[1. Call to Order.]
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THE TIME IS NOW 6:00 PM AND THE MEETING OF THE LANDER PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WILL COME TO ORDER.
PLEASE LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER MOSS
[3. Director's report to the Planning & Zoning Commission on action taken by City Council on the October 3, 2024 meeting.]
DIRECTOR'S REPORT.I'M PRESENTING THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT ON BEHALF OF ROBIN.
UM, CITY COUNCIL DID TAKE ACTION ON THE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WERE HELD ON OCTOBER THE THIRD.
WE HAD THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED ALONG WITH THE WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN.
[4. Review of meeting protocol.]
IS OUR MEETING PROTOCOL.ON THE WALL TO MY LEFT, UH, SHOWS YOU HOW WE CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
ITEM FIVE IS PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[ CONSENT AGENDA: ACTION]
MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER MAY.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KALA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASS THIS UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARING.
[7. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Comprehensive Plan Case CPA-24-0014 to amend the Comprehensive Plan land use category from Leander Central to Activity Center on eight (8) parcels of land approximately 16.0602 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R517094, R031604, R646992, R646986, R646987, R646988, R646989, and R646990; and more commonly known as southwest of the intersection of East San Gabriel Parkway and 183A Toll Road, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.
]
TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE CATEGORY FROM LEANDER CENTRAL TO ACTIVITY CENTER ON EIGHT PARCELS OF LAND, AS SHOWN ON THE AGENDA, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS SOUTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF EAST SAN GABRIEL PARKWAY AND 180 3 TOLL ROAD STAFF PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE PRESENTING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CASE CPA 24 0 0 1 4.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS.
THIS AMENDMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTHLINE RETAIL PUD CASE THAT WAS REVIEWED BY THE COMMISSION LAST MONTH.
UM, AND THAT WAS, UM, IT WAS ALSO HEARD BY THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, LAST MONTH AS WELL.
SO THE ZONING, UM, THE APPLICANT IS SUBMITTING HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE DESIGNATED FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY OF THEIR PROPERTY IN ORDER TO ADOPT THE NORTHLINE RETAIL PUD WITH THE BAY ZONING OF COM, GENERAL COMMERCIAL, THE ZONING CASE, UM, Z 24 0 1 27.
TO ADOPT THE NORTHLINE RETAIL P REQUIRES THAT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT IS APPROVED TO ALLOW FOR THE BAY ZONING DISTRICT OF GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
THE LEANDER CENTRAL FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY IS INTENDED TO DEVELOP A WALKABLE AREA WITH DENSE URBAN FORM WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS BUILDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STREET AND PEDESTRIAN MOVE, PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT, SIGNAGE, STREET DESIGN, AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS, GATHERING PLACES ON AND REQUIRES ON STREET OR STRUCTURED PARKING, AND AN EMPHASIS ON PEDESTRIAN WALKABILITY.
THE ACTIVITY CENTER IS INTENDED FOR DIVERSE RETAIL EMPLOYMENT AND MIXED USE DESTINATIONS IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL SERVE A POPULATION BEYOND THE ENDER AND ARE FOUND ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND ARTERIALS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THESE CENTERS SHOULD BE, SHOULD CREATE COMMUNITY DESTINATIONS WITH ACTIVITIES, AMENITIES, SHOPPING RESTAURANTS, AND PLACES TO GATHER LIVE AND WORK.
STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE, RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
AMENDMENTS TO THE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY ARE A CHANGE TO THE FUTURE GROWTH PATTERN FOR THE CITY.
IN THIS SITUATION, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR PROPERTIES TO BE REMOVED FROM THE TOD.
THIS ORDINANCE WOULD SUPPORT CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY TO SUPPORT CONVENTIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVITY CENTER.
AND I WOULD BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE APPLICANT OR AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE APPLICANT IS AVAILABLE FOR A PRESENTATION.
IS THERE AN APPLICANT PRESENTATION? YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I, UH, I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT, UH, TO SHARE SOME HISTORY, UH, ABOUT THIS, UH, PROJECT AND WHERE WE ARE.
UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD FOR US? NAME IS ALEX TYBERG WITH THE NORTHLINE PROJECT.
SO NORTHLINE HAS BEEN COORDINATING A NUMBER OF, LET ME I MOVE ON HERE.
NORTHLINE HAS BEEN COORDINATING A NUMBER OF PUTT AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO TOUCH UPON IN THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, IT'S APPROPRIATE TO START WITH THE NORTHLINE HISTORY AND AS, AS I WAS ALLUDING TO, I, I, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT PRIOR TO THE, THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING TO EDUCATE THE COMMISSION A BIT MORE.
UH, BUT NORTHLINE'S 116 ACRE SITE PLAN DESIGNED BY DAVID M. SCHWARTZ ARCHITECTS AT THE TIME OF THE CITY OF LANDERS PUTT APPROVAL
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BACK IN 2018 INCLUDED A PHASING PLAN, WHICH INCORPORATED SIGNIFICANT INITIAL SURFACE PARKING IN MULTIPLE PHASES OVER A 20 PLUS YEAR PERIOD WHEN DENSITY IS GENERATED THROUGH PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES IN, IN CERTAIN BLOCKS.AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE SORT OF PHASING SCHEDULE THAT WAS, UM, PROVIDED TO, TO COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.
WE FAST FORWARD THE INFRASTRUCTURE SHOWN IN GREEN, REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR THE FULL BUILD OUT OF NORTHLINE OVER TIME HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND ACCEPTED BY THE CITY.
NOW NORTHLINE IS POSITIONED TO DELIVER THE REST OF THE PROJECT IN AN ACCELERATED TIMEFRAME.
THESE AERIAL IMAGES ARE, UH, FROM AUGUST, UH, SHOWING THE COMPLETED INITIAL RESIDENTIAL PHASES.
THE, THIS SHOWS ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF THOSE PROJECTS.
NORTHLINE'S INITIAL VERTICAL PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED ELEVATED STANDARDS OF SUPERIOR QUALITY STREET SCAPES AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY BUILDING FACADE DESIGN FOR AN ENHANCED WALKABILITY EXPERIENCE.
HERE'S A LIST OF EACH BLOCK'S DEVELOPMENT AND THE STATUS WITH EACH VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNER.
I'M KIND OF WHIPPING THROUGH THIS 'CAUSE I THINK YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION BEFORE.
UH, THIS SHOWS DE DESIGNED AND PENDING PROJECTS.
THIS SHOWS THE INITIAL ENDEAVOR, RETAIL AREA, AND PLAN OVERLAID ON THE OVERALL NORTHLINE SITE PLAN.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND UPON THE ENDEAVOR RETAIL AREA BY BEING ABLE TO PHASE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY.
THIS SHOWS RENDERINGS OF THE CALIBER OF ENDEAVORS DEVELOPMENT.
NORTHLINE'S DESIGN INCORPORATES PREMIER CIVIC SPACES TO INCLUDE NORTHLINE CIRCLE, TOWN SQUARE SPACES AROUND EACH WATER QUALITY, WET POND, ET CETERA.
AND NORTHLINE CIRCLE SHOULD BE INSTALLED, UH, LATER THIS MONTH.
THE NORTHLINE PUT AMENDMENT SUMMARY.
NOW, UM, WE ARE, WE'RE DEALING WITH ONE PART OF, OF THIS PROCESS AND I'M, I KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE YOU HEADS UP ON THE, THE SECOND PART THAT'S COMING BACK TO YOU NEXT, NEXT MONTH.
UM, TODAY WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, TO PROVIDE THE ABILITY, UH, TO, UH, BE ABLE TO HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT TO, UH, ENABLE US TO, UM, CREATE THE ZONING CHANGE THAT THIS COMMISSION APPROVED AND COUNCIL APPROVED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, IT'S THE, AND, AND THAT ALLOWS FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE REMOVAL, UH, BY STAFF OF THE ENDEAVOR INITIAL RETAIL AREA OF 16.008 ACRES.
AND THAT WILL BE DONE, UH, PURSUANT TO STANDARDS THAT ALSO INCLUDE A 90% MASONRY DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT REQUIREMENT.
AND THAT'S TO PROVIDE THE CRITICAL RETAIL AMENITIES FOR NORTHLINE THAT WILL STIMULATE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, THERE'S A SECOND COMPONENT TO THIS, WHICH I'LL JUST REALLY QUICKLY TOUCH UPON, BUT IT'S, IT'S A MAJOR PUTT AMENDMENT TO NORTHLINE THAT'S, UM, ON THE PNZ COMMISSION AGENDA NEXT MONTH ON THE 14TH.
AND THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE ENDEAVOR WITH THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND AN ADDITIONAL ADJACENT OPTION, A AREA WHICH I SHOWED HIM ON THE SCREEN FOR ADDITIONAL RETAIL EXPANSION, WHICH WE FEEL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, IT REPRESENTS THE MAINTENANCE OF THE OVERALL NORTHLINE VISION WITH DENSITY AND WALKABILITY THROUGHOUT THE CORE OF NORTHLINE WITH TRANSITION TO THIS RETAIL AREA.
AND ALL OF THIS IS GONNA REALLY SET LEANDRO APART FROM SURROUNDING SUBURBAN MARKETS.
UM, IT MAINTAINS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DESIGN AROUND TOWN SQUARE TO CONTAIN THE MAJORITY OF BUILDING FRONTAGES WITH GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL USES WITH OTHER GROUND FLOOR ACTIVE COMMON USES, ALL HAVING RETAIL CONVERTIBLE STANDARDS WITH HIGH QUALITY STREET SCAPES.
NORTHLINE REMAINS THE ONLY PROJECT WITHIN THE LE LEANDER TOD THAT MEETS THE INTENT OF THE LEANDER SMART CODE STANDARDS AND NORTHLINE'S PUD CHANGES ALSO HAVE ADDRESSED THE RECENT AND CURRENT CITY COUNCIL PREFERENCES FOR COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL IN PARTICULAR OVER MULTIFAMILY NORTHLINE AND ENDEAVOR HAVE BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH THE CITY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL ON THE ZONING COORDINATION SINCE DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
[00:10:01]
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, MORE THAN 10 MONTHS, AND WE'VE ARRIVED AT THE CURRENT PUD ZONING FRAMEWORK TOGETHER, UM, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATION AMONG THE PARTIES, WHICH IS CAPTURED IN THE CURRENT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT NECESSITATES A CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY IN THE CITY'S COMP PLAN.THE PARTIES ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD TO EXECUTE OUR SHARED VISION TOGETHER.
