* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:04] OH NINE. UM, AND, UH, WE'LL START ROLL CALL. UM, CHAIR MCKINNEY, UH, MYSELF HERE. UH, COMMISSIONER AULA. COMMISSIONER CARROLL, PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER GALLES. PRESENT CON LADNER MINORS HERE. SALINAS. PRESENT. PRESENT. AND UCK HERE. AND JENNY MARCUS. GREAT. UM, ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ALRIGHT, WE'LL START WITH AGENDA, [APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] UH, NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES THERE. A MOTION CHAIR. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, SEPTEMBER 28TH, AND, UH, SALINAS SECOND. OKAY. UM, UH, ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MOVING [2. Discussion and possible action on approving a recommendation to Council regarding the future roles, name, and mission of the Design Commission. Sponsors: Commissioner Wittstruck and Vice Chair Howard. ] ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO. UM, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF APPROVING AND RECOMMEND, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING THE FUTURE ROLES NAME AND MISSION OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UH, SPONSORS WITH STRUCK AND MYSELF. IS THERE, UM, A MOTION TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION CHAIR? I'LL MOVE ACCEPTANCE OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL AS PROVIDED IN BACKUP. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT CHAIR. I MAY, JUST TO CLARIFY, IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVAL, NOT ACCEPTANCE. YOU, YOU OKAY. CLARIFICATION FROM WITH STRUCK AS APPROVAL. TAKE THAT AS A FRIENDLY, I'LL MOVE, I'LL MOVE. APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL IS PROVIDED IN BACKUP. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND WE HAVE, UH, MINORS FOR A SECOND. UM, ANY, UH, ANY CONVERSATION ON THIS ONE? DISCUSSION, UH, AS A CO-SPONSOR HERE? UM, I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS, UH, IN SOME DETAIL AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING. UM, THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF THE, UM, WORKING GROUP'S EFFORTS TOWARD, UM, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL TO, UH, SET A PATH FORWARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMISSION. UM, WITH REGARD TO THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, UM, THE LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF YOU IS IN THE FORMAT OF BEING A RECOMMENDATION LETTER TO COUNCIL FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION. UM, I PRESUME THIS WOULD BECOME RECOMMENDATION NUMBER, UH, 20 26, 10 26 0 0 1 FUTURE ROLE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DESIGN COMMISSION AND COMMITMENT TO URBAN, TO QUALITY URBAN DESIGN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. UM, THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS A REVISION TO THE CITY CODE, UH, SIMPLY TO RENAME THE DESIGN COMMISSION, THE URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION. UM, I WON'T READ THROUGH EVERY, EVERYTHING IN, UH, THIS DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT, UH, THE OBVIOUS PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO, UH, ALIGN THE NAME OF THE COMMISSION WITH THE PROPOSED ROLE OF THE COMMISSION MOVING FORWARD. PARDON ME. UH, UM, THE SEC, UH, THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION, UM, WITHIN RECOMMENDATION NUMBER TWO, SORRY, UH, IS TO SIMPLIFY AND CLARIFY THE PURVIEW BY SHIFTING FROM DISCRETIONARY TO MANDATORY REVIEW. UM, THIS IS, UH, TO HAVE APPLICABLE PROJECTS, UM, TO CLARIFY THAT APPLICABLE PROJECTS WOULD COME TO THE URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION PRIOR TO THEIR RESPECTIVE PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, OR PLANNING OR ZONING AND PLATTING, UH, HEARINGS, UH, AND PRIOR TO GOING TO CITY COUNCIL. AND THAT, UM, WHEN PROJECTS, WHEN APPLICABLE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO ANY OF THOSE BODIES, THEY WOULD COME WITH, UM, THE, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE URBAN DESIGN COUNCIL, UH, COMMISSION, UH, AND TO CLARIFY THE, UH, CLARIFY THE PURPOSE AND DUTIES, UH, TO STATE THAT THE URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION IS THE CITY'S ADVISORY BODY OF RECORD ON URBAN DESIGN OUTCOMES CITYWIDE. UM, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND FORWARD, UH, FAST FORWARD DOWN TO THE ACTUAL CHANGES, UH, IN THE BYLAWS THAT THE, UH, WORKING GROUP HAS PUT TOGETHER, UH, PROVIDED TO COUNCIL, UH, TO COMMISSIONERS AS A RED LINE COPY. AGAIN, I WON'T GO OVER ALL OF THIS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO [00:05:01] OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON, UM, ON WHAT WE'RE, UH, PROPOSING TONIGHT. AND I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, UM, UH, COM. UH, COMPARED TO LAST MONTH'S VERSION, WE, UM, THIS DRAFT, UH, HAS REVISED LANGUAGE. UH, WE HAD TWO BULLET POINTS. ONE WAS FOR, UM, DESIGN GUIDELINES, AND THE OTHER WAS FOR DESIGN STANDARDS. WE'VE MERGED THOSE TOGETHER NOW, IT'S DESIGN GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS. AND, UM, WE'VE, I'VE ALSO, THERE'S NOW LANGUAGE ABOUT, UM, REVIEWING, UM, REVIEWING DENSITY BONUS PROJECTS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, UH, IN ORDER TO FORM, UH, ESSENTIALLY LIKE A, UM, A FEEDBACK LOOP, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BEF, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE PROJECTS TAKE A WHILE BEFORE THEY'RE BUILT. AND SO, UH, WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE OUTCOMES OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS AHEAD OF THAT, AND WE CAN BE THAT FEEDBACK LOOP FOR COUNCIL, UM, RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, HAVING SIX YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE, MEETING A STANDARD THAT'S NOT, UH, NOT SERVING ITS, UM, POLICY PURPOSE. UM, AND SO THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED, UH, ACCORDING TO, UM, UM, CHAIR MCKINNEY'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION, THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING. AND YEAH. UM, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT. UM, SURE. IF I MAY, J JUST TO CLARIFY, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO PROVIDE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL. THIS DOES NOT INITIATE ANYTHING. DOES NOT INITIATE CHANGES TO THE CITY CODE, DOES NOT INITIATE CHANGES TO COMMISSION BYLAWS THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNCIL AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THE ONLY BODIES THAT CAN INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS ARE THE COUNCIL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ON A LIMITED BASIS. SO THESE ARE JUST RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'LL BE PROVIDING TO THE COUNCIL. AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY WISH TO TAKE UPON THOSE AND GIVE DIRECTION TO INITIATE THESE PROCESSES, THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE PROCESS. SO THIS DOES NOT INITIATE ANY OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TAKE EFFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. YEP. WE'VE GOT, UM, THIS IS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, UH, UM, AS STATED IN KIND OF THE, THE HEADING HERE. SO I THINK, YEAH, THAT'S, IT'S A NICE CLARIFICATION FOR EVERYBODY ON THE COMMISSION THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS ISN'T A DONE DEAL. THIS IS JUST KIND OF THE FIRST STEP. WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL AND, UH, COUNCIL CAN DECIDE WHETHER TO TAKE AN ACTION OR, UH, A VERSION OF AN ACT OF SOME OF THESE ACTIONS. UM, AND SO, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN, UM, WE'LL ALSO, UH, I DON'T THINK WE'LL NEED TO DO KIND OF A, A CHECK IN WITH THE WORKING GROUP ON THIS, ON THIS SUBJECT. THIS IS GONNA COVER THAT FOR THE MOST PART. BUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK WHAT, UM, TO, UH, TO THAT POINT, UM, WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES, ESPECIALLY, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AFTER THIS RECOMMENDATION. YES. I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION FOR THE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMISSIONERS, AND APOLOGIES THAT WE WEREN'T MORE CLEAR THERE. UM, YES, THE, SO THE, UH, THE RED LINE COPY OF THE BYLAWS HERE IS PR IS PROVIDED AS