[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
I HAD A FEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
I'M LAURA
UM, I'M GOING TO CALL ROLL, UH, VICE-CHAIR FAUST, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER, RINALDI BOARD MEMBER TO CARLO PRESENT BOARD MEMBER, MORE BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER HUDMAN PRESENT BOARD MEMBER BENARD, OO, BOARD MEMBER PRESENT, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
SHE'S NOT HERE YET AS BOARD MEMBER LOUIS, PRESENT BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HAVE, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.AND SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT VICE-CHAIR FAST HAS THAT LIST AND WE'LL GIVE EVERYBODY THREE MINUTES.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE SPEAKERS.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE ENTIRE TIME.
WE HAVE 10 SPEAKERS FOR GENERAL COMMENT.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS JOINING US ONLINE.
ERIC, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO GIVE YOUR COMMENTS? THE SECOND SPEAKER IS ON A GOOD DAY.
ANA, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? YES, I AM.
UM, THE AFTERNOON I CHEER
I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL, BUT I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR OR ON THE BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION OR THE COUNCIL.
I AM ALSO THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF GLOSS AND BUMBLE SOFTEN.
AND THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR AT THE SOUTH IS COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, CONTACT TEAM.
I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM THREE.
I SUBMITTED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE CONTACT TEAM TO THE BOARD EARLIER TODAY.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THE CONTACT TEAM VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN SUPPORTIVE OF THE WILLIAMSON CREEK PROJECT, WHICH IS ITEM THREE ON YOUR AGENDA.
AND IT IS PEDAL FOR THE WATER RENT
WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THIS INITIATIVE FROM THE VERY START IN.
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT EXEMPLIFIES A TRUE DEMONSTRATION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE U2 STAFF AND STUDENTS AND CD STAFF DEDICATED TIME TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH THE RESIDENTS.
ALTHOUGH THE IN-PERSON GATHERINGS WERE CHALLENGING, CONSIDERING ALL OF THIS OCCURRED DURING THE COVID 19 OUTBREAK, EVERYONE STEPPED UP TO THE OCCASION AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO BRANCHES
WE'RE PULLING IN THE RESIDENTS, STUDENT WORKERS, AND OF COURSE, AS HUGE, THANKS TO THE STAFF THAT SUPPORTED US AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS WAS A TRULY A CORE COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY EFFORT, ENGAGING THE RESIDENTS ALONGSIDE WITH THE EXPERT COMMUNITY, WHICH ARE THE CITY STAFF IN THE COMMUNITY EDUCATION COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS A PURPOSE, HERS PROFESSOR AND STUDENTS WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY THEIR SKILLS IN A REAL WORLD SETTING.
I HOPE WE HAVE THE BOARD SUPPORT ON THIS PROJECT AND WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE TO PROVIDE AN EVEN BETTER OUTCOME FOR OUR SOUTHEAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, WILLIAMSON CREEK BEATS INTO ONION CREEK IN BOTH OF THESE CREEKS FLOOD AND HAVE RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC FLOODING EVENTS.
AND OF COURSE THIS WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A SAFE ACCESS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND ENJOY A ACCESS TO A WALKING TRAIL THAT IS SAFE FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BLANCA ORTIZ.
I DON'T THINK THEY CAN HEAR YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER
I AM ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THE CREEK AND IT'S A PREDICTABLE
[00:05:01]
MORE THAN ONE A YEAR.THE STUDENTS OF UT WOULD HAVE BEEN ROUTES OR RUN ROUTES, RANCHERS DEPART RANGERS, THE TEXAS RANGERS PARK THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ACTIVELY AND IN ALL THIS PROCESS OF THE PANDEMIC, WE WENT TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZED AND TALKS CONVERSATIONS.
I SAID
OH, I SAID,
THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GRATIFYING.
WE WERE VERY DIFFERENT, BUT WITH, UH, WITH ONE GOAL IN COMMON, THE CREEK PROJECT, THE, UH, THE PEOPLE, THE SPONSORS OF THE CREEK.
WE WERE, UH, PUTTING OUT, UH, IDEAS, UH, OUR FEELINGS AND OUR CULTURE AND THE STUDENTS WE'RE TRANSFORMING ALL THOSE WORDS, ALL THOSE DIALOGUES, ALL THOSE IDEAS, UH, INTO A MORE SIMPLE, UH, IDEAS THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD UNDERSTAND.
WE WERE DREAMING ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING.
THIS WORKS ABOUT CONVERTING OR TURN IN THIS IDEA FOR, FOR THE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WHO DO, UH, WHO CAN GET, AND THAT WILL BE OUR DREAM COME TRUE.
AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO KEEP WORKING FOR THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BLANCA OR TEAS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ELENA RODRIGUEZ.
HI, MY NAME IS ELENA RODRIGUEZ AND INDIA IN DOUBLE SPRINGS.
WELL, NOT BEST IN THAT MOOD, COMFORTABLY, VERY COMFORTABLE NEIGHBORHOODS.
[00:10:02]
MUTUALLY IT IS DIFFICULT TO WORK, UH, TO GO WALK IN THE PARK.BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOONS, EH,
WITHOUT FEAR THAT A, A CHILD MIGHT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR BE HIT BY A CAR AND IT'S ALSO A VERY SAFE SEWN, BUT, UH, OH NO.
UH, PRESENTLY IS A VERY, UH, DENSE, UH, AREA WITH TREES.
WELL, YOU CANNOT PLAY WALK OR A RUN.
THE ENTRANCE IS NON DESCRIPTIVE.
IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S NOT, UH, IT DOESN'T SHOW ANY INTEREST OR PEOPLE TO COME TO WALK INTO THE CREEK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AN EDINA SANCHEZ AND WHEN I STARTED THIS
SPRING AREA, EH, FRANCIS
UH, ALSO THE UT PROFESSOR OF GERMAN IS LETTER AND ALSO HE'S, UH, POST GRAY, UH, COMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW, REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS THEY COLLABORATED TAKING PICTURES FOR SIGNING MAPS AND, UM, AND ALSO THE DRAWINGS THAT WE, UH, ME AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE WILL LOVE TO SEE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PLACE.
UH, AS WELL AS IN THE FLOORING WORLD, UH,
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MALCOLM YATES.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE IRAQ CONTACT TEAM THAT REPRESENTS THE RESIDENTS OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
I AM HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THE PARKS BOARD TO SUPPORT A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
[00:15:01]
RIVERSIDE AREA IS ALREADY MOSTLY PARKLAND EFFICIENT.ACCORDING TO THE PARD WEBPAGE SHOWING HERE, THIS AREA HAS NO RECREATION CENTER OR COMMUNITY CENTER FOR YEARS.
THEY WERE EAST RIVERSIDE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN DEPENDENT ON CHURCHES FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, BUT THESE CHURCHES HAVE NOW CLOSED.
THE MAP ON THE PARK WEBSITE IS MISLEADING.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE CITY HAS SOLD PARKLAND IN THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA TO PRIVATE INTERESTS, THE PART MAINTENANCE FACILITY AT SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD IN LAKE SHORE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED PARKLAND BY PARD WAS TRADED TO ORACLE.
THIS LAND IS NOT A PARK AND THE AREA AROUND IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PARKLAND EFFICIENT.
THIS LAND COULD HAVE BEEN USED AS A BADLY NEEDED COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE RESIDENTS OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN AREA THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PARKLAND DEFICIENT IS THE AREA AROUND THE WOODLAND POCKET PARK.
THE WOODLAND PARK PARK IS 14,000 SQUARE FEET OF LAND.
THIS TINY PATCH OF LAND IS NOT ADEQUATE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE THOUSANDS OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF THE MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES BETWEEN PARKER LANE AND WICKERSHAM.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE POVERTY LEVEL OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE APARTMENTS IN THE EASTER RECITE AREA.
THIS GRAPH IS FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN DEMOGRAPHICS.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF FOREIGN RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA.
THIS IS THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN DEMOGRAPHICS WEBPAGE.
THE FOREIGN POPULATION OF THIS AREA HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED SINCE 2011.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS NOW CONSIDERING LEASING THE FORMER YOUTH HOSTEL ON LAKE SHORE TO THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DEMOGRAPHICS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDES, A ROWING CLUB WOULD NOT BENEFIT MOST OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA.
THE FORMER YOUTH HOSTEL BUILDING SHOULD BE USED AS AN EAST RIVERSIDE AREA COMMUNITY CENTER.
INSTEAD, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION, THE COMMUNITY CENTER, THE RESIDENTS NEED PLEASE SUPPORT THE USE OF THE FORMER YOUTH HOSTEL AS A COMMUNITY CENTER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT COB.
MY NAME IS COP THAT'LL HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR HELP ONCE AGAIN, UH, LET'S START WITH THE BAD NEWS.
I THINK YOU'VE SEEN THE BUDGET AND A CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED DESPITE YOUR OWN RECOMMENDATION FOR A $22 AN HOUR.
LIVING WAGE RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR $18 AN HOUR.
AND IF THAT STAYS AT 18, WELL THEN LIKELY WE WILL HAVE A LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE AGAIN.
NEXT SUMMER, THE BUDGET ALSO RECOMMENDS FOR PERMANENT REGULAR LIFEGUARDS.
IF IT STAYS AT FOUR, WE WILL LIKELY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE.
THOSE NUMBERS NEED TO RAISE, AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO CITY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.
I'M ABOUT A 90% SURE THAT CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO RAISE THAT FROM 18 TO SOMETHING ELSE.
WHAT THAT SOMETHING ELSE WILL END UP BEING DEPENDS ON WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONVEY TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A BUNCH OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND THE BUDGET IMPORTANT MEETINGS.
AND WHAT I ASK EACH OF YOU TO CONTACT HER OWN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ASK THEM, REMIND THEM THAT YOU VOTED FOR 22.
THEY VOTED FOR 22 AND IT NEEDS TO BE HIGHER THAN 18.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IT WILL BE, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO MEET WITH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS NEXT WEEK, AND WE HOPE IT IS GOING TO GO HIGHER.
WE'LL SEE I'M THINKING ABOUT IT.
I SEE YOU HAVE SOME WORKING COMMITTEES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET REPORTS ON.
MY SUGGESTION IS THAT YOU ESTABLISH A WORKING COMMITTEE ON THE AQUATICS DEPARTMENT FOR NEXT YEAR, SO THAT THERE IS NOT ANOTHER LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE NEXT YEAR.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PAY IT'S ABOUT OPERATIONS, AND YOU CAN ESTABLISH THAT YOU CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WASN'T DONE LAST YEAR.
AND WE HAVE A LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE
[00:20:01]
AND POOLS ARE STILL CLOSED.ONLY 39% OF THE POLLS ARE OPEN 13, REMAINED, CLOSED, CLEAN PARQUET, BUT SARAH KHOSA METS 11 OTHERS.
THOSE ARE IMPACTING QUALITY OF LIFE IN AUSTIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER
SHE'S ASKED ABOUT HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO PROVIDE HOLIDAY PAY AND ACCRUED TIME OFF.
SHE'S ASKED ABOUT ANOTHER BONUS FOR NEXT YEAR, 500 OR FOR THE BEGINNING 500 AT THE END TWO 50 FOR OPEN WATER.
SHE'S ASKED ABOUT BILINGUAL PAY STIPENDS BECAUSE I OFTEN RUN INTO PEOPLE I CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH, BUT I RELY ON MY COWORKERS AND THOSE COWORKERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET MORE PAY.
AND I LITERALLY CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THE PERSON I JUST RESCUED, BUT SOMEONE ELSE CAN COME ALONG.
THE MIDDLE LIFE CARD CAN FREE EQUIPMENT UNIFORMS FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, HEALTHCARE REMAINS A PROBLEM AFFORDABLE.
IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE WHEN PEOPLE WORK LESS THAN 30 HOURS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANTHONY MCGREGOR DAY HEY COUNSEL.
UH, SO MY NAME'S ANTHONY MCGREGOR DAY WITH THE SPRINGDALE PARK NEIGHBORS, UM, ADMISSIONS TO HELP REHABILITATE EMPOWER AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE LONGTERM UNHOUSED RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, WE WERE HERE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT MEETINGS SINCE THEN.
KIMBERLY MCNEILLY'S REACHED OUT TO US AND LISA, UH, EVEN REACHED OUT TO US TO SEE, UH, HOW THEY CAN HELP.
UM, THERE'S SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS GOING ON AT THE MOMENT.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, WE SEE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTIVATE, UH, SERVICES FOR UNHOUSED RESIDENTS WITHIN THE PARKS.
ONE DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING IS AROUND THE COMMISSION STANDS WITHIN THE DIFFERENT PARKS AND POTENTIALLY, UH, HAVING, UM, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AS RUN THOSE, NOT JUST AS REGULAR COMMISSION STANDS, WHERE YOU CAN BUY, YOU KNOW, UH, A COLD DRINK OR SOMETHING, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE IN THE PARK.
WE DEFINITELY LIKED THAT IDEA.
UM, THERE'S OTHER DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING AROUND WORKING WITHIN ZILKER PARK, UM, AND DOING SOME OF THE PARK MAINTENANCE WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
THESE ARE ALL JUST IDEAS RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION FOR REACHING OUT TO US AND IN STARTING TO, UH, HAVE SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, ONE THING I DO WANT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IS JUST THE HEAT.
UM, WE'VE HAD THREE OF OUR, UH, RESIDENTS HAVE HEAT STROKE IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS TO A MONTH.
UM, ONE IN PARTICULAR ENDED UP ON LIFE SUPPORT.
UM, WE THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARKS TO LOOK AT OPENING UP SOME TEMPORARY SHELTERS WITHIN THE PARKS, POTENTIALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NEED SOME SORT OF AIR CONDITIONING.
WE HAVE A TENT FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE HAD TO SET UP IN THE PAST THAT WE PLUG A PORTABLE GENERATOR INTO.
AND IT, IT, UH, IT WORKS PRETTY WELL.
I THINK UNDER A THOUSAND DOLLARS A UNIT, EVEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO, UM, TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE HEAT DURING THE DAY.
THESE COULD BE CONSIDERED TEMPORARY STANDS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE, UM, VIOLATION OF THE CAMPING BANDS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UM, BUT I'D CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT, UH, THAT THE WORK WE DO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BILL BUNCH.
A BOARD CHAIR, COTTAM SEIBEL BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M BILL BUNCHE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, FIRST JUST WANTED TO THANK, UM, THE CHAIR AND FORMER CHAIR LEWIS FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO LOOK INTO THE, UH, THREATS TO THE FOX FAMILY OVER AT FESTIVAL BEACH, AND PERHAPS SOME OF THE REST OF Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED THERE.
I SURE HOPE THAT Y'ALL NOT LET THAT GO.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE NEED TO HOLD ONTO THESE LITTLE POCKETS OF NATURE IN THE CENTRAL CITY, UH, RATHER THAN JUST HAVE THEM SORT OF WILLY NILLY CONVERTED TO CONSTRUCTED, UM, PARKLAND THAT'S, UH, IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT OUR, UH, RESIDENTS SAY THEY WANT, WHICH IS MORE NATURE IN THE CENTRAL CITY.
UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK PRIMARILY ON WHAT'S RELATED TO YOUR ITEM 12, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND THE STATESMEN PUD PARKS RECOMMENDATION THAT I BELIEVE Y'ALL MADE BACK IN DECEMBER.
THERE'S BEEN MORE INFORMATION SINCE THEN.
AND I WANT TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER EITHER AS A GROUP OR INDIVIDUALLY ASKING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HOLD OFF ON TAKING ACTION THIS WEEK, IT'S POSTED ON THEIR AGENDA FOR THURSDAY, BUT THERE IS A PENDING
[00:25:01]
REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT AND PERHAPS HAVE Y'ALL REVISIT THAT MATTER, UH, TO CLARIFY AND UPDATE YOUR POSITION, UH, AT YOUR NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.UM, UH, ON A COUPLE OF FRONTS, ONE IS THAT IT'S SORT OF INDIRECT THE DEVELOPERS NOW ASKING 70 FOR THE US TAXPAYERS TO FUND $71 MILLION TO BUILD THEM AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEY WANT BETWEEN 14,000,080 4 MILLION TO HELP BUILD THEIR STREETS.
I MEAN, THIS IS RATHER DISGUSTING AND OFFENSIVE.
I MEAN, THIS IS THE MOST LUXURY RICH WEALTHY DEVELOPMENT IN THE WHOLE CITY, PERHAPS THE WHOLE STATE.
AND YET THEY'RE ASKING FOR TAXPAYER HANDOUTS THAT, AND THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD GO DIRECTLY INTO A PARKS BUDGET THAT WOULD BE ADEQUATE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY TO A RANGE OF, UH, CITY, UM, PRIORITIES.
UH, NEXT IS ON THE PARKLAND DEDICATION.
THERE'S A CHART ONCE MARKED OLD ONCE MARK NEW, THE NEW ONE IS IN YOUR ACTUAL BACKUP THAT PERHAPS YOU'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH 12.
I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.
BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS IF YOU START WITH THE OLD, THERE'S A LINE THERE, KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE THAT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN FROM 2016 CALLED FOR 9.6 ACRE PARK AT THIS SITE, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOWN TO NOW IS 3.5 ACRES, AND THAT'S EVEN COUNTING, UH, PARKLAND THAT'S, UH, GOING TO BE TAKEN UP WITH WATER.
QUALITY CONTROLS IS IN THE CRITICAL WATER CALL.
THE ZONE 5% OF IT COULD BE PAID FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
UM, THE NEW INFORMATION IS TAKING THIS IN A WRONG WAY.
THERE'S NO WAY THIS CAN BE VIEWED AS SUPERIOR.
AND JUST TO CONCLUDE THE STAFF, I THINK Y'ALL GAVE SOME DIRECTION TO STAFF TO NEGOTIATE, BUT I THINK IT MEANT TO BE AN, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT TO NEGOTIATE, TO GET YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND INSTEAD THE STAFF MEMO THAT'S IN THE BACKUP WAS NEGOTIATING A WAY FROM AND GETTING EVEN LESS.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS KEVIN RAINA'S WELL, I'M KEVIN.
RAINA'S A NICE TO SEE YOU ALL.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
MY COMMENTS WILL BE BRIEF AS I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND PART LEADERSHIP FOR SUPPORT OF ONGOING EFFORTS TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND SERVICES THAT AUSTIN ROWING CLUB IS A 5 0 1 C3.
NONPROFIT HAS BEEN PROVIDING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOR 40 YEARS, AND WE CONTINUE TO EXTEND OUR PROGRAMMING ACROSS 40 NON-PROFIT PARTNERS.
MANY OF THEM SERVING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION, AND MANY, MANY MORE.
I MISSED THE LAST MEETING I WAS OUT OF TOWN.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND FOR THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD IN MARCH, AND THAT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY TO SEE THOSE SERVICES CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED TO ALL IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE'VE GOT ONE MORE SPEAKER FOR GENERAL COMMUNICATION.
MY NAME IS KERMIT MAXWELL AND I, I LIKE TO SAY HOW YOU D HOW YOU GUYS DOING THIS EVENING.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM TO EASE ALSO LOOK HER.
WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO GET UP AND SAY, I'D SAY A FEW WORDS SHE GOT, BECAUSE WE WERE A PART OF, MOST OF THAT, THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, THE LITTLE CUP, LITTLE PART OF A BLOB OF OUR HUMANITY YOU'RE THEN, UH, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN THROUGH ALL THE, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS A BAD CHILD, BUT I HAD THESE POINTS RIGHT NOW WHERE I'M TRYING TO REENTER THIS REENTER LIFE.
AND I ASKED, I ASKED, I ASKED, UH, MY, MY, UH, MY EMPLOYEE OVER THERE, MR. MR. GREGORY DAY THAT, BECAUSE HE'S BEGINNING THIS, THIS, THIS PROGRAM OUT HERE BY THE SHACK.
[00:30:01]
AND, UH, IT'S NOT ONLY JUST FOR THAT, IF WE SPEAK A WHOLE LOT OF THAT AREA, BUT WE TRY TO SEE WHAT CAN WE DO FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I'M ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT Y'ALL CAN SEE THAT, THAT, THAT IS IN THIS IS IN THIS POVERTY THING.SO IF YOU, EACH ONE OF Y'ALL WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO.
HE DON'T LIKE THE GUY WON'T COME UP AND SAY, I NEED SOME HELP.
YOU KNOW? SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO RIGHT NOW IF I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I NEED SOME HELP, YOU KNOW? AND I, AND I REALLY DO, YOU KNOW, IT AIN'T THAT I'M, I'M SO CAUGHT UP IN THE DRUGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I'M REALLY CAUGHT UP IN THE JUST CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OUT OF THIS WHOLE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN YOU HAVE A HEART AND YOU HAVE GRANDSONS, YOU KNOW, LIKE I GOT MY GRANDSON RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, AND HE REALLY, HE REALLY GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO BE UP HERE TO SAY SOMETHING TO YOU GUYS RIGHT NOW, TODAY, BECAUSE I, IN MY PART, IF I CAN'T DO NOTHING TO SHIP ANYTHING ELSE, HOW I'M GOING TO HAVE LEADERSHIP FOR MY GRANDSON, I HAVE TO HAVE ME A JOB, OR I HAVE SOME TO HAVE SOME KIND OF INCOME.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? RIGHT NOW I WAS ACTUALLY HOMELESS.
I WAS STAYING IN, IN A LITTLE HOTEL UP THERE AND THAT'S AS A BLESSING, I THINK, I THINK YOU ALL, FOR AT LEAST STARTING THAT TYPE OF PROGRAM, I KNOW WE USED TO HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE PAST, LIKE URBAN LEAGUE AND THEN THE DIFFERENT BOYS CLUB.
YOU ALREADY PARTY SEE BOYS CLUB RIGHT THERE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO JUST RATTLE ON TO YOU WHAT YOU GOT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO ACTUALLY SAFE AS SEE WHAT DID, WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING ON IN OUR CITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT THE BUS DO NOT KNOW WHAT THIS YEAR, THIS IS GOING ON.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, SOME PEOPLE NEED TO TELL TO TELL THEM THE PROGRAM THAT Y'ALL, THAT Y'ALL HERE, THEY'RE TALKING FOR US, YOU KNOW, BUT HOW DO WE BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR OURSELVES? A LOT OF WILL TAKE UP ALL YOUR TIME, BACK TO WHAT IS GETTING 50 INTRODUCED TO YOU GUYS.
I SEE THE FEELING OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HELPING SOMEBODY.
AND I HOPE THAT WE OUT THERE, WE CAN GET SOMETHING GOING ON WITH MR. GRIBBIN, BIG MAC GRADED OVER THERE, AND WE CAN HELP.
CAUSE I BELIEVE I CAN TELL SOMEBODY TRULY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT TRULY AT ODIN BACK STREETS UP THERE THERE'S DARKNESS, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
IT'S TRULY THAT THERE'S BACK STREETS OVER THERE THAT SOME PEOPLE NEVER SEE THE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY COULD TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD, BUT THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE WORLD.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES OUR GENERAL COMMUNICATION.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF BUSINESS THEN IS THE MEETING MINUTES.DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MEETING MINUTES OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I'LL MOVE APPROVAL? UM, SO MOVED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, ANYBODY OPPOSED? IS THERE AN OPPOSITION? OH, YOU WERE ABSTAINING.
THEN I BELIEVE THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
AND OUR FIRST, OUR, UM, THE NEXT
[2. Presentation, discussion and possible action on the history of Waller Creek as it pertains to upcoming naming opportunities. (Cottam Sajbel) ]
STEP, I HAVE A SPEAKER DR.CATHERINE PACE THAT I'VE INVITED AND I BELIEVE WE'VE ALSO INVITED DR.
TED GORDON WHO MAY NOT BE HERE YET.
