THAT SIGNS OF COMPANY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED TO BE POSTED ON THE REAR OF A PETTY CAB ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUR HOUSE CITIZENS ENFORCEMENT BODIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN AUSTIN CAN CALL IN COMPLAINTS, CONCERNS, UH, QUESTIONS, UM, AND COMPLIMENTS TO THE COMPANY OWNER, ALSO KNOWN AS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HOLDS THE OPERATING AUTHORITY.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, PER OUR CITY ORDINANCE, THIS COMPANY SIGNAGE MUST BE POSTED ON THE PETTY CAB AND FOLLOW SPECIFIC SIZING AND COLOR CONTRAST REQUIREMENTS, BUT IS NO LONGER LEGALLY REQUIRED TO BE POSTED ON THE REAR OF THE CAB.
WE WILL BE ADVOCATING FOR COMPANY SIGNAGE TO ONCE AGAIN BE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO BE POSTED ON THE REAR OF EVERY PETTY CAB IN THE CITY.
UH, THIS SMALL, VERY SMALL BUT IMPACTFUL GROUP OF BAD ACTORS.
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LESS THAN ONE 10TH OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, FILMED IN OUR SELF-POLICING AND COMMUNITY COMMUNITY WIDE ACCOUNTABILITY EFFORTS OFTEN ENGAGE IN EVERY SINGLE ONE.ONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEM RIDING BEHAVIORS, OVERLOADING PAST THE THREE PASSENGER MAXIMUM SPEEDING, DISRUPTING TRAFFIC FLOW AT KEY INTERSECTIONS, OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC TO PARK MOODY CENTER PATRONS, AND NOT HAVING COMPANY SIGNS ANYWHERE ON THEIR PETTY CAB.
THEIR COMPANY SIGNAGE IS OFTEN COMPLETELY MISSING, ILLEGIBLE, OR BARELY VISIBLE, AND THEY ALSO OFTEN RIDE THE LARGER, FASTER PETTY CABS.
MANY OF THESE RIDERS ASSERT GT AND POLICE CAN ENFORCE OR, UH, CAN ENFORCE OR POLICE US ON CAMPUS, AND WE'RE ALLOWED TO RIDE HOW WE WANT TO.
THIS IS A MENTALITY, A MENTALITY THAT MYSELF AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES CONSIDER ABHORRENT AND CONTAGIOUS.
IT'S A MENTALITY THAT IN OTHER CITIES AND MARKETS HAS SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE AND COULD ULTIMATELY IMPACT DOWNTOWN AND CITYWIDE PETTY CAB OPERATIONS IN AUSTIN.
FORTUNATELY, GROUND TRANSPORTATION AND POLICE ARE NOW DEMONSTRATING THAT THEY DO INDEED HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE US ON A NEAR CAMPUS, AND THEY ARE EFFECTIVELY STEPPING IN TO DO SO THANKS TO THEIR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS EXCELLENT COORDINATION EFFORTS AND THE LARGER AUSTIN PETTY CAB COMMUNITIES ORGANIZING AROUND THE ISSUES AT HAND.
AT OUR COMMUNITY TOWN HALLS THAT I'VE ORGANIZED WITH THE HELP OF MANY OTHER PETTY CABERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING SAFE OPERATIONS AND OUR LIVELIHOODS AND CAREERS, THIS SMALL BUT LOUD GROUP OF AFOREMENTIONED BAD ACTORS HAVE SHOWN UP, HAVE MISREPRESENTED OUR EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP OUR SIDE OF THE STREET, AND HAVE EXPRESSED DISINTEREST IN ADJUSTING THEIR BEHAVIOR OUT IN THE FIELD.
THE COMMUNITY HOLDS STRONG, HOWEVER, DISRUPTIONS AT OUR PETTY COVERED TOWN HALLS ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY MOBILIZING A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CLEAN UP OPERATIONS ON CAMPUS AND IN THE CITY AT LARGE, AND TO HOLD SHOP OWNERS, INDEPENDENTS AND ALL WRITERS ACCOUNTABLE.
