City Council Regular Meeting Transcript – 3/9/2023 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 1 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 3/9/2023 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 3/9/2023 Transcript Generated by SnapStream ================================== Please note that the following transcript is for reference purposes and does not constitute the official record of actions taken during the meeting. For the official record of actions of the meeting, please refer to the Approved Minutes. [10:00:19 AM] The Austin city council. It is March 9th 2023, it is 10 o'clock in the morning. We are meeting in the city council chambers at Austin city hall. We have a quorum present to members are off the dais, council member harper-madison and council member Fuentes and I'll ask the I don't believe that they have joined us remotely. Is that correct? So we but we have a quorum. Ah! Members layout and for everybody else is paying attention. I'll lay out the what I proposed to be the order of the meeting for today. First we'll hear from the consent agenda speakers both virtual and in person. There are a couple of items that were pulled from the consent agenda and we're going to have them will bring be bringing those up almost immediately after the consent agenda so people that are signed [10:01:20 AM] up to speak on those items will be speaking in the in the boy. It's been done historically, at least here recently will then go to the consent agenda with brief comments from members. We will then go to the pool items items. 16 25 27 26. I'll read all that into the record in just a moment by the way members in public council member Fuentes has joined us remotely. Thank you. After that, we'll take up non consent items, which is item number 34. I will open and close the public hearing and will take immediate action. If time allows . At that point, we will recess the regular meeting of the city council and call the Austin housing finance corporation meeting to order we'll hear from its speakers. If any, we will act in adjourned that meeting at noon, we will have the noon public comment and live music [10:02:21 AM] and then at two P.M, we will take up zoning, speakers, discussion and action related to that. Let me now for the record read. Into the record changes and corrections. Action items number item number 11 should read March 8th 2023 recommended by the water and wastewater commission on a 90 vote with one absence in one vacancy. Item number 14 withdrawn. Item number 25. It should have read all of the different sponsors and ad council member Leslie pool item number. 27 will read the people that were listed as sponsors and then add council member of Vanessa Fuentes, council member Ryan alter and council member Natasha harper-madison. Yes mayor pro tem would also like to be added as a co sponsor on 27. Thank you members with him. Show [10:03:23 AM] mayor pro Tim Ellis is also a sponsor of item number 27. Items that have been pulled from the consent agenda. Item number 16 pulled by mayor Watson item number 25 pulled by council member Kelly item number 27 pulled by mayor Watson and item number 26, which is not on your printed changes or corrections item number 26 by council member Ryan alter. Members are there any other items that you wish to pull from the consent agenda? Any other items to be pulled from the consent agenda. Seeing none. Let me ask. Are there any well and I'll come back to this . But are there any items that a member wishes to be shown voting? No. Council member, Kelly. I prefer to wait to hear from the consent speakers before. That's what we'll do. Are there any items that any [10:04:23 AM] member wishes to abstain from or be shown as recusing themselves from yes, council member Alison alter. I also would prefer to make those statements after he extension or even abstentions or recusals. Yeah, I would like to make that enough if I could just add. I've mentioned this before. But I think that the feedback that we hear from the community is very valuable and making our decisions. Thank you. I just want to make sure I worry that if I didn't do that, somebody would say, I want to be shown. Not even at that point, so we'll do it both ways. As I indicated before we take up speakers for today's meeting, before we take what we're gonna do for speakers, let me say it that way is we're going to do it as this historically been done in the very recent past, because the way we will take these items up on the consent items that have been pulled will be immediately after. We hear from we pass the [10:05:26 AM] consent agenda, so we will hear from all of the speakers. And they will have an opportunity to testify on both consent and non consent agenda items and the speakers that are signed up on zoning agenda items. They will be called upon it two o'clock and each speaker will have two minutes. So let's go to the speakers and madam clerk. Please begin with the remote speakers and then we'll go to in person. First speaker on item 16 is Brenda Malik. Brenda, please un mute. Morgen mizzen back. On 16. [10:06:31 AM] I think it might be Megan. Miss my eisenbach, can you please on mute? Brenda Malik. Okay? Move we're having a technical issues, so let's move to in person speakers. For items 3, 11, 17, 18 and 26. Gas Pena. On deck is bill makame Lee for item 16. Good morning. My name is Gustavo Gus Pena, born in east Austin, east fifth street. Here's my I D [10:07:34 AM] as a former I R S especially with the I R S okay? And this is from the other federal agency. I want you to take that into consideration. Mayor Kirk Watson. Don't change except the hair. Number one, is the number three is, having to deal with the star program, and we'll leave it at that and improve it. And number. Msc number number 11 is workforce development and thank you very much for allocating $2,355,000 for that. That is very this for youth works, so it's very good. And number 17 is a proven resolution extending current collective bargaining between the city of Austin and Austin firefighters association. They deserve more. Last one. This is my favorite I R S approval resolution to [10:08:37 AM] directing the city manager to create a plan to increase the number of direct correct current. Scuse me faster charging station for electric vehicles equitably throughout the city, and my last one will be this. Number 33 the his housing housing finance corporation, and I'm going to leave it at that because it sounds redundant, but what we try to do is just make it a better situation. Housewives healthwise and otherwise, for the people of the city of Boston and mayor. It's good to have you back over here. You know, they they punted you over here instead of back over there as thank you very much for being here. You know, I've always, I had respect for you, and I appreciate all of y'all all of y'all that are doing for work for the in and for the best interests of the community. And this, Mackenzie. Thank you very much. Also used to thank you. Okay, I'm gonna try, remote again. Brenda Malik on item 16. [10:09:42 AM] Yes mayor and council. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I appreciate your hard work. I'm speaking today on item number 16 thank you for pulling it from the consent agenda, but it took me at least a week to figure out what each admit. So I'm requesting that you guys refrained from using acronyms so much so the public can actually know what you're talking about. This far reaching change needs to be worked through in public. Our neighborhood association, the Rogers Washington holy cross neighborhood association, for which I am president. Is it historic neighborhood association and we were not aware of this group. Even though the just a block away from knocking grill station the outreach plan that was discussed last week fell a little short. And so we have many questions. [10:10:44 AM] And I'm just asking that you take the plan to let the public give you comments about this because we need more answers. So don't don't accept and zoning changes until you hear from from your constituents so much. Next speaker is Meghan mizzen Bach on 16. Hi this is Megan. My sandbox. And I appreciate you hearing me today. I'm in district nine, and I'm really glad that autumn was pulled. I hope you'll pay attention to Dr Jake Wegman when he says, focus on like rail, do less and do it well. Secure your sources of phone funds and value capture and the property that, you're talking about when you look at. The number of proposed retards [10:11:44 AM] compared to other cities. We look really out of place. Most cities have less than 10. And we're proposing 120 or at least more than 100 seems out of place. A lot of modest number of light rail. Todd's that will support fixed transit is important and we need all the funds are limited. And so this is another good reason to focus. The status decided that the metric of success is to remove or redevelop people's homes. And replace them with multi unit developments. I don't know that this is the right, frame of mind to approach this. So we have concerns about how this program is being promoted. And I think you ought to look at please look at plaza fellatio, which it changed after what the community [10:12:44 AM] was promised. So thank you again for hearing me and thank you for your work on the council. Goodbye. Francis Acuna, speaking on 16. Can you hear me? Yes. Please proceed. My name is Francis akona. I'm a long time trip springs and I climbed it with community leaders denied with java. I'm I'm calling against item 16 and I ask you to and I thank you for holding off on pulling the item out. Until real community. Apartment building in the places. Holmes. Services businesses along, major corridors. And I know. But any housing development done in Austin will never compared to [10:13:46 AM] anything close to what residents are paying right now. The way that you are dressing it on what is placed the people that are making a difference in our communities, the people that are most impacted by the cost of living in the rapid growth. Be effective leaders by using that to this place in France available not only to help rent increase but also to build sustainability are among the residents you represent by putting your name in resolutions or recommendations to programs, workshops or training. For construction workers homeland home based child care or home base. Elder care. This training could help with safety skills. And the rights and teaching them the rights of workers. You can create independency by four sustainability. I'm sorry. You can create independency for sustainability by doing so you could you could be able to keep [10:14:50 AM] more people in their homes. Justice is indispensable in our city. As leaders, you are placing their position to lead by example. You say you care about your constituents prove it be inclusive. Don't make it decision without a plan and let us be part of the process. Thank you. Irene Pickhardt on 16. Good morning. Good morning, mayor Watson and council my name is Irene Pickhardt. I live in the blacker would neighborhood which is in district can, I would ask that you limit the talk the charge to rail line areas. Please. And I would ask that you [10:15:52 AM] served the residents. And the citizens of this city. Not clear them out to make way for people. Just moving into the city. Don't just place your neighbors. Also, I would I also ask that you check a look at your climate goals in terms of warming. This density will not come without. Cutting down trees, removing green spaces. And changing the fabric and the look of our city. Most of us did not move here, hoping to live. Among towers and shadows. Well we came here for this beautiful place for this environment as well. Please respect the environment of the [10:16:53 AM] city of Austin and respect your current residents and, and give us time to discuss this plan with you. Thank you very much for your time. Bye bye. Next speaker is Monica Guzman, speaking on item 16, 25 and 29. Good morning, Marian council. I'm Monica Goslin, policy director at Austin. Bama's often regarding item 25. The kitchen requirements represent our only public process to be engaged in critical land use and ballot decisions that impact us. Regarding item 40 for this change to the code seems to be a giveaway to developers, a mechanism to allow increased entitlement and impervious cover without community benefits, namely affordability of a planned unit development for large projects, building more luxury units at market rates does nothing to solve our [10:17:54 AM] housing crisis. Please vote no on item 44. Governor is opposed items 16 despite testimony you heard last week, many are still unaware we urge you to postpone your vote, allowing time to further inform the community, especially low income transit dependent residents with limited or no English proficiency. We also support Dr wegmans tough love. As he told the council committee members last week and I quote truly successful T O D S , and they're much more common in Canada or Mexico or overseas and had been here in the us and , of course, true, khitan has been even rarer than successful time. How will we processing existing affordable housing on transit corridors seems to be the most vulnerable implants. Can it can be it playing out in south Austin, south person Everhart 2 19 Berkman road where we're losing affordable units, too dense luxury developments with inadequate affordable units [10:18:56 AM] . These developments will not attract transit dependent people , and they actively displaced workforce and transit dependent residents. Thank you. Next speaker is missing. Osterman speaking on 26. Good morning. My name is Missy Osterman and I'm here today to support the decision to bring back the awesome citizen police academy before joining the cpa for its 89th class. I had very little knowledge on how police departments operated. When someone doesn't understand how something is run. It is hard for them to support it. Being given the opportunity to understand how your city's police department of structured trained and procedures they follow is extremely valuable. I am grateful that Austin like so many other communities have had this program available. I encourage you all to bring back the awesome citizen police academy program to get the [10:19:57 AM] community the opportunity to learn firsthand how their police department works and to build stronger police community relationships. Thank you for your time and consideration. Next speaker Zenobia Joseph, speaking on 16 and 34. Thank you, mayor. Count bombs and I'll be your Joseph. Stating my opposition to item 16 equitable transit or unit development. I just want to call it to your attention number seven page seven, which has the green line station area vision planning. I remind you that Natasha harper-madison asked about the green line on April 15th 2021 at the mobility committee. And basically, I want you also understand. That it's no secret that there's not enough ridership on that line that information was given to Travis county commissioners court June 20th 2017. Basically the green line would likely have to be locally funded as well. It [10:20:58 AM] doesn't meet federal standards for density, so I am opposed to having the green line as a justification for the E Todd item before you. On April 3rd 2018 with regard to the green line, the anticipated ridership on this line is actually low, and that means to be no secret taught him inked untold commissioner's court as well. Mayor you actually test capital metro December 17 2018 when they adopted the vision plans for project connect, and I just want to remind you that the plan actually called the light rail to be south of northern more transit center, and there is a need for you to actually coordinate with text that because that is Luke to 75 in the city does not own the right of way that was never in the discussion during the meeting you had on the work session on Tuesday are during the joint meeting with housing and mobility, so I would ask you to postpone this item if you plan to vote on it, and actually to consider, including text dot so that it's accurate. This is rush [10:22:00 AM] to get federal funding and I will actually just say my comments are in the context of title six of the civil rights act of 1964, which for him is discrimination. Based on race color, national origin. It's 24 to 30 years for the light rail. North of us 1 83 in the area that you used to represent. When you're a senator. 37 I thought that was a zoning item. But it's 3.3 miles, work from the bulletin village. Thank you, speaker. Your time has expired positive. If you have any questions about the incident. Now Peterson speaking on 26. Knell Peterson. Regarding who asked. I am definitely in four or the other somatic again because they were bridged the gap or a learning more about the police department. And it's often at this point. We have country negative attitude, and [10:23:01 AM] we have a lack of respect for the police department itself, because we don't know they're going on of the department's everything. Pay this class. It will certainly help. Others to have more confidence and respect for the department. Please continue the academy. Thank you. Jennifer Alice, speaking on item 26. Hi my name is Jennifer. Alice thank you for your time to speak today. I'm speaking in support of item 26. I live in district six and have lived in Austin for 23 years. I was president of the 84th citizen police academy class. And graduated with the class in December. 2015 it was truly an honor to be selected to attend the very educational 14 program , as it wasn't really sure at the time. What to expect is all I knew about the police was very [10:24:03 AM] different before this class. I've always been very supportive of law enforcement, but I was not aware of all the different departments involved with the Austin police department. 