Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, June 26, 2024 DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 The Downtown Commission convened the special called meeting on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX in hybrid meeting format. COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE August Harris, Chair David Carroll Mike Lavigne Kimberly Levinson Anne Charlotte Patterson Spencer Schumacher Sania Shifferd COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE REMOTELY Ralph E Ishmael, Jr. Vice-Chair Liz Coufal Jennifer Franklin Amy Mok Tania Ortega CALL TO ORDER Chair Harris called the meeting of the Downtown Commission to order at 5:33 pm. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL No speakers. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission May 15, 2024 meeting. The minutes from the meeting on 05/15/24 were approved on Commissioner Levinson’s motion, Commissioner Shifferd’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes STAFF BRIEFING Wednesday, June 26, 2024 2. Presentation on the Downtown Austin Plan by Chad Sharrard and Jill Amezcua, Austin Planning Department. The presentation was made by Chad Sharrard, Planner Senior, Planning Department; Jill Amezcua, Program Manager II, Planning Department; and Matthew Schmidt, Program Manager III, Economic Development Department. 3. Presentation on the Economic and Cultural District Framework Policy by Matthew Schmidt, Economic Development Department. The presentation was made by Matthew Schmidt, Program Manager III, Economic Development Department. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. The motion to override the four consecutive term limit and nominate Commissioner Harris as Chair was made by Commissioner Ishmael, seconded by Commissioner Lavigne and approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. The motion to elect Commissioner Harris as Chair was made by Commissioner Ishmael, seconded by Commissioner Ortega and approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. The motion to elect Commissioner Ishmael as Vice Chair was made by Commissioner Levinson, seconded by Commissioner Shifferd and approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. 5. Approve a recommendation to Council to update the Downtown Austin Plan and create an overseeing department charged with implementing the elements of the updated plan. A motion to approve the recommendation was made by Commissioner Levinson and seconded by Commissioner Shifferd. The following amendment was motioned by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Vice Chair Ishmael. The amendment was to add the following under Item 7: “r. Urban Design Guidelines” The amendment was to also add the following after Item 11: “12. Review updates through an equitable lens.” The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, June 26, 2024 The following amendment was motioned by Commissioner Schumacher, seconded by Vice Chair Ishmael. The amendment was to revise Item 2 to read: “2. Present the Updated DAP draft in 6 months and proposed ordinance for Council approval in 12 months.” The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. The recommendation to Council to update the Downtown Austin Plan and create an overseeing department charged with implementing the elements of the updated plan was approved as amended on Commissioner Levinson’s motion and Commissioner Shifferd’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Cardona-Beiler and Major were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 6. Update on Creative Combining District and Development Bonus Program to enhance the development and preservation of live music venues and creative sector businesses, and to initiate a specific Red River Cultural District subdistrict. Commissioner Patterson provided an update. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Arts funding – Commissioner Mok, co-sponsored by Vice Chair Ishmael ADJOURNMENT Chair Harris adjourned the meeting at 7:35 pm without objection. The minutes were approved at the 8/21/2024 meeting on Vice Chair Ishmael’s motion, Commissioner Levinson’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Coufal was absent.