THE AUSTIN PETTY CAB ASSOCIATION IS FORMING SO THAT WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE BODY AND A VOICE THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE ALL CITY STAKEHOLDERS ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
I WILL SHARE THAT MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND, WHO IS ALSO A FULL-TIME VETERAN PETTY CABER, HAVE FACED THREATS TO OUR PHYSICAL SAFETY, AND ONE RIDER HAS MADE SEVEN SEPARATE THREATS OF LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ME SINCE I STARTED ORGANIZING OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING MOBILIZE, UM, THE AUSTIN PETTY CAB ASSOCIATION AND FOREGOING WORKING SHIFTS ON MY OWN PETTY CAB TO RIDE MY PERSONAL BICYCLE NEAR MOODY CENTER AND DOCUMENT AND DETER PROBLEM RIDING BEHAVIORS.
I DON'T INTEND TO STOP BECAUSE MY CAREER IN LIVELIHOOD IN AUSTIN AND THE CAREERS AND LIVELIHOODS OF MY PEERS ARE AT STAKE.
WE ARE ENGAGING POLICE ON CAMPUS AS WELL AS AUSTIN GROUND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS AND KNOW THAT ADDRESSING PROBLEM WRITING BEHAVIORS, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS AND TICKETS WRITTEN, STARTING IMPOUNDING EFFORTS AND AMENDING THE CITY ORDINANCE FOR ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK.
WE ARE READY TO HELP TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY AND ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, WHAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND THE CITY REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMPANY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER TO BE ON THE BACK OF THE PETTY CAP? UM, THAT'S, YEAH, GO AHEAD, PATRICIA.
I, I EMAILED, UM, THE, UH, JACOB CULVERSON, WHO'S, UM, I, HE'S ONE OF THE, HE'S LIKE THE MANAGER OF, OF THE GROUND TRANSPORTATION, AND HE SAID THAT IT NOWHERE IN THE CODE WHERE IT'S, THERE'S NOWHERE THE LOCATION OF THE SIGNAGE IS NOT IN THE CODE.
LIKE HE, HE, HE SAID THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S NO, IT'S NOT SPECIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE FOR WHERE TO PUT THE SIGNAGE, THEREFORE IT CAN BE ANYWHERE ON THE, THE PETTY CAB.
I, I, I, I COULD, I JUMPED IN AND I WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING ELSE THAT ON THE BACK OF THE PETTY CAB WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE PERMIT STICKERS.
THERE, THERE, THERE, I GUESS THERE WOULD BE AKIN TO THE CAR, A CAR REGISTRATION STICKER.
NOT EXACTLY, BUT IT, IT'S UNIQUELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE PETTY CAB.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN INSPECTED AND CERTIFIED TO HAVE INSURANCE.
IT'S ON A, IT'S THE GROUND TRANSPORTATION CON.
WHEN, WHEN WE GET THAT STICKER AND IT'S RENEWED EVERY YEAR, THEY CONFIRM THAT IT'S ON AN INSURANCE POLICY THAT IT'S IN INSURED.
SO IT HAS TO BE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO HAVE IT FIXED ON THE, ON THE BACK OF THE PETTY CAB SO IT CAN'T BE REMOVED.
AND, UM, RIGHT NOW THE, THOSE STICKERS ARE BEING MOUNTED WITH ZIP TIES WITH, UM, MASKING TAPE, UM, BASICALLY IN A TEMPORARY FASHION THAT THEY COULD BE MOVED, TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER PETTY CAB OR SHARED WITH ANOTHER OWNER THAT, UM, THAT THERE'S AN UNKNOWN PETTY CAB.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE PETTY CAB'S BEEN INSPECTED, WHAT IF IT'S, IF IT'S INSURED OR NOT.
SO DO YOU ALL HAVE A, A LIST OF
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ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGES TO CODE OR ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONS TO CODE? UM, I MEAN, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS COMPELLING AND INTERESTING, BUT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE WHAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR.UM, SO DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I I, I WOULD YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EITHER, UM, I, I, I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT IN THE CODE THAT A PETTY CAB HAS.
