[00:00:03]
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
SO ARE WE GOOD WITH OUR AUDIO AND VISUAL VIDEO AND EVERYTHING HE'S READY TO GO.
SO IF EVERYBODY ON THE SCREEN WOULD LIKE TO DO A REALLY QUICK MIC CHECK, JUST SAY HI, WE SHOULD BE READY TO GO.
SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED DURING MY MIC CHECK AND HELLO, THIS IS KATE.
WELL I THINK WE GOT EVERYBODY.
I KNOW THAT, UM, TAYLOR'S GOING TO BE LATE AND I'M NOT SURE WHO ELSE YOU HEARD FROM, UM, SAMMY, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT TO DO TODAY AND WE NEED TO JUST KEEP THIS ON THE, SO THIS IS TUESDAY,
[CALL TO ORDER]
MAY 25TH.AND THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD WE'RE MEETING VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL RURAL, UM, VICE CHAIR, DIPLOMA, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER DICARLO, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER MASON MURPHY, PRESENT FOR A MEMBER FOR A SET, NOT HERE.
BOARD MEMBER FAUST, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER, BARNARD PRESENT AND BOARD MEMBER, UH, COTTON SEIBEL, CHAIR LEWIS.
A BOARD MEMBER CAUGHT HIM IS HAVING SOME STRUGGLES GETTING IN.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND WORK WITH HER AND SEE IF WE CAN TROUBLESHOOT THAT.
I HOPE EVERYBODY IS DOING WELL.
AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH, UM, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, WHICH I'LL PASS OVER TO VICE CHAIR, UM, DIPLOMA, I WANTED TO JUST, UM, WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBER OR MEMBER, UM, NANCY BERNARD, DISTRICT SEVEN.
DO YOU JUST WANT TO TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF BEFORE WE GET STARTED? SURE.
MY NAME IS NANCY AND, UH, I LIVE IN A DISTRICT SEVEN AND I'M SUPER, SUPER EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS BOARD.
I THINK AUSTIN'S REALLY LUCKY BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, REALLY, REALLY GOOD PARKS AND JUST NATURE.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE AND UM, HOPEFULLY WE, WE, THIS MEETING WENT TO HER FOR YOU AND YOU'LL COME BACK.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
I'LL JUST PASS IT OVER TO, TO VICE, TO, UM, DIPLOMA TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.UM, JUST AS A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO'VE SIGNED UP VERSUS SINCE COMMUNICATION, IT'S GOING TO BE BY THE AGENDA ITEM AND, AND IF IT IS AN ITEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN POSTED, THE BOARD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO, UH, ASK QUESTIONS OF YOU.
SO WHEN YOU DO NOT HEAR A RESPONSE AFTER YOU HAD MADE A QUESTION OR USED YOUR THREE MINUTES TO DISCUSS YOUR ISSUE, IT'S NOT FOR A LACK OF CARING.
THAT IS WHERE, UM, IN BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP UNDER GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS IS IN COMMUNICATION? YEAH.
AND MOST OF OUR INDIVIDUALS ARE ON THE CALL.
UM, OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE MALCOLM YATES, UH, UNDER GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
SO GIVE US TWO SECONDS TO GET THAT UPLOADED AND THEN WE'LL HAVE HIM COME ON THE LINE AND HIS THREE MINUTES WE'LL START.
AND MALCOLM, I HOPE YOU'RE DOING WELL.
THE PRESENTATION IS UP AND WE ARE ALL LOOKING AT THE FIRST SCREEN.
[00:05:01]
YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS BEGUN.I'M A VOLUNTEER INVOLVED IN CLEANING UP PARKS AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
THE FIRST SLIDE, NUMBER ONE, THIS IS A HISTORY OF HOW VOLUNTEERS TRANSFORMED A TRASH DUMP IN, INTO A PARK IN 2016, THE CITY PURCHASED TWO PROPERTIES IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN TO PROTECT THE HEADWATERS OF COUNTRY CLUB CREEK SLIDE.
NUMBER TWO, THESE PROPERTIES HAD BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS AND MULTIPLE LARGE TRANSIENT CAMPS WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE GREEN BELT.
THIS IS A PANORAMIC 180 DEGREE PHOTO OF JUST ONE OF THESE CAMPS.
THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES SHOW HOW VOLUNTEERS WORKED FOR FOUR YEARS TO CLEAN UP ALL OF THE TRANSIENT CAMPS IN THE GREEN BELT SLIDE.
NUMBER EIGHT BY 2019, THE ENTIRE GREEN BELT HAD BEEN CLEANED UP AND VOLUNTEERS BUILD A MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL IN THE GREEN BELT.
IN JULY OF 2019, COUNCIL STOPPED ENFORCING THE CAMPING BAN IN PARKS AND GREEN BELTS.
AND THE TRANSIENT CAMPS RETURNED THIS CITY.
COUNCIL ACTION WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR SATURDAY MORNINGS OVER A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS TO CREATE THIS PARK SLIDE NINE.
THIS IS WHAT THE VOLUNTEERS FOUND WHEN THEY CLEANED UP THE TRANSIENT CAMPS.
THESE CAMPS WERE USED TO DISMANTLE STOLEN BICYCLES, SLIDE 10, A FIRE THAT STARTED IN ONE CAMP IN THE GREENBELT GOT OUT OF CONTROL AND BURNED A LARGE AREA.
THE LOCATION OF THIS FIRE WAS IN AN INACCESSIBLE AREA ABOVE A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
IF THE FIRE HAD CONTINUED TO SPREAD, THERE WAS NO WAY TO STOP IT BEFORE IT DESTROYED THE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SLIDE 12 IN MARCH OF 2020, THE JOGGER WAS ATTACKED IN THE GREEN BELT BY A PACK OF DOGS THAT LIVED IN ONE OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED TRANSIENT CAMPS.
THIS IS WHAT THE VOLUNTEERS FOUND IN MARCH, 2020 WHEN THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE LAST GREENBELT CLEANUP BEFORE ALL CLEANUPS WERE STOPPED BY THE PANDEMIC.
THIS IS A TOILET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CREEK SLIDE 14.
THIS TOILET WAS LOCATED IN THE HEADWATERS OF THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK.
THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS LIVE DOWNSTREAM FROM THE APARTMENTS THAT GLIDE IN THE CREEK.
THE CREEK FLOWS THROUGH ROY GUERRERO PARK CHILDREN PLAY IN THIS CREEK.
SLIDE 15, PLEASE RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL TO ENFORCE THE CAMPING BAN IN PARKS AND GREEN BELT CAMPS IN PARKS CREATE PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS, PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARDS, WATER, QUALITY, DEGRADATION, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRIME.
ALL RIGHT, SAMMY, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS UNDER GENERAL ASSISTANCE COMMUNICATION, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA? WE DO NOT.
ALL THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS ARE RELATED TO AGENDA ITEM B ONE.
AND AS PER POLICY WORK OR RULES FOR THE REMOTE MEETINGS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW.
THIS, THIS, THIS IS RELATING TO, I'M GOING TO GO OUT AND ANNOUNCE WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM IS JUST, AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO IT AS A POINT OF DISCUSSION.
SO THIS IS NOT WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE AGENDA, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LIKE CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION IS COMING IN, HAVE TO PROVIDE INPUT AND THOUGHTS RELATING TO AGENDA ITEM B ONE, WHICH IS A NON-CONSENT ITEM, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO APPROVE THE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN WITH THAT.
GO AHEAD AND START OFF WITH THIS FIRST SPEAKER.
DO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? STEVE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? AND IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, MR.
UM, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS STEVE PRAISER AND I LIVE ON WINSOME CREEK IN THE SOUTH AND CHALK AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THIS AREA, THERE'S VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF USABLE PARK SPACE.
THIS DECISION PLAN THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT, UM, IS MANY YEARS OVERDUE.
[00:10:01]
IN THE 2005 SOUTH CONGRESS COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.AND AGAIN, IN 2014 AND THE SOUTH AUSTIN COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AFTER MUCH PUBLIC INPUT.
SO THIS IS A PARK DEFICIENT PART OF SOUTH AUSTIN.
I FEEL THAT PARENTS WHO LIVE ON ST ELMO'S SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GET IN THEIR CAR AND DRIVE THEIR KIDS UP TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS TO FIND A FUNCTIONAL PARK.
I'M EXCITED THAT WE NOW HAVE AN OUTLINE FOR CHANGING THAT, UM, A WAY FORWARD FOR ENHANCING AND PRESERVING THIS GREAT RESOURCE, THIS CREEK CORRIDOR AND THE OPEN SPACE, LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN SOMETIMES NEGLECTED AND, AND UNDERFUNDED.
AND I'LL CONCLUDE BY THANKING EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN.
MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO CAME TO THE MEETINGS ONLINE MEETINGS, MADE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.
ALSO THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP, AND STAFF FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I DOUBT IF ANYONE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD CAME AWAY WITH EVERYTHING THEY WANTED, BUT IF THERE'S NOT SOME GIVE AND TAKE AND COMPROMISE, WE'D NEVER BE ABLE TO CREATE A PARK OR GREENBELT AND AUSTIN.
SO THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME, AND I URGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS GREATLY NEEDED PARK PLAN FOR SOUTH AUSTIN.
OH, I WAS SAYING, THANK YOU, MR. PRATHER FOR SENDING THE EMAIL TO THE BOARD.
ALONG WITH THE SEDIMENTS EXPRESS WITH THAT.
IS THERE A, UH, ANOTHER SPEAKER SAM, YOU UNDER ITEM B ONE? YES, VICE CHAIR.
AND THIS ONE HAS A PHOTO SLIDESHOW.
SO JUST BEAR WITH US FOR A SECOND WHILE WE GET THAT UPLOADED.
AND THEN, UH, MR. LARRY MURPHY, UM, IF YOU WANT TO LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE ON THE LINE AND GIVE US TWO SECONDS, WE'LL GET YOUR PHOTOS PULLED UP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME, MR. MURPHY, GIVE US JUST A SECOND BEFORE YOU START YOUR COMMENTS SO WE CAN GET THE TIMER GOING AND THANK YOU FOR SENDING THE LINK EARLIER RELATING TO THESE PHOTOS.
IT'S TAKEN A MINUTE WITH ALL OF THE PHOTOS.
WE'LL JUST END UP ADVANCING THE SLIDES BECAUSE WE CAN GET THE SLIDE.
SO SLIDESHOW FUNCTION TO WORK.
SO IF YOU ARE READY TO BEGIN, WE WILL START THE TIMER HERE AT CITY HALL.
UH, THANK YOU, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I WAS PRESENT AT A COUPLE OF THOSE, UH, COUNTRY CLUB, UH, CREEK CLEANUP.
UM, SO THANK YOU, MALCOLM, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
UH, COUNTRY CLUB CREEK IS A RESOURCE NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE PARKS BOARD ON, WE NEED TO FIX THAT SITUATION
[00:15:01]
OVER THERE AT COUNTRY CLUB CREEK.HELLO, AND WE NEED A BRIDGE BACK.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD THE ACCESS NOW HAD LACK OF ACCESS FOR EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OVER THERE AT ROY GUERRERO PARK, BUT, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR WHAT WE DO.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP, UM, FOR A VERY NICE SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION, SOME VERY NICE PHOTOS, HIGHLY MARKETABLE, UH, VISION PLAN.
THAT BEING SAID IT IS ENTIRELY BASED IN VIRTUALITY.
UH, WE DID NOT REALLY HAVE AUTHENTIC PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC INPUT.
WE DIDN'T REALLY INCLUDE, UM, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND THE WORK OF OUR COMMUNITY AS STEVE PRATER, UH, REFERENCED GOING BACK TO THE COMBINED SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBOR, SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBOR, COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PROCESS, UM, GOING BACK TO ADVOCACY WITHIN A BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE MADISON, THE BICYCLE MASTER PLAN FOR WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENBELT.
THAT'S BEEN REFERENCED BY MANY PEOPLE MULTIPLE TIMES IS A CONNECTED TRAIL, A NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL, OR PERHAPS A NATIVE MULCH SURFACE TRAIL THAT CONNECTS WILLIAMSON CREEK.
THAT POSSIBILITY FROM THE Y AND OAK HILL THROUGH SOUTH AUSTIN, DOWN TO OUR STATE PARK IN OUR URBAN AREA, MCKINNEY FALLS, STATE PARK AND ON THROUGH DEL VALLEY AND THROUGH THE COUNTY PARK TO OUR COLORADO RIVER.
AND BEYOND THIS TRAIL IN THE GREENBELT SOMEHOW GOT CONFUSED AND WRAPPED INTO A GREENWAY VISION PROCESS BY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND THE COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THESE PEOPLE AREN'T FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW WILLIAMSON CREEK.
SO RATHER THAN A DEAL ON THE, ON THE SLICK PICTURES AND THE SLICK PRESENTATIONS, MY PICTURE IS FOCUSED ON THE ACTUAL REALITY RIGHT NOW OF OUR WILLIAMSON CREEK.
IF YOU NOTICE THESE PICTURES, IT'S DISCOURAGING, THERE ARE SOME STOLEN BICYCLES GOING BY RIGHT NOW THAT BIKE WAS STOLEN FROM LA FITNESS ON SOUTH LAMAR.
NEXT DAY, I PHOTOGRAPHED IT IN THESE CAMPS.
YOU SEE THAT THAT IS HOW OUR WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HAS LEFT WILLIAMSON CREEK.
THERE'S AN OPEN AIR LATRINE TRAIN RIGHT THERE ON THE CREEK.
THERE'S TOILET PAPER AND HUMAN FECES, THE COUNTRY DFA, UM, WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT IS I'VE BEEN A LONG-TIME COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
FATHER PARENTS RAISED MY CHILDREN HERE, BORN HERE, LIFELONG, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE EMPLOYEE WORKED FOR CITY OF AUSTIN, NATURE TRAILS, NATURE TRAILS, NATURE TRAILS, AND PUBLIC ACCESS IS WHAT I BELIEVE IN MY CHILD, NOAH, UM, USED WAVES AND CREEK TO SAFELY GET TO SMALL MIDDLE-SCHOOL BECAUSE OF INCREASING PRESSURE, GENTRIFICATION AND REDEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.
IN OUR AREA OF SOUTH BOSTON, OUR SCHOOLS HAVE COLLAPSED FROM AUSTIN SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM LACK OF PLANNING, FROM LACK OF COORDINATING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT CARED FOR THE COMMUNITY, NO CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT ACTUALLY LIVES HERE.
RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN NEGLECTED, HARASSED, BUT MISERABLY, THEY WATERSHED YOU HIT.
YEAH, YOU YOU'VE HIT YOUR, YOU JUST WENT A LITTLE OVER THREE AT THREE OR THREE MINUTES.
BUT WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS, WE WANT A NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL.
I MEAN, WE WANT BICYCLE TRAILS FOR OUR PEOPLE.
ALL RIGHT, SAMMY, DO WE HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKER? WE SURE DO.
JESSICA SAGER IS ON THE LINE, JESSICA, IF YOU'LL UNMUTE YOURSELF AND, UH, WE'LL START THE TIMER HERE AT CITY HALL.
MY NAME IS JEFFREY FAGER FAGER.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK ABOUT THIS PLAN.
I AM THE FOUNDER OF HEARTLAND COMMUNITY GARDEN.
I BACK UP UNTIL WILLIAMSON CREEK ALSO AND FOUNDED THE FIRST, UH, COMMUNITY GARDEN IN ON WATERSHED ON 25 YEARS WATERSHED PROPERTY.
AND I'M SPEAKING UP IN SUPPORT OF THE VISION PLAN AND THE COMMUNITY WORK THAT WE DID TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I LIVED IN MY HEARTWOOD AREA.
WE, I PERSONALLY PUT OUT LOTS OF FLYERS, UM, DIRECTING PEOPLE TO JOIN, TO GET INPUT, UM, SHARED IT WITH ME, HAD POPUPS AT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE WORKING GROUP THAT KNOCK TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND GET THEIR INPUT.
AND ABSOLUTELY WE CAN'T GET EVERY, LIKE I WOULD LOVE A LOT OF THINGS AND I WOULD LOVE A NATURAL TRAIL.
UM, SO NOT THAT I DON'T WANT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THIS VISION PLAN IS A REALLY GREAT STEP IN, UM, SHOWING WHAT OUR VISION IS FOR THIS AREA.
UM, AS STEVE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IT'S REALLY PARKED DEFICIENT PART OF SOUTH AUSTIN, UM, AND THAT THIS IS GREATLY NEEDED IN OUR AREA.
SO ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS VISION PLAN, IT WAS DO THEY WELL FACILITATED FOR A LONG-TERM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS DURING VERY TREACHEROUS TIMES, YOU KNOW, VERY TRYING TIMES OF COVID.
UM, AND SO IT, IT DOES TAKE IN A LOT OF INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.
[00:20:01]
WE'VE CREATED A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF IT.AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL, UM, FOR OUR SPACE BECAUSE OF THIS PLAN.
THANK YOU, MS. SAGER, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS? OKAY.
ANNA PATALA ARE YOU ON THE LINE? ANA PATALA YES.
MY NAME IS ANA PATELLA AND I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND HAVE LIVED IN THE SHOP WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN SOUTH AUSTIN FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE WILLIAMSON CREEK WORKING GROUP AND HIGH HOPES FOR THIS PROJECT.
IN THE BEGINNING, I'VE SHARED A YOUTUBE VIDEO WITH A BOARD THAT EXEMPLIFIES MY NEIGHBOR SENTIMENT ABOUT OUR BELOVED WILLIAMSON CREEK.
AS YOU CAN HEAR IN THE VIDEO, EVERYONE SHARED THEIR LOVE OF ITS NATURAL STATE.
I'D RECENTLY HEARD FROM MULTIPLE NEIGHBORS THAT FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD SURRENDER TO MAJORITY ROLE AND FILL OUT, VOTED IN THE DIRECTION THAT THIS MASTER PLAN IS TAKEN.
THIS IS A FALSE REALITY BECAUSE THIS OUTREACH FAILED.
THIS IS WHERE I FELT AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP AND WHERE THE PROFESSIONALS COMMUNITY POWER WORKSHOP FAILED OUR WORKING GROUP.
THE MAJORITY OF THE NEIGHBORS THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THIS MASTER PLAN WERE NEVER CONTACTED COMMUNITY POWER WORKSHOP PUBLISHED IN THE MAY 20TH NEWSLETTER, THE QUANTITY OF COMMENTS AND VOTES.
WHAT IS MISSING FROM THESE STATEMENTS IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED NOT THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS.
I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO ASK COMMUNITY POD WORKSHOP.
HOW MANY ACTUAL NEIGHBORS PARTICIPATED IN TOTAL? NOT HOW MANY TIMES ONE PERSON COMMENTED, NOT HOW MANY TIMES ONE PERSON ATTENDED.
NOW, HOW MANY TIMES ONE PERSON VOTED.
I GUARANTEE YOU, IT IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS, WHICH IS THREE 30, 1,400 AND THE 2010 CENSUS TRACK THE TOUCH, THE SCOPE OF THIS MASTER PLAN.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO THE NUMBERS BASED ON THEIR ANSWER, TO DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE OF NEIGHBORS WHO WERE CONTACTED AND MUCH LESS ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS.
I JOINED THIS WORKING GROUP WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEPENDED ON COMMUNITY PROUD WORKSHOP TO LEAD US, TO TRAIN US AND TO SHARE HOW TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
OUR WORKING GROUP WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF PUTTING OUT DOOR HANGERS, BUT NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO MAKE A DENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE NEVER SENT OUT POSTCARDS TO THE NEIGHBORS IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE NEVER CONTACTED THE AMERICAN STATEMENTS.
WE NEVER CONTACTED THE CHRONICLE.
WE NEVER CONTACTED THE LOCAL NEWS STATIONS.
THE ONLY MERYL OUT I'M AWARE OF HAPPENED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 22ND TO CHURCH'S APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN SOME COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH AN INVITATION TO THE THURSDAY, APRIL 29TH, LAST ZOOM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, MIND YOU, THE CHURCHES WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT TOO LATE TO SHARE WITH THEIR CONGREGATIONS.
THEN THE ZOOM MEETING WAS CANCELED, CITING SAFETY IN A VIRTUAL MEETING, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES, THE MUTE BUTTON COULD HAVE BEEN USED AND PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT OF THE ZOOM CALL.
ONLY THE NEIGHBORS HAD SIGNED UP FOR THE CANCEL MEETING, WHEREVER REACHED OUT TO AGAIN FOR AN INTIMATE, PRIVATE ZOOM MAKE-UP MEETING BY COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
I'D LIKE TO BRING YOU BACK TO THE ANIMATION THAT I SHARED WITH YOU.
MY NEIGHBORS SHARES THE WILD NATURE OF OUR CREEK AND TO QUOTE THE SANCTITY OF MY BACKYARD, THIS MASTER PLAN, TURNING OUR GREENBELT INTO A GREENWAY DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS CHERISH.
IF THEIR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD, THIS MASTER PLAN WOULD HAVE LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT.
IT SADDENS ME, BUT I CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT THIS MASTER PLAN AS IT IS WRITTEN WITHOUT THE VOICES OF MY NEIGHBORS.
IT DOES NOT RESPECT IT, BUT STEWARDSHIP THIS OUT TO AUSTIN IS BUILT ON.
AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR LAST SPEAKER.
UH, MARY OLMSTED IS ON THE LINE.
SHE WILL BE ADDRESSING YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL REGISTERED SPEAKER, AND I BELIEVE THAT SHE WANTS TO SHARE A VIDEO.
SO GIVE US TWO SECONDS TO PULL UP THAT VIDEO AND IT DOES RUN 18 SECONDS OVER.
WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, GET THAT AS CLOSE TO THREE MINUTES AS POSSIBLE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE, UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE YOURSELF.
IF NOT, WE WILL JUST START THE VIDEO.
FIRST OF ALL, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UM, SO I ASKED YOU AS MY THREE MINUTES TO SHOW THIS ANIMATED VIDEO THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER FOR THE WILLIAMSON CREEK, UH, WORKING GROUP VISION PLAN.
UH, MANY OF US FELT IT WAS, UH, THE, THE JEWEL, CAUSE IT REALLY REFLECTS THE LOVE AND THE WARMTH THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS FOR OUR TRAITS.
SO WE DID MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY.
WE DID THE BEST JOB WE COULD GIVEN THE INFORMATION WE HAD OUTREACH WASN'T QUITE ENOUGH, BUT, UM, PLEASE ENJOY THIS VIDEO.
[00:25:01]
SHINE THROUGH IN IT.NO, I'VE BEEN LIVING FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.
MY FATHER WAS A BIRD, MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE KNEW HER BIRD WHEN I SEE SOMETHING AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.
WE HAVE LINEAR CRITTERS ON BACK.
WILLIAMSON CREEK RUNS IN A WEST TO EAST DIRECTION.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE A HIGHWAY FOR WILDLIFE.
IT'S LIKE HAVING A LITTLE PARK IN SYDNEY AND I COME HOME STATE PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, BEHIND MY HOUSE, WE FISH DOWN THERE AS KIDS.
WE COULD JUMP OFF THE ROCKS INTO THE WATER, REAL DOG PADDLE IN THE RAPIDS WHEN WE HAD A GOOD RAIN AND I'LL BE LOOKING AT MY BROTHER, HIS HEAD STICKING UP, BUT IT WAS KIND OF, WELL, I LIVED IN NEXT WEEK.
IF THIS CHILD, ALL THE KIDS ON THE BLOCK AND PRETTY MUCH STARTING DIRECTLY AFTER THEY PUT IN THE SEWAGE SYSTEM, NO CREEK COMPLETELY DIE.
AT THAT TIME, IT WAS JUST FULL OF TRASH WASHING MACHINE CARS, BICYCLE PARTS, TIRES, THE STOLEN VEHICLES AND APPLIANCES THAT HAD BEEN THROWN IN THE CREEK OVER THE YEARS AT ALL, FORMED A DAM.
WELL THAT SNAPPED HURRICANE CAME THROUGH AUSTIN AND A WALL OF WATER CAME HIGH ENOUGH UP TO FLOOD THE HOUSES AND SOMEONE ORGANIZED A CLEAN SWEEP CREEK CLEANUP.
THAT WAS THE START OF TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A CREEK AGAIN, IMPROVING ANY PARK IS JUST A MATTER OF INVOLVING YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND WE GOT TWO TONS WHERE THE TRASH OUT OF THE CREEK, AFTER THAT INITIAL CLEANUP, YOU START TO NOTICE THE BIRDS AND THEN YOU'RE NOTICING COYOTES AND WE'VE SEEN EAGLES, CHICKADEES CARDINAL, GREAT BLUE HERONS, LESTER BLUE, HERONS GREEN HERONS, NOT TO MENTION THE TURTLE, GETTING WISE TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S NEED FOR NATURAL SURROUNDINGS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS? THERE'S NO QUESTION ON, ON NICE DAYS.
WE WOULD CERTAINLY TAKE THE STUDENTS DOWN THERE AND A COUPLE ACOUSTIC GUITARS AND GO AND USE IT MORE.
I ACTUALLY AM PROBABLY OVERDUE FOR A WALK DOWN THERE, A PLACE WHERE I SAFELY FELT LIKE I COULD SAY, HEY BOYS, GO RUN TWO LAPS.
BEFORE YOU COME BACK FOR DINNER.
IT'S A, IT'S A TREASURE RUNNING THROUGH SOUTH AUSTIN AND WE'RE HOPING MORE PEOPLE WILL BECOME AWARE OF IT AND LOVE ON IT AND USE IT ANYTIME SOON.
SANCTITY OF MY BACKYARD TO ME.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY FURTHER INDIVIDUALS VERSUS THIS COMMUNICATION.
WELL THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR SPENDING THE TIME TO COME SHARE WITH US, WE REALLY WERE VERY GRATEFUL.
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON TO THAT PLAN, WE DO NEED TO, UM, LOOK AT APPROVE THE MINUTES.SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HAS SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES AND SEE IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES, NOT IF I COULD GET A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER RENALDI.
SO I HAVE, UM, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI MOVES TO APPROVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND OR MEMBER? UM, CAPTAIN SEIBEL.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND I KNOW SAMMY NEEDS YOU TO, I THINK EVERYBODY HAS THEIR VIDEO ON JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
[B.1. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Department Director to approve the Central Williamson Creek Greenway Vision Plan.]
TO THE NEW BUSINESS AND, UM, THE FIRST ITEM IS, UH, THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO APPROVE THE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN.AND WE HAVE, UM, CLAIRE EDELMAN, HEATH, I BELIEVE, AND, AND HER TEAM CHAIR LEWIS GIVE US TWO SECONDS.
[00:30:32]
CAN WE CHECK THAT? UM, MARY IS ON, SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO, UM, A WEBEX, BUT SHE TRIED CALLING IN AND SHE, UH, WAS ON CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE MARY, ARE YOU ABLE TO CONNECT STILL? UM, I'M STILL HERE.I THINK WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY AT LEAST TO GET STARTED.
WE MAY HAVE TO BRING SOME PEOPLE OVER, UH, WHEN IT'S THE QUESTION TIME AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
AND JUST, IF YOU COULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF WHEN YOU SPEAK, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I'M GREG MONTES WITH PARK PLANNING AND A MEMBER OF THE CITY WORKING GROUP OR THE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING THIS COMMUNITY LED VISION PLAN BEFORE THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, AS IT HIGHLIGHTS A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY NATURE CONSERVANCY IN OUR WORKSHOP TO KURT ROBINSON AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE PLAN SUPPORTS SEVERAL PART LONG RANGE PLAN STRATEGIES, SUCH AS ENSURING PARKS ACT AS A RELIEF FROM URBAN LIFE, EXPANDING AND IMPROVING PARK ACCESS FOR ALL.
