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EVERYONE SIGNED UP THERE IN THE ROOM.
[1.a. Approval of the minutes from the February 16, 2022 Bond Oversight Commission meeting ]
GREAT.WE'LL UH, WE'LL JUMP OVER TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 16TH MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND DEAD.
ALL IN FAVOR, TWO FREE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 16TH MEETING, SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? NAY PASSES UNANIMOUS UNANIMOUSLY,
[2.a. Staff briefing from the Parks and Recreation Department related to parkland acquisition ]
UM, ONTO STAFF BRIEFINGS, UH, TO A STAFF BRIEFING FROM THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT RELATED TO PARKLAND ACQUISITION.I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HAVE A SHORT 14 MINUTE VIDEO THAT SUMMARIZES OUR PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS AS WELL AS PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UH, THAT KIND OF COVERS WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO FAR SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE 2018 PARKS PLAN WITH RESPECT TO ACQUISITIONS SPECIFICALLY.
SO, UH, I'M HOPING THAT OUR AAV CAN QUEUE UP AND PLAY THAT VIDEO.
AND WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS.
IN THIS VIDEO, WE'LL EXPLORE RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS AND NEW PARK ACQUISITIONS AND PARK DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH A VARIETY OF FUNDING SOURCES.
OVERALL, OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO EQUITABLY, PROVIDE PARKLAND THROUGH THE CITY TO EXPAND OUR PARK SYSTEM PROPORTIONALLY TO THE GROWTH OF OUR CITY AND TO SERVE EVERY RESIDENT WITH A PARK WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE, WE'LL EXPLORE THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE'RE IMPROVING OUR PARKS SYSTEM THROUGH ACQUISITIONS OF NEW PARKLAND, THROUGH DEDICATION OF NEW PARKLAND AS PART OF DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS AND THROUGH PARK DEVELOPMENT FUNDS COLLECTED AS PART OF DEVELOPMENT INTERVIEWS, WE'LL START WITH ACQUISITIONS.
SINCE 2018 PART HAS BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE TWO MAJOR FUNDING SOURCES, PARKLAND, DEDICATION FEES, AND BOND FUNDS THAT COMBINED HAVE DRAMATICALLY EXPANDED OUR PARK SYSTEM.
IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE FUNDING FOR OUR ACQUISITIONS HAS CONSISTED OF 32% PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES COLLECTED FROM NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN 68% VOTER APPROVED BOND FUNDS, INCLUDING THE 2006, 2012 AND 2018 BONDS.
WITH THE TOTAL OF THOSE FUNDS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE 75 ACRES OF NEW PARKLAND SINCE 2018, THOSE 75 ACRES MAKE UP 20 NEW OR EXPANDED PARKS.
HOW ARE NEW PARKS IDENTIFIED FOR ACQUISITION HEART'S PLANNERS USE A VARIETY OF CRITERIA TO LOCATE WHERE THE BEST INVESTMENT CAN BE MADE TO FURTHER THE CITY'S GOAL AND BEST SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
THE ANALYSIS BEGINS BY LOOKING FOR AREAS WITH HIGH POPULATION DENSITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH THE CONCENTRATION OF PRIORITIZED COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS AND CHILDREN.
WE LOOK FOR CREEK CORRIDORS AND GAPS IN OUR GREEN BELTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN THE BEDROCK OF AUSTIN'S PARK SYSTEM FOR GENERATIONS.
THEN WE LOOK FOR AREAS THAT LACK PARKS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITIES.
USING A WATERSHED ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED IN GREEN.
FROM THIS ANALYSIS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TARGET AND ACQUIRE NEW PARKLAND RESULTING IN 20 NEW OR EXPANDED PARKS SINCE 2018.
FOR THIS PRESENTATION, WE'LL HIGHLIGHT FIVE NOTABLE NEW ACQUISITIONS, A CRITICAL CONNECTION WITHIN THE WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENBELT COOPER NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IN SOUTH AUSTIN, TILLERY PECAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND EAST AUSTIN, UPPER LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREENBELT IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN AND A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PARK OVERLOOKING BULL CREEK IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN.
WILLIAMSON CREEK EAST GREENBELT IS OVER SIX ACRES ADJACENT TO ONION CREEK SOCCER COMPLEX.
THIS ACQUISITION CLOSES A CRITICAL GAP IN THE WILLIAMSON CREEK, EAST GREENVILLE THE PARK CONNECTS THE SURROUNDING SOUTHEAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY TO NATURE WITH A TRAIL MEANDERING THROUGH BEAUTIFUL MATURE TREES AND DOWN TO THE CREEK
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COOPER NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IS A FIVE ACRE PARK SERVING A RAPIDLY DENSIFYING AREA IN SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN.THE SITE IS GENTLY SLOPED WITH A DIVERSITY OF OPEN FIELDS, A CREEK CORRIDOR AND LARGE LIVE OAKS.
THIS ACQUISITION CLOSES A CRITICAL GAP IN THE PARK SERVICE AREA FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
TILLERY BEGAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK PRESERVES, A HISTORIC MATURE PECAN ORCHARD THAT IS BELOVED BY ITS GROWING COMMUNITY.
IT WAS ACQUIRED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HOUSING GROUP, THEREBY PROVIDING BOTH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PARKLAND TOGETHER.
UPPER LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREENBELT INCLUDES BARWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IN GEORGIA POCKET PARK.
THIS ACQUISITION PROVIDES ACRES OF UNENCUMBERED LAND, NUMEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS POINTS VIA EXISTING RIGHT AWAY, AND WILL SERVE AS A CONTINUATION OF THE UPPER LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREENBELT ITSELF.
CARD PARTNERED WITH TEXAS CONSERVATION CORPS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THIS PARKLAND WITH STEPS DOWN TO THE CREEK AND A NATURE TRAIL BULL CREEK BLUFF NEIGHBORHOOD PARK WITH ITS MAGNIFICENT LIMESTONE BLUFFS OVER BULL CREEK.
THIS PARK OFFERS SCENIC VIEWS TOWARDS THE HILL COUNTRY WHILE SERVING AS A CENTRAL NODE FOR THE LARGER BULL CREEK GREENBELT, THE LOW SIDE OF THE BLUFF AND CLOSE A CRITICAL GAP FOR THE UPPER BOWL CREEK GREENVILLE NORTH OF LOOP 360 ADDITIONAL PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING.
LOOKING AHEAD PART ANTICIPATE SEVERAL MORE MAJOR ACQUISITIONS USING BOND AND PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES.
THE HEAT MAP SHOWS WHERE WE HAVE CONCENTRATED SPENDING ON LAND ACQUISITIONS, INCLUDING FUTURE ANTICIPATED ACQUISITIONS.
WE ANTICIPATE MAJOR UPCOMING ACQUISITIONS FOR GREENBELT CONNECTIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS FOR PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIES ALTOGETHER.
WE ESTIMATE THAT ALL TARGETED FUTURE ACQUISITIONS AMOUNT TO APPROXIMATELY $43 MILLION, ABOUT 29 MILLION WILL COME FROM THE 2018 BOND WITH THE REMAINING 14 MILLION FUNDED THROUGH PARKLAND DEDICATION, THINGS HAVING SEEN WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE 1998 PARKS BOND.
WE HAVE ADDED HUNDREDS OF ACRES TO OUR PARK SYSTEM.
WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR BIGGER ACQUISITIONS OVER THE PAST 20 PLUS YEARS.
OVER 80% OF THAT NEW ACREAGE HAS BEEN IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT OR REGION THAT GENERALLY CONSISTS OF EAST AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE EASTERN EDGES OF NORTH AND SOUTH AUSTIN.
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SWITCHING GEARS.WELL NOW LOOK AT OUR EXPANSION THROUGH DEVELOPER PROVIDED PARKLAND, PARKLAND, DEDICATION OR PLD FOR SHORT, IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS? NEW DEVELOPMENTS MUST PROVIDE AN EXPANSION OF OUR PARK SYSTEM PROPORTIONATE TO THEIR IMPACTS.
THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE MAINTAINING THE HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR WHICH WE ARE KNOWN WHILE OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW PARKLAND, DEDICATION CAN BE SATISFIED WITH FEES IN LIEU AND OR DEDICATION OF LAND CONCURRENT WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
DEPENDING ON THE PARTNER REVIEW, WE APPLY THESE FEES TO BUY NEW PARKLAND.
