[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
MEETING AND I'LL FIRST TAKE ROLL.SO COMMISSIONER ACOSTA PRESENTING.
GREAT COMMISSIONER, GARY COMMISSIONER.
VICE CHAIR, BURRITO RAMIREZ HERE.
COMMISSIONER DUNCAN, COMMISSIONER EVANS, COMMISSIONER KING HERE.
AND THEN OUR FIRST DIME IS WE HAVE ONE
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ]
PERSON SIGNED UP FOR A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND ANDREW, ARE WE READY? IS THAT PERSON READY? YES.UM, AT THE, UH, JUST REMINDER, SELECT STAR SIX.
DID YOU HEAR ME? WE WERE, WERE AVAILABLE.
UM, EX, IS SHE THERE MS. REYNOLDS UP HERE ON THE LINE, JUST PRESS STAR SIX AND PROCEED WITH YOUR REMARKS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS KAREN REYNOLDS.
YOU PASSED A RESOLUTION, WHICH STATED WE STAND FIRMLY AGAINST ALL FORMS OF RACISM.
SO I ASK THAT YOU HOLD JIM DUNCAN ACCOUNTABLE AND DEMAND COUNCIL REMOVE HIM FOR HIS INAPPROPRIATE MISCONDUCT TOWARDS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THIS INDIVIDUAL'S LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THEIR PRESENTING CASES.
BEFORE THIS COMMISSION, ALLOWING GENDER REMAIN ON THE COMMISSION ROADS, THE PUBLIC STRESS, AND SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED THE CREDIBILITY AND INTEGRITY OF THIS COMMISSION.
GENET FAILED TO OWN UP TO HIS MISCONDUCT BY DISTURBINGLY JEN KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY MADE UP A FALSE NARRATIVE.
WHEN HE WAS INFORMED, WITNESSES HAVE RECORDED HIS MISCONDUCT AND AN EMAIL, A COUNSEL HE WROTE WHILE I HATE TO CONCLUDE SUCH, I FEEL THAT THIS MIGHT POSSIBLY BE A SITUATION WHERE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES ARE BEHIND AN EFFORT TO MERGE MY REPUTATION, AN ABSOLUTE CONTRADICTION TO JENN STATEMENT AS CONFIRMED BY SECURITY CARD BENEATH TREVINO THE INTERNET WITH CA CAPTURED BY SECURITY CAMERA.
SO FRED LEWIS TO MAKE THREATS AGAINST WITNESSES AND ALISON ALTER CAN ATTEMPT TO SWEEP THIS UNDER THE RUG BY SAYING THIS INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED, BUT THE SECURITY VIDEO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND THE CITY MUST RELEASE IT.
SO CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR REPUTATION, FIND YOUR MORAL COMPASS, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MISCONDUCT AND APOLOGIZE AND RESIGN.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY PERSON SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
[Consent Agenda]
CONSENT AGENDA, A ONE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 1ST, 2020, AND THEN B TO B ONE, A ZONING C 14 DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ONE ONE ONE VINEYARD CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.THIS IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA B TO SITE PLAN, ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE ONLY S P DASH 2020 DASH ZERO THREE TWO ONE C APPLIED MATERIALS LOGISTICS SERVICE CENTER.
IT IS RECOMMENDED, AND THAT IS ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND B THREE SITE PLAN CONDITIONAL USE SPC DASH TWO ZERO THREE DASH ZERO ZERO ZERO FIVE C R TO ALL RICK LOW SERVICE PUMP STATION ELECTRICAL FEED RENEWAL.
AND THAT IS ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN THE FOUR IS, UM, OKAY, THANK YOU BEFORE IS, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO MY PREVIEW.
UM, IS, UH, SITE PLAN, SITE PLAN, ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE, SPC DASH
[00:05:01]
ZERO THREE DASH ZERO ZERO ZERO FIVE C R TO OVARY LOW SERVICE PUMP STATION ELECTRICAL FEED RENEWAL.AND THAT IS A DISCUSSION ITEM THEN C B FIVE SITE PLAN S P DASH 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO THREE EIGHT C CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS RESIDENCE HALL.
THAT IS, UH, ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN B SIX SITE PLAN S P DASH 2020 DASH ZERO TWO ZERO TWO C 15TH STREET OFFICE BUILDING.
IT'S GOING TO BE RE NOTIFIED TO REFLECT THE CORRECT LAND USE COMMISSION AND B SEVEN SITE PLAN CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT SPC DASH 2020 DASH ZERO TWO SIX ONE A DEAL DELL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER NORTH, UM, THAT IS ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.
SO OUR CONSENT AGENDA IS AS FOLLOWS PRETTY SIMPLE THIS TIME, AND IT IS APPROVAL AS A ONE MINUTES B ONE THROUGH B3, B FIVE AND B SEVEN AND B SIX HAS BEEN RE NOTIFIED.
SO IS THERE ANY, UM, AND BEFORE WE PUT THE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NOBODY WAITING TO LISTEN, UH, OR WAITING TO SPEAK WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS THAT I JUST MENTIONED THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER GARY AND I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF ON ITEM B SEVEN, UM, FOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
I SERVE ON THE GOS AND BOMBAS AUSTIN ON BOARD AND, UM, THEY'LL FOUNDATION, THIS ISN'T MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION OR A FUNDING SOURCE.
SO I'M TO RECUSE MYSELF ON ITEM B SEVEN.
AND THEN, UM, AFTER THAT, IS THERE A VOTE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND TO PROVE IT I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND COMMISSIONER OR VICE-CHAIR FOR RARE RAMIREZ SECONDING, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[B.4. Site Plan Environmental Variance: SPC-03-0005C(R2) - Ullrich Low Service Pump Station Electrical Feed Renewal; District 8 ]
DISCUSSION CASE IS BEFORE, AND THAT WOULD BE, AND SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S SHERRY.MY OTHER COMPUTER IS NOT WORKING TODAY.
UM, SO IS THAT GOING TO BE PAMELA ABBY? TOTALLY.
AND I'M PROBABLY MASSACRING YOUR NAME OR JEREMY STILL TALA OR BOTH.
AND I WILL BE SPEAKING ON THIS ONE FOR STAFF.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD NOW? ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE GENERALLY WE'LL HAVE YOU PRESENT AND THEN THE APPLICANT AND ANY OPPOSITION, AND THEN WE DON'T ASK QUESTIONS UNTIL EVERYBODY'S BEEN HEARD.
HELLO, THIS IS PAMELA 80, TOTALLY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECTS AND VARIANCES.
UM, THE PROJECTS AND VARIANCES FOR THE ALRICH WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
SO THE PLANT WAS FIRST PERMITTED IN 2003 AND A COMPRISES APPROXIMATELY 141 ACRES ADJACENT TO THE TOM MILLER DAM.
UH, THE SITE PLAN INCLUDES MULTIPLE PROJECTS AND WILL REQUIRE SEVEN ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCES, LARGELY DUE TO THE SITE'S LOCATION IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA WITH NUMEROUS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS.
UM, THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE HAS SLOPES IN EXCESS OF 35% IS BOUNDED BY CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES AND WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONES ENCOMPASSES BOTH WETLAND AND RIM ROCK CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND HAS NUMEROUS HERITAGE TREES.
STAFF ARE SATISFIED THAT THE PROPOSED PROJECTS ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE
[00:10:01]
CRITICAL UPGRADES, TO REPLACE OLD AND OUTDATED EQUIPMENT, TO PROVIDE IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS AND TO INCREASE SAFETY FOR PLANT STAFF.THE SLUDGE CHANGE OVER STRUCTURE REPLACES EXISTING STRUCTURES THAT REQUIRE CONFINED SPACE ENTRY.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDES SAFETY, WASHED DOWN AREAS, A LOOPED POTABLE WATER SUPPLY, UH, TO THE FACILITY.
UM, THE SPILLS CONTAINMENT STRUCTURE WILL CONTAIN A FUGITIVE SPILLS THAT MAY ENTER THE EXISTING STORM DRAIN FROM THE CHEMICAL DELIVERY AREAS AND WILL PREVENT THEIR DISCHARGE INTO LITTLE BEAR CREEK.
THE LOW SERVICE PUMP STATION ELECTRICAL FEED RENEWAL PROJECT INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ELECTRICAL BUILDING, RETAINING WALLS, ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT AND ACCESS ROAD AND DUCT BANK ROUTING STAFF HAS WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT TO CONSIDER MULTIPLE DESIGN ALTERNATIVES.
IN THE END, STAFF ARE SATISFIED THAT ALL POSSIBILITIES WERE EXPLORED AND THAT THE VARIANCES COULD NOT BE AVOIDED, BUT THE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN LOCATED IN SIZE AS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THEIR DESIGN FUNCTIONS THAT THE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO BE THE MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM CODE AND THAT NO HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ARE FORESEEN.
IN FACT, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WILL BE IMPROVED BY PROVIDING TREATMENT FOR CONTAINED CONTAMINATED RUNOFF AND ELIMINATING CURRENTLY OCCURRING EROSION FROM, UH, RUNOFF ON SLOPES, UH, IN SHORT STAFF DEEMS THE FINDINGS OF FACT TWO HAVE BEEN MET AND RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCES FOR APPROVAL.
AND, UH, ALSO I, UH, VARIANCES, I'M SORRY.
UH, THE VARIANCES RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AND THEN NEXT, UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I DO NOT HAVE AN APPLICANT REGISTERED.
THEN, AND THEN, UM, SO THEN WE HAVE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, UH, BOBBY LEVINSKY AND BOBBY, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THIS IS BOBBY LEVINSKY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINKLER LINE.
UM, MAINLY I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK JUST TO REGISTER OUR CONTINUED OPPOSITION TO THESE VARIANCES.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE CITY STAFF HAS DONE IN REVIEWING THIS CASE AND FOR TALKING TO US.