A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL. UH, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHANGES. UM, BUT, UH, I, UM, WOULD URGE MY, UH, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THIS, UH, GETTING IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, UH, IN A TIMELY FASHION TO CONTACT THEIR, UH, SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS FOLLOWING THE OUTCOME OF THIS VOTE, UM, TO, UH, MAKE THEM AWARE OF THIS AND, UH, DISCUSS WITH THEM A PATH FORWARD. ALRIGHT. WELL, UM, CHAIR, IF I MAY PLEASE. SORRY. YES, UH, COMMISSIONER, GO. THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST IN RESPONSE TO, UM, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER'S, UH, NOTES JUST NOW, UM, CURIOUS TO HEAR, UH, THE TIMELINE FOR THIS GOING TO COUNCIL AND WHETHER THERE WILL BE REPRESENTATION FROM THIS BODY AT THE INTENDED COUNCIL MEETING, OR IF THERE'S AN AVENUE TO PREPARE FOR SOME REPRESENTATION. I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE PROVIDED WITHIN THE MEETING BACKUP, BUT WILL, WILL THERE BE SOMEBODY PHYSICALLY PRESENT TO PRESENT THESE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS? I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, DISCUSS THIS WITH THE, UH, COUNCIL OFFICES. UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, SPONSORING OFFICE OR A COUPLE OPTIONS FOR SPONSORING OFF, UH, OFFICES. UM, AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE, UM, WHAT I, WE'RE GONNA KINDA HAVE TO DEFER TO THEM FOR, FOR TIMELINE. UM, WE CAN ADVOCATE CERTAINLY. UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, [00:10:01] IT'S REALLY UP IN THEIR, IT'S IN COUNCIL'S HANDS NOW, SO WHETHER THEY BRING IT TO, UH, AN AGENDA ITEM, WHETHER THEY MAKE THE EXACT, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS OR THEY MAKE THE EXACT ACTIONS THAT WE'RE RECOMMEND RECOMMENDING. UM, BUT YES, I THINK THAT, UM, ONCE, UH, ONCE THIS ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA THAT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION SHOULD, SHOULD CERTAINLY BE THERE. UM, WE, WE WILL, DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW THE VOTE IS GONNA GO OR HOW THE, UM, UH, IF THIS IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT. MAYBE COUNCIL OFFICES FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WON'T, UH, BE A NEED FOR IT. UM, BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE THAT OFFER THAT WE'LL, THAT WE COULD PRESENT AND, UM, USE OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR MINUTES, UH, UH, FOR COMMENT ON, ON THE SUBJECT, UM, TO KIND OF SUPPORT THE, THE RECOMMENDATION CHAIR. THE COMMISSIONER'S QUESTION, UM, REMINDS ME OF A QUESTION OF MINE, UH, WHICH IS, UH, FOR STAFF OF WHAT IS, UM, SHOULD THIS RECOMMENDATION, UH, PASSED TONIGHT, WHAT IS, UM, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THIS IS DELIVERED TO COUNCIL AND WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSIONERS? UH, CHAIR, I MAY THANK YOU. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS FORWARDED TO THE CITY CLERK WHO DISTRIBUTES TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER. THE COUNCIL THEN HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SHOULD THEY WISH TO TAKE ACTION, WOULD DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO INITIATE AN AGENDA ITEM ON A FUTURE COUNCIL AGENDA. IF THEY WISH TO DO THAT, IT COULD TAKE THE FORM OF VARIOUS APPROACHES. OBVIOUSLY A COUNCIL RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO INITIATE SOMETHING, COULD, UH, THE COUNCIL COULD ALSO ELECT TO INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION. UH, THE COUNCIL COULD ALSO INITIATE THE PROCESS TO AMEND THE BYLAWS, WHICH IS SEPARATE THAN CODE AMENDMENTS IN COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. THAT GOES TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL. AND THAT'S A SEPARATE PROCESS WHERE THERE'S A SEPARATE AGENDA PROCESS THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT WOULD GUIDE YOU. BUT THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN BEFORE ANY OF THAT TAKES PLACE. SO I WOULD NOT EXPECT ANY ACTUAL ITEMS ON AGENDAS ANYTIME SOON. UH, BUT WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSIONERS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR COUNCIL OFFICES TO SEE, UH, WHERE THE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO WITH THIS. AND ONCE THE STAFF IS GIVEN DIRECTION THROUGH, TYPICALLY A COUNCIL RESOLUTION IS WHEN WE WOULD INITIATE THE PROCESS ON OUR END. SALINAS, WHEN WOULD, DO YOU THINK, I MEAN, UNDERSTANDING THAT PROCESS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET SUPPORT FROM, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMISSIONS OR ANY, SOME OF THE COMMITTEES THAT ARE PART OF THIS THAT WE'RE PART OF, WHETHER IT'S A JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, IS IT TOO EARLY TO START GETTING THAT? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TOO EARLY. I'M NOT SURE. YOU KNOW, UM, IN OUR INITIAL SORT OF CONCEPT ABOUT, UM, SORT OF, UH, JOINT COMMISSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, THOUGH THAT SORT OF, UH, EFFORT WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONS AND JOINT AND JOINT COMMITTEES AND SO FORTH. UM, WHAT WE DID WITH THIS PHASE WAS TO REALLY KIND OF STRIP THAT DOWN AND SIMPLIFY IT, JUST AMEND THE BYLAWS AND THE CODE, UM, TO KIND OF CLARIFY AND, AND MOVE FROM, UH, UM, MOVE TO MANDATORY REFERRAL FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE WITH URBAN DESIGN OUTCOMES, ESSENTIALLY. UM, AND SO THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ONCE COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED, UH, A VERSION OF THESE AMENDMENTS, UM, THEN NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO ENGAGE WITH THESE OTHER GROUPS, TO, TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF, UH, EFFICIENCY AND, UM, WHETHER THERE'S CERTAIN ROLES THAT THE DESIGN COMMISSION MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER OR TO JOIN ON DIFFERENT COMMITTEE, UH, COMMITTEES AND SO FORTH. YEAH, I THINK I WAS JUST MORE THINKING ABOUT GETTING MORE SUPPORT FOR IT GOING TO COUNCIL. UM, YEAH, CERTAINLY. I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO GET ON THE AGENDA FIRST BEFORE WE START. I MEAN, THOSE GETTING ON JOINT COMMISSION AGENDAS, YOU KNOW, TAKES, TAKES TIME. SO I GUESS WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHEN THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE ON AN AGENDA FOR COUNCIL. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OUT LOUD ABOUT WHEN WE NEED, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, JSE MEETS ON WEDNESDAY AND IT'S TOO LATE TO GET ANYTHING ON THEIR AGENDA, BUT NEXT MONTH WE COULD DO IT, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR THEIR SUPPORT. YEAH. UM, I, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY HAVING THEIR SUPPORT WOULD NOT BE A BAD THING. [00:15:01] UM, I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW COMMON IT IS FOR OTHER COMMISSIONS TO SUPPORT BYLAW AMENDMENTS FOR, FOR, UM, OTHER COMMISSIONS OR, OR COMMITTEES. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, INDEFINITELY CERTAINLY COULDN'T HURT. UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK, I THINK, UH, MAYBE THE FIRST STEP IS TO, TO ENGAGE WITH THE POSSIBLE SPONSOR SPONSORING, UH, COUNCIL OFFICES AND SEE WHAT THEIR TIMELINE, UH, THE TIMELINE THAT THEY THINK WE SHOULD TAKE, UH, IS AND KIND OF PLAN BACKWARDS FROM THERE. THE RIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT ENGAGEMENT. YEAH. UH, OTHER QUESTION IS FEEDBACK AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE YOU ALL, DID YOU GET GOOD FEEDBACK, UH, FROM YOUR REP REPRESENTATIVE? I SPOKE TO A, A NUMBER OF COUNCIL, UH, THREE COUNCIL OFFICES. YEAH. UM, AND EVERY, ALL THE COUNCIL OFFICES I SPOKE TO WERE, WERE, UH, ON BOARD. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I THINK THAT THERE, THERE WERE SOME OUTSIDE STANDING QUESTIONS THAT THEY, WE REALLY COULDN'T ANSWER IN THIS, UM, IN THIS, UH, FORUM, I GUESS. UM, IT'S SOMETHING THEY'LL HAVE TO WORK OUT, UM, WITH THE, AT THE COUNCIL, UM, AND, AND COUNCIL HAVE TO WORK OUT WITH STAFF AND SO FORTH. AND SO, UH, YEAH, I, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING NEGATIVE AND I, UH, DIDN'T HEAR ANY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM ANY OF THE OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS YEAH. OR COUNCIL OFFICES. YEAH. I GOT FEEDBACK TODAY AND IT WAS VERY POSITIVE, SO THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. WELL, AFTER