[00:00:07]
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE TIME IS NOW 6:01 PM ON MARCH THE 22ND, 2023.AND THIS IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE ROLL CALL.
IF I CAN ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE.
WE'RE GONNA DO ROLL CALL, UH, CHAIR PEDRO VILLALOBOS.
PRESENT VICE CHAIR KATHERINE FLOWERS.
AND THEN, UH, AT LARGE LANE BECKER.
UH, THE NEXT, UH, ORDER OF BUSINESS IS I, I'M MAKING A MOTION TO ALLOW, UH, GENERAL, UH, TO ALLOW, UH, PUBLIC COMMU, UH, TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO TESTIFY FOR UP TO ONE MINUTE ON ALL ID, UH, ALL AGENDA ITEMS EXCLUDING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'LL WRITE IT PASSES AND I WILL REMIND, PLEASE.
JEERING, HISSING, BOOING, CLAPPING.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
NEXT AGENDA.THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS PUBLIC.
UM, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.
WE HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, FIRST WILL BE SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY MARTHA LANGFORD.
DO WE HAVE SCOTT COBB IN THE, HELLO, MY NAME IS SCOTT COBB.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND BARTON SPRINGS AND SOME OTHER POOLS.
AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS.
I NOTICED, UH, THERE WAS A MEETING A COUPLE DAYS AGO ABOUT THE ZUCKER PARK ZUCKER CAFE, WHICH HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE 2000, UM, 16, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, THANKS TO KIMBERLY MCNELEY WANTING TO SELL ALCOHOL THERE, WHICH THE PARKS BOARD TURNED DOWN.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION TURNED DOWN.
THE ZILKER CAFE COULD HAVE BEEN OPENED IN 2021.
EVERYONE COULD BE HAVING SNACKS.
SO THE, UH, THE TRAIN HASN'T BEEN ON AN OPERATION SINCE 2016.
THAT'S HOW MANY YEARS WITHOUT A TRAIN IN, IN ZILKER PARK.
YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORAL AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I WAS CONCERNED WHEN I COMPLAINED FOUR TIMES DURING THE COVID SURGE TO KIMBERLY MCNELEY, THAT THE COVID SAFETY RULES WERE NOT BEING ENFORCED FOUR TIMES.
PEOPLE CONTINUED NOT TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
LATER, A YEAR LATER, AFTER MULTIPLE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, I GOT THE SHAM REPORT.
I GOT COVID AT WORK AND MY HEALTH HAS BEEN PERHAPS PERMANENTLY IMPACTED BECAUSE OF MY UNDERLYING CONDITIONS.
I HAVE ALSO SEEN LIFEGUARDS SEXUALLY EXPLOITED BY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
THEIR POLICY WAS TO TRANSFER THE LIFEGUARD.
THESE PEOPLE START WHEN THEY'RE 15, 16
[00:05:02]
TO PROTECT THE JOB OF THE 35 YEAR OLD MALE LIFEGUARD.KIMBERLY MCNELEY IS NOT PROVIDING THAT.
EVERY TIME I SEE A 15, 16 YEAR OLD LIFEGUARD IN A PUBLIC POOL, I GET WORRIED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE PROTECTED.
I WASN'T PROTECTED DURING COVID, I'VE SEEN A LIFEGUARD LOSE HER JOB AND GET PRESSURED TO TAKE ANOTHER JOB, NOT BEING A LIFEGUARD, BUT SOME OTHER JOB IN PARKS AND RECREATION THAT DIDN'T LAST BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO BE A LIFEGUARD, BUT SHE WAS SEXUALLY EXPLOITED BY THEIR 35 YEAR OLD MALE MANAGER.
THE TEXAS HOUSE JUST KICKED OUT.
SOMEBODY EXPELLED THEM AFTER BEING ELECTED TO THE HOUSE FOR HAVING SEX WITH A INTERN OR SOMEBODY.
AN INTERN OR SOMEBODY WORKED IN THEIR, IN THEIR OFFICE WHO WAS ALSO 18.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MARTHA LANGFORD.
AND AGAIN, I WILL REMIND THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE NO CLAPPING, BOOING, CHEERING, OR HISSING AFTER MARK.
THE LANGFORD WILL BE MIKE KATI.
OKAY, I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE SENIORS, GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER IN PARK PARK.
WE WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR THE NEXT PARK BOND FOR A SEPARATE BUILDING ON SITE TO MORE FULLY SERVE THE NEEDS OF SENIORS IN DISTRICT FOUR, AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS.
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DEMOGRAPHIC FIGURES, THE SENIOR POPULATION OF DISTRICT FOUR IS 8% OF 94,936, WHICH COMES TO 7,595 PERSONS OVER THE AGE OF 65.
THESE FIGURES ALSO STATE THAT 30% OF THE DISTRICT FOUR POPULATION LIVES ALONE.
THIS COULD MEAN 2,279 HOUSEHOLDERS OVER 65 LIVE ALONE.
74% OF DISTRICT FOREST POPULATION IS IN THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RANGE.
SO POSSIBLY 5,670 PERSONS OVER 65 ARE LIVING WITHIN THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RANGE.
PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS INCOME RANGE CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE CLUBS OR PAID EXERCISE CENTERS.
AT PRESENT, THE ONLY PUBLIC CENTER BETWEEN RUNDBERG LANE EAST OF I 35 NORTH OF PFLUGERVILLE THAT PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL EXERCISE ACTIVITIES IS GUS GARCIA CENTER.
STUDIES NOW INDICATE THAT SENIORS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SOME TYPE OF EXERCISE LIVE LONGER, HEALTHIER LIVES BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
THE EXERCISE CLASS AT GUS GARCIA WAS ATTENDED REGULARLY BY 55 TO 65 PEOPLE FOUR MORNINGS A WEEK.
PARTICIPATION HAS ONCE AGAIN RISEN TO A REGULAR NUMBER OF OVER 40 TO 53 MORNINGS A WEEK.
THE ABOVE PICTURES WERE TAKEN THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY.
WE SERVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF SENIORS THAT FLUCTUATE CULTURALLY, AS DOES THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN.
OUR AREA, AS IS TRUE OF MUCH OF AUSTIN CHANGES WITH NEW REFUGEE GROUPS COMING TO OUR AREA.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR SENIOR GARDEN HAD SERVED REFUGEES FROM MIRAMAR BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW IS SERVING MORE MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURES.
SOON WE MIGHT EXPECT CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN REFUGEES WILL ENTER OUR AREA TO BE SERVED.
MANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES ARE LED BY VOLUNTEERS.
STORAGE SPACE THAT REMAINS PRIVATE IS A SHORT COMMODITY.
MUCH OF THE TIME, VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO BRING THEIR OWN MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT THAT THEY USE EACH TIME AS THERE'S NO PLACE TO KEEP IT OVERNIGHT WHEN OUTSIDE PROGRAMS ARE BROUGHT IN DURING REGULARLY ACTIVITY TIME PERIODS.
THE OUTSIDE PROGRAMS NEED THE ROOMS FOR THEIR USE, OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
SOMETIMES THE REGULAR ACTIVITY CAN BE MOVED, LED BY VOLUNTEERS, BUT OFTEN WILL NOT HAPPEN THAT DAY.
OKAY, I GOT ONE MORE SENTENCE.
FIRSTLY SPEAKING, SEWING CLASS IS HARD TO HOLD IN THE LOBBY IN SOME MONTHS.
ONLY ONE ROOM THAT YOU AVAILABLE FOR SENIOR USE NEXT ONE IN YOUR SENIORS QUEEN WITH YOU FOR YOUR THANK THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MIKE KATI.
[00:10:01]
THAT WILL BE JIM RUDY.TIM CAN, WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER AFTER MIKE CAN.
SO WHAT'S THE QUESTION, MIKE? MIKE DID NOT WANT TO SPEAK.
SO JIM REDDY IS THE NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY MEGAN MEISENBACH.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, STAFF MEMBERS, FELLOW CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT TO DO TONIGHT.
I'M THE OUTREACH DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
PLEASE ALLOW ME TO TOUCH ON SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT BRING PEOPLE TO THE WALLER CREEK BOATHOUSE AND THAT TAKE ROWING AND WATER SPORTS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN RED CLUB JUST WRAPPED UP MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS ON THREE A I S D CAMPUSES ACROSS THE CITY.
THEY SERVED OVER 500 STUDENTS THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND NOW WE'RE PREPARING TO HOST UP TO 600 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM PARK AND RECREATION CENTERS OVER THE SUMMER.
LOOKING BACK, WE PROVIDED 10 INDOOR ROWING MACHINES AT TWO SCHOOLS.
OUR COACHES VISIT THE SCHOOLS EACH WEEK TO WORK WITH STUDENTS DURING THEIR PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES.
EACH SEMESTER, STUDENTS ARE THEN INVITED TO FIELD TRIPS TO THE BOATHOUSE WHERE THEY CAN GET OUT ON THE WATER.
IN ONE OF OUR TRAINING CATAMARANS AT A THIRD SCHOOL, WE INTRODUCED US ROWING STEM TO STERN PROGRAM.
IT'S DESIGNED TO OPEN UP ROWING BY REMOVING BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION.
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES STEM ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, SWIM LESSONS AND TESTING, AND ON WATER ROWING.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AT GUS GARCIA YOUNG MEN'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
WE DID OUR STEM PROGRAMS AT THE SCHOOL AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION TO THE BOATHOUSE AND TO THE SWIM LESSONS.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH TWO GREATER AUSTIN YMCAS FOR USE OF THEIR POOLS AND THEIR SWIM INSTRUCTORS.
LOOKING AHEAD, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ONE AND TWO WEEK SUMMER CAMPS ON THE CALENDAR, AND MANY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE HARD WORK AND SUCCESS OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL ROWING PROGRAM.
IT ATTRACTED 96 ATHLETES LAST FALL.
THEY TRAIN, THEY RACE IN BOTH FALL AND SPRING EARNING MEDALS AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL QUALIFYING REGATTAS 44 A ARC ROWERS ARE NOW TRAINING FOR NATIONALS NEXT MONTH IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA.
THIS IS THE LARGEST GROUP WE'VE HAD.
GO TO RACE AGAINST THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE PIVOTING TO SUMMER.
WE'VE BOOKED 31 SUMMER MORNING ROWING SESSIONS FOR PARK AND RECREATION ACTIVITY AND RECREATION CENTERS UP TO 20 CAMPERS, AGES EIGHT AND UP COME TO THE BOATHOUSE AND THEY ROW AND KAYAK DURING EACH TWO HOUR SESSION.
WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR WORK WITH VETERANS US WENT, UH, WE WENT WITH VOLUNTEER STAFF AND EQUIPMENT TO SAN ANTONIO TO SUPPORT US ROWINGS ADAPTIVE SPECIALISTS AT THE TEXAS REGIONAL GAMES.
SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF FIVE STATES SITES NATIONWIDE THAT OFFERED A VARIETY OF COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DISABLE ATHLETES WITH A REAL HEAVY EMPHASIS ON VETERANS.
FINALLY, AT ARC, WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING ON ENHANCING AND EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS ON CAMPUS AND AT THE BOATHOUSE FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
WE APPRECIATE THAT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH PARD HELPS MAKE THESE OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MEGAN MEISENBACH.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
UM, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT SOME BEAUTIFUL LIVE OAK TREES.
A LOT OF THEM ARE OVER 30 INCHES IN DIAMETER AT THE TRUNK.
AND THIS LAND IS NOW FOR SALE.
MARTIN'S CHURCH FOR LESS THAN $3 MILLION FOR, UM, A SINGLE FAMILY LOT THAT IS RIGHT THERE.
WHERE THIS GROVE OF TREES IS, IS.
UM, AND IT ALSO IS SURROUNDED BY, UH, FIVE HISTORIC HOMES.
THE BAR ASSOCIATION WOULD BE BEHIND US.
COULD YOU? OH, MAYBE I CAN DO IT.
UM, AND UM, ONE OF THE HISTORIC, UH, SITES, UH, HOUSES WAS IN, IS IN THE BACK OF THIS PICTURE AT DUSK.
AND THIS GIVES YOU KIND OF AN IDEA OF, UM, THE LEFT SIDE IS WEST AVENUE AND THE STREET AT THE TOP IS WEST 16TH.
AND ONE OF THOSE QUARTERS OF THAT BLOCK IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER A POCKET PARK.
IT'S REALLY NEAR DOWNTOWN AND I THINK IT WOULD DO A LOT OF GOOD.
THE CHURCH IS CONSIDERING HAVING, UM, UH, INDIGENT UH, HOUSING ON ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, SECTIONS.
SO THIS COULD PERHAPS SERVE THEM TOO.
[00:15:01]
YOU.OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ROY WALLY WHALEY.
THAT'S A WHOLE LIST OF BAD CHARACTERS THERE, EVERY ONE OF THEM.
MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE, UH, THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
AND I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON SPEAKING TO THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
PART OF THE, WHAT'S LEFT OUT OF THE VISION PLAN IS BARTON SPRINGS AND BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WE HAVE ZILKER PARK.
THAT'S THE REASON WE HAVE AUSTIN, IS BECAUSE OF THAT CLEAN SOURCE OF WATER.
SO MANY YEARS AGO, ON A NIGHT IN A BUILDING DIFFERENT THAN THIS, THE COMMUNITY GOT UP ON ITS HIND LEGS AND SPOKE OUT AGAINST A DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD HAVE DESTROYED BARTON SPRINGS.
A THOUSAND PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO SPEAK MORE.
WERE OUTSIDE EXHORTING PEOPLE TO HONK, SING, DANCE, AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT.
IT WAS A SLAM DUNK THAT THIS THING WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH.
IT WAS GOING TO BE APPROVED, BUT AT THE END OF THE NIGHT EARLY AND THE NEXT MORNING, CAUSE I WENT STRAIGHT HOME, TOOK A SHOWER AND WENT TO WORK THERE ALL NIGHT, THE VOTE CHANGED AND IT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES.
YOU CAN'T SAY, I WANT ONE THIRD OF YOUR VOTE IF YOU ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO, AT THE VERY MINIMUM, WHAT SHE SHOULD DO TONIGHT.
CUZ YOU'VE ALREADY NOTICED HOW SLOW IT IS TO GET PEOPLE UP HERE TO SPEED THINGS UP.
LET US DONATE TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS UP TO THREE MINUTES.
THAT WAY SOMETHING CAN GET SAID.
NOT ONLY WILL SOMETHING MEANINGFUL BE ALLOWED TO BE SAID, BUT IT WILL SPEED UP THE MEETING ALSO, IT WILL SPEED IT UP FOR YOU.
I WANT US TO HAVE THAT THREE MINUTES.
I WANT MIKE KATI TO HAVE THAT THREE MINUTES WHEN IT COMES HIS TURN.
AND KAREN BLIZZARD, WE'RE ON DIFFERENT SIZE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT I STILL WANT THEM TO HAVE THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THEIR GOVERNMENT.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS ABOUT TO LEARN IN A HARD WAY THAT IF THEY KEEP TURNING A DEATH EAR, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE COMING BACK.
Y'ALL ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I AM ALSO, I AM ALSO A VOLUNTEER.
I DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AT CITY COUNCIL AT ONE 30 IN THE MORNING, SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT I WAS THERE.
AND DEMOCRACY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU DO ON ELECTION DAY.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU DO EVERY DAY.
MARY FARROW IS THE NEXT SPEAKER.
MARY FARROW IS THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THIS WILL BE THE LAST SPEAKER FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, MADAM VICE CHAIR AND THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, I GUESS PROCESS AS WELL.
AND IN PART I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW CONSULTANT DRIVEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE THESE DAYS.
AND I SAY THAT RESPECTFULLY, NOT JUST TO THE PARKS BOARD AND STAFF, BUT THROUGHOUT CITY GOVERNMENT.
UM, I FEEL THAT, UH, MANY OF OUR VISION PLANS EMERGE WITH A PRECONCEIVED IDEA THAT CONSULTANTS, UM, ARE ABLE TO KIND OF PUSH FORWARD, UM, WITH PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO CAPTURE, UH, INFORMATION IN SURVEYS THAT PROMOTE THAT DIRECTION, THAT THINGS ARE ALREADY HEADED.
UM, AND, UM, THAT LEADS US TO, YOU KNOW, ADOPTION OF VISION PLANS.
THAT AS IN THE CASE OF SHEFFIELD NORTHWEST PARK, WHICH I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WHICH WAS A LONG PROCESS TO GO THROUGH ANY VISION PLAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH THAT.
WE GIVE THE COMMUNITY INPUT, THE THE PARKS BOARD APPROVES A PLAN, AND THEN WE FIND OUT THAT THERE'S NO MONEY TO DO ANYTHING
[00:20:01]
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, MANY GRAND THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN AND SMALLER THINGS TOO, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS TO TRY AND KEEP A TALLY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE APPROVING, THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH, THE PROCESS OF GIVING THEIR INPUT FOR, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT.IS THERE HOPE FOR ANY OF THESE PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED ANYTIME SOON? IS IT GOING TO JUST DEPEND ON A BOND ISSUE? UM, AND MEANWHILE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MAINTENANCE THINGS GOING ON.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, WITH THE DIRECTOR AND OTHERS ABOUT, UH, CONCERNS WE HAVE AT NORTHWEST PARK, ABOUT A LOT OF DEBRIS THAT HAS ACCUMULATED TREE DEBRIS, UM, NEAR, UH, HOMES, UH, FOLLOWING EIGHT DIFFERENT, UH, FIRES THAT WERE SET IN THE PARK, UH, ON APRIL 1ST AND AT AN ADJACENT HOME, UH, ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT WE ARE NEARING FIGURING OUT WHO MIGHT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OR ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT REGARD.
BUT, UM, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TRY AND BE A, A CITIZEN ADVOCATE WHEN, UM, THINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH STILL IN SILOS.
AND, UM, WITHIN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO FIND THE PERSON WHO'S GONNA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THINGS.
UM, AND I JUST WISH THAT THERE WOULD, WOULD ALSO BE A WAY TO TRY AND HAVE A MORE HOLISTIC VIEW ABOUT AMENITIES BEING CITY OF AUSTIN AMENITIES AND, AND PROPERTIES AS OPPOSED TO ONE DEPARTMENT VERSUS ANOTHER, VERSUS ANOTHER.
ANYWAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES PROVING THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL THE 21ST 24TH, 2023.DOES ANYONE HAVE A, ANY AMENDMENT OR CHANGE THEY'D LIKE TO SEE? IS THERE A MOTION BOARD MEMBER? TAYLOR? UH, YEAH.
ALL MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, SECOND BY CHAIR MEMBER BAAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION REAL QUICK.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO DONATE THEIR TIME UP TO THREE MINUTES FOR THIS, UH, HEARING TODAY.
THE, WELL THE BOARD HAS ALREADY VOTED TO REDUCE THE TIME TO ONE MINUTE, BUT THE BOARD IS FREE TO DO WHAT IT WANTS.
THE, THERE IS A MOTION TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DONATE UP TO SECOND, TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES, UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES, MINUTES THAT THEY CAN DONATE.
UM, THERE, IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THOUGHT IF IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE NUMBER OF, THERE'S A SECOND BY COUNCIL, UH, ME BOARD MEMBER BAAN.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? I, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OH, WAIT, HOW WE WAIT? OH, OKAY, NEVERMIND.
ALRIGHT, SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE ALL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[2. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to adopt the Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan.]
AGENDA ITEM IS GONNA BE, WELL LOGISTICALLY.SO ARE PEOPLE, DO PEOPLE STILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK IN ONE MINUTE THEY CAN DONATE? OR DO WE JUST INCREASE EVERYONE'S TIME TO THREE MINUTES WAIT, THE, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE MOTION THAT PASSED WAS ALLOWING PEOPLE UP TO PEOPLE TO DONATE THEIR ONE MINUTE TO ONE PERSON.
SO ONE PERSON IS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO BASICALLY, YOU, ANYONE CAN SPEAK UP TO THREE MINUTES.
YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE DONATE ONE MINUTE TO YOU.
SO QUIET IN THE CHAMBERS, PLEASE.
SO THEY USE THEIR, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE YOUR MINUTE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE YOUR MINUTE TO SOMEONE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU COMMUNICATE THAT TO THAT PERSON THAT WILL BE SPEAKING ON YOUR BEHALF AND THAT YOU COMMUNICATE THAT TO MR. UH, DON DENI.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU.THIS IS GONNA BE REALLY CONFUSING.
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE YOU GUYS ARE.
UH, ARE WE BEGINNING, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? YES.
AND THEN JUST FOR, JUST LOGISTICAL PUR, JUST LOGISTICAL PURPOSES, WE DO HAVE FOUR SEATS RESERVED AT THE FRONT, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME, UH, RESERVE SIGNS.
UH, MR. TIM DON BECK IS GONNA BE READING OUT FIVE NAMES, THE SPEAKER, AND THEN FOUR PEOPLE THAT CAN SIT IN THOSE RESERVE SPOTS.
UM, SO PLEASE, ONCE HE READS OUT YOUR NAME, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WALK UP TO THOSE FOUR RESERVE CHAIRS, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THE PODIUM.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN, UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION.
FIRST SPEAKER'S GONNA BE KAREN BRIK, FOLLOWED BY MIKE KATI, DINA ESTRADA, SALINAS GORDON, KELLY AND GAIL ROTHI.
SIR, COULD YOU PLEASE SIT DOWN, SIR, SIR, MORE EFFICIENT.
HE WILL HELP WITH ORGANIZATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY TONIGHT AND SERVING ON THIS BOARD.
I'M KAREN BREMBLE, THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY IN THE NEWLY FORMED ZER 3 51.
AS WE KNOW, ZER IS BEING LOVED TO DEATH.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE AT LEAST 92 ACRES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE WITHIN THE PARK, INCLUDING STORM WATER DAMAGE, INVASIVE SPECIES, SOIL DISTURBANCE, TREE DAMAGE, AND EROSION DAMAGE TO BARTON CREEK.
IN ADDITION, THERE'S HEAVY DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT WITH VEHICLE PARKING THAT OCCURS IN LAWN AREAS AND INFORMAL SPACES CLOSE TO BARTON CREEK AND LADY BEAR LAKE.
IF NOTHING CHANGES AT OKRA PARK, VISITORS WILL CONTINUE TO PARK IN THE FIELDS AND HOP THE CURBS TO PARK UNDER THE TREES.
THE BARKING SPRINGS AREA WILL CONTINUE TO ERODE AND DETERIORATE.
THE ECOLOGICALLY DAMAGED PARTS OF THE PARK WILL GET WORSE.
EITHER WE UPDATE THE PARK FOR A RAPIDLY GROWING CITY, OR THE PARK DETERIORATES FROM INCREASING VISITOR ACCESS AND USAGE.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE MIKE KATI, FOLLOWED BY DINA ESTRADA, SALINAS, GORDON, KELLY, GAIL ROTH, AND ROBIN RATHER.
I'M A 50 PLUS YEAR ZUCKER PARK USER AND A MEMBER OF THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY AND THE ADVOCACY CHAIR FOR FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
UM, AND REGARDING YOUR PURPOSE FOR ADVISING COUNCIL ON PARKS AND RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS, I'M HERE TO COMMEND THE DIVISION PLANS, PARK AND RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS TO YOU.
UH, I THINK THEY WILL MAKE Z PARK A GREENER, MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE WELCOMING PARK FOR ALL OF AUSTIN, AND IT INCLUDES A LOT OF REALLY GREAT RECREATIONAL FEATURES THAT I THINK COMMEND TO YOUR EXPERTISE.
YOU'VE GOT A VOLLEYBALL COURT, YOU'VE GOT BASEBALL AREA, UH, DISC, GOLF AREA, SWIMMING TRAILS, LOTS OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE VERY POSITIVE.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE FIVE NEW BIKE P BRIDGES PROVIDING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS INTO AND OUT OF THE PARK.
UM, AND I, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HEAR LOTS OF VOICES TONIGHT, AND THERE REALLY ARE OFTEN LOUD VOICES THAT OPPOSE CHANGE, BUT WE SHOULD NOT LET NOSTALGIC PREFERENCE FOR WHAT AUSTIN USED TO BE TO KEEP.
I WILL REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT WE WILL BE RESPECT, EXCUSE ME.
WE WILL BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL SPEAKERS AND WE WILL NOT BOO SPEAKERS BE RESPECTFUL.
HE'S HERE TO TESTIFY ON HIS POSITION, JUST LIKE YOU'RE HERE TO TESTIFY IN YOUR POSITION.
SO PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
SO NO BOOING, NO CLAPPING, NO HISSING, AND NO JING.
I TRY TO BE NICE ABOUT THIS AT THE VERY BEGINNING, BUT BE RESPECTFUL.
I WILL CONCLUDE BY SAYING WE SHOULD HAVE A VISIONARY PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF ZILKER PARK.
SPEAKERS, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME UP TO SPEAK, IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO DONATE FOR YOU, IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS COULD STAND UP AND SAY THEIR NAME, THAT WAY WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THE DONATIONS.
SO WE HAVE DINA ESTRADA ON DECK, WE HAVE GORDON KELLY, GAIL ROTH, ROBIN RATHER, KATE CELSKI.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE, SO PLEASE PROCEED.
MY NAME IS DINA ESTRADA SALINAS, AND I AM A SOUTH AUSTIN RESIDENT HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE ZILKER VISION PLAN.
IF WE DON'T WANT THE PARK TO FALL INTO NEGLECT AND DESPAIR, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A PLAN TO ENSURE ANOTHER CENTURY OF ENJOYMENT.
THE PLANNING PROCESS HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS.
IT HAS INVOLVED THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES, DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND SOME MISINFORMATION.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE CITY PARTNERING WITH THE NONPROFIT TO HELP RAISE FUNDS TO MAINTAIN THE PARK.
THIS IS NOT AN INNOVATIVE IDEA.
THE CITY HAS PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM, SHOAL CREEK,
[00:30:01]
PEASE PARK, WALLER CREEK, AND BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL BENEFIT FROM SUCH PARTNERSHIPS.WHILE THE CITY CAN PROVIDE SOME FUNDING FOR PARK MAINTENANCE, IT IS CONSTRAINED BY REVENUE CAPS.
AND CURRENTLY, PARKLAND DEDICATION IS BEING GUTTED AT THE LEGISLATURE AS YOU ARE MAKING SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT AND WHAT NOT TO CHANGE IN THE PARK.
PLEASE REMEMBER ANDREW ZUCKER'S WORDS, IT OUGHT TO BELONG TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, NOT THOSE WHO LIVE NEARBY, NOT THOSE WHO HOLD EVENTS IN THE PARK, BUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
NEXT SPEAKER IS GORDON KELLY, FOLLOWED BY GAIL ROTHI.
I'M GORDON KELLY, PRESIDENT OF WATERLOO DISC GOLF CLUB.
THIS PLAN PROTECTS THE VERY POPULAR DISC GOLF COURSE AT ZILKER IN ITS CURRENT LAYOUT, AND ACTUALLY ADDS A MUCH NEEDED WARMUP AND PRACTICE AREA.
BUT PARKING IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR DIS GOLF USERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE GROUPS USING SUNSHINE CAMP OR EVEN THE POLO PICNIC AREA.
PARKING IS TIGHT IN THAT AREA OF THE PARK.
THE UNDERGROUND GARAGE WOULD BE A HUGE HELP FOR ALL OF US, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES OF THE CONFLICTS AND PRIORITIES IN THE PARK.
SO ACCESS AND LACK OF PARKING WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE SURVEYS AS THE LARGEST BARRIER OF ENTRY TO PEOPLE COMING TO ZILKER PARK.
SO MORE PARKING NEEDED, BUT IMPROVING PARK ECOLOGY BY GETTING THE PARK CARS OFF THE UNPAVED BUTLER LANDFILL.
AND POLO FIELDS IS IMPORTANT, UH, PRIORITY OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS.
SO LESS PARKING, BUT THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF AUSTIN AND THE NUMBER OF PARK USERS CONTINUING TO GROW MORE PARKING.
SO WE HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT THIS VISION PLAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAIL ROTHI, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN.
RATHER, JUST A REMINDER THAT IF YOU ARE DONATING TIME, YOU SHOULD STILL STAND UP WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED AND SHARE THAT YOU'RE DONATING TIME.
GAIL, WHICH ONE GOES FIRST? THE PDF IS POWERFUL.
ARE YOU DONATING YOUR TIME, SIR? YES, I AM.
GA ARE YOU DONATING? UH, THE PDF.
WES, UM, SO I HAVE THREE MINUTES, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
I BECAME INVOLVED IN THIS PLANNING PROCESS IN 2018 AS A PARTICIPANT IN THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP.
THE BIGGEST, MOST CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AT THAT TIME IN THAT GROUP, I BELIEVE, WAS PARKING.
AND I BELIEVE PARKING CONTINUES TO BE THE DRIVER OF THIS PLAN.
THIS PLAN IS A VISION, BUT IT IS NOT VISIONARY.
ARE WE REALLY IN 2023 GOING TO CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND PARKING GARAGES IN THE PARK? IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING TO HAVE AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE CITED ON FEDERALLY PROTECTED SUBSURFACE SALAMANDER HABITAT AND, AND A SECOND GARAGE SIGHTED A HUNDRED YARDS FROM ONE OF THE SPRINGS THAT FEEDS BARTON CREEK.
IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING TO HAVE SO MANY ELEMENTS OF THIS PLAN LOCKED IN FROM THE BEGINNING WITH NO BUDGING, NO MATTER WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS SAID.
IT'S ALSO VERY DISCOURAGING, NOT EVEN TO HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THAT HAS RECENTLY CHANGED IN THE PLAN.
HOW DOES THE MAE VERSION DIFFER FROM THE EARLIER VERSIONS? I, I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW, AND I WONDER IF ALL OF YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S BEING VOTED ON TONIGHT, FRANKLY, BUT WE DO HAVE A WAY FORWARD AND WE HAVE A WAY FORWARD THAT IS CLIMATE FRIENDLY, THAT INCORPORATES CLIMATE CONCERNS IN A WAY THAT IS TRULY VISIONARY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF ELEMENTS THAT REALLY PROVIDE RECREATION AND NATURE-BASED ACTIVITIES THAT GREEN UP THE PARK THAT ARE CLIMATE FRIENDLY.
WE, FOR 43 MILLION OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE, WE COULD HAVE A NATURE-BASED PARK WITH EQUITY AND ACCESS AND THE KIND OF PARK WE NEED FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
WE DON'T NEED A PLAN THAT JUST GIVES US WHAT SOME ENTITIES NEED TODAY.
50 YEARS IS A LONG TIME, AND THIS, THIS PLAN IS NOT VISIONARY.
LET'S MAKE IT VISIONARY AND LET'S, HERE'S A WAY FORWARD.
IF WE WOULD REMOVE THE, UM, THE ELEMENTS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UM, I THINK WE NEED MORE DIALOGUE ON SOME OF THOSE MIDDLE ELEMENTS, BUT THIS CAN PROVIDE US A PATH FORWARD.
[00:35:01]
THROW OUT THIS PLAN, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY DO SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT MAKE IT A PLAN THE CITY CAN GET BEHIND AND BE PROUD OF.I MEAN, REALLY, OUR LEADERSHIP GOES TO PARIS TO COP 21.
THIS CITY WRITES A PLAN, A CLIMATE INEQUITY PLAN, AND THEN IN 2023, WE ADOPT PARKING GARAGES IN THE PARK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA MUTE.
ROBIN, RATHER FOLLOWED BY KATE SOLAI.
I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THIS PLAN IS A HOT MESS.
IT'S NOT A HOT MESS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.
IT'S NOT A HOT MESS BECAUSE OF MISINFORMATION INFORMATION.
IT'S A HOT MESS BECAUSE 70% OF THIS PLAN IS FOR TOTALLY UNNEEDED NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.
VERY LITTLE OF THIS PLAN, LESS THAN 2% IS FOR PARK BASICS LIKE RESTROOMS, LIGHTING, WAYFINDING, PARK, RANGERS, OR PLAYGROUNDS.
10% IS FOR BIKE, PET AND MOBILITY.
ONLY 20% OF THIS PLAN IS FOR ANY KIND OF RESTORATION, ANYTHING GREEN WHATSOEVER.
A FULL 70% OF THIS IS BASICALLY FOR DEVELOPMENT RIGHT IN THE PARK.
60 MILLION WORTH OF PARKING GARAGES.
I'M ASKING YOU DON'T COSIGN THIS.
THIS ISN'T AUSTIN, THIS ISN'T OUR VALUES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO VOTE YES FOR GAIL'S, RIGHT? THERE'S A CONSENSUS WAY FORWARD THAT EVERYBODY HERE WOULD BE CHEERING FOR NOT BOOING.
I THINK WE HAD SOMEONE DONATE TIME TO ROBIN LAST MINUTE, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA CHECK TO SEE IF SHE WANTS TO SPEAK FOR ANOTHER MINUTE COMPLETE.
I I REALLY ASK YOU AGAIN, DON'T COSIGN THIS PLAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATE SALI, FOLLOWED BY TERRY ADAMS. BEN THOMPSON, MARION CASEY, AND JACK MODEST THANK YOU PARKS AND REC BOARD FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS KATE CHIK, A NATIVE AUSTINITE, A MOTHER, UM, ALSO ARTS COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT ONE AND A DAILY SWIMMER AT BARTON SPRINGS.
WHAT MAKES A PLACE DEFINITELY NOT A PARKING GARAGE OR THREE MINNIE WOULD SAY IT'S AUSTIN'S 900 FOOT SPRING-FED SANCTUARY.
SHE'S A REFUGE AND A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL TO PROTECT WATER.
MAYOR REMIND YOU THAT WE ARE IN A STAGE THREE CRITICAL DROUGHT.
THE LAND UNDER ZILKER PARK IS VERY PERMEABLE AND POROUS LIMESTONE RECHARGE ZONE FOR A MAIN SOURCE OF WATER.
NO PLACE FOR A PARKING GARAGE, ESPECIALLY ONE UNDERGROUND.
THESE MASSIVE CEMENT STRUCTURES WOULD HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON OUR AQUIFER SHATTERING THE SENSITIVE GEOLOGY, ADDING IMPERVIOUS COVER AND SENDING POLLUTANTS STRAIGHT INTO THE BELOVED SPRINGS.
LESS THAN 20% OF THE VISION PLAN BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS RESTORATION.
AND EVEN THAT IS QUESTIONABLE.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS A STATED PRIMARY GOAL, A STAGGERING 60 MILLION IS SLATED FOR PARKING GARAGES.
IF RESTORATION IS THE GOAL, LET'S LOOK AT PLANTING TREES, INCREASING ACCESS BY SHUTTLE AND GREEN SURFACE PARKING AND IMPROVING NATURAL HABITAT SO THAT AUSTIN CAN REMAIN A PLACE WORTH LIVING AND VISITING THIS PROPOSED PLAN IS AN ASSAULT ON THE FRAGILE AND VOICELESS JEWEL OF OUR CITY.
I URGE YOU TO SAY NO TO THE CURRENT VISION PLAN SO THAT CONSTITUENT PREFERENCES AND EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE INCORPORATED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE TERRY ADAMS, FOLLOWED BY BEN THOMPSON AND MARION CASEY.
I'M TERRY ADAMS. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT AS AN INDEPENDENT CITIZEN IN TWO WEEKS.
I NEED ALL YOUR SUPPORT ON JUNE 5TH, WHEN I GO BEFORE THE ETHICS COMMITTEE TO LAY OUT THE CASE AGAINST TWO CITY COMMISSIONERS WHO VOTED ON THE ZILKER VISION PLAN, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE INVOLVED WITH ZILKER 3 51.
ZILKER 3 51 DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ZILKER PARK, ALTHOUGH THAT IS THE ROLE THAT THEY ARE SEEKING.
MCNEELY DOES NOT SPEAK FOR THE PARK.
SHE ABDICATES HER DUTIES AND COLLECTS LAWSUITS.
WE ARE THE DEFENDERS OF THE PARK.
THE ETERNAL WORDS OF PETE SEEGER.
[00:40:01]
DON'T WANT BUILDINGS IN THE PARK.WHO IS THE NEXT SPEAKER? TERRY ADAMS. JILLIAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TERRY ADAMS, WHO'S, UH, HAD A MINUTE DONATED, SO IT'LL BE IN TWO MINUTES.
THE AIR IS FREE, MY FRIENDS AIR IS FREE.
WE DON'T WANT BUILDINGS IN THE PARK.
ZILKER PARK IS MY KIND OF PARK.
MY FRIENDS, WE DON'T WANT BUILDINGS IN THE PARK.
WE DON'T WANT BUILDINGS IN THE PARK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TERRY ADAMS. TERRY HAD A A MINUTE DONATED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN THOMPSON.
IF THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING TIME, PLEASE MAKE SURE WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL COMES UP THAT YOU STAND UP AND LET US KNOW.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE YOU JUST, JUST, JUST A GENTLE REMINDER SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE SPEAKERS GET THEIR DONATED TIME.
THANK EVERYONE OF Y'ALL FOR, UH, SERVING ON THIS BOARD.
UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, WHICH IS, UH, SOUTH OF BEN WHITE.
NOT ONE OF THE LOCAL, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING ACCUSED OF MONOPOLIZING THE PARK IN ANY WAY.
UM, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS FOR, UH, A REALLY LONG TIME, SINCE CLOSE TO THE BEGINNING, TRYING TO GIVE GOOD FEEDBACK AND MAKE THIS PLAN AS GOOD AS IT COULD POSSIBLY BE.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT REALLY ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING ASPECTS OF A PARTICIPANT IN THIS PROCESS.
AND THAT'S THAT EVERY THOUGHTFUL CRITIQUE SUGGESTION IDEA THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS BEEN GENERALLY MET WITH THIS CONCEPT THAT THIS IS THIS, THIS VISION PLAN THAT WE'RE ENVISIONING.
THE FUTURE IS ACTUALLY MORE OF A FUZZY TRANSLUCENT FRAMEWORK THAT WE REALLY HAVE VERY FEW DETAILS ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT A BAD RESPONSE BECAUSE IT WAS EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
BUT AS WE'VE GONE, UH, DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO THIS, AND AS THE PLAN IS, UM, ABOUT TO LIKELY BE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, UH, WE'RE STILL LACKING SOME IMPORTANT DETAILS.
UH, THE PLAN ITSELF HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF REAL EXPLANATION AS TO THE HOW AND WHY OF WHAT CHANGED.
UM, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE ASKED HOW MUCH PARKING GARAGES WERE GONNA COST, HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA COST TO BUILD, HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA COST TO PARK IN, WE WERE TOLD, AH, IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THAT.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT YET.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD WHEN WE WERE ASKED IF THE PARKING GARAGES WERE ECOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE OR EVEN ECOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE CONSIDERING THE AQUIFER AND GROUNDWATER IMPACTS THAT BURIED GARAGES, LARGE CONS, LARGE CONSTRUCTION MIGHT HAVE.
WE WERE TOLD DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
THE ENGINEERS ARE GONNA TAKE CARE OF IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE MARY AND CASEY FOLLOWED BY JACK MODEST MINUTE.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL IF WHEN THE PERSON IS UP HERE THERE, IF YOU WANT TO DONATE YOUR TIME, PLEASE DONATE YOUR TIME.
THE PERSON WHO'S SPEAKING ANY SERVICE, IF YOU'RE TELLING THEM AT THE LAST MINUTE THAT THEY HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE, SO PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE MARION CASEY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE JACK MODEST, FOLLOWED BY DAVID WEINBERG.
[00:45:02]
YOU READY FOR ME NOW? WE GOOD EVENING.I HAVE BEEN USING THE PARK IN THE POOL FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
LIKE MANY PEOPLE HERE, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE HEART OF THIS CITY.
IT IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN CHANGED AND POLLUTED BY WHAT AUSTIN HAS BECOME.
PARKING GARAGES, BRIDGES, AND TRAFFIC FLOW THAT IS DESTROYED IS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF ANY OF US.
I HAVE NEVER IN MY 60 YEARS SAID THAT I WAS A ONE ISSUE VOTER, BUT I WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPRECIATE THAT ANYBODY WHO SUPPORTS THIS LACK OF VISION PLAN WILL HAVE ME VOTING AGAINST THEM, NOT YOU GUYS, ME VOTING AGAINST THEM, MY FRIENDS VOTING AGAINST THEM, AND MY MONEY GOING TO THE PEOPLE THAT OPPOSE 'EM.
LET'S TAKE CARE OF WHAT'S THERE.
BUT THIS IDEA WITH PARKING GARAGES AND TRAFFIC FLOW IS A DISASTER.
PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE PARK NO BETTER.
CHAIR, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT DIALED IN.
UH, WE SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH THAT.
SO IF THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS COULD HOLD OFF FOR A MINUTE.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE GARRETT.
UH, EVERY PART OF THIS VISION PLAN IS BASED AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PARKING GARAGES.
THERE'S 60 MILLION WORTH OF, UM, $60 MILLION WORTH OF IT.
UH, WHEN YOU'RE PLANNED FOR INVESTMENTS IN ALL FUTURE PARKS AROUND THE ENTIRE CITY IS 43 MILLION.
AND I JUST LEARNED THAT FROM WATCHING THE VIDEO WHILE I WAITED FOR A HALF HOUR FOR THE MEETING TO START.
43 MILLION INVESTED IN THE ENTIRE CITY IN PARK ACQUISITION AND UPGRADES AND UPDATES.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA SPEND 60 MILLION JUST ON A FEW PARKING GARAGES IN ONE PARK.
AND THIS AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO ELIMINATE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
AS WE WORK TOWARDS A LESS CAR-CENTRIC COMMUNITY, WHY WOULD WE INVEST 60 MILLION ON SOMETHING THAT THE PLAN ITSELF ALREADY ADMITS, ADMITS AS AN OUTDATED CONCEPT? AND WHAT WILL THE VALUE OF THAT INVESTMENT BE IN 10 YEARS? AND WHY PLAN ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF THE PARK AROUND THESE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES.
ON TOP OF THAT, IT COSTS ABOUT $500 PER PARKING SPOT PER YEAR TO MAINTAIN A PARKING GARAGE THAT'S OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, WHETHER OR NOT ANYONE EVEN USES THEM.
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE DAVID KING.
THIS BE ANOTHER DIAL-IN SPEAKER? YEAH.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSED PAY WELCOME CENTER PARKING GARAGES OR LAKE AND LAND BRIDGES.
PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT MORE CONCRETE, MORE INFRASTRUCTURE.
FOR MORE AND LARGER EVENTS AT ZER PARK, PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT MOVING THE HILLSIDE THEATER TO THE GREAT LAWN OR INCLUSION OF THE NONPROFIT UMBRELLA.
IN THE PLAN, PLEASE DO SUPPORT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DESIGN COMMISSION ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND SAVE OUR SPRINGS REWILDING PLAN.
PLEASE SUPPORT RETURNING AT LEAST 75 ACRES TO ITS NATURAL STATE AND REQUIRING 75% OF THE ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT TO BE REWILD.
PLEASE SUPPORT MORE NATURAL PLAY SCAPES FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN ABOUT AND INTERACT WITH NATURE.
PLEASE RECOMMEND FULL PUBLIC FUNDING FOR OUR PARKS WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED THAT INSTITUTIONALIZED BESTED INTEREST OF NONPROFITS AT THE EXPENSE OF PUBLIC ACCESS, PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, AND PUBLIC USE OF OUR PUBLIC PARK LAND.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR CONSIDERING MY COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT ONLINE SPEAKER WILL BE KAREN KOCHER COKER.
[00:50:01]
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.UM, I'M KAREN COKER AND FOR THREE DECADES MY WORK IS FOCUSED ON DOCUMENTARY AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND CULTURE THROUGH MYEL MEDIA PRODUCTIONS.
WHILE I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, MY COMMENTS THIS EVENING REPRESENT MY PERSONAL VIEWS.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF A VISION PLAN, BUT THE CURRENT DRAFT IS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME.
JUST AS A DRAFT OF A BOOK IS REFINED IN THE EDITING PROCESS, THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN NEEDS SOME HEAVY EDITS.
LUCKY FOR US, OUR ENGAGED AND INTELLIGENT COMMUNITY HAS COME FORWARD WITH SOME EXCELLENT CRITIQUES AND SUGGESTIONS.
THE LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED ARE THE MOST TROUBLESOME.
AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK PROMISES TO BE A FOOL'S ERRAND.
RATHER THAN TAKE UP VALUABLE OPEN SPACE WITH A LARGE NEW THEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN, WHY NOT REFURBISH THE EXISTING THEATER? ALSO, PLEASE TAKE THE NONPROFIT OUT OF THE G DRAFT PLAN, INCLUDING IT IN THIS PLAN.
IT'S CAUSING TOO MUCH CONTROVERSY.
IF A NONPROFIT IS NEEDED, IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE EXISTING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
OUR NEXT ONLINE SPEAKER IS JD DUKES.
AND, UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION, UH, AND MY OPINION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, THE EXISTING, UH, GROUND PARKING AS SOMETIMES I ENJOYED JUST COMING OUT AND, AND STUDYING IN MY CAR WHERE I CAN CHARGE MY LAPTOP OR, UH, COMING OUT MIDDAY DURING A BREAK TO EAT LUNCH AND ENJOY THE VIEW OF THE GREEN SPACE.
