Jan 19, 2022 Environmental Commission

[00:00:02]

UH, LET'S SEE.

GOOD EVENING.

[CALL TO ORDER]

IT IS SIX THAT'S THE TIME USED TO COME UP ON HERE.

6 0 9.

THANK YOU, SIR.

AND WE'RE CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT THE AUSTIN CITY HALL CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ROOM 1 0 1 ON 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS 77 0 1 COMMISSIONER.

CASHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? HERE? COMMISSIONER SCOTT, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HERE.

COMMISSIONER BIXLER.

HERE COMES MR. BRISTOL HERE.

COMMISSIONER GUERRERO HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER MADAM CHAIR.

HE IS ABSENT TONIGHT.

AND COMMISSIONER BEDFORD HERE.

THANK YOU.

5 6, 7.

I HAVE SEVEN OF US.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER, UH, ANY CITIZEN

[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

COME ON UP.

OKAY, GOOD EVENING, ROBERT.

UM, YOU'RE ON THAT APPLE ALBUM.

UH, I'M HERE WITH AN UNUSUAL REQUEST BECAUSE THIS IS AN OUTLIER SORT OF PROJECT.

UH, WE'VE BEEN IN PROCESS MAYBE UP TO THREE YEARS ON TRYING TO GET, UH, THROUGH TO Y'ALL TO HAVE CONSIDER A VARIANCE FOR FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION.

NEXT SCREEN, PLEASE.

THIS PROPERTY IS UNIQUE.

IT'S THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE.

THAT'S A SOUTH LAMAR TO THE LEFT.

IT'S MARRIED TO THE SOUTH AND EVERGREEN TO THE RIGHT.

UH, IT'S NEVER BEEN DEVELOPED.

UH, I SUSPECT THAT MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS JUST A CLOSER UP VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.

THERE'S A PIZZA RESTAURANT TO THE SOUTH THERE.

UH, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A SENSE THAT THIS IS A VERY SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO WHAT WE'RE CONFRONTING IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAN OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS IS EITHER IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE OR A CF SETBACK, AND THERE'S NO DEVELOPABLE LAND ON IT.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS GET, UH, COME TO YOU WITH A VARIANCE REQUEST TO MODIFY THE FLOODPLAIN, TO CONTAIN IT.

SO THAT ABOUT 20 1008 SQUARE FEET MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT.

THERE ARE SOME BIG TREES ON THERE.

HERE'S THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO THE TROUBLE WE'RE HAVING IS WE'RE KIND OF LOGGERHEADS WITH STAFF ON TO THE FA UH, FINDINGS ON VARIANCES.

REASONABLE USE IN MINIMUM DEPARTURE STAFF IS ASKING MY CLIENT TO PREPARE A CONSOLIDATED SITE PLAN, WHICH IS NOT CHEAP TO SUBMIT IT.

SO STAFF HAS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, WHETHER IT'S A MINIMUM DEPARTURE ARE REASONABLE USE.

IF THIS WAS A HUNDRED ACRES, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME, IT'S THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE.

UH, THE PART OF THE CHANNEL ON THERE IS, UH, A TRIBUTARY OF, UH, UH, BOLT WEST BOLDEN CREEK.

IT'S LITERALLY THE ONLY OPEN CHANNEL ON THIS TIRE, A TRIBUTARY IN THE GO THROUGH AND SPEND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SUBMIT IT, CONSOLIDATE IT SITE PLAN JUST TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF SEEMS BURDENSOME.

AND SO MY REQUEST IS, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH YOU OR SOME OTHER PROCESS, BECAUSE IF WE COME IN HERE WITHOUT A STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE TWO FINDINGS, WE'RE KIND OF TOLD WE DON'T HAVE A CHANCE.

AND SO WE DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY FAIR.

UH, IT'S A COMPLICATED CASE.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO, I'M SORRY.

I MAY HAVE A LITTLE BREATHING PROBLEM WITH MASK.

UH, UH, TWO IS IF THERE'S DIFF A DIFFERENT APPROACH WE CAN TAKE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE PROPERTY.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RARE CASES WHERE WITHOUT THE VARIANCE PROPERTY CANNOT BE BUILT DEVELOPED AT ALL.

AND SO THAT'S OUR REQUEST.

OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR

[00:05:01]

THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING, SIR.

ALL RIGHT,

[1a. Approval of the December 1, 2021 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes]

I WOULD LIKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

COMMISSIONER SECOND BURR.

OKAY.

BEDFORD SECOND COMMISSIONER.

ANY OTHER ADDITIONS CHANGES ANY ISSUES BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR.

SAY AYE.

RAISE YOUR HAND.

THREE SEVEN.

OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ITEM TWO, A

[2a. Recognize Katie Coyne for her service on the Environmental Commission and her appointment as Watershed Protection Department's Environmental Officer and Assistant Director of the Watershed Protection Department over Planning, Monitoring, and Compliance branch of divisions—Jorge Morales, Director, Watershed Protection Department]

WE HAVE JORGE HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS DIRECTOR.

MIRALIS GOOD EVENING.

MADAM CHAIR.

COMMISSIONERS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY.

I APOLOGIZE.

I'M HAVING TO USE MY PHONE TODAY, BUT I THINK WE FIGURED IT OUT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.

I SEE YOUR THUMBS UP.

WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

UH, WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, COMMISSIONER KATIE CONE FOR HER SERVICE AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

WE DO HAVE A, UH, SERVICE AWARD.

WE WANT TO PRESENT.

IT READS IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE PROTECTING AUSTIN'S ENVIRONMENTS FROM 2018 TO 2021.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND TO THE COMMUNITY.

HAVE A FEW OTHER POINTS I WANTED TO SHARE BEFORE WE JUMP OFF.

SO AS WE, WE KNOW, UM, I'VE MADE A QUICK INTRODUCTION.

I THINK IT WAS IN NOVEMBER.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD THE LAST MEETING.

UH, SO I AM VERY PLEASED AND EXCITED TO HAVE KATIE.

UH, NOW BE PART OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AS THE ENVIRONMENT OFFICER AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BUT HER ROLE IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMISSION IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE TONIGHT.

