01 Draft Meeting Minutes October 14, 2025 — original pdf

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PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025 The Planning Commission convened in a regular on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001, 301 W. Second Street, in Austin, Texas. Chair Woods called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 6 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Imad Ahmed Nadia Barrera-Ramirez Brian Bedrosian Peter Breton Casey Haney Anna Lan Felicity Maxwell Adam Powell Danielle Skidmore Alice Woods Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Danielle Skidmore Jessica Cohen Commissioners Absent: Patrick Howard Joshua Hiller Ex-Officio Members Absent: Candace Hunter 1 Vacancy on the Dais. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Philip Wiley: Gave examples of recent urban planning and housing develops in other major cities. 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Planning Commission regular meeting on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The minutes from the meeting of Tuesday, September 23, 2025, were approved on the consent agenda on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Howard was off the dais. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. Plan Amendment: Location: Owner/Applicant: Agent: Request: Staff Rec.: Staff: NPA-2024-0018.01 - 7003, 7005, 7007 Guadalupe Street Rezone; District 4 7003, 7005, 7007 Guadalupe Street, Waller Creek Watershed; Brentwood/Highland Combined (Highland) Neighborhood Planning Area Purple Square One Limited Liability (Lan Chen) Bowman (Jerome Perales, P.E.) High Density Single Family and Multifamily Residential to Mixed Use land use Applicant postponement request to December 9, 2025 Maureen Meredith, 512-974-2695, maureen.meredith@austintexas.gov Austin Planning The motion to approve Applicant’s postponement request to December 9, 2025, was approved on the consent agenda on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Howard was off the dais. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. 3. Rezoning: Location: C14-2024-0036 - 7003, 7005, 7007 Guadalupe Street Rezone; District 4 7003, 7005, 7007 Guadalupe Street, Waller Creek Watershed; Brentwood/Highland Combined (Highland) Neighborhood Planning Area Owner/Applicant: Purple Square One Limited Liability (Lan Chen) Agent: Request: Bowman (Jerome Perales, P.E.) MF-1-CO-ETOD-DBETOD-NP (Subdistrict 2), SF-6-NP and MF-2-ETOD- DBETOD-NP (Subdistrict 2) to GR-ETOD-DBETOD-NP (Subdistrict 1), increasing the maximum building height from 90 feet to 120 feet through participation in a density bonus program. Applicant postponement request to December 9, 2025 Jonathan Tomko, 512-974-1057, jonathan.tomko@austintexas.gov Austin Planning Staff Rec.: Staff: The motion to approve Applicant’s postponement request to December 9, 2025, was approved on the consent agenda on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Howard was off the dais. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. 2 4. Rezoning: Location: C14-2024-0160 - 1000 Red River Street; District 9 1001 Trinity Street, 416 ½ East 10th Street, 502 ½ East 10th Street, 1000 Red River, 1001 ½ Red River Street, 1018 Red River Street, 1020 Red River Street, 503 East 11th Street, 505 East 11th Street, 509 ½ East 11th Street, 516 ½ East 11th Street, Waller Creek Watershed; Downtown Area Plan (Core and Waterfront District) Owner/Applicant: Austin Real Estate Acquisitions, LLC Jackson Walker LLP (Pamela Madere) Agent: DMU, CS, CS-1, and MF-4 to DMU Request: Applicant postponement request to November 13, 2025 Staff Rec.: Beverly Villela, 512-978-0740, beverly.villela@austintexas.gov Staff: Austin Planning The motion to approve Applicant’s postponement request to November 13, 2025, was approved on the consent agenda on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Howard was off the dais. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. 5. Rezoning: Location: Owner/Applicant: Agent: Request: Staff Rec.: Staff: C14H-2025-0086 - Malcolm and Margaret Badger Reed House; District 9 1712 Rio Grande Street, Shoal Creek Watershed; Downtown Austin Plan (Judges Hill District) 5 Colinas LLC Drenner Group, PC (David Anderson) GO-ETOD-DBETOD to DMU-H-ETOD-DBETOD Recommended Cynthia Hadri, 512-974-7620, cynthia.hadri@austintexas.gov Austin Planning The motion to approve Staff’s recommendation of DMU-H-ETOD-DBETOD for C14H-2025- 0086 - Malcolm and Margaret Badger Reed House, located at 1712 Rio Grande, was approved on the consent agenda on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Howard was off the dais. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. 6. Code Amendment: C20-2025-010 - CBD Amendments Waller Creek, Shoal Creek & Lady Bird Lake Watersheds; Downtown Location: Owner/Applicant: City of Austin Agent: Request: Alan Pani, Austin Planning Amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a maximum building height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district and to amend the Downtown Density Bonus Program (DDBP) and Rainey Street Subdistrict regulations to modify allowable maximum building height when participating in the DDBP. Recommended Alan Pani, 512-974-8084, alan.pani@austintexas.gov Austin Planning Staff Rec.: Staff: The public hearing was closed on Secretary Maxwell’s motion, Vice Chair Haney’s second on a 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. 3 The motion to approve a recommendation to clarify in the final ordinance that density bonus gatekeeper requirements remain in place was approved on Secretary Maxwell’s motion, Commissioner Breton’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve a recommendation directing staff to provide a report by February 1, 2027, on the status of the density bonus review was approved on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Commissioner Breton’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve changing the maximum allowable height to participate in the density bonus program with administrative approval in the downtown core from 350 to 700 feet was approved on Commissioner Skidmore’s motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve a general recommendation to staff to revisit at what height the great streets program is triggered at and consider that it could be required for all developments regardless of height was approved on Commissioner Bedrosian’s motion, Commissioner