14 weeks for package so much information and gave me a much better understanding of what it does for our community. We were able to tour the emergency operations center, forensic jail forensic labs, jails and several other places and I was privileged to do a right out in the Edwards sector on a Friday night where I got to see firsthand what our officers go through out on their shifts, and it was a real eye opener to me. I believe that this class is now helped me to become more understanding of what a P D does and why they do what they do. In my class alone. We had many people from all walks of life, young and old and several of us from my class are still friends. It was a great way to hear. It was a great it was great to hear all the presentations and hear all the presentations and get all the answers and I feel that this class is a great way to show the community with the police are here for and why they do what they do. And, you know, [10:25:04 AM] they were able to answer all of our questions. I feel like this so important for the community to know all the goes on because not everyone sees what happens in the background. Many of us are, alumni and will continue to support a pd one needed, so please bring this program back as it is definitely work worth it for our city and for our citizens. Thank you so much for your consideration for this time. That concludes all the remote speakers will go to in person. Bill makame Lee on deck are Christian Shope and Daniel kappelman. Please make your way up to the front of your name was cult. Honorable council members, Mary Watson. First off a sincere thank you for considering the E Todd policy plan today. My husband and my friends are so excited for it. This retard plan [10:26:06 AM] marks a major milestone in Austin's growth and development. By promoting growth and housing near future and existing major transit corridors. Austin will become a more walkable city in a more affordable city. There are so many gems of policy tools outlined in the policy plan. One highlight is the affordable housing provision trading height for more low income units. This will promote equity and affordability to Austin's lowest income residents, which is much needed step towards creating a place where even the poorest among us can live here and have opportunities. In addition, it hard vision area planning will give a chance for city planners to rethink areas in a way that preserves the existing history and community of areas while thinking ahead for future needs. I applaud this because it will build great community centers and housing. And it will add to the existing culture of these [10:27:06 AM] vision areas not detract from them. Like plazas, lto or crestview station will bring a place where lots of people can enjoy both local to the area and citywide. In conclusion it Todd will build a better Austin. I hope you pass both the tar policy plan and the Todd overlay today. Thank you. Next speaker is Christian Shope. Okay? Bill makame Lee. Daniel cavalrymen and police state your name when you reach the podium. Edgar handle. On deck is J crossly. Hello. My name is Daniel kappelman. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I'm a district three residents. This equitable transit oriented development item has the potential to be a consequential policy and could allow for a significant amount of people to live centrally near transit and [10:28:07 AM] amenities. Thank you, council and especially to staff for their hard work and long engagement with stakeholders in the community on this item. It is crucial that we adjust our land. Use around the new project connects stations not only to be competitive for federal money for the project, but because it could finally break the hold that car centric planning has on this city. This policy will have significant affordability impacts and climate impacts by allowing for much greater housing capacity by transit. The city can reduce vehicle miles traveled per capita overall energy consumption per capita and protect undeveloped land at the fringes of the city and in the suburbs. I want to urge you to all move quickly to develop an implementation plan with a clear timeline that would lead to development to occur along with the construction of the new light rail lines and rapid bus routes. Also thank you for including bus routes in this plan, which will likely carry the majority of transit. You know, there's in this city to give an example of the need for swift implementation near my [10:29:07 AM] home on the future Orange line their brand new gas stations being built. This sort of car based use needs to be prohibited sooner rather than later, along with the massive parking garages attached to apartment buildings that will likely house people who use cars. Much less frequently than other people in this city. Thank you for developing this plan, and we look forward to and continued engagement during its implementation. J Crossley on deck, felicity Maxwell and Michael Nahas. Hello good morning. My name is Jay belisa Crossley and with the non profitable farming city and I live in D four, and thank you all very much for this work and for trying to build an Austin for everyone. We have published two reports on this issue, and I've done a lot of analysis. And I've sort of been busy working on a freeway projects. I didn't [10:30:07 AM] bring you all those things and I'm sort of tired of it. You know, there's clear it is clear and what's wrong here, and it's clear what an equitable development strategy for the city would be, we two million people are going to move into our region over the next 20 years, most of them people of color. They're not californians. Ah very tiny amount are californians and every amount of not allowing people to live in the city of Boston that we do. Here in this room is the reason that our city is expensive, and it's the reason that people are displaced. It is not because of developers or any other boogeyman. And so exclusionary zoning is the problem and E T O D strategy should should remove that problem that 19 twenties. Error one example is the east Cesar Chavez neighborhood where the actual neighborhood plan still exist zero amount of [10:31:08 AM] additional housing units have been allowed. Many houses have been rebuilt using the current codes, but zero additional units are allowed there less people live in the east Cesar Chavez neighborhood today than in 2010. And in 2010. There are about 1000 ft. Low income people living in that neighborhood. Today there are zero whereas the plazas lto T O D development right next door, which was like train tracks. A bunch of people live there now. And so one of the problems with this report. Is there some errors? It's states that T O D causes displacement, which is false. And so we need to do these things together. Key point is just allowing people to live there will double project Nick ridership. Thank you. Next speaker is Edgar handle. On deck are felicity Maxwell and Michael nas. Hmm hi. I'm Edgar handle. I live a quarter mile an eight minute walk from the a. C. C eastview bus stop on the plan. [10:32:08 AM] Pleasant valley metro rapid line. I came here today in support of item 16 and equitable transit oriented development. Just this week, my three year old and I were on a call with my brother who lives in Houston. He bragged in my train obsessed son that he lives a few minutes from the light rail and taking it straight to the rodeo. My brother likes cars, and he works on cars for a living. He's no urbanist. He took the train because it's convenient and it's close to where he lives. Austin wants transit and recent elections and polls have shown we definitely do. Then we need a lot of homes and destinations near transit, plain and simple. That means zoning for dense, mixed use development. And eliminating parking minimums along all planned transit lines and doing it soon without waiting for transit to be built first. I would love to one day see, like Ronnie's Austin. But the reason east Austin gets bus lines while central Austin gets light rail is because central Austin has denser corridors with good ridership, and we want excellent equitable access to transit across all of Austin. We need to build the types of places that justify more transit [10:33:09 AM] investment. Let's stop waiting for density and transit to arrive perfectly in sync. Let's avoid a future where low density zoning has created great access to transit for those who can afford the nearby multi million dollar homes. We should not only approved that it Todd plan but also ensure that the resulting implementation actually delivers abundant housing near transit. Thank you. Next speaker is felicity Maxwell on deck are Michael nas and Hans Magnuson. Good morning, mayor and council members. My name is felicity Maxwell. I'm a longtime zilker, D five resident and a current or a board member. Thank you for your consideration of item 16 regarding it, Todd, as you know , when project connect with passed with overwhelming support , Todd was a critical element of the overall plan for our city. It's been exciting to see the first wave of teton in our communities and the work that it's already doing and we see this step as the next crucial step in the E. Todd promises we made in 2020. Blocks of viber [10:34:10 AM] key elements of our for our city. Most importantly, housing , but there are also immense community benefits like beloved small businesses, groceries, medical, medical services, daycares and more, all of which become possible near and around our transit. If we do eat out properly, as you may have noticed. It's bluebonnet season here in Austin, and that feels like an apt metaphor for the work you all are doing on Todd. Just like ladybird. All those years ago, there was a vision of beautification and growth in our city that can be accomplished through E tide. You project connect will literally require much groundwork, and in that process, we can create something fertile for other things, creating us using seeds from across our community to create a beautiful blanket of community benefits that will grow and grow as time passes. Thank you for your consideration of item 16 and please know that this is broadly supported the community for the many benefits it will bring beyond housing to our neighborhoods. Next speaker is [10:35:11 AM] Michael nas. On deck are Hans Magnuson and Janice ranking. Good morning, mayor city council . My name is Michael Nahhas. I'm an economist. I'm the district for representative on the economic prosperity commission. If I had to summarize urban economics in one sentence, it's make land valuable and make rent cheap building a train line or a bus line in the desert is not does not make valuable land because there are no people there to ride it, and there's no businesses no place to go on it. So like the best thing is do like foster as much development of business and people living near this train line. Land use minimums are good for that reason I like that the fund is there to keep businesses there during construction. Second avenue subway in New York at a lot of businesses failed during construction. There's a fun to relocate businesses. That is obviously bad. We want to keep [10:36:13 AM] the businesses near these spots. We do not want them to move away or we'll lose the benefit of this. Let's see regarding some of the equity things. Land trusts are very expensive for the benefits they give because of the cost for the land and the lack of tax income. The free legal counsel to renters is excellent. It costs very little , and the few cases that are brought have a large effect on all the other landlords who fear being opposed at the courts. The big thing is soft density is too weak if you want to have affordable housing, the biggest thing is in the market for affordable housing, and you need lots of renters to be able to gather together to outbid a single rich owner who wants to build one unit. So you need to allow density there like allow more units in order for affordability to exist. Thank you. Next speaker is Janice [10:37:16 AM] Rankin on deck are Luiz Costa and Zach fattest. Go ahead and just read your name into the record. Thank you. My name is Hans medicine. Good morning, counsel requested dipole item 16 from the agenda. This is a little bit of an L. A conceived the plan. It needs work, and I think with some thoughtful work , we can fix the plan. The current, stated goal of. Providing affordable housing, I think is flawed. Until you remove their fee and Lou option and you have the minimum requirement. Affordable units for any T O D of development. The outcome will be that you will have expensive luxury apartments and condos, and most of those people will not take the bus. I support this data [10:38:17 AM] goal, but, it really needs to be revised. My biggest concern is the potential for inverse condemnation forced people from their homes and businesses. Because putting it or overlay on bus stops. Under existing land use code prohibits tens of thousands of single family homes and businesses. From existing essentially why has this positive been rushed to the consent agenda? It's a matter of great import a large swath of residents and merits are more transparent review. I think the detailed policy that's been proposed. Is a major distraction. That will take away from project connect and quite possibly risk it to fail. Which will be a shame. You will, if adopting this detailed policy disenfranchised a large number of community members government resources will spent in district and federal courts, public support will diminish for the [10:39:18 AM] public transportation projects. Thank you. Next speaker is Janice. Ranking on deck are Luiz pasta and Zach fattest? How much time do I. Good morning, Mr mayor and council members. I'm Janice Rankin from district seven, represented by Leslie pool. I want to ask you to postpone acting on the policy plan and resolution today because the scope of the eat hard policy plan is overly broad as presented. It is a major policy direction and a paradigm shift for land use in Austin. It needs transparency, and it needs to be aligned with a revised funding [10:40:19 AM] strategy for project connect. Transparency is required in the resolution two oh 21! Oh 61 oh owner and three of June 10th 21 that resolution states community engagement shall include a sufficient public comment period. To ensure impacted people and stakeholder groups are included, as stated in exhibit a. Your retard policy plan draft. The voices of many individuals and groups were overlooked in the interest of turning down the volume. The tar website shows that 944 responses were obtained in the process of community engagement conducted by staff. And in a city of more than 660,000 registered voters, that is not enough to create an understanding of the will of all Austin stakeholders. Representative government has been missing in this we've been following what staff has been doing. But were there any town hall meetings held by council members and their respective districts where and when has the public comment requirement been [10:41:19 AM] met from that ordinance? Let's talk about the elephant in the room, and that's the money. Let's get this done right and not rush to adopt a Todd before finalizing the revised project connect build out proposal within its available funding authority. It cannot be divorced from a Todd density planning. Otherwise we'll have density without the transit infrastructure to support it. So if you have dense land use for a period of 20 years and no transit to support it, what have you done? Thank you and I ask you to postpone this item. Next speaker is Luiz pasta on deck are Zach fattest and Mary pharaoh. Good morning, y'all. I'm a demon resident and I came here to support of item 16 and equitable transit oriented development overall. I understand people have concerns [10:42:19 AM] about you know the finances, displacement, the community, and that's the main care about a lot, but somebody sort of grew up and came from communities that always got bulldozed over and the name of somebody claiming to build for the future. But the actual people of Austin and the local businesses of Austin already getting displaced and where they once stood stands, million dollar houses and gentrified cookie cutter shops that come from your California and New York and whatever the time for building slow and deliberate. Dense development for our project connect was 20 years ago. Now we live with difficulties that were created by previous administrations. Okay Todd is built out of the core part of project connect will build beautiful, walkable communities that are backbone ridership for new transit development. The real problem is not that we won't go far enough with these thoughts, but that the real problems that we won't go. We'll go too far, but that we won't go far enough. Specifically as we only are evaluating them in light rails, we should go further by making sure that [10:43:19 AM] we're creating the kind of mixed use communities that are going to be the foundation of the future of Austin. Not just in these light rails but across our Medford rapid transit routes. I understand, as I mentioned previously that there's a lot of anxiety around this, but the communities of Austin, especially ones that people claim to defend here, already getting pushed across the cliff. Right project connect of which he taught are key critical proportion of is the only life on Dell have to continue to be to live and grow up and raise their kids in Austin as part of a cohesive, tight knit community , so I hope with that in mind, you understand this sort of severity situation and you go forward with item 16. Thank you. Next speaker is Zach fatties on deck or Mary pharaoh and gel, pal Conley. How do councilors my name is? Zak Faddis. I am a car free austenite and president bora. I came here today to voice my excitement for the policy proposal before you item 16, and after you bring forward amendments to make more explicit, the land use changes [10:44:21 AM] increased number of poems. You're allowed to be built around our future light rail stations. When voters approved project connect. They also approved the process and the density necessary support any mass transit project. The easiest way for projects connected fails, we build a technically and functionally great system, but failed to allow people to live near it and ride the thing. This is currently the case today around many of our proposed stations or land use laws make it illegal to build homes and house the family that will use and justify the existence of our soon to be born light rail system, land use and transportation changes must go together project connected to succeed. For most Americans that your biggest cost of living is housing and transportation, as especially true in Austin, where we demand that folks first spending and ordered an amount of their income on shelter because of our severe housing, sort of, and then also require that they must own a car, spending their money on gas and time in traffic there to have any sense of freedom and mobility. Project connected an alternative of this. It gives us tonight's the option to live a low carbon walkable transit, [10:45:21 AM] supportive lifestyle that is more affordable and frees them from car dependence. I ask that you get this option to as many austinites as possible not only will help the many thousands who do take it also relieve pressure on the housing markets in the streets for those who do not. Our climate, transportation and affordability. Goals are dependent on decisions we make today around it, Todd I envision a radically inclusive Austin, which people vastly different means and circumstances can live on the same streets, walk to the same stores and take the same drain. The Austin we as not the Austin that we live in state, but I beg you to help make it Austin of our future. Thank you. Next speaker is Mary pharaoh on deck, Zhao pound Connolly and Ryan nil. Good morning, everyone . I'm Mary pharaoh from district seven, the term of this council began with great congratulations and a sense of urgency to get things done. As you prepare to [10:46:22 AM] vote on this it Todd plan today . I'm sure it feels good to have the votes to do something big. The only thing I can imagine that would feel better is if you had the full support of austinites who actually understand this action. Unfortunately