Housing and Planning Commitee (HPC) MeeƟng Transcript – 06/13/2023 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 1 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 6/13/2023 6:00:00 AM Original Air Date: 6/13/2023 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. [2:02:06 PM] good aŌernoon, folks. >> I'm going to follow zo the lead of my respected colleague, the mayor pro tem Paige Ellis, who who runs a Ɵght ship and she don't mess around with meeƟngs. And it turns out our new mayor does not mess around with meeƟngs. So if I can follow their lead and not mess around, let's get us started on Ɵme it's 2:02 P.M. Good aŌernoon. I am city council Natasha city council member Natasha harper-madison chair of the housing and planning commitee. We are meeƟng in city hall chambers in AusƟn, Texas on June 30th, 2023, the Ɵme. Is 2:02 P.M. Before we begin diving into our agenda, I'd like to allow our guests in the audience to speak on the items that they've signed up for so, clerk, can you please begin by calling up speakers? >> Kai gray, followed by Lisa gray thank you. [2:03:19 PM] Oh, cool. >> So I'm going to be talking about the top one, the air. I don't know if you all see the one where it says 15Ō, 20Ō and 15Ō. Okay so it's prety simple. So this is how compaƟbility affects missing middle projects. And it basically complete kills them. I don't know if that was the, you know, 15 years ago, whenever when this was made. I don't know if that was the purpose, but what ends up happening is on small sites, you have a 15Ō compaƟbility Fauci when you are next to sf three or if you're next to an F three site. But just happens to have a house on it. You have a 15Ō setback. That's not just a 15Ō setback for building. It's a 15 setback for any thing. That means you can't have a drive there. That means you can't if you need to have a detenƟon pond, you can't have detenƟon pond. It needs to be grass. So basically what happens is your 50 foot wide site, you Luz 15Ō on one side [2:04:19 PM] and 15Ō on the other. So you're leŌ with 20Ō in the middle, which you can't really do much with. If we're talking about missing middle. So we're talking about, you know, 3 or 4 units, there's no way to fit 3 or 4 units when you only have 20Ō to work with. And so what ends up happening and this is why I brought this lot up, is we have this lot and we were, you know, thinking at some point maybe we'll do something missing, you know, as far as missing middle and use the zoning, which was sf six. And we quickly realized we can't do anything with this. So what we're going to do with it is we're just going to treat it like an sf three lot, which means we're just going to do two units on there. They're going to be bigger and unfortunately more expensive than if we were able to do more units. So it S it's prety simple. The compaƟbility, it's not a coincidence that there's virtually no missing middle that's been built in the last 20 years in the city compaƟbility has done a very effecƟve job of destroying it. And one thing to keep in mind is I don't know if we need to go much beyond there's only 20Ō. But but just for a second, I will on this [2:05:20 PM] site, you know, we're going to have a 25 foot setback. In addiƟon to that, there's deed restricƟons that put us 30Ō back. So we're going to lose a lot of that land in the front. I didn't put it on here, but we're going to have 15Ō in the back as well. Then if you have any trees that 20Ō just gets smaller and smaller and smaller . So anyway, that's that's all I have. >> I would like to take the opportunity for you to finish your thought. So it's not just that it narrows briefly. >> Yes. It's not just that. It narrows that site down to 20Ō, but in addiƟon to that, you sƟll have to have possible detenƟon. You sƟll might have trees, you sƟll might have setbacks. So it's just completely unworkable. And that's why there's no missing middle in the city in the last 20 years, or virtually very much for your tesƟmony. >> We appreciate it. >> Chair, can I ask a real quick follow up quesƟon? Absolutely I'm recognizing Singh council member, Vella. >> Thank you. The unofficial member of the housing and planning commitee, the ex-officio member, Wright. [2:06:22 PM] >> So the setbacks in terms of height, is that a major concern with missing middle projects? Because, I mean, we're talking about normally like how tall would a normal kind of missing middle project be? >> Yeah, so I think the height is an issue, but the 15 foot setback is so overwhelming that we never even get to that phase because we just see 20Ō and then we're just like, I guess, you know, it's kind of over at that point. >> Okay, got it. Thank you very much. >> Now, I have a follow up quesƟon, if you may. So we say we Jesus we. So, for example, I'm working with some very, very small developers. They're only doing like three, four projects. Our affordability unlocked. So we're so fortunate that our vice chair brought forward an item and then councilwoman Fuentes brought forward an item to address those items. But the setback item keeps coming up. Who's we? Who are you talking about? >> Oh, so with we, it's just me [2:07:24 PM] and my wife. We. We meet every day small developers at our kitchen table. That's our office. Thank you. Yeah >> So that's what I wanted to make sure to make reference to. And my hope is that staff is taking note that that although we are making all these moves about about moving around compaƟbility and some of the other land use items for small developers, it doesn't work. So thank you. I appreciate your Ɵme and thank you all for coming to tesƟfy. Turns out I know you. >> Yeah. The other half of the we and. Basically this is an expansion of what he just spoke about. So we were lucky enough to get two lots that were three sf6, sorry, next to each other. And it didn't help because since it was a bigger lot, we had to have greater compaƟbility. So [2:08:25 PM] in this one you can see we have 25Ō on each side. There's a single family residence in the back of three being used as sets of three as well. In the back. So we had 25Ō in the back. And then like you said, we had a building line in the front of 30Ō. So really what's funny is these two lots, it started out 50Ō, really just end up being 50Ō again because of all the setbacks. We really can't do much more with the sf6. So as he said, we again had to reserve. It makes more sense for us just to build two houses on each lot because if we built on this, we couldn't get probably more than two, maybe three houses. And yeah, again, just it's prety restricƟve. You can't do drives. You can't do detenƟon pond. And once you do more, once you do site plans, it's that's a whole other thing. But once you do site plans you got to do detenƟon and water quality. Many, many more reviews. The site plan process takes probably a year or so and that's just not [2:09:25 PM] feasible. So that's why I think a lot of developers, even though there is a lot of lots that are zoned sf six and mf but at this point they're not usable because the compaƟbility, they're not usable to that extent. And as for the height, I think the height sorry, I'm just going to answer a quesƟon somebody asked earlier. As for the height, I think the height, even if it was sf three in that compaƟble setback at least we could build or put a driveway and be allowed to do something in it. So if somebody is concerned being next door is their house and they don't want these this big, monstrous, you know, 30 story building or something, I get that. But at least if we could do what we could do in sf three, in that setback Mok even though we're uƟlizing the sf six zoning and being able to do more density, that would be even Ann something. All right. Thank you very much for your tesƟmony. [2:10:26 PM] >> We appreciate it. Next speaker Ryan knell followed by Ellie Allen. >> Hello, my name is Ryan knell . I'm speaking on the code prioriƟes and capacity item. And