01. Draft Meeting Minutes December 15, 2025 — original pdf

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DESIGN COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2025 The Design Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, December 15, 2025, at the Permitting and Development Center, Room 1405, located at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Salinas called the Design Commission meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Jon Salinas, Chair Ramachandra “Rao” Aradhyula David Carroll Nkiru Gelles Kevin Howard Evgenia “Jenny” Murkes Brendan Wittstruck Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Conners Ladner Marissa McKinney PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Design Commission regular meeting on October 27, 2025. The minutes from the Design Commission regular meeting on October 27, 2025, were approved on Commissioner Howard’s motion, Commissioner Aradhyula’s second, on a 7- 0 vote. Commissioners Gelles and Murkes were off the dais. Vice Chair Meiners and Commissioner Khan were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion of analysis on the Design Commission's recommendations and the final approved Downtown Density Bonus Program projects from the past ten years. 1 The item was discussed. 3. 4. Discussion of the draft Urban Design Guidelines regarding the sections: Introduction, Core Principle A: Protect Pedestrians and Bicyclists from the Elements, and Core Principle B: Protect Sidewalk and Bikeway Users from Motor Vehicles. The motion to postpone the item indefinitely was approved on Commissioner Howard’s motion, Chair Salinas’ second, on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Meiners and Commissioner Khan were absent. Discussion of the timeline and obstacles of the update to the Urban Design Guidelines. Sponsors: Chair Salinas, Vice Chair Meiners, and Commissioner Howard. The item was discussed. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. 6. Discussion and action to select Downtown Density Bonus Program projects from the past ten years to analyze outcomes. Sponsors: Chair Salinas and Vice Chair Meiners. The motion to postpone the item indefinitely was approved on Commissioner Wittstruck’s motion, Chair Salinas’ second, on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Meiners and Commissioner Khan were absent. Discussion and action to select members for the Planning and Urban Design Working Group. Sponsors: Chair Salinas and Commissioner Howard. The motion to assign Commissioner Gelles to the Planning and Urban Design Working Group was approved on Chair Salinas’ motion, Commissioner Howard’s second, on a 9-0 vote. Vice Chair Meiners and Commissioner Khan were absent. COMMITTEE UPDATES 7. 8. Update from the representative of the Downtown Commission regarding the meeting on November 19, 2025. The update was given by Commissioner Gelles. Update from the representative of the Joint Sustainability Committee regarding the meeting on November 19, 2025. The update was given by Chair Salinas. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Staff briefing regarding the update to the Downtown Density Bonus Program. Presented by Alan Pani, Austin Planning. Sponsors: Commissioners Howard, Murkes, and Wittstruck. Approve a recommendation to City Council to recognize the Design Commission as an official stakeholder in the Density Bonus Program update process and recommend that 2 the Design Commission and Staff advance council-requested updates to the Urban Design Guidelines. Sponsors: Commissioners Aradhyula and Wittstruck. Discussion of the Design Commission’s strategy prioritizing urban design in Density Bonus Program projects in the City of Austin. Sponsors: Commissioners Howard and Wittstruck. ADJOURNMENT Chair Salinas adjourned the meeting at 7:59 p.m. without objection. 3