[00:00:09]
[CALL TO ORDER]
CALLING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, MARCH 3RD, 2021 AT 6:07 PM.VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING TO ORDER.
I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER KRILL, MR. THOMPSON.
COMMISSIONER BARRETT FLOOR HERE.
COMMISSIONER GORDON, COMMISSIONER BEDFORD HERE.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]
NOW GO TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION.A APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 3RD, 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.
GO AHEAD, MICHELLE RAMBERT, YOU CAN GO FOR COMMISSIONER GORDON.
I WAS GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I SECOND, THAT MOTION ROMBERG.
MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER GORDON.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RAMBERT.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL JUST CAUSE I CAN'T SEE ANYONE.
[2a. Announcement of new Deputy Environmental Officer—Chris Herrington, Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department]
IS TO A ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER UPDATE.WE HAVE, UM, CHRIS HARRINGTON HERE TO ANNOUNCE A NEW DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER COMMISSIONERS, CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
SO IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I ANNOUNCED THE CITY'S FIRST EVER DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER POSITION.
SO, UH, WE HAVE HIRED LIZ JOHNSTON, UM, TO BE THAT POSITION.
SHE HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UM, SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY OUR LAKE POLICY COORDINATOR AND HAS SERVED IN THAT ROLE SINCE 2015.
SHE DOES BRING A MAN, A MASTERS OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND A BACHELORS OF BIOLOGY, UM, WITH HER TO THE ROLE.
AND BEFORE SHE WORKED WITH WATERSHED, SHE SERVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, BOTH AS AN ENVIRONMENT ORDER VIEWER IN THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER, UM, UH, AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND ALSO, UH, SHE USED TO WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND SO AS I MOVE TO, UH, I S I WILL CONTINUE SERVING, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AS YOUR EX OFFICIO MEMBER FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION AND ADVISING THE COMMISSION ON ALL MATTERS RELATIVE TO, UH, SORT OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, BUT LIZ WILL BE TAKING OVER SOME OF THE DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTIONS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE PREVIOUSLY DONE SINCE I'LL BE TAKING ON BROADER ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION.
SO YOU WILL LIKELY, AS IN, IN CASES, IN THE FUTURE HERE, LIZ SUPPORTING OUR EXCELLENT STAFF IN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AS YOU'VE HEARD MEAD, UH, DO IN THE PAST.
AND SHE, OF COURSE, IS A RESOURCE TO YOU.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON CODE INTERPRETATION ON ANY SPECIFIC CASE BEFORE THE COMMISSION OR ON ANY OTHER MATTER, JUST AS I AM AND IS AS IS AVA PHILLIPS AND KAYLA CHAMPLIN.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO WELCOME HER TO THE TEAM SHE'S HERE.
LIZ, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING, I'LL PASS THE MIC TO YOU.
UH, BUT WE'VE, UH, VERY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, UM, ADDITIONAL BACKUP IN SOME REDUNDANCY, UH, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER ROLE AND, AND LIZ IS AN EXCELLENT PERSON TO FILL THOSE SHOES.
SO LIZ, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UM, THANK YOU, CHRIS.
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND ENTHUSIASM TO, TO BE TAKING IN THIS ROLE AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, UM, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AS WELL.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU IN THE PAST, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, WITH THIS NEW POSITION LIST.
[3a. Recognize Peggy Maceo for over five years of service on the Environmental Commission]
ON TO ITEM THREE, A RECOGNITION PEGGY MACIO FOR OVER FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION,[00:05:02]
MADAM CHAIR.THIS IS CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
I'LL JUST BRIEFLY INTRODUCE THIS ITEM AND THEN I WILL PASS THE MIC, UM, TO KEITH MARS, WHO WILL SAY SOME WORDS.
SO, UH, WE ARE SAD TO LOSE OUR TREE WARRIOR.
UM, PEGGY MACIO FROM THE COMMISSION AFTER HER YEARS OF SERVICE AS IS WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT TRADITION.
UH, WE HAVE PROVIDED HER WITH, OR WE'RE ACQUIRING, UH, A PERSONALIZED WALKING STICK WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT LOGO AND A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO HER AND RECOGNITION OF HER SERVICE TO AUSTIN AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES.
AND AUSTIN'S URBAN FORESTRY, SO THAT AS SHE GOES TO BLAZE A TRAIL FOR US AND THIS NEXT ADVENTURE IN HER, UH, VOLUNTEERISM, SHE CAN HAVE THAT STAFF FOR GUIDANCE AND AS A MEMORY FOR US.
SO KEITH, I WILL, UM, PASS THE MIC TO YOU.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR COMMISSIONERS MAR IS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY TREE PRESERVATION DIVISION MANAGER.
AND I'VE HAD THE WONDERFUL FORTUNE OF WORKING ALONGSIDE, UH, COMMISSIONER MACIO FOR GOSH, UH, MORE THAN A DECADE, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 15 YEARS NOW AND, UH, ECHOING SOME OF CHRIS'S, UH, THOUGHTS AND A MEMORIAL TO HER.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN A, A, A, A STEADFAST, UH, PROPONENT ADVOCATE OF, OF ALL THINGS, TREES IN THIS COMMUNITY, EVERYTHING FROM INDIVIDUAL TREES AND GETTING TREES IN THE GROUND TO OUR, UH, OUR NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TREE PRESERVATION REGULATIONS.
UH, SHE HAS SPENT LONG HOURS WITH ME AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
SHE HAS BEEN THERE FOR EARLY MEETINGS, UH, FOR THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE AND THE ADOPTION OF OUR CITY'S URBAN FOREST PLAN IN 2014.
SO SHE HAS, UM, SHE HAS SEEN IT ALL.
UM, SHE HAS, UH, BEEN, UH, THE FORCE, UH, ENTRIES.
AND FOR THOSE THAT KNOW OF MARGARET HOFFMAN, OR KNOW THE LEGACY OF MARGARET HOFFMAN, UH, OUR, UH, OR THE ORIGINAL PROPONENTS OF A TREE REGULATIONS IN THE CITY, UH, PEGGY DEFINITELY CARRIED ON THAT TORCH.
UH, SHE WILL BE, UH, SHE WILL BE MISSED.
I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT SHE STAYS ACTIVE IN SOME CAPACITY AND REPRESENTING THESE VALUES OF OUR, UH, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND IT'S VERY MUCH DEPENDENT ON PEOPLE THAT OCCURRED, PICK UP THE TORCH AND, AND TO GO FROM HERE.
SO, UM, MY, UM, BY OUR MOST THANKS AND, AND GRATITUDE TO PEGGY AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAS DONE FOR OUR CITY'S URBAN FOREST.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, WE HAVE BOBBY WITH VINCI AS A SPEAKER FOR THIS ITEM.
WAS, IS BOBBY ON THE LINE? YES.
AM I ONLY SPEAKING ON THE SIDE OF MARK? CAN I, DO I SPEAK ON ALL THREE AT ONCE? NO, NO, YOU, OH, YOU WANT TO DO ALL THREE AT ONCE? WHY DIDN'T IT? I'M NOT CLEAR ON WHAT THE PROCEDURES ARE ANYMORE.
BOBBY, YOU CAN SPEAK WHEN THEY COME UP.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST ECHO THOSE WORDS AND JUST THANK COMMISSIONER MACIO FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE, YOU HAVE TAKEN SO MANY MO MY CALLS, UM, ESPECIALLY OVER THE WEEKEND.
UM, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE TO ME.
YOU SPEAK FOR THE TREES BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE, AND YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT PRINT SOS AND THE CHAMPION OF BARTON SPRINGS AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
WE THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, COMMISSIONER MACIO WILL BE NOTED AS A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTING HERITAGE TREES AND SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS.
SHE WAS COMMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND ISSUES THAT WERE PARKED BROUGHT FORWARD BY DEVELOPMENT, MUT, DEVELOPERS, AND CITIZEN OUTCRY.
SHE WAS A STELLAR COMMISSIONER.
SHE ALWAYS WAS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN WORKING GROUPS, COMMITTEES, AND FIELD WORK.
COMMISSIONER MACIO WOULD GO TO ANY LOCATION NECESSARY TO OBSERVE A TREE THAT WAS IN THE THREAT OF POTENTIAL REMOVAL AND SCOPE OUT A FIELD THAT NEEDED TREE MITIGATION, COMMISSIONER MAYFIELD'S EFFORTS AND DETERMINATION LED TO BRINGING THE URBAN FORESTRY ISSUES TO BE DIRECTLY UNDER THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, TREES AUSTIN'S TREES, TREE CANOPIES, AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITED FROM COMMISSIONERS UNRELENTING ENDEAVORS TO ENHANCE AND PROTECT OUR URBAN RESOURCES.
SHE GAVE A VOICE TO MANY RESIDENTS, DESPERATE TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD TREES, COMMISSIONER MASON WAS IMPACT AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR LOCAL ECOSYSTEM OR IN MEASURABLE.
SO JUST HIP HIP, HOORAY TO YOU.
UM, COMMISSIONER MACIO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[00:10:01]
ANYONE ELSE? I DON'T, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.SO DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SAY A WORD BEFORE WE MOVE ON LINDA? I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING IT'S PAN RIGHT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ECHO EVERYBODY THESE WORDS SO FAR, PEGGY IS JUST BEYOND BELIEF.
SHE'S ALWAYS THERE FOR EVERYONE.
AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, SHE WILL FIND THE ANSWER IF SHE DOES NEITHER, WHICH IS RARE, BUT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TO SOME OF YOU THAT MAY NOT KNOW THAT PEGGY FOR YEARS BEFORE.
UM, IT, IT WAS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS ON, UH, AN URBAN FORESTRY THAT OVERSAW THE TREE AND THE CEMETERIES FOR MANY YEARS, MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE SHE SERVED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
SO PEGGY IS JUST PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON HER FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN THE FUTURE.
AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE PEPE.
[3b. Presentation of Development Assessment Report for the Brodie Oaks Planned Unit Development, located at 4021 S Capital of Texas Highway, CD-2020-0002 (District 5). Applicant: Rebecca Leonard, Lionheart Places. Staff: Kate Clark, Housing and Planning Department and Atha Phillips, Environmental Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department]
ON TO ITEM THREE, B PRESENTATION OF DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE BRODY OAKS PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT FOUR OH TWO, ONE SOUTH CAPITAL OF TEXAS HIGHWAY C D DASH 2020 DASH OH OH OH TWO.UH, WE HAVE, UH, APPLICANT THAT IS GOING TO SPEAK LATER AND BOBBY AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR PRESENTATION PLEASE.
UH, I'M KATE CLARK AND I'M WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND I'M PROVIDING THE ZONING STAFF BRIEFING FOR THE BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT.
THIS PROJECT IS APPROXIMATELY 37.6 ACRES IN SIZE AND IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH LAMAR BOULEVARD AND SOUTH CAPITOL OF TEXAS HIGHWAY.
IT INCLUDES AREAS THAT ARE ZONE C S C S G R AND, AND ZONED WITHIN THE PROJECT BOUNDARY.
AND IT'S CURRENTLY DEVELOPED WITH THE SHOPPING CENTER AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE PARKING ADJACENT TO THE PROJECT SITE IS THE BARTON CREEK GREENBELT TO THE NORTH AND EXISTING FAMILY.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS TO THE EAST, TO THE EASTERN NORTH.
THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN GROWTH CONCEPT MAP BOUNDARIES, BUT THE LAMAR AND BEN WHITE ACTIVITY CENTER FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS.
AND ALONG THE SOUTH LAMAR ACTIVITY CORRIDOR, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE FROM THEIR APPLICATION, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF RESIDENTIAL OFFICE HOTEL, RETAIL AND RESTAURANT USES WITHIN THE, WITHIN BUILDINGS UP TO A PROPOSED HEIGHT OF 275 FEET, THE PROPOSED PROJECT, AND TENDS TO CLUSTER ITS DEVELOPMENT AWAY FROM THE GREENBELT AND TOWARDS THE HIGHWAY TO ALLOW FOR APPROXIMATELY 13.7 ACRES OF LAND TO BE RESTORED AND RESERVED AS OPEN SPACE.
AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO PROPOSING GREATER ACCESS TO THE GREENBELT THROUGH ADDITIONAL TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS WITHIN THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH ATD ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO THE SITE THROUGH THEIR TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS.
THE PURPOSE OF A DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT IS FOR STAFF AND THE APPLICANT TO BEGIN THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THEIR PROJECT PRIOR TO THE FORMAL PUD APPLICATION SUBMITTAL.
THESE DISCUSSIONS TYPICALLY INCLUDE THE PRELIMINARY PROJECT INFORMATION, THE POTENTIAL CODE MODIFICATIONS AND SUPERIORITY ELEMENTS.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE PUD PROCESS.
AND BECAUSE ITEMS AT THIS, UM, WITH THIS MIDDLE CAN CHANGE WITH THE FORMAL PUD APPLICATION, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ASKING YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME, BUT WE'LL COME BACK TO YOUR COMMISSION ONCE THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED THEIR PUD FOR REVIEW.
UM, THIS CASE IS SCHEDULED NOW FOR A STAFF BRIEFING AT THE CITY COUNCIL'S WORK SESSION ON MARCH 23RD.
AND THEN NEXT SLIDE FOR MS. PHILLIPS GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS AVA PHILLIPS I'M WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
AND I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY GIVE YOU A VIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, SORT OF ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT.
SO IN THE RED, YOU WILL SEE THE SITE AND, UH, IN THE YELLOW, YOU'LL SEE THE ADJACENT PARKLAND AND, UM, THERE'S BARTON CREEK, WHICH IS CALLED OUT AND THERE'S THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY AND THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITIONS.
UM, THE SITE IS GARDEN CREEK WATERSHED, WHICH IS ALSO OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE, AND IT'S CONSIDERED THE BARTON SPRINGS, UM, ZONE.
AND SO SOME OF THE SUPERIORITY IS THAT THEY ARE CALLING OUT CURRENTLY TO MY LIST.
[00:15:01]
IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM 84% TO 54%.UM, THEY'RE OFFERING TO COMPLY WITH THAT.
SO AS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE 13.7 ACRES OF PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE, WHICH IS 36% OF THE SITE.
UM, THEY WILL PRESERVE OR TRANSPLANT ALL HERITAGE TREES ON SITE.
THEY'LL RESTORE OPEN SPACE THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE BARTON CREEK GREENBELT.
UM, CURRENTLY IT'S A PERVIOUS COVER AND YOU MAY KNOW IT AS THE CHOICE ARREST SITE.
IT WILL BE A PART OF THE PARKING LOT AND THE EXISTING BUILDING AND LOADING DOCK.
UM, THEY'LL REMOVE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM THE AREA, UH, DISPREAD THAT SORRY.
THEY WILL PROVIDE RAINWATER CAPTURE, UH, TO WATER 50% OF THE PROPOSED LANDSCAPE.
UH, SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITIES WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR IN THE FUTURE ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD, UH, USE DUAL PIPE PLUMBING WITHIN THE BUILDINGS, UH, TO CAPTURE CONDENSATE AND THEY COULD UTILIZE GLASS THAT HAS A REFLECTIVITY OF LESS THAN 15% TO PREVENT BIRD STRIKES.
UM, THEY COULD ENHANCE THEIR DARK SKY ORDINANCE, UH, REQUIREMENTS, UH, TO, UM, REFLECT LIGHT COLOR AND, UM, THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
AND I'M ALSO AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU, THIS IS COMMISSIONER RAMBO.
I DON'T, I KIND OF DIDN'T QUITE HEAR ALL OF THAT, BUT MAYBE, I GUESS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, UM, RAISE YOUR ANDREW SPEAK, SPEAK, SPEAK.
UM, I'M SORRY IF YOU SAID THIS AND I MISSED IT BECAUSE YOU WENT THROUGH A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT KIND OF THE, THE WISHLIST.
DID YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT, I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT CLASS AND REFLECTIVITY AND BIRD STRIKES.
SO REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD THE OTTERBEIN COME GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT RIGHT.
SO, UM, IF THEY CHOOSE TO USE A GLASS THAT HAS A REFLECTIVITY OF 15% OR LESS, THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN OBSCURE THE GLASS.
SO THE BIRDS DON'T GET CONFUSED.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING.
COMMISSIONER GORDON, I BELIEVE YOU'RE MUTED AGAIN.
YOU MENTIONED, YOU MENTIONED CONDENSATE.
I CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH VARIOUS RULES.
SO IS THERE THE PROCESS FOR THEM TO INSTALL PURPLE PIPES AS WELL FOR SOME SORT OF GRAY WATER REUSE? YES.
ANY PIPE THAT IS NOT POTABLE WILL BE REQUIRED BY CITY ORDINANCE TO HAVE PURPLE PIPE.
IF YOU GOT QUESTIONS, JUST GO FOR IT.
I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
SO IS THIS THE TIME, ARE THERE ANY MORE PRESENTATIONS ON IT OR SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND SWISHERS? THIS IS CHRIS HARRINGTON.
WE HAVE THE APPLICANT AND WE ALSO HAVE A, UM, RESIDENT SPEAKER SIGNED UP SO WE CAN TAKE THE APPLICANT IF YOU'D LIKE.