too many people haven't heard of it. Todd and many others haven't been involved. Especially not understanding the expansive expanded scope of the bus routes. The background information states that over the past year and a half city staff and consultants have engaged in ah, efforts to help community members understand current challenges but additional information. Stated that critical to the engagement strategy was turning down the volume on voices. That traditionally have dominated public engagement forums. So voices were intentionally silenced in this process, and I find that very troubling. Those of us in the crosshairs are [10:47:23 AM] legitimately worried about irreversible, irreversible effects on our neighborhoods. So in response to those concerns, and new point talking point arose that no land development code change will happen today. But of course we know that it puts in place. Efforts. To begin that process immediately. I am very sympathetic to the need for, affordable housing and good transit. There was a time that I either rode a bus or took a bike from the area behind capitol plaza to the capital, where I worked. And I am very sympathetic also to the need for families to have places to live. Thank you for your service, please. Please direct your attention to providing good governance, transparency, [10:48:23 AM] inclusion and accountability. Thank you so much. Next speaker is joao Paulo Connolly on deck are Ryan nil. And Brian Bedrosian. Good morning, mayor and council. Thank you for being here today. I want to speak briefly on two items. One is item 16 E T, O D, and also on item 25, which I think is very important to put together a commission to reevaluate aspects of our charter around, around petitions and how we get things on the ballot. I think that's very important. So I would like to, thank and commend the council members who are co sponsoring that item. I think that that's a very important thing for our future. I do want to say speaking about items on the ballot when we put project connect in front of voters, the people of Austin overwhelmingly spoke and they made loud and clear where they stand and how they feel about Austin's future . They want that future to be a future with light rail, and they want that future to be a future with successful light rail because that's the only way we [10:49:24 AM] get out of the grip of Cardiff. Dependency if we want to be true to the lofty goals that we already established in our climate equity plan, we don't get there if we don't commit to a solid vision around E T O D. That means planning for growth in Austin's urban cores in neighborhoods that will be transit dependent in neighborhoods that we focused around transit every time we fail to accommodate real growth in Austin's urban cores, we push displacement outwards. We drive poverty, sprawl, we push low and income people and people of color further and further out of the city. And then what do we do? We come back and say, well, now we need more highways for these people. So that's the pattern that we have to break here are you know light rail will be much more affordable if we had built it 20 years ago, so let's not waste any more time. Let's get this done the only comment I want to say, you know, I I'm I'm in support of the policy plan for each code that's moving forward today. But that is a lofty document with a lot of great promises to the [10:50:24 AM] community, and I hope that you council members will will hold staff accountable to actually fulfilling the vision articulated in that plan. And I hope that we can see real tangible goals and metrics so that we know where we're going and how we're going to get there. Thank you. Just Mitch Connally. I just wanted to emphasize your point. You know, a lot of the things that we discuss here on the diocese are internally generated. You know, we have staff that is, you know, thinking about something. We have council members that are proposing an idea. The light rail plan was voted on by the public in a November presidential election, which, if I'm not mistaken, was the highest turnout in 2020 that we've ever seen so and it was a very high profile election. You know, on the on the yes and no side and we had 58% of austinites. Come out and say, let's do this, so I just you know again. I we need input. But [10:51:28 AM] we got so much input in that vote, and I just think that's an excellent point. And thank you so much for raising it. I appreciate your comments, councilman next speaker is Ryan nil, speaking on 16 and 24 on deck are Brian Bedrosian and will William bunch. Hello mayor and council members. My name is Ryan. No, I'm representing the Austin cooperative business association support for the eu Todd plan. Several of our members have retail spaces and Todd Zones and along the new realizing rail lines, they include Blackstar coop, reidsville, treasure city thrift , for them. Interruption in business due to construction is a very huge concern. And so we're extremely interested and excited about the construction interruption fund policy in the top plan. Additionally when it comes to housing, I want to thank council members vela and harper-madison for their support last fall for supporting housing cooperatives being added, or at [10:52:29 AM] least amended and expanded upon in the plan. And so you know, housing co ops are able to maintain long term and deep affordability was zero to little ongoing subsidy, but they're very difficult to start, so we need community support. And partners to expand cooperative housing in Austin. One suggestion I want to make is something I learned from one of the keynote speakers at the housing works conference last week. And that was Jenny shuts. The Brookings institute fellow and author of fixer upper and overall, she suggested that it's much more impactful if we focus on citywide policies rather than area policies, so I think to like maximize the effort. And outcome by city staff and the council that you should focus on the system wide aspects of this plan rather than the station specific aspects of the plan. So I thank you for your time, and I'm excited to see the Todd plan moved forward. Also I did sign [10:53:29 AM] up to speak in favor of the small, not amnesty, and I had a presentation prepared, but I'm sure the buzzer is about to go off on me. So I'll send my notes the email. Thank you. Next speaker is Brian Bedrosian on item 24. On deck, William bunch and Richard Smith. Council mayor . Thank you for letting me speak before you today. My name is Brian Bedrosian, and I'm, the vice president of the north loop neighborhood association. We recently voted unanimously to support a neighbor whose bid before the board of adjustments to disaggregate their lot, was approved. The neighborhood looks at this segregation as a way of unlocking another housing type in our neighborhood that that allows families to find more affordable option the cost of property in our neighborhood as it is throughout the city is one of the most biggest hurdles for folks to stay in the neighborhood in the city are neighborhood one is originally [10:54:29 AM] planted was planted as 25 ft lots which were then purchased and aggregated into 50 and 75 ft lots when our neighborhood was a suburb of the city. Currently our neighborhood plan. Supports the desegregation and the use of these narrow lot homes as a buffer between our commercial corridors and are single family homes. I think this is a great way to provide a new housing type in the mix that we already have with. The 80. You exception as well. We encourage you to please vote in support of this provision. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. Brooke I just want to thank Mr Bedrosian or explaining my item, probably as good as or better than I did, and thank the neighborhood. I know there's been an ongoing debate and in the neighborhood is really kind of come down squarely on the side of the small on amnesty. So I appreciate that very much. Next speaker is William bunch. Speaking on 24 25 43 on deck are [10:55:31 AM] Richard Smith and Brad booker. Good morning mayor council members. Welcome to our welcome to all of y'all here. You're still fairly new my first time here. I am, executive director of save our springs alliance. But I am speaking today just for myself on the charter review commission. I want to urge you to not put your thumb on the charter review commission and urge them to increase the number of signatures required for a petitioned ordinance. I think, this council's already done some wonderful things to be more responsive to voters and to the public who wants to participate in making the decisions for our future, and I think this would go exactly opposite direction and be roughly a poke in the eye to voters getting 20,000 signatures that are valid is not an easy task. By any means, and then you have to campaign and [10:56:32 AM] try to try to win your issue. It's an important check on the power of this body. With all due respect, we need that check and balance and as small D Democrats , people who support democracy, I would hope that you would see it that way. Also some of you may not know that state law requires only 20,000 signatures for charter amendment. So what you're proposing to do is to make it harder to, adopted petition to ordinance than it is to amend the charter. So what are you gonna see? You're going to see people trying to amend the charter with things that really don't belong in the charter. Because that's feasible. So please don't put your thumb on that. Let's also look at initiative and referendum on 43 the trail lights matter. Please postpone that I might even support it. If it went through proper channels . It hasn't gone to the parks board. It hasn't gone to the parks, concessions and contracts board. It shows up last minute [10:57:33 AM] as an addendum item. It's not an emergency. There's no money figure attached to it, but it's a 10 year E waiver and also we have a parts plan going right now or other concessions have been postponed. Speaker your time park plan is completed. There's no rush for that. Thank you. Next speaker is Richard Smith. Speaking on 25 on deck are Brad booker and Alex stranger. Good morning. My name is Richard Smith. I'm a 30 year. Resident of Austin, and I've been a licensed attorney for 40 years. I have a couple of comments on the petition process per item. 25. First we need to consider what if anything we do about citizen petitions that advanced unenforceable provision like current proposition a elections are expensive for taxpayers, and it's unfair to ask them to fund a ballot proposition like proposition a that cannot be implemented as written under state law and any [10:58:35 AM] attempt to enforce proposition a will generate expensive litigation that taxpayers will also be required to fund at a minimum voters should be clearly notified when provisions and a proposed ordinance are unenforceable. And that any attempt to enforce those provisions will result in litigation. That the taxpayers will have to fund this cannon should be done for proposition. A second council members have a right to their personal opinion on a citizen position. And are free to express that personal opinion. But you should not be using your position. City resources or official emails to promote your preferred outcome of a citizen petition. Doing so puts your thumb on the scale of what is supposed to be a fair vote of Austin residents. Using your position to effectively tell voters how to vote is a mockery of the will of the [10:59:35 AM] people since many voters will follow what you say. Without doing any independent consideration of an issue. For example. Citi email was recently sent stating that proposition B effectively guts. Proposition a . I have studied and compared both proposed ordinances and have found that proposition B is actually an improvement over proposition a because it eliminates the unenforceable provisions of proposition a speaker. Your time has actually broadens proposition a okay. Next speaker is Brad booker speaking on item 26 on deck is Alex stranger and Bonnie Albert. Alex stranger. Good morning, mayor and council. I'm speaking [11:00:35 AM] in our position to item 26 because our police they are literal instruments of white supremacy. Okay I'm gonna tell you guys a story on June 15th of 2020. I was assaulted by the Austin police department after throwing a molotov cocktail through a small business because the owner called me by the wrong gender pronoun and listen, that's a microaggression. Okay and microaggressions they are literal. Act of violence, and I did nothing wrong, but the police they still assaulted me by taking me and my comrades in antifa to jail. They handcuffed us and took us in the back of the police car without our consent. That's literal assault . Not only that, but it's not like the police are really, it's not like our police. Really care about protecting the community. Anyway you know, when I was the lead content moderator for Twitter, I called the cops on my next door neighbor for going to the park by himself during covid because he's a murderer, and he's walking around outside without a mask on and you know what? The police they never came [11:01:35 AM] . Okay. The police never came. You know why? Because they're aiding and abetting in murder and in white supremacy. And if you want my honest opinion, we shouldn't even have police at all. Okay and we need to replace our racist police force. With non binary anti racist and gender neutral security cameras on every single street quarter to make sure that we are all in compliance with the Progressive new world order that we are trying to create. Thank you very much. Mayor and council for listening to me. Speak on this and please do not pass item. 26. This is about equity. Thank you. Next speaker is Bonnie algar, speaking on 26 on deck is Daisy skal ease and Ellis Glasgow. Good morning. Maron council members. Thank you so much for allowing me to speak today. I [11:02:36 AM] would like very much for you to consider bringing back are often citizens police academy. It. Taught me so much and brought to light many things about the citizens, police and what the police for our city does for us behind the scenes that we don't see and how much we can actually help. Our police department. The citizens police academy. There's so much more than most people realize. We actually, support there. Academy itself by doing the, drunk driving program with them. Helping them prepare for what they're going to do on the streets during their drive alongs with them and assisting them with many of the other programs that they do meeting the people out there, so that really a system a great deal and so by open to this back up to [11:03:39 AM] the public. It will enlighten so many more people out there and what they can do for their police. As well. So please consider adding that back into the ah! Energy again. Thank you. Next speaker is a Daisy Scalise speaking on 27. Alice Glasgow is on deck. Good morning, y'all. My name is Daisy cycle is I live in district three. I'm a student at St Edwards university and an intern with environment, Texas today I am speaking in support of item 27. I would like to thank council member Paul for bringing this forward. Austin is making great progress in improving access to transit and other alternatives to cars. But we do continue to be a very, very car dependent city, with 95.6% of households having access to at least one car were also the leading state in carbon missions, with transportation being a leading causing factor. [11:04:41 AM] With that being said, is critical to our environment that we make using electrical vehicles as easy and beneficial as they possibly can be. We must actively continued to increase accessibility for those of us who choose choose to drive electric vehicles because it should be as easy to own an electric vehicle as it is to own a gas powered traditional vehicle. The good news is Evie. Sales are booming, booming and many E V S are not cheaper or at a competitive price with gas powered vehicles and tax credits from the inflation reduction act would even make this a better deal for austinites. But in order for people to really buy into the evening market, we need to make it as appealing and easy to operate as possible, and consumers will only feel comfortable adopting E. V S. If they're confident that they will be able to recharge them when needed. Most people who own an E V spend their time overnight charging it in the garage. But this isn't a option for everybody, especially people that live in apartments or condos. That's less accessible, so the need to have type three faster charging chargers in the public space is highly important. In order to make E. V [11:05:43 AM] S as accessible as possible and type three chargers or level three, basically means that you can plug your car in and about 80% of its battery will be restored in about 30 minutes. And comparison, type two. Chargers tend to take anywhere between 4 to 10 hours. So in order to have true accessibility on this matter, and to really make sure that along with project connecting everything we're doing in the public transit world, we have to recognize that we are a car city and by doing that we need to make even more accessible for everybody. Thank you for your time. Next speaker is Alice, Glasgow on item 44. Good morning, mayor mayor pro tem council members. Interim city manager. Welcome back Jesus. City manager, a city [11:06:45 AM] attorney. I'm Alice Glasgow from district 10. And I'm here to speak to you in support of item number 44. This is your. Zoning districts chart. So these are all the zoning districts that you that are currently on the books. Regarding zoning. The item number 44 the resolution that you have today. I thank you for placing the item has to do with the ch zoning district. This is one of three zoning districts that are infrequently sought. So you don't see this learning district appear on your agendas for resigning. Since the 10 1 council, was put in place you have considered only one ch zoning case, and that was in district six for Fidel children's hospital northwest at the intersection of us 1 83 and every ranch of boulevard and they're needed the CIA zoning to allow for the heading the height that goes on top of the building [11:07:48 AM] that you see at the Belgian children's and Mueller. So back to the to the amendment today. What I like to show you here is that the ch zoning district? The reason it is not sought frequently, and I'll tell you where they are. They exist. They're only about less than half a dozen. But that's when a dozen of them is the restrictive front and rear setbacks. As you can see, the front yard setback is 50 ft. The street side yard is 50 ft that affects a project if it's a small site. For sites like the Dell children's hospital. It's a 40 acre site, so obviously that's not a problem regarding the setbacks. Ah as its rates to impervious cover. Your watershed ordinance also apply. So whenever you're watershed ordinance is more restrictive than your zoning ordinance them at least restrictive. The most restrictive one applies. So if your watershed