[00:00:01]
OKAY.LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THIS OPERATION ROLLING.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HERE ON APRIL 6TH, 2022 6:00 PM.UP AT THE NEW PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER EVENT CENTER.
UH, AT 63 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE.
KORESH'S OH, THERE WE GO HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT PRESENT COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
I WILL COME BACK TO EXETER, UH, COMMISSIONER NICHOLS, UH, SECRETARY BRISTOL RAMBERT GUY.
KAMISHA COMMISSIONER IDRA HERE.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK COMMISSIONER BIXLER.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
IS THERE A WAY I COULD GET MY MIC TURNED DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WITH THAT, LET'S MOVE ON TO,
[1.a. Approval of the March 2, 2022 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes and the March 30, 2022 Environmental Commission Special Called Meeting Minutes (5 minutes)]
UH, AGENDA ITEM ONE A, UH, MINUTES.UM, DOES, HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM? ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR, OR EMOTION? I SAID MOVE TO PASS THE MINUTES SECOND.
UH, BY SHOW OF HANDS, ANYBODY, EVERYBODY, OR VOTE FOR TO APPROVE THE MINUTES LOOKS UNANIMOUS TO ME.
JUST TO, TO NOTE, THOSE ARE APPROVING BOTH MINUTES FOR THE MARCH 2ND AND THE MARCH 30TH.
[2.a. Election of Environmental Commission Officers for May 1, 2022 through April 30, 2023 term (10 minutes)]
FOR THE ELECTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OFFICERS FROM MAY 1ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH APRIL 30TH OF NEXT YEAR, DO WE HAVE ANY PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING? AND WE'RE JUST GONNA GO THROUGH IT.KAYLA CHAMP AND WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UH, YES, I KNOW WE RECENTLY JUST HAD AN EMERGENCY OFFICER ELECTION, BUT THIS IS THE ELECTION THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO EVERY YEAR.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO ALSO GO THROUGH THE APPOINTMENT AGAIN.
FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERWHELMED BY OUR PERFORMANCE IN THE LAST TWO MEETINGS, I LIKE TO MAKE UP MOTION.
I MOVED THAT WE, UM, UH, REELECT, UH, THE CURRENT OFFICERS.
CAN WE DO THAT IN ONE FELL SWOOP, KAYLA, AS LONG AS EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT, I THINK IT'S OKAY.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM THOMPSON TO KEEP THE CURRENT ELECTED OFFICERS, WHICH IS ME AS CHAIR BEDFORD AS VICE CHAIR AND BRISTOL, HIS SECRETARY.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH.
UM, THE RAIN CONTINUES TO BE, UH,
[2.b. Nominate a new member for the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board (5 minutes)]
NOMINATE A NEW MEMBER FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, KAYLA CHAMPION WATERSHED PROTECTION.I'LL JUST MAKE A QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE NEXT TWO NOMINATIONS FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
THESE ARE BOTH COUNCIL COMMITTEES, SO WE ARE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL APPOINT A MEMBER AND THEN COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DO THE, UM, AFTER, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, AFTER ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION NOMINATES MEMBERS FOR THESE, THEN THE COUNCIL WILL APPOINT MEMBERS AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE COUNCIL MEETING FOR BOTH OF THESE POSITIONS.
AND, UM, SO THERE'S ONE FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND THEN THE PRIMARY SEAT FOR JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, AND THEN THE BACKUP FOR DRAIN SUSTAINABILITY AND CAITLIN NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT DO YOU MIND, OR, OR LIZ, IF IT'S BETTER, UH, KIND OF GIVING A BRIEF INTRO WHAT THESE TWO, UH, I GUESS ADVISORY BOARDS ARE WHAT THEIR PURPOSES AND MAYBE THE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF EFFORT THAT WOULD
[00:05:01]
BE INVOLVED IN BEING ON THEM.UM, I MIGHT DEFER TO MS. COYNE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY.
UM, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UM, IS A BOARD CREATED TO HELP GUIDE THE VISION AND THE PLAN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA, WHICH IS, UM, OUR LONG LADY BIRD LAKE ENCOMPASSING, THE STATESMAN SITE, BUT, UM, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA LOT, UM, LOTS INCLUDING ONE TEXAS CENTER AND, UM, THE, UH, TECHSTOP PROPERTIES ALONG THERE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A VERY HIGH PROFILE AREA.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS SURROUNDING THAT AREA, UM, UM, RECENTLY.
SO, UM, THIS WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION AND FINALIZE THE PLAN, KATIE COHEN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, UH, I CAN SPEAK TO THE DRINK SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEES.
THIS IS A JOINT COMMITTEE, WHICH MEANS IT'S MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT REPRESENT KIND OF THE INTERESTS AROUND SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE CITY.
SO FOLKS WHO THINK MORE ABOUT ENERGY OR WASTE OR PARKS OR PLANNING, UH, AND THE, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THAT IS TO, UM, ADVISE AND OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND CREATION OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
SO OUR MOST RECENTLY ADOPTED CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, UH, IS ACTUALLY CALLED THE CITY OF AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AND FALL.
SO WE'RE MOVING QUICKLY INTO IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, AND SO, ESPECIALLY AS, UH, THAT PLAN SPEAKS TO NATURAL RESOURCES, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE WOULD BE REALLY TASKED WITH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE MOVING ON THOSE GOALS RELATED TO THE INTERSECTION OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCING OUR CARBON AND SEQUESTERING MORE CARBON, UH, REDUCING OUR CARBON EMISSIONS AND SEQUESTERING MORE CARBON.
UM, I THINK THAT'S THAT PRETTY MUCH COVERS IT.
I WANTED TO SAY THE, UH, I IMAGINE BOTH OF THESE MEET MONTHLY AND IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT BOARD MEETS MONTHLY.
UH, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, MEETS MONTHLY ON THE FOURTH, WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT IS THE THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
UM, THE SOUTH CENTRAL, IS THAT DOWN? IS IT HERE OR WHERE, WHERE DO THEY MEET BOTH THOSE BOARDS? LET ME PULL UP THAT, UM, LET'S SEE WHAT THE LAST AGENDA WAS NOT ACTUALLY SURE.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS WAS THE, WHERE THE MEETING WAS FOR FEBRUARY, WHICH WAS LIKE A NINTH AND MUELLER.
UH, AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE JOINED SUSTAINABILITY MIGHT SWITCH THINGS AROUND SOMETIMES, BUT MARCH WAS CITY HALL.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE FEBRUARY WAS AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, HISTORICALLY THEY'VE ALWAYS MET IN CITY HALL, JUST LIKE WE ALWAYS DID.
SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME FLUX OCCURRING.
AND I SEE COMMISSIONER BIXLER HAS JOINED US.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING WELL.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? UM, ABOUT SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD? AND IF NOT, UH, I THINK WE'LL JUST PUT IT OUT THERE.
DOES ANYBODY, UH, FEEL, FEEL, FEEL DRIVEN TO, TO ADVISE THE SOUTH CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR? YES.
HOPE YOU GOT IT, BUT I WAS INTERESTED IN SERVING, UM, IN THAT CAPACITY, UH, AT THE SCHOOL.
IS ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL MOVE FOR COMMISSIONER AG ERA TO SERVE SECOND.
AND, OR DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE, UH, UH, RAISE OF HAND OR I, UM, ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER IDRA ON THIS BOARD.
[2.c. Nominate a new member and an alternate for the Joint Sustainability Committee (5 minutes)]
SEE, TO NOMINATE A NEW MEMBER AND AN ALTERNATE TO THE JOINT[00:10:01]
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.UM, COMMISSIONER W WELL, PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER OR VICE CHAIR COIN WAS IN THAT ROLE AND THEN, UH, BIGLER.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIG SLURS, JUGGLING A LOT OF THINGS AND NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE, UM, FOR THIS NEXT, FOR THIS NEXT BIT.
UM, SO SIMILARLY, DOES ANYONE, UH, EXCITED ABOUT JOINING SUSTAINABILITY FOR SHOWING UP IN PERSON? HEY MAN, I'M ALL ABOUT, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND JOINT IS EVEN BETTER THAN SINGULAR RIGHTS.
ANY OTHER, UH, ANYBODY ELSE, ELSE EXCITED? ALL RIGHT.
I, I, I MOVED THE COMMISSIONER KORESH.
YOU SERVE ON THE, AS THE PRIMARY.
WE GOT A, WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE, FOR THE PRIMARY.
YOU, YOU READY FOR THAT? OKAY.
UM, BY SHOW OF HANDS, ARE, ARE I ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CRUSHY SERVING AS THE PRIMARY ON JOINT SUSTAINABILITY? I'M ABSTAINING.
SO WE GOT EVERYONE EXCEPT FOR GRESHA WHO ABSTAINS.
AND THEN WE NEED AN ALTERNATE ON THAT.
ANYONE EXCITED ABOUT SUPPORTING HIM? I'M EXCITED.
I'M I MOVE BRIMER SERVICES THE SECOND ON THAT SECOND, THE SECOND OF BRIMER.
SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION FOR BRIMER TO SERVE AS THE SECONDARY, UH, I GUESS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND BRIMER ARE YOU AGAINST IT OR ARE YOU OPPOSING I'M ABSTAINING, ABSTAINING, I MEAN, SORRY.
AND THEN, UH, LAST ON THIS GENERAL
[2.d. Discuss committee membership (5 minutes)]
ITEM TO D TO DISCUSS COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP, WE WANT TO OKAY.THAT IF YOU DON'T MIND TALK TO THOSE, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMITTEES SURE THING.
SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE END OF YOUR JANUARY 5TH AND END OF AGENDA, UNDER COMMITTEE REPORTS, YOU'LL SEE THE CURRENT MEMBERSHIP FOR EACH COMMITTEE EACH.
UM, SO THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE IS OUR ONLY STANDING COMMITTEE THAT ISN'T A JOINT COMMITTEE OR A COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE PRIMARY ONE, UM, THAT WE HAVE THAT WE JUST NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DROP OFF OF THAT OR GET ADDED ON, THERE ARE TWO VACANCIES CURRENTLY ON URBAN FOREST STREET.
AND THEN BASED ON PREVIOUS MEETING CONVERSATION, I ADDED, UH, COMMISSIONER BEDFORD AND COMMISSIONER CRUSHY TO THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND PARKS BOARD.
UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT HAS, WAS ALSO RECENTLY ADDED TO THAT ONE.
SO THAT HAS MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MEMBERSHIP CURRENTLY, BUT JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT EVERYBODY'S STILL HAPPY SERVING IN THOSE ROLES.
AND, UM, IF, IF SO, THEN WE'RE GOOD TO GO ON THE JOINT COMMITTEE WITH PARKERSBURG BOARD.
UM, SO I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT'S LEFT RIGHT NOW IS JUST TWO VACANCIES ON URBAN FORESTRY.
AND IF WE CAN FILL THE TWO VACANCIES, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL BECAUSE TRYING TO HAVE A COMMITTEE WITH ONLY THREE PEOPLE IS PRETTY DIFFICULT TO GET QUORUM AND TO HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION IF YOU'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND TRYING TO FILL THAT COMMITTEE OUT IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AS A STANDING COMMITTEE.
UM, THOSE COMMITTEES ARE ALSO, UH, REQUIRED TO MEET QUARTERLY JUST ONCE A QUARTER.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT MEETING THAT REQUIREMENT.
SO, UH, WE, WE WILL NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.
IF THIS, IF YOU FEEL THAT THIS IS JUST, UM, THE REPORTS THAT ARE BEING HEARD BY THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT THE FULL BOARD TO HEAR, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS PLAN TO GET RID OF THAT COMMITTEE AND JUST HAVE, UH, KEITH MARS AND URBAN FOREST STREET FOLKS COME OUT AND GET THOSE REPORTS AT YOUR FULL MEETINGS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
IF COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, DAYTIME COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE JUST NOT FEASIBLE FOR MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION RIGHT NOW.
AND JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO FOR THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE, UM, DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO JOIN THAT COMMITTEE ROUNDED OUT A BIT? I WON'T LOOK TO THE PEOPLE INSIDE OF HERE.
I'LL JUST PICK ON THE SCREEN NOW GOING ONCE GOING TWICE.
WE'LL STICK THAT ONE, UH, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UM, FOR, UH, THE BALCONIES CANYON LANDS, UH, CONSERVATION PLANS, CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
[00:15:01]
I THINK I'M GONNA STEP BACK FROM THAT.AND, UH, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO PUT BRISTOL ON THAT? OR IS THAT JUST ADMINISTRATIVE? AND JUST TO CLARIFY TOO, DO WE NEED TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON THAT OR DOES IT NEED TO BE ONE? UH, CODY IS JUST ONE, BUT I'M WONDERING, I'M CHECKING TO SEE THAT MAY BE A COUNCIL APPOINTED.
I NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT REAL QUICK IF YOU JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT.
AND THEN A DRUNK COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONS TIED UP AND SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED.
SO, UM, WE'LL JUST SIT TIGHT FOR A SECOND.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER MEYER, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN, UM, BEING ON THE BELCO NEWS CANYON LANDS? UH, B IT'S GOOD TO BE ON AT LEAST ONE COMMITTEE FOR, UM, HER NICOLE'S COMMISSIONER RECOMMENDS YOU EXCITED ABOUT GETTING ON A COMMITTEE NOW? NO PRESSURE.
WELL, I GUESS IF I WERE TO PICK ONE, I'D PROBABLY SAY URBAN FORESTRY WOULD BE THE ONE TO BE ON.
CAUSE THAT'S THE ONE WE WERE TRYING TO ROUND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE REGULAR.
I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER, GO AHEAD.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IF THAT'S WHAT HELPS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ROUND OUT THE COMMITTEE TO HELP ME OR MORE EASILY THAN SURE.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND NOMINATE IF WE NEED TO REPLACE, GET A NEW MEMBER FOR THEIR BUCK.
COURTNEY'S KENYA LAND CONSERVATION PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
AND WE'LL JUST CONSIDER THAT THE FORMAL PROCESS IS DONE IF WE NEED, IF NECESSARY.
SO FOR A AGENDA ITEM, ONE, TWO D UM, I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMITTED, UH, SECRETARY OF BRISTOL TO, UH, SERVE ON ABOUT COUNTY'S CANYON LAND CONSERVATION PLAN CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE INSTEAD OF ME.
SO WE'VE GOT A SECOND FROM THANK YOU.
UM, GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND REMOTELY.
IS THAT EVERYTHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS ON THIS? OKAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU JUST SIGNED UP FOR OR NOT APPRECIATE IT.
[3.a. Name: 7715 1/2 West State Highway 71 Restrictive Covenant Amendment, C14-85-288.23(RCA) Applicant: Amanda Swor, Drenner Group Location: 7715 ½ W. SH 71 Council District: District 8 Staff: Liz Johnston, Deputy Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department Watershed: Williamson Creek, Barton Springs Zone Contributing Zone, Drinking Water Protection Zone Request: To amend a restrictive covenant Staff Recommendation: Staff recommended with conditions (30 minutes)]
AGENDA ITEM THREE, A UM, WHEN IN THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF THE MEETING, UH, 4 7, 7 1 5 AND A HALF WEST STATE HIGHWAY 71, RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT C ONE FOUR DASH EIGHT FIVE DASH 2 8 8 0.23, WHICH IS AN RCA.UM, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE POINTLESS.
I'M LIZ JOHNSTON, THE DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION AND I'M WAITING ON THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND THEN I'LL BEGIN SHORTLY AFTER MY PRESENTATION.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE AS WELL.
SO I W MAYBE HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL THEY'RE ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR, UM, PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM, THEY'LL HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO PROVIDE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A WINDY ROADS FROM HOUSING AND PLANNING WHO CAN ALSO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE PROCESS AND ZONING PERSPECTIVE IF NECESSARY.
UM, 77, 15 AND A HALF WEST S H 71.
THIS IS A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT.
UM, THESE ARE, THIS IS A PROCESS THAT DOESN'T COME UP VERY REGULARLY.
SO I WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME EXPLAINING WHAT, UH, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE TODAY.
SO RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS ARE LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT, UH, HAVE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON PROPERTIES.
THEY CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE CITY CAN BE A PART OF THE PARTY TO THEM OR THAT MAY, BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE.
UM, THE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THERE WERE A SET OF RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT AFFECTED PROPERTIES IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE OAK HILL STUDY AREA.
UM, BACK IN 1985, WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL RULES WERE, UH, QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE TODAY.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO, UM, SETTING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, THE RESTRICTED COVENANTS
[00:20:01]
ALSO HAD ZONING PROVISIONS.AND, UM, THIS PARTICULAR LOT HA IS, UH, HAS A DEVELOPER INTERESTED IN, UM, WITH THE FOUR PROJECT THAT MS SWORE AND HER TEAM WILL EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT.
UM, BUT IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, THEY HAD TO REQUEST CHANGES TO THE ZONING AND, UM, WHICH MEANT THAT THIS RESTRICTED COVENANT NEEDED TO BE AMENDED.
UM, WHEN THIS HAPPENS, UM, IT'S BEEN OUR PAST PRACTICE TO, UM, BECAUSE THE ZONING WOULD AFFECT THE DENSITY AND HOW, UM, HIGH, UH, HOW, UH, DENSELY THE PROJECT WILL BE DEVELOPED.
WE ARE HERE ALSO ASKING FOR BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES THAN WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED UNDER THE PREVIOUS REGULATIONS, WHICH, UM, THEY HAVE A VESTED RIGHT TO, TO, UM, DEVELOP UNDER NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO IF THIS WERE TO COME IN UNDER CURRENT CODE, WITHOUT THIS RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IT'S WOULD FALL UNDER THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ORDINANCE.
UM, SO THIS IS IN THAT PART OF TOWN WHERE, UM, THAT EITHER CONTRIBUTES TO, OR IS DIRECTLY RECHARGE, UM, UH, FOR BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, AND THE CURRENT IMPERVIOUS COVER WOULD BE 25% OF THE NET SITE AREA.
SO THE NET SITE AREA IS THE AREA THAT'S DEVELOPABLE, UM, AND THERE WOULD BE NONDEGRADATION WATER QUALITY REQUIRED.
AND THEN WE HAVE PROTECTIONS FOR SLOPES LIMITS ON CUT AND FILL CREEK, UH, BUFFER PROTECTIONS AS WELL.
AND, UM, NEXT SLIDE, UNDER THE TERMS OF THE EXISTING RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, THEY WOULD BE, UM, UNDER THE 1981 REGULATIONS, THE RIVERS LAKES AND WATERCOURSES ORDINANCE, WHICH HAS SOME PROTECTION FOR NATURAL AND TRADITIONAL CHARACTER OF WATERWAYS, BUT THAT, THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC TO THAT.
UM, OF COURSE, FLOODING, I KNOW HAD ADVERSE FLOODING IMPACTS AS WE DO TODAY.
UM, THE ZONING IMPERVIOUS COVER, UM, UH, APPLIED.
SO UNDER THAT, UH, RESTRICTED COVENANT, IT WOULD BE 65% AND THERE WOULD BE NO WATER QUALITY OR ANY OF THE OTHER PROTECTIONS, UM, FROM CURRENT CODE, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE BLUE AREA CUTTING THROUGH AUSTIN AS THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE, UM, THE GREEN AREA WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED IS THE, UH, CONTRIBUTING ZONES.
SO IT'S NOT DIRECTLY OVER THE AQUIFER, BUT IT IS IN THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE BECAUSE STORMWATER GOES INTO CREEKS THAT DO FLOW THROUGH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, AND THIS CONTRIBUTES RECHARGE TO BARTON SPRINGS, SO SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA.
UM, THIS IS A KIND OF A SHOWING WHAT THE, WHAT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SITE CONTEXT IT'S IN WILLIAMSON CREEK WATERSHED.
THERE IS A CREEK NEARBY THAT HAS A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE TO PROTECT THE, THE, UM, DIRECTLY ALONG THE CREEK CORRIDOR.
AND THEN THERE'S THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITIONS ZONE, WHICH IS A SECONDARY BUFFER, UH, WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS LIMITED.
UM, THIS PROPERTY DOES HAVE A TINY BIT OF CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE THAT REALLY WON'T BE AFFECTED BY THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT THERE IS A WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE THAT, UM, UM, IS ON THE PROPERTY AND IT IS FULL PURPOSE, ZONING JURISDICTION.
UM, HERE'S THE TOPOGRAPHY MAP SHOWING WHERE THE TRANSITION ZONE IS.
SO SITE ACCESS WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR THROUGH THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO GET ONTO THE PROPERTY WITHOUT THAT.
AND THERE ARE SLOPES GREATER THAN 15% THROUGHOUT THE SITE.
UM, THERE ARE, UH, W THAT'S ALSO WOODED, UM, NEXT SLIDE.
AND, UH, I'M GOING TO DEFER DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE PROP, THE PROJECT IS TO THE APPLICANT, BUT, UM, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS, UM, FOR, TO RE UH, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE CONDITIONS IS THAT AFTER THIS DEVELOPMENT IS DONE, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WOULD BE TERMINATED AND IT WOULD BE COMPLETED.
AND SO ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT WOULD FALL UNDER CURRENT REGULATIONS.
UM, AND THEN THIS PROJECT WILL COMPLY WITH CURRENT CLIP, CURRENT CODE, INCLUDING SOS NONDEGRADATION WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
SO ALL OF THE POLLUTANTS OFF OF THE SITE WOULD HAVE TO MEET CURRENT REGULATIONS FOR TREATING THE POLLUTANTS BEFORE BEING DISCHARGED.
UM, AND THEN EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING, UM, THE APPLICANT IS, UM, AGREED TO REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER TO 50% OF THE GROSS SIDE AREA CALCULATION RATHER THAN 65%.
SO THAT'S A REDUCTION OF 15% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
[00:25:01]
LIMITING CUT AND FILL TO EIGHT FEET.UM, CURRENT CODE IS FOUR FEET.
THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IS UNLIMITED.
UM, SO THEY'RE LIMITING IT TO EIGHT FEET EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE BUILDING FOUNDATIONS, WHICH, UM, DON'T HAVE CUTTING FILL LIMITS ANYWAY, AND THEN STORM WATER CONTROL MEASURES.
SO IF THEY NEED TO DIG A POND DEEPER THAN THAT, UM, THEY WOULD GO DEEPER THAN EIGHT FEET AND THE STORMWATER, THE STORMWATER CONTROL FACILITIES, UM, WHICH ARE GOING TO BE RETENTION RATE IRRIGATION FIELDS MORE OR LESS WOULD BE IN THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE, WHICH IS AGAIN, IT'S A ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CREEK.
SO IT'S NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE, UH, THE CREEK.
AND THEN I W APPLICANT WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES DO NOT APPLY.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE APPLICANT.
MY NAME'S AMANDA SWORE WITH DRAENOR GROUP.
I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT HAS A BLACK BACKGROUND, SO EXCITING TO SEE ALL IN PERSON, MY FIRST TIME TO BE HERE.
UM, I CAN START TALKING A LITTLE BIT WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE PRESENTATION TO COME UP.
SO, UM, AS LIZ MENTIONED, THIS IS A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, AND THEN IN CASE WHICH Y'ALL, DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN, YOU PROBABLY ALSO DON'T SEE A LOT OF POSTPONEMENTS ON YOUR AGENDA.
SO, UM, WE DO REALLY APPRECIATE, Y'ALL LETTING US TAKE THE TIME.
UM, WE, WE WERE READY AND HAD AN AGREEMENT MADE WITH STAFF.
WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST THREE MONTHS WORKING WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, AND WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT, UM, AND THERE WAS A VALID PETITION AGAINST THE PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED.
SO WE ARE, UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT Y'ALL ALLOWED US THAT TIME.
AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS, UM, IT REALLY HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CHANGE IN THE PROJECT IF I COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, SO AS LIZ MENTIONED, WE ARE HERE FOR THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT.
UH, BUT I DO NEED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS ALSO A ZONING CASE, UM, AND A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT THAT ARE IN REVIEW.
THEY DO NOT COME TO THIS BODY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT TO THEM.
BUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE BIGGER PROJECT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO LOTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING.
UM, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER CASES GOING ON.
THE OUTLINE SHOWS THE TWO TRACKS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.
TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE A MOVIE TICKET.
SO, UM, TRACT ONE IS A TRACT THAT DOES NOT, DOES NOT HAVE THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON IT.
SO TRACK ONE IS SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE, CURRENT RULES, NO VARIANCES, NO MODIFICATIONS.
IT IS, IT HAS TO MEET ALL OF THE RULES.
TRACK TWO IS THE TRACK THAT HAS THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON IT, THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE MODIFICATIONS TO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, THIS WAS FOR WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT REALLY IMPORTANT HERE.
UM, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT TRACK IS 13 ACRES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LARGER PROPERTY, IT'S JUST OVER 22 ACRES.
SO JUST FROM A SIZE AND CONTEXT PERSPECTIVE, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, SO THIS IS THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT, UM, THAT LIZ WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THIS COVENANT ACTUALLY COVERS TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY.
WHAT WE CALL TRACK TWO ON OUR LOT, AND THEN ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF IS NOT PART OF THIS PROPERTY.
OUR AMENDMENT DOES NOT IMPACT THE OTHER PROPERTY.
IT IS ONLY FOR TRACK TWO THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONLY FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT STILL STAYS IN EFFECT FOR THE OTHER PROPERTY THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED.
AS A STAFF MENTIONED, WE ARE SUBJECT TO THE ITEMS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY IN THIS COVENANT AS IT, UM, AS IT WAS STATED, IT CALLS FOR A MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVER OF 65%.
UM, AND THEN A MAXIMUM BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE OF 146,000, AND THEN IT GRANDFATHERS IT TO ALL OF THE REGULATIONS THAT WERE IN PLACE IN, UM, 1981 CODE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT, THAT MAKES IT ALL WORK IN MY HEAD.
SO WITH THE AMENDMENT, WE ARE PROPOSING TO, THE ONLY INCREASE THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS FOR THE FLORIDA AREA RATIO.
SO IT'S TO TAKE THE, WHAT YOU ENDED UP WITH THESE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS WAS REALLY SMALL FLORIDA AREA RATIOS OR BUILDING AREA, AND REALLY LARGE IMPERVIOUS COVERS COVERAGES.
SO YOU HA YOU HAVE WHAT WAS GOING TO END UP BEING, YOU KNOW, SMALL OFFICE BUILDINGS WITH SURFACE PARKED SEAS.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS TO REMOVE THE FLORIDA AREA RATIO LIMITATION, OR THE SQUARE FOOTAGE LIMITATION, AND JUST BRING THAT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING CODE.
SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE BUILDING AREA THAN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ELAP HAVE UNDER THE ZONING DESIGNATION FROM A WATER
[00:30:01]
QUALITY PERSPECTIVE.THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TODAY, UM, WOULD ALLOW US TO JUST CAPTURE THE FIRST HALF INCH OF RUNOFF.
OUR, UM, ENGINEERING TEAM WORKED TIRELESSLY TO GET US TO A POINT AND REALLY CREDIT TO STAFF.
WE, WE WEREN'T THERE WHEN WE CAME IN, WE WERE ASKING FOR SOME MODIFICATIONS, BUT, UM, AFTER A LOT OF WORKING, WE ARE MEETING FULL SOS, UM, ON OUR, ON THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT PROPERTY AND ON THE PROPERTY THAT SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE.
SO ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, EVEN THOUGH THE SITE DOESN'T HAVE TO TODAY, IT'S MEANINGFUL SOS, UM, DRAINAGE IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.
SO IT'S CURRENT CODE, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS NOT GRANDFATHERED, UM, IMPERVIOUS COVER, WE HAVE 65% BUY, RIGHT? WE INITIALLY CAME IN AND ASKED TO REDUCE THAT TO 60%.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES THAT HAPPENED WITH OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE, WE REDUCED THAT DOWN TO 50%.
SO, UM, WE ARE, WE WOULD HAVE A MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVER OF 50% ON LOT TWO, AND TO GET THAT LOT, ONE IS SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE, UM, EROSION, UM, USUALLY HAZARD ZONES NOT REGULATED UNDER THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
WE WOULD MEET CURRENT CODE AGAIN.
UM, STAFF TOUCHED ON CUT FILL.
WE WOULD, UM, CAP THAT AT EIGHT FEET, UH, MAXIMUM ON THE SITE.
THE CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES, UM, WOULD MATCH THE REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS COVER TO 50%.
THE TREE REGULATIONS FROM THE 1981 CODE DID NOT HAVE A HERITAGE TREE REQUIREMENT.
WE ARE MEETING CURRENT CODE, FULL, FULL CODE, AND, UM, IN FULL HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN AGAIN, THE EROSION CONTROLS ARE COMING UP TO CURRENT CODE VERSUS THE 1981 MEASURES.
I MENTIONED IT, BUT I WANT TO MENTION IT AGAIN.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M VERY PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THAT RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
THIS IS THE LETTER THAT WAS SUBMITTED AS PART OF YOUR BACKUP.
AND AS I MENTIONED, REALLY THE BIGGEST THING THAT THINGS THAT CHANGED WERE THE, UM, REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS COVER.
WE HAD COME IN AT 60% AND DROPPED THAT TO 50%.
UM, ONE OF THE BUILDINGS I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE PROJECT WITH YOU.
WE, UM, CONVERTED FROM A MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING TO A TOWNHOUSE BUILDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOT OF THE REDUCTION OF THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A VERY LARGE PUBLIC PARK.
THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE PROPERTY AND THAT INCREASED BY, UM, BY 0.7 ACRES.
SO I KNOW THAT, UM, THIS IS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL PIECES, WHICH I DID, BUT EVERYONE ALSO WANTS TO SEE WHAT, WHAT IS HAPPENING.
WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THIS REALLY LOOK LIKE? SO IF I WERE TO DESCRIBE THIS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT, HOW, UH, NORTH TO SOUTH, THE PLANS ALL GET MIXED AROUND.
SO I'M GOING TO CALL IT RIGHT TO LEFT.
IS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WE ARE PROPOSING A RESIDENTIAL PROJECT.
WHAT YOU SEE IN THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS IS WHAT WE CALL TRACT.
ONE THAT IS THE PIECE THAT IS FULLY SUBJECT TO CURRENT REGULATIONS.
AND THEN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THAT TRACK TWO THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
WHAT YOU NOTICE UP ALONG 71 IS THERE IS A LIGHT GREEN AREA THAT IS RIGHT AWAY, THAT WILL BE DEDICATED.
UM, AS PART OF TECH STOCKS, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, THERE, THEY HAVE ALREADY IDENTIFIED WHAT THAT IS.
