[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6550048,"mediaKeyId","5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794","parentId",5418320,"title","Downtown Commission approves minutes, submits annual internal review and schedules future presentation requests","audioSeconds",2503,"startMs",108000,"endMs",2611000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794&start=108&end=2611","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794/thumbnail_108000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6550048/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Downtown-Commission-approves-minutes-submits-annual-internal-review-and-schedules-future-presentation-requests","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550048-5246c7c526280c2413f22cf06d0aeae6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770709851&Signature=KUH5upXFA2W-e1XWDDbZVj3z-nSZ7LhYBkO0HUM0HckbsI-kH5I8Hm6QPal2IaJ0dHdKmem8oFvVw9RLDX6F~PD4xm6mqyUkYBeg7ccNzK2a0bJsKmWx67QX~SH3qLf13IaxkvBIC77zbNgkcC9~qqufvne-3OYJssxsQCLigZka8Eauu2slLrYflUZB1xFRIgbmEWM7MczHPbpjxT1SwGE6WUu6C~qP63zpjqbzu3u-GXSC5I1U5ajAqzMclVQZ1C~MWK5Fyb0Fo2uE-xKpeDDg9k4rp3qrk2cSGNxKx~vt0ZaH-2b9egspmVPfSl-urKw8yhRXQURG3ZiygHBXmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","article","The Downtown Commission on July 16 approved minutes from its previous meeting, voted to submit its annual internal review to the city clerk’s office without formally adopting it, and added requests for presentations at future meetings.

The commission approved the prior meeting minutes by voice vote. Later in the meeting commissioners moved and seconded a procedural motion to submit the annual internal review; the city clerk’s office had recommended that the commission approve the review, but commissioners agreed to submit the document without a formal approval vote so it could meet the deadline. The transcript records the motion, a second and a voice vote; Commissioner Pollock stated she was voting in favor.

Commissioners also suggested future agenda items and presentations. Commissioner Charles Pivoto requested the Shoal Creek Conservancy present its pedestrian project at Third and Shoal Creek; that presentation was seconded and added as a future item. Commissioner Pat Gupta requested a presentation from a group representing Austin area musicians about a proposed three‑part approach to support downtown musicians (a creative hub, parking solutions and a Gig Buddy pilot that coordinates safe transport and set‑up). Commissioners commented that staff can help coordinate outside groups' presentations to the commission.

The meeting closed after a voice vote to adjourn.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Downtown Commission - Jul 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its July 16 meeting the Downtown Commission approved previous meeting minutes, voted to submit its annual internal review without formal approval, and added requests for future presentations on a Shoal Creek pedestrian project and a music‑community safety/pilot program.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6550053,"Design Commission outlines rewrite of urban design guidelines, emphasizes accessibility and public realm",848,1463000,2311000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794&start=1463&end=2311","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794/thumbnail_1463000.jpg","/articles/6550053/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Design-Commission-outlines-rewrite-of-urban-design-guidelines-emphasizes-accessibility-and-public-realm","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550053-040ecc71da523944f9579780d8735a67/orig.mp4?Expires=1770709851&Signature=Tz1WpmEL1CCawO2CK4LTnlyPRMroZzDO4CTzrYMvpPpFhVHl00y9-p7PCv5~J04o8xQ4aC1yql0hRaMbjNvkSEhRZjgHCB0~GT9vqcIHpJA8ZD477jL-hpX7jkLFkrM-~DRnpMdW8t8pGioPRTkpLTxiZCull8VFK8CK2jD9MyZOwaVnUw5qRHGq~8U5goawTLwyGvq0Q~7rvJM7TSkD6tvXbopgg7K48dtb2gbixmd1RWFvM3QuVPM2KAa71z7HZztp7QLVUXXO156kl9GABvKfd4kRAYNQtCx6BUeq1NIyqbtw83fLEsZ-~wkqBFhCuotpagIRytPLa0QHm-PX3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Antiro Gelles, a Design Commissioner representing City of Austin District 3, told the Downtown Commission on July 16 that the Design Commission has been leading a multi‑year rewrite of the city's urban design guidelines and is nearing release of a draft to stakeholders.

\"The rewrite began in 2021,\" Gelles said, describing a preparation phase that moved into a creation phase in March 2024 and is now at the threshold of stakeholder outreach. He said the rewrite has included case‑study reviews of recent projects to assess outcomes on walkability, public‑space integration, façade treatments and pedestrian circulation.

Gelles said the Design Commission's review focuses on whether projects seeking entitlements under the density bonus program comply \"substantially\" with urban design guidelines and noted the commission provides advisory recommendations to City Council on design implications. The commission has also reviewed sustainability features, public art integration and site‑level impacts such as curb cuts and garage access.

Commissioner Kimberly Levinson, who identified herself as chair of the Pedestrian Advisory Council and a downtown resident, urged attention to the pedestrian environment and ADA accessibility in the rewrite. \"I'm very concerned that all these public spaces and plazas and stuff be easily accessible for as many people as possible,\" Levinson said.

Gelles agreed accessibility and pedestrian safety are central concerns and said the working group has looked at how site plan requirements (including utility and fire access constraints) influence ground‑floor design and pedestrian experience. He said the working group is primarily composed of design professionals with staff support and, at the moment, no external consultant is involved.

Gelles said the draft design criteria is expected to be released to stakeholders \"very, very soon,\" after which the commission will collect feedback, finalize the document and send it to City Council for adoption. Commissioners asked about infrastructure concerns such as recent downtown flooding; Gelles said infrastructure and flood responses have not recently come before the Design Commission but suggested the commission could invite the relevant department to present if commissioners want more information.

