[00:00:01]
SAID IT WAS LIKE, YEAH, WE REALLY, WE HAVE.[ Capital Metro Board of Directors Public Hearing on August 29, 2022.]
OKAY.UH, SINCE WE HAVE, SINCE WE HAVE FIVE MEMBERS AVAILABLE, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START OFF TODAY AT 12 O'CLOCK, UH, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT LAND ACQUISITION AT THE, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER, IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY THAT HAS SIGNED UP HAS SIGNED UP FOR THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL GET THE, UM, WE'LL GET THE PUBLIC HEARING MOVING.
UH, WE WILL, UH, GET THE PRESENTATION FROM STAFF AND THEN, UM, AND THEN IF THERE, UH, IF THERE ARE NO, UH, IF THERE NO, UM, MEMBERS WHO WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER, THEN WE WILL GET TO THE END OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND QUICKLY START THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING AT 1230.
SO, UH, SO LET'S SEE AS WE'VE, UH, AS WE WILL CALL THIS TO ORDER, UH, THIS IS THE CAPITOL METRO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
WE'RE IN THE ROSA PARKS BOARD ROOM.
UH, WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF, UH, CONSIDERING LAND ACQUISITION AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER.
THANK YOU CHAIR TO CIVILIAN, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT CEO, WATKINS, I'M KEN CARBIDE, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND FACILITIES.
AND TODAY, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONVENE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TRANS, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER LAND ACQUISITION.
AND IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME, I'LL READ THIS.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE HEARING IS THE LAND ACQUISITION TO SUPPORT THE EXPO CENTER PARK AND RIDE PROJECT EMINENT DOMAIN AUTHORITY.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE CHAPTER 26.
ACTION AND TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 4 51 EMINENT DOMAIN ACTION FOR THE USE AND ACQUISITION OF A PORTION OF THE WALTER ILAN PARK FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXPO CENTER PARK AND RIDE AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION INCLUDES AN 8.01 ACRE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF ALTAR ILAN PARK LOCATED AT 6,604 BLUE BLUFF ROAD, AUSTIN, TEXAS CAPITAL METRO WILL TAKE TESTIMONY PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 26 OF THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE FOR PROPOSED NON PARK USE AND ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY CAP CAPITAL.
METRO WILL ALSO TAKE TESTIMONY RELATED TO THE ACQUISITION OF THE EIGHT ACRE SITE, UH, THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF EMINENT DOMAIN UNDER TRANSPORTATION CODE, SECTION FOUR 50 ONE.ZERO FIVE NINE B.
AND I HAVE JUST A FEW SLIDES TO SHARE WITH YOU, UM, THIS AFTERNOON.
AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A, A PARK AND RIDE, UH, FOR THE EXPO CENTER, UH, RAPID LINE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, THE MAP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE.
THERE HAS A CIRCLE AROUND THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO AREA THERE.
THIS WOULD BE THE NORTHERN TERMINUS OF THE EXPO RAPID BUS LINE.
THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND, UH, FOR OUR, UH, RAPID BUS LINES, WE WILL HAVE A END OF LINE CHARGING AT THESE LOCATIONS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ON ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE, UH, WALTER ELONG PARK.
THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER FOR SOME TIME NOW.
SO THIS PARTICULAR LINE, THE EXPO LINE WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED ACCESS FROM THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF AUSTIN THROUGH, UM, VARIOUS, UH, ACTIVITY CENTERS, INCLUDING THE DELCO ACTIVITY CENTER, UH, THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER ITSELF, AS WELL AS, UH, DOWNTOWN THE CAPITOL AND THE MILLER NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING A 10 MINUTE PEAK BUS SERVICE, UH, FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR ROUND.
THIS IS WHAT THE SITE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
THE EIGHT ACRES LOOKS LIKE CURRENTLY.
THIS IS, UM, DECKER LANE IN THE FOREGROUND THERE, AND THE DRIVEWAY THAT YOU SEE THERE WITH THE GATE ACROSS IT IS KNOWN AS CARNIVAL LANE.
THAT, UH, THAT IS THE ACCESS TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER.
AND THE GRASSY AREA YOU SEE THERE IN THE CENTER IS THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, DEVELOPING INTO A PARK AND RIDE, AND THE, YOU SEE VR IN THE VERY FAR HORIZON THERE, YOU'LL SEE THE TOP OF THE ROOF OF THE EXPO CENTER.
THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THAT SAME PROPERTY.
THE EIGHT ACRES YOU CAN SEE IS OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER, BUT IS WITHIN THE, UM, THE WALTER RAY LONG PARK AREA.
AND, UH, THIS PROP PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER AREA IS LEASED BY THE, OF THE, UH, BY THE COUNTY FROM THE CITY.
UM, THIS, UH, THE CITY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, THE CITY CONCURS THAT THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE MEANS OF ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY THROUGH CHAPTER 26 OR THE PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE, BECAUSE THIS IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS PARK LAND, THE ENTIRE WAR ALTAR ALONG A LAKE AREAS DESIGNATED AS PARKLAND,
[00:05:01]
UH, IN, UH, FOLLOWING FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.WE ARE FALLING THE UNIFORM ACT FOR THIS LAND ACQUISITION.
WE HAVE MADE A FINAL OFFER TO THE CITY FOR THE VALUE OF THIS PROPERTY MAY THAT ON AUGUST 10TH, WE WILL BE USING LOCAL FUNDS FOR THIS ACQUISITION, UH, PROJECT CONNECT, LOCAL FUNDS.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED AS SINGLE FAMILY.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THE CITY OF REZONING, IT, UH, FOR PUBLIC USE.
SO IT WILL BE SUITABLE FOR THIS PARKING RIDE, UH, PROGRESS.
AND THAT ACTION HAS BEEN ADVANCED FROM THESE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION FAVORABLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND IT WILL BE ON, UH, AN AGENDA WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER.
HERE'S THE LIST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE MADE AT THIS SITE.
IT WILL BE AN EIGHT BUS BAY PARKING RIDE FACILITY WITH 150 PARKING SPACES.
IT WILL HAVE A LOT OF OUR NORMAL AMENITIES, UH, SHELTERS, DYNAMIC MESSAGE SIGNS, UH, THIS, UH, WE WILL HAVE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS OUT ON DECKER LANE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO ESTABLISH A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT THAT LOCATION, UH, FOR, UH, SAFE INGRESS AND EGRESS TO THE PROPERTY, UH, BOTH FOR VEHICLES AND, UH, FOR PEDESTRIANS.
AND WE WILL BE SERVING THESE ROUTES WITH OUR, UH, ZERO EMISSION BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES.
THIS IS ON THE RIGHT A SCHEMATIC PLAN FOR THE PARK AND RIDE WITHIN THAT TRIANGULAR SHAPED PROPERTY.
THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE BUS BAYS AND THE PARKING AREAS AND THE, THE CIRCULATION, UH, FROM CARNIVAL, UH, DRIVE BACK TO DECKER LANE ON THE LEFT, THERE IS AN, A PHOTOGRAPH OF OUR TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE, WHICH IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR TYPICAL PARKING RIDES.
UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR ROUTE, THE EXPO ROUTE, WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS, UM, FOR THE ROUTE IN GENERAL, AND SPECIFICALLY IN THIS AREA, INCLUDING THE COLONY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SO THERE'S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF PUBLIC OUTREACH ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AND THE EXPO CENTER PARK AND RIDE.
AND FINALLY, AGAIN, JUST TO REINFORCE THAT THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE SECTION 4 51 FOR EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS THAT THE PUBLIC, THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO DETERMINE THAT THE ACQUISITION IS NECESSARY AND PROPER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION EXTENSION IMPROVEMENT OR DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY SYSTEM, AND TO COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS PARK TAR, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE CHAPTER 26 PROTECTION OF PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATIONAL LANDS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS WHEN A PERMANENT CHANGE IN USE FROM DEDICATED PARKLAND TO A NON RECREATIONAL USE IS PROPOSED.
AND THE FOLLOWING DETERMINATION IS REQUIRED THAT THERE IS NO FEASIBLE OR PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OR TAKING OF SUCH LAND.
AND THE PROGRAM OR PROJECT INCLUDES ALL REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND AS A PARK RESULTING FROM THE USE OR TAKING, AND THIS PARTICULAR ACQUISITION COMPLIES WITH ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND IS SUPPORTED BY CITY STAFF.
AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEFORE YOU TURN IT OVER FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THE FOUR PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THIS PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IF THERE IS SOMEONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, TO THE, UH, IF THE, IF THE, UH, FOLKS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, UH, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN NOW.
I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE VERY MUCH IN PROXIMITY TO COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
IS, IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES, IT IS.
IT IS, IT IS NOT FAR AWAY, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT IMMEDIATE TO IT.
SO WHEN YOU, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE THE 2 37 AND THAT WOULD BE DOWN AT, UH, HOG GUY ROAD AND THEY WOULD TAKE A LEFT.
THIS WOULD BE ON THE, ON THE PROPERTY OF THE EXPO CENTER.
BUT DO WE WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THE CURRENT WEST 60 GOES OUT THERE? IT SHOULD NOT INTERFERE IN ACTION.
IT SHOULD ACTUALLY ENHANCE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO THE CITY QUICKER, UH, BECAUSE OF METRO RAPID WOULD BE OPERATING THERE, WHICH WOULD LEAVE EVERY 15 MINUTES.
CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT TAKES AN HOUR TO GET THERE FROM DOWNTOWN.
ANY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER, ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY, SO HEARING NONE, THEN I'LL CLOSE.
[00:10:01]
HEARING AT 1214, I WILL STAND ADJOURNED AND, UH, WE WILL BE BACK AFTER A SHORT RECESS AT 1230.