UH, EVEN ON SEVERE WEATHER DAYS, YOU KNOW, THESE TASKS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE FROM A, A GARAGE AND SIMILAR, UH, NOTION.
I LIKE TO BRING, YOU KNOW, A COOLER AND A GRILL, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, KAYAK, SPORTING GEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH WOULD ALSO, UM, IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE PROXIMITY, PARKING AND JUST LIKE WE HAVE IN OUR EXISTING GROUND PARKING.
UM, SO, WHICH IS ALSO HELPFUL FOR MOBILITY CHALLENGE, BOTH HUMAN AND DOG.
UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING I SEE EVERY DAY WITH DOG WALKERS.
THEY LIKE TO COME OUT AND BRING THEIR PACK DOGS AND JUST BE ABLE TO PARK EASILY AND NOT HAVE TO MAKE A LONG TREK FROM A GARAGE.
OUR NEXT DIAL-IN SPEAKER WILL BE CYNTHIA WILCOX.
I'M REPRESENTING HAN, WHICH IS THE ASSOCIATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT, WHERE ZILKER IS LOCATED.
AND WE URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE RESOLUTION AND VOTE NO ON THE VISION PLAN.
WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE REWILDING PLAN AND, UH, OR ALSO URGE YOU TO GET UT'S LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER INVOLVED IN TURNING FILTER INTO A HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL, NATURAL LANDSCAPE FILLED WITH WILDFLOWERS, BUTTERFLIES, POLLINATORS, AND HEALTHY LOW MAINTENANCE NATIVE VEGETATION AND TREES.
THIS IS JUST CONSTRUCTION PLANS DRAFTED BY DEVELOPERS FOR ANOTHER VENUE IN SOME PARKING GARAGES.
AND THAT IS ARCHAIC AND BACKWARD LOOKING.
AND HAN UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSES ADOPTING THIS PLAN.
THE BIG BAGS OF MONEY TARGETED FOR CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE EITHER NOT SPENT AT ALL OR SPENT ON REVITALIZING THE ABUSED, COMPACTED SOIL AND REVITALIZING NOT JUST ZER PARK, BUT ALL BOSTON'S PARK.
OUR NEXT DIAL SPEAKER WILL CLARK HANCOCK.
CLARK HANCOCK WILL BE OUR LAST DIAL IN SPEAKER.
CAN YOU, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I'M PRESIDENT OF SAFE BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION.
UH, AND SADLY, UH, BECAUSE OF ALL THE EFFORT THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED, IT IS OUR CONCLUSION THAT THE VISION PLAN AND ITS CURRENT FORM IS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME.
WE EMBRACE THE WONDERS OF THIS LAND, AND AS SUCH CANNOT SUPPORT THE VISION PLAN IN ITS CURRENT FORM.
WE REJECT THE IDEA THAT LARGE CO LARGE SCALE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, EXCEPT THOSE UNDERTAKEN TO REMEDIATE PASS INS, OR TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS ARE NECESSARY.
WE ASK THAT THIS CONVERSATION CAN CONTINUE AND THAT THE VALUE OF
[00:55:01]
THIS LAND BE PROTECTED AND NOT SOLD AS A BACKDROP OR INAPPROPRIATE RESPECTABLE.WE ASK THAT THE SENSITIVITY OF PLACE AND THE APPROPRIATE SCALE OF HUMAN ACTIVITY BE ADDRESSED.
WE WISH THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE LAND BE RESPECTED.
ZILKER IS CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED AS A METROPOLITAN PARK BY THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WHEN YOU'RE ASKING THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGNATION OF ZIL CHANGE FROM A METRO PARK TO A NEWLY INTRODUCED CLASSIFICATION OF NATURE PARK, A PLACE OF UNIQUE RECREATION ACTIVITIES, NATURE, MR. OTHERWISE SO MUCH, OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER WILL BE DAVID WEINBERG FOR TWO MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY CHARLES P. LINDSEY HOLMES.
TANYA PAYNE, AND DEBBIE MCCRAE.
ONE OF THEM IS GONNA DONATE A MINUTE TO MR. WEINBERG.
I ALREADY HAVE A DONATION FROM A PATRICK.
IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO DONATE? IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO DONATE A MINUTE? THIS WOMAN OVER HERE IN THE BLUE SHIRT.
I'LL GET IT DONE IN TWO MINUTES.
SO, UM, ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS NOW BEEN TOLD DO NOT BUILD A WATERLOO PARK STYLE AMPHITHEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN.
THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE TOLD WAS BY THE VISION PLAN ITSELF, WHICH INSIDE OF IT, 13% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WANNA SEE THAT.
THE SECOND TIME THE CITY WAS TOLD NOT TO DO THIS WAS BY THE DESIGN COMMISSION.
THE THIRD TIME THE CITY WAS TOLD NOT TO DO THIS.
I'M GOING TO INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WHICH WOULD'VE RECOMMENDED NOT CITING THE AMPHITHEATER THERE.
IF SOMEONE WHO'S CONNECTED WITH THE ZILKER 3 51 NONPROFIT HAD NOT BEEN VOTING ON THAT ITEM, WHICH THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS DOING.
AND THE FOURTH TIME IS A RECENT POLL THAT CAME OUT THAT SHOWS THAT 9% OF THE PUBLIC SUPPORTS AN AMPHITHEATER THERE.
SO I HAVE READ YOUR DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR TONIGHT, WHICH SAYS, PRETTY PLEASED.
LET'S MAYBE CONSIDER LOOKING AT ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THIS AMPHITHEATER.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE ADULTS TONIGHT AND PULL OFF THE BANDAID AND SAY WE DO NOT WANT TO DESECRATE ZILKER PARK'S GREAT LAWN WITH THIS GROSS PROJECT.
THIS IS NOT GONNA GET ANY BETTER BEFORE JULY.
PUBLIC OPINION ON THIS IS NOT GONNA TURN AROUND.
SO THAT'S ONE THING YOU COULD DO TONIGHT THAT WILL BE FINAL AND APPRECIATED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE LINDSEY HOLMES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE LINDSEY HOLMES.
LINDSEY HOLMES IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY TANYA PAYNE AND DEBBIE MCCRAY.
UH, LOVE TO DEATH IS ABOUT TO BE DEVELOPED TO DEATH, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROCESS OF CONVERTING LAND INTO NEW PURPOSES BY CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS OR MAKING USE OF HIS RESOURCES.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DEFINITION OBSCURES THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT OPEN SPACES LIKE SILK AND BARTON SPRINGS ALREADY PROVIDE.
THE VISION PLAN, UM, EMBRACES THE TRADITIONAL FINANCIALLY DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT MINDSET, THOUGH AND THREATENS THE EXISTING RESOURCES OF THE PARK.
THE GREAT LINE, AND THIS VISION LEAVES FALLOW RIPE FOR MORE HARVESTING, MORE TICKET SALES FOR LIVE NATION.
IT'S A DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE IDEA THAT AUSTIN SHOULD BE LEADING THE WAY AS A TRANSIT CENTRIC, NOT CAR-CENTRIC TEXAS CITY.
ARE WE HOUSTON? ARE WE DALLAS? WHO ARE WE? ARE WE THE EXEMPLAR? AUSTIN, THE GREEN CITY? WHAT IF DEVELOPMENT MEANT SOMETHING ELSE TONIGHT? WHAT IF PARKS WARD REALIZED THAT THE IMMENSE VALUE OF RESOURCES LIKE REFUGE, RESPITE AND REWILDING, WHAT IF THAT AND LIVE NATION, UH, WHAT IF THAT WERE HONORED IN NOT LIVE NATION OR OUT OF TOWN OR ACL GOERS WHO TRAMPLED THE PARK? WHAT IF THAT WERE HONORED? WHAT IF MASS TRANSIT SOLUTIONS WERE EXPLORED? LISTEN CLOSELY TO DIANA PROCTOR AND OTHERS WHO TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF.
WHAT IF WHAT WAS BUILT IN THE LINE WAS A PROMISE TO HOLD SPACE FOR US? YOU SO MUCH AND NOT LIVE NATION? OKAY, MA'AM, YOU CAN KEEP TALKING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE LINDSAY HOLMES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE TANYA PAYNE, WHO'S SPEAKING FOR TWO MINUTES.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER THAT WILL BE CHARLES PIPE, WHO I MISSED.
WAIT, BEFORE YOU START, THE GENTLEMAN'S DONATING A MINUTE.
DAVID, WHAT'S YOUR LAST NAME? OKAY.
UH, MY NAME IS TANYA PAYNE AND I'M COMMUNICATIONS FOR ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND REWILD ZILKER.
I BECAME PASSIONATE ABOUT ZILKER PARK PLAN WHEN I REALIZED WHILE WATCHING VIDEOS AND READING THE, AN ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY DATA, HOW VERY LITTLE PUBLIC INPUT WAS
[01:00:01]
TAKEN INTO THIS PLAN.INSTEAD, WHAT I SAW WAS THE OVER-EMPHASIS OF THE NEEDS OF A FEW BUSINESSES, BOTH PROFIT AND NONPROFIT.
RE REWILD CONDUCTED A SURVEY AND WE SAW THAT 83% OF REGISTERED VOTERS DID NOT WANT AN AMPHITHEATER.
79% DID NOT WANNA SPEND 60 MILLION ON PARKING GARAGES.
MY QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU AT THIS POINT IS HOW MANY TIMES AND HOW MANY WAYS DO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN NEED TO TELL YOU THEY DON'T LIKE THIS PLAN?
YOU NEED TO CHANGE IT TO REFLECT WHAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN DO WANT.
WE WANT NATURAL SPACES, PLACES TO PLAY AND PICNIC OUTDOORS.
AND NOW TO THE AUDIENCE HERE, I WANT TO SAY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GONNA CRY.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE AND I WANT YOU TO COMMIT NOW TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
I'D LIKE YOU ALL, I WANNA END WITH BARTON SPRINGS SAYING THE SPRINGS ARE ETERNAL.
OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS CHARLES HEBERT.
CHARLES HEBERT, FOLLOWED BY DEBBIE MCCREE.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
BLOCKING TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC ON BARN SPRING ROAD, DEFIES COMMON SENSE BARN.
SPRING ROAD IS THE ONLY WEST EAST WESTBOUND TH WEST, SOUTH OF THE RIVER BESIDE BEN WHITE.
THIS WILL FORCE TRAFFIC IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WILL FORCE TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
NO PARKING GARAGE ABOVE SUNKEN GARDEN.
IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHY THE GREAT LAWN WON'T BE SO GREAT WITH AN NFI THEATER AND PERMANENT CONCRETE SITTING.
PLEASE KEEP THE JURISDICTION OF ZK PARK UNDER THE PARKS AND RECS, NOT A NONPROFIT.
WE LOVE THE PARK AND AS STEWARD, I HOPE YOU WILL PROTECT IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE GONNA BE DEBBIE MCCRAE.
DEBBIE MCCRAE, FOLLOWED BY CAROL GEFFEN, COLIN WALLACE, DIANA PRI AND HAYDEN BROOKS.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UM, I JUST HAVE A REAL QUICK QUESTION.
IF I COULD POSE TO THE BOARD, HAVE Y'ALL SWAM IN BARTON SPRINGS BEFORE? YOU LIKE IT, YOU WANNA SEE IT LIKE, CHANGE ANY CHANGE TO BARTON SPRINGS? CAUSE I DON'T, AND I DON'T THINK VERY MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM DO EITHER.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN A. LITTLE BIT OVER 40 YEARS, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT EVEN BROKEN.
IF NATURE COULD, IF NATURE COULD TALK, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD SAY.
IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE, UH, MANY BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS ALL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR FROM BARTON SPRINGS.
A ROAD RUNNER INCLUDED, DIDN'T BEAT BACK AT ME, BUT IT WAS SO AWESOME TO JUST SEE IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE LOVE NATURE.
SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE ALSO LIVED IN AUSTIN ALL OF THEIR LIVES, AND THEY'RE JUST BOHEMIA OPPOSED TO THE ZER REVISION PLAN, I BELIEVE IN THE HONESTY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN SENT OUT BY REWILD ZER AT THIS POINT.
I THINK WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHOICE.
WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER? CAROL GEFFEN.
CAROL GEFFEN IS THE NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY COLIN WALLACE AND DIANA PRI, CAROL GEFFEN.
SO, AS A REMINDER, FOLKS, WE HAVE THESE SEATS AVAILABLE UP FRONT SO THAT WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, YOU CAN BE ON DECK.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW ZILKER PARK IS DETERIORATING BEFORE OUR EYES.
AS WE KNOW, ZILKER IS A BELOVED PARK BECAUSE OF ITS NATURAL BEAUTY AND WATERWAYS.
IT'S GREAT LAWN AND ITS TRAILS, AND ITS QUIET, CONTEMPLATIVE SPACES WHERE PEOPLE COME TO ENJOY NATURE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE POPULAR FEATURES ATTRACT MANY VISITORS WHO PARK IN THE FIELDS, CROWD THE CREEK, ERODE, SHORELINE, AND DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT.
AS A RESULT, ZILKER IS BEING LOVED TO DEATH WITH MILLIONS
[01:05:01]
OF ANNUAL VISITORS WHO COME TO ENJOY THE PARK WITHOUT ADEQUATE INTEREST, INTEREST STRUCTURE, OR DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THEM.AND WITH AUSTIN'S GROWING POPULATION, THESE PRESSURES WILL, WILL ONLY GET WORSE CONTAINED WITHIN ITS 351 ACRES.
SILK PARK IS A COMPLEX BLEND OF PRECIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, EVENTS THAT HAVE BECOME TRADITION, ECONOMIC INCOME FOR THE CITY, AND A SYMBOL OF AUSTIN LIFE.
IN REALITY, THERE IS NO REALISTIC NO CHANGE OPTION EITHER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COLIN WALLACE, FOLLOWED BY DIANA PRITCHER, HAYDEN BROOKS, AND ROY WILEY, WHALEY, DIANA HAYDEN AND ROY, IF YOU GUYS WANNA MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE CEO OF THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
I'M A 34 YEAR AUSTINITE, A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF SEVERAL PARKS ORGANIZATIONS.
I WANT TO SAY TO EVERYBODY HERE IN THE CHAMBER TONIGHT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND LIES PUT OUT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION.
I LISTEN, I GET THAT YOU DISAGREE.
IF YOU THINK THAT WE DON'T LOVE PARKS, YOU ARE, YOU ARE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THE WRONG WAY.
WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PLAN.
WE'RE SUPPORTIVE OF, YEAH, I, I'VE BEEN RESPECTFUL TO ALL OF YOU.
I'M JUST RESPECTFULLY VOICING MY OPINION.
WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AS A PARTICIPANT, NOT A HEAVY HANDED PARTICIPANT.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF VERY REAL ISSUES, AND THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT SOMETHING BE PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT LAWN OR THAT I LOVE PARKING GARAGES, BUT THERE ARE REAL PARKING CHALLENGES EVERY DAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE DIANA PRI.
I CREATED ZILKER PARK MOBILITY STUDY.COM.
CLAIRE HEMPEL WAS ASKED IF A MOBILITY STUDY HAD BEEN DONE EARLY IN THE STAGE OR ANY STAGE OF THE ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN.
SHE SAID, NO, THAT WOULD TAKE MORE TIME AND MONEY.
BUT TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS.
IT IS A POLL THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY PUBLIC POLICY POLLING DURING THE WEEK OF MAY 1ST.
634 PEOPLE RESPONDED FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN.
ONLY 9% SUPPORT PARKING GARAGES IN ZILKER PARK.
79% PREFER IMPLEMENTING TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE PARKING GARAGES WITHIN THE PARK.
SOLUTIONS SUCH AS OFFSITE PARKING AND EXPANDED SHUTTLE SERVICE.
WHEN ASKED IF A 5,000 SEAT AMPHITHEATER SHOULD BE BUILT ON THE GREAT LAWN, 83% SAID THE GREAT LAWN SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE FOR ITS CURRENT USE.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT PARKING GARAGES OR A THEATER COMPLEX.
THE IMAGE YOU SEE IS THE 5,000 SEAT THEATER AT WATERLOO PARK AND THE ADJACENT PARKING GARAGE.
JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, IMAGINE THAT IN ZER PARK.
MY MOBILITY STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT CONGESTION IS THE PROBLEM, NOT CAR CAPACITY IN ZER PARK.
I CHALLENGE THE CITY TO GET REAL DATA, THIS POLE, ANOTHER POLL OR A VOTER REFERENDUM.
PLEASE REMOVE THESE ELEMENTS FROM THE PLAN TONIGHT OR COMMIT YOURSELVES TO GETTING REAL QUANTIFIABLE PUBLIC APPROVAL.
AS I'VE DEMONSTRATED AT ZUCKER PARK MOBILITY STUDY.COM, THAT THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN IS NOT ONLY A LIST OF EXPENSIVE CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, BUT IT IS AN INVISIBLE LIST OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE HAYDEN BROOKS.
HAYDEN BROOKS IS GONNA BE THE NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY ROY WHALEY HAYDEN BROOKS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE ROY WHALEY.
I'M STILL ROY WHALEY AND I'M STILL THE CHAIR OF THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
SIERRA CLUB DOES NOT OUTRIGHT OPPOSE THIS PLANT.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
BUT SOME OF THESE CHANGES ARE JUST A LITTLE OFF THE CHART.
AND ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ATTENTION AND THE MONEY THAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE.
SIERRA CLUB LOOKS BEYOND ZILKER AT ALL THE PARKS IN AUSTIN.
WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE PARKS.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT HOW, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT
[01:10:01]
PEOPLE FROM GETTING TO ZILKER PARK.PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO ZILKER, THEY WANT TO COME TAKE A SWIM, COME ON, EVERYONE IS WELCOME, BUT LET'S GET THEM THERE.
I WILL SAY AGAIN, WHAT I'VE SAID SO MANY TIMES, NOBODY'S CAR WANTS TO GO TO ZILKER PARK.
PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO ZILKER PARK.
SO LET'S PUT TOGETHER A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WILL GET THEM THERE WITH OFFSITE PARKING AND A SHUTTLE THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE TO THE PARK AND TWO DIFFERENT SHUTTLES.
ONE, YOU KNOW, WILL HAVE FOR FAMILIES AND, AND ROOM FOR STROLLERS AND COOLERS.
AND THEN ANOTHER ONE FOR PEOPLE WITH THEIR DOGS.
CUZ DOGS AND KIDS DON'T ALWAYS MIX.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE GET THERE AND THEN WE NEED A SHUTTLE INSIDE TO GET PEOPLE FROM THE DROP OFF POINT.
THE OTHER THING TO DO, INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT PARKING GARAGES, WHICH BY THE WAY WILL NEVER HAPPEN, UM, IS, IS TO TALK ABOUT THE PARKING WE HAVE.
LET'S TAKE THE PARKING THAT WE HAVE AND MAKE THAT AND DEDICATE THAT TO ADA AND FOUR FAMILIES.
FOUR, FOUR OCCUPANTS PLUS THAT'S GONNA MEAN WE HAVE TO BRING BACK THE PARKS POLICE OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY THE PARK RANGERS DO THINGS.
BUT WE NEED THE PARKS POLICE AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE, THE ILLEGAL PARKING OFF OF THE POLO FIELDS SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T THINK THAT THEY CAN PARK WHERE IT'S NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND.
SO WE LOOK AT SIERRA CLUB HAS GOT SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS WE WANT TO HAVE.
GET RID OF THE LAND BRIDGE, THAT'S 30 MILLION.
WHAT PARK IN AUSTIN WOULDN'T LIKE TO HAVE 30 MILLION? KEEP KEEP THE HILLSIDE THEATER AND YAY HILLSIDE THEATER, BUT KEEP IT WHERE IT IS AND DON'T BUILD ANOTHER, UH, STAGE WHEN WE PUT $2 MILLION THERE RECENTLY WITH THE BATHROOMS, ET CETERA.
SO LET'S NOT DO THE, THE, THE, THE LAND BRIDGE, WHICH IS AN EGO THING.
LET'S HAVE ONE MORE CROSSING FOR 125,000.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOUND ONLINE THAT IT WOULD COST A LITTLE BIT.
THANK YOU MORE WITH CROSSING GUARDS.
SO COME ON Y'ALL, LET'S PROTECT JOKER PARK OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE CORRIN LUP.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE DONNA HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY CORRIN LADO AND THEN JORDAN MOSER.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE AND CONSIDERING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE, UM, AMPHITHEATER AND ALSO AGAINST THE, UM, PARKING GARAGE.
SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THE VISION PLAN AND THE RESOLUTION THERE.
I WAS STUNNED WHEN I HEARD ABOUT A PARKING GARAGE NEXT TO THE SUNKEN GARDENS.
I'VE BEEN SWIMMING AT, UM, BARTON SPRINGS FOR A LONG TIME, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE ALSO SWIMMING THERE NOW TOO.
AND I WANT TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF THAT, UM, THAT SWIMMING POOL.
I ALSO WANNA PRESERVE THE GREAT LAWN FOR ALL THE SOCCER PLAYERS AND THE KITE.
UM, I THINK PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE HERE HAVE GONE TO THE KITE FESTIVAL.
AND ALSO, UM, THE ZILKER, THE ZER, UM, THE SOCCER FIELDS ARE USED ALL THE TIME BY A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN.
SO IT'S REALLY A FALLACY TO THINK THAT THIS IS JUST FOLKS FROM WHO LIVE RIGHT AROUND THERE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE AND, AND I TRAVEL, UM, EITHER ON MY BIKE OR WALK OR TAKE MY CAR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE CORRINE LADO, FOLLOWED BY JORDAN MOSER, DOROTHY BARNETT AND STEPHANIE ASMUS.
UM, I AM DEPRESSED AND EMBARRASSED TO BE SPEAKING HERE A SECOND TIME ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, WE ALL KNOW THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
ARE WE GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN? NO.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN.
WE ARE WASTING OUR TIME, YOUR TIME.
YOU'RE NOT EVEN GETTING PAID RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE TAKING TIME OUT OF OUR DAYS TO COME SAY NO TO THIS PLAN.
AND I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME, BUT THE GUY IN THE PINK SHIRT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN CHARGE, HE DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY EITHER, BESIDES, THIS ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.
[01:15:01]
A STUPID PLAN AND THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PLANS IF YOU CARE WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY, GIVE US THREE OPTIONS.LET OTHER PEOPLE BESIDES THE 1%, THE CACAS OF THIS PLAN TO JUST, I DON'T NEED TO THINK 50 YEARS IN ADVANCE.
HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND IT TAKE FOR THIS ECOLOGICAL FORMATION TO EVEN EXIST.
50 YEARS IN THE PLAN IS A SHORT-SIGHTED PLAN.
THIS SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE JORDAN MOSER.
JORDAN MOSER IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY DOROTHY BARNETT.
IT'S NICE TO SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, UH, WE ARE TALKING AGAIN EITHER.
UM, I THINK THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN CLEAR AND YOU ALL DONATE YOUR TIME.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BUSY LIVES AND, UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE CORPORATE INTERESTS BECAUSE THAT IS BOLD FACE WHAT THIS PLAN, VISION, PLAN AND NONPROFIT IS.
AND OUR LIVES ARE ALREADY INFLUENCED IN AN OUTSIZED WAY BY MULTI-BILLION DOLLARS.
LIVE NATION IS $19 BILLION, UH, CORPORATION AND WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE DOROTHY BARNETT, FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE ASMUS AND INGRID WAGON.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
UM, I HAVE A LITTLE FACTOID HERE FOR YOU.
UH, THIS WAS PUT OUT BY THE SUNSHINE CAMP, BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS, OVER 20,000 FREE BOATS GIVEN TO AUSTIN SUNSHINE CAMPS OVER 54 YEARS AND MANY MORE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS HAVE BENEFITED FROM ZILKER PARK BOAT REYNOLDS AND THEIR GIVING, COMMUNITY GIVING PROGRAM.
I AM DOROTHY ELLIS, LOPEZ BARNETT.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN IN THE PARK AS CONCESSIONAIRES FOR 55 YEARS.
WE WERE NOT CONSULTED IN ANY WAY WITH THIS PROCESS, WITH THE VISION PLAN.
THAT, AND I FEEL VERY, UM, UPSET ABOUT THAT.
NO ONE HAD THE COURTESY TO CALL AND ASK US ANYTHING ABOUT THE PARK.
AND FOR THOSE OF OF YOU THAT, THAT HAVE LABELED US, NOT ENVIRONMENTALISTS, AND WE'RE DOING DAMAGE IN THE CREEK, UM, WE STARTED THE SIERRA CLUB 1967.
WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
MA'AM, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? SKIP DAVIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ZILKER PARK.
WE NEED MAINTENANCE, WE NEED BATHROOMS THAT WORK.
WE NEED GRASS GROWING UNDER THE PECAN TREES.
WE NEED THE PICNIC TABLES REFURBISHED.
WE DON'T NEED MORE CONCRETE, WE DON'T NEED THE SMALL PARKING LOT TAKEN AWAY.
AND I'M SORRY IF THAT IS YOUR, YOUR AGENDA.
WE'LL FIGHT IT ALL THE WAY TO CITY HALL AND BEYOND IF WE HAVE TO.
OUR NEXT FIGURE IS GONNA BE STEPHANIE ASMUS.
STEPHANIE ASMUS IS HAYDEN BROOKS IN THE ROOM.
HAYDEN BROOKS WAS CALLED EARLIER.
IS HAYDEN BROOKS IN THE ROOM? OKAY, YOU MAY BEGIN RESPECTFULLY.
JUST BECAUSE TIME AND MONEY HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THIS PLAN DOES NOT MEAN IT'S RIGHT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THE UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE NEXT TO OUR CRITICAL WATER ZONE TO SEE THAT THIS PLAN IS MADE BY STAKEHOLDERS.
WE NEED A PLAN CREATED BY UNBIASED EXPERTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A STAKE IN THE POLITICS OF THE CITY OR THE MONETIZATION OF OUR PARK.
I THINK MANY OF YOU ON THE BOARD SEE THE SAME ISSUE.
WE SEE A PARK DEPARTMENT THAT CAN'T MANAGE THINGS LIKE EROSION NOW WANTING PARKING STRUCTURES AND AMPHITHEATER WHERE THE PUBLIC JUST WANTS TO PLAY SOCCER AND LET THEIR DOGS RUN.
I ALSO BELIEVE YOU ARE FEELING EXTREME PRESSURE BY STAKEHOLDERS AND MUNICIPAL WORKERS TO GO AGAINST THE PUBLIC'S OVERWHELMING OBJECTIONS.
I HOPE YOU FEEL EMPOWERED TO STAND UP AGAINST THIS VISION PLAN AND TO INITIATE THE REAL CHANGES WE NEED TO SEE WITHIN OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR A TRULY HEALTHY PARK FUTURE.
PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THIS VISION PLAN.
IT IS QUESTIONABLY UNETHICAL AND VERY OUT OF TOUCH WITH HOW TAXPAYERS USE THIS SPACE.
[01:20:04]
YOUR MIC ISN'T ON MY BAD.NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE INGRID WAGON, FOLLOWED BY BRIAN LEONARD, THANOS HETIS, AMY ZIN AND AUSTIN WHITNEY.
GOOD EVENING PARK SPO AND THANK YOU FOR SERVING.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A 50 YEAR VISION PLAN, YET WE ARE DEALING WITH WHAT IS CONSIDERED A CURRENT PROBLEM.
HOW MANY OF YOU TRULY THINK THAT IN 25 YEARS EVERYBODY IS STILL GOING TO DRIVE THEIR PERSONAL CAR TO PLACES? HOW MANY OF YOU THINK THAT'S EVEN GONNA HAPPEN IN 15 OR 10 YEARS? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH ALL THOSE CONCRETE STRUCTURES THAT WE'RE BUILDING RIGHT NOW AT THE EXPENSE OF WHAT WE COULD BE DOING TO OTHER PARKS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN? IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE SO-CALLED 50 YEAR VISION PLAN CONTRADICTS THE 2021 EQUITY PLAN, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WHICH SAYS TO MAKE GREEN SPACES MORE AVAILABLE FOR CITIZENS, BE CARBON NEUTRAL AND BE MANAGED WITH FOCUS ON RESILIENCE.
THE CURRENT PLAN DOESN'T DO ANY OF IT YET.
IT IS ON THE DOCKET FOR ANOTHER CITY ACTION THAT DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS THOSE GOALS.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE, UM, OH, SORRY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BRIAN LEONARD.
AFTER BRIAN WILL BE THANO HASTI AND AMY ZIVAN.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL FOR LISTENING TO US TODAY.
UH, A MINUTE IS REALLY A BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MEANS SO MUCH, SO MANY OF US.
I BELIEVE I HAVE A VIDEO THAT I'M WAITING FOR.
UM, THE ACCESS IS REALLY THE ISSUE WHEN PEOPLE COME TO TALK ABOUT WANTING THE VIDEO FOR YOUR TIME OR NOT.
OKAY, THEN LET ME GET IT RIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO, CAN YOU GO TALK TO TIM? GOT A MINUTE.
WELL, THIS, THIS IS 12 FEET UNDERWATER FROM IN BARTON SPRINGS.
A A PREVIOUS WOMAN SAID THAT THE SPRINGS DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE, BUT THIS IS REALLY IT.
AND I THINK MANY WOULD AGREE THAT THIS IS SYMBOLICALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENERGY THAT THAT PARK REPRESENTS THE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS AREA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE HEART OF AUSTIN.
ENERGIES OF A VERY REAL THING.
IF YOU SUFFOCATE ACCESS TO HEART IN AUSTIN, YOU WILL DESTROY THE CULTURE THAT MADE THIS CITY AS GREAT AS IT IS.
THE VISION PLAN THREATENS TO SUFFOCATE THAT ACCESS WITH THE PARKING LOTS BECAUSE YOU'LL DESTROY EVERYBODY'S ABILITY TO SIMPLY PARK ON THE EDGE OF THE GRASS AND WALK 20 FEET AND HAVE YOUR PICNIC.
IF IT'S A VISION PLAN WIDENING, CONSIDER THE ELDERLY, THE CHILDREN, THE MOTHERS WHO WANNA BRING THEIR CHILDREN RIGHT TO THAT GRASS.
NOW THEY HAVE TO PARK IN A PARKING LOT THAT'S ALMOST A THIRD OR A HALF A MILE AWAY FROM BARTON SPRINGS TO GET TO THE SPRINGS.
HOW IS THAT PASSING ANY POTENTIAL? ACCESSIBILITY? NATURE HAS ITS OWN WAY OF COMMUNICATING, AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE PRESERVED SO THEY CAN HAVE DIRECT CONNECTION THAT THIS VIDEO REPRESENTS.
I ALSO THINK IT REPRESENTS THE LIGHT IN EVERYONE'S HEART THAT KNOWS WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS TO DO IN THIS SITUATION.
AND SUFFOCATING ACCESS TO THE PARK WILL LITERALLY DESTROY THE CULTURE HERE.
AND WHAT, WHAT MAKES PARK SO IMPORTANT IS THAT, THAT ACCESS TO THIS ENERGY THAT IS NATURAL EVERYWHERE AND WITHIN US ALL, IT'S VITAL.
IT'S NOT A LUXURY, IT'S NOT A PRIVILEGE.
IT'S ESSENTIAL TO THE SANITY OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN YOU SUFFOCATE THAT KIND OF ACCESS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYBODY A FAVOR AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY CAUSING DAMAGE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
SO FEELING TO THE TRUTH OF WHAT THAT ACCESS REALLY IS, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE AND DIRECT AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS THIS KIND OF LIGHT IN THEIR HEART, THEY KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS TO DO.
SO PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THIS PLAN.
OUR NEXT PICKER IS GONNA BE THANOS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE THANOS.
OUR NEXT PICKER WILL BE THEOTIS, FOLLOWED BY AMY ZIEN.
CAN YOU REPEAT IT? THANO HASTI FOLLOWED BY AMY ZIVAN.
AND TIM, DID YOU GET THE GENTLEMAN WHO DONATED HIS TIME BACK THERE? SO THE GENTLEMAN WHO JUST SPOKE.
I'M HERE TO SAY, LET'S AIM OUR EFFORTS
[01:25:01]
TO IMPROVE THE HEART OF ZILKER PARK.HOW IT UNIQUELY GIVES THE BEST OF AUSTIN WITH SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FOUND NO OTHER PLACE IN OUR CITY, AND NOT FUNDING, BUILDING FACILITIES THAT WE CAN FIND ON ANY STREET CORNER IN ANY CITY.
THE HEART OF ZILKER IS NOT THE FESTIVAL'S, CONCERTS WELCOME CENTER, OR NEW AMPHITHEATER LAID OUT IN YOUR CURRENT PARK PLAN.
THESE INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS ARE NOT THE POINT OF THE PARK AND SHOULD NOT DICTATE THE SPENDING PRIORITIES ABOVE ALL.
THE POINT OF THE PARK IS TO GIVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN A BUSTLING AND INCREASINGLY CROWDED CITY.
A PLACE TO SPREAD OUT, SLOW DOWN TOUCH NATURE, FLY A KITE PICNIC WITH THE FAMILY, JUMP IN THE COOL SPRING LIKE ALMOST NO OTHER ONE IN THE WORLD, IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY FAST AND STRESSFUL WORLD.
SPEND OUR MONEY, OUR RESOURCES TO SAVE THIS IRREPLACEABLE PLACE FOR INCREASINGLY DISAPPEARING EXPERIENCES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE LUKE.
LUKE OCASIO IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, LUKE OCASIO, FOLLOWED BY DAVID HICKSON, THEN KAREN KREPPS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUKE OCASIO, FOLLOWED BY DAVID HICKSON.
AUDI, THE CONSTRUCTION OF YOUR PLAN UNDERGO, WILL DETERMINE, SORRY, WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECOSYSTEM OF ZILKER FISH, BIRDS, MICROORGANISMS, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE WILL BE MIS UH, MISPLACED AND LEFT, PUSHED ASIDE.
WHILE YOU'RE WILLING TO WILLINGLY CHOOSE TO FILL UP GREEN SPACE WITH CONCRETE.
A BLANK SPACE IS NOT A WASTE OF SPACE.
I SAY PLANT MORE TREES AND PLACE LESS CONCRETE.
WE AS A CITY, CANNOT AFFORD TO INVEST INTO SUCH A POORLY WRITTEN PLAN.
WE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS LONGER AND HAVE IT, UM, FOCUS MORE ON ECOLOGICAL MAINTENANCE.
THE PUBLIC IS SAYING NO TO CONSTRUCTING LAND, BRIDGES, ADDING AMPHITHEATER, PRIVATIZING PARKING GARAGES, POURING MORE CONCRETE, BUILDING A WELCOME CENTER, AND WE'RE SAYING NO TO THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE IN FAVOR OF TWO THINGS, KEEPING AUSTIN WEIRD AND KEEPING ZILKER GREEN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID HICKSON, FOLLOWED BY KAREN KREPPS, JULIA NICHOLS AND GEORGE VANCE MCGEE.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, I WORK AS A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THIS PLAN ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS AND ITS CURRENT STATUS.
THIS IS GOING TO DEGRADE THE VERY SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEM THAT, UH, SURROUNDS BARTON SPRINGS, AS MANY OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE ALREADY SAID, THIS IS PART OF THE SOUL OF THE CITY AND WHAT MAKES THIS CITY SO SPECIAL.
AND THIS PLAN TO BUILD PARKING GARAGES OBVIOUSLY IS A BAD IDEA, BUT WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES DONE TO, TO PROVE THAT.
AND SO THE CURRENT PLAN, AS IT STANDS, DOES NOT, UH, HAS NOT ADEQUATELY STUDIED ANY OF THIS.
AND IT NEEDS TO, UM, I'M AGAINST THE, MY OWN COUNCILS MEMBERS.
O CADRE HAS SAID WE'RE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THIS PLAN IS.
WE'RE NOT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THIS IS.
THIS IS PRIVATIZING THE, THE, UH, PROFITS AND PUBLICIZING THE COSTS OF THIS, UH, THIS PLAN.
UH, WE DON'T NEED MORE CORPORATE INTERESTS CALLING THE SHOTS HERE IN OUR CITY.
WE'VE GOT ENOUGH OF THAT ALREADY.
AND THE CITY NEEDS TO EVOLVE AND IT NEEDS TO BE EQUITABLE FOR, UH, AND HAVE ACCESS FOR ALL CITIZENS.
UM, BUT THIS PLAN IS NOT THE WAY TO DO THAT.
NEXT WOULD BE KAREN KREPPS, FOLLOWED BY JULIA NICHOLS.
I SWIM ALMOST EVERY DAY AT BARTON SPRINGS.
I HAVE READ AND I SUPPORT DIANA PROCTOR'S ZER PARK MOBILITY STUDY AS SEEN ON BLOG SPOT.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU COLLABORATE WITH HER OR HAVE ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MOBILITY CONSULTANT WITH THE GOLD TO REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
ZER PARK, USING MULTIMODAL TRANSIT AND SHUTTLES COMBINED WITH GREEN DAYS IN ZER PARK ON PEAK U STAYS.
PLEASE DO NOT INCREASE CONGESTION WITH THREE CENTRALIZED PARKING GARAGES.
DO NOT APPROVE THE VP, VP TONIGHT.
ZK PARK IS AUSTIN'S JEWEL GREEN SPACE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY.
PLEASE POSTPONE YOUR DECISION FOR APPROVAL SO THAT THERE'S MORE TIME FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK, CORRECTIONS, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS 40 YEAR OLD PLAN THAT WILL EITHER PUT MORE GREEN OR CEMENTON CENTRAL PARK.
THE PUBLIC PROCESS THAT WE HAD OVER CHRISTMAS IN THE DEAD OF WI AND IN THE DEAD OF WINTER WAS A DOG AND PONY SHOW AND RIGHT.
AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD IS, OH, NOT EVERYTHING IN THE PLAN HAS TO HAPPEN.
BUT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE VOTING THE WHOLE PLAN UP OR DOWN.
PLEASE SAVE YOU SO MUCH PARKS.
[01:30:01]
BE JULIA NICHOLS.OUR NEXT BIG WILL BE JULIA NICHOLS.
OUR NEXT BIG WILL BE OUR NEXT BIG WILL BE JULIA NICHOLS, FOLLOWED BY GEORGE VANCE MCGEE.
SHELBY ORM AND KYLE SMITH IS THANO HASS HERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIA NICHOLS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE GEORGE VANCE MCGEE, FOLLOWED BY SHELBY ORM.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR SHOWING UP TODAY.
MY NAME IS GEORGE VANCE MCGEE, AND I'M WEARING MY, UH, UH, FIRST OF THE SPEAKER.
UH, FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS, THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE.
HAS ANYBODY DONE THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE? ALL RIGHT.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW AN AUSTIN UNICORN, THERE AREN'T MANY OF US LEFT.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE AN AUSTIN UNICORN COUNT OR COUNCIL.
UH, UH, AUSTIN UNICORN IS THE RARE AUSTINITE THAT IS, UH, BORN AND ACTUALLY STILL RESIDES HERE.
WE'RE FRIENDLY PEOPLE AND WE'RE, WE'RE STILL COOL.
THIS PLAN IS JUST, IT'S NO MORE CONCRETE.
I MEAN, THE, THE PLACE CAN BARELY KEEP THE KITTY TRAIN.
I MEAN, THAT'S BEEN GONE FOR YEARS.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T BARELY DO THAT.
UM, SO I DON'T REALLY TRUST Y'ALL TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE BARTON SPRINGS AND ZILKER DOESN'T EXIST? I MEAN, THAT IS WHAT IS KEEPING THIS TOWN FROM ITS CORE HIPPIE AND SEVENTIES SELF.
SO I HOPE, I HOPE, UH, IT FAILS MISERABLY.
THANK, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHELBY, OR OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHELBY ORM, FOLLOWED BY KYLE SMITH, NATHAN COOK, AND SHERRY CORDDRY.
HI, UH, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE ATTENDED, UM, A MEETING ABOUT THIS VISION PLAN.
AND EACH TIME I'VE NOTICED THE ONLY PEOPLE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE VISION PLAN ARE THOSE WHO WOULD FINANCIALLY BENEFIT FROM IT.
UH, SO TODAY, TODAY I WANTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ACTUAL ZILKER PARK USERS.
MY WIFE IS A WOMAN OF COLOR AND SHE PLAYS PICKUP EVERY SATURDAY MORNING AT ZILKER PARK.
AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHE PLAYS PICKUP SOCCER WITH HAVE NO AWARENESS OF THIS PLAN.
AND CONSIDERING THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY AND THE LACK OF ACCESS, UH, FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND GREEN SPACES, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE TAKING ANY MORE PUBLIC LAND AND HANDING IT OVER TO PRIVATE INTERESTS.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT DOING SO DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THIS CITY'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK FROM, UH, UH, AS A PARK USER FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WATERLOO PARK, UH, A MUCH SMALLER SPACE BY SCALE.
AND YET PEOPLE LOST ACCESS TO THAT SPACE FOR NEARLY A DECADE WHILE IT WAS BEING IMPROVED.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, I FEEL THAT THE WAY THE COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT SPACE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THAT PARK USED TO BE AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY.
UM, AND THAT'S VERY MUCH WHAT IT, OKAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE KYLE SMITH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE KYLE SMITH.
KYLE SMITH, FOLLOWED BY NATHAN COOK IS KYLE SMITH HERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE NATHAN COOK.
NATHAN COOK'S GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY CORDDRY AND BOBBY RINGY.
UM, LIKE MANY OF US, UH, WE WANT A PARK THAT IS FOR PEOPLE.
WE DON'T WANT A PARK THAT IS FOR PARKING GARAGES.
WE WANT A PARK THAT PROTECTS NATURE AS OUR CITY GROWS AND BECOMES MORE DENSE, EMPTY SPACES AND SPACES THAT CAN BE USED IN MANY WAYS AND PEOPLE CAN CONNECT WITH NATURE WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
LIKEWISE, UH, THIS IS A FRAGILE ECO ECOSYSTEM, AND BARTON SPRINGS HAS A HUGE ROLE IN THE REASON AUSTIN IS A CITY LOCATED HERE.
IT'S A REASON WHY THIS IS A CAPITAL, BECAUSE IT HAD CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
WE WOULD BE FOOLISH TO SAY THAT WE DON'T NEED THAT RESOURCE ANYMORE, AND THAT IT'S NOT VITAL TO OUR SURVIVAL AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A SUCCESSFUL CITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN FLOURISH.
UM, I GO TO THE POOL EVER SINCE I MOVED HERE 25 YEARS AGO, MY DAUGHTER GREW UP GOING TO THAT POOL.
I'VE MET MANY FRIENDS THERE, AND THIS PLACE IS PRECIOUS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE SHERRY CORDDRY.
SHERRY CORDDRY IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY BOBBY RINGY.
RIGNEY IS SHERRY CORDDRY HERE? BOBBY RIGNEY IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AFTER BOBBY'S GONNA BE HANNAH GLA BRUCE MCKEN AND HEIDI ANDERSON.
[01:35:02]
WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU ON? 45.WE'RE ABOUT, WE'RE ALMOST 60 PEOPLE IN.
WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU ON? UH, 45.
BUT THAT'S NOT COUNTING GENERAL PUBLIC.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HEARING US AND, UH, FOR VOLUNTEERING.
YOUR SERVICE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IN 2011, I SUSTAINED A SURGICAL INJURY CALLED NEUROPATHY.
AND I CAN, I CAN NO LONGER FEEL MY FOREFOOT EXCEPT FOR THE PAIN.
BUT ONE OUT OF 15 PERSONS WILL HAVE NEUROPATHY IN THE LIFETIME.
THE DRAFT PLAN IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD WANTS YOU TO CLOSE LUNE POINT, INCLUDING, UH, LUNE DRIVE, UH, INCLUDING ALL THE HANDICAP SPACES.
IT NEEDS TO REMAIN OPEN FOR THE ADA LEGAL AND HELPFUL PARKING, BUT ALSO IT'S, UH, KEPT OPEN FOR PRACTICAL DROP-OFFS FOR SOCCER PLAYERS.
ICE CHEST PETS NOT ALLOWED ON THE SHUTTLES AND THE SHUTTLE ITSELF.
NOT TO MENTION EMS, PLEASE FIRE.
AND BY THE WAY, THE KITTY TRAIN IS NOT A SHUTTLE LIKE THE PLAN SHOWS
UM, AND, AND ALSO FOR MAINTENANCE AND JUST TAKING OUT THE TRASH.
KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE AND LIE LINE THE INSIDE CURB WITH BIKE RACKS THAT BLOCKS ALL THE JUMP, THE CURB ILLEGAL PARKING AND PROMOTES PARK, UH, BIKING AND FOR GENERAL PARKING.
I'M GONNA JUMP AHEAD SO I DON'T RUN OUTTA TIME.
THIS, UH, BOARD NEEDS TO, NEEDS YOUR RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE THE ATM FIRST PHASE LIGHT RAIL TO CROSS THE RIVER AT FIRST.
TO MAKE THE SHUTTLE WORK FOR THE THREE EXISTING CITYWIDE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE HANNAH GLA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE BRUCE MCCANDLESS.
AFTER BRUCE IS GONNA BE HEIDI ANDERSON AND SAM JETT.
UH, I'VE BEEN GOING TO ZER PARK FOR 44 YEARS NOW.
UH, I'VE SWAM IN BARTON SPRINGS, KAYAKED THE CREEK.
I SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE ZER SUMMER MUSICAL DURING HIS 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR.
