C-02 and C-03 Letter of Support.pdf — original pdf

Backup

Dear Commissioners, I am reaching out to you regarding the City Staff’s proposal to move future Planning Commission Meetings to a new location in far North Austin. I believe this issue will come up under Item C-3 in your meeting this evening. I would fully support any efforts to ensure the Planning Commission meetings stay centrally located at City Hall. Moving the meetings would add an undue burden to the residents in far SE Austin and Travis County. As you are aware, our population is very diverse and mostly representative of low-income and people of color, plus there would be challenges in having access to public transportation in order to make meetings on time or return home when the meetings run extremely late. I do not think the Equity Office was consulted on the impact this move would have for vulnerable populations? The City Hall location is central and the logically best location for all residents. Additionally, because City Hall is centrally located, the surrounding residents and businesses would be best equally served, including equally disadvantaged. If the meetings are moved far North, those living and/or working in South Austin, particularly SE Austin, will be at a much greater disadvantage to publicly engage in your hearings. With all the growth in our area, it will make it harder if not impossible for our community to participate in the hearings in the future. Please let me know how I can help support you. I sincerely hope the Planning Commission votes in support of keeping the Planning Commission meetings at City Hall. This would also ensure there would be no confusion on the location of zoning and land use hearings and where they would be heard regardless of which body is having the hearing: Planning Commission or City Council. Thank you for your consideration and your continued service to our community. Respectfully submitted, Ana Aguirre D2 Resident