WE WILL DEDICATE ALL OF THAT RIGHT AWAY IS PART OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, THE AREA THAT IS DARKER GREEN, KIND OF THE BORDERS, THE PROPERTY IS AREA THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO THE CITY AS IS PARKLAND.
SO WE WORKED WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH THEM.
AND THEY REALLY WANTED TO SEE, UM, THIS IS A REALLY DEFICIENT, UH, PART OF THE CITY FROM A PARKLAND PERSPECTIVE.
AND THERE WAS A REAL DESIRE TO CONNECT TO A PARK THAT'S JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THIS OR TO THE LEFT ON THE SCREEN AND CREATE SOME CONNECTIVITY TO FUTURE MULTIMODAL OPPORTUNITIES ALONG 71.
AND SO WE WANTED TO CREATE BOTH A BUFFER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LEFT SIDE, AND THEN ALSO WHERE YOU SEE THE BIG PARKLAND AREA ON THE RIGHT OR THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS WHERE THERE ARE VERY LARGE GROVES OF HERITAGE TREES.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO, UM, PROTECT THOSE AND PRESERVE THOSE, TO MAKE THEM BOTH AN AMENITY TO THIS SITE AND AMENITY TO THE, UM, TO THE CITY.
ONE QUESTION WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT IS THAT THERE CAN BE SOME PROBLEMS WITH PARKLAND.
UM, THIS WILL BE PUBLIC PARKLAND, BUT IT WILL BE PRIVATELY MAINTAINED PARKLAND.
SO WE WILL, UM, WE WILL BE IN CONTROL OF THAT AREA.
THERE WILL ALSO BE, UM, ALMOST A THREE-QUARTER OF A MILE TRAIL THAT GOES AROUND THE PROPERTY.
THE OTHER PIECE I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS WAS ACCESS TO THE SITE.
AND IT'S A PIECE THAT STAFF MENTIONED.
SO ALL VEHICULAR ACCESS TO THE SITE WILL COME OFF OF 71.
UM, THERE IS A CONNECTION BACK TO THE ROAD, UM, THAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO THE LEFT OR TO THE SOUTH OF THIS SITE.
UM, THE ROAD KIND OF TARGETING OF A POINTER, THE TOP WHERE IT, WHERE IT CURVES, THERE WILL BE A FIRE ONLY ACCESS POINT THERE, SO EMERGENCY ACCESS, BUT IT WILL BE FULLY CONTROLLED.
[00:35:01]
UM, A LOT OF CONCERN AND UNDERSTANDABLY, SO THERE'S A PROJECT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW TO THE SOUTH OF OUR SITE THAT HAS ACCESS TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS FOR CONSTRUCTION.AND IT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF, UM, PROBLEMS FOR, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE MADE THAT COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ACCESS POINT, BUT ALL OF OUR VEHICULAR ACCESS, INCLUDING OUR CONSTRUCTION ACCESS WILL COME OFF OF 71.
THERE WILL BE THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION SO THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN COME THROUGH AND USE THE PARK AREA AND GET FURTHER NORTH.
UM, THE PROJECT DID ALSO, UM, WITH CONVERSATIONS, THE NEIGHBORS MADE QUITE A BIT OF CHANGES.
SO THE BUILDING ON THE NORTH IS A MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT, BUT WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS THE PARKING IS STRUCTURALLY PARKED.
SO WE, IT FIRST, IT WASN'T, IT WAS A SURFACE PARKED PROJECT AND WE MADE SURE TO, UM, PARK AS MUCH OF THE PROJECT AS WE COULD IN A GARAGE, WHICH, UM, LET US REDUCE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
WE ALSO WERE REALLY COGNIZANT THAT THERE IS SOME RESIDENTIAL BEING CONSTRUCTED TO THE SOUTH OF THIS.
SO WE CREATED A, UM, THE THREE UNITS ON THE LEFT THAT YOU'LL SEE, THOSE ARE TOWNHOUSES HOUSES.
THOSE ARE WHAT WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TO CREATE THAT TRANSITION FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO TOWN, LIKE TO PARKLAND, TO TOWNHOUSE, TO THE MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION, UM, WITH THE NEIGHBOR, THE SECOND THREE TOWN HOUSE BUILDINGS THAT YOU SEE WERE, UM, ADDED IN.
SO THOSE WERE ORIGINALLY A MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE AND THOSE WERE TRANSITIONED OVER TO BE A TOWNHOUSE TO CREATE THAT ADDITIONAL BUFFER.
I THINK I'VE TALKED A LOT, UM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO KIND OF OUTLINE WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I AM REALLY PROUD OF THIS PROJECT.
WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH STAFF AND WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS REALLY DOES PROVIDE A BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOME FROM WHAT COULD BE BUILT TODAY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I DO HAVE OUR, UM, DEVELOPER AND ENGINEER HERE.
CAUSE THERE'S YOU PROBABLY ASK QUESTIONS.
LET'S MAYBE, UH, GO, GO AROUND THE HORN HERE AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR FOR STAFF, UH, ALL OR WE DO HAVE SPEAKERS.
WHO DO WE HAVE? UM, WE HAVE, UH, ROY WHALEY, UH, UH, CALLING ON THE PHONE AS A SPEAKER.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD ROY CALLED IN YET.
WELL, I GUESS WE GET WORD OF ROY CALLING ON, PLEASE LOCK ME DOWN, KAYLA.
UM, WITH THAT, MAYBE LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN HERE AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER QURESHI, UH, NO QUESTIONS.
ALTHOUGH I DID GROW UP IN THE AREA JUST WEST OF HERE ON TWO 90 AROUND BELTERRA SO, UH, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT.
I CAN TOTALLY SEE HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD PUSH BACK ON, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED MORE THINGS TO DO AROUND THERE.
HOPEFULLY Y'ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
AND I'M ALSO IMPRESSED BY THE, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE, UH, AND THE, UH, GOOD COMMUNICATIONS THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE, UH, UH, UH, NEEDED SIR, UH, SERVICE.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT YOUR, YOUR PLANNING HAS, UH, BEEN, UH, REALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
I'M, I'M CURIOUS, UH, UH, IN, IN THE, AND IN MY LIFE OVER TIME, I'VE NOTICED THAT FIREMEN WASH THEIR TRUCKS A LOT AND WHEN THEY'RE NOT OUT FIGHTING FIRES, THEY WASH THE TRUCKS.
AND WE'RE JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE, UH, SOME METHOD OF CAPTURING THAT WATER, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SO MANY DROUGHTS AND JUST KEEPING THE TREES ALIVE WOULD BE NICE, MR. SCOTT, IF YOU'LL HOLD THAT QUESTION, WHICH IS AWESOME.
UM, I THINK THAT GOES TO THE NEXT ONE.
MAYBE WE'LL GO, GO ONLINE TO, UH, TO THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER NICHOLS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE STAFF OR APPLICANT AND JUST ONE OF THE THIRD KILLER JOURNALS FOR THE EXCELLENT PRESENTATION AND ALSO JUST COMMEND THEM ON PROVIDING MUCH, MUCH NEEDED HOUSING WHILE STILL BEING COMPLIANT WITH CITY CODES RELATE TO ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
[00:40:01]
I SAY WHAT HE SAID.IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO FALL INTO CLOSE.
UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER DO YOU HAVE ANY, YEAH, YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THE, UH, FOR THE APPLICANT, UH, YOU INDICATED THAT THE, UH, PARKLAND IS GOING TO BE PRIVATELY MAINTAINED AS SOON THERE'S GOING TO BE A, A CONTRACT OR SOMETHING THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR THE MAINTENANCE IN PERPETUITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE WILL BE A, SO WHEN THE PARKLAND IS DEDICATED, THERE WILL BE A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT'S EXECUTED WITH THE CITY AND THAT WILL PROVIDE, UM, CONTACT INFORMATION THAT HAS TO BE UPDATED.
THANKS FOR MUCH APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS, UM, AGREED TO THIS AND ALL OF THE LETTERS THAT WE GOT IN DOC, UM, IN THE BACKUP HAVE SAID THAT THEY NOW ARE IN FAVOR OF IT AS A COMMUNITY.
IS THAT CORRECT? I CANNOT SAY THAT ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, I CAN SAY THAT WE WORKED, UM, WITH ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT WAS THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAD CREATED A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATION, UM, AND THAT HE WAS ABLE, HE, THOSE WERE THE INTERESTS THAT WE RECEIVED.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE, THERE WAS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HIM AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATIVES, AND THOSE ARE THE, UM, CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD AND WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE.
WE DID HOST A, UM, EXTENSIVE MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AND WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE.
BUT I CANNOT, UM, I COULD NOT SAY THAT ALL OF THOSE LETTERS WERE NOLAN VOID, BUT I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE VALID PETITION AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, WE DID ENTER INTO A PRIVATE, RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WITH THE NEIGHBOR THAT ADDRESSED FEES AND OTHER ITEMS. SO DID STAFF EVER RECEIVE, UM, A LETTER FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ORGANIZATIONS, OH, HAN AND SUCH LIKE, UM, WITH THEIR COMMENTS AND I'M KIND OF CONCERNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED SO MANY TIMES, IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AWARE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS THIS EVENING AFTER WHAT, THREE MONTHS? I THINK IT WAS JANUARY WHEN IT WAS FIRST POSTED.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE DATE OF ALL OF THE LETTERS.
UM, LIZ JOHNSTON HERE, I, I DID RECEIVE, UM, CONFIRMATION FROM THE NEIGHBOR THAT, UM, THIS WER HAD BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THEM THE MOST, UM, THE ADJOINING NEIGHBOR WHO SHE, WHO THEY HAVE ENTERED INTO A PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TO, UM, PERHAPS MS. RHODES WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING, UM, WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UM, UH, NOTIFICATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THIS MEETING.
AND I BELIEVE KAYLA HAS ALSO REACHED OUT TO, TO NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
SORRY, HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE, UM, MS. RHODES WAS, IS HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH HER CAMERA.
UM, BUT SHE SAID THAT SHE CONCURS WITH MS. WORSE, UH, COMMENTS, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTICIPATION AND THE APPLICANT WORKED WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONTACT TEAM, NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM.
AND WE DID MAKE SURE TO, UM, I REACHED OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAD REGISTERED TO SPEAK AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
I BELIEVE STAFF DID AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS NOT NOTICED.
UM, AND I ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE COUNCIL OFFICE CAUSE I KNOW THEY HAD RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENTS.
SO WE MADE SURE AT LEAST TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY THAT IF, IF THERE WERE INTERESTED PARTIES, THAT THEY WERE AWARE THAT THE MEETING WAS HAPPENING.
SO SPECIFICALLY I THINK WE HAD LIKE 160 PAGES OF LETTERS AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ASKED TO BE A NOTIFIED OF THE MEETINGS.
AND SO STAFF HAS FOLLOWED, UH, THEIR REQUESTS AND THEY HAVE NOTIFIED THEM OF THE POSTPONEMENTS AND SO FORTH.
I KNOW, I CAN SAY THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH WAS A MEMBER OF THE CONTACT TEAM.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF ALL OF THE, UM, ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN, IF THAT'S ME, ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT HAVE POSTPONED, UM, THE LETTERS THAT YOU RECEIVED WERE ALSO THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM WERE BEFORE OUR LARGER COMMUNITY MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE, UM, AFTER, AFTER THOSE LETTERS CAME IN COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, WELL, I WAS ASKING STAFF IF THEY ADD HONORED THOSE REQUESTS AND SENT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MEETING, OR DID YOU JUST CONTACT, UM, AND, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE
[00:45:01]
THEN ALMOST EVERY LETTER I READ, IT SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO BE CONTACTED COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, KAYLA CHAMPION, WATERSHED PROTECTION.WE ALSO HAVE AN INTEREST LIST THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE CONTACTED BEFORE IT GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH IS SCHEDULED ON APRIL 26, WHERE THEY CONTACTED BEFORE THIS MEETING.
UH, I'M GOING TO CHECK WITH MS. RHODES, BUT TYPICALLY THERE IS NOT A COMMUNITY CON OR COMMUNITY NOTICE BEFORE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UH, LET ME JUST CONFIRM THAT WITH MS. RHODES.
WELL, KAYLA IS CONFIRMING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? WELL, I HAVE SEVERAL, UM, ROAD THAT GOES BACK TO, IS IT LIKE DEER PARK? IS THAT THE ROAD THAT'S BEHIND IT? UM, IT'S A 16 FOOT ROAD AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT, UH, NO ONE WILL USE IT.
AND I, I'M NOT SURE OF THE GUARANTEE OF THAT.
UM, THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS ON THAT ROAD AND IT'S BEING USED A LOT RIGHT NOW, UM, AS SHE SAID IN HER PRESENTATION BY, UM, ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO ME.
I'M, I'M REALLY HOPING THAT IF PEOPLE DECIDE, UM, SOMETHING ABOUT, OR IF WE HAVE A RESOLUTION ABOUT THIS AT THE END, THAT PEOPLE WILL CONSIDER ADDING TO THAT, THAT THE 16 FOOT ROAD SHOULD BE, UM, SOMEHOW BARRICADED IN CASE OF FIRE ONLY BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED, NOT HALF A MILE FROM MY HOUSE.
AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY GO DOWN THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE WAY STREET AFTER PROMISING DILIGENTLY THAT THEY WOULD NEVER DO THAT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING IF THE GATE IS, HAS A CODE AND THE PEOPLE HAVE IT TO GET OUT OF THE CODE, UM, UNDER AN EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCE, THEY USE IT.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR SOMETHING TO BE WRITTEN THAT WOULD SORT OF PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'M ALSO WONDERING, UM, PARKLAND, THE BACK THAT WAS DESCRIBED THERE.
UM, THERE'S NO SIDEWALK ON THAT STREET.
SO IF IT'S A PRIVATE PARK AND IT'S MAINTAINED, WILL THERE BE, UM, A SIDEWALK FOR THE STREET, UH, IN THE PLANS OR IS THAT SOMETHING A TRAIL OR SOME SORT OF ACCESS THERE THAT COULD HELP? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE BIKE TRAIL AROUND.
YES, MA'AM MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WITH THE RESIDENTIAL PROJECT, THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED TO THE SOUTH OF THIS, THAT SIDEWALKS WILL BE INSTALLED ALONG THAT ROAD.
AND THEN THEY WILL, OUR TRAIL WILL CONNECT TO THOSE SIDEWALKS.
AND MS.
WE DID MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE WOULD BE FINE ADDING THAT INTO THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT.
OUR ANTICIPATION IS THAT THAT ROAD WOULD HAVE A KNOX BOX THAT WOULD, SO IT'S NOT THAT RESIDENTS WOULD HAVE A CODE TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT IT'S THAT FIRE WOULD HAVE A CODE TO BE ABLE TO GET IN.
AND SO IT'S NOT RESIDENTS WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO USE THAT.
AND WE ARE OKAY, INCLUDING THAT, THAT HAS BEEN OUR COMMITMENT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THIS FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY.
SO IT WOULD HAVE LIKE A, A GATE ACROSS IT, OR I'M NOT, I DON'T, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT A KNOX BOX IS, I GUESS, UH, GATE THESE FOLKS CAN TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT.
UM, UM, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A GATE WITH AN OX BOX.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY THAT EMERGENCY VEHICLE COMES IN, THEY HAVE A KEY THAT GOES IN IT AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKS THE GATE.
UM, THEY'RE, I THINK THEY'RE UNIVERSAL, BUT ESSENTIALLY THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A KEY PAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR A RESIDENT TO BE ABLE TO EXIT IT AS ONLY FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO GET IN OR OUT IN A TRUE EMERGENCY SITUATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, DOES THAT ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS ON THAT MATTER ON THAT? YES.
I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IF I MAY.
UM, I'M CONCERNED WITH THE FAR IS THE FAR, UM, UM, IS THAT MORE DEVELOPMENT THAN WE WOULD GET IF WE WENT WITH WHAT THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ALLOWED THE FAR THAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE BASE ZONING DISTRICT THAT WE ARE REQUESTING THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT LIMITATION IN THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WAS LESS.
AND, AND THAT'S, LIKE I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING,
[00:50:01]
THEY WERE DESIGNED TO HAVE SMALL BUILDINGS AND BIG F OR BIG IMPERVIOUS COVERS.AND SO WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING OVER ZONING, BUT THAT'S ONLY IF THE ZONING IS APPROVED.
YES MA'AM AND THESE WOULD ALL GO FORWARD TOGETHER.
THEY WOULD ALL BE ON THE SAME AGENDA AT CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I MAY HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS IN JUST A MOMENT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK TO ME.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WORKING OR NOT.
UM, UH, WE WERE, UH, CONFERRING AND WHAT, WHO GOT CONTACTED ABOUT THIS MEETING AND WHO DIDN'T? UM, SO THERE'S THE INTERESTED PARTIES LIST.
THAT IS THE FORMAL PROCESS THAT, UM, ZONING AND PLANNING USES FOR THEIR PROCESS, WHICH, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROCESS HERE.
OF COURSE, WE TRIED TO REACH OUT, UM, AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO INTERESTED PARTIES.
SO KAYLA DID MAINTAIN A LIST OF FOLKS WHO DID REACH OUT TO US REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETINGS, AND THOSE PEOPLE WERE NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
SO THE ONE, THE, THE INTEREST OF THE PARTIES THAT WE HAD IN OUR POSSESSION AND WATERSHED WERE CONTACTED.
I THOUGHT OF ONE MORE QUESTION.
I WONDERED IF SHE WOULD COMMENT ON THE HEIGHT, BECAUSE THAT SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS QUITE CONCERNING.
I CAN LET ME TRY AND EXPLAIN IT, BUT IT'S SOMETIMES EASIER TO HAVE THE PICTURE BACK UP.
SO THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT WOULD BE 60 FEET, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GEO OR WITH THE, YEAH.
WITH THE GEO BASED DISTRICT THAT WE ARE REQUESTING.
THERE IS NOT, UH, ANY RESIDENTIAL THAT WOULD TRIGGER COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS, BUT WE HAVE BUILT IN COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS.
SO THIS SITE, UM, TRANSITIONS FROM, CAN I GET MY PICTURE BACK UP THAT HAS THE LAYOUT, PLEASE.
IT'S FAR EASIER TO EXPLAIN THAT WAY.
SO IT TRANSITIONS FROM THE TOWNHOUSE BUILDINGS THAT ARE, THANK YOU THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IN THE BOTTOM LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN, THAT ARE TWO STORIES.
UM, THEN IT TRANSITIONS INTO THREE STORY BUILDINGS AND THEN FINALLY INTO FOUR STORY BUILDINGS.
UM, SO TWO, THREE AND FOUR STORY BUILDINGS.
THERE IS A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 60 FEET, BUT WE DO NOT ACHIEVE THAT HEIGHT.
IS THE, AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING CHANGE, BUT IF THE ZONING CHANGE IS NOT GRANTED, WHAT IS THE HEIGHT RESTRICTION UNDER THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT? THE HEIGHT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, SO WE ARE NOT ASKING TO MODIFY ANYTHING IN THE COVENANT.
IT'S JUST SUBJECT TO BASE ZONING.
SO, UM, IF THE ZONING HAS CHANGED, THEN YOU CAN HAVE THAT HEIGHT.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM, THAT'S ACCURATE.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, IS THAT HOMES OR THEIR HOMES OR THEIR THAT'S SELF STORAGE? UM, AND THE REASON THAT WE'VE PUT THE TALLEST BUILDING THERE WAS BECAUSE THE BILL, THE ZONING TO THE NORTH OF, OR TO THE WEST OF THAT, UH, THE TOP OF THE SCREEN IS, UM, IS 60 FOOT ZONING.
SO IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE, WITH ZONING AS IT TRANSITIONS TOWARDS THE WEST.
SO THERE ARE NO HOMES THERE ON THAT.
AND THE DISTANCE, THE BUFFER THERE IS HOW WIDE FROM THE BUILDING TO THE EDGE OF YOUR PROPERTY, THERE IS A PARK PATH THAT RUNS THROUGH THERE.
SO IT'S LARGER THAN THE EXISTING SETBACK.
IF YOU GIVE ME A COUPLE OF MINUTES, I CAN GET YOU THAT ANSWER.
UM, SO MAYBE I'LL TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION AND I'LL, I'LL GET THAT FOR YOU IN JUST A MOMENT.
SO YOU GUYS WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 45 FOOT SETBACK FROM, OKAY.
JUST TELL ME THE ANSWER IN A FEW MINUTES.
UM, COMMISSIONER IDRA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
UM, AND THANK YOU, MS. WARPER THE PRESENTATION THAT WE ANSWERED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVE ONE DOUBLE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE IN THE REPORT FROM MS. UM, FROM THE STAMP.
UH, SO THIS MAY BE A QUESTION MAYBE FOR MS. RHODES, UM, IN THE REPORT ON PAGE BETWEEN PAGE FIVE AND SIX, IT ASKS, UH, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, UH, THE SECOND BULLET FOR BOTH, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICE REVIEW AND THEN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER DST IN WATERSHED PROTECTION, UM, THE PROJECT WE'LL DELETE ONE C AND TWO D OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, AND BE REVIEWED UNDER CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL CODE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS ADDRESSED, UH, BECAUSE MAKING SURE THAT
[00:55:01]
YEAH, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.AND THERE LIZ IS APPROACHING TO HOPEFULLY ADDRESS, UM, YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO, UM, AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT, THE, THAT PORTION OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WOULD BE TERMINATED OR COMPLETED.
AND SO ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE.
AND THE, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE EXCEPT FOR THE, THE, UM, THE CHANGES THAT ARE DIRECTLY ADDRESSED, UM, HERE TODAY.
SO ADDITIONAL IMPERVIOUS COVER ADDITIONAL DON'T CUT AND FILL AND ACCESS THROUGH THE WATER QUALITY TRANSIT TRANSITION ZONE.
SO, UM, SO IT'S CURRENT CODE EXCEPT FOR THOSE THINGS.
I KNOW, UM, IN REGARDS TO REGULAR ROADS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE BEING BUILT, THEY'RE NOT STANDARD WITH THIS LIKE 20 FEET AND JUST MADE A NOTATION THAT IT'S THE ROAD, THE ONE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR EAGERNESS IN THE BAG IS ONLY 16 FEET.
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OR BY OUR TRUCK CAN MAKE SURE YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TH THE PER THE SURVEY THAT ROAD IS 36 FEET WIDE.
I CAN ALSO ANSWER, UM, CHRISTIAN THOMPSON'S QUESTIONS, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER, THE SETBACK AS WE HAVE IT DESIGNED IS 45 FEET.
SO THAT IS LARGER THAN THE ZONING SETBACK, WHICH, UH, I BELIEVE IS 10.
WENDY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, FROM A SIDE SETBACK, IT'S FIVE OR 10, SO RIGHT NOW ARE BUILDING A SETBACK 45 FEET, AND IT DOES HAVE THE PARKLAND IN BETWEEN THERE.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT IS A GOOD THING FOR, UH, FOR THE ROAD AND THE BIKE TRAIL.
ALRIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER GARY, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, WELL, I JUST HAVE MAYBE A COMMENT OR IT COULD BE A QUESTION I'M LOOKING AT THE BACKUP.
AND I NOTICED ONE OF THE COMMENTS MADE BY, UM, A RESIDENT.
UM, THEIR CONCERN WAS THE NOISE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
SO I KNOW ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON THIS PROJECT, THEY MAY BE AN ONGOING CONCERN.
SO, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD Y'ALL ADDRESS THAT? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A CURRENT CONCERN FOR THE CURRENT CONSTRUCTION ONCE THE, THIS PROJECT STARTS, IT'S GOING TO BE ONGOING.
SO HOW HAVE YOU ALL VISITED WITH THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS NOISE POLLUTION? YES, MA'AM.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY, THE RESIDENTS HAVE HAD QUITE A BIT OF STRESS PUT ON THEM BY A PROJECT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY FOLLOWING ALL OF THE NOISE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
AND SO WE ARE FULLY ALL OF THE CITY'S NOISE REGULATIONS WITH REGARD TO TIME HOURS OF OPERATIONS.
WE'VE ALSO, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE GOT IS CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAGE EVERYTHING AND TAKE ALL OF YOUR CONSTRUCTION ACCESS FROM 71 TO PROVIDE THE, AS BIG OF A BUFFER AS YOU CAN.
AND WE HAVE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AS WELL.
THAT IS, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
UM, SECRETARY CRYSTAL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I ONLY HAVE A COMMENT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, YOU WERE APOLOGETIC FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, POSTPONING THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ANY TIME THAT ANY DEVELOPER WANTS TO STOP AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WE GREATLY WELCOME THAT.
YOU COULD HAVE JUST, YOU KNOW, COULD A SECOND, BUT SHE SAID, UM, YEAH, UH, YES, I, I SECOND THAT OPINION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MEETING WITH THE ADJACENT LAND OWNERS.
UM, IT DEFINITELY MAKES, UH, IT'S THE CONVERSATION A LITTLE MORE FULL WINDED WHEN IT COMES HERE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, ONE, ONE COMMENT WOULD BE WITH THAT COMMITMENT OF EGRESS OFF OF 71, I'M SURE THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDITIONALLY CHALLENGING WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT HIGHWAY.
SO, UM, I DO REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES, AREN'T GOING TO BE REAL EXCITED ABOUT TRYING TO DO THAT, BUT, BUT THAT DEFINITELY WILL HELP, UM, FROM TRAFFIC GOING, TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'VE MADE THAT COMMITMENT, THAT COMMITMENT, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED HAVING THE CONVERSATION WITH TXDOT ON WHERE OUR PERMITTING SCHEDULE WILL LAND WITH THEIR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE LOOKED BECAUSE THE ROAD'S GOING TO CHANGE QUITE A BIT IN FRONT OF US SO THAT OUR TIMELINES LINE UP AND WE'RE NOT IN EACH OTHER'S WAY.
THANK YOU, RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, ANY OTHER LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS? YES, THOMPSON.
UM, DID WE EVER GET ROY ON THE PHONE CALL? NOT THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR, HE HAS NOT CALLED IN YET.
[01:00:02]
ALL RIGHT.DO WE HAVE A MOTION BY ANY CHANCE? WE DO, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MOTION, APRIL 6TH, 2022.
UM, SUBJECT IS THE, UH, 7 7 1 5 AND A HALF WEST STATE HIGHWAY 71.
AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT, OUR CA AREA, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 13.367 ACRES.
AND AS PART OF A LARGER TRACT, UM, KERN CURRENTLY, OR SORRY, UM, BEING REQUESTED TO BE ZONED TO G O M U N P.
AND WHEREAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN PROPERTY IN THE PROPERTY, UH, IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WILLIAMSON CREEK WATERSHED OF THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN, WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS BARTON SPRINGS ZONE WATERSHED.
AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE AMENDMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
THE APPLICANT COMPLETES THE PROJECT ESTABLISHED BY THEIR SURFING COVENANT, SUCH THAT ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, A PERMIT, UH, UH, APPLICATION THIS PROJECT SHALL COMPLY WITH CURRENT CODE, INCLUDING SOS, UH, DEGREGATION WATER QUALITY TREATMENT, EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS AT 50% IMPERVIOUS COVER, UH, ON A GROSS SITE CALCULATION SHALL BE ALLOWED RATHER THAN THE 65% CURRENTLY ALLOWED.
CUT AND FILLS SHOULD NOT EXCEED EIGHT FEET EXCEPT FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND STORM WATER CONTROL MEASUREMENTS, STORM WATER CONTROL FACILITIES WILL BE ALLOWED WITHIN THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE AND LDC 25 8 3 0 AND 25 8 3 0 2 RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES DOES NOT APPLY.
AND THEN IF, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS OTHER CONDITIONS, I CAN ADD THOSE, GOT A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
LET'S SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND REAL QUICK THOMPSON THEN WE'LL UM, HAVE DISCUSSIONS THE SECOND.
DID YOU HAVE SOME ITEM TWO? IT'S THE BODY'S MOTION NOW? YES.
I WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE MOTION.
I'VE MENTIONED THE FACT THAT AN HOUR, UH, RESOLUTION, THAT WE WOULD ADD SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROAD, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE REASSURED, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN OUR RESOLUTION ABOUT THE ROAD AND JUST SAY WHAT SHE SAID, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE RED WILL HAVE A GUIDED ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY ONLY, AND THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE THE CODE TO CLARIFY.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAYBE PROVIDE SOME SUGGESTED LANGUAGE, IF THAT WOULD BE OF BENEFIT, MAYBE SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF THE VEHICULAR ACCESS TO A LITTLE, LITTLE DEER CROSSING SHALL BE LIMITED TO EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
AND I WOULD MAYBE ADD, AND THAT THAT AREA WILL BE, WILL BE, WILL BE GATED IN A MANNER TO, TO, TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH LIMITATION SECOND.
ALL RIGHT, KAYLA, ARE WE DOING THIS? ACCORDING TO THE RULES, JUST DO ME A FAVOR AND REREAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITION.
UM, THAT ACCESS TO LITTLE DEER TRAIL CROP DEAL, LITTLE DEER
EGRESS ARE ENTERING AND EXITING THE FACILITY AND, UH, AND RESTRICTED BY A GATE OR SIMILAR MANNER.
KATIE COHEN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, JUST BECAUSE IT, THE MOTION IS A PROPERTY OF THE FULL BODY.
AT THIS POINT, EVERYONE HAS TO BE IN AGREEANCE THAT THAT CHANGE IS ACCEPTABLE IN ORDER FOR THAT TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO HOLD ON ONE SECOND, I'M PULLING AN ORDER.
UM, SO ACTUALLY, EVEN THOUGH I HAD READ THE MOTION OUT LOUD, I WAS ASKING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS, WHICH THIS FALLS UNDER IT.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE FOLLOWING UP PROCEDURE CORRECTLY.
I BELIEVE BECAUSE IT WAS SECONDED.
IT BECAME THE BODY'S CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO IN THE FUTURE, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE, UM, COMMISSIONER'S STATEMENTS BEFORE
[01:05:01]
WE SECOND TO ANYTHING.I SECOND, THAT IDEA, UM, COMMISSIONER IDEA.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE WORDED IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT WHATEVER IS AGREED TO THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN ACTUALLY DO.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO SET THEM UP FOR SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE OR A PER THEIR CODE.
UM, SO I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SETTING THEM UP.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN COMPLY WITH WHATEVER WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO.
UH, I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE CONVENIENT FIREMEN THAT ARE HERE IN THE BODY.