ordinance is more restrictive than trump's zoning in progress cover that is always a misunderstanding about how that applies. So I'm going to [11:08:48 AM] next slide, please. Sorry so the hate to cut you off, but I think that I'm sorry. I'll just wrap up very quickly. So the this is the provision that relates to the 10 acres for ch speaker. Your time has expired. Thank you . So counselors all glad to answer any questions you might have. Thank you, miss Glasgow. Nice to see you, mayor that concludes speaker comment. Thank you very much. Members that concludes all the speaker comments. So what we'll do is we will take up the consent agenda and then we will take up the items that were pulled from the consent agenda. I'll ask now. Is there anyone that wishes to be shown voting? No on any of the items on the consent agenda, and for the record those items that have been pulled or 16 25 26 27. Is there anyone wishing to be shown? No yes. Council member Kelly. Actually, you could put 25 back onto consent. I got the information that I needed while [11:09:49 AM] we were waiting and you can show me his voting. No okay on 25. Yes, please. So, there has been an amendment offered on 25 by council member Ryan alter. So what I'm gonna do is leave it off the consent agenda, and we'll just come back to it in that way, just for clarity, purposes. That's alright with you. Thank you. Are there any other knows to be shown on the consent agenda? Is there anyone wishing to be shown as abstaining? Yes, councilor Alison alter. Thank you. I'd like to be shown as abstaining an item 24. There was resolution related to small lot amnesty. I'm abstaining because, well, I believe this item has merit. I'd like to review the actual code language when it comes back to us in order to determine if it's something I'd support. Additionally we're initiating multiple various amendments, but we haven't discussed having a comprehensive prioritization of which land development code items. We want our staff to focus on. We know that we have limited capacity. We are also [11:10:50 AM] launching a significant set of work with our E Todd item likely today, so I'd really like to know we are focusing their time on where we think we could have the most significant impact on the issues we are facing. And while this item might be part of that, I think at some point we do need to have that discussion more broadly. Thank you, councilor. You'll be shown abstaining on item number 24 are there mayor. I'd like to be shown as abstaining from number 11 and number 24 as well. Thank you. Council member, Kelly will be shown as abstaining on items 11 and 24. Are there any other abstentions on the consent agenda? Are there any recusals on the consent agenda? The cancelation Fuentes. I don't want to ignore you and you want to be shown voting, no abstaining or recusing yourself on any of the items. Very good. Thank you. Members are there any comments brief remarks that anyone would like to make about the consent agenda? Very good in [11:11:51 AM] that case. Are there any objections to the adoption of the consent agenda? As stated with the abstention of council member Alison alter and council member Kelly on item 24 council member Kelly on item 11. Hearing no objection. The consent agenda is adopted. Members. What I'm gonna do is take up the pooled items from the consent agenda in the following order. Six in the it's just numerical just to make it easy for everybody to get their amendments and things in place. 16 25 26 27, so the first item we will bring up is item number 16. Remembers there are. Three proposed amendments to item number 16 at least that I have, so I'm gonna call those [11:12:52 AM] out to make sure that there's not something that I'm missing. The first amendment that I will bring up is the amendment offered by council member vela. The second is a two part amendment that is brought by mayor pro Tim Ellis. And the third it is. An amendment offered. By council member Ryan alter my missing anybody's amendment. Ryan alter in light of council member Velasquez amendment, which covers what my amendment would have covered. I'm not going to be offering that. Members that leaves us with two amendments in as I said , we'll start with councilman revelers amendment. Then we'll go to mayor pro tem Ellis is a minute. Is there anyone else wishing to offer an amendment on item number 16, and I just may not have the yellow sheet by the way that reminds me, for [11:13:52 AM] purposes of easy in these sorts of things. Two things one is the earlier you can get in the amendments. The better. Second is when you have a yellow sheet. Don't just distribute it to the council members. We need to make sure that the clerk's office also has a copy so that we keep a good record on this. So with that I'm going to recognize council member of Ayla. For I'll tell you what? I need a motion. I want to get emotion on the table for item number 16 counselor qadri seconded by the mayor pro Tim is to adopt item number. 16 now recognize council member of a lot for a proposed amendment. Mayor this is an amendment that provides a little bit sharper direction with regards to item 16 and E Todd process, to get more. Detailed [11:14:53 AM] plans back once the planning process is done, and just, you know, review it right. Right quick again, you know, just make sure that the coordinating was often transit partnership to get population goals that maximize our scoring on the federal grants that were applying for. To explore value capture tools such as tax increment financing . We're gonna need a lot of infrastructure investment along that line, and we can also use that money for affordable housing to provide affordable housing along the line so again, not to initiate or anything like that, but to have them look at it and come back to us with some recommendations. It also just discusses like their staffing needs and priorities. We're going to get a version of the new kind of draft on the lines from 80 P soon that may change some of their planning priorities. And then. And then [11:15:55 AM] finally, just to kind of on an overlay. Just providing, we're gonna need some interim overlays and again. It's just some guidance on those. Those overlays have worked with staff on these for the last couple of days of feverishly with with staff on these, and I think that you know the languages. They suggest some edits which we have, I believe incorporated all of their edits, and it's broadly acceptable to the housing and planning department. Thank you. Council member of L. A moves adoption of vela amendment number one is there a second seconded by council member qadri? Is there any county councilor Alison alter? So we just got this and I had 11 small amendment that I'd like to suggest which I hope will be friendly in the bullet on explore value capture tools. It says, explore value capture tools such as tax increment, finding financing to fund items . Would you mind if we change [11:16:55 AM] that incentivize? Because the information that I'm learning about how somebody other Texas cities are using? The tax increment financing is different. Then what we've been doing in some respects and it's not necessary. There's a nuance to it. I don't want to preclude our ability to do that by providing direction that we have to fund that. I don't have what you would it be acceptable to say fund or incentivized would sure leave it at that, and we'll come back and take a look at that when they bring their announcements back. Sure. So. I'm trying very hard not to have us amend things on the diet so that people can't follow in the clerk can't follow it. For purposes that this this smaller change, however, and because we got it so late, it makes it hard to do those kinds of things. I'll do that. But I'll be candid with you. I don't know where it is. You want to do it so it made. That's part of the problem with doing is tell me again where you would like to make a [11:17:56 AM] proposed amendment to the amendment. Mayor I want to make my amendment and the third bullet in the second beer for further resolved on the draft amendment page, where it says explore value capture tools such as tax increment financing. To fund items I want instead to say explorer value capture tools such as tax increment financing to incentivize or fund. Items. And that is acceptable, man. Friendly amendment. The councilor Alison alter moves an amendment to the veil amendment number one so that the third bullet under the second be it further resolved would read, explore value capture tools such as tax increment financing to incentivize or fund items such as affordable housing, pedestrian and bicycle improvements. Arch regional water quality facilities, utility relocation and other necessary infrastructure investments council member of Ayla's seconds the motion to [11:18:57 AM] amend the amendment. Is there any objection to the motion to amend the amendment hearing? None. That motion is adopted. Any further discussion on the vela amendment as amended. Is there any objection to passage of the vela amendment as amended hearing like to abstain. We got this very last minute and I haven't had a chance to talk with the housing and planning department and I don't want to take up time today unnecessarily doing that. So thank you, there being no objection to the adoption of the vela amendment as amended. It is adopted with council member Mackenzie Kelly being shown as abstaining. Members that will take us to the second. Proposed amendment, and that is the amendment offered by mayor pro Tim Paige. Ellis the chair recognizes the mayor pro tem for discussion of the proposed amendments. I would [11:19:58 AM] like to move adoption of my amendment. The first portion of it is to change just city and cat metro on land to publicly owned land. And as I had mentioned Tuesday in the work session, there is land that I know of. That is either owned by a CC or Travis county that I think could be really helpful to be involved in this. Obviously it wouldn't commit them to participation but would allow for the conversations to take place, and so then it updates some of the language from oak hill bus, rapid transit to pinnacle to be very specific about that that parking ride that is currently operating there, and it makes a couple of other amendments to make sure that the language and intent is streamlined through the appendices. And then the second part of it is MM. Whereas in consideration of the timing of the initial investment in rail under project connect transit system rail is first priority for commencement of all inflammation activities, except concurrent commencement may occur for a metro rapid line that has not yet been awarded [11:20:59 AM] federal funding and is assessed to rate competitively for federal funding on the fts, land use and economic development criteria. And then it adds another, whereas that is listed for the sake of time. I won't read through all of that. But it is available for everyone to be able to review in. This basically is also in line with what I had mentioned in the work session about the oak hill lines being very far back in trying to rank high enough to even be submitted for an application for some federal funding for that project, so I'm just trying to get us more in parody, but this does not affect anyone else's metro rapids and is only focused on the district datelines. Pro Tim Ellis moves adoption of the Ellis amendment to item number 16. Is there a second? Seconded by councilor member of Ella is there any discussion or questions? Council member Alison alter? It's a major. I'm not exactly sure how you wanna handle this, but I would like to add further clarification to her amendment. I have no no [11:22:01 AM] hesitation that oh kills project with the government on land there, etcetera, needs to be among the prioritization among the bus. The bus rapids, and thought about because of the time line there. But as written, it seems to cover every since we're basically saying they're all not competitive enough. It does seem to capture everything so I wouldn't wanted. I have some suggestive language. But I don't know how you want me to handle that. But I would like to add something to the effect of and rates high within the bus, rapid transit prioritization table. So it's it. You know, we want to be. We want to be focusing on things that are also high in that prioritization and given the concern that we're hearing the community about the bus routes. I think that would be helpful. Right I agree. There has to be some prioritization. Because we can't do it all with the snap of our fingers, but I think that would be acceptable, [11:23:02 AM] considering this amendment would have that route. Wrapped in with the with high importance instead of medium priority, and so I think that covers it all defer to the mayor on the process of making that amendment, but it seems like it works with my intent. Happy to repeat the language. What I'm gonna do is recognize you for a motion to propose pone this item. And until the time when it can be called back up so that we can have an amendment to the amendment actually in front of us. And be able to vote on that amendment to the amendment. So, I'm gonna recognize that as a motion to postpone and let's say until, what time is it? Until. One o'clock because we're going to have our communications starting at noon. And in the communications and live music, so it's a motion to postpone item number 16 until one [11:24:06 AM] o'clock. Is there? Yes, council member mayor I can type it up here and print it out there and five minutes it if I have a copy of her amendment, then I'll accept that we can. I don't know that we could table this for the could just make them if we can table this for the moment, and then if we get through the other items we can. We can come back to get it done before before noon. Okay Cass. Mr Fuentes before I patients say anything about that you had your hand up. Thank you, Mara. I just also wanted to voice my preference or if we're able to it comes from or alter is able to offer that languages in the next 30 minutes as we work through the other two items, that would be my preference as well. This item before so council member alter moves that we table item number 16 until 11 50. It is seconded by councilor member Fuentes. Is there any objection to the motion to table? Here yes, pro [11:25:08 AM] tem. Objection I'll just flag will send you over a digital version so we can speed the process up. Thank you. There being no objection. Item number 16 is tabled until 11 50. Thank you. Council members that will take us to item number 25. Item number. 25 was originally pulled by council member Kelly council member Kelly has indicated that it can be put back on the agenda. However council member alter move counselor alter had a motion ahead of an amendment so let me ask, is there a motion to adopt item number 25? Council member Ralls removes Ryan alter moves that we adopt item number 25 is there a second to the motion seconded by the mayor. Pro Tim chair recognizes council member Ryan alter on his proposed amendment. Thank you, Mary. So I just wanna talk real quickly about this item and then the amendment as well. So just as we've done in the past, you know, this item is calling for a charter review commission to [11:26:10 AM] make recommendations for amendments to our charter, and I think it's important that we start this process right now, so that we do have ample time for the commission to engage in robust public dialogue, and so that we have sufficient time to consider those recommendations in advance of putting them on the ballot. This resolution also announces our intent to hold charter amendment election or a charter amendment election in November, 2024 then have those future elections at the higher turnout in November elections going forward, and lastly, I know it's been touched on. We had some public comment. This resolution does ask the commission to look at the requirements for citizen initiatives, including the threshold to get such an initiative on the ballot and to improve transparency. Measures are current threshold for these initiatives is increasingly less representative of the public. So if we're gonna spend valuable city resources on an election that petition should stem from a [11:27:12 AM] representative cross section of the public and not an ever shrinking sliver. We have seen misleading tactics used in these petition drives and increasing that threshold percentage, increasing transparency and moving charter elections to November respects Austin voters who have consistently voiced a desire for more representative governance. And then you will note on the version three that we sent out. There is an addition last bullet of the last page. Just to provide clarification. Of the outcome of the election where you have to similar ballot measures on the same subject. In case there is a conflict. People can understand what that would mean if both were to pass so with that. I move it out. For the record council member, Ryan alter is moving to adopt alter amendment number one to item number 25 version three. That's the yellow sheet that she had in front is [11:28:13 AM] item 25 version three. Is there a second to the motion seconded by the mayor pro Tim? Is there any objection to the motion to amend item number 25 version three. Hearing none. The amendment is adopted. That will take us back to the main motion. Is there any objection to the adoption of item? 25 version three as amended object? Alright then, is there any further? Is there any further objection. Hearing none. The motion is adopted with council member Kelly being shown voting. No. Remember is that will take us to item number 26. Item number. 