UH, IN ADDITION, AS ALLUDED TO IN THE COMMISSION MEETING THAT WE LAST HAD WHEN THE ZONING CHANGE WAS APPROVED, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE, THE, THE, THE RETAIL PUD, UM, NORTHLINE ALSO HAS COORDINATED, AND THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BY ONE OF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, WE'VE COORDINATED WITH ALL OF THE RESIDENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN NORTHLINE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THESE RETAIL AMENITIES, UH, TO OCCUR AND ARE IN, IN UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THESE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CITY'S COMP PLAN AND THE PUD ZONING IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE EXECUTION OF THE ENDEAVOR RETAIL PROJECT.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS SITTING HERE TODAY.
UM, WE'VE TALKED, I'VE TALKED TO ALL OF THE, THE, THE CONSTITUENCIES AND, UM, THERE'S UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THIS CITY OF LEANDER STAFF ALREADY HAS PROVIDED ITS SUPPORT FOR THE ZONING CHANGE FOR THE INITIAL 16.08 ACRES THAT THIS APPROVAL WILL FACILITATE.
UH, THAT HAPPENED ON THE, THE 12TH OF LAST MONTH.
UM, CITY COUNCIL PROVIDED ITS SAME SUPPORT AT ITS FIRST READING APPROVAL OF THE SAME PUTT AMENDMENT AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONS PROVIDED THE SUPPORT BACK LAST MONTH, AND SO DID CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, UH, THIS PROPOSED PLAN AMENDMENT MERELY ENABLES THAT ZONING TO OCCUR.
UM, NORTHLINE IS STILL MEETING THE COMMERCIAL OBJECTIVES FROM 2018.
I'M GONNA WHIP THROUGH THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANY OF THAT.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS SOME INFORMATION THAT THE MAYOR, UH, THOUGHT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO SHARE AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS.
SO, TO REWIND, THE CITY HIRED A THIRD, THE CITY HIRED A THIRD PARTY FIRM CALLED URBAN THREE IN 2018 TO DO A TAX BENEFIT ANALYSIS, UH, OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
AND I'VE INCLUDED SOME MATERIAL HERE FROM THEIR PRESENTATION AT THAT TIME.
AND SO THIS SHOWS, UH, THE FIRST PHASE OF NORTHLINE'S PROPOSED, UH, DEVELOPMENT BACK THEN, UH, FROM THOSE PROJECTIONS.
AND THIS SHOWS THAT THE PHASE ONE VALUE OF 182 MILLION, UM, WHEN ONCE THIS AREA GETS BUILT OUT AS SHOWN, AND CURRENTLY WE'RE WELL OVER HALF OF THAT VALUE.
AND WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE BLOCK DEVELOPMENTS FOR THIS INITIAL PHASE THAT ARE PENDING TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT, UH, 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
THIS IS PHASE TWO, UH, WHEN URBAN THREE PROJECT PROJECTED, UH, A VALUE OF, UH, 367 MILLION.
AND THIS IS AT FULL BUILD OUT URBAN THREE, UH, PROJECTED A VALUE OF 733 MILLION AFTER ABOUT A 20 YEAR PROCESS.
UM, OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS ARE TO REACH THIS VALUATION IN 2032 IF EVERYTHING IS BUILT OUT AS PLANNED.
AND THAT WILL RE UH, BASICALLY EXCEED A BILLION DOLLARS IN VALUE IN 2040.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY, UH, NOT ONLY ON TRACK, BUT AHEAD OF TRACK, UH, FROM FROM 2018.
THESE ARE SOME INTERESTING SLIDES SHOWING, UM, HOW THIS LOOKS IN COMPARISON WITH, WITH OTHER AREAS AROUND THE REGION, FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
AND THIS IS WHAT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SHOWING THE CAP METRO RAIL STATIONS.
SO NORTHLINE HAS THE RIGHT VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS READY TO MAKE MEANINGFUL DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS DURING THE NEXT REAL ESTATE CYCLE, WHICH IS REALLY THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IN ORDER TO BUILD OUT NORTHLINE'S COMMERCIAL COMPONENT.
UM, I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I I DO HAVE A COUPLE, UH, ENDEAVOR REPRESENTATIVES HERE AS WELL.
AND SO WE, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COORDINATING WITH YOU AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE REGISTERED TO SPEAK.
UH, IF YOU'LL COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AT THAT POINT.
I LIVE AT 2 5 7 JOHN WEBSTER STREET IN NORTHLINE.
UM, WE BOUGHT A TOWN HOME THERE, UH, BROWNSTONE.
AND UH, WHAT ATTRACTED US TO THE DEVELOPMENT WAS THE VISION OF WHAT NORTHLINE CAN BECOME.
AND I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, A SIMILAR DEVELOPMENT IN A PLACE IN VIRGINIA WHERE WE LIVE THAT'S PROBABLY FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS AHEAD OF
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WHERE NORTHLINE IS TODAY.AND I GOTTA SAY, HE'S FANTASTIC.
IT IS THE CENTER OF THE COUNTY AND, UH, THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS JUST, UH, A GREAT, MAKES IT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY COMPLETE SUPPORT FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE, TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS MARSHALL HINES, 1801 MONTANA COURT.
SO I AM HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE CASE, WHICH BROADLY SPEAKING, I AM IN OPPOSITION TO.
BUT I'M ALSO HERE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AND TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A REQUEST FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND THIS BODY, OF COURSE SHOULD BE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE COMP PLAN AND IT SHOULD SERVE AS THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR ALL OF YOUR DECISIONS AS YOU SIT ON THAT DAIS.
THAT'S SPELLED OUT RIGHT THERE IN ARTICLE 10, SECTION FIVE OF OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND YET THE REASON THAT YOU ARE NEEDING TO MAKE THIS AMENDMENT TONIGHT, UM, IS SO THAT A ZONING CASE FOR WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AND THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY VOICED SUPPORT FOR, CAN MEET WITH THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT ZONING BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BOTH PRACTICALLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
AT MINIMUM, THIS IS AT ODDS WITH STATE LAW.
SO THAT COMMISSIONERS IS A CLASSIC CASE OF THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG.
UM, IT MAKES A MOCKERY OF THE PROCESSES WHICH WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE.
AND MOREOVER, I WOULD ARGUE THAT YOU HAVE DISRESPECTED THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS BY NOT ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON THE MERITS OF THESE CHANGES IN AN ORDER THAT COULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE YOU WITH THOUGHTFUL INPUTS.
LAND USE PLANNING SHOULD FIRST BE A PROJECT AG AGNOSTIC AND SHOULD LOOK AT THE CITY THAT WE HAVE, TAKE INPUT THE PUBLIC PROVIDES, CONSIDER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS WE'VE ALREADY MADE AND CONSIDER REGIONAL FACTORS BEFORE TRYING TO GIVE GUIDANCE ABOUT THE CHARACTER AND TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE ACROSS OUR CITY.
YOU'VE SHOEHORNED OUR LAND USE PLAN IN TO FIT A SINGLE DEVELOPMENT, AND YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT CHOICE.
I VIEW THEM TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY GRAVE IF WE'RE SIMPLY GOING TO DISCOUNT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS DIRECTIVES BECAUSE WE INDEPENDENTLY BELIEVE THAT A PARTICULAR PROJECT MAKES SENSE.
WE NO LONGER HAVE A COMMON RUBRIC FOR ASSESSING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF ZONING CASES.
THERE CAN BE NO DEFENSIBLE CONSENSUS WHEN THERE IS NO SINGLE GUIDE TO WHICH WE CAN POINT AND IN WHICH WE CAN ROUTE OUR DECISION MAKING.
AND I'LL ALSO JUST IN MY LAST COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE, UH, RESPOND TO A FEW THINGS THAT I HEARD EARLIER.
IT IS TRUE THAT THE INITIAL PLAN FOR NORTHLINE WAS INTENDED TO PHASE THE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE SURFACE PARKING IN THE BEGINNING, AND EVENTUALLY IT WOULD BECOME MORE WALKABLE WITH BUILDINGS INTERFACING THE STREET LATER ON.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ZONING THAT YOU RECOMMENDED APPROVAL FOR, FOR THE NORTHLINE RETAIL PUD REMOVES THAT FROM THAT SECTION, UH, OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT WILL NO LONGER BE THE CASE.
IT DOESN'T PHASE IN THE SAME WAY.
UM, I, I THINK THIS IS A, THIS IS A BIG CASE.
I THINK BROADLY SPEAKING, MOST OF THE COMMUNITY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF NORTHLINE CONCEPTUALLY, BUT WHAT THIS SERIES OF CASES IS DOING IS MAKING NORTHLINE LESS OF WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROMISED.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTER DISCUSSION.
UH, AND THEN MY APOLOGIES TO THE COMMISSION AND TO THE PUBLIC FOR NOT BEING HERE THE LAST TIME WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ZONING PORTION OF IT.
BUT TO KIND OF, UM, GIVE A, A FOUNDATION FOR WHAT MY COMMENTS ARE GONNA BE.
I'D LIKE TO READ FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT LEANDER CENTRAL WAS DESIGNED AND INTEND TO BE THE INTENT AND CHARACTER.
THE LEANER CENTRAL FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY ENCOMPASSES THE CITY'S FUTURE URBAN CENTER IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO LEANDER STATION.
THIS AREA IS ENVISIONED TO BE A VERY WALKABLE AREA, WHICH ENCOURAGES A SENSE OF PLACE AND SHOULD REPRESENT THE MOST DENSE URBAN FORM LEANDER WILL HAVE.
THIS IS A HIGHLY ACTIVATED AREA WITH FIRST FLOOR STOREFRONTS, EMPLOYMENT DENSE RESIDENTIAL AND ENTERTAINMENT.
LAND USES ARE LESS DISTINGUISHABLE AND LESS REGULATED IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE FOCUS IS MORE ON FORM THAN FUNCTION.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS IN THE CENTRAL LOCATION ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STREET AND PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT, SIGNAGE, STREET DESIGN, AND PUBLIC GATHERING PLACES.
THIS AREA IS ENVISIONED TO BE DEVELOPED WITH THE URBAN CHARACTER, MEANING DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES ON STREET STRUCTURE PARKING, AND AN EMPHASIS ON EMPHASIS ON PEDESTRIAN WALKABILITY.
VEHICULAR CIRCULATION OCCURS ALONG GRID, A GRID BASED NETWORK OF COMPLETE STREETS WITH SHORT BLOCKS AND A FOCUS ON SAFETY AND EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION OF VEHICLES, BIKES, AND PEDESTRIANS.
WHEN WE, OH, BY THE WAY, ALSO LEANDER CENTRAL REPRESENTS 0.7%
[00:20:01]
OF ALL THE LAND IN LEANDER 0.7.WE SHOULD TREAT THAT VERY CAREFULLY.
AND WE ALREADY GAVE UP A CORNER OF IT TO A BIG WAREHOUSE WITH A LARGE PARKING LOT THAT'S NOT WALKABILITY.
AND I SAID IT DURING THAT CASE, SO I DON'T MIND SAYING THAT AGAIN.
