Recommendation 20221101-008: Project Connect — original pdf

Recommendation

ZONING AND PLATTING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20221101-08 Date: November 1, 2022 Subject: Project Connect Motioned By: Vice-Chair Kiolbassa Recommendation Whereas the Austin City Council passed Resolution 20211029-003 directing the City Manager to initiate code amendments to facilitate design, construction, and operation of Project Connect; and Whereas the Austin City Council passed Resolution 20211029-003 to direct the City Manager to Review City Code to: Seconded By: Commissioner King a. b. “Identify impediments to the design, construction, implementation, and operation of Project Connect;” and, “Develop new regulations and procedures to address the impediments.”; and Whereas an important goal of Project Connect is to facilitate and expand affordable transit opportunities that help small businesses and low- and middle-income families become more resilient and avoid involuntary displacement; and Whereas the proposed Project Connect Ordinance provides code amendments that are intended to streamline design and construction of Project Connect transportation infrastructure; now, therefore, Be It Resolved that the Zoning and Platting Commission encourages the Austin City Council to ask the City Manager to finish his review of identifying impediments, then develop new regulations and procedures in response to specific findings before adopting any code amendments; and Be It Further Resolved that to the extent that they do not materially delay Project Connect projects or add significant additional costs, the Zoning and Platting Commission encourages the Austin City Council to consider the following recommendations regarding the Project Connect Ordinance. Project Connect should: • Create and timely maintain a public consolidated dashboard that provides: o Information on Project Connect anti-displacement funds, programs, and resources available to families and businesses at risk of involuntary displacement along or immediately adjacent to Project Connect Corridors. o Demographics on families and businesses at risk of involuntary displacement along or immediately adjacent to Project Connect transit corridors. o Financial data on Project Connect anti-displacement bond funding provided to families and businesses along or immediately adjacent to Project Connect transit corridors. o Quarterly reports on Project Connect’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. • Ensure that Project Connect code amendments do not override environmental and air quality regulations, noise and amplified sound regulations, neighborhood review and public hearing requirements, public notice and protest rights, and variance review and hearing requirements. • Clearly define “Fast-Track Permit” and the associated fast-track permit process. • Seek recommendations from the Equity Office on all proposed Project Connect code amendments. • • • Brief and seek recommendations annually from the Zoning and Platting Commission, Planning Commission, and Environmental Commission on project development. Implement multilingual public outreach based on languages spoken in the affected populations. Brief the Environmental Commission early in the Draft EIS NEPA public involvement period to seek Environmental Commission comments and recommendations related to sound mitigation and management and other environmental elements. For: Vice-Chair Kiolbassa, Commissioners Denkler, Greenberg, King, Thompson and Smith Recused: Chair Barrera-Ramirez, Commissioner Boone and Stern Absent: Commissioners Acosta and Woody Vote : 6-0 Against: None Attest: Andrew D. Rivera Liaison to Zoning and Platting Commission