26 is their emotion to adopt item number 26. I moved to adopt item 26 council member Kelly moves to adopt item number 26 is there a second seconded by council member Alison alter? Remembers there's a proposed motion. I'm [11:29:14 AM] sorry. There's a proposed amendment by council member Ryan alter. I'll recognize council member Ryan alter on the proposed amendment. This amendment would simply make sure that this program, includes a diversity of voices and is, reaches out to all aspects of the community. And I do, continuing on our trend here. I have one minor tweak on the fourth bullet. We are a counselor. Kelly has asked for us to include the word exploring before safeguards, and that is agreeable. So I need to move to amend my amendment by adding exploring recognize your motion to amend is adding the word exploring before the words safeguards appreciate that second that alright, so council member. Let me get the motion on the table. Councilor Ryan alter moves to adopt the proposed [11:30:14 AM] amendment. With the word explode , adding the word exploring before safeguards in the fourth bullet, it is seconded by council member Kelly. I recognize councilor pool. I'm just curious if we add exploring safeguards to prevent political activity. Does that mean that if we find safeguards to do that, that we couldn't do anything. To impose them. I mean, it sounds seems like it takes it from active action to just kind of a conceptual. Well my reading of this is that we are reviewing the feasibility of all these things. And so by including exploring those that's the same as seeing what options are available and then potentially implementing that then then I would say, I don't think it's unnecessary edition. I hear you. I'm I'm willing to put it in there to work with my colleague and, happy to keep it there. Okay? It probably just provides [11:31:18 AM] clarification. Probably is not needed, but it provides clarification. That's how I see it. Okay. Thank you. Sure. Any other discussion on the motion to amend mayor pro tem just a point of clarification did it include the alternate name? That council member of L. A had posted on the message board has that been incorporated? Council member council member alter and then I'll make her the motion and I'll come to yes. It's perfect. And then council member of Leila's. Didn't yours have a number of places where it was? Edited council marbella. Yes I was just looking at the motion, and it does. And I know that that based on the message board, it was a friendly amendment and I think where all set with it, so I'm not sure. On that. The only question that I had was because it changes the name of [11:32:18 AM] the program. If it was Germaine to the posting language, and if we could move forward, knowing that that that was a change in progress for the actual program in the class, I have absolutely no problems with acknowledging that. There's no such thing really as a friendly amendment so that you have to amend and make amendments. So while it while we're all friends, and I need to be clear. The only motion in front of us right now is a motion to amend the there's a motion on item number 26. There's a motion to amend item number 26 by council member Ryan alter. And. Called that out several times, and that's been seconded. Is there is there discussion or is there going to are there going to be amendments proposed amendments to that amendment? Alright then, then [11:33:19 AM] the question before us is the motion to amend item number 26 that's been put forth by councilman Ryan alter and seconded by council member Kelly . Is there any objection to the adoption of the amendment? Hearing none. The amendment is adopted. That takes us back to the main motion and for the record council member, harper-madison has been able to join us and we welcome you. Thank you for being here. We're back back. Yes gentlemen. Velazquez I want to speak to the issue after after we're done voting. Okay you don't want to speak before we vote just okay, please do I want to thank council member Kelly and council member altar for, for bringing this forward and for the amendment, and to all the speakers joined us today. I'm an alumni of the citizen police academy, and I was encouraged to join by a friend that we needed more leaders of color in the program to speak to our issues. At the time the program was structured in a way that made me [11:34:20 AM] feel safe and encouraged to ask tough questions and voice my concerns. I was able to walk away with a lot of value, valuable information and insights. And also felt like I was heard by members of a P D. So it was upsetting to hear that that was no longer the case after hearing from community members, fellow alumni and friends that really raised multiple issues that are concerning I asked if we take a step back and really examine how this program works, including a review of candidate screening processes, curriculum and teaching practices. I do believe that a wall structured program can help our community rebuild the much needed trust that we need in this city. But if we want to see change, we have to take responsibility for doing our due diligence. As it has been laid out in council member alters amendment, so thank you both for your work on this. Thank you. Council member. Is there any any further council member Kelly? Thank you so much for the recognition here. My two and, an alumni of the community now called the community police [11:35:21 AM] academy with the city of Boston. I graduated in the 1/100 class of the program, and it's been on do are on hold due to covid as of December of 2019 2716 community members have graduated from over 101 classes and before covid. Two concurrent classes are typically hosted every year at a pd headquarters. This program means a lot to me, not just because I've gone through it, but because I've spoken to members and alumni who have taken it and they've told me some very interesting things, including that they got their eyes open to what really are officers go through on a regular basis. And it improves community and police relations. One thing that really struck me while I was taking this class was learning that often times when an individual in the community is meeting a police officer for the first time, it could be on the worst day of their life, and I firmly believe that we should provide additional educational opportunities to the community in order to make sure that they're not just met with an officer when they're having a [11:36:23 AM] bad time, but also when good things are happening in their lives, and so thank you to my co sponsors for co sponsoring this item. I look forward to its passage today. Before I take a vote on this for well first as anybody else would be recognized to speak. Before I take a vote. I want to recognize councilman reveillon because on the message board, there was an indication of another proposed amendment. And I want clarity on whether or not I need to call up another proposed amendment before we take a vote on the main motion, and I just want to make sure in right now with the main motion, it is that already flecked the community police academy language or is that not in there at this point, the here in council member alters proposed in the amendment that has been adopted. It was proposed by council member alter and seconded by council member Kelly . It makes that change in the second line of the proposed amendment. Austin police departments. Grant citizen and [11:37:23 AM] put in community I would withdraw my lantern. Customer pool. I was looking in the back up to see, that community had been substituted for citizens throughout. I see it throughout and agenda. Late backup amendment redline CM vela. And, council member Kelly, you said you had also made those changes. I said that I had agreed to those changes and understand and recognize it. That name of the program changed and I was unaware of it when drafting the resolution, and so I welcome the addition from council member villa. But if he believes that the motion sheet that we just passed from council member Ryan alter takes care of that, then I'm not sure we need to continue to look at that takes care it does. It does take care of it in more than one place, I agree and I don't think it's necessary to a very good. I just want to make sure that we clarified everything. We're back to the main motion in the motion is to [11:38:26 AM] adopt item number 26 as amended . Is there any objection to the motion? Qadri is shown objecting . Is there any any further objection to the motion? I don't number 26 as amended, is adopted with council member qadri being shown voting. No. Members that will take us to item number 27. There are two proposed amendments to item number 27. By proposals that will come from council member Kelly first. Is there a motion to adopt item number 27 council member pool show, making the motion to adopt item number? 27 is there a second seconded by councilor member Alison alter recognize council member Kelly for a proposed amendment number one. Thank you. My first amendment is a motion to amend lines 53 54 to [11:39:27 AM] read as follows. The city manager is directed to develop a vision plan for equitable distribution of public charging stations throughout the city ad after a formal and complete review of currently available chargers is conducted and the results are distributed as a memorandum to the mayor and council. Before the motion. Is there a second to the motion? Can't remember pool. I I wanted just to speak to the reasons why I had not accepted council member Kelly's amendment previously, and that is because maps are already readily available online at Austin energy dot com. They do show the current availability of all type two chargers and where we have the DC fast chargers, so that is all that information is already available. I appreciate knowing that I believe Austin energy is on the line. Could they speak to my amendment, please? But we don't have a second so we can't have a discussion. We're not having discussion. Yet. Is there [11:40:28 AM] a second to the and that is that just for the purposes for the record? We have two people joining us by zoom and I want to make sure that those two people should be joining us by zoom, I suppose, is the only way to say that, madam clerk, do you know? What's going on here? Other than the two people that are members of duly elected members of the Austin city council. We had a request to move over. These are stuff. Okay fair enough. Available for questions. Thank you very much. I just wanted to verify that is there a second to the motion to amend by council member Kelly? Is there a second? Is there a second? The motion to amend motion to amend number one by council member Kelly fails for lack of a second. I'll recognize council member Kelly on proposed amendment number two. Thank you. My last motion may have failed, but at least I [11:41:29 AM] created some awkward silence. So my second amendment I motion to amend line 70 to add the following include a fiscal impact and city resource requirements for the completion of the vision plan. Let me is there a second to the motion? Is there a second to the motion? Is there a second to the motion? Motion to amend number two by council member Kelly fails for lack of a second. That will take us back to the main motion. Back to the main motion. Is there any discussion on the main motion councilor? Pool just wanted to assure council member Kelly that , as stated in the resolution, federal funds are indeed available to pay for the expansion of the charges of the chargers. And then just to speak really quickly. Thank you. Mayor to bring everybody's attention to this resolution. It's a pretty important one. Our climate equity plan includes a [11:42:29 AM] goal of equitably reaching net zero community wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This is not an easy lift, because it also includes a goal of cutting vehicle emissions and reducing our use of fossil fuels to nearly zero by 2030 again, a difficult endeavor that we are undertaking wholeheartedly. This goal is only seven years away. If we don't do everything we can. Now we may be at a point in the future where it will have little impact on improving our quality of life. And our our work here is all about improving the quality of our life here in Austin. So I'm hoping this resolution will hasten the installation of DC fast chargers equitably throughout the city, having access to chargers, especially the fast ones, as one of our speakers noted earlier today can nudge people who maybe on the fence about electric vehicles. In the right direction , having more access and [11:43:30 AM] therefore more users is really one of the best ways to get to net zero. The city should be on the forefront of innovation. And in the future. I would like to see, Austin energy, leading this conversation without the need for resolutions from council. And to that end, I'm asking that Austin energy be prepared to bring forward and showcase their ideas and prospects for innovative thinking and innovation. Here at the city of Austin. I'd like to see our our electric utility leading in this regard. Thank you, mayor. Thank you. Council member customer, pool. I mean, council member alter. Alison alter. Thank you. And I appreciate, council member pool, leading on drafting this and bringing this forward to us . I wanna second that hope that Austin energy can be even more proactive than they've been, in advancing the E V charger access [11:44:33 AM] . I had a resolution in 2019. That council member pool was on for electrification of transportation. I think you already have the direction to be doing all of this. It's also in the climate equity plan. We have over the years, with us and energy, been a leader on so many things, and I think this is one where we can again do that also as a as an electric vehicle owner. I will say it's my experience that these types of chargers and these opportunities throughout our community can open up access. To E. V S and help us reach our climate goals. E V S, particularly if you're buying them secondhand can be extremely cost effective. Way to address the need if you do need to drive, but people do need to have access to chargers, so I'm excited to see this movie worked me forward. Thank you. Council member. Any further discussion. The motion before us is a motion [11:45:35 AM] to adopt item number 27. Is there any objection to the adoption? Yes council member Kelly don't object, but I will be abstaining because while there is federal funding available without a complete picture of the full fiscal impact, I can't support the item . Thank you. Thank you. Is there any objection to the adoption of item number 27. Seeing none. The motion passes with council member Kelly being shown as abstaining. Members. There have I am have passed out the motion sheet you requested. So, at 11 50, I'll bring it up. It was the motion to table was to table it until 11 50 a time certain so I will now recess the meeting of the Austin city council and call to order the meeting of the board of directors of the Austin housing finance corporation. If [11:46:40 AM] the staff will please walk us through and by the way, I'm calling stored. It's March 9th 2023. I'm calling us to order at 11 46. We have a we have all the members of the board present to present by being virtually counselor Fuentes and council member harper-madison. Please proceed, Mr president board of directors. My name is Jamie may I'm the housing and community development officer with the housing and planning department. I'm here to present your hfc or Austin housing finance corporation agenda for today, you have three M's on your agenda. The first is the approval of the minutes from your February 9th meeting. The second is a loan modification to increase the loan amount to project transitions incorporated for the Burnett place development serving individuals living with HIV AIDS and vulnerable to homelessness. The loan amount will total $6.3 million in support of construction of 61 units affordable at 30, 40 and 50% median family income. Your third item is an approval of an issuance of $40 million in [11:47:40 AM] private activity bonds for the development known as would weigh square. Located at 1700 Terry road. These funds will be used to repair and rehabilitate the property for continued high quality, affordable housing. How do you happen to answer any questions, and I offer all three of those on consent members? Are there any questions of staff? The president tends to take up the consent agenda. My let me ask. Are there any items that members of the border directors wishes to pull from the consent agenda? Seeing none. Are there any speakers? There are no speakers. Are there any, is there any desire by any member of the board of directors to be shown as abstaining or recusing themselves would like to vote? No. On both. So you're voting no . On hsc two in age 53 is correct. Yes, I will vote in favor of approving the minutes will be shown voting no. On those two items. Members is [11:48:45 AM] there. Are there any other desires to be shown abstaining? Recusing or voting? No. In that case. Is there any objection to the adoption of the consent agenda? H F C one, hfc two and ages fc three. Hearing none of those items are adopted with board member Kelly being shown voting no on items to an item number three. Members without objection. We will adjourn the meeting of the Austin housing finance corporation. I will call back to order and reconvene the council meeting the Austin city council meeting, and it is 11 49 on March 9th. So if we will just I want to make sure we follow our rules. Members of what we [11:49:50 AM] will do is we will take up item number 16 when we at 11 50. The item you have in front of you. This council member alter Alison alter has provided a yellow sheet item number 16, and it shows the proposed her proposed amendment to the. To the proposed amendment to the amendment, and the amendment is the main amendment is the one provided by mayor pro Tim Ellis . Council member alter your recognized on the proposed amendment to the amendment. Thank you. So I moved to amend a pro tem Ellis's motion as laid out on the yellow sheet and I have shared that with our colleagues who are online as well, so it would read online's 107 to 1 oh, nine, whereas in consideration of the timing of the initial investment in rail under the project connect transit system. Rail is first priority for commencement of all implementation activities, except concurrent commencement may occur for a metro rapid line [11:50:52 AM] that is not yet been awarded federal funding and is assessed to rate competitively for federal funding on the ft's land use, and I can amount development criteria. And this is where I would be adding to mayor pro tem Ellis is motion and rates high within the bus, rapid transit prioritization table. I second. That motion is made by council member Alison alter to amend the Ellis amendment. It is seconded by mayor pro Tim Ellis. Is there any objection to the proposed amendment to the amendment? Councilor pool. For mayor pro tem Ellis. I'm just a little bit sensitive as a sitting on the board of project of kept metro and the work that they are doing with project connect. I wanted to confirm and you may have already said this, but if you could. Clarify or emphasize has [11:51:53 AM] this prioritization suggestion been vetted through can't metro . Remember, remember protein Millis. It has been run by project connects staff. But not not can't metro I can double check if that was done separately, but I know the project connect office has seen it. Okay? Mayor this this does present a little bit of, reluctance for me a little bit of concern for me. We are we are working really hard to make sure that all three of the partners are entirely aware of everything , and I think there is some conversation within cap metro about augmenting bus lines. In those instances where rail may not be able to get to communities and I. I don't expect I'm pretty sure and you can tell me what you are talking [11:52:55 AM] about, wouldn't intend to interfere with that decision making mayor pro tem no, it it wouldn't but I just will flag. I have spoken with cat metro staff for the past couple of years about this particular need, and so there is certainly aware of it, but it would not intend to have a city policy that's about land use planning interfere with the programmatic efforts of operating the bus systems. That's great. I appreciate that. Clarification thank you so much. Mayor pro tem. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. The motion before us is the motion to amend the amendment. Is there any objection to the motion to amend the amendment? Hearing none. The motion is adopted. That takes us back to the amendment by American oh, Tim Ellis as amended. Is there any objection to the proposed amendment hearing? None. The motion is adopted. That will take us back to item number 16. The motion has been to approve item number 16. It's been seconded as [11:53:55 AM] amended. Is there any objection to the adoption of item number 16? Hearing none. Item number 16 remember 16 is adopted with council member Kelly being shown voting. No stain. Okay thank you. Instead of voting. No. As I announced it, council member Kelly will be shown as abstaining and I want to make sure council member harper-madison. You're voting I council member of Fuentes, you're voting. I thank you very much for joining us. That takes us members. We have six minutes before we go to citizens communication at noon. I will call up item number 34. Is there any objection to opening a public hearing on item number 34? Hearing none. The public hearing is open. I'm going to ask park staff to come up. Members of for the record. I'm sorry, council member harper-madison. Yes mayor. I would like to be recognized to [11:54:56 AM] speak on my item, please. If for no other reason we've worked on this really, really hard. I appreciate that it's going forward, but I would like to make some remarks. Please feel free. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Colleagues would like to make some brief remarks on item number 16 at first want to thank all my colleagues, all of my colleagues past and present, but it's most especially mayor pro tem Ellis and all of the city staff and community members who contributed to this policy plan over the last several years and most recently at our special called joint meeting of the housing and planning and mobility committees. I really found that in a specially helpful meeting and the commentary was great and are staffed in such a masterful job of really bringing forward what the item does and does not do. So at that point, you know, once we present that information to folks, anybody who decides to move forward with information that frankly is not factual. That's a choice. So when I brought this forward the resolution that we produced directing staff to do this work. I saw it as an opportunity to really make sure that this time [11:55:56 AM] , unlike so many past examples of exclusion and inequity, and, frankly outright racist city planning, and that's one of those opportunities for us to recognize that while Austin is unique in many, many ways, racism and urban infrastructure in city planning is not one of those ways. I want us to be the template moving forward like I believe we are in so many other instances for forward facing Progressive thought around municipal policy. I want to make sure that we ensure that all types of people can live in all parts of our beautiful fair capital city. It's absolutely imperative that we make sure that as many of our residents as possible have access to the historic investments. That we are making in our transit system . Finally, I'm so happy and so proud to see us do so limiting the amount of housing that we can produce, you know, by way of our current code and limiting the number of nearby riders as our current code does will do. Just the opposite of that. [11:56:57 AM] That's why we asked for this top policy, and that's why I'm so happy that we are voting today to learn from our mistakes in the past as a city and open literally thousands of future doors to future homes for residents of Boston who would otherwise be excluded. They live in neither Walder, Georgetown or somewhere else outside of our borders. So what does the eat Todd policy actually do it will build capacity. Give me just a moment. I want to say. Sorry. What is the E type policy do it will build capacity for small businesses and create ground floor space for those businesses and nonprofits who served diverse communities it will allow for land acquisition for more affordable housing and better leverage existing to brother existing public land. It will allow for the development of more variety of more housing , such as town houses and duplexes and triplex is it will [11:57:58 AM] reduce or outright eliminate frankly parking minimums and can implement a parking maximum cat. These are just a few, just a few of the opportunities that this policy provides, finally, really do some good work that many of us on this council and councils before us have intended when we ran for office. Our success actually, following through with these bold and Progressive directives will determine the future of our city and the region. So let's not just let this policy plan became another binder item on a shelf somewhere . As I make reference to often I look forward to following through with the goals here and strategies in the years to come with all of you all. So thank you for recognizing the I appreciate it. Thank you very much. Council member for your comments and for your work. Members out. We've opened up public hearing on item number 34 for the record. Let me just say that this we're going to start this way to this item with a [11:58:58 AM] brief description of the project and assess it. I'm sorry. I talked for a living, necessitating the change in the use of parkland, the amount of parkland that's required in the amount of mitigation to be paid by the department undertaking the project. It will conclude with the statutorily required factual findings, assuming that the council does in fact find and those findings would be the a. There is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of the parkland and be the project includes all reasonable planning to minimize harm to the parkland resulting from the use. I recognize part staff. Mayor. Pro tem council members Gregory Montes with the parks and recreation department. Thank you for actually taking my statement , and, have nothing else to offer because you just took my talking very good. Well thank you for doing that first time. Well maybe I can say necessitating better than me. Go ahead and do that. Alright if [11:59:59 AM] there are there any questions members members we heard from all speakers earlier during citizen communication. So is there any objection to closing the public hearing on item number 34? Saying none. The public hearing is closed. The chair will recognize emotion on item number 34. That motion will be to either approve or reject the item with the findings that there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of the parkland and be the project includes all reasonable planning to minimize harm to the parkland resulting from the use is their emotion. Motions made by councilor pool seconded by council member Alison alter. Is there any objection to adoption of the motion? Hearing none. The motion is adopted. Thank you very much, sir. Members it is 12 o'clock high noon and that will [12:01:01 PM] take us to our citizens, community or noon, citizens communications and all turn turn to the city clerk. To help us with that. First speaker is Richard victory in. Silver white mountain. Noon everyone you've already announced my name. I'm here to bring two things to your attention about traffic from a different angle. First according to what I've seen and experienced when I'm out. Driving brings me to believe that right turn on red needs to be totally phased out in our [12:02:03 PM] city. Many young drivers don't know that you're supposed to come to a complete stop, then proceed. If it is safe to turn right. It was put into the effect in the seventies because of a fuel saving measures in response to motor fuel shortages , life and limb are worth more. A lot of drivers who were not yet born when right turn on red was not an option. See it as I suggestion also of drivers that have a green light don't go because there's so much traffic and they don't want to block the box. The red light turner see it as an opportunity, therefore, blocking the box. So then other drivers blocked the box. Then there are more traffic problems and road rage. And then pedestrians cannot even cross the street when they have the right away. Nowadays drivers just speed on while turning right on red, therefore coming within inches of hitting vehicles, so with this in mind, these drivers are constantly causing accidents and near misses of the drivers that have the green light. Don't slam on the brakes again, causing road rage. This is how it is supposed [12:03:03 PM] to work. Red light means stop. First you must first obey the law taking action. Oncoming traffic has a right away. Wait until traffic clears before turning. I did. I didn't get the memo that this changed in new York City. It is illegal to turn right on red unless there is a signposted that you can reasoning is because of so many pedestrians are law needs to be changed because of all our traffic problems. Now the time has arrived to change this law. You can even install no right on red science struck the entire city or something more practical would be an ordinance or law that right on red no longer it's no longer allowed in the city of Austin. If people have been charged city from all over the place, it makes sense to change it. Now I feel that we are right behind and making it illegal to turn right on red. Having a driver's license does not mean that you know how to drive. Question. What are the police thinking? Are they thinking to let them all kill themselves running red lights because they are nowhere to be seen. Are they [12:04:05 PM] trying to thin out the population their own way? No I get along with a lot of police officers. I think certain police officers need to have a breathalyzer installed into their police cars. To be sure, they are not drunk on power. So unless they have a passing score of humble, their cars won't start. You know the saying you can't fight city hall. But I'm sure gonna try. To be continued. Thank you. Owen. Schrier. Well it's the same. The mayor can't be here for this. But good afternoon Austin city council. I want to address some confusion there seems to be from this city council are local government, which has led to a grave injustice which is the firing of [12:05:06 PM] Spencer cronk, the city manager now we all remember what happened. Really the last three winners when there were severe winter storms and ice and power outages recently, people were without power for three days, some people as long as a week and we were looking for somebody to blame, and this city council blamed Spencer cronk, but I'm a little confused. Why Spencer cronk was fired. Instead of celebrated. Because I thought as you addressed the last time you met on the seventh, I thought stopping climate change was something this city council took seriously. Now the last I checked, and I've got the numbers right in front of me from ercot. The two leading sources of energy and Texas are natural gas and cool. And it's actually not even close without natural gas and coal. There will be no power for anybody. And [12:06:09 PM] that brings me to the ultimate point. This city council is comprised of Democrats, including the mayor. We have one Republican on this city council now, your leader Joe Biden. Has made it very clear he's targeting coal and natural gas more than 20 states sue Biden for canceling keystone XL pipeline. Biden did that as soon as he got into office there now stopping new oil projects like the willow project in Alaska. Biden vows to shut down coal plants all across America, so you understand gas and cool the two leading energy sources in Texas in Austin. And the Democrats want to shut them down. A quarter of us coal fire power plants will retire by the end of 2029. Now if the mayor was here, I would remind him he just met with Joe Biden, who is the one calling for these energies to be shut down, so [12:07:12 PM] what will it look like for the city of Austin, Texas if we shut down coal and natural gas well, I'll tell you what it will look like it will look like exactly how it looked like during the winter storm for the last three years. How's that man made global warming going? We now have ice storms every year here in Austin, so I don't understand why Spencer cronk was fired. If anything, he should be celebrated. Think about what those 345 days without power saved us the days for the future generations of Americans that we have preserved for shutting off the power three days without power. Let's try three weeks. How about three months? Maybe three years. How about three generations? How committed is this city council really to fighting man made climate change and have we really weighed the costs you speaker cost Spencer cronk should be next speaker. His office Weldon. Oh, [12:08:15 PM] Republican. Thank you, clerk. Clark can you call our next speaker? Thank you. Well done. Hi thank you. During the campaign. I got a text message from a single dad who who lives off of park parker and alter, he said. I've got five kids and I cannot let them go outside because I'm in fear that something bad will happen to them. There's always cops in the fire department is shutting down the street in front of my apartment and nighttime. They walk up and down the street all hours of the night, most of the time on drugs, screaming and yelling, incoherent. Thoughts something needs to be done around there. So it was about 2018. I was taking classes at assisi in social work, and my dad had gotten sick and I had to take some time off as he passed away after getting back into the game, the reckless and heartless ordinance that was passed by an overnight vote in June of 2019 to allow public camping and as we saw the result of that horrific act were worse than I could have ever imagined. One of the reasons why addressing homeless crisis is so heavy on my heart is it that one time I experienced homeless and I'm [12:09:15 PM] grateful that camping and many of the other changes was not an option when I was going through it, but I've seen taking place up to this point has primarily been a defensive strategy. We've got a pd and fd inundated with calls. Just a month or so ago. A man in serious distress, doused himself with gasoline, lit himself on fire and jumped off the south. First bridge onto Ben white, possibly traumatizing the driver that hit and killed him and inconveniencing thousands of folks or a pd cleared the scene. I believe that one of the only things that I have in common with my city councilman is that we're both diehard cowboys dance, okay? So but we will never get the cowboys back to the super bowl. If we only focus on this losing strategy, we've got to be more proactive and focus on our offensive strategy and get some points on the board. First we need aggressively support the camping ordinance and state law will say it again. I believe that homelessness is not a crime, but criminal activity is by not enforcing the ordinance and allowing those who are struggling with homelessness to become a harm to themselves and others or to enable them so that they are forced to commit a crime, in my opinion as a crime [12:10:16 PM] in itself. I sent them addendums out to you. I hope you all got those. By the way. I did see this morning about the partnership with U T and the D a. C. C that was outstanding and that will get some points on the board. But one other thing I want to add, is that there are some excellent adult education courses through Travis county. That can be court of that can be a yeah, and it's cruel to neglect those impacted by homelessness and poverty. Who can benefit from those classes. Second, I want to speak on the second and short term rentals. We have to start enforcing the potentially tens of thousands of type two and type three short term rentals operating illegally in the city. Leave the type ones alone, but this can alleviate some of the affordable housing issues and open up needed housing units. And also I mean, I don't know. I only have a few more seconds to speak on mental illness and mental health. But I believe that is the core of the homeless crisis. You have the data in front of you that over 90% of what is being said spent is going to staff salaries, facilities. Holiday parties, etcetera. This is a slap in the face that less than 10% available. Funding is going to those who are suffering and [12:11:17 PM] suffering and struggling for mental illness, their families and those who live with and support them and the community that is impacted by not prioritizing meant. Health and mental illness now on the Salvation Army closing announcement that just came up. This was not a surprise or short term notice. Jose and I were both at the candidate invite last year and we knew this was coming. So thank you for your time. I'm just gonna keep speaking out until speaker, your time has expired. Ben fresco, Ona. Carol birth plot. Hi my name is Liz and I am a good friend of Carol. English is Carol's second language, so I agreed to come and speak on her behalf. She's a beautiful French [12:12:18 PM] accent, but it's hard to understand. We thank you for your time today. In this opportunity. Carol has been living at 2900 sun ridge drive. 