Dec 01, 2021 Environmental Commission

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:05]

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ORDER DECEMBER 1ST, 2021 AT 6:06 PM.

THE AUSTIN CITY HALL, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ROOM 1 0 1 ON WEST.

SECOND STREET.

ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER KASHI HERE.

MR. SCOTT, MR. THOMPSON HERE.

COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER CRYSTAL HERE.

COMMISSIONER RAMBERT HERE.

COMMISSIONER GUERRERO, PRESENT COMMISSIONER BRIMER HERE.

COMMISSIONER BEDFORD HERE.

EXCELLENT.

[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT TWO.

UM, SO FIRST UP IS PAUL DE FURY AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

GOOD EVENING.

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT, AS YOU SAID, MY NAME IS PAUL .

I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF PAUL.

THEY'RE A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN EAST AUSTIN FOR 30 YEARS.

AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A NEW INITIATIVE WE'VE LAUNCHED THIS PAST SUMMER CALLED THE COLORADO RIVER CONSERVANCY PROJECT WITH THE MISSION OF PROTECTION, RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE WILD AND SCENIC STRETCH OF RIVER.

THAT RUNS FROM THE LONGHORN DAM TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY LINE.

TO THAT END, WE'RE BUILDING A GRASSROOTS LED COALITION, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOODS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES TO ADVOCATE FOR A COMMUNITY CENTRIC VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE RIVER CORRIDOR.

AND I'VE SENT IN A FEW SLIDES FOR THE RECORD SO THAT YOU ALL CAN HAVE SOME VISUAL MATERIALS RELATED TO THE PROJECT.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE COLORADO RIVER CORRIDOR HAS SEEN ITS FAIR SHARE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN THE PAST AND WILL BE FACING IMMENSE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SO RIGHT NOW IS A PIVOTAL MOMENT.

DESPITE THE DECADES OF AGGREGATE MINING EROSION OF THE BANKS AND DUMPING TRASH, THE RIVER RETAINS A NATURAL CHARACTER.

IT IS LUSH, SERENE, AND CLEAN A HAVEN FOR BOTH HUMANS AND WILDLIFE.

THE CITY HAS PLAYED AND CONTINUES TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROTECTING THE COLORADO.

AND FOR THAT, WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL, BUT FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD FROM RIVERFRONT COMMUNITIES MORE CAN AND SHOULD BE DONE TO REPAIR PAST HARM AND MITIGATE FUTURE ISSUES.

IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE SENT OUT MAILERS HELD ZOOM MEETINGS AND GONE DOOR TO DOOR IN NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER.

THESE COMMUNITIES ARE DIVERSE AND HAVE DISTINCT NEEDS AND DESIRES, BUT THE RIVER BRINGS THEM TOGETHER.

THEY WANT IT TO STAY CLEAN AND SAFE FOR THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN TO ENJOY.

THEY DON'T WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS IMPACTED BY THE NOISE DUST AND TRUCK TRAFFIC ASSOCIATED WITH AGGREGATE OPERATIONS.

AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE DISPLACED IN A WAVE OF GENTRIFICATION FROM HER GOD'S LANE TO AUSTIN'S COLONY AND BEYOND TUGERVILLE PARK.

WE HAVE SEEN CONTRASTING IMAGES OF PASTORAL BEAUTY AND SHOCKING NEGLECT, A FAMILY OF FOUR SWIMMING, JUST DOWNSTREAM OF A SOAPY WASTEWATER DISCHARGE, A BALD EAGLE NEST IN A SYCAMORE TREE OVERLOOKING A FILLED IN FORM OF A GRAVEL PIT, BARELY CONTAINED BY FAILING BERMS OR A HERD OF COWS IDLING ON SEVERELY ERODED BANKS, AN ISLAND OF OLD RUSTY 18 WHEELER TIRES, WHERE FISHERMEN STILL LIKED TO CAMP.

WE ASKED FOR THE NEAR TERM OPPORTUNITY TO ELEVATE THESE SPECIFIC ISSUES OF NEIGHBORS WITHIN OUR NETWORK, AS WELL AS TO INVITE THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LONG-TERM PROCESS OF GUIDING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE RIVER CORRIDOR WITH COMMUNITIES IN THE PRIMARY SEAT AT THE TABLE, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF CITY STAFF, AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR RESPONSIVENESS AND ENGAGEMENT GOING FORWARD.

WE HOPE TO DEEPEN THAT COLLABORATION WITH STAFF AND WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND WE'VE GOT ONE MORE.

DANIEL YANNIS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, I'M DONE YANNIS AND I'M ALSO HERE WITH, WELL, THEY HAD PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF EARTH AND, UH, RESOURCES AND, UM, UH, LIKE PAUL SAID, UH, THE COLORADO RIVER CONSERVANCY IS A VERY EXCITING PROJECT FOR US, A LONG, UH, LONG AWAITED PROJECT TO BRING, UH, UH, FOCUS TO THAT PART OF THE RIVER, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR SO LONG.

I WANT TO, UH, TELL YOU THAT, UH, AS, AS WE HAVE GONE OUT THERE AND TALKED TO PEOPLE, UM, A LOT OF THE WILDLIFE IS SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE COMING DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICULARLY TESLA AND ENDEAVOR AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THERE.

UM, UH, SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, THAT, UH, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US, LIKE, LIKE, UH, PAUL MENTIONED ABOUT THAT EAGLE'S

[00:05:01]

AND SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF, OF HOW, HOW FAR THE WILDLIFE IS BEING PUSHED AND THE COLORADO RIVER, AS IT GOES THROUGH, AUSTIN IS A CORRIDOR FOR WILDLIFE GOING THROUGH THIS AREA.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO ENSURE THAT THAT WILDLIFE PROTECTION IS PART OF OUR WHOLE ECO PROTECTION, UH, PACKAGE.

SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME AND YOUR SERVICE.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

OKAY.

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]

WHEN YOU TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 17TH, 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER, REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I MOVE TO APPROVE.

THIS IS RAINBIRD.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND PRIMER? ANY EDITS CHANGES? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AND I SEE NINE.

OH, SO DID THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[2.a. Update on amendments to City Code section 2.1 regarding rules for conducting remote/hybrid Board and Commission meetings—Kaela Champlin, Environmental Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department (5 minutes)]

COME ON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD EVENING.

ALO GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS KAYLA CHAMPLIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.

