Item #1 Draft Meeting Minutes October 15, 2025 — original pdf

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Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 15, 2025 Downtown Commission Regular Called Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 15, 2025 The Downtown Commission convened in a regular called meeting on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at Austin City Hall Chambers, Room 1001, 301 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Ishmael called the Downtown Commission Meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE: Ed Ishmael, Chair Kimberly Levinson, Vice Chair Pat Buchta David Carroll Gina Houston Nathan McDaniel Charles Peveto Sania Shifferd Philip Wiley COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE REMOTELY: Kevin Chen Jennifer Franklin PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on September 17, 2025. The minutes from the meeting on September 17, 2025, were approved on Commissioner Peveto’s motion, Vice Chair Levinson’s second, on a 7-0 vote. Commissioner McDaniel was off the dais. Commissioners Coufal and Pollak were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1 Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 15, 2025 2. Update on the Downtown Density Bonus Program/Affordable Housing and SB 840. Presentation by Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Austin Planning. The presentation was made by Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Austin Planning. 3. Update on a proposed amendment to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a base height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district and update the Downtown Density Bonus (DDB) and Rainey Street Subdistrict to incorporate the CBD base height limit into the DDB program. Presentation by Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Austin Planning. The presentation was made by Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Austin Planning. 4. Presentation regarding Staff’s response to Council Resolution 20241121-073 related to Bird- Friendly design by Leslie Lilly, Environmental Conservation Program Manager, Austin Watershed Protection. Withdrawn. 5. Update on the Downtown Austin Alliance’s (DAA) construction mitigation strategy. Presentation by Matt Geske, Vice President - Public Affairs, DAA, and Vanessa Olson, Vice President -Communication and Marketing, DAA. The presentation was made by Matt Geske, Vice President - Public Affairs, DAA, and Vanessa Olson, Vice President -Communication and Marketing, DAA. 6. Update on the Downtown Austin Alliance’s (DAA) active urbanism team regarding programs to support Artists and Creatives: DASA, Musicians activating spaces. Presentation by Raasin McIntosh, Vice President - Active Urbanism, DAA, and Emily Risinger, Director of Planning, DAA. The presentation was made by Emily Risinger, Director of Planning, DAA. 7. Update from the Arts Commission representative on the Cultural Funding/Grants process and information regarding the work of Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) as it relates to the commission. Commissioner Houston provided an update. 8. Discussion of the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association proposal for replacing the current Downtown Density Bonus Program. The presentation was made by Roger Cauvin, Board Member, Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 9. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding changes to the Downtown Density Bonus Program. The motion to approve the Recommendation to Council regarding changes to the Downtown Density Bonus Program was motioned by Commissioner Shifferd and seconded by Commissioner Buchta. 2 Downtown Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 15, 2025 The following amendment was motioned by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Wiley. The amendment was to add “Downtown” before “Density Bonus” throughout the recommendation and to replace “building” with “land development.” The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Coufal and Pollak were absent. The following amendment was motioned by Vice Chair Levinson and seconded by Commissioner Peveto. The amendment was to add “charged with actually building more affordable housing” after the word “entity.” The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Coufal and Pollak were absent. The Recommendation to Council regarding changes to the Downtown Density Bonus Program was approved as amended on Commissioner Shifferd’s motion, Commissioner Buchta’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Coufal and Pollak were absent. 10. Approve the Downtown Commission 2026 Regular Meeting Schedule. The motion to approve the Downtown Commission 2026 Regular Meeting Schedule was approved on Vice Chair Levinson’s motion, Commissioner McDaniel’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Coufal and Pollak were absent. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Briefing on the University Neighborhood Overlay Request to know the percentage of owner-occupied residency in Downtown Austin ADJOURNMENT A motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:38 p.m. was approved on Vice Chair Levinson’s motion, Commissioner Peveto’s second an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Coufal and Pollak were absent. 3