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[CALL TO ORDER]
ARE GONNA GET THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD STARTED FOR JULY THE 24TH.IT IS NOW 6:03 PM AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER.
FIRST, UH, ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL PAID.
HOLLY REED PRESENT AND LAND BACKER PRESENT.
I FIND THAT THERE'S A QUORUM PRESENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL COUNCIL CHAMBERS ONE, TWO.UH, WE DO HAVE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT.
UH, BEFORE I GO INTO THAT, I JUST WANNA REMIND THE, THE BOARD THAT FOR ANY BOARD MEMBERS PARTICIPATING VIA WEBEX, THEY WILL HAVE TO APPEAR ON CAMERA DURING ANY VOTES.
SO ANY RECORDED VOTE HAS TO HAPPEN WITH THE FACES ON CAMERA.
UH, BEGINNING, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE CHRIS FLORES.
AFTER CHRIS WILL BE DOROTHY LOPEZ BARNETT AND THEN AUBREY RUDDER.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST STEP TO THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
GOOD EVENING, UM, PARKS BOARD.
I'M HERE, UM, TO SPEAK ABOUT A NOTE THAT WE SENT FROM ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS OF DEEP EDDIE LAST WEEK.
UM, OUR PARK AND OUR POOL NEEDS YOUR HELP AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME ATTENTION TO IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DOROTHY LOPEZ BARNETT, FOLLOWED BY AUBREY RUDDER AND THEN PAUL BLOOM.
UH, MY NAME IS DOROTHY LOPEZ BARNETT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR YOUR ACTION ON MAY 22ND, IN THE BOARD MEETING, WHICH I ATTENDED, AND WHERE I SPOKE MUCH WAS SAID PRO AND CON ABOUT THE ZILKER VISION PLAN THAT NIGHT.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAD A VERY HARD DECISION TO MAKE.
SOMETIMES WE THE CITIZENS FORGET THAT YOU ARE AN ALL VOLUNTEER BOARD.
I WENT HOME AT A, AT THE VERY END OF THE MEETING BEFORE THE VOTE BOARD VOTED TO ACCEPT AND SEND THE VISION PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL.
I WAS DISHEARTENED BECAUSE AFTER LISTENING TO BOARD DISCUSSION, I WAS SURE THE VOTE WOULD BE TO ACCEPT THE VISION PLAN AS IS.
I DIDN'T FEEL HEARD LAST NIGHT, AND I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MOST OF THE, THE PEOPLE THAT TESTIFIED THAT NIGHT OR SPOKE WERE BEING HEARD.
BUT LATER, AS I WAS FALLING TO SLEEP, MY DAUGHTER CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD FOLLOWED TO THE END OF THE MEETING ON THE INTERNET.
SO, I AM HERE TONIGHT TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT SILK OR PARK HAS A HISTORY THAT SHOULD BE HONORED AND THAT THERE WERE THREE HISTORIC BUSINESSES TO PRESERVE AND HONOR THE ZILKER CONCESSION STAND, THE, EXCUSE ME, THE ZILKER TRAIN AND ZILKER PARK BOATS.
THANK YOU FOR THE MAY 22ND, 2023, RESOLUTION NUMBER 11, WHICH RECOMMENDS AND I QUOTE, RETAINING THE HISTORIC CONCESSIONS IN ZILKER PARK, ZILKER PARK BOAT, RANDALL ZILKER, EAGLE TRAIN, AND ZILKER CAFE, AS THEY ARE PART OF THE HISTORY CULTURE OF AUSTIN.
NUMBER 12 AFFIRMS THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION SHALL SUPERSEDE AND REPLACE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS 2 0 2 3 0 2 2 7 DASH FIVE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID IN MAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE AUBREY RUDDER, FOLLOWED BY PAUL BLOOM.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AUBREY RUDDER.
I AM THE SENIOR MANAGER AT THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
I WANTED TO COME UP AND TELL YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO THIS PAST MONTH.
UM, 40 OF OUR ADULT ATHLETES RECENTLY ATTENDED THE US ROWING MASTERS NATIONALS IN INDIANAPOLIS.
THEY HAD FOUR DAYS OF GREAT RACING AND CAME BACK WITH SOME REALLY GREAT RESULTS.
WE ALSO FINISHED HOSTING THE ERG CHALLENGE EVENTS FOR THE DWARF NATIONAL GAMES WHERE 17 WORLD RECORDS WERE
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SET.ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PARTNER UP WITH THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AND THEIR HOLISTIC WELLNESS PROGRAM TO HOST LEARN TO PADDLE CLASSES.
A R C HAS CONTINUED TO HOST TRASH CLEANUPS AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL.
THIS PAST MONTH WE HOSTED THREE CLEANUPS AND WERE ABLE TO PICK UP OVER 200 BAGS OF TRASH AND RECYCLING FROM LADY BIRD LAKE AS WELL AS THE TRAIL.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOST THESE TRASH CLEANUPS AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
OUR NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE JULY 26TH.
LASTLY, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR PARKS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE PAUL BLOOM.
AFTER PAUL WILL BE MARY PHARAOH.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
I'VE BEEN AN AUSTIN RESIDENT FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE BUSINESS IMPACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ENCOUNTERING WITH THE GROWTH OF VEGETATION, SPECIFICALLY CO BAMBA ON THE LAKE.
UM, I DON'T DUNNO IF YOU'VE BEEN DOWN RECENTLY OR WALKED THE TRAIL NEAR THE LAKE RECENTLY, BUT, UM, THE CO BAMBA WEEDED IS, IS GROWING FAST AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL HAS AN IMPACT TO OUR BOTTOM LINE.
UM, AND ALL THE OTHER VENDORS, ALL THE OTHER CONCESSIONS ON THE LAKE.
UM, LET'S SEE IF I CAN, HERE WE GO.
THE HISTORY OF KA BAMBA, IF YOU'RE UNAWARE, IS IT WAS ONLY DETECTED IN LADY BIRD LAKE IN 2011.
IT IS NOT USUALLY FOUND IN LADY BIRD LAKE UNTIL AFTER CLEANUPS OF BARTON SPRINGS SEND THE WEEDED INTO THE LAKE.
UM, PRIOR TO 2011 VEGETATIVE COVERAGE ON THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE WAS LESS THAN 10%.
UM, AND ANOTHER THING THAT I JUST WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT PRIOR TO 2011, THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB HAD NEVER HAD TO CANCEL, UH, AN EVENT DUE TO VEGETATIVE COVERAGE ON THE LAKE.
IF YOU GO TO THE LAKE NOW, COVERAGE IS MUCH GREATER THAN 20%.
IN FACT, I WOULD ESTIMATE BETWEEN 30 AND 35% OF THE LAKE IS COVERED IN RELATIVELY THICK MATS OF CO BAMBA WEEDED.
UM, THE IMPACT OF THIS COVERAGE IS FELT BY ALL OF THE VENDORS AND OCCUPANTS OF THE WATER CREEK BOATHOUSE, NOT JUST THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
UM, THE AUSTIN COOLERS, THE DRAGON BOAT TEAM THERE ARE LIMITED IN THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS THE LAKE BECAUSE OF THE THICKNESS OF THE FAN WART OF THE KA BAMBA.
SAME WITH THE AUSTIN OUTRIGGER CANOE CLUB, UM, AS WELL AS RETRO BOATS AND THE KAYAK AND, UH, SUB RENTAL BUSINESS THERE.
UM, THIS DOES LEAD TO NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON OUR REVENUE AND PROFITABILITY.
UH, AND THIS IS AN IMPACT THAT'S SHARED ACROSS ALL OF THE CONCESSIONAIRES ON THE LAKE.
UM, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT BECAUSE OF, UH, EQUIPMENT BEING TANGLED OR STUCK IN THE FAN WART, UM, WE HAVE TO SPEND AT LEAST 10 MAN HOURS A DAY CLEANING UP THE FAN WART.
UH, OFTENTIMES PICKING OUT TRASH SHARPS, OTHER TYPES OF DANGEROUS OBJECTS THAT GET TRAPPED IN THESE THICK MATS.
