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ARE YOU READY? IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE READY.
UM, WELL, GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM.
UM, IT'S NICE TO BE IN THIS MORE INTIMATE SETTING THIS MORNING.
UH, AND MAYOR PRO TEM, ALISON ALTER, AND IT'S TUESDAY, MAY 3RD, 2022.
AS WE CONVENE THIS WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I'M JOINED HERE IN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, KITCHEN, FRONT DESK, ELLIS KELLY, AND ON A VIRTUAL DIOCESE.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER VILA, HARPER, MADISON, AND TOVO, AND A WELCOME TO FONTUS AND KELLY WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR OUR MEETINGS.
STRANGE AS THAT, AS STRANGE AS THAT SOUNDS.
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items]
SO AS I POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD LAST NIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEMS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.UH, WE HAD ONE PULLED ITEMS, SO WE'RE GOING TO PULL UP ITEM 34 RELATED TO PARENTAL LEAVE, AND THEN ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT FOLKS WANT TO, TO CHIME IN ON, THEN WE WILL MOVE TO THE PRESENTATION OF DISCUSSION FOR, UM, ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
UM, IF PREFERRED, WE CAN TAKE UP ITEM D ONE DISCUSSION RELATED TO INCREASING HOUSING CAPACITY ON THE TRANSIT CORRIDORS.
UM, THIS CAN ALSO HAPPEN ON THURSDAY IF WE LIKE UNDER ITEM 67, UM, JUST REMINDING FOLKS THAT THIS WAS A PLACEHOLDER, IF FOLKS WERE READY TO SHARE ANYTHING ON THAT AS NOT A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TODAY, THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TWO OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS UP, UM,
UM, IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE VIRTUAL BECAUSE MORE THAN ONE COLLEAGUE NEEDS TO BE VIRTUAL TODAY.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THE COUNCIL, OH, SORRY.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT, ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED? YOU CERTAINLY CAN.
WE WERE TAKING UP THE HEALTH SOUTH CONVERSATION TODAY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'VE SAID HAVE BEEN, HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO THURSDAY? YES.
UM, CAN I ASK WHY, UM, AND MORGAN WILL SPEAK TO THAT.
THE MAYOR HAD ASKED US TO DO IT ON THURSDAY WHEN HE'S AVAILABLE.
UM, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IT'D BE GREAT TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, JUST AS WE ALL BUDGET I'M INTO PREPARATIONS FOR TUESDAY VERSUS THURSDAY, UM, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE SUPER TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, UM, AT LEAST ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH TIME, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
AND, AND I WAS PREPPED FOR THAT FOR TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO UM, I THINK IF, IF YOU WANT TO MAYBE TRY AND CORRESPOND WITH THE CITY MANAGER OR WITH AD MORGAN, THAT WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER OPTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO POLLED ITEMS? UM, SO COUNCIL MEMBER WENT US, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED ITEM 34, UH, WHICH RELATES TO STUDY FOR PARENTAL LEAVE.
I'M PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT AND WOULD INVITE YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT.
COLLEAGUES JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND IDENTIFY AREAS IN WHICH THE CITY OF AUSTIN COULD APPROVE TO BECOME A MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY EMPLOYER THAT THE ASSESSMENT WAS CONDUCTED IN.
THE REPORT WAS DELIVERED TO COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 21ST, 2020.
UM, AND I'D ASK IF STAFF CAN INCLUDE THIS MEMO IN THE BACKUP WITH THIS ITEM SO THAT WE HAVE IT HANDY, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, BUT AS PART OF THAT ASSESSMENT AND REPORT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ENGAGED A CONSULTANT AND THEY CONDUCTED 23 TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UH, BOTH WITH EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS AND OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS, UH, RESULTING IN 401 OPTIONS OR CITY OF AUSTIN TO CONSIDER IN MAKING OUR CITY A MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLACE.
AND SOMETHING TO NOTE THAT WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT AUSTIN WAS RANKED 66 OUT OF 117 AS THE MOST FAMILY FRIENDLY CITY IN TEXAS, WE WERE BEHIND CEDAR PARK, WHICH WAS RANKED 13TH ROUND ROCK, WHICH WAS RANKED 25TH, PFLUGERVILLE 29.
AND HADOW SO AUSTIN WAS BEHIND ALL OF THOSE CITIES COMING IN AT 66 OUT OF 117,
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AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS ASSESSMENT WAS CONDUCTED AND THE REPORT JUST HIGHLIGHTS 25 OF THE TOP RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME FROM CITY OF AUSTIN, EMPLOYEES OF THOSE 25 EXPANDING PAID PARENTAL LEAVE WAS REFERENCED TWICE, BOTH UNDER THE PAID PARENTAL CATEGORY AND AS A FLEXIBLE HOUR CATEGORY.UM, SO WE MADE IT PRETTY ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WANT TO HAVE AN EXPANSION OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AS IT STANDS TODAY, IT'S AT SIX WEEKS PAID.
UM, SO THE POLICY PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DIRECTOR HAYES TO SPEAK TO IS ABOUT TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT WOULD IT COST, IF ANY, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF US MOVING TO EIGHT TO 10, TO ULTIMATELY 12 WEEKS OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE? MANY CITIES ARE AHEAD OF AUSTIN AT THIS POINT.
IN FACT, CITY OF HOUSTON, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, EXPANDED TO 12 WEEKS PAID LEAVE WITH THE DISTINCTION OF THIS PROTECTION FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE AT THE SIX MONTH MARK.
OUR POLICY IS FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE AT THE ONE YEAR MARK TRAVIS COUNTY ARE OUR PEERS AT TRAVIS COUNTY, JUST, UH, UP THE STREET ARE ALSO CONSIDERING PAID LEAVE EXPANSION.
UM, THERE, THEY WOULD BE SETTING A POLICY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING EIGHT WEEKS OF PAID LEAVE, WHICH WOULD BE HIGHER THAN THE CITY.
SO FOR ME, CERTAINLY I WANT AUSTIN TO BE FIRST AND TO RANK HIGH ON FAMILY-FRIENDLY LIST.
AND I KNOW I SHARE THIS INTIMATE WITH MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
UM, SO DIRECTOR HAYES, I WANTED TO, I KNOW YOU PREPARED A COUPLE OF SITES FOR US.
UM, SPEAKING TO WHAT A, WHAT A PAID LEAVE EXPANSION WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER, HONESTLY, YOU WENT THROUGH THREE OF THE SLIDES ALREADY, SO THAT MAKES THE FIVE SLIDES MUCH EASIER.
I CAN JUST, JUST VERY QUICKLY REVIEW THE INFORMATION AS I SEE IT IN THE RESOLUTION.
WHAT I WOULD FIRST BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THE POINT RELATIVE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN WITH YOUR ISC WITH THE SIX MONTHS VERSUS ONE YEAR.
I KNOW THAT THE RESOLUTION ALLOWS US 90 DAYS TO GO AND REVIEW WANT TO BE VERY HONEST ABOUT WHAT I CAN ACHIEVE IN 90 DAYS.
OUR BANDWIDTH IS PRETTY THIN AND HUMAN RESOURCES WITH THE MULTIPLE MARKET STUDIES AND ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE.
AND SO I DO WANT TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH AND PROVIDE YOU IN THAT 90 DAY PERIOD.
UM, OUR CURRENT, UH, PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM DOES REQUIRE ALL PARTICIPANTS TO HAVE, UH, TO QUALIFY FOR FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE TO BE HERE FOR ONE YEAR AND THEY GET 12 WEEKS OF PROTECTED LEAVE FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE, CHILDBIRTH ADOPTION, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE A PART OF OUR PLAN DO QUALIFY ANY EMPLOYEE FOR A, UM, A FEMLA, UH, QUALIFIED EVENT.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH TRANSITIONING TO A SIX MONTH PLAN.
I CAN DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH THERE.
UM, SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US AND THE CITIES THAT, UM, PARTICULARLY HOUSTON IS THAT WE ARE A MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE.
WE'VE GOT PROPERTY RIGHTS THAT MAKE IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT, WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE.
UM, AND SO FOR ME, I DO HAVE A CONCERN WITH SOMEONE WHO COULD COME TO THE CITY AND LITERALLY COME IMMEDIATELY OFF PROBATION AND GO INTO THE ABILITY TO GET EIGHT WEEKS OF PAID LEAVE, UH, FROM THE CITY WE DO SUPPORT, UM, THE 12 WEEK PLAN BECAUSE EVERY EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR FEMLA.
AND SO, IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING THIS EIGHT WEEKS OF LEAVE, ALL OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WOULD ALSO HAVE 12 WEEKS OF PROTECTION AND THE FULL SCOPE OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT, UM, AND TO BRING BACK SOME INFORMATION TO YOU, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU AS IT RELATES TO USAGE, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE LEAVE.
UM, IN 2021, LET ME GO BACK A LITTLE BIT.
WE DID NOT, I WAS TOLD NOT TO DO THE SLIDES JUST TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH IT FOR THE INTEREST OF TIME, BUT I HAVE THESE AVAILABLE AND CAN MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THEM.
UM, AND SO IN 2019, WE HAD 263 PEOPLE USE THE PAPER RENTAL LEAVE ON NON-SWORN.
AND 2020, WE WENT TO 2 31, WHICH WAS A DECLINE.
AND FOR, I GUESS FOR PANDEMIC PURPOSES, WE WENT UP TO THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE EVER HAD IN 2021 OF 287 PEOPLE TO UTILIZE, UH, THE PARENTAL LEAVE IN 2021.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR WINTER IS WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THE 90 DAY PERIOD IS TO DO ANALYSIS ON THE 287, WHAT THEIR SALARIES WERE TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT FULL COST WAS TO THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN USE THAT AS A CALCULATION TO DETERMINE WHAT THE COST WOULD BE FOR THE EIGHT WEEK PERIOD.
