[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:02]
I AM GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
IF EVERYBODY COULD PLEASE HAVE A SEAT BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND WE'RE TRYING TO GO.
THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2023.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UM, VICE CHAIR, FAUST PRESENT.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MOORE.
UH, BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS HERE.
BOARD MEMBER HAMAN PRESENT BOARD MEMBER BERNARD PRESENT.
AND I'M GONNA MAKE A NOTE THAT DON LEWIS HAS ROLLED OFF THE BOARD THAT SHOULD SAY VACANT FOR DISTRICT 10.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE SINCE WE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF LAST MEETING LISTENING TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE THREW THE DOORS OPEN AND LET EVERYBODY SPEAK.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR REGULAR FIRST 10 SPEAKERS HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR GENERAL COMMUNICATION, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS TO TAKE A QUICK VOTE.
I MOVE THAT WE, UM, WE GIVE ONE MINUTE PER PERSON FOR ITEMS THAT ARE BEING SPOKEN.
UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING TO AGENDA ITEMS LATER AFTER THE ORIGINAL 10 SPEAKERS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, UH, BOARD MEMBER HAMAN SECONDS.
UH, ALL OPPOSED, THAT WOULD BE BOARD MEMBER, UH, CHAIR FA, VICE CHAIR.
FAUST, UM, PATRICK FOR YOU IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY, I FORGOT TO LOOK IN FAVOR.
UM, NO, I THINK I'M OPPOSED TO THAT.
THE, UM, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, IT PASSES.
SO, UH, WE WILL BE TAKING, AND I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER LIMITED PUBLIC COMMENT TO ONE MINUTE.
UM, WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH THAT WE NEEDED TO GET THROUGH THAT I NEED TO, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WRITE TO US.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WRITE OR, OR, UM, TALK TO US AFTER THE MEETING IF YOU'RE STILL AROUND.
UH, WE DO REALLY WANNA HEAR FROM YOU, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE TURNOUT.
WE KNOW THESE ARE IMPORTANT MATTERS, SO THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
OKAY.THE FIRST, THE FIRST SPEAKER ON GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IS ROBIN GOLEMAN.
IS IT POSSIBLE IT'S ROBERT CORBIN? NO,
THE SECOND SPEAKER IS RALPH WEBSTER.
THAT'S, UH, THESE ARE WEBEX SPEAKERS.
IS RALPH WEBSTER ONLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL COME BACK.
THE NEXT PERSON IS DAVID HICKSON.
IS DAVID HICKSON AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THE NEXT PERSON IS MIKE
SO, MR. KANI, ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN? BECAUSE IF SO, WE'D PREFER YOU TO SAVE YOUR COMMENTS FOR THAT AGENDA ITEM, OR, I'M SPEAKING ON TOPIC OF GENERAL, NOT, NOT AGENDA SPECIFIC, AND YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING ON AGEN WHEN WE CALL AGENDA LATER.
SIGNED UNDER I APPLI FOR A MINUTE.
WE, WE ALREADY LIMITED PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE LIMITED THIS TO 10 SPEAKERS, SO WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
I SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL COMMUNICATION.
I SIGNED UP FOR BOTH, WHICH I BELIEVE I'M ALLOWED TO DO.
AM I? WELL, WE'VE CHANGED THE RULES TONIGHT.
YOU ARE PROCEED, BUT PLEASE DON'T SPEAK ABOUT ANY, ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UH, BOARD CHAIR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I WAS GONNA WELCOME OUR TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS, UH, COMMISSION, UH, BOARD MEMBER LOKS, AND I GUESS, UH, HOLLY REEB, BUT SHE'S NOT HERE NOW.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE HAVE SOME NEW FOLKS COMING ON THE BOARD.
AND I, I WANT TO, UM, SPEAK TO YOU AS A FELLOW APPOINTEE.
I'M ON THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
I'M NOT HERE IN THAT CAPACITY, BUT I, I THOUGHT IT WAS USEFUL FOR OUR COMMISSION AND HOPEFULLY FOR Y'ALL TO ALWAYS REFER BACK TO THE, THE PURPOSES AND DUTIES THAT THE BOARD BYLAWS HAVE FOR THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE PARKS PURPOSE IS TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE ACQUISITION, DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT, EQUIPMENT PROGRAMMING AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL LAND FACILITIES
[00:05:01]
MANAGED BY PART.IN ADDITION, THE PARKS BOARD SHALL QUOTE, PROMOTE CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND ALL PRIVATE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, AGENCIES INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
UM, WITH THESE PURPOSES IN MIND, I'M HOPING THAT THE PARKS BOARD WILL CONTINUE TO BE A POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE FORCE FOR WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, I WANTED TO POINT TO THE TESTIMONY, SORRY THAT WAS A MINUTE.
UH, I DID WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO AN EXAMPLE OF WORKING POSITIVELY WITH THE PARKS BOARD WAS WHAT, WHAT I PROPOSED TO DISCUSS AT OUR LAST PARKS BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE NATURAL RESOURCE SURVEY THAT WAS PREPARED BY BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY AND THE SIGLO GROUP SO THAT THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS WOULD HAVE GOOD INPUT.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SOME PEOPLE APPARENTLY WERE CONCERNED.
WE WERE, WERE ONLY TOUTING BECAUSE IT HAD PRETTY PICTURES IN IT.
BUT I REALLY WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PLAN WAS ACTUALLY REQUESTED BY THE CITY STAFF AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF KEY DOCUMENTS THE VISION PLAN WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S A HIGH QUALITY DOCUMENT.
AND THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY WAS TOLD WE, WE, WE NEED AN, AN ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY.
SO THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN PROVIDED BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO FUND IT.
AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HELPING BEING POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE.
AND I, I WILL STOP THERE AND SAVE THE TIME, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
THE NEXT SPEAKER'S ROBERT CORBIN.
IT'S POSSIBLE Y'ALL HAVE HEARD SOME OF THIS BEFORE, BUT I SUPPOSE Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE DESPICABLE STREET TAKEOVERS A WEEK AGO HERE IN AUSTIN.
PERHAPS THE NASTIEST ONE OCCURRING JUST FOUR BLOCKS FROM ZILKER PARK.
AND I PRESUME THAT NONE OF Y'ALL PLOTTED OR EVEN APPROVED OF THOSE TAKEOVERS.
BUT RIGHT NOW, AS I SPEAK THROUGHOUT AUSTIN'S PARKS ARE GROUPS OF BULLYING LAWBREAKERS, WHO BY THEIR BULLYING ACTIONS AND BULLYING WORDS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THOSE BULLYING ELEMENTS WHO LAST WEEK TOOK OVER AUSTIN'S STREETS.
AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR A LONG TIME.
AND YOU ALL HAVE BEEN VERY AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF THOSE BULLIES.
SO AWARE IN FACT THAT YOU SET UP A JOINT TASK FORCE WITH AAC TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
WELL, YOUR JOINT TASK FORCE MET FOR ONE ENTIRE YEAR TO PUT OUT BY ACCOUNTS.
I HAVE READ NOTHING BUT ISSUED DODGING CONFUSIONS.
IF CARING CREATIVITY HAD BEEN PRESENT, YOU WOULD HAVE, AFTER ONLY ONE MONTH OF CONSIDERATIONS, PUT OUT A STATEMENT, SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
PEOPLE HAVING DOGS OFF LEASH IN AUSTIN'S PARKS AND PRESERVES ARE A HUGE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
AND EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF OUR CITIZENS, INCLUDING MANY CHILDREN, ARE INJURED AND TERRORIZED AND EVEN FORCED OUT OF OUR PARKS.
MANY DOG OWNERS SHOW NO RESPECT FOR OUR CITY OR FOR THE SAFETY OF ITS CITIZENS AND SHOWING SHOW A CONTINUING DISDAIN FOR OUR LAWS AND CARE NOTHING ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS OR FUNDAMENTALS OF CIVILIZED SOCIETY.
THEREFORE, WE CONCLUDE THAT WHAT IS NEEDED IS IMMEDIATE VIGOROUS, NO NONSENSE LAW ENFORCEMENT OF OUR LEASHED LAWS, MEANING QUICKLY WRITTEN CITATIONS ISSUED TO ALL OFFENDERS.
FURTHERMORE, LAW ENFORCEMENT'S RESOURCES TO PROTECT AUSTIN PARKS AND CITIZENS ARE PRESENT ALREADY AS A P D HAS AN ANIMAL CRUELTY DIVISION CONSISTING OF THREE FULL-TIME OFFICERS AND ONE CIVILIAN.
AND WE ARE CERTAIN THAT A P D AND E EVERY BOARDING COMMISSION WITH OWN AUSTIN, INCLUDING OUR CITY COUNCIL, WOULD BE EXCITED AND IT'S SUPPORTED TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE OFFICERS FULLY DEDICATED TO GOING PARK, TO PARK TO QUICKLY ISSUE CITATIONS TO ALL LAWBREAKERS.
SO THAT SEMBLANCE OF LAW AND AND DECENCY RETURNS TO OUR PARKS.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE AN EMERGENCY CRISIS SITUATION, AND SO WE BELIEVE IN FACT DEMAND THAT WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY.
I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT IS NOT JUST DOGS OFF LEASH THAT ARE A PROBLEM, BUT SO OUR DOGS ON LEASH.
I'VE HAD MY OWN BAD ENCOUNTERS OR WITNESSED SOME AND I KNOW A 70 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO HAD HER LEG BLOODIED BY A PASSING LEASHED LARGE DOG.
AND I MET ON MATT, I MET A MAN ON THE GREEN BELT WHO WAS BLOODY TWICE BY DOGS ON THE GREEN BELT AND ONE OF THOSE DOG ATTACKS SWABS BY AN UNLEASHED LARGE DOG.
I WOULD GUESS THAT 80% OF REGULAR GREEN BELT USERS THAT I HAVE MET AND CONVERSED WITH HAVE BEEN INJURED BY DOGS FOR THAT REASON.
THE ONLY KINDS OF OFF-LEASH DOG AREAS SHOULD BE FENCED IN ONCE AND THE GREEN BELT AND THE ZILKER GREAT LONG AND BELOW BARTON SPRINGS POOL SHOULD ALL BE NO DOGS ALLOWED AT ALL AREAS.
GEORGE COFER IS THE NEXT SPEAKER.
IS GEORGE COFER AVAILABLE? I THINK YOU IN TRAFFIC.
[00:10:03]
OKAY.CAN YOU TELL ME, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE THE LIST WITH ME.
SO WHOSE NAME IS IT? MAC RAGSDALE.
ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO GIVE YOUR COMMENT? MAC RAGSDALE.
UM, HELLO PARKS AND REC BOARD.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THANKS TO AUSTIN AND PARKS FOUNDATION.
UH, I'M MAC RAGSDALE BOARD MEMBER WITH ZER THEATER PRODUCTIONS, AND WE'RE THE FOLKS WHO PUT ON THE FREE SUMMER MUSICALS EVERY YEAR AT THE ICONIC ZER HILLSIDE THEATER.
WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE ENTITIES THAT RECEIVE CRITICAL FUNDING FROM A P F AS WE LIKE TO SAY ON THE HILLSIDE.
THE MUSICALS MAY BE FREE TO SEE, BUT THEY ARE NOT FREE TO PUT ON.
UM, THE COST OF A SUMMER MUSICAL CAN RANGE UPWARDS OF $300,000.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE SHOW VENUE IMPROVEMENTS AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CAN ADD ANYWHERE FROM 10,000, UH, OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DEPENDING ON WHAT IS NEEDED.
WITHOUT THE CRITICAL FUNDING FROM SPONSORS AND DONORS LIKE APF F OUR SHOW WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT GO ON.
WE LOVE OUR APF F JUST LIKE WE LOVE OUR H E B, THIS FUNDING DOESN'T JUST BENEFIT Z TP, IT ALSO BENEFITS THE MANY OTHERS WHO USE THE VENUE.
WHILE Z ZT P IS THE BIGGEST GORILLA, THERE ARE OTHERS, UH, WHO USE THE VENUE, UH, LIKE AUSTIN, SHAKESPEARE BALLET, AUSTIN RIVER, CITY POPS, AND MANY MORE.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU A P F FOR HELPING US BRING JOY TO THE HEARTS OF THOUSANDS OF AUSTIN FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS FOR ALL THESE MANY YEARS.
AND, UH, QUESTION THE PARKS BOARD.
HAVE YOU ANY OF YOU ACTUALLY SUFFERED THROUGH THE SUMMER HEAT TO ATTEND ONE OF THE HILLSIDE MUSICALS? THE SHOW OF HANDS.
WELL, UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'VE BEEN, UM, I, I HOPE TO SEE YOU THIS YEAR.
UH, THE SHOW IS MATILDA KIND OF A DARK COMEDY, AND, UH, IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO COME AND DO A WALK ON ROLL, I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU ARE ACCOMMODATED.
WE'LL GO TO OUR WEBEX SPEAKER.
RYAN GOLEMAN, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? RYAN GOLEMAN.
PLEASE PROCEED WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES ALL MADAM CHAIRMAN.
UH, THIS IS ABOUT ZILKER PARK.
IS THIS GONNA BOTHER YOUR ITINERARY? I'VE BEEN TOLD YOU SHOULD PROCEED.
DO YOU DEAR PARKS MEMBERS, YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE COVERED UP WITH AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION AND DOWNRIGHT LIES FROM GROUPS AND VARIOUS MISINFORMED INDIVIDUALS.
TRUST ME, THIS AIN'T MY FIRST RODEO.
I'M A LONGTIME PARKS WORKER AND SUPPORTER.
I SPENT EIGHT YEARS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE, OF THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION AND I'M PAST PRESIDENT OF THAT BOARD.
I AM CURRENTLY ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BARTON SPRINGS CON CONSERVANCY.
THE NEW ZER PARK VISION PLAN IS FAR FROM PERFECT, BUT IT IS NOT ALIGNED.
ZER PARK IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
IT IS A METROPOLITAN PARK, IT'S A PARK FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
YOU REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THAT IS NOT AN EASY JOB.
THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A BENEFICIARY OF ACL FEST FUNDING FOR ABOUT THE PAST 18 YEARS.
AND I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN INFORMED THAT THE NEW TOTAL FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE PAST 18 YEARS HAS NOW JUMPED TO 57 MILLION FOR VARIOUS PARK PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
ALL THIS MONEY GOES TO VARIOUS PARK PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
THIS MONEY DOESN'T GO TO THE GENERAL FUND AND IS NOT SHARED WITH THE ROAD AND BRIDGE DEPARTMENT OR LIBRARIES.
NOT TO MENTION THE TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT.
A C L FEST HAS BEEN ON THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOW ESTIMATED AT OVER 2 BILLION.
CAN ANYONE ELSE SAY THAT? CAN ANY OTHER GROUP MATCH THAT? IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN THIS RELATIONSHIP BEGAN 18 YEARS AGO, C3 PRESENTS AND A C FEST SPENT ABOUT 2.8 MILLION
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BUILDING THE GREAT LAWN AT ZER PARK.THEY HAVE SOILED ENHANCEMENTS, REPLANTING A, A HARDY BERMUDAGRASS CONTOURING THE LAND AND BUILDING A BRAND NEW FRESH WATER IRRIGATION SPRINKLER SYSTEM FOR THE LAWN THAT DOESN'T USE TREATED CITY WATER.
IT USES FRESH WATER, WATER FRESH OUT OF LADYBIRD LAKE, ZER PARK, AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO BE EXTREMELY PROUD AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE JOB THAT C3 A C L FEST AND AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION ARE DOING FOR ALL THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I NOTE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF APF FUNDING GOES TO PARK PROJECTS EAST OF INTERSTATE 35.
AND SO, TO BE CLEAR, WE DID HOPE THAT PEOPLE WOULD SIGN UP ON THE AGENDA ITEM AND LEAVE THE CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION FOR THINGS NOT ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
AND I'M NOT ALLOWED TO CENSOR PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED CUZ THIS IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
KARA BRUMBLE BRUMBLE, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING ON THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN AND CHOOSE TO LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONE.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A NON AGENDA ITEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE GREAT SPRINGS PROJECT, A GREAT LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT IS WORKING TO CREATE A GREENWAY OF PROTECTED LANDS BETWEEN AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
RECENTLY, THE GREAT SPRINGS PROJECT PRESENTED A SHORT FILM NARRATED IN SPANISH BY N B A CHAMPION AND BIKE ENTHUSIAST MANU GENK IN ENGLISH AND IN ENGLISH BY MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY.
THE SHORT FILM ENCAPSULATES WITH THE GREAT SPRINGS PROJECT IS IN HOW THEY ARE WORKING TO CREATE A GREEN WAY OF PROTECTED LANCE BETWEEN AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND HOW, AND, AND ALSO TELL US ABOUT HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN GET INVOLVED.
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A NONPROFIT DOING GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WANNA COMMEND BILL BUNCH FOR HIS FORMATIVE ROLE IN CREATING THE GREAT SPRINGS PROJECT, WHICH RAISES PRIVATE FUNDS FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES.
UH, MY COMMENTS ARE REALLY MORE GENERALLY ABOUT CLIMATE, BUT I DO USE THE EXAMPLE OF THE VISION PLAN IF YOU WANT ME TO LIMIT IT TO ONE MINUTE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, MY COMMENTS ARE ABOUT CLIMATE RELATED POLICY FOR ALL OUR PARKS AND ESPECIALLY FOR ZILKER PARK RIGHT NOW, WHERE FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, UH, ACTUALLY, DID YOU HAVE MY SLIDES,
UH, FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER.
I'VE LED A VOLUNTEER ADOPT A CREEK, UH, THAT'S NOT MY SLIDE.
I'VE, UH, FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS I'VE LED A VOLUNTEER ADOPT CREEK, UH, PROJECT IN ZER PARK.
AND I JUST TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT UP THIS SLIDE TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE, GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF OUR, OUR HANDY WORK OVER THE YEARS.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE BACKUP FOR THIS MEETING INCLUDES THIS SLIDE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
AND REALLY ALL I WANNA SAY ABOUT THAT IS THAT 28%, WHICH SHOWS, UH, THE IMPROVEMENT IN NET CARBON BETWEEN THE EXISTING LAND USE AND WHAT WOULD WE, WHAT WE WOULD SEE UNDER THE PROPOSED PLAN.
TWO POINTS ABOUT THAT WE COULD MOST CERTAINLY DO BETTER IF WE USED REALLY WILDING TECHNIQUES WHEN WE RESTORED THE LAND AND THE RIPARIAN ZONE, UM, WHICH WOULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE, MORE DURABLE, AND DEFINITELY MORE CLIMATE FRIENDLY.
AND SECONDLY, THIS IS NOT THE FULL STORY ON CLIMATE WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPING THIS PARK OR ANY OF OUR PARKS.
WE NEED TO SEE SOME ESTIMATE FOR ALL OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF, UH, SOME, UH, CARBON, UM, ANALYSIS FOR ALL OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS, ESPECIALLY THESE LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE TRANSPORTATION AND CONGESTION THAT'S CAUSED BY INCENTIVIZING PARKING, THE PARKING GARAGES ARE ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC.
UM, SO I'M ASKING YOU FOR FOUR THINGS.
ONE, TO SUPPORT THE TWO KEY CLIMATE FRIENDLY ELEMENTS OF THE CURRENT PLAN, SPECIFICALLY
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THE WORK ALREADY DONE AROUND TRANSIT AND THE WORK ALREADY DONE AROUND LAND AND RIP RIPARIAN RESTORATION, I ASK YOU TO REJECT THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE COUNTER TO A CLIMATE FORWARD PLAN, ESPECIALLY THE PARKING GARAGES TO BE ADAMANT IN AVOIDING POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE SPRINGS THAT CONSTRUCTION OR DRILLING MIGHT PRESENT.AND FINALLY, TO NOT SETTLE FOR FALSE CHOICES, BUT TO INSIST ON CLIMATE FORWARD POLICIES THAT MATCH THE SCALE AND THE SCOPE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOY KANSKY.
HI, GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M JOY KOVSKI, CHIEF MISSION OFFICER WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
AND IF YOU GUYS DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ON SATURDAY, I'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU AND ABOUT 3000 OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.
IT IS THE SPRING, IT'S MY PARK DAY.
WE HAVE THIS PARK DAY TWICE A YEAR, ONCE IN THE SPRING, ONCE IN THE FALL, THE FIRST SATURDAY OF MARCH.
AND ON SATURDAY WE'VE GOT ABOUT 84 PROJECTS, UM, SPANNING ALL ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW OF THOSE PROJECTS WITH YOU.
IN DISTRICT ONE, WE'VE GOT COLONY PARK, UM, AND BOGGY CREEK ARE TWO, UH, THE PARKS AS WELL AS DOTTY JORDAN AND MOVING ON TO DISTRICT TWO, PALM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND KENDRA PAGE WILL ALSO HAVE A WHOLE SLEW OF VOLUNTEERS WITH PROJECTS.
DISTRICT THREE PARK WILL BE, UM, SPREADING MULCH ON HERITAGE OAKS AND YOU CAN ALSO STOP BY FESTIVAL BEACH TO HELP WITH THEIR FOOD.
FOREST DISTRICT FOUR, BARRINGTON SCHOOL PARK HAS JUST BEEN A NEWLY ADOPTED PARK.
THEY'RE GONNA BE GETTING OUT THERE AND GETTING BUSY, HELPING CARE FOR THEIR PARK IN DISTRICT FIVE PEAS, COMMUNITY FARM AND URBAN OR ORCHARD WILL BE HOSTING A SPRING FARM EVENT.
MARY MOORE, SEAWRIGHT PARK, SLAUGHTER CREEK, TRIBUTARY, AND LITTLE ZER WILL BE HAVING A MOAMA.
MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK IS PARTICIPATING AS WELL AS DAVIS SPRING PARK DISC GOLF COURSE IN SEVEN.
WE'VE GOT WALNUT CREEK METRO PARK, GILLETTE SCHOOL PARK, BRENTWOOD PARK, UM, UM, BALCON PARK.
AND THESE ARE NOT ALL THE PARKS.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS IN CASE, IN CASE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO ON SATURDAY.
AND THEN IN DISTRICT EIGHT LOT MORE WE'VE GOT THE GREEN BELT AND WE'VE ALSO GOT THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, THE ROWING DOCK, THE VE AWAY DICK NICHOLS, DISTRICT NINE, WE'VE GOT SHE PARK, UM, ADAM HEMPHILL, GOLDEN CREEK AND DISTRICT 10.
THERE WILL, UH, DEFINITELY BE SOME VOLUNTEERS AT PERRY PARK WHERE THEY ARE HOSTING THEIR 59TH PARK DAY.
THERE ALSO WILL BE, UM, ACTIVITIES IN PEACE PARK AND IN GREAT HILLS.
THERE ARE STILL OPPORTUNITIES TO SIGN UP.
YOU CAN GO TO AUSTIN PARKS.ORG/IM P D.
IT'S MY PARK DAY, SO WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OUT THERE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME, PLEASE DO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR PARK SYSTEM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TRY ON THE WEBEX.
DAVID HICKSON ON THE LINE TO GIVE COMMENT ARE, DO WE THINK THE WEBEX PEOPLE CAN HEAR US? ALL RIGHT.
DAVID HICKSON, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? CAN YOU GIVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT, I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING.
UM, SCOTT COBB, JUST ONE MINUTE HERE.
HOW MANY? YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES, PLEASE PROCEED.
I PUT MY, JIM, CAN YOU PUT UP MY THING? SORRY.
I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, LIFEGUARDING STAFFING ISSUE IF THE SUMMER OF 2023.
WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS SINCE THE LAST SUMMER WHEN HALF THE POLLS WERE CLOSED, BASICALLY ALL SUMMER, 42% STAYED CLOSED THE ENTIRE SUMMER.
WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS WITH, UH, RAISING THE LIVING WAGE, $20 AN HOUR AND THAT IS REALLY GONNA HELP HIRE A LOT OF LIFEGUARDS.
BUT, UH, $28 WAS NOT THE GOAL LAST YEAR WAS 22.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU WHEN YOU SEND YOUR RECOMMENDATION NEXT MONTH TO THE COMMISSION TO ENDORSE A $22 LIVING WAGE, WHICH WAS MENTIONED IN THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL AS THE GOAL TO GET THERE AS SOON AS FEASIBLE, SO SOON AS FEASIBLE WOULD BE FISCAL YEAR 24.
[00:25:01]
ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT BONUSES FOR SUMMER 2023.LAST YEAR WE HAD $1,250 AVAILABLE IN BONUSES, WHICH IN THE MEMO FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID THAT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE IN GETTING PEOPLE HIRED.
THEY HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE WORKED LESS DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND THEN CAME BACK ON IN THE END.
SO I HAVE MADE A PROPOSAL FOR THIS SUMMER, UH, A $500 START OF SUMMER BONUS, UM, $500 BONUS FOR THE FIRST, UH, ENHANCED CERTIFICATION, WHETHER THAT'S OPEN WATER, LIFEGUARDS OR LGI.
YOU NEED A LOT OF LGI IN ORDER TO TRAIN THE NEW LIFEGUARDS.
AND THE, UM, GET 800, UH, AND THEN, UH, $250 BONUS FOR IF YOU GET A SECOND ADVANCED CERTIFICATION LIKE YOUR OREGON BARTON SPRINGS AND YOUR, UH, TEACHING LIFEGUARDING TRAINING.
AND AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, I TWEAKED A LITTLE BIT, SAVED A LITTLE MONEY, BUT BASICALLY IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO END UP THE, THE SAME TO VARY THE END OF SUMMER BONUS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED OVER THE SUMMER, WHICH ARE, THEY'RE ABOUT 10 WEEKS, REALLY 11.
BUT GET PEOPLE A WEEK OFF FOR VACATION, 10 WEEKS AND SUMMER.
IF PEOPLE WORK UP TO 100 HOURS, THEY WOULD GET $250, 100 TO 300 HOURS, THEY WOULD GET 500.
MOST PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY GET 500 AND REALLY, UM, PEOPLE WHO REALLY WORK A LOT WOULD GET A THOUSAND IF THEY WORK FULL, BASICALLY FULL-TIME ALL SUMMER.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A GOOD PROPOSAL FOR THE BONUSES FOR THIS THIS YEAR.
UM, UM, THE OTHER THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS THE PAID TRAINING.
I WAS TOLD BY KIMBERLY MCNEALLY AND LUCAS MASSEY LAST YEAR IN AUGUST THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE PAID TRAINING OF LIFEGUARDS, GET THEM ON PAYROLL THE FIRST DAY OF A LIFEGUARD COURSE.
THEY DO THE LIFEGUARD COURSE, THEY CLOCK IN EACH OF THOSE HOURS.
THE 40 HOURS THAT COMES STRAIGHT, $800.
WHERE THERE IS, THEY GO TO ANOTHER JOB.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA GET PAID FOR TRAINING ANYHOW AT THOSE OTHER JOBS.
SO THEY GET PAID, THEY SHOULD GET PAID FOR LIFEGUARD TRAINING.
I'M UNCLEAR AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT PROPOSAL.
I SAW A PROPOSAL FOR A $400 END OF TRAINING BONUS, WHICH IS NOT PAYING PEOPLE FOR TRAINING, IT'S PAYING THEM FOR HALF OF THE TRAINING AND ASKING THEM TO VOLUNTEER THEIR LABOR TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 20 HOURS, UH, FOR THE REST OF THE TRAINING.
SO TRAINING SHOULD BE TRAINING, SHOULD BE PAID TRAINING.
AND UH, YOU CAN READ MY PROPOSAL.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S, GEORGE COFER.
YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY ON ALLOWING ME TO ARRIVE LATE.
I'M HERE IN BOTH A PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.
I WORK FOR HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
WE PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SUNSET VALLEY, TRAVIS COUNTY, HAYES COUNTY, OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL.
SOMEDAY THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL WILL GO FROM ZER PARK WHERE WE PLAN TO BUILD A NEW TRAIL HEAD NEXT YEAR IN THIS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ALL THE WAY DOWN IN HAYES COUNTY, ABOUT A 30 MILE ONE WAY VIOLET CROWN TRAIL IN A PERSONAL CAPACITY.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE PARKS BOARD DESIGN WORKSHOP, HAVING SUCH A ROBUST PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
ONE OF THOSE BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WALK BACK AND FORTH THEN, AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO KNOW THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS PARTICIPATING.
I SUPPORT THE PLANNING PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS.
IS IT PERFECT? NO, I'VE LIVED HERE 74 YEARS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN A PERFECT PROCESS IN AUSTIN YET, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
ALL RIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR GENERAL COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
GONNA PROCEED NOW TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES, UM, FROM THE JANUARY 23RD, 2023 MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OR DO I HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THE MINUTES? APPROVE APPROVAL, MOVE APPROVAL.
AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM, UM, BOARD MEMBER BERNARD AND HAMAN.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
YOU LOOKS LIKE IT PASSES WITH ONE ABSTENTION, SIR.
[2. Staff Briefing on the draft Zilker Park Vision Plan. ]
ARE MOVING ON TO THE STAFF BRIEFINGS.UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF BRIEFING ON THE ZILKER ON THE DRAFT ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WITH PRESENTERS.
GREG MONTEZ PRO, UH, FROM PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND CLAIRE HEMPEL, PRINCIPAL
[00:30:01]
WITH DESIGN WORKSHOP.UM, GREG MONTE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION.
GREG MONTEZ WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UM, SERVING AS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN.
JOINED BY CLAIRE HAMPEL WITH DESIGN WORKSHOP, WHO IS THE LEAD CONSULTANT ON THE VISION PLAN.
SHE ALSO OVERSAW A TEAM OF SUB-CONSULTANTS THAT, UM, ARE EXPERTS IN CERTAIN AREAS OF, OF PLANNING.
SO, UH, TONIGHT WE'LL BE PRESENTING ON, UH, THE ZUCKER VISION PLAN, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, WITH THAT I'LL HAND IT OVER TO CLAIRE SO WE CAN GET THE PRESENTATION STARTED AND WE'LL ANSWER SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AFTER GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
MY NAME'S CLAIRE HEMPEL AND I'M A PRINCIPAL AT DESIGN WORKSHOP IN OUR AUSTIN STUDIO, AND I'VE BEEN SERVING AS A LEAD CONSULTANT, AS GREG MENTIONED, WORKING ON, UH, WITH CARD ON THE ZK PLAN SINCE IT OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF IN FEBRUARY OF 2021.
I ALSO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT I AM NOT REPRESENTING THAT BODY HERE TONIGHT.
I'LL SPEND ABOUT 15 MINUTES PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN AND THE PROCESS, AND WE'LL ANSWER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, TO START OFF OUR OVERVIEW TONIGHT, YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, ARE THE RESULTS TO A QUESTION ASKED BY A THIRD PARTY UNRELATED TO OUR PLANNING PROCESS, ASKING WHAT PEOPLE THINK THE MOST CRITICAL IMPROVEMENT TO ZILKER PARK SHOULD BE.
THIS WAS PUBLISHED ON FEBRUARY 15TH, 2023.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE ANSWERS ARE SPLIT AND THERE IS NOT ONE RESOUNDING RESPONSE OR IDEA ABOUT WHAT THE MOST CRITICAL IMPROVEMENT SHOULD BE.
THIS IS THE CHALLENGE FACING THE CITY WITH ZER PARK TODAY.