UH, UM, I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT CAUSE THAT MIGHT CHANGE.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS, UM, EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY.
ALL RIGHT, JASON THERE, I PROMISE.
UH, SO DO WE, I GUESS WE NEED UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT ON THE ADDITION OF THAT LINK, THAT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITION, CORRECT.
YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE NO ONE'S OPPOSED TO THAT CONDITION.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THAT ADDITION OF LANGUAGE? UM, IF SO, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS WRITTEN, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY I'M ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'VE GOT ALL, ALL IN PRESENT IN FAVOR.
I'M LACKING COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, WHO WAS OPPOSED, WHICH I APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THE CHAIR, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY AS WELL FOR ROBERT'S RULES, I THINK THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE IF YOU ASK FOR CONDITIONS PRIOR TO EMOTION BEING MADE, WHEN A MOTION IS MADE, IT'S THE PROPERTY OF THE PERSON WHO HAS THAT FIRST, UH, WHEN THE SECOND IS MADE, IT'S THE PROPERTY OF THE ENTIRE BODY THAT IS WHEN DISCUSSION CAN OCCUR, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT MORE FORMAL PROCESS OF MAKING SURE NO ONE'S OPPOSED FOR CHANGE TO OCCUR AT THAT TIME.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? PERFECT.
SO FOR CLARIFICATION, WE CAN DISCUSS THE TOPIC PRIOR TO THAT, BUT THE DISCUSSION NOTED IN THAT IS OF THE MOTION, CORRECT? YES.
[3.b. Name: Travis County ESD #4 Fire Station Parking Lot Improvements, SP 2020-0255DS Applicant: Travis County ESD #4 Location: 4200 City Park Rd Council District: District 10 Staff: Mike McDougal, Environmental Policy Program Manager, Development Services Department Watershed: Turkey Creek Watershed, Water Supply Rural, Drinking Water Protection Zone Requests: 1. A Land Use Commission variance is requested to construct a driveway on slopes over 15% per LDC 25-8-301(A)(1) 2. A Land Use Commission variance is requested to construct a parking lot on slopes over 15% per LDC 25-8-302(A)(2) 3. A Land Use Commission variance is requested to allow fill over 4 feet per LDC 25-8-342 4. A Land Use Commission variance is requested to allow an impervious cover of 27.5% net site area per LDC 25-8-453 Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of variance requests 1-3 with conditions. Staff does not recommend approval of variance request 4. (30 minutes)]
B UM, TRAVIS COUNTY ESD NUMBER FOUR, FIRE STATION PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS FOR SP 2020 DASH OH 2 5 5 D S.THE APPLICANT IS TRAVIS COUNTY ESD NUMBER FOUR, UM, LOCATIONS AT 4,200 CITY PARK ROAD.
AND I BELIEVE MIKE, YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE A PRESENTATION.
UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE BRING UP ITEM THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION FROM THREE B? THANK YOU.
SO AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THIS IS TRAVIS COUNTY ESD NUMBER FOUR, FIRE STATION PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS.
MY NAME IS MIKE MACDOUGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PROGRAM MANAGER.
THIS IS THE, IF I TAKE OFF MY GLASSES.
ITEM ITEM THREE B TRAVIS COUNTY.
WHICH ITEM IS WOULD AGAIN, PLEASE? UH, ITEM THREE, B I'M TRAVIS, TRAVIS COUNTY, ESD NUMBER FOUR.
SO THIS IS TRAVIS COUNTY, ESD, NUMBER FOUR, THE FIRE STATION PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS.
MY NAME IS MIKE MCDOUGALL, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PROGRAM MANAGER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THE PROPERTY ADDRESS IS 4,200 CITY PARK ROAD.
AND THE CASE NUMBER IS SP 20 20 0 2 5 5 D S.
SO THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED OFF OF FM 2222, JUST WEST OF LOOP 360 AND AS MENTIONED IT'S ON CITY PARK ROAD.
THE PROPERTIES IN THE TURKEY, TURKEY CREEK WATERSHED WATER SUPPLY, RURAL IT'S THE DRINKING WATER
[01:10:01]
PROTECTION ZONE.IT'S THE CITY OF AUSTIN LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
THERE ARE NO CREEKS OR CREEK BUFFERS ON THE PROPERTY.
NO CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ON THE PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE AND IT'S IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10.
SO THERE ARE FOUR VARIANCES REQUESTED.
THE FIRST HEARINGS IS A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A DRIVEWAY AND SLOPES OVER 15% PER LDC, 25 8 3 0 1 A ONE.
THE SECOND REQUESTED VARIANCE IS A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE REQUESTED TO CONSTRUCT A PARKING LOT ON SLOPES ARE 15% PER 25, 8 3 0 2 82, A ONE AND TWO MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE SIMILAR.
ONE SPEAKS TO THE DRIVEWAY ACCESS IN THE PARKING LOT, AND ONE SPEAKS TO THE PARKING SPACE AND THEMSELVES.
SO TO CLARIFY, ITEM ONE IS THE, IS THE DRIVEWAY AND SLIPPED OVER 15%? ITEM TWO IS THE PARKING SPACES THEMSELVES ON SLIPS WERE 15% ITEM THREE.
THE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE OR ALIENS COMMISSION VARIANCE IS REQUESTED TO ALLOW FILL OVER FOUR FEET PER LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 3 42 AND ITEM FOUR, A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES REQUESTED TO ALLOW IMPERVIOUS COVER OF APPROXIMATELY 27 AND A HALF PERCENT NET SIDE AREA PER LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 4 50.
SO THIS IS A STREET VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE SITE IS AN EXISTING FIRE STATION AND MORE PARKING IS REQUIRED BASED ON INCREASED INCREASED STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, NECESSITATE, MORE STAFF PRESENCE.
I'D LIKE TO CERTAINLY DRAW ATTENTION TO THE VEHICLES PARKED ON THE RIGHT OF WAY, UM, DUE TO THE INADEQUATE PARKING CURRENTLY, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
ADDITIONALLY, TRAVIS COUNTY SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR CITY FIREFIGHTERS TO STAFF.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN REQUIRES A FOUR PERSON MINIMUM STAFFING LEVEL.
HISTORICALLY STAFFING LEVELS WERE TWO TO THREE PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S WHY THE, UH, PEOPLE MIGHT BE WONDERING, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TODAY? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? NOW? THE ANSWER WOULD BE INCREASED STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT IS NECESSITATING INCREASED PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO FIREFIGHTER STAFF ARE ROUTINELY PARKING LOT IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THIS IS NOT SAFE AND IT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND SITE CONSTRAINTS LIMIT THE ALTERNATIVES FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PARKING.
THE EXISTING SITE CONFIGURATION DOES NOT ALLOW ADDITIONAL PARKING WITHOUT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES.
AND SO THIS IS AN AERIAL PHOTO.
UM, AND SO THE RED IS THE APPROXIMATE PROPERTY BOUNDARY.
YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING DRIVE AND PARKING AND THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THE PINK CIRCLE IS THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED ADDITIONAL PARKING, UH, THE SITE CONFIGURATION AND THE, UH, EXISTING DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE LIMITS THE OPTIONS FOR PROVIDING MORE PARKING.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OR THE EAST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY IS THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, THE PARKING IN THE DRIVE AISLE.
AND SO TO, TO, TO COVER IT A SECOND TIME, THE VARIANCE REQUEST ONE IS TO ALLOW A DRIVEWAY TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND SLOPED OVER 15%.
UH, THE DRIVEWAY COMING OFF THE RIGHT OF WAY IS ON STEEP SLOPES, WHICH IS NOT ALLOWED BY CODE.
SO VARIANCE IS NECESSARY FOR THE PROPOSED DRIVEWAY AND SLIPPED OVER 15%.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE VARIANCE REQUEST TWO IS TO ALLOW THE PARKING LOT OR PARKING SPACES THEMSELVES TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON SLIP TWO OR 15%.
UM, AND SO THERE AGAIN, YOU SEE THE, THE DRIVEWAY COMING UP THE RIGHT AWAY, GOING TO THE PARKING LOT, WHICH WOULD BE ON SLOPE TWO OR 15%.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, TO MAKE THE PARKING LOT LEVEL FILL OVER FOUR FEET IS REQUIRED.
SO, UM, THEY'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING LOT WOULD BE LEVEL.
THE SLOPES ARE SO STEEP THAT FILL OVER FOUR FEET ISN'T NECESSARY TO PROVIDE FOR A FLAT PARKING SPACE.
THE FOURTH VARIANCE REQUEST IS DO A C EXCEED THE 20% IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT.
SO IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THIS WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION IS LIMITED TO 20% FOR THE FIRE STATION AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WOULD INCREASE IN PREVIOUS COVER TO APPROXIMATELY 27 AND A HALF.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION STAFF RECOMMENDS THREE OF THE FOUR VARIANCES.
HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE FINDINGS OF FACT TWO HAVE BEEN MET FOR THE FOLLOWING VARIANCES, THAT DRIVER CONSTRUCTION SLIPPED HER 15%.
THE PARKING LOT CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES ARE 50% AND THE FILL OVER FOUR FEET.
THE FOURTH ERIN'S REQUEST CANNOT BE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
THE IMPERVIOUS CO THAT IS THE IMPERVIOUS CO-VARIANTS BECAUSE THE FALLING OF THE FINDINGS OF FACT CANNOT BE ADDRESSED.
ONE OF THE FINDINGS OF FACT, THE VARIANCE DOES CREATE A DIFFERENT PROBABILITY OF HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES AND DEVELOPMENT WITH THE VARIANCE REDUCES WATER QUALITY BELOW THE WATER QUALITY THAT WOULD BE ACHIEVABLE WITHOUT THE VARIANCE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE CONTINUE ON WITH THE IMPERVIOUS COVER VARIANCE REQUESTS, THE REASONING WATER QUALITY
[01:15:01]
DEGRADES AS IMPERVIOUS COVER INCREASES.SO THE PROJECT PROPOSES ADDITIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES TO HELP OFFSET THE PROPOSED PERVIOUS COVER, BUT NO WATER QUALITY MEASURE IS EXPECTED TO BE 100% EFFECTIVE.
THAT IS IMPERVIOUS COVER GOES UP NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, THE WATER QUALITY WOULD GO DOWN TO SOME EXTENT.
AND FOR THAT REASON STAFF CAN'T RECOMMEND, UM, APPROVAL OF VARIANCE.
HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL OR REJECTION OF A VARIANCE IS BASED ONLY ON THE FINDINGS OF FACT IN LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25, 8 41.
STAFF MAY NOT DEVIATE FROM THE FINDINGS OF FACT WHEN OFFERING A RECOMMENDATION.
THE ABOVE REASONING DOES NOT ALLOW STAFF TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE IMPROVES COVER VARIANCE.
BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF FACT, STAFF MAY NOT CONSIDER CONCERNS BEYOND THE FINDINGS OF FACT, AS PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
HOWEVER, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MAY CONSIDER FACTORS BEYOND THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MAY ACCEPT OR, OR REJECT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION PARKING LOT.
AND THE RIGHT OF WAY IS UNSAFE AND IS NOT CODE COMPLIANT.
AND I DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT ALL FOUR VARIANCES ARE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS THE PARKING CONCERNS.
SO IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COMMISSION THOUGHT WE WOULD APPROVE THREE OF THE FOUR VARIANCES.
THAT'S THE SAME AS APPROVING THEM IN THE VARIANCE AS THE PARKING LOT CANNOT BE BUILT WITHOUT ALL FOUR VARIANCES.
SO THE FOURTH VARIANTS, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER VARIOUS REQUESTS OR ADDITIONAL POINTS SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO PROVIDE A PERVIOUS TYPE OF PARKING AREA.
HOWEVER, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL CONSIDERS ANY SERVICE DRIVEN UPON REGULARLY BY VEHICLES TO BE IMPERVIOUS COVER DUE TO COMPACTION.
SO EVEN IF THE PARKING SPACES WERE DIRT, THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED IMPERVIOUS COVER DUE TO COMPACTION.
THERE IS NO FEASIBLE PATH TO PROVIDE MORE PARKING WITHOUT ADDING IMPERVIOUS COVER.
ALL FOUR VARIANCES REPRESENT, REPRESENT THE MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM THE CODE NECESSARY TO ALLOW USE OF THE FIRE STATION AS REQUIRED BY CITY OF AUSTIN STAFFING OR WHAT REQUIREMENTS I REVIEW.
OTHER PROS PLAN INDICATES THAT IT IS NOT FEASIBLE TO PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIRED PARKING WHILE COMPLYING WITH THE 20% IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT.
AND SO IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WERE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF VARIANCES ARE SOME BRAINS CONDITIONS THAT STAFF HAS, UM, THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE VEGETATIVE FILTER, FILTER STRIPS DOWN, SLOWED THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE A DIFFUSE FLOAT, SORRY TO, TO PROVIDE A DIFFUSE FLOW, TO AVOID CREATING DOWNSLOPE EROSION.
THE APP THAT WILL PROVIDE STRUCTURAL FILL TO MAINTAIN THE FILL DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THAT IS STRUCTURAL CONTAINMENT OF THE, OF THE FILL OVER FOUR FEET.
AND THE IDEA IS TO KEEP THE FILL FROM COLLAPSING AND WASHING DOWN THE HILL DURING CONSTRUCTION.
SO WHILE WOULD BE BUILT AND THE FILL WOULD BE PLACED BEHIND THE WALL, THE APPLICANT WILL DE COMPACT AND REVEGETATE THE AREAS ADJACENT TO THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR PARKING.
THOSE HAVE ACTUALLY BECOME IMPERVIOUS COVER BY, UH, CITY STANDARDS.
AND, AND SO THEY SHOULD BE DE COMPACTED TO RETURN TO A PERVIOUS SITUATION.
AND THE SITE WILL PROVIDE A 40% NATURAL DOWNSTREAM AREA TO TREAT RUNOFF FROM IMPERVIOUS COVER AND NEXT SLIDE.
AND THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT AS WELL? PERFECT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR THAT, PLEASE.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO ATTACK QUESTIONS JOINTLY.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND INTRODUCING YOURSELF AT THE MIC AND WHOEVER'S GOING TO BE CERTAINLY THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONED FOR ENTERTAINING OUR CONVERSATION THIS EVENING AND LET US ADDRESS YOU.
I WORK FOR TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR AS THEIR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, THE ORGANIZATION WOULD, BY THE WAY, CELEBRATES ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY.
THIS ORGANIZATION IS AT ONE MISSION.
AND ONE PURPOSE ONLY THAT IS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES, FIRE TRUCKS, AMBULANCES, MTS, TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICT.
WE'RE NOT MOTIVATED BY NECESSARILY APPEARANCE OR STATUS OR MONETARY PROFIT.
THAT IS OUR ONLY REASON IS TO FIND THE MOST EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF EMERGENCY SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OVER SIX DECADES, THAT NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE CERTAINLY HAS CHANGED AND EVOLVED LIKE CRAZY IN THE SEVENTIES.
ALL WE CARED ABOUT CITY PARK ROAD WAS HAVE A PARKING LOT, BIG ENOUGH TO PARK A BRUSH TRUCK ON.
SO OUR VOLUNTEERS COULD SHOW UP AND HELP US PUT OUT A GRASS FIRE.
BY 1980, WE HAD EVOLVED TO THE POINT THOUGH, WHERE WE HAD PAID PROFESSIONAL RESPONDERS PART-TIME, BUT THEY WERE ACTUALLY AT THE STATION.
SO WE BUILT A GARAGE TO HOW'S OUR EQUIPMENT AND TO HOUSE SOME PERSONNEL BY 2000, WE HAD INVOLVED TO THE POINT OF, WE WERE A HUNDRED PERCENT, 365 TO A 24 7 PROFESSIONAL FIRE ORGANIZATION.
THAT MEANS YOU NEED KITCHENS AND DORM ROOMS
[01:20:01]
AND LOCKER ROOMS AND A TRUE FIRE STATION.THE PICTURES THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PRESENTATION REFLECT THOSE EFFORTS FROM EARLY MID TWO THOUSANDS.
THAT STATION WAS BUILT WITH THAT IN MIND, BUT IT WAS ALSO BUILT TO STAFF, PERHAPS TWO PEOPLE RIDING ON THAT BRUSH TRUCK, OCCASIONALLY A THIRD PERSON.
AND THAT'S HOW THE PARKING AND THE DRIVEWAYS WERE ALL DESIGNED AT THAT TIME.
THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT EVOLUTION THOUGH HAPPENED IN 2017.
WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE, THAT WE NO LONGER NEEDED TO OPERATE OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT MADE MORE SENSE TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO TODAY THE CITY OF BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS ARE RIDING ON CITY OF AUSTIN FIRETRUCKS IN OUR FIRE STATION.
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT CONTRACT GO SAYS THAT IF YOU'RE AN AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER, OR IF YOU'RE AN AUSTIN FIRETRUCK, YOU WILL HAVE A MINIMUM OF FOUR BODIES ASSIGNED 24 7, 365 IMMEDIATELY SURPASSING WHAT LIMITED PARKING WE HAD AT THAT FACILITY.
THE FOUR MANDATORY ARE ONLY PART OF IT THOUGH IN THAT FROM 10 30 TO 1130 EVERY DAY, WE HAVE SHIFT CHANGE.
SO THAT BRINGS FOR NEW FIREFIGHTERS AND FOR NEW VEHICLES TO JOCKEY WITH THE EXISTING FOUR.
AND YOU'VE GOT EIGHT OR NINE PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND A PARKING PLACE ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD COMING AND GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY WHILE THE CITIZENS ARE STILL DRIVING UP AND DOWN A VERY WINDY NARROW CITY PARK ROAD.
IN YOUR PACKET OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT, YOU'LL SEE MANY REFERENCES TO THE CITIZENS CONCERN, UH, BOTH OF THEMSELVES DRIVING UP AND DOWN THAT STRETCH AS WELL AS TO THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, THAT ARE ENDANGERED MANY TIMES BY SIMPLY TRYING TO COME TO WORK.
UH, HAVING SEEN THAT A PROBLEM I WILL MENTION WHEN ONE MORE THING THAT REALLY AFFECTS US OPERATIONALLY THIS SUMMER WHEN THE WILDFIRE THREAT GETS WORSE BECAUSE OF A DROUGHT, WE WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO PUT A SECOND FIRE TRUCK THERE FOR MORE FIREFIGHTERS.
THERE PRE-POSITIONING ASSETS WHERE WE KNOW THE DANGER AND THE THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE.
WE CAN'T, WE WERE RESTRICTED BY THINGS LIKE THE PARKING OPERATIONALLY.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO REACT TO THE THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO REACT TO TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE SAW THIS PROBLEM, THOUGH, WE REACHED OUT TO KSA ENGINEERING, GRAYSON COX, AS OUR CONSULTANT.
AND WE SAID, FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, HE'S WORKED, UH, WITH DESIGNS AND REDESIGNS AND SUBMITTALS AND RISA, MIDDLES AND TWEAKS, UH, WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO DO TO WHERE WE, UH, ALONG WITH CITY STAFF IN A VERY PRODUCTIVE, I THINK, COOPERATIVE MANNER TO WHERE TODAY WE BRING TO YOU WHAT WE CONSIDER THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE REASONABLE, LOW IMPACT SOLUTION TO A PRETTY OBVIOUS NEED.
GRAYSON IS GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE, UH, THE DETAILS OF THE SOLUTION.
SO, UH, LIKE DAVID SAID, UH, I'M GRAYSON.
UM, I JUST WANT TO START WITH A DISCLAIMER.
I DO KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL FROM MY WORK ON ANOTHER COMMISSION HERE AT THE CITY, UH, AS WE ALL DO, I WEAR MULTIPLE HATS THAN I FIRMLY HAVE MY ENGINEERING CONSULTANT HAT ON TONIGHT.
UM, I'M SOLELY HERE, UH, IN THE CAPACITY OF, UH, THE ESTS ENGINEERING CONSULTANT.
UM, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UM, CITY STAFF.
MIKE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT, UH, THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE MIKE AND LIZ'S WORK WITH US.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND ALL SORTS OF CREATIVE WAYS TO, TO TRY NOT TO BE HERE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TO BE HERE REQUESTING THESE VARIANCES.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, CHIEF BAKER AND ASSISTANT CHIEF BUYERS WHO ARE HERE.
UM, I, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSINESS BUSY SCHEDULE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I MIKE'S PRESENTATION WAS AWESOME.
IT PRETTY MUCH COVERED EVERYTHING.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO BLOW THROUGH THIS AND NOT BE REPETITIVE.
AND THEN Q AND A IS PROBABLY WHERE WE'LL LEARN THE MOST.
UH, SO THIS IS JUST AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF FIRE STATION NUMBER 47.
UM, LIKE MIKE HAD SHOWN YOU IT'S ON CITY PARK ROAD, IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL FACILITY AND IT'S HARD TO SEE, BUT THERE IS, UH, A SMALL YELLOW THIN LINE THAT REPRESENTS THE KIND OF AWKWARD SHAPE OF THE PROPERTY OF THIS FIRE STATION BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION AND ALL THE ZONES AND THE DISTRICTS AND THE WATERSHEDS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LAYERS THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, THE AWKWARD SHAPE OF THIS PROPERTY, RESTRICTS DEVELOPMENT, VERY SEVERELY.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE FOUND WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE ESSENTIALLY REALLY THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES RELATED TO
[01:25:01]
PARKING FOR THIS FIRE STATION.UM, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY IF YOU LOOK AT ANY AREA OF THE SITE, IF YOU LOOK AT ANY STREET VIEW OF THE SITE, IF YOU LOOK AT ANY PICTURES OF THE SITE, YOU ALWAYS SEE CARS STACKED UP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
AND THAT IS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHAT, UH, DAVID AND MIKE HAD TOLD YOU PREVIOUSLY, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO I'M MIKE SHOWED YOU THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE LAYOUT.
THESE ARE THE SITE PLAN DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH, UM, TO GET APPROVAL ON.
UH, THE PARKING LOT HAS FIVE SPACES AND IT DOES HAVE A SEPARATE DRIVEWAY TO CITY PARK ROAD.
UM, ADDING ONTO THE EXISTING PARKING REALLY WAS NOT FEASIBLE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
I CAN GET INTO THAT IF YOU WANT ME TO LATER.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAD MADE, WE HAVE MADE THIS PARKING LOT, HAVE THE SMALLEST FOOTPRINT POSSIBLE, AND I'M PRETTY SURE, UH, THE FIREMEN AND THE FIRE WOMEN WHO STAFFED THIS ARE GOING TO BE CURSING MY NAME FOR AS LONG AS THEY WORK THERE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY TO PULL THEIR TRUCKS IN AND OUT OF THESE PARKING SPOTS.
AND THAT, THAT IS TRULY BY DESIGN TO MINIMIZE OUR IMPERVIOUS COVER IMPACT ON THIS PROPERTY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MIKE HAD, HAD REFERENCED A COUPLE OF MITIGATING FACTORS THAT CITY STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, AND THAT WE ARE COMPLETELY SUPPORTIVE OF.
SO WE'VE ALREADY DESIGNED INTO THE PROJECT, A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE THINK HELP MITIGATE, UH, THE, HOPEFULLY THE APPROVAL OF THESE VARIANCES.
UM, I DO HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT WE WIN AN AWARD FOR LIKE THE MOST OR BEST LANDSCAPE FIRE STATION PARKING LOT EVER, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE PLANTING A NUMBER OF TREES AND OTHER VEGETATION AROUND THIS, UH, RELATIVELY SMALL PARKING LOT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, BIOFILTRATION ON THE DOWNSTREAM END OF THE PARKING LOT.
UH, WE'RE PUTTING IN SOME BIOFILTRATION MEDIA, WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANTING, BUNCHING GRASSES, WE'RE DESIGNING IT AND GRADING IT IN A WAY TO CAPTURE THE WATER THAT COMES OFF OF THE PARKING LOT AND HAVE IT GO THROUGH A MORE NATURAL BIOFILTRATION PROCESS.
I SHOULD MENTION THAT THE PARKING LOT ITSELF ACTS AS DETENTION.
UM, THERE'S NO ROOM TO PUT SEPARATE DETENTION ON THIS SITE.
AND SO WE'VE DESIGNED THE PARKING LOT SO THAT IT ACTUALLY CAPTURES THE RAIN WATER AND THEN SLOWLY DISCHARGES IT AT THE PREEXISTING, UH, RATE THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE, UH, PARKING STATION EXISTS.
WE ARE ALSO, UH, CONSTRUCTING A COUPLE OF LANDSCAPING WALLS AROUND THE PARKING LOT TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP SOME OF THE LARGER, UH, AND BEAUTIFUL TREES ON THIS PROPERTY AND MAKE IT ALL AS COMPATIBLE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT.
UM, YOU HAD ASKED A QUESTION, UH, ABOUT, UH, WASHING OF THE FIRETRUCKS AND, AND I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE THE DOWNSTREAM, UM, UH, BIOFILTRATION UH, FROM THE PARKING LOT TO HELP MITIGATE ANY SORT OF CONTAMINANTS DEBRIS OR WHATEVER THAT COMES OFF OF THE NEW PARKING LOT.
UM, I THINK DAVID, YOU HAD SOME INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL.
ADDITIONALLY, THE AUSTIN PARK DEPARTMENT HAS ADOPTED MEASURES TO WHEN DROUGHT CONDITIONS GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, THEY SEND OUT THE WORD AND THOSE FIRETRUCK WASHING STOPS.
SO, UH, THEY'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF, OF, OF THE IMPACT AND HOW UGLY IT LOOKS TO HAVE FIREFIGHTERS THAT TO WASHINGTON FIRE TRUCKS.
AND SO THEY'LL SEND THE WORD OUT IN THOSE CONDITIONS AND STOP THAT PRACTICE.
AND I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT Y'ALL DO ON THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION.
UM, I AM VERY MUCH A PROPONENT OF US PROTECTING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT HERE IN THE CITY.
I'VE TOLD DAVID THIS MULTIPLE TIMES, IF HE WAS A DEVELOPER COMING IN WITH SOME CONDOS AND WANTED TO BUILD A PARKING LOT WITH ALL OF THESE VARIANCES, I WOULD HAVE TOLD HIM, THANK YOU, BUT NO THANKS.
UM, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIRE SAFETY, FIRST RESPONDERS, PARTICULARLY IN THIS AREA, UM, WHICH HAS A VERY, VERY HIGH RISK OF WILDFIRES.
UM, I THINK THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO SUPPORT THIS AND MOVE FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SOUND WAS, BUT THANK YOU.
AND THAT IS YOUR TIME, A LOT MORE PLEASANT THAN AT CITY HALL.
WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS SIGN UP.
UM, EDWIN HUBER IS EDWIN HERE.
I BELIEVE IT MAY BE ON THE PHONE.
UM, CHARLES ALEXANDER, MR. ALEXANDER, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
[01:30:01]
YOU.I, MY, UH, APPOINTED COMMISSIONER, UH, ON ESD FOUR.
THERE'S A, UH, FIVE MEMBER BOARD APPOINTED BY, UH, THERE'S A COUNTY COURT.
UM, I'M ALSO A RETIRED LUBBOCK PAR CAPTAIN AND I'VE BEEN, UH, DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE FIRE SERVICE FOR 48 YEARS NOW.
UH, THIS FIRE STATION NEEDS TO REMAIN VIABLE AND THE PLAN THAT, UH, BEEN PRESENTED HERE IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CONFIGURE OUT FOR IT TO REMAIN VIABLE.
ESD FOUR ALSO HAS PLANS TO, I GUESS, EXPAND THE FIRE STATION ON THE SAME FOOTPRINT THAT IT HAS TO IT'S A TWO-STORY STATION, UH, TO EXPAND THE SECOND STORY TO, UH, EXPAND THE APPARATUS ROOM BY TAKING IN PART OF THE EXISTING, UH, UH, DRIVEWAY APRON THAT THE FIRETRUCKS USE.
SO WE'RE KEEPING THE SAME FOOTPRINT FOR THE FIRE STATION.
WE'RE MAKING IT MORE CAPABLE IN ORDER TO HOUSE THE ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE NEED.
I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, THIS COMMISSION COULD ZOOM OUT A LITTLE FROM THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND I, I, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
UH, BUT WILDFIRE IS IMPORTANT.
ALSO, THIS STATION IS WELL SITUATED AND WELL-SUITED, AND WELL-STAFFED TO, UH, ADDRESS WILDFIRES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
AND, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK YOU TO HELP US HELP THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE WILDFIRE FRONT.
AND WE HAVE A RANDALL JAMISON AND I BELIEVE JOEL BAKER DONATED HIS TIME TO YOU.
I THINK THIS ISN'T PART OF THE SIX MINUTES.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
UH, I'M RANDY JAMIESON, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE RIVER PLACE, HOA AND ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE RIVER PLACE.
I'M THE FIREWISE COORDINATOR, UM, FOR THE FIREWISE PROGRAM AND RIVER PLACE AND AN AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, FIREWISE AMBASSADOR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO MY PERSPECTIVE ON, ON THIS ISSUE, UH, COMES FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY AND A LIFE SAFETY PERSPECTIVE.
SO, UM, JUST AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID TO KIND OF ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT FROM JUST A PREVIOUS COVER OR JUST ABOUT PARKING SPACES, THIS REALLY IS A PUBLIC SAFETY AND LIFE SAFETY ISSUE OF NEXT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WHEN I SAY THAT IT'S A LIFE SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, UM, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS, UH, UM, THE REASON I SAY THAT IS THAT THIS, THIS IS A TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF THE AREA.
AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN IT BEFORE, BUT IT SHOWS A FIRE STATION 47.
IT ALSO SHOWS THE COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA AND IT SHOWS THE NEXT CLOSEST FIRE STATION, WHICH IS 39.
UM, WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE IS THE DISTANCE FROM, FROM 39 TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
AND THE FACT THAT FIRE STATION 47 IS IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF THE COMMUNITIES.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT, THAT THE FIRE STATION IS VIABLE AS WE'VE HEARD BEFORE? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THIS IS THE NEXT SLIDE IS EXACT SAME, UM, UH, TOPOGRAPHY MAP, BUT THIS IS FROM THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, WHERE THEY MEASURED THE LEVELS OF RISK FOR WILDFIRE, THE DARKER, THE COLORS, THE HIGHER, THE RISK FOR WILDFIRE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS AN INCREDIBLY HIGH WILDFIRE RISK IN THIS AREA THROUGHOUT ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.
I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE NUMBERS, BUT ON EVERY METRIC THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT ON EVERY METRIC, THIS AREA COMES UP TO BEING A, AN AREA OF THE HIGHEST WILDFIRE, UM, THAT THAT IS BEING MEASURED, UH, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY ACCESS.