I MEAN, IT'S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE.
IT'S, I FEEL LIKE IT HAS TO BE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THAT A PETTY CAB HAS A SINGLE, HAS A SINGLE SEAT BENCH.
IF THE, IF THE PASSENGER LIMIT IS INDEED THREE PEOPLE, IT SHOULD BE ONE SINGLE BENCH FOR THREE PEOPLE.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GO AWAY, MAKE A LIST, LET US HAVE THE LIST, SEND IT TO US SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF DISTRIBUTE IT? I WILL TELL YOU, UM, ALL, WE PERFORM AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION, BUT OUR FUNCTION IS MOSTLY TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL SO THAT IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN CHANGE ANY OF THE RULES OR ANY OF THE CODES, BUT IF WE MAKE COMPELLING ARGUMENTS FOR THOSE CHANGES, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE POWERFUL RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT YOU COME BACK TO US, UM, YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO MAKE INTO THE PRESENTATION, BUT PRESENT TO US THE LIST OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT AMONGST OURSELVES.
I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND, UM, WE CAN ORGANIZE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND HAVE THAT FOR THE NEXT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING.
COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER, HAVE YOU PRESENTED TO THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION? UM, NOT YET.
UM, WE PRESENTED TO THE BAC AND PAC LAST NIGHT.
AND THE, I, I BELIEVE THE OCTOBER UTC MEETING'S CANCELED.
SO, UM, WE SPOKE TO THE, THE UTC REP THAT SERVES ON THE BAC AND HE RECOMMENDED WE DO A PUBLIC COMMUNICATION YEAH.
AT THE NEXT B AT THE NEXT UTC MEETING.
YEAH, IT DOES SOUND LIKE THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT SAFETY AND LICENSING CONCERN THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, AND I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT.
AND I GO TO UT CAMPUS SEVERAL NIGHTS A WEEK, AND I'M TERRIFIED EVERY TIME BY PETTY CAB DRIVERS CUTTING ME OFF.
I DON'T WANNA KILL SOMEBODY WITH MY CAR
UH, MY COMMENTS ARE VIEWED AS A PEDESTRIAN.
I'VE LIVED AS A PEDESTRIAN FOR MANY YEARS DOWNTOWN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DAILY I, UM, ENCOUNTER PEDICABS.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, I THINK THE HISTORY OF PEDICABS ARE IMPORTANT.
UH, I THINK THEY'RE USEFUL, THEY'RE NEEDED, BUT WE'RE EVOLVING INTO A SITUATION WHERE MANY OF THESE ARE TURNING INTO VEHICLES, NOT REALLY PEDICABS.
AND TO CALL A, UM, A, A VEHICLE THAT CAN CARRY AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE.
AND IT'S NOT, THERE'S NO PEDAL MECHANISM THAT IS NOT A PEDICAB IN MY OPINION.
SO I THINK HAVING DEVELOPING GUIDELINES ENFORCED BY THE CITY OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY A PEDICAB AND THESE THAT HAVE, UM, ELECTRIC, UH, MECHANISMS, I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED SOME THAT I HAVE PERCEIVED AS SPEEDING.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SPEEDING, UH, VEHICLE, NOT REALLY TECHNICALLY A PEDICAB, UM, MIXED WITH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, AS I WITNESSED, ESPECIALLY ALONG SAN JACINTO NEAR MY OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT AT THE MOODY CENTER, UM, THERE'RE QUITE A FEW OF THESE.
AND I, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, I RECOMMEND, UM, OVERSIGHT BY THE CITY OF REALLY DEFINING THESE GUIDELINES OF WHAT, UM, THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UM, UH, PEDICABS ARE, AND ARE THEY, AGAIN, TECHNICALLY PEDICABS WHEN THEY HAVE, UM, MOTORS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, THE ABILITY TO CARRY NUMEROUS PEOPLE.
I THINK MAYBE, UM, PART OF THE GUIDELINES SHOULD BE GOING BACK TO WHAT THE, UH, THE ROOT OF THESE WERE, THESE PEDICABS, UH, THAT CAN CARRY TWO, UH, UP TO MAYBE THREE PEOPLE MAX.
