[00:00:10]
ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO CALL THIS
[CALL TO ORDER]
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.I WILL BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HERE.
LAMBERG COMMISSIONER GUERRERO HERE.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]
ONE A APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MAY 5TH, 2021.I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
YOU HAVE A COMMISSIONER BROWN RICE.
SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, EDITS CHANGES PRIOR TO OUR VOTE? UM, ALL IN FAVOR, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY YES.
MOTION CARRIES HAVE SEVEN, SEVEN.
[2a. Austin Civilian Conservation Corps Program Overview—Daniel Culotta, Innovation Office (20 minutes)]
OUR AGENDA OR, UH, STAFF BRIEFINGS, UH, TO EIGHT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS PROGRAM OVERVIEW.UH, WE HAVE MR. COLETTA HERE, I BELIEVE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
EXCELLENT, GREAT JARON COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY TO PRESENT ON THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS PROGRAM.
UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND JUMP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UH, AS YOU MAY ALL BE AWARE THE S UH, CONSERVATION CORPS OR A TRIPLE C AS WE CALL IT, UM, WAS CREATED BY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO NOW, UH, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE ATRIAL SEAT.
UM, IT IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS, UM, IT WAS A CUPBOARD RESPONSE PROGRAM, UH, THAT WAS FRAMED TO HELP AUSTINITES, WHO'VE BEEN ECONOMICALLY IMPACTED BY COVID-19, UH, EARN AN INCOME, UH, SO THEIR COMMUNITY AND GAINED SKILLS, UM, THAT CAN LEAD TO NEW CAREERS IN CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY FIELDS.
WE WERE REALLY WANTING TO FOCUS ON IS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, ACTUALLY ECONOMIC EFFECTED IN SECTORS.
I LEFT A MESSAGE SAYING I CAN'T COME TO, UM, AND, UH, THAT, UH, THAT HAD BEEN, UH, IN ECONOMIC SECTORS THAT WERE HEAVILY AFFECTED ABOUT A PANDEMIC AND MAYBE TO, UH, SWITCH JOBS AND SWITCH CAREERS AND WERE INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF WORK.
UM, WE ARE FOCUSING ON A BROAD RANGE OF GREEN JOBS, UM, CERTAINLY KIND OF OUTDOOR CONSERVATION RELATED JOBS INITIALLY, BUT ALSO ALSO THINGS LIKE PUBLIC ART, GREEN BUILDING.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, ITEMS IN CIRCULAR ECONOMY, UM, STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON CREATING EQUITABLE ACCESS, UM, THROUGH LOW BARRIER SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS, UH, THAT ALSO HELP CREATE PATHWAYS, UM, TO ADDITIONAL JOBS AND CAREERS.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING THIS, UH, UH, WITH A PROGRAM TEAM, UH, THAT I'M HEADING, UH, AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, EXCELLENT DEPARTMENTS,
[00:05:01]
UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION, PARD, UM, CPIO ARR, UH, EBD AND MANY OTHERS.UH, AND WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER TO PUT THESE PROJECTS TOGETHER AND SUPPORT THEM AS A CARRIED FORWARD.
UH, WE WERE GIVEN $500,000 FROM GENERAL FUND RESERVES, UM, INITIALLY WITH THE PROGRAM OR AUTHORIZED TO SEEK A 2.5 MILLION MORE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO THAT BASICALLY MEANS, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, EXISTING BUDGETS, YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW, UH, OVER THE YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE, UH, SEVERAL PROGRAMS THROUGH LOTS OF GREAT PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US IN THEIR, THESE ADMINISTER THESE PROGRAMS WE'VE CREATED, UM, A AND EIGHT POSITIONS, UM, THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAMS. UM, WE HAVE NOW ABOUT A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION, UH, ALLOCATED OR IN PLAY FOR THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS. AND, UM, SEVERAL OF THE PROGRAMS HAVE FUNDING FOR NOW INTO THEIR SECOND YEAR.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP AND THE TOP ROW THERE, THAT WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT FOCUS AREAS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING SEVERAL MORE AS THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES AND, UM, HAS MADE A PERMANENT PART OF THE CITY, YOU A THAT SLIDE.
SO THIS ARE, THESE ARE POTENTIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UM, AGAIN WITH OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, UM, THESE WERE THINGS, THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO OR HOPE TO DO, OR THINGS THAT THEY SEE A NEED FOR, BUT DON'T HAVE FUNDING THAT THEY CAN ALLOCATE TO.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S, THERE'S $5 MILLION AT LEAST OF WORK THAT WE'VE FOUND ALREADY THAT COULD CREATE, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO 300 ADDITIONAL JOBS AND PARTICIPANTS, UM, FOR PEOPLE, UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE ARE, UH, WE MAY POTENTIALLY GET AN ALLOCATION THROUGH THE, UM, RPA SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND IN ANY CASE WE INTEND TO, UH, MAKE THE PROGRAM PERMANENT, UM, AND CARRY IT FORWARD AND, UH, UNDERTAKE, UH, AT LEAST, UM, HOPEFULLY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE PROGRAMS AND MANY OTHERS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN IDENTIFIED YET.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL HERE, UM, TO GET PEOPLE WORKING IN THESE FIELDS, AUSTIN, YOU HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE PARTNERS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO OUR WORK.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IN WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS IS THEY HAVE THE WILL.
IN MANY CASES, THEY CAN, UM, HARNESS THE RESOURCES TO CREATE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, BUT ADMINISTERING THEM, UM, IS DIFFICULT.
AND, UH, OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE EXCELLENT TIES TO THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHICH WE REALLY WANT TO SERVE WITH THIS PROGRAM, UM, THAT, THAT TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO THESE TYPES OF JOBS, UM, AND THIS TYPE OF TRAINING.
SO WE WORKED WITH A VARIETY OF PARTNERS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS GABA, UH, THE CARPENTER'S UNION, UM, MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES THAT'S COMMUNITY, FIRST VILLAGE CREATIVE ACTION, THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, AND RAISING IN THE SUN ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT MODEL WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP HAVE THEM HELP ADMINISTER IT.
UM, AND I, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE AS WE DO EXPAND OUR PORTFOLIO.
SO AS FAR AS OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT GOES, UM, WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, ADVERTISE OPPORTUNITIES AS COME UP THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, A COMMS TEAM THAT'S LED BY, UM, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, UH, AND HAS MEMBERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THEY DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRAMS, UM, RUN SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS, ET CETERA.
WE ADVERTISE THESE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
UM, SO, SO BASICALLY AS FAST AS WE CAN GET THESE PROGRAMS OFF THE GROUND, WE, WE THEN, UH, RECRUIT PEOPLE AND GET THEM, GET THEM WORKING SO THEY CAN START EARNING INCOME AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY, THEY COME OUT, UM, UH, NOT, NOT ALL TOGETHER IN A GROUP.
UM, THE, OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THAT I MENTIONED ON THAT LAST SLIDE, UH, AGAIN, THEY HAVE GREAT TIES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES, SO THEY CARRY OUT, UM, THE RECRUITMENT AND APPLICATION PROCESSES PRIMARILY, UH, WITH SUPPORT FROM US.
WE'VE BEEN REALLY INTENTIONAL AND HAVING AS LOW BARRIER OF AN APPLICATION PROCESSES WE CAN, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T BLOCKED FROM THESE, UH, PROGRAMS. UM, AND, UH, OUR, OUR ONLY REAL REQUIREMENTS
[00:10:01]
ARE THAT, UH, THE, THE PARTICIPANT HAS BEEN ECONOMICALLY AFFECTED BY COVID, UM, PAST THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE, UH, AND, AND DO THIS WORK THAT WE THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN.UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING METRICS THAT ARE SHARED ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WORKING WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT ISN'T, UM, IN WALES, WHERE WE MAY HAVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY AS THEY'VE BEEN, UM, INTERESTED AND ARE CREATING THEIR OWN VERSION OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS.
SO OUR INTENTION IS TO CONTINUE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM AND HOPEFULLY, UH, CREATE, UM, UH, SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT OR A WORK STRUCTURE, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PRETTY EASILY COLLABORATE ON WORK OF SIMILAR TYPES, UH, WITH THE SAME CREWS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, WE REALLY WANT TO, UH, I THINK ADVANCE THIS FROM A COVID RESPONSE PROGRAM TO A COMMUNITY-BASED AND AN ACUTE COMMUNITY INFORMED PROGRAM THAT HELPS ALL THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, UM, ENTER THESE, THESE CAREERS OPPORTUNITIES AND PURSUE OUR, UH, CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
SO FAR, WE'VE DONE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY OF IDENTIFYING, UM, PROGRAMS THAT DEPARTMENTS WOULD LIKE TO DO.
AND NOW WE UNDER ONE UNDER NOW, WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT RESIDENTS WANT AND NEED FROM THESE PROGRAMS, UM, AND START TO FILL THOSE AREAS, UH, AS WELL AS WHAT SOME OF THE LARGER ECONOMIC TRENDS SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD START DEVELOPING.
UH, WE'RE DOING THAT, UM, WITH THREE PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT AND ON THE GROUND NOW.
SO WE'RE DOING A COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND CO-CREATION WITH TWO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO GET A REAL DEEP SENSE OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC IN COMMUNITIES, AND ALSO WHAT THEY WOULD WANT TO SEE FROM A CONSERVATION CORPS AND WHAT FEATURES AND THE PROGRAMS THEY WOULD NEED FROM A SUPPORT STANDPOINT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE ON THESE, THESE JOB CHANGES AND INJURE THESE CAREERS.
WE'RE ALSO DOING A GREEN JOBS, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WITH UT.
UH, WE NEED A MUCH BETTER SENSE OF THE GREEN JOBS LANDSCAPE IN AUSTIN, BOTH WHAT IT IS NOW AND WHERE IT MAY DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE.
UH, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT, UM, AND ADVANCE SOME OF THE METHODOLOGIES AND THOSE AREAS AS WELL, UM, AND LEARNED SOME OF THE HIGHER LEVEL TRENDS THAT WE CAN DEVELOP TOWARDS.
AND FINALLY, WE KNOW THAT THE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC VALUE ANALYSIS IS GOING TO, UH, ELIMINATE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE PROGRAMS TO FILL YET.
SO WE WANT TO CREATE A GREEN JOBS PROGRAM, INCUBATOR OR ACCELERATOR, IF YOU WILL, WHERE WE CAN DEVELOP PROGRAMS TO FULFILL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, DESIGN THEM, PROTOTYPE THEM, UM, GET THEM WORKING REALLY WELL AND THEN INVEST IN THEM MORE, UM, AS THEY GET OFF THE GROUND.
SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DOING, WE'RE NOT PASSING UP ARTS OPPORTUNITIES JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM TO RUN IT.
WE WILL HELP CREATE THOSE OR SUPPORT PEOPLE IN CREATING THOSE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, PURSUE THOSE GOALS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO OBTAIN FUNDING COMMITMENTS FROM DEPARTMENTS FOR THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE STARTED, UM, OR NEW ONES, UH, IN FYI 22 AND BEYOND SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THESE JOBS GOING.
AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO, UH, AS I MENTIONED, PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED THE CONSERVATION CORPS, UH, THROUGH THE FYI 22 BUDGET, UH, AND POTENTIALLY THE, THE RPA SPENDING FRAMEWORK, UM, SO THAT IT BECOMES A PERMANENT PROGRAM.
UH, WE ARE JUST STARTING TO GET DATA AND FOR SOME OF OUR FIRST PROGRAMS ON THEIR EFFECTIVENESS, REALLY GREAT RESULTS SO FAR AS WE CONTINUE TO GET THAT, WE'LL USE THAT DATA, UM, TO, UH, AND COMBINE IT WITH THE USER RESEARCH ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, UM, UH, AND, AND OTHER ITEMS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT, AND HOW TO DEVELOP OUR PORTFOLIO FURTHER TO MEET ALL THE GOALS OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS.
YOU KNOW, THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THIS IS A BIT OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT I JUST DISCUSSED.
ESTABLISH OUR MAIN GOALS ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE CONSERVATION CORPS AS A PERMANENT CROSS DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAM, UM, WITH, UH, WITH AN ALLOCATED BUDGET, SO THEY CAN CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.
WE WANT TO EVOLVE INTO A MORE COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROGRAM OR RESIDENTS HELP INFORM THE DIRECTION AND STRUCTURE.
UH, WE WANT TO PARTNER ADDITIONAL GROUP WITH ADDITIONAL GROUPS, UH, BOTH WITHIN THE CITY AND OUTSIDE, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND BOTH IN OUR POSITIONS, IN THE AREAS THAT WE'RE WORKING IN, AND ALSO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF AREAS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE WORKING IN AT SUPPORT, UH, PROGRAMS. AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE
[00:15:01]
TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND BEYOND TO EXPAND TO A REGIONAL APPROACH AND ALIGN WITH, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR STATE AND FEDERAL INITIATIVES.YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE CLIMATE CORP AND OTHER WORK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS DOING IN THIS AREA.
AND, UH, WE'RE VERY, UM, KEYED INTO THAT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WELL POISED TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN ANY LARGER, UM, INITIATIVES THAT ARE, UM, PART OF THAT PART OF THAT, UH, FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND PROGRAMS. AND WE ALSO WANT TO HELP OTHERS REPLICATE OUR MODEL.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN VERY WELL-RECEIVED, UM, ACROSS THE CITY, UH, WITH RESIDENTS AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE BUILDING, UM, A MODEL FOR, AGAIN, PROVIDING MORE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO GREEN JOBS, UH, WALL, SO, UH, ACHIEVING ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS AND OUTCOMES.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT AND SPREAD IT AS FAR AS WE CAN.
NEXT SLIDE, WHICH I THINK IS THE LAST ONE.
SO YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE HERE AT THIS EVENING? UM, COMMISSIONER PRIMER, UM, DANIEL, UM, HOW MANY, HOW MANY FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN YOUR CONCENTRATION EFFORT, IF YOU MENTIONED THAT? YEAH, SO WE HAVE A FEW, JUST A BIT OVER A HUNDRED RIGHT NOW, JOHN CLEMENT.
THAT'S THE IVY TECH, I DIDN'T KNOW MY MICROSOFT, MY APOLOGIES.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE, THESE PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY, RIGHT? SO, UM, SOME OF THE PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS MAY BE A FEW WEEKS LONG.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE, ARE A BIT OVER A MONTH, AND THEN SOME OF THE CONSERVATION CREWS RUN FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR.
SO CUMULATIVELY, I SHOULD SAY WE'VE HAD, UH, A LITTLE BIT OVER A HUNDRED AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADD MORE AS WE GO.
SO MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION WOULD BE, WHERE DO YOU RECRUIT THESE PEOPLE? I MEAN, WERE THE PEOPLE THAT FILL THESE POSITIONS, WHERE DO YOU RECRUIT THEM FROM? YEAH, SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE PRIMARILY WORKING THROUGH COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HAS A REALLY STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, AND, AND OTHER, UH, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
UH, THESE HAVE BEEN VERY HEAVILY EFFECTED BY THE ECONOMIC, UM, PANDEMIC.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE OR TIES TO, FOR INSTANCE, THE ARTISTS COMMUNITIES, UM, WHO WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY MOST APPROPRIATE TO DO A PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION, FOR INSTANCE.
SO IT'S REALLY A VARIED APPROACH.
UM, CAN WE TRY AND WE TRY AND DO VERY TARGETED RECRUITING, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITIES AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, THAT THE PROGRAM, UM, MAYBE BEST SUITED FOR.
WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THIS AS WE, UH, DO THIS COMMUNITY RESEARCH, UM, THAT I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE'RE DOING IS GETTING FEEDBACK AND CONSULTATION ON OUR RECRUITING SO THAT WE CAN DO IT AS COMPREHENSIVELY AS POSSIBLE WHILE STILL MAKING SURE THAT, UH, PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TRADITIONALLY ACCESS THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.
AND THE REASON I ASK IS I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE WORK REQUIRES SPECIALIZED SKILLS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED THE ARTISTS AND SO FORTH, BUT, UH, YOU ALSO MENTIONED UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THE REASON I ASKED SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE, UH, HOMELESS POPULATION, EVERYTHING, TO ME THAT SEEMS LIKE A, UH, AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE WITH A GENERALIZED, UH, SKILLSET MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOME WORK, UH, YOU KNOW, AN AREA THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE AN IN-DEPTH, YOU KNOW, A SPECIFIC SKILL LIKE ART, OR, YOU KNOW, STONE CUTTING, OR I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE SOME, DO YOU WANT TO BRING UP THREE HEADS, FISH AND LOAVES AND ALL THOSE THAT SLOTS SHOW THE ORGANIZATION SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE YEAH.
AND, AND WHILE THEY'RE BRINGING UP THAT SLIDE, UM, I CA I COMPLETELY AGREE.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, UH, WHO RUNS THE WORKFORCE FIRST PROGRAM.
UM, THEY'VE CREATED A CREW THAT, UH, WORKS WITH THE CONSERVATION CORPS THAT HELPS, UH, CLEAR INVASIVES AND, AND PICK UP TRASH AND DO OTHER TASKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERSHED, UM, DEVELOPMENT, UH, I'M SORRY, WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THE CARPENTER'S UNION IS DOING WORK, UH, WITH THEIR PARTICIPANTS AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
[00:20:01]
IS AND FISHES, AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT, UH, WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY SOON AS WELL.SO, I MEAN, YOU, YOU REALLY NAILED IT.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK THAT THESE FOLKS CAN DO, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE LIVING THAT EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS.