COMMISSIONER FOR YOUR QUESTIONS FOR, FOR STAFF, OR DO YOU THINK THEY'RE BETTER SUITED FOR THE APPLICANT? PROBABLY BETTER SUITED FOR THE APPLICANT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE I GET THOSE IN AFTER.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? I WOULD PREFER TO HEAR THE APPLICANT.
UM, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE IF STAFF WANTS TO ANSWER THEM AFTER THE APPLICANT MAKES THEIR PRESENTATION.
CHRIS, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT THEN? AND, UM, AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS, IF THEY'RE BETTER FOR STAFF, JUST WHEN WE'RE ASKING THEM, JUST ASK STAFF, REBECCA, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL GET YOUR PRESENTATION UP.
WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE'RE READY TO GO AND THEN JUST TELL US TO ADVANCE THE SLIDES AS YOU WISH.
WE ARE AT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN AND PLANNING FIRM IN,
[00:20:01]
UH, EAST AUSTIN.UH, YOU COULD, UH, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT HAS THE PROJECT TEAM ON IT.
UH, JUST BRIEFLY WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING A BARBERSHOP IN OLES AND LIMESTONE INVESTMENTS.
UH, THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST TEAM, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM, UH, THE SCREEN, UH, THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF LOCAL, UH, CONSULTANTS, UM, UH, ARNE BURSTON BROWN LJA ENGINEERING, BOE CONSULTANTS, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, MANY, UH, NATIONAL, UH, EXPERTS IN VARIOUS THINGS, UH, LIKE URBAN DESIGN AND PARKING MANAGEMENT AND TRAVEL DEMAND.
THE SITE, AS YOU, AS, AS KATE AND EISA MENTIONED IS ABOUT 30.6 ACRES.
IT'S, UH, IT'S THREE AND A HALF MILES FROM DOWNTOWN AT THE CORNER OF LOOP THREE 60 HIGHWAY TWO 90 AND SOUTH LAMAR ON THE HIGH CAP HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT ROUTES AND, UH, BACKS UP TO THE BARTON CREEK GREENBELT.
UH, THIS IS A IMAGE FROM THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL FROM, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BARTON CREEK PLAZA.
UH, THIS WAS APPROVED IN 1981 AND, UH, WHAT WE ARE THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT OF IS FOR IS THE ORANGE OUTLINE.
IT'S THE RETAIL PORTION OF THAT ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, ALSO OF NOTE IN, IN THAT ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT, 84 ACRES, UH, OF GUST GROUP PARK WAS DEDICATED AT THAT TIME.
THIS WAS ALL APPROVED FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE HILL COUNTRY OVERLAY AND 11 YEARS BEFORE SOS.
AND ABOUT 31 YEARS BEFORE WE HAD IMAGINE AUSTIN, WHICH LAYS OUT A DIFFERENT VISION FOR THE SITE THAN WHAT IS THERE TODAY.
THERE ARE, UH, MANY BEAUTIFUL, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS TO THE SITE, UH, INCLUDING OF COURSE THE GREENBELT AND A BEAUTIFUL VIEW, UH, OVER THE GREEN BELT.
UM, BUT ALSO SOME GROVES OF TREES AND, UH, SOME VERY LARGE HERITAGE TREES ON SITE.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS.
THERE'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF IMPERVIOUS COVER RIGHT NOW.
UH, IF YOU TAKE OUT THAT LITTLE GREEN PATCH AT THE FRONT THAT, UH, THAT BRUSHED UP MARSH UP AND OLS WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN FROM TEXTILES, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE LIKE 90%, UH, OF THE ORIGINAL SITE.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS IT'S GOT A VERY TALL WALL, A RETAINING WALL THAT DIVIDES IT FROM THE BARTON CREEK GREENBELT, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL ALONG THE BACKSIDE OF IT.
AND SO IT'S VERY DISCONNECTED FROM THE GREENBELT, UH, AND THERE IS A BARRIER TO ACTUALLY GETTING DOWN TO THE GREENBELT.
UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE IS A SLIDE OF OUR PROJECT GOALS.
UH, WE STARTED PLANNING FOR THIS SIDE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND, UH, AS A TEAM AND AFTER TALKING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WHATNOT CAME UP WITH THIS LIST OF GOALS, AND WE KNEW THAT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS WAS GOING TO BE OUR, OUR, UH, HIGHEST, UM, NEED HERE THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO MEET THE HIGHEST ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS FOR THE SITE.
BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO REPOSITION THE SITE TO BE A WALKABLE MIXED USE ACTIVITY CENTER AND BUILD ON THAT TRANSIT STOCK THAT IS ON SOUTH LAMAR AND WITH PROJECT CONNECT, IT'S IDENTIFIED AS A TRANSFER STATION.
SO EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN THE FUTURE, WE WANTED TO CONNECT IT TO ITS SURROUNDINGS.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S THIS WALL, A RETAINING WALL ALONG THE, THERE ARE FENCES BETWEEN THIS SITE AND THE MULTI-FAMILY, THERE'S TWO BUSY HIGHWAYS, DIVIDING IT FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT.
UH, AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S BASICALLY EVERY SIDE OF IT IS DISCONNECTED FROM ITS SURROUNDING.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND THE CHARACTER OF THE PUBLIC SPACES TO MAKE SURE THAT IT, THAT WE ARE EXPRESSING THE SOUTH AUSTIN CHARACTER.
WE DON'T WANT THIS TO LOOK LIKE IT COULD LIVE IN ANY OTHER CORNER OF OUR CITY, UH, LET ALONE ANY OTHER CITY IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S OF THIS PLACE, UH, BUT REPOSITIONING THE SITE FOR THE FUTURE IS, IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS PROJECT, MAKING SURE, UH, THAT WE TRANSFER THIS FROM THE SINGLE FORMAT OR SINGLE USE FORMAT AT RETAIL, UH, TO, UM, MORE MIXED USE PRODUCTS THAT WILL BE MORE SUSTAINABLE, UH, FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, AS WE STARTED TO GET INTO THE ANALYSIS OF THIS, WE REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON WHERE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, CONNECTING INTO THE SURROUNDINGS, UH, WERE INCLUDED.
AND I'VE GONE OVER SEVERAL OF THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THIS, UH, UH, ACTIVITY CENTER FOR REDEVELOPMENT, UH, INSENSITIVE AREAS, UH, THIS GREEN DOT
[00:25:01]
THAT SHOWS UP IN, UH, ON IMAGINE AUSTIN.AND SO FAR, WE ARE, UH, THE FIRST ONE TO REALLY MAKE A, UH, AN ATTEMPT TO DO THAT, TO REDEVELOP IN THIS SENSITIVE AREA.
UH, I THINK THE IDEA IN IMAGINE AUSTIN WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, THAT WHAT EXISTS THERE TODAY IS NOT WHAT WE WANTED TODAY.
AND SO THE DIAL BACK IMPERVIOUS COVER AND, AND MAKE THIS MORE SUITABLE MATCH, UH, OF LAND USE FOR THAT SITE, PLEASE.
SO WE HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO SCREEN A CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN THAT THE TEAM CAME UP WITH.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A BUILDING ON THE GREEN SPACE OF THE BARTON CREEK GREENBELT AND GRA GUTHRIE PARK.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE GREEN FINGERS THAT REACH INTO THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, UP FROM THE GREEN BELT, WE HAVE A CENTRAL GREEN SPACE, UH, THAT WILL HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION DOWN TO THE GREEN BELT.
UH, ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, INTERPRET, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS IN THE AREA AND, UH, CONNECT DIRECTLY TO IT.
WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH THE SOS ORDINANCE.
UH, WE ARE CREATING DESTINATION QUALITY PUBLIC SPACES RIGHT NOW, THE BEST VIEWS OF THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE OVER THE GREENBELT ARE ON THE TOYSRUS LOADING DOCK.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO THOSE VIEWS IN THE, IN THE PARKS SPACES THAT WE'RE CREATING.
UH, WE WANT TO DEVELOP TRANSIT, SUPPORTIVE DENSITIES, SO THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN, UH, SHIFT MODES AND SEE LESS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED.
WE WANT TO INCLUDE A MIX OF USES, UH, SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MANY THINGS ON THE SITE.
WE ARE OFFERING HOUSING, UH, 10% OF THE BONUS AREA, AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO CREATE AN INTENTIONAL TRAILHEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME TO BARTON CREEK GREENBELT INSTEAD OF PARKING UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR PARKING, UH, UNDER, UH, MOPAC AND THREE 60, UH, WE LOOK TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S, UH, ABLE TO, UH, ABSORB THAT KIND OF ACCESS.
UH, AND WE WANT, WE HAVE, WE THINK THIS DEVELOPMENT ALSO ALLEVIATES THE PAIN SURE.
FOR DENSITY IN THE NE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT.
THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES ARE JUST, UH, SOME RENDERINGS OF THE QUALITY, THE SPACE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THIS FIRST ONE IS, UH, OF THIS INTERNAL CIRCULATOR.
THE STREETS ARE KIND OF THE MAIN STREET THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THERE'S A PICTURE OF THIS EXISTING CONDITION TODAY UP ON THE TOP LEFT, UH, WE ENVISIONED, UH, HIGHLY LANDSCAPED, UH, DEDICATED FACILITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS OR BICYCLES, AND OF COURSE, UH, NARROW AND WALKABLE, UH, CROSSINGS, UH, ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, WE ALSO ENVISION A VARIETY OF USES.
DO YOU SEE A GROCERY STORE IN THE FOREGROUND ON THE LEFT? MULTI-FAMILY ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE IN THE, IN THE BACKGROUND, UH, SOME OFFICE AND THE HOTEL, UH, THAT'S ENVISIONED FOR THE CORNER OF THE SITE.
UM, THAT IS WHERE THE TALLEST BUILDINGS ARE PROPOSED ARE IN THAT CORNER DOWN BY THE TWO, UH, HIGHWAYS WHERE THEY COME TOGETHER, UH, AND IT GETS LOWER AS YOU MOVE TOWARDS THE GREENBELT.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE CENTRAL GREEN SPACE, UH, THAT WILL BE ACTIVATED WITH RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS AROUND THE EDGES OF THE GROUND FLOOR OF ALL THE BUILDINGS, UH, AND HIGHLY ACTIVATED INTERNALLY WITH PLAYGROUNDS AND SPLASH PADS AND, AND, UH, PERHAPS A PERFORMANCE VENUE.
UH, WE WOULD BE PRESERVING, UH, THE BEST GROVE OF TREES ON THE SITE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IN, IN THE DRAWING THERE, UH, AND CREATING A VERY SHADED AND, UH, COMFORTABLE WALKING ENVIRONMENT.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS A VIEW AS IF YOU'RE ABOVE THE GREENBELT, LOOKING BACK AT THE SITE AND THE SECTION OF SOUTH LAMAR AND THREE 60.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS, UH, ILLUSTRATES IS THAT WE WILL BE TAKING DOWN THAT WALL IN THE BACK AND RESTORING SOME OF THE GRADES TO MORE NATURAL GRADES AND RESTORING THE LANDSCAPE SO THAT THERE WE'LL, WE'LL REMOVE THAT BARRIER BETWEEN THE GREEN BELT AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND PEEL BACK THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER, UH, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER ON SITE TO BE GONE.
THIS IS JUST A ZOOM IN OF THAT AREA, UH, THAT WE CALL FOR NOW OVERLOOK PARK AND, AND THE TRAILHEAD PARK.
UH, WE ENVISION AND SOS POND AT, IN THAT TRAIL HEAD PARK.
UH, WE ALSO, UH, ENVISION, UH, SOME, UH, VERY FLEXIBLE IN THE OVERLOOK PARK.
IT'LL BE A GREAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND WATCH SUNSETS AND THE CITY SKYLINE AT NIGHT.
UH, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE MOST OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS KIND OF PEELED BACK AND WE ENVISIONED LOTS OF TRAILS AND INTERPRETIVE MATERIAL THROUGHOUT THE SITE.
[00:30:01]
SECTION HERE, UH, REFLECTS THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS.UH, THIS, THE IDEA AGAIN, IS TO GIVE EVERYBODY THESE GREAT VIEWS OF THE DOWNTOWN AND THE HILL COUNTRY AND THE GREENBELT.
AND SO WE CAN CREATE PARK SPACES WHERE CURRENTLY THERE ARE BUILDINGS AND PARKING LOTS.
WE CAN CONNECT SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL HERITAGE TREES ON SITE WITH, UH, WITH THE GREEN BELT.
UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, SOS ORDINANCE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, AN AICPA AND KATE ALL MENTIONED, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER WE'RE, UH, COMMITTING TO 54%, NO MORE THAN 54%.
UH, WE WILL HAVE PROBABLY TWO SOS CON, UH, THAT WILL, UH, UH, HANDLE OUR ONSITE STORAGE AND BE USED FOR IRRIGATION.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 10 ACRES FOR REAR IRRIGATION.
UH, WE HAVE TRIED TO LAY OUT THE DEVELOPMENT IN A MANNER IN WHICH, UH, WE PRESERVE THE GREATEST NUMBER OF HERITAGE TREES AND PROTECTED TREES.
UH, THE, UM, TH BECAUSE THE FORMAT'S CHANGING, WE'RE REMOVING LOTS OF PARKING LOTS WHERE SOME OF THESE, UH, TREES EXIST TODAY, UH, AND, AND REALLY TRYING TO MOVE SHIFT THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, EASTWARD AND TOWARDS THE TRANSIT STATION TO STOP.
UH, WE ARE COMMITTING TO PRESERVING IN PLACE 21 OF THE HERITAGE TREES AND MOVING OTHERS AS NEEDED.
AND, UH, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT PRESERVING THE PROTECTED TREES OR MITIGATING FOR THEM IF, UH, IF NECESSARY.
AND THEN FINALLY WITH THE RESTORED LANDSCAPE, UH, ADJACENT TO THE GREENBELT, WE ANTICIPATE A SIGNIFICANT, UH, TREE PLANTING IN THAT AREA.
SO, JUST IN SUMMARY, THESE ARE SOME OF THE METRICS I'VE REVIEWED MOST OF THEM WITH YOU.
UH, WE'VE TRIED TO BE VERY COMPREHENSIVE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF OUR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, ALL OF THIS IS, UH, IS MOVING, UH, TOWARDS MANY OF THE CITY'S GOALS FOR, UH, REDEVELOPMENT IN SENSITIVE AREAS, BUT ALSO, UH, FOR TRANSIT, UH, SUPPORTIVE DENSITIES.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL JUST END ON THIS LAST SLIDE, UH, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION FOR OUR TEAM AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF, UM, STAFF'S AT THE END OF OUR INFORMATION WERE ANSWERED, UM, A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I MAY GOING THROUGH AND READING ALL OF THOSE WERE ADDRESSED BY STAFF.
SO I WONDER IF STAFF COULD GIVE ME, UM, AN ANSWER TO THAT, PLEASE.
THIS IS CHRIS PARENTED, ENVIRONMENTAL, SORRY.
I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
WHAT WAS YOUR, IS THERE A QUESTION, UM, IN HER PACKET? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
IN OUR PACKET, IT HAD A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN THAT WERE NOT ANSWERED IN THEIR PRESENTATION.
AND I WONDERED IF THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY QUESTIONS IN THE PACKET.
IT WAS JUST CONDITIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED BY EACH ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SO, UM, I GUESS I'LL JUST GO TO QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M, I'M CONCERNED THAT YOUR PRIVATE PARKLAND OVERLAPS WITH THE OTHER, AND THAT MAY NOT BE AN ISSUE THAT WE ADDRESS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PARKS, BUT IT IS A CONCERN IF THEY ARE GOING TO GET THE STATUS OF PUD.
AND THEN THE DRAINAGE, IF RIGHT NOW, ALL OF THAT, I I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT TWO THINGS, ALL OF THE WATER GOING DOWN THE HILL, UM, IF THEY, HOW IT WILL, UM, AFFECT THE CREEK IN FLOODS AND HOW WILL THAT BE STOPPED? UM, I THINK THERE'S SORT OF DOUBLE DIPPING INTO
AND THEN SOME OTHER SPECIFIC THINGS, UM, THE TRAIL ON THE PARKLAND SIDE OF BARTON CREEK PLAZA AND BRODY OAKS DEVELOPMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
[00:35:01]
A SHARED USE PATH, BUT WHO BUILDS THAT AND WHO MAINTAINS IT AND DOES IT HAVE PARKS APPROVAL? AND IS IT PART OF A ROADWAY THAT WE HAVE A STRUCTURE FOR AND IS THIS PART OF THEIR SUPERIORITY, AND THEN THE LAND USE THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS? DO THEY HAVE PROPERTY MANAGERS? UM, I'M KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UM, UH, THERE ARE PROBLEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS WITH WASTE SUCH LIKE THAT WITH SOME OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY WASN'T BITING OFF A PROBLEM THERE WITH THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND THEN, UM, THE AMP, THE AMPHITHEATER IS SUPPOSED TO BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY BY THEM IF THEY ACQUIRE PUD STATUS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S UPSETTING TO ME BECAUSE I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED, UM, BY STAFF.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT UPSET ME WAS THAT, UH, THE CODE MODIFICATIONS TO CHANGE, UH, FROM EIGHT FEET TO SIX FEET FOR, TO THE CURB FOR TREE PLANTINGS.