SO LAST MONTH COUNCIL APPROVED SEMINARIANS TO CITY CODE SECTION 2.1, WHICH IS THE SECTION FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND THIS, UM, THE AMENDMENTS ARE TO ALLOW US SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH OUR HYBRID MEETINGS.

UM, SO THE NEW REQUIREMENTS, UH, OR THE NEW AMENDMENTS WILL REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR A QUORUM TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT MEETINGS.

SO THIS WILL MEAN THAT ONLY THE CHAIR OR THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS, UM, HERE AT CITY HALL, UM, FOR THE, AND THAT WILL BE FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING, UM, STAFF, MYSELF AND LIZ JOHNSON, AND WE'LL STILL BE ATTENDING IN PERSON ON TO HELP MANAGE THE MEETING HERE.

UM, AND THESE CODE MEN'S MINTS WILL BE EFFECTIVE BEGINNING FEBRUARY 28TH OF NEXT YEAR.

UM, MY IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, RESIDENTS WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WHICH IS GREAT.

UM, SO THAT WILL HOPEFULLY INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEND OUT DOODLE POLLS, UM, TO FIND OUT HOW YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE MEETINGS SO WE CAN PREPARE AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'RE STILL SOCIALLY DISTANCING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TRACKING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH COVID, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE.

UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES.

YES.

HELLO.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, JUST ALONG THOSE LINES, I, I DID WATCH THE, THE MEETING LAST NIGHT AND, AND, UH, THERE WAS, UH, QUITE A BIT, QUITE A BIT OF SURPRISE ABOUT WHERE, UH, SOME OF THE BOARDS, UH, COMMISSIONS WILL, UH, BE LOCATED, UH, AT A FUTURE DATE, I THINK, UM, PERHAPS IN MARCH OF NEXT YEAR.

AND, UM, I WONDERED IF, UH, I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD BE LOCATED ELSE WHERE, AND I JUST WONDERING IF YOU'D KNOW, UH, WHERE THAT WOULD, WOULD BE SO THAT, UM, MAYBE, UH, WE WANT ME TO SURPRISE.

SURE.

SO, UM, TWO THINGS.

SO WE RECEIVED A MEMO FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, I THINK ABOUT A MONTH AGO, UM, SAYING THAT ALL OF LAND USE COMMISSIONS WOULD BE MOVED OVER TO THE NEW PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER ON, UH, UM, I'M SORRY.

IT WAS FORGET THE ROAD NAMED PHILOMENA DELCO DRIVE, I THINK IS WHERE IT IS BEHIND THE HIGHLAND MALL, OLD HIGHLAND MALL LOCATION.

UM, AND THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN SOMETIME IN THE SPRING, EARLY SPRING OR NEXT YEAR, PROBABLY IN THE MARCH TIMEFRAME.

UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AFTER SPEAKING WITH CITY HALL THAT THERE'S A LOT OF COORDINATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE OVER THERE.

AND, AND, UM, SINCE THEN THERE WAS A JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSION.

I'M SORRY, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WAS ON MONDAY NIGHT, UM, TO DISCUSS THE RELOCATION OF THE LAND USE COMMISSIONS FROM CITY HALL TO THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

UM, THEY, THOSE THREE BOARDS ARE PLANNING, UM, OR HAVE PROPOSED BYLAW REVISIONS THAT WOULD MAKE CITY HALL, THE PERMANENT MEANING LOCATION FOR THOSE MEETINGS.

UM, THE, UH, PROPOSED CHANGES TO THOSE BYLAWS WILL NEXT BE CONSIDERED BY THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

AND I THINK THE DATE THAT THEY HAVE PROPOSED IS DECEMBER 15TH,

[00:10:01]

UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AND WATCH THE RECORDING FROM THAT MEETING SO THAT YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONCERNS THAT WERE EXPRESSED THERE.

AND THEN, UM, FOLLOW UP WITH US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

YEAH.

I, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT NUMBER ONE, UM, NOBODY WHO IS GOING TO BE, UH, RELOCATED IN NO COMMISSIONER THAT WAS, WOULD BE RELOCATED TO THE, UH, THE NEW BUILDING, UM, WAS IN FAVOR OF THE IDEA OR SAW IT AS A GOOD MOVE, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS INVOLVING THE LONG DISTANCE, UH, AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE CITY, UM, SAFETY CONCERNS, UH, AND, AND, AND OTHER, UH, ADDITIONAL REASONS I DON'T NEED TO GO INTO.

BUT, UM, AND IT SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS A FAIT ACCOMPLI THAT, UM, NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAID ABOUT IT, THAT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY.

AND, UH, THAT, THAT JUST CONCERNS ME.

AND I, UM, I HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF, UM, WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO DECIDE WHERE WE WILL BE, UH, NEXT AND THAT, UM, THERE'LL BE SUFFICIENT TIME, UH, THAT IT'S DONE IN A, IN A FAIR AND EQUITABLE WAY.

UM, AND W WE WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS AND SEEING HOW THAT DISCUSSION PROGRESSES AFTER IT GOES TO THE COUNCIL AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

AND IF, UM, ONCE THE COMMITTEE, THE REST OF THE COMMISSION HAS HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THE VIDEO, UM, WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, A MORE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION IF YOU WISH, UM, POSTED WHEN WE'RE POSTED.

YEAH.

SURE.

THANK YOU.

SURE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO, KEN, LET ME GET THE STRAIGHT, WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS PREVIOUSLY, MORE OR LESS.

YES.

EXCEPT FOR, WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE PRESIDING OFFICER ATTEND HERE.

YEAH.

AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO JUST SHOW UP HERE, THEY'RE WELCOME TO, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

YES.

YOU COULD.

YOU STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO ATTEND PERSON IF YOU WISH WE WILL STILL WANT TO KIND OF MONITOR AND COORDINATE WHO WILL ATTEND IN PERSON SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SAFELY SOCIALLY DISTANCE, UM, AND NOT MAY CHANGE AS YOU KNOW, THINGS DO, UM, WITH COVID RIGHT NOW.

SO, UM, I'LL, WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT AND I'LL BE SENDING OUT A SURVEY FOR, FOR NEXT YEAR, UM, HERE SHORTLY.

GREAT.

JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE OFFICERS NEED TO BE PRESENT ON JUST ONE.

OKAY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

WE'RE GOING BACK.

THANK YOU.

INTERESTING.