IT'S ALSO UNAPPEALING TO THE VISITORS THAT COME TO THE LAKE, RIGHT? PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND SAY THE BLUE-GREEN ALGAE.
THEY THINK THERE'S SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK BECAUSE THEY SEE THIS, UH, MATTING, WEEDED COVERING THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE.
UM, JUST TO UNDERSCORE, THE REVENUE IMPACT RETRO BOATS, ONE OF THE MORE SUBSTANTIAL, UH, REVENUE GENERATING OPERATIONS OUT OF THE WALL CREEK BOATHOUSE HAS RECENTLY FOR BEEN FORCED TO CANCEL ALL OUTINGS AFTER THREE O'CLOCK, UH, IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS BECAUSE OF HOW THICK THE WEEDS GET AND THEIR PATRONS EITHER GET STUCK OR CAN'T LEAVE THE DOCK WITH THEIR RENTAL EQUIPMENT.
I DON'T EXPECT US TO FIX THIS, ESPECIALLY NOT BECAUSE THIS REQUIRES PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERSHED.
UM, WE JUST WANT YOU TO RAISE AWARENESS THAT IT'S NOT JUST US THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS.
THE OTHER CONCESSIONAIRES IN THE LAKE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN EXTENDED DIALOGUE WITH Y'ALL AND DIRECTOR MCNEELY IN THE COMING DAYS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER AND POTENTIALLY WITH, UH, WATERSHED TO IMPROVE THIS.
WHETHER THAT'S ADDRESSING OUR REVENUE IMPACTS OR FIGURING OUT LONG-TERM WHAT'S THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN LADY BIRD LAKE BEING A RECREATIONAL DESTINATION, UM, AND EFFECTIVELY STEWARDED, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE OF OUR CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MARY FARROW, FOLLOWED BY KAYLA REESE.
I SERVE ON THE, UH, BOARD OF THE ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND CHAIR, THE PARKS COMMITTEE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT SHEFFIELD NORTHWEST PARK, WHICH IS THE LOVELY 31 ACRE PARK, UH, BETWEEN BURNETT ROAD AND SHOUL CREEK BOULEVARD, JUST ABOUT A MILE SOUTH OF, UH, ANDERSON LANE.
UM, FIRST I WANNA THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR COORDINATING WITH A P D TO INSTALL A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA AT THE PARK.
UM, WE HAD HAD A, A PRETTY SERIOUS, UH, SMASH AND GRAB PROBLEM, UH, WITH VEHICLE BREAK-INS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA WAS INSTALLED
[00:10:01]
NEAR THE POOL ENTRANCE, AND THAT DOES SEEM TO HAVE REDUCED THE INCIDENTS OF THOSE, UH, VEHICLE BREAK-INS, ALTHOUGH THEY, THEY DO STILL HAPPEN SOMEWHAT.UM, AND, UH, LIKEWISE, WE APPRECIATE THE REPLACEMENT OF MOST OF THE TRASH AND, UH, RECYCLING BINS THAT WERE, UH, TORCHED AND BURNED TO THE GROUND.
UH, ALL OF THEM IN THE PARK ON THE NIGHT OF, UH, MARCH 31ST.
UM, IN THAT REGARD, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED SINCE THEN ABOUT ARSON, AND THERE STILL IS A FAIRLY LARGE DEBRIS FIELD ON, UH, THE CLIFF THAT BORDERS THE SOUTHERN RIM OF THE PARK WITH HOUSES JUST ABOVE THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW IF AT SOME POINT, UH, THE CITY WILL HAVE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH.
I'VE DEALT WITH, I'VE TALKED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PARD, UH, WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT, AND, UM, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA JUST HOPE THAT SOMETHING MOVES IN THE FUTURE.
BUT, UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE SOME LATE NIGHT ACTIVITIES AND VANDALISMS THAT, UM, CONTINUE AROUND THE POND AREA OF THE PARK.
AND, UH, MORE RECENTLY, I GUESS AROUND CLOSE TO JULY 4TH, A TOILET WAS EXPLODED, UH, IN THE MEN'S RESTROOM AT THE PLAYGROUND WITH FIREWORKS.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CONTINUE TO GO ON.
UM, I'M VERY PLEASED TO NOTE THAT A POND MAINTENANCE CONTRACT HAS BEEN BEGUN.
UH, THE BOARD APPROVED $16,000 FOR THAT LA IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET, AND THAT WORK HAS BEGUN TO REMOVE INVASIVES FROM THE LITTLE POND THAT'S THERE.
AND MY, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A SIMILAR, UH, PROVISION WILL BE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO HELP PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE POND THAT LIES AT THE CENTER OF THE PARK, UH, IN SEEKING WAYS TO ENSURE THE, THE FUTURE WATER SOURCE FOR THE POND.
UH, WE LEARNED THAT A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF ABOUT A HALF MILLION GALLONS OF GROUNDWATER A YEAR HAS BEEN LEAKING INTO THE PUMP ROOM OF THE POOL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE REPLACED.
AND ONCE THAT THE POOL DRAINS INTO THE POND AS IT WAS DESIGNED IN THE 1950S, BUT ONCE THE NEW POOL IS IN PLACE, THAT WATER WILL NO LONGER DRAIN INTO THE POND.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THERE IS STILL A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT HALF MILLION, UH, GALLONS OF GROUNDWATER COULD BE CAPTURED TO FEED THE POND RATHER THAN LETTING IT GO DOWN CITY DRAINS.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR VISION PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED IN JANUARY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS PENDING ON THAT, AND WE ARE HOPING THAT THE BOARD WILL BE GETTING SOME REGULAR UPDATES AND THAT WE MIGHT GET A TIMELINE AS TO WHEN TO EXPECT SOME OF THESE THINGS TO OCCUR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAYLA REESE, FOLLOWED BY JACQUELINE DAVID.
I'M THE ADVOCACY MANAGER WITH, UM, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ABOUT, UM, OUR ADVOCACY FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR.
UM, OUR ASK THIS YEAR FOCUS ON MAINTENANCE AND LAND MANAGEMENT FOR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN PRESENTATION THAT YOU'LL BE SEEING TODAY.
UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE PARK BOARD TO SUPPORT A 3.3 MILLION INCREASE TO PARS BUDGET TO FUND THE CONTINUED LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE OF PARK SERVICES AND EXPAND THE LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
GIVEN THE LARGE INVESTMENT FROM 2018 BONDS AND PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES SUCH AS THE NEW COLONY PARK AQUATIC CENTER, OR THE BULL CREEK DISTRICT PARK RESTROOM RENOVATION, PARD HAS MORE ASSETS THAN EVER BEFORE.
BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024, PARD WILL HAVE ACQUIRED AND THEREFORE BE MAINTAINING NEARLY 470 ADDITIONAL ACRES OF PARKLAND AND EASEMENTS.
WHILE MUCH OF THIS LAND WILL REMAIN UNDEVELOPED FOR THE TIME BEING, PARD WILL NEED TO MOW, PROVIDE ROUTINE SERVICING SUCH AS LITTER PICKUP, SECURE THE SITE AND ENSURE RIGHT AWAY VEGETATION IS MAINTAINED.
ADEQUATE STAFFING FOR OUR PARKS, RECREATION, AND CULTURAL CENTERS AND POOLS IS THE DUTY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT STAFF FOR MOWING, TRASH PICKUP AND GENERAL CARE FOR OUR PARKS WILL BE FELT ACROSS THE CITY.
AUSTINITES EXPECT THAT THE CITY WILL MAINTAIN FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. ADDITIONALLY, MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS TRUCKS, MOWERS, TRAILERS, AND TRAILERS ARE REQUIRED FOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT, UM, AND ASK FOR FULL-TIME STAFF POSITIONS TO THE LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR WILDLIFE MITIGATE WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY.
LAND MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS AND TEMPORARY POSITIONS WILL NOT BRING THE EXPERTISE REQUIRED.
ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME POSITIONS ON, UM, INLAND MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE SAFETY OF OUR NATURAL AREAS WHILE PRESERVING THE BENEFIT OF NATURAL SPACE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IN THE BUDGET PROPOSED BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THERE'S ABOUT 500 K FOR LAND MANAGEMENT, BUT THAT MONEY'S NOT AS HELPFUL WITHOUT STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE NEEDED TO EXECUTE IT.
LAND MANAGEMENT NEEDS ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME STAFF.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ASK THAT THE PARKS BOARD SUPPORT THE LAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS FOR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN THE NASHVILLE AREAS.
PLAN, UM, BY RECOMMENDING THATS CITY COUN, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES IT.
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FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY.OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JACQUELINE DAVID, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT CORBIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UH, MY NAME IS JACQUELINE DAVID.
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, I TRAVEL FROM, UH, NORTH AUSTIN IN THE PIONEER FARMS AREA AND IS DRAWN BY THE, UH, BY ZILKER PARK'S, PRISTINE BEAUTY BY OLD FRIENDS THAT I MEET THERE AND ALL THE NEW ONES I MEET WITH.
EVERY VISIT I COME TO SWIM AND IT'S REFRESHING BARTON SPRINGS TO WALK AND TO BIKE, ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF ITS MAJESTIC TREES AMID ITS SPRAWLING GREEN LAWNS WHERE IT'S MAINTAINED.
ALL THAT, UH, MENTIONED ABOVE, I BELIEVE, SUPPORTS AND NURTURES OVERALL HEALTH, PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL, EVEN POSSIBLY EXTENDING LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE.
WALKING ACROSS THE POLO FIELD RECENTLY WHERE CARS WERE NOT PARKED REVEALED THE EXTRAORDINARY LOSS OF THE NATURALISTS OF THIS GARDEN PARK.
I SUPPORT THE GREEN RESTORATION OF THIS AREA FOR RECREATIONAL USE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS FOR THE VISITORS TO THE PARK.
TO GREEN THIS FIELD, AGAIN, I WOULD GLADLY PARK ACROSS THE STREET AT THE GRAVEL LOT AND, UH, USE THE SHUTTLE TO GET TO THE POOL.
I'M SURE THIS IDEA WILL RECEIVE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE HELPING TO GREEN THE PARK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ROBERT CORBIN, FOLLOWED BY BILL BUNCH.
ROBERT, DO YOU WANNA TAKE, UH, ALL SIX MINUTES NOW OR DO YOU WANNA COME BACK DURING ITEM SPECIFIC COMMENT? I AM SORRY, MR. CORBIN, DO YOU WANNA TAKE ALL SIX MINUTES NOW OR DO YOU WANNA COME BACK FOR, UH, I'LL DO IT ON THREE, I THINK.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, THERE'S SEVERAL ISSUES WITH OUR PARKS AND NATURE PRESERVES I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS CITY OFTEN IS THINGS, THINGS START SMALL AND THEN THEY GET COMPLETELY OUT OF HAND.
IT'S HAPPENED WITH CONCESSIONS.
AND I'LL GO INTO THAT LATER ANYWAY, ON THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AROUND THE LAKE BIKES ARE ALLOWED.
NOW, THE CITY ALLOWED ELECTRIC BIKES OUT THERE.
WELL, THE ELECTRIC BIKES USED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, REGULAR BICYCLE TIRES.
NOW THEY'VE GOT TIRES THAT ARE LIKE HARLEY'S.
IN FACT, THEY LOOK LIKE HARLEY'S AND WEIGH LIKE HARLEY'S.
AND YOU ADD THE WEIGHT OF THE, THE BIKE WITH THE PERSON THAT'S ON IT.
YOU'RE TALKING MAYBE 300 POUNDS OR SO.
THERE'S GONNA BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
YOU SHOULD ELIMINATE ELECTRIC BIKES FROM THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND BARTON CREEK GREENBELT ALSO, THE OTHER THING IS GOATS SOUND GREAT, RIGHT? I SAW 'EM THE OTHER DAY.
EVERYBODY LAUGHS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE GOATS.
I THINK IT'S A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S DOING ANY GOOD.
I THINK IT'S DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
ON ONE HAND, YOU HAVE THE CITY SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO DUMP CHEMICALS INTO THE LAKE, TO, TO SUPPRESS THE ALGAE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE GOATS THAT ARE POOPING ALL ALONG THE SHORE, THAT THEIR POOPS HIGH IN PHOSPHORUS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE FROM THE LAKE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE GOATS, 'CAUSE I WENT AND LOOKED FOR MYSELF, THEY'RE TEARING UP THE RIPARIAN AREAS.
YOU GET A RAIN RIGHT NOW, ALL THE TOPSOIL AND THE POOP GONNA GO RIGHT INTO THE LAKE.
SOUNDS GOOD, BUT A BAD IDEA, MY OPINION.
NOW, I KNOW THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT WOULD, THAT ARE HERE THAT KNOW MORE ABOUT IT THAN ME, AND IF THEY WANNA REFUTE ME, I'D BE GLAD TO LISTEN.
THE OTHER THING IS STILL HOUSE HOLLOW NATURE PRESERVE VANDALS TORE DOWN A FENCE TO MAKE A SECOND ENTRY INTO THE PRESERVE TO DO SERIOUS DAMAGE AND CONTINUING DAMAGE INTO THE PRESERVE.
AND NOBODY FIXES THE FENCE, PUTS UP A NEW GOOD STRONG FENCE.
COLORADO RIVER NATURE PRESERVE.
RIGHT NOW, MAYBE AS WE SPEAK, THERE'S OFF-ROAD VEHICLES MOTORIZED IN GROUPS, TRASH IN THE PRESERVE OUT GOING DOWN INTO THE SENSITIVE WETLANDS.
AND THE CITY'S KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, RIPPING THE WETLANDS APART.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THEY'RE DRIVING ACROSS THE RIVER INTO ROY GUERRERO PARK IN THE WETLANDS ALONG THE RIVER, AND RIPPING 'EM APART.
THEY'RE MAKING NEW TRAILS WHERE THERE WEREN'T EVEN TRAILS BEFORE.
AND ALSO IN THAT PRESERVE ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, I'VE SEEN HUNTERS
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WITH RIFLES.I SUSPECT THERE'RE BB GUNS AND THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY ON A HUNT.
AND, UH, THE CONCESSIONS ISSUE.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY WHAT I SAID? NO, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BILL BUNCH, FOLLOWED BY BERTHA DELGADO.
THANK YOU CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PARKS BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BILL BUNCH WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
I'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, SECOND, UH, ONE POINT THAT MR. CORBIN JUST MADE ABOUT THE GOATS.
GOATS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR EATING LITERALLY EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE NUB.
UM, AND IT'S GREAT THAT THEY EAT POISON IVY, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT REALLY CAREFULLY MANAGED, THEY WILL DO FAR MORE HARM THAN GOOD TO OUR RIPARIAN HABITATS.
AND I HAVEN'T GONE OUT AND LOOKED AT 'EM, BUT, UM, IT'S A HUGE CONCERN.
AND Y'ALL NEED TO PUT THAT ON YOUR AGENDA, PLEASE, TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW THAT'S BEING MONITORED DAY TO DAY AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE DAMAGE IS DONE.
UM, I THINK I'VE RECOMMENDED IT BEFORE CHANGING SUBJECTS, BUT I WANNA RECOMMEND AGAIN, UH, PROFESSOR KEVIN REIN'S BOOK, UH, PARKS FOR PROFIT SELLING NATURE IN THE CITY.
UH, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND WHAT Y'ALL WILL BE INCREASINGLY CALLED ON TO DEAL WITH IS A NATIONAL PHENOMENON.
IT'S NOT JUST HERE, BUT IT'S A COMMON TRAJECTORY THAT IN LOTS OF CITIES WHERE WE HAVE NEGLECTED THE MANAGEMENT AND FUNDING OF OUR PARKS THAT WE INVITE IN CONSERVANCIES, NONPROFITS TO HELP.
AND THEY DO GREAT WORK ON THE FRONT END, BUT THEN THEY CREATE A WHOLE BUREAUCRACY OF STAFF THAT HAS TO BE FUNDED.