SO, UM, WHY IS IT, WHY, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT BUSINESS CITY PARK ROAD? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UM, PREVIOUSLY, BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT CITY PARK ROAD.
[01:35:01]
47 IS VIABLE IN THIS AREA AS OPPOSED TO BRINGING FIRETRUCKS IN 47 IS ACTUALLY IN THIS AREA.SO HERE ARE JUST THREE PHOTOS OF CITY PARK ROAD.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE CAL FIRE COMMANDERS FROM THE INCIDENT COMMAND CENTER THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE MEGA FIRES IN CALIFORNIA.
AND WE SHOPPED THEM AROUND, DROVE THEM AROUND THE AREA.
AND WHEN WE GOT ONTO CITY PARK ROAD, UM, THE, UH, INCIDENT COMMANDER SAID TO ME, HE SAYS, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY ROUTE OR A EVACUATION ROUTE.
UM, I STUCK WITH ME OBVIOUSLY.
UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS, THERE'S A LOT OF VEGETATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD AND IT'S A CURVY ROAD.
HE LATER THEN SENT ME THIS PHOTOGRAPH AND HE SAYS, THIS IS WHAT I MEAN BY A TUNNEL TO HELL.
IF YOU HAVE SO MUCH VEGETATION THAT IS SO CLOSE TO A ROAD, AND THERE'S A FIRE IN PARTICULARLY ON CITY PARK ROAD, THERE'S TWO GREAT BIG RAVINES ON EITHER SIDE WHERE FIRE RACES UP, UH, THE HEAT GETS SO HOT THAT YOU CAN'T EVACUATE.
IT MELTS THE TIRES OFF YOUR CAR.
SO TRYING TO GET FIRE TRUCKS IN THE AREA IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE VIABLE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE, AS WE SAID, A VERY VIABLE, UM, FIRE STATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS WILD LAND INTERFACE, UM, INTERFACE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE PUBLIC SAFETY OR LIFE SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THE AREA, BUT THERE'S CRITICAL SAFETY SITUATION HERE, AS WE'VE HEARD OF BEFORE OR PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE CARS PARK.
THIS IS A PICTURE THAT I TOOK A PHOTO.
I TOOK, I DID NOT TELL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT I WAS COMING TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS TO HAVE A LOOK.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS.
SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SAME THING.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT FIRETRUCK HAS ITS FRONT WHEELS COCKED TO THE LEFT, IT HAS TO DO THAT TO TRY TO GET AROUND THE CARS BECAUSE THEY'RE USING PART OF THE APPARATUS AREA TO PARK THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLES DURING A SHIFT CHANGE.
THEY'VE TOLD ME, UM, WHEN I DID SPEAK WITH THEM, THAT THAT CREATES A, UM, SIGNIFICANT, UH, IMPEDIMENT TO TRYING TO GET THE, OF APPARATUS OUT OF THE PARKING LOT.
THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH, UH, APPROACHING THE FIRE STATION, UH, FROM THE NORTH.
UM, IF YOU SEE RIGHT AT THE, UH, WHERE THE ROAD KIND OF GOES INTO, UH, THE TREES AT THE VERY TOP, RIGHT? YOU MIGHT PICK OUT THAT THERE'S A REAR VIEW MIRROR FROM A VEHICLE.
SO THIS IS THE VIEW IN A CAR APPROACHING THE, UH, FIRE STATION AS WE, UH, AS WE SEE IT TODAY, NEXT SLIDE.
AND THAT'S THE CAR THAT HAD THE EYE REVERE MIRROR THAT WE COULD SEE.
AND EVERY DAY, FOLKS NOT ONLY PARKED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THEY LOAD AND UNLOAD THEIR GEAR, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS WHERE THIS FIREFIGHTER HAS ACTUALLY FOLLOWED THE ROAD, TRYING TO LOAD AND UNLOAD HIS, UH, HIS GEAR NEXT, NEXT SLIDE IN LAST SLIDE.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT, UM, PARKING LOTS OR PARKING SPACES AND IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, BUT IT IS REALLY ABOUT IMPERVIOUS COVER AND PARKING SPACES BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE, THEN WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY AND LIFE SAFETY CONCERN.
I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE SOME, OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO ONE MORE PUBLIC SPEAKER AND THEN WE'LL.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, LINDA BAILEY AND I BELIEVE PETER T TORGESON DONATED HIS TIME.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE GLEN LAKE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF ALL FOUR VARIANCES.
I'VE LIVED IN THE GLEN LAKE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER 24 YEARS TO GET TO OUR HOME.
WE HAVE TO START UP AT 22, 22 AND WIND DOWN THE PATH THAT RANDY SHOWED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE DRIVE DOWN TO A CITY PARK ROAD AND TURN RIGHT TO GET INTO GLEN LAKE.
THE NEXT LOT IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE ARE BY AND WATCH THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU KEPT GOING DOWN CITY PARK ROAD, YOU WOULD END UP INTO EMMA LONG PARK CITY PARK ROAD IS ESSENTIALLY ONE LONG CULDESAC.
MOST OF US HAVEN'T CUT OUR TREES DOWN.
WE HAVE A LITTLE FOREST IN OUR YARD.
[01:40:01]
ARE RISKS AND THE RISKS ARE, THIS IS A CLIP FROM OUR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN THAT THE AUSTIN PART DEPARTMENT WILDFIRE DIVISION GAVE US SEE THE LITTLE RED DOTS.THOSE ARE THE HIGH WILDFIRE RISK HOMES IN GLEN LAKE AND WESTMINSTER GLEN.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME YELLOW ONES, MEDIUM RISK AND A FEW WHITE ONES.
SO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS PRIMARILY HIGH WILDFIRE RISK BECAUSE WE'RE IN 150 FEET OF THE WOODS.
THERE WAS A WHOLE CRESCENT AROUND AUSTIN LIKE THAT, BUT WE HAPPENED TO BE PARTICULAR ONE, BUT IT'S NOT JUST OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS IN A HIGH WELL FIRE RISK AREA.
IT'S THE THOUSANDS OF HOMES THAT ARE AROUND US THAT ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION.
IT WAS WINDY TODAY AND IT'S A DROUGHT OUT THERE.
AND EVERYONE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS ON ALERT BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN AND OUT.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THE THOUGHT OF EVACUATION IS VERY SCARY.
THE THOUGHT OF WILDFIRE IS EVEN MORE.
UH, CHIEF BAILEY, NO RELATIONSHIP CAME TO OUR, UH, SAME LAST NAME, OUR HOA, AND YOU'LL SEE THE GLEN LAKE HOA SUPPORTED ALL FOUR VARIANCES OVER A YEAR AGO.
AND IF YOU GOT THE LETTERS THAT, UH, KAYLA PRINTED UP FOR YOU OR GAVE OUT, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ALSO LIKE AUSTIN COLLECTIVE IS A GROUP OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DIRECTLY ON CITY PARK ROAD AND THEY ARE 100% UNANIMOUS IN SUPPORT.
SO THIS IS A, UH, A LETTER FROM PAUL MARTIN.
AND IF YOU WALK OUT THE DRIVEWAY OF THE STATION, 47, YOU WALK INTO HIS DRIVEWAY AND I REALLY CAN'T SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS.
I DIDN'T PRINT IT OUT, BUT BASICALLY HE SAYS HE SEEN NEAR MISSES.
AND THIS IS A REAL ISSUE OF TRAFFIC.
I THINK I HAVE THREE, THREE MORE MINUTES.
AND, UM, UH, IF YOU SEE ALSO NOT ONLY IS THIS FIRE STATION FOR US, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE AT EMMA LONG PARK.
THERE'S 1000 ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO FORTY SEVEN ACRES JUST DUE SOUTH OF THAT AND EMMA LONG.
OUR AREA'S COMPLETELY BUILT OUT.
WE HAVE, WE LIVE WITH CUT AND FILL.
I HAVE 25% SLOPE IN MY BACKYARD, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'VE LIVED THERE A LONG TIME.
WE WERE BUILT OUT IN THE EIGHTIES.
WE KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THE DRAINAGE.
UH, THE LAST ONE WAS A TOPO MAP THAT I CUT FOR YOU OUT OF GOOGLE.
THE ONE ON THE LEFT SHOWS THE LITTLE, THE TRIANGULAR LOT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ON THE ONE TO THE RIGHT SHOWS, THE BCP RAW LAND TO THE EAST AND TO THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH IS EMMA LONG PARK TO THE WEST OR THE BUILT-OUT NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WE ASKED FOR YOU TO LOOK AT THIS LOT IN THE BIG PICTURE OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS RAW LAND WITH TREES, GIVEN THE BIG PICTURE OF EXTREME TOPOGRAPHY IN BUILT-OUT NEIGHBORHOODS, A CULDESAC AREA WITH NEARBY STABLE DRAINAGE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE 40% NATURAL AREA TO TREAT THE RUNOFF FROM THE IMPERVIOUS COVER ON BEHALF OF THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL AS THE HIKERS PARK GOERS, MOTORCYCLISTS CAMPERS, AND BICYCLIST.
WE REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS IMPERVIOUS COVER OF APPROXIMATELY 3000 SQUARE FEET ON THIS SMALL TRIANGULAR.
LOT IN SHORT, I'M GOING TO QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS THAT'S, UH, COPIED ME ON HIS EMAIL.
HE SAID IN SHORT, IT SEEMS JUST LIKE THE SORT OF SCENARIO VARIANCES WERE CREATED TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC BENEFIT GREATLY EXCEEDS THE COST.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF A LOT MORE DESERVING OF SUCH CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THOUGHTS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY, WE'VE GOT STAFF.
[01:45:01]
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, LET'S LET'S GO AROUND HERE.LIKE WE'VE DONE BEFORE COMMISSIONER KORESH.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE DRIVEN ON THIS ROAD A LOT OVER THE YEAR OR A FAIR AMOUNT, RIGHT.
GOING TO MMR OR THE, THE RECORDING CONSERVATORY.
SO I DEFINITELY FEEL Y'ALL, IT'S VERY WINDY, UH, ANXIETY CAUSING ROAD AT TIMES.
UH, ALSO HAVING GROWN UP IN THE COUNTRY, I REALIZED THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO, UH, MAKE CERTAIN SACRIFICE.
I WAS LIKE, DAMN, THEY CUT ME OFF TOO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF TOTAL ALLOWED IMPERVIOUS COVER CURRENTLY IS 20%, UH, APPLICANTS ARE ASKING FOR 27%, UH, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS TO TRY TO COVER FOR ANY RUNOFF.
WHAT WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF WE DENY NUMBER FOUR RIGHT THERE, LIKE, OKAY, PARKING LOT IS A NO-GO, WE HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT.
WHAT WOULD THAT EVEN LOOK LIKE? LIKE, IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO DO LIKE A PARKING GARAGE? CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I SEE THAT YOU CAN REDUCE IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THIS SITUATION, MIKE MCDOUGALL, MY VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, I BELIEVE A PARKING GARAGE WOULD BE FEASIBLE, BUT I HAVE TO DEFER TO THE ENGINEER ON THAT.
UH, MY CONCERN IS, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ROOM FOR THE RAMPS TO GET THE CARS ELEVATED.
I THINK HE MIGHT BE IN A POSITION.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW A FIRETRUCK AND A PARKING GARAGE WORKS.
AND, AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY CORRECT.
I'M TRYING TO DO SOME SORT OF VERTICAL STRUCTURE HERE WOULD, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE BACK GETTING EVEN MORE VARIANCES IF WE TRIED TO DO THAT.
UM, AND, AND WHAT I WOULD, WHAT I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS JUST, UM, THIS IS PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ESD OBVIOUSLY IS FUNDED THROUGH TAX MONEY.
AND SO PART OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE DOING THE BEST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND MEETING THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THIS FIRE STATION, BUT ALSO MAKING IT FINANCIALLY VIABLE FOR THE ESD TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD GO CRAZY AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, BUT WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THEN THE SD JUST WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO, SO YEAH, STRUCTURED PARKING, UM, WOULD PRESENT A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF CHALLENGE, NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY, BUT, BUT FROM A DEVELOPMENT, UH, CODE STANDPOINT ON THIS PARTICULAR LOT THAT WE'D HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN WE'D PROBABLY BE BACK HERE AGAIN.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE HOW MANY, UH, OF THE, UH, UH, RESIDENTS HAVE COME OUT, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, THIS, UH, ZONING VARIANCE.
AND I, I SEE NO, UH, I SEE NO REASON FOR US TO STAND IN THE WAY OF, UH, WHAT IS CLEARLY, UH, AN OVER RIDING NEED TO, UH, PROVIDE SAFETY FROM, UH, WILDFIRES AND, AND OTHER, UH, EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WE'RE IN, UH, IN, UH, A RED FLIGHT, A WILDFLOWER ALERT AT THIS VERY MOMENT.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT INCREASE, UM, UH, PROBABLY MORE DRAMATICALLY THAN WE WOULD LIKE.
SO, UM, I HAVE, I HAVE NO OBJECTION.
I, I THINK THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S VERY REASONABLE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYBODY COMING OUT AND FOR, AND FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS.
REMOTE COMMISSIONERS, GET READY.
UM, COMMISSIONER GARY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? AND SO, YEAH, MY QUESTION IS MORE FOR STAMPING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YEAH, MY QUESTION IS FOR STAFF.
SO THE QUESTION IS, I KNOW IT APPEARS THAT IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE LIMP COMMISSION.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE, BUT WHEN I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THAT, AND THEN THE TIMELINE BEFORE IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL, IT WOULD NOT MIGHT MECHANICAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
IT WOULD NOT NEED TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS VARIANCE.
UM, IF IT WERE IN THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE, IT WOULD, BUT THIS IS NOT THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE.
IT'S A DIFFERENT WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION.
IT WILL GO TO ZAP OR PC FALLING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD GO TO THE ZONING AND PLANNING OF THANKS.
THANK YOU BOTH APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, UM, I WOULD PUT THIS ON THE ZAP AGENDA, THE NEXT AVAILABLE ZAP AGENDA, UM, IN THE PAST SOMETIMES, UM, VARIANCES ARE PRESENTED THE VERY NEXT WEEK AFTER ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW THE WORKS, UM, AND HOW THE MEETINGS SCHEDULE FALL ON THE CALENDAR.
UM, AND RECOGNIZING THE PROTOCOL IN NEPALESE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING
[01:50:01]
THAT WE COULD DO OR WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE, NOT KNOWING WHAT THE LANGUAGE IS GOING TO BE IN THEM, WHATEVER IS PRESENTED BEFORE THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION.BUT I WOULD URGE THAT WE EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS.
UM, FOR ME, I KNOW WE DEAL WITH FLOOD ISSUES, UH, FAR WAYS ISSUES IN UP, AND WE DEAL WITH THOSE JUST BECAUSE OF WHERE I LIVE, BUT I THINK THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND, UM, NOT ONLY FOR THE RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA, UM, BUT ALSO FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
AND IF WE CANNOT PROTECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THEN WHO'S GOING TO BE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN ADD A PROVISION IN THERE TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S JUST MY RECOMMENDATION.
I WILL PLAY IT ON TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE AGENDA.
AND, AND JUST REAL QUICK, UH, COMMISSIONER GARY, UM, THE, THE APPLICANT, AND AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON AVAILABILITY IN TERMS OF HOW FULL THE AGENDAS ARE FOR ZAP, BUT THE APPLICANTS GOING TO REQUEST IF POSSIBLE TO BE ON THE FIRST MAY, UH, MEETING.
SO THAT SHOULD TAKE PLACE, I THINK, IN THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.
UM, AND SO THAT WOULD BE OUR PREFERENCE IF THERE IS AVAILABILITY ON THAT AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS COMMISSIONER A YEAR? NO, SIR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARRETT.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE IS I BELIEVE PROBABLY MOST SUITED FOR THE ENGINEER AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IS FOR THE CITY.
UM, BUT THE, THE FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT, UM, UH, PERMEABLE, PERMEABLE PAVEMENT SYSTEMS. AND I WANTED TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE IF, UM, THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED OR HAS BEEN CONSIDERED, UM, IN THIS, UH, IN THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, I WAS DOING A, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THIS.
IT'S, IT'S NOT, UM, I'LL BE HONEST.
I, I DON'T HAVE A STRONG BACKGROUND IN THIS AREA, BUT I DID SEE ON EPA WEBSITE THAT THEY HAD LISTED POROUS, ASPHALT AND PERVIOUS CONCRETE, AND AS WELL AS, UH, THE PERMEABLE INTERLOCKING, UM, CONCRETE PAVERS AS OPTIONS, UM, FOR PERMEABLE PAVEMENT.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, IS THAT BEING CONSIDERED MIKE MCDOUGALL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED FOR THE REASON THAT THERE IS NOT A PERMEABLE PAVEMENT DESIGN THAT THE CITY WILL ACCEPT AS PERVIOUS.
SO, UM, THE AUTHENTIC COULD PROPOSE PERMEABLE PAVEMENT.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO CALL IT IMPERVIOUS AND WE'D BE ASKING FOR THE EXACT SAME VARIANCE, UM, FOR THE CITY'S PURPOSES.
IT'S EITHER IT'S EITHER A PERVIOUS OR IMPERVIOUS PERMEABLE PAVEMENT OF ANY SORT IS IMPERVIOUS.
IN FACT, EVEN WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE PARKED ON THE DIRT NEXT TO THE ROAD, TECHNICALLY IS NOW IMPERVIOUS COVERED BY THE CITY STANDARDS.
SO THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THE SECOND QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR THE ER STAFF.
UM, CAUSE I, I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND I SAW SOME REFERENCES ABOUT LIKE FOR CODE CHANGES TO THE, UM, LIKE DRAINAGE CRITERIA MANUAL, BUT THERE WEREN'T ANY DATES ON THEM AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS EVEN ACCEPTED.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, SO I GUESS, YEAH.
UM, SORRY, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
I CAN, I CAN, UH, I'D HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH.
I DON'T KNOW THE, UH, THE REFERENCE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT'S EASY.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL SECTION ONE OR THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, UM, REGULATIONS LIVE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND, UM, BASICALLY YES, IF IT'S DRIVEN ON IT'S IMPERVIOUS AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT'S MADE OF, IF IT'S DRIVEN ON REGULARLY, UM, IF IT'S PAVEMENT NEVER DRIVEN ON INSTILL IN IMPERVIOUS, IF IT'S DIRT AND DRIVEN ON REGULARLY, IT IS IMPERVIOUS FOR US.
AND SO THEN TO HAVE HER TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS SUCH AS, UM, YOU KNOW, STORMWATER RUNOFF SOMEBODY'S PERMEABLE OPTIONS, UM, COULD POTENTIALLY SERVE THAT FUNCTION.
AND COMMISSIONER, THIS IS GRAYSON WITH THE APPLICANT.
UM, WE, WE ACTUALLY DID CONSIDER PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS OR A PERVIOUS, UH, PERVIOUS SURFACE AS PART OF A MITIGATING FACTOR, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED IMPERVIOUS UNDER THE CURRENT CODE.
UH, THERE ARE A FEW CHALLENGES WITH PERVIOUS PAVEMENTS IN THIS PARTICULAR, UM, WELL, IN GENERAL, AND THEN ALSO FOR THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION, UM, I WON'T BORE YOU ABOUT THE GENERAL ISSUES BECAUSE I COULD GO ON FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, THE, WE, WE ARE CONSTRUCTING ON A RELATIVELY STEEP SLOPE BECAUSE THE ENTIRE SITE IS SLOPED.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A BIT OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE PARKING LOT.
AND WITHIN THOSE CONCRETE STRUCTURES ARE GOING TO BE STRUCTURAL BACKFILL, STRUCTURAL BACKFILL
[01:55:01]
BY ITS NATURE IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW A LOT OF INFILTRATION.UM, AND SO EVEN IF WE DID SOMEHOW CONSTRUCT, LIKE YOU'VE SEEN THOSE LITTLE BRICK PAVERS WITH GRASS COMING OUT IN BETWEEN, EVEN IF WE DID THAT, IT WOULD BE SITTING ON A STRUCTURALLY COMPACTED BACKFILL.
AND SO IT ACTUALLY WOULDN'T SERVE THE PURPOSE THAT, THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO DO IN TERMS OF INFILTRATING THAT STORMWATER INTO THE NATURAL GROUND.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS PARKING LOT BUILT IN THAT WAY BECAUSE OF THE SLOPES.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT DOESN'T REALLY ALLOW FOR FACILITATING INFILTRATION OF THE STORMWATER, THE PARKING LOTS ALSO SERVING AS THE DETENTION POND, UM, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY SO, SO TH THAT IS IMPERVIOUS COVER, BUT, UM, W WE ARE TRYING TO DIRECT THIS WATER INTO BIOFILTRATION MEDIA.
BUNCHGRASSES A VEGETATIVE FILTER STRIP.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH A SIMILAR THING, UH, THROUGH THAT MECHANISM RATHER THAN A PERVIOUS TYPE PAVEMENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPLANATION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, I HAVE A COMMENT.
UM, THIS REMINDS ME A LOT OF THE WESTLAKE, UM, FIRE STATION AND IT, I, IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET THE TRUCK OUT AND PARK IT AGAIN ON THAT KIRBY TWISTY BREAD.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, OUR TRUCKS ARE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE SOME MUCH PUBLIC LAND AROUND IT.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON A LOT OF LEVELS AND DOING GREAT WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION COMMISSIONER.
BRIMER DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YEAH.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOLKS FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
UM, YEAH, I CAN TOTALLY SEE THE NEED FOR THIS, UH, THIS PARKING LOT.
AND I THINK THAT THE, UH, ATKINS HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN, UH, WORKING WITH STAFF, DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO MITIGATE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNSIDES TO EVERYTHING.
AND SO I, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH COMMISSIONER NICHOLS THERE.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BOTH THEIR PRESENTATIONS AND OUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO JUST, I GUESS, ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF SOME FOLKS IN THIS ROOM, ESPECIALLY ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WHO MENTIONED THAT, UM, IN AN EMAIL, SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE VARIANCES.
AND SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THAT SAME SENTIMENT.
I DON'T SEE PERSONALLY, I NEED TO STAND IN THE WAY OF THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STAFF IS PROHIBITED FROM THE CITY RECOMMENDING APPROVAL, BUT I JUST, I DON'T SEE IT.
I NEED TO STAND IN THE WAY THE QUESTIONS.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF Y'ALL ARE WORKING WITH THE, WITH ANY CITY ARBORISTS TO KIND OF, UM, PLAN OUT THE PLANTING OF TREES AND VEGETATION.
W UH, SO THE CDR GOES D HAS REVIEWED THE SITE PLAN DOCUMENTS, UM, AND, AND WE, UH, I BELIEVE ADDRESSED ALL OF THEIR COMMENTS, UM, AND WE'RE PULLING THE, UH, THE TREES THAT WE'RE PLANTING FROM ESSENTIALLY THE NATIVE AUSTIN LIST.
UM, AND WHAT, WHAT GROWS WELL AROUND IN THAT, AROUND IN THAT AREA TO BEGIN WITH.
SO, SO WE'RE ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO GO BACK WITH WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO WORK AND THRIVE IN, IN THAT PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION AND FOR VARSITY COMING OUT THIS EVENING AND SITTING HERE AND LISTENING TO US, UH, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS THIS AND, AND, AND FOR ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, FOR ALL YOUR, UH, VERY IMPORTANT INPUT.
UH, I WANT TO, UH, SAY A COUPLE THINGS FIRST OFF, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, HOMES THAT ARE THERE, THIS IS ALSO GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER HABITAT, UH, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE WARBLERS ARE HERE AND FIRE IS ONE OF THE MANY THREATS THAT THEY HAVE FOR, UM, THAT KEEPS THEM ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.
SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE PROTECT THAT AREA, NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN SELF, UM, HEALTH AND SAFETY, BUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR, UH, THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT ALSO SHARES, UH, THESE CANYONS WITH US.
SO, UM, WE AS A COMMISSION, UM, CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UM, FOR THE VARIANCE.
UM, I HOPE THAT I'M READING THINGS CORRECTLY AND, UM, WITH WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID, AND I'LL TRY TO SUMMARIZE THAT IN OUR, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS HERE IN A MINUTE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE WANT TO GET A FEEL FOR Y'ALL BEFORE
[02:00:01]
I PUT THAT IN THERE.I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, AND THAT IS, THIS MAY BE A COMPLICATING FACTORS.
MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MIKE, BUT IS THERE ANY, UM, INTENT OR PART OF THE PLAN TO TRY TO, UH, REVEGETATE OR SOMEHOW FIX THE PART OF THE RIGHT OF WAY WHERE PARKING HAS BEEN GOING DOWN OCCURRING? I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT, I'M LOOKING AT STREET VIEW HERE.
UM, IS THERE ANY PART OF IT TO TRY TO MAKE THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE PERVIOUS AGAIN? YES, SIR.
MIKE RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VARIANCE APPROVAL STAFF RECOMMENDATION, NUMBER THREE, IS THAT THE APPLICANT WILL DECOMPOSE AND REVEGETATE THE AREAS ADJACENT TO THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT HAVE BEEN USED FOR PARKING.
SO THE INTENT IS YES, THAT IS IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, IT IS TECHNICALLY NOT PERMANENT BECAUSE IT WASN'T, UH, IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH A PERMIT PROCESS IT'S KIND OF BY DEFAULT IMPERVIOUS COVER BECAUSE THE PARKING AND SO AS A CONDITION OF THIS PROJECT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AREA D COMPACTED AND THEN REVEGETATING TO RETURN IT TO A PERVIOUS, UH, CHARACTERISTIC.
AND I DON'T WANT TO HIT THIS POINT TOO HARD, BUT IS THAT FOR THE RIGHT OF WAY OR THE PART OF THEIR LOT? THAT'S ADJACENT TO CITY PARK RIGHT AWAY.
I, I APPRECIATE THAT DISTINCTION.
I BELIEVE THEY ARE PARKING TECHNICALLY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, ADJACENT TO THE PAVEMENT, BUT STILL IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
BUT THE INTENT IS, AND WE CAN, WE CAN TWEAK THAT THE LANGUAGE.
BUT THE INTENT IS TO HAVE THE AREA WHERE THE PARKING WAS OCCURRING TO BE REINVIGORATED.
I DID CHARACTERIZE IT AS ADJACENT TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, BUT IT ACTUALLY, IT COULD BE ADJACENT WITHIN, OR JUST UPON THE RIGHT-AWAY BOUNDARY ITSELF.
BUT THE INCIDENT WAS, YOU ASKED TO HAVE THAT AREA WHERE HE VEGETATED IT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS THE KIND OF THE UNDERSTANDING KIND OF COMING HERE.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT ONE OF OUR PLANS SUITS RIGHT NOW THAT THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY AND IT HAS EXACTLY THAT TO SCARIFY AND RE COMPACT THAT COMPACTED SOIL, THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY ITSELF ESSENTIALLY IS THE ONLY SEMI LEVEL PART OF THAT AREA.
SO, SO IT IS THE AREA THAT'S COMPACTED AS REALLY RIGHT OFF THE ROAD.
AND WE'VE GOT IT ALREADY IN OUR PLANS AND IF COMMITTED TO SCARIFYING, UM, THAT D COMPACTING IT AND THEN, UH, USING A NATIVE SEED MIX TO ESTABLISH VEGETATION.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THESE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS ANSWER, THAT'S FINE, BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE BALANCES WITH THE APPROXIMATE 3000 SQUARE FEET THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT THAT WERE, YOU WERE ASKING FOR? I DO NOT HAVE THAT CALCULATION, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE AREA.
IT'S PROBABLY MAYBE ABOUT 20% OF THE OVERALL OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WE'RE REQUESTING THAT WE WILL END UP D COMPACTING.
UM, SO I'M GUESSING PROBABLY 20 TO 25%.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? REMOTE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM, UH, BUT NOT THE MOTION.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT.
AND BEFORE I START THE MOTION, UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, I DID, UM, UH, CAPTURE, UM, COMMISSIONER IKOS, EXCUSE ME.
HAVE YOU CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING? THANK YOU.
UH, CAN I GET A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
RAISE YOUR HAND PRIMERS THEN THOMPSON.
WERE YOU IN THEM WHERE YOU FOR CLOSING THE PUBLIC? MARY? THANK YOU.
YES, I'M READY FOR THE MOTION.
UM, APRIL SIX, UH, 2022 CHARLES COUNTY E S D A NUMBER FOUR, FIRE STATION PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICATION.
APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A LAND USE COMMISSION.
A VARIANCE IS REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT A DRIVEWAY ON SLOPES OVER 15% A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE HAS.
UM, SO JUST, IT SAYS IT SEVERAL TIMES THAT IT HAS THE DIFFERENT CODES ON THERE.
I'M GOING TO DO, I NEED TO CARRY IT OUT.
READ ALL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE.
I GET ANY, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD IT RIGHT HERE.
UM, LDC, UH, 25 8 3 0 1 A AND ONE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES REQUESTED CONSTRUCT A PARKING LOT ON SLOPES OVER 15%, UH, PER LDC, TWO FIVE DASH EIGHT DASH 3 0 2, A TWO LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES REQUESTED TO FILL OUT, FILL OVER FOUR FEET PER LDC, 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 3 4 2 LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES REQUESTED TO ALLOW AN IMPERVIOUS COVER OF
[02:05:01]
27.5% NET SITE AREA, HER LDC 25, 8, 4 OR FIVE THREE.WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE TURKEY CREEK WATERSHED SUPPLY, RURAL DRINKING WATER, UM, WATER PROTECTED ZONE.
AND WHEREAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMEND THREE OF THE FORBEARANCES HAVING DETERMINED.
THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF THE FACTS HAVE BEEN MET.
STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND A VARIANCE TO REQUEST A VARIANCE REQUESTED TO ALLOW AN IMPERVIOUS COVER OF 27.5% NET SITE PER THE LDC 25 8 4 5 3.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF CANNOT RECOMMEND THE VARIANCE TO INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM 20% TO 25 TO 27.5%.
HOWEVER, WE SUPPORT THE VARIANCE CHANGE ON THIS INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.
AND THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION, REBECCA RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE REQUEST WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
AND THESE COMMISSIONS ARE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
THE APPLICANT WILL APPROVE A VEGETIVE VEGETATIVE FILLS STRIPS DOWN SLOPE OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE A, UH, A DIFFUSE FLOW TO AVOID CREATING DOWNSLOPE EROSION.
THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE STRUCTURAL FILL TO CONTAIN THE FILL DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THE APPLICANT WILL DECOMPOSE AND RE VEGETATED THE AREA ADJACENT TO THE R O W THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, USED FOR PARKING.
AND THIS SITE WILL PROVIDE A 40% DOWNSTREAM NATURAL AREA TO TREAT RUNOFF FROM IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND THE COMMISSION RECOMMEND THAT EXPEDITE THIS TO GET IT ON THE AGENDA QUICKLY, UM, AND RESPECT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION AS IT'S WRITTEN? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
LOOKS TO BE UNANIMOUS, ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
LET'S MAYBE TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS, UH, JUST TO STRETCH HER LEGS AND SUCH.
UM, SO SORRY TO REMESH, UH, FIVE MORE MINUTES.
WE'LL COME BACK FOR AGENDA ITEM THREE C.
WE RECESSED AT 8 10, 8 IT'S 8 23.
LET'S UH, PULL THIS PARTY BACK TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US, EVERYONE.
UM, LET'S RECONVENE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON ITEM THREE,
[3.c. Name: Lot 1 Block 1 Srivathanakul Subdivision Project Assessment, C8J-2021-0206.0APA Applicant: Janice Srivathanakul Location: 101 Lago Verde Dr Council District: District 10 and ETJ Staff: Mike McDougal, Environmental Policy Program Manager, Development Services Department Watershed: Harrison Hollow Watershed and Lake Austin Watershed, Water Supply Rural, Drinking Water Protection Zone Request: 1. A Land Use Commission variance is requested to allow density to exceed one unit for each two acres with a minimum lot size of ¾ of an acre [LDC 25-8-453(B)(1) & LDC 30-5-453(B)(1)] 2. A Land Use Commission variance is requested to allow a lot that lies within a Critical Water Quality Zone to include less than two acres in a Water Quality Transition Zone or uplands [LDC 25-8-452(C)] Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the variance requests with conditions (30 minutes)]
I BELIEVE THREE C LOT ONE BLOCK, ONE TRIVA TONICAL SUBDIVISION PROJECT ASSESSMENT, C EIGHT, J 20 2021 DASH OH 2 0 6 0 A P A M AT 1000 OR 101 LAGO VERDE DRIVE.AND WOULD YOU ALL, PLEASE BRING UP THE PRESENTATION FOR THREE SEAT? THANK YOU.
SO, YES, UH, MY NAME IS MIKE
AND THIS IS THE LOT ONE BLOCKADE STREET BOTANICAL SUBDIVISION PROJECT ASSESSMENT AT 1 0 1 LAGO VERDE DRIVE, CASE NUMBER C EIGHT, J 2 0 2 1 0 2 0 6 0 8 PA.
AND SO THE PROJECT IS AT A, UH, EXCUSE ME.
THE PROPERTY IS AT 1 0 1 LAGO VERDE ROAD, AND THAT'S OFF OF SIX 20, AND IT'S IN THE LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED AND THE HARRISON HOLLER WATERSHED.
SO IT'S IN TWO DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF W OF THOSE WATERSHEDS IS WATER SUPPLY.
IT IS A DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE AND THE PROPERTY IS PARTIALLY I'M.
I JUMPED AHEAD AND, AND SAY, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
IT IS OFFICE SIX 20, IT'S A ONE-ON-ONE LOG OVER TO ERODE AS INDICATED ON THE VICINITY MAP.
AND IT'S THE LIGHTHOUSE AND WATERSHED AND HARRISON HOLLOW WATERSHED, WATER SQUAT, RURAL DRINKING WATER
[02:10:01]
PROTECTION ZONE, PARTIALLY CITY BOSTON LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION, AND PARTIALLY CITY OF AUSTIN.YOU TJ IT IS NOT LOCATED OVER THERE WITH DARKER RECHARGE ZONE AND IT IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10.
UM, THE DOGLEG PATTERN IS THE, UH, PROPOSED LOT.
THERE IS ONE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AND ONE QUAD, ONE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
THE CRITICAL WATER POISON IS THE, IS ALONG THE LAKE LAKE AUSTIN.
IT GOES FROM THE BOTTOM MIDDLE TO THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER.
AND SO A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY EXTENDS INTO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AT THE LAKE FRONTAGE.
AND THEN THE NORTH END OF THE PROPERTY IS IN THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
AND THAT'S THE WATER POLAR TRANSITION ZONE FOR HARRISON HOLLOW CREEK.
SO ONE INTO THE PROPERTY IS IN ONE WATERSHED AND IT TOUCHES A WATERCOLOR TRANSITION ZONE.
THE NORTH END, THE SOUTH END IS IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE OF LAKE AUSTIN.
AND SO THERE ARE TWO WETLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES LOCATED WITHIN LAKE AUSTIN OR POSSIBLY THERE WERE TWO CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
THERE WERE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, WETLAND PLANTS IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY IN THE LAKE.
HOWEVER, UM, THE, UH, THE CARP RESTOCKING EFFORT, UM, WHILE IT MIGHT'VE BEEN FOOD FOR THE CARP, I SPOKEN WITH THE WETLANDS BIOLOGIST AND HIS OPINION IS THAT THE WETLAND WETLAND PLANTS COULD GROW BACK, THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ENTIRELY BEEN EATEN BY THE CARP.
BUT, UH, WHEN I VISITED THE SITE RECENTLY, I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WETLAND PLANTS.
WELL, I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF PLANTS IN THE LAKE, SO IT'S POSSIBLE.
THEY ARE STILL THERE OR REMNANTS THAT COULD REGROW TO WETLAND PLANTS, BUT, UM, ACTUAL PRESENCE OF WETLAND PLANTS IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR.
SO THE BACKGROUND, THERE IS AN EXISTING HOUSE ON THIS PROPERTY.
THE APPLICANT SEEKS TO RENOVATE AND EXPAND THIS EXISTING HOUSE AND THE LOWER LEFT PHOTO IS LOOKING FROM THE LAKE UP AT THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN THE TWO PHOTOS ON THE RIGHT, THE STOCK PHOTOS ARE LOOKING AT THE HOUSE FROM THE TOP, LOOKING TOWARDS THE LAKE.
CITY OF AUSTIN PERMITS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION.
I MEANT TO SAY THE APPLICANT SEEKS TO RENOVATE AND EXPAND THE EXISTING HOUSE.
AND SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN PERMITS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION TO THE HOUSE.
AND THE CITY REQUIRES THE PROPERTY TO BE PLANTED BEFORE PERMITS CAN BE ISSUED.
SO TO CLARIFY, THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO DO SOME WORK ON THE HOUSE.
IT REQUIRES CITY PERMITS BEFORE THE CITY WILL GIVE A PERMIT.
THE PROPERTY MUST BE PLANTED IN ORDER TO BE PLANTED.
WE NEED VARIANCES AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
SO IT'S A LONG CHAIN OF, BUT BEFORE THIS, THAT, BEFORE THAT, THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO CONTINUING ON WITH THIS, THE AVERAGE DEVELOPMENT DENSITY FOR A SINGLE FAMILY LOT IN THIS LOCATION MUST BE TWO ACRES FOR EACH UNIT OR HOUSE.
IT'S KIND OF A CONFUSING CONCEPT, BUT WHAT THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS IS IF SOMEONE'S PROPOSING A ONE LOT SUBDIVISION, THAT'S ONE HOUSE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE TWO ACRES.
IF SOMEBODY IS PROPOSING TWO HOUSES, THEY HAVE TO HAVE FOUR ACRES.
WELL, THE ADMIN IS PROPOSING JUST ONE UNIT, BUT THERE'S ONLY 1.4 ACRES OF LAND.
SO THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE TWO ACRES FOR EACH UNIT.
AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE APPLICANT, THERE IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY MORE LAND, UM, TO REACH THE TWO ACRES.
AND OF COURSE YOU CAN'T HAVE A SUBDIVISION THAT HAS LESS THAN ONE LOT.
AND THE OTHER CONCERN FROM A CODE REVIEW PERSPECTIVE IS THE LOT IS PARTIALLY WITHIN THE LAKE AUSTIN, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE CODE REQUIRES THAT THE LOT HAS LOT HAVE TWO ACRES, NOT IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
SO IN THIS WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION, IF YOUR SINGLE FAMILY LOT TOUCHES A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, YOU MUST HAVE TWO ACRES OUTSIDE OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
SO THERE'S FUNDAMENTALLY TUTORING REQUIREMENTS.
YOU MUST HAVE ONE UNIT FOR EACH TWO ACRES, AND YOU MUST HAVE TWO ACRES OUTSIDE.
THE CRITICAL IF YOUR LOT ENCROACHES, EVEN PARTIALLY INTO THE CRITICAL THIS PROPERTY DOES ENCROACH PARTIALLY AND OF CRITICAL, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TWO ACRES AT ALL.
THE TOTAL SIZE IS LESS THAN TWO ACRES.
AND SO TO RECAP, THERE ARE TWO COMPLIANCE CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED PLAT.
ONE UNIT IS PROPOSED FOR LESS THAN TWO ACRES AND A LOT DOES NOT HAVE TWO ACRES OUTSIDE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
AND SO THIS REQUIRES TWO VARIANCE REQUESTS.
THE FIRST ONE, A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES REQUESTED TO ALLOW DENSITY TO EXCEED ONE UNIT FOR EACH TWO ACRES WITH A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE.
THAT MINIMUM LOT SIZE JUST MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AVERAGE DENSITY OF TWO ACRES PER UNIT, BUT NO LAW CAN BE SMALLER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE THAT'S THE CODE LANGUAGE, BUT THAT THREE-QUARTERS MAY OCCUR ACTUALLY DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS PROPERTY.
SO FUNDAMENTALLY THEY NEED A VARIANCE TO EXCEED ONE UNIT FOR TWO ACRES.
THE SECOND ITEM, A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES REQUESTED TO ALLOW A LOT THAT LIES WITHIN THE CRITICAL OR PARTIALLY
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THAN THE CRITICAL TO INCLUDE LESS THAN TWO ACRES IN A WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE OR UPLANDS.THAT IS IF YOUR PROPERTY IS IN THE CRITICAL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO ACRES, NOT IN THE CRITICAL AND THIS PROPERTY DOESN'T EVEN EQUAL TWO ACRES, UH, ENTIRETY.
AND SO THE CALL-OUT BOXES, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF CLARIFYING THE TWO BRANCH REQUESTS.
THE FIRST CALL OUT BOX, OR THE TOP ONE CODE REQUIRES THOSE TWO EGGS OR EVERY UNIT ON AVERAGE ONE UNIT IS PROPOSED, BUT THERE ARE LESS THAN TWO ACRES.
FUNDAMENTALLY A LOT MUST BE AT LEAST AT LEAST TWO ACRES IN SIZE, BUT IT IS LESS THAN TWO ACRES.
THE SECOND CALL THAT BOX, THE LOWER ONE A LOT IS PARTIALLY IN A CRITICAL WATER.
QUALITY IS A LOT THAT IS PARTIALLY WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY.
SO IT MUST HAVE AT LEAST TWO ACRES, NOT IN A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
SO TWO ACRES OUTSIDE THE ENTIRE LOT IS NOT TWO ACRES.
SO WE, SO THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THESE TWO REQUIREMENTS.
SO VARIANCE ONE BACKGROUND, THE APP ROSES TO CREATE A ONE LOT SUBDIVISION.
AND THERE WERE TWO METHODS OF COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE TWO ACRES OF LAND FOR EVERY UNIT PROPOSED FIRST, REDUCE THE QUANTITY OF UNITS PROPOSED OR SECOND FLAT, A LARGER AREA OF LAND.
THERE IS NOT MORE LAND AVAILABLE TO BE PURCHASED, AND THAT ACTUALLY JUST CREATES MORE PROBLEMS FOR OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER, UNPLANTED LOTS WITH HOUSES NEARBY.
SO IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO EXPAND THIS PROPERTY SECOND.
UM, WELL, IF SOMEBODY PROPOSES DENSITY THIS TOO GREAT, WE JUST SAY PROPOSE FEWER UNITS.
WE CANNOT PROPOSE LESS THAN ONE UNIT.
SO IT'S THE MINIMUM NEVER VIEWED AS IT COULD POSSIBLY BE PROPOSED.
SO THERE IS NOT A FEASIBLE OPTION TO COMPLY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT DENSITY REQUIREMENT.
UM, AND SO I, I THINK I MIGHT BE GOING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL ON THIS.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BETTER TOO MUCH THAN NOT ENOUGH.
I SUPPOSE THIS IS A ONE LOT SUBDIVISION.
IT IS NOT REALISTIC TO REDUCE THE QUANTITY OF LOSS PROPOSED.
THAT IS A ZERO LOT SUBDIVISIONS UNREALISTIC.
AND SECOND THERE IS NOT ADDITIONAL LAND.
THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY IS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE CODE DOES NOT OFFER A PATH FOR COMPLIANCE IN THIS SITUATION.
NO LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE IS NECESSARY MOVING ONTO THE SECOND VARIANCE IN THIS WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION, LOTS OF PARTS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CRITICAL MUST HAVE AT LEAST TWO ACRES, NOT IN THE CRITICAL PART OF THE LAW DOESN'T LAKE AUSTIN, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
HOWEVER, THE ENTIRE LOT IS LESS THAN TWO ACRES.
AND AGAIN, CODE DOES NOT OFFER A METHOD OF COMPLIANCE FOR THE SITUATION.
SO A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE WAS NECESSARY.
AND SO, UM, STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, STAFF DETERMINES THE VARIANCES HAVING, SORRY, I'LL READ THIS.
WORD-FOR-WORD STAFF RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCES, HAVING DETERMINED THE FINDINGS OF FACT TO HAVE BEEN MET WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS AND JUMPING FROM THE NUMBERED ITEMS TO THE PURPLE FONT.
AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT, PLEASE NOTE THE VARIOUS CONDITIONS BELOW DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THOSE PROVIDED IN THE VARIANCE PACKET.
THE SPECIFIC WORDING HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR CLARITY OF MEANING AND TO ENSURE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE PROPOSED PROJECT AND THE BRAND'S CONDITIONS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME SLIDE AS YOU, MY GOSH.
WOULDN'T MIND HAVE THEM FORWARD IT TO THE SLIDE THAT YOU'RE READING.
I HAVE, I HAVE JUMPED AHEAD IN MY, UH, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY FOR ME TO GO OVER ALL THIS AGAIN, UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO.
THIS IS ALL THE, UH, THE BACKGROUND.
UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD DAYS WE JUST HAD A REMOTE AND I COULD PAIR.
SO, UM, THE PURPLE FONT, PLEASE NOTE THE VARIANCE CONDITIONS BELOW DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THOSE PROVIDED IN THE VARIANTS PACKET.
THE INTENT IS UNCHANGED, BUT THE SPECIFIC WORDING HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR CLARITY AND MEANING AND TO ENSURE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE PROPOSED PROJECT AND THE BRAIN'S CONDITIONS.
THAT'S JUST A FANCY LONG WAY OF SAYING THAT IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE OWNER AND THE ENGINEER, THEY SAID, WE THINK THESE VARIOUS CONDITIONS MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO COMPLY WITH.
CAN YOU REACH THE SAME INTENT, BUT SAY IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY? YES WE CAN.
SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCES, HAVING DETERMINED THE FINDINGS OF FACT TO HAVE BEEN MET WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, NATURAL REVEGETATION WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER POISON AND DISTURBED AREAS WILL BE PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY OF AUSTIN, SPECIFICATION 69 AS NATIVE SEEDING AND PLANTING.
THAT IS AN AREAS WHERE THE VEGETATION HAS BEEN DISTURBED, WHERE THE LIGHT ENTERS INTO THE CRITICAL WE'RE ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC TYPE OF REVEGETATION NATIVE SEEDING AND PLANTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH 6 0 9 S WHICH IS A CITY SPECIFICATION FOR CRITICAL WATER, POISON PLANTS.
NUMBER TWO, PRESERVE 100% OF THE HERITAGE OF TREES WITHIN THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION WHERE THE PROPERTY IS IN THE ETJ.
THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE TREE PRESERVATION AUTHORITY.
THERE IS NOT TREE PRESERVATION AUTHORITY OR REQUIREMENTS IN THE ETJ.
SO WE WERE ASKING THE APPLICANT PROPOSED, ARE WE ASKING THE APPLICANT AS A CONDITION OF THE VARIANCES TO PRESERVE 100% OF THE HERITAGE TREES WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION? NUMBER THREE, THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE A RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM WITH THE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION.
YOU MIGHT RECALL THE ATHLETE WANTS TO EXPAND THE HOUSE.
AND SO THAT WILL REQUIRE A BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION AND THE COLLECTION SYSTEM OR A COLLECTION SYSTEM WILL CAPTURE ROOF RUNOFF FROM THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE.
SO WE ARE ASKING THAT THE APPLICANT PROVIDE A RAIN BARREL TO CAPTURE THE RUNOFF FROM THE ROOF.
SO RUN OUT FROM THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
DOESN'T GO DIRECTLY IN THE LAKE, GOES IN A RAIN BARREL, COULD BE USED FOR THINGS LIKE, UM, UH, IRRIGATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE IDEA IS TO SLOW THE, THE RATE OF RUNOFF FROM THE ROOF TO THE LAKE, BY PUTTING IT THROUGH SOME VEGETATION TO GIVE THE POLLUTANTS.
SOMETIMES THEY EITHER BE CAPTURED IN THE VEGETATION OR TO BREAK DOWN BEFORE THEY GET TO THE LAKE.
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NUMBER FOUR, THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION WILL MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE TO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY DONE ASSOCIATED WITH LAKE AUSTIN.SPECIFICALLY, THE PROPOSED ADDITION TO THE EXISTING HOUSE WILL BE LOCATED TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE EXISTING HOUSE TO MINIMIZE THOSE SERVINGS WITH THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE EXISTING CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE IS, IS, UM, THE MEASUREMENTS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON A, ON, ON AN ELEVATION OF A LAKE.
THE EXISTING CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE IS EITHER DIRECTLY CUTTING THROUGH THE HOUSE OR A FEW FEET BEYOND THE EXISTING HOUSE, MAYBE ABOUT A FOOT, BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION BE ON THE FAR SIDE OF LAKE TO STAY, TO KEEP ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION, EITHER MOSTLY OUT OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY IS ON OR ENTIRELY OF THE CRITICAL WATER.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MEASUREMENT ERROR IN, IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, PROBABLY ABOUT A 2% ERROR.
AND THEN NUMBER FIVE, THE APPLICANT IS GOING TO INSTALL AN UPGRADED SEPTIC SYSTEM, UM, WITH THIS PROPOSED WORK.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING THAT AN UPGRADED STUFF, SEPTIC SYSTEM WILL BE PROVIDED AND WILL BE LOCATED FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LAKE THAN THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
AGAIN, THE IDEA IS JUST TO GET THE SEPTIC SYSTEM AWAY FROM THE LAKE TO, UH, TO REDUCE OR TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TIME OF ANY RUNOFF GOING FROM THE PROPERTY TO THE LAKE.
AND, UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ADVANCING THE SLIDES.
UH, I DID THAT TWO TIMES, BUT, UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE, PLEASE ASK ME QUESTIONS.
AND OTHERWISE I THINK THERE THE, SOME PRESENTATION FROM THE OWNER AND THE APPLICANTS.
YEAH, IF YOU GUYS WOULDN'T MIND, PLEASE, UH, LET'S DO THE APPLICANT PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL, UH, GO TO QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY TO PRESENT OUR CASE.
MY NAME IS JANUS SCHRIEVER TONICAL AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE TRUSTEES AT THE REVOKABLE SCHRIEBER TONICAL FAMILY TRUST, WHO ARE THE CO APPLICANTS FOR THESE VARIANCES? FIRST OF ALL, I LIKE TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO BOTH LIZ JOHNSTON, AS WELL AS TO MIKE MACDOUGAL AND THE STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US TO COME UP AND TO REALLY EXPLAIN THE CODE, WHICH SOMETIMES CAN BE CONFUSING AND ALSO TO WORK WITH US ON, ON SOME SOLUTIONS THAT THEY CAN ALSO THEN SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I THINK MIKE HAS DONE HOPEFULLY A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THE VARIANCES.
SO I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, NOT REPEAT THEM TOO MUCH, BUT I WANT IT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON KIND OF HOW WE CAME ABOUT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO COULD YOU ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO WE ACTUALLY OWN TWO TRACKS OF LAND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT KIND OF MIX UP THIS LITTLE WEIRD SHAPE.
THERE IS THE ONE-TO-ONE LAGER VERDE, WHICH IS A 0.4 ACRE LOT, WHICH ARE REQUIRED BACK IN AUGUST, 2008, AND THAT IS THE LAKESIDE PROPERTY.
AND THEN WE ALSO BOUGHT THE LAND RIGHT BEHIND IT, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO IT, WHICH IS ONE ACRE.
AND WE, WE BOUGHT THAT THREE YEARS AFTER WE BOUGHT THE FIRST ONE.
SO BOTH OF THESE LOTS ARE NOT LEGALLY PLANTED.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN EXISTING HOUSE ON THE LAKESIDE PROPERTY.
SO THESE TWO TRACKS OF LAND THAT WE OWN ARE ACTUALLY ADJACENT TO AN EXISTING SUBDIVISION AND THE SUBDIVISIONS NAME IS CALLED RIO VISTA EDITION.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC, UH, CONDITIONS HERE, BUSINESS BEING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING FOR YOU TO KNOW FROM A, FROM A PROPERTY TAX VALUATION STANDPOINT, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT IN A SUBDIVISION AND I DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS OF BEING IN A SUBDIVISION, I'M ACTUALLY BEING TAXED AT THE SAME RATE AS BEING IN A SUBDIVISION.
SO OUR INTENT IS TO CREATE A 1.4 ACRE, ILLEGAL LOT THROUGH THE SUBDIVISION PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN THE 1970S.
BEFORE, UM, SORRY, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE, YES, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO QUICK ON THIS SLIGHT CHANGE.
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
UH, THESE TWO TRACKS OF LAND ACTUALLY CUT ACROSS BOTH CITY OF BOSTON, AS WELL AS ETJ.
SO YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME REFERENCES TO BOTH SECTIONS OF THE CODE BECAUSE OF THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO AS MIKE CLEARLY STATED EARLIER, THIS LAW HAS, UM, IS IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, WHICH IS THE BUFFER RIGHT NEXT TO LAKE AUSTIN.
AND AT THE OTHER END OF THE, OF THE LAW OF THE, OF THESE TWO TRACKS, WE'RE ALSO IN THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
AND THE S THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPACE IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO ZONES ARE
[02:25:01]
WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE UPLANDS ZONE.SO THIS BECOMES IMPORTANT AS WE UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.
SO THE CONDITION, UH, THAT ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WE ARE SEEKING A VARIANCE FOR IS THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE ARE IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
WE NEED TWO ACRES IN THE UPLANDS OR WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE 1.4 ACRE THAT WE HAVE, WE DON'T MEET THAT CONDITION.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE TWO CONDITIONS THAT MIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, RE UM, COVERED WITH YOU EARLIER.
THE FIRST ONE IS ON THE ONE UNIT FOR EVERY TWO ACRES OR FOR EACH TWO ACRES.
SO FROM A FACT STANDPOINT, WHEN IT KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, OUR TOTAL PROPOSED LOT IS 1.4 ACRES FOR ONE UNIT.
SO THERE IS ONE UNIT IN THE 0.4 ACRE TRACK TODAY.
SO WE'RE NOT REALLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
SO WE'D REALLY JUST TAKING THAT UNIT THAT EXISTS TODAY AND, AND DOING SOME, UM, EXPANSION AND RENOVATION TO IT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE A LOT SIZE TO TWO ACRES IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE REVIEWED TO SEE HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO THAT AND HOW WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
UH, AND AS MIKE SAID, THAT'S NO WAY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNITS BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY AT THE MINIMUM, WHICH IS ONE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF THREE ACRES IS SATISFIED OR NOT APPLICABLE.
I THINK THE SECOND CONDITION IS ON THE TWO ACRES IN A WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE UPLOAD ZONE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, WE ONLY HAVE 1.4 ACRES, AND WE DON'T HAVE AN ABILITY TO INCREASE A LOT SIZE TO TWO ACRES.
SO SOME OF THE OPTIONS WE CONSIDER IT TO TRY TO INCREASE THE LOT SIZE TO TWO ACRES TO MINIMIZE THE VARIANCES THAT WE'RE SEEKING TODAY.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, THERE IS TRACK A, WHICH IS TO THE LEFT OF OUR PROPERTY OF OUR PROPERTY TRACK A IS OWNED BY A SCHMIDT'S INVESTMENTS LIMITED.
IT IS ABOUT 33 ACRES OF RAW LAND.
IT IS OWNED BY OUR FAMILY TRUST, WHICH IS A MULTI GENERAL OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
AND THE DEEDS FOR THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION DATE BACK TO THE 1972.
SO IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY FOR THEM TO WANT TO CONVEY ANY PORTION OF THIS, BECAUSE IT WILL THEN, YOU KNOW, ABSOLVE YOUR ILLEGAL LOT STATUS, SO LEGAL TRACK STATUS.
SO THAT WAS A, NOT A VIABLE OPTION ON SEEKING THE, UH, TRUCK A OVER THERE, TRACK B THE LITTLE SMALL TRIANGULAR LOT AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE LOOKED INTO THIS TRACK IS OWNED BY CHRISTOPHER LEIGHTON.
AND IT HAS, IT IS UNPLANTED AND IT TOTALS 0.7 43 ACRES.
SO WHILE ACQUISITION OF THIS TRACK, WHAT SATISFIED THE DENSITY REQUIREMENT, BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD HAVE TWO ACRES FOR ONE UNIT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THAT LOT, I MEAN, THAT TRUCK BEING IN THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE, IT DOES NOT HELP US MEET THE OVERALL REQUIREMENT OF TWO ACRES IN THE, UH, IN THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE, THE UPLAND ZONE, AND THAT OWNER HAS NOT BEEN OPEN TO SELLING.
SO WE DID CONTACT THEM THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS.
AND THE, THE LAST OPTION IS THE EXISTING RIO GRANDE AND RIO VISTA EDITION, WHICH IS THE EXISTING SUBDIVISION.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE FOR ANY OF THOSE EXISTING OWNERS THAT ARE IN A EXISTING SUBDIVISION TO, TO ONE TO, UM, RECEPTIVE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO BENEFIT TO THEM.
SO THOSE WERE THE OPTIONS WE SEEK TO TRY TO INCREASE THE LOT SIZE TO TWO ACRES.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS AN EXISTING UNIT ON THE LAKE TODAY.
YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE, UH, PICTURES FROM MIKE'S PRESENTATION.
THIS HOUSE IS A VERY SMALL, ABOUT 600 SQUARE FEET HOUSE IS CONSTRUCTED BACK IN THE 1970S, AND IT HAS AN ONSITE SEPTIC UNDERGROUND TANK, UH, THAT HAS BEEN THERE PROBABLY JUST AS LONG, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO SINCE WE ACQUIRED THE LAND BACK, UH, SINCE WE ACQUIRED THESE TWO TRACKS BACK IN THE NIGHT IN, UH, 2008 AND 2011, UM, WE HAVE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE HAVE BEEN BOTH FOCUSED ON USABILITY, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
SO, UH, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, YOU'LL SEE A BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURE HERE OF THE LANDSCAPING AND STABILIZATION, UH, PROJECT THAT WE DID, UH, YOU COULD SEE IN BEFORE THERE WAS REALLY A SLOPE WITH A, YOU KNOW, A SPARSE VEGETATION.
AND, UM, THERE WAS REALLY JUST A LOT OF EROSION BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST NOTHING TO, TO KEEP THE SOIL FROM, UH, FROM STAYING.
SO WE ADDED TERRACING AND RETAINING WALLS TO ENSURE THE STABILITY OF THE SLOPE, AND THEN ALSO TO MINIMIZE A RUNOFF INTO THE LAKE, YOU KNOW, AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE ADDED
[02:30:01]
NATIVE PLANTS FOR GROUND COVER TO MINIMIZE EROSION AS WELL, AND WOULD PRESERVE THE HERITAGE TREES AND PROTECT THE TREES IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.AND ALSO THEY STILL EXIST TODAY.
UH, THE WETLANDS MITIGATION WAS PROVIDED AT THAT TIME, BACK WHEN WE DID THIS PROJECT, THERE WERE SOME WETLANDS, UH, FEATURES STILL THAT WAS BEFORE THE CARPS AIDEN
UH, BUT, UH, AND THEN WE ALSO DID, UH, ADD SOME SMALL SOLAR PANELS TO HELP, UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE ELECTRICITY TO, UH, OUR, UM, WATER PUMP HOUSE.
SO OUR PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS WILL MODERNIZE THE SITE AND ALSO LEVERAGE CURRENT MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS TO REALLY KEEP THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN MIND.
SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN MIND.
ONE IS TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, EXPAND THE FOOTPRINT AND THE SECOND AND ADD A SECOND LEVEL.
SO THE PROPOSED EXPANSION WILL NOT INCREASE, INCREASE OUR FOOTPRINT IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
AS MIKE MENTIONED IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WE AGREED TO AND THE PROPOSED ADDITIONS MOST IS, IS REALLY MORE WITHIN THE UPLAND ZONE, WHICH IS RIGHT NORTH OF THE, UH, RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THE AGING SEPTIC SYSTEM.
WE'RE GOING TO INSTALL A NEW MODERN REPLACEMENT AND DESIGN HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON OSF, ON-SITE SEPTIC SEWER FACILITY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT OSF STANDS FOR.
AND THE DRAIN FIELD THAT'S GOING TO COME WITH.
THE NEW SEPTIC SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE MUCH FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LAKE.
WE'RE GOING TO ADD ENCLOSED GARAGE PARKING.
SO THIS WOULD ALSO REDUCE POTENTIAL RUNOFF FROM ANY AUTO-RELATED CONTAMINANTS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO ADD THE RAIN WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM AND THE RAIN BARRELS, WHICH WILL HELP COLLECT THE ROOF RUNOFF.
AND WE CAN USE THAT FOR IRRIGATION, WHICH IS ALSO ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WE AGREED TO AS PART OF THE VARIANCE, APPROVALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO TO SUMMARIZE TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE, THESE, UH, CONDITIONS SHOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN WITH MIKE'S PRESENTATION.
WE COORDINATED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALIGNED.
UH, SO THE FIVE CONDITIONS THAT, UH, I WILL NOT REPEAT THEM IN INTEREST OF TIME.
UM, AND SO REALLY IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE IN SUMMARY, UM, NOT GRANTING THE VARIANCE WILL PREVENT A REASONABLE ECONOMIC USE OF OUR PROPERTY BECAUSE WE WILL NOT REALLY BE ABLE TO DO MUCH IMPROVEMENTS TO IT WITHOUT A BUILDING PERMIT AND, AND BEING ABLE TO DO THE IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP MODERNIZE AND ALSO FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND USABILITY.
I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME, SO I WILL NOT COVER THE REST OF THE SLIDES, HOPEFULLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, WELL COVERED EARLIER.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS ONE? OKAY.
LET'S UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE IT UP AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL GO REMOTE FIRST, UH, UM, COMMISSIONER NICHOLS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? NO QUESTIONS.
UH, YOU HAVE SEVERAL, UH, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE SEPTIC SYSTEM, UH, WHERE THE CURRENT SEPTIC SYSTEM INSTALL BASED UPON, UH, ONE OF THE DRAWN.
AND THEN WHERE WAS WHERE'S THE LEACH FIELD FOR THAT SEPTIC SYSTEM? THE CURRENT SEPTIC SYSTEM IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE HOUSE.
SO IF WE GO BACK TO, UM, MY PRESENTATION, I THINK I HAVE A PICTURE.
UH, IF YOU GO TO PAGE, I DON'T HAVE PAGE NUMBERS ON MY DECK.
GO BACK, UH, MAYBE FOUR PAGES.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE PICTURE, YOU SEE WHERE THE HOUSE IS.
THAT IS THE VIEW FACING THE LAKE.
SO THE LAKE IN THAT MIDDLE PICTURE IS ACTUALLY BEHIND THE HOUSE.
THE CURRENT SEPTIC SYSTEM KIND OF SITS WHERE THE, UH, THE BASKETBALL GOAL POST THING IS.
AND THEN WHERE WOULD THE LEACH FIELD FOR THAT BIG, THE LEACH? THERE IS A TANK IT'S.
SO IT'S A SEPTIC TANK, I THINK CURRENTLY THERE'S A TANK THERE TODAY? YES.
SO IS IT CURRENTLY, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS A TANK THAT DATES BACK TO THE SEVENTIES WHEN YOU PURCHASED THE HOUSE, SO YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE SEPTIC SYSTEM REPLACED SINCE, UH, YOU PURCHASED THE HOUSE, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE SEPTIC SYSTEM, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE SERVICE? DID A PURE ROUTE PERIODICALLY GIVEN THE SIZE AND THE USABILITY OF THE HOUSE.
WE DO NOT LIVE THERE FULL-TIME TODAY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT
[02:35:01]
WHERE WE SPEND EVERY DAY.UH, I UNDERSTAND, UH, I ONLY ASK BECAUSE I, I DON'T HOUSE WITH SEPTIC SYSTEM.
UM, SO I GUESS I'VE NEVER OWNED A HOUSE WITH A SEPTIC SYSTEM THAT HASN'T BEEN REPLACED ABOUT EVERY 20 YEARS CAUSE THEY DEVELOP LEAKS AND SO FORTH.
SO MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MY FIRST CONCERN IS FOR THE EXISTING SEPTIC SYSTEM.
MY SECOND, YOU KNOW, CAUSE IT'S GOT, YOU KNOW, MY SUPPOSITION IS THAT IT'S COULD BE BLEEDING, BUT MY SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THE NEW SEPTIC SYSTEM? UH, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID IT'S FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LAKE.
SO, UM, WHAT DOES FURTHER MEAN? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO ON THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE CURRENT SEPTIC SYSTEM AND NOT HAVING IT BEEN REPLACED, THAT'S ONE OF THE CONUNDRUMS THAT WE'RE IN TODAY, THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, WE NEED TO KIND OF GET PLANNING AND SO FORTH TO GET THE PERMIT.
SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS VICIOUS CYCLE OF TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TOWARDS THAT PURPOSE.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION, UM, OF WHERE THE, UM, THE FIELD'S GOING TO BE, IF YOU GO BACK A COUPLE PAGES, MAYBE I CAN SHOW IT TO YOU ON THE MAP.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS KIND OF A WEIRD, L-SHAPE LIKE A PIECE OF LAND, THE FUTURE SEPTIC SYSTEM OR THE NEW SEPTIC SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE KIND OF RIGHT WHERE THE LOCK TURNS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 350 FEET FROM, FROM 350 FEET FROM THE CURRENT LOCATION AWAY FROM THE LAKE, BUT IT'S KIND OF CLOSE TO WHERE THE, THE LOCK TURNS AT AN ANGLE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PUMPS THAT ARE GOING TO PUMP ALL YOUR, ALL YOUR WASTE MATERIALS, ALL THAT DISTANCE.
AND IS THAT GOING TO BE A TANK? I THINK, UH, IS THAT GOING TO BE A TANK AS WELL AS LIKE YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM? UM, THE THING IS TANKS WITH A FEEL.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A WEAK FIELD SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO A TANK.
I WAS PUMPING UP INTO A LEACH FIELD AND, AND WE RELY ON THE, UH, ON THE NATURAL DRAINAGE OF THE SYSTEM, UH, YOU KNOW, GREENS THROUGH A LEACH FIELD IN ORDER TO PREVENT, UH, UH, POINTERS FROM, UH, GETTING INTO THE LAKE, IF THAT'S THE WAY THE LEACH FIELDS WORK.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE FIELD TO BE LOCATED FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LAKE.
BUT YOU DIDN'T, YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE EXISTING SEPTIC SYSTEM TESTED FOR LEAKS? NO, I HAVE NOT.
NOW, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE EXISTING HOME, UM, YOU HAVE TO GET ALL THESE VARIANCES APPROVED BEFORE YOU DO ANY EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE HOUSE.
SO YOU, YOU CAN'T REALLY RENOVATE THE HOUSE SORT OF IN THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT WITHOUT GETTING THESE VARIANCES, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO YOU JUST CAN'T LIKE, UH, DO A RIP AND REPLACE OF THE INTERIOR, UH, IN ORDER TO MODERNIZE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE KITCHEN AND THE BATHROOMS AND ALL THAT OTHER KIND OF FUN STUFF WITHOUT, UM, UH, GETTING THESE VARIANCES THAT, THAT CORRECT.
I HAVE NOT TRIED TO GO GET A PERMIT FOR RENOVATING JUST THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE, BUT IT WOULD BE YOU, SO ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE ASKING TO TEAR DOWN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE AND BUILD A NEW ONE.
NO, I'M, I'M LOOKING TO RENOVATE AND EXPAND THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
SO YOU'RE KEEPING THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND EXPANDING IT.
AND BASED UPON THE VARIANCE THAT STAFF HAS, I, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY WHAT THEY PROPOSE THEY'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE OR THAT ANY, UH, EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE BE MADE AWAY FROM THE LAKE.
SO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, BACK FROM LIKE THE BACK OF THE HOUSE OR THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, I DON'T HOW YOU, YEAH, DEFINITELY THE LAKE.
SO YOU'RE EXPANDING THE FOOTPRINT OF THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO ARE YOU GOING TO LEAN MAINTAIN IT TO BE A, UH, I GUESS YOU'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN IT TO BE A RANCH STYLE, RIGHT? WHEN ONE FOR NO, I'M GOING TO ADD A SECOND LEVEL TO PART OF THE HOUSE.
NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A RAIN BARRELS
[02:40:01]
TO CATCH AS A CASHMAN WATER SYSTEM, CORRECT? YES, THAT'S WONDERFUL.AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL ARE YOU GOING TO BE USING FOR A ROOFING MATURE? UM, I, I, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED THE DESIGN, BUT I THINK OUR PRELIMINARY THINKING IS WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE METAL METAL, METAL ROOF.
WELL, THE REASON I'M ASKING IS THAT, UH, THAT SOME MATERIALS, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I'M JUST GOING TO THROW ONE OUT THERE AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, ASPHALT SHINGLES, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT RAINS ON, WE GET TOXIC WASTE THAT THAT COMES OFF OF IT.
AND WHILE PLANTS GROW PERFECTLY FINE IN, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF STUFF, UH, IT GETS INTO THE WATER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S MAYBE TOXIC TO, YOU KNOW, FISH AND PEOPLE THAT DRINK THE WATER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS THAT DON'T CREATE THAT PROBLEM.
UH, MOST METALS DON'T MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT I ONLY ASKED THE QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT COLLECTING THE WATER TO PREVENT A TOXIC RUNOFF IN THE LAKE, IT'S NOT GOING TO DO AS MUCH GOOD IF WE PUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ASPHALT SHINGLES ON THE ROOF AND THEN NO WATER YOUR PLANTS WITH, WITH TOXIC WATER.
SO YES, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
YES, I'LL, I'LL PRELIMINARY, YOU KNOW, DESIGN IS TO USE METAL, UM, THOSE METAL ROOFS.
AND WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE HOUSE BACK AND HERE ARE THE PROPERTIES BACK IN THE MID TWO THOUSANDS, OR SO LIKE 2008 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT WAS YOUR ORIGINAL INTENTION TO USE IT AS A PART-TIME RESIDENCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, OKAY.
IT WAS ALSO, UM, I MEAN, AN AFFORDABILITY ISSUE THAT WE HAD INVESTED OVER TIME TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO IT.
SO IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A LONGER-TERM PLAN TO, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE THE HOUSE.
IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIMING OF WHEN WE GOT TO THE HOUSE.
SO WE FIRST STARTED OUT WITH, YOU KNOW, ADDING A BOAT DOCK, AND THEN WE DID THESE, THE SLOPE STABILIZATION PROJECTS AS PART OF OUR PROGRESSION ON MAKING, YOU KNOW, OVERALL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROPERTY.
SO NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE HOUSE ITSELF.
WERE YOU REQUIRED TO GET PERMITS FOR THE DOCK AND, AND, UH, THE, UH, YES, WE DID IT AND WE DID IT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO YOU GOT THE REQUISITE VARIANCES AND EVERYTHING AT THAT TIME? YES.
THE DOCK AND THE, UH, THE TERRACES AND ALL THAT KIND OF FUN STUFF THAT YOU, UH, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
THOSE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
UM, I'M GOING OFF MEMORY HERE BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE YOU, BUT LET'S GO TO THOMPSON.
UM, YOU CAN TAKE THE PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GEARY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TO STEP IN THE APPLICANT.
I'M JUST DOUBLE CHECKING THE OLD, UM, SEPTIC SYSTEM.
IS THAT GOING TO BE TOTALLY REMOVED? YES, IT WILL BE.
I WAS JUST DOUBLE CHECKING OFF.
UH, BARRETT AND I TAKE THAT AS A, NO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER
UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT SIZE RAIN BARRELS DO YOU ENVISION, UH, PUTTING INTO WHAT'S THE, WHAT WOULD BE THE TOTAL GALLONS OF THE RAINBOWS? YEAH, I DON'T HAVE TO DESIGN AT THIS TIME.
UM, YOU HAVE, UM, MIKE MACDOUGAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE HADN'T, UH, DECIDE OR DISCUSS THE SIZE OF THE BARREL AS YET.
UH, THE GENERAL INTENT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD CAPTURE PROBABLY THE FIRST INCH OR TWO INCHES OF RAINFALL BASED ON THE ROOF SIZE.
GENERALLY THE FIRST TWO INCHES OF RAINFALL HAS GOT THE GREATEST POLLUTANT LOAD AS THE FIRST FLUSH.
SO, UM, THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE DISCUSSED OF, YOU KNOW, RAIN BARREL SIZE, SUFFICIENTLY TO CAPTURE A TWO INCH RAINFALL BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE ROOF, BUT THE SPECIFICS HADN'T BEEN WORKED OUT TO THAT DETAIL.
[02:45:01]
YOU.I HAVE RAIN BARRELS ON, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, I HAVE 300 GALLON RAIN BARRELS, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WILL FEEL WITH, UM, AND IT'S, UM, AND I WISH I HAD PUT IN, I WISH I HAD KNOWN TO PUT IN, UM, RAIN BARRELS THAT WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH, UH, UH, FREQUENT, UH, DROUGHT CONDITIONS NOW IN THE, MY RAIN BARRELS ONLY LAST FEW DAYS.
OH, IF I, IF I DECIDE TO USE THEM TO, TO WATER THE LAWN AND INTO, UH, UH, THEY, THEY WOULDN'T BEGIN TO, UH, TO KEEP MY, UM, MY TREES GO GROWING.
AND, UM, I JUST THINK, UM, AS A, I DON'T THINK THIS IS NECESSARILY, UH, DIRECTED, UH, COMPLETELY TO YOU, BUT, UM, MORE AS SOMETHING THAT HAS, THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IN THAT, ABOUT THAT I, THIS IS AS GOOD AN OPPORTUNITY, DIMENSION IT AS ANY THAT, UM, UM, GOING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE OF, UH, DROUGHT CONDITIONS, THE WILDFIRE, UH, PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING INTO, UM, AND TO BE, UH, PLANNING AHEAD.
AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S SO MUCH MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TO PLAN AHEAD THAN IT IS TO, UH, TO GO BACK INTO REPLACE, UH, RAIN BARRELS WITH, WITH, UH, ANOTHER ONE, BECAUSE THEN WHAT YOU DO WITH THE OLD ONES.
AND IT JUST COST THAT MUCH MORE.
UM, AND I, I KNOW THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL WANT TO KEEP THE VEGETATION THAT YOU PLANT ALIVE AND IN ORDER TO DO SO, UM, YOU MAY HAVE VERY WELL HAVE TO RELY ON YOUR RAIN BARRELS IF, YOU KNOW, DURING, ESPECIALLY DURING DROUGHT TIMES.
SO JUST, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UM, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT REALLY IMPACTS, UM, HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOUR, UH, YOUR PROPOSAL.
I THINK THE PROPOSAL IS SOUND AND IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO, UM, THANK YOU, UM, STAFF, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT, UH, YOUR GREAT PRESENTATIONS.
UH, SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, DO WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF OTHER SUBDIVISIONS OF ONE THEY HAPPEN SPORADICALLY? UM, IT'S I DON'T HAVE AN EXAMPLE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, I COULD FIND, I THINK I COULD FIND ONE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES BECAUSE I DID PROCESS A ONE LOT SUBDIVISION SOME YEARS AGO.
IT WAS A VARIANCE AS WELL, THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN, AND I THINK THE CITY DOES NOT ALLOW THIS BECAUSE IT DOES CREATE THIS PROBLEM.
AND THIS IS PARALLEL TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
I WILL DO MY BEST TO, TO GET IT RIGHT.
IT'S THE REMNANT TRACT PROBLEM WHERE SOMEBODY WILL SUBDIVIDE A PIECE OF LAND AND THEN LEAVE A LITTLE PIECE OFF THE AGE.
IT MAY BE ISN'T ISN'T IS BUILDABLE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER THEN, UM, THEN YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FLAT.
AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, SOMEBODY DOES SEEK TO APPLY THAT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS NOW THAT THE CITY DOES NOT ALLOW THE REMIT TRACKS TO BE LEFT, LEFT OUTSIDE THE SUBDIVISION AND MUST BE BROUGHT INTO THE SUBDIVISION.
SO THE IDEA IS TO NOT PERPETUATE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE'S A LOT, THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO APPLY TO IT, WOULDN'T COMPLY WITH CODE BECAUSE THE WAY THE ADJACENT LOTS WERE CARVED UP PREVIOUSLY, NOW THAT THAT IS PARALLEL TO AND REVEREND REVIEW, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE PICKED UP HERE AND THERE FROM THE SUBDIVISION REVIEWERS AS I'VE BEEN IN MEETINGS WITH THEM.
SO I THINK THIS MIGHT PRESENT POSSIBLY THE, THE RIM AND TRACKS SCENARIO, BUT I CAN LOOK UP THAT'LL VARIAN'S IF YOU NEED ME TO, UM, THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T SETTING SOME SORT OF WEIRD PRECEDENT HERE.
UM, I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE PURVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO WORRY ABOUT THE SUBDIVISION.
UM, HOWEVER IT DOES, UH, BECAUSE THE LOT SIZE AND THE DIFFERENT, UM, UH, CRITICAL HABITAT ZONES THAT IT GOES INTO, IT SEEMS IMPORTANT HERE.
SO, AND UNDERSTAND, AH, I SEE THESE RARELY THEY DO HAPPEN WHERE WE'RE A LOT, DOES NOT MEET THE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE FIVE WATERSHED CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.
RURAL IS ONE OF THE FIVE, IT'S THE ONLY CLASSIFICATION THAT HAS A DENSITY WHERE IT'S ONE UNIT FOR SO MANY ACRES, OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS OFFER MORE FLEXIBILITY WHERE IT SAYS, OKAY, IF YOU'RE A LOT AS THIS BIG, WE WILL ASSUME THIS MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER BASED ON THE LOT SIZE.
AND THEN WE WILL APPLY THE WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT, BUT WATER SUPPLY RURAL IS UNIQUE.
AND WITHIN THAT CLASSIFICATION SUBDIVISIONS FOR SINGLE FAMILY, OR EVEN MORE UNIQUE WHERE IT'S THE ONLY ONE WHERE WE HAVE THAT DENSITY SITUATION.
AND IT, IT DOES, UH, PAINT US INTO A CORNER WHERE IN OTHER WATERSHED CLASSIFICATIONS OF STONE, CAN'T MEET THE, UM, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS.
THEY WOULD JUST BUILD A SMALLER HOUSE.
[02:50:01]
ONE ISN'T BUILT LIKE THAT THIS, THIS LIMIT IS DIFFERENT ENTIRELY.AND THEN MY, UH, MY LAST QUESTION HERE IS, UM, JUST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE, EVEN THOUGH YOU DO HAVE IT IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TO USING NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING HABITAT, THAT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONDITION.
ONE OF THE CONDITIONS WAS A CRITICAL REVEGETATION WITHIN THE DISTURBED AREAS OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE WITH 6.9 S NATIVE SEEDING AND PLANTING, WHICH IS A CITY SPACE CITY SPECIFICATION FOR THE SEATING APPROPRIATE IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
BUT IT WA IT WAS LIMITED JUST TO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
IT DID NOT INVOLVE SAY THE UPLANDS OR THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE ON THE NORTH OF THE PROPERTY, JUST THE CRITICAL FOR THE LAKE, BUT THAT COULD BE A CONDITION IF THE COMMISSION WANTED IT TO BE, OF COURSE.
UM, ACTUALLY, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE COMMENT ON THE SUBDIVISION THAT A SINGLE LOT SUBDIVISION, UM, JUST A POINT OF COMPARISON, THE EXISTING SUBDIVISION, RIGHT.
ADJACENT, UH, THE LOT SIZES ARE LIKE ONE ACRE FOR THE MOST PART, WHICH IS A POINT OF COMPARISON.
I KNOW IT'S OUT OF TURN, BUT I HAVE A RELEVANT QUESTION.
UM, THIS MIGHT'VE BEEN MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT, UM, WAS THE STRUCTURE BUILT BEFORE THE CODE REQUIREMENT OR WAS IT JUST BUILT OR WAS THE EXISTING CONSTRUCT FOR YOU MEAN YES, THE EXISTING STRUCTURE ORIGINALLY? YES, I WOULD BELIEVE SO.
I THINK IT WAS BUILT BACK IN 1970.
SO IT WAS PROBABLY, IT WAS BACK IN THAT TIME, THIS LAND WAS NOT PART OF CITY OF BOSTON.
IT WAS NOT ANNEXED AT THAT TIME.
SO IT WAS, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF CODE THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, BUY TO BUY IT, BUT IT WAS NOT CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, BACK THEN I CAN, UH, OFFER A LITTLE, UH, CLARIFICATION PERHAPS, UH, MIKE MACDOUGAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE, UH, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, AS WE KNOW IT, UM, DID NOT COME INTO EXISTENCE IN ANY SORT OF FORM THIS EVEN RECOGNIZABLE UNTIL ABOUT 1986.
THERE WERE PIECES OF A CODE IN DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF TOWN.
LIKE THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN A PART SPRINGS, A RULE ONLY IN THE BURNT SPRINGS ZONE, OR IT MIGHT'VE BEEN A, ANOTHER RULE OR ANOTHER PART OF THE TOWN.
UH, IN 1986, THE COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE WAS, UH, WRITTEN AND APPROVED.
AND IT BROUGHT ALL THESE PIECES TOGETHER INTO ONE BIG DOCUMENT.
AND INSTEAD OF SAYING, THERE'S THIS RULE OVER HERE, OR THERE'S THAT RULE OVER THERE IN OTHER AREAS, THERE AREN'T ANY RULES IN 1986, IT WAS BROUGHT INTO ONE COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THAT AND UPDATING IT SINCE THEN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND NO QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATIONS, BOTH OF YOU GUYS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.
UM, I WOULD ASK, UM, MIKE, THAT MAYBE WE PULL UP YOUR PRESENTATION WITH, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WERE ON THERE SINCE IT DIFFERS FROM OUR BACKUP.
UM, WOULD Y'ALL PLEASE BRING UP ITEM THREE C AND IT WILL BE SLIDE NUMBER 17.
AND IF YOU JUST WOULDN'T MIND KEEPING IT UP, KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE MOTION PROCESS.
IT'S IT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WORKING PROCESS WHERE WE'RE NEGOTIATING AND TRYING TO GET IT.
WE HAVE A MOTION MA'AM YEAH, YEAH.
UM, I THINK THE, UM, MY PAPER THEY ADDRESS IS 1 0 1 LAGO VERDE DRIVE.
AND THERE IS NO SUCH PLACE IT'S LAGO VERDE ROAD.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT RIGHT.
MIKE MCDOUGALL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE IT'S LUG OF VERDE DRIVE IN THE APPLICATION.
IT'S A IT'S LOVER, A DRIVE AND MAYBE GOOGLE SCHOLAR THRONG.
GOOGLE HAS IT IS LAGO VERDE, UH, ROAD.
I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING UNDER DRIVE, BUT, UM, IT COULD BE, THE GOOGLE IS WRONG.
CAN WE JUST CALL IT LAGO VERDE AND THEN LEAVE IT AT THAT AND THEN REFERENCED BY THE CASE NUMBER? I DON'T CARE.
[02:55:01]
A GREAT SOLUTION.UH, LIZ, I NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? CORRECT.
CAN I GET A MOTION, MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC, HEARING ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU REMOTELY, BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE YOU RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND AS MUCH AS I ENJOY SEEING THEM, IF YOU WOULD MINIMIZE THAT SO WE CAN SEE THE WORDS ON THE SCREEN.
UH, APRIL 6TH, 2022, UM, LOT ONE BLOCK A, UH, SHREVE, A TACO.
SO DIVISION, UM, UH, PROJECT ASSESSMENT.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS, WERE QUESTING A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE, UM, TO ALLOW DENSITY, TO EXCEED ONE UNIT FOR EACH TWO ACRES WITH A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF THREE FOURTHS OF AN ACRE, UM, AND USE COMMISSIONED VARIANCES REQUESTING ALLOW A LOT THAT LIES WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE TO INCLUDE LESS THAN TWO ACRES IN A WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE OR UPLANDS.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE, UM, HARRISON HOLLOW WATERSHED AND LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED WATER SUPPLY RULE, DRINKING WATER PROTECTION PROTECTION ZONE, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH STAFF CONDITIONS, HAVING DETERMINED THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF FACTS HAVE BEEN MET.
THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE REQUEST WITH THE FOLLOWING, AND THESE ARE THE STAFF CONDITIONS.
AND I, IF I DON'T HAVE THESE A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT WERE, I THINK, TWICE AND TOGETHER AS BEST I COULD, UM, NATURAL REVISITATION WITH CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, DISTURBED AREAS WILL BE PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COA SPECIFICATIONS 6 0 9 S NATIVE SEEDINGS AND PLANTING TO PRESERVE 1% OF THE HERITAGE TREES WOULD END THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION THREE.
THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE A RAINWATER CISTERN SYSTEM, INCLUDING WITH THE RESIDENTIAL INCLUDED WITH THE RESIDENTIAL, UM, BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION.
THE COLLECTION SYSTEM WILL CAPTURE RUNOFF FROM EXISTING AND PROPOSED IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD SAY ROOF RUNOFF.
I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE SURE IT IS.
AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD JUST BE RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM, NOT INCLUDING THE WORD SISTER THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, SYSTEM WAS THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE.
AND THEN THE ATHENS HAD MENTIONED YOU UNDER A CONCERN THAT SYSTEM MIGHT SUGGEST THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR A SUB-SURFACE SYSTEM AND WE WERE NOT, WE WERE ASSESSING FOR A SYSTEM TO COLLECT THE RAIN RAINWATER RUNOFF.
AND THEN, UH, BASED ON THE PITCH OF THE ROOF, UM, WE WOULD REQUEST, UM, RUN OFF CAPTURE FROM THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, UH, DUE TO DESIGN CONSTRAINTS.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAS PART OF THAT MAKING THE SAUSAGE AS WELL.
SO, UM, THE, THE ULTIMATE, UM, STAFF CONDITION FOR THAT WAS A RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM TO CAPTURE THE RUNOFF FROM OUR PROPOSED STRUCTURE.
UH, MIGHT MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS OR THANK YOU, MIKE, NUMBER FOUR, THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUILDABILITY EXHIBIT TO MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE TO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE ASSOCIATED WITH LAKE AUSTIN.
THAT WAS A, AGAIN, PART OF THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS, THE BUILDABILITY EXHIBIT WAS THE INITIAL, UM, THIS IS HOW WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THE HOUSE.
THE INTENT WAS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HAT, THAT THE ADDITION IS ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE FROM THE LAKE.
AND SO THE BILLABILITY EXHIBIT WAS A FOR INSTANCE, THIS IS HOW WE MIGHT DO IT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE INTENDED FOR THE DESIGN TO BE THAT INFLEXIBLE.
WE JUST WANTED THE HOUSE TO BE THE ADDITION TO BE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE FROM A LAKE.
SO WE WOULD, UH, SET THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION.
WE'LL MINIMIZE THE SERVICE TO THE CRITICAL WATER POISON ASSOCIATED WITH LAKE AUSTIN.
AND THAT, THAT THE PROPOSED ADDITION TO THE EXISTING HOUSE
[03:00:01]
WAS, OR THE PROS, THE KNOW OF, OF THE EXISTING HOUSE WILL BE LOCATED TO THE NORTHWEST OR THE EXISTING HOUSE TO MINIMIZE THE SERVICE IN THE CRITICAL.SO, UM, LONG STORY SHORT, WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT THE ADDITION BE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE FROM THE LAKE.
CAUSE WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS ALSO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS UP THERE AND THEN WHAT'S IN MY BACKUP.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO, I'LL READ IN NUMBER FOUR HERE.
THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION WILL MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE TO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE ASSOCIATED WITH LAKE AUSTIN.
SPECIFICALLY, THE PROPOSED ADDITION TO THE EXISTING HOUSE WILL BE LOCATED TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE EXISTING HOUSE TO MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE TO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
AND THEN I THINK NUMBER FIVE IS THE SAME FROM WHAT THE LANGUAGE YOU'LL HAVE.
SO THAT WILL BE GOOD AND MAKE MYSELF A NOTE HERE.
UM, NUMBER FIVE, UH, UH, THE UPGRADE SUBJECT SYSTEM WILL BE LOCATED FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LAKE AND THEN THE EXISTING SEPTIC SYSTEM.
I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, PULL UP THE COMMISSIONERS AGAIN.
RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY I'M ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE OPPOSE I'VE GOT BRIMER OPPOSE.
GARY, ARE YOU OPPOSED? WHICH IS FINE.
I GOT MY HAND UP TO LEAD SOME FAVOR.
SO WE'VE GOT, YOU GOT THAT? CAITLIN.
[4.a. Briefing on Watershed Protection Department's work removing obstructions from Creeks—Christopher Meyer, Julius Ochoa, Ramesh Swaminathan, P.E., Watershed Protection Department Field Operations Division (30 minutes)]
TO FOUR A, UH, WHICH HAS STOPPED BRIEFINGS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH STAFF THAT ARE HERE AND HERE VIRTUALLY FOR STICKING WITH US FOR A COUPLE OF FEW MINUTES HERE, A 197, TO BE HONEST, I THINK, UM, UH, THIS WILL BE A BRIEFING ON THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS WORK, REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS FROM CREEKS AND REMESH WOMAN.UH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PRONOUNCING YOUR LAST NAME SPOT SWAMI, NOT THEM.
AND YOU MIGHT NOT BE MIKE, YOUR MIKE MIGHT NOT BE ON REMISSION.
THERE'S JUST A, IS IT WORKING? OKAY.
UH, I O Y COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE JUST GETTING A POWERPOINT SET UP, SO THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT IT ON? OH,
[03:05:04]
I CAN.UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS RAMESH SWAMINATHAN.
UH, I'M AN ASPEN DIRECTOR WITH A WHAT'S YOUR PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, I'M HERE WITH TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MR. CHRIS MEYER, HE'S A ACTING DIVISION MANAGER FOR A 1 0 4 DIVISIONS AND FIELD OPERATIONS.
UH, HE OVERSEES THE INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION, A GREEN, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT.
AND I HAVE MR. JULIUS JOEL, WHO IS OUR DIVISION MANAGER FOR OPEN-WATER HIS DIVISION.
AND I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW OUR ORGANIZATION IS SET UP.
UH, TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE WORK, WHAT THE SHED IS DOING THE MORNING OBSTRUCTIONS FROM CREEKS.
UH, W IT'LL GIVE US, WE'LL GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON HOW WATERSHED IS STRUCTURED AND HOW SOME OF THE WORK WE DO IS, UH, UH, HOW, HOW SOME OF OUR WORK GROUPS, UH, INTERACT AND HOW THAT WORKS.
SO, UM, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS YOUR PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT, UH, AND, UH, SO TODAY, IF YOU'RE GONNA JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF WHAT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO STRUCTURE THIS PRESENTATION? WE WILL GIVE AN INTRODUCTION AND AN OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND OF THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF, AND THEN ROUTE 12 INTO THE OBSTRUCTIONS, THAT THE ISSUE THAT WE COME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, THE OBSTRUCTION CREEKS, CONVEYANCE, AND FLOODING, AND, UH, WE WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE AHEAD OF US AND, AND WITH, UH, QUESTIONS, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THIS ALREADY, BUT, UH, THIS IS HOW OUR DEPARTMENT IS STRUCTURED.
UM, MR. HORTON MIRALIS IS OUR DIRECTOR AND, UH, REPORTING DIRECTLY TO HER.
