[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START.
SO LET'S SEE, WE ARE, THIS IS THE PARKS BOARD RECREATION, EXCUSE ME.
THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
AND, UH, WE, I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER ON JANUARY 25TH AT 6:05 PM.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY BREAK.
GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY AND SEE, UM, EVERYBODY ONLINE AS WELL.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL ROLE.
SO WE HAVE A BOARD MEMBER, RENALDI BOARD MEMBER MOORE HERE, BOARD MEMBER BELT, BOARD MEMBER, UH, BERNARD VICE CHAIR, DEPALMA RESIDENT, UM, BOARD MEMBER COTTONS.
CYBIL PRIVATE BOARD MEMBER DECARLO.
CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME BOARD MEMBER DECARLO? I SEE, I SEE YOUR NAME HERE.
IS SHE HERE? UM, NAN, DO YOU KNOW IF KIM TAYLOR'S HERE? I DON'T SEE HER, BUT MAYBE SHE HASN'T CALLED IN YET.
AND, UM, BOARD MEMBER HUG, MAN, I THINK IS, IS OUT TODAY.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (Part 1 of 2)]
THAT PART DONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO VICE CHAIR DEPALMA.UM, REAL QUICK, UH, POINT OF BUSINESS.
DO YOU WANT TO TAKE ALL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION IN THE BEGINNING? OR DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ALSO TAKE THIS OR WAIT FOR THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS WHERE THERE IS THIS COMMUNICATION? RIGHT? WELL, WE HAVE, WE HAVE GENERAL AND WE HAVE, UM, YESTERDAY AND ARE MOST OF THEM FOR, FOR B, FOR B ONE, OR FOR, I MUST HAVE WHAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A GOOD ASSORTMENT ON THE AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND, UM, AND DO GENERAL AND THEN WE'LL DO MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL DO THE OTHERS.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT AT THE JANUARY 5TH, 2022 BORDER.
UH, ME SAY IT, WHAT A REC PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MY NAME'S RICHARD HALL, VICE CHAIR.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR OPEN GENERAL ASSISTANCE COMMUNICATION.
DURING WHICH TIME WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GO ASK ANY QUESTIONS AND IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DON'T CARE, BUT THAT THE FACT THAT IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL SHARON BLYTHE WITH FRIENDS OF AUSTIN MEMORIAL PARK.
IN THIS LIFE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, JUST TO JUST KIND OF A GENERAL BACKGROUND OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON OR CEMETERY SINCE ABOUT 19 90, 91.
UM, IN 91 PART ATTEMPTED TO DEDICATE 3.2 ACRES OF THE CEMETERY TO GIVE THAT, SELL THAT LAND TO A CHURCH, RIGHT BY THE CEMETERY THERE, UH, THAT WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT BY NOTICING THE PAPER AND, UH, HAD 400 PEOPLE AT A MEETING IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS IN TO STOP THAT ATTEMPT.
UM, AND, UH, DIDN'T PLEASE THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO TAKE OVER THE PART OF THE CEMETERY, BUT WE DID WE'RE, WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT IN 90 91.
UM, THEN IN, UH, 2004, THE SAME GROUPS BACK TRYING TO THROW A LOT OF MONEY AT THE CITY, SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS TO AT LEAST THAT PART OF THE CEMETERY FOR 99 YEARS.
THERE AGAIN, WE STEPPED IN AND, UH, STOPPED THEM FROM, UH, UH, SUCCESSFULLY TAKING OVER THE CEMETERY.
UM, AND, UH, THEN IN 2007, THE CITY MANAGER LEASED THE CEMETERY PART OF THE CEMETERY FOR 18 MONTHS TO THE SAME GROUP, THEY TORE UP THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CEMETERY, UH, AND, UH, FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION
[00:05:01]
STAGING AREA AND, UM, PARTS EXCUSE WAS THAT IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY USE.OF COURSE WE TOOK EXCEPTION TO THAT, BUT THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID IT ANYWAY.
UH, THEN IN, UH, 2010, I GOT INVOLVED WITH TXDOT AND, UH, ALL THE MOPAC EXTENSION OF, OF THEIR, UH, EXPANSION OF THEIR, UH, UH, LANES THERE, WHICH ABUTTED THE CEMETERY.
AND I WAS, I WAS DEDICATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE THE CONSULTING PARTY ON THAT PROJECT.
SO I HAD A LOT OF INPUT INTO IT.
UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON GETTING THAT PROJECT STARTED, BUT IT WAS APPROVED BY THE CTA MRA BOARD TO GO AHEAD AND PLANT 55 TREES ALONG THE WHOLE PACK THERE TO, UH, UH, PROTECT THE CEMETERY FROM THE NOISE OF THE CITY OF THAT, OF THAT TRAFFIC.
UM, SO, UM, UH, I HAVE ABOUT EIGHT PAGES OF ACTIVITIES OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS ON THAT CEMETERY.
AND, UH, IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT TIRESOME TO HAVE TO BE ALWAYS ON GUARD AND PROTECT AND TRY TO BE FLAGGED ATTEMPTS, UH, OF, UH, TAKING OVER THE CEMETERY.
SO CURRENTLY THERE A GROUP IN ALLENDALE THAT WANTS TO USE A CEMETERY FOR THEIR PER PRESERVATION.
I HAVE NOTHING, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH WILD FLOWERS AND, UH, THAT TYPE OF THING, BUT NOT IN THE CEMETERY.
I MEAN, IT'S ACTUALLY IN STATE LAW THAT CITY GOVERNMENT HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE CEMETERY.
THEY HAVE TO MOW IT AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND, UH, THIS, THIS PROJECT WOULD, UH, VIOLATE THAT STATE LAW.
SO I HAVE GIVEN THIS TO, UH, TO YOUR LIAISON THERE AND SHE, SHE HOPEFULLY WILL SEND IT OUT TO EVERYONE, ALL OF THESE EIGHT PAGES OF ALL, ALL THIS HISTORY, BUT, UH, I JUST WANT HIM TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION THEN.
UM, WE'RE GETTING JUST A REAL, REAL TIRED OF, OF, UH, OF, UH, HAVING TO CONVINCE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, NOT TO DO THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. SCOTT COB BARTON SPRINGS POOL LIFEGUARD.
THANK YOU, MR. COBB FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I WORKED AS A LIFEGUARD AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL AND, UH, I WAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID IN DECEMBER TWO DAYS AFTER ATTENDING AN IN SERVICE WHERE WE WERE TOUCHING EACH OTHER IN CLOSE PROXIMITY DURING THE TRAINING, UH, WE RISK OUR HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
AND SO I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TODAY THAT I BELIEVE THE AQUATICS DIVISION HAS TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO WHAT WE NEED.
THE LAST BUDGET OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
EVERYONE IN THE CITY GOT A 2% RAISE, BUT WE DID NOT YEAR BEFORE EVERYONE GOT A 2% RAISE.
WE DID NOT THE YEAR BEFORE EVERYONE GOT 2.5.
THEY HAVE SOME STRANGE LANGUAGE PAGE 19 FOR ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, OUR FISCAL YEAR 20 21 21 22 INCLUDES A 2% BEACH B'S BASE WAGE ADJUSTMENT.
THAT IS FOR ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES ALSO PAGE 1 72, THE BUDGET INCLUDES BASE WAGE INCREASES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY BUDGET.
THE LAST INCREASE WE GOT WAS THE LIVING WAGE.
IN 2019, IT WAS PASSED FIRST FOR REGULAR EMPLOYEES IN 2018 AND ADDED IN FEBRUARY, 2019, RAISING OUR RATE WAGE FROM 13 TO 15, WE HAVEN'T HAD A RAISE SINCE THEN INFLATION THE FOLLOWING THREE YEARS, 1.8 1.27 FOR A TOTAL OF 10%, OUR FOOD HAS GONE UP.
EVERYTHING I GO TO BUY IS MORE EXPENSIVE, 10%.
NOW THE BUDGET THAT WILL BE PASSED IN THIS YEAR, WE'LL GO UNTIL OCTOBER OF 2023, MORE THAN LIKELY.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THESE 5% EACH OF THOSE YEARS.
SO BY THE TIME THE END OF THAT NEXT BUDGET, WE COULD BE BEHIND 20%.
WE'RE OUT THERE RISKING OUR HEALTH SAVING PEOPLE.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO INCLUDE US IN THESE REASONS.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF HOLIDAYS? WHY DOES IT, WHY DOES ANY COUNTRY HAVE A HOLIDAY HAVE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS? WHAT IS THE POINT OF OBSERVING LABOR DAY
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MEMORIAL DAY JUNETEENTH MLK DAY.WE'RE INSTILLING VALUES IN EACH OTHER.
THESE ARE THE VALUES THAT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM STORMING THE CAPITAL BECAUSE THEY SAY, I BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY.
IF YOU EXPLOIT THE LOWEST PAIGE LOWEST WAGE EMPLOYEES WITH NO HOLIDAY PAY, YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS CLIMATE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. REYNA'S, KEVIN RAINA'S WITH AUSTIN ROWING CENTER, ROWING CLUB.
AGAIN, KEVIN RAINEY IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, WHICH IS OPEN TO ANYONE BY THE WAY, IT'S JUST THE NAME.
AND, UH, SINCE WE LAST SPOKE, I'M PLEASED TO SAY A COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD ON JANUARY 12TH REGARDING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND AMENITIES OFFERED BY ARC AT THE BOATHOUSE.
THE RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS AMAZING.
IT WAS ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY PERSONALLY, ALSO VERY HUMBLING THAT OVER 300 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S PROBABLY THE LARGEST COMMUNITY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT CONNECT HAS HAD.
AND I THINK IT JUST SPEAKS TO THE COMMUNITY INTEREST IN THE AMENITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY ARC FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY CLEAR.
THERE'S VERY STRONG FEEDBACK AND OPINION THAT THOSE SERVICES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED TO AUSTIN FOR OVER 40 YEARS SHOULD NOT BE WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH VIA PROJECT CONNECT AND AARC SHOULD REMAIN THE OPERATING ENTITY OF THE BOATHOUSE AND WHEREVER OUR FUTURE LOCATION ENDS UP BEING MY SINCERE THANKS TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CALLA VOCA FOR THEIR PRESENTATION OF POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES FOR ARC AND A NEW BOAT HOUSE.
MY THANKS AS WELL TO PETER MILAN, WHO YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM LATER FOR ORGANIZING THE MEETING AND ENABLING US TO HAVE SUCH A PUBLIC FORUM.
AND IT WAS A VERY POWERFUL EVENT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT PARTICIPATED.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MANY OF YOU ON THE BOARD WHO DID PARTICIPATE.
UH, IT WAS A VERY, IT WAS FANTASTIC ALONG WITH COUNCILWOMAN TOBO PROGRAM MANAGER, KIM MCKNIGHT, AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CITY AFFAIRS AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT WAS WONDERFUL TO HAVE.
SO I DEEPLY APPRECIATE PARD STAFF, THIS BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL FOR REMAINING ENGAGED IN DILIGENT, WHICH I BELIEVE STILL NEEDS TO BE.
OUR APPROACH IS ENGAGED IN DILIGENT IN THE MATTER TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF PUBLIC BENEFIT NRC PROVIDES TO AUSTIN NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE, WHATEVER LOCATION WE ENDED UP BEING IN.
THANK YOU, MR. RINUS, OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE.
COMMUNICATION IS MR. MIKE AND NAUGHTY.
AND IS THAT CORRECT? YOU'RE LISTED AS GENERAL CITIZEN, THE COMMUNICATION VERSUS THE AGENDA ITEM.
UH, THIS IS A NON AGENDA ITEM, BUT I HELPED SPEAK LATER TO AN AGENDA ITEM.
DO I NEED TO PUSH THIS? ARE WE GOOD? OKAY.
IT'S ON, YOU GOT THREE MINUTES.
UH, JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A GROUP NOW.
MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN SOME INFORMATION FROM THIS NEW GROUP CALLED THE, UH, ZILKER PARK COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP, REALLY TRIPS OFF THE TONGUE.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL WERE AWARE THAT THIS GROUP WAS FORMED BASICALLY THROUGH THE COURSE OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST YEAR THAT HAVE BEEN CENTERED AROUND THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
UM, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION AND BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY HAVE JOINTLY BEEN WORKING TO GET 17 OF THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS IN THE PARK TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THE, THE NEEDS OF THE PARK CAN BE BEST SERVED IN THE FUTURE.
AND I, I TRUST YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE FROM US DOWN THE ROAD, UH, BUT MORE IMMEDIATELY, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VISION PLAN DESIGN TEAM, UH, HAS BEEN GETTING INTO IT FROM THE PARK USERS.
UH, WE JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE THAT PROVIDE THE AMENITIES AND PROGRAMS IS OPRAH PARK FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER TOWN, HAVE THEIR VOICE REFLECTED IN THE, IN THE VISION PLAN PROCESS.
UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GOALS WE'RE FOCUSING ON STARTING WITH, UM, PROMOTING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE VISION PLAN, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS AND GO TO THE SURVEYS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE A REFLECTION IN THE INPUT THAT REFLECTS THE ENTIRE CITY OF THIS METROPOLITAN PARK.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN PROMOTING, UH, THE IDEA OF MAKING EQUITABLE ACCESS
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AVAILABLE AGAIN FOR THE WHOLE CITY TO USE THIS, THIS GENUINE TREASURE.UM, WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABLE PARKING, UH, ACCESS, IMPROVED BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
UM, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE PARK WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR CLIENTS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS COME IN.
UM, THIS WAS REALLY DRIVEN BY THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR PARK USERS WHO VISIT THE PARK FROM ALL ACROSS TOWN.
AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A SURVEY DONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SHOWING THAT 67.8 OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS ACTUALLY TRAVELED BY A PERSONAL CAR TO THE PARK.
UM, WHILE THAT IS ONE ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE VISION PLAN.
WE ALSO THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS AND THE NATURE OF THE PARK BE ENHANCED.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY TRYING TO SAY BOTH OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE SOLVED WITH THE VISION PLAN PROCESS.
SO OUR HOPE IS THAT THE DESIGN TEAM CAN HELP CRACK, YOU KNOW, A VERY COMPLEX PROBLEM, BALANCING ACCESS, EQUITABLE NEEDS, UH, NATURE PRESERVATION ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
AND, UM, I ACTUALLY, I THINK I SAW IT WAS ATTACHED AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
I'M NOT SH I'M NOT AS A, AS A BACKUP ITEM.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM IS FOR, BUT WE DID SUBMIT A LETTER TO, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND I THINK TO Y'ALL THAT BASICALLY IT'S TWO LETTERS TO THE VISION PLAN TEAM ANNOUNCING OR DESCRIBING WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE THE IMPORTANT VALUES AND PRIORITIES FOR THE VISION PLAN.
AND THEN WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOST RECENT, UH, MEETING, UH, PRESENTATIONS THAT THE DESIGN TEAM PUT OUT AND WE GAVE THEM SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
SO WE MAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, THERE'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT WE DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE ABOUT WHO THE SCRIP IS, ZILKER PARK, COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP, AND, UM, APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND FOCUSING ON THE VISION PLAN.
WE'LL BE INVOLVED WITH THAT TOO.
THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL ASSISTANCE COMMUNICATION.
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SO LET'S QUICKLY GO, EXCUSE ME, APPROVAL OF MINUTES.HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THEM THE MINUTES, AND IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS, IF NOT, IF WE COULD GET SOMEBODY TO MOVE TO APPROVE, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 30TH.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU.
AND SO, UM, NOW BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR IS HERE NOW, SO, OKAY, PERFECT.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (Part 2 of 2)]
SO NOW BACK TO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FOR THIS FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS THE UNDER NEW BUSINESS, THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR FOR APPROVAL OF THE BEVERLY S SHEFFIELD NORTHWEST DISTRICT PARK VISION PLAN.SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY, AND THEN WE'LL GET THE PRESENTATION.
WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THE IN-PERSON LET'S DO THIS SINCE THEY THEY'RE HERE IN CASE SOMEBODY HAS TO LEAVE.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JULIE HAYES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I AM AN ALLENDALE RESIDENT AND MOM OF THREE ELEMENTARY AGED KIDS.
ONE OF WHICH IS HERE WITH ME AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM HER IN A MOMENT.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BIKE PLAYGROUND AT BEVERLY SHEFFIELD PARK IN ITS CURRENTLY PROPOSED LOCATION NEAR THE RDF STREET AND STUDENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THE ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED LOCATION OF THE BIKE PLAYGROUND.
I DISAGREE WITH ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, AND STRONGLY BELIEVE THE PROPOSED LOCATION NEAR THE ARDATH ENTRANCE IS IDEAL.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN EXPRESSED IN THE ANA NEWSLETTER, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WAS ALSO SHARED WITH THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, AND THEN I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHY THE PROPOSED LOCATION IS IDEAL.
FIRST, THE CONCERN POSED BY ANA IS THAT THE PROPOSED LOCATION FOR THE BIKE PLAYGROUND IS CURRENTLY OPEN GREEN SPACE AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE THERE WILL BE DISPLACED.
I DO NOT FIND THIS CONCERN COMPELLING BECAUSE THE VISION PLAN FOR THE NORTHWEST PARK INCREASES MULTI-USE GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT THE PARK FROM 1.3 ACRES TO 2.1 ACRES.
THIS IS A 62% INCREASE IN MULTI-USE GREEN SPACE, WHICH MEANS ANY ACTIVITY CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE.
AND THE PROPOSED BITE PLAYGROUND LOCATION WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AVAILABLE SPACE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION.
UH, NEXT I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PLAYGROUNDS TOGETHER.
THE PROPOSED LOCATION FOR THE BIKE PLAYGROUND IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE TWO TO FIVE YEAR OLD AND
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FIVE TO 12 YEAR OLD PLAYGROUNDS.KEEPING THE BIKE PLAYGROUND THERE, UH, MEANS THAT, UM, FAMILIES AND GROUPS OF CHILDREN CAN STAY TOGETHER WITHIN ONE LARGE VISUAL FIELD, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR ANYONE TRYING TO SUPERVISE MULTIPLE CHILDREN SAFELY, WHICH IS ME.
UM, FURTHERMORE KIDS GAIN THE INDEPENDENCE TO MOVE BETWEEN MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES, MORE FLUIDLY WHEN THEY ARE ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER IN THE CURRENT VISION PLAN, MY THREE KIDS COULD PLAY ON THREE DIFFERENT PLAYGROUNDS, UH, AND I CAN SAFELY SUPERVISE ALL OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME.
THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME, INCREASING PLAY OPTIONS FOR KIDS WITHIN A SINGLE VISUAL FIELD IS INCREDIBLY HELPFUL FOR FAMILIES OR GROUPS OF KIDS, UH, BEING SUPERVISED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR EVEN A SMALL GROUP OF ADULTS.
SO I ASK YOU FROM ALL OF THE OUTNUMBERED PARENTS OUT THERE, PLEASE BUILD STRUCTURED PLAYSCAPES LIKE THE BIKE PLAYGROUND FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND PLEASE KEEP THE PLAYGROUNDS TOGETHER.
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER, ARE YOU READY? ZOE SUMMIT, ZOE OR ZO IS THAT WAY.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M MORE NERVOUS THAN ANYBODY AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I AM 10 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE TWO SIBLINGS.
UM, ONE IS FOUR AND SHE JUST LEARNED HOW TO RIDE A BIKE.
AND IN MY OPINION, WHEN, IF THERE ISN'T A PLACE THAT KIDS CAN SAFELY RIDE A BIKE, THEN THEY'RE BASICALLY JUST RIDING THEIR BIKES ON THE STREET, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THERE, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSE, WHICH IS USUALLY WHERE THERE ARE LOTS OF CARS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE RISK OF BEING OF DRIVE OR RIDING YOUR BIKE RIGHT OUT OF YOUR RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE ON THE STREET IS A HIGHER RISK THAN MAYBE FALLING ON THE BIKE PLAYGROUND AND SCRATCHING YOUR KNEE.
SO IF MY LITTLE SISTER WANTED TO GO RIDE HER BIKE AND MAYBE MY LITTLE BROTHER WANTED TO GO ALSO GO PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEN ONE OF MY PARENTS COULD TAKE US AND MY SISTER WOULD HAVE A PLACE WHERE SHE CAN LEARN HOW TO RIDE HER BIKE.
AND SHE'S NOT JUST RIDING ON THE STREETS, WHICH, UM, THERE'S A HIGHER RISK, LIKE I SAID, BUT ALSO I, I RIDE BIKES AND I LIKE TO GO LIKE MOUNTAIN BIKING.
AND I LIKE RIDING JUST AROUND MY HOUSE, BUT ALSO THERE'S ALWAYS LIKE MY PARENTS TAKE PRECAUTIONS.
LIKE WE HAVE THESE STREET CONES THAT WE PUT OUT ON THE STREET BECAUSE CARS DO GO PRETTY FAST ON OUR STREET.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP IT TO WHERE THEY'RE THERE.
WE ONLY HAVE LIKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SPACE OR WHEREVER WE'RE GOING TO RIDE OUR BIKES.
AND THERE AREN'T, UH, AND THE CARS WILL MOST LIKELY SLOW DOWN BEFORE THEY GET TO WHERE WE ARE.
SO, UM, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND IN MY OPINION, SAFER IF THERE WAS A PLACE WHERE FIRST OF ALL, THERE AREN'T ANY CARS, BUT ALSO OUR PARENTS HAVE PROBABLY MOST LIKELY LIKE A BETTER PLACE TO BE ABLE TO WATCH MULTIPLE KIDS WHO HAVE MULTIPLE LIKES OR DISLIKES.
LIKE IF THEY DON'T REALLY LIKE, LIKE RIDING A BIKE, BUT THEY LIKE GOING TO PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND.
OR IF THEIR BROTHER OR SISTER LIKES TO GO RIDE A BIKE, THEY CAN GO RIDE A BIKE AND THE OTHER SIBLING CAN GO, UM, PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND.
UM, AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DONOVAN MILLER, ALL OF THAT GOOD LUCK FRIENDS.
UM, WELCOME TO THE PARKS BOARD AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.
AND I WOULD SAY, UM, SPECTACULAR JOB, BOTH OF YOU DATA AND GOOD ARGUMENTS.
AND THEN THIS IS STILL YOUR THREE MINUTES.
SO, UH, I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF BOSTON.
UM, I ALSO RUN A 5 0 1 C3 CALLED CAPITAL CITY BMX, WHICH IS THE BMX TRACK RUN WITH TRAVIS COUNTY ON IT, NORTHEAST METROPOLITAN PARK, WHICH WAS A LONG PROCESS TO GET THAT IN PLACE.
UM, I ALSO RUN A 5 0 1 C3 FOR, UH, A CYCLING TEAM FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES TO DO BMX.
THEY DO OFF-ROAD UNICYCLING, THEY DO EVERYTHING.
SO A LOT OF MY LIFE IS DEDICATED TO, UH, TO GETTING KIDS ON BIKES, GETTING THEM ACTIVE.
UM, I HAVE TWO KIDS IN, IN ALLENDALE.
WE DEAL WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM YOU JUST HEARD.
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I GUESS, YOU KNOW, REALLY TO TALK TO THIS HUGE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW WITH THIS VISION PLAN, I'VE LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 23 YEARS.I'VE WRITTEN TO THAT PARK A MILLION TIMES AND DO NOTHING, BUT THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IT PRESENTS FOR EVERYONE.
NOT JUST KIDS, NOT JUST THE ELDERLY, BUT EVERYONE IT'S A GYM.
AND SO WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
MY GOAL TONIGHT IS ONLY TO MAKE ONE CLEAR MESSAGE AND I THINK THERE'S A MISSING VOICE.
AND SO TO SEE, THIS IS WHY I'M SITTING HERE.
UM, MY KIDS COULDN'T BE HERE AT PRACTICE AND ALL THOSE THINGS, AND THAT'S THEIR LIFE.
THEIR LIFE IS NOT OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR OPPORTUNITY OR FOR PUTTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR THEM TO HAVE PLACES TO GO THAT ARE SAFE, BUT ALSO TEACH AND ENRICH THEIR LIVES AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT THAT GIVES THEM INDEPENDENCE.
AND WITHOUT THOSE THINGS THEY FIND OTHER THINGS TO DO.
RIGHT? SO WE'RE IN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE TO HELP PULL THIS TOGETHER, TO BRING KIDS IN AND, AND GIVE, UH, THE PARK BOARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT THEY WOULD WANT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A MISSING PIECE.
I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT, UM, MESSING UP THE GREEN SPACE WITH NOISE AND THE KIDS RUNNING AROUND AND PEOPLE THAT WALK IT EVERY MORNING AND HOW IT'S GOING TO DESTROY THEIR DAY.
BUT IF YOU GO TO PLACES LIKE BENTONVILLE, IF YOU GO TO PLACES, THERE'S THINGS GOING ON IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW AROUND THE SAME THING THAT ARE INTEGRATING THESE ACTIVITIES ALONGSIDE WALKWAYS, RIGHT? SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO JUST BE SECTION 17 AT THAT PARK.
WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THESE TYPES OF FEATURES SURROUNDING THE PARK SO THAT FAMILIES ARE OUT MOVING TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE MULTIMODAL MULTIMODAL OPPORTUNITIES, WALKING, SCOOTERING, UH, BIKES, ALL THESE THINGS CAN BE DONE TOGETHER AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO SAFE AND ENRICHING FOR THE KIDS.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO LEAVE IT OTHER THAN IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO WORK, TO BRING THOSE KIDS TOGETHER.
I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARY FARROW.
AND, UM, I ALSO HAVE LIVED IN, IN ALLENDALE FOR QUITE SOME TIME SINCE 88.
UM, I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE PARKS COMMITTEE, UM, AFTER WITNESSING SOME GIANT FISH KILLS AT THE POND.
AND SO THE POND DREW ME IN AND IT IS MY PASSION.
UM, UM, IT'S WHAT GOT ME INVOLVED IN, BUT ON BOTH THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BOARD AND, AND SHARING THE PARKS COMMITTEE.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING, OR REALLY BEFORE THAT, SINCE THE FISH KILLS IN 2016, UM, WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT'S GONE INTO THIS VISION PLAN.
WE APPRECIATE THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THUS FAR TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE CITIZEN FEEDBACK THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, THERE ARE, WE FEEL THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT STILL ARE SORT OF PENDING AND CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AS WAS MENTIONED.
UM, ALSO RECOGNIZING THOUGH THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO FINE TUNE SOME OF THESE THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE THERE ARE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING.
THE SHELL CREEK DAM RESTORATION PROJECT, THE SWIMMING POOL REPLACEMENT, A MAJOR SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT THAT IS GOING TO GO THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
AND EACH OF THESE THINGS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON VARIOUS PROPOSALS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS VISION PLAN.
SO WE URGE THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ONGOING COORDINATION AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING TOGETHER TO AFFECT THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN.
AND ALSO THAT YOU REQUIRE PERIODIC REPORTS AND ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS INFORMED AND INVOLVED AS ALL OF THESE PROJECTS GO FORWARD IN A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS THAT WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL PROBABLY ABOUT 2026.
UM, WE WANT TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER PRESERVE THE INHERENT NATURAL FEATURES OF THE PARK.
UM, THE POND, AS I MENTIONED, IT IS SLATED FOR A VARIETY OF STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE MOST BENEFICIAL WAYS TO RESTORE WATER QUALITY AND PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL WATER.
THE BOARDWALK, WE STILL BELIEVE IS OUTSIZED
[00:30:01]
PROPOSAL FOR THIS POND.IT'S LOVELY AT MUELLER, BUT, UH, WE THINK THAT A MORE NATURAL APPROACH AS EXISTS NOW COULD BE, UH, UH, PREFERABLE.
THE BIKE PATH TRACK WE UNDERSTAND IS, IS, UM, IS, IS FAVORED BY A COMMUNITY.
I WOULD SAY THAT MOVING DOG TRAINING, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE OPEN SPACE NEAR THE POND WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THAT WILL DISTURB THE BIRD HABITAT AND THE OTHER HABITAT THAT'S THERE.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE DOG TRAINING OVER TO THE POND.
