[00:00:01]
PLAN IN AND WE[CALL TO ORDER]
ACTUALLY GOT IT APPROVED AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT.WE DID NOT KNOW THIS OTHER SITE WAS NOT, UH, IT WAS UNPAVED, BUT THE INTENTIONS ARE, WE WERE NOT AWARE THIS WAS AVAILABLE.
THIS COULD BE THEIR KID, THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER, UM, A PROPERTY THAT IS ALSO, UM, BEING SERVED BY HARVEY STREET.
THAT IS ALMOST 2.39 ACRE MULTIFAMILY THAT ALSO WILL BE SERVED FROM THIS SOUTH SIDE.
UM, THEN THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND IT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRAFFIC WILL BE GOING FROM HERE TO EVENTUALLY WHOEVER'S GOING TO DEVELOP IT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND GOING FORWARD, OBVIOUSLY THAT DEVELOPER HAS TO DEVELOP THAT NOT SIDE, UH, ENTRY THAT IS COMING FROM 12TH STREET, UH, TO SOLVE THOSE.
AND SO THAT'LL, THAT'LL MAKE THIS FEED COMPLETE AND IT'LL GO THROUGH, UM, THIS TRAFFIC, UH, THAT NEWLY DEVELOPED FROM THE, THAT IT'S SERVING THE CURRENT STREET CURRENTLY SERVING ALL THE 1184 HARVEY AND 1100 HARVEY AND ELLEN REED APARTMENTS.
THOSE ARE ALMOST LIKE 40 UNITS OR 30 UNITS, MORE OR LESS LIKE FOURPLEXES, THAT ALL TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE SO MANY HUNDREDS OF CARS THAT, THAT CANNOT ALONE BE SUSTAINED FROM WILSON.
UM, AND THEN THAT, SO THAT, SO I, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EASY TO DEVELOP AN, ANY DEVELOPER AND I DON'T KNOW, GOING TO THE HISTORY, AND OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT IN THE TRANSPORTATION, BUT MOST LIKELY THERE'S ALWAYS A BOND REQUIRED WHEN YOU'RE DOING A SITE PLAN OR SUBDIVISION.
AND THEN THAT THE DEVELOPER AT THE TIME DIDN'T FINISH THE STREET, YOU'LL TAKE THE BOND MONEY.
ARE YOU DO I SHOULD BOND SHORTY? AND THEN YOU CITY WILL DEVELOP THAT STREET.
HOWEVER, THIS IS FROM 1945 AND THERE'S NO RECORD.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT SITE PLAN THAT RIGHT AWAY WAS NOT DEVELOPED IN THERE, BUT WE ALSO RECENTLY GROWTH, BUT THIS PART OF TOWN WAS COMPLETELY NEGLIGENT, LIKE IN TERMS OF IT, WASN'T WHAT, UH, IT WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD THE HOUSES AND BUILD THE STREET TOGETHER.
UM, MR. PARKASH THAT'S, UH, YOUR TIME, UH, WE CAN GIVE YOU ANOTHER MINUTE IF YOU, UH, DO YOU NEED JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WRAP UP STILL ON YOU? DO YOU WANT TO UNMUTE HIM UNTIL YOU CAN RESPOND TO IT? YOU NEED JUST THROWING A LOT.
WE'RE TRYING TO UNMUTE YOU ONE SECOND.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE TO UNMUTE TO SPEAK FOR ONE MORE MINUTE, MS. PARK ASHLEY, IF YOU WANT TO FINISH YOUR THOUGHT DATA.
SO THE FIRST OF RIGHT TO IN TRANSPORTATION CODE IS TO THE PEOPLE, TO THE HARVEY STREET, TO, TO VACATE NOT THE BUDDING PROPERTY, WHICH IS ADDRESS 12 3 0 5 12 STREET.
THEY DON'T HAVE A FIRST RIGHT TO REFUSAL.
THIS, THIS HAS TO BE, UH, DISCUSSED FURTHER AND I'M OPPOSING, UH, THIS, UH, VACAY, UH, TO THIS PROPERTY, UH, TO, TO, TO THE PROPOSED RIGHT AWAY.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU ARE OPPOSED, I'M SORRY.
AND THEN SUSAN, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF OUR SPEAKERS ARE ON ITEM TWO A, WHICH SHOULD COME UP REALLY QUICKLY.
CAUSE IT'S THE FIRST, IF, IF EVERY I'M STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE CONTEXT, NOT HAVING SEEN, UM, MICHELLE SPIT SMITH'S PRESENTATION AND LIKE SEEING THE MAPS, LIKE I, I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT, LIKE I WAS LISTENING, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH I FOLLOWED.
UM, SO IF, IF WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS ON THAT ITEM, I THINK IT MIGHT BE, UM, THAT ARE FEELING, YOU KNOW, UM, OPPOSING OR SUPPORTING OR OFFERING COMMENT.
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO AT LEAST FOR, FOR, TO SEE THE STAFF PRESENTATION, TO SEE THE MAPS SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND A BIT MORE OF WHAT'S BEING SPOKEN ABOUT.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA.
UH, COMMISSIONER, SO IT LOOKS LIKE SCOTT COLLIER, CHRISTOPHER PAGE AND OWEN PARKASH ARE ALL SPEAKING ON ITEM TWO, A, UM, THE TWO REMAINING SPEAKERS.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE WAITING UNTIL AFTER THE PRESENTATION OR ARE YOU GOOD WITH GOING AHEAD OF TIME AND DO THE WAIT TILL AFTER IF I PROVIDE CONTEXT WITH THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE CONTEXT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT FALLING.
SO I'M GONNA JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE TO SEE THE STAFF PRESENTATION AND THE SPEAKER THAT ALREADY WENT.
I REALLY STRUGGLED TO FOLLOW YOU.
NOT BECAUSE YOU WERE BEING UNCLEAR, JUST CAUSE IT WAS HARD FOR ME
[00:05:01]
TO PERSONALLY VISUALIZE WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT, THAT YOU WOULD STAY ONLINE AS WELL.AND THEN IF WE COULD ASK YOU QUESTIONS, THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO AS WELL IS, IS EVEN THOUGH YOU USE OF YOUR TIME SPEAKING, WE CAN, WE COULD ASK QUESTIONS OF THE COMMENTERS AT THAT POINT AS WELL, TO STAY ON AS A RESOURCE COME UP QUICKLY.
AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A PRESENTATION BY A STOCK COLLIER.
I SEE IT ON THE, UM, UH, I'M SORRY.
I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THAT, BUT THAT WILL DEFINITELY BE HELPFUL ON THAT PRESENTATION IS OUT THERE THAT OUTLINE EVERY ITEM, BUT I JUST SPOKE.
A QUICK SHOW OF HANDS IS ANYONE OBJECTIVE IS JUMPING INTO THE AGENDA.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY INFECTIONS.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, UH, THE ASSISTANCE COMMUNICATIONS WILL GO WITH THE ITEMS THEY ARE ATTACHED TO.
AND, UH, THE FIRST ITEM YOU HAVE TO CALL THE ORDER.
[1. APPROVAL OF December 7th, 2021 MINUTES ]
TO DO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.IF I NEED TO SPEAK LOUDER OR QUIET, MORE BRIGHTLY.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I CAN'T SEE THE ANTIBODIES.
THAT WAS A COMMISSIONER DRISCOLL.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
HI CHRIS, CAN YOU MAKE THE WINDOW SO WE CAN SEE ALL THE PARTICIPANTS THERE.
UH, WAS THAT OR WAS THERE ANYBODY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO A NEW BUSINESS.
[2.A. Right of Way Vacation Harvey St.]
ITEM IS THE RIGHT OF WAY.THE OCCASION ON HARDY STREET, THERE WAS QUITE A LOT OF BACKUP.
UM, WELL I'LL JUST LET, UM, MICHELLE SMITH FROM, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES EVER.
AND PUT THE PRESENTATION AT PLEASE.
AND IF YOU'LL JUST START THE SLIDESHOW.
I'M WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT THE BIKE RIGHT BACK TO THE PAGE ONE, PLEASE.
I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE VACATION APPLICATION OF UNPAVED HARVEY STREET.
SO RIGHT AWAY TRAVERSING SOUTH TO NORTH DIAGONALLY FROM SEOUL WILSON STREET TO EAST 12TH STREET.
THIS IS FILED 2 0 2 1 0 4 7 0 0 1.
SO YOU CAN SEE EAST 12TH AND OAK GROVE AND THEN SOUL WILSON.
AND THE YELLOW DIAGONAL IS THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S BEING VACATED.
THIS WAS PLANTED, UM, RIGHT AWAY AND IT'S NEVER BEEN DEVELOPED.
UM, IT'S NEVER BEEN PAVED AS YOU CAN SEE IF HARVEY CONNECTED WITH, UH, GRAVITY'S 12TH, IT WOULD MAKE A KIND OF AN UNSAFE, UM, INTERSECTION.
THIS WAS THE MAP THAT WENT OUT WITH THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION.
AGAIN, JUST SHOWING THAT HARVEY STREET, UM, WAS PLANTED.
UM, AND IT IS THERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, AN UNPAVED AREA THAT IS SEEKING THAT VACATION.
THE APPLICANT, UM, AS PART OF THEIR TRANSMITTAL LETTER STATED THAT THE CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT STATED IT DOES NOT INTEND TO CONSTRUCT A SECTION OF HARVEY IN THE FUTURE.
THERE IS NO ACTIVE SITE PLAN FOR ANY PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, ALL EFFECTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND PRIVATE UTILITY FRANCHISE STAKEHOLDERS HAVE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION AND RECOMMEND FOR APPROVAL.
IT IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING REVIEWERS CONDITIONS, AUSTIN WATER UTILITY NEEDS A WATERLINE EASEMENT RETAINED TO COVER THE EXISTING WASTEWATER MANHOLE AND WASTEWATER LINE WITHIN THE REQUESTED AREA FOR VACATION.
THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED US A SURVEY, UM, OF JUST THE AREA THAT AUSTIN WATER YOU NEED, UTILITY NEEDS TO BE RETAINED.
AND THAT WILL BE PART OF THE DEED WITHOUT WARRANTY.
SHOULD THE ITEM BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, IT'S FOR A TOTAL OF 20 1092 SQUARE FEET, PUBLIC NOTICE PER CODE WAS GIVEN TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300 FEET.
UM, ON OCTOBER 14TH, 2021, THERE WERE 52 PROPERTY OWNERS THAT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION.
I HAD FOUR INQUIRIES, I HAD FIVE OBJECTIONS AND
[00:10:01]
ONE, SOME, UM, ONE SUPPORT LETTER.THERE ARE SIX OWNERS THAT ALL ABOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY, THE RIGHT AWAY AREA THAT'S BEING, UM, SEEKING VACATION.
SO I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RIGHT OF WAY PROCESS AND THE APPLICANT IS ON, IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE, UH, BUDDING PROPERTIES.
AND I HAVE LISTED MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER AT THE END OF THAT SLIDE.
UM, IF Y'ALL HAD QUESTIONS, UH, AFTERWARDS AND YOU WANTED TO REACH OUT TO ME, WE DO ALSO HAVE THE APPLICANTS WILL BE LIKE FOR THE APPLICANTS WHO PRESENT THIS SLIDE.
UM, LUKE, WE HAVE HER WITH US.
DO YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COMMISSION FOR TAKING THE TIME, UM, TO HEAR THIS THIS EVENING, UH, WE ARE REQUESTING, UM, BY THE WAY, HOW DO I TURN PAGES ON HERE AND I WILL MOVE IT FOR YOU.
WE ARE REQUESTING THE VACATION OF THE HARVEY RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AS YOU HAVE SEEN FROM, UM, CITY STAFF'S PRESENTATION, UM, UH, THE CITY, THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS, I THINK THERE WERE ROUGHLY 15 OR 17 HAVE REVIEWED THIS VACATION AND, UM, THEY ARE ALL IN SUPPORT OF THIS VACATION, UM, INCLUDING, UH, ATB, UM, IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS VACATION.
UM, THE, THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF HARVEY HAS BEEN IN ITS CONFIGURATION SINCE LATE 18 HUNDREDS.
AND IT IS, IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED AS RIGHT AWAY.
UM, IT HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE CITY, THE, UM, THE, I THINK PREVIOUS PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE PAST, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE MAINTAINED IT AND THE EXISTING PROPERTY OWNERS ARE MAINTAINING IT NOW.
UM, AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS MS. SMITH MENTIONED IN HER PRESENTATION.
UM, THE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY DOES NOT FEEL THAT THE HANDLING PORTION OF HARVEY, UM, WOULD BE IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST FROM A TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT, THE WAY THAT IT INTERSECTS WITH THE CURRENT ROAD WITH OAK GROVE AND WITH EAST 12TH STREET IN THAT LOCATION AND ALL OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE REQUESTED, UM, WE, UM, HAVE FILED APPLICATIONS, UM, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, THE FIVE OR SIX PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, THAT SURROUND THE HARVEY STREET, UM, RIGHT OF WAY AREA THAT WE'RE REQUESTING TO BE VACATED, UM, REQUESTING THAT THE CITY VACATE, UM, HARVEY.
SO, UM, THAT HARVEY CAN BE, UM, PURCHASED AT MARKET VALUE BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, THE, AND I'LL LET YOU TURN THE SLIDE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE.
UH, AND ONE MORE, UH, LET'S DO ONE MORE AFTER THAT.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS MAP RIGHT HERE, THIS PARCEL MAP, UM, HARVEY BISECTS, THOSE, THOSE VARIOUS PARCELS THERE, AND, UM, IT'S PREVENTING THIS AREA FROM BEING, UM, DEVELOPED IN ANY TYPE OF A COHESIVE MANNER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BENEFICIAL, YOU'VE GOT THAT LITTLE TRIANGLE SIDE OUTLINED IN RED ON EAST 12TH STREET, THERE IT'S A VERY SMALL AREA.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, UM, YOU HAVE THE, THE VARIOUS UNDEVELOPED IN THAT AREAS AND DEVELOPED, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE TWO PORTIONS DOWN THAT ARE OUTLINED IN RED THAT ARE UNDEVELOPED AS WELL, UM, BY VACATING HARVEY, UM, WHICH IS NOT BEING USED IN THE CITY, DOES NOT INTEND TO USE, UM, IT ALLOWS THIS, UH, ALL OF THIS PROPERTY TO BE, UM, TO BE DEVELOPED, UM, TO, UH, TO THE SIZE AND SCALE OF, UH, OF SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY CAN REALLY USE IN NEED.
UM, WILL YOU PLEASE MOVE THE SLIDE FORWARD? UM, THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH RIGHT HERE.
I'M LOOKING AT, I'M STANDING ON EAST 12TH STREET AND LOOKING DOWN OAK GROVE, THE SIDE STREET THAT, UH, SHOWS, UH, THE PROPERTY AND ALSO HARVEY KIND OF JUST WOULD, WOULD COME THROUGH AND INTERSECT KIND OF TOWARDS THAT TELEPHONE POLE RIGHT THERE.
WOULD YOU MIND MOVING IT FORWARD ONE MORE TIME? THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT'S ANOTHER SAME VIEW.
IT'S JUST LOOKING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN OAK GROVE JUST TO GIVE YOU, UM, AND THEN AGAIN, PLEASE, UM, THIS IS A VIEW LOOKING, UM, SO BASICALLY IF YOU CAN
[00:15:01]
SEE TO YOUR LEFT THE HOUSE IN THE BACK THAT'S EAST 12TH STREET, SO YOU'RE LOOKING UP OUTGROWTH AND KIND OF AT THE CORNER OF OAK GROVE AND SOUL WILSON AVENUE RIGHT THERE.IF YOU'LL PLEASE TURN IT ONE MORE TIME.
AND, UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY, UM, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SEOUL WILSON.
AND SO THE PROPERTY PORTION TO THE LEFT IS, IS OWNED BY THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND THEN KIND OF TO THE RIGHT SIDE IS WHERE THE HARVEY RIGHTWAY COMES IN.
AND, UM, AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU ONE MORE PHOTOGRAPH OR MORE PHOTOGRAPHS IF YOU CONTINUE ONE MORE OVER PLEASE.
SO THAT'S JUST LOOKING DOWN TOWARDS SOLE WILSON.
UM, THOSE ARE RESIDENCES THERE ON YOUR RIGHT, AND I BELIEVE, UM, UH, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THOSE RESIDENCES IS, IS HERE TO SPEAK TODAY.
AND THEN ON THE LEFT, UH, AGAIN IS THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN ONE MORE SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE SAME LOOKING DOWN.
SO WILSON, SO I'M HERE TO, UM, THAT, THAT IS IT FOR MY SLIDESHOW PRESENTATION, BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, UH, AS WE WORK THROUGH.
I THINK WE'LL GO DOWN TO THE CITIZEN TOUR, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THERE IS SCOTT COLLIER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
UM, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY WE'RE DISCUSSING IS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN A FEW SLIDES.
I EMAILED TO CHRISTOPHER PARKS.
UM, SO I'M SCOTT COLLIER AND MY WIFE, CHELSEA AND I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SUBJECT PROPERTY ARE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OVERALL IS HOMO TIGHTS, COMPRISING 120 PLUS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND ELMER.
DEPARTMENT'S A HUD SPONSORED COMPLEX OF 130 RESIDENCES IN 13 BUILDINGS.
WE LOVE OUR DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH ITS MIX OF FAMILIES, LARGE AND SMALL, YOUNG, AND OLD OF ALL ECONOMIC NEEDS.
LIKE ALL AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE WANT A SAFE AND PLEASANT PLACE TO LIVE, WHERE NEIGHBORS TREAT EACH OTHER, AS THEY WISH TO BE TREATED.
WE SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT THAT PRIORITIZES SAFETY AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
THE CURRENT SITUATION, ENSEMBLES AND AVENUE IS NOT SAFE.
AND TO DATE EUREKA'S WORDS AND ACTIONS HAVE NOT CONVINCED US THAT THEY WILL DEVELOP THE SUBJECT PROPERTY WITH THE COMMUNITY IN MIND, THE STREETS THAT INTERSECT AT THE PROPERTY.
SO WILSON AND ELK GROVE ARE BUSY.
THERE'S FAST MOVING TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE HOME RIDGE APARTMENTS, 24 7, THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS.
SO PEDESTRIANS, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND FOLKS IN WHEELCHAIRS ARE FORCED INTO THE STREET TO GET TO.
AND FROM THE SCHOOL BUS STOP, OAK SPRINGS ELEMENTARY CAN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL AND FOOD STORES, OR THE WALGREENS VEHICLES ARE OFTEN PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF SAUL WILSON, EFFECTIVELY CREATING A ONE LANE ROAD FROM OUR HOUSE.
WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE SCURRY OUT OF THE STREET.
AS CARS TURNED FROM OAK GROW WITHOUT SLOWING.
WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL PARKED CARS HIT, WHICH WE REPORT REPORTED 3, 1, 1.
WE'VE SEEN EMS POLICE AND FIRE TRUCKS SLOW.
AND EVEN BACK UP IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE TO ALLOW FLOW OF TRAFFIC ALL WHILE PEDESTRIANS TRY TO AVOID BEING HIT.
SO OUR REQUEST IS THAT THE CITY REJECT THIS VACATION REQUEST UNLESS CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT OBLIGATIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE IN THE INTEREST OF RESIDENTS, SAFETY AND COMMUNITY INTEGRITY.
ONE UNTIL A SIDEWALK IS CONSTRUCTED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF SEOUL.
WILSON, NO DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE PERMITTED, INCLUDING ANY FURTHER PROGRESS ON THE FENCE THAT IS GOING IN WHERE A SIDEWALK NEEDS TO GO TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, REGARDLESS OF WHO OWNS IT SHOULD NEVER BE PERMITTED TO CREATE A DRIVEWAY OR PEDESTRIAN ANCHOR.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL THREE THAT TWO-WAY STOP AT OAK GROVE AND SAUL WILSON NEEDS TO BE A FOUR WAY STOP FOR DESIGNATE THE SOUTH SIDE OF SALT, WILSON AND NO PARKING ZONE BETWEEN ELMER DEPARTMENTS AND AT LEAST OAK GROVE, IDEALLY TO RIDGEWAY, TO ENSURE TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC CAN FLOW AT ALL TIMES.
FIVE INSTALL SPEED BUMPS ON SEOUL, WILSON FROM THE ELM RIDGE ENTRY TO RIDGEWAY SIX REQUIRE PARKING FOR ANY USE OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCOMMODATED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER WITH NO ALLOWANCE FOR STREET PARKING ON SOULS SEVEN, WORK WITH ELM RIDGE TO ADD 10 TO 20 NO RESTRICTION PARKING SPACES TO THEIR LOT.