UM, SO IF YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND, OKAY.
SO THE AGENDA ITEM IS NUMBER TWO WHILE THEY'RE COMING UP, UH, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE HISTORY OF WALLER CREEK, AS IT PERTAINS TO UPCOMING NAMING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WATERLOO, UM, GREENWAY SPACE AND DR.
KATHERINE PACE IS AN URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORIAN.
TED GORDON IS A FOUNDING CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DIASPORA STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AS WELL AS AN AWARD WINNER, UM, FOR BOTH THE PRESENTATION PRESIDENTIAL CITATION AND A PRO BENNET MERITUS AWARD.
SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US, UM, I'M GOING TO LAUNCH STRAIGHT IN, CAUSE IT'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, UM, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, CENTRAL AUSTIN, CENTRAL TEXAS HAS A FLASHLIGHT ECOLOGY.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST FLASH FLOOD PRONE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, IF NOT ALL OF NORTH AMERICA IN THE WORLD.
AND, UM, THIS IS RELEVANT BECAUSE, UM, DUE TO RACISM THROUGHOUT AUSTIN'S HISTORY, UM, SOCIAL FORCES HAVE DRIVEN BLACK PEOPLE INTO FLOOD PUMP, UH, FLOOD PLANES INTO URBAN FLOODPLAINS.
SO THAT'S WHY I START THIS PRESENTATION WITH AN IMAGE OF THE 1915 FLOOD ALONG WALLER CREEK.
UM, AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, BLACK PEOPLE MIGRATED TO CITIES, INCLUDING AUSTIN, MANY HOPE TO BUY LAND AS A RURAL WHITE PEOPLE SOLD BLACK PEOPLE, ONLY THE POOREST LAND,
[00:35:01]
THIS LAND THAT WAS STEEP AND THEREFORE DIFFICULT TO BUILD ON LAND THAT WAS NEAR INDUSTRY OR MOST OFTEN LOW LANDS THAT WERE PRONE TO DRAIN DRAIN POOR DRAINAGE AND FLOODING GIVEN NO OTHER OPTION, BLACK PEOPLE PURCHASE PROPERTY IN THESE AREAS.OTHER BLACK PEOPLE RENTED NEARBY TOGETHER.
THEY FORMED FREEDOM COMMUNITIES.
THESE WERE CLOSE KNIT ENCLAVES WHERE RESIDENTS ENGAGED IN MUTUAL AID, POOLING THEIR RESOURCES AND SHARING THEIR LABOR TO HELP ONE ANOTHER WEATHER AND THE RACISM TO WHICH BLACK PEOPLE WERE DAILY SUBJECTED.
THIS MAP HERE SHOWS HOW SUCH RACIAL DISCRIMINATION PLAYED OUT IN AUSTIN.
IT WAS CREATED BY IMPOSING DATA TAKEN FROM A CITY OF AUSTIN DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY ONTO AN 1872 MAP DEPICTING THE HISTORIC PATHS OF CENTRAL AUSTIN STREAMS. YOU CAN SEE THAT SOCIAL FORCES PUSHED BLACK PEOPLE INTO AUSTIN'S RIPARIAN ZONES.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, AUSTIN, UH, BLACK PEOPLE WERE PUSHED INTO LOWER WALLER CREEK, WHICH WAS THE EPICENTER OF BLACK SETTLEMENT IN AUSTIN.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL FREEDOM COLONY THAT TOOK SHAPE ALONG THE MAIN BRANCH OF LOWER LA WALLER CREEK.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CALLED, NAMED THE RED RIVER COMMUNITY BECAUSE MANY BLACK BUSINESSES CLUSTERED ALONG RED RIVER STREET.
IN FACT, IT WAS A RIPARIAN FLOODPLAIN COMMUNITY, ITS BEGINNINGS DATE TO JULY, 1869.
WHEN A RECORD FLOOD IS SWEPT DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER CAUSING THE TRIBUTARIES OF THE COLORADO RIVER TO BACK UP AND ALSO FLOOD SHORTLY AFTER THIS FLOOD, WHITE LANDOWNERS ALONG RED RIVER STREET BEGAN SELLING FLOOD-PRONE PROPERTIES TO BLACK PEOPLE.
AS EARLY AS 1871, A BLACK COMMUNITY HAD FORMED ALONG THE DOWNTOWN BRANCH OF LOWER WALLS OF WALLER CREEK.
THE COMMUNITY WAS HOME TO BLACK BUSINESSES, HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS, AND BY DECADES END TO A BLACK CHURCH AND SCHOOL, ALMOST ALL BLACK RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTIONS WERE LOCATED SQUARELY WITHIN WALNUT CREEK'S FLOODPLAINS.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE RIGHT HERE IN AN ACT OF SOLIDARITY.
BLACK LAND OWNERS OFTEN SUBDIVIDED THEIR HOLDINGS AND SOLD TO OTHER BLACK PEOPLE IN NIGHT IN 1871, THE BLACK OWNER OF LAND AT RED RIVER AND 11TH STREET SOLD TO JEREMIAH HAMILTON, A BLACK CARPENTER FROM BASS JOB, TEXAS, AND A MEMBER OF THE 12TH, TEXAS LEGISLATOR, AND A TESTAMENT TO HAMILTON'S FINANCIAL SUCCESS.
HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE ABLE TO BUILD A TWO-STORY STONE STRUCTURE ON THE LOT.
THEY LIVED ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND OUT OF THE FIRST THEY RAN A GROCERY.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE HOUSE THAT THEY BUILT THE JEREMIAH HAMILTON HOUSE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN SYMPHONY SQUARE.
IF YOU'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THAT IT OVERLOOKS WALLER CREEK A HOME TO SUCCESSFUL BLACK BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS RELATIVELY AFFLUENT BLACK RESIDENTS.
THE RED RIVER COMMUNITY WAS ALSO HOME TO BLOW POOR BLACK PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN FLOOD-PRONE TENEMENTS WHILE THEIR CREEPS, WHILE THEIR CREEK STEEP.
AND PARTICULARLY FLOOD-PRONE BRAIN BANKS WERE HOME TO SHANTY TOWNS WHERE BLACK PEOPLE LIVED IN CROWDED AND UNSANITARY CONDITIONS HERE ON THE SLIDE.
THERE'S A QUOTE THAT SPEAKS TO THESE CONDITIONS.
IT'S TAKEN FROM A SANITATION SURVEY OF AUSTIN IN 1913, ITS AUTHOR WROTE PEOPLE ARE CROWDED TOGETHER IN SMALL HUTS.
ONE IN TWO FAMILIES IN A ONE-ROOM SHANTI AND LITTLE CHILDREN ARE FORCED TO PLAY OUT IN THE DUSTY STREET ON THE FILTHY DIRTY CREEK OR RIVER BANK WHERE THEIR HOMES ARE LOCATED.
I'M SURE WITH THE 1928 CITY PLAN, WHICH INSTITUTIONALIZED RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION AND RACIST POLICIES AND AUSTIN FUNDAMENTAL TO THE WORKING OF US REAL ESTATE CAPITALISM AND CITY PLANNING IS THE IDEA THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE HAZARDOUS TO WHITE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY VALUES.
WE SEE THIS IDEA PLAY OUT IN AUSTIN'S 1928 CITY PLAN.
IN ADDITION TO INSTITUTIONALIZING SEGREGATION, THE PLAN PROPOSED THAT THE CITY USED PARKS TO RACIALLY LANDSCAPE ITS LOW LANDS AND FLOODPLAINS, THEREBY PROTECTING AND INCREASING NEARBY WHITE PROPERTY VALUES.
THE AUTHORS OF THE PLAN WERE AWARE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL AND TOPOGRAPHIC GRADIENTS IN AMERICAN CITIES.
THEY KNEW THAT POOR PEOPLE AND PARTICULARLY POOR BLACK PEOPLE WHO OCCUPIED THE LOWEST RUNGS OF THE SOCIAL HIERARCHY TENDED TO SETTLE IN TOPOGRAPHICALLY, LOW PLACES.
THEY PROPOSE THE CITY USE PARKS TO RUPTURE THIS RELATIONSHIP.
UM, THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE 1928 PLAN, UH, THAT SPEAK TO THIS.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE ULTIMATE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IN THE VICINITY OF 11TH AND 12TH STREETS, JUST EAST OF THE ING ING N RAILROAD, EXCUSE ME, IT'S A TYPO.
THE TOPOGRAPHY IS VERY ROUGH AND IS IT PRESENT OCCUPIED BY THE CHEAPEST TYPE OF NEGRO SHACKS? WHEREAS THE PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY ADJOINING IS MORE VALUABLE AND CAN EVENTUALLY BE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER, THE ACQUISITION OF THIS PROPERTY FOR PARK PURPOSES.
AND THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESENT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WILL INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY.
MANY TIMES THE COST OF THE ACQUISITION THEREOF.
[00:40:02]
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UH, THAT SPEAKS TO WALLER CREEK.THE PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF PALM SCHOOL, UNACCOUNTED BEING ISOLATED AND CUT UP BY WALLER CREEK IS VERY CHEAP PROPERTY.
AND IN A NEGLECT STATE, THE BLOCK TO THE WEST OF PALM SCHOOL IS ALSO VERY CHEAP PROPERTY AND WE REMAIN SO AS LONG AS WALLER CREEK IS PERMITTED TO CONTINUE IN ITS PRESENT CONDITION.
IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THESE TRACKS OF LAND BE ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND THAT THE COURSE OF WALNUT CREEK BE STRAIGHTENED THIS ENTIRE TRACK CONVERTED INTO A VERY DESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYGROUND.
THIS HERE IS THE HISTORY OF PALM PARK.
IT WAS DESIGNED EXPLICITLY TO DISPLACE BLACK PEOPLE ALSO ALONG SHOAL CREEK, UM, PLANNERS, THE AUTHORS OF THE 1928 MASTER PLAN PROPOSED PARKING SHOW CREEK TO CONTROL THE NATURE OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.
AT THE TIME, THERE WERE NO BLACK PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE MAIN BRANCH OF SHOW CREEK PLANNERS WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THAT REMAINED THE CASE.
THEY WROTE THE SHOAL CREEK VALLEYS FLAMED ON EITHER SIDE BY HIGH BLUFFS AND VERY DESIRABLE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BETWEEN THE BLUFFS ARE CONSIDERABLE LOWLANDS, WHICH ARE NOT PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL USE.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE LOWLANDS OF THIS VALLEY BE ACQUIRED FOR A LARGE PARK TO CONTROL THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT ALONG WALLER CREEK.
THE CITY PROPOSED BUILDING A WALLER CREEK PARKWAY, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, WIDE PAVED ROAD SUITED TO AUTOMOBILES.
AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN CUT-OFFS FROM THAT ROAD, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ALONG EAST AVENUE.
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN CUTOFFS FROM THAT ROAD TO PARKS.
IT CHANGED THE PARKS ALONG WALLER CREEK TO JUSTIFY CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALNUT CREEK PARKWAY.
UH, THE CITY PLAN STATED THE COMPLETION OF THIS DRIVE WILL UNTIL THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN CHEAP PROPERTY ALONG THE BANKS OF WALLER CREEK.
MOST OF THE PROPERTY WHICH WILL BE NEEDED IS AT PRESENT OCCUPIED BY VERY UNSIGHTLY, AN UNSANITARY SHACKS, AND HABITED BY NEGROES WITH THESE BUILDINGS REMOVED REMAINING PROPERTY WILL BE OF A SUBSTANTIAL AND ONE MORE DESIRABLE TYPE.
SO IN SHORT, THE BLUEPRINT FOR AUSTIN'S FIRST MODERN PARK SYSTEM WAS A BLUEPRINT GROUNDED IN RACISM AND THE DESIRE TO DISPLACE BLACK PEOPLE FACED WITH BUDGETARY RESTRICTIONS.
THE CITY LIMITED ITS PARK PLANS FOCUSING INSTEAD ON ACQUIRING LAND IN NORTH AND WEST AUSTIN, WHERE IT BUILT A SCALED DOWN VERSION OF THE SHOAL CREEK PARKWAY, IT DID INDEED STRAIGHTEN THE BEND AND WALLER CREEK AT THIRD STREET, AND IT BUILT A PARK NEXT TO THE PALM ELEMENTARY, WHICH WAS AT THE TIME A WHITE SCHOOL, UM, THROUGHOUT JIM CROW.
THESE WERE THE ONLY MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS ALONG LOWER WALNUT CREEK.
AND THE RED RIVER COMMUNITY REMAINED IN PLACE.
CRUCIALLY AS BLACK PEOPLE WERE PUSHED AND PULLED INTO EAST AUSTIN WALLER CREEK AND NOT EAST AVENUE DEVELOPED INTO THE CITY'S COLOR LINE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT HERE, IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY EAST AUSTIN AS A CONTIGUOUS SPACE WAS CLEARLY NOT BOARDED BY EAST AVENUE.
IT WAS BORDERED BY WALNUT CREEK AND ITS FLOODPLAINS.
NOTABLY, YOU CAN SEE THIS HERE, THE RED, THE BLACK DOTS ARE BLACK HOUSEHOLDS.
THE RED DOTS ARE MEXICAN HOUSEHOLDS IN THE 1920S AFTER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAIVED IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRACTED MEXICAN WORKERS, UM, TRIGGERING MASS MIGRATION FROM MEXICO TO THE U S AUSTIN'S HISPANIC POPULATION INCREASED VERY QUICKLY.
AND MEXICANS WHO FACED A LOT OF THE SAME RACISM, THE BLACK PEOPLE FACED WERE ALSO PUSHED INTO WALNUT CREEK'S FLOODPLAINS.
UM, THEY TOO OCCUPIED THE SHANTY DISTRICTS ALONG LOWER WALNUT CREEK AND SOME STRETCHES BECOMING THE MAJORITY.
UM, WHILE THE RED RIVER COMMUNITY WAS THROUGHOUT JIM CROW HOME TO SHANI TOWNS, IT WAS ALSO HOME TO A NUMBER OF VERY SUCCESSFUL BLACK BUSINESSES.
UM, ONE OF THE, SOME OF THE OWNERS OF THE MOST FAMOUS OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE DEPICTED HERE ON THE FAR END IS SIMON SEIDEL.
HE WAS A HORSE TRAINER AND TRADER FROM PLU, PFLUGERVILLE, TEXAS.
HE OPENED AN ANTIQUE SHOP IN 1918 AT RED RIVER AND EAST EIGHTH STREETS.
HE TAUGHT HIS DAUGHTER THERESA, THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE AND IN THE MID 1940S, SHE AND HER HUSBAND TANNY WHO WERE DEPICTED IN THE MIDDLE PICTURE.
SHE'S ALSO DEPICTED ON THE FA ON THE OTHER SIDE, THEY OPENED AN ANTIQUE STORE AT RED RIVER AND EAST 12TH.
THEY WERE SOON JOINED BY OTHER SECOND-HAND DEALERS, BLACK AND WHITE TURNING RED RIVER INTO STREET INTO A BUSTLING SECONDHAND DISTRICT.
IT REMAINED A THRIVING DISTRICT UNTIL THE EARLY 1970S, EVEN AS WHITE FLIGHT TO THE SUBURBS, WRECKED HAVOC ON THE REST OF DOWNTOWN BY VIRTUE OF ITS LOCATION, A PARTICULAR SHANTI NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATED JUST EAST OF CAPITOL HILL IN A, IN A PARTICULARLY FLOOD PRONE, RIPARIAN BOTTOM LAND ATTRACTED LARGE AMOUNTS OF ATTENTION OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE TEXAS OBSERVER, THEY PUBLISHED A PIECE DECRYING THE STATE OF AUSTIN SLUMS. THEY HIGHLIGHTED A PARTICULAR SLUM WITHIN A TWO MINUTE WALK OF THE SPREADING LAWNS OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
EIGHT PEOPLE LIVE IN THREE ROOMS WITH WOOD, FOR HEAT AND NO GLASS IN THE WINDOWS UP ON THE SAME STREET, A MA A MEXICAN MOTHER KEEPS HER
[00:45:01]
FOUR CHILDREN INTO ROOMS WITH WIDE CRACKS BETWEEN THE FLOORBOARDS.THE AUTHOR HERE WAS SPEAKING OF THIS, THIS SLUM ALONG WA WATER WATER WALLER CREEK IN WHAT IS NOW WATERLOO PARK.
UM, RIGHT HERE, THIS IS TAKEN FROM A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE IN 1961, ENTITLED THE SHAME OF AUSTIN.
THESE ARE PICTURES OF THE SHANTY, THE SHANTY NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATED IN THIS RIGHT PERIOD.
BOTTOM LAND AT THE EASTERN FOOT OF THE CAPITOL HILL.
THE ORIGINAL PICTURE IS THE CLEARER ONE, THE LARGER ONE ON MY LEFT, I GUESS YOUR LEFT AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NEWSPAPER ACTUALLY REMOVED KIND OF PHOTOSHOP THE PICTURE REMOVED.
SOME OF THE TREES INSERTED THE CAPITOL DOME WITH AN ARROW TO HIGHLIGHT HOW TERRIBLE IT WAS THAT POOR BLACK PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE CAPITOL.
SLATED FOR REMOVAL IN THE 1928 MASTER PLAN.
THIS COMMUNITY WAS AGAIN SLATED FOR REMOVAL BY AUSTIN'S URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY.
THE BRACKENRIDGE URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT DISPLACED THE SHANDIES EAST OF CAPITOL HILL, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES LOCATED IN THE PROJECT AREA AND IN THE BOTTOM LAND WHERE THE SHANDY'S HAD BEEN THE AGENCY BUILT WATERLOO PARK HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE AGENCY WROTE TO ENHANCE THE PROJECT AREAS AS A FRONT DOOR TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS, A PUBLIC PARKWAY ALONG WALLER CREEK HAS PROPOSED, WHICH WILL IN TURN ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THOSE PRIVATE REDEVELOPMENT PARCELS.
ADJACENT THERE TO THIS SPACE WILL ALSO SERVE AS A DRAINAGE AREAS SINCE MOST OF THE PROPOSED DEDICATED PARKING IS SUBJECT TO FLOODING BY WALLER CREEK.
NOTABLY, THIS IS THE ONLY REFERENCE THAT I COULD FIND IN ALL OF THE BRACKENRIDGE PROJECT DOCUMENTS THAT MENTIONED FLOODS.
THE PARK WAS NOT PLANNED AS A FLOOD MITIGATION MEASURE.
THE PARK WAS PLANNED TO DISPLACE BLACK PEOPLE AND BOOST NEARBY PROPERTY VALUES, NOTABLY OR CRUCIALLY URBAN RENEWAL GAVE NO CONSIDERATION OF THE SOCIAL CAUSES OF POVERTY OR TO THE SOCIAL BONDS THAT POOR BLACK COMMUNITIES HAD FORMED.
AND THE SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY PROVIDED.
ONE ANOTHER IN SOME WHILE THEIR CREEK'S HISTORY SPEAKS TO THE PERVASIVE SYSTEMIC NATURE OF RACE IN THE U S IN AUSTIN AND IN AUSTIN, THE URBAN SPACES WE LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN EVEN THE MOST SEEMINGLY BENIGN URBAN SPACES LIKE OUR PARKS ARE THE PRODUCTS OF RACIST CITY PLANNING AND RACIST REAL ESTATE CAPITALISM.
AS TONI MORRISON WROTE, WE LIVE IN A WHOLLY RACIALIZED WORLD ALONGSIDE THIS HISTORY OF RACISM.
THERE IS A RICH HISTORY OF BLACK COMMUNITY BUILDING DETERMINATION AND RESILIENCE ALONG LOWER WALLER CREEK, A HISTORY THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE TOLD THANKS TO MY WORK AND THE WORK OF OTHER SCHOLARS, INCLUDING A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS THAT DR.
WE HAVE THE NAMES OF THE BLACK PEOPLE WHO OWN LAND MANAGED BUSINESSES AND BUILT COMMUNITY ALONG LOWER WALLER CREEK.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE PARKS BOARD, THE WATERLOO GREENWAY GREENWAY, AND OTHER CITY WORKERS TO ENGAGE WITH THIS MATERIAL TO INVEST RESOURCES IN PUTTING TOGETHER MORE DETAILED BIOGRAPHIES OF THE BLACK PEOPLE WHO LIVED AND WORKED ALONG WALLER CREEK.
AND TO HIGHLIGHT THIS HISTORY IN BOTH WATERLOO PARK AND ALONG THE WALLER CREEK GREENBELT.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO DR.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO COME AND SPEAK YOU.
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO JUST SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY AND RELATIONSHIP TO, UM, I GUESS, TO PARKS, BUT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN GENERAL, AND I'LL BE, UH, RELATIVELY BRIEF AND, UH, VERY GENERAL FIRST AND FOREMOST, LET'S THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN AT THE TIME OF THE UNDER CIVIL WAR, 1865 CITY OF AUSTIN HAD A BLACK POPULATION, WHICH WAS ABOUT 30% OF THAT POPULATION.
BLACK FOLKS ARE DISAPPEARING FROM THE SPACE THAT WE CALL AUSTIN SPACE AND RACE AND HISTORY ARE IMPORTANT TO TRACK.
THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO TRACK BECAUSE HISTORY SHOWS US THAT NEXUS OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RACE AND SPACE ACCUMULATION THROUGH DISPOSSESSION IS A KEY ASPECT OF HOW IT IS THAT RACE OPERATES IN THIS COUNTRY AND HAS OPERATED HERE IN AUSTIN.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS, AND YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, OTHER ASPECTS OF HOW COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN DISPLACED SO THAT OTHERS COULD ACCUMULATE YOU GET
[00:50:01]
THE PICTURE.THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN AUSTIN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, BLACK FOLKS WERE CONFINED TO SPECIFIC KIND OF SPACES OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN BEFORE 1865, WHEN 1865 HIT.
WE MOVED TO SPACES AS KATIE WAS POINTING OUT THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO US, BUT WHICH WERE THE WORST THAN THE MOST DANGEROUS SPACES IN AUSTIN.
WHEN THOSE SPACES BECAME VALUABLE TO OTHERS, WE PROBABLY GATED A CITY POLICY, WHICH HAD FOLKS MOVE FROM THOSE MORE VALUABLE SPACES TO SPACES, WHICH WERE RESERVED FOR US WHEN WE WERE ABLE THROUGH AND OVER TIME TO BEGIN TO BUILD CAPITAL, TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN THE SPACE THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO US, INTEGRATION HAPPENED IN A WAY WHICH UNDERMINE THOSE COMMUNITIES OR THAT COMMUNITIES THAT WERE CREATED.
I'M TALKING ABOUT EAST DOS NOW, AND THE BLACK MIDDLE-CLASS MOVED OUT.
AND OVER TIME, THE LARGER WHITE COMMUNITY SEEING ONCE AGAIN, THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCUMULATION ACCUMULATION THROUGH DISPOSSESSION MOVED INTO EAST AUSTIN.
AND WE NOW HAVE THE SITUATION OF GENTRIFICATION.
HISTORY IS IMPORTANT, BUT PARTICULARLY HISTORY HERE IN AUSTIN IS, OR THE RACIAL HISTORY OF HERE AT OFF OF HERE IN AUSTIN IS CRUCIALLY RELATED BETWEEN SPACE AND RACE REDRESSING.
THAT HISTORY IS A DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
UH, I IN KATIE'S MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS HERE, BUT ONE OF THE KEY ASPECTS OF REDRESS IS RECKONING WITH THE TRUTH OF THE PAST.
THE TRUTH OF THE PAST, AND AUSTIN IS A TRUTH OF DISPOSSESSION OF RACIAL MIGRATION OF THE ACCUMULATION OF VALUE.
AND THEN THE DISPOSSESSION OF THAT VALUE ACCUMULATION OF VALUE IN SPACE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE IS ONE THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED.