AND AS FAR AS THE PLAYGROUNDS AND ACCESS TO THE BIKE BIKE TRAINING AREA, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE THE PLAYGROUNDS FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT ENTRANCE.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT THERE WILL BE A LINE OF SIGHT THAT WILL BE MAINTAINED AFTER THE PLAYGROUNDS ARE MOVED FURTHER WEST IN THE PARK.
UM, WE WE'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE FURTHER, UM, EVALUATIONS, AS I SAY, AND DO WHAT WE WOULD ASK THAT THE, AS THE DETAILS ARE CONSIDERED, UM, THAT WE DO WHAT WAS MENTIONED MOST OFTEN DURING THIS PROCESS BY CITIZENS.
AND THAT IS, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRUCE SPARROW SO SHE CAN FINISH MAYBE A RESPONSE TO THAT.
IT IS TO PRESERVE THE PARK IN AS NATURAL A STATE AS POSSIBLE.
SORRY, THIS MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE STAFF, BUT, AND LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION, IT SEEMS LIKE THE PLAYGROUNDS ARE IN THE SAME PLACE.
IS THAT, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE THEM CLOSE, FURTHER WESTWARD.
UH, YOU CAN GET THE STAFF TO CLASSIFY THAT.
YEAH, IT MIGHT BE JUST THAT THIS IS A SMALL SCHEMATIC, AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MORE DETAILED THING YOU CAN TELL, RIGHT.
NOW WE ARE MOVING TO, THANK YOU.
SAYS, YEAH, WE'RE MOVING TO THE PHONE.
THIS IS WHERE I GET TO PUT ON MY RADIO VOICE.
UM, OUR FIRST AM I CORRECT? UH, IT'S PAUL MADRANO IS OUR FIRST CALLER.
THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD ONE MINUTE.
HI, PAUL, CAN YOU HEAR US, PAUL? MADRANO CAN WE TRY THEN CALEB AND THEN MOVED BACK TO PAUL IF HE COMES ON.
HELLO, KAYLA, CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? PERFECT.
CALEB SAYS VICE CHAIR, DEPALMA.
AND DO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, UH, MY INTEREST IS IN THE BICYCLE PLAYGROUND AS WELL.
I GO A LITTLE BIT WITH ZOE AND I BELIEVE JONATHAN DONOVAN MENTIONED, UM, I'D WORKED WITH MARY ON THE, UH, THE PARKS COMMITTEE A FEW YEARS AGO AND A RESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UM, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASING TRAFFIC IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, KIND OF DRIVES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT SPACE WHERE, WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY SLATED, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE INITIAL PLANNING AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A GREAT FIT.
IT DIDN'T SEGREGATE THE LARGEST AREA OF SPACE, BUT I THINK THE OTHER BIT OF INFORMATION THAT HASN'T BEEN SUBMITTED AS TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN WE FIRST CONTEMPLATED A BICYCLE PARK IN THE AREA, I DID A, UM, A POLL ON THE NEXT DOOR KIND OF WEBSITE FOR KIND OF COMMUNITY, UM, KIND OF COMMENT.
AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GET ABOUT 233 VOTES IN A POLL AND, UM, CLOSE TO 70% OF THE, UM, BUTTERS WERE IN SUPPORT OF, OF A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
AND SO, UM, IT KIND OF ENCOURAGED US IN THAT PROCESS TO CONTINUE TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP THIS SCOPE WITHIN THE VISION PLAN.
UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, SEEING WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN HAVE DONE THAT AREN'T ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THE TRAVIS COUNTRY NEIGHBORHOOD IS BUILT ONE ON VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.
THERE'S A BIKE PARK GOING IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT VOLUNTEER.
AND, UM, IT SEEMS TO BE A GREAT WAY TO UTILIZE THE RESOURCE WITH, UM, IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY THAT, UM, PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS, ESPECIALLY TO RECREATE ON, ON BICYCLES, UM, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING EXPOSED TO TRAFFIC RISK.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT WAS ONE OF MY COMMENTS
[00:35:01]
AROUND.DO WE HAVE MR. PAUL MADRANO ON THE LINE YET? OKAY.
AND THEN AFTER MEDRANO, WE'LL HAVE DAVID RISKIN.
PAUL, CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY? YES.
HI PAUL, THIS IS RICH DEPALMA, VICE CHAIR OF THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, SOMEONE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW, I'M SORRY, WHAT DO YOU SAY? YES, PAUL IT'S IT'S YOU? SO PAUL, THIS IS THAT YOU'RE ON LIVE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PICKLE BALL COURTS AND, UH, REGARDING TO THE DIVISION PLAN, HOLD ON AND GOING TO PROBABLY DO.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE CONSULTANTS, AND ESPECIALLY MS. DARCY NUPUR WITH PARTS.
UM, AS I SAID, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE PICKLEBALL COURT, UH, PROPOSAL, AS IT RELATES TO THE VISION PLAN.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE FOUR TENNIS COURTS, TWO COURTS, A MARK FOR PICKLEBALL MAKING POOR PICKLEBALL COURTS.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION WITH THE TENNIS PLAYERS, UH, FOR THE COURTS IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SERVE NO PUN INTENDED.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUES ABOUT TENNIS PLAYERS THINKING THEY OWN THE COURTS NOW IN THE PROVISION PLAN IS TO PROPOSE DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR COURTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THANKS FOR THE TWO PROPOSED DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS, BUT WE LIKE TO LEAVE THE OTHER TWO TENNIS COURTS THAT ARE MARKED FOR PICKLEBALL TO BE LEFT AS BEING MORE PREDICABLE CAUSE OTHERWISE WE WOULD JUST HAVE TWO COURTS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR AND WE'LL USE IT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE WHEN, UH, IF WE CAN HAVE ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 22 PICKLEBALL PLAYERS, AND THERE'S ONLY LIKE ZERO TO FIVE TENNIS PLAYERS OUT THERE THIS AFTERNOON, THERE WERE 10 PICKLEBALL PLAYERS AND SIX TENNIS PLAYERS.
TWO OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE A COACH HAVING A PRIVATE LESSON, WHICH IS NOT REALLY ALLOWED.
SO THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR PICKLEBALL COURTS OUT THERE.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE TWO DEDICATED COURTS.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S A FENCE SURROUNDING THE TYPICAL BALL COURTS AND THAT THERE'S ENOUGH SPACE BETWEEN THE COURT SURFACE PLAYING AREA AND THE FENCE TO ALLOW FOR SAFE PLAY.
UM, ALSO THE VISION PLAN IS NOT MENTIONED RESURFACING THE TENNIS COURTS RIGHT NOW, THE TENNIS COURTS HAVE BIG CRACKS ON THE SURFACE FROM WATER PENETRATING THE WATERPROOF MEMBRANE UNDER THE COURTS, ALL THE WATER FROM THE HILL AND THE POOL AREA RUNS DOWN UNDER THE TENNIS COURTS TO THE CREEK AND DRAINAGE.
AND THE COURT DOESN'T WORK VERY WELL.
EITHER PONDS HAVE CREATED AFTER A RAIN AND THE WATER CONTINUES TO SEEP UP THROUGH THE CRACKS.
IT CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
SO WE WOULD ASK THAT PART ALSO CONSIDER RESURFACING THE TENNIS COURTS, AND AGAIN, LEAVING TWO OF THE TENNIS COURTS MARKED FOR PICKLEBALL AS WELL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID RISKIN AND I, MR. RISKIN HAS THREE MINUTES ALSO DONATED TO HIM FROM JANICE RANKIN.
DAVID, ARE YOU THERE? HELLO, DAVID, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES.
YEAH, DAVID, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES AND THEN ANOTHER THREE MINUTES OF DONATED TO YOU FROM JANICE RANKIN FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.
THANKS, JANICE IS THE DONATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
UH, I'M A RETIRED ECOLOGIST, UH, LIVE WITHIN A BLOCK OF THE PARK AND HAVE SO FOR CLOSE TO 40 YEARS, MOST OF MY COMMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH THE PAUSE BECAUSE THAT'S THE ICONIC FEATURE OF THE BAR.
AND SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THE POND, WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THE REVISED APPROACH IS TO ESSENTIALLY RETAIN THE CURRENT PYLON AND ITS ASSOCIATED HABITAT NO LONGER DOES THE VISION PLAN CONSIDER MODIFICATION
[00:40:01]
INTO A WATERFALL POND, REMOVE SEVEN OF THE BALL, CYPRESS STREET RETENTION OF THOSE, A RE RESTORATION SO OCCUR ARE WIDENING OF CHANNELS, ET CETERA.SINCE THIS NORTHWEST PARK PROJECT IS PROJECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 25 OR 26 AT THEIR EARLIEST, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASSURE THE INTENT IS THE VISUAL PLAN TO MAINTAIN PROJECT CONSISTENCY AND TRANSPARENCY WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, NONE OF US KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN FOUR OR FIVE AND SIX YEARS, FYI, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THE POND AND THE VISUAL PLAN.
IT SEEMINGLY IS LEFT PENDING FURTHER STUDIES, WHICH MAY LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN TO GROW OR SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED THE PROJECT.
SO WE PREFER SOME LANGUAGE, PERHAPS IT IS BOARD MOTION, LIMITING SUCH AN EVENTUALITY IN WHICH WOULD ASSURE THE CONSERVATION, THE POND ESSENTIALLY, AND ITS CURRENT CHARACTER AND CONFIRMATION IMPROVEMENTS OF COURSE ARE WELCOMED, BUT KEEPING IT WITHIN IT TO ESSENTIAL CHARACTER AND CONFIRMATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE POND AND GOOD COMPATIBILITY AND INTEGRATION INTO THIS OVERALL MULTI-PHASE PROJECT.
IT'S VITAL TO CONDUCT SEVERAL LINES OF INVESTIGATION VERY EARLY ON AMONG THEM THAT CEMETERY OF THE POND, WHAT ARE ITS CONTOURS? WHAT ARE THE SEDIMENTS AND ENTAIL AND WHAT SHOULD BE REMOVED TO RESTORE, MAINTAIN THE POND TO ITS INITIAL DESIGN.
ALL OF THESE REALLY RELATE TO THE WATER QUALITY, THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE AND THE QUALITY OF THE HABITAT AND THE POND AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THIS WORK UP FRONT WATER QUALITY IS THE POND SUFFERING FROM CONTAMINATION, FROM LINKING WASTEWATER OR FOR RUNOFF OR THE SEDIMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO EUTROPHICATION OF THE POND AND THE EVOLUTION OF ITS AESTHETIC CHARACTER AND WATER QUALITY.
SO WE WAIT, NONE OF THESE STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE IT'S DAILY SINCE THE POND WAS BUILT 1986, HYDROLOGY, WHAT IS THE WATER BUDGET FOR THIS POND? AND WHERE DOES IT GET ITS WATER INPUT? ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL WATER CAPTURE AUGMENTATION? SO A HYDROLOGICAL STUDY WOULD, WOULD, WOULD INFORM, UH, UH, AND ALSO PROBABLY INFORMED THE DESIGN OF THE POND OR OF ANYTHING AROUND THE POND, BECAUSE THINK ABOUT IT, IT TAKES EVERY PART OF THE PARK EXCEPT THE BASEBALL THAT I WAS, EVERYTHING YOU SEE, ALL THE ACTIVITY DRAINS INTO THE POND.
SO THAT'S WHY THE WATER QUALITY HYDROLOGY IS SO IMPORTANT.
THE GEOPHYSICAL ASPECT, WHAT IS THE UNDERLYING GEOLOGY? AND COULD IT SUPPORT ANY DEEPENING OF THE POND WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE PONDS, WATER HOLDING CAPACITY? AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE DETERMINED BY STUDIES.
SO STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO INFORM ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO APPROVE IT, MAINTAIN THE PAWN, ASSURE ITS INTEGRATIONS AND THE OVERALL MULTI-PHASE PROJECT, AND TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE POND, THE CURRENT THEY SUGGESTED STEP ONE IS TO INSTALL.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE WORK BEFORE WE MAKE THAT DECISION.
ALTHOUGH THAT IS PROBABLY AN IMPORTANT DECISION.
WE KNOW THAT FAIRCLOUGH BECAUSE THE WATER QUALITY COULD, COULD IMPROVE SOME OXYGENATION.
THE POND WILL ALSO REQUIRE A MANAGEMENT PLAN AND AN OPERATING BUDGET.
UH, BOTH OF THOSE ARE LACKING NOW AND THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY.
AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS.
IT IS VITAL THAT THE NORTHWEST PARK PROJECT HAVE AN OVERALL PROJECT MANAGER.
UH, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OF THAT YET, BUT I SUSPECT IT WILL BEGIN FAIRLY SOON.
YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY, AS THIS PROJECT STILL HAS CONSIDERABLE DETAIL TO BE ADDED AS IT PROCEEDS FROM THE RFP TO DESIGN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, WE REQUEST THAT WE BE KEPT INFORMED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW COMMENT AND INPUT AS APPROPRIATE.
AND I'VE ALSO SUBMITTED SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THE VISUAL PLAN TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND FOR THE RECORD.
AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COLIN MCMORROW TO BE AUSTIN RIDGE RIDERS.
DOES THAT LOOK LIKE HE'S CALLED IN YET? UH, COLON IS NOT CURRENTLY PRESENT.
ME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON CHAIR.
[00:45:01]
WE ARE, WE ARE, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION OF AVAILABLE SPEAKERS.[B.1. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Department Director for approval of the Beverly S Sheffield Northwest District Park Vision Plan.]
OKAY, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE PRESENTATION SO WE WILL, UM, LET'S SEE, ON THE NORTHWEST PARK WE HAVE, UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, CHARLES MAYBERRY AND DREW CARMEN.IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
UM, THANK YOU, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, YOUR COMPANY AND I ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE BEVERLY SHEFFIELD NORTHWEST DISTRICT PARK VISION PLAN, INCLUDING THE PROCESS OF LED TO THE FINAL DRAFT CONCEPT AND TO ASK FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE PARKS DIRECTOR FOR APPROVAL OF THE PLAN AND DIVISION PLAN WAS INITIATED IN 2020 FOR A COUPLE OF COUPLE OF REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AS RECEIVING MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK, UM, SUCH AS AN IMPROVED TRAIL SYSTEM AND REHABILITATION OF THE POND AND, AND THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS REALLY REQUIRE MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND NEVER TWO, THERE ARE SEVERAL LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ON THE HORIZON FOR THE PARK, INCLUDING THE POOL REPLACEMENT, THE SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT BY AUSTIN WATER USABILITY, AND ALSO THE DAM REHABILITATION PROJECT.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PARK AND THE HOPE PARK ITSELF IS ESSENTIALLY A LARGE REGIONAL DETENTION FACILITY WITH A DAM ON THE WESTERN EDGE ALONG SHOAL CREEK.
UM, AND THE REAL PURPOSE OF THIS VISION PLAN IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL FRAMEWORK TO COORDINATE THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND ALSO GUIDE THE OTHER RECOMMENDED FUTURE PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, AND ALL THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'LL SEE RECOMMENDED THIS EVENING IN ENVISION PLAN, WE'LL GO THROUGH A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS AND DESIGN PROCESS, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO DREW, TO TAKE US THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE VISION PLAN.
SO, UH, THANKS CHARLES, AND, UH, THANKS PARK BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYBODY HERE.
UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION IS UP HERE.
I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN SEE IT OR NOT YET.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN PRESENTER MODE AND DO THE PRESENTING A PRESENTATION YOURSELF, OR WOULD YOU LIKE CITY HALL TO DO IT FOR YOU? UM, SEE HOW I CAN DO IT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN, UH, THE THERE I'M SEEING, I WAS KIND OF SAYING TWO OF THEM.
I, YEAH, CITY HALL CAN DO THAT.
I THINK I'VE GOT IT IN A, IF NOT, I CAN PUT YOU IN PRESENTER MODE TOO, SO, UM, OKAY.
COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? SURE.
I'M TRYING TO PULL UP ON MY SCREEN.
UM, SO JUST FOR SOME CONTACT, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS, UM, OR PALPABLE, BUT JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT, AS CHARLES SAID, THIS IS, UM, UH, A REALLY IMPORTANT PART.
AND, UM, IT'S STILL IN THE FIFTIES AND NOTABLY THOUGH THE, UH, THE PART AND THE PARK'S TIMELINE, W WE UNDERWENT A MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT IN THE EIGHTIES, UM, RESPONDING TO THE 81 MEMORIAL DAY FLOOD.
UH, SO NOW THE PARKS, IT'S SEVERAL FEET BELOW THE ORIGINAL HEIGHT, UM, UH, AND THE ENTIRE PARK, EXCEPT FOR THE POOL.
UM, GENERALLY ACTS AS A STORM WATER FACILITY DURING MAJOR FLOOD EVENTS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, CAN I, CAN I SUGGEST SOMETHING CITY HALL I CAN SEE ONLY THE BIG VISION PLAN ON THE BIG VIEW.
IS THERE A WAY TO FIX THAT? NO, NOT WITH IT ALSO BEING SHARED WITH THE VIRTUAL MEMBERS.
SO ARE YOU WANTING TO SEE THE FACE OF THE SPEAKER MORE? IS THAT OKAY?
[00:50:01]
SHE IS A VIRTUAL MEMBER, I THINK, OH, I AM VIRTUAL.AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT ON THE VIRTUAL, WHAT YOU'RE CHANGING IS ONLY CHANGING IN THE PANELISTS.
I CAN'T TELL WHAT THE MASS, UM, OKAY.
SO W UH, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? I WAS JUST ASKING IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE BIG SLIDE IS ONLY ON THE OPENING COVER PAGE OF THE VISION PLAN SHOWING FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE, THAT ARE VIRTUAL.
ALL WE SEE IS THE COVERS EVER PAGE AT THE SLIDE.
UM, WHAT'S UP? OH, WHAT DO YOU SEE NOW? NOW WE SEE THE SLIDE.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SCHEDULE HERE, THE VISIT PLAN PROCESS TAKEN ALMOST A YEAR WITH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE ENCOMPASSING, ALMOST THE ENTIRE PROCESS OVERLAPPING WITH OUR DESIGN PHASES BELOW.
YOU'LL SEE THE PROJECTED TIMELINE FOR FEW OF THE OTHER CONCURRENT PROJECTS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE DAM REHABILITATION, THE AQUATIC CENTER, WHICH WILL START IN A FEW MONTHS AND, UH, THE SEWER IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAD A VERY ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH THESE VISION PLANNING EFFORTS.
UH, SINCE THE PROCESS ENCOMPASSES THE MAJORITY OF THE TIMELINE, IT REALLY GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT DESIGN CONCEPTS, GET FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEN WHERE NEEDED REALLY GO BACK AND SHARPEN OUR PENCILS AND MAKE REVISIONS.
UM, THAT REALLY START TO FIND THE WAYS THAT DESIGN CAN REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND VALUES.
UM, WE WENT THROUGH NUMEROUS DESIGN REVISIONS AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK.
UM, EVEN RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THIS MEETING, UM, I WAS TAKING NOTES ON SOME OF THE COMMUNITY'S FEEDBACK THAT WE MIGHT, UH, GO BACK AND LOOK AT.
AND EVEN THIS MONTH THROUGH EMAILS, UM, WE'RE CONTINUALLY INCORPORATING THE FEEDBACK INTO OUR DESIGN DECISIONS.
UM, SO BASED ON SOME OF THE EARLY SURVEYS AND MEETING THE DESIGN TEAM, DEVELOP A SET OF VALUES THAT REALLY WERE THE GUIDEPOSTS THAT DIRECTED, UM, OUR TEAM.
AND THEY FELL UNDER GENERALLY FOUR SETS.
UM, AND REALLY NO DESIGN DECISION WAS MADE THAT CAN'T POINT BACK TO ONE OF THESE VALUES.
AND, UM, THOSE KIND OF SETS ARE IN HERE.
IT REALLY DOES ENHANCE THE, UH, PARK NATURAL AMENITIES, AS WELL AS THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVE AND PASSIVE AMENITIES, UM, INCREASED IDENTITY AND PARK CONNECTIVITY, AND, UH, FINALLY, UH, WORK WITH THE OTHER CITY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
SO THIS IS A VISION PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THROUGH A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, UM, WITH, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES AND EXPERTISE OF OUR DESIGN TEAM AND USING THOSE VALUES AS THE POSTS.
AND SO I'LL SPEAK TO A FEW OF THESE, UH, DIFFERENT SPACES SHORTLY, BUT FROM A OVERALL VIEW, THIS PLAN REALLY REVOLVES AROUND THIS KIND OF CENTRAL GREEN SPACE THAT GENTLY SLOPES FROM THE RESTROOM BUILDING DOWN TO THE BOARDWALK HIGH-PITCH CYPRESS TREES AND, UH, AND POND.
UM, THESE ELEMENTS ARE IN THIS KIND OF CENTRAL AREA ARE INTENTIONALLY WOVEN TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS KIND OF CENTRAL AREA THAT ACTS AS THE HEART OF, OF THE PARK.
UM, X EXPIRED, THE CIRCULATION PATTERNS ARE SET UP WITH THREE DISTINCT PATHS OF, UH, MAIN PASSIVE TRAVEL.
FIRST IS THE OUTER ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ROUTE THAT CONNECTS BIKE LANES ON
[00:55:01]
SHOW CREEK AROUND THE, UH, KIND OF PERIPHERY OF THE PARK TO GET TO EVENTUALLY GET TO THE NORTH SOUTH BIKE LANES ON BURNETT AND AT THESE BIKE LANES ON JUSTIN MINE.UM, THESE ARE EIGHT, 10 FOOT PATHS, WHICH IS A WAY TO GIVE KIND OF A SAFE WOULD PASS THROUGH, UM, FOR ACT AS AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ROUTE TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
THE SECOND IS THE, OR THE VEHICULAR ROUTES, WHICH HAVE MEANT MODIFIED SLIGHTLY FROM THE EXISTING, UM, REMOVING SOME OF THE PARKING AND REORIENTING THE ROAD ALIGNMENT TO TRY TO MINIMIZE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND CONFLICTS.
AND THEN THE THIRD, UH, IN ITS HIERARCHY ARE THE INNER PARK PATHWAY.
AND, UH, THESE ARE GENERALLY SIX TO EIGHT FOOT, UH, CONCRETE PEDESTRIAN SCALE PATHS THAT REALLY CIRCULATE THE VISITOR THROUGH THE PARK AND, UH, TO ALL THE IN DIFFERENT AMENITIES.
AND THEY'RE DESIGNED AGAIN TO KIND OF TRY TO MINIMIZE THE VEHICULAR, UH, COMPLEX.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS HERE AT THE BOTTOM WITH OUR, UH, CONCEPT PLAN AND THE PROPOSED IMPERVIOUS COVER, UH, WILL BE LOWERED.
THE, UH, PARKING COUNT WILL BE LOWERED, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE, UM, ELEMENTS WE HEARD IN OUR PUBLIC INPUT, UM, THAT WE CAN BALANCE THE CUTS FILL, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UH, WITH ALL THIS BEING THIS BEING IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN, AND, UM, OF COURSE ALL OF THE ROUTES ARE ACCESSIBLE AND COMPLIANT WITH THE TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS KIND OF A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THAT HIERARCHY.
UM, SOME FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED, UH, WITH MAKE THE INNER PART PATHWAYS, DECOMPOSED GRANITE, RATHER THAN CONCRETE, AND THIS CAN CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE DESIGN PHASES.
UH, BUT, UM, WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY DO REMAIN AS CONCRETE, UM, AS THIS PARK IS A STORMWATER FACILITY AND DURING LARGE FLOODS EVENT, THE DECOMPOSED GRANITE WOOL ROAD AND RUN OFF AND EVENTUALLY END UP IN STILTING SHOAL CREEK AND REQUIRE MORE MAINTENANCE FOR THE CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, DG HAS A VERY GOOD, RELIABLE APPLICATION IN MOST, UH, PARKS, BUT NOT IN STORMWATER FACILITIES.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER KIND OF HARD PACK SURFACES LIKE DIRT PATHS AND THINGS REALLY CAN'T BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FROM STAPLE FLIP RESISTANCE AND THEREFORE NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS.
UM, AND ONE OTHER QUICK NOTE HERE IS THE, UH, LOW PROFILE BOARDWALK.
AND I'LL SPEAK TO THIS FEATURE SHORT SHORTLY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CALL ATTENTION TO IT HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A PHOTO OF A KIND OF SIMILAR APPLICATION.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF AN IMPORTANT PART OF OVERALL DESIGN CONCEPT AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND CIRCULATION AND THINGS.
UM, BUT W I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT, UH, SHORTLY.
UM, ANOTHER CONCEPT THAT WE'VE HEARD, UH, BOTH NIGHT AND FROM THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WAS MAINTAIN THE OPEN GREEN SPACE IN THE PARK.
AND WE DID FIND THAT THE COMMUNITY DOES USE THESE OPEN GREEN SPACES FOR A LOT OF UNPROGRAMMED, UH, ACTIVITIES, YOU KNOW, DOG TRAINING, YOGA, UH, GATHERING PLACES.
UM, AND AS WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE ADDED, UH, BRAIN SPACE IN OUR PROPOSAL HERE, THE EXISTING SPACE, UM, NEAR AT THE BOTTOM THERE NEAR ARTHUR STREET, BECAUSE WE'RE PROPOSING A DIFFERENT USE.
UM, WE KNEW IT WAS CRITICAL TO PROVIDE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPARABLE OPEN GREEN SPACES ELSEWHERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SMALLER ONE, UH, NEAR THE BASKETBALL COURT, UH, ONE OF THE SAME SIZE SHAPE ADJACENT TO THE PARKING LOT, AND THEN ONE PORTS, MUCH LARGER ONE.
AND ALL THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF OPEN SPACE WHATSOEVER.
UM, AND IN FACT, BY REORGANIZING THE PLAN, WE'RE KIND OF PROVIDING MORE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, OR OPEN GREEN SPACE, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THIS ACREAGE.
IS THERE, UM, NEXT SLIDE, UH, ALL OF THE EXISTING ACTIVE RECORD, ACTIVE RECREATION, SUCH AS THE POOL BASKETBALL COURT TENNIS COURT, UM, THOSE ARE ALL GOING TO REMAIN THE POOL IS GETTING UPDATED OBVIOUSLY, BUT, BUT LISTENING TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, WE'RE PROPOSING THREE NEW PROGRAMS, UH, ACTIVE AMENITIES VERSUS THE ADDITION OF TWO PICKLEBALL COURTS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE TENNIS COURTS.
UM, SECOND IS, UH, TWO TO FIVE AND FIVE TO 12 YEAR OLD PLAYSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS.
[01:00:01]
WILL BE LOCATED IN THE, LITERALLY IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT, UH, THAT THEY ARE ONE REASON WHY WE'RE KEEPING THEM IN THE SAME SPOT IS BECAUSE OF THE, THE CURBING THAT HOLDS IN THE FALL SURFACE MATERIAL IS IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.AND THERE'S NO REASON TO TEAR UP CONCRETE CURBING, UM, WHEN YOU CAN LEAVE IT IN IT, UH, THE DIMENSIONS ARE PLENTY OF BAGS, SO THAT IS STAYING IN THE SAME PLACE.
UM, WE PRESENTED THREE DIFFERENT PLAYSCAPE THEMES AND TYPES IN OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND OVERWHELMINGLY THE COMMUNITY CHOSE A NATURE BASED, UH, PLAY THEME.
UM, AND WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MADE OF PRIMARILY SUSTAINABLE ROT RESISTANT A WOOD PRODUCT WITH A COMPONENT WITH THE ACTUAL COMPONENTS TO BE DETERMINED DURING THE DESIGN PHASE AND FURTHER COMMUNITY INPUT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY IS THE CHILDREN'S BIKE PLAYGROUND, WHICH WE'VE HEARD SOME ABOUT, UH, THIS EVENING, UH, IT'S PUMPED STYLE COURSE GENERAL GENERALLY GEARED, UH, FOR, UH, UNDER 12 AGE GROUP.
UM, AND YEAH, AS WAS HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER BY, UH, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IT'S, IT IS CLUSTERED AS CLOSE AS WE COULD PUT IT TO THE EXISTING KIDS' PLAYGROUND, UM, AND, AND PARKING.