UM, I'M SURE, UM, PAMELA HAS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB AND SHE EXPLAINED A LOT OF THE VARIANCES VERY WELL WHEN WE TALKED.
UM, AND FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, WE UNDERSTAND THEIR NEED.
UM, YOU REALLY CAN'T DO A PROJECT ON THIS SITE WITHOUT VARIANCES GIVEN ITS USE AND ITS LOCATION.
HOWEVER, UM, I THINK WHERE WE DIVERGED AND WE WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO DIVERGE, UM, IS THE, UM, THE LOCATION ACTUALLY, THE, HE ACTUALLY JUST THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACCESS ROAD.
UM, INITIALLY IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, A BACKUP FOR THIS ITEM, THE ACCESS ROAD WAS, IT WAS STATED THAT IT WAS NEEDED SO THAT THE TRUCKS DID NOT HAVE TO TURN AROUND.
UM, THAT'S BEEN A CONFIGURATION THAT THIS PLANT'S BEEN OPERATING WITH FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, AND SO IT CREATED A LOOP ACCESS ROAD WHERE THE TRUCKS COULD JUST DRIVE AROUND THE BUILDING AND GET BACK TOWARDS REDBUD TRAIL.
UM, WHEN WE KIND OF OBJECT OBJECTED TO THAT RATIONALE, IT WAS THEN NOTED THAT THE DUCT BANK WOULD NEED TO HAVE MANHOLES AND YOU NEED TRUCK ACCESS TO, UH, TO REACH THE MANHOLES.
UM, THERE MAY BE NEED FOR PERIODIC ACCESS TO THOSE MANHOLES, NOT SURE APRIL ACCESS ROAD PAVED TO THE WIDTH OF, UM, UH, ALEXIS ROAD WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THAT OR THAT AN ENTIRE LOOP ACCESS WOULD BE NEEDED AS WELL.
THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF CONFIGURATIONS THAT LIMITED ACCESS TO THOSE MANHOLES WITHOUT HAVING TO GET ALL THE WAY BACK AROUND, UM, THE BUILDING.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S JUST, IF WE'RE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE EVER USED TO EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR OUR, THE, THE RATIONALE BEHIND, UM, PAVING THIS AREA, SINCE IT'S GOING TO LOCATIONS THAT I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE STANDARD OF THE MEDIATION, THE MINIMAL DEVIATION FROM CITY CODE, AND THAT IS A HARD LINE, UM, I'M NOT SURE IT MEETS THAT STANDARD OF THE MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM THE CITY CODE.
SO OUR MAIN OBJECTION IS JUST TO THE ACCESS ROAD.
IT'S JUST TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ACCESS ROAD IS BUILT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S DONE
[00:15:01]
A REALLY GREAT JOB OF MITIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL HARM.UM, THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE A REALLY, I MEAN, FOR A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT.
UM, WE APPRECIATE, UM, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION IS, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE TIMING OF CONSTRUCTION, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUSH TO GET THIS PROJECT APPROVED, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO IT COULD GET UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND BUILT BEFORE BREEDING SEASON BEGINS, JUST IN TERMS OF A GRANDER SCHEME OF WHEN THESE PROJECTS ARE BUILT TO US, IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE FOR THEM TO START THE PROJECTS AT THE END OF BREEDING SEASON.
SO WE'RE NOT IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE'RE HAVING THE REST OF PROJECTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND I'M, UM, I'M GOING TO GREG AND WHO HAS RAISED, UM, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE AN APPLICANT THAT ENDS THE, THAT ENDS THE DISCUSSION.
SO DOES SOMEBODY WANT TO HAVE A VOTE FOR WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KOSTA, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND IT LOOKS UNANIMOUS.
AND, UH, HANK COMMISSIONER SMITH, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED? YEAH.
I REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVING BEEN ON THAT BOARD AND VISITED WITH THEM ABOUT THIS CASE.
I WANTED TO GET THE BACKTRACK.
IT IS IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND IT IS A BIG ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
THEY'D SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING THIS OVER AND THEY FELT VERY COMFORTABLE THAT THEY GOT SOME, WHAT THEY NEEDED OUT OF THIS PROJECT.
IT HAS TO BE BUILT, BUT TAKING THAT INTO MIND, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FELT LIKE THEY HAD DONE EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO MAKE THIS AS, AS GOOD A SITUATION AS POSSIBLE, KNOWING THAT IT HAD TO BE BUILT IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
SO THEY WERE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT WITH THE PROJECT, BUT, AND THAT'S FROM SEVERAL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS NUMBER I FIND I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THAT WILL KIND OF THE BACKGROUND WHEN I GATHERED.
AND I WAS WONDERING, THIS IS A QUESTION I GUESS, FOR STAFF, UH, AND I WONDER COULD, UH, IF WE WANTED TO EMOTION, I MEAN, IF WE WANTED TO MAKE THE EMOTION ON THIS CASE AND INCLUDE IN THAT MOTION, UH, THAT, UH, COULD WE INCLUDE IN THE MOTION, UH, A DIRECTION TO MINIMIZE THE SIZE AND FOOTPRINT OF THE ACCESS ROAD LOOP? COULD THAT BE PART OF OUR EMOTION IF WE, IF WE WANTED TO MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THIS CONDITION, AND THAT'S A QUESTION FOR STAFF, PAMELA, ARE YOU THERE? I AM HERE.
THIS IS ROBIN HARSH PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FEED RENEWAL PROJECT.
UH, THE QUESTION IS ABOUT SHORT, LIKE MINIMIZING THE ROAD FOOTPRINT.
UM, I'M SORRY IF I DON'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
WELL, UH, IF, UH, IF THE COMMISSION WERE, IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I WERE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH DIRECTION TO STAFF TO MINIMIZE THE SIZE AND FOOTPRINT OF THE ACCESS ROAD LOOP, WOULD COULD WE PUT THAT, THAT CONDITION OR THAT DIRECTION IN THE MOTION? WELL, I BELIEVE I'M SORRY, PAM, YOU GO AHEAD.
OH, IS, IS THAT, IS THAT ROBIN? YES.
MA'AM BUT GO AHEAD, PLEASE, PLEASE.
I WASN'T SURE IF YOU'RE GOING TO COME ON, GO AHEAD.
UH, PART OF OUR, OUR COORDINATION WITH PERMITTING STAFF AND PAM WAS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE MINIMIZED THE, THE ROAD AS FAR AS THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 900 FOOT ROAD THAT HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DUNK TANK UNDERNEATH IT AS, AND AS WELL AS THE MANHOLES THAT WE NEED FOR ACCESS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT EIGHT MANHOLES CHEST ON THAT MAIN ROAD.
SO THERE'S NO WAY TO MINIMIZE THE LENGTH OF THE ROAD OR THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE OUR BEST AT DOING THAT.
SO I WONDER SINCE STEP, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE'RE KIND OF ALL TRYING TO DO THIS GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION HERE IN TERMS OF PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND BUILD WHAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO BUILD HERE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M JUST TRYING TO GET US A LITTLE CLOSER
[00:20:01]
TO THAT GOAL AND NOT WASTE TOO MUCH TIME AND GETTING INTO IN DOING SO.UH, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL WHATSOEVER.
SO I JUST WONDER, COULD YOU USE LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THIS ISN'T, I'M KIND OF NEW TO THIS.
COULD YOU USE PERVIOUS PAVERS HERE THAT MINIMIZE THE IMPACT? IS THAT APPROPRIATE? COULD THAT BE DONE? I THINK I'M GOING TO DEFER THAT TO PAM ON ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW STAFF POSITION ON USING PERVIOUS PAVERS.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE VEHICLE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD, THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENT OFFICER, I THINK TO YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADD THAT CONDITION, BUT I CONCUR, I FEEL WE HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT MINIMIZATION, IF THAT WAS A CONDITION OF THE COMMISSION, WE WOULD CERTAINLY GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD, UM, WAS THE MINIMUM DEPARTURE.
UH, ROBIN IS CORRECT THAT WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND PERVIOUS PAVERS IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC AND THE WEIGHT OF THE TRUCKS.
UM, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY FOR LESS TRAFFIC AND LESS, LESS UTILIZED AREAS.
UM, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THOUGH THAT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR THE ROAD AND EQUIVALENT AREA IN SIZE IS BEING TREATED, UM, OFFSITE, BUT WE BASICALLY ARE COMING OUT EVEN ON THE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
SO WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, WE, UH, UH, A SUPPORT STAFF RECOMMENDATION HERE AND, UH, AND WITH THE DIRECTION THAT THE STAFF TO, TO VERIFY THAT IT'S THE ACCESS ROAD LOOP IS THE MEDIAN MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM CODE THAT'S ALL.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SMITH? AND SO THE MOTION IS, AND I'LL REPEAT IT IS THAT BY COMMISSIONER KING SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SMITH IS FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND TO D N TO MAKE EXACTLY HOW DID YOU PUT IT, MAKE THE, NOT MAKE THE FOOTPRINT IS TO, TO, TO VERIFY THAT THE ACCESS ROAD, UH, IS, UH, THAT THE ACTRESS ROAD IS THE MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM CODE.
TO VERIFY THAT THE ACCESS ROAD IS MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM CODE.
ANY OTHER, I SEE ANY OTHER LITTLE HANDS UP AND I DON'T, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND DO THAT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE WILL HAVE WE GO ON TO, THAT WAS VERY QUICK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY.