you know, all of the coming code amendments impact lots of different communiƟes in AusƟn . And so I represent a few that are going to be impacted by the order, including the Texas manufactured housing associaƟon, the college houses cooperaƟve and the AusƟn cooperaƟve business associaƟon . So I think we definitely need to make moves to increase staff capacity to deal with all of the code amendments they have on their plate. I think the easiest thing would be to hire a consultant to assist us. But I also think that you all should really take a look at the hiring pracƟces like the things that keep people from becoming staff. So my wife has a funny story [2:11:27 PM] about how she applied for a city job and she got an interview in the meanwhile, she applied for a nonprofit job. She got the interview. She got the job offer. She started the job before the city offered her the interview. I also have a story about a friend who applied for a city job, and I think four months later hasn't heard back or never heard back. So I think there's definitely a lot of botlenecks in geƫng staff on board on the on the topic of reprioriƟzing and meeƟngs moving forward, I do think it's important for you all to have some plan for changing the prioriƟes because you'll get new informaƟon that will make you want to either increase the priority of an item or decrease a priority. So an example from this commitee's past, there was an effort to do pre-approved Adu plans and then staff reported that you might have a pre-approved plan, but it would be not approved because [2:12:28 PM] mcmansion prevented the pre-approved Adu plan. So it was like a misnomer. And also they found that in other ciƟes that had this like it was very minimal impact. So that basically got cut. It was no longer a priority. So I think you will find yourself in similar situaƟons. Burns moving forward and then Ann also, I'm aware that there are people in the community that feel like they haven't really been heard on some of these amendments. So reprioriƟsaƟon at least gives people who haven't been heard an opportunity to give you some opinion on where it should be in the priority list, whether they think it should be higher or lower. And those are my comments. Thank you. >> Thank you very much for your commentary. I would be remiss if I didn't recognize that our unofficial member of the body, councilmember Valdez, is here. We're also joined by councilmember Leslie pool. Today, council member Velasquez [2:13:28 PM] Ann. And it looks like online we have councilmember qadri and councilwoman Vanessa Fuentes. So just want to make sure that everybody knows who's here. And obviously my vice chair is here as well. >> Hi everyone. I am here to talk about our commercial site that we purchased last year on Cameron road. This is a 1.6 acre site. It's on a major commercial road in a core transit corridor, which makes it an ideal locaƟon for a more dense residenƟal project. We purchased the site. We plan to rezone it from retail commercial to mulƟ family mixed use, which we were successful in . We wanted to develop a residenƟal project there with the current compaƟbility standards in place, the triggering single family homes on several sides. Leslie sorry, [2:14:30 PM] they restrict the use of the site to the same level of density as those single family homes. CompaƟbility is prevenƟng us from being able to build to the height that the base zoning actually allows because of this, we have to comply with these compaƟbility requirements. We are only able to develop about 25 townhomes. It's currently the project that we are planning. If it was not for the compaƟbility restricƟon, we would be able to build 80 to 90 new units of workforce housing in a mulƟfamily project that's there . Rents for a project like that for the 80 to 90 units would probably range from 1200 to $2100 a month in rent for a brand new unit. Just to give you an idea of the comparison against the townhomes, if we were to build the townhome plan , the prices of those would range from about 550 to 650,000. And with current interest rates, mortgages on those homes would be 3000 to $3500 a month. So there's a massive delta in the monthly cost of those homes because of compaƟbility. This [2:15:30 PM] compaƟbility restricƟon, it's one of the biggest limiters in our AusƟn housing supply and we've experienced it firsthand with this site and it's significantly reduced the number of units we could build and make them. It's making them more unaffordable for the average ausƟnite I'd also like to note that removing or reducing compaƟbility doesn't just allow us to put skyscrapers or towers everywhere. Like we just would like to be able to develop the site to the height that our base zoning already allows. So would you mind reminding us of your name? >> That's I should have been asking Ali Allen and wolf capital investment, are you represenƟng wolf capital investments? >> We're a local developer. We do probably 20 to 30 residenƟal projects a year in AusƟn. >> Thank you. Would anybody else like to ask any quesƟons? Council member vela, what's the address of the Cameron road project? >> 7601. Cameron road. Which means it's my. >> Yeah, that's my quick quesƟon. If that's on your side of the street, that's on my side of the street right here, please. [2:16:31 PM] >> Yes. I believe we work with you and our council did with this rezoning project. It may sound familiar. It was probably in front of y'all, like maybe 3 or 4 months ago. >> So thank you. It looks like the vice chair has a quesƟon for you as well. >> How much of your restrict opƟons are the setback issue versus the height issue? I mean, I think to give you an idea, to build the height of the building needed to get this dense of a project, it's the enƟre width of the site. >> So to even build something that gives us the scale to jusƟfy because I will also add that the cost to build a dense project is vastly different from building homes, right? It's more expensive. So scale is key. We need scale to do it. So we need probably this unit range to make sense of it. And the first place that wall could be is like further even than the site. It's on the other side of Cameron road. So I don't know if that answers your quesƟon, but it's really compaƟble. It's it is the compaƟbility setback. Thank you. Yeah thank you for your tesƟmony. >> Thank you. We appreciate it. Yes next speaker Juan Miro, [2:17:33 PM] followed by Jen weaver. >> Can you put the first line? >> I'm sorry, put the first line. Are you back? The sides or. Yeah. Okay hello. Thank you. >> Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak here today . My name is Juan Miro. I'm an architect here in town. The name of my firm is called Miro Rivera architects. You may have seen it. We are working on the addiƟon renovaƟon of the mexican-american cultural center. I'm also a professor at the school of architecture here at UT, and I'm here to ask for your help because basically the image that you see is a student of mine I have for 20 more than 20 years, I've been teaching there since 1997, and for more than 20 years I've given my students an assignment that is basically a construcƟon drawing of their window in their room. And I discovered a two years ago that students were telling me they don't have windows in their rooms. So this photo is from a student that's living in one of the brand new buildings on west [2:18:33 PM] campus that is basically built with no windows. So the students are being with all the mental health issues, the covid problems, burns being in zoom. They've been living in these rooms for now the last couple of years. And we discovered most people thought that this was illegal. Like me, most people thought it's illegal. You cannot build buildings with no windows and they say, I said the same thing to my students. You cannot live in a window without windows . And they say, no, it is. And so sure enough, we have in AusƟn the problem that