AND I WONDERED IF THE CITY ARBORIST HAD REVIEWED THAT WITH THEM, AND IF HE WAS AGREEABLE TO THAT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
SO AS IS OUR STANDARD PROCESS FOR A DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DAYLIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE, THAT WE CAN THEN TAKE BACK WHEN THEY COME IN WITH THE FULL, WHEN THE APPLICANT COMES IN WITH THE FULL POD APPLICATION TO WORK THROUGH THOSE.
SO, UM, AVA AND MYSELF AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN ZONING STAFF, MS. CLARK HAVE WE'VE CERTAINLY NOW WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE COMMENT REPORT.
WE CERTAINLY WILL TRACK THOSE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND TO THE DEGREE THAT THOSE ARE WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, WE'LL CERTAINLY DISCUSS THOSE WITH THE APPLICANTS.
SO WE WON'T, UH, WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT PLEASE DO KNOW THAT WE RECEIVED THOSE QUESTIONS AND THAT WILL KEEP THOSE, UH, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE FORMAL PUD REVIEW PROCESS.
THANKS A LOT COMMISSIONER FIXLER I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT.
UM, MR. BOBBY LAVINSKY WOULD HELP TO SAY, HAS TO SAY, UM, AND THEN I THINK AFTER THAT WOULD BE READY TO PROVIDE MY COMMENTS AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, UH, BOBBY LEVINSKY, I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL GIVING YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SOS HAS NOT TAKEN A POSITION.
UM, INSTEAD I THINK I SENT YOU GUYS AT 11 TO 13 PAGES OF COMMENTS, SO THERE'S NO WAY I COULD ADDRESS, UM, ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE IN HERE IN THAT, IN THIS THREE MINUTES, BUT I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, INSTEAD OF OPPOSITION, WE ARE LOOKING TO ANOTHER AWARD ON THIS PROPERTY AND THAT'S OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS A SITE WITH OVER 30 ACRES OF UNTREATED COVER IMMEDIATELY ON THE EDGE OF BARTON CREEK.
SO FOR ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF BARTON CREEK AND BARTON SPRINGS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT REDUCING THE IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THIS SITE, RESTORING NATURAL CREEK AREA, UM, UH, CREEK BUFFERS AND, UH, INSTALLING SOS, UH, WATER QUALITY PAWNS NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY AS THIS PROJECT CONTINUES.
THAT SAID WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS APPLICANT HAS ASKED FOR A LOT.
SO, UM, I THINK REALLY WHAT, UH, THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS TRYING TO FIND THAT RIGHT BALANCE.
UM, AND I THINK FINDING THAT RIGHT BALANCE IS GOING TO REQUIRE A COMMUNITY SCALED CONVERSATION THAT INCORPORATES THE FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE MOST IMPACTED AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, SOME OF JUST A HIGHER LEVEL CONCERNS THAT I'VE RAISED IN THE, IN THE LETTER AND COMMENTS THAT WE SUBMITTED.
UM, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, IMPROVING THE CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS TO PROTECT, UM, AIRMAN'S CAVE, BARTON CREEK AND ANY OTHER RECHARGE FEATURES THAT MIGHT, UH, BE UNCOVERED DURING DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF EXCAVATION THAT MIGHT BE PROPOSED WITH THE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES AND ALL THE PIER AND BEAMS. SO WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK CLOSER, LOOK AT THAT.
AND, UM, I THINK EIGHTH HAS COMMENTS KIND OF HINTS TO THIS, BUT, UM, TRYING TO MAKE SURE
[00:40:01]
THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING WATER FOR POLLUTION.SO LET'S DO A PLUMBING, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE CAN USE RE BETTER REUSE WATER ON THE SITE, UM, WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE TECHNICALITIES OF THE POD.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, SUCH AS WE DON'T WANT THEM TO REDEFINE THE DEFINITION OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BE COULD GIVEN THE LOCATION ON THIS SITE AND HIS ACCESS TO THE TRAIL, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE GOOD STEWARDS TO THE TRAIL.
HOPEFULLY THEY WILL COME FORWARD WITH SOMETHING THAT CAN ESTABLISH SOME LONGTERM BATEMANS FOR THE TRAIL AND SOME REGULATIONS ON HOW, UM, HOW THE, THAT, THAT PART OF THE TRAIL WILL BE USED, THAT TRAIL POINT ACCESS.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A RESTRICTION ON DOG PARKS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE CREEK ON THE SITE, ESPECIALLY IN ANY OF THE COMMON AREAS THAT THEY, THEY PLAN ON USING.
UM, BUT OVERALL, I THINK THIS IS JUST REALLY THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION.
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO WE'RE HERE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
WE APPRECIATE THEIR EMPHASIS ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT OPPOSING THE SITE, UH, ROSING THE PROJECT, WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING THE PROJECT AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE JUST REALLY TRYING TO ENGAGE IN A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT AS THE FIRST MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, UM, THIS COULD BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER SITES IN THE FUTURE, SUCH AS BARTON CREEK MALL AND THE TARGET SHOPPING CENTER ACROSS THE STREET.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP, BUT, UM, I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE COMMUNICATION ON THIS IN THE FUTURE.
HI, THIS IS COMMISSIONER BARRETT BIXLER, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S ALREADY SPOKEN AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I HAVE A FEW MORE ITEMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE, UM, THAT HAS SPECIFICALLY JUST AREAS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION, UM, RECEIVES A DIFF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON, UM, AS A PROCESS CONTINUES.
UM, ONE ITEM THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN BROUGHT UP YET IS THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDINGS.
UM, IN THIS PROJECT, I BELIEVE 275 FEET IS THE, UM, I GUESS THE TALLEST PROPOSED ONE IN THAT, SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BEFORE, UM, IN THAT PART OF AUSTIN.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE REBECCA HAD MENTIONED, UM, UH, COMMITMENT TO, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, PROJECT CONTINUES, UM, SORT OF THE MIX OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, IS IT, EXCUSE ME, IS IT, YOU KNOW, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATION, UM, COMMUNITIES, UM, TYPE, YOU KNOW, 30% MFI, UM, OR, I MEAN, I WOULD RECOMMEND A RANGE AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY 30 TO 60% MFI.
UM, I JUST THINK HAVING THAT, YOU KNOW, FLESHING OUT THAT CONVERSATION FURTHER, UM, WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
AND, UM, I, I ALSO, JUST TO MY UNDERSTANDING SPECIFIC TO, TO THE ENVIRONMENT IS THAT THE HIGHER YOU BUILD THE BUILDING THE FURTHER DOWN THAT THE PEER AND BEINGS NEED TO BE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S, I THINK THERE'S JUST STILL SOME, SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDINGS AND JUST HAVING THAT THE COMMUNITY, UM, MORE, MORE AWARE OF THAT, UM, GOING FORWARD.
SO, UM, SO IT'S ONE NOTE, UM, AND SHOULD I KEEP GOING? I'LL KEEP GOING NOW.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER ITEM IS THE, UM, THE INNER STARBOARD TO MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, IT'S FOR PUDS THAT IT'S A MINIMUM OF ACHIEVING TWO STAR.
AND I WAS CONSIDERING THAT THIS PROJECT IS, YOU KNOW, AN IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTER LOCATED IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, AT LEAST THE CONVERSATION OF, OF HOW TO ACHIEVE TIER THREE OR HIGHER, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING RATINGS.
UM, I, I DID SEE THAT OR HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT KEATING, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS BEING CONSIDERED.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A REQUEST FOR A, OF, UM, COMBINED HEAT AND POWER.
UM, AND ALSO I WOULD BE CURIOUS, UM, IF THE APPLICANT HAS CONSIDERED RENEWABLE ENERGY SUCH AS SOLAR ONSITE AS WELL.
UM, I THINK MY QUESTION ABOUT WATER HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, BUT I WAS INTERESTED ALSO IN LEARNING TO SEE WHAT KIND OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THERE ARE CONSIDERING WITH RESPECT TO WATER REUSE ON SITE, UM, BOTH GRAY, WATER AND STORMWATER,
[00:45:01]
AND, UM, A COUPLE MORE, A COUPLE MORE ITEMS TO NOTE, UM, TRAFFIC.SO, UM, I, THE APPLICANT TALKED ABOUT REDUCING VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED.
I SPECIFICALLY WOULD LIKE TO PUT THE QUESTION OUT ABOUT, UM, HAVING A REDUCTION IN PARKING REQUIREMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED AS A, AS A PART OF THE PROJECT, UM, TO ACTUALLY TRY TO, I GUESS, INCENTIVIZE ARE, UM, REALLY KIND OF, I GUESS, TAG ONTO THE FACT THAT IT IS THIS PROJECT IS BEING BUILT IN A TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR OR THAT THE CITY ISN'T INVESTING IN HEAVILY.
UM, SO AGAIN, KIND OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH PARKING IS AVAILABLE, AND WE KNOW THAT TRAFFIC IS, IS A CONCERN ALREADY IN THAT INTERSECTION, IN THAT AREA.
UM, SO LAST TWO COMMENTS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE NOT AS JUST AS A CITIZEN, I HAVE NOT SEEN OR COME ACROSS IT YET.
SO I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, JUST WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW THE, HOW THE COMMUNITY IS, IS AWARE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I JUST, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN COMMUNICATE THAT TO OTHERS WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THE TIME COMES TO HAVE, UM, FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO, TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE DIALOGUE ABOUT THE PROJECT.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST ITEM IS, IS I HEARD, UM, TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY DEDICATED SPACE FOR PERFORMANCE OR, UM, AREAS OF RETAIL SPACE TO SHOWCASE ART, UM, OR FARM, YOU KNOW, FARMER'S MARKET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M, I'M INTERESTED, UM, IN THAT KIND OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO FLUSH OUT FURTHER THOSE DEDICATED SPACES FOR THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
AND THAT IS MY, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIXLER.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE RECEIVED THOSE, UM, NOTED THEM AS WELL.
AND I THINK, UH, I'M SURE THE APPLICANT IS ONLINE AND PAYING ATTENTION, AND THIS PART DOES SEEM LIKE IT WOULD MERIT A RETURN TO A WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION.
AND SO ONCE THE APPLICATION COMES BACK, UH, WE'LL IDENTIFY THOSE COMMISSIONERS UP TO OUR LIMIT THAT WE'LL WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HAVING FURTHER CONVERSATION AND THEN DIVE DEEPER INTO SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE INTERESTED.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GORDON, JUST A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP COMMENTS.
UM, ONE I'LL JUST AIR, PROBABLY THE SOMEWHAT UNPOPULAR VIEW.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M A LITTLE TORMENTED BY THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO PARKING, YOU KNOW, I DID PICK UP ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO POTENTIALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO THE TRIALS THERE, WHICH I THINK ARE POSITIVE.
AND ALSO OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF, A LOT OF CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH PEOPLE ACCESSING THE TRAIL AND PARKING AND OVERFLOW AND ALL SORTS OF PLACES.
UM, SOME QUESTIONS JUST, YOU KNOW, PLAYING UNSAFE.
AND SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BALANCE TO BE STRUCK HERE.
I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN A PART OF AUSTIN THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE SERVICED BY THESE VERY, YOU KNOW, UM, AMBITIOUS, UH, TRANSPORTATION PLANS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS STILL THIS BALANCE AND I THINK WE DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS AND GET OUTSIDE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO EASILY ACCESS PUBLIC TRANSIT TO GET DOWN THERE.
SO I SAY THAT'S JUST, THAT'S A BALANCING ISSUE.
LONG-TERM UH, AND THEN, UH, SECONDLY, I'M GOING TO FEEL LIKE I'M ON A SOAP BOX HERE.
I'M GOING TO BE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT THIS AD INFINITUM AND PASS THE TIME I'M ON THE COMMISSION.
WE, WE PUBLISHED A REPORT LAST YEAR.
UH, THIS WAS, UM, US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CAME IN SOME OF THE CLIMATE HUBS AND WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO DO A VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT ON OUR URBAN FOREST.
AND THERE'S A REPORT THAT WAS PUT OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND IN, I CAN PROVIDE LINKS.
IT'S BASICALLY AUSTIN CLIMATE VULNERABILITY, URBAN FOREST YOU'LL, YOU'LL FIND THE THING.
I'M ALSO MAKING A PRESENTATION TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
I THINK IT'S WEDNESDAY, THE 24TH, THERE'LL BE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, BUT I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, START THINKING ABOUT LARGE SCALE LANDSCAPING AND RELANDSCAPING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CRUX OF OUR PROJECT WAS LOOKING AT A LOT OF TREE SPECIES GOING FORWARD AND WHICH ONES ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHICH ONES MAY BE LESS VULNERABLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL ON THIS, BUT BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT AT THE MOMENT.
AND SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS LIKE THAT.
[00:50:01]
NOT LANDSCAPING A SITE OF THIS MAGNITUDE ONLY TO FIND IN 10 OR 20 YEARS, THAT THOSE ARE THE VERY SPECIES THAT ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE OFF OR OTHERWISE SUFFER COMPARED TO OTHER SPECIES THAT MAY PROVE TO BE MORE ROBUST INTO THE FUTURE.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GORDON, WE APPRECIATE THAT INPUT.
ALL RIGHT, IS THAT EVERYONE? I HAVE A COUPLE OF BRIEF COMMENTS, ONE, UM, TO ECHO EVERYTHING, ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS SAID, ALL SUPER VALUABLE FEEDBACK AT THIS STAGE BEING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AT THE BRIEFING STAGE TO GET, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED BEFORE WE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GET THE FULL POD PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF US.
UM, I'M GLAD WE STARTED DOING THESE POD BRIEFINGS, UH, FOR THAT PURPOSE, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK, UH, BOBBY LEVINSKY FOR WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY PRACTICAL APPROACH TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
I AGREE THIS IS VERY MUCH AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I, I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THESE, WHAT I KIND OF CALL POCKMARKS ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, LANDSCAPE, WE ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND, AND THE, THE NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE DONE BEFORE SOME OF THESE REGULATIONS CAME IN PLACE THAT WE ALL WISH WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE TODAY.
UM, AND SO I DO AGREE THAT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO, TO RESOLVE, UH, WHAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I LIKE WHAT WAS SHERIFFS SO FAR? I THINK DIRECTIONALLY IT'S VERY, UM, VERY GOOD.
UM, I AGREE WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS THE COMMISSIONERS HAD, UH, I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THE PUB PRESENTATION.
MY, MY ONLY CAUTION WOULD BE THAT WE BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TO GET GREEDY ON THIS.
I THINK WE MAINTAIN, UH, A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH WITH THE DEVELOPER TO GET AS MUCH AS WE REASONABLY CAN WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, PUSHING THAT OVER THE LINE.
AGAIN, ANYTHING WE ACHIEVE IN THIS DIRECTION IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENT WILL BENEFIT IF WE REDEVELOP THIS SITE, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE WE'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THAT, BUT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE INITIAL, THE INITIAL FACT AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KRILL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, MR. CROW, CHRIS HARRINGTON, JUST TO NOTE, UH, YOUR COMMENTS ON PROPORTIONALITY ARE RECEIVED AND UNDERSTOOD.
ANYTHING ELSE ON? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE OTHER COMMENT, LINDA, I JUST, I JUST WANTED THEM TO RECONSIDER ON THE GREEN BUILDING IF THEY CAN'T.
I MEAN, IF THAT'S ONE OF THE NEGOTIATING POINTS, I REALLY HOPE THAT THAT'S TALKED ABOUT.
LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON
[3c. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to City Council on the preferred design scenario for the Dougherty Arts Center Replacement Project—Kevin Johnson, Acting Project Management Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department ]
TO ITEM THREE, SEE IF EVERYONE'S READY, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE PREFERRED DESIGN SCENARIO FOR THE DAUGHTERY ART CENTER, ART CENTER REPLACEMENT PROJECT.UH, WE HAVE STAFF HERE TO PRESENT.
WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT TO ALSO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
SO LET'S BEGIN WITH OUR PRESENTATION FROM STAFF.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I DID JUST A LOT OF THE PRESENTATIONS LOADING.
WE SHOULD HAVE ROBERT BURNS JOINING US.
HE'S A PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT WITH STUDIO EIGHT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE OUR CIVIL ENGINEER ON THE LINE TO HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
WE ARE CALLING THIS A PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE UPDATE FOR THE DOOR YARD CENTER REPLACEMENT.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF THIS SITE AND FACILITY, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS LONG BEEN SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION FOR THE DOOR OF THE ARTS CENTER.
IT SITS WITHIN THE TWENTY-FIVE YEAR FLOOD PLAIN, UM, AT ITS CURRENT SITE.
AND AFTER MANY YEARS OF SEEKING, UH, PARTNERSHIPS AND ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR THIS CENTER, UM, ART MOVED FORWARD WITH A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND THEN A PLANNING AND PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE, UM, LOOKING AT BUTLER SHORES PARKLAND, JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LAMAR TO RELOCATE THIS FACILITY, UM, COUNCIL ULTIMATELY ENDED UP APPROVING THAT AND MAY OF 2019 AND IN THEIR APPROVAL, THEY ASKED THAT THE DESIGN TEAM LOOK AT A FEW ALTERNATIVE SCHEMES BEFORE MOVING PULLEY FORWARD
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INTO DESIGNING CONSTRUCTION.SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHARE THIS EVENING.
UM, THEY JUST WANT TO REITERATE, WE WERE IN A PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE.
SO THERE IS, THERE IS MUCH YET TO COME.
WE'VE NOT BEGUN ARCHITECTURAL OR CIVIL SITE DESIGN YET.