AND THEN NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEMS FROM THE COMMISSION C1
[C.1. Discussion and possible action to initiate a rezoning for property located at 6610 Shelton Road from single family residence-standard lot (SF-2) district zoning to public (P) district zoning. (Sponsors: Commissioners Bray and Rey) ]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO INITIATE A REZONING FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT SIX SIX ONE ZERO SHELTON ROAD FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE STANDARD LOT SF TO DISTRICT ZONING TO PUBLIC P DISTRICT ZONING SPONSORS, COMMISSIONER BRAY, AND COMMISSIONER RAY.AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST ON THIS? I CAN KICK IT OFF.
BRAN, I ARE BRINGING TO YOUR ATTENTION, UM, UM, REZONING CASE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ZAP INITIATE TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FUNKY, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS ROUTE TO, UM, GET IT ON THE AGENDA.
THE GIST OF IT IS THAT THERE'S A PARCEL OF CITY OWNED LAND.
UM, IT'S COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE TO DEVELOP.
UM, HOWEVER IT'S TRIGGERING COMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ON AN ADJACENT PARCEL.
UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING TO INITIATE A REZONING SUCH THAT THIS PROPERTY COULD, UM, BECOME ZONED P UM, FAST TAKING AWAY THOSE COMPATIBILITY ISSUES.
UM, AND ALSO JUST RECLAIMING IT WITH THE CORRECT ZONING IT'S CITY OWNED.
SO IT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR IT TO BE PETE ANYWAYS.
UM, AND YEAH, COMMISSIONER BARRY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? NO.
AND, UM, I SEE, I'LL GO DUNCAN, AND THEN I'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS SET UP
[00:25:02]
JUST TO KICK THE CRAP IS RATHER UNIQUE.I MEAN, I CAN SEE, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS PUBLICLY OWNED.
UH IT'S UH, I SAW IT ONE TIME WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD THOSE SIX MONTHS AGO, A REZONING NEAR THE URBAN FARM.
THIS IS ALL THE ROAD ACCESS TO THAT, BUT THERE'S A SEVERE, I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ANYTHING THAT'S THE AGE CITY COULD USE IT FOR I'M WHAT ELSE? I MEAN, IT'S A SEVERE TOPOGRAPHIC CHANGE, UH, THE WILLIAMSON CREEK BISECTOR, UM, OR, UH, THE BIKE TRAIL.
UM, IS IT THE PROPERTIES ON TOP OF THE BLUFF THAT IT IS, UH, CAUSING PROBLEMS ON W I'M A COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? YEAH.
IT'S THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NORTH OF NORTH OF IT.
UH, MY ONLY COMMENT WAS THAT I DEFINITELY FOR THIS, BUT I THINK IT BRINGS UP THE ISSUE THAT I'VE SAID SEVERAL TIMES, WE'VE GOT SO MANY PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT ZONED PROPERLY IN THIS TOWN.
AND A LOT OF THEM HERE IS A REAL EXAMPLE, A PUBLIC ONE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WE COULD SOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS AND, AND ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL COMPATIBILITY ISSUES AND OTHER ISSUES, IF WE WOULD JUST DO, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS OR AREAS, SPECIAL AREAS STUDIES AND GET THEM RESOLVED TO SOMETHING LOGICAL.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR PICKING UP ON THIS, UH, COMMISSIONERS, RAY AND RAY, AND, UH, ALL RIGHT.
WHAT IS IT A MOTION TO SUPPORT IT? THAT WOULD BET THAT'D BE AN ORDER.
I WAS JUST RE RE RUNNING THAT THROUGH MY SELF.
I GUESS, MOTION TO SUPPORT AND ANY, UM, BUT, AND THAT'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DUNCAN TO SUPPORT SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KOSTA AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COASTED DID HAVE A QUESTION, SO I'LL LET HIM GO AND THEN WE'LL ACT, UH, I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE MOTION AND SECOND IT, BUT I DID HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT.
UM, REALLY JUST BECAUSE I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS FOR HOW OUR COMMISSION CAN BRING THESE CASES UP.
AND SO IT'S JUST KIND OF CURIOUS FOR A LITTLE BIT BACKGROUND.
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY? WAS IT BROUGHT BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR WAS IT JUST SEARCHING FOR IT THAT YOU FOUND A GOOD CASE TO USE? AND THEN SIMILAR TO COMMISSIONER DUNCAN'S QUESTION OF LIKE WHAT HOUSES ARE IN THE AREA THAT ARE, THAT IS CAUSING COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS FOR, UM, WAS THIS KIND OF A UNIQUE LITTLE BLOCK IN THE MIDST OF AN AREA OR IS, OR THESE, OR SIMILAR LOTS OF LAND LIKE THIS KIND OF THE CITY, AND THOSE ARE JUST, JUST GENERAL CURIOSITY ABOUT COMMISSIONER BRAY OR COMMISSIONER RAY.
SO TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION, UM, THE APPLICANT FOR A PROPOSED PROJECT ON THE SITE WHERE THERE WILL BE COMPATIBILITY ISSUES BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, THE SITE STRADDLES D ONE AND D THREE.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONER BRAN, I TEAMED UP, UM, TO BRING THIS TO YOU ALL TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER KING.
AND I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, THIS PROPERTY, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF, WE HAVE A BIG CHALLENGE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY, AND I'VE JUST SEE THIS LAND AND WONDER HOW IT COULD BE SOMEHOW, IS THERE SOME NEXUS HERE WITH THIS PROPERTY, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SOMEHOW KIND OF TARGETED TOWARDS, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES TO PUBLIC HOUSING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I DON'T KNOW AS, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT ANY, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION TO, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, BUT WHEN IT COMES BACK FOR US TO CONSIDER AS A ZONING CASE, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME ALTERNATIVES TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE COULD DO WITH THIS.
AND I KNOW, CAUSE I DO, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A PROBLEM HERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPATIBILITY ISSUE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M FINE WITH HELPING ADDRESS THAT COMPATIBILITY ISSUE HERE, BUT I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AND TAGGING ONTO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT MENTIONED THIS ABOUT OTHER POTENTIAL SITES LIKE THIS THAT ARE KIND OF LOCKED AWAY AND, UM, CREATING PROBLEMS IN THE CITIES, NOT REALLY UTILIZING THEM.
I WONDER IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO, OF DO SOME SPECIAL PLANNING THAT WOULD POINT THESE THINGS OUT AND MAYBE SOMEHOW, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW LEVERAGE THEM FOR OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.
ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT COMMENT ON THE RECORD WHEN IT COMES BACK FOR US TO CONSIDER THIS CASE.
AND I HAVE BEEN, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY
[00:30:01]
THAT THE MOTION IS TO, UH, THE MOTION IS TO INITIATE REZONING.AND SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO INITIATE REZONING, PLEASE RAISE CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS ON HENDRA RIVERA, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION AS TO YOUR INITIATE REZONING ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT SIX, SIX, 10 SHELTON ROAD.
ON THE PROPERTY THAT IS LOCATED, I GUESS, SINCE IT'S NOT A CASE.
DO WE HAVE A SPEAKER ON THIS? I SEE ONE THE SPEAKER LIST.
WE DO, UM, SHE'S WISHING TO SPEAK ONLY IF NEEDED AND SHE'S FINE WITH IT BEING VOTED ON.
SO, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO INITIATE REZONING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND IT'S UNANIMOUS.
UH, CHAIR, MAY I, MAY I JUST CLARIFY THAT WE, THAT THE CASE WILL COME BACK TO US AS A ZONING CASE? LIKE WE SEE ON OUR AGENDA, WE DIDN'T APPROVE THE ZONING TONIGHT.
WE JUST SIMPLY APPROVED THE INITIATION OF THE REZONING PROCESS AND WE'LL COME BACK TO US HERE.
SOME, SOME SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD HERE.
IT'LL ALL THE PAPERWORK WILL BE DONE AND WE GET TO DECIDE.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER VICE-CHAIR BURRELL RAMIREZ.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE'RE NOT, WE WOULDN'T, THE LAND IS NOT DEVELOPABLE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE CHANGING IT TO P PUBLIC.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S THESE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES AND FLOOD PLAINS AND ALL THESE VERY SENSITIVE THINGS, BUT IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT ONLY, UM, WANTING TO CHANGE THE ZONING TO PUBLIC FOR THAT REASON, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH AN ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT'S UNABLE TO PROVIDE PERHAPS MORE AFFORDABILITY.
SO I THINK WE ARE BY CHANGING THIS ZONING AND ALLOWING IT TO BE THE COMPATIBILITY TO KIND OF GO AWAY, THEN WE ARE ENABLING MORE DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION THAT THE HOPE IS THAT IN THE FUTURE, AND LEAH COULD TALK TO THIS, I GUESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S, IT'S, UH, AN ABE, YOU KNOW, CHICKEN BEFORE THE EGG, OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST COMING TO SELL THAT.
AND THEN NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE, UM, SEE HIS HAND UP.
YES, MR. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT.
I AGREE WITH WHAT THE VICE CHAIR JUST SAID.
AND ALSO IF I, I HAVEN'T DONE ANY RESEARCH FOR THIS, BUT I THINK THAT THE GREEN LINE MAY DISSECT THIS PROPERTY, I'D BE ADJACENT TO IT.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER IMPORTATIONS THAT, UH, NEED TO BE LOOKED AT, BUT I THINK THAT OUR ACTION IS APPROPRIATE.
SO, UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES BACK, I THINK ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS SOME PORTION OF IT THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR AFFORDABILITY, OR LIKE VICE-CHAIR SAID, UH, WOULD IT ENABLE, UH, GREATER AFFORDABILITY ON TOP OF THE BLUFF? UH, I DOUBT THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREEN BOND STATION THERE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S ONE THAT'S PROPOSED, UH, JUST WEST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE 83, BUT THAT'S STILL IN PROXIMITY.
UH, A, A PLANNING STUDY WOULD ANSWER THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT THAN US GOING INTO THIS BLINDLY.