UM, PART OF THE PROBLEM IN TERMS OF RECOGNIZING THAT IS A RATIO, THE RATIO OF SOCIAL MEMORY.
IF WE THINK ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE FEEL THERE'S ONLY ONE BUILDING LEFT IN WEAVERVILLE THAT, UH, WAS THE ONE BUILDING LEFT FROM A THRIVING BLACK COMMUNITY.
THAT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN BASICALLY ERASED.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF LOSING EVEN THAT ONE BUILDING, WHICH IS A SIGN OF THE COMMUNITY, THE THRIVING COMMUNITY THAT USED TO EXIST THERE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, JUST DOWN THE STREET, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, COCHRAN HOUSE, WHICH SHOWS HOW IT IS THAT CERTAIN KINDS OF SPACES CAN BE PRESERVED AS A MEANS OF MAINTAINING A SOCIAL MEMORY OF A PARTICULAR KIND OF COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HISTORY NEEDS TO DO ONCE AGAIN, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOCIAL MEMORY LIVES, THAT COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE, OR THOSE PATHS, WHICH ARE FACED WITH A RATIO ARE MAINTAINED.
AND ONLY THROUGH DOING THAT THROUGH RECKONING WITH THE HISTORY, THROUGH MAKING IT OR ENGAGING IN THE PROCESSES OF, UH, OF REMEMBERING WHAT HAPPENED IN THESE SPACES.
DO WE BOTH BEGIN TO READDRESS THAT, BUT ALSO BEGIN TO TRY TO AVOID THE PROCESSES, THE SOCIAL POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC PROCESSES THAT CONTINUE TO ERASE FOLKS TO DISPOSSESS FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DID TO DO THIS.
I KNOW IT WAS JUST ON YOUR OWN ON YOUR OWN TIME, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ENLIGHTENING THE BOARD.
UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND, UM, WE FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND, AND SOME OTHER THINGS IN THE PARKS.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN MAYBE TALK TO WATERLOO, GREENWAY CONSERVANCY ABOUT A HISTORY WALK AND ALSO ABOUT MORE APPROPRIATE NAMING GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BRING IN THESE EXPERTS.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANYBODY? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
IT'S GOOD SEEING YOU AGAIN AND DR.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION.
AND THERE'S SO MANY IMPACTFUL WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF, IT'S JUST KNOWING THE LANGUAGE AND HEARING THE LANGUAGE, HOW TO ARTICULATE WHAT YOU SEE, WHAT YOU FEEL AND WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING IN.
LIKE, IT'S NOT JUST THE HISTORY, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THE PRESENT.
HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BUT IMPACT, DO WE SEE, PARTICULARLY WITH WATERLOO, WHAT WAS THE RATIONALE FOR DOING IT? THAT INTENTIONALITY, YOU KNOW, IT, IT BRINGS UP A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT IT BRINGS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON HOW MONEY IS SPENT AND DECISIONS ARE MADE AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
[00:55:01]
I LOVE IT.I, YOU KNOW, I WROTE DOWN RECKONING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TRUTH OF THE PAST, MAINTAINING A SOCIAL MEMORY OF A TYPE OF COMMUNITY.
AND ACTUALLY THAT'S WHERE MY QUESTION IS GOING TO.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, I AGREE, I REALLY FOUND OUT WHAT THE NEW CROCK CROCKERY IN HOUSE, THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW COMMUNITY, LIKE THE LARGER, WE'LL SAY AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
AND I REALLY DO USE THAT IN QUOTES.
WE'LL SAY THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HOLD THIS UP, WE'VE GOT PROTECT IT, BUT THEN YES, SOME OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS WITH, THERE'S NOT THAT DIRECT CONNECTION, IT'S NOT OURS, IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS.
HOW DO WE, WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION WHEN WE SEE SO MANY PEOPLE IN POWER AND AUTHORITY THAT YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS? LIKE, HOW DO YOU, I MEAN, I'M KIND OF MISSING, LIKE, HOW DO WE BRIDGE? HOW DO WE DO THAT IN FOR THAT INFORMING? AND THEN ONCE WE DO THE INFORMING, WHAT'S THE ASK, IS IT THE, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE ON THE WEEDS FILL HOUSE, IT'S THE PRESERVATION OF THE WEEDS FULL HOUSE, THAT STORYTELLING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING IT, BUT WHERE ELSE CAN WE DO THAT? AND WHAT IS IT WHEN HAVE YOU THOUGHT ON LIKE HOW WE SHOULD BE AS PARTICULARLY IN A PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT, UM, SHOAL CREEK.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT SHOAL, WE'VE BEEN, WE PAID A TON OF MONEY FOR A SMALL LITTLE SLIVER AROUND SHOAL CREEK.
PART OF IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE STORYTELLING WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND MAYBE THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY MATURE, BUT HOW DO WE DO IT? RIGHT? THAT'S THE QUESTION? UH, I'M NOT SURE I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO ANYTHING, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN LOOK TO IS HOW HAS IT BEEN DONE FOR OTHERS? SO LET'S TAKE NEIL COCHRAN HOUSE, YOU COCHRAN HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN BY THERE RECENTLY OR NOT.
THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP, UH, THE KIND OF PERIOD PIECES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THEY HAVE CONTINUAL, UH, PROGRAMMING THERE.
YOU CAN READ A, UH, UH, A BROCHURE WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILIES THAT WERE THERE AND WHAT SURROUNDED IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU HAD TO DO IN YOUR PARK, BUT IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO DO THE RESEARCH NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS THAT A PLACE LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PARK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, UM, UH, W WHAT HIS HISTORY WAS, WHAT HIS HISTORY AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITIES WERE.
AND TO TELL THAT STORY, TO TELL THAT STORY THROUGH PROJECTS, CONTEXTUALIZATION, OR COMMEMORATION, TO TELL THAT STORY THROUGH HAVING FOLKS GO TO SCHOOLS AND, AND TELL THESE STORIES, ET CETERA, UM, IT CAN BE DONE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WAYS.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK IS THE EFFORT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHAT YOU SEE HAS A HISTORY TO IT, AND TO TELL IT IN VARIOUS KINDS OF WAYS, UH, AND THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS THAT THAT CAN BE DONE.
UH, WE PARTICIPATED IN ACTUALLY IN A, UH, A PROGRAM AT, AT SHOAL CREEK IN WHICH WE, UH, WENT THROUGH AND HAVE VARIOUS OF US TALKING ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF SHOAL CREEK AND THE HISTORY OF BLACK AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN RELATIONSHIP TO, UH, TO THAT SPACE.
THAT WAS A ONE DAY EVENT, BUT IT WAS AN EVENT THAT A HUNDRED OR SO PEOPLE CAME TO, AND I THINK IT HAS SOME KIND OF IMPACT, IT AT LEAST WAS AN EFFORT TO TRY TO HAVE THAT STORY BE, BE TOLD AND BE UNDERSTOOD.
SO PRESERVATION, BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES AS PEDAGOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S, IT'S NOT SHAMEFUL TO BE EDUCATED ON IN OTHER WORDS.
AND I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, A KEY ASPECT BORDER PARKS SHOULD BE ABOUT BESIDE RECREATION IS EDUCATION, AND WE CAN DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW KATIE, IF YOU HAD SOME OF THIS.
UM, YEAH, JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT DR.
GORDON SAID ABOUT THE NEIL COCHRAN, MY HAMILTON HOUSE HAS A LITTLE PLAQUE, THAT'S IT? YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO, FOR SURE, THERE'S NO ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT GROUNDS THAT HOUSE IN THE LARGER HISTORY HISTORY OF THE WATERWAY.
I THINK ALSO ABOUT, UM, PROJECTS THAT I'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO THINGS TOO, WORKING WITH DR.
GORDON UNIVERSITY COMMEMORATION PROJECTS, WHERE THEY HAVE, UM, UM, COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUES GOING INTO THE HISTORY AT, AT VARIOUS POINTS POINTS ON CAMPUS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOCATED IN STRATEGIC PLACES SO THAT PEOPLE WERE REALLY ENGAGED WITH THIS.
I MEAN, SCULPTURE WORK ART, RIGHT? ART IS A VERY OBVIOUS PLACE, ARE COMMISSIONED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO LIVE IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIRECTIONS THAT, THAT, THAT YOU CAN GO IN AND ALSO JUST GETTING HISTORY, RIGHT.
BECAUSE AS IT'S TOLD RIGHT NOW IN WATERLOO PARK, THE HISTORY IS NOT CORRECT.
[01:00:02]
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE A REALLY LOW HANGING FRUIT IN TERMS OF A PLACE TO START.AND I, SORRY, WASN'T JUST ONE FOLLOW-UP IF YOU DON'T MIND SHARE JUST REAL QUICK.
UH, AND SO DO YOU THINK GOING AT ALL THIS AND NOT HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORICAL OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY, AND THERE'S A PSYCH PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN AUSTIN? WELL, I THINK THERE'S A CLEAR, PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE BLACK COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY ANY LONGER PART OF US.
I THINK IT UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE A HISTORY HERE, BUT, UM, I THINK MOST OF US FEEL LIKE THAT WE'RE DISAPPEARING FROM THE SPACE, AND THAT HAS A VERY CLEAR PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON FOLDS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF LITERATURE THAT'S BEEN DONE ON GENTRIFICATION AND THE DESTRUCTION OF COMMUNITIES AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS ARE VERY REAL, BUT I THINK THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S BEGINNING TO HAPPEN WITH MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES HERE AS THE COST OF LIVING BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD PEOPLE ARE LEAVING TOWN.
MEXICAN AMERICANS HAVE A VERY CLEAR HERITAGE IN THIS PLACE, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY RECOGNIZE IT EVEN LESS SO THAN IN SOME SENSE IN BLACK FOLKS, RIGHT? THE SPACES, UH, DON'T HAVE THAT DEPTH OF HISTORY THAT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK SPACES DO.
UM, BUT AS PEOPLE LEAVE AND THEY GET ERASED, SOCIAL MEMORY OF THEM ARE RAISED IN THAT HAS TO HAVE A PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON FOLKS.
YOU FEEL LESS THAN YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT YOUR PLACE IT PLACE IS FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
THAT'S ALSO VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF HOW BLACK PEOPLE OPERATE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE COLOR LINE IN AUSTIN.
AND WHAT USED TO BE THE COAL LINE IN AUSTIN, WHICH WAS A WALNUT CREEK OR EAST AVENUE, AND THEN 35, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE EAST SIDE WAS OUR SIDE.
WELL, IT'S NO LONGER OUR SIDE ANYMORE, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO AUSTIN AND MOVED TO THE EAST SIDE, THERE WERE PEOPLE IN MY DEPARTMENT AT UT, WHICH IS THEY HAD THE POLICY DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE LIBERAL AND AVID AND ADVENTUROUS WHO HAD NEVER BEEN ACROSS
NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M A WELL-EDUCATED AND VERY SECURE PERSON, BUT PSYCHOLOGICALLY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO ME? I LIVE IN A SPACE WHERE OTHERS REFUSE TO GO, WHERE TEACHERS WHO TAUGHT IT ANDREWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM ME, ROLL UP THEIR WINDOW WHEN THEY GOT INTO OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS BASICALLY A MIDDLE-CLASS COMMUNITY IN EAST AUSTIN THAT HAS A PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON EVERYBODY.
GORDON I'LL HAVE OUR QUESTIONS.
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE YOU ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS BOARD.
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I THINK THIS WAS EXCELLENT EDUCATION, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THE MATH.
[3. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding the Where The Water Runs/Donde Corre El Agua community activated park project proposal for East Williamson Creek trailhead and greenbelt with the Dove Spring Community.]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, UM, WHICH IS, UH, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE, WHERE THE WATER RUNS.AND I AM NOT GOING TO SAY SPANISH BECAUSE I SPEAK FOR ANISH, UH, COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK, PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR EAST WILLIAMSON CREEK TRAILHEAD AND GREEN BELT WITH THE DESERT SPRINGS COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT, UH, CHRISTINE CHUTE KHANEWAL AND, UM, I, I GUESS YOU'LL INTRODUCE ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE CHU GRANOLA, AND I MANAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM PROVIDES EASILY ASSESSABLE PATHWAYS FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO PROPOSE INITIATE ADVOCATE IMPLEMENT AND STEWARD PROJECTS, AND ALL TYPES OF PARKLAND.
THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO BUILD COMEDIANS, COMMUNITY AGENCY AROUND EVERY PARK, AND THEN EFFECTIVELY ENGAGED COMMUNITY ON PARKLAND ISSUES THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO THEM.
I'M HERE AS THE STAFF LIAISON TO THE AWARE THE WATER RUNS PROJECT OR MORE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS DONEE CORA EL AGUA, THE PROJECT IS A LONGTIME DESIRE AND VISION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ENHANCE AN ACTIVATE ACTIVATE UNDERUTILIZED PUBLIC SPACE WITHIN DOVE SPRINGS.
THE COMMUNITY INITIATED PLANNING PROJECT OFFICIALLY CAME TO PART IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 IN THE HEIGHT OF COVID THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK PROJECT PROGRAM.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN GABA, ALREADY ENGAGED WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROJECT TO FUND AND IMPLEMENT.
AFTER THE VISION, THE VISION PLANNING WAS DONE.
[01:05:01]
COLLABORATE, UH, WITH UT AND GAVI TO ASSIST WITH UNDERSTANDING SITE CONSTRAINTS PRIOR TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.AND ONCE COMMUNITY PLAN WAS COMPLETED TO WORK WITH THE PARTNERS ON NEXT STEPS, INCLUDING AND BRINGING TO YOU TODAY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE PRESENTING WITH ME TODAY ARE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WHO INITIATED AND LED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOP THE PROJECT PLAN YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP, WHICH I HAVE A HARD COPY.
WE HAVE FRANCIS AKUNA FROM GO AUSTIN, VAMOS AUSTIN, BLANCA ORTIZ, ATLANTA RODRIGUEZ, EDINA SANCHEZ FROM THE DOVE SPREADING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE EAST WILLIAMSON CREEK PARK CREEK ADOPTERS AND BJORN STILETTOS IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, WHO IS A UT PROFESSOR WITH THE SCHOOL OF ARTS ARCHITECTURE AND HE AND HIS STUDENTS DEVELOP THE PLAN YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP.
IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITE, THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHICH AGAIN OCCURRED DURING THE HEIGHT OF COVID COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE NEXT STEPS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO HAVE FRANCIS THE LEAD ORGANIZATION ORGANIZER FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCY AT GUAVA PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITE LOCATED IN DOVE SPRINGS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE IN PRESENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, FIRST, UH, THINK THAT THE QUICK ADOPTERS, THESE ARE HUMBLE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS FOR A WHOLE YEAR TOGETHER WITH THE, UH, STUDENTS OF, UM, BEYOND, UH, SLED UP.
AND HE IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE WORKING WITH THEM BECAUSE IT'S BEEN RAINING, IT'S BEEN COLD, IT'S BEEN HOT.
AND THE RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND FOR ABOUT, I'M GOING TO SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR, UH, ONLY SO THEY COULD BE ABLE TO GET THE LANGUAGE, UH, THAT WAS NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK.
AND, UH, SO WE COULD HAVE A MODEL FOR OUTREACH AND A MODEL FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW TO TRANSFORM SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT INTO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY WHEN WE'RE INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS WHERE WE'RE INCLUDING THE NEIGHBORS.
AND, UM, AND WE'RE HAVING ALL SORTS OF ENGAGEMENTS, LIKE KNOCKING ON DOORS OR, UM, DOING GROUPS, UH, DOING GROUP EVENTS AND ALSO HAVING BIGGER EVENTS AND WITH THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS, IT WAS, UM, IT WAS CHALLENGING, BUT WE HAD A HUGE EVENT IN DIFFERENT AREAS AT THE SAME TIME.
AND, UH, SO IT WAS, IT'S BEEN AMAZING.
AND SO I'M GONNA THE CRICKET ADOPTERS THEY ALREADY PRESENTED, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'LL, IT WILL BE A GOOD IF THEY, YOU KNOW, SAY IT AGAIN.
IT'S UP TO YOU BEING THAT WE HAVE A VERY LONG AGENDA TONIGHT, SINCE WE HAVE HEARD THEM SPEAK.
IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAD TO ADD, BUT OTHERWISE I THINK WE ALL DID HERE, THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IF THAT'S OKAY NOW, NOT TO, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, THEY WOULD LIKE, THEY ALREADY SAID WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO SAY.
SO THEN WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT LIGHT AND I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEY ALREADY SAID.
SO, UH, IN, IN THIS, UH, PROJECT, WE WORK WITH URBAN ROOTS THAT INTERNS, UM, THERE ARE STUDENTS FROM 14 TO 18 YEARS OLD.
AND OF COURSE WE WORK WITH, UM, UT PROFESSOR BJORN'S LETTER WITH, UH, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE IN HIS GRADUATE COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING CLASS, THE COMMUNITY, UH, RESIDENTS OF EAST WILLIAMSON CREEK AND PARK RANGER CADETS.
SO ALL OF THIS WORK HAS BEEN, UM, AN HONOR WORKING WITH, WITH ALL OF THEM.
WE WORKED WITH, UM, THE QUICK ADOPTERS AND THE STUDENTS AND URBAN ROOMS THROUGHOUT THE, THE PROJECT.
UM, IT'S IT WAS CHALLENGING DURING THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW CLOSE WE COULD BE.
WE MET IN MY BACKYARD, WE MET IN THE PARK, WE MET IN THE CREEK.
WE MET IN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO WE COULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND KEEPING RESIDENTS AND, UM, STUDENTS SAFE FROM, UH, COVID.
[01:10:01]
WE, UH, ALSO KNOCKED ON DOORS.WHEN WE WERE KNOCKING ON DOORS, WE WERE KEEPING DISTANCE FROM THE, FROM THE DOOR OF THE RESIDENT.
WE WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING ALL OF THIS, THE BIG EVENT, WE DID IT IN A, YOU, UM, PUTTING TABLES IN A UNIFORM.
SO RESIDENTS COULD JUST GO BY AND, YOU KNOW, PINPOINT WHERE THEY LIVED AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS AREA.
IN THIS MAP, WE HAVE, UH, THE AREA THAT WE WANT TO TRANSFORM.
SO YOU HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE, UM, THE LITTLE DOTS, LIKE WE WANT, WHERE WE WANT TO SEE, UH, SOME REST STOPS AND, UH, FLOWER GARDEN, YOU KNOW, PICNIC AREA PLAY AREA.
SO ALL OF THIS, THERE ARE VISIONS THAT CAME FROM STUDENTS AND THE RESIDENTS AND THE QUICK ADOPTERS TOGETHER TOGETHER WITH THE, UM, WITH THE UT STUDENTS THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTING AND DESIGNING WHAT RESIDENTS WERE WERE, UH, ASKING NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, UH, WHEN WE WERE GETTING TOGETHER, WE PRIORITIZE, UM, THE CULTURE PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE WASN'T LOST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BEEN LOSING LITTLE BY LITTLE, THE CULTURE BECAUSE OF GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT, BUT, UM, AT LEAST IN THIS SPACE, WE WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THEY, WHAT RESIDENTS AND WHAT, UM, BETWEEN THE YOUTH AND THE OLDER ADULTS COMING TOGETHER IN, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE, UH, CULTURALLY THEY WANTED TO SEE RECIPES, UH, YOU KNOW, ALONG THE CREEK OR IF THEY WANTED TO SEE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, THE, THE BULL THING, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, IT WAS, IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU GET TOGETHER AND YOU KIND OF FRAME SOMETHING THAT IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT UNITED.
UH, WE WANTED TO PRESERVE THE LAND, THE AIR QUALITY WILDFIRE, UH, LIVE IN FLOOD MITIGATION, ALL THAT AREA.
SO, UM, IT WAS, UH, AN AREA WHERE, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF FLOODING, SO THEY DID PUT THE WALL IN THAT WALL.
WE WANT TO SEE, OR, YEAH, WE, BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE IT TO, UH, WE WANT TO SEE A LOT OF THE CULTURE THAT'S BEEN DISPLACED IN THE ME AS, AS A MURAL.
AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, DEERS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF ANIMALS THAT IF YOU GO IN THERE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO RELAX.
AND AT THE SAME TIME LEARN ABOUT THE, THE WILDNESS OF, OF THE AREA.
SO PRE-SURVEY PRESERVATION IS IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, IMPORTANT, UH, CONSERVATION, THE, THE YOUTH IN THE, IN THE ELDERS, IT WAS, IT WAS KIND OF ODD BECAUSE THE YOUTH WANTED TO PRESERVE IT AS IS, AND THE ADULTS WANTED, UH, GAMES AND THEY WANTED BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
AND I'M LIKE, I THOUGHT HE SUPPOSED TO BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
BUT IT WASN'T, IT WAS, IT, IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING IN, IN, IN THERE.
UH, SO I REALLY ENJOYED, UH, WORKING WITH THEM NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, UH, WE ALL WANTED TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO WALK, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DISTRESS DISTRESS, TAKE OUR KIDS IN THERE.
UM, THEY DID ASK FOR SWINGS, VOLLEYBALL, AND BASKETBALL IN THAT AREA, WHICH IS VERY DOABLE BECAUSE IT IS, AND IT'S A FLAT AREA AND IT, IT IS, IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF TREES.
AND IT ALSO HAS, UM, AN OPEN SPACE, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THERE THOUGH, THAT IS HOW IT LOOKS RIGHT.
OR IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL ONCE WE'VE, WE, UM, W FINISHED WORKING WITH IT, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S APPROVED, UH, THEY DID WANT IT, UH, BENCHES ALONG THE TRAILS.
SO THEY COULD HAVE THE ELDERLY KIND OF WALK IN AND TAKE REST STOPS IN BETWEEN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE CHANGES NEED TO BE DONE IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T HURT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY CHANGES TO THE PARKS SHOULD BE EASY TO MAINTAIN AND CONTRIBUTE TO VISITORS, UH, SAFETY AND COMFORT.
[01:15:01]
IS FOR, FOR YOU, BUT I WILL DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MEANS A LOT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN SO MUCH OF, OF OUR MINDS AND OUR SOULS INTO THIS PROJECT BECAUSE, UM, DOVE SPRINGS IS AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED AND, UM, AND ALL THE WORK THE RESIDENTS TOOK IN THE STUDENTS TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.IT'S, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I ADMIRE PEOPLE LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR IT NOT TO BECOME A REALITY.
MAY I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? CAN YOU SHOW US WHAT THE BOOK IS AND TELL US WHAT THAT IS? IT'S A, IT'S, UH, IT'S CALLED
THAT'S I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
DO YOU JUST SIT THE BOOK AND I WASN'T AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW ON NEXT STEPS.
UH, THE, THE, UH, PARTNERS HAVE COMPLETED THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK PROJECT PROPOSAL.
SO, UM, CITY STAFF MET WITH, UH, THE TEAM, THE COMMUNITY TEAM ABOUT FIVE OR SIX TIMES ON SITE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES OF THE SITE, AND TO COME UP WITH A, A, A PLAN THAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE, UM, FOR THAT SITE.
THE NEXT STEP IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM APPLICATION, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETED, UM, MPP, WHICH IS THE, WHAT IT STANDS FOR IS THE, IS COMPLETING THE PROJECT SCOPE AND THE BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR THE PROJECT AT THIS TIME.
AND THEN WE'LL GO FORWARD TO THE MPP BOARD FOR APPROVAL OF THE FUND OF THE, FOR FUNDING THE PROJECT.
UM, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE THE MPP BOARD IS MADE UP OF, UH, DIRECTORS OF DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE DESIGN AND PERMITTING TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT, UM, AND PPM PART HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITIES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF OUR NEXT STEPS.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY, ANY COMMENTS? YES, SIR.
UH, BOARD MEMBER MORE SO FIRST OFF, IT ALL LOOKS GREAT.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE LAST BULLET FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS IDENTIFIED THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO JUST AT WHAT POINT IN THE PROCESS DOES THAT OCCUR, OR ARE WE TALKING LIKE LONGTERM AFTER THE NPP IS COMPLETELY IMPLEMENTED, OR IS THAT AN AMENDMENT TO THE ACTUAL NPP? LIKE WHAT WHAT'S THAT LAST BULLET ABOUT? UM, THAT IS ONE IS BECAUSE IT MOST LIKELY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FUND ALL IN ONE.
UH, THE MPP FUNDING IS LIMITED.
UM, SO IT IT'S ABOUT KIND OF PRIORITIZING WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, PRIORITIZED AND THEN WHAT THAT NEXT, WHAT CAN BE FUNDED IN THIS FIRST KIND OF, UH, FUNDING FOR MPP.
AND THEN WHAT WOULD THEN BE FUNDED LATER ON ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION AND THAT IS WHAT THE, DID YOU HAVE ONE? I DO CHAIR, BUT SO I'M JUST WANTING TO, WHEN I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, AND I LOVE, YOU KNOW, I DID THE OVERLAY, IT LOOKS GREAT.
UH, I GUESS THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS.
WHAT'S THE ORIGIN OF THE PROJECT YOU ALREADY.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS THERE'S THAT PARCEL NOW THAT'S PARKLAND ON A CREEK BEN DRIVE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAD ABOUT THREE HOUSES ON IT.
AT ONE POINT WE ACQUIRED IT, UM, I BELIEVE, AND IT'S THIS GREEN SPACE.
WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT PARCEL? BECAUSE I SEE THAT'S NOT AN ACTIVATED AREA THAT USED TO BE, UH, A PLACE WHERE THERE WAS HOMES, UH, OVER SEEING THE CREEK AND THE WATER FOR THE STORY THAT I GOT WHEN I WAS DOING THE, THE INTERVIEWS WITH RESIDENTS, THEY, UM, THEY USED TO WALK FROM THEIR HOMES AND HAVE LIKE A STAIRCASE DOWN TO THE, TO THE RIVER OR BACK THEN IT WAS A RIVER, LIKE 30 YEARS AGO.
BUT, UH, SINCE THE FLOODS, THEY, THOSE, ALL OF THOSE HOMES WERE BOUGHT OUT.
SO NOW IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PARCEL THAT IS SITTING THERE, AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SHADE AND YOU HAVE THE CREEK IN AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S MISSING THAT, UH, INVITATION THE GATE THAT IT DOESN'T INVITE YOU, IT'S JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, METAL UGLY.
WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY.
CAUSE I DON'T SEE ANY OF THE PR THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAMMING, I DON'T SEE THE REST STOP OR A COMMUNITY GARDEN.
[01:20:01]
GOING THEN? RIGHT THERE, LIKE ON THAT, THAT THREE LOT PARCEL THAT'S BECAUSE I FLAT, UH, SOME TREES ON THE SIDES, BUT THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE FRONT.SO IT COULD BE INVITED, WHICH WOULD BE THE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A GATE, UM, AN ENTRANCE, LIKE, LIKE THE WAY THAT WE SAW IT RIGHT THERE, AND THEN FLOWERS AT THE EDGES OR IN A LITTLE COMMUNITY GARDEN THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF MAINTENANCE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK IF THERE'S ANYTHING, IF EVERYBODY ELSE HAS FINISHED, GO AHEAD.
UM, NO QUESTIONS, BUT JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE ALL THIS COMING TOGETHER AND IT LOOKS REALLY GREAT.
UM, LOVE THE DETAIL OF THE PLAN AND, UM, HOW ACCURATE, ACCURATE IT IS.
AND I LOVE SEEING ALL THE DRAWINGS THAT WERE INCLUDED, UM, YEAH.
AND JUST WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, IT REALLY IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE DOWN THERE ON EAST WILLIAMSON CREEK.
AND, UM, IT'LL JUST BE, LOOK THAT MUCH BETTER WITH, WITH ALL THE PLANS ACTIVATED.
SO I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO TOOK THEIR TIME TO COME TODAY AND TO OUR INTERPRETER.
CAN I HAVE A QUESTION? OH, I'M SO SORRY.
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO JUST COMMENT REAL QUICK AND, UM, MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS.
ONE IS, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PLAN.
I THINK IT'S MUCH NEEDED AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THE COMMUNITY, PULL THIS TOGETHER AND REALLY PUT A LOT OF INSIGHT AND THOUGHT INTO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOOD FOR, FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE.
I DO HAVE ONE LITTLE COMMENT ABOUT THE, UM, THE VOLLEYBALL COURT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS YOU WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T, THERE WAS NO ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGES.
YOU CREATED THESE AMENITIES AND IF YOU PUT A LOT OF SAND ON THOSE AND THERE'S A FLOOD AND THAT CREEK HAS FLOODED BEFORE, IT CAN CREATE SOME DAMAGE TO THE, UM, TO THE CREEK.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO BEAR THAT IN MIND, BUT ANYWAYS, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLAN.
I LOVE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND, AND, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
AND BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING SINCE I HAVE FORGOTTEN TO LOOK AT THE SCREEN? NO, I'M GOOD.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR COMING DOWN AT RUSH HOUR AND TALKING.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INITIATIVE THAT YOU TOOK WITH THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE AND ALL THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL PROJECT AND PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP GOING FORWARD.
[4. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council on guidelines for making decisions about conditional use permits to allow for the sale of alcohol in Parks. (Cottam Sajbel, Di Carlo)]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.SO THIS IS THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON GUIDELINES FOR MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS TO ADD, TO ALLOW FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOL IN THE PARKS.
SO TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, WE LAST MONTH SENT THIS TO, UM, CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS TO HAMMER OUT SOME GUIDELINES AND TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION.
NOT ONLY THE THINGS WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED OVER THE PAST YEAR, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER CONCERNS AND COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, UM, WE HAMMERED OUT A RESOLUTION, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO READ NOW.
AND THEN I THINK WE WILL JUST MOVE TO VOTE ON THAT.
I'D LIKE TO, WE HAVE GIVEN THE BOARD OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AND COMMENT ON THIS DURING THE WEEK.
UM, SO I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTS.
UM, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY, UM, AFTER I READ, WHEREAS THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF GOVERNING PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS IS TO SECURE AND PRESERVE THE FULLEST ENJOYMENT OF PUBLIC RECREATION AREA BY THE PUBLIC.
AND WHEREAS CITY CODE FOR HABITS, THE SALE POSSESSION.
I VERY MUCH APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, WHICH SHOULD COME BEFORE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE GUIDELINES OR ON THE, ON THE CUP ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, BECAUSE IT'S LISTED AS POSSIBLE ACTION.
IT IS ELIGIBLE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THE SHEET SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF A BOARD MEMBER, VICE CHAIR.
SO, UM, I HEAR THAT MICHAEL CANADY HAS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION COME ON AT MR. KENNEDY.
UH, UH, MY NAME IS MIKE CANADY.
I'M WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY BOARD AND THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF ORANGE SPRINGS POOL AND THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP AND THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
AND I'M NOT REPRESENTING ANY OF THESE GROUPS HERE.
I'M IN MY OFFICIAL CAPACITY OF SOMEONE WHO HAS LEARNED A LOT ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT I THINK YOU'LL BE DISCUSSING TONIGHT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ENCOURAGE Y'ALL IN WHATEVER THE GUIDELINES YOU FINALLY COME UP WITH TO FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT
[01:25:01]
THE FULLEST ENJOYMENT OF THE PUBLIC SPACES BY ALLOWING FOR, UH, ALCOHOL TO BE SERVED IN A CERTAIN APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS THAT MIGHT PRESENT THEMSELVES.AND JUST BRIEFLY, I'D OFFER THREE ANECDOTES, UH, TO SUPPORT THIS IDEA PERSONALLY, UH, I'VE BEEN TO SOME LOVELY PARKS AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, THERE'S AN ENGLISH GARDEN PARK IN MUNICH, GERMANY THAT HAS A BEER GARDEN.
IT'S A VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY PROMOTING PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME OUT INTO NATURE, ENJOY COMMUNITY WITH ONE ANOTHER AND ENJOY A LITTLE BIT OF ALCOHOL, BUT NOT TOO MUCH.
UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED WAS THE ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, AND BOSTON HAS A LITTLE OPEN AIR BEER GARDEN THAT THEY USE TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE PARK THERE.
SO IT'S A FUNDRAISING BENEFIT THAT CAN ACCRUE TO THE PARKS.
AND WHEN I READ THROUGH, I TRIED TO QUICKLY READ THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE ONLINE.
I DON'T SEE FUNDRAISING BEING A FACTOR THAT IS LISTED AS ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO RELATE TO YOU, UH, THE, UM, THE EXAMPLE OF, OF, OF WHAT WE HEARD RECENTLY FROM SOME, A GROUP CALLED THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT HAD THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC URBAN PARKS ABOUT PRESENTER PRESENTATION IN AUSTIN, TO HELP THE DIFFERENT PARKS GROUPS UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT WAYS TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY.
AND THEY IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
ONE OF WHICH WAS CONCESSIONS IN OUR PARKS THAT COULD GENERATE REVENUE BACK INTO OUR PARKS.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER BENEFIT THAT I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT IN CRAFTING WHATEVER YOUR GUIDELINES ARE JUST QUICKLY LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES.
THERE SEEMS TO BE FOCUSED ON WATER, WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW BETTER THAN ME, MOST OF OUR PARKS ARE SITUATED IN A RUNOFF AREAS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS PROPOSAL MIGHT REALLY BE A WAY TO EXCLUDE, UH, ALCOHOL FROM MOST OF THE PARKS WE HAVE IN TOWN, IF THEY'RE LOCATED ON A CREEK OR ALONG THE WATER.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE SHORT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND SINCE I'M THE ONLY SPEAKER I WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT THAT 100% OF THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT WERE IN FAVOR OF INCLUDING A LITTLE BIT OF ALCOHOL IN OUR PARKS.
SO I AM GOING TO READ OUR RESOLUTION AND THEN WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION, UH, FOR AND AGAINST, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.
UM, WHEREAS THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF GOVERNING, UH, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS IS TO SECURE AND PRESERVE THAT FULLEST ENJOYMENT OF PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS BY THE PUBLIC.
AND WHEREAS CITY CODE PROHIBITS THE SALE POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITHIN A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA.
AND WHEREAS CITY CODE PERMITS, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN THE SPECTATING AREA OF CREEK AND HAVEN SOFTBALL COMPLEXES AT A GOLF COURSE AND A CAMPSITE THAT IS RESERVED FOR A SPECIFIC PERSON OR EVENT, OR WHEN AN APPROVAL AUTHORIZES THE POSSESSION SALE AND CONSUMPTION BY A PERSON OR FOR AN EVENT AT A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA.
AND WHEREAS THE PROCESSES IN PLACE ALREADY FOR SALES OF ALCOHOL DURING SPECIAL EVENTS AND WHEREAS FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENDORS AT CITY PARKS HAVE REQUESTED CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS TO ALLOW FOR PERMANENT ALCOHOL SALES AND MORE BAIT MAY BE REQUESTED IN THE FUTURE, WHEREAS APPROVING, UH, I'M OVER.
WHEREAS THE SITES REQUESTED FOR ALCOHOL SALES COULD BE CLOSE TO DEL DESIGNATED CHILDREN'S AREAS, BODIES OF WATER OR OTHER RECREATION AMENITIES, WHICH COULD POSE A SAFETY HAZARD.
AND WHEREAS SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE EXPRESSED THE NEED FOR PUBLIC RECREATIONS THAT ARE FREE OF ALCOHOL, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN EQUITABLE AND SAFE ACCESS FOR ALL.
WHEREAS THE ALCOHOL SALES AND CITY PARKS COULD NECESSITATE INCREASED STAFFING AND ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, OR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND WHEREAS CITY CODE CONTAINS NO GUIDING FACTORS OR CONDITIONS TO CONSIDER IN DECIDING ON THE LAND USE CHANGE TO THE PROPERTY, WHICH HAS DESIGNATED IN THE CONDITIONAL USE A USE PERMIT.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA IN DETERMINING WHETHER TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A CUP TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE APPLICATION MUST CREDIBLY JUSTIFY A CHANGE OF CITY AND PARK POLICY TO ALLOW SALES OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF THE CHANGE OF ZONING AT THAT LOCATION DEMONSTRATE SUFFICIENT PLANS, POLICIES, STAFFING, AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO COMPLY WITH EXISTING LAWS AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO ALCOHOL SALES AND CONSUMPTION, LOCATE THE ALCOHOL SALES AND CONSUMPTION A SAFE DISTANCE FROM WATER BODIES AND CHILDREN'S AREAS AS WELL AS OTHER POTENTIAL HAZARDS IN THE PART'S UNIQUE LOCATION, DEMONSTRATE VALID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PROCESSES, AND RESULTS OF FEEDBACK FROM PARK USERS, COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE ISSUE OF ALCOHOL SALES AT THE PROPOSED LOCATION AND ADDRESS ANY OTHER UNIQUE ISSUES THAT MAY INHIBIT SAFE AND EQUITABLE ACCESS OF THE PARK FOR WHICH THE CUP IS REQUESTED.
SO I'M MOVED THAT WE ENTER THAT INTO THE RECORD AND HAVE DISCUSSION ON THAT, OKAY, I MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS, UH, GUIDELINES, WHICH WAS PUT TOGETHER.
WE SENT IT TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS, AND BECAUSE OF A LAST MINUTE, UH, LACK OF QUORUM, WE
[01:30:01]
ENDED UP TALKING ABOUT IT WITH BOTH COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND THE VICE CHAIR AND MYSELF, UM, TRYING TO BRING IN EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION.SO, UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY.
UM, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK, WOULD I START WITH OPPOSED OR ANYBODY OPPOSED OR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ABOUT THIS? YES.
UM, DO WE WANT TO SAY ALL BODIES OF WATER OR JUST BODIES OF WATER WHERE PEOPLE ARE SWIMMING, JUST BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, PARKS WITH LIKE CREEKS OR I'M THINKING OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T KNOW SOMETHING TO ASK.
I MEAN, UM, OUR, OUR, UM, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, THAT WE MIGHT BE TRYING TO EXCLUDE ALL ALCOHOL BY STATING IT NOT BE NEAR BODIES OF WATER.
AND I'LL SAY THAT WASN'T OUR INTENTION IN THIS RESOLUTION.
SO, UM, IF IT'S CLEARER TO STATES, YOU KNOW, BODIES OF WATER WHERE SWIMMING COULD TAKE PLACE, UM, I THINK COULD BE HELPFUL A BOARD MEMBER FAST.
I MEAN, CHAIR VICE-CHAIR FAST.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY ON THAT POINT, I MEAN, THIS IS DISCRETIONARY AND IT SAYS A SAFE DISTANCE FROM WATER BODIES.
SO THAT COULD BE DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER BODIES.
AND THAT LEAVES THE BOARD WITH A LOT OF DISCRETION TO EVALUATE THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO I MIGHT, I MEAN, MY SUGGESTION WOULD ACTUALLY BE TO STAY AWAY FROM TRYING TO GET REALLY SPECIFIC WITH MORE LANGUAGE AND JUST LEAVE IT AT A SAFE DISTANCE.
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU DETERMINE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION.
BUT I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ANY BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA? UM, NO, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
MY THOUGHT WAS WE WERE GOING TO GET SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC AS GUIDANCE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE US THROUGH THE, THE CUP PROCESS.
AND, UM, AND AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE THE RESOLUTION, IT'S IT BEING SO GENERAL DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT REALLY PROVIDES THAT.
AND, UM, I DID LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN SIMILAR TO OUR SPEAKER.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT THAT OPTION AND IT'S, I'M STRUGGLING HERE BECAUSE, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, THIS LAST WEEK I WAS AT FORESIGHT PARK, SAVANNAH HAD A GLASS OF PINOT GRIGIO IS AT PIEDMONT PARK, UH, ENJOYING THE COCKTAILS IN THE GARDEN.
I'VE BEEN AT ATLAS CAFE FOR PLENTY OF, YOU KNOW, HAPPY HOURS MEETING WITH FOLKS.
UM, I'M WONDERING, IS THIS GONNA PREVENT THAT SORT OF SAME THING THAT AN ATLAS CAFE AT THE NEW SITE WOULD HAVE WONDERING HOW, WHAT THE IMPACT IS FOR WATERLOO? UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT PARTICULAR LANGUAGE, THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE THAT I HAD FOUND WITH MINNEAPOLIS AND IT WAS KIND OF CLEAR AND DISTINCT AND IT WAS JUST ALCOHOL BEVERAGES MAY NOT BE ASSAULT POSSESS OR CONSUMED WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF ANY POOL PLAYGROUND, SKATE PARK BIKE, WHAT ACTUALLY ADDED SKATE PARK, BIKE PARK, ZIP-LINE, UH, FEATURE BASKETBALL COURT, PICKLEBALL COURT AND TENNIS COURT.
AND JUST KIND OF LIKE THAT WAS THAT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE REST OF IT.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THE CODE, I UNDERSTAND WHERE Y'ALL WERE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING.
UM, WHEN I ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT TITLE EIGHT CHAPTER 8.8 DASH THREE, YOU KNOW, I CAME WITH THAT SAME CONCLUSION.
I'M LIKE, OH, WOW, THERE'S NOT CLARITY.
AND THAT, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF, THERE'S A CONFRONTATION AS IT WERE BETWEEN, UH, THE CODE AND, UH, RELATING TO THIS AND THEN THE CUP, BUT THEN RE-LOOKING AT IT.
IT SAYS ALCOHOL BEVERAGE IS ALLOWED ALCOHOL AND ARE PERMITTED NUMBER FOUR WHEN AN APPROVAL AUTHORIZES POSSESSION SALE OR CONSUMPTION BY A PERSON.
SO LET'S POSSESSION SELL OR CONSUMPTION BY PERSON INSTEAD, OR FOR AN EVENT AT PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS LIKE WHILE THE CODE GIVES US, THEN IT GIVES US THE PROCESS.
SO I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL THAT IT WAS NOT AS UNCLEAR AS I HAD SAW.
AND I'M LOOKING AT, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT TEXAS CODE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS CODE OF ORDINANCES, SUPPLEMENTAL NUMBER 1 57 ON JUNE 15TH, 2022.
SO THAT'S WHERE, WHERE I'M AT.
UM, SO I THINK I'LL BE, I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE CLARITY, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN ON IT.
DO I HAVE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO I WOULD JUST, UM, POINT OUT THAT THE CODE CURRENTLY STATES ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, THE CODE THAT PERTAINS TO THE DECISIONS WE AS A BOARD MAKE STATES ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE PERMITTED WHEN AN APPROVAL AUTHORIZES THE POSSESSION
[01:35:01]
SALE OR CONSUMPTION BY A PERSON FOR AN EVENT AT A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA OR FOR AN EVENT AT A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA.RIGHT? SO, AND THEN IT STATES THAT, UM, AND THEN THE PUBLIC DISTRICT REGULATIONS STATE THAT WITH THE PROCESS, WHICH IS 25 TO 6 25 OF AUSTIN CITY CODE.
THE LAND USE COMMISSION MAY NOT CONSIDER A SITE PLAN UNTIL IT RECEIVES A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE, FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
SO THAT'S THE ENTIRE GUIDANCE WE HAVE WHEN AN APPROVAL AUTHORIZES.
AND THEN THE LAND USE COMMISSION CAN'T CONSIDER IT UNTIL IT RECEIVES A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
BY CONTRAST, WHEN THERE'S A TEMPORARY SALE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGES, INCLUDING ALCOHOL, THE DIRECTOR MAY CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE SALE POSSESSION CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IN THE AREA, A CLEANUP AGREEMENT, CITIZEN INPUT.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY CURRENTLY MORE GUIDANCE ABOUT TEMPORARY PERMITS THAN THERE ARE PERMANENT ONES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WERE LOOKING TO ADDRESS.
AND I WOULD NOTE, THIS IS SORT OF INTERNAL GUIDANCE FOR THE PARKS BOARD.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO PUT THIS IN THE CITY CODE, WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REFER TO THAT WE ADOPTED FOR OUR OWN SELVES AS FACTORS.
I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE RESEARCH INTO THE OTHER CITIES AND THE EXAMPLE OF THE MINNEAPOLIS.
UM, I GUESS IT WAS A REGULATION OR FROM THEIR CODE.
UM, I KIND OF HAVE THE SAME RESPONSE WITH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFICITY OF STAYING INSIDE OR OUTSIDE CERTAIN BOUNDARIES, I THINK IS REMOVING FLEXIBILITY THAT WE AS A BOARD WANT TO HAVE.
UM, AND IN THE SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, EXAMPLES I CAN THINK OF THAT WE HAVE ADDRESSED OR MAYBE ADDRESSING IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY, UM, MAYBE INDICATE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I THINK THAT ALCOHOL MAY BE OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF A DANGEROUS SWIMMING POOL YET IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO IT COULD BE CONSIDERED NOT A SAFE DISTANCE, SO, BUT IT'S DISCRETIONARY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LEAVING.
UM, JUST THESE INTERNAL GUIDELINES, DISCRETIONARY AND NOT SO SPECIFIC AS TO BE A BRIGHT LINE.
UM, AND ALSO I WILL SAY, I THINK WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST MONTH WAS WANTING TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR DISCRETION AND BEING FELT THAT THEY HAD BEEN APPOINTED HERE BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL TRUSTED THEM TO MAKE A DECISION.
SO WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO HONOR THAT FEEDBACK, UM, AND THE WAY THIS WAS FRAMED.
AND THEN IF THAT'S THE CASE ON THE, WHERE DOES THE GUIDANCE COME COMING? I THINK WE WERE TALKING LAST MONTH.
AND AGAIN, WHEN WE WERE PUTTING THIS TOGETHER ABOUT FINDING A WAY TO HAVE SOME FORM OF CONSISTENCY IN LOOKING AT THESE, INSTEAD OF LIKE, WHAT I AM OPPOSED TO IS WE'VE BEEN PUT IN A POSITION TO REMEDY A MISTAKE THAT WAS MADE.
THERE WAS A MISTAKE MADE SOMEBODY SENT OUT CONTRACTS THAT WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE, AND THEY'VE ASKED US TO REMEDY THAT SITUATION.
SO EVEN FIT IN THIS, IN THIS POSITION AND WE ARE HAVING TO MAKE, THIS IS NOT ONE CUP THAT'S COMING TO US.
WE HAVE A SERIES OF CUPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO GIVE OURSELVES GUIDELINES ON WAS SO WE DIDN'T WILLY MILLY, TH THIS IS A ZONING.
THIS IS NOT, OH YEAH, THAT, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
AND THAT MEANS THAT ONCE THIS IS ZONED FOR ALCOHOL, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO GET AND ZONE FOR ALCOHOL.
SO IT'S A SERIOUS CONSIDERATION IN MY OPINION.
AND NOT ONLY THAT I LOOKED WELL, UM, WE'LL GET INTO THAT LATER.
UM, UM, I WANTED TO ASK IF ANYBODY ONLINE, UH, IF BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR OR A BOARD MEMBER LEWIS HAD ANY COMMENTS.
SO, AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME AND I PROVIDED SOME INPUT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
AND AS I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, I DO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE SOME GUIDELINES.
SO WE CAN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MANY OF THESE COME BEFORE US, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CONSISTENT, SOLID RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A CHALLENGING ISSUE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ALCOHOL AND DRUGS.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE TOO PREVALENT IN OUR SOCIETY.