many ciƟes discover 100 years ago and they have passed laws to prevent windowless rooms so you can go to the next. This is happening in west campus. It's happening in other places of the city. We don't know the extent of it, but this is something that AusƟn never had to confront because this was a spread out city, a landscape city, and now is happening because we are building the density that other ciƟes have dealt with many years before Shaw. So it's been banned in new York, Madrid or Mexico City for more than 100 years. So we have it here. So my I call for help is let's do something. So we [2:19:33 PM] don't let this happen here as well. So you go to the next you can see this is the kind of tesƟmonials that some of these students have given to me. There saying that it's absolutely depressing, that is terrible for their sleeping rhythms and this is happening. You go to the next one. So this is another student. This is the way they sell it. They market it. This way. And the developers are basically saying, if we if it's legal, once they knew, most developers are asked, they say, no, you cannot do that. And they discover that they can because of the loophole that the ibc has. That's the loophole that I'm asking to help to close. So this is the way they marketed and the window less rooms are cheaper. So obviously the people are going to end up living in these rooms are the people that cannot afford the other ones. So go to the next one. So this is another student basically living in a ground floor apartment building in a brand new building, no windows in any of the bedrooms. So they're telling me all these things. So now we have keep going. Next slide, another student, she decorated the room, but it's depressing. I always say my partner tells me Miguel, my business partner said, ask people if they would [2:20:34 PM] like their children to live in a windowless room like this. And it's just depressing the idea that students are going to call this the president of the university told me the same thing. Why are we doing this to our students when they are already having all these mental health issues? Go to the next one. So this is happening. 44% of the windows in this building, you look it from the outside, it looks just like a perfectly fine building. 44% of the students there have no windows. Go to the next one. This one, for example, is only 22. So if developers are told you don't have, you cannot do this, they will not do it. These are naƟonal developers. When they go to states where it's illegal, they just have another template and they use the one with windows. So zo this call, thank you for your tesƟmony. >> Your Ɵme is expired. I would like to ask you, though, there's a very tall, red headed gentleman right behind you. Oh, he's ducking down. If you wouldn't mind giving him your informaƟon, I'd like to follow up with you. Is this informaƟon Ann that you leŌ in our backup ? Excuse me? Do we have this informaƟon in your packet? >> I we have given the presentaƟon so it's in your hands. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. >> I will. Colleagues, do you [2:21:35 PM] have any quesƟons? It looks like councilmember qadri has his hand raised. Okay great. >> Can everyone hear me? Great. Well, I want to thank the chair for. For giving me the opportunity to speak. And I want to thank the gentleman for bringing this issue up to the commitee. It's an issue I've heard a lot on the campaign trail. And I have a litle sister that actually goes to UT now, and she lives in a windowless bedroom and hearing from her and her classmates and folks on the campaign trail, the mental distress that a lot of students face, not wanƟng to I mean, there's already so much stress being a student and then the anxiety and the depression that a lot of these situaƟons cause in west campus, it's you know, truthfully, in my opinion, very inhumane. And I know this soluƟon will and can have a citywide impact. So I intend to, as an office, as a council member, to work with staff and stakeholders to address the windowless bedrooms issue. This year. It's obviously a huge issue in west campus. And again, I want to thank the gentleman [2:22:37 PM] for being here. Anyone else who might speak later about the windowless bedroom issue emergency. And I look forward to working with you and my colleagues along with city staff, to get to a soluƟon. >> Ann count count with my help , I can share all the. >> Thank you very much, councilmember qadri I think that's one of the things that we can when we before before we adjourn. That's one of the things that we can add for future consideraƟon. It looks like councilmember pool has a quesƟon as well. >> Yeah, I, I think that previous councils had worked on this issue and it was wrapped up in occupancy limits because because it was discovered and that was before I was on council, which I was elected in for about ten years ago. And before it was discovered that in some instance his students were living in closets. And it looks like we haven't really moved too far from that. But I do know that that was of deep concern Ann to councils in the past. I thought that I did not know that this was sƟll happening and I [2:23:37 PM] would join my colleague, council member qadri, in craŌing some changes to the ordinance to limit or eliminate windowless rooms for students. I know students are given the opƟon to choose a room without a window, but there's probably also a lower price tag atached to that . So it's not really a choice. It's prety coercive. If I may. Yeah. And so there will be significant resistance, as if the council decides to take this on. But I am ready to take that on because for many, many reasons, beyond the ones that you menƟoned, is it professor Miro? Yeah. Yeah. Thank you, sir , for coming to talk to us about that. I think the council is well posiƟoned to try to do something about that. Thank you very much. With the university of Texas. >> Thank you. Thank you. Council member. I also I would just add [2:24:38 PM] , you said you're ready to take it on. I think you'd like to fight and I'd love to join you in the fight. I'd like to add my voice to that fight. Thank you for your tesƟmony. We really appreciate it. >> Thank you very much. >> Next speaker, our. >> Hi, Jen weaver Shaw. So we've been speaking with nine Melissa Beeler from Denise office. I appreciate I don't want to interrupt, Ms. >> Weaver, but can you say if you're represenƟng a specific organizaƟon or enƟty, I am chair of design commission, Ann, and I'm here to talk on windowless window reform and why I think we should skip the commissions for this item. >> We've been working with nine's office. They have a Melissa has a copy of the dropbox. Professor Mario has prepared and I appreciate the [2:25:40 PM] urgency that everyone's bringing to this. The advocacy led by David Carroll has started working on code recommendaƟons . They met last Friday. Unfortunately, he could not be here today to share their iniƟal findings, but their working with urgency as well. This is not a land use item. It's a building code reform. The building code is only adopted every I think it's up in 2024 and it may not necessarily we may not be adopƟng new building codes. So if you see this as an urgent item, it has to come as a direcƟve. We're also trying to work with the different pracƟƟoners aboard the urban infill coaliƟon because even though this is specific to nine, it does it would be a citywide code change and we want to make sure that everyone is not there's no negaƟve ramificaƟons for this building code amendment. So as chair of design commission, really happy to skip out on this. We talk [2:26:43 PM] about, you know what the public space is. This is not planning commission. It's you know, that's land use. So just really appreciate the council offices looking into this mater with urgency. Thank you. We very much appreciate your tesƟmony. >> And I'd just like to go ahead and say we always, always