I, UH, I TOOK SO MUCH TIME, BUT, UH, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH YOU'RE PLANNING DEGREE.
AND THEN NEXT ONTO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, THEN SEE TWO ITEMS FROM THE COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING MATTERS RELATED TO ANY PROPOSED REVISIONS TO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THERE? AND IF NOT, THEN WE CAN GO ON
[C.3. Discussion and possible action to adopt recommendations regarding the update to the Transportation Criteria Manual. (Sponsors: Chair Kiolbassa and Vice-Chair Barrera-Ramirez)]
TO OUR NEXT ONE, WHICH IS C3 DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE UPDATE TO THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA, MANUAL SPONSORS, CHAIR KOBASA AND VICE-CHAIR BERRERA RAMIREZ AND WOULD ANY, UM, AND I CAN FIRST I CAN, UM, INTRODUCE MY SUGGESTIONS.I SAW THAT I INCLUDED, I SENT ALONG SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND SO DID COMMISSIONER KING.
AND I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST GO FIRST BECAUSE IT WAS MORE JUST DIRECTLY INTO THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL.
SO YOU ALL GOT A COPY AND IT IS, I'LL JUST READ THEM OUT LOUD BICYCLES.
AS THE BICYCLE PROGRAM GROWS INTO A ROBUST AND WELL-ORGANIZED PLAN.
THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL NEEDS TO REFLECT THIS SPEED HUMPS ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION
[00:35:01]
CRITERIA MANUAL, AND ARE ONLY MENTIONED IN REFERENCE TO AUTOMOBILES IN THE DRAFT TCM SECTION 3.3 0.0 YET ARE STARTING TO BE USED ON NEIGHBORHOOD BIKEWAYS CRITERIA SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED FOR DETERMINING WHEN TO EMPLOY SPEED HUMPS BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPENSE, THEIR DIFFICULTY FOR SOME BICYCLISTS, THEY SLOW BIKES DOWN.AND THE CHALLENGE THEY MAY POSE FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES RECOMMENDED CRITERIA INCLUDE CONDUCTING A SAFETY AND SPEED STUDY, LOWER LOWERING, OR THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT FIRST INSTALLING A SPEED HUMP ONLY ON THE BLOCK WHERE THE SPEED HAS BEEN, BECAUSE WE CAN VARY ON DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE ROAD BY CAR ACCIDENTS AND NECK AND FIVE NACTA ALSO RECOMMENDS, UM, WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEELS.
TRAFFIC SPEEDS ARE TOO HIGH AND ARE SUPPORTIVE OF SPEED MANAGEMENT TREATMENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD BIKEWAY INTERSECTIONS WITH ARTERIAL SHOULD BE SAFE.
SECTION 5.2 AND FIGURE 5.4 OF THE DRAFT TCM DEPICTS INTERSECTIONS.
THEY SHOULD INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT THAT THE GRADE OF THE STREETS AT THE INTERSECTION SHOULD ADHERE TO BEST PRACTICES, WHICH IS NO MORE THAN 5% I E SEATTLE, RIGHT AWAY, IMPROVEMENTS MANUAL.
AND THEN SIDEWALKS INCORPORATE CURRENT TAB SUB CHAPTER E SECTION 2.2 SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH TYPE OF ROADWAY.
AND, UM, AND THAT ESSENTIALLY IS THAT FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROADWAYS, THERE'S A DIFFERENT WITH SUGGEST, UH, REQUIRED, UM, FOR BUILD, UH, FOR THE BUILDINGS ON THOSE ROADWAYS.
IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT ZONING THAT DETERMINED SIDEWALK WIDTH, BUT IT'S THE TYPE OF, IF IT'S AN ARTERIAL, IF IT'S A COLLECTOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I JUST WAS RUSHING AGAINST THE DEADLINE.
SO I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, UM, SUBMIT ALL THAT, BUT IT'S IN THE, BUT WE'RE ALREADY USING IT ESSENTIALLY.
SO ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER KING, NO CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT DID YOU, DID YOU WANT ME TO, OH, I HAD ENDED UP, I'M SORRY.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE LITTLE HANDS.
IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M ON THE LITTLE COMPUTER.
SO BASICALLY I HAD A QUESTION AND I GUESS THAT COULD, IF NADIA OR COMMISSIONER
THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR CITY STAFF AS WELL.
UM, HOW DOES, WHEN DETERMINING BIKE LANES OR BIKE WAYS, HOW DOES THAT CONSIDERED WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALSO DEALING WITH PARKING ISSUES? YOU KNOW, SO LIKE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, WHEN WE HAVE, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKE IN A DUPLEX, YOU KNOW, SO MULTIPLE PEOPLE NEEDING, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING BASICALLY.
SO WHEN THE BIKE LANES ARE PUT IN, THAT MAKES PEOPLE LOSE THEIR PARKING SPOTS, MEANING THAT THEY THEN START GETTING TICKETS IF THEY PARKING APPROPRIATELY, WHICH CREATES A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THAT, ON THOSE RESIDENTS, THAT OWN CARS.
AND ESPECIALLY NOW WITH COVID-19 PEOPLE BEING DISPLACED WITH HOMES.
SO I JUST WONDERED HOW THE CITY OR HOW, AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE STAFF COULD HELP WITH, BUT I JUST WORRY ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO WE JUST RECENTLY HAD ON TERRY ROAD, UM, BIKE LANES INSTALLED AND PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, BUT THERE'S NO BICYCLISTS.
AS SOON WE'VE LOST OUR PARKING SPOTS IN ONE PERSON IS ASKING THE NEIGHBOR CAN NOT PARK ON YOUR YARD, AND THAT IS CREATING A FINANCIAL BURDEN IN OUR AREA.
SO I JUST WONDERED HOW WERE THOSE FACTORS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION? MAYBE THAT'S MORE FOR CITY STAFF.
CAUSE I'M LIKE IT'S TRADING A PROBLEM FOR US.
AND, UH, AND THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO INCLUDE IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, TCM RECOMMENDATION IS TO SAY, AND IF YOU COULD COME UP WITH ANY WORDING ON IT TO SURVEY, TO LOOK AT CO-WORKING OR TO, TO EXAMINE PARKING WHEN PARKING AT BICYCLE, RIGHT.
OR ACTUALLY, I GUESS THE BETTER QUESTION WOULD BE, CAUSE IT LAST TIES INTO MY NEXT ISSUE.
QUESTION IS, UM, HOW, HOW HAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACTUALLY ENGAGED? SO IF THEY DON'T ASK THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, THEN YOU END UP CREATING
[00:40:01]
A BIKE LANE.WOULD THAT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE, THE INPUT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE THERE.
AND IT'S CHALLENGING IN OUR AREA BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WITH SCHOOL, SOME OF THE PARENTS HAD TO GET INTERNET CONNECTION SO THAT THEIR KIDS COULD PARTICIPATE IN THESE SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
BUT, UM, A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND THEY MAY NOT EVEN HAVE FACEBOOK.
SO IF THE CITY SENDING OUT NOTICES OR INFORMATION AND, YOU KNOW, ELECTRONICALLY OR THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA MEDIA, AND THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO KNOW ARE NOT MADE AWARE OF IT, AND THEN THE CHANGE OCCURS AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO? AND SO I JUST, I GUESS I'M LOOKING MORE AT THE PROCESS IN BEING, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE YOU DON'T COMPROMISE OR CREATE A BURDEN ON AN ALREADY VULNERABLE COMMUNITY.
BERETTA, IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE TRANSCRIPTS ON THE LINE RESPOND OR DO YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND? THERE IS DEFINITELY NOBODY'S IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ONLINE.
I'LL JUST, I'LL SPEAK FROM MY EXPERIENCE.
CAUSE I DID USE TO WORK BICYCLE PROGRAM.
SO, UM, THERE IS A PARKING MODIFICATION PROCESS AND THEY GENERALLY DO SEND OUT NOTIFICATION AND THEY USE THE SAME PROCESS.
THAT'S UM, THE ZONING PROCESS.
SO WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE EFFECTED PROPERTY IS SENT A MAILING, A MAILER AND IT'S IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH AND IT SHOWS THE STREET AND EXPLAINS WHAT THEIR PLAN IS.
AND THEN IN THE PAST THEY'VE HAD THESE OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS, RIGHT, WHERE THEY, UM, THEY HAVE EVERYBODY COME AND THEY HEAR FEEDBACK.
AND THEN THE PROJECT IS USUALLY GIVEN THE FEEDBACK.
IT USUALLY CHANGES, RIGHT? THERE'S THEY HAVE AN IDEA AND THEN THEY HEAR FEEDBACK AND THEY GO, OKAY, WELL WE NEED PARKING HERE.
MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE THE, YOU KNOW, THE STRIPING THIS WAY OR THAT WAY.
SO THERE'S USUALLY A ITERATIVE PROCESS WHERE THEY GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEY CHANGE.
NOW, I KNOW TERRY ROAD, THEY GOT BRAND NEW BIKE LANES, IT GOT BRAND NEW BUS STOPS.
IT GOT, UH, AS YOU SAID, THE PARKING WAS MOVED.
SO, AND I KNOW THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND YOU KNOW, WE, UH, EVEN WITH MY CAT METRO HAT, I KNOW WE TALKED TO SOME OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THERE BECAUSE WE HAD TO PUT BUS STOPS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
AND SO IT WAS, UH, IT WAS A BIG KIND OF COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT.
AND WE DID HEAR THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT PARKING.
UM, I THINK IN GENERAL, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY LOOK AT ALL THE PARKING THAT'S AVAILABLE ON IN DRIVEWAYS AND ON AN ADJACENT SIDE STREETS AND THEY KIND OF HAVE TO WEIGH WHAT THEY THINK THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SPACES ARE.