AND ALIGNING PROGRAMS WITH COMMUNITY INTEREST PLAN ALSO SUPPORTS ONE OF OUR CITY'S SIX PRIORITY STRATEGIC OUTCOMES, THE HEALTH ENVIRONMENT, WHICH STATES THAT EVERY AUSTINITES SHOULD ENJOY A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT, HEALTHY LIFE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.
LASTLY, THE PLAN ALIGNS WITH THREE COUNCIL APPROVED SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, ALL OF WHICH ACKNOWLEDGE WILLIAMSON CREEK AS A PRIORITY AREA FOR TRAILS AND ENHANCING ACCESS TO THE GREENBELT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE KATIE COIN WITH AS A CORE ROBINSON TO SAY A FEW WORKS.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TO HEAR FROM US TODAY.
IT'S NICE TO SEE A COUPLE OF FAMILIAR FACES.
I LEAD AN AWARD-WINNING PRACTICE THAT OFTEN OCCURRED AT ROBINSON CALLED THE URBAN ECOLOGY STUDIO.
WE'RE KNOWN FOR DOING EQUITY DRIVEN PLANNING AND DESIGN WORK.
I'VE SERVED AS PRINCIPAL IN CHARGE ON BEHALF OF OSCAR ROBINSON ON HIS PROJECT AND HAVE OVERSEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN WITH MY COLLEAGUES FROM START TO FINISH.
I REALLY COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF MY STAFF'S WORK AND THE WORK OF COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP AND THE WORK OF COUNTLESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TECHNICAL ADVISORS EACH AND EVERY PERSON INVOLVED HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HONOR THE POSSIBILITY IN THIS PLACE.
THIS IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE PARKS PLAN BUILDING ON YEARS OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
THIS PLAN INTEGRATES ECOLOGICAL THINKING ALONGSIDE RIGOROUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN A WAY THAT IS UNPARALLELED IN AUSTIN AND REALLY IN ANY WORK THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF TO DATE.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO OPEN WITH THAT AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO CHAVONNE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
MY NAME IS CHAVONNE WITH AT ALL.
I'M THE COMMUNITY COORDINATOR AT COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
UM, COMMUNITY POWER WORKSHOP IS AN AUSTIN BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE COMMUNITIES TO CREATE POWERFUL AND EQUITABLE PLACES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PLANNING.
AND OVER THE LAST YEAR COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP HAS FACILITATED THE CONVENING OF THE COMMUNITY AND CITY WORKING GROUPS WITH A GOAL TO BUILD LONG-TERM COLLABORATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS.
AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE ENGAGED AROUND 2300 PEOPLE, PRINTED 4,300 MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH DISTRIBUTED 3000 DOOR HANGERS MET WITH SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO INCLUDE THE VOICES OF THE UNHOUSED LIVING ALONG THE CREEK IN THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED, STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES, FIVE VIRTUAL EVENTS, SIX VIRTUAL CREEK CHATS, AND THREE SOCIALLY DISTANCE MEETUPS.
AND NOW PASS IT OFF TO MARY OLSON WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE VISION PLAN.
I'M NOT ON VIDEO AND I DO HAVE SOME PROMPTS FOR SLIDES.
SO THE INTRO SLIDES SHOULD BE PUT UP RIGHT NOW.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK WORKING GROUP.
AND, UM, THE VISION PLAN THAT WE CREATED IS A CULMINATION OF SEVERAL YEARS OF WORK BY RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS.
[00:35:01]
ACRES OF PARKLAND ALONG WILLIAMSON CREEK AND 16 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN BUYOUT WORK BY RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS.AND, UM, 16 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN BUYOUT PROPERTIES ALONG THE CREEK AND TRIBUTARIES FROM MANSHACK ROAD TO SOUTH CONGRESS.
THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, RESIDENTS HAVE DISCUSSED AND IMAGINED WAYS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THIS CORRIDOR AND MAKE IT MORE CONNECTED AND ACCESSIBLE IN 2019 COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE SOUTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERED WITH SEVERAL VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND NONPROFITS, INCLUDING POWERED WORKSHOP, PUBLIC GREEN AND WILD, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO ENGAGE NEIGHBORS ALONG THE CREEK TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR VISION FOR THE BUYOUT PROPERTIES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE IN 2020, A GRANT WAS AWARDED BY THE ST DAVID'S FOUNDATION AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A VISION PLAN FOR THE GREENWAY OF COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP OF EIGHT RESIDENTS AND THE CITY WORKING GROUP OF DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES WERE CREATED TO GUIDE THE PLANNING AND ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
ROBINSON IS THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF, MAINLY FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION AND PARKS AND REC WERE PLACED ON EQUAL FOOTING AS A WAY TO BALANCE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES WITH THE LOWEST POSSIBLE IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THE PLAN WAS SHAPED BY INPUT FROM 131 COMMENTS FROM NEIGHBORS ON AN INTERACTIVE MAP, 2200 VOTES THAT PRIORITIZED IDEAS AND 700 COMMENTS AND VARIOUS ITERATIONS OF THE VISION PLAN.
THE END RESULT WAS A COMMUNITY LED PROCESS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND LOCAL NON-PROFITS.
I'VE BEEN THE PROJECT MANAGER WITH ASSA KERR ROBINSON.
AND, UM, WE WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, HERE WE HAVE WHAT MARY JUST DESCRIBED.
UM, THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF HOW THAT ENGAGEMENT AND A GRADED, UM, INTO THE DESIGN PROCESS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, BEGINNING LAST JUNE, WE BEGAN AN IN-DEPTH SITE ANALYSIS, UH, AND WORKED WITH THE CITY, UH, COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AND ALSO HAD AN EXTENSIVE MAPPING EXERCISE MOVING ON FROM THIS EARLY PHASE.
WE DEVELOPED THE FOUR DESIGN GOALS THAT I'LL SPEAK ABOUT SHORTLY, BUT THESE BECAME THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE VISION.
UM, WE ALSO DEVELOPED, UH, CREEK IDEA CARDS FROM ALL OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
THESE WERE IDEAS THAT HELPED US REALLY, UM, FINE TUNE THE VISION, UH, OF THE, UH, ULTIMATE DESIGN.
AND AFTER WE GOT CONSENSUS ON THOSE CARDS, UH, WE BEGAN TO APPLY THEM TO PHYSICAL LOCATIONS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT AND CONSIDER INPUT TO THE, UH, VISION PLAN ITSELF.
AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN REFINING IT BASED ON FEEDBACK, UM, AND HAD MANY VERSIONS AS WELL AS WRITTEN CONTENT.
UM, UNTIL WE HAD THE VERSION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY, UH, ADVANCED TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, A QUICK VIEW OF THE EXTENTS OF THE AS DESCRIBED.
SO IT BEGINS ON THE EAST SIDE OF MENCHACA ROAD AND CONTINUES, UH, THE STREAM FLOWS WEST EAST.
SO IT FLOWS, UH, EAST TO SOUTH CONGRESS AND IT'S A SERIES OF HARD PROPERTIES AND WATERSHED PROTECTION FLOODPLAIN BUYOUTS.
UM, WHEN I SPOKE TO THE FOUR GOALS EARLIER, UM, THESE ARE, UH, THESE ARE THE GOALS DEVELOPED BY THE COMMUNITY.
SO GO ONE AS A RESTORED AND BIO-DIVERSE GREENWAY, UM, TWO AS A COMMUNITY CENTERED GREENWAY THREE AND ACCESSIBLE AND VISIBLE GREENWAY AND FOUR, AN ACTIVE AND CONNECTED GREENWAY.
THE CREEK IDEAS, UH, WERE CONCEPTS FOR THE GREENWAY AND EACH ONE IS MEANT TO SUPPORT ONE OF THE VISION STATEMENTS.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN ARE THE, UH, MOST PREFERRED VISION, UM, CREEK IDEAS THAT WE HEARD FROM, UH, PUBLIC INPUT.
UM, WHILE THERE ISN'T AN EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF THESE, UM, IDEAS, WE DID FIND THAT MANY OF THEM HAVE OVERLAP.
FOR EXAMPLE, NATURE PLAY, UH, ALSO SERVES AS AN ACTIVITY GOAL.
SO IN THAT WAY, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A REAL BALANCE AND REPRESENTATION OF ALL GOALS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO
[00:40:01]
SEE WITHIN THE GREENWAY.UM, NOW WE COME TO AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE VISION PLAN.
UM, IT'S A SERIES OF AMENITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS LINKED BY TRAILS.
WE HAVE A MULCH NATURE TRAIL REPRESENTED BY THE WHITE LINE, A SINGLE TRACK MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL, AND A HIGH WATER ROUTE REPRESENTED BY AN ORANGE LINE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE HIGH WATER ROUTE IS TO PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY DESPITE, UH, STORM EVENTS WITHIN THE GREENWAY.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO A SERIES OF TRAILHEADS AND AMENITIES, UM, WITH DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE GREENWAY.
SO WILDFLOWER PLANTING AND BASE OF SPECIES REMOVAL, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY IDEAS, SUCH AS A LABYRINTH OR MUSIC GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION AND WAY FINDING SIGNAGE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FITNESS.
UM, WE BROKE THESE, UH, WE DIVIDED THE VISION PLAN INTO THREE TIERS OF FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
TIER ONE ARE COMMUNITY LED COLLABORATIONS WITH CITY OF AUSTIN LANDOWNERS, UH, WITH THEIR APPROVAL, UM, TIER TWO, OUR PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE LED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT MIGHT HAVE VOLUNTEER INPUT, UM, AND WOULD BE $50,000 OR LESS TIER THREE, OUR LONGER TERM GOALS, SUCH AS LARGE SCALE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD TOTAL GREATER $50,000.
UM, AND WOULD IT REQUIRE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF THE IDEAS FALL UNDER THE TIER ONE.
SO WE TRIED TO, UH, PRIORITIZE, UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE VISION OF THE GREENWAY.
UM, THANKS TO THE LOW IMPACT NATURE OF THE IDEAS AND VOLUNTEER LED INITIATIVES.
UM, WE FIND THAT THIS WILL BE A VERY AFFORDABLE GREENWAY, A VERY AFFORDABLE VISION OF, UM, WITH THE TOTAL COST BEING ABOUT $2 MILLION WITH POTENTIAL FOR REDUCTION WITH PARTNERSHIPS LIKE FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES, SUCH AS KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL AND THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
UM, FINALLY, A WORD ON SUSTAINABILITY.
WE DESIGNED THE GREENWAY TO MEET, UH, ONE OF THE HIGHEST, UH, GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION, SUSTAINABLE SITES FRAMEWORK, UM, AS IT'S DESIGNED AND PRESENTED, IT WOULD MEET THE CRITERIA FOR PRE-CERTIFICATION AND IMPLEMENTED, UH, WOULD BE IN THE RANGE OF, UM, GOLD TO PLATINUM, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THAT STANDARD.
UM, LAST, I WANT TO CLOSE WITH A VIEW, UM, PROVIDED BY STEVE PREY THERE FROM A WINTER STORM, HARRY, UH, JUST ANOTHER LOOK AT, UM, SOME OF THE WONDER THAT'S WITHIN THIS GREEN WAY.
UM, AND NOW WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION AND I'M SURE WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST GO AROUND AND, UM, AS I SEE YOU ON THE, ON THE GRID, SO THAT WOULD START WITH YOU, UH, BOARD MEMBER DECARLO.
I KNOW YOU HAD HAD SOME QUESTIONS EARLIER.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WERE ADDRESSED OR NOT THE PLEASE, UM, GO FOR IT.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTING THE VISION PLAN.
I KNOW IT'S A LONG AWAITED, UM, PROJECT FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS IN SOUTH AUSTIN AND ALONG THE CREEK.
UM, I SEE, YEAH, A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN THE VISION PLAN.
UM, I, I DID APPRECIATE ALL OF THE, THE VARIETY OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT WAS OFFERED LIKE THE VIDEOS, THE PHOTOS, THE MAPPING, THE CREEK CARDS.
UM, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER REALLY SEEN THAT, THAT LEVEL OF VARIETY AND OTHER VISION PLANS, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS COOL TO SEE.
UM, YEAH, I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAD POSED AND I'M NOT SURE WHO EXACTLY ANSWERED THOSE, BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD SAY AFTER HAVING MY, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED, UM, SOME OF MY, MY, YEAH, CONCERNS MIGHT BE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE.
UM, IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THE, THE WORK GROUP HAS EVEN EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
[00:45:01]
UM, AND, AND AS OPPOSED TO THE PLAN.SO, UM, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE HELPFUL TO HEAR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS CREEK PLAN HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE THIS PAST YEAR.
AND SO IT'D BE HELPFUL TO HEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW SOME OF THE PREVIOUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS ALSO INCORPORATED INTO THIS PLAN.
UM, AND THEN IT WAS MY OTHER, AND THEN I GUESS MY, MY OTHER CONCERNS ARE JUST, YEAH, THE KIND OF CURRENT STATE OF THE CREEK.
UM, I HAVE BEEN OUT THERE RECENTLY.
I WAS ABLE TO GO OUT THERE WITH BOARD MEMBER MASON MURPHY, AND, AND I MEAN, THOSE, THOSE PICTURES THAT A LOT OF THE, THE CITIZENS SHARED ARE, ARE ACCURATE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S, IT LOOKS PRETTY BAD IN A LOT OF THE AREAS.
SO, SO I GUESS MY OTHER CONCERN IS JUST KIND OF THE CURRENT STATE OF, UH, REALLY THE CITY.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN JUST THIS PARK, IT'S THE ENTIRE CITY, UM, DEALING WITH, UM, THE ISSUES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND, AND HOW BEST TO ADDRESS THAT.
ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A NEW, A NEW VISION PLAN LIKE THIS.
UM, SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPEAK TO THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND THEN I, UM, AFTER Y'ALL ADDRESSED THAT, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM THAT THEY SENT ME SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I'LL, I'LL SHARE THOSE WITH Y'ALL, UM, IN JUST A MINUTE AS WELL.
HELLO, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR, YOUR QUESTION AND WE, UM, COLLECTIVELY RESPONDED TO YOUR QUESTION BEFOREHAND.
SO THANK YOU FOR SENDING THAT IN AND, UM, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT F UH, PRIMARILY FOCUSED FOR THIS ROUND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOCUSED ON THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY FOR THIS SECTION OF WILLIAMSON CREEK.
UM, AND THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DURING THE TECHNICAL REVIEW PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO WE WORK ALONGSIDE THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP TO ENGAGE NEIGHBORS IN THEIR, UM, SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY LED PROCESS SINCE ABOUT 2017, OUR ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP AT THE TIME AUSTIN COMMUNITY DESIGN DEVELOPMENT CENTER, UM, WAS APPROACHED BY RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD TO, UH, PARTNER WITH THE NATURE ON LEADING, UM, A SERIES OF COMMUNITY WALKS CALLED EXPLORER, WILLIAMSON CREEK.
AND IT WAS FROM THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT LED TO THE DEVELOP TO THE DESIRE TO PUT TOGETHER A VISION PLAN.
AND THAT'S HOW WE WERE INVITED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS FROM THAT INITIAL SERIES OF ENGAGEMENT AND, UM, F FROM HERE WE'VE, UH, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL EMPHASIZE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AS NEIGHBORS START TO COLLABORATE AND ORGANIZE AROUND IMPLEMENTING TIER ONE IDEAS, WHICH AS CLAIRE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, OUR VOLUNTEER LED, UH, MORE QUOTE UNQUOTE LOW-HANGING FRUIT IDEAS THAT CAN BE LED BY NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THERE, OUR ROLE IN THIS EFFORT WAS TO, UM, BUILD LEADERSHIP TRUST COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND CITY WORKING GROUPS, SO THAT AS WE TRANSITION OUT OF THE PROCESS, THAT THEY ARE SET UP TO CONTINUE, UM, WORKING TOGETHER, UH, FROM RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PRIORITIZING WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE.
AND FROM THE CITY WORKING GROUPS PERSPECTIVE AS LAND MANAGERS, THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING THOSE IDEAS IN A FLOOD PLAIN.
SO, UM, THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE COLLABORATIVE WORKING GROUP.
UM, AND SO W WE HOPE THAT, UM, PEOPLE CAN TAKE IT AND RUN WITH IT AND CONTINUE BUILDING ON WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING TO THEM ABOUT AND HOPING FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN HAPPY TO WORK WITH OUR TEAM AND SUPPORT IT UP TO THIS POINT.
AND JUST TO BUILD ON THAT, UM, CHAVONNE, I DON'T KNOW IF NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO MAYBE JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NUMBERS ON OUR ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO PASS IT BACK TO YOU, OR I CAN GO THROUGH THOSE AS WELL.
UH, YEAH, SO WE ENGAGED ABOUT 300 PEOPLE AND WHAT WE COULD DO, UM, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, WAS WE HOSTED, UM, THREE SOCIALLY DISTANCE POP-UPS AND HAD ABOUT 30 PEOPLE SHOW UP THERE AND THROUGH OUR SIX VIRTUAL CREEK CHATS WHERE PEOPLE COULD CALL IN, UH, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.
UM, WE MET WITH RESIDENTS FOR DIRECT ONE-ON-ONE QUESTIONS THERE.
[00:50:01]
EVENTS, UH, WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME IN AND THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP LED BREAKOUT ROOMS OF DOING THE INTERACTIVE MAP THAT, UM, EVERYTHING'S ON CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK.ORG.IT SHOWS THE COMMUNITY MAP THAT PEOPLE COULD PINPOINT EXISTING TRAIL HEADS, OR AN IDEA GOES HERE AND START GEOGRAPHICALLY PINPOINTING SOME OF THOSE IDEAS.
UM, FROM THERE AS CORE ROBINSON DESIGNED SOME OF THOSE IDEAS INTO THOSE CREEK IDEA CARDS THAT I REFERENCED EARLIER, AND THAT WAS PUT ON AN ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM AND PEOPLE PAST THE 2200 VOTES, EITHER ON THAT PLATFORM OR AT THE SOCIALLY DISTANCE POP-UPS WITH STICKY DOTS.
UM, AND THOSE WERE HOW THOSE IDEAS WERE PRIORITIZED INTO THE VISION.
AND THE VISION PLAN WENT THROUGH A FEW ITERATIONS, UM, WITH 700 COMMENTS, UH, TOTAL, AND THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE ON, UM, THE SOCIAL PINPOINT PLATFORM THAT WE USE AND ALSO PRINTED IN, IN PRINTED AS A HARD COPY IT'S UPON REQUEST.
AND SO ALL OF THAT WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND UPDATED THROUGH A FEW ITERATIONS.
UM, AND WE REVIEWED SOME OF THOSE UPDATES WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP, UM, TO THE FINAL PLAN.
AND, UM, FOR WE, OUR PLATFORM, WE HAD, UM, WE HAD ABOUT 3000 TOTAL DOOR HANGERS AND 4,300 PIECES OF PRINTED MATERIALS IN ENGLAND, ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
ALL OF OUR MATERIALS AND ENGAGEMENT WAS MADE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
AND PEOPLE COULD PICK UP THESE PRETTY PACKS OR BUY LITTLE BACKPACK OF THE PRINTED MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN MELON OR PICKUP AND WHATEVER WE COULD COORDINATE WITH THEM ON THAT.
AND THE INTERACTIVE MAP HAD ABOUT 2,171 TOTAL VISITS.
UH, THE CREEK IDEA CARDS HAD 3,441 TOTAL VISITS, AND WE HAD ABOUT A THOUSAND UNIQUE USERS TOTAL ON THE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM.
UM, WE ALSO HAD NEWSLETTERS ANNOUNCING ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES OR ANY UPDATES TO THE VISION PLAN, AND PEOPLE WERE FORWARDING THAT TO THEIR, THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UM, WE MET WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE OFFICES, UH, DISTRICT TWO, THREE AND FIVE.
UM, WE SPOKE TO ABOUT SIX ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, UM, GUAVA, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP WAS, UH, EIGHT RESIDENTS FROM THE SOUTHWOOD AND HEARTWOOD NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE, UH, ENGAGED WITH EVERY MONTH ON THIS MOSTLY LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES CAPACITY BUILDING ON PARTICIPATORY, BUDGETING, LAND MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SPEAKING, UH, IN A WAY THAT THEY COULD PRESENT THE VISION PLAN TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND BE LEADERS IN STEWARDING THIS VISION PLAN TO IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FUTURE AND HAVE MORE NUMBERS.
UM, I CAN GO ON, UH, IF ANYBODY HAS MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? UM, YEAH.
UM, YEAH, ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THE NUMBERS.
UM, SO THE 20, JUST TO CONFIRM THE 2300 PEOPLE, UM, THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO THAT NUMBER IS LIKE THE, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS THAT PARTICIPATED IN ANY, ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASPECT.
SO THAT'S A SUM OF ALL THE VIRTUAL IN PERSON, SOCIALLY DISTANCED, UM, NUMBERS IN TOTAL.
AND THEN LET ME BRING UP, I THINK Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THESE QUESTIONS, BUT IT WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF FEW HOURS AGO.
SO, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO READ OFF THESE QUESTIONS THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM, UM, AFTER THEY RECEIVED THE, UM, THE VISION PLAN.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, SIDE NUMBER SIX REFERS TO THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
UH, THEY'D LIKE TO CONFIRM, IS THIS THE OLD 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN, OR THE NEW 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN? HER THE ATLAS 14? I, UM, I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.
SO, UM, I THINK A GOOD REFERENCE THAT I WOULD POINT INTO, UM, IS ON PAGE 17, WE DID, UH, TRY TO CONVEY THAT INFORMATION IN THE PLAN, BUT, UM, THE FLOODPLAINS ARE AN ESTIMATED 25 YEAR AND 100 YEAR FLOOD EVENTS, UM, THERE.
SO, UM, IT, SO IN WHAT WE SAY, I'M JUST GOING TO READ DIRECTLY FROM IT.
UM, IT SAID IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT DUE TO THE, UH, NEW PARTICIPANT PRECIPITATION STUDY FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOWN AS ATLAS 14, THE FLOODPLAIN MAPS OF THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE REMAPPED WITHIN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE
[00:55:01]
YEARS.THE FLOODPLAINS ARE SHOWN IN THIS DOCUMENT TO REFLECT AN ESTIMATION OF THIS FUTURE UPDATE.
IT REFLECTS THE UPCOMING CHANGES BY SHOWING ESTIMATED 25 YEAR AND A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD EVENTS, ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FLOOD PRO FULLY DEVELOPED FLOOD PLAIN SCENARIO THAT CAN BE FOUND AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/FLOOD PRO THE OLD FLOOD PLANKS, NOT IN THE NEW, NOT THE ATLAS 1400 PLANS.
SO TO SAY IT IN ANOTHER WAY, UM, THESE ARE ESTIMATED SOMETIMES WHEN THE FLOOD POUNDER BOUNDARIES OFFICIALLY REDRAWN, UM, THEY THERE'S A CHANGE IN EXTENT, BUT THESE ARE AN ESTIMATED INCREASE.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE LARGER SIZE THAN THE PREVIOUS FLOOD PLAIN.
AND THAT'S BASED ON ESTIMATIONS THAT WE WORKED WITH CITY OF AUSTIN TO REPRESENT.
SO THE, THE NEW BATTERY FOR THIS AREA HAS NOT BEEN MAPPED, BUT THERE'S AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE AND THAT'S, WHAT'S REPRESENTED IN THE PLAN.
UH, THE SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, SO SIDE NUMBER SEVEN, REFERENCES, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, URBAN AGRICULTURE, COMMUNITY GARDENS, COMMUNITY BUILT ART LOW-IMPACT TRAIL, CONSTRUCTION AND SIGNAGE.
UM, WHAT MEASURES AND PRECAUTION WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THIS PLAN TO ENSURE NO CONSTRUCTION ALONG THIS PORTION OF WILLIAMSON CREEK WOULD HAVE ANY ADVERSE IMPACT DOWNSTREAM TO WILLIAMSON CREATE AN ONION CREEK SPECIFICALLY TO THE RESIDENTS AND HOMES DOWNSTREAM.
UM, ALSO HAVE CONCERNS REGARDING WHAT CAN BE WASHED DOWNSTREAM THAT CAN COMPROMISE PUBLIC SAFETY AND, OR HAVE A NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON THE CREEK.
HELLO, STORM WATER QUALITY WAS VERY, UM, VERY IMPORTANT TO, UH, ALL INVOLVED IN THE PLAN.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THROUGHOUT, UH, THAT, THAT IT MEANT, UM, THAT QUESTION DOES TOUCH ON IS THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, THAT WAS PRIORITIZED TO HELP SLOW AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER ENTERING THE GREEK.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, FEEL THAT THE PLANTING AND RESTORATION INCLUDED IN THE, UM, INCLUDED IN THE PLAN WILL ADDITIONALLY HELP WITH, WITH SOME OF THE FLOOD, BUT THERE'S A LOT EVEN UPSTREAM OF THAT, THAT I KNOW, UM, IS ALSO BEING STUDIED IN A SEPARATE GROUP.
UM, WE DID VET EVERY ELEMENT WITH, UH, PARTICULARLY WATERSHED DEPART, UH, PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, BUT WE DO INCLUDE THAT THIS IS A CONCEPT.
SO THE FINAL WAY THAT IS IMPLEMENTED WOULD HAVE TO BE REVIEWED, UM, PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE TIER, THAT'S A PART OF THE REVIEW OF THE AND SPLIT.
AND SOME OF THE TIER TWO ELEMENTS IS THAT NECESSARY REVIEW, BUT BY THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO ENSURE SAFETY.
AND YEAH, I KNOW THE, UM, THE DISTRICT THAT I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, HAS, UH, I MEAN, LIKE GOING LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE LINES AND CREEK IN SOUTH BOSTON HAS A REALLY GREAT FLOOD RISK.
AND SO, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THOSE, TO THOSE RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THIS, UM, AREA ALONG THE WILLIAMSON CREEK, WHICH GOES INTO ANY END CREEK, WHICH FLOODS A LOT, YOU KNOW, IS, UM, IS PROPERLY MANAGED.
UM, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION, WHICH IS, UM, IS THAT ON SLIDE NUMBER 10, THERE'S A NOTED REFERENCE TO BERGSTROM SPUR, UM, AND, UH, APPEARS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN EAST AND WEST QUESTION MARK.
UM, WE DID HAVE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE FOLKS FROM SPURRED TEAM.
AND SO THE ALIGNMENT WE SHOWED WAS THERE.
THEY HAD A PLAN, UM, WHICH I BELIEVE MAYBE ALSO REPRESENTED IN THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, UM, TO CONNECT TO THE WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE REFLECTED, UM, TO HELP SUPPORT, UM, ACROSS PROJECTS.
I'M STILL KIND OF PROCESSING, I'M ALL.
LET SOMEONE ELSE GO FOR NOW, ASK THE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER TO CARLA.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH.
THIS IS FOR OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A TOPIC THAT EVERYBODY HAS A LOT OF, UM, THINGS TO SAY AND GOOD QUESTIONS, BUT WE DO, IF YOU CAN JUST TRY TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO REPEAT THE SAME THINGS, BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO, WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER TONIGHT, SO I HATE TO CUT ANYBODY OFF, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT HEADS-UP OKAY.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT YOU OR MEMBER DECARLO.
I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE CLOCK.
BOARD MEMBER FAST, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
[01:00:01]
THERE IS GREENWAY A DEFINED TERM, HOW IS A GREENWAY DIFFERENT THAN A GREEN BELT? UM, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.UM, AND, AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, OUR ENGAGEMENT NUMBERS ARE CLOSER TO 4,300.