should remind folks that we appreciate your service. It is absolutely appreciated. So thank you. Colleagues, do you have any quesƟons? Thank you, miss weaver. Thank you. Next speaker . >> That's all the speakers. So moving forward, if there's nobody else who signed up to speak, I want to make sure we don't pass anybody up. >> Good to go. >> All right. >> So thank you for all our speakers and thank you for coming in and sharing your tesƟmony with us. Our first item is the approval of minutes of the housing and planning commitee meeƟng of may 23rd, 2023. Is there a moƟon to pass [2:27:43 PM] the minutes? Looks like the chair. The vice chair is making that moƟon. If I can get a second. Oh, I can't see them. Oh, it looks like council member qadri seconded the moƟon. Ann in which case move by council member alter vice chair, alter and seconded by council member qadri. All in favor, please say aye. Looks like we are unanimous vote colleagues. I am now going to recommend that we take up our remaining agenda items in the following order for clarity, we I have asked that my staff to share the suggested schedule knell up on the screen. I'm guessing that's a ctm item. No worries. [2:28:57 PM] So item number two, appoint a new member to the community development commission. Item number five, reschedule our September meeƟng date to do to a change in council schedules. Item number six a briefing from staff on the status of compaƟbility reform and how last week's resoluƟon from council member Vella impacts that process items number three and four both deal with current land development code amendments, including follow up from last week's council meeƟng where staff and our commitee were directed to conƟnue prioriƟzing, prioriƟzing exisƟng housing amendments and collaboraƟon on future items. And then item number four, which is a proposal from vice chair alter to direct the council manager to clean up addiƟonal porƟons of the ldc when it is convenient and supported by [2:29:59 PM] previous council direcƟon. Then item number seven, which is the exciƟng part of our meeƟng, which means we can discuss future items and or iniƟaƟves. Our commitee can visit or revisit for council members who would like to propose future agenda items. Special note council member pool will be joining us today to daylight, a housing iniƟaƟve that will iniƟate Wright I'm sorry, a housing iniƟaƟve that would reduce lot sizes and increase residenƟal infill development. I don't know if anybody in the room wants to clap on that because I personally clap, clap, clap. She'd like to share that news with us and find ways to collaborate with the commitee on the process. Following the July 20th council meeƟng, I've let her know that she is more than welcome to discuss this iniƟaƟve during item number [2:31:01 PM] seven on our agenda and future items, but want to make sure that staff, the public and our colleagues are aware that we will have to determine how and where this fits in our new priority and Ɵming chart council member thank you for joining us. We appreciate having you colleagues. Without any objecƟon, I'd like to move on to item number. Two I'm not certain who's supposed to speak to the appointment of the community development commission person. I don't have a name. My apologies, folks. Let me get my stuff together. Ryan Escot delgado. [2:32:03 PM] >> Yes. Okay in which case would anyone like to make a moƟon for Mr. Delgado's appointment? >> Looks like our vice chair is making the moƟon. I'm looking at the screen and the dais. Looks like jv2. Second set moƟon. Can we all. Everybody in favor of the moƟon? Looks like a bunch of eyes. I think it's unanimous. In which case, up next is item six, the briefing from city staff on their current compaƟbility reforms and how last week's council direcƟon for citywide versus corridor based reforms will impact the process as staff steps forward, I will remind the commitee that especially those members who were not present for last year's debate on this issue, that city council spent a considerable amount of Ɵme debaƟng the compaƟbility on the corridors [2:33:03 PM] proposal. But that said, the proposal and its exclusion of certain corridors and high opportunity areas excuse me, created a disparity between areas at risk of displacement versus neighborhoods that have largely exempted themselves from previous housing reforms in fact, city staff's equity analysis found that the corridor approach to be inequitable, ineffecƟve and unlikely. To help us address our stated goal, allowing all ausƟnites to live in all parts of AusƟn. I also want to recognize that council member vela, the leader of the citywide reform, is here today. Council member would you like to say a few words before the briefing? >> Just honestly, just thanks to staff as as chair noted, they've [2:34:03 PM] done a lot of good work on on fleshing out a lot of the discussion around compaƟbility and its effects. A lot of good gis mapping and just look forward to their product when it's ready to go. I would be remiss not to menƟon that we've been joined by our interim city manager, which. >> Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You didn't thank you for joining us. >> Well, I appreciate the recogniƟon and want to also thank the staff for the great work they're doing and the council members for leading us on this journey of affordability and housing. And so when you consider this presentaƟon, you're about to get relaƟve to compaƟbility, I want to just assure the council and the commitee members that we as a staff are commited to achieving those objecƟves. When it comes [2:35:04 PM] to housing and affordability. But I also want you to know or would like to express that you'll see from the presentaƟon that one of the that we don't complete address the issue of community and the issue that's so essenƟal to a vibrant and healthy city. And that's the element of our neighborhoods. And so what I've asked the staff is to really look Mok at the equaƟon through a lens of addiƟonal housing compaƟbility and balance that with the interest of the neighborhood, as when Jane Jacobs wrote her book , the death of the great of American city back in the 1960s, what she expressed was a real concern. And this was the highway system that had destroyed neighborhood roads. And these were dense neighborhoods, but they were the fabric of those communiƟes were held together by the churches, the community centers and that somehow had begun to lose some of its focus. So I would want to make sure that we balance the [2:36:04 PM] interest. And I know you will. I know you you have that in your heart. And I just wanted to be assure you that I've asked the staff to take a look at those issues and address them by adding a completeness to this present staƟon that is missing right now. Because we haven't had Ɵme to address it. And I want to just to express that to the members of the council and the members of the commitee about that request that came from me. I'm happy to answer any quesƟons. >> Thank you, manager. Any quesƟons, colleagues? Councilmember pool I just want to thank the city manager for being here and expressing those principles. >> And I agree with you. So thank you. Thank you for that direcƟon. >> And just want to let you know, we feel strongly both ways . Thank you. I would follow that lead and thank you for joining us today. >> It's very important to have your presence, I think, if for no other reason, from a comprehensive perspecƟve, buts all as a community, to your point, communiƟes don't just exist where people live. CommuniƟes exist where people [2:37:06 PM] legislate. So thank you. We appreciate you being here. Staff all right. >> Well, hi. My name is Rachel Tepper and I'm a principal planner in the housing department. And today I'm just here to present staff's methodology and approach for how we're analyzing citywide compaƟbility. So I'll begin with an overview of citywide compaƟbility