UM, BUT ONE THING I'VE SEEN THEM DO REALLY THE, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, THERE'S A SOUTH CONGRESS PARKING STUDY AND I'VE SEEN OTHER PARKING STUDIES THAT LOOK AT, UM, A CORRIDOR AND THEY, AND THEY LOOK AT AVAILABLE PARKING AND THEY EVEN LOOK AT WHEN PEOPLE PARK.
AND SO I THINK, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, IS A GOOD PRACTICE.
AND I KNOW THEY, THE, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT DOES THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT HOW COMPREHENSIVELY THEY DO IT FOR EVERY PROJECT.
I DON'T KNOW ANY, IF I MAY ADD ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS A LOT OF, WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT ARE WINNERS.
SO ONE RENTER MAY GET THE NOTICE, BUT THE SUBSEQUENT OPTICA OCCUPANTS, THEY CHANGE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE.
I MEAN, AND WE CAN ALWAYS ADD THAT TO A RECOMMENDATION OR, UM, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO AND, AND IF YOU WANT TO COME UP WITH SOME WORDING AND THEN I'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER RAY AND THEN COMMISSIONER DUNCAN.
THANKS FOR THOSE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER GRAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE OUTREACH AROUND THESE ISSUES IS HARD AND ONGOING, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING TO REMIND US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
UM, I THINK I JUST WANT TO COMMENT A BIT ON THE RECOMMENDATION SUBMITTED BY COMMISSIONER KIELBASA.
UM, I REALLY LIKED THE SPIRIT OF THE SPEED HUMPS PORTION.
UM, HOWEVER, I'M JUST, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THIS IS GETTING AT BIKE SAFETY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES THAT ARE PUT INTO PLACE ARE CONTEXT INSTEAD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHO USES THOSE.
UM, BUT I TAKE ISSUE WITH, UM, PROMPTING A STUDY, UM, WITH REGARDS TO A SPECIFIC INSTALLATION OF BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, TO ME, WHEN WE HAVE THOSE, UM, LIKE SPEED HUMPS OR SPEED CUSHIONS OR ANYTHING GOING IN, THOSE ARE GOING THERE BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A STUDY BECAUSE WE SAY THIS IS AN AREA WHERE THE ROADWAY SPEEDS NEED TO BE SLOWER AND WE'RE TRAFFIC SAFETY IS AN ISSUE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT IS LIKE THE CAR THAT
[00:45:01]
GOES BEFORE THE HORSE.AND, BUT ZOOMING INTO DOING SPEED ANALYSIS ON AN INDIVIDUAL PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE LIKE PRETTY CUMBERSOME.
UM, SO AGAIN, I LIKE THE SPIRIT, BUT I'M JUST, THE IMPLEMENTATION SEEMS REALLY HARD TO ME.
WELL, ACTUALLY THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
I FOUND THAT OUT IN TALKING TO THREE STAFF MEMBERS ON FRIDAY, UM, AND ASKING THEM ABOUT, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS FOR THEM, UH, AND THE, FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE.
AND I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE THEY DON'T STAY, THEY DON'T PUT THE SPEED HUMPS WHERE THEY MEASURE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY, UM, IT SAYS TO DO THAT.
THEY DO MEASURE SPEED AND THEY DO MEASURE TRAFFIC VOLUME.
BUT THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORTS AND WHAT THEIR PRODUCT IS, THEY DON'T PUT THOSE CUSHIONS WHERE THEY'VE DONE THE MEASUREMENTS.
AND ONE EXAMPLE IS WEST AVENUE WHERE THEY DID A TRAFFIC STUDY AND THEY DID IT IN THE COMMERCIAL PART, WHEREAS THEY WANTED TO PUT, UM, THEY WANT TO PUT TRAFFIC BUMPS OR SPEED BUMPS IN THE RESIDENTIAL PART.
AND THOSE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND ALSO ONE AREA THAT I'M ESPECIALLY FAMILIAR WITH AND THEY DIDN'T DO A TRAFFIC STUDY AT ALL OR ANY, THEY DIDN'T DO ANY TREASURER, MET A TRAFFIC STUDY AND THEY DO DOCUMENT WHAT THEY DO, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, WHERE THE RIO GRANDE A BIKE WAY THROUGH WEST CAMPUS ENDS AT 29TH.
UM, THERE'S A, STILL A LITTLE STRETCH OF RIO GRANDE LEFTOVER.
UM, IT'S A VERY NARROW STREET FROM 29TH TO 30TH AND THEY'RE PUTTING A SPEED BUMP THERE.
BUT AS A BICYCLIST, YOU CANNOT, THE SPEED AT MOST IS 15 MILES PER HOUR.
AND I ASKED A TRAFFIC ENGINEER ABOUT THAT.
I ASKED HIM TO ESTIMATE WHAT IT WAS BECAUSE IT IS SO IT'S NARROW, IT'S OVER PARKED.
AND ONLY IT IS SO NARROW THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN'T EVEN PUT BUSES DOWN AT ANYMORE.
AND IF YOU'RE A BICYCLIST, UM, AND THERE WAS A CAR COMING, ONE OF YOU HAS TO GO OVER IT.
YOU CAN'T EVEN DO CAR AND BIKE.
I MEAN, IT'S CERTIFIED TO BE PRETTY NARROW AND THEY DIDN'T DO A STUDY.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY THAT AS THEY SPEND MONEY, THAT THEY'RE CROSSING THEIR T'S AND DOTTING THEIR EYES.
AND IT IS STILL A MATTER OF LIMITED RESOURCES.
SO IF WE DON'T NEED A SPEED BUMP THERE AND THEY HAVEN'T ASCERTAINED THAT THERE'S THIS, THEY NEED A SPEED BUMP THERE, THEN WHY PUT IT THERE? SO THAT IS THE RESPONSE TO THAT.
YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS RELATING TO THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, ON SURVEYS, UM, I GUESS I'VE SEEN SURVEYS SOMETIMES THAT ARE MADE TO JUSTIFY AN ENS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ON THESE AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE A, A UNIVERSAL, UH, LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE WANTED TO DO A SURVEY.
A PARK DEPARTMENT WOULD DO A SURVEY OF THE BULL CREEK AREA, AND THAT SUBJECTED THE SURVEY AT LUNCH ON A TUESDAY.
NOW I WILL TELL YOU THAT ON LUNCH, ON A TUESDAY AT BULL CREEK, WHAT'S GOING TO GET HER OLD CODGERS WHO ARE RETIRED DOWN THERE.
UH, YOU'RE GOING TO MISS THE WEEKEND CROWDS TO COME OVER FROM EAST AUSTIN FOR YOU AS OUR PARKS.
SO YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DESIGNED YOUR SURVEY TO GET ALL THE GENTLEMEN THAT INPUT.
THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING WITH THIS.
AND I THINK THAT LEADS ME TO THE NEXT ROOM.
WE JUST MADE THE COMMENT THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.
UH, THIS COMMUNITY HAS JUST BUILT IT UP TO THE BAR AND DONE TWO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO, UH, UH, FINANCIALLY FUEL OUR ABILITY TO MAKE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
I MEAN, UH, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GO INTO IT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OUT OF THOSE FAILURES, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY ON THE BIKE LANES AND ALL THAT.
AND THE OTHER, UH, JUST THE OTHER DAY WE PASSED THE, UH, THE SCREEN IMPACT FEE.
UH, SO, UH, WELL, THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE LIMITED.
IT'S STILL TWO REVENUE SOURCES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
UH, I THINK NOW OUR PROBLEM IS GOING TO BE, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SCRUPULOUS AND POTENTIALLY, UH, UH, COGNIZANT OF HOW WE SPEND IT AND, UH, THAT, WELL, WE WANT TO GET THESE IMPROVEMENTS ON IT'S HASTE, NOT WASTE TYPE THING.
[00:50:01]
UH, I, UH, UH, LET ME JUST STOP IT.YOU HAVE THIS LITTLE COMMENT BY SAYING IT'S AN EXCITING TIME.
I THINK WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MAKE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR ON TRANSPORTATION, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY EXCITED ME, YOU CAN'T TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS.
IS THAT WITH PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS FOREVER, A MARRIAGE COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, UH, AND I'M WRITING A BOOK RIGHT NOW, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S EXCITING.
UH, I FOUND OUT THAT, UH, I'M TALKING ABOUT TRAVEL MODES, 65%, ALL OF THE COMMUTERS AND THE KIND OF BOGOTA, COLOMBIA, UH, RIDE BUSES, THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THAT'S A PHENOMENAL PERCENT, 65%.
WHAT ARE WE AT FOR A NUDE SIX? OKAY.
I STARTED LOOKING AT THE BICYCLE FIX SITUATION.
UH, THERE ARE MORE BICYCLES IN AMSTERDAM THAN THERE ARE PEOPLE, BUT ALMOST A MILLION BICYCLES IN AMSTERDAM.
AND AFTER JUST ABOUT 900,000 PEOPLE, UH, UH, COPENHAGEN HAD, HAS A, I THINK IT WAS A 50%, UH, BIKE MODE SHARE.
SO THESE CITIES, AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT AS THAT MORE BACK ON I'M REACHING THOSE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S BEEN EXCITING FOR ME TO SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING AROUND THE COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD.
UH, SO I THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME MORE AWARE OF LOOKING AT THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SPEND MONEY TO IMPROVE OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS OVER THE NEXT DECADE, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TRANSIT SYSTEMS DOWN TO THE BICYCLES.
UH, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL, AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS.
LET'S, DON'T USE THAT MONEY TO PUT SPEED BUMPS IN WHEN THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES AND THINGS THAT WE CAN JUST BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE MONEY, YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
NOW SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MAKE SURE WE SPEND THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER BRAY AND THEN COMMISSIONER KING.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO MAKE WAS THAT, UH, LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES TEND TO BIKE MORE.
