ZAP FY 2021 - 2022 Budget Recommendations — original pdf

Backup

ZONING AND PLATTING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20210721-C-02 Date: July 21, 2021 Subject: FY 2021 – 2022 Budget Motioned By: Commissioner Denkler Seconded By: Commissioner King Recommendation: Propose recommendations, as amended, for FY 2021-2022, per attachment. For: Chair Barrera-Ramirez and Commissioners Acosta, Bray, Denkler, Greenberg, King, Smith Thompson and Woody Absent: Vice-Chair Kiolbassa and Commissioner Ray Vote: 9-0 Attest: Andrew D. Rivera Land Use Commission Liaison 1 of 1 Zoning and Platting Commission Recommendations on City of Austin FY 2022 Budget The Zoning and Platting Commission respectfully urges the City Council Members to consider the following recommendations regarding the City of Austin FY 2022 budget. Equity Office: • Provide resources to review City budget, capital improvement projects and provide training on racial equity. • Provide funding to implement the City Council resolution on reconciliation and healing for disenfranchisement of Black Austinites. Housing and Planning Department: • Ensure adequate staffing and resources in all City income-restricted housing programs to timely monitor compliance with income restricted housing requirements including the number of units provided, how quickly the units are filled, and whether health and safety maintenance is provided on a regular and sufficient basis. • Ensure adequate staffing and resources to monitor and provide public updates on compliance with City income-restricted housing programs. • Encourage more funding for down payment assistance which was listed as the greatest barrier to purchasing a home in the Neighborhood Housing Community Development’s comprehensive analysis of impediments to housing to leverage limited dollars. The analysis was based on the participation of 6,000 low-income residents, 43% of the participants were of color. • Provide adequate planning staff and resources to initiate and facilitate concurrent small area planning processes for: o Equitable Transit Oriented Development associated with Project Connect. o Displacement prevention and mitigation in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in the East Austin. o Historic surveys of neighborhoods and community assets impacted by rapid redevelopment and displacement in the Eastern Crescent. Development Services Department: • Purchase software or provide digital tools to facilitate application reviews for increased transparency, faster review times, and cost savings. • Ensure adequate staffing and resources to timely update Amanda and GIS with information on localized flooding and wildfire interface. • Ensure staffing levels are adequate to meet review times. Communications and Technology Management: • Explore the possibility of purchasing software to allow speakers to queue up to speak in virtual or hybrid meetings similar to what Travis County uses. Provide funding if needed. Fire: Page 1 of 2 Zoning and Platting Commission Recommendations on City of Austin FY 2022 Budget • • Increase funding and resources for wildfire training and the development of a plan to purchase trucks in the fire department, appropriately sized for street widths to decrease the upward trend of wildfire risk to buildings, roadways, and properties due to climate change. Increase staffing for construction and environmental inspections to ensure that all public infrastructure is built according to approved requirements and to address the $261,617 decrease in funding from last year’s budget. Code Enforcement: • Ensure adequate staffing and resources to proactively monitor and enforce compliance with health and safety regulations by commercial residential developments that participate in City, state, and federal income-restricted housing, rental assistance, or home repair assistance programs in Austin. Watershed: Citywide: • Add staff and funding for Atlas Floodplain Studies this fiscal year rather than in FY22, particularly in watersheds where residential housing is being added. • Ensure adequate resources for the Office of Performance Management to adequately analyze data to ensure that policy recommendations achieve the desired outcomes in the Council’s Strategic Plan. • Provide funding to allow the public to participate virtually in public meetings held by boards and commissions when in-person meetings resume in September 2021. Cc: Spencer Cronk, Kerri Lang Page 2 of 2