THAT DOES NOT MEET THE INTENT OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND ONCE WE ZONE SOMETHING, IT'S ZONED.
ONCE WE APPROVE A, UM,
WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT THOSE SAME DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT ARE MEANT TO BRING SOMETHING SPECIAL TO LEANDER IS ALSO GONE.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE COMMISSION FEELS, BUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE GONNA SEE, YOU KNOW, MR. TYBERG, I, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, HIS DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT, AND WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO LEANDER, BUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE OF THIS MORE BREAKING UP OF LEANDER CENTER, MORE BREAKING UP OF THE REASON WHY WE WANTED THAT SPACE AND WE SET IT ASIDE TO BE SPECIAL.
THAT GIVES ME EVEN MORE PAUSE.
I DON'T THINK LEANDER SENT, UH, LEANDER CENTRAL WAS DESIGNED TO BE A BUNCH OF NON CONGRUENT STRIP CENTERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT ANYTHING SAYS OR ANYTHING WERE, SO I'M GONNA BE HARD PRESSED TO BE A YES ON THIS.
UM, I, I TOO APOLOGIZE FOR MISSING THE, THE LAST, UH, MEETING MEANT WHEN THIS WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT.
I, UH, I FIND MYSELF IN, IN AN INTERESTING POSITION WHERE I AGREE WITH BOTH MR. HINES AND, AND COMMISSIONER MAHAN, UM, ABOUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THEY'RE SAYING.
UM, AND, UM, WE'RE TAKING HOW MANY ACRES OUT NOW? 37 IN TOTAL? WELL, IT'S 16.
16 NOW AND THEN, AND THEN 21, UM, 21.
THAT'S MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE PROJECT.
THAT'S MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE PROJECT, RIGHT? THAT'S A THIRD.
IT'S, THAT'S, IT'S A HARD SELL.
UH, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT WOULDN'T END UP EVEN BEING A GOOD PROJECT, BUT THAT BASED ON, ON, ON WHERE WE STARTED IN 2018, THIS MAY BE A HARD SELL FOR ME.
COMMISSIONER MAY, I THINK ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD FOR THEM FROM THE LAST MEETING HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
I WAS, UH, THINKING ABOUT THIS ONE A LOT TODAY.
A LOT OF RESEARCH GOING BACK THROUGH WHAT COMMISSIONER MAHAN DID, LOOKING AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, READING THROUGH WHAT ACTIVITY CENTERS ARE, WHAT, UH, LEANER CENTRAL MEANS.
AND, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL CALL OUT, LIKE WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT ACTIVITY CENTER, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS ACTIVITY CENTER ARE AREAS OF MAJOR STRATEGIC COMMERCIAL CENTERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, I KNOW THAT LEANDER IS REALLY DESPERATE FOR MAJOR COMMERCIAL.
UM, THEY'RE INTENDED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR DIVERSE RETAIL EMPLOYMENT AND MIXED USE DESTINATIONS AT CRITICAL INTERSECTIONS TO CREATE DENSE VALUE INTENSE, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
SO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO HERE WITH LEANDER CENTRAL AS WELL.
UM, AND SO I'LL, I'LL STOP THERE.
'CAUSE I'M WONDERING, LIKE THEN WHY DO WE REALLY NEED TO CHANGE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MR. TYBERG, FROM FROM LEANDRE CENTRAL TO ACTIVITY CENTER IN THIS CASE? I MEAN, THE ZONING IS WHAT IT IS, RIGHT? YOU WITH GC YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH WHAT THE LEANER CENTRAL'S ASKING FOR, BUT WHY DO WE NEED TO CHANGE IT FROM ACTIVITY FROM LEANDRE CENTRAL TO ACTIVITY CENTER? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, WHEN, WHEN ENDEAVOR AND, AND US CAME TO CITY STAFF IN DECEMBER TO MAKE SOME, SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE PUD, WHICH WOULD'VE KEPT IT IN THE LEANDER STATION, UH, CATEGORY FROM A COMP PLAN STANDPOINT, STAFF WAS THE ONE THAT SAID IT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE THAT SECTION FROM THE NORTHLINE AND CREATE YOUR OWN PUT.
SO WE ARE, WE'RE LITERALLY FOLLOWING STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FROM 10 MONTHS AGO, OKAY.
TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD BECAUSE, I MEAN, I HAVE MY OWN IDEAS AROUND LIKE, HEY, YOU'VE GOT, YOU'RE LOSING SOME OF THE GRID, YOU'RE LOSING SOME OF THE WALKABILITY, MAYBE SOME OF THE GREEN SPACES.
I MEAN, AM I, AM I WRONG? I MEAN, I HAVE, I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE, I MEAN, I HAVEN'T SEEN LIKE A FULL CONCEPT PLAN HERE AND WHETHER THAT, WE DON'T HAVE TO STICK TO THAT OBVIOUSLY, BUT YEAH, I ACTUALLY THINK WE'RE GAINING GREEN SPACES 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE GREEN SPACES THERE.
WERE THERE WEREN'T ANY GREEN SPACES PLANNED IN THIS AREA, UM, PREVIOUSLY AS PART OF THE, THE NORTH LINE OVERALL PLAN AND ENDEAVORS PUTTING SOME, SOME, SOME GREEN SPACES INTO THEIR RETAIL PLAN.
WELL, AND, AND I, I MEAN I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE RESIDENTIAL PIECE OF THIS, WHICH HAS A MULTI-FAMILY DENSER POPULATION.
BUT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF LEANER CENTRAL.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A RES RESOLUTION FROM, YOU KNOW, OCTOBER OF 2022 THAT SAYS WE'RE NOT REALLY SHOULD, WE SHOULDN'T BE MOVING FORWARD
[00:25:01]
WITH MORE HIGH DENSE RESIDENTIAL IN THE CITY, THIS AREA WAS DESIGNED FOR THAT.AND SO EVEN THEN YOU STILL HAVE A 70 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT NON-RESIDENTIAL MIX WITH ACTIVITY CENTER, OR 60 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH LEANDER CENTRAL.
SO YOU COULD STILL GO FULL COMMERCIAL, WHICH I KNOW IS WHAT THE CITY REALLY WANTS WITH, WITH A LEANER CENTRAL.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US THEY WANT.
YEAH, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED TO COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND Y'ALL HAVE HAD SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS AND THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE MORE OR LESS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DRIVING FORWARD WITH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THINGS MORE BLACK AND WHITE AND, AND TO THE POINT OF, OF, OF MR. HEINZ COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, I I DO, I DO FEEL LIKE PULLING 30% OR MORE OF THIS, OF THIS LEANER CENTRAL OUT WHEN IT REPRESENTS 0.7% OF THE ENTIRE CITY IS, IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY DOESN'T SERVE THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS IT SHOULD.
AND MAYBE THE DEVELOPMENT OVERALL, IF WE COULD SEE THAT WE CAN MAKE, WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE IT BETTER, YOU KNOW, ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF IT.
BUT I THINK IT'S HARD FOR US TO, TO, TO MAKE THAT DECISION IN FAVOR OF IF WE DON'T SEE WHAT THAT BIG PLAN IS.
AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY CHALLENGES UP HERE AS A COMMISSIONER, IS THAT WE DON'T SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THE BIGGER PICTURE IS.
'CAUSE WE'RE JUST ONLY, ONLY ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS VERY BLACK AND WHITE.
WELL, HOW, HOW DO I SHARE WITH YOU THE BIGGER PICTURE? BECAUSE THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS IS TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BIGGER PICTURE.
THIS IS ON THE FRONTAGE, THIS IS THE AREA FURTHEST AWAY FROM WHAT'S IDENTIFIED AS THE IMPORTANT PIECE TO LEANDER CENTRAL, WHICH IS THE RAIL STATION.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING THE AREA FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE RAIL STATION THAT'S ON THE, BASICALLY THE FRONTAGE OF ONE A THREE, A 180 3 A AND SAN GABRIEL PARKWAY.
WE'RE TAKING THAT AREA AND AND ENABLING US TO, TO BASICALLY ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT WITH, WITH MARKET VIABLE RETAIL SO THAT WE CAN BUILD THE KIND OF DENSE PRODUCT THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING FOR.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER PRO PROJECT IN THE LEANDER CENTRAL AREA THAT'S DOING ANYTHING REMOTELY, LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING AT NORTHLINE.
I MEAN, WELL, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH 21 ACRES AFTER THIS? SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT 16 NOW, BUT THEN YOU WANT TO MAYBE, POSSIBLY TAKE 21 MORE ACRES OUT OF THE NORTHLINE POD AND MAKE IT INTO AN ACTIVITY CENTER.
IT'S, IT'S, AND DESIGNATE AS WELL, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL REALLY HIGH VALUE RETAIL THAT'S GONNA HELP CATAPULT THE PROJECT.
BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK WE ALL KIND OF HAD THIS VISION OF WHAT NORTHLINE WOULD BE.
AND IF YOU HAD LOOK AT EXAMPLES, YOU KNOW, GEOGRAPHICALLY WITHIN THE AUSTIN METRO AREA, YOU'VE GOT THE DOMAIN, HILL COUNTRY GALLERIA, YOU HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, LEAN DOESN'T HAVE A DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OLD TOWN AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA SEE THAT PLAN, GET FUTURE, YOU KNOW, UH, GET DISRUPTED.
'CAUSE THERE'S A, THERE'S A BIG PLAN FOR OLD TOWN LEANDER AS WELL.
AND I HATE FOR US TO GO DOWN THIS PATH OF DISRUPTING WHAT LEANER, CENTRAL, AT LEAST THE VISION OF IT IS BY COMPROMISING WELL, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE COMPROMISING THE IDEA TO TRY TO ACCELERATE SOME, SOME COMMERCIAL GROWTH HERE.
AND WE'RE NOT CREATING THE DESTINATION THAT, YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE I GOT ON PLANNING THE ZONING.
AND I KNOW THE BIGGEST GOAL OF THE CITY WAS TO CREATE A DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN THE CITY, BUT FOR AROUND THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS, THIS IS CHANGING THAT THIS IS, THIS IS MEETING THAT DESTINATIONAL LOCATION.
UH, I MEAN, I'M, I'M STILL HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING IT AND I, I I I DON'T KNOW WHY WE NEED TO CHANGE THE DESIGNATION.
I THINK YOU STILL HAVE YOUR COMMERCIAL.
I THINK THE DESIGN STANDARDS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UM, WITH, WITH LEAN ANDREW CENTRAL VERSUS ACTIVITY CENTER.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, UH, COSGROVE AND MAHAN, I'M, I'M, I'M A HARD, I'M A HARD SELL FOR A YES ON THIS ONE.
SO I GUESS TO EXPLAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS.