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE PARKS SHOULD BE SAFE HAVENS, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT BEHAVIORS THAT MAY HAPPEN IF WE, IF ALCOHOL USE IS ENCOURAGED.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PRESSURE FROM VENDORS WHO ARE TRYING TO, UM, SEEK MORE REVENUE AND ALSO THOSE WHO ENJOY ALCOHOL AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEND TIME IN THE PARK DRINKING.
[01:40:01]
SO, AND EVERY PARK IS GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE SITUATIONS AND IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, I THINK, UM, WE DO NEED TO HAVE THESE STRAIGHT LINES AND I LIKE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, DRAFTED IN THIS RESOLUTION.SO I DID WANT TO SPEAK OUT IN FAVOR OF THAT.
YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE OF POINTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THIS WORK.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE I'M, UM, LIKE BOARD MEMBER LOUIS JUST MENTIONED IT.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE, WE NEED THESE GUIDELINES AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, I I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, I WOULD LOVE TO ENJOY A GLASS OF ROSE WHILE I'M OUT ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN, THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND CERTAIN SITUATIONS THAT I THINK IT'S BETTER, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALCOHOL ABUSE IN THESE SITUATIONS, BUT, BUT REALLY, I GUESS MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, IS DOES IT SEEM LIKE THERE'S ANY SYSTEM PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S CONSISTENCY WITH WHEN THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I I'VE BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALCOHOL, ALCOHOL IS ALREADY ALLOWED IN THE PARKS WHERE WE HAVE GOLF AND I'VE BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE ARE URINATING, UH, URINATING OUTSIDE THEIR FRONT DOORS.
THEY'RE THROWING TRASH, THEY'RE LOUD.
LIKE THERE'S ALL THIS, ALL THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR PARKS.
AND SO THEREFORE OUR PARKS ARE BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS, UM, TO THEIR, TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO I, I REALLY, I REALLY THINK THAT WE, WE DO NEED TO BE AT LEAST HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY WITH REGARDS TO WHEN WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW ALCOHOL AND NOT ALLOW ALCOHOL.
AND THE OTHER THING IS I RECOGNIZE THAT WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE PARKS BEING REVENUE GENERATING, HOW MUCH ARE WE ACTUALLY GETTING IF WE, IF WE DO ALLOW THE SELL OF ALCOHOL AND THE PARKS, HOW MUCH OF THAT REVENUE IS THE CITY OR THE PARK SEEING, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA MENTIONED GERMANY AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, GERMANY DOESN'T HAVE THE GUN VIOLENCE PROBLEM THAT WE DO HERE IN TEXAS.
SO ONE BOARD MEMBER WAS, I DID NOT MENTION GERMANY, BUT THANK YOU.
BUT YOU MENTIONED OTHER THINGS, BUT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE OTHER STATES DON'T HAVE THE GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE HAVE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE HERE IN TEXAS.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION.
AND I, AND I JUST, I FEEL LIKE THIS ADDRESSES MANY OF THE THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, YOU KNOW, GUIDELINES OF NEAR WATER NEAR PLAYGROUNDS, I'M THINKING, UM, NEAR STREETS AND THE, THE, THE CUP IN QUESTION, UM, THE, THE PLACE IN REPUBLIC PARK WHERE ALCOHOL WOULD BE CONSUMED YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST A FEW FEET AWAY FROM SIXTH STREET.
SO TWO GLASSES OF WINE AND, YOU KNOW, SYMBOLS STUMBLES IN THE STREET, THEN WHERE DO WE GO AS A PARK? YOU KNOW? SO TO ME, PARKS AND PARKING LOTS COULD BE JUST AS DANGEROUS AS A BODY OF WATER WHEN SOMEONE'S CONSUMING ALCOHOL, JUST TO THOUGHT ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
I MEAN THE BOARD MEMBER AND LD.
UM, YEAH, I, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE, UM, THE, THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE COMING FROM ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS DESIRE FOR CONSISTENCY AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO PUTTING TOGETHER THESE GUIDELINES.
UM, I AM RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED TO, UM, TO PASSING THESE, UM, I, I THINK THAT IT KIND OF, WE JUST END UP IN THE SAME PLACE THAT WE, WE STARTED FROM WHERE WE HAVE KIND OF A LIST OF CONSIDERATIONS, BUT ULTIMATELY WE'RE STILL BEING ASKED TO RETURN TO EXERCISING OUR DISCRETIONARY JUDGMENT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS FOR THESE, UM, C UPS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, UM, I REGARDING THE DESIRE FOR CONSISTENCY, I THINK THAT'S, IT'S VERY NATURAL TO WANT THAT, BUT I, I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT WE HAVE A MANDATE FOR CONSISTENCY.
UM, WE HAVE A MANDATE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS AS A GROUP ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND TO EXERCISE OUR OWN JUDGMENT.
AND, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS A MANDATE FOR CONSISTENCY, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS JUST A CUT AND DRIED RULE IN THE CITY CODE THAT SAYS, YOU CAN DO
[01:45:01]
IT HERE.YOU CAN'T DO IT HERE WITH NO CUP OPTION.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK, UM, A MANDATE FOR CONSISTENCY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO I, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, THAT THE CUP PROCESS IS JUST INHERENTLY DISCRETIONARY.
AND, UM, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT AND TAKE THESE ON A, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE, UH, YOU'RE MEANT TO, SO I, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE, BUT I APPRECIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN COMING FROM.
I HAVE THREE POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IS, SINCE IT IS THE CITY CODE, I THINK A CUP SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION AND NOT THE RULE AS WE'RE COMING THROUGH.
MY CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS LAST SUMMER.
UM, THERE WERE 300 LETTERS THAT I COUNTED THAT WE GOT FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE OPPOSED TO HAVING ALCOHOL IN THE PARK.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING A PLACE THAT WOULD BE SAFE FOR EVERYBODY AND EQUITABLE ACCESS.
YOU CAN TAKE YOUR FAMILY AND CHOOSE TO GO TO A PATIO AND DRINK AND HAVE YOUR KIDS ON A PLAYSCAPE.
YOU CAN GO TO CENTRAL MARKET, YOU CAN GO.
I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO START NAMING NAMES, BUT, UM, THEY WERE ASKING THAT THEIR SPEED PRESERVE SPACES THAT ARE SAFE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DRINKING OR IN THE PRESENCE OF ALCOHOL.
AND THEN THERE WERE 300 OF THOSE LETTERS LAST SUMMER I REACHED OUT AND JUST IN MY DISTRICT AND GOT 10 LETTERS IMMEDIATELY BACK FROM PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT AGES AND WITH MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, SOME INCLUDING, UM, ONE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WITH PERMITLESS CARRY AND THE MIXING OF GUNS AND ALCOHOL AND COME TO, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT THERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
SO I WOULD LIKE THAT WE KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS SHOULD BE THE EXCEPTION AND NOT THE RULE.
IF WE DO GRANT A ZONING CHANGE, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW MR. CANADY IS INTERESTED IN FUNDRAISING, BUT YOU KNOW, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ALL OF THIS IS FOURTH STREET AND FIFTH STREET AND SIXTH STREET.
AND THERE ARE EASY ACTS THAT THERE'S EASY ACCESS TO ALCOHOL ALL OVER THIS TOWN, WHICH IS WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT IN THE PARK.
UM, I ALSO HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM CITY LEGAL.
I UNDERSTAND FROM, UM, READING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE FOR THE NEXT ITEM.
AND ALSO FROM TALKING TO THE DIRECTOR THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THE CITY IS CULPABLE, BUT I DID NOT GET AN ANSWER FROM CITY LEGAL THIS WEEK.
SO WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY SUES THE CITY, SOMETHING HAPPENS, THERE'S AN ALTERCATION OR WHATEVER.
AND I THINK THAT'S A RISK FOR TAXPAYERS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR TAXPAYER MONEY.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT ENFORCEMENT IN A LOT OF THESE CASES, YOU DRAW A LINE AND YOU'RE LIKE, YES, YOU CAN'T TAKE A BOTTLE OF WINE IN A PICNIC TABLE IN A PICNIC BASKET.
YOU CAN'T TAKE A BOTTLE OF WINE, AND YET YOU CAN END THIS LITTLE DRAWN THING THAT WE'VE CREATED.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY TO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S A LOT OF CONFUSION.
LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE, ALL THE SAME MATERIALS AT THEIR FINGERS.
AND I THINK THAT HAVING LITTLE BOXES IN A PARK, AND THEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COULD BE WALKING INTO THE PARK WITH ALCOHOL, IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF CRAZY TO ME TO SAY, OH YEAH, YOU CAN HAVE IT IN THIS BOX AND THEY'LL BE FINE, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE IT OUTSIDE OF THIS.
AND I THINK WHO'S GOING TO ENFORCE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE.
AND IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST CALL THE ITEM FOR A VOTE AND MOVE ON ANY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO REREAD THE WHOLE THING, BUT THE, I MEAN, WE COULD CERTAINLY ADD STREETS IF WE WANTED TO ADD THAT LANGUAGE TO THAT, TO THAT ITEM.
SO, UM, THE YEAR I'VE SPENT ON THE BOARD, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY, EVERY ISSUE THAT COMES UP, UH, WE DO DISCUSS EQUITY AS PART OF IT BECAUSE WE, AS STEWARDS OF OUR PARKS, WANT EVERYBODY TO FEEL WELCOME.
BUT TO ME, WHEN I LOOK AT A PARK, UM, THROUGH THE EYES OF SOMEONE THAT'S DISENFRANCHISED VISITING A PARK AND I SEE PEOPLE SIPPING WINE, AND I CAN'T AFFORD THAT, I THINK A PARK IS A PARK.
AND, UM, MAYBE THE LINE IS JUST GETTING BLURRED ON THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE OF A PARK.
SO LOOKING OUT FOR, THROUGH THE EQUITY LENS.
MAYBE THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.
[01:50:01]
THE MAIN MOTION TO ADD STREETS OR DO WE WANT TO JUST GO WITH THE BOAT? WE HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE ON WHETHER TO AMEND IT AND THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE THING.DO YOU WANT TO AMEND IT OR JUST VOTE ON IT? OKAY.
SO LET'S CALL IT A BIT ALL IN FAVOR OF THE GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE SET FORTH AND ON LINE.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TALK AND I, UM, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S OPINIONS ON THIS.
I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A STICKY ISSUE.
SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG, UM, WE ARE PULLING BACK TO THE BOARD, THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THE PREVIOUS BOAT WAS THAT A, WAS IT EIGHT TO THREE TO APPROVE OR EIGHT TO TWO WITH ONE AT STAINING? WAS THERE AN ABSTENTION? I THINK THERE WERE THREE NOS.
DISCUSSION AND PA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON NOW I'M READING THE WRONG ONE.
[5. Discussion and possible action regarding the recommendation to approve the conditional use permit at Republic Square for the sale of alcohol.]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AT REPUBLIC SQUARE PARK FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOL.UM, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THIS CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE HEARD THE INFORMATION.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF ANYBODY HAS EMOTION OR IF WE WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT REPUBLIC PARK, THE BOAT.
SHOULD WE JUST CALL THE VOTE? OKAY.
UM, MY PERSONAL INCLINATION IS TO PUT FORTH A MOTION THAT SAYS NO TO THE CUP, EVERY PUBLIC SQUARE, BUT I KNOW I MAY BE, UM, DO I HAVE A SECOND IF I PUT IT FORTH AS A, DENY THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CUP AT REPUBLIC SQUARE.
WHEN WOULD SECOND? SO ALL IN FAVOR OF DENYING THE CUP.
DO I HAVE ANOTHER ALL IN FAVOR OF NOT DENYING THE CUP, BUT I'LL OFFER A MOTION IN APPROVING THE CUP FOR REPUBLIC SQUARE.
I'M FEELING LIKE PEOPLE ARE, EXCUSE ME, THE CHAIR.
UM, I FEEL I'M FEELING LIKE PEOPLE AREN'T COMFORTABLE DOING THIS BOAT AND MAYBE THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, OKAY.
LET'S BACK UP AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? UM, LET'S OUT AND SAY IN FAVOR, LET'S SAY IN FAVOR, WHO IS IN FAVOR OF THE CUP? WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CAP THAT REPUBLIC SQUARE PARK, UH, BOARD MEMBER BERNARD? UM, YEAH, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.
UM, BECAUSE OF WHERE IT'S LOCATED, IT'S LOCATED DOWNTOWN, UM, WHERE PEOPLE ALREADY ARE GOING TO DRINK.
UM, THERE'S NOT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PLAYGROUND OR ANYTHING THERE.
UM, SO I DON'T REALLY SEE AN ISSUE WITH, UH, WITH APPROVING IT BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA.
THIS ISN'T A NEW OPERATION THAT'S BEING TAKEN PLACE OVER AT REPUBLIC SQUARE, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY, ANY INCIDENTS OUTSIDE, ONE THAT WASN'T RELATED TO THE ACTUAL CAFE AND JUST BY VIRTUE OF THAT, I'M VOTING FOR IT.
BUT THE SECOND ONE IS JUST THE ENJOYMENT OF THE SPACE.
AND ALTHOUGH I CAN APPRECIATE NOT EVERYBODY ENJOYS SPACE, THE SAME WAY THAT I DO.
UM, WE HAVE 330 PARKS IN THIS SYSTEM IN SURELY THERE HAS TO BE FEW WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AHEAD AND SOCIALIZE, UM, THROUGH THIS MEANS ANYBODY ELSE TALKING ABOUT REPUBLIC, SQUARE BOARD MEMBER TO CARLO.
UM, I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID IN FAVOR.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, PER OUR GUIDELINES THAT WE JUST, UH, VOTED TO APPROVE.
IT'S NOT IN YOUR CHILDREN'S AREA.
UM, NOT IN YOUR BODY OF WATER.
UM, IT HAS BEEN ALREADY, YOU KNOW, USED AS A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING ALCOHOL.
UH, I PERSONALLY, AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE HAS RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
PEOPLE SEEM TO BE ENJOYING IT IN THAT PARTICULAR SPACE.
SO I'VE BEEN IN FAVOR OF IT, BOARD MEMBER, TAYLOR, OR BOARD MEMBER LOUIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ONE? AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ON THE AGREEMENT, I BELIEVE IT'S PAGE NINE, NUMBER 13, IT TALKS ABOUT IT'S A CONDITIONAL USE AND THAT IT'S UNDER THE DIRECTOR OF PART HAS TO AGREE ABOUT THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? CAN SOMEONE CONFIRM THAT, UM, UH, DIRECTOR, COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
[01:55:03]
SO KIMBERLY MCNEALY SERVING AS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE BOARD MEMBER, THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR AT THE TIME THAT THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL HAD ALREADY APPROVED, UM, THAT USAGE.SO THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT B AS BOARD MEMBER, I'M SORRY, AS CHAIR COTTON SCHEIBEL HAS EXPLAINED, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WAS UNAWARE OF AS WERE, NONE OF US WERE AWARE, SO I'M NOT BLAMING THIS ON THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, BUT NOBODY WAS AWARE THAT THIS PARTICULAR ELEMENT OF CODE EXISTED.
AND SO THEREFORE WE HAD MOVED FORWARD WITH A CONTRACT THAT ALLOWED BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND REPUBLIC SQUARE THAT ALLOWED REPUBLIC SQUARE TO ENTER INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH A VENDOR TO SELL ALCOHOL.
AND THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR.
SO WE ARE, WHEN WE BECAME AWARE THAT THAT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE DIRECTOR IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO DO THAT INDEPENDENTLY, THAT THERE HAS TO BE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
WE ARE NOW GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, WRITING THAT WRONG WHEN YOU KNOW, BETTER, YOU DO BETTER.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S TRANSPARENT AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT WE GO THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE APPROVAL PROCESS.
AND ONE OTHER COMMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS I, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS, THIS WAS ONLY USING BEER AND WINE AT THIS LOCATION, BUT WHEN I ACTUALLY GOT THE CONTRACT THIS AFTERNOON, IT IS ALSO LIQUOR ALLOWED AT THAT LOCATION.
I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD TO WORK REALLY HARD TO GET APPROPRIATE INFORMATION.
WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS PART OF THE, UM, PART OF THE BACKGROUND OF THIS WAS THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED IN THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY TO HAVE ALCOHOL.
AND WHEN WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THAT CONTRACT, THAT WAS NOT IN WRITING.
SO I JUST HA I FEEL LIKE THERE HAS BEEN SOME, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST KIND OF FEEL IN A WAY, LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO PLAY US AND IT CONCERNS ME THAT THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL.
AND I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD, BUT I DO.
AND, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF MY RETICENCE WITH THIS, THAT ONCE WE APPROVED THE WATERLOO BEFORE WE KIND OF REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THAT'S THE DOMINO THAT SAYS, OH, WELL, THEY DID IT THERE.
AND I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE? I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT BOARD MEMBER FAST.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SEE IF YOU COULD BACK UP FOR ONE SECOND, UM, ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, OR I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT WITH THE PRESENTATION THAT WE ORIGINALLY SAW, MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO NOW TALKED ABOUT BEER AND WINE SALES BY THE EPA SITE, BUT THEN THE CONTRACT BETWEEN, ARE YOU SAYING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND TWO CONTRACTS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST CONTRACT WAS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE REPRESENTATIVE, THAT THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND APF AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE THAT ALLOWED THEM TO CHOOSE TO HAVE ALCOHOL AT THEIR PARK WHEN THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE MANAGING THAT.
WE HAVE MOLLY ALEXANDER OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
OKAY, CAN SHE FINISH WHAT SHE'S SAYING, PLEASE? AND THEN WE'LL, WE CAN DO A SPEAKER, BUT I WANT TO GET THE, SO THE FIRST, THE FIRST THING WAS THAT I FELT MISLED BECAUSE IT, SHE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND APF AND DAA THAT HAD THEM HAVING ALCOHOL.
BUT WHEN I ACTUALLY READ THAT TEXT, THERE WAS NOT SUCH AN AGREEMENT THAT I SAW.
THEN SECONDLY, WE GOT AN A, TODAY WE GOT AN ACTUAL LOOK AT THE CONTRACT SPECIFIC TO THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR.
AND SHE HAD SAID IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION, OR RAY HAD SAID IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION THAT IT WAS BEER AND WINE, BUT IN THE CONTRACT, IT ALLOWS ALSO LIQUOR.
SO I JUST THINK THERE'S NOT BEEN FULL CLARITY, WHICH GIVES ME JUST A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH ABOUT, UM, SO, UH, MS. ALEXANDER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, TO ADD? YEAH.
AND SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION, THE CLARITY OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE SIGNED WITH THE CITY IN 2014, WE HAD THE ABILITY TO SELL ALCOHOL.
IF THE DIRECTOR APPROVED IT AND GOING INTO THAT CONTRACT, WE HAD ALL ASSURANCES THAT THAT WOULD BE DONE.
SO I WAS BEING AS TRANSPARENT AS I THOUGHT I WAS.
SO I APOLOGIZE TO THE BOARD IF THAT WASN'T CLEAR.
UM, AND THE SECOND IS YES, THE TENANT HAS THE ABILITY TO SELL ALCOHOL AND SPECIAL EVENTS, BUT ONLY HAS A BEER AND WINE LICENSE FOR THE KIOSK.
SO AS THE VENDOR IN THE PARK, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY SPECIAL EVENTS THAT MIGHT COME IN AND WANT TO DO FULL ALCOHOL, PRIVATE EVENTS
[02:00:01]
AND OTHER THINGS.AND IT IS OUR VENDOR THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE A CATERING LICENSE TO DO THAT SINCE THAT IS A NEW IN THAT LEASE.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT WHAT I, WHAT ABOUT THAT, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TEASE APART IS WE HAVE A PROCESS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND YOU DO, BUT IN A LEGAL LEASE AGREEMENT WITH LIABILITY WITH THE TABC, WE HAD TO SPELL OUT WHAT THE VENDOR COULD DO IN THE KIOSK BUILDING AND WHAT HE OR SHE COULD DO AS CATERED AS BEING THE TABC LIQUOR LICENSE HOLDER FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO IT'S JUST THE NUANCE BETWEEN PRODUCING THE EVENT AND BEING THE CATER FOR THE EVENT, UM, BECAUSE OUR VENDOR COULD BE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE KIND OF SALES THEY NEED TO, IF AN, IF A PRIVATE PRODUCER RENTED THE PARK, WE HAVE THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE VENDOR IN THE LEASE THAT THE PRODUCER OF THE EVENT HAS TO EITHER USE OUR VENDOR AS A CATERER AND OR LIQUOR LICENSE HOLDER AND SELLER, OR THEY HAVE TO BUY OUR VENDOR OUT.
SO THAT'S THE NUANCE IN THE LEASE EVERY SINGLE DAY, THEY DON'T SELL, UM, LIQUOR.
THEY SELL, THEY SELL ALCOHOL, THEY SELL BEER AND WINE, BUT NOT COCKTAILS OR MIXED BEVERAGES.
THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO DO THAT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO I'M SORRY THAT THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING THERE.
WE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE BY PROVIDING THE LEAST, WE WERE ASKED TO DO THAT TODAY AT NOON.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE YOUR PARTNER AND, AND WE'VE REALLY BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS PARK AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO BE SO THANK YOU.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PUT FORWARD A MOTION? ARE WE READY FOR A MOTION? GO AHEAD, NINA.
UH, UH, I THINK THE BOARD ALREADY HAS EMOTION BEFORE IT.
I HAVE IT DOWN AS A MOTION TO RECOMMEND AGAINST APPROVAL THAT WAS MOTIONED BY THE CHAIR AND SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER HUNK BIN, WHICH IS YET TO BE VOTED ON, BUT THEN I THOUGHT IT WAS VOTED DOWN.
WAS THAT VOTE TAKEN ONLY THE VOTES FOR YOUR MOTION, NOT THE VOTES AGAINST YOU TO TAKE THE VOTES.
SO THE VOTES AGAINST THAT MOTION TO DENY THE CUP.
SO SHOULD WE, WE INTRODUCE A MOTION THAT SAYS IT IN FRAMED FRAMES IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
UM, I WILL, ANY EMOTION, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AT REPUBLIC SQUARE OR THE SALE OF ALCOHOL.
THERE'S A SECOND BY MR. DEPALMA, ALL IN FAVOR, ALL OPPOSED.
SO WHAT'S THE VOTE ON THAT? THE MOTION CARRIES, I BELIEVE I HAVE IT AS SEVEN TO TWO IN FAVOR WITH BOARD MEMBERS LEWIS AND TAYLOR ABSTAINING.
THERE'S TOO MANY PIECES OF PAPER HERE.
[6. Presentation discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation that Austin City Council authorize the negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with the Lower Colorado River Authority for the installation, maintenance, and replacement of buoys to assist boaters in recognizing hazards on Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, Decker Lake, and the area surrounding Handcox Water treatment Plant on Lake Travis.]
ITEM NUMBER SIX.UM, THIS IS A PRESENTATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF ANOTHER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY FOR THE INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT OF BUOYS TO ASSIST BOATERS IN RECOGNIZING HAZARDS ON LAKE AUSTIN, LADY, BIRD, LAKE DECKER, AND THE AREA SURROUNDING HANCOCK'S WATER TREATMENT PLANT ON LAKE TRAVIS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THIS IS SUPER CONTROVERSIAL.
UM, SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN KEEP THE, KEEP THIS MOVING PLEASE.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UM, GABRIELLE RESTIVO AND AMANDA ROSS AND CITY.
THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT WILL REPLACE THE EXIST EXISTING AGREEMENT ESTABLISHED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, WHICH IS SET TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31ST, SOME AGREEMENT BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN JULY, 2007 FOR BUOY INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE TO ALERT VOTERS TO THE HAZARDS WITH THE FLOOD GATES AND SPILLWAY OF THE THEN RECENTLY RENOVATED TOM MILLER DAM IN JULY, 2013, THE AGREEMENT WAS AMENDED TO INCLUDE THE CITY'S WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS ABUDDING OR ADJACENT TO LIKE AUSTIN LADY, BIRD, LAKE DECKER LAKE, AND THE AREA SURROUNDING HANCOCK WATER TREATMENT PLANT ON LAKE TRAVIS.
[02:05:05]
HERE'S A MAP SHOWING THE AREAS OF LAKE AUSTIN, LADYBIRD LAKE DECKER LAKE, AND THE LOCATION OF THE HANCOCK WATER TREATMENT PLANT.THE INSET MAP FURTHER SHOWS THE GENERAL LOCATIONS OF TOM MILLER AND LONGHORN DAM TERMS OF THE NEW AGREEMENT.
THE CITY AND LCRA WILL WORK TOGETHER TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION TYPE NUMBER AND ANCHORING OF THE BUOYS WE'LL TOGETHER, ESTABLISH THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASING AND INSTALLING THE BUOYS AND WE'LL MUTUALLY LOAN EQUIPMENT TO ACHIEVE THE PURPOSES OF THE AGREEMENT.
LCRA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ALL EQUIPMENT AND LABOR FOR BUOY INSTALLATION AND FOR MAINTAINING, REPAIRING, AND REPLACING DAMAGED BUOYS.
THE CITY WILL PAY FOR THE COST AND INSTALLATION OF THE BUOYS.
THE ESTIMATED COST IS 5,000 TO 10,000 ANNUALLY.
THE CITY WILL ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO LCRA AS REQUESTED AND AS MUTUALLY AGREED.
THE TERM OF THE NEW AGREEMENT WILL BE FIVE YEARS WITH TWO ADDITIONAL FIVE-YEAR TERMS UPON WRITTEN AGREEMENT, APPROVALS REQUIRED A CITY COUNCIL AND THE LCRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE ACTION REQUESTED THIS EVENING RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH LCRA, FOR THE INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT OF BUOYS TO ASSIST BOATERS AND RECOGNIZING HAZARDS ON LIKE AUSTIN LADY, BIRD, LAKE, DECKER, LAKE, AND THE AREA SURROUNDING HANCOCK WATER TREATMENT PLANT ON LAKE TRAVIS.
THAT CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
SO IN THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE, THE CITY WILL PAY FOR THE COST OF BUOYS INSTALLATION ABOUT 5,000 TO 10,000 ANNUALLY.
DO WE HAVE AN EQUIVALENT PRICE TAG FOR WHAT LCRA IS ESTIMATED COSTS ARE GOING TO BE OKAY.
AMANDA ROSS DIVISION MANAGER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND TYPICALLY WE'VE DONE THIS FOR A FEW YEARS.
NOW THAT FIVE TO $10,000 INCLUDES THE LCRA COST.
UM, AN EXAMPLE, UM, THE MOST RECENT INSTALL JUST THIS WEEK, UM, ON LONGHORN OR JUST ABOVE LONGHORN DAM, UM, IT WAS AROUND 4,500 FOR BUOYS AND ILLUSTRATES EXPENSE WAS $500.
SO THE MAJORITY OF IT IS, IS THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL BUOYS THEMSELVES.
AND THE INSTALLATION IS A PRETTY SMALL PORTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? OKAY.
MOVED AND SECONDED IT APPROVAL ALL IN FAVOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT, LADIES AND APPROVED.
[7. Presentation discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation that Austin City Council support an amendment to State Law to allow the City to dissolve the Perpetual Care Trust Fund and use the principal for general cemetery maintenance and capital improvements.]
UM, WE ARE MOVING NOW, UH, TO ITEM SEVEN.I'M GOING TO PULL, WE HAVE A CITIZEN WITH ITEM SEVEN.
I CAN'T HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
I SAID I CAN'T HEAR THE WITNESS BROUGHT DOWN.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO JUST TELL YOU WHILE SHE DOES PASS THAT OUT.
I HAVE ASKED THAT WE PULL THIS ITEM TONIGHT.
WE CAN HEAR FROM OUR SPEAKER HAPPY TO HEAR FROM THE SPEAKER, BUT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO THIS, THIS, UM, WE STILL HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM.
IT IS THE PRESENTATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT AN AMENDMENT TO STATE LAW TO ALLOW THE CITY TO DISSOLVE THE PERPETUAL CARE TRUST FUND AND USE THE PRINCIPLE FOR GENERAL, GENERAL CEMETERY MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I HAVE ASKED THAT IT BE PULLED AND PUT IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION.
SO
UM, CAUSE I THINK PART OF IT WOULD BE LIKE THE IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE WHERE THE MONEY WOULD GO.
AND SO I WAS GOING TO JUST PROVIDE THAT AS OUR HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE ISSUES I'VE SEEN.
IT'S JUST A HANDOUT AND I'LL PROVIDE ONE TO.
THAT WOULD BE FINE TO PROVIDE A HANDOUT.
[02:10:01]
THANK YOU.SHE NEEDS ONE AND THEN YOU CAN GIVE THE EXTRAS TO TIM OVER THERE AND YOU CAN TRY TO GET THEM.
THAT'S PROBABLY 200 TURNED UP.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER ON ITEM SEVEN IS SHARON WINE CHOPS.
UH, THE BINDERS BEFORE YOU COST ME SOME $350.
SO I ASK THAT YOU DO ME THE FAKE COURTESY OF AT LEAST GIVING THEM INCLUDED OR A DETAILED TIMELINE OF MY INTERACTIONS WITH PARD, WITH REFERENCE TO THE PERPETUAL CARE TRUST FUND IN BOLD TESTIMONY.
I GAVE ME FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE FUND AND AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND DETAILED BRIEF.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FINAL ENTRY ON THE TIMELINE, THE LAST DATE I RECEIVED, ANY COMMUNICATION FROM PARD CONCERNS, AN EMAIL FROM MR. ANTHONY SIGORA ASSURING ME THAT HE WOULD REACH OUT ONCE HE HAD MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUND.
NEITHER MR.
I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT THIS HEARING FROM A FELLOW STAKEHOLDER ON JULY 20TH, 2022.
I HAVE ANALYZED CITY FISCAL REPORTS REGARDING THE FUND FROM 1991 THROUGH 2016, UNDER BOTH STATE AND LOCAL LAW, PROCEEDS FROM THE FUND DEPOSIT FOR THE SPECIFIC BURIAL SPACE, SUPPOSED TO BE FIRST APPLIED TO MAINTAIN THAT SPACE.
ANY EXCESS REVENUE MAY THEN BE USED TO BEAUTIFY THE CEMETERY WHERE THE SPACE IS LOCATED.
THERE IS NO OTHER LEGALLY PERMITTED USE OF THIS REVENUE YET FROM 1991 THROUGH 2016, 2 MILLION, $216,225.
A $255 EXPENDITURES WERE MADE FROM THE FUNDS.
THERE IS NO DOCUMENTATION SHOWING THAT THESE EXPENDITURES WERE SPENT IN ACCORDING WITH CITY OR STATE LAW.
IN FACT, EXPENDITURES MADE FROM 2002 TO 2014, WHERE HE NOTED ONLY AS PUBLIC RECREATION AND CULTURE, UH, PARTS PRESENTATION, WHICH I READ ONLINE BASICALLY ADMITS THAT HIS IGNORED STATE LAW IN THE CITY CODE ENGAGED IN DEFICIT DEFICIENT RECORD KEEPING AND FAILED TO CREATE A COUNTING OF INVESTMENTS PART FURTHER IN DISINGENUOUSLY CLAIMS THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNDS, INTENT AND BENEFITS.
WHEN THE CITY CODE CLEARLY STATES THAT THE FUND IS TO ENSURE THE PERPETUAL MAINTENANCE OF CEMETERY, LOTS AND GRAVES.
NOW PART SEEKS TO BE REWARDED FOR ITS DECADES OF NEGLIGENT INCOMPETENT AND FRANKLY CRIMINAL ACTIONS BY BEING ALLOWED TO DRAIN THE REST OF THE FUND.
INSTEAD, I ASKED THAT THE BOARD ORDER A THOROUGH INDEPENDENT AUDIT PARS ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY CEMETERIES, AND THAT PART WOULD BE REQUIRED TO FINALLY PROPERLY IMPLEMENT THE FUND.
IF THIS BOARD APPROVES A PART'S PROPOSAL, I WILL ATTEND EVERY HEARING OF THE LEGISLATURE CONCERNING THE AMENDMENT I WILL BUY.
THEN I'VE HAD TIME TO UPDATE MY RESEARCH, NO DOUBT, UNCOVERING EVEN MORE DATA REGARDING PARTS MISUSE OF THE FUND.
WE KNOW JUST HOW POPULAR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS WITH CERTAIN LEGISLATORS, THE GOVERNOR, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
I SUSPECT SUCH INFORMATION MIGHT FIND A RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE IN CERTAIN POLITICAL CIRCLES.
FINALLY, I MUST APOLOGIZE HIM LIKE COME ACROSS AS ANGRY, UPSET.
THEY'LL BE ALLOWED TO FINISH BECAUSE I AM ANGRY AND UPSET.
I HAVE WORKED IN THE TEXAS SENATE FOR SOME 25, 23 YEARS AND WORKED WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AT EVERY LEVEL.
HOWEVER, I HAVE NEVER HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF INTERACTING WITH ANY GOVERNMENTAL BODY AS OPAQUE, EQUIVOCATING, OBSTRUCTIONISTS, AND UNFEELING AS PART AND IT'S CEMETERY OF ISSUE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL TAKE AN UNDER CONSIDERATION AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON THE WHOLE.
OR IS THIS GOING TO BE REOPENED AT SOME POINT, WE'LL BE REOPENED.
IT'S GOING TO GO FOR FURTHER RESEARCH.
[02:15:01]
A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT OURSELVES.AND SO WE ARE GOING TO FIND MORE INFORMATION AND TAKE IT IN COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER AND WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR EFFORTS.
YEAH, AND I WOULD LIKE IF IT COMES UP AGAIN TO SOMEBODY TO NOTIFY ME, I WILL DO THAT.
CAN I, CAN YOU GIVE TIM YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU? TIM IS THE GUY RIGHT OVER THERE, ON THAT REGISTER.
[8. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation that Austin City Council approve an ordinance amending City Code Title 25-1 to require parkland dedication for commercial developments.]
ALL RIGHT.UM, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE TITLE 25 DASH ONE TO REQUIRE PARKLAND DEDICATION FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
AND WE HAVE, UM, PAUL BROOKS, ROBIN HEYMANS AND, UM, RANDY SCOTT.
AND I HAVE I MISSED SOMEBODY, I THINK.
I THINK THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME WE'RE COMING FOR YOU WITH THIS, UH, ITEM, BUT THIS TIME IT IS, UH, AS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM.
UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION.
THAT'S SIMILAR TO ONE THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
UH, WE'LL ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHANGES SINCE WE CAME BEFORE YOU LAST MONTH.
AND, UH, WE'LL ALSO DISCUSS SOME NEXT STEPS AND HOPEFULLY HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.
SO, UH, THIS SLIDE YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT I'LL, I'LL COVER IT QUICKLY WITH THE FORMULA, BUT MOSTLY DIG INTO WHAT WE'VE CHANGED SINCE, UH, LAST MONTH.
SO THE FORMULA HERE IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE DEMAND ON OUR PARK SYSTEM, UH, THAT 9.4 ACRES PER FUNCTIONAL POPULATION.
UH, AGAIN, IT USES THE SAME LEVEL OF PARK SERVICE FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS, UH, AND THAT'S 9.4 ACRES PER THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS.
UH, THAT TERM FUNCTIONAL POPULATION MEANS THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES FOR COMMERCIAL USE DISCOUNTED BY OCCUPANCY RATES, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY MAY BE AT A PLACEMENT EMPLOYMENT.
UH, THE PERCENT OF THOSE WHO COMMUTE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO WORK IN AUSTIN.
AND ALSO NOW IN THE CASE OF OFFICE TELECOMMUTING RATES, UH, WHICH YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED ON THE SCREEN AS PART OF THE NEW FORMULA, UH, THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION REPRESENTS THE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POPULATION FOR A NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE RECENTLY ADDED AN ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT FOR OFFICE USES TO ACCOUNT FOR TELECOMMUTING RATES.
UH, THE, THE DISCOUNT FACTORS IN THE 13% TELECOMMUTER RATE, ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT CENSUS DATA, UH, THIS IS FOLLOWING NUMEROUS SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO ACCOUNT FOR CHANGING COMMUTER TRENDS RESULTING FROM COVID-19.
UH, I MUST ALSO KNOW WE RECENTLY INCLUDED HOTEL INTO THE REQUIREMENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR HOTEL EMPLOYEES.
IN ADDITION TO VISITORS THAT ARE, UH, ADDRESSED IN THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE SPECIFIES THAT DISTINCTION IN 25, 1 6 0 2 F, WHERE THERE'S AN ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL COMPONENTS TO THAT HOTEL USE.
SO I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LAST MONTH, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT HOTEL HAS KIND OF TWO COMPONENTS TO THE REQUIREMENT NOW UNDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THIS IS THE PROPOSED FEES THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REQUIREMENT BASED ON THAT FORMULA, UH, AND THE, UH, PARKLAND, UH, COST FACTOR AT THE MOMENT.
UM, SO THE, THE MAIN CHANGE HERE IS FOR THE OFFICE USE, WHICH HAS DECREASED SLIGHTLY SINCE WE'RE NOW, UH, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT A DISCOUNT FOR THE TELECOMMUTER RATES THAT THAT 13% TELECOMMUTER RATE, UM, PER THE SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THAT TAKES THE RANGE OF FEES FROM A DOLLAR AND 52 CENTS FOR OFFICE TWO 64 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT FOR INDUSTRIAL USES.
AND, UH, AS HE SAID, UH, THIS IS KIND OF A REFRESHER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME UPDATES THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, TO THE SLIDE.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS, A HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE OF AN APPLICATION OF THE COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS ON A, UH, OFFICE BUILDING IN THIS CASE, UM, IT'S A 325,000 SQUARE FOOT OFFICE BUILDING.
UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO CALCULATE THE ESTIMATED EMPLOYEES, UM, WHERE WE GET JUST OVER A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES BASED ON 300 SQUARE FEET PER EMPLOYEE IN AN OFFICE SPACE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DRIVE THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION USING THE, UM, FORMULA THAT TOM
[02:20:01]
JUST DESCRIBED, WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW DISCOUNT FOR TELEWORKING PERCENTAGE.UM, AND AS YOU SEE THAT, UH, ITEM E ON STEP TWO, THE A PERCENT WORKING ONSITE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S HOW WE GET ARRIVED AT OUR FUNCTIONAL POPULATION OF ABOUT 120 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO THE NEW PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS.
AND FROM THERE, WE'RE GOING TO CALCULATE THE REQUIREMENTS USING THE 9.4 ACRES, UH, MS. TOM DESCRIBED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDES.
UM, SO FOR THE 325,000 SQUARE FOOT OFFICE SPACE, YOU'D HAVE ABOUT 1.1, TWO ACRES OWED OR 459,000 IN FEE AND LIL.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN GO ONTO THE NEXT EXAMPLE.
UM, SO THIS IS LOOKING AT A MIXED USE EXAMPLE.
UM, AGAIN, STARTING WITH THE COMMERCIAL COMPONENT OF, UH, UH, LOOKING AT THE TOTAL EMPLOYEES FOR THIS 136,000 SQUARE FOOT OFFICE SPACE, DO YOU HAVE ABOUT 450 EMPLOYEES? UM, AND THEN STEP TWO, WE WILL DRIVE THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION OF THE OFFICE SPACE, UM, USING THE, UH, THE FORMULA WE DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY TO ARRIVE AT ABOUT 50, UH, 50 PEOPLE AS THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION.
UM, AND AGAIN, THOSE WHO WERE GOING TO BE ASSESSED THE, A NEW PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO YOU HAVE 0.4, SEVEN ACRES OWED, OR ABOUT 188,000 IN FEE AND WHEEL.
UM, AND THE NEXT YOU'D BE CALCULATING THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS OF THIS MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, UM, USING THE EXISTING PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS, UM, UNDER THE EXISTING ORDINANCE.
UM, SO FOR THE 309 TOTAL UNITS, UM, YOU'D HAVE A RESIDENT POPULATION ABOUT 525 PEOPLE THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE, UH, HIGH DENSITY, UH, POPULATION RATE OF 1.7 PEOPLE PER UNIT.
UM, AND THEN IN STEP TWO, WE WOULD CALCULATE THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS, UM, WHERE WE WOULD TAKE THAT TOTAL UNIT, UM, AND MULTIPLY BY THE 1.7, UM, PEOPLE EXPECTED IN EACH UNIT, UM, AND DIVIDE THAT BY A THOUSAND AND THEN MULTIPLY IT BY THE 9.4 SERVICE LEVEL TO REVIVE AT ABOUT 4.94 ACRES OWED, UM, OR $899,000 IN FEE AND LOO, UM, AND FOR THE MIXED USE REQUIREMENT, UH, OR FOR THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE TOTAL REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE THE SUM OF THE COMMERCIAL PORTION AND THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL PORTION.
UM, AND THAT'S SHOWN THERE IS ABOUT 5.49 ACRES.
UM, THANKS, GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE ALSO, UH, LOOKED AT, UH, PROTECTED IMPACT OF A NEW COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE.
UM, AND SO BASED ON, UH, DSD ANNUAL REPORTING OF PERMANENT COMMERCIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE, UM, WE ANTICIPATE COLLECTING APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION IN FEES ANNUALLY, UM, FROM A COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE.
UM, AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 HARD, WE'LL BE UPLOADING 26 MILLION FROM RESIDENTIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION, ORDINANCES OR ORDINANCE.
UM, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE MATCHED WITH 50% OF, UH, FOR, UH, UH, FROM BOND FUNDING, UM, SHOWN IN THE BLUE, UM, FOR NEW PARK ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PARKLAND.
UM, AND NOW ROBIN'S GOING TO DISCUSS SOME OF OUR STAKEHOLDER.
SO WE'VE HAD A MYRIAD OF, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT, ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WE HAD A SURVEY THAT WAS OPEN TO ANYONE THAT WANTED TO TAKE IT, UM, IN OUR OUT OF THE CITY.
IT WAS OPEN FROM MAY 9TH THROUGH JULY 10TH.
UM, AND IT WAS ADVERTISED ACROSS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. IT WAS ADVERTISED THROUGH THE DSD, UH, EMAIL LISTSERV.
IT WAS, UM, KIND OF OPEN THROUGH, UH, OUR PARK ADVOCATES, ET CETERA.
UM, WHEN WE ASKED ONE OF THOSE SURVEY QUESTIONS WAS HOW OFTEN DO YOU ACCESS PUBLIC PARKS BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER WORK? AND THEIR RESPONSES SHOWED THAT 57% USE IT, UH, OFTEN MORE THAN TWICE A MONTH, AT LEAST.
AND THEN WHEN WE ASKED, HOW DO YOU THINK A COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE MIGHT IMPACT A BUSINESS'S OPERATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES, VISITORS, OR PATRONS? UH, 74% SAID OPERATIONS WOULD IMPROVE.
SO IT'S SORT OF OVERWHELMINGLY SHOWING, UM, SORT OF FAVORABLE ATTITUDE TOWARD PARKLAND ADJACENT TO COMMERCIAL SPACES.
THERE WERE SEVERAL RECURRING THEMES, WHICH WE'LL KIND OF GO INTO, UH, SUMMARIES OF THE KIND OF QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES OF IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES, BUT THOSE THEMES INCLUDED CHANGES IN COMMUTING PATTERNS DUE TO COVID-19 IMPACTS ON IMPORT ABILITY, APPLICABILITY AND EXEMPTIONS, PROCEDURES, AND CLARIFICATION.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SORT OF SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAD, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
UH, IN TOTAL, WE HAD SIX STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, THEY WERE MULTIPLE HOURS LONG.
THEY, UM, OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN MAY AND JULY.
[02:25:01]
UM, THEY INCLUDED A SHORT PRESENTATION AND THEN KIND OF AMPLE TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION.THERE ARE A MINIMUM OF 40 STAKEHOLDER GROUPS ENGAGED.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE LISTED ON THE SLIDE.
WE HAD MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ACROSS INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
WE HAD NEWSLETTER ANNOUNCEMENTS VIA DSD AND PUBLIC MAILED AND POSTED IN PAPER OF RECORD FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO NOW WE'LL GO INTO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES AND, UH, A FULL SET OF QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES WAS PROVIDED TO YOU IN BACKUP.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO HAPPY TO WRITE, UH, RESPOND TO ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS SURROUNDING, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, THE FIRST KIND OF SET OF THEMED QUESTIONS WERE WHEN DO YOU REQUIRE FEE VERSUS LAND AND HOW OFTEN? SO, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR RESIDENTIAL CRITERIA, THIS WOULD BE THE SAME FOR THE COMMERCIAL CRITERIA STAFF UTILIZE CODE CRITERIA, WHETHER IT'S, UM, ADJACENCY TO PARKLAND.
IF THE SITE IS PARKED DEFICIENT, ET CETERA, TO DETERMINE WHETHER PARKLAND DEDICATION WILL BE SATISFIED WITH LAND, DEDICATION OR FEE, UM, ONLY ABOUT 10% OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, UH, TO DATE DEDICATE LAND, THE REST PAY FEES WHEN LAND IS REQUIRED, IT IS MOST COMMON FOR PARKLAND TO BE SATISFIED, SATISFIED BY COMBINATION OF LAND AND FEE.
SO IT'S EXTREMELY RARE FOR A PROPERTY TO DEDICATE ALL OF THE LAND THAT IT OWES.
SO PART GOES AND SUBSIDIZES THAT BY PURCHASING LAND NEAR THE DEVELOPMENT, THE NEXT QUESTIONS HAD TO DO WITH LAND CONTEXT.
I KNOW IT'S LONG THE LAND CONTEXT.
SO WHETHER A SITE IS WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE, HOW DOES THE REQUIREMENT CHANGE THE PARK DEFICIENT MAP DETERMINES THE DEVELOPMENTS LIN CONTEXT AND IMPACTS OF THE REQUIREMENT? SO INSIDE THE URBAN CORE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A FIVE MINUTE WALK OR 0.2, FIVE MILE WALKING DISTANCE, WHICH MEANS OUR DEFICIENT AREAS ARE SMALLER, WHICH RESULTS IN A MORE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE OF PARKLAND, DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS BEING SATISFIED WITH LAND.
SO LAND IS A HIGHER OCCURRENCE WITHIN THEIR URBAN CORE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT DETERMINES THE LAND CONTEXT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THE REQUIREMENT CALCULATION.
SO FEES IN LAND REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS THEY'RE BASED ON THE BUILDING SIZE MEASURED IN SQUARE FEET, NOT BASED ON THE LOT SIZE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY THE TIE DIRECTLY TO THE BUILDING SIZE AS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT AS WITH THE RESIDENTIAL ORDINANCE, THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE SIZE FOR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE FEES OWED WOULD BE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND THEN AHEAD OF, UH, DEVELOPING A SITE, THE APPLICANT COULD SUBMIT FOR AN EARLY DETERMINATION, WHICH PROVIDES SOME CERTAINTY ON THE REQUIREMENTS, WHETHER LAND OR FEE WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THE NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS HAD TO DO WITH APPLICABILITY AND EXEMPTIONS.
THERE ARE NO EXPLICIT EXEMPTIONS IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT IT, UM, SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO CIVIC USES AS DEFINED IN THE CODE.