UH SO-SO SHE SERVED FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS FROM JANUARY OF 2018 TO NOVEMBER OF 2021.

DURING THAT TIME, KATIE SERVED AS A VICE CHAIR OF BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.

AND ALSO DURING THAT, HER TIME AS A COMMISSIONER, KATIE HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS A RESOLUTION, DIRECTING STAFF, TO WORK TOWARD CREATING A HOLISTIC RESILIENCE PLAN FOR THE CITY RESILIENT AUSTIN, AND THROUGH HER WORK ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.

AND AS OUR ROLE AS A CO-CHAIR OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, KATIE HELPED CREATE ONE OF THE MOST EQUITY DRIVEN CLIMATE PLANS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021.

THANK YOU, KATIE, FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND DEDICATION, YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO PROTECTING AUSTIN'S ENVIRONMENT AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON OUR TEAM TO CONTINUE THAT THAT DRIVE MOVE FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

UM, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY COMMISSIONER COIN AND, YOU KNOW, I COMMISSIONED ANYMORE, BUT, UH, SUCH A HARD WORKER, ALWAYS OUT THERE TRYING TO DO THE BEST POSSIBLE JOB FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU COULD ALWAYS WILLING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE, UM, WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE HAD DIFFICULT CASES, YOU'D BEEN ABLE TO REALLY TRY TO LOOK AT THE BOTH SIDES.

MANY TIMES WE HAD TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT CONSENSUS.

AND YOU WERE PART OF THAT, GETTING THIS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO PULL TOGETHER, TO GET A CONSENSUS ON SOME OF THOSE MORE DIFFICULT, UM, ITEMS THAT CAME FORWARD.

AND, UH, PERSONALLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

CAUSE I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS AT SOME POINTS AS YOU WERE PUSHING FORWARD WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ACTION PLANS AND, UM, VERY MUCH A PRETTY SHADED.

SO I'M THRILLED.

YOU'RE GOING TO JUST KIND OF MORPH INTO A NEW ROLE AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE SO WELL INFORMED ABOUT WHAT WE'VE HAD THESE PAST FOUR YEARS COMING BEFORE US.

SO I'M VERY PLEASED AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

I GUESS WE'LL PROCEED.

UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING AND OH GOOD.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

ALL RIGHT.

CONDITIONERS.

LET'S MOVE ON.

UM, WE HAVE ITEM THREE

[3a. Presentation on Equitable Transit-Oriented Development strategies for Project Connect—Anna Lan, Principal Planner, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Warner Cook, Senior Planner, Housing and Planning Department]

[00:10:01]

IS THIS THE PERSON THAT WAS HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING ON? ARE THEY HERE? MADAM CHAIR? I BELIEVE THE PRESENTER ANNA LYNN IS HERE.

OH GREAT.

HI EVERYONE.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO PRESENT HERE.

UM, I'M HERE WITH GREG DUTTON, CITY OF AUSTIN, AND TOGETHER HAVE METRO IN CITY OF BOSTON.

WE'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT CALLED THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

UM, I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH CAPITOL NATURAL AND I'VE BEEN TRANSIT RIDER AND MYSELF SINCE 2007.

SO THIS PROJECT IS REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

AND IT'S A PROJECT THAT I HOPE THAT PLAN COMPLETION.

MY CHILDREN CAN KEEP USING IT.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

A LITTLE INTRODUCTION ABOUT HOW WE STARTED THIS PROJECT.

UM, THIS CAME ABOUT FROM A GRANT THAT CAPITOL MAXVILLE ONE AT THE END OF 2020 FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, WE WANT $900,000 TO DO THIS STUDY ALONG THE NORTH OMAR, UM, WATERLOO RIVERS, RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR THAT HAS 13 STATIONS PLUS ONE ADDITIONAL STATION FOR SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.

AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ATP ON THIS PROJECT.

AND THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY IN PARALLEL WITH EACH OF THE EFFORTS FROM CITY OF AUSTIN, FROM THE 2000 AND 2021 JULY RESOLUTION FOR THE ISSUE OF THE POLICY CLAIM.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THESE ARE PROJECT PARTNERS.

UM, AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE, WE PLACE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS OUR FOURTH PARTNER.

SO IT'S REALLY VITAL FOR US THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF THIS PROJECT.

WE WANT TO CONSTANTLY ENGAGE IN GAIN FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY, AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF READY OF WAYS WE DO THAT, WHICH I WILL TOUCH UPON IN A LITTLE BIT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE ARE A FEW OBJECTIVES FROM CAP METRO.

UM, WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WANT TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE JOB SERVICES AND DESTINATIONS AND GIVE THEM A VARIETY OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.

OF COURSE, WE ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT RIDERSHIP ALONG THE TRANSIT CORRIDORS, AND WE WANT TO DO THIS BY EXPANDING OPTIONS, EVERYBODY FROM DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS.

AND OF COURSE, AS THE TRANSIT AGENCY, WE WANT TO BE AS COMPETITIVE AS POSSIBLE ON THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S NEW STARTS CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS.

HOW WE SCORE ON THESE GRANTS DETERMINES HOW MUCH MONEY WE CAN GET AS A TRANSIT AGENCY.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

A LOT OF OUR TRANSIT AGENCY OBJECTIVES COINCIDED REALLY WELL WITH THE EFFORTS FROM CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND THESE ARE THE 30 GOALS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE 2021 JULY RESOLUTION.

YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF PARALLELS AND FOCUS ON TENZIN PRESERVATION AND CREATION OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FOCUS ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND COMPACT THEM COMMIT CONNECTED COMMUNITIES.

NEXT, PLEASE AUSTIN'S GROWTH.

IT'S TAKEN NO ONE BY SURPRISE, MAYBE AS A NEWCOMER THAT, UM, IT DOUBLES SO QUICKLY FROM 2 MILLION, 2019 TO 20, UH, TWO, 4 MILLION BY 2040, AND REALLY HOW WE ARRIVED AT THE STEP FOR CAP METRO AND EACH JODI IT'S.