IS IT BELOVED SPACE WITH MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT HOW IT SHOULD BE USED AND IMPROVED? NEXT SLIDE.
ZILKER PARK HAS BEEN A DRAW FOR GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES AND THOSE THAT LIVED HERE BEFORE.
IT IS THE HOME OF ECOLOGICAL TREASURES, GATHERING SPACES, PLAY AREAS, AND HOME TO MANY BELOVED FACILITIES AND EVENTS.
EARLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, EVEN BEFORE THE CONSULTANT TEAM WAS UNDER CONTRACT, THE FIRST SURVEY TOOK PLACE AROUND THE TIME OF THE START OF THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS IN 2020.
QUESTIONS ASKING HOW WELL ZUCKER PARK IS MEETING PEOPLE'S NEEDS, UM, AND WHY PEOPLE DON'T VISIT.
WERE ASKED AMONG OTHERS, HIGHLIGHTING THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE TO BECOME CENTRAL TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT.
NATURAL AREAS AND TRAILS ARE SOME OF THE CURRENT ELEMENTS OF THE PARK THAT MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS.
BUT PARKING ISSUES, CROWDING ISSUES, AND ACCESS WERE INDICATED AS PROBLEMS TO SOLVE FOR.
OTHER ISSUES ARE EVIDENT AS ONE WALKS AROUND THE PARK, SOME ARE OF WHICH ARE PICTURED HERE, LIKE AREAS THAT SEE INTENSE STORM DRAINAGE AND EROSION PROBLEMS IN INACCESSIBLE AREAS ALONG THE CREE.
THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN VISION PLAN'S MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE A VISIONARY FRAMEWORK TO DIRECT THE PRESERVATION.
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN CARE OF ZILKER PARK.
ZER PARK NEEDS A VISION PLAN TO MAKE SURE IT IS VIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
IT INVOLVES IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, RECOMMENDING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKS, CURRENT FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS, AND PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING THE HISTORIC, CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
SUSTAINABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, NATURE, AND ECOLOGY AND HISTORY AND CULTURE ARE THE FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE GOALS.
THE BEGINNING OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS INCLUDED ESTABLISHING THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND GOALS AND PULLING FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTEXT FROM AFFILIATED CITY ADOPTED PLANS SUCH AS THE I'M AT AUSTIN, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, THE LONG RANGE PLAN, THE WORKING GROUP REPORT, AND MANY OTHERS.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2021.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME, WHICH PROVED ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING DUE TO COVID AREA RESTRICTIONS.
DURING THIS TIME, OUR TEAM HAS CONDUCTED OVER A HUNDRED POP-UPS, DOZENS OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS, FIVE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE, SIX COMMUNITY SURVEYS, AND ADDITIONAL WORK WITH THE PARKS BOARD WORKING GROUP.
TONIGHT'S BRIEFING IS ONE TOUCHPOINT IN THE FINAL STAGES OF THE PROJECT WITH A SERIES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
PUBLIC HEARINGS CONCLUDING WITH CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION BY CITY COUNCIL LATER THERE THIS SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER.
THE CITY USES THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SPECTRUM OF PAR PARTICIPATION AS A GUIDE TO FORMING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY.
FROM THIS STRATEGY, THE PLANNING TEAM USED DIFFERENT METHODS OF OUTREACH TO REACH DIFFERENT GROUPS BASED ON THE SPECIFIC GOAL FOR THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE.
THE DRAFT PLAN WAS RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022.
THE PLANNING TEAM HELD A VIRTUAL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, AND AN OPEN HOUSE ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 10TH.
THERE ARE 148 VIRTUAL MEETING PARTICIPANTS AND 130 OPEN HOUSE ATTENDEES AT THE OPEN HOUSE.
THERE WAS REPRESENTATION FROM ALL 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS WITH ABOUT A QUARTER OF THOSE ATTENDEES FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
ALMOST 300 WI WRITTEN COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED AT THE OPEN HOUSE AND ALL WERE DIGITALLY DOCUMENTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER.
[00:35:01]
THE FINAL COMMUNITY SURVEY NUMBER SIX, THERE WERE NEARLY 27,000 VIEWS OF THE DOCUMENT WITH ALMOST 3000 PARTICIPANTS AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS, 2300 LEFT COMMENTS AND ABOUT 30% OF THOSE COMMENTS ARE FROM THE ZIP CODES.THE TEAM ALSO RELEASED A SEVEN MINUTE VIDEO TO EXPLAIN THE PLAN IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WITH MORE THAN 6,000 VIEWS.
FOLLOWING THE FINAL PHASE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, THE PLANNING TEAM WAS WORKING THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JANUARY TO UPDATE THE PLAN BASED ON FEEDBACK AND PART, UH, LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE.
THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THOSE UPDATES, INCLUDING MOVING THE SPORTS AREA AND REDUCING ITS FOOTPRINT, LEAVING DISC GOLF AND ITS CURRENT CONFIGURATION AND THE INCLUSION OF A DISC GOLF WARMUP AREA.
THE ROWING DOCK WILL REMAIN IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE THE SIZE OF THE PLAY SCAPES WAS REDUCED TO KEEP THE MONKEY TREE LAWN SIZE INTACT.
TONIGHT'S BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN, THE DRAFT PLAN.
FIRST, THE EXTERNAL SHUTTLE AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, IS CRITICAL TO SUPPORT THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN ZILKER VISITORSHIP AS THE CITY'S POPULATION GROWS OVER THE YEARS.
THE TWO PROPOSED LINES WILL CONNECT TO THE THE PARK TO TRANSPORTATION HUBS AND THE EXTERNAL PARKING GARAGES LIKE ONE TEXAS CENTER, REPUBLIC SQUARE AND CITY HALL.
A SHUTTLE WAS PILOTED LAST SUMMER WITH AROUND 500 RE RIOTERS GETTING FREE LIFTS FROM THE GARAGE AT ONE TEXAS CENTER TO ZILKER.
REGARDING VEHICULAR CIRCULATION, THE PLAN RECOMMENDS HOLDING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES WITHIN THE PARK AS THERE ARE TODAY, BUT BY CONCENTRATING PARKS IN GARAGES, IMPERVIOUS COVER IS REDUCED FROM 36 ACRES TO 27 ACRES.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE WILL BE AN INTERNAL SHUTTLE CIRCULATOR AS SEEN IN THE ORANGE LINE, AN EXPANSION OF THE ZILKER EAGLE TRAIN ROUTE TO THE NORTH AS SEEN SEEN IN THE TEAL COLOR TO SERVE AS BOTH A RECREATIONAL ELEMENT IN A WAY TO GET AROUND THE PARK.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN SERVE AS A COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO ADDRESS ACCESSIBILITY AND MOBILITY WITHIN THE PARK, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTING SHARED PARKING SOLUTIONS, CAPITALIZING ON PARKING GARAGE INVESTMENTS ADJACENT TO THE PARK LIKE THE NEW DOHERTY ART CENTER AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES FROM THE NORTH AND THE EAST INTO THE PARK FOR EASIER, SAFER ACCESS.
TODAY, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD DIVIDES THE PARK AND PRESENTS CHALLENGES TO SAFETY AND ACCESS TO ALL PARTS OF THE PARK.
THERE IS SUPPORT FOR SLOWING VEHICLES AS THEY TRAVEL THROUGH THE PARK.
THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN REPORTED ON JANUARY 12TH, 2023 THAT IN 2022, AUSTIN BROKE ITS TRAFFIC DEATH TOLL RECORD THAT WAS SET ONLY A YEAR EARLIER.
IN FACT, THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN DEATH DUE DUE TO A VEHICULAR ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IN AZ MORTON.
IN 2022, THE PLANNING TEAM WORKED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ON WAYS TO SLOW SPEEDS AND PROMOTE PARK CONNECTIVITY.
THIS CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN HERE, WHICH IS ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION WITH PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND PARALLEL PARKING AND A SHARED USE PATH ON EACH SIDE IS BEING CONSIDERED.
BUT ONLY AFTER OUR TRAFFIC STUDY AND PILOT PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED AND PROVES TO BE SAFE AND BENEFICIAL, THIS CONFIGURATION WORKS WITHIN THE EXISTING PAVEMENT SECTION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND DOES NOT INCREASE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
REGARDING PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CIRCULATION, THE PLAN ENHANCES AND INCREASES TRAIL CONNECTIVITY, INCREASING CONNECTED TRAILS BY 55% WITH THREE TRAIL HEADS.
THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL BEING ONE THAT IS ALREADY EXISTING IN FIVE CROSSING POINTS ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, INCLUDING THE LAND BRIDGE.
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE ABOUT NATURE AND ECOLOGY WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST FOCAL POINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
THE PROPOSED ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT WILL BENEFIT THE PARK AS IT RELATES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GOALS SET FORTH IN THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT HAPPENS BY REPAIRING AND RESTORING THE NATURAL SYSTEMS THROUGH ACTIVE MANAGEMENT.
MANIFESTATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT IN ZILKER PARK CAN INCLUDE INCREASING BIODIVERSITY THROUGH THE PLANTING OF POLLINATOR PLANTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
ENHANCING CLIMATE RESILIENCE THROUGH INCREASES IN TREE CANOPY AND SHADE THAT MITIGATES AND ALLOWS FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE PLANT INCREASES AREAS OF ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT THROUGHOUT THE PARK, RESULTING IN 92 ADDITIONAL ACRES OF NATURAL AREA.
IN A HIGH LEVEL ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS VERSUS THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS STORED AND SEQUESTERED CARBON INCREASED BY 25%.
THE PLAN ALSO SUPPORTS SEVERAL GOALS OF THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN BY INCREASING TREE CANOPY BIODIVERSITY, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, REMOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER IN ENHANCING PUBLIC TRANSIT, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS WITHIN THE PARK.
NOW WE'LL ZOOM IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU'LL NOTICE SMALL ICONS ON THE DESIGN ELEMENTS TO LINK THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND GOALS TO THE ELEMENT.
THE NORTHERN AREA OF THE PARK IS MOSTLY UNTOUCHED WITH THE ZILKER NATURE PRESERVE.
IN THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER REMAINING IN PLACE, THE LANDFILL ON EITHER SIDE OF MOPAC IS RESTORED TO NATURAL AREAS TO BETTER CONNECT VISITORS TO THE WATER.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ROWING DOCK REMAINS IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION WITH PEDESTRIAN
[00:40:01]
CONNECTIONS FROM ENS CREEK UNDER STRATFORD TO CONNECT THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER AND TRAIL USERS TO THE WATER, THERE IS A TRAILHEAD FOR THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL BESIDE THE PARKING GARAGE LOCATED UNDERNEATH MOPAC.THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE MOPAC INTERSECTION WITH A Z OR BOTANICAL GARDEN AREA LOOKING OUT TOWARDS DOWNTOWN AND LADY BIRD LAKE WITH A RESTORED NATURAL AREA IN PLACE OF THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
THE CENTRAL PART OF THE PARK INCLUDES AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE CONNECTED TO THE LAND BRIDGE THAT ALLOWS FOR SAFE, SAFE PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CROSSING OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
THE SPORTS AREA IS NOW MORE CLOSELY LOCATED TO THE POLO FIELD LAWN AND THE DISC GOLF AREA REMAINS IN ITS CURRENT CONFIGURATION.
THE ZER HILLSIDE THEATER IS LOCATED AT THE NORTH END OF THE LAND BRIDGE.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE LAND BRIDGE LOOKING TOWARDS THE GREAT LAWN IN DOWNTOWN.
ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PARK, LUNA ROAD IS CLOSED TO EVERYDAY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
THERE ARE NEW PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE LAKE IN BARTON CREEK.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER CONNECTED TO THE LAND BRIDGE.
THE THEATER'S CURRENT LOCATION DOESN'T ACCOMMODATE GROWTH OF THE THEATER'S PROGRAMMING AND PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR ACCESSIBILITY, PARKING, AND UTILITIES.
BY RELOCATING IT TO THE PROPOSED AREA IN THE GREAT LAWN, THE THEATER PRODUCTION CAN BETTER ACCOMMODATE ALL USERS AND THIS LOCATION ALL PROVI ALSO PROVIDES FOR PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN AND THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER.
NEXT SLIDE, SOUTH OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
THE PLAN INCLUDES CONNECTIONS ACROSS BARTON CREEK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE POOL, A WELCOME PLAZA AND NEW AND ENHANCED PLAY AREAS AT THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND NEAR THE POOL AND NEW PLAY AREAS SOUTH OF THE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK.
THE SIZE OF THE PLAYGROUNDS IN THE SOUTH AREA WAS REDUCED TO KEEP THE CURRENT MONKEY TREE LAWN INTACT.
THE PARKING GARAGE HAS SHOWN HERE ON AZ MORTON WOULD BE THE LOWEST PRIORITY OF THE PARKING GARAGES AND MAY POSSIBLY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED AS OTHER PARKING SOLUTIONS LIKE SHARED USE PARKING OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE PARK BECOME AVAILABLE.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE AREA TO THE EAST OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL, THE SPILLWAY.
THIS SHOWS ACCESSIBLE PATHS TO THE WATERS EDGE RE-VEGETATED AREAS IN DEFINED AREAS FOR WATER ACCESS TO ALLOW FOR HEALING BACK OF THE BANES.
THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK FEATURES NEW TRAILS IN THE FORESTED AREA NEAR THE MACBETH RECREATION CENTER AND GIRL SCOUT CABIN COLUMBUS DRIVE FROM THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY SOUTH TO THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL HEAD WILL BE CLOSED TO EVERYDAY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, ALLOWING FOR UNIMPEDED ACCESS FROM THE GREEN BELT AND VIOLET CROWN TRAIL ACROSS THE LAND BRIDGE ONTO THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE CHILDREN'S PLAY SPACE WITHIN THE SPORTS AREA.
THE REASON FOR HAVING MULTIPLE PLAY AREAS WITHIN THE PARK IS TO BETTER DISTRIBUTE VISITORS ACROSS THE PARK.
THE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO SMALLER PROJECTS TO ALLOW FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH IMPLEMENTATION.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS GENERALLY FALL INTO THE CATEGORIES THAT ARE SEEN HERE, ADMINISTRATION, ACCESSIBILITY, ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT, AND FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE, TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROJECTS MAY BE PRIORITIZED, THE PLANNING TEAM DID A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT AND DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THIS QUADRANT.
THE HIGHER THE BENEFIT, THE LOWER THE COST PROJECTS ARE CLUSTERED AT THE TOP LEFT AND THE LOWER BENEFIT HIGHER COST PROJECTS ARE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT NEXT SLIDE.
AND FROM THAT, THE PROJECT TIMELINE WAS ESTABLISHED BASED ON THE COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
HOWEVER, IT IS INTENDED TO BE FLEXIBLE BASED ON AVAILABLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THE CORRELATION AMONG PROJECTS THAT ARE CO-DEPENDENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS SURFACE PARKING WILL ONLY BE REMOVED WHEN THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO ACCESS THE PARK, EITHER THROUGH ANOTHER PARKING SOLUTION OR MORE FREQUENT TRANSIT OR SHUTTLE SERVICES.
NEXT LINE TO CONCLUDE THIS MEETING TONIGHT AS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETINGS THAT THE PLANNING TEAM WILL ATTEND AND PRESENT TO CONCLUDING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION FOR ADOPTION.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
UM, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, WE ARE NOT TO BE COMMENTING TONIGHT ON THIS PROPOSAL.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COME BACK TO THE PARKS BOARD.
BUT, UH, THAT SAID, ANY PARKS BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT THAT HAVE HAVE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION, UM, MAY SPEAK.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, DO YOU WANNA GO VICE CHAIR FAST? I HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE COME FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SORT OF TOWARDS THE END, YOU MADE THIS, READ THIS STATEMENT ABOUT
[00:45:01]
THE SURFACE PARKING WON'T BE REMOVED.CAN YOU TELL ME HOW IN THE PLAN, AND YOU ALSO DESCRIBED THAT THE PARKING PROPOSED PARKING GARAGE ON AZ MORTON IS LIKE THE LEAST IMPORTANT AND SO LOWEST PRIORITY.
SO HOW, SORT OF JUST EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THOSE TWO THINGS WORK TOGETHER.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE CONCEPT IS.
CUZ THERE WASN'T REALLY ANYTHING IN WRITING, RIGHT? THIS WAS PICTURES AND THEN A FEW STATEMENTS AT THE END, BUT, SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THEIR SURFACE PARKING.
CURRENTLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE POOL, UM, THERE'S THE PART THAT'S CLOSE TO THE POOL AND THEN IT KIND OF STRETCHES OVER AND BECOMES MORE INFORMAL.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME MORE FORMAL PARKING.
AND I KNOW YOU D IN HERE TALK ABOUT FORMAL VERSUS INFORMAL PARKING.
SO I'M ASSUMING THOSE PAVED LOTS ARE FORMAL PARKING.
UM, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT THESE PLAYGROUNDS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, UM, THAT ARE WHERE THE PARKING CURRENTLY IS.
SO WHAT IS, I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.
LIKE SURFACE PARKING WON'T BE REMOVED UNTIL THERE'S ALTERNATIVE PARKING.
BUT WILL THE PARKING THAT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE POOL STAY UNTIL THE UM, UML AZ MORTON GARAGE IS BUILT? NO.
SO THE IDEA IS NOT JUST A FORMAL PARKING SPACE FOR A FORMAL PARKING SPACE.
THERE'S THE SHARED USE PARKING OPTIONS.
UM, SO THERE'S THIRD PARTY PLATFORMS THAT THE CITY COULD CHOOSE TO, UM, DO BUSINESS WITH THAT CAN HELP MAP OUT WHERE ADDITIONAL PARKING OUTSIDE OF THE PARK COULD BE LOCATED.
SO THAT'S, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS? I I'M NOT FOLLOWING THAT.
SO IF YOU'VE BEEN TO, UH, A GAME AT Q2 STADIUM OR, UM, EVEN ANY OF THE EVENTS AT ZILKER PARK, THERE'S A WAY FOR YOU TO RESERVE A PARKING SPOT, SAY AT AUSTIN HIGH, THAT YOU THEN CAN USE THAT AS A PARKING SPACE.
SO IS THAT, IF THAT BECOMES A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE PARK ON A REGULAR BASIS, THEN PARKING SPOTS COULD BE REMOVED FROM WITHIN THE PARK OR, OR, OR AN OFFSITE PARKING GARAGE THAT HAS SPACES LIKE THE DOWTY ART CENTER WILL HAVE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC PARKING SPACES.
YOU DON'T NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE SPACES WITHIN THE PARK.
BUT THESE ARE KIDS PLAYGROUNDS, WELL, OR PEOPLE TRYING TO GO TO THE SWIMMING POOL AND THERE'S REALLY NO PRIVATE PARKING IN THAT AREA.
I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA PARK AT AUSTIN HIGH TO GO IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE POOL OR USE THAT, USE THAT FIELD OR GO TO THE MONKEY TREE.
SO THERE'S A SURFACE LOT THAT REMAINS IN THE PLAN.
AND THAT WOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR PEOPLE WITH, UM, LIMITED MOBILITY.
SO IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN, YOU, THERE'S NO PARKING TO USE BARTON SPRINGS POOL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE POOL UNLESS YOU THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID.
THERE'S A SURFACE LOT THERE AND SAY THE PLAYGROUND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE BUILT THERE UNTIL THERE WAS ANOTHER PARKING SOLUTION FIGURED OUT.
SO WHETHER THAT'S MORE FREQUENT BUS ROUTES, IF YOU A STUDY IS DONE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE TAKING THEIR BIKE TO ZER OR PARKING OFFSITE, THEN THAT IMPROVEMENT CAN BE MADE AND TAKING OUT THOSE PARKING SPACES.
WHAT WAS THE PART YOU JUST SAID ABOUT PRIORITY FOR USING THAT SURFACE LOT? I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION? YOU DESCRIBED SOME SITE, SOME TYPE OF MOBILITY LIMITATION TO ACCESSING THAT LOT.
YES, BECAUSE THE, THE ACCESSIBLE ROUTE INTO THE POOL IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
I'M SORRY, I'M JUST NOT QUITE FOLLOWING.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PHASING, HOW MUCH SURFACE PARKING THAT'S STILL THERE WOULD STAY.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME.
HEY, HEY, HE, LET'S TRY TO HAVE SOME DECORUM AND LET HER ANSWER PLEASE.
I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
UM, I, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M QUITE UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, YOU, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THE WAY THE PLAN KIND OF IS SET OUT, SURFACE PARKING ISN'T REMOVED UNTIL THERE'S A, A PARKING ALTERNATIVE.
AND I THOUGHT THAT MEANT THE PARKING GARAGES BECAUSE THE NUMBERS SHOW IT KIND OF BEING EVEN ON FORMAL PARKING.
AND SO I GUESS I'LL JUST, I MEAN, SO MY CONCERN IS THEY'RE BEING PARKING AVAILABLE AT THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE POOL FOR PEOPLE THAT WANNA GO SWIMMING.
THERE'S NOT REALLY A, AN A, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO PARKING THAT'S BE BECOME GOING TO BECOME AVAILABLE.
THERE'S NO GAR, THERE'S NO OFFICES, THERE'S NO HIGH SCHOOL,
[00:50:01]
THERE'S NOTHING OVER THERE.SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW LONG THAT PARKING IS GONNA STAY THERE AND WHETHER OR NOT A PLAYGROUND COULD BE BUILT THAT WOULD USE THE PARKING.
AND THEN THERE'S NO MORE PARKING THERE.
IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE CREEK, UM, BEING ACCESSIBLE AND, AND BUILT THAT ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE TO CROSS OVER THE WATER INSTEAD OF HAVING TO MAKE A LARGE DETOUR AROUND THE POOL TO GET FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.
SO YOU, SO IF YOU WERE COMING FROM SOUTH, THE SOUTH SIDE, YOU WOULD DRIVE AROUND AND THROUGH THE PARK AND PARK IN THE GARAGE IN THE MAIN PART, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? BECAUSE I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ACCESS THE POOL FROM AZ MARTIN AND FROM SOUTH LAMAR.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO FLUMMOX YOU.
I JUST DON'T, I DIDN'T FOLLOW WHEN YOU SAID THE, THAT'S A LOW PRIORITY PARKING GARAGE.
I WANT TO, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, DOES THAT MEAN THE PARKING WILL STAY THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE? THE PARKING WOULD STAY UNTIL THERE'S ANOTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR IT TO BE REMOVED FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE PARK.
AND WHAT'S VIABLE IS A DISCUSSION FOR A DIFFERENT DAY.
HOW WILL THAT GET DETERMINED? IT, IT'S OUTLINED IN THE PLAN, UM, ABOUT THESE OTHER OPTIONS OF MORE FREQUENT BUS SERVICE.
SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WHEN PROJECT CONNECT AND THE LIGHT RAIL STATION IS BUILT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING FOR PEOPLE TO COME THAT WAY, ALTHOUGH IT'S A BIT OF A FARTHER OF A DISTANCE, THERE'S NO LIGHT RAIL FROM SOUTH LAMAR THAT'S NOT PART OF IT.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A LITTLE BIT FARTHER OF A DISTANCE, BUT PEOPLE WILL RIDE THEIR BIKE OR SCOOT OVER THERE FROM THAT DISTANCE.
OH, I DON'T TAKE THE SCOOTERS.
THEY'RE VERY DANGEROUS AND I CAN'T TAKE MY KIDS ON THEM.
I'M JUST TRYING TO, LIKE, I'M FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
SO WE'RE, I'M JUST TRYING TO LIKE UNDERSTAND AS FAR AS THOSE RESIDENTS WHAT THIS PLAN AND HOW IT WOULD WORK OUT.
SO, AND, UH, PLEASE DON'T TAKE YOUR CHILDREN ON THOSE SCOOTERS.
UM, I'M, I'M REALLY AM JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
SO LET ME JUST SEE, UM, IF
I HA HAVE TWICE HAD BIKES STOLEN IN BARTON SPRINGS AREA AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET ABOUT BIKE LOCKERS OR A MEANS OF MAKING BIKES SAFE.
IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO TRAVEL BY BIKE, HOW ARE YOU INTENDING TO KEEP THOSE BIKES FROM BEING STOLEN? ESPECIALLY WITH E-BIKES? IF I DON'T TAKE THE CITY'S VERSION OF THE E-BIKE, IF I HAVE MY OWN E-BIKE OR MY OWN BIKE, WHERE AM I GOING TO KEEP THAT, THAT IT'S SAFE? UM, I DON'T THINK WE HA GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF BIKE LOCKERS IN THE PLAN, BUT THAT'S A, A COMMENT THAT WE'LL TAKE NOTE OF AND CONSIDER ADDITION FOR INTO THE FINAL DRAFT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS, AS, UH, DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE IS THAT YOU RECEIVED THE MOST INPUT FROM 7 8 7 0 4 AND 7 8 7 4 5.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHY, UH, THERE WAS A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF INPUT FROM THE 45? AND IF YOU DON'T, UM, YOU, YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME LATER ON THAT MM-HMM.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS A REASON OR IF THERE WAS A GENERAL THEME AND THE FEEDBACK THAT, UH, RESIDENTS WHO LIVED IN THE 45, UH, WERE GIVING Y'ALL.
THOSE ARE THE ZIP CODES ADJACENT TO THE PARK.
SO THOSE WERE THE MOST ACTIVE, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO DURING THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT WAS A SURVEY COMMUNITY MEETING OR WHETHER WE WERE OUT AT POP-UPS AND SMALL GROUPS, UM, THOSE PARTICIPANTS FROM THOSE ZIP CODES WERE MOST PREVALENT IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THEY HAD PARTICIPATED MORE THAN ANY OTHER ZIP CODE, UM, IN OUR, OUR DATA GATHERING.
MAY I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? SINCE YOU MENTIONED THE POP-UPS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN INFORMATION ON IS WHAT PEOPLE WROTE DOWN IN THE POP-UPS.
AND SOME PEOPLE WERE TELLING US THAT THEY HAD BEEN REFERRED BACK TO THE SURVEY ONLINE.
AND I, I HAVEN'T SEEN RESULTS FROM THE POP-UPS.
WE HAD PUSHED BACK AGAINST YOU GUYS LAST SPRING ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH, UH, DISPARITY IN THE RESULTS THAT WERE, UM, PEOPLE BEING PULLED ABOUT THE PARK.
AND THERE WERE POPUPS THAT WENT TO ALL, ALL THE, ALL KINDS OF GOOD PLACES, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN DATA FROM THOSE.
COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE THAT DATA IS? THE DATA FROM ALL OF THE POP-UPS THAT WE HAD, RIGHT.
THAT'S ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GUYS LOGGED IN AS WELL AS WE DID.
SO THE STAFF LOGGED IN, ALL OF THE INFORMATION COLLECTED AT THE POP-UP SERIES, WE HAD THREE SERIES OF POP-UPS THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION
[00:55:01]
THAT WAS LEFT THERE, UM, AT OUR MEETINGS OR AT THE POPUP LOCATIONS WERE THEN ENTERED INTO OUR DATABASE SO THAT WE COULD LOG IN WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM AND WHAT INFORMATION THEY WERE LEAVING WITH US, DEPENDING ON THE POPUP.BECAUSE EVERY POPUP WE HAD FOLLOWED A COMMUNITY MEETING.
SO EVERY COMMUNITY MEETING HAD A DIFFERENT FOCUS.
SO THE POPUP MIRRORED WHAT WE WERE DOING AT THAT COMMUNITY MEETING.
SO THE, THE INPUT WE COLLECTED WAS INPUT INTO OUR DATA SO THAT THE DESIGN TEAM, THE PLANNING TEAM COULD PROCESS ALL THAT INFORMATION, WHICH FED INTO THE PLAN, THE CREATION OF THE PLAN, BECAUSE WE DID GET REPORTS OF PEOPLE TELLING THAT, TELLING US THAT THERE WERE, UH, PEOPLE IN THE POP-UP BOOTH TELLING 'EM THEY HAD TO GO FILL OUT SOME ONLINE SURVEY INSTEAD OF COLLECTING THEIR INFORMATION AT THE POP-UPS.
IS THAT TRUE? AT THE FIRST SERIES OF POP-UPS, WE HAD A SURVEY OPEN.
AND SO WHEN PEOPLE CAME TO THE POP-UP, WE WERE THERE TO INFORM AND EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT THE VISION PLAN WAS.
WE WERE GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT IT SO THAT WE COULD GET PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
WHEN PEOPLE SAID, HEY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO LEAVE COMMENTS, WE SAID, OKAY, WELL WE HAVE A PAPER SURVEY HERE, OR YOU CAN DO IT ONLINE AT YOUR OWN CONVENIENCE AND YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS IN THERE SO THAT THEY'RE DOCUMENTED.
WHEN IT'S DOCUMENTED IN THAT SURVEY, THEN IT GETS LOGGED INTO OUR, OUR DATABASE OF INFORMATION THAT WE'RE COLLECTING.
SO PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE, LEAVE THEIR COMMENTS AND THEY DID THAT IN THE FORM OF THE, UM, ACTUAL SURVEY, SUBSEQUENT POP-UPS THAT FOLLOWED THE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS WE HAD.
THE FORMAT OF THOSE POP-UPS CHANGED BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS ON THE STICKY NOTE OR IF WE HAD A DOT, UM, SELECTION EXERCISE FOR THEM, THEY COULD DO IT THAT WAY AS WELL.
SO WHAT IF THE INPUT WAS COLLECTED AT THE FIRST POP-UP SERIES? OKAY.
AND WHEN THEY HAD TO FILL OUT THE ONLINE SURVEY, THE THINGS THAT I SAW, CUZ I CAME TO ALL THE MEETINGS, THE THINGS THAT WERE GIVEN TO YOU AS A, AS A PARTICIPANT IN THIS SURVEY WERE THESE THREE SCENARIOS, RIGHT? THEY, YOU THREE OPTIONS, THERE WAS LIKE A CAP AND STITCH AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAMES OF THEM, BUT ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I, I HAVE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE SAY IS THAT NO ONE HAD ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN IT AT THE SAME TIME.
AND, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW YOU SUSSED ALL THAT INFORMATION OUT WHEN YOU TOOK SURVEYS THAT, DID YOU LIKE SCENARIO ONE, SCENARIO TWO, SCENARIO THREE, HOW DID YOU DETERMINE WHAT ABOUT THOSE SCENARIOS PEOPLE LIKED AND DIDN'T LIKE? WELL, THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THEM.
SO WHEN THEY LEFT THEIR PREFERENCES AND IT WASN'T AN EITHER OR, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SELECT LIKE THE STITCH OR, YOU KNOW, THE EDGES OPTION, YOU COULD SELECT WHAT YOU LIKED ABOUT ALL THREE OF THEM.
AND FROM THAT INPUT, THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING IN THE SURVEY, HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID AT THE POP-UPS, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH IN TERMS OF THE SMALL GROUPS.
SO ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WAS GATHERED AND THEN AS CLAIRE SHOWED IN THE PRESENTATION EARLIER, WE HAD TO USE ALL THE OTHER RESOURCES, WHICH WERE THE OTHER PLANS HAD BEEN DONE, THE LONG RANGE PLAN, ALL THE MOBILITY PLAN, THE WATERSHED PLAN.
SO WE HAD TO ASSESS EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD COLLECTED WITH THOSE PLANS AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION 23, WHICH IS BEING UPDATED NOW.
SO WE HAD A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO HAVE TO USE AS A RESOURCE TO HELP CREATE THE VISION THAT'S HERE BEFORE YOU, WHEN THERE WERE QUESTIONS, THESE WERE MULTIPLE CHOICE SURVEYS.
SO WHEN THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHICH THING ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT, IF YOU DIDN'T SEE YOUR OPTION, WHAT WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO ANSWER? I THINK IN SOME OF THE OPTIONS YOU COULD LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS.
THERE WAS OPTIONS FOR COMMENTS.
AND I MEAN, I CAN CONFIRM THAT.
OH, I KNOW WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST HERE WHO WAS HELPFUL IN THAT AREA.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE, THE CASE THAT PEOPLE, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SELECTION, COULD LEAVE THEIR COMMENTS IF THEY WERE NOT SELECTING SOMETHING THAT WAS THERE.
I DON'T WANNA MONOPOLIZE, DO I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? UM, YEAH, I DO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, UM, THIS EVENING.
UM, I'M, I WANT TO, TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE AND GARAGES AND, UM, AND HOW, UH, IN THE, IN THE, UM, THE PLAN, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW IT INCREASES IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, AND I JUST, IF YOU COULD TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WHY DID, WHY YOU DECIDED THAT THE PARKING GARAGES MADE THE MOST SENSE AND WHAT, UM, JUST GIMME A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGES
[01:00:01]
IN GENERAL.UM, SO THERE'S ROUGHLY 2,500 PARKING SPACES TODAY.
PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBERS DEPENDING ON HOW YOU COUNT THAT, BUT THE WAY THAT WE COUNTED THAT WAS ALL OF THE PAVED OR FORMAL SPACES.
UH, THAT'S THE TYPICALLY THE SURFACE LOTS.
ALL THE PARKING THAT YOU SEE ON LUNA ROAD, THE LANDFILL, THE POLO FIELD AREA, UM, ALL OF THAT WAS COUNTED TOWARDS THIS.
THAT INCLUDES UNDERNEATH MOPAC? YES.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY PARKING WITHIN THE FACILITIES.
IT'S A SMALL QUANTITY, BUT WITHIN ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER MM-HMM.
UM, SO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT ACCOMMODATING AND, AND LOOKING AT THE, THE CONCERNS THAT WE SAW IN THE, FROM THE FIRST SURVEY MM-HMM.
UM, THE WAY WE DID THE PLAN WAS INSTEAD OF CREATING MORE SURFACE LOTS, WE CAREFULLY BALANCE THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT IS THERE TODAY.
AND WE'RE NOT INCREASING THAT NUMBER KNOWING THAT THE POPULATION OF OF AUSTIN IS GROWING, WE'RE HOLDING THAT NUMBER, UM, AND WE'RE ACCOMMODATING FOR IT ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD WITH A PARALLEL PARKING, UM, AND CONCENTRATING THOSE PARKING QUANTITIES THAT ARE NEEDED TODAY IN PARKING GARAGES.
SO THE IDEA OF IT BEING PHASED IS AS TIME GOES ON OUR, OUR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY BECOMES BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT WITH SOME OF THESE INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING, THAT PERHAPS WE DON'T NEED THOSE PARKING GARAGES.
BUT IF WE WERE TO BUILD EVERYTHING TODAY, WHICH WON'T HAPPEN, THIS IS HOW WE WOULD HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THOSE PARKING SPACES.
SO WE, WE TRIED TO REALLY STRESS THAT THIS IS TO ACCOMMODATE EV EVERYTHING, ALL THE PARKING NEEDS THAT WOULD BE THERE TODAY.
BUT WE ALSO STRESS THESE OTHER OPTIONS FOR HOW PEOPLE CAN GET TO THE PARK WITH THE SHARED USE PARKING GARAGES.
THIS THIRD PARTY PLATFORM PERHAPS THAT THE CITY COULD CONTRACT WITH, UH, BETTER BIKING, BETTER MORE FREQUENT BUS ROUTES.
PERHAPS THERE'S A, A FLYER COMING FROM THE PARKING RIDES.
SO ALL OF THOSE CAN KIND OF CHIP AWAY AT THE PARKING QUANTITY THAT'S NEEDED WITHIN THE PARK.
SO HOW MANY WOULD A PARKING GARAGE ACCOMMODATE IF ABOVE THE 2,500? BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING YOU.
THE 2,500 WOULD BE ACCOMMODATED WITH PARKING ALONG BARTON CREEK.
THE 2,500 NUMBER WOULD BE THE THREE PARKING GARAGES.
UM, THERE'S SOME LIMITED PARKING IN, IN OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK.
AND THEN THE, THE DELTA IS MADE UP IN THE THREE PARKING GARAGES UNDER MOPAC, UNDERNEATH THE POLO FIELD, AND THEN AZ MORTON.
SO THREE PARKING GARAGES WILL DO.
AND, AND THOSE SMALLER LOTS WOULD IN WOULD EQUAL TO 2,500.
YOU'RE NOT INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF PARKING PERIOD.
YOU'RE JUST CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF WHERE THE PARKING, YES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I I I, I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD, UH, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER, BUT DOES UNDER THE EXISTING PLAN, IS IMPERVIOUS COVER INCREASED OR DECREASED? IT IS DECREASED.
I THINK I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST CLARIFYING.
LISA, UH, BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN.
UH, MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH SLIDE SEVEN ON YOUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU, UM, I GUESS AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WERE, ARE CONSULTED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, WHAT IS THE, I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEIR IDEA.
THEY'RE THE EXPERT IN TRANSPORTATION, AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, ONE LONG CORRIDOR.
I DRIVE THAT, THAT ROAD ALL THE TIME, LIKE MANY OF US DO.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST SO SLOW AND SLUGGISH, UM, STOPPING AND STARTING.
I JUST, I'M ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT I JUST, I CAN'T FATHOM THE ONE LANE AND, AND THEN HAVING TO STOP WHILE SOMEBODY'S PARALLEL PARKING IN FRONT OF ME
AND, AND HERE, UM, AND THEN A HUGE ISSUE IS THE BOTTLENECK, ATED BARTON SPRINGS, UH, BRIDGE, WHICH IS, I GUESS I'M, I'M WONDERING WHY IS THAT NOT PART OF THIS WHOLE PLAN? IT SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE ONE LONG CORRIDOR, AND WE KNOW WE'RE GOING, THAT BRIDGE IS OLD AND IT'S GOING TO NEED RENOVATIONS VERY SOON.
AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS
[01:05:01]
PLANT.ACTUALLY, THE, UM, BARN CREEK BRIDGE IS A PROJECT THAT IS BEING, UM, MANAGED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THAT, UH, PROJECT AND THE MANAGER FOR THAT PROJECT WE'RE PART OF OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
SO CURRENTLY THEY WERE PART OF THE TAG, AND THEY MET WITH US, UM, AFTER THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT PROJECT IS ON A DIFFERENT, UM, PHASE AND TIMELINE.
SO I'M PART OF THEIR, UH, POINT OF CONTACT BECAUSE OF THE VISION PLAN.
SO JUST LAST WEEK I HAD A MEETING WITH THE PROJECT MANAGERS AND THEIR TEAM OF CONSULTANTS TO DISCUSS THAT PROJECT AND HOW THE TWO PROJECTS ARE, UH, COORDINATING AND, AND TALKING.
UM, SO IT, IT, IN SENSE IT WAS PART OF THE, THE PLAN AND THAT WE WERE COORDINATING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH WAS IMPORTANT.
UM, IN TERMS OF YOUR OTHER QUESTION, WHICH WAS ABOUT BARTON SPRINGS ROAD ITSELF, UM, AT ONE TIME, THE, THE SECTION BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND THE CREEK AND, AND LAMAR WAS WHAT THE PARK EXPERIENCES TODAY, WHICH IS TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION THAT, THAT CHANGED, UM, I GUESS OVER 10 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY REDID THAT, UH, STRETCH OF ROADWAY.
SO WE MET, UM, A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES.
AND THE SLIDE THAT, UH, CLAIRE WENT OVER WITH YOU TODAY WAS A, A POSSIBILITY.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA LOOK THAT WAY, BUT WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ABOUT, UM, IS THAT, WHAT POSSIBILITIES DO WE HAVE AND WHAT KIND OF STUDIES CAN YOU DO TO SEE WHAT'S BENEFICIAL AND SAFE FOR ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION? IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MOVING THE VEHICLES THROUGH THE PARK, BUT IT'S ABOUT INCORPORATING BIKE LANES, SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA.
AND PARKING WAS ANOTHER OPTION THAT WE THREW OUT THERE, CUZ THAT WAS WHAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THEM.
SO WE HAD THROWN OUT EVERYTHING AS A POSSIBILITY WITH THEM.
UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO DEFER TO THEM, BUT WORK WHEN PARTNER WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF PILOT PROGRAM THEY CAN RUN SO THAT WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING TO BE MOST EFFICIENT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE'RE NOT SETTLING ON ONE SCHEMATIC.
THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF IS THIS A POSSIBILITY? THE POINT IS LET'S EXPLORE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE BARN SPRINGS ROAD.
UM, SO I AM CURIOUS, SINCE THEY ARE TECHNICAL ADVISORS TO YOU, UM, YOUR WORDING MAKES IT SOUND LIKE YOU BRING IDEAS TO THEM AND AND THEY EITHER SAY YES OR NO.
DO THEY AS TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS BRING CONCEPTS TO YOU ON, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF? EXAMPLES WOULD BE OTHER PARKS, HOUSTON AND DALLAS.
IN DALLAS, THE WOODALL ROGERS FREEWAY IS A FLAT LAND BRIDGE.
SO THE, THE ROAD TUNNEL'S UNDER IT.
AND IN HOUSTON IT WAS JUST COMPLETED LAND BRIDGES IN, UH, THEIR LARGE CITY PARK MEMORIAL PARK MEMORIAL.
UM, SO YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THOSE PICTURES TOO, BUT BOTH OF THOSE ARE EXAMPLES THAT COME, COME TO MIND WHEN I THINK OF OUR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
WHEN WE MET WITH HIM IN TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT DO, ARE WE BRINGING THESE TYPE OF IDEAS TO THEM, WHAT WE WERE SHARING WITH THEM WAS WHAT WE WERE HEARING FROM MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS, WHETHER IT WAS THE POP-UP, THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, SURVEY, SMALL GROUPS, ET CETERA, SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SPEEDS.
THE HIGH SPEEDS ARE AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE, THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE, ET CETERA, LACK OF SIDEWALKS, LACK OF BIKE LANES, ET CETERA.
SO WE SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM AND WHEN WE WOULD MEET, THEN THEY WOULD LEND THEIR EXPERTISE JUST TO SAYING, WELL, HERE'S WHAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO.
WE ALSO MET WITH CAP METRO CUZ WE KNEW THE BUS ROUTE GOING TO THE PARK WAS NOT GONNA GO AWAY, BUT WE MET WITH THEM TO SAY, HOW COULD WE ENHANCE IT AND CAN WE INCREASE THE NUMBER OF, OF BUS STOPS? SO WE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
THEY WERE OFFERING IDEAS AS WELL AS WE WERE BECAUSE WE WERE SHARING WITH THEM WHAT WE HAD HEARD THROUGH OUR DATA COLLECTION.
SO IT WAS A BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM.
IT WASN'T LIKE WE WERE JUST DRIVING AND, AND GIVING THEM THE INFORMATION AND TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO.
WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE, UH, ENGINEERS THAT STUDY THIS AND DO THIS EVERY DAY.
SO WE DID, WE DID USE THEM AS TECHNICAL ADVISORS AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE ON THE TAG.
I, I JUST WONDERED IF ANYTHING REALLY INNOVATIVE MIGHT HAVE COME FROM, FROM THEIR SIDE, LIKE THE TWO PARKS I MENTIONED.
AND, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THEY'VE DONE HERE IN AUSTIN TO CONVERT MULTIPLE LANE ROADWAYS.
UM, I KNOW MAYER ROAD WAS ONE THAT, UM, THEY HAD A DISCUSSION WITH US ABOUT, UM, IN FACT MAYER ROAD IS KIND OF GOING THROUGH THAT STUDY PERIOD RIGHT NOW WITH THOSE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS.
AND, AND THEY ALSO DID SOME OTHER PROJECTS WITHIN OUR PARKS, LIKE LITTLE STACY DOWN SOUTH AND THEN JJ SEABROOK EAST OF 35
[01:10:01]
SOUTH OF MUELLER WHERE ROADS WERE CONVERTED TO TRAILS AND, AND, AND SO FORTH.SO THERE WAS THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH THEM IN THE PAST YEARS AGO AND THAT'S WHY WE INCORPORATED THEM TO BE AT THE TABLE FOR THIS PROCESS AS WELL.
DID YOU HAVE SOME MORE? THANKS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GO BACK AND MAKE SURE I WAS UNDERSTANDING.
UM, SO THIS, WHAT YOU PRESENTED TODAY IS LIKE AN UPDATE ON THE DRAFT PLAN.
AND IS THIS SUMMARY YOU PRESENTED WHAT'S GONNA BE MOVING FORWARDS TO THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? YES.
SO THE, THE OTHER, UM, PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'LL DO WITH THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WE WOULD HAVE MORE OF A FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT ASPECTS OF THE PLAN.
TRANSPORTATION, WE'D FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE MOBILITY ASPECTS.
THERE WAS JUST A LOT TO COVER IN 15 MINUTES.
SO IT'S, IT'S PRETTY HIGH LEVEL, BUT WE CAN DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER WITH THE VARIOUS COMMISSIONS THAT WE'LL GO TO.
UM, AND SO THE COMMUNITY SURVEY NUMBER SIX, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS DONE AFTER THE DRAFT PLAN WAS RELEASED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
AND YOU GOT 3,430 COMMENTS AND 2,300 COMMENTERS MM-HMM.
AND THEN YOU HAD THE OPEN HOUSE AND THE VIRTUAL MEETING AND SO THAT WAS AFTER THE DRAFT PLAN WAS RELEASED.
AND SO IN RESPONSE TO THE 3,500 COMMENTS FROM 2300 COMMENTERS, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE CHANGES THAT YOU MADE ARE TO, UH, ADDED A WARMUP AREA FOR THE DISC GOLF COURSE AND KEPT, KEPT THE LAYOUT OF THAT.
YOU'RE ALSO LEAVING THE ROWING DOCK WHERE IT WAS OR IS AND THEN YOU SORT OF RELOCATED AND REDUCED A SPORTS AREA.
BUT THAT'S THE SUM OF THE CHANGES BASED ON THE 3,500 COMMENTS? NO, UM, OH CUZ THAT'S, I HAD 15 MINUTES SO, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF TEXT CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN THE PLAN.
I JUST DID NOT HAVE THE, THE TIME LIMITS TEXTUAL CHANGE TO THE TEXT OF THE PLAN.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT IS, UM, YOU'D LIKE TO LET US KNOW ABOUT FROM THE TEXT CHANGES? THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS, RIGHT? SO I'M JUST ASKING IF THERE'S ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE ABOUT THE PLAN IN ADDITION TO THESE ELEMENTS.
CUZ IT SOUNDED LIKE FROM THE PHYSICAL PLAN LAYOUT, UM, THOSE ARE WHAT I HIGHLIGHTED TONIGHT.
SO THE, THE SPORTS AREA REDUCING IN SIZE, THE PLAY AREAS ON THE SOUTH, REDUCING IN SIZE, THE ROWING DOCK, STAYING IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION, AND DISC GOLF STAYING IN ITS CURRENT EXISTING LOCATION.
UM, AND I DIDN'T SEE LIKE A SUMMARY OF THE COMMENTS YOU GOT IN REVISED TO THE DRAFT PLAN, BUT NO CHANGES TO BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, NO CHANGES TO PARKING GARAGES, NO CHANGES TO LANDBRIDGE? NO.
JUST WANNA, SO, AND DO WE KNOW, IS THERE A SUMMARY OF THE 3,500 COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY ORGANIZED BY TOPICS SOMEWHERE? YOU MAY HAVE THAT ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, I'LL HAVE TO GET WITH MY TEAM.
WE DO HAVE ALL OF THAT LOGGED UHHUH.
UM, AND WE CAN PROVIDE IT AS BACKUP.
IT'S, IT'S, YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I MEAN, IF IT WAS 3,500 COMMENTS AND UNLESS, YOU KNOW, THE DISC GOLFERS ARE VOCAL, BUT UNLESS IT WAS 3,500 COMMENTS ABOUT DISC GOLF, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE 3,500 COMMENTS WERE ABOUT.
AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMENTS THAT WE ASKED PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THIS.
WE TOOK THEIR TIME, WE DID MEETINGS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF RESPONSIVENESS.
I THINK THERE'S A STRONG CONCERN, ESPECIALLY FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, MR. MONTES WAS QUOTED RECENTLY IN THE NEWSPAPER SAYING THAT THE NEIGHBORS THINK THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK TO ME THAT'S GONNA HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THIS VISION PLAN AND IN OTHERS IN VISION PLANS, IN OTHER AR, OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE A METROPOLITAN PARK, I DON'T KNOW WHY THE NEIGHBORS WOULD COME PARTICIPATE IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR, THEIR INPUT IS GONNA BE DISCOUNTED.
AND I THINK UNLESS WE CAN SEE WHAT'S IN THE 3,500 COMMENTS AND ON HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED IN REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT PLAN WE'RE AT, WE'RE RISKING THE LEGITIMACY OF THIS PROCESS AND OTHERS GOING FORWARD.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD IF YOU COULD PRESENT.
AND PLEASE LET, PLEASE LET THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS KNOW AS WELL.
WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS IN THE 3,400 COMMENTS THAT YOU RECEIVED AS IT MOVES FORWARD AND HOW DID YOU RESPOND? UM, I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION TWO, I'M SORRY.
WE GOT THIS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REPORT,
[01:15:01]
UM, THIS AFTERNOON THAT IS 16 PAGES.WE WERE ASKED TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS BY FEBRUARY 10TH, WE DID SO, AND THEN I RECEIVED THESE RESPONSES TODAY AT 8:50 AM SO I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW WE'RE VOLUNTEERS.
I WORKED A FULL EIGHT HOUR DAY TODAY.
UM, I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO READ THIS LINE BY LINE.
I GOT MY COMMENTS IN BY THE DEADLINE.
AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO LIKE PARTICIPATE IN A PROCESS WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE GIVEN INFORMATION THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT, THAT YOU ASKED PEOPLE TO HELP YOU PUT THE QUESTIONS TOGETHER.
AND THEN I CAN'T EVEN REALLY USE IT AT THIS MEETING, BUT I DO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC, IT IS ON THE WEBSITE, IT IS IN THE BACKUP.
I WISH I WAS ABLE TO DIG INTO IT FURTHER, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WORKED ALL DAY AND THEN CAME HERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, MY LAST QUESTION IS ON THE ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN WEBSITE.
UM, IT WAS RECENTLY THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION ADDED, NOTING THAT THERE WAS FIVE MEETINGS WITH C3, THE COMPANY THAT PUTS ON AUSTIN CITY LIMITS FESTIVAL.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ENJOY THE FESTIVAL.
THE THE QUESTION AROUND THE VISION PLAN IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH OF THE VISION PLAN IS FACILITATING LIKE RESIDENTS RECREATIONAL USE OF THE PARK AND HOW MUCH IS FACILITATING A BIG EVENT DESIGNED FOR TOURISM? SO, SO MY QUESTION, MY QUESTION, AND THANK YOU FOR RECENTLY ADDING THAT, THOSE MEETINGS TOOK PLACE, BUT MY QUESTION IS, WILL YOU BE POSTING VIDEOS, SUMMARIES OF THE CONVERSATION OR ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE DIALOGUE HAS BEEN OTHER THAN THAT THE MEETINGS OCCURRED? THE, THE MEETINGS THAT ARE ON THE WEBSITE WERE SHARED FROM THE GROUPS THAT WE MET WITH.
THEY WERE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THEM AND OTHER GROUPS THAT WERE NOT ON THE, THE WEBSITE, NOR WERE THEY ACTUALLY EVEN TAPED.
WE HAD MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATIONS.
I'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN SOS WEBSITE, SO I'VE SEEN THAT.
AND MANY OF THOSE MEETINGS WERE NOT VIDEOTAPED.
SO YOU WILL NOT BE PROVIDING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIALOGUE WITH ACL.
IF A P I R IS SUBMITTED, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST IS SUBMITTED FOR WHAT THOSE MEETINGS ENTAILED, WE WILL DO THAT.
BUT AS I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT THE, THAT THE ACTUAL MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THEM WERE INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY PUT ON THOSE EVENTS, HOW DID THEY IMPACT THE PARK? HOW DID THEY USE THE PARK, HOW DID THEY USE MOBILITY TO SHUTTLE THEIR PEOPLE IN AND OUT AND, AND FESTIVAL GOERS AS WELL.
AND IT WASN'T JUST C3 PRESENTS, WE MET ALSO WITH THE ORGANIZERS OF THE KAI FESTIVAL.
SO TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY PUT ON THOSE EVENTS AND HOW THEY USE THE PARK.
AND WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY'RE USING AND STAGING AND WHERE THEY'RE PLACING THINGS.
SO WE HAD TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
IT WAS ABOUT INFORMATION GATHERING WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY USE THE PARK BECAUSE COUNCIL HAS ALLOWED THEM TO BE IN THE PARK.
YOU JUST PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR.
I STILL THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ADDING TO THE WEBSITE SOME SUMMARIES OF THE DIALOGUE IN THE MEETINGS BECAUSE PROVIDING THAT CONTEXT IS VERY HELPFUL.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, A LOT OF THE MEETINGS, THERE'S A VIDEO, THERE'S A CHAT LOG, THERE'S A, A SLIDESHOW, THERE'S A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED FOR THOSE MEETINGS.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEEDED TO KNOW AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE DEPARTMENT AND THE, UM, CONSULTANTS NEEDED TO KNOW.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS YOU'RE NOT PLANNING TO ADD ANYTHING, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER IT.
DOES THAT SOUND YEAH, WE WILL CONSIDER THAT.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD I STRAIGHTENED OUT THAT AT LEAST WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS ABOUT THE COORDINATION THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS DO, WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT TO PUT ON THOSE EVENTS AND FESTIVALS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
WE DON'T, I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO WE HAD TO, AS A PLANNING TEAM, UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ORCHESTRATE AND SET UP A MOBILIZE TO PUT ON THOSE FESTIVALS AND WHERE THEY'RE DOING IT IN THE PARK.
SO THAT'S WHAT THOSE MEETINGS WERE ABOUT.
I, I I THINK THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL TO EVERYONE.
SO MAYBE YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME SUMMARIES OF THAT OR THE, YOU KNOW, COPIES OF THE DIALOGUE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE CITY PROCESS IS TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN THAT REPORT THAT WE DIDN'T ALL GET TO STUDY THOROUGHLY BECAUSE IT CAME OUT TODAY WHEN WE'VE BEEN LOOKING OVER THE WEEKEND AND STUFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS HERE.
I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BARTON SPRINGS, UM, IN BARTON SPRINGS AT THE FOOT OF THE BARKING, WHAT THEY CALL BARKING SPRINGS.
NOW I SEE YOUR PRETTY SLIDE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT, HOW YOU'RE GONNA GET RID OF THE DOGS.
AND I, I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE YOU'RE MENTIONING THE ROWING DOCK OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT ZILKER BOAT
[01:20:01]
RENTALS AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM.SO I HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ANSWERED YET.
AND UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME, THAT I'VE HEARD FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC IS THEIR CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE THAT ARE VENDORS AND NONPROFITS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS UP AGAIN IN, IN A LITTLE WHILE.
BUT, UM, I CAN ASK YOU FOR EXAMPLE, THIS, THE, THE CITY PROCESS IS THE CITY PROCESS AND IT'S BUREAUCRACY BE FOR A REASON.
AND THAT IS THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO REPORT BACK ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. HEMPEL, AND THAT IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU ARE THE VICE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I DON'T THINK THAT COUNTS AS A CLARIFYING QUESTION TO WHAT I JUST PRESENTED.
YOU BROUGHT UP AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR TALK THAT YOU WERE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WELL, THIS IS NOT ROUTED TO GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT EVEN IF IT WERE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ITEM, I WOULD ABSTAIN MYSELF LEAVE THE ROOM.
I HAVE COLLEAGUES WHO WOULD PRESENT AND I OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA BELABOR THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? MOORE? HMM? PATRICK, YOU WANNA HEAR? OH, I'M SORRY, MR. MOORE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP A LOT IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING LAST MONTH, WAS WE HAD SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC STATING THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF IDEAS THAT DID HAVE MAJORITY PUBLIC SUPPORT THAT DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE VISION PLAN AND VICE VERSA.
SO THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE RESPONSE THAT WE RECEIVED THIS MORNING SAYS, THE PLANNING TEAM CAN WORK TO IDENTIFY ASPECTS WITH SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT.
UM, SO I THINK TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, WE WOULD LIKE MORE THAN CAN, WE WOULD LIKE THAT WE DO IDENTIFY THE ASPECTS WITH SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT.
UM, AND WE WOULD ASK TO GET THAT SOMETIME IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
I THINK WE, I THINK WE ASKED THIS QUESTION LAST MONTH, SO, AND SUPPOSEDLY YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF GOOD DATA SETS TO GO OFF OF FOR THIS, SO HOPEFULLY IT SHOULDN'T TAKE TOO LONG TO ASSEMBLE THAT.
BUT JUST FOLLOWING UP, DON'T WANT THAT QUESTION TO FOLLOW OFF.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BOARD, GOOD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[3. Staff Briefing on aquatics operations, aquatics vision plan, pool renovations, maintenance, and staffing needs.]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE UNDER STAFF BRIEFINGS, UH, STAFF BRIEFING ON AQUATICS, OPERATION AQUATICS, VISION PLAN, POOL RENOVATIONS, MAINTENANCE AND STAFFING NEEDS.I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UM, LUCAS MASSEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND ASHLEY WELLS, OUR NEW AQUATICS DIVISION MANAGER CHAIR, PULL YOUR MIC OVER.
UH, JUST INTRODUCE AS QUICKLY ON HERE.
BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, JUST BRIEFLY LIKE TO INTRODUCE ASHLEY WELLS, OUR NEW DIVISION MANAGER OF, UH, UH, AQUATICS DIVISION.
UM, WELCOME BOARD IS YOUR FIRST MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION THAT OUTLINES A LITTLE BIT, UH, BRIEFLY ABOUT THE HISTORY, UH, RECENT HISTORY OF AQUATICS, SOME OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING AND, AND, UH, SOME OF THE GOALS WE'RE USING TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH, UH, THE OPERATION OF THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
SO, UH, HAVE HERE OUR DEPARTMENT MISSION, THE NICE LITTLE PICTURE OF A CHILD SWIMMING, UM, DEPARTMENT MISSION TO INSPIRE AUSTIN TO LEARN, PLAY, PROTECT, AND CONNECT BY CREATING DIVERSE PROGRAMS AND EXPERIENCES IN SUSTAINABLE NATURAL SPACES IN PUBLIC PLACES.
AND THE AQUATICS DIVISION HAS MANY OF THOSE AS, AS EVERYONE WELL KNOWS.
SO WE HAVE THE, UH, AQUATICS VISION PLAN THAT'S, UH, PEOPLE CAN ACCESS ONLINE.
PREVIOUSLY WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD THIS AS THE, UH, AQUATICS MASTER PLAN, BUT NOW CONSIDER CALLING IT THE DIVISION PLAN.
UH, A LARGE AMOUNT OF DATA WAS COLLECTED THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES AND, UM, IS, UH, A SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCE THAT, THAT FOLKS CAN USE AND ACCESS ONLINE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE AQUATICS DIVISION.
UH, TO SUMMARIZE THE VISION PLAN, KIND OF FROM AN, UH, OVERARCHING LEVEL, THE PURPOSE OF THE VISION PLAN WAS TO RECOGNIZE FACILITY MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND SYSTEMWIDE, UH, TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CURRENT, UH, EXPANDED OR
[01:25:01]
REDUCE AQUATIC FACILITY SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE MO UH, MORE EQUITABLE AND MORE SUSTAINABLE INTO THE FUTURE.SO WE ARE NEARING A A FIVE YEAR UPDATE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS IN CURRENT STATE AS IT RELATES TO FIVE YEARS AGO.
UM, SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AGE OF OUR POOLS, THE RENOVATION AND PROJECTS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED OR UNDERTAKING SINCE THEN, OUR STAFFING NEEDS, UM, WHICH ARE APPROXIMATELY 800 PLUS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR LIFEGUARDS.
UH, OUR AQUATICS MAINTENANCE TEAM, WHICH IS INTEGRAL TO THE OPERATION OF POOLS, UM, BUT OFTEN OVERLOOKED.
AND OUR PROGRAMS AREA, THINGS LIKE SWIM LESSONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO HERE, UH, BRIEFLY, JUST A, A BASIC INFORMATION.
UH, THIS IS THE, THE EXISTING LIFE OPERATION OF OUR DIFFERENT POOLS.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE AGE OF THE OVERALL POOL AND GRAY, THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN RENOVATED OR IN YELLOW.
UH, JUST SO EVERYONE HAS AN UNDERSTANDING, THE GENERAL LIFESPAN OF A COMMERCIAL POOL SHOULD BE ROUGHLY 20 TO 25 YEARS OLD.
YOU CAN SEE THERE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF POOLS THAT, THAT FAR EXCEED THAT.
THEY'RE 40 PARK OSA, 91 PATTERSON 69.
UM, SO AS, AS YOU WOULD OPERATE A, UH, ANY KIND OF BUILDING OR, OR CAR OR VEHICLE, UH, THAT IS AN OLDER OF OLDER AGE WHO WOULD EXPECT TO SPEND MORE ON MAINTENANCE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE'VE INCLUDED THAT THERE.
SO SOME OF THE RENOVATION AND PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER UNDERTAKEN SINCE THE DIVISION PLAN WAS COMPLETED.
WE ARE, UH, CLOSE TO STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON COLONY PARK POOL, UM, GIBBONS POOL.
WE HAVE COMPLETED, UH, CHE POOL, GO VALLEY POOL, MONTOPOLIS AND NORTHWEST ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES.
AND, UH, WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO STARTING WORK ON THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE AND PARK OSA BATHHOUSE.
UH, SO INCLUDED, THIS IS, IS PART OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND OF WHERE WE ARE FROM A, A LEVEL OF STAFFING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THE BIGGEST JUMPS IN EMPLOYMENT FOR US COINCIDE WITH HOURLY PAY INCREASES TIED TO LIVING, WAGING INCREASES THAT WERE INITIATED BY COUNCIL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE IN 2017 AND 2019, WE HAD SOME SUSTAIN, SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF, UH, LIFE CARDS THAT WERE EMPLOYED.
AND THOSE COINCIDE WITH YEARS, WHICH WE HAD PAY BUMPS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A FLYER THERE FROM 2016 THAT SHOWS A BONUS.
WE HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN, IN BONUSES AND OTHER INCENTIVES, BUT WE HAVE FOUND THE BEST TO BE HOURLY PAY.
SO THIS IS A, A MAP OF ALL OF OUR POOLS AND SPLASH PADS.