UH, WE HOPE TO EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE ONE OF OUR, OUR BIG GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS IS THAT WHILE PEOPLE ARE GETTING PUT TO WORK, THEY'RE ALSO GETTING TRAINING, THEY'RE GETTING CERTIFICATIONS, THEY'RE GETTING EXPERIENCE AND THEY'RE GETTING SUPPORT TO TAKE THEIR NEXT STEP.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SERVE EVEN MORE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, WE HAVE ESPERANSA COMMUNITY.
AND SO I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT THROUGH THE OTHER ONES TO REACH ANY YOUTH THAT ARE OVER THERE, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY DOING A YEMEN'S TASK OF CLEANING UP THE, THE, THE WOODS AREA THAT SAID JASON.
UM, SO I, I JUST DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WOULD REACH OUT TO THEM PLEASE.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS.
AND WE ABSOLUTELY REACH OUT TO THEM.
UH, I JUST, UH, I JUST NEED TO SAY, I, I JUST, YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
AND SO I HAD REQUESTED THAT YOU COME HERE AND, UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER BEDFORD, UH, WAS JUST RAISING HIM.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE WAS LIKE AN AGE LIMIT THAT Y'ALL TRY AND RECRUIT FOR THE JOBS YOU WORK WITH TEENAGERS ALSO, OR IS IT KIND OF LIKE 18 AND UP? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UH, IT'S IN A WAY, IT IS, UM, SPECIFIC TO THE PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY CAUSE WE'RE WORKING WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, FOR INSTANCE, AMERICAN USE WORKS, DID EXPAND THEIR PROGRAM.
UH, THEY RAISED VARIOUS LIMITS OF 35.
UH, UH, THE CARPENTER'S UNION THOUGH HAS HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE OVER 60.
SO WE TRY AND BE AS INCLUSIVE AS WE CAN AT THIS POINT.
UM, WE'RE, I DON'T BELIEVE IN OUR PROGRAMS WORK, UH, WITH NEIGHBORS OR RESIDENTS UNDER UH AJT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL, UM, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO CONNECT WITH, UM, AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO GET, UH, INVOLVED IN THOSE EVEN SOONER THAN, THAN WHEN THE KIDDOS ARE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE, BUT I DO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
I WANTED TO MAKE MYSELF, UM, UH, PERSONALLY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS INVOLVED WITH ONE OF THESE GROUPS TO REDO IT, A PORTION OF OUR TRIAL, AND IT WAS A LONG EXPERIENCE AND WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THIS GROUP, THIS CREW THAT WAS INVOLVED, DANIEL AND, UH, AND, AND THEY WERE SO GRACIOUS EVERY TIME THEY WERE LIKE, WE MISCALCULATED THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SAID, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WORKED THROUGH IT.
BUT, UM, IT ALL IN ALL WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE GOTTEN SOME COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS THAT THEY RAISED WITH ME IS THE MAINLY TRAINING AND SUPERVISION.
SO YOU NEED TO INCLUDE IN YOUR BACKUP NEXT TIME, THE TYPE OF TRAINING, HOW LONG THE TRAINING IS, IS, UM, AND LIKE SPECIFICALLY THE COMMENTS I RECEIVED WAS FOR TREES.
UM, THEY WOULDN'T, UM, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CERTIFIED ARBORIST, CUTTING TREES OR CUTTING LAMBS THAT COULD DAMAGE THE TREE HOUR TO AN INEXPERIENCED ON UNSUPERVISED.
SO I DO WANT IT TO PASS ON AND SHARE THOSE COMMENTS I RECEIVED, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS THEY'RE DOING CREEK RAICES RESTORATION OR FORESTRY, THAT, THAT THEY LOOK AT THE TRAINING AND THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE TYPE OF TRAINING THEY'RE GETTING AND, UH, WHO IS PLUGGING INTO TRYING THEM.
AND SO, UM, UH, I'M SURE THAT, UM, YOU HAVE, UH, SOME DATA YOU CAN SHARE WITH US AS TIME GOES
[00:25:01]
ON.AND, UM, AGAIN, THOSE WERE THE TWO THINGS THAT CAME FORWARD WAS TRAINING AND SUPERVISION.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT DATA NEXT TIME WE'RE HERE.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING.
SEE, I KNOW THIS IS, THIS IS AUDREY BARRETT.
UM, ONE QUICK QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT YOU, UM, THE PROGRAM IS, UM, HAVING A HARDER TIME RECRUITING PEOPLE OR HAVING A HARDER TIME GETTING PARTNERSHIP, GETTING PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE INVOLVED, OR IS IT KIND OF JUST GROWING SORT OF SAMUEL TAPE SIMULTANEOUSLY? UM, OVERTIME? YEAH, I WOULD SAY, I WOULD SAY IT'S GROWING SIMULTANEOUSLY, FOR SURE.
TYPICALLY THERE'S A VERY HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM RESIDENTS, WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD ANY TROUBLE FILLING THE SPOTS.
UM, SO MANY PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF VARIED WORK.
UH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP, UH, CAPACITY WITH ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S JUST SO MANY, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN, FOR INSTANCE, HIRE, UM, AND, AND SUPERVISE AND PROVIDE TRAINING, ET CETERA, OR A CAREER.
SO, UM, THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM THAT I MENTIONED, UH, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO HELP BUILD THAT CAPACITY, UM, WITH ADDITIONAL PROGRAM PARTNERS AND FIND SOME INNER INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIONS THAT MAYBE AREN'T THERE NOW, BUT TOGETHER WE CAN, WE CAN SERVICE THOSE PROGRAMS. MADAM CHAIR, YOU ARE MUTED FOR UPDATING US AS THE NEXT STAFF PERSON.
SO, UM, OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS
[2b. Update on Country Club West at Roy G. Guerrero Park—Janna Renfro, Engineer, Watershed Protection Department (20 minutes)]
TO BE UPDATE ON COUNTRY CLUB WEST AT THE ROY G. PARK.AND WE HAVE JENNA RENFRO PRESENTING THIS EVENING.
WELCOME, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
DO AN INTRO WHILE THIS COMES UP.
UM, WE'VE, UM, WE'VE BEEN BRIEFING Y'ALL, UM, ON THIS PROJECT FOR A FEW YEARS.
UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST, UH, AN UPDATE, UM, BUT WE WILL COVER SOME HISTORY.
UM, SO MY NAME IS JANA RENFRO.
I'M AN ENGINEER WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'M THE PROJECT SPONSOR FOR THIS CHANNEL STABILIZATION PROJECT IN ROY GUERRERO PARK.
I'M GOING TO PREEMPTIVELY APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INTERRUPTIONS BY DOG OR CHILD OR OTHER, UM, AND, AND JUST KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED.
SO, UM, IN THIS PRESENTATION, THIS UPDATE, UM, THERE'S, UM, THIS IS PURELY INFORMATIONAL, SO I WANT TO MAKE THIS AS USEFUL TO Y'ALL AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE'LL COVER BRIEFLY THE HISTORY OF, OF, OF THE PROBLEM, THE SOLUTION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, AND THEN UPDATES ON WHERE WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF, UM, SCHEDULE AND COSTS.
AND THEN, UM, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU'LL HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
LIZ JOHNSON DROPPED OUT OF THE CALL AND HAD TO COME BACK.
AND WHEN SHE CAME BACK, OH, IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH JANNA? I'M HERE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME, KAYLA? YOU ARE COMING THROUGH SAYING JANET, CAN YOU HEAR US? I CAN HEAR YOU ALL.
SO, UM, JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL ORIENTED, CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE GIVEN SEVERAL UPDATES ON THIS, ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO THIS WILL BE, UM, KIND OF OLD, OLD INFORMATION TO SOME, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, SO THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING IS LOCATED WITHIN
SO THE, THE MAP THAT YOU'RE LOOKING, THE LARGE GREEN POLYGON THAT'S THE PARK ITSELF, THERE ARE, UM, THE PARK IS LOCATED AT ABOUT 400 ACRES LOCATED ON THE COLORADO RIVER, JUST DOWNSTREAM OF LONGHORN DAM.
SO YOU CAN SEE LADY BIRD LAKE THERE ON THE TOP LEFT AND LONGHORN DAM, AND THEN THE COLORADO RIVER
[00:30:01]
DOWNSTREAM, THERE ARE TWO CREEKS THAT GO THROUGH THE PARK.ONE IS COUNTRY CLUB WEST, THAT'S THE BLUE LINE ON THE LEFT SIDE.
AND THE OTHER IS COUNTRY CLUB EAST ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT MAP, THE PROJECT AREA IS LOCATED IN COUNTRY CLUB WEST.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT BLUE LINE USED TO GO OUT TO THE COLORADO RIVER, KIND OF TOWARDS THE EAST A LONGER PATH.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR PROJECT AREA AND KIND OF THROUGH THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE POLYGON, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A NEW CHANNEL THERE.
SO THAT IS THE NEW PATH OF COUNTRY CLUB WEST.
AND THIS IS THE AREA THAT IS CURRENTLY ERODING ACTIVELY.
AND, UM, IT'S THE AREA THAT WE WILL BE STABILIZING WITH THIS PROJECT.
THE NEXT SLIDE IN, UM, 2015, I THINK MANY OF Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT WE HAD VERY SEVERE FLOODING BOTH MEMORIAL DAY AND HALLOWEEN, UM, FLOOD.
UM, THIS IS THE, THESE ARE THE EVENTS THAT, UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF A, UM, UH, A PROBLEM WITH THE PARK FOR, FOR VERY, A LONG TIME.
BUT IT WAS THESE EVENTS THAT REALLY CREATED THIS MUCH SHORTER DRAINAGE PATH TO THE RIVER.
SO COUNTRY CLUB WEST IS AN ENGINEERED CHANNEL.
IT'S A FLOOD BYPASS, UM, THAT WAS, UM, CREATED OR CONSTRUCTED IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, LATE SEVENTIES TO REMOVE FLOODPLAINS FROM A, UM, APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT ALONG RIVERSIDE.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE AN EAST AND WEST.
UM, IT ACTUALLY BIFURCATED THE CREEK AND, UM, ALL OF COUNTRY CLUB WEST IS A CONSTRUCTED CHANNEL.
THIS CHANNEL WAS UNFORTUNATELY NEVER FINISHED, NEVER TAKEN TO THE RIVER IN A STABLE MANNER.
AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN, LIKE I SAID, PROBLEMS OVER THE YEARS, BUT THE FLOODS IN 2015 ARE REALLY WHAT, UM, WHERE THE TIPPING POINT FOR THIS CHANNEL TO TAKE ALL THE WATER, UM, IN THIS SHORTER PATH TO THE RIVER AND THAT TRIGGERED, UM, EROSION THAT REALLY IS NOT, UM, IS NOT STOPPABLE WITHOUT A LARGE CAPITAL PROJECT, UM, A CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT TO, UM, TO FIX IT.
SO, UM, THIS CHANNEL, UH, WHAT YOU SEE THERE IN THE PICTURE IS THE CHANNEL ITSELF.
UM, THE BALL FIELDS ARE, UM, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PICTURE, TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PICTURE.
AND THEN TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PICTURE IS WHERE THE DISC GOLF COURSES, THE BRIDGE THAT YOU SEE GOING ACROSS, THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED BY, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PROJECT IN 2010.
AND SO THE EROSION, UM, BASICALLY SWEPT THE RUG OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THIS, THIS BRIDGE.
AND IT COLLAPSED IN 2015, UM, THIS POINT, UM, FROM, SO THE TOP OF THE PICTURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THE UPSTREAM.
AND SO THE COLORADO RIVER IS, UM, IS TOWARDS THE END OF THE, UH, THE BOTTOM OF THE PICTURE.
AND SO THE, THE WATER THAT WAS FLOWING, UM, TOWARDS THE COLORADO, FROM THE TOP OF THE SCREEN TO THE BOTTOM, THAT EROSION CONTINUED TO WORK ITS WAY UPSTREAM.
SO IN BETWEEN MAY OF 2015, WHEN THAT BRIDGE STARTED TO REALLY COLLAPSE, UM, AND DECEMBER OF 2017, THE EROSION AND THE CHANNEL PROGRESS 1500 FEET APPROXIMATELY UPSTREAM.
AND SO IT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF EROSION IN A VERY SHORT TIME PERIOD.
THIS IS UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT WE REALLY SEE IN CHANNELS.
AND OFTEN IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE SAND AND THE HYDROLOGY, BUT REALLY THE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS PROJECT WAS NEVER PROPERLY FINISHED AND TAKEN TO THE RIVER IN A STABLE MANNER MANNER.
SO THE SOLUTION TO STABILIZE THIS CHANNEL IS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE FOUR DECADES AGO, WHICH IS TWO STEPS IS CHANNELED DOWN IN A STABLE WAY SO THAT IT CAN MAKE IT SWAY TO THE COLORADO RIVER WITHOUT DOING ALL OF THIS, UM, UH, ERODING THAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
SO THE, UM, PICTURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING HERE IS AS A PLAN THAT IS, UM, OUR ENGINEERING PLANS FOR THE PROJECT, THE BLUE, UM, THE BLUE POLYGON IS THE CHANNEL, THE PROPOSED CHANNEL ALIGNMENT, AND THE RED BOXES THAT YOU SEE THERE ARE THESE, UM, WHAT THEY WILL BE CONCRETE, UM, DROP STRUCTURES, AND THESE STRUCTURES ARE NECESSARY.
ALTHOUGH WE TYPICALLY REALLY LIKE TO AVOID CONCRETE IN OUR CREEKS, THESE STRUCTURES ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO, UM, STEP THE WATER DOWN TO THE RIVER AND REALLY TAKES THE ENERGY OUT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IN ALL THE REST OF THE BLUE AREA AS MUCH OF A NATURAL CHANNEL AS POSSIBLE,
[00:35:01]
UM, THAT IS REALLY, UH, HONORS KIND OF THE WILDLIFE OF THIS AREA AND THE PARK-LIKE SETTING.AND SO THE, THE RED, UM, STRUCTURES WILL BE LARGE.
THEY WILL BE CONCRETE, BUT WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD IN THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS TO MAKE THEIR FOOTPRINT AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE REMAINDER OF THE CHANNEL COULD BE, UM, NATURAL.
THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WILL BE LOCATED OVER THE, UM, MIDDLE STRUCTURE THERE, UM, WHERE IT SAYS PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, AND THAT WILL BE LOCATED ABOVE THE, THE, UM, A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD EVENT.
AND, UM, WE'LL BE STABILIZED ON THAT, THAT MIDDLE STRUCTURE.
UM, WHILE WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING THIS PROJECT, UM, THE CHANNEL HAS CONTINUED TO RAPIDLY ERODE, AND SO WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF TEMPORARY REPAIRS TO REALLY TRY TO HOLD THE LINE BECAUSE EVERY TIME IT RAINS AND THERE'S MORE ROADS THAN THIS PROJECT BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED AND MORE EXPENSIVE, UM, TO THE CITY.
SO THE VERY FIRST PROJECT WE DID WAS TO PROTECT, UM, EROSION THAT WAS APPROACHING THE BALL FIELDS.
SO YOU CAN SEE A BEFORE PICTURE IS BANK CONTINUED TO WORK ITS WAY TOWARDS THE BALL FIELDS.
UM, AND THEN AN AFTER PICTURE, THIS, THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNED BY OUR STAFF AND CONSTRUCTED BY OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE STAFF.
NEXT SLIDE, THE SECOND PROJECT THAT WE COMPLETED, UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE EROSION CONTINUED TO WORK ITS WAY ALMOST 1500 FEET UP THE CHANNEL IN A MATTER OF 18 MONTHS OR SO.
AND SO OUR GOAL WITH THIS PROJECT WAS TO STOP THAT EROSION FROM PROGRESSING ANY FARTHER UPSTREAM.
SO WITHOUT SOME KIND OF MEASURES TO STOP THIS, UM, WHAT WE CALL A HEAD CUT, UM, IN KIND OF LIKE OUR, UH, NERDY CHANNEL SPEAK, UM, IN ORDER TO STOP THAT WE HAD TO STABILIZE THIS, UM, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE BEFORE PICTURE IS WHAT WE CALL THE HEAD CUT.
SO IT'S THIS KIND OF WATERFALL THAT IS, UM, CAUSING SOIL LOSS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE EVERY TIME IT RAINS, THAT'S JUST A BARE SOIL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BANK THERE, WATER JUST FALLS OVER THAT AND CONTINUES TO ERODE, AND IT JUST KEEPS MOVING UPSTREAM.
AND SO THE AFTER PICTURE SHOWS, UM, WHERE WE STABILIZED THAT, UM, TO HOLD THAT LINE SO THAT WE, UM, WE'RE AT LEAST KEEPING THE FOOTPRINT OF THIS PROJECT, UM, AS, AS STABLE AS POSSIBLE, UM, THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2018.
SO UPDATES SINCE WE LAST SPOKE WITH YOU ALL, UM, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE CONTINUED TO DO TO HOLD THE LINE ON THIS PROJECT AND PROTECT PARKLANDS AND PARK RESOURCES.