I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT FROM ONE OF THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP NUMBER MEMBERS THAT SHE'D REACHED OUT TO MORE AND PEOPLE WERE ADDING NUMBERS IN THE BACKGROUND.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE NUMBERS WITH YOU AFTER, UM, IF THAT HELPS, BUT REGARDING YOUR QUESTION ON THE GREENWAY VERSUS GREENBELT, UM, I BELIEVE THIS DECISION WAS MADE EARLY ON TO ALIGN WITH HOW THE LANGUAGE IS USED ACROSS THE CITY TO DESCRIBE OTHER SIMILAR TYPES OF SPACE.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GREENBELT IS A PRODUCT SPECIFIC TERM THAT DIDN'T COMPLETELY REFLECT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO SEE HERE FROM THE ENGAGEMENT AND THAT WAS DONE IN 2019.
UM, BUT IF OTHERS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
WHAT'S ANOTHER, WHAT'S ANOTHER GREEN WAY THAT THIS WOULD ALIGN WITH.
YOU'RE SAYING IT'S A GREENWAY WAS USED IN OTHER PLACES, AND THIS WAS CHOSEN TO ALIGN WITH THOSE OTHER GREENWAYS.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE? I MIGHT CALL ON? UM, NICOLE, IF SHE KNOWS MORE SPECIFICS TO THAT QUESTION, HEY EVERYONE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? HM.
UM, I'M, I'M REMEMBERING BACK TO A CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD, UM, OVER A YEAR AGO.
SO MY BRAIN IS A LITTLE FUZZY, BUT, UM, I BELIEVE IN ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS, UM, MAYBE IS IT LITTLE WALNUT CREEK PERHAPS? UM, I DON'T KNOW, SPECIFICS, I JUST KNOW WHEN WE HAD THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS BEING CALLED A VISION PLAN VERSUS A MASTER PLAN, THE AREA BEING CALLED THE GREEN LAKE VERSUS GREENBELT, UM, THAT WE SETTLED ON THIS TERMINOLOGY FOR A SPECIFIC REASON IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT THE CITY USES TO DESCRIBE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPACES THEY MANAGE.
DOES ANYBODY FROM PARTNER THE ANSWER TO THIS? UM, SO THE CREEK IS A GREEN BELT.
SO JUST REAL QUICKLY, UM, IN OUR PARK SYSTEM, MANY OF THE CREEKS THAT, UH, TRAVERSE THROUGH OUR PARKS, UM, ARE REFERRED TO AS GREEN BELTS.
UM, TERMINOLOGY HAS SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH.
WE HAVE NOTICED THAT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO USE GREENWAY, UM, AS WELL, BUT MANY OF OUR PARKS, UM, ARE LISTED AS, AS GREENBELTS WITH THE NAME, UM, YOU KNOW, ATTACHED TO THAT.
SO WE HAVE SEEN KIND OF TERMINOLOGY CHANGE AND SHIFT A LITTLE BIT AND WE'VE RECENTLY.
SO IS THERE AN EXAMPLE OF ANOTHER GREENWAY OR NOT? THAT WAS THE QUESTION, UM, IN TERMS OF A PLAN, UH, THAT'S SIMILAR TO THIS, THAT WOULD BE JUST SORT OF JUST THE TERMINOLOGY, JUST A GREENWAY YEAH.
BULL CREEK BULL CREEK IS A GREENWAY.
I WAS ALSO WONDERING AND THINKING ABOUT, UM, WALNUT CREEK, DOWNTOWN WATERLOO DOWN TO THE MOUTH IS ANOTHER ONE, UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY.
AND THEN, UM, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER ONES OTHER THAN ONES THAT WERE MENTIONED.
UM, WELL, I MEAN, I THINK TO ME, NOMENCLATURE IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S NOT A TERM THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH GREENWAY AND IN THE SENSE OF A, SORT OF A NATURAL AREA, BUT, UM, IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE SEEN USED IN, UM, IN THESE KINDS OF TRAIL ENVIRONMENTS, BECAUSE GREENWAY TO ME IS SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES OF A HIGHWAY.
UM, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC REASON THAT NAME WAS CHOSEN, UM, BOARD MEMBER FALLACY, IF IN, IN, IN BOARD CHAIR, UH, IF YOU MIND ME INTERJECTING REAL QUICK OR PROVIDING SOME INFORMATION.
SO THE LAST TWO LONG RANGE PLANS, THE ONE THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE OPERATING UNDER, AND THE PREVIOUS ONE BOTH REFER TO MUCH OF OUR GREEN BELT SYSTEM ACTUALLY AS GREENWAYS.
AND THEN RIGHT NOW IN RPA, WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL RECREATION PARKS ASSOCIATION, UM, PRETTY MUCH DEFINES EVERYTHING AS AGREED WAY.
[01:05:01]
THE WAY, THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT IT, A BOARD MEMBER IS THE GREEN BELT.AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS NECESSARILY TRUE, BUT IT'S HOW I HAVE VISIONED THAT THE GREEN BELT IS, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, THAT BELT THAT COULD GLOMERATION OF THAT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECT YOU THERE FOR THAT GREEN SPACE, WHEREAS THE GREENWAY OFFERS SOME SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE ONTO IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S LINEAR PATH OR SOMETHING, A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT THAN SAY, LIKE THE BLUE WAY SLASH WATERWAY.
I KNOW BLUE WAY WAS A TERM THAT WAS ALSO USED IN THE PAST RELATING TO THE WATERWAYS, UM, THAT WAS IN THE EARLIER LONG RANGE PLAN.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'D BE WORTH LOOKING AT THE LONG RANGE PLAN AS FAR AS ALL THE DEFINITIONS THAT WE WE USE AND HAVE ADOPTED AND, AND PULLED FORWARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER MASTER PLANS AND ENCODE.
OKAY, THANKS FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I JUST, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS REALLY HEAVILY BRANDED UNDER THE, THE VISION, THE GREENWAY.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CHOSEN IN THE BEGINNING AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, OR HOW THAT CAME ABOUT? UH, I GUESS SO ONE QUESTION I HAD THERE'S, UM, I MEAN, I LOOKED THROUGH THE VISION PLAN AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF INTERESTING FEATURES, UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SUPPORT FOR A LOT OF THOSE FEATURES.
THERE'S ALSO SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, WHAT I HEARD WAS, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A NATURAL, JUST A NATURAL TRAIL ENVIRONMENT BEING WHAT SOME PEOPLE WANTED.
I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES IN, UM, THESE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A, A NATURAL AREA, UM, IT FEELS LIKE IN ORDER TO SHOW THAT ENGAGEMENT WAS TAKEN AND PEOPLE DID THINGS AND THEY VOTED AND THAT WE HAVE A PLAN, YOU SORT OF HAVE TO PUT THINGS IN THERE.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING AS FAR AS IF SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AND WHAT THEY REALLY WANTED WAS JUST SOME, SOME TRAIL AREAS, UM, WITH THINGS LEFT PRETTY NATURAL, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED IN TERMS OF THE CREEK CARDS AND THE IDEA CARDS AND THE VOTING, LIKE HOW DOES SORT OF A VERY NATURAL ENVIRONMENT GET EVALUATED AND VOTED FOR IN THE PROCESS THAT WAS UNDERTAKEN? UM, I GUESS I WOULD ANSWER THAT IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT I WILL SAY WE, WE DID A LOT OF ADVOCACY TO, UM, SCALE BACK BECAUSE THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING, UM, WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THAT THEY WANTED A WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE.
AND I THINK IN SOME WAYS OUR PLAN DOES LOOK LIKE THERE'S A LOT THERE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY LIGHT TOUCH.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT'S SHOWN IS THE WHITE TRAILS ARE MULCHED NATURE TRAILS.
THE MOUNTAIN BIKE IS A SINGLE TRACK MOUNTAIN BIKE.
AND THEN THERE'S JUST A LOT OF RESTORATION AND INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL.
AND WE, UM, HAD SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS, UM, WITH, UM, THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM BECAUSE, UM, WHAT WAS PLANNED FOR THIS SECTION OF THE GREENWAY WAS, UH, ACTUALLY MUCH BIGGER.
AND SO THEY AGREED TO DO, UM, MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE THEY HAD PLANNED TO DO A CONCRETE TRAIL THAT WOULD BE 12 FOOT WIDE.
AND SO, UM, WE TRIED TO BRIDGE THOSE AND, AND REFLECT THE COMMUNITY GUIDANCE, UM, FOR THE NATURE TRAIL IN THIS SECTION OF THE GREENWAY, WHICH IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ALSO ASKED FOR THOSE PASSIVE TRAILS AND OPEN AREAS.
SO, UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, REFLECTED THAT DESIRE AND TRYING TO GROUP AMENITIES AND INTO AREAS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE IN BETWEEN, THERE ARE JUST KIND OF LONG SECTIONS OF TRAIL THAT ARE WITHIN THE GREENWAY AND LEAVING IT BE.
SO WAS THERE A CREEK CARD THAT YOU COULD VOTE FOR THAT JUST SAID NATURAL AREA AND THAT'S WAS THE QUESTION WAS HOW DID THAT, HOW DID YOU, HOW DID I PARTICIPATE IF THAT'S WHAT I WANTED, DID I DO? UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF WAYS.
UM, SO, UH, SOME OTHER WAYS WERE, UM, IN CONVERSATION, THE ONLINE ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, UH, LOTS OF PEOPLE EXPRESSED IT THAT WAY, UM,
[01:10:01]
WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TALK THROUGH WHAT THE EXPECTATION WAS.UM, SOME OF IT WAS THE VISUALIZATION.
AND THEN ALSO, WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF DOWNVOTES OF THINGS PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THAT.
UM, IN THE BACK YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE 45 CREEK IDEA CARDS, AND MANY OF THOSE WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE PLAN BECAUSE WE DID, WE DID HEAR THAT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THAT.
SO, UM, I, I HOPE THAT BETTER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE PHENOMENON I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THESE PROCESSES WHERE IT CAN SORT OF LEAD TO A DESIRE TO FILL IT IN WITH THINGS, BUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IF PEOPLE THAT THERE WAS A DESIRE TO NOT DO THAT, IT WAS RESPECTED AND THERE WAS A WAY TO A WAY TO, UM, HAVE THAT VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
UH, MISS MISS PATELLA, HER QUESTION WAS LIKE SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
I THINK WHAT SHE WAS TRYING TO SAY IS NOT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WENT ON THE WEBSITE, OR LIKE IF ONE PERSON VOTED A BUNCH OF TIMES, BUT JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE LIKE INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED AND I'M STILL NOT SURE.
I TOTALLY KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
UM, SO THE TOTAL IS CLOSER TO 4,300 AND, UM, THAT'S ABOUT 2200 PEOPLE VOTING ON THE IDEAS OR 2200 VOTES, UM, SUCCEED 651 UNIQUE USERS ON THE MAPPING PROJECTS, 999 UNIQUE USERS ON THE CREEK IDEA CARDS.
I'M AT 50 PEOPLE TOTAL AT THE VIRTUAL POP-UPS AND CREEK CHATS, 140 VIRTUAL PICNIC PARTICIPANTS TOTAL.
SPLIT ON 50 PEOPLE CAME TO YOUR UP PAYMENT PERSON TO AN EVENT AROUND 30 PEOPLE, 22, THE VIRTUAL CREEK CHATS, 32, THE SOCIALLY DISTANCE POP-UPS WE WERE HESITANT TO ADVERTISE IT WIDELY, AND WE HAD A SIGNUP TO, UH, TRY TO MAKE THE NUMBERS.
I UNDERSTAND IT WAS, I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYBODY CAME IN PERSON.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
SO I GET THAT WHY IT WAS LIMITED, OF COURSE, BUT SO YOU'RE SAYING 50 PEOPLE CAME TO AN ONLINE EVENT OR AN IN-PERSON EVENT.
THERE WAS A VARIETY OF EVENTS, THE VIRTUAL VIGOR, WE CALL THEM COMMUNITY PICNICS.
UM, THAT WAS ABOUT 140 PEOPLE.
WE HAD 30, AROUND 30 PEOPLE AT THE POP-UPS THAT ARE FOR THE MEETUPS AROUND THE CREEK, UM, SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND ABOUT 20 PEOPLE, EITHER CALLING IN OR ZOOMING INTO MORE DIRECT CREEK CHATS THAT WE HAD EVERY WEEK, WE HAD EITHER A POP-UP OR A CREEK CHAT THAT PEOPLE COULD FOLLOW UP ON QUESTIONS THAT WAS MORE, YOU KNOW, DIRECT THAN HAVING A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY PICNIC.
AND IT'S IN ADDITION TO THE UNIQUE USERS.
SO JUST TO EXPLAIN THE UNIQUE USERS, TEETH 651 UNIQUE USERS ON OUR MAPPING FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY MEANS THAT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TELL THAT THAT'S NOT THE SAME PERSON SAYING THE SAME THING, OR WE'RE SAYING DIFFERENT THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND 999 UNIQUE USERS WHO HAVE RESPONDED TO, TO FEEDBACK ON THE CREEK IDEA CARDS.
AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO COMMENTS, WE GOT FROM FOLKS ON THE, ON THE ACTUAL DRAFT OF THE PLAN.
UH, SO WE FIELDED 700 COMMENTS, UH, AND DON'T, AND MAYBE CHAVONNE KNOWS THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY UNIQUE, UM, USERS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE, WERE THOSE 700 COMMENTS, BUT THAT INCLUDED BOTH, BOTH VIRTUAL COMMENTS AS WELL AS A PRINTED PDF THAT PEOPLE WROTE COMMENTS ON AND SENT BACK TO US.
UM, WELL MEAN I GUESS, JUST TO THE OTHER, THANKS FOR THAT INFORMATION TO THE OTHER PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
I THINK MY THOUGHT IS IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY IF THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, A ROBUST STAKEHOLDER INPUT, I'M SURE THAT THEY DID THEIR BEST.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE WHOLE PROCESS.
THE WHOLE THING TOOK PLACE DURING COVID.
AND I MEAN, MY FEELING IS THAT WHILE WE'RE STILL IN THAT I WOULDN'T, UM, BE OPPOSED TO TRYING TO HAVE SOME OTHER KIND OF EVENT NOW THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED AND FEEL SAFER IF THEY WANTED TO COME, TRY TO LOOK AT A MAP IN PERSON, EVERYTHING BEING ONLINE.
MY SENSE OF IT IS WITHOUT KNOWING IS THAT DOES EXCLUDE SOME GROUP OF PEOPLE, BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT, BUT IT DOES FEEL LIKE IF
[01:15:01]
ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HEARING ARE REALLY RELATED TO THE, UM, THE OUTREACH, THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TAKE ANOTHER SHOT AT, BUT I WANT TO MOVE IT ON AND LET OTHER PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS.LOUIS, DO YOU MIND IF I JUST RESPOND JUST ONE LAST POINT ON, ON BOARD MEMBER, FAST COMMENT, GO AHEAD.
JUST, JUST IF WE'RE SAYING THAT 31,000 PEOPLE NUMBER THAT, THAT, UM, MS. PATALA SAID AT THE BEGINNING, AND IF WE REACH 4,300 PEOPLE, THAT'S 14% OF WHAT SHE'S CALLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD POPULATION.
WE'VE BEEN A PART OF, UH, A PLAN DOWN IN GALVESTON THAT TRIED TO REACH THE ENTIRE ISLAND, UH, AND WE REACHED 15% ENGAGEMENT AND THAT WON AN AWARD LAST YEAR FOR THE, UH, AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, TEXAS, UM, CHAPTER FOUR ENGAGEMENT.
UM, MOVING ON TO A BOARD MEMBER.
TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.
UM, CON SEIBEL, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS SORT OF THE ELEPHANT ITSELF AND THAT IS, UM, I'M WONDERING WHAT ALL THE I'M WONDERING.
I, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, THE ENGAGEMENT THEY DIDN'T FEEL WAS WIDE ENOUGH OR WHATEVER, BUT I KNOW FROM WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, AND THEN SEEING PREVIOUS PROJECTS, I KNOW THAT THAT DOES SOUND LIKE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH.
SO I'M WONDERING WHAT PEOPLE ARE UPSET ABOUT WITH THIS PLAN.
I CAN ANSWER THAT WHEN IT'S MY TURN, LAURA, THIS IS BOARD MEMBER, MASON MURPHY.
DO YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER THAT NOW? UH, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND JUST GO THROUGH AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO IT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MEMBER CON CYBIL IF NOBODY ELSE WHO WAS ON THE PROJECT WANTS TO ADDRESS THAT THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY, YOU'RE MUTED.
BERNARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, YES.
UM, I SEE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PROPERTIES, UM, THAT DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE FLOODPLAIN BUYOUTS.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW YOU ARE ENGAGING WITH, UM, THESE PROPERTIES AND WORKING WITH THEM.
THEY ARE NOT, WE, UM, FROM THESE NUMBERS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE ARE PART OF THAT PARTICIPATORY BUYOUT PROGRAM, OUR VOLUNTARY PRIVATE BUYOUT PROGRAM, OR HAVE DECIDED TO, UM, STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS, UH, A COMBINATION OF THOSE NEIGHBORS.
AND WE HAVE ENGAGED DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE, DID NOT, WE PRINTED PDFS FOR THEM, AND THEY, UM, PROVIDED NUMEROUS COMMENTS THAT WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE VISION PLAN.
UM, SO THERE WAS A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT WE ENGAGED, WHETHER THEY WERE PART OF THAT BUYOUT PROGRAM OR NOT.
AND, UM, DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE BUYOUT PROGRAM.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT THE VISION PLAN, UH, IN TERMS OF JUST EASEMENTS AND WHATNOT? THAT WAS A BIT OF A SECONDARY REASON FOR THE HIGH WATER ROUTE WAS TO TRY TO MAINTAIN CONNECTIVITY, MAINTAIN CONNECTIVITY, BUT I THINK THAT'LL ALSO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE ROAD TO IMPLEMENTATION IS CONTINUED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONTINUED FEEDBACK, ESPECIALLY FOR, UM, UM, THOSE ADJACENCIES AND MAINTAINING, UM, THE, THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW PEOPLE DIRECTLY RELATED FEEL AS THINGS GET MORE FINITE AND INCLUDED IN THE FUTURE.
BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA, OR VICE TRUE DIPLOMA BOARD CHAIR.
UH, I WOULD PREFER TO HEAR, HEAR ONE OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES BOARD MEMBER MASON MURPHY, AND THEN BE ABLE TO ASK YOU THE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT COME OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION, CERTAINLY.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO YET.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, OH, I'M SORRY.
I'M REMEMBERING ALL OF THE YEAR RIGHT NOW.
I WAS GOING TO LET YOU GO LAST BOARD MEMBER.
[01:20:01]
GO AHEAD.UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS A VERY, VERY COOL, UM, PLAN, AND I LOVE ALL THE DIVERSITY OF IDEAS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD AND THE DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES THAT IT'S INTEGRATING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS, THIS CREEK HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN TOP OF MIND, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, MY QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT, UM, LET'S SEE, ACCESSIBILITY IS A BIG ONE.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF THE, UM, THE TEAM CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, HOW THIS PLAN IS INCORPORATING, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITY LEVELS TO HAVE NATURAL EXPERIENCES, UM, AND THE OUTDOOR PLACES ALONG THIS GREEN WAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT NATURAL TRAIL SURFACING, UM, MOVING AWAY MAYBE FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THE HARDER SURFACE TRAILS AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CONCERNS ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE ALSO NEED ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DON'T HAVE AS HIGH MOBILITY AND ABILITY LEVELS.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING SPACE FOR ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS, IN THIS PLAN.
I CAN SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE, UM, THAT INCLUSIVITY WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF PIECES THAT, THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN.
UM, SO I SPOKE TO, UH, THE NATURAL SURFACE TRAILS.
UM, A SECOND IDEA WE INCLUDED THAT I THINK WILL NEED TO BE, UM, WOULD BE A TIERED, TWO INCLUSION WHERE OUR, UH, BONDED HARDWOOD MULCH TRAILS, WHICH ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT PERMEABLE, BUT PROVIDE ADA COMPLIANT ACCESS.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS AN ACCESSIBLE TRAIL, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, ABLE TO BE USED FOR ALL TYPES OF ABILITY.
SO THAT'S ONE COMPONENT THAT WE, UM, IMPLEMENTED A SECOND EXAMPLE IS, UM, A COMPROMISE BETWEEN, UH, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEED FOR ACCESS ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS THE INCLUSION OF THREE ON STREET ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES AT THE SOUTH FIRST STREET TRAIL HEAD.
UM, THERE AREN'T CLOSE NEIGHBORS TO THAT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, SEPARATED FROM ADJACENT RESIDENTS AND WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BOTH HAVE, UH, AN ACCESSIBLE DROP-OFF AREA AS WELL AS ACCESSIBLE SPACES FOR THAT PIECE.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD IS THAT WE, UH, INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS OR, UH, SEATING ELEMENTS.
THEY, UH, AT THE TRAIL HEADS, WE HEARD A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR, UM, NOT HAVING, UH, UH, BENCHES WITHIN THE GREENWAY THAT WOULDN'T SEEM NATURAL, HAVE A MORE URBAN APPEARANCE.
SO WE LIMITED THOSE TO, UH, TRAIL HEADS, BUT THE GREENWAY WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HAVING A REST STOPS THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY FEEL THAT THEY CAN AT LEAST PAUSE AND LEAN AND REST EVERY SO OFTEN AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE, UH, WITHOUT THAT CONCERN.
UM, THOSE ARE A FEW OF THE MECHANISMS WE USED.
UM, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'D ALSO BE THE ABILITY TO INCLUDE, UM, THOSE KINDS OF ADA ACCESSIBLE RAMPS MAYBE, OR THOSE ENTRANCES INTO THE GREENWAY ASIDE FROM WHERE THERE ARE THE PARKING SPACES? YES, I DO THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE, UH, IMPROVED CURB RAMPS AT INTERSECTIONS.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME PLACES WHERE WE ALSO RECOMMEND, UM, RAISED CROSSINGS FOR TRAFFIC CALMING ACROSS STREETS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WOULD IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFETY FOR EVERYONE, UM, AROUND THE CREEK.
YEAH, I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS A BOARD AND AS A COMMUNITY TO REALLY NOT SEE ACCESSIBILITY AND HARD SURFACE TRAILS BEING IN CONFLICT WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL EXPERIENCES, BECAUSE IT IS IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES TO HAVE, TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE EXPERIENCES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T LOVE THAT THOSE IDEAS GET, I GUESS, PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AND IN, IN SOME WAY, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A PERCEPTION THAT IF YOU HAVE LIKE A WIDER, HARDER SURFACE TRAIL, THAT IT MAKES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THE NATURAL BEAUTY.
AND I WANT, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US TO TAKE MAYBE A DIFFERENT, UM, PERSPECTIVE ON THAT WITH, WITH REGARDS TO ACCESSIBILITY.
[01:25:01]
ABOUT, UH, BATHROOMS IN THE GREENWAY.SO I, I KNOW, I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED IT IN EMAILS TO US THAT THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE BATHROOMS, WHERE DID Y'ALL COME DOWN ON THAT? SO THERE, UH, SO WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THE BATHROOMS, UM, GOT WHEN WE PRESENTED THEM IN THE IDEA CARDS AND THEY WERE STRONGLY VOTED AGAINST.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE SECOND THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GREENWAY IN GENERAL IS THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE SECTION OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN, WHERE THEY COULD BE LOCATED.
SO I, I DO THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, AS THAT, AND THAT'S THE SOUTH FIRST TRAILHEAD THAT I MENTIONED WITH THE ACCESSIBLE SPOTS.
SO, UM, AS THE VISION PLANS REPRESENTED RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED, UM, OR TO REFLECT THE FEEDBACK WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADD, YOU KNOW, MY, MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THAT, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM ADDING SOME CONTEXT ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND THE TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE HEARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT ALSO REFLECTS MY FAMILIARITY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE KINDS OF NUMBERS THAT WE CAN SEE WITH THESE, WITH THESE SORTS OF PROJECTS.
I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN POINT WE DO ONCE YOU'VE REACHED AND ENGAGED A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE, UM, OF A COMMUNITY, UM, YOU CAN REACH A POINT OF DIMINISHING RETURNS WHERE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU CONTINUE TRYING TO REACH OUT AND REACH MORE AND MORE PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO LIKE RECEIVE A DIFFERENT, UM, CROSS SECTION OF IDEAS OR DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES THAT YOU DIDN'T GAIN BEFORE.
AND IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT'S, WHAT'S SO COOL ABOUT THIS PLAN IS THE WAY THAT IT PUTS A LOT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION INTO THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO BY, I THINK BY LETTING THE COMMUNITY AND THE, THE USERS OF THIS GREENWAY KIND OF RUN WITH THAT PROCESS, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE WHICH THINGS ARE GETTING PUT INTO ACTION SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, WHICH IS ALSO A FORM OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IN MY OPINION, WHEN YOU SEE WHAT, WHAT PEOPLE ARE KIND OF TAKING INTO THEIR OWN HANDS AND, AND DOING.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK THE, TO ME, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SEEMS VERY ROBUST AND, UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT ENDS WITH THE COMPLETION OF THIS PLAN.
LIKE IT WILL, THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN OTHER WAYS THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO I'M VERY, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY THAT.
SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR NOW.
I WAS HAVING YOU GO LAST BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE INVESTED IN THIS PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE AN OPINION, SO I WANTED YOU TO, UM, IF YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP OR JUST, UM, JUST LET US KNOW.
I'M GOING TO START WITH SOME QUESTIONS FIRST OF ALL.
UM, SO I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU SPENT ON CREATING THIS PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PRESENTATION.
UM, I CAN TELL IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME.
UH, I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UM, FOR NICOLE COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
SO, UM, WHERE ARE YOU AWARE OR WHEN DID YOU BECOME AWARE OF THE MAJOR DISPLACEMENT PLANNED FOR 250 LONELY HOMES AND EXISTING ASSET THREE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD BE TRIGGERED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS PLAN, INCLUDING SEVERAL WILLIAMSON CREEK WORKING GROUP MEMBERS' HOMES.
UM, UM, WERE YOU AWARE, OR WHEN DID YOU BECOME AWARE THAT THIS A GREENWAY VERSUS A GREENBELT, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE CHANGES OF ADOPTING THE ATLAS 14 FLOODPLAIN RIGHT NOW PUTS OUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD AND 250 ADDITIONAL HOMES IN THE 25 YEAR FLOOD, PLAIN BECAUSE OF INFILL DEVELOPMENT UPSTREAM.
SO WHEN, AND THESE ARE ALREADY AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK, WHICH IS AFFORDABLE, HOUSING IS A PROBLEM.
THESE ARE ALREADY FAMILIES, FAMILIES IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY IS UP, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SHRINKING.
AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING WHERE WE JUST, THE, YOU KNOW, CASUALTY OF PROGRESS.
CAN, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YEP.
UM, I, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PLANS TO DISPLACE RESIDENTS.
[01:30:01]
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE IS A, UH, SEPARATION IN YOUR QUESTION BETWEEN THE ATLAS 14 ADOPTION, WHICH IS, THIS IS NOT PART OF THIS VISION PLANNING PROCESS AND THE ACTUAL VISION PLAN DOCUMENT ITSELF.UM, THE VISION PLAN DOCUMENT ITSELF DOES NOT, UM, UH, HAVE, HAVE ANY STATEMENTS OR GOALS AS TO THE DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENCES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A LOT OF ACTUALLY VERY, EXCUSE ME.