The Design Commission presentation emphasized core urban design principles—character, continuity and enclosure, quality of the public realm, legibility of movement and social equity—and the working group's goal to align the guidelines with the city's cultural and sustainability objectives. Commissioners expressed interest in further engagement with the Pedestrian Advisory Council and other stakeholders during the draft review.","The Design Commission reported on a multi‑year rewrite of the urban design guidelines, described recent case studies and said a draft of updated criteria will be released to stakeholders soon. Commissioners asked the commission to engage pedestrian and accessibility stakeholders during the rewrite.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6550057,"City staff outlines timeline, engagement approach for Downtown Austin plan update",507,142000,649000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794&start=142&end=649","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418320-5287717c0c8c7ddb80addb83a0d85794/thumbnail_142000.jpg","/articles/6550057/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/City-staff-outlines-timeline-engagement-approach-for-Downtown-Austin-plan-update","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550057-f70f8e4b465fcb999b7825e89ddbaba4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770709851&Signature=j1ZiaOVOCclS6WrgfMbgrbIYGZIQl6ujG1lrnDgHzAEiYdKRptNbvlx3bjaba17vEVjBzLA8y1E-k3MmLsKsgDinRGhPmDp2Khzpb7Eb3xOecg5S7w0-c1PRo0G~J1Ylxy3AhrlzHtIbCl-BjqZAxFmap~AzgzbPBg1Za~iY9ahG36YUdG1FMjCd-bbwQmc~jR8RqQrTM8N8Iu5g9M2vVgLWEx9OycVxDzfwTnSDBWmjZmzEfzL09wiD3RBn8r4xwd3uQ4S0gQeIKAgjdUMyRgws1FDVFPrBpFtUz-OJ7Z67iYz9nO2kIqkUOWr2fuZdT8ehB4fnHtewqG3uNYGLHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff told the Downtown Commission on July 16 that a 2024 City Council resolution directed an update of the Downtown Austin plan and that staff are moving the effort forward as a consolidated Center City Central District plan covering downtown, the South Central Waterfront and the UT/University neighborhood overlay.

Shanisha Johnson, a principal planner with the Planning Department overseeing the district planning team, said staff have developed a scope, solicited preliminary cost estimates from planning‑bench consultants and plan to onboard a consultant in August. \"We last presented on the Downtown Austin plan update at your December meeting,\" Johnson said as she summarized the work completed since December 2024 and the tasks underway.

The memo that initiated the work, Johnson said, directed staff to prepare a 10‑year outlook applying equity, resilience and sustainability lenses; to estimate costs; to identify potential partners and funding tools; and to recommend any necessary code amendments. Johnson described the current approach as a district plan designed to prioritize \"quick wins or near‑term implementable projects\" such as placemaking and low‑cost activations, coordinated with other city initiatives and departments including Transportation and Public Works, Economic Development, Financial Services, the Office of Climate Action and Resilience and the Homeless Strategy Office.

Johnson said staff have collected internal and external stakeholder feedback, issued a May memo to the mayor and council describing the district approach, and solicited final cost proposals from two planning bench consultants last week. She described a three‑phase engagement framework through fall 2026: an initial phase to present existing conditions and identify needs and gaps, a second phase for deeper engagement in each subarea, and a later phase for follow‑up and refinement. \"Currently, we are thinking about three phases of engagement through fall of 2026,\" Johnson said.

Commissioners and attendees pressed staff on coordination with other downtown initiatives. One commissioner expressed concern that funding reductions to Project Connect could change the transit-related assumptions that inform downtown planning; Johnson said staff will coordinate with Austin Transit Partnership, Capital Metro and the department’s equitable transit‑oriented development (ETOD) teams. She also said the Planning Department intends to work with the point of contact for the Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative (DASI); staff identified the deputy city manager as the DASI point of contact and Roberto Turino as the advisor liaison.

On implementation tracking, Johnson said the small‑area plan implementation team and the long‑range planning division have completed an initial phase of cataloging action items from existing small‑area plans and are conducting a second phase of outreach to implementation leads in other departments before publishing a formal tracking report.

On funding, Johnson said ETOD funds will cover at least part of the planning effort because the district contains several station areas. She said the updated scope and consultant proposals should produce a final cost and a contract encumbrance amount; staff expected consultant responses the week after the meeting.

Commissioners and neighborhood representatives urged broad outreach to downtown stakeholders, including neighborhood groups, the downtown creative community, service industry workers and musicians. A speaker who identified themselves as a member of the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association said their group supports the district planning effort but warned staff to prepare for \"pushback from other groups.\" Johnson said the scope already incorporates themes raised in initial stakeholder engagement and that her team will share additional opportunities for input.

Next steps Johnson listed included finalizing the engagement plan and timeline with consultants, launching a public engagement webpage coordinated with Strategic Communications, and onboarding a consultant in August. She closed by saying staff will return with updates and welcomed further questions at future meetings.

An unrelated procedural motion earlier in the meeting approved minutes from the previous meeting; that vote was recorded as passing.","Planning Department staff told the Downtown Commission that a 2024 council resolution directed an update of the Downtown Austin plan; staff described the update as a Center City Central District plan, solicited consultant proposals, and outlined a three‑phase public engagement process and next steps through fall 2026.","actionData","errors"]

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Downtown Commission approves minutes, submits annual internal review and schedules future presentation requests

Design Commission outlines rewrite of urban design guidelines, emphasizes accessibility and public realm

City staff outlines timeline, engagement approach for Downtown Austin plan update