SO THIS DID HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM MY COMMUNITY AS YOU HEARD, AND IT WILL RE UH, PROVIDE A REAL SAFE AND FUN AND CHALLENGING, UM, ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILIES TO RIDE.
SO THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, CHAT BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS, UH, THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER WE'RE TAKING CUES FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE OF THE MID CENTURY POOL BUILDING.
UM, WE'VE DEVELOPED A RESTROOM PICNIC, SHADE SHELTERS, AND FOR MONUMENTATION THAT USE SIMPLE MATERIAL PALETTE, UH, PRIMARILY OF LIMESTONE AND CONCRETE.
UM, AND W WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS AS A CHARACTER STUDY, UH, THE ARCHITECT ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WILL DEVELOP THESE IN MUCH MORE DETAIL IN THE DESIGN PHASES.
UM, UH, BUT THIS IS KIND OF, UH, UH, GUIDEPOINT.
THE RESTAURANT CONCEPT IS THAT A DOG TROT STYLE THAT ACTS AS A OPENING GATEWAY AND THE KIND OF A VISUAL FRAME, UH, FOR VISITORS COMING THROUGH IT AND ENTERING TO THE GREEN SPACE, AND THEN EVENTUALLY TO THE POND, UM, EACH SIDE WOULD PROVIDE TWO OR THREE, UH, UH, GENDER NEUTRAL LABORATORIES, UM, THE ENTRY MONUMENTATION AND THE PICNIC SHELTER OPTIONS, UH, FURTHER CONTINUE THAT MATERIAL PALETTE TO REALLY HELP SOLIDIFY THAT OVERALL CHARACTER AND, UH, PATTERN LANGUAGE THAT WE ALREADY SEE IN THE PARK.
SO, UH, THE POND BELOVED AMENITY, UM, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT WITH, UH, STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CONSULTANTS.
UM, AND SO I'M BRIEFLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BROKEN UP INTO SHORT AND BOND TERM, UH, SHORT-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AIRATION, UH, RECOMMENDING THREE ERA, UH, THREE AIR RAIDERS, ONE BE PUT IN EACH OF THE KIND OF MAIN POOLS THAT EXIST, UM, EDGE VEGETATION, UH, ENHANCEMENT AND MANAGEMENT, UM, AND THEN REGULAR POND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM BE, BE PUT TOGETHER.
UM, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, UH, ONCE MORE, AND THIS IS ALSO OUTLINED IN THE VISION PLAN THAT, THAT EDGE VEGETATION WOULDN'T, UH, PROHIBIT ACCESS TO THE POND BY ANY MEANS, UM, SOMEONE WANTS TO WALK TO THE POND EDGE, THERE'D BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.
UM, IT, UH, IT CAN BE, AND REALLY THOSE AREAS CAN EVEN BE FURTHER HIGHLIGHTED IN DESIGN LATER DESIGN PAGES, BUT ADDING NATIVE VEGETATION FILTER STRIPS, UH, AROUND THE POND IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT RECEIVE THE MAIN RUNOFF FROM PARKING AND HARDSCAPE, AND, UH, OTHER DRAINAGE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, SO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THAT, THAT THE VEGETATIVE FILTER STRIP AROUND THE POND THAT IS A NATIVE MATERIAL RATHER THAN, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, A BERMUDA GRASS OR SOMETHING, WHICH STILL COULD BE IN SOME AREAS AROUND THE POND.
WELL, BUT TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE EDGE CONDITION, THERE'S CURRENTLY NO ACCESSIBLE ROUTES TO THE POND EDGE RIGHT NOW, THE BOARDWALK AS PART OF THE KIND OF OVERALL DESIGN CONCEPT AND CIRCULATION PATTERN PROVIDES THAT ACCESSIBLE ROUTE TO THE POND EDGE.
SO EVERYBODY CAN EXPERIENCE THE ED'S CONDITION, UM, WHICH ISN'T CURRENTLY THE CASE, UH,
[01:05:01]
AND IT CAN BE BUILT WITH VERY LOW, IF ANY IMPACT, UM, TO SURROUNDING TREES AND VEGETATION USING CANTILEVERS OR HELICAL PIERS, OR A VARIETY OF OTHER MEANS.UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY ACCOMPLISHES BOTH THAT UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND KEEPS THE INTEGRITY OF THE OVERALL DESIGN CONCEPT.
UH, IMM MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT KIND OF WEAVING TOGETHER ALL THESE CENTRAL IMPORTANT, UH, ELEMENTS, BUT AGAIN, AS WITH ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, IT WILL BE FURTHER DEVELOPED IN DESIGN AND OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR CONCEPT, UH, PER COMMENT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND, UH, GOING BACK TO THE POND, SOME OF THE LONG-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WE PUT IN THE REPORT ARE FINDING A NATURAL WATER SOURCE AND ENHANCING THAT, UH, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH SOME OF THE SITE REGRADING, THE STORMWATER CAPTURE, UH, PERHAPS TAPPING IN 72 INCH FROM SEWER LINE, THAT'S A D JASON TO THE PROPERTY, UH, OR CONFIRMING WHERE SPRINGS MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN THE, IN THE PARK, UM, AND, UH, A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.
BUT THE BIGGEST THING IN THE LONG-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT COMPREHENSIVE, UH, STUDY THAT'S NEEDED.
AND THIS HAS BEEN ALLUDED TO, AND, UM, IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY, UH, UH, ENHANCEMENTS OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE POND.
UM, FINALLY, THE LANDSCAPE AS A WHOLE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PARK, THERE'LL BE AREAS OF NATIVE GRASS AND WILD FLOWERS THAT WILL NOT ONLY CUT DOWN ON KIND OF THE MONTHLY MAINTENANCE THAT HAPPENS, BUT, UH, WE'LL PROVIDE EVEN MORE HABITAT AND SEASONAL COLOR, UH, IN THE PARK.
BUT THEN OF COURSE THERE WILL BE MAINTAINED, UH, TURF LAWN SPACES.
AND ESPECIALLY IN THESE OPEN GREEN SPACES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UH, NICK FIVE, PLEASE, WE HEARD FROM BOTH THE TAG MEMBER OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISOR GROUP, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY, UM, ON WHAT TYPE OF, UH, STORIES THAT WE COULD TELL ABOUT THE PARK THROUGH, UH, INTERPRETIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO HERE, DO YOU SEE SOME KIND OF INITIAL CONCEPTS, THESE ARE A FEW IDEAS THAT THE DESIGN TEAM WORKSHOPS AND, AND KIND OF GIVE A STARTING POINT, UH, FOR THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE IS KIND OF, UH, WHO WAS BEVERLY SHEFFIELD, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF TOWERING FIGURE IN, IN AUSTIN AND IN THE WORLD OF PARKS, UH, YOU KIND OF SEE THE INTERPRETIVE PANEL THERE WITH THIS KIND OF LONG SHADOW, UM, YOU KNOW, TELLING THE STORY OF WATER IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, IN THIS PARK, BOTH THE CURRENT STORY OF WATER, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS WHOLE THING PLUGS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD EVENTS, BUT ALSO EVEN PERHAPS TELLING THE STORY ABOUT THE, THIS BEING AN ANCIENT LAKE, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, PLACE THE STORE AND OTHER CREATURES SWAM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A MURAL ON ONE OF THE, UH, MSCS WALL AND THE SEA WALLS THAT, UH, OTHERWISE AREN'T, AREN'T VERY APPEALING.
UM, UH, JUST LET THE HEADS IS.
AND THEN, UH, THERE'S THE CONCEPT OF ADDING IN THE NATURE PLAYSCAPE, UH, A BOULDER, A CLIMBING BOULDER, UM, WITH SOME INTERPRETIVE PANELING ON IT AS WELL ABOUT, UH, THE HISTORY OF THE ROCK QUARRY AND THE SITE, UH, NEXT, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THERE'S A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE BREAKDOWN OF THE PHASING AND, AND COSTS INCLUDED IN WITHIN THE VISION PLAN NARRATIVE, BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES HERE, I'M GOING TO KIND OF BREAK THE DEVELOPMENT INTO THREE GROUPING.
UM, SO THESE ARE KIND OF GROUPINGS OR PHASES ONLY, AND NOTHING'S SET IN STONE.
SO THERE'S THINGS LIKE THE PICKLEBALL COURT OR PREP, THE SIGNAGE OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT CAN BE PULLED OUT OF SOME OF THESE GROUPINGS AND ADDED TO THE OTHER IF, UM, THE FUNDING IS THERE.
UH, BUT FOR THESE PURPOSES, I'LL, I'LL, WE'LL BREAK IT INTO THREE.
I'LL START WITH THE FIRST IS THE, UH, THE ALREADY FUNDED, WHICH IS THE PLAYSCAPE PROJECT.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE SECOND IS, WOULD BE LARGELY BE THE CIRCULATION AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF GET THAT IN BEFORE SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS, UH, UH, ARE, ARE CONSTRUCTED.
UM, THIS WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE SHORT TERM POND IMPROVEMENTS AND, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, NEXT SLIDE AND THEN THIS NEXT PHASE WOULD BE, UH, LARGELY THE ARCHITECTURE,
[01:10:01]
UH, SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVE RECREATION AND SITE FURNISHINGS.UM, THE SIGNAGE, UH, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT COULD BE PUT IN, UM, RELATIVELY, UH, WITH LITTLE IMPACT AFTER THESE OTHER MORE KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THINGS WENT IN AND SOME OF THE ARCHITECTURE LIKE THE RESTROOM WOULD, UM, UH, MIGHT WANT TO BE PUT IN THE, ON EARLIER PHASE AS WELL, JUST, UH, DEPENDING ON IF WE'RE DEMOING THE OLD RESTROOM FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND THINGS, BUT THERE'S, LIKE I SAID, THERE WAS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE BREAKDOWN IN THE VISION PLAN.
UM, THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION CROSS OF ALL THIS COMES OUT TO BETWEEN 4.6 AND 6.1 MILLION, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE DESIGN PERMITTING OR CONTINGENCY.
UM, AND THAT DOESN'T ALSO INCLUDE THE, THE POOL, WHICH IS A SEPARATE PROJECT WITH A SEPARATE FUNDING.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE LAST ONE.
SO, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THAT WEBSITE OR SCAN THE QR CODE, UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE OVERVIEW.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS NOW.
I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME, UM, GREAT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND YES, LET'S GO THROUGH AND TAKE QUESTIONS.
I JUST DID WANT TO MENTION THAT BOARD MEMBER RINALDI IS ABSTAINING FROM THIS AND THAT'S WHY SHE, SHE LEFT THE ROOM.
OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UM, START WITH, UM, WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER, UH, DECARLO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND PRESENTING THE VISION PLAN.
UM, I DON'T EXACTLY HAVE MY QUESTIONS ORGANIZED, BUT I'LL JUST START AT THE TOP.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE CURRENT BATH HOUSE.
UM, THE ONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE POOL.
IS THAT, WILL THAT STILL BE THERE? YES, IT WILL.
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE, UH, POOL AQUATIC CENTER PROJECT.
SO WE BASICALLY HAD TO TAKE THE, ESSENTIALLY THE FENCE THAT GOES ALL AROUND THE POOL, INCLUDING THE BATH HOUSE, AND THAT'S KIND OF PART OF THEIR PROJECT AND OUR ENCOMPASSES ARE KIND OF LIMITS AND ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING AROUND IT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DID WANT TO CONSIDER, UH, CIRCULATION AND THINGS PARKING AND ALL THAT, UH, TO INCLUDE THE, THE POOL.
SO FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF PARKING SPACES FOR THE POOL FACILITY, NO MATTER KNOW WHAT THE DESIGN OF IT OR WHATEVER, UH, BECOMES.
I REALLY LIKE HOW FOR THE OTHER, UM, STRUCTURES THAT WILL BE BUILT, THAT IT'S KEEPING IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT, UH, ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THE BATH HOUSE AND ALL OF THAT.
I REALLY LIKED THAT SEEING THAT, UM, AND LET'S SEE, UM, I, I, IT SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE DISAGREEMENT ABOUT IT, BUT I DO LIKE THE KID'S BIKE PLAYGROUND.
UM, AND THE ADDITION OF THE PICKLE BALL, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THIS BOARD IN, IN RECENT YEARS, UH, WE HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET MORE BIKE AND SKATE PARKS OUT THERE FOR, UM, KIDS, ESPECIALLY KIND OF LIKE THE AGE GROUP OF, UM, MS. ZOE, WHO WE HEARD FROM, UM, WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AT PARKS TO REALLY PARTAKE IN, UM, UH, THAT BEING SAID, I, I UNDERSTAND ALSO THE USE OF THEIR, THE DESIRE TO KEEP IT MORE PASSIVE, UM, FOR OTHER USES LIKE THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO I GUESS IN SPEAKING ABOUT THAT, UM, HAVE Y'ALL OR DID Y'ALL OR OTHER POSSIBILITIES FOR, I GUESS KIND OF OTHER LOCATIONS OF THE, OF THE BIKE TRACK, LIKE HAD BEEN MAYBE SUGGESTED, I MEAN, I DEFINITELY GET KEEPING IT NEXT TO THE PLAYGROUND, UM, BUT WOULD THERE BE OTHER POSSIBILITIES FOR THAT TO KIND OF HELP YOU WANT THE PASSIVE USE? YEAH, UM, YEAH, THERE WERE SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM, UH, SOME OF THE BIKE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH, UH, THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THESE TYPES OF AMENITIES, ONE BEING MORE OF A, UH, KIND OF A LINEAR, UH, SYSTEM RATHER THAN,
[01:15:01]
UM, KIND OF A LOOP OR A, UH, UH, SYSTEM AS IN THE AREA THAT WE HAVE HAVING A REALLY LONG, UH, TRACK, UH, KIND OF TRACK THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE BUILT ON THE HILLSIDE, UM, OF THE PATH THAT LEADS FROM SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD ENTRANCE TO THE, UH, BASEBALL, UH, UH, BASEBALL FIELD, LIKE KIND OF BEHIND THE BASEBALL FIELD.AND, UM, WE, WE KINDA GOT THAT CONCEPT AND, UH, FROM THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE RECENTLY, SO IT WASN'T INCORPORATED INTO THIS DESIGN, BUT, UH, SOME OF THE REALLY GREAT EXHIBITS AND, UH, SKETCHES THAT THEY PROVIDED WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE, UM, INTO THE COMMENTS AND THE APPENDIX OF THE DOCUMENT.
AND, UM, SO THERE IS AN ALL, THERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES THAT, UM, THAT COULD BE APPROACHED, UH, AND AS, AS IT GETS DESIGNED DOWN THE ROAD.
AND THEN, I MEAN, YEAH, OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER THINGS THAT THERE SEEM TO BE A LITTLE, UH, CONFLICT ON ARE THE CONCRETE PATHWAYS, WHICH YOU MENTIONED AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE SENSE, LIKE YOU SAID, SINCE IT'S STORMWATER FACILITY AND THEN THE, THE POND AND THE BOARDWALK.
UM, SO I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL HAVE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND, UM, YEAH, I WOULD JUST, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO SEE, Y'ALL HAVING MORE DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL, UM, AMENITIES.
UH, BUT THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR NOW.
BOARD MEMBER, DECARLO, UM, BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, I, THE ONLY, I WANT TO SAY I'M IMPRESSED WITH THIS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THOUGHT THAT'S GONE INTO IT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BACKED OFF SOME OF THE, UM, BUILDING AROUND THE POND.
IS THAT TRUE FROM THE LAST TIME I SAW, UH, YES.
OUR INITIAL WE'VE TOTALLY CHANGED OUR INITIAL, UH, CONCEPTS OF THE, FOR THE POND THAT, YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME.
AND I WAS JOTTING DOWN FRANTICALLY WHEN WE HAD A SPEAKER EARLIER TALKING ABOUT THE WATER QUALITY AND BIODIVERSITY AND ADDITIONAL WATER CAPTURE AND GEOLOGY AND, UM, CHECKING THE WORK BEFORE THE AERATION.
SO THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STUCK OUT TO ME, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE ADDRESSING A LOT OF THAT STUFF.
AND IT EITHER THAT, OR IT WILL BE, UM, A LOT OF WILL BE FURTHER ADDRESSED IN, UM, WITH, UH, WITH A STUDY ON THE POND.
AND I ALSO HAD THE QUESTION ABOUT WHY THE CONCRETE PATHS, BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO ME WITH THE EROSION THING AN ISSUE.
CAUSE I DO KNOW THAT THIS GO, UM, AND I, YOU, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS SINCE IT'S A SEPARATE PROJECT.
DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S SO LONG TILL THE POOL GETS STARTED? UH, PAT THAT TO CARL, UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO START WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE POOL, SO, OKAY.
I, I, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE WORK AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
NOW I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S, I REALLY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU DID A LOT OF WORK AND I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, BOARD MEMBER MORE? ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
GREAT JOB ON THE PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, I WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THE CONSULTANTS FOR THE, UM, GREAT WORK ON THE VISION PLAN AND ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF VALUABLE INPUT AND IDEAS THAT I THINK HAVE ALL, UM, COME TOGETHER AND, AND COLLABORATED WELL AND BROUGHT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND IDEAS TO THE VISION PLAN.
UM, AND ALSO TO US AS THE PARKS BOARD.
SO THE, THE, THE STUDY ABOUT THE POND IMPROVEMENTS, AS I RECALL WHEN THIS ITEM WAS BEFORE US, UH, PREVIOUSLY IN THE FALL, MAYBE OCTOBER, WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS ANY FUNDING AVAILABLE, UM, CURRENTLY TO GO AHEAD AND START THE POND STUDY.
[01:20:01]
IF, UM, I DIDN'T NOTICE ANY MENTION OF THAT IN THE BACKUPS.I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THAT.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NO FUN, KIMBERLY MCNEALY SERVING AS A DIRECTOR, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NO FUNDING, BUT I WILL DEFER TO CHARLES JUST IN CASE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO UNCOVER.
KIMBERLY THERE'S, UM, THAT'S REALLY OUT OF THE SCOPE OF THE VISION I HAD CROSS HIT US.
UM, WE'RE REALLY GONNA NEED TO HIRE SOME HIGHLY TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS TO HELP US WITH THE STUDY OF THE POND.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO WRITE A SCOPE OVER AT THAT TEAM AGAIN.
UM, WELL, WE'LL FIND OUT WHEN WE GET TO, UM, BOARD MEMBER BARNARD, BUT I'M HOPING THAT THE SCOPE CAN BE NOT ONLY THE TECHNICAL STUDY, BUT TO INCLUDE SOME AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SO THAT WE'VE HAD ALL THIS GREAT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE VISION PLAN.
BUT IF THAT STUDY IS SORT OF JUST, UH, A STUDY IN A BOX WITHOUT THE INPUT, WE WOULD KIND OF LOSE A LOT OF THIS GREAT HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO, I WANT TO HAVE INPUT INTO ANY THE COMMUNITY HAVE INPUT INTO ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THIS STUDY.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING, UM, WE CAN PUT IN YOUR MOTION.
I ALSO, UM, I WASN'T CLEAR BASED ON THE COMMENTS AND I CAN'T TELL FROM THE MAPS, IF THE PLAYGROUND AREAS ARE BEING MOVED, THEY ARE, IT'S NOT OUR INTENTION TO MOVE THE PLAYGROUNDS TO MAKE UP.
IT'S JUST A, IT'S A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING THAT WHERE THEY MAY HAVE APPEARED TO BE MOVED, BUT THAT'S NOT THE INTENTION.
UM, AND THEN BECAUSE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED RIGHT NOW DOES SEEM QUITE IDEAL BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF TREES FOR SHADE AND LIKE THE, UM, THE WOMAN POINTED OUT IT, IT DOES WORK OUT WHERE YOU COULD HAVE KIDS, UM, IN EITHER AREA AND STILL BE, HAVE A BE ABLE TO SEE THEM ALL.
UM, I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION JUST IN REGARDS TO THE RESTROOMS. I KNOW THIS WOULD BE DOWN THE ROAD, BUT IF, UM, YOU CAN PLEASE KEEP IN MIND IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOING RAINWATER CATCHMENT, ON-SITE REUSE, THERE'S A LOT OF REVEGETATION IN THIS PROPOSAL.
SO ANYTIME THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, EMPLOY WATER, INNOVATIVE WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY I WANTED TO THANK ZOE FOR HER COMMENTS ABOUT THE BIKE PARK.
UM, I WAS ABLE TO VISIT THE PARK AND, UH, TOUR IT AND MEET SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM MEETING WITH US.
AND, UM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THESE BIKE PARKS RECENTLY AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE BIKE PARK, THE PROS AND THE CONS.
I DIDN'T ACTUALLY THINK LIKE, OH RIGHT.
THE KIDS RIDE THEIR BIKES IN THE STREETS, ESPECIALLY IN THESE KINDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE, WHERE THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS AND IT'S SO MUCH SAFER, I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER THINGS ABOUT IT.
SO THANK YOU TO ZOE FOR COMING HERE AND MAKING THAT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT POINT.
UM, AND THAT, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST, UH, JUST A FEW CHAIR.
UM, THANKS AGAIN TO, TO STAFF, UH, CHARLES MAYBERRY.
AND THANK YOU TO, UH, DREW CARMEN FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
SO WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE FACT OF THE CONVERSATIONS RELATING TO THE POND.
UM, I ACTUALLY PREFERRED THE EARLIER POND, BUT, UM, BECAUSE ACCESSIBILITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, BUT I'D LIKE WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE AT.
I LOVE THE REDUCTION ON THE PARKING.
AND SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, THE REDUCTION ON THE PARKING THAT I NOTICED, PARTICULARLY FOR WHERE THE BICYCLE PARKING IS GOING TO BE, AS WELL AS IT LOOKS JUST LIKE SOME, SOME GREENING.
UM, I'M ASSUMING IT'S JUST A LACK OF UTILIZATION RIGHT NOW.
AND SO YOU'RE ABLE TO TAKE UP SOME OF THOSE PARKING SPACES, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, YEAH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, UH, WE, WE LEFT, UH, SOME OF THE SPOTS WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S KIND OF A BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, REDESIGNING, UH, TO UTILIZE SPACE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, AND THEN, BUT THEN ALSO NOT PAIRING EVERYTHING UP AND REDOING THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE PARKING SCHEMA.
SO, UM, YEAH, A LITTLE BIT OF A BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE, BUT YEAH, W IT JUST UTILIZES
[01:25:01]
THE SPACE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, UM, WITH THE TOPOGRAPHY EXISTING TREES DRAINAGE, THE, UH, WHERE AMENITIES ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUTTING A PUZZLE PIECE TOGETHER KIND OF, AND THEN I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC, SO ON THIS AS A VISION PLAN.AND SO EARLIER WE HEARD ABOUT THE OPERATION COMPONENTS RELATING TO IT, AND THEN MAKING SURE WE KNOW WHAT'S THE OPERATING COSTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS MENTIONED, POST A VISION PLAN.
COULD YOU REFERENCE AS TO WHAT THE PUBLIC COULD EXPECT IF A VISION PLAN IS APPROVED TODAY? LIKE WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS IF FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE? AND THAT WOULD BE FOR SURE, I CAN PICK THAT.
UM, WELL THERE IS, THIS DREW MENTIONED THERE IS FUNDING FOR THE PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT TO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AS PART OF THIS VISION PLAN, UM, IS TO GET THAT PLAYGROUND REPLACED.
AND WE NEED TO COORDINATE THAT WITH, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS GOING ON TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT IN A NEW PLAYGROUND IS GOING TO BE DISTURBED BY THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
UM, IT'S MR. MAYBERRY, JUST TO THAT POINT ON THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN, WILL THERE BE A ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ON THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN OF THAT PLAYGROUND? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WITH, SINCE WE HAD THE FUNDING, THE, THE DESIGN TEAM WENT AHEAD AND JUST, JUST ASK THE SIMPLE QUESTION OF WHAT TYPE OF PLAYGROUND THEMING THAT PEOPLE GENERALLY PREFERRED.
AND DREW MENTIONED THAT OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE PREFERRED THE MORE NATURAL LOOKING RIGHT.
UM, PLAYGROUNDS, AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO PILE LOGS AND THAT'S IT, WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, BEING A DISTRICT ART, WE HAVE A, IT'S KIND OF A HIGHER STANDARD OR PLAYGROUNDS.
UM, IT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR.
THOSE, THOSE ITEMS SUCH AS SWINGS AND SLIDES AND SPINNERS, AND, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTS FOR, YOU KNOW, SMALLER CHILDREN, TWO TO FIVE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A, IT SHOULD BE A, ANOTHER ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO GET THE PLAYGROUND AND DESIGN.
AND SO EACH OF THESE ELEMENTS YOU WOULD EXPECT MOST LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THE CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THAT YOU WOULD GO THROUGH A SCHEMATIC, SCHEMATIC DESIGN, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, ULTIMATELY GETTING TO THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO EACH TIME YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, PARTICULARLY UNDER SCHEMATIC DESIGN, THE ABILITY TO REALLY INPUT THE SPECIFICS.
AND MAYBE IS THAT WHEN YOU WOULD SEE OPERATING COSTS AND SUCH GET ADDED, UM, FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE NEWER ELEMENTS, UM, I'M DEFINITELY, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE PHASING, THAT'S REALLY A GROUPING OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
SO WE WOULD TAKE, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHAT FUNDING WE HAVE TO BUILD THE PROJECT, WE WOULD, WE WOULD FIND A NUMBER OF AMENITIES THAT WE COULD GET DESIGNED.
SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD HIRE A DESIGN TEAM TO DO THAT, GO THROUGH ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OR MORE DETAILED DESIGN.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, THE CONSULTANT TEAM WOULD HELP US WITH ANY INCREASED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.
SO, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF GET OUT THERE AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS, AS FAR AS OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS HAD CAME UP AND THEY'RE GREAT CON UH, GREAT QUESTIONS, IT WAS JUST KIND OF PUTTING THEM IN THEIR PROPER CONTEXT.
UM, AND, AND REALLY OUTSIDE OF THAT, I JUST SAY I'M COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THAT BIKE PARK THERE.
I AGREE WITH, UH, MANY OF MY BOARD MEMBERS HERE WHERE WE KNOW PART OF OUR LONG RANGE PLAN IS TO, TO PROVIDE MORE BARK, UH, BIKE FACILITIES FOR OUR YOUTH, BECAUSE IT DOES KEEP THEM OUT OF THE STREET.
WE DO HAVE, UH, BICYCLISTS AND INLINE AND SKATEBOARDERS, UM, ALL ACROSS THE CITY OF, YOU KNOW, ALL GENDER IDENTIFICATIONS AND, AND RACE AND ETHNICITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AS A PARK SYSTEM, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SERVING OUR YOUTH.
AND SO I APPRECIATED SPECIFICALLY WHAT MR. MILLER, UM, HAD MENTIONED AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO BOTH DREW AND CHARLES FOR ALL THEIR WORK ON THIS, UM, AND FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATED.
I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UM, REGARDING THE, THE BOARDWALK AROUND THE POND.
UM, I KNOW THE POND DEFINITELY HAS SOME ACCESSIBILITY
[01:30:01]
ISSUES.UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT ABOUT IT IS THAT THERE ARE POND EDGES AND SEVERAL PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN GO UP TO, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THROW ROCKS IN THE POND OR WHATEVER.
AND, UM, I'M, I CONSTANTLY SEE THOSE ACCESS POINTS BEING USED.
UM, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THE VEGETATION WOULDN'T NECESSARILY PROHIBIT THAT SORT OF, UM, ACCESS.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE POND IN THAT WAY.
UM, EVERY TIME I GO TO THE PARK, THERE'S LITTLE BENCHES ALL AROUND AND PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY SITTING IN THOSE PLACES.
AND I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT, UM, Y'ALL ARE GOING TO DIRECT ALL ACCESS TO THE POND VIA THE BOARDWALK AND MAYBE REDUCE SOME OF THOSE OTHER ACCESS POINTS, WHICH I THINK IS OVER A REAL CONCERN TO THE NEIGHBORS.