[3.a. Presentation on changes to improve issues with erosion-sedimentation controls in the Zilker/Barton Hills neighborhood—David Chapman, Environmental Compliance Supervisor, Development Services Department (30 minutes)]

UH, LET'S GO TO THREE ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION PRESENTATION ON CHANGES TO IMPROVE ISSUES WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL SEDIMENTATION CONTROLS IN THE ZILKER BARTON NEIGHBORHOOD HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE HAVE, UM, DSD HERE, MR. CHAPMAN, COME THROUGH ON BOTH YOUR NAMES, PLEASE, IF Y'ALL WANT, UH, RICK HOLLOWAY, I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH DSD OVER CONSTRUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US COME HERE TONIGHT AND GIVE YOU THESE TWO PRESENTATIONS TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT DSU DSD IS DOING FOR THE CITY.

UH, AND THEY GIVING YOU THESE UPDATES.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS DAVID CHAPMAN, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN DIVISION MANAGER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, INSPECTIONS, WHICH ENTAILS SOUND ENFORCEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, COMMERCIAL, AND RESIDENTIAL TREE AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS, AND ALSO UST UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS.

UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.

UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL SECTION WITH YOU, UM, TODAY.

UH, SLIDE TWO, SORRY, TODAY, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, EROSION SEDIMENT CONTROLS AND THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE HAVE HAPPENING WITHIN OUR PROGRAM.

UM, WE'LL ALSO DISCUSS, UH, A FEW DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTROLS.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT INSPECTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS LAST YEAR, AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE A RESOURCE AND REFERENCE PAGE AT THE END.

THANK YOU.

NEXT SLIDE.

UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK BACKGROUND, EROSION SEDIMENT CONTROLS ARE DESIGNED TO PREVENT AND REDUCE THE MOVEMENT OF SEDIMENT FROM ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITES DURING CONSTRUCTION WITH MAN-MADE STRUCTURES OR LAND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, AND ALSO NATURAL PROCESS, RIGHT? VEGETATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, BEING ALREADY ESTABLISHED, UH, THE MAIN CONTROLS ARE AS ARE INSTALLED ALONG THE PERIMETER, THE OUTSIDE OF, OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITE.

AND THEN YOU

[00:15:01]

UM, DEPENDING ON THE SITE, UM, ONE TYPE OF CONTROL IS NOT ALWAYS GOING TO REMOVE THE SEDIMENT FROM THE SITE, DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S INSTALLED IS ALSO ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE RUN INTO A LOT OF TIMES.

AND SO WE'RE OUT THERE INSPECTING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE CONTROLS, ALL THE PERIMETER CONTROLS, AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE INTERIOR CONTROLS AND THEN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPERS CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE UPDATED, MAINTAINED, MAINTAIN FREQUENTLY, TRYING TO GET THEM TO MAINTAIN THEM ON A DAILY BASIS, UM, AND CHECKING THEM AFTER EACH RAIN EVENT, FOR SURE ON THEIR SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

SO THAT WHEN WE COME OUT AFTER A RAIN EVENT, THEY'RE ALREADY MAINTAINED.

UH, WE'RE ALSO MEETING MY STAFF AND MYSELF ARE MEETING ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

WE'RE GOING OVER TRAINING ITEMS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTROLS, WE'RE MEETING WITH, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, PROVIDERS OF THOSE CONTROLS AND GOING OVER THEIR CONTROLS.

UH, WE'RE GOING OUT AND GETTING OUR OUR EXTRA TRAINING, UH, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR CERTIFICATIONS UP, UH, THAT, THAT ALLOW US TO LOOK AT THE CONTROLS AND ALSO LOOK AT THE TREES.

OKAY, LET'S LET I FEEL.

AREN'T AWARE.

WE USE THE LCRA HYDRO MAT A LOT WHEN WE KNOW A RAIN EVENTS ABOUT TO OCCUR IN AUSTIN.

WE'LL CHECK THAT HYDRO MAT AS THAT RAIN EVENT IS OCCURRING.

SEE WHAT OUR RAIN TOTALS ARE ACROSS THE CITY AND IN CERTAIN POCKETS OF THE CITY.

AND THEN BY THE TOTALS THAT WE GET FROM THERE, WE CAN DETERMINE IF WE HAD A TWO-YEAR RAIN EVENT OR WHAT SIZE OF RAIN EVENT WE'VE HAD.

UM, OUR CONTROLS ARE ONLY DESIGNED TO CAPTURE A TWO YEAR RAIN EVENT.

WE CAN HAVE A TWO YEAR RAIN EVENT AND 15 MINUTES AS Y'ALL HAVE PROBABLY SEEN.

UM, MOST RECENTLY WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF STORMS THAT HAVE REACHED THOSE TOTALS, AND IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE POCKET OF TOWN THAT, THAT STORM DROPS, THAT AMOUNT OF RAIN.

UM, THE RAINS ARE STARTING TO GET A HEAVIER IN POCKETS.

AND SO WE'RE SEEING THOSE TOTALS RISE, UH, ACROSS TOWN AND, AND IT'S CAUSING ISSUES WITH THE CONTROLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT ON THE LARGER DEVELOPMENTS, THE COMMERCIAL SITES, MAINLY LARGER HOME SITES THAT WE'RE PRINTING INTERIOR CONTROLS IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE EXTERIOR CONTROLS CAN HANDLE THAT EXTRA RAIN EVENT TO NEXT LIGHT.

UH, THERE'S THREE MAIN TYPES OF EROSION SEDIMENT CONTROLS THAT THE CITY KIND OF STANDARDLY USES.

UH, THEY'VE BEEN USED FOR MANY YEARS.

IT'S BEEN IN THE CRITERIA MANUALS AND THE STANDARD SPECS FOR A LONG TIME.

AND THOSE ARE MOST STOCK, UH, SEDIMENT OR A SILT FENCE.

UH, AND THEN TRIANGULAR SEDIMENT FILTER DYKE NEXT LEG, UH, MOST LIKE AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MOLD WORKS REALLY GOOD IN A LOT OF CASES.

UH, IT IT'S ON THE GROUND.

IT'S, UH, STAKED IN FOUR FEET ON CENTER, UH, OPPOSITE SIDES SO THAT IT DOESN'T FLOAT AWAY.

UH, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THEY'LL MOVE THESE TO GET ONTO THE SMALLER CONSTRUCTION SITES.

UH, THERE'S ACCESS PROBLEMS WITH RESIDENTIAL HOMES.

UH, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FRONTAGE TO THE STREET.

AND SO THEY'LL RUN THESE OVER, THEY'LL FLATTEN THEM OUT, UH, AND WE HAVE TO GO IN, WE HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT TO REPLACE THEM.

THESE ARE NOT CHEAP, UH, CHEAP CONTROL.