THAT'S JUST MY THANK YOU FOR THAT PERCEPTION.
AND I, UM, FREQUENTLY FIND IT VERY HELPFUL TO BENCHMARK WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
HAVE YOU NETWORKED WITH OTHER MAJOR CITIES THAT HAVE PETTY CABS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHAT THEY'RE, AND, AND IF YOU CAN KIND OF INCORPORATE
[01:25:01]
THAT IN THE FEEDBACK YOU GIVE BACK TO US, THAT IT'S LIKE, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE AND IT'S WORKING.WE CAN ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE THAT.
AND YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS MOST EFFECTIVE IN LARGE MARKETS, ESPECIALLY IN CHICAGO AND HOUSTON AS IN POUNDS, AND, UM, WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE LIST THAT WE COME UP FOR Y'ALL AS WELL.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY WHEN YOU GO TO THE UTC AND I THINK THAT WOULD HELP THEM TOO.
OTHER QUESTIONS BY COMMISSIONERS? ANY ONLINE? ANY HERE? YES.
COMMISSIONER LEVINS AS SOMEBODY WHO FREQUENTS THE MOVIE CENTER, BECAUSE I'M A HOUND FOR CONCERTS, I HAVE SEEN SOME PRETTY SCARY BEHAVIOR UP THERE BY SOME OF THE PETTY CABS IN THAT AREA, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BLOCKING THE STREET.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, IT REALLY CONCERNS ME THAT THE SPEED THAT SOME OF THESE GO IS 30 PLUS MILES AN HOUR MM-HMM
WHICH REALLY IS A VEHICLE AS OPPOSED TO A PETTY CAB.
IF THE CITY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK THEY NEED TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW CLASS OF VEHICLES THAT DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE BIKE LANES, THEN THEY NEED TO HAVE DOORS.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME CITY STAFF EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THEY CHANGED THESE CODES WITHOUT ANYTHING GOING THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL.
WHY WERE THESE CHANGES NOT ADOPTED LEGALLY? WHY WERE THEY NOT DISCUSSED WITH STAKEHOLDERS? UH, THAT CONCERNS ME VERY MUCH.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU GUYS GETTING BACK TO US, BUT I THINK THIS IS DEFINITELY AN AREA THAT WE WANT TO TAKE UP.
UH, I'LL JUST ECHO MY COMMISSIONERS AND THANKING YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, I'M SURE THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES YOU GUYS DEAL WITH, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TODAY, YOU KNOW, AS, AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE STUFF YOU, SAFETY ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SORT OF DESIGNATIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS A PITY CAP AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I WOULD INVITE YOU WHEN YOU COME BACK, UH, WITH SOME OF THESE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS OR, OR INSIGHTS, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, ABOUT SAFETY AS WELL.
LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU GUYS FACE? I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO PICK UP PASSENGERS LATE AT NIGHT AFTER THEY'VE BEEN OUT ON THE TOWN AND, AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH A WHOLE HOST OF, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ISSUES THAT I'M SURE WE'RE NOT EVEN AWARE OF, BUT, UM, UH, I THINK A COMPREHENSIVE SORT OF LOOK AT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU GUYS DEAL WITH WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US ALL.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, COMMISSIONER.
[6. Approve a recommendation regarding Homelessness, Behavioral Health and Public Order. ]
ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS.UM, ONE OF THEM HAD TO DO WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ASSOCIATION, UM, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE
UM, AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PRESENTATION FROM THE DAA, BUT, UM, I WASN'T ON TOP OF THE BALL AND I DROPPED THAT BALL, UM, AND DIDN'T GET THEM ONTO THE AGENDA IN TIME, SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING IN OCTOBER.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT AROUND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY HAVE MADE.