UH, IF THEY WERE A ZER PARK MERIT BADGE, I'D BE WEARING IT AS WOULD, UH, ABOUT 99% OF THE FOLKS HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE AMPHITHEATER.
UH, THE AMPHITHEATER WOULD COVER UP A HEALTHY CHUNK OF THE GREEN SPACE THAT SO MANY AUSTINITES CHERISH.
IF YOU WALK AROUND THE LAWN ON ANY GIVEN SATURDAY AFTERNOON, YOU'LL SEE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS IN ACTION.
WHILE THE GREAT LAWN IS EMPTY SPACE, IT'S NOT UNUSED SPACE.
IT'S IN FACT HEAVILY USED BY PEOPLE LIKE ME.
NINE TO FIVE ERS, WEEKEND WARRIORS, PLUMBERS AND PROGRAMMERS, SOCCER PLAYERS FROM GUANAJUATO AND GUATEMALA, VISITORS FROM TEMPLE SUNBATHING, SORORITY GIRLS AND QUIDDITCH PLAYERS DOING WHATEVER QUIDDAGE PLAYERS DO.
RUNNING AND SWEATING AND LAUGHING TOGETHER ON THE GRASS RECREATION MAY NOT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF THE PARK.
I THINK PRESERVING BARTON SPRINGS IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BUT IN MY MIND, THE MINDS AND IN THE MINDS OF MANY OTHERS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE HEIDI ANDERSON.
HEIDI ANDERSON IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
IS KYLE SMITH HERE? WE CALLED KYLE SMITH EARLIER.
IS HE IN THE ROOM? KYLE SMITH.
I'M HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF OUR HARDWORKING PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THIS VISION PLAN SPECIFICALLY HERE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS PLAN WAS NOT CREATED OUT OF THE BLUE, BUT IS DEEPLY ANCHORED IN SUBSTANTIAL AND COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS NOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN WORKING ON A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLANNING PROCESS TO ESTABLISH A GUIDING FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE OF ZILKER PARK.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE CITY HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN A COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING INITIATIVE ENCOMPASSING ALL 351 ACRES OF THIS, UH, BELOVED SPACE.
THIS INCLUDED SUBSTANTIAL AND VIGOROUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH OVER 200 DOCUMENT AND REC DOCUMENTED AND RECORDED COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NONPROFITS, CITYWIDE ORGANIZATIONS, CONCESSIONAIRES EVENTS, ORGANIZERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
COMPARED TO ANY OTHER CITY PARK PLANNING PROCESS, THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN HAS BEEN BY FAR THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY DOCUMENTED THROUGH THE, THEIR MANY MEETINGS THROUGH THE CITY WEBSITE.
SAM JETT IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
HELLO EVERYONE WITH THE VISION PLAN.
US LOCAL AUSTIN FOLKS WOULD BE HERE, LEFT OUT TO DRY.
OUR VOICES DROWNED OUT ABOUT THE SOUND OF CORPORATE INTEREST.
OUR BELOVED ZILKER PARK WITH ALL THE NATIVE PLANT LIFE WILDLIFE THAT CREATES ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES AND UNIQUE ECOSYSTEMS KNOWN TO MAN POTENTIALLY BEING DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS BY PRIORITIZING SPACE FOR CORPORATE GAINS.
[01:40:01]
HOWEVER WE CAN ALLOW THE CORPORATE, HOW CAN WE ALLOW THE CORPORATE ENTITIES TO DICTATE THE GROWTH AND PROGRESSION OF OUR CITY'S GREEN SPACES? AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT NOW, IT'S ABOUT THE FUTURE.THIS KIND OF STUFF ISN'T SUSTAINABLE.
IT'S THE, IT'S NOT THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR AUSTIN IN THE LONG RUN.
WHAT KIND OF PARK SPACE AND UNIQUE LA NATIVE LANDSCAPES WILL WE BE LEAVING TO OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS? WILL, WILL THEY THINK OF THIS CITY AS ONE THAT CARED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND CORPORATE INTERESTS OF THE COST AT THE COST OF PUBLIC QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE COST OF DESTRUCTION OF OUR AWESOME ECOSYSTEMS. NATURE HAS GIFTED US TOGETHER.
WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN STAY TRUE TO ITSELF.
THAT IT'S A PIECE WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE COME FIRST.
NOT NOT CORPORATE'S IN INTEREST.
IT CAN GROW THE RIGHT WAY OF THE SUSTAINABLE WAY.
WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER? OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BUILD BUNCH.
BILL BUNCH WILL BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE BILL BUNCH IS THREE MINUTES FOR BILL BUNCH.
YOU WANNA DONATE TIME TO THIS GENTLEMAN THAT'S SPEAKING.
BILL BUNCH HAS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I'M BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE REWILD ZILKER UH, COALITION.
UM, I WANTED TO POINT OUT A REALLY CORE PART OF THE MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN.
YOU HEARD FROM, UH, THE TRAIL FOUNDATION SPOKESPERSON.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE PUBLIC STATEMENT RELEASED EARLY THIS MORNING BY FIVE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THAT'S ONE SHY OF A MAJORITY, ONE SHY OF AN ILLEGAL OPEN MEETING.
AND IN THAT STATEMENT, THEY BOLDED THIS.
THE RESULTING DRAFT PLAN PRESENTED TODAY IS A COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORT THAT IS A FALSE STATEMENT, DEMONSTRABLY FALSE.
IT WAS RIGGED FROM THE OUTSET WITH BACKDOOR CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS OF THE MONEY MAKERS, THE PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT AND NONPROFIT IN ANY THESE ON THE COATTAILS AND PAID FOR, UH, IN LARGE PART BY THE LIVE NATION TICKETMASTER MONOPOLY.
THE PUBLIC PROCESS THAT DID HAPPEN WAS GROSSLY, UH, MISALIGNED WITH ALL KINDS OF PUSH POLL QUESTIONS WHERE YOU COULD NOT GIVE YOUR HONEST OPINION.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN SUMMARIZED THE RESULTS OF THOSE POLLS FOR YOU.
BECAUSE AS MUCH AS THEY TRIED TO GET US TO SAY WE WANTED PARKING GARAGES, WE WANTED AN AMPHITHEATER, WE WANTED SIX BRIDGES BUILT IN THE PARK, UH, WE WOULDN'T SAY THAT.
AND THE RESULTS ARE BEING HIDDEN BECAUSE OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE TOLD YOU THEY DID NOT WANT THIS.
A COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORT IS THIS.
AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, PLUS FIVE OF THEIR FRIENDS ARE GONNA BE RIGHT BACK HERE ON JULY 20TH, TELLING IT STRAIGHT TO THE FACE OF MAYOR PRO TIM ELLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER ZOE CADRE, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ.
MIKE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ZOE CADRE.
AND THEY NEED TO RETRACT THAT AND SEE THAT THIS IS A SHAM OPERATION DRIVEN BY GREED AND CONCRETE.
AND THEY ALSO SAY IT'S A PLAN FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.
THERE'S A TINY FRACTION OF THAT, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER.
THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION PLAN.
AND IT'S A DIRECT THREAT TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, TO BARTON SPRINGS, TO THE NATIVE PEOPLES AND THEIR REMAINS THAT ARE THERE.
MOST OF THE PARK IS AN ARCHEOLOGICAL PRESERVE.
EVERYTHING WE BUILD IN THAT PARK WILL BE DESTROYING THE HERITAGE OF THE NATIVE PEOPLES THAT WE INHERITED THIS PLACE FROM THIS SACRED PLACE.
AND THE DESECRATION THAT'S HAPPENING ARE WOOD HAPPEN TO THE PARK, TO THE SPRINGS, TO THE CREEK BANKS, TO THE LAKE IN THE NAME OF MONEY AND THE MOST AGGRESSIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH METASTASIZING MUSIC MONOPOLY.
THAT IS THE NEXT SPEAKER TO DESTROY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SCOTT COBB.
OUR NEXT PEAK ROLL WILL BE SCOTT COBB.
OUR NEXT PEAK ROLL WILL BE SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY TAMARA SCOTT AND DANIEL LANIS LANIS.
MY NAME IS SCOTT COBB AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, THERE WAS A COLIN WALLACE FROM AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION WHO CAME UP HERE AND GAVE OUT SOME MISINFORMATION SAYING THAT THERE ARE PARKING ISSUES EVERY DAY IN THE PARK.
[01:45:01]
PARK.I'VE NEVER NOT FOUND THE PARKING SPOT IN THE PARK.
THERE ARE ONLY PARKING ISSUES IN THE SUMMER AND THOSE PARKING ISSUES CAN BE ALLEVIATED BY BETTER PLANNING THROUGH A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OR A SHUTTLE THAT RUNS EVERY THREE MINUTES OR SOMETHING TO GET PEOPLE TO THE PARK.
SO COLIN, PLEASE STOP GIVING OUT MISINFORMATION ABOUT THIS.
IT'S COMMUNITY DRIVEN OR SOMETHING.
THIS LITTLE CATCHPHRASE THAT KIMBERLY MELY CAME UP WITH.
UH, SHE ALSO TRIED TO TRICK US AND THE PARKS BOARD WHEN THEY WERE GETTING ALCOHOL TRYING TO PERMIT SAYING THAT THERE WAS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR ALCOHOL PERMIT.
TURNED OUT THAT WAS LIKE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE WHO ANSWERED ON THE, ON THE ONLINE SURVEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND.
DON'T JUST LISTEN TO THE TALKING POINTS ABOUT THE WELCOME CENTER.
I WOULD NOT THE WELCOME CENTER.
I WAS IN THE GRA THE GRA GREAT LAWN THAT IS THE WELCOME CENTER, THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
NEXT SPEAKER IS TOMORROW SCOTT, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL GIANNIS.
UH, IS JULIA NICHOLS HERE? WE SKIPPED JULIA EARLIER.
I WANNA SEE IF JULIA NICHOLS IS IN THE ROOM.
NO, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMARA SCOTT.
IS TAMARA HERE? AFTER TAMARA WILL BE DANIEL GIANNIS, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIE CURTIS AND SIERRA VERNON.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN GOING TO ZILKER PARK JUST ABOUT MY ENTIRE LIFE.
UM, MOVED HERE WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD, HAD A SINGLE MOM AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID TOGETHER WAS GO TO THE PARK AND HANG OUT ON THE GREAT LAWN.
WE WENT TO THE KITE FESTIVAL TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW WHAT,
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERY AUSTINITE CAN ENJOY.
PLEASE STOP TRYING TO MONETIZE THE PARK.
MAINTAIN THE THINGS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE PARK INSTEAD OF LETTING THOSE GO TO NEGLECT.
UM, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOTTA SAY, BUT PLEASE, THIS PLAN IS TRASH
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE DANIEL GIANNIS.
GOOD EVENING, UH, PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
I AM DON GIANNIS AND, UH, I LIVED ACROSS THE RIVER FROM ZER PARK FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS, FROM THE LATE SEVENTIES TO THE LATE NINETIES.
AND ALL THE TIME I LIVED THERE, THERE WAS CONSTANTLY SOMEBODY TRYING TO COMMERCIALIZE TO ALCOHOL, TO PRIVATIZE ZILKER PARK.
THERE WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER A PARKS DIRECTOR NAMED JORDAN, MR. JORDAN AND PROFITEERS JUST LIKE HERE, INCLUDING THE PARKS FOUNDATION AND, AND THE CONCESSIONERS.
THEY ACTUALLY WANTED TO HAVE FERRIS WHEELS AND CONCESSIONS ON TOWN LAKE.
THE VALUE OF AUSTIN PARKS, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE RIVER, UH, ZER PARK, UH, LADYBIRD, LAKE EAST, LADYBIRD LAKE, GUERRERO PARK, ALL OF THESE ARE TREASURES THAT IN 20 OR 25 YEARS WILL BE MORE VALUABLE THAN ANY CEMENT YOU COULD PUT THERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE CHRISTIE CURTIS, FOLLOWED BY SIERRA VERNON.
CHRISTIE CURTIS IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, I WANNA CHECK TO SEE, IS SHERRY CORDDRY IN THE ROOM? WE CALLED SHERRY'S NAME EARLIER.
IS SHERRY IN THE ROOM? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
UH, I FELL IN LOVE WITH ZER PARK BEFORE I MOVED TO AUSTIN OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
AND MY LOVE AND APPRECIATION HAS GROWN AS I'VE GROWN MY OWN FAMILY HERE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN VISION PLAN.
AS A MOM OF A YOUNG CHILD, A DOG, AND AS A RUNNER, I APPRECIATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE VISION PLAN OUTLINES FOR OUR CITY'S MOST ICONIC PARK.
TO ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, UM, OF BALANCING COMPETING OR CONFLICTING PRIORITIES IN THE VISION PLAN, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING.
FIRST, WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY AND PROTECT THE SPRINGS BY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF PAVED SURFACE PARKING AND ZILKER.
SO THIS PRIORITY WEIGHS IN FAVOR OF REDUCING PARKING.
SECOND ZILKER IS A METROPOLITAN PARK THAT SHOULD BE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLY, ACCESSIBLE TO ALL OF AUSTIN, AND NOT JUST THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS.
SO THIS IS AN INCREASED PARKING PRIORITY.
[01:50:01]
TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CHANGE CONCERNS BY DISCOURAGING PERSONAL VEHICLE USE.OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE SIERRA VERNON.
SIERRA VERNON, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD BRIMMER.
WE CALLED HANNAH CLAUS'S NAME EARLIER AS HANNAH IN THE ROOM.
OKAY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SIERRA VERNON.
UH, BORN AND RAISED AUSTINITE.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO BARTON SPRINGS FOR 28 ON MY 30 YEARS.
UH, BRIEFED INTO NEW YORK CITY.
BROUGHT ME BACK HERE WHEN I REALIZED I WASN'T BUILT FOR SNOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT ALL OF YOU, UH, FEEL YOUR POCKETBOOKS CUZ SOMEBODY'S IS TOO THIN.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING MUSICIAN HERE AND I'D LIKE TO HELP YOU BUDGET A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE BRINGING IN A 5 0 1
WE NEED TO HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY AND DEMOCRACY BE ABLE TO HAVE PUBLIC OPINION.
WE DO NOT NEED TO ADD MORE PARKING STRUCTURES ON TOP OF EDWARDS AQUIFER.
IT SERVES SAN ANTONIO AND NEW BRAUNFELS WATER, AS WELL AS BARTON SPRINGS, WHICH THE DALAI LAMA THEMSELVES BACK IN THE NINETIES SAYS IT WAS A SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, IF YOU NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING HOW TO KEEP OUR PARK ECOLOGICALLY SOUND, ASK THE EXPERTS, ASK THE TEXAS EPA, ASK SAVE OUR SPRINGS.
ASK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND PLEASE DO NOT ASK SOMEONE WHO HAS A, A VESTED MONETARY INTEREST.
WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THAT GOING ON.
ADDING MORE PARKING IS LIKE ADDING MORE LANES THAN I 35.
ADD PUBLIC TRANSIT, ADD SHUTTLES.
YOU HAD AN EXTRA MINUTE, SIERRA, YOU HAD AN EXTRA MINUTE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF POINTS TO MAKE.
MY FIRST ADVICE IS THAT YOU INCLUDE EVERY RECOMMENDATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AS PART OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SECOND, I REQ, I SUGGEST YOU REQUIRE THE VISION PLAN.
ADHERE TO THE COUNCIL ADOPTED MEASURES INCLUDING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN, THE ACT, AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND SUPPORT THE REST, UH, THE RESOLUTION 2 1 56 4 4 8 THAT WAS SIGNED BY THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER THAT REQUIRES A CARBON IMPACT STATEMENT FOR EVERY PROJECT WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ALSO, SINCE THIS PLAN THAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT DIFFERS SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE PREVIOUS PLANS REVIEWED BY OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WITHIN THE CITY, THAT IT BE RESUBMITTED BEFORE APPROVAL TO OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE DESIGN COMMISSION, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE PHA PUN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE PHA PUN
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE KAREN BLIZZARD, FOLLOWED BY CHRISSY ROBINSON OR ROBIN ROBINSON.
KAREN BLIZZARD IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AFTER KAREN'S GONNA BE CHERISE ROBINSON.
I'M AN AUSTIN UNICORN, UM, LIFETIME.
LIFETIME ZUCKER PARK GOER, BARTON SPRINGS SWIMMER.
UM, I CHANGED WHAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT BECAUSE I, I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK ARE FULLY GETTING EXPLAINED, UM, ABOUT THE VISION PLAN.
I'M THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ZUCKER 3 51 AND WE BELIEVE THE VISION PLAN GENERALLY BALANCES ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION WITH VISITOR ACCESS.
ONE PART OF THE STORY THAT I DON'T THINK IS GETTING OUT THERE IS THAT THE PLAN IS NOT SAYING TO PUT THREE GARAGES IN THE PARK IMMEDIATELY.
IT IS SUGGESTING TO START WITH A STRUCTURED PARKING AREA, SEE WHAT THE TRANSPORTATION TRENDS ARE YEARS FROM NOW.
ARE PEOPLE DRIVING EVS THAT IS A CURRENT TREND IN AUSTIN.
IF SO, WHY NOT ACCOMMODATE THAT? WE HAVE 2.8, 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN AUSTIN NOW, WHEREAS WE ONLY HAD 400,000 I THINK IN 1981.
SO LET'S READ THE PLAN CLOSELY.
THANK YOU AND TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE CHERISE ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY BILL OLIVER AND THEN SARAH FAUST.
HI, MY NAME IS CHARICE ROBINSON AND I'M WITH GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS GIRL SCOUTS HAS A LONGSTANDING HISTORY WITH ZILKER PARK.
BEGINNING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ZILKER GIRL SCOUT CABIN IN THE 1930S.
THE ZILKER GIRL SCOUT CABIN PROVIDES GIRLS FROM ALL ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN AREA WITH A DEDICATED SPACE TO EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS AND HONE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
[01:55:01]
HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS AND SUPPORTS THE DIRECTION OF THE VISION PLAN, ESPECIALLY THOSE AREAS FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE PARK.GIVEN THAT THE REMOTE LOCATION OF THE CABIN WITHIN THE PARK HAS MADE THIS CHALLENGING.
ADDITIONALLY, THE VISION PLAN IMPROVES ACCESS WITHIN AND TO THE PARK WITH A FULL MULTIFACETED APPROACH FOR PARKING TRANSIT AND INCREASED BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS BENEFITING ALL VISITORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS SUPPORTS THE Z VISION PLAN AND ENCOURAGES YOU TO RE RECOMMEND ITS ADOPTION TO COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE BILL OLIVER.
BILL HAS THREE MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY SARAH FAUST AND THEN CATHERINE GOODWIN.
I SPENT THREE WEEKS GETTING THIS DOWN TO 60 SECONDS, BUT YEAH, I THINK I'LL DO THAT.
WELL, THANK YOU PARKS BOARD AND I, UH, GONNA BE A LITTLE NOSTALGIC TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 73 IN, UH, 1973.
AND, UH, MOST OF THE, A LOT OF THAT QUALITY TIME WAS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW.
AND THE, UH, THING IS THAT, UH, I'VE MADE ABOUT 25 LITTLE FESTIVALS AT FIESTA GARDENS ZER PARK, ABOUT FIVE OF 'EM AT THE BEVERLY S SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER.
IT'S THE BEVERLY S SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER.
IT'S THE BEVERLY, IT'S THE BEVERLY SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO RENAME IT IF WE MOVE IT TO A PLACE THAT ISN'T EVEN A HILL SO THE GOOGLE TOWER CAN CLAIM IT.
FOR 60 YEARS IT'S BEEN SHAKESPEARE WITH FOLKS ON THE EDGE OF THEIR BLANKETS LIKE MCBETH.
THE BEVERLY SCHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER IS ACTUALLY A RED HERRING TO DISTRACT THE FACT THAT THE MAIN ACT IS THE BIG TICKETMASTER.
WE'RE SERVING MUHAMMAD MOVED MOUNTAINS.
THEY WANNA MOVE HILLS, BUT THEY WORSHIP DIFFERENT VISIONS.
THE GREEN GREENE IS NOT THE CREEK THAT BEVERLY S SHEFFIELD WAS SAVING.
THE BEVERLY S SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER WATER WEEK GOING TO RENAME IT.
PNC BANK, IS THAT TOO OBVIOUS? NO.
THOMAS J. HENRY THE NAME WE TRUST AND WHY? BECAUSE THEY TELL US TO.
AUSTIN IS A SUMMER CITY AT BARTON SPRINGS ETERNAL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH FAUST, OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH FAUST.
SARAH, WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY KATHERINE GOODWIN.
MY TESTIMONY IS AN HONOR OF ROBERTA CRENSHAW, JUDY F. STUART HENRY, AND JOAN MEANS CABBEL.
THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS, OFTEN WITH THE HELP OF THE PARKS BOARD, DRAGGED THE CITY KICKING AND SCREAMING INTO BUYING THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT BUILDING THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, AND INTEGRATING BARTON SPRINGS.
ROBERTA ALSO STOPPED AT AMUSEMENT PARK PLANNED FOR THE SHORES OF TOWN LAKE.
IN CASE THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR TONIGHT, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THEIR TEAM AS PARKS LEADERS USE YOUR POWER TO STOP THIS PLAN AND REDIRECT IT INTO THE VISION YOU ARE HEARING AND SEEING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
KEEP THE HILLSIDE THEATER ON THE HILL AND CANCEL THE AMPHITHEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN.
PROTECT BARTON SPRINGS BY REMOVING THE UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE AND KILL THE NEW BRIDGE ACROSS LADYBIRD LAKE, WHICH NO ONE
[02:00:01]
UNDERSTANDS.THERE'S NO SILENT MAJORITY HERE.
THERE'S NO HARD DIVIDED ISSUE.
YOU'RE REALLY HEARING AND SEEING WHAT PEOPLE WANT.
I WENT TO EVERY SURVEY MEETING VIRTUAL IN PERSON.
THIS IS WHAT WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS WHAT THEY WANT.
NO ONE ASKED FOR THE AMPHITHEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN AND NO ONE UNDERSTOOD IT.
AND IF YOU WATCHED, THERE'S A VIDEO MEETING WHERE THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO THE HILLSIDE THEATER PEOPLE WHO WERE LIKE, WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS EITHER.
SO, UM, DON'T VOTE TONIGHT AND TAKE THE TIME.
YOU NEED TO REDIRECT THIS PLAN INTO A VISION THAT HAS REAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHERINE GOODWIN.
KATHERINE HAS TWO MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY EVAN UCCI AND ANNA AGUIRE.
WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU ON? WE'RE ON NUMBER 66.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, FOR YOUR WORK.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE VOLUNTEERS AND I THANK YOU.
UM, I HAD A, I WANNA, I THANK PEOPLE FOR TALKING ABOUT WATERLOO PARK CUZ I HAD, I WAS ALMOST A CASUALTY THERE, BUT I MADE IT THROUGH.
UM, I WENT TO WATERLOO PARK AND I'M CONCERNED THAT WHAT HAPPENED THERE MIGHT HAPPEN HERE AT ZER PARK IF IT BECOMES A SORT OF AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
UM, I WAS LEAVING WATERLOO PARK AFTER ATTENDING A DANCE CONCERT.
AS I WALKED UP THE STEPS TOWARD WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN EXIT, I WAS STOPPED BY A WOMAN WHO SAID AN EVENT WAS HAPPENING AND I COULDN'T GO THAT WAY.
UM, I WAS JUST TRYING TO LEAVE THE PARK.
THE EVENT WAS ACTUALLY TO THE EAST OF WHERE WE WERE STANDING AND THE EXIT WAS TO THE WEST, WAS ALMOST EMPTY.
THE WOMAN BLOCKING MY WAY HAD NO NAME TAG OR UNIFORM, SO I PERSISTED AND I LEFT THE PARK.
BUT I DON'T THINK EVER IN MY LIFE I'D BEEN TOLD I COULDN'T EXIT A PARK TRYING TO GO JUST ACROSS THE STREET TO WHERE MY CAR WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE.
I ALSO HAD TO WALK ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PARK TO GET TO THE DANCE CONCERT CUZ NO ONE WOULD LET ME WALK THROUGH THE PARK.
UM, WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ZILKER PARK IS WHEN I ENTER THAT PARK, I CAN GO ANYWHERE I WANT TO IN THE PARK.
IF I WANNA SWIM, I PAY MY FEE AND I GO IN.
IF I WANNA SEE A PLAY, I BRING MY BLANKET AND MY PICNIC BASKET.
I HAVE BEEN COMING TO ZILKER PARK FOR 50 YEARS AND I FEEL IT'S THE MOST FRIENDLY AND THE MOST RELAXED PLACE IN AUSTIN.
UM, ZUCKER PARK DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER WELCOMING CENTER.
UM, I'VE DONE SOME READING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I'M IN FAVOR OF REWILDING AND THE OTHER OPTIONS, UH, THAT WERE PRESENTED IN THE MARCH 10TH, 2023, UH, ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION.
I, UH, URGE YOU TO READ THAT I WANT PARK TO CONTINUE TO RUN THE PARK AND I WANT A C L THANK YOU TO MOVE TO A LARGER VENUE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EVAN TANA GUCCI.
EVAN TANA GUCCI IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY ANNA AGUIRE.
MAUREEN HASKELL AND BENJAMIN HEK.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M EVAN TONY GUCCI, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF BOSTON, AND A BOARD MEMBER OF ZER 3 51.
AND I'M NOT BEING PAID TO BE HERE REGARDLESS.
THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS WE NEED THIS VISION PLAN.
ZER PARK IS THE SAME AS IT WAS WHEN I GOT HERE IN 1963.
AND IT WAS IN THE HINTERLAND BACK THEN.
IT WAS IN THE HINTERLAND AND BARTON SPRINGS ROAD WAS A COUNTRY ROAD BECAUSE ROLLING WOOD AND WESTLAKE HILLS WERE NOT DEVELOPED YET.
SO FAST FORWARD TO 2023 WHEN ZER PARK IS NOW CONSIDERED CENTRAL AUSTIN AND THE URBAN FABRIC HAS CHANGED IMMENSELY AND THE CONCEPT OF METROPOLITAN PARKS HAVE A NEW MEANING.
IT'S TIME TO GET WITH THE TIMES AUSTIN.
SECONDLY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AUSTIN'S RACKER GROWTH HAS UNFORTUNATELY INCREASED THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE HAVES AND THE HAVE-NOTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
NOT EVERYONE CAN WALK TO THE PARK FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR THEY CAN'T TAKE AN UBER TO GET THERE.
SO SINCE THIS IS A METROPOLITAN PARK, IT SHOULD BE EASILY AND EQUALLY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NEXT SPEAKER.
I WILL REMIND EVERYONE THAT Y'ALL, THAT EVERYONE IS SPEAKING ON THE, THEIR POSITION AND THERE'S NO NEED TO BOO ANYONE FOR THEIR POSITION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNA AGUIRE, FOLLOWED BY MAUREEN HASKELL AND THEN
[02:05:01]
BENJAMIN HEK.GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M THE MEDIA PEST PRES, UH, CHAIR OF THE SOUTHEAST COMPANY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM AND THE D TWO RESIDENT.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL, WHICH REPRESENTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
MANY REPRESENTATIVES ARE HERE, INCLUDING JULIE WOODS OR SECTOR SEVEN SOUTH CENTRAL REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL BE SPEAKING LATER THIS EVENING.
WE, ON MARCH 23RD OF LAST YEAR, WE VOTED ON AND PASSED A REWILDING OF ZE PARK RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS, WHICH WAS EMAILED TO YOU FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS.
PART OF OUR MISSION HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE OUR FOUNDER, JOAN BARDS SECURED DOTTY JORDAN PARK IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, WHICH WOULD NOT BE THERE IF DEVELOPMENT HAD OCCURRED.
THE COUNCIL ENDORSED THE RE WELDING ZER PARK REPORT AND REQUESTED THAT ITS RECOMMENDATION BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF DIVISION PLAN.
THE CONTACT TEAM ALSO HEARD A PRIOR PRESENTATION AND VOICE CONCERNS REGARDING THE RELOCATION OF THE AMPHITHEATER AND THE PROPOSED PARKING.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT PARKING? THE QUESTION POSED WAS, WHY NOT SET A FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO ZILKER PARK FOR D TWO RESIDENTS? THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAUREEN HASKELL.
MAUREEN HASKELL IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
IS BENJAMIN HELLENIC HERE BEFORE BENJAMIN SPEAKS? UH, WE CALLED PHU PNU EARLIER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BENJAMIN NIK.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, WHICH GRANTED HAS NOT BEEN ALL THAT LONG, BUT STILL I LOVE LIVING HERE BECAUSE ALL THE NATURAL AREAS THEY'VE INSPIRED ME TO ENTER THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD IN COLLEGE.
UH, THIS PLAN, I FEEL IT STANDS IN OPPOSITION TO WHAT THE CITY REALLY WANTS AND WHAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE CITY ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE.
WHEN WE WILL BE LIVING HERE, UH, ALLOWING ANY SORTS OF DEVELOPMENT OR PROJECTS THAT'S, IT'S NOT GOOD.
THE PARKING GARAGES, THE AMPHITHEATER, THAT WELCOME CENTER IN THE FLOODPLAIN, THOSE THINGS ARE UNETHICAL AND THEY SHOW LOYALTY TO TOURISTS AND TO VENDORS RATHER THAN TO THE PEOPLE WHO CALL AUSTIN HOME AND WANT TO LIVE HERE FOR THEIR LIVES.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE, UM, WE WILL HAVE TO, MY, MY GENERATION ALREADY HAS TO ADDRESS HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROBLEMS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO US AS, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT WORSENS.
AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FACE THIS KIND OF THING IN MY CITY.
SO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION NOW AND DON'T SUPPORT THE PLAN.
OUR NEXT PICKER IS BEN LIVINGSTON.
BEN LIVINGSTON IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AFTER BEN WILL BE KAY MORRIS, AND THEN BRIAN WILLIAMS. BRYNN WILLIAMS. I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY MY MINUTE TO CHRIS LAKEY.
COULD YOU COME OVER HERE AND WE'LL GET THAT ALL SORTED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN LIVINGSTON.
IS BEN LIVINGSTON HERE? YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
UM, KAY MORRIS WILL BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER THEN.
THIS WE'RE ON MELISSA SPEAKER.
I GREW UP IN A GRAVE REFINERY TOWN AND, UM, MY FAMILY DIDN'T TRAVEL.
SO WHEN I MOVED TO AUSTIN, I THOUGHT THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT IN SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THIS SILK OR PARK IT'S PARADISE.
I THINK THE CHILDREN HERE IN AUSTIN ARE A LOT LIKE I WAS.
THEY ARRIVE AT ZER PARK AND THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S SO GREEN, SO EXPANSIVE, SO EASY.
AND MOSTLY IT'S A SOFT PLACE TO LAND.
NOW THEY HAVE FREEDOM TO FILL THE AIR AS THEY MOVE THROUGH GREEN SPACE, BUT THEY ARE NOT MEANT TO MOVE THROUGH GARAGE LEVELS AND ELEVATORS TO GET TO THAT GREEN SPACE.
WE DON'T WANNA PARK TO HAVE HARD EDGES.
GARAGE STRUCTURES ARE SIREN CALLS FOR MORE AND MORE CA CARS, CHILDREN'S AND FAMILIES WILL BE FORCED TO ENTER AND EXIT YET ANOTHER CONCRETE STRUCTURE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS LEIGHTON.
CHRIS LEIGHTON IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY KAY MORRIS.
I JUST HAVE THIS TO SAY, THIS FEELS LIKE A SPIRITUAL ISSUE TO ME.
[02:10:01]
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST MY ENTIRE LIFE.IN, IN THE EIGHTIES FOR A SOLID DECADE, I HAD THE, THE FORTUNE, UH, TO TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH A BAND THAT I PLAYED WITH STEVIE RAY VAUGHN IN DOUBLE TROUBLE.
AND WE WORKED IN AND OUT OF 63 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT, WELL, I'M AWAY FROM HOME.
MAYBE I'LL FIND A PLACE LIKE BARTON SPRINGS.
I NEVER EVEN CAME CLOSE TO THAT.
AND AS I MET PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD WHEN THEY SAID, OH, YOU'RE FROM TEXAS, YOU'RE FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
THEY GO, THAT PLACE I HEAR IS VERY MAGICAL, ESPECIALLY, I GO, WHAT IS THAT? IS IT THE MUSIC? I SAID, I THINK IT STARTS WITH THAT POOL DOWN IN THE, THE MIDDLE OF ZILKER PARK CALLED BARTON SPRINGS.
AND I DON'T, UM, I'VE, I'VE PLAYED LOTS OF AMPHITHEATER, LOTS OF LIVE NATION AMPHITHEATER, TICKETMASTER.
I'VE BEEN IN 'EM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I'VE SEEN ALL KINDS OF PLANS WHERE THEY SAY, WE'RE, THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN HERE.
AND I'VE GONE BACK AND IT REALLY NEVER SEEMED TO TURN OUT THAT WAY.
AND I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF NONPROFITS AND THAT WERE MOSTLY NONPROFIT EXCEPT FOR THE STUFF THAT WAS ON THE SIDE.
NEXT SPEAKER, ROBERT SINGLE KING, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT SINGLETON, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT CORBIN.
I I LOVE A CHALLENGE TO SUMMARIZE.
NO PARKING, UH, GARAGE, NO PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, NO AMPHITHEATER, BUT I DON'T ALWAYS SAY NO.
TO RE-VEGETATION AND, UH, RESTORATION.
TO SUNSHINE, FRESH AIR, CLEAN WATER, BIRDS, BEES, AND SQUIRRELS.
AND FINALLY, IF THIS IS YOUR VISION FOR ZILKER PARK, I THINK YOU NEED GLASSES.
KAREN HAYDEN, UH, VISION IS AN INTERESTING WORD AND IT'S OFTEN HARD TO GRASP AND I KIND OF WONDERED MAYBE I COULD SEE IT IN ACTION.
AND SO TWO DAYS AGO, UH, SATURDAY I WENT TO WALLER CREEK WHERE SUPPOSEDLY 260 MILLION IS GONNA BE SPENT.
AND I WALKED WALLER CREEK AND I GOT TO ALL THE WAY FROM THE RIVER TO WATERLOO PARK, WHICH I REMEMBER AS A PLACE WHERE I HAD GONE TO AN EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AND DIFFERENT THINGS OVER THE YEARS.
AND I WAS AGHAST AT WHAT I FOUND.
I MEAN, IF THAT'S VISION AND YOU NEED HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUY THAT VISION, IT WAS THE MOST AWESOME VISIONLESS VISION I HAVE EVER SEEN.
THE ENTIRE PARK IS NOTHING BUT CONCRETE AND PHONY.
I MEAN, THE PLANTS, YEAH, THERE WERE SOME NATIVE PLANTS THERE, BUT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN MADE OUTTA PLASTIC BECAUSE OF THE SETTING THEY WERE SITTING IN.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S NO VISION AT ALL.
I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION ABOUT THIS PLANT.
KAREN HADDEN, FOLLOWED BY JOY KOVSKI AND NICK WESTER.
UM, GREAT CITIES HAVE GREAT PARKS AND AUSTIN IS A GREAT CITY BECAUSE OF OUR PEOPLE AND BECAUSE OF OUR PARKS.
AND ZILKER PARK IS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THE JEWEL OF THE CITY.
I URGE YOU DON'T PAVE THE SOUL OF OUR CITY.
WE COULD USE MORE, UH, ZERO EMISSION SHUTTLES WITH TO HELP KEEP THE AIR CLEAN, TO GET IT EASY TO COME TO THE PARK.
BUT WE DO NOT WANT PARKING GARAGES.
ZUCKER PARK HAS IN IT A PEACE GARDEN THAT VOLUNTEERS HELPED PLANT MANY YEARS AGO.
IT COMMEMORATES NUCLEAR BOMBS AND, AND WORKS TOWARD A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD.
THIS AREA NEEDS MORE CARE AND WATERING.
WE NEED TO WATER AND CARE FOR THE PLANTS THAT ARE THERE.
SCRAP THE VISION PLAN AND DO NOT PAVE THE SOUL OF OUR CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE JOY KOVSKI, FOLLOWED BY NICK WESTER AND BOBBY LEVINSKY.
THANKS FOR, UM, BEARING WITH EVERYBODY HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I WANTED TO KNOW IF MR. MCGEE WAS STILL HERE, CUZ I WOULD LIKE TO WEAR HIS, UH, UNICORN HAT CUZ I TOO AM
[02:15:01]
A UNICORN.I HAVE A LOT OF FOND MEMORIES OF ZILKER PARK.
I HAD MY FIRST KISS IN ZER PARK.
UM, I ALSO REMEMBER SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENED IN THE NINETIES BEFORE I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE.
AND THIS TOWN VOTED DOWN MASS TRANSIT.
WE'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH MASS TRANSIT TO ZILKER PARK.
UM, I WISH WE WERE IN A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT AGE AND I HOPE THROUGH PROJECT CONNECT, IF IT WON'T TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE, THAT THAT PROJECT CONNECT WILL CONTINUE IN THIS TOWN.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, AUSTIN HAS A BAD HABIT OF THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT IN THIS PLAN ARE NOT PERFECT THAT WE DON'T ALL AGREE ON, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH BATH WATER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE NICK WESTER, FOLLOWED BY BOBBY LAVINSKY AND KATIE DITU, D I C T U S.
GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS NICK WESTER, A CITIZEN OF AUSTIN, A PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND THE CHAIR-ELECT OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
I'VE COME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THIS VISION PLAN DUE TO AUSTIN'S RAPID GROWTH WITHOUT PROPER ACTION AND MANAGEMENT DAMAGE WILL OCCUR TO ZAK OR PARK AS A RECREATIONAL AMENITY.
WHILE SOME WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT ANY PROGRESSIVE ACTION, EXPANSION OR EVOLUTION OF ZAK OR PARK WILL BE THE WRONG DE DECISION, TAKING NO ACTION WILL CAUSE FURTHER, UH, FAR MORE DAMAGE IN THE LONG TERM AND WILL THREATEN THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THIS GREAT AMERICAN PARK.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRINCIPLES DESCRIBED IN THIS PLAN ARE, ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE TENANTS LAID OUT IN OUR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
GIVEN AUSTIN'S METEOR GROWTH, THE WORST THING THAT WE CAN DO IS TO TAKE NO ACTION IN ENSURING THAT THE FUTURE OF THIS GREAT PARK IS PROTECTED BY MAKING THE REASONABLE AND BALANCE RECOMMENDATIONS PROPOSED IN THIS PLAN.
THIS WILL SECURE THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THE PARK AND SO, AND SOLIDIFY ITS CONTINUED ROLE AS A RECREATIONAL AND ECOLOGICAL BEACON SHINING BRIGHTLY ON THE AUSTIN LANDSCAPE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BOBBY LEVINSKY, FOLLOWED BY KATIE DITU, D I C T U S, AND THEN MICHAEL SAOS.
I'M HERE WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE IN SUPPORT OF THE REWILD PLAN.
YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
WE'RE NOT JUST OPPOSING THE VISION PLAN.
WE'RE SUPPORTING A PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY'S ADOPTED GOALS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOR MOBILITY.
BUILDING PARKING GARAGES IN ZILKER PARK IS COUNTER TO BOTH OF THOSE GOALS, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HONESTLY THINK THAT IT, IT'S KINDA LIKE TWILIGHT ZONE.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, COUNCIL IS MOVING FORWARD WITH ELIMINATING PARKING, REGULA, UH, PARKING REQUIREMENTS IN THE ZONING CATEGORIES TO MEET THESE GOALS.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING PARKING GARAGES ON A ONE FOR ONE BASIS TO PRESERVE PARK ILLEGAL PARKING IN THE PARK AND NOT JUST DO THE EASY SOLUTION OF FUNDING THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS FOR LEGAL USE OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY FUNDS TO FUND A SHUTTLE, TO GET PEOPLE FROM UN UNDERUTILIZED AND VACANT PARKING GARAGES ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS TO THE PARK, WHICH WHAT THEY ALREADY DO DURING ACL AND MAJOR EVENTS, IT IS A FEASIBLE SOLUTION THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE HERE ARGUING ABOUT.
WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE HONEST DIS DISCUSSION BETWEEN YOU, BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS, REAL STAKEHOLDERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, THE PEOPLE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE KATIE DITU.
UH, MICHAEL SAPOS AFTER MICHAEL'S GONNA BE HOLLY HAWK AND THEN JULIE, UH, TING.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT FOR THREE YEARS, AND I'M A PRACTICING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
AND I, UM, EXPRESSED MY OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE Z PROVISION PLAN.
UM, I THINK THAT THE VISION PLAN REPRESENTS THE FUTURE OF ZILKER PARK BEING A MORE ACCESSIBLE, ECOLOGICALLY RESILIENT AND EQUITABLE PARK FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE HOLLY HAWK.
HOLLY HAWK IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY JULIE TIK TEG.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO MR. MCGEE FOR BORROWING ME, LETTING ME BORROW THIS, MY DAUGHTER'S FIFTH GENERATION IN OUR HOME IN ZILKER.
SO WE ARE FIVE GENERATIONS OF UNICORNS.
[02:20:01]
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT WITH THE ZUL BOTANICAL GARDEN CONSERVANCY, AND WE ARE SUPPORTING THE VISION PLAN.UM, WE SERVE OVER 160,000 VISITORS AND WOULD LIKE SAFER PATHWAYS FOR FOLKS TO COME VISIT OUR SPACE, THAT SPACE THAN CURRENTLY EXIST.
FOR THIS REASON, WE SUPPORT THE LAND BRIDGE ACROSS BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TO PROVIDE SAFER A D A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS AND IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
UH, ANOTHER CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT FOR ZOCOR BOTANICAL GARDEN WOULD BE TO, UH, HAVE GREATER PUBLIC TRANSITS IN AND OUT OF THE METROPOLITAN PARK IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO END BY SHARING THAT TO THE VISION PLAN.
ECOLOGICALLY RESTORES 92 ACRES OF THE PARK, AND THAT I HOPE THAT OUR GROUPS MAY LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER AND FIND COMMON GROUND.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIE TIG, T I G H E.
IS JULIE HERE AFTER JULIE IS, IT'S LOCKED MY MICROPHONE.
AND AFTER PHILLIP, IT'S GONNA BE MARK MAY.
MY NAME IS PHILIP HAMMOND, AND I'M A AUSTIN RESIDENT, AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL TEXAS ASLA CHAIR OR, UM, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
I, TOO AM ALSO A PRACTICING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE VISION PLAN, KNOWING THAT IT IS NOT THE FINAL PLAN, BUT KNOWING IT IS A GREAT VISION FOR WHAT IS TO COME FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE HERE FOR CREATING A RESPECTFUL GROUND ON WHICH TO SUPPORT OR TO OPPOSE THIS PLAN, UM, IN MY SUPPORT.
UM, IT'S BASED ON THE A SLA VALUES, WHICH IS HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE.
ON TOP OF THAT, OUR VALUES ALSO STAND FOR EQUITY AND ACCESS.
WHEN I SEE ZUCKER, I WANNA SEE CLEANER AIR.
THERE'S MORE TREES ADDED THAT IS A PART OF HEALTH.
WHEN I SEE ZUCKER, I SEE LUNE ROAD, I SEE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, A MAJOR ARTERIAL.
THE VISION PLAN CALLS FOR SAFE ACCESS OVER AND THROUGH THAT, UM, REDUCING PARKING WITHIN THE PARK, BUT EQUATING PARKING, UM, THROUGH A GARAGE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK MAY, FOLLOWED BY JULIE WOODS AND RICH PALM.
BEFORE, UH, MARK SPEAKS, I WANNA MAKE SURE, DO WE MISS MAUREEN HASKELL? WAS SHE OUT OF THE ROOM WHEN WE CALLED HER? HER NAME MAUREEN HASKELL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE MARK MAY.
I THINK I KNOW WHAT'S ON THE, IT'S ON THE PAPER.
I'M A, A FRIZZY PLAYER AT THE PARK.
WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY WAS ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT'S IN, THAT'S IN THE PLAN THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE SHEET.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THOSE CHANGES VETTED.
UM, THEY CHANGED THE IMPERVIOUS COVER NUMBERS.
THEY'VE BEEN REALLY FIGHTING TO GET THOSE RIGHT.
AND, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE TABLE THAT THE ROAD COUNT FOR, FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER CHANGED.
AND WHY THAT IS, IS BECAUSE THEY MADE A CHANGE TO, UH, THE ROADS, LU LUNE AND OTHERS TO MAKE THEM, UH, PERVIOUS NOW.
AND SO, I'M, SO I'M WONDERING, WELL, WHO ASKED FOR THAT CHANGE? I'D LIKE YOU TO ASK THEM, WHO, WHO DID THAT? THIS IS A MAJOR DEAL TO PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO PARK ON LUNA ROAD AND PLAY ULTIMATE AND SOCCER A HUGE DEAL.
AND WHY DID THEY CHOOSE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE OF ALL THE CHANGES THEY COULD HAVE MADE TO THE PLAN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO? WHY DID THEY CHOOSE THAT ONE? I WANT YOU TO ASK THEM THAT.
WHY? AND ALSO LOOK AT, LOOK AT THE COST, UH, TABLE.
THEY CLAIM THAT THAT CHANGE IS BETWEEN 100 K TO 500 K.