UM, IT'S ALONG A SERIES OF EFFORTS THAT THE CITY HAS MADE IN TRANSIT INVESTMENT.

AND IT REALLY HAS BEEN KICKED OFF BY THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN IN 2019, WHICH REDUCED THE TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE ROAD BY A QUARTER BY, UM, THE YEAR, I THINK 2039.

AND OF COURSE IN 2020 PROJECT NET CAME LIVE AND THIS LAW NATURALLY KIND OF LEADS US TO EACH CITY IN 2021.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS AN ARTICLE AMONGST MANY ARTICLES THAT ARE WRITTEN ABOUT AUSTIN.

AND AGAIN, WE DO KNOW THAT AUSTIN IS MOVING VERY QUICKLY TOWARDS BECOMING REALLY UNAFFORDABLE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

WE HAVE 180 PEOPLE MOVING HERE EVERY DAY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF RAPID DEMOLITION OF OLDER HOUSING AND CREATING IN SOME AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS A MAP FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS UPWARD A PROJECT,

[00:15:01]

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ALMOST EVERY STATION ACTUALLY NOT ALMOST EVERY STATION IS EITHER IN AREA OF HISTORIC EXCLUSION OR UNDERGOING ACTIVE OR CHRONIC DISPLACEMENT.

SO WE HAVE A NEW URGENCY TO KIND OF EMERGE TO GET AHEAD OF WHAT'S ALREADY A VERY HIGHLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITY FOR RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.

AND THAT IS WHY IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT TRANSIT AND LAND USE PLANNING ARE CLOSELY COORDINATED NEXT WEEK.

TOD AS A CONCEPT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE.

UM, IT'S A CONCEPT STARTED FROM WORLD WAR II AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN EVERY MAJOR METROPOLITAN CITY WITH TRANSIT AROUND THE WORLD.

BUT, UM, THE BASIC CONCEPT IS THAT IT IS NOT, IT'S A BUILDING A PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT AND IT CONSISTS OF PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED, COMPACT, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE CENTERED AROUND QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSIT.

OH, EXCUSE ME, MY OTHER OTHER THINGS.

AND, UM, IDEALLY WITHIN A 10 TO 15 MINUTE WALK, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THESE HOUSING AND TRANSIT AGENCY SERVICES, UM, IN A VERY DENSE, MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO ONE OF THE MAJOR CRITICAL, UM, CRITICISMS OF TOD IS THAT IT CAN BE A VICTIM OF ITS OWN SUCCESS.

AND THAT MEANS IT ATTRACTS A LOT OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT, BUT THEN IT DOES.

SO BY ACCELERATING RENT GROWTH AND EXISTING PROPERTIES.

SO IN MANY PLACES, MARKET GROWTH AROUND THE TRANSIT HAS RESULTED IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF VERY VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES ALONG STATIONS.

AND THESE BUSINESSES FACE THE CHALLENGE OF OF COURSE, RISING RENTS AND CHANGING CUSTOMER BASIS.

AND THESE RISKS ALSO EXTENDS TO NON PROFIT AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

AND THESE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT ACCESS TO A VEHICLE AND ARE OFTEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO ARE THE EXACT POPULATIONS THAT WOULD IRONICALLY BENEFIT THE MOST FROM TRANSIT.

SO THIS IS WHY WE ARE NEXT SLIDE.

PLEASE ACTIVELY MOVING AS A TRANSIT AGENCY FROM TRADITIONAL TOD TO ADDING THE E IN FRONT OF THE TD TO EQUITABLE OUTCOME.

AND WE DO THIS BY NOT JUST ONLY REDUCING OR PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT, BUT ALSO REVERSING TRADITIONAL INEQUALITIES AND CREATING NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALONG THESE CORRIDORS.

AND WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT BY FIRST AND FOREMOST, CREATE ENOUGH HOUSING FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS WHILE PRIORITIZING THE UNDERSERVED MEANS NEXT, PLEASE.

SO WHAT MAKES THIS EQUITABLE? UM, THE FIRST IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN INVESTED IN, AND OF COURSE, PROVIDING HOUSING AT DIVERSE PRICE POINTS, BUT ALSO CREATING JOBS AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND IMPROVING THE PUBLIC SPACES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE ARE SIX DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON, UM, FOR EACH O D N C.

THE FIRST ONE HIGHLIGHTED IS WHAT WE FEEL IS THE MOST INCLUSIVE, MOST CRUCIAL ONE.

AND THE FIRST STEP IS TO IDENTIFY THE COMMUNITIES IN THE STUDY AREA THAT ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.

AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THESE FOLKS IN THE AREA, IF YOU'RE WILLING, ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AROUND BENEFITS AND TRADE-OFFS, AND WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES AND CONCERNS, AND WE'LL TAKE THESE FEEDBACK THAT WILL REALLY HELP INFORM POLICY SOLUTIONS GOING FORWARD.

THE OTHER FIVE ELEMENTS WE WANT TO DO OUR CASE STUDIES, KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE DOING FOR ETO D.

WE WANT TO REALLY ANALYZE EXISTING CONDITIONS AROUND OUR STUDY SITE, AROUND THE CORRIDOR AND USING THESE CONDITIONS, UNDERSTANDING THE CONDITIONS WE WANT TO MAKE A SERIES OF POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO STATION AREA OF VISION PLANS FOR SIX OUT OF THE 14 STATIONS.

AND ULTIMATELY WE WILL UPDATE THE TWO PRIORITY TOOL THAT KEPT METRO HAS STARTED IN 2017.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS THE CURRENT PROJECT SCHEDULE.

UM, IT'S ROUGHLY THE LENGTH OF A YEAR.

WE STARTED IN THE FALL OF 2021, AND WE HOPE TO COMPLETE THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THIS BY 20 END OF 2022, CARRYING ON TO SPRING 2023.

RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE ALL

[00:20:01]

UM, ONCE THAT INFORMS THE NEXT SERIES OF DECISION-MAKING WE'RE IN OUR FIRST ROUND OF ENGAGEMENT, THERE ARE THREE ROUNDS ON TOP, THE FIRST ROUND OF ENGAGEMENT IT'S REALLY OPEN TO BROADER PUBLIC, AND WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC'S GOALS AND PRIORITIES AND KEY CONCERNS AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND USING THOSE KEY CONCERNS.