SO WILL THERE STILL BE ACCESS POINTS, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION BEYOND THE BOARDWALK? YES.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD THAT FROM, UM, FROM BOTH THIS, UH, THIS BODY, AS WELL AS, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY LOUD AND LOUD AND CLEAR.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, THOUGH, WE DO WANT TO ADD AREAS THAT HELPED FILTER SOME OF THE WATER THAT GETTING INTO THE POND, UM, WITH NATIVE VEGETATED FILMSTRIPS.
UM, SO YES, THERE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE AREAS TO ACCESS THE POND BOTH, UH, TO THE POND EDGE WITH, YOU KNOW, THE WAY TO NOW, UM, KIND OF MODE FOR ME TO GET BERMUDA GRASS OR, UH, UH, JUST DIRT, UM, OR THE, UH, AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE ACTS UPON, UH, LIKE THE BORLAUG.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER CONCERN, UM, OR I GUESS, QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS HOW DO WE GET MORE WATER TO THE POND, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH THE CIRCULATION AND TO HELP WITH THE LIFE OF THE POND.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THOUGHTS IS, YOU KNOW, THINGS CAN, WHEN YOU BEGIN TO WORK ON THE, THE POOL, UM, IN THE PLAYGROUND, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO REPLACE ALL THE SEWER LINES.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF THE SEWER LINES GO, YOU KNOW, UNDERNEATH THE PLAYGROUND.
UM, AND SO I GUESS IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF PHASING, LIKE WHY THE SEWER LINES ARE GOING TO BE WORKED ON AFTER THE DESIGN PLANS HAVE STARTED FOR THE AQUATIC CENTER.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME THAT PERHAPS IF THAT WAS DONE EARLIER IN THE PHASING, UM, IT COULD AFFECT SOME OF THE GRADING AND PERHAPS, UH, PROVIDE MORE RUNOFF WATER TO THE POND.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE SCHEDULING OF THE OTHER KIND OF CONCURRENT PROJECTS, UM, CARLOS COULD PROBABLY SPEAK TO THOSE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT THE, UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE SEWER LINE ISN'T ACTUALLY UNDER THE PLAYGROUND, UM, IT'S, IT'S ADJACENT TO THE PLAYGROUND AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE A GRADING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WHERE THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO, UM, ACCESS SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THAT LINE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FURTHERMORE WITH, UH, THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE THE REMOVAL OF THE MSE WALLS THAT CREATE THAT LITTLE LIKE FUNNEL, UM, THERE'D BE A LOT, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF SITE GRADING THERE THAT WILL HELP GET THAT WATER FLOWING TO THE POND BETTER.
UM, AND THEN SOME OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE PUT IN, UM, THROUGH SOME HELP FROM THE, UH, SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD LOOK INTO TAPPING THE STORMWATER WITH SEMI TWO INCH, UH, UH, STORMWATER LIME AT THE ADJACENT TO THE PARK.
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT COME WITH THAT, LIKE REMOVING TREES TO GET INTO THAT LINE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH IT'S UH, SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THESE EFFORTS TO GET MORE WATER TO THE POND, BUT, UM, THE VISION PLAN DOES SAY THAT THAT'S NEEDED.
AND MY, AND HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED AT IN DESIGN PHASE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION AND CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF HE COULD SPEAK TO THE, THE
[01:35:01]
TIMING AND THE PHASING.IT'S UH, THAT IS, UH, THE WATER UTILITY, UM, DEPARTMENT IS, IS REPLACING A SANITARY SEWER.
SO IT'S YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, IT'S NOT A PARK PROJECT IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO, I GUESS, TO WORK WITH THEM, WORK WITH THEIR SCHEDULE AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN SCHEDULE.
SO IT'S, IT'S QUITE, UH, QUITE AN EFFORT TO TRY TO WORK IN, YOU KNOW, POND IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROJECT.
AND, UM, THEY'RE PRETTY FAR ALONG ON THAT ONE.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M NOT, I'M NOT QUITE FOLLOWING THE, THE LOGIC OF THE GRADING CHANGES.
THIS IS REALLY JUST A SEWER REPLACEMENT PROJECT, UM, TO, UM, I'M NOT QUITE FOLLOWING THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, GRADING THE PART WITH, WITH THAT PROJECT, BUT, AND REALLY THERE SHOULDN'T BE A TON OF GRADING ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEWER LINE BECAUSE IT REALLY, IT, IT, IT, IT'S GOTTA BE PRETTY TIGHT BECAUSE IT'S AROUND A LOT OF TREES IN THE MORE GRADING THAT HAPPENS IN ASSOCIATED WITH THAT LINE IS GOING TO IMPACT THOSE, THOSE BIG TREES EVEN FURTHER.
SO IN MY MIND, HOPEFULLY THEY MINIMIZE THE EXTENT OF DISTURBANCE THAT THEY, WHEN THEY'RE REPLACING THAT LINE.
AND THEN, UH, REGARDING THE BMX TRACK, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS ARE JUST KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THE NOISE BECAUSE IT IS SO CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL HOUSES.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT THAT FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH THESE SORT OF THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THOSE CONCERNS ABOUT THE NOISE? UM, SO I DON'T IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD BE MORE NOISE THAN ANY OTHER PLAYGROUND BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT ESSENTIALLY IS, IS JUST, UH, A PLAYGROUND, BUT FOR KIDS USING BIKES.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UH, YEAH, I MEAN, I CAN'T SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ANY LOUDER OR LESS LOUD THAN ANYTHING ELSE I WAS.
AND I, I JUST DON'T IMAGINE THAT THERE'LL BE MORE THAN HAVING A PLAYGROUND IN THAT AREA.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS A PARK WHERE THERE'S PLAYGROUNDS.
SO, UM, I WOULD THINK IT'S TO BE EXPECTED THAT THEIR KIDS PLAYING MAKE A LITTLE NOISE.
AND, UM, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE TRACK MADE OUT OF LIKE, IS IT JUST GOING TO BE DIRT OR IS IT, UM, YEAH, UH, D DIFFERENT MATERIAL? UM, IT CAN BE, UH, IT CAN BE A WHOLE HOST OF, UH, MATERIAL.
IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, CONCRETE OR KIND OF ASPHALT TO, TO WHERE THEY DO THE ROLE, UH, THE, UH, BERMS AND ROLLERS, UH, TO COMPACTED EARTH, UM, TO A WOOD WOOD KIND OF PLANTING AND WOOD, UH, TURNS.
UM, I THINK IN THE VISION PLAN ITSELF, WE'VE, UH, SUGGESTED THEY USE AS MUCH, UH, PERMEABLE TYPE, UH, UH, MATERIAL AS POSSIBLE.
AND IF IT, IF IT IS WOODS, UH, WOOD BUILT STRUCTURES, THAT IT BE A, UH, A ROBINIA OR SOME KIND OF WOOD THAT'S, UM, CERTIFIED BY THE FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL, THAT'S ROT RESISTANT, THAT'S STRONG AND DURABLE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LONGEVITY LONGEVITY THERE AS WELL.
UM, UH, SO YEAH, IT COULD BE A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND THAT A LOT OF THAT'S BASED ON, UM, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THEN REGARDING THE INTERNAL PATHWAYS, UM, I KNOW, UM, THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCRETE PATHS, UM, JUST BECAUSE IT IS THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT FLOODING AND IT IS SORT OF A WATER RETENTION, UM, PARK, BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE PARTS OF THE PARK THAT, UM, PROBABLY WOULDN'T GET FLOODED, LIKE UP BY THE PLAYGROUND IT'S REALLY HIGH.
AND THE PARK HAS ALSO, EVER SINCE IT GOT REDESIGNED IN 86, IT HASN'T FLOODED AT ALL.
UM, AND SO I JUST, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, DESIRE TO NOT HAVE CONCRETE PATHS ON THE INTERIOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AROUND THAT PLAYGROUND AREA WHERE IT'S VERY UNLIKELY TO FLOOD.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF RECONSIDERING THAT, UM,
[01:40:01]
THERE ARE CERTAINLY ANY, ANYTHING HERE CAN BE, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS.SO ANYTHING HERE CAN BE RECONSIDERED, AND I WILL NOTE ONE THING, UM, ON THE DG VERSUS CONCRETE PATH.
SO, UM, WHEREVER CONCRETE PATHS ARE PLANNED, THAT ESPECIALLY ARE AROUND SOME OF THE LARGER TREES I'VE, UH, THE DESIGN TEAM HAS TRIED TO KEEP THOSE, UH, PATHS GENERALLY IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE CURRENT, UH, UH, CURRENT PATH.
SO, UM, SO WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY MORE DISTURBANCE, UM, ESPECIALLY AROUND, UH, IN THE DRIP LINE OF TREES, UM, IN TERMS OF DISTURBANCE, UM, MAKING, UH, A DG PATH AND A CONCRETE PATH, ESPECIALLY DG PATH, IT'S USING THE CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARDS, UH, THE STANDARD SPEC.
AND, UM, IT IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF DISTURBANCE AS PUTTING IN A CONCRETE PATH.
YOU STILL HAVE TO COMPACT THE EARTH UNDERNEATH.
YOU STILL HAVE TO, UM, UH, GRADED OUT FOR THE DG TO COME IN.
SO THERE'S STILL DISTURBANCE THERE, REGARDLESS OF EITHER PATH YOU DO.
UM, AND, UH, COMPACTED DG WAS STABILIZER ISN'T PERMEABLE EITHER.
UM, UH, AT LEAST WHEN IT GOES IN, WHEN IT'S AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE.
SO, UM, AT THAT POINT IT BECOMES TO ME, UH, AN AESTHETIC, UH, UH, OPT-IN AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, DG DOES FEEL BETTER, UM, WALKING AND DOGGING THEM ON AND THINGS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TRADE OFFS TO BOTH, BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE, LONGEVITY, UM, IT BEING A CONSISTENT AND LONG-TERM, UH, ACCESSIBLE ROUTE, UM, UH, I ALWAYS TEND TO GO TOWARDS CONCRETE, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME, DG, DEGRADES, EVEN IF IT'S NOT FLOODED, AND THEN IT DOESN'T BECOME AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE EXCEPT FOR, WITH CONSTANT MAINTENANCE.
UM, SO ANYWAY, ALL THOSE THINGS, UH, NEED TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN, WHEN THIS DESIGN IS GETTING FINALIZED IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO NO, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I, I WANT US TO, TO MOVE ON, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST SAY, I DO TELL WHAT A BOARD MEMBER BERNARD, THE POINTS THAT SHE RAISED, I'M TOTALLY ON, UM, AGREE WITH HER ABOUT THOSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY JUST ONE THING IN THAT IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE POND.
I MEAN, THE POND IS IF YOU GO TO THAT PARK, THE POND IS LIKE THE CROWNING AMENITY IN THAT PARK AND THE NEIGHBORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO VISITED TREASURE.
AND TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR THESE STUDIES AND SEE, IT JUST MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST GOING TO DELAY THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO I REALLY WOULD HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE EFFORT IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THAT FUNDING AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO GET THAT POND WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING.
IT'S, UH, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN AMAZING, YOU KNOW, WATER AMENITY.
AND, AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AND TREASURE THAT I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THERE ARE SO MANY APARTMENT TOWERS COMING UP ON BURNETT ROAD THAT THIS PARK IS PROBABLY GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE AND MORE USAGE AS TIME GOES ON.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PROBABLY CONSIDERED THAT TOO, BUT IT'S JUST, UH, I CAN JUST SEE IT, THAT IT'S DEFINITELY COMING, BUT, UM, ANYWAYS, THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
AND, UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT THEY, UM, WE ALL VALUE THAT.
SO DO YOU WANT TO GO, DO YOU HAVE A, UH, EMOTION? YES.
UM, I MOVED AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS THE NORTHWEST VISION PLAN WITH THE FOLLOWING CONTINGENCIES.
NUMBER ONE, THAT PART CONTINUES TO INVOLVE AND SOLICIT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WHEN 30%, 60% AND 90% OF THE DESIGN PROCESSES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO THAT PART, WE'LL CONSERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE CURRENT PONDS, LAYOUT AND STRUCTURE AND MEAN CONTROL OF IT AS A PARK AMENITY AND THREE, THAT PARD WILL COMMISSION THE FOLLOWING STUDIES OF THE POND ABOUT THE MITRE STUDY, WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT, HIGH HYDROLOGICAL IN GEOPHYSICAL STUDIES.
SO YOU HAVE, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR BOARD MEMBER? BERNARD'S MOTION SECOND, SECOND.
AND BY BOARD MEMBER FOULS, ALL IN FAVOR, ANY, UM, LET'S SEE.
[01:45:01]
I DON'T SEE BOARD.REMEMBER TAYLOR, IS SHE, IS SHE THERE OR DOES SHE, DOES SHE GO ANYWAYS, BUT WE HAVE, UM, OR MEMBER RINALDI ABSTAINED AND I DON'T SEE BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR AND BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN'S NUMBER AND ALL THE RECUSED.
[B.2. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a recommendation to City Council for approval of Permanent Use and Temporary Use of parkland located at Edward Rendon Sr. Metro Park at Festival Beach (2101 Jesse E. Segovia St.) and Peace Point at Lady Bird Lake Metro Park (2200 S. Lakeshore Blvd) not to exceed 90 Days. Total Mitigation is $327,608.]
OKAY.DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FOR THIS ONE? UH, VICE CHAIR DIPLOMA, BUT NO CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL FOR COMING, UM, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF PERMANENT USE AND TEMPORARY USE OF PARKLAND LOCATED AT EDWARD RENDELL, SENIOR METRO PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH AND PEACE POINT AT LADYBIRD LAKE METRO PARK, NOT TO EXCEED 90 DAYS AND THE TOTAL MITIGATION, YOU'LL BE INTERESTED IN THIS $327,608.
AND WE HAVE, UM, GREG MONTES AND DAVE LAMBERT.
BUT EVEN THE WORD MEMBERS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY.
THIS IS GREAT VOLUNTEERS WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, DO YOU CORRECT? UM, ARMCHAIR, THIS IS A, A CHAPTER 26 REQUESTS COMING FROM AUSTIN ENERGY FOR PERMANENT TEMPORARY USE OF PARKLAND, UH, IN THE TOWN LAKE, METRO PARK AREA.
YOU MENTIONED THE PARKS, UM, JOINING ME AS DAVE LAMBERT FROM ENERGY.
WE WILL BE RUNNING THROUGH A SHORT PRESENTATION TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEED FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, JOINING, UH, DAVE ALSO FROM AUSTIN ENERGY OR SOME OTHER, UM, STAFF THAT CAN BE A RESOURCE.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND HAND IT OVER TO DAVE, SO HE CAN GO THROUGH THE, THE PRESENTATION THEN WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS.
AND IF WE, I DO WANT US TO, AND NOT TO TRY TO PUSH YOU, BUT I DO WANT TO TRY TO GET, SO WE'RE NOT HERE TILL 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
SO IF YOU, IF THERE'S ANY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN MAKE ANY BRIEF FOR THEM POSSIBLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND IS IT POSSIBLE FOR CTM, UH, TO BRING UP THE PRESENTATION AND CONTROL THAT I KNOW THAT WAS DONE JUST ON THE PREVIOUS ITEM.
[01:50:40]
AH, THERE WE ARE.UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR VICE-CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR LISTENING TO OUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
UM, IT IS FOR BASICALLY HOLES IN THE GROUND.
WE'RE GOING TO STICK SOME PIPES IN, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE LOCATION OF OUR PROJECT IS BASICALLY FROM THE NORTH RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF SOUTH LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD, UP TO THE PARKING LOT, WHICH IS TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE CAMACHO CENTER.
UM, WE, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND THE SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT IS THAT THERE'S EXISTING AGING FAILING ELECTRIC CABLES ACROSS LADY BIRD LAKE THAT FEED TWO CIRCUITS THAT FEED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF SOUTH AUSTIN.
UH, IT WILL BE ABOUT BOTH 125 LINEAR FEET OF UNDERGROUND, UH, PRIMARY ELECTRIC AND, UH, LIKE, UH, CABLING AND DUCT BANK THROUGH ED RENDON, SENIOR METRO PARK AND PIECE POINT, UH, AT TOWN LAKE METRO PARK.
UM, WE'VE ASKED FOR 90 DAYS DURATION, THE CONTRACTOR THINKS IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO DO IT IN TWO MONTHS, SO WE CAN BE IN AND OUT OF THAT PARKING LOT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, IT'S ALMOST 60,000 SQUARE FEET OF TEMPORARY USE AND, UH, PERMANENT USE, WHICH WILL BE THE UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC DUCT BANK.
UM, CONDUIT AND CABLING IN CONCRETE WILL BE ABOUT 11,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND THIS IS THE AREA OF SOUTH AUSTIN, WHICH THESE TWO CABLES FEED.
THEY COME OUT OF THE HEATHER NOVELIS SUBSTATION, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE OLD POWER PLANT SITE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A GOOD CHUNK OF SOUTH AUSTIN.
UM, ALSO WE ANTICIPATE A LOT OF GROWTH IN THIS AREA.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SPARE, UH, CONDUIT IN ORDER TO PULL CABLES IN THE FUTURE TO ACCOMMODATE FUTURE GROWTH.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO, UH, INSTALL A NEW DUCK BANK VIA BORING RATHER THAN OPEN CUTS, WHICH WOULD NOT BE, UH, COMPATIBLE WITH A PARKLAND DURING, DURING THE TIME THAT THEY'RE BEING OPENED UP.
SO IT'S A BORING, UM, WELL BORE FROM THE NORTH SIDES OF THE SOUTH, AND THEN TURN AROUND AND PUSH, UM, CABLING TO THE NORTH OR, UM, THE, UH, THE CASING TO THE NORTH, AND THEN, UM, BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THERE IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS.
THIS IS THE VIEW OF THE TEMPORARY STAGING AREA, WHICH IS IN THE PARKING LOT TO THE LAST SOUTH OF, UH, THE CAMACHO CENTER.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'LL BE USING THE ENTIRE PARKING LOT, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, UH, THAT'S NEEDED IN ORDER TO ASSEMBLE THE LONG SEGMENTS OF POLYETHYLENE CASING, WHICH WE PUSHED ONTO THE LAKE TO HOLD THE CONCRETE AND THE WIRES.
UM, NO TREES ARE, WILL BE, UH, INJURED.
THERE'LL BE TREE THAT, UH, THAT BIG TREE RIGHT THERE WHERE IT SAYS TREK, SORRY, EXCUSE ME, PROTECT THE TREES DURING CONSTRUCTION THAT MAY NEED TO BE TRIMMED A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT AS IT STANDS NOW, YOU COULDN'T PULL IT INTO A CAR UNDERNEATH THAT TREE ANYWAY.
SO, UM, IT'LL ACTUALLY CLEAN THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT OVER THERE.
WE'VE MET IN THE FIELD WITH THE PART FORESTER.
SHE HAD NO OBJECTIONS TO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE RED BEING THE EXISTING CABLE, UH, WHICH IS DIRECTLY EMBEDDED.
IT'S NOT IN CONDUIT UNDER THE LAKE.
IT WAS JUST LAID THERE IN THE, IN THE SEVENTIES.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY HAS SEEN SOME USE OVER THAT TIME.
THE GREEN IS THE NEW DUCT BANK WITH, UH, NEW MANHOLES AT EITHER END THAT WILL TIE INTO THE EXISTING UNDERGROUND ON THE NORTH SIDE.
[01:55:01]
AND EVENTUALLY COME UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE.IT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE, IT'S JUST WEST OF THE, UH, OLD YOUTH HOSTEL IN BETWEEN 10 AND FORD AND, UH, LADY BIRD LANE.
WE ARE AWARE THAT THE GREATEST, ONE OF THE GREATEST CONCERNS WITH THIS SINCE WE'LL BE WORKING FOR TWO TO THREE MONTHS, SO THEN LEAVING THE AREA IS THAT, THAT INTERIM A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHERE WE'LL BE USING THAT PARKING LOT, OUR CONSULTANT HAS PREPARED A, A STUDY OF THE AVAILABLE PARKING IN THE AREA.
AND ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS, I DID EARLIER TODAY.
THERE'S A, WHEN YOU FIGURE, FIGURE OUT THE, UH, PARKING LOTS THAT ARE IN THAT RED AREA, THERE'S STILL 345 PARKING SPACES IN THE AREA.
THAT INCLUDES INCLUDES ON THE FAR WEST SIDE, THE MARTIN NEIGHBORHOOD POOL PARKING LOT, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HALL OVER TO THE BALL FIELDS.
SO, UM, BUT, BUT IT'S INCLUDING THAT NUMBER, UH, BEING THAT, THAT 24 AND THAT TOO, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND OUR REQUEST IS THAT YOU RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL APPROVEMENT, SORRY, APPROVAL OF THE PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY USE THAT WE NEED, UH, IN THESE TWO PARKS, NOT TO EXCEED 90 DAYS.
AND OF COURSE THE MITIGATION IS THE AMOUNT SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE THEM.
OR IF I HAVE TO HAVE MY TEAM HELP ME OUT, I'LL SHARE, HAVE THEM JOIN IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LAMBERT? OKAY.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY, UH, FOR STAFF.
AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS AT ALL.
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE MOTION ON IT.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION AS FAR AS DO WE HAVE ANY IDEAS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO USE THE MITIGATION FUNDS WITHIN THAT PARK? REMEMBER, THIS IS GROUP ONE AT THIS PARKS AND REC.
UM, TYPICALLY AT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DO NOT HAVE, UM, AN ANSWER AS TO WHERE EXACTLY OR WHAT, UH, PARK WE WILL USE THOSE, UH, MITIGATION FUNDS.
WE TYPICALLY WILL ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO A PARK THAT'S IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT.
BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED THE FUNDING FOR THE SPECIFIC PROJECT.
SO WHAT WE WILL PROBABLY DO IS HOLD IT IN THE MITIGATION ACCOUNT.
AND THEN AS THE PROJECT COMES UP, WE WILL THEN APPLY IT TO THOSE TWO PARKS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.
SO RIGHT NOW, TODAY, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY RECREATIONAL PROJECT THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL GO TO.
APPRECIATE IT, MR. MONTEZ, AND WE'LL JUST MAKE SURE WE EMBED THAT INTO THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO CHAIR, IF YOU HAVE, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
SO, UH, I MOVED THAT WOULD MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL APPROVAL, UH, PERMANENT USE AND TEMPORARY USE OF PARKLAND LOCATED AT EDWARD RANDOM SENIOR METRO PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH AND PEACE POINT AT LADY BIRD LAKE METRO PARK, NOT TO EXCEED 90 DAYS WITH THE TOTAL MITIGATION OF $327, $327,608 WITH FUNDS TO BE WITH MITIGATION FUNDING TO BE USED AT THE IMPACTED PARKS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER RINALDI ALL IN FAVOR.
AND I THINK THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR IS ON, BUT I SEE BOARD MEMBER, UH, DECARLO AND COTTON CYBIL YES.
SO AGAIN, SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THE NEXT ITEM IS, UM, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF PROJECT CONNECT PLANS RELATED TO PARKLAND.
AND DO WE HAVE SOME CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? YES.
WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN VERSUS SINCE COMMUNICATION AND THAT IS KEVIN REYNA'S WITH THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
IT WAS REALLY JUST A CA I GAVE MY COMMENTS EARLIER.
I WAS ACTUALLY SIGNED UP FOR AN AGENDA ITEM AND THAT QUESTIONS CAN'T BE ASKED AS, YOU KNOW, BETTER THAN I WITH MY EARLIER COMMENTS.
SO I JUST SIGNED BACK UP TO SAY, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON MY EARLIER COMMENTS OR THE TOPIC OF THE BOATHOUSE, HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
AND IF NOT, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
[02:00:01]
ARE YOU SURE IF THAT'S OKAY.UM, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP RIGHT NOW? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'RE BEING ASKED ABOUT HAVING ASKED POST THE COMMUNITY MEETING? YEAH, I THINK THE BIGGEST QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF WHAT'S NEXT.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, GREAT PARTICIPATION, VERY ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WAS ESTABLISHED AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DESIRE TO STAY AT OR NEAR THE CURRENT LOCATION IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT, HAS THAT REALLY BEEN ASSESSED OR NOT.
AND THEN IF, UH, WE DO NEED TO MOVE, UM, STAFF AND DIRECTOR MCNEELY HAVE OUTLINED A SERIES OF OPTIONS IN THAT MEETING AND PEOPLE WERE, PEOPLE WERE VERY THANKFUL.
THEY WERE VERY EXCITED THAT THE PARK STAFF AND THE CITY AND, UH, AND OTHER AGENCIES WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE FACT THAT THE, THIS SHOULD BE RESTORED AND LET'S, LET'S PUT IT SOMEWHERE.
AND DO WE HAVE AN IDEA AS FAR AS THE SIZE AS, AS THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU ARE LOOKING, GOING INTO LIKE SOME SORT OF PROGRAMMING OR EXISTING SPACE, HOW THAT TRANSFERS INTO A POTENTIALLY FUTURE SPACE? UM, NOT JUST YET, BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THAT WILL BE DICTATED BY THE ULTIMATE LOCATION.
AND CERTAINLY IF IT'S THE CURRENT LOCATION I WOULD ENVISION, IT WOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT DOES TODAY.
THERE MAY BE A LOT MORE ON THE WATER VERSUS THE LAND.
I DON'T WANT TO DESIGN IT BECAUSE I AM NOT QUALIFIED.
I UNDERSTOOD, BUT IF IT'S YOUTH HOSTEL, I THINK THERE'S HUGE OPPORTUNITY THERE TO REALLY HAVE A UNIQUE PLACE EAST OF 35, SERVING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, SUCH AS WE DO TODAY AT THE WALNUT CREEK BOATHOUSE.
SO LAST QUESTION, IF YOU HAD A REDUCTION IN THE SPACE, SAY IT WAS 70% OR 70% OF WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT PROGRAM? UH, THE MAIN THING THAT THAT WOULD PROBABLY IMPACT IS THE, UH, TODAY, THE WALNUT CREEK BOATHOUSE IS A BEAUTIFUL VENUE AND WE GENERATE A LOT OF INCOME FOR THE CITY.
AND, AND PART OF, FOR INSTANCE, WE'LL BE ANOTHER SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UM, VENUE FOR THAT CONFERENCE.
SO IF THE BUILDING HAD TO BE SCALED BACK, WE'D HAVE TO MAKE IT MORE PRAC MORE UTILITARIAN, IF YOU WILL, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE DO HAVE OFFICE SPACE AND SALES COUNTERS AND STORAGE FOR ONE HECK OF A LOT OF BOATS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO I WOULD ENVISION THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT GETS COMPROMISED IN TERMS OF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THIS, BUT THERE MAY STILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A VERY CALM, CUTE LITTLE SPOT THERE THAT WE COULD STILL HAVE FOR CORPORATE MEETINGS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT I WOULD SEE VENUE RENTAL AS THAT KIND OF A POTENTIAL IMPACT IF IT WASN'T THE SAME LEVEL OF SPACE THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. REYNA'S? OKAY.
[B.3. Presentation and discussion of Project Connect plans related to parkland.]
WE HAVE, UM, SCOTT GRANUM AND PETER MULLEN, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.UH, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES.
WONDERFUL SCOTT GRANT THEM AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M GOING TO BE INTRODUCING THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS EVENING.
UM, UH, WHILE I DO THAT, UM, THE, UH, DID WANT TO SAY THAT PETER MULLIN WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE THE PRESENTATION IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT CTM NEEDS TO DO TO DO THAT, BUT, UH, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST PETER MO SURE, NO PROBLEM.
SO GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, UM, SCOTT GRANTHAM, AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I AM THE, UH, SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE SPOCK FOR PART, FOR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OR PROJECT CONNECT, AND, UM, HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE, UH, FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, LOOKING AT DESIGNS, LOOKING AT, UM, IMPACT, UH, IMPACT ANALYSIS AND, UM, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS, SCRAP DRAFTS OF THOSE DOCUMENTS.
I'VE ALSO GOT A TEAM OF FOLKS THAT, THAT I'VE WORKED WITH, UM, TAPPED FROM VARIOUS PART, UH, DIVISIONS WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, INDIVIDUAL PARKS AND SOME OF THEM ARE SPECIALISTS AND THINGS LIKE, UM, UH, WALLER CREEK AND WATERLOO GREENWAY.