AS THERE APPEARS TO BE PLENTY OF CAPACITY FOR THAT EIGHT EUREKA IS TO COMMIT TO REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
NINE PRIOR TO ANY SITE DEVELOPMENT, EUREKA WILL PRESENT TO THE HOMEWOOD HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THEIR PROPOSED PLANS, AND WE'LL BE RESPONSIVE TO OUR FEEDBACK.
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR INTEREST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? YEAH, ONE MORE.
[00:20:01]
UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ON THIS ITEM.UH, CHRISTOPHER PAGE, IF YOU ARE ON THE LINE, PLEASE SPEAK NOW CHRISTOPHER PAGE.
CHRISTOPHER PAGE IS IF YOU'RE WATCHING OUT THERE SOMEWHERE AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ONLINE, LET US KNOW IF YOU DO SHOW UP.
YOU KNOW, HE HAS TO HIT STAR SIX STAR SIX TO UNMUTE CHRISTOPHER PAGE.
THANK YOU, SCOTT, FOR THE TIP.
UM, I THINK SCOTT VERY, UH, SUCCINCTLY, UH, STATED ALOUD.
WHAT ARE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, POSITIONS BEFORE YOU TODAY? YOU RICO HOLDINGS IS ASKING THIS COMMISSION TO SUPPORT A VACATION OF A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IN ORDER TO OBTAIN EXCLUSIVE BUYING RIGHTS TO CITY LAND THAT BISECTS MULTIPLE WIVES, BUT IT'S ALREADY PURCHASED OFFERS NO SITE PLAN THAT WOULD JUSTIFY A NEED TO ACTUALLY VACATE THAT RIGHT OF WAY.
IT FAILED TO ENGAGE IN GOOD FAITH COMMUNICATIONS WITH RESIDENTS.
UM, TODAY, UH, EUREKA IS ENGAGED IN VARIOUS FORMS OF WHAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE DESCRIBED AS MISCONDUCT CELEBRATED ENVIRONMENTAL HARM BY NEGLECTING DUMPED BARRELS OF TOXIC WASTE DISCARDED MATTRESSES IN FURNITURE, TIRES, EVEN MEDICAL WASTE ACROSS THE PROPERTIES ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN UP IF ONLY PRECEDED PUBLIC HEARINGS, UH, NARROWLY AVOIDED CODE ENFORCEMENT, MONETARY PENALTIES.
UM, MOST RECENTLY THEY'VE STRIKED IT.
UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS INTENDED CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHEST PRIORITY SIDEWALKS.
THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT I SENT OUT OUT PLEA.
UH, CHRISTOPHER PARKS ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE IT TO YOU, BUT IN THE HOMEWOOD HEIGHTS, UH, TRAFFIC PATTERN PDF, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE ABSENT FROM OAK GROVE AND SOL WILSON ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY WITH THE LOWEST ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO NOS IN 2017 STUDY, AND THEN 2018 AUSTIN DEPLOYED THROUGH A MOBILITY BOND.
SOME ADA ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS ALL ARE IN 12TH STREET, BUT THEY ARE UTTERLY INACCESSIBLE FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND, UH, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DISCUSSION WITH NEIGHBORS, UH, BETWEEN YOUR REFUND NEIGHBORS, UM, WE MENTIONED THE NEED FOR THESE SIDEWALKS, WHICH FRANKLY SHOULD BE SUPPLIED BY THE CITY, WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS TOMORROW OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY-WIDE DEFICIT AND THIS KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, SO HOMEWOOD HEIGHTS PRODUCED ITS OWN PRESENTATION FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
AND WE'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT THE SIDEWALKS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE STAGES OF EARLY PLANNING.
WOULD I WOULD, YOU KNOW, MOST LIKELY BE BUILT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, POTENTIALLY STARTED THIS YEAR, DEPENDING ON DRAG YOUR FACTORS.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES AS IT RELATES GENERALLY TO, UH, URBAN TRANSPORTATION, THIS AREA IS THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS INCREASED IN OVERALL DENSITY THROUGH ADDITIONAL 80 USE, UH, MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS MORE, UH, OCCUPANTS PER STRUCTURE.
AND, UH, AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A HIGHER DENSITY.
HOUSING EXISTS AT THE ELM RIDGE APARTMENTS, BUT WE HAVE NEVER HAD SUFFICIENT ACCESS OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO 12TH STREET, BUT FOR PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLES, OAK GROVE IS OUR ONLY, UH, OUTLET.
AND SO IT FORMS A BOTTLENECK OF TRAFFIC.
UM, AS SCOTT MENTIONED, THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL, I'LL BE FREE.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE SCREEN OF COMMISSIONERS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR EITHER THE CITIZENS, THE STAFF, OR THE PROJECT OWNER? OKAY, WELL, I'LL START, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR, UM, A PAGE THAT I GUESS THE PROJECT OWNER, SO VACATIONS TO COME TO UTC FAIRLY OFTEN.
IT IS FRANKLY QUITE RARE WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE CITIZENS OPPOSE IT.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS.
MANY OF THOSE ARE WAY OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF UTC, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK ON IN PARTICULAR, THE FENCE AND SIDEWALK
[00:25:01]
ISSUE.UM, HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THOSE CONCERNS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTANDS, UM, THAT, UM, AT THE TIME OF SITE PLAN, THAT SIDEWALKS WILL BE REQUIRED ON THE PROPERTY, UM, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPERTY AND HAS NO OBJECTION TO SIDEWALKS WHATSOEVER.
UM, THEY'D BENEFIT, UM, NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT THE PROPERTY BY HAVING SIDEWALKS, UM, AND ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS.
SO, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS NO, UM, NO OBJECTIONS OR CONCERNS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ALONG THOSE LINES.
UM, I PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO, UM, THE CITY TO FIND OUT IF THEY HAD PLANS, UM, MAYBE EVEN PRIOR TO DEVELOPMENT TO INSTALL SIDEWALKS ON THE PROPERTY AND, UM, SPOKE WITH, UM, THE HEAD OF THAT DEPARTMENT AND, UH, AND, UM, WITH, WITH SOMEONE FROM, FROM MY OFFICE.
AND, UM, THEY SAID THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR SIDEWALKS, AT LEAST THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR AND THE BUDGETING CYCLE FOR THAT PROPERTY.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY IF THE CITY DETERMINES IT WANTS TO INSTALL SIDEWALKS AT ANY TIME, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER CERTAINLY UNDERSTANDS THAT AND THE PROPERTY OWNER INTENDS TO INSTALL SIDEWALKS, UM, AS PART OF ITS DEVELOPMENT, WHEN IT DEVELOPS THE PROPERTY, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE FENCE.
SO THE PROPERTY OWNER TOOK DOWN THE, UM, EXISTING FENCE AND IT WAS PUTTING UP A NEW FENCE AND THE FENCE POLES ARE IN THE GROUND AND THEY'RE SET A FEW FEET BACK FROM THE CURB.
THE REASON THEY DIDN'T SET THOSE FENCE POLES FARTHER BACK FROM THE CURB IS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DUMPING OF MATTRESSES, TIRES, COUCHES, CHAIRS IN THE STREET AND ALONG THE CURB AND ONTO THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS WITH PUTTING THOSE POOLS UP IS THAT IF THOSE POLES ARE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE FIRM, TO THE CURB, IT WILL PREVENT SOME OF THAT DUPING IN THE, IN THE LITTLE GAP.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS THE THOUGHT PROCESS, UM, ON THE POLLS, BUT, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER, UM, ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS THAT AT THE TIME THE SIDEWALKS COME IN THE FENCE WILL BE MOVED BACK THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF FEET THAT THE CITY REQUIRES TO ACCOMMODATE THE SIDEWALK.
SO THERE'S NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER TO BLOCK ANY SIDEWALKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, MS. MRES PAGE AND CALL, YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR LIST OF NINE ITEMS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT UTC CAN DO ABOUT A LOT OF THAT.
UM, THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FENCE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S ANY, THERE'S A REASONABLE ANSWER THERE.
YOU CAN TAKE IT, I GUESS, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TAKE IT, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE HOPING WE COULD DO AROUND THIS VACATION? ARE YOU REQUESTING THAT WE OPPOSE IT UNTIL THESE SORT OF NINE ITEMS GET RESOLVED OR, OR WHAT IS YOUR HOPE EITHER MR. PEDRO TOLERANT? UH, SCOTT COLLIER, I GUESS I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, INSTALLING STOP SIGNS, IS THAT NOT SOMETHING THE CITY CAN DO? UH, NO PARKING AREAS.
I MEAN, I THINK SEVERAL OF THESE ITEMS ON THE LIST ARE ASKED OF THE CITY IF, IF THE CITY WANTS TO VACATE THE, THIS RIGHT AWAY, UM, WE JUST ARE LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATIONS THAT TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS THE PURVIEW OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
BUT, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE CORRECT, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF, UH, CHECK, RESPOND TO THEIRS.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE LACK OF SIDEWALKS, EUREKA HAS ANOTHER PROPERTY IT'S, UH, UNDER THE NAME 2016 AARDVARK PARK LP, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 30, 21 EAST 12TH STREET.
AND THAT PROPERTY WOULD EQUALLY SERVE AS A FUNCTIONAL POTENTIAL OUTLET FROM THE HIGHER DENSITY HOUSING TO 12TH STREET.
BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S HELD BY THE SAME PROPERTY OWNER AND THEREFORE CONTINUING TO FORCE THIS BOTTLENECK, I WOULD KIND OF ASK THIS COMMISSION TO, UH, NOT SUPPORT THE VACATION OF RIGHT OF WAY AND POTENTIALLY ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL TIME TO DISCUSS HOW SOME OF THESE ISSUES MIGHT BE RESOLVED.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TODAY WE FELT THAT THERE'S BEEN NO REAL GOOD FAITH EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF AT LEAST THE CLIENT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN-MINDED AND OPEN TO CONVERSATION, BUT LIKE I SAID, TODAY, THERE HASN'T REALLY BEEN ANY FAITH IN THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATE, UH, OPTIONS THAT THEY CAN FACILITATE WITH THEIR CURRENT HOLDINGS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THESE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. OKAY.
I HAVE ONE THAT THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ASSESSMENT,
[00:30:01]
UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR MICHELLE SMITH, IF YOU'RE STILL ON THE LINE, AS FAR AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROCESS GOES TO YOU FEEL THAT ATD OR OTHER PARTIES HAVE, UM, SEEN GOOD NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE CLIENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.UM, NOT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CONTROL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE AROUND TRAFFIC AND AROUND, YOU KNOW, UM, SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA.
DO YOU, OR DOES ATD TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THEY'RE, UH, SIGN OFF ON THAT VACATION? SO, UM, I JOKE AROUND ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME.
THE TATTOO I WEAR ON MY FOREHEAD IS THAT MICHELLE SMITH IS THE CONDUIT, RIGHT? I'M THE ONE THAT BRINGS IN THE APPLICATION.
I'M THE ONE THAT PROCESSES, IT, I'M THE ONE THAT GETS IT TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND INTO, AND GETS IT APPRAISED AND GETS IT TO COUNCIL, ET CETERA.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SAY SO IN I'M JUST NOT ONE OF THE REVIEWERS.
UM, I DO SEE THAT ERIC HAS RAISED HIS HAND, SO I THINK THAT HE CAN TALK, HE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THAT.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ANSWER YOUR CALL QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK ERIC CAN, THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
SO THIS IS ERIC BOLLOCK AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
I'M, I'M SITTING IN FOR JIM DALE.
UM, EXECUTIVE IS USUALLY PART OF THESE MEETINGS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THE, THE REVIEW PROCESS AND WHAT CAME TO THE, UM, DECISION OR THE RIGHT AWAY, UM, VACATION DECISION.
UM, TYPICALLY ATD LOOKS AT IT, I THINK FOR THE REASONS THAT WERE STATED EARLIER IN TERMS OF, UM, NOT HAVING IT EVER BE A VIABLE STREET, UM, AND THE DESIRE NOT TO CONNECT IT.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF STOP SIGNS AND NO PARKING SIGNS, THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT ATD CAN LOOK AT.
UM, APART FROM THIS APPLICATION NOW, WHETHER THOSE WERE CONSIDERED IN THE DECISIONS THAT BEN CAME THROUGH RIGHT AWAY, I'M NOT SURE, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE CAN TAKE NOTES.
I CAN WORK WITH, UH, CHRISTOPHER PARKS TO, TO FIGURE OUT, UM, THIRD QUESTS AND, UH, THERE'S THE COMMISSION SO WISHES.
WE CAN THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THEM SEPARATE FROM THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
YOU SURE BRONCO, FRANK, I THINK I HAD YOUR HAND NEXT.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LOWER MY HAND.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, I DON'T GO INTO ANOTHER, HER VIEW OF SOMETHING OR, OR OUTSIDE OF THE PURVIEW OF THE DESIGN OF THE, UH, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
BUT, UM, CAN YOU CLARIFY IT? SO THIS IS RIGHT AWAY VACATION.
UM, BUT I GUESS I'M HEARING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BE BUILT THERE.
THE RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT.
SO, UM, WE HAVE NOT DECIDED THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE NOT DECIDED WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD THERE.
UM, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION WOULD BE, UM, A KEY COMPONENT OF THAT BECAUSE WITHOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SEPARATE LITTLE PARCELS THAT YOU ARE, THAT ARE SMALL.
AND SO I, THE THOUGHT PROCESS WOULD BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT, THAT WILL BE BUILT THERE WITH, THEY WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE LONG-TERM, UM, SOMETHING THAT WILL, UM, WILL, UM, BE USED BY, AND OBVIOUSLY SERVED BY THE COMMUNITY SO THAT IT'LL STAY IN BUSINESS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND NOT JUST BE SOME SMALL, YOU KNOW, PLACE THAT OPENS UP FOR A FEW MONTHS AND GOES OUT OF BUSINESS.
UM, BUT NO, THE, UM, THERE IS NO DETERMINATION YET AS TO WHAT WOULD BE BUILT THERE.
WELL, SO, SO THE REASON I ASK THE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, I DON'T RECALL SEEING IT RIGHT AWAY, VACATION THIS LARGE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING TO BE THERE.
AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN ALMOST MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST A GENERAL ASSUMPTION OF WHAT THE, WHAT THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS OVERALL LIKE ARE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS POTENTIALLY GIVEN UP FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY AND WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE, WHAT WE MIGHT GET, WHETHER IT'S MORE HOT, DENSER HOUSING, OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
AND A LOT OF TIMES JUST A SLIVER OF LAND THAT WOULD NEVER BE USED FOR ANYTHING.
ANYWAY, JUST ONE SMALL LITTLE PORTION.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF NEW TO ME IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
MY, I HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS WITH EVEN VOTING ON THIS TODAY ONLY BECAUSE I HAVEN'T, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND NO ONE'S OBJECTED.
AND WHILE ATD DOESN'T HAVE PLANS TO CONNECT THE STREET, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S FINE IF THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT IN THEIR PLAN.
HOWEVER, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF EVEN THIS SLIVER OF LAND WOULD BE AND WHERE WE'RE AT.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS COULD THIS BE USED AS A POCKET PARK? COULD THIS BE USED AS A SMALL, A SMALL COMMUNITY, SOLAR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES THAT STILL GIVES BENEFIT TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND NOT JUST THE ONE
[00:35:01]
DEVELOPMENT.SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, BUT I DO HAVE SOME HEARTACHE, OR I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT TAKING A VOTE ON THIS WITHOUT DIVING DEEPER INTO WHAT THE OTHER POTENTIAL USES FOR THIS PROPERTY COULD BE.
SO I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE INDIVIDUAL STAFF, BUT I, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, OR, OR MAYBE MS. SMITH CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, THIS VACATION APPLICATION WAS REVIEWED BY ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AT THE CITY.
SO IT WAS REVIEWED BY NOT ONLY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UM, RELATED TO THIS, YOU, WHICH I KNOW THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION LOOKS AT, BUT BY THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, WHETHER IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, UM, PARKS AND ALL OF THOSE, AND THEY ALL, UM, RECOMMENDED THE VACATION OF, UH, THIS, THIS STRIP OF HARVEY, SPECIFICALLY AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN, WATER, UTILITY PARD, I MEAN ALL THE ALL.
SO I THINK IF THERE WAS JUST TO, TO THAT POINT, IF THERE WAS A LENS THAT SOMEONE WAS LOOKING THROUGH AND THEY THOUGHT THAT IT COULD BE SOMETHING, THEN I THINK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP, BUT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO RECORD THAT THEY HAVE AS MY, AS MY POINT.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO RECORD THAT THEY HAVE SPOKEN UP AND SAID, WHOA, WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.
CAN WE USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THINKING AND EACH, EACH DEPARTMENT LOOKS AT IT THROUGH THEIR LENS.
SO IF HARD THOUGHT THAT IT COULD OF BEEN A PA THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A POCKET PARK, THEY WOULD HAVE SAID, WE DON'T RECOMMEND NOT DOING THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION.
AND EVEN THAT, THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, A PARK TECH, SOME PARKING AND A PARK TAKES, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE SAFE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THE, UH, I GUESS MY OTHER OTHER POINT ON THAT IS I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER POINT EXCEPT THAT, THAT, AND I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 28 REVIEWERS THAT LOOK AT THESE.
UM, AND I, AND THEY'RE ALL EVERYONE'S JOB IS TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH THEIR LENS SPECIFICALLY.
AND AGAIN, I GUESS IF BOSTON ENERGY HAD THOUGHT THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOLAR PANELS, THEY WOULD HAVE ALSO SAID, DON'T DO THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, I DON'T KNOW HOW EASILY IT IS TO TAKE RIGHT AWAY AND IT, IN AS TO SOMETHING ELSE.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEGALITY OF, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT GO TO THE SAME RUNAWAY VACATION PROCESSES WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, MY, MY POINT BEING IS THAT THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS I THINK WE GET, WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO HERE.
THERE'S, UM, THERE'S LOTS OF THE BOX THINKING OF POTENTIALLY EVEN A SMALL LITTLE STRIP OF LAND FOR POTENTIAL, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES, SMALL FOOD TRAILERS, ARTS, ART SPACES, WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE THAT IS IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST AND NOT JUST IMMEDIATELY GIVEN TO, TO PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK PER SE.
AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HEARTBURN, UH, DEFINITELY VOTING.
LET ME TRY TO ANSWER THAT AS WELL.
SO THE, THE CITY HAS, SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE STEWARD OF THE PUBLIC RIGHTS.
SO WE'RE, THAT'S HOW YOU GET PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY.
RIGHT? WE'RE THE STEWARD, THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS ACTUALLY OWN THE FEE SIMPLE RIGHTS.
SO THAT'S WHY THESE PARTICULAR PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE COME AND SAID BEYOND FEE SIMPLE TO THE CENTER LINE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS STEWARDSHIP OF THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, IT ISN'T AS EASY AS THE CITY WOULD WANT TO CHANGE IT FROM A PUBLIC PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY TO A PARK OR INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES, WHATEVER THAT, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE WE, AS A CITY, WE ONLY HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS THAT THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OIL, IT GIVES US CERTAIN RIGHTS.
WE DON'T OWN THE UNDERLYING FEE.
SO IN ORDER FOR US TO VACATE THE RIGHTS AND OWN THE UNDERLYING FEE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE BOUGHT IT IN AND BY THE, THE, THE SIMPLE RIGHT, AND THEN VACATE THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OFF OF IT.
UH, AND, AND THE INTEREST OF, UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TERMS OF CLARITY.
UM, IF YOU LOOK IN THE CALENDAR INVITE AND COMMISSIONERS, YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE EMAILS I'VE SENT YOU AND THE ITEM TO A BACKUP EIGHT AS THE RESPONSES OF EACH DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT HAS SAID OR THIS ITEM.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY, ANYTHING MORE IN MY HOUSE, JUST GOING TO SAY FOR THE SAME THING, I SEE KOSHER SUMMERS, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE TO, UM, SOME RESOLUTION, UNLESS SOMEONE HAS A BURNING ISSUE.
[00:40:01]
YEAH.SO I, I GUESS THIS QUESTION IS AGAIN FOR THE APPLICANT.
I, I MEAN, YOU, MY QUESTION WAS PARTLY ANSWERED BY MY SON WALLS QUESTIONING, WHICH WAS KIND OF LIKE, IS A SITE PLAN IS A SITE PLAN IMMINENT FOR THIS.
IF THE CITY APPROVES THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION, THEN, UM, THEN WE WILL IMMEDIATELY PROCEED WITH, UM, WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS, WORKING WITH LAND PLANNERS, ARCHITECTS, UM, AND PROCEEDING WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH A SITE PLAN ON THE PROPERTY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT AS TO WHAT THE OWNER WOULD DO IF, UM, APPLICANT WOULD DO, IF THEY DID NOT HAVE THE VACATION APPROVAL, THEY WOULD, HOW THEY WOULD PROCEED? YES.
WELL, I MEAN, ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT HAS BEEN, UM, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TRY TO DETERMINE HOW TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY WITHOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND SO, AND SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS WORKED WITH, UM, OTHERS TO TRY TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY AND SEE WHAT CAN BE BUILT, BUT IT'S SO BROKEN UP.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T BRING ANY KIND OF MEANINGFUL USE.
AND SO, UM, OR I DON'T WANNA SAY ANY MEANINGFUL USE, BUT IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT, UM, TO DO, TO DO SOMETHING COHESIVE.
SO, UM, SO IF THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION IS APPROVED, ULTIMATELY BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE RIGHT OF WAY IS, UM, PURCHASED AND THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, UM, GET TO KEEP THEIR, UM, UNDERLYING, YOU KNOW, OWNERSHIP INTEREST TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THEN THAT PROCESS WILL IMMEDIATELY START AND IT'LL BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS, WHAT TYPE OF USES AND BUSINESSES WOULD THRIVE IN THIS PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, AND SO, AND ONE MORE QUESTION HERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, SO WHAT'S THE ZONING ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT NOW? UH, THERE'S A MIX OF ZONING, SO THE THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I NEED TO KNOW.
SO IT'S NOT ALL THE SAME ZONING ON ALL THE PARCELS.
UH, NO, MOST OF IT IS A CS AND THEN THERE IS A LITTLE SLIVER, IT LOOKS LIKE, OKAY.
SO, I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO SAY HERE IS THAT IF CITY STAFF, FOR ME, I HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY LOUD AND CLEAR, UM, PARTICULARLY THE SAFETY OF THE SIDEWALKS AND THE STREET, THE USERS, I WILL SAY WITH THE PARKING THING, I JUST MAKE A COMMENT HERE, LIKE ACTUALLY THE BEST WAY TO PARKED CARS THAT CAUSE CARS TO STOP AND SLOW DOWN TO PASS, ACTUALLY CREATE SOME LEVEL OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CAUSE IT SLOWS DOWN THE CARS.
SO ALTHOUGH YOU MAY CREATE SOME VISIBILITY ISSUES THAT ARE ALSO SERIOUS, I DO THINK THAT SLOWING, IF CARS PARKING ON THE STREET IS SLOWING DOWN THE CARS, THAT ACTUALLY COULD BE A HIDDEN BENEFIT.
BUT, UM, I DO HEAR A LOT OF THE SAFETY ISSUES.
I'M VERY CONCERNED IN PARTICULAR ABOUT WHEELCHAIR USERS AND PEOPLE IN THE CURRENT APARTMENTS WHO ARE WALKING IN THE STREET, ALONG WITH TRAFFIC.
THAT'S VERY CONCERNING AND THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT FOR SURE, THE SAME TIME FOR ME, JUST IF CITY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED IT.
AND THERE'S NOT A COMPELLING REASON FOR US TO HOLD ONTO THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY IF THIS, THE ZONING OF THE SITE, THE LOCATION OF THE SITE, THE ENGAGED OWNERS, I DON'T THINK THE SITE PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT SITE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
AND ALSO IT IS PARTICULARLY EASY FOR APPLICANTS TO GO THROUGH.
UM, I THINK THAT THEY ARE HELD TO PRETTY HIGH STANDARD OF, OF THE AMENITIES THAT THEY PROVIDE AND PUT ON THE, THE LOT.
AND, UH, AS FAR AS WHAT TRANSPORTATION AMENITIES THEY'LL BUILD THE SIDEWALKS.
AND SO I THINK THE APPLICANT, IF WE APPROVE THIS TODAY WILL THEN ENTER A LONG PROCESS WHERE THEY WILL HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR WHAT THEY BUILD.
SO I I'M, I'M, I'M MOST LIKELY VOTING YES.
ON THIS VACATION, BUT, UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T THINK THE APPLICANTS SHOULDN'T BE HELD THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL PROBABLY NEED REZONING.
IT CAN BE A COMPLEX PROCESS FOR THEM, BUT I THINK THEY WILL BE ULTIMATELY HELD TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, THE, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT LIVE BY THERE TO STAY ENGAGED, UM, AND TO OFFER COMMENT.
I'D ALSO ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO AS WELL.
UM, I THINK Y'ALL WERE SPEAKING TO SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERS.
IF YOU COULD ALSO TRY TO GET YOUR NEIGHBORS AND THE APARTMENTS ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS, UH, HAVE SOME MEETINGS OVER THERE WITH THEM.
UM, THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THIS ENTIRE PROCESS AS WELL.
SO I SAY, I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS.
UM, UH, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BY VOTING.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE A VOICE IN HOW THIS DEVELOPS.
UM, I'M JUST SAYING THAT, LIKE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PROCESS IS AT LEAST MOVING FORWARD, JUST BASED ON THE NATURE OF THE LOT AND THE CITY STAFF.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY OWN FEELING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SUMMERS.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO SELL YOUR HEAD YOUR HAND FOR A MINUTE.
DO YOU S DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK THE TONING QUESTIONS.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S TIME TO, UH, UM, FIX DANCE ON THIS.
UH, SO, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF VACATING, THIS PORTION OF HARVEY STREET, UH, SAY, AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ALL THOSE OPPOSED
[00:45:01]
SAY NAY, OR RAISE YOUR HAND, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING SAMWELL FRANCO.AND I WANT TO SAY THIS BEFORE, BEFORE WE WRAP THIS UP, UM, SUSAN, YOU DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THE SAME THINGS.
I WAS GOING TO ADD THIS TO, UH, MR. PAGE AND COLLIER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE PRESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WE OFTEN TRY TO USE NEW DEVELOPMENT TO GET THE CITY, TO DO THE THINGS THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING.
AND EVEN THE CITY MIGHT WANT TO DO.
I WILL SAY AFTER YEARS OF THAT EFFORT, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST WAY.
SO TO MIRROR A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UH, MR. ERIC BOLLOCK SAID, THOSE ISSUES ARE REAL.
UM, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE MECHANISM BY WHICH, UM, YOU WILL BE BEST SERVED TO GET SIDEWALKS OR TO GET, UH, SOMETHING TO DO AROUND, UH, HOW CARS ARE PARKED OR AT A SAFE INTERSECTION.
SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, ECHOING COMMISSIONER SUMMERS AS WELL.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT GIVE UP ON THAT AND STAY ON TOP OF THE APPLICANT AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND STAY ON TOP OF THE CITY.
UM, THAT'S I FEEL SO STRONGLY URGED.
I HAVE TO RESPOND TO THIS THE 28 DEPARTMENTS THAT ALLOWED THERE ARE TECHNICALLY APPROVED, SIMPLY APPROVED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INTERFERING WITH EXISTING PLANS WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S AN ENDORSEMENT.
WE ARE NOT MADE SAFER BY WALKING IN THE STREET WHEN WE CAN'T WALK NEXT TO THE STREET.
AND WE'RE PUSHED CLOSER TO THE CENTER LINE BY CARS THAT ARE PARKED AT THE EDGES OF IT.
AND TO ENDORSE A PLAN THAT HAS FUNDAMENTALLY BLOCKED THE CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALKS THAT WE INDEPENDENTLY SOUGHT AND HAVE GOTTEN INSURANCE ASSURANCES FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, I WOULD STILL SAY THIS, THE, THE PROCESS OF A VACATION IS NOT INHERENTLY, AT LEAST AS I UNDERSTAND IT, INHERENTLY TIED TO YOUR DESIRES, YOUR DESIRES ARE NOT WRONG OR BAD DESIRES.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T THE VEHICLE HAVING SAT ON THIS BOARD AND HAVING SAT ON YOUR SIDE IS AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE VACATION AND THE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IS NOT NECESSARILY THAT VEHICLE.
SO I WOULD, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT ATD.
YOU HAVE A PUBLIC EMAIL ADDRESS.
YOU CAN FIND IT AND I CAN TALK YOU THROUGH THE THINGS I'VE JUST DONE IN MY PERSONAL LIFE AROUND THAT ISSUE.
UM, BECAUSE I, I HEAR YOU, I JUST, THIS IS MY OPINION.
THIS IS NOT THE VEHICLE BY WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU WANT ACCOMPLISHED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WALKING, I MEAN, WHEN IT COMES TO PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY, TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND SAFETY, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, PLANNING, TRAFFIC AND URBAN TRANSIT IN COORDINATION WITH LAND VIEWS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE UNDER YOUR UMBRELLA.
I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY IS SCOTT, SPEAKING OF JUST QUICKLY SUPPORTING WHAT ERIC WAS SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINKING THROUGH OTHER OPTIONS HERE AND VACATING SUCH A LARGE PARCEL WHEN THERE IS NO PLAN THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT'S GOING TO COME WITH DEVELOPMENT IS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL PRESSURE ON AN ALREADY UNSAFE AREA.
AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK A COUPLE OF STEPS AHEAD OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S CREDIBLE TO SAY THERE IS NO PLAN FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, IF THEY'RE SEEKING A RIGHT AWAY VACATION, IT MUST BE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DEVELOP SOMETHING.
AND SO TO SAY THAT THERE IS NO PLAN.
AND SO THEY CAN'T REALLY TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY.
SO THE CITY NEEDS TO VACATE THE RIGHT AWAY SO THEY CAN GO FORWARD WITH THEIR PLAN.
I JUST THINK THAT THAT INVITES, UM, A PROCESS WHERE NOW THE CITY IS OUT OF CONTROL.
AND, AND SO YES, I DEFINITELY PLAN TO REMAIN INVOLVED, UM, AND TRY OUR BEST.
BUT IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND VACATING A PROPERTY TO OPEN UP THE PROCESS WHEN THERE'S NO PLAN PRESENTED THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN REALLY SAY, YEAH, WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
OR NO, THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE BAD FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.
SO THE PROCESS FEELS OPAQUE AND, UM, THAT, THAT WE, OUR CONCERNS ARE NOT BEING HEARD.
OKAY, WELL, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WRAP THIS ONE UP.
I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
I HOPE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT SERIOUSLY, MY EMAIL IS ON THE WEBSITE.
I AM HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU SOME MORE ABOUT THIS, UM, THAT THE PROCESS IS FAR FROM BEING OVER.
UH, SO PLEASE DO STAY INVOLVED AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH THAT, WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UM,
[2.B. Project Connect Blue Line Bridge]
TO BE THE PROJECT[00:50:01]
CONNECT, UH, BLUE LINE BRIDGE, UH, PETER MULLIN.WE'RE ALSO, UM, I'M HERE WITH, UH, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME COMMISSION AND, UH, CHAIR.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY, UH, DAVE COUCH.
WHO'S THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER AT ATB AND AN ECO DAY, UH, FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN OFFICER FROM THE CITY.
AND, UH, I THINK ANNA MARTIN MAY ALSO BE HERE FROM ATD.
UM, AND, UH, ALSO WE, WE WERE GOING TO BE JOINED BY DADDY WALKIN THROUGH THE DEPUTY CEO AT CAP METRO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE HAD A PERSONAL ISSUE, SO SHE WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT, UM, WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
I DON'T KNOW, CHRISTOPHER, IS IT POSSIBLE TO ALLOW ME TO SHARE, OR DO YOU WANT TO DROP THE PRESENTATION IF I COULD, IF I COULD DRAW I'D APPRECIATE IT.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE A CITIZEN SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, SO I WAS GOING TO ASK MS. JACKSON, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE OR AFTER THE CITY PRESENTATION? I THINK IT WAS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
WELL, WE'LL JUST GO AFTER THE PRESENTATION THEN.
UM, CITY STAFF, THAT PRESENTATION IS YOURS, SO SUIT YOU.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HERE, I THINK IN DECEMBER AND, UH, WE RECEIVED THE QUESTION ABOUT, UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF, UH, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, OUR BUSES INCLUDED IN THE PLAN FOR THE NEW BRIDGE ACROSS LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO, UM, THAT'S PART OF THE BLUE LINE PROJECT, AND YOU COULD SEE THE, THE AREA IN THE LAKE CROSSING, ANY QUESTION ON THE SYSTEM, PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM MAP, UM, WHICH IS, UH, LOCATED IN THAT RED BOX, THE YELLOW GRID BOX.
UM, AND, UH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT, UM, AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CURRENT PLANS FOR THE, UH, THE BRIDGE WERE TO, FOR LIGHT RAIL, AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS.
UM, AND, BUT THE QUESTION WAS RAISED, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT BUSES? ARE WE INCLUDING CAPACITY FOR BUSES? AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND WE'VE, UM, WANTED TO GET SERIOUSLY AND STUDY IT SERIOUSLY.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE IN A PROCESS OF, UH, BASICALLY LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO, UH, INCLUDE BUSES ON THE BRIDGE FROM, YOU KNOW, EVERY ANGLE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY, UM, STUDYING IT THOROUGHLY AND COMPREHENSIVELY.
UM, AND YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN YOUR BACKUP TODAY, UM, A MEMO THAT, UH, DESCRIBES, UM, WHAT WE'RE, HOW WE'RE STUDYING IT, HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT THAT ANALYSIS, UM, IN THE, UH, IN YOUR BACKUP, I THINK TODAY IS JUST, WE'LL CIRCULATE IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THE 80 PEOPLE AREN'T IN THE CAP METRO BOARD TODAY.
SO, UM, AND YOU ALL WERE COPIED ON THAT.
UM, SO, UH, GO TO THE NEXT, SO, SO AS I SAID, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO INCLUDE, UH, BUS SERVICE AND CAPACITY TO, FOR BUS SERVICE, UM, ON THE BRIDGE, IN ADDITION TO THOSE OTHER MODES, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE.
YOU GOTTA STUDY IT FROM A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ANGLES.
UM, WE ARE, UH, WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN COMPLETE THAT, UH, ANALYSIS, YOU KNOW, BY APRIL AND COME BACK.
AND WE WOULD PLAN TO HAVE A, A GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING ON THIS ISSUE SPECIFICALLY, UM, AT THAT TIME, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO, UH, TO BE COMPLETED, UH, WITH THIS ANALYSIS AND THE, YOU KNOW, MAKE A DECISION AT LEAST ABOUT HOW TO PROCEED, WHAT THE PROCESS IS BY THE END OF MAY, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR TIMELINES FOR THE BLUE EYE PROJECT AND THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW ONE OF THE, THE, THE, THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS RAISED AT THE LAST MEETING WAS, YOU KNOW, CAN WE JUST PASS THIS ISSUE ONTO THE, UM, THE DESIGN COMPETITION ITSELF, ALLOW THE COMPETITORS KIND OF CBO SOLVE IT FOR US? UM, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF, THE THREE STAFFS OF THE VARIOUS AGENCIES.
I THINK WE DON'T, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A GOOD, UH, THE BEST THE PROCESS FOR, TO GET THE BEST OUTCOME OUT OF THE COMPETITION.
COMPETITION IS NOT REALLY INTENDED AS AN IDEAS COMPETITION.
IT'S REALLY INTENDED AS A DESIGN COMPETITION.
AND SO MEANING IN TERMS OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, UH, FOR THE BRIDGE ITSELF.
SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS ARE TO THE COMPETITORS, SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE
[00:55:01]
THEIR SOLUTIONS SORT OF APPLES TO APPLES AND BE, YOU KNOW, FAIR AND EVEN ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.AND ALSO, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A POLICY DECISION AS A COMMUNITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SPRINT.
SO WE'RE GONNA KIND OF, UNTIL WE MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO HOLD OFF ON WATCHING THE COMPETITION, UM, GO TO THE NEXT.
SO, UM, JUST WANT TO LAY OUT SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE ARE ANALYZING, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT'S COMING NO CONCLUSIONS TONIGHT, BUT, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT IT FROM ENGINEERING AND DESIGN STANDPOINT.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT OPTIONS WHERE, UM, US IN RAIL COULD, UM, SHARE THE GUIDEWAY AND WHERE THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, THE BUSES ON A SEPARATE DEDICATED GUIDEWAY SEPARATE FROM THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT IMPACTS WITH EACH OF THOSE.
UM, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, IMPACTS ON BOTH, BOTH SHORELINES, UM, OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS AND HOW THIS WOULD WORK FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT.
UM, CERTAINLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE SHARED GUIDEWAY, WHICH I THINK PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES, UM, IT IS DONE, IT HAS BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW THOSE LESSONS CAN BE, UM, EXTRACTED FROM THOSE OTHER LOCATIONS AND APPLIED TO THE SPECIFIC CONTEXT OF AUSTIN AND OUR, OUR TRANSIT NETWORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE BUS SERVICE PLANNING FRAMEWORK WOULD BE, MEANING WHAT THE PURPOSE OF MEAD FOR THE BRIDGE WOULD BE.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUS SERVICE PLANNING OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO EVOLVE AS PROJECT CONNECT IS BUILT OUT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND WITH THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US, THAT IS OUR GOAL AND OUR MISSION.
SO, I MEAN, COLLECTIVELY, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT WHAT THE, WHAT THE FRAMEWORK IS.
WE W WE WON'T HAVE A SERVICE PLAN FOR 10 YEARS FROM NOW, AND THAT THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE AT THIS TIME, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND HOW THIS, UH, BRIDGE MIGHT FUNCTION FROM A BUS SERVICE PLANNING STANDPOINT.
UM, UH, WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT, HOW THIS FITS INTO THE CURRENT BLUE LINE PROJECT FROM A FEDERAL PROCESS, RIGHT? SO THE BLUE LINE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE FTA, OR A SIGNIFICANT PARTNER OF OURS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS AND WE'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE, THE FEDERAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHICH WE'LL PAY FOR HALF OF THE BLIND PROJECTS, PROBABLY WE HOPE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE GET RATED BY THE FTA.
AND SO WE HAVE TO AT LEAST UNDERSTAND WHAT, UM, HOW THAT, UH, NEW ELVIS ELEMENT WOULD CHANGE IF AT ALL WE DON'T KNOW YET.
UM, AND HOW WE COULD FIT THAT INTO BOTH THE EIS AND TO THE CIG PROCESS.
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OTHER INVESTMENTS OR CHANGES OR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO REALLY MAKE THIS, UH, THE BRIDGE WORK FROM A BUS, UM, MOVEMENT STANDPOINT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER CHANGES DOWNTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, THAT WOULD BE REALLY NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS WORK.
SO LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN BEYOND THE BRIDGE ITSELF.
UM, CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT THAT IN ISOLATION, UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT COST.
SO WE WILL LOOK AT ALL OF THESE IF, IF THERE ARE ANY IMPACTS AT ALL, WE DON'T.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COME BACK AND REALLY PRESENT SOME FINDINGS IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND COHESIVE WAY.
AND WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT WITH THE PUBLIC, UM, DENTALLY AND IN APRIL.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IS THE UPDATE.
SO REALLY HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, AND HANNAH AND DAVE ARE HERE.
SO IF THERE ARE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS THAT ARE MORE DIRECTED TO THEM, UM, THEY CAN ANSWER THEM AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR THE MEMOS THAT WERE SENT EARLIER.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, OUR RESPONSES THIS SAY, WELL, YEAH, I DO.
SO THAT EXPLANATION, OH MAN, WHERE DO I START HAVE A FEW THOUGHTS? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, UH, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED OVERALL.
UM, I KNOW, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING HARD, BUT YOU KNOW, I FIRST RAISED THIS ISSUE BACK IN OCTOBER WITH MY EMAIL TO, TO ATP STAFF AND THE BOARD.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN DECEMBER IS WHEN WE, AS YOU KNOW, WE RAISED IT AT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND WE WERE TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ASKED FOR Y'ALL TO COME BACK IN JANUARY.
AND THEN IN JANUARY WE WERE TOLD THAT, UM, Y'ALL NEEDED MORE TIME CAUSE YOU WANTED TO HAVE IT, HAVE A MORE ANALYSIS PERFORMED ON, ON THE ISSUE.
[01:00:01]
DID A LOT OF HARD WORK AND ANALYSIS.UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE BACKUP OR ANYTHING SUBMITTED TO US UNTIL 4:30 PM THIS AFTERNOON, WHICH IS PRETTY DISHEARTENING.
YOU KNOW, EVEN STATE LAW REQUIRES 72 HOURS EVENTS NOTICE OF, OF ALL THE BACKUP.
AND WITH AS IMPORTANT OF AN ISSUE AS THIS IS, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SAY THE LEAST, UM, YOU KNOW, I READ THROUGH THE MEMO AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL SAID IN THE MEMO.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT TO LOOK AT A LOT TO RESEARCH AND DISCUSS, AND Y'ALL HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU.
UM, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, THIS IS WHAT'S IN THE MEMO IS NOTHING WE DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW.
AND JUST TO SAY, JUST TAKE A PLANE, IF SOMETHING, IF THEY'RE THE SAME POINTS THAT WE DISCUSSED BACK IN DECEMBER, AND IT'S THE SAME POINTS THAT WE DISCUSSED, THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY WITH THE ONLY MAJOR DIFFERENCE BEING Y'ALL OUTLINED A PRETTY SUCCINCT OR PRETTY CLEAR TIMELINE FOR IT.
THE NEPA PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, AND YOU GAVE US, YOU LET US KNOW THAT ATP, UM, CAP METRO AND THE CITY WILL REACH A DECISION BY MAY OF 2000.
AND BY MAY OF THIS YEAR, MAY 31ST.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU ALONG THOSE LINES IS ULTIMATELY WHO IS GOING TO BE THE DECISION MAKER HERE, BECAUSE THOSE THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT BODIES THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT EMAIL OR IN THE, IN THAT LETTER.
UM, AND HONESTLY, LOOK, KAT METRO, THE CEO IS, IS ONE PERSON ATP.
THE ONLY OUTLYING BODY HERE IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHO DO WE NEED TO BE TALKING TO TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, THAT WE GET CLEAR INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER AND BETTER INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER, WHO IS THAT WHO'S GOING TO MAKE THE DECISION.
SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THERE, RIGHT? WHO WHO'S MAKING THE DECISION AND HOW YOU GET INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST ON THE LATTER QUESTION, IF YOU'RE A CITY COMMISSION, UM, ANY PER DAY AS THE CITY MOBILITY OFFICER, SHE IS THE PRIMARY LEAD FOR THE CITY ON, ON PROJECT CONNECT.
SO SHE SHOULD REMAIN YOUR PRIMARY CONTACT JUST AS A SORT OF PROCESS.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, RIGHT, THIS PROGRAM ON ENTIRE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT PARTNERSHIP, RIGHT? CAB, METRO CITY OF AUSTIN, WORKING TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE PROGRAM TOGETHER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE, WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER THE THREE STAFFS TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE PROGRAM, UM, AND TO, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE COMMENTS, RECEIVE QUESTIONS, WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES, COME BACK AND REPORT OUT TO, UM, THIS BODY AS WELL AS OTHERS.
RIGHT? SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE DECISION, YOU KNOW, STAFF, THE THREE STAFFS NEED TO WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES, COME BACK TO THE VARIOUS BODIES WITH RECOMMENDATION.
IF THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THOSE BODIES, ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THOSE BODIES HAVE TO, IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY OF THE COUNCIL BOARD AND THE BOARDS OF HTP AND, AND KEVIN METRO, THEY GOT TO GET TOGETHER AND WORK OUT, YOU KNOW, PATTERN RESOLVE.
BUT OUR JOB AS STAFF IS TO COME TOGETHER, THE THREE OF US TO COME FORWARD WITH REACH CONSENSUS WITHIN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, BY MAY 31ST TO THREE GROUPS TOGETHER, WE'LL HAVE MADE SOME SORT OF DECISION.
AND ULTIMATELY, I THINK I WOULD IMAGINE ATP BOARD WILL VOTE ON IT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL THE APPLICATION, THE ACTUAL APPLICATIONS TO, FOR THE NEPA PROCESS OR WHO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MY ON THIS ISSUE, YOU KNOW, UM, I WOULD EXPECT WE'D WANT TO GET THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG ENOUGH ISSUE THAT WE'D PROBABLY WANT TO GET, UM, CONSENSUS WITHIN THE THREE BOARDS ABOUT IT.
UM, I HAVE JUST IN GENERAL, JUST SOME, SOME COMMENTS ABOUT BUSES ON THE BRIDGE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE BUSES ON THE BRIDGE, RIGHT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, FULL WELL, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I BROUGHT UP IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETING AND IN MY EMAIL WAS AN ISSUE OF EQUITY, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING SERVED BY THOSE BUSES OR PRIMARILY BEING SERVED BY THOSE BUSES AND THEM HAVING ACCESS TO ANOTHER DEDICATED PATHWAY ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE RIVER.
AND THAT THE ISSUE IS STILL SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND I WAS, MATTER OF FACT, I WAS DOING SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH FOR THIS MEETING AND I CAME ACROSS THE TITLE SIX APP BAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK.
IT WAS ON AN APPLICATION OR A REPORT THAT Y'ALL SENT OFF TO THE FENCE, UM, IN 2021.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED WAS THAT, UM, WAS, WAS, THERE WAS INTERESTING TO ME WAS THAT 70% OF THE RED LINE RIDERSHIP IS WHITE.
UM, AND WHEREAS NORTH OF 50 SOMETHING PERCENT, I WANNA SAY ALMOST HITTING 60% OF BUS RIDERSHIP ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SO THERE'S A HUGE DISPARITY THERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THE RED LINE DOESN'T SERVE NEARLY AS MANY PEOPLE, JUST FROM A RIDERSHIP PERSPECTIVE AS THE BUSES DO.
[01:05:01]
STAY THE SAME, THAT MEANS EVEN WHEN ALL THESE LINES ARE BUILT OUT, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR RIDING THOSE BUSES, WHICH IS SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME.UM, I WANT TO READ YOU A QUOTE THAT I, THAT I CAME ACROSS, THAT I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER INTERESTING.
IT SAYS I'M STILL SURPRISED THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED WHEN I POINTED TO THE FACT THAT IF A HIGHWAY WAS BUILT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIVIDING A WHITE AND A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD, OR IF AN UNDERPASS WAS CONSTRUCTED SUCH THAT A BUS CARRYING A MOSTLY BLACK AND PUERTO RICAN KIDS TO A BEACH, OR THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN NEW YORK WAS, WAS DESIGNED TO LOW FOR IT TO PASS BY.
THAT OBVIOUSLY REFLECTS RACISM THAT WENT INTO THOSE DESIGN CHOICES, YOU KNOW, SAID THAT THE SEC, OUR CURRENT SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, PETE BUDDHA JUDGE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ENTIRE EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT FEELS ALMOST THOUGH, UH, SECRETARY BUDDHA IS REFERENCING A BOOK CALLED THE POWER BROKER.
HE WAS REFERENCING ROBERT MOSES, WHO HISTORICALLY DID DESIGN A LOT OF THINGS TO KEEP, KEEP PEOPLE OF COLOR OUT OF CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS FEELS TO ME WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, LIKE A ROBERT MOSES HAS SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN THIS BRIDGE FOR BUSES THAT ARE PRIMARILY USED BY OUR PARK, OUR PEOPLE, OUR POC COMMUNITY IN TOWN, AND WE'RE NOT GOING FORWARD WITH IT.
AND WE'RE STILL KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO STUDY IT AND STUDY AND STUDY IT ONCE AGAIN, WE DON'T NEED TO ACTUALLY HAVE BUSES ON THIS BRIDGE RIGHT NOW.
ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THAT WE LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY TO, FOR THIS THING TO BE DESIGNED THAT WAY.
AND WE LET THE DESIGNERS DO IT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT FORWARD, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.
I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE A LOT FURTHER ON, I HONESTLY FEEL THAT WE WASTED THREE MONTHS OF OUR TIME OF THE COMMUNITY'S TIME.
AND I GUESS MY, MY, MY LAST, MY LAST, UH, STOP THOUGHT ON THIS IS THAT I DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH THIS HAS BEEN AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY.
UM, I READ THE MEMO AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE GOT TO STUDY, BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMPLETE REASONS WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS YET.
UM, IT TOOK THE COMMUNITY COMING FORWARD AND SAYING, HEY, PLEASE DO THIS BEFORE THAT THERE WAS NO ANSWERS.
THERE WAS NO ANSWERS TO MY EMAIL, AND THERE WAS NO ANSWERS PRIOR TO PRIOR TO.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
AND WHAT REALLY CONCERNS ME ABOUT THAT IS THAT THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE SPEAR WHEN IT COMES TO DECISIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE DRAG.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN, IF IT, YOU KNOW, TWO BUSES ON THE DRAG, WHAT DO YOU DO THERE? WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE TO WIND BUSES, IF YOU DO END UP HAVING TO WIND BUSES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE DEDICATED, DEDICATED PATHWAY TO THE LIGHT RAIL SERVICE, IT'S JUST GOING TO SLOW DOWN THE BUS SERVICE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE THAN ATP IN GENERAL AND CAP METRO, EVERYBODY WHO'S, ANYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS NEEDS TO BE MUCH MORE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT BECAUSE COMMUNITY TRUST IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GAINED VERY EASY, BUT IT'S LOST VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
AND THAT'S THAT, THAT TO ME IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE GOT IT.
THEN WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT HERE IS THAT THE COMMUNITY VOTED ON THIS AND TRUSTING OUR LEADERSHIP ATP'S LEADERSHIP WITH A LOT OF THEIR, OF THEIR MONEY.
UM, I MEAN, MOST IMPORTANT THEIR MONEY, BUT THEY PUT A LOT OF TRUST IN THEM.
AND IF WE'RE NOT OPEN AND TRANSPARENT FROM THE GET, GO WITH MAJOR DECISIONS LIKE THIS, IT'S NOT GOING TO GO WELL FOR THE REST OF THE PROCESS.
THAT'S THAT'S, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ENTIRE THING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE DIALOGUE WITH YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FRANCO.
I DO WANT TO SEE IF SYNOVIA JOSEPH IS ON THE LINE.
SHE HAS SIGNED UP FOR INSISTENT COMMUNICATION.
IF YOU ARE THERE IN YOUR NEW, COULD YOU HIT STAR SIX CHAMPION I'M HERE.
UM, WE ARE READY FOR YOUR, UM, SYSTEM COMMUNICATION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
UM, YOU JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER FRANCO FOR HIS COMMENTS AS IT RELATED TO THE 1928 PLAN.
AND WE MET ON DECEMBER, 1721, I SPECIFICALLY DO HAVE A CONCERN, HOWEVER, AS IT RELATES TO THE INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED IN THE MEMORANDUM ON PAGE TWO OF SIX, IT SHOWS THE SOLID PURPLE LINE.
AND THOSE ARE THE SAME CONCERNS I HAVE FROM THE DECEMBER MEETING WHERE VICE CHAIR, SUMMERS, THAT SHE WANTED TO BASICALLY DEFEND PROJECT CONNECT BECAUSE SHE WAS ON THE PROJECT CONNECT AMBASSADOR NETWORK.
AND SHE SAID, I THINK WE DO KNOW WHAT A LOT OF THOSE BUS CONNECTIONS ARE, RIGHT? SO ALL THAT PURPLE IN THE FIRST MAP, SHE MENTIONED IT WAS EXPANDED AND UPGRADED.
AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT NORTH OF US, 180 3, THOSE PURPLE LINES ARE DELETED.
SO THERE WERE THREE METRO RAPIDS AND IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS TODAY, YOU'LL STILL
[01:10:01]
SEE THE SOLID LINE.THAT'S VERY MISLEADING AND IT CONFUSES THE PUBLIC PALMER LANE WAS ELIMINATED.
SAMSUNG TO APPLE, DECKER TO DOWNTOWN WAS ELIMINATED.
AND THEN YOU HAD THE ROUTE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEATH TO THE GOLD LINE, NEAREST WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED TODAY FOR YOUR MEETING.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROCESS HAS NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN.
IT'S NOTED ON PAGE THREE OF SIX AND ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS UNDER SERVICE PLANNING.
AND SO IT MENTIONED DISPARATE IMPACT.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT ON NOVEMBER 10TH, 2021 SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED BIPAP BLACK PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AS THE PRIORITY POPULATIONS.
AND SO WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THE MARGINS AND DESTINATION STUDY, WHICH THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, UH, FROM JANUARY, 2016 ON PAGE ONE, 16 WAS THE JANUARY 25TH, 2016 BOARD PACKET.
IT IS 70% OF THE WRITERS ON THE METRO RAIL THAT ARE WHITE.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS PROBLEMATIC.
I ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE JUNE REFERENCE IN THE MEMO.
I WENT BACK TO THE JUNE 10TH, 2020 BOARD PACKETS.
I LOOKED AT THE SLIDES AND THERE'S A SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CAPITAL METRO ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2018.
MR. COUCH KNOWS SPECIFICALLY THAT THAT EXCLUDED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AS THE TERMINUS.
UH, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT AND AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE BLUE LINE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE OCTOBER 17TH, 2019, THE CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLY VOTED TO REZONE THAT.
AND HEATHER WHEY, THE ATTORNEY WHO WAS ONE OF THE UPROOTED AUTHORS SPECIFIED THAT WAS THE LARGEST TENANT DISPLACEMENT PROJECT ALONG THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
AND SO BY DESIGN, THE BLUE LINE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IT'S DISPLACING THEM.
AND SO BY DESIGN, I JUST WANT TO QUOTE, UH, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, ANTHONY FOX.
HE SAID, THERE'S AN OLD MAXIM AND TRANSPORTATION CALLED DAD, THE FINN AVID, UM, UH, DECIDE ADVOCATE IN DEFENSE, UH, EXCUSE ME.
AND SO I JUST BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE FACED WITH TODAY THAT THE DECISION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE.
UM, I WILL LASTLY JUST SAY TO YOU THAT AT ONE POINT IN ON, OR ABOUT 2014, THE CAPITAL METRO WAS CONSIDERING REDEVELOPING NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, AND THEY PUT UP A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SO THAT DEVELOPERS COULD COME BACK AND TELL THEM WHAT THEY COULD DO WITH THE SITE.
AND I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THAT WOULD BE A MORE TRANSPARENT AND HONEST APPROACH.
AND SO I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER FRANCO THAT IF THE DEVELOPERS, THE ENGINEERS CAN TELL US WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST, I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD, BUY-IN A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN US WAITING FOR CAPITAL METRO TO COME AND TELL US THAT IT'S NOT COST TOO MUCH, AND THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO PUT BUSES ON THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE.
UM, I COULD GO ON, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
AND JUST LASTLY, CALLED TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, NORTH, THE NORTH CORRIDOR LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE STUDY IN 2014, TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF JOBS AND THE GROWTH BY 2035 IN THE NORTH AREA.
AND HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOUTH AUSTIN.
UM, I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. JOSEPH, OR ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS OR STAFF THAT WANT TO FOLLOW UP? NO, I JUST LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT SHE SAID I DO.
I DO THINK THAT, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY ONE OF MY STATEMENTS EARLIER THAT, UM, I HAVE, UH, A HUGE PROBLEM WITH, WITH, UM, WHILE I THINK THAT OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR DESIGNER, OUR DESIGN ENGINEERS, WORKING FOR CITIES, WORKING FOR THE CITY, WORKING FOR CAP, METRO ARE EXCELLENT AND VERY, VERY CAPABLE INDIVIDUALS.
I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MAKING THESE DECISIONS IN A VACUUM AND, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE SOME COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE EVEN HAVING THIS DIALOGUE, BUT BASED ON THE LEVEL OF LACK OF TRANSPARENT TRANSPARENCY THAT I'VE SEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SINCE I BROUGHT, SINCE I FIRST BROUGHT THIS UP BACK IN OCTOBER, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THE BEST ANSWERS FROM, UH, FROM, UH, ONLY CITY STAFF.
AND I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE, WE WOULD BE BETTER SERVED AS A COMMUNITY TO ALLOW INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS, INDEPENDENT DESIGN FIRMS WHO WERE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX TO DESIGN, TO
[01:15:01]
DESIGN, TO, TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE FOR US.I THINK WE CAN GIVE THEM THE CONSTRAINTS.
I THINK WE CAN GIVE THEM WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE GUIDE RAILS PER SE, TO USE A TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION ANALOGY, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO BE THE ONES THAT TELL THEM THAT THEY CANNOT PUT BUSES ON THE BRIDGE.
ARE THERE ANY CITY FOLKS WHO WANT TO RESPOND OR OUT OF, I HAVE A QUESTION.
WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A QUESTION OR COMMENT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT, UM, I, ONCE THIS WAS RAISED, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND I FOUND OUT THAT BUSES DON'T RUN ON THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE AND THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE IS NOT VERY FAR FROM WHERE THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE.
AND IF CAPITAL METRO WOULD ALLOW BUSES TO RUN ON THE BLUE LINE ON THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE, WHY THEN WOULD THEY ALSO NEED TO RUN ON THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE JUST FOR MY GENERAL EDIFICATION? YEAH.
SO I THINK YOUR, YOUR POINT IS, UM, IS SORT OF POINTS TO PART OF THIS ANALYSIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THAT I CAN, I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER FRANCO'S PERSPECTIVE COMPLETELY.
AND I THINK WE ACTUALLY ARE MORE ALIGNED THAN, THAN, UM, IS INDICATED.
I THINK, UM, WE CERTAINLY, ALL OF US, OUR GOAL IS TO SERVE, UM, THE PUBLIC AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND PARTICULARLY THE PUBLIC THAT IS TRANSIT DEPENDENT, UM, THROUGH ALL BOATS, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER IT'S LIGHT, RAIL, BUS, WHATEVER.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDERS WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, RIGHT? SO, UM, WE ARE COMPLETELY ALIGNED ABOUT HOW WE SERVE THE PUBLIC AND, AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GOING THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF HOW BEST TO DO THAT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SERVICE PLANNING AND NOT JUST ONE MODE OR ONE LINE IN ONE PLACE, BUT LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY.
AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY PART OF THIS ANALYSIS AS WELL.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, UM, UH, NICO DAY MOBILITY AND OFFICER PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, THANKS FOR THE QUESTIONS AND PETER, THANKS FOR GOING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS, UM, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, UM, COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT IN DECEMBER, YOU KNOW, MS. MARTIN WHO'S HERE, WHO I'LL DEFER TO HER IN A SECOND TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH RELIABLE BUS SERVICE OVER OUR EXISTING BRIDGES, UM, OVER THE LAKE, WE ALL KNOW IN ANY CITY USA, THE BRIDGES ARE ALWAYS PINCH POINTS FOR, UM, FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, WHICH IS WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WE APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT WHEN, UH, YEAH, WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THINKING, YOU KNOW, AS A PLANNER, I'M THINKING OUR POPULATION DOUBLES EVERY 20 YEARS, WHAT IS THAT SERVICE PLANNING GOING TO LOOK LIKE CAP METRO DOES THEIR SERVICE PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE FOUR, THREE OR FOUR, UM, UH, ADDITIONS OF THE SERVICE PLANNING, UM, AND HOW ARE THINGS GOING TO CHANGE? HOW HAS COVID GOING TO AFFECT THAT? BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE PEOPLE HERE, NO MATTER WHAT THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE PEOPLE HERE.
AND THE, AND THE CROSSINGS OF THE LAKE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE PINCH POINTS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ANNA POINTED OUT IN DECEMBER THAT RESILIENCY REDUNDANCY AND FUTURE-PROOFING IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS AND WE ARE WORKING WITHIN THE CITY, I SEE KRISTIN PIPKIN FROM OUR WATERSHED DEPARTMENT IS HERE.
THERE ARE VERY, UM, REAL CONSTRAINTS, UM, TECHNICALLY, UH, THAT WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH AND WE WILL DO THAT.
UM, AND WE WILL COME OUT THE END WITH A COLLABORATIVE RECOMMENDATION, AS PETER, AS PETER SAID, LIKE WE ARE OUR APPROACH AT THIS POINT IN THE PROGRAM IS COLLABORATIVE AND TRYING TO REACH CONSENSUS AMONG THE THREE STAFFS.
BUT I DO WANT TO DEFER TO MS. MARTIN TO TALK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE AS A TRAFFIC ENGINEER ON THE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE BRIDGE AND THE, AND THE, AND THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE ABOUT CONGRESS.
SHE CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT CONGRESS THAT MAY ADDRESS JAMES'S QUESTION IS COMMISSIONER TRICYCLES QUESTION A LITTLE BIT, WHICH IS THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN A PRIOR SERVICE PLAN, THERE USED TO BE MORE BUSES ON CONGRESS AND AN SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHEN METRO RAPID WAS COMING INTO EXISTENCE, WE, WE CREATED SORT OF THE GUADALUPE LAVACA, UM, PAIRING AS SORT OF THE BUS SPINE DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS MORE POSSIBILITY OF DEDICATED LANES IN THOSE STREETS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE MORE OF THE BUSES ON GUADALUPE, LAVACA
[01:20:01]
VERSUS CONGRESS.IT'S NOT REALLY THAT, LIKE THE CITY WOULDN'T LET BUSES BE ON CONGRESS OR THE METRO CAP.
METRO JUST MADE US CHOICE IN THEIR SERVICE PLANNING TO FOCUS THEM, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO, BUT YET STILL THE, THE NO DOUBT AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING QUITE A BIT, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, AMPLY UTILIZING ALL OF OUR CROSSINGS OF THE RIVER FOR TRANSIT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING.
BUT THAT'S THE HISTORY OF THAT.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY COULDN'T BE THERE IN A FUTURE SERVICE PLAN.
IT'S JUST THE, WHERE THE SERVICE PLANNING THAT CAT METRO HAS BEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN FAIRLY.
METRO WOULD LOVE TO RUN BUSES ON WHATEVER BRIDGES THE CITY WOULD ALLOW THEM TO RUN OUR BUSES.
IT'S NOT ABOUT NOT ALLOWING THEY USED TO RUN ON THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE.
I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE IN THIS MEETING KNOWS THE CITY REALLY WELL.
CONGRESS AVENUE DEAD ENDS AT THE CAPITOL.
SO THERE'S REALLY NOT TOO FAR TO GO THERE.
SO WE SERVE JUAN SILVACO REALLY, REALLY WELL.
I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE TO SERVE THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN USING SAN JACINTO AND TRINITY.
UM, SO THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR.
SO YEAH, WE USED TO BE ON CONGRESS, THEIR CAP METRO REDUCED TO OPERATE ON CONGRESS.
UM, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY HAD TO GO LEFT OR RIGHT, BECAUSE WE STOPPED AT THE CAPITOL AND I WAS, I WAS STRONGLY CRITICAL OF THAT SERVICE PLAN CHANGE, AND I WILL ACTUALLY EAT CROW ON THAT ONE.
SO, UM, I WOULDN'T Y'ALL ARE MOVING IT OFF CONGRESS.
I WAS CHAGRINED, BUT I THINK IT'S, I'VE BEEN PROVEN WRONG ACTUALLY.
SO, SO, BUT YES, NO, I THINK THAT THAT'S SORT OF THE HISTORY THERE OF THAT SERVICE PLAN CHANGE.
I WAS, UH, I WAS A TIME BUS USER WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE IN AUSTIN.
AND, UH, WHEN THE, WHEN THAT CHANGE FIRST HAPPENED, I THOUGHT IT WAS, I WAS A LITTLE, I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE DISCONCERTING.
I THOUGHT THAT, UH, THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MOTIVATIONS THERE TO MOVE, UH, THE RIFF RAFF OFF OF CONGRESS.
AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I WAS THAT'S, THAT WAS JUST ONE OF THE THINGS I LOOKED AT.
I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE, I'VE GOTTEN OFF THE BUS ON BRAZOS.
I'VE GOTTEN OFF THE BUS ON THE BAKA, I'VE GOTTEN OFF THE BUS ON CONGRESS.
UM, BUT TO THINK THAT WE WOULD, UH, WANT TO SPEND TENS OF MILLIONS MORE DOLLARS ON A BRIDGE.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO CARRY A RAIL LINE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PUT A BUS ON CONGRESS THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY BUSES THAT, THAT JUST DOESN'T ADD UP FOR ME.
I WANT TO ADD TO, UH, QUESTIONS AND, UM, I THINK THE, PROBABLY FOR PETER, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY TRUST AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT ECHO KRISHA.
FRANCO'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IN A TON OF WORK AND I, I TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT.
I THINK WHAT WOULD HELP IS SOME CLARITY AROUND A VISION AND HOW WE'RE GETTING THERE.
AND SO YOU ARTICULATED A VISION THAT I, I TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU BELIEVE, WHICH IS THE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO WE, THE PEOPLE PLANNING THE CITY SO THAT WE, THE STAFF, UH, TRANSPORTATION, WHAT IS HER AS MANY PEOPLE AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE BEING FULLY AWARE THAT A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT, NOT WRITERS OF TOYS, AND THEY, THEY NEED A LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT HELPS THEM WITH THEIR LIFE.
I BELIEVE THAT I THINK WHAT WOULD BE GREAT WOULD BE SOME PROOF OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WHERE IT REALLY FELL ON THAT SIDE OF IT.
I THINK TO TAKE A SYNOVIA JOSEPH'S COMMENTS AND LOOK AT PLACES WHERE IT, IT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THAT WAS THE CASE.
THERE COULD BE EXCELLENT REASONS WHY I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR WHY THOSE DECISIONS WERE MADE, AND THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY.
AND OTHER PEOPLE FEELING I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR ANY OF THE PLAYERS, BUT IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THESE DECISIONS WERE MADE ABSOLUTELY IN SERVICE OF THAT.
AND THERE REALLY COULD BE A DIFFERENT VISION.
AND I'M NOT JUST THINKING LIKE, WAFFLEY ABOUT IT.
IT COULD BE A VISION THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO PARTICULAR TARGET MARKET.
OUR MARKET IS THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE AND THAT'S THE STRATEGY.
AND SO IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEAR TO ME.
AND I THINK TO OTHERS, HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
SO DO YOU THINK IT'S ALL THAT IS CONTEXT FOR THE QUESTION? DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS PROOF, UM, AND THESE DECISIONS THAT ONE OF THOSE TAKES ON A VISION MR. VOLUN? SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I'M PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK I'M SORRY THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, GADI ISN'T HERE BECAUSE I THINK REALLY CAP METRO SHOULD REALLY RESPOND TO THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY KNOW THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVICE PLANNING AND THEY GO THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS AND IT'S VERY PUBLIC.
UM, AND, UH, WITH THOSE GOALS IN MIND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT CONNECT SERVICE MAP RIGHT.
[01:25:01]
AUDITS AND PROJECTS IN IT, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.SO IN THAT WENT THROUGH AND IT ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS BASE TO GET TO THAT POINT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT OUR OBLIGATION IS.
IF THERE'S A POLICY DECISION TO CHANGE THE MAP OR TO CHANGE IT, THEN THAT COULD BE MADE, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO IMPLEMENT WHAT THE VOTERS ASK US TO IMPLEMENT.
SO, UM, AND I THINK, BUT I THINK YOUR POINT IS WE'LL TAKE IT A CHAIR.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR SERVICE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGH TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, THEN WE SHOULD DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER.
COMMISSIONER DRISCOLL, THEN ONE SECOND.
I JUST WANT TO ASK, UH, ONE OTHER QUESTION, UM, STRATEGICALLY TO ME, MORE MODES IS ALMOST ALWAYS BETTER THAN LESS.
SO, UM, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK OF ASAP AND A 50% LOAD SHARE, YOU KNOW, HAVING MORE WAYS TO GET AROUND THE CITY SEEMS BETTER, UH, COUPLED THAT WITH, UH, AN EACH STATEMENT, WHICH WE ALL KNOW TO BE TRUE, THAT BRIDGES WILL ALWAYS BE A PINCH POINT.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A SPOT WHERE WE COULD REALLY AMP UP A PORT REALLY KNOCKED DOWN THAT PINCH POINT, BY ADDING MORE MOMENTS, THAT WOULD BE A VOTE THAT SAYS IF YOU WERE IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING ON, IT SEEMS LIKE TRYING TO GET BUSES WOULD BE BETTER THAN JUST DECIDING OUR BUSES AND POSSIBLE.
I WOULD GO A LITTLE FURTHER AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE LOSE IF WE DON'T HAVE BUSES? AND WHAT DO WE GAIN IF WE HAVE BUSES, MAYBE THAT MEANS SOME THINGS ABOUT AESTHETICS AND MAYBE IT'S NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT HITS THE SHORE, JUST THE GEOGRAPHIES.
BUT, UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY VOTE IN FAVOR OF MORE MODES BEING CREATED THE TWO REMOTES, ESPECIALLY ON THE PINCH POINTS, BECAUSE THAT REMOVES A BLOCKER, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A PURE PHYSICS POINT OF VIEW.
COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE ANSWER IS NOT FOR, I MEAN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS TODAY, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE BRINGING YOU ONE.
SO, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANT IT, WE NEED TO STUDY IT.
UM, SO, AND I THINK ALL YOUR POINTS ARE PRECISELY, I'LL TAKE IT.
UM, MORE OPPORTUNITIES, BETTER.
ALL THOSE ARE GOOD ARGUMENTS, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO AND W W HOW IT, HOW IT WOULD WORK.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT A QUESTION FOR SCHOOL, MR. MULLEN, WASN'T THE ORIGINAL REASON THAT, THAT THERE WAS NO BUS LINE ON THE BLUE LINE ACROSS THE LAKE, BECAUSE THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE NORTH SIDE OR NOT ENOUGH INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE NORTH SIDE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY THERE'S, THERE'S ONE REASON.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME HISTORY TO THE PLANNING THAT LED US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO SOLVE FOR, RIGHT.
IS IF WE WANT TO, IF THE, MAKE THE BUSES, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK AS WELL AS THEY CAN ON THE BRIDGE, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE NETWORK WORKS TO SUPPORT THAT.
WELL, UH, OH, MYSELF, COMMISSIONER FRANK FOR A MINUTE THERE.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO SOME WRAPPING UP FOR SURE.
FRANCO, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, NO, I JUST, I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO SAY, UM, I, I DID SEE, I SAW DAVE SULLIVAN ON THE, ON, ON THE CALL TODAY, UH, OR ON THIS CALL.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK HIM VERY MUCH FOR HIS INPUT TODAY, AND I THINK IT WAS SUPER, SUPER GREAT INPUT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT THOUGH, UM, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S TALK AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE MAY NOT BE GETTING BUSES ON THIS BRIDGE IS PURELY AESTHETIC.
UM, AND I, I, DAVE, YOU DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FROM, FROM, UH, OUR COMMUNITY'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT US, BECAUSE THAT IS, CAN BE TAKEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, RIGHT? IT CAN BE SAYING, WE DON'T WANT THAT BIG CLUNKY BRIDGE ON OUR, ON, ON THE NORTH SHORE.
WE DON'T WANT THAT IN, IN OUR, IN OUR VIEW OR WE JUST AESTHETICALLY, WE SIMPLY DON'T WANT TO SEE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ON THE NORTH SHORE.
SO I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHAT THAT WORD AESTHETIC MEANS.
AND DAVE, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.
I'M SAYING IF THAT IS WHAT IS TRULY AT, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERLYING CAUSE HERE.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING YOU REALLY GOT TO TAKE A LONG LOOK AT SUPER, SUPER HARD TO LOOK AT, BECAUSE THAT, TO ME WAS VERY, VERY DISHEARTENING.
WHEN I, WHEN I READ THAT NIGHT, I, DAVE, DAVE IS A VERY, VERY GOOD MAN.
I'VE WORKED IN FOR MANY YEARS AND I TRUST EVERYTHING HE SAYS.
UM, AND JUST ONE LAST COMMENT IN GENERAL ABOUT, AND THEN I'LL STOP.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'D THROW THIS ON.
I, IT'S NOT, I THROW THIS ON LEADERSHIP.
LIKE I SAID, I THINK STAFF IS DOING A HARD JOB.
I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING A VERY HARD JOB.
THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I THROW IT'S ON LEADERSHIP.
IT'S NOT LOST ON ANYBODY THAT TWO OUT OF THE THREE AGENCIES THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT ARE GOING TO BE DECISION-MAKERS HERE THAT WILL MAKE A DECISION ARE HEADED BY THE SAME PERSON.
I HAD A, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT WHEN THAT CAME, WHEN, WHEN THE JPA WAS COMING OUT, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
I THINK WE NEED SOME SORT OF NEUTRAL THIRD PARTY THAT CAN HELP MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
BECAUSE I THINK TOO, THAT THE FACT THAT TWO OF THOSE,
[01:30:01]
UH, THOSE VOTING BODIES ARE LED BY THE SAME PERSON, GIVES THAT PERSON A VERY OUTSIZED, UM, DECISION-MAKING, UH, DOWNSIZE VOICE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, THE SUPER MAJORITY.WELL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SULLIVAN AS WELL.
AND YOU'RE AMAZING NOTE TAKING AS PETER POINTED OUT, YOU HAVE A VERY EXCELLENT RECORDS.
UH, SO, UH, IT'S PROBABLY THE BACKUP STOP FOR THOSE WATCHING THE CALL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS THIS IS NOT LISTED FOR PARTICULAR, OR DOES THIS POSSIBLE ACTION? WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION TO TAKE, I DON'T THINK, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE THINK PEOPLE FOR THIS I'M VERY OPEN AND FRANK AND I, THIS IS THE REASON I'M ACTUALLY ON THIS BOARD.
LIKE THIS IS AN EXCELLENT DISCUSSION THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING.
AND, UM, I I'M, I'M PROUD OF HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND PETER YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
WE'RE PROBABLY ON THE SAME SIDE OF A LOT OF, A LOT OF THIS ISSUE, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
LIKE, I, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
WE JUST GOT TO WORK THROUGH IT AND GET TO THE BEST OUTCOME A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND I JUST, I ALSO AGREE, DAVE, SOLOMON'S THE BEST.
UM, COULD YOU JUST PULL UP SOMEBODY JUST POSTED? CAN WE TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK? I WOULD DEFINITELY BE OKAY WITH THAT SINCE I FORGOT TO BRING WATER.
UM, IS IT WHEN IT ALSO CAME WITH THAT QUICK SHOW OF HANDS? FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
WE'LL BE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES.
UM, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR EFFORT.
[01:37:28]
ALL RIGHT.LET'S SEE IF WE HAVE A QUORUM.
WE HAVE PEOPLE STARTING THE CAMERA'S ON.
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE BACK IN BUSINESS.
[2.C. Vehicle Booting City Code Amendment]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM C, WHICH IS, UH, JACOB CULBERSON TALKING ABOUT THE VEHICLE BOOTING CITY CODE ADMITTED EVERY YEAR.UM, I AM JOINED BY, UH, DETECTIVE LUCIER AND LIEUTENANT LICHTER FROM APD, AS WELL AS JASON REDFERN FROM THE PARKING ENTERPRISE OF ATD.
UM, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO, UM, JUST TALK ABOUT, UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF CUSTOMER REMOVAL OF A VEHICLE BOOTING OR IN MOBILIZATION DEVICES.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO COVER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT VEHICLE BOOTING IS, UM, UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOW WE LICENSE IT.
UH, PLEASE FORGIVE THE DATE OF JANUARY 11TH AIR.
WE WERE SCHEDULED TO PRESENT AT LAST UTC MEETING.
UM, AND, UH, WE WERE PUSHED TO THIS ONE.
UH, SO A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PRIVATE VEHICLE IMMOBILIZATION IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN RIGHT NOW, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CURRENTLY REGULATES PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE MOBILIZATION COMP COMPANIES UNDER CHAPTER 13, SEVEN OF CITY CODE, UH, AND THE CITY'S ADOPTED VEHICLE AND MOBILIZATION RULES, UM, WHICH MY, UH, DIVISION, THE MOBILE MOBILITY SERVICES DIVISION OF ATT ATD LICENSES, THESE COMPANIES TO OPERATE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, AND PERFORM THESE SERVICES, UH, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, VEHICLE MOBILIZATION SERVICES ARE INTENDED TO REDUCE UNAUTHORIZED PARKING ACTIVITIES WITHIN PRIVATELY OWNED, UH, PARKING LOTS AND FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE FOUR COMPANIES LICENSED TO PERFORM PRIVATE VEHICLE MOBILIZATION SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY, UH, PERSONNEL WHO ENGAGE IN VEHICLE BOOT, INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL ARE REQUIRED TO PASS A CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECK AND RECEIVE A PERMIT FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
CURRENTLY COMPANIES ARE REQUIRED BY CITY CODE 13, 7 42, TO REMOVE A BOOT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE VEHICLE AND MOBILIZATION FEE, NOT LATER THAN ONE HOUR AFTER THE TIME THE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE
[01:40:01]
CONTACTS, THE LICENSEE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE BOOT TO REQUEST A REMOVAL OF THAT BOOM.AND OVER ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF APPROVED BOOTS THAT ARE USED FOR BOOTING VEHICLES, UH, ON A REGULAR BASIS, NEXT SLIDE.
BUT IN OCTOBER OF 2021, A LICENSED BOOTING COMPANY IN AUSTIN REQUESTED AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW CUSTOMERS THE OPTION OF REMOVING A BOOT, UH, FROM THEIR OWN VEHICLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONVENIENCE AND TIMELY SERVICE, UM, TO THE UTC.
UM, AND, UH, UH, WE WERE ASKED ATD WAS ASKED TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER, UM, UH, AND, UH, WE DID ALONG WITH, UH, UH, APD, UM, AND, AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT MET WITH VEHICLE IMMOBILIZATION COMPANIES, UH, REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS THE, UH, THE PROCESSES AND DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH CUSTOMER REMOVAL.
UM, IN NOVEMBER OF 2021, THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT THEN MET WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE AUSTIN LAW DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS THE PROCESSES AND DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH A CUSTOMER REMOVAL OF BOOTS.
SO HOW IT WORKS, UH, IN THEORY RIGHT NOW AND IN AUSTIN AND IN MANY OTHER CITIES, UM, UH, THEY DO DEPLOY THIS CUSTOMER SERVICE REMOVAL OPTION IN, UH, NEW YORK, UH, AND, UH, A FEW OTHER CITIES.
UM, CURRENTLY WHEN A BUDDHA'S IS INSTALLED UPON A VEHICLE, IT IS REQUIRED THAT A NOTICE BE CONSPICUOUSLY, UH, ADHERED TO THE WINDSHIELD OR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW CONTAINING INFORMATION WHERE THE DRIVER MAY CONTACT THE BUILDING COMPANY TO ARRANGE A REMOVAL.
SO STEP ONE, THE DRIVER MAY THEN REQUEST THE COMPANY, REMOVE THE BOOT, UH, OR ELECT TO REMOVE THE BOOT THEMSELVES UNDER THIS OPTION.
UM, STEP TWO, IF THE DRIVER ALEKS COMPANY REMOVAL OF THE BOOT, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BOOTING COMPANY MUST REMOVE THE BOOT WITHIN ONE HOUR OF THAT REQUEST.
UM, AND STEP THREE, IF THE DRIVER ALEKS SELF REMOVAL.
NOW, REMEMBER THIS IS IN THEORY, THIS IS NOT CURRENTLY HAPPENING, HAPPENING IN AUSTIN.
UM, THE BOOTING COMPANY WILL PROVIDE THE CUSTOMER WITH A CODE TO UNLOCK THE BOOTING DEVICE.
ONCE THE BOOTING FEE HAS BEEN PAID, THE DRIVER, SHOW THEM, REMOVE THE BOOT AND RETURN IT TO A LOCKABLE WELL LIT RECEPTACLE LOCATED ON THE SAME PROPERTY WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS BOOTED.
NEXT SLIDE, THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE AUSTIN LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMEND THAT CODE BE AMENDED TO AUTHORIZE VEHICLE AND MOBILIZATION COMPANIES TO ALLOW AN OPTION FOR CUSTOMERS TO SELF REMOVE A BOOTING DEVICE UPON THEIR OWN VEHICLE.
WITH THE FOLLOWING STIPULATIONS, ONE CUSTOMERS SHALL RETAIN THE ABILITY TO REQUEST THE COMPANY, REMOVE THE BIDDING DEVICE WITHIN ONE HOUR OF REQUESTING REMOVAL TO THE CUSTOMERS SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A DEPOSIT.
UM, THE BOOTING COMPANY, UM, HAD ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED, OFFERING A DEPOSIT FOR THE BOOTING DEVICE ITSELF OF UP TO $500.
AND WE DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, AN APPROPRIATE, UH, DEPOSIT FEE OR THAT ANY DEPOSIT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
UH, AND THREE, WE WOULD REQUIRE A SECURED WELL LIT RECEPTACLE AVAILABLE ON EVERY PROPERTY WHERE THE CUSTOMER REMOVAL OF A BOOT OCCURS SO THAT CUSTOMERS CAN RETURN THE BOOTS SAFELY AND WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
AND AGAIN, I AM JOINED BY, UH, UH, DETECTIVE LUCIER AND, UH, LIEUTENANT LIQUEUR FROM APD WHO MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER.
THANK YOU FOR THE SUCCINCT PRESENTATION.
UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
LET'S SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER IT AS A THING.
SO YOUR AUNT, SORRY, I CAN'T FIND THE LITTLE BUTTON TO DO THE CUTE LITTLE, UM, RAISE HAND IN WEBEX, BUT, UM, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DEPOSIT.
I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS VERSUS LIKE, IS THAT THE BOOTING FEE THAT YOU PAY WHEN YOUR CAR'S BOOTED? SO THE COMPANY HAS REQUESTED TO, UH, WITH A CUSTOMER BOOT REMOVAL, THEY REQUESTED TO IMPLEMENT A DEPOSIT, WHICH WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE BOOTING FEE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY SET CAPPED AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
UM, AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WAS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE DIRT, THEIR DEVICE WAS RETURNED, UH, THEY WANTED TO HOLD A DEPOSIT OF THE DEVICES VALUE,
[01:45:02]
UH, IN EXCHANGE FOR REMOVING IT THEMSELVES.THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING, BUT IT WAS AGREED THAT THAT'S NOT PART OF THE PROCESS.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE PROCESS AT ALL.
UM, YEAH, BUT IT'S A SELF REMOVAL AWARD TO BE, UH, APPROVED.
THERE WERE NO BE, THEY WOULD NOT BE AN EXTRA DEPOSIT.
MYSELF ATD, UM, APD AND LAW DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED THAT WE WOULD NOT, UM, WE WOULD NOT WANT THE COMPANIES TO BE ABLE TO HOLD IT A POSIT, UH, OF ANY KIND.
UM, THEY COULD, HOWEVER, UH, OPT TO, UH, RECOUP THOSE.
IF SOMEONE DID, UH, YOU KNOW, LOSE THE DEVICE OR, OR TAKE THE DEVICE, UM, THEY COULD, UH, RECOUP THE COST OF THAT DEVICE CIVILLY IF THEY CHOSE TO DO SO.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL? THIS WILL ULTIMATELY, YOU'RE ASKING FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION AND THEN IT'LL GO BEFORE COUNCIL, BUT YOUR RECOMMENDATION WAS NO DEPOSIT JUST TO BE CLEAR, LIKE WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT IMPLEMENTED YET.
IT HAS TO BE VOTED ON BY COUNCIL.
SO ATD RECOMMENDS THAT WE ALLOW IT, BUT WITH THOSE STIPULATIONS, I THINK I SAW COMMISSIONER DRISCOLL'S HAND.
AND THEN YES, I JUST A SIMPLE QUESTION.
DO THESE RECEPTACLES THAT, THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE THE COMPANIES PROVIDE, DO THEY EXIST ALREADY? IS THERE, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THEY WOULD HAVE TO, UM, INVENT OR SOLVE? SO WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY DO EXIST AND THAT THEY'RE LOCKABLE AND THAT THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE ON THE PROPERTY.
JUST THE QUESTION TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT, OR TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, UM, COMPANIES BEING ABLE TO, UH, PURSUE CIVIL, SOME SORT OF CIVIL ACTION.
IF THE DEVICE IS NOT RETURNED, I'M ASSUMING THAT WHEN YOU LOCK, WHEN YOU LOCK THIS, THE RECEPTACLE OR WHATEVER, YOU GET A RECEIPT SAYING, YEP.
YOU KNOW, IF FOR SOME REASON SOMEONE GOES IN VANDALIZES AND STEALS ALL OF THEM OUT THERE, AND YOU'RE THE LAST ONE TO HAVE IT.
WOULD YOU BE THEN B WOULD YOU THEN BE LIABLE? SO THAT, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION, UM, THAT, UH, WAS NOT DISCUSSED WITH THE COMPANY AS OF YET.
UM, I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME COMPANY REPS REPRESENTING THAT COMPANY.
I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF SCOOTERS THROWN INTO THE LAKE AND ALL SORTS OF PLACES.
AND IF FOR SOME REASON, SOMEONE DID THAT TO THESE LITTLE LOCKABLE DEVICES AND YOU HAVE TO BE THE LAST ONE TO USE IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE LIABLE FOR 500 BUCKS.
COMMISSIONER REDFERN, UH, TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UH, WE CAN CLARIFY WITH THE DEVICE OWNER AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN THE LITERATURE OR THE NOTICE THAT GOES ON THE VEHICLE, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
UM, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL COORDINATE BACK WITH THE, UH, THE COMPANY TO, TO VERIFY THAT THEY HAVE THE PROOF, OR THERE MAY BE A RECOMMENDATION TO ACTUALLY TAKE A PHOTO OF THE RETURN TO THE RECEPTACLES.
WELL, WE'LL CLARIFY WITH THE COMPANY, IT ALSO MIGHT BE ENTIRELY PLAUSIBLE THAT THERE'S SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT EXISTS SUCH AS RFID TECHS ALIKE THAT, UH, WILL SHOW THAT THE DEVICE HAS BEEN PUT BACK INTO THE BOX OR THAT THE DEVICE IS STILL, UH, ON LOCATION.
SO TO SPEAK MISSIONARY, I THINK YOU'VE JUST INVENTED SOMETHING.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS.
THEN I THINK THE QUESTION BEFORE IS, IS, UM, DOES THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, UM, UH, RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF THE SELF REMOVAL BOOTY AMENDMENT? UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO, UH, ADDRESS THIS QUESTION? TAKE THIS VOTE.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALL SECOND, IS THAT I WAS THINKING, OH, OKAY.
UM, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, APPROVING A AMENDMENT TO THE BOOTING MOOD TO ALLOW SELF REMOVAL, SAY HI, OR RAISE YOUR HAND A LOT OF ALL RIGHT.
A LOT OF POSTS, VIDEOS, LAGGING,
[01:50:01]
BOTH APPROVING AND POSING ALL ABSTAINING, NO STATIONS.UTC A APPROVE SUCH AN AMENDMENT.
[2.D. Coco Delivery Robots Presentation]
THEN TO ITEM D UM, SPONSORED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBEN BERKSON AND CYNTHIA, WHETHER IT BE A RECOMMENDATION REQUESTING COUNCIL TO CONSISTENTLY CONSIDER A STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, LAND USE POLICIES DO WANT TO, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENT TO SHARE OVERVIEW? UM, LET'S SEE.SONGS THE SPEAKER FOR THIS ITEM AS WELL, SO, OKAY, SO THAT'S RIGHT.
UM, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU STILL ON THE LINE? OKAY.
UM, DO YOU WANT TO, UH, YOUR ASSISTANT COMMUNICATION WE'LL START THE TIME OR WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
UH, MS. JOSEPH, YOU MIGHT NEED, YOU MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY MUTED YOURSELF.
ARE YOU STILL HERE? YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK ON THIS.
JOSEPH, IF YOU, IF YOU ARE STILL THERE, YOU WENT OFF YOU.
SO WE'LL DO, WE'LL DO THE URBAN, YOU CAN DO YOUR INTRODUCTION AND THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET JOSEPH AFTERWARDS.
UH, LET ME GIVE A LITTLE BIT BACKGROUND FOR THE RESOLUTION.
UM, IT'S USED TO BE A QUESTION WHICH COMES FIRST DENSITY OR RIDERSHIP.
THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD BELIEF BUILD IT AND THEY'LL RIDE IT ACTUAL EXPERIENCES.
THE TRANSIT AVAILABILITY ALONE DOES NOT RESULT IN RIDERSHIP.
DALLAS HAS 93 MILES OF LIGHT RAIL, BUT RIDERSHIP HAS HALF OF AUSTIN BUSES.
THE AVAILABILITY OF TRANSIT MAY ACCELERATE GROWTH, BUT THE EFFECT IS USUALLY SMALL.
SO DENSITY OF POPULATION ON JOBS IS THE BEST PREDICTOR OF TRANSIT RIDERS.
IT'S THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FACTOR IN THE RIDERSHIP FORECAST MADE BY THE FDA STOPS RIDERSHIP FORECASTING SOFTWARE.
AND THAT SOFTWARE IS USED BY THE FDA TO EVALUATE PROPOSALS.
SO DENSITY IS IMPORTANT THERE IN PARTICULAR GROUP THERE NOW DEFINITIONS AVAILABLE ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN BY TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITY.
I IT'S BEEN QUANTIFIED IN TERMS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF TRANSIT BY A REPORT FROM THE PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL, WHICH IS WIDELY CIRCULATED, BUT BASICALLY THEY SAY, HEY BUS, WHICH OFFERS SERVICE EVERY 30 MINUTES IS COST-EFFECTIVE.
IF THE DENSITY IS SOME COMBINATION OF 16 RESIDENTS PER ACRE AND JOBS PER ACRE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF TRANSIT STOPS.
SO, AND THE SAME REPORT CALLS FOR EVEN HIGHER DENSITY TO JUSTIFY LIKE RAIL AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, UM, UH, STRONGLY SUPPORTS ACHIEVING, UM, TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITIES, IT'S SAYS THIS IS CHAPTER THREE, LAND USE GOAL, ONE PLAN TO PROMOTE TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITIES ON THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK.
AND IN PARTICULAR, IT SAYS, USE ALL PLANNING TOOLS TO ESTABLISH TRANSIT, SUPPORTIVE DENSITIES ALONG THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK, INCLUDING THE FULL RANGE OF PLANNING TOOLS, WHATEVER YOU CAN COME UP WITH, UH, THAT WILL INCREASE THE DENSITY ALONG THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK.
UM, ACHIEVING THIS DENSITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PROJECT CONNECT.
THE ADOPTED PLAN CALLS FOR EXTENDING EIGHT OR THREE METRO RAPID BUS SERVICE FURTHER SOUTH ALONG WHEN CHUCK THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO APPLY FOR FDA SMALL STARTS FUNDING FOR THAT EXTENSION.
BUT IN SEPTEMBER, 2021 AT THE CAP METRO BOARD MEETING, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT LOCAL FUNDING WOULD BE USED IN STEAD.
WHY? WELL, UM, CAP METRO WENT OUT TO A CONSULTANT.
I BELIEVE IT WAS HMTB WHO HAS A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE WITH APPLYING FOR FEDERAL FUNDING ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND THEY ADVISE CAP METRO THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS UNLIKELY TO RECEIVE A HIGH SCORE
[01:55:01]
BECAUSE THE DENSITY ALONG THAT PART OF THE ROUTE WAS TOO LOW.SO LOW DENSITY REALLY DOES COST US FEDERAL DOLLARS.
THE LAND USE COMMISSIONS HAVE NOT, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY GUIDANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN LAND USE PRIOR PROVISIONS.
UM, ONE EXAMPLE THAT CAME UP, SIR, RECENTLY, WAS THAT A PROPERTY RIGHT ALONG THAT ROUTE EXTENSION, THE ONE THAT THEY DECIDED TO FUND LOCALLY, UM, WAS GIVEN SF SIX ZONING INSTEAD OF THE REQUEST AN F TWO ZONE.
AGAIN, AS FAR AS I WAS ABLE TO TELL FROM SATURDAY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ON THAT PARTICULAR CASE IN THE AUSTIN MONITOR.
AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY, OR I DIDN'T READ ANYBODY FROM THE ZAP TALKING ABOUT THE GUIDANCE THEY'VE RECEIVED AS TO THE IMPACT OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON ACHIEVING TRANS SUPPORTIVE DENSITY.
SO THIS RESOLUTION IS INTENDED WITHIN OUR CHARTER THAN OUR BYLAWS TO PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT FOR DECISION-MAKING BIBLE LAND USE COMMISSIONS.
AND I NEED TO ACTUALLY READ THE RESOLUTION OR JUST PEOPLE COULD READ IT.
IT IS THERE, AND, UM, IT'S LISTED AS BACKUP AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT ME TO WANT ME TO READ IT? WELL, UH, JOSEPH IS BACK ONLINE.
ARE YOU THERE, MR. JOSEPH? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
I'VE BEEN PRESSING THE BUTTONS.
UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AS IT RELATES TO COORDINATING TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE PLANS SPECIFICALLY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS IT RELATES TO THE LAST BULLET IN THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TALKS ABOUT THE PROPOSALS NEED TO BE EVALUATED, NOT JUST ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW UNITS PRODUCED, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR IMPACT ON TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITY ALONG THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE THAT WOULD REQUIRE STAFF TO GIVE YOU AN OVERLAY OF THE AREA, MEDIAN INCOME, ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
UM, AND SPECIFICALLY WHEN I LOOK AT THE GOLD LINE, IT'S 80% ARROGANT MEDIAN INCOME FOR THE HIGHLAND VILLAGE APARTMENTS.
THAT'S THE ONLY AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT'S ON THE RENT AND GOLD LINE THERE.
80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS $55,400.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS EARN ABOUT 42,000 IN HISPANICS EARN ABOUT $50,000 DEPENDING ON THE SOURCE THAT YOU LOOK AT, IT COULD FLIP FLOP, BUT IT'S STILL UNDER $50,000.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S EXCLUSIONARY ZONING IN AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND HISPANICS ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BENEFIT.
NOW, I KNOW THERE'LL BE SOME THAT WILL LIVE THERE, BUT THIS IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ONLY PROPERTY AT THE ACC CAMPUS AREA THERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ORANGE LINE, UH, SPECIFICALLY A HIGH PARK WAS DEVELOPED EXCLUSIVELY FOR PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU LOOK DOWNTOWN AND YOU LOOK AT THE DOMAIN, THAT WAS A CAVE YOU DEFENDER STORY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2020, THAT TALKED ABOUT DEVELOPERS PAYING A FEE IN LIEU OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IF YOU LOOK AT BROADMORE, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO BENEFIT THERE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT PLAZA SALTILLO, IF YOU GO BACK IN TIME, YOU'LL REALIZE THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW FAMILY FRIENDLY UNITS THERE, AND IT'S NOT EVEN PART OF THIS EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DENSITY, I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED FOR 30 YEARS, BUT THE NORTH CORRIDOR LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE SPECIFIED ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF JOBS IN THE TWO MOST POPULATED COUNTIES WILL BE LOCATED IN THE NORTH CORRIDOR BY 2035 AND WE'LL ACCOUNT FOR 58% OF ALL JOBS IN THE FIVE COUNTY REGION.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT IS VERY DISINGENUOUS THAT THE PARMER LANE, METRO RAPID BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND APPLE WAS UNILATERALLY ELIMINATED JULY 27TH, 2020.
THAT REPORT GOES ON TO SAY THAT ALMOST HALF OF THE POPULATION OF THE TWO MOST POPULATED COUNTIES IN THE REGION WILL RESIDE IN THE NORTH CORRIDOR.
BY 2035, YOU HAVE A 425 ACRE DEVELOPMENT RIGHT ACROSS FROM SAMSUNG.
[02:00:01]
IT'S $1 BILLION.THAT'S THE BILLION DOLLAR CORRIDOR WITH NO BUSES AND ALL OF THE OTHER CORRIDORS EXCLUDE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND SO I HAVE SAID MANY A TIMES THAT PROJECT CONNECTS WILL SEGREGATE AUSTIN FOR CENTURIES.
AND SO I WOULD SAY TO YOU, DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT AS THE STAFF AND PUT IN YOUR RESOLUTION OR WHATEVER YOU PLAN ABOUT A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY GIVE YOU THE OVERLAY SO THAT YOU CAN OBJECTIVELY SEE FOR YOURSELF.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LOOKING AT THE TRANSIT MAP THAT'S ALREADY ONLINE BECAUSE THAT IS MISLEADING TOO.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NORTH CORRIDORS, THEY SHOW THAT THERE ARE AFFORDABLE UNITS THERE, BUT THAT'S 30 YEARS OUT.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY TO MR. BROOKS, I'M GOING TO QUOTE HIM FROM DECEMBER 17TH, 2018.
HE TALKED ABOUT THIS IS WHEN THEY ADOPTED PROJECT CONNECT RUNDBERG, AND LAMAR HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF PEOPLE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE IN ALL OF AUSTIN.
HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT THERE ARE TWO REASONS, THERE'S AN EQUITY REASON, AND THERE'S A RIDERSHIP WHERE HE'S IN FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY TRY TO WORK WITH TEXTILES, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THREE OF THE FIVE MOST FREQUENTLY USED STOPS ON THE 8 0 1 SMELLED BOND OR IN THAT SEGMENT.
HE SAYS, IN FACT, I DON'T THINK IF YOU LEAVE THAT SEGMENT OUT, YOU'LL ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH RIDERSHIP TO CONVINCE THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
HE SAID, FTA TO FUND THE REST OF THE SYSTEM.
AND SO IT IS VERY DISINGENUOUS FOR CAPITAL METRO TO USE THE MINORITY THAT NORTH MEMORIAL TRANSIT CENTER TO GET THE RAIL FOR THE WHITES DOWNTOWN THAT WILL BENEFIT.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE ON MARCH 9TH, UM, MARCH 29TH, NO, LET ME, LET ME BACK UP MORE TONIGHT, 2020 ON PAGE 29, IT'S SPECIFIED 24 TO 30 YEARS, UM, FOR THE, UH, LIGHT RAIL.
AND NOW, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS RECOMMENDATION, I, I WOULD SURMISE, THEY HAVE STARTED TO SAY THAT THE TERMINUS IS OVER AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE RIDERSHIP IS.
AND SO MR. CHAIR, YOU KNOW, MY POSITION ON PROJECT CONNECT AND IT IS BECAUSE THEY'VE NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT AND HONESTLY THE PUBLIC.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO AT LEAST GET OBJECTIVE DATA AND MAPS WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THIS DECISION.
UM, SO THAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT RACE CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS SOURCE OF INCOME, YOU'LL BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND I'VE BENEFIT FROM LIGHT RAIL, UM, 71 7 $0.1 BILLION PROJECT.
I, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D LOVE TO ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME AND APPRECIATE YOUR MOM AND MAKING A COMMENT.
UM, SO, SO I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER BROOKS, I THINK THERE'S A DIRECT ASK THERE.
WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO THAT LAST BULLET POINT? CHRISTOPHER, WOULD YOU MIND PUTTING IT BACK UP IN THE, UM, THE LAST BULLET POINT, ADDING OTHER PHRASE, ESSENTIALLY, INCLUDING, UH, DATA OVERLAY OF, UM, HOUSEHOLD INCOME? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE DO.
SO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING THAT.
UM, OR IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GO INTO ACTION ON THIS, UM, PROPOSAL? WELL, WE HAVE TO STOP SHARING THE SCREEN.
IS THERE ANY MOMMY WANTS DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE INTO POTENTIALLY ACTING ON THIS? OKAY, THEN, UM, RUBEN, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, UH, TO ADOPT YOUR RECOMMENDATION? UH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS PUBLISHED IN THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? UM, SEVEN YEAR OLD.
COMMISSIONER FRANCO FOR THE SECOND.
AND THEN IF YOU DON'T MIND CHRISTOPHER, WE CAN SEE IT AGAIN.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO THE DISCUSSION PHASE OF THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
I ALSO HAD A RECOMMENDATION OR A REQUEST ON ONE OF THE BULLET POINTS LET'S TAKE, UH, UH, MS. JOSEPH'S FIRST.
UM, I THINK THE WAY IT WORKS PARLIAMENTARY WISE IS THAT THERE IS, UM, WELL, I GUESS IT'S WHAT JOSEPH CAN'T MAKE.
THE RECOMMENDATION I'LL MAKE IT FOR HER.
UM, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AMEND THE FINAL BULLET POINT TO SAY, IN ANY CONSIDERATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CHANGE PROPOSALS NEED TO BE EVALUATED, NOT JUST ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW UNITS PRODUCED, BUT ALSO, UM, FOR THEIR IMPACT ON THE TRANSIT SUPPORT DENSITY.
UH, SO PROBABLY YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN AFTER THE PHRASE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW UNITS PRODUCED COMMA, UM, AS JUST AS, UM, AS INFORMED BY A DATA OVERLAY OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
UM, AND ALSO SORT OF, BUT, AND ALSO,
[02:05:02]
SO THIS WOULD BE A MOTION, UM, IF THERE IS A SECOND, IT WOULD BE A MOTION TO CHANGE THE BULLET POINTS FROM THAT, TO THIS.IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I DON'T THINK YOU'VE GOT THE MEANING YOU WANT HERE.
I'M JUST GONNA, I DON'T THINK BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S SAYING PROPOSALS NEED TO BE EVALUATED, NOT JUST ON THE NUMBER OF THE NEW UNITS PRODUCED AS INFORMED BY DATA OVERLAY.
SO YOU'RE SAYING, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU INTEND.
YEAH, YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND JUST ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW UNITS PRODUCED AND BY A DATA OVERLAY OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, NO, THIS IS WHERE THIS BECOMES A MOTION.
AND THEN IF THERE'S A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION AND WE DISCUSS IT AND WE VOTE ON IT AND EITHER IT'S CHANGED OR IT'S REJECTED, AND THEN WE MOVE ON.
SO THIS WOULD BE, THIS IS LIKE, I THINK THIS IS MS. JOSEPH'S, UM, UM, UH, PROPOSAL AND, UH, MS. JOSEPH, YOU'RE STILL ON THE LINE.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY, UH, CHIME IN AND SAY, IS THIS CAPTURING WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT? OKAY.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THIS, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT? THIS IS ALLIE.
UM, RUBEN AS THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR, I THINK YOUR FIRST, I WORRY, WE'RE GOING TO GET PUSHBACK ON THIS FROM THE LAND USE COMMISSIONS, AND I'VE TRIED VERY CAREFULLY TO, UH, TREAD A FINE LINE BETWEEN GENERAL ADVICE ON DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE GIVING AND DEVICE ON DEVELOPMENT VERY SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, TRANSPORTATION.
AND WHEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHY JUST HOUSEHOLD INCOME, WHY NOT RACE AGE? OH, BUNCH OF OTHER FACTORS.
IF I CAN JUMP IN FOR A SECOND.
I, UH, SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOING ON, WHAT I THINK YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT DOES THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTIC MAP IN SOME WAY TO THE PURVIEW OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, TO WHICH I SAY WE COULD ADD ON A CLAUSE.
I THINK IT DOES, BECAUSE IF WE'RE TRYING TO SEPARATE CHOICE RIDERS FROM TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDERS, WE'RE USING HOUSEHOLD INCOME AS A PROXY FOR THAT.
SO WE CAN CLARIFY THAT, UM, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EVALUATING IT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED.
AND BY THE FACT THAT IT WILL AFFECT PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT USING HOUSEHOLD INCOME AS A PROXY.
WELL, AGAIN, WHEN IS IT, WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT ZONING DECISIONS ARE TO BE MADE BASED ON THE OCCUPANTS OF THE POTENTIAL OCCUPANTS OF THE PROPERTY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU GET A DIFFERENT ZONING? THE ONLY, THE ONLY PLACE THAT THE CITY EXPLICITLY DOES THAT IS IN REGARD TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE, I MEAN, OTHERWISE WE, WE KNOW WE'RE IN THOSE OUTING CODE SAYS, DOES IT SAY THAT THIS IT'S EVEN DIFFICULT TO AGE RESTRICTED PROPERTIES, DESIGNING CARS AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO BUILD SENIOR DEVELOPMENTS? UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT THEN.
SO, SO I THINK THE GOAL IS IT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND THIS IS SORT OF, THE GOAL IS, IS, IS, IS BECOMING, IS THAT IN MAKING THAT EVALUATION? I THINK THE REQUEST IS PLEASE ALSO LOOK AT HOUSEHOLD INCOME BECAUSE THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITHIN A CERTAIN INCOME OR MORE LIKELY TO BE TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDERS.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO SERVE THEM, LET'S GET SOME IDEA WHEN EVALUATING A CASE, UM, ABOUT, ABOUT THEIR INCOME.
NOT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE MEET A CERTAIN INCOME IN ORDER TO BE PART OF THE NETWORK.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT'S JUST ANOTHER DATA POINT.
[02:10:01]
WE STEP TOO FAR OUT OF TRANSPORTATION THAN THE LAND USE, COMMISSIONS WILL HAVE A VERY GOOD EXCUSE NOT TO LISTEN TO US.AND IF WE START, UH, IMPLYING THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE, UH, INCOME INTO ACCOUNT OR RACE INTO ACCOUNT OR ANY OF THESE OTHER THINGS INTO ACCOUNT, THEY WILL VERY, UH, RIGHTFULLY SLAP OUR HANDS.
WHAT I MEAN, BY THE WAY, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT SUCH AN OVERLAY AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL HAS AN OVERLAY THAT SHOWS ALSO INCOME, AND IT ALSO SHOWS RIDERSHIP, I THINK CAR DEPENDENCY.
CAN YOU SHOW ALL THE SPEAKERS? UM, ARE, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS, UM, PROPOSED AMENDMENT? I GUESS I'D LIKE TO ADD IN THERE, MAYBE THERE'S A WAY WE CAN, I GUESS PHRASE IT WHERE I THINK, BECAUSE WE KNOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIKE HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND RIDERSHIP.
UM, MAYBE WE EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE JUST TO SHOW, LIKE, WHY WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT IN THIS POINT, NOT TO SAY LIKE, HEY, YOU GUYS NEED TO LOOK AT THIS, BUT TO SAY LIKE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE FACTORS ARE IMPORTANT INTO THE DECISION AND WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE.
SO MAYBE JUST LITERALLY A CLAUSE, LIKE, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE A HOUSEHOLD INCOME, IS IT A GOOD INDICATOR OF RIDERSHIP POTENTIAL? YEAH.
THAT, AND ALSO THAT BECAUSE OF LIKE, IT'S TIED TO THINGS LIKE DEPENDENCY AND LIKE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I GUESS THERE'S PROBABLY ALWAYS A NICE WAY TO LIKE PHRASE SOMETHING WHERE IT'S LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, JUST TO, IF YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT IT RATHER THAN SAYING, LIKE, YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THESE THINGS, IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE, BUT, UH, WITHHELD DOING IS JUST THAT I, I INSTRUCTION FOR THE ZONING COMMISSION OR FOR THE LAND USE COMMISSIONS TO USE THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL.
AND THAT WOULD COVER ALL THESE THINGS, EXCEPT IT WOULD BE SO FAR FROM TRANSPORTATION THAT, AND COMMISSIONER FRANCO GO TO YOU.
AND ONE MORE SECOND, I JUST WANT TO WRAP UP THIS SENTENCE.
UM, THERE IS A COMPONENT IN PROJECT CONNECT THAT TALKS ABOUT MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND WE SUPPORTED, AND WE ACTUALLY ORIGINATED AT THE UTC, SOME OF THAT, UM, DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION.
SO IT'S NOT OUTSIDE OUR PURVIEW TO SAY THAT, UM, TRANSIT THE KIDS.
SO MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE THAT SENTENCE TO JUST INCLUDE THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL DATA.
AND THEN IT WOULD, INSTEAD OF INCOME DATA, WE JUST SAY THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL DATA.
I HAD, I DISPLACEMENT TOOL THAT WAS PRODUCED AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT AND PROJECT CONNECT IS CERTAINLY WITHIN OUR OR BOUNDS.
CAN I START FRANCO? I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT, UM, I MEAN MAYBE, MAYBE THE WAY AROUND THIS SO THAT WE DON'T STEP ON ANYBODY'S TOES, BUT WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE IS TO NOT MAKE IT PART OF THEIR, THEIR EVALUATION CRITERIA.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT SAYS THEIR PROPOSALS WILL BE RATED ON OR ADD, ADD THIS TO THE EVALUATION CRITERIA.
BUT IF WE SIMPLY MAKE THIS AS PART AS REQUIRED AS PART OF THE BACKUP FOR WHATEVER APPLICATION PROCESS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, SO THAT WAY THEY SEE THE INFORMATION IT'S THERE, THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T DENY THEY SAW IT, WHETHER OR NOT THEY USE THAT IN THEIR EVALUATION IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
WELL, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS I DON'T THINK WE CAN REQUIRE WELL IT'S AGAIN, I WOULD MUCH, RATHER THAN IT'S WE REQUIRE THEM TO USE THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL.
I THINK WHAT REQUIREMENTS ARE WE ALLOWED TO RECOMMEND FOR THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION? I WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL, WHICH IS CERTAINLY IT GROWS OUT OF SOMETHING.
WE ARE ALL ARE THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED WITH WITHOUT, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? THEY HEAR THAT THEY ARE EVALUATING OR THEY ARE REVIEWING IN THEIR BACKUP.
THAT'S JUST ZAP OR PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT'S NOT, UM, I MEAN, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT WE CAN'T, WE CAN SEND THEM RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT.
I THINK PROCESS-WISE HOW THIS WOULD WORK.
IS IT, IF WE MAKE THEM RECOMMENDATION AND IT GOES UP TO SAME MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND THEN IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL AND CITY COUNCIL WOULD EITHER PUSH THIS GUIDANCE OR PERHAPS EVEN DO AN ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WOULD BE, WOULD TAKE ALL THE THINGS THAT THE LAW AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO WORK THROUGH.
[02:15:01]
VIEW, THAT'S TRUE.EVERY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO, WE DON'T MAKE LAW.
SO I THINK WE CAN PUSH FOR WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR TRANSPORTATION THAT WE COULD, WE SHOULD PUSH FOR WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR URBAN TRANSPORTATION.
AND, UM, AND THEN LET IT, LET IT GO THROUGH ITS PROCESS AND THEN WE'LL GO TO MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND THEN PERHAPS IF THEY LIKE IT, IT'LL GO TO SOMEONE ELSE AND THEN IT'LL GO TO COUNCIL.
SO PROCESS WISE THEN, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE ANSWER.
SO THEN IF WE GO BACK TO THAT, THAT AMENDMENT, UH, CHRISTOPHER, COULD WE STRIP OUT THE SPECIFICITY OF INCOME AND REPLACE IT WITH THE DATA, UH, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL WITH, UH, DATA FROM THE, OR WITH THE DATA FROM THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL? YEAH, WELL, YEAH, TAKE, STARTING WITH OVERLAY, GET RID OF OVERLAY.
UH, AND BY THE DATA, UM, UH, FROM THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, SO I GUESS IS THE FULL NAME ANTI-DISPLACEMENT OH, HOLD ON A SECOND.
UM, MR. CHAIR, CAN I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WHILE HE'S LOOKING THAT UP? UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS, UM, SPECIFICALLY LIKE THE LUBY'S SITE THAT WAS APPROVED OCTOBER 4TH, 14TH, 2021 ON THE WEST SIDE LOOP ONE, IT ACTUALLY WAS 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT ON A MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT ALSO SPECIFIES RACE AND BIPAP.
AND SO THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY, UH, THIS IS LANGUAGE THAT'S USED BECAUSE OF TITLE SIX.
AND SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO BE OBJECTIVE.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT THE RACE.
I KNOW THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD TRIGGER PEOPLE, BUT THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOO, FOR CONTEXT, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT COUNCIL HAD ALREADY RESUMED THE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BLUE LINE, AND THEN THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL CAME AFTER THAT.
SO THEY DISPLACED THE INDIVIDUALS, ONE OF THE LARGEST TENANTS DISPLACEMENTS ON THE BLUE LINE, EAST SIDE, EAST RIVERSIDE, AND THEN THEY CREATED THE TOOL TO SAY THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.
SO I JUST THINK IT'S DISINGENUOUS TO JUST PUT THAT LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT'S JUST A SMOKE SCREEN.
I THINK IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO OBJECTIVELY, JUST ASK THEM TO REVIEW.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MANDATE IN YOUR LANGUAGE BEFORE YOU, BUT IF THEY CAN AT LEAST REVIEW OUR HABITS, UM, I HAVE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION BEFORE, LIKE WITH THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO SEE BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME AND THOSE OF US WHO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE RACIAL ISSUES.
BUT I THINK FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT RACE, WE CAN LOOK AT SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION AND RECOGNIZE I'LL JUST BE SHORT AND GIVE YOU THIS ONE SPECIFIC REFERENCE.
DECEMBER 17TH, 2020, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT WAS MIKE GERBER, WHO IS THE CEO WHO BRIEFED THE BOARD, WHO SAID THAT THE INTEREST IN THE AREA, HE DIDN'T WANT TO SERVE A LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS.
AND SO THAT'S LIKE A PROXY FOR NOT WANTING TO SERVE, UH, YOU KNOW, LOW-INCOME BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN THE HIGHLAND AREA.
AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A LONG ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO HAVE THE CONTEXT FOR THIS ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOO.
IT'S NOT GOING TO GET AT THE INCOME.
IF YOU JUST HAVE A MAP THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT AS AN OVERLAY, OR THEY CAN REVIEW IT, IT CAN GO FORWARD AND COUNCIL CAN TALK ABOUT EQUITY AS THEY DO AT NAUSEUM AT THEIR MOBILITY MEETINGS AND DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO CONSIDER THE PROJECT, BUT IT'S JUST DISINGENUOUS FOR THEM TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY AT NAUSEUM.
IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE NOVEMBER, 2020 MOBILITY MEETING WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT EQUITY.
AND SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO MAKE MY COMMENTS AND BE EXTENSIVE, BUT PLEASE JUST TAKE THE CONTEXT INTO CONSIDERATION.
THERE IS ONE TECHNICAL PROBLEM WITH USING INCOME STUDENTS AND IT MAKES AREAS WHICH PROBABLY DON'T DESERVE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TREATMENT.
ALL OF A SUDDEN GETTING, BEING QUALIFYING FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TREATMENT.
I DON'T THINK WE, WE WANT TO USE JUST INCOME BY ITSELF AGAIN, UH, LET ME GIVE YOU THE FORMAL NAME OF THE TOOL.
IT'S THE RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL.
CAN I HANDLE PUBLIC WORKS AND THEN DROPPING THE HAND? IS THAT RIGHT? SO JUST RACIAL EQUITY.
[02:20:01]
UM, YEAH, IT'S RACIAL EQUITY, NO HAND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DON'T THINK YOU'RE SAYING NO.SO MAYBE, MAYBE THIS CLAUSE NEEDS TO SAY INCLUDING INCOME DATA AND, UH, OUTPUT FROM, AND THAT WOULD ADDRESS, UH XANOBIA IS CONCERNED AND IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE A BIGGER TOOLBOX IF PEOPLE USE IT.
AND IN THE END WE CAN ONLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL IS WHAT I WOULD GO TO IF I NEEDED AN INCOME DATA.
SO LET'S SEE SEVERAL FRANCO HAS HIS HAND UP.
I'VE READ THE, PUT IT DOWN THE LAST TIME.
OH, I JUST, I HAVE SOME EDITS, UM, THAT, LIKE, I GUESS YOU CAN CONSIDER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME WORDS HERE THAT MAY CHANGE THE MEANING OF THE SENTENCE, UM, A LITTLE BIT AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE UNCLEAR.
UM, SO THE WAY I'M READING IT IS THAT, UM, PROPOSALS NEED TO BE EVALUATED, NOT JUST ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED, UM, WHEN WE USE THE WORD AND I THINK THAT, UM, DOESN'T QUITE WORK WITH IT, NOT JUST SO I WOULD PROPOSE WE CHANGE IT TO, UM, MAYBE NOT INCLUDE THE, NOT JUST SO EVALUATED ON, UH, DATA, PERHAPS LIKE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS, BUT ALSO, UM, EQUITY DATA, STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I HAVE ANOTHER ONE FOR THE END OF THE SENTENCE, BUT I'LL PAUSE FROM CHRIS A LOT OUT THERE AND YOU WANT TO TAKE OUT THE, NOT JUST AFTER EVALUATED 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT JUST CONFLICTS WITH THE, WHICH WOULD BE ANT.
IT WOULD EITHER BE NOT JUSTIN, BUT, OR JUST GET RID OF THE NON CHEST VALUE, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED AND BY THE, AND THEN LET'S SPECIFY INCOME AND OTHER DATA FROM THE RATIOS THAT WAY WE CALL OUT THAT SPECIFICALLY.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DATA IN THAT TOOL.
I THINK WE CAN REMOVE THE, THE AS WELL, UM, AT THE, AND BY THE, WE COULD REMOVE THE, THE, SORRY, THIS IS SCRATCHING MY GRAMMAR NERD ITCH.
UM, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SENTENCE, UM, THAT GOES ONTO THE NEXT PAGE.
UM, I THINK WE COULD GET RID OF THE END ALSO SO THAT IT READS OR THEIR IMPACT ON TRACK TRANSIT SUPPORT DENSITY.
UH, JUST BEING COGNIZANT OF TIME AND KNOWING THAT WE COULD GO FOREVER WITH, TO TRY AND MAKE SOMETHING PERFECT.
UM, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OSC SINCE IT'S OURS, HANDS UP SUPER, SUPER BRIEF.
IS THIS BODY SEEN, UH, WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE PRESENTATION ON THE RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL HEADWAY.
SO I'VE SEEN LIKE, BECAUSE I'M YOUR REP ON THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I'VE SEEN LIKE FOUR PRESENTATIONS ON IT AND I FEEL I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT IT CAPTURES A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY, UM, ROBUST DATA ABOUT, UH, WHERE, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF PLACEMENT, BOTH BECAUSE THEY'RE OF HISTORICALLY OPPRESSED BACKGROUND BY BIPAP, UM, AND LOW INCOME.
I THINK IT REALLY CAPTURES A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE USED TO EVALUATE DIFFERENT THINGS WITHIN PROJECT CONNECT.
SO I THINK THAT THIS TO ME FEELS GOOD.
I WISH THAT Y'ALL HAD SEEN, I THINK WE WILL GET VERY SOON A PRESENTATION ON THIS HOPEFULLY.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON ABSOLUTELY FINALIZING IT AND ROLLING IT OUT, BUT I, IT LOOKS VERY PROMISING.
UM, YOU ALL WILL BE GETTING A PRESENTATION ON THIS MARCH 1ST, WHICH IS OUR NEXT CTC MEETING.
UM, WOULD YOU MIND SHARING THE WHOLE SCREEN SO WE CAN, UM, ARE THE PARTICIPANTS IN, UH, SO PROCESS-WISE, UM, LET'S MOVE THIS ONE TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, UM, AMENDMENT OF THIS FOURTH BULLET POINT AS IT STANDS, UH, SAY HI, OR RAISE YOUR HAND ALL OPPOSED.
SAY NAY, ANY ABSTENTION? SORRY.
SO TWO NAYS, UH, KRISHNA BERKSON COMMISSIONER WHEELER.
UM, DID YOU SAY, DID YOU SAY NAO? DID YOU SAY I, OH, I'M SORRY.
SO, UM, ONE, ONE, WHICH WAS OKAY, AND THEN TELL ME IF WE GO BACK TO THAT LAST ONE, UM,
[02:25:02]
TO THE OVERVIEW, I HAD A, UH, SUGGESTION AS WELL.UM, FOR THE SECOND BULLET POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW MY EMAIL TO YOU LAST NIGHT, RUBIN, IT'S JUST A LITTLE MORE STRONGLY WORDED.
UM, I COULD RE I COULD READ IT OUT.
UM, I GUESS, WELL, FIRST I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION.
SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE SECOND BULLET POINT, IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY MAKE A THIRD BULLET POINT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT COMPARE THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER.
AND I WILL READ IT OUT TO YOU IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, FOR EVERY CASE CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, WHICH IS WITHIN ONE EIGHTH MILE OF THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK, COMMA COMMISSIONER.
A COMMISSIONER MUST EXPLAIN THE SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH ALLOW THEM TO RECOMMEND ZONING RANKED LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS, SOME RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT PROPERTY.
AND BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER MAY VOTE FAVOR OF A LOWER RANKING ZONING.
SO THIS ISN'T A REPLACEMENT IS MY SUGGESTION FOR A LITTLE MORE ALONE, MAY VOTE IN FAVOR OF A LOWER RANKING ZONING.
IT'S BASICALLY SAYING BEFORE THEY CAN VOTE TO DOWNTOWN SOMETHING, THEY HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN.
SO THEY HAVE TO SAY, BECAUSE THE VERY FIRST BULLET POINT IN THIS THING IS THAT THERE WILL BE SOME MAJOR GROUPS OF ZONING THAT ARE IDEAL.
IF THEY VOTE FOR ANYTHING LOWER THAN THAT, THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT AND THEY HAVE TO DO IT BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY DO THE VOTE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE SAME INTENTION AS, AS YOUR SECOND BULLET POINT, RUBEN IS JUST A LITTLE STRONGER.
UM, IT JUST BECAUSE I FIGURE, LET THEM NEGOTIATE WITH US, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
SO YOU MOVED THAT RIGHT? MARIO IS YOUR MOTION.
MY MOTION IS THAT WE REPLACED THE SECOND POINT WITH THIS BULLET POINT IS THE SAME IDEA.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE MORE STRONGLY WORDED.
SO BEFORE WE CAN DISCUSS, WE NEED A SECOND.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALL RIGHT NOW FOR DISCUSSION, UM, PREVENT, I GUESS YOUR FIRST SENTENCE HERE.
IT'S YOUR, WELL, WHY IS IT, WHY HAVE YOU GONE DOWN TO AN EIGHTH MAYA? WHAT IF IT'S A COURT I COULD, BY THE WAY THAT THE QUARTER-MILE, UH, NUMBER IS TOO SMALL, THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT PEOPLE WILL USE HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT, EVEN IF IT'S A MILE AWAY OR MORE.
IF, IF, UH, IF THE COMMISSION FEELS GOOD ABOUT HALF MILE OR QUARTER MILE, I'M AWKWARD AT THAT TOO.
IF JUST WANT TO PUT A LITTLE SPECIFICITY IN IT.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT TO WHAT, WHAT ARE WE FEELING GOOD ABOUT HALF MILE, QUARTER MILE, A QUARTER MILE IS WHAT THE ASM P SAYS NOW.
WELL THEN LET'S JUST GO WITH ASAP, IF THAT'S OKAY.
[02:30:04]
WE WERE GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE.I JUST, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
I'M NOT SURE I SUPPORT THE SUBSTITUTION HERE.
UM, IT JUST SEEMS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS TO HAVE ANY TEETH, CITY COUNCIL HAS TO ADOPT IT, I'M SKEPTICAL THAT IT'S GOING TO GET THROUGH MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL.
I SUPPORT THE SPIRIT OF A LOT OF WHAT'S HERE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, ASKING PEOPLE TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES OR REQUIRING PEOPLE TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES AS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S LIKELY TO PASS OR IN A SENSE, I FEEL LIKE THE FIRST FEW ORIGINAL BULLET POINT IS JUST SORT OF MORE LIKE A MORE REALISTIC ASK.
UM, I DON'T FEEL SUPER STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
I DO THINK THAT THE FIRST BULLET POINT DOESN'T HAVE THAT SPECIFICITY.
SO IT SAYS A CASE THAT IS ALONG THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK.
UM, AND MAYBE THAT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE EXPANDED TO QUARTER MILE, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST A LONG, LIKE, WHICH SORT OF MEAT SEEMS TO MEET IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT, LIKE RIGHT ON THE STREET.
LIKE I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT AMENDMENT, BUT I THINK THE SUBSTITUTE FOR ME IS A LITTLE STRONG, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU CAN ASK PEOPLE TO ANYTHING.
WE SAY THAT ALL THE TIME WE ASK, WE, WE, WE, THIS, THIS BODY FREQUENTLY HAS VERY STRONG ASKS OF MANY OTHER COMPANIES AROUND TOWN.
SO ACTUALLY MY THOUGHT WAS TO TRY AND MAKE THE WHOLE THING MORE PALATABLE BY OFFERING A SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THESE COMMISSIONS TO STAND UP AND DEFEND THEIR, UH, DECISIONS RATHER THAN GETTING SHOT AT RANDOMLY LATER ON WHETHER THE STRONGER OR THE WEAKER VERSION DOES A BETTER JOB OF CONVEYING THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IT WAS A SPEC THAT SOMEHOW IT WOULD BE NICE IF IT WERE SOMEBODY INVITING.
AND THEN IF THIS PASSES THROUGH US AND THEN IT GOES TO MOBILITY COMMITTEE, JUST LIKE THE, UM, UH, THING WE JUST SAW EARLIER TONIGHT ABOUT THE BOOT.
YOU MAY REMEMBER WE, WE PROPOSE LITERALLY LIKE A THREE OR FOUR WORD CHANGE SIX MONTHS AGO, AND THEN IT CAME BACK TO US SIX MONTHS LATER WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER KIND OF DECORATION AND STIPULATION.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I WOULD BE A LITTLE STRONGER HERE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SO MANY CHEFS IN THE KITCHEN.
IF THIS MOVES FORWARD THAT AREN'T INTENTION COULD BE WELL IN MY MIND, PRETTY BOLD AND LET OTHERS, UM, AMELIORATED TO MAKE IT, IF THEY FEEL THEY NEED, THIS MAY BE UNBELIEVABLY OPTIMISTIC OF ME.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT MAYBE SOME MEMBERS AT THESE OTHER COMMISSIONS MIGHT RECOGNIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TRY AND BE HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY IF THEY TOSSED OUT OUR RESOLUTION ENTIRELY AND CAME UP WITH THEIR OWN IDEAS AND ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL.
SO I'M INCLINED TO START OUT FROM A LESS EXTREME POSITION.
AND THEN IF COUNCIL ON THE MOBILITY COMMISSION STRENGTHENS THAT UP, WHAT CAN I SAY? THAT'S MY JOB.
MY ONLY STATEMENT WOULD BE, UM, COUNSEL TENDS TO OVER COMPROMISE IN MY OPINION.
AND SO I'M GOING TO PURSUE THEN, WELL, THAT'S WHY WITH IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND I'M TOTALLY OPEN TO PEOPLE IF WE, IF WE STILL JUST ALIGNED THAT IT'S WITHIN AFFORDABLE OF TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK INSTEAD OF ALONG, I MEAN, I CAN LIVE WITH ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST OUR INTENTION TO GET IT ACROSS.
I THINK PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT INTENTION.
SO MAYBE I CAN'T SEE THE WHOLE SCREEN, BUT IS THERE ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY STRONG FEELINGS? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
I MEAN, I GET THE INTENT, BUT I GUESS WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD EXAMPLE HERE? RUBEN, BOTH OF Y'ALL WILL BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, OF SOMEONE GIVING A GOOD REASON FOR, FOR THEM AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ADULTS.
UM, UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M ALL ABOUT FULL TRANSPARENCY, BUT NOR DO I NEED TO BE TELLING PEOPLE HOW THEY SHOULD BE ACTING AS A COMMISSIONER ON THE, ON THE DIETS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS GOES A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR TO TELL PEOPLE HOW TO DO THEIR THING, BUT IF THERE IS A REAL VALID REASON THAN JUST TO KNOW WHAT SOMEONE'S THINKING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE THIS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.
I JUST WANT TO PICK YOUR BRAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HERE WOULD BE A VERY VALID REASON.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A MAJOR FREEWAY.
THERE'S NO WAY PEOPLE COULD WALK ACROSS FROM THE PROPERTY TO THE TRANSIT.
UM, ONE OF THOSE COMMISSIONS VOTES TO GIVE IT A LOWER DENSITY CLASSIFICATION, I WOULD SAY FINE WITH THAT, BUT IT'D BE NICE IF THEY POINTED IT OUT
[02:35:01]
OR TOLD ME.AND I'LL GIVE ANOTHER SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.
I ACTUALLY LIVE OFF OF MANCHAC.
SO I KNOW THAT PROPERTY THAT WAS THERE, THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, RUBEN, THAT IS ON WHAT WILL BE A, TRYING TO PARTY NETWORK, BUS RAPID LINE.
AND IT IS UNCLEAR TO ME WHY THAT PROPERTY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW, THAT AREA IS NOT TURNING INTO DEV DENSITY, BUT INSTEAD SF SIX.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEONE TO SAY OUT LOUD, WHY THAT'S THE BETTER DECISION, BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE CAN HAVE A BETTER DISCUSSION.
AND IF THEY SAY IT'S NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, OR IT'S TOO CLOSE TO X OR WHATEVER THE REASON WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF DENSITY ALONG THE TRANSIT LINES.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A GOOD REASON NOT TO, I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE TRANSPARENT ON WHAT OUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS.
AND JUST LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT DIVES A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH INTO TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS KIND OF A THING.
I'M NOT PRETENDING IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, UM, I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, HAVING WATCHED A LOT OF CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMISSION MEANS PEOPLE COME UP WITH REASONS.
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WATCHING A ZONING HEARING TO REZONE AN OFFICE PARK TO MULTI-USE ON THE MOPAC SERVICE ROAD, OR WOMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS PROPOSAL WILL LIKE BLEED.
LIKE SHE SAID, THIS IS YOUR HAND.
YOU'RE THIS IS THE BLOOD OF AUSTIN.
CHILDREN IS RUNNING DOWN YOUR HAND.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SAFETY, LIKE PEOPLE COME UP WITH LIKE LOTS OF REASONS, YOU KNOW, US LEGISLATING THAT LIKE PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE HOW THEY CHOOSE AND THEN ARTICULATED OR NOT ARTICULATE IT.
UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT'S AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, RIGHT? BUT LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VOTING TO DOWN ZONE THINGS OR NOT GIVE THINGS THE BEST USE ALONG A TRANSIT CORRIDOR FOR REASONS THAT I MAY THINK ARE NOT LIKE SPECIOUS OR LIKE NOT REALLY THE REAL REASONS THEY'RE STATING OR ARE NOT GOING TO USUALLY SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO CATCH THEM SAYING SOMETHING LIKE I DON'T LIKE TRANSIT OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE THAT I'M HOPING THAT THEY'LL SAY, BUT THAT'S USUALLY NOT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY.
THEY'RE GOING TO SAY A SAFETY ISSUE OR DIFFERENT ISSUES.
SO LIKE EXPLAINING THE REASONS I THINK IS, AND THOSE ISSUES CAN BE DISCUSSED BECAUSE IF YOU DO SAY A SAFETY ISSUE, THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT.
IF YOU NEVER SAY IT, THEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS IT.
AND I THINK THE, WE IS LUMPING IN THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF MORE TRANSIT, MORE DENSITY ALONG TRANSIT LINES.
IF IT'S UNCLEAR, WHY, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS IN GOLDEN OR OLDEN OR OPPOSING THINGS, UH, UH, AROUND THE BLUE LINE, IF WE CAN'T HEAR IT, THEN WE CAN'T ADDRESS IT AND SAY LIKE, OH, YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT.
I GUESS I WOULD JUST, I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER SUMMERS AND THAT IF SOMEONE JUST GIVE YOU A BLANKET STATEMENT OF SAID, IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
AT WHAT POINT DO YOU SAY, WELL, THAT ANSWER ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
GIVE ME YOUR REAL REASON, YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES THAT HAPPEN? YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WELL THEN YOU SAYING, WHAT INTEREST ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WE CAN GO DOWN THAT ROAD FOR HOURS AND NEVER GET ANY, ANYTHING FROM SOMEONE.
AND REALLY, WE'RE JUST KIND OF, WE'RE IMPOSING OUR WILL.
LIKE I SAID, ACTUALLY, NO, I'M NOT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT KIND OF NOT LIKING THIS WORDING ANYMORE.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT AND HE GETS SHOT DOWN.
UH, CAN YOU MAKE THE SCREEN A LITTLE BIGGER IN CASE THERE THERE'S SOMEONE SAY FROM THINKING ABOUT ALL RIGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTARY BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? YEAH.
WAIT, ONE REAL QUICK QUESTION.
SO THIS PART I'M IN SERIOUS STUFF.
SO WE'RE VOTING ON YOUR ADDITION AND THEN WOULD WE HAVE TO VOTE TO TAKE OUT RUBIN'S IF THIS ONE PASSES ASSUMING, OR HOW DOES THIS WORK? UH, YEAH, THIS WOULD BE A VOTE ON SWAPPING IT.
SO THE ORIGINAL BULLET POINT OR THE SUBSTITUTION BULLET POINT.
SO ONE, SO SWAP NOW WE'RE VOTING.
WELL, WE WOULD BE VOTING ON IS SWAPPING YOURS FOR ROOM FOR ROOMMATES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
DID YOURS GET CHANGED TO A QUARTER MILE? UH, YEAH, I THINK I'VE CHANGED A QUARTER MILE.
UH, YEAH, WHAT'S IN A QUARTER MILE OF TRANSIT PARTY NETWORK AND WE CAN PULL THAT PART IN AS THE NEXT MOTION.
IF WE DECIDE THAT IT'S WORTHWHILE, THAT THIS WILL GET SHOT DOWN, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S FEELING LIKE.
LET'S JUST TAKE THE VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE SUBSTITUTION AMENDMENT, THE ONE IN TEAL, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND SAY HI, CROSSING THEM OFF.
SO RAISE YOUR HAND ALL ITS TENSIONS.
[02:40:02]
I HAVE A, I GUESS INSIGHT SINCE I, I, UH, I, UH, SECOND AND THIS, I, I HONESTLY I'D L IF YOU'RE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT PROCESS OR WHAT, BUT I WOULD RATHER WE THINK UP THAT ENTIRE SECOND BULLET POINT.OH, WELL, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT.
I MOVED TO REMOVE THE SECOND BULLET FROM THIS, FROM THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION THERE A SECOND.
WELL, SAMUEL, I WAS VERY CONCERNED WITH THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE RAISING.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE MORE OR LESS THE, THE PEOPLE ON THOSE COMMISSIONS, A CHANCE TO PONTIFICATE IF THEY WANT TO.
SO THEY LISTEN TO ONE MORE MOTION THAT I HAVE, WHICH IS JUST SIMPLY TO ADD, INSTEAD OF ALONG THE TRANSIT PRIOR TO ALREADY NETWORK, JUST CHANGE IT TO WITHIN A QUARTER MILE, IF THE TRANSIT PROGRAM WORK FOR BULLET TUNE.
AND YEAH, SO THAT'S A LONG CASE, UM, WITHIN ONE QUARTER MILE OF THE TRANSPORTING ONE QUARTER MONTH, AND YOU CAN ONLY DO ONE SLASH FOUR IF YOU WANT.
DOES THIS ONE NEED ANY DISCUSSION ON, CAN WE JUST VOTE ON IT? NOT SEEING ANY DISCUSSION.
UM, IF YOU DO, DO YOU WANT TO GO TO DAISY FULL SCREEN? SO AGAIN, ALL RIGHT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO SWAP ALONG WITH TWO WITHIN A QUARTER MILE, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND SAY, AYE, THAT LOOK LIKE EVERYBODY .
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION AS A WHOLE? OKAY.
LET'S GO ON A RESOLUTION AS A WHOLE, UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING.
THIS CAN EVEN THIS BE A SECOND.
SEE WHAT THE RESOLUTION IS CALLED JUST FOR THE RECORD.
THIS IS CALLED THE A, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION ON COORDINATING TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE PLANS.
UH, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER DRISCOLL ON THIS? WHAT YOUR VOTE WAS? IT WAS AN EYE.
AND WITH THAT, UM, GRADUATIONS, UH, PURPOSE IN WHETHER IT BE, UM, GOOD DISCUSSION SAMUEL, AND I WILL GO LOOK OUR WOUNDS FROM BEING SO DEFEATED AND THEN THROUGH THE THREE, UH, MEETINGS ACTUALLY.
SO THEN THE, UH, DOES IT DO THE
[3. BRIEFINGS ]
BRIEFINGS AND THEN WE WILL BE ON OUR WAY, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? UH, I DON'T THINK THE COMMISSION, WHETHER IT BE IS HERE.SHE'S NOT, SHE'S NOT, UH, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
UM, I AM, UM, THEY HAVE NOT MET AGAIN, SO THEY'VE NOT MET SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE.
UM, HOW ABOUT THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL? OKAY.
UM, MY VIDEO IS LAGGING, SO I HOPE THIS IS WORKING.
UM, LET'S SEE, THE SILVER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN UPDATE.
THEY'RE COMING UP ON ONE YEAR OF WORKING ON THIS PLAN.
THEY HAVE NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE.
UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH PARKING WAYFINDING AND HAVING SEEN PUBLIC TRANSIT, CREATING MORE PATHWAYS FOR ALL PEOPLE, NOT IN VEHICLES.
UM, THERE ALSO HAD AN UPDATE ON THE EQUITABLE TRANS TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECT CONNECT WILL DO AMAZING IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO DISPLACING PEOPLE AND THEY'RE CONDUCTING A STUDY ON EXISTING CONDITIONS.
UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY GOALS FOR FUTURE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS.
UM, HOW DO IDENTIFY BENEFITS AND TRADE-OFFS TO DIFFERENT POLICY PRIORITIES AND HOW TO MAKE COMMUNITY GOALS INTO POLICY SOLUTIONS? THEY ALSO PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE MACOLA STATION DESIGN RECOMMENDATION.
THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL IS CREATING AN ADVISORY TO CITY COUNCIL FOR WIDE SIDEWALKS, ADA ACCESSIBLE RAMPS AND FENCES TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM GOING ONTO THE TRACKS.
YEAH, SO, UH, PC HAD THE SAME PRESENTATION FROM ZILKER.
UM, ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO CALL OUT IS THAT THEY DO HAVE A MEETING COMING UP ON THE 15TH,
[02:45:01]
UM, WHERE THEY'RE GETTING OR THEY'RE DEBUTING, UM, PART OF THEIR PLAN.UM, AND IT'S LIKE THE FIRST, LIKE, I THINK CONCRETE PART OF THEIR PLAN, UM, FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RECORDING THAT MEETING AND POSTING IT ONLINE IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT.
UM, AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE AN ONGOING, UM, SURVEY AND MESSAGE BOARD PROCESS.
UM, THERE'S MORE DETAILS ON THEIR WEBSITE.
UH, SO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, UH, TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, THERE WAS A PROJECT CONNECT, UH, BLUE LINE BRIDGE DISCUSSION, RIGHT AFTER OUR DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, YOU SEE THAT MORE CURRENT DISCUSSION, SO NOTHING REALLY DO THERE.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, UH, UH, NOT SUPER IN-DEPTH, BUT THERE WAS THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT RACIAL EQUITY TOOL DISCUSSION AS WELL.
THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON A DEVELOPMENT OVER ON THE EAST SIDE, I BELIEVE CALLED , WHICH IS A, UM, SO PARKING, UH, SHARED CAR, UM, ELECT DAY, EVERY NEW TENANT GETS AN E-BIKE THAT THERE'S A HUNDRED OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE 10 SPOTS LEFT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING.
UM, AND THEN I GAVE THEM AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE HAD BEEN UP TO AND, UM, I THINK THAT WAS IT.
AND FINALLY, UH, THE CNBC, UH, ASSISTANCE OF OURS.
SO, UM, OUR LAST MEETING WE HEARD, UM, UM, WE'VE BEEN, WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION, SO THERE WAS A SORT OF A STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THE FIRST SORT OF, I GUESS, TRAUNCH OF MONEY FROM PROJECT CONNECT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SPLIT UP THREE WAYS, UM, SOME FOR LAND ACQUISITION, SOME TOWARDS, UM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND, UM, AND I GUESS LIKE IN SORT OF LIKE NACD IS THAT DEVELOP HOUSING, UM, AND LOOKING AT IT'S REALLY INTERESTING LOOKING AT SMALLER SCALE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, UM, THEN, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY LIKE LARGE COMPLEXES, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL COMPLEXES AND THEN SOME THAT'S GOING TO BE USED IN SORT OF A MORE, WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK OF A MORE TRADITIONAL MANNER, LIKE MORE OF LIKE ON LARGER UNITS AS WELL.
SO, UM, YOU CAN REVIEW OUR DISCUSSION ON THERE, BUT THAT'S, UM, PRETTY INTERESTING.
AND, UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, I JUST REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING STUFF HAPPENING IN THOSE MEETINGS.
AND I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, TO WATCH THAT AND STAY, STAY REALLY ENGAGED.
AND THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSION OF, UM, SOME OF THE GRANTS AND THINGS THAT, UH, PROJECT CONNECT, UH, CAT METRO HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR LIKE, UM, ETOD, UM, AS FAR AS LIKE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN AWARDED.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING STUFF.
[4. Future Agenda Items]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE QUITE A LIST.UM, I WOULD PROPOSE ADDING, SO THEY GOT , UH, THE WIPING PROJECT, UM, SOME POINT NOT NECESSARILY NOW.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE THE SPOT YET.
I'M GOING TO EMAIL, UH, CHRISTOPHER I'LL EMAIL YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ABOUT THAT.
AND IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE A, A MEETING PROBABLY ACTIONABLE WITHIN LIKE MAY, APRIL OR MAY SOMETIME.
I'D LIKE TO GET ANOTHER WHACK THAT I, 35.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE, UH, ITEMS OF URGENCY THAT THEY WANT TO PUSH TO THE TOP OF THIS LIST? WELL, I JUST NOTICED, I THINK CHRIS WAS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF IT.
THE A S M P IS BEING UPDATED AND THEY HAVE REQUESTED THEY HAVE IT SCHEDULED MEETING WITH US FOR OUR MARCH MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'VE ACCEPTED THE FACT THEY'VE DONE THAT.
AND IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA.
AND THEN, UH, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOLS, UM, THERE WERE THERE MAKING THE ROUNDS WITH THAT, WITH THEIR PRESENTATION OF ALL THE COMMISSIONS, ET CETERA.
I THINK WE WILL ALL, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION AND I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND MOVING NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST.
MAYBE DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A CO-SPONSOR? IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A NATIVE CO-SPONSOR SURE.
I HAD PREVIOUSLY OFFERED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT IT'S FINE.
IF IT'S MR. BROOKS, I WROTE GLADLY THE MORE THE MERRIER CAN WE LIST THREE PEOPLE? WHY NOT JUST TYPING? UM, OKAY, WELL, THAT'LL GET US SOME DISTANCE AND THEN WE'LL, UM, PUT EMAILS TO THE, TO THE TIME.
AND WITH THAT, ANY, SORRY, LAST
[02:50:01]
ANNOUNCEMENTS.UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, WE GOT OUT AT EIGHT, SO DID A GOOD JOB.
UM, UH, WE WILL BE AT CITY HALL, MARIO MARCH, UH, MARCH S AND P UPDATE WILL TAKE PLACE AS WELL AS THE VISUAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL.
WE WILL PROBABLY MAYBE POTENTIALLY HAVE ONE MORE ITEM DEPENDING ON, UM, TIME.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON, IN TERMS OF HOW I CAN BEST SHARE THE BACKUPS, I KNOW THIS SITUATION WAS KIND OF HECTIC BECAUSE, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF BACKUPS FOR ITEM TWO EIGHT, UM, BUT I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW BEST TO GIVE THE BACKUPS WHO YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TO CREATE A FOLDER OR SARAH HOOPER BRIDE WOULD HAVE YOU JUST LET ME KNOW, AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, WHATEVER YOUR PREFERENCE IS.
UM, AND THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE ALL GET ANNOUNCED.
CAUSE I HAD THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU GUYS IT'S TIME TO SHARE.
AND WITH THAT, IS THAT MOTION? YES.
EMOTION DECLARED BY AGREEMENT OR A TURN SIGNAL.