THAT IS A MANUAL PROCESS TO GO AND DO THAT.
UM, WE, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 56,770 HOURS WITHIN THOSE 287 PEOPLE.
AND SO I DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO SOME CALCULATIONS ON COSTS FOR THAT.
UM, YOU DID SPEAK ALREADY TO THE FAMILY-FRIENDLY INITIATIVE FROM 2019, WE BELIEVE, UM, IN THE
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CITY MANAGER ALSO SUPPORTS THE FACT THAT POST PANDEMIC.IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A VERY GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT ANALYSIS.
AGAIN, WE TYPICALLY WOULDN'T DO IT THAT QUICKLY, BUT CONSIDERING HOW THE WORLD HAS CHANGED BETWEEN 19 AND 21, UH, WE WILL HIRE A CONSULTANT AS WE DID THE LAST TIME TO COME IN TO DO THAT ANALYSIS, UM, TO PROVIDE YOU, BUT THAT CANNOT BE DONE IN A 90 DAY PERIOD, BUT CERTAINLY THE FULL FAMILY-FRIENDLY REPORT WE PROVIDED YOU IN FEBRUARY.
UM, THERE IS SUPPORT IN OUR CITY FOR PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.
THE USAGE IS SMALL, BUT THE SUPPORT IS LARGE.
UM, I THINK FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT FAMILY FRIENDLY INITIATIVES AND WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE AN IMPACT TO INCREASE OURSELVES, AND I DO WANT TO ADD THAT WHILE WE ARE A 66, WE WILL ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST LARGEST CITIES.
AND SO, UM, IT'S EASY TO CREATE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY APPEAL WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH A SMALLER POPULATION OF PEOPLE FOR 14,000 PEOPLE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO JUST BE ON THE LIST AT THAT LEVEL, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE COMMITTED TO TRYING TO DO MORE.
UM, AND SO WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU WITH THAT.
SO IN 90 DAYS, I CAN GIVE YOU AN ASSESSMENT ON THE POTENTIAL OF GOING FROM ONE YEAR TO SIX WEEKS, WHICH WE ARE NOT AS SUPPORTIVE, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE SOME DETAILS FOR YOU TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
WE CAN DO SOME COST ANALYSIS RELATIVE TO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO GO FROM THE SIX TO THE EIGHT WEEKS.
AND THEN WE CAN COMMIT WITHIN THE NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO HIRE THE CONSULTANT, TO COME BACK, TO DO THE FULL FAMILY FRIENDLY INITIATIVE, TO BRING TO YOU SOME UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES SEEK AS IT RELATES TO FAMILY FOR ANY BENEFITS COUNCIL MEMBER FIND US, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HAYES.
SO I KNOW IT, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION IF RIGHT NOW THE COST STUDY WOULD BE LOOKING AT, UM, ESTABLISHING PAID PARENTAL LEAVE EXPANSION FOR EMPLOYEES AT THE SIX MONTH MARK IN PARTICULAR, BUT IF IT WAS FOR THE EMPLOYEES AT THE ONE YEAR MARK, YOU KNOW, LINING WITH FEMLA AT THIS POINT, FMLA, UM, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD HAVE FOR US TO GO FROM SIX WEEKS TO A FULL 12 WEEK EXPANSION FOR EMPLOYEES AT THE ONE-YEAR MARK? I THINK FROM LOOKING AT THE 2020 REPORT, EMPLOYEES WOULD BE ADVOCATES FOR INCREASING THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THINK IN TALKING TO THE CITY MANAGER, HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE FULL ANALYSIS OF WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE.
I THINK FOR ME, THE ONLY CONCERN THAT I WOULD BRING TO YOU OUTSIDE OF THE SIX MONTHS IS THE CONCERNS THAT I KNOW WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR SWORN PERSONNEL WHO JUST IN THE LAST MONTH RECEIVED THE SIX WEEKS, THE COST ANALYSIS OF COURSE IS QUITE DIFFERENT, AND YOU'RE NOT REQUESTING US TO DO THAT ANALYSIS ON THE SWORN SIDE.
UM, BUT I HAVE TO BE HONEST IN SAYING MY CONCERN IN ANY OF THIS SPACE IS RECOGNIZING THAT IF WE GO UP TO EIGHT WEEKS FOR NON-SWORN, THERE IS GOING TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONCERNS OF THAT IMPACT, NOT ONLY FROM A MORALE PERSPECTIVE, BUT JUST OVERALL TO AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE, TO WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO THE SWORN STAFF.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY OTHER CONCERN.
AND I WOULD REALLY YIELD TO THE CITY MANAGER OR TO DEVIN DECIDE OR TO OUR ACM, TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS RELATIVE TO POTENTIAL CONCERNS WITH MAKING THIS DECISION AND THE SPACE FOR NON-SWORN AND NOT AT LEAST HAVING SOME DISCUSSIONS AS TO WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO SWORN THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HASAN JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AND KNOWING THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT ALL OPPORTUNITIES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR SUPPORTING OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AGAIN AT HOW THE WORLD HAS CHANGED IN THOSE, IN THAT TIME AND HOW WE MIGHT PROVIDE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BENEFITS, UH, AS A RESULT.
UM, ONE THING THAT WAS GREAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS WAS PROVIDING THE, THE SIX WEEKS OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE FOR OUR SWORN EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
AND SO I WANT TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS OF IF WE'RE GOING TO OFFER SOMETHING FOR SOME EMPLOYEES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO OFFER IT FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND SO, AS WE CONTINUE WITH THIS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, UM, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT EVEN IF IT'S NOT PART OF THIS RESOLUTION THAT I'LL WANT TO HAVE STAFF WORK ON IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT IT FOR THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO FOR A SWORN EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
WELL, THANK YOU CITY MANAGER, AND CERTAINLY I SUPPORT PROVIDING 12 WEEKS PAID LEAVE TO ALL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING SWORN.
SO GIVING YOUR COMMENTS, ARE YOU RECOMMENDING THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE OUR COST STUDY TO INCLUDE SWORN PERSONNEL SO THAT WE ALSO HAVE THAT, UM, THOSE DOLLARS AND CONSIDERATION, I AM HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT 90 DAYS, THAT WOULD BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
WE JUST FINISHED THE ASSESSMENT FOR SWORN FOR THE SIX WEEKS.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THOSE CALCULATIONS AND JUST, UH, TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN ADD TWO WEEKS, IF, IF, IF I'M ALLOWED TO DO SOME SIMPLISTIC PROCESSES LIKE, UM, THEN CERTAINLY I CAN DO THAT.
AND IN THE 90 DAYS, I JUST WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE STAFF THAT ARE ALREADY QUITE INVOLVED IN OTHER PROJECTS AND MAKING SURE THAT I
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BALANCE THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH.I DON'T THINK ACTUALLY, I THINK MY CAPTION SAYS SPECIFICALLY FOR NON-SWORN, SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THAT WITH THIS RESOLUTION, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT BRINGING SOMETHING FORWARD THAT ENSURES THAT WE'RE, UM, THAT WE'RE COVERING OUR SWORN AS WELL.
I THINK YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO EITHER PROVIDE DIRECTION OR I'M SURE THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT SO THAT WE DON'T NEED TO DO AN ADDITIONAL RESOLUTION JUST TO, TO ADD, TO DO WHAT SHE JUST SAID.
UM, I'M IMAGINE THERE'S A WAY.
YEAH, WAIT, WAIT, MAYOR PRO TEM, IF I MAY, I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN AS WELL, SO I WOULD WANT TO JUST INCLUDE THAT TYPE OF ANALYSIS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, YES, I BROUGHT THE ORIGINAL OR THE RESOLUTION RELATED TO THE, UM, UM, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.
AND I, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
I MEAN THAT THEY DON'T EVEN NEED DIRECTION TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE DONE AND IT MAKES SENSE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THEM AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE WE JUST RE VERY RECENTLY DID HAVE THE EXPANSION FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.
SO I'M HEARING WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOO.
I THINK IT'D BE FINE TO DO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO DO A SHORTENED VERSION.
I FORGET WHAT YOU CALLED IT EXACTLY, BUT, UH, AN ESTIMATE.
COUNCIL MEMBER 20TH, IF I COULD, THERE WERE TWO OTHER COMPONENTS TO YOUR, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE LOOKED AT THE LONG-TERM FAMILY FRIENDLY PIECE.
I THINK WE'LL ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
I THINK AS A PART OF THE FAMILY FRIENDLY INITIATIVE, WE CAN ALSO HAVE SOME SURVEY COMPONENTS TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE.
ARE THERE THINGS THAT WOULD WANT THEM TO STAY, UM, SO THAT I CAN DO THAT PIECE OF YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PIECE, THE REMAINING COMPONENTS OF THE, OF THE RESOLUTION I THINK, UM, COULD BE COVERED, UM, WITH THE, UM, THE ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILY-FRIENDLY.
SO I THINK THE IMMEDIATE ONE THAT I WOULD DO WITHIN THAT 90 DAY PERIOD, WE WOULD BE THE COST ANALYSIS IN COORDINATION WITH THE FINANCE OFFICE AND GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON 34? UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POINT US FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PUSHING FORWARD THE DEBATE OF, OF WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO MAKE AUSTIN FAMILY FRIENDLY.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO, UM, HAD INITIATED THAT WORK, UM, ORIGINALLY, AND, AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF US ARE EXCITED TO PARTNER IN, IN MAKING, MAKING THOSE, MAKING THOSE CHANGES.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THAT FOLKS WANT TO DISCUSS OR, OR MENTION TODAY? ANYONE ONLINE, COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN? UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES A HEADS UP THAT I'LL BE BRINGING SOME DIRECTION, UH, RELATED TO THE ITEM, UM, THAT RELATES TO THE ATP BOARD.