THAT, I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS OFFICES. UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THE DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RE REDUCING THE OVERALL NUMBER OF COMMISSIONS AT THIS POINT. SO I THINK IT'S SOMEWHAT IMPERATIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A, A GOOD STANDING FOR THE, THE POINT, THE, THE, THE, THE UTILITY OF THIS ONE. YEAH. UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH WHOM I'VE SPOKEN, HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING, UH, A BODY THAT IS THE, THE BODY OF RECORD THAT IS PUSHING FOR URBAN DESIGN AND UNDERSTANDS THAT, UM, THAT THAT'S A HUGE GAP. YEAH. UM, WITH THE CITY'S PROCESS WITHOUT US OR A BODY LIKE US. SO I THINK GENERALLY I'VE FOUND THAT, UM, THE RESPONSE TO BE POSITIVE. GOOD. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I ALRIGHT. UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF MAKING THIS RECOM, UH, ADOPTING THIS RECOMMENDATION. ALRIGHT. THE UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT, SO MOVING ON TO [3. Discussion and possible action to approve the Design Commission annual schedule for 2027. ] AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE DESIGN COMMISSION ANNUAL SCHEDULE FOR 2027. CHAIR. I MOVE APPRO APPROVAL OF THE SCHEDULE'S PROVIDED IN BACKUP. IS THERE A SECOND? UH, UH, SALINAS, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? I. ANY OPPOSED? UH, NARU. DID YOU? OKAY. UM, YOU'RE OPPOSED, NARU, THAT MOTION FAILS IF SHE'S IN OPPOSITION. NO, SORRY, I JUST STILL HAVE MY HAND UP. I'M IN FAVOR. OKAY. THANKS FOR THE CLAR CLARIFICATION. ALRIGHT, SO FOR, UM, [4. Discussion and possible action to approve a recommendation to the Austin City Council regarding the Green Infrastructure Initiative. Sponsors: Commissioner Carroll and Commissioner Wittstruck. ] AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, I HAVE RECUSED ON THIS ITEM. SO WE DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, POSTPONE THIS ITEM. UH, SO I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM. AND IS THERE A SECOND CHAIR? PARDON ME? YES. DO YOU NEED A DATE? CERTAIN. SO TO BE YOUR NOVEMBER MEETING. DECEMBER MEETING. JANUARY MEETING TO POSTPONE TILL THE DECEMBER OR THE NOVEMBER MEETING. GERALD SECOND. UM, ALL IN FAVOR? IT'S UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT, OUR LAST AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UPDATE FROM THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE WORKING GROUP REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION. AND AS I HAD MENTIONED, WE KIND OF, WE HAVE COVERED THAT IN, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO OR YES. IN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO. AND SO I, UM, DOES ANYONE, UH, HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BESIDE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY COVERED? ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? [FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ] CAROL, UH, I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF THIS WAS ALREADY ON THE LIST, BUT, UH, I'D LIKE TO GET A BRIEFING ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE. SO IF STAFF COULD PROVIDE THAT, [00:20:02] I BELIEVE WE GOT AN UPDATE LAST MONTH OR THE MONTH. THAT'S FINE. YEAH, LAST MONTH. OKAY. YEAH, SO YOU, YOU MISSED IT. SORRY. UH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO. OKAY. UM, I'LL DO THAT. BUT, UH, I, I KNOW THAT THE, I I, AFTER THAT, UH, AGENDA ITEM LAST MONTH, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD DISCUSSED THE WORKING GROUP URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE WORKING GROUP, REACHING OUT, UH, TO THE, TO THE PROJECT STAFF, UM, AND SETTING UP A MEETING TO, UH, TO WORK ON, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING THE RIGHT OF WAY DESIGN ELEMENTS OF THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE DRAFT. OKAY. THANKS. ANY OTHER ITEMS? UH, CHAIR AT THE AUGUST MEETING, UM, COMMISSIONERS, GILLES AND SALINAS HAD, UH, SPONSORED AN I A DISCUSSION ITEM ON ALLEY ACCESS AND PROMOTING THE USE OF ALLEY SPACES FOR ECONOMIC VITALITY. UM, UH, AS I RECALL, THAT ITEM WAS NOT DISCUSSED, UH, AS NEITHER OF THE SPONSORS WAS PRESENT