MA'AM, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS ABOUT, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT GREEN GENTRIFICATION AND THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF, OF NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN OTHER PLACES IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT INVOLVING DEPARTMENTS FROM ACROSS THE CITY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW, UM, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES MAY BE, UH, APPLICABLE HERE AS WELL.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY APPLICABLE.
THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN USED, UM, WHERE THE TAIL AT THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
AND, UM, I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT DOCUMENTATION FROM GABA, I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU ALL WERE STILL WORKING WITH GABA, AS CHAVONNE SAID.
UM, I'M CURIOUS AS TO THAT RELATIONSHIP AT THIS MOMENT AS WELL, IS THAT A QUESTION? IT IS LIKE, WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GABA AT THIS POINT? CAUSE I, I, I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU ALL WERE WORKING WITH GABA AT THIS POINT.
UM, GABA IS NOT A PARTNER ON THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT ORGANIZATION IS RELEVANT IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, SO THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT WAS THE SCOPE OF THE ST DAVID'S GRANT AND WHO WAS IT AWARDED TO THE ST DAVID'S GRANT WAS AWARDED TO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY? UM, IT WAS TO SUPPORT THE HIRING OF A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT TO CREATE THE VISION PLAN AND WORK ALONGSIDE, UM, COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AND TO PAY STIPENDS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUPS SO THAT WE WERE, UM, APPROPRIATELY, UH, VALUING THEIR TIME ALONGSIDE THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS DOING IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO WHAT WAS THE LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT WITH AMY BELAIR, THE SCIENTIST AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WHO WERE TO BE THE LIAISONS WITH THE CITY? I BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE.
I KNOW, BUT NO ONE ELSE IS, BUT NO ONE ELSE'S.
UM, SO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WAS AN EARLY PARTNER IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, THEY BEGAN THIS RELATIONSHIP, UM, AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE DID WITH YOU AND THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY TO RECEIVE, UM, MULTIPLE GRANTS TO SUPPORT ENGAGEMENT AND THIS WORK, UM, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY'S ORIGINAL ROLE WAS TO HELP TO, UM, DO, UH, FIELD ASSESSMENTS AND MAPPING OF THE AREA AND TO ACT AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE TEAM AND THE CITY WORKING GROUP, INCLUDING THE, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE MISSIONS, UM, UH, VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING WATERSHED AND PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE OPPOSITE OF SUSTAINABILITY, AND THEN HELPING TO COMMUNICATE, UM, THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THIS MODEL THAT'S BEING SET UP WITH THIS PROJECT MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE TOWARDS URBAN RESILIENCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE EFFORTS ACROSS THE STATE AS A STATEWIDE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL ORGANIZATION, UM, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND BUDGET CUTS TO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY'S TEXAS CHAPTER, OUR LOCAL PARTNERS POSITION, AND THE PROGRAM UNDER WHICH WE WERE COLLABORATING WERE ELIMINATED IN THE SUMMER OF 2020.
AND WE WORKED WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY TO TRANSFER THE REMAINING RESPONSIBILITIES OF THEIR STAFF AND THE FUNDING TO COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOPS SO THAT THE COLLECTIVE WORK COULD CONTINUE BY THIS TIME THE FIELD ASSESSMENTS AND MAPPING HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE CITY WORKING GROUP HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED.
AND SO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY TEAM WORKED TO TRANSFER RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGING THAT CITY WORKING GROUP OVER TO CANADIAN POWERED WORKSHOP, UM, AND TRANSFER THOSE REMAINING FUNDS.
SO, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE SPOKE WITH AMY BILAYER, UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UH, SHE INDICATED SHE LEFT IN MARCH, AND I KNOW THAT THIS PROCESS HADN'T ACTUALLY REALLY EVEN BEGUN YET.
WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION SINCE YOU LOST THE PERSON WHO WAS AWARDED THE GRANT AND THE PERSON WITH THE SKILLSET TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THE GRANT IN THE VISION OF THE COMMUNITY,
[01:35:01]
WAS THERE EVER A CONSIDERATION WITH COVID TO JUST TABLE IT FOR A BIT SINCE EVERYTHING'S SORT OF FELL APART BEFORE IT STARTED? UM, WELL AMY'S DEPARTURE WAS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.UM, AND SHE IS CONTINUING TO WORK FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY UNDER A DIFFERENT ROLE.
AND SO WE HAVE HAD THE, UH, LUCK TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO, TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO TRANSFER THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS DONE, UM, HAS BEEN DONE TO RECEIVE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
UM, I WOULD NOT SAY THAT IT'S FAIR TO CHARACTERIZE THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE ABILITY TO LEAD AND IMPLEMENT, UM, THIS KIND OF PLANNING PROCESS.
SO CHAVONNE, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU, TOO.
UM, SO TAKING FROM THE MASTER PLAN, PAGE SIX AND SEVEN, THE PROJECT OVERVIEW, THE STATED GOAL OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO BUILD LONG-TERM COLLABORATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS, THESE WORKING GROUPS, PLACE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF ON EQUAL FOOTING IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, HOW WOULD YOU SAY YOU DID AND ACHIEVING THIS GOAL WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WATERSHED PROTECTION APARTMENT? I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT.
UM, ARE WE ON EQUAL FITTING? HONESTLY, OF THE COLLABORATIVE WORKING GROUP WAS TO REACH, UH, OR IMPLEMENT A MODEL THAT COULD BETTER COLLABORATE THE CITY LAND MANAGERS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MEET ON THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT TO ENVISION IN THE GREENWAY.
AND I THINK WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT EFFORT AS MUCH AS WE COULD BE.
UM, I, WE WERE ABLE TO EQUAL FOOTING.
IS THE COMMUNITY ON ANY KIND OF EQUAL FOOTING WITH THE CITY? I WAS, EXCUSE ME.
RESIDENT, LET ME JUST REMEMBER.
MAY I JUMP IN YOU, MAN? WELL, NO, NO, NO, NO.
HOLD ON ONE SECOND BOARD MEMBER, MR. MURPHY, COULD YOU, AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, I KNOW THAT BOARD MEMBER, UM, COTTON SEIBEL HAD A QUESTION AND SINCE YOU'RE ON THAT, WOULD YOU MIND ADDRESSING THAT, ANSWERING THAT QUESTION? YES.
UM, SO THE PATCHWORK OF HOMES THAT WERE LEFT WERE NOT ENGAGED WITH AT ALL.
UM, IN FACT, THEIR VOICES WERE ACTIVELY SILENCED AND THERE HAVE BEEN IMMENSE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION, UM, WITH COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
AND, UH, THE PARTNERS ON THIS PLAN, UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IS COMPLICIT PART IS COMPLICIT.
AND THIS, THIS PLAN I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED TO EDIT IT, AND IT IS AN EDITABLE.
IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY SYSTEMATICALLY FLAWED.
THERE WAS NO MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WHAT CAME OUT WAS A VIRTUAL REALITY BASED IN A VIRTUAL TIME.
AND IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD, BUT IT IS NOT AT ALL WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTED.
OUR COMMUNITY WANTED A NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL THAT RESEMBLED BLOND CREEK, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING SINCE 2015 OF PART STAFF FOR HELP REMOVING INVASIVES IN OUR CREEK.
THE ONLY HELP WE EVER ASKED FOR WAS INVASIVES IN OUR CREEK.
AND YOU SAW FROM LARRY MURPHY'S PICTURES AND MALCOLM'S PITCHERS.
THAT'S WHAT OUR CREEKS LOOK LIKE.
NOW, IF WE HAD REMOVED THE LUGGAGE STREAMS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE CAMPERS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE DEGRADATION.
AND SO THE I'M NOT HEARTLESS, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE 58 HOMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESTROYED, 58 FAMILIES REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT 250 MORE FROM UNION PACIFIC TO CONGRESS, THE UNION PACIFIC RAIL TO CONGRESS.
THAT'S MY WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, THAT'S THE 25 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
AND WHENEVER THERE IS A BUILT ENVIRONMENT, LIKE A GREENWAY THINGS
[01:40:01]
GET TRIGGERED THAT IS CONSIDERED A TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR.ADLER'S AN EMINENT DOMAIN ATTORNEY.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE CITY ONE CHANCE TO DISRUPT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS.
THIS IS A UNIQUE, WONDERFUL, WILD, AND VERY, UM, IT'S A WILDERNESS CORRIDOR AND WE DON'T WANT IT PAVED.
AND WE DON'T WANT OUR NEIGHBORS TO BE KICKED OUT AND WE WANT TO BE HEARD.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY SINCE 2006 AND WRITING GRANTS, OURSELVES, DOING EVERYTHING.
AND WE NEED SPECIFICALLY, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF BRINGING IN COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
IT'S BRINGING THE WOLVES INTO THE CHICKEN HOUSE.
WE WANT NO PART OF THAT GENTRIFICATION THAT'S COMING AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THE WAY YOU CAN PICK ANOTHER CREEK.
WE HAVE TCEQ VIOLATIONS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE HAVE STOLEN VEHICLES, CATALYTIC, CONVERTER, CATALYTIC, CONVERTERS, DRUGS, PROSTITUTES, TURNING TRICKS, WHERE MY KIDS USED TO PLAY WITH NO SUPERVISION, IF YOU CREATE.
I TOTALLY IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR PASSION ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW HOW LONG YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM JUST AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN, UM, WE REALLY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADMIT YES, BUT, BUT GO AHEAD.
IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS HER CONCERNS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO OR NOT TO SPEAK.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE, THE ENGAGEMENT ASPECT.
UM, AND I'LL LET THE TEAM AT OSCAR ROBINSON ADDRESS THE ASPECTS OF THE NATURAL TRAIL.
UM, UM, AND, UH, AS TO THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE, THE PLAN.
BUT, UM, I JUST LIKE TO REITERATE THE, THE INFORMATION SHARED PREVIOUSLY BY THE REST OF THE TEAM ABOUT THE EXPENSIVE ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DONE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, UM, WE HAVE ACHIEVED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COLLABORATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, WE'VE CONTINUED TO, UH, TO, TO MEET REQUESTS FOR ENGAGEMENT, UM, INCLUDING AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, WE CONTINUED TO MEET WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, CONTINUE TO, UM, WORK WITH INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE PLAN AND TO ADDRESS THOSE COMMENTS IN THE PLAN UP UNTIL THE, YOU KNOW, HOT OFF THE PRESSES CAME TO Y'ALL.
UM, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE WILL, IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WILL, WILL REACH EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST, JUST KIND OF THE SYSTEM AS IT IS.
UM, WE, WE DO KNOW THAT AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, UM, AND WHETHER THE ORDINANCE, UM, THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE WORKED BY THE COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA, AND THERE WILL BE, CAN BE ENGAGEMENT CONTINUING, UM, IN, UH, ADOPTING THE PLAN, ADJUSTING THE PLAN, IMPLEMENTING THE THINGS IN THE PLAN.
UM, THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMMUNITY VOICES AS PART OF THAT PROCESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN THAT PROCESS, UM, WHICH IS EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD BE.
UM, AND WE'RE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THAT.
SO, UM, UM, BEFORE MY CHILD INTERRUPTS TOO MUCH MORE, I CAN, UH, HAND IT OVER TO ASK HER ROBINSON, IF Y'ALL WANT TO ADDRESS ANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF THE SO BOARD MEMBERS.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME BECAUSE YES, YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE POSTING LANGUAGE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND THE POSTING LANGUAGE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PLAN ITSELF.
IT'S NOT ABOUT LAND MANAGEMENT, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE LAND MANAGEMENT OF THE LAND.
IT'S NOT ABOUT GENTRIFICATION OR, OR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATERSHED PROTECTION OR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, YOU CONSIDER A FINAL COMMENT AND THEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD, EITHER VOTING THIS, TAKING ACTION ON THIS, IF YOU SO CHOOSE OR DECIDING TO NOT TAKE ACTION ON IT AND ALLOWING US TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING TO, UM,
[01:45:01]
HAVE SOME OF THIS CONVERSATION FEEL LIKE A HUGE ATTACK.AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MY TEAM, THE WATERSHED PROTECTION TEAM AND THE TEAM THAT WAS PART OF THIS PROCESS DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE ATTACKED IN PUBLIC.
IT'S JUST, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE YOUR OPINION.
YOU'RE CERTAINLY ALLOWED TO EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PLAN, BUT BEING ATTACKED IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND I JUST NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT.
THANK THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
I THINK I DO WANT TO, WE, WE NEED TO WRAP THIS UP, SO, AND SO I AM GOING TO WRAP IT UP.
WELL, I WANTED TO ALSO GIVE BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA ONE A MINUTE SINCE SHE DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK EARLIER, IF YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, SO I'LL, I'LL LET HIM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST GO AHEAD AND BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA.
YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS AND INPUTS AND UNDERSTANDS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS.
MY ORIGINAL CONCERN WAS ENGAGEMENT.
WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE VERY FAMILIAR WITH ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
HAVING DONE A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT OF THE YEARS AND PROBABLY THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE BEING THE 2017.
SO HE'S IN OUR FACILITIES AND BOMBED, UH, WHILE THE BOND, UH, FOR THE 2017 AIC BOND.
AND I REMEMBER THE FRUSTRATION OF A COMMUNITY MEMBER SAYING YOU DIDN'T KNOCK ON EVERY DOOR AND THEY'RE NOT SAYING THAT'S, WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED HERE, BUT I MEAN, I, I DO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THAT FRUSTRATION AND YOU TRY TO REACH EVERYBODY OUT THROUGH DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. UM, THE NUMBER I'D ACTUALLY EXPECTED, THE NUMBER, THE UNIQUE CONTEXT TO BE MUCH SMALLER.
AND SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SPECIFIC CONTACTS, UH, CONTACTS.
I DO WANT TO ALSO CORRECT SOMETHING REALLY QUICK.
WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE GREENBELT GREEN WAY, GREENWAY WAS THE LANGUAGE YOU USE UP IN THE PREVIOUS LONG RANGE PLAN.
GREENBELT WAS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE USED AS A DEPARTMENT IN THE CURRENT MASTER PLAN.
SO WANTING TO PUT OUT THERE WITH THAT OUT THERE, UM, I APPRECIATE BOARD BOARD MEMBER IN ALDI FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR INCLUSIVE PLACES THAT IS A HARD SKATE.
UM, W YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED.
EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED WHEN I LOOK AT THE ATLAS 14 FLOOD MAP ON FLOOD PRO.
UM, I SEE, UH, AN EXTENSION TO IT, BUT IT'S, YEAH, I SEE IT MOSTLY ON WESTERN ROAD, WHICH DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT HAS ANY CURRENT HOMES.
AND THEN, AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, UH, WELL, I THINK ON, ON, UH, GREENS HIGHWAY IN ST GEORGE'S GREEN, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY A HOMELESS OVER THERE AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GETS CHANGED, BECAUSE THAT IS LIKE HOW THE CITY ADOPTS THAT LOOKS 14 MODEL.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT PLAYS INTO IT.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING REGARDING A SPECIFIC CONVERSATION.
THAT'S THE FIRST I'VE EVER HEARD OF IT, UH, ANYWHERE.
UM, AND SO WITH ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE I LIKE TO, TO RESOLVE AND TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT, BUT WITH, WHEN I LOOK AT THE DEGREE OF OUTREACH DURING A PANDEMIC, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS SUBSTANTIVE, WOULD I SUPPORT IT? YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL MEETING, ABSOLUTELY BUDGETED IF A BUDGET ALLOWED, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT SORT OF BUDGET FOR AN AMENDMENT TO A CONTRACT.
SO THAT'S REALLY, IT, THAT'S ALL THE, THAT'S ALL THE COMMENTS I WOULD SAY.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LOOKING PROJECT.
UM, OH, I, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION AND THAT IS JUST TO VALIDATE OR TO, TO GET CONFIRMATION THAT THIS IS A SEGMENT ALONG WILLIAMSON CREEK, WHICH DESPERATELY NEEDS CLEANED UP AS BOARD MEMBER.
UH, MASON MURPHY HAS TALKED ABOUT, I MEAN, THIS IS A SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE ACROSS OUR CITY.
I SEE THE EXACT SAME, MAYBE NOT EVEN TO THAT DEGREE, BUT OVER IN THE OAK HILL, Y BUT THIS IS A SEGMENT OF WILLIAMSON CREEK, AND I MIGHT CORRECT THAT AS THIS GETS DONE, WE WILL SEE OTHER SEGMENTS ADDED TO BRING THAT CONNECTIVITY, PARTICULARLY OUT TO MY COMMUNITY IN THE OAK HILL, Y AND THAT'S FIRST THAT'S FOR THE CONSULTANT OR STAFF.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER, UH, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA.
SO, UM, AND I KNOW BOARD MEMBER MASON, MURPHY THAT THIS, AS I SAID EARLIER, I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND, AND FEEL REALLY STRONGLY THAT YOU, THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE AS A COMMUNITY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED.
AND THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.
AND CAN I GET AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION THOUGH? YES.
SO THE QUESTION WAS THAT THIS IS A SEGMENT TO WILLIAMSON CREEK, AND IT WOULD ULTIMATELY CONNECT IT TO A FUTURE SEGMENT OF, OF WILLIAMSON CREEK THAT IT'S NOT JUST STOPPING HERE BECAUSE THAT WHOLE, I AGREE WITH BOARD MEMBER MASON, MURPHY.
[01:50:01]
OF MY GUESTS SAY EVERYBODY, BUT MANY OF MY FRIENDS HAVE IN, IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN IS THAT CONNECTIVITY OF LATENCY CREEK FROM OAK HILL.WHY GOING ALL THE WAY, UH, YOU KNOW, BEYOND, I, I COULD TRY TO ENTER YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I, I'LL JUST, I'LL, UH, TRY TO ANSWER A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN GREG, IF YOU WANT TO FILL IN WHERE I MISSED.
UM, SO THE, THE ORIGINAL, UH, INTENTION OF THIS PROCESS FROM THE START WAS TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CREATE, UM, UH, A DIFFERENT MODEL FOR HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGE IN DECISIONS ABOUT, UM, PUBLIC LAND.
UM, AND SO, YES, THIS IS PLAN IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE, THE, THIS SECTION OF CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK.
UM, BUT, UH, SET OUT A MODEL, CONTINUED COLLABORATION, UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM FOR THAT FULL CONNECTIVITY.
UM, I'LL ALSO CLARIFY THAT THIS WORK HAS NOT BEEN DONE UNDER A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY AT ALL.
THE THERE'S ONLY PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS IN THIS, AT THIS POINT.
UM, ALL OF THE GRANT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN SUPPORTING THIS WORK HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AND COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP.
UM, AND I'LL ALSO SHARE THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER MASON MURPHY WAS A PAID CONTRACTOR ON PREVIOUS, UH, PIECES OF THIS, THIS WORK THAT HAS FLED INTO THE VISION PLAN TODAY.
I'LL JUST ADD, UH, OR, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UM, REAL QUICKLY TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT KIND OF REALLY, UM, EXPANDING THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW YOU WERE, UH, HEAVILY INVOLVED IN OUR LONG RANGE PLAN, MOST RECENT, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR GOAL IN OUR LONG-RANGE PLAN IS TO EXPAND TRAILS THROUGH OUR CREEKS AND THE GREEN BELTS, UH, TO EXPAND THOSE TRAIL SYSTEMS, TO CONNECT TO, TO A MUCH LARGER PARTNER DISTRICTS AND METROS.
SO ACTIVELY OUR DEPARTMENT GOES, UM, AND EITHER THROUGH OUR VISION PLANNING, UH, PRACTICES OF, UH, GOING BACK THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THIS, OR WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE, WE, WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO, TO EXPAND THOSE TRAIL CONNECTIONS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY'RE ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR, UH, FOR NEIGHBORHOODS TO CONNECT TO GREEN SPACE.
AND THAT WAS LAID OUT IN THE LONG RANGE PLAN, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
WE NEED TO, UM, TO WRAP THIS UP, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M JUST, I, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE NO TIME, BUT I, I, IT IS, UH, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY.
AND I REALLY AM VERY VESTED IN TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE THOSE BEAUTIFUL TRAILS ASSETS NATURE TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS AUSTIN.
AND THIS IS ONE PLACE THAT I THINK REALLY NEEDS THE, WE NEED TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK IT REALLY DOES NEED TO HAPPEN.
AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOES HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S LONG OVERDUE AND, AND THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT I, UM, I, IT SEEMS LIKE COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS A CHALLENGE.
I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS THAT THERE IS A COMMUNITY OUTREACH, BUT NOT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD THAT WE'VE REALLY HEARD COMMUNITIES FEEL REALLY STRONGLY THAT THEY WERE NOT ACTUALLY LISTENED TO, WHICH, UM, IS CONCERNED.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT WAS CONCERNING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BECAUSE THEY DID ASK FOR MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AS WELL.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, UM, THERE, I YOU'VE CERTAINLY GIVEN US A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU DID THAT WERE, UM, IMPRESSIVE IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
I, THE CARDS REACHING OUT AS MUCH AS YOU COULD.
I'VE DONE THAT IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES IN MY WORK, BUT I DO THINK, UM, IT, IT DIDN'T WORK AS WELL AS IT HAS BEFORE, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT.
SO HERE WE ARE, WE'VE GOTTA MOVE ON.
DO WE, AND I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE'RE READY IT OR NOT, BUT WE DO NEED TO MOVE ON.
THIS IS A BOARD MEMBER, MASON MURPHY.
UM, SO, UH, I, I BEG TO DIFFER ON MOST OF THE DATA THAT THEY JUST SUPPLIED THAT IS INACCURATE DATA.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTS DISTRICT TWO, THREE, AND FIVE, AND WE COME TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OVERWHELMINGLY OUR COMMUNITY IS OPPOSED TO THIS PLAN.
I MOVE THAT WE DO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN SINCE YOU HAVEN'T CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, DO YOU MIND IF I RESPOND JUST REALLY QUICKLY? YES.
QUICKLY, WE HAVE GOT VERY I'M ABOUT TO JUST STOP.
I JUST FEEL LIKE I REALLY NEED TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT REPRESENTING ANYONE
[01:55:01]
EXCEPT DR.CARRIE ROBINSON TONIGHT, BUT I KNOW THE POSITION YOU'RE IN, WHERE YOU'RE HEARING REALLY DIVISIVE COMMENTS FROM FOLKS, AND YOU'RE HEARING ONE SIDE OF THE STORY.
THAT SOUNDS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
UM, AND, AND SO I FEEL FOR YOU BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THAT POSITION IN THE PAST.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I DO FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THOSE COMMENTS ARE DISINGENUOUS.
WE HAVE RECEIVED COMMENTS DIRECTLY FROM KATE MASON MURPHY, UM, WHO I WAS SURPRISED DIDN'T RECUSE TONIGHT, SINCE SHE HAS BEEN PAID TO WORK ON THIS PROJECT IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THOSE COMMENTS WERE RESPONDED TO IN TIME.
WE RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE COMMENTS THAT WAS DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE VISION PLAN AND WHAT I FEAR IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING HERE.
AND IT BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE THE TEAM HAS WORKED SO HARD ON THIS PLAN, IS THAT A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND THE MASON MURPHY'S THAT HAS ESCALATED TO VIOLENCE HAS ACTUALLY CREATED A TOXIC TOXIC ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS PLAN, WHICH TO BE HONEST, IT WAS MY CALL TO CANCEL THAT PUBLIC MEETING THAT WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR BECAUSE A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE REGISTERED FOR IT WERE THE MASON MURPHY'S AND THEIR FAMILY.
AND THAT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER A VIOLENT THREAT WAS MADE TO WATERSHED PROTECTION STAFF.
AND SO I JUST, I CANNOT GO ON, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH HOW PROUD I AM OF OUR TEAM AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING FEELING.
NOT SAYING THAT, I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BECOME TOXIC BECAUSE OF A VERY SEPARATE ISSUE THAT WE'RE NOT POSTED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE A DEGREE.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE THE PARKS PORT IS, IS AT THIS POINT, READY TO DO ANYTHING ON THIS, GIVEN ALL WE'VE HEARD.
AND I THINK WE REALLY, YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF MEETING WITH COMMUNITY AND THEN COME BACK TO US.
I'M JUST NOT WILLING TO, UM, SORRY, BOARD MEMBER OR A BOARD MEMBER CHAIR.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN, IS THERE A SECOND FOR, IS THERE A SECOND FOR A MASON BOARD MEMBER? MASON, MURPHY'S MOTION TO NOT RECOMMEND THE PLAN.
AS I SAID, I THINK THIS IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PASSIONS THAT ARE REALLY HIGH.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT SOME KIND OF, WHETHER IT'S MEDIATION OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE BOARD THE OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST MAKE A MOTION.
IF THEY WANT SOMEBODY TO MAKE A MOTION, TO NOT VOTE, TO NOT MOVE FORWARD, THEY CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, BUT WE NEED TO GIVE THE BOARD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A MOTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
COULD I MAKE A MOTION THAT
MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS UNTIL AND HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION AT ANOTHER TIME.
SO WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE EVERYBODY A SEPARATE BOARD MEMBER.
WE'RE NOT MORMON TO RUN ALL THE BOARD MEMBER FAST.
IT WAS WHAT I WASN'T SURE ABOUT YOU.
ARE YOU OKAY? I THINK WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN UNANIMOUSLY TO TABLE IT.
I'M REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME COMING OUT HERE.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, WE WILL, UM, CAN DO THIS IN A MORE PRODUCTIVE MANNER NEXT TIME.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, IF I COULD JUST LET YOU KNOW THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA, IF WE MIGHT CONSIDER TAKING THEM IN A DIFFERENT ORDER SO THAT YOU HAVE AMPLE TIME TO DISCUSS, AND THE THINGS THAT PERHAPS DON'T NEED TO MEET FOR DO NOT HAVE TO BECOME PRIORITY.
BUT NUMBER THREE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE GOING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ABSOLUTELY NEEDS YOUR VOTE.
YOU ARE OWN BOARD, UM, AND COMMITTEE, UH, UH, NOMINATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT IF I COULD RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD WANT TO GET THROUGH THAT FOUR AND FIVE ARE THINGS THAT WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CONSIDER THEM, WE COULD MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL WITHOUT AN ACTION FROM THE BOARD.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT DESIRABLE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
WE COULD REMOVE NUMBER SIX AND WE CAN POSTPONE NUMBER TWO.
SO I OFFER THAT RESPECTFULLY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION CHAIR SAYING, THANK YOU.
WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN POWER THROUGH, BUT WE'LL, LET'S GO AHEAD
[B.3. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the Planning Commission for the approval of a Conditional Use Permit for Waterloo Park. ]
AND MOVE ON TO THAT'S TO SWITCH OVER AND GO AHEAD AND GET AN ITEM.I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS ITEM.
I LOOKED AT THE PRESENTATION, IT WAS LIKE THIS WHOLE LONG PRESENTATION ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
[02:00:01]
AND THEN THE END IS JUST LIKE THAT THEY WENT THE PERMIT FOR ALCOHOL SOLD IN THE TWO VENUES.SO I WAS GOING TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO BE WALKED THROUGH THE ENTIRE THING, UNLESS WELL, WHAT TO BE, YOU MIGHT ASK CERTAIN EXCELLENT POINT, IF YOU JUST WANT TO KIND OF GIVE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THEN, UM, WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND, AND, UM, ASK QUESTIONS IN BOATS.
IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET, LET ME SEE.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, LISA STORE, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT ON HERE, CHARLOTTE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER PRESENTERS FROM THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, AND I HEAR, UM, I HEAR THE SUGGESTION TO JUST CUT THIS DOWN TO THE, TO THE NITTY GRITTY SO THAT YOU ALL CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MELISSA IOLA FROM THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY TO DO THAT.
AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, UM, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
WE KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY HAD A LONG EVENING.
UM, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO ON TO OUR NEXT SLIDE.
UH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
UM, SO JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT, UM, AS WAS MENTIONED, UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY, UM, IS SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT ON THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, IN OUR APPLICATION, UM, WE ARE A NONPROFIT THAT'S WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND PARDON WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE APPLIED JOINTLY WITH PARD, UM, TO THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR OUR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, SO WE COULD ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND SKIP TO, I BELIEVE IT'S SLIDE 22.
AS WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THESE SLIDES, WE ARE IN THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR PROJECT AT WATERLOO PARK, UM, IN OUR MILE AND A HALF PROJECT ALONG WALLER CREEK.
UM, OUR PROJECT IS REALLY LOOKING TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, UM, IN THIS SPACE THAT HAS SO MUCH HISTORY.
WE ARE LOOKING TO OPEN THIS AUGUST AND PART OF THE ACTIVATION, UM, IN OUR AUGUST OPENING WILL BE TO INVITE OUR COMMUNITY BACK TO THESE SPACES.
UM, AND WATERLOO PARK HAS SO MANY MEMORIES AND SO MUCH STORY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, UM, TO RESTORE SPACE, RESTORE THE CREEK AND CREATE THESE NEW COMMUNITY AMENITIES SPACES.
UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS, UH, THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER, UM, SINCE THE SIGNATURE FEATURE FEATURE AT WATERLOO PARK, UM, THAT FEATURES BUILT-IN CONCESSIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN THOSE GRAY WINDOWS AND SUPPORTING SPACE BUILT INTO OUR BACK OF HOUSE TO EASE THE IMPACT ON OUR PARK SPACE.
WE ALSO HAVE PLAYGROUND AREAS AT HILL COUNTRY, GARDEN AREA, UM, AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES.
SO LIKE I MENTIONED, WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY, UM, ON THREE SPACES.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT SLIDE, OUR LIEBERMAN COMMUNITY PLAZA, WHICH IS A SMALLER PERFORMANCE SPACE, OUR FOOD TRUCK AND DECK AREA.
SO WE WILL HAVE TWO FOOD TRUCKS, UH, LOCATED AROUND IN OUR PARK.
UM, AND THEN THE MOODY AMPHITHEATRE VENUE ITSELF, AND THESE SPACES WILL HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACTIVITY.
UM, THE FOOD TRUCKS WILL BE THERE YEAR ROUND.
LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR OTHER SPACES WILL FEATURE, UM, BOTH SPECIAL EVENTS, REGULAR PARK USE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH C3 LIVE NATION TO HELP US PRODUCE CONCERTS IN THE AMPHITHEATER ITSELF.
SO THIS IS PART OF A PROCESS THAT WE'RE PURSUING WITH PARD FOR, UM, PUBLIC SPACES THAT WILL OFFER A YEAR ROUND, UM, ALCOHOL SALE AND CONSUMPTION.
UM, AND DURING OUR PROJECT CLOSE OUT, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW THIS CP PROCESS, UM, THAT ADDRESSES THE ZONING OF A PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEEK PARKS, SPECIAL USES ZONING, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
NEXT SLIDE, I'VE MENTIONED A BIT ABOUT OUR APPLICATION.
[02:05:01]
AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THIS PACKET, SO I DON'T HAVE TO READ THROUGH THIS PROCESS.UM, BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS WE ARE LOOKING TO GET FINAL APPROVAL FROM PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AND ARE EXPECTING TO, UH, ATTEND BEFORE, BEFORE THAT GROUP IN JUNE.
NEXT SLIDE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT THE HISTORY ALREADY.
UM, THE DISTINCTION HERE WITH THE PREVIOUS PROCESS, UM, THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, UM, WAS FOR AN EVENT BY EVENT, UM, ALCOHOL PERMITTING AS OPPOSED TO YEAR ROUND.
SO THAT'S THE DISTINCTION WITH WHAT WE'RE PURSUING HERE.
UM, AND IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO OUR SPACE AND, UM, CITY STAFF CAN SPEAK TO THIS, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER, UM, PUBLIC SPACES THAT WILL BE, UM, COMING BEFORE.
Y'ALL ALSO TO RECEIVE SIMILAR TYPE OF DESIGNATION.
UM, JUST TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH THIS, WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION TO THE DSD DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE'VE CONTINUED OUR NEIGHBOR OUTREACH TO LET OUR, UM, NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES AND STAKEHOLDERS, UM, IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROJECT ITSELF, BUT ALSO WITH THIS APPLICATION, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED A FEW VOTES OF SUPPORT, UM, INCLUDING THE WALNUT CREEK LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS OUR JOINT OVERSIGHT BODY AND THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION LAST WEEK.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED, WE ARE LOOKING TO ATTEND PLANNING COMMISSION IN JUNE FOR THEIR REVIEW AND TO SEEK THEIR APPROVAL AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE MORNING OF OUR APPLICATION AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS OUR OPERATIONAL ENFORCEMENT PLAN.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE INDIVIDUAL SPACES, WE WANTED YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT THE ENFORCEMENT IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR PLAN TO MONITOR THE SALE AND CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL.
AND THOSE THREE SPACES THAT WE MENTIONED, UM, THAT WOULD INCLUDE A CONTROL PERIMETER WITH, UM, BARRIERS, SIGNAGE, UM, THAT ARE REITERATING OUR COMPLIANCE WITH TABC REGULATIONS.
AND THEN ALSO OUR, ON THE GROUND STAFF MANAGEMENT WILL, WHICH WILL INCLUDE OUR PARK OPERATIONS TEAM AND OUR VENUE OPERATIONS TEAM.
AND THOSE ARE ALL THE POSITIONS THAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT, UM, WE HAVE FOLKS ON THE GROUND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SPACE SPACE, A SAFE SPACE, BUT THAT'S ENJOYABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND THESE ARE THE THREE AREAS OF THE PARK THAT I'VE MENTIONED.
UM, AREA NUMBER ONE IS CELEBRITY AND PLAZA, WHICH IS OUR SMALLER COMMUNITY GATHERING AREA AREA.
NUMBER TWO IS OUR TREE DECK AND FOOD TRUCK AREA, WHICH WILL HAVE A VENDORS LOCATED IN THAT SPACE, UM, OFFERING FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE YEAR ROUND, UM, AND THEN AREA NUMBER THREE IS THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER.
AND THESE AREAS WOULD ALSO SUPPORT SPECIAL EVENT ACTIVITY, NEXT SLIDE.
AND THAT IS A GENERAL OVERVIEW.
UM, LISA, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO ADD ANYTHING I HAVE MISSED, BUT WE'RE ALSO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE GROUP.
HEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND LET'S JUST GO AROUND, UM, REALLY QUICKLY AND SEE IF WE CAN, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL START WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA FEISTY WHEN WE'RE DONE, I'M READY TO OFFER A MOTION.
THEN LET'S GO AHEAD WITH, UM, LET'S SEE, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, RINALDI.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IT LOOKS LIKE I'M SATISFIED WITH, UM, THE STAFFING, ALL THE PRECAUTIONS.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'LL BE REALLY SAFE AND COMPATIBLE WITH THE PARK USE.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, UH, COTTON CYBIL OKAY.
YES, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS AND I EXPRESSED THEM THE OTHER DAY.
FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO SAY I LOVED OUR TOUR, UM, GOING THROUGH THE, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE SPACE AND I THINK THAT THIS IS, UM, BRINGING A REALLY MUCH NEEDED, UM, AVENUE DOWNTOWN.
I HAVE BIG CONCERNS HAVING HAD THREE YOUNG CHILDREN AND HAVING DEALT WITH AN ISSUE IN THE PAST THAT HAS PROBABLY SCARRED ME FOR LIFE.
I REALLY DISAGREE VERY STRONGLY WITH HAVING ALCOHOL IN THE TWO AA AREAS, ADJACENT TO THE CHILDREN'S PARK.
I THINK THAT IS COMPLETELY NOT OKAY.
AND I'M COMPLETELY ON BOARD WITH HAVING IT AT THE AMPHITHEATER DURING EVENTS, BUT I HAVE BIG CONCERNS ABOUT BEING IN SUCH PROXIMITY TO CHILDREN.
I MEAN, IT IS LITERALLY A CHILDREN'S PLAYSCAPE, PROBABLY 20 PACES.
I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T PROVE THAT WITHOUT GOING BACK AND MEASURING, BUT TO THE, UM, TO THE PLAZA WHERE THE FOOD TRUCKS WILL BE.
AND ALSO IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THAT LITTLE LIEBERMAN.
IS IT CALLED THE LIEBERMAN? UM, SMALL AMPHITHEATER.
[02:10:01]
SO I HAVE, I HAVE BIG HESITATION ABOUT THAT PART.THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR FEEDBACK.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE SPACE AND, AND WE TALK EVERY DAY WITH OUR, WE HAVE A DIRECTOR OF PARK OPERATIONS ALREADY ON BOARD HELPING US TO BUILD OUT THESE ENFORCEMENT PLANS AND POLICIES.
UM, AND IT WILL BE, UM, PART OF PLAN TO HAVE A PHYSICAL PERIMETER WHERE FOLKS ARE NOT ABLE TO VARY THEIR BEVERAGES ACROSS THAT PARAMETER.
I'M NOT THE PROBLEM WITH A BARRIER IS THAT YOU CAN'T, ONCE THE PERSON DECIDES TO LEAVE, IF THEY'RE NOT CARRYING ALCOHOL, YOU CAN'T PREVENT THEM FROM BOTHERING THE CHILDREN IN THE PLAYGROUND.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE FOLKS ON THE GROUND ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE W WE WILL HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, AMPLE FOLKS AND THE PARK.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE IN THE PARK, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THOSE STAFF ARE, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE TO HAVE AN EXTENSION OF THEIR AMBASSADOR SERVICE, ALSO PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE PARK.
UM, AND THEY WOULD BE A PART OF OUR OPERATIONS TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING IS MAKING SURE THAT WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED DOESN'T HAPPEN.
I HAVE NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
I AN I UNDERSTAND SELLING ALCOHOL AT BOTH AMPHITHEATERS, BUT HOW WOULD THAT WORK AROUND THE FOOD TRUCKS YOU'RE SELLING? YOU HAVE TRUCKS THAT COME IN ARE SELLING ALCOHOL, JUST LIKE FOOD, FOOD.
I MEAN, ARE THOSE SEPARATE VENDOR WHO, WHO WOULD BE THE VENDOR? YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
SO WE DO HAVE SPACE FOR TWO, UH, FOOD VENDORS IN THAT AREA.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF SOLICITING PUBLIC PROPOSALS.
WE HAVE AN RFP OUT, UM, TO GET INPUT FROM VENDORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING, UM, THEIR FOOD TRUCK OR TRAILER IN THE SPACE.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, HOOKUPS FOR, UH, FOOD SERVICE.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TO HAVE A LONGER TERM LEASE WHERE WE CAN THEN ROTATE OUT THOSE FOOD OFFERINGS.
AND THIS IS A PART OF SOMETHING, WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN OUR ORIGINAL DESIGN, WE HAD A PHYSICAL RESTAURANT, A SIT DOWN RESTAURANT, AND AS WE DID ENGAGEMENT, UM, THE COMMUNITY FELT REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT HAVING A FOOD THAT'S AUTHENTICALLY AUSTIN.
AND THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HEARD WAS A RESTAURANT WOULDN'T SATISFY THAT BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST IN HAVING AFFORDABLE, LOWER PRICE POINT FOOD OFFERINGS, BUT ALSO THAT WE COULD ROTATE OUT TO HAVE DIFFERENT CUISINES AND DIFFERENT FOOD OPTIONS.
UM, SO IT WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE VENDORS THAT WE BRING INTO THE PARK, UM, AND THEN WE CAN ROPE IT, ROTATE THEM OUT IN OUR APPLICATION PROCESS AND THOSE VENDORS, UM, COULD EITHER HAVE EXCLUSIVELY FOOD OR FOOD AND SHELTER ALCOHOL.
I'M ALWAYS SOMEBODY BORN WOMEN FAST.
I, UM, I DID HAVE JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
DID I SKIP SOMEBODY? I HOPE NOT.
I WANT TO, COULD YOU JUST ADDRESS, UM, AND YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS AND I, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, THE LIABILITY, HOW W HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK WITH THIS.
SO, UM, WITH OUR VENDOR AGREEMENTS, THEY WOULD HOLD THE LIABILITY.
SO THEY WOULD HOLD THE LIABILITY IF SOMEBODY WAS DRUNK AND DID SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE.
AND AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE WOULD WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THOSE VENDORS AND WITH OUR PARK AMBASSADOR, WITH OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AMBASSADORS AND OUR PARK OPERATIONS TEAM.
SO IT W YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS, IS OUT OF SIGHT FOR US, EVEN THOUGH THE LIABILITY IS WITH THE VENDORS.
WE'RE REALLY WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO MANAGE THE OPERATIONS IN THAT SPACE.
AND ARE YOU GOING TO SERVE, UM, GLASS BOTTLES? NO GLASS IN THE WHOLE PARK AND ON THE SIGNS, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER FOLKS.
MIDDLE-CLASS AND THEN HOW, HOW MUCH DO YOU, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH REVENUE YOU ANTICIPATE FROM ALCOHOL SALES? NO, I DON'T.
I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD,
[02:15:01]
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, UM, SORT OF PROJECTIONS.UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A REVENUE STREAM THAT WE CAN THEN REINVEST BACK INTO OUR PARKS TO SUPPORT THE SPACE ITSELF.
AND IT WOULDN'T BE LIMITED TO THAT, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE, INCLUDING ANY TICKET SALES.
AND THEN WE ARE BEING SUPPORTED AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED, BY THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AS WELL FOR OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT ALCOHOL SALES IS, IS, IS IMPORTANT.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY RAISE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO, TO, UH, FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
IS THAT, WHAT IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YOU, SO YOU'RE, DEPENDING ON THIS WHAT'S SO YOU NEED IT TO GET APPROVED, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, AND I SHOULD ALSO ADD, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT HAS AGAIN, COME UP AND COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EXPERIENCE WHERE WE CAN REALLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO COME TO THE PARK AND STAY FOR A WHILE.
UM, SUPPORT ADJACENT BUSINESSES, REALLY HAVE FAMILIES COME OUT AND GET EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED IN THE PARK.
UM, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, AND THIS IS JUST TO SATISFY MY CONCERNS HERE UM, AND I, AND, AND, UM, OR LOUIS, I THINK YOU WOULD, UH, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THIS QUESTION.
UM, SO I I'M, I'M ENVISIONING, SO ESPECIALLY WITH NOW THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE PERMANENT LIST CARRY IN THE STATE AND, AND WHEN YOU GO INTO ACL, EVERYONE, YOU, YOU KNOW, NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE CLEAR BAGS, SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE BRINGING ANY ARMS, ANY GUNS ON, YOU KNOW, TO THAT EVENT.
IS THERE GOING TO BE A WAY TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM BRINGING IN GUNS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SERVING ALCOHOL, UM, AT, YOU KNOW, AT THE FOOD TRUCKS AND AT THE DIFFERENT AMPHITHEATERS.
AND JOHN, LISA, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THIS.
UM, BUT WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR LARGER, SPECIAL EVENTS, WE WILL HAVE, UM, SPECIFIC ENTRANCE POINTS WHERE WE'RE MONITORING, UM, FOLKS COMING IN WE'LL HAVE METAL DETECTORS, WE'LL HAVE A MORE STRINGENT PROTOCOL FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SAFETY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE WORKED REALLY EXTENSIVELY UP TO THIS POINT IN COMMUNICATING WITH APD AND SECURITY FROM ADJACENT SITES.
SO, UM, DPS WITH THE STATE, UM, WITH THE UT DELL MED CAMPUS AND THEIR SECURITY TEAMS, AND THEY, WE WILL ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER WHEN WE HAVE ACTIVITY AT THE PARK TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HELPING TO BE A PART OF OUR ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE'RE ALL KEEPING AN EYE OUT IN THE SAME AREA.
SO IT'S REALLY A COLLABORATIVE SECURITY AND SAFETY PLAN THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
WELL, I JUST BASICALLY WHAT MY QUESTION IS, WILL GUNS BE ALLOWED IF WHILE ALCOHOL IS BEING SERVED AT THE PARK? SO BOARD MEMBER, IF I COULD STEP IN ALL PARKS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSIDERED PUBLIC PLACES RIGHT NOW, UH, IF THERE IS, UH, I KNOW THAT I THINK THERE'S A NUANCE TO YOUR QUESTION IN THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH OUR, OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, REGARDING THAT, THAT NUANCE, BECAUSE IN GENERAL, YOU CAN ENTER A PARK RIGHT NOW, CONCEALED CARRY WITH A PERMIT.
YOU CAN HAVE, YOU CAN HAVE A GUN IN A PARK RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S THERE, YOU'RE WE AS A CITY CAN'T, UM, CAN'T OVERRIDE THAT PARTICULAR, UH, YOU CAN'T HAVE A GUN IN SPACES THAT ARE FOR RESTRICTED USE I E UM, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, AND IF IN A CLASSROOM OR IN A, AN AREA IN WHICH THE STAFF IS WORKING, HOWEVER, THERE'S A NUANCE TO THAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT AS PART OF THE, AS PART OF THE REGULATIONS, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD TIME TO CHECK OUT WITH THE PASS OF THIS PERMITLESS CARRY IS, UM, YOU CAN'T BRING FIREARMS INTO CERTAIN LOCATIONS.
HOWEVER, HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT NUANCE, UM, GO TO A PUBLIC PARK SPACE? AND FRANKLY, WITH THE, WITH THE PERMIT LIST, THE PERMITLESS CARRY PASSING JUST BIG.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT WAS SIGNED AND I APOLOGIZE THERE HASN'T BEEN TIME TO VET THAT WITH A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE NUANCE OF YOUR QUESTION.
I THINK IT, I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO THIS DISCUSSION, BUT WE JUST AREN'T ABLE TO ANSWER IT TODAY WITH THE NEWNESS OF THIS LAW.
COULD I, COULD I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT? UM, IS IT POSSIBLE THEN THAT WE COULD LIMIT THE ALCOHOL TO CERTAIN EVENT TIMES SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING IN WERE BEING CHECKED FOR CARRYING FIREARMS? SO INSTEAD OF HAVING JUST A BLANKET PERMIT, THIS CUP PERMIT, WHATEVER EXACTLY.
I, I'M NOT SURE OF THE NEED FOR THAT.
I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN HAVE IT IN THE PARK, IN CONJUNCTION WITH
[02:20:01]
THE EVENTS ONLY SO THAT THERE IS THAT SCREENING AND THAT SAFETY PRECAUTION.I KNOW THAT HAVING ALL KINDS OF, UM, SECURITY IS, IS ADMIRABLE.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT ATTEMPT, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT SOMETHINGS GET OUT OF HAND VERY QUICKLY AND I'M CONCERNED TOO, ALONG THE LINES THAT WE BRING IT UP WITH A PERMITLESS CARRY, I THINK IT'S COMBUSTIBLE ISSUE.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A REASON THAT WE NEED THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE PARK ALL THE TIME, IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SLIPPERY SLOPE WITH OTHER PARKS, MAYBE WANTING INCOME.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES HERE TO DEAL WITH AND A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S, IS THERE A REASON, SORRY, I RAMBLED.
IS THERE A REASON THAT WE CAN'T LIMIT IT TO THE EVENTS AND THEN THE BIG AMPHITHEATER I'D LIKE TO LET THE WATERLOO GREENWAY ANSWER MY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY, BUT IF I COULD, AND I APOLOGIZE ABOUT MY DOGS, IF I COULD EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT, THE WHY A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS NECESSARY IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR ONLY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THE, UM, THE SALE OF ALCOHOL FOR A VERY, UH, SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME PER ORDINANCE.
AND IF THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EXTENDED OPPORTUNITY OR THERE THERE'S A DESIRE TO HAVE, UM, THIS PIECE OF LAND, BECAUSE IT'S DEEMED PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ALCOHOL SALES FROM MORE THAN WHAT IS PERMITTED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OVER ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS.
UM, THEN, THEN WE NEED TO ALLOW THIS PROCESS TO GO THROUGH AND, AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING LIKE WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, AND THEN GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO OPERATIONALLY I'LL LET WATERLOO AND GREENWAY, UM, TALK ABOUT THEIR OPERATIONS, BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHY IT WAS NECESSARY TO GO THROUGH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING ASSOCIATED WITH THE FACT THAT THIS IS PUBLIC LAND.
IT'S P I'M SORRY, ZONE P FOR PUBLIC.
AND YES, WE WOULD HAVE AN OPERATIONAL PLAN BY SPECIAL EVENT.
UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE, UM, SORT OF A BROADER OPPORTUNITY IN HOW WE ORGANIZE THOSE EVENTS.
UM, BUT WE WOULD HAVE SORT OF MORE DETAILED PROTOCOLS BY SPECIAL EVENT.
AND FOR OUR CONCERTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT HAVE UPWARDS OF 45 SECURITY FOLKS, ADDITIONAL SECURITY FOLKS IN THE PARK TO HELP US WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF EVENTS, THE SECURITY THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, SO IT IS, UM, DRIVEN BY, UM, THE ACTIVITY THAT WE'LL HAVE IN THE PARK AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TALK TO THE SORT OF, UM, NUMBER OF PLANNED EVENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE AT LEAST FOR LIKE OPENING SEASON, BOTH COMING FROM THE LIVE NATION C3, CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PROGRAMMING STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO FROM SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS, JUST TO GET THAT IDEA OF, UM, HOW MANY TIMES WE WOULD BE COMING TO THE DIRECTOR FOR THOSE EVENT BASED, UM, PERMITS IF WE NEEDED TO DO IT IN THAT MANNER.
SO, UM, ON A, ON A TYPICAL NON COVID YEAR, WE COULD HAVE UP TO 35 CONCERTS.
UM, THIS FALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 15.
UM, AND THEN ABOUT 10 LARGE-SCALE COMMUNITY CULTURAL EVENTS WITH THINGS LIKE A DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL CREEK SHOW EVENTS THAT YOU ALL, UM, HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE, LIKE FREE TO FRIDAY THAT WE'VE HOSTED AT SYMPHONY SQUARE.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL HAVE, UM, WEEKLY PROGRAMMING THAT ARE FREE COMMUNITY CLASSES THAT WILL HAVE LIKE FITNESS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IN THE PARK.
THEN I ALSO THINK IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UM, WHILE THIS, AS THE DIRECTOR, UM, YOU KNOW, CLARIFIED IS REALLY A ZONING PERMIT AND IT IS A TOUCH TO THE LAND ITSELF.
THIS DOESN'T, UH, PRECLUDE THE FULL PROCESS FROM GOING THROUGH A TABC REVIEW AND RECEIVING A TBC PERMIT AND COMPLYING WITH ALL OF THOSE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT AS WELL.
I'M WONDERING, I JUST HAVE, I HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT TO ADD HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME CONTEXT, I THINK THAT, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE CENTRAL MARKET PLAYSCAPE AND PATIO LIFE MUSIC SITUATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, WHERE WE HAVE BEER, WINE, LIVE MUSIC, A PLAYGROUND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST FAMILY FRIENDLY PLACES IN AUSTIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I SEE MORE KIDS THERE THAN I DO MAYBE AT ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER TIME DURING THE WEEK.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A SITUATION WHERE IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE FAMILY ACTIVITY COMING INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH ALCOHOL SALES, THEN IT SOUNDS
[02:25:01]
LIKE THERE WILL BE AT THE WATERLOO PARK.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WANNA, I WANNA, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT THAT IT'S, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A BAR DISTRICT SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, KIDS PLAYING ON THE PLAYGROUND RIGHT NEXT TO LIKE THESE WILD PARTIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, IT SOUNDS FROM MY IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH VERY COMPATIBLE WITH THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE PARK AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, UM, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I REALLY DON'T HAVE, UM, MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.
UM, I DID WANT TO S I DID NOT.
I KNEW I SKIPPED SOMEBODY BOARD MEMBER, MRS. MURPHY.
DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES.
ALL I WANTED TO SAY IS, UM, I APPRECIATED THE TOUR AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPACE AND THAT IS A GREEN WAY.
THAT IS WHAT I ENVISION A GREEN WAY.
IT LOOKS IT'S, UM, MANUFACTURED AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL, AND IT HAS SOME NATIVE ELEMENTS AND SOME TREES, BUT IT'S MOSTLY HARDSCAPED AND IT HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING.
UM, BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ALCOHOL AND THE PROXIMITY TO THE BAR DISTRICT.
IT, THIS IS NOT GONNA BE THE SAME AS CENTRAL MARKET, I DON'T THINK, BUT, UM, AND THEN OPEN CARRY, UM, BECAUSE THAT JUST ADDS A NEW ELEMENT FOR US.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THOUGHT THE PR I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY PRETTY, PRETTY PARK.
WELL, I WILL, UM, ENLIST, THERE'S MORE COMMENTS.
I'M GOING TO BRING IT BACK ROUND TO VICE TO DIPLOMA.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, AND JUST TO KIND OF ONE OF THE REASONS WHY EXACTLY WHAT WAS SOME OF WHAT BOARD MEMBER AND ALL THAT HE HAD TALKED ABOUT, LIKE OTHER INSTANCES.
AND SO HAVING BEEN TO OTHER PARKS SYSTEMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, I SEE THE AVAILABILITY, UM, WHEN YOU LIMITING IT TO THE PARTICULAR SPACE, IT'S ONLY A WALK FROM MOODY AMPHITHEATER TO THE PLAYGROUND VERSUS THE FOOD TRUCK TO THE PLAYGROUND.
UM, I DON'T SEE, LIKE, YEAH, I THINK THE SECURITY COMPONENT IS THE MAJOR COMPONENT HAD THE RESPONSE BEEN.
WE HAVE NO SECURITY FOR IT, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, GOOD LUCK SORTA SITUATION, THEN THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT SCENARIO.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH WORK, ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW WE'RE HAVING TO DO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS ON THESE SPACES.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I, I ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO PROBLEM MAKING, MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONING.
SO MY MOTION IS THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR WATERLOO PARK FOR THREE DESIGNATED AREAS, LIEBERMAN PLAZA, FOOD TRUCK, AND DECK AREA, AND THE MOODY AMPLE THEATER VENUE, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE PLATFORM, ROOFTOP TERRACE, LOW, LOWER LAWN AND GREENLAWN AREAS.
HEY, DO I HAVE A SECOND? YES, CARLOS, I THINK WAS FIRST.
UM, OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND, SO WE CAN VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, I WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR IT TOO.
SO, SO WE HAVE, UM, ELICIT ALL OPPOSED.
SO WE HAVE ONE OPPOSE BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL, AND SO THE MOTION FASTEST.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION PLEASE.
I DID NOT RECORD BOARD MEMBER MASON MURPHY.
I DIDN'T SEE IF SHE RAISED HER HAND EITHER WAY.
I WAS JUST GETTING ON TO TELL YOU WHY IT STAINED YOU ABSTAINED.
SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE THAT HERE.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE ONE ABSTENTION ONE, NO, AND, UM, THE REST OF US VOTED FOR IT.
AND SO I GUESS THAT'S, I'LL LET YOU DO THE NUMBERS.
I USED TO TEACH MATH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING DOWNHILL.
I'M LOOKING AT THE TIME WE ATE, UM, SEMI WHAT TIME DO WE NEED TO BE DONE? CHAIR? LOUIS HARD-STOP IS AT 9:30 PM.