AND THEN THEIR HIGH DOLLAR DONORS, UH, AGENDA TO BUILD MONUMENTS TO PUT THEIR NAMES ON, TO BUILD AMPHITHEATERS, RAPIDLY DIVERGES FROM WHAT THEY'RE SELLING AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, WHICH IS NATURE IN THE CITY.
CONCRETE BUILDING CONCRETE, UH, AMPHITHEATERS IS NOT NATURE.
IT'S NOT ENGAGING CHILDREN WITH NATURE, WHICH WE CLAIM THAT WE'RE DOING.
IT'S, UH, A VERY IMPORTANT BOOK AND, UH, I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR YOU TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR ROLE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
UH, ALONG WITH THAT, I'D ASK THAT YOU PUT BACK ON YOUR AGENDA SOME UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY AND THE 34 ACRES OF PARKLAND ALONG THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS OUR CLASSIC EXAMPLE WHERE THE PRIVATE, UH, WEALTHY FOLKS FROM DOWNTOWN CAME IN AND PROMISED THEY WOULD BRING PRIVATE DOLLARS TO THE TABLE TO FUND AND TAKE CARE OF THE PARK.
AND THEY'VE BROUGHT IN A TON OF MONEY, BUT NOW THEY'VE DIVERTED OVER $250 MILLION OF TAX TAXPAYER DOLLARS, UH, THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THAT PARK AND PARK ALONE WHILE THE PARKS AND Y'ALL ARE CUT OUT OF ANY OF THOSE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS AT THIS POINT, UM, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY YOU DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT.
UM, MEANWHILE, OUR OTHER PARKS GO NEGLECTED, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO PLEASE, UM, PLEASE, UH, PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR, UH, BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
OUR LAST SPEAKER DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT IS BERTHA RONDON DELGADO.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SPECIFIC COMMENT.
MY NAME IS BERTHA RANDON DELGADO.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME, UH, MEETING ALL OF YOU HERE IN THE DAAS.
I HAVEN'T BEEN IN A WHILE, SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING OATH TO SERVE AS A, A COMMISSIONER HERE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF EDWARD RENDON PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH.
I AM REQUESTING, UH, TO PUT OUR MASTER PLAN, THE EDWARD RENDON HOLLY SCHWARTZ MASTER PLAN THAT OVERSEES 90 ACRES OF PARKLAND, EAST OF 35, AND A NEIGHBORHOOD AREA THAT I LIVE IN.
I'M ALSO CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING COMMISSIONER, AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT OF EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'M ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE PARK TASK FORCE.
WE'VE HAD AN AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT THE TWO YEARS OF, UM, OF SO MANY.
UH, KIMBERLY CAN TELL YOU FROM VANDALISM TO GUN SHOOTINGS TO ASSAULTS, TO ROBBERIES, TO SEXUAL ASSAULTS.
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UH, A LOT FOR THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE TAXPAYERS THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 44 YEARS, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS AND A LOT OF GROUPS COMING IN.
ONE OF 'EM IS IRAQ, A PROPOSAL THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO TAKE PARKLAND AWAY FROM US AND BRING IN CORPORATE, UM, CORPORATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT DON'T BELONG ON PARKLAND, WATERFRONT PARKLAND, VERY, VERY DESIRABLE PARKLAND.
A BUILDING THAT THE VAIO AND THE COMMUNITY WORKED HARD TO PRESERVE A LAND THAT MY GRANDFATHER, MY FATHER, AND MANY FAMILY MEMBERS OF EAST AUSTIN FOUGHT TO PRESERVE.
WHAT YOU SEE THERE TODAY IS OUR HARD WORK.
OUR GRANDPARENTS, OUR AUNT, OUR UNCLES, OUR PEOPLE.
AND SO WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS, A PRESERVATION AND NOT TRADING OUR LAND TO CORPORATIONS OR NONPROFITS OR ANY TYPE OF PROFIT THAT WANTS TO MAKE MONEY ON OUR PARK LAND.
THERE IS TITLES AND CHAPTERS THAT YOU MUST FOLLOW UNDER THE STATE OF TEXAS LAW.
AND AS THE GENTLEMAN SAID BEFORE, YOU ARE NOT IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE AS LOBBYISTS ARE LOBBYING TO TAKE OUR LANDS AWAY, HOW THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS NOT LISTENING TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, THE NATIVES OF AUSTIN THAT HAVE BUILT THE CITY.
SO WE WELCOME ALL YOU NEWCOMERS, BUT DON'T TAKE OUR PARKLAND AWAY.
DON'T CHANGE OUR VISION PLAN THAT WE'VE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR 50 YEARS.
AND I SEE A CONCERN AS A SIXTH GENERATION NATIVE OF EAST AUSTIN.
WE WILL FIGHT FOR OUR PARKLAND IN EAST AUSTIN AS OUR POOLS HAVE BEEN THREATENED TO BE SHUT DOWN.
AS OUR LAND IS BEING TRADED FOR PROFIT, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO PRESERVE WHAT BELONGS TO US.
MOVING ON TO, UH, ITEM SPECIFIC PUBLIC COMMENT, BEGINNING WITH ITEM THREE.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE ROBERT CORBIN.
WE'RE TAKING ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING SO IT, IT KIND OF FOLLOWS EXACTLY WHAT BILL BUNCH WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT CONCESSIONS.
WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH CONCESSIONS IN THIS CITY.
LIKE A LOT OF THINGS, THEY START NICE AND COOL AND GROOVY AND PEOPLE WANNA USE THEM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY TURN INTO THESE MONSTERS KIND OF LIKE CANCEROUS IN A WAY.
ALL YOU HAVE TO LOOK, LOOK AT THE, NOT THE ROWING, THE ROWING DOCK TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
AND, AND THE BARTON CREEK CANOE RENTALS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
BUT THE, THE ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RIVER, I THINK IT'S CALLED, I DON'T KNOW, TEXAS ROWING CENTER.
THAT THING GO ON OPPOSITE AND LOOK ACROSS THE RIVER AND SEE WHAT YOU SEE.
IT LOOKS LIKE AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
THERE ARE WAREHOUSES THERE AND THEY'RE WAREHOUSING BIG EXPENSIVE BOATS THAT RICH PEOPLE HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY AND TO STORE THERE.
AND THESE CONCESSIONS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 'EM IN THE CITY, THEY START OFF NICE AND THEY MUST TASK THE SIZE INTO SOMETHING TOTALLY UNRELENTING.
AND SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENED SHOULD HAPPEN WITH ALL THESE BOAT RENTALS.
THEY SHOULD ALL BE CUT DOWN TO ABOUT HALF THE SIZE OR LESS, AND THEY CAN STILL MAKE GOOD MONEY.
IN FACT, BARTON CREEK CANOE RENTALS, THEY WERE MAKING PLENTY OF MONEY WHEN THEY ONLY HAD 20 CANOES WHEN THEY STARTED.
NOW THEY'VE GOT 200 AND THEY JUST KEEP, THEY ALL JUST KEEP LIKE DOUBLING AND DOUBLING AGAIN AND THEN DOUBLING AGAIN.
SO YOU GUYS NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT EVERY CONCESSION IN THIS CITY AND NOT JUST GIVE 'EM A BLANK CHECK FREE REIGN TO EXPAND AND TAKE OVER MORE AND MORE PARK LAND AND SUCK MORE MONEY OUT OF THE PEOPLE.
AND ALSO, ONE OF THE LAST THINGS SINCE I GOT A LITTLE TIME IS ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S ALMOST ZERO ENFORCEMENT OF ANYTHING PEOPLE TOLD YOU THAT BESIDES ME HERE TONIGHT.
YOU GO TO PARKS, A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S JUST LAWLESSNESS HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES THERE.
AND THE CITY'S GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND START PROTECTING BOTH OUR PARKS AND THE PEOPLE IN OUR PARKS.
SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR, WE HAVE BILL BUNCH.