SO IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE HOME BUILDERS.

UH, AND LIKE I SAID, EVERY DELIVERY THAT THEY HAVE, THEY PRETTY MUCH GO ROUTE OVER THE TOP OF THESE CONTROLS.

THERE ARE

[00:20:01]

UM, THEY, THEY GET DAMAGED QUITE A BIT, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE ON THE SITES.

THANKS.

SO FENCE, SO FENCE IS ONE OF THE CONTROLS THAT WE'VE BEEN USING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

UH, IT'S A GREAT CONTROL.

IT'S A GREAT PERIMETER CONTROL.

IT DOES HAVE SOME HICCUPS, UM, ON THE BACKSIDE, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, SILT FENCE HAS TO BE TRENCHED IN.

IT HAS THAT, UH, FABRIC MATERIAL ON THE BOTTOM THAT HAS TO BE TRENCHED IN SO THAT THE WATER DOESN'T JUST FLOW UNDERNEATH.

WHEN YOU DO THAT TRENCHING, YOU DISTURB THE DIRT BEHIND THE SILT FENCE.

SO WHEN A RAIN EVENT COMES, THE WATER FLOWS THROUGH THE SILT FENCE, THE DIRT ON THE BACKSIDE.

IF YOU GET ANY TURBULENCE, IF YOU GET ANY WATER MOVEMENT BACK THERE, IT WILL FLOAT THAT SEDIMENT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SILT FENCE.

SO WE SEE THAT QUITE A BIT.

WE SEE SOME HOLES IN THE SILT FENCE.

WE SEE WHERE THEY DON'T TIE IT IN TO THE CONCRETE STRUCTURES, THE CONCRETE, UH, DRIVEWAY APPROACHES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SOMETIMES THEY DON'T TIE THOSE IN.

SO WE'RE OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING THOSE REPAIRS, ANY, ANY RIPS, ANY PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T OVERLAP THE FABRIC, WE'RE GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.

THANKS THAT TRIANGULAR SEDIMENT, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD CONTROL ALONG ASPHALT CONCRETE AREAS.

UM, THE PROBLEM THAT YOU SEE A LOT OF TIMES IS, IS THEY DON'T WEIGH IT DOWN THE FLAT, THERE'S A FLAT MATERIAL THAT STICKS OUT FROM IT ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE.

AND IF THEY DON'T WEIGH THAT DOWN, IT TENDS TO FLOAT, UH, OR PUSHUP AND SEDIMENT JUST RUNS RIGHT UNDERNEATH.

UH, THEY'RE ALSO NOT OVERLAPPING THESE AT TIMES ARE NOT CONNECTING THESE TWO, THE OTHER PERIMETER CONTROLS IN THE PROPER FASHION.

SO WE'RE OUT THERE GIVING THEM NOTICES, VIOLATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THOSE ISSUES TOO.

NEXT SLIDE WE'VE RECENTLY, UH, JOINED UP WITH SOME OF THE BUILDERS, SOME OF THE SUPPLIERS, UM, ALSO, SO JUST REACHING OUT TO SOME OF OUR, UH, SISTER CITIES, TRYING TO SEE OTHER TYPES OF CONTROLS, UH, THAT THEY MAY BE USING.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONTROLS.

TRAVIS COUNTY HAS SOME DIFFERENT CONTROLS THAN WHAT WE APPROVED HAVE APPROVED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALSO.

SO WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE USING, UH, WHEN IT'S NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION IN JUST TO THE PICTURES THAT YOU'LL SEE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CONTROLS THAT ARE BEING USED IN OTHER PLACES.

THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS A, WHAT WE CALL A DURAL WATTLE.

IT'S A SPONGY MATERIAL.

THAT'S WRAPPED WITH A SILT FENCE MATERIAL, A SILT FENCE FABRIC, AND YOU CAN BASICALLY DRIVE OVER THE TOP OF IT AND IT POPS RIGHT BACK UP LIKE A SPONGE.

SO WE, THIS PICTURE IS ACTUALLY OUT IN AUSTIN COLONY.

WE PUT THESE IN TO PILOT THEM TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD DO DURING HOME BUILDING.

UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS OF THAT.

AND WHEN WE GET FURTHER ALONG AND IF THEY THEY'RE WORKING BETTER, WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT THAT WITH WATERSHEDS, UH, ASSISTANCE AND RUN IT THROUGH ALL THE CHANNELS TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE.

UH, IT, IT SEEMS TO WORK REALLY GOOD WHERE WE'RE HAVING HOME BUILDERS DELIVER A LOT OF MATERIAL.

LIKE I SAID, IT, IT SPRINGS RIGHT BACK UP.

IT WORKS REALLY, REALLY WELL, UH, WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC HAPPENING IN AND AROUND IT.

SO THE ONE HINDRANCE FOR IT IS, IS IT'S NOT AS BIG AS A MOLD SOCK.

IT'S A FIVE AND A HALF INCHES TALL ONLY.

SO IT'S NOT AS TALL AS THE SILT FENCE.

AND IT'S NOT AS TALL AS AN EIGHT INCH OR 12 INCH MOLD SLAB.

UM, THE OTHER PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON.

WE HAD SILT FENCE UP IN THAT AREA.

IT WAS GETTING DAMAGED QUITE A BIT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MATERIALS THAT THEY WERE HAVING DROPPED OFF AT THE SITE.

SO WE CAME IN AND CUT BACK FOUR INCHES BEHIND THE CURB, INSTALLED THE ROCK.

WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF THE ROCK KEEPS SOME OF THE SEDIMENT FROM DISCHARGING THE SITE.

UM, IT IS A PILOT, LIKE I SAID,

[00:25:01]

IF WE GET THOSE FURTHER ALONG, WE'LL BRING THEM TO YOU NEXT LIT, UH, AS Y'ALL KNOW, MY SECTION ALSO LOOKS AT TREES.

SO EVERY TREE INSPECTION OUT THERE, UH, EVERY BUILDING PERMIT THAT HAS A PROTECTED TREE OR HERITAGE TREE ON IT, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THOSE INSPECTIONS AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WE'RE INSPECTING FOR EROSION SEDIMENT CONTROLS.

UM, SO THOSE INSPECTORS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, ANY EIGHT INCH AND GREATER TREES WE'RE INSPECTING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING PROTECTED ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.

WE'RE ALSO MEETING WITH THE ARBORIST QUITE A BIT AND TALKING, WE HELD A, A ARBORIST TRAINING CLASS, ACTUALLY AT THE PDC FOR OUR STAFF.