UM, BUT THIS PROJECT WILL BE MOVING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PROCESS.
SO WE WILL GET INTO THIS MORE DETAILED ISSUES, UM, ONCE WE SEEK COUNCIL APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO A QUICK MAP TO SHOW SOME CONTEXT, THE CURRENT DOHERTY ART SITE SITS AT THE PURPLE ASTERISK AT THE CORNER OF DAWSON AND BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
UH, THE NEW SITE, THE OTHER SHORES IS ABOUT A HALF MILE AWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SOUTH LAMAR.
UM, THERE ARE THREE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FIELDS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THAT PARKLAND, AND THOSE WILL ALL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS A SOUTH AUSTIN LITTLE LEAGUE PROGRAM FIELDS.
THE TWO FIELDS RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE SITE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THE DOOR TO PROJECT, UM, YOU KNOW, BOUND ON THE SOUTH SIDE BY TUMI ROAD AND THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL ON THE NORTH SIDE.
AS YOU MOVE A LITTLE BIT EAST ACROSS THIS SITE, YOU GET TO THE PART OF MAIN OFFICE, WHICH IS RIGHT BELOW THE PROPOSED SITE WORD, AND THEN THE ZACK THEATER COMPLEX, WHICH KIND OF SITS ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE SITE.
UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THE ARTS CENTER WITHIN PARKLAND SETTING AND JUST THE CONVERGENCE OF ALL THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMMING THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE AT THIS SITE WITH ZACH AS AN IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOR CYCLISTS.
SO AS I MENTIONED, COUNCIL APPROVED THIS LOCATION AND MAY OF 2019.
UM, THE RENDERING ON THIS SLIDE IS, IS THE CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO THAT ACCOMPANIED THAT PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UH, THAT WAS DONE AT A HIGH LEVEL REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SITE WAS FEASIBLE JUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT, UM, MEANS OF ACCESSING THE SITE BY VEHICLE AND, AND OTHER MEANS OF MULTIMODAL ACCESS.
UM, BUT ROBERT WILL SHARE WITH YOU SOME UPDATED SCHEMES THAT ADDRESS THESE ALTERNATIVE DIRECTIONS THAT COUNCIL ASKED US TO LOOK AT TODAY.
AND THEY'RE ENUMERATED HERE ONE THROUGH THREE.
I DID JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT, UM, THE NUMBERING CONVENTION THAT YOU'LL SEE LATER KIND OF FOLLOWS THE TERMS THAT WERE LAID OUT, UM, AND LISTED HERE BY COUNCIL.
SO OPTION ONE, WHICH HAS TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, IS THAT BOTH THE NEW DOOR YARD CENTER AND THE EXISTING PART MAIN OFFICE WOULD REMAIN ON SITE CURRENTLY.
UM, THE SECOND OPTION WAS THAT THE NEW DOOR YARD CENTER AND A NEW PART MAIN OFFICE WOULD BE REBUILT TOGETHER AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
NOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS NOT FUNDED TO CONSTRUCT A NEW PART MAIN OFFICE.
UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED INTO AT COUNCIL DIRECTION.
AND THE THIRD OPTION IS THAT THE DOHERTY ART CENTER WOULD BE REBUILT ON THE SITE, BUT THAT THE EXISTING PART MAIN WOULD BE MOVED ELSEWHERE TO ANOTHER SITE.
AND THAT IS ALSO AN UNFUNDED ALTERNATIVE THAT WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK INTO.
UM, AND SPEAKING OF THOSE ISSUES, WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO LOOK AT A CONSOLIDATED PARKING SOLUTION FOR THIS SITE, WHICH WOULD BE UNDERGROUND TO MAXIMIZE THE OPEN SPACE, UM, ON BUTLER CHORES PARK.
SO WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT A PARTIALLY UNFUNDED REQUESTS, UM, BECAUSE THE, THE GARAGE WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LARGER DISTRICT AND NOT JUST THAT OF MINORITY ARTS CENTER, WHICH IS DEFINITELY THE, THE RIGHT URBAN DESIGN SOLUTION.
BUT, UM, THE 2018 BOND DID NOT FULLY FUND THE PROJECT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A DISTRICT.
UM, BUT WE'LL SHARE SOME SCHEMES THAT, THAT, UH, ADDRESS THAT CONCEPT WITH YOU.
AND WE WERE ASKED TO SEEK ALTERNATIVE FINANCING MECHANISMS TO MAKE UP THOSE GAPS BY COORDINATING WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND ALSO SEEKING AN INTEREST IN PHILANTHROPY FROM THE, UM, COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN, WHICH ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT OUR PROJECT TEAM HAS STARTED ON MULTIPLE FRONTS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE AND QUICKLY WANTED TO JUST TOUCH ON THE EXISTING PART MAIN OFFICE BECAUSE THE DIRECTIVE TO CONSIDER REMOVING IT FROM THE SITE AND JUST WARRANTED A BIT OF STUDY ABOUT ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
IT DATES TO 1959 AND SERVED AS THE FIRST PERMANENT HOME FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS SUCH, IT'S GOT A CULTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY THAT MAKE IT ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IT'S NOT CURRENTLY LISTED, BUT IT IS ELIGIBLE TO DO SO.
AND SO THAT'S A CONSTRAINT THAT WE WANTED TO BE COGNIZANT OF AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, A QUICK SUMMARY OF OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, UM, WITH JUST THIS MOST RECENT PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WE HAVE MANY FORUMS FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, AND I DID WANT TO DRAW SOME SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE SMALL GROUP MEETINGS, UM, THAT WERE REALLY ORIENTED TOWARD THE SPECIFIC USER GROUPS OF THE DOOR YARD CENTER.
IT'S GOT A VERY, UM, BROAD ARTS COMMUNITY
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THAT FOCUSES ON BOTH FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS.AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES ALL OF THOSE SPECIFIC SPACES WITHIN THE BUILDING, UM, TICK TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SITE DESIGNS REALLY ACCOUNTED FOR MEANS OF ACCESS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMPONENTS OF THE ARCHITECTURE THAT COULD, WOULD REALLY BENEFIT THE USERS OF THIS SPACE.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN, UM, COORDINATING WITH OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY, UM, AND ZACH SCOTT THEATER IN THE TRAIL FOUNDATION AS WELL.
AND QUICKLY THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE PROJECT, WHICH CAME OUT OF THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, SORT OF MARRIAGES, THE, UM, MISSIONS OF BOTH THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER AND THE PARTS DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS TO SUPPORT ACCESS FOR ALL.
UM, BUT ALSO BY CREATING COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS.
UM, WE DO HAVE FIVE CORE TENANTS OF THE, OF THE PROJECT THAT ARE LISTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN HERE.
AND I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THE PROJECT HAS SOME PRETTY AMBITIOUS SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.
WE ARE SEEKING A LEGAL CERTIFICATION AND ALSO A WELL CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS MORE ORIENTED TOWARDS, UM, OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING, THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
UH, THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST WELL CERTIFIED PROJECT WITHIN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT, AND WE DO REALLY WANT THIS FACILITY TO SERVE AS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN AUSTIN'S PARK NETWORK.
UM, AND WITH THAT, THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE SITE.
UM, SOME DEMONSTRATION GARDENS THAT CAN REALLY BE, UM, SOME COMPLIMENTARY ASPECTS TO THE PARK DESIGN FOR THE ART CENTER.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO ROBERT BURNS PRINCIPAL OF STUDIO EIGHT, TO WALK US THROUGH THE CONSTRAINTS AND THEN THE FOUR OPTIONS.
THANK YOU, KEVIN AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, BEFORE I JUMP INTO, UH, ALL OF THE METH PLANTS SCENARIOS, I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONSTRAINTS ON THIS SITE THAT ARE INFLUENCING THE MASTER PLANS.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS, UH, OUR SITE AREA, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE GRAY BUILDINGS, UM, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU'VE GOT THE ZACH SCOTT THEATER COMPLEX AND THEN THE, UH, EXISTING PART MAIN OFFICE BUILDING UP NEAR RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UTILITY EASEMENTS THAT TRAVERSE THIS SITE, UH, PREDOMINANTLY ALONG TUMI ROAD, AND THEN, UH, CUTTING MORE CONSOLES, UH, STRAIGHT ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE.
UM, THE COLORED IN GREEN CIRCLES INDICATED ON THE SITE ARE IN FACT HERITAGE TREES.
THERE'S SOME VERY BEAUTIFUL, LARGE OAK TREES AROUND THE PARK MAIN OFFICE, UH, THAT, UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY BE, UM, UH, PRESERVING, UH, THE CIRCLES THAT ARE LIGHTER GREEN DASH CIRCLES THAT ARE NOT FILLED IN.
THOSE ARE PREDOMINANTLY LARGE COTTONWOOD TREES, UH, HOMICIDE AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE AS MANY TREES AS WE CAN ON THIS IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THIS, UH, ESSENTIALLY SHOWS YOU ALL THE OPTIONS ON A SINGLE PAGE.
I'LL BE STEPPING THROUGH EACH OF THESE.
UM, AS KEVIN MENTIONED, THERE WERE THREE OPTIONS OPTION ONE WHERE, UM, THE PARD MAIN OFFICES REMAIN ONSITE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, UH, FOR THAT PARTICULAR VERSION THAT I WILL WALK THROUGH.
UH, AGAIN, ALL OF THESE, AS I MENTIONED, UH, HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON PRESERVE INHERITANCE TREES.
UM, WE WANT TO HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP TO THE ZACH SCOTT THEATER, BUT WE ALSO WANT THE DIRTY ARTS COMPLEX TO HAVE ITS OWN IDENTITY ON THE SITE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LOOK AT A DISTRICT PARKING SOLUTION, UM, FOR THIS HARISSA AND I WILL HAVE SOME PARKING SCENARIOS THAT I CAN WALK THROUGH WITH YOU, UH, IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, ANOTHER FACTOR WAS AGAIN, BALANCING TRAFFIC, UH, TO IN FRONT OF THE SITE, UH, BETWEEN RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND TUMI ROAD AND NOT TRYING TO, UH, LOAD ONE OR THE OTHER WITH, UH, ALL OF THE TRAFFIC, UH, WE'RE PRESERVING, UM, PARDON MAIN OFFICE BUILDING AND SEVERAL OF THE SCHEME, AND WITH ALLOWED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANSION, UM, IN THESE MASTER PLANS AS WELL SHOULD ADDITIONAL FUNDING BECOME AVAILABLE AND PROGRAMS CAN BE EXPANDED.
UM, EACH OF THESE ALSO HAS A BACKUP HOUSE AREAS AND SERVICE AREAS THAT HAVE TO BE ACCOMMODATED.
AND SO THESE ARE, UH, THE EACH FOUR INDIVIDUAL OPTIONS.
SO THIS IS OPTION ONE A, SO AGAIN, THE, UH,
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PART MAIN OFFICE STAYS IN PLACE AND WITH THE IDEA THAT IT COULD BE RENOVATED AND HAVE A POTENTIAL EXPANSION ON IT, UM, ALL OF THESE SCHEMES ARE CONTEMPLATING THE IDEA OF REMOVING SURFACE PARKING, UH, CLOSER TO, UH, THE LAKE.AND I CAN BIKE TRAIL IN THIS CASE.
UM, WE'RE INDICATING THE, UH, SEX SCOTT, UH, PARKING LOT, UH, BETWEEN ZACK AND PARD BECOMES A CIVIC HEART'S PLAZA, UM, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR GARAGE PARKING UNDERNEATH IT, IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO HERE, WE'VE GOT THE NEW DIRTY ART CENTER JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE PART OFFICE BUILDING IT'S MAIN ACCESS WOULD BE OFF OF THE RIVERSIDE DRIVE, UM, LOOP DOWN AN ARTS NOD, UH, THAT CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUTDOOR ALREADY EXHIBIT SCULPTURE, UH, ANY NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE MAIN LOBBY ENTRANCE.
YOU CAN SEE THE MAJOR BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE PROGRAM OF THE DECK, THE GALLERY, THE THEATER, THE ADULT STUDIOS, AND THE YOUTH PROGRAM, OR THE SCHOOL LABELED THERE.
UH, THEY'RE ORGANIZED AROUND A CENTRAL SPINE THAT CONNECTS THEM ALL.
THIS WOULD BE ALL INDOOR SPACE.
UM, WE ARE CREATING SOME EXTERIOR COURTYARDS, UH, THAT, UH, CONSERVE AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISPLAY OF DARK OR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATION OF ART AND OUTDOORS.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE A SERVICE TO THE THEATERS FROM TIMMY ROAD AND ALSO HAVE THE YOUTH PROGRAM PICKUP AND DROP-OFF, UH, COMING OFF OF TUMI ROAD.
UH, THE REMAINDER OF THE SITE IS PARKLAND.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE SELLING, UH, IN THIS CASE IN PASSIVE, UH, LAWN AREAS, UH, SOME POTENTIAL AREAS FOR PROGRAMMED, UH, ACTIVITIES.
AND, UH, WE DO MAINTAIN A TRAIL CONNECTION ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS PARK.
UM, THERE'S A PORTION OF THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL THAT ACTUALLY EXTENDS, UH, ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO BARTON SPRINGS ROAD ALONGSIDE OF THE RESIDENTIAL, UH, UNIT DEVELOPMENT THERE.
SO WE'RE MAINTAINING THAT CROSS CONNECTION AND CARRYING IT ALL THE WAY BACK THROUGH THE PARK UP TO LADY BIRD LINE.
UM, THIS SCHEME POTENTIALLY COULD IMPACT ONE HERITAGE TREE, UH, AT THE PART ADDITION, UH, THAT WOULD BE RELOCATED ONSITE X FIVE, OPTION ONE B AGAIN, THE PARDON OFFICE STAYS INTACT.
UM, IN THIS CASE, WE'VE LOCATED THE NEW DARDY ART CENTER, UH, IN THE, UM, NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE SITE, UH, WITH PRIMARY ACCESS OFF OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND PRIMARY PRESENCE OFFERED RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
UM, IN THIS CASE, YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A CIVIC ARTS PLAZA, UM, WHERE THE, UH, SURFACE LOT WAS, UH, FOR THE ZACH SCOTT AND WE'RE HERE, WE'RE INDICATING A DISTRICT PARKING GARAGE.
UM, JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE PART OFFICES.
THIS WOULDN'T BE AN UNDERGROUND GARAGE.
IT WOULD HAVE PARK ON TOP OF IT.
SO ESSENTIALLY, UH, INVISIBLE, UH, FROM, FROM, UH, USERS OF THE PARK.
UM, THIS ONE ALLOWS FOR, UH, PICKUP AND DROP-OFF, UM, FOR, UH, THEATER EVENTS AND FOR THE, UH, YOUTH PROGRAMS OFF THE RIVERSIDE DRIVE LOOP THAT ALLOWS ACCESS INTO THE PARKING GARAGE AND THEN A SECONDARY ACCESS TO THE PARKING GARAGE OFF OF TUMI ROAD TO THE SOUTH GAN.
WE'RE MAINTAINING TRAIL CONNECTIONS, UH, THROUGH THE PARK.
UM, IN THIS CASE WE'VE GOT A SERVICE DRIVE, UH, THAT RUNS UP THE WESTERN EDGE, UM, AND CREATES THE GANDEL DROP-OFF AND SERVICE AREA, UH, FOR THE DIRTY YARD CENTER.
UM, THIS SCHEME DOES NOT IMPACT ANY HERITAGE TREES.
THEY ALL REMAIN EXACTLY IN THEIR LOCATION.
THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UM, OPTION TWO IS WHERE THE EXISTING PARDON MAIN OFFICE BUILDING IS DEMOLISHED, AND A NEW PART OFFICE IS CONSTRUCTED ON THE SITE.
SO IN THIS SCENARIO, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE CIVIC ARTS PLAZA OFF RIVERSIDE DRIVE WITH PRIMARY, UH, ACCESS TO THE LOBBY OF THE NEW DIRTY REPLACING THE NEW DIRTY ART CENTER, ESSENTIALLY WHERE THE PART OFFICE BUILDING IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AND WRAPPING IT AROUND.
UH, SEVERAL OF THE LARGE OAK TREES CREATE SOME, UM, OUTDOOR COURTYARD SPACES.
UH, THE NEW PART OFFICE IS LOCATED JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE DIRTY ARTS CENTER
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AND WOULD HAVE ACCESS OFF OF TUMI ROAD AS WELL AS, UM, UH, ACCESS TO THE SERVICE AREAS OF THE THEATER AND THE SCHOOL PICKUP AND DROP OFF AT THAT LOCATION.UM, IN THIS SCENARIO, WE'RE CONTEMPLATING HAVING A DISTRICT GARAGE UNDERNEATH THE DIRTIER AT CENTER.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A DASHED IN THERE, UM, UNDER THE THEATER IN SCHOOL AREA, EXTENDING PART FULLY UNDER THE PART OFFICE.
AGAIN, THE REMAINDER OF THE SITE REMAINS, UH, OPEN PARKLAND.
AND OPTION THREE IS A SCENARIO WHERE THE PART OFFICES ARE RELOCATED OFFSITE AT SOME OTHER LOCATION.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE'RE CONSIDERING, UM, REPURPOSING THE EXISTING 1959, UH, PART OFFICE BUILDING AS PART OF THE DIRTY ART CENTER PROGRAM, INCORPORATING IT INTO THE NEW BUILDING.
UM, AGAIN, SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT TO OPTION TWO IN TERMS OF, UH, THE MAJOR BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE PROGRAM, THE GALLERY, THE THEATERS, THE SCHOOL, AGAIN, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR COURTYARDS.
UM, AGAIN, IN THIS CASE SCHOOL PICKUP AND DROP OFF, UH, WOULD BE OFF TUMI ROAD, UH, AS WELL AS THE, UM, UH, THEATER BACK LOADING.
SO I'D MENTIONED PARKING SCENARIOS.
UM, SO THEN THESE REPRESENT SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT, UH, COULD WORK, UH, FOR MULTIPLE, UM, MASTER PLAN OPTIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, OPTION ONE B WE'VE GOT IT SHOWN UNDER THE ARTS DISTRICT PLAZA.
UM, I'M SORRY, OPTION ONE, A OPTION ONE B UH, IS A STANDALONE GARAGE, UH, UNDERGROUND GARAGE, UH, LOCATED WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT THERE IN THE BLUE BLOCK LABELED NUMBER ONE, UH, OPTIONS TWO AND OPTIONS THREE.
IT COULD BE ACTUALLY IN EITHER LOCATION.
IT COULD BE, UH, UNDER THE ARTS DISTRICT PLAZA, OR IT COULD BE LOCATED, UH, UNDER THE, THROUGH THE, UH, NEW, UH, DIRTY ARTS CENTER BUILDING.
SO WITH, WITH THAT, UM, I BELIEVE I'M TURNING IT BACK TO YOU, KEVIN.
I'M PULLING ONE B BACK UP ON THE SCREEN AGAIN, BECAUSE WHEN CONSIDERING THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THE FACILITY, THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES, AND WHEN WEIGHING THE POTENTIAL RISKS TO THE PROJECT AND THE PROJECT SITE, UM, THE TEAM AND THE DIRTY STAFF HAVE PUT THIS FORWARD AS THEIR PREFERRED OPTION, UM, AS ROBERT WAS DESCRIBING IT'S, IT'S THE UNIQUE OPTION AND THAT IT'S THE LOAN SCENARIO THAT PLACES THE BUILDING TO THE WEST OF THE EASEMENTS CONSTRAINTS ON THE SITE.
AND IT, IT, UH, THEREBY HAS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP TO THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
UM, AND IT ALSO OFFERS A PARKING SOLUTION ON THE SITE THAT DOES NOT ENCROACH ON THE ZACK, UM, THEATER LEASE BOUNDARY, UM, WHICH, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT TO NOTE.
SO ULTIMATELY, IF, IF YOUR COMMISSION IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE MERITS OF THE SCHEME, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, WHICH WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO LATER THIS MONTH.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE I DO HAVE A FEW ADDED GRAPHICS IN HERE.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THIS IS A SECTION THROUGH THE SITE LOOKING BACK EAST TOWARD DOWNTOWN.
UM, IT DOES HELP CLARIFY SOME OF THE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROPOSED OR THE ARTS SITE TO THE TRAIL AND LAKE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE UP IN THE TOP LEFT OF THE SCREEN, A SNAPSHOT IMAGE OF THE LAKESIDE TRAIL, AND THIS LOCATION DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A VERY DENSE WOODED BUFFER THERE.
UM, WE DID GET SOME QUESTIONS AND INTEREST IN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT THE BUILDING IN THIS LOCATION WAS ENCROACHING ON THE TRAIL FROM EJ, BUT WE DID JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THROUGH THIS DIAGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING TUCKS UP ON THE NORTHERN EDGE AT THAT SITE, BUT THERE'S REALLY A DENSE WOODED BOUNDARY AND ALSO ABOUT A 20 FOOT DROP-OFF FROM THE EDGE OF THE PARKLAND TO THE TRAIL.
SO THOSE TWO AREAS REALLY KIND OF MAINTAIN THEIR OWN IDENTITY.
UM, BUT THERE IS, THERE IS A NICE TENSION THAT THAT CAN BE, UM, A DESIGN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PROJECT AS WELL.
UM, THE SECTION ALSO SHOWS SOME OF THE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS TO THE OTHER BUILDINGS, UM, JUST IN TERMS OF THEIR SCALE.
THE ZACK'S GOT THEATERS SHOWN RIGHT BEHIND THE BARD MAIN OFFICE.
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APPROVED AT THE CORNER AT THE CURRENT SCHLOTZKY'S IS SHOWN, UM, THE TALLEST BUILDING ONSITE, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT 94 FEET.UM, JUST QUICKLY HERE'S THE EXISTING SITE SURVEY JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THE, UM, EXTENT OF THE ASPHALT ROADWAY ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE THAT TERMINATES IN THE, IN A CURRENT PARKING LOT THAT IS APPROXIMATELY THE LOCATION OF THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE THAT WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE UNDERGROUND GARAGE.
AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE JUST USE THIS AS OUR FINAL GRAPHIC.
WE HAVE A SCHEMATIC VIEW FROM THE EAST, WHICH REALLY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE CIVIC PRESENCE THAT'S POSSIBLE WITH THIS LOCATION IN THE PARK, UM, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE INCORPORATION OF SOME FANTASTIC PUBLIC ART TO ACCOMPANY THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
SO THIS IS A SUMMARY OF A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, UM, BUT JUST WANTING TO ARTICULATE SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES GOING INTO OUR THINKING ABOUT OPTION ONE B, WE TALKED ABOUT THE STRONG CIVIC PRESENCE IN THAT LOCATION AND THE TRAIL ADJACENCY, UM, MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC PART OFFICE, REDUCING THE RISK TO THE HERITAGE TREES ON THE SITE AND MINIMIZING THE IMPACT TO THE ZACK THEATERS, ONGOING OPERATIONS, ESPECIALLY DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, ONE OTHER POINT OF NOTE IS THAT THE PARKING SOLUTION IN ONE B IS DECOUPLED FROM THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND THAT WOULD REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE PROJECT DURATION.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON PROJECT COSTS.
UM, AS ROBERT MENTIONED, THE GARAGE LOCATION PROVIDES ACCESS FROM BOTH STREETS, BUT PRIORITIZES ACCESS FROM RIVERSIDE DRIVE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WAS STRONGLY ENCOURAGING US TO LOOK INTO FURTHER.
UM, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION OF EXISTING SURFACE PARKING ACROSS THE SITE.
UM, THERE WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THAT SHORT PORTION OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE RIGHT AWAY ON A ROAD DIET, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOOK INTO IN THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED, LASTLY, UM, THE SCHEME REALLY ACTIVATES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERSHIP WITH AIPP, UM, TO THAT MEANDERING WALKWAY THAT LEADS FROM THE, UM, UNDERGROUND GARAGE TO THE FACILITY.
AND WE DO HAVE ONE LAST SLIDE JUST WITH CONTACT INFORMATION.
I WILL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
SO, UM, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FOR STAFF PLEASE? UH, THIS IS CONDITIONER BEDFORD.
I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE PARKING.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THE, UM, GARAGE PARKING WAS OPEN TO PUBLIC OR IS IT JUST INTENDED FOR THE DOOR TO THE ART CENTER? IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC GARAGE AND, UH, THERE WOULD BE ANY MUCH CONVERSATION TO COME WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ABOUT HOW IT WOULD BE OPERATED AND PROGRAMMED.
UM, WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, THAT IT SHOULD BE AS PAID TO YOUR EYES.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO, I DON'T WANT TO JUMP TOO FAR DOWN THIS ROUTE, BUT WE'VE TALKED WITH, UM, THE, THE GENDER GROUP WHO'S DEVELOPING THE SCHLOTZKY'S PUD.
UM, WE'VE SECURED SOME DEDICATED PARKING FOR THE DOOR TO THE ARTS CENTER IN THE GARAGE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FACILITY AS WELL, BUT IT WILL, THEIR GARAGE WILL ALSO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, I THINK THE BULK OF THAT GARAGE WILL BE A PUBLIC PARKING LOT, LOT OF TIMES.
UM, ALSO LIKE I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE TURNING OFF INTO RIVERSIDE GOING TOWARDS ZACH SCOTT, THERE'S LIKE ALL THAT SIDE PARKING, LIKE THE PARALLEL OR THE, YEAH, I GUESS THE SIDE STREET PARKING, AND THEN YOU GET TO LIKE THAT LAST PARKING LOT.
THAT'S STILL LIKE ONE SIDE IS FOR TRAIL USE ALL THE TIME.
AND THE OTHER SIDE IS LIKE PATROL YOU SOMETIMES WITH MOSTLY CITY PARKING.
IS THAT PARKING INTENDED TO STAY OR IS THAT GOING TO BE, UM, INCORPORATED INTO, UH, THE NEW BUILDING? THE OFFSPRING HARKING ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE COULD, COULD BE REMOVED, UM, TO PRIORITIZE SOME PEDESTRIAN ACCESS THERE.
AND THEN THE PARKING LOT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT ONE WILL GO AWAY, UM, WHICH AS YOU MENTIONED, SUPPORTS THE PARDONING OFFICE, BUT THE UNDERGROUND GARAGE WOULD TAKE ON THAT.
YOU MAY NOT HAVE THIS INFORMATION TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ULTIMATELY GIVEN YOUR DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MAYBE EVEN IF IT'S SQUARE FEET OR
[01:20:01]
ACRE OF ACTUAL WOULD BE TAKEN OVER, UH, BUT EACH OF THOSE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS I MIGHT HAVE TO DEFER TO ROBERT.I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION ON HAND.
I KNOW WE DID LOOK INTO A CALCULATION OF PARKLAND.
THAT'S ACTIVATED BY OPENING UP WHAT IS CURRENTLY, UM, DEDICATED TO SOFTBALL FIELDS.
AND THERE IS A NET INCREASE THERE.
UM, ROBERT, I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION? NO, NO PROBLEM.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS ON THIS.
I KNOW WE LOOKED AT REALLY JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH, UH, AVAILABLE PARKLAND EXISTS ON THE SITE TODAY, WHICH I THINK IS A LITTLE OVER SIX ACRES.
AND WHAT WE WIND UP WITH AFTER, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE SCHEMES IS SELECTED AND IN EACH OF THE SCHEMES THAT ARE VARIANCE TO THEM, BUT IN GENERAL, WE'RE AROUND EIGHT AND A HALF ACRES.
UM, SO THERE WAS, UH, A NET INCREASE OF PARKLAND OVER WHAT'S EXISTING NOW.
WHAT WAS THE NET AMOUNT? I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEM.
WE, WE THINK THERE'S ROUGHLY A NET INCREASE OF ABOUT TWO ACRES, BUT THAT INCLUDES THE BALLPARK, CORRECT? YEAH.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHEN I LOOK AT THE WHOLE SITE AREA, THAT INCLUDES THE TWO SOFTBALL FIELDS THAT ARE GOING AWAY, UM, AND THE AREAS, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE PARK MAIN OFFICE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIXLER, UM, BASED ON THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, IT SEEMS THAT ONE, B'S THE ONLY SCENARIO THAT, THAT DOES NOT CLUSTER THE BUILDINGS.
AND, UM, SO FROM AN, FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT WITH, WITH THAT SCENARIO, OR I WOULD, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT ONE.
UM, BECAUSE ONCE YOU START BUILDING ON THAT, THAT OPEN SPACE, YOU CAN'T GET IT BACK.
SO I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AS TO, TO, UM, ADDING THE BUILDINGS SO CLOSE TO THE, THE TRAIL THERE.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I WAS CURIOUS, UM, INCREASED COTTAGES WITH STORMWATER MANAGEMENT COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER SCENARIOS.
UM, AND I, I GUESS I, MY, MY QUESTION REALLY IS, UM, I MEAN, HOW, HOW, HOW WAS IT WEIGHED TO PICK THE ONE SCENARIO WHERE, WHERE IT SEEMED LIKE THE GREENLAND WAS GETTING BUILT ON, YOU KNOW, THE, THE KIND OF THE CLUSTERED BUILDINGS VERSUS THE, THE, THE ONE SITE WHERE THE LOCATION WAS, THE, THE BUILDINGS WERE FURTHER WEST, UM, CLOSER TO THE TRAIL.
SO I GUESS I ADD, I ALSO HAVE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF UNDERGROUND GROUND PARKING IN THAT LOCATION AS WELL.
I CAN JUMP IN ON THAT LAST QUESTION.
AND, AND I'LL LET ROBERT AND BRIAN BELL, OUR CIVIL ENGINEER JUMP IN.
IF HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOUR COMMENT ON THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, UM, THE, THE THAT'S GOING UP AT THE SCHLOCKY SITE THAT I MENTIONED, THEY ARE ALSO PROVIDING AN UNDERGROUND GARAGE THAT WILL BE FOUR LEVELS.
UM, WE HAVE NOT COMMISSIONED OUR GEO-TECH REPORT FOR THIS PROJECT YET, BUT WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT CONDITIONS THERE WILL BE VERY SIMILAR.
SO WE, WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T START TO ENCOUNTER WATER TABLE ISSUES, UM, UNTIL YOU GET TO ABOUT THAT FOURTH OR FIFTH LEVEL AT THIS SITE.
SO A GARAGE OF TWO STORIES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, SHOULD NOT HAVE ONLY ISSUES IN TERMS OF YOUR OTHER QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOT GOTTEN INTO THE DESIGN OR DETAILS, UM, OF ANY OF THESE SCHEMES.
UM, UH, I WOULD JUST SUFFICE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WHATEVER SCHEME HAS PRESENTED FORWARD, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO MEET ALL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, CODES AND ORDINANCES, UH, WITH EITHER ANY OF THOSE SCHEMES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY INTEND TO DO THAT.
UM, GIVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO GET A LEAD GOLD, UM, WRITING ON THIS
[01:25:01]
BUILDING, YOU KNOW, WE WILL PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT, UM, SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR RAINWATER HARVESTING AND OTHER OTHER MEANS TO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.I HAVE MR. BERT, THIS IS LINDA.
I THOUGHT THAT HER QUESTIONS WERE THROUGH.
UM, I'M WONDERING ABOUT FLOODING AND IF YOU'RE PLANNING UNDERGROUND, UH, PARKING THERE, UM, I'VE WALKED ACROSS THE SOFTBALL FIELDS MANY TIMES WHEN THEY'VE BEEN VERY WET.
AND SO, UM, I'M WONDERING, HAVE YOU, DO YOU HAVE A RECORD OF HOW MANY TIMES IT IS FLOODED AND WHAT IS THE HEIGHT OF THE WATER, AND WOULD THAT BE AN ISSUE WITH DRAINAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? THANK YOU.
ROBERT HAD TO HAVE BEEN ON THAT ONE.
THIS IS BRIAN BELLA'S CIVIL ENGINEER.
SO THE SITE, UH, THE ENTIRE PARK, IT IS OUTSIDE OF THE FEMA FLOOD PLAIN, AND IT IS OUTSIDE OF THE 100 YEAR CITY OF AUSTIN FLOOD PLAIN, A PORTION OF THE TRAIL THAT RUNS ALONG THE LAKE, UH, IS WITHIN THE FLOOD PLAIN, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PARK IS UP AT A HIGHER ELEVATION AND OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD, PLAIN.
UH, BUT, BUT TO YOUR POINT, UH, YES, SOFTBALL FIELDS, BASEBALL FIELDS, THEY TEND TO BE FLAT AND THEY TEND TO NOT HAVE THE, UH, THE BEST MAINTENANCE SOMETIMES IN BEST DRAINAGE.
SO TO YOUR POINT, YES, THOSE, THOSE DO GAIN A SOGGY AT TIMES, BUT, UH, THOSE ARE ALL OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD PLAIN.
SO HAVE YOU ADDRESSED THE ISSUE WITH THE DIFFERENT SITES BECAUSE, UM, ONE A SEEMS TO BE FARTHER AWAY FROM THE RIVER AND, UM, THE ONE B THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING SEEMS TO HAVE A BUILDING JUST RIGHT.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE SHADOWING THE TRAIL, UM, TO A LARGE EXTENT.
AND I'M, I'M WONDERING IF EITHER ONE OF THOSE HAS A DRAINAGE, UM, MORE POSITIVE DRAINAGE SCENARIO, EITHER SCENARIO IS OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD PLAIN, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE ONCE WE GET INTO THE DESIGN PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT, WE WILL CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT CREATING ANY FLOODING, POTENTIAL EROSION POTENTIAL OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
BRIAN, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THE ELEVATION OF THE SITE, UM, ESSENTIALLY AT THE LOCATION OF BUILDING ONE B LOOKS TO BE 459 FEET IN ELEVATION, AS YOU GET CLOSER TO ME, IT DROPS A COUPLE OF FEET LOWER THAN THAT.
SO, UM, THE, THE LOCATION OF THE FOOTPRINT ON OPTION ONE B IS ACTUALLY AT THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE SITE.
I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMENTS EXCHANGED BEFORE WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO, UH, COMMISSIONER BEAR OECHSLER HER, HER, HER COMMENTS AND THE RESPONSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S FINE TO SAY, OH, THIS PROJECT WILL MEET CITY REQUIREMENTS, BUT HONESTLY, THAT'S KIND OF A SQUIRRELY ANSWER.
THE TRUTH OF MATTER IS IF THIS IS A CITY PROJECT, OKAY, IT SHOULD BE HELD TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARDS, NOT REALLY THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.
AND SO W YOU KNOW, OUR JOB, I THINK ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR HERE IS TO POINT OUT WHERE THE CITY CAN DO BETTER.
AND, AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS AS WELL.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO SATISFY US TO SAY, WELL, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE CHECKED THE BOXES, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW WE COULD DO BETTER.
AND COMMISSIONER GORDON, THIS IS BRIAN BELL.
AGAIN, YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT.
AND SINCE THIS IS A CITY PROJECT, ALL WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE GREEN STORM WATER, QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, RAIN GARDENS, RAINWATER, HARVESTING,
[01:30:01]
ET CETERA.AND IT WOULD NOT BE THE, UH, THE CHEAPER STORM WATER OPTION, WHICH IS THE PARTIAL SEDIMENTATION FILTRATION POND, YOU KNOW, QUOTE UNQUOTE THE, UH, THE UGLY POND THAT DON'T GET MAINTAINED WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR.
AND WE'LL CERTAINLY BE USING THE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE OPTIONS.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER RAMBERT GOT ON A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, TOO.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS I BELIEVE THERE'S A PUBLIC BATHROOM, UM, KIND OF OFFERED TO ME, UM, AND THAT KIND OF LONG EAST-WEST PARKING LOT AREA.
YOU'RE THE SOFTBALL THAT WILL GO AWAY.
I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WILL STAY THE, OR, OR WILL BE REMOVED, I GUESS IF THAT FACILITY WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, UM, AND THEN KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON THE STORMWATER QUESTIONS, UM, LOOKING AT THE EXHIBITS THAT WERE PRESENTED, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THOSE STORMWATER FACILITIES WOULD BE, UM, FOR, FOR THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS? UM, ONE, TWO OR THREE, AS IT, AS IT KIND OF LAYS ON THE LIAISON, UH, AS ON THE LAND, THOSE ARE MY TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, IN TERMS OF THESE LOCATION OF THE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE FULLY DETAILED.
THERE ARE A FEW GARDENS INDICATED ON THE PLAN THAT COULD BE RAIN GARDENS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE RESTROOM, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT DOES EXIST SORT OF CLOSER DOWN NEAR TO ME ROAD.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IN A LOCATION THAT'S RIGHT OVER THE EASEMENT.
SO IF THAT RESTROOM WAS DISTURBED AS A PART OF THIS CONSTRUCTION, WE WOULD LOOK INTO REPLACING IT IN ANOTHER LOCATION, UM, CAUSE THAT WOULDN'T BE SUITABLE FOR REBUILDING.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, YES, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS ON YOUR STAKEHOLDERS LIST IS ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD LISTED IN ONE OF YOUR SMALL INTIMATE GROUPS? UM, WE DID HAVE A SMALL GROUP THAT WAS TITLED NEIGHBORS OF THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
AND WE, WE MET WITH RESIDENTS OF TUMI ROAD AND REACHED OUT TO THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS A PART OF THAT MEETING.
AND DO YOU KNOW IF THEY SENT A LETTER OF SUPPORT OR NOT ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION? NO.
THEY DIDN'T ISSUE ANYTHING FORMALLY TO THIS POINT.
AND THEN, UH, GOING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GOT DOWN TO ME ROAD, IT, IT IS VERY TIGHT.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN ISSUES THERE AND I KNOW THIS MAP DOESN'T SHOW IT, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, THERE WAS A BIG SMACK DOWN BETWEEN PARKS DEPARTMENT AND CASA DELUCE BACK IN THE DAY.
AND SO IT, IT WAS OVER PARKING AND THERE'S A PARKING PLACE, UH, SPACES OVER BY THAT OTHER BASEBALL FIELD.
I DON'T SEE IT ON YOUR MAP, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M REFERENCING TO? YES, I DO.
AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE REMOVING THOSE PARTS, THOSE PARKING SPACES.
ARE THEY GOING TO SAY, AS IT'S SHOWN IN OPTION ONE B THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PARKING SPACES REMAIN, THERE ARE SOME, AS YOU MOVE WEST CLOSER TO LAMAR, THAT, THAT WE WOULD BE REMOVING TO MAKE THAT TRAIL CONNECTION TO THE GRANITE GRAVEL TRAIL.
THAT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BARTON PLACE CONDOS, BUT, UM, WE, WE ARE KEEPING MOST OF THOSE OFF STREET PARKING PLACES IN TACT, BUT THE, THE PARKING SPACE THAT WAS INTENDED FOR THE BASEBALL PLAYERS AND THOSE ARE BEING REMOVED, IS THAT ADDING MORE PARK SPACE? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY.
SOME OF THOSE OFF-STREET SPACES ARE GOING AWAY, UM, AND, AND WOULD BE REVERTED TO PARKLAND.
I BELIEVE THE COUNT IS ABOUT, I'LL HAVE TO FLIP THROUGH SOME PAPER TO GIVE THE NUMBER TO YOU ACCURATELY, BUT THE, THE SPACES THAT SUPPORT THE BALL FIELDS ARE PRIMARILY REMAINING INTACT UNDER THIS SCHEME.
AND IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE I WAS BORN, BUT WHATEVER HAPPENED WITH THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CLOTS AND DELETES AND PARKING THAT THEY WANTED FOR THEIR CLIENTELE WILL THAT FACTOR INTO THIS PARKING THAT Y'ALL ARE NOW DISCUSSING.
[01:35:03]
THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE HAVEN'T HAD, UM, SOMETHING THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT.THAT WAS REALLY INTENSE BACK IN THE DAY.
SO IT, TO LEAVE THAT OUT OF THIS SCENARIO, I THINK IS, UM, A MISTAKE, BUT, UM, I'M GOING BACK TO, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH OF YOUR MONEY YOUR BUDGET COVERS YOUR SCENARIO AND, AND BE IN, IN ONE B ARE YOU SAYING EVERYTHING YOU'RE PROPOSING IS PAID FOR Y'ALL HAVE MONEY FOR, ARE YOU LACKING MONEY? WELL, WE WERE FUNDED IN THE 2018 BOND IN THE AMOUNT OF $25 MILLION AND THERE'S MONEY REMAINING FROM THE 2012 BOND DEDICATED TO THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND IN THE AMOUNT OF ABOUT $3 MILLION.
SO OUR, OUR TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET IS, IS AROUND $28 MILLION.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE, THE UNDERGROUND GARAGE IS A PARTIALLY UNFUNDED REQUEST JUST BECAUSE OF THE, THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE LARGER DISTRICT, BUT ALL OF THIS GAMES THAT WE PUT FORWARD, UM, THAT, THAT ARE NOT COMPLETELY UNFUNDED COMPONENTS ARE INTENDED TO BE COVERED BY THAT $28 MILLION PROJECT BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE ALSO INITIATED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE TO SEEK ALTERNATIVE FINANCING FOR THE GARAGE IN THE EVENT THAT THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE SUPPLEMENTED TO THAT SCENE.
AND AN UNDERLYING FEELING THAT I GET IS THAT IT WILL BE GREAT TO MAKE THE ORIGINAL PARK A BUILDING, WHICH IS PROBABLY A MID CENTURY BUILDING A HISTORIC, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'VE OUTGROWN IT AND THAT EVENTUALLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A MOVE MADE.
UM, SO THAT'S A CONCERN UNDERLYING CONCERN I HAVE BECAUSE IT KEEPS COMING UP IN YOUR SCENARIOS THAT CLEARLY PART HAS OUTGROWN THEIR OFFICE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE TO LEAVE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THIS DESIGN AND IF IT WILL CHANGE IT, OR Y'ALL WOULD JUST SAY, JUST LIKE THE HISTORIC LIBRARY, THE OLD HISTORY LIBRARY IS GOING TO NOW TAKE OVER THE NEW, OLD LIBRARY THAT SITS ADJACENT TO IT.
UM, I JUST AM SEEING FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD THAT IT I'M JUST SEEING LIKE A PARKS DEPARTMENT IS WANTING TO MAKE A MOVE.
UM, BUT THAT SAID, IT JUST, THERE'S JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, UM, FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO, UM, TO, TO SEE IF WE COULD, UH, HAVE STAFF, UH, WORK TO INCREASE MORE OPEN SPACE AND TO GET GREATER DISTANCE FROM THE TRAIL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN A POSSIBILITY TOO, IF THAT'S WORKABLE AND YOU'RE OPTION ONE, CAN YOU FEED ANYONE ADDRESS THAT I'LL JUMP IN THERE, KEVIN.
UM, SO OPTION ONE B UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO SHIFT THE BUILDING SOUTH OF IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAINTAIN SOME ALIGNMENTS, UM, COMING OFF OF RIVERSIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, UM, NOT PULLING TOO FAR IN TO THE SIDE AT THAT LOCATION.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I'M, I'M MORE WORRIED SOME ABOUT IS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE USING THIS BASEBALL FIELD AS EXISTING COUNTING FOR GREEN SPACE, BUT SHOULD THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PUSH COMES TO SHOVE THEIR PITCH, POTENTIALLY GO OVER THERE AND BUILD ONTO THAT SITE? UM, JUST BECAUSE THIS WHOLE, THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS TIGHT.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS IS A VERY TIGHT SPACE.
SO I WOULD FEEL REALLY AWFUL IF LATER DOWN THE ROAD, LET'S SAY FIVE TO SIX YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN SEEN AS A PARTICULAR, THIS IS BETTER OF COURSE, THAN A STADIUM, A SOCCER STADIUM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE SHOULD BE WORKING AS A MODEL, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GET THE VERY BEST, MOST, UH, YOU KNOW, CREATIVE SITUATION HERE.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT POTENTIAL.
I JUST FEEL THIS UNDERCURRENT THAT PART'S GOING TO MAKE A POSSIBLE MOVE FOR THAT LAND GRAB LATER ON.
UH, AND IT COULD BE COMPLETELY WRONG.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, THERE'S SO MANY SEPARATE BUILDINGS.
THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH SEPARATENESS AND NOTHING'S REALLY, UM, COLLECTIVELY PUT TOGETHER MORE TIGHTLY.
SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS AND I WILL STOP THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A
[01:40:01]
SPEAKER, UH, BOBBY LAVINSKY THAT'S HERE AND NEEDS, UH, HIS THREE MINUTES.MR. LAVINSKY, ARE YOU STILL WITH US? YES, I AM.
THIS IS BOBBY LEVINSKY WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I MAINLY AM WANTING TO POINT Y'ALL TO, UH, EMAIL THAT BILL BUNCH SENT EARLIER TODAY.
UM, AND WE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THE PARKS, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO NOT SUPPORT OPTION ONE B UM, IN OUR VIEW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAIN, UH, 2019 COUNCIL DIRECTION, UM, WHAT WAS SHOWN WAS A, UM, A BUILDING SCHEMATIC THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF CLUSTERED TOGETHER WITH THE EXISTING FACILITIES.
IT DIDN'T EXTEND AS FAR WEST INTO THE PARK.
I AGREE WITH, UM, THE COMMENTS EARLIER THAT PUTTING A BUILDING OVER, UM, UH, KIDS, LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS IS, UM, UH, INCREASING PARK SPACE.
UM, GENERALLY WE ARE LOSING GREEN SPACE IN THE CITY.
WE'RE LOSING OUR PARKLAND AND PUTTING MORE BUILDINGS IN THAT PARKLAND IS LOSING THAT GREEN SPACE.
UM, SO IF WE WERE TO DO ANALYSIS ON HOW MUCH PARK PARK SPACE IS ACTIVATED, I HOPE THAT YOU, YOU DON'T CONSIDER, UM, REMOVING LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS AS PART OF THAT ACTIVATION.
UM, WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE GENERAL CONVERSATIONS AT THE TIME THE COUNCIL HAD, UM, HAD THIS DISCUSSION COMPLEMENTORS PLAN AGAIN, AND RENT A RHEA, WE'RE DISCUSSING ABOUT POSSIBILITIES WITH AISD WITH SOME RECENTLY, UM, SPLITS IN SCHOOL SITES THAT WERE UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR CLOSURE, INCLUDING, UH, METS IN PEACE.
UM, SINCE THEN AIC HAS ACTUALLY, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH CLOSING THOSE SCHOOLS.
WONDERING IF WE'RE WONDERING IF THOSE CONVERSATIONS CAN BE RESTARTED WHERE THE DARBY ART CENTER COULD ACTUALLY WORK WITH AISD TO REACTIVATE THOSE SPACES, AND WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR PARK SPACE.
UM, BUT GENERALLY JUST THE ONE B UM, UH, OF THE FOUR OPTIONS YOU HAVE TODAY.
THE ONE B, UM, SCHEMATIC TAKES UP THE MOST PARK SPACE.
IT IS IMMEDIATELY ON, UM, THE LAKE IN A RELATIVELY NATURAL AREA OF THE TRAIL.
AND I THINK IT WOULD REALLY CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE TRAIL IN THAT LOCATION.
SO WE WOULD PREFER THOSE OPTIONS THAT KEEP IT CLUSTERED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND, UM, KEEPS THE OPEN SPACE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS CONVERSATION, UM, ESPECIALLY AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, BUT, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE DIALOGUE THAT MANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE RAISED TONIGHT.
UM, YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS ARE SPOT ON AND, UH, THANK YOU.
UH, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ARE WE READY TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS POINT? COMMISSIONERS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE.
THE PUBLIC HEARING QUESTIONNAIRES WERE NOT POSTED AS A PUBLIC HEARING.
IT IS AN ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION, BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO CARE FOR, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNSEL AS TO WHICH, UM, SCENARIO WE PREFER THAT, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONS, IF THEY WERE COMFORTABLE DOING SO, UM, WE'VE SO FAR PRESENTED TO THE PARKS BOARD AND DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, ARTS BOARD VOTED IN FAVOR OF OPTION ONE B WE RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION, UM, SUPPORTING THE PROJECT AND SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT THAT THEY WERE IN FAVOR OF, ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT COME TO CONSENSUS ON A SINGLE OPTION, TWO COMMISSIONERS, CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICERS.
SO I THINK YOU CERTAINLY CAN RECOMMEND A SPECIFIC OPTION OR SET OF OPTIONS IN ANY RECOMMENDATION YOU WISH TO MAKE.
YOU MAY ALSO ADD CONDITIONS TO ANY OPTION, UM, FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO FURTHER CONSIDER, YOU MAY INCLUDE THAT, OF COURSE, AS A ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITION, AS PART OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION USE COMMISSIONER GORDON.
I MEAN, JUST TO SUMMARIZE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I'VE HEARD, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER RAMBO IS AND PENDING, YOU KNOW, OUR EMOTIONS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOMEBODY, WHAT I HEARD IS THAT WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO CLUSTER BUILDINGS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE TRAIL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BASICALLY USE HAVE A SMALLEST FOOTPRINT THAT REALLY SEEMS PRACTICABLE.
AND I GUESS THERE IS THIS QUESTION IS, UM, CONSTRUCT RERA RAISED ABOUT THE EXISTING BUILDING
[01:45:01]
AND, UM, SOME SORT OF RE REUSE REDEDICATION OF THAT.I MEAN, HOW, HOW WOULD YOU PLAN FOR THAT INTO THE FUTURE? SO MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION HERE IS, IS THAT HARD COME TO GRIPS WITH WHAT IT IS THEY WANT TO DO WITH THAT BUILDING AND RATHER THAN PREMATURELY, OKAY.
SOME DESIGNS THAT THERE REALLY IS THAT COLLECTIVE MEETING OF THE MINDS, SO THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING THE SPACE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE AS OPPOSED TO COMING BACK AND SORT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, BACK-FILLING SOME YEARS FROM NOW, YEAH.
THIS, THIS, THIS COMMISSIONER RAM BERGEN.
THIS IS USUALLY THE POINT IN THE MEETING WHERE I HAVE A HAVE A MOTION.
UM, BUT BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING, UM, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THESE ELEMENTS, UM, IN, IN REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTATION PRIOR, UM, YOU KNOW, NOTING THE AVOIDANCE AND PROTECTION OF HERITAGE TREES, UM, I THINK REALLY FALLS IN OUR WHEELHOUSE.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE'VE BEEN KIND OF PEELING BACK THE ONION HERE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE IS, UM, ONE B BEING AS FAR NORTH AND KIND OF, UM, A PENINSULA OF SORTS, UM, AND NOT HAVING A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE WATER IS GOING TO BE TREATED AND WHERE IT WILL BE TREATED BETWEEN THAT BUILDING AND PRESUMABLY THE RIVER, UM, UH, YEAH, RAISES SOME CONCERN FOR ME.
SO, UM, I I'D BE OPEN TO KIND OF DRAFTING SOME KIND OF, UH, EMOTION OF ON THE FLY HERE, BUT I, I, I THINK IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN OUR USUAL, UM, MOTIONS.
HAVE YOU OPENED UP Y'ALL'S THOUGHTS? UM, AND I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH WHAT, UH, SO FAR THE LIST THAT COMMISSIONER GORDON HAS COME UP WITH THE CLUSTERING, UH, REDUCING THE FOOTPRINT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO, UM, I THINK AGAIN, THAT BUILDING IS GOING TO BE KEY AND HOW IT PLAYS OUT FOR THE NECK, FOR THE FUTURE AND FOR THAT LAND THAT'S RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SEEING THOSE AS GREEN SPACE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN PUT ANYTHING THAT WOULD PROTECT THAT AND SAY, WELL THEN, OKAY, DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR, YOUR BUILDING, UH, THE STAFF BUILDING, BUT HOW DO WE SECURE THIS EXISTING BALLPARKS? AND 30 TAKE, THEY'RE DOING A TAKE-UP OF, UM, OF THE, THE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FIELD IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, NO MORE GREEN SPACE IN OTHER WORDS.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THE WATER TREATMENT IS SIGNIFICANT AND THEN PUSHING THEM AWAY FROM THAT TRAIL.
AND, AND IS, IT IS A WAY WE COULD SAY HOW MANY FEET, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FEET OR HOW MANY YARDS THEY SHOULD BE FROM A TRAIL.
DOES ANYONE HAVE SOME OTHER THOUGHTS ON HOW WE COULD PROCEED? THIS IS COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIXLER.
I AGREE WITH, WITH WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, TO SUM IT UP IN MY MIND, IT SEEMS, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE THREE SCENARIOS, OPTION ONE, PAY OPTION TWO, AND OPTION THREE THAT ALL HAD THE BUILDINGS CLUSTERED AND IN SEEM LIKE POTENTIAL VIABLE OPTIONS FOR THE PROJECT.
WHEREAS ONE B WAS THE ONLY ONE WHERE THE BUILDINGS WERE MORE SPREAD OUT AND BEING BUILT INTO THE CURRENT GREEN SPACE AND WITH THE BUILDINGS CLOSEST TO THE TRAIL, WHICH RAISED THE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STORE MODEL, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO I GUESS THE SPECIFIC QUESTION IS IT WASN'T ENTIRELY CLEAR WHILE Y ONE B WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER THAN ONE, A, UM, SCENARIO TWO AND SCENARIO THREE.
I KNOW THERE WERE, THERE WERE THE, UM, IN THE QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESS ON RIVERSIDE VERSUS TO ME IF SOME OF THE PARKING, BUT IT JUST WASN'T ENTIRELY CLEAR WHILE YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, NOT CONSIDER THE CLUSTERING, YOU KNOW, THE TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN THOSE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WAS WHAT WAS ADDED IN TO THE, TO THE DIALOGUE.
UM, I'M WONDERING, I COULD NOT SUPPORT ONE B UNLESS THE BUILDING'S RIGHT.
I MOVED AWAY FROM THE TRAIN AND I'M THINKING THAT EVERY, I THINK THAT ALSO TO THE LIST OF SUGGESTIONS IS YOUR IDEA OF TALKING ABOUT PARKING WITH, UM, THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET, ESPECIALLY CASSA DELUCE BECAUSE OF THE ARGUMENT BEFORE, BECAUSE
[01:50:01]
THIS IS GOING TO EXACERBATE THAT, AND IF IT'S CALM, NOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE ADEQUATE.AND IF IT'S PUBLIC PARKING, PEOPLE COME TO THE TRAIL ALL THE TIME.
AND AT THIS POINT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE BACK PARKING LOT.
I THINK IF YOU GO WITH YOUR VEHICLE TO THAT PART OF THE TRAIL, YOU HAVE TO PARK ACROSS THE STREET OR IN CERTAIN PARKING AREAS.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE HANDLED, BUT I WOULD, I W I COULD NOT SUPPORT ONE B UM, I D I LIKE ONE A, EXCEPT THAT THE HERITAGE TREE.
SO IF IT WAS ONE, A, THE HERITAGE TREE WOULD NEED TO BE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY COULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF MANEUVERING TO SAY THAT ONE HERITAGE TREE WHERE THEY BUILT, UM, OVER OR ONE HAD TO BE REMOVED.
SO I AM JUST THE THING THAT THEY CAN DO A BIT MORE WORK ON THIS.
I'M SURE THEY'VE DONE A LOT, BUT, UM, THAT'S JUST HOW I FEEL.
I BELIEVE THIS IS MOVING FORWARD SO WE CAN EITHER COMMENT NOW, OR WE WON'T SEE IT AGAIN, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECT STAFF.
ISN'T THAT CORRECT JOB MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAD SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION AT THEIR MEETING AT THE END OF MARCH.
SO WE NOW EITHER SAY OUR PIECE, ARE WE, UM, WE DON'T GET TO SAY ANYTHING OR COMMENT ON THIS PROPOSAL.
WAS THERE ANY CONSENSUS ON ANOTHER OPTION, A ONE, A TWO OR THREE, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT WERE IN FAVOR OF ANY OF THE OTHER OPTIONS? TH THIS IS, REMEMBER, I THINK HE'S DONE THE REVIEW.
I THINK I COULD SUPPORT AND PUSH AN OPTION FOR ONE A, UM, WHICH IS BACK FROM THE, FROM THE RIVER A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, UM, AND, AND MAYBE WITH THE CONDITION OF, UH, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON'S, UH, CONCERN ABOUT MAYBE, UH, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY TRYING TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO THE HERITAGE TREE, I BELIEVE, OR, OR HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY OPTION.
AND I'LL HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT OPTION.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER BEAR BEXAR.
I SECOND COMMISSIONER CRANBERRY.
I COULD SUPPORT ONE A AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, CHECKING IN THE CONSIDERATIONS ALREADY, ALREADY BROUGHT UP, UM, MR. KRELL OR COMMISSIONER REDFORD, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY, UM, COMMENTS ON ONE A GENERALLY IT'S AS THE BEST OPTION RIGHT AWAY.
UM, SO I, I CAN DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT.
MR. BEDFORD, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT OPTION ONE A I COULD SUPPORT ONE A, UH, COMMERCIAL GORDON.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? UH, YEAH, I, I COULD SUPPORT THAT.
I THINK IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPTING RESOLUTION, IT IMPORTANT TO, I'M TRYING TO GET BACK TO MY PICTURE HERE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO STILL MAYBE EMPHASIZE SOME OF THE POINTS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SO THAT THE CITY COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.
WHY, WHY IN FAVOR OF ONE B AND IN FACT, NOW, IF THERE'S STILL ANY ELEMENTS OF ONE A THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD WANT TO SEE TWEAK CONCEPTUALLY.
I WOULD SUPPORT OPTION ONE A IF WE HAD, WE CONTINUED OUR D R UH, CONDITIONS ABOUT THE WATER TREATMENT CONCERNS ABOUT THE FEATURE OF THE BUILDING, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, UH, TO OPEN UP DIALOGUE WITH, UM, THE, THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND JUST LIST THEM.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER REMMEBER.
I CAN, I CAN TAKE A RUN AT THIS, UH,
[01:55:01]
WHEREAS IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS GOOD AS MY EMOTIONS USUALLY.UH, UM, SO BEAR WITH ME, UH, ON AGENDA ITEM THREE C THE SUBJECT BEING THE DIRTY ART CENTER REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
UM, WHEREAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT YOU DID AN EXTENSIVE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN FOR THE PROPOSED DIRTY ART CENTER RELOCATION.
AND WHEREAS THE REC THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT PART HAS SELECTED ONE B AS THE PREFERRED SCENARIO FOR SEVERAL REASONS, UM, INCLUDING THE PRESENCE OF PRESERVATION OF HERITAGE TREES, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE, UM, THEIR SUPPORT OF OPTION ONE A FOR SEVERAL REASONS, INCLUDING, UH, THE CLUSTERING OF THE FOOTPRINT OF BUILDINGS FARTHER AWAY FROM, UH, THE LAKE AND THE TRAIL.
UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT, UH, THE TEAM ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS TEAM COORDINATE WITH PARD FOR THEIR FUTURE USE OF THE MAIN BUILDING AND, UM, ANTICIPATED FUTURE USE OF THAT.
UM, UNDER SCENARIO ONE, A, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESTORATION OR REHABILITATION OF THE PARKS MAIN BUILDING BE DONE IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT WITH THE ELIGIBILITY OF THE BUILDING.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ALSO ASKS THE DESIGN TEAM TO REVIEW STORM WATER CONTROLS RELATED TO THE SIDING OF THE BUILDINGS AND STORMWATER.
AND FINALLY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE DESIGN TEAM REACH OUT AND COORDINATE WITH NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, UM, USERS AS IT RELATES TO PARKING ALONG TO ME ROAD.
SO KEVIN, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS IN THE EARLY PART OF THAT I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MORE LIKE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S THIS PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE THAT'S EMERGED, OKAY, THIS ONE BIG, BUT THAT IN FACT, WE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF ONE DAY AND TWO TO LIST SEVERAL OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF ONE DAY AND WALK AWAY IN TURN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT ARE, THAT, THAT BASICALLY WE COULD LIVE WITH ONE A, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WITH WHATEVER ADDITIONAL STIPULATIONS WHAT'D YOU LISTEN TO THOSE FORESTS, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER GORDON WHILE WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR, JUST LIKE TWO.
SO THAT, SO, SO, SO WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF ONE B BECAUSE IT'S THE BUILDINGS LIKE THE FOOTPRINT IS TOO LARGE.
THE BUILDINGS ARE TOO SPREAD OUT BECAUSE IT'S TOO CLOSE TO THE TRIAL, WE THINK IS NOT IN THE, BOTH A LIKE BOTH STORMWATER CONSIDERATIONS, BUT ALSO JUST IN KEEPING WITH THE, THE NATURE OF THE TRIAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.
AND I ALSO, I THINK WE NEED TO NOTE IN OUR CONDITIONS, SOMETHING ABOUT IF THE, UH, HERITAGE TREE IS, HAS TO BE MOVED, IT NEEDS TO BE RELOCATED SOMEWHERE ON THAT, THAT SAME VICINITY OF THAT PARKLAND THAT THEY'RE INCLUDING IN THE SIX OR EIGHT ACRES.
CHRIS QUESTION, UH, TO YOU OR TO STAFF ABOUT HOW I FRAME THIS UP, THIS MOTION UP, DO I NEED TO GO BACK THROUGH ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT I HIT, OR JUST ADD TO IT WITH THESE ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS? THE MOTION HAS NOT BEEN SECONDED TO THE MOTION DOESN'T BELONG TO THE BODY.
I THINK WE'RE HAVING SOME INFORMAL DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
SO IF YOU ONLY WANT TO SPEAK TO THE NEW CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE ADDING TO YOUR ORIGINAL MOTION, AND THEN WE GET A SECOND ON THAT MOTION, I THINK THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE MOVING FORWARD.
SO I'M GOING TO ADD ONE, WHEREAS THE BEGINNING RELATED TO, UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DOES NOT SUPPORT THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE PRESENTED OF ONE V BUT COULD SUPPORT, UM, ALTERNATIVE ONE A WITH SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, UNDERSTANDING AND EXPLORATION AND CONDITIONS, UM, THOSE ADDITIONAL
[02:00:01]
CONDITIONS.AND IN ADDITION TO THE ONES THAT I HAD NOTED EARLIER WOULD BE THE ONES THAT COMMISSIONER GORDON HAD ADDED, UM, UH, OR, UH, CHAIR, UH, HOW TO ADD IT ABOUT EDDY HERITAGE TREE THAT WOULD BE REMOVED WOULD BE RELOCATED ONSITE.
UM, AND SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WE DO NOT SUPPORT OR THE, IN THIS MOTION DO NOT SUPPORT A ONE B R THAT THE, UH, SLIT POINT OF THE LAYOUT OF THE SITE IS TOO SPREAD OUT AND DOES NOT CLUSTER CONSISTENT WITH THE, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, THE FOOTPRINT IS THE CLOSEST TO THE TRAIL AND, UM, TO LEAVE IT AT THAT BORDEN, IS THAT ART COMMISSIONER GORDON, DOES THAT SATISFY YOU? I THINK SO.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST BELONGS TO THE BODY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE OUGHT TO BE MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT THE TRIAL PORTION OF IT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF RUNOFF CONSIDERATIONS AND ON ALSO JUST CHARACTER OF THE TRIAL, BUT I'LL KIND OF LEAVE THAT TO EVERY, OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE TO WEIGH AND WHETHER THEY THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
I MEAN, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO EDUCATE PEOPLE YOU COULD SAY, RIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN JUST MENTION SOMETHING THAT WE, WE WANT THE BAM TO CONSIDER THE, UM, THE, UM, IMPORTANCE OF THE TRAIL BE IN EMPHASIZING SOMEHOW THAT THE TRAIL BE MORE ADJACENT TO, UM, WELL, IT BLEND MORE WITH THE NATURE.
WE WANT THE TRAIL TO BLEND WITH NATURE, AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR STICKING POINTS HERE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S JUST BEING, UH, SHOVED UP AGAINST IT DOES NOT SIT WELL FOR US.
SO BASICALLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE OF A BUFFER, RIGHT? SO YOU COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF A BUFFER BETWEEN THE TRIAL AND THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'LL ADD THAT CONDITION, UH, WITH, UH, ADDITIONAL CONDITION THAT THE STAFF, UH, RECOMMENDS CLUSTERING THE BUILDINGS AWAY FROM THE TRAIL AND TO SHOW A LARGER BUFFER FROM THE TRAIL AND THE, THE, THE, UH, THE PARK, UH, ALONG THE, ALONG THE LAKE.
WAS THAT TO KRILL? DO AN ASSESSMENT SECOND.
UM, DOES ANYONE NEED THE MOTION READ AGAIN? ARE WE READY TO PROCEED? I GUESS WE'RE READY TO PROCEED WITH ABOUT THE KRILL MEASURE THOMPSON.
[3d. Consider a petition from the SH 130 Municipal Management District, created by the legislature in 2019, for the City of Austin’s consent to issue bonds and assess various taxes on any area that is within the District or that the District may annex in the future— Andrei Lubomudrov, Senior Planner, Housing and Planning Department]
TO 3D.I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS BOAT HERE.
DO WE HAVE A QUORUM WITH SICK? YES, MA'AM.
MOVING ON TO THREE D CONSIDER A PETITION FROM THE S H ONE 30 MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT DISTRICT CREATED BY THE LEGISLATURE IN 2019 FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON CONSENT TO ISSUE BONDS AND VARIOUS AND ACCESS VARIOUS TAXES ON ANY AREA THAT IS WITHIN THE DISTRICT OR THAT THE DISTRICT MAY ANNEX IN THE FUTURE.
DO WE NEED ANY EXPLANATION OF THIS OR ARE WE GOING TO GET IT FROM OUR SENIOR HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONERS? I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN.
MY NAME IS ANDRE LUBA, BOUDREAU, I'M, UM, HOUSING, UM, STAFFING HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE JURISDICTIONS GROUP.
AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE PETITION.
[02:05:01]
I CAN GO THROUGH AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TO, UM, ANYONE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION.SO WE RECEIVED THIS, THE CITY RECEIVED, UM, KAYLA, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT, THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, WE RECEIVED A PETITION ON DECEMBER 22ND TO, UH, RECEIVE OUR CONSENT TO ISSUE, UM, FOR THE
SO TO BACK UP A LITTLE AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT, UM, WHAT DOES THE MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, IT'S A TYPE OF SPECIAL DISTRICT THAT'S USUALLY FORMED BY LEGISLATION.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE, I, I OFTEN COMPARE IT TO A LEGO SET.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, THE KIDS HAVE A BOX OF LEGOS AND, UM, SO YOU CAN BUILD SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE WITH THAT LEGO SET, OR YOU CAN BUILD SOMETHING PRETTY ELABORATE LIKE A DRAGON, UH, WITH A CASTLE, IF YOU WANT.
AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THE MMD PROVISIONS IN STATE STATUTES OFFER IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF CUSTOMIZE A DISTRICT TO A VERY SPECIFIC USE OR TO, OR TO BUILD A DISTRICT THAT'S ON THE MUCH MORE KIND OF, UH, EXPANSIVE SIDE AND, AND RESEMBLING MORE OF LIKE MORE, MORE RESEMBLING OF THE CITY.
UM, AND SO MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS ALSO ARE, UM, HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTRACT FOR PUBLIC SERVICES.
UM, AND SO THIS DISTRICT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED A PETITION FOR IS DEFINITELY MORE ON THE, UM, EXPANSIVE SIDE IN TERMS OF ITS AUTHORITIES.
UM, AND I'LL GET INTO THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT, BUT JUST KIND OF AS AN OVERVIEW, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS CONSIDER THEIR PETITION, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN ISSUE BONDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESS THE TAXES THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ASSESS UNDER THE SPECIAL DISTILLATION, WHICH INCLUDES LOCAL SALES AND USE TAXES AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
UM, SO JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT A LITTLE, WE HAVE A LOT OF DISTRICTS THAT HAVE KIND OF AN ASSESSMENT THAT'S APPLIED TO PROPERTY, AND THEN THAT ASSESSMENT USED TO, TO PAY DOWN BOND DEBT, UM, CONNECTED TO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE FEWER DISTRICTS THAT ARE ABLE TO ASSESS SALES TAXES AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY AS WELL.
AND IT DOESN'T MENTION IT IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UM, THIS DISTRICT CAN ALSO ENTER INTO, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, LIKE CHAPTER THREE 80 AGREEMENTS, UH, JUST LIKE, UH, A CITY THE CITY IS ABLE TO DO MUNICIPALITIES CAN DO SO I THINK WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, SO A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS THE DISTRICT.
AND, UH, SO LET ME, LET ME START WITH JUST KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE DISTRICT IS, AND THEN KIND OF CAUTION YOU WITH HOW, HOW IT'S BEING PRESENTED HERE, BECAUSE THE INITIAL DISTRICT IS, IS 1,138 ACRES, MORE, MOSTLY EAST OF
UH, SOME OF IT IS, THERE'S A SMALL PORTION OF IT.
THAT'S WEST OF
THAT'S EAST OF
AND YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING THESE TRACKS AREN'T CONTIGUOUS, THEY DON'T TOUCH EACH OTHER.
AND SO PART OF THE SPECIAL LEGISLATION IS THAT THE DISTRICT CAN EXIST NON CONTIGUOUSLY.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONNECTED.
IT CAN, IT CAN EXIST IN DIFFERENT, UH, IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF GEOGRAPHIES, ETJ AND BEYOND.
UM, BUT, UH, THE SUBJECT, THE, THE INITIAL DISTRICT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS IN THE GILLILAND CREEK WATER SHED.
THERE'S A LOT OF FLOODPLAIN, ESPECIALLY ON THE EASTERN MOST TRACK, WHICH IS ALSO THE LARGEST TRACT.
AND I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE HAS A MAP, BUT YEAH, THERE WE GO.
SO YEAH, YOU SEE, ON THE EASTERN MOST TRACK, IT'S ABOUT 850 ACRES.
IT'S WHERE THE INNER, WHERE FM NINE 69 INTERSECTS WITH BURLESON MAIN ROAD RIGHT THERE.
AND IT'S IN THE GILLILAND CREEK WATERSHED, LIKE I MENTIONED, AND IT'S DEFINITELY, UM, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT IS FLOODPLAIN.
AND SO ALSO THE, ON THE, ONE OF THE, THE DISTRICT, THAT'S CLOSER TO THE PORTION OF THE DISTRICT CLOSER TO SH ONE 30 IS ALSO PARTIALLY
[02:10:01]
IN THE FLOODPLAIN.SO THERE'S A LOT OF FLOOD PLAIN THAT IS KIND OF BEING PROPOSED IN THIS DISTRICT.
BUT, UM, UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS INITIAL GEOGRAPHY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT I MENTIONED THIS ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT ONE OF THE VERY UNIQUE ELEMENTS OF THIS DISTRICT IS THAT IT IS ABLE TO ANNEX TERRITORY THAT IS NON-CONTIGUOUS, UM, AND KIND OF ON OWN.
SO WE CAN ADD INTO THE CONSENT AGREEMENT OR REQUIREMENT, BUT THEY COME BACK TO THE CITY FOR OUR PERMISSION, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH.
AND ACTUALLY THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT I'M AWARE OF IN THE STATE THAT CAN SORT OF ANNEX AREA, THAT'S NOT ADJACENT TO THE DISTRICT.
A LOT OF DISTRICTS, A LOT OF WATER DISTRICTS AND, AND MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS ELSEWHERE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ANNEX, BUT IT'S SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ANNEX SEEING ONE TO THE EXISTING GEOGRAPHY OF THE DISTRICT.
IT'S VERY, VERY UNUSUAL FOR A DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO ANNEX LAND THAT IS NOT CONNECTED TO IT.
AND SO JUST TO SORT OF, UM, HIGHLIGHT WHAT THAT COULD MEAN, THAT COULD MEAN THAT THEY, THEY COULD ANNEX TERRITORY THAT'S ANYWHERE IN OUR PLANNING AREA.
SO IT COULD BE SOUTHWEST, IT COULD BE NORTHWEST, IT COULD BE SOUTHEAST, IT COULD ACTUALLY BE ON TOP OF OUR CITY JURISDICTION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THEIR CONVERSATION AT ALL, OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT IT COULD HAPPEN.
IT'S REALLY NOT GEOGRAPHICALLY BOUNDED TO ANY PARTICULAR AREA IN A SPECIAL LEGISLATION THAT CREATED IT.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT, W W THE REASON WHY I'M PRESENTING THIS TODAY IS BECAUSE THIS PETITION HAS, IS, IS SEEKING THE CITY'S CONSENT SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN PUTTING TOGETHER FINANCING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.
AND THE REASON WHY THEY NEED OUR CONSENT IS IN THE SPECIAL LEGISLATION, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SEEK OUT THE CITY'S CONSENT BEFORE THEY ISSUE BONDS AND ASSESS TAXES.
HOWEVER, ONCE WE PROVIDE OUR CONSENT, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO COME BACK AND SEEK FURTHER CONSENT.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE WANT TO, ANY LEVERAGE WE WANT TO HAVE IN THIS DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO PUT INTO THE INITIAL CONSENT AGREEMENT.
AND I THINK ONE THING THAT'S WORTH MENTIONING IS THAT COMPARING THIS MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO OTHERS AROUND THE STATE, WE HAVE RELATIVELY LITTLE OVERSIGHT OVER THE DISTRICT.
UM, IN MANY OF THE MUDS THAT WE'VE ENTERED INTO CONSENT AGREEMENTS WITH THE MUD IS REQUIRED TO GET OUR CONSENT IN ORDER TO BE CREATED.
AND SO I WOULD BE COMING TO YOU ASKING FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON CONSENT TO THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT, BUT THIS DISTRICT WAS CREATED IN 2019.
UM, THROUGH THIS SPECIAL LEGISLATION THERE, THEY HAVE A BOARD, THE BOARD HAS BEEN BEING THEY'VE CALLED AN ELECTION.
THEY'VE ALREADY HELD AN ELECTION.
UM, THEY'VE ALREADY PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF THE KIND OF GOVERNANCE, UM, MEASURES NEEDED TO, TO FUNCTION AS A DISTRICT.
SO WE'RE REALLY KIND OF AT THE TAIL END OF A LOT OF, A LOT OF THAT, UH, A LOT OF THE KIND OF OPERATIONAL STUFF, BUT THEY DO NEED OUR CONSENT TO REALLY GET MOVING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON FINALIZING THE DETAILS OF WHAT A CONSENT AGREEMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THIS, THIS DISTRICT IS NOT TYPICAL.
AND SO WE ARE SORT OF STARTING FROM SCRATCH WITH THIS.
AND SO, UM, SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF KIND OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS, THAT, THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL PROCESS FOR BARGAINING WITH, WITH SAY A MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
UM, BUT, UH, WE, WE ARE ABLE TO ADD INTO THAT AGREEMENT, THAT REQUIREMENT, THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE DISTRICT, UM, IN EITHER IN OUR, IF IT IS IN OUR CITY LIMITS OR IN OUR EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION WOULD BE GOVERNED BY THE, UH, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AT THE TIME OF THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATION.
AND SO THAT IS SORT OF WHAT WE BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION IS, IS THAT ADDITION OF THAT REQUIREMENT TO THE CONSENT AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS YOU, YOU HAVE, OR WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS COMMISSIONER GORDON
[02:15:01]
HERE, QUESTION CLARIFICATION.CAUSE I'M STILL KINDA CONFUSED.
UH, SO TH THE, THE DISTRICT IS AN ENTITY IT'S BOUNDARIES.
IT'S THE DISTRICT'S JURISDICTION OVERLAPS HERE WITH THIS AUSTIN'S JURISDICTION.
HOWEVER, THIS LANGUAGE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY WE WOULD REQUEST OR REQUIRE, UM, IT'D BE GOVERNED BY CURRENT CITY OF AUSTIN LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AT THE TIME OF SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATION.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOME BUDDY DOING SOME DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE DISTRICT, BUT TO WHOM WOULD THEY BE SUBMITTING A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATION? WOULD THEY BE SUBMITTING IT TO AUSTIN, OR WOULD THEY BE SUBMITTED TO THE DISTRICT? AND WHAT IF THE DISTRICT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE REQUIREMENTS? SO I'M CONFUSED ABOUT THE CHAIR OF STATE COMMISSIONER GORDON, CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, UH, THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A PERMIT FOR DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT IS ALSO WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S JURISDICTION.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS CLARIFICATION IS JUST THAT BY CONSENTING TO THE AGREEMENT OR CONSENTING TO THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT TODAY, IT DOES NOT GRANT THEM ANY VESTED RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO TODAY'S CODE.
SO WHENEVER THEY CAME IN TO DO DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE DISTRICT, IN THE FUTURE, THEY WOULD BE GOVERNED UNDER THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AT THAT TIME, NOT UNDER THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AS IT EXISTS TODAY.
SO WE JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT POINT.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
WE JUST WANT IT TO BE EXPLICIT.
LINDA, COULD I SAY SOMETHING IT'S UM, CAN WE SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT? UM, THE AREAS THAT IT COULD ANNEX NOT BEING CONTIGUOUS, WOULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY? YEAH.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AT FURTHER FUTURE ANNEXATIONS INTO THE DISTRICT? CORRECT.
AND, AND ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO CONSENT TO FUTURE ANNEXATIONS INTO THE DISTRICT? SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, CORRECT.
YEAH, THAT IS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE, UM, ADDING INTO THE CONSENT AGREEMENT.
AND IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION, THAT WOULD BE DEFINITELY, UM, FRIENDLY FOR, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MY REASON FOR DOING THAT IS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD A FLOODING AREA OR IF THERE WERE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN THE PROPERTIES THAT THEY WANTED OR THE LAND THAT THEY WANTED TO ANNEX.
UM, I, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE SURROUNDING AREA IS MY CONCERN.
I THINK THAT IS THE INTENT OF THE LANGUAGE BEING RECOMMENDED BY OUR HOUSING AND PLANNING STAFF IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSENT TO THE ADDITION OF ANY ADDITIONAL ANNEXATION OF LAND INTO THE DISTRICT IN THE FUTURE.
WE COULD NOT PROHIBIT THE DISTRICT FROM AN X-WING NON-CONTIGUOUS LAND BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT POWER AND THEY'RE ENABLING LEGISLATION FROM THE STATE.
BUT I THINK THAT TOO, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY, THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION OF HOUSING AND PLANNING STAFF, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
WHAT EXACTLY, WHAT WAS YOUR RECOMMENDATION, IF YOU DON'T MIND KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT FOR ME ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO ANNEX AND THAT THEY WOULD ASK FOR OUR APPROVAL BEFORE SPEAKING OF THE CITY, BEFORE ANY ANNEXATION WOULD TAKE PLACE.
UM, W DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, OR IS IT THEY'RE ENABLING LEGISLATION ALLOWS THEM TO ANNEX INTO THE DISTRICT AND DIS CONTIGUOUS AREAS? CORRECT.
WE, WE DO HAVE, UH, WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY AS ANDRE.
AGAIN, WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ADD INTO THE CONSENT AGREEMENT THAT ANY FUTURE ANNEXATIONS WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO THE CITY FOR FUTURE PRIOR TO THAT, TO THOSE ANNEXATIONS, WE
[02:20:01]
CAN'T, WE CAN'T, UM, SAY THAT THEY CAN'T ANNEX ADDITIONAL TERRITORY SINCE, UH, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, THAT IS IN THE SPECIAL LEGISLATION, BUT WE CAN SAY THAT ANNEXATIONS WOULD NEED OUR CONSENT.AND SO WE BRING THOSE BACK FOR FUTURE CONSENT, UH, PRIOR TO THOSE ANNEXATIONS HAPPENING IS THAT THAT IS, UM, THE CURRENT HOUSING AND PLANNING STEP RECOMMENDATION.
UH, AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW NORMALLY THINGS WOULD WORK IN TERMS OF THE MOTION AND, AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION.
BUT IF THAT COULD BE ADDED, IT W IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, UM, COMPATIBLE WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
IS, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANY MORE PRESENTATION OR IS THIS IT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF GOING TO PRESENT TO, ARE THEY JUST HERE FOR QUESTIONS? NO MATTER WHATEVER.
WE'RE ONLY HERE FOR QUESTIONS THAT CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION.
SO IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LET MR. LAVINSKY HAVE HIS THREE MINUTES BEFORE WE PROCEED.
I DON'T THINK HE SIGNED UP FOR 3D.
SO, UM, ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NONE.
UH, GIVE US, UH, GIVE US A RUN, UM, ON THE SUBJECT, CONSIDERING A PETITION FROM THE
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT THE 86TH LEGISLATURE IN 2019 APPROVED HOUSE, BILL FOUR, SIX, NINE FOR CREATING THE
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION RECOGNIZES THAT SPECIAL LEGISLATION CREATING THE DISTRICT REQUIRES THE CITY'S CONSENT PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS OR ASSESSMENT OF TAXES, SUCH AS A SALES OR USE TAX OR A HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT A CONSENT AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CURRENT CODE PROVISIONS THAT ARE PROTECTIVE OF WATER QUALITY AND MINIMIZE POLLUTION AND OTHER NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON WATERSHEDS.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS, RECOMMENDS CONSENT TO THE
THAT FUTURE ANNEXATION MUST REQUEST CITY'S CONSENT.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE.
D DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND ADVICE? YES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE I CALL THE BOAT? LET'S GO.
COMMISSIONER RANDBERG GORDON COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.
[4. COMMITTEE REPORTS]
MOVE QUICKLY TO COMMITTEE REPORT AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, BRIEFLY TOUCH ON A REPORT THAT WAS SENT OUT TO YOU, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATER FUND ADVISORY BOARD, UH, RECEIVED YESTERDAY, THIS UPDATE, UH, AND ONE THING THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS IS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR.[02:25:01]
YEARS ON TRYING TO GET THIS PUSHED FORWARD TO THIS LEVEL THAT IT IS CURRENTLY AT.UM, THIS AREA IS GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED AND WE STILL DO NOT HAVE, UM, ANYTHING IN PLACE.
WE DON'T HAVE A BOARD IN PLACE YET, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE A TIF DISTRICT IN PLACE.
AND SO WE HAVE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THIS AMAZING PLACE WHERE WE'VE GOT TO PUSH HARD, BECAUSE AS Y'ALL ALL KNOW, THERE'S A NEW DEVELOPMENT ON THE HORIZON WHERE THE OLD STATEMENT BUILDING WAS, AND WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME JUST ANOTHER POD.
WE WANT THEM TO BE A PART OF THIS TAXATION PROCESS.
AND, UM, WE ALSO NEED THIS TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE NOT, I DON'T THINK COUNCIL HAS YET APPROVED THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS FOR, UM, FOR THIS AREA.
AND SO WE'RE FINALLY AT THIS POINT, NOW WE HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS THIS BECAUSE IT CAME OUT YESTERDAY AND WE'RE NOT MEETING UNTIL THE 15TH OF MARCH.
HOWEVER, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY PIECE OF THIS, WOULD YOU SEND THEM TO ME? CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ANY MORE TIME THIS EVENING.
UH, AND I WILL BE ABLE TO, TO BRING FORTH YOUR QUESTIONS AT OUR MARCH 15TH MEETING NOW, UM, WE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD IN THIS, UH, BODY OF, UM, INFORMATION IN THE MEMORANDUM, THERE ARE GOING TO ACCEPT SOME OF THE SWAB MEMBERS TO BE APPOINTED.
AND THIS IS REALLY BIG BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR ALL THESE YEARS, UH, THAT WE BE RECOGNIZED THAT SOME MEMBERS BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THE WORK BECAUSE OF, UH, THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN SO INVOLVED WITH EVERY ASPECT OF THIS.
AND, UM, SO JUST THE FACT THAT THEY'VE NOW CONCEDED TO ALLOWING SOME OF THE SCHWAB MEMBERS ON HERE, I THINK IS, IS A HUGE GAIN.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT OR HOW THEY'LL GO ABOUT ELECTING, BUT WE DO HAVE ON OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING VERY STRONGLY FOR AFFORDABILITY AND FOR FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED FOR THE DESIGN.
SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING THAT ONE OF THOSE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT ME TO BRING UP AT THE MARCH 15TH MEETING, JUST LET ME KNOW VIA EMAIL AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
AND THEN I'LL LET Y'ALL KNOW ANY UPDATES AFTER THAT MEETING, UH, NEXT MONTH ARE Y'ALL THERE SOUNDS GREAT.
THIS IS KAYLA CHAMPLIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
SO LAST YEAR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAD EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, DEVELOP, UM, BUDGET DEVELOPMENT EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.
AND, UH, SO WE ARE PLANNING TO WATERSHED IS PLANNING TO BRING THE BUDGET AND CIP UPDATES IN APRIL.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE A WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT SOMETIME THIS MONTH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WEEK OF MARCH 20TH.
UH, SO I WILL BE SENDING OUT SOME POTENTIAL DATES VIA EMAIL TOMORROW.
AND SO JUST FOR THE COMMISSION TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR EMAIL, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE WORK GROUP, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
OKEY-DOKE THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, KAYLA, THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURN? JUST REAL CURTIS COMMISSIONER GORDON, AND, UM, KAYLA AND ANDREW.
CHRIS COULD PROBABLY CONFIRM THIS.
MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE, THE, UH, WINTER STORM, YOU KNOW, DELAYED VARIOUS ASPECTS OF NEW APPOINTEES COMING ON BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PEOPLE GETTING REPLACED AND ALL THAT.
UH, SO I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE AS I, I KNOW THAT ALL THAT STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT I'VE READ RATHER THAN PEOPLE HAVING BEEN SEATED.
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THIS MEETING, I GUESS THAT'S GONNA GO ON A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
POINT TAKEN ANYTHING ELSE? IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
[02:30:01]
MEETING AT EIGHT 37.