[00:30:04]
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.COULD I CALL, UH, OR, UH, ASK ABOUT A POINT OF ORDER HERE? I DON'T HAVE YOUR RULES IN FRONT OF ME, BUT STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR DECADES HAS BEEN THAT YOU SPEAK WHEN THE ITEM COMES UP, UM, AND THAT YOU SPEAK AFTER THE STAFF MAKES THEIR PRESENTATION.
SO THAT WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE, THE COMMUNITY IS INFORMED BY THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND SO IT'S MORE WELL-INFORMED COMMUNICATION.
UM, WE WERE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY DURING THE PANDEMIC AT LAST THURSDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING, MAYOR WATSON SHIFTED BACK WHERE HE GAVE PEOPLE THE OPTION TO SPEAK AT THE DESIGNATED TIME LIKE YOU'RE OFFERING HERE.
THAT'S A GREAT OPTION IF PEOPLE NEED TO LEAVE, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO SPEAK TO YOU AT THE TIME THE MATTER COMES UP AND AFTER THE STAFF MAKES THE PRESENTATION SO THAT YOU'RE HEARING IT AT THE TIME YOU'RE DEBATING IT OR ABOUT TO DEBATE IT AND TAKE ACTION.
SO IF I DON'T HAVE YOUR RULES IN FRONT OF YOU, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S WHAT YOUR RULES CALL FOR, JUST LIKE THE COUNCIL RULES AND IT'S NOT THE PANDEMIC ANYMORE.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST THAT I'D BE ABLE TO SPEAK WHEN THESE ITEMS COME UP AFTER THE STAFF MAKES THE PRESENTATION ON EACH ITEM.
OKAY? UM, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK THAT UP.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT THE BOARD CAN SET THE AGENDA AS HOWEVER THEY WANT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THIS CASE.
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING I NEED TO SPEAK NOW OR I DON'T GET TO SPEAK AT ALL DESPITE IT'S YOUR CHOICE.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO SPEAK NOW OR YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO SPEAK.
AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA CONSULT YOUR, UH, COLLEAGUES ON THAT DECISION.
YOU'RE, THAT'S JUST, UH, YOU'RE HANDING DOWN THAT YOURSELF.
WELL, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE A DEBATE WITH YOU.
SO YOU CAN CHOOSE TO SPEAK NOW OR YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO SPEAK.
OKAY? UM, I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S INCREDIBLY UNFORTUNATE.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE WANTING LESS INFORMED, UH, HEALTHY ENGAGEMENT FOR YOUR ENTIRE BOARD.
OKAY, ON FOUR, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR BYLAWS THAT PREVENT HIM FROM DOING THAT.
PARDON? OUR BYLAWS SAY HE CAN TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING OR ANY TIME.
I, YEAH, HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO REFERENCE IT.
BUT THERE'S ALSO NOTHING IN YOUR BYLAWS THAT PREVENT YOU FROM DOING IT IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES MAXIMUM BENEFIT TO YOU, TO ALL OF YOU.
WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO, IT DOESN'T ADD A SINGLE MINUTE OF YOUR TIME.
WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
UH, IF YOU WANNA BEGIN NOW, WE'RE NOT HERE TO DEBATE WITH, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
OKAY? ON UH, NUMBER FOUR, THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
I ASK THAT YOU NOT TAKE ANY ACTION TONIGHT AND THAT YOU ASK THAT THE STAFF ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN TO REVIEW BETWEEN NOW AND YOUR NEXT, UH, MEETING BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, THAT'S NOT POSTED IN THE BACKUP.
ALL YOU HAVE IS AN INCREDIBLY VAGUE, UH, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, WHICH I PRINTED OUT HERE.
UH, I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, THE PRIORITIES OF THE STAFF, UH, AT LEAST SENIOR STAFF, UH, ON SOME ISSUES THAT ARE VERY HOTLY DEBATED AND WHICH MANY KEY EXPERT STAFF, PHDS AND MASTERS PEOPLE ON STAFF WHO SEE THAT THERE IS THIS EXCESSIVE FOCUS ON TRYING TO USE CONTROLLED BURNS AND THINNING OF TREES EXCESSIVELY.
UM, AND THOSE ARE BARELY MENTIONED, UH, ON, UH, TOWARDS THE END BOTH.
UH, AND SELECTIVE THINNING PRESCRIBED FIRE.
WE NEED TO BE SAVING ALMOST EVERY POSSIBLE TREE WE CAN SAVE FOR COMBATING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND FOR, UH, AS CARBON SINK.
I MEAN, WE'RE IN A GLOBAL CRISIS RIGHT NOW.
PEOPLE, WE NEED TO SAVE EVERY TREE.
AN IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BURNING TREES, UH, SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
AND WE SHOULD ONLY BE THINNING TREES.
AND IT SUGGESTS THINNING MOSTLY NEAR STRUCTURE.
SO TO, YOU KNOW, FIRE BREAK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, INVASIVES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
BUT THERE'S A BUNCH OF FOLKS ON STAFF WHO THINK WE HAVE SAVANNAHS ON THE WEST SIDE WHO THINK WE HAVE SAVANNAHS IN RIPARIAN FLOOD ZONES.
[00:35:01]
PARK IS A REP RIPARIAN FLOOD ZONE THAT WAS RIPARIAN FORCE FOREST.NOW THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO ZILKER, IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE NATURAL AREAS, BUT WE NEED TO PUT A MORATORIUM ON BURNING.
OKAY? UH, THAT'S MY THREE MINUTES ON FOUR, I GUESS.
IS THAT RIGHT? UH, THAT'S YOUR THREE MINUTES ON FOUR.
DID YOU ALSO WANNA TAKE YOUR MINUTES ON FIVE? WELL, I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
YOU CAN TAKE YOUR THREE MINUTES.
YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE SPEAKING ON FOUR.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING ON FOUR.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP FOR FIVE BEFORE YOU, BUT YOU'RE FREE TO TAKE.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO GO AHEAD OF ME ON FIVE AND I'LL COME BACK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE SCOTT COBB ON ITEM FIVE.
CAN I SPEAK ON FOUR? SURE, YOU CAN COME UP.
DID HE SPEAK ON FOUR? WHAT DID HE SPEAK ON BEFORE? ACTUALLY, I JUST LEARNED ABOUT FOUR BEFORE I LEFT MY HOUSE AND ABOUT LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
I JUST HEARD WHAT BILL SAID, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, IN OUR NATURAL AREAS, THEY ARE OVERRUN BY INVASIVES.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S FOREST OF INVASIVES.
YOU GO ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER AND THERE, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW MANY INVASIVES THERE ARE.
BARTON CREEK, ALL OUR RIPARIAN AREAS ARE TAKEN OVER OFTEN BY INVASIVES AND THE CITY ALMOST DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE EASY TO GET MAYBE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE GIVE 'EM A JOB TAKEN OUT.
YOU GOT CHINESE, JAPANESE, LEGUM, CHINESE, OSH, UH, WHAT ELSE? THERE'S A COUPLE OTHERS.
ANYWAY, I, I WOULD LIKE, BILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME REAL DETAILED PLAN ABOUT WHAT YOU'D GONNA DO WITH THE NATURAL AREAS.
AND RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT FENCES TAKEN DOWN OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MONTHS IT'S GONNA TAKE, UM, TO GET ALONG TO AROUND TO DOING THAT BECAUSE NOTHING SEEMS TO HAPPEN MUCH TO ACTUALLY PROTECT OUR NATURE IN THIS CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE, UH, SCOTT COBB SPEAKING ON ITEM FIVE.
SCOTT, YOU SIGNED UP FOR ITEM EIGHT AS WELL.
YOU WANNA TAKE ALL SIX MINUTES OR DO YOU WANNA COME BACK UP? NO, I WANT TO COME BACK UP.
SO ON ITEM FIVE, I WANNA THANK HOLLY REED AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO DRAFTING THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, THROUGH CLOSE THE POLO FIELDS.
I AM TOTALLY SUPPORT CLOSING THE POLO FIELDS.
