Comprehensive Plan Joint CommitteeApril 28, 2022

Item2a_Boards & Commissions Recommendation Log - ZAP Only — original pdf

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Boards and Commissions Recommendation Log as of April 27, 2022 ID Page Number Type Change Proposed Proposed By Staff Response Notes C-1 N/A Street Network Table Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Zoning and Platting Commission encourages the Austin City Council that there should be no street level changes in the ASMP except to incorporate the Project Connect system plan as directed by the Austin City Council; and Zoning and Platting Commission Staff does not support this change Appendix B of the adopted ASMP provides guidance for when modifications to the Street Network require City Council approval. “Amendments to the Street Network Table and Map will be processed when right of way requirements change based on project details determined during the project development process…Any modifications that may change the adopted right of way widths in the Street Network Table will be processed as formal amendments to the plan, requiring City Council approval.” With the update to the Transportation Criteria Manual and progress made on the Mobility Bond project development process, the ASMP Street Network was evaluated for additional amendments and these amendments are being proposed for City Council approval. The City Charter outlines the notification requirements for amending an element of Imagine Austin, which includes the ASMP. The City Charter requires posting notification in the Austin American Statesman and sending notification to the Community Registry 16 days prior to holding a Public Hearing at City Council. In addition to the Charter requirements, the ASMP amendment process included two rounds of engagement and outreach before posting the Final Draft of the proposed amendments for the Public Hearing, including targeted social media advertising and notification to the Community Registry. Further notification to individual households and properties is not a requirement of the Comprehensive Plan nor necessary at this stage of the process. This amendment process and proposed changes in Street Level are consistent with the purpose of the Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, significant outreach to properties along streets with proposed projects will occur as projects go through the project development and delivery phases. Notification now would be out of sync with this practice and is not required. The adopted ASMP references Title VI on page 219 under Frameworks for Equity. The ASMP prioritizes equitable outreach and this ASMP amendment process went beyond Charter requirements to provide opportunities for participation through two rounds of engagement with materials in English and Spanish. A full description of outreach efforts can be found in the Round One and Round Two Public Engagement reports. Additionally, the ATX Walk, Bike, Roll planning effort is being coordinated with the City's Equity Office to center racial equity in the planning process. ASMP staff coordinated with the Equity Office to develop the effort’s Equity Framework and continues to participate in this process to coordinate with the Equity Office and Community Ambassador Program. More can be found here: AustinTexas.gov/ATXWBR. The ASMP is a long-range planning document and has several policies and action items (for example, Public Transportation System Policy 1 and Action Item 97) that direct City staff to improve and support the speed and reliability of public transportation overall, with priority given to the Transit Priority Network. The amendments proposed for the Transit Priority Network are reflective of existing high-frequency transit service and planned service within the horizon year of the Plan. In order to meet our community goals, it is staff's recommendation to identify these priority transit corridors so that planning and project development decisions can take the Transit Priority Network into consideration. The purpose of the Transportation Criteria Manual is to provide a foundation or starting point for engineering design decisions. It is the intent of the TCM to be used by City staff and private sector street design professionals in applying a consistent approach to street design, particularly for new streets and right of way planning. The TCM is also intended to provide guidance for street design in constrained right of way with flexible design criteria to fit existing situations that make the preferred design unobtainable. In the redesign of existing streets, additional engineering design work and public engagement may result in design features outside of the scope of the TCM (such as a Street Level 1B). The design criteria established in the TCM affect the review and approval of subdivision plats, zoning change applications, right of way dedications, site plans, preliminary plans, final development plans, and capital improvement plans within the Full Purpose Limits of the City of Austin. Therefore, a Street Level 1B is a feasible outcome within the existing TCM, however, it does not meet the intent of the Street Network as a ROW planning tool. Staff will continue to discuss this recommendation in future updates to the TCM. C-2 N/A Be it further resolved that property owners and tenants whose frontage is listed for potential right- of-way dedication be notified in their primary language before the City Council vote on the ASMP; and Zoning and Platting Commission Staff does not support this change C-3 N/A Be it further resolved that the ASMP team shall comply with the Title VI FTA Circular 4702.1B (2012) to “provide a meaningful opportunity for public comment” in coordination with the Equity Office in public outreach to ensure the success of the JPA and ATX Walk Bike Roll’s stated goal of achieving racial equity in planning efforts; and Zoning and Platting Commission Staff does not oppose C-4 N/A Be it further resolved that the Transit Priority Network be expanded only when transit service is added; and Zoning and Platting Commission Staff does not support this change C-5 N/A Be it further resolved that before a revised Bicycle Plan is incorporated into the ASMP, a Street Level 1B should be added to the Transportation Criteria Manual that indicates the presence of a bicycle lane for both curbed and non-curbed street designs without raising the right-of-way requirements to match Level 2 streets and that only approved and safe bike routes be included. Zoning and Platting Commission Staff supports elements of this change Page 1 of 1