WE WANT TO MATCH KIND OF FIND WAYS TO DEFINE THE SIX FOCUS STATION AREAS, ULTIMATELY GOING FORWARD.

WE WILL BE PASSING THE BATON TO CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, BY PROVIDING THE KEY STATION AREA VISION PLANS AND PRIOR TOOLS PENNY INTO THE CITY SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP TOWARDS A REGULATORY IMPLEMENTATION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WE HAVE A VARIETY OF ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT ARE GOING ON ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

SO WE HAVE THE CDC BRIEFINGS WITH THE CDC WORKING GROUP THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY.

THIS YEAR.

WE MEET WITH THEM MONTHLY TO INFORM OF THEM OF KEY PROGRESS ALONG THE WAY, BUT ALSO TO KIND OF CO-CREATE, UH, WORK WITH THEM ON FINDING SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.

WE ALSO HAVE ONE-ON-ONES WITH COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES, KEY SMALL KEY BUSINESS LEADERS, UM, REPRESENTATIVES OF DISPLACED COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S AN ONGOING DISCUSSION AND COMMUNITY, AND ALSO STAKEHOLDER PRESENTATIONS RIGHT NOW THIS WEEK, WE'RE WORKING ON FOCUS GROUPS WHERE WE'RE INVITING GRASS, TOP ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE SMALL DISCUSSIONS WITH CAP METRO STAFF, UM, IN A VERY SMALLER SETTING TO UNDERSTAND GOALS AND PRIORITIES.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE TO CONDUCT ALL THE ENTIRE FACE OF THE ENGAGEMENT FOR THE YEAR.

AND IT MAY VERY WELL LAST BEYOND THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OUR ENGAGEMENT TO THE PUBLIC KICKOFF, RIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING LAST YEAR, WE HELPED TWO DATES, NOVEMBER 16TH AND 17TH, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THIS WAS BROADCASTED THROUGH A VARIETY OF SOCIAL MEDIA PUSHES.

AND ALSO WE ASKED VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND LISTS TO JOIN AN INVITE US.

THIS IS NOT THE BEST PHOTO WE HAVE, BUT I PROMISE EVERYONE LOOKED TO BE MUCH HAPPIER TO BE HERE.

UM, THIS WAS A PHOTO LOOK, I GUESS PEOPLE LOOKED A LITTLE GRIM AWAY YOU'RE TESTING AUDIO, BUT WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT OF 158 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS OVER THE SPAN OF TWO DAYS.

AND WE HELPED SMALL BREAKOUT SESSIONS, EVERY MEETING TO KIND OF GET A BETTER SENSE OF EACH ATTENDEES.

I ALREADY SAID CONCERNS NEXT SIDE, PLEASE.

SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY DATA, UM, UH, UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO ATTENDED A LOT OF THE FOLKS ARE TRANSIT RIDERS.

ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE SAID THEY'VE NEVER WRITTEN TRANSIT.

AND A LOT OF THESE FOLKS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PROJECT CONNECT MEETINGS BEFORE AND OUT OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

UM, WE ASKED THEM TO IDENTIFY LIKE STATIONS OF INTERESTS THAT THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE FOCUSED ON.

AND WE HAVE HYDE PARK, WATERFRONT AND LAKE SHORE.

NOPE, ALL THE GROUPS, RESPONDENT, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO WORK REALLY HARD TO INCREASE OUR MINORITY BIPAP PARTICIPATION RATE.

SO WE HAVE A TARGET RATE THAT'S TRYING TO EXCEED THE POPULATION RATIO OF CITY OF AUSTIN NEXT FOR THIS PROJECT.

FOR EVERY STAGE OF THE ENGAGEMENT WE HAVE ALSO RIGHTY ADVERTISING AND SOCIAL MEDIA PUSHES.

UM, WE WILL BE PRINTING BUS PLACARDS, AND I WANT TO SAY ALL THE MAIN BUSES GOING THROUGH THE CORRIDOR, WE'LL BE PRINTING FLYERS AND POSTCARDS AND PAID ADVERTISEMENT PUSHES AS WELL AS, UM, UH, AS WELL AS ADVERTISEMENT AND AGENT OR ADVERTISEMENT WITHIN LOCAL NEWS AGENCIES AND AFFILIATE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE FOR THE FOCUS GROUP THAT IS GOING ON THIS WEEK AND IT'S STILL ONGOING AND WE HAVE THREE SPOTS OPEN.

UM, WE LIKE TO ASK IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY WHO IS REPRESENTATIVE OF AN ORGANIZATION AND THIS, UM, TO ME COUNTS AS WELL.

WE REALLY LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE.

THIS IS AN HOUR AND A HALF SESSION THAT'S FULLY COMPENSATED, AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A SESSION DEDICATED TO STANDISH AND ACCESS ACCESS FOLKS.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, PLEASE GIVE US AN EMAIL AT DOT ORG WITH YOUR PREFERENCE.

[00:25:01]

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S CALLED COMMUNITY CONNECTORS.

I HAVE TO SAY, I MEAN THE CAP METRO, WE HAVE A VERY, VERY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM.

WE HAVE A VERY LARGE TEAM AND THEY DO TREMENDOUS OUTREACH WHEN WE WENT ON THE SITE OURSELVES AND WE WROTE THE BUSES UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDORS, AND WE SPOKE TO THE WRITERS IN THE BUSES AND THOSE WAITING AROUND STOPS.

WE'VE FOUND THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCONNECT.

UM, A LOT OF RESIDENTS OR WRITERS DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT OR THE FACT THAT LIGHT RAIL IS COMING IN THE VERY SAME CORRIDOR.

SO THAT TELLS US HOW WE NEED TO GO EVEN DEEPER INTO THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO FOLKS WHO DON'T REALLY RESPOND TO TRADITIONAL METHODS OF OUTREACH.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE RECRUITING COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, 10 FOLKS WHO KIND OF REPRESENT ARE ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT WE WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH ALL THEIR TRAINING AND SUPPORT.