SO WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
SO IN THAT CASE, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH, UM, THE, UM,
[02:30:01]
RECOMMENDATION, NOT ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE ACTUALLY I'M IN THE, I'M GOING TO SWITCH THIS UP.CAN WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAD TO HAVE DONE TODAY, CORRECT.
NOT, NOT EXACTLY THAT MIGHT MY SUGGESTION.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE PREFERRED TO BE DONE TODAY, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, WE COULD STILL MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
SEVEN'S IMPORTANT TO THIS BOARD.
I KNOW THAT FOUR AND FIVE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT TWO AND SIX CAN BE, UM, CAN BE PUT LAST.
[B.5. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council approving the renaming of Payton Gin Pocket Park to Heron Hollow Pocket Park.]
AND DO FIVE.AND THEN WE CAN, UM, WE CAN MOVE ON.
SO FIVE IS THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVING THE RENAMING OF PEYTON GIN POCKET PARK TO HERE IN HOLLOW POCKET PARK.
AND, UM, DO YOU RECOMMEND NEELY? I THINK THIS IS YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO GO AHEAD, SAMMY TO THE NEXT TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO PAYING JEN IS A POCKET PARK THAT WAS NAMED FOR ITS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO.
SO IT HAD, IT HAD NO SIGN UP UNTIL THAT PARTICULAR POINT AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN REFERRING TO IT AS THE PEYTON GIN POCKET PARK.
HERE'S SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT IT, WHERE IT'S LOCATED ITS SIZE, AND THE FACT THAT IT'S IN DISTRICT FOUR, GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE SAMMY.
SO SOON AFTER, UH, BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE PARK THAT IT WAS PURCHASED IN 1965.
IT WAS ACTUALLY AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF ART WAS CONSIDERED, UM, OR WAS ALSO REFERRED TO AS PART OF LITTLE, LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREENBELT.
AND THEN IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, THERE WAS A BUNCH OF EVIDENCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OTHER IN EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, THE NORTHWESTERN CIVIC ASSOCIATION, TO WRITE LINKS, TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND WANTED TO RENAME THAT POCKET PARK BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN, IT HADN'T REALLY HAD A REFERENCE POINT.
AND SO IT WAS THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
I HOSTED A CONTEST AND THEY CHOSE THE NAME HERE IN HARLEM, AND THAT HAPPENED IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
HOWEVER, THAT PARTICULAR NAMING PROCESS WAS NEVER MEMORIALIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHILE YOU SEE IN THE EVIDENCE THAT I PROVIDED FOR YOU, THAT WAS ACTUALLY PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY TO ME, YOU WOULD SEE THAT IT HAD BEEN REFERRED TO AS HAIR AND HOLLOW AT MULTIPLE, UM, AT MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THEIR ARCHIVE, THE ARCHIVE MINUTES, WHICH SAMMY AND I BOTH WERE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OF THE ACTUAL NEIGHBOR, KNOCK OFF NORTH AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION, YOU'LL SEE HOW THEY REFERENCED THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LAND AS HAIR AND HOLLOW.
AND YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT THEY HAD INVESTED AS A COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, MANY OF THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS COMMUNITY, WE CALL THEM CAP PROJECTS, COMMUNITY, UM, UH, ACTIVATED PROJECTS.
WE MIGHT NOT HAVE CALLED THAT IN TUCSON IN, IN 2000, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THEM NOW WHERE THERE WAS VOLUNTEER WORK.
UM, THERE WERE GRANTS THAT WERE APPLIED FOR IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THAT SPACE.
AND SO TODAY WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT YOU CONSIDER THE ACTUAL FORMAL RENAMING OF THE PARK BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, IT WAS NEVER FORMALLY ADOPTED AS THAT NAME.
AND, AND WE IN ERROR, I WOULD SAY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UNBEKNOWNST TO US ABOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS THAT TOOK PLACE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT OFFICIALLY RECORDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
WE PUT UP A SIGN SAYING PEYTON, JIM, WHICH THEN PROMPTED THE, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CONTACT THEIR COUNCIL OFFICE AND TO ALSO CONTACT ME.
THEY FIRST CONTACTED ME BY LETTER SAMMY AND I DID THE RESEARCH AND RESPONDED AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT HOW WE COULD, UH, GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO FORMALIZE THE RENAMING.
AND THEN, UM, IN LIEU OF A, UH, UH, AN APPLICATION PROCESS, THE COUNCIL OFFICE COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR SET UP A MEETING WITH, UM, APPROXIMATELY 12 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE EACH OF THEM PRESENTED EVIDENCE TO, UM, TO MYSELF AND TO THE COUNCIL OFFICE EXPLAINING HOW IT WAS THAT THEY CAME TO THE NAME OF THE HAIR AND FOLLOW.
AND THAT EVIDENCE WAS PROVIDED TO YOU, UH, EARLIER TODAY AS LATE BACK UP AND CAN BE POSTED, BUT IT INCLUDED MEETING MINUTES.
IT INCLUDED COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.
IT INCLUDED, UM, ALL THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES
[02:35:01]
THAT, UM, THAT WOULD, UH, IDENTIFY THE FACT THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAD BEEN, UM, HAD BEEN REFERENCING THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION AS FAIR FOLLOW.I DID ASK THE COMMUNITY, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE TOOK THIS IN LIEU OF AN APPLICATION AND THEN WE ACCEPTED THEIR EVIDENCE AND WE ACCEPTED THIS MEETING AS PART OF THE PROCESS THAT THEIR BOARD, UM, THROUGH THEIR COMMUNITY PROCESS, REAFFIRMED THAT FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE STILL IN SUPPORT OF CALLING IT HAIR AND HOLLOW.
CONSIDERING THAT WE HAD PUT UP A SIGN NAMED PEYTON GIN AND THE BOARD, UM, AFTER CONSIDERING THE ITEM AND OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
BUT, BUT HONESTLY I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE WHO WAS ABLE TO SPEAK ON IT.
I DIDN'T ASK THAT QUESTION, BUT THEY DID REAFFIRM THAT THEY STILL WOULD LIKE THE PARK CALLED HARRY FOLLOW.
AND SO IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT EXTENSIVE HISTORY THAT I JUST VERY BRIEFLY WENT THROUGH, BUT I DID SEND YOU THE DOCUMENTATION.
AND THE FACT THAT I FEEL AS THOUGH THIS DEPARTMENT, PERHAPS IN ERROR, BECAUSE WE DID NOT FORMALIZE THE NAME IN THE TWO THOUSANDS OR THE EARLY, THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, THAT WE DIDN'T HONOR THE REQUEST OF THE, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM, AND THAT WAS IN THE PAST AND THE REQUEST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS STILL CURRENT TODAY FOR THE RENAMING OF PEYTON, JENN, TO THE HAIR HOLLOW PARK.
AND WE DO HAVE APPROPRIATE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE SIGN.
AND, UM, THIS WILL BE SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE JUNE COUNCIL, UH, JUNE 10TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS PER THE WAY THAT THE CODE IS WRITTEN THAT SAYS A NAMING OF A PARK WOULD HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
THAT APPLICATION PROCESS, AGAIN, WAS THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS SHOWN AND THE, THE MEETING, THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT I PARTICIPATED IN WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICE, DEPENDING UPON YOUR VOTE TODAY, WE'LL RECORD THAT ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE SEND FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER, UH, THIS PARTICULAR RENAMING OF A PARK SEMI, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE THING THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER IS TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE RENAMING OF THE PEYTON GIN PARK TO THE HERON HOLLOW PARK AT POCKET PARK.
AND JUST ONE LAST SO THAT, UM, I, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA WAS ABLE TO ASK ME, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PLEASE KNOW THAT THE PARK ITSELF WAS NOT NAMED FOR THE HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH PEYTON, JENN.
THE PARK WAS ONLY NAMED AFTER THAT STREET GRAPHICAL LOCATION, BUT INSTEAD OF CALLING IT LAMAR PARK, WE CALLED IT PEYTON JIM POCKET PARK.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CLEAR, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING TO ERASE THE HISTORY OF PEYTON, JIM.
IT WAS NOT, IT WAS ONLY NAMED FOR ITS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UM, THROUGH VETERAN MCNEELY, I KNOW THAT, UM, RENAMING IS IMPORTANT TO THIS BOARD BECAUSE WE DID HAVE A WORKING GROUP LED BY BOARD MEMBERS, THE CARLA THAT WORKED ON THAT AND CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW TO DO THIS.
SO I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME, SOME INPUT, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST START WITH BOARD MEMBER.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA, BECAUSE I KNOW HE, UM, HE, HE HAS DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS, SO PLEASE GO AHEAD.
AND SO, AND I APPRECIATE THE CONTEXT AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INFORMATION THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOMEBODY DROPPED THE BALL BACK IN THE TWO THOUSANDS, THAT'S THE HEADLINE.
AND WHEN WE, AND, AND SINCE THAT TIME, THIS PARK HAS BEEN REFERRED TO BOTH HERON HOLLOW, AS WELL AS POCKET GIN.
IT'S USUALLY BEEN WITH A SLASH MARKET.
UM, AND, AND EVEN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, OVER THIS COURSE OF TIME, REFER TO IT AS BOTH IN THE SAME CATEGORY, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE THE FORMAL NAME.
AND SO THAT IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
UM, I HAVE TALKED TO FOLKS, UH, PARTICULARLY, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, I TRUST A LOT WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY, MARK GRAYSON.
AND, UM, HE GAVE ME, YOU KNOW, THE BACKSTORY AS WELL, WHICH HELPED REAFFIRM A LOT OF THE THINGS I HAD HEARD.
UM, SO WHAT WE HAVE IS A PARK THAT WAS NAMED WITHOUT A FORMAL PROCESS.
IT WAS INFORMALLY NAMED PRIOR TO THAT, THROUGH A PR INFORMAL PROCESS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN THIS, YOU KNOW, UNDER ONE ACRE WORTH OF LAND, UM, WAS, WAS IMPROVED IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS BY THE CIVIC ORGANIZATION.
AND IT WAS EVEN REFERENCED EARLIER THAT AS THE INTENT IN THE 2000, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, THE FLUME.
SO THEY, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THIS PIECE.
THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE IT USABLE SPACE.
AND THEN THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT.
AT SOME POINT IT BECAME PARKLAND.
I CAN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE AS TO WHEN IT WAS BECOME PARKLAND.
AND SO, UM, THAT THAT'S KINDS OF SETS THE STORY.
SO WE NEED, THIS IS A CLEANUP MISSION.
[02:40:01]
AND SO PART OF IT THOUGH, WHEN I SAW THIS AND, YOU KNOW, SATURDAY NIGHT GOING THROUGH THE BOARD AGENDA, CAUSE THAT'S HOW COOL I AM.UM, I WAS LIKE, WHO ARE WE RENAMING THIS PARK? AND OH, GOLLY, BOARD MEMBER DECARLO IS GOING TO BE ANGRY.
AND SO ON, WENT WITH THE RESEARCH AND, UH, AND IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING HISTORY.
AND I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT, BUT I, I THINK YOU'LL ALL AGREE AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO GET ONTO THE PROCESS.
SO THE QUICK RESEARCH IS PEYTON IT'S, PEYTON, JEN, OLD COTTON, JEN, THERE'S DIFFERENT RUMORS THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST COTTON GIN OR CLAIMS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST COTTON GIN IN AUSTIN WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE OF A, A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHERS.
COINCIDENTALLY, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE OF THE FOREST BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK THE FIRST BOARD CHAIR CASWELL ALSO OWNED THE BIG AUSTIN COTTON GIN, UM, OVER IN THE EAST SIDE.
SO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOOD COMPANY, BUT THIS FAMILY COMES FROM, UH, SO IT'S BRADFORD PEYTON.
HE IS THE, THE GRANDSON OF FREDERICK JORDAN BACHMANN AND HARRIET, UH, PIONEER FARMS. SO THEY'RE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL AUSTIN FAMILIES, UM, THAT YOU, WHILE WE, I THINK WE'RE STILL WATERLOO AND WHY WAS THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS? SO THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 1940 AERIAL VIEW, YOU JUST SEE THAT NOTHING ELSE IS AROUND WITH EXCEPTION OF SOME STRUCTURES, WHICH LOOKS LIKE AN OLD, WELL, A SMALL COTTON GIN.
AND JUST COINCIDENTALLY WHAT I CALL THE PARK PROVIDENCE.
IT WAS THERE AT WHERE THE PARK CURRENTLY IS.
SO YEAH, IT JUST KIND OF THIS THING.
NOW, MR. PEYTON WAS KILLED BACK IN 1937, SOMEBODY BROKE INTO HIS HOUSE, UH, BURGLARS IN SAN ANTONIO AND THEY SHOT HIM.
THEY SHOT HIS WIFE AND THEY SHOT HIS SON AND THEY KIDNAPPED THE OTHER SON.
UM, BUT HE LIVED IN GABALI AND THE COTTON GIN WAS IN FISKVILLE WHERE THE FAMILIES ARE, AGAIN, PRETTY MUCH BEEN ESTABLISHED.
SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE BIG STORY.
I FOUND IT PRETTY INTERESTING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE NOW GOING INTO THE PROCESS COMPONENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE THIS HISTORY, UM, WAS THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, DID THE COMMUNITY KNOW THEIR HISTORY AND YOU, WE WANT TO CONNECT THE HISTORY, YOU KNOW, THE PARK TO THE HISTORY OF THE LAND, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING HERE IN SO MUCH ON THE, HER AND HOLLOW.
SO LOOKING AT THE OVERALL PROCESS, WHEN I LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE THAT FROM 2016 IS THE ONE WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RENAMING, THE PROCESS IS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY LAID OUT.
UM, AND, AND I'M GLAD WE DID A JORDAN ADDRESS THE ORDINANCE ON THE NAMING ORDINANCE.
AND I HOPE COUNCIL PICKS IT UP BECAUSE WE'RE A MEMBER TO CARLO.
I SEE THE INCONSISTENCIES IN THE CURRENT ONE FROM 14, ONE 38 TO 14 ONE, UH, ONE 37 TO 39 ARE, ARE, ARE SIGNIFICANT, BUT IN 39, HIS PROCEDURE FOR NAMING OR RENAMING A FACILITY.
SO A NOMINATION FOR NAMING OR RENAMING A FACILITY MUST INCLUDE THE BASIS OF THE NOMINATION AS A CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTURAL GEOGRAPHIC OR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE SURROUNDING AREA OR COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE FACILITY RESIDES.
THEY'RE CALLING IT HERE IN HOLLOW BECAUSE THERE'S A GROUP OF HERONS THAT WOULD OCCUPY THAT PARK.
SO THERE YOU HAVE A CULTURAL COMPONENT TO IT AS I'M LIKE, OKAY, BOXES CHECK TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO D DO YOU PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS IN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA SURROUNDING THE FACILITY PRIOR TO REFERRAL TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD? SO THIS IS THE PRIOR IMMEDIATELY ON RECEIPT OF NOTICE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF PIO SHELL, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS SHALL TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO INFORM PERSONS WHO ARE LIKELY TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE NAMING OF THE FACILITY.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AS WE HAVE, WHAT WERE THE RESPONSIBLE STEPS? YEAH.
AND THAT'S COINED BY THE CODE TAKEN TO INFORM PERSONS WHO ARE LIKELY TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE NAMING OR RENAMING OF THE FACILITY.
WE KNOW ONE WAS A SMALL GROUP MEETING, BUT SINCE THIS BORDERLINES TO NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, IT ALSO BORDERLINES GEORGE AND ACRES, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
MY QUESTION, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, WAS GEORGIA AND ACRES INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS.
THEN WE GO DOWN TO G ON RECEIPT OF NOMINATIONS AND ENDORSEMENT, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD SHALL SCHEDULE AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON NAMING OR RENAMING THE FACILITY.
ARE WE SAYING THAT THIS IS NOW THAT, THAT, THAT PUBLIC HEARING, OR WE ARE SAYING LIKE, THIS IS COMING TO US.
WE AGREE THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, WHICH IS WHERE I'M AT.
AND SO NOW WE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE CAME OUT OF WITH THE PROCESS, IN MY OPINION, LED THROUGH A BOARD MEMBER TO CARLO.
AND SO MY THOUGHT IS IN THE PROCESS BY CODE, NOW WE ARE RECORD.
WE WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO SCHEDULE AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UM, SO WE NEED THAT CLARIFICATION.
[02:45:01]
SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S THE KIND OF, THAT'S THE BIG COMPONENT.SO, SO BOARD MEMBER, I WANT TO HANG MY HAT ON THE FACT THAT YOU SAID WE'RE ON A CLEANUP MISSION, BECAUSE I FEEL AS THOUGH BASED UPON THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WE HAD, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT THIS DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST PERHAPS, UH, FAILED THE COMMUNITY.
AND ESPECIALLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD HAD SOME HISTORICAL REFERENCE IN PERSPECTIVE OF LIVING THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
SO ADMITTEDLY, UM, WE DID, WE DID NOT INCLUDE OTHER OTHER, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SURROUNDING THAT SPACE.
UM, ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT I DID FAIL TO FORWARD TO YOU IS THAT THERE IS A HISTORICAL MARKER IN THE HISTORICAL MARKER APPLICATION, WHICH I FIND SORT OF, UH, I DON'T FIND IT SORT OF INTERESTING.
I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING REFERS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE NORTH AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR A HISTORICAL MARKER, UH, TO COMMEMORATE THE COMMUNITY OF FISKVILLE TO BE PLACED IN, UH, HERON HOLLOW PARK ON THE CORNER OF PEYTON, JENN AND NORTH MEMORIAL.
AND SO EVEN, UH, BACK IN, IN THE OTHER TIME THAT WE SUBMITTED THIS IN 2004, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CONFUSION IS, IT WAS HAPPENING.
SO WE ARE ON A CLEANUP MISSION.
WE DID NOT INCLUDE, UH, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
I, UM, UM, I WILL, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S TRANSPARENT FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW IN THIS CONSIDERATION AND IN THE, UH, THIRD QUESTION OR THE THIRD POINT ABOUT, IS THERE ABOUT A PUBLIC HEARING? SO YES, WE CONSIDER THIS, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COMMENT AND WE WOULD CONSIDER THE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF AT THE, AT THE COUNCIL MEETING AN OPERATION, AN OP OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COMMENT.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WHILE AS PAINFUL AS THE PROCESS WAS FOR A FEW OF OUR OTHERS, THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT AT THE PARKS BOARD, AND THEN WE TOOK THAT PROCESS FORWARD TO THE, UM, TO THE, UH, TO THE COUNCIL.
SO IN ONE CASE WE DID DUB SPRINGS, LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT OF A PAINFUL PROCESS.
THE SECOND ONE WAS THE RUDY MENDEZ, THE RENAMING OF THE METS RECREATION CENTER TO THE RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER.
IT WAS THE SAME PROCESS WE CAME BEFORE.
THE TWO, BEFORE YOU WE'VE EXPLAINED TO YOU THE SITUATION WE ALLOWED, ANY KIND OF PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ALLOWED YOUR DISCUSSION, HEARD YOUR FEEDBACK, INCLUDED THAT FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION IN OUR, UM, IN OUR RESUME, NOT OUR RESOLUTION, BUT IN OUR, UH, REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL ACTION, WE CALL THEM RCAS.
UH, AND THEN THE COUNCIL THEN CONSIDERED THE ITEM AT THEIR PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS YOU BUILD A PROCESS.
WELL, IT, IT, IT HELPS ME KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS.
I THINK I'M, I MAY BE IN DISAGREEMENT, UH, ON THE ACTION.
HAVING HAD THE DISCUSSIONS WHERE YOU LOOKED AT THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, HAD THE CONVERSATION OF COURSE, WITH THE PARK NAMING GROUP.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SEE ON RECEIPT OF NOMINATIONS, ENDORSEMENTS, THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD SHALL SCHEDULE AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON NAMING AND RENAMING THE FACILITY.
SO THAT COULD BE, THAT COULD BE AT THE BOARD, DIDN'T SCHEDULE IT.
SO THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE LANGUAGE THAT I'M HOLDING UP.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT SAYS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD SHALL MAKE A WRITTEN RECOMMENDATION TO, TO THE COUNCIL, NOT LATER THAN THE 40TH 45TH DAY AFTER THE DATE THAT THE CHAIR RECEIVES THE NOMINATIONS AND ENDORSEMENTS, WHICH WOULD BE THE NEXT MEETING, YOU KNOW? AND SO HERE'S WHAT I AM ASKING.
I THINK I, BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HEAR IT NOW.
I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DRAFT THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD NEXT TIME.
AND IT WOULD INCLUDE A LOT OF THE HISTORY THAT I WAS ABLE TO UNCOVER.
AND ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS THAT'S HAPPENED.
SO WE CAN COMMEMORATE WHAT THIS ISSUE IS, WHAT THE, AND THEN ALSO THE PLACE ITSELF.
SO, AND, AND I'VE EXPLAINED THIS TO MR. GRAYSON.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY BE LISTENING AND THEY'RE LONG WAITED, I HEAR Y'ALL HOW FRUSTRATING I WANTED A CLEAN PROCESS.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO CHALLENGE THIS.
YOU ALL WAITED LONG ENOUGH, LET'S GET THIS CLEANED BY ORDINANCE.
WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA CAPTURE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HISTORY.
I'LL TAKE YOUR INPUT RELATING TO WHAT GOES IN THIS RESOLUTION.
I'LL WORK WITH, UH, YOUR ALSO DISTRICT FOUR, UH, REPRESENTATIVE, UH, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI, AND WE'LL HAVE IT PERFECT.
WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY, UM, THOMAS,
[02:50:01]
BEFORE WE, WE ASKED YOU TO MOVE AND I THINK IT IS BOARD MEMBER FARSAD IT'S HIS DISTRICT, RIGHT? CAUSE IT'S YES, THAT'S CORRECT.UM, BOARD MEMBER FIRST, I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.
BOARD MEMBER TO PALMA FOR THE EXPLANATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE PEYTON JENN NAME.
I WAS ALSO WONDERING, UH, THE REASON THE COMMUNITY CHOSE THE NAME HERON HOLLOW.
THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE HERONS THAT THEY HAD.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, A GROUP OF PARENTS THAT WOULD OCCUPY THAT PARK AND BLUE HERONS.
SO, BUT I, WASN'T JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE AND ARE THE HAIR AND STILL SEEN THERE? I COULDN'T TELL YOU THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WAS ALSO A CONTEST AMONG THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME UP WITH THE NAMES.
SO SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY SUBMITTED THE NAME HERE IN FOLLOW AS PART OF THE CONTEST.
UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THAT PARTICULAR PARKING.
WELL, I'VE BEEN TO THAT PARTICULAR PARK AS A DRIVE BY OR A STOCKHOLDER.
AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY HEROINES, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT COMING TO THE PARK AT THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON OR THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON IS A FAIR ASSESSMENT AS TO WHETHER THE IS HANGING OUT THERE.
SO I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I SAW THAT IT WAS A CONTEST, BUT YEAH, I WAS WANTING TO KNOW LIKE THE FURTHER CON CONTEXT.
I HAD ASKED THE SAME QUESTION, BUT BOARD MEMBER FILES TO YOUR OTHER PART OF THE QUESTION.
ARE THEY STILL THERE? I DON'T BOARD MEMBER, UH, OR CHAIR LEWIS IF YOU'RE TALKING TO THEM.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, UM, RINALDI.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I THINK YOU SURE.
DID I MISS ANYBODY? REMEMBER THIS? GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MCKINLEY AND VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA FOR, UH, THE HISTORY THAT IS VERY HELPFUL.
UM, I KEPT KIND OF GETTING CONFUSED ABOUT THE, THE PROPOSED CHANGES WE'VE MADE IN THE ORDINANCE AND THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING THE, THE UPDATED NAME, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE, THE SITUATION AND, AND, AND WHAT HAPPENED SO LONG AGO.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY MAIN CONCERN IS JUST, YEAH.
FOLLOWING OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE AND THOSE POLICIES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO, I MEAN, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE, LIKE, I GUESS EXCEPTIONS OR, UM, FOR A CERTAIN GROUP.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, SO I'M, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA.
UM, ANOTHER, ANOTHER POINT ABOUT THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT OR ASK ABOUT WAS THAT IT SAYS, I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD IS SUPPOSED TO GET, IS SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE NOTICE OF THE NAME CHANGE LIKE 90 DAYS, OR I'M SORRY, I'M BLANKING OUT.
I DON'T HAVE THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT OKAY.
UH, THERE IS A NOMINATION ENDORSEMENT MUST RECEIVE BY THE DIRECTOR, NOT LATER THAN 90TH DAY AFTER THE DATE OF A DIRECTOR'S NOTICE UNDER SUBSECTION C.
THAT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR AS, AS, AS MUCH AS THIS, UM, ORDINANCE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, YEAH, I GUESS I WAS, I WAS THINKING MAYBE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE ADVANCED NOTICE PRIOR TO LIKE FRIDAY WHEN WE GOT THE, UM, AGENDA ITEMS, BUT YEAH, I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT, BUT EITHER WAY I AM IN SUPPORTIVE ED TRYING TO ADHERE TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.
WELL, I ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA GOING BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY TO DO ALL THE RESEARCH AND, AND TEACH US THE HISTORY OF THAT PARTICULAR PARK.
AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY EMAIL.
I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STAFF,
[02:55:01]
EVEN THOUGH OUR, THE ANNA'S, OUR RECOMMENDATION DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH COUNSEL, EVEN THOUGH I HOPE THAT PARK STAFF REALIZES IT'S IMPORTANT TO IT, TO US ANYWAYS, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, WE'RE MEMBER DIPLOMA, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? YEAH.AND SO I, I MOVE THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD SCHEDULES OR IN THE PARKS, I MOVED THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD DELEGATES THE SCHEDULING AND CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE RENAMING.
AND POCKET PARK TO HERON HOLLOW POCKET PARK, AND THEN COME BACK OR WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH AND COME BACK AT THE JUNE MEETING FOR ABOUT, OKAY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND INVITE BOARD MEMBER DO CARLA.
WE HAVE A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF BOARD MEMBER, VICE CHAIR.
I, I, AND WE, IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
I THINK YOU SAW THAT, UM, SAMMY.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT WE, YOU, UM, YOU DID THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY DO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE WE'RE MORE AND MORE ALLIES IT, AND THAT WAY ANYBODY DOES A SEARCH IN THE FUTURE THEY'LL KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS.
AND WE'LL EVEN INSTRUCT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO LIKE CORRECT THEIR MAPS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT WE'LL CAPTURE THE NAME AND THE HISTORY AND THAT WAY PEOPLE HAVE THAT CONNECTION, YOU KNOW, CONNECTION TO THE PAST.
BUT SEE, MOVING ON, I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST QUICKLY MOVE TO ITEM SEVEN, AND THEN WE CAN, UM, LOOK AT THE OTHER COUPLE ITEMS OR THREE ITEMS ON HERE.
SO NUMBER SEVEN IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING SELECTION OF MEMBERS TO THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION AND THE ZILKHA PORT VISION PLAN, WORKING GROUP AND REPRESENTATIVES TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SO I DID WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT DONE SO WE COULD GET THOSE PEOPLE ESTABLISHED.
SO I'D LIKE TO THE FIRST ONE IS CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS, AND THAT, UM, I REALLY WOULD JUST WANT TO NOMINATE OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBER, UH, NANCY BARNARD TO THAT COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, I MOVED TO NOMINATE HER.
CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SEND PEOPLE THE OKAY.