I APOLOGIZE, I'M NOT REMEMBERING THE EXACT NUMBER ON THAT I EXPECT TO, UH, POST THAT DIRECTION.
UM, HOPEFULLY LATER TODAY OF THE DIRECTION IS JUST TO, UM, ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO, UH, LOOK INTO SOME, UM, ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT, UH, UH, THE STRUCTURE OF THE ATP BOARD AND WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE TO, UM, TO EXPAND IT SOMEWHAT.
SO, UM, THIS IS NOT INSTEAD OF PASSING THAT ON AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT ITEM IS JUST DIRECTION, UH, TO, TO LOOK INTO SOME THINGS INTO THE FUTURE AND I'LL GET THAT POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL A HEADS UP AND THAT'S NUMBER 33, THAT'S NUMBER 33.
AND THEN I DID, I DID HAVE A, I WILL HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT IN TERMS OF LINES, 28 AND 30, 28 TO 30.
UM, I'M TRYING TO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY WHO IS ON THE MAYOR'S NOT HERE, SO I WASN'T GONNA ASK THOSE NOW, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR APPOINTEE HAS TO BE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I BELIEVE ACCORDING TO THAT, AND WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE, UM, WITHIN AUSTIN, THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS.
AND THEN, AND THEN I, I DID WANT TO DISCUSS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER A JOINT APPOINTEE SHOULD BE OUTSIDE THE AREA OF SERVICE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S DO YOU MEAN ADDING A JOINT APPOINTEE? WE DON'T HAVE, YOU MEAN THE
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SAYS OR JOINTLY FOR A JOINT APPOINTEE.SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE THREE, WE HAVE THE THREE BOARD MEMBERS AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ON THIS RESOLUTION OR NOT, OR YES, I AM.
UM, I JUST WAS CURIOUS AS TO HOW WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A DESIRE FOR CAP METRO TO BE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY APPOINT THEIR CHAIR.
UM, AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S THAT ISSUE.
UM, BUT I, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER CAN'T LIVE OUTSIDE OR THEY CAN'T BE A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THEN I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE JOINT, THE JOINT APPOINTEE, WHETHER WHETHER THAT WAS A WISE APPROACH OR NOT.
I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS TO RAISE.
UM, UH, THE, WHAT YOU HAVE WHAT'S POSTED IS THE SAME ITEM THAT THE CAP METRO BOARD PASSED.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS YOU'RE RAISING THOUGH, ARE CERTAINLY THINGS THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS.
UM, I WOULD, UM, DEFER TO WHEN THE MAYOR IS HERE TO DISCUSS AS UNLESS, YOU KNOW, A COUNCIL MEMBER RENTS WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT.
AND, UM, SO YOU MENTIONED, DO YOU THINK WE CAN PUT THE BYLAWS IN THE BACKUP FOR THAT ITEM SO THAT WE CAN, UM, REFER TO THOSE, UM, MORE EASILY? AND IF THERE IS SOMEBODY ON YOUR STAFF WHO CAN HELP ME THINK THAT THROUGH A LITTLE BIT, UM, AGAIN, I'M NOT OBJECTING TO MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR CAP METRO TO DO THAT, BUT I, BUT I DO THINK IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR COUNCIL AND, AND I, AND I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THAT FOR, FOR JOINT JOINT APPOINTEES, BECAUSE THEN THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR A GOOD, YOU KNOW, WITH A FIVE MEMBER BOARD, YOU COULD HAVE NEARLY HALF OF THE BOARD NOT EVEN BE LIVING IN THE AREA.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WAS THE INTENTION WHEN WE, YEAH.
AND THAT'S THE REASON, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE DIRECTION TO LOOK INTO, UH, EXPANDING THE BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO LOOK INTO MEANS, UH, TALKING TO, UM, APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD OR A NINE MEMBER BOARD MAKES MORE SENSE, A FIVE MEMBER BOARDS, PRETTY SMALL FOR A PROJECT THAT'S THIS LARGE.
AND, UH, PARTICULARLY AS WE GO INTO IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THAT'S WHAT MY DIRECTION RELATES TO.
I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD SOLVE RIGHT NOW.
IT REQUIRES SOME MORE CONVERSATION, BUT THE DIRECTION IS JUST, UH, IS, UH, UH, DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK INTO THAT ASPECT.
THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING.
AND THE QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING IS SOMETHING THAT'S IN ITEM 33.
SO I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO I WILL, UM, TRY AND GET WITH SOMEONE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO CLARIFY THAT BEFORE THURSDAY.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT CAUSE I HAD THE, I HAD THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE BOARD, COUNCILMEMBER ENTRY, AND THEN ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ALSO ARE LOOKING INTO EXPANDING IT, IT'S, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO FACE A SITUATION WHERE, UH, THE MAYOR IS NOT GONNA LOAN LONGER, BE ON THE BOARD.
AND ONCE UNTIL WE GET ANOTHER POINT, HE OR ANOTHER MAYOR TO TAKE HIS PLAY, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE HER VOICE ON THE BOARD.
AND THAT'S OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS NOT HAVING THE VOICE.
AND IF WE HAVE ONE PERSON THAT'S OUT SICK PRAYER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SIX WEEKS, WE WON'T HAVE A PERSON ON THE BOARD FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO THAT'S A BIG CONCERN THAT WE'RE FACING.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING INTO EXPANDING THE BOARD.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, ANDREA.
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA TO CONSIDER.
I I, UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THE DIRECTION OF THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TO RE AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT DIRECTION, SO, OKAY.
AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THE, AND THAT'S, I GUESS JUST DIRECTION, IT'S NOT CHANGING IT IT'S DIRECTION BECAUSE IT REQUIRES SOME MORE CONVERSATION AT THIS POINT, BUT IT'S DIRECTION.
TALK ABOUT, YEAH, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT THIS TO SEE IF THIS IS ENCOMPASSED IN YOUR DIRECTION AS WELL.
BUT I THINK ON THIS BOARD, THANK YOU.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT ADDITION AND ALSO MY APOLOGIES FOR MAKING NOISE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR THING.
THERE'S SOME TRANSITIONS TO BEING BACK HERE AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT THAT THING FALLS FORWARD AS IT DOES NOT DO IN THE CHAMBERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE ON THESE KINDS OF BOARDS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PROXY.
WE DID THAT WITH THE SOBERING CENTER AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE AN ABILITY ON THE SOBERING CENTER FOR, FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL MEETING FOR ME TO GIVE MY VOTE TO ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD PROVISION A LONG WHILE AGO.
I WAS THE PROXY FOR THE PSYCHIATRIC STAKEHOLDERS COMMITTEE AND THE PERSON FOR WHOM I WAS PROXY,
[00:25:02]
UM, NEVER SHOWED.SO I WAS THE ONLY ATTENDEE FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL PROXY, SO I COULDN'T VOTE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK AS WE TALK, AS WE LOOK FORWARD AT THE DIFFERENT INTER-GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, ESPECIALLY WHERE OUR VOTE IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO MAKE THE KIND OF PROVISIONS YOU ARE, BUT ALSO TO HAVE PROVISIONS FOR, UM, BEING ABLE TO FILL IN FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
I THINK ON, CAN WE, WE FIXED IT AS WELL BY ALLOWING FOR CITY STAFF TO FILL IN AS PROXIES FOR COUNCIL.
BUT AGAIN, THAT TOOK A, THAT TOOK A MEASURE.
SO IN THESE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF PATCHED IT TOGETHER FOR CAN, WE DID A BETTER PROVISION FOR SOBERING CENTER, BUT IT'S NOT BECOME A CONSISTENT POLICY ACROSS ALL OF OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEES.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT BE THAT THAT'S A CHANGE, UM, THAT WE WANT TO WORK TOWARD ON ALL OF THEM.
SO I THINK THAT COULD CAUSE SO I THINK THAT, UM, THE DIRECTION ENCOMPASSES THAT CONCEPT.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A CAMPO, WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO MORE OF THAT, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED ACTUALLY INTERNALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CAMPO ITEMS, INCLUDING THE ALTERNATE.
SO, SO YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE WHO CAN BE A PROXY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
SO MAYBE THE MANAGER OR THE CLERK, I'M NOT SURE WHO THE RIGHT ENTITY WOULD BE TO KIND OF IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE OTHER BOARDS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE PROVISIONS, LIKE CAP COG, AND GOSH, THERE ARE JUST SO MANY OF THEM.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD MAKE THAT KIND OF CHANGE FOR AUSTIN POLICE, RETIREMENT BOARD AND SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, BUT IT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD MEASURE.
SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR DISCUSSION FOR ITEM 31.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT FOLKS WANT TO BRING TO ANYONE'S ATTENTION AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
[B1. Zilker Metropolitan Park Vison Plan.]
SO WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE PRESENTATION RELATED TO THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN CITY MANAGER.GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, TODAY WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT STAFF ON THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OF THAT HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR MANY MONTHS NOW.
UM, WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO, UH, BUT WE ARE EXCITED TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE TO YOU TODAY.
UH, LEADING OFF THIS PRESENTATION IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LEANNA CALLED THE COCA.