AND THERE'LL BE MOBILIZED TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT, UM, TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND ALSO GAVE IMPORTANT FEEDBACK.

AND THIS IS OF COURSE A FULLY COMPENSATED MESSAGE, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY CAN GO MUCH DEEPER AND BE ABLE TO REACH THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND COWORKERS THAT SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF USING CABINET-LEVEL EMAIL MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO.

AND THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WILL REALLY CARE ABOUT HEARING BACK BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THIS PROJECT IS ONGOING AND WE REALLY WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS.

AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT YOU CAN KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF THIS PROJECT.

UM, WE ALWAYS RESPOND VERY QUICKLY TO THE EMAIL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECT WEBSITE THAT'S SET UP ON PROJECT CONNECT IN THE FUTURE AFTER EVERY IMPORTANT PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS, UM, WE'LL HAVE A TRANSPARENT DISPLAY OF SURVEY RESULTS OR KEY FEEDBACK.

AND THE PROJECT SITE ITSELF WILL HAVE KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATION INFORMATION, ANY FACTUAL INFORMATION.

SO WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC IN THIS PROCESS.

SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I'D BE VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER WITH, UM, GREG, SORRY ABOUT THE SOUND AUDIO.

THERE'S ANOTHER MEETING THAT'S HAPPENING.

I COULDN'T TURN OFF THE OTHER TEAM'S LINK.

HE MUST LAND, UH, QUESTIONS.

I'LL START DOWN HERE WITH COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.

UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.

UM, UH, BUT IF THERE WERE ANY LIKE, UM, PROPOSED EXAMPLES OF HOW Y'ALL WOULD, UM, OFFSET THE X EXACERBATED THIS PLACEMENT, UM, THAT WAS MENTIONED FOR SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES, UH, CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE, WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLE? UM, LIKE I GUESS I'M TRYING TO THINK OF LIKE EXAMPLES OF LIKE, HOW Y'ALL LIKE, CAUSE IT WAS MENTIONED THAT SOME COMMUNITIES WOULD BE, UM, AFFECTED MORE BY EXACERBATION THE EXACERBATED THIS PLACEMENT, UH, WITH, UH, PROJECT CONNECT COMING ON BOARD.

WELL, STARTING UP.

AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE WAS ANY PROACTIVE, UM, IDEAS TO OFFSET THE DISPLACEMENT OR IF THERE'S BEEN ANY PROPOSED THINGS TO KIND OF LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO LIKE, NOT PRICE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES OR LIKE THE AREAS OR IF THERE WAS ANY LIKE THINGS THAT CAME UP ABOUT THAT.

OKAY, GREAT QUESTION.

OH GREG, GO AHEAD.

HI EVERYONE.

UH, GREG DIED IN THE HOUSING PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY RIGHT NOW, UM, OR, OR PROACTIVE, BUT, UM, WHEN WE GET TO THE PLANNING STAGE, THE MORE SPECIFIC PLANNING STAGE, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT ETO D IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE TLDS IN THE PAST IS THAT IT WILL HAVE A, UH, WE THINK A DIFFERENTIAL APPROACH TO HOW WE DO, UH, DEPENDING ON THAT ONE SIZE FITS ALL KIND OF APPROACH TO, TO THE PLANNING EFFORT.

WE MAY HAVE, UM, LIKE SOME PLACES MAYBE, UM, NEED PROGRAMMATIC ASSISTANCE OF SOME KIND OR OTHER PLACES MAY NEED CHANGES TO SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT INCLUDE

[00:30:01]

UM, BUT THAT WON'T BE THE SAME EVERY OR SO, SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT, UM, IT'S DIFFERENT FROM PAST EFFORTS IS THAT WE'LL DO A LOT OF CONTEXTUALIZING USING EXISTING CONDITIONS AND THEN KIND OF USE THAT TO HELP US GUIDE HOW THE, HOW THE PLANNING EFFORTS TO GO.

OKAY.

UM, LET'S SEE.

AND, UM, I KNOW IN THE PRESENTATION AND MENTIONED SIX STATIONS WERE BEING PROPOSED OR LIKE THAT THE IDEA WAS TO DEVELOP SIX STATIONS AND THREE WERE LISTED, BUT I WAS CURIOUS IF THEY WERE ANY, UM, SUGGESTED LOCATIONS FOR THE OTHER THREE, FOR WHAT PARTS OF TOWN THEY WOULD BE LOCATED.

UH, YES WE DO.

AND THESE STATIONS ARE KIND OF LIKE, UM, THEY'RE A WORK IN PROGRESS.

SO THE, WE HAVE SOME STATIONS BASED ON SOME PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS THAT WE FEEL ARE GOOD CANDIDATES, AND THOSE ARE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER, PRESS VIEW AND HYDE PARK.

AND WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT, INSTEAD OF JUST DOING ONE OR TWO STATIONS, NO RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR.

THIS WILL BE A FREE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR PLAN AS WELL.

OKAY.

I THINK THAT'S IT FOR QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HI, UH, THANK YOU, LESLIE, FOR THAT, UH, PRESENTATION.

UH, COULD YOU PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH A, UM, WITH, UH, THE, UH, THE OVERALL PLAN THAT YOU HAVE, UH, IN A WAY THAT, UM, IT CAN BE OVERLAID OVER THE CITY SO THAT, UH, I, I, I CAN'T REALLY VISUALIZE EXACTLY WHICH, WHICH STREETS, UH, OR, OR HIGHWAYS OR, UH, CORRIDORS THAT YOU'RE USING.

I CAN SEE, AND I CAN SEE IN GENERAL TERMS, UH, WHERE THINGS ARE, BUT IT'S, UH, IT'S HARD TO, UM, UH, VISUALIZE WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY, WELL, UH, WILL BE LOCATED WITH, WITH REGARD TO EXISTING, UH, UH, UH, STREETS IN, IN, UH, IN HIGHWAYS.

UM, COULD YOU, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO FOR US? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, YOU HIT THAT RIGHT ON THE NAIL.