AND, UM, ALL AND ALL IN FAVOR
UH, BOARD MEMBER FOR NORD FOR SERVING ON, ON THAT COMMITTEE.
[B.7. Discussion and possible action regarding selection of members to the Contracts and Concessions Committee, Joint Working Group with the Animal Advisory Commission, Zilker Park Vision Plan Working Group and representatives to the Joint Sustainability Committee.]
THE NEXT ONE IS THE, UM, THE JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.SO BOARD MEMBER FAUST IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WORKING GROUP.
SO I KNOW WE ASKED AT THE ONE OF OUR MEETING, MAYBE THE LAST MEETING OR ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, IF ANYBODY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
AND WE, I AGREED TO DO IT, BUT KNOW THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER TAKERS, BUT GOOD NEWS IS OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER BERNARD AGREED TO SERVE ON THAT WORKING GROUP.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, UM, I THINK I JUST HAVE TO APPOINT HER OR DO I NEED TO NOMINATE HER
SO BOARD MEMBER, UM, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA MOVES.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND ALL IN FAVOR.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ONE IS THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WORKING GROUP.
AND I REACHED OUT TO THE PERSON WHO, UM, IS DISTRICT INCAPACITY, ZILKER PARK, WHICH IS BOARD MEMBER FAST TO SEE IF SHE WANTED TO DO THAT.
AND SHE AGREED TO, SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND NOMINATE HER, HEY, THIS IS IN A, SORRY.
SO THIS IS DISTRICT EIGHT ZILKER PARK, HALF OF THE DISTRICT, HALF OF IT'S IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE TIME IT'S IN BOTH.
WELL, I DIDN'T REACH OUT TO BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S, ARE YOU INTERESTED BOARD MEMBERS? SHE IS NOT INTERESTED.
[03:00:01]
THAT WAS A DEAF, SO I KNOW SHE HAD GOING ON.SO, SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND NOMINATE, UM, BOARD MEMBER FAUST.
CAN I GET A SECOND FOR THAT BOARD MEMBER? TAYLOR'S SAY SECOND.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, PARTICIPATING IN MATH.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS THE R UM, THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND, UM, THAT WE HAD PEOPLE ON THOSE AND THEY, THEIR POSITIONS EXPIRED.
SO I, AT THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS BOARD, UH, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA WAS THE ALTERNATE, BUT HE'S AGREED TO SERVE AS THE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND NOMINATE HIM FOR THAT.
SO CAN I GET A SECOND PLEASE? I'LL SECOND BOARD MEMBER COTTON.
AND THE LAST ONE IS, UM, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI AGREED TO SERVE AS ALTERNATE.
SO I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE HER FOR THAT POSITION ALL IN.
UH, CAN I GET A SECOND PLEASE? THANK YOU.
I'LL JUST GO WITH BOARD MEMBER BERNARD ALL IN FAVOR.
ITEM SEVEN IS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED CARE LEWIS? I, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI WILL SERVE AS THE ALTERNATE TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
[B.4. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council for the negotiation and execution of interlocal cooperation agreements for Wildland Fire Management Activities with: (1) Travis County and (2) The University of Texas at Austin.]
COULD WE JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO ITEM FOUR THEN? UM, DIRECTOR MCNEELY, IS THAT ONE THAT NEEDS TO PROBABLY BE, YUP.THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE THAT IS OF MOST IMPORTANCE.
SO THAT'S A PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF INTER LOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS FOR WILD LAND FIREMAN'S MIN ACTIVITIES WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
AND DO WE HAVE, UM, MATT MCCALL? YES.
GIVE US TWO SECONDS TO MOVE HIM OVER.
UH, WOULD WE LIKE TO START ON THE FIRST SLIDE, SAM? ALL RIGHT.
I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND, UM, PARKS AND REC.
WE, UH, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS INCLUDING MANAGE THE AUSTIN NATURE PRESERVE SYSTEM.
UH, SO I'LL KEEP THIS FAIRLY SHORT.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN REQUESTS TO SORT OF TRUNCATE PRESENTATION.
SO MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, MOST OF ARDS LAND IS ACTUALLY PROTECTED AS NATURAL AREAS.
UM, UH, THEY PROVIDE A WHOLE HOST OF CRITICAL SERVICES, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS, SOCIAL BENEFITS, UH, WATER, AIR, CLIMATE CLEANSING, AND REGULATION.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY MOST ARE NATURAL AREAS AND NOT BEING MANAGED.
UM, OVER THE YEARS, DECADES TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE EQUALS EQUAL ECOSYSTEM HEALTH.
UH, MEN HAVE BEEN, UH, UNFORTUNATELY DEGRADED BY VARIOUS MECHANISMS, UH, WHICH MAKE THEM, UH, MORE VULNERABLE TO HEAT DROUGHT AND DISEASE AND WILDFIRE, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE COMING DECADES, UH, SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, SO MORE RECENTLY, UH, IN 2019, UM, THE CITY AUDITOR, UM, FOUND THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS, UM, THERE, THERE WAS A SORRY, A WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AUDIT, UH, CONDUCTED.
UM, AND ONE OF THE FINDINGS WAS THAT PARD WAS NOT STRATEGICALLY ADDRESSING WEALTH, OUR RISK AND PARKLAND, AND THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT PART CREATE AND IMPLEMENT LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS TO MANAGE NATURAL AREAS AND ADDRESS WILDFIRE RISK, UM, IN RESPONSE TO THAT PART, UH, COMMITTED TO ESTABLISH A LAND MANAGEMENT TEAM AND TO CREATE LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND IMPLEMENT THOSE.
[03:05:01]
THE PROCESS OF PROCURING A LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND ACRES OF NATURAL AREAS.UH, I PRESENTED THIS SOLICITATION TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, UM, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FIRE IS A NATURAL PROCESS, UM, WHILE IT CAN BE, UH, DISASTROUS, UH, WHEN IT HAPPENED, UM, IN AN UNCONTROLLED FASHION, IT'S ALSO A NATURAL PROCESS CRITICAL FOR, UM, RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LAND AT LARGE SCALES AND ALSO SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY OF NATURAL SYSTEMS. THAT'S GOING TO BECOME A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE COMING DECADES AS CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES TO PROGRESS, UM, FOR IMPLEMENTING LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS, PRESCRIBED FIRE IS, AND WILL BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL.
AND THEN PIECE OF, UH, AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE SO HARD IS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND COMMITMENTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S MADE.
WE ARE SEEKING TO ESTABLISH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH A GROUP OF LAND MANAGING ENTITIES ALONG WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
UM, TWO OF THESE ENTITIES ARE TRAVIS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS, SPECIFICALLY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
UM, MOSTLY THOSE STAFF WOULD COME FROM THE WILDFLOWER CENTER.
SO THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS WILL ALLOW, UM, FOR MUTUAL SUPPORT AND COOPERATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION, PRIMARILY OF PRESCRIBED BURNS FOR LAND MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS TRAINING.
UM, THESE AGREEMENTS WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US IN IMPLEMENTING, UH, LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND FULFILLING THE COMMITMENTS WE MADE IN RESPONSE TO THE WILDFIRE AUDIT, UM, AND HELPING US TO RESTORE AND MANAGE, UH, PRESERVES AND OTHER PARKLAND, NATURAL AREAS THAT LARGE-SCALE NEXT SLIDE
SO, UM, ALL OF THESE ENTITIES, TRAVIS COUNTY AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ARE TWO.
OTHERS ARE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, UM, AUSTIN WATER, UH, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, UM, THEY ALL USE PRESCRIBED BURNING AS AN IMPORTANT LAND MANAGEMENT TOOL, BUT NO ENTITY CAN REALLY IMPLEMENT ALL THE BURNS I NEED TO DO, UH, WITH, UH, ONLY WITHIN THEIR IN-HOUSE RESOURCES.
SO THEY ENTER INTO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER SIMILAR ENTITIES.
UM, THESE ENTITIES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING, PRESCRIBED BURNS IN THE AREA FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS, AND THESE SORTS OF AGREEMENTS HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO DO THAT INTO WORK SEAMLESSLY.
UM, THESE TWO INNER LOCALS, UH, ARE PART OF A GROUP OF AGREEMENTS THAT WE'RE ESTABLISHING THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO BECOME PART OF THIS, UM, GREATER LAND MANAGEMENT, UM, COLLECTIVE AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES THERE.
SO IN THE AGREEMENTS, THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES, UM, THEY ARE VOLUNTARY.
UM, RESOURCES WOULD BE STAFF, UH, QUALIFIED STAFF, TRAINED AND QUALIFIED STAFF AND APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT, UM, VOLUNTARILY PROVIDED WHEN THERE ARE AVAILABLE AND ABLE, UM, THEY WOULD BE PROVIDED TO DO THINGS SUCH AS ASSIST WITH PRESCRIBED BURNS, UM, PROVIDE TRAINING, HELP WITH LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND OTHER, UM, SORT OF EMERGENCY RELATED EVENT.
UH, THE STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW ARE, UM, THE PRIMARY STANDARDS WE FOLLOW WHERE THE NATIONAL WILDFIRE COORDINATING GROUP STANDARDS.
THIS IS A GROUP OF THE FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES THAT HANDLE WILD LAND FIRE, UM, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, THE STANDARDS THAT THEY FOLLOW HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR DECADES, THEY'RE OPEN SOURCE AND THEY CAN BE ADOPTED BY ANY ORGANIZATION.
SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN WATER, AND NOW PART, AND THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT I'VE MENTIONED HAVE ADOPTED THOSE STANDARDS AND THEY ALLOW US TO WORK TOGETHER.
THE OTHER, UM, SET OF STANDARDS THAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS THE TEXAS PRESCRIBED BURNING BOARD STANDARDS THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE, UM, OVERSEEN BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
NO FUNDS ARE EXCHANGED, IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE AND QUALIFIED STAFF AND EQUIPMENT.
AND AS MY COUNTERPART AT TRAVIS COUNTY SAYS, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HELP EACH OTHER.
AND THESE AGREEMENTS SET FORTH THE STANDARDS THAT WE USE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.
SO THE LONG RANGE PLAN STRATEGIES AND STT 23 OUTCOMES ARE THERE FOR EVERYONE TO READ.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL FOR HELPING US IMPLEMENT LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS, UM, TO PROTECT AND MANAGE NATURAL AREAS, UM, TO PURSUE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.
UM, THESE LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS, I SHOULD SAY, AS AN ASIDE ARE
[03:10:01]
AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE, UM, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN THE LAST YEAR, UM, AND RELATED TO SD TWENTY-THREE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY AND GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL.SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR TODAY IS BECAUSE THESE ARE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENTS, THEY DO NEED COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO WE ARE ASKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE, UM, THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF, UM, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, UM, PRESENTATION, MATT.
LET'S PUT THE GO JUST AROUND AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, TAYLOR.
I'M GLAD YOU SEE THE PRESENTATION, WHICH MEANS THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER TO CARLA.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE, UH, CLARIFICATION.
UM, SO WHAT EXACTLY LIKE DO EACH PART, DOES EACH PARTY, OR IS EACH PARTY CONTRIBUTING TRAVIS COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, UT, UM, IS IT, IS IT LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE THEY'RE JUST BASICALLY OFFERING MORE MANPOWER AND MORE STAFF AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT PART DOESN'T HAVE, OR IS IT MORE TO THAT, OR IS ONE PARTY OFFERING ONE THING AND THE OTHER OFFERING ANOTHER IT'S YEAH, EXACTLY.
IT'S IT'S STAFF AND EQUIPMENT.
UM, THEY, I CAME FROM AUSTIN WATER AND I WAS PART OF THIS LAND MANAGEMENT GROUP AND WORKED WITH A LOT OF THESE AGENCIES FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.
AND MANY OF THESE AGENCIES ARE WELL-ESTABLISHED AND SOME ARE NEW AND GROWING.
UH, SO EARLY ON AT THIS POINT, UM, THESE OTHER AGENCIES WILL BE OFFERING PART MORE STAFF AND MORE RESOURCES THAN WE CAN OFFER IN RETURN BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GROWING, BUT OVER TIME, THAT RELATIONSHIP SHOULD EQUALIZE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DID I, WHO DID I SKIP? REMEMBER RINALDI? NO QUESTIONS.
I THINK I GOT EVERYBODY SO WELL, I, UM, I THINK THIS IS GREAT.
I MEAN, WE, YOU HEAR ALL THESE STORIES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, NOT WORKING IN SYNC ACROSS COUNTIES, ACROSS STATES ACROSS AND GIVEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR CITY WITH, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND DROUGHT AND ALL THE PIECES THAT GO WITH THAT.
I I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE ARE GOING TO HAVE THIS AGREEMENT.
AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S JUST A REALLY GOOD THING.
SO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THAT TO US.
AND WE, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO, UM, TO RECOMMEND THAT WE, UM, LET ME GET THE LANGUAGE RIGHT.
THAT WE, UM, AGREE THAT FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE INNER LOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS FOR THE WILD FIRE, WILD LAND, FIRE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO RECOMMEND THAT.
CAN I GET A SECOND? I HAVE LOTS OF SECONDS.
I'LL JUST DO BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL, UM, ALL IN FAVOR.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
TWO MORE ITEMS THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT.
WE CAN POSTPONE, WE HAVE THE TRAILS SAFETY AND MOBILITY PLAN, AND WE HAVE GRAY ROCK
SO, SO NEITHER OF THOSE ARE, DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH BOARD MEMBERS? YOU MIGHT REMEMBER NUMBER SIX IS ABOUT GRAY ROCK.
UH, AND WE HAVE SENT TO YOU VIA AN EMAIL, AN OPPORTUNITY
[03:15:01]
TO PROVIDE, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, TEAM MEMBERS, UH, ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WITH REGARDS TO SOLICITATION.SO, SO TODAY'S PRESENTATION WOULD ONLY BE TO ENFORCE THAT.
SO, UM, I GUESS WE COULD JUST CONSIDER THAT COMPLETED NUMBER SIX, BUT I URGE YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE, UM, SOME FEEDBACK THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, THAT YOU DO FORWARD THAT, AND NUMBER TWO IS ABOUT A SAFETY AND MOBILITY STUDY THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DID IN COOPERATION WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE TRAIL FOUNDATION.
AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, WE CAN POSTPONE THAT AND PROVIDE YOU THAT INFORMATION PERHAPS VIA, UM, A MEMO.
OR WE COULD COME BACK AT ANOTHER TIME.
I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE JUNE MEETING IS ALREADY PRETTY PACKED.
SO, UM, I JUST, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, BUT SIX CAN ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE CAN ACTUALLY, WE CAN JUST, OKAY, SO SIX, WE CAN JUST PROVIDE OUR COMMENTS VERSUS EMAIL, UNLESS SOMEBODY FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT GETTING THE PRESENTATION.
I MEAN, ARE SIX IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, MY NECK OF THE WOODS.
UM, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM GIVING IT IN WRITTEN FORM.
SO WE WILL, AND AS FAR AS TO, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO GO AHEAD AND HEAR THAT RIGHT NOW? OR WE CAN DO THAT ALSO IN MEMO FORM? ANY ANYBODY DO WE, I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT DID WE NEED AN ACTION ITEM ON THAT? I MEAN, I FORGOT I MISSED WHAT DIRECTOR MIGNINI.
IT SAYS THAT WE DO ACTUALLY TWO, UH, WE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS, HAVE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND I MEAN, I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA MAKE US, UM, IN, AT NINE 30, WHICH IS OUR HARD STOP, SO WE COULD JUST POWER THROUGH IT AND JUST GET IT, UM, GO AHEAD AND LISTEN TO IT.
SO I DO KNOW THAT BOARD MEMBER CLEANSE SEIDEL BEFORE I MOVE ON BOARD MEMBER COTTON SAY, WELL, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY WITH YOUR YOU'RE PREPARED JUST TO GIVE AN UPDATE, BUT I THINK IT'LL JUST TAKE ABOUT TWO MINUTES, SO, OKAY.
WELL, I CAN DO THAT AT THE END OR I CAN, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THAT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT TOOK SOME TIME.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST GO AHEAD AND JUST SINCE DON CHARLAS, OH, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE THEY DID PROVIDE THE PRESENTATION IN ADVANCE.
I HAD A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE IF WE NEED TO.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GO THROUGH THE FULL PRESENTATION, WE COULD GET AN ABBREVIATED VERSION AND THEN ASK QUESTIONS, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY SAVE TIME IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THAT.
SINCE EVERYBODY SEEMS IN AGREEMENT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
[B.2. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Department Director to approve the Safety and Mobility Plan for the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.]
UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF VOCA, I THINK.SO IF YOU COULD JUST PREDATE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, THIS IS LEANNA
UM, WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL THE BUTLER, UH, TRAILS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST YEAR, UH, WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT.
AND WE SAW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THE TRAIL EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, THIS HEAVY USE OF THE TRAIL, UH, REQUIRES INCREASED MAINTENANCE AND MORE RESOURCES.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION, THE, UM, RECENT, UH, INTRODUCTION OF THE MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES, I'VE ALSO BROUGHT INTO QUESTION THE APPROPRIATE USE OF THE TRAIL AS DIRECTOR MCNEELY, UH, MENTIONED THIS STUDY WAS COMMISSIONED BY, UM, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WITH THE TRAIL FOUNDATION AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE GOAL, AND IT EXAMINES, UM, USE PATTERNS, TRAIL USE EXPERIENCE, TRAIL USE CONFLICTS.
ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THE STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY DESIGN STRATEGIES AND POTENTIAL PROJECTS TO ENHANCE, UH, THE BUTLER TRAIL NETWORK TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING NUMBER OF USERS IN A WAY THAT CREATES, UM, A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE ON THE TRAIL.
UH, AND THEY JUST THINK A BRIEF, I WILL, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS ON TO
[03:20:01]
HEIDI ANDERSON, THE CEO WITH THE CHAIR FOUNDATION, AND, UH,SO THIS IS, UH, HEIDI ANDERSON, I THINK CHAIR LEWIS.
IS IT OKAY IF I JUMP RIGHT IN, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M GOING TO JUST MAKE THEM INCREDIBLY BRIEF RIGHT NOW.
LEANNA DID A GREAT INTRODUCTION.
I WANT TO JUST REITERATE THAT THIS WAS A PARTNERSHIP AND, AND A VERY INTENSE STUDY, NOT NECESSARILY A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN IT AND ADDRESSING THIS EXPONENTIAL GROWTH THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IN, IN TRAIL USAGE AND, AND EXPECTING TO ONLY GROW.
I LIKE TO SAY THE TRAIL FOUNDATION'S WORK COMES IN A FEW BUCKETS AND IT'S OUR PLACE-MAKING IN OUR CONSERVATION WORK.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO THIS KIND OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING TODAY.
THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY GRATEFUL.
WE DID 40 YEARS FROM NOW, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS FALLS INTO PLACE IS TO REALLY LOOK AT THE CHALLENGES AND RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE TRAIL, SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN IT FOR THIS GROWTH.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PASS IT OVER TO OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR, CHARLOTTE TONSOR, WHO LED THE PROCESS OF THE STUDY WITH OUR CONSULTANTS.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK SUMMARY.
UH, WE KNOW YOU GOT THE WHOLE, UH, PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO CHARLOTTE, THANK YOU, RIGHTY.
UH, WE, THE TIMELINES HERE, IF YOU'VE READ IT, WE DID DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAD TWO SURVEYS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE COVID TIME.
AND THEN THE FINAL MEETING WHERE WE ANNOUNCED THE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE WERE ASKING, UH, TONIGHT WE PRESENT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO APPROVE THE SAFETY MOBILITY PLAN OR THE TROUT.
AND WE DID COME UP WITH, UM, GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PLAN AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH HOW DO WE HANDLE GROWTH, BUT KEEP THE TRAIL AS THE PLACE OF RESPITE.
AND, UM, AS YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE KIND OF AS IT IS, AND THE REASON EVERYBODY LOVES THAT.
SO WE DID COME UP WITH GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UM, TO HELP GUIDE THE PROJECTS THAT, UM, FOLLOWED.
WE WENT THROUGH, UM, AND THE NEXT PLEASE, SORRY, I'M TRYING TO DO THIS QUICKLY FOR Y'ALL.
WE DID GO THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AS I STATED.
UM, WE DIDN'T GET A TON OF RESPONSE ON THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS JUST KIND OF WHEN COVID, UM, FELL.
WE DID EXTEND THAT FOR FOUR MONTHS TIME PERIOD.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, UH, WE DID GET A REALLY GOOD RESPONSE, UH, FOR THE TRULL FOUNDATION.
AND WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS OUT OF THE, THESE SIX ISSUES, THE TOP TWO THAT PEOPLE WERE MOST INTERESTED IN AND WANTED TO SEE A SOLUTIONS TO, WHICH WERE TRAIL WITH AND SURFACE CONDITIONS.
AND IN THE REPORT WE ADDRESSED, UM, THIS IS A DECISION TREE.
WE GAVE DECISION TREES FOR ALL OF THEM, BUT JUST SHOWING YOU KIND OF QUICKLY HOW YOU COULD HANDLE TRAIL WITH, AND THEN, UM, SURFACE CONDITIONS ON THE TRAIL.
IS IT TOO NARROW? YOU CAN ANSWER YES OR NO.
AND IT JUST TAKES YOU DOWN A DECISION TREE OF HOW WE CAN MAKE REALLY GOOD DECISIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE ISSUES ON THE TRAIL.
YOU COULD SKIP THE NEXT SLIDE AND GO TO THE FOLLOWING.
AND SO FOR THE CONCEPT PROJECTS, WE DIVIDED THE TRAIL INTO THESE FOUR QUADRANTS AND, UH, CONSENSUAL PROJECTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH ANALYSIS FROM THE DESIGN TEAM AND THEN ANALYZING EXISTING CONDITIONS AND HOW THOSE CONDITIONS ARE GOING TO GROW AND THEN PULLING IN THE, THE, UH, THE PUBLIC INPUT AND THE STAKE HOLDER, UH, INPUT AS WELL.
AND SO WE HAD FOUR, UH, CONCEPT PROJECTS, MIKE SIDE, PLEASE.
AND YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THOSE IN EACH OF THE FOUR QUADRANTS.
AND THEY WOULD, UM, THEY ALL KIND OF LOOKED AT ADDRESSING AGAIN, TROW WITH, AND, UH, SURFACE ISSUES, BUT ALSO, UM, THINGS THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE IN PLANS BEFORE.
AND THIS ONE HAD LIKE A BETTER CONNECTION TO THE TOHONO, UH, HEALTHY WALKING TRAIL.
THIS ONE IS AT THE CORNER OF PLEASANT VALLEY AND LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD, JUST CREATING MORE OF A GATEWAY AND MUCH BETTER CONNECTIONS TO THE PARKING AND AREAS THAT PEOPLE USE.
THIS IS A LONG ZILKER PARK, PRETTY
[03:25:01]
MUCH FROM MOPAC TO LAMAR.UM, AND THIS WAS LOOKING AT CREATING A DOUBLE TRAIL CONDITION, UM, JUST DUE TO THE HIGH USAGE OF THE TRAIL.
AND SINCE WE HAVE SPACE, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE TOP IS OPRAH PARK AND THEN DOWN AT THE LAKE LEVEL, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO THERE TO EASE CONGESTION AND NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS IS OVER BY AUSTIN HIGH ON THE NORTH WEST QUADRANT, UH, LOOKING AT TAKING SOME RELIEF OFF THE TRAIL, DOING SOME MEANDERING PATHS, WIDENING SOME BRIDGES.
AGAIN, THESE ARE LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS OF IF WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN'T WIDEN THE TRAIL AT EVERY LOCATION BECAUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OR OTHER THINGS.
HOW DO WE HANDLE THE EXCESS, UH, EASE OF THE TRAIL THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO COME INTO THE FUTURE? AND LAST SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH PART, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UH, I FAILED TO MENTION AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION WAS ALSO A PART OF THIS AND THE REVIEW OF THIS REPORT.
UM, SO COULD I BE HEARING TO THOSE PRINCIPLES AND REALLY STILL WORKING TO, UH, PROVIDE ENOUGH SPACE FOR GROWTH AND, UM, WORKING WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION ALSO THERE ON THE 50 FOOT SETBACK OF LADY BIRD LAKE.
I KNOW THAT WAS REALLY QUICK, BUT I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
NO, WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING A BIG, SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND JUST ASK FOR QUESTIONS.
I'LL START WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
SO I KNOW YOU DID HAVE QUESTIONS.
I, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ACTION IF WE, UH, IF WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE SAFETY AND MOBILITY PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL, IS THAT APPROVING THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN AND THEN THEY'LL BE IMPLEMENTED OR WILL THERE'LL BE FURTHER PROCESS ON DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
I'M NOT SURE WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT.
I THINK THAT ACTUAL, UM, RECOMMENDATION WOULD JUST BE DIRECTING THE DIRECTOR TO APPROVE THE PLAN, UM, AND TH AND OFFER SUPPORT FOR IT.
EVERY PROJECT THAT'S RECOMMENDED HAS TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROJECT PROCESS, WHICH MEANS WE WORK WITH PARD AND WATERSHED TO VET AND ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND, AND REALLY BUILD OUT EACH PROJECT THROUGH THE NORMAL PROJECT PROCESS.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY APPROVING RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE PLAN THAT WOULD HAPPEN, AND YOU'RE GIVING THE STAMP OF APPROVAL TO ALL THE CONCEPT PROJECTS.
IT'S JUST KIND OF SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THE PRO THE STUDY AS A WHOLE, UH, AS AN EFFORT THAT WE'VE MADE TO, TO, UH, TO, TO TRY AND, UH, IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND THE MOBILITY OF THIS SPACE AND FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PART AND WATERSHED IN PARTICULAR, PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL, UH, TO BUILD SOME OF THESE PROJECTS OUT TO, IN AN AGREEABLE THAT WAY EACH PROJECT WOULD BE KIND OF ONE OFF AS WE MOVED THROUGH THEM.
AND WE'D GO THROUGH THE PAP FORM PROCESS WITH PARD, WITH THE SITE VISITS, WITH WATERSHED AND ALL THE CRITERIA THAT HAVE TO BE ENGAGED IN EACH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDED CONCEPT.
AND DO THOSE HAVE ANY FURTHER ACTION AT PARKS BOARD OR CITY COUNCIL? I THINK WE WOULD TAKE PARDES DIRECTION ON THAT, DEPENDING ON THE, THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH IS REALLY KIND OF HOW WE GO ABOUT ALL OF OUR PROJECTS.
IF IT'S SOMETHING FAIRLY SMALL, THEN IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO JUST WITHIN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL WITH PART AND WATERSHED.
UM, BUT IF IT'S A LARGER PROJECT, THEN IT WOULD LIKELY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD COME BACK HERE WITH BYE NOW.
I CAN FIND HER PARENTS AND YEAH, I WAS GOING TO DEFER TO LEANNA, BUT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, BUT EVERYTHING THAT, UH, HEIDI HAS SAID IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP, UM, PROPOSALS AND THE WAY THAT WE WORK THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS.
SO EACH PROJECT, EACH INDIVIDUAL PROJECT, AND EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM THAT IS LOCATED IN THERE, RIGHT, WOULD HAVE ITS OWN SEPARATE PROCESS.
AND DEPENDING UPON THE SIZE AND EXTENT OF THAT PROCESS WOULD THEN DICTATE HOW WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO, CONCEPTUALLY, WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THIS WORD IS TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT A, A MOBILITY AND SAFETY PLAN HAS BEEN COMPLETED AT THE MOBILITY AND SAFETY PLAN HAS SOME KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION TO FURTHER PURSUE WITH ITS TRANSPORTATION
[03:30:01]
PARTNERS, WITH ITS PUBLIC WORK PARTNERS, WITH ITS WATERSHED PROTECTION PARTNERS AND WITH OUR PARTNER IN THE TRAIL FOUNDATION.AND THEN OF COURSE YOU COULD, YOU COULD RELY ON US TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS AND I'LL DEFER TO LEON.