78741 district three since may of 2018 beginning in December of this past year, while in her apartment, she first noticed and noise coming from a static industrial machine located at 52 oh, four east Ben white boulevard. Carol identified that the noise seemed to be like louder than what would be considered reasonable and over the next few weeks. The noise seemed to be persistently a regular and occurring at all the hours of the day and night. Carol determined this noise was to be negatively impacting her quality of life enough for her to engage with Austin resources in order to determine if the noise is in violation of city code. It is now March 9th, and she does not yet have the information she seeks, despite multiple interactions with city [12:13:19 PM] resources, including visits with employees of the Austin coat department. Her goal is to obtain a report from Austin code that when produced would contain the following information which comes from section 25-3 dash. 86 what the report we hope to get is the noise was assessed. At the property line nearer toward the machine is located. Instead of, for instance, 200 ft away from that machine, that property line. The noise was would be assessed on separate occasions. For instance, at varying times of day and days of the week versus minutes apart on the same day. The three occasions seems to be the standard practice. And that the noise would be assessed to be either in violation which would be greater than 70 decibels or not in violation, which would be less than 70 decibels. Given that the report is still not available eight weeks after it's been initiated [12:14:21 PM] containing the above information , Carol is asking what is the appropriate next step and enforcing the Austin code department to generate this report? That would accurately reflect the situation. If it is not possible for you to help Carol. Then it is her aim to alert you of the challenges she has experienced for your consideration and support. Man. And that will apologize for not getting back to you. Mr. Gonzalez is right there. He's raising his hand if you'll get with him. He'll get all your information will make sure you get the report and if it's in violation will take the appropriate action. Thank you. Appreciate that. Thank you. Good day. Next speaker is Gary bad bets. Good afternoon, mayor mayor pro tem and council I am Gary Babette's I'm 1/7 generation Minnesota and a first generation Texan and austenite. [12:15:23 PM] I am an owner and a resident in a single family home in district three near what will be the man's hap elice blue lines stop. And I am excited for what the future holds for the station and for transit stops all across the city. But I feel the current plans aren't thinking big enough. I love walkable urbanism . The freedom, the energy, the serendipity. And walk ability requires density density of people, not cars. Density of housing, yes, but also density of businesses. In the past. When people complain of density, it feels like 90% of what they can't complain about is traffic and noise. And which mostly comes from traffic. Some really do not want any more neighbors. But in the city, which is by my definition, a bunch of people who choose to live near other people. After all, I think most should welcome more neighbors. Housing unit limits setbacks, [12:16:24 PM] parking minimums, impervious cover. Florida area ratios height limits. Fees, compatibility. These are the words we use in Austin. Now. Housing is expensive. And traffic is bad anyways. Are these policy tools anymore? Where are they? Weapons? Near our transit stops. Let's think different and think big. Transit stops should be huge people everywhere, tons of housing. Tons of businesses. The only thing we should limit should be cars. Captain parking per acre. Yes, but don't count it against the Florida area ratio limit. There should be no Florida area ratio limit. The Zones should be bigger than a quarter or a half mile. Last month. Me and 18,000 . Other people ran either 13.1 or 26.2 miles through the streets of the city. We can handle walking more than half a [12:17:25 PM] mile. Economics allow it. I would love to see 20 story buildings around every light rail stop in this city. And city life for more than a couple of blocks around. The areas should be so vibrant that people living here or living there don't even need to get on the train. And that somebody living downtown. They want to take a train out and visit. And don't ban hotels. What better place is there for a hotel near a transit stop. Due to state law. You will need nine votes to get anything done with zoning. But if you have nine votes, I ask why hold anything back? For too long. Austin has aired on the side of restraint. Let's play catch up and get ahead. Thank you. Francis Acuna. Rick. Krivo niac is on deck. [12:18:38 PM] Good afternoon. My name is Francis Acuna. I'm a longtime resident of offsprings. And I'm here to speak on behalf of east Williamson creek. Not only is Williams and creek but all the creeks in greenbelt in Austin. We live in a time of scarcity. A as climate change is pretty soon we won't have water trees or green vegetation. It's important that we take environmental justice seriously, and land preservation, conservation and restoration of parks, creeks and trails for the benefit of health , chronic illnesses such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes. In cancer, among others. Are the causes of green space deteriorate. Deterioration. Next slide, please. We do have a sign that says there is a $2000 fine for camping, trash or fire. Of which all of this is happening. [12:19:38 PM] Next fight. Is Williamson creek is full of contaminants from human feces, animal feces, plastic and trash that comes from an house people. That lived there and businesses upstream. The community doesn't feel comfortable walking or hiking in that space because it's not safe. I recommend that you create a program to stipend on house. People with cash for cleaning up their living areas. In the creeks. Why are you finding sustainable way to support them? The city can support them by selecting a pickup site close to their camp encampments. For them to place their trash bags. In this, the city is able to pick up at a later time. Watershed protection has this issue and their radar. But we can. Work strategically to help people living in there. [12:20:40 PM] And to protect our green space as well. As you can see, this is what we have in our creeks. And it's not anything that you could say. Well I can bypass it, not paying it, not pay attention to it, but it's scary when you walk in a green space that's supposed to make you feel safe. It's supposed to make you feel alive. And he doesn't this is, this is treasure. It's supposed to be treasured because we don't have a place to walk to send our kids to with a bike. We don't have a place. You know, for recreation . This is this is supposed to be our recreation in our neighborhoods and it's not it's not doable. I. I ask you to please take matters into this hands. If we are willing, the neighbors are willing to partner with watership protection with, [12:21:42 PM] anyone that is working on this so we could be able to clean up our spaces and we called and there's always somebody that tells us, you know, we direct your your some your things too. The appropriate people, but it's not working. Thank you, speaker Francis. Will have Mr Jorge morales reached out to you? He is the director of watershed management. Get your information and I have his information. We work very close, and I already contacted somebody from watership protection and I chest asked them to, you know to include us in the cleanup process because this is not only watership protection, understand? Issue, understand? And so we'll make. We'll make contact with you will get working on. Thank you very much. Thank you. Rick krivo niac. Mayor, mayor pro tem and council [12:22:43 PM] members. As a general, I'm Rick krivenik. And as of January I'm in district four. I'm currently the vice president of the Robert Miller municipal airport plan implementation advisory commission. Thank you, mayor Watson for re appointed me to the commission last month. Thank you. And thanks also to council members, pool and gala for re appointed commissioners corky hilliard and martin lukey. And thanks to all of you for passing the ordinance that allows us to serve a bit more than eight consecutive years. With mayor pro Tim Ellis is appointment of Josh Rhoda earlier today, all 11 seats are now filled. Commission's existence is tied to the master developer agreement between the city and patellas, Miller's master developer, so both expire. On December 2nd 2024. Are the next 12 20 months, 21 months are critical for residents of Miller in many ways. Last month. We sent you to recommendations. The first was to eliminate the [12:23:43 PM] residency requirement that our commission members must live on in one of 25 specified neighborhoods. I hope all current members served to the end. But if there's a vacancy, removing the requirement can make an appointment faster and easier. The second recommendation addresses the long term sustainability of Miller's affordable housing program. The M D, a specified that 25% of housing at Miller be affordable. Tell us has been instrumental in the program's success, which has exceeded 25% by a point or two at times. Over the next 21 months, the council must take the time to ensure the continuance of Miller's affordable housing program so that it is secure for decades to come. Now switching hats and subjects. I'm just speaking for myself. I was among the citizens who spent 2.5 years in the Windsor park neighborhood plan, and it's used for land use map adopted by council in 2007. Open to more density we studied are planning area with an eye to where we're density could be accommodated and wear. It [12:24:44 PM] couldn't the mixed use overlay was given to every site where commercial uses wouldn't be missed. We apply the vertical mixed juice overlay to almost every eligible site. Was sold to citizens as a means of adding residential uses to commercial his own properties on certain corridors. It was not to displace commercial uses for residential ones. Without changing the ordinance or requiring rezoning. The city is now allowing vm you to be used as a means to more housing well, not requiring adequate space for commercial amenities. New and nearby residents will need and F Y I most building codes, including Austin's define live work units as a residential use . Their uses in space are limited. We played by the rules if you're going to allow the further emlyn elimination of commercial space is needed for a more compact and walkable city. Just tell us outright that neighborhood plans and at times the city's own ordinances no longer matter. Thank you for your time. The last speaker is [12:25:45 PM] desa Davis. That concludes the speakers. Thank you, ma'am. Remembers that concludes all of the speakers for our new public communication portion of the agenda. We will now go to having some live music. We have only laughed on the agenda a time certain of two o'clock for zoning matters, so unless there's objection, we will be recessed until two o'clock pm however, I hope everybody will join us for the live music. They're gonna take him a few minutes to set up and then we'll have some live music here in the council chambers. We are recessed until two o'clock. Pm. [12:34:29 PM] From everybody. I'm excited that I get the opportunity to introduce to you for our music portion of today. Wahab rasooli. As a singer and technical director of private international TV of private international TV station while who while hub rasooli was forced to leave kabul, Afghanistan with his family last year, when the Taliban rose to power after moving through refugee camps and Qatar, Germany, Philadelphia and El Paso. He arrived in Austin in November of 2021. His lyrics speak of the crushing loss of being away from his home. They speak of war and violence, sadness. And love. They also speak to happiness. And hope. Well, Harvey is ecstatic to perform again for members of the Afghan community and the Austin community at large. He's happy to do this because it's a part [12:35:30 PM] of his effort to seek to rebuild his career and adapt to his new life. As a Texan. Ladies and gentlemen, wahab rasooli. [12:36:54 PM] How do. Smart didn't hurry over but today smarted Luke away. This with it, loca, but it does buddy my co my letter. Culture about it in my. Is it possible? [12:45:03 PM] Thank you for that wonderful performance. Thank you for thank you for your work and one of the enjoyable things that we get to do is we get to be involved in the city of Austin proclamations and as mayor, I'm real pleased today to read this proclamation. Be it known that were as the city of Austin, Texas, is blessed with many creative musicians whose talent extends to virtually every musical genre. And whereas our music scene thrives because Austin audiences support good music, produced by legends are local favorites and newcomers alike. And whereas we are pleased to showcase and support our local artists now therefore I Kirk Watson, mayor of the live music capital of the world, do hereby proclaim March 9th 2023 as wahab rasooli day and it's signed by [12:46:03 PM] me on behalf of the city council as mayor of Austin, Texas. Congratulations thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hmm. Over here in the middle and take a picture. Ah I'm sorry if I have some [12:47:04 PM] mistake in English because it's my it's not my first language. I'm trying to learn soon English. So. Thanks about your kindness about support me and I want to thanks from a I S D staff missed any here and they're coming to support me in here. Thank you so much. I want to say that I'm work at a I S D. I am very lucky I and also I'm very happy that I am working as school districts. I am there. Broadcast engineer. Thanks for everything. And thanks for this. Let me say in fourth, the razi supposed goes or or something machine. I think it's enough. Thank you so much. Thank you. [12:48:05 PM] Thank you all very much. The city council will be in recess until two o'clock when we will reconvene for our zoning cases and hearings. Thank you all. [2:00:10 PM] I'll call the Austin city council back to order its, two o'clock on March 9th 2023. We have been in recess. But we are now at our two o'clock time certain which relates to zoning. I'll before. Pull out the whole consent agenda. I would like for you to come up and we'll we'll open the public hearing on the consent agenda. And then have you speak and that will bring up items 41 or 42 separately. Okay so I will read through the agenda. Thank you, mayor and council. Joy harden with the housing and planning department . You're zoning agenda begins with item number 37 that's N P a 2022 21.2. In this item is being postponed by staff. There's a step this moment request to your may 4th council meeting. Item 38 is seen 14 2022 0203. This item [2:01:10 PM] is being offered for consent. First reading only 30 1981 4 2022 0168. There's an applicant post moment request to your March 23rd council meeting. I don't 40 is still went for 2022 0170, and this item is being offered for consent on all three readings. And then we have item 41 42. They're related cases and these will be your discussion items. Some members of the consent agenda would be item 37 38 39 40 is laid out by miss harden. Are there any other items that well, let me have we'll go to I'll open the public hearing on the consent agenda and it's my understanding. We have one person signed up on the consent agenda, and then we will go when we call up 41 42. We'll go to those. I have that right? Yes, yes. Okay? Mayor. The [2:02:12 PM] remote speaker is not available, okay? Well, in that case. Yes mayor. I did try to sign up for item. 38. We came in person here yesterday. I have a witness and the chaos was not accepting. It was supposed to be opened and I came this morning, I again I talked to city clerk and she had missed it. I am the president of the man tapas contact team. I'm the official representative for item 38. And would like to have the opportunity to speak on that item, please. Okay? Yeah you were supposed to have you did you yesterday? Yes sir. And it says it was open for sign up in person. And I can't city clerk then. Yes, I did. Mr monza. If I when I do this, then I'm going to open it up for everybody right? And so I would think you'd want to hear from the official representative before you put it on me. We do have [2:03:13 PM] rules. And, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna ask you to go ahead and speak for two minutes, right? But this is I'm not gonna do this with with everybody and well, I appreciate it very difficult. I appreciate it. I like to make things difficult for you do because they make it difficult for like community and let me just tell you you've been successful for a long time. Thank you so much. Mayor would you put on that powerful, please? You have two minutes. Okay this project is, as create is actually in the project, connect displacement and you east Riverside corridor plan. Capita income from atop his community is 12 $20,859 and the median househo income is $42,344. The childhood poverty rate is 26.4 seniors is 32. Skip [2:04:17 PM] to this one. There will be approximately 600 units that will be built 300 at market rate 36, 2 bedrooms, 23 bedrooms, and that makes 262 1 bedroom units 300 so called affordable apartments. 36 2 bedroom units, 33 bedroom units and a total of 261 1 bedroom units. And if you look at it all together that's 523 1 bedroom units, 72 2 bedroom units and 53 bedroom units with 80% of the 300 so called affordable units will be at 80% of the F I one person is 6 61,804 persons, which typically is in our community to five persons is 88,250. If you look at the M F I like I said, for a person's of four is 33,180% is 88,250. Even if you look at the 60% mf five for a family of four tapas is 44,000. [2:05:19 PM] 140% and 60% in my fi if this development is to serve them on topless community, we need deeper affordability levels . We need more two and three bedroom units. Because we actually we're giving up the neighborhood mixed unit development there and wr louse residential attach housing with small retail and so if we're going to be giving up the possibility of residential attached housing, the city council should demand more deeper, affordable units and more units of family. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr monza. It's my understanding that the remote call in is now on the line. Yes. Tovo Joseph, speaking on item 37 40 41 42. Bear mask you technical question before [2:06:20 PM] you start my time. Ma'am I'll be happy to answer any technical if you if it's about your testimony right now, I'll be happy to answer technical questions for you, but I would prefer that you use your time and then I'll answer technical questions after , by on phone or otherwise. Thank you. Mayor council. I was just asked the qion. Mayor it's about the you just said. We have rules and the rules are not clear. And I was just wanting you to clarify public hearings for eminent domain different from public hearings for zoning and I would just ask you to clarify why it is that we're not able to speak on those eminent domain issues like I signed up for this morning. And if you would post that for the public so that we can have consistency and those rules that you just referred to as a release specifically to item number 37. I actually have, a comment as [2:07:20 PM] relates to the air pollution from S H 71 that it could possibly be there in that area, so this is an environmental injustice issue and noise pollution as well. And so I would ask you to recognize that death has actually justified this project because it's multi family. But it's 3.3 miles away from the Burleson village, Travis county commissioners quote project and this is concentrating poverty. It's not affirmatively for the rent, fair housing and violates the fair housing act of 1968, as relate specifically to item them. 40 that's your deaths are ridge development. I would ask you that. Disapproved this project, and the reason is because it is actually we've been less than two miles of an opportunity zone and specifically, I will go to the approval Ville city council on January 23rd. Description is that it is has environmental hazards. It's very low respiratory hazard. Environmental justice includes [2:08:22 PM] higher asthma in this rate, 20 times, that in the census track, and it also talks about diagnosed diabetes, asthma rates as well, and the schools in this area are actually greatest see and be predominantly hispanics and African Americans, so I wouldsk counsel number to pull this item, otherwise your equity actions. Plan is simply a force. And lastly, ild just comment on items jumping 41 42. That's 63 05 Joseph 50.8 acres. Yes, thank you. I'm really disappointed. You're welcome. Remote speakers. And we, but that's all the speakers on the consent agenda, right? Correct so, members without objection, we will close the public hearing on the consent agenda. Are there any items that any member would like to pull from the consentagenda? Is there anyone wishing [2:09:22 PM] to be shown voting no on any of the items of the consent agenda. Is there any member that would like to be shown recusing themselves or abstaining from a vote on the consent agenda? Seeing none without objection, the consent of gender will be adopted. That will take us to items 41 42. And I will open the public hearing on items 41 42 yes, mayor and council again, joy harden with the housing and planning department. So we have item 41, which is N P N P a 2022 0023 Bergman residential and this is the neighborhood plan amendment case located at 63 05 workmen drive. The request is from higher density single family to multi family residential use. And the related rezoning is I don't number 42 C 14 2022 0104 Bartman. Residential re sounding case also located at 63 05 Berkman [2:10:22 PM] drive. The request is fr S F six N P. Two M F five mp. The staff recommendation is T. Mp as this is an up Sony or would be most compatible with the adjacent in nearby uses. The planning commission recommendation is M F five C O M. P and with the conditional over light that limits the height to a 45 ft. We have speakers the other day. That will, you will hear both for and against, the applicants request and the applicant is here requesting him. Five np wanting to remove the conditional over light that was his request and allow the height of 60 ft. And we can open it up for the speakers. Thank you, mayor and anybody have any questions, miss Horton? Alright I'll, in accordance with the rules, I will invite the zoning applicants up to make a brief presentation. Good afternoon [2:11:26 PM] mayor council members Victoria hac with thrower design on behalf of the landowner. The subject tract is outlined in blue. It is just a little bit south of highway to 90 east on Berkman drive. If you notice it also has, secondary access point on Hickman avenue, which is an internal neighborhood street next side. So the subject tracked again is outlined in blue. This is how the tract relates to elements of the imagine Austin comprehensive plan. You'll see that there's a highland mall, regional center to the west, and the site is 0.43 miles F that center. It is also 0.25 miles from a grocery store that's along east highway to 90. And then, of course, there's an elementary school and restaurants that are to the south at about 900.6 miles away. Next side. We are asking for a multi family future land use amendment and we're [2:12:26 PM] also also asking for rezoning to mf five np next slide. So looking at density, the site is just a little under acre at 0.86 acres and under an sf six scenario with current zoning would allow about 10 units. We are asking for M F five, which you will see the unit breakdown . It would be, at maximum would prove 46 efficiency units. 37 1 bedrooms if you average one and two bedrooms it would provide about 34. Then two bedrooms at 31 units, but we all know there are lots of matters that impact what you can actually achieve on a site and some of those are including compatibility with setbacks and height restrictions. Internal circulation drives, detention, water quality infrastructure, and then, of course, protected trees that may exist on the site as well. Next side so this is, calling to attention the subject tractors in blue, but there are three sites just to the south. [2:13:27 PM] That all have, well, the site and pink and the site and green have been developed for several decades now, and the number of units are equitable to an M F five or M F six density under today's code zoning district regulations. And then, of course, the site area in Orange is currently under development. It has development on it already , and that was given gr emu zoning not too long ago, but drm you has a density that's equitable to mf five, which is what we are asking for. So as you can see there, there was a precedent in this area for mf five density and we would like to do that as well. Next slide. So as mentioned the site is triggered is impacted by compatibility. Everything you see in yellow is sf. Three either use or zoning and the site immediately to the north is well. It is an sf six zone [2:14:28 PM] property it is being used for sf three use. And so we cannot have . We are triggered by compatibility. You'll see the green areas where there can be no structure at all. Then there's the Orange areas where there can be up to two stories and 30 ft. And then the blue areas where there could achieve three stories and 40 ft. With compatibility applying next slide. And this is just comparing the staff recommendation of mf three with our recommendation of mf five or our request of mf five. There's not a significant amount of difference in terms of a lot of the setback or a lot of the site development standards, but the F a. R is probably the biggest peace to this, and with the condition that we're in in our city and needing more housing, N F five definitely gives the greater ability to have as many units as we can get along a corridor that has transit. In a neighborhood that could more [2:15:29 PM] homes so that they could also draw more commercial uses in the future. Next slide. Is that it? Okay I'm available. If you have any questions, thank you. Thank you members. You have any questions? Thank you. I will now turn to public testimony. Okay? The first speaker is Nina Rinaldi on item 42. On deck is says dot Pelley and Logan sugar. Hello mayor and council. Thank you so much for having me. I'm a resident of Berkman drive and Windsor park. I live a couple blocks away from this proposed development. And I would like to respectfully state my support for zoning this property for high density residential. I like my neighborhood a lot, and I [2:16:30 PM] would like for more people to be able to live there. Berkman drive is a really busy street and I'm familiar with all of the traffic and you know the crowding that can happen on on Berkman during rush hour. I would definitely take that any day over the conditions on the street for the rest of the day when cars are traveling really fast at dangerous speeds. And I think that we could use more people out and about on the street, better bicycle pedestrian infrastructure in general, and I would, just like to respectfully state my support for, for high high density residential here. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. Yes Nina manali. Just real quick, the complex that you live in that someone right across from hank's. Ah, yes. Okay the how many units are there? I don't know. Okay I was just wondering. I don't know either. I mean, I know there's well more than you know 30 40, but I don't have a [2:17:31 PM] firm number. Thank you. Yeah. Next speaker is Caesar penny and on deck is Logan sugar. Good afternoon, everybody. I also live in the neighborhood and I strongly support more people coming there because I feel like there's a high demand and a lot more more people moving into the Austin area and I think it would be more suitable to have greater housing capacity for that. It's a very busy neighborhood, and I know we've all kind of seen the developments in Riverside recently. And I just, having seen it change or the past four years or so. I think it's a really great development there, and I'd like to see a similar thing happened and the Berkman area so that's what I got to say. Thank you. Next speaker is Logan sugar art on deck. Rodney, a heart. Mayor council. Thanks [2:18:33 PM] for having me I also live in Windsor park and hopefully, I guess in the third person to give full support for M F five. This lot is literally and I do mean literally right on top of route 10, which is a high frequency bus route that already goes through Mueller and downtown as well as a bike lane . It's the exact perfect place that we, need high density residential in the neighborhood and to see him they look I voted for you specifically because you support these kinds of goals and I really hope to see you continuing to support high density and feel development in our neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker is Jeanette Swinson. On deck is Rick krivo niac. Then scooter Cheatham. Madam Clark, this is Mr a heart so if you're if she's called your name. It's being on [2:19:34 PM] deck or please come down and have a seat here in the front. So what? We'll know people are responding to that and we can get you up more efficiently. Okay. Thank you. Good afternoon , mayor Watson, mayor pro tem Ellis and city council members and Rodney, a heart chair of the winter park neighborhood playing contact team just to give you an idea of where we're located. Our boundaries are 35 to 90 east northeast drive main, a road and 51st street where the neighborhood that's just north of Mueller. There are an estimated 2113 residential units and 71,193. Square feet of commercial, and a second, Mr. Here. I don't know who's in control of the screens, but it's distracting to have whatever is being looked at, okay. I don't [2:20:36 PM] like. Okay, there are there are an estimated 2113 residential unit and 71,193 feet of commercial and counting. Slated for winter park from 10 new development projects. Winter park towers, highgrove, Clayton lane residences. The acre at Berkman. Berkman residences, Windsor village, Wheelis town homes, the Lancaster, the Solomon east, 51st and Cameron Berkman. Dr is a two lane local mobility's street with bike lanes. It is severely over capacity. Yet there are three new projects slated to be built that will primarily used this street and 6305 Berkman drive is one of them. Seeing these under used and properties purchased and redeveloped for families and businesses while also developing [2:21:37 PM] great working relationships with with developers who are moving into our community has been a great work and really inspirational for me, but it makes me shudder to think that the access to and the success of these 10 development projects be riding on a substandard overburden street network. These estimates don't even include we listen, or 51st and Cameron and Cameron road is the only road impacted by these projects slated for at least one additional lane, so we need your help to address this challenge in our in our neighborhood before it's too late. And just the sheer number of residents is that we are embracing, and absorbing in our community. Warrants it. Thank you so much for the opportunity, and I appreciate your that will consideration. Thank you, sir. Next is Jeanette Swanson. Okay [2:22:43 PM] good afternoon. I'm Jeanette Swinson and I am the president of the Windsor park neighborhood association. Ah good afternoon mayor council. Windsor park adopted the following resolution at the February 11th general meeting, the Windsor park neighborhood association supports city staff recommendations on zoning mf three and density for the proposed development at 63 05 Berkman drive. I M F three was also supported by the contact the Windsor park neighborhood contact team. Rezoning Burke 63 05 Berkman drive to mf five spacing facing single family residents to the east and the west is unprecedented in Austin neighborhood and sets a new standard for incompatibility of construction in neighborhoods. Mf three is an imperfect compromise. Although the site is [2:23:46 PM] 500 ft from Harris elementary school, 63 05 provides little family friendly, affordable housing, renters and families are being drivenrom Windsor park south 63 05 provides for no new commercial space, even though 83 80,000 square feet of commercial space has been removed from Windsor village directly to the south. And we'll be minimally replaced. But finally adopting mf five will significantly increased traffic congestion on an already overburdened Berkman drive the recurrently for high density development projects projects proposed or under construction, which will use which will be using the current traffic patterns and will feed additional traffic onto birth onto Brookman. It's unsustainable. Austin's housing shortage. Thank you. Thank you. [2:24:52 PM] Next speaker is Rick chrono biak after Rick is scooter Cheatham. Mayor council members. My name is Rick rabbani, Ike again and no hats. I am also a past president of the Windsor park neighborhood, and as I said earlier worked on the Windsor park neighborhood plan. I sent you along missive a couple of days ago, so I hope you had a chance to look at that. We can't view this rezoning in a vacuum. As has been mentioned. Windsor village is being redeveloped. 50,000 square feet of retail space has been bulldozed and another 35,000 or so will be, raised in the not too distant future. I assume there are 405 apartments under construction now. Phase two was presented to the plant. The neighborhood, contact team last month, and [2:25:54 PM] another 300 units are planned for that. So that is 700 living units that will happen at Berkman and briar cliff. That's about 1500 ft. South of this property, I think I'm going from memory right now. It's very close. We've lost a L of the retail and services that were in Windsor village or could have been inv. Israelis had it been better managed. But you can't you can't look at their not being another. Probably 1000 residents, on Berkman drive and the not too distant future. And not see that Berkman needs some help. So if you're sitting a precedent, if you grant the MM five, you're setting a president. If you grab the mf three. I think the neighborhood gave the proper zoning of sf. Six I believe it was to this property originally. But if you're going to give any more density there, then we're going to need some help on Berkman. So thank you. Thank you. Scooter [2:26:58 PM] Cheatham. Scooter cheating? I'm an architect, an advanced degree in community and regional planning. I live in winter park. I was also part of the process in 2007 of creating the neighborhood plan and at that time I opposed the massive amounts of 22% of the neighborhood. Was UBS owned, because I felt like zoning is our only baning power. But but the but the zoning past and at that time. Winter park was one of the most abs owned neighborhoods in the city. And so I guess my argument and I'm I'm referring back to one of the mayor's acceptance species where you said, for those neighborhoods that take a lot of extra zoning that we need to sort of. Give them a break at times, so I'm gonna make that argument. I know it's probably not going to be heard. The other [2:28:00 PM] thing I want to bring up is that is that Austin's version of new urbanism. Is not the form of new England urbanism that was created by hank did more and Andre guarani. And many of our decisions about density are disrupting the DNA of the city. And for example, Burkman is heavily travels, street already. It's two lanes. It's very small, and you're not going to be able to do much unless you have in a domain. Alright if you add enough enough more units to the traffic on that street. Alternate way to pull off. These kinds of problems. These kinds of difficult problems in neighborhoods is to look for other kinds of such incentivized, for example, capital plaza. Is somewhat underutilized. Entity and a chair. I'm sorry. Go ahead, [2:29:06 PM] ma'am says don't do that. So it could counsel plaza could take five or 10,000 people, and they would all they were. They were right on the major quarter. Thank you would not have to disrupt the neighborhood, so that's an example. But thank you. All right. Your time's expired. Thank you. That. That concludes all the speakers. Thank you, madam clerk. Is there any objection to closing the public hearing on items 41 42. Hearing none. The public hearing is closed. Members will now take up item number. 41 will take these up separately for the record will take up item 41 1st. Is there a motion with regard to Adam 41? Jasmine prevail. You recognized for emotion, mayor. I would, move to lord. Not just a second here. I was actually [2:30:07 PM] looking at 42. I would move. To support the. Mf five zoning and I'm sorry. Let me ask you a process question right now, because I know this is the amending the neighborhood plan as opposed to the zoning. What would be the proper motion in in this resort council member? And this one? The staff and the applicant both have the same recommendation so you can move the staff or the applic request to the multi family residential use. So moved thank you. Okay. Is there a second seconded by council member qadri while you're there might I ask you a question? Was the original application. For M F five. Or was it for mf three original requests from the applicant was for M F five. Staff recommended [2:31:09 PM] mf three. The planning commission recommended M F five C O, so we have 331 request in two different recommendations. There was okay, but everyone is in agreement with this. The N P a with the applicant and this the application request is multi family residential use. Staff recommends that and that's the motion that was just motion has been made and seconded to adopt the recommendation. Council member Alison alter. Never mind. Okay is there any discussion on the item? All those in favor say ayaye. Opposed. Say no. Motion carries on item number 41 item number 42 council member vela recognized for emotion. Mayor I just want to. There's really not a lot that I disagree with. From my neighbors in terms of the amount of construction and the [2:32:12 PM] amount of new housing that we're going to have. We are facing substantial traffic concerns. I would say, though, that and we're gonna talk to the transportation department about this, but I believe that the majority of that morning and afternoon kind of peak traffic is from cut through traffic from commuters coming in from east to 90 from Mainer from Elgin and from other parts that are using Berkman and a Cameron to avoid that to 99 35 intersection, which can back up and that's an ongoing concern that we're going to have to work on that. That said I would move to zone it M F five with no conditional overlay without support the abolition committee applicants, that the applicants, mf five request. Is there a 2nd 2nd by council member qadri? Is there discussion on the item? All [2:33:14 PM] those in favor say aye. I know. Motion carries standing, okay? I just wanted to say that this is ready for all three readings, so I just want to make sure that your motion was to that if it passes by the majority it needs to pass by will pass on. That is fine. I would like to be seen as I'm standing in the motion is adopted on all three readings with council member Alison alter , being shown abstaining and merit. If I may make just a brief comment, I did want to note that the applicant is dedicating a 10 ft easement between Hickman and Berkman. That block is a very long block . And they are creating a pedestrian and bicycle 10 ft easement, which they will build , and they will light to help pedestrian and bicycle connectivity as part of their development. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, councilor Bela. There [2:34:14 PM] being no further business to come before the Austin city council at this regularly scheduled meeting without objection, we're adjourned.