HEY, WE HAVE, UH, FIVE INDIVIDUALS WHICH FORMS THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, UH, FROM LEFT TO, RIGHT.
WE HAVE HUMAN RESOURCES, SUPPORT SERVICES, UH, PLANNING, MON MONITORING, AND COMPLIANCE.
UH, THAT'S HEADED BY KATIE KLEIN HERE.
UH, MIKE KELLY HE'S, UH, HE OVERSEES PROJECT DESIGN AND DELIVERY, AND THEN FLOODS TO THE RICE, RIGHT, IS FLEET OPERATIONS, WHICH IS, UH, WHICH IS THE GROUP THAT I OVERSEE.
UH, FIELD OPERATIONS IS ONE OF THE LARGER GROUPS WITHIN WATERSHED.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 170 PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP, WHICH IS SORT OF NEAR CLOSE TO THE HALF OF THE DEPARTMENTS, LIKELY LESS.
UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE WORK GROUPS WITHIN A FIELD OPERATIONS, UH, HOPE YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE.
UH, WE HAVE A GROUP CALLED THE FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS, UH, THAT GROUP, UH, MONITORS WEATHER.
IT LOOKS AT RADAR AND A LOT OF PREDICTIVE MODELS TO ANTICIPATE HOW THE STORMS ARE COMING IN AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR CREEKS.
UH, WE HAVE A WHOLE SET OF LOADER CROSSINGS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE MONITOR AND, UH, WHEN THE FLOOD RISES OR WE EXPECT A STREAM LEVEL TO GO UP, WE HAVE GATE ARMS THAT BE LOWER TO STOP TRAFFIC.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THE AUTO SEND STAFF IN THERE TO MONITOR THOSE LOWER CROSSINGS, TO PUT BARRICADES, TO, UH, TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM CROSSING.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME OF THEM THAT TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN SIGNS.
SO WE DO DO THAT DURING THE STORM, AND, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WE DO PRIOR TO, AND AFTER STORM AS WELL.
UH, WE DO HAVE A GROUP CALLED THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP, UH, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT CHRIS IS HEADING.
UH, THIS GROUP HAS CURRENTLY THE, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY GROUP THAT TAKES IN ALL THE 3 1 1.
SO HIS REQUEST COMES FROM THE CITIZENS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE UNDER THAT GROUP, A LOT OF FORCEFUL MOTOR CONTROL MEASURES, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY OR PONDS OR POTENTIAL PONDS AND WATER QUALITY PONDS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE AND, AND RAPIDLY GROWING, UM, UH, LAND THAT WE ARE ACQUIRING AS PART OF A FLOOD PLAIN BUYOUTS AND VARIOUS OTHER, UH, ENTITIES, WHICH DO HAVE WATER, SHOULD BE THE STEWARDS FOR THOSE LANDS.
SO WE HAVE A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT LAND MANAGEMENT THAT WE DO.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, WHAT IS CALLED AN OPEN WATERWAYS GROUP, WHICH IS, UH, THAT MR. JUDY IS A CHOICE MANAGING, AND HE'S GONNA SPEAK TO IT, UH, THAT CONSISTENT OF, FOR OPEN, OPEN CHANNELS, UH, ENGINEERED, UH, WATERWAYS.
UH STREAMBANKS AND, UM, UH, SO BASICALLY THAT'S ONE OF THEIR LARGER OPEN WORK THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE.
UH, WE DO HELP TO HAVE A CLOSED SYSTEM CALLED, UH, CLOSE SYSTEMS THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY A STORM WATER DRAINAGE PIPE SYSTEMS PANELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE A SYSTEM, A GROUP CALLED DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS.
IT'S A NEWLY FORMED DIVISION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, IT'S, UH, A SIGNIFICANT, UH, DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION THAT'S HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN THESE DAYS WOULD START OFF WITH THE WALNUT CREEK DONALD, BUT WE ALSO HAVE LADY
[03:10:01]
BIRD LAKE UNDER THAT GROUP.AND, UH, AND IT'S ALSO IS A RESPONSE FROM THE DEPARTMENT TOWARDS BASICALLY LOT OF STUFF GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SOME VERY BIG TRANSFORMATIONS, MAJOR PROJECTS GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN NAVYA, AND IT'S IMPACTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN A BIG WAY.
SO WE DO HAVE A DIVISION CALLED DONTA OPERATIONS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF GIVING YOU THE OVERVIEW OF HOW WATERSHED IS STRUCTURED AND HOW OUR GROUP AND THE WORK THE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO TALK TODAY, UH, ARE, ARE FALLING IN THAT, IN THAT ORGANIZATION.
SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO CHRIS MEYER.
WHO'S GOING TO, AND HE AND JULIUS ARE GOING TAG TEAM THIS.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT, AND I'M GOING TO BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT'S GOING TO COME UP IN CASE ANYBODY HAS, OR WE CAN WAIT TILL THEN.
SO AT THIS POINT, CHRIS, UH, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MESH FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
MAYBE JUST SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT, CHRIS.
UH, I AM AN ACTING DIVISION MANAGER HERE IN FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION IN THE, IN THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, UH, FOLKS, THE MONO COMMISSIONERS FOR GIVING US A CHANCE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I THINK WE'VE COMPILED SOME, SOME GREAT INFORMATION FOR YOU THAT WILL HELP GIVE YOU A GOOD INSIGHT INTO WATERSHED PROTECTIONS, UM, INTO, UH, INTO OPERATIONS AND GIVE KIND OF A GROUNDWORK FOR WHAT HOPE, WHAT WE HOPE OUR FUTURE PRESENTATIONS, UM, FROM DIFFERENT SECTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW OPERATIONS WORK.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WATERSHED PROTECTION IS DEPARTMENT OF, UM, DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN STRANGER'S UTILITY, UH, AND DURING ANY GIVEN RAIN EVENT, UH, THAT HAPPENS A STORMWATER MAKES ITS WAY INTO CURB INLETS INTO PIPES, INTO BASINS, UH, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WATER QUALITY AND DETENTION PONDS, UH, INTO NATURAL AND ENGINEERED CHANNELS.
AND THEN OF COURSE IT MAKES ITS WAY INTO RIVERS AND DOWNSTREAM AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
I MENTIONED COMPRISE A MINI THE VARIOUS ASSETS THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT IN THAT FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE, SOME OF THE ASSETS LISTED OVER 1200 MILES OF THE STORM DRAIN THE CONVEYANCE PIPE OVER 600 MILES OF ENGINEERED CHANNELS.
UH, WE HAVE OVER 11,011, I'M SORRY, 1100 STREAM CROSSINGS.
AND THIS INCLUDES 700 THAT ARE MAPPED IN THE FEMA'S FLOOD, PLAIN AND OVER A THOUSAND FLOOD DETENTION, UM, PONDS AND 9,000 PRIVATE DETENTION PONDS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO INSPECT AND NOTIFY OWNERS OF DEFICIENCIES.
AND AS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS AUSTIN GROWS THESE ASSETS UNDER OUR MANAGEMENT, CONTINUE TO GROW AS WELL.
AND AS
UH, AS WE ADDRESS UNIVERSE OF ISSUES THAT ARE RELATED TO THAT MISSION, LIKE FLOODING, WE CLASSIFY ALL OF FLOODING AS STRUCTURAL A HOUSE OR, OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FLOODING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE YARD FLOODING, UH, AND STREET FLOODING, UH, OUR OPEN CHANNELS THAT REQUIRE MAINTENANCE TO ADDRESS ISSUES LIKE EROSION, UM, TREES AND VEGETATION, AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, VARIOUS DEBRIS THAT CAN CAUSE ISSUES WITH OUR DRAINAGE.
IF YOU NOTICE THERE ON THE PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE, UH, A, JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SOME ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT MIGHT BE DONE BEFORE A RAIN EVENT OR AFTER A RAIN EVENT.
UH, YOU SEE THERE A LARGE, A LARGE INLET STRUCTURE.
THAT'S A FLOOD BYPASS TUNNEL, RIGHT ON EAST BOLDEN, UH, JUST BEHIND.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER THE FILLING STATION, A RESTAURANT THERE ON BARTON SPRINGS, UH, ACROSS FROM ALONG CENTER, UH, THOSE SCREENS GET, GET INUNDATED WITH, UH, WITH DEBRIS AND CAN, AND CAN BLOCK UP CONVEYANCE.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM FOR OUR CREWS.
UH, AND LASTLY, WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT OUR STORM WATER CONTROL FEATURES.
WE HAVE, UH, DETENTION PONDS AND, UM, AND WORK WHILE THE CONTROL PONDS THAT WE MANAGE AND MAINTAIN.
SO WATERSHEDS HAD A STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH 3, 1, 1, UH, WE RECOGNIZED EARLY ON THAT A WONDERFUL SERVICE THAT THAT DEPARTMENT OFFERS.
AND AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS, UH, 3, 1, 1, ANYONE IN THE, IN THE CITY CAN EASILY CALL THIS NON-EMERGENCY MUNICIPAL HOTLINE, UM, AND GET A LIVE OPERATOR ON THAT.
BUT THEY LIKE TO CALL AMBASSADORS WHO CAN INTAKE THE ISSUE AND SEND IT TO THE CORRECT DEPARTMENT.
[03:15:01]
THE WATERSHED, WE RELY HEAVILY ON 3 1, 1, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR BULK OF OUR COMPLAINTS COME IN BULK OF THE ISSUES.WE RELY ON CITIZENS WHO ARE OUT THERE THAT LIVING AMONGST OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO GIVE US THOSE, UM, ISSUES.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST AND GO, GO DOWN AND INSPECT THEM.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHER WAYS COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES COME THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.
CITIZENS CAN COMPLAIN DIRECTLY, UH, AND CALL, CALL OUR, UM, CALL OUR NUMBERS.
WE HAVE, WE'VE GOT MAYOR COUNCIL AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SUCH AS YOURSELF THAT CAN EMAIL HIM CONCERNS.
WE HAVE A SPILLED HOTLINE, 24 HOUR HOTLINE THAT YOU CAN CALL IN IF THERE IS AN ILLEGAL DISCHARGE OR A SPILL.
AND WE HAVE INVESTIGATORS THAT WILL COME OUT AND THEN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS OBVIOUSLY HAVE INSPECTORS FOR THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE OUT INTO THE, OUT IN THE FIELD.
AND, UH, SOMETIMES THEY COME ACROSS ISSUES THAT THEY ADDRESS WITH US.
UH, AND THEN, UH, OTHER OTHER CIP PROGRAMS THAT INTERFACED WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND THE, IN THE, IN THE FOLKS THAT LIVE THERE.
AND, AND THEN OF COURSE, DURING INTENSE RAIN EVENTS, POST STORM, WE, UH, UH, WE GET SOME EYES OUT ON AREAS AND THAT BRINGS IN, UM, MAINTENANCE ITEMS AS WELL.
MY NAME IS JULIA SOCIAL WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION AND I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE OPEN WATERWAYS GROUP BEFORE THE STORM SEARING AND COMES IN BEFORE, UH, CITIZENS REALLY CALL IN.
WE HAVE A BIG LIST OF LOCATIONS THAT WE KNOW ARE KNOWN HOTSPOTS FOR US TO GO OUT AND CLEAN.
AND SO WE TAKE A PROACTIVE STANCE TO SIT THERE AND ACTUALLY HIT THE SPOTS BEFORE A STORM THAT SIT THERE AND COMES IN.
WE HAVE CREWS THAT ARE ON CALL AND THROUGH CALLBACK, THEY RESPOND TO 3, 1, 1 CALLS DURING A STORM EVENT, WE WORK WITH OUR FUSE GROUP, WHICH IS OUR FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM THAT WILL STARE AND ACTIVATE US TO SIT THERE AND COVER ANY LOW WATER CROSSING MONITORS AS UP.
AND WE WILL STAY IN ALSO DEAL WITH SPILL RESPONSE WHERE CITIZENS CALL IN FOURS OR SPILLS OVER THE YEARS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE SIT THERE AND RESPONDED THROUGH 3, 4, 3, 1, 1 CALLS DURING A RAIN EVENT.
AND IN PARTICULAR, THE, WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THAT FLOODING EVENT THAT HAPPENED HALLOWEEN A FEW YEARS BACK WHERE OUR CREWS RESPONDED TO OVER 203, 1, 1 CALLS DURING THAT RAIN EVENT, EACH ONE OF OUR, THOSE RESPONSES, 3, 1, 1 CALLS THAT CAME IN WERE LOOKED AT AND SIT THERE AND ADDRESSED.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THREE ONE-ON-ONES ARE ACTUALLY ADDRESSED RIGHT AWAY THROUGH OUR CREWS WORKING DILIGENTLY THROUGH THE NIGHT, WORKING IN AND RESPONDING TO THOSE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS A MAP OF THE KNOWN HOTSPOTS WHERE THE RED SPOTS THAT ARE OWNED ON THE MAPS ARE THOSE HOTSPOTS THAT WE STAY IN AND GO AND TAKE CARE OF BEFORE A RAIN EVENT.
AND EVEN AFTER THE RAIN EVENT, THE YELLOW SPOTS THAT YOU SIT THERE AND SEE MOSTLY NORTH AND SOME SOUTH, OR THE LOW WATER CROSSINGS, WHERE WE WILL STAND, GO OUT AND PLACE BARRICADES AND DEAL WITH ANY, UH, LOW WATER CROSSINGS, THE ARMS THAT COME DOWN AND KEEP CITIZENS SAFE.
YEAH, THIS IS A, THOSE SAME HOTSPOTS, BUT KIND OF BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS.
SO THE FIRST MAP YOU SEE, SEE AS EAST BOULDIN, WEST BOLDEN AND THE BLUHM CREEK WATERSHEDS MAP TWO IS FOUR BRANCH MAP THREE, THE TANNEHILL AND BOGGY CREEK, AND A LITTLE WALNUT CREEK MAP FOUR IS THAT WALNUT CREEK IS SHOAL CREEK AND MAP FIVE IS THAT WILLIAMSON SLAUGHTER AND BOGGY CREEK, WHICH IS LOCATED OURSELVES.
AND SO YOU SEE THE MULTIPLE HOTSPOTS THAT WE TAKE
[03:20:01]
CARE OF AND ADDRESS, LIKE I SAID AGAIN BEFORE AND AFTER STORY EVENT, NEXT SLIDE.SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SERVICE REQUESTS.
I MENTIONED BEFORE I THANK YOU, JULIUS.
UM, UH, I MENTIONED BEFORE WHEN, UH, WHEN A RESIDENT CALLS 3, 1, 1, UH, SERVICE REQUEST IS CREATED AND THAT'S WHAT OUR INVESTIGATOR WILL GO OUT IN THE FIELD AND ADDRESS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GROUPS IN WATERSHED THAT DIRECTLY INVESTIGATE, UH, THOSE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL, UH, THREE, THREE INVESTIGATORS THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION GROUP, WE HAVE 14 INVESTIGATORS IN OUR POND INSPECTION AND DAM SAFETY PROGRAM.
AND WE'VE GOT 12 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND OUR WATER OR QUARTERLY COMPLIANCE GROUP THAT IS OUR SPILLS RESPONSE, UM, THAT OPERATE THAT HOTLINE.
THIS IS A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF, UH, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION GROUP, THESE ARE MAINLY THREE, ONE ONES.
UM, IT'S A FIVE-YEAR WINDOW HERE.
YOU CAN SEE IN 2017, UH, CLOSE TO 3000 EVEN DISTINCT SERVICE REQUESTS CAME IN.
AND AS THE YEARS GO ON, YOU CAN SEE IT SLOWLY TICKING UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS BEFORE 2017, IT HOVERED RIGHT AROUND 2000.
UM, BUT AS THE YEARS ARE GOING ON, OBVIOUSLY 3, 1, 1 IS DOING A BETTER JOB OF, UH, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR SERVICE, UH, REACHING OUT.
AND THEN AS THE YEARS GONE OFF THE STREETS, IT'S A MUCH EASIER NOWADAYS WITH SMARTPHONES.
UH, WE HAVE A THREE, ONE, ONE APP PEOPLE HAVE, I FOUND IT MUCH EASIER TO GET INFORMATION TO THE CITY.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHY, UM, IN ADDITION TO A POPULATION GROWTH, WHAT'S WHY YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS GOING UP.
THIS, LIKE, IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN KIND OF A DISTRIBUTION ON WHERE, WHERE OUR CALLS COMING FROM, UH, THIS IS FOR 2021.
SO THAT LEFT-HAND MAP OF AUSTIN IS JUST, JUST GIVING YOU A GOOD, A GOOD VIEW OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICE REQUESTS.
THOSE RED DOTS ARE ALL DISTINCT SRS, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A GOOD, GOOD MIX ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, I CAN'T REALLY THINK OF ONE AREA IN PARTICULAR THAT GETS MOST OF OUR CALLS THERE.
IT'S PRETTY UNIFORM, UH, ON THE RIGHT.
YOU CAN GET AN IDEA OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICE REQUESTS THAT COME IN.
UH, OBVIOUSLY A CITIZEN CALLS 3, 1, 1, AND THEY, UH, THEY USE SCRIPTS, UH, SERIES OF WHAT THEY CALL FLEX QUESTIONS TO GET THE INFORMATION FROM THE CITIZEN AND WHAT THE CONCERN IS.
AND THAT THOSE FLUX QUESTION LEADS THEM TO SEPARATE SEVERAL DIFFERENT SERVICE REQUEST TYPES.
THESE ARE THE 13 THAT COME INTO WATERSHED, UH, ANYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, AN ISSUE WITH A CREEKER OR A DRAINAGE EASEMENT TO A LOST ITEM IN A STORM DRAIN, UM, TO EROSION OR, UM, YOU KNOW, OR STORM DRAIN PIPE SERVICES.
YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE ONES IN YELLOW HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, OF PEOPLE ASK ABOUT OBSTRUCTIONS AND WATERWAYS.
THOSE THREE BEAR, UM, MANY TIMES DEAL WITH OBSTRUCTIONS IN WATERWAYS, NOT COMPLETELY, BUT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT IF AN SR COMES IN ON THOSE TYPES, IT'S DEALING WITH AN OBSTRUCTION OR A POSSIBLE OBSTRUCTION.
AND THAT'S WHERE AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD GO, UM, AND POSSIBLY CREATE A WORK ORDER.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORKLOAD SYSTEM, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, 900, ALMOST A THOUSAND SRS CAME IN JUST FOR CREEKS CAN TRIALS AND DRAINS USE MYTHS.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT A THOUSAND WORK ORDERS WERE CREATED.
THIS IS, UM, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF A FLOWCHART ON HOW OUR WORK ORDER SYSTEM WORKS.
UM, WE GET A SERVICE REQUEST FROM 3, 1, 1 A FIELD INVESTIGATOR GOES OUT AND TAKES A LOOK AT THE ISSUE THEY MAY OR MAY NOT, UM, DETERMINED.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WATERSHED CAN MANAGE.
IF IT'S A, IF IT'S JUST STANDARD MAINTENANCE, THEY MIGHT CREATE A WORK ORDER AND HAVE OUR CREWS PERFORM THE MAINTENANCE.
UM, THEY WOULD WRITE THE WORK ORDER UP.
THEY WOULD THEN PRIORITIZE IT TO PAN OUT WHAT, UM, WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN THE CREWS WOULD COME OUT AND DO THE WORK AT THE SAME TIME IN THE FIELD.
AND MINISTER GOES OUT ON THE SITE VISIT, UH, THEY MAY DO THE INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINED THAT THE ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED BY A, A LARGER CIP PROJECT.
THAT'S IN THE WORKS THAT'S WHEN THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, DETERMINED, UH, AND IT MAY BE IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PHASE.
AND THAT'S THAT ARROW YOU SEE GOING DOWN THERE TO ENGINEERING AND VALUATION.
AND THEN AGAIN, THAT ONCE THAT PROJECT IS GOING, IT WOULD LEAD TO CONSTRUCTION.
[03:25:01]
I THINK THIS, AS MY COLLEAGUE GETS TO THEM MENTIONED WHEN WORK ORDERS ARE CREATED, IT'S GIVEN YOU A PRIOR PRIORITIZATION.WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THAT A WORK ORDER COULD SIT THERE AND POSSIBLY GO INTO FIVE BEING THE MOST CRITICAL AND FOUR BEING URGENT, THREE BEING HIGH, THEN TWO BEING ROUTINE.
AND THEN A CO OF COURSE, ONE IS GOING TO BE STRATEGIC WHEN WE CAN SIT THERE AND GET IT PUT IN THE PICTURES THAT YOU SIT THERE AND SEE WHAT'S TODAY THERE, AND KIND OF DEPICT THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES OF HOW A WORK ORDER COULD SIT THERE AND POSSIBLY GET PLACED IN A PRIORITY ONE OR TWO, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE PIPE IS THAT THERE IS ALLOWING FOR DRAINAGE TO SIT THERE AND ACTUALLY RUN THROUGH AND HAS MINIMAL BLOCKAGE WOULD ONLY STAY AND HAVE A PRIORITY OF ONE OR TWO WHERE PITCHER THE MIDDLE PICTURE WOULD SIT THERE AND WHERE THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM WOULD BE MOSTLY BLOCKED WHAT'S THEY CREATE A PRIORITY THREE WHERE WE WAS UP THERE AND IT WOULD GET TO IT PRETTY QUICK, A PRIORITY FIVE, WHERE YOU SEE THE BOTTOM PICTURE, WHERE THAT WHOLE STORAGE SHED HAD KIND OF BLOCKED THAT OLD SYSTEM AND COULD POTENTIALLY CREATE A FLOOD HAZARD, WOULD SIT THERE AND GET OUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND WHERE WE WOULD STEER AND DIRECT OUR RESOURCES TO, WITH OUR CREWS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT REAL QUICK.
SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE THAT RUNDOWN OF HOW WE PRIORITIZE OUR WORK ORDERS IS WHAT WE'RE DEPICTING HERE.
SO, UH, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK ON THE SLIDES ABOUT SERVICE REQUESTS, 2017, UH, WE SAW THEY HAD ABOUT $2,800, 3000.
YOU CAN SEE HERE NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO WORK ORDERS.
UH, THOSE, THOSE, UH, CLOSE TO 3000 SERVICE REQUESTS TURN INTO ROUGHLY 15% TO 20% INTO WORK ORDERS.
AND THEN, AND THEN IF WE LOOK AT THAT 15 TO 20% IN THIS CASE, WHAT WOULD THAT 400, THE LABOR 400 WORK ORDERS? VERY, VERY FEW ARE IN THE, UM, ARE IN THE PRIORITY FOUR OR PRIORITY FIVE THAT JULIA WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHERE, UH, WE DROP WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE HEAD STRAIGHT THERE.
A MAJORITY OF OUR WORK ORDERS, OUR PRIORITY TWO PRIORITY THREE.
THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT WE, WE WANT TO ADDRESS, BUT THAT ARE NOT CRITICAL IN NATURE.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE STRUCTURED FLOODING.
UM, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A HEALTH SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, SO THEY'RE PRIORITIZED AT THAT RATE.
SOMETIMES THESE WORK ORDERS END UP DISAPPEARING.
NOW WE HAVE A RAIN EVENT AND MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, A LAW OR, OR, UH, SOME SEDIMENT MOVES ON DOWN THE SYSTEM AND, AND, AND DISAPPEARS COMPLETELY.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF THESE KINDS OF PRIORITIES.
UM, BUT JUST GET TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OVER THE YEARS, ROUGHLY ROUGHLY 15 TO 20% OF THOSE SERVICE REQUESTS EVER TURNED INTO WORK ORDERS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A WEIRD ANOMALY THERE DURING 2020 AND 2021.
UM, WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO CHANGE BACK TO ITS NORMAL PRE COVID TIMES.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A, UM, UH, A SWITCH IN OUR PRIORITY SYSTEM BASED ON COVID AND THE CREWS, UH, ELEVATING KIND OF EMPLOYEE SAFETY ABOVE OUR NORMAL PROCEDURES.
BUT AGAIN, THINGS WERE GOING TO START HEADING BACK TOWARDS 20 18, 20 19.
YOU WANT TO WRAP THAT UP? UH, THANK YOU, CHRIS.
AND JULIA'S, UH, JUST WANT TO WRAP THIS UP THAT, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DO HAVE A FAIRLY, UH, LAST SET OF ASSETS THAT WE TRIED TO MAINTAIN AND KEEP THEM OPERATIONAL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD A FAIR SHARE OF CHALLENGES.
A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO WITH REDOING ALL THIS, HAVE THE ADEQUATE NUMBER OF NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THE RESOURCES, AND WE HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB WITH IT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AS YOU, AS YOU ALL KNOW, COVID-19 HAS BEEN, UH, A CONCERN, UH, IT DID IMPACT OUR FIELD OPERATIONS GREW A LOT MORE THAN OTHERS, AS EQUAL AS YOU ALL CAN IMAGINE.
UH, FIELD OPERATIONS HAVE TO COME IN COMPARED TO SOME OTHER STAFF WHEN PEOPLE WORK FROM HOME.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FIELD OPERATIONS, THEY, IT'S NOT ONE PERSON IT'S ALWAYS A CREW.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SEE A PERSON GETTING IMPACTED BY COVID, IT USUALLY IMPACTS NOT JUST THAT PERSON, BUT AN ENTIRE CREW.
[03:30:01]
UM, UH, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE EARLIER IN THE YEAR OF AN OMICRON OMNI MICRON WAS KIND OF AT ITS PEAK.UH, WE HAD ALMOST 30 TO 40% OF OUR TEAM WHO WERE INFECTED AND, UH, AND THEN IT AFFECTS THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, AND THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THAT.
UH, AN ADDED TO THE FACT THAT LOADER FOR EMPLOYEES LAND UP LIVING PRETTY FAR AWAY FROM AUSTIN, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG AFFORDABILITY ISSUE IN AUSTIN.
AND A LOT OF HER, UH, FIELD STAFF ARE NOT, THEY'RE NOT PAID HIGHLY ENOUGH.
THEY CAN AFFORD HOMES IN AUSTIN.
SO COVID-19 HAD LIKE SOME ENORMOUS IMPACTS AND NOT JUST IN TERMS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SORT OF SURROUNDING EFFECTS.
UH, WE ARE, UH, UH, WE ARE COMING BACK TO NORMAL, UH, DURING THE COVID-19 PERIOD, WE ALSO HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE IN HIRING, UH, BECAUSE A, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND PEOPLE IT'S A HUGE STAFFING SHORTAGE RIGHT NOW, OR THE FEMALE HEARD OF IT.
BUT CURRENTLY IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND PEOPLE AT CDL LICENSES.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF SHIFT THAT'S GOING ON TO ONLINE, ONLINE, ORDERING AND EVERYTHING.
SO WE HAVE TO COMPETE WITH AMAZONS AND, AND, UH, THE TESLAS OF THE WORLD.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO HIRE PEOPLE.
SO STAFFING IS A BIG CHALLENGE AND CLIMATE CHANGE AND ATLAS 14 YEAR ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT, UH, WE ARE SEEING INCREASED PRECIPITATION.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS CAUSING MORE RAPID AS IT IS AUSTIN AS A FLOOD FLOOD, FLOOD FLASH, FLOOD, ALLIE.
BUT NOW THE, THE, THE EVENTS ARE COMING IN REALLY INTERESTING WAYS.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WHEN WE HAD THE, THE CRISIS WITH THE BOYD WATER ISSUE.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A FREEZE WARNING, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW THAT RIGHT, RIGHT.
ALONG THE FREEZE WARNING, WE WERE ALSO CLOSELY MONITORING A STORM FRONT BECAUSE COMING IN.
AND SO THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT WAS THE STORM FRONT WAS GOING TO DROP A BUNCH OF RAIN, BUT IT WAS GOING TO FREEZE RIGHT AFTER THAT.
SO WE HAD AN INITIAL SITUATION WHERE WE HAD STAFF AT THESE LOWER CROSSINGS, BUT WE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION TO PULL THEM OUT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE SAFE FOR THEM TO DRIVE RIGHT AFTER IT FREEZES BECAUSE IT'S LITERALLY GOING TO FREEZE AN HOUR AFTER IT RAINS.
SO INCREASINGLY THESE CLIMATE CHANGE EVENTS ARE COMING INTO US SOME REALLY DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE UP FOR IT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, I THINK, UH, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED ALREADY THAT, UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION HAS DONE A LOT OF, UH, ALIGNMENTS BASED FUNCTIONALLY ALIGNMENT.
SO THAT IS GIVING US A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AT THE WAY WE DO WORK.
THE 300 CALLS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE BEING KIND OF PROCESSED DIFFERENTLY.
SO THAT'D BE MORE EFFICIENT ABOUT IT INSTEAD OF CALLS COMING THROUGH, LIKE LITERALLY EVERYBODY'S CALLING EVERYBODY, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE STREAMLINE.
UH, THE FIELD OPERATIONS CREW.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE RECENTLY IS PRACTICALLY EVERYONE OFF HER FIELD STAFF HAD BEEN GIVEN AN IPHONE.
SO WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR HANDS BEFORE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S A SILVER LINING WITH COVID IS IT HAS REALLY PROVEN TO US HOW POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY IS AND WHAT IT CAN DO FOR US.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE PHONES IN PEOPLE'S HANDS, OUR EMPLOYEE SENSE, UH, IT USED TO BE, WE USED TO GO CELL PHONE AND LEVIN SAYS TO PAY FOR PHONES AND EVERYTHING.
NOW EVERYBODY'S GOT AN IPHONE AND WE HAVE THESE MOBILE APPS ON THESE PHONES.
SO PEOPLE CAN GO TAKE PICTURES.
WE CAN HAVE, WE HAVE A SYSTEM CALLED MAXIMO THAT WE USE.
IT'S A, IT'S THE SOFTWARE OF RECORD, ALL THE WORK ORDERS.
AND EVERYTHING GOES INTO MAXIMO AND OUR STAFF HAVE ACCESS TO MAXIMO ON THEIR PHONES IN THE FIELD.
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN TAKE PICTURES AND THEY CAN COMMUNICATE.
WE WILL MOST LIKELY SEE THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOR IN ANOTHER YEAR BECAUSE WE JUST UNDOING ALL OF IT.
UH, AND WE ARE, WE ARE INCREASINGLY SEEING THERE MORE EFFICIENCIES THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY WOULDN'T BRING THAT KIND OF INTO OUR STAFF.
UH, ONE OF THE, SORT OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT EFFECT OF GIVING TECHNOLOGY IS THE FACT THAT THAT IS A BIG DIGITAL DIVIDE AMONG OUR STAFF IN THE FIELD OPERATIONS.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
THEY LIVE OUTSIDE IN THE, IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH AVAILABLE INTERNET, SO THE PHONES ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE SOME HOTSPOTS ON IT.