AND SO WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ESSENTIALLY ADOPT AS OUR STATEMENT, THEIR STATEMENT ON HOMELESSNESS.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT, BUT I WILL JUST QUICKLY READ THE POSITIONS AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A VOTE ON WHETHER WE WANT TO, UM, ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UH, POSITION ONE, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SUPPORTS, UH, SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN EMERGENCY SHELTER CAPACITY, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND DIVERSION PROGRAMS THAT MOVE PEOPLE FROM DOWNTOWN STREETS INTO STABLE HOUSING AND CARE.
POSITION TWO, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SUPPORTS EXPANDING FUNDING FOR PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS CARE BEDS, STEP DOWN BEDS, AND LONG-TERM CARE.
POSITION THREE, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SUPPORTS EXPANDING INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT AUTHORITY TO PSYCH TO PSYCHIATRISTS PHYSICIANS AND THEIR DELEGATES.
POSITION FOUR, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REQUESTS THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT INCREASE IN MAINTAIN DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND STAFFING TO A MINIMUM OF 90% OF APPROVED LEVEL.
AND NUMBER FIVE, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REQUESTS STRONGER ENFORCEMENT OF CITY OF AUSTIN'S PANHANDLING ORDINANCES AND SIT LIE ORDINANCE.
FINALLY, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DAA FOR DEVELOPING THESE POSITION STATEMENTS.
UM, AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE
[01:30:01]
HAVE IS FOR THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THESE, UM, SUGGESTIONS FROM, FROM DAA.SO, UM, HEARING THAT, DO WE HAVE, UM, A MOTION AND THEN WE'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BECAUSE THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS YESTERDAY.
THERE WAS, UM, YESTERDAY THERE WAS A BREAKFAST, UH, HOSTED BY DAA IN THE CITY, UM, ON THIS INITIATIVE, UH, ADOPTED BY THE CITY.
AND THERE'S ALREADY, IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND THERE'S BEEN SUCCESS FROM THE PROGRAM.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I MAKE THE MOTION THAT OUR DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SUPPORT WHAT IS ALREADY MOVING FORWARD, UM, WITH THIS INITIATIVE.
AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER SHIVER SECONDS.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, WE CAN MOVE ON TO, OH, YES, THERE IS A HAND RAISED ON THE TELEVISION.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS CAN ACTUALLY BE SPLIT INTO TWO SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS IN MY READING OF THIS, THE FIRST THREE POSITIONS SEEM TO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE RELATED WITH FOUR AND FIVE.
ONE, TWO AND THREE SEEM TO BE POSITIONS RECOMMENDING GREATER ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FOR CARE AND SUPPORT FOR THE UNHOUSED POPULATION IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
WHEREAS FOUR AND FIVE TEND TO BE MORE PUNITIVE AND ENFORCEMENT RELATED.
AND I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO SEPARATE THOSE TWO IN TERMS OF MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POSITIONS FOR SUPPORT AND POSITIONS OF ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
I THINK THAT THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN HERE, UM, ADEQUATELY PRESENTS THE POSITIONS.
UM, PERHAPS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN TWO RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I DON'T SEE PERSONALLY THAT IT'S NECESSARY.
BUT ARE YOU PRESENTING THIS AS A, UM, AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? I THINK I AM PRESENTING AS AMENDMENT.
I DO ALSO HAVE TO ADD THAT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UTC ON THIS BODY.
I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A VOTING SEAT, SO AH, OKAY.
THEN I DON'T THINK YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE
DOES ANYONE HERE WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION? ALRIGHT.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR INPUT THOUGH.
UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO A VOTE.
ANY OPPOSED? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH OPPOSITION ON TELEVISION? I MEAN, ON THE SCREEN? NO, I, NO.
OKAY, THEN I, IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, COMMISSIONER FANG, YOU'RE VOTING IN FAVOR? I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DELAY.
[5. Approve a recommendation regarding a Meridian Archer Rapid Gate Purchase.]
RECOMMENDATION.UM, IF YOU ALL RECALL, I GUESS LAST YEAR, MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, UM, WE ACTUALLY MADE A PRESENT, UH, WE ACTUALLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, UH, BASED ON A REQUEST FROM AUSTIN A PD, THAT, UM, WE ENCOURAGED THE CITY TO PURCHASE MERIDIAN BARRIERS.