AND, UM, EVERYONE'S DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR.
WE'VE BEEN, UH, REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO, UH, WHERE PROJECT, UH, CONNECT WILL IMPACT PARKS.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S HAPPENING IN
[02:05:01]
BIG WAYS IN, IN SOME PLACES AND IN SMALL WAYS AND A LOT OF PLACES.SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE THINGS AND, UM, UH, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, AND SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, THE OTHER SPEAKERS, PETER MULLEN FROM, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
HE IS THE CHIEF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN, UM, AT ATP.
AND, UM, MS. IS THE, IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN MOBILITY OFFICER.
SHE IS WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, OR PETER, ARE YOU READY TO PRESENT? I AM.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION, SCOTT.
UH, IT'S BEEN, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE, UM, GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, WITH PARD, UH, ON THIS PROJECT AND THIS UNDERTAKING.
SO, UM, SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND ALSO TO, UH, NIQUE, UM, AND, UH, IT'S JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN IN, UH, IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY.
AND SO, UH, REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND, UM, TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS IS A PRETTY GENERAL UPDATE.
UM, AND SO, UM, I HOPE WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE WHOLE, AND THIS OBVIOUSLY WON'T BE THE LAST TIME, UM, THAT WE ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK FOR FUTURE MEETINGS, UM, AND, UH, DISCUSSIONS.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO I'M HERE WITH NICK, ARE YOU ON, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY CAMERA, BUT I THINK YOU CAN HEAR ME.
UM, SO YEAH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO A GENERAL UPDATE OF PROJECT CONNECTS AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE THINK THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO PARKLAND.
UM, AND THEN HAPPY TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS HERE.
SO, UM, PROJECT CONNECT IS A, UH, SYSTEM WIDE CITYWIDE, UM, COMMUNITY-WIDE INVESTMENT IN TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND WE LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PROGRAM OF MANY, MANY PROJECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THE MOST, THE ONES THAT GET THE SORT OF THE MOST AIRTIME ARE THE TWO LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS, THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINE, AND PROBABLY FOCUS MOST OF OUR ATTENTION ON THAT TONIGHT, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT IS A SYSTEM AND ALL THESE PIECES OF THE SYSTEM HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND THEY INCLUDE, UM, NEW METRO RAPID LINES.
UM, THOSE ARE HIGH CAPACITY BUS LINES, UM, NEW LOCAL SERVICE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PICKUPS ZONES, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RED LINE, A NEW COMMUTER LINE AND THE GREEN LINE, UM, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, $300 MILLION IN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENTS TO, UM, REALLY SUPPORT COMMUNITIES THAT MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THIS, THIS WORK.
SO, UM, SO ANYWAY, IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING OVER MANY YEARS, UH, WITH MANY DIFFERENT PARTS.
UM, BUT THEY ALL WORKED TOGETHER AS PART OF THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THIS IS REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE PREPARE AUSTIN FOR ITS FUTURE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS INCREDIBLE POPULATION GROWTH.
UM, AND YET WE NEED TO MOVE MORE PEOPLE INTO PUBLIC TRANSIT OUT OF THEIR, THEIR CARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HUGE, UM, UNDERTAKING THAT'S GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR, UM, CLIMATE RESILIENCY PLAN AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS AS A COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT THE, THE SORT OF THE OVERALL SEQUENCE PLAN LOOKS LIKE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ON THIS.
I THINK IT'S JUST A FEW TAKEAWAYS.
ONE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM AS A, YOU KNOW, A 13 PLUS YEAR HORIZON, UM, SO THIS IS A LONGTERM, UH, ENDEAVOR AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE EVERYTHING TODAY.
AND SO THINGS GET TO GET, I HAVE TO GET WORKED ON OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF GROUNDBREAKINGS ALREADY, UM, ON BOTH THE RED LINE AND ON ONE OF OUR METRO RAPID LINES.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER GROUNDBREAKING ON THE OTHER, ANOTHER METRO RAPID LINE WHEN THIS YEAR, UM, AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, INTENSIVELY INVOLVED IN THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PHASE, UM, FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, MOVING A LOT OF THINGS FORWARD SIMULTANEOUSLY.
UM, BUT KNOWING THAT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A NUMBER OF YEARS AND, UM, PARTICULARLY WITH LIKE LIGHT RAIL LINES AT THE TOP ORANGE AND BLUE LINES, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LONG PROCESS TO GET EVEN INTO CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE OTHER THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THIS IS, UM, THE CENTER TAKE IS REALLY BEING, UH, EXECUTED THROUGH PARTNERSHIP, UM, BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, CAP METRO AND AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS THE NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION WAS CREATED WITH THE
[02:10:01]
REFERENDUM IN 2020, UM, TO, UH, TO IMPLEMENT, UH, AND TO ISSUE CONTRACTS FOR, UM, THE, THE PARTICULARLY THE LIGHT RAIL LINES AND, AND THE, UM, THE GREEN LINE LATER.UM, BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING IN ISOLATION.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAP METRO WHO OPERATE THESE FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH ACTUALLY HAS, YOU KNOW, HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES IS THE, THE OWNER OF THE RIGHT OF WAY AND, AND PERMANENT IN COORDINATION WITH UTILITIES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, THAT'S IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE'RE, WE'RE DELIVERING THE PROGRAM.
UM, ANY, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, UH, PROJECT CONNECT DOT? SURE.
UM, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND PARK BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS AND I AM IN A NEW POSITION THAT WAS CREATED AFTER THE REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER, 2020, WHICH IS LEADING A CITY OF BOSTON PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
UH, WE, UM, REPORT THROUGH THE MOBILITY OUTCOME, UM, PART OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023 REPORTING THROUGH ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, GINA FEE, AND DACA.
WE ARE FUNDED A HUNDRED PERCENT BY THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, WHICH HAS PETER MENTIONED AS THE NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION WHO IS WORKING SPECIFICALLY ON IMPLEMENTATION ON BEHALF OF CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY, UM, WHO ARE PROJECT SPONSORS OUR MISSION AT THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
UM, I COULD READ THIS OFF, BUT I WON'T IS BASICALLY TO COORDINATE THE 40, SOME ODD CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ASSURE THAT WE ARE HAVING ONE VOICE AND THAT WE ARE MAXIMIZING OUR OUTCOMES AS THERE ARE MANY TRADE-OFFS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT WILL COME UP AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS, UM, THIS MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM OF PROJECTS.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE, WE ARE FOCUSING, AS PETER SAID ON COLLABORATION, UH, THE INTEGRATION OF, OF CAPITAL METRO STAFF, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP EXPERTISE, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENT STAFF HAS BEEN AMAZING OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UM, THE OUTCOMES AS THEY, AS THEY COME ON BOARD YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UM, AS PETER SAID, THE LIGHT RAIL IS, UM, IS THE BIG FOCUS, BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER PROJECTS IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR RAPID BUS SYSTEM PARK AND RIDES AND, AND THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WERE ON THE SLIDE.
SO OUR TEAM IS REALLY HERE TO SERVE THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, PARKS, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF 25 THAT ARE HIGHLY ENGAGED RIGHT NOW OF OUR 40, 40 ISH, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND I THINK BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM, WE'LL PROBABLY ENGAGE ALL OF THEM, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S 25 OF 40.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN FORMALLY IN FRONT OF THE PARKS BOARD.
AND SO, UM, IT'S GREAT TO START THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU ALL AND WE WILL BE BACK.
UM, AND SO OUR GOALS, UH, FOR THE CITY, UH, OFFICE ARE ON THE SLIDE AND I CAN BE A CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOU ALL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SO COMPUTER, UM, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL THANKS, PETER, FOR LETTING ME, UM, PLUG THE CITY OFFICE.
UM, SO, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OVER THE, THE TWO LIGHT RAIL LINES THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY IN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FOR, UM, WE HAVE THE ORANGE LINE, WHICH RUNS NORTH SOUTH.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE IS ACTUALLY ROTATED NORTH IS TO THE RIGHT IN THIS SLIDE.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S SO LONG THAT WE HAVE TO TURN IT OR ZULILY, UM, BUT IT RUNS FROM, UM, SLAUGHTER LANE IN THE SOUTH TO THE TECH RIDGE IN THE NORTH, ON THE SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE AND THEN NORTH LAMAR GUADALUPE, AND THEN NORTH LAMAR CORRIDORS, UM, RUNNING NORTH SOUTH, UM, THE INITIAL INVESTMENT WILL RUN FROM STASTNY IN THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH OF OUR TRANSIT CENTER, UM, IN THE NORTH.
AND YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THE ALIGNMENT IS THAT, UM, FROM REPUBLIC SQUARE NORTH, UH, THE BLUE LINE AND THE ORANGE LINE ARE INTERLINED, WHICH MEANS THAT THE BLUE LINE WILL CONTINUE AND RUN ON THE SAME TRACK AS THE ORANGE LINE.
UM, AND IT JUST IMPROVES THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, UM, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THROUGH THAT, THAT INTERLINING FACILITY.
UM, THE, THE BLUE LINE, UM, AND NORTH IS UP IN THIS VIEW RUNS, UH, BASICALLY EAST-WEST, UM, FROM THE AIRPORT, UM, UH, DOWN THE EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, CORRIDOR TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, CROSSES THE LAKE, UH, ON A BRIDGE.
UM, AND THEN WHEN IT GETS TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, GOES DOWN INTO A TUNNEL, UM, IT GOES UNDERGROUND AND THEN CONNECTS WITH THE ORANGE LINE, UM, SIMILARLY ORANGE LINE, UNLIKE THE, THE BLUE LINE, UM, THAT WILL BE IN A TUNNEL, UM,
[02:15:01]
UH, FROM THE SOUTH CONGRESS AREA, UM, GOING UNDERNEATH THE LAKE AND STAYING IN A TUNNEL, UM, ALL THE WAY UP TO ESSENTIALLY TO MLK.SO, UM, SO THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN AREA FOR THE ORANGE LINES ARE UNDERGROUND.
UM, AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF SERVICE FUNCTIONALITY, UM, AND DOES THAT, YOU KNOW, A FAIR AMOUNT OF COMPLICATION TO, TO THE ALIGNMENT.
UM, AS I SAID, WE'RE IN THE, THE, THE NEPA PROCESS RIGHT NOW, UM, AND THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PHASE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COMPLETED THE 15% DESIGN LAST SUMMER AND ROLLED THAT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE 30% DESIGN AND THE DRAFT EIS WILL BE ROLLED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, THIS COMING SUMMER.
SO SUMMER OF 22, UM, AND THEN THEIR WHOLE SERIES OF PROCESS WAS 30% DESIGN AND COST ESTIMATE.
UM, WITH THE GOAL OF FINALIZING THE EIS, UH, BY THE END OF 22 AND GETTING RECORD DECISION, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY AT CFTA, UM, SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS PROGRAM WILL BE FUNDED BY THE FTA.
UM, SO THEY ARE A PARTNER IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND SO, AND WE ALSO HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL OF THEIR GUIDELINES, UM, IN TERMS OF PROCESSES AND, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING THROUGH ALL THEIR PROCESS, IDENTIFYING ALL THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS, UM, TRYING TO REDUCE THEM WHERE WE CAN, UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY MITIGATION WHERE IT'S REQUIRED.
UM, W ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND REALLY WHETHER IT'S IS WHY I'M HERE IS THAT, UM, THE PROGRAM IS, IS NOT JUST ABOUT MOVING, UH, FRIENDS AND VEHICLES, RIGHT? THIS IS REALLY, WE TRY TO TAKE A REALLY HOLISTIC AND HUMAN CENTERED APPROACH TOWARDS THE PUBLIC REALM IN GENERAL.
UM, RECOGNIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HUGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM, THAT'S GOING TO BE DISRUPTIVE, BUT HOW DO WE ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE PUBLIC REALM WHEREVER WE GO.
UM, AND SO THAT, UM, INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, NEW SIDEWALKS, NEW STREET TREES, NEW BIKE LANES, UM, AND TRY TO TAKE A VERY, UH, LOCALLY SPECIFIC APPROACH TOWARDS DESIGN AND PLACEMAKING, UM, WHEREVER, WHEREVER WE CAN, UM, AT THE CENTER OF OUR, OUR DESIGN PROCESS IS, IS ACCESSIBILITY AND DESIGNING FOR, UM, ALL USERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME SAY THAT IF YOU DESIGN FOR THE PEOPLE DISABILITIES, YOU DESIGNED FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I THINK WE, WE SEE THAT AS A, REALLY A FIRST PRINCIPLE.
UM, THIS HAS TO BE A SYSTEM THAT IS USABLE, INTUITIVE, UM, AND INVITING TO EVERYONE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT INFORMS EVERYTHING WE DO, NOT JUST ON TERMS OF THE MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALL OF THE SPACES THAT WE'RE MAKING, UM, AROUND IT.
UM, SO PLACEMAKING IS A HUGE PART OF, OF THIS PROCESS, UM, AND A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.
I, I THINK, UM, AS WE GO, UM, SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN, UM DEVELOPING IDEAS AND, AND REFINING IDEAS AND GETTING INPUT ON HOW WE CAN BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THESE PLACES.
UM, ALSO, UM, OBVIOUSLY LANDSCAPE AND SUSTAINABILITY IS, IS A HUGE, IS ANOTHER CORE VALUE FOR US.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WANTING TO DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT, THAT REALLY REFLECTS THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM IS, IS IT'S, UM, CARBON REDUCTION CAPACITY.
SO WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS THAT, UM, AND ACTUALLY BRING THAT TO MAKE THAT REAL FOR THE USERS OF THE SYSTEM, THROUGH, UM, LANDSCAPE AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES, UM, BUT ALSO, UM, INCORPORATING OUR PUBLIC ART INTO, INTO THE PROGRAM.
SO WE WILL HAVE A ROBUST PRAGUE ART PROGRAM AS PART OF THIS CAPITAL, THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO HERE'S WHERE WE GET A LITTLE BIT DETAILED.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS.
THIS IS WHEN WE GET TO THE, THE, THE MEAT OF WHAT LEAST RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS KIND OF PRELIMINARY, UH, POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO PARKLAND ALONG THESE TWO, UH, TWO CORRIDORS.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LIST OF, THERE ARE TWO SLIDES ON THE, ON THE ORANGE LINE, ONE ON THE BLUE LINE.
UM, SO THIS IS THE ORANGE LINE SOUTH FROM SLAUGHTER LANE.
UM, BASICALLY UP TO NORTH OF THE RIVER, UM, TO ABOUT, UH, WITH LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST WANT THE HIGH PARK STATION, UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED NINE, UM, SITES THAT WE ARE NINE ARCS.
WE, UM, ANTICIPATE MAY BE IMPACTED NOW, AS YOU SEE ON THE TABLE, MOST OF THOSE ACTUALLY HAVE NO IMPACT, RIGHT? SO, UM, PER THE EIS AND PER THE NEPA PROCESS, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY PARKS THAT
[02:20:01]
ARE WITHIN A HALF MILE, UM, ZONE OF THE CONSTRUCTION CORRIDOR.SO A LOT OF THOSE, UM, PARKS, YOU KNOW, FALL INTO THAT, UM, INTO THAT, UH, THAT KIND OF, UH, CONDITION.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THAT WE, WE DO ANTICIPATE IMPACTS, AS SCOTT SAID, THERE ARE A FEW WHERE WE'VE GOT SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, BUT IN A LOT WHERE WE HAVE VERY MINOR IMPACTS USUALLY, UM, LIKE IN THE CASE OF SOME OF THE ONES ON THIS SLIDE, UH, LIKE, UH, METAL, THE POCKET PARK AND THE WILLIAMSON CREEK CENTRAL GREENBELT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, THIS IS A CASE WHERE WE'VE GOT TO, WE CROSS THE PARK OR ADJACENT TO THE PARK WITH IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND WE MAY HAVE TO INCREASE THE WIDTH OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO IT MAY REQUIRE, UM, ACQUIRING AND CHANGING THE USE OF A SLIVER OF THAT PARK.
UM, SO THESE TEND TO BE VERY SMALL, SMALL SLIVERS OF PARKLAND, UM, UH, IN THE CASE OF THE LONG CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AREA THAT'S, THAT'S AT LEAST FROM THE LONG CENTER IT'S PARKLAND.
UM, WE ARE STUDYING THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING AN ENTRANCE INTO THE UNDERGROUND, UH, INTO THE SUBWAY, INTO THE TUNNEL SYSTEM.
UM, THERE'S A STATION IN DIRECT PROXIMITY TO THAT.
UM, SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOME CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, OBVIOUSLY, UH, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY A PERMANENT, UM, PUBLIC ENTRANCE INTO THE SUBWAY.
UM, ON THAT PORTION OF THE, OF THE LONG CENTER, JUST NORTH OF JUST SOUTH OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE, UM, GOING NORTH, UM, ON THE ORANGE LINE CORRIDOR AGAIN, UM, MOST OF THESE ARE THESE WHAT I WOULD CALL THESE REMINDER IMPACTS TAX, WHERE WE'RE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A SMALL SLIVER THAN IS REQUIRED JASON TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, WHERE WE'RE IMPACTING, UM, UH, THE PARKLAND AS WE CROSS IT.
THERE ARE SOME LIKE THE RED LINE TRAIL.
UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT IT'S NOT HEALTHY, IT'S TECHNICALLY PARKLAND, BUT IT IS, UM, IT'S A TRAIL FACILITY.
SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, UH, IT'S UNDER, I THINK, UH, PUBLIC WORKS IS JURISDICTION.
YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THAT BECAUSE THERE IS, I THINK WILL BE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS ON THAT WHERE THE ORANGE LINE CROSSES THE TRAIL RIGHT AT THE CRESTVIEW STATION.
UM, AND THEN ON THE BLUE LINE, UM, SAME THING, THERE ARE A LOT, THERE ARE A FEW THAT HAVE MINOR IMPACTS, UM, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS THE, THE NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE AIRPORT COMMERCE POCKET PARK, WHICH IS A, IS A PERSONNEL PARKLAND ADJACENT TO A NEW DEVELOPMENT ON RIVERSIDE, JUST, UM, WEST OF 71, UM, WHERE, AGAIN, WHERE THE RIGHT OF WAY WE'RE, WE'RE IMPACTING THE RIGHT AWAY SLIGHTLY, THEY ARE ADJACENT AS PART OF THAT PARK.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE WHERE OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, WHILE OUR BEACH AND THE TRAIL ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, WHERE WE DO ANTICIPATE IMPACTS TO THE BOATHOUSE, UM, AS THE, THE BLUE LINE TRANSITIONS FROM THE BRIDGE AND THE TUNNEL AND THAT LOCATION.
UM, ON THE SOUTH SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ANTICIPATE THE BRIDGE COMING OVER THE TRAIL AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE THAT'S NUMBER FOUR.
SO THAT'S AN OVERPASS AND THERE WOULD BE A PERMANENT IMPACT, BUT WOULD NOT INTERRUPT THE TRAIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, NUMBER SEVEN, NORWOOD, NORWOOD, UH, TRACT.
UM, WE DO ANTICIPATE SOME IMPACTS TO THE DOG PARK AS PART OF THAT PARK.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, COORDINATING WITH A PART AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WITH PARK FOUNDATION ON HOW TO, HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF THOSE, UM, OF THAT IMPACT IN TERMS OF HOW WE, WE REALIGNED IT'S THERE.
SO, UM, SO THOSE ARE THE, THE ANTICIPATED IMPACTS.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF THERE IS ANY PERMANENT IMPACT, WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC HEARING ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE IMPACTS.
UM, AS I SAID, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY IN AREAS WHERE WE DO ANTICIPATE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, DESIGN WORKSHOPS, UM, BOTH ON THE, THE, UH, BRIDGE OVER LADY, BIRD LAKE, AND ALSO ON THE BOATHOUSE.
AND THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER.
UM, WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH, UH, NOT JUST PART, BUT ALSO NON-PROFIT PARTNERS, UM, NORTHERN PARK FOUNDATION, THE TROUT FOUNDATION, AND ONE OF THE GREENWAY.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH AS, AS AN EXTENT WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, LIKE WORSHIP PROTECTION, WHO OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT INVESTMENT IN PARKLAND AROUND THE CITY.
UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF OUR STRUCTURE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN TO CREATE, UM, THESE GEOGRAPHICALLY, UH, MORE FOCUSED, UH, WORKING GROUPS.
SO, UM, RECOGNIZING THE SCALE OF, OF THIS PROGRAM CAN BE UNWIELDY AT TIMES, UM, TRYING TO CREATE A MORE NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUSED WORKING GROUPS THAT CAN, WE CAN, UH, WORK WITH OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
SO THOSE, THOSE GROUPS TEND TO BE, THEY'RE KIND OF THE ORGANIZING MECHANISM FOR, FOR MUCH OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
[02:25:01]
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND KNOW THEIR PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR FEEDBACK AS WE, AS WE GO FORWARD.UM, AND, UM, SO GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, NEXT STEPS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO REFINE THE DESIGN TO 30%, UM, AND TO COMPLETE THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE COLLECTING, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IMPACTS TO PARKLAND OR REDUCE THEM WHEREVER WE CAN.
UM, IF WE ARE IMPACTING PARKLAND, WE ARE DOCUMENTING IT FULLY.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY UNAFFORDABLE IMPACTS, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO IDENTIFY MITIGATION, UM, AND IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK W LEADING UP TO THE, THE DRAFTED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT WILL, UM, WILL BE RE, UH, SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AND WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THAT THIS SUMMER.
UM, SO I CAN IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD COME ON AND COME BACK, UM, TO THE PARKS BOARD, UM, BOTH LEADING UP TO THAT AND AROUND THAT TIME TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC IMPACTS, UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY GOING FORWARD, UM, INTO THE FUTURE, AS YOU KNOW, AFTER WE GET THROUGH THIS PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PHASE, AND WE STARTED TO DEVELOP THE DESIGN FOR THESE SPECIFIC AREAS, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL WANT TO BE COMING BACK TO YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS TO TALK ABOUT, UM, ANY OF THOSE CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKLAND THAT, THAT ARE REQUIRED AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A BROAD OVERVIEW, UH, BUT WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE GAVE YOU THE FULL PERSPECTIVE AND REALLY HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH US, AND I'LL GO RUN AND SEE BOARD NUMBER RINALDO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY, AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED WHAT THAT IMPACT LOOKS LIKE AS WE GO THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OR, OR A STEADY STUDY, WHATEVER IT IS.
UM, I I'M, I'M AFRAID THAT THE TRAIN IS GOING TO LEAVE THE STATION, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CATCH IT AS FAR AS SOME OF THE IMPACTS.
SO I'M REALLY RELYING ON STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHAT A PARK LOVER, UH, PETER MULLIN IS AND, AND HOW GREAT HE IS AT HIS JOB.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING WE MAXIMIZE THAT INTERMODAL.
AND HE REALLY WHAT THAT INTENT, I MEAN, YOU SAID THE RIGHT THINGS, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING THE PUBLIC REALM PLACE-MAKING AND I CAN'T HELP, BUT THINK A LOT OF THESE THINGS, THERE ARE THOSE REAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO I ALSO LOVE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE LEVERAGE ALL AVAILABLE FINANCING TO BE, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO AFTER THE FEDERAL SIDE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION, BUT WHETHER IT'S THE CITY SIDE OR IT'S THROUGH WHOMEVER, YOU KNOW, THAT WE REALLY ARE LAYERING THE DIFFERENT FINANCING TO BE ABLE TO DO AS MUCH WITH THESE CRITICAL SPACES IN THIS CASE.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T, I STILL HAVE THAT VISION OF A TRANSIT VILLAGE WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE COMING UP THE BLUE LINE GOING TO THE, UH, THE BOAT HOUSE AND FOR RECREATION AND NOT JUST FOR WORK OR NOT JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, GOING TO A RESTAURANT, BUT FOR THE RECREATION COMPONENT, BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW CRITICAL OUR RECREATION FACILITIES ARE, ARE GOING TO BE FOR CAP METRO AND THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR THAT CONNECTIVITY, NOT EVEN JUST BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THE ROOM UNDER, UTILIZE THE LAND UNDER CHAPTER 26.
SO JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE WORK.
I'VE DEFINITELY PAYING ATTENTION.
YOU KNOW, MY HEART SINKS A LITTLE BIT ON NORWOOD, MY HEART SINKS A LITTLE BIT ON THE BOAT HOUSE, AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE GET TO THAT PLACE WHERE WE REALLY ARE MAXIMIZING THAT INVESTMENT OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WILL SEE THE BENEFIT.
UM, I'M IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, LBC, LITTLE BIT, LITTLE, LITTLE BENEFIT, MAYBE SOME REDUCTIONS IN DRIVE TIME, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE, LIKE YOU HAD SAID, THESE IMPROVING THAT PUBLIC REALM.
SO THAT'S IT I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE, UM, FOR ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, AND ANY ASSISTANCE THAT I CAN PROVIDE THE TEAM.
CYBIL DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING TO TALK TO US.
[02:30:01]
THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR ME, AND NOBODY HAS REALLY ANSWERED IT WHEN I'VE GONE INTO MEETINGS.I DON'T KNOW, AT WHAT POINT THE TWO CROSSINGS THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER, ACTUALLY, AND I'M CONCERNED A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M A LONGTIME AUSTINITE AND I KNOW HOW KARST WORKS.
AND I KNOW THAT WHEN THEY TRIED TO DRILL DOWN BEHIND MY HOUSE, IT TOOK TWO SOLID WEEKS.
UM, AND I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO DRY A TUNNEL UNDERNEATH THE RIVER.
AND I, I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT THE FLOODING ON THAT.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, I'M WORRIED A LOT ABOUT THE BATS BEING IMPACTED BY THE BRIDGE.
AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THOSE APARTMENTS THAT ARE THERE, THAT ARE CURRENTLY THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO I HAVE A LOT OF TICKING, THE PROPPING, THE TRAIL RIGHT THERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND THAT HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE THERE.
SO I'M WONDERING WHY TWO CROSSING SO CLOSE TOGETHER, IF THAT, IF THAT BLUE LINE AND THAT ORANGE LINE ARE MERGING RIGHT ABOVE THE RIVER, IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT HAS PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO COMBINING THAT RIVER CROSSING? SO I KNOW THAT DURING THE, UM, ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS PHASE, RIGHT, THAT PREDATED THE REFERENDUM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WAS ACTUALLY STUDIED, RIGHT.
IS HAVING A SINGLE, SINGLE CROSSING OF THE TWO LINES ACROSS THE RIVER.
UH, AND I THINK IN THAT CASE, WE MAY KNOW THIS BETTER, BUT WITH THE IDEAS BRINGING THE BLUE LINE ACROSS AND HAVING A BOTH CROSS, UM, UH, ON SORT OF THE ORANGE LINE ALIGNMENT, UM, I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS WHY THAT THE EVALUATION THEN WAS MADE AND APPROVED BY CAP METRO THE CITY, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE VOTERS, UM, WAS TO BOTH, I MEAN, BY HAVING TWO CROSSINGS, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE SERVING MORE PEOPLE IN SOME CRITICAL AREAS, RIGHT? SO, UM, CERTAINLY ON THE EAST SIDE, YOU'RE SERVING RAINEY STREET AND THE CONVENTION CENTER RIGHT.
WHICH ARE BOTH GOING TO BE A FIGHT INTENSITY DESTINATIONS FOR USERS OF TRANSIT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE IN BRINGING, CROSSING OVER, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE OF CONGRESS AVENUE.
UM, SECONDLY, UM, I THINK THERE'S ALSO, THERE'S INHERENT RESILIENCY TO HAVING TO CROSS ENDS, RIGHT? SO BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF YOU TRY TO ELIMINATE A SINGLE POINTS OF FAILURE WHEREVER YOU CAN, SO FOR THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
SO, UM, SO THOSE ARE TWO OF THE REASONS WHY THAT WAS THE ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS APPROVED, UM, PRIOR REFERENDUM.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, THE LONGTERM, I WON'T, YOU'RE ABSOLUTE RIGHT.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME TOUGH PERIODS OF TIME DURING CONSTRUCTION, FOR SURE.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANAGE THOSE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS AND GET THROUGH IT AS QUICKLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE COORDINATING SO CLOSELY WITH THE CITY IS SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT UNNECESSARILY EXTENDING THE TIMEFRAME TO CONSTRUCTION.