THAT IS OUR NEXT STEP IN IMPLEMENTATION.

WE ARE CURRENTLY THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS FOR ALL THE STATIONS IN THE CORRIDOR, AND WE'RE RELEASING THIS INFORMATION VIA AN ONLINE INTERACTIVE MAP.

SO YOU'LL BE ABLE, AND THIS IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ZOOM IN TO THE SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE, HOW THE GEOGRAPHICALLY GOOD, CORRECT OVERLAY ANGLE B TO C LOOK AT INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STUDY PROJECT.

SO WE HOPE THAT THIS WOULD GO ONLINE PROBABLY IN A MONTH OR TWO.

OKAY.

AND, UH, NEXT, UH, I WAS JUST AT, UH, ON FRIDAY, I, I TOURED, UH, COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT, WHICH IS, UH, LOCATED, UM, UH, KIND OF, UH, TO THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.

AND, UM, CURRENTLY, UM, ACCORDING TO, UM, UH, ED WHO, UH, WAS, UH, WAS SHOWING US AROUND, UM, WHEN SOMEBODY FROM COMMUNITY FIRST, UH, TAKES THE BUS, UH, INTO TOWN IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, AT LEAST, UH, A TWO HOUR ROUND TRIP, UH, UH, TO, UH, TO DO SO.

AND, UH, UM, I'M WONDERING, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, MORE FREQUENT, UM, UH, MOVEMENT, UH, ON A, ON AN ONGOING BASIS SO THAT, UM, UH, PEOPLE ARE, ARE ABLE TO, UH, TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND, UM, RELY ON IT IN A WAY THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT MORE INCONVENIENT THAN, THAN DRIVING.

IT WOULD BE NICE IF IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE, IT WAS ACTUALLY EASIER THAN DRIVING, UH, AND SO THAT WE CAN, UH, GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR, UH, PERSONAL VEHICLES AND ALSO ALLOW PEOPLE WHO, UM, FOR THE MOST PART, DON'T HAVE A PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION, UH, BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE, THE CITY, UM, IN A MORE EQUITABLE WAY.

[00:35:03]

AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING.

UM, CAP METRO IS DOING A VARIETY OF ROUTES THAT YOU SPRINT OUT TO SEE HOW WE CAN INCREASE THESE VARIOUS BUS AND MULTIMODAL CONNECTIONS AROUND THESE STATIONS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON.

AND W WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, DISPLACEMENT OF, UH, PEOPLE, UM, FROM, FROM HOUSING, UH, I, I LISTENED CAREFULLY AND I, I, I HAVEN'T GET HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT LOCATING OR BUILDING OR OTHERWISE, UM, UH, SEEING THOSE PEOPLE, UM, IN NEW HOUSING, UM, WHICH WOULD SEEM TO ME TO BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE A HIGH ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL LIVES.

UM, NOT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE IN A CERTAIN PHASE OF A PROJECT WHEN, WHEN, UM, THE PLACE THEY'RE LIVING, UH, IS GONE.

THEY, THEY NEED SOME PLACE ELSE TO BE RIGHT THEN, UH, IF NOT BEFORE.

AND, UH, I I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THAT IS IN YOUR, IN, IN YOUR, UH, PROCESS AND WHAT THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE, UH, I KNOW HOW TIGHT THE HOUSING MARKET IS AND HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO GET INTO, UH, ANY KIND OF HOUSING, UH, WHETHER IT'S, UH, BUYING OR RENTING, UH, IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU.

UM, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS.

I THINK GOD CAN DEFINITELY SUPPLEMENT THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE CITY, LOOKING AT EVERY STATION AND WASTE INCREASE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER THAT'D BE CONVERTING PRIVATELY OWNED LAND, OR FINDING WAYS TO FIND DEVELOPERS, TO CONVERT THE PRIVATELY OWNED LAND WITH GREAT INCENTIVES INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ANOTHER WAY.

AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN NORTH OF MY TRANSIT CENTER AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.

THESE ARE LARGE, LOTS OWNED BY CAP METRO, UM, FOR 2D DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES.

SO THIS IS LAND THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TRY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON TOP.

AND THIS IS THE LAND THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THE STATE OF WHAT TO DO.

SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS ONE OF OUR EFFORTS AS AN AGENCY TO TRY TO GO FORTH, BUT IN TERMS OF CREATING NEW HOUSING, WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO INCREASE FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES AND, UM, INCENTIVE POLICIES WITH THE CITY TO KIND OF ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENTS.

THANK YOU.

AND I HAVE, UH, ONE, ONE MORE QUESTION.

UM, UH, WHAT, WHEN I LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE THAT YOU GAVE US, UM, UH, IT REMINDED ME OF OTHER PLANS THAT I'VE, I'VE SEEN.

IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO AUSTIN, BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, UM, THERE'S A, UH, UH, A CONCENTRATION ON BRINGING, UH, PEOPLE FROM, UH, THE, UH, OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY TO THE, UH, INTERIOR OF THE CITY.

BUT, UM, WHEN I TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVE AND ALSO, UH, UH, UH, IN, UH, DISTRICT TWO, UH, ALSO WHERE, UH, PEOPLE HAVE THE, THE, UH, UH, TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE EAST WHERE PEOPLE HAVE, UH, TRADITIONALLY, UH, BY DESIGN, UH, IN, IN THAT, IN THAT, UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY EXCLUDED FROM LIVING ELSEWHERE IF THEY WERE BLACK.

AND, UH, AND THERE WAS THE SAME KIND OF RED LINING THAT WENT ON AS HISPANICS MOVED IN.

SO THEY, THEY LIVE IN THESE PLEAT PLACES, NOT NECESSARILY, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY CHOSE TO LIVE, BUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE, UM, THE ONLY PLACE THEY WERE ALLOWED TO LIVE.

AND I DON'T SEE, UM, IN THE, UH, IN THE DESIGN THAT SHOULD, THAT YOU'RE SHOWING US HERE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR CROSS TRANSPORTATION, UM, FROM, UH, EAST TO WEST, UH, IF YOU ARE IN THE SOUTH, YOU KNOW, I HAD, IT'S NOT LOGICALLY EASY TO GO, UH, TO CITY HALL IN ORDER TO GET, UM, UH, FROM THE SOUTH IN ORDER TO GET, UM, TO ANOTHER PLACE IN THE SOUTH.

