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GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WE HAVE STARTED THE RECORDING.
IT IS NOW 3:00 PM ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2022.
I'M SONNY GARZA, CO-CHAIR OF THE LIVABLE PLACES ACTION COMMITTEE.
COMMISSIONER LISA, UH, LISA CLARK, CO-CHAIR WILL BE JOINING US, UM, LATER.
I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AS A VIRTUAL MEETING USING MICROSOFT'S TEAMS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, AS A REMINDER, PLEASE MUTE YOURSELF AND TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA UNTIL CALLED UPON BY THE CHAIR FOR STREAMING VIDEO QUALITY.
IF UH, YOU ARE JOINING US BY TELEPHONE, PLEASE USE STAR SIX TO MUTE AND UNMUTE YOURSELF AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I REMIND YOU THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THE MEETING, PLEASE USE THE RAISE YOUR HAND FEATURE OR UNMUTE AND STATE YOUR LAST NAME SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR.
UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, PLEASE PREPARE TO ANSWER THE ROLL CALL BY UNMUTING MUTING YOURSELF.
IF YOU'RE ON THE TELEPHONE, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE RESPOND WITH YOUR LAST NAME AND PRESENT THE CO-CHAIR.
LISA CLARK CO-CHAIR IS NOT PRESENT.
BRADLEY PEPPER OR CASEY MORGAN PRESENT.
DUSTIN O'NEILL OR SEAN MASSEK.
DUSTIN O O'NEILL OR SEAN MASSEK NOT PRESENT.
KIRBY LIU? KIRBY LOU IS NOT PRESENT.
PETER FRIEDMAN FRIEDMAN PRESENT.
UH, HANINA M MOOD, HANINA M MOOD IS NOT PRESENT.
AND I SEE THAT UH, MEGAN SIEGLER IS PRESENT AS WELL.
AT THIS POINT I SHOW 16 SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS.
HAS ANYONE JOINED SINCE I BEGAN THE ROLL CALL? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR MEETING.
EVERYONE AGAIN, HAPPY POST LABOR DAY TUESDAY.
IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.
I WILL NOW TAKE A MOMENT TO OUTLINE BEST PRACTICES, WHICH OF COURSE YOU HAVE ALL HEARD AD NAUSEUM, BUT YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN IN THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS.
AGAIN, AFTER JOINING THE MEETING, PLEASE STAY MUTED WITH YOUR CAMERA TURNED OFF TO MINIMIZE BACKGROUND DISRUPTIONS AND HELP THE QUALITY OF THE MEETING.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, ENTER YOUR NAME IN THE CHAT AND YOUR NAME WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER RECEIVED.
IF YOU'RE USING A CELL PHONE, PLEASE USE STAR SIX TO MUTE AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND WHEN THE CHAIR CALLS ANY INDIVIDUAL FROM THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN SPELL YOUR LAST NAME OUT LOUD.
A VERBAL RECORDING OF THIS MEETING IS IMPORTANT, PLEASE.
SLE, UH, SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'M OBVIOUSLY UNABLE TO DO.
CHAT MAY NOT BE USED BY, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS OTHER THAN THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE MEETING WHEN, EXCUSE ME.
CHAT MAY NOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN PUBLIC SPEAKER REQUESTS FOR BASIC STAFF ADMINISTRATION.
UH, HAND RAISED FEATURE, AGAIN, IS ONLY TO BE USED BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF TO IDENTIFY THEIR INTEREST IN A COMMENT.
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PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD VERBALLY AT THE END OF THE MEETING.UM, EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, PLEASE DISCONNECT OR HANG UP ALL DEVICES WHEN WE ADJOURN THE MEETING.
I WILL NOW, UH, HAND THE MEETING OVER TO, UH, MARGARET WALLACE BROWN FOR THE DIRECTOR'S PART.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF DOING THIS, I'D FIGURE THIS OUT.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE.
I WANNA START BY ONCE AGAIN THANKING ALL OF YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
THIS IS, UM, AS WE SAID VERY EARLY ON IN THIS PROCESS, THAT IT WAS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT.
AND ABOUT TWO YEARS INTO IT, YOU MIGHT BE THINKING THAT THIS, UM, COMMITMENT MAY NEVER END.
BUT I WANNA TELL YOU, WE ARE IN THE HOME STRETCH.
YOU HAVE DONE TERRIFIC WORK AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS TO TALK TO A NUMBER OF, UH, REALTOR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, INDUSTRY GROUPS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, UM, WITH OUR FOUR BIG IDEAS, SO TO SPEAK, THAT WE'VE BEEN SHARING WITH THE PSYCHOGRAPHICS.
AND I AM GETTING TERRIFIC RESPONSE FROM THE PEOPLE I TALK TO ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
THE, THE IDEA OF THE, OF THE COTTAGE STYLE DEVELOPMENT, THE SMALL LOT DEVELOPMENT IS, UM, VERY EXCITING TO MOST PEOPLE.
AND THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THIS WILL SHAKE OUT IN HOUSTON AND BEING ABLE TO USE IT.
UM, FOUR PLEXUS, SIX PLEXES, THAT TYPE OF SMALL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER A COUPLE MONTHS WITH THIS GROUP.
MANY PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT THEY LIVED IN FOURPLEXES WHILE THEY WERE GOING TO COLLEGE OR, UM, AND SO THEY REALLY, THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO BRING THOSE BACK TO HOUSTON AND, UM, GARAGE APARTMENTS AND ADUS.
I WANNA GIVE A VERY QUICK SHOUT OUT BEFORE I CLOSE OUT TO OUR GROUP THAT WORKED ON THE A DU BOOK.
UM, IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, THE TEXAS CHAPTER AND THE HOUSTON SECTION.
IN FACT, UM, WE HAVE A ANNOUNCEMENT THAT'LL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK THAT I REALLY CAN'T SHARE, BUT GOOD NEWS FROM THE HOUSTON SECTION.
SO ANYWAY, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK AND VERY HAPPY, UM, AS SAVITA IS SHOWING YOU NOW WHAT, UM, WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
VERY PLEASED THAT YOU ALL HAVE STUCK WITH US AND THAT WE ARE WRAPPING IT UP.
AND LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TODAY.
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, DR. WALLACE BROWN.
ALRIGHT, SAVITA, I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE NEXT.
YES, THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THAT INTRODUCTION AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THIS ISDA BANDY AND I TOOK OVER THE SCREEN FOR A BRIEF SECOND TO SHOW YOU WHAT OUR DIRECTOR MENTIONED ABOUT THE PSYCHOGRAPHICS.
UM, SO I HOPE YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE THE SCREEN, UM, SHOWING THE FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, TYPES OF, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT HOUSING STYLES THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THESE ARE BEING USED, UM, TO TALK TO, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO INTERESTED GROUPS, UM, IN COMMUNICATING THE IDEA.
SO JUST SHARING THOSE WITH YOU.
AND WILL, IF YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS WITH THIS, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING ORDINANCE.
UH, ONE SECOND WHILE WE SHARE SCREENS.
AGAIN, LAMONT, I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU I'M NOT GOING NOWHERE.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR BRINGING US BACK, DIPTI.
UH, SO TODAY'S FIRST ITEM ON FOR DISCUSSION IS THE DRAFT RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING ORDINANCE.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED ON THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND WE REQUEST YOUR INPUT ON, UM, THE RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING ORDINANCE.
JUST TO RECAP, UM, LATE LAST YEAR, WE DISCUSSED GARAGE SCREENING, LIGHTING, RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING, DISTANCE AND DUMPSTER SCREENING.
THESE WERE SOME OF THE TOPICS WE DISCUSSED.
AND IN WORKING WITH LEGAL NOW WE HAVE A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT ON.
THE PLAN IS TO TAKE THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION BY THE END OF THE MONTH AND I REQUEST COMMITTEE'S INPUT, UM, IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
IF WE CAN HEAR FROM THE COMMITTEE OF ANY THOUGHTS, SUGGESTIONS, UH, ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS NOT CLEAR, PLEASE DO LET US KNOW AND WE WILL APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR INPUT ON THIS.
I'M GOING TO WAIT AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING ORDINANCE DRAFT, UM, AVITA.
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YEAH, BEFORE YOU CONTINUE, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, BIN PHILLIPS, PICKENS BIN PHILLIPS PICKENS, WHO IS HERE FOR MAHMOOD.ALVIN, ARE YOU THERE? YES, I'M HERE.
I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE YOU BEFORE ANY FURTHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING THE MEETING TODAY.
ALRIGHT, SAVITA, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING DRAFT ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? CURTIS DAVIS HAS HIS HAND.
UM, MR. DAVIS, UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
IF WE DO HAVE COMMENTS ON THE WRITTEN DRAFT, IS THE BEST THING TO DO JUST TO MARK IT UP WITH OUR COMMENTS AND SEND IT TO YOU? YES, PLEASE.
AS WE AND WHEN'S AND WHEN'S THE DEADLINE FOR DOING THAT? UM, TWO WEEKS FROM NOW WOULD BE AWESOME.
CAMP ALSO HAS MS. HAND RAISED? YES, SIR.
UH, WAS SIMILAR QUESTION IF WE WERE GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT NOW.
I'VE JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE BUFFERING.
I IS, AND I'VE GOT THIS LATE TODAY, UH, AND DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW REALLY BEFORE, BUT IS THE ABUTTING PROPERTY ALSO INCLUDING PROPERTIES ACROSS THE STREET 30 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY? SO ACROSS THE STREET WON'T QUALIFY MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE 30 FEET DISTANCE, BUT THAT, THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WE HAD SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION ON ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, LET ME GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT DETAIL AGAIN, BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS DEFINED AS 30 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY THAT IS DEVELOPED WITH THESE HIGH RISE OR MIDRISE BUILDINGS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, AGAIN, SUNNY HERE, JUST, UH, SANDY, I SEE YOU WITH YOUR HAND RAISED, UH, TAMMY, ARE YOU DOING, UM, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE RAISING THEIR HAND? YES SIR.
BECAUSE I, I NEED YOU TO DO IT 'CAUSE I'M NOT SEEING IT AT ALL.
I'M JUST SEEING THEM ONE AT A TIME.
SO IF YOU WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
SO SANDY STEVENS, I BELIEVE IS NEXT TELL YOU, TELL ME YES.
SHE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS HER HAND RAISED RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST A QUICK QUESTION REGARDING, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THIS DRAFT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT SOME POINT.
IS THAT TWO WEEKS OUT SAVITA? UM, SO RIGHT NOW I REQUESTED THAT IT BE ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S ACTUALLY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, BUT I HAVE TO CHECK IF ALL THE CONNECTIONS ARE WORKING PROPERLY AND OUR PLAN IS TO ACTUALLY OPEN PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR, UH, PUBLIC TO COMMENT RIGHT AWAY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UH, PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO START COMMENTING THROUGHOUT THE TIME WHEN WE WILL BE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION PRESENTING AND THE 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD WILL OPEN.
SO AT LEAST FOR NEXT SIX WEEKS IT SHOULD BE OPEN.
IF I MIGHT, UM, PERHAPS YOU MIGHT WANNA OUTLINE THE NEXT STEPS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE THE COMMITTEE'S COMMENTS WITHIN TWO WEEKS, WHATEVER DATE THAT IS, WHAT DATE WE EXPECT TO BE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHAT THE 30 DAYS MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AND THEN SEND THAT IN AN EMAIL TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE.
ANYONE ELSE? QUESTIONS? THERE ARE NO OTHER HANDS RAISED.
SAVITA, I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD.
UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION TODAY IS REDUCE BILLING LINE REQUIREMENTS FOR SHARED DRIVEWAYS, UM, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION ON OVERALL HOUSING TOPICS.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER IN MAY AND JUNE WE WENT OVER OVERALL HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS AND DURING THAT TIME WE WENT OVER THIS TOPIC BRIEFLY, BUT AS WE STARTED WORKING ON THE AMENDMENTS, UM, TEAM REALIZED THAT THIS NEEDS A SPECIAL MENTION AND, UH, INPUT FROM THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE THOUGHT WE WANTED TO GET YOUR INPUT ON THIS.
UM, PER THE ORDINANCE TODAY, THERE IS A 10 FEET BUILDING LINE FOR ANY STRUCTURES AND 17 FEET GARAGE BUILDING LINE, WHICH IS A PERFORMANCE STANDARD, BUT FOR PROPERTIES THAT TAKE ACCESS FROM A SHARED DRIVEWAY, THERE IS ANOTHER PERFORMANCE STANDARD OF REDUCED BUILDING LINE, REDUCED FRONT BUILDING LINE OF FIVE FEET.
ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AN OPT-IN, UH, WHEN TAKING ACCESS FROM SHARED DRIVEWAY, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UM, THAT TAKE ACCESS FROM A SHARED DRIVEWAY.
IF THEY MEET ALL THE LISTED THREE CONDITIONS, THEY CAN OPT
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INTO THE FIVE FOOT FRONT BUILDING LINE.ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS IS THAT EACH UNIT HAS THE FRONT DOOR.
SORRY, SOMEBODY HAS ME ON SPEAKER, I THINK.
YES, EVERYONE PLEASE MUTE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS THAT IF THE DEVELOPMENT IS FRONTING ON A LOCAL STREET OR A COLLECTOR STREET AND ALL OF THE UNITS ARE TAKING ACCESS FROM A SHARED DRIVEWAY, THE UNITS THAT FRONT THE STREET QUALIFY FOR A FIVE FOOT REDUCED FRONT BUILDING LINE WHEN THE UNITS HAVE, UH, A FRONT DOOR THAT FACES THE PUBLIC STREET AND PROVIDES A PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC STREET.
SO THOSE CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE MET FOR THE FRONT LOT TO HAVE A REDUCED FIVE FEET FRONT BUILDING LINE.
HERE IS AN ILLUSTRATION, UM, TO CONVEY THE SAME.
IT ALSO MENTIONS THAT WHEN THE PROPERTY IS AT THE CORNER OR IF THE PROPERTY HAS DOUBLE FRONTAGE, THEN UM, THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS MAY BE PROVIDED FROM, FROM EITHER STREET.
AND, UH, THE IMAGE SHOWS THE ILLUSTRATION.
NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT THE INTENT.
SO PER CHAPTER 42, THE INTENT OF THE CURRENT CURRENT ORDINANCE IS TO FOSTER A DESIGN FRAMEWORK APPLICABLE TO THE CITY AND ASSURE THAT THE PEDESTRIAN USE OF SIDEWALKS IS NOT IMPEDED.
SO WHAT'S THE ISSUE? WHY ARE WE HERE DISCUSSING ABOUT THIS TODAY? HERE IS AN EXAMPLE TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WAS INTENDED WITH THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE AND WHAT IT TURN TURNS OUT TO BE IN REAL.
SOMETIMES IN THE LEFT IMAGE YOU CAN EASILY TELL THAT THE FRONT DOOR IS FACING THE STREET AND SHOULD QUALIFY FOR THAT FIVE FOOT FRONT BUILDING LINE, WHICH IS A PERFORMANCE STANDARD.
IN THE RIGHT IMAGE THERE IS A DOOR THAT FACES THE STREET, BUT IT IS FENCED OFF WITH NO PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS.
ALSO, IT IS NOT THE FRONT DOOR AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FRONT DOOR ALONG, AS YOU CAN SEE THE FRONT DOOR ALONG THE SHED DRIVEWAY.
SO THIS DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT MEET THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE TO QUALIFY FOR THE REDUCED FIVE FOOT FRONT BUILDING LINE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS SOME CHALLENGE WITH THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FRONT DOOR.
LET ME SHOW YOU SOME MORE EXAMPLES IN THESE EXAMPLES.
ALSO, THERE IS A DOOR ALONG THE STREET THAT IS FENCED OFF OR IS ONLY MEETING THE LETTER OF THE ORDINANCE AND NOT THE INTENT.
UM, NEXT SLIDE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE IS ACTUALLY TO HAVE UNITS FACE THE STREET WITH FRONT DOORS AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS SO THAT THE STREETS BECOME SAFER, WALKABLE, AND PROMOTE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
ON THE LEFT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE HOME WITH ITS FRONT DOOR VERSUS ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU CAN SEE A HOME WITH A DOOR ALONG THE STREET.
CHALLENGE HERE IS THAT THE FRONT DOOR IS NOT DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE, SO IT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO INTERPRETATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON WHAT FEATURES CAN BE USED TO DEFINE THE FRONT DOOR MORE CLEARLY AND EMPHASIZE THAT THE FIVE FOOT FRONT BUILDING LINE, WHICH IS A PERFORMANCE STANDARD, IS ONLY APPLICABLE IF THE HOMES FACE THE STREET WITH THE FRONT DOORS AND NOT JUST A DOOR.
IN OTHER CITIES, THERE IS LANGUAGE THAT EMPHASIZES PORCHES DESIGN FEATURES THAT DEFINES THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND THUS MAKING THE ORDINANCE CLEAR.
I WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT, UM, ON DEFINING THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE OR THE FRONT DOOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ANY COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, HERE IS, UH, JUST MY TAKE TAVI TO GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE.
YOU KNOW, AS
NOW AS IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, UH, I GUESS THE TOP TWO IN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SLIDE, RATHER, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THESE DOORS ARE EITHER OPEN INTO A GARAGE OR OPEN INTO, THEY DON'T OPEN UP INTO LIVING SPACE.
THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU CAN SEE THE WINDOWS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WHEREAS THE BOTTOM TWO DO IN FACT LOOK LIKE THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, GREEN SPACE TREES AND AN ACTUAL FRONT DOOR THAT GOES INTO EITHER LIKE A LIVING AREA, WELL, A LIVING AREA, WHICH WOULD THAT BE A STAIRWELL OR NOT.
AND THAT I THINK WAS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND IN TALKING TO PERMITTING, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE APPLICANTS WHO ARE COMING IN AND SAYING, HERE'S THE FRONT DOOR, WHEN IN FACT IT LEADS TO THE GARAGE OR LEADS TO A, UH, A STORAGE, YOU KNOW, SPACE OR SOMETHING.
SO AGAIN, WHAT WE NEED IS LANGUAGE THAT WILL HELP US GET TO,
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UH, WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.ALSO, I SEE THAT KIRBY, LOU IS HERE.
SO LET'S LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT KIRBY IS NOW IN ATTENDANCE.
KIRBY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT? YES.
UM, SO IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE BOTTOM LEFT EXAMPLE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CORNER PORCH.
SO IS IT THE OPENING THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT OR THE ORIENTATION, LIKE, BECAUSE IT'S A CORNER PORCH, IT'S STILL KIND OF KIND OF FRONT DOOR ESQUE IN A WAY? YEAH.
IT'S NOT FACING THE STREET, AS YOU SAY, RIGHT? THE DOOR ITSELF IS NOT FACING THE STREET.
SO IN THAT EVENT, UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I CAN KIND OF GATHER FROM THE WAY THIS ELEVATION LOOKS THAT THIS IS PROBABLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GARAGE BASICALLY RIGHT BEYOND THAT PORCH.
AND SO IF YOU TRY TO GET THE DOOR TO FACE THE UM, STREET, YOU'RE OPENING TO THE GARAGE ESSENTIALLY.
AND THIS, YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LEFT EXAMPLE I THINK IS A GOOD ONE WHERE IT'S LIKE IT'S FULFILLING MAYBE THE INTENT BUT NOT THE LETTER OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
YES, THANK YOU PERPE FOR THAT POINT.
AND UM, THE IDEA OF THE SLIDE WAS TO SHOW DIFFERENT KIND OF EXAMPLES WHERE THERE WERE ATTEMPTS TO MEET THE LETTER OF THE ORDINANCE, BUT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT MUCH CLARITY IN THE INTENT OR THE LANGUAGE THAT HELPS DEFINE THAT INTENT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS LACKING.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP IN.
WHAT CAN WE INCLUDE, UH, AS ELEMENTS OF DESIGN, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS A PERFORMANCE STANDARD TO KIND OF MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT DO WE WANT WITH THE ORDINANCE, HOW DO WE WANT THE ORDINANCE TO SPEAK TO THIS IS WHAT THE DISCUSSION TODAY IS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER NEXT IS CURTIS DAVIS, FOLLOWED BY ZION ESCOBAR.
UH, MR. DAVIS, GO RIGHT AHEAD PLEASE.
IN TERMS OF THE LANGUAGE, THE GOAL IS TO ARTICULATE A SET OF DESIGN OBJECTIVES ABOUT THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
AND I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT AN ORDINANCE CAN REFERENCE EXAMPLES THAT MIGHT HELP, BUT IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE PRIOR TO THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE ON THE SCREEN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT THIS.
THE, THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT, EVEN THOUGH THE ARCHITECTURE PRESENTS A FACE TO THE STREET AND IT PRE AND IT PRESENTS LIVABLE SPACES TO THE STREET THAT MAY OR MAY NOT MEET THE DESIGN OBJECTIVES, THE DOOR AND THE DOORWAY AND THE ENTRY AND THE GATE, WHICH LOOKS TO BE A LITTLE OFFSET, BUT IT MAY ALSO SERVE THAT DOOR, UM, SERVES ACCESS TO THE STREET.
ONE COULD ARGUE THAT THIS MEETS THE ORDINANCE, BUT ONE COULD ALSO ARGUE IF THOSE WINDOWS WERE MUCH SMALLER THAN THEY ARE, THAT IT DOESN'T.
SO ARCHITECTURALLY THE BUILDING HAS A FRONT FACE TO THE STREET.
IF WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY, THAT MEANS EYES, PEOPLE ENTRY, UM, SIGNS OF, UH, DAILY LIFE, UM, FRONTING THE STREET AND HOW YOU PUT THAT IN AN ORDINANCE, I'M NOT SURE.
BUT ONE MIGHT MAKE REFERENCE TO A NARRATIVE THAT WOULD COVER IT IN MORE DETAIL AND UH, EXAMPLES.
BUT THAT'S THE LIMITATIONS OF TRYING TO COVER THIS BY ORDINANCE.
BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT EVEN A FRONT DOOR INTO A PROPER, UM, SPACE ON PLAN COULD BE INTO A BUILDING THAT PRESENTS ANONYMITY TO THE STREET AND NOT SERVE THE DESIGN OBJECTIVES.
ALRIGHT, UM, TAMMY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, NEXT IS SON ESCOBAR, FOLLOWED BY PETER FRIEDMAN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS PART OF WHAT I WAS GONNA COMMENT ON, UM, I THINK IT, IT KIND OF PIGGYBACKS ON WHAT MR. DAVIS WAS MENTIONING, AND WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY, UM, AND EYES ON THE STREET, UM, THE DOOR INTENT, MOST PEOPLE'S DOORS ARE COMPLETELY OPAQUE.
AND SO THERE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE EYES ON THE STREET, UM, IF A DOOR IS GOING TO GIVE THAT TO YOU, ESPECIALLY WHEN EVERYONE KIND OF ENTERS FROM A GARAGE, PRIMARILY, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A DOOR FACING THE STREET, UM, BECAUSE OF THE CAR CENTRIC CULTURE.
BUT TO ME, THERE SHOULD BE SOME FACTOR IN THERE FOR WINDOWS BECAUSE TO ME, THE, THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT THAT HAS MORE WINDOWS THAT ARE AT THE GROUND STORY LEVEL PROVIDES
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MORE EYES ON THE STREET THAN A DOOR BEING THE CRITERIA.AND ALSO ARCHITECTURALLY, YOU END UP WITH THESE VERY ODD THINGS THAT WE SAW IN SOME OF THE OTHER EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE TRYING TO PLACE A DOOR IN A VERY ODD SPOT.
UM, JUST TO GET THAT CHECK BOX, I WOULD RATHER SEE LOTS OF WINDOWS AND OPEN, OPEN LIGHT BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY GET EYES ON THE STREET, PEOPLE ARE GONNA LOOK THROUGH THEIR WINDOWS.
THEY DON'T LOOK THROUGH THEIR DOORS TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE STREET.
THEY TYPICALLY DON'T ENTER THROUGH THEIR FRONT DOORS IF THEIR PRIMARY ACCESS IS THROUGH A GARAGE IN THESE TYPES OF STRUCTURES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO I FEEL LIKE WINDOWS, LARGE, LARGE WINDOWS OF AN EQUAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF A DOOR IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BE NUANCED OR JUST DROP THE DOOR AS THE THING ALTOGETHER BECAUSE THE DOOR DOES NOT GIVE YOU VISIBILITY.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE DOOR OR THAT WINDOW OPENING ONTO LIVING SPACE VERSUS LIKE A GARAGE OR STORAGE ROOM? UM, MEANING IT HAS TO FACE, WOULD WE MAKE THAT A CRITERION? PARDON ME? LIKE MEANING, MEANING IT HAS TO, IT HAS TO FACE THE STREET PRIMARILY.
I JUST MEAN IF, IF THE, IF, IF WE SAY THERE'S A WINDOW OF A GOOD SIZE, DO WE SAY THAT WINDOW HAS TO BE TO A LIVING SPACE VERSUS A GARAGE OR A STORE ROOM OR EVEN A BATHROOM? DO WE MAKE THAT DISTINCTION OR JUST A WINDOW? NO, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF NUANCE.
SOMEONE, SOMEONE IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT MIGHT HAVE TO, TO TEASE THAT ONE OUT.
BUT I, I DO THINK THAT THE INTENT IS SERVED AS FAR AS IF IT'S A LIVABLE SPACE, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE WHO MAY USE IT.
IF IT'S A DEAD STORAGE SPACE, THEN IT'S REALLY A DUMMY WINDOW, JUST LIKE A DUMMY DOOR.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER IS PETER FRIEDMAN, FOLLOWED BY MIKE BURGER.
I, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THESE FOUR PICTURES HERE AND I'M, I'M NOT REALLY SEEING WHERE ANY, ANY OF THESE VERSIONS ADD ANY REAL LAYER SECURITY TO A WALKER OR TO A PEDESTRIAN.
UM, I CAN DEFINITELY SEE DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL STYLES IF WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOOK TO THE STREET.
BUT YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE SAME WAY ALL THE CARS ARE EXITING THAT THROUGH THE COMMON DRIVEWAY.
YOU KIND OF HAVE THOSE BLIND SPOTS ON EITHER SIDE AS YOU PULL OUT.
UM, AND I, UNLESS SOMEBODY'S STANDING BY THE WINDOW OR BY THEIR FRONT DOOR, I DON'T REALLY SEE ANY ADDED SECURITY THERE.
UM, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ASKED, YOU COULD, YOU COULD HAVE IT AS OPENS UP INTO A CONDITIONED AREA.
UM, IN INTERIOR SPACE IS TYPICALLY CONDITIONED, SO YOU COULD USE THAT AS A REQUIREMENT OR IF YOU HAVE A SITTING AREA OR AN ARCHITECTURAL AREA WHERE, UM, A PORCH OR A DECK IS, UM, WOULD PROBABLY MORE SPACE, MORE UTILIZED.
BUT, UM, I'M STILL TRYING TO KIND OF WRAP MY MIND AROUND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS, IF IT IS SECURITY, UM, HOW THAT WORKS.
BUT IF IT, IF IT'S MORE ARCHITECTURAL AND KIND OF APPEARANCE, I, I THINK I FOLLOWED THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
IT, IT, IT IS DEFINITELY, UM, TO CREATE THAT URBAN FEEL AND TO, UH, MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER BECAUSE I'LL BE MUCH MORE, UM, FEEL SAFE TO WALK ALONG A STREET WHERE THE HOMES ARE FACING VERSUS IF IT'S A BLANK WALL WITH NOT EVEN WINDOWS OR DOORS, UM, IT WON'T FEEL AS SAFE TO WALK.
SO IN TERMS OF WALKABILITY, UH, AND CREATING A NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER FOR THE STREET, I THINK THOSE WERE THE IDEAS.
UM, THOSE, THAT WAS THE CONCEPT WHEN THIS WAS INTRODUCED IS TO MAKE THE STREETS MORE WALKABLE AND CREATE THAT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL.
UM, SABITA, I'LL THROW IN THAT OLD MOTEL SIX, UH, WE'LL LEAVE THE LIGHT ON FOR YOU.
HAVING DOWNSTAIRS WINDOWS THAT ARE LIT MAKES IT LOOK MORE HOSPITABLE AND ACTUALLY SAFER WHEN YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR HEAD, BUT IT DOES MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU COULD YELL AT A DOOR OR WINDOW AND HAVE SOMEONE COME TO IT.
SO LIGHTS ON THE STREET I THINK MAKE, MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AGAIN, AS YOU SAY, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR THE, THE APPEARANCE OF HOSPITALITY AND SAFETY.
SO YEAH, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
IN FACT, LIGHTS, UH, LIGHTING WAS ONE OF THE FEATURES USED IN A, A CITY THAT I READ.
I THINK IT'S A CITY IN FLORIDA, UM, THAT USES LIGHTING AND ALSO SOME DESIGN FEATURES, UM, AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COULD BE USED TO DEFINE THAT, UH, FRONT FACADE.
UH, TAMMY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MIKE BERGER.
MIKE BERGER, FOLLOWED BY KIRBY LU.
UH, I'M HAVING ISSUES WITH YOU.
FEEL SAFE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE THERE'S SOME WINDOWS THERE.
UH, IT'S FUNNY, THESE FOUR HOMES THAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE, THEY ALL HAVE WROUGHT IRON FENCES, SIX FEET HIGH, PROTECTING THEIR HOUSES.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL SCARED TO DEATH OF CRIME,
AND, UH, ANYWAY, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS AN OPT-IN.
[00:30:01]
THE OPT-IN THAT WE GET A SMALLER BILLING LINE IF WE, WE DO THIS MM-HMMI WOULD, I WOULD, HOWEVER SAY THE FRONT DOOR TO ME IS NOT THE BIG ISSUE.
HAVING THE FRONT DOOR ON THAT PARTICULAR SIDE IS OKAY, BUT LIKE, UM, KIRBY'S EL SAID, UM, THAT CORNER, THE DOOR IS PRETTY MUCH ON THAT SIDE.
YOU WALK IN FROM THERE AND THERE'S A WALKING, I MEAN, THAT'S REAL CLOSE.
AND THE OTHER EXAMPLE I HAVE THAT WE DO IN OUR HOUSES IS WHERE THAT DOOR IS.
WE INSET IT IN ABOUT, UH, THREE FEET INTO LIKE A LITTLE SQUARE.
AND THEN THE DOOR GOES SIDEWAYS BECAUSE PEOPLE, WELL, THEY WANT, THEY DON'T WANT A DOOR WITH GLASS IN IT FACING THE STREET.
NOW THERE'S THE HOMES I BUILD HAVE WINDOWS ON THE SIDE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WOULD, WOULD ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT.
SO I'M NOT SURE, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY SEE THE DOOR THAT AS LONG AS YOU CAN, THE DOOR IS WITHIN SO MANY INCHES OF THAT PER THAT PART THAT'S PARALLEL TO THE ROAD.
UM, AND, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME OF YOU SAID, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS, THERE HAS TO BE, UM, TAKE, YOU KNOW, TAKE YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE OR SOMETHING WITH, WITH THE NUMBER OF WINDOWS, UM, SOME KIND OF SQUARE FOOTAGE ON WINDOWS.
'CAUSE THE, THE, THE ONES ON THE UPPER RIGHT ARE KIND OF UGLY.
I WOULD NEVER, I WOULD NEVER BUILD THAT.
LUCKILY
AND ONE OF 'EM IS A CLASS BLOCK WINDOW FOR A SHOWER.
SO I OBVIOUSLY YOU WANNA HAVE YOUR ENTRY DOOR NEEDS TO WALK INTO A CONDITION SPACE.
I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ON THAT.
AND SECOND, ALL I, I'D LIKE A LITTLE MORE LATITUDE ON THAT.
I, I'VE TAKEN THE FIVE FOOT OCCASIONALLY.
UM, MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT THEIR FRONT YARD TO BE THEIR BACKYARD, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR US.
BUT, UM, I WOULD HIGHLY WOULD SUGGEST THAT CORNER THAT YOU SEE ON THE BO BOTTOM LEFT BE AN ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE IF IT'S LOOKS LIKE IT'S PROBABLY WITHIN 18 INCHES OF THAT CORNER.
AND THE SAME IF YOU HAVE LIKE A LITTLE, I HATE THIS DESCRIBE AS A SQUARE, BUT YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOU WALK IN AND YOU TAKE A RIGHT OR YOU TAKE A LEFT TO GET INSIDE THE HOUSE, UM, IT FEELS MORE, THAT FEELS MORE SAFE FOR OUR PEOPLE.
IF THEY HAVE A DOOR FACING THE ROAD, THEY'RE GONNA WANT SOLID WOOD DOOR.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GONNA WANT.
AND, UH, ANYWAY, THOSE ARE JUST SOME COMMENTS ON THAT.
IT'S, UH, AGAIN, AS LONG AS IT'S AN OPT IN, NOT AS BIG A DEAL.
UM, TAMMY, I SHOW KIRBY, LOU NEXT.
KIRBY LOU AND THEN MEGAN SIEGLER.
UM, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT MIKE AND ZION WAS SAYING, MAYBE THE IDEA OF THE DOOR IS KIND OF A RED HERRING IN A WAY.
AND IT'S MAYBE LIKE, IT'S REALLY WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN IN OTHER MUNICIPAL CODES WHERE PEOPLE SET, UM, EVEN LIKE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GLAZING AND MINIMUM AMOUNTS OF GLAZING, YOU KNOW, MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GLAZING FOR FIRE REASONS, BUT MINIMUM AMOUNT OF GLAZING FOR KIND OF THIS URBAN FEEL.
SO BASICALLY IN ORDER TO KIND OF AVOID HAVING THESE GRAY ZONES AND PEOPLE TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALMOST FAKE THE, UH, OR FAKE WHAT THE, WHERE THE FRONT DOOR IS, MAYBE WE JUST SET LIKE, OKAY, A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF YOUR ELEVATIONS SQUARE FOOTAGE, UH, NEEDS TO BE GLAZING.
AND ALSO TO ADD TO THAT ABOUT LIGHTING, IT'S LIKE, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT YOU HAVE LIKE, LET'S SAY A PEEPING TOM IN THE WINDOW AT ALL TIMES TRYING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE STREET.
IT'S MORE SO JUST TO HAVE THE AMBIENT LIGHT FROM THE BUILDING, UM, KIND OF ILLUMINATE THE SIDEWALK IN ADDITION TO STREET LIGHTING.
SO, YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS THEMSELVES ARE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF LIGHT TO LIGHT THE PUBLIC REALM IN A WAY.
SO IT'S LIKE IF WE PUT ENOUGH AMOUNT OF GLAZING ON THAT, ON THAT FRONT FACADE, UM, WHETHER THERE'S A FRONT DOOR THERE OR NOT, AS I WAS SAYING, YOUR FRONT DOOR IS OFTEN SOLID.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THAT MAY BE ENOUGH TO, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND I KNOW THAT'S BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES BEFORE.
UM, UH, HAVING THE ENTRANCES A LITTLE BIT, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WAS USED IN OTHER ORDINANCES, UM, AND ALSO AIR CONDITIONED SPACE THAT IT GIVES YOU ACCESS TO AIR CONDITIONED SPACE.
AND, UM, USING DIFFERENT ELEMENTS TO DRAW EMPHASIS TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE HOUSE WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I READ IN OTHER ORDINANCES.
UM, I THINK I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT I HEARD, BUT ALSO I THINK SOME OF THE REALITY IS ON THAT FIRST FLOOR FOOTPRINT, OFTEN IT IS ONLY JUST THE GARAGE AND MAYBE A HALLWAY WITH A STAIR GOING UP OR EVEN A FLEX ROOM.
SO YOU KNOW, ALL THE AMOUNT OF WINDOWS FRONT DOOR.
THE REALITY IS YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A LOT OF ACTION ON THAT FIRST FLOOR IN A, IN A TYPICAL THREE STORY TOWNHOUSE.
IT, IT, IT USUALLY IS JUST THE GARAGE HALLWAY.
THE LIVING ISN'T NORMALLY THERE.
[00:35:01]
TO, TO KNOWING THAT, I MEAN, IS IT MORE ABOUT THE FACADE THEN? BECAUSE IS IT ACTUALLY SAFETY IF THAT WHOLE THE, THAT MOST OF THAT AREA IS GARAGE, RIGHT.SO, UH, LET, LET, CAN WE GO TO SLIDE 10 PLEASE? SORRY, UH, MR. CHAIR, CAN WE GO TO SLIDE 10? PLEASE DO.
UM, NO, I WAS JUST, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND COMMENT.
I WAS JUST WANTING TO SHOW AN EXAMPLE WHERE IT'S THE STAIRS ACTUALLY, THERE IS A FRONT DOOR, BUT THEN ACTUALLY THE FRONT IS THE STAIRS AND MAYBE BEHIND THOSE, UM, WINDOWS ARE ACTUALLY WHERE THE STAIRS LANDING IS.
AND THEN THERE WERE, THERE ARE ROOMS. SO THE LEFT IMAGE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE STAIRS ARE USED, UH, IN THE FRONT.
SO MEGAN, WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, THE TYPICAL LAYOUT, AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE IS, YOU KNOW, UH, THE 10, UH, 10 17 IS GARAGE FRONT DOOR.
FRONT AND FACE, YOU KNOW, STRAIGHT IN OR TO THE RIGHT, SO TO SPEAK ANYWAY.
AND THEN BEHIND THERE'S A HALLWAY, IT GOES UP THE STAIRS SOMETIMES I THINK USUALLY THERE IS A BEDROOM AND A BATH.
SO GARAGE, BEDROOM, BATH, STAIR, FRONT DOOR.
YEAH, I THINK THAT I, I'VE SEEN THAT OFTEN.
YEAH, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I SEE MOSTLY.
SO MY THOUGHT WAS IF YOU LOOK AT THE, I GUESS WHICH ONE, UM, IT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ONE ON THE LEFT, ALL RIGHT, SO, AND THAT WAS THE DRIVEWAY AND THE DOOR ACTUALLY FACED, NOT THE FRONT, BUT FACED THE, UM, THE SHARED DRIVEWAY.
THAT WOULD MAKE PERFECT SENSE BECAUSE THE DOOR WOULD BE CLOSEST TO US.
THEN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE DOOR WOULD SIMPLY FACE, TYPICALLY THE DOORWAY WOULD FACE THE SHARED DRIVEWAY.
SO I'M SAYING, COULD WE NOT JUST TWEAK IT? AND LIKE I SAID, IF IT CURRENTLY, IF ALL THEY ALL FACE THE DRIVEWAY, COULD THAT ONE NOT BE TWEAKED TO FACE THE STREET WITHOUT CHANGING LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE? NOW YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PUT THE WINDOWS THERE, OR YOU WOULD BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE A STAIRWELL, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE, AND GOING WAY BACK, THERE WERE TIMES WHERE, I MEAN, YOU WANT THAT, THAT SIDE ELEVATION, IT LOOKS, SOMETIMES IT LOOKS BETTER WITH THE DOOR.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES YOU ARE DOING IT BECAUSE ARCHITECTURALLY IT LOOKS BETTER, IT FEELS BETTER.
SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY WAYS, I THINK, TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD OR LOOK LIKE A FRONT, YOU KNOW, A FRONT ELEVATION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE ENTRANCE DOOR, WINDOWS, POSSIBLY A FRONT PORCH, SIDEWAYS GATE, YOU KNOW, LIGHT.
EVEN IN THE OLD DAYS THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A MAILBOX, BUT NOW THOSE ARE ALL IN A, UM, ON A
BACK IN THE BACK GATHERED TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK YOU CAN DO THAT.
I HEARD LIKE THIS BIG SECURITY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA, YOU ARE GONNA HAVE THE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN ACHIEVE THE LOOK, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ACHIEVE THE SAFETY BY DOING THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY REASONABLE.
UH, SABITA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO COMMENT ON THAT? NO, I'M JUST GRASPING EVERYTHING.
YEAH, WE CAN GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE, ACTUALLY.
UH, SEVERAL OF OUR OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID THAT, ARE WE, YOU KNOW, IS IT A LITTLE BIT OF A RED HERRING? DOES IT LOOK SAFER? BUT IT'S REALLY JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, WHICH WE ALL KNOW THAT THE LIVING SPACE IN MOST OF THESE THREE STORY TOWN HOMES IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR, NOT ON THE FIRST.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT.
I THINK, UM, IN MOST OF THE FLOOR PLANS, AT LEAST THAT I HAVE SEEN, THERE IS AT LEAST ONE ROOM, MAYBE NOT IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO THE, UM, ENTRANCE, NEXT TO THE SHARED DRIVEWAY.
BUT THERE IS GARAGE AND THERE IS A ROOM IN THE BACK, UM, AND A RESTROOM, LIKE A GUEST ROOM OR SOMETHING.
UM, IF THAT IS THE SITUATION, MAYBE FOR THAT ROOM, THE ENTRANCE COULD BE, UM, EMPHASIZED MM-HMM
AND JUST BY THE WAY, AND ANECDOTALLY, I JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW I LIVE IN A HUNDRED YEAR OLD HOUSE WITH THE ORIGINAL DOOR AND IT'S ALL GLASS.
ALRIGHT, SO I SHOW, I SAW CURTIS DAVIS AND THEN KIRBY LOU TAMMY, CORRECT? YES.
SO MR. DAVIS, AGAIN, GO AHEAD.
I, I THINK WE'RE STRUGGLING HERE IN TERMS OF HOW TO DEVELOP LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND I THINK THE ORDINANCE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE DESIGN OBJECTIVE, THE DESIGN STRATEGY OR TACTIC THAT IS SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU DO.
WHETHER IT THERE'S A PORCH, WHETHER THERE'S A NICHE, WHETHER THE DOOR IN THE NICHE FRONTS THE STREET OR IS AT AN ANGLE TO THE STREET.
HOW THAT WORKS AND GIVES A PERCEPTION OF OCCUPATION ALONG THE STREET IS A DESIGN QUESTION.
AND ONLY BE FINALLY ASSESSED WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PRODUCT, BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN IMAGE ON THE STREET.
WE'RE NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO HAVE PORCHES WITH A PORCH SWING
[00:40:01]
AND SOMEBODY SITTING OUT THERE.UM, THAT'S WHAT THE REAL OCCUPANCY IS.
YOU KNOW, IF IT WERE IN BROOKLYN, IT WOULD BE STOOPS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S A PERSON ON THE STOOP, IT'S THAT THE STOOP PROVIDES THE IMAGE OF OCCUPANCY, WHICH IN TURN GIVES A SENSE OF SAFETY ON THE STREET, WHETHER IT'S THERE OR NOT.
SOME BROOKLYN AREN'T SAFE EVER.
AND SOME ARE, AND SOME ARE, COULD BE
SO I, I I, I THINK WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE DESIGN GUIDELINES, WHICH IS A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ORDINANCE, AND MAYBE THERE COULD BE A COMPANION, UH, SET OF GUIDELINES THAT ARE REFERENCED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT MIGHT BE SAFE HARBOR DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPER OR BUILDER TO FOLLOW.
AND THAT THE ORDINANCE IS MORE BROAD, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CAN'T NECESSARILY ENVISION WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FRONTS OF THESE BUILDINGS SHOULD PROVIDE A SENSE OF OCCUPANCY SO THAT THE STREET HAS THE FEELING THAT SOMEONE MIGHT COME WALKING IN OR OUT OF THAT DOOR OR IN AND OUT OF THAT PROPERTY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE, UH, FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND I THINK BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPT-IN, THIS IS A PERFORMANCE STANDARD, SO IT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR SOMEBODY TO DO IT, BUT IF, UM, A DEVELOPMENT WANTS TO CHOOSE TO HAVE A FIVE FOOT REDUCED BUILDING LINE, THEN THERE ARE, THERE IS A CRITERIA TO BE MET.
SO IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADD SOME DESIGN ELEMENTS IF WE NEED TO, TO EMPHASIZE THAT FRONT DOOR OR THAT APPEARANCE OF A FRONT DOOR OR, UM, A PORCHES.
SO DEFINITELY THE POINTS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP ARE VERY HELPFUL.
I SHOW KIRBY LU NEXT, TAMMY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, UM, KIRBY, JUST ONE THING.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
OH, I JUST WAS, UH, I'M DRIVING THROUGH IDO RIGHT NOW AND, UM, ONE THING I JUST THOUGHT OF IS, WHAT ABOUT CORNER CONDITIONS? UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU GIVE THIS KIND OF ORDINANCE OUT THERE, NO ONE WANTS TO NOT MAXIMIZE THE FULL ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF THE LAND.
SO, UM, PEOPLE ARE GONNA TRY TO GET THE FIVE FOOT SETBACK ALMOST BY DEFAULT ALMO, UM, TO MAKE IT SORT OF ECONOMICALLY VIABLE.
UM, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING FOR CORNER CONDITIONS WHERE YOU HAVE TWO STREETS INTERSECTING AND YOU KNOW, IN CASES LIKE IDO WHERE THERE'S NOT, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHICH IS THE MAIN STREET AND WHICH ONE'S THE, LET'S SAY SIDE STREET OR WHICH STREET WE SHOULD PRIVILEGE.
UM, I CAN JUST IMAGINE PEOPLE TRYING TO KIND OF GAMIFY THE THING TO TRY TO GET, LET'S SAY LIKE THE FRONT DOOR ON THE LAST UNIT IN LIKE A ROW OF UNITS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA LOOK REALLY WEIRD, BUT THAT'S GONNA GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL FIVE FEET ON TWO SIDES, YOU KNOW? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH THINKING ABOUT.
UM, ALSO WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE ROW HOUSES AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AGAIN, IN A CORNER STREET, AND THEN YOU HAVE, LET'S SAY EIGHT OUT OF 10 HOUSES FACE THE STREET IN THAT DEVELOPMENT, BUT THE TWO END UNITS ALL FACING THE OTHER TWO STREETS, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WHERE DOES THE BUILDING LINE, UM, YOU KNOW, BONUS, I GUESS, UH, COME INTO THAT KIND OF SITUATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, MR. LIU? UM, THIS IS KIND OF WHY I PREFER THE IDEA OF THE AMOUNT OF GLAZING ON A FACADE TO CAPTURE THE EXTRA, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE, THE EXTRA LAND SQUARE FOOTAGE, RATHER THAN TRYING TO SAY THAT IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S CONNECTED TO THE FRONT DOOR.
UM, SO I DO THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LIKE THE, THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT IS ITSELF IS GOING TO, UH, MAKE THE STRAIGHT STREET FEEL SAFER AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD PROBABLY HELP, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T TRY TO GAMIFY THE SYSTEM WHEN THEY HAVE CORNER CONDITIONS AND MAKE THINGS LOOK REALLY WEIRD BECAUSE OF THAT.
MR. CHAIR, MAY I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? YES, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
UH, WHEN YOU SAY GLAZING, DO YOU MEAN TRANSPARENCY OR YOU MEAN LIGHTING? I'M NOT VERY CLEAR WHAT YOU MEANT WHEN YOU SAID GLAZING, GLAZING, UH, GLASS OR IT COULD BE, UM, ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY BASICALLY.
UM, EVEN THE, EVEN THE GLASS BLOCK STUFF FOR SHOWERS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AGAINST THAT.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FULL TRANSPARENT.
IT JUST, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO ALLOW LIGHT FROM THE BUILDING TO SPILL OUT ON THE STREET.
THANK, UM, ALL RIGHT, TAMMY, I DON'T SHOW ANYONE ELSE WITH THEIR HAND UP TO YOU.
[00:45:01]
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ARE WE DONE WITH THIS SUBJECT? ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THEN HEARING NONE THAT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.UH, THOSE ARE ALL GREAT IDEAS.
SO WE WILL, UM, WHEN WE COME BACK WITH THE ORDINANCE, YOU WILL SEE, UM, RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, ALL THESE IDEAS AND WE WILL PREPARE LANGUAGE REFLECTING THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ACTUALLY CHANGING THE ORDINANCE IS JUST PROVIDING MORE CLARITY IS WHAT THIS WILL HELP US DO.
UM, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO JUMP TO THE NEXT TOPIC ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENT.
UM, FOR SHARED DRIVER DEVELOPMENTS IN CHAPTER 42, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THE STREET PAVING MUST BE WIDENED, UM, WHILE DEVELOPING, UM, DOING SHARED DRIVE DEVELOPMENTS.
AND TO PRESENT THIS TOPIC, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MOIN FANG.
SO MOHIN TAKE JUST BRIEFLY, IF I MAY INTERRUPT.
PETER FRIEDMAN HAS HIS HAND RAISED, I'M NOT SURE.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, LET ME ASK PETER FRIEDMAN, WHAT DO YOU NEED? UH, PETER, WHAT'S GOING ON? HEY, I'M SORRY.
I WANTED TO JUMP BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WASN'T SOMETHING I SAW ON THE BUFFERING.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE BUFFERING, BUT YOU HAD, THERE WAS A PART OF THAT THAT MENTIONED THE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
I, I THINK IT WAS A DIFFERENT SET OF NUMBER OF HOMES.
IS THAT, IS THAT NOW BEEN PASSED? IS THAT ACTUALLY IN THE RULES OR IS THAT PART OF THIS WHOLE BUFFERING PROCESS AND THAT'S ALL GONNA BE ADDED IN TOGETHER? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, WHEN WE WERE HANDLING BUFFERING LATE LAST YEAR, UM, AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS BUFFERING WAS THE FIRST TOPIC WE HANDLED, AND WE REFERRED TO IT AS SMALL SCALE MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS.
AS WE PROGRESSED IN THE, WITH THE COMMITTEE'S WORK, WE CAME ABOUT DISCUSSING THE MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL.
AND WE, UM, WITH THE COMMITTEE'S WORK ENDED UP, UM, DOING THE SMALL SCALE MULTI-FAMILY, GIVING IT A NAME, WHICH IS MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS THREE TO EIGHT UNITS IF THEY MEET A CERTAIN CRITERIA.
SO THAT MUR, MULTI-UNIT, RESIDENTIAL AND SINGLE FAMILY, THE BUFFERING IS FROM THESE TWO TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE SMALL SCALE MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT IS THE MU, UM, WHICH IS UP TO EIGHT UNITS ON A UNRESTRICTED PROPERTY.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YOU, YOU, YOU DID ON THE DEFINITION OF IT.
AND, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT, UH, WHAT MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT IN PLACE NOW? OR, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IT'S NOT.
IT'LL, THE FIRST REFERENCE TO MU IS COMING WITH THE BUFFERING ORDINANCE AND FURTHER PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR MU WILL COME WITH THE HOUSING ORDINANCE DRAFT, WHICH IS STILL GOING ON.
UM, SO NO, NOTHING HAS PASSED YET.
YOU, YOU ARE THE FIRST ONES LOOKING AT IT.
I DIDN'T WANNA GET NO, NOT AT ALL.
ALRIGHT, ARE WE READY FOR YOU? YES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, DELIVERABLE PLACES, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, THIS IS
UM, TODAY I WILL, AS UH, MENTIONED, WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE STREET BROADENING REQUIREMENT, THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED.
UM, DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY ORDINANCE, WE REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE CURRENT RULES, SUCH AS, UM, STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENTS ENCOURAGE ONE HOUSING TYPE OVER THE OTHER.
THEREFORE, UH, IN THIS SESSION, WE WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THIS CHALLENGE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING THE STREET WATERING REQUIREMENTS AND GET YOUR INPUT ON HOW TO OVERCOME THIS CHALLENGE SO THAT WE COULD EQUITABLY PROMOTE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING AND HELP THE CITY GROW SUSTAINABLY AND RESPONSIBLY.
SO FIRSTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENTS.
THE CURRENT STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENTS WE ARE IMPLEMENTING REFLECT THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2013.
UM, DO WE LOSE THE POWERPOINT? I'M NOT SEEING THE POWERPOINT.
ALRIGHT, HIN, WE CAN SEE IT NOW.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION INITIATED A SUBCOMMITTEE TO EXPLORE OPTIONS TO FACILITATE COMPACT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITY.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AMEND ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO SHARED DRIVEWAYS, BUILDING LINES, AND URBAN VERSUS SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENTS.
IN 2013, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY THE COMMITTEE.
[00:50:01]
REQUIRES THAT A SHARED DRIVEWAY SHALL INTERSECT WITH A PUBLIC STREET WITH MINIMUM 18 FEET WIDE PAVEMENT.THE TABLE ON THE SCREEN SUMMARIZE THE CURRENT STREET WATERING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS WITH SHARED DRIVEWAYS AND PERMANENT ACCESS EASEMENTS.
PAES SPECIFICALLY, IF THE EXISTING PAYMENT IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY IS MORE THAN 20 FEET WIDE, NO WIDENING OR NO PARKING SIGNS WILL BE REQUIRED.
IF THE EXISTING PAYMENT IS MORE THAN 18 FEET, BUT LESS THAN 20 FEET, NO WIDENING WILL BE REQUIRED.
BUT THE DEVELOPERS WILL NEED TO PLACE NO PARKING SIGNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ENTIRE BLOCK.
IF THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT IS LESS THAN 18 FEET, THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS.
OPTION ONE IS TO WIDEN THE PA IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY TO 18 FEET AND PLACE NO PARKING SIGNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ENTIRE BLOCK.
OPTION TWO IS TO WIDEN THE PAYMENT IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY TO 20 FEET.
ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MINIMUM 20 FEET PAYMENT IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE FIRE TRUCKS AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO MANEUVER.
WHEN AN EMERGENCY HAPPENS, 18 FEE PAYMENT WILL WORK ONLY IF THERE ARE NO ON STREET PARKINGS OBSTRUCTING THE ROADWAY.
SO THE, THESE STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENTS ARE MANY APPLICABLE TO STREETS WITH ROADSIDE DITCHES.
MOST CURB AND GUTTER STREETS HAVE PAY MORE RATHER THAN 20 FEET.
THE INTENT OF THESE REQUIREMENTS IS TO IMPROVE FIRE PROTECTION AND TRAFFIC SAFETY.
HOWEVER, OVER THE TIME, WE REALIZE THAT IMPLEMENTING THIS REQUIREMENTS DOES NOT HELP TO IMPROVE FIRE PROTECTION OR TRAFFIC SAFETY IN MOST CASES.
FURTHERMORE, THE CURRENT RULES INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGE ONE HOUSING TYPE OVER THE OTHER.
THE STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENTS APPLY TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS WITH SHARED DRIVEWAYS, BUT THEY'RE NOT APPLICABLE TO THE FRONT LOADING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
AS A RESULT, DEVELOPERS ARE INDIRECTLY INCENTIVIZED TO DEVELOP FRONT LOADING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEVELOPER ORIGINALLY SUBDIVIDED A LOT INTO THREE SMALLER LAWS, TAKING ACCESS FROM A SHARED DRIVEWAY WITH A LOT LAYOUT ON THE LEFT.
AFTER THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS APPROVED, THE DEVELOPER REALIZED THAT HE IS REQUIRED TO WIDEN THE PAYMENT IN FRONT OF HIS PROPERTY WITH THIS LAYOUT, BUT HE DOESN'T NEED TO WIDEN THE PAYMENT IF HE DEVELOPS FRONT LOADING LOSS LIKE THE LOT LAYOUT ON THE RIGHT.
AS A RESULT, HE RESUBMITTED THE PLA AND CHANGED THE LOT LAYOUT TO FRONT LOADING LOTS.
UH, WHOEVER RUNNING THE PLANTATION, WOULD YOU PLEASE YOU PLEASE CHANGE TO THE NEXT SLIDE? CHEN, CAN YOU SEE THE SLIDE WITH THE SHADE DRIVEWAY? IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED? I SEE, YES.
SO FOR THIS EXAMPLE, FOR THE SAME SIGN, IF THE DEVELOPER SUBD DEVICE, THE CHAIN INTO 11 FRONT LOADING LAWS AS INDICATED ON THE LEFT HERE, IS NOT REQUIRED TO WIDEN THE PAVEMENT.
BUT IF HE DEVELOPS A SITE WITH A SHARED DRIVEWAY, HE COULD ONLY CREATE 10 LOTS AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO WIDEN THE PAVEMENT ALONG THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
FRONTAGE LIKE THE LAYOUT ON THE RIGHT, IN OTHER WORDS, THE LEFT DESIGN CREATES HIGHER DENSITY AND BRING MORE COST TO THE STREET, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO WIDEN THE PAYMENT.
AS A RESULT, THE DEVELOPER CHOSE THE FRONT LOADING DESIGN OVER THE SHARED DRIVEWAY DESIGN.
YEAH, NO, WE'RE SEEING THE SAME ONE WITH A SHARED DRIVEWAY BEHIND, UH, THE VERSUS THE 10 SEVENTEENS.
IT HAS NO, I'M SEEING THE NEW ONE.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE SHE HI DEVELOPMENT AND THE FRONT LOADING DEVELOPMENT LOCATED ALONG THE SAME STREET.
THE SHE HI DEVELOPMENT IN RED IS REQUIRED TO WIDEN THE STREET PAYMENT, BUT THE FRONT LOADING DEVELOPMENT IN BLUE IS NOT REQUIRED TO WIDEN THE PA
[00:55:01]
ALONG THE SAME STREET.ONLY A PORTION OF THE ROADWAY IS WIDEN.
THE PIECEMEAL WIDENING DOESN'T HELP IMPROVING FIGHT PROTECTION AND SAFETY.
THE CURRENT STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENTS CREATE MULTIPLE CHALLENGE FROM THE PLANNING STANDPOINT.
IT INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGE THE FRONT LOADING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE SHARED DRIVEWAY DEVELOPMENTS.
FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, THE PIECEMEAL WIDENING APPROACH NOT ONLY CREATES INCONSISTENT PAYMENT RISK, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE ROADWAY DRAINAGE NEGATIVELY FROM THE FIRE PROTECTION STANDPOINT, THE PIECEMEAL PAYMENT IS UNABLE TO IMPROVE FIRE PROTECTION.
THERE'S NO EASY WAY TO OVERCOME THIS CHALLENGE.
AT THIS POINT, WE COULD THINK OF TWO POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES TO ADJUST THE CHALLENGES TO SOME EXTENT.
THE FIRST OPTION IS TO REMOVE THE MINIMUM 18 FEET WIDE PAYMENT REQUIREMENT FOR SHARED DRIVEWAYS FROM CHAPTER 42.
BY TAKING THIS REQUIREMENT AWAY FROM CHAPTER 42 DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE REMOVE THIS REQUIREMENT.
THE STREET WIDENING REQUIREMENT WILL REMAIN IN THE IDM.
THE PROCESS OF THIS APPROACH IS TO REMOVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT FROM THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT STAGE AND ALLOW HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS AND ADJUST THE ISSUES DURING THE PERMITTING STAGE.
HOWEVER, THIS APPROACH DOES NOT ADJUST ANY OF THE CHALLENGES AT THIS TIME.
THE SECOND OPTION IS TO APPLY THE STREET WATERING REQUIREMENTS TO ALL NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING THE FRONT LOADING DEVELOPMENTS.
THIS APPROACH WILL PROMOTE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING EQUITABLY, AND THE STREET PAYMENT WILL BE WIDENED AT A FASTER SPEED.
HOWEVER, THIS STILL A PIECEMEAL APPROACH.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE INCONSISTENT PAYMENT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FIRE PROTECTION CHALLENGE WILL REMAIN, UM, FOR SOME TIME.
SO, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE KNOW NEED OF THESE TWO APPROACHES ARE IDEAL.
WE THINK THE SECOND APPROACH IS MORE FEASIBLE THAN THE FIRST ONE BECAUSE IT OVERCOMES THE PLAN PLANNING CHALLENGE BY REMOVING THE INCENTIVES FOR 1000 TIME, AND IT'LL ADJUST THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FIRE PROTECTION CHALLENGE AT A FASTER SPEED.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR INPUT AND EXPLORE WAYS TO ADJUST THESE CHALLENGES.
UH, THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
OKAY, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET ME ASK CHEN GIVE US A DEFINITION OR RATHER GIVE US A WALKTHROUGH OF WHAT, UM, THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE MEANS.
IN OTHER WORDS, TAKING IT OUT OF CHAPTER 42 AND, UH, LEAVING THE REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE IDM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO BUILDER DEVELOPERS? SO BASICALLY IT JUST STAY AS IT IS TODAY.
I, UH, IT JUST REMOVE IT FROM THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT IS A PRE-DEVELOPMENT STAGE REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER, AS LONG AS IT IS IN THE IDM, WHENEVER THE NEW DEVELOPMENT COME IN, THEY, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES.
SO THE, SO THAT WILL STAY AS IT IS TODAY, BUT JUST TECHNICALLY REMOVE IT FROM THE ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, UM, MR. CHAIR, IF I THANK YOU, MOHIN.
THAT'S A VERY GOOD EXPLANATION.
THE ONE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS TO SAY THAT WHEN IT IS A CHAPTER 42 REQUIREMENT, IT BECOMES A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL ON THE PLAT.
AND THERE IS NO REAL WAY FOR US TO FIGURE OUT IF THE PAVING IS DONE.
AND WE, WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE FACT THAT IT'LL BE DONE AND RECORD THE PLAT.
SO TECHNICALLY EVEN THE PLAT IS GETTING RECORDED, THE CONDITION IS NOT BEING MET, WHICH IS A CHAPTER 42 CONDITION.
IT'S LIKE APPROVING A PLA WHEN IT DOESN'T MEET THE ORDINANCE KIND OF ISSUE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT SOLVING THE CHALLENGE THAT MOIN BROUGHT UP, WHICH IS INE EQUITABLY BENEFITING ONE DEV DEVELOPMENT TYPE OVER THE OTHER.
IT'S NOT ADDRESSING THAT, BUT IT'S MAKING THE PROCESS, UM, MORE FEASIBLE.
THE PLANNING, PLANNING PROCESS, UM, GOES A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE REAL DIFFERENCES ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONE VERSUS THE OTHER.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE EXPLANATION.
SO LET'S OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
AND TAMMY, I SEE, UH, MR. DAVIS WITH HIS HAND UP? CORRECT.
ALL RIGHT, MR. DAVIS, GO AHEAD.
UH, THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE, UM, POLICY BUMPS HEADS WITH, UM, MUNICIPAL CAPITAL PLANNING, IF BY BLOCK, ANY DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE BLOCK IS REQUIRED TO MEET THAT WIDENING SINCE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY, FIRE SAFETY AND
[01:00:01]
WHATNOT.AND THE DEVELOPER IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THE WIDENING AND IT MIGHT CREATE THESE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'VE OUTLINED, RATHER THAN DEVELOPER HAVING TO ACTUALLY DO IT.
COULD THE DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTE THE TO A FUND? AND BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A BROAD CITYWIDE ACTIVITY, AGAIN, I'M DIPPING INTO MUNICIPAL FINANCE, THE CITY COULD FLOAT A BOND TO FUND THESE PROJECTS AS THEY COME ALONG.
SO IF ONE DEVELOPER IS IMPACTING A BLOCK THAT MOVES THE PROJECT UP ON THE LIST, THE FUND THAT THEY, THE AMOUNT THAT THEY PAY IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE FUND, THE FUND IS, IS CAPITALIZED THROUGH A BOND AND IS EVENTUALLY REPLENISHED THROUGH THE PAYMENTS THAT DEVELOPERS MAKE AS THEY BUILD WITHIN THIS CONTEXT.
UH, AGAIN, THAT'S A, IT, IT GOES BEYOND, UH, THE, THE SCOPE OF THIS ORDINANCE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO BE SHY AND TIMID IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND CAPITAL PLANNING.
'CAUSE THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER CAPITAL NEEDS AROUND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND THE LIKE.
AND TO BURDEN DEVELOPERS WITH THIS TO END UP WITH INCOMPLETE, UH, SOLUTIONS SEEMS TO BE PROBLEMATIC WHEN INCENT WHEN IN A SENSE WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT DENSER DEVELOPMENT.
AND THIS COULD BE DONE ON A BLOCK BY BLOCK BASIS AND THE INITIAL PROJECT COULD INITIATE EXPENDITURE FROM THE FUND, THE CAPITAL, UH, IMPROVEMENT FUND TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
ANYONE ELSE? DEVELOPERS, I KNOW YOU HAVE IDEAS HERE.
UM, I, UM, HAVE RUN ACROSS THIS BEFORE, UM, BY, I WOULD PICK ALTERNATIVE NUMBER ONE.
UM, TRAFFIC PICKS US UP WHEN YOU DO YOUR PLANS HERE.
YOU GOT LITTLE, USUALLY IT'S LITTLE PIECES OF THE ROAD.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A CITY HOUSTON PROBLEM WITH REALLY BAD ROADS AND SOME OLD NEIGHBORHOODS.
RICE MILITARY IS FAMOUS FOR THIS, UM, UH, DOING ONE RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I THINK EVERYONE'S GONNA FOOL THEMSELVES ON THE PROS ON THE SECOND ALTERNATIVE SAYING STREET PAYMENTS WILL BE WIDENED AT A FASTER SPEED.
UM, NO, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS YOU SAW THOSE EXAMPLES THAT WERE PRODU THAT YOU GUYS SHOWED.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD ANYTHING ON THAT STREET.
WE'RE GONNA GO, LET'S GO FIND SOMETHING ELSE BETTER.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, TWO FEET AND ABOVE.
WHILE SOME OF IT'S STILL BEING DONE, MOST BUILDER DEVELOPERS ARE JUST AVOIDING THE LAND AND IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN FASTER.
AND, AND THE PIECEMEAL APPROACH IS HORRIBLE EITHER WAY.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
HERE, UNLESS LIKE MR. DAVIS SAID, A FUND IS SET UP TO DO BLOCK BY BLOCK AND DO ALL, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE ME DO IT, IT WILL NOT BE DONE AS GOOD AS, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND YOU'RE SHOWING A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE HERE ON CURBS.
THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE.
IT'S NOT CURB STREETS LIKE THIS.
I KNOW THIS STREET, BUT THIS IS UNUSUAL.
IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS OPEN DITCH.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD JUST, YOU GUYS IN FOR CHAPTER 42, Y'ALL DON'T NEED TO BE DEALING WITH THIS.
IT'S, AS YOU SAID, HOW CAN YOU ENFORCE IT? HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY SPEND A LOT OF EFFORT TO FIND OUT IF IT NEVER GOT DONE? AND, UH, BUT, BUT TRAFFIC DOES PICK IT UP.
IT DOES BRING UP A SECONDARY POINT, NOT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, BUT YOU, YOU POINTED OUT THE NO PARKING SIGNS.
I MEAN THE 18 TO 20 FEET, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY A WHOLE SIDE OF PARKING.
SO YOU'RE ASKING US TO BUILD SHARED DRIVE DRIVEWAY PROJECTS.
I TAKE AN ACRE LAND BUILD THAT HAVE ALL THIS STREET PARKING AND THEN THEY POP NO PARKING SIGNS UP THERE BECAUSE IT'S BETWEEN 18 AND 20 FEET.
THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT EITHER.
THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED, THAT SHOULD COME OUT OF THE IDM OR WHATEVER ORDINANCE THAT IS THEN.
AND YOU KNOW, IF, IF I'M GONNA GO THE EFFORT TO BUILD A SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECT, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THAT STREET PARKING
UH, AGAIN, A SUBJECT FOR ANOTHER DAY PROBABLY.
BUT THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED, I THINK, RIGHT HERE.
UM, IT'S, LOOK AT THE, IF YOU'RE BETWEEN 18 AND 20, NO PARKING ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BLOCK.
SO WHY WOULD, IF I'M BUILDING A SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECT AND HAVE JUST A COUPLE PARKING SPOTS, WHERE ARE THE GUESTS GONNA PARK HERE? I, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I, THIS, THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND, AND I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A PUBLIC WORKS DEAL.
AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC WORKS ISSUES, BUT THIS IS PROBABLY BIGGER THAN THE STREET WIDENING THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, GO AHEAD IF ANY OF THE HELLO? YES, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UM, WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS OFFICIALS HERE, UH, WHO JOINED US.
UM, I CAN'T SEE THE PARTICIPANTS, BUT IF ANY PUBLIC WORKS OFFICIALS WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ABOUT THE FEE IN LIEU OF, UH, POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, OR ABOUT THE PAVING WIDENING,
[01:05:01]
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND.TYRONE MCDANIEL HAS HIS HAND RAISED.
UM, YES, I JUST HAD A COMMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE STREET WIDENING AND A, A FEW PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, UM, IN BO AND TWO FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE KIND OF ALLUDED TO IT, BUT, UM, I KNOW OF
BUT, UM, WHERE WE OPTED NOT TO DO THE DEVELOPMENT.
ONE I WAS JUST A CONSULTANT ON, BUT THEY OPTED NOT TO DO DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE STREET WIDENING, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE THERE.
AND SO, AND THESE ARE, MY FOCUS IS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF COSTS, SOMETIMES IT CAUSES PROJECTS NOT TO GET DONE BECAUSE OF, UH, BEING ABLE TO WIDEN THAT STREET.
AND SO AS, UH, BERGER SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY OPTED TO MOVE TO A DIFFERENT PROPERTY BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW, WHAT THE SOLUTION WOULD BE, BUT IF THERE WAS MAYBE A, A MORE COLLABORATIVE WAY, UH, UH, THEY'VE ALLUDED BONDS, UM, OR SOME TYPE OF BETTER WAY FOR THE CITY AND, AND DEVELOPERS WANTING TO DO THIS TO KIND OF, UH, FIGURE OUT SOME, SOME WAYS WHERE PROJECTS CAN STILL GET DONE WITHOUT, UM, WITHOUT CO COMPROMISING SAFETY.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IN THAT CONTEXT TOO.
I THINK SUNNY WAS FROZEN, AND SO HE MIGHT BE COMING BACK ON, UM, AKMA GALI, UM, WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
SO AKMA GALI WITH PUBLIC WORKS, UM, WOULD LIKE TO OH, YES.
AHMED ME HERE IN THE OCE TRAFFIC SECTION, JUST A SMALL COMMENT ABOUT WHY THERE ARE NO PARKING SIGNS.
UM, THESE REQUIREMENTS CAME AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S FOR SAFETY ISSUE.
AND IT WAS PUT IN THE IDM BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE NO PARKING.
BECAUSE IF YOU ALLOW PARKING HERE, THE STREET WOULD BE WAY TOO NARROW FOR FIRE TRUCKS.
UH, YEAH, THAT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, BUT THE ISSUE IS, AS MIKE DISH BERGER SAID, UH, IF THERE'S NO PARKING, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALL KNOW RICE MILITARY, IT DITCHES ON BOTH SIDES, NO PLACE TO PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, A, UH, A GROUP OF SIX TOWN HOMES ONLY HAVE ONE GUEST PARKING SPACE.
AND, AND ODDLY, YOU KNOW, UH, WE REALIZE, OR AT LEAST I REALIZE THAT THE, WE NEED THE SAFETY, UH, ISSUE IS NUMBER ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT AGAIN, NO PARKING SIGNS REALLY DOESN'T, DOESN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES AS PEOPLE WILL PARK ILLEGALLY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTARY.
I, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO FIND, YOU KNOW, A SOLUTION THAT PROVIDES BOTH SAFETY AND PARKING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE TODAY.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE? NO, FINE.
UM, I HAD SEE MR. MCDANIEL WITH YOUR HAND UP.
SORRY, ARE YOU THERE? HE ALREADY SPOKE
UH, NEIL, GO RIGHT AHEAD PLEASE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER CITIES DO, BUT IT CONTINUES TO MYSTIFY ME AND REMAIN NUTTY THAT WE DO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPER BY DEVELOPER PROJECT BY PROJECT.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
THIS IS LIKE THE, UH, LET'S GO HAVE EACH LITTLE HOME PUT IN A BIGGER DRAINAGE DITCH EVERY TIME YOU NEED TO FIX YOUR DRIVEWAY.
EXCEPT IT DOES JUST BOTTLENECKS THE WATER.
AND WE DO IT ALL OVER THE CITY.
IF YOU'RE GONNA FIX THE STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FIX THE STREETS.
IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIX THE STREETS OR IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE, DON'T HAVE THE NEXT, NEXT NEW DEVELOPER WIDEN THE STREET, CHANGE THE DRAINAGE AND JUST KIND OF DO IT PIECEMEAL.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE END SOLUTION IS.
IT APPEARS IN THIS CASE, IF I HAVE TO PICK, I PICK OPTION A BECAUSE AT LEAST IT REDUCES SOMETHING.
AND DEFINITELY DON'T PICK OPTION B, BUT THE WHOLE CONCEPT IS JUST A BIT NUTTY.
UM, ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? SO, UH, PETER FRIEDMAN.
I I REALLY LIKED, UH, UH, MR. DAVIS' IDEA OF A FEE IN LIEU OF, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPTION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A GROUP THAT'S DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEN THAT MIGHT GIVE THEM AN OPTION TO WAIVE THAT FEE OR FEE LIEU OF.
UM, BUT I, I REALLY DO AGREE THAT DOING THIS PIECEMEAL IS VERY TOUGH TO MAKE IT, UH, MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.
[01:10:01]
WE RUN INTO SOME VERY SMALL ROADS WHERE WE HAVE, UM, OPEN DITCH ON BOTH SIDES.THEN WE HAVE TO ALSO COME UP WITH ENOUGH ROOM FOR FIVE FOOT SIDEWALKS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THOSE OPEN DITCHES ARE PUSHED UP RIGHT AGAINST THE ROADS.
THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH ROOM THERE AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CLOSE UP OPEN DITCH ANYMORE.
YOU COULDN'T PUT UNDER UNDERGROUND STORM WATER, WHICH WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR FLOODING ISSUE, SO THIS IS REALLY IS A TOUGH ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PERFECT SOLUTION, BUT I THINK ASKING, UM, THE SECOND CHOICE, I'M, I AGREE AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S JUST, THAT'S NOT GONNA HELP.
I'D REALLY RATHER REDUCE THE RESTRICTIONS RIGHT NOW, LET TRAFFIC WORK IT, AND THEN HAVE A, UH, HAVE A FEE IN LIEU OF IF WE COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
CHEN, DID YOU HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENT BASED ON THAT? UH, NO.
I THINK, UH, IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO HEAR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THOUGHT, UH, BECAUSE, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THE INTERNAL DISCUSSION WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND WE ALSO HAD A HARD TIME TO, TO DESIGN WHICH ONE IS BETTER REGARDING THE FEE NEW WE, UM, IT'S ALSO KIND OF LIKE, UM, LOTS OF A LAWN MOWER NEED TO DIG INTO TO FIND OUT WHETHER IT'S VISIBLE OR NOT.
UM, IT, IT IS A COMPLICATED PROCESS, BUT, UM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR, UM, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FEEDBACK.
ALRIGHT, TAMMY, I SEE MR. DAVIS AGAIN, CORRECT.
ALRIGHT, MR. DAVIS, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
UM, THE GOOD THING ABOUT YOUR WORK IN THIS REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IS THAT YOU ARE SURFACING PROBLEMS THAT CANNOT EASILY BE ADDRESSED REGULATORY ON A REGULATORY BASIS.
THAT THIS IS A QUESTION OF CITY FISCAL POLICY AROUND BOND FINANCING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
YOU CAN DO INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT ON A PLAN BASIS, WHICH WE DON'T DO CITYWIDE PLANS.
THE PLANNING COMES FROM THE MARKET AND THAT'S FINE.
AND SO YOU NEED TO HAVE A STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THE MARKET TO STIMULATE CAPITAL SPENDING IN A RATIONAL WAY.
SO THIS IS A CALL FOR STRATEGIC THINKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO INFORM PUBLIC POLICY AROUND PUBLIC FINANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE AT A SCALE AND A PACE THAT FITS WITH THE MARKET.
AND I, I, I HAVEN'T SEEN A BETTER EXAMPLE OF IT AND I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL POP UP, BUT THIS, IN MY MIND, SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO CREATE THESE MANY CALL TO ARMS AROUND STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS IN THE CITY THAT ARE IMMINENTLY ADDRESSABLE.
UM, IT, THIS CITY IS BIG ENOUGH, THERE'S NO PROBLEM TO FLOAT A BOND ON AN INCREMENTAL BASIS.
IT MIGHT REQUIRE GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE A CHANGE.
I AM NOT SURE, I DON'T KNOW IT, THE, UM, BOND FINANCE PROCESS IN THE CITY ENOUGH TO KNOW, BUT TO HAVE DEVELOPERS MAKE A, A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF THE FEE OR MAKE A FEE PAYMENT THAT WOULD GO INTO A FUND THAT IS PART OF THAT IS INITIALLY FINANCED THROUGH BONDS.
YOU CAN DETERMINE WHAT NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS GET DONE ANNUALLY, UH, ON AVERAGE AND DETERMINE WHAT THAT FUND SIZE SHOULD BE.
AND THAT CAN SUPPLEMENT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.
IT NEED NOT, UH, OVERRIDE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROCESSES ALL ALREADY IN PLACE.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THIS OUGHT TO POINT TO A FOCUS WITHIN THE CITY'S BUILDING APPARATUS, UM, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ALRIGHT, SIR, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
I DON'T SHOW ANYONE ELSE WITH THEIR HANDS UP.
TAMMY, DO YOU? I DO NOT EITHER.
PARDON ME? THERE ARE NO HANDS RAISED AT THIS TIME.
CHEN, DID YOU WANNA, SO RIGHT NOW, UH, IT LOOKS TO BE LIKE WE HAVE BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF A FEE IN LIEU OF, AND THEN ALTERNATELY REMOVING CHAPTER, UH, REMOVING IT PIECEMEAL APPROACH FROM CHAPTER 42 SEEMS TO BE THE CONSENSUS OF THE GROUP.
I I WOULD LIKE THE, THE, UH, FEE IN LIEU OF ISN'T AN AN AWFUL IDEA, BUT IT, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT STAFF WOULD NEED TO REALLY THINK THROUGH WHAT WAS PROPOSING SOME VERY OBVIOUS ISSUES THAT I CAN IMAGINE ARISING ARE IF YOU'VE GOT A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A BUNCH OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S KIND OF FEEDING INTO THAT FUND AND NOTHING HAPPENS, RIGHT? THE PEOPLE THAT PUT UP THAT CASH ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE ANNOYED.
AND, UH, IF THE CASH THAT COMES IN FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD BIASES WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE GETS DONE FIRST, THAT'S GONNA CREATE A VERY INTERESTING, SHALL WE SAY, UM, UH, IMPACT ON CAPITAL PLANNING.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS NOT TURNING OVER VERSUS YOURS THAT IS, IS GONNA BE LAST ON THE LIST EVEN THOUGH I'VE GOT THE WORST STREET
[01:15:01]
PROBLEM? YOU KNOW, SO I THINK ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL USING THIS FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL, EVEN IF IT'S TAKING, TRYING TO SOLVE THE CASH, KIND OF THE, THE WHO DOES THE WORK PROBLEM FROM DRIVING CAPITAL DECISIONS.I'M BACK TO IF THE CITY NEEDS TO FIX MORE STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, IT NEEDS TO GET THE MONEY TO DO IT AND NOT, UM, INVOLVE THE DEVELOPERS AT ALL.
AND IF IT DOESN'T THINK THE STREETS NEED FIXING, IT NEEDS TO LET THE DEVELOPERS BUILD WHAT THEY NEED TO BUILD AND NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE STREET.
BUT THIS ANY MIDDLE GROUND HERE JUST SEEMS A LITTLE, IT, IT JUST SUBOPTIMAL, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THE, BUT THE FEE IN LIEU OF SERVICE, I WOULD HAVE THE CONCERN THAT IT WOULD CREATE SOME WEIRD BIASES YEAH.
AT ONE POINT OR OTHER IN THE CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. CHAIR? AVIDA HERE? YES, AVIDA, GO AHEAD.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT INPUT AND THIS WAS DEFINITELY DIFFICULT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE AND WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE DONE, KEEPING IN MIND THE SCOPE OF LIVABLE PLACES, UH, COMMITTEE'S WORK.
UM, FOR NOW I WANT TO ASK, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME, UM, THAT THE FIRST OPTION, WHICH IS REMOVING IT FROM CHAPTER 42, IS WHAT WE WANT, BUT ALL OF THE INPUTS YOU PROVIDED AND THE
AND IT MAY BE A BIGGER INITIATIVE THAN WHAT ARE SCOPE COVERS TODAY.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT IF WE CAN TAKE IT AS CONSENSUS THAT OPTION ONE IS WHAT WE, WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, I WOULD SAY SO BASED ON THE COMMENT THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR, ANY COMMENTS, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS ON ITEM, UH, NUMBER ONE ALTERNATIVE VERSUS TWO THEN A HEARING? NONE, I WILL CONSIDER THAT CONSENSUS.
SO YES, ONE OVER NUMBER TWO SAVITA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMITTEE FOR THAT INPUT.
SO HIN, IS THAT, ARE WE DONE? WE MOVE ON TO HOMEWORK ACTIVITIES WITH TAMMY? YES, SIR.
UM, SO TAMMY WILL PRESENT HOMEWORK ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
I'LL REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE ARE BACK AT SCHOOL AND TAMMY HAS HOMEWORK FOR US.
SO, UM, AS SAVITA PRESENTED, UM, EARLIER IN THIS MEETING ABOUT THE DRAFT, UM, LANGUAGE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING STANDARDS, THAT IS GOING TO BE POSTED ON LET'S TALK HOUSTON AND ON OUR PLANNING WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS NOT JUST COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BUT ALSO TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT AS A HOMEWORK ACTIVITY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, PLEASE READ THROUGH IT, PROVIDE OUR, THE FEEDBACK ON IT, UM, THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD, UM, WITH WHATEVER EDITS TO GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO PLEASE LOOK THROUGH THAT, GET US YOUR FEEDBACK.
AND THEN ALSO WE ARE GOING TO BE POSTING AN ARTICLE, UM, EITHER LATER TODAY OR IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS, UM, THAT YOU CAN READ AT YOUR PLEASURE.
UM, IT'S ABOUT FRONT YARDS, PATIOS, UM, JUST KIND OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL, UM, AND THE KIND OF AN UPWARD TREND IN SOME SORT OF FRONT OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE.
UM, SO GO AHEAD AND FIND THAT, NOT NOW, BUT VERY SOON.
AND THEN ALSO, SORRY, ON LET'S TALK HOUSTON, IF THERE'S ANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO COME TO YOU TO PRESENT, PLEASE STILL LET US KNOW FOR ENGAGEMENT.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, SO TAMMY, THE FEEDBACK, UM, THAT YOU ARE WANTING IS GONNA BE ACTUALLY ON LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG LIVABLE PLACES ON THE BUFFERING BOARD.
IT'LL ACTUALLY BE THERE FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO FEEDBACK OR DID YOU WANT SEPARATE THAT DONE SEPARATELY BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS? UM, I THINK ON LET'S TALK HOUSTON IS FINE.
UM, IT WILL BE POSTED WHERE PART OF THAT FORUM, UM, ASPECT CAN STILL BE THERE.
IF THERE'S A LOT OF RED LINES, THEN IT MIGHT BE EASY ENOUGH TO EMAIL IT TO US, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT ENGAGE IN THE, THE FORUM PART OF IT WOULD BE A USEFUL TOOL.
ANYONE, UH, WITH REGARD TO OUR HOMEWORK, AGAIN, GO TO LET'S TALK HOUSTON OR THE, UM, PLANNING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE TO FIND THE ARTICLES AS WELL AS THE BUFFERING ORDINANCE SO WE CAN GET YOUR INPUT ON ALL OF THAT, OF THE LANGUAGE THAT'S BEING USED AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT.
AND SO, UH, TAMMY, IF THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PORTION, WE'LL MOVE ITEM TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I HAVE FOUR INDIVIDUALS, UM,
[01:20:01]
LISTED.SOME MAY HAVE ALREADY NEEDED TO STEP OUT, BUT THE FIRST IS A RICHARD M.
RICHARD, ARE YOU THERE? UH, YEAH.
HEY GUYS, I JUST TURNED ON MY CAMERA.
I'VE BEEN AN INTERLOOP HOME BUILDER FOR 16 YEARS.
I JUST WANTED TO THROW MY 2 CENTS IN ABOUT THE FRONT DOORS FACING THE STREET IDEA THAT WAS WIDELY DISCUSSED TODAY.
UM, OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE NEVER REALLY ASKED US FOR A PLAN WITH FRONT DOORS FACING THE STREETS OR FRONT YARDS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST SELLING POINTS OF OUR HOMES INSIDE THE LOOP IS BACKYARD SPACE AND PRIVACY.
UM, UH, THE PICTURES IN THE POWERPOINT, MIKE WAS RIGHT.
UH, THEY WERE ALL GATED AND NEARLY ALL OF THE FRONT DOORS ARE SOLID SO THAT PEOPLE WALKING BY CAN'T PAIR INTO YOUR FAMILY'S HOME.
UM, THEY'RE HOMES ALL OVER HOUSTON THAT ARE DILAPIDATED AND RUN DOWN THAT LOOK COMPLETELY UNOCCUPIED, BUT HAVE, BUT HAVE THEIR FRONT DOORS THAT FACE THE STREET.
SO I, I WOULD DISAGREE THAT SIMPLY HAVING A FRONT DOOR FACING THE STREET IMPLIES OCCUPANCY.
UM, THE IDEA OF EYES ON THE STREET FROM GROUND STORY ROOMS IS MISGUIDED, IN MY OPINION.
THE WAY OUR CUSTOMERS SEE THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT EYES ON THE STREET.
IT'S WHOSE EYES ARE LEERING INTO OUR FAMILY'S HOME.
UM, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PRIVACY AND SECURITY THAN I'VE EVER SEEN IN ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW.
UM, WE'RE DOING MORE SAFETY WINDOW FILM, PRIVACY FILM, AND SOLID FRONT DOORS THAN WE HAVE, UH, EVER BEFORE BECAUSE PEOPLE A DON'T WANT OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO WALK BY AND LOOK INTO THEIR HOMES.
AND B, THEY'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME IN OUR CITY THAT THEY'RE AFRAID SOMEONE'S GONNA SMASH THEIR FRONT DOOR.
UM, WE'RE INSTALLING MORE CAMERAS AND SECURITY DEVICES LIKE GLASS BRAKE SENSORS THAN WE HAVE IN ANY PRIOR TIME.
AND EVERY HOME NOW THAT WE'RE BUILDING HAS A GATE PROTECTING THE FRONT DOOR FROM DIRECT STREET ACCESS.
UM, CRIME PRIVACY AND A SENSE OF SECURITY ARE THREE MAJOR POINTS ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS BRING UP IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM.
UH, THE CRIME WAVE OUR CITY'S BEEN EXPERIENCING FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS OR SO ISN'T JUST CONFINED TO CERTAIN AREAS OF OF OUR CITY.
UM, CRIME IS ON EVERYONE'S MIND AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
THERE'VE BEEN FOLLOW HOME ROBBERIES FROM THE GALLERIA AND, AND RIVER OAKS SHOOTOUT AT THE POST OAK HOTEL GUNFIGHTS IN AFTON OAKS AND TANGLEWOOD.
UM, CRIME IS REALLY BECOMING AN ISSUE IN OUR CITY, AND IN MY OPINION, FRONT DOORS FACING THE STREET WILL WON'T ACHIEVE EYES ON THE STREET BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THE REVERSE THAT MOST OF OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE CARRYING ABOUT WHOSE EYES ARE IN THEIR HOUSE TIME.
ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT SPEAKER, TAMMY, NEXT IS RON PETITE.
MR. PETIT, ARE YOU THERE, RON PETIT OR IS IT PETIT? OH, MAYBE P-E-T-T-I-T.
MR. PETIT? NO, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
UH, MR. CARDENAS, RICKY, US? YEAH, WE CAN HEAR YOU, SIR.
UM, YEAH, I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON EITHER SIDE AS FAR AS THE FACING, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
I DON'T LIKE HOW I WAS SAFER TO BE MR. MR. NESS.
UH, CAN YOU UP YOUR VOLUME? YOU'RE VERY DISTORTED.
UM, WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE FRONT DOOR, FACING THE STREET VERSUS NOT FACING THE STREET.
SO I, I DID UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU SAID YOU WANNA HEAR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE FRONT DOOR FACING OR NOT FACING THE STREET? YES.
AND, AND HOW, HOW IS THAT SAFER? UH, I'M SORRY, HOW IS THAT? WHAT, HOW IS IT SAFER? OKAY.
UM, SO I I, UM, I WOULD SAY, UH, STAFF, ARE WE GONNA HAVE ANY OF THIS INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE? NOT YET.
UH, NO, IT'S, UM, IT'S IN THE ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT IS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, UH, YEARS AGO.
WE WERE JUST TRYING TO BRING MORE CLARITY TO THE REQUIREMENT.
UM, THE INFORMATION IS ALREADY WITHIN UNI CODE HOUSTON.
SO, UM, CAN WE GIVE MR. CARDENAS A SPECIFIC PLACE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION? YES, SURE.
UM, I'LL PUT OUR, UH, PHONE NUMBER IN THE CHAT AND THEN HE CALL, HE CAN CALL FOR AVITA BANDI AND I'LL BE
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ABLE TO ANSWER HIS QUESTIONS.ALRIGHT, MR. NESS, DID YOU HEAR THAT? YOU'RE MUTED RIGHT NOW? I I DID HEAR YOU.
OKAY, SO LOOK IN THE CHAT, SIR, AND, AND, UH, ASK FOR AVITA BANDI AND SHE'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED SO YOU'LL GET MORE SPECIFIC ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTION.
SPEAKER NUMBER FOUR IS PRESTON WOOD, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD TO STEP OUT.
PRESTON WOOD, ARE YOU THERE? OKAY, UH, LET ME GO BACK TO RON PETIT.
AND THEN I SEE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A COMMITTEE MEMBER WITH THEIR HAND RAISED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO ADDRESS THE SUBCOMMITTEE? AND I SEE PATRICIA SPIKES.
IS THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE ORDINANCE, IS THAT REFERRING TO NEWLY DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS OR WOULD THAT BE CITYWIDE SAVITA? I WILL LET YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION IF YOU COULD.
IT IS FOR NEWLY, UM, NEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING UP WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO ADDRESS THE, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE? ALL RIGHT, THEN HEARING NONE, I SEE THAT WE ARE, UH, SAVITA, DID YOU WANT TO WRAP UP OR, UH, GIVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE CLOSE? NO, SIR.
I THINK, UM, JUST, UM, IN CLOSING, THE NEXT MEETING IS ON, UM, NOT JULY, BUT OCTOBER 4TH,
BUT THE NEXT MEETING IS IN OCTOBER.
AND, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY TAKE QUESTIONS ON THE ORDINANCE AND WE MAY HAVE MORE ORDINANCE, UH, PIECES READY BY THEN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING DURING THE OCTOBER 4TH MEETING.
AND I REQUEST ALL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, YOU HAVE A DEADLINE OF TWO WEEKS TO GIVE ME COMMENTS ON THE RESIDENTIAL BUFFERING SO WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE TIME YOU GAVE US TODAY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH SAVITA AGAIN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I WILL ASK YOU TO GO THERE TO LOOK FOR THE BUFFERING ORDINANCE INFORMATION BECAUSE I, OH, ACTUALLY I WON'T BE IN, I WON'T BE IN PLANNING COMMISSION IN TWO WEEKS, SO I WON'T BE EMBARRASSED.
SO PLEASE GET IN THERE, TAKE A LOOK AROUND, UM, UH, INPUT YOUR INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS THAT BEFORE WE PRESENT TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION AND NO OTHER COMMENTS, I WILL NOW, UH, ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UH, MR. DAVIS, DID YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT? YES.
REAL QUICK JUST TO REQUEST THAT, UM, SAVITA INCLUDE THE SURPRISE CAMEO PHOTOGRAPH OF A BEAUTIFUL CHILD IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY ALL THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS, WE ALL HAVE THAT ON OUR PHONE.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. DAVIS, AVITA AND DIPTI AND EVERYONE ELSE.
LOTS OF INFORMATION TO TAKE IN, BUT AGAIN, EVERYONE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALL HELPED US PUT TOGETHER AND ARE DOING IN LIVABLE PLACES AND YOU ARE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THE CITY'S GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
SO EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
HAVE A, IT'S TUESDAY, RIGHT? HAVE A GREAT WEEK
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND, UH, ENJOY.