REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION Wednesday September 17, 2025, 5:30 p.m. Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001 301 W 2nd Street Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Downtown Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely or in person, please contact Christi Vitela at Christi.Vitela@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-2792. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Ed Ishmael, Chair Kimberly Levinson, Vice Chair Pat Buchta David Carroll Liz Coufal Nathan McDaniel Charles Peveto Nancy Pollak Sania Shifferd Philip Wiley Jennifer Franklin Nkiru Gelles Nelly Paulina Ramírez CALL TO ORDER AGENDA PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on August 20, 2025. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Update on the Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative (DASI). Presentation by Jon Fortune, Deputy City Manager, Austin City Manager’s Office. 3. Update from the Public Safety Commission representative regarding the Austin Police’s response to questions about their process with regards to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Public Safety Commission’s future discussions regarding this topic. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding Downtown Commission Boundary Expansion. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Christi Vitela at the Office of the City Clerk, at (512) 974-2792 for additional information; TTY users’ route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Downtown Commission, please contact Christi Vitela at Christi.Vitela@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-2792.
Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Downtown Commission Regular Called Meeting Minutes Wednesday August 20, 2025 The Downtown Commission convened in a regular called meeting on Wednesday August 20, 2025, at Austin City Hall Chambers, Room 1001, 301 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE: Ed Ishmael, Chair Kimberly Levinson, Vice Chair Pat Buchta David Carroll Liz Coufal Nathan McDaniel Charles Peveto Nancy Pollak Sania Shifferd Philip Wiley COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE REMOTELY: Nelly Paulina Ramírez CALL TO ORDER Chair Ishmael called the Downtown Commission Meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on July 16, 2025. 1 Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, August 20, 2025 The minutes from the meeting of July 16, 2025, were approved on Vice Chair Levinson’s motion, Commissioner Peveto’s second, on a 10-0 vote. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation by David A. Colligan, Chief Operating Officer, Rally Austin, regarding possible downtown site developments. The presentation was made by David A. Colligan, Chief Operating Officer, Rally Austin. 3. Presentation by Pat Buchta, Chief Executive Officer, regarding Austin Texas Musicians. The presentation was made by Pat Buchta, Chief Executive Officer, Austin Texas Musicians and Frances Ferguson, Community Member and Member of the Austin Presbyterian Church. 4. Presentation by Daniel Kavelman, Projects and Policy Manager, Shoal Creek Conservancy, regarding the Cypress and Shoal Creek Public Space Strategy. The presentation was made by Daniel Kavelman, Projects and Policy Manager, Shoal Creek Conservancy. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding Homelessness Response 24-Hour Oasis Access. The motion to approve the recommendation was made by Vice Chair Levinson and seconded by Commissioner Shifferd. The following amendment was made by Commissioner McDaniel and seconded by Chair Ishmael. The amendment was to move the move the last Whereas clause on page 1 to the top of page 2 and add the first Whereas clause on page 2 to the end of page 1 and strike the words “on Friday and Saturday nights.” The amendment was approved on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Coufal abstained. The Recommendation to Council regarding Homelessness Response 24-Hour Oasis Access was approved as amended on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Coufal abstained. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None ADJOURNMENT A motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:21 p.m. was approved on Vice Chair Levinson’s motion, Commissioner McDaniel’s second a 10-0 vote. …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Downtown Commission Recommendation Number: ___________________: DOWNTOWN COMMISSION BOUNDARY EXPANSION WHEREAS the Austin Council on August 14, 2024, passed Resolution 20240814-028 calling for an update to the Downtown Austin Plan (DAP); WHEREAS the purpose of the Downtown Commission, as spelled out in its Bylaws is to advise the City Council and city staff regarding policies and projects impacting downtown Austin; serve as stewards for the Downtown Austin Plan and, as such: serve as a sounding board for the City Council and staff on the implementation of the Downtown Austin Plan and offer recommendations on amendments to the Downtown Austin Plan as needed Downtown Commission (DTC) of the City of Austin is charged with stewarding the DAP; and WHEREAS the City of Austin Planning Department by memo in response to City Council Resolution No.20240814-028 recommended that the current boundaries of the Downtown Austin Plan be expanded; and WHEREAS the Planning Staff noted that: • A renewed vision of Downtown should account for its immediate needs while acknowledging the regional context of its relationship to surrounding areas. • Planning Staff recommended the development of a District Plan • Broadening the DAP update to a District Plan with a larger geography would acknowledge the regional nature of the urban core in the city and create intentionality in planning for it. WHEREAS Planning Staff recommended that the proposed District Plan include the University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO) area to the north, Downtown, and the South-Central Waterfront area to the south, bordered by Lamar Boulevard to the west and I-35 to the east, and would be referred to as the Center City / Central District Plan Area. WHEREAS the current boundaries of the Downtown Commission as set forth in the Bylaws as being Martin Luther King, Kr. Boulevard to the north, Interstate Highway 35 to the east, Lady Bird Lake to the south and Lamar Boulevard to the west; and WHEREAS there currently exists a South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board (SCWAB) charged with providing continuity and communication among stakeholders and advocates as the South- Central Waterfront Plan moves towards implementation and to provide 15 recommendations to the city council regarding plan implementation; and WHEREAS the South-Central Waterfront is bounded by South First Street on the west, Blunn Creek to the east, Lady Bird Lake on the north, and East Riverside Drive and East Bouldin Creek on the south; and WHEREAS SCWAB has met once in 2025; …