WE'LL NOW FOCUS ON CONCURRENT ONSITE, DEDICATION THAT OCCURS WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE ADDED 125 ACRES OF PARKLAND THROUGH CONCURRENT ONSITE DEDICATION AS PART OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR NEW REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS.
THOSE 125 ACRES ARE SPREAD OVER 31 NEW OR EXPANDED PARKS.
LOOKING AT WHERE THESE NEW PARKS ARE.
YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WHEREVER NEW DEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH THE DEMAND ON OUR PARKS SYSTEM.
DISTRIBUTION OF PLD PARKS GENERALLY CORRELATES WITH THE LOCATION OF NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS WITH SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH THAT HAVE SEEN NEW PLD PARKS INCLUDE EAST RIVERSIDE AND SOUTH AUSTIN.
HERE'S THE SAMPLE OF THE NEW PLD PARKS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THEM COME TO US AS UNDEVELOPED NATURAL LANDS, OTHERS HAVE PARK AMENITIES THAT ARE BUILT AND SOMETIMES EVEN MAINTAINED BY THE DEVELOPER AS WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW AND APPROVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS, PART ANTICIPATES MANY NEW PARKS TO BE DEDICATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
THE HEAT MAP IS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF WHERE WE HAVE NEGOTIATED SOME FUTURE PARKLAND TO BE DEDICATED UPON PROJECT COMPLETION.
WE ANTICIPATE MAJOR UPCOMING DEDICATIONS THAT INCLUDE GREENBELT CONNECTIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS FOR GROWING COMMUNITIES.
WE ESTIMATE THAT THERE IS UP TO 1000 NEW ACRES OF PARKLAND IN THE WORKS IN THE COMING THREE TO 10 YEARS.
THE PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS ALSO INCLUDE PARK DEVELOPMENT FEES THAT ARE USED TOWARDS PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE AMENITIES LIKE PLAYSCAPES SPORTS COURTS, TRAILS, PAVILIONS, AND MUCH MORE.
THESE ARE DISTINCT FROM PARKLAND FEES IN LIEU, WHICH ARE SPENT ON LAND ACQUISITION IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
PART HAS EXPENDED CLOSE TO 7.1 MILLION IN PARK DEVELOPMENT FEES ON 76 DIFFERENT PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE LOCATED NEAR WHERE THE FEES ARE COLLECTED SO THAT THEY BENEFIT THE EXISTING AND FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA.
PRIORITIZATION OF PARK IMPROVEMENTS IS PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
MOST NEW IMPROVEMENTS LEVERAGED DEVELOPMENT FEES WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BONDS AS WELL AS OTHER FUNDING SOURCES SUCH AS GRANTS AND PARTNER CONTRIBUTIONS PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND INCLUDE A RANGE OF NEW IMPROVEMENTS FROM PLAYSCAPE REPLACEMENTS AND TRAIL, HEAD RESTROOM, CONSTRUCTION TO COMPLETE PARK INSTALLATION AS SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING.
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LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE PARKLAND DEDICATION FUNDS HAVE BEEN COLLECTED FOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.THE MAP SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF AVAILABLE PLANNED AND COMPLETED ART DEVELOPMENT FUNDS COLLECTED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT.
GENERALLY, THESE FUNDS MUST BE SPENT NEAR WHERE THEY ARE COLLECTED.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE OVER 2.6 MILLION IN AVAILABLE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS THAT CAN BE SPENT ON FUTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
AS AUSTIN GROWS, THE PARK PLANNING TEAM IS COMMITTED TO EXPANDING OUR PARK SYSTEM EQUITABLY TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF PARK SERVICE.
SINCE NOVEMBER, 2018, WE'VE GROWN OUR PARKS SYSTEM BY APPROXIMATELY 200 ACRES OVER 51, NEWER EXPANDED PARKS.
THAT'S ABOUT 20 NEW OR EXPANDED PARKS A YEAR FOR AUSTIN NIGHTS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PARKLAND DEDICATION, VISIT OUR STORY MAP AT WWW DOT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/ATX PARKLAND, OR SEND US AN EMAIL AT PARKLAND DOT DEDICATION AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.COM AUSTIN IS GROWING.
AND SO IS OUR PARK SYSTEM IN THIS VIDEO.
UH, APPRECIATE EVERYONE WATCHING THE VIDEO.
I I'M SORRY IF, UH, THE QUALITY OVER WEBEX WAS A LITTLE HICCUPY AT TIMES.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, AN UPDATE TO TWO OF THE SLIDES THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE.
I DID SHARE IT WITH, UM, THE, UH, LIAISON AS WELL.
IF WE COULD GET THOSE SLIDES PULLED UP, THAT JUST UPDATE SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO PRESENTATION TOO.
WE PRODUCED THIS VIDEO MAYBE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO AND, UH, WE'VE PURCHASED SOME ADDITIONAL PARKS SINCE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL ARE GETTING THE MOST UP TO DATE FIGURES.
I ALSO HAVE TWO COLLEAGUES OR THREE COLLEAGUES THERE RATHER THAT ARE, I'M HOPING TO JOIN, UH, FOR QUESTIONS, RANDY SCOTT, UH, ROBIN HAMANS AND PAUL BOOKS, IF THEY COULD BE ADDED TO, TO THE, UM, PANEL.
I HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD WE, UH, COULD WE GET THROUGH THIS SLIDE REAL QUICK, THEN WENT BACK TO QUESTIONS TO ME.
UH, IF, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE BIGGEST SLIDE QUICKLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR PULLING THIS UP.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION YOU SAW THESE NUMBERS THEY'VE BEEN UPDATED SINCE, SO, UH, WE'VE EXPENDED THAT $27 MILLION, UH, IN BONDS RELATED TO PARKLAND DEDICATION AND THAT'S ACROSS 82 ACRES IN 22 NEW PARKS.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR TWO ADDITIONAL NEW PARKS THAT WE'VE PURCHASED.
UH, SINCE WE ORIGINALLY PRODUCED THIS VIDEO FOR, UH, THE COMMISSION ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, WE UPDATED THE REMAINING AMOUNT OF THE 2018 BOND, UH, RELATED TO THE PORTION RELATED TO ACQUISITION.
SO THE, THE REMAINING IS APPROXIMATELY $18 MILLION.
UM, UH, ARE YOU READY FOR QUESTIONS? UH, WE ARE.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THE, UH, OTHER PLANNERS WERE ABLE TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS, UH, RANDY SCOTT PROGRAM MANAGER WITH PARKLAND ACQUISITION AND PARKLAND DEDICATION.
BELIEVE ROBIN PAYMENTS ALSO IS NOW A PANELIST.
AND ALL BOOKS IS ALSO WITNESS.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE SO, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE WEBEX, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, IF YOU COULD JUST RAISE YOUR HAND WITH THE TOOL THERE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN IN THE ROOM, UH, TO MEET, YOU'LL JUST NEED TO SPEAK UP, UM, AS I CAN'T REALLY SEE VERY WELL.
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CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT SOUNDS LIKE, YES.IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER DESK.
MY, I THINK I GOT THE MESSAGE.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATION OR CONFIRMATION OF WHAT I'VE THOUGHT I HEARD.
UH, IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY ENCOURAGING TO SEE THE EFFORT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THESE, UH, PARKS PARKS MAKE A CITY THERE, THE LUNGS OF A CITY.
SO IT'S VERY WELL, VERY WELL APPRECIATED, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS, IS IT YOUR INTENT BY DESIGN, BY PLAN, BY DESIRE THAT SOMEDAY THESE PARKS WILL ALL BE CONNECTED THROUGH WALKING TRAILS AND BIKE WAYS.
SO THAT ONE COULD SAY START IN THE SOUTH AND, AND, AND, AND BIKE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE NORTH VICE VERSA OR EVEN WALK PART OF THE WAY.
I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MANY GREAT CITIES HAVE INSTITUTED WHERE PARKS ARE CONNECTED.
ARE WE ALSO IMPLEMENTING THAT STRATEGY? YES, THAT IS OUR, UH, ACQUISITION, UH, METHODOLOGY.
THAT'S HOW WE, WE PLAN OUR PARKS SYSTEM.
UH, THE GREENWAYS THAT WE CALL THEM FOLKS AS THE SPINE AND ALONG THAT GREENWAY, WE, WE TRY TO ACQUIRE NODES.
UM, WE ALL CAN USE, UH, LINEAR GREENWAYS OR LINEAR, UH, USUALLY FOLLOW A CREEK OR A LINEAR.
UH, I'D SAY MAJORITY OF THE TIME FREAKS IN AUSTIN.