UM, SO WE'VE COMPLETED THREE ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY REPAIR PROJECTS, UM, THAT I'LL SHOW PICTURES OF.
AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN OUR DESIGN, UM, FOR THE PERMANENT SOLUTION, UM, FOR THE PROJECT.
SO, UM, SINCE WE LAST UPDATED, Y'ALL, WE'VE REACHED THE DESIGN MILESTONES FOR 60 AND 90% DELIVERABLES.
AND WITH THAT WE'VE, UM, RECEIVED UPDATED CONSTRUCTION, COST ESTIMATES, AND UPDATED SCHEDULE, NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO TEMPORARY REPAIRS THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, WE, UH, FLEW THIS WHOLE AREA.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE A DRONE THAT CAN PICK UP TOPOGRAPHY.
SO IN 2009 SUMMER OF 2019, WE FLEW THE FULL AIR WHOLE AREA TO TRY TO SEE WHAT'S CHANGING.
CAUSE IT'S VERY LARGE, THERE'S A LOT OF DOWN TREES.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TELL WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD A 54 INCH EXPOSE AN ACTIVE WASTEWATER LINE.
AND THEN WE ALSO SAW THAT WE HAD GOTTEN QUITE A BIT OF ROW OF EROSION THAT WAS PROGRESSING TOWARDS THE PARK ROAD TO ACCESS THOSE BACK BALL FIELDS.
SO THE, UM, THIRD PROJECT WAS THE THIRD PROJECT WAS TO, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN WATER, PROTECT THIS THE 54 INCH, UM, WASTEWATER LINE.
AND SO THERE'S A BEFORE AND AN AFTER NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS, UM, SHOWING PROTECTION OF THAT PARK ROAD TO ACCESS THE BASKETBALL FIELDS IN THAT BACK PARKING LOT.
AND SO JUST STABILIZING THAT TALL CUT BANK, UM, WITH SOME ROCKETS OF TOE TO KEEP IT FROM CONTINUING TO WORK ITS WAY TOWARDS THE ROAD.
AND THEN, UM, UNFORTUNATELY OUR, YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THE SECOND PROJECT WAS, UM, TO HOLD THAT LINE SO THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING ADDITIONAL EROSION UPSTREAM THAT PROJECT AFTER A GOOD,
[00:40:02]
I GUESS TWO YEARS OF, UM, REALLY TRYING TO HOLD ON, UM, DID FINALLY FAIL.AND SO WE, UM, CONSTRUCTED A REPAIR FOR THAT AND REALLY TRIED TO BEEF IT UP.
UM, SO THAT WAS OUR TEMPORARY PROJECT NUMBER FIVE, UM, TO JUST CONTINUE TO HOLD THAT PROJECT FOOTPRINT AS TIGHT AS WE CAN.
UM, SO SINCE WE'VE LAST UPDATED, UH, THE COMMISSION WE'VE GONE THROUGH 60% DESIGN MILESTONE, AND THEN JUST IN THIS PAST MONTH IN APRIL, WE RECEIVED OUR 90% DESIGN DELIVERABLES.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN UPDATED CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATES, UM, 22 MILLION TO 28 MILLION IS THE CURRENT, UM, ESTIMATE RANGE, NEXT SLIDE.
AND, UM, THE PROJECT SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE, UM, CURRENTLY UPDATED FROM, UM, THE ENGINEER IS THAT WE WILL COMPLETE DESIGN THIS YEAR.
WE WILL GO TO BID AND CONSTRUCTION IN 2022.
AND, UM, FROM WHEN WE START CONSTRUCTION, WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT A 24 MONTH CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.
AND SO COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION IN 2024.
AND SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONERS YES.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OR, OR MAYBE JUST, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT KIND OF RED CHECK STRUCTURES, UM, ARE THOSE GOING TO HOLD BACK ALL WATER OR LIKE, UM, DURING EVERY EVENT OR JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, A, A LARGER EVENT AND THEN KIND OF HOW YOU, YOU HAD SAID THAT MAYBE TRYING TO KEEP THE CHANNEL A LITTLE MORE NATURAL BETWEEN THOSE STRUCTURES.
UM, IF YOU COULD MAYBE EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A SENIOR PILOT CHANNEL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BETWEEN THE BIG, UH, RED CHECKS.
AND, UM, MAYBE I DIDN'T ACCURATELY DESCRIBE THOSE STRUCTURES SO THAT THEY WILL BE WEIRD WITH, UM, BASICALLY AN ENERGY DISSIPATION BELOW, SO THEY WON'T HOLD BACK ANY, UM, ANY WATER THEY WERE, UM, WE USE THE, AT THE TIME, THE 500 YEAR DESIGN STORM BECAUSE WE KNEW ATLAS 14 WAS COMING.
UM, AND WE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LARGER A HUNDRED YEAR STORM.
SO, UM, THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S THE CURRENT 100 YEAR EVENTS TO CONVEY THOSE.
UM, AND THEN THE CHANNEL IN BETWEEN, UM, W WE'VE DONE QUITE A, UM, THE CONSULTANT HAS DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON LOOKING AT WHAT, UM, AMOUNT OF VEGETATION WE CAN ALLOW TO GROW IN THAT CHANNEL AND STILL, UM, CONTAIN THE FLOWS WITHIN THE CHANNEL BECAUSE, UM, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THEM GETTING OUT AND CAUSING EROSION, UM, AROUND IT.
THE STRUCTURES ARE ELSEWHERE IN THE PARK.
SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT MAINTENANCE REGIMES, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, NATIVE GRASSES MOST CERTAINLY, UM, ON THE, ON THE CHANNEL BANKS.
SO IT'LL BE A 150 FOOT WIDE, ESSENTIALLY TRAPEZOIDAL SHAPED CHANNEL, UM, WITH VEGETATED BANKS, THE BED, UM, THE BED WILL BE KIND OF WHAT IT WANTS TO BE.
SO RIGHT NOW I DON'T, I WOULD, I WISH WE WERE KIND OF OUT THERE.
I HAD A PICTURE OF IT, BUT THERE'S, IT'S KIND OF DEVELOPED THIS REALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PRETTY BRAIDED CHANNEL.
UM, IT'S REALLY HAS A LOT OF INTEREST ACTUALLY.
LIKE IT'S KIND OF FUN TO WALK IN AND LIKE, WE'LL GET, PICK UP ROCKS AND STUFF.
SO WE WANT TO LEAVE THAT BED AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE.
WE IMAGINE THAT THERE WILL BE, UM, IT'LL ACTUALLY BE KIND OF DYNAMIC AND CHANGING WITH STORM EVENTS AS CHANNELS SHOULD.
UM, BUT IT WILL BE CONTAINED IN THAT 150 FOOT WIDE CHANNEL.
SO, UM, WE WILL GIVE IT A PILOT CHANNEL TO BEGIN WITH THAT IS IN THE DESIGN AND IT'S PART OF OUR CORE PERMITTING.
UM, BUT WE ALSO IMAGINE THAT IT WILL KIND OF MAKE IT WHAT IT WANTS TO BE.
AND SO WE WON'T, UM, WE TO BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A NATURAL AESTHETIC IN-BETWEEN THOSE DRAFT STRUCTURES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I KNOW WE LOST A LOT OF TREES, LIKE HUNDREDS OF TREES IN YOUR BACKUP.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO REPLANT ANY
[00:45:01]
OF THOSE OR IS THAT IN YOUR BUDGET? AND THEN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED TO US THAT THERE WAS ONE UNEXPECTED FAIL, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENT COMING.UM, HAVE YOU ALLOWED FOR THAT IN THE PLAN AND ARE YOU TRYING TO LIMIT UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENT FROM, UM, USING COUNTRY CLUB CREEK DURING THIS TIME WHEN YOU'RE IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS? SURE.
SO, UM, THE FIRST QUESTION ON TREES, UH, WE ARE IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH PARD AND PART FORESTRY ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE DEFINITELY FEEL THAT LOSS LIKE AS STAFF VERY PERSONALLY, UM, WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO PLANT AS MANY TREES AS WE CAN WITHIN OUR PROJECT FOOTPRINT, UM, OUR DIRECTION AS A PROJECT TEAM, UM, IN THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT IN WATERSHED AND PARD, THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US IS, UM, DO WHAT YOU CAN WITHIN THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT AND LET'S GET THIS JOB DONE.
UM, WE WILL BE ACCOUNTING FOR TREE LOSS, UM, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES SO THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION.
AND THEN, UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO, UM, SOME LEVEL OF MITIGATION SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THAT PARK, BUT WE DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY, UH, CON I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCRETE PLANS TO SHOW WITH YOU, BUT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, I WILL SAY IT IS A DISCUSSION THAT IS, UM, ACTIVE AND TOP OF MIND FOR US.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENT, THIS PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR CREEKS KIND OF OUR URBAN CREEK SYNDROME OF, YOU KNOW, DEGRADATION AND INCISION AND WIDENING IS, IS VERY MUCH A PRODUCT OR A FUNCTION OF OUR URBAN HYDROLOGY.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE TOOK, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT OUT OF COUNTRY CLUB CREEK, WEST WATERSHED, THIS, THIS CHANNEL WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY TO FLATTEN ITSELF OUT.
AND SO, BECAUSE IT WAS A CONSTRUCTED CHANNEL, YOU KNOW, WATER WAS PUT HERE AND NEVER GIVEN A REALLY, UM, STABLE PATH TO THE RIVER.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO MAKE ITSELF AS FLAT AS SAND WANTS TO BE, WHICH IS BASICALLY COMPLETELY FLAT, UM, UNTIL SOMETHING IT, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A FUNCTION OF HYDROLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT AT THIS POINT, IT'S DEFINITELY A FUNCTION OF, UM, GETTING A STABLE, A STREAM BED AND, AND NOT REALLY REQUIRES THESE, THESE KIND OF BIG STEPS DOWN TO THE RIVER, UM, WHICH IS WHAT WILL STABILIZE IT.
WE HAVE DESIGNED THIS, UM, THIS PROJECT TO CONVEY THE FULLY DEVELOPED UPSTREAM CONDITIONS FOR THE A HUNDRED YEAR, UM, CURRENT A HUNDRED YEAR STORMS. SO MY QUESTION WAS, HAVE YOU, UM, IS THERE SOME SORT OF WAY TO DEAL WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE AND ADDING TO THAT? OR DID I JUST NOT HEAR YOU ANSWER ME ABOUT THAT? THEY JUST NEED A CLEAR PATH.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT IS THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IF, IF THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S WITHIN THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK WATERSHED, THE ENGINEERING PROJECT IS DESIGNING FOR FULLY DEVELOPED CONDITIONS.
UM, I, YEAH, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, THIS IS LIZ JOHNSTON WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND, UM, WE ARE AWARE OF THE, THE PROJECTS, UM, THAT ARE PROPOSED UPSTREAM OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THEY ARE REGULATED BY THE EAST CORRIDOR REGULATING PLAN.
HOWEVER, THAT PLAN DOES NOT GRANDFATHER THEM OUT OF STORMWATER, UM, REGULATIONS.
THEY WILL HAVE TO MEET CURRENT CODE FOR BOTH DRAINAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, CONSIDERATIONS.
AND SO WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, ENSURE, UM, THROUGH THE DSD ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW STAFF AND WATERSHED PROTECTION REVIEW STAFF THAT, UM, OUR CURRENT CODE IS, UM, MET WITH THOSE UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO THOSE DEVELOPMENTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO INCREASE FLOWS FROM WHAT THERE IS TODAY.
I'M HOPING THAT THAT IS THE CASE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONER WORSE.
UH, THIS COMMISSIONER BRIMER AGAIN, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FIRST, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, CREEKS HAVE A WAY, ESPECIALLY IN FLOOD CONDITIONS TO KIND OF CREATE THEIR OWN PATH.
[00:50:03]
AN IDEA OF HOW LONG THE SOLUTION THAT YOU ARE CREATING? THIS IS GOING TO LAST, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT IT TO LAST FOREVER, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM GOING FORWARD? THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE MONITORED AND ADJUSTED AS THE YEARS PROGRESS.IT'S, UM, ONE OF OUR MANTRAS AS THE PROJECT TEAM THAT WE WANT TO BE THE LAST ONES TO TOUCH THIS.
SO THIS IS A, WE ARE DESIGNING THIS, UM, IN MANY WAYS WITHOUT GOING INTO A LOT OF THE DETAILS, ALTHOUGH I'D BE HAPPY TO GO INTO THEM.
UM, WE ARE DESIGNING THIS WITH A EXTREME AMOUNT OF CONSERVATISM.
UM, WE'VE ALL LEARNED VERY TOUGH LESSONS FROM THIS CHANNEL.
IT HAS SHOWED US, UM, IT'S KIND OF THE POWER AND THE, UM, THE VOLATILITY OF THIS CONDITION.
AND WE ARE, UM, WE WANT THIS PROJECT TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, WE WANT THIS BRIDGE TO LAST FOR GENERATIONS.
UM, SO NO, THIS IS, I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD, BECAUSE, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS TOO.
THE INTERIM PROJECTS THAT I SHOWED, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION, THOSE WE KNOW ARE BAND-AIDS, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT THAT CREEK, UM, WILL NOT JUST KIND OF EAT THOSE ALIVE WITH TIME.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO DO WHAT WE COULD TO TRY TO HOLD THE LINE, UM, SO THAT THE PROJECTS THAT WE WERE DESIGNING TO BE A PERMANENT SOLUTION WILL NOT, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, COULD BE AS, UM, NOT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE OR BIGGER, I GUESS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION COMMISSIONER? UH, YES.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, UH, WHEN YOU, I NOTICED THOSE COUNTRIES STRUCTURES, YOU'RE BUILDING THERE TO SLOW THE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SPEED OF THE WATER IS IT MAKES ITS WAY TO, UH, THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES I SEE, OR EROSION ON THE, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE, ON THE EDGE OF THAT, UH, OF CONCRETE WHEN THAT'S DONE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WATER SWIRLS, UH, UNDER THERE, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE PLANNING FOR, OR HAVE ADJUSTED FOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE STRUCTURES DON'T FAIL AS TIME GOES ON.
UM, SO JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT INTO ONE OF THE MORE EXCITING PARTS OF THE DESIGN PROCESS IS, UM, WE, WE WENT THROUGH THE EXTRA STEP OF BUILDING A PHYSICAL SCALE MODEL WITH A, UM, A, UM, A LABORATORY IN VANCOUVER.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S RENOWNED FOR THIS TYPE OF, UM, HYDRAULIC MODELING IN A LABORATORY ENVIRONMENT, UM, TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE STRUCTURES THAT WE WERE BUILDING AND THE CHANNEL, UM, COULD, COULD WITHSTAND, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, HIGHEST FLOWS THAT WE WOULD, UM, IMAGINE THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN IT, UM, BASED ON THE DESIGN STORM.
UM, AND SO THOSE MODELS DID SHOW US WHERE WE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE EROSION, UM, DOWNSTREAM OF THE STRUCTURES AND HOW MUCH SCOUR WE MIGHT SEE.
AND SO THE, UM, ENGINEERING TEAM HAS DESIGNED, UM, KIND OF PROTECTIVE MEASURES USING LARGE DIAMETER, RIP RAP, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LARGE LANGSTON BOULDERS, UM, TO PROTECT THOSE AREAS DOWNSTREAM.
I MEAN, WE, WE DO EXPECT TO SEE THAT KIND OF SCOUR AND ADJUSTMENT, BUT THE OVERALL CHANNEL, UM, THE STRUCTURES AND THE CHANNEL HAVE BEEN, UM, DESIGNED TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
AND FINALLY, UM, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO RECLAIM THE OLD STREAM BED? YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REDIRECTING THE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU'RE ALLOWING FOR THE NEW BED, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE OLD STREAM BETTER? YOU'RE GOING TO CRY THE REPLAYING THAT AT ALL.
UM, CURRENTLY THAT, THAT OLD, UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, I THINK REMEMBERING THAT FIRST SLIDE OF THE PARK, HOW COUNTRY CLUB WEST USED TO GO OFF TO THE EAST AND THIS PATH, AND NOW WE'RE TAKING IT'S THE SHORTER PATH TO THE RIVER THAT WE'RE FORMALIZING WITH THIS PROJECT, UM, AND STABILIZING WHAT THIS PROJECT THAT, UM, OLD CREEK BED, WE ACTUALLY ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF PHIL FROM THIS PROJECT.
AND SO WE WILL BE TRYING TO, UM, USE THAT PHIL TO, UM, FILL IN THAT OLD BED THAT IS COMPLETELY ABANDONED.
SO NO WATER GOES, UM, GOES THERE ANYMORE.
NOW THAT THE PAST OF THE RIVER THAT IT'S SEEKING NOW IS MUCH LOWER.
UM, AND SO WE WILL USE ANY ADDITIONAL FILL THAT'S LEFT OVER FROM THIS PROJECT, AND WE WILL USE IT, UM, TO FILL IN THAT OLD STREAM BED.
[00:55:04]
OKAY.FIRST OF ALL, DO NOT LEAVE UNTIL THIS IS COMPLETED THROUGH THICK AND THIN.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW IF THOSE FEDERAL FEMA GRANTS IS STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE COST, THE JAR WOULD YOU LOOKED AT THAT SEEMS EONS AGO, OR Y'ALL HAVING CONCERNS ABOUT COVERING THOSE COSTS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, SO WE, THIS PROJECT, WE CONSIDER IT FULLY FUNDED.