I'M NOT JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE BRIDGE GOING IN, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE BATS ARE GONE BECAUSE THAT'S RIGHT.
SO CERTAINLY I WAS LIKE, WE WERE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE, THE, UM, THE LOCATION OF THAT, THAT HABITAT IN SOMEWHAT CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE PROPOSED BRIDGE LOCATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING STUDIED BY THE DESIGN TEAM AS PART OF THE EIS.
AND SO THERE'LL BE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IN THAT TO, TO, TO IDENTIFY IF THERE ARE ANY IMPACTS IN THE DOCUMENT.
THOSE, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD, UM, SO FAR, BUT, UM, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CARE ABOUT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR EYE.
AND HERE'S, UH, MY OTHER QUESTION THEN IS, WELL, I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS, SORRY.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT I'VE ASKED BEFORE WHY WE CAN'T CROSS AND PUT THE PATIENT AT ANY SORT OF, YEAH.
SO, UM, I MEAN, SO CROSSING BASICALLY ON THE WEST SIDE, ON THE EAST SIDE OF WALNUT CREEK, AS OPPOSED TO ON THE WEST SIDE.
UM, SO AT SOME POINT WE'VE GOT TO GET TO ESSENTIALLY THE FOURTH AND TRINITY, RIGHT.
BOTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS, BUT THAT'S HOW WE ALSO GET ACROSS TOWN ACROSS TO THE ORANGE LINE.
UM, THE, THE LOCATION OF THE RED LINE IS ONE OF THE IMPEDIMENTS, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CROSS THE RED LINE WITH THE SAME PLACE.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S A TON OF UTILITIES UNDERNEATH, UM, RED RIVER.
AND THERE'S ALSO THE WALNUT CREEK FLOOD CONTROL TILE THAT IS BASICALLY RUNNING UNDERNEATH WALLER CREEK.
SO IF WE, WE CAME IN ON THE EAST SIDE OF WALNUT CREEK, THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET BACK ACROSS WEST, GET BACK TO WHERE WE NEEDED TO GO.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS STUDIED, I THINK, DURING THE ALTERNATIVES
[02:35:01]
ANALYSIS PHASE.UM, AND IT WAS DEEMED NOT TO BE FEASIBLE.
AND AGAIN, LIKE WE HAVE TO SHOW BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS TO THE BOATHOUSE, WHY THAT IS NECESSARY OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE OUR PREFERENCE NOT TO IMPACT THE BOAT ASS.
UM, BUT AFTER THE STUDY THAT REALLY WAS SEEN, THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE, BUT THAT PROPOSAL CLIMATE.
I'M SORRY, BUT I REALLY, THESE ARE BURNING QUESTIONS FOR ME.
UM, I, I, WELL, I'M APOLOGIZING EVERYBODY ELSE CAUSE IT MAKES THE MEETING LONG, BUT THE GREEN LINE, WHY IS THE GREEN LINE NINE YEARS OUT WHEN WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, EAST AUSTIN IS UNDERSERVED.
SO NOW WE HAVE TWO BASICALLY KIND OF PARALLEL LINES.
I REALIZED THE BLUE LINE IS TAKING US TO THE AIRPORT.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE MAIN PURPOSE, BUT I'M WONDERING WHY SO LONG ON THE GREEN LINE, WHICH GOES INTO EAST AUSTIN.
SO THE BLUE LINE IS LULA IS SERVING EAST AUSTIN, SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, SOUTH THE RIVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT CONSTITUENCY THAT WE WANT TO SERVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE GREEN LINE, I THINK, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT AT THAT THE RIGHT PERSON TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, I THINK SOME OF IT, UM, MAY HAVE TO DO WITH JUST DENSITY OF RIDERS IN THAT DIRECTION AND THAT THAT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS THERE'S PART OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY GOING FARTHER OUT THAT IS STILL EMERGING.
SO THE IDEA IS THE TIMING OF THE GREEN LINE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD PARTICULARLY PLACES LIKE COLONY PARK AND THAT HUGE, YOU KNOW, NEW PLAN FOR THAT AND FARTHER OUT LIKE ELGIN AND MANNER, ET CETERA.
UM, SO, UM, BUT I CAN LOOK, I CAN GET THE PLANNERS BACK IN HERE AND TALK ABOUT WHY THAT'S ON THE CALENDAR, WHERE IT IS, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S THAT ALL PRECEDED THE REFERENDUM AND THAT WAS THE PLAN THAT WAS TAKEN TO THE VOTERS.
AND SO WHERE THERE'S, TO BE HONEST, CHANGING THAT, AND IT'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WAS APPROVED.
AND THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
BOARD MEMBER, COTTON, SAMUEL BOARD MEMBER.
I THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S A NICE TO HEAR IN DETAIL.
I'M JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, UH, THE, THE MINOR IMPACTS THAT THAT ARE LISTED, UH, YOU'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, UH, THE TERM SMALL SLIVER.
WHAT WAS THAT? HOW MUCH IS THAT TO YOU? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WILL RANGE DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC CONDITION, BUT THIS IS USUALLY IN THE FORM OF A FEW FEET, RIGHT? ON THE FRONTAGE OF A PARK EITHER WHERE IT CROSSES THE, THE ROADWAY WHERE THE, WHERE THE ALIGNMENT IS RUNNING OR IF IT'S ADJACENT.
UM, LET'S SEE, LIKE AARON HOLLOW POCKET PARK, UM, I THINK WE'RE TAKING 0.02 ACRES, WHICH REPRESENTS 2% OF THE BAR, RIGHT? SO, UM, THESE ARE, THESE ARE SMALL, SMALL AMOUNTS OF PARKLAND.
AND, BUT IF IT'S ANYTHING, IF IT'S ANY BIT RIGHT, WE HAVE TO COME BACK DOCUMENT THAT SHOW WHAT THEN IS GO THROUGH THE PROCESS SO WE CAN GET INTO ALL THOSE, THOSE FLIPPERS AND KNOW ALL THEIR DETAILS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN, SORRY IF I MISSED THIS, BUT THE WORKING GROUPS THAT YOU MENTIONED, THOSE ARE THOSE ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO APPLICATION PROCESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT'S REALLY JUST TO KIND OF A VEHICLE TO HAVE MORE FOCUSED CONVERSATIONS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, PERIODICALLY WE'RE SCHEDULING MEETINGS WITH THOSE WORKING GROUPS AND THE GOAL IS LET'S DEVELOP A LIST THIRD THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO, UM, FOR THOSE GEOGRAPHIC, THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS.
AND IF SOMEONE, IF, IF PEOPLE WE KNEW WERE INTERESTED IN JOINING THOSE WORKING GROUPS, HOW WOULD THAT OH YEAH.
UM, UH, LET ME, LET ME GET YOU THE SPECIFIC WEBSITE FOR THAT.
THERE IS AN EMAIL ADDRESS AND JUST BLANKING ON IT IN THE MOMENT.
PROJECT CONNECT, GET INVOLVED.
SO YEAH, IF YOU GOOGLE PROJECT CONNECT, GET INVOLVED, YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL FIND, UM, UPCOMING MEETINGS, UM, LIKE THIS ONE WE'RE PRESENTING.
UM, IF YOU, IF YOU'RE SO INCLINED TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK OR WANT TO TUNE IN, AND THEN ALSO INFORMATION ON HOW TO, UM, BE INVOLVED WITH THE WORKING GROUPS, UH, NICU, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO JUST JOT ME THAT EMAIL, THEN I CAN SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
[02:40:01]
BERNARD, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.BUT THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WANTED TO REQUEST THAT WHEN YOU, UM, GIVE PRESENTATIONS IN THE FUTURE, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO LIST THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, UM, OF THE PARKS WITH IMPACTS OR IN THE MAPS YOU PROVIDE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
WE ARE THE PARKS BOARD AS A WHOLE, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE IN THE DISTRICT YOU WERE APPOINTED TO REPRESENT.
UM, AND THEN MY OTHER COMMENT WAS JUST IN REGARDS TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT A SLIVER OF PARKLAND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY BEING FRONTAGE, UM, AND, AND JUST STAYING IN REALLY, REALLY CLOSE TOUCH WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AFFECTED.
I KNOW THERE'S GROUPS LIKE, UM, GABA GO AUSTIN VAMOS, AUSTIN THAT HAVE RESEARCH THAT TALK ABOUT HOW THESE REALLY SMALL AND NUANCED THINGS ABOUT ACCESS TO PARKS CAN REALLY AFFECT HOW A NEIGHBORHOOD CAN GET TO THAT PARK.
HAVING TO DO WITH WHERE CROSSING, UM, ACROSS THE CROSSWALKS ARE LOCATED AND SIDEWALKS.
AND WE, HERE, WE GET PEOPLE THAT COME IN HERE AND ASK FOR LIKE THESE SMALL CHANGES THAT WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET TO THE PARK.
SO, SO JUST KEEPING THAT IN MIND THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL, A SMALL AREA, AND IT'S, IT'S, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING SPECIFIC, BUT JUST AS YOU MOVE THROUGH, IT CAN DRAMATICALLY AFFECT HOW PEOPLE GET THERE.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AND CERTAINLY, I THINK IN MOST OF THESE CASES, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE ROADWAY GETTING A LITTLE BIT WIDER, SO IT'S JUST SHIFTING THE EDGE OVER, BUT I THINK I'M CERTAINLY PAYING ATTENTION TO PLACES OF, OF CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AND, AND WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE IT.
UH, BOARD MEMBER MO MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING ALL THE, DO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? YES.
UM, YEAH, I, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION AND, UM, I HAVE TO SAY ON THE WHOLE, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING TO ME.
UM, THE IDEA OF, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST, I THINK SEEING THESE MAPS WHERE YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THE STATIONS ARE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THESE NEARBY PARKS IS REALLY, REALLY COOL BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU ENVISION HOW PEOPLE COULD BE USING TRANSIT TO GET TO PARKS THAT THEY WANT TO GO TO.
AND THAT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UM, THAT, UH, I, I REALLY ENJOYED SEEING THAT IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT'S NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMUTING TO WORK, YOU CAN USE IT TO GET TO THE FUN STUFF THAT YOU DO TOO.
AND I, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
UM, I, UM, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE US TO BE TRYING TO CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITIES WHEREVER YOU DO HAVE A STATION THAT'S IMPACTING A PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE STATION AND THE PARK ENHANCE ONE ANOTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER THAT IS POSSIBLE TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF USING THE TRANSIT, ENHANCE THE PARK USER EXPERIENCE.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN.
AND, UM, SO THAT, THAT STANDS OUT TO ME AS WELL.
I WILL SAY THAT THE I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT, UM, THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE AND A SPECIAL BUILDING, AND THEY, THEY JUST HAVE, UM, A GREAT THING GOING ON THERE.
AND SO I REALLY HOPE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN STAY INVOLVED IN FIGURING OUT, UM, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO END UP.
AND, UM, SO I THINK THAT JUST AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE BUILDING ALL OF THESE NEW SYSTEMS TO GET PEOPLE AROUND AUSTIN AND GET PEOPLE TO THESE PARKS.
UM, YEAH, I, I JUST WANT US TO BE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, TO PLAN THE PARKS AND THE TRANSIT TOGETHER TO, TO MAKE IT ALL BETTER.
AND TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO HAVE AN IMPACT, LIKE IN THE CASE OF, UM, AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, HOW DO WE REALLY GO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT, THAT SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE GREAT, UNIQUE, UM, UH, THE GREAT UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY OFFER ISN'T COMPLETELY LOST FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT CAN BE, CAN BE SORT OF, UM, REDISCOVERED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THANK YOU FOR A MINUTE RINALDI.
UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON COMING BACK AND KEEPING
[02:45:01]
US ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND ESPECIALLY HOW IT IMPACTS IMPACTS PARKS.I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, I VALUE EVERY PARK AND GREENSPACE, AND I HATE TO SEE ANY KIND OF IMPACT THAT'S GONNA CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR, UM, ANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND ASSETS.
I, I DID WANT TO ASK YOU, SO WITH THE LOW IMPACT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THE ONES THAT SAY LOW IMPACT OR LITTLE IMPACT, DOES THAT, IS THAT ALWAYS RIGHT AWAY, A SLIVER RIGHT AWAY? ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING? UM, I THINK I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE LISTS, UM, THE, SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE IN THE FORM OF A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION IMPACT.
UM, UM, BUT USUALLY, I MEAN, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE ARE THESE CASES WHERE WE'RE JUST WIDENING THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND SO THERE'S THAT ALONG THE FRONTAGE OR A CROSSING, WE HAVE TO JUST, THERE'S A BIT OF LAND THAT WE NEED TO EXPAND THE RIGHT AWAY.
SO, UM, AND USUALLY IT WOULD HAVE, AS THIS IS TAKEN UP BY A SIDEWALK OR A BIKE LANE, RIGHT.
SO, UM, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT TENDS WORK OUT, BUT AGAIN, WITH ALL THESE IMPACTS, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL DESCRIBE THEM SPECIFICALLY.
AND I DO AGREE WITH WHAT, UM, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI SAID ABOUT THE, THE ROWING CENTER AND ALSO WHAT BOARD MEMBER, UM, COTTON CYBIL SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS ABOUT THE BATS, BECAUSE, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF STUDY THAT COMES OUT, THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THAT POPULATION, THAT, THAT, THAT IS RETHOUGHT ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S A VALUABLE ASSET TO OUR, OUR CITY.
AND I WOULD SURE HATE FOR ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS, UM, SUBWAY HAVING SAID THAT I DO, LIKE, I HOPE THAT THIS IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELP US IN KIND OF ELIMINATING SOME PARKING AROUND OUR PARKS AND WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE WE'LL HAVE BETTER ASSETS TO GET THERE, AND WE CAN, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO USE ANY OF OUR SPACE THAT WE, UNLESS WE HAVE TO FOR PARKING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO MEETING WITH YOU AGAIN AND PLEASE KEEP US INFORMED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[B.4. Presentation and discussion of the proposed pedestrian safety improvements at Zilker Metropolitan Park and the maintenance project at the Butler Landfill.]
THE NEXT ITEM, UH, FOUR, WHICH IS THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT SILK OR METROPOLITAN PARK AND THE MAINTENANCE PROJECT AT THE BUTLER LANDFILL.DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FOR THIS CHAIR? OKAY.
SO, UM, IN THAT CASE WE HAVE, UH, RINALDO AND NANDES AND SHELLY KILLED A OKAY.
SO, UH, UP NEXT ON ITEM BEFORE PHIL BENCH.
MOST CHAIR TO PALMA CHAIR LEWIS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I HAPPEN TO BE PRESIDENT OF THIS YEAR AND SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
I'M GOING TO PASS AROUND A RESOLUTION THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED, UH, BY, UM, THE SOUTH CENTRAL COALITION OF AGENCY, WHICH IS SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS ENDORSING THE ZILKER REWILDING, UH, PROPOSAL FOR THE PLAN, WHICH WOULD CALL FOR REWILDING, THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
UM, AND, UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSAL TO SPEND, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, $350,000 TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, SHORE UP AND FURTHER EMBED THIS, UH, UNLAWFUL PARKING AREA AS A PARKING LOT.
UH, CHUCK LESNIAK, WHO WAS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER FOR MANY YEARS, SAID POINT BLANK REPEATEDLY TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
OTHER ARENAS THAT THIS PARKING LOT IS UNPERMITTED AND IT VIOLATES CITY CODE, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
UH, NEXT KEY POINT, THERE IS NO CAP OVER THE LANDFILL.
YOU SEE THAT IN YOUR BACKUP HERE, IT DOES NOT EXIST.
AND THAT'S BEEN CONFIRMED BY CHRIS HARRINGTON, OUR FORMER ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CROSS SECTIONS, THERE'S NO CAP TO BE PROTECTED.
THIS IS NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT TO HELP KEEP WATER OUT OF THE LANDFILL.
UH, IN FACT, THE PART THEY'RE PROPOSING TO RESTORE IS OVER THE LANDFILL AND THEY'RE ADDING A WATERING SYSTEM.
SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE ON THAT GROUNDS.
THIS IS A PARKING LOT ENHANCEMENT FOR ACL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TCEQ PERMIT THAT STAFF IS RELYING ON, IT SAYS POINT LINE BANK IT'S FOR A STAGING
[02:50:01]
AREA FOR ACL.THAT'S THE BIG GIANT TRUCKS, THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
AND THEY'RE BIG TRAILERS WHERE PEOPLE STAY THE WORKERS, THE VIP GUESTS, ET CETERA, THE HEAVY STUFF THAT IF IT RAINS, THIS WHOLE AREA GETS TORN UP AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE IT REINFORCED IF YOU'RE JUST PARKING CARS ON IT TEMPORARILY FOR ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN, UH, MA MAJOR EVENTS AND THAT SORT OF THING, OVERFLOW IN THE PARK.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE TOUCHED.
WE COULD USE THE $350,000 OF ACL CHARITY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO PLEASE INSIST TO HAVE THIS POSTED SO Y'ALL CAN ACT ON IT RATHER THAN JUST TALK ABOUT IT AND HEAR ABOUT IT, AND PLEASE RECOMMEND AGAINST IT.
THIS IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE MINORITY REPORT FROM THE WORKING GROUP THAT LOOKED AT THIS PARKING LOT, WHICH HAD A VERY NARROW MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF SORT OF KEEPING IT IN PLACE RATHER THAN RESTORING IT IMMEDIATELY.
AND THAT NARROW MAJORITY CONSISTED PRIMARILY OF THE COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.
THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS, REPRESENTATIVES, THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE BASICALLY TRYING TO BRING MORE CARS TO THE PARK SO THEY CAN CHARGE FOR PARKING AND CHARGE FOR THE THINGS THAT THE CARS ARE THERE TO PARK TO GO TO.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SO LET'S GET BACK TO THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE RENALDI RONALDO AND AMANDA'S AND SHELLY KILLED A OH, HERE WE GO.
HELLO, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT WOULD BE PRESENTED FIRST.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT ON HERE, SO, BUT MAYBE IT'S CHILE KILL DATE IS GOING TO PRESENT FIRST.
YOU WANT TO I ASSUME SOMEONE'S GOING TO PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
CAN Y'ALL BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON THE NOTES PAGE AND NOT IN THE PRESENTATION MODE AND YOU CHANGE THAT OUT.
I AM SHELLY KILLED A I'M AT THE SIDEWALKS DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT SOME MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR ZILKER PARK.
I'M ALSO HERE TO LISTEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE, AND TO ANSWER THEM TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE NEXT ONE.
WELL, ONE OF MY SLIDES IS MISSING.
UM, I WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU A MAP, BUT I CAN, I THINK I CAN DO IT WITH THE WORDS, THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS GOES AROUND VISIBLE FOR BOTANICAL GARDEN.
SO ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND ALONG STREP FOR DRIVE, UM, YOU CAN KIND OF PICTURE THAT IN YOUR MIND.
AND THEN THERE'S ONE OTHER SPOT, UM, ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, IT'S NOT NEXT TO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
SO THE CURRENT SITUATION, UM, IS, UH, IS, UH, SORRY, THESE IMAGES AND WE'RE ON, ON THIS SLIDE TO THE CURRENT SITUATION FOR PEDESTRIANS ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
THERE'S A LARGE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT TRAVELS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED, AND THERE'S NO PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENTRY TO THE GARDEN.
THE IMAGES ON THIS SLIDE IS THE SITUATION ON STRUCK HER DRIVE.
IT IS NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY EITHER.
THERE'S NO SIDEWALK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
[02:55:01]
A DANGEROUS PER FIVE VOLUMES TRAFFIC PEDESTRIANS FREQUENTLY USED TRUCK FOR DRIVE TO ACCESS THE BOTANICAL GARDENS WHEN THE GARDENS PARKING LOT IS FULL.SO THEY'RE KIND OF WALKING ALONG STRAPPED FOR DRIVE, AND THEN IN THE ROAD ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TO GET INTO THE GARDEN, UM, STUDENTS AT NATURE'S WAY, PRESCHOOL HAVE TO WALK ON STRIKE TO ACCESS TO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
THE NEXT THREE SLIDES SHOW BUS STOPS ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
THIS BUS STOP IS IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE ATTAINABLE GARDEN.
AND PLEASE NOTICE THAT IT CONSISTS OF JUST A SIGN IN THE GROUND.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE BUS STOP ACROSS FROM WILLIAM BARTON DRIVE.
IT IS AGAIN A POLE IN THE GROUND WITH NO CONNECTION TO ANY SIDEWALK.
THIS IS THE STOP ACROSS FROM THE ENTRANCE TO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
THIS STOCK MAY OR MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN OUR SCOPE.
THERE ARE SOME VERY REAL SAFETY CONCERNS GIVEN THAT THERE IS NO SAFE CROSSING AT THIS LOCATION.
WE'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINITIVE ANSWERS YET.
SO THE IMPROVEMENT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, HIS STRATFORD DRIVE IS A SHARED USE PATH.
THE SHARED USE PATH IS AN EXTRA WIDE SIDEWALK THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE PEDESTRIANS, WHEELCHAIRS, BIKES, STROLLERS, ET CETERA.
AND ONE ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD WE'LL HAVE A LANDSCAPE OFFER BETWEEN THE PATH AND PARTICULAR TRAFFIC.
THE ONE IN STRAPPER DRIVE WE'LL HAVE TRAIL LIGHTS BETWEEN LOU NEFF ROAD AND MOPAC, WHERE THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO STREETLIGHTS, AND IT'S VERY DARK IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT THE BUS STOPS.
WE PLANNING SOME BASIC IMPROVEMENTS, A LANDING PAD, A BINGE TRASHCAN, AND ASSIGN MOST, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL CONNECT THE BUS STOPS TO OTHER PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THERE WILL BE A SIDEWALK CONNECTING THAT LANDING PAD TO OTHER SIDEWALKS OR TO THE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENTRANCE TO THE GARDEN.
NEXT SLIDE, THIS PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SEVERAL PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENTS, AND AGENCIES.
WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS FOR ALMOST A YEAR, KIND OF CRAFT A PROJECT THAT ADDRESSES THE VERY REAL SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES IN THE AREA OR RESPECTING THE ZILKER VISION PLAN PROCESS.
HERE'S ANOTHER, HERE'S THE AREA MAP THAT WAS ALSO ON THE SECOND SLIDE, BUT DISAPPEARED SOMEHOW, BUT THAT SHOWS YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING ON THE NORTH SIDE MARTIN SPRINGS ROAD, THE SHARED USE PATH, AND THEN ON THE KIND OF SOUTH AND WEST SIDE OF STRATFORD OF STRAP HER DRIVE AND CONNECT TO EXISTING TRAIL THAT RUNS FROM ALONG BOAT PATH.
UM, AND THEN YOU SEE, I HAVE, UH, ANOTHER LITTLE HIGHLIGHTED SQUARE WHERE THAT OTHER BUS STOP IS.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS SHELLEY KILDAY AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY ON THIS PROJECT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, WHAT IS THE EXPECTED COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AND WHAT IS THE PROPORTION OF FUNDING FROM EACH OF THE PROJECT PARTNERS? UM, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON OUR FINAL, UM, UH, MAIL.
UM, COMING FROM THE QUARTER CENT PROGRAM, WE HAVE SO MANY COMING FROM BIKE WAYS.
WE HAVE SOME MONEY COMING FROM METRO.
UM, AND THEN THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM IS ALSO FUNDING IN PART IS PUT IN A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO THIS, BUT IT'S BY AND LARGE BEING PAID FOR BY THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, DEPARTMENTS RELATED DEPARTMENTS.
SO DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS? CAN IT BE IN EXCESS OF 1.5 MILLION? YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY BETWEEN 1.5 AND $2 MILLION, BUT I DON'T HAVE A FINAL NUMBER WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, ALSO, IS THERE A CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE OR, YOU KNOW, JUST BROADLY YEARS, LIKE WHEN THIS MIGHT TAKE PLACE, I KNOW I'VE HEARD ALSO THAT THIS
[03:00:01]
SOME, ONE OF THE PARTNERS, I'M NOT SURE WHICH THE MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT ON SOME KIND OF DEADLINE.THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD IN THE WORKING GROUP MEETING.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE THE QUARTER CENT FUNDS.
THERE'S SOME URGENCY TO SPEND THAT, UM, THAT, THAT MONEY.
AND SO WE ARE HOPING THIS, THIS WILL BE A TWO FACED, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTATION, WE'LL DO THE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD SECTION AND THEN WE'LL DO THE STRATFORD DRIVE SECTION.
SO THOSE WILL BE, UM, ALL IN THE HALL ALTOGETHER.
IT'S PROBABLY NINE MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION.
NOW WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT AREA WORKING AROUND THE TIME OF ACL.
SO WE'LL, WE, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY WE WOULD GET ONE PHASE DONE BEFORE OCTOBER.
UM, AND THEN MAYBE ONE PHASE AFTER IT'S STILL TOO EARLY TO SAY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AHEAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT WE'RE READY TO START TOMORROW, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T START TOMORROW.
I WISH WE COULD, UM, IF I CAN OFFER.
UM, I WOULD JUST OFFER A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE TIMING IN REGARDS TO ACL, AND THAT IS PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTLY SOUTH USE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TO ACCESS THEIR HOMES.
UM, AND THERE IS FREQUENT CLOSURES OF THAT ROAD FOR EVENTS, INCLUDING TRAIL OF LIGHTS AND ACL.
UM, AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS LIKE ADDITIONAL DELAYS DUE TO CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND TO PRIORITIZE LIMITED DISTURBANCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ALREADY SEE VERY FREQUENT DISTURBANCE OF THEIR ABILITY TO GET HOME EFFICIENTLY, I GUESS ALSO, UM, THE SECOND PART, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT THE STRATFORD ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ARE THE SECOND PHASE, BECAUSE THOSE SEEM TO BE THE ONES THAT POSSIBLY CONFLICT WITH THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE STRATFORD ROAD REALIGNMENT ASPECT OF THAT IS GOING TO COME OUT.
UM, MAYBE IT'LL STAY WHERE IT IS OR MAYBE THE PROPOSAL WILL BE DIFFERENT, BUT IT, IT DOES SEEM, UM, DIFFICULT TO PROPOSE USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR AN AREA THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION FOR BEING REALIGNED.
UM, I MEAN, I'M OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTIVE OF IMPROVING THE BUS STOPS AND THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, ESPECIALLY AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING TO DO SO WHEN IT'S, I'M GOING TO BE SPENDING MONEY IN AN AREA THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED FOR REALIGNMENT.
SO, AND WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ACTION ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT, RIGHT? SO I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION I HAVE FOR STAFF.
UM, THIS IS FOR PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION, AND THERE'S NOT A POSTURE IN WHICH YOU WOULD, UM, I GUESS, UH, FOLLOW A PARKS BOARD RECOMMENDATION.
I READ KIMBERLY MCNEALY SERVING AS THE ACTING DIRECTOR.
SO I'M, NOW, NOW I'M NOT ASKING I AM THE DIRECTOR.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TO THE BOARD AS A MAINTENANCE.
WELL, IT'S A MAINTENANCE PROJECT IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, IT'S A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY PURPOSES.
WE BROUGHT IT BEFORE THE BOARD BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TRANSPARENCY.
IF THERE'S FEEDBACK DURING THIS, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
WILL THESE ITEMS BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL THEY'RE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS OR HEALTH AND SAFETY RELATED PROJECTS? AND SO THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD REGULARLY GO TO CITY COUNCIL, I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT, AND I WILL ASK FOR THE TEAM TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
BUT THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS INITIATED AND ENCOURAGED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, WITH REGARDS TO THAT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE HAS AT LEAST BEEN, UM, LOOKED AT, UH, FROM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF LIKE PROCEDURALLY, IT WAS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARDS TO COUNSEL.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT HAS A PROCEDURALLY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S REQUIRED TO, OR THAT IT HAS, UM, IT HAS A PATHWAY THERE, BUT I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE TEAM ONLINE IN CASE I'VE INFORMED YOU, IT SAYS NOT GO TO COUNSELING.