I'M LEANNA
UH, LEANNA
AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO PROVIDE A STATUS UPDATE ON THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE, UH, JUST A BRIEF CONTEXT, UM, AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT, UM, SOCCER IS A BELOVED PARK, BUT WE DO HAVE ONGOING, UH, CHALLENGES AND DUE TO THIS ONGOING CHALLENGES BACK IN 2018, UH, COUNCIL THROUGH A RESOLUTION, UM, ESTABLISHED THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP, AND ALSO DIRECTED THE DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY THE FUNDING, TO PROCEED WITH, UH, THE VISION PLAN, WHICH WE DID THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP, UM, W UM, MET FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND PROVIDED INPUT ON THE GOALS AND THE SCOPE FOR THE PLAN.
AND THEN IN 2020 FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL RFP COUNCIL GAVE US THE AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH THE EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE CONSULTANT.
UM, SO THIS PLAN IS A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THE GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH, UH, TO COME UP WITH A VISION NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK THAT WILL GUIDE THE, UM, UH, RESTORATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE PARK FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, UH, EFFORT FOR ZILKER, UH, THAT ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE 350 ACRES AND ALL THE FACILITIES AND AMENITIES WITHIN THE PARK EVENTUALLY, UM, AFTER COUNCIL APPROVES THE VISION PARK, THIS WILL BE A ROADMAP FOR, UM, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, UM, THE PHASED APPROACH AND THE STRATEGIES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO, UH, TO PROCEED WITH SOCCER.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, INTRODUCE, UM, THE PRESENTERS FOR TODAY, WHICH IS, UM, WHO ARE, UH, GREG MONTEZ IS A PLANNER WITH A PROGRAM MANAGER AND THE PLANNER WITH, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS LEADING THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO CLAIRE HEMPEL, WHO IS THE MANAGING PRINCIPAL FOR DESIGN WORKSHOP.
AND HE IS THE LEAD FOR OUR CONSULTANTS.
[00:30:01]
PLEASE PROCEED.ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UM, AS LIANA MENTIONED, MY NAME'S CLAIRE HEMPEL.
WE'RE LOCATED HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND I AM ALSO A PROUD RESIDENT OF SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
I SERVE AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, BUT I AM NOT HERE REPRESENTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION TODAY.
SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
MANY OF US KNOW ZILKER AS A PLACE TO GET RELIEF FROM AUSTIN SWELTERING SUMMERS IN THE COOL WATERS OR RECONNECT WITH NATURE ON THE TRAILS THROUGHOUT THE 350 ACRES, OR EVEN ENJOY AN AFTERNOON WITH FRIENDS ON THE GREAT LAWN OR ATTEND AN EVENT THAT DRAWS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS ANNUALLY, NEXT SLIDE.
BUT ZILKER ALSO HAS ITS CHALLENGES AS THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN GROWS AND REMAINS A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR VISITORS.
ZILKER TOO, IS EXPERIENCING GROWING PAINS RELATED TO INCREASED USE OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR ARE COMING TO THE PARK AND VISITING THE POOL EVENTS, THE FACILITIES WITH THE INCREASE IN VISITORS, THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO PARK, AS THAT IS CURRENTLY THE MODE MOST PEOPLE ARE USING TO GET TO THE PARK.
THE ENVIRONMENT IS ALSO SUFFERING, INCLUDING DEGRADED BANKS, ALONG THE CREEK AND EROSION AT POINTS OF STORMWATER RUNOFF, SOME OF THE FACILITIES WITHIN THE PARK, LIKE THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, THE MACBETH RECREATION CENTER, AND THE ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDENS NEED UPGRADES AND HAVE ACCESS ISSUES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR SCHOOL GROUPS TO VISIT AND NAVIGATE BETWEEN THE VARIOUS THINGS TO DO WITHIN THE PARK WITHOUT HAVING TO GET INTO A VEHICLE.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DONE FOR THE PARKS SINCE THE LAND WAS DONATED IN 1917 BY ANDREW ZILKER AND THE SITE ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT WAS COMPLETED IN 2021 WITH MUCH OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PROVIDED BY THE, OUR ECOLOGY CONSULTANTS SIGLO WHO COMPLETED THE NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THIS REPORT PROVIDED A BASELINE FROM WHICH TO START ENGAGEMENT AND, AND PLANNING AND INCLUDES DOCUMENTATION OF ON THE GROUND CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS BENCHMARKING FROM OTHER PARKS, UM, OR PARKS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE, DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS, WE UTILIZE THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING FROM THE ENGAGEMENT TOWARDS THE DESIGN.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF THOSE WHO ARE PROVIDING DESIGN INPUT AND DIRECTION FROM THE BROADER COMMUNITY TO THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO, UM, AS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, THIS IS A PIVOTAL PART OF OUR PROCESS AND THE, THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM BOTH OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS, OUR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, THE SURVEYS, THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE'VE HAD IS TRULY GUIDING THE DIRECTION OF THE PLAN.
SO WE STARTED OFF OUR, UM, PROJECT WITH A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT OUTLINED A VISION FOR HOW WE WILL ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES A TRANSPARENT, INCLUSIVE, AND WELL-DOCUMENTED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, WHICH ENGAGES THE CITY, BUT ALSO SEEKS AND CONSIDERS THE INPUT OF INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES WITH DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE PARK AND OR PARTIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THE PARK.
SO THE 10 GOALS FOR ENGAGEMENT ARE THOSE LISTED HERE FROM EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PARK AND ALLOWING FOR COMMENT TO DEVELOPING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS WITH MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, TO CREATING COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE VISION PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE, IN ADDITION TO POP-UPS AND SUPPLEMENTAL OUTREACH, MULTIPLE LANGUAGES HAVE BEEN ACCOMMODATED THROUGHOUT AND MEETINGS SURVEYS IN-PERSON POP-UPS AND ADDITIONAL OUTREACH IN THE FORM OF COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS HAVE BEEN UTILIZED.
WE, WE BEGAN THE PROCESS ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN FEBRUARY OF 2021.
SINCE THEN WE HAVE HOSTED FOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, SEVERAL POP-UPS SERIES AND DOZENS OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS.
OUR FIFTH AND FINAL MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY WILL OCCUR IN THE FALL, FOLLOWED BY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS REVIEW.
IN EARLY 2023, THERE HAS BEEN A TOTAL OF FIVE SURVEYS DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS, INCLUDING ONE DONE AS A BASELINE BEFORE THE DESIGN TEAM WAS FULLY UNDER CONTRACT, ALMOST 5,500 PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NEARLY 8,000 COMMENTS RECEIVED.
YOU CAN SEE THE SCHEDULE OF SURVEYS, THE OPENING CLOSING DATES HERE, THERE'LL BE A SIXTH SURVEY FOLLOWING OUR FINAL COMMUNITY MEETING IN THE FALL.
AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, CITY STAFF HAS PERFORMED INTERCEPT SURVEYS AT VARIOUS PARKS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT ONLY IN ZILKER NEXT SLIDE, TO GET THE WORD OUT AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE PLAN, THE ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN ON THEIR RADIO AND LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS.
[00:35:02]
THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN UTILIZED TO SHARE UPDATES, MEETING DETAILS, AND EMAILED NOTICES, GO OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS VIA MAILING LISTS AND SIGNS AND BANNERS ARE UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE CITY'S PARKS.NEXT SLIDE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE FUNDAMENTAL GUIDELINES DRIVING THE PROJECT.
THEY ARE BIG STATEMENTS MEANT TO DESCRIBE THE BIG PICTURE.
THEY ALSO HELP US MAKE DECISIONS WHEN TWO COMPETING IDEAS ARE PRESENTED, WHEN THIS HAPPENS, REFERENCING THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES WILL HELP US DETERMINE THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GO.
SO I'LL QUICKLY WALK YOU THROUGH THE THREE CONCEPTS.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THESE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL HERE, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GOING TO THE WEBSITE, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE, UM, TO DIG INTO.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE MY USUAL MOUSE, BUT AT THE, THE, THE BIG PATHWAY AT THE TOP OF THE PLAN IS MOPAC.
AND THE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IS THE ROAD.
THAT'S KIND OF CONNECTING EAST WEST.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE POOL IN BLUE, KIND OF TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE, THE SITE.
SO THIS IS ZILKER, THIS IS 350 ACRES.
AND BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE PRESENTED THREE CONCEPTS.
SO THIS CONCEPT, WE CALLED STITCH BECAUSE WE'RE STITCHING THE PARK BACK TOGETHER.
BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TODAY SERVES AS A MAJOR DIVIDER.
SO THE LAND BRIDGE IS LOCATED CENTRALLY WITHIN THE PARK, CONNECTING BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES.
A PARKING GARAGE IS DESIGNED TO BE INTEGRATED WITH THE LANDBRIDGE STRUCTURE UNDERGROUND, THUS HIDING IT FROM MOST VIEWS, A WELCOME PLAZA AND ENTRANCE POINT INTO THE PARK WOULD EMANATE FROM THIS AREA, RELIEVING PARKING AND CONGESTION PRESSURE FROM THE POOL AND SPRINGS AREAS.
NEXT SLIDE, THIS VIEW SHOWS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM THE TOP OF THE LANDBRIDGE LOOKING TOWARDS DOWNTOWN.
YOU CAN SEE A NEW PLAYGROUND AT THE LEFT AS THE BRIDGE SLOPES DOWN TOWARDS THE GREAT LAWN.
THE NEXT CONCEPT IS CALLED EDGES AND WE, UM, THE BIG IDEA HERE WAS TO HAVE PEOPLE ENTER AT THE EDGES OF THE PARK IF THEY'RE COMING BY VEHICLE.
UM, AND WE, THIS IS IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE VEHICULAR CONGESTION FROM WITHIN THE PARK.
SO WITH THIS CONCEPT, THERE ARE SEVERAL PARKING GARAGES AT THE EDGES OF THE PARK, UM, IN THE CURRENT LANDFILL AREA OVER, UM, SOUTH OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND MOPAC ACROSS FROM THE ROLLINGWOOD ENTRANCE.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PARKING GARAGE OFF OF AC MORTON.
THESE ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH A GREEN ROOF, AS WE SEE THESE BEING DESIGNED TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR A PARK, MUCH LIKE YOU SEE IN BRACKENRIDGE PARK IN SAN ANTONIO AND EACH GARAGE OR ARRIVAL POINT IS A GATEWAY INTO THE PARK.
SO BY THE LA BUTLER LANDFILL GARAGE, THIS ALLOWS FOR EASIER ACCESS TO THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER AND BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL BY THE GARAGE NEAR MOPAC AND BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECREATION FIELD COMPLEX.
AND BY THE GARAGE OFF OF PHASEY, MORTON IS AN OFF-LEASH DOG AREA WITH A PLAYGROUND ON THE EDGES OF THE LAWN.
NEXT SLIDE, HERE'S A VIEW OF THE PROPOSED, ONE OF THE PROPOSED NEW LOCATIONS FOR THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER.
YOU CAN GLIMPSE THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE IN THE BACK.
THE SEATING IS A GENTLY SLOPED LAWN AND MEADOW AND WOODLAND WOULD BE PLANTED TO HELP RESTORE THE LANDFILL AREA.
THE THIRD CONCEPT WE TITLED REGENERATE, AND THE IDEA HERE IS TO REPURPOSE THE FACILITIES WITHIN ZILKER PARK.
SO AT FIRST GLANCE, UM, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH HAS CHANGED WITH THE PLANS.
THIS ONE HAS THE LIGHTEST TOUCH AS, UM, OF THE THREE DESIGNS.
THE CENTRALIZED ACTIVITY IN THIS SCHEME IS THAT I REPURPOSED CARETAKER'S COTTAGE IN QUONSET HUT, WHICH IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND, UM, IN BARKING SPRINGS AREA.
AND SO, UH, REPURPOSING OF THIS AREA INTO A WELCOME CENTER WOULD BETTER ORGANIZE THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING IN THAT AREA TODAY, INCLUDING WITH THE SOON TO BE RUNNING ZILKER EAGLE ALONG LADY BIRD LAKE, THERE IS A BOARDWALK AND RELOCATED ROWING CENTER, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY BE A STOP ON A WATER TAXI ROUTE ALONG LADY BIRD LINK.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM BARKING SPRINGS, FROM A NEW PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS TO THE WELCOME CENTER AND CARETAKERS COTTAGE AREA ACROSS FROM THE EXISTING SUNKEN GARDENS AREA ON THE SOUTH.
SO WE WOULD BE IMPROVING THE BANKS HERE WITH TERRORISTS STEPS AND PURPOSEFUL ENTRY POINTS INTO THE WATER THAT WOULD HELP, UM, THE BANKS REVEGETATE HELP PROTECT THOSE EDGES AND PROVIDE SAFER AND ACCESSIBLE WAYS FOR PEOPLE
[00:40:01]
TO GET TO THIS PART OF THE WATER NEXT LINE.SO THAT WAS A LOT 17 SLIDES TO IT CAPTURE OVER A YEAR LONG PROCESS ON ZILKER.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS, COUNCILLOR UMBRELLAS, NOT SO MUCH QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THIS RECENTLY, BUT, UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY COOL OPPORTUNITIES IN HERE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY CREATIVE IDEAS.
I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC FOR A VERY LONG TIME ABOUT THIS.
AND SO I KNOW FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I CERTAINLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES BETTER MULTIMODAL ACCESS.
I KNOW THE BIKE ACCESS IS DEFINITELY A STICKING POINT, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF, YOU KNOW, NOT ONE TYPE OF ACCESS IS GOING TO WORK PERFECTLY FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO WANTS TO VISIT THE PARK.
SO I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE CAP METRO SERVICE IN, IN THIS AREA, SO PEOPLE HAVE THE BUS OPTION TO GET INTO THE PARK THAT, UM, THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BRING DOGS, HAVE PICNIC BASKETS AND KIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO, TO BRING INTO THAT PARK.
SO I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND, UM, I ALSO LOVE THE IDEA OF MAYBE BEING ABLE TO EXPAND UPON THE EAGLE IN, IN THE FUTURE AND TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MORE OF A CIRCULATOR LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN, UM, IN PLACES LIKE PORTLAND, YOU CAN GO INTO THE PARK ONCE AND THEN BE ABLE TO CIRCULATE THROUGH IT TO ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT WITHIN THE PARKS.
SO, UM, I'M GLAD YOU STILL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT PARKING GARAGES JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THIS PLACE IS SO BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREEN SPACE AND ALL THE NATURAL SPACE WITHIN IT.
BUT I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, LIKE WITH THE HILLSIDE THEATER, UM, AND THE FOLKS WITH THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER AND THE BOTANICAL GARDEN, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE PLACES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE AS WELL.
CAUSE I KNOW WE, WE LOVE THEIR PROGRAMMING AND WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET THERE.
UM, AND, UM, ABOVE AND BEYOND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PARK MAINTAINS, UM, ACCESSIBILITY AND BEING INVITING FOR EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO VISIT THE PARKS.
I KNOW SOME OF THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN THAT SOME FOLKS DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS PARK IS FOR THEM.
IF THEY CAN'T WALK THERE OR BIKE THERE EASILY.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S WELCOMING AND OPEN FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, OOPS, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND, AND UM, I THINK HE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I AGREE WITH ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS.
SO, UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN A THOUGHT OR TWO.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS TRANSPORTATION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT AN EASY THING, UH, AT ALL TO SOLVE, BUT, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH CAP METRO, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WITH ATD, I WOULD LIKE A MORE IN DEPTH BRIEFING OF THE, UH, APPROACH TO SOLVING THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, UH, IN CITY MANAGER.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD BRIEFING TO HAVE WITH CAP METRO AND WITH ATD TO COME AND TALK WITH US.
UM, WE CAN THINK ABOUT THE TIMING, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE CLOSER MAYBE COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT I, I THINK WE NEED TO, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO DIVE INTO THAT CHALLENGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AM UNEASY ABOUT PARKING GARAGES, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING, THERE'S NOT PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
I THINK IT'S GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NECESSARY.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW TRANSPORTATION TO THE PARK IS COORDINATED WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT IS GOING DOWN LAMAR, WHICH IS VERY CLOSE.
UH, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT, AND TALKED ABOUT A SHUTTLE FROM THAT INTO THE PARK? UM, THERE'S ALSO THE DAC AND THE CHALLENGES THE DECK HAS AROUND PARKING.
THERE'S THE ATB ATD BUILDING IT'S RIGHT UP THERE ON THE CORNER OF TUMI.
UM, AND I ALWAYS FORGET THE CROSS STREET, BUT IT'S RIGHT IN THAT AREA TOO.
UH, WE ALSO RECENTLY LAST YEAR APPROVED A POD, THE SCHLOTZSKY'S PUD AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE THAT THEY'RE BUILDING UNDER THERE.
ANYWAY, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON IT, BUT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MANAGE, UH, TRANSPORTATION TO THE PARK, UH, AND WITHIN THE PARK AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT? UM, IN A WAY THAT REALLY LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AND PROVIDES FOR SOME OPTIONS THAT ARE NOT TOTALLY, UH, CAR CENTERED.
SO, UM, SO CITY MANAGER, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, AND
[00:45:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS IS SLATED TO COME BACK, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN IS, WHEN IS L'S COMMIT NEXT COMMUNITY MEETING IT'S IN SEPTEMBER.UH, RIGHT BEFORE THAT, I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL RIGHT BEFORE THAT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR THAT KIND OF CONVERSATION.
AND FOR US ALSO TO HEAR THE SPECIFICS ON THAT, I'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT OF CONCERN, UH, ABOUT, UM, HOW WE'RE HANDLING THAT.
SO, SO THAT'S ONE THING THEN THE SECOND IS JUST A QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
UM, AND THIS WAS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED TO ME AND THAT WAS ABOUT THEM.
UH, IF YOU COULD HELP US UNDERSTAND FROM THE COMMUNITY SURVEY PART, UM, HOW IT'S LOOKING IN TERMS OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS.
UM, ARE WE, UM, HOW REPRESENTATIVE IS OUR, IS OUR PUBLIC INPUT THAT WE'RE RECEIVING OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE? DO YOU HAVE SOME NUMBERS YOU CAN SHARE WITH US GEOGRAPHIC DEMOGRAPHIC, UM, NUMBERS FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR, FOR THE SOURCES OF OUR INPUT? SO WE DO HAVE, UM, DATA THAT IS SPECIFICALLY POSTED ON OUR, UM, PROJECT WEBSITE THAT HAS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF EACH OF THE SURVEYS, UM, AND PREDOMINANTLY IT HAS LEANED TOWARDS THE WHITE POPULATION.
UM, BUT THAT I SHOULD POINT OUT IS JUST A SURVEY DATA FROM FIVE SURVEYS.
UM, I SHOULD STRESS THAT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE NOT CENTERED JUST ON SURVEYS.
IT HAS ALSO INCLUDED, UM, A NUMBER OF OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT INCLUDE POP-UPS, WE'VE HAD THREE SERIES OF POP-UPS.