IT'S KIND OF THE STEREOTYPE IN AUSTIN THAT THE AVERAGE BIKERS HAVE SPANDEX WEARING PERSON REGIONALLY ON THE WEEKENDS.
IT'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF LOW-INCOME PEOPLE GO INTO WORK AND THAT SOMETIMES DOESN'T GET REFLECTED IN THE CONVERSATIONS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE BICYCLE ACTIVISTS, WHICH TEND TO BE THE MORE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE RECREATIONAL VERSUS THE BICYCLE COMMUTERS THAT ARE MORE, UM, LOW INCOME.
AND, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE, CAUSE YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS YOU MIGHT HAVE A BIKE LANE THROUGH THE AREA AND THE PEOPLE IN THAT IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE THE PARKING ISSUES OR WHATEVER THERE, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE WE JUST ASKING THEM OR, YOU KNOW, THE PERSON THAT'S ACTUALLY USING THAT BIKE LANE MIGHT BE BIKING TO WORK AND THEY LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT TO OVER AND THAT WORKPLACES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CROSSING IT.
SO HOW, HOW WIDESPREAD IS THE, UH, PUBLIC FEEDBACK WE'RE TRYING TO GET? I THINK THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, I BE CURIOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW NARROW LANES MIGHT WORK BETTER THAN SPEED BUMPS.
I FEEL LIKE SPEED BUMPS, YOU KNOW, YOU ACCELERATE AND THEN YOU SLOW DOWN AND YOU HIT IT AND THEN YOU SPEED UP AGAIN.
AND IT'S LIKE A, DOESN'T SEEM ENVIRONMENTALLY VERY EFFECTIVE IF YOU'RE LIKE BREAKING IT STAR STARTING, YOU KNOW, TERRIFIC GAS HEATERS, BUT ALSO JUST LIKE VERY STOP AND START AND HOW MUCH JUST LIKE DOING NARROWER LANES ALONG THE WHOLE ROUTE CAN REALLY SLOW DOWN SPEED.
UH, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DRIVING, THEY DON'T ACTUALLY LOOK AT SPEED LIMITS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, THERE'S A NUMBER ON A SIGN.
WHAT REALLY DRIVES HOW FAST PEOPLE GO IS HOW COMFORTABLE THEY FEEL GOING FAST.
AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN, IF YOU FEEL SAFE, GOING FASTER THAN YOU WILL, EVEN IF IT'S NOT ACTUALLY SAFER AND SPEED IS REALLY THE KILLER HERE.
SO, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT PUMPKIN NARROW LANES, I THINK BIKE LANES ARE OFTEN A GOOD SOLUTION TO THAT, UH, TO NARROWING THE STREET TOO.
UM, AND THEN IT'S ALSO PROVIDING A SPACE THEN FOR CARS OR, UH, EVEN PEOPLE WITH TALKING OR WHATNOT.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHEN I HAD TO SAY THANK YOU.
AND THEN, UM, ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER GARY HAS DRAFTED SOMETHING.
AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ IT COMMISSIONER GARY? THANK YOU.
I JUST NOW SENT IT TO CHAIR KIELBASA AND FESTER.
NOT YET I'M MEETING HIM, BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S LONG WORDED, SO I'LL NEED HELP.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, RECOMMEND QUALITATIVE ONGOING AND CULTURALLY SENSITIVE AND IN PARENTHESIS LANGUAGE, NO OR LIMITED INTERNET ACCESS NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE THE INSTALLATION OF BIKE LANES DOES NOT RESULT IN AN UNDUE BURDEN, MEANING LOSS OF PARKING SPACES FOR RESIDENTS RESULTING
[00:55:01]
IN RESIDENTS GETTING TICKETS ON THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTED.SO THAT'S A FAST, I GET THAT VERY QUICKLY.
AND, UM, SO, AND, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, UH, ANDREW, COULD YOU SEND THAT TO EVERYBODY SO THAT THEY CAN GET IT ON THEIR EMAIL OR IS IT POSSIBLE TO POST IT ON THE SCREEN? AND WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, THEN I WILL GO TO, UM, I BELIEVE THEY, UH, COMMISSIONER KING AND THEN COMMISSIONER EVANS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, MY, MY COMMENTS THAT I PROVIDED WERE REALLY QUESTIONS THAT I, THAT I THINK ARE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR STAFF, UH, UM, IN, IN, UH, UH, THE, THIS, UH, TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL IN THE CONTEXT OF THESE OTHER, OTHER ONGOING INITIATIVES, LIKE THE STREET IMPACT FEE AND PROJECT CONNECT AND ALL OF THAT, WE KNOW THERE'S INTERSECTION BETWEEN ALL OF THIS.
AND SO I KNOW THE TCM IS NOT REALLY THERE TO THERE IN ALL OF THAT OUT, BUT SO I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT JUST SUGGEST IF WE WERE ASKED, IF WE COULD INCLUDE MY QUESTIONS WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAFF TO RESPOND BACK TO US, UH, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, THAT'S ALL JUST, THAT WOULD BE OKAY TO INCLUDE MY QUESTIONS AS PART OF OUR THAT'S OR I COULD SEND THEM SEPARATELY.
THAT'S ALL I WAS WANTING TO GET.
I SAID, I SHOULD HAVE ADDED, I SHOULD HAVE SAID RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BECAUSE YOURS WERE SO DIFFERENT FROM MINE AND MINE WERE ACTUALLY SO SPECIFIC TO THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL.
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST EASIER TO GO THROUGH MINE FIRST AND THEN YOUR, AND THEN, BECAUSE THAT WAY YOU CAN ALSO FEEL THE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING TOO.
SO STRUCTURALLY IT JUST MADE SENSE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
I WAS JUST OFFERING THAT MINE COULD GO AS A SEPARATE THING.
I DIDN'T WANT IT TO, TO, TO KIND OF GET TO, TO, UH, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO SLOW DOWN ANY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE TCM ITSELF.
I JUST WANTED THEM TO BE INCLUDED AS QUESTIONS TO STAFF THAT THEY COULD THEN RESPOND BACK TO US AND PROVIDE US ANSWERS BACK.
I JUST WANT TO GET ON THE RECORD.
I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER GARY AND YOUR, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
JUST WANTED TO BRING UP A POINT THAT I HADN'T HEARD MENTIONED, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT COUNCIL BACK IN JUNE, UH, TOOK ACTION TO REDUCE SPEED, UH, ON A NUMBER OF STREETS AND ALL RESIDENTIAL STREETS, 36 FOOT WITH OR LESS, THAT SHOULD HAVE SOME IMPACT ON PAIN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I HEAR THE CONVERSATION ABOUT SPEED HUMPS AND TRAFFIC CALMING AND ALL OF THIS.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IDEA OF JUST PLAIN ENFORCEMENT? I, YOU KNOW, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU AND ALSO LIKE JUST LOWERING THE THAT'S, WHY I HAD ONE OF THE THINGS LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT TO SEE IF THAT WORKS.
I'M GONNA THINK THAT'S, UM, OUR RESIDENTIAL STREET, UH, SHOULD CERTAINLY HELP A BIT, BUT, UH, IT SEEMS AS I KNOW, WE'RE NOT DRIVING AROUND AS MUCH ANYMORE, BUT, UH, THOSE TIMES WHEN I AM OUT, LOOKS LIKE YIELD SIGNS, STOP SIGNS, SPEED LIMITS, AND EVEN RED LIGHTS ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS.
IF WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE EMPHASIS ON TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND ALL OF OUR FOLKS WHO SEEM TO BE SO SOCIALLY CONCERNED, IF THEY WOULD BE CONCERNED WHILE THEY'RE DRIVING, THAT MIGHT HELP OUT ALSO.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER EVANS.
AND I, I, I ACTUALLY VERY, VERY MUCH AGREE WITH YOU.
UM, SO VICE-CHAIR CHAIR RAMIREZ.
I ALSO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER EVANS.
UM, I DO THINK THOUGH THAT WE HAVE SOME OLDER STREETS THAT ARE VERY WIDE AND SO WE EXPERIENCED, I KNOW IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S A BIG, THERE'S A ROADWAY THAT LIKE A COLLECT STREET AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME SPEED CUSHIONS ON IT TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.
SO, UM, I THINK THEY HAVE THEIR PLACE TO, YOU KNOW, CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE APD OUT ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, I AGREE THAT THEY DO HAVE THEIR PLACE AND I THINK, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY, VERY JUDICIOUS ABOUT THEM, UM, BECAUSE OF AMBULANCES AND UH, BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
SO ESPECIALLY AS A PERSON WHO HAS HAD AN IB PUT IN ME WHILE INTERNET AMULETS, EVEN DON'T WANT TO BE GOING
[01:00:01]
OVER A SPEED BUMP AS THAT'S HAPPENING.SO, AND AS THEY'RE CUTTING YOUR CLOTHES, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THAT'S, THAT IS, THAT'S WHY I'M SO CONCERNED ABOUT SPEED BUMPS.
SO I HAVE BEEN IN AN AMBULANCE GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS TO, TO COME BACK AGAIN ON THAT, UH, WHEN I WAS ON THE BOND ELECTION TASK FORCE AND WE DID THE COURSE WITH EMS AND WITH, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THEIR MAJOR, UH, POINTS THAT THEY BROUGHT UP WAS THE IMPACT THAT THE SPEED HUMPS HAD ON THEIR ABILITY TO SERVICE AREAS.
AND THEN ALSO ON THE LIFE OF THEIR EQUIPMENT.
IT'S JUST A, IT'S AN ARTIFICIAL THING TO CORRECT SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM TO START WITH.
THANK YOU, EVANS COMMISSIONER.