UH, WANTED TO TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, OVERLAY THIS ON, UM, SOME DEMOGRAPHICS THAT HIGHLIGHT HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF POOLS IN THE AUSTIN CORE OR OLD AUSTIN CORE.
UH, SOME, UH, FEWER POOLS ON THE PERIMETER OF TOWN.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE, THE COLORATION THERE THAT MOST OF THE HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN ARE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN, UH, RESIDE ON THE EXTERIOR OF TOWN.
SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IS RECRUITING FOLKS FROM, UM, THE SURROUNDING PORTIONS OF AUSTIN AND SUBURBS TO COMMUTE INTO TOWN TO LIFEGUARD FOR US.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN BE OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS AQUATICS MAINTENANCE.
UM, IT'S A BEHIND THE SCENES JOB FOR US.
WE HAVE TO KEEP THE POOLS OPEN OPERATING, UM, THROUGH A, A SERIES OF, OF OFF SEASON MAINTENANCE AND, UH, REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS DURING THIS THE POOL YEAR.
UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING TO, UH, STABILIZE OR, OR ENHANCE MAINTENANCE AS WE SEE POOL'S AGE OR OUR INVENTORY AGE, IS WE'RE REORGANIZING TO PUT A GREATER EMPHASIS ON OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO, UH, UH, TRY TO ONBOARD ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS IS POOL AGE.
SO ONE OF THE, THE INITIATIVES WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND UNDERTAKE IS A CROSS-TRAINING OF LIFEGUARDS DURING THE OFF-SEASON TO EMPHASIZE, UH, MAINTENANCE SUPPORT.
UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO STANDARDIZE MORE OF OUR EQUIPMENT DURING REBUILDS OR RECONSTRUCTION.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, USE NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT SOME LEAK DETECTION SYSTEMS AND OTHER MODERN TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL HELP OUR TEAMS DO REMOTE CHECKS RATHER THAN HAVE TO DO SITE VISITS ON EVERY SINGLE TIME.
[01:30:02]
SO, AQUATICS PROGRAMS, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, HAS SUFFERED A LITTLE BIT IN RECENT YEARS IS WE'VE, WE'VE STRUGGLED TO ON ONBOARD LIFEGUARDS DURING COVID IS, UH, AQUATICS PROGRAMS, AQUATICS PROGRAMS, PARDON ME, AQUATICS PROGRAMMING IS LIFEGUARD DEPENDENT.SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECRUIT AND RETAIN, UH, LIFEGUARDS, UH, FOR THESE OFFERINGS.
UH, OUR GOAL MOVING FORWARD WOULD BE TO INCREASE AND DIVERSIFY THE OFFERINGS, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO REENGAGE COMMUNITY TO SEEK MORE FEEDBACK ON PROGRAMMING.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS KIND OF A HISTORY OF, OF WHERE WE WERE FIVE YEARS AGO AND, AND, AND SOME OF THE INITIATIVES WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN, UH, THE AQUATICS GOALS FOR FY 23, WHICH IS THIS YEAR, UH, WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO INCREASE SAFE ACCESS TO WATER.
UM, UH, IT SOUNDS IT SOUNDS PRETTY BASIC THERE, OPENING UP ALL THE POOLS AND GETTING STAFFED, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE REALLY STRUGGLED WITH AND AQUATICS DEPARTMENTS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH ACROSS THE COUNTRY DURING COVID.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY THAT IS UP THERE AS A GOAL FOR US.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH A FEW OF THESE THINGS.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT INCREASING SAFE WATER TO ACCESS OR SAFE ACCESS TO WATER, I'M SORRY.
AND WHY IT'S MISSION CRITICAL.
SO WE ALL KNOW TEXAS IS A, A HOT STATE, AND THE REALITY IS THAT YOUTH AND ADULTS DEPEND ON SWIMMING POOLS, UH, TO COOL OFF, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE GUARDED SPACES THAT ULTIMATELY THEY WILL SEEK ALTERNATIVE, UH, LESS SAFE OPTIONS, UH, WHICH CAN PUT LIVES AT RISK.
SO FOR US, THIS IS SOMETHING WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WE'RE SPEAKING TO INCREASE, UH, NOT ONLY SAFE ACCESS TO POOLS, BUT SPLASH PADS.
UM, AND I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE EXTENDING PL SPLASH PAD OPERATIONS THROUGH THE MONTH OF, UH, OCTOBER.
SO WE WILL HAVE A, AN EXTRA, UM, I DON'T KNOW, SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS OF ACCESS TO SPLASH PADS THIS YEAR.
UM, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ULTIMATELY GET THERE WITH OUR POOLS? UH, RECRUITING AND TRAINING IS GONNA BE KEY FOR US, AND I'LL, I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A SECOND.
MAINTENANCE, UH, AS I SAID, A LOT OF OUR POOLS ARE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, SO IT IS KEY FOR US TO KEEP, UM, THOSE POOLS UP AND RUNNING.
UH, YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED BY CODE TO DO REGULAR, REGULAR CHECKS OF, OF THE POOL.
SO ANYTIME WE HAVE A POOL OPEN, EVEN IF IT'S NOT, UM, I'M SORRY IF IF IT'S FILLED AND, AND NOT CURRENTLY OPEN, WE DO HAVE TO DO REGULAR CHECKS ON THAT.
SO, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME INTRICACIES THERE.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT INCREASING SAFE ACCESS TO WATER WOULD BE PROGRAM ENROLLMENT.
SO SWIM LESSONS WOULD BE, WOULD CONTINUE TO BE KEY FOR US TEACHING THOSE, THOSE YOUNGER GENERATIONS HOW TO SWIM.
WHAT'S NEW FOR US? SO, UH, THE REALITY FOR US IS THAT, THAT WE FACE THE NEED TO RECRUIT, UM, ROUGHLY 800 NEW LIFEGUARDS EVERY YEAR, MAYBE NOT 800.
WE, WE CARRY OVER APPROXIMATELY 200 ON A ANNUAL BASIS.
SO 600 FOLKS THAT WE NEED TO ONBOARD THAT ARE NEW EVERY SINGLE YEAR THIS YEAR, THANKS TO A ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY AND YOUR, YOUR SUPPORT INCLUDED, WE HAVE NEW PAY RATES THAT ARE VERY COMPETITIVE WITHIN THE AUSTIN MARKET.
SO WE, WE ARE EXCITED AND ANTICIPATE THAT, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO OPEN UP ALL THE POOLS THIS YEAR.
UH, I WILL MENTION BRIEFLY THAT WE ARE ON, UH, A BETTER PACE THAN, THAN IN YEARS PAST, INCLUDING 2019, WHICH WE, WE ENDED UP WITH 850 LIFEGUARDS.
UH, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE SPRING AND OUR BUSY HIRING SEASON.
SO PART OF OUR INTRO, PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO, UH, TO RECRUIT NEW LIFEGUARDS IS TO REDUCE BARRIERS OF ENTRY.
SO IN THE, IN THE PAST, WE, WE HAVE HAD TRAINING, WHICH, UH, WAS SOMETHING THE APPLICANT HAD TO PAY FOR AND TAKE, UH, THAT WAS UNPAID BEFORE THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE HIRED.
UH, AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE REDUCED, WE HAVE ELIMINATED THE FEE FOR THAT.
SO THERE'S NO FEE FOR FOLKS TO, UM, TAKE THE TRAINING.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, WE'RE, WE'RE ISSUING A TRAINING COMPLETION BONUS.
ONCE THEY COMPLETE THE TRAINING AND BEGIN WORKING FOR US, THEY WILL BE ISSUED A A BONUS.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH HR TO IMPROVE THE HIRING EXPERIENCE, AND BY THAT I MEAN HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR, OR POOR COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH VIA EMAIL.
SO WE'RE WORKING OUT THOSE ITEMS AND WE ARE WORKING TO ISSUE I UNIFORMS DIRECTLY, DIRECTLY TO, UH, THE STAFF, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED,
[01:35:01]
MY UNDERSTANDING IN THE PAST.IS THAT RIGHT? THIS PAST YEAR WAS A YEAR.
SO, UH, THERE BE ISSUING WILL BE ISSUED UNIFORMS, UM, AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO CREATE A CULTURE OF RETENTION BY, UH, INCREASING FOCUS GROUPS WITH STAFF AND HAVING MORE CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
SO, OUTREACH AND MARKETING, UH, SOMETHING WE FOCUSED ON, UM, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
EVERYONE HERE, UH, SHOULD HAVE SEEN OR, OR PROBABLY HAS BEEN, UH, ABLE TO SEE SOME MARKETING THAT WE HAVE ABOUT, UM, LIFEGUARDS.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT, UH, APPEALING TO THE TAR TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC.
WE'RE ALSO MAKING AN EFFORT TO, UH, COMMUNICATE THAT, THAT A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, WE ARE REACHING OUT TO 15, 16, 17 YOUNG ADULTS, UH, THAT, THAT LIFEGUARDING MIGHT NOT BE A, A CAREER CHOICE, BUT IT OFTENTIMES CAN LEAD TO A CAREER AND SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT THEY DOWN THE ROAD MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE AN EXAMPLE ON, ON THIS PAGE HERE, THAT FIRST RESPONDERS START HERE.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, EMS PERSONNEL, POLICE OFFICERS THAT GOT THEIR, GOT THEIR START LIFEGUARDING.
UM, SO A NUMBER OF, NUMBER OF OUTREACHES, UH, HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, HIRING FAIRS HAVE ALREADY, ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UM, PAID MARKETING WE'RE, WE'RE SETTING UP.
UM, AND MAYBE ASHLEY MIGHT BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES, BUT SOME OF THE, THE GPS, UH, OR GEO LOCATED GEO GEOFENCING.
SO, UH, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, IF YOU, IF YOU ARRIVE, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO ONE OF OUR POOLS, YOU'LL GET A MESSAGE OR SOMETHING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO, MAINTENANCE, WE ARE, WE ARE U STRATEGICALLY REALIGNING, UH, THE MAINTENANCE THE PLATE GRAZ TO PUT A GREATER EMPHASIS ON MAINTENANCE.
SO IN THE PAST WE HAD A PROGRAM MANAGER THAT OVERSAW PROGRAMMING PLUS MAINTENANCE, AND NOW WE ARE KIND OF SUBDIVIDING THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES TO HAVE A MANAGER THAT'S SPECIFIC TO MAINTENANCE, UH, HOPING THAT THAT, UH, SPECIALTY WILL BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE, UH, UH, EFFICIENCY OF THE UNIT.
UH, WE'RE ALSO BEGINNING TO U UTILIZE CONTRACTORS TO ASSIST IN BASIC INSPECTIONS SO THAT OUR TEAM CAN FOCUS ON, UH, MORE REPAIR ORIENTED TASKS.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING TO EXTEND SPLASH PADS, WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND VERIFY THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CROSS-TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT DURING THE OFF SEASON, WE DO CARRY 200 LIFEGUARDS THROUGH THE OFF SEASON.
WE'RE LOOKING TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER BY ALLOWING OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, TRAIN WITH OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM.
WE DO THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE A VIABLE OPTION TO KEEP LIFEGUARDS OVER THE SUMMER.
AND WE HAVE HAD SOME BRIEF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OTHER, OTHER WORK WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE COMPLETED.
SO PROGRAMMING REALLY CAN BE THE LIFEBLOOD OF, OF OUR RECRUITMENT.
UM, MEANING THAT THE KIDS, UH, THAT, THAT COME IN OUR, OUR SWIM LESSONS MOVE ON TO OUR SWIM TEAMS AND THE SWIM TEAM, UH, UH, PARTICIPANTS MAY EVENTUALLY BECOME LIFEGUARDS FOR US.
SO, UH, WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT, AT OBTAINING ALL THE LIFEGUARDS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE, UH, AND RESUME THOSE PROGRAMS AT, AT 110%.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TAKING VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, AND I SAID WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO REENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE THAT WE ARE JUST NOT HITTING FROM AN AQUATIC STANDPOINT.
SO, SOME MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS HERE.
I TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON THE PROGRAM MANAGER AND SPLITTING THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO WE WILL HAVE A PROGRAM MANAGER FOR, UM, MAINTENANCE.
THE OTHER PROGRAM MANAGER DUTIES ARE GONNA BE FOR DEEP EDDIE AND BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO DEDICATE A FULL-TIME SUPERVISOR FOR, UH, BARTON SPRINGS AND DEEP EDDIE.
SO WE HAD ONE SUPERVISOR THAT OVERSAW BOTH POOLS, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE TRIED TO RE REDIRECT SOME OF OUR, OUR STAFFING AND RESOURCES BASED ON THE HIGH VOLUME OR HIGH CONCERN.
AND THOSE TWO POOLS, UM, ARE THAT, SO WE WILL HAVE A, A SUPERVISOR AT BARTON SPRINGS AND THEN A SECOND SUPERVISOR AT DEEP EDDIE TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
THOSE ARE TWO OF OUR OLDER, UH, AND MORE SPECIALIZED FACILITIES.
WE'RE ALSO FOR, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A UNIFORM FOCUS GROUP TO DISCUSS UNIFORMS FOR LIFEGUARDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, AS THINGS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ON THE STAND VERSUS DOWNTIME.
[01:40:01]
WE'VE, WE'RE TALKING AND CONSIDERING DIFFERENT SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN OUR FACILITIES.THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, HISTORICALLY WE'VE, WE'VE HAD TO ADDRESS.
BUT AS AUSTIN GROWS AND BECOMES LARGER AND FOLKS MOVE TO AUSTIN FROM OTHER AREAS, THEY BRING WITH THEM DIFFERENT, UH, CULTURAL NORMS OR EXPECTATIONS OR DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS.
UH, SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN WAS KIND OF KEEP, KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, UH, FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HAVE SECURITY AT SOME LOCATIONS TO, TO HELP CRACK SOME OF THE, THE BAD OR POOR BEHAVIOR, UH, BUSINESS PROCESSES CHALLENGES.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE, THE FINAL THINGS WE'LL BE ADDRESSING IS, IS TRYING TO ADJUST SOME OF THE FEES AND STANDARDIZING FEES.
UH, AND THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COME BACK TO YOU WITH AND, AND SEEK ADVICE FROM BEFORE MAKING, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY FINAL, FINAL, UH, DECISIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, AND FINALLY, SOME, SOME SUPPORT STAFF ADDITIONS.
UM, WE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HAVING THESE, THESE, UH, FACILITIES AND DEDICATING SUPERVISORS TO EACH OF THEM.
I THINK WITH THAT ALSO COMES THE NEED FOR SUP SUPPORT STAFF, UM, FOLKS THAT, THAT ALLOW LIFEGUARDS TO REMAIN ON THE STAND IS TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS AND NOT KIND OF MULTITASKING THROUGH THE FACILITY.
UH, AND THAT'S ASKING, GONNA BE IT FOR US.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I HAVE ONLY ONE.
AND THAT IS, WHERE ARE WE IN THE LIFEGUARD NUMBERS RIGHT NOW? DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER? 205 RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE HAVE, WHEN DO WE START SOME OF THE, UM, LIFEGUARD TRAINING THEY'RE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO YEAH, WE STARTED IN NOVEMBER FOR THE TRAINING.
AND THESE ARE 200 NEW THEN, NOT THE 200 CARRIED OVER? UH, 200 TOTAL.
SO THEY ARE CARRIED OVER BECAUSE IS AS A PERSPECTIVE, UH, PRIOR 2019 NUMBERS.
DO YOU HAVE THAT TOP YOUR HEAD? 1 65? SO 2019 WHEN WE HAD A RECORD, RECORD HIRING.
WE'RE AT 1 65 AT THIS POINT, JUST AS A RELATIVE NUMBER FOR YOU.
AND YOU'LL COME BACK TO US IF YOU NEED HELP.
UH, I THINK WE ALWAYS NEED HELP.
I'LL ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE RECRUITING.
A B R THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I, I HAVE I JUST ONE QUESTION.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE RECRUITING ASPECT AND PAY AND ALL THAT STUFF, DO Y'ALL PAY PEOPLE AN ADDITIONAL STIPEND OR ADDITIONAL AMOUNT IF THEY SPEAK A SECOND LANGUAGE WELL, LIKE SPANISH, HINDI, VIETNAMESE SIGN LANGUAGE? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL CURRENTLY DO? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UH, WE, WE DO HAVE A, A STIPEND, UH, PROCESS, BUT TYPICALLY THAT'S FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
UM, IF IT'S AN IDENTIFIED NEED WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, MEANING, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A LOCATION WHERE THAT IS, IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED, UH, WE WOULD PAY A STIPEND.
AND IS IS, IS THERE CURRENTLY A LIST AVAILABLE OF THOSE POOLS OR THOSE SPLASH AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS A AREA THAT NEEDS, UH, LIFEGUARDS OR, UH, STAFF WHO CAN SPEAK A SECOND LANGUAGE? UH, I'D HAVE TO GET BACK AND, AND CHECK, CHECK WITH THAT, BUT I COULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, YES.
UM, AND YOU, YOU DO BRING UP A GOOD POINT.
IF, IF, IF WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED THOSE, IS THAT'S IT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
AND I, I WOULD SAY THAT WE DON'T STAFF OUR SPLASH PAD, SO IF HE PULLS ONLY.
WELL THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND NOW, UH, DIRECTOR, DO YOU WANNA GIVE A BRIEF BRIEFING OF YOUR, OF YOUR REPORT DIRECTOR MCNEELY, DO YOU WANNA GIVE OH, OKAY.
[4. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. ]
STAFF BRIEFING ON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, PLANNING UPDATES, DEVELOPMENT UPDATES, MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE UPDATES, PROGRAM UPDATES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES.UM, AND WE'VE GOT DIRECTOR, RIGHT? SO, SO IN THE, BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, WE ARE, WE HAVE A PARTICULAR LOT OF ITEMS AND JUST A LITTLE TIME TO GET THEM DONE.
I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE FACT THAT, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IN THIS REPORT, BUT IT'S ABOUT OUR, UH, CUZ YOU CAN READ ALL OF THESE PAGES YOURSELF.
UM, I DO WANT TO TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR, UH, WINTER STORM CLEANUP.
AND SO, UM, EFFECTIVE, OR AS OF TODAY, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SIGNING MULT.
WE'VE ALREADY SIGNED MULTIPLE CONTRACTS, UM, WITH ENTITIES THAT CAN HELP US WITH WHAT ARE CALLED TREE HANGERS.
SO THE THING THAT'S KEEPING OUR PARKS FROM NOT BEING AS CLEAN AS THEY COULD BE, AS WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED HANGERS THAT ARE IN TREES.
AND THOSE, IT'S A TECHNICAL TERM FOR THOSE LIMBS OR THOSE, AND I KID YOU NOT, IT IS A TECHNICAL TERM.
[01:45:01]
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH MULTIPLE ENTITIES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO COME OUT AND SUPPLEMENT THE FIVE CREWS OR THE THREE CREWS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THAT ARE DOING THAT.
AND SO JUST FOR THE SEQUENCE OF TIME SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE STORM HIT, SOME OF OUR CREWS WERE DIVERTED TO HELP WITH THE CITYWIDE CLEANUP, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR, UH, ROADWAYS AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS SOME, UM, ABILITY TO REACH THE, UH, THE POWER LINES.
AND THEN THOSE CREWS, UH, WE HAD SOME HELP FROM THE TEXAS FORESTRY SERVICE WHO CAME AND HELPED US WITH CERTAIN THINGS.
AND THEN CREWS THAT WE HAD HELPED, CAME AND HELPED US IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
AND NOW WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE, UM, BEING ABLE TO TAKE CONTRACTORS THAT WERE HELPING ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY AND PROCURE THOSE CONTRACTORS TO HELP US WITH THE PARK NEEDS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS FROM WHEN THE, UH, WHEN IT ENDED.
SO I KNOW THAT WE ARE ABOUT THREE WEEKS INTO THE CLEANUP.
UM, AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR THE, UH, THE EXACT STUFF, BUT I WILL SEND IT TO YOU.
BUT WE HAVE ABOUT 170 PARKS, 176 PARKS, I BELIEVE, THAT ARE COMPLETELY CLEAR OF DEBRIS.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE PARKS THAT ARE STILL HAVE DEBRIS AND ARE STILL LOOKING FOR, UM, ASSISTANCE WITH THOSE HANGERS SO THAT WE CAN, UM, TAKE THOSE DOWN.
UM, WE'VE, UH, EMPLOYED OVERTIME, UM, ALL OF THESE WEEKS, SO AS MUCH AS, UM, AS MANY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK OVERTIME SO THAT WE CAN, UH, BE ABLE TO CLEAN THE PARKS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY FREEZE OR PLUMBING ISSUES THAT WE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS EVENT.
SO REALLY OUR CLEANUP THIS TIME AROUND IS ALL ABOUT, UM, ABOUT TREE MANAGEMENT AND ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN, UM, TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
UM, YOU WILL SEE, SEE INSIDE YOUR PACKET THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THE BAD NEWS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE STORM, WE ALSO HAVE A TREE PLANTING PLAN THAT WE, OUR FORESTRY TEAM HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT THEY PLANT ON PLANTING DURING THE TREE PLANTING SEASON, WHICH IS THIS, THIS COMING UP AND IN THE PARKS THAT THEY'LL BE DOING THAT.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO OUR, UM, OUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES THROUGHOUT THE, THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT TREE PLANTING IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY IN SPACES WHERE WE MAY HAVE LOST A NUMBER OF TREES.
SO I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, THAT'S KIND OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND WE'RE GETTING THERE.
IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE YOU SEE THE CL ALL OF THE PARKS COMPLETELY CLEARED.
AND THE REST OF IT YOU CAN READ, UH, IN, IN THE, UH, UPDATE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR.
[5. Discussion and possible action related to the public engagement process of the DRAFT Zilker Park Vision Plan.]
AND ACTION ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION RELATED TO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OF THE DRAFT ZER VISION PARK PLAN, ZER PARK VISION PLAN? PARDON ME? WE HAVE SEVERAL.THE FIRST SPEAKER IS DAVID WEINBERG.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ OUT THE NEXT FEW NAMES SO THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE NEXT.
IT'S GONNA BE DAVID WEINBERG, THEN LISA KERBER, THEN MARK, UH, WILLOS WILO, AND THEN SHARON REYNOLDS.
AND THESE SPEAKERS TONIGHT ARE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE.
I WANNA SAY, I THINK PART OF THIS PLAN WAS NEVER ABOUT ENGAGING OR LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, I THINK THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MUSIC VENUE, PERMANENT MUSIC VENUE ON THE GREAT LAWN, WHICH BY THE PARK PLANNER'S OWN NUMBERS, 13% OF THEIR FOLKS WERE INTERESTED IN, UH, SEEING BE PLACED THERE YET.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE CHANGES YOU SAW TONIGHT, THE THREE CHANGES, MY READ OF THAT IS IN TERMS OF THE ROWING DOCK, THE FRISBEE GOLF COURSE AND THE SPORTS FIELDS IS YOU HAD THREE INTEREST GROUPS WHO MADE A LOT OF NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE FORMAL PROCESS AND MAYBE GOT WHAT THEY WANT AS SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO SEE FIELD SPORTS IN ZILKER PARK.
I THINK THE JURY IS STILL OUT ABOUT WHETHER THE FIELDS OFF AZ TAYLOR MORTON WILL BE USABLE.
THERE WILL BE NOWHERE TO PARK.
IT APPEARS AND THERE WILL BE PLAYGROUNDS ADJACENT TO THEM.
SO MAYBE WE ARE HALFWAY THERE, BUT THERE'S STILL WORK TO DO.
LISA KERBER AND I LOVE ZER PARK.
I APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION BY DESIGN WORKSHOP, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PHOTOS OF ALL THE ELEMENTS, INCLUDING THE UGLY PARKING GARAGES INSIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE PARK.
THEY'RE JUST SOMEWHERE BURIED IN OUR IMAGINATIONS.
SO IN MANY WAYS, THE PARK AND ITS CONNECTING TRAILS ARE MY SECOND HOME.
[01:50:01]
AUSTINITES HAVE TOO LITTLE OF IT.PER CAPITA, TEXANS HAVE LESS PUBLIC LAND THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE UNITED STATES.
EVERY SQUARE LYNCH INCH OF PUBLIC LAND MATTERS AND MUST BE FIERCELY PROTECTED.
THE PROPOSED PLAN INCLUDES MULTIPLE PARKING GARAGES, AS YOU KNOW, AND OTHER FACILITIES THAT ARE GEARED TOWARD THE FOR-PROFIT NEEDS OF THE PARTS EVENT VENDORS, NOT TOWARD EXPANDING PARK ACCESS AND NATIONAL NATURAL GREEN SPACE TO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
INCREASING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARKLAND IS LONG OVERDUE.
THE HISTORY AND REALITY OF RACISM IN OUR COMMUNITY MUST BE ADDRESSED.
BUILDING PARKING GARAGES AND CHARGING FAMILIES FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF SIMPLY VISITING THEIR OWN PARKS IS NOT EQUITY.
DOES THAT MEAN MY MINUTES UP? OKAY.
CREATE PARKLAND OUTSIDE OF WEST AUSTIN.
OKAY, AFTER MARK IS SHARON REYNOLDS AND THEN BOBBY RIGNEY.
HI, MARK WEER LONGTIME RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, UH, FOR ABOUT FIVE DECADES OR MORE.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALL, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS.
FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT LET THEM TAKE PART IN SPRINGS ROAD DOWN TO ONE LANE.
I LIVE IN ZILKER, AND IF YOU DID THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU'RE GOING TO, IT'S, IT'S NOT A PARK ROAD, IT'S A, IT'S A CITY ROAD.
OKAY? SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO SAY.
UM, AND I COULD POINT TO A LOT OF ISSUES WITHIN THE PLAN, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, IS, IS THE ECONOMIC, UH, WHAT I CALL ECONOMIC PREJUDICE.
IF WE PUT THESE PARKING GARAGES IN AND YOU MAKE PEOPLE PAY TO PARK, WHICH IS WHAT THE PLAN IS, RIGHT? YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I CAN AFFORD ANY BUCKS TO PARK, RIGHT? BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO CANNOT, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE GONNA KEEP THEM OUT OF THAT PARK.
THEY DID THE SAME THING WHEN THEY MADE THE, UH, TRANSITION AT PALMERO AUDITORIUM FROM THE BIG SURFACE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU LIVE HERE IN THE EIGHTIES, RIGHT? BUILT THAT PARKING GARAGE AND NOW YOU GOTTA PAY SEVEN AND A HALF BUCKS.
PEOPLE DON'T COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE THANK YOU SHARON REYNOLDS.
SHARON REYNOLDS, OKAY, AFTER CHERYL, SHARON IS BOBBY RIGNEY, IF YOU CAN GET READY AND THEN KURT BURDO, GO AHEAD.
I'VE LIVED IN ZER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE THIS TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION AND THE PROBLEMS THAT THIS, THIS VISIONING PLAN WOULD CAUSE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'M SPEAKING TO THE EQUITY ISSUE.
FOR THEM TO SAY THAT IT'S EQUITABLE TO DO THIS PLAN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE CLOSE TO THE PARK IS ABSURD.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE AWAY FROM ZER PARK AND HAVE TO GET THERE CAN'T AFFORD, AS HE SAID, TO PARK AND THEN TO PAY FOR CONCESSIONS.
IT'S TURNING THE PARKLAND INTO AN EVENT THAT'S GONNA BENEFIT FINANCIAL INTEREST.
AND THEN THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF PRIVATIZATION OF IT AFTER IT'S DONE IS JUST RIDICULOUS.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ASK THEM BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THIS VISION NEEDS PLAN NEEDS TO STOP WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT REWILDING ZER PARK AND THANK YOU.
BOBBY RIGNEY, AND THEN KURT BERGDORFF, IF YOU CAN BE READY TO GO NEXT.
I'M TRYING NOT TO SAY WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID.
UH, THE PLAN WAS LIGHT ON FIRMING UP THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK, YET THE DRAFT PLAN WAS LONG AND BIG AND EXPENSIVE AND MAN AMBITIOUS.
THERE'S NO TIME TO TALK DETAILS, SO WE ALL ARE GONNA WANT TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS.
TO BE CLEAR, I BELIEVE THE DRAFT PLAN CONTAINS CORRUPTED INEFFICIENCIES AND ITS TAINTED BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY COMMENTS AND DOCUMENTATION THAT POINT TO INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP TO AND IN SUPPORT OF LIVE NATION, TICKETMASTER AND ACL AND COMMERCIALIZATION.
WE DON'T NEED TO EXPAND ITS USE.
I SAY INAPPROPRIATE BEING POLITE, BUT BESIDES THAT HIGHLIGHT, DO REWILD ZER, IT COSTS LESS.
DON'T NEED A SECOND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACROSS LADYBIRD LAKE.
DON'T NEED A CENTRAL UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, WHICH SEEMS CONTRARY TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
NOTING NEARBY GARAGES OR EMPTY WEEKENDS.
DO WANT A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS OVER THE 4,000 MILE, 4,000 FEET LONG, UH, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND THE LAND BRIDGE, I'LL CALL IT WHAT IT IS, IT'S AN 18 WHEELER TALL BUS, PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS, AND IT'S MORE UPHILL TO GO BACK.
ESPECIALLY NOT IF YOU WANT, WE ESPECIALLY DON'T WANT A CONSERVATOR MANAGEMENT.
ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS PLEASE TRY TO KEEP IT TO ONE MINUTE.
[01:55:01]
IF YOU'RE NEXT.NICK'S COMING UP? OKAY, AFTER NICK IS SCOTT COBB AND THEN KITTY COLEY.
MY NAME'S NICK AND I'M ADDRESSING THE VISION PLAN.
I LIKE SO MANY IN OTHERS IN AUSTIN, LIVE IN THE CITY BECAUSE IT IS BEAU BEAU.
BEAUTIFULLY BUILT AROUND ITS NATURAL RESOURCES AND UH, ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE AND LAND.
SPENDING 200 MILLION TO DISRUPT GREEN SPACE TO BUILD TO WHAT AMOUNTS TO BE.
UM, A ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IN ZILKER PARK IS A TRAVESTY.
WE DON'T NEED NEW PARKING GARAGES THAT CHARGE MONEY AND CREATE CARBON FOOTPRINT.
PARKING AND PARKING ACCESS SHOULD BE FREE FOR ALL.
WE DON'T NEED A YEAR ROUND MUSIC VENUE IN ZILKER PARK DISTURBING NATIVE SPECIES.
WHAT WE DO NEED IS THE PROTECTION, PRESERVATION, AND RESTORATION OF GREEN SPACE.
WHAT WE DO NEED IS BETTER FUNDING FOR PARKS IN SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED AREAS OF THE CITY.
WHAT WE DO NEED IS PROTECTIONS FOR BARTON SPRINGS, SOMETHING THIS PLAN DOES NOT OFFER.
LET'S PROTECT BARTON SPRINGS AND NOT CONSIDER A FOR-PROFIT PLAN.
AND PS THIS ZILKER SURVEY OF 420 SOME ODD PEOPLE IN A CITY OF 1 MILLION IS NOT STATISTICALLY RELEVANT AND THEREFORE NOT REPRESENTATIVE.
SCOTT, ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK? NOPE, HE'S GONE.
KITTY COLEY KITTY AFTER KITTY.
YEAH, I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 50 YEARS AND I'VE PURPOSELY PICKED MY HOUSE OR MY APARTMENT TO BE NEAR ZER PARK.
I SPEND TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME IN IT AND I CARE ABOUT IT A LOT.
AND I'VE WATCHED IT REALLY GET DEGRADED.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS $200 MILLION PLAN, I DON'T SEE ANY PROTECTIONS FOR BARTON SPRINGS OR FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND I REALLY SUPPORT THE REWILDING PLAN.
AND WHEN I ALSO THINK ABOUT TURNING THIS OVER TO A PRIVATE, UH, MANAGER, THAT TERRIFIES ME.
SO WHAT I THINK WOULD BE MORE EQUITABLE IS TO TAKE SOME OF THAT $200 MILLION SUPPORT THE POOLS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, MAKE EVERYBODY'S PARK AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER FOR THEM.
LET'S PUT THE MONEY INSTEAD OF A PRIVATE MANAGER INTO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, GIVE THEM MORE STAFF, MAKE OUR PARKS PART OF AUSTIN, AND HELP MAKE EVERYTHING MORE EQUITABLE BETWEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY INTO MAKING AN ENTERTAINMENT PARK AND NOT PROTECTING ZER PARK IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.
I'M BEING SO AWFUL WITH YOUR NAME.
UM, YES AND I WANT TO ENDORSE THE REWILDING, UH, PLAN A AS WELL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WITH THE PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED TONIGHT IS THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT THAT IT WOULD HAVE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IT TO THE END POINT.
FOR EXAMPLE, PUTTING IN UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURES OR WHATEVER THAT IS GONNA BE SERIOUSLY DISRUPTIVE ECOLOGICALLY, BUT ALSO TO THE USE OF THE PARK.
AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING IN THE PROPOSAL TONIGHT THAT, UM, ARGUED HOW WE ARE GOING TO MITIGATE THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO ENDORSE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS BEEN SAID BY THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
DEBBIE MCCRAE AFTER DEBBIE IS BILL BUNCH, AND THEN MONICA PETER, AND THEN DINA.
SELENA ESTRADAS THAT YOU CAN BE READY.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
WE'VE LIVED IN OUR HOME FOREVER, 40 YEARS.
THE NOISE TRAFFIC IS ALREADY VERY DISRUPTIVE, NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
ZILKER PARK HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PULSE AND HEART OF AUSTIN, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRIVATION OF THIS NATURAL LAND.
WHILE I DO AGREE WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT ZILKER, THE PROPOSED PLAN IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
ZILKER PARK IS BY FAR NOT THE ONLY PARK IN TOWN.
AND WHY CAN'T WE HELP ALL AREAS OF THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE? IF YOU TOOK THAT MONEY AND SPLIT IT BETWEEN THE OTHER BIG METROPOLITAN PARKS, WALTER LONG GUERRO TREVINO, WALTER CREEK, SEABRIGHT BULL CREEK, AND I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE AND PUT SOME OF THE SAME FUNCTIONS IN EACH ONE.
XCR MIGHT NOT BE SO CROWDED AND IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE EQUITABLE.
FINALLY, I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH THE PROTECTION OF OUR WILDLIFE, WHOSE HOME WE HAVE INTRUDED ON AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WE LOVE.
OH 4 0 4
[02:00:01]
LET'S SUPPORT THE REWILDING ZUCKER PARK AND SAVE OUR SPRINGS.YOU'RE NEXT AFTER BILL IS MONICA PETER, AND THEN DINA, SELENA ESTRADA AND KAYLA REESE.
DID YOU SAY IT WAS NEXT? YOU'RE NEXT.
THANK YOU PARKS BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WE'LL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, MY FIRST REQUEST IS NOW THAT WE DO HAVE A REVISED DRAFT PLAN, PLEASE DO SCHEDULE A MEETING SOON TO LET PEOPLE SPEAK, HOPEFULLY FOR MORE THAN ONE MINUTE.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES AND SO MANY QUESTIONS NOW ON THE TABLE, UH, ON THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, THERE WERE NEVER ANY REAL CHOICES AT THE BEGINNING.
THE THREE PLANS THAT WERE PUT UP ALL WERE OVERDEVELOPING, THE PARK.
ALL OF THE SURVEY QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT WAS ONE GIANT PUSH POLL, UH, TO GET PEOPLE TO SUPPORT BUILDING A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF THAT PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T WANT.
THANK YOU FOR DEMANDING THAT WE ACTUALLY GET THE PUBLIC INPUT DATA BECAUSE AS MUCH AS THEY TRIED TO PUSH US TO SAY WHAT THEY WANTED US TO SAY, I THINK THAT'LL DATA WILL SHOW THAT PEOPLE WANT TO RESTORE AND PROTECT THE PARK TO PROTECT BARTON SPRINGS.
THE WHOLE REASON WE HAVE THE PARK, WHICH IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN THE DRAFT PLAN.
UM, BESIDES BEING A PUSH POLL, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BLIND TO THE, THE CONTEXT, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT, UH, R UH, CITYWIDE PLAN WHERE PEOPLE SAID THEY WANT NATURE, THEY WANT WATER PROTECTED, THANK YOU.
PETER AND I HAVE LIVED IN THE OH FOUR DISTRICT, UM, SIX YEARS GOING ON SEVEN VERY SOON.
UH, ZILKER PARK IS A, IS A PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT SET ASIDE GENERATIONS AGO IN THE HEART OF THE CITY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ITS CITIZENS AND VISITORS.
ZER IS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE THAT HAS NATIONAL ACCLAIM.
IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO MAKE ZER PART INTO A CL INTO A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE, DEVIATING FROM ITS ORIGINAL TENT, A SACRED GREEN SPACE OF PARKLAND, NATURAL HABITAT, WILDLIFE, INDIGENOUS TO AUSTIN, AND A DELICATE IN E ECOSYSTEM FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ITS PATRONS.
ONCE THIS LAND IS COMMERCIALLY DEVELOPED, WE CAN'T GET THE LAND BACK AS IT EXISTS IN ITS ORIGINAL GRANDEUR.
WE USE SOUND JUDGMENT AND WISDOM TO BENEFIT FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON US TO GET THIS RIGHT.
DINA, YOUR NEXT AFTER, UM, HER IS KAYLA REESE, AND THEN TERRY ADAMS AND BOBBY LAVINSKY.
HI, MY NAME IS DINA ESTRADA SALINAS, AND I AM A CONSTITUENT, UH, IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, I AM GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION AND NOT THE ENTIRE PLAN.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT BY, UH, REMOVING THE UNIFIED GROUP FROM THIS, UM, PLAN IS IN COMPLETE DISREGARD TO THE 2020 COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARK NONPROFITS, UH, PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE GOVERNING BODY WHO APPOINTED YOU.
UH, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS FREQUENTLY CRITICIZED.
UM, IF THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE IS THE DISSATISFACTION WITH THE PROCESS, I BELIEVE THIS BODY SHOULD FOCUS ON CHANGING THAT PROCESS CITYWIDE RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO USE THIS AS A REASON TO DELAY A PLAN THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
TERRY ADAMS. HELLO, I'M TERRY ADAMS. UM, FORTUNES IN THE INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN BUILT BY A C L.
NONE OF THE VERSIONS OF THE VISION PLAN INCLUDED RELOCATING A C L.
THEY'VE OUTGROWN THE PARK AS IT IS, IN MY OPINION.
THEY'RE FAR WORSE THAN FOLKS LIVING IN THE PARK BECAUSE ACL COULD AFFORD TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
INSTEAD, THEY'RE ASKING FOR UTILITIES, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO USE GENERATORS.
ACTUALLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
WE WERE TOLD THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, BUT WE DESERVE TO, TO KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS OF ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
AND WE ALSO DESERVE TO KNOW WHY WE WERE DECEIVED AND WHO ORDERED THE DECEPTION.
BOBBY LEVINSKY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, COMMISSIONER HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD EARLIER WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE LACK OF THE COMMENTS BEING TRACKED TO
[02:05:01]
CHANGES IN THE PLAN.IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE ONE 14 OF THE PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT COMMENTS MADE AFTER DECEMBER 8TH WERE LARGELY DISMISSED, EVEN THOUGH THE MOST AMOUNT OF COMMENTS THEY RECEIVED WERE AFTER DECEMBER 8TH.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
UM, AND WE NEED TO BE LOOKING INTO WHY WE WERE DISMISSING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, EVERY PUBLIC COMMENT HAS VALUE, EVEN IF WE DON'T WANT ZER PARK TURNED OVER TO A PUBLIC, A PRIVATE ENT ENTITY, WHETHER YOU CALL IT A NONPROFIT OR NOT, IT'S GONNA BE ALL ABOUT GENERATING REVENUE.
AND THIS NEEDS TO BE ABOUT RESTORING THE PARK TO SOMETHING THAT CITIZENS CAN USE ALL YEAR ROUND.
IF ZUCKER PARK HAS ALREADY CLOSED FOUR MONTHS OF THE YEAR, IT'S NOT JUST THE 28 DAYS IN THE ORDINANCE.
A C L CONTROLS ZER PARK, THEY CONTROL EVERYTHING ABOUT IT, INCLUDING HOW NOW IT'S GONNA BE DESIGNED FOR THE FUTURE.
GRACE GILKER, ARE YOU HERE? GRACE, CAN I SPEAK IF YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE DOES? CAUSE I I WAS, YOU CAN SIGN UP WITH TIM.
UH, TED SIP AFTER TED IS PATRICIA BOBAK.
UH, ROY WHALEY AND INGRID POWELL.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, AT I'M HERE REPRESENTING A COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS CALLED AUSTIN OUTSIDE IT'S FORMATION IN 2019 LED TO A 2020 BOND ELECTION FOR PAR, UH, TRAILS, BIKE LANES, AND SIDEWALKS.
IT'S THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF CITIZENS OF BOSTON FOR ALL PARKS IN OPEN SPACE.
NOT THE ONLY VOICE, BUT A COLLECTIVE VOICE.
IN THE ZKO PARK GRAFT VISION PLAN, THERE IS, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A NONPROFIT.
AND IF THAT NONPROFIT DOES COME INTO EXISTENCE, WE'D WELCOME THAT COLLECTIVE VOICE INTO THE AUSTIN OUTSIDE COALITION.
GOOD EVENING PARK BOARD MEMBERS AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING, UH, ALLOWING ME TO HAVE A MINUTE TO SPEAK.
I ASK THAT THE VISION PLAN BE PUT ON HIATUS AND THAT WE REDO THE PLANNING USING CITIZEN INPUT.
I ASK THAT WE DO NOT PRIVATIZE THE PARK.
MY FELLOW HOOSIER, ANDREW JACKSON ZER GAVE IT TO US, THE CITIZENS, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY.
WE WANT A PARK WITH TRAILS AND SINGING BIRDS.
WE DON'T WANT PARKING GARAGES.
WE WANT OPEN SPACE IN A SPRING-FED POOL THAT IS NOT COMPROMISED BY EXCAVATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE ALREADY DON'T LIKE A PARK THAT'S CLOSED FOR A BIG CHUNK OF MARCH IN OCTOBER, WHICH ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
WE WANT 12 MONTH ACCESS TO OUR PARK.
WE DON'T WANT A PARK THAT IS OCCUPIED BY COMMERCIAL OR PRIVATIZED BUSINESSES.
WE WANT A WILD ZILKER PARK, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO VISIT IT 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE AIR.
ROY WHALEY AFTER ROY IS INGRID POWELL, KAREN KRES, AND THEN JORDAN MOSER.
HOW TO Y'ALL? MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP.
THIS SIERRA CLUB, ZILKER PARK IS THERE BECAUSE BARTON SPRINGS IS THERE AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, IN MY OPINION.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO BE SAID.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S 50 YEARS IN THE PAST INSTEAD OF INTO THE FUTURE.
AND WHY DO WE NEED ALL OF THESE PARKING GARAGES SINCE WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM SINGLE CAR TRANSIT? AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE I 35 HEARING LAST WEEK AT CITY COUNCIL.
MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE SAYING, WE DON'T TRAVEL BY CARS.
WE'VE GOT 10 PLUS BILLION DOLLARS IN THE PROJECT CONNECT.
WE CAN GET PEOPLE THERE WITHOUT CARS.
NO ONE'S CAR WANTS TO GO TO THE PARK.
PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO THE PARK.
WOULD Y'ALL PLEASE GIVE A RECORD OF THIS, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE NOT A CLUE.
[02:10:03]
AFTER INGRID IS KAREN KRES AND JORDAN MOSER AND CORRINE.UH, I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN AND HAVE BEEN SWIMMING IN BARTON SPRINGS FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS.
I SWIM THERE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK NOW.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGES AND THE SOUTH ENTRANCE PARKING AND THE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD CONGESTION THAT MADE ME REALLY FEEL HEARD IN A WAY THAT THE REVISIONS HERE DON'T MAKE ME FEEL HEARD.
I REALLY JUST AGREE WITH, WITH THE UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURES BEING BUILT IN THE PARK AND THIS NEAR TO BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, I ACCESS BARTON SPRINGS FROM THE SOUTH ENTRANCE BECAUSE THE LINE AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE IS BONKERS.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF WE TAKE THAT PARKING WAY.
UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TURNING BARTON SPRINGS ROAD INTO ONE LANE EACH WAY IS JUST CRAZY.
AND SOUNDS LIKE IT COMES FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER DRIVEN ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
LIKE WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO TO THE TRAFFIC IN ZILKER TO MOPAC, IT AFFECTS SOUTH LAMAR.
I'VE BEEN SWIMMING DAILY AT BARDON SPRINGS YEAR ROUND FOR MOST OF THE LAST QUARTER CENTURY, I HAVE SEEN BARDON SPRINGS POOL GO DOWNHILL AND BE TERRIBLY MAINTAINED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY PEOPLE PROPERLY LIKE THE LIFEGUARDS.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO SPEND 200,000, 200 MILLION TO SPRUCE UP BARTON SPRINGS WITHOUT MAKING IT COMPLETELY INACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE FOR FIVE OR 10 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION.
AND THE IDEA OF PRIVATIZING THIS PARK SO THAT IT'S IN A ALL THESE BACKDOOR DEALS AND COMMUNICATION GIVING, BASICALLY HANDING IT OFF TO TO LIVE NATION.
UM, AND TICKETMASTER IS JUST GIVING, IT'S A CO-OPTION OF OUR PUBLIC PARKS.
WE DON'T WANT AN ENTERTAINMENT CENTER.
UM, THE, THE PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS WHERE REAL DOG AND PONY SHOWS, I TRY TO TALK TO MS. CLA HAMILL.
I COULD NOT GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER OUT OF HER AT ALL.
I'M VERY, VERY INSULTING QUESTIONNAIRES IN THE THANK.
UM, AS A CITIZEN WITH THE INTEREST IN KEEPING ZUCKER PARK WILD, I JUST WANNA SAY TO EACH OF YOU, UM, ON THE BOARD, PLEASE CONSIDER THE LONG VISION LONGER THAN ALL OF THESE VISIONS, WHICH IS BEYOND OUR HUMAN STA SCALE.
AND LIKE SOMEONE ELSE SAID EARLIER, ONCE YOU DEVELOP THIS AND COMMERCIALIZE IT, YOU CAN'T UN COMMERCIALIZE IT.
SO PLEASE, JUST WHATEVER THE END PLAN IS, LET THAT BE YOUR DRIVING, UM, CONSIDERATION BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY MULTIFOLD ES THAT WE ARE ALL GOING TO LIVE THROUGH AND SEE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF SHORTSIGHTEDNESS IN DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A CLIMATE, UM, BOARD, BUT YOU ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD SINK LOTS OF CARBON INTO THE FUTURE AND NOT IN THE FORM OF CONCRETE UNDERGROUND.
NEXT IS GONNA BE KAREN LOPEZ FIDO, AND AFTER HER TRUSTED GILMER AND JOE KENDALL CHRIST PROCEED.
I AM COMING HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF ZILKER PARK, WHO ALSO NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AS THESE PLANS ARE BEING MADE.
THE EARTH IS HOME TO MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN JUST HUMAN BEINGS.
AND THIS NEW ZILKER VISION PLAN FAILS TO RESPECT THE LIFE AND HABITAT OF BIRDS, SALAMANDERS, TREES, BUTTERFLIES, BEES, SNAKES, FLOWERS, FISH, ET CETERA.
IF HUMAN BEINGS KEEP UP THIS SELFISH, SHORT-SIGHTED, MONEY HUNGRY APPROACH TO QUOTE UNQUOTE ENTERTAINMENT, YOU ARE NOT ONLY CHEATING YOURSELVES OUT OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE TRUE BEAUTY THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN THE PARK, BUT YOU ARE ALSO ROBBING THE REST OF US FROM OUR RIGHT TO LIVE.
PROCEED WITH GREAT CAUTION OR YOU'LL HENCE FORTH, BE REFERRED TO AS THE PARK'S ELIMINATION BOARD.
DO NOT PAVE OVER PARADISE WITH YET ANOTHER PARKING LOT.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR CONCERNS AND, AND HOPE THAT CONTINUES MOVING FORWARD.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER COMING TO CITY HALL TO SPEAK AT ANY OF THESE MEETINGS.
AND I WAS DOING SO BECAUSE I JUST FELT SO MOVED TO BE HERE BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
[02:15:01]
FOR OVER 20 YEARS, OFF AND ON, SPENT COUNTLESS DAYS AT BARTON SPRINGS AND STILL ATTEND THERE EVERY SINGLE WEEK.UM, HAVING A BUDGET LIKE THAT $200 MILLION AND HAVING $0 GO TOWARDS CONSERVATION EFFORTS TOWARDS A POOL, TOWARDS OTHER PARKS THAT DESPERATELY NEED FUNDING NOW THAT JUST DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE VALUES OF THIS GREAT CITY OR NOR NOR DOES IT REFLECT WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE WHEN THE TEMPERATURES HIT THE TRIPLE DIGITS THIS SUMMER.
AND THAT IS THAT BARTON SPRINGS IN OUR PARKS AT THE LIFE BLOODS OF THE CITY.
AND WITHOUT IT, WE'LL LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT IS SACRED AND WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT.
I HOPE THAT FOR, I HOPE FOR EVERYONE AND THE CITY TO FILL THE EXPANSION OF GROWTH BECAUSE GROWTH AND CHANGE ARE INEVITABLE.
AND I HOPE TO SEE US VALUE A CITY AS A CITY, THE WAY THAT ALIGNS WITH WHAT WE TRULY VALUE AND THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE HELD FOR A LONG TIME, NOT JUST FOR PROFIT.
UM, NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE JOE KENDALL JOE'S FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINA RODRIGUEZ, DANIEL YEZ, AND LIZA HALLMAN.
AND FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I KNOW WHAT IT TOOK FROM ME TO GET DOWN HERE, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW FREQUENTLY YOU HAVE TO DO IT, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I'M, UH, THE FOUNDER AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHATAUQUA FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT.
WE'RE BETTER KNOWN AS THE TEXAS RIVER SCHOOL.
THE LAST 32 YEARS, WE'VE TAKEN OVER 13,000 KIDS TO THE RIVER.
THE RESEARCH HAS PROVEN TO US THAT THE, UH, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR, OUR CHILDREN, AS WELL AS ADULTS, UH, SUFFER FROM A NATURE DEFICIT, UH, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT SPENDING ENOUGH TIME IN NATURE.
UH, THE RESEARCH ALSO PROVES THAT THE KIDS WILL DO BETTER ON STANDARDIZED TESTING IF THEY SPEND 30 MINUTES OF UNSTRUCTURED TIME IN NATURE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TESTING.
I WASN'T THERE FOR THAT, BUT I WAS THERE TO SEE 13,000 FACES COME OFF THE RIVER.
THOSE FACES, UH, WERE FACES OF JOY AND CONFIDENCE, UH, NOT SO MUCH WHEN THEY PUT ON THE RIVER.
THEY WERE TERRIFIED AT THAT POINT.
UH, SO WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
SO PLEASE SUPPORT THE REWILDING OF ZUCKER PARK.
PUT UP A PARKING LOT WITH A PINK HOTEL, A BOUTIQUE, AND A SWING IN HOTSPOT.
DON'T IT ALWAYS SEEM TO GO THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TO? LET'S GONE.
NO LONGER CAN WE CONTINUE TO TREAT THIS LAND, THIS CITY AS AN OBJECT OR A COMMODITY.
IT IS A LIVING, BREATHING ORGANISM THAT DESERVES OUR RESPECT AND REVERENCE AND CARE, NOT JUST FOR US THAT ARE HERE, THAT ARE LIVE, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
IT IS THE PARKS, THE GREEN SPACES.
BARAN SPRINGS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF THIS CITY.
IF WE KILL THAT, WE KILL THE CITY.
WE HAVE TO THINK THIS COMPLETELY THROUGH.
ACTUALLY, LET'S JUST THROW IT OUT AND FIGURE OUT SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP.
OH, KEEP THE PARK AND BARTON SPRINGS FULLY ALIVE.
LIZA, AFTER LIZZA IS PEACH SULLIVAN AND PAULINE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING, GOING TO WORK TODAY AND PUTTING IN YOUR EIGHT HOURS AND THEN COMING HERE AFTERWARDS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR TAKING OUR COMMENTS.
UM, I'M GONNA COME FROM A REALLY PRACTICAL POINT, AND THAT IS THAT I HAVE BEEN SWIMMING AT BARTON SPRINGS, AND I HAVE BEEN USING THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND HIKING ON THE GREEN BELT FOR 40 PLUS YEARS.
AND I HAVE PICKED UP HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF TRASH AND DOG POOP IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO WALK BY ANY OF THAT STUFF AND LEAVE IT THERE.
AND IT, IT SEEMS SUCH A SMALL MATTER BY COMPARISON WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BASIC RESPECT FOR OUR MOTHER, IS THAT WE DON'T TRASH HER AND THAT WE DO PICK UP AFTER OURSELVES.
AND IN THAT SAME WAY, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU KNOW, FOR THE TIME BEING, AT LEAST WE'RE ALL GONNA DRIVE CARS.
AND IF YOU'RE TAKING A BUNCH OF KIDS WITH A PICNIC TO THE PARK,
[02:20:01]
YOU NEED YOUR CAR.BUT IF THE PARKING IS GOING TO BE ZERO SUM, WHY DON'T WE JUST THANK YOU, CLEAN UP WHAT WE'VE GOT.
IF WE WOULD JUST TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE, WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND 200 MILLION.
PEACH SULLIVAN AFTER PEACH IS PAULINE RUBEN AND BARBARA ANDERSON.
HI, 42 YEARS AUSTIN'S 15 IN ZK.
I'M A BIOCHEMIST AND MANY OTHER HATS THAT I WEAR, INCLUDING SOIL CHEMISTRY.
AND I'M VERY INTERESTED IN OUR PARK STAYING ALIVE AND BARTON SPRINGS AND ALL THE SPRINGS STAYING ALIVE AS THAT IS WHAT WILL TAKE US SEVEN GENERATIONS FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS TODAY, ALL OF YOU.
UM, I AGREE THAT THE SURVEY WAS VERY SKEWED.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCURATELY COMPLETE IT.
THE POPUPS WERE, I WAS DIRECTED BACK TO ONLINE.
AND IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF PERMACULTURE, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN ENJOY LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW REWILDING CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE LAND WILL THRIVE ON NEGLECT.
AND I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR 40 YEARS AND SWIM AT BARTON SPRINGS FROM MOST OF THOSE 40 YEARS.
IT'S A HEALING SPACE AS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS EVER SWAM IN IT KNOWS.
I REALLY WONDER IF THESE PEOPLE PRESENTING THIS PROGRAM HAVE EVER REALLY SWAM THERE AND TAKEN THAT IN.
UM, WELL, I HAD NOTES, UH, TO USE THE, THE TRASH THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED.
IT'S LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH TRASH.
ALL THESE OTHER THINGS WE'RE GONNA DO IS BRING MORE TRASH, MORE TRAFFIC, MORE NOISE.
IT'S, THERE'S SO MANY INEQUITIES IN THE CITY ALREADY WHERE MONEY IS GOING TO THESE SORTS OF THINGS THAT COST TONS, MOST PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO GO.
AND THEN THERE'S THE SOCIOECONOMIC PEOPLE WHO, WHO PEOPLE IN, IN PLACES THAT CAN'T GO.
THE RA, THE RACISM THAT OCCURS.
IT'S LIKE, PLEASE CHOOSE NATURE.
BARBARA, AND THEN AFTER BARBARA'S, JASON PATMAN.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THE TIME YOU TAKE TO BE HERE TONIGHT FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR CONCERN.
UM, A 50 YEAR, A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN HAD BEEN SWIMMING AT BARTONS ALL THAT TIME.
TRAGEDY IS LOOMING OVER ZER PARK.
IN ALL OF OUR PARKS, PLACES OF PEACE AND JOY, ADVENTURE AND COMMUNITY ARE THREATENED BY DEGRADATION FROM CORPORATE INTERESTS, PRIVATIZATION AND PROFIT AND CIVIC CARELESSNESS.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN RIDING OUR BIKES TO BARTONS TO SWIM FOR YEARS, AND THEY'RE MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
WE CAN'T EVEN GET THERE BECAUSE OF THE OBSTRUCTIONS OF EQUIPMENT AND, UH, THE PRIVATIZATION AROUND A C L.
AS LEADERS ON THE PARK BOARD, YOU HAVE A PROFOUND CHOICE THAT YOU CAN MAKE.
I ASK YOU TO RESIST THE PRESSURE FROM ENTITIES WHO ACT IN SELF-INTEREST, UH, PRIVATIZATION AND PROFIT.
ZILKER PARK IS A PLACE FOR AUSTIN CITIZENS WHERE THE NATURAL WORLD CAN THRIVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT QUESTIONS AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
UH, MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, HOW COULD WE CALL LANDFILL? UH, PERVIOUS COVER.
SO THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE GONNA CAP THE LANDFILL WITH SOIL, AND THEN THAT, THAT NOW IS, UH, DESIGNATED AT SOIL ZONE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE INFILTRATING WA YOU'RE WHAT, WHAT PURVIS COVER'S SUPPOSED TO DO IS IT'S, IT'S EARTH.
I CAN'T EVEN EX, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WATER SOAKING INTO THE GROUND.
WE'RE FEEDING THE AQUIFER, FEEDING THE PLANTS.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DESIGNATE, LIKE THIS IS CALLED PERVIOUS COVER.
YOU'RE LITERALLY TALKING ABOUT SOAKING WATER OR BUILDING SOIL ON TOP OF A, A LANDFILL, A TOXIC LAND LANDFILL HAS NOT BEEN EXPLORED YET.
AND THEN YOU'RE USING THAT TO OFFSET HOW MUCH CONCRETE YOU PUT DOWN.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOTCHING THE PERVIOUS IMPERVIOUS COVER STATISTICS.
AND Y'ALL NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT.
UH, ALSO, UH, ACCESS TO THE PARK.
IF YOU WANT TO GET TO YOSEMITE, YOU GET
[02:25:01]
THERE.UH, YOU GET THERE AND WE ALL FIGURED OUT.
UM, ALSO, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY AT THE PARK ARE THE, THE NATIVE SPECIES.
YOU NEED TO RESPECT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE.
THERE'S HISTORIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PARK THAT NONE OF US REALLY TRULY UNDERSTAND.
AND WHERE YOU PULL UP ON THE PARK, THAT'S THE PEOPLE OF THE PARKS DECISION.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'RE GONNA CIRCLE BACK CUZ A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAD STEPPED OUT OF THE ROOM WHEN THEY WERE CALLED SCOTT COBB.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE RESOLUTION, I WANT TO SAY THAT THE MOST PRECIOUS THING THAT WE HAVE HERE IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING TONIGHT.
AND WHERE WE, THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHERE WE STAND UP AND MAKE OUR CASE TO THE PARKS BOARD OR TO CITY COUNCIL, IF THERE'S A UNIFIED NONPROFIT, THOSE DECISIONS WILL BE MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS UNLESS WE'RE INVITED.
SO I AM DEFINITELY BELIEVED IN UNIFIED NONPROFIT SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM THE VISION PLAN AS WELL AS SOME OTHER THINGS.
BUT IF YOU START THERE, YOU MAKE IT MORE DEMOCRATIC.
I WENT TO WATERLOO PARK AND THERE'S PANELS OF RICH PEOPLE DONATING.
IT'S LIKE A MEMORIAL TO RICH PEOPLE WHO DONATED TO WATERLOO PARK.
SO, AND THAT USED TO BE WHERE A LOT OF LOWER INCOME PEOPLE LIVED BECAUSE THEY, NO ONE ELSE WENT TO LIVED THERE, BUT IT WAS VERY CHEAP BECAUSE OF THE FLOODPLAIN.
BUT ANYHOW, GET RID OF THE UNIFIED NONPROFIT.
UM, JUST WANNA STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE ZER COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP.
WE WERE 15 OTHER NONPROFITS ALONG WITH US THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE WE THOUGHT TOGETHER WE COULD PROVIDE A VOICE OF SERVICE FOR FOLKS THAT WE WORK WITH IN THE PARK.
AND AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, WELL, THE BOAT RENTAL PEOPLE WANT THIS, OR THE GIRL SCOUT CABINS WANT THIS, BUT WHAT COULD WE COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER? SO I JUST WANNA STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TONIGHT IS THAT OUR PARKS ARE SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE AT AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION EXIST.
AND I WOULD REALLY INVITE ANYBODY IN THE ROOM TO COME SEE ME.
AND IF YOU WANT TO JUMP ON OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS THIS SUMMER, EVERY SUMMER WE GO TO BAT FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO GET MORE MONEY FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, PLEASE COME TALK TO ME.
KAYLA REESE? IT SHOULD, IS KAYLA HERE AND DANIEL YEZ? IS DANIEL HERE? OKAY.
YOU HAVE A A LIST OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.
IT'S ON A PIECE OF PAPER THAT TIM'S JUST BRINGING IT TO YOU.
SO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, OH GOODNESS, MY APOLOGIES.
OKAY, WELL, LET'S JUST DO THIS LAST PAPER PERSON AND THEN I'LL DO THAT LIST.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME IN TODAY, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY'VE MADE REALLY, UM, GOOD ARGUMENTS AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL BEING RUSHED AND SHUFFLED THROUGH HERE, LIKE JEWS TO THE HOLOCAUST.
AND IT'S, IT'S KIND OF SAD TO SAY THAT THE HOLOCAUST, I'M SORRY.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BEING SENT TO CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND IT'S NOT FAIR.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A SAD PLACE TO BE THAT OUR VOICE ISN'T BEING HEARD.
AND I THINK THIS PLAN HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LOT LONGER THAN IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, UH, SAY THAT, UH, IN THE WORDS OF THE LORAX, UNLESS SOMEONE LIKE YOU CARES A WHOLE AWFUL LOT, NOTHING IS GOING TO GET BETTER.
[02:30:01]
AS, AS SOMEONE WHO ALSO IS A MEMBER OF THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, I JUST WANT TO CALL THAT THAT COMMENT WAS COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.AND I FEEL LIKE I NEED YOU TO STATE THAT AS SOMEONE WHO IS CLOSELY AFFILIATED WITH THAT ORGANIZATION AND VALUE THE MISSIONS.
WELL, LET'S HAVE ORDER PLEASE.
WE'RE TRYING TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU AND, AND I, I'M SORRY IF I OFFENDED ANYBODY.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZOE WEIR.
WE NEED TO HEAR YOU REAL LOUD.
CAN YOU SPEAK REAL CLOSE TO THAT MIC? WE'RE SPENDING MORE MONEY, BUT WE'RE NOT PROTECTING THE EARTH.
PROTECTING, PROTECT THE BARON SPRINGS POOL.
BEN, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY, GREAT.
SO AFTER BEN IS MARK MAY, TANYA PAYNE, AND THEN MIKE CANTI.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING FIRST.
THEY TOLD ME I WAS THE FIRST ONE ON THE LIST.
WELL, ANYWAY, BUT I DON'T GET ANY EXTRA TIME FOR THAT
ANYWAY, MY NAME'S BEN THOMPSON.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE RE WILD GROUP FOR A WHILE NOW.
UM, AND I AGREE, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT WITH SOME OF THE LETTERS THAT Y'ALL RECEIVED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
UM, I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU TO THROW THE ENTIRE PLANT IN THE GARBAGE CAN.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WELL-MEANING PEOPLE IN GROUPS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED UP TO THIS POINT THAT HAVE PROVIDED WONDERFUL INPUT.
UM, AND I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A PROCESS OF COMPROMISE.
THIS WAS NEVER GONNA BE THE BEN THOMPSON ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN.
IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS VISION PLAN WITH NO OTHER INPUT.
BUT IT WAS ALSO NEVER, IT SHOULD NOT BE THE A C L VISION PLAN EITHER.
AND IT, IT GOES, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED TO THE CREDIBILITY OF THE WHOLE PROCESS.
AND SO IF VARIOUS COMMERCIAL INTERESTS HAVE HAD AN UNDUE INFLUENCE ON THIS PLANNING PROCESS, THE CREDIBILITY OF THE ENTIRE THING, EVEN THE GOOD THINGS IN THE PLAN ARE AT RISK.
UM, SO I THINK I WANTED TO SPEND MY, UH, TIMER TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS.
AND SO I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AND WHAT WE'VE REALLY DONE WRONG IS WE DID NOT HAVE A WIDE ENOUGH WORKING GROUP.
ALL WE HAD WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE WORKING GROUP, IT'S A VERY NARROW SET OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, INTERESTS THAT THEY WANT.
YOU WATCH OF THE VIDEOS, THERE'S NO CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE PLAYING ON THE GREAT LAWN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
SO WHEN YOU DRIVE BY AND YOU LOOK AT ALL THOSE PEOPLE ON, LIKE THE RUGBY FIELD AND THE GREAT LAWN, WHERE ARE THEY IN THE WORKING GROUP? THEY'RE NOT THERE.
THIS WHOLE AWKWARD CONVERSATION ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SPRINGS.
I COULD HAVE SAVED YOU FROM THAT IF SOMEONE WOULD LET ME ON THE FRIGGING WORKING GROUP, BECAUSE I'M NOT A NONPROFIT, I'M NOT MAKING ANY MONEY.
I DON'T HAVE A PET PROJECT TO PUT MY NAME ON.
I JUST USE THE PARK AND THERE'S NO ONE ON THE WORKING GROUP THAT USES THE PARK.
AND, UH, I'M JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT ONE SLIDE REAL QUICKLY OF THE PRESENTATION I HAD.
UH, WE WERE, WE NEVER SAW THE DESIGN TEAM'S OWN SURVEY ANALYZED.
AND SO WE ATTEMPTED ON OUR OWN BY DOWNLOADING THE COMMENTS THAT WERE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
OUT OF THE 483 INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN, 68 OF THE COMMENTS WERE AGAINST PARKING GARAGES.
I'M WONDERING WHY THIS DATA WAS NEVER PRESENTED BY THE DESIGN TEAM AND WHY IT WASN'T MADE PUBLIC TO OUR GROUP AND HOW THE SUPPORTS THE U BUILDING OF THREE PARKING GARAGES.
I SUGGEST THAT THE PA THE PLAN BE PUT ON HOLD AND, UH, BE PASSED BACK OVER TO PAR FOR A LIGHTER TOUCH AND ONE THAT FOCUSES ON RESTORATION OF THE PARK.
MIKE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY KAREN BLIZZARD, GEORGE COFER, AND MAC
[02:35:01]
RAGSDALE.GREETINGS, AGAIN, PARKS BOARD.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
IT IS A NONPROFIT THAT WORKS IN THE PARK, NOT TO COMMERCIALIZE OR PRIVATIZE IT, BUT WE ADVOCATE FOR THE PARK.
WE ORGANIZE CLEANINGS FOR SWIMMERS TO COME DOWN TO THE POOL AND HELP TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND ACTUALLY, EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE, OOPS, IT'S SMALLER THAN IT WAS.
WE WOULD WELCOME TO COME DOWN ON THE FIRST THURSDAYS OF THE MONTH AND HELP TAKE CARE OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT'S IN THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
UH, I WAS GONNA TRY TO OFFER A POINT BY POINT RESPONSE TO THE RESOLUTION THAT Y'ALL HAVE, THAT MS. FAUS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT, IT ONLY SHOWED UP AT 10 THIS MORNING.
SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT ONE EITHER.
BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW, THERE HAS IN FACT BEEN INPUT ON THE IDEA OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE, UH, NONPROFIT.
IT'S ACTUALLY IN, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING.
COMMUNITY MEETING NUMBER THREE.
SLIDE 11 IN AN EXPLICITLY TALKS ABOUT HOW THE GOALS HAVE BEEN UPDATED IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT A NONPROFIT PARTNER IS PART OF WHAT'S THE SUSTAINABILITY GOAL UNDER THE THANK YOU.
OH, FOLLOWING KAREN IS GEORGE COFER, MCRI RAGSDALE AND HOLLY HAWK.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND LISTENING TO US TONIGHT.
I AM A LONGTIME AUSTINITE NATIVE, AUSTINITE BARTON SPRINGS SWIMMER.
I'M ALSO THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE ZER COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS 16 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, PLUS THE TWO KAYAK VENDORS.
UM, TO CALL THEM COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IS SOME LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN FLOATED THAT'S ACTUALLY INCORRECT.
THEY'RE NONPROFITS THAT DO GREAT WORK, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR ZILKER PARK.
WE COMMEND DESIGN WORKSHOP AND THE CITY TEAM FOR THEIR IMPRESSIVE WORK IN COMPILING A VAST AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY INPUT.
UM, OUR GROUP PROVIDED INPUT THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS, WHICH WE FELT WAS VERY ROBUST.
I THINK TONIGHT WE SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UM, OUR PARTNER GROUPS DID NOT GET EVERYTHING THEY WANTED FROM THAT PROCESS.
BUT COMPROMISE IS REQUIRED IN A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS.
DESIGN WORKSHOP IS DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO SHAPE A PLAN THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE USERS WHO VISIT THE PARK FROM ALL OLIVER AUSTIN.
I THINK MY COLLEAGUE, JOY FROM THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION MADE A VERY IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT MONEY AND, AND FUNDING ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN THE PARK THAT THE COLLECTIVE GROUP DOES.
SUNSHINE CAMP, UH, GIRL SCOUT, SILK HILLSIDE THEATER.
UH, WE RAISED PRIVATE FUNDS, 16 GROUPS.
WE PUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE PARK.
THE PARKS FOUNDATION AND HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY MAINTAINED THE GREEN BELT AND THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL.
SO I THINK IN YOUR RESOLUTION, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ADDRESS FUNDING IN SOME WAY.
AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE.
FOLLOWING MACK IS HOLLY HAWK, WILLIAM OLIVER, AND RA ROBIN RATHER.
I WANTED TO DISPEL THE FALSE ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE ZILKER COLLECTIVE GROUP REPRESENTING SOMEHOW HAVING A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN COMMERCIALIZING THE PARK.
I REPRESENT ZILKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS, A NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES FREE SUMMER MUSICALS, THAT'S FREE SUMMER MUSICALS.
WE ARE NOT A COMMERCIAL INTEREST, UH, AND WE CAN ALL FALL VICTIM TO THESE CONSPIRACY TYPE THEORIES, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE FACTS AND CONSIDER THE SOURCES.
UM, REPRESENTING THE THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES WHO LOVE OUR SUMMER MUSICALS, Z TP COLLABORATED WITH THE OTHER ZER PARK STAKEHOLDERS, 15 OF 'EM, TO GIVE OUR INPUT THROUGH THE VISION PLAN, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
CONTRARY TO SOME MISINFORMATION BEING CIRCULATED, NONE OF OUR GROUP MEETINGS INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM C3 LIVE NATION OR TICKETMASTER.
NOR DID WE ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF ACL EVER.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE VISION PLAN HAS CRITICAL VALUE AS A ROADMAP TO THE FUTURE.
PLEASE ALLOW THE PROCESS TO CONTINUE.
[02:40:01]
UH, FOLLOWING WILLIAM OLIVER WILL BE ROBIN RATHER, VIRGINIA PALMER AND SUSAN GOLDBERG.HI, I'M BILL OLIVER FOR, UH, 19 YEARS BEFORE COVID, WE PRODUCED THE MOTHER EARTH DAY FESTIVAL AT SPRINGS.
A A SMALL BUT ROBUST AND AMBITIOUS LITTLE FESTIVAL.
HAD 400, UH, THOUSAND KIDS, UH, FOR A FOUR HOUR FESTIVAL AT, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE POOL.
AND, UH, AS TIME WENT BY, WE DEFINITELY FELT THE PRESSURE OF THE, UH, CORPORATE ROCK AND ROLL AS OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY THERE WENT AWAY FROM FOUR WEEKS, SIX WEEKS EVEN MORE.
AND THE, OUR, OUR PRESENCE AT THE RESERVATIONS OFFICE GOT LESS AND LESS RESPONSIVE.
SO IT WAS DEFINITELY MAKE ROOM FOR THE PARKING LOTS.
GIVE THEM ROOM AND SORRY ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT, AND SO, UH, THAT GAL THAT STARTED THAT SONG, I THINK WE SHOULD FINISH THAT PAVED PAIR PUT UP.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY MINUTES.
WE'RE NOT SHARING MINUTES TONIGHT.
UH, I'M VIRGINIA PALMER, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF RESOURCES UNLIMITED HUMAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT FOR MANY YEARS.
AFTER THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WHEN I GOT HOME, I TURNED ON THE TELEVISION.
AND THERE, THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS THE, THE, UH, SENATE JUDICIAL HEARING.
AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT TICKETMASTER AND LIVE NATION.
AND I JUST WENT, BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT AT THIS MEETING AND THEY WERE TALKING, WELL, IT WAS AT WORST PRACTICES, LET'S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY.
EVEN PRESIDENT BIDEN MENTIONED TICKETMASTER AT THE, AT HIS INNO AT THE, UM, STATE OF THE UNION.
I WAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE FOR PARKS IN LA FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD OF A NONPROFIT.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE IS A MODEL WHERE THE BIG BUSINESS INTEREST COMES IN.
THEY GIVE THE NONPROFIT THANK YOU SOME FUNDING AND MONEY.
AND THEN THEY USE THEM AS THE FRONT PEOPLE TO DO THEIR DUES.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK.
UM, IN REGARDS TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE VISION PLAN, I HAVE READ THE PLAN AND THE PLANNING TEAM RECEIVED LARGE AMOUNTS OF COM COMMUNITY OPINIONS, INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, THEY CONSULTED PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED PLANNING DOCUMENTS, UM, CONSULTED WITH ECOLOGISTS AND OTHER CONSULTANTS, AND THEY'VE CREATED A BALANCED PLAN FOR THE PARK.
THE RAGE AGAINST THE MUSIC FESTIVAL IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE MAYBE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SILK PARK IS A PARK IN A GROWING URBAN CONDITION.
WE CANNOT PRETEND THIS WILL CHANGE.
WHILE AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO PARK ON LAWNS.
THIS IS THE TIME, UM, WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF ACCESSIBILITY AND PEDESTRIAN AND BIKER SAFETY WITHIN THIS CENTRAL PARK THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ALL OF AUSTIN.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, SO I HAVE TO DRIVE
ON, ON CISO, ON KISS, ON KISO SHANE.
UH, ROBERT CORBIN, ARE YOU HERE? ROBERT'S GONNA BE FOLLOWED BY KAREN BRIK, ANNA SOS AND GORDON KELLY.
WELL, I'VE BEEN USING THE PARK FOR, AND SWIMMING IN THE POOL FOR 55 YEARS.
[02:45:01]
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AND I GO THERE OFTEN.IN FACT, THEY, I MIGHT GO THERE EVERY TWO OR THREE DAYS.
AND, UH, I AGREE WITH PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID TONIGHT IN TERMS OF NOT COMMERCIALIZING THE PARK AND TRYING TO REWILD IT, KEEP IT NATURAL AND ALL THAT.
BUT TO BE HONEST, THE PARK HAS BECOME A HELLHOLE, IN MY OPINION.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE NOBODY EVEN CARES.
YOU KNOW, I'LL TRY TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS, IT'S NOISY, IT'S OUT OF CONTROL COMPLETELY, AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE.
IS KAREN HERE? THERE SHE'S HI AGAIN.
TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ZILKER COLLECTIVE STAKEHOLDERS HAVING A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN COMMERCIALIZING THE PARK, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY.
WE'RE A NONPROFIT THAT SERVES MILLIONS OF VISITORS AT BARTON SPRINGS THROUGH FACILITY AND EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS.
IN ADDITION TO FUNDRAISING FOR THE BATHHOUSE REHABILITATE REHABILITATION, WE ALSO WORK TO MAKE BARTON SPRINGS A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PLACE BY PARTNERING WITH AUSTIN SUNSHINE CAMPS, HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY.
IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AT BARTON SPRINGS.
WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH ANOTHER NONPROFIT, THE FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL ON MONTHLY VOLUNTEER POOL CLEANINGS.
A C SENT OUR OWN LETTERS TO DESIGN WORKSHOP.
ALTHOUGH WE AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS MAY NOT GET EVERYTHING WE WANT IN THE VISION PLAN, WE BELIEVE DESIGN WORKSHOP HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO SHAPE A PLAN THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE U USERS WHO USE THE PARK FROM ALL PARTS OF AUSTIN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SAY, BUT I FIND THIS PROCESS KIND OF AWESOME, BUT ALSO A BIT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT WHAT BARTON SPRINGS MEANS TO ALL OF US IS A HEALTH OASIS WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY BREATHE ALL OF US.
YOU LOOK AT THE CITY RIGHT NOW, AND I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN FOR A WHILE, AND I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
AND IT'S NOT AN INSULT TO MEN, IT'S JUST MORE AND MORE AND MORE.
AND EVERYONE'S TELLING US, I'M SURE YOU AND YOUR HEARTS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE'S SAYING HERE.
WE ALL HAVE TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
IF THEY WERE HERE NOW,
WE NEED TO LET THE CHILDREN SPEAK AND BE HEARD.
HI, PRESIDENT OF WATERLOO DISC GOLF CLUB.
UM, WE ARE ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT IS PART OF THE ZILKER WORKING COLLECTIVE.
UM, AND AS MARK MAY SAID, WE ARE ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT USES THE PARK.
WE DO NOT HAVE A COMMERCIAL INTEREST IN IT.
UM, WATERLOO DISC GOLF CLUB WAS CREATED TO PROMOTE THE SPORT OF DISC DISC GOLF TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH ORGANIZATION AND EDUCATION, AND TO GIVE DISC GOLFERS A VOICE AND COMMUNITY ISSUES WHICH IMPACT THE SPORT.
WE PARTICIPATED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, UH, BOTH AS PART OF THE GROUP AND ON OUR OWN, SENDING LETTERS, UH, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO DIS GOLFERS SO THEY COULD MAKE CONTACT SO THEY COULD GIVE INPUT.
UM, YES, WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, PROVIDE FEEDBACK, BUT AT NONE OF OUR MEETINGS WAS C3 LIVE NATION OR TICKETMASTER THERE.
AND NOBODY WAS THERE ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF A C L FEST.
UM, WE DO FEEL THAT THEY LISTENED AND RESPECTED OUR INPUT.
WE HAD THE CHANCE TO GIVE IT THANK YOU.
[02:50:02]
HELLO.UH, I, UH,
I, UH, AM BORN AND RAISED HERE IN AUSTIN.
I'M A SECOND GENERATION BUSINESS OWNER.
MY FAMILY'S BUSINESS IS ROCK AND ROLL RENTALS.
UM, WE RENT MUSIC GEAR TO LOCAL MUSICIANS.
WE'RE A HYPER LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE, AND WE'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 34 YEARS.
AND YOU KNOW WHO WE DO SUPPORT? WE SUPPORT SOS SAVE OUR SPRING EVERY YEAR.
BART, THERE'S A, THEY DO A BARTON SPRINGS UNIVERSITY, AND THEY BRING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF KIDS TO THE SPRINGS TO SPEND THE DAY LEARNING ABOUT, UH, THE WATERSHED AND, UM, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE WATER.
AND WE'VE, AND WE SUPPORT THEM IN THAT.
WE RUN SOUND FOR BILL OLIVER AND THE OTTER SPACE BAND WHO JUST CAME OUT HERE AND SPOKE.
SO IF YOU WANNA START CONSIDERING LOCAL PEOPLE, THAT'S US.
WE'RE LOCAL, SUPPORTING LOCAL AND A C THAT'S NOT IT, I'M TELLING YOU.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT.
WE ARE IN THE PART, IN THE PROCESS.
THIS IS NOT THE NIGHT THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE A VOTE ON ALL OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS PLAN.
IT WILL GO THROUGH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COME BACK TO THIS BOARD.
HOWEVER, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A BIG CONCERN TO ME, AND IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST MEETING.
AND THAT IS, AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE THE GOOD EGGS IN THE, IN THE ZILKER COLLECTIVE, AND I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD AGAINST IN INDIVIDUALS IN THAT COLLECTIVE, BUT LOOKING AT THE PLAN AS A WHOLE, I HAVE HAD A, A MAJOR CONCERN THAT THE, THE, THAT COLLECTIVE AND, AND THE NONPROFIT PART OF THE ZILKER PARK DRAFT PLAN HAS ADDED SOMETHING THAT WE AS A PEOPLE DIDN'T GET TO, TO HAVE INPUT ON.
AND THAT IS THAT THEY'RE ASKING THAT NONPROFITS, THAT THERE'D BE A NONPROFIT CREATED A ZILKER, UM, UMBRELLA NONPROFIT.
AND SO I HAVE, UH, I HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT I HAVE PUT FORTH AND, UH, SECOND BY, UH, VICE CHAIR FAUS HERE.
UM, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD IN THE, IN THE SAKE OF TIME IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT HAD COMMENT BEFORE WE DO THIS ABOUT THE, ANY, ANY OF THIS THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
I THINK YOUR VOICES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT MAKES ME FEEL REALLY GOOD TO KNOW THAT I'M IN AUSTIN WITH ALL THESE DIVERSE OPINIONS.
I'M GLAD WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO COME AND SING AT THE PARKS BOARD MEETING.
I'M GLAD WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO COME AND BELIEVE, AND FLORA AND FAUNA AND ALL OF US ARE ARE BIG ADVOCATES FOR PARKS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION IN THE SAKE OF THE INTEREST OF TIME.
UM, THIS WAS, THIS WAS, UH, STARTED LAST, LAST MONTH AND WE TRIED TO NARROW THINGS DOWN.
LAST TIME WAS A LITTLE BIT UNWIELDY, AND I WAS CALLED BY LEGAL TODAY.
AND SO WE HAD TO ADD A COUPLE THINGS BACK IN TO MAKE THIS MORE GERMANE.
I'M GOING TO READ IT AND THEN WE WILL TAKE COMMENTS ON IT AND, AND MAKE A VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO, UM, WHEREAS ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK IS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC RESOURCE FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, PROVIDING CRITICAL LAND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE AREA'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, RECREATIONAL AND EXERCISE SPACE FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT, PROTECTION OF THE PRISTINE WATERS OF BARTON SPRINGS, AS WELL AS HABITAT FOR THE REGION'S IMPORTANT FLORA AND FAUNA.
WHEREAS ZER PARK IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING A PLANNING PROCESS KNOWN AS THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN FOR WHICH A CONSULTANT WAS HIRED TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC, TO DISCERN THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS' DESIRES FOR THE FUTURE OF ZER PARK, AND TO CREATE A DRAFT ZER PARK VISION PLAN.
AND I'M THINKING ABOUT PULLING THIS ONE, WHEREAS I'M GONNA PULL THE THIRD PARAGRAPH THERE BECAUSE I'M GONNA FOR, FOR EXPEDIENCY.
WHEREAS NO ONE OR ALMOST NO ONE DURING THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ASKED FOR OR SUPPORTED THE FURTHER PRIVATIZATION OF ZER PARK MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS.
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS WAS OPPOSED TO CONTINUED IN FURTHER PRIVATIZATION OF PARK OPERATIONS.
AND WHEREAS NO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEYED THE PUBLIC DESIRE TO CREATE AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION, A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT NONPROFIT GROUP TO TAKE OVER ZILKER PARK DECISION MAKING AND MANAGEMENT SEATING CONTROL THAT SHOULD BELONG TO THE PUBLICLY FUNDED AND ACCOUNTABLE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WHEREAS THE ZER PARK, THE DRAFT ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN WAS COMPLETED NOVEMBER 22, UH, UH, 2022 WAS OPEN FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT UNTIL JANUARY 8TH, 2023, AND IS PLANNED TO BE PRESENTED TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND WHEREAS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD WILL BE MAKING A FULL REVIEW OF THE PLAN AND RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE AFTER IT IS REVIEWED BY OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT SECTION OF THE DRAFT ZER PARK VISION PLAN RECOMMENDS A ZILKER UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT THAT CAN SERVE AS A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT,
[02:55:01]
SERVING AS A GO-BETWEEN FOR, FOR THE MANY ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERESTED PARTIES IN A FORMALIZED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY END QUOTE.AND WHEREAS THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT SECTION OF THE DRAFT PARK IS DRAFT ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN RECOMMENDS THIS ZILKER UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT BE TASKED WITH ADVOCACY FOR THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN TO ENGAGE IN PRIVATE FUNDRAISING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, TO WORK WITH THE COALITION KNOWN AS AUSTIN OUTDOORS, TO CAMPAIGN FOR PUBLIC FUNDS AND ADVOCATE FOR PRIVATE FUNDING, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, PROGRAMMING, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER POTENTIAL ROLES.
AND WHEREAS THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT SECTION OF THE DRAFT ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN RECOMMENDS THE ZUCKER UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT BE GIVEN A ROLE IN CONCESSION MANAGEMENTS WITHIN ZER PARK, AND FURTHER RECOMMENDS CHANGES IN THE REVENUE SHARING AND FEE MODELS FOR CONCESSION CONTACT TRACKS WITHIN ZER PARK.
WHEREAS THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN OVERSEEING PARK OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING FOLLOWS SPECIFIC GUIDELINES TO KEEP TAXPAYER FUNDED, SPENDING ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEREAS DESPITE GOOD INTENTIONS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES SUBJECT TO OPEN MEETINGS, PUBLIC INFORMATION BIDDING, CONTRACTING, AND OTHER LAWS INTENDED TO ALLOW FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO RESIDENTS IN EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC ASSETS.
AND WHEREAS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A UNIFIED NONPROFIT PARTNER AND RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PARTNER'S ROLE, THE CHANGE TO CONCESSION STRUCTURES AND OTHER OPERATIONS OF MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE MANAGEMENT OF ZILKER PARK AND UNPRECEDENTED FOR A MUNICIPAL PARK IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WHEREAS THERE IS NO DESCRIPTION OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UNDERTAKEN DURING THE ENGAGEMENT PORTION OF THE VISION PLAN DEVELOPMENT REGARDING THE ROLE OF A ZILKER UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT TO OVERSEE PROGRAMMING, CONCESSIONS, ADVOCACY AND OTHER ROLES DESCRIBED, NOR IS THERE ANY INDICATION OF PUBLIC SUPPORT OR LACK THEREOF, OR FOR THIS ZER UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOMMENDED THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE REFERENCE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, CANNOT SUPPORT THE INCLUSION OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE DRAFT ZER PARK VISION PLAN, REFERRING TO THE ZER UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT.
AND NUMBER TWO RECOMMENDS THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE PRESENTED TO ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND CITY COUNCIL ALONG WITH THE DR.
ZER DRAFT, ZER PARK VISION PLAN, UNTIL THERE IS A PUBLIC PROCESS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DISCERN THE TYPE OF ENTITY, IF ANY, THE PUBLIC FEELS IS APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A ROLE IN THE OPERATION MANAGEMENT, CONCESSIONS MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, AND FUNDRAISING FOR ZILKER PARK.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I BELIEVE GIVE, HAVE A TYPO.
YOU SAY CANNOT NOT SUPPORT, AT LEAST IN THE PRINTED VERSION.
I AND YOU SAID IT ONLY CANNOT, OH, I'M SORRY.
I YOU'RE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CATCHING THAT CANNOT SUPPORT THANK YOU.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION? OKAY.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, EXCUSE ME, I'M LOSING MY VOICE.
UM, I GUESS I WANNA BELIEVE THAT IT WAS WELL INTENDED THAT SETTING THIS ENTITY, THIS UNIFIED UMBRELLA IS WELL INTENDED.
AND I, I GUESS MY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND, AND WHY I'M THINK I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION IS BECAUSE, UM, THAT DOES, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE FEEDBACK FROM, FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND FROM THE CONSULTANT AS TO WHY THEY DECIDED THAT THIS WAS THE BEST MODEL.
UM, CUZ QUITE FRANKLY, AS OF LATELY SO LATE, I'VE BEEN REALLY, LATELY I'VE BEEN REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE THINGS HAVE BEEN MANAGED BY SOME OF THE NON-PROFITS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE ZER EAGLE AFTER ASKED, ASKING MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ABOUT WHAT THE STATUS OF THE ZO ZER EAGLE IS.
WE HAD TO FIND OUT THAT IT'S BEEN A SERIOUS ISSUE, THAT THERE'S A MAJOR ISSUE AND A LOT OF MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT FOR A TRAIN THAT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE.
AND ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TRAIN BEING A PART OF THE ZER VISION, UM, HAVING A NONPROFIT ENTITY MANAGE THE TRAIN DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S WORKED OUT SO WELL.
SO, UM, THAT'S, I MEAN THAT'S, I REALLY, I MEAN, IF IT'S, IF THERE'S, IF THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THIS UMBRELLA WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE IN, IN NONPROFITS BEING ENGAGED, I ABSOLUTELY, 100% I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
I THINK THAT IT CAN LEAD TO SOME REAL GOOD, UM, WELL, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND AS WELL AS JUST WHERE THE STAFF, THE CITY STAFF
[03:00:01]
DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME AND RESOURCES.I MEAN, I THINK THEY BRING NEW RESOURCES, I'M ALL IN SUPPORT OF THAT, BUT I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF WHERE'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY, WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY? AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANNA SEE THE EQUITY.
UM, THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE WRAPPED UP IN THIS, SO I JUST, MAYBE I'M UN MISUNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE UNIFIED, UM, NONPROFIT UMBRELLA IS FOR ANY OTHER COMMENTS, I'LL SPEAK ON THE MOTION, BUT LISA, LISA, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER HUFFMAN, I WOULD AGREE.
THEY, UM, I I BELIEVE IT WAS GOOD-WILLED FROM THE START.
AND, AND I TRY TO PICTURE MYSELF IN THE SHOES OF A NONPROFIT OPERATING IN ZILKER.
AND, AND THIS OPPORTUNITY COMES ALONG AND I WOULD WANT TO BE PART OF THE VOICE AT THE TABLE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK WHAT WAS MISSING IS THE TRANSPARENCY.
UM, IF, IF, IF THERE WAS, UH, A MORE FORTHRIGHT EFFORT, I REALLY WOULD'VE LIKED TO SEEN THE COMMENTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A CHART OF WHO SAID WHAT, HOW MANY PEOPLE SAID WHAT, HOW MANY WERE IN FAVOR OF THIS OR THAT.
THAT SEEMS TO BE, IF I WERE IN THE SHOES OF ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COLLECTIVE, I THINK I WOULD'VE SAID THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF WHAT WE PRESENT.
SO, UM, I'M JUST RATIONALIZING IT THROUGH.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE, THE FATAL FLAW FOR US.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE, THE COM THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DRAFT PLAN AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UM, CUZ WE'VE HAD PRESENTATIONS ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ALONG THE WAY.
I ATTENDED ALL OF THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
I READ, UM, ALL OF THE SURVEYS.
I ATTENDED THE OPEN HOUSE, AND I WAS, UM, SHOCKED WHEN I SAW THAT THE RECOMMENDATION AS IT WAS, AND AS ROBUST AS IT WAS, WAS IN THE DRAFT PLAN.
BECAUSE IN ALL OF THOSE VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND SURVEYS, I HAD NOT SEEN, UM, ANY REQUEST FOR COMMENT OR DISCUSSION OF THAT TYPE OF ROLE.
IT, YOU KNOW, AND IT, IT'S, AND THIS GOES INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, ONE OF, UM, AND I JUST, I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL THAT, I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN ACCEPTING, IN ASKING THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT.
AND SO I LITERALLY WAS SURPRISED WHEN I GOT TO THAT SECTION OF THE PLAN BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SOMETHING I WAS FAMILIAR WITH AS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY MY, THE, YOU KNOW, GOES TO THE HEART OF, OF MY CONCERN.
AND THEN THAT IS BEEN SORT OF, UM, COMPOUNDED BY THE, YOU KNOW, AND IT DOESN'T RECOMMEND THIS, UM, A SPECIFIC NONPROFIT, BUT WE'VE HAD THIS ONE GROUP THAT JUST KEEPS TELLING US HOW GREAT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS IS.
YOU KNOW, THE MESSAGING FROM THE IMPACT COLLECTIVE IS, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN GREAT.
THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH OF MEETINGS, THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH OF MEETINGS, HERE'S A LIST, HERE'S A LIST OF MEETINGS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT HEARING PEOPLE SAY WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, WHAT OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY'VE HAD A GREAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
I'VE WATCHED THE MEETING VIDEOS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY, THEY VERY READILY SAY WE DIDN'T, IT'S A COMPROMISE PROCESS, BUT THEY'RE NOT HEARING WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.
AND PART OF HAVING THIS ROLE IN THE FUTURE IS GONNA BE A LOT ABOUT CONTINUING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN AND HEARING WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.
I ALSO THINK WITH ZILKER, EVEN THOUGH WITH OTHER VISION, SO I THINK WITH ZILKER IT IS VERY IMPORTANT IF THERE IS A NONPROFIT PARTNER THAT'S MANAGING CONCESSIONS, THAT'S HAVING INPUT, THAT'S FUNDRAISING FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
FROM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I ASK THE QUESTION, CAN CORPORATIONS DONATE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, TO FUND CONSTRUCTION OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS? YES, THEY CAN.
AND SO FOR ZILKER IN PARTICULAR, JUST GIVEN THE SENSITIVITIES, I THINK A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING MANAGEMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE, OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN.
[03:05:01]
LIKE MY ISSUE.AND I WILL SAY THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF REFERENCES TO WHAT, WHAT WAS IN THE MEETINGS.
AND THERE, I REMEMBER WATCHING THESE PRESENTATIONS WHERE THEY WOULD PUT UP, THE CONSULTANT WOULD PUT UP THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT, UM, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE SUBCONTRACTORS ABOUT FINANCING, AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT REVENUE.
LIKE WHAT GENERATES REVENUE IN THE PARK AND WHAT ARE THE COSTS TO RUN THE PARK? AND THERE'S LIKE THIS PRESUMPTION THAT THE PARK NEEDS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
YOU NEED TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE AND THE PARK NEEDS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
AND MY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WAS LIKE, WHEN DID WE DECIDE, LIKE, WHERE IS IT A POLICY THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED OR WE ADOPTED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS THAT THE PARK NEEDS TO PAY FOR ITSELF? AND SO I JUST THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESUMPTIONS AND THEN THIS REALLY, IM, YOU KNOW, IMPACTFUL RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THIS CONTEXT OF ZILKER THAT NEEDS TO PAUSE.
AND THAT THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS PARK, THIS MUNICIPAL PARK SHOULD BE MANAGED BY A NONPROFIT OR IF MANAGED IS NOT THE RIGHT PHRASE, PARTNERED, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY THAT'S THE HEART OF MY CONCERNS.
UM, I DID, LOOK, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A MUNICIPAL PARK THAT HAS A PARTNER AT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS SCALE.
UM, IT'S A DISTRICT PARK, AND THEN WATERLOO'S ACTUALLY CLASSIFIED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
SO THIS IS A MUNICIPAL PARK, AND I THINK IT'S UNPRECEDENTED, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING A RESOLUTION TO NOT HAVE THAT RECOMMENDATION CONTINUE.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT WAS VETTED AS PART OF THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UH, BOARD MEMBER MOORE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO.
THEN I'M GONNA CALL, ALTHOUGH ACTUALLY I DO HAVE A, A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
UM, HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THE CITY DOES NOT, IF IF THE CITY IS NOT ABLE TO MANAGE THE PARK EFFECTIVELY, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE FOR A NONPROFIT GROUP TO TAKE ON THAT ROLE.
I THINK I, I, I, I THINK THAT WE HAVE PARK THE, THE PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS ALREADY IN THE WORKS, BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN WHAT IS PUT HERE IN THE VISION PLAN.
SO I IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD STILL HAVE ROLES LIKE THAT FOR SMALLER PIECES OF THIS, OF THIS PUZZLE.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW, SURE.
ANYBODY CAN ANSWER THIS OR NOT.
BUT WHO GETS IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY? SO IF THE NONPROFIT'S, UM, MANAGING IT, YOU KNOW, WHO GETS THE FINAL DECISION AND FINAL APPROVAL ON THE TIMELINE AND THE FINANCE AND THE FINANCE DECISIONS, WHO GETS TO MAKE THOSE? IS THAT THE CITY OR IS THAT, IS THAT THE NONPROFIT? AND I'M, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR, LIKE I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE NONPROFIT COLLECTIVE AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK, AND I'M, I'M, I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE, YOU'VE BEEN, THAT YOU'VE BEEN SO INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, BUT I'M ULTIMATELY, I JUST, WHEN WE GO DOWN THE ROAD FIVE, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, UM, BECAUSE I MEAN, I'VE ASKED THESE QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT POPULAR QUESTIONS TO ASK, BUT I'VE ASKED THESE SAME QUESTIONS ABOUT ACL AND YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL SITUATION, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE REALLY MAKING FOR ACL? I MEAN, I KNOW I DID.
SHE SAID EARLIER IT WAS THREE 2.2 MILLION.
WELL, BASICALLY IT'S 3.2 MILLION ANNUALLY OVER 18 YEARS.
SO 57 THOU, SEVEN $57 MILLION.
BUT, UM, HOW MUCH HAS ACL MADE OVER THE LAST 18 YEARS.
I MEAN, I GUESS ULTIMATELY, AND THAT'S MY, I WANNA FINANCE OUR PARKS.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO FUND, YOU KNOW, FUND FULLY, FUND ALL THE PARKS IN THE CITY.
AND, UM, I JUST, IF SO, SO I JUST, I MEAN, I, I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I'D LIKE ANSWERED, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN, IT WASN'T ANSWERED IN THAT, AND I LOOKED, IT WASN'T ANSWERED IN OUR, IN OUR DOCUMENT, IN OUR QUESTIONS TODAY, SO THAT WE RECEIVED.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER QUESTION? UH, JUST CAN I SPEAK AGAINST THE MO THE RESOLUTION? YES, YES.
UM, I'M GONNA, UH, I'M AGAINST THE RESOLUTION.
I KNOW THIS IS MY FIRST BOARD MEETING, BUT I'VE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE ISSUE OF THE VISION PLAN.
UM, AND BASED OFF OF WHAT I'VE READ, AND BASED OFF OF EVERYONE THAT'S SPOKEN TODAY, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFILIATED, THE NONPROFITS, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING CONCRETE THAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED FOR WHY WE NEED TO BE AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME, NOT SUPPORTING THE INCLUSION OF THE LANGUAGE, NOT SUPPORTING OF THE, OF, OF THEM, UH, BEING PART OF THE VISION PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
UM, ALL THAT I'VE GOTTEN IS INCLINATIONS AND FEELINGS, UM, WHICH FOR ME IS NOT SUFFICIENT AT THIS POINT TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
[03:10:01]
UM, INSTEAD I THINK IT, WHAT IT MERITS IN MY, IN MY PERSPECTIVE, IS, UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION AND FURTHER CONSIDERATION.UM, AND I THINK IT'S FAR TOO SOON RIGHT NOW TO BE TAKING THIS STEP, UM, IN THIS DIRECTION, UM, FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD BENEFIT EVERYONE IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, UH, TO REACH A RESOLUTION AND TO REACH A SORT OF COMPROMISE, UH, FOR MAKING THIS SORT OF PARTNERSHIP WORK.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GONNA BRING UP WAS OBVIOUSLY WATERLOO AND PEACE PARK, AND I KNOW WHILE THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY, UH, WE CAN'T NOT, WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF CLASSIFICATION OF PARK THAT THEY ARE IN.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THOSE TWO PARKS SHOW THAT THE WORLD DOESN'T FALL DOWN WHEN YOU HAVE A SYSTEM SET UP WHERE YOU HAVE NON-PROFIT, UH, NON-PROFIT RUNNING, UH, THOSE ASPECTS.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO GREAT THINGS AND MAY BE NOT SOME, I MAY NOT AGREE WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, BUT THEY STILL OPERATE FAIRLY WELL.
UH, THEY DO PROVIDE A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY DO PROVIDE A BENEFIT TO THE, TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE, THE CITY.
UM, SO FOR THOSE AFTER MENTIONED, FOR THOSE MEETINGS THAT I HAVE JUST MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY PREMATURE TO BE MAKING THIS PARTICULAR DECISION, UM, AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME.
AND I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT, UH, MY, UH, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION WHEN VOTING ON THIS RESOLUTION.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND THE REASON THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOTION NOW IS BECAUSE THE ISSUE WITH ME IS THAT THIS WAS NOT VETTED IN PUBLIC COMMUNICA IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE, I, I, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE, OF THE, UM, IT SAYS HERE THAT I WANT THIS RESOLUTION TO TRAVEL WITH THIS ZER PARK DRAFT BECAUSE UNTIL THERE IS A PUBLIC PROCESS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DISCERN THIS, I AM NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU THAT, THAT NONPROFITS CAN'T, I, I'M, I'M AGREEING THAT THEY DO A GOOD JOB AND THAT MANY CASES, AND I AM ADMIRING THE NONPROFITS THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK.
BUT MY CONCERN WITH THIS PARTICULAR PLAN IS THAT WITHOUT ANY, WHEN I FIRST READ THIS PLAN, AND I GOT TO THIS PART, I WAS LIKE, I NEVER, I WAS IN ALL OF THE MEETINGS TOO, AND I READ ALL THE THINGS AND I TOOK THE SURVEYS AND I NEVER SAW ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
AND YET HERE IT WAS IN THE DRAFT VISION PLAN, YOU KNOW, SET IN MOTION.
AND, AND I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT BECAUSE THE NONPROFITS AND THE FOR-PROFIT VENDORS TAKE OTHER MONEY AND THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE REPRESENTING, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE AND SAY, INDIVIDUALLY, I REALLY CARE ABOUT ALL THESE PEOPLE AND I TRUST THEM.
BUT 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WHO'S GONNA BE RUNNING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS? WE DON'T KNOW.
AND SO TO, TO ENSCONCE IT IN THIS DRAFT VISION PLAN WITH NO PUBLIC INPUT ON IT, I THINK IS WRONG AND A HUGE RED FLAG.
AND SO I'M GONNA CONTINUE WITH MY MOTION AND WE CAN CALL A I I RESPECT YOUR OPINION, I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WANNA VOTE FOR IT.
I KNOW THAT THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS IS NOT IN FAVOR.
HOWEVER, I'M GONNA, UM, CALL A VOTE ON IT.
UH, CHAIR, JUST BEFORE THAT, CAN YOU RESTATE WHO MADE THE MOTION? WHO WAS THE SECOND? I WAS THE MOTION.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CALL THE VOTE.
ALL OPPOSED, TWO MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M GONNA KEEP THE MEETING, I'M GONNA KEEP THE MEETING GOING JUST BECAUSE WE NEED TO FINISH BY 10 O'CLOCK AND WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF JUST GOING, IF YOU'VE GOTTA SLIP OUT AND GO TO THE RESTROOM.
SPEAKERS, YES, ITEM, UH, SORRY.
[6. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council concerning the creation of a concession in Town Lake Metropolitan Park through the issuance of a Request for Proposal or for the continuation or termination of an existing concessioner in Town Lake Metropolitan Park, including Butler Pitch & Putt, EpicSUP, Expedition School, Lone Star Riverboat Cruises, Rowing Dock, Texas Rowing Center, Waller Creek Boathouse, Zilker Cafe, Zilker Eagle Railroad, and Zilker Park Boat Rentals, for inclusion in the joint report between the Parks and Recreation Board and the Environmental Commission that is provided to the City Council annually. ]
DISCUSSION.AND ACTION ITEMS NUMBER SIX, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION.
POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CONCERNING THE CREATION OF A CONCESSION IN TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR THE PROPOSAL AND OR FOR THE CONTINUATION OR TERMINATION OF AN EXISTING CONCESSION OR IN TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK, INCLUDING BUTLER PITCH AND PUTT, EPIC, EPIC SUB EXPEDITION SCHOOL, LONE STAR RIVER BOAT, ROWING DOCK, TEXAS ROWING CENTER, WALLER CREEK, BOAT HOUSE, ZER CAFE, ZER E EAGLE RAILROAD, ZER PARK, BOAT RENTAL FOR INCLUSION IN THE JOINT REPORT BETWEEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PROVIDED TO THE CITY ANNUALLY.
AND WE HAVE, UM, I BELIEVE MAGGIE STS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ALSO HAVE DR.
SUAN PIPER FROM THE PARKS BOARD TO PRESENT.
I'M A CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR
[03:15:01]
ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT TODAY.THIS PRESENTATION IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WILL BE PRESENTED IN DETAIL IN A WRITTEN REPORT THAT WE WILL SUBMIT, UH, WITHIN 30 DAYS.
SO BEFORE WE BEGIN THIS REPORT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE, UH, SUZANNE, SUZANNE PIPER, WHO'S JOINING ME FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
AS YOU KNOW, PER AUSTIN CITY CODE, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO PRESENT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REGARDING THE CONCESSIONS IN TOWN LAKE PARK, ALSO KNOWN AS LADY BIRD LAKE PARK.
THE REPORT MUST PROVIDE THE NAME AND LOCATION OF THE CONCESSIONS, THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURES FOR EACH CONCESSION FOR THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, THE, UH, NUMBER OF BOATS RENTED ON LADYBIRD LAKE, AND ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CAUSED BY CONCESSIONS.
SO HERE'S A MAP, UH, SHOWING THE PART OPERATED CONCESSIONS CURRENTLY LOCATED AROUND LADYBIRD LAKE AND TOWN LAKE PARK.
THE MAP DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE EXISTING CONCESSIONS FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE PARK SYSTEM, NOR ANY BUSINESSES ON THE LAKE OPERATED BY PRIVATE VENDORS.
AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE TERMS FOR EACH OF THE CONTRACTS.
A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 22, THE CONTRACTS WITH ROWING DOCK AND ZER PARK BOAT RENTALS WOULD'VE EXPIRED IN FY 22, BUT HOLDOVERS WERE PUT IN PLACE DUE TO THE ONGOING ZILKER PARK VISION PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, THE ZER ZEPHYR HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE MAY, UH, 2019, SO I WON'T GIVE A LITTLE SYNOPSIS.
UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, UH, THE ZILKER EAGLE, UM, THAT IS, UM, SUPPOSED TO OPERATE IN ZILKER PARK ONCE IT GETS UNDERWAY.
AND, UM, IN 2022, THE VENDOR, UM, WITH ZILKER CAFE, THE VENDOR AND THE CITY MUTUALLY AGREED TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR THAT HAD BEEN SELECTED TO OPERATE THE ZILKER CAFE.
THE VENDOR WAS ENABLED TO PROVIDE SERVICES DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
THEN IN 2022, THE CITY AND THE VENDOR MUTUALLY AGREED TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT AS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO SELL BEER AND WINE AT THE SITE WAS NOT APPROVED.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S A FOOD TRUCK OPERATING AT THE ZER CAFE SITE.
SO, UM, CURRENTS, UH, CONTRACTS OPERATING IN FY 23, OH, SORRY.
CONTRACTS EXPIRING IN FY 23 INCLUDE WALLER CREEK, BOATHOUSE, EPIC SUP, AND ROWING DOCK.
UM, THE CONTRACT WITH AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, UH, WILL BE EXTENDED FOR THREE YEARS PER COUNCIL RESOLUTION ENACTED IN SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2022.
AND THE CONTRACT WITH EPIC SUP WILL BE EXTENDED ACCORDING TO THE SAME RESOLUTION.
UM, THE CONTRACT WITH ROWING DOCK EXPIRES IN MAY, 2023, AND A NEW VENDOR WILL BE SELECTED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION PROCESS OR RFP.
THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS THE CONCESSIONS, INCOMES REPORTED EXPENDITURES AND PAYMENTS TO THE CITY FOR FY 22.
SO, UM, THE BLUE BAR REPRESENTS GROSS SALES FOR EACH CONCESSION.
THE ORANGE BAR IS REPORTED EXPENDITURES, AND THE GRAY BAR IS, UH, WHAT EACH CONCESSION PAID TO THE CITY.
SO, UM, JUST A, LIKE A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
UM, TEXAS ROWING CENTER'S BEEN THE HIGHEST REVENUE PRODUCING CONCESSION, UM, PRETTY MUCH ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THIS YEAR.
UM, THE CONCESSION EARNED 3.8 MILLION IN SALES.
AND THEN NEXT, OUR ROWING DOCK, UH, WALLER CREEK, BOATHOUSE BUTLER, PIGEON PUTT, ZUCKER PARK BOAT RENTALS, LONE STAR RIVERBOATS EPICS UP IN EXPEDITION SCHOOL, AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE, UH, AMOUNTS THERE IN TOTAL CONCESSION GROSS SALES AND FY 22 EXCEEDED A RECORD 15 MILLION, AND THAT WAS OVER 4 MILLION, UH, MORE THAN FY 21.
SO, UM, PAYMENTS TO THE CITY TOTALED JUST OVER 1.2 MILLION IN FY 22, WHICH IS NEARLY DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR OF THIS TOTAL AMOUNT.
1 MILLION WENT TO THE GENERAL FUND, UM, 72,000 FROM EPIC SEP WAS PAID TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY AND 184,000 FROM BUTLER PIGEON PUTT WENT TO GOLF ATX, WHICH IS AN ENTERPRISE DIVISION OF PAR.
THIS TABLE RECORDS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RENTALS FOR EACH CONCESSION IN FY 22, AND THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN BY, YOU KNOW, THE TYPE OF BOAT.
UM, AND, UM, SO THAT'S THAT ONE.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, THE LAST ITEM THAT PART IS REQUIRED TO REPORT ON IS ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CAUSED BY A CONCESSION,
[03:20:01]
AND PART HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CAUSED BY ANY CONCESSION.THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ANNUALLY MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO PAR REGARDING MARINE WASTE DISPOSAL, LAKE SAFETY, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
PAR STAFF FOLLOWS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR COMPLIANCE EFFORTS, ADDITIONALLY IN FY 22, IN RESPONSE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF WATERCRAFT THAT SOMETIMES CONGREGATE NEAR LU F POINT WHEN, WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE.
CONTRACTED WITH CONSULTANTS FROM HOUSTON TIN TILLSON UNIVERSITY TO STUDY LAKE CAPACITY, AND THEY PRESENTED AT THE LAST PARKS BOARD MEETING IN JANUARY.
THIS STUDY CONSIDERED SUCH ISSUES AS WATER QUALITY, SHORELINE HABITAT, QUALITY, NUMBERS OF WATERCRAFT ON THE LAKE, PARKING ACCESS NEAR THE LAKE, AND AN ANALYSIS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING THE LAKE.
AND, UM, REGARDING THE LAST BULLET POINT, THERE ARE NO NEW CONCESSIONS CURRENTLY PLANNED FOR THE SEA HOME POWER PLANT.
AND, UH, WE ALL KNOW THE CIRCLE VISION PLAN IS STILL IN DRAFT PHASE.
UH, WELL, NO, I GUESS IT WAS, BUT IT'S ALMOST DONE.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORTH AT THIS YEAR'S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE FINAL WRITTEN REPORT THAT WILL BE SENT TO COUNSEL, AND WE'RE MEETING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
SO, UM, AFTER TODAY'S PRESENTATION TO THE PARKS BOARD, OH YES, AS I SAID, WE'LL PRESENT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND THEN WITHIN 30 DAYS OF OUR PRESENTATION, UH, THIS WEEK STAFF WILL SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO BOTH THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
UM, AND THIS JOINT REPORT, UH, WILL BE PROVIDED TO COUNSEL.
SO, UM, THE REQUESTED ACTION TODAY IS TO MAKE A JOINT RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING CREATION, CONTINUATION TERMINATION, OR STATUS OF A CONCESSION, INCLUDING ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR CONCESSION IN TOWN LIKE METROPOLITAN PARK FOR INCLUSION IN THE JOINT REPORT BETWEEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT IS PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL ANNUALLY.
AND, UM, I WOULD JUST MENTION THAT THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION PUT FORWARD, UM, BY THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE AT THEIR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 7TH.
WE PRESENTED THIS REPORT TO THEM A FEW WEEKS AGO.
SO, UM, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TODAY.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, IS ANNA ONLINE? ANNA DECARLO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS? I KNOW THAT WE HAD TOSSED THIS TO THE, UM, CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, AND YOU GUYS HAD A DISCUSSION AND THE, UM, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO PUT FORWARD.
CAN YOU NOT HEAR ME OKAY? MM-HMM.
UM, JUST, YEAH, WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BRIEF BACKGROUND ON WHAT THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE DISCUSSED AND AGREED ON AS OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, AT OUR SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON FEBRUARY 7TH, UH, DURING WHICH WE HEARD THE SAME PRESENTATION FROM MAGGIE ON THE LAKEFRONT CONCESSIONS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AGO UPON HEARING AND DISCUSSING THE REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE'S TOP CONCERNS WAS THAT THE LAKE SEEMED VERY CROWDED, AND WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE NUMBER OF BOATS COULD BE AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF THE LAKE WATER, UH, AS WELL AS HOW IT COULD BE AFFECTING THOSE ENJOYING RECREATION ON THE LAKE.
UM, SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS NEWLY COMPLETED LAKE CAPACITY STUDY, UH, DONE BY HOUSTON TILSON THAT WE GOT TO HEAR ABOUT AT LAST MONTH'S BOARD MEETING.
AND AFTER A MUCH DISCUSSION AND, UM, A LOT OF DEBATE, OUR COMMITTEE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION YOU HAVE HERE IN YOUR BACKUP, UH, WHICH IS TO CONTINUE ALL OF THE CURRENT CONTRACTS FOR THE TOWN LAKE CONCESSIONS, UH, WHILE ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THOSE RECENT LAKE STUDIES AND HOW IT COULD IMPACT WATER QUALITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY, WILDLIFE, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO CONSIDER THOSE FINDINGS, AGAIN UPON A CONTRACT COMING TO AN END, UH, TO DETERMINE IF THAT CONCESSION SHOULD CONTINUE IN THAT PARTICULAR SPOT OR CHANGED IN, IN ANY WAYS BEFORE RES ELICITING FOR THAT CONCESSION.
AND SO THE, THE PURPOSE OF THAT WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK DONE BY HOUSTON TILLSON AND, AND MAYBE MORE WORK IN
[03:25:01]
THE FUTURE COULD BE USED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.UM, AND THEN ANOTHER TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR OUR COMMITTEE WAS THE REVENUE SHARING FOR CONCESSIONS ON THE LAKE.
WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS RECEIVING THE APPROPRIATE PERCENTAGE OF THE REVENUE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE, THE GREAT RECREATION ON THE LAKE THAT WE ALL ENJOY SO MUCH.
AND SO WE FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT STAFF REEVALUATE THE REVENUE SHARING AND REVENUE SHARING OF THE CONCESSIONS CONTRACTS AND, AND WEIGH IT AGAINST, UH, RECENT CONTRACTED RATES AND THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO ENJOY THE PARK.
YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN FURTHER OR, OR TAKE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD, SHALL WE, SHALL WE LET PUT THAT MOTION ON THE FLOOR? WE HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
OH, WE HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THIS ISSUE.
UH, KEVIN RAINES, ARE YOU HERE? KEVIN'S NOT HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF FEW POINTS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I, THE, THE WAY THIS WAS POSTED, IT WASN'T CLEAR WHAT EXACTLY Y'ALL MIGHT BE DOING.
I DEFINITELY SUPPORT Y'ALL TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, UM, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY THE HOUSTON TILL STUDY.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUPER INTERESTING AND IT WAS UNFORTUNATE Y'ALL GOT CUT OFF FROM CONSIDERING THAT FURTHER, I THINK IT MIGHT WARRANT SOME FURTHER ATTENTION, UM, ALONG THOSE LINES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN ON THE LAKE, AND THEN TOTAL NUMBER OF BOATS, UH, THE ZER BOAT RENTAL CONCESSION.
UM, IT, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLY UNIQUE PART OF THE CREEK, UM, THAT, THAT SPOT, UM, WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY LOOK AT SHRINKING THE FOOTPRINT OF THAT SPOT.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES UP FOR, UH, REBIDDING, WHICH SHOULD BE SOON BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A HOLDOVER BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND WHATNOT, UM, UH, WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT FAVORING SOMEBODY WHO WILL ACTUALLY REDUCE THE FOOTPRINT OF IT RATHER THAN TRYING TO MAXIMIZE REVENUES.
AND THAT FEEDS BACK TO OUR EARLIER POINT, IS WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE, THE, OUR, OUR PARKS AND FOR OUR PEOPLE AND NOT FOR JUST MAXIMIZING REVENUE.
ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? NO ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS.
UM, IF SO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUT FORTH YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, ANNA? NO, WE SHOULD HAVE THE SITTING MEMBER.
HIM, SOMEBODY ON CONTRACTS, IN CONDITIONS.
DO YOU WANNA DO IT SINCE YOU'RE ON CONTACT SESSIONS? OKAY.
I'D LIKE TO PUT FORTH HIS RECOMMENDATION.
THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THE CON CONTINUATION OF TOWN, EXCUSE ME, TOWN LAKE METRO PARK CONCESSIONS, INCLUDING CONSIDERATION TO RECENT STUDIES AND HOW THAT CAN IMPACT WATER QUALITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY, WILDLIFE, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION.
UPON EXPIRATION OF A CONTRACT ON LADYBIRD LAKE, THAT STAFF CONSIDER FINDINGS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CAPACITY STUDIES ON LADYBIRD LAKE AND CONSULT EXPERTS FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT STAFF REEVALUATE THE REVENUE SHARING OF THAT CONCESSIONS CONTRACT AND WEIGHT AGAINST RECENT RATES AND THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO ENJOY THE PARK.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, TERRIFIC.
UM, WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, THING THAT WAS IN THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS.
UM, ANNA, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? ALSO? THE HEATING AND COOLING CALL.
[7. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Austin Community College to provide heating, ventilation and air conditioning training course instruction at Turner Roberts Recreation Center.]
NUMBER SEVEN, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PROVIDING HEATING, VENTILATION, AIR CONDITIONING TRAINING COURSE INSTRUCTION AT TURNER ROBERTS RECREATION CENTER.UM, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION? NO PRESENTATION FOR THAT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, THE PARKS AND REC RECREATIONS BOARD RECOMMENDS TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION EXECUTION OF AN OWNER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PROVIDE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND
[03:30:01]
AIR CONDITIONING TRAINING COURSE INSTRUCTION AT TURNER ROBERTS RECREATION CENTER.SECOND, WITH, WITH, UH, BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, LET'S PASS.
[18. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to authorize the execution of a construction contract for Duncan Neighborhood Park with the lowest qualified bidder, and possible inclusion of child-friendly features such as a play scape during a second phase of improvements at the park. ]
MAKE A MOTION BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING CLOSE ON TIME, AND THERE'S SOMETHING ON ITEM NUMBER 18 THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF TONIGHT.IT'S THE PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR DUNCAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND THE LOWEST QUALIFIED BIDDER AND POSSIBLE INCLUSION OF CHILD-FRIENDLY FEATURES SUCH AS A PLAYS GATE DURING A SECOND PHASE OF IMPROVEMENTS AT THE PARK.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THIS ITEM HERE.
YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION? I DON'T NEED A MOTION, JUST CALL IT.
SO I'M GONNA CALL THAT ITEM AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SPEAKER, IVY KAISER.
UH, WE WERE GONNA GIVE OUR A HEADS UP WHEN THE ITEM WAS COMING UP, DID THE STOP PRESENTATION AND THEN THE COMMUNICATIONS, WOULD IT BE OKAY TO, UH, HEAR THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN TAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UH, MY NAME IS, UH, RAY HERNANDEZ.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU THE, UH, DUNCAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UM, SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE PROJECT CONTEXT, UH, THE PARK SITE ITSELF IS 3.75 ACRES.
IT IS BOUNDED ON THE NORTH BY 10TH STREET, UH, SOUTH, UH, BY NINTH STREET, AND ON THE EAST BY WEST AVENUE, AND ON THE WEST BY LAMAR BOULEVARD.
SO CREEK IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK SITE.
THERE ARE TWO SECTIONS TO THIS PARK.
THE, UH, PROJECT SITE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS REFERRED TO AS THE NORTHERN SECTION, OR THE PART OF DUNCAN PARK.
THE SOUTHERN SECTION IS THE BMX PARK SITE.
THE BMX PARK SITE IS 1.98 ACRES.
UM, AND BACK IN 1992, I BELIEVE THERE WAS 420 CUBIC YARDS OF SOIL THAT WAS PUT INTO THAT SPACE THAT, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, THE FLOOD, UH, PLANE OFF OF B BALANCE.
AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO RECTIFY THAT CONCERN.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CHALLENGES TO THIS PARK SITE.
UH, ONE OF 'EM IS THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
UH, THE IMAGE TO THE, UH, LEFT DEMONSTRATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PARK SITE IS WITHIN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
THE OTHER CHALLENGE TO THE SITE IS THE HERITAGE AND PROTECTED TREES THAT ARE LOCATED ON THE SITE.
AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT, THERE ARE NUMEROUS TREES, VERY LARGE TREES, UM, THAT REQUIRE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE PROTECTION.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THERE'S A BLUFF LINE, SO MEANING THAT THERE'S A QUITE, UH, A BIT OF A STEEP SLOPE FROM WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE TREES ARE TO WHERE THE, UH, GREEN OPEN SPACE IS.
WE'VE HAD A PRETTY ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
IT BEGAN IN MARCH OF 2016 WITH IT'S MY PARK DAY.
UH, THAT WAS THE POINT IN TIME WHERE WE RECEIVED INITIALS, UH, ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT INCLUDED A SURVEY THAT WAS FOLLOWED UP BY A VISITING WORKSHOP IN NOVEMBER OF 2016.
AND OFF TO THE RIGHT ARE A COUPLE OF POINTS FROM THAT VISITING WORKSHOP AND THE FREQUENT REQUESTS, UH, FOR DUNCAN AS EXPRESSED.
THROUGH THOSE, THROUGH THAT, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WAS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE NATIVE VEGETATION, CREATE MORE SHADE AT A RESTROOM, IMPROVE PATHS, CREATE GREATER ACCESS TO THE CREEK, MAINTAIN THE LAWN AREA, IMPROVED DRAINAGE, AND AT A PLACE FOR ORGANIZED PLAY, AND OF COURSE TO ADD MORE PICNIC TABLES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WAS A FOLLOW UP, UH, ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR THE CONCEPT PLAN ITSELF, AND THAT WAS A WORKSHOP THAT WAS HELD IN APRIL OF 2017.
AND THEN FINALLY, THERE WAS A CONCEPT SURVEY THAT WAS CONDUCTED IN AUGUST OF 2020.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, QUESTION TWO IS ON THE LEFT, AND QUESTION THREE IS ON THE RIGHT.
THE CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA RANKED, UH, WHICH IS ON THE SECOND FROM THE TOP ON QUESTION NUMBER TWO, UH, WAS
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ON THE LOWER END OF THE REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.AND THEN ALSO JUST TO DEMONSTRATE, UM, ON QUESTION NUMBER THREE, THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING WAS ALSO, UH, AT THE VERY LOW END OF THE INPUT THAT WAS RECEIVED.
AND IF YOU USE, LOOK DOWN TO THE NINTH ITEM ON THE RIGHT FROM THE TOP, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WHERE THAT WAS PLACED IN THE RANKING OF THE, UH, REQUESTS, UH, BASED ON THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED.
THE FINAL CONCEPT PLAN, UM, IS GOING TO OFFER A COUPLE OF FEATURES.
UH, NUMBER ONE, IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THE 420 CUBIC YARDS OF OVERAGE OF FILL THAT WAS IN, UH, DUNCAN PARK IN THIS AREA.
IT'S GOING TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE WETLAND FEATURE.
THE PARK ITSELF WILL BE IN COMPLIANT WITH ADA, AND THAT INCLUDES THE WALKWAYS AND THE ADDITION OF THE BENCHES AND PICNIC TABLES THAT WE'RE ADDING.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE ADDING A DRINKING FOUNTAIN.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE TWO ENHANCED ENTRIES TO THE PARK SITE, ONE ON 10TH STREET AND ONE ON NINTH STREET.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A, UH, PRETTY ROBUST TRAIL CONNECTION TO THE SHOLL CREEK TRAIL THAT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A SECOND PHASE TO INCLUDE SOME ADDITIONAL AMENITIES, BUT THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT.
SO THE IMAGE THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS AN, IS A, UH, THE CURRENT SITE PLAN THAT WAS PERMITTED THROUGH THE GENERAL PERMIT PROCESS, THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DE UH, DE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE BLUE STAR THAT YOU SEE THERE IS THE AVAILABLE SPACE THAT WE WOULD HAVE BASED ON CURRENT CONDITIONS TO PLACE A PLAY ELEMENT THAT COULD BE EITHER A PLAY SCAPE OR NATURE PLACE, UH, PLAY ELEMENTS.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF A RESTROOM IS ANTICIPATED TO BE LOCATED ONTO THE SITE THAT'S REPRESENTED BY THE RED SQUARE, THE RED LINE REPRESENTS THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, BASED ON THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE EXISTING TREES, WHICH ARE THE HERITAGE AND PROTECTED TREES, THERE'S VERY LIMITED SPACE, UH, TO PLACE THESE ELEMENTS.
BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS MAY BE A, UH, THIS AREA COULD BE A POTENTIAL FOR LOCATING, UM, SOME OF THESE AMENITIES THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED, UH, AS A POSSIBLE PHASE TWO.
TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTEXT OF SOME OF THE SURROUNDING PARK SITES.
UH, SH DUNCAN PARK IS REPRESENTED BY THE BLUE STAR, UH, KINGSBURY COMMONS.
UH, AT PEACE DISTRICT PARK IS 0.7 MILES, OR 15 TO 20 MINUTE WALK ALONG SHO CREEK TO THE NORTH.
THE AVAILABLE AMENITIES AT KINGSBURY COMMONS ARE, UH, THERE IS A NA, A NATURE PLAY SCAPE AREA.
THERE ARE SWINGS, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A TOTTER TRAIL.
THERE'S AN INTERACTIVE WATER FEATURE, A TREE HOUSE, AND RESTROOMS IN ADDITION TO THAT, JUST NORTH OF THE PARK ITSELF, DUNCAN, UH, WHICH IS A NINE TO 12 MINUTE WALK FROM DUNCAN PARK ALONG SHOLL CREEK, WE HAVE THE AUSTIN RECREATION CENTER.
AND THAT, UH, CENTER OFFERS A 7,000 SQUARE FOOT GYM AND HAS INDOOR COURTS AND A WEIGHT ROOM AND, UH, MEETING ROOMS FOR COMMUNITY GATHERINGS.
IF YOU GO FURTHER TO THE WEST, YOU'LL FIND WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, AND THAT'S A 15 TO 20 MINUTE WALK FROM DUNCAN.
IT IS ALSO 0.7 MILES AWAY, AND THAT OFFERS THREE ACRES, AND IT INCLUDES TENNIS COURTS, MULTIPURPOSE COURTS, THE PLAY SCAPE, AND AWAITING POOL.
SO THE POTENTIAL FOR PHASE TWO AMENITIES WOULD INCLUDE A NATURE-BASED PLAY AREA.
THE IMAGE ON THE UPPER RIGHT IS FROM WALNUT CREEK METRO PARK, SO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT PERHAPS MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY.
UH, THE IMAGES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN ARE, OR IS A PLAY SCAPE FOR AGE GROUPS FIVE AND 12 OR THROUGH 12, AND THAT'S ALSO POTENTIAL.
UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE LOCATED AT DUNCAN, THERE IS THE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF THE SPACE THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR BOTH OF THOSE.
TO IMPLEMENT THIS, WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, BEGIN A, OR HAVE A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND WE ANTICIPATED APPROXIMATELY THREE MEETINGS.
IT WOULD INCLUDE A SURVEY TO GATHER INPUT AND ALSO TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THOSE WHO ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
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THROUGH THOSE MEETINGS AND THROUGH THE INPUT, WE WOULD HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THE LOCATION OF THE AMENITY AND THE DESIRED ELEMENTS WITH, OF THOSE AMENITIES, SUCH AS THE PLAY SCAPES, THE INSTALLATION TIMEFRAME FOR THESE ELEMENTS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS.THE NEXT STEPS, OH, I'M SORRY.
COULD YOU FORWARD, UH, ONE MORE PLEASE? THERE YOU GO.
UH, THE NEXT STEPS, UH, TO THIS PROCESS, IF WE WERE TO CONSIDER A PHASE TWO, WOULD BE TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETING.
AND OF COURSE, THAT PROCESS WOULD, UH, ALLOW US TO, UH, RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAYSCAPE AND THE NATURE PLACE, UH, NATURE BASE PLATE AMENITIES.
THE NEXT STEPS WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE DESIGN AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DESIGN, I SHOULD SAY, OF THESE ELEMENTS.
UH, AND THAT OF COURSE MEANS CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, AND THOSE WOULD BE BASED ON THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND THEN WE WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH WITH PERMITTING, SOLICITATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
THE TIMEFRAME UP TO PERMITTING IS APPROXIMATELY 12 MONTHS.
AND ASIDE FROM THE SOLICITATION, THE CONSTRUCTION TIMEFRAME WOULD BE ABOUT THREE MONTHS MINIMUM.
WHICH WOULD BE THE QUESTIONS AND THE, THANK YOU.
SO, UM, THE REQUEST THIS EVENING IS TO, UH, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE CONCEPT PLAN AND THE POTENTIAL OR THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUING THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR A PHASE TWO, AND INCLUDE THE AMENITIES THAT THE, UM, THAT WERE NOTED IN THE, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WAS DONE FOR THE PARK SITE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WAS THERE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS OR DID THAT PRESENT DISAPPEAR? UM, YEAH, IT WAS IVY KAISER, SHE'S ONLINE.
I'M CALLING IN, UM, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY, AND I WANTED TO CALL IN TO SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DUNCAN PARK IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
UH, SHOAL SHO CREEK CONSERVANCY WORKED ON THIS PLAN WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN 2016 TO 2017.
UH, AS MENTIONED IN THIS PRESENTATION, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERIOD DURING THIS TIME RESULTED IN A SET OF PRIORITIES THAT WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE PRELIMINARY PLAN, AND NOW ARE INCLUDED IN THE CONCEPT PLAN.
UH, SHO CREEK CONSERVANCY SUPPORTS ALL OF THESE AMENITIES THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AND PRIORITIZED BY THE COMMUNITY, AND WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE THEM BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AS PLANNED ON THE CURRENT TIMELINE.
UH, THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF VARIOUS, UH, TIMES WHEN CONSTRUCTION WAS PLANNED FOR THESE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING THOSE TIMELINES WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MUCH POSITIVE RESPONSE AND REALLY HAVE SEEN A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, UH, DRUMMED UP WITHIN OUR NETWORKS AND THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND WE WOULD REALLY HATE TO LOSE THAT MOMENTUM AND HAVE TO GO BACK TO SQUARE ONE AFTER SIX YEARS OF, UM, DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND, AND WAITING FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE TEED UP.
WE FULLY SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE BOARD? ANY QUESTIONS? I'VE SIGNED UP.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I THOUGHT IT SAID NUMBER EIGHT AND WE HADN'T CALLED THAT ITEM YET, BUT IT WAS 18.
I WISH THAT WHY SIGN? YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE APOLOGIZE.
IT'S MY HANDWRITING, NOT, NOT YOUR READING.
ANYWAY, UH, TED SEIFF, THE HAT I'M WEARING IN THIS MINUTE IS, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF THE OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ALONG WITH SHO CREEK CONSERVANCY, OF WHICH I'M A CO-FOUNDER AND THE FIRST BOARD CHAIR.
UH, WE'VE PARTICIPATED FULLY, NOT ONLY IN THE SIX OR SEVEN YEARS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING THAT BRINGS US TO THIS POINT IN TIME, WHICH IF YOU DON'T VOTE TONIGHT, WILL DELAY THIS MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR, FOR REALLY MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS.
I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT I WON'T.
I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU NOT INCLUDE IN YOUR VOTE THE FINAL CLAUSE OF YOUR RESOLUTION.
[03:45:01]
PHASE CONSIDERING, UH, NATURE PLAY FOR CHILDREN.I'M A PARENT, I'M ONE OF VERY FEW PARENTS OF CHILDREN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S WHY, AMONG OTHER REASONS, LIKE RAY JUST MENTIONED, CHIL CHIL CHILDREN'S PLAY FACILITIES WEREN'T PRIORITIZED IN THIS PLAN.
THEY WON'T BE PRIORITIZED IN A SECOND, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
IT WILL JUST DELAY THE PROCESS.
THERE IS A PLACE CAPE AT PES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT SHOULD BE ACTIVATED AND I'D LOVE THANK YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UM, I DID WANT TO JUST, IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION I HAD NOTICED YOU HAD A SLIDE WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT ADJACENT PARK AMENITIES AND YOU DIDN'T LIST THE, UM, BMX BIKE PARK THAT'S ACROSS THE STREET AT NINTH STREET.
IT'S A REALLY EXTREMELY POPULAR, I'VE LEARNED, UH, BIKE PARK.
THERE IS ONE PICNIC TABLE AND THAT PLACE IS FULL OF KIDS AND FAMILIES ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AND AFTER SCHOOL.
UM, SO IN, YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, AND SO I REALLY HOPE THAT WILL INCLUDE GOING OUT THERE ON A SATURDAY AND A SUNDAY IN THE SPRING, AND SPECIFICALLY TALKING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING THAT PARK AND FINDING OUT WHAT THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BECAUSE THAT'S A, A REALLY HEAVILY USED PARK AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU CAN'T GET, GET OVER TO PES PARK TO GO TO THE BATHROOM IF YOU'RE TRYING TO USE THE PUMP TRACK AT THE BMX PARK, UM, OR USE ANY OF THOSE FACILITIES.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING THAT AREA.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY, AND THEN I, I WOULD ALSO SAY WHEN YOU DO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT NATURE PLAY OR PLAY GAME, MY KIDS HAVE VERY SPECIFIC OPINIONS ON NATURE PLAY VERSUS PLAY SCAPE.
AND IT'S NOT WHAT I WOULD THINK.
UM, BUT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE, THEY LIKE MONKEY BARS, THEY LIKE CLIMBING.
UM, AND SO ANYWAYS, I HOPE YOU ACTUALLY COLLECT IN, YOU KNOW, COLLECT INPUT FROM THAT ON CHILDREN
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I, I HAVE A QUESTION.
I DID SEE IN THE BACKUP THAT THERE IS A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER MM-HMM.
SO CO WE HAD BROUGHT THIS, THIS, UH, THIS CONTRACT BEFORE THE, THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL VOTED, UH, WITH, FOR A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL WHICH TIME WE BROUGHT THIS BACK TO THE PARKS BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE PARKS BOARD WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF HAVING A PHASE TWO OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
SO LET'S TRY TO MOVE ON WITH THIS.
THERE IS A RESOLUTION BEFORE US.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES EXECUTION OF A CON, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR DUNCAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK PROJECT WITH MUNIS CONT MUNIS CONCRETE AND CONTRACTING INCORPORATED IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,240,579 PLUS $148,000 CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1 MILLION 388 570 $6,000.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US SAYS AND FURTHER RECOMMENDS ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO EXPLORE THE INCLUSION OF A CHILD-FRIENDLY, CHILD-FRIENDLY FEATURES SUCH AS A PLACE SCAPE DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF IMPROVEMENT AT THE PARK.
DO I HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MOTION? I'LL SECOND.
SO I'LL MOTION, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, VICE CHAIR FA SECONDS.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, I'LL CALL THE VOTE THEN.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
[10. Discussion and possible action regarding an appointment to the Parks and Recreation Board Contracts and Concessions Committee. ]
I WANT TO DO ONE MORE THING TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, A, A ITEM OF IMPORTANCE ON NUMBER 10.WE NEED TO APPOINT A BOARD MEMBER, AND I'M LOOKING AT YOU BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS, YOU GET TO CHOOSE BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONLY NEW
[03:50:01]
ONE.WE HAVEN'T ONBOARDED THE OTHER NEW MEMBER, UM, YET.
AND WE NEED A PERSON APPOINTED TO THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES ALL THE PLANNING FOR THE BUDGET, DOES SOME DEEP DIVE INTO FINANCIAL ISSUES, AND WE ALSO NEED SOMEBODY ON THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHOOSE ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES AND WE CAN APPOINT YOU YES.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE APPOINT, UH, BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? GOT WE GOT A BERNARD AND, AND TAYLOR ARE YOUR SECONDING.
WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY ON CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS AND, UM, I THINK HOLLY REED WILL HAVE HER JOB CUT OUT FOR HER AS SOON AS WE GET HERE.
HERE TO THE, HI HOLLY, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU ON THE DIAS.
[8. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to approve the Pease Park Conservancy’s Annual Programming Plan for Kingsbury Commons within Pease Park District. ]
UM, I'M GOING BACK TO ITEM EIGHT NOW, WHICH WE HAVE NOT FINISHED.WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES, UM, PRESENTATION, THIS PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY'S ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN.
UM, HOW, HOW LONG IS THIS PRESENTATION, MS? IT'S FIVE MINUTES.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON IT? DO WE MEET ON THIS EVENING? IS THIS SOMETHING WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS EVENING? YES.
UM, HI, I'M CHRISTINE CH CANOLE AND I MANAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.
AND JOINING ME IS HEATH RIDDLE SANCHEZ, THE CEO FOR PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY.
AND, UH, PER THE AGREEMENT WITH PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY, WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR, UH, THE 2023.
SO, YEAH, GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
I'M THE CEO OF PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY.
UH, I ALWAYS LOVE BEING HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE REALLY GREAT NEWS LIKE WE DO TONIGHT.
UH, BEFORE I GET INTO OUR PLANS FOR 2023, I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESSES FROM 2022, AND I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICKLY.
UH, IN 2022, IN EFFECT, THE CONSERVANCY'S INAUGURAL YEAR OF PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR KINGSBURY COMMONS, WE MORE THAN 12,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, 6,300 OF WHOM WERE SERVED THROUGH MONTHLY PROGRAMS THAT WERE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND WERE BUILT AROUND OUR FOUR PROGRAMMING PILLARS OF ART, LEARNING, WELLNESS AND CONSERVATION.
CONSERVATION BEING BY FAR OUR MOST FREQUENT EVENT TYPES.
SO YES, WE ARE BRINGING NEW PEOPLE TO THE SPACE AND WE ARE TEACHING THEM ABOUT LAND STEWARDSHIP, THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING AND CONSERVING THESE SPACES WHILE THEY'RE WITH US.
THIS WAS PROGRAMMING THAT WAS INFORMED BY EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY SURVEYS AND THE THOUGHTFUL ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS WE ENGAGE IN WITH PAR.
WHEN YOU DRILL OUT INTO THESE NUMBERS, YOU FIND SOME INTERESTING BULLETS IN STATS.
WE WERE ABLE TO COMPILE WITH HELP FROM VISIT AUSTIN AND LINCOLN VENTURES.
WE LEARNED THAT THE GREATEST NUMBER OF VISITORS ARE COMING TO PEASE PARK, NOT FROM 78,703.
IN FACT, OH THREE AND OH FOUR WERE NEARLY TIED AT FOURTH AND FIFTH PLACE.
THE ZIP CODE WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VISITORS TO PEACE PARK IN 2022 WAS 78 705.
WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH MORE THAN 25 PROGRAM PARTNERS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM, AND THIS IS OUR PRIMARY CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING PARTNERS, AND THAT IS THAT THEY TARGET HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THESE INCLUDE AUSTIN SOUND WAVES, ENA, TANGO EQUALITY, TEXAS CHILDREN IN NATURE NETWORK, HILL COUNTRY RIDE FOR AIDS, FUTURE FRONT FRIDA FRIDAY, AND MANY MORE.
OUR LARGER COMMUNITY EVENTS ALSO DESIGNED BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT AND WITH PARS LONG RANGE PLAN IN MIND ALSO SERVED AROUND 6,300 PEOPLE LAST YEAR.
THESE EVENTS ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE PARTICIPANTS EXPOSURE TO ALL FOUR OF OUR PROGRAM PILLARS IN ONE EVENT OR ONE VISIT TO THE PARK.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS AGAIN THAT WE ARE SENSITIVE TO OVERUSE OF THE PARK AND ITS AMENITIES, AND THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING A GOOD BALANCE OF RESERVATIONS VERSUS DONATIONS.
THE LABEL COMMUNITY HERE REFERS TO THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE AMENITY WAS DONATED FREE OF CHARGE FOR USE BY A NON-PROFIT OR OTHER ENTITY WHERE IT SAYS RESERVED, THAT DOES INDICATE THAT A FEE WAS INVOLVED.
YOU CAN SEE THE MORE, MORE EXPENSIVE AMENITIES ARE BEING DONATED WAY MORE OFTEN THAN THEY ARE BEING RENTED.
UM, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE 2023 PROGRAMMING PLAN, AND THE GOAL IS TO ALIGN WITH CITYWIDE GOALS AND INPUT AND PROVIDE FREE, ACCESSIBLE AND DIVERSE EVENTS THAT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE POMA TERMS AND PARTNERSHIP ALIGNMENT.
PER THE PPC POMA, THE SITE WILL NEVER BE FULLY CLOSED FOR A SPECIAL EVENT AND THE TRAIL WILL NEVER BE CLOSED.
PPC IS PERMITTED TO HAVE FIVE MINIMALLY OPEN DAYS PER YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT MORE THAN 50% OF KINGSBURY COMMONS IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO TICKETED TICKETED
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PATRONS.PPC IS ONLY ONLY PROPOSING ONE MINIMALLY OPEN EVENT IN 2023.
CHRISTINE DEFINITIONS, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
UH, WITH THE 10 O'CLOCK HAVING ARRIVED, I THINK THE BOARD'S GONNA HAVE TO VOTE TO EXTEND IN ORDER FOR THE MEETING TO CONTINUE.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S VOTE TO EXTEND UNTIL WE FINISH THIS ITEM.
SO, 10 AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD.
ITEM NINE, THIS WILL BE THE BOARD'S LAST CHANCE TO ACT ON IT, UH, BEFORE IT GOES TO COUNCIL.
IT'S REGARDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE PMA FOR MANAGEMENT OF NEVADA CROWN TRAIL.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU GUYS WANT TO DO? TWO 15TH.
UM, IT'S BEEN PROPOSED TO DO ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? OKAY, WE'VE GOT A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF 15 EXTRA MINUTES.
UM, DEFINITIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS WERE DEVELOPED BY THE PARKLAND TASK FORCE IN 2015 AND UTILIZED BY PARTNERS AND CITY STAFF.
THE DEFINITIONS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 20 OF THE PPC PROGRAMMING PLAN.
IN YOUR BACKUP PPC MAY PROPOSE NO MORE THAN FIVE SPECIAL EVENTS WITH AN EXPECTED ATTENDANCE IS OVER A THOUSAND PER DAY ANNUALLY.
CONSISTENT WITH THE PARTNERSHIP A TERMS ALL GROSS REVENUE GENERATED AT THE SITE MUST BE DEPOSITED IN A PARK OPERATIONS FUND AND USED TO PAY FOR PARK OPERATING EXPENSES.
THE ANNUAL PROGRAM PROGRAMMING PLAN SHALL BE REQUIRED TO BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL FOR THE INITIAL TWO YEARS.
UH, THE ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN MUST BE SUBMITTED TO PAR FOR THE DIRECTOR'S APPROVAL AT LEAST 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF EACH CALENDAR YEAR.
AND SLIDE NINE IS A LIST OF THE PROPOSED EVENTS.
YOU'LL FIND ALSO FIND A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE EVENTS AND DEFINITIONS ON THE EVENT AND CLOSURE OVERVIEW FORM IN YOUR BACKUP.
THIS FORM WAS DEVELOPED PER PARS RECOMMENDATION AND WILL BE REQUIRED BY ALL P UH, PARTNERS ANNUALLY.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP RENTAL FEES FLAT FROM 22,223.
WE ARE LOWERING THE RENTAL FEE AT THE TUDOR COTTAGE.
WE'RE ELIMINATING THE HALF DAY OPTION AT THE TUDOR COTTAGE.
OUR TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL CONCESSIONS BEGAN AS PILOTS THROUGH PAR.
WE HAVE A DESSERT VENDOR THAT IS SNOW CONES AND A COFFEE VENDOR.
WE WILL BE LOOKING TO ROUND THAT OUT WITH AN ADDITIONAL SAVORY OPTION IN THE COMING WEEKS IF POSSIBLE.
FOR US, THE CONCESSION PROGRAM IS VERY MUCH MORE OF A PUBLIC BENEFIT CONSIDERATION THAN A REVENUE CONSIDERATION.
IT IS, AGAIN, BUILT AROUND RESULTS FROM COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON OUR INITIATIVES THAT ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S CORE VALUES AND PARS LONG-RANGE PLAN, INCLUDING THE INTERPRETATION OF BLACK HISTORY IN AND AROUND PEACE PARK, WHICH I HAVE TOLD YOU GUYS ABOUT BEFORE.
SOME OF THE MOST, I THINK, EXCITING WORK I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY IN THE SYSTEM.
I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT, I THINK IS GONNA BE SO COOL, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO COME, UH, BACK AND TELL YOU ABOUT IT AS IT UNFOLDS.
BUT WE'LL BASICALLY BE INTERPRETING, UH, THE HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES PEACE PARK THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE LEARNED AND UNDERSTOOD FROM THE COMMUNITY REALLY EMBLEMATIC OF THE HIS OF THE CITY'S HISTORY OF, UH, RACISM AND ENSLAVEMENT AND SEGREGATION.
UH, AND OF COURSE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELP US, UH, WITH TITLE ONE SCHOOLS GET MORE TITLE ONE SCHOOL KIDS INTO THE PARK.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
IN CONCLUSION, WE'RE REQUESTING A RECOMMENDATION TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF PEACE PARK CONSERVANCIES 2023 ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR KINGSBURY COMMENTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? CAN I MAKE GOOD COMMENTS? YES.
UM, I APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION AND I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD PROGRAMMING GOING ON AT THE, WITH THE PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY.
UM, I DID, I HAVE THIS CONTINUING ISSUE WITH THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AND THIS PROGRAMMING PLAN THAT IT DOES NOT PROVIDE A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF EVENTS PER LOCATION.
AND THIS HAS COME UP WITH ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING PLANS THAT WE'VE REVIEWED.
AND WHAT STAFF HAS SAID IS THAT IT'S NOT REQUIRED.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE THE PARKS BOARD TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE.
I THINK EVEN WHEN THERE'S HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING, IT'S PART OF THE PARKS BOARD PURVIEW TO ENSURE THAT IT'S BALANCED WITH OPEN SPACE, QUIET TIME, ABILITY TO USE THE PARK JUST FOR ITS, ITS OWN EXISTENCE.
THAT'S NOT PART OF AN ORGANIZED ACTIVITY.
AND SO I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE IS LOOKING BACK AT THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT STRUCTURE, UM, AND MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL THAT ALL OF THESE AGREEMENTS ANY IN THE FUTURE, AND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY EXECUTED, HAVE A PROVISION
[04:00:01]
IN THE PLAN THAT REQUIRES THE PROGRAMMING PLAN TO GIVE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF EVENTS PER YEAR THAT WILL BE PROGRAMMED, UM, HOWEVER THEY DIVIDE UP THEIR SITES.NOT A COMMENT ON YOU GUYS, IT'S JUST A PROCEDURAL THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS PART OF THESE PROGRAMMING PLANS.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT? ALL RIGHT.
IF YOU COULD PUT THE SLIDE BACK UP THAT SAYS WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, SO I MOVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO MAYOR AND COUNSEL IN SUPPORT OF PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY'S ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR KINGSBURY COMMONS WITHIN PEACE DISTRICT PARK.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UH, BOARDMAN HU.
BOARD, BOARD MEMBER HOMAN SECONDS.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? I CAN'T SEE PATRICK ONLINE ANYMORE.
PATRICK, ARE YOU IN FAVOR? I'M HERE.
[9. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to approve an amendment to the Parkland Improvement, Donation, and Maintenance Agreement between the Parks and Recreation Department and the Hill Country Conservancy that will allow allocation of City funding for the construction of the Circle C Metropolitan Park segment of the Violet Crown Trail system to be managed by the Hill Country Conservancy. The amendment adds a maximum amount of funding, not to exceed $2,100,000 (Two Million, One Hundred Thousand and No/100 Dollars) that the Parks and Recreation Department will allocate for construction. ]
QUICKLY, UM, NUMBER NINE ITEM DO I HAVE A PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT, DONATION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY THAT WILL ALLOW ALLOCATION OF CITY FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CIRCLE C METROPOLITAN PARK SE SEGMENT OF THE VIOLET CROWN SYSTEM TO BE MANAGED BY HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.THE AMENDMENT ADDS A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING NOT TO EXCEED $2,100,000 AND THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOCATE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE HAVE PRESENTER DM WILLIAMS, PROJECT MANAGER PARKS AND REC.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
UH, YOU READ THE, UH, THE REQUEST.
SO, UH, I AM DM WILLIAMS. I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE PARKS OF RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, GEORGE COFER WITH HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY, UH, WHICH IS WHO WE ARE PARTNERING WITH HERE.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, THERE'S QUITE A BIT HERE, BUT, UH, THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL BEGAN, UM, THE PLANNING PROCESS IN 2006.
WE ARE A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS TRAIL IS ABOUT 13 MILES OF IT, UH, ARE MOSTLY ON PARKLAND.
IT IS A 30 MILE TRAIL OR PLAN TO BE A 30 MILE TRAIL THAT STARTS AT BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT AT ZER PARK AND WILL END UP IN HAYES COUNTY.
UM, IN 2012, WE ENTERED INTO A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
THEY MAINTAIN ALL OF THE TRAIL THAT IS ON PARKLAND IN 2021, WE ENTERED INTO A PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT, DONATION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
UH, THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SECTION OF TRAIL AT CIRCLE C METROPOLITAN PARK.
IT'S ABOUT TWO MILES OF TRAIL, AND THE AGREEMENT STATED THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING TO BUILD THIS SECTION OF TRAIL, BUT IT DID NOT INCLUDE ANY FUNDING AMOUNTS.
SO, UH, WE ARE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD INCLUDE A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE FOR THE TRAIL.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SECTION THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, THE, UH, TRAIL AT CIRCLE C METROPOLITAN PARK WILL CONTINUE THE TRAIL AS, UH, IT CURRENTLY ENDS JUST SOUTH OF SLAUGHTER CREEK.
AND IT WILL ALSO CONNECT TO THE TRAILS AT CIRCLE C METROPOLITAN PARK ON THE WEST SIDE OF MOPAC.
SO THIS WILL TAKE THE TRAIL DOWN TO LACROSSE AVENUE.
AND AFTER THAT HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY IS WORKING WITH THE WILDFLOWER CENTER AND ALSO WITH AUSTIN WATER UTILITY, UH, TO CONTINUE THE TRAIL ON WATER QUALITY LANDS.
UH, CURRENTLY PUBLIC WORKS IS ALSO CONSTRUCTING A SECTION OF TRAIL THAT IS IN, PARTIALLY IN SUNSET VALLEY.
IT STARTS AT HOME DEPOT BOULEVARD AND ENDS AT WILLIAM CANNON.
SO THE CIRCLE C TRAIL WILL, UH, COMPLETE 13 MILES OF THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL.
SO THEN WE GET TO THE REQUEST.
UH, WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL REGARDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT, DONATION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
THAT WILL ALLOW THE CITY FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CIRCLE C METROPOLITAN PARK SEGMENT OF THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL SYSTEM TO BE MANAGED BY HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
THE AMENDMENT ADDS A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING NOT TO EXCEED 2.1 MILLION THAT THE PARKS
[04:05:01]
DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOCATE FOR CONSTRUCTION.THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION AND THAT IS, I, WE GOT IN OUR BACKUP SOME INFORMATION, BUT NO CONTEXT FOR THAT INFORMATION.
WAS THIS REPLACING SOME OTHER TEXT? NO, IT WAS TO ADD SOME MORE INFORMATION.
UH, SINCE WE'VE BEEN PLANNING THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL OR HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN PLANNING IT SINCE 2006.
IT WAS HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT INFORMATION YOU WERE LOOKING FOR.
WE DO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION OUR, OUR WEBPAGE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT OR ARE PLANNED TO CONTINUE THE TRAIL.
THIS, UH, AGREEMENT AND AMENDMENT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO JUST THE CIRCLE C SECTION OF THE TRAIL.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, UM, JUST TO EXPOUND ON THAT A LITTLE.
THE ORIGINAL PMA DID NOT HAVE A MAXIMUM AMOUNT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO THIS IS JUST INSERTING A MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE AGREEMENT.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE TO MAKE A, DO I HAVE TO READ IT? YES.
I MOVED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO, TO COUNCIL REGARD AN AMENDMENT TO THE PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENT, DONATION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
THAT WILL ALLOW THE ALLOCATION OF CITY FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CIRCLE C METROPOLITAN PARK SEGMENT OF THE VIOLET CROWN CONTROL SYSTEM FEE MANAGE BY THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
THE AMENDMENT ADDS A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING NOT TO EXCEED 2,000,100, $100,000 AND NO CENTS THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOCATE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? DID WE, I THINK SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO MAKE COMMENT.
DID YOU SIGN UP
UM, MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT, UM, CHECKING TO SEE WHO SIGNED UP.
UH, BILL BOCHE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF SAAR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T AROUND YEARS AGO, UH, WE DID CO-FOUND HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY, UH, ALONG WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL OF AUSTIN.
UH, ONE OF THOSE RARE EFFORTS WHERE WE ALL AGREED THAT WE NEEDED THEM, AND I SUPPORT THIS, BUT I THINK AS A MATTER OF STANDARD PRACTICE, Y'ALL SHOULD INSIST THAT YOU GET AN AGREEMENT THAT A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE RED LINE LANGUAGE WHEN YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO RECOMMEND AN AMENDMENT MM-HMM.
UM, I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT Y'ALL WEREN'T GIVEN THE BA FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEFORE YOU APPROVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON IT NOW.
ALL IN FAVOR? LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE, UH, WORKING GROUP UPDATES.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY MAJOR UPDATES.
IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS? I CAN PROVIDE
[14. Update from Zilker Park Vision Plan Working Group.]
AN UPDATE THAT THE ZILKER PARK VISION WORKING GROUP HAS NOT MET.AND THEY MIGHT, THEY MIGHT LIKE TO
[11. Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board]
HAVE ONE UPDATE FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD IS THAT WE ARE MEETING, THERE ARE TWO OR THREE NEW PODS IN THE PIPELINE.THERE IS GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS TO REPLACE ME BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE COME TO THE PART OF THE MEETING WHERE I HOPE I DON'T SEE ANNA ONLINE ANYMORE.
BUT I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ANNA DECARLO FOR HER SERVICE.
SHE DID A GREAT JOB MANAGING CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS AND WE WILL MISS HER A LOT.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, VICE CHAIR FAUST IS ALSO ROLLING OFF AND I AM, I AM REALLY GONNA MISS WORKING WITH HER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND YOUR SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE.
AND I WANNA SAY GOODBYE MYSELF.
AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA TELL ALL OF YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU.
SO
IT, IT'S A GOOD THING TO KNOW.
WELL, CHAIR CAUGHT SHIVAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR YEARS ON THE BOARD AND FOR ESPECIALLY THIS LAST YEAR AS CHAIR AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU'VE REALLY DEDICATED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND EFFORT.
[04:10:01]
REGARDLESS OF THEIR POSITIONS APPRECIATES YOUR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR STAYING SO LATE.