I THINK YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THE INITIAL COST, UM, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING ON THIS PROJECT, WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THIS CHANNEL WAS GOING TO NEED TO REALLY BE STABLE.
AND SO PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING GAVE US AN IDEA.
SO WE WERE THINKING AROUND 15 MILLION, UM, THE FEMA GRANTS COVER, WE, THAT IS STILL, UM, WE STILL HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO US.
IT COVERS EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION OF THE COST.
UM, THE REMAINDER OF THE COST OF THAT COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF, UM, FUNDS FROM PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DRAINAGE, UTILITY FUND, AND 2018 BOND FUNDS.
SO W WE ARE, UM, COMMITTED TO FUNDING THIS PROJECT, EVEN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS ESTIMATES THAT ARE, UM, ARE, ARE COMING UP NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS IT GOES OUT TO BIDDING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN BECAUSE PART OF THIS HUGE CATASTROPHE IS BECAUSE OF SOME SORT OF, AND I CAN SAY IT, YOU CAN'T INCOMPETENCY FROM SOMEONE ELSE THAT BID IT OUT AND BUILT THE ORIGINAL ONE THAT FAILED FURTHER DOWN OR UP.
AND SO, UH, WHAT KIND OF INSPECTION WILL HAPPEN, UH, AFTER IT'S FINISHED? WELL, THERE, WE ALL BE ABLE TO INSPECT IT, OR HOW DOES THE INSPECTION PROCESS GONNA GO? OKAY.
SO WE WILL HAVE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION THROUGH THE CITY THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH OUR PROJECT MANAGER AND THE ENGINEERING DESIGN TEAM ABOUT, UM, WRITING QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE BID PROCESS, SO THAT WE'RE SURE TO GET, UM, CONTRACTORS THAT ARE COMPETENT TO BUILD THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A, CERTAINLY A DIFFERENCE IN THE DESIGN, UM, BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS AND THIS PROJECT.
AND SO WE, UM, HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONFIDENCE THAT THE DESIGN IS, IT WILL RISE TO MEET THE NEED FOR THE CHANNEL.
THAT'S VERY REASSURING TO HEAR I, THAT SOUNDS REALLY GOOD.
AND THEN FINALLY, I KNOW THAT WE'LL TALK, W WE ONLY HAVE ON OUR AGENDA TO DO THIS PORTION OF IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HANDLE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SECTION OF THE COUNTRY, CLIFF CREEK, UM, AREA, BUT WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT OTHER EROSION ISSUES THAT FLOW INTO THAT PARK AND, AND THOSE CONSTANT PROBLEMATIC SITUATIONS.
AND BECAUSE OF ALL THIS FLOODING, ANOTHER PIECE OF THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THIS PARK WAS IDENTIFIED NOW AS PART OF A POTENTIAL CAMPING SITE, UH, FOR THE HOMELESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THIS AREA'S FLOODING, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT JUST TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE OR NOT? I KNOW WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO SOME OTHER AGENDA STUFF REGARDING THE WHOLE CREEK, NOT JUST THIS SECTION.
AND OF COURSE I DO GET COMMENTS AND I GET, UH, EMAILS REGARDING THE, IS IT CALLED THE RIVER DEVELOPMENT, WHATEVER IT'S CALLED THE RIVER, UH, AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT.
SO, UM, WOULD THAT BE YOU, OR WOULD THAT OUT OF YOUR, OUT OF THAT, THAT'D BE SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE HUM FIND THE RIGHT FOLKS FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES CONCLUDES IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, WE APPRECIATE IT, JENNIFER.
THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE.
[3a. Discussion and recommendation of Austin Water Capital Improvement Projects located in the Drinking Water Protection Zone for approval to include in the 5-year Capital spending plan as required by Financial Policy #8—Aurora Pizano, Financial Manager II, Austin Water (15 minutes)]
ALL RIGHT, GUYS, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO THREE ON OUR AGENDA ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE ACTION.THERE WAS NO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS. THREE, A DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION OF AUSTIN WATER, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE FOR APPROVAL TO INCLUDE IN THE
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FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL SPENDING PLAN AS REQUIRED BY FINANCIAL POLICY.NUMBER EIGHT, WE HAVE, I WILL.
FINANCIAL MANNERS MANAGER HERE TO SPEAK TO US TONIGHT.
AURORA ROSANO, IS SHE HERE? I AM HERE.
I, THE FINANCIAL MANAGER FOR CITY OF AUSTIN WITH AUSTIN WATER DEPARTMENT, AND WITH ME IS LAUREN CAN SUPERVISE AN ENGINEER.
I DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, BUT THERE WAS A MEMO POSTED WITH THE AGENDA THAT HAS, UM, A CIP PROJECT SUMMARY TABLE AND NEEDLE.
SO IT HAS SOME SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION IN IT IN A MAP.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'RE ABLE TO PULL THAT ON YOUR END.
UM, BUT BASICALLY I'M HERE TO, UH, BECAUSE EACH YEAR AS PART OF CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS, AUSTIN WATER SUBMITS A PLAN FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM SPENDING FOR THE UPCOMING FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, AUSTIN WATERS, FISCAL YEAR 22 TO 26 CIP PLANNING INCLUDES PROJECTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
AND SO INCOMPLIANCE WITH THEIR FINANCIAL POLICY.
WE HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LISTED HERE, UH, THAT ARE LOCATED IN THIS DRINKING WATER PROTECTION SOWN.
AND THESE PROJECTS WERE PRESENT IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED TO MEET AUSTIN WATER, OPERATIONS STANDARDS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE AT THIS TIME.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS.
HOWEVER, I HAVE GOTTEN SEVERAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, SO I WILL JUST PASS THEM ON, UH, SEVERAL LONGSTANDING AND HIGHLY RESPECTABLE, UH, CITIZENS HAVE WRITTEN IN.
I KNOW THIS IS MORE OR LESS, UM, A COURTESY THAT Y'ALL DO WHEN Y'ALL COME FORWARD TO US.
UH, WE DON'T GET THE KIND OF FULL DETAILS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, PEOPLE WOULD WANT US TO PROBABLY HAVE FOR THIS KIND OF A, UH, AGENDA ITEM.
SO I'LL JUST PASS ON THESE QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN CARRY THEM ON AND BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT THESE, THESE HAVE BUBBLED UP.
UM, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS REGARDING WATER TOWERS.
WHAT WILL THEY LOOK LIKE? HOW TALL AND BIG WILL THEY BE? WILL YOU SHOW A DRAWING OF THE AREA? AND THE PROPOSED NEW TOWER HAVE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, HAD PROJECT SHOWN TO THEM.
ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD BE LESS INTRUSIVE IN THESE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS? UM, THAT CAME FORWARD.
ALSO SOMEONE BROUGHT FORWARD ANOTHER QUESTION, UM, THERE SHOULD BE A MUCH BETTER MAP OF EACH PROJECT SHOWING TOPOGRAPHY AND THE EXTENT OF THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WERE THE AREAS SERVED APPROVED BY THE SERVICE BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHEN WERE THE AREAS SERVED APPROVED BY SERVICE BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND ONE OF THE AREAS TRY TO GET OUT OF THE, THE DISTRICT AND THEY TRY TO LEAVE US, HOLD ON.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT OLD EXISTING AREAS ARE TO RECEIVE SERVICE FROM THE PROJECT.
THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE.
AND THEN WHEN THIS IS BROUGHT FORWARD TO US, THEY EXPECT IT'S KIND OF A DEEP DIVE.
AND I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A PUNK FUNCTIONARY PASSING OF THE TORCH ONWARD, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THE CONCERNS THAT CONSISTENCE HAT, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
WELL, ALONG THAT VEIN, I KNOW THAT LOST CREEK, UH, THE WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENT IS, UM, IS PLANNED FOR, AND THEY DID GO TO THE LEDGE, BUT FORTUNATELY THAT THEY ARE STILL IN, IN THE, IN OUR, IN THE CITY.
SO I GUESS THAT CAN PROCEED FORWARD, BUT THAT WAS A BIG QUESTION.
AND, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I'M ASKING IS THE SOUTHWEST PARKWAY TRANSMISSION MAIN, UM, I'M WONDERING IF THAT NEEDS TO BE IN AS OF DEVELOPMENT.
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SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD QUESTION.UM, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT AREA FOR MANY YEARS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW YES OR NO.
I DON'T NEED FOR YOU TO ELABORATE.
UH, THANKS ROY LAUREN KING, AUSTIN WATER, UM, CIP AND ASSET MANAGEMENT.
UM, THE, UH, PROJECTS ARE ALL DESIGNED WITH, UM, UH, APPROVED SCRS, UH, KNOWN.
AND SO OUR SYSTEMS PLANNING TEAM IS WELL AWARE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITIES OF THAT DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING STRATEGIC CHOICES BASED ON THOSE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, OUR GENERAL POLICY IS THE DEVELOPMENT PAY FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO THESE AREN'T, WE AREN'T, WE DON'T ADD SPECULATIVE CAPACITY, UM, TO PROJECTS.
AND THESE ARE JUST A FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN TOTAL.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT PROJECTS HAVE A, UH, A LARGER TOTAL VALUES AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIVE-YEAR.
I WILL ALSO ADD, UM, THAT WE WILL BE, I MEAN, AS PART OF OUR FINANCIAL POLICY, THERE WILL BE, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BY COUNCIL AND ON JULY 29TH, AND THEN WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE CONDUCTING THAT PUBLIC HEARING ON AUGUST 11TH.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER BRIMER AURORA.
I HAVE, UH, JUST TWO PRETTY SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
UH, THE LOOP THREE 60 ELEVATED RESERVOIR AND THE NORTHWEST AREA LIFT STATIONS.
UH, CAN YOU GIVE ME A, AN IDEA OF WHERE THOSE ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED? I WILL DEFER THAT TO LAUREN.
IF YOU WILL, UH, GO TO THE FIFTH PAGE OF THE MEMO, WE HAVE INCLUDED A MAP THAT HAS THE LOCATION, UM, OF THOSE PROPOSED PROJECTS.
AND, UH, IT'S FREEZING UP AT THIS EXACT MOMENT.
SO I'M, UH, IT WILL ASSIST YOU, BUT THOSE WILL BE CALLED OUT BY THE SUN PROJECT ID NUMBER ON THAT MAP, UM, FOR YOU, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? I WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND TELL YOU WHERE THEY WERE, BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING AT THIS MOMENT.
THE ONE I'M MORE INTERESTED IN AND I GUESS TURNS OUT TO BE THE, UH, THE, UH, NORTHWEST LIFT STATION.
DO YOU HAVE AN ADDRESS FOR THEM? OH, IT'S ON BOULDER LANE.
IT'S UP THERE IN THAT KIND OF SIX 20, UH, 22, 22 AREA.
ANYONE ELSE FOR ITEM THREE? A, UM, MY LAST ONE IS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BE POSTING THIS, UH, PUBLIC CARING FOR 11TH? HOW'S THAT GOING? YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE RIGHT ALONG WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT GOES WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO, UM, ON THE 29TH, IT'LL BE, UH, SET BY COUNCIL AND THEN ON THE 11TH, IT WILL BE, UH, VIA, UH, YOU KNOW, VIA EVERY CHANNEL WEIGH THE SAME AS THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE? A I'M SURE THIS IS ROMBERG.
I HAVE A MOTION IF YOU'RE READY.
UM, WHERE AS THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY UPDATED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON NEW GROWTH RELATED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECTS RELATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
AND WHEREAS THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY PROVIDES ADEQUATE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE SYSTEMS FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE CUSTOMERS.
THEREFORE COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST FOR INCLUSION OF THE CIP PROJECTS IN AUSTIN, WATER UTILITIES.
FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL SPENDING BUDGET.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE I DO CALL THE LOW FOR THE VOTE? WHAT'S BEGIN.
[01:10:01]
COMMISSIONER GUERRERO.OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING.
I DIDN'T REALIZE I WASN'T ON MUTE.
[3b. Briefing of the Zilker Park Vision Plan Site Analysis and Existing Conditions Report, including the Guiding Principles—Gregory Montes, Program Manager, Parks and Recreation, Jonathan Ogren, Siglo Group, and Haley Wagoner, Siglo Group (20 minutes)]
AT ITEM THREE B WE HAVE THE BRIEFING OF ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN, SITE ANALYSIS AND EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT, INCLUDING THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.WE HAVE STAFF HERE AND WE HAVE PERHAPS A CONSULTING GROUP.
UH, MR. MONTEZ, ARE YOU GOING TO KICK IT OFF AND INTRODUCE THE OTHER PEOPLE OR TELL ME HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE OTHER SPEAKERS.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M GREGORY MONTEZ WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I'M SERVING AS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SOCA PARK VISION PLAN.
I'M GOING BY, UM, OUR HEMPHILL PROJECT MANAGER FROM DESIGN WORKSHOP DESIGN WORKSHOP IS A LOCAL, UH, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLANNING, URBAN DESIGN FIRM THAT WAS HIRED TO ASSIST THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WITH HIS DEVELOPMENT OF A VISION PLAN FOR ZILKER.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY, UM, JONATHAN GRANT AND HALEY WAGNER FROM CYCLO GROUP.
UM, THEY'RE A, SUB-CONSULTANT ON OUR PLANNING TEAM.
AND TONIGHT WE'D LIKE TO JUST BRIEF YOU ON THE SITE ANALYSIS AND SITE ANALYSIS IN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT IN THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED.
AND, UM, JUST IT'S JUST IN REGARDS TO OUR EFFORTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY TO, UH, DEVELOP A VISIONARY GUIDE AND FRAMEWORK FOR, UM, ZILKER PARK FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND RESTORATION OF THE PARK.
UM, THIS PLANNING EFFORT DOES INCLUDE THE ZOCOR PRESERVE AS WELL, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF, UM, OF MOPAC.
SO THIS IS OUR FIRST ATTEMPT TO COMPREHENSIVELY DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ENTIRE PARK, UM, CONSIDERING ALL OF THE MANY FEATURES AND FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE PARK.
UM, OBVIOUSLY DOING THIS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND HAND IT OVER TO CLAIRE TO START THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO PRESENT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND, UM, WE, UM, HAVE GIVEN US PRESENTATION TO OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, ALTHOUGH IT WAS A LITTLE BIT BROADER, UM, IN CONTENT.
SO FOR PURPOSES OF TONIGHT, WE'VE FOCUSED IT DOWN TO, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO FOR THIS PLAN.
SO, UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE TONIGHT WITH US.
UM, WHAT WE WANT TO COVER TONIGHT IS INTRODUCING YOU TO THE, UM, THE PLANNING TEAM.
UM, IT'S PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROJECT.
UM, WE'LL GO OVER THE SITE ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT, BUT WITH A FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN WE WANT TO OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT ZILKER.
UM, AND WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT ON OUR GOALS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
NEXT FUN WE CAN GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN AND LEADERSHIP OF AUSTIN.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO HIT THAT POINT HOME BECAUSE, UM, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS A VERY VITAL PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, OUR, UM, COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE OUR FIVE PUBLIC MEETINGS WILL BE DIRECTLY FED INTO OUR PLAN.
THERE THERE'S REALLY A LOT OF INPUT THAT'S PROVIDED AND INVALUABLE THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THAT IS BRINGING UP IDEAS AND NEW, UM, STAKEHOLDERS TO BRING INTO THE FOLD.
[01:15:01]
SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS REALLY VITAL BECAUSE ZILKER IS GOING TO BE A TRICKY PUZZLE TO SOLVE, UM, DESIGN WORKSHOP LEADING AS A PRIME CONSULTANT IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING.UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH A VERY COMPREHENSIVE TEAM TO ADDRESS THE KEY AREAS WITHIN ZILKER.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, SEVERAL, UM, TEAM MEMBERS ON THE MATTERS OF ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY, INCLUDING A DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY CONSULTANT, UM, BEING CARDIA ADVISORY GROUP UNDER ECONOMICS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH SOME TEAM MEMBERS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND EXISTING REVENUE SOURCES, UM, HOW, UM, DIFFERENT EVENTS AND, AND OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN ZILKER ARE OPERATING AND EVENTUALLY COME UP WITH A BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE PARK.
UM, WE KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT IS SUCH A, AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF ZILKER, UM, REALLY THE, THE SPIRIT OF ZILKER.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH SIGLO, UM, WHO'S WITH US HERE TONIGHT, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE CULTURAL RESOURCES WITHIN THE PARK AND INFRASTRUCTURES AND THINGS THAT GET US TO THE PARK, UM, TRAILS ROADS, AND THE THINGS THAT HELP THE PARK OPERATE, UM, FOR THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT VISIT THIS PARK EVERY YEAR, WATER WASTE, WATER ELECTRIC, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL TOURIST SOLUTIONS, UM, ON MATTERS OF ACCESSIBILITY.
NEXT SLIDE FOR A DIRECT CLIENT GROUP, WE'RE WORKING FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WITH THOSE FOLKS LISTED HERE.
I'M REPRESENTED BY GREG TONIGHT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MADE UP OF ABOUT 50 OR SO MEMBERS, UH, REPRESENTED BY THESE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY, AS WELL AS CAP METRO AND TEXTILE REPRESENTATIVES.