IS THAT AN ACCURATE NUMBER? AND THEN ASK YOURSELF, IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLAN THAT WE CAN TRUST? THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE JULIE WOODS, FOLLOWED BY RICH DALMA.
EARLIER WE CALLED KAY MORRIS AS KAY MORRIS IN THE ROOM.
DO WE MISS KAY MORRIS WHEN SHE WAS OUT OF THE ROOM? OKAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE JULIE WOODS, FOLLOWED BY RICH DEPALMA.
UM, I, MY NAME IS JULIE WOODS AND I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL AND THE SOUTH, THE SOUTH CENTRAL COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE REPRESENT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE CITY, NOT JUST IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE SUPPORT THE REWILDING
[02:25:01]
PLAN.WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY BEFORE.
WE HAVE WATCHED CHANGES OVER THE YEARS.
WE KNOW WHEN MONEY HAS GOT THEIR THUMB ON THE SCALE.
THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN FRONT OF US.
I WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE I CAN TAKE A SHUTTLE BUS FROM CAMPUS OR FROM DOWNTOWN TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL, SWIM ON MY LUNCH BREAK, GET A SHOWER, GO BACK TO WORK.
CAN WE HAVE THAT PLEASE? WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE US LEGENDARY, YOU GUYS, ABSOLUTELY LEGENDARY AS CITIZENS AND STEWARDS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICH DEPALMA, FOLLOWED BY KELLY GOATS, AND THEN MORGAN WOFT.
I WROTE IN 2009, ONE WHILE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
MY CONCERN ABOUT THE ORGANIZED OPPOSITION TO THE ZER VISION PLAN IS THAT IT FEELS LIKE AN EFFORT WILL TAKE US BACK TO A TIME WHEN THE PARK AND SPRINGS WAS SUCCESSFUL, ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO CERTAIN RESIDENTS.
HOWEVER, TODAY, IT WON'T BE A SIGN OUT FRONT SAYING WHO IS ALLOWED.
IT WON'T SPECIFICALLY TARGET RESIDENTS THAT LOOK LIKE MY KIDS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING MUCH MORE SUBTLE.
IT FEELS LIKE USING THE ENVIRONMENT AS A CLOAK TO EXCLUDE OTHERS.
IT FEELS LIKE AN EFFORT TO CREATE BARRIERS FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT LIVE NEAR NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS TO ACCESS THE PARK AND SPRINGS REMOVING INFORMAL PARKING WITHOUT REPLACING IT WITH ADDITIONAL PARKING.
AND ALTHOUGH I STRONGLY SUPPORT MULTI-MODAL TRANSIT OPTIONS, IT FEELS LIKE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT TELLING FAMILIES TO TAKE A ONE TO TWO HOUR BUS RIDE TO THE PARK WILL ADDRESS USAGE EVEN MORE.
I FEAR THAT THE OPPOSITION WILL USE THE TRADITIONAL TOOLS TO INFLUENCE ATTACK THE DEPARTMENT, THE CONSULTANT OR CRATE FEAR, LIKE THOSE WHO SAID THAT THE RECOMPETE OF THE BUDGET WITH BUTLER PITCH AND PUTT CONTRACT WAS TO BUILD CONDOS ON THE SITE.
NOW, IN 2023, THIS SUMMER MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEGREGATION ENDING IN AUSTIN'S PARKS.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND NOT BACKWARDS AND HAVE A ZILKER FOR ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY GOZ, G O E T Z.
IT'S GONNA BE MORGAN WHIT HOF, AND THEN TINA RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN SAY THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID YET, UH, OTHER THAN I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION AND CREATIVITY AND LEADING WITH INTU INTUITION.
UM, AND TO ALLOW SOME STILLNESS AND TO OFFER A MOMENT OF BREATH.
UM, SO IF Y'ALL WANNA BREATHE WITH ME, YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EYES IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE, IF Y'ALL WANT TO, YOU CAN, OR YOU CAN JUST FIND A GAZE TO THE FLOOR AND YOU CAN EXHALE IT ALL OUT IN TAKING A DEEP INHALE AND EXHALING AGAIN, INHALE AND EXHALE.
INHALE AND EXHALE, AND THEN JUST SITTING UNTIL OUR TIMER GOES OFF AND CONNECTING TO A GROUNDED
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE MORGAN WHIT, H MORGAN.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING A, UH, RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION.
I BRAGGED MY OUT-OF-STATE FRIENDS THAT WE CAN COME TALK TO OUR PARKS BOARD AND THEY PAY ATTENTION.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
I DO TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE EARLIER COMMENTER WHO SAID THAT Y'ALL REACHED OUT FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND CONTACTED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
I HAPPENED TO BE ON THE BOARD OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SO, UM, AS THE CITY GETS CROWDED AND LARGE AND URBAN AND BUSY AND FAST, WHAT PEOPLE NEED HERE IS NATURAL SPACES.
THEY NEED TREES, THEY NEED PLANTS, THEY NEED FLOWERS.
THEY DO NOT NEED ANYTHING WITH MORE CONCRETE.
SO ANYTHING ON YOUR LIST THAT'S CONCRETE INVOLVES POURING CONCRETE.
YOU CAN JUST CHUCK THAT RIGHT OUT OF THE PLAN.
AND FINALLY, THE WORST THING YOU COULD DO IS TAKE THE ZILKER PARK.
ZER PARK BELONGS TO ALL THE PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU HAND IT OVER TO A MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION CALLED TICKETMASTER THAT'S TRADED ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, YOU'VE DONE A TERRIBLE THING.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE CAMOUFLAGED AS C3.
I KNOW C3 IS CAMOUFLAGED AS SOME KIND OF NONPROFIT.
BUT IT'S RIGHT THERE, AND IT'S ASKING FOR AN AMPHITHEATER.
WHICH IS GONNA MAKE THEM RICH AND DO NOTHING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TINA RODRIGUEZ.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TINA RODRIGUEZ.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TINA RODRIGUEZ.
WE HAVE A MO WE HAVE A MOTION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECESS FOR A FIVE MINUTE BATHROOM BREAK.
[02:30:02]
SUSTAIN TINA.THERE'S A SECOND FROM, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER BAAN.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL, WE'LL BE WE'LL BE BACK AT 9 37.
IS THIS THING ON? YEAH, THERE HE GOES.
WE'RE GONNA START GETTING, WE'RE PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS.
WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT TO RETURN FROM RECESS.
IS THIS THING ON? YEAH, IT IS.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE, WE'RE ABOUT TO START AGAIN.
WE'RE ABOUT TO END OUR RECESS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER BOARD, ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT SPEAKER? YES, IT IS NOW EIGHT 40, AND WE ARE BACK FROM RECESS.
WHO IS THE NEXT SPEAKER? MR. DON BECK.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE TINA RODRIGUEZ, FOLLOWED BY BEN LIVINGSTON AND CURTIS ROGERS.
I HAVE A FEW THINGS I HAVE TO SAY.
MY NAME IS TINA RODRIGUEZ, AND I'M A RESIDENT MERMAID OF BAR IN SPRINGS.
AND WHEN I CALL MYSELF A RESIDENT, I MEAN, THE SPRINGS IS LITERALLY MY HOME.
I SWIM THERE EVERY DAY, AND I KNOW THAT I'M NOT ALONE.
THERE ARE A HUNDRED THOUSANDS, AND NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT HAVE PARKS AND SPRINGS AS THEIR DAILY LIFE, BUT THE PEOPLE PROPOSING THIS PLAN DON'T, THEY'RE DISCONNECTED FROM THIS PRECIOUS BODY OF GREEN SPACE AND ARE WANTING TO PUT HER UNDER THE KNIFE FOR AN ELECTIVE SURGERY THAT SHE NEVER ASKED FOR IN ORDER TO PAD THE POCKETS OF THEIR PANTS.
THIS VISION PLAN ISN'T MAKING HER MORE BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S LIKE GIVING HER A SET OF BREAST IMPLANTS THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY AND WILL BE TOXIC IN THE END.
DON'T YOU KNOW THAT IN THE END, IT ISN'T JUST MONEY THAT YOU WILL SPEND, BUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE FUTURE OF OUR PRESIDENT CITY.
HOW FAR INTO THE FUTURE ARE YOU? CAN YOU ACTUALLY SEE WHAT ARE WE CHOOSING FOR OUR LEGACY? IT WOULD BE TRULY A PITY FOR ANY OF US TO SAY THAT ON THIS FATEFUL DAY IN MAY, THE HEART AND SOUL THAT AUSTIN WAS SOLD TO TICKETMASTER, PLEASE SAY NO TO THIS VISION PLAN.
IT HAS NO VISION OF THE FUTURE AND THE DAMAGE THAT WILL BE DONE.
AND IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, THE DAMAGE CANNOT BE UNDONE.
LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF NATURE.
LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE.
PROTECT THE SACRED, PROTECT THE WATER, PROTECT THE LAND.
YOU HAVE THE HEART AND THE ALL OF THE SINS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, THE FUTURE OF THE PEOPLE.
WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER? OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE BEN LIVINGSTON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BEN LIVINGSTON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BEN LIVINGSTON, FOLLOWED BY CURTIS ROGERS, AND THEN HEATHER EBERLY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN LIVINGSTON.
HELLO, MY NAME'S BEN LIVINGSTON.
I'M HERE TO HELP STOP THE ZILKER VISION PLAN FROM HAPPENING.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS TURNED.
NOW I JUST WANNA SPEAK WITH ALL OF YOU ABOUT SOMETHING.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALL HERE.
YOU'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE WANTED YOU HERE.
SO I HOPE YOU CAN TAKE IT IN YOUR HEARTS TO DO SOMETHING YOU'LL BE PROUD OF, WHICH IS PUT THIS VISION PLAN BEHIND YOU, LIKE 83% OF THE REST OF US IN ALL 10 DISTRICTS WHO'VE BEEN PULLED, WHO SAY, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
NO GARAGES IN THE PARK, NONPROFITS BACK OFF.
AND I GOT A WHOLE MINUTE TO KEEP GOING.
MAYBE NO GARAGES IN THE PARK, NONPROFITS BACK OFF.
LEAVE THE GREAT LAWN ALONE, NO GARAGES IN THE PARK, NONPROFITS BACK OFF.
LEAVE THE GREAT LAWN ALONE, NO GARAGES IN THE PARK, NONPROFITS BACK OFF.
LEAVE THE GREAT LAWN ALONE, NO GARAGES IN THE PARK.
LEAVE THE GREAT LAWN ALONE, Y'ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE CURTIS ROGERS.
CURTIS ROGERS IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER EBERLY AND THEN KIMBERLY COLO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CURTIS ROGERS.
UH, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER EBERLY.
HEATHER IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT, UH, SPEAKER.
AND THEN AFTER HEATHER WILL BE KIMBERLY COLOS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THERE ARE CT ON THE FRONT.
IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED FOR YOU TO COME UP TO.
I WAS JUST STANDING AT THE TOP.
UM, AFTER READING THE ZER VISION PLAN, I WAS COMPELLED TO SPEAK SO THAT THE PARKS AND REC BOARD WOULD NOT VOTE IN FAVOR TONIGHT.
AS IT SEEMS LIKE THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WOULD HAPPEN TONIGHT, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE POSTPONED
[02:35:01]
AND REVISED.I BELIEVE P A R D OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEEDS TO CREATE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR EACH REPAIR DELINEATED IN PAGES 1 99 TO 2 0 5, ALSO 180 3, 1 93 2 0 9 2 18.
UM, AS FAR AS THE PAGE 22 COST BENEFIT DIAGRAM THAT YOU GUYS HAD CREATED IN THE PLAN, UM, NO PARKING GARAGES.
UM, IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO ANYTHING, MAYBE REHAB A BUTLER WITH FILTRATION FOR RUNOFF.
IMPERVIOUS COVER WASN'T DIRECTLY LAID.
I MADE LIKE 10 LISTS OF THINGS.
I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY REGULATORY AGENCIES OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE NOT SEEN.
REALLY NOT ENOUGH, BUT THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KIMBERLY COLOS, FOLLOWED BY KELSEY HUGHES AND THEN ERIN HERMIS.
BOARD MEMBERS AND CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR CHOOSING TO SPEND THEIR EVENING THIS WAY.
IT INSTILLS A REAL, UM, FAITH IN THE SYSTEM TO ME THAT WE CAN STAND AND SPEAK, UM, ABOUT SOMETHING WE LOVE SO MUCH.
IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, MY FAMILY MOVED HERE FROM MINNESOTA.
BASICALLY, MY DAD GOT US ALL OFF THE PLANE, AND WE DROVE TO BARTON SPRINGS AND HE SAID, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA LIVE.
AND WE HAD LIVED FOR A WHILE IN MINNESOTA, AND THIS WAS SO DIFFERENT, BUT WE FELL IN LOVE, SITTING ON THE HILL THERE, LOOKING AT THE SPRINGS AND FEELING IT.
WE FELL IN LOVE WITH WHAT AUSTIN WAS AND IS IN THE PAST 20 YEARS.
I, UM, I IN, I PURCHASED A HOME IN THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I HAVE WATCHED, UM, WHAT HAPPENS AT ZILKER PARK EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE I DRIVE THROUGH ZILKER PARK TWO TIMES, AND I THINK THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THANK YOU.
KELSEY HUGHES, KELSEY HUGHES, ERIN HERBES, KELSEY HUGHES, ERIN HERS, NICHOLAS RAMIREZ, ROY WHALEY.
ARE ANY OF THOSE SPEAKERS HERE? YES, PLEASE.
ROY, COULD YOU HANG ON ROY, SIR, WE DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED TO HEAR.
I GUESS YOU HAVE SPOKEN, BUT THANK YOU.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING UP HIS TIME.
I YOU WANT ME TO GET START? YES, SIR.
I'M A FOURTH GENERATION BORN AUSTINITE.
UM, I GREW UP, UH, BA BASICALLY MY MOTHER'S ROOM GOING TO BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK HEAVILY AGAINST THIS.
UM, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE PATRIOT ACT? OH, IT CAME IN AFTER NINE 11.
THEY SOLD IT TO US AS THIS REAL PATRIOTIC THING.
IT TOOK AWAY OUR RIGHTS, OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
THIS IS GOING ON NOW WITH ALL THIS ZER NAMING OF THESE NONPROFITS.
THEY'RE NOT WORKING TO SERVICE.
THEY'RE USING THESE NAMES, INFORMING THESE THINGS AS A POLITICAL PR STUNT TO FOOL EVERYBODY.
WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE PRIVATE THINGS THAT'S ALREADY GOING ON, SUCH AS SUNSHINE CAMP.
LET'S TURN THAT INTO A PARKING LOT PROBLEM SOLVED.
LET'S TURN THAT INTO A PARKING LOT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO ADD ANYTHING.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE AWAY ANYTHING.
WE SHOULDN'T BE TAKING AWAY PARKING THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
I GO SWIMMING THERE EVERY DAY.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PARK, GET OUT WITH OUR BAGS AND PLAY GOLF, GETTING ON SOME OTHER TRANSPORT'S.
ANOTHER THING IS THAT, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE NICHOLAS RAMIREZ.
NICHOLAS RAMIREZ, FOLLOWED BY DONNA HOFFMAN, AND THEN KATHERINE GOODWIN.
SHE'S WALKING, SHE'S WALKING UP.
I WANNA AGREE WITH THE GENTLEMAN WHO SAID THAT WE SHOULD PUT, UM, USE THE PARKING PLACES DOWNTOWN, THE EXTRA PARKING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO PARK AND SHUTTLE TO THE, TO THE, UM, TO THE PARK.
I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE PLAN.
[02:40:02]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHERINE GOODWIN.SHE ALREADY, SHE ALREADY SPOKE TO ME.
AFTER STEVE WILL BE JOE RIDDLE.
AFTER JOE WILL BE CHRISTOPHER V AND THEN NADIA, RUDY, OR RUDY.
SO AFTER JOE WILL BE CHRISTOPHER V AND THEN NADIA.
TWO OF THE MAIN BAD IDEAS IN THE VISION PLAN RELATE TO CONCESSIONS.
THE FIRST IS LETTING AN UMBRELLA NONPROFIT TAKE OVER HANDLING CONCESSIONS, GIVING IT DISCRETION TO CHOOSE THEIR FAVORITE BUSINESSES.
THE SECOND BAY BAD IDEA IS CHANGING THE WAY CONCESSIONS PAY THE CITY FOR THE USE OF PARKLAND.
RIGHT NOW, CONCESSIONAIRES PAY A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR SALES, BUT UNDER THE PLAN, THERE'D BE A FLAT FEE FOR EACH CUSTOMER'S ORDER OR PURCHASE.
IN OTHER WORDS, SOMEONE BUYING A SNOW CONE WOULD PAY THE SAME AMOUNT AS SOMEONE BUYING FOUR HAMBURGERS.
THAT'S INEQUITABLE AND REGRESSIVE.
BUT THE REAL PROBLEM THERE IS THAT THE PROPOSED FLAT FEE WOULD MEAN THE PUBLIC WOULD NO LONGER KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY VENDORS ARE TAKING IN FROM THEIR USE OF THE PUBLIC PARKLAND.
YOU HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
ALLOWING A PRIVATE GROUP TO CHOOSE CONCESSIONAIRES AND LETTING CONCESSIONAIRES HIDE THEIR INCOME FROM THE PUBLIC LAND IS THE OPPOSITE OF TRANSPARENCY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE CHRISTOPHER V.
CHRISTOPHER V HAS TWO MINUTES.
JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO LOOK AT ALL OF YOU IN THE EYES.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A VOLUNTEER.
BUT I MUST ASK YOU, WHEN YOU ARE UP HERE, LISTENING TO US TO PLEASE GIVE US THE INDIVIDUAL UNDIVIDED ATTENTION THAT EACH PERSON DESERVES.
AND TO LISTEN, NOT FROM YOUR MIND, BUT TO LISTEN FROM YOUR HEARTS.
IN A WAY, THIS LANGUAGING IS KIND OF A SEPARATION OF YOU AND US WHEN IN REALITY, WE ARE ALL HUMAN AND HUMAN NEEDS RAW NATURE.
AND THIS IS WHAT ZILKER AND BARTON SPRINGS REPRESENT RAW NATURE.
I'VE BEEN LIVING IN A TWO MINUTE WALK DISTANCE FROM THE SPRINGS FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS, AND I VISIT THE PARK NEARLY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND I'VE WALKED EVERY SINGLE INCH OF THE PARK MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS THE FLOW AND ENERGY OF THIS AREA DUE TO MY DAILY USE.
I WENT TO THE VISION MEETING THEY HAD AT THE PARK, AND WHAT I SAW WERE MANIPULATIVE PICTURES FOLLOWED BY MANIPULATIVE WORDS.
I SAW MANY THINGS IN THIS PLAN THAT SIMPLY WON'T WORK.
AND THE ONLY REASON I KNOW THIS IS BECAUSE OF MY DAILY USE OF THIS AREA.
I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEND.
IF I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEND THIS VAST AMOUNT OF TIME IN THIS AREA, THEN I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THIS FLOW OF THE PARK.
I COMPARED THIS VISIONARY PLAN TO A MILITARY GENERAL TRYING TO LEAD A FOREIGN WAR FROM THE PENTAGON.
THESE PEOPLE WANT TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN, ARE WAGING A WAR ON NATURE, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO LEAD A PLAN WITHOUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PARK OR THE EFFECTS.
YES, THE PARK NEEDS SOME LOVE, SO LET'S CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON IMPROVING THESE SENSITIVE NATURAL AREAS.
THESE RAW, NATURAL AREAS ARE WHAT BRING EVERYONE TO THE PARK TO BEGIN WITH.
THIS VISIONARY PLAN SAYS THEY WANT TO MAKE THE PARK ACCESSIBLE.
HOW ABOUT TAKING DOWN THE PARKING METERS THEY IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR? THIS PLAN SUPPORTS ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE MONEY AND CAN PAY TO PLAY.
WE ALREADY HAVE MANY PARKS IN AUSTIN FOR COMMERCE.
CAN'T WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE NATURE PARK VOTE NO TO THIS PLAN UNTIL WE CAN REVISE IT INTO SOMETHING THAT SUPPORTS NATURE AND SUPPORTS THE PEOPLE.
YOUR NAMES WILL BE WRITTEN IN HISTORY BEYOND THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE NADIA RUDDY, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA BOECK, AND THEN PAUL MOON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NADIA RUDDY, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA BOECK AND THEN PAUL MOON.
UM, I AM AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, BORN AND RAISED HERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN GOING TO SILICON PARK, UM, ALL OF MY LIFE.
UM, AUSTIN IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY BECAUSE OF ITS PARKS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY GREEN SPACES IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I THINK PROTECTING THESE PARKS IS PARAMOUNT TO OUR FUTURE.
UH, IMPLEMENTING PARKING GARAGES AT ZER, UM, IS NOT A VERY LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
THAT IS A VERY SHORT-SIGHTED, UM, IDEA OF OUR FUTURE.
UM, WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO GET PEOPLE TO AND FROM ZILKER.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS MORE LONG TERM.
WE DON'T WANT TO INVEST IN THESE PARKING GARAGES AND INVEST IN MORE CONCRETE ON ZILKER PARK, UM, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE PUTTING A BANDAID ON A BROKEN BONE.
IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM.
[02:45:01]
AN ISSUE.WE NEED BETTER TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE PARK, BUT, OH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PATRICIA BOBAK.
SHE HAS TWO MINUTES, FOLLOWED BY PAUL MOON AND THEN BRENDA CCIO.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MY NAME IS PATRICIA BOBAK, AND I HAVE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR 45 YEARS.
AND AT THAT TIME, I STARTED SWIMMING IN BARTON SPRINGS, AND IT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH MY DECISION TO BECOME A HYDROGEOLOGIST.
THE, UM, AND FROM A POINT OF VIEW OF THE HYDROGEOLOGIST, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THE PARKING GARAGE IS A HYDROGEOLOGIC DISASTER.
THE WEIGHT OF ANY EQUIPMENT THAT YOU SEND IN THERE, THE VIBRATION, THE POUNDING, IS GOING TO CRUSH THE VERY, UM, FRAGILE CARS THAT UNDERLIES THE PARK.
YOU'RE ALSO PLANNING THE PLAN IS, IS PLANNING TO BUILD A CONCRETE GARAGE.
AND I, I, I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE SURELY YOU KNOW THAT CONCRETE IS A VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY, UH, DIFFICULT PRODUCT.
IT PRODUCES A LOT OF CARBON DIOXIDE.
BARTON SPRINGS IS THE FOURTH LARGEST SPRING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND I THINK YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND THE, UH, TOP THREE SPRINGS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WITHIN A HUNDRED YARDS OF A PARKING GARAGE.
WE ALSO DO NOT WANT A NON-PROFIT UMBRELLA SCHEME.
I KNOW THAT W THAT BARTON SPRINGS AND ZER PARK IS FANTASTIC REAL ESTATE, BUT IT BELONGS TO US, THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
MY FELLOW HOOSIER, ANDREW JACKSON ZER GAVE THE PARK TO US, THE CITY.
IT DOESN'T BELONG TO ANYONE ELSE, AND IT WOULD BE INEXCUSABLE FOR THE PARK TO ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO GET THEIR HANDS ON IT.
IN TERMS OF THE AMPHITHEATER, IN MY 45 YEARS, I'VE SEEN LOTS OF, OF, UH, KIDS PLAYING ON THE GREAT LAWN, THE GREAT LAWN FULL OF.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAUL MOON.
PAUL MOON IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY BRENDA PACIO AND THEN PATTY AMAYA.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE YOU TO, UH, AT LEAST GIVE PAUSE TO THIS PLAN.
UM, I'M A 35 YEAR AUSTIN RESIDENT.
I'VE BEEN ENJOYING SWIMMING AT THE SPRINGS.
UM, I LIKE DRUM JAMMING ON THE SUNDAY CIRCUS ON THE ON BY THE MONKEY TREE.
AND JUST YESTERDAY I WAS BOULDERING, UH, AT THE ROCK ISLAND WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS MEETING.
SO ANYBODY SPEAKING AFTER ME, UH, JUST DID SO IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
SO THE TRANSIT PLAN, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, I DON'T, I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. LAVINSKY FOR TELLING US ABOUT THE RESOURCE WE HAVE WITH THE HOTEL PARKING SIDE.
LET'S START OVER ON BR REYNOLDS, WHERE WE CURRENTLY HAVE A NUMBER THREE STOP BY THE Y M C A AND AMTRAK PARKING CAN BE DEVELOPED THERE INCREMENTALLY.
FROM THERE, WE LOOP ONTO SOUTH LAMAR, DOWN TO BARTON SPRINGS, WHERE WE TAKE A RIGHT.
WE LOOP THROUGH LU NEFF PARK, TAKE A RIGHT BACK ON BARTON SPRINGS, A LEFT DOWN ON SOUTH FIRST, WHERE WE ENCOUNTER A TRANSIT CATCHMENT CORRIDOR.
WE CAN CAPTURE THE ENTIRE CITY'S TRANSIT SYSTEM.
BACK DOWN CAESAR CHAVEZ, AND WE END UP WHERE WE STARTED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRENDA CCIO.
BRENDA CCIO, FOLLOWED BY JANE MACIA.
MAIA IS BRENDA CCIO HERE? IT'S OCIO AND SHE'S NOT HERE.
IS STEVE AMOS HERE? DON'T SEE HIM AFTER STEVE.
UH, AFTER DAVID KING IS BERNARD KAUFMAN.
AFTER BERNARD IS GONNA BE BRANDY BAKER.
UM, BERNARD, WERE YOU DONATED TIME? YES, I WAS.
AND I WANTED TO, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I WANTED TO APPRECIATE MY PROFOUND THANKS AND APPRECIATION FOR TAKING ON THIS CHALLENGING JOB.
[02:50:01]
ASK YOU WHY YOU ARE HERE.YOU'RE NOT GETTING PAID FOR THIS.
YOU'RE DOING THIS OUT OF YOUR OWN GOODWILL, AND I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOUR CITY AND OUR CITY.
IT'S CLEAR ALL THE POLES SHOW PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THREE GIGANTIC CONCRETE SARIC EYE BUILT AT THE CITY PARK THAT HAS BEEN A HALLMARK OF THIS TOWN FOR GENERATIONS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN COMING HERE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THE LIMESTONE STRUCTURES AT BARTON SPRINGS ARE MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD.
I AM ASKING YOU TO EXERCISE YOUR CIVIC DUTY AND VOTE NO AND EMPHATICALLY DEMAND THAT THE CITY DOES NOT CONSTRUCT AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE IN YOUR BARTON SPRINGS.
THANK YOU, AND I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, BRANDY BAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE MARRA, UH, MARBA DORADO, FOLLOWED BY PATRICE SULLIVAN.
MARABA IS GONNA HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I CAME HERE TONIGHT BOTH TO LISTEN AND TO SPEAK.
I'VE LISTENED TO ALL THESE PERSPECTIVES.
I'VE WORKED IN AUSTIN IN THE WELLNESS INDUSTRY.
I'VE RAISED MY THREE CHILDREN HERE.
I'VE CARED FOR OUR ELDERS, AND I'VE CARED FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN.
SPECIFICALLY, I'VE COME HERE NOT JUST TO LISTEN AND SPEAK, BUT TO LEARN ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
I TRIED TO GO ONLINE, I TRIED TO RESEARCH THIS.
IT'S VERY HARD TO GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS VISION ENTAILS AND WHY I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYONE, INCLUDING ZER 3 51 DOCUMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEASIBILITY OF THESE PROPOSED PARKING STRUCTURES.
I, I JUST AM HORRIFIED THAT YOU WOULD PROPOSE AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE AS A, AS AN ANSWER TO WHAT WE NEED FOR THE GROWTH OF AUSTIN, WHICH I DO FEEL THE PAIN.
I FEEL THE GROWING PAINS OF AUSTIN AS A RESIDENT.
IT'S, IT'S HARD ON ALL OF US, AND WE KNOW WE NEED SOME ANSWERS.
BUT UNDER UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE IN THE PARK, WHICH NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH DOCUMENTS THAT FREQUENT VISITORS TO UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGES, WORKERS IN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGES AND RESIDENTS AROUND PARKING GARAGES ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR TOXICITY.
THE CARBON MONOXIDE IN PARKING GARAGES SEEPS INTO THE STRUCTURES AND LAND AROUND THE UNDERGROUND PARKING AND CAN PERMEATE THROUGH THE WALLS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK WITH CURIOUS EYES FOR OTHER PARKING POSSIBILITIES.
Y'ALL CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS.
I ALSO QUESTION THE HEALTH AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS OF A GIANT PERFORMANCE VENUE IN OUR PARK.
HOW DOES A CONCRETE VENUE PROVIDE HEALTH, SAFETY AND ACCESS? AND I'M QUOTING THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
PATRICE SULLIVAN, BRENT THOMAS, DANIELLE SILVA, DANIELA SILVA.
THANK YOU FOR STAYING SO LATE TONIGHT AND HEARING SO MANY OF THE SAME OPINIONS OVER AND OVER.
I'M SURE THERE'S NOTHING THAT I CAN SAY THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID SO FAR, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JUST LISTENING TO EACH PERSON.
I USE THE PARK MANY TIMES PER WEEK WHEN I'M HERE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND NO UMBRELLA NONPROFIT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, BY FAR THE BEST IDEA TO START WITH.
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS BEING VERY HIGH ON THE LIST AND THE BANKS AND WATER QUALITY BEING AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR WHAT THE MONEY IS SPENT FOR.
AND, UM, THE PARKING GARAGES SEEM, EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD, SEEMS TO SAY THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA WORK.
THANK YOU GRANT THOMAS AND DANIELLA SILDA.
I HAD SOME PREPARED REMARKS, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A THEME
[02:55:01]
HERE OF COMING FROM THE HEART THAT I'VE NOTICED WITH THE OTHER SPEAKERS.AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, CUT TO THE HEART OF THIS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THIS ON HIS VERY FACE IS VERY SUSPICIOUS, RIGHT? YOU HAVE THIS UMBRELLA NONPROFIT.
UH, THEY HAVE THIS KIND OF CLICHE, UH, LANGUAGE LIKE, OH, WE'RE LOVING IT TO DEATH.
LIKE YOU HEAR THIS MULTIPLE TIMES FROM THESE PEOPLE, AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S AUTHENTICALLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF US AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT BERNIE SAID.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE ALL UP HERE BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT NATURE.
YOU SPEND YOUR TIME DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU LOVE AND PROTECT NATURE.
IT'S NOT WORTH SAYING DON'T HAVE A PLAN.
WE'RE JUST SAYING NOT THIS PLAN.
ASHLEY, TODD, LORRAINE, ATHERTON, MAC RAGSDALE.
I'M IN DISTRICT RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE.
AND THE ONE QUESTION THAT I'VE HAD THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS IS, WHY ARE WE WANTING TO CHANGE ZILKER AT ALL? UM, AND 76% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS, UH, ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY ACTUALLY AGREE WITH ME.
UM, MANY OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE ASPECTS OF THIS PLAN ARE ALSO THE MOST UNPOPULAR WITH ZILKER VISION PLAN'S, OWN RESEARCH SHOWING THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR, UH, MOVING THE AMPHITHEATER TO THE GREAT LAWN, OR FOR MORE PARKING, WHICH IRONICALLY, THE THREE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES ACTUALLY DON'T PROVIDE PART HAS CLAIMED THAT.
UM, AND I QUOTE, THE PARK IS STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW AND THEY POINT TO PARKING ACCESS EROSION OF THE BANKS OF BARTON CREEK AND ACCESSIBILITY AROUND THE PARK.
BUT I DON'T SEE HOW BUILDING AN UNNECESSARY WELCOME CENTER IN LAMB BRIDGES REDUCING SPACE ON THE GREAT LAWN BY MOVING THE AMPHITHEATER AND DISRUPTING THE ECOSYSTEM BY BUILDING PARKING GARAGES THAT DON'T EVEN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PARKING WILL ADDRESS ANY OF THAT.
I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT ZILKER COULD BENEFIT FROM SOME ECOLOGICAL TLC.
SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I WOULD ALWAYS WANT A GREENER, UM, AND BLUER PARK AND, UH, SPRINGS.
BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT IS A ZILKER THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED TO BE THE NEXT WATERLOO GREENWAY.
UM, TONIGHT I'VE HEARD FROM THE, UH, PLAN SUPPORTERS THAT BOTH ZILKER IS BEING LOVED TO DEATH AND WE NEED MORE PARKING SO MORE PEOPLE CAN ACCESS ZER.
HOW THESE ARE SPOKEN IN THE SAME BREATH IS HONESTLY BEYOND ME.
UM, IF WE REALLY WANT ZILKER TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE, TAKE THE MONEY THAT WOULD'VE GONE TO THE PARKING GARAGES AND REVIVE THE DILL OR SOME KIND OF DEDICATED SHUTTLE SERVICE.
IF WE REALLY WANNA MAKE ZILKER MORE ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE AND ADDRESS EROSION, BEEF UP THE ECOLOGICAL UPLIFTS AND MAYBE MOVE A C L TO CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS.
THIS COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAS THE THREE DAY PASS FOR A C L, SORRY, A C L HATERS.
UM, IF WE REALLY WANT TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF FOOT TRAFFIC ON ZILKER, UM, INVEST IN PARKS ALL ACROSS AUSTIN THAT RECEIVE FAR FEW, UH, LESS ATTENTION COMPARED TO ZILKER.
I'M NOT SAYING NOT TO HAVE A VISION PLAN.
WHAT I'M CALLING FOR IS THE REJECTION OF THIS VERSION AND REVISING IT TO REFLECT THE WILL OF AUSTINITES EVERYWHERE.
TOO MANY AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, BUT IT'S HARDLY MORE THAN JUST CHECKING A BOX.
JUST BECAUSE COMMUNITY WAS ENGAGED DOESN'T MEAN THEIR VOICE IS ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED.
IF IT HAD BEEN, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
AND FOR THOSE SAYING THAT DOING NOTHING WOULD BE DAMAGING TO THE PARK.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT ZILKER HAS REMAINED THE SAME SINCE THE SIXTIES, WHICH IS AMAZING.
WITH AUSTIN'S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, STILL ZILKER HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS INTEGRITY WITHOUT ANY MAJOR CONSTRUCTION, AND I DON'T SEE WHY THAT WOULD CHANGE.
SO PLEASE FOCUS ON THE PARTS OF THE PLAN THAT REWILD ZILKER THAT UPLIFTED ECOLOGICALLY AND REJECT ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH CONSTRUCTION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEY TODD.
ASHLEY TODD IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AFTER ASHLEY IS GONNA BE LORRAINE ATHERTON IS LORRAINE HERE.
LORRAINE ATHERTON IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY MACK RAGSDALE AND THEN KAYLA REESE.
IN 1961, MY FAMILY, LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER MILITARY FAMILIES, CHOSE TO MOVE TO AUSTIN AS THEIR RETIREMENT STATION.
[03:00:01]
A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BROCHURE THAT WAS PUT OUT BY THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OF AUSTIN.AND YES, IT HAD A LOVELY PICTURE OF BARTON SPRINGS ON THE FRONT, BUT IT ALSO ADVERTISED A FABULOUS, A FABULOUS VISION FOR A CITYWIDE PARKS SYSTEM THAT HAD SWIMMING POOLS AND TENNIS COURTS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE CITY.
SO MY FAMILY MOVED TO, TO EAST AUSTIN, JUST EAST OF I 35.
AND FOR THE NEXT SIX SUMMERS OF MY LIFE, I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME LEARNING TO, UH, LEARNING TO SWIM IN A PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL AND LEARNING TO PLAY TENNIS ON PUBLIC TENNIS COURTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MACK RAGSDALE.
AFTER MACK IS GONNA BE KAYLA REESE.
I'M MAC RAGSDALE BOARD MEMBER WITH ZER THEATER PRODUCTIONS, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN PUTTING ON THE FREE SUMMER MUSICAL AT THE HILLSIDE THEATER FOR OVER 64 YEARS, ZER THEATER PRODUCTIONS HAS PRO PARTICIPATED IN THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS TO CONVEY THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT OUR ORGANIZATION SERVES.
THE MUSICAL BRINGS JOY TO THE HEARTS OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF AUSTIN FAMILIES THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT AFFORD LIVE THEATER.
WHILE WE LOVE THE COZY HILLSIDE THEATER AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING ATTENDANCE.
THE CURRENT FACILITIES ARE IN LARGE PART DATED, OBSOLETE, AND DETERIORATING WITH EVER-GROWING EXPENSE TO MAINTAIN WITH ITS CENTRAL LOCATION NEAR THE BEAUTIFUL LAND BRIDGE LAWN SEATING WITH ROOM TO EXPAND UP TO 5,000 AND PROXIMITY TO THE PROPOSED STRUCTURED PARKING, WHICH IS SO VITAL FOR PARK VISITORS WITH FAMILIES, STROLLERS, COOLERS, AND DOGS.
WE BELIEVE THE VISION PLAN WILL ALLOW US AND THE MANY OTHER COMMUNITY PROVIDERS WHO USE THE THEATER TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE GROWING AWESOME COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
THE PROPOSED RELOCATION WILL RELIEVE CROWDING NEAR BARK SPRINGS.
MY NEXT SPEAKER IS KAYLA REESE, FOLLOWED BY BRANDON SPARKS AND LAURA MEENAL.
I KNOW I'M GONNA BOOT FOR THIS, SO I HOPE IT DOESN'T COUNT INTO MY TIME.
BUT I'M THE ADVOCACY MANAGER WITH PARKS FOUNDATION.
UM, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, UM, SUPPORTS THIS PLAN.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S SUSTAIN, IT'S SUSTAINABLY, IMPROVES THE ECOLOGY AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ZER PARK.
I DON'T THINK WE WOULD EVER ARGUE THAT IT IS, BUT THE PARK DOES NEED A VISION PLAN AND A FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE.
I ALSO WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE PARK AT THIS TIME MEANS THAT THERE HAS TO BE PARKING AT THE PARK.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE NECESSARILY THINK PARKING GARAGES ARE THE WAY TO GO, BUT THE PARK LAYS OUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND ANY COMBO OF OPTIONS STICK PEOPLE TO THE PARK.
AS A DOG OWNER, I CAN'T TAKE MY DOG ON A BUS.
AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT TICKETS TO THE PARK, I'M NOT ALLOWED.
UM, AND ALSO PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE BY THE PARK CAN'T ACCESS IT WITHOUT DRIVING OR TAKING A REALLY LONG PART, UH, PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AT THIS POINT, I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE.
UM, SO I'M CROSSING A LOT OF TOWN TO GET TO ZILKER PARK.
UM, THE PLAN IMPROVES PARK ECOLOGY AND DECREASES IMPERVIOUS COVER AND RUNOFF INTO THE SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRANDON SPARKS.
BRANDON SPARKS, FOLLOWED BY LAURA MEENAL.
IT IS TRULY HEARTENING TO SEE SO MANY FRIENDS HERE TONIGHT.
UH, MY NAME IS BRANDON SPARKS.
I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT MYSELF.
I WANNA SAY FIRST THAT, UM, WE LIVE IN A PLACE AND THIS IS FACT THAT HAS BEEN INHABITED BY PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN 10,000 YEARS.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR RIGHT TO THREATEN THE SPRINGS OR DAMAGE IT IN ANY WAY.
UM, THIS IS HOLY GROUND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE SAID IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE CALLED THIS PLACE THEIR HOME FOR A LONG TIME.
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING AFTER US FUTURE GENERATIONS.
UH, THE STUDENTS AT AUSTIN HIGH, I THINK MADE THEIR VOICE CLEAR WHEN THEY SKIPPED SCHOOL ON MAY 11TH AND PROTEST TO THE PRO PROPOSED VISION PLAN.
THIS PLAN WOULD INHIBIT THEIR ENJOYMENT OF THE PARK FOR THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE, UH, LIKE I SAID, IN DEFERENCE TO A FORMER TRANSPORTATION THAT MAY GONE UTE BY THE TIME THEY'RE ADULTS.
SO I'D ASK YOU GUYS NOT TO SUPPORT THIS PLAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA MASSENGALE.
LAURA MASSENGALE, FOLLOWED BY VALERIE, FOLLOWED BY VALERIE KOZLOWSKI AND THEN JOHN MASSENGALE.
UM, MY NAME IS LAURA MASSENGALE.
[03:05:02]
AT THE RISK OF HAVING MY FAMILY'S 55 YEAR, YEAR OLD BUSINESS ZER PARK BOAT RENTALS CANCELED, UM, BY THE PARKS PARKS DEPARTMENT JUST FOR SPEAKING OUT.YOU MIGHT ALSO RECOGNIZE ME ON THE NEWS, UH, WHEN SOME MEMBERS OF, I'M ASSUMING, UH, ZER 3 51 TOOK A CLIP FROM A POSTING THAT I MADE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ZER 3 51 AND PUT IT ON THE NEWS WITH MY NAME AND MY PICTURE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S LEGAL TO DO, BUT YOU CAN SEE THEIR DESPERATE ACT OF TRYING TO SHUT ME UP, TRYING TO DISCREDIT WHAT I'M SAYING.
I HAVE THE UNIQUE, THE UNIQUE, UM, EXPERIENCE OF BEING PART OF ZER 3 51.
AS AN INSIDER, I FOUND OUT WHAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO DO, AND WE DISASSOCIATED OURSELVES FROM THEM.
PLEASE DO NOT, DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO REMAIN IN THE VISION PLAN.
THEY ARE NOT WHAT THEY SAY THEY ARE, OR ELSE THEY WOULDN'T BE TRYING SO HARD TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS WITH ALL OF YOU TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO TRY TO REMAIN ON THE VISION PLAN.
THAT IS A RED FLAG TO ALL OF YOU, AND I HOPE THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE VALERIE KLASKY.
VALERIE KOVSKI AFTER VALERIE WILL BE JOHN MASSENGALE.
HI, MY NAME IS JOHN MASSENGALE AND I LIVE NORTH OF THE RIVER, BUT I HAVE A LOT IN COMMON WITH ALL THE PEOPLE SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT.
I'M A THIRD GENERATION AUSTINITE.
LAURA WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE TV STATIONS WITH THEIR NEWS STORIES ON KX N AND K U AND HOW THEY BOTH RAN STORIES THAT SLANTED AGAINST THE CLAIM THAT THE UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT RECOMMENDED IN THE VERSION OF THE, OF THE VISION PLAN IS BEING GIVEN TOO MUCH CONTROL.
IT IS BEING GIVEN TOO MUCH CONTROL.
AND IN THE VISION PLAN, THERE ARE NINE POINTS OF MANAGEMENT THAT THEY TALK ABOUT, THAT THIS MYSTERIOUS UNIFIED UMBRELLA NONPROFIT, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO CONTROL IT.
AND THERE'S NINE POINTS THAT THEY LAY OUT THAT, THAT MOST OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH MONEY AND PEOPLE AND THE MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE AND MONEY.
AND THAT IT, THAT UN YET TO BE NAMED UNIFIED UMBRELLA PLAN WITH ALL THIS UNKNOWN POWER IS, IS A HUGE RED FLAG, AND IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF CONTROL BEING GIVEN TO AN, AN ENTITY LIKE THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANDREA DENNISON.
WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
IS SHE IN THE ROOM? ANDREA DENNIS.
AFTER ANDREA WILL BE ADARA HANARD, AND THEN LISA WATLEY, ANN PHILLIPS AND JILLIAN IRWIN.
BUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREA DENNISON.
THIS IS MY GRANDMOTHER IN 1942, ENJOYING ZILKER PARK WITH HER FRIENDS.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TRANSPARENCY IN THIS PROCESS BY ASKING NINA ALDI, WHO HAS JUST EXITED TO RECUSE HERSELF FROM VOTING ON THIS PROPOSAL DUE TO CONFLICTING INTERESTS AS THE BOARD CHAIR OF AUSTIN OUTSIDE RIGHT, THE ONE GOAL OF COMMERCE, UNENDING GROWTH AT ANY COST IS DIRECTLY AT ODDS WITH THE GOALS OF THE COMMONS, THE PEOPLE, WHICH INCLUDES STABILITY AND THE FREEDOM TO LIVE IN PEACE.
ZILKER PARK LAND THAT IS SACRED TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN PAST AND PRESENT, IS NOT UPON TO BE BARGAINED WITH.
IT'S A TREASURE THAT WE HAVE INHERITED FROM THE EARTH AND FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT AND WE MUST PROTECT IT.
THE IRONICALLY NAMED DIVISION PLAN THAT HAS BEEN FORWARDED LACKS ANY SENSE OF TRUE VISION.
THE NONPROFIT WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING WANTS TO SEE THE FUNNELING OF VAST PUBLIC WEALTH INTO PRIVATE COFFERS.
ENRICHING A FEW BY EXPLOITING THE WEALTH OF THE MANY IS THE ANTITHESIS OF A LONG-TERM VISION.
A TRULY VISIONARY IDEA INCREASES THE HEALTH AND HUMAN OF, OF HUMANS AND THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND ENHANCES THE STABILITY AND BIODIVERSITY OF OUR BEAUTIFUL NATURAL INHERITANCE.
AUSTIN RESIDENTS, NEW AND OLD MUST FIGHT UNITED TO SAVE OUR MOST PRECIOUS PUBLIC PARK.