I, EVEN THOUGH I'M, I HAVE PARKED ON THAT MORE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UH, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN IT'S USED AS FOR PEOPLE TO GO OUT THERE AND, UH, DO WHAT PEOPLE DO IN PARKS TO THROW FRISBEES AND PLAY SOCCER, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I ALWAYS FEEL GUILTY WHEN I'M PARKING THERE ON THE POLO FIELD AND I SEE ALL THESE CARS OUT THERE AND I KNOW THEY'RE ALL DRIPPING VARIOUS FLUIDS ONTO THE, THE GRASS BENEATH THEM.
SO IT'S KIND OF GROSS FOR PEOPLE, EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT OPEN FOR PARKING, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO GO OUT THERE, THEY DON'T WANNA PLAY OUT THERE, THERE THE GROUND IS HARD.
IT NEEDS TO BE REVITALIZED AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GAS AND WHATEVER ON THERE.
TWO THINGS I WOULD ASK ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.
I DON'T THINK POLO FIELD PARKING SHOULD BE ALLOWED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
WHO WANTS TO GO PLAY SOCCER ON A PLACE WHERE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THERE WAS A SPECIAL EVENT WHERE WE'RE PARKING ON THERE DRIPPING ALL THEIR FLUIDS ON THE GRASS? I THINK WE NEED TO RESTORE IT AND THEN USE IT.
NOT EVER FOR PARKING FOR ANY EVENTS.
THERE'S A GREAT SOLUTION TO SHUTTLE TO THE BUTLER, UM, GRAVEL FIELD TO BRING PEOPLE TO WHATEVER SPECIAL EVENT THEY'RE GOING THAT COULD PARTICULARLY LIKE THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS LATER THIS YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE ANY PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
I DO THINK THAT FOR NEXT YEAR WE ARE PROBABLY GONNA NEED MORE THAN 22 STAFF SPOTS WHEN THEY HOLD MAIN SIDE IS CLOSED FOR THE RENOVATION.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ESCORT PEOPLE TO THEIR PARKING WHEN THEY HAVE TO PARK IN THE POLO FIELD BECAUSE IT FEELS DANGEROUS.
AND SO IF THERE'S NO PARKING ON THE MAIN SPOT, MAIN PARKING LOT NEXT YEAR, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFE SOLUTION FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING LONG DISTANCES TO THEIR STAFF PARKING SPOTS.
UH, SOME OF THOSE COULD BE ON THE SECOND ON THE PARKING LOT BETWEEN THE MAIN AND THE POLO FIELD.
I'M FINE WALKING THERE, BUT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE
[00:40:01]
'CAUSE IT GETS DARK WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT LITTLE WOODED AREA.UH, SO YOU NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THAT.
IT NEEDS TO BE IMMEDIATELY DONE.
EVERY TIME I EVERY DAY I LOOK AT THE LIFEGUARD CHAT AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, NO SPOTS LEFT ON MAINE, TWO SPOTS ON SOUTH.
THERE'S ONLY 12 TOTAL SEVEN AND FIVE.
SO THEY'RE TELLING EACH OTHER, YOU CAN'T PARK HERE.
SO WE NEED ENOUGH SPOTS THAT WE CAN GET TO WORK ON TIME.
NOW, COULD BE DONE NEXT WEEK I DO IS PUT OUT SOME BARRIERS AND CONES AND YOU HAVE MORE ADDITIONAL PARKING.
SO IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S VERY HOT WALKING TO WORK AND THEN HAVING TO WALK IN THE PILLOW FIELD.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER SPEAKING ON ITEM FIVE WILL BE BILL BUNCH.
AND THEN AFTER BILL WILL BE MIKE TI BILL BUNCH, UH, SAVE SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I DID NOT FOLLOW Y'ALL'S DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT AT YOUR LAST MEETING AND, UH, HAVEN'T STUDIED THE CURRENT STATUS OF THIS DISCUSSION.
I WOULD POINT OUT A COUPLE OF POINTS THOUGH THAT I HOPE YOU'LL KEEP IN MIND.
UM, FLEX PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD IS FAR FROM IDEAL AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE MOVING TO GET RID OF IT.
OR AS AN INTERIM STEP DIMINISHING IT, NO DOUBT.
BUT FLEX PARKING IS WAY BETTER THAN PERMANENT PAVEMENT OR PER EVEN PERMANENT GRAVEL, UH, ESPECIALLY ON LADY BIRD LAKEFRONT.
THE BUTLER PARKING LOT IS AN ILLEGAL PARKING LOT.
THE CITY'S ADMITTED IT THAT, YOU KNOW, A C L PUT IT THERE WHEN DURING A WET YEAR THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO RESTORE IT.
AND THE CITY'S LET IT CONTINUE, AND NOW THEY'VE EVEN ENHANCED IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN TOTAL VIOLATION OF OUR CITY, CITY, UH, WATERSHED ORDINANCES.
UM, SH THE SHUTTLE NEEDS TO BE REALLY FUNDED AND EMBRACED AND, UM, AND EXPANDED, BUT HOPEFULLY MOST OF THAT SHUTTLING WOULD BE TO OUTSIDE THE PARK WHERE THERE IS PARKING.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BASICALLY DOESN'T HAVE FUNDING FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY USE THE CURRENT SHUTTLE.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOPING IT FAILS BASICALLY, AS BEST I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PAY CAPTAIN METRO OR WHOEVER, YOU KNOW, PER PERSON TO USE IT.
UM, THE CLOSER PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD DOES SERVE THE HILLSIDE THEATER.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LITTLE KIDS LATE AT NIGHT TRYING TO SCHLEP THEM ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE BUTLER LANDFILL IS A CHALLENGE.
UH, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT, THEY DO NEED, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED BUSES.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YOU COULD STACK UP WHEN YOU HAVE THIS HUGE RUSH IF EVERYBODY TRYING TO LEAVE RIGHT WHEN THE PLAYS OVER.
UM, SO, UH, YES, LET'S MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT LET'S RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES RIGHT NOW.
UM, I'D LOVE TO SEE NO MORE PARKING WHATSOEVER ON THE POLO FIELD, BUT ALSO I UNDER UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT OR AT LEAST PART OF IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE, THE HILLSIDE THEATER FOR THAT COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT THEY'RE DOING THE SUMMER MUSICALS OR MONTH OR SO.
SPEAKING ON ITEM FIVE, WE HAVE MIKE TI MIKE, YOU'RE ALSO SPEAKING ON ITEM EIGHT, WHICH IS NEXT.
SO DO YOU JUST WANNA TAKE YOUR FULL SIX MINUTES NOW? I'LL KEEP IT UNDER SIX.
UH, GREETINGS CHAIR, PARTS BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I'M HERE ON ITEM FIVE IN MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND, UH, THAT'S THE CHAIR OF THE POLO FIELD SUBGROUP THAT WAS PART OF THE ZUKO WORKING GROUP.
AND NOT ON BEHALF OF ANY OTHER OF THE NONPROFITS I'M INVOLVED WITH.
UM, AS Y'ALL CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL TO REMOVE ZILKER PARKING FROM THE POLO FIELD, I WANT YOU TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CLEAR GUIDANCE FROM THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THAT SHOULD BE PHASED REMOVAL OVER TIME.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY A UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED PART OF THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION FOR THREE REASONS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THEM FIRST, THERE WAS AN EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT.
PEOPLE COULD SEE IT PHASED OVER TIME.
THEY COULD LEARN TO ADJUST THEIR BEHAVIOR OVER TIME AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
THERE WAS AN OPERATIONAL BENEFIT OF, UH, LETTING THE VISITING PUBLIC AND THE EVENTS ALSO SORT OF LEARN AND PLAN FOR THE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH A PHASED REMOVAL.
[00:45:01]
AND THERE WAS ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT BECAUSE I RECALL THE, THE REDUCTION OF PARKING WOULD ACTUALLY SHRINK THE AMOUNT OF PARKING AND THEN THERE WOULD BE, UH, ECOLOGICAL REMEDIATION AS THAT SHRUNK IN TIME.UM, THE RESOLUTION YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS ACTUALLY A BIG IMPROVEMENT OVER.