UM, THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN IN EACH DISTRICT AND MULTIPLE TIMES, UM, WE, UH, ORCHESTRATED THE LOCATION AT OUR PARKS AND REC FACILITIES, UH, WHERE WE KNEW PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE VISITING, BUT ALSO WE, UH, ATTENDED EVENTS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE NOT ORGANIZED BY PARKS AND RECS.
SO, UM, IF WE KNEW OF EVENTS THAT WERE OCCURRING, THAT WERE PRIVATELY ORGANIZED, WE SHOWED UP COORDINATED AND, UH, MET WITH PEOPLE THERE IN THOSE ENVIRONMENTS.
UM, ON A SMALLER SCALE, WE ALSO HELD SMALL GROUP OR SMALL FOCUS GROUPS WITH SPECIFIC GROUPS, UM, THAT INCLUDED, UM, GROUPS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE KNEW WE WERE NOT GETTING A LOT OF REPRESENTATION FROM.
SO THOSE WOULD BE LIKE DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH FOUR.
SO WE CENTERED ON TRYING TO REACH OUT TO TWO GROUPS THAT OPERATED IN THOSE DISTRICTS IN AN EFFORT TO, UH, CAPTURE SOME OF THEIR INPUT.
IN FACT, WE JUST HAD ONE YESTERDAY AT LUNCHTIME, SO THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE JUST STOPPED AND PUT THE BRAKES ON.
THAT'S ONGOING, UM, BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT THAT'S GONNA TAKE MORE EFFORT.
UM, BUT I, I SHOULD STRESS THAT THE SURVEY DATA IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US, BUT SO IS THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE ARE COLLECTING AT SMALL GROUPS AND ALSO AT POP-UPS.
SO, UM, WE ALSO RELY ON OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, THERE'S A BIG STAKEHOLDER GROUP AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE AVENUES OF ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT COMING IN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE BREADTH OF THAT, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS SHOW US NOW IN TERMS OF, UM, I'M SURE YOU'RE KEEPING TRACK OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE YOU'VE REACHED AND WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS SHOWING US ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS AND SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL GROUPS AND POPUPS YOUR TOTAL, HOWEVER, YOU'RE MEASURING YOUR COMMUNITY INPUT.
WHAT ARE YOUR MEASURES FOR COMMUNITY INPUT? SHOW US AT POP-UPS AT THE FIRST ROUND, WE NEVER CAPPED HOW MANY PEOPLE WE TALKED TO.
THOSE WERE POP-UPS THAT WE WERE AT EVENTS THAT PEOPLE CAME UP TO US.
MORE RECENTLY, WE WERE AT THE KITE FESTIVAL AND WHEN WE HAD OUR TABLE OUT THERE IN TENT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME UP TO US.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE HAD MANY EVENTS THAT WERE LIKE THAT WE WERE AT BLUES ON THE GREEN AS WELL, AND OTHER PRIVATE EVENTS THAT WE WERE AT.
SO WE COULD TALLY UP WHAT WE CAN FIND IN THAT DATA.
UM, WE PROBABLY CAN ALSO, UM, GET YOU SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT, YOU KNOW, RELATES TO THE SMALL GROUPS, BUT THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY MEANT TO BE SMALL DISCUSSIONS.
SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE GREAT NUMBERS.
SO, I MEAN, WE CAN TRY TO FIND THAT DATA.
SO THE DATA THAT YOU MENTIONED POSTED ON THE WEBSITE IS THE SURVEY DATA, RIGHT? NOT DOES IT ACCOUNT FOR ALL THE OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS? UM, THE OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE THERE.
WE SHOW EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE AT AND THE DATES.
UM, THE SMALL GROUP THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER ARE ALL THERE.
[00:50:01]
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD EVEN WATCH THEM, BUT ALL THE POPUPS THAT WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD THREE SERIES.I'M TRYING TO GET DOWN TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS, I'M LOOKING FOR A NUMBER.
SO CAN YOU HELP ME OUT? UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OUR, ARE WE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS THAT YOU ARE HEARING FROM, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE DEMOCRATIC DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY? I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THIS IS A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED OF ME FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M JUST WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT AND, UM, IS IT A CHALLENGE OR NOT? AND IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS YOU'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO REACH OUT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO, UH, TO GET SOME NUMBERS SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, UH, LET CLARA ANSWER THIS ONE AS WELL, BUT I'LL CHIME IN.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, UM, IN ANY OF OUR PLANNING PROCESSES, UM, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT AND WE HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HARD TO REACH OUT TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS WHY WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE MADE THE EFFORT TO GO OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN BE PRESENT AND APPEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE COMING TO THAT COMMUNITY OR THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT OR THAT ZIP CODE, UM, ARE, I THINK IF YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY AT OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, UM, WE HAVE TO ADJUST AND EVOLVE DURING THE PROCESS, BUT WE MAY HAVE COME UP WITH AS THE GAME PLAN AT THE EARLY END, WE HAVE TO ADJUST BECAUSE AS, AS THE PLANNING PROCESS CONTINUES, WE REALIZE, OH, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS UP SO THAT WE CAN HIT THE DISTRICTS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER ONE THROUGH FOUR AND PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THOSE EFFORTS IN THAT AREA.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE, BUT I, I, I THINK THAT BECAUSE PREDOMINANTLY THE POPULATION IN AUSTIN IS WHITE.
UM, WE TEND TO SEE A LOT MORE PARTICIPATION IN, IN WHEN, ON OUR SURVEYS, IN OUR PLANNING PROCESSES.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT W WE DON'T CONTROL, BUT WE MAKE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS.
IF WE NOTICE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH, UM, PARTICIPATION FROM PEOPLE OF COLOR.
NOW, THAT'S NOT FOR THE, THAT, THAT SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING, AND WE'RE NOT, UH, CHANGING THINGS TO MAKE IT BETTER AND TO REACH OUT TO THOSE GROUPS.
BUT, UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, IN OUR, ONE OF OUR LAST SURVEYS, WHICH WAS A SURVEY THREE, THE PARTICIPATION FROM PEOPLE OF COLOR INCREASED.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE OUT, UH, DOING INTERNET INTERCEPT SURVEYS IN THE PARK AND ELSEWHERE.
SO IT, IT WAS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF BOSTON, BUT I'LL ALSO THAT CLAIRE AND THE ANA CHIME.
CAUSE I KNOW THEY, I THINK THEY WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
OH, I, I WOULD JUST WANT TO ADD THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS, UM, EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO PROVIDE INPUT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE BOOKS RELATION THAT THEY MAY NOT WANT TO FILL OUT A SURVEY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE OFFERING THE, UM, THE SMALL GROUPS.
I DON'T KNOW IF CLAIRE HAS THEM IN FRONT OF HER, BUT WE WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE THOSE, UH, SEPARATELY IF YOU WANT.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A PRESENTATION ON FOCUSED ON ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PARKS BOARD LAST WEEK.
SO THAT'S WHY I HAD THIS AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT THERE'S A SLIDE THAT WE COMPILED ALL OF THE SURVEYS THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, UM, BOTH ONLINE AND, UM, IN THE ZOOM MEETINGS.
AND SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, LET'S JUST TAKE RACE, UM, WE COMPARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF AUSTIN.
SO, UM, IF WE START WITH BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN 8% OF AUSTIN'S POPULATION IS, UM, AS BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND OUR SURVEY RESPONSES THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS SURVEYS, ONE THROUGH FIVE VARY FROM 1% TO 11%.
SO, UM, IF WE LOOK AT THE WHITE, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC, 42% OF AUSTIN, OUR SURVEY RESPONSES ARE FROM 52% TO 75%, UH, LATINO OR HISPANIC.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF AUSTIN ARE 33%.
OUR SURVEY RESPONSES RANGE FROM 10% TO 18%.
SO WE ARE LOW, UM, WITH THAT DEMOGRAPHIC ASIAN, OR ASIAN-AMERICAN 5% OF AUSTIN IN OUR SURVEY RESPONSES RANGE FROM
[00:55:01]
3% TO 6%.DID YOU WANT ME TO KEEP GOING? UH, YES.
UM, AMERICAN, INDIAN, OR ALASKA NATIVE, 1% OF AUSTIN.
AND WE'VE HIT ABOUT 1% WITH THE RANGE THEY'RE BIRACIAL, MULTIRACIAL, OR NOT LISTED 2% OF AUSTIN AND OUR SURVEY RESPONSES RANGE FROM ZERO TO 4%.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OTHERS LIKE OTHER OR PREFER NOT TO ANSWER.
UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE A LITTLE ALL OVER THE PLACE ON SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS.
AND, UH, MY QUESTIONS WEREN'T INTENDED TO BE A CRITICISM.
IT WAS MORE JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ALWAYS CHALLENGING FOR US, AND, UM, WANTED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT WITH IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO I THINK YOU WERE NEXT.
I KNOW YOU ADDRESSED THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE CONTEMPLATED FOR THE CARETAKER'S COTTAGE.
I THINK SO THAT WAS, I THOUGHT THAT THAT HAD BEEN RENOVATED RELATIVELY RECENTLY.
UM, YOU MAY BE THINKING OF THE SHEFFIELD CENTER, WHICH IS THE BATH HOUSE FOR THE POOL MAYBE.
AND THEY'RE BUILDING A NEW MAINTENANCE FACILITY WHERE, WHAT THE QUONSET HUT HAD HOUSED ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT'S BEING MOVED WITHIN ZILKER PARK TO A NEW LOCATION, BUT THE CARETAKER'S COTTAGE.
IT, IT DOES FUNCTION AS OFFICE SPACE FOR THE RANGERS AND, UM, AND SOME OTHERS FROM PARD.
UM, BUT IT ALSO IS SERVING AS BY ITS LOCATION KIND OF INTUITIVE.
HEY, HERE'S WHERE I GO, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ZILKER PARK.
AND SO THE RANGERS THAT ARE THERE ARE, ARE FEELING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUT OF THAT VERY SMALL FOOTPRINT.
I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING, IS IT GOING TO BE RENT? IS IT, ARE THERE PLANS TO RENOVATE IT AGAIN OR ARE, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I, I MIXED UP WHAT YOU HAD DESCRIBED IN THE PRESENTATION.
I'M NOT CERTAIN, UM, WHEN, IF ANY RENOVATIONS HAVE BEEN DONE ON THE CARETAKER'S COTTAGE, I WAS DESCRIBING HOW IT'S USED TODAY, BUT FOR THE PLAN THAT WE SHOW IN THE REGENERATE CONCEPT, IT WOULD BE EXPANDING UPON THE USE OF THE CARETAKER'S COTTAGE AND THE QUONSET HUT, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO IT AND IS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE THAT CURRENTLY IS THE, THE USE OF IT TODAY, WHICH HAS BEEN MAINTENANCE, IS MOVING TO ANOTHER PART OF THE PARK, LEAVING THIS AREA OPEN FOR ANOTHER USE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE SHOWED IT AS BEING POTENTIALLY A WELCOME CENTER, RIGHT? YEAH.
WE HAD DONE A RIBBON CUTTING A FEW YEARS AGO, SO I KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN WORK AND WE WENT AND CELEBRATED IT.
AND REALLY THE REASON I'M ASKING IS THAT I'M KEENLY INTERESTED IN THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR RENOVATING THE BOMB SHELTER THAT'S THERE ON SITE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE JUST REMARKABLY HISTORICALLY USEFUL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO ME, THAT IS A VERY GOOD USE OF OUR HISTORIC OCCUPY, A HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DOLLARS, UH, WITHIN THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDING.
AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT PROJECT ACTUALLY KIND OF HAPPEN SOONER.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THE ZILKER PLAN IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO DO IT BECAUSE IT, IT COULD HAVE A SHORT, YOU KNOW, IT COULD HAPPEN SOONER, BUT I GUESS I WANTED TO ASK THE FOUR OF YOU HERE, WHETHER THERE ARE ANY PLANS, HAS THAT EVER BEEN ESTIMATED, UM, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO RENOVATE THE BOMB SHELTER? I'M NOT AWARE OF SUCH PLANS, BUT I WOULD LIKE ALSO TO ADD THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RENOVATING, UM, THE ZOCOR CLUBHOUSE.
UM, SO, AND WITH THAT, FOR THAT, WE ARE USING HOTEL OCCUPANCY.
WONDERFUL UM, SO WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, GET AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITHIN ZILKER AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, THAT CONTRIBUTES TO TOURISM, GET THE ATTENTION THAT THEY DESERVE.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL.
I THINK THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE, THE REALLY THE THINGS THAT, UM, EXCITED THAT OUR COUNCIL HAS DONE BECAUSE, AND I HOPE IT CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY TO USE THOSE, YOU KNOW, TO USE THAT FUNDING FOR CITY FACILITIES THAT NEED IT, UM, IN ADDITION TO BALANCING IT WITH PRIVATE AND, UH, OUR COMMUNITY BUILDINGS, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE CITY PROJECTS LINED UP AND I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM, UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, CAN CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, IF, IF WE COULD FOLLOW UP ON THE BOMB SHELTER, I'M, I'M REAL INTERESTED IN THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE VERY MANY INTACT BOMB SHELTERS AROUND IN AUSTIN, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A VERY INTERESTING, UH, AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL ASSET TO PRESERVE AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC SEE,
[01:00:01]
UM, FOLLOWING UP ON COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN'S DISCUSSION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.I THINK YOU AND I WERE INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT PRIOR TO, AND THEN RIGHT AFTER YOU, YOU TOOK OFFICE, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON ABOUT HAVING A CIRCULATOR THAT WENT UP AND DOWN BARTON SPRINGS THAT WOULD REALLY CONNECT THESE ASSETS BECAUSE ON THE, YOU KNOW, AT OUR FURTHEST EAST, WE HAVE THE LUNG CENTER AND THE PALMER EVENT CENTER.
THEN WE HAVE ZACH SCOTT, WE HAVE THE DIRTY ARTS CENTER.
WE HAVE UHMM LOS SCULPTURE, GARDEN BOTANICAL GARDENS.
YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD A CIRCULATOR RUNNING BACK AND FORTH, THAT WOULD REALLY TIE TOGETHER THE CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT THAT HAS DEVELOPED IN THAT AREA.
AND SO I DON'T WHERE, I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE ARE ON THAT, ON THAT PLAN.
BUT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, THAT REALLY REMINDED ME THAT WE HAD A GREAT PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION IN THAT AREA THAT WOULD REALLY, I THINK, HUGELY ENHANCED TOURISM.
AND THAT, TO ME, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR FUNDING FOR IT, THAT, AND THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR THAT WE'VE LONG TALKED ABOUT IS ALSO, UH, AN ALLOWABLE USE WITHIN OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, NOT IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT JUST WITHIN THAT GENERAL BUCKET OF HISTORIC OCCUPANCY TAXES FROM WHICH WE DESIGNATE MONEY TO VISIT AUSTIN TO THE CONVENTION CENTER FROM THAT GENERAL POOL, WE CAN DESIGNATE MONEY FOR CIRCULATORS THAT SERVE TOURISTS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD FOR THAT PURPOSE AS WELL AS FOR A DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN AN IDEA ON THE TABLE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I'M DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE MADE ANY, UM, UH, STEPS TOWARD IT AT THIS POINT.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE DID RAISE, UM, TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION ON THE ZILKER VISION PLAN.
SO, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, UH, A WHILE BACK WHEN WE WERE, WHEN YOU GUYS WERE GETTING STARTED WITH THE V UH, ZILKER VISION PLAN, WE, WE HAD SOME, UM, DRA, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS DIRECTION OR IN THE RESOLUTION, BUT TO CONSIDER THE ZILKER V UM, VISION PLAN, UM, IN LIGHT OF ALL THE TRANSPORT AND TRANSPORTATION SURROUNDING IT, INCLUDING THE CIRCULATOR IDEA.
SO, UM, SO I, I THINK THIS IS VERY TIMELY TIME TO BE LOOKING AT THAT.
UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY DECIDE WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS, UH, THERE'S HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CIRCULATOR, AS YOU MENTIONED.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES TO GET TO THE PARK.
SO, AND I THINK IT FIRST CAME UP NINE YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, I'M JUST LIKE COUNTING BACK.
I THINK COMMUNITY MEMBERS FIRST RAISED AT NINE YEARS AGO AND, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO HELP SUPPORT YOU IF YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD A RESOLUTION TO SEE IF THAT CAN HAPPEN AND ESPECIALLY WITHIN THAT FUNDING SOURCE.
HAVE, HAVE Y'ALL CONSIDERED THE CIRCULATOR CONCEPT, THAT PARTICULAR CONCEPT IN Y'ALL'S PLANNING AT THIS POINT? YES, DEFINITELY.
IT'S PART OF THE, THE I'M LOOKING OUTSIDE THE ZILKER BOUNDARIES IS VERY IMPORTANT WITH THE INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING IN PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, BUT EVEN THAT CIRCULATOR IDEA, AND WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE DILLO IDEA, UM, CONNECTING WITH DOWNTOWN AND ALL OF THESE OTHER DESTINATION POINTS.
SO IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL BE COMING FORTH OUT OF THIS PLAN.
UM, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOME, SOME EARLY SUCCESSES WITH SEEING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, COME TO FRUITION AFTER THE PLAN IS ADOPTED.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER WHEN DOES NOT A QUESTION, BUT A COMMENT.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND YOUR EFFORTS AROUND ENGAGEMENT.
I KNOW WE HAD PART AT OUR COMMUNITY MEETING IN DOVE SPRINGS, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO GET MORE PEOPLE FROM SOUTHEAST PARTICIPATING.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED ON THE NUMBERS WE'D LOVE TO SEE ARE OUR DEMOGRAPHICS MORE DIVERSE AS FAR AS PARTICIPATION.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S EFFORT.
AND REALLY MY COMMENT IS CITY MANAGER THAT REALLY APPRECIATED THIS VISION PLAN PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOR ZILKER PARK.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR VISION PLANS, YOU KNOW, AND LET'S TREAT EVERY PART OF, OF OUR VISIONING AS IF IT WAS HIS LOCAL PARK VISION PLAN.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT.
UM, DOES ANYONE VIRTUALLY WANT TO ASK A QUESTION COMMENT? OKAY.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK HER THE QUESTION FIRST IF I WAIT.
UM, SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE EXTENSIVE OUTREACH.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO HOW YOU ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE WITHIN THE PARK.
SO WE ARE FORTUNATE IN AUSTIN TO HAVE MANY PARTNERS WHO HELP US TO PROVIDE, UM, THE PARK AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY ARE
[01:05:01]
CONSERVANCIES OR CONCESSIONAIRES.AND IN ZILKER, WE HAVE MANY OF THEM, MANY OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN STRATEGIC PLANS.
I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE, UM, INTEGRATING, UM, THAT THEIR THOUGHTS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING CERTAIN PIECES, THIS AND BE IMPACTED IN, IN, IN VERY PARTICULAR WAYS, UM, HOW YOU ARE INTEGRATING THEM AND HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE IN THAT PROCESS, UH, WORKING WITH THEM WELL, I'LL START.