LET'S ENHANCE OFFSITE PARKING WITH SHUTTLES AT PEAK HOURS.
LET'S REDEDICATE THE PARKLAND TO NATIVE PEOPLES AND LEARN FROM THEM HOW TO PRESERVE THE PARK IN A WAY THAT LASTS FOR ALL
[03:10:01]
FUTURE GENERATIONS.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ADARA HANSARD.
IT'S NOT HERE AFTER ADARA IS LISA WATLEY.
AND THEN AFTER ANNE WILL BE JILLIAN IRWIN AND THEN GUY LEBLANC.
I'VE BEEN ENJOYING ZILKER PARK SINCE 1986.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION HERE TO SEE WHO HAS ENJOYED IT LONGER.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN THE PLAY SCAPE WAS NEW 30 YEARS AGO, 25 YEARS AGO, I TWIRLED UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE WITH MY KIDS AND DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
15 YEARS AGO, I NOTICED THAT THE PATH FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE HILLSIDE THEATER WAS A HAZARDOUS JUMBLE OF ROCK WORK, APPARENTLY NOT UPDATED SINCE IT WAS BUILT IN THE 1930S.
THE HILLSIDE ITSELF WAS ROCK HARD AND ONLY SPARSELY COVERED IN BERMUDA GRASS.
THEY'VE CONTINUED TO COME AND THEY LOVE THIS PARK.
WE ARE AT LEAST, AT LEAST 25 YEARS LATE IN DEVELOPING A PLAN TO HELP KEEP THIS PARK, HELP THIS PARK KEEP PACE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ENJOY IT.
AS WE MEET HERE TONIGHT, TALKING ABOUT WEATHER CHANGE IS A GOOD IDEA.
THE PARK IS CHANGING FOR THE WORSE.
THE PLAY SCAPE FADES, THE ROCK WORK CRUMBLES.
THE POLO FIELD BECOMES MORE LIKE CONCRETE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE JILLIAN IRWIN.
JILLIAN IRWIN AFTER JILLIAN'S GONNA BE GUY LEBLANC, THEN MEGAN MEISENBACH.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF ZER PARK.
IT'S A SANCTUARY OF CONNECTION IN A TA IN A TIME PLAGUED BY LONELINESS.
ZER PARK THRIVES ON CONNECTION IN ITS ORGANIC CENTER FOR COMMUNITY DRIVEN CONNECTIONS, WE MUST PROTECT IT FROM COMMERCIALIZATION AND ALLOW ITS NATURAL BEAUTY TO BE THE CENTERPIECE, WE MUST RESIST ADDING PARKING GARAGES, DEVELOPING AN AMPHITHEATER, AND INCLUDING AN UMBRELLA NONPROFIT IN THE VISION PLAN.
THESE PRO PROJECTS RISK OVERSHADOWING THE PARK'S ESSENCE AND PUBLIC WISHES TO PROVIDE OPEN SPACE FOR RECREATION, MULTI-GENERATIONAL CONNECTIONS, AND ADDRESS BIODIVERSITY.
LET US PROTECT THIS OASIS OF HUMANITY BY REJECTING PLANS THAT COMPROMISE ITS INTEGRITY.
KEEP ZILKER PARK AS IT IS WHERE HUMAN CONNECTIONS FLOURISH AND NATURE THRIVES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE GUY LEBLANC.
GUY LEBLANC AFTER GUY WILL BE MEGAN MEISENBACH AND THEN MEREDITH BALI.
I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
THERE ARE TOO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THE VISION PLAN FOR ME TO COVER IN ONE MINUTE, LIKE AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE NEAR THE SPRINGS.
BUT AS A CERTIFIED ARBORIST WHO HAS DONE CONSULTING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON MANY TREE ISSUES, I CAN SPEAK WITH ACCURACY TO ONE FACTUAL ERROR IN THE PLAN.
ON PAGE 38, IT SAYS THERE ARE 70 PROTECTED SIZED TREES IN ZILKER.
KNOWING THIS WAS A GROSS UNDERESTIMATE, I DID MY OWN PARTIAL SURVEY, AND IN LESS THAN HALF THE PARK, I FOUND WELL OVER 300 TREES OF PROTECTED SIZE.
MY POINT IS, IF THE GROUP SUPPORTING THIS PLAN CAN'T EVEN ACCURATELY INVENTORY THE PARK'S RESOURCES, CLEARLY WE CANNOT TRUST THEIR DATA NOR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF THIS BOARD CANNOT, AT THE VERY LEAST, STRIKE THE ABSURD IDEA OF AN UNDERGROUND STRUCTURE NEXT TO BARTON SPRINGS, THEN YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST THE ENTIRE THING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MEGAN MEISENBACH.
MEGAN MEISENBACH IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MEREDITH BALI.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELENA MICHAELSON.
IS ELENA HERE? ELENA MICHAELSON? YES.
AFTER ELENA IS GONNA BE, UH, KEVIN MINOR AND THEN KURT BERGDORF.
I JUST WANNA TAKE A LOOK, SEE WHO I'M TALKING TO.
[03:15:01]
YOU FOR COMING.THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT WHAT WE THINK.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH BARTON SPRINGS WHEN I CAME HERE IN 1997.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SWIM, BUT I SWIM THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY, AND I LOVE IT.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS IS, UM, AN ISSUE BETWEEN BIG MONEY AND THE PEOPLE.
I AM HEARING THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
AND THE BEST IDEA THAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR TONIGHT IS TO GET THESE BIG EVENTS OUT OF OUR BELOVED PARK.
FIND THEM SOMEPLACE THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEM.
FIND THEM A PLACE THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
WE DON'T NEED THEM TAKING OVER OUR PARK AND RUINING THE, THE PARK.
WE DON'T NEED ALL THIS CONCRETE.
WE DON'T NEED ALL THIS STUFF GOING ON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KEVIN MINER.
KEVIN MINOR IS GONNA BE FOLLOWED BY KURT BERGOFF, THEN WILLIAM STOUT AND STEVEN BEERS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WONDERFUL POINTS MADE TONIGHT, SO I'M NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, WAX POETICALLY ABOUT IT, BUT I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR, WHICH IS SEVEN MILES NORTH OF HERE.
I HAVE NO FIND, NO ISSUE GETTING TO THE PARK.
UH, I THINK WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH PARKING, THEY'RE REFERRING TO MAYBE SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS FOR FOUR MONTHS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THAT'S ROUGHLY 30 DAYS IN A 365 CALENDAR YEAR WHERE THERE'S ISSUES AND SOME SLIGHT INCONVENIENCES.
UH, THAT IS NOT JUSTIFY A LOT OF WHAT'S IN THIS PLAN AND A LOT OF THE CRAZINESS IN THIS PLAN.
UM, I'VE NEVER FOUND AN ISSUE FINDING A SPOT FOR MY BIKE OR FINDING SOMEWHERE NEARBY AND JUST HAVING A SLIGHT WALK.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE MORE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF SUPPORT TONIGHT FROM PEOPLE OVERFLOWING IN THE HALLWAY AGAINST THIS PLAN AND COUNTED MAYBE 15 PEOPLE IN SUPPORT.
I GUESS THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKED TO OR IN SUPPORT OF THIS PLAN WERE BUSY TONIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE KURT BERGDORF.
AFTER KURT WILL BE WILLIAM STOUT.
WILLIAM STOUT IS WILLIAM HERE.
AFTER WILLIAM WILL BE STEPHAN BEERS.
STEP AFTER STEPHAN WILL BE, UH, AVERY KAUFMAN, AND THEN DAVID HICKSON.
BUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE STEPHAN BEERS.
UM, I'M, I'M, UH, APPEARING ON BEHALF OF SA BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION.
YOU SHOULD HAVE OUR STATEMENT.
UM, THE, UH, UM, OUR PRESIDENT, CLARK HANCOCK WROTE IT, AND HE SAYS THAT THE MAIN RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU ADMINISTRATIVELY CLASSIFY THIS AS A NATURE PARK.
UH, MEANING THAT, UH, ALL ACTIVITIES HAVE TO BE NATURE FOCUSED OR OTHERWISE LOW IMPACT.
AND, UM, I WANT TO ECHO THAT SENTIMENT.
UM, I, I THINK THE, THE SPRINGS POOL, IF YOU REFLECT ON THAT, DO YOU KNOW OF ANOTHER SPRING-FED SWIMMING HOLE INSIDE OF A DOWNTOWN ANYWHERE IN NORTH AMERICA? I CAN'T THINK OF ONE.
THEY'RE WEARING THE WORLD AND THERE MAY NOT BE A ONE SUCH IN THE WORLD TO PUT THIS PLAN IN PERSPECTIVE.
I DEFINITELY THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSING THE DETERIORATION OF THE FACILITIES.
BUT JUST PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.
SPEAKER, WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER? SPEAKER IS AVERY KAUFMAN.
AVERY KAUFMAN IS GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AFTER AVERY'S GONNA BE DAVID HICKSON.
AND THEN AFTER DAVID'S GONNA BE KATHY MARCUS.
BUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE AVERY KAUFMAN.
UM, AS A CONSTITUENT AND A PROPERTY OWNER, UM, IN THE BARTON HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, I URGE YOU TO SAY NO TO THIS PLAN.
I VISIT YANA, AN INDIGENOUS NAME FOR THE WATER IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WHICH BARTON SPRINGS IS A PART OF, AND ZILKER PARK, ALMOST DAILY, YEAR ROUND 65.
THESE COMMUNITY RESOURCES ARE THE REASON I LOVE LIVING IN AUSTIN.
[03:20:01]
A PROPOSAL WHICH INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF PARKING GARAGES, AN AMPHITHEATER, A WELCOME CENTER, AND MORE CONCRETE IS HORRIBLE FOR RESIDENTS.IT'S HORRIBLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HORRIBLE FOR TOURISM.
NOT ONLY WILL UNQUESTIONABLY DECREASE THE VALUE OF MY PROPERTY, BUT IT WILL ALSO DECREASE MY OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND THAT OF OTHERS WHO USE THESE SPACES.
NO NON-PROFIT CONTROLLING ZER AND BARTON SPRINGS.
NO PARKING GRUDGES, NO AMPHITHEATER, NO MORE CONCRETE, NO MORE PAVING AND DEVELOPING AND NO WELCOME CENTER.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE A JOKE FOR A FRIEND.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE DAVID HICKSON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE DAVID HICKSON.
DAVID AFTER DAVID'S GONNA BE KATHY MARCUS.
AFTER KATHY IS GONNA BE, UH, PAM LYNN, AND THEN JAY JORDAN.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE KATHY MARCUS.
AFTER KATHY'S GONNA BE PAM LYNN AND JAY JORDAN.
UH, THE PARK IS WHAT WE ALL KNOW, LOVE AND CHERISH, WHERE WE ALL COME TOGETHER TO SWIM, PICNIC, WALK, AND PLAY.
IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE A NATURAL AREA WITH RECREATION AND NOT AN AREA OF CONCERTS, THEATER PRODUCTION, AND LARGE EVENTS IN A CONSISTENT MANNER, 150 MILLION COULD BE USED FOR MORE LAND ACQUISITION AND MAINTENANCE.
JUST LOOK AT WATERLOO PARK TO SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE CUT DOWN A LOT OF TREE COVER AND BUILT A LARGE VENUE AND CONCRETE.
MOST OF THE PARK, MORE LIKE A PARK THAN IS A MALL.
YOU MAY LOVE IT, BUT ONE PARK LIKE THAT IS ENOUGH.
WE ALMOST HAD A SOCCER STADIUM NEXT TO ZACHARY SCOTT THEATER UNTIL WE PROTESTED THAT USING THE PARK FOR A STADIUM WITH NO PARKING.
INSTEAD OF ERODING OUR PARKS, WE SHOULD ADD TO THEM, DO NOT BUILD THREE GARAGES THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF VEHICLES THAT CAN PARK RIGHT NOW AT SILK.
AFTER PAM'S GONNA BE JAY JORDAN AND THEN DIANA CLAYTOR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN.
UM, I'VE BEEN SWIMMING IN BARTON SPRINGS SINCE I WAS, UH, PROBABLY SIX MONTHS OLD, AND I'M STILL SWIMMING THERE TODAY.
I WENT TODAY AND ONE OF THE THINGS, SOME OF THE THINGS I NOTICED MAYBE IT WAS YESTERDAY, I WALKED IN AND THERE WAS A SIGN ABOUT, MAYBE YOU DON'T WANNA SWIM HERE, CUZ THERE'S ALL THIS, UH, ART BACTERIA THAT CAN MAKE YOU SICK.
AND THEN YOU GO GET IN THE WATER ANYWAY, AND YOU TRY NOT TO SWALLOW THE WATER.
AND YOU NOTICE ALONG THE WATER LINE, IT'S GONE DOWN ALMOST A WHOLE FOOT.
WHY IS THAT DROUGHT? THE WATERSHED ISN'T BEING USED APPROPRIATELY THOUGH, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S WATERING THEIR LAWNS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT ANYWAY.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, YEAH, THE EROSION AND THE PARKING, THEY'RE ALL ISSUES.
AND IT BOTHERS ME BECAUSE MY KIDS SWAM THERE.
MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO SWIM AT DEEP EDDIE BEFORE IT WAS A POOL IN, IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS.
SO I WANT THIS POOL TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE, COME TO BARTON SPRINGS, THANK YOU AND HAVE IT BE THERE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE JAY JORDAN.
AFTER JAY IS GONNA BE DIANA CLAYTOR AND THEN REBECCA PUCK LUTA.
GOOD EVENING, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, CITIZENS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE WE REWILD PROPOSAL FOR ZILKER AND AGAINST THE VISION PLAN.
SO CENTRAL TEXAS ATX, SPECIFICALLY HISTORICALLY HOME TO MANY SPRINGS BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE GEOLOGY OF THIS STATE.
A STAFFER FOR THE TEXAS WATER BOARD DEVELOPMENT BOARD YEARS AGO WROTE A BIG VOLUME ABOUT THE SPRINGS OF TEXAS.
SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES YEARS LATER, HE AMENDED IT TO SAY MANY OF THE SPRINGS HAD GONE DRY.
BARTON SPRINGS FACES THE SAME THREATS THAT THESE OTHER SPRINGS HAVE FACED.
IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST SWIMMING HOLES IN THE STATE.
HELPED MAKE AUSTIN FAMOUS WORLDWIDE, ALONG WITH THE MUSIC HOME TO, IT'S ALSO HOME TO THREATEN AN
[03:25:01]
ENDANGERED SPECIES.BUT THE SPRING'S EXISTENCE, MY POINT, IT'S NOT GUARANTEED.
UH, IT'S AN ASSET TO BE, IT'S NOT AN ASSET TO BE COMMERCIALLY EXPLOITED, BUT A NATURAL RESOURCE TO BE PROTECTED.
IT NEEDS TO BE ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER THANK YOU AREAS.
DON'T DEVELOP BARTON TO DEATH.
DIANA CLAYTOR IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER AFTER DIANA'S GONNA BE REBECCA PTA AND THEN GREGORY MACK.
BUT DIANA CLAYTOR IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
DIANA, ALL RIGHT, AFTER DIANA'S GONNA BE REBECCA, PTA, PA LUTA.
IS REBECCA HERE AFTER REBECCA'S GONNA BE GREGORY MACK.
IS GREGORY HERE AFTER GREGORY'S GONNA BE REBECCA MCM.
IS REBECCA HERE AFTER REBECCA'S GONNA BE LARRY ACRES.
LARRY ACRES, I TAKE THEIR MINUTES.
THEY'D HAVE TO BE DONATED IF LARRY'S NOT HERE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO LA OH, LARRY'S HERE.
AFTER LARRY'S GONNA BE LAURA COOK AND THEN ELEANOR PRICE.
SO I'VE, UH, FORWARDED TO YOU THE RESOLUTION OF THE FRIENDS OF THE PARKS OF AUSTIN WITH REGARD TO THE VISION PLAN.
IT WAS VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
I HOPE YOU'VE READ IT AS, UH, ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO FORGED THE MASTER PLAN FOR, UH, MICHAEL BUTLER PARK AND AUDITORIUM SHORES BACK IN THE, UH, LATE 1990S.
I HAVE TO ASSURE YOU THAT IN ORDER FOR A, A VISION PLAN TO MAKE ANY, TO HAVE ANY IMPACT, ITS MAJOR ELEMENTS HAVE TO HAVE, UH, THE CONSENSUS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS BY NOW THAT THERE ARE MAJOR ELEMENTS IN THIS PLAN THAT DO NOT HAVE THAT CONSENSUS.
THE DESIGN GROUP CHOSE NOT TO ELIMINATE THOSE.
AND SO THAT RESPONSIBILITY FALLS ON YOU.
A, A, A NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER, OVER THE LAKE, LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE EXISTING PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
AND THAT PROVIDES NO RECREATIONAL ASSET THAT'S NOT ALREADY THERE, BUT RATHER PROVIDES A PATH FOR THE USE OF THE NORTH SHORE FOR THE STAGING OF MAJOR EVENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE LAURA COOK.
LAURA COOK IS THE NEXT SPEAKER.
LAURA, AFTER LAURA'S GONNA BE ELEANOR PRICE.
ELEANOR PRICE IS ELEANOR HERE AFTER ELEANOR IS GONNA BE, UH, JAMES LAKS.
IS JAMES HERE? HE'S BACK THERE.
SO, UH, JAMES IS THE LAST SPEAKER SIGNED UP, UH, USING THE ONLINE FORM.
SO AFTER HIM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP USING THE HARD COPY PAPER FORM.
BUT IF ANYONE IN THE ROOM SIGNED UP USING THE ONLINE FORM AND HASN'T SPOKEN YET, FEEL FREE TO COME UP HERE AND, AND CHECK WITH ME.
BUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE JAMES LATA.
HEY GUYS, I COULD TELL YOU HOW LONG I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I HOST MEDITATIONS FOR DR.
AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF THAT MATTERS.
WHAT MATTERS IS THIS SOUNDS LIKE THAT WE'RE OUTNUMBERED, WE'RE OUTGUNNED.
UH, LIVE NATION IS EXPECTED TO BRING IN OVER 300 MILLION IN REVENUE ON A C L ALONE.
THIS YEAR, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA GIVE SIX OR 7 MILLION TO THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
LIVE NATION IS OWNED, YOU KNOW, IS, IS, IS IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, A A SUPPORTER OF C3.
AND THESE COMPANIES ARE OWNED OVER 5% BY THE SAUDI ARABIAN ROYAL TRUST.
WE COULD TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE LOVE IT, HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN HERE.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THIS? YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THIS TRUST.
EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE VOLUNTEERS, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION.
AND THIS THING, WHOLE THING JUST STINKS TO ME.
THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TAKEN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE MICHAEL MOON.
AND I GO TO BARTON SPRINGS TO SWIM, AND I SUPPORT THIS PARK BY, BY ASKING FOR, BY A AND I PLAN TO SUPPORT THIS PARK AND BY VOTING A AGAINST GARAGES AND, AND CONCRETE.
[03:30:01]
AND I STRONGLY AGAINST GARAGES AND CONCRETE.AND, AND I HAVE TO ASK THAT, THAT WE SUP SUPPORT THIS PARK AND MAKE IT MORE WA WA WILD AND EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE TOM SMITH.
TOM SMITH IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY PAUL THOMPSON AND THEN CYNTHIA.
BUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TOM SMITH.
HOWIE GOODNIGHT TO Y'ALL AND THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'VE BEEN SWIMMING AT BARTON SPRINGS FOR 40 ODD YEARS, ALONG WITH MANY OF OF MY FRIENDS HERE WHO HAVE TREASURED THIS CITY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PARADISE IT IS AND HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
THERE IS, WHEN I WAS COMING UP, THERE WAS A SONG THAT SAID THEY'VE PAVED PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT.
AND THAT SONG TRANSFORMED MY LIFE INTO LOOKING AT THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER.
IT GA GAVE ME THE I THAT DESIRE TO LEARN ABOUT THE PLANTS THAT WERE GONNA BE KILLED EVERY TIME WE PUT A PARKING GARAGE UP.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PLAN, I SEE LOTS OF GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT THINGS THAT HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH VERY WELL.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE NAME OF THE COMPANY IS TICKETMASTER.
AND TO ME, WHEN THEY COME BACK AND COMPLAIN TO THIS CITY COUNCIL THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY.
YOU KNOW WHAT? THEIR TICKET PRICES ARE GONNA GO UP.
AND WE ARE ALL GONNA BE PAYING FOR IT FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS PAUL THOMPSON.
PAUL THOMPSON IS THE NEXT SPEAKER.
AND THEN AFTER PAUL'S GONNA BE CYNTHIA.
I'M A AUSTIN RESIDENT IN DISTRICT NINE.
YOU'VE HEARD IT, YOU'VE HEARD IT.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE TOWN.
AND I BELIEVE THAT CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT I'VE HEARD, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP WITH A VISION PLAN FOR, FOR GETTING US TALKING ABOUT THIS AND GETTING US GOING.
I MEAN, A LOT OF WHAT I'VE HEARD HAS KIND OF BEEN THE STRAW MAN THAT WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN ANY KIND OF CHANGE AT ALL.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE PARK NEEDS SOME LOVE.
I'M A LITTLE BIT WORRIED THAT THE PARK'S BEEN, UH, NEGLECTED SO THAT THIS PLAN STARTS TO SOUND LIKE A BETTER IDEA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE CAN'T GET IT.
THE, THE, THE BATHHOUSE, THE UM, THE CONCESSIONS, THE TRAIN.
I MEAN, IS IT, IS IT A CASE WHERE THINGS HAVE JUST BEEN ALLOWED TO DEGRADE TO WHERE, UM, TO WHERE THIS STARTS TO SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA? CUZ I, YOU KNOW, THIS THING ABOUT THIS NONPROFIT, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, SHELL GAMES AND EVERYTHING AROUND IT, BUT I'M, I MEAN, I'M FROM TEXAS.
I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE P*****G ON MY BOOTS AND TELLING ME WHEN IT'S RAINING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CYNTHIA GOOD.
CYNTHIA GOOD AFTER CYNTHIA'S GONNA BE GWEN MAY, AND THEN AFTER GWEN IS GONNA BE MIA ANSEL.
WELL, FIRST I WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING US HAVE A VOICE AND I WANT TO THANK THE PARK BOARD FOR ALL THEIR TIME THIS EVENING.
MY FAMILY'S BEEN HERE SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS.
I GOT TO AUSTIN IN AUGUST, 1970.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT ZUCKER PARK AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE ARE LIVING ON THE SACRED PLACE.
EVERY TIME I GO DOWN SOUTH FIRST AND SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO MERCURY HALL, I'M HEARTBROKEN THAT IT'S NOTHING THERE.
UM, I DON'T WANNA TELL TO MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE.
AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO MESS WITH THE HEART OF THIS TEXAS JEWEL, BARTON SPRINGS AND ZUKO PARK AND THE POTATO GARDENS ARE, ARE JUST SACRED.
GWEN MAY, AND SHE'S NOT HERE AFTER GWEN'S GONNA BE MIA ANSEL.
AND THEN AFTER MIA'S GONNA BE, UH, BRIAN KING.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MIA ANSEL AND I'M BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN AND I'M 15.
[03:35:01]
I'VE NOTICED A CHANGE IN THE CITY.UM, IT'S GOTTEN MUCH MORE POPULATED AND I'VE SEEN HOW DIFFICULT IT IS BECOMING TO PARK AT SILK PARK IN BARTON SPRINGS.
ZER DOES NEED THE CAPABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING POPULATION.
HOWEVER, MUCH OF WHAT I'VE HEARD HERE TONIGHT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE CULTURE, ECOSYSTEMS AND WATER QUALITY OF BARTON SPRINGS.
THIS IS A GEOLOGICALLY FRAGILE ZONE WITH CAVES, SINKHOLES, AND FISSURES.
DIGGING AND BUILDING PARKING GARAGES ACROSS SILK OR PARK WILL CAUSE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE PARK'S, WATER, AND ECOSYSTEMS. IT'S CALLED SECONDARY SECESSION.
AND IF YOU CAUSE THIS DAMAGE, IT'LL TAKE HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO GROW.
BACK TO THE POINT IT ONCE WAS, WHICH IS NOW, UM, MY FIRST TIME IN BARTON SPRINGS, I WAS THREE MONTHS OLD AND PRETTY MUCH EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE COME EVERY NIGHT WITH MY DAD AND MOM, UM, THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER AND THE GREAT LAWN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE BOBBY MELDON.
BOBBY MELDON OR MELDER? BOBBY.
IS BOBBY HERE AFTER BOBBY'S GONNA BE JOSHUA MCCLURE.
AND THEN AFTER JOSHUA'S GONNA BE, UH, NICK KOMO COLOMO.
UM, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO COME AND JUST TELL YOU HOW MUCH ZER PARK HAS MEANT TO ME.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE BUZZ AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE GROWTH IN AUSTIN.
I'VE RAISED TWO SONS BY MYSELF.
UH, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, COMES TO MIND.
UM, IF I HADN'T HAD ZILKER PARK WHERE MY CHILDREN LEARNED TO PLAY DISC GOLF, THEY SWAM IN BARTON SPRINGS.
I CHASED THEM AROUND THE PLAYGROUND SO MANY TIMES.
I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU, IT WAS OUR THREE AND WE HAD TO DRIVE THERE, OF COURSE, BUT IT, WE LOVE IT.
I STILL SWIM IN BARTON SPRINGS.
AND WE HAVE SUCH A STRONG CONNECTION WITH NATURE BECAUSE OF THAT.
THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S EVERYTHING TO ME.
THE SPIRIT, THE, MY SOUL, MY HEART, MY LOVE IS IN ZILKER PARK.
AND WHEN I SPEND TIME, WHICH I JUST DID A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH BOTH OF MY GROWN SONS THERE, I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA MCCLURE.
JOSHUA MCCLURE AFTER JOSHUA MCCLURE IS GONNA BE NICK KORMOS AND THEN TOMMY EDEN.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME START WITH GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M JAY SCOOCH MCCLURE MILITARY VETERAN, NATIVE RESIDENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I'M CONCERNED THIS BOARD MIGHT THINK IT'S PARKING AND RECREATION.
I'M CONCERNED THAT OUR CITIZENS ALREADY NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO ZILKER PARK FOR MORE THAN A MONTH EVERY YEAR.
ACL USED TO BE LOCALLY OWNED BY C3 AND FOCUS ON LOCAL BANDS.
NOW C3 IS OWNED BY LIVE NATION AND ACL HAS BECOME ANYTHING BUT LOCAL BANDS.
AND THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT AUSTIN CITY LIMITS REPRESENTS.
PARKING GARAGES, CARBON MONOXIDE DUMPS ARE DANGEROUS FOR THE DELICATE LIMESTONE STRUCTURE OF THE SPRINGS AND REPRESENT THE WORST OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION.
WE NEED LOTS OF PARTS, NOT PARKING LOTS.
I'M CONCERNED THAT LIVE NATION IS COVERTLY MEETING WITH ZILKER VISION CONSULTANTS WITH LITTLE TRANSPARENCY AND COVERTLY EXPANDING ITS INFLUENCE THROUGH ZER 3 51.
I STAND WITH THE MAJORITY AGAINST A PARKING GARAGE IN THE PARK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NICK POMOS.
IS NICK HERE AFTER NICK IS GONNA BE TOMMY EDEN.
IS TOMMY HERE? ARE YOU TOMMY? YES.
AFTER TOMMY'S GONNA BE MARK NOKI.
UH, PARKS BOARD MEMBERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED ACTION PLAN.
UH, THIS ACTION PLAN SEEMS TO BE WRITTEN BY SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PARK AND A PARKING LOT AND A PARKING STRUCTURE.
UM, EVERYBODY'S ALREADY SAID WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU TO THINK ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ROBERTA CRENSHAW, BEVERLY SHEFFIELD, SH FAFF, THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY MADE THIS PARK HAPPEN, NOT TO MENTION LADY BIRD JOHNSON.
WHAT WOULD THEY THINK ABOUT THIS PLAN? LET'S, LET'S
[03:40:01]
SCRAP THIS PLAN AND START OVER AGAIN.WE CAN COME UP WITH A MUCH BETTER PLAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK NOKI.
MARK HAD A, UH, A MINUTE DONATE.
HE'S GOT TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK AFTER MARK IS GONNA BE LAURA PEREZ.
AND AFTER LAURA'S GONNA BE, UH, KEN BALLINGER.
SO THIS VISION PLAN HAS NOT BEEN A VISION.
AS THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS GONE ON, EVERYBODY'S REJECTED IT, ACCEPTING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND IT.
THIS PLAN HAS BEEN REJECTED ALL THE WAY.
THE PEOPLE KEEP COMING BACK AND SAYING, WE HAVE A VISION PLAN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE IS, I THINK I'M TALKING TO THE WIZARD OF OZ HERE, YOU GUYS, I CAN BARELY EVEN SEE YOU.
I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO SPEAK AND TELL US WHAT YOUR VISION IS, CUZ THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
WHAT DO YOU SEE THE PARK BEING? I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I'VE USED ZER PARK SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ALSO, UH, MR. TUCCI, WHO I KNEW HIS FATHER.
HIS FATHER WAS AN INCREDIBLE GARDENER, A VERY HONORABLE MAN.
I THINK WHAT YOU ARE PRESENTING US IS A LIE.
IT'S DISHONORABLE, IT'S DISHONEST.
YOU CANNOT HAVE A LIE, BE A VISION.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU PEOPLE TO DO IS TO HAVE A HIGHER VISION.
OKAY? I'VE BEEN TO NEW YORK IN THE HIGH LINE, AND YOU GUYS HAVE HIRED, WE'VE HIRED PEOPLE FROM THE HIGH LINE.
IN FACT, THIS IS SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING.
YOU GUYS HAVE PROCEEDED OVER A LOT OF ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR.
THE HEAD OF THE PARKS BOARD, KIMBERLY PAID TWO PEOPLE $75,000 WHO DIDN'T EVEN LIVE IN AUSTIN.
SHE STOLE MONEY FROM THE PARKS BOARD.
THE AUDIT BOARD SAID, THIS IS ILLEGAL.
YOU GUYS ALL KNOW THIS AND YOU DON'T CARE.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT YOU? AND WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT THIS? AND THEN JODI J WHO RAN BARTON SPRINGS, THE FIRST GENTLEMAN WHO WHO SPOKE HERE, TALKED ABOUT THIS BEAR.
SHE PHOTOGRAPHED UNDERAGE FEMALE LIFEGUARDS, SENT THE PHOTOGRAPHS AROUND TO MALE MANAGERS.
WE WERE TOLD SHE WAS GONNA BE FIRED.
WHO IS THE NEXT SPEAKER? THE NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE LAURA PEREZ.
AFTER LAURA'S GONNA BE KEN BELLINGER.
AND THEN AFTER KEN'S GONNA BE MARK SULLIVAN.
BUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S, LAURA PEREZ.
I'M AN ARCHITECT HERE IN AUSTIN AND A SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THIS PLAN, SPECIFICALLY PROVIDING THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WILL BE GOING TO PROVIDING THE EXACT SAME INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
I WANNA POINT OUT IN THE PARKING PLAN, THERE ARE 2,450 PARKING SPACES ALREADY.
THE PROPOSED PLAN WILL HAVE 2,450 PARKING SPACES.
THAT'S THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF PARKING SPACES, BUT WITH A HIGHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
THE IMPACT OF CO2 IN GENERAL IS WE ARE, SORRY.
THE CITY IS TRYING TO REDUCE OUR CO2 IMPACT.
WE HAVE A P A CARBON NEUTRAL PLAN BY 2040.
CONCRETE IN GENERAL, IS ONE OF THE LARGEST EMITTERS OF CO2.
AND I, I DON'T THINK WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THESE GARAGES.
THE AMOUNT OF CO2 THAT THAT CONCRETE AND CEMENT PUTS OUT INTO THE ENVIRONMENT IS JUST STAGGERING.
HEY, BOARD, BEFORE WE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, BEFORE WE TAKE, UH, ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS, THIS MEETING IS LIKELY TO RUN PAST 10:00 AM AND, UH, THE BOARD WILL NEED TO ACT PM 10:00 PM NOT 10:00 AM WHAT DID I SAY? AM UM, THE BOARD WOULD NEED TO VOTE TO EXTEND THE MEETING IN ORDER FOR THE, THE MEETING TO ADVANCE PAST 10:00 PM SO WOULD I, COULD I RECOMMEND, UH, THE BOARD MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND FOR AN HOUR? I'LL MOVE TO EXTEND THE MEETING FOR ONE HOUR PAST 10:00 PM I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING AT TO 11:00 PM RAISE YOUR HAND.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, KEN BELLINGER.
WHO'S SPEAKING FOR TWO MINUTES.
UM, OUR FAMILY LIVES LESS THAN, UH, HALF A MILE FROM ZILKER.
SO WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SWIM,
[03:45:01]
BIKE, HIKE, AND ENJOY IT.UM, THE, THE PARKING GARAGE IS OBVIOUSLY YOU HEARD A BUNCH FROM EVERYONE, BUT I, I SEE 'EM AS A PROBLEM FOR FAMILIES WHO CURRENTLY PARK WHERE THE PICNIC TABLES ARE.
IF THEY'RE HAVING A FAMILY OUTING OR PEOPLE WHO ARE CANOEING WHERE THEY CAN DRAG THEIR CANOES.
AND THEN I TRY TO VISUALIZE THESE PARKING GARAGE AND PEOPLE LIKE, WAIT, AM I GONNA GET A CANOE OR A WAGON WITH MY FAMILY FOOD AND STUFF IN AN ELEVATOR? OR AM I GONNA BE WALKING DOWN THE ACTUAL DRIVEWAYS AND THAT? SO I ACTUALLY SEE THESE GARAGES NOT ONLY AS A, A HEALTH HAZARD AS WELL, IT'S GONNA BE DANGEROUS.
THE THEATER, I'VE BEEN TO THE THEATER A BUNCH.
THERE'S NO NEED TO EXPAND THE THEATER FOR 5,000 PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, I READ ABOUT THERE'S A, UH, A PROBLEM AS FAR AS A PRESSURE, UH, GETTING REVENUES BECAUSE OF THEIR COMPETING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOR MONEY.
PARKING GARAGE IS A LOT OF THEATER.
IT'S JUST GONNA PUT MORE PRESSURE CUZ YOUR BUDGET'S GONNA BE MUCH HIGHER AND THIS AND THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS BOARD'S APPOINTED.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL'S INVOLVED.
BUT QUITE HONESTLY, I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT, I'M IN THE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS.
I SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SOMETIME EVALUATING PROJECTS AND I LOOK AT 'EM AND SOMETIMES I JUST HAVE TO WALK AWAY CUZ THEY WERE BAD IDEAS OR, OR THE NUMBERS JUST DIDN'T WORK.
AND SO I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK BACK AND BE STRONG ENOUGH AS INDIVIDUALS, BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL REGRET THIS IF YOU TURN ZER PARK INTO ZER BUSINESS PARK.
I SEE THIS AS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE REVENUES.
SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT I'VE READ TO AS FAR AS SOME OF THE DESIGN TEAM WHO I'VE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH DESIGN WORKSHOP ON A 20 SOME MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IN HOUSTON PREVIOUSLY.
OUR NEXT AND, UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE YOU, SIR.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, MARK SULLIVAN IS GONNA BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
MARK SULLIVAN HAS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MARK SOLES IS GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO RICH ARMINGTON.
AND AFTER RICH IS GONNA BE LARRY BROWNSTEIN.
UH, I KNOW IT'S BEEN ONE OF THESE LONG DAYS AND YOUR EYES ARE STARTING TO GLAZE.
SO I'M GONNA BRING SOME CLARITY TO THIS HAZE.
UM, BY THE WAY, I'M GONNA PULL LORI TO BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, THIS LAND WAS DONATED BY ANDREW ZILKER.
IT SHOULD NOT BE RUN BY AN OUTSIDE BILKER.
HE NOTED IT, HE DONATED IT FOR ALL TO NATURE, OBSERVE.
AND FROM THIS MISSION, WE SHOULD NOT SWERVE.
UH, MARY MARY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS.
MARY MARY HELPED SAVE BARTON SPRINGS.
DON'T TRY TO KEEP US IN THE DARK BY HAVING AN OUTSIDE INTEREST RUN THE PARK.
THE HONEST PEOPLE OF THIS NATION WOULD SAY THAT IT'S A BIG OBFUSCATION.
MARY, MARY, MOTHER OF ALL THINGS.
WE DON'T, SOME WANT SOMETHING THAT'S CORRUPT.
AND THAT'S ABRUPT, UH, BETWEEN YOU AND ME AND THE CAVALRY, THIS IS A FORM OF LARCENY.
THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY HAVE SPOKEN.
YOU DON'T WANT TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER CONCRETE SLAB.
PLEASE SAY NO TO THIS MONEY GRAB.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE RICH ARMINGTON.
AND AFTER RICH WILL BE, UH, LARRY BROWNSTEIN IS RICH HERE.
IF LARRY'S NOT HERE, THEN WE HAVE, UH, MARTA TIENDA.
IS ANN SMITH HERE AFTER ANNE WOULD BE, UH, PAMELA LYNN.
IS PAMELA HERE? UH, JAY JORDAN.
UH, KELLY SHANNON OR MICHAEL PEARSON.
KELLY SHANNON OR MICHAEL PEARSON.
[03:50:02]
RON.DO YOU WANT ACCEPT A A ONE MINUTE TIME DONATION? UH, I DON'T THINK I'LL GET IT.
UM, DANIEL'S GONNA HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK AND THEN AFTER HIM WILL BE STEVEN SMITH.
I AM NEW HERE, SO I'M JUST KIND OF GETTING A SENSE OF ALL THINGS.
AND I RECALL MR. TANA GUCCI SAYING, UH, TO, HE'S ON THE BOARD OF, OF ZILKER 3 51 SAYING, TO GET WITH THE TIMES.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, DID HE MEAN THE NEW YORK TIMES? BECAUSE I JUST MOVED FROM NEW YORK THREE YEARS AGO HERE.
UH, BECAUSE I LIKE MY PARK WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CITY IN IT.
AND IN HONOR OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT FOR ZILKER IN THE SPRINGS.
THAT'S WHAT A SILENT SPRING SOUNDS LIKE.
WE BELIEVE IN THE HEART OF THIS CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE STEVEN SMITH.
STEVEN SMITH, BARBARA ANDERSON.
UM, Y'ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES.
A NICER WAY TO PUT IT WOULD BE IF YOU'RE THINKING THAT YOU'RE VOLUNTEERING TO REPRESENT US, THAT WE ARE ASHAMED.
UM, THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT IT'S GONE UP TO THIS POINT THAT Y'ALL HAVE LET IT COME UP TO THIS POINT.
FOUR TIMES EVERYONE HAS SAID NO TO THIS.
I'M A WORKING MUSICIAN, I'M A CAREER MUSICIAN IN THE CITY, AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL THE MUSICIANS THAT USE THAT VISIT AND FREQUENT BARTON SPRINGS IN ZILKER PARK THAT THEY DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN.
I DO NOT NEED C3, UH, A C L TICKETMASTER LIVE NATION AT ALL TO TOUCH PEOPLE AND CHANGE THEIR LIVES WITH MUSIC.
AND WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER AMPHITHEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN.
WE CAN FIND A DIFFERENT PLACE TO HAVE IT.
I GRIEVE FOR ALL THE GREEN SPACE THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOSE AS THE CITY EXPANDS.
AND THIS WAS JUST, THIS IS JUST GONNA BE, THANK YOU.
THANK OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE, UH, WAS WAS KT KIMBALL HERE? KT KIMBALL.
SOME OF YOU WHO KNEW DO KNOW ME KNOW THAT'S, UH, RATHER STRANGE IN MY WORLD.
UM, I'M HERE TO VOTE AGAINST, UM, THE RE THE ZILKER VISION PLAN.
UH, AND I'LL BE VERY QUICK ABOUT IT.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
THAT'S THE OLDEST ADAGE IN TEXAS.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
AIN'T NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT PARKING IN ZILKER.
AIN'T NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE GROUNDS TOO HARD AT ZILKER.
WHAT PEOPLE DO COMPLAIN ABOUT THOUGH, IS THAT WE LOSE ZER PARK FOR THREE MONTHS DURING THE YEAR.
WHAT WE, WHAT WE DO COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THAT THERE'S A DISCUSSION TO POLLUTE OUR, OUR AQUIFER.
THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, BUT EVEN MORE SO IS THE INCLUSION OF THIS 5,000
[03:55:01]
SEAT AMPHITHEATER.AND THEN TO MAKE THE LINK DIRECTLY, AH, THANK YOU MR. DAVIS.
CAN I HAVE JUST A SECOND? HE DONATED YOUR MI I I DON'T, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
I WON'T TAKE THE WHOLE MINUTE.
SO, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BORE YOU GUYS WITH TOO MUCH.
YOU'VE HEARD PLENTY FROM PLENTY OF PEOPLE.
THE AMPHITHEATER IS GOING TO BE DIRECTLY MODELED AFTER WHAT WE HAVE AT WATERLOO PARK.
NOW WATERLOO PARK IN THE, IF YOU GO LOOK AT WATERLOO PARK SCHEDULE, I JUST DID IT TODAY FOR THE PAST 45 DAYS, I'M SORRY, FOR THE PAST 15 DAYS AND FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
SO THE END OF JUNE, THERE WILL BE 25 DIFFERENT CONCERTS AT WATERLOO PARK.
NOW IF YOU TAKE THAT AND YOU MOVE IT OVER TO ZILKER PARK AND YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU MODEL IT IN THE SAME KIND OF FASHION, WE CAN IMAGINE THAT ZER PARK, WE'RE GONNA LOSE AN ENTIRE SECTION THAT'S GOING TO BE 5,000 PEOPLE'S WORTH OF SIDEWALKS, TRAFFIC, UH, AND CONCRETE SEATS.
THAT WHOLE PORTION'S GONNA BE LOST FOR AT LEAST HALF A YEAR TO ACCOMMODATE CONCERTS.
WE DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS.
IS THERE ANY SAMUEL HERE? I CAN'T READ YOUR LAST NAME.
CHRISTOPHER ALBY AFTER CHRISTOPHER IS GONNA BE, UH, ARMEN WINNING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ALL YOU DO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN DOING, THIS IS A PUBLIC SQUARE AND WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS ANOTHER PUBLIC SQUARE.
PLANS ARE MADE TO BE ABANDONED, TO BE MOVED ON FROM, BUT PLANNING IS THE MOST CRUCIAL THING, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN DOING THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
I THINK THE PROCESS THAT WE CHOOSE TO PULL TOGETHER, THE ENERGY THAT YOU'VE SEEN TONIGHT THAT WENT INTO THE PLAN THAT BROUGHT ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, YOU HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE MISSION OF THE PARKS, OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND REVITALIZING THEIR NATURE AND THEIR SPIRIT.
THE WAY THAT YOU CHOOSE TO EXECUTE THE MISSION THAT YOU VOLUNTEERED FOR COULD HAVE GREAT BENEFIT WELL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PLAN TO THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY AND ALL OF ITS CITIZENS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE ARMAND WINNING.
IS ARMAN HERE? IS IT? I THINK IT'S AARON.
UM, I'M HERE TO SHOW UP, UM, CUZ I CARE AND I'M AGAINST THIS PLAN.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE I'VE SPOKEN AND WE CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER VISION.
UM, I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO, TO LISTEN AND TO LEARN A LOT.
AND I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT.
I I HAVEN'T HEARD THE PEOPLE THAT I GUESS CAME UP WITH THIS VISION.
THERE ARE SOME, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
AT THIS POINT, IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO HASN'T SPOKEN OR DONATED THEIR TIME THAT WANTS TO ADDRESS THE PARKS BOARD? IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO HASN'T SPOKEN OR DONATED THEIR TIME THAT WANTS TO DONATE THE PARKS BOARD? UH, ADDRESS THE PARKS BOARD CHAIR.
THAT'S THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN.
UM, ARE, IS THE BOARD OKAY TO PROCEED FORWARD OR DO WE WANT A MOTION FOR A BREAK? A RECESS? NEXT IS THE PRESENTATION.
DO WE WANT A PRESENTATION? DO WE WANT A RECESS CHAIR ON RECESS? OH, SORRY.
UM, IS THE CITY'S PRESENTATION NEXT? YES.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE, THE PEOPLE ARE WANTING A RECESS, A SHORT RECESS.
SO I, I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME SIMILAR TO
[04:00:01]
WHAT WE DID LAST TIME.YEAH, I'D LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE HAVE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
THERE IS A MOTION TO DO FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OH, WE'LL BE BACK AT, UH, RIGHT NOW AT 10 0 9.
AT 10:17 PM I THINK YOURSELF PROBATION NEED.
UM, WE'RE BACK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.
SO PARKS BOARD MEMBERS, KIMBERLY MCNEELY, SERVING AS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
I'M JUST GONNA READ A BRIEF STATEMENT AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO THE PLANNING TEAM TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PLAN.
SO THE DEPARTMENT HAS EMBARKED UPON THE ZILKER VISION PLAN, UM, UH, THIS PLANNING PROJECT.
AND WE STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
AND WE'RE BRINGING IT TO YOU TODAY TO INTRODUCE THIS IMPORTANT PLAN FOR YOUR REVIEW, CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
UH, THIS PROJECT SPIN AMONG ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING, UM, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL AND URGENT ENDEAVORS THAT THIS DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN ON, AT LEAST IN MY TENURE.