WELL, MY ONLY OTHER COMMENT WOULD BE IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S REALLY HELPFUL IF WITH ANY OF THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE SPENDING DEPARTMENT MONEY, EVEN WITH PARTNERS, IF WE CAN GET AN ESTIMATE OF THE COSTS IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN ALWAYS ASK, BUT WE COULD ALSO JUST PUT IT IN THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY A BIG ISSUE, HOW MUCH PUBLIC PROJECTS COST.
[03:05:01]
ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, A BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL? YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO AGREE WITH SARAH.I LOOK AT THIS AND I THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
AND IT'S LIKE, I VERY MUCH AGREE.
WE NEED TO HAVE SAFE SIDEWALKS AND SAFE BEST ROUTES AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE REALLY POOR TIMING AND SPENDING OF MONEY RIGHT BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VISION PLAN.
SO PART OF THE REASON WAS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WANTED TO, SHE PROPOSE A BICYCLE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
THESE WERE SPECIFIC AREAS, UM, THAT SHE REQUESTED.
AND ALSO WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE KNEW WE HAD TO HAD MONEY TO SPEND IN ZILKER PARK, HER PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY.
WE WENT AND MET WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO CONFLICT WITH THE ZELL PROVISION PLAN, BUT WE HAVE FUNDING.
UM, SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO IN THIS PARK THAT WOULD HELP PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY IF WE COULD DO IT WOULDN'T CONFLICT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT CAME OUT WAS THE ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN AROUND THERE.
IT'S THE DIRE NEED FOR PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AND, AND THE BOTANICAL GARDENS NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
WE'RE NOT MOVING, NOT AS PART OF THE VISION PLAN, UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW.
UM, BUT THAT IS LIKE, I'M VERY UNLIKELY AS FAR AS I KNOW, TO GET MOVED AND, AND MAKING THESE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HELPFUL NO MATTER WHAT.
UM, SO THAT IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING UNDER.
AND THEN WHEN OTHER PROGRAMS, THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM AND THE BIKEWAYS, UM, CAPITOL METRO KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING WORK IN THE AREA.
THEY ALSO, UM, DECIDED TO LEVERAGE OUR INVESTMENT IN TIME AND MONEY IN WORKING IN THIS AREA TO ALSO INVEST.
SO THE PROJECT IS PROJECT SCOPE GROUP.
UM, BUT BASICALLY, NOPE, THERE'S, THERE'S ALMOST NO PARKS MONEY GOING INTO THIS.
I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT WHY ARE YOU COORDINATING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE VISION PLAN ON THIS? ARE WE PUTTING IN SIDEWALKS THAT ARE PART OF THE VISION PLAN? WE ARE COORDINATING, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR AREA ENGINEERS AND, AND PART, AND IN CONSTANT KIND OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
SO ALL ALONG, WE'VE BEEN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TRYING NOT TO DO ANYTHING THAT CONFLICTS AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S CONSISTENT.
YOU KNOW, UM, IF WE PUT IT IN A SHARED USE PATH, EVEN IF YOU REALIGN THE ROAD SOMEWHERE, THE SHARED USE PATH CAN ALWAYS BE USED BY BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS, STROLLERS, WALKERS, WHATEVER WHEELCHAIRS, THEY ALWAYS CONVENIENT.
AND WHEN YOU WERE RAISING MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A HARD AND FAST HOW MUCH YOU NEEDED, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING TO SARAH, EMMA, IS THAT WHAT A YEAR? WELL, PART OF THE ISSUE IS THESE STREETS ARE ON THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY OF THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN.
SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY, THEY'RE VERY, VERY HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE CITY TO GET THESE DONE.
AND, BUT IT'S WORKING IN SOCCER PARK IS DIFFICULT.
UM, AND SO THEY HADN'T, IT HADN'T RAISED THE TOP, UH, RISEN TO THE TOP OF, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE ALL THIS MONEY FROM, UM, THE QUARTER CENT MONEY THAT WAS KIND OF THE CATALYST TO GET PEOPLE TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S COME TOGETHER AND LET'S FIX SOME OF THESE SAFETY ISSUES.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I AM SO RELIEVED TO SEE THAT THERE ARE FINALLY PLANS TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSIT ACCESS IN THE SPORT OF ZILKER PARK.
UM, AND I, TO TRYING TO GET TO ZILKER PARK ANY OTHER WAY THAN I'M IN A CAR IS JUST SO DIFFICULT.
UM, AND I, I COMPLETELY, IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO ME THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS BOTTLENECK IN THE CATEGORY OF URGENT HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, I, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, WHEREVER IT MAKES SENSE, COORDINATE, UM, ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS AROUND THE, UM, VISION PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE DREAMING UP BIG VISIONS FOR THE PARK, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, TO KIND OF DO THAT ALL IN ONE PLACE.
UM, BUT I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE WE WOULD COME OUT OF A VISIONING PROCESS FOR ZILKER PARK AND SAY, NO, LIKE I THINK IN ZILKER PARK, THE ROADS ARE PRETTY MUCH AS SAFE AS THEY NEED TO BE THAT LIKE, I MEAN, IT'S THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW ARE SO
[03:10:01]
BAD THAT I WOULD BE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING OUTCOME FOR REVISION PLAN.SO TO ME, THIS IS LIKE JUST A BASIC SAFETY AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENT RATHER THAN LIKE A BIG, YOU KNOW, LIKE SORT OF A BIG VISION OR A BIG CHANGE OR A BIG SHIFT THAT BELONGS IN A VISION PLAN.
SO THAT'S WHY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT MAKES SENSE JUST TO PROCEED WITH THESE SORTS OF, OF IMPROVEMENTS AND UPDATES ON A, YOU KNOW, A PROCEDURAL BASIS.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THIS KIND OF THING, UM, BETWEEN STRATFORD DRIVE AND LAMAR BOULEVARD ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, BECAUSE TRYING TO TAKE THE BUS FROM, UM, TRYING TO TAKE THE BUS TO ZILKER PARK, YOU'RE OFTEN GETTING OFF ON, UM, LAMAR, IF YOU TAKE THE METRO RAPID AND THEN WALKING INTO THE PARK ALONG BURTON SPRINGS ROAD IS, UM, JUST REALLY INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE SO, UM, IF YOU HAD LIMITED MOBILITY, SO, UM, I REALLY LIKE THIS AND, UM, I WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THIS AT ZILKER PARK.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD? OKAY.
I MEAN, I GUESS, SORRY, I'LL BE QUICK.
UM, I, I, I AGREE WITH THE CONCERN ABOUT PUTTING THINGS ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS VISION PROCESS, OPERATION PLAN PROCESS, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT MONEY TRUCK BACK UP OR READY, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET DONE WITH THIS VISION PLAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT WHATEVER AMOUNT OF MONEY IT TAKES, I MEAN, W YOU KNOW, WALL TREE LONG WAS OVER $800 MILLION FOR THAT VISION PLAN.
THE VISION PLAN IS JUST THAT IT'S THE DIRECTION WHICH TO THE PARK IS GOING TO TAKE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT THE BOND COMMITTEE, THE NEXT TIME, THERE'S A BOND COMMITTEE FOR PARKS, THEY'RE GOING TO FUND IT, OR THEY'RE GOING TO FUND EVEN THE ONE PHASE OF IT.
AND SO WE COULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A VISION PLAN FOR, WELL OVER A DECADE, IF NOT EVEN LONGER.
WE DID THE, WE PUT THE REALIGNMENT OVER AT LAMAR BEACH AND THAT'S STILL THERE.
NO CHANGES HAS BEEN MADE PER SE, SAR CHAVEZ.
SO I'D RATHER GO TOWARDS THE PART OF SAFETY BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT IS ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THAT WE NEEDED OVER ON, UM, ON STRATFORD DRIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO DO IT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
SO ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. HERNANDEZ? YES, THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS RAY NOLDER HERNANDEZ, AND I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE MAINTENANCE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE FOR THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE LANDFILL.
UH, THIS IMAGE HERE SHOWS THE EXTENT OF THE LANDFILL.
THERE WAS A PORTION ON THE EAST SIDE OF MOPAC, AND THERE'S ALSO A PORTION ON THE WEST SIDEWALK.
AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS A BOUNDARY, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THE BOUNDARY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LANDFILL IS STRETCHED FOR DRIVE ON THE NORTH.
UH, THE NORTH, I'M SORRY, THE SOUTHEAST SIDE IS THE NEW LUNATIC DRIVE.
AND ON THE NORTH IS LADY BIRD LAKE.
AND ON THE FAR WEST IS IAN'S CREEK NEXT LIKELY.
[03:15:01]
SO THE AREA THAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR MAINTENANCE, UH, IS APPROXIMATELY EIGHT ACRES.AND IT'S SUBDIVIDED INTO TWO AREAS.
UH, ONE IS THE EXISTING GRAVEL AREA.
THAT'S APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES IN SIZE.
AND THE OTHER IS THE REVEGETATION AREA, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY THREE ACRES IN SCIENCE.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS IMAGE, STRIPE FOR DRIVE IS TO THE SOUTH, AND THEN THE TRAIL, THEY HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, IT LIVES AT THE NORTH END OF THE LANDFILL, AND IT IS SEPARATED BY THE EXISTING MOUNDS.
AND THEN THE COURSE OF THE LAKE IS BEYOND THE TRAIL.
AND THIS IMAGE HERE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, OF THE CONDITIONS THAT EXIST CURRENTLY ON THE LANDFILL, THE IMAGE TO THE LEFT, IS IT IMAGE OF THE GRAVEL AREA IN ITS EXISTING CONDITION? IT IS, UH, PRIMARILY, UH, GRAVEL FOR ABOUT TWO TO THREE INCHES IN THICKNESS.
IT IS UNEVEN IN SOME LOCATIONS WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO POND.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT IMAGE, THERE SHOWS THE AREA, THE THREE ACRE AREA WHERE EVERY VEGETATION IS BEING PLANNED.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS OF COURSE YOU HAVE, YOU GET PONDING OF WATER, WHICH CAUSES A MUDDYING OF THE SOIL.
AND SO IT MAKES FOR DRIVING CONDITIONS TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR SHAPING.
SO THE PURPOSES OF THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE IS OF COURSE, TO PROTECT THE EXISTING LANDFILL PAP.
UH, THERE WERE SOME PREVIOUS, UH, MAINTENANCES MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES PERFORMED ON THE CAT.
AND MY RECORDS SHOW THAT IN, UH, 2004, THERE WAS A SUPPLEMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT WAS PERFORMED.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT SUPPLEMENTAL ASSESSMENT, THERE WAS AN AREA, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE OF MOPAC NEAR THE AMES CREEK, UH, THAT WAS ADDRESSED.
THERE WERE SOME EXPOSURE OF SOME OF THE LANDFILL, AND THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2005 OR THE STUDY, UH, THAT WAS DONE, UH, BACK IN 2018, THERE WERE SOME, UH, BORINGS THAT WERE DONE AND THE BORINGS DO SHOW THAT THERE IS A PLAY, UH, CAP TO THE LANDFILL IS APPROXIMATELY, UH, TWO TO FIVE FEET IN THICKNESS.
AND IT JUST VARIES ON LOCATION.
AND THE, UH, CAP ITSELF IS COMPOSED OF CLAY SOILS, A MIXTURE OF CLAY SOILS.
IT RANGES FROM SILTY CLAY SOILS TO A HEAVY CLAY.
THE, UH, ANOTHER REASON, UH, THAT WE'RE DOING THE MAINTENANCE IS TO RE VEGETATE AN AREA OF THE LANDFILL.
THAT'S NOT COVERED BY THE GRAVEL, UH, THAT SPACE OCCUPIES ABOUT THREE ACRES.
AND THEN IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RE VEGETATION TAKES A BOWL, WE ARE PROPOSING AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM.
AND THEN ALSO IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE WANTED TO, UH, WELL, WE WANT TO, UH, DEFINE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, THE CIRCULATION ROUTE THAT OCCURS ON THE CAP, UH, AGAIN, TO MINIMIZE THE DISSERVICE OF THE CAP.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, WE ALSO WANT TO MONITOR ACCESS TO THE CAP AND WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD, UH, FENCING AND GATES TO DO THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS PLAN SHOWS THE OVERALL MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE, UH, FINDING TO UNDERTAKE.
THERE'S THE FIVE ACRE SITE THAT'S CURRENTLY COVERED WITH GRAVEL.
AND THEN THERE'S THE THREE ACRE SITE THAT WE'VE PLANTED TO RE VEGETATE, AND HOPEFULLY HAVE SOME TYPE OF VEGETATIVE COVER ON THAT SPACE AT THE PERIMETER ALONG STRATFORD, WE ARE PROPOSING A SPLIT RAIL FENCE, UH, ALONG WITH SEVERAL GATES TO ALLOW FOR ACCESS ONTO THE GRAVEL AREA.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THOSE GATES, WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING EIGHTS TO SEPARATE THE VEGETATED AREA FROM THE GRAVEL AREA, UM, ON, UH, LONG THE EDGE OF THE GRAVEL SPACE.
AND THEN ALSO JUST BEFORE YOU GET TO THE OTHER PASSAGE.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, WE'RE ALSO ADDING A IRRIGATION SYSTEM OVER THE THREE ACRE SITE TO ENSURE THAT THE REVEGETATION TAKES HOLD AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REVEGETATE THAT SPACE.
[03:20:01]
UM, UH, PARTNERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ALONG WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.AND THESE WERE CONDITIONS THAT, UH, WE WERE INFORMED OF SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO REMOVE THE GRAVEL SO THAT THE GRAVEL COULD REMAIN IN PLACE AS LONG AS WE FOLLOWED, UH, THESE VERY SIMPLE MAINTENANCE, UM, UH, PROCEDURES.
SO THE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING, WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING GRAVEL, WHICH ACTS AS A, A CAP AND, UH, IN DOING SO WE'LL HOPE TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE AND REMOVE SOME OF THE PONDING AREA AND CREATE A POSITIVE FLOW OFF THE CAP.
AND THAT'S APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES.
WE ARE WANTING TO ADD A SPLIT RAIL FENCE ALONG STRATFORD DRIVE AND INCLUDED GATES SO THAT WE CONTROL THE ACCESS TO THE SITE AND THE CONTROLLING OF THE ACCESS TO THE SITE WOULD HAPPEN TO YOUR OWN.
AND THEN FOR THE REVEGETATING PART, UH, TO THE WEST, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY THREE ACRES, WE INTEND TO REMOVE VEGETATE WITH A SHORT GRASSES, UM, SO THAT, UH, THE REVEGETATION LOOKS AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT SOMEONE FROM WALKING ACROSS IT OR FROM SOMEONE WANTING TO TOSS THE BALL, UH, IN THAT SPACE, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT UNCOMFORTABLE IF YOU WERE TO THROW DOWN, UH, A PICNIC BLANKET, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, TO HAVE A BIG NAME, YOU REVEGETATION AREA, UH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE AN EROSION CONTROL MAP, AND THAT MAT IS SPECIFICALLY SELECTED AND DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE A PATH FOR LARGE VEHICLES WHEN IT'S USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, THE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE PLAN DOES SHOW IT, AND THAT WAS CORRUGATED WITH, UH, OUR PARTNER C3 SO THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD, UH, THE ALIGNMENT FOR THEIR VEHICLES TO MOVE MANEUVER IN THAT SPACE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE DO PLAN TO INSTALL AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM, AND IT'S SPECIFIC THAT THAT IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED WATERING THE ROOF VEGETATED AREA.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT SPACE AS GREEN AS POSSIBLE, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO DO THAT WORK, UH, THE DEPARTMENT HAD TO GO THROUGH A PERMITTING PROCESS.
WE WENT THROUGH A PERMITTING PROCESS WITH THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
AND IN DECEMBER 16TH, 2020, WE RECEIVED THE AUTHORIZATION TO DISTURB THE FINAL COVER.
THE PERMIT IS VALID FOR TWO YEARS, AND WE CAN REQUEST AN EXTENSION IF WE, UH, IMPLEMENT 20% OF THE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT REQUIREMENT, UH, TCEQ ALSO REQUIRED IT EDWARDS ACT FOR PROTECTION, UH, PROGRAM PERMIT, THE, UH, PROPOSED MAINTENANCE, UH, THAT WE ANTICIPATE ON DOING DO NOT REQUIRE THAT PERMIT.
SO, UM, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN TERMS OF GETTING YOUR PERMIT FROM CCQ ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, IN REGARDS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN MAINTENANCE PROJECTS ARE CONDUCTED AND, UH, PERFORMED THROUGH A GENERAL PERMIT.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS A GENERAL PERMIT THAT IS REVIEWED AND OVERSEEN BY THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIVISION.
AND, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A MAINTENANCE PROJECT, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE STANDARD SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PROCESS.
WE CAN GO THROUGH THE GENERAL PROCESS.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT IS A NOTIFICATION PAINTING.
WE ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE IN NOTIFYING THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIVISION THAT WE WILL BE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE IN THIS AREA.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE, UH, WE DO ANTICIPATE TO START THE MAINTENANCE, UH, WORK IN EARLY SPRING OF 2022.
AND WE ANTICIPATE TO HAVE THIS WORK COMPLETED BY LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER OF 2022, UH, THE ANTICIPATED TIMEFRAME IN TERMS OF PHASE BETWEEN 60 AND 90 DAYS.
AND FOR THE FUNDING SOURCES, WE, UM, ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, C3 AND C3 SHOULD BE PROVIDING, UH, ALL OF THE FUNDING NECESSARY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING AT THE MOMENT IN TRYING TO REACH AN AGREEMENT AS TO THE MAINTENANCE OF, UH, THE SPACE,
[03:25:02]
UM, FOR THE DURATION.NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE RINALDI? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH.
UM, SO WE WERE, UH, TALKING DURING THE LAST PRESENTATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE ZILKER REVISION PLANNING PROCESS.
AND I MEAN, TO ME JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS, LIKE, SO THIS IS LIKE 500 ACRES.
THAT'S GOING TO STAY JUST GRAVEL.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? THERE'S LIKE THE THREE ACRES THAT'LL BE REVEGETATING BUT THEN THE FIVE ACRES WILL REMAIN GRAVEL.
I MEAN, I, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT JUST SEEMS VERY DISAPPOINTING TO ME.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, EXPLORE THROUGH THE VISION PLAN.
WHAT ELSE COULD BE DONE HERE? I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN LIKE MR. BUNCH, UM, YOU KNOW, BEATING THE DRUM OVER THIS, THE REWILDING, WHICH IS A PLAN THAT I STILL DON'T REALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
CAUSE I HAVEN'T SPENT ENOUGH TIME LOOKING INTO IT, BUT CONCEPTS LIKE THAT, UM, I THINK ARE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE HERE.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PERMITTING AND REGULATIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT I JUST HATE THE IDEA OF US HAVING A BIG, YOU KNOW, FIVE ACRE PATCH OF GRAVEL IN THE MIDDLE OF ZILKER PARK.
BUT THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION OR NUMBER.
IF I COULD, I'M GOING TO ALSO DEFER TO THE TEAM MEMBERS, BUT, UM, THE INTENTION HERE IS NOT TO LEAVE THIS IN THE STATE THAT IT IS SO, SO THIS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT FURTHER DEGRADATING THE LANDFILL, THE I'M SORRY, THE CAP THAT'S OVER THE LANDFILL, BUT CERTAINLY THE VISION PLAN WILL PROVIDE US DIRECTION FOR HOW WE WILL PROCEED IN THE FUTURE.
SO I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WASN'T A MISUNDERSTANDING OR I DIDN'T MISUNDERSTAND YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE WORK THAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT.
THIS IS THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE NOW, IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE CAP WITH THE FUTURE VISION, VISION PLAN, PROVIDING US DIRECTION AS TO WHAT, WHAT COULD BE, HOW THIS COULD BE USED, UM, FOR MORE PUBLIC BENEFIT, UM, TEAM, IF I'M INCORRECT, PLEASE CORRECT ME OR CONFIRM THIS IS CORRECT.
IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR, I BELIEVE THAT LEANNA SAID THIS IS SHE CONFIRMED IT.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
BOARD MEMBER, COTTON SEIBEL YOU ON YOU'RE MUTED.
I HAD MOVED MY THING DOWN AND WAS OUT IN THE OUT OF MY REACH.
UM, I WANTED TO BRING UP THE POINT THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS, UH, I'LL JUST READ PART OF IT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THE STRATFORD DRIVE, ZILKER PARK BUTLER LANDFILL REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED AND THEY GIVE A PAGE FULL OF REASONS, UM, THAT ARE A LOT IN LINE WITH WHAT MR. BUNCH HAD TO SAY.
AND I HAVE TO AGREE AGAIN, I I'M, I'M A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE GOING TO SPEND ON THIS? AND WE'RE GOING TO BE REDOING IT.
AND HERE WE ARE, AGAIN, AGAIN, LIKE, LIKE A BOARD MEMBER WHEN ALDI SAYS WE HAVE A BIG PATCH OF GRAPPLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS ONLY GOING FOR THE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE ACL AS MUCH AS EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT OUR, OUR PARKS SHOULD BE DRIVEN BY THEIR NEEDS FOR THEIR TRUCKS TO TURN AROUND.
AND THE RUTS ARE BECAUSE THOSE TRUCKS ARE BEING PARKED THERE FOR THAT AND WHATEVER OTHER, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK EVEN THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS WAS PAID THIS YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT BENEFITING THE PUBLIC AS IT IS.
AND I'M CONCERNED THAT NOT, I THINK THE IDEA ABOUT REWILDING, IT IS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GIVE MORE STABILITY TO THAT SECTION.
CHANCES IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
SOMEBODY CAN SET ME STRAIGHT IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO TREAD WATER AND HAVE A GRAVEL PARKWAY JUST BECAUSE C3 CAN PAY FOR IT.
I, I SEE SO MANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE SO MUCH MORE WORTHWHILE TO THE PUBLIC AND SO MUCH MORE USEFUL TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN I, I'M CURIOUS, I'M SORRY.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE ON A SOAP BOX.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO CURIOUS, AND THEN IT'S GOING TO BE GATED OFF.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND BOTH OF THEM.
THIS IS LILIANA CALICO CON UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND IF I MAY TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF
[03:30:01]
THE QUESTIONS, UM, THIS IS A LANDFILL AND THERE IS A CUP THAT WE KNOW NEEDS PERIODIC MAINTENANCE.UH, THIS IS, UH, THE PROJECT THAT WE HAD BROUGHT FORWARD IN 2018 THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAD REVIEWED, HAD A VERY DIFFERENT SCOPE AND IT HAD, UH, A COMPONENT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS ONE, UH, IS A MAINTENANCE PROJECT AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO TAKE ON IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DETERIORATION OF THE LANDFILL CAP.
UM, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE REWILDING AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, BESIDES THIS MAINTENANCE PROJECTS WE HAVE, UH, WE ARE ALLOWING FOR ALL OF THESE POSSIBILITIES TO COME THROUGH THE VISION PLAN AND BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT WHENEVER FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT FUNDING MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE THE FIRST DAY AFTER THE APPROVAL OF THE, OF THE PLAN.
I WOULD ALSO, UH, EXPLAIN THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT ACL IS USING IT.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE USING THE SAME SPACE FOR PARKING, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE RELATED TO THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER AND TO BOTANICAL GARDEN AND TO THE THEATER.
WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO, UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE VISION PLAN, BUT WE KNOW THAT, UH, POLAR FIELDS IS IT SENSITIVE AREA THAT WE ALSO, UH, NEED TO, UM, UM, ELIMINATE PARKING GRADUALLY, UM, FROM THAT AREA AS WELL AT THIS TIME, UM, THIS MAINTENANCE PROJECT WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE TO USE THIS AREA FOR A FEW MORE YEARS UNTIL WE HAVE, UH, THE FUNDING AND THE APPROVED PLAN AND THE GUIDANCE ON WHAT TO DO, UM, TO DO NEXT, HOWEVER, GOING FURTHER FOR THIS YEARS WITHOUT THE PROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE CLAY CUP, UH, WILL, UH, CREATE ADDITIONAL, UH, ISSUES FOR, FOR THE LANDFILL.
SO THE GRAVEL IS TAKING CARE OF THE CLAY CLACK CAP.
THE GRAVEL DOES FOR THE FIVE ACRES THAT WE HAVE THAT ALSO NEEDS, UM, PERIODIC MAINTENANCE, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT, UH, DOES PROVIDE, BUT IT IS NOT, THERE IS THE OTHER AREA WITH THE THREE, UH, THE THREE ACRES THAT WE STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO FORTIFY AND MAINTAIN, AND THE FENCES ARE GOING THERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHY IS THAT TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM PARKING ON THE GRASS AND THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, RAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? YES.
SO THE BEST THING, UH, IS PLACED BETWEEN THE VERY VEGETATIVE SCENARIO AND THE GRAVEL AREA, UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF ALLOWING THE REVEGETATION AREA TO TAKE HOLD.
UM, IN ADDITION TO, UH, WHEN THE REVEGETATION AREA IS USED EITHER BE AT, BY, UH, PARKING OR OVERFLOW STAGING AREA FOR ANY OF THE EVENTS THAT THAT SPACE WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO BE CLOSED OFF.
AND THEN THE REVEGETATION COULD BE, UM, COULD TAKE HOLD AGAIN.
AND ARE YOU PUTTING ALSO AROUND THE GRAVEL AREA? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU? THERE ARE GATES ALONG STRATFORD DRIVE AND LUNA, UH, AND THOSE GATES ARE, THERE'S ALSO TO CONTROL, UH, THE ENTRANCES, UH, RIGHT NOW THAT THERE ARE NO BARRIERS WHATSOEVER THAT ACTUALLY TELL YOU HOW TO ACCESS THE GRAVEL, UH, AREA, IF YOU WANTED TO PARK THERE.
SO THIS WOULD HELP IN, UH, ALIGNING A CONTROL ONTO THE SUN.
UH, REMEMBER, CARLA, THANK YOU.
UH, I JUST WANT TO JUST CONFIRM, I THINK I UNDERSTAND, BUT THE FIVE ACRES OF GRAVEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PARKING LOT ESSENTIALLY FOR THE TIME BEING UNTIL FURTHER PARKING ASSESSMENTS CAN BE DONE AND DIVISION PLAN AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THE FIVE ACRE SITE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO FUNCTION AS IT CURRENTLY FUNCTIONS.
ARE PEOPLE CURRENTLY PARKING IN THE AREA TO BE REVEGETATING? I BELIEVE THAT PARKING ON THAT AREA, IT DOES OCCUR, UM, WHEN THERE'S A HEAVY USE ON THE PARK, REGARDLESS OF IT, UH, IT COULD BE THE VET, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE BARTON SPRINGS BOTANICAL GARDEN, OR, UH, ANY OTHER KIND OF EVENT.
I JUST OFFER ONE COMMENT TO ANNA THAT ACTUALLY THE PARKING
[03:35:01]
IS NOT CLOSED OFF.UM, AND FREQUENTLY THERE IS PARKING THERE EVEN WHEN THERE'S NO SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT'S SO OPEN THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY PULL UP ONTO THE MORE VEGETATED AREAS TO GET CLOSER TO THE TRAIL.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS, I JUST, I KNOW, YEAH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THAT AREA, I MEAN, A LOT OF REGULAR PATRONS PARK IN THAT AREA.
I MEAN, I PARKED IN THAT AREA.
I WOULDN'T GO INTO THAT AREA OF THE PARK.
UM, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW FAR IT WENT OVER.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS I, I, YEAH, I WOULDN'T WANT TO JUST LIKE ELIMINATE ALL OF THAT PARKING FOR REGULAR PATRONS, ALL OF A SUDDEN, UM, UNTIL THERE'S A PLAN IN PLACE, UM, LIKE THE VISION PLAN IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO ADDRESS.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS THERE THERE'S NO PLANS TO CHANGE ANY OF THE PARKING OR ANYTHING THAT CURRENTLY HAPPENS LIKE RIGHT UNDERNEATH MOPAC.