UH, SO, UM, I WONDER IF YOU'RE, UM, LOOKING INTO SOME, UH, SOME, UH, SECONDARY,

[00:40:02]

WE HAVEN'T YET.

SO THE TERMS OF THIS STUDY, WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT A VERY SPECIFIC CORRIDOR.

UM, IT IS JUST THE BLUE CORRIDOR AND HALF OF THE ORANGE CORRIDOR ABOVE THE RIVER.

SO UNDER THE TERMS AND GUIDANCE OF THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, THIS IS THE ONLY CORRIDOR THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AT THIS DURATION.

SO WE TALKING ABOUT THE SOUTH PORTER THAT IS NOT IN THIS PRINT BASE OF THE WORK, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY INCORPORATE IN THE NEXT ROUND.

UM, WELL, THIS IS A, IS A COMMENT, UH, I'M, I'M DISTRESSED, UM, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW THAT, UM, THE, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE BEST SERVED BY THIS ARE ALREADY THE PEOPLE WHO, UM, ARE BETTER OFF AND HAVE BETTER RESOURCES, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE LEAST RESOURCES AND HAVE THE GREATEST NEED ARE, UM, ON THE BACK BURNER.

AND THAT, THAT DISTRESSES ME.

UM, AND, UH, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT'S YOUR FAULT.

I'M JUST, IT'S JUST A COMMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO, UM, FOR THE RECORD.

I, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF, UH, PROGRAM DEVELOPED AT THAT, UH, UM, REALLY FOCUSES ON THE, ON THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT LIVE IN, UH, AND THE EAST AND THE SOUTH SIDES OF TOWN, SO THAT, UM, UH, AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO MOST NEED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND ARE THE, THE LEAST LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD, UH, OTHER, UH, UH, PRIVATE CAR OR TO, TO AFFORD, UH, GAS PRICES AS THEY RISE AND SO FORTH.

UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NOTED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M JUST GONNA THE TALK, I'M GOING TO LOOK UP AND SEE IF COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HAD ANYTHING BEFORE I START GOING DOWN HERE.

HMM.

THANKS, LINDA.

UM, I'M JUST HOPING THAT THE VOUCHER THING WILL COME THROUGH FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT, AND THAT YOU WILL FOLLOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA FOR BUILDING AND THAT WE STILL CAN HAVE SOME, UM, EQUITABLE HOUSING ON THE CAP COCK SITES THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND THAT, UH, THEY WILL BE, UM, ABLE TO BUILD IN A MANNER THAT WILL THE CITY CAN, UH, FACILITATE TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.

WE HAD SOMEONE COME DURING CITIZENS COMMUNICATION TALKING ABOUT THE COST OF THE PROCESS.

SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN KEEP LOW INCOME HOUSING THERE, AND WE CAN FACILITATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF IT, UM, THROUGH A VARIETY OF, UM, COMMISSIONS.

AND I'M CERTAINLY HOPEFUL THAT YOU WILL COME BACK AND THAT WE CAN HELP IN THAT WAY.

I KNOW THAT THE, THE 180 3 AND SEVENTH STREET IS VERY NEAR THE RIVER, AND, UM, THAT ONE IS VERY WELL DONE.

IT'S NEAR MONTOPOLIS BRIDGE IF, UM, PEOPLE COULD ORIENT IT BETTER THAT WAY.

SO IF YOU WANTED TO GO AND SEE WHAT IS PERHAPS PROPOSED FOR THESE OTHER AREAS, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT SITE WOULD BE A GOOD ONE TO VIEW.

AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO, UH, BE INCLUSIVE OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO OFTEN PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO VOLUNTEER.

SO I'M THANKFUL THAT THERE WILL BE SOME PAID, UM, INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, I JUST, ONCE AGAIN SAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, I'M SURE YOU HAVE, CAUSE YOU GUYS SEEM TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR EFFORTS.

UM, GO TO THE COMMUNITY CENTERS.

WE IN NON TOPLESS HAVE A BRAND NEW ONE.

SO IF YOU DO OUTREACH THERE THAT I THINK YOU'LL MEET A LOT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS.

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY GOTTEN SOMEONE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO IF YOU COULD KEEP US POSTED AND LET US KNOW WHO IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE OUTREACH PERSON, AND, UM, THEN WE CAN ASK THEM TO COME AND SPEAK TO, UH, THE GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.

SO, AND THEN I'M ALSO WONDERING,

[00:45:01]

SO I APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF THAT EFFORT AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF THOSE COSTS, UM, WILL BE NOT SO GREAT GOING FORWARD AND WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO BETTER SERVICE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, I'LL BE QUICK.

UM, THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.

SO ONE OF THE, UM, UH, STUDIES THAT I PARTICIPATED IN WHEN I WORKED, UH, FOR TEXAS CHILDREN, NATURE, WAS LOOKING AT WHAT FAMILIES WANTED, UM, OUT OF, UH, UH, OUT OF A CITY.

AND, UM, AND HOW DO THEY CONNECT WITH PARKLAND? AND BECAUSE THEY REALLY SAW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PARKLANDS AND THE HEALTH OF THEIR CHILDREN.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE SURVEY WAS THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE MORE BUS STOPS AT PARKS.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I WANT TO PLANT THAT SEED OUT THERE.

THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND THE WAY I THINK OF IT IS, ESPECIALLY WITH LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO LIVE IN STACKED HOUSING, CLUSTER HOUSING.

AND SO NOW WE NEED TO PROTECT AND PROVIDE THE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THEIR YARD.

UM, AND THOSE ARE OUR PARKS.

SO THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE PUBLIC USES.

UM, I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF PROVIDING, UM, YOU KNOW, EQUITY, UM, AND HEALTH, UH, FOR, UM, OUR CITIZENS AND THE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS PROVIDE THOSE LINKS AS WONDERFUL LINKS, ESPECIALLY TO OUR GREEN SPACES.