AND BASED ON OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT SORT OF GOT THE BALL ROLLING, UH, EVENTUALLY THE CITY DID ACQUIRE, I THINK IT WAS 65, UM, MERIDIAN BARRIERS.
UM, THOSE MERIDIAN BARRIERS HAVE WORKED VERY WELL ACCORDING TO WHAT WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT THERE IS ONE ISSUE AND THAT IS THEY ARE WORKING SO WELL THAT NOT ONLY DO THEY PREVENT, UM, UNWANTED PEOPLE FROM ENTERING INTO CERTAIN AREAS, UM, WHERE PEDESTRIANS ARE INVOLVED OR, YOU KNOW, UH, CITY CELEBRATIONS ARE INVOLVED.
UM, BUT IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT BEHIND THE BARRIER, IT'S ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO GET EMERGENCY VEHICLES INTO THE AREA TO EXTRACT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED OR NEED TO BE EXTRACTED.
SO, UM, NOW AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS REQUI REQUESTING THAT WE ALSO RECOMMEND THE PURCHASE OF TWO MERIDIAN GATES.
UM, AND WE HAVE IN THE RECOMMENDATION THE COST FOR THAT.
UH, LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND IT.
UM, SO THE COST FOR THE TWO MERIDIAN ARCHER RAPID GATES IS $81,185 AND 36 CENTS.
AND THESE GATES, UH, OPEN FAST SO THAT
[01:35:01]
IT WILL ALLOW EMERGENCY VEHICLES IN AND OUT AND THEY CLOSE FAST AS OPPOSED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVING TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY MOVE THE BARRIERS.UM, I PERSONALLY THINK IT'S, UM, IMPORTANT, IT'S NEEDED.
UM, AND THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION? SO MOVED.
COMMISSIONER BTA? UH, ANY DISCUSSION? I WILL JUST SAY THAT I THINK THIS IS KIND OF A NO BRAINER.
THIS WILL ACTUALLY ALLOW ACCESS FOR, YOU KNOW, AMBULANCES TO GET INTO AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE INJURED MUCH FASTER AND MM-HMM
ALL OPPOSED? I THINK IT WAS UNANIMOUS.
UM, I THINK THAT MAY BE ALL EXCEPT IS THERE ANY
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE BUSINESS OR FUTURE, UH, AGENDA ITEMS? I THINK COMMISSIONER WILEY, YOU MENTIONED ONE.UH, RELATED TO THE DISCUSSION WE HAD EARLIER, I WOULD, UH, I'VE NEVER PRESENTED TO THIS BODY, BUT I WOULD, UH, PROPOSE THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO, UM, TALK ABOUT WHAT I WILL CALL THE MACRO LEVEL REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UM, OBSERVATIONS APPLICABLE TO CENTRAL CITY PLANNING.
SO IT'S A FAIRLY, FAIRLY BROAD TOPIC, BUT I THINK THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO BE AWARE OF AS, AS WE DECIDE WHAT KIND OF DOWNTOWN, WHAT WE WANT THE DOWNTOWN OF THE FUTURE TO LOOK LIKE.
CAN I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION? UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO WE, WE HAD A SCHEDULED PRESENTATION, UM, BY THE HISTORY CENTER AND THE HISTORY CENTER ASSOCIATION AND, UM, SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN A, A COMPLETION OF A VISION PLAN FOR THAT CAMPUS, THAT TWO BUILDING CAMPUS.
AND I RECOMMEND THAT, UM, WE RESCHEDULE A PRESENTATION, UH, BY THAT TEAM, THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM THAT LED IT, UH, THE HISTORY CENTER, UM, MANAGER AND THE, UH, HISTORY CENTER ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONSIDER THAT PRESENTATION SECONDED.
AND I WAS SPEAKING WITH ADAM POWELL ABOUT THAT AND I THOUGHT HE WAS SAYING HE WAS GONNA TRY TO BE HERE IN OCTOBER, BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT WE'LL, LET'S NAIL THAT DOWN.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? IF NOT, UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO VOTE.