[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:13]
APRIL 20TH, 22, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING.
UH, I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER IT IS 5:35 PM.
UH, FIRST ITEM IS TO CALL THE ROLE, UH, MONA, WOULD YOU ASSIST ME WITH THAT, PLEASE? I'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, CHRISTINE, GO AHEAD.
SORRY IF I COULD JUST, UH, REMIND W I'M SO SMART NOW WITH TOMA, SO SMART.
SO SMART, UM, UP TO FOR ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FOR ROLE, IF YOU CAN PUT YOUR VIDEO ON, SO NOW IS THAT JUST FOR VOTING COMMISSIONERS OR ALL COMMISSIONERS FOR ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO BE DEEMED PRESENT? OKAY.
SO COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE TURN YOUR VIDEO ON.
I CAN SEE A NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS THAT WHO DO NOT HAVE, THERE WERE, UH, COMMISSIONER LEHMAN AND I'M HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING THE REST.
SO WE'LL JUST GO WITH COMMISSIONER LAYMAN.
I THINK HE'S HAD ONGOING CAMERA ISSUES.
I'M ACTUALLY ON TOO, SO I CAN SEE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
AND UM, I'M GOING TO CALL ROLL NOW.
COMMISSIONER CHER, COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, COMMISSIONER RAIN, COMMISSIONER GOMEZ COMMISSIONER.
LET HER VICE CHAIR LAYMEN IN TRIPLICATE.
COMMISSIONER TEMPLETON PRESENT, UH, COMMISSIONER LEVINE, COMMISSIONER LICK TECH COMMISSIONER.
MEISENBACH PRESENT CHAIR HARRIS, RESIDENT COMMISSIONER
THANKS KIM COMMISSIONER, WHETHER IT BE PRESENT AND COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, PRESIDENT.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TIME TONIGHT.
UM, I'M SORRY AGAIN, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING LAST MONTH, BUT I'M GLAD WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
THE, UH, NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
UM, OH, I'M SORRY.I'VE GOT TO DO PUBLIC COMPLEMENT FIRST AND TONIGHT WE HAVE MIKE LEVY JOINING US TONIGHT.
UH, UH, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BOSTON SINCE 1969 BEFORE OBVIOUSLY MOST OF Y'ALL WERE BORN.
UH, UH, I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A PUBLIC CITIZEN FOR SINCE 76 WITH ME AND THREE DOCS GOT AUSTIN EMS GOING AND, UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DO CAUSE IT'S HARD AND IT'S FRUSTRATING.
MOST OF THE TIME I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THREE THINGS.
YOU'VE SEEN MY PROPAGANDA AND MY, UH, RAINING DOWN, YOU KNOW, UH, PUT IN A COPY OF WHAT WENT OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.
THEY'RE UNSIGHTLY PEOPLE COME VISIT ME FROM OUT OF TOWN.
THEY LOOK AROUND AND SAY, THIS IS AUSTIN, TEXAS.
IT DOESN'T MEET THE IMAGE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWN.
THESE, UH, THEY'RE UNSIGHTLY OBVIOUSLY, AND IT'S JUST NOT DOWNTOWN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY.
I'M SURE THAT EVERYBODY, UH, ILLNESS COMMISSION APPRECIATES THAT I'VE, UH, GIVING YOU A HANDOUT THAT LISTS SUGGESTIONS ON, UH, HOW THE CITY COULD, UH, APPROACH THE PROBLEM, MANAGE THE PROBLEM.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD DO IS TO LOOK AT SAN DIEGO AND GAVE YOU A LINK, OTHER CITIES, UH, UH, I TRAVELED A GREAT, I'VE NEVER SEEN A MAJOR CITY, UH, IN THE U S WITH SCOOTERS
[00:05:01]
LIKE THIS.IT WAS IN DALLAS AND HOUSTON OVER THE LAST MONTH.
NOTHING LIKE THIS, ARE THEY UNSIGHTLY? YEAH, BUT EVEN WORSE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT DANGEROUS PEDESTRIANS, UH, TRIP OVER THEM.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS HARD BY NOW.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD A, UH, UH, INJURY, YOU KNOW, UH, TANGLED OVER A SCOOTER.
UH, I WOULD URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE.
I MEAN, UH, A RESOLUTION URGING THE COUNCIL TO, UH, PUSH BACK ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND, UH, AND SAY WE'VE HAD GOT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
WE GOT TO DEAL WITH IT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
UH, I'VE BEEN, UH, DOWNTOWN, UH, UH, WORKING DOWNTOWN SINCE 1976 MAGAZINE STARTED IN 73, UH, TEXAS MONTHLY 76.
WE WERE THE FIRST TENANT IN THE TOWER AT, UM, UH, SIX AND CONGRESS, THE BIG BLACK TOWER, UH, EH, FROM 70 16, 80, UH, 7,698, MOVED INTO THE ARMY, UH, AND, UH, MOVED FROM EIGHT FROM 89 UNTIL 2008.
UH, WHEN I RETIRED AND I'M BACK DOWNTOWN IN THAT SAME TOWER, BECAUSE I REALLY CARE ABOUT THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
UM, I TALKED TO THE HOMELESS THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF MY BUILDING.
I CARRY THESE DOLLARS WITH ME TO HAND OUT.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU THE HOMELESS, THEY MISSED THE WALKING PATROL.
THEY MISSED THE BIKE PATROL BECAUSE IT KEPT THEM SAFE.
UH, THERE IS A SOLUTION IT'S CALLED GIVING THAT MONEY TO KERATITIS A COMMUNITY FIRSTS, SAFE LIFE WORKS THEIR OUTCOMES WITH WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE.
THEY COULD MANAGE THIS THING IN AN INCREDIBLE WAY, IN A HUMANE WAY.
THAT'S NOT BEING DONE BY THE CITY.
ONE LAST THING WE USED TO HAVE PARKING METERS DOWNTOWN PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO COME DOWN TO VISIT ME BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK EXCEPT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MONEY.
CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
[1. Approval of Minutes of the February 16, 2022, Meeting Minutes ]
OKAY.UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES FROM COMMISSIONERS HEARING? NONE, THE MINUTES STAND APPROVED,
[2.a. Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) Phase 2 Improvement Project ]
NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS.UH, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND WE HAVE PARD STAFF HERE TO ADDRESS THE PROJECT FOR US.
WELCOME, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, MY NAME IS HEIDI
I'M THE CAPITAL MANAGER FOR THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
AND THIS IS FOR PHASE TWO OF, FROM, UM, THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN 2018.
I HAVE HERE WITH ME BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON, THE JOINT VENTURE FIRM OF MIRO RIVERA AND TATIANA WOULD BE A BOW AND ARROW RIVERA.
IS IT OUT OF AUSTIN, TEXAS AND TATIANA BILBAO IS A STUDIO IS OUT OF MEXICO CITY.
SO WE HAVE A TEAM MEMBERS FROM BOTH AND WE ARE GOING TO START OFF WITH A SCHEMATIC DESIGN PRESENTATION.
UM, AND, UH, I WILL LET MIGUEL RIVERA WHO IS A PRINCIPAL, UH, AT ONE OF THE JV FIRMS TO START AND HE CAN INTRODUCE HIS MEMBERS WELCOME.
UH, GOOD EVENING TO A COMMISSIONER, A COMMISSIONERS, UH, VERY EXCITING TO BE HERE.
AND, UH, YOU HAVE SEEN THE TRANSFORMATION OF DOWNTOWN AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, WE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE SELECTED TO COMPLETE WHAT WAS STARTED YEARS AGO AND, UM, AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO JUST COMPLETE THE SHAPE OF THE BUILDING.
AND, UH, WE HAVE MANY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, EVEN THROUGH COVID TIMES.
UH, SO IT'S BEEN A VERY, UH, INTERESTING, UH, CHALLENGING, UH, PROJECT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS IN THE AGENDA, BUT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE IDEAS OR WHERE WE ARE THAT IS STILL, YOU KNOW, EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE, UH, MARIANA FROM, UH, UH, UH,
[00:10:01]
TATIANA BILBAO OFFICE AND BOUGHT FROM OUR OFFICE.THEY ARE REMOTELY, SO THEY THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR KNOW THE PROJECT VERY WELL.
WHAT IS A VERY, UH, INTERESTING PRAYER FOR YOU TO SEE THE TRANSFORMATION OF OSTEO? WE'RE TRYING TO ADAPT TO THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN CHANGING AROUND THE MASS TRANSIT THAT IS GOING TO BE ACCOMMODATED THE TRAIL NEIGHBORHOODS.
I PASS IT TO SEE IF THEY'RE CONNECTED MARIANNA, BUT ARE YOU THERE? YES, I'M HEARING YOU DIDN'T EAT FOR A MINUTE.
SO IF WE GO TO THE PREVIOUS FLOOD, UM, WE JUST WANT TO GIVE AN OUTLINE OF THE CONTEXT OF THE SITE.
SO THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW ON THE LEFT.
YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER CALLED OUT.
UH, WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, JUST TO THE WEST OF I'VE 35, UH, JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET OFF OF RAINEY STREET TO THE NORTH OF OUR SITE, THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CREEK DELTA PROJECT COMING DOWN DUE FOR COMPLETION AND A COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT CAN I ASK, CAN I ASK, WHOEVER'S SPEAKING TO BE SURE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.
OH, I DON'T HAVE A CAMERA ON MY COMPUTER.
W I THINK WE'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO BE ON CAMERA.
AND TO THE SOUTH OF OUR SITE, WE HAVE THE RAINY STREET TRAILHEAD PARK, WHICH I BELIEVE JUST BREAK GROUND OR WE'LL BE BREAKING GROUND VERY SOON.
SO WE HAVE THIS VERY INTERESTING SITE THAT IS INSIDE OF PARKLAND ON THE LAKE, UH, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND IT.
AND MIGUEL MENTIONED HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE I, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE FIRST PHASES OF THE PROJECT WERE COMPLETED, BUT WE HAD A, THIS WAS THE CURRENT VIEW.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONDUIT, CONDO TOWERS RISING ALL AROUND THE PROJECT AND THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER DOWN THERE BY THE LAKE.
AND INSTEAD OF THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN THAT IMAGE IS, UH, ON THE LEFT WAS PHASE ONE ON ONE A, WHICH WERE PUBLISHED IN 2007 AND 2010.
AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE APPROVED ON THE 2018 FACILITY EXPANSION PLAN.
AND THERE WILL BE A FUTURE PHASE THREE, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE AND A PERCENT EMS THEATER.
YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I AM BRIANNA SPEAKING FROM MEXICO CITY.
UM, YEAH, SO AS BRAD WAS SAYING, THIS WAS A PROJECT, UH, FROM MOMENT ONE TO TWO TODAY, WE HAVE THE VERY, WE HAVE A VERY HIGH PARTICIPANTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, UM, THIS IS JUST AN IMAGE THAT SHOWS WHAT WE'VE TRYING TO, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE COMMUNITY, ENHANCING THEIR VALUES, UH, ENHANCING THEIR SITES, MAKING A, UM, MAKING THE SITE MORE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND AS BRAD WAS SAYING ON THE CONTEXT PICTURE, WE CAN SEE, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEING INVADED BY TOWERS.
SO THERE'S A HUGE CONCERN ON HOW TO TREAT THESE SITES, HOW TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY, HOW TO ELEVATE THE CV AND GATHERING SPACES, ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID THE OUTSIDE SPACES, THE EXTERIOR ONES, AND ALSO TO COMPLETE THE ORIGINAL VIEW VISION OF THE ARCHITECT, A LOT OF GONZALEZ ELION AND MEXICAN ARCHITECTS.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE APPROACHING ON PHASE TWO.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE, THIS IS SOME, UH, IMAGES OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE WORK PROCESS HAS BEEN.
WE HAD SOME VIRTUAL MEETINGS, WE HAD IN-PERSON MEETINGS AS WELL.
UH, WE HAD SOME IN IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS, AND THIS IS JUST AN OVERALL FEELING OF ALL THE GROUPS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO AND KEEP, KEEP TALKING TO TODAY, ESPECIALLY USERS OF THE MAC, THE MAC STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THE, OF USING THESE BUILDINGS SINCE, UH, ALMOST ITS ORIGINS, IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO THESE ARE, UH, MANY OF THE CHALLENGES WE HEARD AND THAT WE ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE.
MOST OF THEM ARE ABOUT SECURITY, ABOUT HAVING CONTROL OF THE PUBLIC SPACE AND THEIR PERF THEIR SPACE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON, ON BIKES, ON USING THE PUBLIC SPACE ON, UH, GARBAGE AND OVERALL PEOPLE CROSSING THE BUILDING
[00:15:01]
TO ACCESS RAINY STREETS.SO THE MAIN GESTURE OF OUR PROPOSAL IS TO INTRODUCE A CONTAINING WALL AND LIFT THE PLAZA, UH, TO ESTABLISH THE SOCOLOW LIMITS, WHICH IS THEIR MAIN CENTRAL EVENT SPACE.
AND THAT WAY WE BOTH ENHANCE THE CONNECTION TO THE RIVER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, GIVE THEM THE SECURITY THAT THEY LONG FOR.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME QUICK SLIDES SHOWING THE INTERVENTION.
IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, WE ARE EXTENDING THE WINGS.
UH, THIS WAS WHAT, WHAT WAS, UH, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN COMPLETING THE SEMI-CIRCLE, UH, ON THE NORTH AND ON THE SOUTH.
IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE SAW THAT THE AREA ON THOSE WINGS WAS NOT ENOUGH TO FULFILL THE SQUARE FEET THEY NEEDED FOR THE ACTIVITIES.
SO WE ARE ADDING THIS LEVEL TO ADD, TO ALSO PROVIDE THE SECURITY TO THE PLAZA AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NATURE AND THE RIVER.
AND THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE, WE ARE NOW HAVING THIS, WHAT WE CALL THE LAKE LEVEL, THE SUBTERRANEAN LEVEL THAT IS OPEN TO THE RIVER AND THE LAWN AND THE TRAIL, AND THIS WILL FULFILL THE AREAS NEEDED FOR THE, FOR THE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS. AND IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, UH, WE CAN SEE WHAT, WHAT THEY REPRESENT IS ON THE SIDE SECTION WE SEE IN RED, THE EXISTING, UH, TOPOGRAPHY, AND THEN WE'RE REGRADING IT TO CREATE THIS, UH, NEW LAKE LEVEL THAT OPENS UP TO THE NATURE AND TO THE TRAIL.
AND IT ALSO, UH, IS THAT ESTABLISHES THIS NEW SOKOLOW LIMITS AND, UM, A NEW PLATFORM TO, TO LOOK AT NATURE, TO LOOK AT THE RIVER AND EMBRACE THE PRIVILEGED SIDE OF THE MUCK.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT FROM THERE, BUT OH, YES, BUT YOU CAN SEE, AND THIS DIAGRAM ON THE ONE THAT FOLLOWS, THESE ARE THREE DIMENSIONAL DIAGRAMS OF THE BUILDING.
SO YOU CAN NOW SEE THAT LAKE LEVEL BELOW WHERE IT IS TODAY, A NEW EVENT LAWN THAT'S CREATED BY LOWERING THE TRAIL, NEW ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCES FROM THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, WHICH EVENTUALLY WILL ALSO CONNECT TO A NEW METRO RAIL STATION TO THE NORTH.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WINGS COMPLETED TO EITHER SIDE AND ALL OF THE GREEN CIRCLES REPRESENT ACCESS POINTS.
SO THOSE WILL NOW HAVE GATES SO THAT THE MAT CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THE GLOW AND HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR SPACE.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THE HAND-IN-HAND WITH IDEA IS THE CONCEPT OF BRINGING THE LAKE INTO THE LANDSCAPE OF THE LAKE, INTO THE BUILDING, UH, TO CREATE STRONGER CONNECTION, A STRONGER SENSE OF PLACE, BEING ABLE TO FEED MORE VISION, MORE VISIBILITY TO THE LAKE, AND ALSO MORE VISIBILITY OF THE MACK WHEN WE MAKE THOSE GREAT CHANGES.
WHEN YOU'RE CROSSING THE PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER THE LAKE, OR EVEN LOOKING FROM THE BRIDGE AND CONGRESS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE BACK MORE THAN YOU CURRENTLY.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE A MORE PROMINENT POSITION WITH THEM.
SO FOR ALL CITIES, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDES, THIS IS THE SITE LANDSCAPE PLAN.
UH, SO WE HAVE THE LOCAL LIVE IN THE CENTER, THE SNAKE PATH, THERE'S AN EXISTING ART AND PUBLIC PLACES INSTALLATIONS.
SO WE ARE PRESERVING THAT AT THE SAME LEVEL THAT IT IS NOW.
SO THE HEAD OF THE NIGHT ACTUALLY BECOMES A REALLY INTERESTING CANTILEVERED OVERLOOK.
UH, WE HAVE THE TRAIL AND A BENT LAWN THAT ARE LOWERED FROM THE REST OF THE SPACE AND ENCLOSED A FENCED OFF PLAY AREA THAT IS RELATED TO SOME YOUTH EDUCATION CLASSROOMS THAT ARE BEING ADDED AND A COMMUNITY AND HEALING GARDEN TO THE RIGHT, UH, THAT IS, UH, RELOCATION THAT THE EXISTING GARDEN WOULD HAVE TODAY.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND ON THIS IS STEPPING DOWN, CUTTING THROUGH THAT LAKE LEVEL.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THESE THREE PATIOS FOR COURTYARDS THAT WILL ALLOW THE GREEN FACES TO COME UP INTO THE VOCALO THE KIND OF STRENGTHENING THAT IDEA OF CONNECTING THE LAKE LANDSCAPE TO THE MACS AND ALSO PROVIDING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT FROM RAINY STREET AND THE MACK DOWN TO THE TRAIL OF THE LAKE.
AND IF YOU CAN SEND THAT TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THIS IS JUST THE OVERALL PLANTING PLAN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT RESTORING THE RIPARIAN LANDSCAPE, UH, ALL NATIVE AND ADAPTED FIFI ALONG THE TRAIL AND THE LAKE.
AND THERE'LL BE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE HAVE OR PATHS, UH, FOR A FEATURE OF THE SCULPTURE GARDEN, UM, MIXED WITH THE CACTUS GARDEN ON CERTAIN AREAS WITH, UH, PLANTS THAT ARE NATIVE TO MEXICO AND ALSO TO DETECTIVES AND RAIN GARDENS ARE THOSE TWO COLUMNS.
[00:20:01]
SEE THAT WILL ACTUALLY FILTER ALL OF THE RAINWATER OFF OF THE BUILDING BEFORE IT TURNS INTO THE LAKE.IT'S A BIT TO THE NEXT SLIDE JUST GIVES A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF THAT VERTICAL SEPARATION THAT WE'LL GET BY CREATING A LOWERED EVENT LAWN AND KEEPING THE VEHICLE WHERE IT IS TODAY.
YOU CAN SEE REALLY WELL IN THIS IMAGE, HOW THAT HEAD OF THE MILK SNAKE BECOMES A REALLY EXCITING PIECE OF THE PROJECT.
AND I'LL LET MARIANNA TAKE YOU THROUGH THE GROUND FLOOR PLAN ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW PROGRAM ON THE NEW WINGS, UH, WE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE USERS AND ON THE LEFT NORTH SIDE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE NEW YOUTH WING.
THIS WILL BE FOUR CLASSROOMS AND ONE CAN, THAT CAN BE A BIG ONE OR DIVIDED INTO TWO.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE THAT AREA THAT, BUT WAS JUST MENTIONING AROUND THE YOUTH AREA IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PLAYGROUND ALSO ON THE CENTER.
EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN GRAY IS EXISTING BUILDING, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TOUCHED, UH, PER SE.
WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING THE GREEN AREA, WHICH IS THE RECEPTION AREA WE HEARD.
THERE'S A LOT OF VISIBILITY ISSUES, SIGNATURE ISSUES.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THE ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING RELEASE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IMPROVING THE EXISTING AUDITORIUM, WHICH IS MARKED IN PURPLE, UH, WILL, WILL, UH, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SEATING AT SOME SMALL BATHROOMS. THIS COULD HELP WITH SECURITY OVERALL, AND THE SENSE OF A PERFORMING SPACE AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE, WHICH WOULD BE THE SOUTH WING.
WE WILL HAVE THREE NEW MUSIC ROOMS THAT COULD BE USED ALSO AS A GREEN ROOM FOR WHEN THERE'S A SOCOLOW EVENT OR REHEARSAL ROOMS IN GENERAL, RIGHT NEXT TO THE LOADING DOCK.
YOU CAN SEE A SMALL CAR THERE.
THIS IS THE SPACE WHERE EQUIPMENT TO THE SOKOLOW OR, UH, ANY KIND OF EVENT, UH, WOULD BE OUR LOADING DOCK NEXT TO THESE MUSIC ROOMS, WHICH IS, UM, IDEAL.
AND THEN WE HAVE IN BROWN AND ORANGE, THE NEW, THE NEW, THE LOCATE NEW LOCATION OF THE GALLERIES, ONE WILL BE THE PERMANENT GALLERY.
AND THE OTHER ONE WILL BE THE COMMUNITY GAL GALLERY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED, UH, ON THE EXISTING AUDITORIUM LOBBY.
AND THEN FINALLY, ON, IN THE GREEN HATCH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TEACHING KITCHEN, UH, FOR THE MAC COMMUNITY TO PREPARE TO TEACH ABOUT CULINARY AND ALSO MAKE SOME OPENINGS AND HAVE SOME KIND OF SMALL CATERING FOR THEIR EVENTS.
UM, AND ALSO IN THE SOKOLOW, UH, WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED, BUT WE'RE ALSO ADDING A SHADE STRUCTURE.
THIS WILL ALSO HELP WITH EVENTS, UH, ON THE SOKOLOW, ESPECIALLY DURING, UH, VERY HOT DAYS AND GRADING SHADE.
WE ALSO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND THE AMOUNT OF EVENTS THEY CAN DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THIS IS A PREVIEW IMAGE OF THE YOUTH SCOUT YOUTH, UH, EDUCATION WING.
WE HAVE KIND OF A SMALL GALLERY, LIKE A SMALL FOR A YEAR FOR PARENTS TO GATHER, TO, UH, TALK WITH TWO TEACHERS TO PICK CHILDREN UP.
AND, UH, THIS WOULD BE KIND OF A SENSATION OF A SPACE THAT IS BETWEEN NATURE AND IT'S THE SAME I EXTERIOR BUT COVERED.
AND IT ALSO HELPS UNDERSTAND TO UNDERSTAND THE, THIS IMAGE, THE RELATION THAT WE WANT TO CREATE WITH NATURE THAT IS ALMOST GETTING INSIDE, UM, OF THE SPACES.
AND IT BELONGS THERE ALMOST AS BUILDING A NATURE ONE.
AND IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS THE SECOND LEVEL FLOOR PLAN STARTING ON THE LEFT.
AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS BROWN SHELL SPACE, WHICH IS, WHICH WILL BE A FUTURE PAVILION THAT THEY CAN USE FOR ARTISTS SPACES OR GATHERING SPACE, A MEETING ROOM, A KIND OF A VIP ROOM FOR THE SOKOLOW EVENT, UH, AND ON ORANGE.
THIS IS WHAT IS TODAY, THE EXISTING GALLERY.
THIS WILL BECOME A SPACE FOR ARTISTS WITH SOME PARTITIONS THAT THEY CAN MOVE AROUND.
THEY CAN SET UP EXHIBITIONS, THEY CAN SET UP ART PIECES.
AND THEN ON THE CENTER ON GREEN, WE WILL HAVE A NEW MEDIA CENTER IN THE LIBRARY.
THIS WILL BE LIKE A MEDIA LAB.
UH, THIS SPACE BECAME KIND OF A NEW PROGRAM DURING COVID.
UH, THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO BE BROADCASTED AND NOT NEEDING PEOPLE TO COME TO THE MAC PHYSICALLY.
SO IT COULD REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN A MUCH BETTER WAY.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, WE CAN SEE IN GREEN, SOME OF THE EXISTING CLASSROOMS, SOME OF THESE WILL BECOME NEW OFFICE SPACES FOR, UM, UM, UM, HEADS OF PROGRAMS. AND THERE'S ALSO A LACK OF OFFICE SPACE IN GENERAL, THE COMMUNITY
[00:25:01]
TODAY USES STORAGE SPACES, OR THEY LACK SPACE OF OFFICE AND STORAGE.AND THEN ON THE SOUTH, W THIS WOULD BE THE NEW ADULT EDUCATION WING, WHICH WOULD HAVE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM FOR SMALL EVENTS, SMALL CONFERENCES.
THIS COULD FIT UP TO 80 PEOPLE.
SOMETIMES THE MAC PEOPLE NEED TO RENT SPACES OUTSIDE OF THE MAC TO WAIT, TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL THEIR PROGRAM'S NEEDS.
SO THIS WOULD BE A WHOLE NEW MULTIPURPOSE ROOM, AND ALSO IT WILL HAVE TWO CLASSROOMS FOR, UH, ADULT PROGRAMS AND SOME OFFICES IN A CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE CORNER THAT WOULD HAVE ALL THE VIEWS TO THE LAKE.
IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE, THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THIS EXTERIOR HALLWAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING INTO THE BUILDING, THIS IDEA OF VISIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY, UH, THAT CAN ALSO RELATE TO THIS ABSTRACT, UH, NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY TO, TO BE VISIBLE AND TO MAKE A STAND ON WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY ARE.
AND WE THINK THAT THROUGH MUD REALITY, WE CAN ALSO HELP THEM ACCOMPLISH, UM, THIS KIND OF BUILDING, UH, IDEA.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR MATERIALS THAT CAN ALLOW THAT AND CAN ALSO ALLOW VIEWS TO THE SOKOLOW, TO THE EXTERIOR'S AND JUST, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE IN SUCH A PRIVILEGED SPOT IN THE CITY.
FINALLY, WE HAVE A DISLIKE LEVEL PLAN, WHICH WOULD HAVE A NEW BLACK BOX THAT YOU CAN SEE IN PURPLE AND A WHOLE NEW SECTION OF SUPPORT SPACES THAT ARE IN WHITE, THE CONTROLLABLES DRESSING, BATHROOMS, AND PUBLIC BATHROOMS, AND ALSO IN THE MIDDLE IN BROWN, WE HAVE SOME SHELF SPACE THAT IN THE FUTURE COULD BECOME A RECORDING STUDIO.
WE HEARD THIS MANY TIMES DURING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT THE DESIRE FOR A RECORDING STUDIO IS VERY HIGH AND ARTISTS AND PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO COME TO THE MAC AND RECORD THEIR OWN WORK.
AND IN ORANGE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW PERMANENT GALLERY, UM, THAT COULD EXTEND ALSO TO SOME PART OF THE SHOW SPACE.
WE CAN ALSO SEE THESE TWO BIG COURTYARDS ACCESS STAIRS TO THE SOKOLOW ON THE LEFT AND THE ACCESS STAIRS ON THE RIGHT THAT WILL LEAD TO THE PLAZA.
AND RIGHT NEXT TO THIS RIGHT SIDE STAIRS, WE HAVE A PREP ROOM.
THIS WOULD BE A STAFF ONLY SPACE TO, UH, SET UP THE EXHIBITIONS IN THE GALLERY TO RECEIVE THE PIECES, TO STORE THEM AND ACCOMMODATE, ACCOMMODATE THEM, WHICH IS A SPACE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TODAY.
AND THEY ALSO LONG FOR IT TO HELP, UM, TO HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR EXHIBITIONS.
UM, NEXT ONE, PLEASE, THERE'S AN IMAGE OF THE LIFT SIDE STAIRS.
THIS WOULD BE, UH, KIND OF A REPUBLIC MOVE.
UH, WE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE'S A LONGING FOR EXTERIOR GATHERING SPACES.
WE ALSO THINK THIS, THERE CAN BE MORE OF A PROMENADE CAN HAVE THESE BENCHES, AND IT'S MORE OF A HANGOUT SPACE, A TRANSITION SPACE THAT AT THE SAME TIME CONNECTS THE CONNECT, THE UPPER SOKOLOW WITH THE LOWER EVENT LAWN.
AND THIS IS KIND OF A, UH, VERY, UM, VEGETATION GREEN SPACE THAT WE WANT TO, UH, BRING, WHICH WE THINK WILL BRING A LOT OF VALUE TO THE PUBLICNESS OF THE PLAZA AND THE AWARENESS AND THE TRANSITION TO THE MAC BUILDING.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
AND THIS IS AN IMAGE OF, UH, THE LAKE LEVEL CORRIDOR, LOOKING AT THE GALLERY, UH, WE WOULD HAVE THIS SENSATION THAT WE'RE ALMOST OUTSIDE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, FEELING SICK, FEELING SECURE INSIDE, AND THE MAT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE THIS AT NIGHT, IF THEY DESIRE.
UM, AND ALSO THIS IDEA THAT THE COURTYARD ALSO CONNECTS THE LOWER LEVEL WITH THE UPPER LEVEL, AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, UP AND DOWN THERE.
AND IT CREATES A NICE, DIRECT CONNECTION OF BOTH LEVELS AND REALLY MAKING THE LAKE LEVEL BELONG TO THE BILL, TO THE BUILDING AND, UM, REALLY OWNING THIS SPACE OVERALL.
UM, NEXT ONE IS, BUT THE UNIT TAKE, TAKE IT FROM HERE, SPOKE A LOT.
UM, IT'S JUST THIS ONE KIND OF CAPTURING, YEAH.
CAPTURING THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN, WHICH OFFICIALLY WERE IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT FOR ABOUT THE LAST MONTH.
SO WE'VE JUST CONTINUED TO DEVELOP THESE IDEAS THROUGH REFINE THE SPACES AND WITH CONTINUING MEETINGS WITH THE MAC STAFF TO GET THEIR INPUT ABOUT HOW WE MAKE THESE SPACES PERFORM BEST FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS,
[00:30:01]
COMMISSIONER LEVINE.I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THIS STUFF HAPPEN.
I GO THERE WITH MY CHILD ON FIELD TRIPS AND IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, I DIDN'T BRING MY GLASSES DURING THE CAR.
I'M GOING TO GO GET THEM IN A MINUTE.
SO I COULDN'T READ SOME OF THIS STUFF.
UM, WHAT'S THE CAPACITY OF THAT AMPHITHEATER PROPOSED, I MEAN, A LITTLE BIT CENTRAL GATHERING SPACE.
UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED AROUND 3000 PEOPLE FOR LARGE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE SEVERAL SIGNATURE EVENTS THAT DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, AND MAGNIFICO WHERE THEY HAVE TO ERECT TEMPORARY SENSING ALL AROUND THE SITE BECAUSE THEY, IF THERE'S NO WAY TO HOLD A TICKETED CONTROLS OF THEM.
UM, SO THIS WILL REALLY HELP WITH THAT, BUT REALLY EVENTS OF ANY SIZE, THE SHADE STRUCTURE ALONE FIT 500 PEOPLE BENEATH IT, UH, UNCOVERED SPEEDING.
AND THEN THE LOWER LAWN HAS THE CAPACITY OF AROUND 1500 PEOPLE.
AND THEN WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT'S A MORE PUBLIC EVENT LONG? AND THEN WAS THERE SOMETHING, UM, UP ABOVE THE STRUCTURE, LIKE A, ANOTHER CONCERT VENUE OR SOMETHING? LIKE, WHAT WAS THAT SEATED THING? YEAH.
THE TORY, UM, THAT WE'RE RENOVATING THAT HAS 135 PEOPLE CURRENTLY, AND THEN THAT WILL BE EXPANDED, UM, WITH USING FIXED SEATING TO SEE AROUND 200 PEOPLE PUT UP AN INTERIOR.
NO, THAT'S NO, THAT'S NOW THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT WILL BE NOW RIGHT NOW IS OUR MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM, WHICH IS FLAT AND THEY PUT TEMPORARY PLATFORMS AND THEY'RE FOLDING CHAIRS AND HE'S A PAIN FOR THEM EVERY TIME.
SO, UH, UH, WE GONNA, UH, WITH THE ADDITIONAL ROOMS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE THAT A PERMANENT MAXIMIZE SEATING, I'VE NOT BEEN IN THAT SPACE.
IT'S A FLAT MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM.
THERE'S INCLU, INCLUDING THERE IS A KITCHEN IN THERE BECAUSE IT WAS THE IDEA OF A MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM THAT YOU CAN HAVE DINNERS AND EVENTS, BUT NOW THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, A SEATING MAXIMIZING THAT THAT'LL BE EXCITING TO SEE THIS ALL DONE.
AND WHEN DID THE WRITING WAS VERY SMALL IN THERE? WHEN DID IT SAY PHASE TWO WAS GOING TO BE COMPLETED? UM, ACTUALLY THAT WASN'T ON THERE, BUT WE'RE PROJECTED ONCE WE START CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WOULD BE IN THE WINTER OF THIS YEAR, SO, OR EARLY NEXT YEAR, THEN IT WILL TAKE ABOUT APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS.
AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE LOWER LAWN OR THE LOWER ZOCALO, AND I CANNOT REMEMBER THE CAPACITY DO THAT.
BUT YEAH, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT ABOUT 15, 1500 TO 2000.
I LIKE ALL THE ARTWORK DOWN THERE WHEN WE GO DOWN THERE.
UM, AND THE ONLY OTHER THING WAS, YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES, IT WAS THE SECOND PERSON WHO SPOKE, I THINK ABOUT SECURITY ISSUES AND JUST TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THOSE KIND OF, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A FEW SECURITY ISSUES.
ONE IS THE BUILDING WAS CONCEIVED AS THIS OPEN ARCADE, SO ANYBODY CAN WALK THERE 24 HOURS.
SO WHEN THEY HAVE EVENTS LIKE THE ONE BUD MENTIONED, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL WHO'S IN AND OUT.
UH, SO THAT'S ONE SECURITY FOR THEIR EVENT, BUT AS AUSTIN KEEP CHANGING MORE PEOPLE COMING IN THERE AND SO ON, UM, UH, THE BATHROOMS ARE OPEN AND ALL THAT.
SO THEY HAVE AN ISSUE OF HOW THEY CAN SECURE THE BUILDING.
SO WE, WE HAVE THIS TASK WHERE, UH, WE ARE TRYING TO DO A BUILDING THAT IS OPEN AND THE ABILITY TO BE OPEN AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE BUILDING FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, BUT IN THOSE OTHER MOMENTS THAT THEY WANT TO CONTROL IT, THEY BE ABLE TO CONTROL THAT WITH DIFFERENT GATES AND SO ON.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOB MENTIONED THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO NOTE IS THAT THESE A PART OF THE TRAIL THAT IS NOT ADA ACCESSIBLE.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE BY LOWERING THE EXISTING, UH, UH, GRADING, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE.
SO, UH, ART AND, UH, THE THRILL FOUNDATION HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TEAM TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THERE IS ALSO, UH, A BLUE LINE THAT'S GOING TO BE EXTENDED, RIGHT? SO THEY DID THAT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE AS MORE DENSITIES.
THERE IS PEOPLE BE ABLE TO HAVE MANY OPTIONS TO GO AROUND.
WE DIDN'T MEASURE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN ELEVATOR IN THE LAKE LEVEL WHERE PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, GO UP.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A ACCESSIBILITY, ADA
[00:35:01]
IN DIFFERENT AREAS.UH, I'M WONDERING, AS YOU SAID, THAT YOU'VE LOWERED TO THE LAKE LEVEL IS WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN CASE THERE'S FLOODING? WE ARE A MINIMUM.
WE ARE TWO FOOT ABOVE THE FLOOD, PLAIN.
SO WE ARE TWO FOOT ABOUT THE FLOOD PLAIN.
IT'S NOT REALLY THE LAKE LEVEL.
WE CALL IT THAT BECAUSE IT RELATES TO THE LAKE, BUT IT'S, UH, WE'RE KEEPING THE FIRST 50 FEET AND TOUCH THE, OF THE VEGETATION AND THE SLOPE.
SO, YEAH, THERE'S STILL, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THAT, NOT THAT WE'RE NOT AT THE LAKE LEVEL.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A BEACH TO THE LAKE.
NO, WE, WE HAD A RENDERING THAT WE WENT TO A BEACH TO THE LAKE, BUT NOT THIS TIME, THAT WOULD BE COOL.
I'M INTRIGUED WITH THE RECORDING STUDIO.
WHAT KIND OF FEES WILL YOU BE CHARGING FOR PEOPLE TO RECORD? HOW BIG WILL THIS RECORDING STUDIO BE? DID I HEAR THAT CORRECTLY? I THINK, UH, DURING THE, DURING THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY, UH, THE YOUTH, UH, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED ON A RECORDING STUDIO.
UM, THEY HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN KEEPS GROWING, UH, THE MUSIC SITUATION IS GETTING HARDER.
THE RECORDING STUDIOS ARE HARD, HARDER TO BOOK.
AND SO THEY FEEL THAT, UH, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT.
UM, I DUNNO, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR MIND, I MEAN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THEY'RE THE MAG, BUT I THINK SOME OF THE SPACES THEY RENT, UH, RIGHT NOW US IS, WAS NOT PART OF THE 2018 PLAN.
WE COULD NOT JUST PUT A RECORDING STUDIO THERE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT IN THERE APPROVE THAT, BUT WE LIVE IN THE SPACE FOR IT.
AND THERE ARE SOME GRANTS THAT THERE ARE, IF WE CAN SEE.
SO, UH, SO PART SEPARATELY IS ACTUALLY APPLYING FOR THE CULTURAL GRANT THAT, UM, FOR THAT RECORDING STUDIO.
SO CURRENTLY WE'RE MAKING AND ALLOWING SPACE FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, UNTIL THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THE GRANT IS BEEN AWARDED, UH, WE'RE JUST MAKING IT READY.
OR IF FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE THROUGH OTHER RESOURCES, THEN THE SPACE WILL BE READY.
AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, IT'S MORE OF AN IDEAL LOCATION TO PUT IT, PLACE IT THERE, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, UH, ADJACENT TO THE BLOCK BLACK BOX THEATER THAT THERE'S ALREADY SOME ACOUSTICAL TREATMENT ON THE WALLS.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PLAN AHEAD.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY IN THE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, BUT WE, WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY AND WE KNOW THEY WANT IT.
SO WE'RE MAKING EFFORT EVERY EFFORT ON OUR PART TO INCLUDE WHAT WE CAN.
AND ANOTHER SMALL QUESTION, WHAT IS THIS EXPANSION GOING TO COST US WELL, THIS APPROXIMATELY, WELL, THIS, THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE, UM, 2018 BOND ELECTION, WHICH WAS, UH, APPROVED BY THE BOWL OF VOTERS FOR 27 MILLION.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION AND IT HAS TO, WITH TRANSPORTATION, THERE'S STILL A PARKING LOT.
THAT'S SHOWN IN THE PLAN AND FOLKS OBVIOUSLY WILL ACCESS THE PROPERTY VIA CAR.
EVERYBODY'S NOT GOING TO RIDE A SCOOTER OR AN E-BIKE OR IF IT EVER GETS BUILT THE BLUE LINE OR A CANOE OR SOME OTHER PADDLE BOAT.
UH, AND SO, UH, WHAT HAVE Y'ALL DONE IN REGARD TO INTEGRATION WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON ON RAINY STREET, WHICH IS ALL BUT IMPASSABLE NOW WITH ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S DOWN THERE.
UM, WELL, FOR PART OF THAT 2018 PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED AND WE'RE USING AS A GUIDELINE FOR THIS PROJECT FOR PHASE TWO, THERE'S A PHASE THREE, THAT PHASE THREE INCLUDES UNDERGROUND PARKING, WHICH PAIRS UP REALLY WELL WITH EXPANDED WITH ANOTHER WING OF A LARGER AUDITORIUM, WHICH WE'LL SEE 300 TO 500 PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO COME IN A LATER PHASE, BUT NOT PART OF THIS PHASE.
UM, QUICKLY, UM, THERE IS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A GENERATOR OR A, A CHILLER, A CHILLER THAT HAS A REALLY HIGH PITCH IN THE PARKING LOT.
SO, UH, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, PART AND NEGOTIATED WITH
[00:40:01]
AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, CONNECTING TO THE EXISTING WATERLINE CHILL WATER LINE.SO THOSE CHILLERS ARE GONNA GO AWAY AND WE'RE GONNA CONNECT TO THE CHILL WATER.
SO, UH, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE THE MECHANICAL YARD WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PUMPS AND, UH, ALL THOSE THINGS THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE DOTS THOSE CHILLERS.
OKAY, WELL, WE CAN GET RID OF THOSE AROUND THE CITY AND THAT HIGH PITCHING WINE THAT GOES ON 24 HOURS A DAY.
WE'D BE WONDERING, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.
I MEAN, HE'S A VERY COMPLICATED, UH, THE LINES ARE 16 FOOT BELOW THE SIDE AND CORRINE GOING ON UNDER THE SCULPTURE THAT IS THERE, THAT'S NATURE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, BUT EVERYBODY'S WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IS THERE ANY, UM, EFFORT GOING ON TO DO THINGS LIKE CAPTURING RAINWATER OR THE CONDENSATE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? ACTUALLY? UM, YEAH, WE ARE LOOKING AT, WE JUST HAD A SUSTAINABILITY CHARRETTE AND AS THE TEAM MENTIONED, WE'RE IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
SO ALL THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT TO ACHIEVE THAT REQUIRED LEAD SILVER OR AEG V3 STAR.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY THAT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT AND CONTINUE TO EXPLORE.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT? WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, MIX, YOU KNOW, SENSE? WE, WE ARE, UH, HAVING A DETENTION OF WHAT A BIOFILTRATION ON THE SITE.
SO A LOT OF THE WATER THAT WE COLLECT FOR THE ROOM'S GOING TO GO TO THIS, UH, AREA UPON WHAT IS GOING TO NOT ONLY GO BY CLEAN, UH, UH, TO THE LAKE.
THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE SAME WAY, THE CONDENSATE AND SEE IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO HAVE RAINWATER COLLECTION TANKS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING WATER FROM THE LAKE FOR IRRIGATION.
UM, SO THAT, SO THAT WE'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, CLOSELY BECAUSE WE, WE ARE RIGHT THERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A FULL AGENDA, SO, UM, DO YOU NEED ANY ACTION ITEM FROM US TODAY? UM, WE DON'T OFFICIALLY NEED YOUR ACTION ITEM, BUT A SUPPORT WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE RECORD, BE GREAT FOR US FOR THE PROJECT.
SO, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YEAH.
ONE THING THAT I WANT TO MENTIONED THAT IS AT EASE IMPORTANT IS, UH, THEY SAY THEY ASK US TO COME OVER WITH A VISION THAT WE THINK WAS RIGHT FOR THE PLACE.
THEY DIDN'T GIVE US ANY, BESIDES THE BUDGET, THEY SET THE BUDGET AND DO IT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SO, UH, THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE ABOUT THIS LAKE LEVEL OF HOW TO CONNECT TO THE TRAIL IS A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN TERMS OF, WE WANT TO PUT ALL THE MONEY ON THE BUILDING, NOT ON TRAILS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO PART AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO GIVE FUNDS TO, YOU KNOW, TO DO, TO DO THOSE THINGS.
BUT, UH, UM, SO THE ONE THING THAT WE ARE DOING, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET ALL THE MONEY THEY WANTED FOR THIS PHASE TWO, UH, THEY AGREE AND WE WORKING VERY HARD TO DO HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE, THE SHAPE.
AND AS WE HAVE MANY CHUNKS THAT ARE, UH, SHELF SPACE, THAT LATER, IF THEY GET MORE MONEY, IT WILL BE AN INTERIOR DESIGN, URSO SIZE VERSUS GOING THROUGH ALL THE PROCESS OF SITE PLAN, REVISION AND HEARINGS AND ALL THAT.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF AREAS, LIKE WE MENTIONED, GALLERY SHELF SPACE ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT THEY WILL HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF PHASE TWO DONE, WHICH WILL BE URBANISTICALLY, A GOOD THING FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S THE VISION TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT BUILDING AND THE SPACE.
AND LIKE WE SAY TO THE LEVEL THAT THE MAC DESERVE, NOT JUST HALF, ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE AND WAIT 20 YEARS FOR ANOTHER ARM, WE WANT, WE WANT TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS FOR YOUR GROUP, IS WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, HOW YOU COMPLETE URBANISTICALLY THE DOWNTOWN.
AND IT'S NOT ANOTHER PIECE OVER A LITTLE THING, SO, OKAY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE EMOTIONALLY WANT TO MAKE UM, I WOULD TOTALLY MOVE TO RESOLVE THAT.
UH, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THEIR BUDGET, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO GET THIS THING DONE,
[00:45:02]
WE WOULD A HUNDRED PERCENT GET BEHIND.IT WAS A BETTER WAY TO SAY THAT I'M SURE THERE IS A WORDSMITH SOMEWHERE.
HOW ABOUT SUPPORT? IT SUPPORT SUPPORTED 100%.
SO WE WERE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE MISSION AND DESIGN WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THUS FAR AND ENCOURAGE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE AS MANY RESOURCES AS POSSIBLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE PERIOD.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM HEARING? NONE.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
[2.b. Equity-Based Historic Preservation Plan ]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE EQUITY BASE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN.
AND DO WE HAVE THE STAFF TO PRESENT? YES.
UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, THIS PRESENTATION IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH TO UPDATE THE CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN.
UM, SO IT'S VERY PROCESS ORIENTED.
