20211018-3d: Statesman PUD Recommendation — original pdf

Recommendation

BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION South Central Waterfront Advisory Board Recommendation Number: (20211018-3d): Resolution Recommending the 305 South Congress "Statesman" Planned Unit Development (PUD) Application Brief Description: The South Central Waterfront Advisory Board (SCWAB) held a public meeting on October 18, 2021 to consider a Planned Unit Development (PUD) proposal for 305 South Congress Avenue. The SCWAB passed this resolution which recommends that the City Council approve this PUD, pending detailed conditions of approval. The rationale, recommendation and conditions of approval are contained in the resolution below. WHEREAS, the South Central Waterfront Vision Framework Plan (SCW Plan) has been adopted by the City Council as an amendment to Imagine Austin; and WHEREAS, the 2016 SCW Plan established a consolidated vision and provides a cohesive set of recommendations to guide public and private investment in the South Central Waterfront over the next two decades. The vision presented in the 2016 SCW Plan is grounded in economic, environmental, and spatial analyses and provides a starting point for mutually beneficial collaboration between the City of Austin and its constituents: residents, property owners, and developers. More importantly, the 2016 SCW Plan served as the beginning of a larger city-led effort to ensure that, as this area evolves, every increment of investment by the City and its partners will contribute to making this a great new district by creating a districtwide network of connected green streets, parks, trails, and public spaces, as well as 20 percent of the new housing affordable (approximately 530 units); and WHEREAS, the SCW Plan established a conceptual framework for allowing site-specific entitlement enhancements in exchange for on-site-and-districtwide community benefit contributions; and WHEREAS, the SCW Plan forecasts that this conceptual framework could achieve the SCW Vision of; and WHEREAS, the SCW Plan recommends a series of implementation steps that include development and adoption of regulations and financial tools which will provide pathways to achieve the SCW Plan Vision; and WHEREAS, the implementation steps listed above have not yet been adopted by the City of Austin; and WHEREAS, the 305 South Congress Planned Unit Development (PUD) will serve as the catalyst redevelopment project within the SCW district, and is currently seeking recommendations from the various City Commissions prior to seeking approval from City Council; and WHEREAS, the applicant (Endeavor) has used the SCW Plan as the basis of this PUD proposal in order to both pursue the additional entitlements that are projected for this site, as well as to provide the community benefits contributions that are intended; and WHEREAS, the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board (SCWAB) was established by the City Council, as recommended in the SCW Plan, in order to provide the City Council with recommendations for implementing the SCW Plan; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board of the City of Austin finds the 305 South Congress PUD to be generally, in conformance with the spirit and intent of the South Central Waterfront Vision Plan and recommends the project move forward to both the Planning Commission and the City Council with the following conditions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The applicant continues to work with staff to resolve the conditions requested by both the Environmental Commission and the Parks Board. The City Council and the City Manager are to provide recommendations and a proposal for enacting the SCW Public Improvement District (SCW-PID) as part of the Downtown Public Improvement District (DPID), managed by the Downtown Austin Alliance, within 60 days. The applicant’s request to join and be accepted into the Downtown PID prior to receiving approval for its PUD application from City Council and present to the Council the amount of the assessment to be contributed by the property every year. The City Council direct the City Manager to commence necessary studies and prepare a draft ordinance and vote to finalize the creation of the SCW Tax Increment Finance District (SCW-TIF), the Regulating Plan, and the creation of a South Central Waterfront subcommittee of the Austin Economic Development Corporation as recommended by the SCWAB as part of its prior actions within 60 days. The applicant continues to work with the Austin Transportation Department to realize the transportation vision that was originally outlined in the SCW Plan, prioritizing non- car modes. The applicant will further investigate the possibility of retaining the public access that is currently used from the Congress Avenue Bridge to the trail. The applicant keeps the 4 percent requirement of affordability for their development and works with staff to incorporate and maximize the amount of affordable housing should other funding sources, such as a TIF or other methods, be made available in the future. Date of Approval: October 18, 2021 Record of the vote: 5 yes 1 abstention 1 recusal 2 absent Attest: ___________________________ Samuel Franco, Chair