AND WE'RE MEETING WITH THE TAG, UM, AFTER VARIOUS MILESTONES THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT TO, UM, GET THEIR GUIDANCE, THEIR EXPERIENCE, UM, TO HELP INFORM SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FINE.
SO WE OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF IN FEBRUARY.
UM, WE ARE, UM, WORKING OUR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 15 OR SO OF THESE GROUPS THAT HAVE FOCUSED, UM, AREAS OF INTEREST, SUCH AS, UM, CONNECTIVITY EVENTS, LARGE AND SMALL ENVIRONMENT AND, AND VARIOUS NEIGHBOR GROUPS.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE RIGHT NOW AND, UM, THAT'S ALL LEADING UP TO OUR FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING THAT'S HAPPENING ON JUNE 29TH.
UM, IN BETWEEN THAT TIME, UM, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR SITE ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, AND WE ARE PLANNING TO WRAP EVERYTHING UP BY SPRING OF 2022, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME.
UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
UM, AND THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE NUMBERS TWO, THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE, UM, HAPPENING IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS INTERVALS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO, UM, AS, UH, ESSENTIALLY A CHAPTER OF OUR, OUR PROJECT, UM, THE SITE ANALYSIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT IS PULLING TOGETHER ALL OF THE VARIOUS REPORTS, THE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE FOR ENTITIES WITHIN ZILKER IN AND AROUND ZOCOR.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DONE FOR THE 350 ACRES THAT MAKEUP ZILKER, ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PLANNING IN AND AROUND ZILKER OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES.
SO, UM, THIS SLIDE IS SIMPLY TO SHOW YOU WHERE IT IS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, JUST IN CASE YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, WE'RE LOCATED, UM, IN BETWEEN OUR WRITE-OFF MOPAC, UM, MY LADY BIRD LAKE AND ALONG BARTON CREEK GREENBELT.
SO THE INTERSECTION OF A LOT OF IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, BUT ALSO A VERY CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN UT AUSTIN, UM, AND OTHER POPULATION CENTERS WITHIN ZILKER OR IN THE CITY MAKING IT A REGIONAL TRAUMA, AS WELL AS A BELOVED LOCAL RESOURCE.
NEXT SLIDE ZOOMING IN, UM, A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
UM, THIS MAP, OF COURSE ONLY LABELS A FEW OF THE THINGS LOCATED WITHIN ZILKER.
UM, BUT WE ARE, UM, WE HAD TO DRAW A STUDY BOUNDARY LINE SOMEWHERE.
SO OUR STUDY IS GOING FROM THE ZILKER PARK, UH, OR THE ZILKER CLUBHOUSE ALL THE WAY OVER TO AMY MORTON.
AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT LADY BIRD LAKE TOO.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE TRIBUTARY WE'RE ENDING AT, UM, AS SHOWN ON THIS MAP AND THIS MAP CLOSELY MATCHES THE NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY REPORT THAT SIGLO RECENTLY COMPLETED ON ZILKER AND WE'RE WE'RE SHARING GIS RESOURCES.
SO IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE TO USE A VERY SIMILAR BOUNDARY THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE THIS BOUNDARY LINE DRAWN, BUT WE KNOW ZILKER IS THE RECIPIENT OF A LOT OF UPSTREAM EFFECTS
[01:20:01]
FROM BARTON CREEK.UM, AND ALSO CAN BE A POSITIVE EFFECTOR OF DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS OF LADY BIRD, LAKE, AND OTHER SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
SO, UM, ZILKER HAS THE POTENTIAL, OR THIS PLAN HAS A POTENTIAL TO AFFECT ZILKER AS A, UM, A POSITIVE EFFECT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.
UM, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF WHAT WE'RE, UH, WE'LL BE ADDRESSING IN THIS PLAN AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS, UM, JUST TO A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF AUSTIN SHOWING THAT WE HAVE A GROWING POPULATION PARK SPACE IS LARGELY IMPORTANT, UM, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING AND ENABLING OUR EXISTING PARKS SPACE TO REMAIN SUSTAINING SUSTAINABLE FOR A GROWING POPULATION.
UM, SO WE ARE GROWING TO ABOUT 1.3 PROJECTED IN A VERY SHORT, LESS THAN 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF POPULATION TO SERVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AND DIVERSE NEEDS IN PARKLAND.
SO WE HAD A, WE STILL HAVE A SURVEY THAT'S LIVE RIGHT NOW.
I HAVEN'T HEARD YOU TO GO TO THE ZILKER PARK PROJECT WEBSITE AND TAKE THE SURVEY.
UM, IT'LL CLOSE ON JUNE 1ST AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, WE'VE HAD ABOUT 3000 PARTICIPANTS TAKE THE SURVEY AND LEAVE OVER 80,000 RESPONSES.
UM, SO WE'RE SEEING FROM THIS INITIAL SURVEY, WE'RE GETTING THE LAY OF THE LAND FROM THOSE WHO ARE TAKING IT.
UM, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE TAKING THE SURVEY RIGHT NOW ARE REPRESENTING A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC, SO LARGELY WHITE, UM, LARGELY A HIGHER INCOME, UM, AND LONG-TIME RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN.
AND SO WHAT THIS HELPS US UNDERSTAND IS HOW WE TARGET OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING ALL 10 DISTRICTS OF AUSTIN IS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE OF OUR KEY IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO JONATHAN TO TALK THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITES.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
UH, I'M GOING TO RUSH THROUGH, UH, UM, ABOUT 10 SLIDES IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES, UM, FOR A DEEPER DIVE THERE'S BACKGROUND INFORMATION WITHIN THE SAUNA REPORT, AS WELL AS NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY.
UM, AND LOVE TO DISCUSS, UH, ANY OF THE TOPICS IN GREATER DETAIL.
UH, WE'RE STARTING WITH THIS SLIDE TALKING ABOUT THE TIMELINE, UH, LAND USE, UM, WITHIN ZILKER, BECAUSE IT IMPACTS WHAT THERE'S THERE'S, UM, THERE TODAY, UM, UH, FIRST HUMAN POPULATIONS WHERE THEY'RE LIKELY ABOUT 7,000 YEARS GO, UM, AND ABOUT 200 YEARS AGO, UH, EUROPEAN COLONISTS STARTED SHOWING UP, UM, AND FROM 18, THE EARLY 18 HUNDREDS ON INTO THE 1920S, UH, THE AREA WAS USED FOR AGRICULTURAL, UH, EXTRACTION AND INDUSTRIAL USES, UM, THAT HAD A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE SITE.
WE SEE TODAY, UH, 1839 FOLKS STARTED TO COME TO AUSTIN.
UH, IT BEING NAMED THE CAPITAL OF THE TEXAS REPUBLIC.
AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, BY 1860, UH, THEY SAW LOSSES IN SOIL LOSSES IN, UM, FEED FOR CATTLE ON LOSSES IN WILDLIFE, AND THAT, THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION HAS CONTINUED FORWARD.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY OR ISSUES THAT STARTED, UM, MANY TIMES 200 YEARS AGO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS 1940 ARIEL OF THE ZILKER PARK AREA.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO JUST A COUPLE PLACES.
UM, IF YOU LOOK, OR WHERE THE WORD FOR LAKE IS ON LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, FROM THE WORD LAKE DOWN THE SHORE, YOU'LL SEE A ROBUST FOREST IN THAT AREA.
AND NOW IF YOU'LL LOOK OVER WHERE IT SAYS BARTON CREEK KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, YOU'LL SEE RELATIVELY LITTLE WOODLAND AREAS.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL OUTLINE IS.
IF YOU LOOK DOWN A STREAM FROM THERE, YOU'LL ALSO SEE A BEAR AREA WHERE THAT WOODLAND DIDN'T EXIST.
UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE THREE AREAS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
WE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE TEMPORAL CONTEXT, BUT ALSO THE GEOGRAPHIC IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT, UH, THE ZILKER PARK IS ACTUALLY SPLIT IT'S ON THE LINE BETWEEN, UH, EDWARDS ARE, UM, THE, THE, UM, HILL COUNTRY EDWARDS
[01:25:01]
PLATEAU AND THE BLACK LAND PRAIRIE.AND IT IS PART OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER SYSTEM.
THIS SYSTEM INCLUDES THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE AND THE RECHARGE SOUND AS WELL AS THE TRANSITION ZONE.
THAT WHOLE AREA IS ABOUT 250,000 ACRES THAT IMPACTS ZILKER PARK THROUGH THE BARTON SPRINGS, UH, SYSTEM, UH, WHICH HAS FOUR PRIMARY SPRINGS.
SO THE WATER'S COMING OUT OF ZILKER PARK COME FROM THIS LARGE AREA.
ANOTHER THING IS CLAIRE MENTIONED IS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY CONTEXT, THE COMMUNITY, UH, IMPACTS OF ZILKER PARK, UM, FROM OTHER WORK WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE'VE LOOKED AT CLIMATE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH URBAN FOREST IMPERVIOUS COVER SHADE OVER IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND, UH, WE LOOKED AT THE TREE PLANTING PRIORITIES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN JUST DETERMINED AND OVERLAID THE AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF CLIMATE VULNERABILITY THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE THREE FACTORS, LACK OF AN URBAN FOREST, LACK OF SHADE OVER IMPERVIOUS COVER, AND THE PERCENTAGE OF AN IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT ZILKER PARK BECOMES A REFUGE FOR THOSE AREAS.
HOW DO PEOPLE, HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY IN THOSE UNDER SERVED AREAS FROM A CLIMATE VULNERABILITY PERSPECTIVE, UTILIZE THE LOCAL PARK AND HOW DOES ZILKER PARK BECOME A PLACE WHERE FOLKS CAN ENJOY THE OUTDOORS, UM, AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION ARE OCCURRING WITHIN THAT OF PARK AREA.
SO JUMPING DOWN TO THE SITE LEVEL AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CHARACTERISTICS, THERE ARE ACTUALLY SOME AMAZING VIEWS THROUGHOUT.
SO CAR PARK, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE PRESERVE AREA, UM, UH, UP NEAR THE AUSTIN CLUBHOUSE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF OVERLOOKS WHERE YOU CAN LOOK DOWN THE HIGHEST POINTS.
THE LOWEST POINTS ARE OF COURSE AT THE LADY BIRD LAKE SHORELINE, 428 FEET.
UM, AND SO YOU GET A SUBSTANTIAL, APPROXIMATELY 140 FOOT DROP OVER THIS AREA.
THOSE THE, THAT TOPOGRAPHY ALONG WITH THE GEOLOGY, THAT IS A COMBINATION OF BOTH BLACKLAND PRAIRIE AND THE EDWARDS PLATEAU, AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE RIVER, ALONG WITH THE SOILS DETERMINE KIND OF WHAT WE SEE ON THE GROUND WHEN YOU BRING IN HOW WE'VE USED THE LAND OVER THE LAST 200 YEARS, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND OF COURSE, WATER THINKING ABOUT THE WATER.
SO, UM, THERE ARE THREE WATERSHEDS WITHIN ZILKER.
THERE'S THE LADYBIRD LIKE WATERSHED, THE IAN'S CREEK WATERSHED AND THE BARTON CREEK WATERSHED.
UM, ON TOP OF THAT PART OF THE AREA THAT HATCHED AREA IS WITHIN THE RECHARGE ZONE, THE AREA TO THE EAST IS, UM, NOT WITHIN THE RECHARGE THEM ALSO, WE SHOULD BE THINKING, UM, BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE, OR IF I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, THAT'S FINE.
UM, UH, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ARE A MAJOR ISSUE, UH, TO THINK ABOUT WITHIN THE PARK.
WE'VE GOT WETLANDS SPRINGS, UH, RIM ROCK, AS WELL AS, UH, BLUFFS, UM, LIKELY WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS PART CAN BE DEVELOPED OVER TIME, THERE'S GOING TO BE 150 FOOT BUFFERS TO BEGIN WITH AROUND EACH OF THESE FEATURES.
AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THOSE BUFFERS CAN BE PUSHED BACK.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S TWO ENDANGERED SPECIES, THE AWESOME BLIND SALAMANDER AND THE BARTON SPRINGS SALAMANDER.
THERE, THERE'S A HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN IN PLACE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS ADMINISTRATING AND DOING SPECIFIC HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THOSE AREAS.
AND THAT WILL IMPACT WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THOSE PARK AREAS.
WELL, LOOKING AT THE EXISTING VEGETATION, WE SPLIT THE SITE INTO 16 DIFFERENT PLANT COMMUNITIES.
SOME OF THOSE ARE HIGHLY DEGRADED.
IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBER THREE, THAT'S ALONG THE BARTON CREEK RIPARIAN AREA, IT IS NOT AS LARGE AS IT SHOULD LIKELY BE DUE TO CLEARING IN THE PAST.
IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBER SIX, THAT'S RIGHT DOWN BELOW THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL, A HIGHLY IMPACTED AREA, AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT'S GETTING LOVED TO DEATH, UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE ARE AREAS OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT, AND ALSO THE NEED FOR FORMAL USE TO DEFINE WHERE PARK USERS AREN'T GOING.
UH, WILDLIFE WAS SOMETHING ELSE WE GOT TO LOOK AT.
THERE WAS A BIRD SURVEY DONE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT AND THEN CROWDSOURCING OTHER INFORMATION AS A RESULT OF THAT.
UH, WE, WE HAVE A LIST OF 262 SPECIES
[01:30:01]
THAT HAVE BEEN SERVED AT THE SITE.UH, AND THEN ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THAT WILDLIFE HABITAT THROUGH THE VISION PLAN, INCLUDING MANAGING INVASIVE SPECIES, MANAGING THE EROSION, CREATING A BETTER PLANT COMMUNITIES.
AND OF COURSE, EROSION, WE DOCUMENTED THE EROSION, UH, POINTS THROUGHOUT THE SITE, AS WELL AS INVASIVE SPECIES FOUND THROUGHOUT THE SITE.
UH, AND THOSE ARE ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES GOING FORWARD.
AND GOING BACK TO ONE OF THE EARLIER PRESENTERS THINKING ABOUT THE TEXAS CONSERVATION CORPS OR THE AUSTIN CONSERVATION CORPS, THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS OF ZILKER PARK.
ANOTHER ISSUE OF PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT WAS DONE IN, UH, 2019, UH, ON THREE SITES, THE BUTLER LANDFILL, THE BONEYARD AND THE PISTOL SKEET RANGE.
THE BUTLER LANDFILL WAS USED FROM 1948 INTO THE SIXTIES.
UH, THE BONEYARD WAS A, UM, UH, STOCKPILE AREA FOR TRUCKS AND OTHER BUILDING MATERIAL.
AND THE PISTOL AND SKEET RANGE WAS USED, UM, BY, UH, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A SHOOTING RANGE.
UH, EACH OF THESE HAS, UH, SOME CONTAMINANTS, UM, BUT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR MITIGATION AND RESTORATION IN EACH OF THESE AREAS.
BUT THESE ARE THREE AREAS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON THROUGHOUT THE PARK PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE SITE, UH, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE PARK AND IT ALIGNS WITH CANOPY ENHANCEMENT.
AND THEN AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT THAT CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION, UH, COLLECTING WATER, MAKING THAT AN AMENITY USING IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN PLACE.
WE IDENTIFIED OVER 17 ACRES WHERE GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS FEASIBLE WITHIN THE PARK.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN EVALUATED BY CITY STAFF, UM, AND THESE ARE AREAS THAT MAKE SENSE FOR THAT.
AND THEN AS WELL, CANOPY ENHANCEMENT UNDERSTANDING THAT IN SOME OF OUR MOST BELOVED PARTS OF ZILKER, WHERE WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE MOST ESTABLISHED TREES, WE DON'T HAVE THAT NEXT GENERATION OF TREES.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT CANOPY ENHANCEMENT WILL BE A POSITIVE TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF PARK USERS.
AND THEN RECOMMENDED PLANT COMMUNITIES.
YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE BARTON CREEK AREA, THE EXPANSION OF THAT RIPARIAN AREA.
AND, UH, YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE OVER THE BUTLER LANDFILL FROM AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LANDFILL COULD BE RESTORED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
UM, THAT WOULD BE A LONG STORY, BUT THERE'S MANY OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
ANOTHER ONE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THE POLO FIELDS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED FOR TEMPORARY PARKING AND THE POTENTIAL TO TURN THAT INTO A SAVANNA AND MEADOW AREA.
NOW, THOSE AREN'T THE ONLY OPTIONS AND THERE'S MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER WITHIN THE VISION PLAN, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OPTIONS THAT COULD HAVE THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT THE ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT OF THE SITE.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT-HAND CORNER.
THAT'S LOOKING AT THAT SHORELINE RIGHT BELOW THE POOL, UM, THAT IS HEAVILY USED.
A LOT OF US KNOW IT IS, UH, BARKING SPRINGS AND THINKING ABOUT HOW FORMAL, UH, ACCESS TO THE WATER ALONG WITH RESTORATION CAN MAKE THAT BOTH AN INCREDIBLE PARK AREA, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS ECOLOGICALLY FUNCTIONAL, UM, AND ENJOYABLE.
SO, UM, WE, IN OUR REVIEW OF THE VARIOUS PLANS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN DONE FOR, OR WILL AFFECT ZILKER, UM, AS WELL AS OUR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME THEMES EMERGE, UM, OF CHALLENGES THAT THE PLAN SHOULD ADDRESS, UM, UNDER CIRCULATION CONNECTIVITY.