I COMPLETELY AGREE BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS.
I WAS WIGGLING MY TOES TO MAKE SURE I COULD STILL WIGGLE MY TOES, BUT I'M SEGWAYING, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY WHY I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SPEED BUMPS AND I'M ALSO A BICYCLIST.
SO I'M ALSO VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT BICYCLING AND I JUST WANT THE BEST.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY AND SO MUCH INTEREST IN THAT THERE'S THIS CONSISTENT, THERE'S THIS PLAN.
AND I THINK NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO THEM TO COME UP WITH A GOOD, STRONG TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL FOR BICYCLES, THE WAY THAT THEY DO FOR CARS AND THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
AND SO, UM, EVERYBODY WHO ELSE HAS THEIR HAND UP, I'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER DUNCAN, AND THEN I'M LOOKING AT THE LITTLE HANDS AND THEN COMMISSIONER, UH, A BRIEF COMMENT.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD UP IN THE NORTHWEST.
WE HAVE VERY LIMITED SPEED BUMPS.
IN FACT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF NOTES.
NO, UH, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEED TO TURN IT UP HERE, WHICH WORKS VERY WELL.
UH, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T GO FAST.
AND, UH, THE OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD UP HERE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID, YOU'RE VERY CAUTIOUS.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF OUR DEAR OF OUR DEAR IMPORTANT THAT SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FLYING PEOPLE DOWN.
I MEAN, I, I WOULD JUST, I WANT TO BEAT THE POINT AGAIN THAT ENFORCEMENT LIKE WE, WE, WE, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS, EVEN IF WE DOUBLE OUR FOREST TO WATCH EVERYONE DRIVING DOWN EVERY ROAD AND THAT 90%, YOU KNOW, ALMOST ALL THE STUDIES THAT I'VE SEEN, TALK ABOUT HOW REALLY, WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE'S SPEED IS, HOW COMFORTABLE THEY FEEL DRIVING.
AND IF THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING FAST, THE SPEED NUMBERS, SPEED LIMITS, JUST A NUMBER ON A SIGN.
AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW WIDE THE ROAD IS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY SOME ROADS THAT ARE LIKE BUILT LIKE HIGHWAYS, BUT THEN HAVE A 45 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU CAN EASILY GO 60 AND NOT BE BOTHERED BY THAT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DRIVE.
I MEAN, I, I, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY HYPOCRITICAL, YOU KNOW, LIKE MY MOM, LIKE BICYCLISTS, I HATE CARS AND PEDESTRIANS AND MY PEDESTRIAN.
I HATE BIKES AND CARS WHEN I'M A DRIVER, I HATE PEDESTRIANS BICYCLISTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS, IT'S JUST HUMAN NATURE HERE.
SO I DON'T THINK ENFORCEMENT OR JUST CHANGING SPEED LIMITS AS INADEQUATE, YOU KNOW, NOT SAYING EFFORTS TO CHANGE, TO BE THE MOST ARE BAD, BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR, UM, ACTUALLY CHANGING THE ROAD DESIGN, UM, TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
I, I, YEAH, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY WITH YOU COMMISSIONER BRAKE.
CAUSE WHEN I'M RIDING MY BIKE, I I'M, I FEEL LIKE I'M SWITCHING HATS.
UM, AND THEN WHEN I'M IN DRIVING, IT'S THE OTHER THING, I JUST THINK MY WHOLE PREMISE FOR THIS IS JUST TO LIKE SPEND MONEY WISELY AND USE SPEED CUSHIONS, JUDICIOUSLY, AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS DATA-DRIVEN AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE IN.
AND W IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO A TEST A ROAD AND TEST A ROAD AT ONE PLACE, AND THEN THAT'S WHERE YOU PUT YOUR SPEED QUITS IN AND VICE VERSA, NOT USE DATA FROM ONE PLACE TO JUSTIFY PUTTING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I WOULD SAY, UM, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER HANDS RATE A COMMISSIONER, I HAVE THE QUESTION AND THIS IS FOR, UM, VICE CHAIR
SO I KNOW THERE'S TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES TO STUDY TRAFFIC, AS FAR AS THE VEHICLES, THIS A SIMILAR THING OCCURRED WHEN HE COMES TO BICYCLES, BECAUSE I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SOMETIMES WE'RE
[01:05:01]
LIKE, WE DON'T SEE ANY BIKES.WHY DID THEY PUT THEM HERE? SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR? CAUSE I MEAN, YEAH, THE PURPOSE IS TO HAVE ANOTHER MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, BUT IF IT'S NOT BEING USED, I DON'T KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVER COME UP.
UM, SO TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDIES ARE USUALLY DONE WHEN THERE'S DEVELOPMENT OCCURS.
NOT NECESSARILY WHEN YOU CHANGE THE STRIPING ON THE ROOM AND WAY.
UM, SO I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, UM, A DIFF A CHALLENGING DISCUSSION TO HAVE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ON THE ONE HAND, THERE IS A SENTIMENT THAT PARKING SHOULDN'T BE FREE THE RIGHT OF WAY FROM CURB TO CURB IS FOR THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES AND PEOPLE, AND NOT NECESSARILY FOR PARKING VEHICLES.
SO THAT IS LIKE WHAT A ROADWAY IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR.
UM, AND THERE'S OFFSITE PARKING VERSUS, YOU KNOW, PARKING ON THE ROAD.
UM, AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK, FEEL LIKE THE PARKING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE BELONGS TO THEM, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US.
SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? UM, AND, UM, SO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, IT'S THEIR JOB TO MOVE GENERALLY TO MOVE PEOPLE, GOODS AND SERVICES, NOT NECESSARILY TO STORE VEHICLES, UM, BUT THEY TRY, THEY HAVE TO STRIKE A BALANCE.
AND THEIR OTHER GOAL IS THEY HAVE THIS ASM P THAT SAYS THAT, UM, WHO WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES.
SO GIVE THEM WAYS IN WHICH TO TRAVEL THAT ISN'T JUST A CAR.
AND AS COMMISSIONER BRAY MENTIONED, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THE SENTIMENT THAT, UM, OWNING A VEHICLE IS VERY EXPENSIVE IN AUSTIN.
AND SO THE IDEA THAT YOU COULD GET AROUND BY BICYCLE AND SAVE THAT $10,000 IS, IS SOMETHING THAT'S APPEALING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, HOWEVER, I DO ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE NEED THEIR VEHICLES TO WORK.
SO THEY NEED A TRUCK, THEY NEED A TRAILER, THEY NEED THEIR TOOLS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS TO STRIKE THAT BALANCE.
AND JUST TO SHARE ONE SOLUTION THAT PEOPLE PROPOSE IS ALLOWING THE RESIDENTS THAT NEEDED TO PARK THEIR CARS, THAT THE NEIGHBORS TO PARK THE CARS ON THEIR FRONT YARD.
AND I TOLD THEM NO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE TREES ARE.
YOU'RE GOING TO DAMAGE THE TRAIN BLEW THROUGH THE TREES WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE A HEAT, A BAD TREE CANOPY ISSUE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
SO THAT'S THE UNINTENDED ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES THAT IS ALSO BEING CREATED.
ANY OTHER HANDS OR COMMISSIONER BRAY AND THEN COMMISSIONER KOSTA, SORRY.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER DUNCAN.
UH, YEAH, JUST TO COMMENT THAT I CAN EVEN SEE IN THIS CONVERSATION, IT'S TAKING THE LONG VIEW APPROACH OF IT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN STUDENT MOBILITY PLAN, AND JUST WHERE WE'VE PUT OUR FUNDING, THERE'S GOING TO BE A, UH, A POINT WHERE WE'RE DECIDING, DO WE WANT TO HAVE MORE CARS ON THE ROAD OR ALTERNATE FORMS OF TRANSIT? AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE CAN'T HAVE BOTH.
SO PART OF THE WAY THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE SUCCEEDING AT MAKING BUS OR BIKE, A MORE, AN EASIER OPTION TO CHOOSE IS WHEN IT GETS HARDER TO USE YOUR CAR.
YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S HARDER TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK, WHEN IT'S HARDER TO JUST MAINTAIN HAVING A VEHICLE NEEDED THERE FOR SO LONG, THEN IT IS GOING TO BE A BETTER, A BETTER CHOICE TO, TO, TO, TO USE A DIFFERENT FORM OF TRANSIT.
AND I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S, THAT'S THE PATH FORWARD THAT AUSTIN HAS, IS KIND OF GOING TOWARDS.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY ROUGH TRANSITION AGAIN, EVERYWHERE THAT'S GOING TO BE, THAT'S GONNA BE A DIFFICULT, UM, GROWING, GROWING PAIN TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHEN, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET, LOSE A CAR, TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW FOR, TO OTHER FORMS OF MOBILITY.
BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE AWARE OF.
AND LIKE, KIND OF JUST KEEP IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS IS THAT AS WE'RE COMING UP WITH DISCUSSIONS OF WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT THE PARKING OR HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND A PLACE TO HAVE A CAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT IN, IN A SENSE, IT'S KIND OF THE POINT WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE THESE HAVE VEHICLES LIKE THIS THAT DID SEE IT'S, THAT IT'S AN EASIER CHOICE OR A BETTER CHOICE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT FORM OF TRANSIT.
UM, SOMETHING THAT THE VICE CHAIR JUST SAID REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING.
UH, THE VERY FIRST RULE I EVER LEARNED TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WAS 60 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED WORKING HERE IN AUSTIN AT THE TIME WE'D HAD A TRAFFIC, UH, TRANSPORTATION
[01:10:01]
DIRECTOR, I THINK WE CALLED IT A TRAFFIC ENGINEER.HIS NAME WAS WALTER EXCEPT ROSS AND AUSTIN WAS VERY PROUD OF WALTER BECAUSE THEY HAD GOTTEN HIM FROM THE CITY OF CHICAGO.