NO, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
HONESTLY, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU CAME AND PRESENTED WHAT YOU DID AND I, I WILL TELL YOU I DID NOT SEE THAT, SO I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THAT PDF.
SO IF IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT WITH US, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT AND REVIEW IT ON THE BACK END.
SO THIS WAS NOT CIRCULATED TO YOU BEFORE THE, IT WAS OKAY.
WAS IT? YES, THE, IT WAS THE WORKSHOP THAT COUNCIL HAD AND LIKE SOME OF US WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT WE OH, THE COUNCIL.
THIS WAS INTENDED TO BE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE THE, THE EVENT, UM, UH, BEFORE THE, THE MEETING.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS SHOWS
WE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE WALKABILITY THROUGH THE RETAIL AREA THAT CONNECTS THIS WAS, THIS WAS WHAT TOOK US THREE MONTHS TO NEGOTIATE AND COORDINATE WITH, WITH COUNCIL AND WITH STAFF, UM, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TWO AREAS COEXISTED AND, AND MELDED TOGETHER APPROPRIATELY.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT AND THAT, THAT'S
[00:30:01]
PART OF KIND OF MY FRUSTRATION STANDING UP HERE TODAY IS YOU ALL ARE HEARING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR, FOR ENDEAVOR IN TERMS OF WHAT, I MEAN THAT'S WHAT REALLY HELPED COUNCIL UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE ALL KIND OF ALIGNED HERE.
'CAUSE WHAT WHAT ENDEAVOR'S PLANNING ON BUILDING HERE IS TO HELP FACILITATE AND, AND, AND BENEFIT THE REST OF THE, THE DEVELOPMENT.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A ROLE IN THAT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE DEVELOPING SOME OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT'S, THAT ARE IN THE CORE.
AND WE NEED THIS RETAIL TO ENABLE THAT TO HAPPEN.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN KIND OF CLEARLY ABSORBED TODAY.
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T DO THIS RETAIL, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS PROJECT TAKES? WHO KNOWS IF THIS PROJECT WILL EVER TAKE, SO I, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF AT A CROSSROADS HERE.
THE CITY'S HAD THIS, THIS GREAT VISION OF A, OF A DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
BUT I MEAN, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
YOU HAD, YOU KNOW, A CC COME IN AND TAKE A HUNDRED ACRES.
THAT'S NOT GONNA MEET THE VISION.
THE ST DAVID'S 52 ACRES NORTH OF US THAT'S NOT GONNA MEET THE VISION.
NORTH WIND'S THE ONLY ONE MEETING THE VISION.
AND I'VE BEEN AT THIS THING FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I BROUGHT THE BEST DEVELOPMENT PARTNER IN THE REGION WHO BUILDS DENSE STUFF TO THE TABLE TO HELP CREATE THIS PROJECT.
AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS, IS THE NECESSARY WAY TO GET THIS THING STARTED.
SO, WELL, LET'S GO THROUGH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEN SEE WE MAY HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER KALAN, YOU KNOW, I NEVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY, BUT I READ A BOOK A WHILE BACK, UH, CALLED THE LEAN STARTUP THAT HAD A QUOTE IN THERE THAT I REALLY APPRECIATED.
IT WAS THAT, UH, NO PLAN SURVIVES FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AS PSYCHOLOGICALLY PEGGED, I DON'T THINK TO THE ORIGINAL VISION AND THE, THE PICTURES OF WHAT, WHAT, UH, UH, NORTHLINE HOW IT WAS ENVISIONED IN THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND I'M GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE PARTICULARLY OF THE REMOVAL OF THAT 16.08 ACRES, UH, IN ORDER TO FACILITATE, UH, MORE IMMEDIATE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE KIND THAT, THAT THAT WILL BE USED BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND ELSEWHERE.
IT'S POSITIONED IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ACADEMIC EXERCISES IN URBAN PLANNING AND VISIONS AND WHATNOT, SOMETIMES NEED TO GIVE WAY TO ECONOMIC REALITY AND, AND PRAGMATISM.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, I, I, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THE REMOVAL OF THAT 16.08 ACRES.
UM, THE ADDITIONAL 21.5 RAISES AN EYEBROW, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THEN TALKING ABOUT ALMOST FULLY A THIRD, ALMOST EXACTLY A THIRD, UM, OF, OF THE LAND.
UM, BUT I WANNA BE CERTAIN THAT, THAT THE QUESTION BEFORE US TONIGHT, THE ONLY THING WE'RE DECIDING TONIGHT IS THE 16.08 ACRES CORRECT.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEN THE 21.5 ADDITIONAL ACRES THAT'S NOT BEFORE ME THIS EVENING, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT.
I DON'T NEED TO CONTEMPLATE IT.
I DON'T NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE WHY.
I DON'T NEED TO ADD THAT ACREAGE TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH ONE THIRD.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 16.08 ACRES OUT OF THE 116, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, THEN WITH THAT FOCUS OF WHAT'S BEFORE US TONIGHT, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I'VE GOT A FEW COMMENTS JUST CLARIFICATION.
UH, WHEN THIS CAME BEFORE US AS A ZONING CASE, I WAS THE ONE THAT STARTED TO PULL IT THAT NIGHT BECAUSE I REALIZED IT NEEDED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW.
I DID NOT CATCH THE MISTAKE OF IT BEING ON HERE BEFORE THE MEETING AND ASKED STAFF TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL.
WE ACTUALLY DELAYED THE START OF THE MEETING FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MINUTES WHILE WE CONSULTED ON WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD VOTE ON THAT.
AND WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD VOTE ON IT, BUT IT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE UNLESS THIS COMP COMP PLAN WAS APPROVED.
SO, UH, THAT WAS AN OVERSIGHT.
UH, IT SHOULD HAVE COME TO US AS A COMP PLAN FIRST, BUT WE DID, WE DID DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND CONSULT AS TO WHETHER WE COULD TAKE THAT VOTE AND SEND IT ON TO COUNCIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I WOULD'VE APPRECIATED.
I I AGREE WITH MR. STEINBERG'S COMMENTS ABOUT WHY DID WE NOT KNOW THAT THE VISION WAS HAVING TO BE ALTERED A LITTLE BIT.
I WAS, I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE BACK IN 18 THAT VOTED FOR THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
YOU KNOW, I WISH IT COULD LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, REALITY COMES IN,
[00:35:01]
UM, THERE WAS A, A CHANGE IN CITY ORDINANCE AND DURING THE TIME THIS HAS BEEN DEVELOPING WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO, UH, GO BY THE SMART CODE, YOU COULD GO BY CONVENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.AND SO SURROUNDING THINGS BEGAN TO CHOOSE OTHER WAYS OF DEVELOPING THAT PERHAPS WEREN'T GONNA BE COMPLIMENTARY TO THAT ORIGINAL VISION.
AND THAT WAS THROUGH NO FAULT OF THIS DEVELOPER, THAT WAS, THE CITY CHOSE TO GO THAT WAY.
AND SO THIS DEVELOPER HAD TO ADAPT TO THAT.
AND THEN I THINK THERE ARE SOME MARKET REALITIES.
AND THE REASON I VOTED FOR THE ZONING CHANGE, AND I VOTED FOR IT, KNOWING THAT IT WASN'T GONNA GO ANYWHERE UNLESS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, YOU KNOW, MOTION WAS APPROVED.
BUT THE REASON I VOTED FOR IT WAS BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE SOME, UM, COMMERCIAL REALITIES HERE.
AND PERHAPS THAT ORIGINAL VISION JUST CANNOT BE REACHED IN THIS MARKET RIGHT NOW.
AND TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD, THERE HAS TO BE A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE SOMEWHERE.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS WILLING TO VOTE FOR IT.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SUCH SEEMS SUCH A, UH, CONTENTIOUS ONE.
I'M GONNA GO AROUND AGAIN NOW THAT EVERYONE'S HAD.
I WANTED EVERYONE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CHANCE TO SPEAK.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? I'LL START DOWN HERE.
DONNIE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? NO, I'M GOOD.
MR. CASTILLO, CAN I, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT CAN, CAN WE GET CLARIFICATION ON WHY 10 MONTHS AGO WE DECIDED THE, THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO CHANGE THE ZONING? 'CAUSE I, I THINK THE VICE CHAIR RAISED A AN EXCELLENT POINT.
I WAS NOT HERE WHEN THE INITIAL DISCUSSION STARTED
BUT THE REASON I THINK IS BECAUSE THE, THEY WERE CHOOSING TO OPT OUT OF THE SMART CODE REQUIREMENTS.
SO THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET WITH THE SMART CODE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO WITH CONVENTIONAL ZONING.
AND I, I, AND I'M A HUGE PROPONENT OF THIS PROJECT.
AND I, AND I THINK ENDEAVOR DOES GREAT STUFF.
UM, I THINK, I THINK MR. HINES RAISES A GOOD POINT ON, ON, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE ORDER IN WHICH YOU DO THINGS AND IF YOU WANT TO ALLOW PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, THERE'S A, THERE, THERE'S A, A WAY YOU GO ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND, AND THAT HAS A NOTHING AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
I, I, I GUESS, AND, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO, UH, THE SENTIMENT OF THE CHAIR AND, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE UP HERE IS, IS I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEEN THIS UPDATE BEFORE IT WAS IN MY, MY INBOX AND HAD AND HAD MORE, UM, BACKGROUND UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE WERE GOING.
COMMISSIONER MAY, UM, I WANNA ALSO PREFACE THIS.
WE'VE APPROVED A LOT OF PROJECTS AROUND TOWN WHERE WE SAID, LET'S BUILD, WE'VE APPROVED APARTMENTS AND LET'S SAY IT WAS 20 ACRES, AND THEN THERE'S THIS FIVE ACRE POSTAGE STAMP OF COMMERCIAL.
HOW MANY OF THOSE FIVE ACRE COMMERCIAL POSTAGE STAMPS ARE STILL A DIRT FIELD? UM, I'VE DRIVEN AROUND TOWN AND I WOULD SAY 90% OF THEM, WE, WE'VE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME BRINGING COMMERCIAL IN.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS CHANGE ON WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TONIGHT, NOT THE FULL 37 ACRES, JUST THE 16 IS A SLIGHT CHANGE.
AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL PLAN, BUT WE'RE HAVING GREAT DIFFICULTY IN MOVING THAT FORWARD.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO TIE THE DEVELOPER'S HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK AND SAY, YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
YOU HAVE TO DO IT THE ORIGINAL WAY THAT IT WAS INTENDED.
AND SEE THIS PROJECT EITHER DIE OR TAKE THE FULL 24 YEARS FROM NOW BEFORE ANY OF THIS IS BUILT.
UH, WE, WE MAY NEVER SEE WHAT, WHAT'S GOING TO COME THERE.
UM, MS. GRIFFIN SENT US THE EMAIL ON NOV UH, SEPTEMBER 26TH FOR THE WORKSHOP.
UM, AND I ACTUALLY WENT AND VIEWED IT A SECOND TIME BECAUSE I WANTED THE DETAILS.
AND I THINK MR. TYBERG HAS WORKED WITH CITY STAFF, THEY'VE WORKED WITH CITY COUNCIL.
AND WHILE IT IS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING, WE DIDN'T GET ALL THE INVITES OVER TIME BECAUSE SOMETHING THIS LARGE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION.
UH, BUT I DID GO BACK AND VIEW SEVERAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, WORKSHOPS OTHER THAN JUST THIS ONE.
[00:40:01]
UM, AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT PROJECT.UM, AND I DON'T THINK THE CHANGE OF THAT 16 ACRES IS TREMENDOUSLY DIFFERENT.
AND I APPRECIATE MR. TYBERG REACHING OUT TO ALL THE NEIGHBORS OUT THERE.
'CAUSE MY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN ON THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, I GO OUT AND SPEND A HALF A MILLION OR A MILLION DOLLARS ON A CONDO AND I'M EXPECTING VISION A AND I MOVE IN AND THEY'RE PUTTING IN VERSION C AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN CONSULTING ME.
AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT HE HAS REACHED OUT AND SPOKEN WITH PEOPLE AND NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS, BUT THE OTHER COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THERE.
AND IT'S EVIDENT IN ALL THE, UH, ITEMS THAT'S BEEN IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO YOU WON'T BE SEEING THE ADDITIONAL ACREAGE FOR IT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE, THE UNDER CENTRAL BECAUSE WE CONSIDER IT AS A BLURRY LINE.
SO ONCE THAT'S ADOPTED ON THE 16 ACRES, THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND MERGE IT ONTO THE ADDITIONAL ACREAGE.
SO YOU WILL NOT BE SEEING THAT IN THE FUTURE IF IT DOES GO THROUGH.
SO IT'LL BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED.
SO THE REMOVAL OF THE OPTIONAL AREA WILL BE, UM, COMING BACK FOR THE, LIKE FOR THE PUT AMENDMENT, BUT THE ACTUAL FUTURE LAND USE MAP WILL NOT.
SO ONCE IT GOES THROUGH, I CAN, I CAN, OKAY.
DID YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, YEAH, I MEAN, ONCE AGAIN, I MEAN, I, I SAID EARLY ON, I MEAN, PRO COMMERCIAL, I THINK WE REALLY WANT TO SEE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT HERE.
UM, I JUST, I WORRY ABOUT THE OVERALL LOOK AND FEEL AND THE, THE INTENT OF THIS AREA.
I DO KNOW THERE'S A DEMAND FOR COMMERCIAL, SO I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SLOW THAT UP.
BUT I ALSO QUESTION WHY WE HAVE TO SHIFT IT FROM AN ACTIVITY CENTER FROM THE LEANER CENTRAL.
I MEAN, I KNOW YOU SAID THERE MAY BE SOME CERTAIN DESIGN STANDARDS, MAYBE GRID PATTERN AND THE STREETS AND OTHER THINGS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I I I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOME THINGS WE CAN WORK ON.
AND THEN TO, TO MR. HE'S POINT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT HERE.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY EVERYBODY MAY WANT THIS, AND IT'S FINE.
AS YOU SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW WHAT ENDEAVOR'S DOING HERE, UH, MAYBE IS MAY TURN OUT TO BE A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
I I VERY VISUAL, LIKE TO SEE THESE THINGS AND APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GETTING THE PACKET.
I KNOW THERE WAS A LINK IN THERE, BUT I DIDN'T ACTUALLY, UH, DOWNLOAD IT.
BUT EITHER WAY, YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D LOVE TO SEE THE, THE BIGGER PLAN OF WHAT THIS, OF WHAT THIS CAN BE TO KIND OF HELP GUIDE THE DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE ON ANOTHER 1890 RANCH OR WHAT YOU HAVE DOWN 180 3 A IN CEDAR PARK.
I MEAN, WE WANT THIS TO BE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE, AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT LEANERS TO STILL CREATE SOMETHING OF A DESTINATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
WE WANT THAT LEANDER CENTRAL, YOU KNOW, TRAIN STATION TO BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA USE TO COME TO OUR CITY, NOT JUST A, YOU KNOW, HALF A PERCENT SALES TAX, YOU KNOW, UM, HIT TO OUR BUDGET EVERY SINGLE YEAR, YOU KNOW, OF OUR, OF OUR SALES TAX DOLLARS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE GET TO COLLECT WHAT, UH, ONE ONE 2% AND I THINK 1% HALF OF IT GOES TO, TO CAP METRO AND THAT AGREEMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND WE CERTAINLY WANT THAT STATION TO BE SOMETHING WHERE PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME HERE AND, AND UTILIZE THIS AREA FOR SHOPPING AND HANGING OUT AND ALL THAT.
UM, I THINK WHAT REALLY HELPED, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS GET COMFORTABLE WITH ENDEAVOR IS, IS HEARING FROM ENDEAVOR.
AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN AT THE WORKSHOP THAT YOU, YOU ALL, UH, MIGHT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO.
IT HAPPENED AFTER THE WORKSHOP AND IT HAPPENED IN SOME ONE-ON-ONE AND SMALL MEETINGS THAT WERE NOT IN THE PUBLIC REALM, BUT THAT GAVE ENDEAVOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY KIND OF TALK THROUGH HOW AND WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEIR VISION IS, UH, OF THE PROJECT.
AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT HELP IF, IF MAYBE BUCK CODY MIGHT SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP HELP Y'ALL COME ON.
DO YOU WANNA GO FIRST, SCOTT, BEFORE WE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS? UM, UH, WELL, LET'S, LET'S LET HIM COME UP AND YOU MAY WANNA ASK HIM SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE EVERYBODY'S TIME, UM, AND VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE THOUGHT AND DIALOGUE THAT'S HAPPENED THIS EVENING.
I'M NOT A WONDERFUL PRESENTER.
I'D LIKE TO THINK I'M AN ADEQUATE QUESTION, ANSWER AND DECENT DEVELOPER.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD, UH, THIS EVENING AND HEARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND, UH, REALLY UNDERSTAND IS THE DESIRE FOR DENSITY, THE DESIRE FOR, YOU KNOW, TOWN CENTER, THE DESIRE FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT, UNIQUE.
AND MY RESPONSE TO THAT HAS BEEN, UH, THAT'S BEEN OUR, THAT'S OUR DESIRE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ENTERED THIS PROJECT, UM, AND THE, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AND TIME THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED TO IT,
[00:45:01]
UH, IT'S NOT TO DEVELOP 16 ACRES OF RETAIL FACING, UH, 180 3 A.OUR, OUR VISION FOR THIS IS TO GET INVOLVED, UH, TODAY TO HOPEFULLY BE THE CATALYST THAT GETS IT STARTED AND THEN TO COME IN AND TO DO, UH, THE DENSITY AS THE DEMAND AND AS THE MARKET ALLOWS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS TO DEVELOP DENSITY.
UH, WE ARE IN THE, DEVELOP THE BUSINESS TO CREATE A PLACE.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT LEAST IN OUR REGION, UH, WE'VE BEEN ON THE FRONT END OF, UH, WHEN THAT'S HAPPENED, SOMEONE REFERENCED THE DOMAIN EARLIER.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DID THE DOMAIN, PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE CRAZY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THE JOKE IN THE OFFICE.
IT'S THE, UH, OVERNIGHT SUCCESS THAT TOOK 25 YEARS.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF SURFACE PARKING AT THE DOMAIN.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF SINGLE TENANT BUILDINGS AT THE DOMAIN.
THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, 4 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE AT THE DOMAIN.
AND SO OUR INTEREST IN THIS IS NOT 16 ACRES OR OPTION LAND, YOU KNOW, ADJACENT TO THE 16 ACRES.
OUR INTEREST IS TO COME IN AND DO WHAT WE DO, WHICH IS CREATE MOMENTUM, CREATE A PLACE, CREATE SPACE.
UH, THE OTHER THING I HEARD TONIGHT THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME WAS HILL COUNTRY GALLERIA.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE OWNER OF THE HILL COUNTRY GALLERIA, WHO'S, UH, THAT HAS NOT BEEN A GREAT INVESTMENT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT OWN HILL COUNTRY GALLERIA.
WE ARE IN THE CITY OF BK RIGHT NOW DOING A COMPLETE ENTITLEMENT REIN POSITIONING, UH, TOTAL HOPEFULLY REDEVELOPMENT OF THE HILL COUNTRY GALLERIA.
AND WHAT I'VE ARTICULATED TO, UH, THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS HERE IN THE CITY, LEANDER, IS THAT IF YOU REALLY DRIVE AROUND AND LOOK AT THESE DENSE DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS GROUND FLOOR RETAIL AND THIS VERTICAL MIXED USE RETAIL, THERE'S ONE PROJECT IN TOWN THAT HAS WORKED.
IT'S THE DOMAIN, IT'S THE ONLY PROJECT IN TOWN THAT WORKS.
BUT WE, WE COULD PUT YOU GUYS IN, IN GALS AND SHUTTLE DRIVE YOU ALL OVER AUSTIN.
WE COULD DRIVE YOU FROM SOUTH DALLAS TO RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
AND YOU TAKE THE DOMAIN, YOU TAKE THE PEARL IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THAT'S WHERE GROUND FLOOR, VERTICAL MIXED USE RETAIL HAS WORKED.
YOU LOOK AT ROCK ROSE, WHICH IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL RETAIL WITHIN THE DOMAIN, IT'S ALL SINGLE STORY RETAIL.
AND SO OUR GOAL HERE IS TO CREATE THE MOMENTUM AND THE MAGIC TO DEVELOP THE DENSITY THAT EVERYBODY WANTS.
WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS TO DEVELOP DENSITY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE MARKET TODAY WILL SUPPORT WHAT WE'VE GOT ON THE BOARD IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND WE, OUR EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN US THAT IF WE GO BRING IN THE RIGHT TENANTS, BRING IN SOME MAGIC, CREATE A PLACE, CREATE MOMENTUM, THEN WITH THAT WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT PHASE AND THE NEXT PHASE AND THE NEXT PHASE JUST AS WE DID AT THE DOMAIN AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PROJECTS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF THIS PROJECT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, UH, VERY DIFFERENT UP HERE.
AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT EVEN WITH THIS SITE PLAN AND THIS PLAN, WE CAN DO THINGS MUCH DIFFERENTLY.
I, I HOPE THAN 1890 RANCH, WHICH I THINK WAS THROWN OUT OF THE PARK.