AND, UH, THAT'S A LAND USE UNDER ZONING.
SO THE CIVIC USES INCLUDE THEIR PERFORMANCE OF UTILITY, EDUCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL, MEDICAL, PROTECTIVE, AND GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS, AND OTHER USES THAT ARE STRONGLY VESTED IN THE PUBLIC OR SOCIAL IMPORTANCE.
SO SINCE PARKLAND IS ALREADY A, YOU STRONGLY VESTED WITH PUBLIC IMPORTANCE, UM, REQUIRING A CIVIC USE OF DEDICATED PARKLAND WOULD HAVE, IT WOULD HAVE IT TO DOUBLY PERFORM ITS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
CIVIC USES ARE DISTINCT FROM COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS AS DEFINED IN THE LAND USE CODE.
SO THEY WERE NOT, THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE COUNCIL DIRECTION TO BE INCLUDED.
EXCLUDING THESE CIVIC USES DOES NOT PREVENT PART FROM PURCHASING LAND ADJACENT TO THEM TO STILL SERVE THOSE CIVIC USES LIKE PARK NEXT TO A HOSPITAL.
UM, THE NEXT, UH, KIND OF SET WAS COMMERCIAL PARKLAND.
DEDICATION IS ONLY APPLYING TO NET NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE OR UNITS THAT HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY SATISFIED THE REQUIREMENT.
SO EXISTING OFFICE BUILDINGS WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THIS REQUIREMENT.
ONLY NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING IN, UH, AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO IT IN THE FUTURE.
IF AN OFFICE BUILDING HAS ALREADY PAID, UM, PARKLAND DEDICATION OR SATISFIED IT ONLY NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT HAS AN ALREADY SATISFIED IT WILL BE SUBJECT.
AND THEN AT THIS TIME THERE'S NO PROPOSED MINIMUM DEVELOPMENT SIZE.
SO OTHER THEMES THAT WE HEARD, UH, DURING OUR STAKEHOLDER SESSIONS WAS CHANGES IN COMMUTING PATTERNS AND CHANGES IN WORKPLACE MODELS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 AND THE NEW TELEWORKING OPTIONS THAT HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UH, SO, UH, SINCE THE REQUIREMENT WOULD ONLY BE FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS, WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WILL FACTOR IN THE CHANGES IN THE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY, UH, PROPOSE.
SO PROJECT WOULD FACTOR IN THEIR WORKPLACE NEEDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT, THOSE CHANGES THAT WE'RE SEEING.
[02:30:01]
AND ESPECIALLY THE OFFICE WORKPLACE.FINALLY, WE INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT FOR OUR OFFICE TO ACCOUNT FOR TELECOMMUTING THAT I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE PRESENTATION IN THE FORMULA.
SO THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT THAT APPLIED TO OFFICE, UH, THAT WE WERE, UH, INCLUDING IN THE FORMULA IS IT'S IN THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, FINALLY THE, THE REQUIREMENTS ARE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY TO ACCOUNT FOR CHANGING TRENDS.
SO THE COMMUTER RATE, THE OCCUPANCY RATES AND THE TELECOMMUTING RATES WOULD BE UPDATED AS THE DATA BECAME AVAILABLE FROM THE U S CENSUS AND THE OTHER SOURCES, UH, TO REFLECT THE TRENDS IN THE MARKETPLACE.
UH, OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE GOT HAD TO DO, UH, WITH PROCEDURES, UM, YOU KNOW, CLARIFICATION TYPE QUESTIONS, UH, LIKE WHEN THE TIMING OF THE REQUIREMENTS WOULD TAKE INTO FACT, UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE PROPOSING AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE ORDINANCE FOR JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
SO ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS, UH, AFTER THAT DATE, THIS ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO THEM, BUT NOT THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN FILED BEFORE THAT.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION WE SAW FREQUENTLY WAS, UH, HOW PARKLAND DEDICATION INTERACTS WITH OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS.
SO, UH, GENERALLY OPEN SPACE IS DIFFERENT THAN PARKLAND.
IT CAN BE PRIVATE, OR IT CAN, YOU KNOW, MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM PARKLAND DEDICATION, BUT THAT WE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE BOTH OF THEM COUNT TOWARDS EACH OTHER, AT LEAST AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE CRITERIA OF, OF BOTH THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WE ALSO GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS IMPACTS THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS AND THE RESIDENTIAL FEES, UM, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO REALLY LOOK AT THE COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
UH, BUT CITY COUNCIL DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO AFFECT CHANGES TO THE FEE SCHEDULE.
UM, WE'RE PROPOSING THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS, BE SIMILAR TO HOW RESIDENTIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION HAS DONE, WHICH IS THAT COUNCIL WOULD ADOPT IT ANNUALLY BASED ON THE, UM, COST OF PARKLAND OVER ON AVERAGE OF FIVE YEARS.
SO WE ALSO RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS ON THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT OF NEW REQUIREMENTS ON NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, AND SO ACCORDING TO RECENT REPORTS ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS COSTS HARD COSTS RANGE FROM BETWEEN A DOLLAR AND 47 CENTS, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, $147 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR WAREHOUSE FACILITIES TO 640 $57 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDINGS, UM, ACROSS IT'S KIND OF THE BROAD RANGE OF CONSTRUCTION TYPES FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, SO WITH OUR PROPOSED FEES RANGING FROM A DOLLAR AND 55 CENTS TO 64 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT, UM, THIS WOULD MAKE UP LESS THAN 1% OF THE TYPICAL HARD COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND HARD COST IS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE COST FOR LAND ACQUISITION ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OR ANY OVERHEAD.
UM, AND WE ALSO LOOKED TO OTHER, UM, PARKLAND FEES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND WE HAVE A TABLE PROVIDED HERE AS WELL.
UM, AND THE PROPOSED FEE IS COMPARABLE TO OTHER RATES AS SHOWN HERE IS LESS THAN THE FEES SEEN IN BELMONT CALIFORNIA, BUT MORE THAN THOSE SEEN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UM, SLIGHTLY IN SOME CATEGORIES.
UM, AND THIS VARIATION IS LIKELY DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PARKLAND ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN THOSE VARIOUS MARKETS.
UM, AND NOW I'M GOING TO TOSS IT BACK TO TOM TO DISCUSS THE DEMONSTRATED BENEFITS.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, WHAT PARKLAND DEDICATION HAS BEEN DOING FOR THE CITY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, SO THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS REQUIREMENT, UH, FOR THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, YOU KNOW, PARKLAND DEDICATION HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE, UH, ACQUISITION OR EXPANSION OF OVER A HUNDRED PARKS OUT OF OUR 300 PLUS PARK SYSTEM.
UM, WITHIN THE LAST, UH, TWO, THREE OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS RATHER, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD 125 NEW ACRES, UH, THROUGH PARKLAND DEDICATION AND CONTRIBUTE TO 76 PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UH, SINCE, UH, 2018.
SO WE DID IT KIND OF A SUMMARY, UH, VIDEO RECENTLY.
I THINK WE DID SHARE IT WITH THE PARKS BOARD, BUT WE'D LOVE TO GO INTO GREATER DETAIL PARKLAND, DEDICATION ON THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS WITH Y'ALL.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WE HAVE A TIMELINE.
UH, SO LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE, UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE A POSSIBLE ACTION AND DISCUSSION WITH Y'ALL ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
UH, WE DID PRESENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION ON JULY 12TH, WHERE THEY MOTIONED FOR A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL AUGUST 9TH, SO THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE ORDINANCE.
FIRST, A CITY COUNCIL WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS ITEM IN TOMORROW'S WORK SESSION.
AND FINALLY CITY COUNCIL'S PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 28.
[02:35:04]
UH, OH, I'M SORRY, CODES AND ORDINANCES.WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR JULY 20TH, BUT THEY DID NOT MAKE QUORUM.
SO WE ARE STILL WAITING TO BE SCHEDULED FOR THE, UH, CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT WORK AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, I COULD START WITH THOSE ONLINE, SO I DON'T FORGET YOU GUYS.
ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER LOUIS? I'M GOOD.
OH, I THOUGHT BOARD MEMBER LEWIS SAID SHE WANTED TO TALK.
I WAS, I MUTED MYSELF AND THEN I WAS TALKING AWAY TO MYSELF EVIDENTLY.
SO, UM, ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO SAY THAT I, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE, LET ME GET BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAID BEFORE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT STAFF HAS DONE ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT.
I KNOW PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PROPOSAL LANGUAGE IS, UM, BEEN A LOT AND I LIKED IT ALL THE DETAIL THAT WENT INTO IT AND, YOU KNOW, GOING ALL THE WAY INTO THE WEEDS AND REMEMBERING ABOUT OPEN SPACES AND FOCUS IN ON THE REMOTE AND OFFICE, UM, STATUS OF PEOPLE.
SO, AND I THINK THIS IS JUST, WE PROPOSED THIS BACK IN 2019 COUNSEL ALSO ASKED THEM TO DO THIS.
THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'VE DONE A REALLY OUTSTANDING JOB.
AND I, UM, I FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GO AHEAD, WE AND SUPPORT THIS.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO INCREASE FUNDING TO PARKS BECAUSE WE ARE, THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED.
AND RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, PARKS WERE FUNDED BASICALLY ON THE BACKS OF THOSE WHO LIVE HERE, THE TAXPAYERS WHO LIVE HERE, AND THIS WOULD KIND OF SPREAD THE WEALTH A LITTLE BIT, SO SPEAK, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I, UM, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, JUST SAY THAT I DO SUPPORT IT AND HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO LIFE.
ANYBODY ELSE? COMMENT FROM A BOARD MEMBER, HUFFMAN, JUST A QUESTION CLARIFICATION, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS ON YOUR, UH, CALCULATION FOR THE DISCOUNT ON TELECOMMUTERS.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT BEFORE A BUILDING IS BUILT, IF YOU HAVEN'T LEASED THE BUILDING, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO'S OCCUPYING IT? WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN ASSUMPTION THAT, UH, THAT TELECOMMUTING RATE WOULD BE FACTORED IN.
SO, UH, WE USE THE U S CENSUS DATA TO MAKE AN ASSUMPTION AS PART OF THAT FORMULA THAT, UH, THE BUILDING WILL HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF TELECOMMUTERS.
UM, SO IT DOES ASSUME THAT THE BUILDING WILL, YOU KNOW, 13% OF, OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WOULD LIKELY BE TELECOMMUTING SOME OR MOST OF THE TIME.
ANYBODY ELSE? UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, READ SOME OF THE DISCUSSION AT PLANNING COMMISSION AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, FROM WHAT I HEARD, I THINK THAT MOST OF THE CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED BY THE PROPOSAL.
AND I APPRECIATE IN THE PRESENTATION ALSO, YOU POINTING OUT HOW THE PROPOSALS CHANGED OVER TIME AND IN RESPONSE TO STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, I THOUGHT A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK MADE SENSE AND THE CHANGES THAT YOU MADE, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A, UH, A VERY THOROUGH EXPLANATION AND PROVIDING THE REPORT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
THIS WILL MOVE FORWARDS AND PASS THROUGH CITY COUNCIL AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
OUR BOARD MEMBER MORE, UH, WHY CHOOSE BELMONT, CALIFORNIA AS A POINT OF COMPARISON IS JUST THE DATA WAS READILY READILY AVAILABLE ON THAT, THAT AREA, OR IS IT VERY COMPARABLE TO AUSTIN IN SOME WAY? SURE.
UM, SO WE STUDIED A FEW DIFFERENT CITIES IN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND WE FOUND THE, UH, THE NEXT TWO REPORT AND THEIR FORMULATION OF THE, KIND OF THE SAME FUNCTIONAL POPULATION TYPE OF CALCULATION THAT THEY EXPLAINED IN THEIR NEXUS REPORT, UM, TO BE REALLY HELPFUL AND, AND DERIVING OUR FUNCTIONAL POPULATION.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE COMPARISON CAME FROM IS THAT THEY REALLY EXPLAINED, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY WERE ARRIVING AT THE IMPACT THAT A NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS HAVING ON THEIR PARTS SYSTEM.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE, UH, THE COMPARISON CAME FROM,
[02:40:03]
YES, THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND ALL THE WORK.AND WE'D NEVER THOUGHT BACK IN THE DAY THAT WE'VE ALL DEFINED THAT NEXUS FOR COMMERCIAL PARKLAND ON THE DEBT ON DEDICATION.
AND SO THE FACT THAT Y'ALL HAD DID IT.
AND SO, BECAUSE HE HAD TALKED ME BRIEFLY ABOUT THE JOURNEY, LIKE WHO I'M ASSUMING LEGAL HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION, HELPING TO FORM FORMULATE, WHAT'S GOING TO PASS MUSTER, WHERE IS IT? YOU KNOW, ALL THE RANDY SCOTT IS ABSOLUTELY A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN THIS AREA.
WAS THERE ANY OTHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THAT YOU BROUGHT IN BECAUSE IT'S SO UNIQUE TO ACTUALLY GO TO THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL, UM, YOU KNOW, TO SHOW THE NEXUS TO HAVE THAT FUNCTIONAL POPULATION.
I SEE A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS WHEN THEY'VE ADDED COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION, THEY JUST THREW THE NUMBER AT IT, WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD BE CHALLENGED, BUT ALL THE NUMBERS USUALLY SO LOW THAT IT'S NEGLIGIBLE.
COULD YOU TAKE ME THROUGH THAT? UH, YEAH, WELL, WE REALLY BEGAN WORKING ON THIS AFTER THE PARKS AND RECREATION OR RECOMMENDED IT IN, UH, 2020 WITH THE LANE DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE.
SO, UH, RIGHT THEN AND THERE, WE STARTED LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND LOOKING AT, UH, PRECEDENTS, OTHER CITIES THAT HAD A COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENT AND BEGAN ASSEMBLING THAT RESEARCH.
THEN, UH, AS FAR AS OTHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, WE DID SPEAK WITH, UH, DR.
JOHN CROMPTON, UH, FROM TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY.
AND, UH, HE WAS A BIG PART OF THE STUDY THAT WE BUILT TO SUPPORT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CASE LAW AND, UH, MAKING THAT PRECEDENT.
UM, WOULD YOU ALL LIKE ADDED, I GUESS THE OTHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS? SO WE CONSULTED OUR, THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, WHICH WE HELD EXTENSIVE MEETINGS WITH AND TOOK THEIR FEEDBACK REALLY SERIOUSLY AND INCORPORATED IT INTO EVERY ITERATION OF THIS, OF THIS ORDINANCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION IS WHEN WOULD FEES BE COLLECTED? THE FEES RIGHT NOW WOULD BE COLLECTED THE SAME WAY.
UH, RESIDENTIAL FEES ARE AT THE TIME OF SITE OR SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPROVAL.
YEAH, WE WOULDN'T WANT IT TO BE ON THE BACK END BECAUSE THEN THAT WOULD, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL, IT GETS GENERALLY COULD BE PUT ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO, UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTIAL, BUT, UM, THAT THOSE THINGS ALWAYS COME TO MIND.
AND HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THE DEVELOPER, PUTTING THE PIECE TOGETHER RATHER THAN PASSING IT ALONG TO SOMEBODY ELSE? UM, I LOVE WHAT IT'S DOING THE IMPACT AND HOW IT WILL REALLY COMPLIMENT THE EXISTING PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE FOR RESIDENTIAL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD, WE FINALLY GOT TO THAT NUMBER WHERE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE CLOSER ALIGNED.
AND SO I LIKED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S A COMPROMISE USING IT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE ACTUAL COST OF AN ACRE OF PARKLAND OR PARK LAND IS NOT AT MARKET RATE OF WHAT OUR CALCULATION IS.
BUT SO ALTHOUGH THAT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR ME, WHETHER IT'S COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL, UM, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL KEEPING THAT CONTINUITY, BUT ALSO ON THE NINTH 24 ACRES AS WELL.
AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS THAT TODAY I SAW THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND REPORT IN AUSTIN IS 39TH IN PARKLAND.
THAT'S USEFUL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION.
AND SO I THINK THE MORE PARKLAND WE HAVE, I THINK WE OUGHT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE TOO.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AFTER THIS 34 38, HOW MANY DAYS OF A HUNDRED PLUS DEGREES, UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A MOTION? ARE WE READY FOR MOTION BOARD MEMBER LEWIS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL TO ACCEPT THE, UM, THE, UM, PARKLAND DEDICATION, PAR EXCUSE ME, COMMERCIAL PARKLAND, DEDICATION ORDINANCE, AS, UM, AS WRITTEN.
I WOULD SECOND THAT, OR DO I HAVE A SECOND? HOW WOULD IT BE HAPPY TO SECOND IT, SINCE I THINK I AUTHORED THE 20, 20 RESOLUTION.
BOARD MEMBER, DEPALMA SECONDS.
ALL OPPOSED ANY ABSTENTIONS I'M RECUSING.
THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK ON THAT PROJECT.
YOU GUYS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT AND THAT IS, UM, THAT AT THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEETING, WE MADE A SWITCH AND THE NEW CHAIR IS BOARD MEMBER MORE.
UM, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO BOARD MEMBER MORE.
[9. Discussion and possible action regarding an appointment to the Joint Sustainability Committee.]
[02:45:02]
THERE IS A DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION.NUMBER NINE, UH, REGARDING AN APPOINTMENT TO JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
I BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE BOARD MEMBER TO PALM ON THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT BOARD MEMBER RINALDI IS STEPPING DOWN AND I WANTED TO CALL AND SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN ALTERNATE.
I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANY OF YOU GUYS.
SO JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
I BELIEVE IT IS THE FOURTH, WEDNESDAY, 6:00 PM.
UM, IT'S USUALLY AUSTIN ENERGY OVER WHEELER.
AND THEN, UM, OFTEN THE MEETINGS ARE CANCELED FOR LACK OF QUORUM, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER JOINT COMMITTEE THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE CITY.
THEY HAVE A CHALLENGE TO GET EVERYBODY IN AS THEY HAVE THEIR, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN BOARDS.
SO IT WOULD HELP TO HAVE ANOTHER ALTERNATE.
WELL, I MEAN, ALL THE BOARDS REALLY NEED TO, WE WE'VE HAD PRETTY GOOD ATTENDANCE ON OUR BOARD, UM, BEING THERE, BUT THIS IS FOR INSTANCE, WEDNESDAY'S MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF QUORUM.
SO I'LL HAVE YOU GUYS TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION IF ANYBODY'S WILLING TO WORK ON JOINT SUSTAINABILITY SPEAK NOW, OR TALK TO ME THIS WEEK.
[10. Discussion and possible action regarding appointment to the Parks and Recreation Board Committees.]
GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARDS COMMITTEES.UM, THANK YOU TO BOARD MEMBER, KIM TAYLOR, WHO HAS OFFERED TO SWITCH TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS.
UM, SO IF YOU WILL ACCEPT THE NOMINATION, I WOULD NOMINATE YOU TO THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE.
UM, DO I HAVE A SECOND OR ALL IN FAVOR? HOW DO WE DO THIS? IS IT ALL IN FAVOR? DO I NEED A SECOND? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
WELCOME TO THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, AND THAT LEAVES A PLACE ON FINANCE FOR OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER, CATHERINE FLOWERS.
CATHERINE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACCEPT THE NOMINATION, I WOULD NOMINATE YOU FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND THANK YOU TO BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR FOR BEING WILLING TO SWITCH.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
WELCOME TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
[11. Discussion and possible action regarding the Parks and Recreation Board Annual Internal Review Report. (Cottam Sajbel)]
HAD PUT OUT THERE, I KNOW THERE WAS JUST A PLETHORA OF READING THIS TIME AND I REALLY APOLOGIZE.UM, BUT THERE WAS A BOARD REPORT, JUST ALL THE ANNUAL REPORT.
AND IF ANYBODY, DID YOU GUYS GET A CHANCE TO READ THAT? UM, SO LET'S JUST SHOW, WE DO A QUICK DISCUSSION.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING, DID ANYBODY SEE ANYTHING MISSING IN THE ANNUAL REPORT? ANY COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT? MOVE APPROVAL.
ANY SECONDS BOARD MEMBER BERNARD.
SO WE'RE APPROVING THE ANNUAL REPORT.
[12. Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board. (Cottam Sajbel)]
QUICKLY GOING TO THE WORKING COMMITTEE UPDATES.IF I HAVE ANTHONY, COULD YOU PULL UP SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT I HAVE THE, UM, BIG, IMPORTANT THING THAT IS COMING UP ON THIS THURSDAY? THE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS MEETING TO TALK ABOUT.
THIS IS MY SCHWAB REPORT, BY THE WAY, WE'RE ON WORKING GROUP COMMITTEES, NUMBER 12.
UM, SO SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, I'M GIVING MY REPORT NOW.
AND, UM, IT IS COMING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES, UH, IN TERMS OF THE PARKS THERE.
I STILL THINK THERE ARE SOME BIG CONCERNS AND I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER THEM.
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THEY HAVE REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO SEPTEMBER, WHICH WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR SOME MORE CLARIFICATION, BUT IN CASE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU GUYS.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE CONCERNS FOR PARKS IN PARTICULAR.
UM, SO THERE IS STILL, UM, I HAVE TO TALK THIS WAY.
SO THERE IS STILL, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TOUTING THAT THEY HAVE FIVE ACCESS POINTS NOW, BUT WHAT THAT IS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE PUTTING UP A LOT OF SKYSCRAPERS, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PLACES.
THE CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT ACCESS IS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE BIKES GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE ROADWAY.
THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, THAT LITTLE THING UNDERNEATH THE SQUARE IS AN EXTENSION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD THAT THEY, UM, WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO PAY FOR, TO GO INTO THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT THE BIKES THERE.
AND I'VE HEARD FROM SOME BIKERS, PSYCH SPIKES LISTS MIGHT BE CLEAR.
THEY'RE CONCERNED BECAUSE THE ACCESS FOR BIKES IS TWO WAYS.
AND YOU'RE ALSO COMING OFF OF THE TRAIL AND GOING ONTO THE STREET AGAIN.
AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THAT TWO-WAY BIKE TRAIL.
FIRST OF ALL, ISN'T THE SAFEST METHOD, BUT ALSO THAT IT WILL BE IN FRONT OF THE ACCESS FOR CARS COMING OUT IN AND OUT OF THE PARKING LOT.
THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
AND IN THE, THE PEOPLE WHO'VE SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT IT, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
UM, IT ALSO PUTS BIKES KIND OF DOWN THE DOWN THE ROAD.
[02:50:01]
BLUE LINES AND YOU CAN LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY AT THAT.I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME IF YOU'LL FLIP TO THE NEXT THING, I CAN SHOW YOU THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE.
SO THESE ARE THE ACCESS PATHS THAT THEY HAVE MARKED, BUT WHERE THE BUILDING IS UP AGAINST.
SO IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE FROM THIS ONE LET'S SWITCH.
CAN I SWITCH TO THE OTHER ONE THAT SHOWS ACCESS THAN THE THERE'S LIKE PURPLE HATCH MARKS.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT SHOWS LAND.
THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER, IT'S A SEPARATE DOCUMENT.
SO THEY STILL HAVEN'T WANTED TO MOVE 12, 12, 3.
CAN YOU GUYS SEE THAT? THERE'S ONE WITH COLORS THAT WAS BRIGHT COLORS.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WE'RE GOING TO GET.
SO THE PURPLE IS WHERE THE NEW ACCESS, THE BIG WALKWAY.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER THE PICTURE THAT THE VISION PLAN GAVE US, THAT WAS IN LAST DOCUMENT AND I HAVE IT HERE TOO, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT THE VISION PLAN THAT WAS PUT FORTH AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2016, CALLED FOR A GIANT PUBLIC ACCESS AT THE FOOT OF THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THE ANN RICHARDS BRIDGE THAT WOULD ENTER AS A BIG WIDE KIND OF A STAIRCASE INTO THE, THEY CALLED IT THE GRAND STAIRCASE INTO THE PARK AND THE VAT VIEWING AREA.