FOR THAT MEETING. UM, UH, SINCE THEY'RE BOTH IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT, I WAS CURIOUS IF THAT WAS STILL OF INTEREST. I KNOW I HAVE RECEIVED, UM, AT LEAST ONE EMAIL FROM A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC EXPRESSING INTEREST IN THAT DISCUSSION. UM, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE, UH, SUBJECT MATTER, UH, OR INTENT OF THAT DISCUSSION TO BE A SPONSOR, BUT, UM, WANTED TO REMI REMIND THE, THE CO-SPONSORS OF THAT OUTSTANDING ITEM. SALINAS? YEAH. I WASN'T HERE AT THE, UM, I GUESS IT WAS THE AUGUST MEETING. UM, BUT I THINK YEAH, IF IT, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS DISCUSSED THERE 'CAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE SEPTEMBER AGENDA, SO, UM, BUT IF IT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED, YEAH, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BRING BACK UP. UM, COMMISSIONER GILLIS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? YEAH, I DO THINK, UH, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH THIS COMMISSION AND I'M CURIOUS TO ALSO HEAR FROM STAFF WHO WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE GROUP TO INVITE TO, UM, TALK OVER WITH US, UH, PATHWAYS FOR, UM, IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE, UH, INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT, BE BROUGHT TO US. I BELIEVE WE HAD A GROUP COME TO SPEAK TO US SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ALLEY ACCESS, UM, MAYBE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO. AND, UM, IT SEEMS THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT, UH, I'D BE CURIOUS TO HEAR FROM STAFF, UH, WHO THE, UH, BEST GROUP WOULD BE TO INVITE TO TALK TO THE COMMISSION, UH, ABOUT THIS TOPIC. I DO THINK, UM, THIS SOMEWHAT FALLS WITHIN A GRAY AREA, UH, FOR US AS A COMMISSION. UH, IT'S, UM, SOMEHOW UNPRECEDENTED TO HAVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE ALLEY RIGHT OF WAY, BUT AS IT, UM, PERTAINS TO, UH, GOOD URBAN DESIGN AND, UH, ACTIVATION, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVATION, I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TAKE AN INTEREST IN. I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATH AND ADVISING GROUPS IN THE, IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. I CHAIR IF I MAY. YES, PLEASE. THANK YOU. TO RESPOND. UH, WE HAVE CONTACTED STAFF IN THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION DIVISION OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS. THEY DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANY MATERIALS TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION AS DIRECTION HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN BY COUNCIL OR THE CITY MANAGER TO INITIATE. SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO THOSE STAFF MEMBERS HAVE A DIALOGUE OR A DISCUSSION, BUT AT THIS TIME THEY HAVE NO MATERIALS TO PRESENT TO YOU, UH, REGARDING ALLEYS, FOR EXAMPLE. SO THEY WOULD NEED FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIRECTION THE COMMISSION WISHES TO GO ON TO SEE IF THAT FALLS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF ANY OF THE COUNCIL APPROVED INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED IN, IN, IN RECENT PAST THAT COULD COINCIDE WITH THE DIRECTION THAT THE COMMISSION WISHES TO GO ON. BUT AT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO INTENTION FOR STAFF TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION OR PROVIDE YOU ANY MATERIALS UNTIL THERE'S A FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE SEEKING, UH, THE STAFF TO PROVIDE YOU. SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION WE HAVE ON HAND, BUT NOTHING SHORT OF CREATING A NEW PROJECT, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL DIRECTION. I, UM, GO AHEAD, SALINAS. THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT HAD SPOKEN AS PUBLIC COMMENT AT, I WANT SAY IT WAS THE JUNE OR MAYBE THE MAY MEETING, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAD THAT PERSON'S CONTACT INFO THAT WE COULD REACH OUT TO, TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. AND THEN THIS COULD PROBABLY GO INTO, UH, HOW DO WE GET STAFF INVOLVED WITH IT? SO IF, IF I MAY. SURE. PLEASE. WE DO HAVE THAT PERSON'S CONTACT [00:25:01] INFORMATION THAT'S A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, SO NOT CITY STAFF. SO WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, ANY OTHER INFORMATION OTHER THAN WHAT WAS SUBMITTED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. MM-HMM . BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION WHAT WE HAVE. OKAY. YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT, A GREAT NEXT STEP WOULD BE FOR, UM, ONE OF THE SPONSORING, UH, COMMISSIONERS TO REACH OUT TO THEM, UH, GET A BETTER SENSE OF THE ISSUES SO WE CAN, UM, WE CAN START TO, UH, FORMULATE POTEN, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION, UH, TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE, YOU KNOW, AND TO ASK THE CITY MANAGERS TO ASSIGN STAFF TO THIS ISSUE. UM, UH, BUT YEAH, I THINK I, I GUESS THE, HOW I REMEMBER LEAVING THAT CONVERSATION WAS, UM, THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, BUT IT WAS UNCLEAR WHAT THE, THE EXACT BARRIERS WERE TO WERE TO IMPLEMENTING THOSE, THOSE IDEAS. UM, AND, UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT SORT OF ACTION WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THEM. SO IF WE CAN ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS, I THINK THAT THE, THIS COMMISSION MIGHT BE ABLE TO BETTER SUPPORT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, RESIDENT INITIATED EFFORT. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. SO, UM, CAN Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND JUST SEND THAT TO ME OR YOU NEED ME TO SEND YOU AN EMAIL AND GET THAT? ALRIGHT. YEAH. AND THEN I'LL SEND AN EMAIL OUT. I'LL COPY YOU COMMISSIONER GILLIS, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN JUST SET UP A CONVERSATION WITH HIM. YEAH. AND UM, IF, UH, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, SALINAS, THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, RYAN SAUNDERS, WHO CAME TO SPEAK WITH US, UM, DID REACH OUT, HAS BEEN IN TOUCH AND IS, UH, SEEKING TO PURSUE, UH, COUNCIL ACTION TO, UM, INITIATE, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME DISCUSSION ON THE POLICIES AROUND, UH, RIGHT OF WAY, UH, ACCESS AND, UH, COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN THE ALLEYS. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINTS THAT ARE, HAVE ALREADY BEEN RAISED, I THINK THE HURDLES TO, UM, HAVING COUNCIL LOOK AT THIS ARE SOMEWHAT, UM, UNCLEAR AND HOW TO ACTUALLY GO ABOUT INITIATING THAT PROCESS IS UNCLEAR. UM, SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT STAFF COULD OFFER TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOVE THINGS ALONG, UM, NOW UNDERSTOOD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEALING PERHAPS WITH, UM, TRANSIT AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER, UM, UH, DEPARTMENTS OR DIVISIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO, TO INQUIRE, UM, LET US KNOW. WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT AHEAD AND, AND THEN, UH, REPORT BACK AT THE NEXT, UM, DESIGN COMMISSION MEETING. UM, UH, JORGE, WOULD YOU MIND, UH, ALSO SENDING, UH, THE TWO COMMISSIONERS THE CONTACT FOR YOUR CONTACT AT THE ACT OF TRANSPORTATION? THANK YOU. ANY OTHER, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ALL RIGHT. TO, JUST TO CLARIFY, WAS THAT A REQUEST TO HAVE THAT ITEM AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING? I, I, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAD A SPONSOR AND CO-SPONSOR WISH TO BRING THAT BACK ANYTIME SOON. YEAH. YES. SO I'LL SPONSOR THAT. AND COMMISSIONER GILES, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CO-SPONSORING THAT? YES, I AM. COULD YOU RE UH, REPEAT THE, THE AGENDA ITEM YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE, UM, ACTIVATION OF THE ALLEY CONVERSATION. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. SAUNDERS BACK TO US, UM, TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE IS A, WHAT THE PATH FORWARD IS WITH COMM WITH, UH, MR. SAUNDERS. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. WE'LL POST THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM AND ANY OTHER ITEMS. ALRIGHT. UH, I THINK WE CAN ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 6 38. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.