THE ONE THAT I AT LEAST UNDERSTOOD WAS BEFORE Y'ALL AT THE LAST MEETING, UM, IS I LOOK AT IT, I'M NOT SEEING A LOT OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THE RECOMMENDATION YOU HAVE AND WHAT THE, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT'S PLAN IS.
AS Y'ALL KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN PHASING DOWN THE PARKING OVER THE POLO FIELD.
THEY HAVE ALSO PHASED BACK THE PARKING OVER THE LANDFILL.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE AIMING FOR.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE PARK DEPARTMENT FOR REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THAT EFFORT.
UM, THEY'VE MADE REAL PROGRESS TOWARDS ADVANCING THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE THE PARKING OVER THE INFORMAL AREAS, AND I HOPE YOU'LL LET THEM CONTINUE THEIR GOOD WORK AS THEY THOUGHTFULLY SEEK TO BALANCE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HEARD HEARING ABOUT, ABOUT DIFFERENT PARK USERS, EVENTS, UH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
SHOULD I DO NUMBER, WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE? I'M SORRY.
ITEM EIGHT, THE WORKING GROUP, UH, TO NAME THE DEPARTMENT OF SPRINGS BATHHOUSE.
UM, I, I DID WANT TO, UH, LET Y'ALL KNOW AND YOU GOT A PRESENTATION FROM THE, I GUESS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE BATHHOUSE REHABILITATION PROJECT.
AND WHILE I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING HERE, I DID WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A WHOLE SET OF EXHIBITS THAT ARE BEING PLANNED AS PART OF WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT THE BATHHOUSE WOULD BE.
THOSE EXHIBITS INCLUDE VERY IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL EXHIBITS, CULTURAL EXHIBITS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN AND ALSO THE, THE HISTORY OF RACIAL INTEGRATION AND ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND THE S O S MOVEMENT ALL IS ACTUALLY IN THE DESIGN THAT, THAT IS GOING OUT NOW FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PERMITTING.
I THINK RIGHT NOW THERE'S ACTUALLY A BID FOR A, A REQUEST FOR CONSTRUCTION BIDS THAT'S PENDING.
SO IF Y'ALL FORM A WORKING GROUP IN THIS SPACE, THERE'S INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE THAT I COULD GET YOU TO SHOW YOU WHAT THOSE EXHIBITS LOOK LIKE, THAT TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF RACIAL INTEGRATION IN THE POOL.
IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT, UH, IN, IN THE WORK THEY'VE DONE IN THAT.
UM, AND MY ONLY REQUEST TO Y'ALL IS KEEPING IN MIND THIS PROJECT IS IN THE CONSTRUCTION BID PHASE.
LET'S TRY NOT TO DISRUPT THE PROJECT WITH ANY VIOLENT CHANGES THAT I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THERE HAVE BEEN EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THAT TOPIC, AT LEAST GENERALLY.
UH, AND I WOULDN'T WANNA SEE THE, THE PROJECT BE DELAYED FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO SHED ADDITIONAL LIGHT OR MAYBE POINT YOU PEOPLE POINT THE WORKING GROUP TO SOME RESOURCES AT THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE HISTORY OF RACIAL INTEGRATION IS BEING ADDRESSED IN THE NEW EXHIBITS, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD OFFER TO DO.
OUR LAST SPEAKER SPEAKING ON ITEM EIGHT WILL BE SCOTT COBB.
SO ON ITEM EIGHT ABOUT RENAMING OR HAVING A COMMITTEE, WORKING GROUP ON, UH, BETH HOUSE, WHICH ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WOULD TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT SHOULD BE RENAMED OR NAMED.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT HAS A NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND I SUPPORT HAVING THAT WORKING GROUP GOING ON.
UM, OCTOBER 21, AFTER JOAN MEANS CABBEL PASSED AWAY, I SUGGEST THAT THEY HAVE A JOAN MEANS CABBEL DAY TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE AND HER EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE, UH, AND DESEGREGATE BARTON SPRINGS.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT NAMING, UH, THE BATHHOUSE AFTER JOAN OR SOMEONE WHO WAS CONNECTED WITH THAT.
SHE WENT TO, SHE DID SWIM INS DURING THE EARLY SIXTIES, BUT I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IF SHE EVER HAD ACCESS TO THE BATHHOUSE BACK THEN, WE WERE TOTALLY CLOSED OFF.
SO I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CIRCLE OF LIFE THAT WOULD BE NAMED AFTER HER, BUT ALSO IN GENERAL, I THINK YOU SHOULD ALSO AT SOME POINT TAKE UP A, IT COULD BE IN THAT COMMITTEE, IT COULD BE ANOTHER COMMITTEE TO RENAME THE ENTIRE BARTON SPRINGS TO SOMETHING ELSE.
WILLIAM BARTON LIVED ON THAT PROPERTY, THAT LAND FOR THREE YEARS.
HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE CLEAR CLAIM TO IT.
IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE WHO HAD CLAIM TO IT.
THEY JUST NAMED IT THERE BECAUSE, OH, THAT'S WHERE BARTON LIVES.
HE DIDN'T EVEN LIVE THERE VERY LONG.
AND WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS THERE, LEGAL OR NOT IS IN DISPUTE.
HE ALSO BROUGHT BETWEEN FIVE AND 25 SLAVES WITH HIM.
AND ACCORDING TO SARAH MARSHALL, UH, WHO WORKS FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND TOURISM PROGRAM FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SARAH SAYS WILLIAM BARTON WAS KNOWN AS SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXTINCTION OF NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE FACT THAT HE ENSLAVED PEOPLE.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S KNOWN AS
[00:50:01]
WELL.WELL, WHENEVER SAID ANYBODY SAYS THEY WANT TO GO TO BARTON SPRINGS, THEY WANNA GO TO THE PLACE WHERE WILLIAM BARTON HAD, DAMMIT, I THINK IT SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER, UH, A LANGUAGE, A, A WORD, A PHRASE IN AN INDIGENOUS, UH, LANGUAGE.
THEY LIVED HERE FOR TENS, THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
EUROPEAN COLONIZATION OCCURRED IN THE MID 19TH CENTURY.
IT'S NOT OUR LAND BELONGS TO OTHER PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, WE'RE NOW GOING TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
Y'ALL HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND A PAPER COPY OF THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING FROM JUNE 26TH, 2013 OR 2023.UM, I'LL GIVE YOU ALL A FEW MOMENTS JUST TO GET A FINAL LOOK OVER THOSE AND THEN I'LL ASK IF ANYBODY HAS ANY CHANGES.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE MIN MINUTE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 26TH, 2023 MEETING BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN? YES, I GUESS I WASN'T CLEAR FROM THE EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT BY STAFF CLARIFYING PREVIOUSLY I WAS SIGNED IN REMOTELY TO THE MEETING.
HOWEVER, I DIDN'T HAVE THE ATTENDANCE SHEET, SO I DON'T KNOW IF I GUESS MY NAME WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE MINUTES.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE, NO COMMENT.
AND DID WE DO WELL? OH, UM, ALRIGHT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER CHANGES? ALRIGHT, SEE YOU.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 26TH, 2013, 2023? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MERIT.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER REED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT, UH, NOW WE'RE MOVING TO THIS, UH, AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA REQUEST THAT WE MOVE AND, UH, PRESENTLY START DISCUSSION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSSION
[5. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to eliminate parking on the Zilker Park Polo Field and expand the Zilker Park Shuttle. (Sponsors: Reed, Hugman)]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD AND EXPAND THE ZILKER PARK SHUTTLE.UM, IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.
SO NO ONE OPPOSED TO MOVING THAT AGENDA IS THERE, THERE OR DOESN'T NEED TO BE A VOTE ON THAT, RIGHT? NO.
SO NOW AT THIS POINT, UH, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CHAIR AS, UM, THE CO-SPONSOR OF THIS RECOMMENDATION, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD.
AND, UM, CAN YOU JUST, CAN I, I CAN READ THE RECOMMENDATION IF NEEDED.
YOU CAN READ IT, YOU CAN READ IT OR YOU COULD JUST SAY AS POSTED.