AND THEN WE ALSO INVITED WATERSHED AND OTHER DSD MEMBERS THAT WANTED TO GET THE TRAINING, UH, TO COME IN.

AND, UH, HOPEFULLY SOON WE'LL HAVE A FEW TAKING THE TEST TO GET THEIR ARBORIST CERTIFICATION NEXT LAP.

UH, AS I SAID, WE, WE CONTINUE TO INSPECT COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL SITES.

YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS HAVE GROWN SINCE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.

UH, WE, WE NOW HAVE, UH, 1,201 RESIDENTIAL SITES RIGHT NOW, ACTIVELY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

AND WE HAVE ABOUT 1,285 COMMERCIAL SITES UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

WE'RE TRYING TO INSPECT THOSE MONTHLY, HAD ABOUT 80%.

UH, WE'RE NOT GETTING TO ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO HOPEFULLY ONE DAY GET TO ALL THE ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, UM, MONTHLY.

WE WANT TO DO THOSE INSPECTIONS MONTHLY.

UH, ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE, UM, LOOKING AT THE CALLED INSPECTIONS ON AVERAGE, ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE FOR THIS LAST YEAR, WE, WE AVERAGED 550, UH, RESIDENTIAL TREE INSPECTIONS A MONTH.

AND THEN WE AVERAGED ABOUT 801 EBV, THOSE MONTHLY INSPECTIONS THAT I SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO, UH, WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 801 ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.

UH, THAT WAS UP FROM LAST TIME THAT I MET WITH Y'ALL 492 INSPECTIONS, UM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A LOT BETTER THAN WHERE WE WERE, UH, FROM, FROM A YEAR AGO.

I THINK IT WAS, OR AROUND A YEAR AGO, UH, ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE, OUR 3, 1, 1 COMPLAINTS HAVE GONE DOWN 117 FROM LAST YEAR.

WE'RE AT 496.

SO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.

WE'RE, WE'RE STILL NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION NOW.

UM, AND WE'RE STILL GETTING EMAIL COMPLAINTS THAT AREN'T GOING THROUGH.

THE THREE, ONE, ONE SYSTEM WE'RE STILL GETTING PHONE CALLS, UH, W WE'RE STILL GETTING QUESTIONS FROM DEVELOPERS ON WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WHEN, WHEN THINGS HAPPEN.

UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL CALL US UP FOR CONSULTATION.

HEY, THIS HAPPENED, WE NEED, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? UH, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE EXTRA DUTIES THAT, UH, AREN'T REALLY CAPTURED, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE OVERALL PROGRAM.

UH, ON TOP OF THAT, WE DO KEEP A LIST.

EACH INSPECTOR KEEPS A LIST OF HOTSPOTS AND PROBLEM SITES THAT THEY'RE, UH, DEALING WITH.

AND IF THEY CONTINUALLY HAVE A SPOT THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH, WE KEEP IT ON A HOTSPOT LIST FOR OUR ENFORCEMENT STAFF.

SO ANYTIME A WEATHER EVENT COMES IN, WE KNOW A LARGER WEATHER WEATHER EVENT IS GOING TO OCCUR.

WE'LL TRY TO GET AN INSPECTOR OUT THERE PRIOR TO THE WEATHER EVENT.

AND THEN IF WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT, WHEN ONE POPS UP OUT OF THE BLUE ON US, WE'LL GET BY THERE AS SOON AS WE'RE WORKING.

AND AS SOON AS WE CAN GET OUT TO THAT SITE, BUT THOSE ARE HIGHER PRIORITY THAN JUST OUR REGULAR ROUTINE INSPECTIONS.

NEXT, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE WERE TASKED WITH, UH, ENFORCEMENT 25, 1, 4 41.

UH, I HAVE A STAFF THAT, UH, DEALS WITH JUST ENFORCEMENT.

THERE'S, THERE'S TWO, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON HIRING A THIRD ONE JUST TO HANDLE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, UH, AND ALSO ASSIST US WITH THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD,

[00:30:01]

SO THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE TRA BASICALLY TASKED WITH RESIDENTIAL TREE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CASES AND ASSISTING US WITH ANY NON-COMPLIANCE THAT WE HAVE IN THE ENTIRE CITY FOR RESIDENTIAL, UH, THAT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE POSTED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

UH, WE'VE WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO RECLASS A POSITION, AND THAT'S WHY IT HASN'T POSTED YET.

UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ALSO, WE, WHEN WE GO TO A SITE, INITIALLY, WE ISSUE A VERBAL WARNING.

WE, WE TALKED TO THE DEVELOPER, WE GET THEM INTO COMPLIANCE.

WE EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THESE CONTROLS ARE, WHY WE'RE OUT THERE TRYING TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, TRYING TO PROTECT THE CRITICAL FEATURES THAT MAY BE AROUND THE SITE, THE CREEKS IN THE BACK, THE, THE SEEPS, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL OF THE WETLANDS, ALL, EVERYTHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER WITH THE RIVER, WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THAT, KEEP THE SEDIMENT OUT OF THERE AS WELL AS WE CAN.

WE CAN'T BE ON THE SITES EVERY DAY TO BE THE ENFORCER EVERY DAY, BUT WE ARE EDUCATING AND TRYING TO GET THEM TO CHECK IT DAILY AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CONTROLS ARE IN PLACE.

UM, IF FOR SOME REASON WE HAVE CONTINUAL ISSUES OUT THERE WE'LL ISSUE A WRITTEN VIOLATION.

UH, AND BASICALLY BEFORE WE GO TO THE CITATION, WE ISSUE A STOP WORK ORDER MOST OF THE TIME, UM, UNLESS IT'S AN EGREGIOUS OFFENSE WHERE THEY'RE JUST DISCHARGING CONCRETE RIGHT INTO AN INLET, WELL, THEN WE'LL GO STRAIGHT TO, OR, OR INTO THE LAKE, OR, YOU KNOW, DISCHARGING DIRTY WATER INTO BARTON SPRINGS.

UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, Y'ALL SAW THE SPILL WHERE WE HAD THE, THE PLUME AND ZILKER A POOL, AND IT SHUT THE POOL DOWN DURING CHRISTMAS TIME.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT, BUT WE, WE FOUND A, UM, A SITE, A HOME SITE THAT WAS DRILLING, AND BASICALLY THEY HIT A VOID THAT VOID WAS CONNECTED TO THE SPRINGS.