standards. They're a bit tricky. So just for the public, I just want to explain how they work and then I'll go over the council direcƟve to do this analysis, the methodology of our analysis and our next steps, which speak to the amendments that have been iniƟated. So our citywide compaƟbility standards that are found in the land development code generally apply to sites within 540Ō of a single family residence or urban family residenƟal sf5 or more [2:38:06 PM] restricƟve zoning compaƟbility standards also come into play when a site is adjacent to a lot , where a use permited in sf5 or more restricƟve zoning is present. For example, a lot that currently is used for single family, a single family house or a duplex that that use triggers compaƟbility regardless of the zoning district. On this slide, you can see a diagram illustraƟng the allowed height at various district distance edges from the triggering property. So from 0 to 25Ō, nothing is permited, no development is permited from 25 to 30Ō. You can reach a height of or 25 to 50Ō. Excuse me, you can reach a height of 30Ō. And so on and so forth. All the way up to 540Ō. So in December of [2:39:08 PM] 2022, you a council passed ordinance number. 2022 1201056, which modified compaƟbility standards along specific corridors. And they also directed staff to develop an analysis to understand how how citywide compaƟbility regulaƟons in fact are a strategic housing blueprint goals and idenƟfy potenƟal recommendaƟon burns the methodology for conducƟng this analysis was asked to be provided at least 90 days before presenƟng the findings to council, and on may 5th, 2023, the directors of both the housing and the planning departments presented a released a joint memo summarizing the proposed methodology. As the as outlined in the memo, staff iniƟated staff will iniƟally [2:40:10 PM] measure the footprint of citywide compaƟbility regulaƟons. This measure will involve calculaƟng the total area of commercial and high density residenƟal properƟes. Basically any property that triggers compaƟbility within 540Ō of those triggering properƟes and esƟmate the potenƟal housing unit capacity . Katy lost due to these regulaƟons at different distances is to esƟmate that impact on potenƟal housing capacity. We will will mulƟply the allowable building coverage by the allowable heights in the compaƟbility setback and we'll compare that to the heights allowed by current zoning. We'll recognizing that other regulaƟons such as watershed and parking requirements also limit development potenƟal. We'll use a limitaƟon factor to esƟmate a more realisƟc range of potenƟal units and with this [2:41:11 PM] informaƟon, we will analyze how the changes to the distance of compaƟbility regulaƟons might affect the AusƟn strategic housing blueprint and equity goals, such as housing supply near exisƟng and planned transit display Swint risk areas. High amenity areas and our density bonus programs. We're also looking at this from a qualitaƟve analysis perspecƟve as well. We're currently conducƟng a survey Shea of applica clients who've parƟcipated in the city of AusƟn's development review process to understand the impacts of compaƟbility regulaƟons on project Ɵmelines, residenƟal unit yields, development costs and affordability. The survey has been sent to applicants that have submited density bonus applicaƟons and mulƟfamily site plans or mulƟfamily building permits within the city of AusƟn. In the last five years, the responses we receive [2:42:12 PM] will provide addiƟonal context to inform potenƟal regulaƟons and finally, in July of 2023, just as outlined in the memo in the in the methodology memo, we plan to release our findings, memo or findings and recommendaƟons to the mayor and council and following the release of that study, staff will develop the specific code amendments based on the study's outcomes and the iniƟated amendments. So thank you for the opportunity to provide this briefing. This concludes my presentaƟon. But my colleagues and I from both the housing and planning departments are here to answer any quesƟons. >> His colleagues, any quesƟons . Looks like councilmember pool has a quesƟon. >> I just wanted to confirm impervious cover as part of the analysis as well. >> So for the analysis, we're actually esƟmaƟng a limitaƟon [2:43:12 PM] Ann factor that is based on impervious, just like parking. We're using impervious cover to esƟmate kind of a realisƟc maximum maximum building area that takes into account impervious cover. >> Is that somewhere between 45% and 55? It's it does range because of our parƟcularly on the west side of the city. >> There's significant impervious cover limits through the Edwards aquifer and the Barton springs zone. So in some cases it does even go down to 20 or 50. And then in other areas where you're in the urban zone and you're and your for example, if it's kzmu, you could actually get up to 80 or 90. So it does range depending on your zoning and that'll be that'll be reflected in the informaƟon that you'll be bringing. Yeah, we'll include it all in our in our backup to our memo. Great. >> Thank you. Yeah, sure. Vice [2:44:12 PM] chair looks like vice chair alter also has a quesƟon as you're looking at making recommendaƟons and doing your analysis, are you looking at at these not just the height quesƟon in terms of or where we draw the line, you know, 300Ō, 200Ō, but looking at maybe the slope of that angle. >> So like if we were to instead of do one foot of height every ten feet, one foot, every five foot or something, just I think we oŌen get so mired in the discussion of how far away the triggering property is. We don't always talk about the other tools, whether it's like I said, the slope of the slope of what is allowed, you know, under our tent, as it were, or the setback quesƟon that we discussed earlier. Some of the other limitaƟons within compaƟbility that aren't just solely driven on. Well, you're 200Ō away, your 300Ō away, your 540Ō away is that something that you all are also considering in your [2:45:12 PM] recommendaƟons? >> Yes. So we will be able our analysis will inform whether we're seeing it'll inform form the maybe the slope and how how certain properƟes might be treated differently due to the to the way that that slope steps back. Mok so we will we might have recommendaƟons that that speak to that and also we do have that case study analysis that was done previously that looked at other ciƟes and we can compare maybe how those other ciƟes do their, you know, slopes, whether it's 45 degrees or something similar to what we have today. But so with the data that we gather, we will be able to look into that as well. Thank you, councilman qadri. >> I someƟmes find myself a litle frustrated being virtual and not being recognized. I'm [2:46:13 PM] acƟvely looking at you and want to make certain that you don't have any quesƟons for the speaker. Thank you very much. Thank you for your Ɵme. Thank you. Staff we appreciate the Ɵme and the effort that you all put in for, oh. Did I see your hand? Oh, that was a pen. Never mind. Okay so thank you, colleagues. Next up, let's move to our September meeƟng. My understanding that due to the change in our council meeƟng schedule, we will need to move our September meeƟng one week forward staff can you give us an update and confirm, for us that we will have chambers and staff available for Wednesday, September 6th at 2 P.M? Chair I can confirm that we've have the room for confirmed for September sixth. Thank you. I appreciate that. ConfirmaƟon commitee. Can we please move to vote our September meeƟng up to Wednesday September 6th at 2 P.M. Can I get a moƟon and a [2:47:14 PM] second? >> So moved. >> So moved by the vice chair and then seconded by. Why are you laughing, councilman Velasquez in which case can we all take a vote? Councilmember qadri, how do you vote? >> Oh, I'm for the change. Paige. >> Looks like, guys. Looks like we're unanimous