UM, PARKING IS AT THE TOP OF, OF MIND, UM, AS AN ISSUE, UM, BOTH PARKING THAT IS AVAILABLE NOW, UM, AREAS LIKE THE POLO FIELDS, WHICH ARE SERVING AS PARKING, BUT REALLY WE SHOULD MAYBE CONSIDER, UH, THE BETTER USE THERE, UM, AS WELL AS CHALLENGES FOR PARKING FOR, UM, THE ENTITIES THAT ARE THERE SUCH AS BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE SCIENCE AND NATURE CENTER, AS WELL AS JUST THE EVERYDAY USER, UM, CARRYING CAPACITY.
AND THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOULD ZILKER PARK HAVE IN IT.
AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE RIGHT ANSWER THERE.
THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THE PLAN WHERE THE PLAN GOES AND WHAT TYPE OF ZILKER, UM, WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.
[01:35:01]
HOW WE CAN, UM, UM, ACCOUNT FOR SAFE CIRCULATION TO THE VARIOUS THINGS WITHIN THE PARK.SO IMAGINE WALKING FROM THE BUS STOP OFF BURTON SPRINGS TO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN IS EARLY DANGEROUS TREK FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS, UM, MOBILITY, UM, AND NOT TO MENTION THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE, UM, FULL MOBILITY.
SO, UM, THERE'S SOME THINGS TOO, WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT WAYFINDING.
SO IF YOU WANT TO, UM, GO TO THE POOL, YOU GET DROPPED OFF, UM, OR ARRIVE AT ONE PLACE.
IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT TO FIND WHERE THE POOL IS.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE BEFORE, SO BUILDING ON SOME POSITIVE THINGS THAT THE PARK IS DOING THERE, LIKE BIKE SHARE, AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONNECT AND ARRIVE ONCE AND DO MANY THINGS WITHIN THE POOL NEXT LINE, UNDER ENVIRONMENT, UM, YOU HEARD JONATHAN TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THESE TOPICS, UM, BUT EVEN FROM THE PERSONAL USER EXPERIENCE OF EROSION AND COMPASSION AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR, UM, YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THE PARK, BUT ALSO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR MAKING THE PARK, UM, AROUND FOR OUR KIDS AND OUR KIDS' KIDS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THAT INCLUDES WATER QUALITY IMPACTS AND HOW, UM, ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS IS ABOUT THIS BALANCE OF RQ.
SO SWIMMING, UM, ARRIVING TO THE PARK, USING IT FOR EVENTS, WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, PROTECTING THE WATER QUALITY, PROTECTING THE BLIND SALAMANDER AND ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THE PARK.
UM, THIS, THIS IDEA OF REWILDING THE PARK, UM, AT LEAST MAYBE SOME AREAS WITHIN THE PARK AND RESTORING IT TO, UM, ITS NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT MATCH THE SOILS THAT ARE THERE AND ALL OF THIS AND HOW WE CAN, UM, HOW CAN ZILKER POSITION THE POSITION ITSELF TO POSITIVELY AFFECT URBAN HEAT ISLAND? NEXT SLIDE PROGRAMMING IS A BIG TOPIC, UM, FROM EVENTS, LARGE EVENTS THAT HAVE 75,000 PEOPLE A DAY COME TO THEM LIKE ACL, UM, SMALLER EVENTS, UM, EVERYDAY USE, UM, AND ALL OF THE EVENTS.
SO WITHIN THE PART, THERE ARE SO MANY ENTITIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN PROGRAMS, THEIR OWN EVENTS, AND HOW DO WE SYNC ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE, UM, MORE EVEN USED AND, UH, BETTER USE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, OCHRE, UM, AND THEN PARK IDENTIFICATION AND WHAT, WHAT KIND OF ARC IS ZILKER GOING TO BE NEXT TIME? SO I WANTED TO OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE BEFORE WE PAUSE THERE AND WE CAN GROUP ALL OF THESE TOGETHER WITH THE TIME WE HAVE REMAINING.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND GOALS, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM TONIGHT.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY GUIDING PRINCIPLES IS THINK OF THESE AS FUNDAMENTAL GUIDELINES THAT ARE GOING TO DRIVE THE PROJECT.
THESE ARE REALLY BIG STATEMENTS THAT ARE USED TO DESCRIBE THE BIG PICTURE.
SO THESE ARE ALSO GOING TO HELP THE CITY AND COMMUNITY MAKE DECISIONS WHEN THERE ARE TWO COMPETING IDEAS PRESENTED.
SO SHOULD THIS BE A COMPLETELY WILD PARK OR IS THIS A PARK WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GREAT EVENTS? UM, SO OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES SAYING THOSE UPFRONT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THINK OF GOALS AS SPECIFIC MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE THINGS THAT CAN HELP US ACHIEVE THE, UM, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES THAT ARE LISTED HERE IN CASE.
UM, YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT LINGO, UM, BUT I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME FOR ANY THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
I, UH, I'LL START IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THANKS SO MUCH, CLAIRE AND JONATHAN, AND IT'S GREAT TO BE BROUGHT ALONG ON THIS.
AND I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS PROGRESSES, SO THANK YOU FOR THIS EARLY PRESENTATION ON IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GOTTA SAY, I THINK I'M GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SAY THIS, BUT I THINK THE WAY ZOCOR HAS MANAGED FOR YEARS HAS BEEN PERPETUATING THIS IDEA THAT HUMANS ARE MESSING UP THE ENVIRONMENT AND WE HAVE TO SIX WITH HUMANS MESS UP THIS IDEA THAT THOSE ARE CONSTANTLY AT ODDS.
AND I THINK EVEN JUST THE WAY YOU WOULD HAVE SAID SOME OF THE THINGS IN YOUR NARRATIVE OR THE WAY YOU'RE SETTING UP SOME OF THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, I THINK PERPETUATES THAT IDEA THAT THOSE HAVE TO STILL BE AT ODDS.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE PROGRAMMING GOALS AND THE CARRYING
[01:40:01]
CAPACITY WITH SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS? AND DO WE WANT TO REWILD AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WHAT I'M MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN IS HOW THIS SITE CAN SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, AS A PILOT OF A BETTER HYBRIDIZATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS THAT FUNCTION IN AN URBAN PLACE THAT HAS REALLY TAXING, UM, DISTURBANCES, BUT THAT FUNCTION IN A WAY THAT PROMOTES ECOLOGY, THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY TIED TO JUST A TRADITIONAL MODEL OF WHAT YOU DO, LOGICAL RESTORATION LOOKS LIKE.DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL COMMENT.
SO I THINK, I THINK, UM, JUST TO, TO RESTATE, I, I JUST DON'T WANT TO PERPETUATE, PERPETUATE THAT BINARY THINKING OF ENVIRONMENT VERSUS PEOPLE IN ZILKER PARK.
AND SO I DO ACTUALLY WONDER IF SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE HOLISTIC IN THE THINKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CONNECT TO NATURE AND HOW WE CAN TEST AND, AND PILOT, AND HAVE PROOF OF CONCEPTS OF WHAT PARK SCALE URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE.
THAT PROMOTES ECOLOGICAL THINKING.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT EXAMPLES, UH, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE AT THE EXPENSE OF CERTAIN AREAS THAT, THAT HAVE, UM, MORE TRADITIONAL RESTORATION MODELS, UH, DRIVING, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS THERE.
AND CAUSE I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES IN A 350 ACRE PARK THAT THAT'S USEFUL, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST START THINKING THAT THE CITY HAS DONE IN PUBLIC WORKS AROUND LIKE THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN PIECE OF, OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, WHERE THERE BEEN HOUSE AND ANY BELAIR WORKED ON KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT REALLY URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS LOOK LIKE.
AND THAT CONTEXT WAS MUCH MORE URBAN AND MUCH MORE DENSE THAN A ZILKER PARK, BUT LIKE REALLY TRYING TO EMBED SOME OF THAT TYPES OF THAT TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE INTO SOME KEY AREAS THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
I JUST THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE RELAYING TO US AND, AND KAYLA SO THAT SHE CAN GET THE WORD OUT TO US ABOUT ANY UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, ABOUT THE PLANS.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY 3000 PEOPLE SORT OF SURVEY, I GUESS I'M NOT THAT SURPRISED CAUSE IT'S STILL CURVED, BUT THAT'S AWESOME.
LIKE THAT'S GREAT SURVEY TURNOUT.
UM, SO, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN FILL THOSE GAPS.
I DID WANT TO ASK, UM, IF JONATHAN COULD EXPAND JUST A TINY BIT ON, ON THE LANDFILL MITIGATION AND WHAT SOME OF THE AVENUES ARE THAT YOU'VE FOUND.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S MY ONLY MAIN QUESTION, UH, IN JONATHAN TERM, YOU DID, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS, KATIE, THOSE ARE ALL GREAT POINTS AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE STRIVE FOR.
HOW DO WE INTEGRATE PEOPLE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT? UM, ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS EXCITED TO BE ON THE DESIGN WORKSHOP TEAM IS THEIR WORK, UM, AT BLUE HOLE AND WIMBERLEY.
UM, IF YOU'D GONE THERE BEFORE DESIGN WORKSHOP, DID THEIR WORK THERE, UM, IT WAS A MUD PUDDLE EVERY TIME YOU WALKED INTO CYPRESS CREEK.
UM, BUT BY FORMALIZING THAT CREEK EDGE AND HAVING SMALL AREAS OF NATURAL AREAS, YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE BOTH THAT NATURAL EXPERIENCE WITH AN INTENSE USE GOING ON.
AND THE, THE SLIDE THAT I SHOWED, UH, RIGHT BELOW THE POOL OF THOSE FORMAL USES RIGHT NEXT TO THOSE NATURAL AREAS IS THAT SAME CONCEPT.
UM, THE OTHER PLACE I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED? AND SO I THINK THE EXAMPLE OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS OUT THERE DOING WORK, DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO INTERACT WITH THE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE GO OUT THERE AND LAY DOWN, LAY DOWN AND LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL TREES, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF LEVELS WHERE WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED AT ZILKER PARK, UM, REGARDING THE LANDFILL.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION, UM, AT HAND TODAY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WORTH INVESTIGATING.
THERE'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND CUBIC YARDS OF WASTE OR ESTIMATED A HUNDRED THOUSAND CUBIC YARDS OF WASTE THERE.
UM, IT WAS USED FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, IF WE WERE TO GET EXTREME, WE COULD SAY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE EXTRACTED THAT LANDFILL RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE, UM, MOST AFFLUENT CITIES, UH, IN TEXAS AND IN THE COUNTRY, UM, THAT IS LAKE SHORE, UM, LAKE SHORE LAND.
UM, AND IT'S ONE OF, AT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARKS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY EXTREME, BUT ALSO WE CAN LOOK AT THE EXAMPLE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WHERE WE'VE PLANTED ALONG THE EDGE.
UM, A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION AROUND PLANTING TREES THERE IS WE
[01:45:01]
DON'T WANT THEM TO PENETRATE THE CAP.AND IF YOU LOOK ALONG THE SHORELINE, NOW WE'VE CREATED BERMS AND THEN PLANTED ON TOP OF THOSE THAT, THAT HAS SEEMED TO WORK WELL.
UM, AND THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THAT THROUGH PART OF THE AREA OR ALL OF THE AREA.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US, UM, THAT SHOULD BE INVESTED, INVESTIGATED IN GREATER DETAIL.
UM, AS CLAIRE POINTED OUT PARKING IS AN ISSUE.
SO WE HAVE TO SOLVE THAT AS WELL.
AND IT'S CURRENTLY A DEGRADED AREA THAT IS BEING USED IN PARKING.
SO IT MAY BE THAT PART OF IT NEEDS TO BE USED AS PARKING.
UM, BUT WE CAN ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAMMING POSSIBILITIES ARE IN THAT AREA.
SO THROUGH THIS VISION PLAN, UM, WHILE WE HAVE SOME LARGE CONSTRAINTS ON THAT AREA THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE, WE SHOULD ALSO BE OPEN TO A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER OF TOXICITY.
I'D JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO COMMENT ON, UM, ACL SUFFEX ON THE PARKING AREAS AND IF WE WOULD NEED THEM WITHOUT ACL, UH, THE DRAINAGE AND, UH, THE MANICURED LAWN WITH THE REPLANTING OF THE TREES.
I KNOW THAT THE LAWN NOW HAS DRAINAGE AREAS BELOW IT AND SO FORTH.
SO ARE THERE CERTAIN PLACES WE CAN PLANT TREES AND CERTAIN PLACES WE CAN'T.
I'LL TAKE THE FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION.
JONATHAN, YOU WANT TO TAKE THE SECOND PART, UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE NEED FOR PARKING, UM, AND, AND ACL.
THE PARKING NEED IS NOT SOLELY DRIVEN BY ACL.
SO WE'RE HEARING FROM THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, THE SCIENCE AND NATURE CENTER, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING, UH, AND, AND USING THE PARK FOR THE POOL.
AND IT'S JUST A REAL STRUGGLE FOR, UM, DISJOINTED PARKING LOTS THAT ARE THERE NOW.
UM, AND IT'S NOT VERY CLEAR TO, FOR, TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET AROUND.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN A CAR THERE'S A LOT OF ONE WAY STREET.
SO LUNA IS VERY PROBLEMATIC AND THAT IS ONE WAY AND GETS VERY BACKED UP.
UM, SO THE EVENTS ARE, HAVE THEIR OWN NEED, BUT THERE'S ALSO JUST AN EVERYDAY NEED FOR PARKING JONATHAN, UH, AND THEN RE IN REGARDS TO, UH, TREES AND PLANTING ADDITIONAL TREES.
UM, WE WORKED WITH, UH, LANDSCAPE SERVICES, UH, AT PART AS WELL AS PART FORESTRY TO, UM, EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL CANOPY EXPANSION AREAS.
THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR EXIT AND ENTRY, UH, OF LARGE MACHINERY INTO THE GREAT LAWN.
UM, AND, AND ANOTHER THING IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IS THAT ON ANY FRIDAY, SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, YOU GO OUT THERE AND THAT GREAT MOM IS FULL OF PEOPLE.
SO BEYOND ACL, THAT IS A VERY UTILIZED AREA.
SO, UM, THOSE AREAS ARE FEASIBLE FOR CANOPY EXPANSION THAT WON'T BE OF COURSE, DIFFERENT CONSTRAINTS IN DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT GENERALLY THOSE AREAS TO WORK NEXT.
UM, I WONDERED IF THE, IF HE COULD COMMENT ON THE DRAINAGE BECAUSE, UM, I MEAN THE DRAINAGE SEEMS TO BE CURED BY THE MANICURED LAWN.
UM, BUT I'M WONDERING ABOUT FLOODING THROUGHOUT ELIZA SPRINGS AND BY THE POOL THAT WE HAVE.
UM, IS THERE ANY REMEDY FOR THAT, THAT YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE? THANK YOU.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UM, FLOODING AS A RESULT OF BARTON CREEK AND MAJOR FLOOD EVENTS? YOU'RE ON MUTE PAM YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, SO ZILKER PARK, AND I KNOW LIZ IS ON THIS CALL AND MAYBE JONATHAN MINT.
AND SO SOMEONE FROM WATERSHED MAY SPEAK UP, BUT THE, THE PARK AREA ITSELF IS LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE A WATERSHED WIDE ISSUE, UM, IN, IN, AND SO I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SOLUTION WITHIN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR WATERSHED WIDE FLOOD, UM, UH, MITIGATION.
UH, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE EXPERIENCES THAT, UM, CAN TOLERATE FLOODS
[01:50:01]
AND DON'T GET WASHED AWAY WITH FLOODS AND THINKING ABOUT PLANT COMMUNITIES AND VEGETATION THAT CAN SURVIVE THERE AND ALSO TAKING A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE TYPE OF USE THAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT THOSE AREAS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE APPROPRIATE FOR THE FLOOD PLAIN ISSUES.IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MIXED BAG OVER THERE, BUT IT'S, IT'S VERY TERRITORIAL.
UM, NEXT QUESTION FROM, YES, COMMISSIONER, UH, I GUESS THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN JUST ZILKER, BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ALL PARTS IN AUSTIN, SOME PARTS IN AUSTIN HAVE THE SPECIALTY ZILKER IS, UH, SO MUCH STUFF IS GOING OUT ON OUT THERE.
AND IT'S OVERUSED, UH, IS ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CAPACITY CARRYING CAPACITY.
THE PARK IS TRIED TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO RELOCATE EVENTS, TO OTHER PARKS IN THE CITY, UH, TO SHIFT SOME OF THE, UH, UTILIZATION SO THAT ZILKER IS NOT AS OVERUSED AS IT IS.
SO, UM, WE ARE, UM, STILL THE BEGINNING PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS TO SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE THERE.
UM, WHAT WE'RE HEARING SO FAR, UM, IS THERE MAYBE SOME THINGS THAT COULD BE BETTER HOUSED OR, UH, HELD IN OTHER AREAS, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT MAKE ACL, FOR INSTANCE, UM, REALLY MEMORABLE IN THE 11 FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, WE WERE HEARING INITIALLY THAT THAT IS THE GOAL IS TO REMAIN AT ZILKER.
HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL AT THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.