AND INSTEAD, WHAT THE DEVELOPER IS STILL PROPOSING IS A BUILDING THAT IS UP AGAINST THE SIDEWALK THERE.
AND THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO GO TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT BUILDING AND GO IN THROUGH THEIR DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I AM CONCERNED IS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT ACCESS POINT AND ALL THE DIFFERENT POINTS WHERE THE ROAD INTERSECTS THE PARKLAND.
YES, THERE ARE ACCESS POINTS, BUT THEY ARE ALL HIDDEN BEHIND SKYSCRAPERS.
SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SHOW THERE'S A LITTLE SKETCH, ANTHONY.
THERE'S A LITTLE SKETCH THAT I SENT IN LATER THIS EVENING THAT AS A CONSTITUENT SENT ME, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN TELL WHAT THAT IS THAT IS STANDING AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH CONGRESS AND RIVERSIDE, CAN YOU MAKE IT BIGGER? AND THAT IS WHAT THE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE THERE.
SO SHE HAS DONE ACTUAL, THIS PERSON IS A CONSTITUENT WHO IS AN ARCHITECT, AND LOOKING AT THE, I FORGOT IT ON MY PHONE, EXACTLY WHAT THE HEIGHTS ARE, BUT THE BUILDINGS HAVE GOTTEN VERY TALL.
THIS IS WAY TALLER THAN WAS CALLED FOR IN THE PARKS PLAN AND HOW THIS, I MEAN, IN THE VISION PLAN AND HOW THIS AFFECTS US IS WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS BUILDINGS, YOU'RE SORT OF FEELING LOST.
AND WHEN THERE IS NOT AN ACCESS THAT IS REALLY AVAILABLE AND OBVIOUS TO THE PUBLIC, I THINK THEY'RE GOING THAT THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO FEEL EXCLUDED FROM THIS PARKLAND.
THAT IS THIS GOING TO BECOME THE VERY NICE RIVERFRONT FRONT YARD OF A LUXURY DEVELOPMENT.
SO I HAVE ALL THIS DOCUMENTATION IS IN THE, IN THE, UM, BACKUP.
THERE IS ALSO THE PICTURE OF HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE VISION PLAN.
ALL OF THIS IS UP FOR DISCUSSION SECOND AND THIRD READING, SUPPOSEDLY ON THURSDAY, YOU SHOULD TALK TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IF THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS.
AND JUST, JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO SHOW UP.
THERE MAY POSSIBLY BE A POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A TIME THAT WE NEED TO RALLY PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.
SO, UH, ONE COMMENT AND A QUESTION FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING US UP TO DATE AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN DIRECTING THE QUESTIONS I GET TO YOU, WHICH I APOLOGIZE FOR, BUT DID SEEM MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS WHEN I WAS REVIEWING THE REPORT THAT YOU DRAFTED ABOUT PARKS BOARD ACTIVITIES, THAT WAS IN THE EARLIER ITEM, WHICH WAS REALLY HELPFUL REVIEWING, AND IT ACTUALLY LISTED OUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN OUR MOTION ON THIS ITEM BACK IN, I'M GOING TO SAY IN THE FALL SEPTEMBER, UM, OF 2021, I REMEMBER WE WERE VERY MUCH TIME PRESSURE THAT WE WERE LIKE, COULD NOT CONSIDER THIS AT ANY OTHER MEETING.
IT WAS MOVING FORWARDS WITHOUT US, AND IT'S ALMOST A YEAR LATER.
BUT, UM, MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANYWHERE THAT SORT OF CONCISELY SAYS WHAT WAS IN THAT ACTION THAT WE TOOK, BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO SEE IN THE FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS REGARDING THE PUD.
SO IS THERE ANYWHERE THAT COMPARES THAT LIST TO THE EXISTING PROPOSAL, THAT TO THE CURRENT PROPOSAL THAT COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING CLOSEST I HAVE SEEN IS A CHECKLIST THAT THE PLANNING COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER.
I MEAN THE PLANNING COMMISSION PUT TOGETHER, UM, I CAN FORWARD ALL THAT INFORMATION TO US.
[02:55:01]
BUT THERE WAS A CHECKLIST OF THINGS THAT HAD BEEN ASKED FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A LIST OF HOW IT CORRESPONDS TO WHAT WE, AND WHAT THE SCHWAB, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD DID BECAUSE THERE HAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THAT THIS, THIS IS A VERY, STILL A VERY, UM, ONGOING, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT WRITTEN DOWN BY THE DEVELOPER ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THERE WAS AN ORDINANCE PUT FORTH, UM, BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE LAST READING OR ISSUES A YEAR.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT I HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK AND SAW THE SAME MAPS THAT I SAW LAST SUMMER.
SO THE DEVELOPER HAS NOT MADE A GREAT SHIFT IN THEIR THINKING, AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUST REALLY RUFFLED MY FEATHERS THIS WEEK WAS THAT I FOUND OUT HE HAD HIRED A FIRM TO ADVOCATE WITH THE RUNNERS ON BEHALF OF HIS PROJECT SPENDING THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT HIS ACCESS HAS FIVE POINTS INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, THE POINTS OF THE ONE POINT THAT WE HAVE NOW IN HIS OPINION TO THE TRAIL AT THAT POINT.
SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE ANY OF THE DOCUMENTATION I HAVE, IF ANYBODY HAS SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT OR MEET WITH ME.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY TONIGHT, THIS IS ONGOING.
THIS IS COMING UP FOR A VOTE FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UM, THERE, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER TONIGHT THAT THE VISION PLAN ENVISIONED ABOUT NINE ACRES OF PARTS IN THIS? YES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, YES, THAT IS VERY TRUE.
AND PART OF THE, PART OF THE PARKLAND THAT THEY'RE OFFERING TO DEDICATE IS LITERALLY UNDERWATER IT'S UNUSABLE IT'S UNDER THE WATER.
SO THAT'S, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME REAL WEIRD THINGS GOING ON, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THEY'RE TRYING TO AMEND A 1989 COD, THAT WAS FOR THE STATESMAN.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF REALLY WEIRD THINGS.
THERE ARE THINGS TO CONSIDER THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED, THAT WHEN I DID WRITE DOWN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW ARE CONCERNED, CERTAIN STILL, UM, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS STILL A BIG CONCERN HERE.
THE, UM, PARKS ACCESS IS A HUGE CONCERN.
NO ONE HAS LOOKED AT ANYBODY, BUT THE BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL WHO RECEIVED A $5,000 DONATION FROM THE GUY WHO IS THE, UM, APPLICANT, UH, AND DARK SKIES HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THAT I KNOW OF.
UM, IT DIFFERS QUITE A BIT FROM THE VISION PLAN AND THERE HAVE BEEN MEETINGS FOR THIS SCHWAB THAT HAVE BEEN SCUTTLED BECAUSE NO BUSINESS THAT THEY JUST SORT OF DIDN'T WANT US TALKING ABOUT IT.
SO I, THERE'S SOME BIG CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT THIS, UM, ACCESS, UM, THE CANYON EFFECT, GIVING PEOPLE THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE'S NOT A PARK THERE, OR THAT THEY'RE NOT INVITED INTO THE PARK OR THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I THINK ARE REC FOR US AS A PARKS BOARD TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, IN OUR THING.
UM, I ALSO JUST, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE END, SORRY.
I JUST HAVE A COMMENT AND THAT IS, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THIS.
I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF TIME AND YOU KEEP BEATING THE DRUM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, AND HOPEFULLY THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY VALUABLE, ICONIC PIECE OF LAND THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING.
AND I THINK THERE, UM, WE NEED TO REALLY STAY ON TOP OF IT.
AND SO I JUST REALLY JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN WORRYING ABOUT THIS AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU WALKED DOWN THERE NOW IT'S REALLY OPEN AND YOU SEE THE SKY AND YOU WILL NOT, IF THESE BUILDING HEIGHTS AND THIS, THIS PLAN PASSES.
SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
SORRY, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO, UH, THE MAP YOU SHOWED IN THE COMMENT YOU MADE RELATED TO ACCESS, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE MY UNDERSTANDING WAS CORRECT.
THE ISSUE RELATED TO BICYCLE ACCESS HAS TO DO WITH CONGRESS TO BARTON SPRINGS, NOT THE ACTUAL TRIAL, RIGHT.
IT'S THAT YOU CAN'T, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BRING YOUR BIKE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO SEND BIKES DOWN TO THE, YEAH.
SO IF YOU'RE ALREADY ON THE TRAIL, TRAVELING ALONG NO PROBLEM, BUT YOUR ABILITY TO CALL ME THROUGH THERE.
[13. Update from Joint Working Group with the Animal Advisory Commission. (Lewis, Barnard)]
THE JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION? UM, WE WILL WANT TO PROBABLY INTRODUCE A RECOMMENDATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.WE'RE NOT, UNLESS BOARD MEMBER BERNARD HAS SOMETHING TO ADD.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING.
[14. Update from Downtown Commission. (Taylor)]
COMMISSION.NO, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO REPORT.
WE WENT OVER THE REPORT LAST TIME, SO, BUT I WILL, I'LL GIVE
[03:00:01]
YOU AN, UH, A REPORT NEXT TIME.DID YOU WANT TO ALSO ASK IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? I DO.
I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO ASK IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY PLACE.
SO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, SO MORE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
UM, ANY UPDATE FROM THE ZILKER PARK? DID I MISS? OH, I MISS JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
[15. Update from Joint Sustainability Committee. (DePalma)]
YEAH.THAT, THAT MEETING, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT HAD THE QUORUM ISSUE.
[16. Update from Zilker Par Vision Plan Working Group. (Lewis, DePalma, Faust, Taylor)]
PLAN, WORKING GROUP, ANY UPDATE WE HAVE NOT MET SINCE OUR LAST PARKS BOARD MEETING AND HAVE NOT BEEN REQUESTED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING.THERE WAS A ONE, YEAH, IT'S BEEN MONTHS AND MONTHS.
[17. Update from Crime and Law Enforcement in Parks Working Group. (Lewis, Moore, Barnard)]
AN UPDATE, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK FROM THE CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN PARKS, WORKING GROUP GROUP, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO BE NO, WE DID.WE DID KIND OF GET TOGETHER AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT WOMEN DID TO LOOK LIKE AND WHO MIGHT JUST PLAY OUTSIDE OF THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS, BUT I'M, AS YOU KNOW, I'M STILL IN NORTH CAROLINA, SO I'M WAITING UNTIL WE GET BACK AND WE'LL MEET LATER ON IN AUGUST, FOR SURE.
UM, AND THE DIRECTORS REPORT HE HAD TO, OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO, UM, WATERLOO PARK AND MOODY AMPHITHEATER.
THERE IS GOING TO BE A AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING AWARD CEREMONY, AND WE WILL BE REPRESENTED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL BE REPRESENTED BY LIANA CALLA, VOCA WHO, UH, VERY MUCH IS A EXPERT.
SHE'S OUR RESIDENT EXPERT ON GREEN BUILDINGS IN THOSE, UH, BUT THAT, THAT, UH, EVENT WILL HAPPEN ON SUNDAY, THE 31ST AT NINE O'CLOCK, NINE 30 IN THE MORNING.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, I'M JUST GOING THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT PAGE, MY APOLOGIES, PAGE EIGHT, THERE IS AN UPDATE REGARDING THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK MAINTENANCE PROJECT.
AND THAT WOULD BE COUPLED WITH THE, UH, PAGE 11.
THERE IS AN OFFSITE PILOT PARKING PROJECT FOR ZILKER METRO PARK.
AND SO WHILE THE PARKING LOT IS BEING WORKED ON AND CLOSED DOWN, WE HAVE ALSO STARTED A PILOT PROGRAM FOR SHUTTLING FROM THE, UM, ONE TEXAS CENTER TO ZILKER PARK.
AND WE'VE BEEN MONITORING AND MANAGING EACH WEEK TO DETERMINE HOW TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP.
AND IT'S ALSO AN EFFORT TO SEE IF THAT'S A VIABLE OPTION OR WHAT VIABILITY AND OPTION LIKE THIS HAS TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE ZILKER PLAN AND WHAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE DONE TO, UM, TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP.
SO IT'S, IT'S A PILOT PROGRAM AND WE'RE COLLECTING DATA TO BE ABLE TO INFORM FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, PAGE 14, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE IS, UM, A ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE ZILKER HILL.
I BEG YOUR PARDON, THE PAN-AM HILLSIDE THEATER, WHICH IS ALSO A HILLSIDE THEATER THAT HAPPENS TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, LATINO AND HISPANIC, UM, GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PERFORMERS.
AND THE NEXT SHOW IS 7 26, WHICH WOULD BE TOMORROW, WHICH IS A, THEIR GRAND FINALE, WHICH IS, UH, FEATURES THE TIARA GIRLS, WHICH IS A LOCAL BAND THAT HAS GROWN UP WITHIN OUR PARK SYSTEM AND, UM, PARTICIPATED IN MANY, MANY YEARS AS TEENAGERS.
AND NOW I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE, UM, GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND STILL REMAIN IN THEIR BAND.
AND, UH, ALSO RE RUBEN RAMOS, WHO IS, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS STARTED HERE IN, IN, UH, LEGEND.
YES, IT HAS STARTED HERE IN TEXAS.
I BEG YOUR PARDON IN AUSTIN ON THE EAST SIDE.
AND AS A BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA SIDE IS A LEGEND, A LEGEND.
AND THE HALL OF FAME IS A BIG DEAL, WHICH SURPRISED WE GOT, UM, PAGE 18, IF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THE COUNCIL PASSED, UH, WE ARE A B FRIENDLY CITY AND SO ON PAGE 18, IT HELPS TO HIGHLIGHT HOW WE ARE, UM, CONTINUING, UH, B FRIENDLY TYPES OF ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE THAT, UH, WE ARE BEING CONSISTENT WITH THAT RESOLUTION.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE ADDED SOME THINGS TO THE BACK OF THE REPORT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE JUST TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS IN THE BACK OF THE REPORT.
WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS WHEN YOU HAVE ASKED US QUESTIONS, WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE END OF THE REPORT INCLUDES ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE ASKED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS AS WE'VE COME TO RESOLUTION WITH THOSE.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, ALSO ON PAGE 23, UH, UM, I'M SURE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ON THE TV THAT THERE WASN'T HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM THAT WAS FOUND IN BARKING SPRINGS.
WE ARE WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION, WHO DOES ALL THE WATER TESTING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE
[03:05:01]
THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATELY MESSAGING, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER, UM, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH BARK BARTON SPRINGS, NOT BARKING SPRING, BUT BARTON SPRINGS.AND PLEASE KNOW THAT THAT, THAT WATER IS BEING TESTED, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESULTS.
WE'VE ALSO NOT HAD ANY INCIDENTS OR ANY, UM, ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON THERE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYONE REPORT, UM, ILLNESS AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, THE ZILKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS IS OFFERING THE HILL IS OCHRE HILLSIDE, THEANO SUMMER MUSICAL THIS YEAR, IT'S NEWSIES, IT'S GOING ON UNTIL EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY UNTIL MAY 13TH.
AND THE SHOW STARTS AT EIGHT 15, AND ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ON AUGUST 8TH FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM, THERE'S THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOR SAVE AUSTIN SPRING, SAVE OUR SPRINGS AND SAVE OUR SPRINGS IS PARTNERING WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THERE WILL BE FREE ENTRY INTO BARTON SPRINGS, THANKS TO A COUNCIL RESOLUTION.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE WILL HAVE ALL OF OUR LIFEGUARDS ON, ON SITE TO BE ABLE TO GUARD THE EVENT, BUT OUR, UM, PARTNERS IN SAVE OUR SPRINGS, WE'LL HAVE A BAND REFRESHMENTS AND ARE PARTICIPATING IN ALL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE INVITED TO CELEBRATE.
SO I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND OF INTEREST, BUT THAT'S ALL THAT I'LL HIGHLIGHT TONIGHT.
AND I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE BACK.
I NOTICED LIKE THE SIGNAGE FOR THE DAM RELEASE AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE THERE.
SO I THINK THAT'S A HELPFUL THING TO HAVE AT THE REPORT.
UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, I'LL START WITH THOSE ONLINE, UM, BOARD MEMBER, TAYLOR AND BOARD MEMBER LOUIS.
DO EITHER OF YOU HAVE ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, I THINK WE BROUGHT THIS UP WITH THE LAW OR YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
SOMEBODY BROUGHT IT UP TO ME AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT IT WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I DO WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THE BUTLER I'M PITCHING PART, UH, SITUATION ISSUE ADDED TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS, AND TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SITUATION THERE AND I'M FEELING AS IF MAYBE THAT IT'S NOT, HASN'T GOTTEN RESOLVED AS I, AS I HAD HOPED IT WOULD.
I'LL SECOND THAT, UM, BOARD MEMBER, LOUIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING I DID.
I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE, UM, REPORT ABOUT THE, UM, EQUIPMENT USED BY OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, WHAT IS ELECTRIC AND WHAT'S NOT, AND WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO, AND THAT IS NOT A PRESENTATION IS JUST SOMETHING IN WRITING IS FINE.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, BERNARD, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD, ASK FOR? UM, YES.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, CONSIDER PER MR. COP'S SUGGESTION, UM, FORMING IN AQUATICS WORKING GROUP.
UM, DO YOU WANT ME TO MENTION THE HOMELESSNESS WORK GROUP OR NOT? YOU CAN, IF YOU WANT TO DO SO, I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER STARTING A WORK GROUP ON HOMELESS IN OUR PARKS.
UM, AND I FEEL THAT IT'S A VERY PROMINENT ISSUE.
IT'S ALSO A HOT POLITICAL ISSUE.
SO NO MATTER WHERE YOU FALL ON THINGS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS STEWARDS OF THE PARKS.
A BOARD MEMBER, DIPLOMA WORD WORD WOULD WORK MEMBER HUGGED, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, UM, TAKING THE STEP FORWARD ON THAT.
AND, UH, I MIGHT BE WILLING TO HELP OUT, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT IS AS CHARGED AS IT CAN BE.
UM, THE TWO THINGS, ONE IS IF I CAN SEE THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, UH, MY ENTREE INTO AUSTIN PARKS HAS, WAS CO-FOUNDING FRIENDS OF DICK NICHOLS PARK, UM, BACK IN, UH, 2006, 2007.
AND, UH, SO I'M ALWAYS FOND OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING AND WANT TO MAKE SURE HOW I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPROVEMENTS ARE FUNDED SO WE CAN DO THOSE EXACT SAME THINGS AND OTHER AREAS OF OUR CITY.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THE SECOND IS LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR OUR CENTRAL MAINTENANCE COMPLEX, WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND PARTICULARLY, I THINK THAT'S
[03:10:01]
WHAT MY EXPECTATION IS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE BEING PAID FOR UNDER THREE PROP PROP B.AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE LONGER, THE TIME GOES BY THE MORE CONCERN THAT I HAVE, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIVE UP TO VOTERS' EXPECTATIONS ON THAT PROPOSITION.
AND, UM, AND ALTHOUGH I DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE FACILITY SIZE IS.
CAUSE I'M IMAGINING IT IT'S HAVING TO MEET OUR NEEDS FOR THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THE OUTDATED FACILITY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AS IT COMES IN, WHEN YOU WERE CLOSE AT MEETING THE NEEDS WE HAVE AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, EVEN AS A BOARD MEMBER, MORE, UM, VICE CHAIR, BALLAST.
YEAH, I DID WANT TO GET SOME FOLLOW-UP ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS, SORT OF FOLLOWING ON BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA'S MOTION.
UM, THE FOLLOWING PROP B, THERE WAS THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAD DISCUSSED LIKE FINDING OUT SOME OF THE PARAMETERS AROUND THE SALE AND WHAT THE ZONING WAS WHEN THE SALE TOOK PLACE AND HOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WANTED TO KNOW THE, THE SALE PRICE THAT CAME OUT, UM, AND HOW ZONING WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
ALSO, UM, THE, I GETTING THIS RIGHT, WE WERE TAKING SOME OTHER PROPERTY IN TRADE THAT HAD AN EXISTING RACE CAR FACILITY ON IT.
AND HOW IS THAT PROPERTY GOING TO BE HANDLED IN THE FUTURE AND, YOU KNOW, B WHAT WILL THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE BE, IF ANYTHING, OR WILL IT MAINTAIN THAT EXISTING USE? AND ALONG WITH THAT, IT WOULD, WHAT WOULD, WHAT I WOULD APPRECIATE IS, UM, I GUESS WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY EVER CONSIDER PROPERTY ON A PARKS BOARD AGENDA NOR TAKE ANY ACTION.
UM, BUT MAYBE JUST A REVIEW OF THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS ON THE BALLOT AND ANY PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS MADE AND HOW THOSE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED THROUGH.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO FINAL NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO PROPOSITION.
SO THESE IDEAS THAT SOMETHING HAS BEEN SOLD, SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TRADED, SOMETHING HAS BEEN DECIDED UPON THERE, THERE IS NOT, I THINK WE HAVE ANY IDEAS.
WE WERE ASKING WHAT THE STATUS IS.
SO THERE IS NO STATUS BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S ONGOING NEGOTIATION.
SO, UH, I, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I CAN SHARE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, BUT BOARD MEMBER FILES, I ABSOLUTELY CAN REVIEW, UH, WE CAN REVIEW WHAT THE PROPOSITION LANGUAGE WAS AND POINT ALL OF THAT OUT FOR YOU, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE THAT RELATES TO THE SPECIFICS OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE THERE ARE INCOMPLETE AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME.
I MIGHT STILL LIKE TO, EVEN WITH THAT, CAUSE SET SEPARATE FROM THE NEGOTIATIONS.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE MAINTENANCE COMPLEX WITH A SIZE AND THE USAGE AND HOW, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT WE'RE GETTING A GOOD DEAL.
CAUSE IT, GOD FORBID WE GET LIKE A SHACK AND WE CLAIM, OH, YOU JUST, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE NEGOTIATED.
AND I, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN IN THIS BOARD WALL, AS WELL AS A BOARD MEMBER TO CARLOS, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER RENALDI, NOTHING AT THIS TIME.
YEAH, I'D BE INTERESTED IN SOME INFORMATION RELATED TO PARTS ROLL IN COOLING CENTERS CURRENTLY.
UM, AND ANY UTILIZATION INFORMATION YOU HAVE ON THE EXISTING COOLING CENTERS WE'VE HAD THIS SUMMER, UM, AFTER THE MAN'S COMMENT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO OPERATE GOING CENTER.
SO ANY INFORMATION YOU COULD SHARE ABOUT THOSE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK INTO, I'M INTERESTED IN, UM, WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE PARKS FOR EAST RIVERSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ERC.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
SO WE'LL JUST DO SOME SLEUTHING.
I JUST, THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND THAT IS TO REMIND YOU THAT THE BUDGET IS UNDER DISCUSSION THAT CITY COUNCIL.
SO BESIDES THE STUFF I ALREADY PLUGGED IN MY REPORT FROM SCHWAB ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, CEMETERY COSTS ARE GOING TO BE ON THE DOCKET PARKED AT PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UM, I THINK IT'S A SOUND FEES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS WRITING AND THE LIFEGUARD STATUS AND, AND PAYMENT AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, BEND THE EAR OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, OR IF YOU WANT TO COME AND SPEAK, UH, THURSDAY'S THE DAY.
SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR, HEY, WE MADE IT.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR STAYING LATE AND
[03:15:01]
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY.I KNOW THAT WAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF READING AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU FOUND SOME OF IT USEFUL AND, UM, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.