SO IT HELPS THEM WITH THAT DAY.
SO WE ARE DOING A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, WHAT IS IT? PROTECTION IS INVESTED QUITE A BIT IN, IN CAMPUS, CLEANUPS, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, UH, THAT HAS BECOME A BIG ISSUE IN AUSTIN.
IT'S AN ANCHOR SHE HAS Y'ALL KNOW.
AND, UH, WE, A FEW YEARS BACK STARTED A PILOT PROGRAM, AND NOW WE HAVE FULL FLEDGED CONTRACTS TO PERFORM, UH, IN CAPITAN CLEANUPS, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH LOCAL NON-PROFIT THERE'S A PROGRAM IS A FOUNDATION CALLED THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION.
AND, UH, WATERSHED IS ENLISTED QUITE A BIT IN THAT, IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO BY CAPTURING THE, UH, THE DEBRIS AT THE END CAP AND CLEANUPS, WE ARE PREVENTING IT FROM GETTING INTO THE CREEKS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALL RECONSTRUCT HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT MOBILE APPS, MOBILE.
THERE'S A, I THINK CHRIS MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT, BUT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT MOBILE MOBILE 3, 1, 1, UH, SO THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE.
THAT MEANS THAT WE GET MORE CALLS, BUT YOU'RE ALSO ABLE TO BE MORE NIMBLE AND AGILE WITH IT.
SO THERE ARE CHALLENGES, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
AND, UH, UH, HOPEFULLY BY END OF, BY MID TO END OF THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE FULLY
[03:35:01]
STAFFED OR VACANCIES WILL BE FILLED.SO WE HAVE A FULL COMPLIMENT OF FIELD OPERATIONS SCREWS WITH TECHNOLOGY AND OUR FUNCTIONAL ALIGNMENT.
I HOPE THAT'D BE GOING TO BE SELLING OUR COMMUNITY LOT BETTER.
SO I'M GOING TO WRAP UP AT THAT MOMENT.
AND SO THE OPEN QUESTIONS IN CASE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME AT THIS NUMBER.
FIRST OFF, BEFORE WE GO AROUND, THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND.
UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT AND REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS STICKING AROUND BOTH HERE AND IN REMOTE.
LIKE, SO, UH, UM, LET, LET'S GO AROUND, UH, MAYBE REMOTELY, UM, BARRETT YOU'RE ON THE TOP OF THE SCREEN NOW.
SO, UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND EDUCATING US, UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE ALL THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.
I'M WONDERING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET GOES TO THE ENCAMPMENT CLEAN UP AND WHO DECIDES THE PRIORITY THERE WHEN IT GOES THROUGH 3, 1, 1, AND DO OTHER DEPARTMENTS HELP WITH THE COST OF THAT NOW, BECAUSE INITIALLY WHEN THAT PROGRAM WAS STARTED YEARS AGO, I THINK THE BURDEN FELL ON WATERSHEDS.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THINGS HAVE EVOLVED.
SO, UH, THE, SO I WILL SPEAK TO THE FIELD OPERATIONS, OPERATIONS BUDGET IT'S AROUND, UH, UH, LIKE I SAID, UH, FIELD OPERATIONS, ONE OF THE BIGGER GROUPS IN WATERSHED OR BUDGET SOMEWHERE NEAR 20, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT'S A MENU OF 24, 20 $5 MILLION.
AND OUR INVESTMENT IN CAPITAN CLEANUPS IS SOMEWHERE UNDER, UH, LAST YEAR.
IT GOES AROUND AND CHRIS KNOWS, CHRIS CAN PROBABLY GET THE EXACT NUMBER IT'S AROUND SEVEN, $800,000.
IT'S GOING UP A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS YEAR.
SO YOU CAN THINK IT'S LESS THAN A, IT'S ABOUT LESS THAN 5% OF HER OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET FOR FIELD OPERATIONS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE WATERSHED BUDGET, BUT IT'S FIELD OPERATIONS BUDGETS LESS THAN 5% OF IT.
UM, I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE OTHER QUESTIONS YOU WERE.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING.
WE DO HAVE A CITY-WIDE EFFORT THAT IS LOOKING AT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND, UH, AND, AND, AND COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
IF YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE ENCAMPMENTS, THERE IS AN, UH, DISCUSSION THAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AS FAR AS HOW WE ARE GOING TO PRIORITIZE, NOT JUST IN CAMPUS AND WATERSHED PROPERTY, BUT ALSO AT PARD AND ARR AND ALL THESE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THAT IS A PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
UH, I HOPE THAT THAT WILL COME TO, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND OTHER, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, SOON, BUT THERE IS, UH, A PRIORITY SYSTEM THAT'S BEING LOOKED AT, UH, FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION.
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CRITERIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT IF THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT THAT IS GOING TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE UPSTREAM OR DOWNSTREAM, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR BIGGEST CRITERIA.
AND IN FACT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM.
AND THE JULIUS WAS TALKING ABOUT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IS THE ONE WHERE IT'S COMPLETELY BLOCKED AND IT'S GOING TO CAUSE FLOODING EITHER UPSTREAM BECAUSE THE WATER CAN FLOW ANYMORE OR DOWNSTREAM BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE CHANNEL HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN DAMAGED.
SO THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR CRITERIA AND CAUSES HEALTH AND SAFETY.
THERE'S A CLEAR AND IMMINENT DANGER TO CITIZENS.
UH, SO THAT HAS BEEN OUR MAJOR, UH, SORT OF CRITERIA.
NOW THERE ARE ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE SHOWING UP IN WATER QUALITY LANDS, AND OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE DO TAKE IT FROM A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
UH, WE HAVE INSPECTORS, UH, SO UNLIKE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE DO NOT HAVE A LIST OF PLACES WE GO EVERY WEEK, WE GO AND INVESTIGATE JUST LIKE WE WOULD DO IN MR. GET ANY OF THE PROBLEM.
AND WE WOULD MAKE A DETERMINATION TO SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S CAUSING A MAJOR CONCERN FOR OUR WATERSHED MISSION AREAS.
THAT'S GOING TO HOW WE USE IT.
AND COMING TO TERMS ON, I'M SORRY, IF I ANSWERED ALL YOUR QUESTION, DID I MISS SOMETHING? YOU'RE IMMUNE? YEAH.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A VERY THOROUGH EXPLANATION.
I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION AND IT IS, UM, THIS FEMA HELP YOU WITH THIS WHEN IT'S AN OVERLAP OF WATERSHED AND FEMA.
UM, SO I, I, I, I WOULDN'T WANNA GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT ANSWER.
I WANT TO SAY THE ANSWER IS YES, WE DO HAVE SUPPORT THAT COMES FROM FEMA AFTER A MAJOR FLOOD EVENT.
UH, THERE IS A SEPARATE GROUP, PROJECT DESIGN AND DELIVERY THAT WORKS QUITE A BIT ON PROPERTIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IMPACTED BY FEMA.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE HALLOWEEN FLOOD, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY GOT SOME FEMA SUPPORT, UH, HOW IT BOOKLET DOWN TO THE OPERATIONS LEVEL.
[03:40:01]
UH, WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, FEMA DOESN'T HELP US DIRECTLY WITH THE OPERATIONS PIECE, BUT FEMA DOES SUPPORT US WHEN WE HAVE A MAJOR STORM AND THERE'S A DISASTER DECLARED.THERE ARE FEMA SUPPORT THAT HAPPENS THAT WAY.
I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE OBLIGATION OF WATERSHED IN CONCURRENCE WITH FEMA WHEN THEY OVERLAP WITH, UM, RULE MAKING.
I'LL I WILL I ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER AND THANK YOU FOR IT.
UM, UH, WE NEED TO, UM, UH, MOVE THAT WE EXTEND THE MEETING, UH, PAST 10 O'CLOCK TO 10 20, UM, LOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING TO 10 22ND.
WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING THE MEETING UNTIL 10 20, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, FREE SPEECH.
UH, UH, YOU GOT, YOU GOT THOSE ANSWERS, KAYLA, THE MOTION PASSES, UM, AND THEN IN THE SPIRIT OF, UH, UH, TIMELY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS COMMISSIONER NICHOLS, YOUR NEXT, NO, THAT'S ALRIGHT.
SO JUST REAL QUICKLY, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE OBSTRUCTIONS THAT KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS TO MAINTAIN, UM, WHATEVER THEY HAVE, AS FAR AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW MUCH OF THESE OBSTRUCTIONS ARE COSTS BECAUSE OF MAYBE THE PRIVATE SECTOR NOT MAINTAINING, YOU KNOW, THEIR MAINTENANCE AND WHAT IS THE COST TO US, THE TAXPAYERS, OR IS THERE A PENALTY OR HOW HAS THAT HANDLED? UM, UH, CHRIS, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A TRAIN ATTEMPT THAT ANSWER BECAUSE I LIKE TO FOLLOW THAT FOR CHRIS ANSWERS THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, FOR INSTANCE, OPEN CHANNELS WHERE WE HAVE, UM, WHERE WE HAVE ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS MAYBE OVERGROWN VEGETATION OR IT'S A NATURAL AREA, AND ALL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THAT STUFF WASHES INTO THE CHANNEL AND CAUSES OBSTRUCTIONS, OR ARE YOU TALKING MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ANOTHER PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE? SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE PRIVATE DETENTION PONDS THAT ARE MAINTAINED BY PRIVATE ENTITIES.
WE RE WE INSPECT THEM FOR COMPLIANCE, BUT WE DON'T MAINTAIN THEM.
WE JUST TELL THEM IF THEY NEED, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T.
YEAH, I CAN'T, I COULDN'T GIVE YOU A MIX OF, OF HOW MUCH OF OUR MAINTENANCE ENDS UP COMING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, OTHER THAN I CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST USE THE EXAMPLE OF TRASH.
WE, AS A DEPARTMENT HAVE REALIZED THE BEST WAY FOR US TO MANAGE TRASH AND DEBRIS AND WATERWAYS IS AT THE SOURCE.
AND SO WE WORK WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
WE WORK WITH, WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE TRASH CANISTERS ARE, ARE SECURED PUT IN THEIR PLACE, MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP TRASHING CANS.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH, UH, GROUPS PUTTING THOSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SEEN THE PLACARDS ON ENDLESS THAT SHOULD REMIND PEOPLE THAT EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO, UH, INTO AN INLET HEADS, INTO OUR WATERWAYS.
AND SO EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT MAKING SURE TRASH GETS IN ITS PLACE, WE'VE FOUND THAT BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRYING TO GO OUT AND A THOUSAND SMILES OF CHANNELS, SYNTHETIC, TO TRY TO CLEAN IT UP ONCE IT'S IN THERE.
SO THAT'S ABOUT THE BEST I CAN GIVE YOU.
UM, AND I GUESS I'M ALSO DOUBLE CHECKING THAT YOU GUYS ARE GIVING YOURSELF ENOUGH, THE PROPER CREDIT I NOTICED ON SLIDE NUMBER NINE, A AND CREEK IS NOT LISTED, BUT I KNOW THAT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE A FEW HOTSPOTS OR IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO LARGE, MAYBE IT'S NOT CONSIDERED, IT'S NOT ON THAT LIST.
WHICH CREEK WAS THAT CREEK ONION CREEK? YEAH, IT'S, YOU'VE GOT, I THINK WILLIAMSON AND SLAUGHTER.
AND I FORGET IF IT WAS, I MEAN, CREEK IS KIND OF ON THE LOWEST PART OF OUR CITY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
I MEAN, CREEK IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MORE NATURAL.
UM, TH THERE'S A LOT OF SPAN BRIDGES.
UM, THERE AREN'T VERY MANY TIGHT RESTRICTIONS, UM, OTHER THAN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IT, UNFORTUNATELY IT GOES THROUGH AND, AND, UM, CAUSES FLOODING, BUT HOTSPOTS ARE TYPICALLY WHERE WE HAVE, UM, SOME OF OUR OLDER WATERSHEDS THAT ARE CLOSER INTO DOWNTOWN, WHERE WE HAVE LOW WATER CROSSINGS OR WHERE WE HAVE, UH, CULVERTS WHERE WATER HAS TO GO INTO A SMALL CONFINED SPACE.
UH, AND ALL THAT DEBRIS GETS WASHED UP AND BLOCKS THOSE UP.
I MEAN, CREEK, BELIEVE IT OR NOT AS A LITTLE BIT MORE WIDE OPEN, DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES.
AND NOT JUST REALLY, UM, YEAH,
[03:45:01]
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS DO AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR EFFORTS ON EVERYTHING.
UH, I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE REASON NO ONE OBJECTED THE MOTION TO RUN.
THE THING THAT KIM 20 WAS, THEY WERE ASLEEP, DULY NOTED, UH, QURESHI.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, ECHOING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SHED SOME MORE LIGHT ON THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE QUESTION THAT CROSSED MY MIND WAS, YOU KNOW, WITH SORT OF THE CREEK AND, YOU KNOW, DEBRIS AND, AND BRUSH COLLECTION STUFF THAT Y'ALL DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY WE HAD TORNADOES IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CLEANUP THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE TOWNS, UH, HAVE TO DO BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, IN THE EVENT THAT LIKE A TORNADO HIT, UH, YOU KNOW, AN AREA AROUND ONE OF THE CREEKS OR WHATEVER, UH, OR LIKE THE, ONE OF THE HOTSPOTS, UH, WOULD WE BE STAFFED ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT AND LIKE A TIMELY MANNER JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS DEPENDING ON THE EXTENDED, THE INTENSITY OF THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED.
AND, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, JULIUS TALKED ABOUT THE HALLOWEEN EVENT, UH, THE AMOUNT OF TRASH AND DEBRIS THAT CAUSED IT, DID TAKE US A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THAT SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF CALLS WE GOT, WE DID RESOLVE EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT IT TOOK US A FEW DAYS TO DO IT.
AND A BIG PART OF IT WAS A TRASH.
AND, AND OFTENTIMES WHAT THAT HAPPENS IS WE PARTNERED WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS WITH ARR AND EMS AND FIRE, AND ALL THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGE EVENT LIKE THAT, IT BECOMES AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WATERSHED PROTECTION WILL BE A LEAD AGENCY FOR A STORM-RELATED EVENT, BUT SOMETHING LIKE A TORNADO, IT MAY NOT BE EXACTLY WHAT A ONE, BUT VR PART OF THE CITY, WE HAVE MULTIPLE SISTER DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN IN THE CASE OF A FEDERAL EMERGENCY, WE HAVE OTHER RESOURCES THAT COME TO PLAY AS WELL.
SO THE ONLY WAY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT AND THE SEVERITY OF THE EVENT ITSELF.
SO, AND WE DO LIKE, WE, WE WOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, AND USUALLY WE ARE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT IT MAY NOT HAPPEN LIKE THE VERY NEXT DAY.
SO, AND IT GOES BACK TO THE PRIORITY SYSTEM THAT JULIUS WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WE WOULD PRIORITIZE AND DO A TRIAGE ON IT.
UH, WHICH OTHER ONES WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY TARGET AND THE ONES WHO WOULD GET TO, BUT EVENTUALLY WE DO GET TO ALL OF THEM.
SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE, UH, OF, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, UH, CATASTROPHIC EVENT HAPPENS, IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE LIKE A MULTI-AGENCY.
UH, YEAH, IT WILL BE ABLE, SURE.
BEEN MULTI-AGENCY IT'S NOT JUST NOT THE CITY DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY TO BECOME TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND SOMETIMES WE PARTNER WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT, OTHER SISTER CITIES, LIKE CEDAR PARK LEANDER, ALL THE OTHER CITIES, IT BECOMES SORT OF LIKE A REGIONAL CENTRAL TEXAS TYPE RESPONSE SYSTEMS. TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.
THIS HAS BEEN A, QUITE AN EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION.
I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
I, I I'M, UM, I'M AWARE THAT YOU'RE AWARE THAT I HAVE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE, UH, CITY HANDLES, UH, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, WITH THE CREEKS.
HOW MANY MILES OF RIVERS AND WATERWAYS ARE THERE, UM, IN AUSTIN, HUH? I WAS GOING TO ASK EITHER CHRIS OR JUDAS CAN HELP ANSWER THAT.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY MILES OF WATERWAYS WE HAVE? I DON'T THINK I HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT AT ALL.
WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND MILES OF OPEN CHANNELS AND ENGINEERED CHANNELS IN THE CITY.
UM, THERE'S I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT SEEMS, UH, ENDLESS, UH, I, I WAS AT WALNUT CREEK IN, UH, RECENTLY IN WALNUT CREEK ALONE HAS MULTIPLE DIVISIONS.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S REALLY A MIND BOGGLING AMOUNT OF, UH, WATERWAYS TO COVER.
SO, UM, EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR NINE YEARS THERE, A LOT OF THESE PLACES I'VE NEVER VENTURED BEFORE.
AND, UM, I'M ONLY BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND JUST EXACTLY HOW COMPLICATED IT IS.
UM, ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS, IS THAT
[03:50:01]
IT SEEMS THAT THE CREEKS ARE, AND WATERWAYS ARE IN YOUR, UH, JURISDICTION, BUT THE, UH, LAND THAT COMES DOWN TO THE CREEKS SEEMS TO BE A CODE, UH, CITY CODE A PROBLEM.IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S DIVIDED RIGHT NOW.
AND EVERY TIME IT RAINS, UH, I'M ON A, I'M ON A CREEK THAT, UM, MUST GO UNDERGROUND THROUGH TUNNELS OR SOMETHING, AND THEN COMES OUT BEHIND WHERE I LIVE.
AND YET EVERY TIME IT RAINS, UM, UM, I'M ASTONISHED BY WHAT SHOWS UP, BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY BE COMING FROM MY NEIGHBORS THAT ARE UP STREAM FROM ME.
AND, AND, UH, I'VE, I'VE, I'VE, I KNOW THAT, THAT MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, WITH CONTACTING, UH, THE, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO DO CODE VIOLATIONS HAS BEEN, UM, REALLY, UM, UNPRODUCTIVE.
I, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET, UM, UH, SATISFACTORY, UM, UH, CLEANUP, UH, OF, UH, OF A REALLY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM.
AND I ASSUME THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE LIKE THAT.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK VERY FAR TO, TO FIND WHERE THE STUFF IS COMING, THAT ENDS UP IN THE RIVERS.
AND SO I JUST CO UH, REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP AND SAID, I JUST QUESTION WHETHER THAT SYSTEM IS WORKING, UH, OR WHETHER, UM, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SETBACK SHOULD BE, UH, WITHIN, UH, I, I, I HATE TO ADD TO, UH, DUE TO YOUR, UH, UH, WORKLOAD, WHICH IS ALREADY PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, BUT I JUST WONDER IF THE, IF THAT DIVISION IS WORKING, UM, AS IT SHOULD.
AND, AND I THINK THE LITTLE PART OF IT THAT I'VE SEEN, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING.
AND, UH, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY, AND I DON'T, AND I DON'T ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
I DON'T, UM, I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP CAUSE I, CAUSE IT DOES SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM AND EVERY TIME IT RAINS, THERE'S MORE STUFF.
AND I'M THINKING WHO, HOW CAN PEOPLE COME WITH THAT MUCH STUFF IN, IN, IN, IN THE SPACE OF A BLOCK? SURE.
WELL, THAT'S THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER SCOTT, I THINK WE DO HAVE RIGHT AWAY SOME DRAINAGE EASEMENTS AND SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE SHARE WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND, AND IT REALLY IS DEPENDENT ON EXACTLY WHERE THE ASSET IS AND WHERE THAT WORKS.
AND, UH, I WILL MAYBE I'LL HAVE CHRIS TO SHARE, LIKE THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT WHEN WE ENCOUNTER A PROBLEM AND HOW WE SORT OF DELINEATE WHETHER IT'S A WATERSHED ISSUE OR ANOTHER CITY ISSUE.
UH, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A WAY FOR US TO SORT OF UNIVERSALLY GO AND INCREASE OUR JURISDICTION ON ACROSS THE BOARD BECAUSE THAT THAT'S JUST TOO COMPLEX AND THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY AREAS AND ASSETS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH, BUT MAYBE CHRIS CAN OFFER SOME INSIGHT ON HOW, WHEN WE GO TO A THREE, 100 MITIGATION, HOW WE LOOKED AT AND SORT OF HOW WE PARTNER WITH THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
WELL, YOU MENTIONED, UH, COMMISSIONER, YOU MENTIONED CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOU THINK A LOT OF CITIZENS DON'T REALIZE, UM, IS THAT W WATERSHED DOESN'T OWN A LOT OF THE WATERWAYS, WE WILL UTILIZE EASEMENTS IN ORDER TO DO OUR MAINTENANCE AND Y'ALL ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH EASEMENTS.
YOU'VE YOU, YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME TONIGHT LOOKING AT WATER QUALITY EASEMENTS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER EASEMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS THAT THERE'S LINES ON A MAP THEY'RE LINES ON A MAP, THOSE LINES, THOSE DRAINAGES, THAT SKIP UP TO THE ABILITY, THE RIGHT TO ACCESS, TO DO OUR MAINTENANCE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR INSTANCE, TO DRIVE OFF, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE W W THAT WOULD BE THE, THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY.
IT WOULD BE THE ONE, IF WE FIND DEBRIS THAT'S BEEN DUMPED, UM, AGAIN, IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE THE ONES THAT WOULD CALL, AND THAT'S WHY CODE ENFORCEMENT USUALLY COMES OUT AND ADDRESSES THOSE ISSUES, ILLEGAL DUMPING, UM, BUILDING ENOUGH IN THE, IN THE FLOOD, PLAIN, ALL OF THOSE, AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING AGAINST THE EASEMENT, BUT WATERSHED, WE, WE HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO AFFECT CHANGE.
UH, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN OPEN UP THAT WATERWAY, IF THERE'S A DAM, WE CAN, WE CAN CLEAR OUT SOME DEBRIS IF WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S A FLOODING ISSUE, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE IS A, THERE'S AN EDUCATION PIECE THAT NEEDS TO GO ON WITH THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ALONG THE WATERWAYS AND, AND, UM, AND THAT'S, YEAH, SO WE, WE, THAT'S WHY, WHAT'S WHY WE DEAL WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE DEAL WITH, UM, MORE RECENTLY THE
[03:55:01]
POLICE DEPARTMENT, HELPING CITIZENS TRY TO NAVIGATE HOW TO, YOU KNOW, HOW TO AFFECT SOME CHANGE ON THEIR PROPERTY.UM, BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE THERE IS THAT WE UTILIZE EASEMENTS TO DO OUR MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S STILL A PROPERTY OWNER OUT THERE THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
YEAH, I GUESS I, I DON'T KNOW, UH, HOW WE CAN AFFECT THE NECESSARY CHANGE TO GET A BETTER ENFORCEMENT FROM A CODE, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, MAYBE THAT, UH, WE NEED TO BRING UP DIRECTLY WITH THE, UH, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR YOUR ANSWERS AND FOR STICKING AROUND ALL THIS TIME, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
AND, UM, YOU, YOU DO HAVE AN ENORMOUS JOB TO DO, AND I THINK THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK, UM, AND OF COURSE, I KNOW THAT, UH, FEMA MONEY HAS COME IN AND, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HELP, UM, UH, FROM, FROM THEM AS WELL.
AND, AND FROM, UH, OTHER GROUPS TO, UH, REALLY GET THE CITY IN A, IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION.
BUT AS A RESULT, I THINK THAT W WE ARE RE UH, RISK OF FLOODING HAS CONSIDERABLY REDUCED JUST IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN.
AND, AND I, I JUST, I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY ADMIRABLE.
AND I, I, I W I WANT TO JUST EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THAT, AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, IT'S, IT'S A VERY HARD JOB.
THERE'S, UH, IT'S UM, I, I COMPARE IT TO, UH, AMSTERDAM, EXCEPT THAT WE'RE NOT SURROUNDED BY WATER, BUT I THINK OF IT AS KIND OF A LITTLE AMSTERDAM IT'S, UH, THERE'S SO MANY WATERWAYS HERE.
IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S JUST REALLY AMAZING.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.
I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION AND HOPEFULLY IT'S A LOBBY.
UM, UH, I MEAN, WHERE WE SIT, WE SEE PROJECTS COMING THROUGH HERE THAT HAVE WATER QUALITY DESIGNS OR ELEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE ENVISIONED TO BE LAID OUT IN A PUB, MAYBE OVER THE COURSE OF 25, 30 YEARS, BUT A SITE PLAN, W ARE THERE PARTICULAR CONTROLS OR FEATURES THAT YOU GUYS SEE, UM, AND JULIUS, MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU THAT ARE ALWAYS PROBLEMS OR, OR, OR CONDITIONS THAT, THAT REALLY YOU WOULD BE EXCITED IF YOU NEVER HAD TO CLEAN OUT AGAIN, UM, THAT, THAT WE, AS A COMMISSION CAN MAYBE TRY TO HAVE OUR, OUR, OUR EYES OUT FOR, FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
I MEAN, LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND THOSE THINGS I'M SURE ARE, ARE HOPEFULLY A THING OF THE PAST.
UM, BUT, BUT FOR WHAT WE SEE WATER QUALITY PONDS, I SAW 9,000 PRIVATE STORMWATER CONTROLS THAT YOU GUYS INSPECT.
ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN BE LOOKING FOR TO MAKE Y'ALL'S JOBS EASIER? IF POSSIBLE? I THINK, UH, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE CHRIS SAID IS GOING TO BE REALLY JUST EDUCATING THE, ALL THE RESIDENTS AND, AND LETTING THEM LET THEM KNOW THAT THE STUFF THAT THEY THROW INTO TO THESE WATERWAYS, THESE INLETS, THESE PIPES, ALL GET RUSHED DOWN INTO THESE OPEN CHANNELS IN, AND EVENTUALLY BECOME A NUISANCE TO THE RESIDENTS WHEN THEY SIT THERE AND GO OUT AND SEE ALL THE TRASH IN THEIR CHANNELS, IN THEIR CREEKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THEY WILL SIT THERE AND CALL IT A COMPLAINT, AND WE WILL SIT THERE AND COME OUT AND INVESTIGATE.
AND IF THERE'S ENOUGH, UH, THINGS CAUSING BLOCKAGE OR WHATNOT AND CAUSING POTENTIAL FLOODING, WE WILL ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES THEY END UP SITTING THERE GETTING TO WHERE THEY JUST GO DOWN THE DOWNSTREAM AND TWO, THEY END UP IN LADY BIRD LAKE, AND THEY END UP IN THE COLORADO RIVER.
AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE ALL THE TRASH KIND OF JUST FLOATING AROUND, THEY'RE THERE UPSET BECAUSE THE TREK, ALL OF THE TRASH THAT'S FLOATING THERE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S KIND OF A CYCLE THAT'S GOING TO JUST KIND OF CONTINUE UNTIL RESIDENTS ARE JUST MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION.
SO AGAIN, EDUCATION IS GOING TO BE THE KEY TO SIT THERE AND HOPEFULLY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT, HEY, THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL THROW AWAY IS TRASH WE'LL END UP IN THOSE,
[04:00:01]
THOSE CREEKS, WHICH ENDED UP IN THE RIVER.YEAH, MAN, I THINK IT'S, DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS, RIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU MENTIONED, UH, NOT THANK YOU FOR THAT JULIUS.
SO WE DO NEED TO EDUCATE, UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A REALLY GOOD PRODUCT DESIGN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WHO DO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE FEATURES, UH, THAT, UH, ARE PROBLEMATIC, UH, A GOOD EXAMPLE, OR LIKE, UH, SOME OF THESE BELOW GRADE PONDS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR GUYS DO NOT LIKE THOSE AT ALL.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME TIMES REAL ESTATE DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO DO ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THEY'RE CRITICAL STRUCTURES.
THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO PUT IT.
UH, WE DO TRY TO AVOID THESE BELOW GRADE DETENTION PONDS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO.
UH, SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT BY THE TIME IT COMES TO YOU ALL, IT'S BEEN FILTERED THROUGH BY OUR GUYS.
AND THEY'RE VERY GOOD ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH ENGINEERS AND OPERATIONS.
SO WE DO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE ASSETS AND, UH, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT TO SEE WHAT IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT AND SAY, IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA TODAY, BUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, IT'S NOT REALLY PROVEN TO BE.
AND WE GO BACK AND REVISIT THOSE.
SO THERE'S NOT ANY ONE PARTICULAR THING, BUT THAT'S ONE THING THAT CAME FROM MINE LIKE BELOW GRADE, UH, LIKE THESE PONDS THAT ARE LIKE BELOW GRADE, UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN TO GET INTO.
SO THE ONLY TIME WE ALLOWED, THOSE ARE LIKE WHEN THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER OPTION, THAT KIND OF THING.
I MEAN, WELL, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT IT KIND OF GETS VETTED BY Y'ALL BEFORE IT EVEN COMES TO US.
UM, BUT, BUT, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP OUR EYE ON.
UM, AND THE ONLY LAST COMMENT WOULD BE, UH, THINKING THE LAST BEING WE WERE HERE.
UM, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME FEDERAL MONEY.
I THINK IT WAS FROM THE CORE, BUT MAYBE FROM EPA TO JUST ENCOURAGE YOU, TO KEEP YOUR EYES OUT AS THAT STARTS TO PERCOLATE OUT FOR THERE FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU GUYS MAY BE ABLE TO GRAB ON TO OF COURSE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, WE ARE IN FACT PURSUING SOME OF THOSE, UH, CORPS OF ENGINEERS MONEY.
AND I THINK, UM, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVE INDEED GOTTEN SOMEWHAT, BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT BEAT GOES WITH IT, BUT I KNOW VR PURSUING.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP KEEPING AIR OUT.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE'LL GO TO COMMITTEE REPORTS.
UM, URBAN FORESTRY, PAM, DO YOU HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT? ALL RIGHT.
AND BRUMMER REPORT, UH, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST, LAST UPDATE.
UM, ABOUT CONEYS, I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT AND THAT WILL BE YOUR JOB MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND, UH, JOINT COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND PARKS AND REC PAM, IS THAT YOU TAKING THE LEAD GOING TO SAY NO, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN MEETING HAVE MET.
UH, AND SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMMISSIONER A YEAR, THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GREAT, GREAT UPDATES COMING.
I CAN, I CAN SEND SOME ON YOUR FUTURE.
UM, AND WITH THAT TWO MINUTES TO SPARE, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN AT 10 18.