SO WE NEED TO FULLY VET THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S A QUESTION THAT THAT WILL COME UP.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY EVERYBODY INVOLVED IS, IS WANTING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST FOR ZILKER AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
BUT I WILL, I'LL JUST END THIS QUESTION BY SAYING THAT WE'RE PUTTING, WE PLAN TO PUT ALL THE ALTERNATIVES ON THE TABLE AND JUST TEST THEM OUT, UM, AND SEE WHERE THEY GO.
AND THERE MAY BE SOME REALLY, UM, A LOT OF PROS AND CONS WITH, WITH MULTIPLE IDEAS.
UM, AND WE WANT TO GET FEEDBACK ON THAT.
WELL, I GUESS I'M NOT SUGGESTING SOMETHING AS ICONIC AS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, MAJOR EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR DECADES OR LONG TIME, UH, BE RELOCATED OUT TO OTHER THINGS, BUT THERE MIGHT BE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS OTHER FACILITIES ARE CONSIDERED TO BE BUILT AT ZILKER, UH, OR OTHER NEW ACTIVITIES, YOU KNOW, OTHER EVENTS THAT THEY'D BE CONSIDERED TO BE PLACED AT OTHER PARKS THAT HAVE, UH, LESS INTENSE UTILIZATION.
AND SO THAT WE CAN SCATTER AROUND.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WOULD LOVE TO GO TO ZILKER FOR ALMOST ANYTHING, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, BY TRYING TO CREATE AS NEW EVENTS COME ALONG OR, UH, NEW FACILITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T THINK OF ONE RIGHT OFF HAND, BUT, YOU KNOW, CAN WE NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER PLACING THOSE OTHER PARKS THAT ARE NOT AS INTENSELY USED SO ACL, WE LIVED THERE BECAUSE I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT IF SOMEONE ELSE COMES UP WITH A NEW FESTIVAL, MAYBE THAT WE DON'T PUT THAT AT, UH, YOU KNOW, ZILKER, MAYBE WITH HIS SHELL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MAYBE RELOCATE THAT AT A DIFFERENT, LARGER PARK.
THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, ALL SILK, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT POINT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE VISION PLAN THAT WAS DONE FOR WALTER YOU LONG AND, UM, TREVIÑO PARK AND, AND OTHER METROPOLITAN PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO, UM, WE'RE HEARING THAT THERE'S, UH, UH, A PENT-UP DEMAND FOR NOT LARGE EVENTS, BUT MORE MEDIUM SIZED EVENTS THAT, UM, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE THERE AND, AND, UM, WHERE THEY MIGHT GO.
THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT FOR THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARRETT, NEXT PLACE.
UM, THANKS FOR COMING TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW DOES
[01:55:01]
THE AVERAGE AUSTINITE, UH, KNOW, OR EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE SURVEY OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UPCOMING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS? YES, SO WE, UM, WILL SOON START SENDING INVITES OUT FOR OUR FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING.UM, IT WILL BE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
IT'LL GO THROUGH THE VARIOUS CHANNELS LIKE NEXT OR FACEBOOK, ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, THIS, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, PAGES, UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY TO PUSH OUT THE LINK TO THE MEETING.
THE MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL, UM, AND THEN THERE WILL BE, UH, IT WILL BE RECORDED.
SO THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR FOLKS TO VIEW THE RECORDING, TAKE THE SURVEY, WHETHER THAT'S LIVE DURING THE, UM, DURING THE MEETING OR A FOLLOWING.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN, UM, IT WAS ADVERTISED WHEN IT FIRST STARTED AT TRAIL OF LIGHTS.
SO AROUND THANKSGIVING TIME, LAST YEAR, UM, THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS THERE, UM, AND THROUGH THE, THE INPUT WE'VE RECEIVED ABOUT HOW PEOPLE HEARD ABOUT THE SURVEY, UM, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FILLING IN GAPS OF WHERE IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS WELL ADVERTISED AS IT WAS BEFORE WE HAVE BANNERS, UM, THAT WILL BE PLACED AROUND TOWN.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT OTHERS MAY HAVE, BUT WE WERE WORKING WITH OUR, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, UM, BOTH ON THE DESIGN WORKSHOP TEAM, BUT ALSO WITH THE CITY, UM, TO USE ANY AVENUE WE CAN, UM, SINCE WE'RE, WE'RE VERY INTENT ON GETTING IT OUT, UM, THROUGH ALL 10 DISTRICTS IN THE CITY.
I HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I SERVE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT I ALSO LOVE ACL.
I'VE GONE FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
UM, ONE QUESTION THAT I ALWAYS WANTED TO, UH, OR ONE AREA THAT I'VE WANTED TO DIVE DEEPER INTO IS THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, TH THE ISSUE WITH THE, THE LAWN AND THE GRASS ALWAYS GETTING TRAMPLED.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A PART THAT'S BUILT INTO LIKE, KIND OF THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE OF THAT AREA, BUT, UM, I'M ASSUMING YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF LOOKING INTO KIND OF THAT, I MEAN, THIS SORT OF THE LIFE CYCLE EVERY YEAR OF KNOWING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING LIVING THERE, THAT'S GOING TO KIND OF GET DESTROYED BY THESE EVENTS AND THEN HAVING TO THE RESOURCES INVOLVED THE WATER AND, AND WHATEVER ELSE IS PUT ON IT TO GROW.
I MEAN, I'VE HEARD THE DISGUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, UM, PITCH, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF LIKE PUTTING IN TURF IN SOME AREAS AND OUR ARTIFICIAL GRASS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE EVEN FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS FELT LIKE, UH, WOULD, WOULD BE AN INTERESTING AREA TO LOOK INTO KIND OF LIKE OVER SEVERAL YEAR SPAN, BECAUSE IT, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS, IF IT, IF IT'S NOT RAINING AS BAD, IT DOESN'T TURN INTO A MUD PIT, BUT, UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE GUESTS, THE GRASS SURVIVES BETTER, BUT, YOU KNOW, OVER YOU NOT KIND OF LIKE, YEAH, SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD JUST, ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING AT THAT? YEAH, WELL, I THINK GOING BACK TO VICE CHAIR, UM, UH, COIN'S COMMENT ABOUT HOW CAN ZILKER BE THIS TEMPLATE OR EXEMPLAR FOR, FOR OTHER PARKS, EVEN WITHIN AUSTIN, BUT ALSO NATIONALLY AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
UM, AND, AND LOOKING INTO THOSE ISSUES OF, UM, EVERYDAY USE, WE KNOW THAT THAT GREAT LAWN IS BELOVED.
PEOPLE USE IT FOR NOT JUST EVENTS, BUT GOING OUT AND JUST ENJOYING IT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ASKING THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF TURF IS BEING USED RIGHT NOW, HOW MUCH WATER IS BEING USED.
ARE THERE OTHER BEST PRACTICES THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED? UM, SO YES, THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A, AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PARK.
UM, WE'LL BE GETTING INTO THOSE DETAILS LATER.
AND I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON THE PARKING.
UM, I KNOW IT'S CLEARLY AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE TO FIND, UM, WHEN THE WEATHER'S NICE AND, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEEKENDS, BUT I THINK IT ALSO, IT'S ALSO JUST AN AREA THAT, UM, IT'S FULL OF TRAFFIC.
LIKE YOU CLEARLY, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SAFE CIRCULATION WITHIN THE PARK, BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S ALSO, I THINK CREATES LIKE, UM, THERE ARE, THERE, AREN'T A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES JUST STOP OF THE RIVER TO GET, UM, I GUESS, EASTERN WEST TO MOPAC.
AND SO, UM, I THINK A LOT OF LOCAL PEOPLE TO JUST NOTE, TRY TO AVOID IT CAUSE THEY KNOW OF THE TRAFFIC.
UM, AND, UH, AND SO, AND I'M, I'M DEFINITELY NOT SUGGESTING
[02:00:01]
CUTTING HIM, YOU KNOW, MORE, UH, ROADS LIKE IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS BARTON SPRINGS AND BEN WHITE'S, IT COULD GET TO MOPAC, BUT IT IS, UH, THE TRAFFIC ISSUE AS WELL.UM, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE CONCERNED WITH.
UM, YEAH, YOU BRING UP ONE OF THE, THE MAIN, AT LEAST TRANSPORTATION WISE, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT'S BEEN COMING UP IS BURDENS SPRINGS AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS TODAY, BOTH AT THE END WHERE YOU'RE COMING OFF OF MOPAC ARE COMING UP THE FEEDER ROAD AND AT THE EAST END WHERE YOU'RE CROSSING OVER THE HISTORIC BRIDGE, BEING SUCH A PINCH POINT AND SO DANGEROUS FOR WALKERS AND BIKERS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS GOT, UM, INTO A BIKE ACCIDENT, UM, ON THAT BRIDGE.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF CARS TOO, THAT MOVE THROUGH BARTON SPRINGS.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S A VITAL ARTERY MOVING PEOPLE INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT IT'S ALSO, UM, REALLY CUTTING OFF SAFE CONNECTIVITY NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE PARK.
SO, UM, IT, IT IS SCARY TO CROSS.
UM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, I KEEP BRINGING THAT UP AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO PROBLEMATIC IN THAT THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS TO IT RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A BUS STOP JUST WEST OF IT THAT ONLY HAS A SIGN, UM, STICKING OUT OF THE GROUND AND THAT THERE'S NO, UM, CROSSWALK OR SAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THAT PEOPLE WOULD REALLY TAKE TO GET FROM THE, THE SOUTH PART OF THAT AREA, THE POOL OF FIELDS OVER TO THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF IN IT'S AT THE CREST OF A HILL.
SO SOME OF THE, THE BIG IDEAS THAT WE MAY INVESTIGATE, IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS PLAN AS NOT JUST THE IMMEDIATE FIVE, 10 SHORT-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, FIVE, 10 YEAR SHORT-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD COME OUT OF THIS, BUT WE'RE THINKING BIG, LIKE 30, 52 GENERATIONS FROM NOW, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BARTON SPRINGS GOES UNDERGROUND OR MAYBE WE BUILD A LAND BRIDGE OR WE'RE LOOKING INTO OTHER BIG IDEAS LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THAT IS SUCH A CRITICAL CONNECTION TO MAKE SAFELY ACROSS AND REALLY KNIT TOGETHER AND WEAVE TOGETHER ALL THE NEW STUDENTS.
IT'S KIND OF, IT'S A BACKGROUND QUESTION.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, IS YOUR CLIENT, BUT IN THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, I GUESS, FOR ZILKER PARK ALL THESE YEARS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STARTING OFF WITH THE VISION AND THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, BUT WHAT, WHAT WAS THE MAIN ASK I GUESS, FROM THE CITY, YOU KNOW, IN THIS, WHAT WILL THE PLAN HAVE AT THE END OF THE DAY? YES.
SO, UM, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, I CAN EXPLAIN THIS THROUGH EXPLAINING WHAT WE DOING AT EACH OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
SO THE FIRST MEETING, WE'RE INTRODUCING THE COMMUNITY TO ZILKER PARK AND THE AIM OF THE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO PROGRAMMING FOR THE PARK AND UNDERSTANDING, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
ARE THERE ANY PROGRAM ELEMENTS THAT ARE MISSING THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS THAT'S THERE NOW? HOW CAN THAT BE BETTER SYNCHRONIZED AND THEN WHAT WE'LL LOOK AT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES FOR THE PARK.
SO I'M EXPLORING ALL OF THESE BIG IDEAS.
DO WE, UM, REALIGN BUTLER TRAIL THROUGH THE PARK, UM, TO CREATE, UH, A BIKE AND PEDS SEPARATED SYSTEM.
UM, DO WE LOOK AT REALIGNING ROADS? DO WE TAKE ALL OF THE PARKING PARKING OUT OF ZILKER OR DO WE CREATE A STRUCTURE? UM, SO THESE ARE ALL THE OPTIONS THAT WE'LL PUT ON THE TABLE AND ASK FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON.
THEN WE'LL TAKE OUR COMMUNITY INPUT, UM, AND ARRIVE AT A PLAN FOR ZILKER, UM, ALONG WITH A ROADMAP TO ACHIEVING THAT PLAN OVER NEAR TERM MID-TERM AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IT WILL HAVE COST ESTIMATES, AND THIS WILL BE A TOOL FOR, UM, CITY STAFF AND LEADERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO BUDGET PERHAPS FOR, UM, CERTAIN INITIATIVES, UM, GO TO BOND, PERHAPS, UM, MAYBE THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS LIKE, UM, THE, THE CONSERVATION CORPS THAT COULD, AGAIN, INVOLVED WITH MAYBE REHABILITATION EFFORTS ALONG THE CREEK RESTORATION AREAS.
SO, UM, THE PLAN WILL SERVE ESSENTIALLY AS A TOOL FOR THE CITY TO USE AND, AND, UH, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO ZILKER THROUGH THE YEARS.
[02:05:01]
HELPS TO GET THE HISTORY, THE, THE STORY OF ZILKER, UM, AND ALL OF THE PLANNING THAT'S BEEN DONE IN, IN ONE PLACE.MY, MY FINAL, I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE FINAL COMMENT HERE, BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, DON'T ENTIRELY NET US NECESSARILY KNOW EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT, THAT, UM, THAT MAKES UP ZILKER PARK.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S KIND OF A BLACK HOLE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AS WELL, BUT PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THAT, UM, LIKE YOU MENTIONED THE CONNECTIVITY ISSUES, BUT THE PARKING AND THE TRAFFIC AND ALL THAT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST KNOW ABOUT ACL AND TRAIL OF LIGHTS AND IF THEY PLAY SOCCER OR, UM, YOU KNOW, VOLLEYBALL OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON A TEAM REGULARLY OR FRISBEE, YOU KNOW, THEN, THEN I, THEN I STILL THINK ABOUT AREAS IS, IS A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE BOTANICAL GARDENS OR THE PARK OR THE, THE TRAIN THAT HAS NOT BEEN FUNCTIONING FOR AWHILE.
UM, OUR, YOU KNOW, THE AMPHITHEATER, ALL THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE MET SOME GOOD HIKES IN ZILKER PARK.
NOW, IF ANYBODY WANTS, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARRETT.
UM, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS I WANTED TO SAY, OH, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
MY WORD IS INCLUSIONARY, AND THAT MEANS THE DISABLED COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT NEEDS TO BE DESIGNED FOR, UM, PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THAT ARE AGING.
THEY NEED TO BE DESIGNED FOR, TO GET AROUND THINGS AREAS AND SAFELY.
UM, I ALSO FEEL LIKE ONE OF THE BLACK HOLES THAT THAT IS CREATED IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE MINORITY CAN'T AFFORD, UH, TO GO TO THE GARDENS THEY CHARGE.
NOW, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE LAP POOL FOR FREE AT 6:00 AM IN THE MORNING ON IT'S FREEZING COLD.
THAT'S NOT COMMUNITY DRIVEN FOR ME.
IT HELPS A LOT OF THE SWIMMERS, BUT I'M JUST SAYING Y'ALL NEED TO RETHINK A LOT OF THINGS THERE, YOU KNOW, UH, OFFER A WHOLE DAY OF ONCE A MONTH, YOU KNOW, WHERE COMMUNITIES COULD COME IN AND ACCESS SILK OR BECAUSE OF MONEY ISSUES.
UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE COST OF THE TWO, TWO TRAIN ANYMORE, BUT I'M SURE IT'S NOT 50 CENTS.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT NEED TO LOOK AT AS WE REDESIGN AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC, WHICH GOES TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND GETTING TO THOSE ZIP CODES THAT ARE VERY EAST OF AUSTIN AND ENSURING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
STAKEHOLDER, UM, YOU KNOW, I, WASN'T INVITED TO A SMALL GROUP SESSION.
I WASN'T INVITED TO A LITTLE BIT, SO LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, GET OUT THERE AND REACH THE PEOPLE YOU NEED TO.
AND, UM, I'M JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, INCLUSIONARY MEANS MORE THAN JUST, UH, THE, THE SQUEAKY WHEEL, WHICH ARE THE SWIMMERS.
I W I, I KNOW HOW LAYERED THIS IS.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST, AND I KNOW THE GROUPS THAT COME IN AND THE CONSERVANCY.
AND SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE KIND OF VYING RIGHT.
AND, UM, SO LET'S PUT THE COMMUNITY FIRST AND BE MORE INCLUSIONARY.
AND THEN WHAT, NO ONE BROUGHT UP THE STRATFORD LANCEFIELD WAS THAT WHAT Y'ALL MEANT BY THE BUTLER LANDFILLED, BUT IN 2018 WEEKS, HUGE BUBBLE HA HA FOR THE STRATFORD LANDFILLED, THAT'S WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO THE STRATFORD LANDFILL THAT WE HAD TO ADDRESS IN 2018 TRIGGERED A WORKING GROUP THAT CAME TOGETHER WITH W I DUNNO HOW IT RESULTED, BUT IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE.
IT'S THE BIG TRUCKS THAT COME IN FROM ACL THAT ARE CREATING TREMENDOUS EROSION IN ISSUES AND POLLUTION CAUSE THEY JUST IDLE, YOU KNOW, SO LET'S THINK ABOUT THOSE BIG TRUCKS THAT COME IN AND HOW WE ADDRESS THAT IMPACT.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR A WHOLE MONTH, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY START DRIVING IN AND, AND YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS ARE SACRED, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HAD TO START WEARING A SAFETY BELT AT SOME PART POINT, WHETHER YOU WANTED TO OR NOT.