on the dais. Thank you. Our next topic is we are likely to be covering at each of our meeƟngs for the rest of the year the prioriƟzaƟon of previous land development code amendments and all organizing them as needed. So I'm going to read item three. Item three says discuss council prioriƟes for previously iniƟated code amendments, resources that are needed to accomplish the code amendments and whether the council efforts to prioriƟze these code amendments should be ongoing and [2:48:16 PM] or recurring as a reminder for the public and for our commitee. City council voted last Thursday to direct the city managers, staff and our commitee to proceed with collaboraƟng on the prioriƟzaƟon and Ɵming of land development code amendments and organize current and future potenƟal amendments for the greatest impact impact on housing. I'll pause there for dramaƟc effect if given that direcƟon. Ann. I will be asking staff to keep an item on all future agendas for 2023 that allows for discussion and the relevant acƟon related to prioriƟzaƟon and organize Singh of land development code amendments. I know that we all appreciate the trust and the work Mok, frankly, that the council has put in front of us. But the combined support of our planning and housing [2:49:16 PM] departments, our new code cabinet led by the development services department and the assistant city manager, thank you for being here. Acm Briseno . I am certain that we will get the job done. Staff could you please offer us an update for the commitee on the next steps for your process? How council direcƟon has impacted it and how our commitee can weigh in and support your criƟcal work. >> Good aŌernoon. Housing and planning commitee. I'm Steve Greathouse. I'm a division manager within the planning department and the keeper of the Gant chart. For lack of a beter term, for my role in this process. But I also want to acknowledge that we're really backed up by an enƟre team led by assisƟng city manager Briseno and an inter-departmental code cabinet . So the soluƟon to the city's kind of need to amend our land development code does not belong [2:50:18 PM] to any one department. Swint and we will conƟnue to work as we move forward in partnership because we've already delivered this presentaƟon. Ann as a briefing item at the full city council work session last Tuesday, I wasn't necessarily going to run through the enƟre slide deck, but I did want to. The slide deck is available in backup for folks that want to refer to it. I did want to acknowledge that since we made the presentaƟon at the council work session on Tuesday, council did take acƟon to iniƟate several new amendments that staff will be adding with work programs to the Gant chart to be able to update that and bring that back to update the full council, including this commitee, there was also acƟon at the council meeƟng on Thursday to approve an amendment to the code that was on the agenda related to correcƟng the compaƟbility on corridor is ordinance. And so that item will you'll see that roll off of the Gant chart when we prepare a [2:51:19 PM] new updated version of the Gant chart. And I think from staff's perspecƟve, we anƟcipate that we will conƟnue to keep that Gant chart up to date with a Ɵmeline both for council, for the commitee, for the public to be able to see where things are in the process moving forward. Eid I think for today's meeƟng we based on the conversaƟon we're not coming back with a proposal other than adding new items that have been added and removing the items that have been adopted. Our proposal is that I think the Gant chart reflects what we are prepared to move forward with. However we look forward to the conversaƟon with the housing and planning commitee about whether there is direcƟon or desire to try to go back and reprioriƟze any items. We heard a lot of conversaƟon at the full council work session [2:52:21 PM] related to resources and whether we could speed up parƟcular items by adding addiƟonal resources. And so we are happy to have that conversaƟon. But I think moving forward, what our intenƟon is, is to really conƟnue to keep that that that Gant chart, that Ɵmeline Ann that shows sort of the comprehensive view of all of the code amendments moving forward, updated and be able to bring that as part of the backup material for this commitee meeƟng on the regular every commitee meeƟng basis so that we can have the conversaƟon about about whether there are things that should move up, should speed up, and then so that the commitee, as you all do, your work in discussing potenƟal new code amendments to be iniƟated, can discuss those in the context of the overall work program of what's already on tap, and we'll be able to hopefully also look at it in the [2:53:21 PM] context of if there is another amendment that folks are seeking to compaƟbility, how might that relate to the body, that sort of more global amendment related to compaƟbility with that? I'm not sure that I had anything else that I wanted to add. >> I'm we started the conversaƟon by calling yourself the keeper of the Gant chart. By the way. Makes you sound like a warlock. And so moving forward, you're the K G, C, and that's it. That's all I'm ever going to call you colleagues, any quesƟons? Looks like vice chair has a quesƟon. I just wanted to ask you. >> Are there any of these items that you have already idenƟfied died or are we using third parƟes or some kind of consultant for Shaw? >> Yeah, absolutely. There are several of the items that are on the list that the housing or that the planning department excuse me is the lead on where we will be using a third party [2:54:21 PM] consultant. So one of those is the equitable transit oriented development overlay, which we envision being that kind of type three large, robust engagement process. We will be onboarding a consultant specifically for that and are in the kind of the process of going through procurement to make sure that we have that consultant on boarded for next year. Shaw the other two items on the list that we anƟcipate would benefit from would need that kind of consultant augmentaƟon is really the item related to sort of the overall look at the density bonus program that has been recommended by the housing department would would need consultant augmentaƟon Ann as well as the item that shows up on the Gant chart that says zoning comprehensive. That's really looking at kind of our overall package of Zones and making recommendaƟons about new Zones would definitely need consultant augmentaƟon in general. At least. Staff's recommend Ann for sort of the day in and day out developing and processing of some of those more granular technical [2:55:23 PM] amendments that the Ɵmeline is really sort of the process and Ɵmeline that that is work that we would be doing in house because a lot of the process Singh work is really sort of needs to be very deep, have deep knowledge on how city processes work and who all is involved in them in order to have that be effecƟve. So for those code amendments, really those sort of larger amendments and there may actually be a need as we conƟnue to discuss and get the recommendaƟons back around the compaƟble city study, depending on what the direcƟon is to move forward to developing a proposal . Knell if we end up moving forward with a complex proposal which we could because compaƟbility is complex, there may also be a recommended Ann for consultant augmentaƟon for that one as well. >> Excellent. And actually on that and this kind of is previewing what we're going to get to with the item I have. But as we look at the compaƟbility issue, I know the compaƟbility and corridors expand Ann if that piece of it potenƟally is done [2:56:24 PM] before for the broader compaƟble Katy since I know it's just adding those corridors to what's already exisƟng, I know there are some projects buts that are some of them are affordability and Mok projects. Well, I guess they don't have compaƟbility. So I think it's actually vmu that the individual is talking to us about. But that if we can split those out, if they are done not just to deliver them faster so that and that's going to be what we're going to talk about here shortly . >> And for what it's worth, that's a perfect segue. Thank you for your Ɵme. We appreciate you. Thank you. And all the hard work that staff does to bring us up to speed and keep us moving in this really posiƟve direcƟon. Thank you very much. Thank you. With that, I would like. To I'm so sorry. It is just you know, I have found myself frustrated just waving and waving. So thank you. For somebody recognizing councilmember qadri has a [2:57:25 PM] quesƟon. Do you mind approaching the podium again? Thank you. >> Yeah, well, and I appreciate that chair. I know when the roles are reversed, I always like harper-madison is asking a quesƟon, so I'm very thankful for your help on all this. Yeah, I had a few quick quesƟons for staff, and I also want to echo what the chair said. I mean, staff does such a wonderful job and I think when city staff and council staff are like in sync, that's been a lot of beauƟful things can happen for us as a as a city. But but I guess I have to quesƟons you know I noƟced on the Gant chart that the esƟmated Ɵmeline on the exisƟng code invitaƟons that eliminate parking mandates is expected to return by may 2024. It's something that our commitee ranked as a high priority and thankful for. Vice chair alter on his really niŌy priority list. You know, as a high priority. And stakeholders would like to see this by the end of the year. As stated in [2:58:25 PM] the resoluƟon. So what is I guess my first of two quesƟons, what is city staff need to do to maintain the Ɵmeline to get it to that sweet spot of December 2023. So that parƟcular amendment is actually going to be led by the AusƟn transportaƟon department. >> And do we have anyone from rtd in the webex by any chance? And if not, I may actually need to take that quesƟon and get back to you all, because the Boston transportaƟon department has esƟmated that that is the quickest they could deliver that as project lead based on the conversaƟon and coordinaƟon that it would take not only with community but with other aspects of how we do parking management in the city related to Ada parking requirements and also kind of how it would impact residenƟal parking permit program and other non required parking parts of our code to make it was as the city manager described, I believe prety well [2:59:27 PM] at the work session last week. That's one of those ones that has a lot of potenƟal impact to other ways that we regulate things and other ways that we provide parking services to the city and transportaƟon in general. So I would need to need to get a response back from AusƟn transportaƟon on councilmember qadri, I would ask you, do you want to add that for an item for future consideraƟon Ann or is that the kind of item that you want them that we're acƟvely asking staff to send us a memo on prior to future consideraƟon for our next meeƟng? >> Yeah. I think it's something that our staff can can work on. Like I don't, I don't think it needs to be a future consideraƟon item, but we as a, as an office can get with transportaƟon and we'll work with you all to, to get that. So I appreciate that. Yeah. And we're happy to funnel the informaƟon as well. >> I just don't want to try to answer it without at my transportaƟon colleagues. [3:00:27 PM] Absolutely appreciate that. >> I'd rather get good informaƟon than bad informaƟon, but my hope is that you'll send it to us all. >> Yeah. And then my second is kind of a quesƟon. It also might be something that, transportaƟon could get us a beter idea of. But if staff is considering this to be too complex of a resoluƟon, is there something we can do to enact the bulk of the parking? You know, eliminaƟng efforts, including Ada parking by the end of the year and have any remaining remaining cleanups come in April of next year? You know, kind of like how we've created part one and part two Ɵmelines for other code, iniƟal acƟons. >> Yeah, and that's a great quesƟon. I'm definitely happy to follow up with AusƟn transportaƟon to see if there's a way of phasing the amendment. >> Okay, great. Well, I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you for your contribuƟon. >> Councilmember qadri, it sounds like we have some atd conversaƟons that we're going to need to have. And my hope is that all of the council gets that informaƟon. Thank you very much. We appreciate your contribuƟon. So next up, the [3:01:30 PM] related item brought forward by vice chair alter. I would like to allow him the opportunity to lay out item four and read the posƟng language. >> Thank you very much. This is item four. It's a possible recommendaƟon Ann to council relaƟng iniƟaƟng code amendments that allow the city manager to propose addiƟonal code amendments when responding to council iniƟated and housing related code amendments. This is a basically two secƟon Ann resoluƟon Ann that one just gives the staff or the manager the authority to when they're looking at some of these items, if there is code cleanup that needs to happen while they're doing that and address these more holisƟcally and get rid of any kind of conflicts or anƟquated code provisions, they have the authority to do that. And then the second is, if we do have an item that has mulƟple components for them to be able to return with a piece of that in order to get these in effect quicker. As we have discussed on [3:02:31 PM] a couple items here. And that is all it does with that. I unless if there are no quesƟons, I'm going to I'm going to move that we send it to the full council. So it looks like we have a moƟon on the floor. >> Do we have a second? It looks like it's seconded by councilmember Velasquez. I I don't necessarily have any quesƟons so much as I would like to make certain that we moving forward, have the opportunity as a body to really clearly explain Ann for the public what some of these really complex items mean. That's the one like sƟcking point for me. It feels like I think the general public maybe doesn't know what we're talking about half the Ɵme when we're talking about complex land use items, they're relaƟvely obscure. You know what I mean? Like it it absolutely. And so I would like for us as a body to really figure out how to bring the community in to the conversaƟon more. But it looks like we have [3:03:33 PM] a the moƟon on the floor and it's seconded and we can go ahead and take a vote. All in favor say aye. Council member qadri, how do you vote? It looks like an I. It looks like that's a unanimous vote. So the moƟon was to recommend that the city manager be allowed to propose addiƟonal cleanup amendments when responding to our many current and future amendments. And we got that vote passed unanimously. So I for one, believe that this is a more effecƟve thank you for bringing it forward and impacƞul way of fixing our current code than the conƟnued use of ad hoc ifcs and standalone fixes. Thank you. Vice chair alter for bringing this forward. Staff we are trusƟng that you will use this tool well and also just generally speaking, I think appropriately, we defer to staff, the professionals, the [3:04:34 PM] experts. I for one, don't have any land use proficiency by way of my experƟse or my educaƟon. I'm learning along the way. We're trusƟng you all to do what you can with the tools that we provide you. So thank you for your Ɵme. Next we're down to our last two items future items rescheduling our September meeƟng date, which we already did. This is where we highlight any future items that we'd like the commitee to discuss. I believe we've already heard a few during our public tesƟmony . For myself, I'd like to recommend that we have a comprehensive and very deep dive into our density bonus programs and fee waivers for affordable housing. Let's talk about it