AND WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO FILL THAT VOID, THEY WERE DUMPING THAT MATERIAL INTO THE SPRINGS.

SO WE ISSUED A CITATION FOR THAT.

WE TOOK THEM TO COURT.

UH, THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH COURT AND I THINK THEY EVEN PAID THE FINE FOR A DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS.

SO, UH, WE, WE ARE OUT THERE DOING THAT ON A DAILY BASIS.

LIKE I SAID, RIGHT NOW, I HAVE TOO SOON.

WE'LL HAVE A THIRD ONE TO TAKE CARE OF COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

UM, JUST SOME QUICK NUMBERS.

WE, WE DID ISSUE A 96.

WELL, WE, YEAH, 97, 9,617 RESIDENTIAL INSPECTIONS ENDED UP WITH A VERBAL WARNING THIS LAST YEAR.

UM, AND THEN, WHICH WAS ABOUT 12% OF THE, THE TOTAL RESIDENTIAL INSPECTIONS THAT WE HAD, WE HAD A 1.4% WERE WRITTEN WARNINGS.

0.2% WERE STOPPED, WORK ORDERS, AND THEN 0.03% WERE CITATIONS.

SO MOST OF OUR CASES ARE VERBAL WARNINGS.

THE GOAL IS TO EDUCATE THE GOAL IS TO CHANGE A CULTURE.

UH, AS Y'ALL KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED THIS IN 2016, THERE WERE NO CONTROLS ON RESIDENTIAL LOTS.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE IT BETTER THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY.

AND IT'S A TON BETTER THAN IT WAS IN 2016.

WHEN WE WERE SEEING NO CONTROLS, WE ARE SEEING CONTROLS.

NOW WE'RE CHANGING A CULTURE AND SOMETIMES A CULTURE CHANGE TAKES A WHILE.

UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE HOLDS.

UH, WE ARE ABLE TO PUT ADMINISTRATIVE HOLDS ON BUILDING PERMITS, ADMINISTRATIVE HOLDS AREN'T AS GOOD AS STOP WORK ORDERS FOR THE MOST PART, BECAUSE THEY DON'T FULLY STOP THE JOB.

UH, STOP WORK ORDERS ARE A LITTLE BETTER FOR US, OUR CITATIONS.

SO WE USE ADMINISTRATIVE HOLDS, BUT WE DON'T USE THEM THAT OFTEN, UH, THERE, THEY ONLY STOPPED THE FINAL INSPECTION.

AND BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE FINAL INSPECTION, WE'VE ALREADY HAD ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS.

SO THOSE THINGS HAVE ALREADY HOPEFULLY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

THE SITE'S BEEN RE VEGETATED THINGS LIKE THAT.

IF, IF WE HAVE A LARGE DISCHARGE THAT WE NEED THEM TO GO GET, UH, YOU'LL SEE AN ADMINISTRATIVE

[00:35:01]

UH, I THINK WHEN IT CAME TO Y'ALL LAST TIME, THE TERRITORIES WERE A LOT DIFFERENT.

UM, THERE WAS TWO TERRITORIES, I BELIEVE, ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WHICH IS ON THE RIGHT.

UH, AND THEN THE ONE ON THE LEFT, I BELIEVE WE HAD SIX OR EIGHT.

THE LAST TIME WE CAME THERE'S 13 NOW ON THAT SIDE.

UH, AND WE'VE GONE TO FOUR ON THE RESIDENTIAL SOON.

WE'LL BE WHEN, WHEN WE GET STAFFED AGAIN, WE'LL GO TO EIGHT.

UM, WE WERE FULLY STAFFED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF.

WE HAD, UH, THREE OR FOUR INSPECTORS PROMOTE WITHIN TWO DOING REVIEW, WHICH HELPS US BECAUSE NOW WE'RE GETTING A GOOD PRODUCT OUT OF A REVIEW.

UH, WE ALSO HAD A COUPLE PROMOTES A WATERSHED, AND I THINK ONE JUST MADE SUPERVISOR OVER WITH WATERSHED.

UM, AND THEN WE DID HAVE A COUPLE THAT RETIRE, UH, WHICH IS PART OF IT.

SO WE'VE DONE SOME HIRING, WELL, WE DID A LOT OF HIRING.

UH, WE GOT FULLY STAFFED AND THEN WE HAD SOME LEAVE AND WE'RE SLOWLY GOING BACK THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS.

AND AS Y'ALL KNOW, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEWS HIRING IS DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR EVERYBODY.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.

WE HAVE FIVE INSPECTOR POSITIONS OPEN, UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO FILL THOSE SOON.

SO YOU'LL SEE THEM POSTED AGAIN.

UH, WE HAVE THE ONE ENFORCEMENT STAFF THAT YOU'LL ALSO SEE POSTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

UH, I'M HOPING WITHIN THE WEEK, COUPLE OF WEEKS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE THAT ONE POSTED, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU QUICK NUMBERS, UH, EACH TERRITORY ON THAT YOU SEE RIGHT NOW ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, THE LARGER TERRITORIES HAVE ABOUT 345 INSPECTIONS IN EACH TERRITORY.

WE DID HAVE TWO INSPECTORS IN EACH TERRITORY.

SO TWO INSPECTORS IN, IN 14, 16, 17, AND 15, UH, WHICH MADE UP THE EIGHT INSPECTION INSPECTORS, UM, AREA 15 IS THE HOT TOPIC.

ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN AREA 15.

WE SLIM THAT AREA DOWN AND IT ACTUALLY ONLY HAS 166 INSPECTIONS IN THAT AREA.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THOSE MORE FREQUENTLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING THE BARTON SPRINGS, YOU KNOW, THE SPRINGS.

UM, WE STILL HAVE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, NORTH AND SOUTH THAT WE HIGHLY WANT TO PROTECT.

UM, SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET TO THOSE JUST AS FREQUENT.

WE JUST KNOW THAT MAJORITY OF OUR COMPLAINTS ARE COMING FROM 15.

SO WE FOCUSED IN ON TRYING TO TRY AND CLEAN 15 UP.

UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THREE INSPECTORS ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE AND TWO ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE THAT WE'RE MISSING RIGHT NOW.

UH, TWO OF THE, TWO OF THE ENFORCEMENT STAFF ARE ACTUALLY ASSISTING THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ONLY MISSING ONE INSPECTOR, BUT THEY ARE DOING DOUBLE DUTY, UH, ARE ACTUALLY TRIPLE DUTY BECAUSE THEY'RE COVERING, UH, ONE OF THE INSPECTORS IS ACTUALLY COVERING THE COMMERCIAL INSPECTIONS AROUND ZILKER AND, AND WE'RE INSPECTING THOSE A LITTLE MORE FREQUENTLY ALSO, UH, NEXT SLIDE, UH, THIS PAGE IS JUST A QUICK RESOURCE PAGE.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT HAS THE TREE ORDINANCE, THE TREE PROTECTION, THE WATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE REVIEW.

IT ALSO, UH, TALKS ABOUT CONTROLS AND EROSION SEDIMENT CRITERIA.

UH, OUR INSPECTION REPORT IS IN THERE.

WE, WE USE IT, BUT NOT AS FREQUENT AS WE USED TO.

UM, WE'RE, IT'S ALL IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM NOW.

SO MOST OF OUR NOTES AND STUFF ARE ACTUALLY IN THE AMANDA SYSTEM.

UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR WEBSITE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS WEBSITE.

IF YOU GO ON THAT WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEE BOTH OF OUR MAPS, COMMERCIAL, AND RESIDENTIAL BROKE OUT.

IF YOU, IF YOU CLICK ON THE ADDRESS, PUT YOUR ADDRESS IN IT'LL ZOOM IN, YOU CLICK ON IT AGAIN.

IT'LL ACTUALLY SHOW YOU WHO YOUR INSPECTOR IS FOR THAT AREA, DEPENDING ON IF YOU'RE COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HELPING THE DEVELOPERS OUT TO, BUT ALSO TO HELP THE CITIZENS OUT.

SO THEY KNOW WHO'S IN THOSE

[00:40:01]

AND THEN IF YOU SCROLL JUST A LITTLE BIT PAST THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PHONE LIST, IT HAS ALL OF OUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

IT HAS MY CONTACT INFORMATION, MY STAFF, ALL OF THE STAFF'S CONTACT INFORMATION AND OUR, UM, OUR DIRECTORY.

WE HAVE A COMMERCIAL EMAIL ADDRESS AND A RESIDENTIAL EMAIL ADDRESS, UH, ALONG WITH THE DISPATCH PHONE NUMBER ON THERE.

SO THAT THERE'S NO REASON IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T CAN'T GET THROUGH 3, 1, 1, OR CAN'T GET THEIR COMPLAINT THROUGH 3, 1, 1 PROPERLY, THEY CAN CONTACT US DIRECTLY.

UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD THE, I PUT THE LCRA HYDRO MAT, UH, WEBSITE ATTACHED TO THERE TOO, JUST IN CASE ANYBODY WANTS TO GO ON THERE.

YOU GOT TO DO A FEW BUTTON CLICKS TO GET TO THE ACTUAL RAIN GAUGES, BUT ONCE YOU GET TO THE RAIN GAUGES, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE RAIN RAIN TOTALS ARE ACROSS THE TOWN.

NEXT SLIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL BE HERE.

UH, ALSO MY CONTACT INFORMATION, IF Y'ALL NEED ME, IS DAVID DOT CHAPMAN AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV, OR YOU CAN, UH, FOLLOW ME 5 1 2 9 7 4 4 9 4 6 OR 5 1 2 6 6 5 3 3 9 6.

AND I HAVE THOSE ON ME ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHEN I'M ON VACATION.

SO YES, SIR, FIVE FIVE ONE TWO NINE SEVEN FOUR FOUR NINE FOUR SIX.

AND THEN MY CELL PHONE IS (512) 665-3396.

SORRY, A RECALL AWAY AGAIN.

UH, JUST WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER NOTE.

UM, WE MET TODAY OR LAST WEEK WITH THE COMMERCIAL GROUP, THE RESIDENTIAL AND THE COMMERCIAL GROUP.

SO UNDER MY PURVIEW, IT HAVE A SITE AND SUB ALL THE BUILDING INSPECTORS, ENVIRONMENTAL TREES.

SO WE MET WITH THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED ANOTHER SET OF EYES.

THEY'RE GOING OUT ONCE A MONTH, HITTING THESE SITES, THE BUILDING GUYS ARE GOING OUT THERE MORE OFTEN.

SO WE MET WITH THEM.

THEY'RE GOING OUT.

IF THEY SEE SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH THE SEDIMENT CONTROLS, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE PHONE CALL.

SO WE'RE TO HAVE MORE EYES ON IT.

SO WE GOT 160 PEOPLE OUT THERE LOOKING AT THESE SITES NOW, INSTEAD OF JUST THE, YOU KNOW, 20 OR 30 PEOPLE HE'S GOT NOW WE'VE GOT 160 PEOPLE LOOK AT THEM.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING, THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE DOING NOW TO HELP GET MORE EYES ON THE SITES, BUT, UH, WE'VE MADE SOME BIG IMPROVEMENTS.

AND LIKE I SAID, EVERY DAY GETS BETTER.

AND JUST FOR SOME BACKGROUND FOR THE OTHER NEWER COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS, UH, FOR YEARS, I DO WANT TO COMMEND Y'ALL ON THAT, UH, THAT TIME WAS COMMISSIONER MIKE MACIO AND MYSELF MET WITH YOUR DIRECTOR WITH DSD.

I SEE THAT A LOT OF WHAT WE ASKED FOR HAS, HAS HAPPENED THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, STREAMLINED THAT Y'ALL TOOK WHAT WE WERE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT AND YOU'LL HAVE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, UH, REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, THE INCENTIVES.

WELL, WE ALL WERE GOING TO HAVE AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR THE CERTIFICATION, BUT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THERE, THE CERTIFICATION IS MOVING FORWARD.

NOW I KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S REALLY TRICKY CAUSE Y'ALL ARE DSD, WE'RE WATERSHED PROTECTION.

YET WE HAVE URBAN FORESTRY AND WE GET THE EMAILS.

WE GET THE CITIZENS CONCERNS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT THEY COME TO US FIRST.

AND SO, UM, I, I GET IT AND I KNOW THAT, UH, I CLEARLY Y'ALL ARE DOING THAT.

ONE THING THOUGH I DID, WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON A PERCENTAGE IS WHAT PERCENTAGE GOT THE WARNING THAN THE WRITTEN THAN THE CITATION AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR, FOR AN SEND IT LATER ON OR PUT THAT INTO THOSE, THAT DATA.

AND, UM, BECAUSE HOPEFULLY MOST OF THEM WITH THE VERBAL STOPPED, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE DOWN BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE AND THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING ON WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND THEN WE WANTED TO ASSURANCES THAT Y'ALL WERE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, OUR, UH, TREE PERSON, NAOMI, NAOMI YOU'RE HERE.

UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER.

THAT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAD DEFINITELY WANTED TO OCCUR DURING THIS PROCESS.

RIGHT.

SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR AND TO SEE HAPPENING.

AND BEFORE I TURN IT UP FOR Q AND A, I DO HAVING FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I'M GLAD TO KNOW YOU'RE FOCUSING IN ON ZILKER, I'M GOING TO DO A MOTION KIND OF ASKING THAT Y'ALL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH

[00:45:01]

AND THEN AFTER Q AND A I'D LIKE DAVID TO COME UP AND JUST LET HIM ASK HIM WHAT MORE DOES HE THINK? YOU KNOW, WE WERE HAVING QUARTERLY MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, W WHAT, IS THERE SOMETHING MORE THAT WE, AS THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THIS PROCESS AND CONTINUE THE GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF IT? SO IF YOU ALL ARE OPEN TO THAT, WE CAN TRY TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITH THE URBAN, WITH THE THROWING THIS ON THE POOR CHAIR, HE'S SITTING UP THERE GOING, WHAT IS SHE DOING? BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, THIS, THIS IS WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUSH THIS FORWARD, RIGHT.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE CROP COOPERATION TRULY.

YEAH.

AND WHEN WE, WHEN WE MERGED THE TREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND, AND DID ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS CONCERNS ABOUT ARBORIST AND ALL THIS.

SO WE, WE STARTED PUSHING THAT RIGHT AWAY.

YOU KNOW, LET'S GET THESE GUYS AND GALS CERTIFIED ARBORIST THAT HAVE BEEN SEDGWICK TRAINING.

LET'S, I MEAN, DSD DOES NOT HOLD BACK ON TRAINING.

WE'RE ALL ABOUT THE TRAINING.

AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHERE THE INCENTIVES CAME IN.

HEY, YOU GET THESE CERTIFICATIONS, WE'RE GIVING YOU A LITTLE EXTRA CREDIT CASH IN THE YEAR.

AND, UH, SO THAT HELPED A LITTLE BIT TOO.

YEAH, GOOD.

WELL, AND I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THE DIRECTOR TOO.

UH, SHE REALLY CAME IN AND SHE HEARD US, AND SHE STARTED IMMEDIATELY WORKING WITH Y'ALL TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE.

SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO Q AND A NOW QUESTIONS, WE'LL START OVER HERE, COMMISSIONER BRIMER.

YEAH.

I'VE, UH, SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE STUFF THAT YOU PRESENTED HERE, MAINLY ON REPORTING.

UM, AND I HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS.

YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, REPORTS VIA 3, 1, 1.

I CALLED IN A TREE REPORT VIA 3, 1, 1, AND THE PERSON THAT I RECEIVED ON THE PHONE, I REALIZED THAT YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY, BUT, UH, THE PERSON I CONTACTED REGARDING THE, UH, HERITAGE TREE ISSUE, UH, WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH ANYTHING ABOUT THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.

AND IN THE END, HER RESPONSE WAS HERE'S AN EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU CALL TO DO THAT.

SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ADDITIONAL TRAINING NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED TO 3, 1, 1 FOLKS IN ORDER TO GET THIS DONE.

NOW, THE END RESULT WAS THAT I, I MADE AN EMAIL AND THEN BECAUSE I'M IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I ALSO MADE SOME PHONE CALLS TO PEOPLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED SATISFACTORILY.

SO THAT PART OF IT FIXED, BUT THE INTERFACE HAD, I BEEN JUST A NORMAL PERSON WAS LESS THAN ADEQUATE.

NOW THAT GETS ME BACK TO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS YOU MENTIONED ABOUT GOING AROUND AND DOING INSPECTIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS, HOW RESPONSIVE INVITE MEAN.

I MEAN, BY THAT WHAT'S THE RESPONSE TIME TO AN AVERAGE CITIZEN CALLING IN TO SAY 3, 1, 1, OR TO SOMEONE SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH A CONSTRUCTION SITE.

THAT'S GOT SILK DRAINAGE ALL THE WAY DOWN MY STREET.

FIRST OF ALL, DO THEY KNOW TO CALL WHO TO CALL AT ALL? YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS? IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THERE A SIGN AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE THAT SAYS, IF YOU SEE A VIOLATION, OR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CALL THIS NUMBER.

AND NUMBER TWO IS IF I CALL THAT NUMBER OR THREE, ONE, ONE WHAT THE TURNAROUND TIME, BECAUSE IN THE CASE OF CUTTING THE TREE, BY THE TIME THEY GOT AN INSPECTOR OUT THERE, ALL WE HAD WAS FIREWOOD AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THE TREE WAS DEAD ANYWAY.

SO IT WAS IRRELEVANT, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, BUT IN THE CASE THAT IT WAS NOT DEAD, YOU KNOW, SHOWING UP AFTER YOU'VE GOT FIREWOOD, ISN'T HELPFUL.

SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW CAN THIS BE ADDRESSED IN A MANNER THAT MAKES THINGS BETTER? YEAH, LET ME HIT ON A COUPLE OF THOSE TOPICS.

THE FIRST 1, 3, 1, 1, AS YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL OVER THE DISPATCHERS WITH 3, 1, 1, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM QUITE OFTEN.

UH, WE ACTUALLY JUST HAD A MEETING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO THREE DIFFERENT EMAILS AFTER IT WENT TO 3, 1, 1.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT ADJUSTED.

UH, WE WANT IT TO FUNNEL THROUGH 3, 1, 1.

WE WANT IT TO FUNNEL INTO OUR INBOX, UH, THROUGH THE 3 1, 1 PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER.

UH, OUR NORMAL RESPONSE TO ANY COMPLAINTS

[00:50:01]

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY AT THE SITE, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND AS Y'ALL SEEN WITH SOME OF THE EMAILS THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN, WE GET QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS FROM THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE HAVE FOLKS THAT WILL DISPATCH TO RESPOND TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET WITHIN 24 HOURS OF OUR WORKING SCHEDULE.

WE DON'T WORK NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT.

BUT IF WE GET 36 COMPLAINTS IN THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO ALL 36 IN 24 HOURS, WHICH MEANS I'M PULLING STAFF FROM OTHER INSPECTIONS TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE COMPLAINTS.

OKAY.

SAME THING IS IF WE GET 50 COMPLAINTS IN ANOTHER AREA OF TOWN, WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE COMPLAINTS.