UH, NO, THIS IS NOT, UH, THIS DOES NOT ADDRESS ANY OF THAT OR, UM, OKAY.
I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I GOT A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT PEOPLE HAD, SO I'M NOT GOING TO REHASH THEM.
UM, BUT LET'S SPLIT RAIL FENCE.
NOW, IS THAT A, LIKE A CEDAR WOOD SPLIT RAIL FENCE? IS THAT METAL? IT'S A WHAT, UH, UH, DEPENDING ON THE MATERIALS THAT WE, UH, GET THE PLANTS FALL FOR CEDAR, IT MAY, WE JUST REGULAR WOOD.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I, I, IT, I DO FIND IT VERY FRUSTRATING.
UM, THE WHOLE CONVERSATION IN DOING THIS BECAUSE OF THE VISION PLAN, AND IT DOES SEEM LIKE SUCH A SUBSTANTIVE INVESTMENT FOR A SPECIFIC COMMERCIAL PURPOSE.
UM, AND HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK I'M PROBABLY AM THE, UH, PARKS BOARD MEMBER WHO, WHO, WHO LOVES ACL THE MOST AND APPRECIATES THAT BRINGS SO MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST FEELS THIS FEELS OFF.
SO GOING BACK TO HAVING SAID THAT AND GOT THAT OFF MY CHEST, UM, LOOKING, I JUST LOST IT.
SO OFF LOU NEFF, THE EXIT THAT, THAT YOU HAVE IN THE PLANS, UH, WHICH ARE, WHICH IS ALREADY THERE, IT'S ALREADY THE DIRT PATH THAT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S, IT'S DEVELOPED OVER TIME.
UM, IS THERE A SPECIFIC DESIGN TRAFFIC FLOW PURPOSE FOR THAT? BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY HAVE NOTICED IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL SAFE AS PEOPLE WALK ALONG THAT PARK.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING WHEN YOU'RE ON STRATFORD DRIVE, BUT THERE'S KIND OF LIKE A DIFFERENT SAFETY COMPONENT AND WE'RE WALKING THE PERIMETER OF THE PARK AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A CAR COMES OUT AND THE OTHER COMPONENT IS IF WE'RE PUTTING DECOMPOSED GRANITE IN THE, THE CURRENT USAGE OF, UH, VEHICLE USAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT JUST A, A, UH, A GOOGLE PHOTO AND I, IT LOOKS LIKE IT THERE'LL BE AN IMPACT TO THE CRITICAL, UH, CRITICAL ROOT ZONE FOR THE TWO TREES.
UM, ONE LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE ONE, ONE'S AN OAK OF A SORT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
IT'S DOESN'T HAVE LEAVES ON IT, BUT IS THERE A REASON I GUESS, ON THAT ONE, CAN WE CHANGE THAT DEFINITELY SEES IF IT SEEMS LIKE IT AFFECTS THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PARK AND IT'S MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY AS NEEDED, PARTICULARLY WHEN I THINK OF CARS COMING OUT OF THERE AND THEN CARS GOING DOWN, SO, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LEWD NAPKINS RIGHT THERE AT THE TURN AND THEN BOOM, THEY'RE INSTANTLY, UH, INSTANTLY ON STRATFORD DRIVE.
WELL, IF YOU HAVE THE CARS COMING OUT OF STRATFORD DRIVE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A BIT OF CHAOS CAUSE IT'S ONE DIRECTION.
SO HAS ANYBODY LOOKED AT THAT OR IS THERE A REASON? SO, UH, SO WE, WE DIDN'T DO A, UH, TRAFFIC STUDY, UM, FOR THIS AND IN TERMS OF THE EXISTING ENTRANCES, WHETHER OR NOT THEY WORK, UH, AS A TRAFFIC PATTERN, UH, WE PLACE THE GATES AT EXISTING ENTRANCES OR EXITS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER CONTROL OVER THAT, UH, THAT PARTICULAR INTERSECTION.
THERE, THERE IS NO GRAVEL WHERE THE TREES ARE LOCATED.
UM, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME GRAVEL IN MY PICTURE, BUT AS FAR AS EXISTING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CARRYING A LONG FROM THE, FROM THE PARKING LOT, BUT, UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT SHE, I MEAN, THIS ISN'T FOR ACTION, BUT I REALLY HOPE YOU DO TAKE A STRONG LOOK
[03:40:01]
AT IT.AND IF THIS IS GOING TO BE USED FOR, FOR MAJOR EVENTS, I'M GOING TO HAVE A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE ACTUAL CANOPY KEVIN THROUGH, WITH LARGE VEHICLES HEADING THROUGH THERE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S SOME OF THE FEEDBACK.
I MEAN, WE DO NEED TO PROTECT THE TREES, THE CANOPY OF TREES, UH, THE, ALL OF THE GATES ARE LOCATED AT EXISTING ENTRANCES OR EXITS.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE AND MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
AND THEN ON THE FENCE LINE, IS IT GOING BACK TOWARDS THE TRAIL? UH, THE FENCE LINE DOES NOT GO BACK TOWARDS WHILE IT HEADS TOWARDS THE TRAIL, BUT IT DOES NOT MEET.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS BECAUSE AS TO, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH BOARD, WHICH OF MY BOARD COLLEAGUES HAD BROUGHT IT UP, UM, WE WERE SEEING VEHICLES THAT DO NOW THEY'RE ENCROACHING IN THAT GREEN SPACE AND THEY'RE STAYING OFF, OFF THE TRAIL.
AND IN A LOT OF THEM ARE, ARE JUST CAMPING AT THIS POINT.
I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S A, A DAILY RECREATION USER, BUT, UM, THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE CONVERSATION.
UH, I'LL, I'LL MOVE ON FROM THE DIPLOMA.
BERNARD, ALL OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
UM, I'LL JUST START OFF BY SAYING IT FEELS TO ME LIKE IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD BIFURCATE THESE TWO ISSUES AND RESET THIS PARTICULAR ITEM FOR A DIFFERENT BOARD MEETING, WHERE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE ACTION AND MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD SUGGESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, NOT TO MENTION JUST, YOU KNOW, PULLING UP THE GOOGLE MAP, LIKE AS RICH WAS TALKING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S A DIRECT, LIKE PEDESTRIAN ONLY ACCESS TO THE LAWN, UNLESS YOU GO OVER TO THE TRAIL FROM THIS, UH, AREA.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT A ROAD IN A VEHICLE GATE ACROSS, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF MY ISSUES.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, AGAIN, WITH JUST THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO US, THERE WASN'T ANY MENTION OF THE COST.
AND I WAS ABLE TO ASK THAT QUESTION, BUT IT'S REALLY HELPFUL IF YOU COULD JUST PUT IT IN THE PRESENTATION FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE FRAMING OF THIS.
I WAS NOT, UM, VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE COMING INTO THIS, AND IT IS DESCRIBED THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION AS A MAINTENANCE PROJECT.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT DID PROVIDE THE AUTHORIZATION LETTER FROM TCEQ, WHICH, UM, IF YOU GUYS DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, IT STATES THAT THE TCEQ RECEIVED A REQUEST DATED AUGUST 27TH, 2020, AND TWO SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS.
AND THE, UM, THIS IS A QUOTE, THE REQUEST IS TO DO MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING LANDFILL CAP FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A STAGING AREA NEAR STRATFORD DRIVE AND LUNA ROAD MAINTENANCE TO INCLUDE PLACEMENT OF CRUSHED STONE, TO PROTECT CAP FOR USE AS A STAGING AREA, MINOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS, A SPLIT RAIL FENCE AND OTHER THINGS.
SO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T QUITE LINE UP FOR ME THAT THIS IS MAINTENANCE WHEN THE AUTHORIZATION LETTER FROM TCEQ, UM, DATED DECEMBER 16TH, 2020 ACTUALLY DESCRIBES DEVELOPMENT OF A STAGING AREA.
AND THAT WAS NOT WHAT I SAW IN THE PRESENTATION AS THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, COULD, COULD YOU ADDRESS THAT? YEAH.
SO THE, UM, THE CONDITION FOR THE GRAVEL TO REMAIN IN PLACE WAS THAT, COULD YOU TELL ME, W JUST TOBACCO ONE SECOND, WHERE DID THE GRAVEL COMPANY WHO PUT THE GRAVEL DOWN THERE? SO THE GRAVEL WAS PLACED, UH, IN 2016, RIGHT.
WAS IT IN COMPLIANT? WAS THAT BAD IN COMPLIANT? DID THEY COMPLY WITH REGULATIONS AT THAT TIME? UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY DID NOT.
UM, AND ONCE THEY HAD PLACED IT, THEY WERE TO HAVE REMOVED IT, THAT THEY DID NOT REMOVE IT.
THE REASON WHY THEY, UH, I BELIEVE THE REASON WHY THEY PLACED THE GRAVEL, UM, IN, IN TO BEGIN WITH, WAS TO ACTUALLY, UH, PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAB.
UH, THEY, THEY FOUGHT THAT THE SCHOOL IS THAT THE WHAT'S THAT THE BEST SOLUTION THAT EXPERTS TO PUT GRAVEL ON IT.
UH, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT TCEQ
[03:45:01]
AND SEE IF STACEY AND GRAVEL ON A CAP IS AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF RIGHT.I JUST HEARD THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT A MORE EFFECTIVE THE, UM, W WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE ALLOWED, UH, METHODS OF PROTECTING A CAP IS TO ADD ADDITIONAL CLAY, UH, CLAY, SOIL, UH, TO THE, TO THE COW, TO THE COVER.
OH, WELL, I'M NOT A LANDFILL CAP EXPERT BY ANY MEANS, JUST LOOKED UP THE RULE THAT WAS CITED.
AND THE PREFERRED FINAL COVER FOR A LANDFILL IS VEGETATED AREA.
AND YOU CAN REQUEST AN EXCEPTION FROM THAT, WHICH I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE, BUT I JUST, JUST READING THE RULE.
THAT IS WHAT IT STATED AS TO THE PREFERRED VINYL COVER.
UM, DID YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW ON THAT FURTHER, PLEASE? GO AHEAD.
WELL, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL, CAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE HISTORY OF HOW THE GRAVEL GOT THERE OR WHY WE WOULD BE MAKING.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, JUST AS A, UM, JUST FOR CONTEXT, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT C3 INDEPENDENTLY PLACED THAT GRAVEL THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS CONSULTATION AT THE TIME WITH, UH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE TO SAY IN 2016, I WASN'T NECESSARILY INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH THAT, BUT I, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WAS INDEPENDENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE THAT THERE WAS CONSULTATION.
AND IF I MAY ADD TO, TO THAT, UH, THIS WAS AFTER A YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2015 WHEN THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT RAIN DURING THE EVENT.
AND THAT CREATED, UM, THAT DAMAGED THE, UH, THE LANDFILL CAP.
IT WAS THE DEPARTMENT DID CONSULT WITH, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AT THE TIME CHUCK LESNIAK.
AND THIS WAS, UM, UH, DETERMINED AS A, UM, INTERIM SOLUTION.
UM, HOWEVER, AT THE TIME, UH, IT WAS AGREED THAT, UH, WE WILL FIND A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION, UH, AND THE GRAVEL WOULD BE REMOVED.
SO SEVEN YEARS LATER, AND WE HAVEN'T FOUND A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION AND THE GRAVEL HASN'T BEEN REMOVED, I WOULD ALSO NOTE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACL CONTRACT WAS IN 2015, BUT UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACTS, THEY ARE, IT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION BE REPAIRED.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS QUITE MET THAT STANDARD, BUT I'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE VEGETATED AREA.
UM, OBVIOUSLY REVEGETATING ANY OF THIS AREA IS DESIRABLE.
I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED VEGETATION, WHICH I HEARD IS SHORT GRASS, WHICH WILL BE IRRIGATED WITH POTTABLE WATER.
UM, SO BASICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME KIND OF TURF GRASS.
UH, THE ESTIMATE IS 1 MILLION GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER PER YEAR, WHICH IS, UH, ABOUT THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS, A FOOT DEEP.
UM, AND SO WE'RE TALKING AND THEN WHAT I DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND, I THOUGHT THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE REVEGETATION WAS TO HAVE A VEGETATED AREA THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT NOW WE HEARD THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE USED AGAIN FOR PARKING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE USING OUR PORTABLE WATER TO WATER THIS GRASSY AREA, AND THEN ALLOW CARS TO PARK ON THAT AGAIN.
AND SO IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO GET BEHIND, UM, INSTALLING A BUNCH OF TURF TO PARK CARS ON, IN THIS EXTREMELY PRECIOUS AND VALUABLE PARKLAND THAT WE HAVE.
SO I WAS REALLY SURPRISED WHEN I SAW THE VEHICLE GATES THAT ALLOW ACCESS TO THE VEGETATED AREA AND DISAPPOINTED.
SO SOME OF Y'ALL KNOW THIS, I SERVE ON THE, UM, ON THIS BOARD AND ALSO ON THE WATER FORWARD TASK FORCE, WHICH, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN HAS A POTABLE DRINKING WATER FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS.
UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS WE GOT A BRIEFING ON AT OUR LAST MEETING WAS A PROGRAM.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS STARTING TO DISCOURAGE THE INSTALLATION OF TURF, GRASS AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AMONGST HOMEOWNERS.
AND WE'LL BE INCENTIVIZING THE REMOVAL OF TURF GRASS.
SO IT RUBS ME THE WRONG WAY TO USE THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF GRASS HERE AND ESPECIALLY TO BE IRRIGATING IT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IF YOU WERE TO DO THIS AREA WITH NATIVE AND ADAPTED GRASSES THAT HAVE LONGER ROOTS AND USE LESS WATER, YOU COULD, UM, ACHIEVE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
SO I, I CAN'T GET BEHIND THAT, UM, TYPE OF VEGETATED AREA.
AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S CONFUSING ALSO THAT C3 IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS AND IN THE PRESENTATION, THE PARAMETERS OF THAT WARRANT OUTLINE, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT IN PLACE.
[03:50:01]
FEELS LIKE ANY ARRANGEMENTS WHERE C3 IS CONTRIBUTING OR PAYING FOR THINGS THAT MAY THAT AFFECT THEIR USE OF THE PARKS SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH THE CONTRACT FOR THE EVENT OR SOME OTHER CLOSELY ASSOCIATED DOCUMENT, RELYING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE GOODWILL OF A ENTITY THAT'S LARGELY INVESTED IN THE OUTCOME OF THIS.UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE MOST RESPONSIBLE THING WE COULD DO.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF THIS LETTER HAD JUST PROPOSED A STAGING AREA, JUST PROPOSED THE MAINTENANCE AND THE VEGETATION WITHOUT THE STAGING AREA, THIS WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO ME, BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IT DOESN'T RIGHT.
REAL QUICKLY BOARD MEMBER MORE.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, I GUESS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD WAS WHAT'S WHAT DO WE ANTICIPATE AS THE USEFUL LIFE FOR THIS PROJECT? IF IN 2016 IT WAS DONE AND FOUR YEARS LATER WE REQUESTED THAT MAINTENANCE BE DONE ON IT.
HOW LONG DO WE ANTICIPATE THIS, THIS NEW ITERATION, THE LAST, THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE, THE, UH, SOME MAINTENANCE WILL BE NEEDED, UM, ON A NINE-YEAR-OLD BASIS, UM, BOTH ON THE BRIEF AGITATED AREA AND THE GRAVEL.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THE SLOPES ARE BEING MAINTAINED AND THERE IS NO FURTHER EROSION THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THE GRAVEL AREA AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING MAINTENANCE, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN SUFFICIENT BECAUSE WE'RE S WE'RE AT THIS POINT NOW, THEN, RIGHT.
WELL, WE HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING THE GRAVEL AREA TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
NOW WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SLOPING IS APPROPRIATE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY WATER FUNDING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING WITH THE CUP.
WE CANNOT GO ACCORDING TO OUR RULES, WE CAN NOT GO PAST 10 UNLESS WE VOTE TO DO SO.
I, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT TO BE HERE TOO MUCH LONGER, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN WRAP THINGS UP IN 120 SECONDS.
SO MAYBE WE COULD JUST TRY TO GO TILL 10, 15, WHAT EVERYBODY CAN WE VOTE TO DO THAT YOU WANT TO STOP RIGHT NOW? YOU'VE GOT THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE EARLY MORNING MEETING.
LET'S OKAY, WELL, MAYBE WE'LL BE DONE BEFORE 10, 15.
LET'S JUST, SO CAN I HAVE, UM, ARE WE TRYING TO DO THIS LAST ITEM OR JUST MOVING STRAIGHT INTO NOT GOING TO DO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE LAST ITEM.
I JUST DON'T THINK, BUT JUST TO GET EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, UM, SO I NEED, UH, I NEED TO MOVE THAT WE EXTEND IT TILL POSSIBLY 10, 15 SECONDS ALL IN FAVOR.
SO, UM, JUST TO WRAP THIS UP, BOARD MEMBER FELT, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED WANTING TO, TO, UH, WHAT DID YOU SAY BY 4K? AND DID YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO DO THAT? UM, IT'S I KNOW IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT AS WELL.
WE'RE NOT SET FOR ACTION, RIGHT? SO IT'S REALLY JUST A REQUEST TO THE DEPARTMENT.
COULD WE BRING THE LANDFILL BACK ON AN AGENDA POSTED FOR ACTION SO THAT WE COULD TAKE A VOTE WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, YES, NO RECOMMENDATIONS AND IT IS DISTRICT DATA.
SO, UM, SO SHE HAS A REQUEST, WELL, WE'LL TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION AND ALL OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID UNDER CONSIDERATION.
SO I'D LIKE TO REVIEW THEM HOLISTICALLY WITH THE TEAM.
SO I HAVE NO, I HAVE NO CONFIRMATION AT THIS TIME, BUT CERTAINLY I, THE CONFIRMATION THAT I CAN GIVE YOU IS WE'LL TAKE EVERY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'VE HEARD AND, AND, UH, CONSIDER THEM.
WELL, I, I WILL SAY THAT I, I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING POSITIVE ABOUT THIS FROM ANY BOARD THAT'S HERE TONIGHT, SO WE'LL KEEP IT FROM DEGRADING MORE THERE WE GIVE HER, JUST GOT SOMETHING POSITIVE.
BUT, UM, SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL BEAR THAT IN MIND, AND I THINK WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, SO, OKAY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA F I HAVE TO RE SCHEDULE THE, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PART VISION PLAN.
[03:55:01]
BAD.I SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING TO MR. CANADY EARLIER, CAUSE SHE WAS STICKING AROUND, BUT OKAY.
UM, SO REALLY QUICKLY, I KNOW WE DO HAVE OUR, UM, FINANCIAL COMMITTEE REPORT IN OUR CONTRACTS AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT WE JUST NEED A MOTION TO POSTPONE THAT LAST ITEM.
[B.5. Presentation and discussion on the community engagement and outreach efforts for the Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan.]
UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.CAN I HAVE A SECOND, PLEASE? THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR.
[Items C1 & C2]
WE DO HAVE, UM, THE TWO REPORTS.AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IN THOSE REPORTS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE TO KNOW TONIGHT, THEN IF YOU WANT TO JUST MENTION ANY HIGHLIGHTS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THE BOARD NEEDS TO KNOW, UM, BOARD MEMBER FAST, ANYTHING FROM THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE REPORT.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO LOOK AT OUR REPORT BECAUSE WE DID A LOT OF THINGS WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT IT.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO POINT OUT EVERYTHING.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT, UM, WE HAD ABOUT MET ABOUT FOUR TIMES THIS PAST YEAR AND, UM, A LOT OF CONTROLLER GROUP AGREEMENTS AND VOTING CONCESSIONS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LOOK AT IT IF YOU'D LIKE MORE DETAIL.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, UM, COTTON SEIBEL.
[C.6. Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board. (Cottam Sajbel)]
WANT TO GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT? YEAH, I'LL DO IT AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT THE SOUTHWEST, UM, I'M SORRY.
SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UH, ADVISORY BOARD DID RECOMMEND THE PUD, BUT THERE WERE A SERIOUS NUMBER OF RESERVATIONS THAT WE WROTE INTO THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND A LOT OF THEM COINCIDED WITH SOME OF THE PARK'S ISSUES TOO.
AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FOLLOW UP WITH EVERYBODY.
AND WHAT I KNOW IS, UH, STILL A BIG STICKING POINT IS THE ACCESS FROM CONGRESS BRIDGE.
SO THAT IT'S EVIDENT THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC PARK AND THEN IT'S PARK, AND THEN IT'S INVITING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS IT STANDS, THE ENDEAVOR WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BUILDING RIGHT THERE WHERE NORMALLY IT GOES INTO THE PARK, THEY'RE RAISING THE GROUND LEVEL TO BE LEVEL WITH THE BRIDGE AND THE BUILDING WILL START THERE AND GO UP.
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME, UM, AND TO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE AND TO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE, EVEN IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THAT THERE IS A CLEAR ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC, TO THE AREA WHERE THE BATS ARE.
AND, UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER CONCERNS.
UM, I GAVE YOU GUYS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS, UM, THEY, THERE IS A CONCESSION THAT THE, UM, THE PUD FOLKS HAVE MADE WHERE THERE WOULD, THEY WOULD HAVE A WALKWAY BETWEEN THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE TO WHAT THEY'RE CALLING THE GRAND STEPS THAT GO DOWN IN BETWEEN THEIR BUILDINGS TO THE BAT AREA.
BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER IT'S ADA COM, IF THEY'RE DOING THAT TO BE ADA COMPLIANT AND THEY HAVE A DISH, ADDITIONAL ADA COMPLIANCE NOW, AND THEIR GRAND STAIRS THAT GO DOWN.
BUT, UH, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE BIKES.
BIKES MIGHT HAVE TO GO FURTHER DOWN AND TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO GET BACK TO THE TRAIL.
AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AND ASK YOU GUYS FOR, AND I WON'T, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT.
JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ALERT THE PUBLIC.
NOT EVERYBODY READS THE STATESMAN, NOT EVERYBODY READS THE CHRONICLE.
PEOPLE ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHATNOT.
I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND HAVE SOME SAY SO WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAS ALREADY COME UP AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ABOUT SOME OF THE PARK ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, BUT I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THIS.
THIS IS THE AREA THAT PEOPLE USE.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE USING THIS AREA AND IT IS GOING TO CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME INPUT IF THEY, IF THEY CARE.
SO, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT, OR IF I NEED TO DO A POP-UP 10TH THERE TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, I I'M KIND OF, I'M KIND OF RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN WAVING A FLAG HERE AND, UM, I ANY HELP WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED ANY THOUGHTS? GREAT.
SO IF ANYBODY DOES HAVE ANY IDEAS PLEASE, UM, EMAIL OR MEMBER CUT AND CYBIL, I KNOW THAT'S, UH, GETTING THE WORD OUT, I KNOW IS CHALLENGING.
ONE MORE THING I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS AND, AND THAT IS THAT I'VE, UM, GOTTEN SOME INPUT THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS THINK THAT WE DID APPROVE THE, UM, THE PARK PLAN AS SUPERIOR.
[04:00:01]
THAT WE DID NOT, WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT OR VOTED ON IT SINCE WE ORIGINALLY DID NOT, BUT SUPERIOR.AND WE HAD A LIST OF, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN.
WE'RE STILL EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE.
[C.4. Update from Joint Working Group with the Animal Advisory Commission. (Lewis, Barnard)]
AND THEN, AS FAR AS, UH, THE JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE S I WILL SAY WE HAVE TWO GREAT MUSIC OPTIONS SO FAR THAT WE'RE, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU GUYS WILL GET THE HERE WITH JUST SOME GREAT ARTISTS WITH SOME GREAT, PERFECT, SOME GREAT SONGS ABOUT OFF-LEASH DOGS, SO, OKAY.UM, DIRECTOR MCNEELY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO, UM, NO, MAN, THE THINGS THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE ARE WRITTEN IN THE REPORT, AND I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN PERUSE THAT AT YOUR LEISURE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE 10 15, YEA, UM, FOR
[E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
A MEMBER, UH, UH, THE CARLA, DO YOU HAVE ANY, EITHER FUTURE ITEMS? THANK YOU.BOARD MEMBER, UH, COTTON SEIBEL.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
UH, SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I'VE, UM, SPOKEN TEACHER LEWIS ABOUT.
UM, FEBRUARY IS WHEN, UM, SUMMER CAMP SIGN UP, OPENS UP.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO HEAR ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMPS AT FULL CAPACITY.
UM, IF THERE'S ANOTHER PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION, AS THINGS EVOLVE, WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING RESILIENT AND CONTINUING TO, TO OFFER THAT SERVICE TO EVERYONE.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT AND I CAN SEND SOME LANGUAGE OVER TO THE CHAIR AND I S I SECOND THAT, SO SHE ISN'T.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS I HAD REQUESTED PREVIOUSLY.
I'M GOING TO JUST PUT IN AN EMAIL.
UM, BUT I, FOR TONIGHT, I REQUEST THAT THE DECISION OF THE DEPARTMENT ON RESETTING THE BUTLER LANDFILL, UM, DEVELOPMENT, THAT IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S GOING TO BE SET ON THE AGENDA, UM, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO FIND OUT NOT THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETING, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH STAFF AND GET SOME MORE ANSWERS WITH SUFFICIENT TIME, I THINK.
WELL, I, UM, I DON'T HAVE MY DIRECTOR.
I THOUGHT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, JUST, I DIDN'T REMEMBER HEARING HER NAME, BUT I FORGOT THAT SHE HAS LEFT THE MEETING.
SO IT'S AN IRRELEVANT COMMENT.
SO, UH, NO, I APPRECIATE THE REPORT ABOUT, AND I'LL JUST MAKE THIS COMMENT, I GUESS I REPEAT, I APPRECIATE THE REPORT ABOUT THE TENNIS COURTS.
I, AND I THINK, UM, SOMEBODY ALLUDED, MAYBE ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS ALLUDED TO THIS, BUT FOR SOME REASON I HAVE GOTTEN CALLS AND INPUT ABOUT TENNIS PICKLEBALL AND THEN THERE'S AND CONCERNS ABOUT COURT USE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS A BATTLE BETWEEN THE PICKLE BALLERS AND THE, UM, AND THE TENNIS PLAYED PEOPLE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S ALSO THESE, I GUESS A LOT OF JUST PEOPLE SAYING THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, PRIVATE LESSONS BEING TAUGHT ON THE COURTS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ALLOWED, BUT I THINK PEOPLE VIOLATE THAT ALL THE TIME.
SO I, I JUST WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR, WITH THIS GROWTH OF PICKLEBALL, UM, UH, PICKLEBALL USERS, WHETHER THERE WAS ANY KIND OF PLAN IN THE FUTURE TO DO THAT.
I KNOW YOU CAN PUT MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS IN A TENNIS COURT, I THINK MAYBE FOR, I DON'T KNOW, BUT NO, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT CHAIR.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STANDS OUT IS JUST, AGAIN, THE AMOUNT OF AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE COMPARE THE TOP 100 CITIES AND IT'S, WE'RE BEHIND AND, YOU KNOW, 69 ON TENNIS COURTS, THERE'S PROBABLY A PICKLE, ALL NUMBER THERE SOMEWHERE AS WELL, BUT WE'RE 69TH OF THE TOP 100 LARGEST CITIES, YOU KNOW? AND WHAT'S, I LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS AT NIGHT, CAUSE I'M LIKE, I'M GONNA JUST USE THIS OPPORTUNITY BALL FIELDS WHERE 88 OUT OF A HUNDRED, THE PLAYGROUND.
PLAYGROUNDS WERE 77 SKATE PARKS WERE 82
[04:05:01]
LAREDO BEING NUMBER ONE, EL PASO, B NUMBER EIGHT, SEVEN, TONIO BEING NUMBER 20 ARLINGTON BEING 24, YOU KNOW, DOG PARKS WERE 43 NATURE CENTERS WERE 69.OH, PICKLEBALL DOES HAVE A NUMBER WE'RE 40 OR 40 OR 40 ANYWAYS.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SENDING THAT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING.
EVERYBODY, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE I THINK WE CAN OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.