THIS PLAN TODAY IS THE BEST REPRESENTATION OF CONCEPTS, PLANS, PRINCIPLES, DIRECTION, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STUDY AND COMBINE INTO A SINGLE DOCUMENT FOR YOUR, AGAIN, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, REVIEW, AND RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT FOR THE FIRST, UM, A HUNDRED YEARS, UH, THIS 351 ACRE PARK HAS SERVED, UM, UP TO AND MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE ANNUALLY.
UH, IT'S NEVER HAD A TRUE PARK PLAN, RIGHT? IT'S NEVER HAD A TRUE VISION PLAN.
IT'S BEEN A CULMINATION OR A CULMINATE, UH, A A CONGLOMERATE OF MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PLANS FOR DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE PARK.
UM, AND SO THEREFORE, UH, WE KNOW THAT OVER THE LAST DECADES THAT THIS PLAN HAS HAD TO ADJUST AND ACCOMMODATE THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF AUSTIN.
UM, IT CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE UNPRECEDENTED USAGE, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL TREASURE.
SO WE KNOW ALL THOSE THINGS TO BE TRUE.
PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT THE SPEAKER.
SO, FOR CONTEXT, UM, AS THE ZILKER PLANNING EFFORT BEGAN, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, GRAPPLED WITH MANY OF THE EMERGING ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPEN WHEN YOU BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE ERMAN PARK SYSTEM.
AND WE KNOW WE HAVE CHALLENGES THAT INCLUDE, UM, DEALING OR, UH, ACCOMMODATING ZILKER PARK.
IN 2015, THE CITY COUNCIL CREATED A PARKLAND EVENTS TASK FORCE OF 17 MEMBERS, AND TODAY STUDIED HOW MAJOR EVENTS, UH, HAVE THEIR IMPACT ON OUR URBAN PARKS.
AND THEY SERVED THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE, UH, AN OPPOR, I'M SORRY.
THEY SERVED OUR COMMUNITY TO MEET THE INCREASED NEEDS OF, OF THE GATHERINGS AND EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR PARKS.
THE PARKLAND EVENTS TASK FORCE MET 30 TIMES AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL CITY PARKS, BUT MOST PARTICULARLY FOR WATERFRONT PARKS, INCLUDING ZER PARK.
IN 2018, THE CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP TO STUDY TRANSPORTATION, PARKING, AND TRAFFIC ISSUES.
AND IT WAS THAT GROUP, UH, THAT WAS MADE UP OF 38 MEMBERS THAT REPRESENTED A VARIETY OF NEIGHBORHOODS, ASSOCIATIONS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, BOARDS, AND COMMISSIONS.
THEY HAD FIVE, UH, APPOINTED DIR.
THEY HAD FIVE ENTITIES THAT WERE APPOINTED DIRECTLY BY THE COUNCIL OFFICES.
UM, THIS GR GROUP WAS INTENDED TO HELP US, UH, SET THE STAGE FOR THIS PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO, EVEN BEFORE WE STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESS, WE HAD A GROUP THAT HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS THAT THIS PLAN SHOULD BE DOING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND IT MADE MULTIPLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE THEN PUT INTO OUR SCOPE OF WORK.
AND IN THAT SCOPE OF WORK, THEN CAME ARTIST SELECTION OF THIS PLANNING TEAM.
SO I SAY ALL THAT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A THOUGHT PUT INTO, UH, HOW WE WOULD DEVELOP THE PLAN.
THERE HAS BEEN A, A LONG STANDING AMOUNT OF TIME, RIGHT? OVER TWO YEARS OF TIME THAT WE HAVE, UH, PUT TOWARDS TRYING TO CAPTURE ALL THE THINGS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT ZILKER PARK.
AND ADMITTEDLY, NOT EVERYBODY AGREES.
BUT I, I ARREST ASSURE, I ASSURE YOU THAT THE TEAM
[04:05:01]
TRIED TO TAKE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING AND, UM, MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD CONSIDER WITH, WITH CONFIDENCE, AND THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER AS PART OF, UM, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED AND, UH, MOST DESIRED, OR I WON'T SAY MOST DESIRED, THAT IS NEEDED BY THE CITY, RIGHT? WE NEED TO HAVE A PLANNING, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS PARK BECAUSE OF ITS ENORMOUS POPULARITY AND ITS ENORMOUS USE.I WILL HAND IT OVER TO THE PLANNING TEAM.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ENERGY AS YOU, UM, REVIEW WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO PRESENT.
UH, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M GREG MONTE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE OK PARK VISION PLAN.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE PLANNING TEAM, UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION.
TO MY RIGHT IS CLAIRE HEMPEL, UM, DESIGN WORKSHOP PRINCIPAL.
SHE REPRESENTS THE LEAD CONSULTANT TEAM FROM DESIGN WORKSHOP.
UM, JONATHAN, UM, JONATHAN OGREN WITH SIGLO, WHO IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUB-CONSULTANT ON THE TEAM.
AND THEN TO THE FURTHEST RIGHT THERE IS JOHN, UM, SORRY, JUSTIN SCHNEIDER WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
HE SERVES AS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST.
SO WE'LL JUMP INTO THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU, TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN DRAFT AS YOU CONSIDER THIS PLAN FOR ACTION.
MY NAME IS CLAIRE HEMPEL, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, BUT ALSO A PRINCIPAL AT DESIGN WORKSHOP, AND I'VE BEEN SERVING AS A LEAD CONSULTANT WORKING WITH PAR ON THE ZER 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 WILL SPEND ABOUT 15 MINUTES PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN AND THE PROCESS, AND WE'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
TO START OFF, OUR OVERVIEW TONIGHT, WHEN YOU SEE WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, ARE THE RESULTS OF 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 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.
IT IS A BELOVED SPACE WITH MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT HOW IT SHOULD BE USED AND IMPROVED.
ZER PARK HAS BEEN A DRAW FOR GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES AND THOSE THAT LIVE HERE BEFORE.
IT IS THE HOME OF ECOLOGICAL TREASURES, GATHERING SPACES, PLAY AREAS, AND HOME TO MANY BELOVED FACILITIES AND EVENTS.
BUT EARLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, EVEN BEFORE OUR, 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 ZER PARK IS MEETING PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND WHY PEOPLE DON'T VISIT OR ASKED AMONG OTHERS.
HIGHLIGHTING THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE TO BECOME CENTRAL TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT.
YOU SEE TODAY, 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 OF WHICH ARE PICTURED HERE, LIKE THE AREAS THAT SEE INTENSE STORM DRAINAGE AND EROSION PROBLEMS, AND INACCESSIBLE AREAS ALONG THE CREEK.
SO WHAT IS A VISION PLAN? THERE HAVE BEEN VISION PLANS DONE FOR DISCRETE ELEMENTS AND FACILITIES IN ZER PARK, SUCH AS THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, BARTON SPRINGS POOL, AND THE SUNKEN GARDENS.
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DONE FOR ZER PARK AS A WHOLE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS VISION PLAN IS INTENDED TO BE.
IT WILL OUTLINE THE LONG-TERM VISION, PRINCIPLES, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCEMENT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE PARK.
THE VISION PLAN IS A GUIDE ONLY AND DOES NOT SERVE AS DETAILED DESIGNER CONSTRUCTION PLANS, PLANS FOR DAY-TO-DAY PARK MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE, NOR DETAILED BUDGETING FOR PARK ENHANCEMENTS.
THIS IS HELPFUL TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE DRAFT PLAN.
THE ZILKER, METROPOLITAN 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 IN CONTEXT FROM AFFILIATED CITY
[04:10:01]
ADOPTED PLANS SUCH AS THE LONG RANGE PLAN, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, THE WORKING GROUP REPORT, AND MANY OTHERS.THE LONG RANGE PLAN WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE PARKS BOARD AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL SEVERAL YEARS AGO PRIOR TO THE START OF THE ZER VISION PLANNING PROCESS.
OUR TEAM WANTS TO POINT OUT HOW THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN BRINGS FORTH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LONG-RANGE PLAN AS SHOWN HERE.
THE SOLID COLORS, UH, CIRCLES INDICATE RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR ZER AND THE DASH CIRCLES ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE OVERALL PARK SYSTEM THAT RE AS THEY RELATE TO ZILKER.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS SINCE FEBRUARY, 2021.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME, WHICH PROVED ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING DUE TO COVID ERA 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, AN IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE, SIX COMMUNITY SURVEYS, AND ADDITIONAL WORK WITH THE PARKS BOARD WORKING GROUP.
TONIGHT'S HEARING IS ONE OF THE FINAL TOUCH POINTS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF THE PROJECT, WITH A BRIEFING TO THE COUNCIL PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE IN JUNE, AND CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION BY CITY COUNCIL ON JULY 20TH.
THE DRAFT PLAN IS THE COMPILATION OF THREE DISTINCT CONCEPTS THAT WERE PRESENTED LAST SUMMER.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE CONNECTIVE BRIDGES OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, LADY BIRD LAKE, AND BARTON CREEK ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION ACROSS THE PARK, INCLUDING ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL IN POLO FIELD AREAS.
A WELCOME PLAZA AT THE CARETAKER'S COTTAGE IN KWANZA HUT, AND A CLUSTER OF SPORTS RELATED USES NEAR THE POLO FIELD LAWN.
TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN.
FIRST, THE EXTERNAL SHUTTLE, AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, IS CRITICAL TO SUPPORT THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN ZILKER VI VISITORSHIP AS THE CITY'S POPULATION GROWS IN THE FUTURE.
THE TWO PROPOSED LINES WILL CONNECT THE PARK TO TRANSPORTATION HUBS AND EXTERNAL PARKING GARAGES, LIKE ONE TEXAS CENTER REPUBLIC SQUARE IN CITY HALL.
A SHUTTLE WAS PILOTED, PILOTED LAST SUMMER WITH AROUND 500 WRITERS GETTING FREE LIFTS FROM THE GARAGE AT ONE TEXAS CENTER TO ZILKER.
AND THIS FREE SHUTTLE WILL START AGAIN THIS COMING WEEKEND, I BELIEVE, THROUGH LABOR DAY WEEKEND.
REGARDING VEHICULAR CIRCULATION.
THE PLAN RECOMMENDS HOLDING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES WITHIN THE PARK AS THERE ARE TODAY, BUT BY CONCENTRATING PARKING IN GARAGES, IMPERVIOUS COVER IS REDUCED, UH, FROM 36 ACRES, UM, TO, UH, 27 OR SO.
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 IN THE TEAL COLOR TO SERVE AS A, BOTH A RECREATIONAL ELEMENT AND A WAY TO GET AROUND THE PARK.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN SERVE AS A COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO ADDRESS ACCESS AND MOBILITY WITHIN THE PARK, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTING SHARED PARKING SOLUTIONS LIKE OFFSITE PARKING SOLUTIONS, CAPITALIZING ON PARKING GARAGES, INVESTMENTS ADJACENT TO THE PARK, LIKE THE NEW DOHERTY ART CENTER TO THE EAST, AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES FROM THE NORTH AND 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 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.
THE CONFIGURATION SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM, UH, IS ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION, UM, WITH PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND PARALLEL PARKING WITH SHARED USE PASS ON EACH SIDE.
THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED, BUT ONLY AFTER A MOBILITY 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.
THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS DISPLAYED AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDES ARE OTHER ROADWAY CONFIGURATIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS.
ONE SHOWS BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IS TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION, NO PARALLEL PARKING, AND THE OTHER SHOW IS BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IS TWO LANESS EACH DIRECTION WITH PARALLEL PARKING.
THE TAKEAWAY IS THAT THE UPDATED DESIGN FOR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD COULD LOOK DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF THE STREET YOU'RE ON.
AND THIS WOULD BE DETERMINED AT A LATER DATE WITH FURTHER STUDIES AND DESIGN 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 HEAD IS ALREADY EXISTING AND FIVE CROSSING POINTS ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, INCLUDING THE LAND BRIDGE.
A SIX BRIDGE CONNECTS THE FUTURE MOPAC SHARED USE PATH
[04:15:01]
OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AS YOU HEAD TO OR FROM THE LAKE.THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE ABOUT NATURE AND ECOLOGY WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST FOCAL POINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
THE PROPOSED ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION WILL BENEFIT THE PARK AS IT RELATES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GOALS SET FORTH IN THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT HAPPENS BY REPAIRING AND RESTORING NATURAL SYSTEMS THROUGH ACTIVE MANAGEMENT.
MANIFESTATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT IN ZILKER PARK CAN INCLUDE INCREASING BIODIVERSITY THROUGH THE PLANTING OF POLLINATOR PLANTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
ENHANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCE THROUGH INCREASES IN TREE CANOPY AND SHADE THAT MITIGATES AND ALLOWS FOR ADAPTATION.
THE PLAN INCREASES AREAS OF ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PARK, RESULTING IN 92 ADDITIONAL ACRES OF NATURAL AREA.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW IMPERVIOUS COVER WAS CALCULATED AS WE HAVE VISITED THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THE QUESTION OF HOW THE TEAM ARRIVED AT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATION HAS BEEN ASKED AFTER REVISITING THE ASSUMPTIONS MADE.
THE TOTAL IMPERVIOUS COVER IS STILL REDUCED FROM THE EXISTING TODAY, AND THAT'S DONE BY REMOVING THE SCATTERED SURFACE PARKING AREAS AND RE-VEGETATING AREAS SUCH AS THE POLO FIELD AND BUTLER LANDFILL IN A VERY HIGH LEVEL ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS VERSUS THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS STORED IN SEQUESTERED CARBON INCREASED BY 62%.
THE PERCENTAGE AS SEEN HERE HAS INCREASED FROM PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS AS THE TEAM HAS REVISITED THE MODEL OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS DUE TO TWEAKS IN THE MODEL.
THE PLAN ALSO SUPPORTS SEVERAL GOALS WITH THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN BY INCREASING TREE CANOPY BIODIVERSITY, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, REMOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER, AND ENHANCING PUBLIC TRANSIT BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS WITHIN THE PARK.
SO NOW WE'LL ZOOM IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE'LL GO SECTION BY SECTION.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE SMALL ICONS ON THE DESIGN ELEMENTS TO LINK HOW THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THE GOALS ARE SUPPORTED.
THE NORTHERN AREA OF THE PARK IS MOSTLY UNTOUCHED WITH THE ZILKER NATURE PRESERVE AND THE 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, UM, THE ROWING DOCK REMAINS IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION WITH PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS FROM ENS CREEK UNDER STRATFORD TO CONNECT THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER AND TRAIL USERS TO THE WATER.
THERE'S A TRAIL HEAD FOR THE BUTLER HIKE AND BITE TRAIL BESIDE THE PARKING GARAGE LOCATED UNDERNEATH MOAK.
THE CENTRAL PART OF THE PARK INCLUDES, UH, AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE MOPAC INTERSECTION WITH THE ZER BOTANICAL GARDEN LOOKING OUT TOWARDS DOWNTOWN IN THE LADYBIRD 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 PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CROSSING OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
THE SPORTS AREA IS NOW MORE CLOSELY LOCATED TO THE POLO FIELD LAWN, AND THE DISK 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 TOWARD THE GREAT LAWN AND 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 ALSO PROVIDES PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER 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 ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK.
THE SIZE OF THE PLAYGROUNDS IN THE SOUTH AREA WAS REDUCED FROM AN EARLIER DRAFT OF THE PLAN TO KEEP THE CURRENT MONKEY TREE LAWN INTACT.
THE PARKING GARAGE IS SHOWN HERE ON AZ MORTON WOULD BE THE LOWEST PRIORITY OF PARKING GARAGES AND MAY POSSIBLY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED AS OTHER PARKING AND MOBILITY SOLUTIONS LIKE SHARED USE PARKING OPTIONS BECOME AVAILABLE.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE AREA TO THE EAST OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL, THE SPILLWAY.
THIS SHOWS ACCESSIBLE PATHS TO THE WATER'S EDGE RE-VEGETATED AREAS AND DEFINED AREAS FOR WATER ACCESS TO ALLOW FOR HEALING BACK OF THE BANKS.
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 MINI MAINTENANCE FACILITY TO THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL HEAD WOULD BE CLOSED TO EVERYDAY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, ALLOWING FOR UNIMPEDED
[04:20:01]
ACCESS FROM THE GREEN BELT AND THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL ACROSS THE LAND BRIDGE TO 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 TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROJECTS MAY BE PRIORITIZED, THE PLANNING TEAM 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 BENEFIT, LOWER COST PROJECTS ARE CLUSTERED AT THE TOP LEFT AND THE LOWER BENEFIT HIGHER COST PROJECTS ARE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
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 A CORRELATION AMONG PROJECTS THAT ARE CO-DEPENDENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, SURFACE PARKING WILL ONLY BE REMOVED WHEN THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO ACCESS THE PARK, EITHER A PARKING SOLUTION OR MORE FREQUENT TRANSIT OR SHUTTLE SERVICES.
TO CONCLUDE, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS PLAN WAS VERY MUCH AN EXERCISE IN BALANCING COMPETING INTERESTS.
AND WE FEEL THE COMMENTS RECEIVED TO DATE FROM THE PUBLIC, THE COMMISSIONS AND STAFF WILL ONLY SERVE TO MAKE THE PLAN STRONGER.
THE PLAN WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE ON JUNE 14TH AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON JULY 20TH.
SO WITH THAT, WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'RE NOW OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF THE PRESENTERS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER REID.
SO, UM, I GUESS I'M GONNA START WITH WHAT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS ISSUES ABOUT THIS PLAN, UM, REGARDING THE PARKING GARAGES.
I KNOW THAT, UM, IT, IT APPEARS THAT THE IDEA FOR PARKING GARAGES CAME FROM A 54%, UM, NUMBER FROM ONE OF YOUR SURVEYS.
AND WHY, WHY DO YOU NOT GO TO, TO ZILKER PARK? CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHERE THAT ORIGINATED? WHY DID YOU DECIDE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS BE A PART OF THE PLAN, THE STRUCTURES? WHAT WAS IT BASED ON? SO, FROM THE VERY FIRST SURVEY THAT, UM, STARTED TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THE CHALLENGES IN ZILKER ARE, PARKING, CROWDING, ACCESSIBILITY WORD, UM, ROSE TO THE TOP OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM RESPONDENTS IS HAVING, BEING CHALLENGES TO GETTING TO ZILKER.
UM, SO IN LOOKING AT THAT, WE CALCULATED THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT ARE THERE TODAY.
AND WE, WE DID LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES OF WHAT IF WE DRASTICALLY REDUCE PARKING? WHAT IF WE DRAMATICALLY INCREASE PARKING? AND WE WENT WITH THE, THE RECOMMENDATION TO KEEP THE SAME NUMBER OF PARKING SPOTS AS THERE ARE TODAY, BUT MAKE IT EASIER TO NAVIGATE TO THOSE SPACES IN THE PARK SO YOU CAN GET OUT MORE QUICKLY IF YOU'RE ARRIVING BY CAR AND ENJOY THE PARK.
CAN I, CAN I ASK ANOTHER ONE? IS THAT OKAY? OH, I ALSO WANTED TO ADD TO IS PART OF THE WORK FROM THE 2019 ZUCKER PARK WORKING GROUP, THAT WAS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WAS RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THEIR MOBILITY, TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS WAS A, A GARAGE WITHIN THE PARK AND OUTSIDE.
SO THEY WERE ALSO LOOKING WITHIN THE PARK TO, UM, ADDRESS THE PARKING ISSUES, BUT ALSO OUTSIDE OF THE PARK, WHICH THIS PLANT HAS ALSO DONE.
SO ONCE YOU DECIDED THAT THIS WAS A FEASIBLE WAY TO MAINTAIN THE SAME AMOUNT OF PARKING IN THE PARK IN ZILKER, UM, WHY WAS, WERE THE PARKING GARAGES? ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS THAT WERE NOT ILLUSTRATED, AND I KNOW THAT I WAS TOLD YOUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, BUT THERE WERE ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE THEATER.
THERE WERE ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE LAND BRIDGE, BUT THERE WERE NO ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES, JUST AN AERIAL VIEW ON A MAP.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE NO RENDERINGS, BUT THERE WAS AN IMAGE OF AN EXAMPLE OF A PARKING GARAGE THAT'S, UH, SERVING THE WOODY MUSEUM IN
[04:25:01]
SAN ANTONIO AND BRECKENRIDGE PARK.SO THAT IMAGE WAS PROVIDED AS AN EXAMPLE AND POTENTIAL, WE CERTAINLY WERE NOT STATING THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE FINAL DESIGN.
SO, UM, HOW DID YOU CALCULATE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER OF THE BUILDINGS THAT'S ON IN YOUR PRESENTATION? BY TAKING THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
SO DID YOU HAVE A A SQUARE FOOTAGE NUMBER THAT YOU HAD IN MIND FOR THREE PARKING GARAGES? YES.
ONE OF THEM IS UNDER MOPAC, WHICH IS ALREADY COUNTED AS IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, AND I, I DON'T HAVE THE MEASUREMENTS, I HAVE THE PARKING COUNTS THERE.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, TWO LEVELS, UM, THAT WOULD CONTAIN, UH, JUST OVER A A THOUSAND CARS AND THEN THIS MUCH SMALLER PARKING GARAGE OFF OF AZ MORTON.
UH, THREE STORIES TOTALING ABOUT 330 SPACES.
THOSE ARE BIG STRUCTURES, AND I THINK MAYBE THE PUBLIC DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW LARGE THAT WAS.
I HAVE ONE OTHER QUICK QUESTION.
HOW MANY SPOTS ARE THERE ON THE WEEKEND THAT ARE OCCUPIED ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL? DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THE CAR COUNT? THERE'S ABOUT 750 SPOTS.
UM, YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE PARKING SPOTS, UH, THE NU THE, THE CURRENT SPOTS AVAILABLE AT ZILKER ISN'T GONNA CHANGE.
UM, SHOULD THESE PARKING STRUCTURES, UH, COME TO FRUITION.
UM, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL PARKING? CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN YOU READ THE PLAN IS, UH, DESIGNATED.
UM, SO CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT? RIGHT.
SO THAT WAS A WAY FOR US TO DESCRIBE THE PARKING SITUATION TODAY.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE CALL QUOTE UNQUOTE FORMAL IS A PAVED SPOT.
SO ASPHALT OR CONCRETE, UM, EVERYTHING THAT IS WHAT WE CALL INFORMAL WAS THE GRAVEL LOT ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL, THE POLO FIELD, WHICH IS JUST COMPACTED, UM, EARTH.
UM, AND SO THAT'S HOW WE, WE CALCULATED THE, THE INFORMAL, INFORMAL SPACES.
SO, SO CURRENTLY ON THE INFORMAL SPACES, IT'S JUST LIKE PEOPLE BASICALLY PARKING ON GRASS AND DIRT.
RIGHT? SOME ARE METERED ACTUALLY.
SO THE POLO FIELD LAWN IS DIRT, ESSENTIALLY, BUT IT IS A METER PARKING AREA.
UM, UP UNTIL RECENTLY, THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE, THE PARK HAD, UM, UH, KIND OF SEMI PAVED SLASH UM, GRAVEL PARKING OFF OF AZ MORTON.
UM, ON, YOU MENTIONED THE PARKING GARAGE UNDER MOPAC, YOU SAID.
SO, UH, I'VE SEEN YOUR RENDERINGS IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES.
ONE HAS IT UNDER MOPAC AND ONE HAS IT JUST TO THE EAST MM-HMM.
SO, WHICH ONE, I MEAN, WHEN I STAND UNDER MOPAC AND LOOK UP, I CAN'T IMAGINE EVEN TWO LAYERS OF PARKING MM-HMM.
SO WE, UM, THE, THE DRAFT THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE MENTIONING WHERE THE, THE GARAGE WAS TO THE EAST WAS AN EARLIER RENDITION IN THE PLANT.
UM, BUT WE HAD, UM, MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH CT, RMA AND TEXDOT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A PARKING GARAGE UNDER MOPAC AND THEY DIDN'T TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE.
WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF COORDINATION TO HAPPEN THERE.
UM, BUT IF, IF THAT COULD HAPPEN AND YOU DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THE PARK, THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THE VISION PLAN ILLUSTRATES THAT.
HOW MANY LAYERS DOES CTMA THINK CAN GO UNDER MOPAC? HOW MANY FLOORS OF PARKING? WE HAVE THREE FLOORS OF PARKING THAT'S SHOWN THERE.
UM, BUT THERE WOULD BE SOME EXCAVATION THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE, SO YOU'D DIG DOWN FOR FLOOR NUMBER ONE.
SO THAT'S SO CLOSE TO THE WATER TO DIG DOWN, BUT I GUESS IT'S ALSO A LANDFILL RIGHT NOW.
UM, HOW MANY PARKING SPOTS OFFSITE DO YOU HAVE LINED UP? AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THEN HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PARKING SPOTS YOU NEED? WHEN YOU SAY LINED UP, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WELL, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WILL BE NO COMMENT FROM THE AUDIENCE.
UM, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU, IN ORDER
[04:30:01]
TO PUT TOGETHER A VISION FOR THE FUTURE.YOU WANT TO START COLLABORATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS THAT INVOLVE YOUR VISION.
SO TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE PARKING GARAGES ADJACENT TO THE PARK, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, HOW MANY PARKING SPOTS DO YOU HAVE LINED UP DO YOU ANTICIPATE LINING UP IN ORDER TO KNOW, WELL, WE NEED TO, WE REALLY DO NEED TO BUILD A PARKING GARAGE, OR WE DON'T NEED TO BUILD A PARKING GARAGE.
AND THE REASON I ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE TERM LINING UP, TO ME, THAT MEANS LIKE CONTRACTED, THEY'RE GONNA BE A SOLID.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OFFICIAL AGREEMENTS.
WE DID LOOK AT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORING, UM, OWNERS OR MANAGEMENT COMPANIES OF THE ADJACENT PARKING GARAGES, MADE CALLS.
THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE OPEN, SOME THAT WERE UNREACHABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE OWNERS OUT OF STATE.
UM, AND I, I DON'T HAVE THIS SLIDE WITH ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DID A PARKING ANALYSIS OF ALL OF THE POTENTIAL SPOTS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE PARK.
SO IF, IF THOSE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS COULD BE, UM, STRUCK AND BECOME REAL AND A, AND A, A DEDICATED WAY FOR PARK USERS TO GET TO ZILKER, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
AND THAT WOULD REDUCE THE NEED FOR PARKING IN ZILKER.
I DID A LITTLE STUDY MYSELF AND, UM, JUST ADJACENT TO MACBETH REC CENTER ARE THREE BIG PARKING GARAGES THAT BELONGED TO A PRIVATE OFFICE PARK THAT SITS BEHIND IHOP ON THE MOPAC ACCESS ROAD.
AND I KNOW ONE OF THE OWNERS THERE, AND I'VE ALREADY BEGUN TALKING TO HIM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T THAT BE BETTER TO STRIKE A DEAL WITH THEM THAN BUILD A PARKING GARAGE? THAT I TOTALLY AGREE.
THAT LOCATION AUDIENCE, YOU ARE ONLY DISRUPTING BOARD THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE WHO ARE TRYING TO LEARN AND ASK QUESTIONS.
SO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING.
SO I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP THEN TO, TO ME, I, I, I REPRESENT THE PUBLIC AND I HEAR THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT STRUCTURE.
AND I THINK, UM, TO BUILD A VISION PLAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT A VISION HAS TO SAY, WELL, WE NEED AS MANY AS THREE PARKING STRUCTURES IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK A VISION SHOULD SAY, LET'S ECONOMIZE AND USE THE WEEKEND, UM, GARAGES ON THE PERIMETER THAT ARE NOT BEING USED.
AND THEN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IF THAT HASN'T COME TO FRUITION, YOU DO AN ADDENDUM TO YOUR VISION AND SAY, MAYBE WE'LL CONSIDER BUILDING ONE.
BUT TO START WITH THE VISION OF LET'S BUILD GARAGES DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
WE ALREADY HAVE GARAGES THAT AREN'T BEING USED ON WEEKENDS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I, UM, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, THE PARKING WAS AN OPPORTUNITY IF THERE WEREN'T THESE OTHER OPTIONS.
BUT I, FROM THE PLANNING MEETINGS THAT I ATTENDED, I THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE OPTIONS TO USE OFFSITE PARKING SHUTTLE IN AND THAT SORT OF THING.
CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THE, LIKE, THE BALANCE OF LIKE, THE GIVE AND TAKE.
IF THERE ARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, THEN WE WOULDN'T NEED TO USE THE, YOU KNOW, THIRD PARKING GARAGE OR THE SECOND PARKING GARAGE, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO AS THE TRANSIT IN AUSTIN HOPEFULLY CONTINUES TO IMPROVE, WE GET MORE FREQUENT, MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE THAT SERVICES MORE AREAS OF THE CITY TO GET TO ZILKER WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE AN HOUR AND A HALF, TWO HOUR BUS DRIVE, WHICH IS WHAT IT TAKES FROM WHERE I LIVE IN AUSTIN TODAY.
UM, THAT MAKES IT VIABLE TO NOT NEED THE IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT IS OUT THERE TODAY.
UM, BUT WHAT WE HEARD IS THAT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH ON BEAUTIFUL DAYS, BUSY DAYS, WEEKEND DAYS, SUMMER DAYS.
SO, UM, THE SOLUTION THAT WE CAME UP WITH WAS YES, PARKING IS PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND WE HAVE IT IN STRUCTURED FACILITIES.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE IN AS SHOWN IN THE DRAFT PLAN PARKING ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD ON EITHER SIDE, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 300 SPOTS.
AND WE DO HOLD THE SURFACE PARKING THAT IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK, UM, FOR IT'S GEARED TOWARDS THOSE WITH, UM, LIMITED MOBILITY OR A NEED TO BE CLOSER INTO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE POOL.
UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WE DISCUSS IN THE PLAN THAT BEING THE SHARED USE PARKING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHERE, UM, THERE ARE THIRD PARTY PLATFORMS NOW THAT, UM, THE CITY COULD POTENTIALLY CONTRACT WITH TO TAKE OUT THAT DIFFICULTY IN CONTRACTING INDIVIDUALLY WITH A GARAGE OWNER OR EVEN A SURFACE PARKING LOT OWNER.
[04:35:01]
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY UNLOCK A LOT OF SPACES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF ZORA'S BOUNDARIES.THERE'S ALSO THE TALK ABOUT THE SHUTTLE, WHICH THE PART IS GOING TO BE DOING AGAIN THIS SUMMER.
UM, AND AS AS THAT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW, THEY LEARN WHAT WORKS WELL, WHAT DOESN'T, AND COURSE CORRECTS THAT BECOMES A MORE VIABLE OPTION TO EXPAND WHERE THAT SHUTTLE GOES, THE FREQUENCY OF IT.
UM, AND OTHER SOLUTIONS INCLUDE, UM, BIKE PARKING, BETTER BIKE CONNECTIVITY.
UM, SO ALL OF THOSE COME TOGETHER, UH, FOR, UH, UH, MORE ACCESSIBLE PARK, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE EXTEND, UM, OUR MEETING, UH, BY ANOTHER HOUR, SO TO 12:00 AM UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S 10 52.
SO WE ONLY HAVE EIGHT MINUTES REMAINING AT OUR MEETING.
SO MY MOTION IS TO EXTEND THE MEETING TILL 12:00 AM IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM MORGAN LDI.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTERS? BOARD? BOARD MEMBER REID? THANK YOU.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE, UM, RE RETAINING OF 24 50 SPACES IN THE PARK IS BASED ON PEAK USE OF THE PARK.
DID YOU DO AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT IT'S LIKE NORMALLY ON EVERYDAY USE VERSUS THE PQ STAYS? DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND ONE OF OUR CITIZENS, DIANA PROCTOR, FOR DOING A STUDY ON THAT.
UM, AND I WOULD'VE HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE A SIMILAR STUDY DONE FOR THE VISION PLAN, UM, ANALYZING PEOPLE EVERYDAY USE OF THE PARK VERSUS THE VERY PEAK USE STAYS OF THE PARK.
AND THAT'S WHY THE GARAGES, I THINK WERE ADDED IN THIS SCENARIO IS IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE PREPARING FOR PEAK USE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WELL, THE POPULATION IN BOSTON IS GROWING, SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THE VISITORSHIP TO ZILKER TO STAY THE SAME BUT GROW.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO, WE DID NOT DO A DETAILED PARKING STUDY AS PART OF THE VISION PLAN PROCESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? BOARD MEMBERS? YEP.
UM, I GUESS I'M REALLY TRYING TO SHUT UP.
I'M REALLY TRYING TO GO, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND THE PARKING GARAGES.
I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THAT.
UM, SO I PARKED ONCE A WEEK AT UNDERNEATH, UM, MOPAC TO WALK AROUND, UM, TOWN LAKE AND OR LADY BIRD LAKE.
AND ACTUALLY THE PERSON I PARK WITH, I, I, I WALK WITH STARTED PARKING, UH, WITH NEXT TO ME, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE THEY STARTED CHARGING FOR PARKING.
EVEN THOUGH SHE CAN AFFORD IT, SHE'S LIKE, I'M GONNA PARK HERE.
I'M NOT GONNA PAY FOR PARKING EVERY TIME WE WALK AROUND THE LAKE.
BUT ANYHOW, THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IS, I KNOW FOR TRAILER LIGHTS FOR ACL, THEY STAGE ALL OF THE, THE EVENTS IN THAT AREA RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE EVERYONE PARKS.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REWILDING, THAT AREA, WHAT'S GOING TO, WHAT'S ACL AND TURTLE LIGHTS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO'S DOING SOMETHING, A BIG PRODUCTION IN THE PARK, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO STAGE? THEY CAN'T STAGE IN A PARKING GARAGE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS, RIGHT? I MEAN, AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT FITS A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PARKING GARAGE THIS BIG RIGHT NEXT TO, OR RIGHT UNDERNEATH, I GUESS THE HIGHWAY, UM, MOPAC.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, EXPLAIN TO ME WHY, AND WE'RE NOT ADDING PARKING SPOTS, I GUESS I JUST REALLY AM STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED THE PARKING GARAGES.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT WHERE THEY WILL STAGE? WELL, I KNOW WHERE THE WELL, I KNOW YOU JUST, SHE JUST SAID WHERE THEY'RE GONNA STAGE, BUT WHY, BUT YEAH.
WHERE'S ACL GONNA STAGE AND, AND TRAILER LIGHTS GOING TO STAGE WHERE THEY, THEY PARK ALL THEIR TRUCKS, ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT, ALL THEIR, THEIR RVS, EVERYTHING FOR THOSE EVENTS THEY'VE STAGED THERE.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA STAGE IN THESE PARKING GARAGES.
SO WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO PARK ALL THEIR EQUIPMENT AND THEIR RVS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S PARKED THERE DURING THOSE EVENTS? I MEAN, IT'S CLOSED DOWN FOR A MONTH, PLANNING UP TO.
SO, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU CAN ANSWER IT FROM A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES.
SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ENVIRONMENTAL OR AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD
[04:40:01]
WANT TO THINK ABOUT ONE ACL OR KITE FESTIVAL WHERE THEY'RE STAGING, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS, THIS WAS ABOUT.IT WAS ABOUT LOOKING AT A VISION FOR, UM, THE PARK INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, THE IDEA OF THEM STAGING, THAT'S SOMETHING KIND OF A LOWER USE AS COMPARED TO SAY 15 TO 17 ACRES ON LADYBIRD LAKE, RESTORING THAT, RETURNING IT TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN SO THEY CAN ENJOY NATURE.
SO JUST ANSWERING THAT DIRECTLY, WE SAW THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THAT AREA, NOT BEING A STAGING AREA, NOT BEING A KIND OF, UH, UNKEPT LANDFILL WITH GRAVEL OVER THE TOP OF IT, BUT THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
AND REALLY THAT WAS AGAIN, FROM THE CITIZEN FEEDBACK WE GOT.
THAT WAS WHAT PEOPLE WERE VERY INTERESTED IN.
AND THEN GOING TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHY DO WE NEED THE PARKING GARAGES? THERE'S MANY WAYS TO ANSWER THE PARKING GARAGES, THE EXACT NUMBERS.
I'M DEFINITELY NOT GONNA TRY TO, CUZ THAT'S NOT MY, UM, AREA OF EXPERTISE.
BUT THINKING ABOUT KIND OF DENSIFYING WHERE WE HAVE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND SO ALLOWING US NOT TO HAVE IMPERVIOUS COVER IN OTHER PLACES.
AND SO BY, BY BRINGING THE, THAT PARKING TOGETHER, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE MORE OF THE PARK WITHOUT CARS.
AND EVEN WITHIN THE BARTON CREEK WATERSHED, DRAINING TO THE CREEK ITSELF, DRAINING TO THE POOL, WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE AROUND TWO ACRES OF IMPERVIOUS COVER OUT OF THAT AREA.
UM, LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE COME OUT TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY LOVE ZUCKER PARK, I THINK THE PEOPLE UP HERE LOVE ZER PARK AS WELL.
WHAT'S AMAZING TO ME IS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE GOING FROM BARTON SPRINGS POOL DOWN TO BARKING SPRINGS, IF YOU WALK ALONG, UH, ELIZA SPRINGS MM-HMM.
SO EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT, WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE CONCRETE IN ZER PARK.
LIKE IT IS, THERE'S ACTUALLY CONCRETE IN A LOT OF PLACES THERE SHOULDN'T BE.
AND IF WE WERE TO BUILD THAT TODAY, WE WOULD NEVER PUT CONCRETE NEXT TO A ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT RIGHT THERE.
SO BY DENSIFYING THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER IN SOME PLACES IN THESE PARKING GARAGES, WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER OUT OF THOSE AREAS THAT ARE MORE CRITICAL, THAT ARE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE.
YOU DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION, SIR.
SO NO, NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC.
THERE IS NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC POINT BLANK PERIOD.
THAT IS, THERE IS NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC IS THE TRUTH.
THERE IS NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC.
THE PUBLIC IS NOT IN IF SIR, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER.
SO I, YES, THANK YOU FOR, AND LET ME JUST START WITH THIS.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG PROCESS.
I KNOW YOU'VE PUT IN A LOT OF LONG HOURS AND A LOT OF HARD WORK AND THOUGHT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
I'M NOT HERE TO KILL THIS PLAN.
I'M HERE JUST TO GET SOME ANSWERS ABOUT WHY.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, I THINK THAT IT'S, THE ANSWERS ARE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, BETWEEN WHAT THE, THE PLANNING TEAM IS SAYING AND WHAT THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM TONIGHT ARE SAYING.
SO I, THAT'S WHY I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR TO PEOPLE WHAT THE PLANS ARE, BECAUSE I DON'T, I MEAN, QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T WANT THAT IN OUR PARKS.
I MEAN, SHE SHOWED A PICTURE OF LOOKING FROM THE SCIENCE CENTER INTO THE PARK AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, REWILD IT.
BUT WE, IT'D BE RIGHT NEXT TO A PARKING GARAGE LIKE THAT.
I JUST, THERE THERE'S A NUMBER OF PRECEDENTS THAT THAT IS A VERY UGLY IMAGE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF PRECEDENTS AROUND THE, THE COUNTRY YEAH.
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE PUT PARKS, PUT, UM, PARKING GARAGES IN PARKS.
UH, PIEDMONT PARK IN ATLANTA IS ONE EXAMPLE WHERE THERE'S A BOTANICAL GARDEN AND THEN A LARGE CENTRAL PARK, VERY MUCH LIKE ZILKER.
UM, IT ACTUALLY WENT IN AND NUMEROUS PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO IT WHEN IT WENT IN.
UH, IT, IT ACTUALLY WORKS GREAT.
UM, UH, IT'S A VERY INVITING PARKING GARAGE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF PARKING GARAGES MYSELF.
WELL, AND IT, AND IT WOULD'VE WOULD, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL IF YOU HAD ALL SHOWED SOMETHING LIKE THAT QUITE FOR, YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S THAT ABSENCE OF INFORMATION, PEOPLE AVOID IT.
PEOPLE FILL THAT VOID WITH NEGATIVE INFORMATION.
REMEMBER? I JUST, THAT'S A GREAT COMMENT AND I'M GLAD YOU MADE THAT COMMENT.
UM, UM, I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND POINT OUT THAT, SIR, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER.
YOU HAVE MADE MULTIPLE COMMENTS.
IF YOU CANNOT KEEP YOURSELF QUIET, THERE IS A TV OUTSIDE IN THE, IN THE HALLWAY THAT YOU CAN WATCH.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE DIDN'T SHARE THOSE IMAGES THAT WERE SENT TO YOU.
SO, UM, I, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO THOSE, AND THOSE WERE NOT EXAMPLES THAT WE SENT OUT, NOR WILL BE PROMOTING THOSE.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM, GOING BACK TO THE ZUKA WORKING GROUP WHO DID A LOT OF WORK PRIOR TO THIS VISION PLAN, REMOVING THE PARKING FROM THE POLO FIELD WAS ONE OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THE COUNCIL SUPPORTED THAT.
SO WE WERE ALSO LOOKING AT THAT, COMING INTO THIS VISION PLAN.
SO WE REFERRED TO THAT WORK THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE MM-HMM.
[04:45:01]
SO WE WERE SIMPLY REFERRING TO THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE, NOT JUST WITH THAT WORKING GROUP, BUT ALSO THE OTHER PLANS THAT CLAIRE HAD TOUCHED ON.
SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE THE, THE GOAL WAS TO TRY TO REMOVE THE INFORMAL PARKING THAT WAS HAPPENING THERE ON THE POLO FIELD AND ALSO ON THE, THE LANDFILL.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE WERE ALSO LOOKING AT THE PARKING STRUCTURE OPTION, BECAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAD ALSO MENTIONED.
AND YOU SAID THERE'S 750 SPOTS THERE, RIGHT? WITH THE BUT BY BUTTON, BY THE LANDFILL? YES.
AND SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THAT JONATHAN KIND OF GOT TO IS THAT THERE ISN'T A PLAN FOR STAGING FOR ACL IN THIS PLAN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM, UH, YES, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN? OH, I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ACTUALLY.
UM, IF YOU COULD JUST HELP ME BETTER UNDERSTAND AND CLARIFY MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PLAN AS WELL.
IT BEING A VISION PLAN, THESE ARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, NOT CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND APPROPRIATE STUDIES WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN REGARDS TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND, YOU KNOW, PERMITTING THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PART OF THE QUESTION IS RELATING TO THESE GARAGES.
HOWEVER, THIS VISION PLAN DOES NOT GUARANTEE.
AND, YOU KNOW, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CLARIFY.
THE VISION PLAN DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE EXACTLY THREE GARAGES TOTALING EXACTLY THIS NUMBER OF SPACES.
BUT THAT IT PROVIDES AN NUMBER OF OPTIONS, UM, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF SURFACE PARKING TO REDUCE SOME PERVIOUS COVER AND POSSIBLY THE ADDITION OF GARAGES TO MORE CENTRALLY LOCATE PARKING.
BUT IT'S NOT A COMMITMENT TO HOLD THAT EXACT NUMBER OF SPACES OR TO BUILD THAT NUMBER OF PARKING GARAGES ABOVE OR UNDERGROUND.
AND ALSO, UM, AGAIN, FEEL FREE TO CLARIFY, BUT I THINK THAT THE, UM, NUMBER OF SPACES THAT'S SHOWN IN THE VISION PLAN AS WELL IS MAINTAINING.
AND THAT IS, UM, JUST SORT OF A PLACEHOLDER.
IT FEELS LIKE, AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS IS A VISION PLAN AND IT'S NOT CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THEIR STUDIES HAVE NOT BEEN DONE.
I THINK THAT IN ONE PART OF A STUDY, IT DOES MENTION THAT DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH A PUBLIC TRANSIT AND OTHER FORMS OF ACCESS CAN BE BROUGHT TO THE PARK, THAT ULTIMATELY THESE PARKING GARAGE IS NUMBER TWO AND THREE MAY NOT EVEN BE ULTIMATELY REQUIRED.
BUT AGAIN, THAT IT'S A PLACEHOLDER FOR OPTIONS, BUT WE'RE NOT COMMITTED TO ANY PARTICULAR DESIGN AS FAR AS PARKING.
AND AGAIN, THAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE JUST A PLACEHOLDER TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY WITHOUT REDUCING PARKING, WHICH MIGHT, YOU KNOW, AFFECT EQUITY ACCESS TO THE PARK OR INCREASING PARKING, WHICH COULD ALSO BE DAMAGING IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.
THAT THAT'S THE IDEA ABOUT THE UP TO, UM, LANGUAGE IN THE PLAN ABOUT UP TO THREE GARAGES THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE THIS MANY SPACES.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A, IF YOU, LET'S SAY WE TAKE OUT THE PARALLEL PARKING ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, THAT'S 300 SPACES THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND SOMEWHERE, EITHER THAT'S IN THE DOWER ART CENTER PARKING GARAGE, THE SCHLOTZKY'S PUD PARKING GARAGE THAT'S ALONG TOY ROAD, AS LONG AS THE, THE BRIDGE EXTENSION IS BUILT OVER THE CREEK TO BETTER CONNECT PEOPLE TO THOSE OFFSITE PARKING GARAGES.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DESIGNED IN THE, THE BRIDGE THAT TAKES PEOPLE OVER THE, UM, THE LAKE TO THE AUSTIN HIGH AREA, BECAUSE THERE IS, UH, VERY LARGE PARKING AREA THAT CAN BE USED.
THE, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS AREN'T THERE ON THE WEEKENDS.
SO, UM, BETTER CONNECTING PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THAT SIDE.
SO THE, THE PARKING, UM, GARAGE EQUATION ALSO GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE CONNECTIVITY, UM, TO THOSE OTHER OUTSIDE SPACES.
SO THE, UM, THE BARTON OAKS GARAGES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP EARLIER WOULD BE A GREAT SOLUTION AND, AND DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED INTO VERY EARLY ON.
WE KNOW THAT THERE WOULD NEED TO BE A CLEAR, LIGHTED SAFE ACCESS FROM THOSE GARAGES INTO THAT PART OF THE PARK.
I GO BACK TO, UH, THE CONCERN OF THE VISION.
SO IF THE VISION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS BY 50%, BY 2040, IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE WE'RE GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BY SAYING, LET'S BUILD
[04:50:02]
CONCRETE STRUCTURES.SO MY CONCERN IS, IF OUR VISION, WE ARE SIGNALING TO COUNCIL, IF WE PASS THIS, WE'RE SIGNALING TO COUNCIL SAYING WE APPROVE OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES THAT IS JUXTAPOSED TO THEIR DESIRE FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND I DON'T, I DON'T WANT US TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE IF, IF WE APPROVE THIS, THEN IT'S MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GET BUILT IF THIS ISN'T TRULY THE RIGHT ECOLOGICAL DECISION FOR OUR CITY.
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING LESS AUTOMOBILES OVER THE NEXT 10, 20, 30 YEARS, THEN WHY DOES THE, WHY DO THE GARAGES EVEN HAVE TO BE PART OF THE VISION? I GO BACK TO SAYING, LET'S MAKE THE VISION USING DOUBLE USING OUR RESOURCES, THE EXISTING GARAGES AND, AND THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM.
AND THEN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IF WE HAVE EXASPERATED THOSE RESOURCES, WE CAN ADD ON, HEY, WE NEED TO BUILD A GARAGE AT THAT POINT.
BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SHOOTING FOR THE MOON ON THIS THING, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR DELICATE AQUIFER.
I, I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
I, I THINK THAT WE'RE, WE FIND OURSELVES OFTEN IN THESE, I GUESS YOU CAN CALL 'EM CATCH 22 POSITIONS, WHERE IF WE DON'T, THEN WE'RE NOT REMOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THEN THE PART CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE.
AND SO IF IT'S IN THERE, THEN DOES THAT ALSO THEN CREATE A GREATER PUSH FOR ADVOCACY TO SOME OF THESE PRIVATE GARAGE OWNERS? AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND I THINK THEY'RE GOOD QUESTIONS.
AND BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE PROBABLY ALL GRAPPLING WITH RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY JUST SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO TAKE UP AND FIGURE OUT AMONG OURSELVES.
I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW MUCH MORE WE CAN LEARN FROM THE CONSULTANTS ABOUT THIS PARKING GARAGE SITUATION THAT THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY PROVIDED.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SO I MEAN, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONSULTANTS DID HOLD, UM, EXTENSIVE WORKSHOPS THAT WERE AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND AND ASK QUESTIONS AT.
AND THE REPORTINGS FROM THOSE ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE, THEY'RE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
SO I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT ALL THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT PARKING ARE VERY GOOD AND THEY'RE VERY VALID.
BUT I THINK THAT THE PLACE TO TAKE THOSE UP IS BETWEEN, AMONG OURSELVES AS BOARD MEMBERS AROUND WHAT KIND OF VALUE TRADEOFFS WE WANNA MAKE IN OUR OWN RECOMMENDATION.
WHAT ABOUT LIVE RAIL? THIS IS NOT, NO COMMENT FROM THE AUDIENCE CHAIR.
ANOTHER QUESTION'S? NOT NECESSARILY.
SO THIS IS, UM, KIND OF PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT BOARD MEMBER HAMAN SAID, AND IT'S KIND OF A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT VISION PLANS.
SO, UM, UH, MR. MONTE, YOU STATED IN AN APRIL 14TH STAFF AND DESIGN TEAM MEETING WITH, UM, PARKS BOARD MEMBERS THAT ONCE A VISION PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, IT IS CAST IN STONE.
SO DOES THAT MEAN TWO THINGS? DOES IT MEAN THAT ONCE, IF THE VI, IF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN IS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT NO ELEMENTS CAN CHANGE IN IT? AND THE OTHER WAY AROUND WOULD BE IF IT'S APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, YOU CAN'T AMEND A VISION PLAN LATER ON.
SAY FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE PARKING GARAGES WERE NO LONGER A PART OF THE PLAN COULD, IF ALL POSSIBILITIES HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED AND THERE HAD TO BE A PARKING GARAGE, YOU COULDN'T COME BACK TO THE VISION PLAN AND SAY, PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT.
WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A PARKING GARAGE NOW.
SO HOW DOES THAT WORK? YES, THE VISION, THE PLAN CAN BE AMENDED BY THE COUNCIL.
THEY CAN BE AMENDED BY THE COUNCIL, YES.
AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S WHY IN THE PLAN IT SAYS, IT DOESN'T SAY WE ARE BUILDING THESE GARAGES.
IT SAYS IF THERE ARE OFFSETS BECAUSE OF OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, THEN THESE GARAGES MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE, MAY NOT BE NEEDED.
AND SO WHEN YOU BUILD IT INTO THAT PLACE AND INTO THAT VISION PLAN, IT, IT'S KIND OF, UH, IT TAKES OUT, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO BUILD THE GARAGES BECAUSE WE'RE OFFSETTING IT.
AND THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE PARKING GARAGES THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL SPOTS WHERE VISITORS COULD PARK, SINCE THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO HAVE TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT, UM, DURING THE WEEK IN THE EVENINGS, OFF HOURS OR ON THE WEEKENDS, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WE CAN CAPTURE THOSE SPOTS.
WE, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHO OWNS THEM AND WE CANNOT CONTROL IF THEY DECIDE TO, TO GET INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH US OR NOT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER BIG QUESTION, UH, THAT WE JUST, THEY'RE NOT 100%
[04:55:01]
RELIABLE CAUSE WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN COMMITMENTS FROM THEM CUZ THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT COMMITMENT, ESPECIALLY AT THIS STAGE.I CHEATED ONE MORE QUESTION, PLEASE.
UM, IF, IF THERE WAS AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE BUILT, UM, WHAT'S THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF SPACES WOULD THAT WOULD GO INTO THAT? BECAUSE THAT'S A HUGE EFFORT.
I JUST LIVED NEAR ONE FOR THREE YEARS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WHAT WOULD BE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES YOU WOULD PUT INTO THAT? AND THEN WHERE WOULD THE INGRESS IN EGRESS, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE AND AFFECT TRAFFIC CONGESTION? SO THE DOWTY ART CENTER, I THINK IS ABOUT A HUNDRED SPACES, AND THAT'S A SMALL GARAGE.
UM, SO I CAN'T SAY THAT THERE'S A, A RULE OF THUMB ABOUT THE SMALLEST, UH, UH, PARKING NUMBER OF SPACES IN A PARKING GARAGE.
IT, IT KIND OF HAS TO, UM, WORK, UH, ECONOMICALLY, UM, IN, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY SPACES ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD VERSUS HOW MANY IS IT OR HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST.
UM, SO THE, AS WE HAVE IT PLANNED NOW, IT'S TWO STORIES UNDERGROUND AND IT'S ABOUT A THOUSAND SPACES TOTAL.
IT'S ABOUT 500 SPACES EACH FLOOR THAT COULD OBVIOUSLY GET CUT BACK IF THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OR IF IT NEEDS TO BECOME MUCH SMALLER.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE OUTLINING NOW TO MAKE UP FOR THAT TOTAL NUMBER OF ABOUT 2,500 SPACES.
UM, AS FAR AS THE INGRESS, INGRESS AND EGRESS INTO THE GARAGE, WE, IN THE PLAN, WE SHOW A, A ROAD COMING OFF OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, UM, AND ABOUT THE PLACE WHERE YOU WOULD COME ONTO ANDREW ZILKER ROAD NOW, UM, AND THAT LOOPS INTO THE PARKING GARAGE.
AND WE HAD WORKED WITH OUR, UM, MOBILITY CONSULTANT, NOT IN DEPTH BECAUSE THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS SCOPE, BUT TO UNDERSTAND IF, UH, AN INGRESS OR EGRESS WOULD BE NEEDED OFF OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
UM, BUT WE, LIKE WE MENTIONED, WITH ANY OF THESE OTHER PARKING, UH, GARAGES, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF DETAILED ANALYSIS THAT WOULD GO INTO THE DESIGN OF THESE STRUCTURES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEED.
SO EARLIER SOMEBODY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, FAMILY STROLLERS, COOLERS AND DOGS.
UM, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S, WHEN I HAD YOUNGER CHILDREN, UM, I TOOK TO TAKE THEM THERE TO HAVE A PICNIC AND TO RIDE THE TRAIN AND, UM, SO, AND IT'S OVER, WE'D PARK RIGHT THERE AND THE, AND THE PLAYGROUND IS RIGHT THERE AND THE TRAIN IS RIGHT THERE.
AND SO IT WAS REALLY EASY, QUITE FRANKLY, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA PLACE THESE PARKING GARAGES.
MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, SO PEOPLE ARE DRIVING TO THE PARK, UM, WITH FAMILIES AND STROLLERS AND COOLERS AND THEY HAVE BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT THE PARK.
HOW, HOW ARE THEY GO? IS THERE, WHAT IS IN THE PLAN TO, TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE? YOU'RE GONNA PARK IN THE PARKING GARAGE AND LUG ALL THAT TO THE, TO THE PICNIC AREAS? OR, AND, AND ALSO, WELL, IT'S A TWO-PART QUESTION, BUT I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT FIRST.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME DROPOFFS LOCATED AT AREAS WHERE YOU WOULD SEE EVENTS LIKE THAT, PARTIES AND, AND GATHERINGS.
UM, SO THERE'S DROP OFF AREAS THERE AND THEN YET SHE WOULD PARK AND WALK TO BACK TO THE SPACE.
UM, OR WE HAVE THE CONNECTING BRIDGES FROM THE PARKING AREAS TO WHERE THE DESTINATIONS WITHIN THE PARK ARE.
I MEAN, I GUESS, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO DROP OFF IF YOU'VE GOT TWO LITTLE ONES AND YOU'RE A MOM TO DO THAT.
MY EXPERIENCE NOW, EVERY TIME I GO TO ZER ON A SATURDAY IS I HAVE TO PARK REALLY FAR OUT POLO FIELD IN ORDER TO GET TO THE PLAYGROUND WITH MY FIVE YEAR OLD.
SO I, I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S, IT, WE SEE A PARKING SPACE IN FRONT AND IT'S ALMOST NEVER AVAILABLE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.
THE REALITY IS WE ARE ALREADY MAKING THAT WALK FROM THESE FAR OFF OUTER PARKING SPACES.
SO HOW MANY DROP, HOW MANY DROP OFF POINTS ARE BUILT IN THE PLAN? I DON'T RECALL SEEING THEM.
UH, IT'S A ONE DETAIL YOU WOULD HAVE TO ZOOM INTO, BUT I THINK IT'S MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM.
AND UM, THE OTHER THING IS, IS SO LIKE THEY DID AT THE AIRPORT, THEY HAVE A PLACE WHERE UBER CAN DROP OFF.
I MEAN, I'M REALLY TRYING TO COME UP WITH OTHER SOLUTIONS, RIGHT.
SO THE UBER DROP, DID YOU ALL BUILD THAT INTO THE PLAN? I DIDN'T SEE THAT THE SAME DROP OFF AREAS WOULD BE WHERE YOU COULD GET RIDESHARE.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE DESIGNATED RIDES SHARE? THEY WOULD BE DESIGNATED RIDESHARES AS WELL? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? SO, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WERE THERE QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT, UM, PARKING AT THE PLAYGROUND VERSUS
[05:00:01]
DROPPING OFF? I, I'M JUST GOING BACK TO THE MANY, MANY DAYS THAT I WOULD DRIVE UP THERE WITH MY TWO LITTLE GIRLS AND PARK AT THE PLAYGROUND AND WE'D PARK RIGHT THERE, HAD A DIAPER BAG ON ONE SHOULDER, A COOLER ON THE OTHER, AND IT WAS GREAT TO PARK RIGHT THERE.IF I HAD TO PARK FAR AWAY WITH ALL THAT STUFF AND TWO LITTLE KIDS, I'D GO TO A DIFFERENT PLAYGROUND, A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYGROUND SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'D WANT TO ASK THE PUBLIC AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC PATTERNS, PARKING PATTERNS, STUDY, CUZ YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL RENDERINGS OF YOUR PLAYGROUNDS THAT YOU SHOULD SHOWED US IN THE 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF CHILDREN PLAYING.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THE ONE IS OVER BY THE POLO FIELDS, AND I'M THINKING, WOW, THAT'S GONNA BE A BIT OF A WALK.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW UTILIZE THESE PLAYGROUNDS WILL BE WITH YOUNG MOMS. SO IN THE PLAN, THERE'S ALSO PARKING ON, UH, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, THE PARALLEL PARKING THAT WOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO ACCESS.
YOU'D ALSO, THERE'S SURFACE PARKING THAT'S UNDER MOPAC.
UM, AND SO THAT WOULD ALSO BE VERY ACCESSIBLE TO THAT ONE.
AND THEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, YOU WOULD HAVE PARKING THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THE ONE NEAR THE MONKEY TREE.
AND SO THERE WOULD STILL BE PARKING CLOSE BY.
AND THEN THE LOT THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE CURRENT PLAYGROUND THAT IS, UH, SET TO STAY.
OH, THAT ONE IS SET TO STAY BY THE POOL.
THERE'S ONE, THERE'S, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
EXISTING PARKING LOT BY, THAT'S WHERE I USUALLY, I USUALLY PARK THERE SO I CAN USE THE RESTROOM AT SPLASH AND THE BATHHOUSE AND THEN WALK OVER THERE.
AND, AND THE PARKING AREA ON THE SOUTH SIDE, AS JUSTIN MENTIONED, WHICH IS THE TWO PLAYGROUNDS THAT ARE PROPOSED, UM, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE MONKEY TREE LAWN AREA.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE SERVICE PARKING AS WELL THERE.
AND COULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE PARKING? WHAT IS SERVICE PARKING? I'M SORRY.
OR, UH, DECOMPOSED GRANITE CAN BE USED SOMETIMES TO ALRIGHT.
I THINK, UM, WE'RE GETTING, I STILL HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
LET'S DO ONE MORE AND THEN I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
UM, WELL I'M LET YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR FIVE HOURS TO GIVE US PUBLIC COMMENTS AND GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, MY RESPONSES VIA EMAIL, I'VE GOTTEN ALL I TOTALED THEM BY THE WAY, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE HAD 215 EMAILS AGAINST, AND OF THOSE 215 7 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WERE A PART OF THOSE 215 AGAINST THIS PLAN.
AND 34 OF THOSE 46 CAME FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE VISION PLAN COMMITTEE.
SO, TO TELL ME IN THE CHAMBERS TO TELL ME THAT I ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE QUESTION, I'M NO, NO.
I THINK THE, THE PART OF THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THE COMMUNITY ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THE REALITY IS IF THERE HAD BEEN A MORE, I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
AND I DON'T, THERE WILL BE NO, THIS IS NOT A CLAPPING NO, Y'ALL, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT EVERYBODY HERE TONIGHT IS RIGHT EITHER.
I DON'T THINK THIS PLAN SHOULD BE BLOWN UP.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS PLAN, BUT I THINK THAT THIS WHOLE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED AND MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT NEXT TIME BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME AND RESOURCES MONEY THAT GOES INTO THIS IS JUST REALLY, REALLY FRUSTRATING TO ME.
SO, GOING BACK TO MY QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK, TALK TO ME ABOUT WHY YOU WANNA BUILD A ZUCKER HILLSIDE THEATER.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A NEW MUSIC VENUE, QUITE FRANKLY.
I MEAN, WE HAVE ONE THAT'S LESS THAN THREE MILES AWAY.
AND I JUST REALLY, THERE'S SO MANY, I'VE HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE JUST CALLING AND TEXT AND SAYING, WHY ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE AWAY ALL THAT OPEN SPACE? AND SO CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME THE REASONING BEHIND THAT? THANK YOU.
I'LL, I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THE IS THE, THE BEVERLY SHEFFIELD HILLSIDE THEATER IS A PART ASSET.
IT IS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THERE.
AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS FOR ANY FUTURE THEATER SPACE IS THAT IT WOULD BE A PAR ASSET THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT
[05:05:01]
OFFER FREE PERFORMANCES.AND ON THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, IT HAS A LIST OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CURRENTLY USE THIS.
AND MANY OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SAY, THIS THEATER IN ITS CURRENT SPACE NOW IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT WHY NOT RE JUST RENOVATE WHAT, WHERE IT IS.
AND THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I'LL LET CLAIRE RESPOND TO THAT ONE IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO, UM, THE ELECTRICAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, ARE AT THEIR MAXIMUM.
THEY, THEY CANNOT BE EXPAND ANYMORE OF THEIR ELECTRICAL NEEDS.
THE THEATER, UM, THE STAGE ITSELF NEEDS RENOVATION.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S WORK AND CHALLENGES WITH THE EXISTING LOCATION AND YOU'VE TALKED SO, SO, BUT ARE YOU ASKING YOU NEED, IT NEEDS MORE CAPACITY OR THE CAPACITY IT HAS CURRENTLY.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE UPGRADED, I GUESS SO, SO, SO ELECTRICAL, I THINK IT BENEFITS EVERYBODY THE MORE CLEAR YOU ARE ABOUT THIS.
SO KIMBERLY MCNEALLY, OUR DIRECTOR, CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I KNOW THAT CURRENTLY WITH THE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY HAVE AT THE EXISTING THEATER, UM, ATTENDANCE HAS RISEN AND THEY CONTINUE TO WANT TO SERVE MORE AUSTIN TONIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, SO WE'RE BRINGING MORE PEOPLE TO THE PARK.
SO MORE, MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE PARK, WHETHER WE, WHETHER WE'RE BRINGING THEM OR NOT.
BECAUSE THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE FREE TO THE PUBLIC ARE ATTRACTING MORE AND MORE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, IS THAT IN THE PARTICULAR SPACE, IT'S SUPER CONGESTED.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE BY WAY OF EXAMPLE.
LAURA ESPARZA, WHO IS OUR DIVISION MANAGER FOR CULTURAL ARTS, HAS EXPLAINED TO US THAT WHEN A I S D USES THAT SPACE, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT COME TO UTILIZE, OR I'M SORRY TO VIEW THE EVENT THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON, THAT THEY SWITCH IT.
THEY HAVE THE MOMS AND DADS SIT ON THE STAGE AND THEY HAVE THE KIDS OUT ON THE HILLSIDE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE CHILDREN WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT.
IF YOU GO TO A ZER HILLSIDE THEATER EVENT, THE SUMMER MUSICAL EVENT, IT'S ATTRACTING MORE AND MORE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CONGESTION FOR THE PARKING AND THE CONGESTION RELATED TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SIT.
AND THE AMOUNTS, THE INACCESSIBILITY OF THAT SPACE IS PROBLEMATIC.
AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES.
THEY DO SHAKESPEARE THERE, THEY DO BENGALI, I'M SORRY, UH, BOLLYWOOD.
THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE, UM, I THINK THERE'S A MULT, AT LEAST 12 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS OF DIFFERENT, UM, CULTURES THAT CELEBRATE ON THAT SPACE.
AND THEY KEEP GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING EVERY YEAR.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A PLAN THAT IS NOT FOR TOMORROW AND NOT FOR YESTERDAY, BUT FOR THE GROWING THE CAPACITY THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN 10, IN 15 YEARS, ALL OF THEM FREE EVENTS THAT ARE OPEN.
WAIT, WAS TO SAY, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THOSE ARE GONNA BE REMAIN FREE EVENTS AND NOT BE RENTED OUT TO, WELL, AS, AS WE SPOKE BEFORE, RIGHT? THAT PARTICULAR THEATER IS A PART ASSET, RIGHT? THAT THEATER IS MANAGED AND MAINTAINED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
IT'S DONE THROUGH CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH OUR, OUR CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A VENUE FOR CULTURAL ARTS IS CONSISTENT WITH IMAGINE AUSTIN.
IT'S ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE SD 23, RIGHT? WE'RE TRYING TO FIND MORE VENUES FOR OUR ARTISTS TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM.
AND SO CERTAINLY THAT IS OUR INTENTION FOR IT TO REMAIN A PART ASSET AND FOR IT TO REMAIN TO THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO USE IT OR HAVE USED IT IN THE PAST SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, SERVE THE PUBLIC.
AND IF THERE'S OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GONNA GROW AS, AS AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE MORE CULTURAL ARTS THAT WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PERFORMANCE VENUE, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THERE.
SO IT'S OUR INTENTION FOR IT TO CONTINUE AS A CULTURAL ARTS FACILITY THAT IS MAINTAINED AND OPERATED BY THE PARKS AND REPRESENTATION, NOT, NOT AS A REVENUE MAKING ENTITY, NOT AS A REVENUE MAKING.
THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP.
I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, IS TO MAKE EVERY SURE.
IT WOULD HELP TO HAVE DATA ON THAT THE PAST FEW YEARS.
ATTENDANCE, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE ANECDOTAL INFORMATION, BUT, UM, WE, WE HAVE THAT AND, AND, UH, PERHAPS, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEELY CAN SHARE THAT.
SO, UH, LAURA SPARTA'S GROUP DOES KEEP TRACK OF THAT, AND IT IS IN THE THOUSANDS FOR MANY OF THESE EVENTS.
AND SOMEBODY HAD ASKED YOU A QUESTION, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
WE GOT A LITTLE SIDETRACKED, UM, ABOUT LEAVING HILLSIDE WHERE IT IS, BUT UH, MAYBE TERRACING IT, IMPROVING IT.
AND SO I THINK WE'D ALL LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S AN OPTION BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG THEATER, UM, JUST WHAT, A MILE DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S KINDA LIKE, DO WE WANNA MOVE HILLSIDE TO
[05:10:01]
THE GREAT LAWN AND MAKE IT A BIG VENUE THEATER? UM, WE'VE ALREADY GOT A FEW THAT ARE CLOSE BY.SO IF YOU COULD TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR BACKUP PLAN OF LEAVING HILLSIDE WHERE IT IS.
AND SO THE BACKUP PLAN, AND AS LONG AS IT'S THERE, IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THERE.
BUT AS, AS IT GETS OLDER ALREADY THEY'RE SPENDING AT LEAST $75,000 A YEAR JUST FOR MAINTENANCE.
AND SO AS IT GETS OLDER, CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS WOULD INCREASE AND COST MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR.
AND SO THEN THAT AGING INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD HAVE TO EVENTUALLY BE REBUILT.
AND THEN THE ELECTRICAL LOAD THAT'S AVAILABLE THERE WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT AS MANY PERFORMERS FIND IT NOW.
AND, AND JUST THE, THE ISSUES OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE PERFORMANCES THEMSELVES.
SO ALONE, THE, THE ACTUAL ATTENDEES TO THOSE PERFORMANCES IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
THE ACCESSIBILITY, LACK OF PARKING, IT'S NOT ADA.
SO JUST GETTING TO THAT LOCATION TO PUT ON THOSE PERFORMANCES FOR THOSE THAT ARE WITH THE THEATER PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE PUTTING THOSE PERFORMANCES ON, IT'S ALSO A CHALLENGE JUST TO GET PEOPLE THERE TO WATCH THOSE PERFORMANCES.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE TO DEBATE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE, THE, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO MOVE THE DEBATE ON THIS, ON THE I AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER TWO SEVEN.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.
PRESENTERS CAN'T ASK MANY QUESTIONS.
IF WE CAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND, UM, THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN AS POSTED.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
UM, MEMBERS AT THIS TIME, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN AS POSTED.
UM, WE'RE IN DEBATE OF THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME.
DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD? DEBATE TRIBUTE? CAN I JUST, I JUST WANT TO START REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO'S NOT HERE WHO EMAILED US, UM, AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS REACHED OUT ABOUT THEIR, UM, POSITIONS AND INPUT.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT, AND I KNOW I'VE READ EVERYTHING, UM, SOME MORE THAN ONCE TO GO BACK.
UM, OUR COMMON GROUND IS THAT WE LOVE ZER PARK.
UM, OR WE WOULDN'T BE HERE, WE WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS.
OUR FAVORITE ASPECTS ARE DIFFERENT.
UM, I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE TOO.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT UNICORNS EARLIER IN THE ROOM, BUT WHETHER YOU'RE A UNICORN OR NOT, YOU DESERVE TO LOVE ZILKER PARK JUST THE SAME.
UM, I GREW UP IN A WORKING CLASS FAMILY, AND A LOT OF TIMES OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVENTURE WAS GOING TO ZILKER PARK AND GETTING TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD Y'ALL TALK ABOUT, GOING TO THE SPRINGS OR BOTANICAL GARDENS, UM, OR JUST SITTING IN THE LAWN AND ENJOYING NATURE.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, ZILKER DOES BELONG TO US.
UM, AND IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT, THAT WE NEED TO KEEP EVERYBODY IN MIND.
AND SO WITH THAT, THIS DRAFT SERVES AS A STARTING POINT FOR MOVING FORWARD.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE RECOMMENDATION? ARE YOU GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATION OR, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO.
AS LONG AS WE, AS YOU STATED THAT IT WAS PO AS AS POSTED, UM, I'D LIKE US TO READ IT.
BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER RANALDI RECUSED HERSELF FROM THIS VOTE, BECAUSE SHE'S, SHE SENT US A LETTER TODAY AS THE BOARD CHAIR OF AUSTIN, UM, OUTDOORS AND, UM, SUPPORTING THIS VISION PLAN BEFORE SHE EVEN HEARD ANYBODY THE PUBLIC SPEAK TONIGHT.
AND SHE'S, AND THERE'S ALSO ON PAGE TWO 10 OF THE VISION PLAN, AUSTIN OUTDOORS, I'LL READ IT TO YOU REAL QUICKLY.
SAYS, WORK WITH THE BROADER PARKS OPEN SPACE ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION KNOWN AS AUSTIN OUTSIDE, NOT OUTDOORS, EXCUSE ME.
TO CAMPAIGN FOR PUBLIC FUNDS BONDS, ELECTIONS, ANNUAL BUDGET INCREASES ALLOCATION, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BOND FUNDS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, RESTORATION, AND EXPANDED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE RESULT IN THE ENTIRE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM.
[05:15:01]
SAYS THAT YOU CANNOT, AS A BOARD MEMBER, SITTING ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION VOTE AS SOMETHING DIRECTS YOU IMPACT THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE SITTING ON AN ORGANIZATION'S DIRECTLY IMPACTED.AND SHE SITS AS THE BOARD CHAIR FOR AUSTIN.
BOARD MEMBER, UH, TAYLOR OUTSIDE AT THIS TIME.
UH, THERE'S A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR TO RECUSE, UH, BOARD MEMBER REN.
IS THERE A SECOND ON THIS MOTION? THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER HOLLY REID.
UM, DO YOU WANNA HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT? NINA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? UM, SURE.
UM, SO, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, UH, ATTENTION TO THE ETHICS OF THE SITUATION.
UM, I HAVE, UH, REVIEWED THE CITY RECUSAL REQUIREMENTS AND, UM, I, UM, AS BEST I UNDERSTAND, THEY DO NOT APPLY TO ME IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE A, UM, FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THIS ORGANIZATION OR IN THE OUTCOME OF THIS, UM, UH, BOOK THAT WE'RE TAKING.
AND NEITHER DOES, UM, THE ORGANIZATION AUSTIN OUTSIDE.
UM, I'M ALSO NOT THE BOARD CHAIR OF AUSTIN OUTSIDE FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
JUST, UM, A FACTUAL CORRECTION TO THAT.
SHE'S ON THE BOARD, BUT THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFULLY LETTER.
THIS LETTER SAYS, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU'RE, THE LETTER YOU SENT TO US TODAY SAYS THAT YOU'RE THE BOARD CHAIR.
THAT'S WHY I JUST FIGURED THAT THE, THE WEBSITE WAS NOT UPDATED.
I'M, THE LETTER THAT YOU SUBMITTED WAS INCORRECT.
IT'S A LETTER FROM HER THAT, UH, ACTUALLY, UM, TED SIP SENT IT, BUT IT'S A LETTER FROM, SO I DON'T SEE THE POINT OF DEBATING THE SEMANTICS OF WHAT NINA IS TELLING US.
SHE IS NOT THE BOARD CHAIR PERHAPS, BUT SHE'S ON THE BOARD OR NOT SURE.
I'M ON MINI BOARDS ALSO THAT I'M NOT PAID FOR.
SO RESPECTFULLY, I, YOU KNOW, RECUSAL IS A, A A IS A CITY OFFICIAL.
THIS IS A DECISION THAT I NEED TO MAKE AS A CITY OFFICIAL BASED ON MY BEST JUDGMENT OF THE RECUSAL REQUIREMENTS.
AND I HAVE ABSTAINED AND RECUSED IN THE PAST, UM, BECAUSE OF CERTAIN DECISIONS THAT THE PARK SUPPORT HAS MADE.
UM, JUST BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, UM, GIVEN MY NON-FINANCIAL INTEREST IN, UM, MATTERS THAT WE WERE TAKING UP.
AND, UM, I, UM, I DON'T SEE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR A, A VESTED, A VESTED FINANCIAL DECISION THAT MEANS THAT I NEED TO DO IT.
NOW, YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION.
SO I'M, CAN I, I'D LIKE TO READ THE CODE CUZ IT DOESN'T SAY THAT SHE HAS TO HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST.
AND IS THERE A LAWYER ON STAFF THAT CAN TELL US, INTERPRET THE CODE FOR US? I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION'S BEEN CALLED, YOU NEED A LAWYER,
HE CALLED THE QUESTION, CALLS THE QUESTION.
THE, THE QUESTION ON THE, THE, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS BOARD MEMBER READ, UH, SORRY.
MOTION TO RECUSE MS. BOARD MEMBER RANALDI.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RECUSE BOARD MEMBER RANALDI, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE AGAINST THE MOTION TO RECUSE BOARD MEMBER.
ALL THOSE ABSTAINING? YES, MA'AM.
WE'RE BACK ON THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNT, CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT Z METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN.
BOARD MEMBER REID, IT SAYS IT DOESN'T, SHE DOESN'T COUNT.
UM, THIS IS REGARDING THE VERSION OF THE PLAN THAT WE ARE VOTING ON TONIGHT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE VOTING ON A MAY 11TH, 2023 ZER PARK VISION PLAN, DRAFT ZER PARK VISION PLAN, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DESIGN COMMISSION URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
WE'RE VOTING ON THE FEBRUARY 20, 23 VERSION OF THE DRAFT PLAN.
SO I GUESS THIS COULD BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF OR FOR THE, THE TEAM OR FOR OUR CHAIR.
UM, A LIST OF CHANGES HAS BEEN MADE, BUT, UM, NOT A PRECISE SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES.
AND SO I AM ASKING IF IT IS ETHICAL FOR US TO BE VOTING ON A PLAN THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAVE VOTED ON.
UM, THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR IS THAT, UH, SINCE THE,
[05:20:01]
UH, MOST RECENT, UM, DRAFT PLAN WAS POSTED AS BACKUP ON OUR, ON OUR MEET FOR OUR MEETING DOCUMENTS, THAT THAT'S THE PLAN WE'RE TACKLING.UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TODAY.
UH, IF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS WANT TO TAKE UP A MEETING OF THEIR OWN THAT'S WITHIN THEIR PURVIEW, UM, AND THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT, BUT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THING THAT I WE CAN CONTROL IS WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US AND WHAT WAS POSTED IN BACKUP FOR OUR PARTICULAR MEETING.
I JUST WANTED TO LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN THAN THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAVE CONSIDERED.
ANY OTHER, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? RECOMMEND THAT CITY OF, THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT THE ZUKO METROPOLITAN VISION PLAN AS POSTED? UM, YES.
SINCE I'M ALREADY SPEAKING, THANK YOU.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF THE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES FROM THE PLAN AND RECOMMEND CREATION OF AN IN-DEPTH MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES RESEARCH ON EVERY DAY VERSUS PEAK PARKING NEEDS, AND IS ANNUALLY REVIEWED, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF GREEN DAYS AT ZILKER WHEN NO CARS ARE ALLOWED AT ALL.
FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU'D LIKE TO REMOVE LINES 94 THROUGH 96 AND REPLACED WITH THAT.
THAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FOUR.
SO I'M PROPOSING THE RECOMMENDATION.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? OKAY.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE AMENDMENT AS, UH, RECOMMENDED BY BOARD MEMBER REED TO RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF THE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES FROM THE PLAN AND RECOMMEND CREATION OF AN IN.
IS THIS THE ONE, AM I READING CORRECTLY? MM-HMM.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT RECOMMENDATION? PLEASE, PLEASE RAISE, UH, YOUR HAND AT THIS TIME.
THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME CONFUSION OVER WHAT'S HAP WHAT EXACTLY WAS HAPPENING? SORRY, ITS GOING TOO FAST.
SO, SO I WAS CAN YOU, CAN YOU JUST REPEAT IT? DO YOU MIND? YES, YES.
I'LL REPEAT IT AND I'LL, I'LL GO.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL REPEAT IT.
SO, BOARD MEMBER READS MOTION IS TO REMOVE WHAT HE'S READING.
UH, THE RESOLVED CLAUSE NUMBER FOUR AS CURRENTLY, AND INSTEAD REPLACING REPLACING 94 THROUGH 96.
AND IT SAID IT'S GONNA READ, RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF THE PROPOSED PARKING GARAGES FROM THE PLAN AND RECOMMEND CREATION OF AN IN-DEPTH MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES RESEARCH ON EVERY DAY VERSUS PEAK PARKING NEEDS.
THAT WOULD BE THE NEW, UH, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FOUR.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE REMOVING LINES 94 THROUGH 96.
I BELIEVE THAT IT'S ADDING AN ADDITIONAL BULLET IS THE REQUEST.
IT WOULD READ NUMBER IT TO NUMBER FIVE TO ADD IT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO THAT'S THE NEW RECOMMENDATION.
THAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FOUR ADDED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE ABSTAINING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, BOARD MEMBER REED ADDITIONALLY, THINK ABOUT NOT ABOUT YOUR POCKET BOOKS.
[05:25:02]
DO YOU WANNA, DO YOU WANNA, ARE YOU, DO YOU NEED TIME? DO YOU WANT, DO YOU NEED TIME? NO, I'VE GOT IT.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND RETAINING THE LANGUAGE STATED IN THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 20 23 12 41, WHICH RELATES TO THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFITS.
AND I RECOMMEND THE REMOVAL OF THE RECOMMENDED ROLES FOR A UNIFIED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO CREATE AN ADVISORY GROUP TO REVIEW AND RECOMMEND AN APPROPRIATE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AT ZILKER REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VISION PLAN, FINANCING, CONCESSIONS, OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT ROLES FOR PAR NON-PROFITS, PRIVATE ENTITIES, AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS AT ZILKER.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW BOARD MEMBERS IS, UM, BOARD MEMBER IS, UH, BOARD MEMBER REED WANTS TO ADD, RECOMMEND A RECOMMENDATION.
NUMBER EIGHT WANTS TO ADD A RECOMMENDATION THAT READS, RECOMMENDS REMOVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A UNIFIED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO CREATE AN ADVISORY GROUP TO REVIEW AND RECOMMEND AN APPROPRIATE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AT ZILKER REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VISION PLAN, FINANCING CON CONCESSIONS, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT ROLES FOR PAR WITH A D NON-PROFIT, PRIVATE, PRIVATE ENTITIES AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND YOU'RE ALSO REMOVING THE HILL HILL HILLSIDE THEATER LANGUAGE, RIGHT? OR NO? UM, NOT YET.
SO THAT'S WHAT SHE'S, THAT'S WHAT SHE'S WANTING TO DO.
SHE WANTS TO ADD THAT RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ANY DISCUSSION OR IS THERE, IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? SO, UM, YES.
MAY I SPEAK YES TO THIS? UM, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NONPROFITS HAVE DONE A LOT OF GOOD FOR PARKS IN SUPPORT OF PARKS, UM, AND THERE WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY FOR A NONPROFIT TO COME FORWARD AND PARTNER WITH PAR AND THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS VISION PLAN FOR ZILKER.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT EXISTS ALREADY WITHOUT IT BEING STATED IN THIS PLAN.
AND THE ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN AS IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, RELIES HEAVILY ON FUNDING FOR NOT FROM NONPROFITS.
AND THERE'S ALREADY A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT AGREES THAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFITS ARE GOOD.
HOWEVER, HAVING THE PLAN RELY SO HEAVILY ON A NONPROFIT ROLE, UM, THIS HAS, HAS YET TO BE APPROVED AT THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.
AND SINCE THE PLAN HAS ROLES FOR THE NONPROFIT INTEGRATED INTO THE FUNDING FOR ALL THE LARGE PROJECTS THAT ARE CLEARLY OPPOSED BY MUCH OF THE PUBLIC, AND YOU CAN REFERENCE THE PLAN ON PAGE 2 18, 2 19 AND TWO 20, I BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A DEFINED STRUCTURE FOR THE UNIFIED NONPROFIT.
AND THIS IS NOT SPECIFIED IN THE PLAN.
UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, THERE ARE ROLES THAT ARE BEING MAPPED OUT FOR THE UNIFIED NONPROFIT THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL YET REGARDING CONCESSIONS, OPERATIONS, AND MANAGEMENT.
AND THERE IS CERTAINLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A NONPROFIT TO PARTNER WITH PAR TO IMPROVE ZILKER, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ATTACHED TO THE ZILKER PART VISION PLAN.
UM, ANY DIS ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ IT AGAIN OR DO Y'ALL HAVE IT? OKAY, YOU'RE GOOD.
SO RIGHT NOW THE MOTION IS TO ADD THE AMENDMENT, UH, OR THE RECOMMENDATION AS STATED BY BOARD MEMBER REED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER MOTION ON THE, ON THE FLOOR? YES, I HAVE ONE.
BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT ANY CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, UNIFIED NONPROFIT
[05:30:01]
BOARD CONTAINED FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WITH NO RELATIONSHIP TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE UNIFIED NONPROFIT OR ORGANIZATION OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NONPROFIT.THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AS STATED BY BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE IS A SECOND.
UM, WOULD ANY, WOULD YOU, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? I JUST, I JUST WANNA STATE THAT THE ONLY REASON, AND I I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THE UNIFIED, THAT THE ZILKER 3 51 IS DONE.
IT'S MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT RECENTLY I'VE HAD A HALF A NEW, LESS THAN A HALF A DOZEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACH OUT TO ME ABOUT ANOTHER NONPROFIT PARK NONPROFIT, UM, THAT, UM, THEIR, THAT HAVE BEEN QUESTIONING SERIOUSLY THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY AND THEIR FINANCES.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY SOMEWHERE, UM, WRITTEN INTO THIS PLAN.
BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, IS THERE ANY FAIR DISCUSSION? YEAH.
WOULD YOU, COULD YOU REPEAT THE RECOMMENDATION? YES.
RECOMMEND, RECOMMEND ANY CITY COUNCIL.
APPROVED, UNIFIED NONPROFIT BOARD CONTAIN FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WITH NO RELATIONSHIP TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE UNIFIED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NONPROFIT WE CAN RECOMMEND.
UM, COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR CONCERN AND THE RESOLUTION.
HOW DO YOU SEE THOSE RELATING? SO
THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE REALLY GOOD.
UM, I'VE, I'VE HEARD SOME SERIOUS, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONTACT ME OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS ABOUT ONE, ONE PARTICULAR NON-PROFIT THAT, UM, THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OVERSIGHT AND THAT THERE'S TWO, THAT IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING, THAT ARE BASICALLY PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THE MONEY OFF THAT PARTICULAR FOUNDATION AND, UM, OR WHAT THAT FOUNDATION OVERSEES.
SO ESSENTIALLY, AND I'M NOT GONNA CALL THAT FOUNDATION OUT HERE.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT ANOTHER MEETING, BUT WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN ANOTHER MEETING AND HAS NO CLUE.
UM, WHAT I WANT, I BASICALLY, WHAT I WANT IS JUST IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NON-PROFIT, LET'S HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY.
LET'S HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON THE BOARD THAT ARE REALLY TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER GENERAL.
I MEAN, I, I THINK ONE IMPORTANT THING TO BRING UP HERE IS THAT THE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE NONPROFITS THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD MAYBE BE PART OF THIS NONPROFIT THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING WITHIN ZILKER PARK HAVE A VERY DIVERSE CONSTITUENCY THAT, YOU KNOW, COMES FROM CITYWIDE AND REGIONWIDE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NONPROFITS LIKE THE GIRL SCOUTS, THERE'S THE SUNSHINE CAMPS.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE OFFERING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING IN ZILKER PARK.
AND I THINK THE POINT IS TO BRING THEM ALL TOGETHER AND HAVE MORE STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION WITH PART.
SO THAT PART ISN'T WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE GROUPS SPREAD OUT, KIND OF DOING THEIR OWN THING.
AND IT, IT MIGHT EVEN BE HARD FOR THEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.
SO I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF ADDING IN A BUNCH OF RANDOM PEOPLE INTO THIS COORDINATING NONPROFIT THAT AREN'T EVEN DOING ANY WORK OR NOT, THEY'RE NOT EVEN ASSOCIATED WITH THESE NONPROFITS THAT ARE OFFERING PROGRAMMING AND, AND BRINGING THINGS TO THE TABLE IN ZER PARK SEEMS SORT OF, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY, I DO KNOW WHAT COMMUNITY MEMBER I DON'T, ISN'T RELATED.
SO I DON'T, I I DON'T THINK THAT THAT ADDS A LOT OF UTILITY TO WHAT THAT NONPROFIT IS.
UM, THE ROLE THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'D BE PLAYING A GROUP MEMBER.
IN THE RESOLUTION, THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE EARLIER THAT MENTIONS, YOU KNOW, THE P THREE, THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL MM-HMM.
IS THIS A SYSTEM THAT THOSE OTHER PARKS ALSO UTILIZED, THAT ARE REFERENCED IN THE REDDIT SOLUTIONS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FOR CENTRAL PARK, PROSPECT PARK, ET CETERA, HERMAN PARK IN HOUSTON? DO YOU KNOW THEY USE THE SAME FORMAT? THE, I, I DON'T KNOW.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, BUT I DO, I MEAN, I, I'M NOT AGAINST PUBLIC, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AT ALL.
AND I, AND I, AND I DO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE NONPROFITS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING AND PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I JUST DON'T KNOW, AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BRING UP AS A BOARD DOWN THE ROAD TOO, IS THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE ACCOUNTABILITY
[05:35:01]
ASPECT OF SOME OF THESE NONPROFITS, UM, BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THEM, NOT SOME OF THEMSO REALLY I THINK WHEREVER WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A FINANCIAL, A DIRECT FINANCIAL CONNECTION OR NONPROFIT CONNECTION TO WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PARK THAT, I MEAN, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE WANT A PARK, YOU KNOW, ELK PARK TO BE EQUITABLE FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE ASKING SOMEBODY.
I MEAN, THEY WORSE UP HERE REPRESENTING PARKS AND I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PARKS IN MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY BOARD MEMBER RENALDI HAS A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
CAN I MAKE COMMENT? MY QUESTION IS WHERE THE NUMBER FIVE CAME FROM AND DIFFERENT VARIOUS FORDS OR DIFFERENT SIZES.
AND SO IT WOULD SEEM TO MAKE MORE SENSE TO HAVE A PERCENTAGE IF WE WANTED IT TO SCALE APPROPRIATELY.
UM, I'M GOOD WITH THAT, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE AGAIN, WHERE THIS COMES FROM.
IF IT'S FROM THE, THE THOUGHT THAT 3 51 IS ALREADY THE PRESUMED PARTNER.
CUZ I, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT IS NOT, THAT IS NOT THE PARTNERSHIP.
LIKE, I THINK IS THAT, UH, THAT'S NOT BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO ZILKER 3 51 HAS REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE OPERATING IN THE PARK.
NO, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I, FROM, FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WHEN I WENT TO THE Q AND A, THEY ARE NOT THE, THE NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT WOULD, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL YET.
SO I THINK THE POINT OF, OF, UM, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR'S, UM, RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENGAGE, UM, UNAFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS MM-HMM.
UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE BRACKENRIDGE PARK CONSERVANCY HAS A LARGE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP WITH MEMBERS FROM SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND SCHOOLS AND MUSEUMS, AND ALSO CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE NONPROFITS BOARD MEMBERS.
I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING, BUT, UH, AS WE APPROACH MIDNIGHT, THE BOARD WOULD NEED TO VOTE TO EXTEND THE MEETING IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
I MOVE TO EXTEND THE MEETING TIME BY 30 MINUTES AT 12:30 AM IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THIS, UM, SORRY, WHO WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING? OR, SORRY.
YEAH, I JUST WONDER, I WORRY ABOUT THE SLIPPERY SLOPE BECAUSE I'M JUST THINKING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND SO OFTENTIMES VOICES OF THE NEIGHBORS AREN'T HEARD, UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT EASY ACCESS, UM, TO CLUBHOUSE OR SOMETHING TO HAVE THAT MEETING.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO GENERALLY NOT AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY AT SOME OF THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT TEND TO BE MORE CENTRAL CITY.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE CHOOSING THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE A PART OF THAT, WE START TO GET INTO THIS EQUITY, UM, ISSUE AGAIN.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WITH THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY TO WORD THIS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THERE, YOU KNOW, IS A PERCENTAGE, BUT HOW WE GO ABOUT THAT, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING THAT NO.
IN A FORMAT HERE OR WITHOUT SOME DISCUSSION AROUND WHO GETS TO BE AT THE TABLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY A PERSON LIKE ME IS NOT AT THE TABLE.
WELL, AND, AND, AND, AND ACTUALLY THAT GOES TO MY POINT BECAUSE I THINK THE PART OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS OPTICS.
I MEAN, AND, AND WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH, WITH WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SAID TONIGHT ARE NOT THE REAL, THAT'S THEIR REALITY.
THEIR PERCEPTION IS THEIR REALITY.
AND SO THE PERCEPTION IS IS THAT EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE VISION PLAN, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE, BUT THE PERCEPTION IS, IS THAT THEY'RE ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST WHO ARE GONNA GET MONEY FROM THIS, WHO ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS.
AND SO I THINK ADDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD HELP TAKE AWAY FROM THAT TO A CERTAIN POINT.
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE RIGHT
SO, UM, BOARD MEMBER, COULD WE REPHRASE IT AND, AND TAKE OUT THE FIVE MEMBERS JUST RECOMMENDS ANY CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, UNIFIED NONPROFIT CONTAIN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WITH NO RELATIONSHIP TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE UNIFIED NONPROFIT OR ORGAN ORGANIZATION OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH
[05:40:01]
THE NONPROFIT.SO IT WOULD JUST BE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BOARD MEMBER.
THERE'S AN AMENDMENT TO YOUR AMENDMENT.
DO YOU ACCEPT THAT AS FRIENDLY? YES.
SINCE YOU ACCEPT THAT AS FRIENDLY, THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A VOTE ON IT.
SO THE, THE MOTION STAYS THE SAME EXCEPT THE NUMBER FIVE, NUMERICAL FIVE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE MOTION.
UM, I GUESS IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS OR CAN I CALL THE QUESTION? ALRIGHT, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR'S, UM, AMENDMENT, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL ALL THOSE ABSTAINING ALL RIGHT.
UM, WAIT, WAIT, NO, WE, WE HAD MORE VOTES, I'M PRETTY SURE.
WAIT, NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MAJORITY.
UM, THERE IS A, IS THERE ANOTHER, UH, FAIR DISCUSSION OR AN AMENDMENT? BUT REMEMBER FRANKLIN, I KNOW YOU SUBMITTED SOMETHING THROUGH TIM, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT
YOU, YOU MAY WANNA TAKE THE VOTE AGAIN.
I THINK IT WAS 4 33, BUT YOU, YOU DID SAY 4 43 TO, SORRY, 4 33.
DO YOU WANT ME? YEAH, I, I MISSPOKE.
UM, SO I'LL JUST SPEAK THROUGH THEM.
UM, AND NUMBER THREE, IT WAS MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LANGUAGE.
UM, SO I'LL JUST READ WHAT THE UPDATED, UM, RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE.
RECOMMENDS THAT BOTH TRAFFIC AND PARKING STUDIES BE UNDERTAKEN IN THE PLANNING PHASE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE SUGGESTED VISION PLAN IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING REDUCING BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TO ONE LANE ARE ANTICIPATED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MULTIMODAL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACCESS AND PASSAGE TO AND THROUGH ZER PARK.
RIGHT THERE IS A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON HER? UH, AMENDMENT.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA READ THE AMENDMENT ONE MORE TIME.
UH, UH, NUMBER THREE RECOMMENDS THAT BOTH TRAFFIC AND PARKING STUDIES BE UNDERTAKING IN THE PLANNING PHASE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE SUGGESTED VISION PLAN IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING REDUCING BARTON SPRINGS TO ONE LANE ARE ANTICIPATED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MULTIMODAL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACCESS AND PASSAGE TWO AND THROUGH ZILKER PARK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I, UH, HAVE, I GUESS I'LL GO LINE BY LINE SO WE CAN REVIEW EACH ONE.
THERE ARE THREE ADDITIONS THAT I HAD.
UM, SO, UH, NEXT ONE, WHICH WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE WAY I HAVE IT LISTED HERE RECOMMENDS THIS IS THE ADDITION TO RECOMMEND PROMOTING CLOSE COORDINATION AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF THE VISION PLAN WITH CAP METRO DURING PROJECT CONNECT DESIGN TO HELP MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLIC TRANSIT OPTIONS.
IS THERE A, I SORRY, CAN YOU, WHAT IS THAT AN ADDITION OR A, AN ADDITION? YES.
OH, AN ADDITIONAL, AN ADDITIONAL BULLET.
UM, THERE IS A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN TO RECOMMEND, UH, TO ADD BULLET.
UH, RECOMMENDATION FOUR RECOMMENDS PROMOTING THE CLOSE COORDINATION COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF THE VISION PLAN WITH CAP METRO DURING PROJECT CONNECT DESIGN TO, OKAY.
UH, TO HELP MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLIC TRANSIT OPTIONS WORKING TOGETHER.
OH, IS THERE A SECOND? NO, SECOND.
THE, UH, MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UM, MY FRANK, MY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, NOR WE'RE TAKING A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND YOU HAD ONE MORE BOARD MEMBER, FRANKLIN, UM,
I HAVE TWO OTHER ITEMS, BUT OH, NO WORRIES.
I'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH FROM INDIVIDUALLY JUST FOR CLARITY.
UM, THIS ONE WAS KIND OF TWO PART, IT ADDS LANGUAGE IN THE EARLIER PORTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO STATE.
UM, AND THIS IS, UM, DERIVED FROM THE MISSION PLAN, WHEREAS ENJOYMENT OF NATURE AND THE QUALITY OF THAT NATURAL EXPERIENCE ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE ZER PARK USER EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WOULD BE IN ADDITION, RECOMMENDS
[05:45:01]
THAT ACCESS DRAINAGE AND ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS ALONG SHORELINE RESTORATION AREAS SHOULD MAINTAIN A NATURALISTIC DESIGN WHERE POSSIBLE FOR AESTHETIC BENEFIT.THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN TO ADD A WEAR ICE CLOTH THAT READS, WHEREAS ENJOYMENT OF NATURE AND THE QUALITY OF THAT NATURAL EXPERIENCE ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE ZER PARK USER EXPERIENCE IN BETWEEN AFTER 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 AFTER THE SEVENTH, WHEREAS CLAUSE AND WHAT LINE? UH, IT'D BE LINE 30.
IT WOULD GET ADDED AFTER, WELL, AFTER LINE.
SO I'LL READ IT ONE MORE TIME.
WHEREAS ENJOYMENT OF NATURE AND THE QUALITY OF THAT NATURAL EXPERIENCE ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE ZILKER PARK USER EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN SHE'S ALSO IN, IN CONJUNCTION REQUESTING THAT WE ADD A RECOMMENDATION THAT STATES, UM, RECOMMENDS THAT ACCESS DRAINAGE AND ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS ALONG SHORELINE RESTORATION AREAS SHOULD MAINTAIN A NATURALISTIC DESIGN WHERE POSSIBLE FOR AESTHETIC BENEFIT.
AND SHE WAS REQUESTING THAT IT'D BE ADDED IN LINE, UH, 99.
SO PUSH EVERYTHING DOWN AND THEN INSERT THAT INTO LINE 99.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OF THOSE OPPOSED? ALL OF THOSE ABSTAINING.
UM, A RECOMMENDATION, AND THIS WOULD BE A LINE 1 0 2.
SCOOTING EVERYTHING DOWN RECOMMENDS AN ANNUAL SUMMARY UPDATE OF PROGRESS FORWARDED IDENTIFIED VISION PLAN GOALS BE SHARED PUBLICLY TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
OR THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN TO RECOMMEND AN ANNUAL SUMMARY UPDATE OF THE PROGRESS TOWARDS IDENTIFIED VISION PLAN GOALS BE SHARED PUBLICLY TO HELP PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THAT WOULD BE ADDED AFTER LINE 1 0 2 1.
IS THERE A SECOND LOST QUESTION? QUESTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I THINK THAT REPEAT QUESTION.
I THINK THERE A QUESTION QUESTION, BUT JUST SOMEBODY A SECOND FIRST.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND FIRST.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? MY QUESTION IS, IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALREADY PART OF THE PLAN TO HAVE ANNUAL REPORTING OR ANY KIND OF FORMAL REPORTING ON AN ONGOING BASIS? UM, I THINK MAYBE, UM, TIM OR KIMBERLY DIRECTOR MCNEELY, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE KIND OF REPORTING THAT YOU TYPICALLY DO ON VISION PLAN PROGRESS.
SO ACTUALLY IT'S PROBABLY A BETTER QUESTION FOR GREG, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UM, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE EXACT PLAN, RIGHT? AS THE PLAN IS EVERY TIME THERE IS A, UH, A, A PHASE OF THE VISION PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE MOVED FORWARD, IT USUALLY COMES BEFORE THIS BOARD, AND THEN IT WOULD COME BEFORE COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO LIKELY BE, UM, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH A, WITH A, UH, ANOTHER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THEN IT WILL BE LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS OR SOME LARGE EXPENDITURE THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
AND THEN IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL CUZ THERE'S A SPENDING AUTHORITY.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO REGULAR UPDATES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.
IF YOU GO TO OUR, TO OUR WEBSITE FOR EVERY VISION PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU ONE AS EXAMPLE.
IF YOU GO TO THE HOLLY SHORES VISION PLAN, WE'LL SHOW YOU EACH OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THE FULL PLAN, AND THEN EACH OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
SO IT'S ACCESSIBLE, UM, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU ASKED FOR A PARTICULAR, A PARTICULAR UPDATE, WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR YOU.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO RECOMMEND AN ANNUAL SUMMARY UPDATE OF PROGRESS TOWARDS IDENTIFIED VISION PLAN GOALS BE SHARED PUBLICLY TO HELP PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, IS THAT, IS THAT BOARD MEMBER AMAN? I HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF REDUCING LANES ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR MOTION? SORRY.
I RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF THE REDUCING LANES ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
I JUST RECOMMEND THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THAT IN THE VISION.
SO YOU'RE WANTING, UH, VIS, UH, NUMBER THREE MM-HMM.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS THAT, UH, UH, UH, RECOMMENDATION
[05:50:01]
NUMBER THREE IN THE PRINTED VERSION BE REMOVED, RECOMMEND THAT A TRAFFIC STUDY BE UNDERTAKEN, SO ON AND SO FORTH.THERE'S A SECOND FROM, UH, MARTIN TAYLOR.
ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK THAT BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, IT'S TRICKY BECAUSE IT IS BOTH A PARK ROAD, BUT IT IS ALSO A CONNECTOR ROAD FOR SO MUCH OF AUSTIN PEOPLE COMING FROM THE SOUTH AND THE WEST LIKE MYSELF USE BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, AND, UM, IT'S, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE WORDING YOU WANT TO SIGNAL TO AUSTIN THAT BARTON SPRINGS IS A MEANDERING PARK ROAD.
UM, IT IS THAT, BUT IT IS ALSO AN ON-RAMP TO MOPAC, UH, FOR SO MANY.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE PART OF THE VISION PLAN IS, IS TO TAKE IT DOWN TO ONE LANE EACH WAY.
CAN I COMMENT? AM I ALLOWED TO SHARE A PIECE FROM A CONS? LIKE SOMEBODY? OKAY.
UM, SO I GOT LOTS OF EMAILS ACTUALLY ABOUT THIS AND, UM, ABOUT BARTON SPRINGS AND THE ROAD DIET, AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT WANTING THAT MM-HMM.
I'M A PEDESTRIAN CYCLIST, AN AVID BUS RIDER.
A FEWER LANES FOR CARS MEANS TAKING VISION SERIOUS, TAKING VISION ZERO SERIOUSLY, AND REDUCING CLOSE CALLS BETWEEN MOTORISTS AND ME.
UM, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH THIS PLAN AND FIGHT FOR US.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MINI, UM, EMAILS THAT I GOT IN, IN SUPPORT OF KEEPING THAT IN THAT RECOMMENDATION IN.
CAN I COMMENT ON IT? I THINK IT'S GONNA CAUSE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF CONGESTION ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, AND I THINK THAT THE, THE CONGESTION IN ZER PARK IS AN INCREDIBLE PROBLEM.
AND SO IF WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO TRY AND REDUCE CARS, CIRCULATION AND CARS DRIVING AROUND IN ZER, THAT REDUCING BARTON SPRINGS TO TWO LANES HAS REALLY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT, WHICH IS ON THE OTHER SIDE AND, UH, THE SOUTHWEST SIDE AND THE, WE HAVE TWO WAYS TO GET INTO DOWNTOWN, AND ONE OF 'EM IS CESAR CHAVEZ AND THE OTHER ONE IS BARTAN SPRINGS.
AND I, I TOO HEARD FROM A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT HOW IN THE WORLD ARE THEY GOING TO GET TO DOWNTOWN OR TO EVEN TO THE PARK.
IT GETS REALLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS AT ZILKER PARK, IT'S HARD ENOUGH FOR US TO GET AROUND.
UM, YOU SHUT THAT DOWN, UH, DOWN TO ONE, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY SHUTTING THE ROAD DOWN.
I MEAN, YOU ONE ROAD, ONE LANE EACH WAY, RIGHT? IT'LL, IT'S GONNA BACK UP.
WE ALSO HAVE, AND I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT, AND I DON'T THINK, I THINK CLAIRE EVEN MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVEN'T DONE AN EXTENSIVE, UM, UH, TRAFFIC STUDY YET BECAUSE, UM, ENDEAVOR IS BUILDING A NEW DO DOMAIN RIGHT THERE AT 360 AND MOPAC.
AND, AND THAT TRAFFIC ALONE THAT'S GONNA FUNNEL INTO MOPAC IS GONNA MAKE IT EVEN WORSE.
SO I JUST, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW IT'S GONNA BE FE FEASIBLE.
SO I THINK, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT ABOUT SUMS UP MY REASONS FOR WANTING TO JUST LEAVE IN NUMBER THREE AS IS.
UM, I THINK IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND A TRAFFIC STUDY AND OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER APPROPRIATE PLANNING AND ASSESSMENTS AS THE PLAN MOVES FORWARD.
UM, I DON'T, UM, I THINK WE, I THINK THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATION GIVEN ALL OF THE CHANGE THAT THIS AREA'S GOING THROUGH.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? JUST THAT, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO, UH, ALSO LIVES IN BARTON HILLS, I WOULD AGREE WITH BOARD MEMBER RANALDI STATEMENT.
IT IS, UH, DEEPLY UNCLEAR TO ME AT THIS STAGE OF THE VISION PLAN WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO REDUCE BARDON SPRINGS ROAD TO ONE LANE OR NOT.
UM, AND SO I FEEL LIKE THE GOAL OF ENCOURAGING, UH, ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING FURTHER STUDY OF THE QUESTION IN A PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT IS THE BEST APPROACH FOR THE BOARD.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE LINES 91, 92 AND 93 IN THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRINTED AS POSTED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OF THOSE OPPOSED? SEVEN TO THREE? UH, THREE TO SEVEN, UH, MOTION FAILS.
[05:55:01]
OKAY.I HAVE ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION.
THIS WOULD CORRESPOND TO, UH, NUMBER TWO ON YOURS.
AND, UM, I RECOMMEND UNDERTAKING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND EQUITY STUDY REGARDING THE CURRENT IMPACT AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF REMOVING THE EXISTING SURFACE PARKING LOTS, LU NEF ROAD, AND OTHER CIRCULAR ROADS IN ZER PARK.
SO, CAN I CLARIFY PROGRAMMER HOMAN, IS THAT A REPLACEMENT OF NUMBER TWO? IT PRETTY MUCH WOULD BE, YEAH.
CAN YOU READ IT REPEAT ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? SURE.
I RECOMMEND UNDERTAKING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND EQUITY STUDY REGARDING THE CURRENT IMPACT AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF REMOVING THE EXISTING SURFACE SURFACE PARKING LOTS, LUNE ROAD AND OTHER CIRCULATE CIRCULATOR ROADS IN ZUCKER PARK.
I MEAN, RESPECTFULLY, I THINK THAT, HOLD ON.
FIRST, IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT? SECOND? THERE'S A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE CAN GET INTO DISCUSSION AGAINST BOARD MEMBER ALDI.
I THINK THAT, UM, NUMBER TWO, UM, ENCOMPASSES, UM, WHAT YOU JUST SUGGESTED, BOARD MEMBER HUG MEN BECAUSE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW THESE STUDIES SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE ANY PROJECT OR PHASE OF THE VISION PLAN.
WELL, WE DID ADD SOME SPECIFICS.
UM, I, I PUT IN SAFETY AND EQUITY, UM, BECAUSE REMOVING, UH, THE CIRCULATOR ROADS DOES CREATE AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE, UH, WITH SAFETY, YOU KNOW, HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE, UM, AND THE, I I WROTE LU NEPH ROAD IN PARTICULAR, AND CIRCULATOR ROADS IN PARTICULAR, WHEREAS YOUR NUMBER TWO DOESN'T HAVE THAT BECAUSE, UM, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE'S SO MUCH RUNOFF FROM LU NEPH ROAD THAT THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE EROSION.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ASSUMPTION IS.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE, BUT, UM, UH, I JUST WANNA SEE MORE FEASIBILITY AND SO I WANTED TO PUT THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS IN THERE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I, I DO APPRECIATE THE, UH, ADDITION OF THE LANGUAGE FOR SAFETY AND EQUITY TO NUMBER FIVE.
I WOULD, UM, MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND YOUR AMENDMENT TO LEAVE FIVE, UM, AS IT WAS IN THE DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT WAS POSTED ONLINE, BUT TO ADD THE LANGUAGE FOR SAFETY AND EQUITY.
WAIT, I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT NUMBER TWO.
TWO, NUMBER TWO, NUMBER 2 88 AND 89 IT WAIT, SORRY.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ON THE PAPER ONE.
YEAH, IT'S SIMILAR LANGUAGE TO NUMBER FIVE.
UM, BOARD MEMBER HUSBANDMAN, IS THAT AN AMENDMENT YOU'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? UM, I THINK SO.
SO BASICALLY IT'S STAYING THE SAME EXCEPT YOU WERE JUST ADDING, UH, SAFETY AND EQUITY.
SO THE, IT'S STAYING THE SAME AS WRITTEN IN THE ORIGINAL POST-IT.
JUST, AND THEN WE'RE JUST ADDING SAFETY AND EQUITY MM-HMM.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE ONE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, I RECOMMEND REMOVING THE AMPHITHEATER FROM THE GREAT LAWN AND UPGRADING AND THE TERRACING AND FACILITIES OF THE EXISTING HILLSIDE THEATER LOCATION.
AND THAT'S LINES 97 AND 98 ON THE YES.
AND CAN YOU REPEAT IT ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? I RECOMMEND REMOVING THE AMPHITHEATER FROM THE GREAT LAWN AND UPGRADING THE TERRACING AND FACILITIES OF THE EXISTING HILLSIDE THEATER LOCATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE'S A SECOND.
UH, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE VOTING ON, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, I, I'M SORRY.
YOU'RE, YOU MOVED ON SO QUICKLY.
QUICKLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES.
UM, MY DISCUSSION IS EVERY SINGLE LETTER I HAVE RECEIVED, UH, FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC, NOT THE LETTERS THAT COME FROM THE NONPROFITS OR THE RELATIVES OF NON-PROFITS, WE'VE GOT LETTERS FROM SPOUSES AND BROTHERS AND COUSINS FROM NON-PROFITS.
THOSE FOLKS ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING THE HILLSIDE THEATER, BUT EVERY PIECE OF MAIL I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS VERY MUCH AGAINST A LARGE STRUCTURE ON THE GREAT LAWN, AND SO I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.
[06:00:01]
YOU, REPRESENTATIVE UGK.UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT IN THE, UM, SURVEY NUMBER SIX, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED, WHAT TWO OR THREE SPACES ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT? UM, ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER CAME IN AT 18% OF THE RESPONDENTS IN THAT SURVEY, AND THAT WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AT ZER PARK OR THE WHAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE VISION PLAN PLAN, WHAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE VISION PLAN.
THIS WAS THE SURVEY THAT WAS RELEASED AF THE, THE DRAFT VISION PLAN WAS RELEASED.
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THAT QUESTION WAS VERY, WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO ANSWER BECAUSE THERE WASN'T, UH, NONE OF THE ABOVE.
AND ALSO WE DID NOT RECEIVE ALL OF A CATEGORIZATION OF ALL OF THESE MANY, MANY COMMENTS.
UM, IN THE FEEDBACK, THERE WERE 3,872 COMMENTS AND 21,713 RESPONSES.
UM, MANY, MANY VIEWS, BUT THE, THERE IS NOT A CATEGORIZATION OF WHAT PEOPLE LIKED AND WHAT PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO.
SO IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT.
BUT FROM THE QUESTION, THE RESPONDENTS WERE NOT EXCITED ABOUT THE ZER HILLSIDE THEATER MOVING TO THE GREAT LAWN THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBER RE UH, BOARD MEMBER.
I, I, UM, I AGREE THAT THE HILLSIDE OR THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE PUBLIC SPEAK OUT AGAINST.
UM, BUT WHAT WE ALSO HEARD WAS THAT THE, UM, ACCESS TO THE THEATER WHERE IT CURRENTLY SITS, BOTH IN TERMS OF LIKE ADA ACCESSIBILITY, UM, THE ELECTRIC ELECTRICITY NEEDED TO POWER THE THEATER.
LIKE IT'S, IT'S NOT FEASIBLE AT THE CURRENT LOCATION.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT THE LANGUAGE THING AS IT IS WHERE WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO FIND AN ALTERNATE LOCATION, BUT NOT, HOPEFULLY NOT ON THE GREAT LAWN.
UM, I WOULD JUST WANNA, I JUST WANNA, YEAH, BECAUSE I, EVERY SINGLE EMAIL THAT I'VE RECEIVED TOO IS THAT THEY DON'T, WE WERE TAKING AWAY THE, THE, THOSE THAT DISK THAT DO THE DISC GOLF, UM, FRISBEE, GOLF, THAT, AND, AND THE SOCCER PLAYERS, THERE'S SO MANY SOCCER PLAYERS OUT THERE ON, ON THE WEEKENDS.
I JUST DON'T WANNA TAKE AWAY THAT GREAT LAWN.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, UH, MOVING IT.
UM, ANY FURTHER COMMENT? ONE LAST COMMENT.
UM, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER AND BETTER AND LESS EXPENSIVE TO ADD ELECTRICITY AND PLUMBING WHERE NONE EXISTS RIGHT NOW ON THE GREAT LAWN, AS OPPOSED TO KEEPING THE HILLSIDE THEATER WHERE IT IS AND GREATLY REFURBISHING IT.
IT IS ADA COMPLIANT RIGHT NOW, OTHERWISE IT COULDN'T HAVE SHOWS THERE, THERE, I'VE, I'VE BEEN OVER THERE.
I WAS THERE ON SATURDAY MORNING.
AND SO IT IS ADA COMPLIANT, CORRECT.
OR ELSE SHOWS COULDN'T HAPPEN.
THERE, THERE IS ACCESS FOR FIRE E M S AND IT COULD BE IMPROVED.
AND IT IS A HISTORIC LOCATION IN BEVERLY SHEFFIELD NAMED AFTER BEVERLY SHEFFIELD.
AND SO, UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF KEEPING AND REFURBISHING THANK YOU.
CAN WE, CAN WE POTENTIALLY TAKE THAT PORTION OF A LANGUAGE THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN RESOLUTION AND ADD THAT IN ADDITION TO CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATE LOCATIONS, OTHER THAN THE PROPOSED LOCATION THAT IT ALSO CONSIDERS UPGRADES TO THE EXISTING LOCATION? I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE YOU WERE GOING WITH THAT.
SO ARE YOU SAYING PERHAPS AT THE END OF THAT LINE, UH, SO CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATE LOCATIONS OTHER THAN THE PRO PROPOSED LOCATION OR THE POSSIBILITY OF UPGRADING THE CURRENT LOCATION, BASICALLY LEAVING THAT AS AN OPTION? YES, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO BETTER LANGUAGE THAN THAT.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ONE MORE COMMENT, PLEASE.
SO IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN, I, I THINK ALTERNATE LOCATIONS WERE ACTUALLY ASSESSED.
AND SO THERE WAS, THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS THE BUTLER LANDFILL AND ANOTHER THAT WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE, BUT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS WERE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING IT WHERE IT WAS.
AND THERE WERE SOME THAT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OKAY TO MOVE IT TO NEAR THE LAKE, BUT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THAT.
AND JUST WANTED, MAKE CLARIFY, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, ARE YOU MAKING THE BOARD MEMBER, FRANKLIN, ARE YOU MAKING THAT AS A AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT? I CAN, YES.
SO THERE IS A AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT, UM, AND
[06:05:01]
WHO MADE THAT LAST, WAS IT? YES.DO YOU ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR, I, I DON'T THINK SO, BECAUSE I, I DO RECALL READING THAT OTHER LOCATIONS WERE CONSIDERED.
AND SO I THINK, UH, EVEN I, I READ, UH, HILLSIDE THEATER CONSIDERED THE OFFER TO PUT THE THEATER, UH, DOWN, DOWN BY THE, UM, BUTLER, THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
UH, AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE NOISE FROM THE HIGHWAY.
I MEAN, IT'S, AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT, THAT THIS WAS THEIR ONLY OTHER OPTION.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE WAY, THE WAY THE RENDERINGS LOOK OF THE WHOLE PARK, THERE'S NOT A, NOT A SPOT DESIGNATED FOR IT AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND CERTAINLY PUTTING IT ON THE GREAT LAWN IS, UM, POSES SIGNIFICANT RISK TO, TO THE AQUIFER.
UM, SO I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE IT AS, UH, IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION, BUT GIVE IT MORE ELECTRICAL, GIVE IT TERRORIST, UM, YOU KNOW, SEATING.
BUT WE DID JUST PUT, I THINK, 2 MILLION INTO IT AND HAVE BRAND NEW BATHROOMS AND, AND NEW EQUIPMENT.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT THAT'S, IT'S IN GOOD SHAPE.
AND, AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, EARLY ON, THE HILLSIDE THEATER FOLKS DID NOT, THIS WAS NOT THEIR IDEA.
AND, UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY SORT OF HAD TO BE TALKED INTO THE FACT THAT THEY NEEDED A NEW LOCATION FOR THEIR THEATER
AND, UM, SO I, I THINK IF WE JUST MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING, THAT'S WHERE I'D LIKE MY RECOMMENDATION TO STAND AND, AND RIGHT.
JUST BOARD MEMBERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT, UH, IT, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS.
WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD BOARD MEMBER CONTINUE, YOU WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO PURSUE IT, WE CAN VOTE ON IT, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO GET A MAJORITY IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE, OR IN ORDER FOR THE AMENDMENT TO BE AMENDED, BECAUSE BOARD MEMBER HAMAN HAS NOT ACCEPTED IT AS A FRIENDLY, AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE PURSUING, OR YOU WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO WITHDRAW THE AMENDMENT? UM, I WILL PURSUE THE AMENDMENT.
SO JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS RIGHT NOW, THERE, THE VOTE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE IS, UH, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN'S AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD READ, UH, SHOOT, WHERE IS IT? OKAY.
RECOMMENDS FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE PLACEMENT OF THE HILLSIDE THEATER, INCLUDING CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATE LOCATIONS OTHER THAN THE, OTHER THAN THE PROPOSED LOCATION OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING LOCATION I DOCUMENT, OR IMPROVEMENTS AND OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE KEEPING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING LOCATION AS AN OPTION KEEPING, YEAH.
KEEPING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CURRENT LOCATION AS AN OPTION.
CAN I, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE MOTION RIGHT NOW ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ANY DEBATE ON THAT MOTION? SO THE MOTION IS, OR? OKAY.
DO WE NEED A SECOND? I DON'T KNOW IF MINE, YEAH.
OH YEAH, WE NEED A SECOND ON THAT.
SORRY, IS THERE A SECOND? SOUNDS LIKE PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE THERE'S A SECOND LEFT.
WELL, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND ORDER TO EVEN TO GET TO, YES.
IS THERE A SECOND? SO YOU, NO, I LIKE TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE CHOICES.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S NO SECOND.
SO WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION BY, UH, BOARD MEMBER HAMAN.
UM, AT THIS TIME, AT THIS TIME, UH, I GUESS WE'LL CALL THE, UH, CALL THE CALL THE QUESTION.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF A BOARD MEMBER.
HUG, HUG, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND, UH, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FIVE ON THE PRINTED VERSION.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, WAS THAT THE LAST ONE? WAS THAT, WAS THAT THE LAST ONE? UH, BOARD MEMBER HUG ONE? IS THAT YOUR LAST ONE? THAT'S MY LAST ONE, YES.
I HAVE, UH, OH, AND WELL, I'LL, YOU CAN GO BOARD.
I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT AS WE APPROACH 1230, YOU'LL NEED TO VOTE TO EXTEND THE MEETING.
BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK WE CAN JUST DO 15, 15, 15, 15 MINUTES.
MY MOTION IS TO DO 15 MINUTES.
UM, ALTHOUGH IS THERE A SECOND? UM, I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO MY HOUSE AT 6:00 AM WAIT, RAISE YOUR, KEEP YOUR HANDS RAISED AGAIN, PLEASE.
[06:10:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO RECOMMEND THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.COMPLY WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN, THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, AND SUPPORTS RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 0 1 5 0 6 0 4 0 48 BY THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER DATED OCTOBER 4TH, 2017, ADVOCATING THE USE OF A CARBON IMPACT STATEMENT AS A STRATEGY TO MEET THE COUNCIL ADOPTED GOAL OF NETZERO COMMUNITY-WIDE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2050.
WHERE IS, ARE YOU ADDING THOSE? YES.
WHICH ONES? WHICH LINES? OKAY.
IT'S ITS OWN, THIS WOULD JUST BE ITS OWN NEW RECOMMENDATION, SO IT WOULD BE ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION ON MY BOARD MEMBER REID TO ADD A RECOMMENDATION THAT SAYS, RECOMMENDS THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN COMPLY WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
AUSTIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN, AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 15 0 6 0 4 0 4 8 BY THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER DATED OCTOBER THE FOURTH, 2017, ADVOCATING THE USE OF A CARBON IMPACT STATEMENT AND THE STRATEGY TO MEET THE COUNCIL ADOPTED GOAL OF NET ZERO COMMUNITYWIDE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2050.
SO THIS IS A NEW, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE ADDED.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE IS A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING THIS RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WAIT, NO, NO, THAT DOESN'T, SORRY, I, I DID IT WRONG.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE ABSTAINING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND THEN, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S ONLY 5 21.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, THIS IS A, A NEW RECOMMENDATION.
RECOMMEND THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
IMPLEMENT A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE HISTORIC UNDERUSE OF ZER PARK BY HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED CITY OF AUSTIN RESIDENCE AND HOW THIS MAY BE CORRECTED.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS THAT THERE BE A RECOMMENDATION OUTTA THAT.
RECOMMEND ZILKER PARK VISION PLANNING FROM ATLANTA STUDY TO DETERMINE THE HISTORIC UNDER USE OF ZILKER PARK BY HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED CITY OF AUSTIN RESIDENCE AND HOW THIS MAY BE CORRECTED.
IS THERE ANY DEBATE ON THE MOTION? ALRIGHT, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING NINE ONE, UH, MOTION PASSES.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
RECOMMEND RETAINING THE HISTORIC CONCESSIONS IN ZER PARK, WHICH ARE THE ZILKER BOAT RENTALS, THE ZILKER EAGLE TRAIN AND THE ZILKER CAFE AS THEY ARE PART OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE.
WHICH ONE OF THE FIVE GOALS OF THE Z PARK VISION PLAN AND REMOVING THE RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE TEMP, MORE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK.
IS THERE A SECOND? ONE SECOND.
I HAVE A QUESTION WE'RE GONNA READ WITH THIS AND REMOVING.
SO, SORRY, WHAT IS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? AND REMOVING RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT SENTENCE MEANS? SO IT'S LIKE THE SECOND HALF OF THIS, UM, RECOMMEND REMOVING THE RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE, THIS IS IN THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN TO ENCOURAGE MORE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK.
AND I, THIS, THIS IS ADVOCATING FOR CONTINUING WITH THE THINGS THAT ALREADY EXIST, BUT NOT RECOMMENDING MORE THE HISTORIC CONCESSIONS, BUT NOT ENCOURAGING MORE CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK.
UM, I'D BE WILLING TO SUPPORT THIS.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I, I I WOULD, BUT I WOULD ASK IF THE, AND REMOVING RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSION IN THE PARK BE REMOVED FROM, REPHRASE IT.
I, I BASICALLY CAN YOU REMOVE EVERYTHING AFTER AND REMOVING RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE
[06:15:02]
TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK? IF YOU CAN REMOVE THAT.I CAN SEE MY, I WOULD, I WOULD BE VOTING FOR IN FAVOR OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A TEMPORARY CONCESSION IN THE PARK NOW.
HOW DOES THAT, IN THE ZK PARK VISION PLAN, AND I CAN PULL UP THE PAGE IF, OR, OR THE STAFF COULD DO THAT.
THERE IS, UM, THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION ABOUT ADDING CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK, WHETHER THEY ARE, UM, TEMPORARY FOOD TRUCKS OR PERMANENT CONCESSIONS, THERE ARE TWO OF THEM RECOMMENDED FOR THE GREAT LAWN AREA.
I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF THERE WERE ALREADY TEMPORARY PERMANENT CONCESSIONS, WOULD THOSE BE ELIMINATED THEN? SO THE TEMPORARY CONCESSION IS FOR THE ZILKER CAFE, AND THEY'RE, UM, MOVING FORWARD EVENTUALLY, I, HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A PERMANENT CONCESSION AT THE ZILKER CAFE.
BUT MOVING FORWARD, UM, I THINK IT IS SUFFICIENT TO HAVE THE TRADITIONAL AND HISTORIC ZUCKER PARK BOAT RENTAL, ZUCKER EAGLE TRAIN AND THE ZUCKER CAFE.
UM, ADDING CONCESSIONS TO THE PARK, ADDITIONAL CONCESSIONS, UM, WHETHER THEY BE FOOD TRUCKS OR PERMANENT CONCESSIONS, IS GOING TO, UM, CAUSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO, TO ZIP ZER PARK, TO, UM, BE IN COMPETITION WITH THOSE CONCESSIONS.
AND, UH, MANY OF THE BUSINESSES ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD THAT ARE NEAR ZER PARK DEPEND ON THE ZER PARK TRAFFIC.
ZER IS A PARK, IT'S NOT A CONCESSION PLACE.
I THINK THE PUBLIC HAS CERTAINLY TOLD US THAT WITH THEIR INPUT AND BRINGING FOOD IN, LIKE PICNIC SUPPLIES AND SO, SO FORTH, IS A SPECIAL SORT OF TRADITION AT ZILKER.
BUT WHEN YOU START TO ADD CONCESSIONS, IT'S LIKE, WHERE DOES IT STOP? TEMPORARY VENDORS AND CONCESSIONS TRASH WILL ALSO BE UP AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
AND IF YOU HAVE PERMANENT CONCESSIONS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE MAINTENANCE OF TRASH AND SO FORTH.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONCESSIONS.
DO WE KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY GOES? DOES IT GO TO THE NONPROFIT OR DOES IT GO TO THE CITY? DOES ANYBODY? OH, THE, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE PART OF THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, THOSE CONCESSION DOLLARS GO DIRECTLY TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO EVEN IF WE HAVE A UNIFIED NONPROFIT OVERSEEING THE PARK, IT'S, IT'LL GO TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WE, WE'VE NOT DECIDED WHAT A UNIFIED NONPROFIT WOULD BE OR DO.
SO UNTIL WHICH TIME THERE WAS SOME STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THAT WOULD GIVE US THAT DIRECTION, THAT REMAINS MONIES, THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND, UH, BOARD MEMBER REED, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO REMOVE THAT LAST LINE, UM, AND REMOVING RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK? UM, NO, BUT I COULD, I COULD SPLIT THE RECOMMENDATION AND MAKE A SECOND ONE.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO THEN REMOVE THAT LANGUAGE FROM THIS AND THEN MAKE A SECOND ONE, BASICALLY TWO, SPLIT IT INTO TWO? YES.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS RECOMMENDS RETAINING THE HISTORIC CONCESSIONS IN ZER PARK Z BO, UH, ZER BOAT RENTAL, ZER EAGLE, AND ZER CAFE AS THEY ARE PART OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAKING UP RIGHT NOW.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE ABSTAINING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THERE'S 1 9 1, UH, MOTION PASSES.
AND NOW THERE'S A SECOND MO AMENDMENT, BOARD MEMBER REED FOR REMOVING, UH, OR RECOMMENDING OR REMOVING RECOMMENDATION, REMOVING THE RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I LIKE THE IDEA OF EXPLORING ADDITIONAL CONCESSIONS, UM, IN THE PARK.
I THINK IT COULD BE A CREATIVE WAY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SERVE PEOPLE IN THE PARK AND, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT'S, SEE WHAT MAYBE GAPS THERE ARE THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING OF RIGHT NOW.
SO I'D LIKE TO LEAVE THAT OPTION OPEN IN THE VISION PLAN.
UM, AND SO I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT.
I THINK IT GIVES OPPORTUNITY FOR LIKE, UM, A MICRO BUSINESS OR, YOU KNOW, IT, I JUST, I'M NOT AT A POINT WHERE I CAN MAKE A DECISION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, SO I'D RATHER LEAVE IT OPEN FOR EXPLORATION.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALRIGHT, THE OCEAN ON THE FLOOR IS TO ADD A RECOMMENDATION
[06:20:01]
TO REMOVE RECOMMENDATION, THE RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CONCESSIONS IN THE PARK.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, WAS THAT YOUR LAST ONE BOARD MEMBER READ? YES, IT IS.
YOU, I HAVE THE, I THINK I, I HAVE THE LAST THREE, I THINK.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS TO REC, REMOVE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT READS RECOMMENDS THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION BE PRESENTED TO ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THIS IS JUST BASICALLY LOGISTICS.
WE CAN'T REALLY, THERE'S NOT THE LOGISTICAL WAY TO DO THAT.
THEY JUST HAVE TO LIKE ACCESS IT ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO TO SECOND, IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, I JUST, BASICALLY EVERYTHING I JUST SAID, THERE'S LIKE NOT A LOGISTICAL WAY AND APPARENTLY WE CAN'T REALLY DIRECT STAFF TO DO SOME WORK FOR US.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST A SILLY THING THAT WE JUST, THAT I INCLUDED THAT WE NEED TO GET RID OF.
SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE OTHER REC, OH, I WANT TO ADD A WHEREAS CLAUSE, UM, LET ME PULL IT UP REAL QUICK.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, I WANT TO ADD IT TO, UH, IN LINE 71 A WHEREAS CLAUSE THAT SAYS, WHEREAS THE CURRENT HILLSIDE THEATER IS INSUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE PROGRAMMING IN NEED OF REPAIRS, UNABLE TO MEET VISITOR DEMAND AND WILL NEED TO BE RELOCATED IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE AND, AND, AND WE'LL NEED TO BE POSSIBLY RELOCATED, UH, IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE ZILKER PARK VISITORS AND PROGRAM ATTENDEES.
I WANT TO ADD THAT, WHEREAS CLAUSE IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, I'LL JUST GIVE BRIEF, BRIEF OVERVIEW ON THIS.
I THINK THAT I WANTED TO ADD THIS BECAUSE THERE'S, WE JUST MENTIONED THE HILLSIDE THEATER, NA, AND AS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT NEVER REALLY GIVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO HOW WE GOT THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE SENTENCE ABOUT OUR RATIONALE OR WHAT, WHAT I THINK THE RATIONALE WAS FOR THE, FOR HAVING A RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO THE HILLSIDE THEATER.
SO IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS AGENDA ON THIS, WHEREAS CLAUSE CHAIR, CAN YOU READ IT AGAIN, PLEASE? YES, IT'S GONNA READ.
WHEREAS THE CURRENT HILLSIDE THEATER IS INSUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE PROGRAMMING IN NEED OF REPAIRS, UNABLE TO MEET VISITOR DEMAND AND WILL NEED TO BE POSSIBLY RELOCATED IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE ZILKER PARK VISITORS AND PROGRAM PROGRAM ATTENDEES.
I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THANK YOU.
ANY YES, BOARD MEMBER BACK WHERE IN THE DOCUMENT? 71.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, AND I WILL, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE LAST MOTION, ONE MO LAST THING I HAVE, AND THAT'S, UM, I WANNA ADD A RECOMMENDATION.
UH, THAT'S, AND I, AND I DO HAVE AN EXPLANATION, SO I HOPE THAT SOMEONE SECONDS IT, IT'S, UM, RECOMMEND, I WANT TO ADD IN THE AFTER THE THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED.
CLAUSE QUOTE AFFIRMS THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION SHALL SUPERSEDE AND REPLACE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 3 0 2 2 7 DASH FIVE, WHICH IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS BOARD PASSED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
AND THE REASON I FELT THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO IS NOT OUT OF LIKE SPITE OR ANYTHING SILLY LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH THIS PARTICULAR SENTENCE IS TO CLARIFY WHAT THE POSITION OF THE BOARD WAS MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE SHOULD THIS RESOLUTION PASS, WE SEEMINGLY HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRADICTION OF EACH OTHER.
AND I WANT IT TO BE VERY CLEAR MOVING FORWARD WHAT IT IS THAT THE POSITION OF THE PARKS AND REC BOARD IS AS OPPOSED TO LEAVING ROOM FOR AMBIGUITY.
SO THAT IS SOLELY THE REASON FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T SEE HOW THOSE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS CAN MUTUALLY EXIST IN THE SAME UNIVERSE.
UM, SO THAT IS WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THAT THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION, THAT WE AFFIRM THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IF PASSED, SHALL SUPERSEDE AND REPLACE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 3 0 2 2 7 DASH FIVE.
UM, AGAIN, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, THAT WAS THE PRIOR, UH, REC RECOMMENDATION PASSED IN RELATION TO THE, UH, NONPROFIT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH,
[06:25:01]
QUESTION JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE DATES THAT THE RESOLUTIONS WOULD BE PASSED OR ADOPTED, DOES IT NOT SUPERSEDE BY BEING THE MORE RECENT ONE? THAT IS A QUESTION THAT I HAD.THIS IS JUST MY WAY OF MAKING IT VERY CLEAR WHAT THE INTENT OF IT IS.
I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANY ROOM FOR AMBIGUITY.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES.
I THINK THE COUNCIL SHOULD ALSO HEAR IT THOUGH, AND, AND VIEW IT BECAUSE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A DIFFERENT BOARD AT THE TIME, BUT THAT WAS WHAT WAS VOTED.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THE, THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER IT.
I THINK IT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THEM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, UH, ADDITION.
UM, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE ABSTAINING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE RE RECOMMENDATION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS BEEN AMENDED.
HEY, BOARD, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT WITH, UH, 1245 APPROACHING, THE BOARD WILL NEED TO VOTE TO EXTEND THE MEETING IF IT WANTS TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
CAN WE EXTEND THE MEETING BY TWO MINUTES? WELL, JUST A REMINDER THERE.
ARE IT OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA? OH, I MEAN, THE BOARD WILL AT LEAST NEED TO VOTE TO POSTPONE ALL THOSE ITEMS AND THEN CONSIDER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE WE GET OUT OF HERE.
YES, I THINK WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT ON THIS AND TABLE EVERYTHING ELSE.
YEAH, YOU CAN POSTPONE ALL THE OTHER ITEMS. YEAH, LET'S POSTPONE EVERYTHING ELSE.
I HAVE MOVED TO EXTEND BY 10 MINUTES AND POSTPONE ALL, UH, THE REMAINING AGENDA ITEMS TO THE JUNE MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO NOW WE'RE BACK ON THE RECOMMEND, UH, ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL.
RECOMMEND ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN HAS AMENDED.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I CAN TAKE A MOTION ON THIS PLAN.
DO YOU CALL THE QUESTION STEPHANIE? THE RE COMMISSION, UH, BOARD MEMBER BAAN? YES.
SO I MOTION THAT WE RECOMMEND THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT THEILER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN, UM, AS AMENDED.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER BECKER.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE TAKING A VOTE NOW.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'RE CALLING THE MEETING AT 1245.
THE THINKING BOUND THE SEAT WRAP DOWN, THE HANGING AROUND THE WATCH HIM DROWN.
THEY KNOW THAT IS OUR TO GO OFF THE DEEP BED, OFF THE DEEP CURVE, OFF THE DEEP.