AND SHE HAS SAID, LET ME, LET ME USE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THE, UM, THERE'S LIKE THIS DOUBLE DECKER BRIDGE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF ART AND CREEK ON THIS THAT WAS IN ONE OF THESE DRAWINGS.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THAT BRIDGE OR THE HISTORY OR WHATEVER, BUT I WANTED TO KNOW LIKE, WHAT OTHER PROCESS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS APPROVING THAT, OR IF THERE WOULD BE OTHER PROCESS, AND I KNOW THAT IN LATER PROCESS, THEN IT'S GOING TO SAY THIS PROJECT WAS RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THE SAFETY PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED.
SO IN A WAY, I MEAN, I THINK IT IS ENDORSING ALL THE PROJECTS.
SO COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT BRIDGE? IS THAT JUST PART OF THIS PLAN OR IS IT BEEN, IT ORIGINATED SOMEWHERE ELSE? I CAN'T, I ACTUALLY CANNOT REALLY ANSWER THAT.
I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, BUT I CAN SET THAT A PLAN, THIS PLAN WOULD SERVE AS A GUIDELINE, AS A FRAMEWORK.
IT DOES NOT SPEAK ABOUT A SPECIFIC PROJECT AT ALL.
AND EVERY SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT WILL COME FORWARD WILL BE DEPENDENT, WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND OF COURSE, THROUGH THE PROCESS OF PERMITTING AS NEEDED, WHICH MEANS THAT THE APPROPRIATE AND CONDITIONS WILL BE INVOLVED IN, IN, UH, THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WHICH PREACHER ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? AND ONE OF THE SLIDES SHE JUST SHOWED, IT PUTS A NEW BRIDGE CONNECT.
I'M NOT SURE WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK.
THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION FOR A BRIDGE THAT WOULD CROSS FROM LIKE, LUNEC POINT ACROSS FROM LOU LOU NEFF POINT.
IS THAT THE ONE YOU'RE MENTIONING SARAH? YES.
I MEAN, THE IDEA THERE IS THAT, UM, THE, A LOT OF EROSION IS HAPPENING TO THE TRAIL ALONG THAT INLET, THAT, THAT GOES TOWARDS BARTON SPRINGS.
THE PART ON THE, ON THE EAST SIDE OF THAT INLET, THERE ARE PARTS OF THE TRAIL THAT ARE JUST FALLING INTO THE WATER AND PART IN WATERSHED AND THE TRUMP FOUNDATION WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY AND RESTORE THAT AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO SHORE THAT BACK UP.
SO ONE OF THE, THE IDENTIFIED, IDENTIFIED RECOMMENDATION CONCEPTS IS TO LOOK AT CREATING A NEW ACCESS STRAIGHT ACROSS THERE, POSSIBLY TO LEAVE THE EIGHT, SOME OF THE PRESSURE FROM THAT, THAT KIND OF U-TURN THAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH THE SECONDARY BRIDGE OR THE ORIGINAL BRIDGE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT IS NOT, I MEAN, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S NOT A BIG PROJECT ON OUR RADAR BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF FUNDING AND, UM, A LOT OF ENGINEERING.
AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP OF JUST A RECOMMENDED CONCEPTS THAT WOULD SERVE A PURPOSE AND SOLVE SOME PROBLEMS THAT THE TRAIL IS HAVING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BRING TO FRUITION ANYTIME SOON.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK, AS LIANA SAID, THESE ARE JUST CONCEPTS TO BE CONSIDERED THAT ADDRESS SOME OF THE REAL CHALLENGES AND RISKS THAT THE TURTLE IS EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE SAFETY AND MOBILITY PLAN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR A TWO STORY BRIDGE OFF OF LUNA POINT WITHOUT KNOWING MORE ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I JUST KNOW THAT THE WAY IT WORKS IS EVEN THOUGH IT'S VERY, UM, FAR IN THE FUTURE, IT NEEDS A LOT MORE, UH, VETTING IT'S THIS ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT IT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I SUPPORT IT.
SO, SO I MIGHT THINK ABOUT THIS, THINK ABOUT THIS AS A VISION PLAN, RIGHT? SO JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER VISION PLAN, THERE'S LOTS OF CONCEPTUAL IDEAS THAT NEED FURTHER, FURTHER, FURTHER EXPLORATION.
THEY NEED FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, THEY NEED FURTHER COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS YOU AT ALL BOARD MEMBER HOUSE IN, IN, UM, FRAMING THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN, BUT, BUT IT'S A STRATEGIC, IT'S A MOBILITY AND SAFETY PLAN, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT SPACE SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS, SAFER FOR BIKE USERS, SAFER STROLLER, WALKERS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT IT'S MORE OF A, IT'S A VISION FOR HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO ABOUT AND MAKE IT SAFE.
AND THEN EACH ONE OF THOSE CONCEPTS NEED TO BE FURTHER DEVELOPED.
SO I ONLY SAY THAT TO HELP YOU FRAME IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT WHATEVER DECISION
[03:35:01]
OR VOTE YOU DECIDED TO MAKE.UM, KIMBERLY, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CALLED THIS A STUDY AND ACTUALLY NOT A, WHAT WE USED TO CALL A MASTER OR NOW OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE, ARE NECESSARILY PROPOSING EVERY SPECIFIC CONCEPT RECOMMENDATION HERE.
IT'S THE STEADY OF ALL THE ISSUES AT RISK AND CHALLENGES, UM, THAT EXISTS.
SO I THINK AT THAT VERNACULAR HELPS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND YOUR THOUGHTS CERTAINLY.
WELL, YEAH, TONIGHT I AGREE WITH HER.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE THAT IN THERE, PEOPLE CAN GO BACK AND REFERENCE THAT AS, AND SEE IT AS SUPPORT FOR IT.
SO I CAN SEE IF IT'S INCLUDED, YOU DO HAVE TO BE, WANT TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUPPORTING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S INSIDE INSIDE THIS.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, ONE NUMBER FIVE, NO.
AFTER THE, THE OTHER QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION, I THINK I CAN, UM, MAKE A MOTION THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT CONDITION.
WELL, LET'S LOOK, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING OR MEMBER, UH, MASON.
SEIBEL, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS STUDY.
I THINK IT'S MUCH NEEDED AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY, ARE THERE QUESTIONS? I, UM, I'M THINK THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND MOBILITY OPTIONS ALONG THE TRAIL FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES.
SO I AM HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS.
UM, I MEAN, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA.
WELL, I THINK THE, UH, CHILD FOUNDATION, THE STAFF AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE WE, WE SEE THE ISSUES SUCH A HEAVILY USED SPACE AND YEAH.
TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR EVERYBODY, I ACTUALLY WOULD SUPPORT A LOW IMPACT BRIDGE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S JUST A POTENTIAL PROJECT AND IT'S A CONCEPT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT SPACE WELL, AND I KNOW THE EROSION ISSUES AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR WATERSHED TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT AND STILL CREATE THE CONNECTIVITY.
SO, UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT.
AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE FRAMING OF WHAT IT IS.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND, UH, THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I THINK FAST COVERED MY QUESTIONS.
DID I GET EVERYBODY? I THINK I DID SO, NO, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I AS AUSTIN'S POPULATION EXPLODES AND THESE GIRLS GET MORE AND MORE USAGE AND ARE USED MORE FOR TRANSIT MORE THAN EVER.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY CRUCIAL TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND KEEPS THEM AT A GOOD PLACE.
AND I REALLY AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SPENT THE TIME TO PULL THIS TOGETHER.
SO, UM, IT'S I CAN OFFER THE MOTION WOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION PARKS AND RECREATION.
RIGHT? WELL, I TH I THINK THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO OFFER, AND I THINK SHE SAID THAT EARLIER EMOTION, I WAS WAITING FOR THE REST OF THE QUESTIONS, RIGHT.
SHE'D SAID SHE WAS GONNA OFFER.
AND I SAID, CAN I GET THE OTHER DOMESTIC INPUT FIRST? SO GO AHEAD.
UM, BOARD MEMBER FAUST, MY EMOTION IS THAT THE PARKS AND RECLAMATION, THE PARKS AND RECREATION, OR RECOMMENDS A TO APPROVE THE SAFETY AND MOBILITY PLAN FOR THE ANN AND ROY BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITION, NO POSITION IS TAKEN BY THE PARKS BOARD IN SUPPORT OR AGAINST THE DOUBLE DECK BRIDGE OVER BARTON CREEK DESCRIBED AS A POTENTIAL PROJECT, UH, IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT WITHIN THE PLAN.
SO I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND, A SECOND DOCTOR.
UH, DIPLOMAS SECONDS, ALL, UM, ALL IN FAVOR AND
[03:40:01]
WE HAVE NOBODY ASSISTANCE, SO YAY.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS LATER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
SO THANKS FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH WITNESS.
I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A CLARIFICATION FOR ITEM SEVEN AND SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CIRCLE PARK VISION PLAN WORKING GROUP.
WE, THE PLANNING TEAM AND THE CONSULTANTS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP FROM THE PARKS BOARD, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE FEEDBACK, TO GET FEEDBACK ACTUALLY, AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION IN REGULAR, UH, MEETINGS.
SO I WAS WONDERING WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP JUST, OKAY.
SO I THINK I WAS CONFUSED FROM MY DISCUSSION WITH, UM, DIRECTION BEING NEARLY ABOUT THAT.
SO DO SO YOU WANT US TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP? NOT A MEMBER, ONE SINGLE PERSON ON THE, OKAY.
I WAS, I WAS CONFUSED WHEN I SPOKE WITH HER ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
SO IN THAT CASE, THAT'S BECCA AND LET'S YEAH.
UM, I'M I MISINFORMED YOU NOT ON PURPOSE, BUT YOU ARE NOT CONFUSED.
I DID NOT PROVIDE YOU THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, SO I I'M PERPETUALLY CONFUSED.
SO LET'S, UH, CAN WE, UM, UH, RESET AND I WILL ABSOLUTELY GLADLY JOIN THAT WORKING GROUP.
SO LET ME, UM, LET ME GO AROUND AND SEE, WHO'S INTERESTED.
I KNOW OBVIOUSLY VICE-CHAIR DIPLOMA AND I'M ASSUMING MEMBER FELLAS ALSO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE.
CORRECT? I KNOW THEY DIDN'T JUST WANT TO MEET WITH ME AND GET IT AND RUN WITH IT.
BUT YOU DO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH CURRENT WORKING GROUP.
I I'M WORKING ON THE EASTERN PART AND SO I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PASS FOR NOW THIS.
REMEMBER TAYLOR, IF YOU NEED ME, I'LL DO IT IN DISTRICT DAY.
WELL, SCHOOL IS OUT TOMORROW, SO, UM, THAT HELPS, BUT IT'S NOT FAR, IT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM YOU.
HOW OFTEN LIANA, HOW OFTEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE GROUP WILL BE MEETING? PROBABLY MONTHLY FOR THE NEXT, YEAH.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, UM, MASON MURPHY.
UM, THE CARLA, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU NEED ON THE WORKING GROUP? I THINK IT'S, AS LONG AS WE HAVE LESS THAN A FOUR MOM, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, IT'S, IT'S FINE.
UM, I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THERE WAS THE, HOW TO QUIT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THERE THOUGH.
SO I WILL, I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST POP IN TO THAT WORKING GROUP.
I'M NOT CONVINCED I HAVE ALL THE TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
SO JUST PUT ME ON THERE AS KIND OF A, A HANGER ON THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CLARIFYING THAT TOO.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THROUGH THE AGENDA AND YOU GUYS, UM, HAD SOME GREAT QUESTIONS, SO THAT REALLY WAS HELPFUL.
[C.1. Update from Joint Working Group with the Environmental Commission. (Lewis, Cottam Sajbel, Mason-Murphy)]
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEMS FOR, FROM BOARD MEMBERS.AND IF YOU WANT TO REALLY QUICKLY UPDATE US ON BOARD MEMBER, COTTON, CYBER ON THE JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WELL, WHAT I HAVE IS ACTUALLY ABOUT SCHWAB, WHICH OVERLAPS THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP, BECAUSE WE HAD MET WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP BEFORE THE LAST MEETING.
SO I SORT OF WANTED TO BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED BECAUSE WE HADN'T HAD A REPORT LATELY ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND IF YOU USE THE TRAIL AROUND THE LAKE AND RUN PAST THE STATESMAN, OR IF YOU'VE EVER WATCHED THE BATS, THIS IS SPEAKING TO YOU.
UM, THE VISION FOR THIS PARCEL, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR AWHILE.
UM, THE VISION FOR THIS PARCEL COMES AFTER EXTENSIVE INPUT.
THERE HAS BEEN PLANNING BY STAKEHOLDERS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES, UM, FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING FROM CITY PLANNERS, FROM TRANSPORTATION.
[03:45:01]
AND SOME OF THE LAND IS ALREADY OWNED BY THE CITY, UM, PART BY A LONGTIME LANDOWNER.AND THEN SOME HAS BEEN PURCHASED BY A DEVELOPER CALLED ENDEAVOR.
SO, UM, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH PEOPLE ARE CALLING SCHWAB OR SQUAD, UM, HAS BEEN COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THESE PERTINENT STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS SOME, UH, EX OFFICIO MEMBERS LIKE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, AND FOR THAT FOR YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP A VISION FOR THIS LAND BECAUSE IT'S SIGNATURE PARKLAND FOR AUSTIN.
THE AREA IN QUESTION IS, UM, ALL ALONG TOWN LAKE FROM CONGRESS BRIDGE ALMOST TO
COMMUNITY INPUT BEGAN ON THIS PARCEL AROUND 2012.
AND IN 2016, THE CITY PUBLISHED A VISION PANT, UH, PLAN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT THAT SHOWED A GRAND STAIRCASE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THAT OFFERS PUBLIC ACCESS, INTRODUCED IT INTO THE, TO THE PARK OFF OF THE BRIDGE AND, UM, ADDED SEATING FOR BAT WATCHING, UM, WIDER SETBACKS FOR THE TRAIL AND SOME OTHER PUBLIC AMENITIES.
AND IN, AT THAT TIME IN 2016, THE CITY WAS URGED TO SET UP AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO OVERSEE THE SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF LAND, UM, AND DEVELOP IT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF IT ALL.
SO, UM, IN THE MEANTIME, THE, THE CORPORATE OPERATION HAS NOW BEEN SET UP, AND THIS IS WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM SITTING ON THE SWAP FOR THE, FOR THE LAST MONTH.
UM, THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS, UH, GETTING INTO PLACE NOW, AND THIS WILL ADVISE NOT JUST THIS PIECE OF LAND, BUT OTHER PROPERTIES THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE, THOUGH, THE CITY IS TRYING TO SET UP A TIF, WHICH IS A TAX INCREMENT FILING.
IT'S A FINANCIAL TOOL THAT'S USED TO RAISE MONEY FOR AN END DEVELOPED OR UNDERDEVELOPED PIECE OF PROPERTY SO THAT THEY CAN NEGOTIATE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE, UM, THE CORPORATION THAT HAS SIGNALED THEIR INTEREST, WHICH IS ENDEAVOR.
SO AT THIS POINT, UM, THE ADVISORY BOARD, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD IS PROPOSING A WAY TO TRANSFER THIS.
THIS BOARD IS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO GO AWAY AT SOME POINT NOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS TAKEN OVER.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS TO FORM A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WOULD ADVISE SO THAT THE PLANS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ARE ALIGNED STILL WITH THE VISION THAT HAS BEEN WORKED ON SO LONG FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S A SPECIALLY CALLED MEETING ON JUNE THE SECOND, UM, THAT WILL THEN PROCEED HOPEFULLY TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THEY DID WAS PROPOSED THAT THE SAME REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE COMING FROM, I HAVE THE WHOLE LIST HERE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT THERE ARE ALREADY NINE MEMBERS THAT ARE FROM LIKE THE DESIGN COMMISSION, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, PARKS, AND REC BOARD PLANNING, COMMISSION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOFTWARE FOR CITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ALL THOSE FOLKS.
AND THEY'RE PROPOSING TO BASICALLY ROLL ALL THOSE PEOPLE ONTO A SUB COMMITTEE TO ADVISE THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SO THAT THERE IS A CONTINUITY OF THE HISTORY AND THE PLAN AND THE VISION FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, BECAUSE IT'S A BIG DEAL.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT THERE RE THE, THE LAST DRAFT THAT THEY, UH, HAD PROPOSED, AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CHEW ON AND GIVE FEEDBACK, THE DESIGN COMMISSION NUMBER WOULD BE ROLLED OFF OF THAT SUBCOMMITTEE AND, AND REPLACED BY SOMEONE FROM URBAN TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT PIECES NOW THAT THE LIGHT RAIL IS GOING TO GO IN IS THAT THEY WANT TO DROP THE BLUE LINE INTO THAT AREA.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION TO IN A, IN A BIG PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
AND THEY ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOMEONE WITH EXPERTISE IN, IN INCLUSION AND EQUITY, WHICH IS KIND OF, HAS ALREADY BEEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHO THAT MIGHT BE BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE CENTRAL EXPERT ON THAT.
SO, UM, THEY WERE TAKING INFORMATION ON THAT AND WORKING ON THAT TO MAKE THE GROUP REPRESENTATIVE AND TO HAVE HISTORY, LIKE I SAID, HISTORY AND CONTINUITY.
SO ONE OF THE REASONS I REALLY WAS, I FELT IMPORTANT.
AND LAST, LAST MEETING, I ASKED THAT WE BE GIVEN A PRESENTATION THAT THE WORD WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS THIS IS CONFUSING, BUT THE WORKING GROUP WITH THE PARP AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, IS LOOKING AT THE THINGS LIKE THE BATS AND THE, AND THE RIVER EROSION AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE, AND GET PRESENTED TO THE FULL BOARD, BECAUSE THE OTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENING WHILE THE CITY IS RAMPING UP TO, TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE DEVELOPER, IS THAT THE DEVELOPER AS APPLIED FOR A PUD, WHICH IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE CITY'S PROCESS AND WILL HOPEFULLY COME TO PARP BEFORE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PARKLAND PIECE OF THAT.
SO THE PAD WOULD GIVE THE DEVELOPER MORE CONTROL OVER THAT PROPERTY, BUT IT WOULD NOT REGULATE, UM, SOME OF THEM ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE THINGS LIKE THE BATS ON THE SHORELINE THAT ARE CONSIDERED IN THIS VISION PLAN THAT THE CITY HAS PUT FORTH.
SO, UM, AS THIS MOVES FORWARD, I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO SORT OF BE AWARE AND SHINE A LIGHT ON THIS PROJECT.
AND IT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, WE HAVE THE
[03:50:01]
OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY TO REALLY MANAGE THIS WELL AND RIGHT, HAVE THOUGHTFUL, YOU KNOW, A THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA, UM, THROUGH COPIOUS CITIZEN INPUT, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY KEY HERE.AND IT'S SET FORTH IN THE IMAGINE AUSTIN AND AN SD 23.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROJECT FULLY.
THERE ARE LITTLE PIECES OF IT THAT I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT.
AND I WAS SPEAKING WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE AND THEY DO WANT TO HEAR OUR SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE THAT AS THEY GO FORWARD, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY HAVE SO MANY THINGS ON THEIR PLATE.
THEY MAY NOT KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BRING CONCERNS TO US PARK AS A PARKS BOARD.
SO, UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET THE WHOLE PRESENTATION.
THERE'S A REALLY NICE STAFF PRESENTATION THAT LAYS THIS ALL OUT REALLY CLEARLY AND OVERLAYS WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WILL BE DOING AND WHAT THE ENDEAVOR WOULD LIKE TO DO, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE 2016 VISION WAS.
AND WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT THERE IS STILL OKAY, EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO THIS SIGNATURE PARK.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, BRING THIS UP.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO COME TO US IN OUR AUGUST MEETING, BUT I SPOKE TO TODAY TO JERRY RUST HOVEN WHO'S OVERSEEING THE PROCESS.
SO THE PUD, AS IT GETS STEERED THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF THAT APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND HE SAID, IF IT COMES UP EARLIER THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD POSSIBLY HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY NOT EXCUSING GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT'S NINE 33 AND WE, UM, HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO, UM, BUT I'M REALLY GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION FOR THE, FOR THE BOARD, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT, UM,
[C.3. Update from Downtown Commission. (Taylor)]
BOARD MEMBER, UM, TAYLOR, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? UM, REALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THEIR REPORT ON THE HOMELESSNESS, UH, SUMMIT, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING.AND, UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CHECK IT OUT.
IT, UH, IT HAPPENED BETWEEN MARCH 19TH AND APRIL 12TH, AND THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 200 NONPROFITS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.
UM, IT WAS BEING SPEARHEADED BY, UM, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN TOWN THEN THAN MEREDITH, UM, AND, UH, BASICALLY THERE'S SUMMIT GOALS, ALL TO SUMMARIZE THE CIVIC GOALS SINCE WE WERE IN A HURRY, THE SUMMIT GOALS ARE, UM, UH, TO REHOUSE 3003 YEARS, UM, AND TO SET A COURSE TO REACH EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM.
UM, AND, UH, THE FIRST GOAL IS, UH, REALLY TO UNLOCK 3000 HOMES, UM, IN THE FIRST THREE IN THREE YEARS.
SO MEANING HAVING HOME SWITCHES FOR SECURE RENTAL UNITS UNITS, OR DEVELOP IT AND DEVELOP ANOTHER THOUSAND UNITS.
SO, UM, ALSO TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF SERVING THE HOMELESS CASE MANAGERS, OUTREACH MANAGERS, HOUSING NAVIGATORS, UM, AND THEN TO REHOUSE ENCAMPMENTS, EQUITABLY, AND THAT'S REALLY IT, UM, FOR THAT REPORT.
[C.2. Update from Joint Working Group with the Animal Advisory Commission. (Lewis, Faust)]
WE HAVE THE, UM, ANIMAL ADVISORY IN THE WORKING GROUP WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, AND I, I'M JUST GONNA RE BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO ONE MORE THING.I DID WANT TO, UM, JUST SAY THAT WE ARE, UM, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, WE'RE FOCUSING ON EDUCATION AND WE WILL HAVE MORE TO REPORT NEXT TIME WE WOULD COME BACK.
[E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
TO GO AHEAD AND REAL QUICKLY DO, UM, B ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AND THEN I WOULD REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM, UM, DIRECTOR MCNEELY ABOUT THE, UM, WHERE THEY WERE WITH THE HOMELESS, UM, SITUATION WITH THE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS, BUT WE'RE ONE AT A TIME.SO REALLY QUICKLY DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FOR, UM, NEXT TIME BOARD MEMBER TO CARLA? UM, I JUST HAD A COMMENT QUESTION ABOUT THE RECENT, UM, MEMO OR PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE AQUATICS, THE POOLS OPENING AND EVERYTHING.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME CONFLICT BETWEEN THE POOLS THAT WERE LISTED AS HAVING SWIMMING LESSONS AT VERSUS WHAT'S SHOWN ON THE REGISTRATION SITE.
UM, IT'S LIKE A VERY DIFFERENT LIST OF POOLS.
UM, AND SO I'D GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN BE CLARIFIED FURTHER ON, UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST WANTING TO GET STILL REGARDING SWIM LESSONS, WANTING TO GET SOME, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY FURTHER DESCRIPTIONS ABOUT THE SWIM LESSONS.
UM, I SAW ON SOME OF THEM, LIKE THE AGE
[03:55:01]
RANGES FROM THREE TO 12, UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY SPECIFY, LIKE, WILL THE AGES BE SPLIT UP AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THOSE CLASSES AND ET CETERA.SO JUST LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, THAT'S IT.
I ACTUALLY JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
I NOTICED THAT, UH, ACL IS NOW HAPPENING.
I'M JUST WONDERING, UM, IF WE CAN GET A REPORT OR SOMETHING, JUST TO INFORMATION ABOUT IF THERE ARE ANY SIZE LIMITS TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE, IF THEY'VE CUT THE NUMBER IN HALF, WHAT ANYTHING WITH REGARDS TO THAT DECISION OF THEM DOING IT? I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS IT IT'S GOING TO BE SMALLER THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID OR NOT? THANK YOU FOR CUTTING SEIBEL.
I NEED TO, UM, ADD TO WHATEVER INFORMATION WE CAN GET FROM AQUATICS, BECAUSE I HAD MY PHONE LIGHT UP ABOUT MABEL DAVIS BEING OPEN FOR SWIM LESSONS, BUT NOT FOR SWIMMERS.
AND I REALIZED THAT MAY BE AN ISSUE, UM, OF GUARDS, AND EVERYBODY DOES APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THE CONCERN IS THAT ALL THE POOLS SEEM TO BE CLOSED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME DURING THE MORNING.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHERE LAP SWIMMING MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IF WE COULD PERHAPS DAGGER SOME SCHEDULES.
SO THAT'S JUST A CONCERN THAT HAS COME UP ALL DAY TODAY.
BOARD MEMBER RINALDI, NO ITEMS AT THIS TIME.
UH, NO ITEMS AS WELL WITH EXCEPTION OF ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
IF WE CAN CHANGE IT FROM ZILKER DOES EFFORT TO THE ZILKER EAGLE.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, BUT THE TRAIN IS ALREADY KNOWN AS THE RAINBOW TRAIN BASED ON THE PAINT JOB.
SO THAT'S THE NICKNAME, MY HOUSE BOARD MEMBER, MRS. MURPHY.
I REALLY WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, BUT I GUESS WE, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M RELAYING THE CORRECT INFORMATION.
[D. DIRECTOR’S REPORT ON PROGRAM AND PROJECT UPDATES AND EVENTS]
DIRECTOR MANILA, IF YOU WANT TO JUST CLOSE THIS OUT IN ONE MINUTE, I WILL COMMIT TO YOU A, AN EMAIL THAT GIVES YOU A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION, UH, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.AND I WILL TAKE, UH, ANY COMMUNICATIONS OR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE INDIVIDUALLY.
AND WHEN I RESPOND, I'LL RESPOND TO THE ENTIRE BOARD SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME INFORMATION.
SO YOU CAN EXPECT A COMMUNICATION, UH, BY THE END OF THE WEEK, THAT'S A SUMMARY.
AND THEN, AND THEN YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO EMAIL ME WHATEVER THAT THE QUESTIONS ARE.
AND I'LL, I'LL BE SURE TO MAKE SURE THE ENTIRE BOARD GETS THOSE ANSWERS AND BOARD CHAIR.
CAN, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN GET A POTENTIAL LIST OF SUBJECTS OR THE JUNE MEETING? UM, BECAUSE THIS LAST TIME WAS A BIT OF A SCRAMBLE, WHICH I CAN APPRECIATE, PARTICULARLY WITH THE, WITH THE DIRECTOR AND STAFF, EVERYTHING THAT HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.
WELL, WE DID IT AND THANK YOU GUYS.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS A FOUR HOUR MEETING AND I KNOW, UM, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY ATE DINNER BEFORE THEY, UM, THEY CAME AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND ALL YOUR, UM, PARTICIPATION AND Y'ALL HAVE, AND I'M REAL QUICK TO SEMI WILL WE BE MEETING ZOOM AGAIN? I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
UM, WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE, BUT THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY PERHAPS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO HAVING A DIFFERENT FORMAT FOR MEETINGS.