SOMETIMES THEY FALL OFF POWER LINES, BUT THEY'RE VERY LINEAR PARKS.
AND ALONG THAT LINEAR PARK, YOU, YOU TRY TO ACQUIRE NODES FOR MORE ACTIVE RECREATION.
SO, UH, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET TO THAT PARK, UH, AS WELL.
SO, YES, AND TO ADD TO THAT, WE DO OFTEN WORK WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS, THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM.
SO OFTEN WE'RE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY ALONG CREEK CORRIDORS, UH, TO ACHIEVE EXACTLY THAT, UH, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND RECREATION TOGETHER, THAT RESPONSE.
I HAD A, A QUESTION, UM, OR REGARDS TO THE FEES AND LOU, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB ANTICIPATING QUESTIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, I JUST HAD A QUESTION OF HOW THERE'S FEES ARE DETERMINED IF THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY EARMARKED FOR ACQUISITION OF PARKLAND, CORRECT? YES, THERE'S, UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING IN LIEU OF PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UH, THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE IS MADE UP OF TWO DIFFERENT FIELDS.
SO LATER IN THE VIDEO, WE TALKED ABOUT ART DEVELOPMENT AND THERE'S ALSO, SO THERE'S A FEE IN LIEU OF PARK DEVELOPMENT, AND THERE'S A FEE IN LIEU OF PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UH, THE FEED IN LIEU OF LAND DEDICATION, UH, IS, IS TARGETED FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
YEAH, IT DOES HELP ME KIND OF DELINEATE BETWEEN THE TWO.
HOWEVER, HOW ARE THE ACTUAL FEES DETERMINED FOR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS, UH, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT HAS, AND THERE'S A CALCULATION.
UH, I, CAN, WE HAVE A PLD STORY MAP THAT WE CAN SHARE A LINK TO YOU TOO, BUT IT'S, UH, IT GOES DEEP DIVES INTO, UH, HOW THE PS CALCULATED AND, UH, WHAT THE MONEY IS TARGETED FOR AND, AND TIMELINES FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, I'LL BE, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
I CAN, IT'S A, IT'S A DEEP DIVE, A FORMULAS, UH, ON A MULTI, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DIVE INTO IT JUST A LITTLE BIT? YEAH.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF I TAKE A SECOND HERE.
SO THE FORMULA IS BASED ON, UH, THE NUMBER OF UNITS, UH, AND WE CALCULATE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER TYPE OF UNIT.
SO IN A SINGLE FAMILY, WE HAVE, WE CALCULATE THAT THERE'S 2.8 PEOPLE PER UNIT, UM, IN A CONDO TYPE DEVELOPMENT, WE CALCULATE THERE'S 2.2 PEOPLE PER UNIT AND IN A MULTIFAMILY WOULD CALCULATE THAT THERE'S 1.7 PEOPLE PER UNIT AND OWN THAT UNIT.
WE CALCULATE 9.4 ACRES OF PARKLAND FOR EVERY THOUSAND PEOPLE, BASICALLY THAT ARE MOVING IN.
SO, UH, THE FORMULA IS, IS 9.4 TIMES THE NUMBER OF UNITS, TIMES THE DENSITY OF THAT TYPE OF UNIT.
AND THEN YOU DIVIDE THAT BY A THOUSAND.
AND THAT COMES UP WITH THE ACRES
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OF PARKLAND.NOW DEVELOPMENT MAY DECIDE TO DEDICATE, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT LAND IT'S IN A PARK DEFICIENT AREA, UH, WILL REQUIRE THAT THEY DEDICATE THAT YOU NEVER, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST CASE WE HAD WHERE THEY DEDICATED ALL THE LAND THAT THEY OWN.
SO THEY DEDICATE A PORTION OF THE LAND AND WOULD PAY A FEE IN LIEU UP.
IF WE HAVE A PARK NEXT DOOR OR, UH, SOMEWHERE THEY WOULD PAY THE TOTAL FEE AND THE WORK.
AND, AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AS FAR AS ACRES PER A THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE LIKE, HOW FAR ARE WE BEHIND? ARE WE AHEAD OF THE CURVE? UH, WE'RE WE'RE BEHIND WE'RE DROPPING, UH, ON ACRES THEN THAT HAS TO DO A LOT WITH THE RATE AT WHICH AUSTIN IS GROWING, UH, OR OUR PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE IS SET TO A MAZE BASED ON 9.4 ACRES PER THOUSAND.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S GOAL IS THAT 21 ACRES PER A THOUSAND, UH, IN OUR LONG RANGE PLAN.
SO, AND WE'RE SITTING CURRENTLY, UH, THANK THE LAST NUMBER I SAW WAS AROUND 18 ACRES PER THOUSAND.
I SEE GOT IT'S KEEPING THE PARKLAND DEDICATION IS DESIGNED TO KEEP UP WITH GROWTH TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT IT'S, UH, WROTE THE STILLS HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED THROUGH BOND, UH, ACQUISITIONS AND HAVING BOND FUNDING ENABLES US TO EXPEND, UH, THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEASTS THERE, YOU KNOW, WHILE THEY MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LOT THEY'RE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND EACH CASE HAS REALLY NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY LAND.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, WE GET A FAKE, OUR CURRENT FEE IS BASED ON $166,162,000 PER ACRE.
AND YOU CANNOT FIND A, UH, ACRE OF LAND REALLY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR $162,000.
SO HAVING BOND, UH, THAT'S THE REASON WE KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT MATCH, WHERE WE, UH, EXPENSE DLD DOLLARS AND BOND DOLLAR SOMA ON A PARTICULAR ACQUISITION.
UH, JARED, I HAVE A COUPLE OF DOZEN, SOME DOES SUMMIT, UH, AND, UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS.
UM, IN THIS SLIDE THAT YOU'VE GOT, WHERE YOU'VE GOT 37% PLD AND 63% FROM BOND FUNDING, IS THAT AN IDEAL MIX OR IS THERE A BETTER MIX THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHOOT FOR WHERE YOU WANT MORE MONEY FROM BOND OR MORE MONEY FROM PLD? WHAT IS ULTIMATE GOAL? THAT'S THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE OR THIS IS, YEAH, SO, UH, I, I THINK THAT IS A, A, A VERY GOOD MIXTURE OF, UH, PLD AND IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THAT BOND PACKAGE BY SUPPLEMENTING PARKLAND, DEDICATION FUNDS ON THESE ACQUISITIONS.
UH, THE BOND, UH, ACTUALLY ENABLES US TO, UH, AND HELPS US EXPAND THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FUNDS.
UM, WE, WE TRY TO KEEP TRACK OF, OF THAT RATIO RIGHT THERE, UM, WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE ACQUIRING LAND.
AND I THINK, UH, A 60, 40 MIXTURE IS A PRETTY GOOD, GOOD MIXTURE, I THINK MIGHT BE A LITTLE LOW, BUT I THINK THAT'S IS AS GOOD AS WE CAN ASK FOR RIGHT NOW.
AND GETTING BACK TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF ACRES PER THOUSAND GOAL, DID I HEAR YOU SAY THE CITY'S GOAL IS LIKE 21 AND WE ARE AT 18 AND DROPPING.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING OR ARE WE TRYING TO CATCH UP AND, AND WHAT IS YOUR REMEDY FOR GETTING CLOSER TO THE CITY TARGET? UH, THIS, THIS LAST BOND PACKAGE IN 2018, UH, WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL, UH, ENABLING US TO, UH, KEEP PACE WITH THE GROWTH.
UH, IF WE SAY, UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I GO BACK, UH, TO THE, TO THE 98 BONDS IN PREVIOUS BONDS BEFORE THAT, UH, WHEN THE CITY WENT OUT, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS ALWAYS, UH, LANE ACQUISITION FOR PARKS WAS ALWAYS ABOUT $40 MILLION IN EACH BOND PACKAGE.
AND IN 1998, THAT'S ABOUT MY FIRST BOND PACKAGE THAT I WORKED ON EXTENDING FOR PARKLAND ACQUISITION.
[00:30:01]
THEN THE NEXT BOND PACKAGE, I THINK THAT WAS 2006, THAT WAS CUT IN HALF TO ABOUT $20 MILLION.AND THE FOLLOWING BOUGHT THE PACKAGE IN 2012, I THINK THERE WAS LIKE $4 MILLION.
AND, UH, THAT WE WERE IN A FREE FALL ON ACRES PER A THOUSAND.
AT THAT POINT, THIS, THIS LAST BOND PACKAGES ENABLED US TO, TO, TO CLIMB BACK UP.
BUT WITH THIS BOND PACKAGE, WE HAD EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN POPULATION GROWTH AND, UH, AND ANY NORMAL TIMES, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE UP A LOT MORE GROUND OR BEEN ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO KEEP PACE WITH THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE AND THE LAST MONTH PACKAGE.
SO, SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS THEN IN YOUR MIND? IS IT, IS IT ANOTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, BOND TO VOTE ON? IS IT, UH, GETTING CREATIVE WITH, SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE NURSE.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, OVER 30 ACTIVE PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UH, THE, WE PROBABLY HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE BOND PACKAGE SPENT WITHIN, UH, A YEAR.
AND I THINK, UH, ANOTHER PARKLAND ACQUISITION BOND, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS YOU KNOW, THIS MONEY IS EXPENDED, UH, W WOULD BE CREDIBLE IN ORDER FOR US TO KEEP PACE, UH, WITH THE WORK RIGHT THAT AUSTIN'S GROWING.
AND MAY I JUST ADD A VICE CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, THE ACREAGE FOR THOUSAND ISN'T THE ONLY METRIC THAT WAS BAD WISHED BY CITY COUNCIL, AS FAR AS OUR, UH, PARKS PERFORMANCE.
SO WE ALSO LOOK AT PARK DEFICIENCY OR THE NUMBER, THE PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE SERVED BY OUR PARK SYSTEM.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE THAT QUITE A BIT, UH, IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO WE WERE, I THINK IN 2018, AT 64% OF RESIDENTS BEING SERVED WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF OUR PARK SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S A FIVE TO 10 MINUTE WALK, UH, RECENTLY AS PART OF OUR LATEST REPORTING, WE'VE INCREASED THAT TO 67%.
SO WE ARE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO, UH, ALL RESIDENTS BEING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF A PARK, WHICH IS THE OTHER MAJOR GOAL THAT WE HAVE AS FAR AS OUR PARK SYSTEM GOES.
SO JUST WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, SOME OF THE ACQUISITIONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IS SERVED AN ADDITIONAL 20,000 ESTIMATED RESIDENTS WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF THE WALKING DISTANCE OF APART PREVIOUSLY.
I THINK THE IRONY OF THIS ALL IS, UH, THE, THE, THE PARKLAND THAT WE DO HAVE IN THIS CITY MAKES IT SO DESIRABLE, SUCH A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE THAT IT'S BRINGING A LOT OF FOLKS HERE.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE DYES? ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NOT FROM HERE.
I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS RAISED ON THE, UH, ON THE CALL, SO APPRECIATE, UM, THE VIDEO AND THE DETAIL AND YOUR TIME TODAY.
I HAVE TO HAVE THE UPDATES AND ALL THE HARD WORK.
I APPRECIATE THAT COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US APPRECIATE IT.
AND WE WILL MAKE SURE Y'ALL HAVE A LINK TO, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN SEE THE VIDEO AND A LITTLE BIT HIGHER QUALITY VIDEO LOOK GREAT.
ACTUALLY, WE ALREADY HAVE A VIDEO.
[2.b. Staff briefing from the Watershed Protection Department related to the 2018 bond program ]
UM, WE'RE AT, UH, ITEM TWO B STAFF BRIEFING FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT RELATED TO THE 2018 BOND PROGRAM.CHAIR RODRIGUEZ AND COMMISSIONERS.
I AM A CONSULTING ENGINEER IN THE PRODUCT DESIGN AND DELIVERY BRANCH OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY ONE OF MY TEAMMATES, ANDY VANZANT.
HE'S A CAPITAL PROGRAM CONSULTANT ALSO IN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION HAS MADE ON OUR 2018 BOND PROGRAMS. I HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN SLIDES THAT I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH.
UM, AND THEN THERE WILL BE TIME AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS,
[00:35:01]
OR IF YOU WANT TO REVISIT ANY OF THE PREVIOUS LINES OF PROJECTS THAT WE DISCUSS.UH, I THINK I SHOULD GO FORWARD TO TWO MORE SLIDES.
SO JUST AS A REFRESHER FOR YOU ALL, UM, THE 2018 BOND PROFIT BOND PACKAGE INCLUDED PROPOSITION FEE, WHICH WAS FOR FLOOD MITIGATION AND OPEN-SPACE AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION.
THESE ARE TWO PRIMARY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAMS THAT WE TO SAY THAT WE PROVIDE THEM.
WE USE BOND FUNDING TO SUPPORT PROPOSITION $184 MILLION TO SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THE INTENTION WAS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOST SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGH THAT FUNDING WITHIN AN EIGHT YEAR TIMEFRAME.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS A BREAKDOWN OF THAT $184 MILLION.
AS I SAID, IT WAS FOR BOTH FLOOD MITIGATION AND WHAT WE CALL OPEN SPACE AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, 112 MILLION OF IT WAS EARMARKED FOR THOSE FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS, WHICH WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IN A FEW MINUTES AND 72 MILLION WAS YOUR MARK FOR OPEN SPACE AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, LAND ACQUISITIONS OF THE $184 MILLION THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED.
ALL OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED TO OUR DEPARTMENT FOR USE AT THIS POINT OF THAT MONEY BETWEEN WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT AND WHAT'S ENCUMBERED TO BE SPENT.
WE HAVE ABOUT $80 MILLION OF IT ALREADY COMMITTED LEAVING US WITH A BALANCE OF A HUNDRED, $4 MILLION.
BUT I WILL NOTE THAT EVERY DOLLAR OF THAT $104 MILLION IS PLANNED AND EARMARKED FOR USE ON PROJECTS AND LAND ACQUISITIONS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE PIE CHART ON THE BOTTOM, RIGHT SHOWS JUST THE ROUGH BREAKDOWN BETWEEN OPEN SPACE AND FLOOD MITIGATION OF THAT REMIT OR THOSE REMAINING FUNDS.
UM, AND IF IT'S A SIMILAR PERCENTAGES PERCENTAGES, THE ORIGINAL 184 MILLION NEXT SLIDE.
SO I'M GOING TO START BY TALKING ABOUT THE CATEGORY OF THE OPEN-SPACE SORRY, OF THE DRAINAGE AND FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS.
THIS IS THE $112 MILLION THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED.
THIS CHURCH SHOWS ESSENTIALLY THE BURN RATE OF OUR ABILITY TO SPEND THAT FUNDING STARTING WITH THE 112 MILLION BACK IN BEGINNING OF THAT 18, UM, TO THE END OF FYI, 21, WHERE WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 70 MILLION AVAILABLE TO US.
AND THEN BASED ON LAST YEAR'S APPROVED FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN, THE RATE OF EXPENDITURE OF THE REMAINING FUNDS TAKING US DOWN CLOSE TO ZERO WITHIN THAT EIGHT YEAR TIMEFRAME THAT WAS EXPECTED.
SO THE DRAINAGE AND STORM WATER PROJECTS THAT WE FUND WITH BONDS ARE WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE, LEADING UP TO THE BOND ELECTION TO DEVELOP A LIST OF PROJECTS AND A LIST OF CRITERIA THAT WOULD, THAT WE WOULD APPLY TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS, TO USE BOND FUNDING ON.
IT WAS AGREED THAT GIVEN THE, THE, THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF FLOOD RISK AND EROSION RISK AROUND THE CITY, THAT WE WANTED TO CONCENTRATE ON AREAS THAT HAD HIGH RISK OF EITHER FLOODING AND OR EROSION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THE MONEY EFFICIENTLY.
WE ALSO WANTED TO FOCUS ON PROJECTS THAT HAD CONFIRMED FEASIBILITY.
WE KNEW WHAT, NOT JUST WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, BUT WE KNEW HOW TO FIX IT.
UM, AND IDEALLY THAT THOSE PROJECTS WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR ENOUGH ALONG IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT, THAT THEY WOULD BE IN DESIGN, UM, AND READY TO BE CONSTRUCTED WITHIN A REASONABLY SHORT TIMEFRAME AFTER THE ELECTION.
AND AGAIN, GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF FLOODING AND EROSION PROBLEMS AROUND THE CITY, WE REALLY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE WERE LEVERAGING BOND FUNDS TO HELP US WITH AND TRY TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE DISTRIBUTED AROUND THIS CITY.
UM, SO THAT EVERY DISTRICT WAS SEEING PROJECTS THAT WERE, THAT WERE BEING SUPPORTED WITH BOND FUNDS.
AND WE, WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IF WE HAD ADDITIONAL BOND FUNDING, OR IF I PROJECT THAT YOU HAD INITIALLY IDENTIFIED, GET A ROADBLOCK OR SLOWED DOWN ON SCHEDULE, THAT WE WOULD BE PROACTIVE.
AND WE WOULD REALLOCATE THAT BOND FUNDING TO OTHER PROJECTS THAT WERE SIMILAR MAKING AT THE SAME CRITERIA, BUT THAT WE'RE MOVING ALONG AT A QUICKER PACE.
UM, AND WE, AND WE REEVALUATE IT EVERY YEAR DURING OUR FIVE-YEAR CIP PLANNING.
WE TAKE A LOOK AT PROJECT SCHEDULES.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THE BOND FUNDING THAT'S USED BEING USED TO SUPPORT THEM, UM, IS ADEQUATE, UM, OR MAKE DECISIONS TO, TO MOVE THE BOND FUNDING AROUND IF WE NEED TO NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE YOU SEE A MAP OF THOSE FLOOD MITIGATION DRAINAGE PROJECTS, UM,
[00:40:01]
THAT ARE ACTIVE AND PLANNED AROUND THE CITY THAT WERE USING THE BOND FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT.YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'RE CATEGORIZED INTO THREE BROAD CATEGORIES OF CREEK FLOOD EROSION AND LOCALIZED FLOODING, ALTHOUGH INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES MEANS ON THE SUBSEQUENT SLIDES, BUT WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE PROJECTS AND THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO USE BOND FUNDING, TO HELP SUPPORT, UM, AND PROVIDE MORE PROJECTS TO THE COMMUNITY FASTER NEXT.
SO THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES THAT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A LIST OF PROJECTS, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT EACH ONE OF THEM IN DETAIL, CAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BORING THEM ALL VERY QUICKLY.
WHAT I WILL DO THOSE IS KIND OF HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THEM AND TALK ABOUT THE BROAD CATEGORIES OF THE CREEK FLOODING, LOCALIZED FLOODING AND EROSION.
AND AS I SAID EARLIER, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE EITHER STILL IN DESIGN.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONSTRUCTION.
EVERY AVAILABLE DOLLAR THAT WE HAVE THOUGH IS PROGRAMMED IN, IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS OF BOND FUNDING WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT IT ALL WILL BE SPENT, UH, WITHIN ANOTHER FEW YEARS.
AND I WILL ALSO KNOW THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION IS CONSISTENTLY ONE OF THE FIRST DEPARTMENTS TO BEGIN SPENDING OUR BOND FUNDING, UM, AND HAVING A REALLY STRONG TRACK RECORD OF SPENDING ALL OF OUR FUNDING IN A VERY SHORT TIMEFRAME.
UM, SO THE FIRST CATEGORY OF PROJECTS IS WHAT WE CALL FLOOD RISK REDUCTION.
UM, THIS IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF FLOODING, LARGE RAIN EVENTS, OVERWHELM THE CREEK SYSTEMS, THE CREEK SPILL THEIR BANKS, THEY FLOOD BUILDINGS AND THEY FLOODED ROADWAYS.
SO WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT TRY TO REDUCE THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FLOODING.
AND THOSE PROJECTS CAN BE OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES.
SOMETIMES IT'S UPGRADING A LOW WATER CROSSING TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR VEHICLES TO PASS.
SOMETIMES IT'S REPAIRING OR MODERNIZING DETENTION PONDS AROUND THE CITY.
SOMETIMES IT'S WIDENING A CREEK CHANNEL SO THAT IT CAN HOLD MORE WATER.
AND SOMETIMES WE DO PROPERTY BUYOUTS IN WHICH WE PHYSICALLY REMOVE THE BUILDING FROM THE FLOOD PLAIN SO THAT IT CAN NO LONGER BE, BE FLOODED BY THE CREEK.
UM, THE, THE FIRST PROJECT ON THE LIST, THE UPPER ONION FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST ONES OUT OF THE GATES WITH THE 2018 BOND FUNDS.
UM, AND THAT PROJECT IS WRAPPING UP AS WE SPEAK THE NEXT FOUR, THREE OF THEM ARE IN DESIGN AND EXPECTED TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, THE FINAL ONE ON THE LIST, IT'S STILL SHOWN AS PRELIMINARY, BUT IT IS ON THE CUSP OF MOVING INTO DESIGN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SOMETHING WENT ALL WONKY FOR, LET'S SEE WHERE I MIGHT JUST RELOAD IT, BUT YEAH, THAT WAS UNEXPECTED.
SO THE NEXT CATEGORY OF PROJECTS THAT WE, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE BOND FUNDING FOR, FOR THE FLOOD MITIGATION IS WHAT WE CALL LOCALIZED FLOOD RISK REDUCTION.
SO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM CREEK FLOODING.
LOCALIZED FLOODING IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RIFLE AND RUNOFF IN NEIGHBORHOODS CAN'T GET TO THE CREEK EFFICIENTLY.
UM, EITHER BECAUSE THERE IS NON-EXISTENT STORM DRAINS OR THE STORM GRANTS ARE UNDER SIZE.
AND SO IT CAN'T CONVEY THE WATER OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER.
AND AS A RESULT, ROADWAYS ARE FLOODED, BUILDINGS ARE FLOODED.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT WE IMPLEMENT THAT ARE FOCUSED ON TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THOSE RISKS.
AND IT'S USUALLY, IT USUALLY INCLUDES IMPROVING THOSE STORM DRAIN SYSTEMS. UM, EITHER ADDING PIPE WHERE THERE IS NO PIPE MAKING EXISTING PIPES BIGGER, UM, AND AN OFTENTIMES IT'S COMBINED WITH OTHER ELEMENTS RELATED TO CREEK FLOOD RISK REDUCTION.
SO SOMETIMES THERE'S WORK IN PONDS OR IN CHANNELS.
UM, AND SO WE TRY TO KIND OF MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT THAT WE'RE GETTING WITH EACH ONE OF THE PROJECTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, TWO OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE USING BOND FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT ARE ACTIVELY IN CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND THE REMAINING ON THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN DESIGN AND PROGRESSING THROUGH NEXT SLIDE.
[00:45:05]
AND SO THESE ARE THE FINAL FOUR PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THAT LOCALIZED FLOODING CATEGORY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE BOND FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT THEM.AND I'LL ALSO JUST NOTE THAT IT IS VERY RARE THAT WE ARE EVER ABLE TO USE BOND FUNDING TO FUND A FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT FROM BEGINNING TO END.
UM, THEY ARE TOO BIG AND TOO EXPENSIVE FOR US TO RELY ON BOND FUNDS AS THE SOLE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR IT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS LEVERAGE THE DRAINAGE FEE WITH THE BOND FUNDING TO, TO, TO USE THE TWO TOGETHER, TO FUND IN WHOLE OR IN PART THE PHASES, UM, ON EACH PROJECT, NEXT SLIDE AND THE FINAL GROUP OF PROJECTS IN THAT FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE CATEGORY ARE WHAT WE CALL THE EROSION AND EXTREME RESTORATION PROJECTS.
THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT HELP ADDRESS THE EROSION RISKS THAT OCCUR ALONG CREEKS, AND PARTICULARLY ONE THAT EROSION GETS SO SEVERE THAT IT'S THREATENING BUILDINGS OR ROADWAYS OR OTHER ASSETS ARE OUR ENGINEERS WILL GO AND DESIGN AND BUILD PROJECTS THAT HELP STABILIZE THOSE CHANNELS, UM, AND PREVENT THAT EROSION FROM WORSENING.
WE HAVE FOUR PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY OR PLANNING TO USE BOND FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT.
ONE IS IN IT'S BIT OF A BIT OF WARD PHASE NOW.
SO WE GO INTO CONSTRUCTION SOON AND THE OTHER THREE ARE IN DESIGN.
SO MOVING FROM THE $112 MILLION THAT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR THE FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS, AND OVER TO THE 72 MILLION THAT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR OPEN SPACE AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, LAND ACQUISITIONS.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T AWARE OF THIS PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON ACQUIRING EITHER VIA FEE SIMPLE OR CONSERVATION EASEMENT LANDS IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE OR CONTRIBUTING ZONE.
UM, SO THAT WE, AS THE CITY, AS WATERSHED CAN, CAN HOLD THAT LAND AND PREVENT DEVELOPMENT ON IT.
UM, THIS HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE CITY, INCLUDING PROTECTION OF OUR DRINKING WATER SOURCE, A REDUCTION OF FLOOD IMPACTS BY THIS ALLOWING DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR AND PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ON THOSE PROPERTIES, LIKE WITH EVERY, EVERY OTHER MARKET VALUE AROUND THE CITY, THOUGH, THE VALUE OF A RANT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACQUIRE, HASN'T GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, AND IT IS IT'S, IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THIS LAND WITH ANY OF THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
SO BOND FUNDS ARE REALLY THE BEST WAY AND MOST EFFICIENT WAY FOR US TO ACQUIRE THESE HIGHLY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE PROPERTIES.
UM, AND LIKE WITH MOST OF OUR PROJECTS, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT IT'S LED BY WATERSHED PROTECTION, BUT WITH A STRONG PARTNER IN AUSTIN WATER, AS WELL AS REAL ESTATE SERVICES AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, AND PRIMARY ROLE WITH AUSTIN WATER IS THEY, THEY ACT AS THE LAND MANAGER, UM, ONCE PROPERTIES ARE REQUIRED.
SO THE MAP ON THE RIGHT OF THE SLIDE SHOWS THAT EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE AND CONTRIBUTING ZONE THE PARCELS IN BLUE IN PURPLE AND GREEN SHOW, ALL THE LANDS THAT HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED TO DATE FROM THIS PROPERTY, THE ONES, THE SMALLER TRACKS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN YELLOW THAT HAVE THE CALL-OUTS ON THEM.
THOSE ARE THE ONES, THOSE ARE THE TRAPS THAT HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED WITH THE 2018 BONDS.
SO APPROXIMATELY $36 MILLION OF THAT ORIGINAL BOND FUNDING HAS BEEN SENT, HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR TO HELP US TO ACQUIRE 5,800 ACRES OF LAND.
THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSIONS IF ALL OF THOSE WELL, THE PROGRAM EXPECTS TO SPEND ANOTHER 25 MILLION OF THAT BOND FUNDING BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND HAVE PLANS THAT THE REMAINDER OF THAT FUNDING WILL, WILL BE SPENT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS WITH ALL OF THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LAND ACQUISITIONS.
EACH INDIVIDUAL ACQUISITION GOES TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, UH, TO GET THAT FINAL APPROVAL.
UM, AND WE, YOU KNOW, TH TH THIS IS 5,800 ACRES THAT HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED WITH THIS BOND FUNDING TO DATE.
THE PROGRAM HAS ACQUIRED MORE THAN 34,000 ACRES OF LANDS THAT ARE BEING PROTECTED.
SO JUST AS A QUICK SUMMARY, WE PROVIDED THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE, THAT WE HIGHLIGHT AS GOING IN CONSTRUCTION OR ANTICIPATED TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, SO THESE ARE ALL, THESE ARE FIVE PROJECTS FROM THAT OPEN IN THAT FLOOD MITIGATION
[00:50:01]
AND DRAINAGE CATEGORY.AND I ALSO MENTIONED THE FOUR ADDITIONAL ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE IN DISCUSSION FOR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION AND ON THE RIGHT, WE'VE JUST PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL LINKS OF MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT AND ABOUT OUR INDIVIDUAL CIP PROJECTS.
I THINK IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WILL STOP THERE AND OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE INFORMATION.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, SINCE COMING OFF OF THE, UH, ALL THESE ONE V WAS OFF COMING OFF OF THE, UH, THE PARKLAND DISCUSSION, OR ARE ANY OF THOSE, DID ANY OF THOSE FEE SIMPLE PROPERTIES OVERLAP WITH WHAT PARKS, YOU KNOW, PARKLAND IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE AS WELL? I WOULD SAY TYPICALLY, I TYPICALLY KNOW A LOT OF WHAT THE OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION PACK POSITIONS ARE LOOKING TO BUY ARE SOMETIMES ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S JURISDICTION BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KEYED ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER CHARGES OUT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES AROUND THE CITY, UM, MAYBE NOT THROUGH OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION, BUT WE'RE WATERSHED AND PARKS DO WORK TOGETHER.
UM, EITHER ON, IF WE, IF, IF WATERSHED HAS PURCHASED LAND FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PURPOSES, WE WILL OFTEN WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO PERK ME OVER REPURPOSE THAT LAND INTO A SUITABLE RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE AREA, UH, GIVEN ITS LOCATION IN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
PAM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A REALLY QUICK QUESTION JUST ABOUT, UH, THE DISTRICT TO REPRESENTATION OF THIS, UM, OF THE WPD PROJECTS.
UM, AND I NOTED THAT THERE WERE THREE DOTS, I THINK, IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD POINT OUT WHICH ONES THOSE WERE IN THE APPENDIX.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ASSUMING THE VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, UM, HAS AS A SLIDE 19 IS A LIST OF PROJECTS.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT LIST, UM, WILLIAMSON CREEK BRASSY WOODS STORM, GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, THE ONION CREEK PACES MILL CREEK FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT.
UM, THE OTHER ONE, THE VERY BOTTOM ONE ON THE LIST.
THIS SAYS NICHOLS CROSSING, LOW WATER CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT WAS ORIGINALLY, I IT'S IN DISTRICT TWO WAS ORIGINALLY IDENTIFIED AS A PROJECT FOR BOND FUNDING, BUT IT WAS LATER DETERMINED, UM, THAT IT'S REALLY NOT, NOT A PROJECT.
UM, THE, THE, THE MODEL TO GET NERDY, SHOWING RISK TO BE THERE, THAT ISN'T REALLY THERE.
UM, AND SO WE, WE TOOK THE FUNDING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO, IF WE'RE GOING TO USE FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND WE REPURPOSED IT TO THAT PACES MILL PROJECT, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN ON THE ORIGINAL LIST.
SO WE, WE SWAPPED OUT UNDERSTOOD.
AND IF I COULD, THIS IS ANDY VANZANT ALSO WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION CAPITAL PROGRAM CONSULTANT.
THAT THIRD.IS THE UPPER ONION CREEK FLOOD RISK REDUCTION BUYOUTS, WHICH I CALL THE MASTER FIVE.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S PART OF TOWN.
UH, YOU KNOW WHAT, UM, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER CURRY HAS HIS HAND UP WITH, WE COULD JUMP OVER TO HIM REAL QUICK TO MAKE SURE NO PROBLEM.
IS THAT A QUESTION ON SLIDE NUMBER SIX, THE SPENDING SUMMARY SLIDE WHEN, UM, THE 2018 PROPOSITION D WAS PUT TOGETHER AND APPROVED, WAS THERE A PROJECTED SPENDING RATE FOR THAT PROPOSITION AT THAT TIME? YEAH, SO THE CONVERSATION WAS AN EIGHT YEAR TIMEFRAME THAT WITHIN EIGHT YEARS, UM, THE PLAN WAS TO HAVE IT ALL SPENT.
SO ON THE OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION SIDE, IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO PREDICT A STANDARD BURN RATE CAUSE IT'S REALLY SUBJECT TO THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT BECOME AVAILABLE AND HOW THOSE, THOSE NEGOTIATIONS GO WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, ON THE FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE SIDE.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE TYPICAL LIFE LIFE CYCLE OF A PROJECT, AND IF SOMETHING WAS IN DESIGN NOW, WHEN IT WOULD GET TO CONSTRUCTION TO HELP MAP OUT KIND OF THAT PROJECTED BURN RATE.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS SPECIFICALLY PLANNED AT A CERTAIN RATE, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON SLIDE SEVEN, UM, IS FAIRLY TYPICAL OF WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT.
[00:55:04]
WELL, BUT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE, AND THIS, I THINK IT'S SLIDE SIX ACTUALLY.WELL, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE PROJECTED SPENDING, RIGHT? HOW THAT COMPARED TO WHAT YOUR ANTICIPATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY A BROADER QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL, UH, BOND PROGRAM, GIVEN THAT THERE'S A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT LIMITS BOND ELECTIONS UNTIL THE POINT IN TIME WHEN WE GET, UH, THE, THE UNSPENT BOND STAND TO A CERTAIN LEVEL.
SO WE'VE HEARD TODAY THAT PARKED ACQUISITION WILL BE OUT OF MONEY IN NEXT YEAR.
WE HEARD LAST MONTH THAT, UH, HOUSING, UH, BONDS WILL BE OUT OF MONEY.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT APPROACHING THE LEVEL AT WHICH WE CAN UNDER THE FINANCIAL POLICIES, HAVE ANOTHER BOND ELECTION.
SO HOW IS, HOW ARE ALL OF THE RIGHTS SPENDING RATES PROJECTED SO THAT WE DON'T RUN OUT OF FUNDING FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS FAR AWAY OR STILL HAVE TOO MUCH FUNDING AND ANOTHER PROBLEM IN ANOTHER BUCKET? RIGHT? SO WITH OUR PROJECTED SPENDING, WE HAVE, SO IN OUR FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN, WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE BOND FUNDING THAT WE'RE USING ON PROJECTS THAT ARE GETTING TO CONSTRUCTION THE SOONEST.
UM, AND ONCE THOSE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS ARE AWARDED THAT ALL OF THAT FUNDING BECOMES ESSENTIALLY LOCKED AWAY, UM, AND BECOME YOU IT'S, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR US TO USE ON OTHER THINGS.
SO IT DRAWS US DOWN QUICKLY IN A COMPETITIVE, IN BIG CHUNKS THAT WAY.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE'RE, WE, WE HAVE HAD SOME PROJECTS COMING OVER BUDGET, UM, JUST WITH EVERYTHING INCREASING IN COST AND SUPPLY SUPPLY DELAYS.
WE ARE SEEING PROJECTS COME IN WITH HIGHER CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE RELYING ON THAT BOND FUNDING EVEN MORE, I'M GOING TO DISSIPATE TO SPEND IT DOWN EVEN FASTER.
UM, THE SLIDES THAT WE'RE SHOWING ARE SOMEWHAT BASED ON LAST YEAR'S FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN, AND WE'VE JUST FINISHED THE DRAFT FOR THIS YEAR AND WE'LL AWAIT COUNCIL APPROVAL OF IT.
UM, BUT WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE DRAWING DOWN WITHIN NEW FYI 2,425 TO THE POINT THAT, UM, YOU WOULD, WE WOULD WELCOME A CONVERSATION ABOUT ANOTHER BOND PACKAGE.
THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER DESK.
WELL, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT, UH, ONION CREEK, UH, BUYOUTS PROPERTY BUYOUTS.
SO HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? YOU JUST OFFER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO EACH PROPERTY OWNER AND THEY TAKE THE MONEY AND MOVE SOMEPLACE ELSE.
OR DO YOU ASSIST THEM IN, IN MOVING TO ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD? WHAT IS THE MECHANISM BY WHICH IT WORKS? YEAH, SO IT, THE PROCESS GENERALLY FOLLOWS THAT WE WILL CONDUCT AN APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY TO DETERMINE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT BASED ON TEEKAT, IT'S A FAIR MARKET VALUE APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT OFFER, WE ALSO PROVIDE A RELOCATION PACKAGE.
SO ADDITIONAL FUNDING IF NEEDED TO MOVE INTO A COMPARABLE HOME IN ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT'S NOT IN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, HELP WITH SOME INCIDENTALS RELATED TO MOVING COSTS, CLOSING COSTS, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT IT, IT IS, THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTARY BUYOUTS.
THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE CHOICE, UM, TO DECLINE THE OFFER IF THEY CHOOSE AND A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT, IS THAT OKAY? SO LET'S SAY A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, A BUNCH OF THE RESIDENTS THERE ACCEPT YOUR OFFER AND THEY MOVE.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE PROPERTIES THEN AFTER THAT, DO YOU LET IT LIE FALLOW? BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO KEEP FLOODING FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTY? IS THERE ANY PLAN TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTY AFTER THAT? NOT FOR, NOT WITH DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO HOLD TITLE TO IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THERE TO BE DEVELOPMENT THERE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT COME INTO PLAY IF WE REQUIRED LARGE, LARGE SWATHS OF LAND CONTIGUOUS PROPERTIES.
UM, AND IF THE NEIGHBOR VJS NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IS INTERESTED IN IT, THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO PUT IN WHAT WE CALL KIND OF LOW PROFILE, RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, WALKING TRAILS, UM, THAT KIND OF THING.
IN ADDITION TO OUR WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN TEAM WITHIN WATERSHED PROTECTION THAT MANAGE ALL OF THE LANDS, UM, TRY TO RESTORE THOSE FLOODPLAIN AREAS BACK TO A HEALTHY RIPARIAN ZONE, UM, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SEEDING OF WILD FLOWERS AND DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TO TRY TO MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT THE LAND IS NOW
[01:00:01]
THAT THERE ARE NO HOUSES ON IT.UM, BUT YEAH, BUT THEY, THEY WILL FOREVER BE HELD, UM, ENTITLED BY THE CITIES AND THAT THERE WON'T BE NEW BUILDINGS THAT GO IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT GROWTH EARLIER, THE GROWTH OF THE CITY, HOW, HOW IS THAT IMPACTING, YOU KNOW, THE SURROUNDING WATERSHEDS THAT, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO CREATE MORE OF THEM? IS IT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS THE DEVELOPMENT CODE SUCH THAT IT'S, UM, MEANINGFUL TO THE GROWTH IN TODAY'S WORLD? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG QUESTION, BUT YES.
I MEAN, SO A LOT OF WHAT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEALS WITH AS FAR AS FLOOD MITIGATION AND DRAINAGE ISSUES ARE NOT PROBLEMS THAT ARE GETTING CREATED TODAY, RIGHT? THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT GOT CREATED 20, 30, 50, A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
UM, THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT CODES ARE PRETTY STRONG AND ROBUST AND THEY ELIMINATE THE CHANCES THAT WE'RE HAVING NEW HOUSING GETTING BUILT IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BUFFERS IN PLACE AROUND CREEKS THAT PREVENT DEVELOPMENT FROM BEING TOO CLOSE TO CREEKS TO HELP ELIMINATE SOME OF THE EROSION PROBLEMS. SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ISN'T NECESSARILY RELATED TO THE GROWTH.
IT'S STILL RELATED TO PAST DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES, YOU KNOW, OLD, OLD KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FLOODPLAINS AND HYDROLOGY AND HYDRAULICS, OLDER DEVELOPMENT CODES THAT MAYBE WEREN'T AS RESTRICTIVE.
UM, BUT YEAH, INCREASING DENSITY IN THE CITY PUTS PRESSURE ON US JUST AS FAR AS WHAT KINDS OF SOLUTIONS WE CAN IMPLEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE HOUSES THAT GET BUILT UP CLOSE TO CREEKS, THAT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO MAKE THE CREEK CREEK BIGGER.
UM, IT W THERE'S NOT, WE CAN'T LOOK AROUND THE CITY AND FIND OPEN PARCELS OF LAND ANYMORE TO BUILD DETENTION PONDS AND TO HOLD WATER.
UM, SO IT, IT, THE GROWTH IMPACTS US IN THAT WAY.
UM, AND IT FORCES US TO DO A LOT OF WORK UNDERGROUND THROUGH DIVERSION SYSTEMS AND STORMING SYSTEMS. THANKS FOR SHARING.
UH, COMMISSIONER, IS YOUR HAND THE LOW, OR IS IT THE SECOND QUESTION? OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMMISSION? OKAY, WELL WE THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION YOUR TIME AND ALL THE HARD WORK.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE YOUR STYLE AND SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.
[3.a. Discussion and possible action related to the FY 2022-23 budget process and Commission budget recommendations ]
ALRIGHT.ONTO ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE AGENDA DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
UH, THREE RELATED TO FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 23 BUDGET PROCESS AND COMMISSION BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I THINK BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WE HAD LAST MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN OPEN, UH, TOPIC THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION FROM THE CITY.
UM, AND SO, UH, I, I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT WERE KIND OF KICKED AROUND THE EMAIL OR ANYTHING.
SO UNLESS SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THIS TOPIC, I THINK YOU CAN CLOSE THIS OUT.
AND THIS IS A SORRY, UM, BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED, I WAS, UH, TALKING TO KATIE ABOUT WHAT ARE THE, SOME OF THE PRIORITIES IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET PROCESS.
AND ONE OF THEM APPARENTLY IS EQUITY.
AND I THINK WE, AS A COMMISSION SHOULD BE EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR GREATER EQUITY.
THERE ARE PARTS OF THE CITY THAT COULD USE MUCH GREATER ASSISTANCE IN AREAS SUCH AS, UM, THE ABILITY FOR HIGH SPEED, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SUPPORT, ET CETERA.
