Item# 19 Pilot Knob

[Steve Adler]

Council Members,

I appreciated the robust discussion in this week’s council worksession on the affordability component of the Pilot Knob PUD. I understand that there are still questions about the mechanics of the SMART Housing deal and the impact on various city departments. I heard in the worksession that more information on the costs and impact are needed for some council members to fully be comfortable with the deal. As we discussed in worksession, NHCD and the developer have yet to conclude the negotiation of the details of the affordable housing component. I believe that once those details are finalized, staff can provide us with a true measure of the costs, value and potential impact of the affordable housing on the city. Therefore at tomorrow’s council meeting, I suggest council to consider moving forward with the first two elements of Council Member Troxclair’s resolution directing the City Manager to provide Council with a briefing on the history and development of current policy on the Capital Recovery Fees, including the history of payments from the Austin Water Utility into the Sustainability Fund for affordable housing; and directing the City Manager to provide a financial analysis and briefing regarding Austin Water Utility impact fee waivers for affordable housing. However, I suggest the council postpone consideration of the last element of the resolution which directs the City Manager to initiate amendments to the affordable housing and fee waiver portion of the Pilot Knob PUD zoning ordinance. I suggest that element be postponed until such time that the details of the affordability mechanics are finalized and the true impact of the potential diversion of fees from the water utility and other departments are known.

[Steve Adler]

Below is a link to a draft amendment that I believe accomplishes the intent of what I wrote above. This will allow council and the public more time to have their questions answered before voting to initiate a new PUD zoning case for Pilot Knob.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 095951.doc