REGULAR CALLED MEETING of the URBAN RENEWAL BOARD March 24, 2025, 6:00 P.M. PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1401/1402 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR. AUSTIN, TEXAS 78752 Some members of the Urban Renewal Board may be participating by videoconference and a quorum will be present at the location identified above. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in-person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Hunter Maples, (512) 974-3120 or hunter.maples@austintexas.gov. The Urban Renewal Board reserves the right to go into closed session to discuss any of the items on this agenda as permitted by the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Manuel Escobar, Chair Darrell W, Pierce, Vice Chair Amit Motwani Byron Davis Jacqueline Watson Kobla Tetey Tam Hawkins CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA The first 10 speakers who registered to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting, if speaking virtually, or who signed up prior to the meeting being called to order if speaking in person, will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Urban Renewal Board’s (URB’s) regular-called meeting on February 24, 2025 1 of 2 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. DISCUSSION ITEMS Discussion related to updates on future development of Blocks 16 & 18 from Rally Austin and Pleasant Hill Collaborative, including project status and anticipated timeline (Lex Miller, Rally Austin, Jen Boss, Hayat Brown, Sean Garretson and Garrett Scharton, Pleasant Hill Collaborative) Discussion and possible action regarding the request to amend the Urban Renewal Plan to allow additional uses at 1201 E 11th St. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Discuss and approve further action in support of the Urban Renewal Board Recommendation to City Council related to the upcoming budget cycle for the Urban Renewal Board EXECUTIVE SESSION Discuss legal matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of an interest in Blocks 16 and 18 located on East 11th Street in Austin (Private consultation with legal counsel - Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code) Discuss real …
DRAFT MINUTES URBAN RENEWAL BOARD February 24, 2025, 6:00 P.M. PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1407 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR. AUSTIN, TEXAS 78752 CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Manuel Escobar, Chair Darrell W, Pierce, Vice Chair Amit Motwani Byron Davis Jacqueline Watson Kobla Tetey Tam Hawkins Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Manuel Escobar, Commissioners Amit Motwani, Byron Davis, Kobla Tetey, and Jacqueline Watson, and Vice Chair Darrell W. Pierce arrived at 6:26 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: No members attended remotely. Board Members Absent/off the dais at call to order: Commissioner Tam Hawkins was absent. CALL TO ORDER Chair Escobar, called the meeting to order at 6:14 p.m. with five members present. Vice Chair Darrell W. Pierce off the dais at call to order. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers who registered to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting, if speaking virtually, or who signed up prior to the meeting being called to order if speaking in person, will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. There were no members of the public to address the board. 1 of 3 2. 3. 4. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Urban Renewal Board’s (URB’s) regular-called meeting on January 13, 2025 On Commissioner Motwani’s motion, seconded by Commissioner Watson, the minutes from January 13, 2025, were approved with a vote of 5-0-0. DISCUSSION ITEMS Update and discussion related to the annual budget process (Mandy DeMayo, Interim Director, Housing Department) Mandy DeMayo, Interim Director of the Housing Department, updated on changes in the budget process. Discussion related to updates on future development of Blocks 16 & 18 from Rally Austin, including project status and anticipated timeline (Anne Gatling Haynes, Rally Austin) Anne Gatling Haynes, Rally Austin provided updates. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS No discussion or action items for this meeting. EXECUTIVE SESSION Chair Escobar recessed the regular meeting and called the Executive Session to order at 6:31 p.m. Discuss legal matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of an interest in Blocks 16 and 18 located on East 11th Street in Austin (Private consultation with legal counsel - Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code) Discuss real estate matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of an interest in Blocks 16 and 18 located on East 11th Street in Austin (Real …
URBAN RENEWAL BOARD RECOMMENDATION 20250331-001 Commissioner Watson FY26 Budget Recommendation Seconded By: Commissioner Tetey Date: March 31, 2025 Subject: Motioned By: Recommendation Approve the base budget for the Urban Renewal Board (the “Board”) consistent with the approved FY 2024-25 budget, including a 5% increase for inflation, and providing an additional $100,000 to support additional anticipated operational expenses in connection with the proposed development project on Blocks 16 and 18 (the “Development Project”). During the past year the Board has engaged in an additional successful year of community engagement with area stakeholders including Ebenezer Church, Huston Tillotson University, Six Square and through the Board’s URB Stakeholder Working Group that includes area residents, businesses, and institutions, and recommended a development team for the Development Project that was approved by City Council. Now that predevelopment activities for the Development Project are imminent, we anticipate a busy year of activation relating to the Development Project and planning initiatives relating to the future of the Board beyond the completion of the Development Project. Additional budgeting also will help us provide complementary planning efforts to other major projects being undertaken in the immediate surrounding area including without limitation the expansion of Interstate 35 and the “cap and stitch” projects expected at 11th Street, the continued implementation of Project Connect and associated transportation improvements, planning initiatives by the Economic Development Department and District One offices, and the continued development of the African American Cultural Heritage District. We are requesting a total FY 2025-26 budget of $150,000. The development project for Block 16 & 18 that we have been advancing represents the most significant placemaking effort along East 11th Street and in the Urban Renewal Plan area in at least two decades, and potentially will set the stage to create a truly meaningful connection between Downtown and Greater East Austin. The Board requests funding to engage with consultants for additional planning to ensure that we properly coordinate pre-development and development activities to connect with and enhance each of these other monumental efforts to improve our city. Description of Recommendation to Council FY 2025-2026, the Board requests the base funding amount be increased for inflation and supplemented with funds to support additional operational expenses, planning initiatives for the Board, and additional planning relating to the Development Project. Rationale: 3957386.v1 1 of 3 Activation of Blocks 16 and 18 As the Development Project moves into the pre-development phase, there have …