I THINK THAT THE CITY OF LEANDER IS READY FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE RETAILERS, BOTH LOCAL, REGIONAL AND, AND NATIONAL RETAILERS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
I'M CONFIDENT GIVEN OUR NETWORK AND OUR EXPERIENCE AND OUR REPUTATION THAT, UH, WE'RE BEST POSITIONED TO DELIVER THOSE RETAILERS.
I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND MISMANAGE EXPECTATIONS OR PROMISE THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE INVOLVED IN THIS.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT TO TRY TO DO, UH, BLAND OR BORING OR ANOTHER SHOPPING CENTER, STRIP CENTER ON 180 3 OR 180 3 A.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING ARROGANT, I THINK WE'RE BETTER POSITIONED THAN MOST TO GO TRY TO EXECUTE THAT.
AND SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT I, I, UM, I, I, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS IS, YOU KNOW, TO GO TRY TO BE INVOLVED FOR FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN PHASES AND TO GO EXECUTE THE VISION THAT YOU ALL WANT AND THAT WE WANT, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO DO THIS FIRST ONE FIRST.
COMMISSIONER KLO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? UM, NO, NO QUESTIONS.
JUST DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, JUST SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THIS COMMISSION AND IT IS A REALLY HIGH FUNCTIONING BOARD, AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE DIALOGUE, THE BACK AND FORTH AND THE ABILITY TO, TO DEBATE AND DISCUSS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, AND I'M JUST APPRECIATIVE.
UM, A PHRASE THAT'S OFTEN THROWN AT ME, UH, IN VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SOMETIMES I CAN'T STAND, IS DON'T LET, UM, PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD OR DON'T LET GOOD BE THE ENEMY OF PER PERFECT, BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD REASON.
I DON'T LIKE THAT IS 'CAUSE OFTEN I THINK WHAT'S PROFFERED ISN'T REALLY GOOD.
[00:50:01]
THIS IS GOOD.UM, PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE 16.08 ACRES, THE TENANTS THAT I COULD ENVISION BEING IN THERE SUCH AS A GROCER, UM, MR. TYBERG USED THE, THE TERM ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, UH, BUSINESSES AND THE, AND THE COMMERCIAL THAT COULD GO INTO THERE.
UM, AND, AND I, I THINK AGAIN, IN, IN THE, IN THE FACE OF CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT'S FUEL FOR THE REST OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ACHIEVEMENT OF MOST OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF A DOWNTOWN CENTER IS.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT, WHAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID IS A VERY SEVERE CASE OF, UM, COURTHOUSE ON THE TOWN SQUARE ENVY.
WE WANT SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AND CALL DOWNTOWN.
AND I THINK WITH ANOTHER, EVEN IF, EVEN IF, YOU KNOW, A THIRD OF THIS WERE USED, WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT 70 SOMETHING ACRES LEFT.
WE'RE NOT, THAT'S NOT BEFORE US TONIGHT THOUGH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE, UH, A GOOD 100 ACRES OF DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD TURN INTO THAT DOMAIN LIKE, UH, VISION.
IF I MAY, ONE THING THAT I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, PLAZA SALTILLO, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT IN EAST AUSTIN, BUT WE WORKED WITH CAP METRO AND UH, WORKED ON SIX CITY BLOCKS IN PLAZA.
SALTILLO IS THE FIRST REALLY ESTABLISHED RETAIL TO GO INTO EAST AUSTIN.
WE DID TARGET, UH, WE DID WHOLE FOODS, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SNOOZE AND A BUNCH OF RESTAURANTS AND RETAILERS.
AND YOU KNOW, IN THAT PROJECT WE HAVE TARGET WHOLE FOODS, PROBABLY ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND FEET OF RETAIL.
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT 700 MULTIFAMILY UNITS, A 10 STORY, UH, BUILD A SUIT FOR GOOGLE OFFICE BUILDING.
AND THAT'S ON RIGHT AT ABOUT SIX ACRES, I BELIEVE.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, BUILDING SOMETHING THAT THE MARKET WILL SUPPORT.
I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHANGE, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT'S COMING AFTER THE ZONING CHANGE, WHICH WE, WE DID CHECK TO SEE THAT WE COULD DO BECAUSE OF, TO TRY NOT TO HOLD THE PROJECT UP ANY, YOU KNOW, UNNECESSARY TIME, WAS IT POSTED THE SAME WAY THAT ALL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHANGES ARE POSTED? YES.
AND SO IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THE COMMUNITY DOES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK.
UM, DO ANY OF Y'ALL ON THIS END HAVE A QUESTION FOR HIM? UM, NO.
JUST, JUST ONE MORE COMMENT AS I, I WAS LISTENING TO THIS AND I APPRECIATE, I, I THINK YOU GUYS DO GREAT STUFF.
MY, UH, I, I THINK I'VE BEEN TALKING FOR YEARS ABOUT WHEN WE DECIDED TO MAKE IT OPTIONAL FOR SMART CODE OR GC, I HAVE SAID FOREVER, IT WAS EVENTUALLY GOING TO LEAD TO A STICKY WICKET LIKE THIS BECAUSE, UM, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPTION, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE.
YOU, YOU WOULD SIMPLY BE DESIGNING UNDER WHAT, WHATEVER THAT CODE WAS AND WE'D BE GOING FORWARD.
UM, I I, I DO THINK I, I, I DO THINK ORDER MATTERS SOMETIMES.
UM, AND, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT CHANGES ANYTHING ON THIS PROJECT, I, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ORDER WOULD'VE CHANGED ANYTHING.
I JUST KNOW THAT, UM, I I, I THINK THAT I, I, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOING A ZONING CHANGE AND THEN THEN ACCOUNT PLAN AND, AND THOSE THINGS ARE JUST EXACERBATED BY THE FACT THAT, UM, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN NECESSARY.
WE, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION AND, AND, AND STOP THROWING UP OUR HANDS, NOT, NOT THIS BOARD, BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES.
SO, UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE IT, YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID EARLIER ON IS THAT WHEN WE MAKE A CHANGE, IT'S CHANGED, RIGHT? AND ONCE IT HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, MARKET CONDITIONS, ECONOMIC, UH, VIABILITY.
NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED 2020.
[00:55:01]
NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THE ECONOMY HAS GONE, PLANS CHANGE AND THEY HAVE CHANGED.ONCE WE ALLOW THIS TO GO THROUGH, THAT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, THAT MAY NOT HAPPEN.
SO BACK TO WHAT, UH, THE VICE CHAIR SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE A VERY BLACK AND WHITE THING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE WANT OUR, OUR LAND USE TO BE CATEGORIZED HOW WE WANT THE DESIGN GUIDELINES TO BE.
AND WHEN WE MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT I THINK THE PROJECT IS GONNA LOOK LIKE OR, OR HOW GREAT IT MIGHT BE, WE, THINGS CHANGE, RIGHT? SO THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING IS TO PREVENT CHANGES TO HAPPEN WITH US.
WELL, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A COUPLE OF TIMES.
AND DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS? MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT'S THREE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND WE'RE TIED.
SO WE ARE TIED AND WE WILL SEND IT ON TO THE COUNCIL AS A TIE VOTE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME.
COULD I REQUEST A FIVE MINUTE RECESS? YES.
WE'LL BE RECESSED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
WE ARE BACK IN ORDER NOW, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM
[8. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Zoning Case Z-24-0120 to amend the 675 Kauffman Loop Planned Unit Development to allow for overhead commercial doors on two (2) parcels of land approximately 24.91 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R328207 and R555049; and more commonly known as 675 Kauffman Loop, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.
]
PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONING CASE C DASH 24 DASH 0 1 20.
TO AMEND THE 6 75 KAUFMAN LOOP, PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO ALLOW FOR OVERHEAD COMMERCIAL DOORS, PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 6 75 KAUFMAN LOOP STAFF PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST, OH, SORRY, JASON FOE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO AMEND THE EXISTING PUD ON THE PROPERTY TO ALLOW THE USE OF COMMERCIAL OVERHEAD SERVICE DOORS IN THE GC, UH, PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY.
ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION TWO B TWO SIX OF THE COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE PROHIBITS THE USE OF COMMERCIAL OVERHEAD DOORS WITHIN THE TYPE TWO SITE COMPONENT.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO AMEND THE 6 75 KAUFMAN LOOP POD TO ALLOW FOR COMMERCIAL OVERHEAD DOORS AND THE COMMERCIAL PORTION OF THE PA LITTLE ZONING HISTORY ABOUT THIS, UH, PUD, UH, FOR THE 6 95 COFFMAN LOOP PUT, UH, ON OCTOBER 10TH, 2022 WAS WHEN THE PUD WAS ADOPTED.
AND ON JUNE 19TH, UH, 2024 INCLUDED AN AMENDMENT, WHICH WAS A MINOR ADJUSTMENT TO THE LOCATION OF A PORTION OF THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT.
A LETTER WAS MAILED TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 500 FEET WITH INFORMATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
UH, TO CONCLUDE THE STAFF PRESENTATION, UH, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO AMEND THE, UH, PUD UH, THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE PUD WILL ALLOW AND ALLOW FOR THE USE OF COMMERCIAL OVERHEAD DOORS IS STILL SUBJECT TO ARTICLE EIGHT, SECTION TWO OF THE COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE, WHICH ACQUIRES DOORS NOT TO BE ORIENTATED TOWARDS THE STREET AND RESIDENTIAL USES AND MUST BE SCREENED FROM VIEW STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, UH, THE APPLICANT IS AVAILABLE IN HERE FOR QUESTIONS.
DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE A PRESENTATION? GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, NOT A PRESENTATION, JUST A CLARIFICATION.
UH, THE P WHILE IT RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM 29 BACK TO KAUFMAN LOOP, THE ONLY PORTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE COMMERCIAL PIECE ALONG 29.
AND, UM, THE, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE EXHIBIT THAT WAS UP A SECOND AGO, WE HAVE SINCE REMOVED THE, WHERE IT SHOWS THE COMMERCIAL WITHIN THE SITE THAT'S BEEN AMENDED AND ALL THE COMMERCIAL IS ALONG 29.
SO ANYWAY, BUT THE DISCUSSION IS ONLY ON THAT COMMERCIAL PART UP FRONT.
AND AGAIN, SUBJECT TO ALL THE OTHER RESTRICTIONS THAT, THAT HE OUTLINED IN, IN HIS PRESENTATION.
WE'LL CALL YOU BACK UP IF WE'VE GOT QUESTIONS.
[01:00:01]
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.I DON'T HAVE ANY CARDS ON THIS ONE.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON.
CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTER DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER COLUM, UM, GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, I LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE PUD TO FACILITATE FLEXIBLE ZONING, ENCOURAGE IMAGINATIVE AND INNOVATIVE DESIGN.
UM, I WISH THE REGULAR COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE DID THAT, BUT, UM, QUESTION FOR STAFF.
WHY, WHY IS THERE A RESTRICTION? WHY, WHY DOES THIS RESTRICTION ON OVERHEAD DOORS EXIST? WHAT'S MANY HISTORY ON THAT FOR ME, UM, WE JUST, WE RESTRICT THE, LIKE, DRIVE THROUGH, LIKE THE CUR, THE QUEUING LANES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
WE DON'T ALLOW BAY DOORS TO FACE IT.
THEY DO HAVE TO BE SCREENED FROM THE VIEW ON THE ARTERIALS.
IS THIS AN AESTHETICS THING? LIKE IN OTHER, IF THERE WERE A BUSINESS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M THINKING OF SOME DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES IN AUSTIN.
UM, LIKE, UH, OH THREE OR THE, OH, UH, WAS IT, UH, ACL UH, THREE 10.
THEY'VE GOT GREAT BIG DOORS FACING THE STREET.
THEY OPEN MORE LIKE FRENCH DOORS.
THEY'RE NOT OVERHEAD DOORS, BUT IT FACILITATES KIND OF A NEAT, INTERESTING CONGREGATING AREA OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERT SPACE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THE OBJECTION TO THE OVERHEAD DOORS PURELY A ROOTED IN AESTHETICS OR, UM, I BELIEVE SO.
WE DO HAVE SOME CASES WHERE WE HAVE APPROVED THEM THROUGH A PIPE LIKE THIS, WHERE WE DO ALLOW THEM, UM, THE BALINE IS ONE OF 'EM WHERE THEY DO FACE THEM, BUT THEY ARE BEING SCREENED ON HERO WAY WEST.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BE A SIMILAR CASE WHERE THEY CAN FACE THE ARTERIAL BY ALLOWING THIS, SO IT IS THIS FACILITATE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, A GARAGE OR, MM-HMM.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I'VE GOT NO PROBLEM.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE THE PURPOSE OF THE DOORS? WHAT, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REQUESTING IT, SO WHAT, WHAT IS THE INTENT FOR THE, WELL, CERTAINLY SOME OF THE USES IN THERE AS THE COMMISSIONER SUGGESTED, UM, THE RESTAURANT THERE AT, AT, UH, THE LUPE TORTILLA, THEY HAVE THE GLASS OVERHEAD DOORS THAT ROLL UP.
BUT, UM, IT, IT APPEARS AS A USE CHANGE IN THE APPLICATION, THE WAY YOUR, YOUR PROCESS LISTS.
SO ONLY THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED UNDER THE P WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING LIKE FREIGHT OR ANYTHING.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BACK IT NO, NO.
I MEAN, JUST MAKING SURE GIVEN THE, THE SHAPE.
AND, UM, THE LAST THING I SAW IS THEY WORKED ON THE PRY.
I THINK THERE WERE THREE PADS ALONG 29 AND THE LARGEST WAS A RESTAURANT.
I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY LUCKY.
'CAUSE I THINK 10, 10 22, ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE, UH, WATER RESOLUTION GOT IT PASSED
AND SINCE THIS HAS MULTI-FAMILY TOWN HOMES ON, I FIGURED THIS PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE, WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT THROUGH, BUT, UH, NO, I, I'M, I'M GOOD WITH THIS, SO THANKS.
AND I THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT 29 I COMMISSIONER MAHAN.
AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[9. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Zoning Case Z-24-0134 to amend the current zoning of SFU/MH-2-B (Single-Family Urban/Manufactured Home) to adopt the Hill Country Community Ministries – Lacy Drive PUD (Planned Unit Development) with the base zoning district of LC-3-A (Local Commercial) on three (3) parcels of land approximately 1.31 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R036399, R036398, and R036397; and more commonly addressed as 1005 Lacy Drive, 1007 Lacy Drive, and 1009 Lacy Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.
]
TO ADOPT THE HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES LACEY DRIVE, PUT WITH THE BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF LC THREE A ON THREE PARCELS OF LAND, AS SHOWN ON THE AGENDA, MORE COMMONLY ADDRESSED AS 1 0 0 5.
LACEY DRIVE, 1 0 0 7 AND 1 0 0 9.
LACEY DRIVE STAFF PRESENTATION.
I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THAT WAS ME.
UM, SO THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE ZONING PROCESS.
UM, THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE DESIGNATED ZONING DISTRICT OF THEIR PROPERTY IN ORDER TO OPERATE A FOOD PANTRY CLOSED CLOSET SLASH THRIFT STORE UNDER RESOURCE CENTER SLASH OFFICE SPACE.
THE REQUEST WAS NOTIFIED WITH THE BAY ZONING OF GC.
HOWEVER, THE REQUEST HAS BEEN AMENDED TO INCLUDE THE BAY ZONING OF LC AND IS PROPOSING TO INCLUDE THE USE OF FOOD PANTRY DONATION CENTER AND THRIFT STORE WHEN OPERATED BY A NONPROFIT.
SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING ZONING, THE TOWN HOMES ARE PROPOSED TO BE PERMITTED IN LIEU OF THE OTHER USES THAT WERE PROPOSED.
THE PROPERTY LOCATED ON LACEY DRIVE BEHIND THE BRAKE CHECK ALONG US 180 3 AND THE SURROUNDING LAND USES TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, AND THE WEST ARE ALL RESIDENTIAL USES.
THE CURRENT USE OF THE PROPERTY IS STILL BEING OPERATED BY HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES AS A DONATION CENTER.
AND A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WAS HELD ON THE 27TH OF JUNE.
AND NO RESIDENTS OR PROPERTY OWNERS ATTENDED THE MEETING.
THEY DID HAVE TWO PHONE CALLS FOLLOWING THAT, UM, FOLLOWING THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT.
AND THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, VANDALISM, AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, BUT
[01:05:01]
NO CHANGES WERE MADE.THEY WERE DISCUSSED, UM, WITH THE, THE CONCERNS CITIZENS.
THE PROPOSED PUD THAT INCLUDES THE BAY ZONING OF LC IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY OF TRANSITIONAL.
THE PROPOSED USED BY THE HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES INCLUDE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WOULD NOT GENERATE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC TO GREATLY IMPACT THE SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT.
IF THE SITE IS NOT DEVELOPED AS A FOOD PANTRY DONATION CENTER AND OR THE THRIFT STORE, THEN THE SITE WILL BE PERMITTED TO BE DEVELOPED AS TINY HOMES, WHICH IS ALREADY ALLOWED UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICT.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE APPLICANT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
IS THERE AN APPLICANT PRESENTATION? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME BE HERE.
AND I DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTER DISCUSSION.
JUST FOR CLARITY, WE'RE ASKING FOR LC ZONE.
I I, I'VE SEEN GC THROUGHOUT, EVEN IN THE LETTER THAT CAME IN.
SO WE'RE, THIS IS FOR, WE HAVE, YEAH, WE HAVE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO AN LC.
COMMISSIONER COLOM, I'M ALL FOR THIS, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE, THE TINY HOMES.
IT'S ALMOST, IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BUT IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A KNOWN SEQUITUR AS I WAS READING THROUGH IT.
YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IF IT'S NOT ANY OF THESE THINGS, IT WILL BE TINY HOMES.
UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ODD PIVOT.
UM, IS THERE IS A RATIONALE FOR IT.
IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE IT, IT, YEAH.
MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT, UM, THAT, THAT IF IT WOULD, IF ALL THIS OTHER STUFF DOESN'T WORK OUT, THEN WE'RE GONNA BUILD TINY HOMES ON IT.
SO WE STARTED, WELL, WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AT 1 0 0 9 LACEY DRIVE IN 2021.
THE WHOLE IDEA WAS THAT WE WERE GONNA BUILD THE FOOD PANTRY THERE.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND, UH, WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE STILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTUALLY BUILD SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WE HAVE BEEN, UH, PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GETTING LAND AT NO COST TO US.
WE HAD A FOUNDATION THAT WAS WILLING TO BUILD US THE FOOD PANTRY WITH US, JUST ONLY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE JUST A TINY AMOUNT.
AND THROUGHOUT THAT, UH, AND WITH THE CURRENT RE UH, THE ZONING IS BEING RESIDENTIAL, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT, NOT JUST HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES, BUT ALL THE NONPROFITS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAVE IS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
UM, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR US LOOKS LIKE FAMILIES THAT GET LIKE A 30 DAY EVICTION NOTICE.
AND IT'S A MOM AND DAD AND TWO CHILDREN.
AND THEY MAY NEED JUST SOMEWHERE TO GO FOR 30 DAYS OR 60 DAYS, BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED THIS IN 2021, THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR ANYBODY TO GO.
AND SO THE WHOLE IDEA IS, IS THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO BE, UH, SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED, IT GOES BEYOND JUST FOOD.
IT, IT GOES, YOU KNOW, HOUSING AND STUFF.
AND THERE'S NOWHERE TO SEND 'EM.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE THAT DOES AN AMAZING JOB DOWN IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
WE HAVE, UM, SHELTERS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PERSON, YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR FAMILY THERE.
AND SO, UM, IDEALLY THIS WOULD BE AN EXTENSION OF A PROGRAM AT SOME POINT.
OR WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SELL IT.
IF WE DO MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELL IT AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE CAN DEVELOP IT AND TO KEEP THAT RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.
THEY CAN DO TINY HOMES BY RIGHT.
AND I HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THE, UH, ON THE RENDERING.
THERE WAS, UM, A NOTE OF AN AMPHITHEATER.
IS THAT, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE AMPHITHEATER? SO OUR, UM, OUR ARCHITECT, UM, SHE ACTUALLY HELPED DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
AND IT REALLY WAS NOTHING OTHER THAN WE WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THE TREES.
AND, UM, IF WE WERE TO BUILD BECAUSE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BUILD ON A SLOPE.
AND SHE MORE, SHE MEANT MORE LIKE A, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN RIGHT NOW ON OUR PROPERTY.
SO IT WAS KIND OF AN EXTENSION OF THAT WHERE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY JUST MORE HAVE A, A, A, UM, A QUIET SPACE.
IT WASN'T GONNA BE, SHE PUT AMPHITHEATER, BUT IT WASN'T GONNA BE ANYTHING LIKE A CONCERT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT WAS MORE ABOUT MAKING IT OF A, UH, COMMUNITY GARDEN WHERE PEOPLE CAN PUT PICNIC TABLES AND BENCHES AND STUFF.
AND TAKING THE DETENTION POND, THE PROPOSED DETENTION POND, AND USING THAT WATER TO FILL OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN.
SO REALLY IT WAS JUST MORE OF A, A PEACEFUL SPACE TO UTILIZE THE EXISTING TREES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER, AS WELL AS MOVE OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN DOWN THAT AREA.
AND IT IS PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO JUST HAVE FELLOWSHIP.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOTION TO APPROVE.
[01:10:01]
COMMISSIONER MAHAN.SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COSGROVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UNANIMOUS.
[10. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case Z-24-0142 to amend the current zoning of SFS-2-B (Single-Family Suburban) to GC-3-C (General Commercial) on one (1) parcel of land approximately 5.094 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R432899; and generally located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Hero Way West and N. Lakeline Boulevard, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.
]
TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF SFS TWO B TO GC THREE C ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND IS SHOWN ON THE AGENDA, GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF HERO WAY WEST AND NORTH LAKELINE BOULEVARD.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE DESIGNATED ZONING DISTRICT OF THEIR PROPERTY TO DEVELOP A MIXED USE COMMERCIAL AREA, INCLUDING RETAIL STORES, OFFICE SPACE, DINING, UH, DINING ESTABLISHMENTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.
THIS PROPERTY IS PART OF A LARGER 37.6 ACRE PARCEL THAT IS IN THE ETJ.
THE APPLICANT HAS THE OPTION OF ANNEXING THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE LARGER PARCEL, INCORPORATING THAT ACREAGE INTO THE DEVELOPMENT AT THE FUTURE TIME.
THE SURROUNDING AREAS, UH, SORRY.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED SOUTH OF HERO WAY WEST.
UH, TO THE EAST OF THE SITE IS THE URBANA SUBDIVISION, UH, TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, AND WEST OF THE PROPERTY IS UNDEVELOPED LAND.
UH, THIS PROPERTY CONTAINS VERY FEW TREES THAT ARE JUST THE LONG HERO WAY.
THEY'RE, IT'S HARD TO SEE WITH THE ARROW, BUT THEY'RE RIGHT AROUND HERE.
AND FOR UTILITIES, THIS PROPERTY DOES HAVE ACCESS, UH, TO WATER ALONG HAIR AWAY WEST.
UH, THERE WAS A CIP PROJECT, UH, THAT IS THERE NEAR IN COMPLETION, WHICH INCLUDES AN EXTENSION OF THE WATER LINE, UH, ALONG NORTH, UH, NORTH LAKE LINE.
A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WAS HELD AT SEVEN O'CLOCK ON AUGUST 7TH, UH, VIRTUALLY.
AND ANOTHER ONE AT 6:30 PM AUGUST 8TH.
IN PERSON, UH, NO RESIDENCE OR PROPERTY OWNERS ATTENDED THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
AND, UM, THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN AN ACTIVITY CENTER, WHICH IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR DIVERSE RETAIL EMPLOYMENT AND MIXED USE DE DESTINATIONS AT CRITICAL IN INTERSECTIONS.
THIS LAND USE CATEGORY IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PROPOSED, UH, GENERAL COMMERCIAL USE COMPONENT.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE, UH, WITH THE PRESENTATION AND FOR QUESTIONS.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER JENSEN AND I'M WITH PAUL JENSEN.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
UM, BEFORE I GET STARTED ON THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LANDOWNERS.
NANCY GILPEN, SHE OWNS THIS PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET, AS WELL AS, UM, LAND TO THE SOUTH.
SHE HAS A PRETTY BIG FOOTPRINT HERE HISTORICALLY IN LEANDER.
HER HOMESTEAD WAS ACTUALLY WHAT IS NOW ROSEN BUSH RANCH.
SO SHE IS BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY MORE OR LESS HER ENTIRE LIFE.
UM, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
THIS DEVELOPMENT GROUP I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR A WHILE NOW, THEY ARE, UM, VERY COMMITTED TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
THEY HAVE 22 PROJECTS IN TEXAS TODAY.
THEIR CLOSEST PROJECT THAT IS OPEN TODAY IS IN BELTON.
THEY ARE VERY WELL DIVERSIFIED.
THEY'RE COMMITTED TO CREATING RETAIL.
THEY CREATE EMPLOYMENT AND, UM, TRY TO MAKE THE BEST EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS AND NEIGHBORS.
I DID WANNA ADD ONE THING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENT.
WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION WITH THE GIDDENS FAMILY.
THEY'RE THE LARGEST PROPERTY OWNER AROUND US.
THEY'RE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, WE HAD A NEIGHBOR TO OUR EAST ALSO CALL.
LET'S ACTIVATE SOME PROJECTS IN THIS AREA THAT ISN'T RESIDENTIAL.
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A DEAL.
UM, SO THE FORTUNE GROUP, THEY HAVE OVER A MILLION AND A HALF SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL BETWEEN C STORES, BIG BOX RETAILERS, AND 92% OF WHAT THEY OWN IS LEASED OUT TO, UM, THESE USERS.
AND HERE'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE USERS THAT THEY WORK WITH OR BUILD FOR.
[01:15:02]
SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT I'M WORKING ON WITH THEM IN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER OF A LAND FOOTPRINT, BUT THIS IS IN GEORGETOWN AND THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL LAYOUT FOR THE SITE ITSELF.SO THEY WILL HAVE, UM, SO HERE IS HERO WAY AND LAKELINE IS RIGHT HERE.
SO THEY INTEND RIGHT HERE TO HAVE ABOUT 8,500 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL.
AND THEN A C STORE HERE ABOUT MORE OR LESS, 45 TO 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEIR KUDOS BRAND LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S HIGH END, FIRST CLASS DEVELOPED RETAIL, AND AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEIR RETAIL BUILDINGS LOOK LIKE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTER DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER KALO, NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANKS VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER MAY I SAW DUNKING DONUTS ON THERE AND IF THERE'S A DUNKING DONUTS THERE, MY WIFE IS GONNA MAKE ME VOTE FOR IT.
COMMISSIONER COSGROVE, FAIR POINT.
UH, WELL, I I, I DON'T, AND I, I DON'T THINK PAUL DOES THIS.
I I, AND I DON'T THINK, UM, IT'S A CONCERN FOR ME HERE, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER AS A COMMISSION WHAT YOU'RE GIVING SOMEBODY IS BLIND GC THREE NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL, AND ONCE IT'S ZONED GC THREE, RIGHT, RIGHT NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL.
AND NOT SAYING ANYBODY HERE HAS ANY INTENT, BUT WE'VE HEARD, AGAIN, THINGS CHANGE, PROJECT PEOPLE CHANGE.
AND ONCE YOU MAKE THIS BIG SWING WITH NO TRANSITION, THAT STARTS TO BECOME A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER DEVELOPERS TO SAY, HEY, WELL YOU DID IT FOR SO AND SO.
WHY AREN'T YOU DOING IT HERE? I, I JUST WANT TO, AND, AND I THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD PROJECT, BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT AS, AS THEY GO FORWARD JUST MAKING BLANKET ZONING CHANGES ON THINGS LIKE THIS.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY WE DON'T SPLIT LAND USE CATEGORIES UP, RIGHT? WE ALLOWED RESIDENTIAL INTO AN ACTIVITY CENTER AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR PROJECT, BY THE WAY.
I'M JUST WARNING, THIS IS MY, THIS IS MY PUSH AGAIN TO THE COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE START BREAKING THINGS UP, THERE ARE REAL IMPACTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA ALLOW A GC THREE IN THIS SPACE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROJECT.
THERE'S NO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, PENALIZE A DEVELOPER FOR BRINGING SOMETHING THAT'S BELONGS IN AN ACTIVITY CENTER BECAUSE WE ALLOWED SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN AN ACTIVITY CENTER TO BE THERE.
SO NOW THOSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE, THEY'RE GONNA BE BESIDE GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
WHAT'S THE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL? ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS? THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY RESTRICTED HOURS.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHY WE DON'T BUFFER GC UP TO RESIDENTIAL, UH, OR TO, UM, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LIKE THAT, RIGHT? WE PUT THESE BUFFERS IN PLACE, LOCAL, COMMERCIAL, LOCAL OFFICE, ALL THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE SOME BUFFER ZONES IN THERE, WHICH IS ALSO WHY WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SINGLE FAMILY WITHIN THE ACTIVITY CENTER.
BUT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR CASE.
WELL, THE ACTIVITY, THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SIDE OF MY, MY COMMENTS.
AND TO YOUR POINT, SO I HAD TO LOOK THIS UP 'CAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT THE 2020 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I NOTICED THAT WE AMENDED THAT AND ADDED THE ACTIVITY CENTER TO THIS INTERSECTION ON LAKELINE AND HERO WAY BACK IN JANUARY OF 2024.
SO I, I WAS LOOKING AT MY OLD MAP, I'M LIKE, WELL, THIS IS NOT AN ACTIVITY CENTER.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOKED AT THE LATEST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP, FUTURE LAND USE MAP, AND IT'S RIGHT IN THERE.
AND THERE IS SOME, THERE IS SOME, YOU KNOW, UH, RESIDENTIAL SMACK THAT IN THERE, BUT WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE TOP PORTION OF THIS LAND.
'CAUSE THE, THE LOWER PORTION THAT KIND OF TRIANGLES OUT ON, ON LAKELINE, YOU'RE NOT ASKING TO CHANGE THAT ZONING.
IT JUST THAT LITTLE SQUARE PART.
SO THERE, I THINK THIS IS NOT GONNA TOUCH A LOT OF THAT RESIDENTIAL THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE QUESTION'S GONNA BE IS WHEN THEY COME BACK AND ASK FOR A ZONING CHANGE ON THAT LOWER PORTION OF THE LAND.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER SERIOUSLY, BASED ON YOUR COMMENTS, WHICH IS A GOOD POINT.
SORRY, THIS WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER BEFORE, RIGHT? IT WASN'T AN ACTIVITY CENTER, IT WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH STILL SHOULDN'T HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITHIN THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY POINT STILL STILL REMAINS EXCEPT FOR, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING ACTIVITY VERSUS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EITHER.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT AS WELL, THE PROPERTY JUST TO THE EAST OF THAT COMMUNITY, THE RESIDENTIAL IS A PC POWER STATION
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THAT HAS THE HUGE TRANSFORMERS AND THE, UH, DEVELOPER ON THAT LAND.I, IT WAS A VERY CONTENTIOUS MEETING IN PLANNING AND ZONING AS TO WHETHER APPROVE THAT OR NOT BECAUSE IT WAS NEXT TO THAT.
AND, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE HAD, UH, WHEN PEC ASKED FOR THAT LAND BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT, WE MADE THEM DO THE SETBACKS SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T AFFECT THE NEIGHBORS THAT LIVED JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE SUBSTATION.
AND THEN I THINK IT WAS MONTHS LATER, WE APPROVED RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND I BELIEVE THEY WERE PUTTING BUILDINGS RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE SUBSTATION AND DID, DID THAT.
I, I, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE VOTE WAS ON THAT, BUT THAT WAS VERY DEFINITELY NOT A PLACE TO PUT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THERE.
IS THERE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASS THIS UNANIMOUSLY.
THE TIME IS NOW 7 24 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.