SO I HOPE THAT THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND, UH, ESPECIALLY AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UH, I'D ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE OUT IN OUR PARKS, DULY NOTED, AND I FULLY AGREE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRISTOL.

DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR YOUR WORK.

NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, MR. HEY, Y'ALL UM, APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, MEET US, ALTHOUGH I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S PART OF YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION.

SO YOU'RE PROBABLY GETTING PAID TO BE HERE.

UM, YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT, UM, DISTRICT ONE, I ALSO LIVE IN A PART OF TOWN, UH, OFF ROGGIE AND MAYNARD.

THAT IS BASICALLY GOING TO BE PART OF DISTRICT FOUR.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN, UH, THESE TRANSIT LINES AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE Y'ALL HAVE ALLUDED TO, UM, IT'S NO SECRET THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED LINE, RIGHT, BASICALLY EVERY STAFF HAS BECOME SORT OF LIKE LUXURY APARTMENTS, RIGHT.

WITH JUST THE BARE MINIMUM AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDED TO GET LIKE CREDITS FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR WHATEVER.

UM, AND EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT IN YOUR SLIDE, YOU SAID THAT YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT LIKE DIVERSITY FOR BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE IN THESE AREAS.

RIGHT.

UM, DEFINITELY I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT NORTH LAMAR, RIGHT, DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE PARTS OF TOWN, UM, IT'S ARGUABLE, WHETHER THE TRAIN LINE, EVEN THOUGH I'M A FAN OF THE TRAIN LINE, I THINK IT'S ARGUABLE WHETHER THE TRAIN LINE WILL ACTUALLY HELP DIVERSITY IN THAT AREA.

UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T NECESSARILY TAKE STEPS TO TRY TO SAFEGUARD THAT, UH, THAT DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY, RIGHT.

UM, I THINK, UM, ONE THING THAT WE CAN PROBABLY DO A BETTER JOB OF IN THE FUTURE IS LIKE, IF YOU LOOK AT, SAY, LET'S SAY THE PLAZA LTO STOP, FOR EXAMPLE, OR THE MLK JR.

STOP.

HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHO ARE FROM THOSE AREAS? PROBABLY VERY FEW.

RIGHT.

UM, I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE AN INTERESTING THING TO LOOK AT.

UM, NOT ONLY FOR THE CURRENT RED LINE, RIGHT, FOR LIKE CURRENT STATISTICS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, MODELING FOR THE BLUE LINE AND THE ORANGE LINE.

I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT RIVERSIDE, ESPECIALLY EASTERN RIVERSIDE NEAR THE AIRPORT, UM, THE CURRENT DEMOGRAPHICS WILL PROBABLY NOT BE THE DEBT WITH ALL THE DEL VALLEY DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BLUE LINE COMING IN, UH, MAKING IT VERY EASY TO GET TO THE AIRPORT OR GET TO DOWNTOWN.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND I ALSO THINK THAT, UH, AS FAR AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THE TRANSIT LINES, UM, I THINK IT WILL BE DEFINITELY VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ENDS UP, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BLUE LINE OR THE VERY NORTH OF THE ORANGE LINE, UM, OR ON THE VERY EAST OF THE GREEN LINE.

[00:50:01]

BRIDGETTE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND CAN I JUST ADD, UM, FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS TO CENTRALIZE THE CONCENTRATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALONG SPECIFIC CORRIDOR PLANNING AND TRANSIT SHOULD BE A DEMOCRATIC, UH, DEMOCRATIC PROCESS FOLKS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENJOY ACCESS TO NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS LOCATED ALONG, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR OR THE STUDY, THE WAY WE CHOSE OUR FOCUS STATION AREAS, AS WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT MORE TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL, TO FIND WAYS TO KIND OF INTRODUCE THE TOPIC OF OPENING UP SERVICES AND HOUSING FOR PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE INFANTS.

ABSOLUTELY AGREED.

YEAH.

ALSO, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW MUCH OF THE, UH, HOUSING THAT'S BUILT IN THESE AREAS AROUND THESE, UH, TRANSIT STOPS ARE ACTUALLY LIKE AFFORDABLE.

I WOULD BE AT THE VERY LEAST LIKE A USEFUL BASELINE TO LOOK AT WHEN YOU'RE DETERMINING, OKAY, WELL, WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROGRAMS ARE WE GOING TO USE? WHAT'S RENT GOING TO BE? UM, SO I THINK ALL OF THIS STUFF IS SUPER FASCINATING.

I LIKE URBAN TRANSPORTATION JUST AS MUCH AS I LIKE TREES AND I REALLY LIKE TREES, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, AND MY ONLY COMMENTS ARE THAT, UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE LINE THAT YOU PRESENT THAT SEEMS TO HAVE THE MOST STOPS CATERS TO, UH, THE WEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT SKEWS SOME OF THIS EQUITABLE STUFF RIGHT THERE, AND EQUITY MEANS TO ME EAST, I, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SCOTT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT STREETS IN EAST AUSTIN HAVE THOSE ACCESSES.

I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HEAR Y'ALL GOT ON THE BUS AND ACTUALLY WENT AND TO SEE IF PEOPLE WERE MAKING THAT CONNECTION AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS COMING.

IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSIVE THAT Y'ALL DID THAT.

AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT, UM, CONTINUING TO SEE HOW MANY STATIONS ARE EAST THAT CAN COME IN AND CONNECT WITH THE BIGGER, UM, LINES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE GOING TO REALLY CATER TO THE STUDENTS AND TO, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE SECOND STATIONS WERE ALL IN THE ELITE AREAS OF THIS TOWN.

AND SO THAT'S DISHEARTENING TO SOME EXTENT, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE UNDER SPECIFIC GUIDELINES WITH THIS FUNDING AND THAT PRETTY MUCH DROVE WHERE Y'ALL HAD TO GO WITH THIS LINE, BUT DEFINITELY, UH, YOU KNOW, W WE HOPEFULLY WILL BE ABLE TO, TO SEGUE INTO THE EAST WEST CONNECTIVITY.