UM, IT'S IN ADVANCE OF COMING BACK TO SEE YOU ALL, UH, EARLY NEXT FALL TO TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, IF WE COULD ADVANCE THE NEXT SLIDE, THE GOAL OF OUR PROJECT IS TO REPLACE AUSTIN'S 1981 PRESERVATION PLAN WITH AN INCLUSIVE EQUITY FOCUSED AND COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROCESS AND OUTCOME NEXT, THERE IS SO MUCH THAT HAS CHANGED IN AUSTIN OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS.
THE POPULATION OF OUR CITY HAS TRIPLED SINCE 1981, UH, RESULTING A VERY HIGH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE AS YOU KNOW, WELL, NEXT SLIDE.
UH, THIS LEADS TO SOME DRASTIC CHANGES IN AUSTIN, OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS, WE UP-TO-DATE POLICIES AND TOOLS TO STEWARD LOCAL HERITAGE.
NEXT SLIDE PRESERVATION BRINGS TOOLS THAT CAN HELP US ADDRESS REALLY CRITICAL LOCAL CHALLENGES, OLDER BUILDINGS, HOUSE PEOPLE, AFFORDABLY.
UH, WE HAVE A 2018 ANALYSIS THAT SHOWS AREAS OF AUSTIN THAT INCLUDE HISTORIC DISTRICTS HAVE MORE THAN TWICE THE PROPORTION OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, UH, FOR FAMILIES EARNING 60 TO 80% OF THE CITY'S MEDIAN INCOME.
OLDER BUILDINGS ALSO ALLOW FOR INCREASED DENSITY AT A HUMAN SCALE.
AND FINALLY OLDER BUILDINGS SUPPORT SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES, EXCELLENT PLACES, ANCHOR COMMUNITY, AND MEMORY WHILE PEOPLE BRING MEANING TO THOSE PLACES, BOTH IN THE PAST AND PRESENT NEXT, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FIELD HAS ALSO SHIFTED SINCE THE EARLY 1980S.
OTHER CITIES ARE DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND POLICIES TO PERVERT, PRESERVE THEIR PLACES AND COMMUNITIES, AND TO SHAPE THEM AS FOR EQUITABLE.
AND THIS INCLUDES LOOKING AT SPECIFIC TOOLS LIKE CULTURAL DISTRICTS, HEIRS, PROPERTY ASSISTANCE, TRADES, TRAINING PROGRAMS, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL, UH, REALM OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
WE WANTED OUR PLANS TO BE EQUITY-BASED AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED, AND TO DIG INTO THESE QUESTIONS, HOW CAN WE BETTER RECOGNIZE, PRESERVE AND SHARE IMPORTANT PLACES IN STORIES? HOW CAN PRESERVATION POLICIES AND TOOLS ADDRESS ESSENTIAL ISSUES LIKE SUSTAINABILITY, AFFORDABILITY AND DISPLACEMENT, AND HOW CAN WE ARM CITIZENS TO HELP US CO-CREATE PRESERVATION POLICIES? NEXT SLIDE.
UH, SO THE, THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN CURRENTLY IS THE FIRST STAGE OF A TWO PHASE PROCESS.
UM, WE'RE MIDWAY THROUGH PHASE ONE, IT'S A YEAR LONG PROCESS THAT IS CENTERED ON A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP.
THE END OF PHASE ONE WILL RESULT IN A DRAFT EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN DEVELOPED BY THAT WORKING GROUP.
NEXT SLIDE IN PHASE TWO, WE'LL DO BROAD, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND THAT DRAFT PLAN.
SO AT THIS POINT WE'RE NOT YET READY.
UM, THOSE, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORKING GROUP ARE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT.
SO PHASE TWO IS WHERE WE REALLY BRING THAT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC EYE.
UH, THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS IS SOMETHING OF AN ECOSYSTEM.
WE HAVE A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPOINTED A PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, WHICH CONSISTS OF 26 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE THE, THE CENTER OF THIS PROCESS.
[00:50:01]
BY STAFF AND A PROFESSIONAL FACILITATOR.WE'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS FOR FOCUSED INPUT, A COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY, LAST FALL CONVERSATIONS WITH SMALLER GROUPS OF CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FOCUS GROUPS, AS WELL AS THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS REMAINED VERY ACTIVE.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES ONE OF YOUR OWN COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER BEN-HAIM SA UH, NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE WORKING GROUP, NEARLY MIRRORS, AUSTIN'S RACIAL AND ETHNIC MAKEUP, WHICH IS EXCITING AND HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN TYPICAL FOR A PRIOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROCESSES.
WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ACROSS THE CITY WITH 19 ZIP CODES REPRESENTED NEARLY HALF OF THE GROUP HAVE OPTED INTO A COMPENSATION OF $25 AN HOUR FOR MEETINGS AND PREPARATION TIME.
WE ALSO HAVE A THIRD RENTERS, NOT NEARLY AS HIGH AS THE CITY'S PROPORTION, BUT MUCH HIGHER THAN AGAIN.
YOU MIGHT EXPECT FOR PRESERVATION PROCESS WHERE WE'RE OWNERS TEND TO BE A MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, THE WORKING GROUP INCLUDES STAKEHOLDERS WHO COVER A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UH, PRESERVATION RELATED FIELDS.
UM, YOUR PRESERVATION SPECIFIC AND ALLIED FIELDS.
UH, WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WOULD HAVE VERY BROAD PERSPECTIVES COMING FROM THIS GROUP X SITE, SINCE THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS COME FROM VERY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE PROCESS WERE FOCUSED ON LANG GROUNDWORK AROUND HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND EQUITY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT USING CLEAR LANGUAGE, AVOIDING TECHNICAL TERMS AND ACRONYMS AND PROVIDING BACKGROUNDS MATERIALS.
UM, LIKE THIS GRAPHIC COMES FROM A BRIEF THAT WE SENT TO THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO WE TRIED TO USE A LOT OF GRAPHICS AND CHARTS TO HELP EXPLAIN, UM, PROCESSES AND TOOLS EXCITE, UH, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE WORKING GROUP SCHEDULE AND PHASE ONE.
UM, AGAIN, WE BEGAN WITH, UH, BACKGROUNDS AND PROCESS INFORMATION WHERE AT THIS POINT, MOST OF THE WAY THROUGH THE TOPICS THAT INCLUDE, UH, HERITAGE IN AUSTIN, UH, INCENTIVES, PROCESSES, AND FEES, ENFORCEMENT PROTECTION, OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND ENGAGEMENT.
AND WE'LL FINISH IN JUNE BY, UH, BRINGING THE WORKING GROUP TOGETHER TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THE, UH, THE, UM, OUTPUT FROM EACH OF THESE VARIOUS TOPICS WORKS TOGETHER IN TERMS OF SERVING THE OVERALL VISION FOR THE PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE, WE'VE BUILT AND STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS WITH MANY TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELPS GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED.
AND WE'LL DO MORE OF THAT WITH PHASE TWO.
NEXT SLIDE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THIS INITIAL PHASE OF THIS MAP SHOWS THE RESPONSES TO THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH ARE SPREAD ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, THESE ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS.
UM, THERE WERE ONLY 170 RESPONSES, WHICH IS NOT AS LARGE AS WE WOULD'VE LIKED, BUT IT'S A RELATIVELY RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE GROUP WHO OFFERED SOME VERY THOUGHTFUL AND THOUGHT PROVOKING RESPONSES.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING ALL THIS WORK IN PHASE TWO.
UH, THIS WILL INVOLVE SOME COMPONENTS.
UH, THE BIGGEST PIECE IS, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE DRAFT PLAN AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'LL ALSO BEGIN TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION WITH COST ESTIMATES FOR PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND FINALLY, THE BOARD WILL, AH, THE PLAN WILL GO TO RELATED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION.
NEXT SLIDE, I'VE GOT TWO FINAL THINGS I WANT TO CLOSE WITH.
UH, THE FIRST IS AN EQUITY EVALUATION FRAMEWORK, WHICH IS A TOOL WE'RE USING TO ENSURE THAT EQUITY IS CONSIDERED THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS RATHER THAN, UM, RELEGATED TO SAY A SINGLE CHAPTER WITHIN THE PLAN.
UM, THIS METRIC THAT WE USE TAKES CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS, THAT THE WORKING GROUP DEVELOPED FOR THE PLAN AND APPLIES AN EQUITY LENS TO EACH OF THOSE IT'S INTENDED TO HELP PREVENT BLIND SPOTS AND RESULT IN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICIES AND TOOLS THAT DON'T INADVERTENTLY CAUSE HARM AND IDEALLY BENEFIT HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, UH, WITH A DRAFTING SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE WORKING GROUP.
WE USE THIS ON EVERY DRAFT RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PLAN NEXT.
UM, THE FINAL THING I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH IS THE VISION FOR THE PLAN.
THE IDEAS AND LANGUAGE WERE DRAWN FROM RESPONSES TO THE COMMUNITY HERE, THAT SURVEY LAST FALL.
SO THE VISION IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES AND STORIES PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL.
YOU'LL SEE THE PLACES AT THE CORE, BUT THE FOCUS REALLY IS ON THE ROLE OF PRESERVATION AND HISTORIC PLACES CAN PLAY IN AUSTIN AS A WHOLE ENGAGING COMMUNITIES AND CREATING A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING TO SHAPE A BETTER CITY.
[00:55:01]
REALLY A BROAD REACHING AND INSPIRING VISION.UH, NEXT, THIS IS MY FINAL SLIDE.
UH, THIS IS THE WEBSITE FOR THE PROJECT IT'S ON SPEAK-UP AUSTIN.
UM, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE SHORT LINK IS CASE SENSITIVE.
I MIGHT RECOMMEND, UM, GOOGLING SPEAKUP AUSTIN PRESERVATION PLAN, AND THIS WILL BE THE FIRST RESULT THAT YOU WILL GET FOR THAT.
SO IT'S GOT ALL OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE WORKING GROUP, AS WELL AS, UM, MEETING AGENDAS FROM EACH OF THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO CONCLUDE AND TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, ELIZABETH QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, NOT SEEING ANY, I DO HAVE, UM, TWO QUESTIONS, ONE RELATED TO THIS.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE THREE, UM, COMMUNITY OR, UH, OR THREE PARTICIPANTS WHO WITHDREW ONE WAS, UH, WITH AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.
ONE WAS INHERITED TOURISM PROFESSIONAL, AND ONE WAS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
AND EACH OF THOSE, I THINK, PARTICULAR NOT TO MY, MY WIFE WORKS FOR A DESIGN BILL LANDSCAPE DESIGN BUILD FIRM.
SO I LOVE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
UM, BUT, UM, UH, I DID WONDER WHY ONE THEN WHY THEY WITHDREW AND TWO WHY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FILLED, BECAUSE THOSE ARE BOTH, I THINK, VERY CRITICAL TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND PARTICULARLY WITH HERITAGE TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE WAY WE CAN LEVERAGE OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES TO BETTER EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND, AND FOLKS WHO VISIT AUSTIN.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WE REGRET THAT WE LOST SOME FOLKS.
I THINK IT'S NATURAL WHEN YOU FORM A GROUP OF THIS SIZE THAT PEOPLE GOING IN, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE CERTAINLY APPLIED WITH EVERY INTENTION OF BEING FULLY ENGAGED AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, LIFE INTERVENES, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS CERTAINLY BEEN A CHALLENGING TIME FOR MANY EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, UH, GIVEN THAT WE STARTED THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC AND HAVE HAD ALL VIRTUAL MEETINGS SO FAR.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT WE WE'VE GOT SOME FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS THAT THE MEETING SCHEDULE, UM, THAT WE SETTLED ON THAT WORKS FOR MOST OF THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS DIDN'T WIND UP WORKING FOR SOME FOLKS.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WAS A, UM, YOU KNOW, A BUSINESS OWNER WHO REALLY FELT THAT DURANG DURING COVID, HE, UM, NEEDED TO FOCUS HIS EFFORTS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS OBLIGATIONS FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND DID NOT HAVE TURNED IT, YOU KNOW, HE WENT IN WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS AND THAT TURNED OUT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CONTINUE.
UM, WE DID NOT MAKE AN EFFORT TO, TO FILL THOSE, UM, THOSE POSITIONS ON THE WORKING GROUP AND PART, BECAUSE WE DID SO MUCH GROUNDWORK AT THE BEGINNING AND WE FELT IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, LAY A FOUNDATION IN TERMS OF, OF PRESERVATION PRACTICES.
AND, UM, ALSO WE HOSTED A THREE HOUR EQUITY WORKSHOP THAT WE FELT WAS REALLY FUNDAMENTAL TO, UM, THE PARTICIPANTS REALLY BEING ABLE TO FULLY ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS.
UM, IN HINDSIGHT, I YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MAKING ME SECOND GUESS, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE WENT.
UM, I, I DO THINK AS YOU WIND UP, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BRING SOMEBODY IN WITH THOSE SKILLS TO REVIEW IT AND TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCEMENT.
UH, AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, MORE RELATED TO THE OPERATION OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, DO WE HAVE A NEW HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER? YES, I HAVE TAKEN ON THAT TITLE.
UM, SO I, I WAS BROUGHT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AS THE MANAGER OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICES.
SO MY, MY ROLE FUNDAMENTALLY HAS NOT CHANGED, BUT I HAVE TAKEN THE TITLE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER.
UM, WE HAVE NOT PERMANENTLY FILLED, UH, STEVE SIT OUT SKIS, VACANCY, UH, NO ONE CAN FILL STEVE SHOES.
UM, WE DO HAVE A TEMPORARY STAFF MEMBER, UM, WHO IS DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB WHO IS, UH, YOU KNOW, HELPING US WITH CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AT THIS JUNCTURE.
WELL, ONE CONGRATULATIONS, UH, AND, UH, BASED ON A JOB WELL DONE AND A CAREER.
WELL, JOHN, UH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT A HISTORIC DISTRICT HAS TWICE THE AFFORDABILITY.
DID YOU SAY THAT? YEAH, YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS BASED ON A 2018 STUDY.
UM, IT PREDATES MY TIME WITH THE CITY, SO I DON'T HAVE A
[01:00:01]
LOT OF DETAILS ON THAT IN AUSTIN AND AUSTIN.UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, UM, THE EXISTING HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE, WHICH ARE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY RELATIVELY LIMITED IN NUMBER AND SIZE, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY LOCALLY DESIGNATED DISTRICTS IN DOWNTOWN.
IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD EXCUSE TO HAVE THE CITY SPONSOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, WHICH WOULD HELP SOME OF THEM A LOT.
UM, IS THERE ANY ACTION THAT ANYBODY FEELS WE SHOULD BE TAKING THIS EVENING ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE SEEING NONE.
[2.c. Downtown Mobility: Scooter Activity ]
FOLKS, NEXT STEP IS DOWNTOWN MOBILITY AND SCOOTER ACTIVITY, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT JOINING US.THE FLOOR IS YOURS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M THE PARKING ENTERPRISE MANAGER WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, UH, OUR MAIN PRESENTER IS JOSEPH
AND I HAVE MARY
SO, UM, I APOLOGIZE THAT WE COULDN'T MAKE IT LAST MONTH.
UH, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK KIND OF EVENT.
WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT MICRO MOBILITY AND I'LL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO JOSEPH.
JUST TO CHECK REALLY QUICK COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYBODY CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY.
I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME SCHOLARSHIPS WITH MY, UH, SPEAKER HERE.
UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONERS, EVERYONE FOR JOINING TODAY.
UH, I NOTICED BRIEFING HAS BEEN WELL OVERDUE.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TO ALLOW US TO, UH, TAKE TIME TO DIVE INTO, UH, MICRO MOBILITY.
UM, SO, UH, REALLY, WE'RE GOING TO TALK TODAY ABOUT JUST KIND OF GOING BACK INTO HISTORY AND WHERE WE ARE, UH, AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UH, CURRENT REGULATIONS AND FEES, YOU KNOW, THE DEVICES AND THE LICENSES THAT WE HAVE, UM, CURRENTLY, UH, DATA TRENDS, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN DATA, UH, SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AND YOU KNOW, ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE, UH, WHICH I THINK I'LL TIE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, BEFORE, UM, PROGRAM SUCCESSES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, MAYBE NOT SEEN AS MUCH, BUT, UH, WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME BIG STRIDES WE'VE TAKEN IN THIS PROGRAM, UM, AS WELL AS WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH OUR FUTURE PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS NEXT.
SO, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE, UH, ALONG THE WAY, UH, UH, SOME SMALL TYPOS AND I'LL GET TO THOSE AS THEY GO ALONG AS, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS IN APRIL OF 2018, UH, DOCKLESS CAME ONTO THE SCENE.
UM, AT THAT TIME WE, UH, ENACTED SOME EMERGENCY RULES, UM, AND THOSE, UM, ALLOWED US TO EMERGENCY RULES.
I'M SORRY, EMERGENCY RULES, AS WELL AS AN, UH, AN ORDINANCE CHANGED TO 14 DASH NINE, WHICH ALLOWED US, UH, THE CITY TO, UM, REGULATE, UH, DOCKLESS MOBILITY COMPANIES, UM, IN FALL OF 2018.
UM, AND THEN MOVING ON TO DECEMBER OF 2018 AS IS WHEN WE ADOPTED, UM, A FEE TO A PER TRIP FEE, UM, FOR THE PROVIDERS, UM, EXCUSE ME, UH, THIS NEXT, UH, MAY, 2019, IT SAYS ORDINANCE FOR $14, 14 DASH NINE IS REVISED.
IT SHOULD SAY 12 DASH TWO WAS IMPLEMENTED, WHICH IS A SAFE RIDING ORDINANCE.
UM, AND, UH, THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED AT THAT TIME.
UM, MOVING FORWARD TO OCTOBER OF 2021, UH, WE ADOPTED A FEE RANGE FOR THESE TRIPS.
I'LL GO OVER THAT TO LATER ON, UM, IN OUR FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, DIFFERENT WAYS TO REGULATE, UH, THE COMPANIES.
UM, AND THEN NOVEMBER OF THIS, UH, 20, 21 LAST YEAR, UM, WE'VE ADDED SOME DEVICE CAPS IN REDUCE SPEED, UH, AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO UPDATE OUR RULES.
UM, SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE A TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE THAT OUTLINES THE OPERATION OF BICYCLE AND MOPEDS, AND THIS INCLUDES THE DEVICE REQUIREMENTS AND WORST CONGRESS CANDIDATE CAN AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL AUTHORITY ON THOSE RULES.
UM, WE HAVE 14 DASH NINE, WHICH GIVES
[01:05:01]
US THE OPERATOR OR GIVES US, UH, UH, OFTEN TRANSPORTATION, THE AUTHORITY TO LICENSE MOBILITY COMPANY, OR SHARE MOBILITY COMPANIES TO OPERATE, UH, IN AUSTIN.UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, 12 DASH TWO, WHICH IS THE SAFE RIDER THAT FOCUSES ON THOSE SPECIFIC WRITING, UM, ENFORCEMENT TECHNIQUES.
UM, ONE THING THAT'S NOT INCLUDED, UM, WHICH I JUST DIDN'T HAVE ROOM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION IS THE DIRECTOR'S RULES, WHICH I MENTIONED IN THE LAST SLIDE.
UM, THEIR DIRECTORS WILL GO INTO MORE IN-DEPTH ABOUT HOW WE OPERATE AND, AND REGULATE, UM, THE, THE COMPANIES, UM, THIS INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, APARTMENTS FOR LIKE INSURANCE AND BOND, UH, UNIT REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR, UH, UH, SERVICE AREAS AND SIZES, UM, RESPONDING TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUESTS, UH, PARKING AND DATA AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
UM, CURRENT BEES, AS YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE HERE, UM, WE ADDED A NEW, UH, FI UH, THIS YEAR FOR APPLICATIONS TO ADD SO THAT WE CAN COUNT FOR STAFF TIME THAT TAKES TO REVIEW THOSE DOCUMENTS.
UM, WE ADDED, UH, UH, PER, UH, UH, UH, $80 PER DEVICE PER YEAR FEE PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND WE INCREASED THAT THIS YEAR, AND AS YOU SEE THAT THE TRIP FEE, UM, THERE, UH, WENT TO A RANGE, UM, FOR, UM, IT WAS JUST, UH, IT CURRENTLY IS I'M SORRY.
CURRENTLY IS A 15 CENT STATIC CHARGE AS OF RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HAVE TO THEIR BRAINS THAT WE ADOPTED.
UM, SO CURRENTLY THE SETUP THAT WE HAVE NOW IS WE HAVE, UH, FOUR LICENSED COMPANIES, UH, SPEAKER COMPANIES, UH, IN AUSTIN, UM, THAT EQUATES TO, UM, AND EACH COMPANY HAS A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF DEVICE PERMITS, BUT IN TOTAL WE HAVE 14,100.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN TO YOUR RIGHTS, STAND UP, SCOOTERS, SIT DOWN SCOOTERS, AND E-BIKES BROKEN DOWN.
UM, AGAIN, I HAD MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE ABOUT SOME OF THE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, RECENTLY ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE CREATED MORATORIUM ON DEVICE PERMIT INCREASES IN DOWNTOWN AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UM, UPDATING OUR RULES AND REQUIRED, UM, A REDUCTION OF SPEEDS FROM 20 MILES PER HOUR TO 15, UM, AND INCREASED OUR ENFORCEMENT.
UM, JUST ONE THING TO NOTE, I KNOW THAT 14,100 LOOKS LIKE A HUGE NUMBER.
UM, BUT ON, ON AVERAGE, THE DEVICES THAT ARE ACTUALLY DEPLOYED AROUND 50% OF THAT NUMBER, NEXT SLIDE, BEFORE YOU GO FURTHER ON THAT, JUST SO FOR THE COMMISSIONERS SAY THAT WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM WITH, I BELIEVE EIGHT LICENSED COMPANIES AND WE ARE NOW DOWN TO FOUR COMPANIES AND THAT WAS THROUGH, UH, OF THOSE COMPANIES.
AND SO NOW, NOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE LEVELING OUT OF, UH, THE MICRO MOBILITY.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THAT, COULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH THE NAMES OF THE FOUR LICENSED COMPANIES? YES.
THAT WOULD BE LIME BIRD, WHEELS, AND LINK.
SO LET'S KIND OF DIVE INTO THE DATA A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THIS IS ALL THE DATA ON TRIPS, UM, UM, AS WELL AS CCS AND METRICS BELOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE INCEPTION, SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MEDIAN TRIP DISTANCE OF, UM, A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILE, UM, YOU KNOW, TRIP DURATION, UM, ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES, UM, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE TRIPS PER DAY, UH, 9,000.
AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE TOTAL TRIPS UNTIL DISTANCE IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
UM, I DID NOTATE, UM, WHEN WE WERE AT, UH, DURING THE HEIGHT OR JUST DURING THE COVID RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAD IN THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE, UM, SOME GENERAL NOTES, UM, AS YOU MAY SEE, UH, DURING THE COVID RESTRICTIONS IS WE HAD NO E-BIKES AT ONE POINT, UM, THAT WAS DURING THE TRANSITION OF ONE COMPANY.
UM, AND SO WE, THEY NO LONGER HAD A PERMIT TO DO THOSE AND DIDN'T HAVE BIKES AT THAT TIME.
UM, AS YOU SEE SOME OF THE LOWER, UH, NUMBERS, AS YOU, AS YOU SEE GOING UP AND DOWN, UH, SOME OF THOSE, UM, UH, LOWER PEAKS ARE DUE TO COOLER MONTHS AND SOME OF OUR RAINY YEAR PERIODS THAT WE'RE, WE DON'T SEE RIDES, UH, AS USUAL.
UM, LET'S SEE THE DAILY TIP, UM, TOTALS THAT YOU SEE THERE FOR ABOUT 9,000 AS YOU SEE THOSE EVENTS.
UM, THE DAILY AVERAGE GOES UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, AND USUALLY IT'S AROUND THE 20,000 RANGE.
[01:10:01]
WE GET THAT DATA AND WHAT WE'RE DOING MOVING FORWARD.UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A THIRD PARTY DATA MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT WE'RE USING THAT ALLOWS US TO REALLY FOCUS ON GETTING QUALITY DATA, UM, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COVERING ALL PARTS OF PRIVACY WHEN WE'RE COLLECTING THAT DATA AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE INTO FOCUSING ON MORE PLANNING TOOLS THAT, THAT QUALITY OF DATA THAT WE'RE NOW STARTING TO RECEIVE, UM, ON YOUR RIGHT TOP LEFT, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A HEX THAT SHOWS US A TRIP, UM, UH, START TRIPS SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, OF COURSE, THE DARKER SHADED, UM, MORE TRIPS, THE LIGHTER SHADE OF GOING OUT, UM, LESS TRIPS, UM, ON THERE JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THAT.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS STREETS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN DIFFERENT COLORS, THE DARKER COLOR, MORE TRIPS ON THOSE CORRIDORS COMPARED TO OTHERS.
UM, BOTTOM LEFT, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE IT BY TRIPS BY HOUR.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT KIND OF RAMPS UP TOWARDS THE EVENING.
UM, AND THE RIGHT ONE WAS THE LAST ONE THERE ON THE BOTTOM, RIGHT? UM, IT'S A BRAND NEW TOOL WE JUST STARTED.
UM, SO IT'S STILL KIND OF DEVELOPING, UM, BUT THIS KIND OF GIVES US THE FOCUS OF DEPLOYMENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHERS, WHICH REALLY GIVES US A WELL-ROUNDED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING OUT, ESPECIALLY, UM, UH, IN AUSTIN.
SO, UM, REALLY FOCUSED ON INCREASING, UM, THE PUBLIC DATA AVAILABILITY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THESE TOOLS ARE OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO USE AND EXPLORE.
AND THAT'S WHY RYDER PORT, WHO IS OUR CURRENT THIRD PARTY DATA MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT WE ARE CONTRACTED WITH, UM, UH, CREATED AN OPEN DATA PORTAL.
IT'S A SIMILAR TO THE OPEN DATA PORTAL WE HAVE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, BUT WE PULLED IT FROM DOWN AND I PULLED IT FROM THERE AND ALLOWED, UM, THE THIRD PARTY TO MANAGE THAT.
UM, AND THAT REALLY IS IN FOCUS AND IN PART OF THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL, I ALWAYS GET THIS ONE PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE AND IDENTIFIED INFORMATION.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT, JASON? OKAY.
UM, AND THEN I WANT TO TALK ABOUT JUST THE FOCUS OF DATA STANDARDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING IN THIS, IN THIS NEW INDUSTRY, UH, REALLY, UM, UH, TOOK US FOR A LOOP AT THE BEGINNING WHERE A LOT OF IT WAS MANUAL.
UM, AND THEN IT REALLY GOT INTO OUR THIRD PARTY DATA MANAGEMENT COMPANY, UM, YOU KNOW, COLLECTING THAT DATA, BUT AS WELL AS THE CITY OF BOSTON COLLECTING THAT DATA, UM, WE WORKED WITH A COMPANY OR WITH A GROUP CALLED OPEN MOBILITY FOUNDATION, WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY NO, NOT A PART OF AT THE MOMENT.
UM, BUT WE STILL FOLLOW THE, UM, THE MOBILITY DATA SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH CAME OUT OF THE OPEN MOBILITY FOUNDATION.
UM, THAT IS A SET OF STANDARDS THAT ALLOWS US TO COLLECT SPECIFIC PIECES OF INFORMATION OF DATA FROM THESE COMPANIES SO THAT WE CAN PLAN.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY USED THAT AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROXY PROCESS TO COLLECT DATA, TO FIND, UH, THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN THE DATA SO THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE QUALITY DATA.
AND SO WE WOULD COMPARE, UH, EACH DATA SET, UM, THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMPANIES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE THIRD-PARTY DATA AND THE ONES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING, UM, YOU KNOW, INTERNALLY, UM, AND COMPARED THEM TO SEE WHERE THOSE ISSUES WERE.
AND WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT NOW WHERE THERE ARE NO GAPS IN BETWEEN THOSE DATA, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SO, UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UM, MOBILITY BOXES AND CROWDS THAT ARE OUT IN PLACED IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO ENCOURAGE PARKING, UM, UM, IN THOSE LOCATIONS RATHER THAN IN, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SCATTERED AROUND.
UM, WE HAVE MORE THAN 25 BOXES OUT THERE CURRENTLY, AND THAT'S GROWING.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, THE 20, 20 MOBILY BOND THAT GOT CARVED OUT WITH SOME FUNDS TO ALLOW US TO INCREASE THAT, UH, EFFORT AND ALLOW US TO ADD MORE INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE, NOT JUST IN INCLUDING PARKING BOXES AND CORRALS, UM, BUT TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF THOSE AREAS USING TECHNOLOGY, UM, OR IN, YOU KNOW, UM, INCREASING THE SAFETY AROUND THOSE, UM, BOXES AND CAN INCLUDE, UH, SIDEWALKS OR, UH, MAINTENANCE OF SIDEWALKS.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, REALLY FOCUSED ON DATA AND I SAY THIS A LOT, SO I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, WE'VE COMBINED DIFFERENT DATA SILOS TOGETHER USING THAT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE THE BEST LOCATIONS ARE, UM, THAT TO, TO PLACE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO MAKE ENHANCEMENTS, UM, THIS DATA, UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD INCLUDE ALL TYPES OF, UM, INFORMATION THAT FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, PARKING TO, UH, CSR DATA, UH, TO TRIP INFORMATION, TO DEPLOYMENT DATA.
I JUST SHOWED YOU, UM, TO GIVE US A BETTER APPROACH AT DOING, UH, PUTTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO DEVICE STANDARDS, UM, FOR COMMERCIAL ELECTRIC SCOOTERS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, STANDARD ORGANIZATIONS, UM, TO FOCUS ON THE SAFETY OF THE ACTUAL DEVICES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT STANDARDS LIKE,
[01:15:01]
UH, SPECIFIC, UH, KICKSTANDS AND FOOTBOARD SIZES AND ACCELERATION INCLUDED AS WELL AS BRAKING.UM, AND WERE YOU REALLY USING THIS AS A PLATFORM TO POTENTIALLY CREATE DEVICE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTIN? UM, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER.
UM, AND GEO-FENCING, UM, TO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS AND KEY GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF NEED.
UH, WE REALLY DEVELOPED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TWO OFFENSES CAN BE USED.
UM, BUT CURRENTLY WE USE SLOWS ZONES AND AREAS TO, YOU KNOW, TO SLOW, UH, RIDERS DOWN, UH, TO ENSURE SAFETY, UM, FOR ALL, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THE SIDEWALK OR ON THE STREETS, AND THEN NO LOCKING AND PARKING ZONES.
WHAT THIS DOES IS IT ALLOWS IF SOMEONE IS IN A GEO-FENCED AREA, THAT'S NO LOCK, UM, BUT IT DOES, IT DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO PARK THEIR, THE DEVICE IN THAT AREA.
IT BASICALLY SHOWS THEM, UM, THAT THEY CAN'T PARK THERE AND THEY NEED TO GO TO THE NEAREST LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN PARK.
UM, SO, UH, IT REALLY PUSHES PEOPLE TO THOSE LOCATIONS.
NOW, THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS THE URBAN CANYON EFFECT, WHICH DOES HAVE SOME, UH, EFFECTS ON THE GEO PINCHES.
AND WE'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT, AND WHAT WE DO IS, UH, IN, IN, IN RETROSPECT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY CAN GET TECHNICAL, BUT WE'RE REALLY KIND OF, UH, LAYERING ON GEO-FENCES FOR, FOR INSTANCE, MAYBE SLOWING DOWN A DEVICE BEFORE IT GETS TO AN AREA THAT WE DON'T WANT IT TO, UM, AND THEN PUTTING A NEW LOCK IN THAT AREA.
AND SO BASICALLY WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THEY PARKED THE DEVICE RIGHT OUTSIDE THOSE AREAS THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO.
NOW, AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF EFFECTS TO THAT, BUT WE'RE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO, UM, GETTING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF IT NEXT LIFE.
UM, SO HOW DO WE ENFORCE CURRENTLY? SO, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THIRD PARTY DATA MANAGEMENT VIEWS THAT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT, YOU KNOW, DEVICES ARE CURRENTLY ON THE STREET, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, FOCUSED ON HOW LONG DEVICES ARE OUT THERE, UM, WHAT DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE OR UNAVAILABLE.
UM, AGAIN, GEO-FENCE IS, UM, AS WELL, UM, CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUESTS THAT COME IN, WE WORK WITH THE COMPANIES TO ADDRESS THOSE, UM, AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE JUST THOSE IN THE TIME APPROPRIATE MANNER.
UM, BASED OFF OF GIVEN PRIORITIES, UM, STAFF DEVICE AUDITS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY AS, AS MY TEAM TO GO OUT, UM, AND ACCESS THE DEVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND CHARGING THE CORRECT PRICES.
UM, AND, AND ALSO AS WELL AS TESTING OUT THE GEO-FENCES, UM, THAT WE CURRENTLY PUT IN PLACE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, FOCUSED, THEY'RE USING DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHARED COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, UM, NOT JUST TO, YOU KNOW, CSR SYSTEM OR INTERNAL, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN CHANNELS.
UM, WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A REALLY GREAT WAY IN FAST AND WAY TO GET A HOLD OF THE PROVIDERS, ESPECIALLY DURING EVENTS TO HANDLE CRITICAL ISSUES.
UM, AND SO WE STARTED USING THAT AND IT'S BEEN A PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS SO FAR.
UM, AND SO WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THESE ENFORCEMENT TACTICS? UM, WE DO IMPOUNDS.
UM, SO IF, UH, IF, UH, PROVIDERS DO NOT RESPOND IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO AUDIT EVENTS, UM, THEN WE IMPOUND THOSE DEVICES.
UM, WE ALSO, IF, IF THE ISSUE, CAN YOU CONTINUE TO BE THE TRUE, UM, WE ALSO DO REDUCTIONS IN SERVICE.
SO WE'LL SAY YOU NEED TO REMOVE DEVICES FROM THIS AREA.
UM, AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, DEPLOY OR HAVE RIDES START IN THAT AREA FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IF IT GETS TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE NOT GETTING COMPLIANT AND WE'RE HAVING, UH, MANY ISSUES, WE CAN GO TO THE DENIAL LICENSE ITSELF.
UH, JOSEPH, LET ME JUST BREAK IN AND I'LL TOUCH ON SOME, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT TOO.
SO ONE OF THE KEYS TO ENFORCEMENT IS BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
UM, WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IN FEBRUARY, UM, AND HAVE STEPPED UP OUR IMPOUNDMENTS.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UH, A NEW OFFICER TITLE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ON CALL THE MOBILITY SERVICE OFFICER, AND THAT MOBILITY SERVICE OFFICER CAN PERFORM FUNCTIONS HIGHER AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN A PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
THEY CAN ENACT TOES, THEY CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, TOTAL BIKE LANES.
THEY CAN, UH, PICK UP MY, UH, MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES.
THERE, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT THIS POSITION CAN DO.
UH, THOSE OFFICERS WERE ACTUALLY NOTIFIED TODAY THAT, UH, OF THEIR, OF WHAT THEIR PAY GRADES ARE GOING TO BE.
AND, AND SO WE, UM, HAVE ABOUT 10 FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED BECAUSE WE ARE WAITING, WE WERE WAITING FOR THIS PROCESS TO CONCLUDE.
SO, UM, WE WILL IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS OR SO BE HIRING AN ADDITIONAL 10 OFFICERS TO HELP WITH, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO HELP, UM, UH, UH, EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE THE DIRECTOR'S RULES,
[01:20:01]
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE KEYS TO OUR SUCCESS MOVING FORWARD.YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT LIFE PROGRAM SUCCESSES WHERE I REALLY WANT TO STRESS ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN SEE A DEVICE OUT THERE AND POTENTIALLY SEE CONCERNS.
UM, BUT WE'VE MADE HUGE STRIDES INTERNALLY TO JUST START REALLY FOCUSING ON HOW TO MAKE A BETTER PROGRAM.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE REALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO REFINE INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES, UM, TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, ANALYZING AND REGULATING, UM, AND TRACKING AND REPORTING.
UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY INCLUDES, UM, THE FOCUS OF PRODUCING THE AMOUNT OF, UH, PAPER WASTE THAT WE DO AND INCREASING THE DIGITAL OPTIONS AND WORKING WITH THE PROVIDERS, BUT AS WELL AS CLEANING UP SOME OF THE WAY THAT WE, UH, REPORT AND, AND MAKE AN APPLICATION PROCESSES.
UM, AND SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY EFFICIENT IN, IN, IN, IN REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE TIME, FOCUSING ON THAT AND REALLY FOCUSING ON THE PLANNING ASPECT, UM, GOING ON TO THE WATERWAY AWARENESS.
UM, THIS WAS A BIG INITIATIVE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP DEVICES AWAY FROM THOSE SPECIAL AMENITIES.
UM, AND SO WE STARTED ADDING, UH, NOTIFIES PARKING ON BRIDGE.
UH, SIGN IS THE FIRST ONES WENT ON CONGRESS, UM, AS WELL AS ADDING LAYER GEO-FENCES TO PREVENT DEVICES, GETTING CLOSE TO THOSE AREAS.
UM, WE'RE ALSO TAKING IT THE NEXT STEP FORWARD AND, AND REALLY FOCUSING ON INTERNAL PROCESSES AND HOW TO RETRIEVE THOSE DEVICES SAFELY, UM, AND GET THOSE BACK TO THE PROVIDERS IF WE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO GET THOSE, UM, WHICH, UH, JUST TO MAKE A NOTE CURRENTLY, WE WOULD REQUIRE THE PROVIDERS TO DO THAT.
NOW, IF THERE'S A PROVIDER THAT IS NOT HERE ANY LONGER, WE RETRIEVED THE DEVICE, UM, AND TRY TO, UH, REWARD WE'RE FOCUSING ON CREATING A PROCESS TO, UM, UH, POTENTIALLY DISPOSE OF THOSE DEVICES.
UM, AGAIN, I CAN'T STRESS DATA ENOUGH AND HOW MUCH WE'VE DONE IN, IN, IN THAT AREA, UH, AND ENSURING THAT WE PROTECT PEOPLE'S PRIVACY, UM, PRIVACY DATA, UM, AND FOCUSING ON THE QUALITY OF THE DATA ITSELF, MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE'RE RECEIVING IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PLAN WITH AS WELL AS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, AND, AND FOCUSING ON ENSURING THAT THOSE, THOSE CONNECTIONS OR CORRECT.
UM, WE DON'T WANT BAD DATA, UM, BETTER 3, 1, 1 COORDINATION, UM, TO KIND OF EXPLAIN IT.
UM, THE PROVIDERS ARE A PRIVATE ENTITY.
UM, THE THREE, ONE SYSTEM INTERNALLY, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A CITY OF BOSTON'S A PUBLIC THING.
UM, AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
WE'VE CREATED WAYS FOR THEM TO GET EMAILS, UM, AND THEY RESPOND TO THOSE, UH, REALLY QUICKLY ADDED PICTURES TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EMAILS THAT THEY GET.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A VAST ARRAY OF THINGS THAT COME THROUGH TO THREE TO ONE SYSTEM THAT CAN MAKE IT COMPLICATED FOR, UH, NOT ONLY STAFF TO RESPOND TO, BUT AS WELL AS THE PROVIDERS, UM, AND THEN MORE EFFICIENT, SPECIAL EVENT RESPONSE.
WE REALLY TOOK THE TIME TO FOCUS ON THAT, UM, BASED OFF OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY CRANK THAT UP WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH OUR THIRD PARTY PROVIDER DATA MANAGEMENT PROVIDER TO CREATE WAYS TO, FOR US TO TRACK, UM, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE THIRD-PARTY COMMUNICATIONS, UM, UM, UM, PIECES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE FASTER, UM, AS WELL AS BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
UM, HAVING STAFF OUT THERE, UM, WITH, UM, UH, SIGNAGE TO POINT, UM, UH, RIDERS TO WHERE WE WANT THEM TO DROP DEVICES.
WHERE ARE WE GOING? UM, I THINK THIS IS IT REALLY FOCUSED ON AROUND DIRECTOR SCHOOLS AND WE'VE TAKEN THIS TIME, UM, FROM THE TIME THAT WE'VE, UH, PRE PANDEMIC, UH, TO NOW, TO NOT ONLY JUST LOOK AT OUR INTERNAL ROLES AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR DATA, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE STREETS AND, AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING, BUT WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY'RE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.
AND SO WE HAVE A GOOD, A GOOD AMOUNT OF, OF KNOWLEDGE NOW TO BE ABLE TO PUT FORWARD A RULE SET THAT IS GOING TO BE PRODUCTIVE.
UM, SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE GET TO LOOK AT IS UPDATING OUR TERMINOLOGY TO BE CONSISTENT WITH INDUSTRY TERMINOLOGY.
UM, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A WIDE ARRAY OF, OF, UH, UH, UH, COMMENTING ON WHAT MICRO MOBILITY OR BLOCK LISTS OR SHARED MOBILITY IS.
AND SO OUR FOCUS IS TO, TO REALLY REFINE THAT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ACCOUNT FOR EMERGING MODE AND STANDARDS, UM, IS, IS REALLY FOCUSED ON NO OTHER MODES THAT MAY WANT TO COME IN.
AND I'LL, I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A SECOND UPDATED SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR DEVICES ALLOWED TO OPERATE.
I TOUCHED ON THAT WITH OUR, UH, DIFFERENT, UM, STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS WE'RE WORKING ON TO ENSURE THAT THE ACTUAL DEVICES, UH, HAVE SPECIFIC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT, UM, STANDARDIZING REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, AND THEN I THINK A BIG ONE IS, AND HAD JASON HAD MENTIONED, IS CLEAR IN
[01:25:01]
A PORTABLE OPERATION EXPECTATIONS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN THERE, UM, THAT ALLOWS US TO, UH, EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE, UM, AND ADDING A PERFORMANCE CREATING CRITERIA THAT HAS A WAY FOR US TO GRADE THE PROVIDERS ON THEIR RESPONSES, YOU KNOW, IMPOUNDS AND OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE MEETING OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC.UM, AND THEN AS I SAID BEFORE, OTHER, UH, EMERGING MODES, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE INCORPORATING MOPED INCARCERATE INTO THIS SPECIFIC RULE SETS, UM, AS YOU KIND OF SEE TO THE RIGHT TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT COLORS, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THE FOCUS WOULD BE CREATING A SHARED MOBILITY SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO PERMIT DIFFERENT MODES.
SO SHARED MICRO MOBILITY, SHARED VEHICLE, AND AS YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT, UM, TYPES THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY GO UNDERNEATH THAT, UM, WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY? UM, WE'RE WORKING ON STANDARD ON MICRO MOBILITY, PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OUR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION GROUP, UM, AND OTHERS TO CREATE A CONCRETE, UM, PLAN TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE IMPLEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MICHEAL ABILITY BASED OFF OF PRIORITY AND NEED IN SPECIFIC AREAS, UM, IMPROVING PATHWAYS AND AREAS THAT LACK INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, TO SUPPORT INCREASE MICRO MOBILITY USE, RIGHT? SO THAT'S FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, UM, NOT ONLY JUST THE, THE PARKING ITSELF, BUT THE SURROUNDINGS, AND IT'S ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THAT, UH, INCREASED PUBLIC OUTREACH.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY KIND OF HOPING TO RAMP UP AS WE, YOU KNOW, UM, GET OUT OF THE HEIGHTS OF THE PANDEMIC THAT WE WERE AT AND, AND GET OUT THERE ON THE GROUND, UH, WORK WITH THE PROVIDERS TO REALLY EDUCATE PEOPLE ON SAFE RIDING AND PROPER PARKING.
AND LASTLY, JUST TO TOUCH, I PROTESTED ON THE THIRD PARTY, UM, UM, UH, MOBILITY, DATA MANAGEMENT CONTRACT, OR A PROVIDER THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, AND WE'RE CLEARLY IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THAT CONTRACT.
BUT I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO THE COMMISSION FIRST COMMISSIONER.
UH, I'M GLAD TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE.
UH, I THINK IT'S BEEN LACKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OR COMPLIANCE WITH RIDING ON SIDEWALKS.
UH, YOU KNOW, DURING THE ACTUAL ACTIVITIES WHERE ESPECIALLY PLACES LIKE CONGRESS AVENUE, WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY ILLEGAL TO BE RIDING ON THE SIDEWALKS, BUT, UH, A DAY DOESN'T GO BY WHERE IF YOU'RE WALKING DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DODGING SCOOTERS AS YOU'RE WALKING DOWN CONGRESS AVENUE.
SO WHAT IS BEING DONE OR LOOKED AT TO TRY AND ENFORCE THAT? AND SO THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE STREET OR BIKE LANES WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
SO THE, THE SAFE COMMISSIONERS, THIS, THE SAFE WRITING ORDINANCE ACTUALLY OPENED UP THE RIDING ON SIDEWALKS.
SO THEY, PEOPLE WHO ARE RIDING ON MY CAPABILITIES ARE ACTUALLY LEGALLY AUTHORIZED TO RIDE ON SIDEWALKS.
THERE, THERE, THERE WERE STREETS DOWNTOWN THAT HAD BEEN OFF LIMITS FOR A MICRO MOBILITY USE ON SIDEWALKS.
CURRENT THAT WAS STRIPPED AWAY TO MAKE OUR PEDESTRIANS THAT MUCH LESS SAFE.
THE, UH, UNDER 12 DASH TWO, I BELIEVE IS THE SECTION OF ORDINANCE WHERE, UM, THEY, THE, UM, THE COMMUNITY, THE CYCLING COMMUNITY, THE MICRO MOBILITY COMMUNITY, UM, WE WENT TO THE, UH, BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND TALK TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENT ABOUT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO RIDE ON SIDEWALKS AND THAT WAS TAKEN TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN CHANGED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN, UH, WRITE ON THE SIDE.
SO THE, THE BICYCLE COMMUNITY, DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT THE SCOOTERS WERE IN BICYCLE LANES.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT CAN GO 10, 15, 20 MILES AN HOUR ON A SIDEWALK IN THE SAME SHARED SPACE WITH PEDESTRIANS.
HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OR IS THAT A QUESTION I NEED TO ANSWER AS COUNCIL? I MEAN THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY BETTER ANSWER FOR YOU, UM, ON THIS ONE, UM, THIS, THIS WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, TALKED WITH COUNSEL ABOUT.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS HOW THE, UH, THE ORDINANCE WAS REVISED.
IF I CAN ADD JUST QUICK ONE NOTE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AREAS THAT BICYCLES ARE TRADITIONAL BICYCLES ARE ALLOWED TO RIDE ON SIDEWALKS TO WILL AND DO.
UM, AND TYPICAL, YOU KNOW, A BIKE ITSELF CAN GO ANYWHERE
[01:30:01]
BETWEEN 10 MILES AND 15 MILES AN HOUR OR TWO AS WELL.DID YOU HAVE MORE? NO, I'M JUST AMAZED THAT OKAY.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY IN OUR CITY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE HAVING WATERWAY AWARENESS, UH, VIA SIGNS AND GEO-FENCES, BUT, UM, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION AROUND THE CROSS OF MATERIAL IN THE BATTERIES FOR THESE THINGS AND HOW, WHEN THEY GET INTO OUR WATERWAYS, THAT CAN CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE TO, TO THE FISH AND WILDLIFE THERE.
SO I'M WONDERING, HAS, IS THAT REGULATED IN SOME WAY OR, OR HAVE WE TOLD THEM WHAT KIND OF BATTERIES THEY CAN AND CANNOT USE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE KIND OF A HANDS-OFF THING ON? SORRY.
UH, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STANDARD COMPANIES ON, UM, ORGANIZATIONS ON, SORRY.
UM, AND SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF STUDIES WITH THE CURRENT DEVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT SHOW THAT IF THERE'S NOT THE ACTUAL LEAK IS IF IT'S OCCURRING.
UM, NOW THERE'S OTHER FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT.
SO IF THE DEVICE IS BROKEN OR WHATEVER, UM, THAT COULD CAUSE IT, AND THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THOSE DEVICES WITHOUT ANY KIND OF CONTAMINATION.
UM, BUT YES, WITH THE STANDARDS ORGANIZATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS HOW THEY HOUSE THAT, UM, BATTERY.
SO THERE'S ADDED PROTECTION AROUND THOSE BATTERIES SO THAT THE WATER DOESN'T GET INTO THEM, OR IF WATER DOES IT DOESN'T BREAK THE SEALS THAT ARE ON THERE THAT WOULD CONTAMINATE THE WATER.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, UM, MY TEAM, UH, THEY HELP INSPECT THE DEVICES WHEN THEY'RE INTERESTED COMPANIES ENTERING THE AUSTIN MARKET AND WITH WATERWAY, UH, EXPOSURE BEING TOP OF MIND FOR US AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS WE ASK IS HOW THEIR DEVICE DEVICES CONSTRUCTED AND WHY EXACTLY TYPE OF HERMETIC CEILING THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE.
IF A DEVICE ENDS UP IN THE WATERWAY FOR A LONG TIME, UM, AND THEY HAVE PROVIDE US DOCUMENTATION OF HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE IN OTHER CITIES THAT ALSO HAVE WATERFRONTS AND, UM, HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY KEEP DEVICES RUNNING BECAUSE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF THEIR MODELS, UH, SO THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE BETTER BUILT AND, UM, AREN'T CYCLED OUT AS QUICKLY.
AND DESPITE THE EXPOSURE TO WATER, UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO COVER SUCH AS EXPOSED WIRES AND, UH, BATTERIES AS WELL.
SO IS THERE A FEE FOR THE NUMBER OF BIKES AND, UM, DEVICES THAT END UP IN OUR WATERWAYS FOR THE PROVIDERS? UM, NOT AS SPECIFIC FEE REGARDING THAT? NO, BUT WE CAN BACK CHARGE THEM FOR OUR EFFORTS, OUR HOURLY RATE AND, UM, EQUIPMENT AND TIME AND SPENT, UM, GETTING THAT DEVICE OUT OF THE WATERWAY SO WE CAN BACK CHARGE THEM FOR OUR TIME.
AND, UH, ADD ON TO THAT, JASON.
UM, SO IF A COMPANY WERE TO LEAVE FOR INSTANCE, AND WE RETRIEVE HER ADVICE, WE ACTUALLY RE YOU KNOW, UH, UH, RESPOND TO THAT BOND COMPANY OR TO THAT, TO THAT COMPANY IN GENERAL, IF THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING BACK TO US, UM, THEN WE WILL CONTACT A BOND COMPANY.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT AS FAR AS I KNOW YET.
UM, BUT THAT IS AN OPTION THAT WE DO HAVE.
YEAH, WELL, THAT WAS THE QUESTION I WAS GOING TO HAVE IS, SO HOW OFTEN, OR HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE, UM, GONE BACK AND CHARGED SOMEBODY FOR THE EFFORT AND THE TIME THAT THE CITY SPENT IN GETTING THOSE THINGS OUT OF THE WATERWAYS OR OUT OF PLACES THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE, HAS THAT HAPPENED OFTEN OR, OR NOT AT ALL? YEAH, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T TYPICALLY, UM, RETRIEVE THE DEVICES.
THE COMPANIES WILL, UM, EMPLOY BOATS AND EMPLOYEES AND THEY WILL PULL THE DEVICES OUT OF THE WATER.
SO I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A TIME THAT WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BACKYARD THEM FOR OUR SERVICE, AS WELL AS FOR COMPANIES THAT HAVE LEFT THE CITY AS WELL.
WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT THEM AND THEN HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE COME PICK THEM UP.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE IS AN ALARMING INCREASE OF EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS BY YOUNG ADULTS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WEEKENDS DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, THEY GO TO BARS OR HAVING A GOOD TIME.
THEY GET ON THE SCOOTERS AND IT'S VERY UNSAFE AND, UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S ALARMING.
AND IT, UM, I, IT JUST SEEMS IRRESPONSIBLE THAT THESE, THESE SCOOTERS ARE ALLOWED DURING THE WEEKENDS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT.
[01:35:01]
WE NEED TO PROTECT, UH, THE YOUNG ADULTS WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST JUDGMENT.AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ADDRESS THAT.
IT'S JUST A COMMENT I WANTED TO MAKE, BECAUSE DOC, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE DOCTORS AND THEY TELL ME ALMOST EVERYONE THEY SEE DURING THE WEEKEND.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE SCOOTERS.
UM, JUST, WELL, I WILL ADD THAT WE ARE AWARE AND WE WERE WORKING WITH, UH, APD, UM, CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE TEAM OUT ON THE WEEKEND TO OBSERVE AND UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAN ADD SAFETY FEATURES.
LIKE IT'S JUST TO SLOW DOWN DEVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIFIC GEO-FENCE, UH, IN PLACE THAT COMES ON AT, UH, MARY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, NINE, UM, THAT, THAT PREVENTS OR SLOWS DOWN DEVICES NEAR TO SIXTH STREET AREA.
HOW ABOUT JUST TURNING THEM OFF AT NINE? THAT WOULD BE SAFER FOR EVERYBODY.
OR WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF INDUSTRY WORKERS THAT USE DEVICES LIKE THAT TO GET BACK TO THEIR CAR SAFELY AT NIGHT.
UM, SO THERE'S DEFINITELY ADDED A BENEFIT TO IT.
UH, I THINK JUST UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, UM, IS OUR GOAL.
THERE WAS A STUDY DONE, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHETHER IT WAS THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH STUDY OR ONE OUT OF CALIFORNIA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT I READ THAT SAID THAT A HIGH INCIDENCE OF INJURIES REPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WERE FOLKS THAT HAD BEEN ON SCOOTERS WHO WERE INEBRIATED.
I, UM, I'M NOT TOO AWARE OF, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE THE STUDY.
I MEAN, UH, YEAH, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
I MEAN, THERE'S IT AT ANY TIME, IF SOMEONE GOES OUT TO, YOU KNOW, HOP ON AND, AND MAYBE DRINK TOO MUCH, OR THERE'S A VERY BIG POTENTIAL THAT THEY'RE NOT ONLY JUST GETTING A MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE, BUT OTHER MOBILITY OPTIONS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH APD AND OTHER WAYS TO TRY OUR BEST TO PREVENT THAT WE DO WANT TO SUPPORT OUR SERVICE WORKERS, BUT COULD THERE BE SOME KIND OF DEVICE ON THE SCOOTERS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BLOW AND DO SOMETHING.
I GUESS THAT'S WHERE IT GETS KIND OF EXPENSIVE, BUT, WELL, IT'S NO BETTER REALLY.
UM, SOME OF THE PROVIDERS DO HAVE A FEATURE THAT'S ACTIVATED IN THEIR APPS TOO.
LIKE YOU HAVE TO LIKE SOLVE A PUZZLE.
IT'S LIKE A VERY BRIEF PUZZLE THAT SHOWS THAT YOU ARE, UM, RESPONSIVE TO AND, UH, CAN IDENTIFY SOMETHING, UM, BEFORE YOU CAN ACTIVATE YOUR RIDE.
WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, I MEAN, THEY MAKE THE DRIVERS VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY'LL JUST DART IN FRONT OF YOU.
I MEAN, I I'VE THANK GOODNESS I'VE AVOIDED MANY OF THEM, BUT IT'S JUST A, IT'S KIND OF A HORROR STORY OUT THERE ON THE WEEKENDS.
AND I FEEL THIS, THE MOBILITY SERVICE OFFICERS, WHAT, WHAT FUNCTION WILL THEY HAVE IN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIDING, WHERE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO RIDE OR RIDING IN A WAY THAT SHOWS THAT THEY'RE, UH, THEY MIGHT'VE PASSED THE PUZZLE TEST, BUT, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE FAIRLY DRUNK.
IS THERE A DRIVING OR RIDING WHILE INTOXICATED TICKET OR SOMETHING THAT COULD BE GIVEN, THEN ADVISE THAT IF SOMEBODY IS INTOXICATED ON A DEVICE OR A SCOOTER THAT IF THEY'RE DRIVING IT, IT WOULD NOT COUNT AS DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.
UM, OUR OFFICERS, UM, AS THEY'RE OUT THE NEW OFFICERS COME ON BOARD, WE WILL BE LOOKING AND FOCUSING ON FIRST PARKING BEHAVIORS AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PARKING THOSE DEVICES, UM, IN BOXES AND IN LOCATIONS THAT ARE NOT WITHIN ADA, UM, AREAS.
UM, WE WILL, UM, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, ATTEMPT TO STOP PEOPLE, IF THEY ARE, UH, DISPLAYING UNSAFE BEHAVIORS, UM, ON THOSE DEVICES AND JUST FOR CLARITY, WILL THESE, UH, MSOE BE IN BIKES THEMSELVES OR ON HORSES OR ON CARS OR WALKING? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? W WE WILL HAVE SOME OFFICERS ON FOOT.
WE DO HAVE, UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, BICYCLES AS WELL.
WE HAVE, UH, SMALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
SO WE, WE WILL HAVE, UH, OTHER MOBILITY OPTIONS JUST BESIDES BEING ON FOOT.
YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER THE TRICYCLE MOTORCYCLES WE USED TO HAVE RUNNING AROUND TOWN.
NO, YOU DO A LITTLE, LIKE A LITTLE TOUGH KIND OF THING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S A, UH, PUBLIC, UM, COMMISSION ON, UH, PEDESTRIANS.
IS THAT RIGHT? DO YOU KNOW CYNTHIA, THERE'S AN ADVISORY PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY, SELF APPOINTED.
I SUGGEST THAT YOU TALK TO THEM AND I WONDER HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU GET FOR THE CITY WITH THESE BIKE FEES AND PER MILE FEES.
[01:40:01]
AFTER THAT, I BELIEVE THAT THE REVENUE IS ABOUT $1.2 MILLION FOR SCOOTERS, ELECTRIC, SCOOTERS, ELECTRIC BIKES, THE DEVICES THAT WAS IN THE PRESENTATION.THAT, THAT CONCURS WITH, AND ONE, ONE OTHER QUESTION, WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE READING, UM, ONE OF THESE DEVICES AND THEY ARE IN A GEO-FENCED AREA, DOES SOMETHING COME UP ON A SCREEN THAT SAYS YOU SLOW DOWN, YOU'RE NEAR THE WATER OR SLOW DOWN YOU'RE NEAR THE WHATEVER PEDESTRIANS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO WHAT ACTUALLY, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE ENTERS A GEO-FENCE THAT'S A, A SLOW GEO, UH, SLOWDOWN GEO-FENCE IS THAT AS IT HITS THAT GEO-FENCE, IT SLOWLY STARTS TO DECELERATE INTO THAT SPEED.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF IT DOES DISPLAY IT ON THE DEVICES OR NOT, OR IN THE APP, IN THE APP ITSELF, IT SHOWS THE AREAS THAT ARE EITHER PROHIBITED FROM BEING, UH, PARKED IN THOSE LOCATIONS OR WHERE SLOWS ZONES CURRENTLY EXIST.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T NOTIFY THAT THE RIDER OF THAT LOCATION.
SO IF THEY DRIVE AND, AND, UH, AND THEY HIT IT, IT WILL JUST START TO SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY.
AND IT WON'T LET THEM GET OUT OF THAT.
IF THEY TRY TO GET AN AREA NOW THAT IS A LOCK ZONE, AS THEY GO TO PARK IT, IT WON'T ALLOW THEM TO END THEIR RIDE.
THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TAKE THE DEVICE INTO AN AREA.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO LOOK TO SAY HELLO, BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN, UH, MY POSITION ON THIS COMMISSION IS REPRESENTING THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, WHICH SOMEONE SEEMED TO THINK WE HAD POWER OVER ALL OF THIS.
WE HAVE NO POWER OVER ANYTHING, BUT, UH, I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BEFORE THE UTC, BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON OUR, UH, FUTURE AGENDA LIST FOR A LONG TIME.
IT DOES SEEM THAT YOU'VE REALLY TAKEN QUITE A BIT OF ACTION SINCE WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU, WHICH IS ENCOURAGING.
UM, AND I'VE GOT QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK I'LL DEFER THOSE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN IN THE UTC SETTING.
SO ALL THE OTHER UTC MEMBERS CAN HEAR.
ONE QUICK QUESTION IS YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, CHANGES TO THE DIRECTOR RULES.
IS THAT GIVING THE POWER TO THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION TO TAKE ACTION? OR WHAT DOES, HOW DOES THAT DEFINED? THE UNDER CHAPTER 14 DASH NINE IS THE RIGHT OF WAY VENDING ORDINANCE.
IT AUTHORIZES THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL SET OF REGULATIONS.
UM, AND, AND THIS, THE SET, THE SET OF REGULATIONS CAN BE AMENDED AND PRO MORE PROACTIVELY CHANGED AND WORKED, UM, AS TRENDS AND THINGS SHOW UP VERSUS SOMETHING THAT'S CONCRETE WITHIN AN ORDINANCE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE SAME COUNCIL AND, UH, GO THROUGH, UH, A PRESENTATION AND A VOTE AND ALL THAT, SO THAT THE DIRECTOR'S RULES GIVES US THE, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF FLUIDITY IN, UM, ENACTING SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE NAME.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
AND THE LAST TIME WE DID RECEIVE A PRESENTATION, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE BY ONE OF THE STAFFERS THAT THEY JUST NEVER KNEW WHAT THE NEXT NEW THING WAS ON THE SHIP, WAITING TO BE TAKEN OFF AT THE DOCKS AND JUST APPEAR IN OUR CITY.
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE NOW BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL SOMETHING, JUST SHOWING UP LIKE THE FIRST STUMP WAS, OH, CORRECT.
I MEAN, IF SOMEONE WERE TO DUMP A DEVICE THAT, THAT IT'S OUT THERE, THAT DOESN'T COMPLY WITH OUR CURTAIN RULES, UH, AND OUR CURRENT CODE TO LICENSE THESE COMPANIES, UM, THEN WE WOULD ORDER THEM TO RE YOU KNOW, GET THEM TO REMOVE THEIR DEVICES FROM THE STREET.
AND IF NOT TAKE THE ACTION TO DO IMPOUNDS, WE WOULD NEED TO DO, I'D SAY, WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE HEARD TODAY.
AND OUR MOBILITY SERVICE OFFICERS ARE EXTREMELY COMMUNICATED.
AND, UM, I SOMETIMES GET MESSAGES ASKING, UH, THIS COMPANY IS, ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE HERE? AND SO I'M QUICK TO ANSWER THAT.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A PRETTY RESPONSIVE PROCESS, AND THERE'S A NEXT GENERATION WITH THE SELF AUTOMATED DELIVERY VEHICLES TOO.
WE'VE HAD PRESENTATION ON THAT RECENTLY.
THEY NOW ARE ESCORTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT IN THE FUTURE, POSSIBLY NOT BY IT JUST COMMISSIONERS FOR EVERYBODY'S KNOWLEDGE, THE PERSONAL DELIVERY DEVICES ARE STATE REGULATED.
AND SO, UM, AT SOME POINT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COULD, UM, ALSO, UH, ENACT REGULATIONS.
UM, WE CAN'T, UM, GO OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES, UM, OR WE CA WE CAN'T, UM, CHANGE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES.
UM, BUT WE CAN ENACT A PROGRAM.
UM, BUT THE, THE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN, UM, VERY, UH, COLLABORATIVE AND WE HAD THEY'VE, THEY'VE SHOWN UP AND WE'VE DONE SHOW AND TELLS WITH, UM, AUSTIN POLICE,
[01:45:01]
FIRE EMS TO, TO LET THEM SEE THE DEVICE AND UNDERSTAND IT.UM, SOME OF OUR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS AS WELL, UH, BUT WE'RE MONITORED MONITORING IT CLOSELY AND ADD AT SOME POINT IF, IF THE NEED ARISES.
CAUSE THAT'S WHEN, WHEN WE SHOULD REGULATE IS WHEN THE NEED ARISES.
UM, WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE SOME ACTION MOMENTS, UH, FOR GENERAL BUSINESS, UM, COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ONLINE, UH, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CAMERAS ARE TURNED ON.
SO WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I'VE GOT THREE COMMISSIONERS WITH CAMERAS OFF.
I PROBABLY SHOW UP TWICE ONE WITH THE CAMERA OFF ONE WITH THE CAMERA ON.
UH, COMMISSIONERS MOCK, LIKE TIG AND TAYLOR.
UH, DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS ONLINE? HAVE QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
THIS IT, THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING IS JUST MY STREAK OF LUCK THAT I GOT TO HEAR THIS SCHOOL CHALLENGE.
I SAW AN ELDERLY COUPLE TRIP OVER THIS LITTERING.
I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY A BUNCH OF LITTERING OF THE SCOOTERS.
SO I'M LOOK, I'M GOING TO HEARING ALL THIS AND SWIMMING IN MY HEAD, YOU KNOW, WITH AN INCOME OF ONE POINT, WHATEVER MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE CITY HAVE.
AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE APD OFFICE SUPERVISION AND A EMERGENCY VISIT.
AND ALSO THE BRAND OF AUSTIN DOWNTOWN IS NOT SAFE FOR PEDESTRIAN WHEN WE ARE TRYING, YOU KNOW, TO ENCOURAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE PEDESTRIAN AROUND, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A GOOD BUSINESS SENTENCE, BUT I'M JUST BURY, UM, WORRY AND QUESTION THE WISDOM TO EVEN HAVE, HAVE ALL THIS DEVICE TOGETHER WITH THE PEDESTRIAN AT 10, 15 MILES AN HOUR.
IT'S JUST, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE ARE PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE.
THE FIRST THING DO WE HAVE THE PICTURE THAT I SENT TO UPLOAD THERE WAS TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THAT CHAIR.
SO PROBABLY NOT TONIGHT SO I CAN SEND IT OUT.
I, I SHARED A PICTURE OF A SIDEWALK WITH NOT ONE, NOT TWO, NOT THREE, NOT FOUR, FIVE SCOOTERS IN THE MIDDLE.
AND A GENTLEMAN HAD, WAS WALKING HIS DOG AND HAD TO WALK ADJACENT TO TRAFFIC ON GUADALUPE BECAUSE THERE WERE FIVE SCOOTERS THAT WERE ABANDONED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK.
I WENT BY LATER THAT AFTERNOON, THOSE FIVE SCOOTERS WERE STILL THERE.
THERE WAS AN E-BIKE THAT WAS PARKED BY DUMPED BY A BUSH.
SO, UH, AND ON THE WAY HERE AT SECOND AND GUADALUPE, A GENTLEMAN ON A SCOOTER WENT RIGHT THROUGH A RED LIGHT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, FIVE O'CLOCK TRAFFIC.
SO I'LL JUST START THERE AND WE'LL SHARE THE PICTURE, UH, SHORTLY.
UM, THERE IS ONE OTHER REGULATION THAT YOU ALL DIDN'T MENTION, AND IT CONCERNS THE TEXAS PENAL CODE SECTION 42.03, UH, THAT SAYS A PERSON COMMITS AN OFFENSE IF WITHOUT LEGAL PRIVILEGE OR AUTHORITY, HE INTENTIONALLY KNOWINGLY OR RECKLESSLY OBSTRUCTS, A HIGHWAY STREETS, SIDEWALK, RAILWAY, WATERWAY, SO FORTH AND SO ON, OR ANY OTHER PLACE YOU USED FOR THE PASSENGER PERSONS VEHICLES OR CONVEYANCES.
IT IS NOT A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR AS THE CITY HAS IT.
SO EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAS VIOLATED THE TEXAS PENAL CODE SECTION 42.03.
AND I THINK STAFF CAN AGREE ARE ROUTINELY IN VIOLATION OF THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE PENAL CODE THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY IN VIOLATION OF SECTION 14 DASH NINE DASH TWO THREE.
[01:50:01]
UH, IS I, I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE PLAN IS AS SPECIFIED UNDER SECTION 14 DASH NINE DASH 24, UH, REGARDING CITY-WIDE DOCKLESS TRANSPORTATION UNIT PLACEMENT PLANS.
THOSE ARE PROVIDED BY THE COMPANIES THAT ARE RELEASING THEIR SERVICE, THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING THEIR, THEIR PLAN ON DEPLOYMENT AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REACH A LEVEL OF EQUITY.
SO THAT'S, UH, A SUBMITTAL THAT THE, UM, THE COMPANIES GIVE TO THE CITY.
IS THAT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? UM, NOT CURRENTLY.
UM, AND CAN I ALSO ADD TOO? I THINK THERE'S A CLARIFICATION BETWEEN WHAT DEPLOYMENT AND WHEN A RIDER LEAVES A DEVICE.
UM, I THINK DEPLOYMENTS WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT DEPLOYMENTS HAPPEN IN THE RIGHT AREAS.
WE WERE ON TOP OF THE PROVIDERS ON THAT CONSTANTLY.
WE SEE IT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT THEM DEPLOYING THEM IN PLACES WHERE POTENTIALLY PEOPLE MIGHT SEE THAT AND THEN EVENTUALLY PARKED DEVICES THERE.
NOW, IF A RIDER LEAVES THE DEVICE IN A LOCATION, UM, THAT IS NOT CORRECT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S A SEPARATE DEAL AND SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CONSTANT CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS THAT MAYBE THE, THE, THE PERSON THAT'S USING, UH, THIS DEVICE, UM, PARKS IT IN THE RIGHT MANNER, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHO ACTUALLY MESSED, YOU KNOW, PUSH THE DEVICE OVER AND LET YOU KNOW, ON THE, UH, BLOCKING ACCESS.
UM, CAUSE A LOT OF THE TIMES, YOU KNOW, I'VE EVEN SEEN IT MYSELF WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND THERE'S PEOPLE JUST WALKING OVER AND KICKING DEVICES OVER HIDDEN DEVICES OVER, UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THEM OR THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
WELL, NO, THEY'RE PARKED IN A, IN A PLACE THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO PARK IT'S OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, UH, BLOCKING ACCESS IN ANY WAY.
UM, AND THEN THE EVENT, SOMEONE JUST KNOCKS IT OVER THEN IT IS IN THAT, THAT SITUATION WHERE IT'S BLOCKING.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN TRYING MORE TO FOCUS ON A LOT OF THESE HIGH ACTIVE USES AREAS AND WORKING WITH THE PROVIDERS TO MAKE THOSE MORE OF A PRIORITY DOING MULTIPLE SLEEPS DURING THE DAY.
UM, THEY, UM, ARE STARTING TO USE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES LIKE USING, UM, UH, STAFF TO USE, UH, SCOOTERS OF THEIR OWN, UM, TO DRIVE AROUND AND PICK UP FALLING DEVICES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UM, THEY PICKED UP FAT ENFORCEMENT ON, UM, UH, DURING EVENTS AS WELL.
UH, WE SAW GREAT SUCCESS DURING ACL IN SOUTH, BY SOUTHWEST THIS YEAR, UM, REALLY HONING IN ON THAT PRACTICE ITSELF.
AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO PUT THOSE THINGS INTO PLACE.
AND I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION AND FOCUSING ON SAFETY IS A PRIORITY, WHICH IS OUR PRIORITY AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE FOCUSING ON PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS NOW.
UM, AND THE TECHNOLOGY IS GETTING BETTER AND WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT.
UM, AND WE'LL JUST CONTINUE OUR BEST TO, TO TRY TO DO THAT.
UM, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER MOBILE OTHER MOBILE INDUSTRY, UM, MOBILITY INDUSTRY DOES, HAS THE DIRECTOR MODIFIED OR REDUCE THE NUMBERS OF SCOOTERS AND E-BIKES IN ANY SPECIFIC AREAS, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT.
SO THAT'S A PART OF THE DIRECTOR'S ROLES AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES ON THAT.
THE FIRST THING WE DID IS, IS LIMIT THE DEVICES, RIGHT? NO MORE DEVICES IN THOSE AREAS.
NOW WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE MORE DEVICES IN OTHER AREAS THAT MAY NOT HAVE USED DEVICES OR HAVE LESS DEVICES TO ENCOURAGE MORE USES THERE TOO.
WE'RE FOCUSING ON WHAT THE CAPACITY COULD LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE, HOW MUCH DEPLOYMENTS COULD HAPPEN ON A BLOCK OF WHERE THEY CAN BE DEPLOYED ON A BLOCK.
UM, AND THAT SOON TO COME AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE RULES, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THE AVERAGE DEPLOYMENT ON ANY DAILY ON A DAILY BASIS IS PROBABLY HALF OF THE DEVICES PERMITTED.
UM, ARE WE SEEING EXCESS CAPACITY WHERE WE COULD ENCOURAGE THE PROVIDERS TO REDUCE THE NUMBERS THAT THEY PUT OUT ON THE STREETS? YES.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF GOING BACK TO THE TRIP FREE RANGE, UM, AND I'LL BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THIS IS NOT SOLIDIFIED, IT'S A, IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE'RE KIND OF WORKING ON, MAYBE POTENTIALLY THROUGH THE DIRECTOR'S RULES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE NOTE OF THAT, UM, THAT IT, THE RANGE WOULD ALLOW US IF THEY OVER SATURATED AREA POTENTIALLY, UM, THAT IF THEY'RE NOT NEEDING A CERTAIN TRIP REQUIREMENT PER DEVICE, THAT THEY WILL PAY A HIGHER FEE PER TRIP, ENCOURAGING THE COMPANIES TO, UH, COOPERATE WITH OUR CURRENT RULES AND REDUCE DEVICES IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, AND THERE'S MULTIPLE OTHER TACTICS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT INCENTIVIZES THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THEIR COMPANY TO FORCE THEM TO BE MORE IN TUNE WITH OUR PRIORITIES HERE.
I KNOW I'VE SHOT A LOT AT YOU.
I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING AS WE WERE TALKING.
UM, SO THE QUESTION WAS ASKED EARLIER, AND ONE OF YOU ANSWERED THAT WE HAVE MAKE ABOUT 1.2 MILLION A YEAR,
[01:55:01]
UM, ON THE FEES AND STUFF.HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING US? AND WHO'S DOING THE COST ANALYSIS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE, MAY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GOING SHOPPING OR WHATEVER, BUT THEN ALSO ADDING IN THE COST OF, UH, THE EMS AND POLICE INVOLVEMENT AND, UM, COST FOR, UM, PEOPLE GETTING TAKEN CARE OF AT THE, AT THE HOSPITALS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WHO'S, WHO'S KEEPING AN EYE ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS ACTUALLY COSTING OUR CITY MORE MONEY THAN IT'S WORTH.
UM, WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, YES, WE DO COST EVALUATIONS ON OUR INTERNAL STAFF, UM, AND WE MANAGE THOSE THINGS.
UM, THAT'S HOW WE COME UP WITH THOSE FEES.
NOW, RIDING A DEVICE LIKE A SCOOTER IS, IS AT YOUR OWN RISK, RIGHT? THAT'S, SOMEONE'S, YOU KNOW, UM, PERSONAL CHOICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO COST ANALYSIS THAT ASPECT OF IT.
UM, BUT WE DO DO A LOT OF COST ANALYSIS ON OUR CURRENT SERVICES.
THAT'S WHY WE DID A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE FOCUS ON REDUCING THAT.
UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO THE TAXPAYERS AND THOSE FEES.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S THE FOCUS ON THAT.
UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, USING THOSE FEES FOR OTHER THINGS, RIGHT, WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND SO MUCH ON JUST STAFF TIME.
WE WANT TO PUT THAT BACK INTO THE CITY, INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE THAT THIS MODE IS SUSTAINABLE, BUT WE ARE, BUT WE ARE ALSO, UM, IS THIS 1.2 MILLION FUNDING, THE 10 MSOE.
SO THERE, THERE IS A COST FOR US HAVING TO ENFORCE OR REGULATE THESE THINGS.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT THAT DOES IT, IS IT IN OUR CITY'S BEST INTEREST, BOTH HEALTH-WISE AND MONEY-WISE TAXPAYERS' INVESTMENT, UH, TO, TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW THEM TO BE IN OUR CITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MONEY THAT GOES BACK INTO THE PARKING ENTERPRISE AND IT FUNDS A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAFF AND THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE, UM, THE APPROVAL OF MICRO MOBILITY.
IT ALSO GOES INTO OPERATING FUNDS SO THAT IF WE NEED TO PUT DOWN A PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE IN BOXES, WE HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE TO DO THAT.
SO IT GOES BACK INTO OPERATING FUNDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE NOT DONE A COST ANALYSIS OF WHAT THE SERVICE PROVIDES THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DATA THAT WE HAVE SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, OVER 10 MILLION TRIPS.
AND SO WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT GAIN US, RIGHT? DOES THAT, IS THAT NET US CARS OFF THE STREET? NOPE.
AND THEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRIPS.
AND IS THAT A BENEFIT? SO THERE, THERE ARE, ARE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER THE BAD THINGS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING PLUS THE GOOD ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM TO REALLY DO SOME SORT OF A, AN ANALYSIS.
AND THAT WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE, WE'RE GETTING THERE.
LIKE I SAID, THE DATA IS IMPORTANT.
WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO DO THAT, BUT AGAIN, AT BEST, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ANECDOTAL INFORMATION THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY ADD UP TO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE WORTH, YOU KNOW, USING AT THAT POINT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT YOU CAN MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S, YOU KNOW, TRIPS EQUALS PRODUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS OR SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF TAKING THEIR CAR TO GO GET LUNCH, THEY TOOK A SCOOTER AND I CAN USE DIFFERENT DATA POINTS TO DO THAT.
WE CHOOSE NOT TO, JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DISPLAYING SOMETHING THAT IS POTENTIALLY ANECDOTAL AND NOT MEETING THOSE, THOSE THINGS, BUT WE'RE, WE DEFINITELY ARE COLLECTING MORE DATA TO TRY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT.
CAN WE PLEASE HAVE THE DATA ON THE AMOUNT OF CAR ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SCOOTERS? I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT NUMBER.
WE DO REQUIRE THE COMPANIES TO SEND US, UH, CRASH REPORTS OR INCIDENTS REPORTS EVERY MONTH, UM, BECAUSE HOW THEY'RE RECORDED EITHER TO THE PROVIDER OR THROUGH OTHER MEANS IT'S NOT CONSISTENT.
SO IT'S HARD TO GET THAT DATA.
UM, WE ARE WORKING, UM, TO TRY TO INCREASE THAT WAY AND AVAILABILITY OF THAT DATA, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WHEN THEY RESPOND TO A CRASH OF MICRO MOBILITY AND VEHICLES, OR JUST MICROBIALLY IN GENERAL, UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR VISION ZERO TEAM TO TRY TO HELP WITH THAT AS WELL.
I HAD A QUESTION IF THERE IS TIME, THIS IS COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ WAS ABOUT TO CALL ON YOU.
UM, TWO QUICK SORTS OF TANGENTIAL QUESTIONS.
ONE, I JUST LIKE TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLE TO SAY, PLEASE GET MORE SUITORS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY CENTER AND OUT TO BUS STOPS THAT ARE FARTHER AWAY WHERE THAT LAST MILE IS DEFINITELY HARDER TO NAVIGATE.
UM, ANY CHANCE THAT YOU GUYS IN ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IS APPRECIATED.
UM, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THEM DOWNTOWN AND PLACES, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE AT THE CORNER OF STASSNEY AND MEN CHAKA, FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S,
[02:00:01]
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GO ANOTHER MILE.THAT'LL, IT'LL JUST GET YOU A LOT FARTHER.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT ONE.
AND THEN TWO, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE, YOU MENTIONED IT, THE AUSTIN, THE ATD MONITORS, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND YOU REFERRED TO THEM AS OFFICERS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE SWORN OFFICERS AND I'M CROSSING MY FINGERS AT THE ANSWER TO THAT AS NO.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF CLARIFYING, UM, JUST, UH, HOW MUCH STUFF THAT IS GROWING, UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE DOING ANY SORT OF ENFORCEMENT OUTSIDE OF QUIRKY AND SCOOTERS.
SO THE MOBILITY SERVICE OFFICERS ARE NOT CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
THEY, THEY, THE ONLY ARE AUTHORIZED TO WRITE UP TO A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.
THEY CAN WRITE NO, NO LARGER THAN A CLASS C.
SO IF IT'S B OR ABOVE, WE CAN NOT DO THAT.
UM, THAT OUR, UM, OUR OFFICERS ARE, ARE, ARE, UM, A COMBINATION OF MINT.
UM, THEY ALSO LOOK AT TAXI CAB AND CHARTER BUS AND LIMOUSINES, AND OF COURSE IN PERSON CARRIAGE, UM, PERMITS AROUND CYCLES.
SO WE'VE, UM, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY SERVICES THAT THOSE OFFICERS ARE LOOKING FOR.
SO WHEN THEY'RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK IF SOMEBODY PAID FOR PARKING, YOU DIDN'T, THEY'LL ALSO SEE IF A SCOOTER IS KNOCKED OVER AND THEY'LL GO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
IF SOMEBODY RIDING IN INCORRECTLY, THEY'LL ALSO, IF A TAXI CAB IS STAGING IN THE WRONG PLACE.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY TRANSPORTATION, UM, UM, SERVICES THAT THEY'RE ENFORCING AS WELL AS PARKING.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO, UH, BEING CALLED ON, WE HAVE A MOBILE PHONE APP SO THAT IF SOMEBODY SEES SOMEBODY PARKED IN A NO PARKING ZONE, UM, AND WE, WE CAN GO, UM, WE CAN TAKE A HOT SHOT OUT TO, UM, THAT LOCATION AND ENACT A TOW.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ON APD TO DO IT.
WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
AND WE'VE BEEN CLEARING ALLEYS AND WHERE THE BIKE LANES ARE SIGNED FOR NO PARKING.
UM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE REGULATORY SIGNAGE THERE WITH THE TOW BLADE.
UM, IF THAT'S THE CASE WHERE WE'RE TILLING OUT OF THOSE ZONES, UM, AND WE'RE ALSO ENFORCING RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMITS AS WELL.
THERE ARE OVER 47 RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT, UM, AREAS WITHIN AUSTIN, SOME ARE A LOT ARE KIND OF COOL DOWNTOWN, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE, UM, UM, OUTSIDE THE, YOU KNOW, 10, 10 PLUS MILES OUTSIDE THE CORE DOWNTOWN.
SO WE HAVE, UM, AND, AND WE'RE ALSO NOW STANDING AT BARRICADES AND HELPING REINFORCE BARRICADES, ESPECIALLY EVENTS TO YOU.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP PLUG THE HOLES WHERE IF THERE'S THE NEED FOR APD TO POTENTIALLY COVER SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR A CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, THAT WE CAN HELP A LOT OF THAT HOLE SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND, AND DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS A ROBBERY OR, OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE INTENSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR OFFICERS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, WE'RE DEVELOPING TOOLS AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, MOTORIST ASSISTANCE, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY RUNS OUT OF GAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE AGAIN, A CAN OF GAS WITH US AND A NEIGHBOR TO GAS THEM UP, AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR MOBILITY IMPINGEMENT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE FUNCTION OF A TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY SERVICE OFFICER.
UM, WE A WIDE SWATH THAT WE COVER.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE 10 POSITIONS FILLED.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE FILL THOSE POSITIONS, I WILL GO BACK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10, UM, TO HELP AUGMENT, UH, FURTHER.
AND IF I CAN REAL QUICK TO ADD TO YOUR FIRST STATEMENT COMMISSIONER.
UM, SO ONE OF THE, PART OF THE, THE RE LOOK AT OUR DIRECTOR'S RULES IS WE NOTICED THAT THE FOCUS ON EQUITY WAS IN A LITTLE BIT LOWER DOWN THE POLE, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH LANGUAGE ON THAT.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY MOVED WHEN IT COMES TO THE SECTIONS IN THE ROLES.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A PARENT, THAT EQUITY IS IMPORTANT AS WE'VE MOVED THAT UP.
AND WE'VE FOCUSED ON THAT TOO, NOT TO INCENTIVIZE, WE REALLY FEEL LIKE INCENTIVIZING IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO, TO ACT ON EQUITY, BUT PROFILE, FINDING WAYS TO, TO REALLY WORK WITH THE COMPANIES.
SO THAT THEY'RE JUST AS INVOLVED IN THAT TO PUTTING THEM OUT IN DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN BUS STOPS, WORKING WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND CAN CAPITAL METRO TO DO THOSE THINGS.
I'M JUST ALWAYS EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT ANY WAY THAT WE'RE TAKING SORT OF WORKLOAD AWAY FROM APD, AND THEN WE CAN BE USING UNSWORN OFFICERS TO FILL SOME OF THESE MORE SORT OF CIVILIAN FOCUS DUTIES.
SO I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU GUYS EXPAND ON THAT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GROWING TO.
AND YOU'RE IN A DIFFICULT POSITION AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, AND THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
UM, I DO HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT I'M GOING TO BRING FORWARD TONIGHT, AND IT, SOME OF IT IS
[02:05:01]
BEING ADDRESSED IN VARIOUS WAYS BY YOUR DEPARTMENT.UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I FELT STRONGLY THAT COUNCIL NEEDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT I CIRCULATED EARLIER TODAY.
PARTICULARLY THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, THOSE HERE ALSO HAVE A PRINT COPY.
UH, AND AGAIN, IT IS A DRAFT AND I AM HAPPY TO, UM, EMBRACE ANY FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, UH, BUT I WILL NEED TO READ IT FOR THE RECORD.
I BELIEVE MR. CHAIRMAN, I ASK A QUESTION OF THE TRANSPORTATION FOLKS BEFORE WE DIG IN AND I, I WON'T DO MY WHOLE LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR TIME SAKE, BUT I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, A COUPLE OF Y'ALL HAVE TOUCHED ON THE FINANCES OF THIS THING, AND IT'S SHOCKING TO ME THAT WE ONLY GET ABOUT A MILLION BUCKS A YEAR OUT OF IT.
I DID SOME ROUGH MATH ON THE BACK OF MY SHEET HERE, AND I FIGURED MAYBE WE GOT LIKE 6 MILLION BUCKS SINCE THIS THING STARTED.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD SURE GET A LOT MORE MONEY OUT OF THIS PROGRAM TO FUND SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS THING MORE SUSTAINABLE.
UM, THINGS LIKE MORE DOCKING STATIONS.
SO THERE'S CORRALS OR SOMETHING FOR THESE THINGS TO, TO GO, UH, RATHER THAN BE STREWN AROUND.
I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S THIS RESOLUTION WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, BUT THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
ESPECIALLY FOLKS WHO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AS IT IS.
I'VE GOOD FRIEND IN A WHEELCHAIR WHO HIS TWITTER FEED IS A LOT OF EXPLETIVES ABOUT THESE THINGS.
AND I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE SOME THINKING ABOUT MORE MONEY COMING IN TO BUILD MORE SAFETY MECHANISMS AND TO MAKE THIS THING MORE SUSTAINABLE.
BECAUSE I MEAN, I USE THE SCOOTERS.
THEY'RE FUN, THEY'RE DANGEROUS, BUT THEY'RE FUN.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM IN MORE PARTS OF TOWN WHERE MAYBE IT'S SAFER TO USE THEM THAN JUST DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW LIKE UP IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS, THEY STOP.
I TOOK, TRIED TO TAKE ONE FROM THE HOLE IN THE WALL THE OTHER NIGHT BACK HOME.
AND IT CONKED OUT LIKE ABOUT A BLOCK BEFORE CENTRAL MARKET.
SO I WALKED THE LAST TWO MILES.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE SURE IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE THEM AND THE REST OF THE CITY, BUT MAYBE LESS, MAYBE MORE PLACES FOR THEM TO BE CORRALLED IS I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING.
AND MORE MONEY TO BUILD THOSE SORTS OF THINGS AND TO HAVE RESOURCES TO MAKE THIS THING A MUCH SAFER PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS MAYBE A BETTER ELASTICITY FOR THESE PERMITS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE USEFUL DURING ACL, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE USEFUL, USEFUL DURING SOUTH BY WHEN THERE'S JUST PEOPLE WALKING EVERYWHERE ANYWAY.
AND I MEAN, I SEE PEOPLE GETTING RUN OVER BY THESE THINGS, BUT DURING THOSE TIMES, BUT THEY ARE USEFUL DURING THOSE TIMES, BUT THEN THE REST OF THE TIME, THERE'S JUST, THAT SEEMS TO BE AN ABUNDANCE OF THEM IN A VERY CUT THAT WOULD BE, YOU HAVE ALL THE DATA NOW.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE COULD MAKE SOME HEADWAY ON SOME OF THAT STUFF.
UM, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL RETURN THE, THE MIC.
CAN I JUST ONE QUICK, QUICK, QUICK QUESTION.
CAN YOU PLEASE, UM, PROVIDE US SOME, UH, DATA ON THE, UM, FULL DATA REPORT ON ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THESE SCOOTERS BY THE NEXT MEETING? CAN WE HAVE THAT? UH, YES.
LET ME, UH, LET ME TRY TO WORK ON WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
YEAH, I THINK PRETTY SURE ABD PROBABLY HAS THAT.
IT'S KIND OF PIECEMEAL, THE APD DOES HAVE SOME OF IT.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S OTHER REPORTING AGENCIES THAT HAVE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
SO WE PULL IT FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AS WELL AS OUR OWN REPORTING.
UM, I'M GOING TO READ THIS IT'S A LITTLE LONG.
SO BEAR WITH ME, UH, WHERE RESOLUTION, WHEREAS THE CITY OF BOSTON ENCOURAGES THE USE OF VARIOUS MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTIONS AND WHEREAS MOBILITY, MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTIONS, PRESENT USERS, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST MILE LAST MILE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, AS WELL AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BOTH VEHICLE AND TRANSIT USE.
AND WHEREAS USERS OF MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTIONS ROUTINELY VIOLATE SECTION 12 DASH TWO DASH 15 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE IN SECTION 42.03 OF THE TEXAS PENAL CODE.
IN ADDITION TO OTHER VARIOUS APPLICABLE RULES AND REGULATIONS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, A LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OR INADEQUATE DETERRENCE, AND WHEREAS MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTION PROVIDERS HAVE DONE LITTLE, IF ANYTHING, TO REQUIRE USERS COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 12 DASH TWO DASH 15 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND SECTION 42.03 OF THE TEXAS PENAL CODE.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS FAILED TO ACTIVELY OR CONSISTENTLY ENFORCE SECTION 12 DASH TWO DASH 15 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND SECTION 42.03 OF THE TEXAS PENAL CODE AMONG OTHERS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FAILURE TO ENFORCE HAS RESULTED IN THE PARKING AND ABANDONMENT OF MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTIONS
[02:10:01]
OBSTRUCTING THE PUBLIC THOROUGHFARE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, ON PARKLAND AND ON OTHER PUBLIC LAND PRESENTING VIOLATION OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, A PUBLIC DANGER AND A PUBLIC NUISANCE.THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION ADVISES THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ENACT THE FOLLOWING, TO CREATE A DEDICATED ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM, TO ENACT THIS RESOLUTION, TO AMEND CITY CODE 12 DASH TWO DASH 36 TO INCREASE VIOLATIONS OF SECTION 12 DASH TWO DASH 15 TO $100 ON A FIRST CONDUCT CONVICTION AND $250 ON SUBSEQUENT CONVICTIONS TO PROVIDE MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTION PROVIDERS WITH NOTICE UPON ONE HOUR TO REMOVE MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES IDENTIFIED TO BE IN VIOLATION OF SECTION 12 DASH TWO DASH 15 WITHIN DOWNTOWN AND TWO HOURS IN ALL OTHER PARTS OF AUSTIN, EXCEPT THOSE AREAS THAT ARE UNDER THE ERROR SIDE OF ANOTHER GOVERNING BODY OR ON PRIVATE PROPERTY TO IMPOUND MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES IDENTIFIED TO BE IN VIOLATION OF SECTION 12 DASH TWO DASH 15 AFTER PROVIDING THE MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE OWNER WITH RECORDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVICE, INCLUDING TIMESTAMPED PHOTOS, AND AFTER ALLOWING THE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RECOVERY OF THE DEVICE DEFINED ABOVE TO RELEASE THE MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE TO ITS OWN, OR FOR $100 PLUS $5 FOR EVERY DAY.
IT'S IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S IMPOUND, LOT TO DESIGNATE ALL FINES AND PENALTIES ASSESSED HERE IN TO FUND COST TO OPERATE THIS ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ALL FINES AND PENALTIES COLLECTED IN EXCESS TO BE ALLOCATED TO DOCKLESS EQUITY SOLUTIONS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AMENDMENTS SECOND.
AND I GOT A SECOND, I GUESS I NEEDED A SECOND FIRST RUBBER TURTLE, THE BOARD.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, I HAVE A QUESTION.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PUT A QR CODES ON THESE THINGS SO THAT IF ONE IS IN VIOLATION, YOU CAN GO UP TO IT JUST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE RENTING ONE, DO THE THING.
AND THEN JUST LIKE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF IT TO PARK IT.
YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF IT SHOWING IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK OR IN THE LAKE OR WHEREVER.
I MEAN, IS THAT A, IS THAT FEASIBLE? DO THEY HAVE A, THEY'VE GOT A LICENSE NUMBER ON EACH ONE, IS THAT CORRECT AS PART OF THEIR PERMIT? CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, UM, WE HAVE IN OUR 3 1, 1 APP, ESPECIALLY A SPECIFIC SR FOR MICRO MOBILITY.
SO WHEN PEOPLE SUBMIT THAT REQUEST, UM, YOU CAN ATTACH A PHOTO TO IT AND YOU CAN SELECT FROM A DROPDOWN MENU, THE NAME OF THE COMPANY.
AND WHEN YOU SUBMIT IT, IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE COMPANY AND WE GET A COPY OF THAT SAME EMAIL.
SO WE ARE TRACKING, UM, THOSE RESPONSE TIME FOR WHEN THEY'RE ADDRESSING IT.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE REVIEWING THEM.
SO IF THERE IS A REALLY URGENT ISSUE SUCH AS WATERWAYS, WE PRIORITIZE THAT AND FOLLOW UP WITH THEM ASAP.
IF WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM, THEN WE WOULD TAKE, UH, ACTION TO GET AN OFFICER OUT IN THE FIELD TO ADDRESS IT.
WELL, THIS OBVIOUSLY CREATES A MUCH MORE STRIDENT TIMELINE FOR RESOLUTION.
UH, I WILL JUST SAY THAT THERE WAS A, UH, A SCOOTER THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROSSWALK OR THE CORNER BY A CAP METRO BUS STOP NEXT TO SETON HOSPITAL.
AND IT WAS BLOCKING THAT SIDEWALK FOR A WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS REPORTED OR NOT, BUT IT WAS NEXT TO A CAP METRO SPOT AND A HOSPITAL.
AND IT'S, WELL, YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AT ANY RATE.
UM, I KNOW I WENT THROUGH THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UM, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR AMENDMENTS OR ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT USE ON HIGH PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS.
AMEND MUNIS AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT USE ON HIGH PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS.
WHERE WOULD YOU PUT THAT HIGH PEDESTRIAN USE SIDEWALKS.
I'LL ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
WHY WOULD WE LIMIT THE RESTRICTION TO JUST THE HIGH TRAFFIC SIDEWALKS? MY CONCERN IS THAT IT'S JUST SEEMS VERY WELL-KNOWN THAT DIFFERENT SPEEDS ARE A TRAFFIC PROBLEM FLOWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
IF SOMEONE'S GOING FIVE MILES AN HOUR OR WALKER'S GOING TWO AND THREE MILES PER HOUR, DEALING WITH
[02:15:01]
PEOPLE FLYING BY AT 15 MILES PER HOUR IN THE SAME AREA, THAT'S JUST SEEMS A PRESCRIPTION FOR A CLIENT ACCIDENTS AND TRAUMA.I WONDER WHY WE'VE LIMITED JUST TO THE DOWNTOWN WHERE THE HIGH TRAFFIC.
WELL, THERE MAY BE SOME PLACES WHERE SIDEWALKS ARE LOW TRAFFICKED, BUT THEY'RE ADJACENT TO HIGH TRAFFIC ROADWAYS WHERE THAT THE SIDEWALK MAY BE THE SAFER OPTION I THINKING OF LAMAR BOULEVARD FOR HIM.
SO EVEN ALONG BARTON SPRINGS, UM, I TOOK LAMAR.
SO I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY, I THINK THEY'RE THE HOT, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'LL DEFINE HIGHER USE, BUT THERE ARE SIDEWALKS THAT I THINK COME TO MIND IMMEDIATELY, LIKE EVERY SIDEWALK DOWNTOWN, UH, IN SOUTH CONGRESS.
ABSOLUTELY DO SUPPORT THE DOWNTOWN ISSUE IN THE HIGH TRAFFIC SIDE WALKS.
I JUST WONDERED IF WE COULD PULL IT BROADER, BUT THANK YOU.
UH, COMMISSIONER, MAY I ADD SOMETHING PLEASE? SURE.
SO JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, BREEDINGS OF THE RESOLUTION.
UM, I, SO THE TWO IMPOUND, MICRO BOONE, MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES, WE CURRENTLY DO THAT IN THE RULES STATE THAT ALREADY WE CHARGE A HUNDRED DOLLARS, UM, FOR EVERY IMPOUND.
UH, WE ACTUALLY WERE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF OTHER CITIES THAT CHARGE A STORAGE FEE.
UM, SO I'M GLAD YOU GOT IN FACT SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO LOOK INTO.
UM, AND THEN, UH, SO HOW MANY UNITS ARE IMPOUNDED ON A MONTHLY BASIS? UH, I DON'T HAVE THAT FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
I CAN GET THAT NUMBER, UH, BUT IT VARIES, JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THE NEED AND WHEN WE DO AUDITS AND THE CONCERNS THAT WE GET.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, ON AVERAGE, YOU KNOW, IT D IT JUST REALLY VARIES.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE UP TO 30, 40 DEVICES TO FIVE DEVICES TO, IT JUST DEPENDS.
MAYBE, MAYBE WE NEED TO RAISE THE IMPOUND FEE TO 250 BUCKS.
THE, UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT IT IS IT WOULDN'T COST THE, UH, THE PROVIDERS, ANYTHING IF, UH, IF THEIR PARKING WAS IN FOR, OR WAS, UH, IF PHILLIPS DID THE RIGHT THING.
UM, I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR, IF THERE'S NO OTHER, UH, CONVERSATION ON IT, UH, CALL FOR VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
THE MOTION CARRIES THAT WAS ON THE AMENDMENT.
AND NOW WE GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION NOW, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS Y'ALL ARE JUGGLING.
YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH BIG, BIG BIRDS AND BIG LIMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE TONIGHT FOR A VERY, UH, DEEP DISCUSSION.
UH, ONE LAST THING IS JUST A THINK AT MARYVILLE FOR COMING TODAY.
SHE DOES A LOT OF GREAT WORK WITH THE, UH, WITH THIS PROGRAM AND, UH, IS REALLY DIVE DEEP INTO CREATING A BETTER PROGRAM FOR AS A PUBLIC.
LET'S BE THE MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND EVERY QUESTION AND COMMENT THAT, UM, WE'VE GOTTEN TONIGHT, IT'S NOTHING NEW.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE ARE ASKING OURSELVES HOW TO IMPROVE EVERY DAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PANDEMIC, OUR RESOURCES WERE DIVERTED A LITTLE WHILE AND THE THINGS PICKING UP, WE'RE REALLY HOPING TO MAKE BIG CHANGES IN THE COMING MONTHS.
[2.d. Convention Center Expansion: Downtown Commission Working Group Recommendation ]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA INVOLVES CONVENTION CENTER.OKAY, GUYS, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO REALLY RUSH THROUGH THIS OR NOT RUSH, BUT MAKE IT, MAKE IT QUICK.
AND I'M BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION TO THE FLOOR IN RESPONSE TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION THAT PROFESSOR SANDERS GAVE US IN FEBRUARY.
UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, PROFESSOR SANDERS IS THE UTMOST, UM, EXPERT ON CONVENTION CENTERS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE NATION.
UH, AND THE NUMBERS HE PROVIDED TO US WERE REQUESTED, UH, BY WELL CO UH, COUNCIL WOMEN, ALISON ALTER REQUESTED A REPORT.
AND THE NUMBERS THAT PROFESSOR SANDERS SHOWED US CAME FROM THAT REPORT.
SO I'M HOPING YOU ALL WILL SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
SO WE CAN BEGIN A DIALOGUE WITH THE CITY STAFF, WITH THE COUNCIL HOTEL INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.
I THINK THAT THE AUSTIN PUBLIC TAXPAYERS
[02:20:01]
DESERVE TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY ON THIS MASSIVE UNDERTAKING THAT THE CITY IS PLANNING.SO DO I JUST READ THE RESOLUTION NOW TO YOUR AUGUST? OKAY.
WHEREAS CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW ATTENDANCE IS NOT RECOVERED TO PRE GREAT RECESSION.
2008, 2009 LEVELS AND NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER ATTENDANCE WAS GENERALLY DECLINING IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
WHEREAS AUSTIN HAS NEVER MET THE HOTEL ROOM NIGHT GOALS, 303 30, 2000 LISTED IN THE CONSULTING REPORTS ADVOCATED FOR 2002 CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
THE 2018 NUMBER WAS 246,000, WHEREAS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND REVENUE, WHICH PAYS FOR PRIOR AND FUTURE CONVENTION CENTER, EXPANSIONS DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING COVID 19 AND HAS YET TO STABILIZE, LET ALONE RETURN TO PRE COVID LEVELS.
WHEREAS AUSTIN IS CURRENTLY PAYING FOR MULTIPLE CONVENTION CENTER RELATED BONDS, INCLUDING THE 2002 EXPANSION MATURING IN 2029 AND THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER ENTERPRISES HILTON HOTEL BOND, WHICH IS IN JEOPARDY OF DEFAULTING WHILE ANY CONVENTION EXPANSION CONSTRUCTION OCCURS.
WHEREAS AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PLANS WERE CONCEIVED WITH PRE COVID 19 ASSUMPTIONS, NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INCREASING SHIFT TO HYBRID GATHERINGS.
WHEREAS THE RESEARCH TEAM LED BY UT ACADEMICS, PUBLISHED FINDINGS IN NATURE, SUSTAINABILITY DECEMBER, 2021, CONCLUDING THAT THE RECENT SH SHIFT TO HYBRID CONVENTIONS PRODUCED BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AND INCLUSIVITY BENEFITS AS PHYSICAL ATTENDANCE DROPPED.
WHEREAS TOTAL CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ROOM DEMAND FROM 2018 WAS 2.8 MILLION AND TOTAL CONVENTION CENTER ROOM NIGHTS WERE 246,000 TO 35, WHICH INDICATES THAT EVEN PRE COVID THE CONVENTION CENTER ACCOUNTED FOR FEWER THAN 9% OF TOTAL CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ROOMS. WHEREAS IN PAST YEARS, COVID 19 PRE COVID 19, THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DROVE A SMALL PART OF THE TOURISM ECONOMY ACCOUNTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 2% OF THE TOURISTS WHO COME TO AUSTIN.
WHEREAS THE COMPLETION OF THE FAIRMONT HOTEL, WHICH HAS CONNECTED TO THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER ADDED NEARLY 140,000 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING ROOM SPACE, EFFECTIVELY EXPANDING THE CONVENTION CENTER AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYERS TO ACCOMMODATE LARGER EVENTS WHILE INCREASING COMPETITION FOR SMALLER EVENTS AND THE MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN HOTEL OFFERS OVER 60,000 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE AND IS LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH SIMILAR BENEFITS AND COST OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS AND HOUSTON, ALL PRESENTLY HAVE LARGER CONVENTION FACILITIES AND AN ALREADY COMPETITIVE MARKET.
AND WITH AUSTIN'S CONVENTION CENTER, ATTENDANCE SUFFERING FROM THE PANDEMIC, AUSTIN WILL LIKELY FIND IT INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING TO COMPETE IN AN ERODING MARKET WITH EVER INCREASING SUPPLY AND SHRINKING DEMAND.
WHEREAS DALLAS HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION WHERE THEY PROJECT THEIR ATTENDANCE TO MORE THAN DOUBLE.
AND THERE IS NOTHING THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN DO TO PREVENT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OR COMPETITORS FROM EXPANDING AND INCREASING SUPPLY.
WHEREAS THE BIG FOUR CONVENTION CENTER MARKETS, ORLANDO, LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO, AND ATLANTA HAVE LARGER FACILITIES AND MORE DESIRABLE DESTINATION AUSTIN'S EXPANSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ATTRACTING BUSINESS MAY BE UNREALISTICALLY OPTIMISTIC AND OR UNNECESSARY BE IT RESOLVED BY THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY ACTIONS RELATED TO THE EXPANSION OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, THE CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF SHOULD NUMBER ONE, POSTPONE EXPANSION AND OR REDEVELOP PLANS TO INDEPENDENTLY ANALYZE A, THE OVERALL CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY CONDITION AND TRENDS B THE FINANCIAL TRACK RECORD ATTENDANCE AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS COMPARED TO THE PRIOR 2001 CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
SEE THE AVAILABILITY AND USE CASES FOR ADDITIONAL MEETING ROOM SPACE AT THE FAIRMONT AND OTHER NEARBY HOTELS D THE OVERALL OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY A COMBINATION OF HISTORICAL TRENDS, THE PANDEMIC AND THE TECHNOLOGY SHIFT TO HYBRID AND ONLINE CONVENTIONS.
NUMBER TWO, ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR POTENTIAL PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO REDESIGN A CONVENTION CENTER THAT INCLUDES
[02:25:01]
DOWNTOWN HOUSING, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE TO ARTISTS AND SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.THE CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF WILL PRESENT AN ASSESSMENT OF EXPECTED UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE EXPANSION SCENARIOS WEIGHTED BY PROBABILITY IN EARLY 20, 24, AFTER CONSULTING A SPECTRUM OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS.
THAT INCLUDES BOTH CONVENTION CENTER, OPTIMISTS AND CRITICS, ANY QUESTIONS, JOEL AND MIKE, WELL, UH, GOT A, THIS ISN'T COMING FROM A COMMITTEE IT'S COMING FROM A WORKING GROUP.
SO A SECOND WOULD BE REQUIRED IF IT WERE COMING FROM A CREDIT COMMITTEE.
I'VE GOT THE RE THE MOTION FOR THE RESOLUTION, AND I'VE GOT A SECOND NOW OPEN TO DISCUSSION.
UM, WE WERE DISCUSSING OVER HERE AND, UH, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR YOU, JOEL, BUT I, UH, WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING WAS SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN IT AND TRYING TO GET HIM TO A YES.
UH, BUT I'M HOOKED AS IS JOEL ON THIS IDEA OF A PPP PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT WE HAVEN'T EXPLORED IT FURTHER.
I'VE TALKED TO SOME MA MAJOR DEVELOPERS IN TOWN ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY, AND HOW ATTRACTIVE WOULD THIS BE TO THEM? IS IT FARFETCHED? IS THIS JUST SOMETHING THAT MY, YOU KNOW, DUMB NON-DEVELOPER BRAIN DOESN'T UNDERSTAND, BUT THEY ALL TELL ME UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT IT WOULD BE AMAZING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT 40 FLOORS OF HOUSING ABOVE FIVE FLOORS AT OUR CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, AND WE COULD MAYBE GET IT FOR FREE OR FOR MAYBE HALF A BILLION DOLLARS INSTEAD OF A BILLION DOLLARS.
UM, WE CAN SAVE A LOT OF TAXPAYER MONEY ON THAT.
IT WOULD BE A GIFT TO THE CITY IN A JUUL.
AND IN MOST CITIES THEY PUT CONVENTION CENTERS.
I THINK IN PLACES THEY'RE TRYING TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT OR SPUR REGROWTH OR REGENERATION, AND WE HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY NOW, WELL, OPPORTUNITIES IS A STRONG WORD.
WE'RE IN A UNIQUE POSITION NOW TO BE PUTTING A CONVENTION CENTER IN A PLACE THAT'S ALREADY BOONTOWN.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND WE ASK STAFF TO LOOK AT A NEW APPROACH.
I MEAN, I THINK THEIR DESIGNS AND STUFF, I'M NOT GOING TO QUIBBLE WITH THEM.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED HOUSING.
WE NEED HOUSING FOR OUR CREATIVE CLASS, AND WE NEED HOUSING FOR OUR SERVICE INDUSTRY TO SERVE THOSE FOLKS DOWNTOWN.
AND IT'S GETTING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY AS A BAR OWNER.
I CAN ATTEST TO THIS, BUT IT'S INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND STAFF THAT LIVES IN TOWN AND CAN SHOW UP EVERY DAY AND CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE AND DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY.
SO, AND IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT IF YOU'RE WORKING DOWNTOWN AND FEEDING ALL THESE RICH PEOPLE, YOU OUGHT TO GET TO LIVE NEAR THERE.
UM, AND SO, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A BIG ASK TO ASK THEM TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT DOING AN ART.
YOU CAN PUT AN RFP OUT AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE.
I'M HOOKED ON THE IDEA THAT THEY DID.
DO ANOTHER STUDY WITH CRITICS AD WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY PRO THIS PLAN AND STUDY THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN UNREASONABLE ASK.
I I'M NOT D I DON'T, I'M NOT DISAGREEING THAT IT'S AN UNREASONABLE ASK.
I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND WITH THEIR DATA, THEY WANT TO SHOW YOU.
AND, UM, I MEAN, WE NEED, WE NEED CLARITY AND WE NEED TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE THE NUMBERS THAT HAYWOOD SANDERS PROVIDED US AND THE NUMBERS THAT THE CITY PROVIDED US, THEY DON'T JIVE THERE.
THEY DON'T MATCH THE CITY'S NUMBERS WERE WAY INFLATED.
AND I THINK THAT THE, THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES TRANSPARENCY ON THIS ISSUE, AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE A FINANCING PLAN.
SO, UM, I'VE PUT MY RESOLUTION FORWARD.
ONE THING TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IS THAT THE FINANCING PLAN ESSENTIALLY IS THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, THAT THE ADDITIONAL 2% IS WHAT PAYS FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND SO WHILE THAT IS A TAX, IT IS A TAX ON HOTEL OCCUPANTS, AND NOT ON THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR, FOR THE INDIRECT.
UM, I MAYBE USE THEM IN AUSTIN, BUT HONESTLY YOU GO SOMEWHERE FUN OUTSIDE VACATIONS,
[02:30:01]
MATH, STAYCATION.SO, UM, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE FINANCING PLAN FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND I'M NOT ARGUING WITH THE REST OF IT, BUT JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF CLARITY, I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT THAT 2% THAT WAS PASSED IS, UM, FOR, IN THAT IS TO THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THAT IS FOR USE TO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
NOW WHETHER THE NUMBERS ARE REALISTIC AND THEY CAN YIELD ENOUGH MONEY FROM THAT 2% TAX TO PAY FOR THE COST OF AN EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER, THAT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND I MEAN, IT'S LIKE PROJECT CONNECT.
THEY WENT TO THE, THEY WENT TO THE, THE TAXPAYER AND THE VOTER AND SAID, OH, IT'S ONLY GOING TO COST YOU THIS MUCH.
WE'RE ONLY 15% THROUGH THE DESIGN SCHEMATICS.
AND THEY'VE DOUBLED THE PRICE ALL THE MONEY, BUT THINGS HAPPEN.
THINGS HAPPEN IN DESIGN WELL, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT ALSO WHAT COULD WE USE THAT MONEY FOR? WELL, THAT'S SPECIFICALLY LIMITED BY STATES.
WELL, ONLY BECAUSE THE KOTEL IS, SHE GOES TO THE STATE AND SAYS LIMITED TO THIS.
SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT, YOU'RE NOT WRONG, BUT ALSO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY THAT WAY.
BUT THAT THAT'S OUTSIDE OUR PURVIEW.
THE REALITY IS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE THAT MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS.
AND IT ALSO COMES DOWN TO HOW THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, INTERPRETS THE RULES.
I THINK THE RULES ARE, OR OTHER CITIES USE IT FOR OTHER THINGS.
THEY USE IT, SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR MORE, MORE DIVERSE USES IF IT'S, IF THEY WENT TO, I SUPPOSE, IF THEY WENT TO THE TAXPAYER AND SAID, WE WANT TO GIVE 2% FOR THIS AND 0.1% FOR THIS ADDITIONAL THING, THAT'S DIFFERENT, BUT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES AND THEIR USES ARE SPECIFICALLY SET OUT NOW, YES, YOU COULD MOUNT A LOBBYING EFFORT TO CHANGE THE USE.
WE COULD GET THAT DONE BEFORE THEY EVER DUG ONE HOLE.
I'M NOT LOOK, I THINK YOU, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE BROADER PICTURE, THE FRAMEWORK.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT BEING DISAGREEABLE ON THAT.
I JUST THINK THAT WERE LIVING OURSELVES IN THIS DISCUSSION BY, BY RULES THAT WE MADE, WE JUST KIND OF MADE OURSELVES TELLING US WE MADE THESE RULES SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION.
I THINK THIS RESOLUTION IS TO START, JUST TO START A DIALOGUE.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE CITY, WITH THE COUNCIL, WITH BELLA, WITH, UH, WITH THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, BECAUSE, SORRY.
YEAH, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S HAVE THAT DIALOGUE.
IF I COULD OFFER UP, UH, HOPEFULLY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UH, TO TRY AND GARNER SOME MORE SUPPORT FOR THIS.
IT WOULD BE A, TO MAYBE ON A, ON SECTION AND THE RESOLVE BE IT RESOLVED.
UH, NUMBER ONE, IF WE, UH, CROSSED OUT POSTPONE EXPANSION GLASSES, POST SPIT, OR POSTPONE EXPANSION AND, OR REDEVELOPMENT, AND EXCHANGE THAT WITH DIRECT STAFF TO INDEPENDENTLY ANALYZE AND PROVIDE A REPORT ON, I DON'T THINK THAT US CALLING FOR A DELAY IS GOING TO HAVE A, ANY REAL IMPACT OR B, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE MOVING THAT FAST.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE A FINANCING PLAN AT THIS POINT AND WE STILL WOULD GET THE INFORMATION WE WANT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT US ASKING FOR A DELAY IS GOING TO CAUSE ONE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE ARE OWED THAT INFORMATION AND THE TRANSPARENCY.
SO, SO YOU WANT TO SAY, JUST PLAN TO INDEPENDENTLY ANALYZE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE GETTING INFORMATION, I THINK.
UM, AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAYWOOD'S GOT GOOD INFORMATION, BUT ALSO AS IT WAS.
SO I, I MET WITH, UH, WITH THOMAS MCGREGOR, CITO STAFF OF MCKINSEY KELLY.
AND, UH, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD MEETING WITH HIM.
WE GAVE HIM AN EIGHT PAGE REPORT ON THE, UH, WHAT HAYWOOD PRESENTED TO US.
AND HE SAID, I WANT TO HAVE A MEETING WITH OUR WORKING GROUP, WITH THE WORKING GROUP, FROM THE, THE TOURISM COMMISSION AND WITH CITY STAFF AND WITH THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, I'D LOVE TO MEET WITH THEM.
AND I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THOSE NUMBERS THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET THIS DONE FOR HALF THE COST IF WE HAD A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
DOESN'T MATTER OF FACT, LET ME JUST SAY THIS NOW, IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING AND YOU'RE A DEVELOPER HIT ME UP.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE JUST REMODEL RENOVATE, SO AUGUST CHAIR HARRISON.
UM, SO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WAS MADE.
WOULD YOU RESTATE THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT FOR THE RECORD? SURE.
[02:35:01]
UH, WE, UH, REMOVE THE WORDS, POSTPONE EXPANSION AND OR REDEVELOPMENT AND REPLACED THEM WITH DIRECT STAFF TO OH.AND THEN DIRECT STAFF TO INDEPENDENTLY ANALYZE AND PROVIDE A REPORT, THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE, FROM AMENDMENT FROM A LANGUAGE PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK IT'S, UM, DIRECT, DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO DIRECT STAFF.
I MEAN, CLEARLY MY, MY LANGUAGE, THESE WORK LIKE MIGRAINE, CHRISTINE MONA, WOULD THAT BE THE APPROPRIATE? OKAY.
YOU HAVE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE.
UH, AND, UH, AND I HAVE THIS, DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? I HAVE A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT HEARING? NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AS PRESENTED PLEASE.
OPPOSED, AND THAT STAINING HEARING ON, AND I'VE GOT ONE ABSTENTION.
NOW TO THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED, UH, ALL IN FAVOR.
IS THAT GOING ON THERE? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE ALL THE, ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE WITH EVERYBODY IN THE WORKING GROUP.
BUT I THINK BEFORE WE MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, EMOTIONS, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO HEAR BACK FROM THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH WOULD BE THE, EVERYTHING FROM THE VISIT AUSTIN HOTEL, LODGING ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS THE CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED BY THEM IN ANY OF OUR,
WELL, COUPLE OTHER THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE TOURISM COMMISSION DID VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO, TO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, THE HOTEL, THE ADDITIONAL 2% HOTEL TAX WAS VOTED ON BY THE TAXPAYERS AND PASSED IN A PROPOSITION.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN TALK OF ALLOCATING A PORTION OF THAT 2% FOR OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ACTIVE, YOU KNOW, IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, IN OTHER OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES.
AND, UM, IF IT'S NOT USED FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY IS PROBABLY GOING TO USE THAT 2% AND THE CITY, AND IT'S, WE'LL NEVER SEE ANY OF THAT.
AND AGAIN, THE VOTERS VOTED ON THAT 2% INCREASE BEFORE COVID, BUT THEY VOTED ON, RIGHT.
DIANE IS, AS I RECALL, CAUSE I REMEMBER VOTING ON THAT.
THE LANGUAGE IS VERY CONVOLUTED.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THE PUBLIC REALLY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE VOTING FOR.
THE PROPOSITIONS ALWAYS ARE CONVOLUTED, THE CITY, WE ALL KNOW THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, CITY COUNCIL THEATER LAST SUMMER, UH, PASSED A RESOLUTION, DIRECTING THE CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT TO PROCEED WITH A, I THINK A DESIGN GET ON AN RFP OUT FOR A DESIGN BUILD PROGRAM FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
ALSO KEEP IN MIND BY WITH THE HOTEL TAX PAYING FOR IT.
IT'S NOT AN OBLIGATION OF A SAUDI GENERAL OBLIGATION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR THAT TO BE DONE, THEN IT'S THE BOND HOLDERS PROBLEM.
AND THE BOND HOLDERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE SPENDING A HALF BILLION, A BILLION DOLLARS ON SOMETHING UNLESS THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GET PAID BACK.
SO ULTIMATELY THAT'S, THAT'S THE SOURCE OF ISN'T THE HILTON BOND RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S VERY CLOSE TO DEFAULTING.
IT IS BEING PAID BACK IT'S THERE IS, THERE IS A, UH, A COVENANT, WHICH THEY'RE NEGOTIATING RIGHT NOW ON HAVING, HAVING TO MAINTAIN THE CONVENTION CENTER AS PART OF IT.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES THEY NEED TO, THEY DO NEED TO ADDRESS AS YOU, AS YOU, UH, BROUGHT UP HERE.
AND, UH, SO, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, KEEP IN MIND, TAXPAYERS ARE NOT ON THE HOOK FOR THIS AT ALL.
AND IF THE PRIVATE MARKET WANTS TO PUT MONEY INTO THIS, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT MAKES SENSE, THEY'LL DO IT.
IF IT DOESN'T, THEY WON'T, AND IT WON'T, IT WON'T HAPPEN.
SO THAT'S, UH, ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND.
UM, OTHER THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IS AS WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND AND, AND INTEGRATE OUR GRID DOWNTOWN PART OF THIS WAS TO LET SECOND AND THIRD STREETS GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UP
[02:40:01]
TO RED RIVER, WHICH RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BLOCKED BY THE CURRENT CONVENTION CENTER AND OF WHICH THAT IS ALL PART OF THE PALM DISTRICT, UH, PLANNING AND, UH, AND, AND REDOING A BOMB PARK AND EVERYTHING RELATED TO THAT.SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL ITEMS THAT ARE, THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN LOOKING AT THE OVERALL PICTURE, I THINK THAT WE, AS A WORKING GROUP, CERTAINLY NEED TO STUDY THIS MORE AND GET MORE FEEDBACK.
BUT, UH, WELL THIS IS JUST A START AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
SO I'M GETTING THE IMPRESSION FROM YOU THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THE MOTION? I, YES, I WOULD LIKE TO, OR YES.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE TO TABLE THE MOTION.
I MOVED TO TABLE THE MOTION I'M ASKING.
YES, I WILL MOVE TO TABLE THE MOTION.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I DON'T, I'M NOT HEARING A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO TABLE.
UH, SO WE'VE GOT THE MAIN MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IT HAS BEEN AMENDED ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, SORRY.
I WANT TO JUST NOTE THAT JOEL'S COMMENTS ARE THOUGHTFUL AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL PRECLUDE ANY OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS WERE HAPPENING.
AND I PERSONALLY, AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP, WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO GET ANSWERS TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UH, BEFORE WE MAKE ANY FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS BEYOND THIS RESOLUTION, I THINK THIS RESOLUTION IS, IS REQUESTING MORE INFORMATION.
AND ALSO I LIKED THE IDEA OF GETTING A PROCESS STARTED ON THE RFP JUST TO, WE CAN SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE, MAN, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT, WHAT IS REALLY CAPABLE FROM, UH, FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PAY FOR THIS THING FOR US.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT PIE IN THE SKY AND IT'S ACTUALLY, I THINK YOU WEREN'T ON THE PEOPLE THAT TURNED ME ON AT THAT FIRST JOB.
I REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS OUR FIRST MEETING.
I DO LISTEN COMMISSIONER GOMEZ.
I THINK THAT WHAT I SEE IN THIS RESOLUTION IS AN ATTEMPT TO GET TO TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY.
AND TO THAT EXTENT, I'M, I'M ALL FOR IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN ANY OF THE BUSINESS THAT WE TAKE TAKE ON, UH, A LOT OF WHAT WE BASE OUR DECISIONS ON IS THE DATA THAT IS GIVEN TO US BY SOMEBODY.
AND WE TRUST THAT THEY'RE TELLING US THE TRUTH, BUT WHEN WE HAVE TWO, UH, ENTITIES THAT ARE TELLING US THEIR TRUTHS AND THEY DON'T MIX, THEY DON'T MATCH.
I THINK ASKING FOR THIS, CAN YOU JUST PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE, WHAT THE TRUTH IS OR THE TRUTH AS YOU SEE IT AND WHY YOU SEE IT THAT WAY, AS OPPOSED TO HOW THESE PEOPLE SEE IT THIS WAY.
AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO TO GO FORWARD.
UH, ANYBODY ONLINE AND I NOTICED WE'VE LOST A COUPLE OF FOLKS.
IT IS A LONG MEETING AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE, UH, SEEING NONE.
UH, DO I HAVE, UH, I GUESS I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND CALL THE CALL THE QUESTION, UH, ALL IN FAVOR.
DO WE STILL HAVE A QUORUM? I WAS JUST CHECKING THAT.
OH, BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH.
UH, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS AMENDED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NAY HEARING NONE.
WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH MOST OF THE HEAVY WORK NOW.
APPARENTLY THERE'S Y'ALL YOU CAN FIRE ME NOW.
[2.e. Election of Downtown Commission Officers ]
ELECTION OF OFFICERS MONA.YES, IT IS, UM, TIME PER THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK TO, UM, FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO DISCUSS AND, UM, POTENTIALLY REELECT OFFICERS OR FIRE THEM, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO CURRENTLY, UM, CHAIR, AUGUST HARRIS AND VICE CHAIR, CHRISTOPHER LAYMAN ARE SEATED AS OFFICERS.
SO I WILL, UH, TURN IT TO YOU TO DISCUSS AS A COMMISSION.
I WILL KNOW CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
UH, ARE YOU WILLING TO CONTINUE? I WILL.
[02:45:01]
I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE IF, IF IT IS THE WILL OF THIS BODY, WHAT ABOUT CHRIS LAYMAN? UH, THE QUESTION IS YOURS, BUT I RECOGNIZE WE HAVE GREAT TALENT ON THIS COMMISSION AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT, UH, OUR CHAIRMAN HAS AGREED TO RERUN.SO DO, DOES IT NEED TO BE IN THE FORM OF EMOTION OR YES, IT DOES.
WE REELECT OUR PRISON OFFICERS.
I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? I THOUGHT I HEARD IT.
WELL Y'ALL ARE STUCK WITH ME FOR A LITTLE WHILE OVER HERE.
[3.a. Staff Updates ]
ALL RIGHT.LET'S, LET'S MOVE THROUGH REPORTS.
I THINK WE'VE, WE DON'T HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR FOLKS COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH ISN'T HERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE WEREN'T, UH, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE MEETING ON, I BELIEVE THE FIFTH OF THIS MONTH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING AND IN THE REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SEND, TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
UH, THERE WERE TWO ITEMS I'LL JUST MENTION IN THAT ONE YOU MENTIONED, OR SOMEONE REFERRED TO EARLIER, THE RED RIVER STREET REALIGNMENT.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REALIGNING BACK TO WHAT THEY WERE TO BEGIN WITH.
THEY HAD TO NARROW THE LANES A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH SPACE LEFT, BUT WE WERE GIVEN EVERY, UH, UM, ASSURANCE THAT IN THE FUTURE, IT WILL BE IMPROVED UPON ONCE THAT WHOLE CAPITAL AREA DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETED AND EVERYTHING SETTLES IN.
YOU KNOW, IT MAY TAKE A WHILE UNTIL IT'S IN ITS VERY FINAL SITUATION, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
THE OTHER ONE WAS JUST A STATEMENT, UH, REGARDING PLANNING I NOTICE, OR THIS COMMISSION ENJOYS GOOD PLANNING.
AND, UM, A LOT OF DECISIONS ARE MADE IN TRANSPORTATION AROUND OUR REGION BASED ON PROJECTIONS, ON, UH, PLANNING, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, THAT IS DONE THROUGH THE PROJECTIONS THAT ARE MADE BY CAMPO THE CAPITAL AREA PLANNING, UM, ORGANIZATION.
AND THEY, UH, HAVE NEVER USED BEFORE SCENARIO PLANNING.
AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION, EVEN TXDOT USES SCENARIO PLANNING, WHICH GIVES YOU A RANGE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE AS IT IS COUNTIES, ESPECIALLY THE MORE, THE LESS POPULATED COUNTIES ARE SORT OF STANDING BEHIND WHAT OTHERS CONSIDER TO BE GREATLY INFLATED NUMBERS.
AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE USED TO ALLOCATE FUNDS, ALLOCATE FUNDS WITHIN THE REGION.
AND IT WAS JUST A, AN ADVISORY TO THE, UH, COUNCIL TO, OR THE COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE CAMPO BOARD TO RECOMMEND SCENARIO PLANNING, SEXY.
HA HAVE YOU ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW TOWER THAT IS BEING PLANNED FOR THE CORNER OF 35 AND CESAR CHAVEZ? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
WE HAVE TALKED SEVERAL TIMES IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, THE EXTENSION OVER THE FREEWAY AND MADE OUR POSITION KNOWN ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE TALLEST BUILDINGS ANYWHERE EVER IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.
UH, THAT'S PLANNED TO GO UP AT THAT INTERSECTION AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, THE INTERSECTION OF 35 AND, AND UH, EAST AVENUE AND, UM, CESAR CHAVEZ IS ALREADY A MESS AS IT IS.
AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE 35 OFF RAMP THERE AND FOLKS TRYING TO GET OVER AND IF, AND THEN FOLKS TRYING TO GET OUT OF DOWNTOWN TO GO NORTH OF 9 35, UH, AND IF THEY HAVE ANY LANE REDUCTION AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH WILL TAKE YEARS, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT YOUR COMMISSION HAS TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE'S REALLY BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION, TO BE HONEST.
[02:50:01]
SOME OF THAT BE ADDRESSED BY THEWELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY, THEY BREAK GROUND, WHICH YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S, I THINK THAT SEGMENT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK GROUND UNTIL LIKE 25.
I THINK THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE SPECIFIC THREE, A OR THREE B.
NOW SOMETHING LIKE, I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THE WIDTH HAS BEEN CHANGING.
BUT I THEY'VE GOT SOME PRETTY INTERESTING SCENARIOS AND THREE B I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE INTERESTING.
MA'AM UM, WHO ELSE? UH, COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ.
I'M USED TO GOING AFTER SO MANY PEOPLE THAT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD.
UM, UM, AT FIRST I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE FOR NOT JOINING, UM, THAT OUR LAST MEETING, WHICH I THINK WAS, WAS IT FEBRUARY? UM, UH, I WAS HAVING CONNECTION ISSUES THAT THEY, SO I APOLOGIZE.
UM, WE LAST MET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH ON MAY 2ND.
UM, I MEAN, APRIL 4TH AROUND THERE.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE CURL REPORT AND JUST SORT OF THE FINDINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE GLOBAL COURT AND GETTING SOME FEEDBACK FROM APD ON, UM, UH, USE OF FORCE, UM, AND, UH, STOP AND FRISK PRACTICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON THAT FOR THE PAST FEW COMMISSION MEETINGS.
UM, WE HELD ELECTIONS AS WELL, AND, UM, WE ELECTED A NEW CHAIR CHAIR, REBECCA BERNHARDT, AND I WILL STAY ON IN SPICE CHAIR.
UM, WE ALSO DID A REVIEW OF, UM, EMPLOYEE DIVERSITY METRICS ACROSS BOTH CIVILIAN AND SWORN, UM, FOR ALL THREE OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.
AND, UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY ENCOURAGING TO SEE, UM, THE CHANGE AND, UM, THE GROWTH THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE SHOWING BOTH WITH RESPECT TO WOMEN AND, UM, OFFICERS, UM, UM, AND OTHER OFFICERS.
UM, WE ALSO DID A REVIEW OF RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UM, WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO CONTINUE GETTING EITHER QUARTERLY OR BIANNUAL REPORTS SO THAT THAT STUFF DOESN'T FALL OFF THE RADAR.
AND SO THAT WE CAN KEEP CHECK INS GOING WITH REGARDS TO, UM, HOW THEY'RE, UM, HOW THEY'RE DOING WITH PROGRESS, UM, AND MEETING ALL OF THOSE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, WE WILL BE MEETING OUR NEW EMS CHIEF ROBERT LUCK GRITS, UM, WHO STARTED, I THINK AT THE BEGINNING OF MID APRIL-ISH.
UM, WE WILL ALSO BE HEARING UPDATES ON LABOR NEGOTIATIONS, BOTH FROM EMS AND APD, WHICH ARE PROGRESS AND WE'LL GET A BRIEF UPDATE FROM AFD AS WELL, CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE STARTING THEIR, THEIR PROCESS LATER IN THE YEAR IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, WE ARE ALSO, UM, NOT HAVING QUITE A JOINT COMMISSION MEETING, BUT WE ARE, UM, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO PARTNER WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, TO OPEN UP SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS AROUND, UM, THE CITY'S HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, UM, UH, AND JUST WHERE THAT IS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THINGS LIKE, UM, THE TORNADOES THAT HIT THE CITY, UM, FAIRLY RECENTLY OR THE SURROUNDING AREA.
AND THAT JUST SEEMED TO BE SORT OF RISING IN, UM, FREQUENCY.
UM, AND WE'LL GET A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM APD, UM, AS ALWAYS, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR MEETINGS ONLINE.
UM, THEY'RE NOT AS LONG AS YOUR MEETINGS THAT TWO HOURS.
UM, AND IT'S PRETTY EASY TO SKIP FORWARD TO THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING LOTS OF REALLY GREAT DISCUSSIONS WITH APD, UM, AND WITH EMS, UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING ONGOING DISCUSSIONS AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR BEST TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT LABOR NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE ONGOING.
SO I DO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PLEASE CHECK OUT THE ARCHIVES OF ATX SEN SO THAT, UM, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS.
WE THOUGHT WE'D FINISH ON, ON ARTS.
UH, THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING AND I LEARNED SO MUCH ALREADY.
UM, I JUST HAVE A SUGGESTION, YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO BRING BACK THE DILLO TO REPLACE ALL THE SCOOTERS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THOSE ALL AROUND TIME
[02:55:01]
AND IT'S THE LAST DAY THAT, AND, UH, AND, AND I D I MEAN, I SAID IT FOR A REASON, YOU HAVE SO MANY NICE PIECES OF ARTWORK OUT IN PUBLIC PLACES AROUND DOWNTOWN, BOTH YEARS AND, AND, UH, AND WEST, YOU KNOW, AROUND DOWNTOWN AREA.AND IT IS VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND REALLY APPRECIATE IT WITHOUT THE BELOW.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOL WILL DO IT BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, PAY SPREAD.
AND I THINK AS, AS AUSTIN IS GROWING AND WE HAVE SO MANY MORE VISITORS COMING TO VISIT US THE DOWNTOWN AND OUR LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY, I WAS THERE JUST A REASONABLY.
AND, UH, ACTUALLY THERE'S A TOUR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE CITY TOUR THAT IS TOURING OUR LIBRARY.
AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO BRING UP TO YOUR INTENTION, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A CON THIS COMMISSION'S WORLD, THAT THAT IS A, UM, A PUBLIC ART PIECE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR, UM, WONDERFUL LIBRARY, BUT I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED TO SEE ALL THOSE LEADER, ALL THOSE TRESS AROUND IT, THAT BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ARTWORK.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE TO CLEAN UP.
I MEAN, THAT IS NOT A VERY GOOD IMAGE, YOU KNOW, OF OUR CITY, UM, TO HAVE ALL THIS TRASH AROUND.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, G E THE CONNECTION, YOU KNOW, UM, OF ALL THOSE PIECES OF ARTWORK, IT IS SO UNDER APPRECIATED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO I HOPE YOU WILL COME, YOU KNOW, BRING BACK THE PILLOW, BUT WE DID MAKE SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT, UM, ACTION AT OUR LAST MEETING, UM, THAT WE HAVE DRAFTED THREE NEW FUNDING PROGRAMS, UH, TO CORRECT, UM, THE WRONG OF EQUITY OF OUR CITY, UH, IN REGARD TO, UH, UPS FUNDING.
SO WE EAT, WE PUT, UH, PUT DOWN THREE PROGRAMS TO CORRECT THE WRONGS FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS, UM, TO HELP BRING THE UNDERREPRESENTED, UM, PERFORMING ARTS, UM, FROM OUR CITY TO, TO SUPPORT THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT, UH, TO BRING THEM IN THE FOREFRONT SO THAT THEY WILL BE INCLUDED INTO OUR DIVERSE CITY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE PROGRAMS, UM, THAT WILL SUPPORT COLLABORATION AND LEADERSHIP.
UM, I NEED TO SHOULD DEVELOPMENT, UH, OF, OF THOSE UNDERREPRESENTED, UH, ARTS ORGANIZATION.
SO IT IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE ARE SOLICITING FEEDBACKS FROM THE PUBLIC, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT TOPIC MEETINGS AT DIFFERENT PART OF TOWN.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK IT IS GOING TO, UH, BE BETTER BE FLAT THAT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND ALSO, IT'S ALSO A COMMITMENT OF THIS CITY ABOUT EQUITY.
SO THAT'S MY REPORT, AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING YOUR HARD WORK, AND YOU HAVE BEAT THE LENGTH OF TIME OF OUR MEETING THREE HOURS, AND YOU HAVE EXTENDED IT FOR ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT COMMISSIONER GOVERNANCE.
I WANTED TO SAY THAT REMEMBERING THE DILLO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IN COMPARING THE SCOOTERS AND THE DILLO IS THAT THE DILLO, UH, PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SOCIALIZE AND GET TO MEET EACH OTHER, AND TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUALIZING AND JUST BEING SINGLE, SINGLE TRIP KIND OF THINGS WHERE, WHERE IT'S A, IT'S JUST ABOUT ME AS OPPOSED TO US.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD GET INTO MORE US AND LESS ABOUT JUST ME, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR OUR CITY.
POSITIVE MESSAGE FOR, THANK YOU.
UM, SO, UH, ITEMS FROM STAFF, WE HAVE NO ITEMS. OKAY.
[4. Potential Future Agenda Items ]
SO POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.[03:00:01]
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA IS THE, UH, UH, STATE PRESERVATION BOARD WILL COME PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE NORTH CONGRESS AVENUE PROJECT.I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A HARD HAT TOUR.
IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING SPECIAL.
UH, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING WITH AN UPDATE.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY AND KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER BACK IN? UH, I THINK WE'LL ALSO TRY TO GET A SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE REPORT UPDATE HERE IN THE NEXT TWO MEETINGS.
WHERE DO WE GET OUR EAGLES TICKETS, UH, OUTSIDE? THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN.
EACH OF YOU HERE, THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK THIS EVENING, THE MEETING STANDS ADJOURNED THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS.