[00:00:02]
THIS MEETING TO ORDER, UH, IT'S
[CALL TO ORDER]
6:02 PM ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.UM, WE'RE UP AT, UH, 63, 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE.
AND, UM, WE WILL GO AROUND AND DO ROLL CALL AND YES, UH, COMMISSIONER BIGLER, IF YOU COULD TURN ON YOUR CAMERA PVO.
UH, SO WE'RE FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS.
KREI PRESENT BRISTOL SECRETARY BRISTOL.
UH, ARA COMMISSIONER GU HERE AND COMMISSIONER BREER HERE.
[1. Approval the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on September 7, 2022]
ITEM UP TO BUSINESS.UH, KAYLA DISTRIBUTED THE DRAFT MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
UM, DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING ON THAT MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SECOND, THIS IS IRA.
RAISE YOUR HAND AND LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALL, BUT, UH, BARE PIGS OFF THE DI.
[2. Consider an ordinance regarding amendments to Title 25 related to environmental protection, landscape requirements, and site plan requirements. City Staff: Liz Johnston, Deputy Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department]
NUMBER TWO.SO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REGARDING THE AMENDMENT OF TITLE 25 RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS AND SITE PLAN REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THIS IS THE SAME ITEM WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, LAST COUPLE MEETINGS AND, UM, LIZ, DO YOU WANT TO PRESENT OR DO Y'ALL WANT TO DO ANYTHING? YEAH.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WE CAN PULL THE PRESENTATION UP, UH, IF THAT'S USEFUL AND I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN YOU A COUPLE TIMES ON THIS ITEM.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE HOW PROUD I AM OF THE STAFF EFFORT.
THAT'S GONE ONTO THIS AND, AND LIZ CAN OFFER A LITTLE CONTEXT OF ANYTHING THAT'S, UM, HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
SO, UM, JUST AN UPDATE LAST NIGHT, WE DID, UM, UH, ATTEND ZONING AND PLANNING AGAIN.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME WE GAVE A THEM A PRESENTATION PREVIOUSLY, AND THEN, UM, THEY POSTPONED THE DISCUSSION UNTIL LAST NIGHT.
UM, THEY DID RECOMMEND SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION WITH, UM, SOME, UH, SUGGESTIONS, UM, RELATED TO, UH, DEFERRING FUNCTIONAL GREEN IMPLEMENTATION UNTIL OUR CRITERIA IS UPDATED.
UM, AND SOME OTHER KIND OF MORE TECHNICAL, MINOR, UM, ISSUES JUST TO CLARIFY CERTAIN THINGS, UM, THAT I CAN EXPLAIN OR NOT.
AND THEN THEY HAD SOME, UM, JUST IN GENERAL SUPPORT OF WORKING TOWARDS, UM, UH, LOOKING AT EQUITY AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS IN THE FUTURE, UM, WHICH WE ARE CERTAINLY PLANNING ON DOING.
SO THEY'RE OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT, UM, TALKING ABOUT, UM, ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY IMPACTS WITH THE NEXT PHASE FOR ANY OF THE, THE CODE CHANGES.
AND THEN, UM, GIVING RECOMMENDING, YOU KNOW, GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE PHASE TWO, UM, COMPONENTS RELATED TO STEEP SLOPE PROTECTIONS IN URBAN WATERSHEDS AND GREENFIELD CONDITIONS, WHICH WILL BE, UM, THE, THE NEXT ORDINANCE THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD.
SO, UM, THAT'S MORE OR LESS WHERE WE ARE AT.
WE WILL BE GOING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE 27TH.
UM, THEY ARE THE LAST BODY BEFORE IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO THAT'S, UM, THAT IS THE, THE BODY THAT MAKES ITS FORMAL RECOMMENDATION IN THE PROCESS RELATED TO ALL ORDINANCES.
AND OF COURSE, UM, HAVING A RECOMMENDATION FROM ZAP AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL BE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON A WORKING GROUP AS WELL TO KIND OF LOOK AT INTO THINGS.
SO THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS PRETTY DEEPLY.
UM, WE ARE PROPOSING TO POSTPONE JUST ONE COUNCIL DATE TO OCTOBER 13TH.
SO INSTEAD OF GOING ON THE 29TH WILL BE GOING ON THE 20, THE OCTOBER 13TH IN ORDER TO GET THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT FINALIZED, UM, WHICH SHOULD BE THIS WEEK.
AND ALSO GIVE US TIME TO CONSIDER THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER BODIES THAT WE'RE GETTING AND INCORPORATE WHATEVER WE CAN INTO OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, THAT IS MORE OR LESS WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE'RE HAPPY TO OFFER OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT KATIE WAS SAYING AND APPRECIATE STAFF, ALL THE STAFF WORKING SO HARD ON, ON TRYING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LOT TO, FOR US TO DIGEST, SO I'M SURE IT'S EVEN MORE FOR Y'ALL TO DIGEST AND TRY TO MAKE, IS THIS ON THIS ITEM? MM-HMM
[00:05:01]
COMMENT OR KEVIN? YES.I, DO YOU NEED TO GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKING FIRST? CAUSE I, I, I DO WANNA SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE KINDA GET STARTED IN THE GROUP DISCUSSION.
UM, YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO, UH, DO THIS.
UM, DO WE HAVE MONICA SILVA? I CHAIR THAT IS ACTUALLY FOR THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO, UM, SPEAKERS REGISTERED, UH, ON THE PHONE.
WELL LET'S AND THEY SHOULD BE ON YOUR LIST.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S GO TO THE TWO.
UM, OEO O LISA, IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE, YOU GOT YOUR THREE MINUTES.
UH, PLEASE WE'LL START WHEN, UH, WHEN YOU START TALKING AND I APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR LAST NAME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, YOU'RE GREAT.
ALL, YEAH, IT'S LISA ARSEN NOVA THAT'S.
WE, WE ALL GET IT MISPRONOUNCED A LOT ANYWAY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH IN FAVOR I AM OF THE CODE AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 25.
I'M I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PRACTICES AND ALSO GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE PRACTICES.
SO I SEE A LOT OF THIS, LIKE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, OUT IN THE FIELD, AND I'M JUST A REALLY BIG PROPONENT OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SO JUST THREE POINTS I WANTED TO MAKE, CAUSE I KNOW THREE MINUTES GOES FAST, BUT I JUST THINK REQUIRING THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS SO NECESSARY IN ORDER TO REALLY CAUSE CHANGE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE BENEFITS WE'VE BEEN TRAINED ON HOW TO DESIGN IT AND INSTALL IT.
BUT IF IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, THEN DEVELOPERS, DESIGNERS AND PLAN REVIEWERS.
THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA EASILY CHANGE IT.
SO THE, THE REQUIREMENT I THINK, IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TO, FOR THE POLICY TO CHANGE.
AND THEN A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN THE SLIDE PRESENTATION WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING PARKING LOTS TO DRAIN TO LANDSCAPE AREAS OR TO DRAIN OFF OF THE PARKING LOT INTO THE LANDSCAPE AREAS, REMOVING THAT SIX INCH CURB IS JUST SUCH A SIMPLE FIX.
THAT'S SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
IT REALLY IS A GAME CHANGER IN HOW MUCH STORM WATER YOU CAN TREAT FROM PARKING LOTS.
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A REALLY GOOD, UH, ITEM TO HAVE IN THERE.
UM, AND THEN THIRD IS JUST THE FUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPE IS SUCH A GOOD WAY TO HANDLE REAL CONDENSED, UH, SMALL URBAN AREAS WHERE YOU CAN STACK THE BENEFITS OF THE LANDSCAPE.
LIKE NOWADAYS EVERYBODY HAS TO WEAR THREE HATS BECAUSE IT'S ONLY HANDS ON DEBT TO TREAT STORM WATER, REDUCE RUNOFF.
SO HAVING YOUR LANDSCAPED AREAS ALSO ACT AS YOUR WATER QUALITY AREAS.
IT'S NOT ONLY GETTING MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK FOR THE, FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, JUST A REALLY GOOD SYSTEM OF ALLOWING ALL THESE OPTIONS WITH A SCORE ASSOCIATED TO IT THAT YOU CAN PICK FROM IT'S LIKE A MENU YOU CAN PICK FROM, AND THEN YOU CAN GET THESE POINTS.
AND SO IT'S AN EASY SYSTEM FOR DESIGNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO MANAGE, I THINK.
AND IT'LL ALSO MAKE IT SIMPLER FOR THE REVIEW PEOPLE WHO ARE REVIEWING IT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST THREE POINTS I WANTED TO MAKE THAT, JUST SHOW THAT I'M REALLY IN FAVOR OF THIS AND THAT'S IT.
APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME.
UM, THE NEXT ON, UH, PHONE
ZICK, ARE YOU THERE, BRIAN? UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE.
UH, THANKS A LOT FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.
I AM THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR AT SAY BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION.
WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1979 MAKING US NOT ONLY ONE OF THE OLDEST, UH, CITIZENS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN THE CITY, BUT INDEED IN THE STATE.
UH, WE, UH, HAVE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON WASTEWATER OVER THE YEARS, BUT WE HAVE ALSO TOO FOCUSED ON THE DANGERS FROM STORM WATER POLLUTION AND, UH, THE PROBLEMS FOR FLOODING THAT COME FROM STORM WATER FROM EXCESSIVE AND PERVIOUS COVER, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE BEEN STRONG SUPPORTERS OF GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ALL ALONG.
UH, WE HAVE EITHER SPONSORED OR, UH, CO-SIGNED SEVERAL LETTERS TO COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THESE CODE CHANGES.
UH, FIRST IN 2017 AND AGAIN, IN 2021, URGING THE COUNCIL TO RESURRECT THESE PARTICULAR CODE CHANGES, UH, AFTER, UH, THE CODE NEXT PROJECT, UH, WAS TERMINATED.
AND SO WE ARE STRONG IN SUPPORT OF, UH, ALL OF THESE CODE PROPOSED CODE CHANGES, BUT ESPECIALLY THE ONE, UH, REQUIRING NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO USE GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER QUALITY, UH, IMPROVEMENTS GOING FORWARD.
UH, AND ALSO TOO, FOR THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROGRAM.
I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED TO HEAR, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION EARLIER FROM Z
[00:10:01]
TO, UH, DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FUNCTIONAL GREEN UNTIL THE ECM IS UPDATED.THIS FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROGRAM HAS BEEN DELAYED A LOT, AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT IT IS GOING TO BE, IT IS GOING TO SPECIFICALLY APPLY TO, UH, PROJECTS WITH 80% OR MORE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND THAT MEANS MOST, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING IN DOWNTOWN.
SO EVERY DELAY THEN IN ADOPTING THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN, UH, UH, PROGRAM MEANS A DELAY IN, UH, REDUCING THE IMPACT OF THE NEW IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM THESE NEW PROJECTS DOWNTOWN.
FINALLY, I WOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME, GOING BACK TO 2007, WHEN THE COUNCIL PASSED A REVOLUTION TO USE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATIVE STORM WATER FACILITIES AND NEW CITY CONSTRUCTION THAT HAS TURNED OUT BEAUTIFULLY IN 2009, THE COUNCIL CREATED GREEN ROOF ADVISORY GROUP HEADED BY ELLIE MCKINNEY, A REALLY PROMINENT LO LOCAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
THEY INTRODUCED THEIR REPORT THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 2012.
IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PA PLAN, UH, PROMINENTLY INCLUDED GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AMONG THE CITY'S GOALS IN 2014 COUNCIL ABSOLUTE CODE NETS FOCUS INCLUDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT IN 2014, THE WATER RESOURCE PLANNING TASK FORCE.
THIS WAS THE DROUGHT TASK FORCE ENDORSED GSI, AND ALSO IN 2014, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY, WHICH ENDORSED THE USE OF GSI IN NEW TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN 2016, THE FLOOD MITIGATION TASK FORCE ENDORSED THE USE OF GSI IN 2017, THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP ENDORSED GSI.
AND I REALLY WANT CHECK THAT'S YOUR TIME.
WOULD YOU MIND PREPPING UP YOUR THOUGHTS? THANK YOU.
UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MAY, 2017 FOR A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNCIL, UH, THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVED THEN DID HE COUNCIL PASS THE GSI RESOLUTION IN 2017? UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HONESTLY BEEN STEADY TO DEATH, UH, AND THE BENEFITS HAVE BEEN PROVEN.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY TIME THAT WE MOVE FORWARD BOTH WITH REQUIRING GSI, FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND FOR IMPLEMENTING THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UH, IS IT ROY WALLY, YOUR CLUB? OH,
WE CAN, WE CAN CLARIFY ON THAT ONE, IF THAT'S USEFUL FOR Y'ALL.
UM, THE DELAY THAT WAS ASKED FOR BY ZAP WAS NOT ANYTHING THAT WASN'T ALREADY IN THE WORKS SO FUNCTIONAL.
GREEN'S THE ONLY ITEM THAT JUST THERE IS NO CRITERIA FOR IT YET, CUZ IT'S NEVER EXISTED BEFORE.
SO THE INTENT THERE WAS JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE CODE THAT DOESN'T HAVE CORRESPONDING CRITERIA, BUT BASICALLY THAT AS SOON AS CRITERIA IS READY, WHICH IT ALREADY IS, AND WE WILL PLAN TO GO THROUGH AN EMERGENCY RULES, CHANGE PROCESS FOR, UM, THAT CODE WILL GO INTO EFFECT.
SO IT'S THE LOGISTICS OF GETTING THOSE RULES ADOPTED IN AN EMERGENCY PROCESS.
ONE OTHER THING, IT MAY NOT ACTUALLY WIND UP BEING A DELAY AT ALL.
UM, IF WE CAN GET THE STARS ALIGNED.
SO, SO FROM, SO TO UNDERSTAND THAT OR TRY TO REPEAT IT, IT, THEY WOULDN'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL THE CRITERIA MANUAL IS ESTABLISHED AND THEN THEY WOULD MORE OR LESS EMERGENCY GO INTO EFFECT ONCE THAT ONCE THEY EXIST IN THE CRITERIA MANUAL.
SO THE EMERGENCY RULES ARE A PROCESS THAT, UM, DOESN'T ACTUALLY GO THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THEY GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT THEY HAVE A ONLY A LIMITED TIME.
AND SO WE ADOPT THOSE EMERGENCY RULES.
UM, AS SOON AS THE ORDINANCE CAN GO INTO EFFECT, IDEALLY, UM, OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND THEN WORK ON GETTING THE LDC, THE, UH, ECM UPDATED OFFICIALLY THROUGH THE OFFICIAL PROCESS THAT HAS STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
THAT'S ALL YOUR TIME, MS. ROLLIE? NO, UH, UH, SO
AND IT'S IT'S WHALE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
I ALMOST NAMED MY SON WALLY, JUST TO GIVE HIM A LIFETIME OF AGGRAVATION
UM, AND IT'S GOOD TO LOOK ACROSS HERE AND SEE MY FRIENDS FROM WATERSHED AND, AND SAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THIS REALLY WISH Y'ALL HAD COME TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY AND SAID, HERE WE GO WITH THIS.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN GOING THROUGH IT.
THE MAIN THING I WANT TO SAY HERE BEYOND, THANK YOU, UH, IS THANK YOU TO BRIAN.
ALSO, HE DID A GREAT PRESENTATION
[00:15:02]
AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A TRAVEL LOG OF MY LIFE.I I'VE BEEN TO ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS, UM, FOR SIERRA CLUB AND I AM THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR SIERRA CLUB.
THE THING I WANT TO STRESS IS THAT WE, WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO DILUTING OF THE SOS ORDINANCE THAT WAS A CITIZEN DRIVEN, UH, ORDINANCE AND THE CITIZENS WORKED HARD ON THAT AND IT SHOULD PRE BE PRESERVED AND IT, IT PASSED FOR A REASON.
UM, SO LET'S, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE OTHER THINGS.
YEAH, THERE'S A, JUST BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF WARMY APPLES IN THAT APPLE CART OF CODE NEXT DOESN'T MEAN THERE, WEREN'T SOME REALLY GOOD APPLES IN THERE TOO, AND, AND WE'RE DEALING WITH THOSE NOW, UH, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THE SOS ORDINANCE REMAINS AS STRONG AND AS UNDILUTED AS IT HAS BEEN AND STRONGLY ENFORCED BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE TRYING TO NOT JUST NIBBLE AT THE EDGES, BUT SEND IT TO THE PAPER SHREDDER.
SO LET'S CONTINUE TO PROTECT THAT BECAUSE THAT IS WHY PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE TO AUSTIN AND DROVES IS YEAH.
JOBS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF AUSTIN, BECAUSE OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN, AUSTIN AND BARTON CREEK AND, AND BARTON SPRINGS, UH, THE POOL, THAT'S A BIG PART OF AUSTIN, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CREEK IN TOWN.
WE'VE GOT WONDERFUL CREEKS ALL ACROSS, UH, OUR CITY.
WE NEED TO DO SOME PROTECTION FOR WALNUT CREEK AND LITTLE WALNUT CREEK.
UH, WE NEED TO PROTECT THOSE EAST SIDE CREEKS AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR OTHER, UH, BELOVED CREEKS.
AND, UM, SEE Y'ALL LATER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND, AND, UM, I'M GONNA LET Y'ALL GO.
THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR COMING TO THE COMMENT.
THAT'S IT FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, JENNIFER, DID YOU WANNA, UH, CHIME IN, GO FOR IT? YEAH, THANKS.
UM, I, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY HAD A, A CHANCE TO READ, UM, THE, UH, ZONING AND PLANNING, PLANNING, COMMISSION, UM, RESOLUTION THAT THEY SENT FORWARD.
SO IT'S ALL FRESH IN OUR MIND.
AND, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
I KNOW LIZ TOUCHED ON IT, UM, WITH WHAT WE DID.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA READ THROUGH IT.
SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE CLEAR, UM, THAT SOUND OKAY.
UH, WHEREAS THE, UM, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PASSED RESOLUTION 2, 2, 2 6 0 9 61, RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND WATER QUALITY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO ADDRESS THE EQUITABILITY PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE I'M SORRY, THE EQUITABLE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS PART OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WHEREAS THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS INCLUDE GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONAL GREEN TO LESSEN THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND PROVIDE OTHER BENEFITS.
AND WHEREAS THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS LESSEN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS FOR SOME PROTECT, UM, PROJECTS, INCLUDING WATER QUALITY CONTROLS, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES AND WATERSHED, UH, AND WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN ZONING AND PLATING COMMISSION, WE WELCOMES IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND WATER QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION ENCOURAGE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE C 20, UH, 2022 DASH 0 0 5, A LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGES, THE IMPLEMENTATION TO FUNCTIONAL GREEN REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DEFERRED UNTIL, UH, SUCH TIME AS THE EMERGENCY RULES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL VERTICAL MANUAL IS, UH, ADOPTED, UM, TO REFLECT THE APPROPRIATE CRITERIA, ALLOW A BOAT DOCKS TO REMAIN WITHIN 50, UH, FEET OF THE LAKE, AS IT RELATES TO ITEMS 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 25, UH, B TWO AND 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 27 D TWO UNDER SECTION 25, 8 DASH SIX 40 E FOR LOTS THAT CANNOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT AND MECHANISM TO ALLOW SMALLER UNITS WILL BE DEVELOPED, UM, REMOVE 25 DASH EIGHT DASH TWO 30 A ONE
[00:20:01]
PROPOSED CHANGES AND CLARIFY THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS IN 25, 5 DASH THREE B 13 B IS THE IMPERVIOUS COVER ALLOWED BY THE ZONING NOT TO EXCEED 55%.I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE WHAT THAT LAST ONE.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, THEN IT GOES DOWN INTO PHASE TWO, WHICH, UM, UM, IS REQUIRE THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF TO WORK WITH AUSTIN'S EQUITY OFFICE TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES CREATED BY DIFFERENT RULES FOR THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE AND CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES, SUCH AS BARTON SPRINGS.
ONCE THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT IS DETERMINED, ANY NEGATIVE ASPECTS WILL BE COUNTERBALANCED WITH INCENTIVES TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO NEGATIVE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS RECOMMEND THAT ALL SUBDIVISIONS AND SITE PLANS AND URBAN WATERSHEDS MEET SLOPES, MEET STEEP SLOPE PROTECTIONS AND RECOMMEND NEW AND REDEVELOPED PROJECTS TO USE GREENFIELD CONDITIONS AS A BASELINE WHEN CALCULATING DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO READ THAT OFF.
SO WE HAVE IT FRESH IN OUR MIND.
I KNOW THAT'S A LOT ON THERE, BUT, UM, THIS WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHERE ZONING AND PLATTING WAS GOING, UM, AND WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE, UH, WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, UM, WITH THIS CODE.
AND TO KIND OF SET, SET THE TABLE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, I THINK I, I ASK, KAY, LET US SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO EVERYONE TO KIND OF COME WITH YOUR IDEAS OF, OF, UH, PARTS THAT YOU LIKE AND MAYBE PARTS THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS ON OR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM STAFF, UM, WITH THE PLAN OF TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A RESOLUTION, VERY SIMILAR TO ZAP THAT, THAT ARTICULATES, UM, KIND OF OUR, UH, AS A BODY, OUR OPINION OF, OF, OF THINGS TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN TO, TO COUNSEL.
UM, I, I, I KNOW WE HAVE A LIMITED WINDOW HERE.
UM, AND I, ONCE AGAIN, APPRECIATE STAFF AND ALL OF US FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REVIEW THINGS I'D LIKE TO, LIKE WE DID TWO WEEKS AGO KIND OF GO AROUND, UH, AND, AND GIVE EVERYBODY SOME TIME TO ARTICULATE FOR, FOR OTHERS TO HEAR MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO LIKE, OR THEY HAVE CONCERNS ON OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
AND THEN, UM, TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH SOME KIND OF A RESOLUTION OF SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUPPORT.
THAT WOULD BE MY GOAL FOR TONIGHT.
UM, SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? I USUALLY CALL ON PRIMER FIRST.
UM, UH, WHO SHERA YOU'RE OUT
UM, SO MY IDEA WAS TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY, UM, BRING AFFECTED NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE SYSTEMS UP TO CODE.
AND, UM, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT AS I REFERENCED IN THE LAST MEETING WAS, UM, ENSURING THAT THE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS MEET SLOPE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND I, I THINK THAT SOME OTHER, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE MIGHT SPEAK TO FLOODING CONCERNS, BUT, UM, I I'M DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE, UM, SOME OTHER PEOPLE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING, ANYTHING THIS WEEK, UH, CITY STAFF, YOU READY? MR. BRUNNER? ALWAYS.
WELL, I I'D LIKE TO GO WITH THIS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE ON ALL THESE ITEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, GREEN, UH, UH, GREEN STORM WATER DRAINAGE, UH, PARKING LOT STORM WATER, FUNCTIONAL GREEN SLOPE REQUIREMENT, SYSTEM CAPACITY.
ALL THESE ITEMS ARE CRITICAL IN BRINGING EVERYTHING UP TO DATE.
YOU KNOW, THE YEAR 2022, UH, AS EVERYONE KNOWS THE, UH, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REALLY HAS A, SEEN A MAJOR, UH, UPTICK ON ITS, UH, APPROACH TO THINGS SINCE THE, UH, EARLY EIGHTIES.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS ALMOST LITERALLY ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO SET WHAT THE POLICY, THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE GOING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, 40 YEARS, 50 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S A, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE ITEMS AND NOT ONLY SAY, WELL, WHAT'S IT NEED TO BE TODAY, BUT WHAT'S IT GONNA BE 40 YEARS FROM NOW? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS,
[00:25:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT STUFF, NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, AND BE REALLY AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THE WAY WE LOOK AT THINGS.AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DO THAT.
UH, AND I WANNA LOOK AT THINGS, YOU KNOW, HAVING GONE THROUGH ALL THIS STUFF.
AND I'D LIKE TO THINK, UH, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR PUTTING THIS INTO MY MIND AT THE LAST MEETING, BY GOING THROUGH IN A DETAILED MANNER, SOME OF THESE ITEMS, CUZ IT CAUSED ME TO THEN GO THROUGH THESE, UH, ITEMS, THESE CHANGES WITH A LOT MORE DETAIL THAN I HAD ORIGINALLY GONE THROUGH.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT I DON'T SEE IN HERE AND THAT JUST LEAP OUT AT ME, UH, BY THE YEAR 2030, ALMOST EVERY MAJOR CAR MANUFACTURER ON THE PLANET IS ONLY GONNA BE MAKING ELECTRIC CARS.
AND THIS IS NOT DISCUSSED ANYWHERE IN HERE.
NOW WE TALK ABOUT HOW, HOW BIG PARKING LOT SPACES ARE AND HOW MANY THERE ARE AND THIS SORT OF THING.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROVISION FOR ELECTRIC CARS AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND WE'RE NOT OKAY NOW, UH, IF YOU GO AROUND, LIKE I'M GONNA JUST POP TO MY MIND, BARTON CREEK MALL, YOU GO OUT THERE AND I KNOW NO ONE GOES TO MALLS ANYMORE.
I DON'T GO TO MALLS AND YOU KNOW, SHOOT MY GENERATION BUILT THEM.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU GO OUT THERE AND THERE'S ACRES OF PARKING SPOTS THAT ARE UNUSED AND PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE MASS TRANSIT.
WELL, IF YOU PROVIDE OF PARKING SPOTS, THEN YOU'RE JUST ATTRACTING CARSS.
AND WE REVIEWED A, UH, APPLICATION FROM A DEVELOPER AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WAS GONNA HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE PARKING SPOTS FOR 60 APARTMENTS.
NOW I'M NOT SURE WE WANT TO BE THAT AGGRESSIVE.
THAT'S PRETTY AGGRESSIVE, BUT SHOULDN'T, WE BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN WE WERE AT THE TIME OF THE BUILDING OF BARTON CREEK MALL.
AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT NOW.
UH, THERE'S TALKING ABOUT IN HERE ABOUT IRRIGATION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, LANDSCAPING WITHIN DEVELOPMENTS.
I WENT OUT TO A, UH, PICK UP SOME DOG FOOD TODAY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE, UH, LANDSCAPING IN THIS PLACE WHERE I WENT IS DEAD.
AND SO THAT RAISES THE QUESTION IS WHAT THE PURPOSE OF REQUIRING LANDSCAPING, HOSES AND SPRINKLER STUFF.
IF THEY'RE JUST GONNA LET IT DIE.
I MEAN, IT'S A WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME AND MONEY.
MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, LANDSCAPE IT WITH CACTUS.
YOU KNOW, SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO RE REDUCE THE REQUIREMENTS, TO USE WATER, UH, CATCHMENT, WATER SYSTEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT, UH, FUNCTIONAL GREEN AND THIS SORT OF THING AND, AND PUTTING, UH, YOU KNOW, GREEN STUFF ON TOP OF, UH, BUILDING THIS SORT OF THING, BUT WHAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CATCHMENT WATER AND USING THE, THAT WATER FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WATERING, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE LANDSCAPING MATERIALS, THESE ARE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT, AT, UH, IF WE, IF WE LOOK AT THE CHANGE IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE GOING NOW, WE HAVE LONGER SUMMERS HOTTER, SUMMERS, LESS RAIN, BUT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THOSE CRITICAL FACTORS IN WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THESE DOCUMENTS.
SO YES, WE'RE, WE ARE DOING SOME THINGS WITH REGARD TO HEAT ISLAND, BUT THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
AND SO IT, IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING WITH A STATUS QUO IN MANY CASES, IS THAT REALLY WHERE WE NEED TO BE? IS THE STATUS QUO? IF WE HAVE HEAT ISLAND PROBLEMS, OR SHOULD WE BE A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE GO FROM, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING 60%, MAYBE WE SHOULD GO 58%.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE LITTLE THINGS.
UH, THE CITY HAS A, UH, GOAL OF HAVING A 50% CANOPY COVERED BY YEAR 2050.
THERE'S NO REFERENCE TO THIS IN, IN THIS, IN THE DOCUMENT, THERE'S NO SUPPORTING PROCESS OR PLANS TO ENCOURAGE THIS ON THE PART OF DEVELOPERS OR ANYONE IN HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY OUTSIDE OF CODE, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE WAY TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE DEVELOPERS ON BOARD WITH THIS IS TO AGGRESSIVELY CHALLENGE THEM, TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, AND, AND NOT HAVE THEM BE
[00:30:01]
SEEN AS PART OF THE PROBLEM.UH, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED IN HERE WAS THE, THE MISSING MIDDLE.
AND I AGREE THAT THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT NEED TO BE SOLVED, BUT, UH, SHOOT, I GET THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME.
THESE ARE SPECIAL NOTICES ABOUT ZONING NOW, JUST CUZ I SIGNED UP FOR ALL THIS STUFF.
UH, I GET LIKE FIVE OF THESE A DAY UP, YOU KNOW, UP IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN FOR ZONING AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHATEVER IT IS PEOPLE ARE DOING UP THERE AND THESE ARE ALL IN ENGLISH.
NOW I REMEMBER AT ONE TIME I USED TO GET, UH, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE COPY, ONE OF S IN SPANISH, BUT I DON'T GET THOSE ANYMORE IN SPANISH.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY MAYBE IT'S CAUSE WHEN I SEND BACK RESPONSES, I ALWAYS SEND IT BACK THE ENGLISH ONE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF, IF SOMEONE REQUESTS ZONING TO CHANGE IN EAST AUSTIN AND THEY GET THIS THING IN ENGLISH, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT THIS AND GO LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN SPANISH AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO READ IT PERHAPS.
AND I GET THESE THINGS, LIKE I SAID BY THE BOATLOAD AND I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE WITH IT.
I HAVE A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME THEY'RE GONNA DO.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MISSING MIDDLE AND TRYING TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT, IT IS ON A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MAY NOT HAVE ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE OR, YOU KNOW, LEGALESE AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE CHALLENGED TO FIGURE OUT JUST WHAT THEY GOT IN THE MAIL AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO GO IN WITH THIS OR SUPPORT SUPPORTED OR OPPOSE IT OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO RIGHT NOW I SEE THAT WE'RE SO CLOSE TO MOVING THIS TO ADDRESSING PROBLEMS 20, 30, 40 YEARS FROM NOW.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE IT OVER THE FINISH LINE AND MOVE IT TO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IN 2050 AND SAY THAT BACK IN 2022, WE HAD THE FORESIGHT TO PLAN THIS STUFF.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AND MY, MY, MY RECOMMENDATION FOR A, UH, MOTION WOULD BE TO GET TOGETHER AS A COMMITTEE, AS WE DID ONCE BEFORE, PERHAPS, UH, TWO MORE SESSIONS WITH THE SAME COMMITTEE, ME MEMBERS AND WORK ON A LINE BY LINE ANALYSIS OF THIS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHANGE THE WORDING OF THE, UH, DOCUMENT.
UH, CHRISTIAN, BRIAN, WERE, WERE YOU MAKING A MOTION OR YOU, OR, OR YOU JUST DISCUSSING THAT? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, I THINK HE WAS JUST DISCUSSING I'M DISCUSSING THAT I'D BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT AT A LATER TIME.
UM, SO I WANNA SAY JUST THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE STAFF FOR WORKING VERY HARD ON THIS.
UM, I KNOW IT'S ENOUGH BEEN IF YOU WANNA CALL IT CHEATING.
I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS, ZONING AND PLANNING, WHICH I WATCHED WHAT WAS GOING ON LAST NIGHT.
I DID DO A QUERY ON CODES AND ORDINANCES BECAUSE I KNOW THEY DISCUSSED THIS ITEM, BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECORDINGS OF ANY DECISIONS OR DISCUSSIONS OR EVEN THE MEETINGS.
SO THAT WAS SOMEWHAT OF A CONCERN FOR ME WHEN I DID NOT FIND A RECORDING ON SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, I KNOW THE STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY IN MEETING WITH EACH OF THESE COMMISSIONS AND THAT'S A LOT OF WORK IN LATE NIGHTS, LATE EVENINGS.
UM, MY THOUGHTS ON THIS IS AGAIN, THE MAJOR CONCERNS THAT I HAVE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE ADVANCES REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT THIS BRINGS FORWARD.
UM, BUT MY CONCERNS ARE GOING TO BE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER COMMISSIONS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE NEED TO ALWAYS ALLOW FOR PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT, ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE WITH THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE.
UH, I WORRIED WHEN I SAW LANGUAGE REGARDING REMOVING, NOT PROVIDING PUBLIC NOTIFICATION WHEN CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORS OR NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
I ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE REMOVAL.
AND SO I'M PROPOSING THAT WE REMOVE THE CHANGES UNDER 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 25 4 REGARDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL
[00:35:01]
AT, YOU KNOW, IF NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ARE ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WE NEED TO BE INFORMED AND WHO BETTER THAN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CAN COMMUNICATE THOSE CONCERNS TO THE STAFF, TO CITY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICIALS, THEY HAVE THEIR TERMS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, GET TERM LIMITED.THE NEW PERSON NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HISTORICALLY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS TO STAY ENGAGED.
AND I LOOK AT EQUAL PROTECTION, WHICH IS THE INTENT OF THIS RE RESOLUTION.
AND I I'M WORRIED THAT WE MAY LOSE SIGHT OF THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MISSING MAAL ISSUE AND I'M FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND ALSO THIS IS AUSTIN AND WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE HERE IS HOW WE HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT IN CERTAIN PARTS OF AUSTIN.
SO MY, MY CONCERN IS WE HAVE AREAS IN EAST AND CENTRAL.
AND WHEN I SAY EAST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN, I'M REFERRING TO THE, THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE THAT IS REFERENCING THE RESOLUTION.
WE HAVE AREAS AND CORRECT ME STAFF, IF I'M WRONG, WE HAVE AREAS IN EAST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN THAT ARE NOT, DO NOT HAVE THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AS PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
WE HAVE AREAS IN EAST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AS PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
WE HAVE PROPERTIES IN EAST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AS PROPERTIES PROTECTED BY THE SOS OR SAVE OUR SPRINGS ORDINANCE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WATERSHED PROTECTION ESTABLISHED RULES THAT WENT INTO EFFECT MAY 18TH, 1996.
SO ANY PROPERTIES THAT YOU KNOW MAY HAVE BEEN EITHER PLANTED OR PART OF A SUBDIVISION, THEY GOT THOSE REVIEWS, ANY PROPERTIES PRIOR TO THAT DATE THAT WERE PLANTED OR CREATED VIA SUBDIVISIONS DID NOT GET THOSE REVIEWS.
SO WE HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR CREATING THE SMALL AREA PROJECTS THAT CAN INCLUDE UP TO 11 UNITS IN A SMALL LOT THAT WILL NOT GET THE REVIEWS THAT ARE NEEDED.
OTHER PROPERTIES HAVE RECEIVED BECAUSE OF THE MAY 18TH, 1996 RULE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO REVIEW THOSE SAME PROTECTIONS WERE GONNA CREATE AN EVEN MUCH MORE VULNERABLE PART IN EAST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN.
SO MY CONCERN IS GOING TO BE, HOW DO WE PROTECT THOSE PROPERTIES? AND MY PROPOSAL IS I SAW WHAT, WHAT ARE ZAP COMMISSION DID YESTERDAY? THEY TALKED ABOUT THE CREATING A PHASE TWO, AND MAYBE IF THOSE PROPERTY, FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT, THAT HAVE THOSE PROTECTIONS, MAYBE THEY MAY BE READY FOR THE UP TO 11 UNITS BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD THOSE REVIEWS.
BUT FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE PROTECTIONS THAT I'VE REFERENCED EARLIER, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO EXEMPT THOSE PROPERTIES FOR NOW AND MAKE THEM PART OF PHASE TWO SO THAT WE CAN THEN MAKE A TRUE ANALYSIS AS TO AND PROVIDE EQUITABLE PROTECTION, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION IS PROTECTING THOSE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE NOT BENEFITED FROM ANY OF THESE PROTECTIONS THAT CERTAIN AREAS OF AUSTIN HAVE HAD.
I ALSO WORRY THAT WE'RE ALSO ON ONLY FOCUSING SAW IN THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION.
IT TALKED ABOUT THE URBAN WATERSHED, BUT SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO OCCURRING IN THE SUBURBAN WATERSHED.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WATERSHEDS? I ALSO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO I THINK WE, AND I THINK THAT IS ADDRESSED, THAT IS BROUGHT UP IN THE THIRD BULLET IN THE UNDER PHASE TWO THAT IS IN THE, IN THE ZAP RECOMMENDATION.
SO RECOMMEND THAT ALL SUBDIVISIONS INSIDE PLANTS IN URBAN WATERSHEDS, I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE SUBURBAN WATERSHEDS.
UM, JUST TO POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UM, SLOPES ARE PROTECTED EVERYWHERE IN AUSTIN EXCEPT FOR URBAN.
[00:40:01]
THIS WOULD BE BRINGING THOSE SLOPE, SAME SLOPE PROTECTIONS INTO THE URBAN WATERSHEDS.AND KNOW, UM, I ALSO WORRY ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT AND THE FOCUS IS HERE, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT PACKED, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT? SO YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BOTH AND CREATE A BALANCE.
IF WE'RE ONLY GONNA FOCUS ON THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THEN WHAT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FOR THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS? SO AGAIN, I FEEL IS CRITICAL THAT WE TAKE ALL OF THOSE ISSUES INTO, INTO CONSIDERATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING VICE SHARE THIS MOMENT? OKAY.
UM, LET'S GO REMOTE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BARRETT, BIGLER.
DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? HI.
UM, I'D FIRST LIKE TO SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO STAFF, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING ON THIS AND ALSO TO MY FEATHER FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR, UM, FOR BRING RAISING LOTS OF GOOD QUESTIONS AND FOR CREATING THIS DIALOGUE.
UM, I, I DO HAVE ONE, UM, QUESTION THAT IT IS A CARRYOVER FROM THE CONVERSATION FROM, UM, OUR LAST MEETING AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, I IT'S KIND OF LIKE TAKES TWO PARTS TO, TO LEAD UP TO MY QUESTION.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN FOLLOW, BUT, UM, I, I FEEL LIKE IN, IN GENERAL, I, IN AS AUSTIN'S BEEN DEVELOPING, UM, EVEN IN AREAS WHERE IT'S LIKE SF ONE ZONED AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, I FEEL LIKE THE TREND IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY LIKE SMALLER HOMES ON LARGER, LARGER LOTS THAT ARE GETTING REDEVELOPED.
AND THEN THEY'RE BECOMING NOW ON THAT SAME PROPERTY.
IT'S JUST, IT'S A LARGER HOUSE ON THE SAME SIZE LOT, BUT THEY ARE STILL MEETING, YOU KNOW, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT AT 55%.
IT JUST HASN'T, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE LOTS WERE NOT BUILT UP TO THAT, YOU KNOW, UP TO THAT, THAT MAX LIMIT AND THE TREND IS THOSE HOUSES ARE GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.
SO THEN SORT OF THE QUESTION IS IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THIS, THAT, I GUESS IT'S MORE OF LIKE NOW LET'S ADD IT TO KIND OF THIS, THE SECOND PART OF, OF THIS SORT OF LIKE THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF THEN, UM, HAVING MORE OR POTENTIALLY INCENTIVIZING MORE UNITS, UM, WERE, ARE, SORRY, I GUESS MORE PROPERTIES WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY 11 UNITS WHERE YOU COULD BE MEETING THAT MAXIM MAXIMUM AND PERVIOUS COVER LIMIT.
UM, AND THEN JUST ADDING THAT, YOU KNOW, CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVELY TOGETHER KIND OF LIKE IS THE CITY LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OR THE TOTAL ACRES OF ALL OF THAT.
AND MAYBE JUST, IF YOU TAKE PART WHAT I SAID, THE FIRST PART OF THIS, THAT'S JUST SORT OF LIKE A BACKGROUND CONTEXT.
IF WE JUST WANNA FOCUS SPECIFICALLY LIKE ON, ON SF FOUR AND SF FIVE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE SPECIFIC TO MORE, MORE SPECIFIC TO THE, THIS AMENDMENT, IS THERE LIKE A WAY FOR THE CITY TO MODEL OR TO, AS IT ADDED UP THE TOTAL POTENTIAL ACRES WHERE YOU WOULD BE SEEING AGAIN, IT'S STILL, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS STILL, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPLYING WITH THE 55% LIMIT, BUT, BUT WHERE THE TREND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, EACH SLOT POTENTIALLY, YOU'RE KIND OF MAXING THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND SO THE TYING IT INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, LIKE WHAT, IS THERE A WAY TO TRACK THAT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, LIKE THE IMPACT OF THAT THESE TRENDS, LIKE ON, ON WATER QUALITY AND ON STORM WATER RUNOFF, YOU KNOW, AND ON EROSION, LIKE THOSE KEY ISSUES THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS EVEN CLEAR, BUT, UM, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY POTENTIAL ACRES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH.
AND THAT IMPACT, HI, THIS IS LIZ JOHNSTON WATERSHED PROTECTION.
LET ME, UH, TRY TO, UM, RESTATE WHAT I THINK I JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
SO WITH THE, WITH THE MISSING MIDDLE PROVISION AND JUST TO REEXPLAIN THAT AGAIN, CUZ IT CAN BE KIND OF HARD TO, FOR PEOPLE TO PARSE.
UM, THE IDEA FROM THE RESOLUTION IS THAT, UM, THE RES
[00:45:01]
THE RE REGULATIONS THAT WE BRING BACK, AND THIS IS, UM, PUT FORTH BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA THAT OUR RULES DO NOT DISINCENTIVIZE MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS OVER SINGLE FAMILY FOR THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.UM, WITH THE IDEA THAT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES CAN BYPASS ENVIRONMENTAL RE ROUTE REVIEW AND JUST GO THROUGH A BUILDING PERMIT, UH, BECAUSE THE IDEAS THAT WHENEVER THEY WERE PLOTTED, THEY MET WHATEVER RULES WE HAD AT THE TIME.
AND SO THEY WOULD, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE COMPLIANT WITH WHATEVER RULES WERE IN EFFECT WHENEVER THEY WERE PLATTED.
UM, BUT ONCE YOU GET TO THREE UNITS, IT GOES THROUGH THE ENTIRE SITE PLAN PROCESS.
SO INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH A REAL SIMPLE PROCESS WITH NO REVIEW THREE UNITS, YOU'RE SUDDENLY GETTING ALL OF THE REVIEW.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE DISCONNECT AND IT, AND IT, THE ARGUMENT HAS BEEN THAT THAT DISINCENTIVIZES PROJECTS TO DO MISSING MIDDLE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THERE IS LIKE LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE WORKING UNDER IN THE COUNCIL DIRECTION THAT WE'RE WORKING UNDER, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE WATERSHED PROTECTION AND NOT HOUSING AND PLANNING.
SO, SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE LAND OF DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE, WHICH IS TO CLARIFY WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS DO APPLY TO SINGLE FAMILY, BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN UNCLEAR.
SO NEW PROJECTS COME IN TECH IN THEORY, THEY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE, EVEN IF IT'S A HOUSE, BUT MAYBE THEIR GRANDFATHERED.
MAYBE THEY'RE NOT, THAT'S A SEPARATE PROCESS, BUT PUTTING THAT ALL ASIDE AND SAY, THESE ARE THE, THESE CERTAIN THINGS WOULD APPLY.
AND THESE OTHER THINGS DON'T APPLY AND THEN APPLY THOSE SAME REGULATIONS TO THE MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY CAN STILL GO THROUGH A BUILDING PERMIT.
THEY STILL HAVE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS.
WE STILL HAVE EROSION CONTROL TREE REVIEW, UM, AND CUT AND FILL.
AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE PART OF THE SITE PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS, BUT THE DSD COULD, IS SUGGESTING WE PROVIDE US A FASTER PROCESS CALLED A SMALL PROJECT SITE PLAN.
THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ZONING AT ALL.
UM, SO THERE ARE CURRENTLY VERY FEW, LOTS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO EVEN BE BUILT, UM, WITH MORE THAN TWO UNITS UNLESS THEY WERE REZONED, EXCEPT UNLESS IT'S AN AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED PROJECT.
SO THAT'S JUST THE BACKGROUND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S, UM, AWARE OF THAT WE DID PUT A IMPERVIOUS COVER CAP AND A SITE CAP, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WE ARE TO YOUR POINT ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT INCREMENTAL EFFECTS, NEGATIVE EFFECTS, UM, WHAT THIS DOES IS WE DON'T GET WATER QUALITY FOR THESE SMALL MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE THE THOUGHT IS THAT IF IT'S A SMALL LOT, HALF AN ACRE OR UNDER THEN THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OTHERWISE, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN WATER QUALITY OR ANY OF THESE OTHER REVIEWS ANYWAY, BUT WE WOULD BE GETTING DRAINAGE REVIEW.
UM, AND SO WE WOULD BE GETTING SOME LEVEL OF, UM, OF RISK REDUCTION RELATED TO FLOOD ADVERSE IMPACT AND THAT SORT OF THING WE, WE WOULD NOT BE, UM, WE WOULD NOT BE MAKING IT WORSE FROM WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TODAY.
WE WOULDN'T BE MAKING IT BETTER IN THEORY, IT WOULD BE JUST A NET NEUTRAL, UM, EFFECT.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION OR MAYBE GOT THERE A LITTLE BIT.
I KNOW, UH, NICK KINCAID ALSO ONLINE TOO, AND I, I KNOW THAT, UH, HE MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE DID DURING, UH, CODE NEXT.
UM, BUT, UH, NICK, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.
YEAH, I DIDN'T, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS ON HAND.
WE DID LOOK AT THIS AND I THINK JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER, WE CAN, UM, AND YOU'RE, I THINK THE ASSUMPTION IS TRUE THAT, UM, FOR LIKE A LOT OF SINGLE FAMILY ZONES, MAYBE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO GO TO 45%, BUT WE SEE THAT THEY OFTEN ARE MORE LIKE 30%.
UM, AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF SITES THAT CAN ADD MORE IMPERVIOUS COVER, UM, EXCUSE ME, UN YOU KNOW, ON OUR FLOOD MODELING SIDE, WE DO CONSIDER THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT'S ALLOWED ON THE SITE, NOT JUST HOW MUCH IS THERE TODAY.
UM, AND WE CAN DO THAT ON SOME OF OUR WATER QUALITY MODELING AS WELL.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY INDEX THAT DOES MONITOR ACTUAL STREAM WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR 20 PLUS YEARS AND WE'LL CONTINUE DOING THAT INTO THE FUTURE.
AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER DATA POINT AS WELL.
AND SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOUR FLOW.
CAN YOU JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF? SO IT'S ON RECORD.
[00:50:01]
PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.UM, SO YEAH, I THINK I CAN, UH, LOOK MORE INTO THE DATA THAT WE PREPARED DURING CODEX AND LDC R AND GET A BETTER, UM, QUANTITATIVE RESPONSE TO THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO.
AND, AND I GUESS IT, I THINK IT, IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION OF IT IT'S, YOU KNOW, UM, IT, I DEFINITELY AM FOR IN, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVIZING, UM, ADDRESSING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN ISSUES WITH URBAN STRAW URBAN SPRAWL.
SO THEN I THINK IT TIES TO THE QUESTION OF ARE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS TOO HIGH, AND IT ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, IN, IN LIKE WHILE AMENDMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU'RE MAKING CHANGES TO POTENTIALLY LOWER THEM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE TREND THAT WE SEE THAT LIKE THEY'RE, THESE ODDS ARE GETTING BUILT OUT MORE AND HARD OF TO, TO REACH THE LIMITS.
I, SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER.
UM, AND, UM, SO WITH THE, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE GOT, WE, WE REACTING TO CAME FROM CITY COUNCIL AND IT DIRECTED STAFF TO INCLUDE THE ELEMENTS LISTED AND ALSO SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, REWRITE PROCESS.
I KNOW IMPERVIOUS COVER WAS CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WAS DISCUSSED.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO RAISE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS.
UM, WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THAT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY, UM, POLITICALLY DIFFICULT.
OF COURSE, WATERSHED ALWAYS WANTS LESS IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL FOR US, BUT, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE, I MEAN, STAFF WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND IT, BUT YOU ALL CERTAINLY COULD THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS KEVIN.
UH, I WOULD SAY, UM, NICK, IF WE COULD GET OUR ARMS AROUND, LIKE THE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF, OF, OF THESE AREAS THAT MORE OR LESS MAY BE INCENTIVIZED TO GET UP TO 55%, UM, YOU KNOW, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, KIND OF HAVING AN IDEA OF HOW MANY ACRES IN, IN, IN THE WATERSHEDS AND THEN TYING IT BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, INTEGRITY INDEX WOULD BE AWESOME.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
UM, BUT, BUT GETTING OUR TO, TO WHERE WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW, HOW MANY ACRES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITHIN, WITHIN, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A WATERSHED THAT WOULD, I THINK HELP US UNDERSTAND THE, THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS THAT, THAT I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIGLER IS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A LOT OF WORK.
I WASN'T SUGGESTING WE COULD NECESSARILY RELATE THOSE VALUES BACK TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY INDEX MORE JUST THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME MONITORING DATA THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE USE, UM, THERE.
AND CHAIR ROMBERG, UM, UH, KATIE REMIND ME OF THIS.
UM, I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST TIME AND I THINK WE, IT WAS SOMETHING AROUND 3000 LOTS, UH, THAT, UM, COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THIS CHANGE.
DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT WHAT YOU REMEMBER FROM LAST MEETING? THAT'S, UH, AN ESTIMATE, BUT AS I KIND OF SAID, THERE ARE SOME DATA, UH, INCONSISTENCIES WITH BEING ABLE TO USE THE TCAD DATA WITH OUR ZONING DATA.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT IS A VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE OF SCALE BEAR BIGLER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, NO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, YEAH, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO ECHO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND THANKING STAFF FOR, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS, WHAT, FRANKLY, EVERY TIME I LEAVE, ONE OF THESE MEETINGS SEEMS LIKE SOMEWHAT THANKLESS WORK OTHER THAN THE PERFUNCTORY COMPLIMENTS THAT WE GIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HATS OFF, UH, ALSO I AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GEAR, COMMISSIONER BRIER, NO SURPRISE THERE THAT THOSE TWO, YOU KNOW, HAVE, UH, GOOD SUGGESTIONS THAT TAKE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY INTO ACCOUNT THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE, THE PROCESS IN WHICH WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE MOST EQUITABLE SOLUTION TO ALL THESE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE.
UH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GEAR SAID, I THINK SORT OF THE, THE PHASE TWO OF THESE CODE UPDATES,
[00:55:01]
UH, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT, UH, SORT OF LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE, UH, VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S CONSIDERED A CRITICAL WORRY QUALITY ZONE OR LIKE A SOS SORT OF THING.LIKE SHE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT REALLY, UH, A SIMILAR THING ON THE EAST SIDE, EXCEPT FOR, I GUESS, WALTER ELONG, UM, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE THAT SORT OF COMES FROM THE SIDE OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, TAN HILL BRANCH, YOU KNOW, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, TAN HILL CREEK, FORT BRANCH, YOU KNOW, BOGGY CREEK, UH, I MEAN, TO BE FRANK, I MEAN, WHERE I'M FROM, WE ALWAYS SEE LIKE TRASH IN THE CREEKS AND YOU ALWAYS SEE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FLOODING, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK, WELL, YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE WEST SIDE TOO, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS WE GROW DEVELOPMENT WISE, RIGHT, ARE WE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THAT ON THE EAST SIDE OR ON THE WEST SIDE? AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO, UH, SORT OF TILT THE SCALES RIGHT DECADES FROM NOW? UH, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO SORT OF KEEP IN MIND.
I ALSO STRONGLY AGREE WITH HER THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, UH, OF THESE REQUIREMENTS AND THE AFFORDABILITY SORT OF IMPACT STUDY AS WELL AS FINANCIAL.
UH, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A NO BRAINER.
UM, AND THEN, YEAH, ONE THING THAT I KIND OF NOTICED TOO, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT SORT OF A MAP OF, YOU KNOW, THE WATERSHEDS AND SORT OF HOW THEY FIT INTO THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONES, RIGHT.
WHETHER IT'S URBAN OR SUBURBAN, UH, THIS IS A MAP FROM 2013, SO MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUTDATED.
UM, BUT I NOTICED THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, CARSON COUNTRY CLUB, EAST COUNTRY CLUB WEST, AND I THINK SOMEONE SORT OF LIKE MENTIONED THIS BRIEFLY THEY'RE CLASSIFIED AS SUBURBAN, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED SORT OF BLOWING UP DEL VALLEY FROM LIKE A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK EVERYONE WOULD SEE LIKE EAST RIVERSIDE, EAST OLD TURF, UH, YOU KNOW, ST ELMOS THE AREA AROUND, YOU KNOW, 71 AND 180 3, UH, AROUND THE AIRPORT.
IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, URBAN STYLE DEVELOPMENT NOW.
SO DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO STILL HAVE THIS BE IN THE SUBURBAN CLASSIFICATION INSTEAD OF URBAN, YOU KNOW, UM, MY THOUGHTS WOULD BE IF THERE'S MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, PROTECTIONS THAT ARE GIVEN TO SUBURBAN VERSUS URBAN, RIGHT, THAT'S FINE.
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FORWARD, RIGHT.
AND THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE HEAVILY DEVELOPED, HOW ARE WE ABLE TO REGULATE IT MOST EFFECTIVELY, UH, TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY? RIGHT.
UM, SO YEAH, I MEAN, THOSE WERE PRETTY MUCH, UH, THE THOUGHTS THAT I HAD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREED THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING GOOD WORK AND THAT WE'VE STILL GOT WAYS TO GO, BUT, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR ME, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
UM, OKAY, WELL, I'LL AGREE AS WELL.
AND I'M SORRY THAT WE'RE JUST SO CONTRARIAN SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, THIS STARTED LIKE EVERYONE HAS SAID MANY YEARS AGO, AND I THINK IT WAS INITIALLY CALLED STREAMLINING, BUT JUST FOR YOU GUYS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHEN CODE NEXT WAS PROPOSED AND WE TRIED DESPERATELY TO COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS, UM, UNDER A FEROCIOUS DEADLINE.
AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THOSE EFFORTS.
SO I AM JUST SAYING THAT IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CONCERN ME, I'LL ALWAYS WANT THE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE TRAFFIC TO BE, UH, CONSIDERED IN THE, THE MISSING MIDDLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE ADVERSE IMPACTS BECAUSE OF GREATER DENSITY.
AND WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW, IT CONCERNS ME WITH THE MISSING MIDDLE BECAUSE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCES IN THE TRANSITION OR CHANGE OF THIS.
AND PEOPLE WILL NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH IT AND THERE WILL BE, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO, UM, TO DEAL WITH IF THIS IS WITH, IF THIS IS ADOPTED.
SO I'M, I'M REAL CONCERNED WITH THE PUBLIC, NOT HAVING A REVIEW INITIALLY, UM, IN THESE CHANGES SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS IT.
UM, I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, CAN PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR DEVELOPERS AND, AND PEOPLE TO COME AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR LAND.
THE PROCESS IS ALREADY EXPENSIVE, SO I'D JUST LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO REVIEW IT ON A PUBLIC LEVEL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE AGREES WITH THAT, BUT I JUST THINK THE CHANGES COULD BE DISCUSSED.
[01:00:03]
UM, LET'S SEE ALL OF THE CHANGES.COMMISSIONER THOMPSON REAL QUICK.
LIZ, DO YOU, YOU DON'T MIND, DO YOU DO DO THE MISSING MIDDLE, LIKE THE, THE SITE PLAN LIGHT REVIEW? WILL THAT INCLUDE A, A TRAFFIC ANALYSIS OR DO WE KNOW, OR TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FIRST WE'RE, WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANY TRANSPORTATION RULES WITH THIS, SO IF IT NEEDED A TRANS, A TIA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UH, CURRENTLY THEN IT WOULD STILL NEED THAT WITH THE SITE PLAN LIGHT.
SORRY, SORRY TO INTERRUPT THOMPSON.
UM, ALSO, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET, UM, WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND THE FACT THAT WE'RE ASKING, UM, PEOPLE TO, UH, HAVE FUNCTIONAL GREEN IN A DROUGHT.
AND IT IS LIKE COMMISSIONER BRIER SAID, UM, HE WENT SOMEWHERE AND EVERYTHING WAS DEAD.
SO THE, THE AC CON CONDENSATE AND SISTERS, AND ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS NEED TO GO HAND IN HAND.
SO I REALLY LIKE TO CONVINCE STAFF FOR, UM, TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IN PLACE SO THAT, UM, IF WE GIVE A CREDIT FOR THIS AND IN ONE AREA THAT IT IS NOT A SYSTEM THAT'S SET UP TO FAIL.
SO I'M ALSO CONCERNED THOUGH, UM, ABOUT THE STAFF, I GUESS IT WILL BE, UH, THE DEVELOP, I GUESS IT'LL BE LIKE THE TREE ORDINANCE, THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE REMAINING GREEN.
EVERYTHING COMPLIES WITH ATLAS 14, AND LET'S SEE, I'M, I'M KIND OF CONCERNED BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL IS BEING REDONE.
AND YET, AS I READ THROUGH THIS, IT SAYS IN REFERENCE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA.
SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE, EVERYTHING IS A MOVING TARGET.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN LIKE IN THE PROCESS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT, UM, IT IS A LOT OF CHANGES.
SO LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE HAVE I GOT HERE? UM, OH, THE WETLAND MITIGATION PROCESS.
I WAS, I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED BY THAT BECAUSE, UM, I, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE THAT I LIKE WETLANDS TO BE MITIGATED, BUT I'LL, I'LL JUST MENTION THAT
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, UM, THE WE'RE NOT CHANGING MITIGATION STANDARDS FOR CURRENT CODE.
THERE ARE CERTAIN CHANGES TO THAT SECTION THAT REALLY RELATE TO REMOVING, UM, SPECIFICALLY RE REMOVING THE ABILITY FOR WETLANDS TO SERVE AS WATER, QUALITY PONDS.
UM, NOT THAT THAT CAN'T BE DONE, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND WE DON'T HAVE GOOD CRITERIA FOR IT.
SO WE'RE REMOVING THAT AND KIND OF RE CHANGE THAT REMOVAL'S KIND OF FORCED US TO CHANGE THE WORDING, BUT MITIGATION IS ALREADY A, UM, AN SOMETHING THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER CURRENT CODE.
AND THEN LET'S SEE, THERE WAS ONE OTHER AREA, OH, RIPARIAN, UM, MITIGATION THAT, THAT KIND OF, BOTH OF THOSE, UM, AND IN-CHANNEL DETENTION PONDS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UM, ARE THINGS THAT CONCERN ME AND CHANGES THAT WE WILL HAVE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
AND SO I WANT, I MEAN, WE JUST REALLY HAVE TO KEEP WORKING AT IT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING FITS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE A GIANT PUZZLE.
AND, UH, IF, IF IT WORKS ACCORDING TO PLAN, IT WILL BE WONDERFUL.
BUT I THINK IN THE INITIAL PHASES OF IT, I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE THINGS AS THEY SEE THEM IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UM, I, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE PROCESS OF THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY YOU WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AND THEN YOU SEE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF IT, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF REVIEW.
I WANNA ASK FOR A PIECE OF CLARITY REAL QUICK.
UM, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
[01:05:01]
I CAPTURED MOST OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE, UM, HOPEFULLY WANTING INTO SOME SORT OF, UH, LANGUAGE FOR, UH, IN THE MOTION.I DID NOT CAPTURE SOMETHING ON THE RIPARIAN AREA.
IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING TO PUT THAT INTO A MOTION FORMAT, BUT COULD YOU KIND OF RESTATE THAT? UM, OKAY.
I'LL HAVE TO FIND WHERE IT IS.
I'M, I'M JUST SAYING THAT, UM, THE, THE MITIGATION PROCESS, UH, FOR REPAIR AREAS, UH, WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME IF IT WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW, I'D JUST LIKE SOME CLARITY ON IT IS ALL, UM, LISTEN, MAYBE STAFF COULD JUST HELP ME WITH THAT AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I THINK, I THINK MAYBE YOU'RE REFERRING TO OUR, UH, FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION REGULATIONS, UM, WHICH IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT THE WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCE, UM, ADDED TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IN 2013.
UM, IT IS, IT'S BEEN A REALLY HELPFUL, UH, UH, PIECE OF CODE, UM, THAT HAS SOME REAL COMPLICATED ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA, UH, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT THAT GIVES STAFF AND APPLICANTS GUIDANCE ON, UM, WHEN A VARIANCE IS REQUIRED AND WHEN IT CAN BE ADMINISTRATIVE.
AND SO WE'RE, BUT SINCE IT'S ALSO VERY COMPLICATED AND HARD TO EXPLAIN, AND SO OUR, WE HAVE REWRITTEN SOME OF THE CODE TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR ON WHAT, HOW WE'VE BEEN INTERPRETING IT OVER TIME.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE POLICY, THE INTENT OR ANY OF THE MECHANISMS, UM, FROM HOW IT IS APPLIED TODAY.
SO WHAT TODAY IT IS, IS IF YOU HAVE A FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE THAT AFFECTS OR WITHIN THE, THE CHANNEL ITSELF, THERE ARE CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS THAT ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT WITHOUT A VARIANCE RELATED TO ESPECIALLY HEALTH AND SAFETY AND, UH, UH, STRING BANK STABILIZATION AND RESTORATION.
IF YOU'RE NOT IN ONE OF THOSE EXEMPTIONS, UM, AND YOU WANT TO GO IN AND MODIFY THE FLOOD PLAIN, IT WOULD BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE AND THERE ARE CERTAIN RATIOS RESTORATION OR MITIGATION RATIOS.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO PLANT BACK MORE ON SITE.
AND IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO PAY INTO A MI A MITIGATION FUND.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS NOT CHANGING.
UM, IF IT IS A FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION OUTSIDE OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
SO FURTHER AWAY FROM THE CREEK AND WHAT IS AN AREA THAT IS PROBABLY MORE UPLANDS, BUT IT IS STILL FLOOD PLAIN.
THAT IS MORE ADMINISTRATIVE THAT, UM, DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO GO TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UNLESS IT'S IN A REALLY GOOD CONDITION.
SO IF IT'S FUNCTIONING, IT'S GOT A LOT OF TREES AND IT SEEMS LIKE A RIPARIAN AREA, NOT UPLAND THEN, UM, THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE IT AND THAT IT, THAT WOULD ALSO BE A VARIANCE.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, UH, CHANGING THAT.
AND, OH THE SORRY, ONE MORE, MS. UH, COIN, UH, REMINDED ME THE IN-CHANNEL DETENTION POND.
SO RIGHT NOW CURRENT CODE ALLOWS THEM WITH NO, UM, NO CONDITIONS.
AND SO WE ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THOSE CAN BE, HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE CREEK.
AND SO WE'RE SAYING WE'RE PRO THE CODE CHANGES.
THIS IS FROM COUNCIL SAYS WE'RE PROHIBITING THEM UNLESS WE REALLY HAVE TO DO THEM FOR, UM, A, A LARGER LIKE REGIONAL FLOOD PROJECT.
I, I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GOOD.
I THINK IT'S ON, I WAS READING IT'S LINE 1215.
IT SAID THE PROJECT EITHER INCLUDES EITHER RIPARIAN RESTORATION OF AN AREA WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE EQUAL TO THE SI IN SIZE TO THE AREA OF DISTURBANCE AND ACCORDING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
SO MY CONCERN WAS, UM, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL, AND, UM, THAT WAS ON PAGE 44 OF MY DRAFT OF THE DRAFT.
AND SO I'M JUST SAYING OUR PAYMENT INTO THE RIPARIANS OWN MITIGATION FUND.
AND SO YES, I CAN OFFER CLARITY ON THAT.
UM, SO THE ORDINANCE IS SHOWING EXISTING CODE AND THE UNDERLINED IS NEW LANGUAGE, AND THEN THE STRIKETHROUGH IS WHAT WE'RE REMOVING, SO THAT, THAT IS ALREADY IN CODE.
AND WE'RE NOT THINKING OF CHANGING THAT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA IN THE ANNUAL? NO.
WELL, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE ALERTED IF THAT IS THE CASE, FOR SURE.
[01:10:01]
MY, UH, CONCERN THERE.AND, UM, LET'S SEE, I, THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCES IN TRANSITION OR CHANGES, THOSE THINGS WERE, UH, CONCERNING TO ME.
AND SO THE REASON FOR THAT IS I JUST WAS WANTING THE PUBLIC TO HAVE SOME SORT OF AVENUE FOR INPUT.
AND SO I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT, UM, INITIALLY DO THAT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
WE'RE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY AROUND THE HORN AND THEN COME BACK FOR, FOR SECONDS.
I, I WASN'T SURE IF I WAS, EVEN IF ANYONE COULD EVEN SEE ME, UH, YEAH, YOU'RE HERE.
I'M GLAD THAT I ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO SIGN ON, UH, ONCE AGAIN, UM, I WAS, UH, I WAS, UH, UH, PLEASED BY THE COMMUNITY, UH, COMMENTS THAT WE GOT AND, AND I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT, UH, THERE ARE, UM, A NUMBER OF, UH, ACTIVE, UH, UH, GROUPS IN THE, IN AUSTIN WHO ARE, WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND, AND CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS AND, AND ARE, UM, UH, ARE WILLING TO COME FORWARD AND, AND GIVE US INFORMATION.
UM, I WOULD REQUEST, UH, I WASN'T ABLE TO GET THE NAMES OR ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PEOPLE WHO, UM, UH, SPOKE OUT.
AND I WONDER IF THAT COULD BE, UM, INCLUDED IN THE, UH, PERHAPS IN THE, IN THE MINUTES OR, OR, OR SOME WAY SO THAT, UM, I KNOW WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.
UM, AND, UH, SO THAT WE ALL KNOW, UM, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, UH, AT LEAST TO ME, UM, AND, AND I WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT, THAT THE, UH, UM, THE, THOSE AREAS OF WHERE WE HAVE, UH, ALREADY A, UM, 80% OF IMPERVIOUS COVER, UM, TAKEN, UM, THAT THE, THE FUNCTIONAL GREEN PROGRAM IS, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT'S, UH, BEING ADDRESSED AND, AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, UH, UH, GO FORWARD, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I'M, I HAVE, UH, UH, SOME SIMILAR, UM, CONCERNS, UH, WITH, UH, A FEW OF THE YOUNG OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UM, WITH, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UH, TREES.
I'M, I'M I, UH, APPRECIATE, UM, UH, UH, UH, PAULA, UH, GETTING BACK TO ME ON THE SIZE OF THE TREES AND KNOWING THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT THERE'S THAT REQUIREMENT, UH, THAT, THAT THIS IS THAT ANY TREES PLANTED BE OF A CERTAIN SIZE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT, THAT WE NEED TO, UH, UH, AS, UH, AS COMMISSIONER, UH, BRIMER HAS POINTED OUT BE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, OUR, OUR CURRENT STATUS WITH, WITH, UH, ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY REQUIRING NATIVE TREES, BUT THAT WE'RE, THAT CITY ARBORISTS ARE, ARE, UM, DOING RESEARCH AND PAYING ATTENTION TO, UM, WHICH TREES ARE, ARE BEST, UH, ADAPTED TO OUR, OUR CHANGING CONDITIONS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE NOW HAVE TREES THAT NEED TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE, UM, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS, AT LEAST, AND PROBABLY MORE OF, OF SEVERE COLD WEATHER.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE, UH, TREES THAT ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE LONG PERIODS OF DROUGHT.
UM, THE LITTLE BIT THAT I KNOW ABOUT, UH, PECAN TREES SUGGEST THAT UNLESS PECAN TREES ARE EXTREMELY WELL, UH, ESTABLISHED, UM, THEY MAY NOT, UH, DO VERY WELL, UH, SURVIVING IF THEY'RE, IF THE NEWLY PLANET, UH, MATURE PE COUNTRY REQUIRES, UH, 150 TO 250 GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.
SO HOW, HOW WISE IS IT FOR US TO, TO INCLUDE, UM, PECAN TREES FOR EX FOR JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, AS, AS A SPECIES THAT WE WOULD, UM, THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND, I, I LOVE PECAN TREES.
[01:15:01]
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A PECAN TREES.I LOVE PECANS, BUT, BUT I THINK THAT I'M JUST USING THEM AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, AND SAYING THAT I, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE, UM, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING FORWARD NOT ONLY TO THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT, UH, I'VE BEEN VISITING AUSTIN SINCE THE 1970S, UM, AND, AND LIVING IN AUSTIN, UH, FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
AND, AND I HAVE SEEN, UM, I'VE SEEN EXTREME CHANGES TAKING PLACE OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN THE SEVENTIES.
I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, PERIODS OF MAYBE NOT EVERY YEAR, BUT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE SEEING PERIODS OF DROUGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, UH, PERIODS OF, UH, OF FIRES COMING THROUGH AS WE'VE HAD IN, IN THE BA DROP AREA AND SO FORTH.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE, I, I THINK THAT OUR, THAT ANY, UH, ANY OF OUR, UM, OUR PLANNING NEEDS TO, UH, TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT.
AND WHEN I GO ONLINE AND I, AND I LOOK UP WATER SYSTEMS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THEY'RE EXPENSIVE, UH, TO GET A, TO GET A, A DECENT, UH, WATER, UH, SYSTEM TO, UH, TO RETAIN WATER.
IT, IT, IT COSTS ABOUT A DOLLAR PER GALLON.
UH, SO A 250 GALLON SISTER AND IS GONNA COST ABOUT $250, $300, UH, SISTER, AND ABOUT $300.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE SISTER AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COST OF PUTTING IT IN, UM, UH, AND, AND, UH, UH, THE PIPING AND THE, AND, AND ALL, ALL ELSE THAT GOES WITH IT.
AND, UM, I, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY, UM, ENCOURAGES THAT, BUT, BUT, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF EQUITY, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T, WHO CAN'T AFFORD, UH, TO JUST PUT THESE IN, IF THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO, UH, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO, UH, SUPPORT, UM, SOME, UH, CITY, UM, UH, PROGRAMS THAT, THAT, UM, REIMBURSE, UH, UH, THOSE WHO LIVE IN, IN THE, UH, UH, DISADVANTAGED PARTS OF TOWN SO THAT, UM, THEY CAN ALSO BE PUTTING THAT IN.
I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME PROGRAMS THAT, UM, THAT HELP PEOPLE WITH, UH, MAKING, UH, CHOICES, UH, FOR ZERO ESCAPING, UH, WHERE THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.
UH, I DON'T LIKE TO SEE AREAS WHERE, UH, A LOT OF REALLY, UH, GREAT PLANTS HAVE BEEN PUT IN AND A YEAR LATER, THEY'RE ALL DEAD AND THE CITY HAS DONE THAT.
I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN THAT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, WE HAD A, WE HAD A, UH, A CIRCLE PUT IN, UM, UH, NOT TOO FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE, UH, UH, AND A LOT OF GREAT PLANNINGS AND, AND IT LOOKED REALLY BEAUTIFUL FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
AND THEN, UH, UH, WE WENT THROUGH A DROUGHT AND, AND MOST OF THE MOST EVERYTHING THAT WAS THERE IS DEAD NOW.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TO, UH, TO, TO PUT IN SOME, SOME, UH, UH, REALLY COOL PLANTS AND THEN JUST, UM, AND, AND THEN WITH NO MAINTENANCE, UH, AND, AND, UM, IT WAS JUST A COMPLETE WASTE OF, UH, UH, UH, TAXPAYER, UH, MONEY AND, UH, AND A, AND A REAL LOST OPPORTUNITY WHEN, UH, WHEN MAYBE BETTER DECISIONS COULD HAVE BEEN MADE MAYBE, UH, MAYBE MAINTENANCE COULD HAVE BEEN FACTORED IN, UH, TO WHAT WAS PUT IN.
I WOULD'VE MUCH RATHER SEEN, UH, FEWER, UM, UH, UH, PLANTS PUT IN AND MORE MAINTENANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS TRANSLATE TRANSLATES INTO, UM, INTO WHAT WE WANT TO, TO SAY, UH, TODAY IN OUR, IN OUR RESOLUTION.
BUT, UM, I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, I WOULD LIKE, I, I WOULD LIKE A REMOVAL OF THE, UH, LANGUAGE THAT, UM, UH, DOES NOT REQUIRE, UH, NOTIFICATION OF, UH, OF, UM, WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL, UM, UH, SMALL, UH, PROJECT.
I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE THE TERM MISSING MIDDLE.
UH, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A REAL TERM.
IT'S A, IT, IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DEFINED.
[01:20:01]
I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, UH, UNITS FROM FOUR TO 11, UM, UH, AND, AND YOU CAN GIVE 'EM A NAME.UM, AND I, I DON'T HAVE A, A PARTICULAR CATCHY NAME FOR THEM, BUT, UH, BUT I THINK THAT, THAT ANY, UM, ANY PROJECTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN, OF COURSE, ZONING IS GOING TO HAVE TO, UH, UH, BE CHANGED FOR THE, FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
BUT I, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY EQUITABLE, UM, BENEFIT OF REMOVING, UM, UH, NOTIFICATION OF, OF MEMBERS THAT, THAT SOMEBODY PLANS TO DO SOMETHING OF THAT SORT.
AND I, AND I JUST, UH, I JUST THINK THAT'S, UM, NOT IN KEEPING WITH, UH, WITH OUR MISSION.
SO I I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, UM, STRICKEN, UH, FROM, FROM THE, UH, RESOLUTION.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MENTION OF, OF, UH, UH, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, PREPARING FOR, UM, ELECTRIFICATION, UH, FOR, FOR, UH, EV UH, UM, UH, VEHICLES.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, GREEN, UM, BUILDING, UH, ROOFS, UH, HORIZONTAL, UH, GREEN, UH, IN, IN, UH, I DON'T KNOW, TWO, THREE STORY AND UPWARD BUILDINGS.
UM, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WE KNOW CAN BE DONE.
AND, UM, UH, I, I, I DO WANNA SAY THAT I, UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE CITY STAFF HAS DONE.
I THINK IT'S BEEN AN, UH, AN INCREDIBLE, UM, EFFORT ON, ON THEIR PART UNDER, UNDER SOME VERY, UH, STRICT DEADLINES AND, UH, UH, I, I, AND I DON'T FAULT ANYBODY ON THE CITY STAFF.
UH, I THINK THAT THE, I THINK THESE WERE UNREASONABLE, UH, THIS WAS, THIS WAS KIND OF AN UNREASONABLE, UM, UH, UH, MISSION, UH, FROM THE CITY COUNCIL THAT I THINK IS BASICALLY TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE, UH, TO MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AT YOUR, AT, AT CITY STAFF'S EXPENSE.
AND, AND, UH, AND, UH, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT I, I DON'T MEAN TO BE BASHING CITY STAFF IN THE LEAST, AND I, I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN ADMIRABLE JOB, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR THIS, THIS IS NOT WHAT, WHERE MY COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM.
UM, I JUST THINK, I JUST THINK THAT, THAT OUR JOB IS TO DO THINGS IN A, IN A DELIBERATIVE WAY SO THAT, UM, IT DOESN'T JUST HOLD UP FOR THREE MONTHS OR, OR FOR THE NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT IT DOES HOLD UP OVER TIME.
AND, UM, IF, IF, IF ANYTHING THAT I'VE SAID HERE CAN, CAN BE
UM, I, I'M NOT REALLY CLEAR HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT, BUT THAT, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, UH, SECRETARY OF BRISTOL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I DO.
UH, SO CURRENTLY, UH, I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN 16, UM, DIFFERENT ITEMS, UM, THAT Y'ALL HAVE ALL SUGGESTED.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT IN, IN, IN GREAT SHAPE.
UH, THEY'RE THEY'RE NOTES HERE.
AND SO, UM, PERHAPS AFTER, UH, CHAIR BERG AND VICE CHAIR, UH, BEDFORD MAKE THEIR COMMENTS, UM, I CAN KIND OF READ THESE OUT LOUD TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN IF IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE WANNA GO, THEN MAYBE WE COULD TAKE A SHORT BREAK AND I COULD PUT THEM INTO A BETTER ORDER.
DOES THAT SOUND OKAY? THAT, THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A, A NOBLE CAUSE.
UM, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME, UH, FOR STAFF TO KIND OF GIVE US A, A LITTLE REFRESHER, UH, REFRESHER ETO, NOT, NOT AS BIG AS A REFRESHER THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR BEFORE, BUT ON, ON, UH, ON KIND OF THE PROCESS OF, OF MOTIONS AND SECONDS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
CALEB SHA WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I'LL HAVE TO TRY TO DO IT WITHOUT SMOKEY ROBINSON, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST.
UM, SO
[01:25:01]
THE MOTION.AND THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU CAN BEGIN DISCUSSION ON, UM, ANY AMENDMENTS YOU WANNA MAKE TO THAT MOTION.
NOW, THOSE AMENDMENTS HAVE TO BE, UM, IN LINE WITH THE INTENT OF THE MAIN MOTION.
UM, SO, SO AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, A CLARIFICATION.
IT COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL CONDITION OR SUGGESTION THAT, UH, THE BODY AGREES WITH ACCEPTING.
AND THEN, UM, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THAT MOTION, THEN AT THAT POINT YOU WOULD MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION AND, UM, A SUBSTITUTE MOTION WOULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, STRIKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE, OF THE MAIN MOTION.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
LIKE, UH, I, WE WANNA VOTE TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM, IF IT, IF IT'S ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEN THAT'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
AND SO THE ORDER WOULD GO, UH, AT THAT POINT YOU WOULD HAVE A MAIN, THE MAIN MOTION, THE AMENDMENTS, AND THEN A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO IF YOU DO GET A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, YOU'LL VOTE ON THAT FIRST, IF THAT PASSES, THEN THAT BASICALLY TAKES OUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'D PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED.
IF IT FAILS, THEN YOU WOULD GO BACK AND VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT AND THEN THE MAIN MOTION.
SO, AND THAT'S ALL BY A MAJORITY, UM, IN ALL OF THOSE VOTES, UM, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, WE WOULD VOTE THE SAME WAY WE WOULD, THAT WE NORMALLY DO.
UM, I, I WILL JUST MAKE A, A QUICK CLARIFICATION, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE FOLLOWING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER TO A T WE WOULD VOTE ON EVERY SINGLE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, BUT TYPICALLY HOW, AS YOU KNOW, WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO IS AFTER IT'S MADE AND SECONDED, THE COMMISSION DOES A LITTLE BIT MORE FREE FLOWING JUST FOR TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD GET VERY LONG IF WE HAD TO VOTE ON EVERY SINGLE LITTLE AMENDMENT THAT EVERYBODY MAKES.
SO AFTER THE, THE MOTION BELONGS TO THE BODY, THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU COULD START DISCUSSING, CAN YOU TWEAK THIS? CAN YOU ADD THIS? AND IF EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT WITH IT, THEN WE'LL JUST ACCEPT IT.
UH, BY SHARE BRISTOL, YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH MY QUESTIONS AND STUFF AND, AND ON, AND, AND THEN EVERYONE WILL GET AN EXTRA 30 SECONDS OR SOMETHING IF YOU WANT, UH, BIGLER TO, TO HAVE ANY, ANY FOLLOW UP.
I, I DO THINK IT IS A, UH, VERY, UH, DAUNTING SCHEDULE THAT, THAT HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE Y'ALL AND US.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU GUYS CONTINUING TO, TO BE THE MESSENGERS, UH, UM, HERE, UM, IN, IN FOLLOWING UP ON A LOT OF THESE COMMENTS, THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE KIND OF POINTS OF CLARIFICATION AS I WAS GOING THROUGH STUFF THIS WEEK.
UM, AND A LOT OF THIS IS, UM, TIED TO MAYBE WHAT IS THE VARIANCE PROCESS, IF IT EXISTS FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UM, UH, AND, AND THESE MAY SOUND NITPICKY BECAUSE MOST OF MY STUFF GOT TICKED OFF, UH, BY OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
BUT, UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, RELOCATE AND REPLACE, UH, I THINK WASTEWATER LINES OUTSIDE OF THE INNER HALF OF THE CRITICAL, ARE THERE EXAMPLES WHERE THAT MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED OR, I MEAN, AND, AND I DIDN'T GET INTO THE WEEDS, BUT HAS THAT THEN BECOME AN ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE OR HOW, HOW DOES THAT FUNCTIONALLY WORK, OR HOW WILL YOU ANTICIPATING SITUATIONS LIKE THAT? UM, SO FOR THE UTILITY LINE PORTION, UM, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CALLED OUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE AMENDMENT, OR THE, SORRY, THE RESOLUTION, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE NEW PROJECTS COME IN AND THEY'RE NOT IN THE RIGHT, THEY'RE NOT IN THE CODE COMPLIANT LOCATION.
AND THEN IT BECOMES A STRUGGLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT STAFF SUPPORTS THEM OR NOT.
SO WE'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, GET YOUR EASEMENTS IN THE RIGHT LOCATION AND PUT YOUR LINES IN THE RIGHT LOCATION.
UM, OF COURSE THE VARIANCE PROCESS WILL EXIST AS IT DOES TODAY.
CUZ CURRENT CODE CURRENTLY, ALREADY DOESN'T ALLOW NEW LINES OR MAJOR RETROFITS, UM, ACTUALLY IN THE INNER HALF OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
ANYWAY, THIS IS REALLY CLARIFYING, UM, IN MY OPINION, CURRENT INTERPRETATION OF THAT.
SO THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IT'S A, UH, A PROJECT THAT IS, UH, UH, IT'S AN EXISTING LINE.
UM, THERE'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOMES UP, UP, UP AGAINST IT.
AND SO FINDING EASEMENT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE.
UM, MOVING IT INTO THE STREET MAY ALSO NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, UM, RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, COMPLICATED REASONS.
SO WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THOSE INTO ACCOUNT.
[01:30:01]
THE VARIANCE PROCESS IS THE SAME AS IT WOULD BE FOR ANYTHING ELSE.WE LOOK AT THE FINDINGS OF FACT, YOU KNOW, IS IT THE, UM, UH, MINIMUM DEPARTURE FROM CODE TO ALLOW REASONABLE USE? IS IT, UH, UH, ARE THERE SIGNIFICANT, UM, LIKELIHOOD OF ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES AND, AND ON AS WE DO EVERY, EVERY TIME.
UM, AND SO THAT PROCESS IS THERE.
THERE'S ALSO, UM, I BELIEVE LINE THAT IS ABOUT TO BREAK, UM, AND THEY NEED TO DO AN EMERGENCY REPAIR THAT THEY CAN ALREADY DO THAT IN THE GENERAL PERMIT.
UM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE PUTTING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SAME CAPACITY.
UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THERE AND THERE'S A, I MEAN, A, A VARIANCE PROCESS THAT MORE OR LESS SIMILAR TO OTHER, OTHER PARTS OF THE CODE THAT RIGHT.
ANYTHING IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, 25 8 CAN BE VARIED, UM, AT, JUST HAS TO GO THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS.
UM, THOSE, THEN THE ANSWERS BOTH OF THE UTILITY EXCEPT FOR THE SABER SPRINGS, OF COURSE.
UM, AT CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, I'M JUST GONNA START FILIBUSTERING HERE, BRISTOL.
SO, UM, I GUESS GIMME SOME KIND OF A SIGNAL.
UM, UH, ONE OF THE COMMENTS ON, UH, THE COLORADO RIVER STUFF WAS THAT I THINK THE PROFILE OF VIEWER, YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO ESTIMATE THE ORDINARY HIGH WATERMARK PLUS 400.
UM, JUST MAYBE THIS ISN'T A, A COMMENT, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT RIVER MOVES AROUND A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.
SO IS THERE A PROCESS WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT WHATEVER IS, IS, IS DATED OR WHAT'S, IS THERE A PLAN FOR THAT? UM, YEAH.
I'VE TALKED TO THE R GIS FOLKS ABOUT THAT AND THEY, UM, WE, YEAH, IT DEFINITELY MOVES AROUND.
AND THAT'S WHY THESE PROTECTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
UM, I THINK THAT IT WILL BE EITHER, PROBABLY NOT ANNUALLY, BUT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS WE WOULD LOOK AT, UM, THE ORDINARY HIGH WATERMARK, UM, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES AND, AND, UM, AND, AND REALLY THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, BUT ESPECIALLY ON THE COLORADO RIVER.
SO YES, THERE IS A, A PLAN FOR THAT.
AND, AND THAT, UM, LAYER DID GET UPLOADED TO THE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE PROPERTY PROFILE IF YOU WERE ALREADY.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS MAYBE JUST A COMMENT FOR ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK ONE OF THE, THE KIND OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT I'M, THAT I'VE HEARD IS TYING BACK TO, UM, A LOT OF THE MISSING MIDDLE STUFF, UH, COMMENTS ON KIND OF WHERE IT IS AND, AND, AND NOTICE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO, UH, I, I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN THE, IN THE MOTION, BRISTOL, UM, UH, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN, WHEN WE GET THERE.
UM, BUT KIND OF WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
UM, BARRETT, BIGLER, DID YOU HAVE A, A QUICK, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMENT OR SOMETHING? YES.
I, I JUST WANTED TO, TO BRING BACK UP THE, THE CONCERN THAT SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS HAVE ABOUT, UM, MORE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND SO THE QUESTION TO STAFF IS, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW COULD THAT PROCESS PLAY OUT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE TIMELINE? UM, IF, IF THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY KIND OF LIKE, WHAT, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO GATHER OR TO OPEN, UM, PROVIDE A VENUE OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PUBLIC INPUT OUTSIDE OF THE, THESE, UM, COMMISSION MEETINGS? YEAH.
UM, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY THINGS THAT AREN'T AS WELL VETTED AS, AS MANY OF THESE PROPOSALS, WE WANT TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON ENGAGEMENT.
UH, AND WE CERTAINLY WILL WITH PHASE TWO, UM, WITH THE GREENFIELD AND ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS, URBAN STEEP SLOPES PROTECTIONS, THAT'S NOT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
THAT IS WHAT COUNCIL ASKED US TO DO MORE INTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT ON.
UH, THEY VERY SPECIFICALLY DID NOT GIVE US TIME TO DO ENGAGEMENT, UH, ON, ON THESE ITEMS BECAUSE OF HOW WELL VETTED THEY WERE IN PREVIOUS DRAFTS OF THE LDC.
UH, SO THERE IS NOT TIME FOR US TO DO ENGAGEMENT, UH, AHEAD OF THE OCTOBER 13TH, UH, COUNCIL DATE.
UH, ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALSO HEARD FROM MULTIPLE FOLKS WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, UH, AND WE HAVE ANECDOTALLY HEARD FROM FOLKS IN, IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY THAT IF ANYTHING, UH, SOME OF THESE THINGS DON'T EVEN GO FAR ENOUGH, BUT ARE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOUR YEARS AGO.
UH, SO, SO COULDN'T BE, UH, COULDN'T COME SOONER, UH, FOR, FOR ALL THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE TALKING TO IN, IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY COMMUNITY.
[01:35:01]
OKAY.SO, UM, JUST FOR, UH, STRATEGIC, UM, I, I HAVE YEAH, 17, UM, OF THESE, CAN WE TAKE LIKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK OR SOMETHING? YEAH, I THINK THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
I, I, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY I'VE ADEQUATELY CAPTURED EVERYBODY'S, UM, CONCERNS AND, UH, AND THOUGHTS HERE.
LET'S ACTUALLY 7 38 JUST HIT, UM, UH, LET'S, LET'S, UH, TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND, UH, WE'LL RECONVENE, UH, HOPEFULLY AT 7 48.
COMMISSIONERS, IT IS SLIGHTLY AFTER 7 48.
UM, AND WE'RE, UH, RECONVENING A REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UH, AND WE ARE ON AGENDA ITEM 3, 2, 2, UM, UH, SECRETARY OF BRISTOL.
HOW, HOW, HOW WE DOING, I GOTCHA.
DONE
UM, I, I WOULD MAYBE TEE UP EVERYONE BE, BE LISTENING, UM, AND, UH, TAKING NOTES.
AND, UM, AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
I'LL TRY TO READ, UH, SLOW AND CLEAR, SLOW AND CLEAR.
UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MOTION, SEPTEMBER 21ST.
LET ME GET THE DATE CHANGED ON HERE, UH, ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TITLE 25.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS CONSIDERED THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 25 RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THIS ORDINANCE RESPONDS TO COUNCIL RESOLUTION NUMBER 2, 2 2 0 6 9 61, WHICH INITIATED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL DRAINAGE AND LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, THE RESOLUTION DIRECTED STAFF, UM, TO PRESENT MOST OF THE INITIATED INITIATED AMENDMENTS TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UH, RECOMMENDS THE AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 25 WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS.
I COMPILED, UH, SEVERAL OF THESE, UH, WE WENT FROM 17 TO 14.
SO HERE WE GO, UM, REQUIRE SMALL SCALE MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS TO SEND OUT ZONING AND BUILDING NOTIFICATIONS TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORS WITHIN 500 FEET NOTICES SHOULD BE AT A MINIMUM IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH REQUIRE LANDSCAPING AND FUNCTIONAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO HAVE A LONG TERM MAINTENANCE PLAN TO ENSURE PLANTS SURVIVAL, REDUCE HEAT ISLAND EFFECTS AND INCREASE TREE CANOPY, BRING AFFECTED NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE UP TO CODE, TO IMPROVE CAPACITY AND REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DUE TO LEAKAGE, REMOVE GRANDFATHER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UH, BEFORE.
AND I THINK I HAVE THIS DATE RIGHT, UH, 1996.
SO EVERY EVERYONE RECEIVES EQUITABLE REVIEW AND PROTECTIONS.
UH, A CLARIFICATION IF YOU'RE, UM, REFERRING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE THAT IS, UM, REFERRED TO IN THE LAND IN THE ORDINANCE THAT IS, UM, MAY 18TH, 1980 6, 86, SUCH A GOOD YEAR.
UH, I BELIEVE WHAT, UH, WAS BEING REFERRED TO THERE, UH, CONSIDER SLOPE.
SO THIS IS NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDER SLOPES IN URBAN AND SUB URBAN AREAS AS THE SAME NUMBER SIX, CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT TO ADJACENT LANDOWNERS TO SMALL SCALE MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS, REVIEW SF THREE AND ABOVE FOR EQUITABLE APPLICATION OF THE PROPOSED CODE CHANGES.
NUMBER EIGHT, REVIEW WATERSHED ACROSS THE CITY TO CREATE SIMILAR OR EQUITABLE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS AS, UM, UH, SIMILAR TO THE BARTON SPRINGS WATERSHEDS AS A MEAN TO IMPROVE DOWNSTREAM IMPACT OF THE COLORADO RIVER INCLUDE INCREASED TRAFFIC AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE SMALL SCALE MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS WILL OCCUR.
[01:40:01]
REQUIRE ALL NEW CODE OR IMPROVED CODE COMPLY WITH ATLAS 14 STANDARDS REQUIRE PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW OF ALL IN-CHANNEL FLOOD VARIANCES, INCENTIVIZE ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATIONS IN SMALL SCALE, MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS, INCENTIVIZE USE OF SOLAR CAPTURING TECHNOLOGY IN SMALL SCALE, MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT TO ALL CODE CHANGES.AND UNDER THAT ONE, THAT'S NUMBER 14.
I HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WISHES TO VOICE THEIR CONCERN THAT THE PUBLIC WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CODE REWRITE.
THAT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER.
UM, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UH, A COUPLE OF ITEMS. ONE WOULD BE, UH, IN INCREASE THE, OR REQUIRING OR INCREASING OR SOMETHING.
THE NUMBER OF EV STATIONS IN COMMERCIAL PARKING LOTS.
I KNOW SHE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MISSING MIDDLE, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN LARGE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THE USE OF CATCHMENT WATER SYSTEMS FOR THE USE, UH, IN COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE USE OF LANDSCAPING WATER NEEDS.
AND FINALLY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, PREVIOUSLY WE HAD A, UH, COMMITTEE GET TOGETHER AND MEET WITH THE INTENT OF, UH, THE WORKING GROUP, A WORKING GROUP.
WHATEVER THE RIGHT TERM IS, UH, EVALUATING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES LIKE THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT COMMITTEE MEET AGAIN, UH, IN TWO TIMES IN PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL REVIEWING, YOU KNOW, ADOPTING THIS MM-HMM
WHAT I'M LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE HERE OCTOBER 13TH IS WHEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL.
AND THAT WE HAVE OF ONE COMMISSION MEETING BEFORE THEN, OR DO WE HAVE TWO? WELL, YEAH, THE FIFTH WOULD BE TWO WEEKS FROM, UH, CORRECT.
SO JUST TO PROCESS, UM, THIS IS THE LAST TIME STAFF WILL BE PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, IT WILL GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION NEXT WEEK.
THEIR RECOMMENDATION GOES TO IS WHAT FORMALLY GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL FO.
SO FOR ANY CODE CHANGES, PLANNING COMMISSION IS THE BODY THAT MAKES THE OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION.
OF COURSE, OF COURSE, COUNCIL WILL ALSO WANT TO HEAR FROM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD CHOOSE TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT, UH, AGENDA IF YOU WISH IT WOULD BE AT, YOU KNOW, YOUR DISCRETION.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I, ONE, ONE SECOND, CRYSTAL, UM, I WOULD SAY I I'D LIKE TO I'D, I'D BE EXCITED IF WE CAME OUT OF TODAY WITH, WITH A MOTION THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION COULD, COULD, COULD HEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM US TONIGHT, UM, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO A, A WORKING GROUP CONTINUING TO MEET KIND OF, UM, MO MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN COMING TO US WITH, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IF THEY WANTED TO.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO GET SOME KIND OF EMOTION TONIGHT THAT IF WE CAN GET, UH, A MAJORITY OF US TO SUPPORT THE ELEMENTS THAT WE DO SUPPORT TO KIND OF SPEAK TO, TO THOMPSON'S LANGUAGE FROM THE LAST LAST MEETING OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BABY IN THE BATHWATER.
SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT'S OKAY, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US MOVING FORWARD WITH THE MOTION TO RIGHT.
[01:45:01]
TRIED TO PHRASE IT WAS THAT THE, THE TWO OR THREE ITEMS I PUT IN THERE THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO, UH, COMMISSIONER BRISTOL'S MOTION, MOTION, THEN ADD THE THING ABOUT, WELL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE WORKING GROUP GET TOGETHER AS A SEPARATE THING.AND IT WOULD BE THE SAME WORKING GROUP THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHO WAS IN THERE.
I'M PRETTY SURE KAYLA IS VERY DILIGENT ABOUT THESE THINGS.
AND SHE HAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, AND COMMISSIONER BEDFORD, BUT WE CAN, AND COMMISSIONER BRISTOL, SORRY.
AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO JOIN THE PARTY SECRETARY.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE SAME MEMBERS.
BUT IT CANNOT BE MORE THAN FIVE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND JUST A REMINDER THAT STAFF SUPPORT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN OFFER, UH, AS A GIVEN FOR WORKING GROUPS.
SECRETARY BRISTOL, YOU, YOU, YOUR HAND RAISED EARLIER, IT CAN KINDA ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION.
ANYTHING ELSE? UH, BRENDA, NO, THAT'S FINE.
I, WELL, I POINT OF CLARIFICATION WITH REGARD TO THE WORKING GROUP, UH, I KNOW BEING SENSITIVE TO THE, UH, WALKING QUORUM, FUN STUFF.
UH, IF WE WERE TO DECIDE IN THIS MEETING AT SOME APPROPRIATE POINT WHO THE FIVE MEMBERS ARE, THEN WE WOULD BE FREE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OURSELVES, THOSE FIVE PEOPLE TO SET UP A MEETING AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT SORT OF FUN STUFF WITHOUT GETTING IN TROUBLE WITH ANYONE, OR WOULD WE HAVE TO RUN THAT THROUGH YOU IN ORDER TO SET THAT UP? I'LL SAY, UM, IF IT'S IN THE WORKING GROUP MEETING, I THINK I WOULD JUST TRY NOT TO DISTRIBUTE ANY DRAFTS, UM, MATERIALS LIKE THAT THROUGH EMAIL, UM, SAVE YOUR DISCUSSION FOR THE MEETING AND THEN, UM, BUT AS FAR AS COORDINATION GOES, I THINK THAT'S FINE.
SO WOULD YOU, I WOULD JUST, WHOEVER'S THE MAIN COORDINATOR, WHOEVER, IF COMMISSION BRIGHTENER, YOU DECIDE YOU WANNA BE THE PERSON TO COORDINATE THE MEETING.
UM, WE, MAYBE WE CAN GET A HEADCOUNT BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING OF WHO'S INTERESTED IN, AND THEN YOU CAN EMAIL THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THEN JUST HAVE THEM RESPOND TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY INSTEAD OF, UM, ALL ON A, ON A CHAIN.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? RIGHT? YEAH.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE, UH, COMMENTS ON THE MOTION BEFORE US, JUST TO POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
SO THE MAIN MOTION THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF THE SUGGESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING THROUGHOUT THE MEETING, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND PROCEDURALLY IS THERE, I GUESS WHAT I HAVE TO PROPOSE I A QUESTION FOR STAFF TO SEPARATE THOSE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE STAFF PROPOSED PROPOSAL, THAT'S ON THE TABLE FOR ITEM TWO.
IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT? WOULD I HAVE TO PROPOSE ABTA, UH, A, UH, SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT OR SUBSTITUTE PROPOSAL PROMOTION? RATHER? I, I BELIEVE WHAT'S BEING, UH, COULD SAY, SAY THAT AGAIN.
SO, SO BASICALLY THE IDEA IS I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SEPARATE THE PROPOSAL, THE ORDINANCE PROPOSAL THAT'S ON ITEM TWO FROM THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THE MEETING.
SO THEY COULD BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY SO THAT I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, TO SIMPLY SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS AS PRESENTED TO US.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.
SO YOU'D HAVE A, A MOTION TO SUPPORT AND THEN ANOTHER MOTION WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE CAN BE TWO MOTIONS ON A SINGLE ITEM AND, AND JUST, JUST I'M I THINK THIS IS MAYBE GETTING A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, YOU WANNA SUPPORT STAFF'S PROPOSAL WITH THE SUGGESTIONS THAT EVER BE, HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? OR SO I GUESS IF WE WERE TO VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'D BE DOING.
MM-HMM
YOU CAN'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS.
YOU CAN EITHER AS A BODY VOTE TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS WITHOUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION OR THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, THAT COMBINES THE TWO.
JUST MAKING SURE MM-HMM
[01:50:01]
THAT IS, I GUESS, JUST, AND, AND KIND OF ARTICULATE IT, BUT IT IS JUST, UH, TO SUPPORT THE, THE CODE AMENDMENT AS, AS WRITTEN AND PRESENTED RIGHT NOW.AND THEN WE WOULD, AS A BODY VOTE ON THAT, THAT SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
IF THAT PASSES, THEN IT BECOMES THE MOTION IN FRONT OF US.
AND IF IT FAILS, THEN WE FALL BACK TO THE MOTION THAT WAS PRESENTED IN SECOND.
AND WE'RE DISCUSSING, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
WE WOULD, UH, FIRST VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS AND THEN THE MAIN MOTION.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A SUBSTITUTE, A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UH, CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS AS PRESENTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WITHOUT THE SUGGESTIONS PROPOSED DURING THE MEETING.
IS THERE A, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE REALLY OVER COMPLICATING THINGS.
I'M SORRY THAT JUST THROWING IT IN THERE.
IS THERE A, I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS, BUT, UM, IS THERE A SECOND FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER NICHOLS MOTION? TOTALLY FINE.
IF THERE'S NOT JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
IT, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO, I THINK YOU SEE WHAT I'M GETTING AT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
REGARDLESS OF HOW IT TURNS OUT, I THINK THEY'RE YOUR PROPOSAL DESERVES A VOTE.
SO WE'VE GOT, UH, A MOTION BEFORE US TO SUPPORT THE CODE AMENDMENT AS IT WAS, AS PRESENTED TO US, BY STAFF WITH NO ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS OF ADDITIONAL COMMENT, UH, THAT WE WALKED THROUGH.
UM, AND THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
SO WE ARE NOW GOING TO VOTE ON IT.
UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO ASK FOR, UM, WHETHER THERE'S ANY, UM, DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION.
AND, UH, I PERSONALLY, I I'M, UM, MY, I MOVED THE QUESTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY DISCUSSION.
UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION THAT'S A, A NEW WRINKLE THAT WE MAY NOT BE READY FOR YET? I, I MOVED THAT WE DON'T VOTE.
I, THE VOTE, I, I, I, I MOVED THE, I MOVED THE QUESTION THAT CHAIR, UH, CAN THEN DECIDE, UM, UH, TO, UM, IS THERE A SECOND TO MOVE THE VOTE TO, TO MOVE THE VOTE, TO MOVE THE, THE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER BARRY PIGS THERE.
UH, POINT OF, UH, CLARIFICATION IS THAT, UH, I MOVED THE, I MOVED THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? IF NOT FINE.
UH, BUT THERE SHOULD BE A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THERE'S A SECOND.
IS THERE A SECOND ON COMMISSIONER? SCOTT'S MOVE TO MOTION TO NOT DISCUSS THIS, BUT TO MOVE DIRECTLY TO A VOTE ON THIS, UH, ON COMMISSIONER NICHOL'S MOTION.
WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS, UH, VERY BIGLER.
DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BEFORE US? YES.
I, I JUST WANT COMMISSIONER NICHOLS, I BELIEVE YES.
THAT, UM, COMMUNICATE THE PROS AND CONS OF OUR, OUR, HIS, THE LOGIC OF WHY HE'S SUGGESTING THIS.
SO, UH, THE REASON I'M SUGGESTING THIS IS BASICALLY TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON RECORD AS FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO DO WANT TO SUPPORT THE CODE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO US JUST AS, AS THE COMMISSION, WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ON THE RECORD FOR THE MINUTES AND ON THE VOTE.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON HAD TO FIND MUTE.
UM, WE WERE ASKED FOR OUR COMMENTS AND OUR CONSIDERATION.
THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE DO AS A BOARD.
SO I APPRECIATE MYSELF EVERYONE'S COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BEFORE US? ALL RIGHT.
UM, I'M GONNA GO DO ROLL CALL, UH, TO MAKE IT EASIER ON KAYLA.
UH, SO, UH, COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIGLER.
[01:55:01]
YAY.YOUR NAME NA COMMISSIONER CARI.
UM, I WOULD SAY NAY, IF IT WAS A GUN IN MY HEAD IN THE FINAL HOUR, I WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT THE SITUATION.
I'M GONNA NEED A VERBAL YAY OR NAY MA'AM NO, NO, NO, NO.
UM, UH, SORRY, SECRETARY BRISTOL.
SO THAT DOES NOT REPLACE THE MOTION AS PRESENTED BY BRISTOL AND SECONDED.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE, THANK YOU.
I MEAN, THAT WAS, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN THEN AGAIN, I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT THAT WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE WAS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS ON THE RECORD, NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE NOT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, UPSET ANYONE JUST THAT'S THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY, SO APPRECIATE IT.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT THE 14 AND PLUS, UH, A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS FROM, FROM BRIER.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE MOTION BEFORE US AND THE LANGUAGE OF THAT? ALL RIGHT.
UM, CAN WE ADD TO THE PUBLIC NOTIFICATION, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS THAT WAS DELETED, THAT THEY BE THAT I GUESS THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IS REMOVE 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 25, B FOUR CHANGES REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ADOPTED BY COUNSEL.
AND YOU'RE SAYING TO ADD THAT TO THE YES.
I'M THAT WAS I'M I'M ASKING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS NOT BE REMOVED FROM CUZ THAT WAS DELETED.
SO WHEN THAT NEEDS NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS NEED TO BE KEPT SECOND.
SO THIS IS SO, UM, GO AHEAD, BRI.
I, I, I, I THINK THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL THAT'S THAT'S NUMBER, UH, 18.
NOT, NOT ADDED TO THE, THE NOTICES ONE THAT YOU HAD.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO, UM, REINSTATE OR MAINTAIN MAYBE? UH, YEAH, I GUESS REINSTATE.
AND CAN YOU GIMME THAT CODE NUMBER AGAIN? I HOPE I HAVE IT CORRECT.
IT'S 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 25, B FOUR.
AND THAT'S IN NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATION, NO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
SO STAFF, WE'VE GOT THREE ADDITIONAL KIND OF ADDITIONAL, WHAT ARE ADDITIONS TO, UH, TO THE MOTION WE VOTE ON ADDING THOSE? I THINK IF, IF THE COMMISSION, IF EVERYONE IS IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE AMENDMENTS TO THE MAIN MOTION THAT ARE ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW, WE WILL VOTE ON ALL THE AMENDMENTS.
TOGETHER AS ONE AND THEN ON THE MAIN MOTION.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, I THINK COMMISSION
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD ADD SOMETHING.
UM, I'D LIKE THE WAY THAT ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, CREATED A PHASE TWO SECTION, AND WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THIS LANGUAGE DELAY, PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT SLASH REDEVELOPMENT CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO SMALL SCALE, MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING PROJECTS WITHIN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
AND THEN WHAT'S IN THE FIRST BULLET OF THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH SAYS REQUIRE THE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF TO WORK WITH THE AUSTIN'S EQUITY OFFICE TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES CREATED BY DIFFERENT RULES BY THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES.
SO I HOPE THAT'S NOT SUBSTANTIAL, BUT THIS TIES INTO MY COMMENTS EARLIER REGARDING ALL THE PROTECTIONS THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF AUSTIN HAVE COMPARED TO THE, THE AREAS WITHIN THE DESIRED
[02:00:01]
DEVELOPMENT ZONE.I'D SAY AS LONG AS THE REST OF THE MISSION IS IN SUPPORT OF THAT, WE'LL GROUP IT WITH THE OTHER AMENDMENTS.
UM, I'M GONNA GET A LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND SEE IF WE NEED TO VOTE ON THESE AMENDMENTS SINGLY, OR IF WE WANT TO GROUP THEM ALL TOGETHER.
SO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO VOTE ON THEM SINGLY, UH, GET ME, I GUESS, RAISE YOUR HAND OR TELL ME NO, I THINK EVEN WHILE I MIGHT NOT COMPLETELY AGREE, I THINK THAT IT IT'S, UH, I WANNA VOICE MY SUPPORT OF EACH, UM, COMMISSION MEMBER, UM, SHARING THEIR, THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALLOW CITY COUNCIL TO, UH, SEE THOSE.
REMOTE ANY, RAISE YOUR HAND, IF YOU, YOU WANT TO VOTE ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON ADDING ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS TO THE MOTION AND IF THAT PASSES, THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE MOTION.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE MOTIONS ARE ADDED.
UM, NOW WE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THE MOTION BEFORE US WITH THE 14 PLUS THE THREE I BELIEVE, OR MAYBE FOUR 14 PLUS FOUR.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO ROLL CALL AGAIN.
UH, EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN SITTING HERE FOR OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.
UM, AND THOSE THAT CAME FOR THIS ITEM.
SO I GUESS AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, UH, BRIER, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WELL, LET'S, LET'S GO THROUGH WHO WE THINK THE FIVE PEOPLE OF THE WORKING GROUP ARE GOING TO BE NOW AND SEE IF WE CAN SORT THAT OUT AT THAT THERE ARE NO MORE THAN FIVE THAT THAT WANT TO BE ON THAT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THE WORKING GROUP, THAT'S GONNA MEET A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE THE NEXT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
SO WE'VE GOT BRISTOL THOMPSON, BEDFORD, GUI, AND BMR. WHY DON'T YOU TAKE, TAKE POINT ON COORDINATING WHEN, WHEN THE MEETING IS AND SUCH.
I'VE GOT THE WRONG MINUTES IN FRONT OF YOU.
UH, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS SOMEWHERE PERFECT.
[3. Name: Manor ISD Elementary School #10 (SP-2022-0095CX)]
NUMBER THREE, MAINER ISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER P 2022 DASH NINE FIVE CX.UM, APPLICANT IS MAYNOR ISSD AND IT'S IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION AND THEN THE APPLICANTS AVAILABLE AS WELL.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR STICKING WITH US.
I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SPECIALIST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UH, TONIGHT I'LL BE PRESENTING, UH, VARIANCE FROM THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 3 42 TO
[02:05:01]
ALLOW FIELD, UH, OVER FOUR UP TO 33 FEET.AND THE APPLICANT, UM, IS MINERAL ISD ELEMENTARY CALLED, UH, WITH SITE PLAN NUMBER S P 2 0 2 2 0 0 95.
UH, I'M GONNA PRETTY MUCH RUN THROUGH ALL OF THIS TO GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT, UH, ESPECIALLY THE SITE, UM, REQUIREMENTS AND, UM, VARIANCE REQUEST.
UH, THAT'S THE PROPERTY THERE AND IT'S, UM, IN THE LAN CREEK WATERSHED, UH, CLASSIFIED AS SUBURBAN IT'S IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE, AND THERE IS, IS NOT LOCATED OVER THE EDWARD AQUIFER, UH, RICHARD ZONE.
AND THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WILD OR, UH, P U D SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED AND, UM, THE PROJECT PURPOSES, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THREE DRIVEWAYS, WATER, AND WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THE PROPERTY SLOPES SIMPLY FROM THE WEST TO THE SOUTHEAST CORNER AND THE SLOPE IN EACH OF THE SIDE, COUPLED WITH OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, I'VE NECESS STATE, THIS AMOUNT OF FUEL, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS REQUIREMENTS HERE ARE THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY NECESS NECESS STATE THE FUEL, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH THE DEED RESTRICTION, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DEED PRETTY MUCH MANDATE THE PROPERTY TO BE USED FOR AN EDUCATIONAL BUILDING FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, 99 YEARS, TO BE PRECISE, ACCORDING TO THE DEED.
AND, UM, BASED OFF OF THE TEXAS, UH, EDUCATION AGENCY REQUIREMENTS, UH, CERTAIN CLASSROOM SIZE TO IS REQUIRED, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN, UH, WHICH HAS COST SOME KIND OF CONSTRICTION FOR THE APPLICANT TO REDESIGN.
UM, THERE IS ALSO THE DRIVE, UH, THE SLOPES OF THE DRIVE.
IT'S MOSTLY A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, UH, THE P D TRAIL, CAUSE LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE IN THE WILD OR P U D AND ALSO THE EXTENDED AD ACCESSIBILITY, ANY AND ALL THE AREAS VISITED BY THE STUDENTS MUST BE AD ACCESSIBLE.
AND ALSO THERE IS THE 2000 LINEAR FEED OF Q LENGTH REQUIRED TO SERVE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE HERE.
SO THIS PRETTY MUCH SHOWS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, UM, TYPICALLY GRASSES AND PRAIRIE, UH, NEXT LIGHT PLACE.
AND THE VARI REQUEST, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IS TO ALLOW FUEL, UH, OVER FOUR FEET UP TO 33 WITH, WITHIN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE, ACCORDING TO THE CODE, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THIS PRETTY MUCH SHOWS THE GRADING EXHIBIT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH I, LIKE I SAID BEFORE HAS BEEN NECESSITATED BECAUSE OF THE SLOPING OF THE SITE.
AND ALSO IT'S PREVIOUS USE AS POLLS AREA FOR SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
I'D MENTIONED THE TA REQUIREMENT, THE CITY OF AUSTIN REQUIREMENT AND THE ADA REQUIREMENT, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLACE.
BUT FINDINGS OF FACT, I'VE BEEN MET.
UM, STAFF IS GONNA RECOMMEND THIS, UH, VARIANCE IN STAFF ALSO SUPPORT THE VARI BASED OFF OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED EXHIBITS.
UH, THE RE THE CONDITIONS ARE PROVISION OF STRUCTURAL CONTAINMENT OF FUEL WITH, UH, TERRORIST TO RETAINING WALL WHERE APPLICABLE, AND ALSO INCREASING TREEING TREES ON SIDES BY ADDING 20 NATIVE TREES OVER THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF TREES ARE PROVISION OF PAL PLANTS ALONG WITH EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE FOR THE KIDS AND USING RAINWATER HARVESTING ON SITE AS WELL.
SO THIS PAGE JUST SHOWS THE VARIANCE EXHIBITS.
UM, IT SHOWS THE ADDITIONAL TREES ISSUES, THE, UM, THE FEE, UH, THE CONTAINMENT, THE STRUCTURAL CONTAINMENT, THE RETAINING WALL BEHIND, UH, THE BUILDINGS AND, UM, WHICH IS GONNA BE TERRORISTS, UM, NEXT LIGHT PLACE.
AND THIS ALSO SHOWS THE OTHER CONDITIONS, UM,
[02:10:01]
THE POLY PLANTS AND, UM, THE RAINWATER VESTING ON SITE.AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION QUESTIONS, CONCERNS.
UM, I, I LET'S MAYBE HEAR, OR FROM THE APPLICANT, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION OR JUST, UH, AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE THOUGH? UM, NOT REALLY A PRESENTATION, BUT I GUESS A LITTLE MORE CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE SITE.
AND THEN MAYBE WE'LL JUST Y'ALL CAN FIELD QUESTIONS AT THE SAME TIME, IF THAT WORKS.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND, AND THEN GO GIVE CLARIFICATIONS I'M MONICA S GILL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGER ON THIS, UH, MAIN ISD SITE.
DO WE HAVE SLIDES? THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CONVEYANCE OF THE PROPERTY.
THE MAIN R ID WAS GIVEN THIS SITE BY THE PUD DEVELOPER.
WE DID NOT CHOOSE OR, UM, DECIDE TO BUY THIS SITE.
IT WAS PREVIOUSLY LISTED AS COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, ON THE PUD DOCUMENTS, BUT WAS REVISED IN, UM, REVISION SIX AND REASSIGNED TO PUBLIC ELEMENTARY TO NARI WENT THROUGH THESE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SORRY, THAT'S THE WRONG ONE, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, SO AS YOU SAID, IT'S RESTRICTED IN THE DEED TO BE USED AS A PRIMARY ELEMENTARY FOR THE NEXT 99 YEARS.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, IT WAS GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A FREE SITE IS NOT FREE OF DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES.
UM, SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE NOT IN NEAR ANY CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
WE'RE NOT NEAR ANY FLOOD PLAINS.
WE'RE IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
THE BAD NEWS IS WE HAVE 50 FEET, UM, DIFFERENCE OF ELEVATION ON THE ACTUAL SITE AND THAT TERMINATES IN A DRAIN EASEMENT.
UM, SO WE HAVE STRIVE TO THOUGHTFULLY PLACE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, FOR THIS SITE IN THE BEST MANNER POSSIBLE.
THIS IS THE BUILDING SPACE PLAN, UM, DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECT, WHICH AS TENDI SAID, IT'S, UM, TO TA STANDARDS, WE CAN'T DEVIATE FROM THOSE IT'S PER CLASSROOM PER GRADE.
IF WE WERE TO SIZE A SCHOOL SMALLER, UM, THEN THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD HAVE TO HAVE PORTABLES ON DAY ONE.
UH, AND THIS IS, UH, EAST AUSTIN.
THIS IS AN AREA NEAR MAYNOR THAT'S GROWING RAPIDLY.
THE PUT DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA BRING IN LOTS OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES.
SO, UM, THE CURRENT ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS LOGOS IN THIS AREA IS AT CAPACITY THIS YEAR.
SO THEY REALLY NEED THIS, UM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE BUILT THERE.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL BECAUSE THAT'S THE PUT DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS THAT DESIGNATION AS THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, UM, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING BECAUSE HAS ALREADY GONE OVER EVERYTHING ELSE I HAVE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANY, THANK YOU.
UH, COMMISSIONERS WILL, WILL START REMOTE.
DOES ANYONE REMOTE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, YEAH.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, THANKS, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND ISD FOR THE PRESENTATION FOR COMING HERE.
UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LIKE WAS STATED BY THE APPLICANT, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYER IS GROWING LIKE CRAZY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THAT THERE'S A, A TRAIL ELEMENT FOR SURE.
UH, JUST MAKES IT EASIER TO, TO GO THERE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, BOTH STUDENTS AND FOR TEACHERS OR NOT, AND TEACHERS AND PARENTS.
UH, AND STAFF, UH, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS WITH THE TREES, RIGHT? LIKE, IDEALLY I UNDERSTAND IT'S GONNA BE EASIER TO BRING IN LIKE, YOU KNOW, SMALLER TREES OR WHATEVER, BUT IT'D BE NICE, RIGHT? LIKE WHEN THE SCHOOL STARTS OR THE TREES ARE LIKE RELATIVELY DECENTLY SIZED TO PROVIDE SHADE, RIGHT.
ESPECIALLY AS THINGS ARE JUST GONNA GET, I ASSUME, HOTTER AND HOTTER RIGHT.
DURING THE, UH, BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND, UH, PROBABLY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TOO.
UH, IT'LL PROBABLY BE PRETTY, PRETTY HOT, YOU KNOW, SO AS MUCH A AS YOU CAN PROVIDE PEOPLE, UH, I THINK THE BETTER.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
IS THAT A QUESTION THAT I NEED TO RESPOND TO? THEY'RE CURRENTLY THREE INCH CALIBERS.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE BIGGER IF YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT AN AORIST, BUT THAT WAS JUST SORT OF LIKE MY GUT FEELING, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW BIG THEY WERE AND WHAT I GUESS, UH, POSSIBILITIES THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY, UH, CONVERSATION ABOUT USING LIKE AC CONDENSATE AND, AND THE
[02:15:01]
THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE WATER AND USE THAT IN YOUR GARDEN? UM, WE CERTAINLY CAN USE AC CONDENSATE, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF TIME, WE REALLY DIDN'T DESIGN IT THAT WAY.WE JUST DID RAINWATER COLLECTION, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY ADD THAT.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A LOT OF FUN FOR THE KIDS.
I THINK THERE'S A STELLAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND DRIPPING SPRINGS, AND PERHAPS YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT WHERE THE CHILDREN ARE IN CHARGE OF, UM, A LOT OF THE ASPECTS OF THE GARDEN AND THE CAPTURING THE WATER.
AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN FOR THEM AND IT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WOULD, UM, BE COST PROHIBITIVE FOR YOU OR IF THERE ARE, UH, WAYS THAT THAT COULD BE, UM, THAT THE COSTS COSTS COULD BE OFFSET THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT YOU MIGHT LOOK INTO.
BUT I THINK IT, IT WOULD BE A LOT OF FUN FOR THE CHILDREN.
UM, AND WE'VE KIND OF MADE IT, UM, KIND OF MULTI-USE SO THAT THE TEACHER CAN DICTATE WHAT THEY WANT TO USE AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM.
UM, AND YEAH, I THINK GARDENING WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
MAY, MAY I JUST JUMP AND INTERRUPT JUST A MOMENT.
MIKE MCDOUGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO, WHILE I SPOKE WITH LIZ JOHNSON, DEPUTY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, AND I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO THE, UH, THE DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT THE, THE TREE SIZE.
SO LIZ HAS A BACKGROUND, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE.
UM, IT IS POSSIBLE TO UPSIZE THE TREES.
HOWEVER, I THINK ONCE WE GO PAST ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE INCHES, UH, THE PRICE WOULD GO UP SUBSTANTIALLY AND ALSO THE TREES WOULD GROW MORE SLOWLY AND PROBABLY NOT HAVE AS GOOD OF A LIFESPAN.
SO DID I, DID I GET THAT CORRECT, LIZ? UH, YEAH, CORRECT.
I THINK THAT IN THE, THE, THE TRADE YOU CAN GET THREE INCHES IS FAIRLY STANDARD.
FOUR INCHES IS ALSO A FAIRLY STANDARD SIZE.
ONCE YOU GET UP ABOVE THAT, UM, SURVIVABILITY RATES TEND TO GO DOWN.
UM, NOT THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE THREE TO FIVE INCH CPER AT, AT PLANTING, ESPECIALLY MAKES SENSE.
ANYONE ELSE REMOTE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
ANYONE HERE? HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, BRISTOL.
UM, UH, LET ME GO BACK HERE, UM, AND LOOK AT THIS, GET ON THE RIGHT RIGHT PAGE.
UM, WHAT ABOUT, UH, INCLUDING ANY KIND OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY, UM, IN THE PROJECT, WILL THERE BE ANYTHING I KNOW MAINER'S DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THAT IN THE PAST, BUT, UH, WILL THERE BE SOLAR TECHNOLOGY USED AT THE SCHOOL? UM, NOT THAT I KNOW OF.
I THINK PROBABLY PRICE WOULD DICTATE THAT I'M NOT SURE.
UM, I COULD SPEAK TO THE DISTRICT ABOUT IT.
I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT, OKAY.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT ABOUT A, A CHARGING STATION OF ANY KIND FOR ELECTRIC CAR FOR THE STAFF OR THE TEACHERS? WE DON'T HAVE ONE PROPOSED CURRENTLY UM, WHAT WE COULD, UH, IT WOULD BE FOR TEACHERS JUST BECAUSE PARENTS DROP OFF AND PICK UP IS SO QUICK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULDN'T BE USED.
UM, BUT WE COULD DO ONE FOR TEACHERS.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN, UH, KIND OF CIRCLING BACK, UH, TO THE TREES, UM, AND KIND OF, UH, WHAT CARI WAS, UM, SAYING COMMISSIONER KREI WAS SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I VISIT SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME AT ONE, I WAS VISITING 36 SCHOOLS, UH, EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WOULD WATCH THESE TREES GET PLANTED AND EVERYBODY WAS SO EXCITED AND THEY'D, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE KIDS OUT AND THE PTA WOULD BE THERE AND THEY'RE PLANNING A TREE, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, AND THEN IT'S DEAD IN TWO YEARS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A, A MAINTENANCE PLAN AROUND THAT.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A REALLY PRETTY LONG TERM, UH, CARE PLAN FOR ALL OF THESE, UH, TREES THAT ARE GONNA BE PLANTED AS WELL AS THE ONES THAT ALREADY EXISTING ON
[02:20:01]
THE SITE.UH, MIKE, MIKE MCDOUGLE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO THERE IS A NOTE ON ALL LANDSCAPE PLANS THAT ARE IN THE FULL AND LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION THAT BASICALLY SAYS THAT, UM, THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE LANDSCAPE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED PLAN.
SO WE DON'T HAVE LANDSCAPE INSPECTORS THAT GO TO SITES AFTER THEY'RE BUILT, YOU KNOW, YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH, OR MAINTAIN THE LANDSCAPE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED LANDSCAPE PLAN.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LANDSCAPE PLAN SHOWED 20 EXTRA TREES AND THEN 10 OF THOSE DIED, THE APPLICANT WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A CONDITION OF THE PERMIT AND, AND A CONDITION OF THE VARIANCE AS WELL.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UH, REAL QUICK.
MY, MY LAST THING IS I'M CONSIDERING, UH, CONSIDER, UM, NATURAL CLASSROOMS AND NATURAL PLAY AREAS.
KAYLA, YOU WERE GONNA MAYBE RESPOND TO THE, THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT, ABOUT THE TREE MAIN MAINTENANCE.
I WAS JUST GONNA SPEAK TO THE TREES.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL ON PICKING NATIVE ADAPTABLE TREES.
THERE ARE NO PECAN TREES FOR INSTANCE, PROPOSED, UM, UH, AND I THINK, UM, ADDING SHADE IN THE PLAY AREA, WE DEFINITELY HAVE, UM, A LOT OF TREES PROPOSED AROUND THE PLAY AREA.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS IN THE SLIDES, BUT IT WAS IN, IT IS IN OUR PACKET IN LANDSCAPE AREA.
YEAH, I, I THINK, UM, WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING THERE IS, IS, UM, NOT JUST A PLAY SCAPE AREA, BUT A NATURAL PLAY AREA, UM, WHICH ARE, UM, QUITE DIFFERENT.
UM, DEL VALLEY HAS DONE A COUPLE, UH, A FEW OF THE EAST SIDE SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, SEVERAL THE, A I S D SCHOOLS, UM, AS PART OF THEIR GREEN SCHOOL PARKS, UH, PROGRAM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, UH, COM UH, SECRETARY BRISTOL.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MARINATING, I THINK, UM, IT'S CERTAINLY FEASIBLE.
WE HAVE AN OPEN PLAY AREA I'M, I'M GUESSING BY NATURAL YOU'RE MEANING.
UM, I GUESS IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY NATURAL.
SO THAT THERE'S, THERE'S AN ENTIRE, UM, STANDARD AROUND, UH, NATURAL PLAY AREAS, UH, ESPECIALLY AS THEY RELATE TO SCHOOLS, UM, THEY'RE NOT CALLED PLAYGROUNDS, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR A REASON, UH, THEY GO BY DIFFERENT STANDARDS, SO THEY'RE NATURAL PLAY AREAS, UM, OR OUTDOOR AND LEARNING OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
UM, AND, UM, THOSE ARE USING MORE NATURAL.
UM, UM, THERE'S 12 POINTS, UM, WITHIN THAT, UM, THAT WAS, UH, DEVELOPED.
SO IT'S, UM, INCREASING, UM, UH, NATIVE PLANTS THAT CHILDREN CAN SEE SMELL AND TOUCH, UM, INCREASING, UM, UH, LEARNING SPACES IN THE OUTDOORS, UM, IMPROVING, UM, UH, SHADE, BOTH NATURAL, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURAL, UM, THE, UH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER USING, UM, NATURAL, UM, ELEMENTS FOR STRUCTURES INSTEAD OF JUST, UH, METAL OR PLASTIC.
UM, SO THAT THE TACTILE, WHAT THEY'RE TOUCHING AND FEELING IS, UM, NATURAL, UM, AND, UH, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE SENSORY GARDENS FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE, UH, SENSORY ISSUES AND, UH, AND THEN ALSO ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.
UM, THERE IS A OBESITY PREVENTION PORTION OF THAT THAT, UM, CREATES MORE, UM, UM, UM, ACTIVE, UH, YOU'RE INCREASING ACTIVE PLAY AS, AS WELL AS, UM, UM, UH, SMALLER, UM, ACT, DIAL PLAY.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S 12 DIFFERENT POINTS.
I'M HAPPY TO SEND YOU ANYTHING ON THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, UM, CITY OF BOSTON ADOPTED THOSE INTO THEIR, OR, OR NOT THE CITY OF BOSTON, BUT, UM, A, I S D ADOPTED THOSE INTO THEIR NEW BUILDING STANDARDS, UM, FOR ALL NEW SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU COULD VIEW OUR SLIDES, IF WE COULD SEE ONE, I, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING.
UM, THERE ARE TWO PLAYGROUNDS, BUT THERE'S ALSO KIND OF AN OPEN AREA.
THAT'S MORE FOR IMAGINATIVE PLAY.
UM, AND ALONG WITH THOSE, THOSE PLANTERS THAT CAN BE PLANTED WITH, YOU KNOW, THOSE TACTILE PLANTS, UM, AND AN EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE THAT WE'VE PROPOSED TO BE IN THOSE REGARDING, UM, POLLINATORS, UH, NATIVE INSECT SPECIES, UM,
[02:25:01]
REALLY ANYTHING BEES, ESPECIALLY, UM, ANYTHING THAT THE TEACHER WOULD LIKE TO INCORPORATE.UM, SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ELEMENTS, BUT I'LL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT.
I JUST HAD, UH, ONE QUESTION, UM, I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE WAS ANY, UM, COM COMPOST PROGRAM ON THE, ON A CAMPUS, OR, UM, ONE THING THAT KIND OF POPPED IN MY HEAD SINCE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAD MENTIONED A GARDEN ASPECT WAS, UM, I REMEMBER IN MY MIDDLE SCHOOL, TOWARDS THE END, THEY KIND OF ADDED LIKE A, THEY HAD A COUPLE CHICKENS AND LIKE KIND OF MADE IT KIND OF A COMPREHENSIVE KIND OF EDUCATIONAL COMPOST GARDEN WITH ALSO FEEDING THE CHICKENS.
AND, AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING KIND OF INTERESTING FOR THE KIDS.
UM, I AM NOT A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE.
I DON'T WORK FOR ME ATD, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY BRING THAT UP TO THEM.
CAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING SUPER SIMPLE THAT YOU COULD INCORPORATE.
AND, UM, SECOND COMMISSIONER BRISTOLS UM, JUST QUESTIONS ASKING JUST GENERALLY WE ARE STARTING TO ASK MORE AND MORE, UM, DEVELOPMENT IF YOU'RE INCLUDING SOLAR OR EV CHARGING STATIONS.
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, JUST MAKE A, A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION THAT IT'S CONSIDERED.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I, I APOLOGIZE IF, IF, IF IT WAS, IF I MISSED IT, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN INTEGRATIVE, UH, PEST, UH, MANAGEMENT, UH, PROGRAM, AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN? I, YES, WE DO.
UM, I JUST WANTED THEM TO CONSIDER THE AIR QUALITY WHERE THE CHILDREN WAIT FOR THE BUSES WITH THEIR PLANT THINGS AND THINGS.
I THINK THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER BARER.
I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT'S TIED INTO NO IDLING REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSES ON CAMPUSES, WHICH I THINK IS ADOPTED NOW, BUT I ARE ENFORCED NOW ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES, BUT I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE.
DO YOU GUYS KNOW IF, IF MANOR, ISD HAS ANY IDLING POLICY FOR, FOR VEHICLES OR BUSES ON, ON CAMPUS? YES, I BELIEVE THEY DO.
I, I WILL SAY JUST TO AIR QUALITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE VERY THOUGHTFULLY KEPT THE BUSES, UM, SEPARATE, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BUS QUEUE.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M NOT MAIN ID WE'RE SITE DESIGN, SO WE HAVE CERTAINLY THOUGHT OF THAT FOR THE CHILDREN.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, SECRETARY OF BRISTOL? INDEED.
UH, I HOPE I CAPTURED KIND OF WHAT WAS, UH, WHAT WAS BEING, UM, SAID THERE.
UM, SO, UM, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022 MAIN ISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, NUMBER 10 S P I'M I'M SORRY.
I, I MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, P DASH 2 2 2 DASH 0 0 95 C X.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO VARY FROM, UM, LDC TWO, FIVE
[02:30:01]
DASH EIGHT DASH 3 42 TO ALLOW FILL OVER FOUR FEET UP TO 33 FEET.WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE GILLON CREEK WATERSHED SUBURBAN DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
AND WHEREAS, UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS WITH CONDITIONS.
HAVING DETERMINED, THE REQUIRED FACT FINDINGS HAVE BEEN MET.
THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE, UM, REQUESTS WITH THE FOLLOWING.
AND THESE ARE THE STAFF CONDITIONS PROVIDE STRUCTURAL CONTAINMENT OF FILL WITH A TERRORIST RETAINING WALL WHERE APPLICABLE, UM, INCREASED TREE INCHES BY ADDING 20 NATIVE TREES OVER REQUIRED OVER THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF TREES PROVIDE POLLINATOR PLANTS ALONG WITH EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE FOR CHILDREN USE RAINWATER HARVESTING ON SITE.
UM, AND I THINK I MISSED ONE HERE.
THAT'S ALL THE, AND THEN HERE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ONES THAT WE, UM, MI AND I MISSED ONE.
LET ME MAKE SURE I HAVE THIS IN.
SO, UM, THESE ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONS INCLU CONSIDER INCLUDING, UM, SOLAR TECHNOLOGY CONSIDER INCLUDING AC CONDENSATION, UM, CATCHMENT SYSTEM, UM, UH, CONSIDER INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE CHARGING STATION FOR STAFF, UH, AND VISITORS ENCOURAGE LONG TERM TREE CARE PLAN, UM, FOR THE NEW AND EXISTING TREES CONSIDER NATURAL CLASSROOM AND NATURAL PLAY AREAS AND CONSIDER COMPOSTING AND GARDEN EDUCATIONAL AREAS.
KOHI I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR HANDS UP, I, THERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH STAFF APPLICANT.
[4. Briefing and discussion on Trash in Creeks study—Andrew Clamann, Environmental Scientist, Watershed Protection Department]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON THE TRASH AND CREEK STUDY BY, UH, CITY STAFF FOR, FOR THE RECORD, THIS WAS, THIS WAS CONSIDERED DESSERT.SO, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS THE, IT WAS THE CARROT TO KEEP EVERYBODY HERE AT THIS MEETING.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND AND, UH, APPRECIATE IT.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO IN DISCUSSING THIS AT VARIOUS MEETINGS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
DO WE GET FREE SAMPLES OF TRASH? NO, I THAT'S.
YOU GONNA HAVE TO LISTEN TO FIND OUT TO KEEP YOU SAID THIS WAS DESSERT.
SO I ASSUMED WE GOT B BE CONSUMING IT AT SOME LEVEL.
COULD YOU USE THE OTHER SLIDE PRESENTATION? THE ONE THAT WAS PROVIDED WITH BACKUP, THOSE ARE JUST EXTRAS IN CASE THERE WAS QUESTIONS.
I, I CAN ABSOLUTELY TELL YOU THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN CALLED DESSERT THAT I'M NOT OFFENDED.
MY NAME IS ANDREW KLEMEN I'M WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE IN A GROUP CALLED APPLIED WATERSHED RESEARCH.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE, UH, HEARD OF OUR MOST RECENT HITS, BLUE, GREEN ALGAE CION BACTERIA, EI PAHS.
UM, WE DO ALL KINDS OF FUN STUFF.
UH, WE'RE OUT IN THE FIELD A LOT, AND, UH, WE GET TASKED WITH MANY OF, OF THE HARD QUESTIONS THAT REQUIRE, UM, SOME PROJECTS TO, TO ANSWER THEM.
I'M A COMPANY TODAY BY, UH, A COUPLE OF MY FAVORITE COLLEAGUES, LAYLA GOSLIN, UH, ON THE LEFT SHE'S WE PULLED HER OUT OF RETIREMENT BECAUSE SHE'S GOT SOME OUTSTANDING RESEARCH SKILLS, UM, IN THE MIDDLE, UH, JOHN BEACHY, UH, HE IS KIND OF MY MODEL OF GOOD DECISION GUY.
SO IF, IF, IF, IF I CHANNEL MY INNER, MY INNER JOHN BEY, I MAKE A GOOD DECISION.
AND THEN, UH, JEREMY WALKER, WHO IS AN OUTSTANDING, OUTSTANDING HARDENED FIELD WORKER WITH US, HE WALKED MORE MILES OF THIS AND DID MORE
[02:35:01]
OF THE, UH, MORE DIFFICULT, UH, CREEKS, UH, THAN, THAN EV THAN I DID.AND I, I GREATLY APPRECIATE HIS HELP.
UM, SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, UH, THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, ALTHOUGH TRASH HAS BEEN, UH, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, THAT PROBLEM'S NOT GOING AWAY, UH, BACK IN 2020 COUNCIL, UH, UH, GAVE US C I U R 20, UH, 2, 2, 3, 4, AND IT HAD A LOT OF REQUESTS IN IT FROM STAFF AND STAFF HAS, UH, FAIRLY QUICKLY WITHIN THE NEXT, UH, WITHIN THE FOLLOWING MONTH OR TWO GAVE THEM MOSTLY EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED.
UH, TWO OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED THOUGH, WAS BASICALLY AN IN DEPTH, UH, EXPLANATION OR A MAP OR A PROJECT THAT TOLD US, WHERE IS THE PROBLEM? HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM? WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? AND ALSO A, AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT ARE OTHER PEOPLE DOING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? UH, SO A BENCHMARK STUDY TO COMPARE WHAT WE DOING.
ARE THERE ANY THINGS WE'RE NOT DOING THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT DOING, OR ARE OTHER, UH, CITIES DOING SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK OR SHOULD DO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? UM, SO WHENEVER I GET, UH, TASKED WITH SOMETHING, I ALWAYS USE THAT THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, AND THAT'S PRETTY EASY IN A POLLUTANT, UH, CASE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SOURCE OF E COLI OR A NUTRIENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU IDENTIFY WHAT THE SOURCE IS, A, A GOOD LOCATION FOR THAT SOURCE.
THEN YOU GO UPSTREAM AND YOU GO DOWNSTREAM.
AND THE DELTA BETWEEN UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM GIVES YOU THE CONTRIBUTION OF THAT SOURCE.
YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH TRASH.
UH, WE ACTUALLY TRIED LITTLE PILOT STUDIES.
THE REASON WHY IT'S TAKEN US TWO YEARS TO COME BACK WITH THIS IS WE'VE TRIED PILOT STUDIES THAT HAVE HAVE FLOPPED UNTIL THIS.
WE KIND OF HIT IT ON THE HEAD.
UM, THE REASON WHY IT DOESN'T WORK SO WELL IS TWO PRIMARY REASONS.
ONE IS THE VARIABILITY IN STORM INTENSITIES, UH, CENTRAL AUSTIN IS THAT FLASH FLOOD ALLEY KIND OF THING.
WE ALSO HAVE THESE LITTLE EVENTS AND THE LITTLE RAIN EVENTS MIGHT MOVE TRASH TO THE CREEK AND MAKE IT LOOK WORSE, RIGHT THERE A MEDIUM EVENT MIGHT KIND OF PUSH IT AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND A LARGE EVENT WOULD PUSH IT ALL THE WAY TO LADYBIRD OR MAYBE GET IT STUCK SOMEWHERE WHERE IT CAN'T, UH, GO FURTHER.
SO THAT, UH, VARI BILLION AND STORM INTENSITY REALLY CHANGES THE DYNAMIC OF THINGS FLOWING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
THE OTHER THING IS THE VARIABILITY AND STREAM CHARACTER.
THEY CALL IT THE, UH, THE MANNINGS AND OR THE ROUGHNESS COEFFICIENT.
UM, IF YOUR STREAM IS LIKE LITTLE WALNUT OR MAYBE PARTS OF BARTON CREEK, IT'S JUST ROCK.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A, A STORM, EVERYTHING JUST FLOWS DOWN.
YOU DON'T SEE MUCH TRASH IN THE CREEK.
UH, OTHER CREEKS HAVE LOTS OF, UM, BUSHES AND TREES AND ROCKS AND, AND THINGS LIKE WE CALL 'EM STRAINER.
IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE A KAYAKER AND THEY TEND TO SLOW THINGS DOWN AND GRAB A HOLD OF THESE THINGS.
SO THESE TWO THINGS JUST, UH, TOGETHER MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DO AN UPSTREAM DOWNSTREAM ASSESSMENT.
SO, UH, AND IN, INSTEAD OF JUST DOING A SIMPLE, UH, STUDY WHERE I COULD GO TO 10 OR 15 SITES GO UPSTREAM, DOWNSTREAM, WE HAD TO DO AN EXTREMELY LABOR INTENSIVE ONE.
WE TRIED DOING IT ON EAST BOLD AND, AND REALIZE THAT EAST BOLD, JUST WITHIN EAST BOLD, THERE'S SO MUCH VARIABILITY ABOUT WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT'S OUT THERE.
WE HAD TO DO, UH, ALL THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, ALL THE, THE NORTH TO SOUTH THE EAST, THE WEST, THE, THE, THE WATERSHEDS THAT ARE MOSTLY PRESERVED, THE WATERSHEDS THAT ARE MOSTLY IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UH, THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF OUR MAJOR WATERSHEDS AND 110 MILES, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER HALF OF OUR, UH, MAIN STEMS OF OUR CREEKS.
UH, IF YOU WANTED TO DO ALL THE CREEKS IN, IN ALL OF AUSTIN, THE BIG, MAIN STEMS IN THE ETJ, YOU'D BE LOOKING AT 500 MILES, WHICH IS, WHICH IS QUITE A BIT, UH, A HUNDRED MILES WAS DAUNTING ENOUGH.
UM, WE TOOK OBSERVATIONS EVERY 30 FEET BECAUSE REALLY EVERY 10 FEET OR SO THINGS CAN CHANGE FROM BEING JUST COMPLETELY FULL OF TRASH TO NOTHING.
AND WE TOOK, UH, A TOTAL OF 19,467 DATA POINTS, WHICH IS EXCITING TO ME BECAUSE AS A SCIENCE NERD, WHENEVER YOU HAVE A VERY LARGE AND A VERY LARGE, UH, DATA, UH, POOL TO CHOOSE FROM, YOU CAN GET SOME REALLY GOOD POWER ON YOUR STATISTICAL, UH, CORRELATIONS.
YOU CAN GET SOME VERY TIGHT CORRELATIONS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ANOMALIES, UH, IN, IN, IN DATA.
OFTENTIMES IF YOU HAVE A BIG ENOUGH, UH, DATA SET, IT JUST WASHES ALL THOSE PROBLEMS AWAY.
UNINTENDED, UM, THE, UH, THE CREEK, WHEN I, WHEN I, I TOOK THIS LITERALLY FROM COUNCIL AND SAID, I'M GONNA LOOK FOR TRASH IN CREEKS, AND I'M GONNA START AT THE, THE LOWER BANK TO THE LOWER BANK OF WHAT WE CALL THE ACTIVE CHANNEL, WHERE MOST OF THAT WATER IS.
AND I'M GONNA WALK THE CREEK AND LOOK FOR, UH, TRASH.
I DIDN'T FIND MUCH THE TRASH IS TYPICALLY NOT IN WHAT MOST PEOPLE CONSIDER THE CREEK, THE STREAM BED.
IT'S USUALLY RIGHT ON THE BANKS WHERE YOU START GETTING THE VEGETATION.
AND A LOT OF IT IS UP IN THAT EARLY FLOOD PLANE, THAT FIRST FLOOD PLANE BENCH, BEFORE YOU GET TO THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLANE.
SO WE, UH, WE DEFINED OUR AREA.
WE CHOSE OUR, OUR, OUR SECTION, AND NOW I CAN USE THIS TO EXTRAPOLATE ALL OVER THE CITY FOR, UH, FOR DATA PURPOSES.
SO, UH, ANOTHER BENEFIT IS JUST EYES IN THE CREEKS.
UM, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR 18 YEARS NOW, AND I KIND OF THOUGHT I SAW IT ALL.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE SAME SITES FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES, AND I DIDN'T, I I'VE SEEN TRASH.
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA, UH, BE, UH, SURPRISING ANYTHING, BUT I HAD MY EYELIDS BLOWN OFF AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW, BUT JUST WALKING
[02:40:01]
THESE CREEKS, IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT OUR TEAM AND OUR MUCH OF OUR, WE NEED TO GET OUT IN THESE CREEKS AND WALK THESE AREAS THAT DON'T GET SEEN VERY MUCH BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HIDDEN STUFF OUT THERE.UM, COUNCIL HAD TO, AT THE SAME TIME HAD HAD CONCERNS ABOUT SCOOTERS AND CREEKS.
THIS IS BACK IN 20, UH, 20, WHEN THERE WAS A LOT MORE SCOOTER PERMITTED OUT THERE.
YOU'LL YOU'LL, IF YOU REMEMBER, THERE WAS JUST SCOOTERS EVERYWHERE, AND THEY'VE REDUCED THE TOTAL NUMBERS NOW.
SO IT'S NOT AS BIG A DEAL, BUT, UH, ONCE THEY GET IN THE CREEK, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA GET OUT UNLESS SOMEONE GETS 'EM OUT.
UH, SO WE DECIDED TO GET A HANDLE ON THAT TOO.
AND JUST EVERY TIME WE, UH, WE'RE AT AN OBSERVATION POINT, WE CAN CLICK AND SEE IF THERE'S A SCOOTER THERE.
SINCE THAT WE ONLY FOUND 21, 21 SCOOTERS FOR 110 MILES, REALLY ISN'T THAT BAD.
YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE MOSTLY CLUSTERED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREAS, RIGHT, WHERE YOU'RE EXPECTING TO BE.
BUT SINCE THAT TIME, UH, ATD HAS WORKED WITH, UH, THREE 11 AND IN THEIR LITTLE APP.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE THREE, ONE APP, ANYBODY LISTENING DOES NOT HAVE THE THREE, ONE MP, PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE THREE 11 APP.
YOU CAN REPORT ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
WE DEPEND ON OUR CITIZENS TO BE THE EYES AND EARS OUT THERE, BUT, UH, YOU CAN CLICK DOWN AND FIND, UH, SCOOTERS ON THERE, AND YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE AND TAKE A LOCATION AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S A SCOOTER.
ATD WILL THEN IN SHORT ORDER, CALL THE VENDOR AND THE VENDOR HAS 24 HOURS TO GO GET IT.
SO THOSE 20 ONES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE OR TWO, WE, WE NEED TO GO BACK AND CHECK ON, HAVE PRETTY MUCH ALL BEEN TAKEN OUT.
UM, I PERSONALLY SAW ONE, UH, THE OTHER DAY AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF IT AND ATD WENT, GOT IT THEMSELVES BECAUSE THE VENDOR WAS KNOW THAT LONGER THERE ATD TAKES IT REALLY SERIOUSLY.
SO I DON'T THINK THE SCOOTERS IN THE CREEKS IS AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS PEOPLE FEARED.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD HANDLE ON THAT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THIS IS A FORM WE CARRIED WITH US, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S BASICALLY VOLUME BASED.
SO THERE'S FOUR CATEGORIES WHERE IT'S NOT SO BAD.
IT STARTS OFF IN, IN SMALL QUANTITIES AND IT GETS VERY RAPIDLY UP TO LARGE QUANTITIES, WHICH, UH, HAMPERED STATISTICAL ANALYSIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I HAD MY STATS GUY RUN IT BOTH WAYS, LINEAR AND NON.
AND YOU CAME UP WITH THE SAME ANSWER.
SO, UH, WE FEEL LIKE THE, UH, THE FORM, SOME, WE HAD DIFFERENT SOURCES.
IF WE SAW AN OBVIOUS SOURCE, IF WE SAW AN ENCAMPMENT THAT DEFINITELY HAD TRASH RIGHT THERE AND IS GETTING TO THE CREEK, IF WE SAW AN OVERFLOWING DUMPSTER, OR IF WE SAW AN AREA WHERE SOMEONE HAD TAKEN A PARKING LOT AND USED A LEAFBLOWER TO GET THE LEAFS OFF, BUT ALSO BLEW OFF ALL THE TRASH INTO THE CREEK.
WE CALL THAT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.
WE, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ALL THESE SOURCES.
NOW, THERE WAS, WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPECULATE OF, OH, I THINK IT GOT HERE.
IT HAD TO BE VERY OBVIOUS AND COMPELLING.
SO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO THEN TAKE THOSE 19,467 DATA POINTS AND CORRELATE THEM WITH THEIR LOCATION.
AND, UH, ANYWAY, I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND I REALLY THOUGHT, HEY, I'M GONNA HAVE A PIE CHART, AND I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO POINT FINGERS AT PEOPLE, AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ANSWERS, AND EVERYBODY'S GONNA UNDERSTAND THIS, AND EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE GREAT.
SO, UM, TAKE AWAY NUMBER ONE HERE.
UM, I SINCERELY THOUGHT THAT WHEN WE COME TO THESE SOURCES AND WE HAVE ALL THOSE 19,467 DATA POINTS WITH ALL THESE VARYING INTENSITIES THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, HERE'S YOUR NUMBER ONE PROBLEM.
HERE'S YOUR NUMBER TWO PROBLEM.
IF WE CAN DO THIS ONE, WE GOT IT.
I FOUND A LOT OF SIMILARITY, WHETHER IT'S AN OVERFLOWING DUMPSTER, WHETHER IT'S PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, WHETHER IT'S, UH, IT'S, UM, UH, AN ILLEGAL DUMPING WHERE SOMEONE JUST BACKS UP A PICKUP AND TOSSES OUT A COUPLE OF BAGS OF TRASH, WHETHER IT'S THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, WHERE SOMEONE'S IN THEIR YARD, AND THEY JUST KIND OF THROW IT OVER THEIR BACK OF THEIR FENCE.
IF THEY'RE A RIPARIAN OWNER, OR IF IT'S A HISTORIC DUMP, MAYBE THERE IS, UH, SOMEONE BURIED A BUNCH OF STUFF, AND THE CREEK SENSE HAS KIND OF ERODED IT OUT AND IT STARTED TO FALL OUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT SOURCES.
THEY'RE ALL BASICALLY THE SAME.
THE RANGE IS ABOUT THE SAME, UH, THE HIGHEST MEDIAN RANGE IS, UM, I CAN'T EVEN READ IT FROM HERE.
WHAT IS THAT DUMPING? THANK YOU, DUMPING UNKNOWN.
SO THAT'S THE KIND WHERE, UM, PEOPLE BACK UP THEIR TRUCK, OR YOU JUST SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF GARBAGE JU DUMPED IT AT A, AT A, UH, BRIDGE.
UM, THE LOWEST ONE WAS OUTFALL OR TRIBUTARY.
I THOUGHT FOR SURE, WHEN YOU HAVE A TRI AIR COME IN, IT'S GONNA BE DUMPING A LOT OF TRASH, CONVEYING IT FROM UPSTREAM TO DOWNSTREAM.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE LOWEST TAKE A LOOK AT ENCAMPMENT.
YOU'LL NOTICE ON THAT PIE CHART, THAT PIE CHART IS BY OCCURRENCE, NOT BY INTENSITY.
SO THE MOST COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED OBVIOUS SALIENT SOURCE OF TRASH WAS, UH, ENCAMPMENT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF A NO BRAINER.
THAT'S KIND OF BIASED BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE ENCAMPMENTS ARE.
UH, A LOT OF THE DUMPSTERS AND A LOT OF THESE OTHER THINGS YOU SEE YOU, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THEM AS MUCH, CUZ THEY'RE UP IN THE TUCKED IN THE LANDSCAPE.
BUT, UH, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT ENCAMPMENT IS A SOURCE AND IT IS A, A VERY SALIENT AND VERY OBVIOUS AND VERY COMPELLING SOURCE.
IT JUST DOESN'T NECESSARILY THE MOST INTENSE AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE OTHER SOURCES.
SO, UH, THIS CHART TOLD ME THAT I CANNOT SINGLE OUT ANY ONE PARTICULAR THING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
THE COOLEST PART I THINK ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE HAVE THESE 19,000 4 67 DATA POINTS AND THEY'RE ALL ASSOCIATED WITH A, UM, A METHOD THAT IS BOTH, UM, REPRODUCIBLE AND STANDARDIZED.
SO I HAVE A, NOW I HAVE A FRAME OF REFERENCE.
[02:45:01]
A PLACE IN TIME THAT IF WE WANTED TO FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS GO BACK AND REPRODUCE A PORTION OF THIS.WE CAN HAVE A VERY GOOD HANDLE ON, ARE THINGS GETTING BETTER OR ARE THINGS GETTING WORSE? ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT COUNCIL HAD WAS THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE.
THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE AND I BELIEVE IT, WE'RE GETTING MORE POPULATION, MORE PEOPLE, THINGS GET WORSE.
THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE NATURE OF, OF THE BEAST, BUT WE COULDN'T SAY IT DEFINITIVELY, WAS IT OR, OR, OR NOT.
SO NOW I THINK WE CAN IN THE FUTURE, UH, ANOTHER NEAT THING IS LOOK AT THIS.
UH, THE TWO PHOTOS HERE ON THE LEFT IS UPPER SHOULD CREEK.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE HOT SPOTS, THE RED ONES ARE AREAS OF HIGH INTENSITY AND I'M CORRELATING THESE JUST KIND OF VISUALLY WITH, UH, SOURCES, UM, ENCAMPMENT, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, LIKE TO, TO POINT THE FINGER AT.
AND THAT'S WAS ONE OF COUNCIL'S ISSUES BACK AT THAT TIME IN 2020, THERE'S ONLY ONE THERE.
AND IT'S UP AT THE TOP AND YES, IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH INTENSITY, BUT TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE HIGH INTENSITY, UH, POINTS DOWNSTREAM TO NONE OF THOSE HAVE ENCAMPMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
MOST OF THOSE IN UPPERS SHELL CREEK ARE GOING TO BE, UM, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, A LOT OF THOSE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES, UM, PARKING LOTS AND WHATNOT.
THE LEAF BLOWS IT'S, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, DUMPING IS A BIG ONE.
UH, UH, DUMPSTER IS OVERFLOWING.
A LOT OF THESE DON'T HAVE THE SECONDARY CONTAINMENT AND THE DUMPSTERS ARE RIGHT UP AGAINST THE CREEK.
UM, WE DO HAVE THIS AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE TO SEE, UH, THERE'S A WEBSITE ON THERE.
WE'LL PROBABLY MAKE THIS A LITTLE MORE SOPHISTICATED.
UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE ROLL IT OUT A LITTLE MORE TO THE PUBLIC, BUT UH, ANYONE CAN ZOOM IN AND OUT.
AND WE'VE GIVEN THIS LAYER TO FOLKS LIKE K B AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS WHO, WHO MANAGE CLEANUPS.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A LITTLE MORE, UH, STRATEGIC ABOUT OUR LOCATIONS.
I WAS ADVISED BY SMART PEOPLE NOT TO SHOW THIS SLIDE.
IT'S A MESS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE, THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT TRASH INTENSITY IT'S NOT PROPORTIONAL TO, TO, TO ITS DRAINAGE AREA.
IT DOESN'T GET WORSE AS YOU GO DOWNSTREAM, YOU'D ASSUME TRASH WASHES DOWNSTREAM.
AND, AND IT DOES, BUT IT DOESN'T MANIFEST ITSELF IN MORE AND MORE AND MORE AS YOU GO.
UH, SOME WATERSHEDS ACTUALLY INCREASE IN TRASH AS YOU GO STRAND DOWNSTREAM, SOME WATERSHEDS DECREASE IN TRASH AS YOU GO DOWNSTREAM, SOME WATERSHEDS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WATERSHED.
THAT TRASH IS VARIABLE ALL THE WAY THROUGHOUT IT.
SO IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THAT STREAM ROUGHNESS.
UM, I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT VARIABILITY OF STORMS IN THIS CASE BECAUSE WE DID THIS FROM, UH, NOVEMBER TO APRIL AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MAJOR STORMS. SO I WAS ABLE TO HOLD THAT VARIABLE, UH, STILL, WHICH IS, UH, BENEFICIAL BECAUSE THEN I'D HAVE, HAVE TO DISCLAIM AND, AND, AND WORRY ABOUT UPSTREAM TO DOWNSTREAM.
UH, WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL MINDS IN OUR GROUP, UH, THAT DO GIS WORK FOR US.
UM, AND WE WRESTLED FOR THIS OVER AND OVER.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE TRY TO CORRELATE THINGS? SO AS WHAT WE CORRELATE, WELL, ANYTHING WE HAVE IN GIS, WE CAN CORRELATE IT WITH CENSUS POPULATION, HOW MUCH TRANSPORTATION IS IN THERE, HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER LAND USE, WHETHER IT'S SINGLE FAMILY, MULTI-FAMILY COMMERCIAL, YOU GOT IT.
UM, VIRTUALLY ANYTHING WE CAN PUT, UH, IN GIS WE CAN TRY TO CORRELATE IT WITH.
AND I NOTICED IN THE FIELD THAT MOST OF THE STUFF I SAW WAS COMING FROM RIGHT THERE IN THE CREEK, THE BACKYARD, THE, THE OVERFLOWING DUMPSTER.
SO I THOUGHT I WANNA SMALL BUFFER ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK ALL THOSE IMPACTS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE STRONGER.
OR AT LEAST THE PRESENCE IS STRONGER NEAR THE CREEK.
AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE SAID, WELL, YOU'VE GOT THIS WHOLE WATERSHED AND THEY'RE ALL WASHING OFF THROUGH STORM DRAINS AND GUTTERS.
SO WE GOT 300 FOOT BUFFERS AND 3000 FOOT BUFFERS ON CLUSTER POINTS UP AND DOWN THE CREEKS.
AND, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE TAKE AWAY.
NUMBER THREE, THERE IS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ANYTHING IN AND TRASH INTENSITY LAND USE DIDN'T MATTER.
CENSUS DIDN'T MATTER, TRANSPORTATION PARKS, ALL THE LAYERS WE HAD, WE THREW EVERYTHING AT THIS AND NONE OF THE SPAGHETTI STUCK TO THE WALLS.
UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THESE, MORE OF THESE GRAPHS, THESE MESSY GRAPHS WHO HAVE SLIGHT TREND LINES, MAYBE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE R SQUARE TO THE P VALUES, THEY'RE JUST NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CORRELATIONS.
SO WE CAN'T ASSERT THEM AS, AS BEING REAL CORRELATIONS THERE'S.
SO, UH, THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS IT'S NOT ONE PERSON IT'S ANY ANYONE TYPE.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY CREATED PROBLEM, AND IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A COMMUNITY CREATED SOLUTION AS WELL.
SO, UM, VIRTUALLY ANYTHING, ANYTHING IN THIS CITY, ANYTHING YOU'VE BOUGHT, ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN, ANYTHING YOU'VE HEARD OF, ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN ON THE INTERNET? ANYTHING YOU CAN BUY, SELL OR TRADE IN THIS CITY IS IN OUR CREEKS LAWN MOWERS TO COUCHES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEN THE LITTLE THINGS I JUST, I FOUND EVERYTHING IN THE CREEKS.
UM, IT BLEW MY MIND, BUT THE, THE, THE POINT HERE IS NOT TO, TO, TO GO ON ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S OFFICES, IT'S HOMES, IT'S, UH, TRAFFIC CONES FROM, FROM, FROM, UH, TRANSPORTATION THINGS.
IT'S PEOPLE DOING REMODELS IT'S LANDSCAPING.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT WE SAW THE MOST OFTEN, AND WE SAW IT EVERYWHERE AND ALWAYS IS SINGLE USE PLASTICS BOTTLES.
STYROFOAMS STYRES YOU GET THE PICTURE.
UM, THE WHOLE WORLD IS STARTING TO REALIZE HOW HORRIBLE THESE THINGS IS.
[02:50:01]
JUST BECAUSE OF MICROPLASTIC AND, AND PFAS AND OTHER THINGS, BUT THEY'RE JUST SO UBIQUITOUS AND THEY'RE JUST SO EVERYWHERE.AND WE USE 'EM ONCE AND THEY'RE GONE OUT OF OUR HANDS.
UM, THE EU I KNOW, IS, IS GOING TO NOT USING SINGLE USE UTENSILS AND OTHER THINGS.
I, WE ALL HAVE TO BE HEADING IN THIS DIRECTION.
SO THE SOLUTIONS HERE I'M TRYING TO GO WITH IS NOT JUST, UH, THE CLEANUP OR THE POLICY, BUT IT'S ALSO, WE SHOULD STOP, START RESISTING, UH, TAKING ALL OF THIS STUFF IN NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS WAS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE LITTLE NUGGET.
IF I HAD ONE NUGGET THAT A, A REPORTER COULD REPORT ON IT'S THIS ONE.
UM, AND THAT IS THAT, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE HIGHEST INTENSITY POINTS, ALL THE, THE REALLY HOR IT TAKES SEVERAL DIFFERENT DUMPSTERS TO THROW ALL THIS STUFF AWAY IN A 30 FOOT SECTION.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE AREAS, THEY CREATE 76% OF ALL THE TRASH.
I'M ASSUMING IT'S THE SAME AS THE OTHER 90 MILES.
SO 70%, 76% OF ALL THE TRASH IS FOUND JUST IN THOSE LITTLE HOTSPOTS AND THOSE LITTLE HOTSPOTS COMPRISE 10% OF THE AREA.
SO OUT OF 110 MILES, I CAN SAY THAT 76% OF ALL THAT GARBAGE IS IN ABOUT A MILE'S WORTH OF CREEK.
SO THAT HELPS ME REALIZE THAT THESE AREAS ARE GETTING CAUGHT UP OR THEY STRAIN THERE'S THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING ACCUMULATING MORE AND MORE.
THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO TAKE THEM OUT BECAUSE THE BIG STORM MIGHT THEN ACT AS A PROPAG U AND PUSH THAT DOWN LATER.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE FIELD REPORT PORTION WAS THAT, UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT, TOO MANY OF THEM TO DISCUSS RIGHT NOW.
AND THEY GO ALL THE WAY FROM VERY, VERY TINY LITTLE SITE, SPECIFIC PLACES LIKE, HEY, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.
WE SHOULD ACTUALLY GO HERE TO THE MANY HOTSPOTS TO, UH, SUGGESTIONS FOR STRUCTURAL CONTROLS AND OTHER WAYS OF DEALING WITH THRA AND ALL THE WAY UP TO LIKE POLICY AND EDUCATION.
AND THEN MAYBE EVEN KIND OF THIS GLOBAL COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS THING? I'M GONNA PIVOT NOW TO LAYLA'S REPORT.
SO THIS KIND OF WENT HAND IN HAND WHILE WE WERE DOING THE FIELD WORK, LAYLA'S DOING THE RESEARCH AND WE QUICKLY FOUND THAT YOU KIND OF GROUPED THESE STRATEGIES OF HOW TO DEAL WITH TRASH AND CREEKS IN THE THREE CATEGORIES.
ONE IS HOW TO ACTUALLY PULL IT OUT ONCE IT'S THERE, IT'S, UH, IT'S MANUAL PHYSICAL LABOR, IT'S STRUCTURAL CONTROLS.
IT'S USING THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE THESE, UH, VEGETATION STRAINERS.
IT'S EXPENSIVE, IT'S HAZARDOUS, IT'S GROSS.
UH, THE NEXT EASIEST SOLUTION IS INTERCEPTION.
SO LET'S, WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE ON OUR LANDSCAPE.
WE KNOW THERE'S STUMPS, THERE'S RECEPTACLES, LET'S KEEP IT FROM WASHING TO OUR CREEKS.
AND THERE'S, UH, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE, THE WAYS YOU CAN PULL STRINGS WITH, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, CREATE THE TRASH, SELL THE TRASH, THROW THE TRASH AWAY.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE LANDSCAPE.
AND THEN LAST CATEGORY IS SOURCE REDUCTION.
SO THIS, HOW WHAT'S, HOW DO WE KEEP THIS STUFF FROM COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FIRST PLACE? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, SO EXTRACTION, UM, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF ALL THE OPTIONS.
UH, TRAVIS COUNTY FOUND THAT IT'S FIVE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE TO ACTUALLY PULL IT OUT OF THE CREEK THAN IT IS TO PREVENT IT FROM GETTING THERE.
UM, WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME ARE, ARE, ARE WONDERFUL PARTNERS LIKE K B AND TWO, THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION.
AND OF COURSE OUR OWN STAFF FIELD OPS IS, IS OUT THERE DOING THIS, UH, TO KEEP OPEN WATERWAYS FLOWING.
AND ARR HAS A, A TEAM NOW THAT CAME ONLINE, THIS LAST WINTER OF 12 PEOPLE TO BUILD TRASH OUTTA CREEKS.
AND THEN THERE'S JUST VOLUNTEER GROUPS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A, A, A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE BIG HEARTS AND, AND, AND, OR DEDICATED THIS, BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE AND YOU CAN ONLY DEAL WITH IT.
SO, SO, SO MUCH, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S A BOOM HERE.
AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE, UH, UH, KIND OF CATCHING DEVICE, UH, WHICH YOU'LL NOTICE IN THAT BOOM IS A LOT OF TRASH, BUT IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, IT'S MOSTLY ORGANICS IT'S LEAVES, IT'S STICKS, IT'S BRANCHES, IT'S IT'S, STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO PULL ALL THIS STUFF APART.
AND THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT, UH, FIELD UPS HAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, IS GOING THROUGH THIS AND PULLING OUT JUST THE TRASH.
UH, SO THESE BOOMS WILL CATCH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, IF YOU USE 'EM IN A SMALL AREA, LIKE A SMALL CREEK, YOU MIGHT HAVE LOCALIZED FLOODING.
SO THERE'S A VERY, UH, DISCRETE SCENARIO WHERE THESE DO WORK.
WE DO USE 'EM ON, ON LADYBIRD.
UM, SO THERE'S LOTS OF NOVEL DEVICES OUT THERE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE HERE IN A MINUTE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME REALLY NEAT THINGS GOING ON IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, SOME OF 'EM ARE, ARE NOT JUST, NOT JUST IN OUR COUNTRY, BUT AROUND THE WORLD.
THERE'S KIND OF, UH, IT'S KIND OF A TWO PRONG IT'S KIND OF PART EDUCATION, IT'S PART AWARENESS.
IT'S PART, JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM AND JUST KIND OF BE VISIBLE AND INCENTIVIZE, UH, PEOPLE TO DO THIS.
UM, SOME WILL GIVE YOU, UH, LET YOU RENT FREE KAYAKS.
IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A COMMITMENT TO HELP CLEAN THESE UP.
UM, THE TRASH FISHING IS KIND OF CUTE.
THEY ALL LOOK LIKE THEY'RE HAVING A FUN TIME.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW EFFECTIVE, HOW MUCH TRASH THEY'RE GONNA REMOVE, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT THERE'S A RIPPLE EFFECT THERE OF NOT JUST PEOPLE, SEEING OTHER PEOPLE CLEAN UP TRASH AND REALIZE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT TO BE SO APATHETIC, BUT THOSE PEOPLE THEN MIGHT ALSO TAKE THAT WITH THEM, THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
SO, UH, IT'S JUST EXPERIENCE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
[02:55:02]
UM, MORE INTERCEPTION IS IT HAS ALL TO DO WITH CAPACITY AND ACCESS.UM, BOTH WALT DISNEY AND K B KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK, DID THE, DID THEIR INDEPENDENT STUDY ON HOW FAR WOULD A PER WOULD YOU HAVE TO PUT A TRASH CAN BEFORE PEOPLE WOULD STOP USING IT? YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A TRASH CAN RIGHT NEXT TO YOU, YOU'RE MORE APT TO THROW IT A WELL, IF IT'S ACROSS THE ROOM, WOULD YOU ACTUALLY WALK ACROSS THE ROOM OR, YOU KNOW WHAT, 30 FEET, 30 FEET IS WHAT WAL DISNEY AND KB INDEPENDENTLY FOUND IS ABOUT THE FURTHEST.
SOMEONE'S GONNA GO TO USE A TRASH CAN AND THAT'S INFURIATING TO ME, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY WE'D LIVE IN.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS OVERFLOWING DUMPSTERS.
YOU MIGHT HAVE A DUMPSTER THAT SERVICES MORE PEOPLE THAN IT COULD POSSIBLY HANDLE.
SO I THINK, UM, REVISITING, UH, THE, THE POLICIES AND RULES AGAINST, UH, ORDINANCES WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, DEPARTMENT, OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON THAT RIGHT NOW, SHOPPING CARTS, WE FOUND 500 PLUS SHOPPING CARTS IN OUR 110 MILES.
UM, IT, IT, IT ASTOUNDED ME NOW ONCE THE SHOPPING CART GETS IN A CREEK, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, IT'S THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO THESE SHOPPING CARTS HAVE BEEN BUILDING UP SINCE THEY'VE INTRODUCED SHOPPING CARTS.
I THINK WE FOUND ONE OF THE FIRST SHOPPING CARTS EVER MADE IN, IN ONE OF THE CREEKS WILLIAMSON CREEK.
UM, SO HOW DO YOU KEEP THOSE SHOPPING CARTS FROM, FROM FINDING THEMSELVES OFFSITE? FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY GET OFFSITE.
THERE ARE PLACES THEY'VE HAD THAT HAD THE SOLUTION A LONG TIME AGO.
IF YOU GOTTA PHILADELPHIA, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE SHOPPING CARTS THERE.
YOU CAN'T EVEN TAKE 'EM OUT IN THE PARKING LOT.
THERE'S, THERE'S, BALLARDS AT THE STORE AND YOU CAN'T EVEN, YOU CAN TAKE IT, TAKE YOUR BAGS TO YOUR CAR.
YOU IN, YOU HAVE TO, TO PUT A TOKEN AND THEN YOU CAN USE ONE.
UM, THERE'S OTHER ONES HAVE LITTLE LOCKING BRAKES.
SO IF YOU GET IT OFF SITE, THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP.
SO I THINK THERE ARE SOLUTIONS OF COURSE, SHOPPING, UH, RETAIL IS LOSING MONEY ON THIS TOO.
UM, WE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO GET THAT RETAILER, IF WE KNOW IT'S THEIRS, IF, UH, IN THE CREEK, BUT DUE TO THE LABEL ON IT, WE MIGHT GET THEM TO GO GET IT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR PROPERTY, SIMILAR TO THE SCOOTERS, UH, TELE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLES.
THIS IS ONE THAT I, I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD SEE, BUT WE SAW MILES AND MILES AND MILES AND MILES OF CABLE.
WHEN YOUR CABLE SERVICE PROVIDER COMES AND YOU CHANGE CABLE FROM ONE TO THE NEXT, THEY GET UP THERE, THEY HOOK UP YOUR NEW ONES, THEY CUT THE LINE AND THE LINE FALLS.
SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO GET RID OF IT, BUT IS YOUR OLD CABLE COMPANY GONNA COME BACK AND, AND GET THE CABLE OUT OF THE CREEK? IT JUST FALLS THERE.
USUALLY IF IT'S IN SOMEONE'S YARD, SOMEONE WILL THROW IT IN THE TRASH, BUT THERE'S MILES AND MILES AND MILES, MISS CABLE, JUST IN THE CREEK, JUST DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSES NEAR CREEKS.
SO TO INTERCEPT IT, TO STOP IT, UM, OF COURSE I SAID THAT CAPACITY IS A PROBLEM.
PROXIMITY IS A PROBLEM, AND ACCESSIBILITY IS A PROBLEM TOO.
UM, ON, ON LADYBIRD, YOU'LL HAVE THESE FLO TILLS OF HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF STANDUP CATTLE BOARDS AND, AND KAYAKS AND STUFF.
AND THEY'RE ALL HAVING A GREAT TIME, BUT WHERE DOES THEIR TRASH GO? THERE'S NO TRASH CANS, CERTAINLY NOT WITHIN 30 FEET.
SO SOME, UH, COMMUNITIES HAVE GOT LIKE A LITTLE BOAT.
YOU CAN THROW IT IN A LITTLE BOAT.
UM, HAVING MESH BAGS, ATTACHED TO ALL OF THESE THINGS, JUST TO GIVE THEM A PLACE TO PUT THIS, CUZ THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT IT.
THEY'RE GONNA GO RENT A RENT, A CO, AND HAVE A GOOD TIME, BUT YOU'RE HAVING A MESH BAG THERE.
UM, THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THERE ARE VENDORS THAT ARE PARTNERS TO THE CITY THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF INFLUENCE ON.
UH, WE, WE SAW A LOT OF PICNIC TABLES THAT PEOPLE LOVE TO BE OUTSIDE AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET OUTSIDE JUST, JUST BECAUSE THAT GIVES THEM INVESTMENT IN THE NATURE.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A PICNIC TABLE RIGHT NEXT TO A, A CREEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND NO TRASH CAN, THAT PRESENTS A PROBLEM.
UM, SO, AND WE CAN LOOK AT, WE CAN RETHINK ABOUT, UH, HOW EFFECTIVE IS STREET SWEEPING STRATEGICALLY IN ITS PLACES.
UM, INLET DRAINS, SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT COST AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DO ALL THIS? WELL, A SINGLE INLET DRAIN COVER.
IF YOU HAVE A GOOD WAY TO CLEAN IT, IT'S NOT GONNA COST FLOODING FIT PLUGS ISN'T THAT MUCH, BUT WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF INLET DRAINS.
SO IF YOU, HOW TO USE SCALE THAT COST, UH, THAT WHAT'S YOUR BANK, WHAT'S YOUR BEST BANK FOR YOUR BUCK.
UM, SOURCE REDUCTION IS ULTIMATELY THE CHEAPEST WAY TO KEEP IT OUT OF OUR CREEKS.
IF WE'RE NOT GETTING STYROFOAMS IN OUR TOWN, IF WE'RE GETTING LESS SINGLE USE BOTTLES IN OUR TOWN, IF WE'RE GETTING THESE THINGS LESS HERE, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
UM, PEOPLE CAN START, UH, AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, AT SOME POINT THERE'S GONNA BE A PARADIGM SHIFT AND AMERICA'S GONNA BE THE LAST ONE TO DO IT.
TEXAS WILL PROBABLY BE THE LAST ONE OUT OF ALL OF AMERICA TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO START REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCE ON A LOT OF THAT SINGLE USE PACK, UH, PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING.
UM, I, IT, I'VE NEVER, I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF SOME OF THESE THINGS.
WHEN YOU GO TO A, A RESTAURANT AND YOU HAVE YOUR LEFTOVERS, BRING US A BLOCK BAG OR A TUPPERWARE WITH YOU, RIGHT? WHAT DO YOU NEED THEIR, THEIR STYROFOAM CONTAINER.
IF THEY HAVE A STYROFOAM CAMERA, YOU PUT YOUR F YOUR HAND OUT AND SAY, NO.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STRATEGY OUT THERE THAT WE JUST NEED TO START TO INCORPORATE INTO OUR MIND.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT GOES TO THE KIND OF EDUCATION COMPONENT TO GET PEOPLE, TO HELP US WITH THAT SOURCE REDUCTION TO PUT YOUR HANDS OUT AND SAY, NO, THANKS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS TRASH AND CREEKS IS ALL OF US.
THAT'S NOT PARTIALLY TO BLAME.
NOT THAT EVERYONE'S IN THE CITY IS THROWING IT ON THE GROUND, BUT WE ARE ALL PART OF THAT.
SINGLE USE THAT, THAT FUEL, THAT WASTE STREAM THAT'S MOVING THROUGH.
THERE'S NO ONE SOURCE YOU CAN POINT IT
[03:00:01]
AT.AND BLAMING IT ON, ON, ON ONE PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE IS, IS, IS FALLING.
IF I WERE TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS TOMORROW, AND EVERYBODY HAD HOMES AND EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY, YOU WOULD STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
AND SO WE, WE CANNOT, UH, WASTE OUR TIME ON TRYING TO PLAY THE BLAME GAME.
COA AND PARTNERS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE SOLUTION, UH, AND THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION STILL.
BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, UM, IN MY 18 YEARS OF DO OF BEING IN THE CREEKS, THIS WAS PROBABLY ONE OF MY LOW POINTS OF, OF WHAT, WHAT I FEEL IS THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
ONE OF THE LOW POINTS, THE OTHER ONE WAS A WASTEWATER SPELL WHERE I, I HAD TO SAMPLE WHAT LIVING THINGS WERE STILL ALIVE IN WASTEWATER, AND THAT WAS NOT AWESOME.
BUT WHAT I ALSO FOUND WAS AN, AN INCREDIBLY AMOUNT, A LARGE AMOUNT OF ADMIRATION AND, UM, APPRECIATION FOR MY DEPARTMENTS AND THE PEOPLE IN MY DEPARTMENTS WHENEVER, UH, LELA WOULD FIND A GOOD IDEA LIKE, HEY, THERE'S, WE'VE GOT ADOPT A CREEK.
WHAT ABOUT ADOPT, DRAIN SOME, SOME COMMUNITIES DOING ADOPT A DRAIN.
IF YOU YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMMIT TO A WHOLE CREEK JUST ADOPT THIS ONE STORM WATER DRAIN IN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
THEY'RE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM.
THERE IS ADOPT A DRAIN, IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S IT'S AVAILABLE.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STARTING TO STARTING SLOW WHEN THEY'RE RAMPING IT UP.
SO LIKE ALL THESE IDEAS THAT WE CAME UP, THAT, THAT WE FOUND THAT, THAT WERE INNOVATIVE AND INTERESTING AND NEW SOMEONE HAD EITHER ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, OR THEY'RE ALREADY DOING IT, OR THEY TRIED IT AND IT DIDN'T WORK.
SO I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS, THE COA HAS BEEN QUIETLY TRYING ALL THESE THINGS, UH, COA IS WORKING ON IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAMS TO EXTRACT INTERCEPT AND REDUCED.
SO WE ARE KIND OF WORKING ON ALL THESE ASPECTS.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS REPORT, UH, WILL HELP US, UH, BE A LITTLE MORE STRATEGIC IN, UH, OUR LOCATIONS OF HOW WE CLEAN UP WHAT WE CLEAN UP, HELP OUR PARTNERS BE A LITTLE MORE STRATEGIC AND THEN USE SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND START TESTING NEW THINGS.
I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR WATER CONTROL, UH, WATER QUALITY CONTROLS, OUR DETENTION AND WATER QUALITY PONDS TO HELP TRAP SOME OF THESE THINGS CUZ IN A LARGE STORM EVENT, WATER GOES IN, WATER GOES OUT THE FLOATABLES DUE TOO.
WE DON'T WANNA CAUSE ANY FLOODING, BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOMEHOW ARREST OR HARNESS OR GRAB SOME OF THAT TRASH STILL IN THOSE CONTROLS.
AND THEN THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THAT CONTROL WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVE IT.
SO I, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND A LOT OF OPTION, UH, OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF WORKING THROUGH THIS TOOLBOX AND SEEING WHICH ONE WORKS FOR AUSTIN, WHICH ONE DOESN'T WORK FOR AUSTIN.
UH, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A RECENT ONE, UH, THERE'S A LITTLE COOL LITTLE, UH, ROBOT CALLED A JELLY BOT FISH AND IT'S THIS LITTLE, UH, MOTORIZED VEHICLE THAT GOES IN THE WATER AND IT GOES AROUND AND IT SCOOPS, UH, TRASH OUTTA THE WATER.
UM, WE HAD THE GUY FROM, UH, THE, THE COMPANY CAME FROM FRANCE TO SHOW IT TO US AND UH, WE WOULDN'T EVEN PUT IT IN LADYBIRD AND HE SAID, IT'S BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH, UH, VEGETATION, YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH.
I DON'T WANNA TRAP YOUR WILDLIFE.
IT WORKS GREAT FOR MAYBE OCEAN MARINAS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT SO MUCH FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THERE'S A POTENTIAL SMALL FUSE FOR IT IN OTHER PLACES, BUT, UM, THERE ARE OPTIONS OUT THERE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 'EM WE'RE TESTING AND WE'RE TRYING, IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET THROUGH ALMOST WITH THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO, UH, GIVE LOTS OF APPRECIATION, NOT JUST TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THAT ARE, WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN COMPLETING THIS, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE BESIDE THIS, BEHIND THE SCENES WHO HELPED WITH THE REPORT WHO HELPED, UH, DO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT WHO HELPED, UH, DO THE ACTUAL FIELD WORK AND THEN MANAGE ALL THE DATA.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF DATA TO DEAL WITH AND THEN THE GIS PEOPLE AND THE STATISTICIANS AND THE MATH PEOPLE.
UH, WE HAVE, WE'RE KIND OF LIKE THIS ONE STOP SHOP FOR SMART PEOPLE IN MY GROUP.
AND THEN OF COURSE ALL OUR PARTNERS AND THERE ARE MORE PARTNERS HERE AND I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO, TO, UH, GROUPS OR PEOPLE, UH, THAT I'VE LEFT OUT.
UH, OF COURSE ARR HAS THEIR GREAT CLEAN CLEANUP CREW.
PAR DOES A LOT OF CLEANUP PARKS ARE JUST KIND OF THAT TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS AREA WHERE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY PAYING TO REMOVE PEOPLE'S TRASH, UM, FIELD OPS, OF COURSE, UH, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY IN, IN THE CREEKS AND, AND KIND OF ON THE FRONT LINES OF CLOGGING CREEKS WITH TRASH, UH, OF UNCLOGGING CREEKS WITH TRASH, KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, OTHER ONES FOUNDATION, UH, APF, AND THEN, UH, LOTS OF THE CONTRACTORS AND THE VOLUNTEERS THAT DO THE DIRTY WORK, UH, KIND OF FOR US.
SO WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I WOULD DIRECT, I'M GONNA PUNT TO THE EXPERTS THOUGH, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, UM, FOR THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
UH, IT WAS, UH, VERY INFORMATIVE.
WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WANTING, WANTING TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, DOES ANYONE REMOTE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, FOR THESE GUYS? YEAH.
UM, IT'S VERY, VERY, UH, WELL DONE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE, UH, UNDERSTANDABLE, WELL DELIVERED, UM, UH, GREAT JOB.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S AN ISSUE I'VE BEEN KIND OF INTERESTED IN, UM, SINCE THE SEVENTIES, UM,
[03:05:02]
UH, I, I WAS, UH, I, I, I WAS AN EDITOR ON ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION MAGAZINE AND, UH, EVEN BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, IT WAS AN ISSUE THAT WAS, UH, BEING LOOKED AT DISCUSSED.AND, UH, AND, UH, THERE WAS, UH, A FAIR AMOUNT OF, UH, CONCERN, UM, UH, BEING PAID TO IT.
UM, I SPENT A LITTLE TIME IN, IN MEXICO AND, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU JUST DON'T SEE THAT SINGLE USE PROBLEM IN MEXICO PEOPLE, UH, GO TO THE MECADO WITH A, UH, HAND WOVEN PLASTIC BASKET.
THEY, THEY, THEY GO SHOPPING, THEY PICK UP THEIR, UH, THEIR, UH, VEGETABLES AND THEIR, UH, POEO, UH, WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE GOING TO EAT.
AND, UH, THEY TAKE IT HOME IN THEIR BASKET AND THEY, UH, THEY EAT IT AND THAT'S, UM, THAT'S IT, I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING TO THROW AWAY EXCEPT MAYBE THE BONES FROM THE CHICKEN.
AND, UH, SO YOU JUST, YOU JUST DON'T SEE, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A, A, A THROW AWAY SOCIETY AND, UM, THE, SO THE SOLUTION AS YOU KNOW, IS GONNA BE, UH, MOVING FROM A THROW AWAY SOCIETY TO, UH, UH, A SOCIETY IN WHICH, WHICH WE REUSE THINGS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO DO THAT.
I, UH, NPR HAD A STORY ON, ON, UH, VINEYARDS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, TO RECAPTURE THEIR, THEIR, UH, UH, UH, UH, BOTTLES BECAUSE IT'S, IT IS EXPENSIVE TO MAKE, UM, UH, GLASS BOTTLES TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY TO MAKE THEM.
AND I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE IN AUSTIN.
WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE A CENTRAL CENTRAL MARKET, UM, UH, PRODUCES AN UPSCALE, UM, UH, UH, IT'S NOW $4, UH, UH, UH, SOFT DRINKS THAT, THAT IS AN EXPENSIVE, UH, BOTTLE.
AND I, I WOULD THINK THEY'D WANNA RECAPTURE THEM JUST LIKE WE USED TO, TO, UH, TO RECYCLE, UH, COCA-COLA BOTTLES UNTIL WE WENT TO METAL.
UH, ALUMINUM IS EXTREMELY, UH, UH, EXPENSIVE TO, UM, TO MANUFACTURE.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER SEEN A, AN ALUMINUM REDUCTION WORKS, BUT, UH, IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY TO, UH, REFINE ALUMINUM.
AND SO THE, THE MORE ALUMINUM THAT WE CAN RECYCLE AND REUSE, UH, THE BETTER, I THINK ALUMINUM IS FINE, BUT, UH, I THINK, UH, REUSING THE, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE, UH, AND THIS WILL TAKE PROBABLY, UH, UH, COMPANIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING IT STARBUCKS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ALL THESE, UH, COFFEE, UH, CONTAINERS THAT, THAT ARE GLASS AND THEY'RE WELL MADE.
THEY'RE STRONG, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN THROW 'EM AND THEY, THEY DON'T BREAK.
UH, AND THOSE KINDS OF, OF GLASS, I THINK WE CAN BE RECYCLING.
I THINK WE CAN DO A, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT MORE.
AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE A LITTLE BIT, UM, HOD AT THE MOMENT BY THE STATE, UM, SAYING, OKAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, UH, SINGLE USE, UH, PLASTICS, BUT I DO THINK WE CAN DISCOURAGE THEM.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO USE THEM.
I THINK WE COULD, WE COULD AT LEAST, UH, HAVE A, HAVE A PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, CAMPAIGN IN WHICH WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO, UH, TO USE WATER AND TO, UH, TO USE LARGE WATER BOTTLES INSTEAD OF SINGLE USE WATER BOTTLES, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, SO, UH, I JUST, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW COMMENTS AND THINGS THAT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT SINCE I READ YOUR REPORT AND, UH, CUZ CUZ THAT SINGLE USE, UH, UH, PLASTIC CONTAINER SEEMS TO BE OUR, OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT, THAT WE CAN, THAT WE, IF WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, I THINK, UH, WE, WE SOLVE, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE, 50% OF MAYBE OF OUR, OF OUR PROBLEM, UH, BUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
AND, AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULDN'T BE, UH, AT LEAST TRYING TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IT.
UM, SO AGAIN, I WANNA JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH IF I DON'T KNOW IF, IF ANYTHING I SAID, UH, IS SOMETHING YOU WANNA COMMENT ON, BUT, UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BRINGING THIS TO US.
I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, UH, COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ADDRESS.
NO, I, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'VE SAID.
UH, I WOULD WANNA GIVE, UH, UH, PROPS TO AUSTIN WATER WHO HAS BEEN, UH, ADDING WATERING STATIONS, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR, UH, TO PUT MORE WATER
[03:10:01]
IN A BOTTLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.THERE, THOSE ARE INCREASING AND THAT'S GONNA ENABLE PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING THE CITY DOES NEED TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION IN, IN THAT RESPECT.
AND, UH, ALSO, SO THE BAG BAND, YOU GUYS REMEMBER WHEN THE BAG BAND CAME AROUND, UM, UH, HEB WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL PARTNER BECAUSE THEY KIND OF KEPT UP WITH, UH, THAT EVEN THOUGH AFTER THE LEGISLATURE, UH, LET US KNOW THAT WE, WE COULDN'T REGULATE CONTAINERS.
THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER STATES, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IN FLORIDA, UM, IN FLORIDA, THEY WANTED TO REGULATE STYROFOAM, BUT THEY KIND OF HAVE THAT SAME IMPEDIMENT, UH, LEGISLATION THAT THEY, THEY COULDN'T DO THAT, BUT THEY'VE DECIDED TO TROJA IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE.
AND THAT IS FROM A TOXICITY STANDPOINT AND THEY THEY'RE GAINING SOME TRACTION ON THAT, THAT IF THEY CHOOSE TO, UH, IF REGULATE SOMETHING AS A TOXIN AND THAT COULD BE MICROPLASTICS, PFOS, UH, STUFF LIKE THAT.
IF YOU CAN REGULATE IT AS A, AS A TOXIN, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT MORE, UH, ABILITY TO REGULATE SOMETHING THAN IF YOU WERE TO REGULATE AS A CONTAINER.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S ARE DIFFERENT APPROACHES OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING.
ANYBODY ELSE REMOTE HAVE COMMENTS? YEAH, CORRECT.
JUST ONE TO, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WORK.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW PERSONALLY PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, HAVE BEEN, WAS CONCERNED WITH THIS ISSUE FOR A WHILE.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, TRASHING THE, IN THE CREEKS AND YOU AND THE WATERWAYS AND WHATNOT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP SORT OF LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PICTURES OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN OTHER PLACES, RIGHT.
THAT HAVE SORT OF THESE, THESE VOLUNTEER SORT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PICK UP EFFORTS, IT KIND OF REMINDED ME OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE RECENT PICTURES YOU SEE OF LIKE THE FLOTILLAS OF PEOPLE, PADDLE BOATING AND THE COLORADO RIVER.
AND IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A GIANT MASS AND IT'S JUST LIKE, OKAY, IF ALL THESE TECH COMPANY, PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE RIGHT.
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE, YOU KNOW, UH, AS PRISTINE IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO PADDLE BOAT IN IT, RIGHT.
IF THEY COULD APPLY THAT SAME SORT OF, UH, RECREATIONAL VIGOR TO HELPING CLEAN UP OUR WATERWAYS AND CREEKS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE SUPER COOL.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER STUFF TO PUT ON THEIR RESUME.
SO THIS COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, UH, YOU KNOW, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, UH, TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND JUST HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, GET ACCLIMATED TO TAKING OWNERSHIP, UH, YOU KNOW, OF THE, THE CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN, YOU KNOW? UM, AND THEN I GUESS, YOU KNOW, ALSO WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE RESTAURANTS, UH, CUTTING DOWN ON WASTE, YOU KNOW, GROCERS CUTTING DOWN ON WASTE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN, IT KIND OF CAME TO MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SORT OF THESE, UH, CERTIFI, THESE ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATIONS FOR BUILDINGS, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, LEAD GREEN OR GOLD OR WHATEVER.
UH, WHAT IF WE CAME UP WITH SOME KIND OF SIMILAR RATING SYSTEM FOR LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, A RESTAURANT OR, YOU KNOW, A GROCER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT COULD BE SORT OF LIKE A SELLING POINT, RIGHT.
EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE, RIGHT.
UH, WHAT IS IT FARM TO TABLE? RIGHT.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOME KIND OF WAY THAT THEY COULD STAMP, UH, SOMETHING ON THEIR BUSINESS THAT SHOWED THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF INVESTED IN, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ALL THE WAY AROUND, I THINK WOULD BE A WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, AND YEAH, LASTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS COOL TO SEE THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION ON THERE.
I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT WORK FOR THEM.
UH, I REMEMBER THERE WAS, UH, A GENTLEMAN WHO CAME, UH, AND SPOKE PUBLICLY, I THINK, A FEW SESSIONS AGO.
AND THEY HAD AN ORGANIZATION CALLED I THINK, SPRINGDALE PARK, FRIENDS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND SO THEY BASICALLY WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE SPRINGDALE PARK NEIGHBORS.
UH, SO THEY BASICALLY WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, UNHOUSED CITIZENS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
AND A LOT OF THEIR, UH, OPPORTUNITIES COME FROM LIKE CLEANING UP THE PARK SPECIFICALLY GIVENS.
SO IF WE HAD A SITUATION LIKE THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE A WIN BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE OUT OF ENCAMPMENTS, RIGHT.
IDEALLY THAT HELPS CLEAR UP SOME OF THE TRASH ISSUES.
CERTAINLY I THINK FROM OPTICS PERSPECTIVE OF HOW PEOPLE VIEW THESE HOMELESS, UH, ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, I THINK IF YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM HOLISTICALLY, INSTEAD OF JUST FOCUSING ON, OKAY, YEAH, WE GOT RID OF THE TRASH THIS ONE TIME.
BUT UNLESS WE CAN HELP PEOPLE GET OFF THE CREEKS, RIGHT.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT SAME THING WITH SHOPPING CART THING.
I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO NEED SHOPPING CARTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, ON HOUSED TO KEEP STUFF IN.
SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, LIKE THERE'S A REASON THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING SHOPPING PARTS OUT OF THESE SHOPPING PLAZAS FOR THE MOST PART.
UNLESS IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOMEONE FOR LAUGHS THROWING IT IN THE CREEK, WHICH I GUESS THAT'S
[03:15:01]
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THERE.SO YEAH, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF MY THOUGHTS.
AND ACTUALLY UNDER SCORES, A POINT THAT, UH, THAT I RECALL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO REALLY IS TO COORDINATE ACROSS DEPARTMENTS OF, AND WITH THE, UH, VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE, CAN'T JUST KIND OF LIKE HAPHAZARDLY AND RANDOMLY DO AS AS MANY THINGS AS WE CAN, BUT MAYBE DO IT IN MORE A, A CONCERT, UM, TO TRY TO GET, UH, ALL, ALL PARTS OF THE, THE CITY CLEAN AS WELL.
AND I LOVE YOUR IDEA ABOUT THE RATING SYSTEM, KIND LIKE A LEADS FOR, UH, JUST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLIEST FOR, FOR, I, I LOVE THAT IDEA.
I I'LL I'LL, UH, I'LL BRING THAT ONE BACK AND PITCH IT.
AND I THINK MY LAST POINT, RIGHT? LIKE HOW YOU SAID, LIKE, THIS WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF YOUR LOW POINTS, BUT TO ALSO REMIND US THAT IT'S REALLY ONLY GONNA GET WORSE.
LIKE THE MORE PEOPLE MOVE HERE, WHY WE WOULD LIKE TO DO MORE AND MORE RIGHT.
DOES THE RATE OF HOW WE CLEAN UP MATCH THE RATE OF PEOPLE MOVING HERE.
SO I THINK WORK'S CUT OUT RIGHT.
THE WORK IS CUT OUT, SO, BUT YEAH.
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION FOR SURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, SHOUT OUT EVERYBODY INVOLVED, ANYBODY ELSE, REMOTE BRISTOL.
I KNOW I'M KIND OF JUMPING OUTTA TURN HERE, BUT, UM, UH, FIRST OFF LOVE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU, YOU AND I ARE, UM, OF A, A SIMILAR, UM, SPECIES THAT ENJOYS WALKING DOWN, UH, CREEKS, UM, AND, AND, AND LOOKING AT THINGS.
UM, UH, I, YOU KNOW, UM, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED, UM, THE TEXAS LEVEL, UM, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT, UM, CITIES CANNOT HAVE LOCAL RULES AROUND, UM, PLASTIC BAGS, UH, TO ME WAS A REAL BLACK EYE IN THE, UM, CONCEPT THAT CITI SHOULD BE ABLE TO SET THEIR OWN STANDARDS.
UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, UH, REINSTATED OR REVIEWED OR REVISITED, UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, UH, AT THE UPPER LEVEL.
UM, AND, UM, AND, BUT I LOVE IT THAT Y'ALL ARE KEEPING A REAL EYE ON WHAT ARE OTHER STATES DOING, UM, TO LOOK AND SEE HOW THEY'RE ADDRESSING IT AND HOW MAYBE WE CAN, HOW WE CAN DANCE AROUND THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND BRING THAT BACK BECAUSE IT, IT WAS, IT WAS SO EASY.
I MEAN, PEOPLE JUST STARTED TAKING THEIR OWN BAGS AND I NEVER HEARD, I NEVER HEARD ANYBODY COMPLAIN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OH, I FORGOT MY BAG.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL I EVER HEARD.
UM, AND, AND AS SOMEONE WHO RIDES HORSES, THERE IS NOTHING MORE TERRIFYING TO A HORSE THAN A PLASTIC BAG BLOWING AROUND.
SO I, I REALLY, UM, UH, ENJOY THAT.
I, I, AND I, YOU KNOW, I HONESTLY, I COMPLETELY LOVE YOUR STATEMENT THAT IT'S NO ONE CONTRIBUTOR, IT'S ALL OF US, IT'S EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
WE CAN'T POINT THE FINGER OF BLAME.
WE HAVE TO ALL TAKE ACTION AND WE ALL HAVE TO BE IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT BIG PICTURE, I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE, UM, MORE MARKETING CAMPAIGN AROUND THIS VERY, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC, UM, AROUND, AROUND THOSE THINGS.
AND, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS, UM, AROUND THAT AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DOING, UM, 500 SHOPPING CARTS.
UM, I'M SURE THAT TARGET WALMART AND HEB AND EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, WOULD, UM, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THOSE NUMBERS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PUT A, PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT, UM, SOMEHOW, AND, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, LET THEM REALLY START BRAIN BRAINSTORMING AND LET, LET, LET THE COMPANIES DECIDE HOW THEY WANNA, UH, ADDRESS THAT AND, AND REALLY GET THEIR BUY IN ON IT.
SO, ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, REALLY, REALLY IT, THIS WAS DESSERT.
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LAST, IT WAS NOT LEAST I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR ENERGETIC APPROACH TO A SOMEWHAT DISMAL CIRCUMSTANCE AND THE ALLEVIATION OF IT FOR THE REST OF US, BECAUSE, UM, WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
SO THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER IS PERHAPS WATER QUALITY AT DIFFERENT, UM, AT, AT THESE DIFFERENT SITES AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ADDED TO YOUR GRID, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO WATER QUALITY IF YOU GUYS COULD GET ON THE SAME PAGE THERE.
UM, AND SO I AM IN CHARGE OF THE EI THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY INDEX, AND THAT'S THE BASELINE MONITORING WHERE WE WALK, DO, UH, MONITOR ALL THE CREEKS IN AUSTIN.
[03:20:01]
THROUGH A, AN EVOLUTION NOW TOO, TO BECOME MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY SOPHISTICATED WITH MODELING APPROACHES.BUT, UH, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT, UH, OUR GROUP WHO DOES THAT MONITORING FOR YEARS AND YEARS, UH, LITERALLY, UH, AND FIGURE LEAP TURNED A BLIND EYE TO THE TRASH AND CREEKS PROBLEM, BECAUSE, UH, WE ALWAYS FELT THAT THIS WAS AN AESTHETICS ISSUE, AND THIS IS AN ISSUE OF, OF TRASH, NOT NECESSARILY WATER QUALITY.
WE ARE FOCUSED ON THINGS LIKE E COLI, SEWAGE, NUTRIENTS.
PAHS, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF POLLUTANTS TO LOOK AT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER IN, IN SEDIMENT, PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES.
I, I GO ON, BUT, UH, WE ALWAYS THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, A PLASTIC BOTTLE IS NOT A WATER QUALITY ISSUE.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, WITH THE, UH, ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY THAT WE FOUND WITH, WITH, UH, THESE EMERGING CONTAMINANTS, WE'RE STARTING TO REALIZE THAT THE AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, AND IT IS A WATER QUALITY PROBLEM.
UH, THE TRICK THERE ABOUT MONITORING A SITE FOR ITS IMPACTS IN WATER QUALITY IS THERE ARE A MILLION THINGS THAT YOU COULD MONITOR FOR, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT A BATTERY OR, YOU KNOW, SO PICKING YOUR, UH, PICKING YOUR POLLUTANT OF CHOICE TO TEST FOR YOU, YOU CAN ONLY, YOU CAN ONLY TEST FOR IT IF YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, THAT WOULD BE, UH, HORRENDOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO TRY TO TWE THAT OUT.
SO I THINK, UH, THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE KEEPING IT FROM GETTING IN THE TRASH IN THE FIRST PLACE AND HAVING GOOD PARTNERS LIKE ATD TO COME UP WITH THE, UH, WORKING WITH 3, 1, 1 TO GET THE THINGS LIKE SCOOTERS THAT HAVE LITHIUM BATTERIES OUT OF THE CREEKS.
SO, UH, YEAH, NO WATER QUALITY IS A CONCERN.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S, WE'VE FINALLY KIND OF COME AROUND TO THAT, UH, THAT UNDERSTANDING NOW A LITTLE TOO LATE, MAYBE ANYBODY ELSE REMOTE.
ANYBODY, ANYBODY AT HOME? UH, COMMENTS, PRIMER, GO FOR IT.
YOU PACKED A LOT OF INFORMATION IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, QUIT PUTTING TRASH CANS IN THE PARKS.
AND AT SOME TIME IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THEIR CONCEPT WAS, UH, SOMETHING CALLED PACK IN PACK OUT.
THE IDEA IS THEY WANTED TO, UH, NOT HAVE TO PICK UP THE TRASH.
IS THAT, HAVE YOU NOTICED, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOUR, WHEN YOUR STUDY WAS DONE AND ET CETERA, ET CETERA, BUT I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF A SILLY THING CUZ PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA BACK THE TRASH OUT IF THEY'RE SO, SO ARE YOU CUZ THERE'S CERTAIN MORE TRASH CAN ALONG THE TRAILS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, IF YOU COULD TURN THE MIC ON.
SO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS COULD HERE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF LAYLA GOSLING WITH WATERSHED.
UM, I DID TALK TO A LOT OF PARKS.
THERE ARE PARKS, YOU KNOW, LIKE Z PARK OBVIOUSLY HAS TRASH CANS IN THE PICNIC AREAS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH CANS ON THE TRAILS.
UM, FREQUENTLY THEY'RE OVERFILLED.
THEY HAVE TESTED SOLAR COMPACTING, TRASH BINS IN SOME PLACES.
UM, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE FREQUENCY THEY CAN VISIT THE MORE REMOTE AND THEY HAVE KIND OF MOVED TOWARDS, UH, THE LEAVE, NO TRACE, WHICH IS KIND OF A NATIONAL PARK, RIGHT, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE HIKING AND UM, MOVING FARTHER OUT.
BUT THERE CERTAINLY ARE LESS TRASH CANS OUT ALONG THOSE MORE REMOTE TRAILS, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF TRASH CANS THAT PART SPENDS A LOT OF TIME EMPTYING TRASH CANS.
I ASKED BECAUSE IN PART OF THE TOWN WHERE I LIVE MM-HMM
SO ANYWAY, AND I DON'T MEAN TO CALL OUT ANYONE IN PARTICULAR.
I'M JUST ASKING IF THIS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PARKS AND YOU KNOW, TRASH IN THE PARKS.
AND THAT MAY NOT BE AN ANSWERABLE QUESTION.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED HAD TO DO WITH, UH, THE SOURCE OF THE TRASH BEING, UH, DUMPSTERS THAT DIDN'T, AND I FORGET THE TERM YOU USED, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DUMPSTER AND THERE WAS OVERFLOWED AND THERE WAS SOME SORT OF A SECONDARY PROTECTION.
WHAT WAS THAT TERM? I, I, THAT IS NOT A TERM THAT'S NECESSARILY USED IT'S SECONDARY CONTAINMENT.
SO ANY, ANY TIME YOU, YOU TRY TO CONTAIN SOMETHING IN A CONTAINER YOU MIGHT HAVE SPILL OVER, SO YOU MIGHT WANNA HAVE A SECOND BARRIER THAT COULD BE A SMALL WALL.
IT COULD BE JUST AS EASY AS A CHAIN LINK FENCE, ANYTHING TO KEEP ANYTHING FROM WIND BLOWING IT OUT OR STUFF THAT STACKS ON THE SIDE TO, FROM CONTINUING ON DOWN GRADIENT OR, OR BLOWN BY WIND, RIGHT.
IS THERE ANY, UH, CITY CODE OR LAND DEVELOPMENT OR BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
THAT, UH, UH, KIND OF ADDRESSES TRASH.
I HAVE MADE THAT COMMENT, UH, JUST RECENTLY, UH, ARR IS, IS WORKING ON THEIR HERCULEAN EFFORT TO REVISE THEIR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND SO THEY'RE WORKING WITH US AND THEY'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING AND ENGAGE WITH THEM.
[03:25:01]
HAVE THAT I'VE HAD THAT SAME QUESTION MYSELF AND I WANNA LOOK INTO THAT.I THINK THAT'S A LOW HANGING PLUM.
I ONLY ASKED THAT CUZ WE'RE, UH, TALKING ABOUT THIS THING CALLED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TONIGHT AND UH, ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS, UH, THAT ADDRESS THIS TYPE OF THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THIS MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB THE LOW HANGING FRUIT AND UH, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I ASKED, UH, LIZ'S JUMPS IN WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UH, THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING IN TITLE SIX RELATED TO, UH, ILLEGAL DISCHARGES AND, AND TRASH.
UM, WE CAN LOOK THROUGH THERE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE PER SE.
THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE MAY DICTATE LOCATION AND NECESSARILY, BUT NOT PROHIBIT LITTERING, WHICH WOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT SECTION OF THE CODE, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD FIND OUT WHERE THAT IS.
WELL, UH, BUT CONTAINMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY, WELL, IF YOU'RE GONNA BUILD THIS BIG A BUILDING TRUE, THEN YOU NEED THIS BIG A THING AND OH, BY THE WAY, YOU NEED TO HAVE A FENCE AROUND IT.
NOT SO MUCH FOR THE VISUAL IMPACT OF HAVING A TRASH BIN AROUND YOUR 50 BILLION BUILDING, BUT BECAUSE IT BLOWS EVERYWHERE AND BECOMES A NUISANCE TO EVERYONE ON THE PLANET.
SO THAT COULD BE PART OF OTHER STUFF.
UM, HAVE YOU, DOES ANYONE EVER NOTE, I MEAN, WHEN YOU WENT AROUND AND FOUND THESE, THESE TRASH BINS THAT ARE OVERFLOWING AND BLOWING AROUND, DOES, IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO NOTIFY THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THESE ARE LOCATED THAT BY SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED A BIGGER TRASH BIN OR YOU NEED MORE FREQUENT PICKUPS.
OR THERE WERE SOME INSTANCES WHERE I MADE THAT CALL TO LIKE THE, THE SPILLS TEAM WHO HAD COORDINATED WITH THE OWNER TO, TO WORK ON THAT.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW THE CORRECT AVENUE TO APPROACH THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S, THIS IS THE, THE, THE NEXT LOW HANGING PLUM ON MY, ON MY LIST IS TO START DIGGING INTO THAT MORE DEEPLY BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY KNOWS, BUT MAYBE, UH, IF THREE 11 APP COULD, UH, WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE THE RIGHT, UH, END DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO NOTIFY OR TALK TO, OR WORK WITH, UH, AN OWNER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, THAT IS IN PLACE AT THIS TIME, BUT, UH, DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO.
WELL, I PICKED THE WRONG DAY TO BRING THIS
AND OF COURSE, THEN THE WATER EXPIRES.
SO YOU HAVE TO USE IT WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME.
I ALSO RECALL WHEN THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET WATER, UH, FOR THOSE THAT NEEDED WATER, THEY WERE ASKING US, BRING LARGE CONTAINERS SO WE CAN FILL 'EM.
AND MY NEIGHBORS, NONE OF US HAD LARGE CONTAINERS.
SO WE'RE LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO? ALL WE HAD WAS WHAT WAS AT THE STORE, WHICH, WHICH WAS SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO MAYBE WORK WITH THE THERE'S THE RESILIENCY HUB OPPORTUNITY THAT WORKING ON, UM, IN REGARDS TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
BUT IF THERE'S MAYBE CONTAINERS THAT COULD BE OFFERED FOR US TO MAYBE BUY OR USE, I'M THINKING MY NEXT STRATEGY, INSTEAD OF THINKING AHEAD IS GETTING EITHER THE TWO GALLON WATER, CUZ THAT'S LESS PLASTIC, BUT HAVE THAT AS AN EMERGENCY.
BUT I THINK THERE'S, THERE SHOULD BE A WAY FOR US TO DEAL WITH, I HATE IT HAVING TO BUY THOSE CASES OF WATER, BUT LET'S THE ONLY OPTIONS WE HAD.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY, ANY WAY TO MITIGATE AND REDUCE THAT KIND OF WASTE THAT CAME UP A COUPLE TIMES WHEN, AND WE HAVE LARGE EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS AND THEN YOU HAVE TRUCKS AND TRUCKS FULL OF SINGLE BOTTLES AND THEY'RE HANDED OUT AND HOW DO WE CLOSE THAT LOOP? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUT THERE NOW, HOW DO WE GET 'EM BACK? THAT CAME UP AND, AND OBVIOUSLY HEALTH AND HUMAN SAFETY IS PEN ULTIMATE.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST CONCERN, BUT TRYING TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT, MAYBE PLAN AHEAD IS I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY GOOD SOLUTIONS YET, UM, UH, OF, OF HOW TO DO SOMETHING, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY ONCE YOU GIVE A SINGLE USE, UH, CONTAINER, YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST USE IT ONE TIME.
YOU COULD USE IT OVER AND OVER.
SO THEN, UH, HAVING MORE WATERING STATIONS AVAILABLE IN MORE, MORE AREAS THAT THEY COULD, UH, REUSE THAT SAME CONTAINER, IF THAT'S, UH, AN ADVICE THING, I'M NOT SURE SOMETIMES THEY SAY DON'T USE THIS BOTTLE MORE THAN ONCE FOR HEALTH REASONS, BUT, UM, NO, THAT'S, THAT IS DISTRIBUTION IS, IS A BIG PROBLEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YA'S PRESENTATION.
[03:30:01]
SO, BUT I JUST AGAIN THOUGHT, OH GOSH, I WISH I COULD HIDE THIS NOW, BUT IT'S TOO LATE.THE, UM, THERE ARE SOME TREATMENT DEVICES THAT PEOPLE TAKE, LIKE WHEN THEY'RE HIKING, NOT FOR LARGE VOLUMES OF WATER, BUT TO HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE.
I THINK ONE'S CALLED THE LIFE STRAW.
AND, BUT THEY LITERALLY, YOU CAN JUST FLOW WATER THROUGH IT AND IT WILL TREAT IT TOO DRINKABLE, YOU KNOW, REMOVE ALL.
THERE'S SOME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT ONES TOO.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, I, I PERSONALLY HAVE CLEANED IN THE CREEKS AND, AND OUR STREETS.
AND SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU GUYS LOOKED AT ANY CORRELATION OF, UM, LITTER ON STREETS AND THEN, UM, THERE BEING A CORRELATION TO LITTER IN THE CREEKS AS WELL.
UM, SO YEAH, IF YOU DRIVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THERE'S LITTER AND THERE'S LIKE NO OTHER SOURCE EXCEPT FOR THE OUT OF A BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK OR JUST PEOPLE CHUNK IT OUTTA THE WINDOW.
SO PROXIMITY TO, UH, TRANSPORTATION WAS ABSOLUTELY AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST AND IT DIDN'T CORRELATE EITHER.
WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THEN WE TOOK, UH, TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION LAYERS.
UH, A LOT OF THESE THINGS, WE LOOKED AT MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND, UH, TRANSPORTATION DIDN'T CORRELATE EITHER.
YOU WOULD THINK IT IS, YOU'D THINK IT DOES, BUT IT DOES NOT.
I WAS, I WAS BLOWN AWAY THAT, UH, POPULATION DIDN'T CORRELATE WELL.
AND I THINK THE, THE MAIN REASON IS IT, THERE MAY VERY WELL BE AT TRANSPORTATION IS A SOURCE AND THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ARE ALL SOURCES, BUT THE WAY THEY MANIFEST THEMSELVES MOVING THROUGH THE CREEKS, DOESN'T LEND ITSELF TO, UH, SEEING THAT CORRELATION SO THAT THE TRASH WILL ALL GET BUNDLE UP SOMEWHERE BY A CULVERT OR BY SOMETHING.
SO THERE'S NO WAY UNLESS I HAD GPS TAGGED EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF TRASH, I WOULD KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.
SO THERE MAY VERY WELL BE THOSE CORRELATIONS.
I'M CERTAIN THERE ARE, THEY JUST, WE CAN'T TWE THEM OUT, UH, THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD CLASSICALLY WITH SCIENCE.
AND, UM, SO I LIKE THE QUESTION ABOUT TRASH AND IT'S, IT'S ACTUAL EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND I'M WONDERING IF, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, LIKE WHAT IS THE ACTUAL EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT? IT'S A FINE QUESTION.
AND I, I THINK ONE OF THESE, LIKE EMERGING, THE EMERGING CONTAMINANTS, YOU READ MORE ABOUT THESE THINGS AND YOU REALIZE HOW TRULY HORRIBLE SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE THE P A S AND THE P O S AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, I, I, FOR ONE NEVER MADE THE CONNECTION, ALTHOUGH MY WHOLE CAREER HAS BEEN WITH WATER QUALITY AND I'M OUT IN THE CREEKS AND READINGS REALIZING A CUSHION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AS IT DECAYS, IF YOU STEP ON IT, IT'S JUST THIS PLUME OF VIBRANT COLORS COME OUT IN THE WATER.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A REVELATION TO ME OF A PIVOT POINT REALLY, WHERE I NEED TO BE FOCUSING MORE ON.
AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT, UH, IT'S KIND OF NOT NEW, BUT WE'RE LEARNING A LOT MORE NOW WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
SO, UM, I'M FASCINATED WITH MYSELF AND WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO TO LEARN.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DEFINITELY WANT TO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE ANY HELP, PREVENTING SHOPPING CARTS FROM GETTING INTO CREEKS.
WHEN I SEE A SHOPPING CART I DO, UM, OR MY HUSBAND HAS A F-150, SO I WILL, WILL TRY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES AND RETURN IT TO WHERE IT GOES.
UM, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS, UM, OF PREVENTING THOSE FROM GETTING INTO THE CREEKS, ESPECIALLY, BUT JUST FROM OFF OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF, UM, AS FAR AS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GOES, I AM WONDERING WHEN YOU SEE A PROPERTY THAT HABITUALLY HAS, UM, DUMPING MAYBE, OR, UM, THE TRASH NEARBY AND, AND ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF, UM, YOU CAN TELL IT'S OBVIOUSLY OVERFLOW FROM THE, FROM THE DUMPSTER.
UM, WHAT, WHAT IS THE PROCESS THERE AS FAR AS ADDRESSING, ADDRESSING THAT PROBLEM? SO THAT KIND OF MANIFESTS ITSELF IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS ANY KIND OF, UH, OBSERVATION OR COMPLAINT LIKE THAT SHOULD ALWAYS GO TO THREE 11, THE NICE THING ABOUT 3 0 1 IS THAT THEY CAN THEN TRACK DIFFERENT TYPES OF CALLS AND ASSOCIATE WITH THAT POINT.
SO THEY CAN DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A, A REPEAT OFFENDER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MM-HMM
I, I THINK THAT THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS ALSO IDENTIFYING HOW LARGE OF THE CONTAINER NEEDS TO BE
[03:35:01]
REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN PROPERTIES MAYBE BASED ON THE OCCUPANCY OR DENSITY.AND SO I'M A LITTLE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT'S DETERMINED.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A BETTER ARR QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY, IF THEY ARE IN, UH, ARE VESTED WITH THOSE RULES OR, OR WHAT THOSE RULES ARE.
UM, THERE'S CERTAINLY THERE ARE OUT THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THOSE, BUT THAT'S AN INQUIRY I'D LIKE TO MAKE TO, UM, PROBABLY AR OKAY.
I SAW THAT YOU ARE RECOMMENDING DUMP DAYS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEING PLANNED? I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA.
SO I JUST WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DUMPING.
UM, IT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ACTUALLY, TRAVIS COUNTY PAID FOR A, UM, STUDY ON ILLEGAL DUMPING AND CAME UP WITH A NUMBER LIKE IT'S FIVE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE TO CLEAN UP THAN, THAN IS TO PREVENT IT.
AND ONE OF THEIR, UM, AND TEXAS STATE ACTUALLY DID THAT STUDY.
UM, ONE OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS ACTUALLY ANYTHING THAT EASES IT, UM, FREE DUMP DAYS BEING ONE OF THOSE, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THAT.
I DON'T, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME, WE THINK, WE THINK WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL GUNS.
I JUST AT MY HOUSE GOT, UM, A THING WHERE THEY WILL NOW COME TO MY HOUSE AND PICK UP HAZARDOUS WASTE.
SO, UM, LIKE YOU CAN CALL AND HAVE IT SCHEDULED RATHER THAN BRINGING IT TO HAS, UM, WAYS, BUT IT'S NOT IN OPERATION YET, BUT I'M SURE THAT TRAVIS COUNTY IS, UM, PURSUING IT.
AND HOPEFULLY MAY WE WILL TOO, BECAUSE JUST THE COST OF CLEANING UP IS SO MUCH MORE THAN IS TO PROVIDE A PLACE.
UM, IN NEW, THEY WERE IN THE PORT AREAS, THEY WERE HAVING SUCH A PROBLEM THAT THEY JUST LITERALLY PUT DUMPSTERS IN THOSE AREAS.
AND THEN THEY PAID A CONTRACTOR TO COME AND PICK THEM, REPLACE 'EM AND EMPTY 'EM.
AND IT WAS SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN HAVING TO GO BACK AND CLEAN UP THE MESS AFTERWARDS WHILE I'M ON HERE.
I, I WANTED TO SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND OUT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT THERE ARE LITTER RULES FOR THE CITY.
UM, YOU'RE REQUIRED EVERY PROPERTY OWNER.
SO YOU CAN REPORT THIS TO THREE 11 TO PICK UP ANY LITTER ON YOUR PROPERTY, TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ADJACENT STREET WITHIN 24 HOURS OF IT BEING DEPOSITED THERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, AND IT CAN BE FINED UP TO $2,000.
I THINK MOST FINES ARE BASED PROBABLY ON DUMPING.
UM, AND WE DO PURSUE THOSE, UM, PARTICULARLY HABITUAL DUMPERS.
UM, WE HAVE A WHOLE, SOME PEOPLE DEDICATED TO REPEAT OFFENDERS, BUT SO DEFINITELY USE THAT THREE 11.
THERE IS A TRASH AND DEBRIS ON PROPERTY, ONE OF THE ITEMS, BUT, UM, I THINK AS LONG AS YOU GIVE THE AS MUCH SPECIFICS AS YOU CAN, HOPEFULLY IT WILL GET TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
YEAH, THAT THAT'S SOUNDS INTERESTING.
I HAVE A PROPERTY THAT'S, UM, OFF OF PEYTON, JEN AND LAMAR AND PEOPLE THROW TRASH ALL THE TIME AND ON THE, TO THE PROPERTY, BUT, UM, I CLEAN IT UP AND IT'S YEAH.
THAT'S MAYBE I SHOULD PUT A TRASH CAN
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS BECAUSE I, I DO KNOW THAT IT'S A PROBLEM, AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE EXPECTED TO BE SOME SORT OF ROLES AROUND ENCAMPMENTS.
I KNOW IT'S A, A TOUCHY SUBJECT, BUT I, I'M JUST WONDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING AWAY.
ARE WE GOING TO AT LEAST PROVIDE SOME SORT OF ROLES AROUND WHAT ENCAMPMENTS CAN LOOK LIKE ENTAIL? UM, THAT SORT OF THING BEFORE YOU ANSWER, I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL 10 0 5, CAUSE WE NEED TO DO THAT, BUT I, I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO MUCH FARTHER, BUT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.
SO I, I MOVE, WE EXTEND THE MEETING TO 10 0 5, WHICH IS ANOTHER EIGHT MINUTES.
SECOND, NICK, WE'VE GOT THERE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I DID NOT SEE COMMISSIONER SCOTT'S HAND, BUT, UH, THAT BID PASSES.
YOU HAVE SWEET FEW MINUTES ALMOST SAVED BY THE BELL.
I CAN'T USE THOSE MINUTES BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS, UH, I DO KNOW THAT THE CITY IS SCRAMBLING WITH THIS.
EVERY DEPARTMENT IS SCRAMBLING WITH THIS, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE VIOLET BAG PROGRAM AND THAT THERE ARE, UH, DUMPSTERS THAT ARE PLACED AT PLACES OF KNOWN ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, SO I, I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF, UM, ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO GET A HANDLE ON THAT.
UH, AND JUST THE, THE, THE, THE GLOBAL PROBLEM TOO.
BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT RULES WOULD DO TO, TO, TO, TO RESOLVE THAT IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE CLASSIC SENSE.
SO I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU, AND I'M, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT IT IS A COMPLICATED PROBLEM.
I'M GONNA MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON, BUT VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, ALL THE HARD WORK.
[03:40:01]
UM, I REALLY DO THINK, UH, THAT LIKE A GIS GPS TRACKER ON LIKE ONE BOTTLE AND YOU CAN NAME HIM LIKE JOE THE BOTTLE AND PUT HIM IN SCH CREEK AND THEN SEE WHEN HE SHOWS UP IN THE GULF OF MEXICO OR SOMETHING.OR IF THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF ANOTHER CITY THAT'S DONE THAT.
I'D BE CURIOUS JUST FROM AN EDUCATIONAL.
UM, BUT A COUPLE THOUGHTS TO KIND OF GO OFF OF WHAT COMMISSIONER BREER WAS SAYING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR DEVELOPMENTS THAT, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PUGS THAT COME BEFORE US, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO, TO PILOT A SECONDARY CONTAINMENT IDEA FOR YOUR DUMPSTERS, BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE OR SOMETHING, I JUST, IF YOU'VE GOT IDEAS, UM, WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN TO, TO, TO HEARING THEM, YOU KNOW, SEND US AN EMAIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER IDEA WOULD BE, UM, IF THERE IS INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO ADOPT A STORM DRAIN, IF Y'ALL COULD GET THAT TO US, WHENEVER IT DOES GO LIVE SO WE COULD SEND IT OUT TO, TO OUR PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, WITH THE FLOTILLAS, ARE THERE ANY BEST PRACTICES FROM LIKE NEW BRONX FALLS OR OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE VENDORS? YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE KAYA, I KNOW WE'RE NOT EVERY, UH, EVERY FLOW TILL PARTICIPANT IS, IS RENTING SOMETHING FROM A VENDOR ON THE, BUT, BUT WE, THOSE VENDORS DO COME BEFORE US.
SO, UM, IF THERE ARE CONDITIONS OR IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR THOSE WELL, YOU BRAF FLOWS DID THE INFAMOUS CAN BAN.
THEY BAN EVERY SINGLE USE ITEM, ZIPLOC BAGS, EVERYTHING, AND RESTRICT STYROFOAM CONTAINERS, WHICH I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE DONE.
UM, THE SAN MARCUS TAKES A LITTLE DIFFERENT APPROACH.
AND I THINK THE, THE MESH BAGS IS ONE THAT, UM, BUFFALO RIVER IN ARKANSAS REQUIRES THAT EVERY WATERCRAFT THAT GOES OUT, INCLUDING NOT JUST AT VENDORS, VENDORS, UH, PROVIDE CRAFT.
AND, UM, BUT ANYBODY GOING ON THE RIVER CAN BE FINED IF THEY DON'T HAVE ONE.
AND THEY ALSO SELL THEM, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T LAUNCHING, UM, SAN MARCUS HAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY SET UP TENTS AT ALL THOSE OTHER LAUNCH POINTS AND THEY PROVIDE MESH BAGS AND EDUCATION AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, WHICH I THINK WE COULD DO.
I THINK THE MESH BAGS IS A GREAT IDEA AND, AND PRETTY EASY AND INEXPENSIVE TO IMPLEMENT.
UM, CERTAINLY OUR VENDORS COULD HAVE THEM ATTACHED TO THE, TO THE WATERCRAFT AND WE COULD KIND OF MAYBE DO THE, THE TENT THING.
THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO, BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THOSE STAND PADDLE BOARDS, THEY DON'T GO OUT THERE WITH A THING TO CONTAIN THEIR TRASH.
AND I ROW ON THE LAKE AND NOW THERE'S A LOT OF SMUSHED CANS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE WHERE IT'S GOTTEN SO SHALLOW OUTSIDE BARTON, BUT, UM, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE LAKE ITSELF IS NOT A, THE ONLY SOURCE OF ALL THAT STUFF.
IT'S STILL GONNA BE COMING IN FROM THE TRIBUTARIES, BUT CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE, THOSE PEOPLE GOING ON THE WATER WERE TAKING THEIR STUFF BACK OFF.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, MAYBE THIS IS TO, TO EMAIL SINCE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT IF, IF THERE'S A, ANY KIND OF A, UH, FORECASTED EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, LIKE A PILOT PROGRAM OR, OR SOMETHING, IT'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF, IF YOU PILOTED AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT IN ONE AREA AND THEN WENT BACK TO SOME OF YOUR DATA POINTS IN THAT AREA AND, OR DID A COUPLE DIFFERENT ONES, AND THEN TRIED TO SEE, LIKE, THIS ONE WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE OR SOMETHING, JUST FLOATING THAT OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH DONE ANY LAST THOUGHTS I JUST HAD, UM, ONE THING, UM, ONE THING THAT I NOTICED THAT, WELL, THAT I'D BE KIND OF CURIOUS TO SEE IS LIKE, UM, AS WE COME OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC, LIKE IF THAT WOULD LIKE ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES OF SINGLE USE, UM, CONTAINERS.
CAUSE LIKE ONE THING I THOUGHT OF WAS LIKE STARBUCKS, LIKE THEY HAD THE REUSABLE CUPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN I REMEMBER BUYING ONE AND THEN LIKE A MONTH LATER, NO, WE'RE NOT U TAKING REUSABLE CUPS
AND SO I'M KIND OF CURIOUS IF THAT MAY HELP WITH SOME, LIKE, AS WE COME KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE REDEFINE COVID PROTOCOLS OR PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS, IF THAT WOULD ADDRESS, UM, SINGLE USE PLASTIC ISSUES.
AND ALSO I AGREE THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL THE CITIES COMING TOGETHER TO KIND OF FORM A PLAN TO LIKE WORK THROUGH THIS BECAUSE I, I JUST THINK OF LIKE, WHEN WE HAD THE BAG BAND IN AUSTIN, I HAD LIKE TWO FRIENDS THAT THEY WERE SO STUBBORN ABOUT THE BAG BAND.
LIKE THEY WENT TO VILLE BECAUSE FLU BILL I'M LIKE, YOU'D RATHER LIKE WASTE GAS AND LIKE POLLUTE THE AIR THAN PAY 25 CENTS FOR A BAG.
BUT LIKE, THEY WERE JUST THAT STUBBORN AND THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT WE'RE KIND OF DEALING WITH.
SO I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE THE CITIES WORKING TOGETHER IN THE NEARBY CITIES TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE TO KIND OF ADDRESS THAT.
[03:45:01]
YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
ONE MINUTE AND A COUPLE SECONDS, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS? THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT HEADER MEETING THIS PAST MONDAY AND WE GOT A BRIEFING, SORRY.ALL ANYBODY ELSE? UM, VAL CON'S IS MEETING, UM, IN OCTOBER.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
A QUESTION.WHEN ARE WE GONNA HAVE, UH, KEITH MARS? SOME POINT IN TIME, AS SOON AS WE CAN GET IT ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE'RE BACKED UP PRETTY GOOD.
AND, UH, WE, YOU SAID WE'RE GONNA DO A THING ABOUT THAT, UH, DRAINAGE AT THE, UH, FOOTBALL STADIUM OR SOCCER STADIUM OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT.
WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD RESPONDED BY EMAIL AND, AND I KNOW YOU'VE REQUESTED A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE CAN RESPOND SOON, BUT MAYBE NOT, UH, IN THE NEXT 30 SECONDS.
UM, BUT WE WE'RE HAPPY TO COME PRESENT ON GENERALLY LIKE WHAT OUR INSPECTION PROTOCOL AND MAINTENANCE PROTOCOL LOOKS LIKE, WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AND KIND OF PROVIDE A GENERAL EDUCATION ITEM.
THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE OVER A HYPER-FOCUSED, UH, AGENDA ITEM ON THAT POND, BUT SURE.
LET'S START THERE AND WE'LL PARTY FROM THERE.
LET'S TURN THE MEETING AT 10 0 4 55 SECONDS.
Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD ONE BASE HEART AT, AT TIMES LIKE THIS.
I SHOULD INSIST ANYWAYS, PROBABLY THERE BY NOW, BUT WHAT THE HELL I MIGHT AS WELL OUT RED LIGHT IS PULLING MY HEART.