AND WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT WELL, IS ACL APPROPRIATE AS THE POPULATION EXPLODES HERE AT THIS PARK, OR CAN WE ROTATE IT? THERE'S NO WAY TO ROTATE THESE FESTIVALS SO THAT EVERYONE HAS TO TAKE A BRUNT OF THE EROSION.
ARE WE JUST GOING TO FOCUS DOWNTOWN SO THAT THE HOTELS
[02:10:01]
AND THE RESTAURANTS GET THE PERKS AND SPECIFICALLY DOWNTOWN AUSTIN? UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WAS, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE HISTORIC PATIENT ARE GOING TO DO.AND IF THERE'S GOING TO BE HISTORICAL MARKERS, THAT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE PLACES THAT CAN DIRECT PEOPLE TO THESE OTHER GREAT AREAS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN ZILKER THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, UH, AVAILABLE TO AND ACCESSIBLE.
UM, I WAS WONDERING WHERE ALL THE FUNDING WAS COMING FROM.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO BONDS AS Y'ALL CREATE THIS VISION PLAN.
ONE THING WE HAD KICKED AROUND BACK WHEN I WAS ON THE PARKS BOARD, UH, THAT WAS IN THE DAY OF THE DILLO REMEMBER THE DEAL THAT USED TO CIRCLE AROUND, UM, AS, AS BRINGING PEOPLE IN AND OUT AND HAVING AN AREA DESIGNATED, ESPECIALLY ON WEEKENDS OR HEAVY TRAFFIC EVENTS, WHERE THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SOMEHOW AND KEEP THE CARS OUT.
I KNOW THAT THE THING WE TOSSED AROUND YEARS AGO WAS A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP FOR A, UH, PARKING GARAGE.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFLICTS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE SOIL.
EVERYONE WANTED TO GET OF COURSE UNDERGROUND AND THE SOIL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOIL IS LIKE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AS EXCITING Y'ALL ARE GOING TO TACKLE THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS GREAT.
WHAT ARE TRYING TO DO IN THE CONCEPTS? IS IT GOING TO BE CONTENTIOUS? IT IS SPEAKING OF TERRITORY, I WANTED TO BRING UP THE JOINT PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAVE OVERSIGHT ON THE BARTON SPRINGS MASTER PLAN AROUND THE POOL.
AND THAT INCLUDES PLANTINGS AND TRAILS.
AND THIS IS, MIGHT BE FOR MONTES MAINLY, UM, FOR HIM TO KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO TAKE TO THE JOINT COMMITTEE AS THIS MOVES FORWARD OR WHEN Y'ALL GET TO THAT PIECE OF THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
BUT I WANTED YOU AWARE OF THAT JOINT COMMITTEE THAT DOES EXIST.
AND I AM AWARE OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE, SO WHO DEFINITELY WILL, UM, LOOK THAT BY OUR PART LEADERSHIP TO SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE DO THAT, BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.
THIS IS WELL WELL NEEDED AND IT'S BEEN YEARS THAT IT NEEDED TO HAPPEN TO REALLY, REALLY THINK THROUGH ZILKER AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE TRUCKS FOR A BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT FESTIVAL WE SAW, AND WE S WE WERE VERY, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT IT, BOTH THOSE TRUCKS CREATE, AND WE REALLY WANTED TO GET THEM OUT OF THE PARK AND HAVE THEM AWAY FROM THAT FESTIVAL AREA.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING, UM, HOW Y'ALL TACKLE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
UM, THANK YOU, LINDA, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT NUMBER SIX ON YOUR INPUT WAS EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
SO I APPRECIATED LINDA'S COMMENTS, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, AND THE INCREASE IN POPULATION, THE DENSITY OF DOWNTOWN AND WHERE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO PARKS, BECAUSE THEY ARE BUILDING SKYSCRAPERS ALL THE TIME.
AND TO ALSO, UM, IMPLEMENT LINDA'S IDEA OF, UH, HAVING PERHAPS A TIME WHEN, UM, PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD THE PARK, UM, BEING INCLUDED.
I KNOW THAT, UH, BILL OLIVER'S, UH, MOTHER EARTH FESTIVAL BRINGS KIDS BY THE BUSLOAD FROM THE EAST SIDE TO COME TO ZILKER PARK, BUT PERHAPS THE CITY, UM, COULD CONSIDER THE SCHOOLS THEY'RE HAVING, UM, ACCESS DURING SOME TIME.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW THE NUMBER OF PARK USERS THAT ARE DENIED ACCESS DURING ACL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A GREAT, YOU KNOW, BOON TO THE CITY, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT WOULD HAVE USED THE PARK ARE NOT ABLE TO IS A FACTOR TO ME.
AND ONE LAST THOUGHT ON THE, UM, THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GET OUT TO THEM.
AND ONE GROUP LIKE A AND C E S WOULD BE GOOD FOR Y'ALL TO DO, DO SOME, SOME REALLY SENSITIVE OUTREACHING,
[02:15:02]
UH, AS PART OF THIS, TO HIT THOSE, THOSE, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.UM, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE IT'S JUST GOING TO LOOK, LET'S NOT SAY THAT WORD.
IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, YEAH, I'M HERE.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER BRIMER, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, PILE ON, ON WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER GUERRERO WAS SAYING.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE OUTREACH ON THIS HAS BEEN VERY POOR.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, I GET THE, UH, NEWSLETTER FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, UH, EVERY WEEK OR TWO.
AND THERE'S NO MENTION IN HER NEWSLETTER TO HER CONSTITUENTS ABOUT ANYTHING, ABOUT A SURVEY.
AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HER, UH, LETTER.
HAD SHE BEEN AWARE OF THIS TYPE OF THING? ADDITIONALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UH, THERE'S A LIST OF, UH, COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE AROUND NOW, I'VE COLLECTED THIS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, UH, IN THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN AREA.
AND I HAVE LIST OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE HOS AND, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S LISTS OF VARIOUS COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITES THAT YOU COULD HAVE EMAILED, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, GET THIS OUT TO YOUR DISTRIBUTION LISTS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE MEMBERS OF YOUR, YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
NOW, GRANTED NOT EVERYONE HAS EMAIL, BUT IF YOU WANT TO DRIVE UP TO SOME EXTENT PARTICIPATION, YOU'VE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE AND CONSIDERING A CITY THAT HAS A MILLION PEOPLE IN IT, 3000 PEOPLE SOUNDS GOOD, AND IT IS, BUT 30,000 SOUNDS BETTER.
UH, AND ALSO I THINK THE OUTREACH TO EAST AUSTIN AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WITH ALPHA FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF BUCKS GETTING INTO BARTON SPRINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED SO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS THESE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED A LOT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE THE ACCESS WE NEED MAKE ARRANGEMENTS SOMEHOW TO DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MECHANISM FOR THAT IS THAT CERTAINLY THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY TO DO IT SOMEHOW.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING FORWARD AT THIS TIME WHILE YOU'RE STILL IN THESE INITIAL STAGES.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU COMING FOR THIS BRIEFING TO US.
UM, AND, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS THIS PROCEEDS.
I THINK COMMISSIONER RANDBURG, I SAW SAW A HAND FROM HIM.
A COUPLE OF THINGS, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I PROMISE I'M NOT GOING TO PILE ON PILE ON TOO MUCH, UM, UH, REAL QUICK.
UH, I, I REALLY ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED SOME OF THE, UM, KIND OF IN INVENTORY EROSIONAL INVENTORY AND NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT JUST, WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE COVERED HERE, BUT I'D ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO DO AN INVENTORY OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCE ELEMENTS, YOU KNOW, PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC WEIGHT, YOU IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION, YOU ALL ALLUDED TO IT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF HISTORY AND HISTORY IN THIS AREA.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH AND AROUND.
UM, AND THEN A COUPLE OTHER MINOR POINTS.
UM, FIRST THING THAT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMMING, I KNOW WATERLOO PARKS COMING ONLINE.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING TO JUST BE THINKING ABOUT AS ANOTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, FESTIVAL SMALLER FESTIVAL TYPE LOCATION THAT, UM, CAN DRIVE A LOT OF THE TRAFFIC OF SOME OF THOSE, UM, NEWER OR WHATEVER IT ENDS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, JUST PUT ON YOUR RADAR.
I KNOW YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW, BUT THE MOPAC EXPANSION HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BIG DISCUSSIONS OF THE YEARS AS WELL, AND BE THINKING ABOUT HOW THAT'S INTEGRATING INTO THIS, UM, KNOWING THAT PARKING UNDER MOPAC, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TRAIL IS, IS, IS A GREAT RESOURCE THERE, BUT ALSO THERE'S SOMETIMES AVAILABLE PARKING, YOU KNOW, OVER CLOSER TO THE DISC GOLF COURSE.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF OVERFLOW, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S USED SOMETIMES BY TXDOT AS STAGING OR DURING PROJECT.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT AS, AS, UH, AN ELEMENT FOR PARKING POSSIBLY SHORT-TERM OR LONGER TERM.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT I'VE NOTICED IS JUST THE, OVER THE LAST YEARS, THE INCREASING NUMBER OF, OF JUST PADDLERS ON, UH, ON TOWN LAKE AND, UM, AND I'M SURE THAT THAT'S AFFECTING, HOWEVER THEY'RE GETTING IN AND OUT AND, UM, AND KIND OF, UH, LOVING THE PARK TO DEATH, UM, AS JONATHAN WAS SAYING EARLIER, UM, BE THINKING MAYBE ABOUT THAT IN SOME
[02:20:01]
OF THOSE HIGH USE AREAS, UM, BECAUSE I ANTICIPATE THAT WILL CONTINUE.UM, BUT I DO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL'S HARD WORK AND, UM, INCLUDING US IN THIS PROCESS.
IT'S NO BETTER THAN MR. BARRETT.
I'M JUST GONNA MAKE ONE MORE PLUG, UM, SUPPORTING THE COMMENT THAT, UM, DID I, I THINK AS I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE, UM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS NEAR THE PARK, AND I WAS JUST ASKING SOME PEOPLE MIGHT COMMUNITY, IF THEY'VE SEEN AN OPPORTUNITY OR IF THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT THE SURVEY, UM, AND SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THINGS, AND THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF IT EITHER.
SO I WAS JUST GOING TO SHARE THAT.
UM, AND ALSO THE SUPPORT COMMISSIONER, UM, ROMBERG'S COMMENT ABOUT THE, THE BOATING.
THAT WAS SOMETHING I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, CAN YOURS, THE PEDAL BLURS, THE KAYAKERS, IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE CHALLENGING TO ACCESS THE, UM, THE, UM, ENTRY POINT AND SOME OF THE AREAS LIKE IF YOU'RE NOT RENTING FROM, UM, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT, AND I'M BLANKING ON ALL THE NAMES, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, RENTING FROM SOME OF THOSE, THOSE DOCK AREAS, THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO PARK IN THEIR PARKING.
SO THEN PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CANOE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO RENT.
THEN THEY'RE TOLD TO PARK IN A WAY FURTHER AWAY.
AND, UM, TRYING TO LUG THAT INTO DIFFERENT ACCESS POINTS.
I THINK, UM, IT'S, IT'S CHALLENGING.
SO THERE'S PARKING, YOU KNOW, PARKING HAS BEEN IN THE PARKING FEES HAVE INCREASED LIKE DRAMATICALLY IN THE PAST.
I KNOW IT'S SEASONAL, BUT IT'S, UH, IT'S SIGNIFICANT AND IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO HANDICAP PARKING.
HOW MANY SLOTS LET'S BE EQUITABLE WITH THAT TOO? I THINK ONE JUST REALLY ENJOYED THIS DISCUSSION.
WE HAD A LOT TO SAY, WE ALL LOVE ZILKER.
I REMEMBER WHEN THE ROLLING STONES CAME.
LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT Y'ALL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS AGENDA.
WHERE DID IT GO? UM, SO I'M GOING TO CALL IT OUT ON
[3c. Approve proposed changes to the Environmental Commission Bylaws—Kaela Champlin, Environmental Commission Liaison, Watershed Protection Department (5 minutes)]
THE NEXT, SET THEM UP AS THREE SEATS, REVIEW THE PROPOSAL OR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BYLAWS.THIS IS KAYLA CHAMPLIN WATERSHED PROTECTION IN YOUR BACKUP.
THERE IS A COPY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BYLAWS.
UH, THE PROPOSED CHANGES INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF THE FOLLOWING STANDING COMMITTEES.
THAT IS THE URBAN GROWTH POLICY AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION COMMITTEE.
THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, THE AIR QUALITY COMMITTEE AND THE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FLOOD MITIGATION COMMITTEE.
SO THE COMMISSION HAS ALREADY VOTED TO REMOVE THESE STANDING COMMITTEES AND HAVE THE MEET AS WORKING GROUPS GOING FORWARD, BUT UPDATING THE BYLAWS AS THE NEXT STEP IN THE, IN THE PROCESS TO FORMALIZE THOSE CHANGES.
SO ONCE THE COMMISSION, IF YOU RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF THESE CHANGES, IT WILL THEN GO ON TO COUNCIL AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THEN TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION, JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO WE CAN DO THAT TONIGHT SINCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
YES, MA'AM AND CAN MAKE A MOTION ON LIKE EMOTION COINS, AND I WOULD GIVE YOU SOME WORDING, BUT I, ONCE AGAIN, I CAN'T FIND MY AGENDA, BUT TO, TO ACCEPT AS, AS WRITTEN IN THE BACK OF THAT IS WRITTEN FOR BACKUP.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. CHAMPLIN,
[4. COMMITTEE REPORTS]
UH, LET'S GO QUICKLY TO, UH, COMMITTEES.I SENT Y'ALL OUT SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE GETTING READY TO MAKE A FINAL VOTE ON THIS BOARD.
THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE MEAT AND POTATOES COME FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS.
[02:25:01]
WE'RE HELPING TO DO THIS IN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.WE'VE WAITED IT FIVE YEARS FOR THIS.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BRING UP AT THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT KAYLA WITH THAT INFORMATION SO I CAN BRING IT FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, THIS BOARD WILL PRETTY MUCH CONSIST OF EVERYONE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ON THERE.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER.
I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO ADD A FEW OTHER POSSIBILITIES, BUT, UM, THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINALLY KICK OFF JUST LIKE THE CONSERVANCIES, HAVE THE BOARDS, WATERLOO, GREENWAY, OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED NOW.
IT'S THE SAME, SAME SORT OF DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, COMMISSIONER PRIMER, COMMISSIONER BARBARA, DO YOU HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM YOU'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD? YES, MA'AM THE PAST 24 HOURS.THE CITY HAS PROPOSED, UH, TO CREATE A NUMBER OF CAMPS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND IT OCCURS TO ME THAT SEEN NEWS REPORTS AND GRANTED THESE NEWS REPORTS DON'T CARRY ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL.
UH, THEY, THEY MADE REFERENCES TO THINGS LIKE HAVING TRASH PICKUP AND PROVIDING, UH, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL, UH, S YOU KNOW, SUPPLIES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT IT ALSO, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT THERE MAY BE ISSUES AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, POLLUTION, RUNOFF, TOILETS, UH, YOU KNOW, TOILETS, WATER, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT TO, UH, ENSURE THAT THESE THE CITY IS, YOU KNOW, SENDING THESE STOP THINGS UP IN A WAY THAT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND.
UM, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE SITES ARE IN PARKS AND, UH, SOME OF THEM THEY'RE NEAR, YOU KNOW, WATER IN WATERSHEDS, NEAR CREEKS AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND COULD HAVE ADVERSE IMPACT, UH, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY INTO THESE CREEKS AND THINGS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LOCATIONS AS THESE ARE IDENTIFIED AND NAILED DOWN.
SO THAT'S MY SUGGESTION AS A FUTURE ITEM FOR US TO DISCUSS, I THINK, UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS WITH STAFF AS WELL AS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT EVEN A DRAFT LIST, ISN'T, ISN'T GOING TO BE GOING TO THE COUNCIL LOOKING SECOND, AND NO DECISION ABOUT ACTUAL SITES IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL WELL AFTER THAT.
BUT, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY, I, I'M CERTAINLY UP FOR TALKING TO STAFF ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT TIMELINE IS ON, ON THAT CONVERSATION OR TO INTERJECT I'M GOOD, GOOD EVENING.
AND, UM, YEAH, THE, UH, THE ITEMS OF CONCERN THAT YOU BROUGHT UP ARE DEFINITELY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION.
AND SO WE CAN, UM, WORK AND COORDINATE WITH THE CITY'S HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER TO FIND A TIME THAT, UM, WORKS FOR THEM TO COME BACK WITH A, WITH A BRIEFING.
IT WON'T BE TODAY OR TOMORROW, BUT IT WILL BE DOWN WHEN WE GET MORE INFORMATION.
YES, I SEE UP, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE BUDGET FOR THE PARKS IS OUR, THE CLEANUP OF THE WATER IS ALSO CONSIDERED AT THAT MEETING.
THAT THAT WATERSHED GETS A BUDGET FOR CLEANING AND KEEPING OUR WATER CLEAN.
IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LIVING THERE.
THIS IS A WRAP AND IT IS 8:30 PM.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'RE ADJOURNED.