Barrera-Ramirez’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve a recommendation that city staff consult city legal on the possibility of having a repeal provision of this ordinance with a specific date and time was approved on Commissioner Powell’s motion, Commissioner Barrera-Ramirez’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve a recommendation to change the maximum allowable height to participate in the density bonus program with administrative approval in both Rainy subdistricts from 350 to 700 feet was approved on Parliamentarian Ahmed’s motion, Commissioner Barrera-Ramirez’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve a general recommendation to city staff to consider a mechanism with no height caps that captures incremental property tax revenue resulting from having no FAR caps or height limits and dedicates a portion of it to affordable housing and other community benefits. In particular, a recommendation that staff evaluate the impact to housing supply and affordable housing funding from this proposal was approved on Parliamentarian Ahmed’s motion, Commissioner Powell’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve a general recommendation to city staff to ensure that the change in administrative review threshold is addressed sufficiently in this round of adjustments to the downtown density bonuses was approved on Secretary Maxwell’s motion, Chair Woods’ second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. The motion to approve Staff’s recommendation to amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a maximum building height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district and to amend the Downtown Density Bonus Program (DDBP) and Rainey Street Subdistrict regulations to modify allowable maximum building height 4 when participating in the DDBP, as amended, was approved on Secretary Maxwell’s motion, Commissioner Lan’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 7. Discussion and action to appoint a member to serve on the Governance, Rules, and Procedures Working Group. (Sponsored by Chair Woods and Commissioner Breton) The motion to approve Vice Chair Haney’s appointment to serve on the Governance, Rules, and Procedures Working Group was approved on Chair Woods’ motion, Secretary Maxwell’s second, on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Hiller was absent. 1 vacancy on the dais. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 8. Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee – Update pertaining to recommendations to the Planning Commission regarding proposed amendments to the Land Development Code for which review is required under Section 25-1- 502 (Amendment; Review); requests to initiate amendments to the Land Development Code under Section 25-1- 501 (Initiation). (Sponsored by Chair Woods, Vice Chair Haney, Secretary Maxwell, and Commissioner Barrera-Ramirez) Update was given by Maxwell. 9. Comprehensive Plan Joint Committee – Update regarding recommendations to the Planning Commission on issues relating to the comprehensive plan, including proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan; and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, including policy directives or initiatives of the city council or the Planning Commission. (Sponsored by Parliamentarian Ahmed and Commissioners Breton, Lan, and Powell) Update was given by Ahmed. 10. Joint Sustainability Committee – Update regarding recommendation and matters related to conservation and sustainability; and review City policies and procedures relevant to the Austin Community Climate Plan and the Austin Climate Equity Plan, including planning, implementation, community engagement, goal setting, and progress monitoring; promote close cooperation between the council, City management, City boards, commissions, committees, and taskforces, and individuals, institutions, and agencies concerned with the politics, procedures, and implementation of the Austin Community Climate Plan and the Austin Climate Equity Plan with the goal of coordinating all similar activities within the City and the community in order to secure the greatest public benefit; and forward to the city manager all advisory material that the joint committee provides to the council, the Office of Sustainability, City departments and offices, or City boards, commissions, committees, and task forces. (Sponsored by Commissioners Hiller and Breton) No update was given. 11. Small Area Planning Joint Committee – Update regarding recommendation and issues surrounding planning and zoning in areas such as downtown, corridors and centers, neighborhoods, the waterfront, planned unit developments, and transit-oriented developments. (Sponsored by Vice Chair Haney and Commissioners Barrera-Ramirez, Howard, and Skidmore) No update was given. 5 12. South Central Waterfront Advisory Board – Update regarding continuity and communication among stakeholders and advocates as the South-Central Waterfront Plan moves toward implementation and to provide recommendations to the city council regarding plan implementation. Section 2-1-172 of the City Code. (Sponsored by Commissioner Breton) No update was given. 13. Governance, Rules, and Procedures Working Group – Update on the review and proposed updates to Planning Commission procedural rules to ensure they align with current and best practices. (Sponsored by Chair Woods and Commissioner Barrera-Ramirez) Update was given by Woods. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 14. Discussion and action on proposed amendment to the University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO) boundaries to change the designation of properties located at 900–908 West 22nd Street from the Outer West Subdistrict to the Inner West Subdistrict. (Sponsored by Commissioner Breton and Secretary Maxwell) 15. Discussion and action on proposed amendment to § 25-2-643 to modify the Downtown Parks Overlay District requirements. (Sponsored by Commissioner Skidmore and Vice Chair Haney) 16. Discussion and action on proposed amendment to § 25-2-2-586 to increase the maximum height and FAR achievable on the properties located at 601 and 607 West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, 1800 and 1806 Nueces Street, and 604 West 18th Street through participation in the Downtown Density Bonus program. (Sponsored by Secretary Maxwell and Commissioner Bedrosian) ADJOURNMENT Chair Woods adjourned the meeting at 8:17 p.m. without objection. 6