all . Smart housing, dense bonus, uno, you name it. Let's talk about how we can acƟvely really stand behind and what we say is [3:05:36 PM] our commitment to producing housing in the city of AusƟn. And I'm going to go off script just a litle bit. I yesterday talked to a friend who who was trying to rent an apartment in central east AusƟn, $3,200. For a21 980 square foot. Tell me how that works for people. The 365,000 people who work in our hospitality industry. Tell me how that works out. It doesn't. They can't afford to live here. We really are going to have to quadruple down on our efforts around affordability and housing . And that's one of the reasons I'm so proud to be able to have the opportunity to chair this commitee, because I think we're going to do good work and I think my vice chair and I share similar commitments. And I really it it means something to me anecdotally and otherwise, [3:06:39 PM] that 90 plus thousand people that I represent in district one, all of your consƟtuents, all of my colleagues here on this dais have people they represent who can't afford to live in this city. And it's problemaƟc. So I'll move forward by saying smart housing density bonuses. Uno I'd like for us as a commitee to hear from staff what what is and what is not working and come to us with solid recommendaƟons on how we can just really, as a city, recalibrate and reform where we need to step. Can we work together to have that discussion and your recommendaƟons in September. That's an actual quesƟon. I see some heads nodding, but I'd like for some on the record confirmaƟon, please. Okay sneakers. I see you, director truelove, director truelove and [3:07:40 PM] sneakers. >> I think September is a good Ɵme frame. I think it probably won't be possible before then, but I'd like to be able to have an opportunity to chat with my team and if we think that's really not feasible, I'll, I'll get back to the chair and the vice chair on, on if October might be beter. But I think that that's a good that gives us enough leeway. Lead Ɵme that we can get our our head together and come back to you. Thank you. >> I appreciate that. Any quesƟons, colleagues? Thank you very much. Director, sneaker truelove colleague. Is there anything else. Councilmember pool. Kymberley at the last item there. >> Oh, wait, I'm sorry. >> I was going to say we're done. Thanks >> Thanks to the chair and vice chair and commitee members for the chance today to talk about a two part iniƟaƟve. My team and I are working on with the planning and development staff for the July 20th council [3:08:40 PM] meeƟng. The goal of my proposal is to create more middle income housing and allow gentle density inside neighborhoods. AusƟn has done a great job on the outer edges of our busy home market, building large single family homes and big mulƟ family projects, but very litle in the middle. The city's own housing market analysis from 2020 shows the town home or triplex styles atainable for middle income families make up only about 12% of our housing stock. This leads to the expected result in an expensive market and that is updated research from last year shows that home ownership for middle income earners in AusƟn dropped to 28% of that group and that's down from nearly 50% in 2012. This phenomenon is not unique to AusƟn, but if by pulling the levers we make it [3:09:42 PM] possible for more families to enter the housing market than we should look at that. To that end , and the first part of my iniƟaƟve reduces lot sizes and encourages more townhomes, row houses and garden homes or cotage courts. The second part of my iniƟaƟve proposes incremental changes to allow three units on every single family lot. It's expensive to build onto a home, but for those who can manage it, we can help reduce the costs by simplifying the process in this way. This change can help families create income off their property to pay their mortgage and taxes or can provide beter opƟons for mulƟgeneraƟonal living. How we do this, how far we pull the levers is a quesƟon I will put to our experts at staff as part of the July 20 resoluƟon. We need the experƟse of our staff to bring all of this to light [3:10:42 PM] and to do it right. So essenƟally, the resoluƟon will express a set of goals and give general direcƟon to the city manager for along the lines as follows number one, allow for diverse housing types, including rowhouses and townhomes, Luz and analyze the following reduce lot sizes in single family zoning districts, adjust site development standards to allow for new types of housing, simplify the various governors Luz that manage building footprint and massing and explore innovaƟve methods to miƟgate potenƟal runoff from addiƟonal impervious cover. And the second item number two, achieve three units by Wright in all single family Zones and analyze the following. Allow three units per lot by Wright. Allow three story triplex buildings burns. Achieve a [3:11:43 PM] flexible configuraƟon Ann for three separate, atached or detached homes on one lot like a cotage court and explore innovaƟve uƟlity layout and connecƟon. My team and I are also discussing certain issues with staff such as what enƟtlements might be allowed once a lot has already been subdivided Eid. But I really want to make a big point here that I would also apply to some of the earlier conversaƟon about the ordinances and the changes to the code and the work that our expert professional staff are doing and that is we want to prevent any unintended consequences. We want to understand what the changes that we are proposing actually can cause and to the extent that there may be negaƟve unintended consequences to miƟgate for those. So we're looking I'm looking to the staff really sincerely and deeply for that assistance in this analysis. [3:12:45 PM] Just to close, if I may, my thanks to the commitee again for allowing me the space to talk about the iniƟaƟve to kind of introduce it and to our staff for assisƟng us with all of the details. And I'm just happy to be opening the door rey on some of these topics that have been off limits for such a long Ɵme. These may be hard conversaƟons in the community, and I acknowledge that they are and I think we all understand that. I do think the Ɵme is right to begin to have these conversaƟons when the need is so great. And I'm happy to parƟcipate in this manner. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you very much, councilmember. >> And I think that's the perfect way to adjourn a meeƟng. Let's open the door. Looks like councilmember qadri has a quesƟon. Yes well, I just wanted to make a comment on the item to discuss for future meeƟngs. [3:13:46 PM] >> It's just going off of the what was said earlier about the windowless bedrooms. You know, want to make sure that's, you know, discussed going forward. And in the meanƟme our staff will be working with city staff and stakeholders on soluƟons to this, to this issue. >> Thank you very much for your contribuƟon. Ann I'm assuming that Mr. Lawler in the audience has taken note of that future item for consideraƟon. I see a thumbs up. Any other future consideraƟons folks? Councilmember villa I just wanted to comment on I think I'm excited to see the item from councilmember pool and I just think that was an excellent words and Eid excited about the prospect of again, you know, creaƟng those opportuniƟes for homeownership. >> You know that that that that sub half $1 million level you know more realisƟc homeownership is very exciƟng and thank you for bringing the item councilmember thank you for [3:14:46 PM] your contribuƟon Ann any other thoughts. >> Chair yes. Excuse me if we can for the record, just note that councilmember Ellis is off the dais today. Oh duly noted. Thank you. All right. Are we all set with that? It looks like you have commentary with that. I think we are about to adjourn so if there's no objecƟon, we are adjourned at 3:15 P.M. On the 13th of June. In 2023.