THERE ARE PLACES IN THE CITY THAT DON'T HAVE THESE, UH, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS, HELP THAT WAY.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ENHANCE EQUITY IN THIS CITY THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS WOULD BE MOST WELCOME.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A GREAT THOUGHT TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY, I THINK THESE ARE DUE, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND SO IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO DRAFT SOMETHING, UM, AND SEND IT OVER TO TINA, UH, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND POTENTIALLY VOTE ON IT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT, UH, SINCE OVER THE COUNCIL.
LET ME SEND A NOTE TO TINA AND, AND SEE WHAT IT INTO.
[4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
UM, ONTO ITEM[01:05:01]
NUMBER FOUR, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT LAST MEETING, THE, UH, POTENTIALLY UPDATING OUR WEBSITE TO BE, UH, KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITY.IT PERTAINS TO ACCESSING INFORMATION RELATED TO BOND PROGRAMS. UM, UH, SPEAKING WITH TINA VIA EMAIL, SHE'S GONNA, SHE'S GONNA LOOK INTO THAT WITH THE, UH, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND DO A UP THERE.
UM, SO WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER TOPICS OR AGENDA ITEMS, UM, ANYBODY WANTS, WANTS TO PROPOSE, OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE WE HEARD MUCH FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD IT? SHOULD WE ASK THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT? THEY WERE PART OF THE 2018 BOND PACKAGE.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE, UM, IT NOW OUR, UH, I WAS LOOKING FOR OUR SCHEDULE C YEAH, I THINK WE DID HAVE A PLAN WHERE WE WERE GOING TO ASK EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO COME IF I DON'T QUITE REMEMBER WHEN THEY ARE.
UM, SO, SO NEXT MONTH WE HAVE, UH, POLICE, FIRE AND EMS. OKAY.
THEY WERE UNDER THE 2012 AND 2018 BOND PROGRAMS. OKAY.
THEN THE FOLLOWING MEETING IN MAY IS WHO'S GOT THE PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THE UPDATES ON THE, THE BIGGER MOBILITY BOND THAT WAS PASSED TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEN SOME OF THE OLDER, OUTSTANDING BOND PROGRAMS. SO THANK YOU COVERED THERE.
WELL, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER, VERY SORRY.
SORT OF A FOLLOWUP TO THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED THE DRAINAGE FOLKS.
I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE USED FOR PROS TO TAKE A BIG PICTURE, LOOK AT THE CITY'S AUTHORIZED, BUT UNISSUED BONDS AND THE RATE AT WHICH THEY'RE EXPECTED TO BE ISSUED, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE FINANCIAL POLICY REGARDING, UH, BOND LIMITATIONS ON BOND ELECTIONS.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THOUGHT THAT THE, UM, I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY SEE THAT LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, UM, AND SEE, SEE HOW THAT'S DEFINED ON, IF ANYBODY FROM STAFF CAN PULL THAT OR FIND THAT FOR US.
WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE, UH, TO THE AGENDA.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO COMMISSIONER KURT, YOU ASKED YOU TO JUST LIKE A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE THE PROGRAMS ARE TODAY AND, UH, PLUS ANTICIPATED, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COME TO LIKE BOND COMPLETION, DATE TYPE OF THING, OR PROJECT COMPLETION, UM, TYPE OF TIMELINE.
IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THE SAME CHART THAT DRAINAGE SHOWED ABOUT WHAT IS THE, OR HOW FAST ARE WE GOING TO SPEND THE 2018 BONDS? HOW FAST ARE WE SPENDING THE, ALL THE AUTHORIZED, BUT, AND ISSUED BONDS AND MAYBE A STACK CHART TO SHOW I'M REALLY, UM, I GUESS THE DRIVERS, THE QUESTION IS THE CONCERN ABOUT THOSE PARTS OF THE BOND OF THE TOTAL BOND PROGRAM THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY AND THOSE PARTS THAT HAVE SO MUCH MONEY LEFT, THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A, IT MAY TAKE AN AMENDMENT OR A FINANCIAL POLICY IN ORDER TO, UM, TO HAVE A BOND ELECTION FOR THOSE PROJECTS, FOR THOSE KINDS OF PROJECTS THAT ARE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY.
UM, I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT DROVE THAT SITUATION, WHETHER IT WAS A FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED SPENDING RATE OR A SLOWER THAN ANTICIPATED SPENDING RATE.
[01:10:04]
YEAH.LET'S UH, SO I WAS LOOKING FOR PROBABLY WE NEED TO COME FROM FINANCIAL SERVICES.
STAFF WILL NEED TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AND GIVE US THE LANGUAGE.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE, YOU KNOW, EVEN, I THINK IT JUST, UH, JUST A SPREADSHEET, RIGHT.
WOULD TELL US, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE, THE, UM, THE ANTICIPATED, YOU KNOW, SPIN DOWN TIMELINE VERSUS WHAT IT IS NOW.
JUST SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE THEM ALL, ALL THE PROGRAMS TOGETHER.
UM, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, AS LONG AS IT'S RIGHT.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, IN PART A FOLLOWUP TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION THAT, UM, FINANCIAL SERVICES DID TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE CIP AND THE BOND, THE OUTSTANDING BONDS.
UM, I'M SORRY, MRS. SHIRLEY, WHO DO WE HAVE FROM STAFF IN THE, IN THE ROOM THERE? HI, STEWART.
I'M JUST STEPPING IN FOR TINA THIS WEEK AND YES, I'LL GET OUR, ALL THESE NOTES SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT, UM, ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS AND, AND IS REFLECTIVE OF THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WE PRESENTED TO AUDIT AND FINANCE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON S UH, MICHELLE? OKAY.
UH, VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION HERE.
UM, CAN ANYONE GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF A PROGRAM AREA THAT HAS, UH, A LOT OF BOND FUNDING THAT HASN'T SPENT THEIR BOND FUNDING? I JUST CAN'T THINK OF AN AREA.
I, I THINK THERE, UM, I THINK THERE ARE SOME OLDER, OLDER BOND PROGRAMS OUT THERE, RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE FROM 2000, WHAT DID WE JUST SAY? 2012 ON THE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, BUT I TH TH THE MAJORITY OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXTENDED, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A TINY BIT LEFT, I BELIEVE, BUT, UM, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD POINT.
WE SHOULD ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH THE TIMELINE, SEE, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, UH, WHERE THEY ARE TODAY FROM A PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, I GET THE ONLY AREA THAT I THINK HAD A BOND PROGRAM THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM LATELY IS LIBRARIES, BUT I THINK WE ALL OF THE OTHER BIG BUCKETS, SO TO SPEAK.
SO WE HAVE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, UH, IN THE FALL SEPTEMBER.
I'M SURE IF WE, UM, OR TO REQUEST, UM, AN UPDATE, WE COULD GET ONE.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND ADD THAT TO SHARE.
AND IF IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSED IN KIND OF LIKE COMMISSIONER CURRY WANTS TO SEE, IT MAY JUST BE, YOU KNOW, THERE CHAIRMAN, I ALSO ADD TO THE, THE TOPIC OF LIBRARIES, YOU KNOW, THERE THEY'RE ALL THE RESOURCE CENTERS THAT WERE FUNDED FOR ENHANCEMENTS, LIKE THE, THE MAC AND THE CARVER CENTER AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
IT, WE HAVEN'T HEARD THEIR STATUS IN WA IN A WHILE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARIES, MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK THEM TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THEM TOGETHER.
SEE, I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, PARKS AND REC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO I BELIEVE THOSE FALL IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER TOO.
SO I THINK THIS SNAPSHOT WE GET WILL BE HELPFUL.
WE'LL AT LEAST HAVE A GOOD GRASP ON IT.
WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET THESE QUARTERLY.
I THINK THAT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA, AT LEAST JUST TO GET IT ON THE SCHEDULE.
SO AT LEAST WE'D HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA AS LIKE AN EXECUTIVE KIND OF VIEW PROGRAM.
SO WE'LL GET THAT, THAT NARRATIVE AS WELL.
OKAY, GREAT, GREAT DISCUSSION, GREAT IDEAS.
UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN ADJOURN FOR THE DAY, UH, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE AND I'M SEEING SOME NEW FACES.
[01:15:01]
UM, YOU WILL, UH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE MEETING OUT AND I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT MONTH.UH, WE'LL TALK TO YOU NEXT MEETING APRIL 20TH.