CAN YOU MAKE THAT MOTION AGAIN? SO WE, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR.
AS CO-SPONSOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE KER PARK POLO FIELD AS POSTED.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN.
UM, ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE INTO DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND IF YOU JUST WANT TO LAY OUT, UH, YOUR RECOMMENDATION BOARD MEMBER REED SURE.
AND, UM, I CAN READ ALL OF IT IF YOU'D LIKE, OR JUST THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO, OR YOUR RATIONALE OR KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT.
SO, UM, LAST WEEK WE HAD A RECOMMENDATION TO TRY AND HELP THE PARKS
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AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR ALREADY, UM, A GOAL THAT'S IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW TO REDUCE THE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD TO ONLY EVENTS, LARGE EVENTS, UM, FOR PARKING DURING LARGE EVENTS.AND AT, AT THIS POINT, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS ONLY ALLOWING PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD ON WEEKENDS BETWEEN THE END OF MAY AND THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.
NOT ON WEEKDAYS, BUT JUST ON WEEKENDS.
UM, AND THIS RECOMMENDATION IS, UM, SEEKING TO HELP WITH THE PROCESS WHICH WAS INITIATED IN 2019 WITH A GOAL OF ELIMINATING, ELIMINATING ALL PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD BY MAY OF 2022.
SO, UM, WE'RE HERE AT, IN JULY OF 2023 AND SOME PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THIS EFFORT WITH THE ONLY 50% BEING ALLOWED.
HOWEVER, UM, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WANTS TO ELIMINATE THIS PARKING BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO THE PARK LAND.
AND AS ONE OF OUR CITIZENS COMMENTED, THE PARKLAND CANNOT BE USED AS PARKLAND WHEN THERE ARE CARS PARKED ON IT DURING THE WEEKENDS.
UM, AND THERE HAVE BEEN PARKING ENFORCEMENT AND SAFETY ISSUES.
UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO FIND ALTERNATIVE, CONVENIENT, AFFORDABLE PARKING TO REPLACE THE OVERFLOW VISITOR PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
AND THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT ON STRATFORD DRIVE HAS 750 AVAILABLE PARKING SPOTS.
BUT BECAUSE OF ITS SLIGHTLY GREATER DISTANCE FROM BARTON SPRINGS POOL, IT IS ALMOST VACANT AND NOT USED DURING BUSY SUMMER WEEKENDS.
I HAVE SOME, SOME SLIDES I CAN SHOW IF, UM, IF YOU WANNA PULL THOSE UP AND THESE ARE SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I MIGHT COMMENT.
SO WHAT THIS WILL SHOW IS THE, UH, A LOT OF PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
IN FACT, SOMETIMES MORE THAN 50%, PARTICULARLY DURING, DURING THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND BETWEEN JULY 2ND AND JULY 4TH.
THERE WAS A FOUR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
SO THESE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THE POLO FIELD, UM, AT A TIME, I BELIEVE ON JULY 2ND THERE WERE OVER 500 CARS PARKED OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH THAT, PLEASE ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND YOU'LL SEE THE, AT THE BOTTOM, THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT ON THE SAME DAY AT THE SAME TIME IS ALMOST EMPTY.
THERE WERE MAYBE 40 CARS PARKED OUT THERE.
AND SO, UM, A GROUP OF CITIZENS HAS BEEN DOING SOME CAR COUNTING AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CITIZEN DIANA PROCTOR FOR HER WORK ON, ON WATCHING THIS SITUATION.
SO IF YOU COULD SHOW THE SLIDE NUMBER THREE, WHICH ALSO WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE'S AN IMBALANCE IN PARKING.
ALMOST EVERYONE IS TRYING TO PARK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ZILKER PARK DURING BUSY SUMMER WEEKENDS.
AND THE GRAVEL LOT, WHICH HAS 750 AVAILABLE SPOTS IS NOT BEING PARKED ON IF YOU CAN'T GET IT TO COME UP.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU SCROLL THROUGH HERE, YOU CAN SHOW OUR BOARD THAT THERE'S THE GRAVEL LOT.
SAME DAY AS THE POLO FIELD WAS PRETTY MUCH MAXED OUT, IT WAS MAXED OUT.
AND SO THE REASON, UM, THAT POLO FIELD VERSUS BUTLER LOT, BUTLER LOT IS FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SWIMMING POOL.
THE POLO FIELD ALSO IS SUFFERING FROM SOME ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND IS, IS WRITTEN IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THE POLO FIELD IS OVER THE LADY BIRD LAKE RECHARGE ZONE.
THE POLO FIELD IS IN THE BARTON CREEK WATERSHED AND IN THE LADY BIRD LAKE WATERSHED IN E'S WATERSHED, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE DONE BY PARKING CARS THERE IN THIS AREA.
AND THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT, WHICH USED TO BE A LANDFILL, I'VE CHOSEN TO CALL IT THE GRAVEL LOT
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BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE PARKING IN A DUMP IF WE CALL IT THE LANDFILL.BUT IT HAS BEEN REMEDIATED PER, PER THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MAINTENANCE PLANS.
AND SO THESE 750 AVAILABLE PARKING PLACES ARE THERE.
THIS IS A SHORT-TERM TRAFFIC SOLUTION BEING SUGGESTED IN OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THIS IS NOT FOREVER AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOAL IS TO, UH, RESTORE THE, BOTH THE POLO FIELD AND THE GRAVEL LOT TO BEING PARKLAND.
IT'S USABLE BY PEOPLE AND NOT NECESSARILY CARS.
HOWEVER, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS WILL CONTINUE TO STAGE AT THE GRAVEL LOT UNTIL, WELL FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS AT LEAST.
AND SO THE GRAVEL LOT CANNOT BE RESTORED TO NATURAL PARK LAND DURING THAT TIME.
UM, CAN I READ, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE RECOMMENDATION AS WRITTEN AT THE END? UM, NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ IT AS LONG AS NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S AS POSTED, UM, WE'RE GOOD ON THAT FRONT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT, UM, IF THERE WERE CONTINUOUS SHUTTLES RUNNING BETWEEN THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT AND A DROP OFF POINT NEAR SO BARTON SPRINGS POOL, THEN VISITORS COULD USE THE BUTLER LOT INSTEAD OF THE POLO FIELD FOR PARKING ON BUSY WEEKENDS.
AND THIS WOULD HELP THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR GOAL TO REMOVE PARKING AND ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
AND IT WOULD ALSO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ZILKER PARK NEAR THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF MAPS THAT I HAD IN THE SLIDES, TIM, IF YOU CAN BRING THOSE UP AND I THINK YOU ALL HAVE MY BOARD BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE MAPS TO SHOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
SO THIS IS A MAP SHOWING, UM, SHOWING ALL OF THE PARKING LOTS AND THEIR CAPACITIES.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
NUMBER SIX IS WHAT IT IS, I THINK.
SO THIS IS A POSSIBLE VISITOR ROUTE TO GET TO THE, THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT.
YOU CAN COME FROM THE EAST OR FROM THE WEST AND TURN OFF.
AND SO TRAFFIC WOULD BE DIVIDED UP BETTER IN A MORE, IN, IN A MORE EQUAL WAY ON BOTH THE SOUTH SIDE AND THE NORTH SIDE OF, OF THE PARK.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT, UM, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DIRECT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO ELIMINATE OVERFLOW PARKING ON THE P OF FIELD, BEGINNING MAY OF 2024.
AND TO ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OR LEASE OF SHUTTLES FOR INTERNAL USE IN ZILKER PARK.
THAT CAN GO FROM THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT UP TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL AND THE OTHER AREA ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
I HAVE, UM, SOME QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO 4, 5, 8 AND 11, UM, BUT PERHAPS STARTING WITH 11, IF THAT'S OKAY REGARDING THE, UM, COST OF PARKING AND THEIR TIERED PARKING.
UM, MY CONCERN IS THAT I AM SEEING THAT WE POTENTIALLY ARE CREATING A FORM OF A V I P PARKING, UM, WITH THE PREMIUM PARKING LOT SECTION.