BUT, UM, THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE DOING WORK AND, AND CREATING PROGRAMS AND, UM, MAKING ZILKER ONE OF THE TOP DESTINATIONS HAVE BEEN PART OF OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD FROM THE ONSET.
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SEVERAL ONSITE TOURS BY AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER WITHIN THE SHEFFIELD CENTER, UH, THE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND, UM, EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES MANAGERS HAS BEEN VERY FORTHCOMING WITH, UM, UM, BEING QUICK TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE AS A PLANNING TEAM.
UM, IF WE NEED TO GO OUT ON SITE TO TEST OUT PART OF THE DESIGN TO SEE WHAT WE'RE, UM, WHAT WE'RE PUTTING ON THE PAPER THEY'VE BEEN REALLY FORT, UM, GREAT AND HELPFUL, AND HAVING US COME OUT.
AND, UM, BEYOND THAT, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S, UM, ZILKER COLLECTIVE IS A GROUP OF THOSE, UM, AFTER MENTIONED, UM, UM, STAKEHOLDERS COMING TOGETHER.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, WITH THOSE GROUPS.
IT'S A LOT OF MEETINGS, IT'S A LOT OF LISTENING SESSIONS, BUT ALSO, UM, TALKING THROUGH CHALLENGES THAT THEY SEE WITH THE DESIGNS AND THAT THAT FEEDBACK IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AS WE TAKE THOSE THREE CONCEPTS THAT WE WENT OVER TODAY AND START PUTTING THEM TOGETHER INTO ONE PLAN.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THOSE VOICES ARE, ARE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THEY REALLY KNOWS ZOCOR AND THEY KNOW HOW IT'S WORKING IN HOW IT'S NOT, AND THEY HAVE SPENT TIME THINKING, UM, IN COMMUNITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
AND IT'S AT THE SUCCESS OF THE PLAN MAY IN SOME WAYS, DEPEND ON THEIR FUNDRAISING AND THEIR, UM, ENGAGEMENT.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO BRING FORTH THOSE VOICES AND, AND, AND LISTEN TO THOSE GROUPS AND HEAR, HEAR THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES ARE.
UM, SO THAT THIS PLAN CAN, CAN REALLY SUCCEED.
UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE CIRCULATOR IDEA.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY CREATIVE WAY TO GET PEOPLE AROUND THE PARK, UM, WHICH IS WHAT I HAD SEEN IN PORTLAND WHEN I WENT THERE AND WAS ABLE TO GO SEE HOW THEIR CIRCULATOR WORKS.
UM, I ALSO LOVE THE IDEA OF A DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR.
I THINK CONGRESS WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE.
WE KNOW WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO, WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE.
UM, AND I ALSO THINK THAT COULD BE A HELPFUL WAY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATE SOME OF OUR OTHER VISION PLANS THAT I KNOW WE, YOU KNOW, YOU DO A LOT OF WORK FIGURING OUT WHAT'S GOING TO GO ON IN A, IN A NEW PARK, NEW PARKLAND.
UM, AND I THINK CIRCULATORS COULD BE A GREAT WAY TO START BRINGING REVENUE INTO THAT PARK SPACE AND TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO AND SEE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL ANGLES OF PARKS BEFORE THE ACTUAL GETS TO BE BUILT.
SO I'M REALLY INTRIGUED IN THAT CONVERSATION AS A REVENUE GENERATOR FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHERE IT IS.
OH, AND I DID HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, WE HAD A CONVERSATION A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK ABOUT SOME OF THE, UM, THE CONCESSION CONTRACTS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO FLAG, I THINK WE HAD ASKED BY THE END OF THE MONTH TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAPPENS BEYOND THE ONE-YEAR EXTENSION FOR THE ROWING DOCK PARTICULAR, UM, CONCESSION.
AND SO I KNOW IT'S NOT TIME TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO FLAG IT AND SEE IF THERE WERE ANY UPDATES OR IF, UM, I COULD EXPECT TO HEAR WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS LOOK LIKE FOR, UM, WHAT THE RFP PROCESS IS GOING TO BE FOR THIS TRANSITION OF WHAT THE ULTIMATE PLAN SAYS, AND THEN HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THESE CONTRACT EXTENSIONS KIND OF FEED INTO WHEN IS THE NEXT RFP COMING OUT, HOW LONG WILL IT BE FOR, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT OUR CONTRACTS TEAM IS WORKING ON THAT AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
IS YOUR LIGHT JUST STILL ON OR DID YOU HAVE A, OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SEEING NONE? SORRY.
I GOT TO GET USED TO THIS ROOM.
UM, SEEING NONE, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS WORK.
THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR OUR CITY.
IT'S AMAZING THAT THEY HAVEN'T, THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE AND THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE.
SO I CAN ONLY THINK OF WHAT WE WILL, WE WILL, UM, HAVE AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS AS WE IMPLEMENT IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY WE WILL NEED TO GO INTO A BOND CYCLE, UM, TO BE IN FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT PHASES.
UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR
[01:10:01]
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING PLANNING AND SOME OF OUR MAJOR METROPOLITAN PARKS, AND THERE'S SOME, SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WE APPROACH, UM, THE NEXT BOND CYCLE, UM, TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS.UM, AND, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THE BENEFIT OF A SOLID PLAN, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THAT, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN HELPED US.
UM, IF YOU COULD JUST CONCLUDE BY, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY ELSE SOMEBODY WHO'S WATCHING THIS WANTS TO GET INVOLVED AND ENGAGED, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES AND WHERE WOULD THEY FIND INFORMATION? SURE.
SO, UM, I'LL SPELL OUT OUR WEBSITE.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION FROM THE SITE ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT, UM, TO ANY OF OUR PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING THIS ONE FROM TODAY, THAT IS WWW DOT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/ZILKER VISION.
AND YOU CAN ALSO, UM, IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, ANYTHING EMAIL, SILK, OR VISION AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV, AND THERE'S A PRETTY RAPID RESPONSE RATE ON THAT.
UM, AS FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS, WE'RE, UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD, WE DON'T HAVE A FIRM DATE ON OUR COMMUNITY MEETING NUMBER FIVE, BUT THAT WILL HAPPEN SOMETIME LIKELY AROUND SEPTEMBER.
[D1. Discussion relating to increasing housing capacity on transit corridors.]
UM, WE HAVE AN OPTION TODAY OF DISCUSSING, UM, INCREASING HOUSING CAPACITY ON TRANSIT CORRIDORS.UH, WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT ON THURSDAY.
I THINK THIS WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY IF SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY SPECIFICALLY WANT TO PRESENT, AND WE MAY BE NEEDING TO DO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THURSDAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS HAVE STUFF THEY WANT TO PRESENT TODAY, OR WE WANT TO, UM, TAKE THAT UP THURSDAY OR ON THE 17TH COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TALK IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THURSDAY, UM, ABOUT SEVERAL ISSUES RELATED TO THIS.
UM, AND THEN I HAD BEEN THINKING IN TERMS OF, UM, THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD BE USING THE 17TH AND THE 19TH, UH, TO TALK ABOUT IDEAS.
THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT THE GOAL WAS, UH, RATHER THAN BEFORE THAT.
SO IF SOMEONE IS THINKING OTHERWISE, I'M SURE WE'D LIKE TO KNOW IT.
AND THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE GOAL.
I THINK WE, WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF THERE WAS A NEED NEED FOR IT EXPECTING THAT THAT CONVERSATION WOULD REALLY HAPPEN MORE, MORE ON THE 17TH.
UM, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS AT THIS POINT? OKAY, GREAT.
THEN, UM, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP TWO ITEMS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5, 5 1 0 7.
ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO, DID YOU NEED ME? I, I APOLOGIZE.
I JUST, JUST BECAUSE I'M THE MORNING WENT FASTER THAN WE THOUGHT.
WHEN YOU READ THE, THE SCRIPT, THEN IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF WE COULD START THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS AT 11, THAT WOULD GET OUR, WE HAVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR BOTH THE ITEMS AND WE JUST NEED TO GET EVERYBODY UPS.
I'M SURE THAT, UM, WE WILL ALL BE HAPPY TO HAVE AN EXTRA HALF HOUR OR 40 MINUTES.
[E. Executive Session]
INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP TWO ITEMS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5, 5 1 0 7.ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO
CAUSE NUMBER D ONE, GN 17 0 0 0 9 3 7 IN THE 419 THAT JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS.
AND
CAUSE NUMBER
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE ITEMS AND NOW HEARING NONE, THE COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL CONVENE VIRTUALLY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 11:00 AM.
PLEASE TRY AND BE PROMPT SO THAT WE CAN, UM, MOVE THROUGH AND GIVE EVERYONE THEIR AFTERNOON.
YES, WE'RE GOING TO CONVENE AT 11 THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE COUNSEL SET TO JOIN US.
UM, WE HAVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL, THAT'S SET TO JOIN US AT 11.
UM, SO PLEASE BE PROMPT AT 11 AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AND AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION, I WILL SIMPLY COME OUT AND, AND CLOSE US OUT, UM, AT THE END OF THE, THAT TIME, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY BE EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON.
[01:15:02]
WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR DISCUSSION OF LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO, SORRY, WE'RE NOW ITEMS YOU WANT TO EAT TO WEAR OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.UM, IN CLOSED SESSION, WE DISCUSSED THE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO IWAN AND
IT IS NOW ONE 10, AND I ADJOURNED THIS WORK SESSION.