UH, HE HADN'T BEEN THE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR IN CHICAGO.
AND I REMEMBER THAT ONE OF WALTER'S THE FIRST LESSON I'VE BEEN TO THIS.
AND I'M SURPRISED I REMEMBER IT AFTER 60 YEARS BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I HAD FOR BREAKFAST, BUT WALTER SAID, STREETS ARE FOR THE MOVEMENT AND NOT THE STORAGE OF VEHICLE.
NOW I STILL REMEMBER THAT AFTER 60 YEARS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS TO EXCEPTION, BUT WALTER WAS ULTIMATELY LET GO.
AND HE WAS, I THINK APPROACHING 50 OR 70 AT THE TIME.
I MEAN, HE WAS BECAUSE HE, HE, HE SAID SOMETHING ELSE THAT DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL.
AND THAT WAS IN THE HIGH PARK NEIGHBORHOODS THAT A COUPLE OF CHILDREN THAT HAD BEEN HIT BY CARS AT AN INTERSECTION.
AND HE WAS INVITED OUT TO TALK TO THE NEIGHBORS AND HE GOT UP AND HE SAID, WELL, WE HAVE RULES.
I MEAN, AFTER THIS, BEFORE WE'LL PUT UP A SIGN, UH, THAT DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WALTER RETIRED, BUT THEY'RE ALL,
UM, BUT I, UH, I AGREE WITH YOU, THE VICE CHAIR OF IT, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A ROAD IS TO MOVE TRAFFIC.
THEN THAT'S A STORE IT, AND WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, WHENEVER WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON THE LAND.
AND THEN I CHANGED IT TO THEM.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT WHEN I WAS GOING, LOOKING AT THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL A LITTLE BIT AND COMMISSIONER VICE CHAIR, BARBARA RAMIREZ, AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT TOO, IS THAT FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPEED HUMPS PART WAS DESIGNED FOR CARS AND IT, IT WASN'T DESIGNED FOR BICYCLES AT ALL.
SO I WAS JUST SORT OF STRUCK AT HOW AUTO CENTRIC, THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL, THE DRAFT, NOT THE OLD, NOT THE CURRENT ONE OR THE OLD ONE IS.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO PUSH IT INTO BEING MORE AUTO CENTER, UH, BEING MORE CARS, UH, BICYCLE CENTRIC, AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER KING.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY, VERY, VERY ENLIGHTENING CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
I, I, IT'S VERY EDUCATING FOR ME TO HEAR THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES HERE AND I DO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW OUR CITY IS CHANGING AND, AND I THINK THIS, THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO CHIME IN AND SAY THAT SUPPORT THE COMMENTS THAT ALREADY ARE ABOUT SMALL AREA PLANNING.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND DRILL DOWN IN AND TALK ABOUT THE EQUITY OR THE POTENTIAL INEQUITY IN SOME OF THESE DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THE PAST AND, AND LEARN FROM THAT.
BUT I, I DO THINK THAT THE SMALLER, YOUR PLANNING GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THESE SPECIFIC AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT ARE NOT ALL THE SAME, THAT ARE DIFFERENT, THAT HAVE DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS, AND THEN NUANCE THE PLANT BASED ON WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE WITH THE INPUT FROM THE FOLKS THAT ARE THERE.
AND OF COURSE, ZOOMING OUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK AND MAKING SURE THAT IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER WELL.
SO, SO I UNDERSTAND IT'S GOING TO TRY TO FIT ALL OF THESE PIECES TOGETHER.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION IF IT'S, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME TO, UH, SEND FORWARD THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IN OUR BACKUP AND, AND FROM THAT, AND PROVIDED FROM COMMISSIONER, UH, GIDDY, UH, UH, TO BOARD TO STAFF, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE PCM, IS THERE A SECOND SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR? BERERRA RAMIREZ? SO MOTION IS TO PASS FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS IN OUR BACKUP FROM THE CABASA AND THE GEARY RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN, UM, MOTION BY KING SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR, MARIA RAMIREZ.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, THE, MY QUESTIONS WILL BE INCLUDED, BUT THOSE, TH TH THOSE ARE THE ONLY EXPECTATIONS THAT A STAFF WOULD JUST RESPOND TO THOSE QUESTIONS AS PART OF THAT FEEDBACK.
AND THEN ACTUALLY MAKE THAT AS A SEPARATE SECTION QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
KOBASA EVANS, BURRELL, RAMIREZ ACOSTA, UH, KING DUNCAN, SMITH, AND BRAY.
SO IT'S UNANIMOUS IN THAT, GARY.
AND THANK YOU, SECRETARY, UH, GARY FOR, I CAN SEE YOU COUNTING TO TAKE NOTES ON THE MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU FOR A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THAT IS DEFINITELY, UM, UH, UH, AS READING THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M A NERD, BUT I
[01:15:01]
THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY, I THOUGHT PARTS OF IT WERE VERY INTERESTING.AND THEN NEXT IS, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO SENT IN COMMENTS AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GEARY FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE FLY.
AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KING FOR YOUR BIG QUESTIONS.
AND THEN NEXT IS, UM, ANY COMMITTEES? NOPE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON YOUR COMMITTEES AND FOR TRYING TO MEET AND, UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER GEARY, THERE'S ITEM D CHAIR.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DON'T HAVE TWO COMPUTERS, BUT, UM, COMMISSIONED AND OH
[D.1. Selection of three members to attend and participate in the virtual meeting Resilience Is Community – A Conversation with Austin Boards and Commissions]
YES.DO YOU ONE SELECTION OF THREE MEMBERS TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE VIRTUAL MEETING? RESILIENCE IS COMMUNITY, UH, CONVERSATION WITH AUSTIN BOARDS AND COMMISSION BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE? I BELIEVE IT'S TOMORROW.
UM, SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE? IT'S NOT MANDATORY.
UM, MAYBE YOU'LL GET A BONUS POINT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AND ANYBODY COMMISSIONER KING COMMISSIONER, GARY, AND ANYBODY ELSE.
WELL, THAT IS AND COMMISSIONER BRAY.
WERE YOU INTERESTED? CAUSE I DON'T SEE YOU HE'S COMMISSIONER BRAY.
WERE YOU INTERESTED IN TOMORROW'S? UM, OKAY, SO WE ARE APPOINT OR OUR NOMINEES ARE COMMISSIONERS KING AND COMMISSIONER.
GARY, DO WE NEED TO, AND I ASSUME WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT, ANDREW OR NOT SURE IT'D BE PROTOCOL OF THE COMMISSION.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER KING AND KING GOING, WE NEED A MOTION.
I COULD ACTUALLY MAKE THE MOTION A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER EVANS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DUNCAN, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONERS KING AND A GARY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AND THEN ACTUALLY I SHOULD CALL FOR NEW BUSINESS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE EACH OTHER UNTIL THE NEW YEAR.ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEW YEAR, JERRY? YES.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, WE HAD A SMALL AREA, UH, PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE TESLA AREA THAT, UH, AND SO I WONDER IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT THAT ON OUR AGENDA SOMETIME DOWN THE ROAD.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JANUARY, BUT SOMETIME DOWN THE ROAD AS A NEW, AS A AGENDA ITEM TO GET AN UPDATE FROM STAFF, BECAUSE THINGS ARE KIND OF UNDERWAY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW TO DISCUSS IT UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT W IT MIGHT BE GOOD A COUPLE OF MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD TO GET AN UPDATE.
UH, THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER GARY I'LL, CO-SPONSOR THAT WITH THE COMMISSIONER KING.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR NEW BUSINESS? WELL, I THINK, YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND ENJOY, UM, WHATEVER YOU CAN AND SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL HAVE CHANGED EVEN IN TWO OR THREE WEEKS FOR THE BETTER.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, WE HAD A SMALL AREA PLANNING.
OH, WE'VE HAD A SMALL AREA PLANNING MEETING.
SO, OKAY THEN BRIEFLY, I'M SORRY.
I THOUGHT I THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN SHAKING OF THE HEADS.
[E. COMMITTEE REPORTS & WORKING GROUPS ]
SO DO YOU WANT TO GIVE A REPORT COMMISSIONER TEAM? YOU WANT TO DO THAT? SORRY ABOUT THAT.I DIDN'T BRING MY NOTES, BUT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT SMALLER PLANTS AND HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY COULD BE INITIATED.
AND SOME OF THE ISSUES WERE BECAUSE SOME OF THE AREAS FALL OUTSIDE OF THE ETA IN THE ETJ, SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY LIMITS, SO IT COULD GET COMPLICATED.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT HOW, WHO WOULD HAVE JURISDICTION ON INITIATING OR STARTING SMALL AREA PLANS AND HOW WOULD THAT WORK? SO THAT WAS BASICALLY AN INFORMATIVE TYPE MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ANYTHING COMMISSIONER RAY OR COMMISSIONER KING WOULD ADD TO THAT? WELL, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IT WAS THAT WE LEARNED AT THAT THAT AREA IS, IS, UH, IS CURRENTLY, I THINK IT'S CALLED THE AUSTIN GREEN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THERE'S A CONSENT AGREEMENT THAT'S BEING POTENTIALLY WORKED ON THAT COVERS THAT SAME AREA THERE.
AND SO POTENTIALLY IT COULD BECOME A PUD THEN, WHICH THE CITY MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE LEVERAGE IN GETTING, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[01:20:01]
PROTECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.IT'S, IT'S SORT OF UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR US, FOR IT TO ON OUR AGENDA MAYBE IN FEBRUARY OR SO TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AT THAT POINT ON THE ZAP AGENDA.
AND I THINK THEN WE ARE REALLY ADJOURNED.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR.