[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ORDER.
UM, WE'RE UP AT 63 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE, AND WE'LL DO ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH THE REMOTE PEOPLE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMENTS? OKAY.UM, SO, UH, THE FIRST ITEM UP FOR
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
IS REVIEW APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS ONE MONTH AGO.UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE MINUTES THAT WERE PROMULGATED? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER EINHORN, THIS IS YOUR
[2. New Environmental Commission member welcome and introduction (5 minutes)]
FAVORITE, FAVORITE AGENDA ITEM HERE.UH, NEXT, UH, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU, UH, UH, THANKS FOR VOLUNTEERING.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED ANY OF THE MEETINGS 'CAUSE UH, WE'RE A PRETTY CRAZY GROUP.
SO, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING.
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON, ON MAYBE YOUR, YOUR WHAT, WHAT YOU DO AND, AND WHY YOU'RE HERE? YEAH.
I AM, UH, SENATOR ECKHART'S, CHIEF OF STAFF.
SO CONDOLENCES CAN BE MADE, CAN BE SENT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS.
UH, THIS IS NOT MY FIRST COMMISSION.
I WAS ON THE CITY'S ETHICS COMMISSION FOR FOUR YEARS, I BELIEVE.
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, COMMISSION THAT DOES PUBLIC POLICY.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY AND NO, I CAN'T TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE IMPEACHMENT, SO PLEASE DON'T ASK ME,
IT'S NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA, SO I THINK YOU'RE CLEAR.
UM, WELL WELCOME, UH, UH, WE WE'RE EXCITED.
[3. Update on Environmental Commission Annual Report—Kevin Ramberg, Environmental Commission Chair (10 minutes)]
THREE, UH, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT.UM, I GOT THIS OUT WITH PLENTY OF EXTRA TIME, UM, UH, THE END OF JULY.
UM, IT WAS, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN HAD A COMMENT.
UM, THE, THE INTENT OF THE, THE REPORT IS TO KIND OF REPORT ON THE LAST YEAR AND LAY OUT SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE MAY HAVE FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, A WEEK FROM NOW, WE'LL BE MEETING AT OUR RETREAT.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S JUST AS GOOD OF A PLACE TO KIND OF HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE THEMES OR GENERAL TRAJECTORY WE WANT TO GO, UM, WITH THE COMMISSION OVER THIS NEXT YEAR.
SO I DON'T THINK THE BOOK'S CLOSED, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF REPORT OUT ON IT, UM, WE, I, I KEPT ON MANY OF THE, THE GOALS.
WE HAD A LOT OF GOALS, UM, THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, WE KEPT MANY OF THOSE AND BASED ON SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS COMMISSIONERS AND KIND OF THE GENERAL TONE OF, OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE SUMMER, UM, WE ALSO, UH, ELEVATED SOME KIND OF CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY COMPONENTS TO WHAT WE DO.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA TALK ABOUT AT THE RETREAT NEXT WEEK, BE THINKING ABOUT IT PLEASE, IS KIND OF HOW WE LOOK WITH THAT LENS A LITTLE BIT MORE AT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, THAT'S SOME OF THE THEMES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS, BUT ALSO I THINK WE WILL BE CONTINUED AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT, UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON, ON THAT AGENDA ITEM FROM ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, UM, NUMBER FOUR, WE GOT
[4. Staff briefing on Austin’s Blackland Prairie ecoregion study recommendations and follow-up actions– Ana Gonzalez, Division Manager, Watershed Protection, and Valerie Tamburri, Ben Bertram, Tree Folks (30 minutes)]
A STAFF BRIEFING ON THE AUSTIN BLACK LANDSBURY ECO REGENTS STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS.I BELIEVE THIS IS YOU HONOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WE'VE BEEN EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS FOR, FOR A WHILE, SO, SORRY, IT'S A HUNDRED AND MY, MY WATCH IS 103 OUT, BUT IT FEELS HOTTER THAN THAT.
HAVE TO HIT, HIT THE LITTLE BUTTON TO WHERE THE GREEN LIGHT TURNS ON.
I'M STILL RE RECOVERING FROM HAVING BACK TO HERE IN 105, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE NON PERCENTILE SWEATING CONDITION.
BUT, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
UH, IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE COME WITH STAFF WITH, UH, RESULTS FROM A STUDY AND SOME GOOD NEWS TO SHARE.
SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, CO-PRESENTING WITH THREE FOLKS HERE FOR
[00:05:01]
YOU.UH, THIS IS ABOUT THE BLACKLINE PRAIRIE, UH, STUDY THAT WE DID ON LONG STREAM CORRIDORS AND KIND OF FINDINGS, SUMMARY FINDINGS AND WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR WHOEVER IS DOING THE SLIDES.
I CAN'T SEE THAT IS, THANK YOU
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND HISTORY OF WHAT IS THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE, WHAT WAS THE, UM, STREAM CORRIDOR STUDY THAT WE DID? WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS? SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE REPORT AND SOME OF THE INITIAL ACTIONS.
AND THEN THREE FOLKS IS GONNA FOLLOW UP ON HOW THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED ABOUT, UH, THE ACTIONS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED IN THE STUDY.
SO WHAT IS THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE PROBABLY MOST SEVERE FAMILIAR WITH THAT IS AN ECO REGION THAT IS LOCATED IN THE, UM, EASTERN PORTION OF TRAVIS CANYON AND OTHER AREAS IN TEXAS.
UM, IT IS ONE OF THE RAREST ECO REGIONS 'CAUSE IT'S BEING HEAVILY CONVERTED TO AGRICULTURE AND OTHER USES.
UM, IT IS A, IN BROAD DESCRIPTION, IS A GRASSLAND TALL GRASSLAND MATRIX THAT IS CRISSCROSSED BY, UH, BOTTOMLAND AND, AND RIPARIAN CORRIDORS IS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE.
IT WAS TRADITIONALLY DOMINATED BY RECURRENT FIRES, UH, WHICH ARE NO LONGER IN PLACE.
HAD DEEP SOILS, HIGH PRODUCTIVITY, DEEP ROOTING SYSTEMS, AND A LOT OF, UH, ANIMAL AND PLANT DIVERSITY.
THAT'S THE BLACK PLAN FOR IN NUTSHELL.
SO WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT, UH, DC REGION FOR, AND THIS IS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 803 MILES THAT ARE WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION OR FLOWING INTO JURISDICTIONS.
A BIG PORTION OF THE CREEK SYSTEM THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ON THE WATERSHEDS, ABOUT 33,000 ACRES OF THOSE ARE CREEK BUFFERS.
SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, REAL ESTATE IN RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING THOSE AND 11,000 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN OUTSIDE THOSE CREEK BUFFERS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT, HAVE IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL VALUE, AND THAT WE ARE DIRECTLY FOCUSED ON PROTECTING AND ENHANCING.
UH, AS WE KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT IS, THE DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY IS VERY HEAVY IN THAT AREA AND MOVING EASTWARDS.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THOSE STREAMS ARE IN POOR CONDITION.
AND I'LL DESCRIBE IT A LITTLE BIT.
AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE RECEIVING THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT THE, NOT JUST THE DEGRADED, UH, STREAMS, BUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF EVEN MORE DURATION AS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMPONENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.
AND REALLY, UH, OUR ABILITY TO SURVIVE IN AUSTIN AND THRIVE WITH THESE.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR CLIMATE CHANGE IS, UH, MAKING LIFE MORE HOSTILE HERE.
OUR ABILITY TO SURVIVE REALLY HINGES A LOT ON THE CONDITION OF OUR STREAMS. LIKE IT'S SUCH A CRUCIAL NETWORK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN EMPHASIZE THAT MORE STRONGLY.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, OUR RESILIENCY AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO, BECAUSE WE, UH, REALIZED WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THE CONDITION OF THE STRING CORRIDORS IN THE BLACK LINE PERIOD, WE DECIDED TO DO A STUDY TO KIND OF CHARACTERIZE WHAT IS THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE RIP VEGETATION OF THE STREAM ITSELF AND KIND OF WHAT'S THE, THE ANTICIPATED IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT AND IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WE KNOW ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND ONE OF THE PIECES IS LIKE WE WANTED TO LOOK AT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT, WHERE WE HAVE MORE DENSITY OF DATA IN THE TRANSITION ZONE, LIKE IN THE URBAN CORE AND IN THE HILL COUNTRY WHERE WE HAVE DONE A WHOLE LOT MORE STUDIES.
SO ONE OF THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY IS LIKE, UNLIKE IN THE, THE HILL COUNTRY AND IN THE URBAN CORE, IMPERVIOUS COVER IS NOT REALLY A GOOD PREDICTOR OF THE CONDITION OF THIS STREAM.
UH, SO WE ARE FINDING VERY LOW IMPERVIOUS COVER AND STILL HIGHLY DEGRADED CONDITIONS IN THE STREAMS IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN, IN URBAN AREAS.
YOU CAN, YOU SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT, MORE DEGRADATION.
IT'S KIND OF PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD RELATIONSHIP THAT FALLS APART IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE.
SO CORRELATION BETWEEN IMPER COVER AND DEGRADATION IS NOT, OR CONDITION IS NOT, UH, HIGH AT ALL.
AND THAT'S THE SPREAD YELLOW WITH THE LINE THERE THAT HAS NO RELATIONSHIP RELATIONSHIPS.
AND THAT'S THE BLACKLINE PRAIRIE.
[00:10:01]
UM, WE KIND OF KNEW THIS, BUT NOT THE EXTENT OF IT, IS THAT THE RIP PURINES ARE WORSE IN WORSE CONDITION THAN IN, IN THE BLACK LAND PRAIRIE THAN IN URBAN STREAMS. SO USUALLY YOU TEND TO THINK NO DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER NOT FOR BLACK LAND PRAIRIE IN TERMS OF CANOPY COVER, TREE DEMOGRAPHY AND SPECIES DIVERSITY.SO OUR STREAM RIGHT HERE IN AREAS ARE IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
EVEN THE, THE URBAN STREAMS ARE BETTER FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE PARAMETERS.
UH, AND OF COURSE EVEN WORSE THAN, UH, HILL COUNTRY STREAMS FOR THOSE PARENT.
AND THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD A DIFFERENT SPATIAL SCALES.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT A SITE LIKE PLOT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CORRIDOR UPSTREAM OF THAT SITE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DRAINAGE AREA POINTING TO THE SITE, ALL THOSE SCALES, THE SAME PATTERN IS REPEATED.
UM, THERE WERE IN THE PAST THE PRESENCE OF BIOLOGICAL ELEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM THAT HELD THAT SYSTEM TOGETHER.
SO THESE ARE, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE HIGH CLAY, HIGHLY ERODIBLE SOILS.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE ROCK EXPOSED BEDROCK THAT THE HILL COUNTRY HAS WHERE YOU START GETTING EROSION AND THEN IT KIND OF STOPS 'CAUSE YOU HIT A BOULDER OR A BUNCH OF ROCK.
AND, AND HERE YOU JUST KEEP GOING, GOING, GOING.
AND WHAT APPEARS TO HAVE HOLD THE THING TOGETHER WHERE TREES AND BIOLOGICAL ACTION BY BEAVERS, THAT'S, THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE LIKE TWO COMPONENTS OF THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE LANDSCAPE THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.
SO DEBRIS JAMS THAT FORM BECAUSE OF, UH, AVER ACTIVITY OR THREE ROOTS CREATING CROSS CHANNEL DROP STRUCTURES THAT SLOW DOWN AN ACCUMULATED SEDIMENT AND PREVENT AN INCISION IN THE BED AND BANK.
NOW, UH, THERE'S A FEW HERE AND THERE AND IT MAKES, YOU KNOW, HEART MORE SO YOUR HEART, BUT, UH, IT'S RARE.
UM, THE OTHER FINDING, AND THIS IS PRETTY SAD, IS MOST OF THE STREAMS HAVE IN REALLY TURBID WATERS, RIGHT? THERE'S HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY IMPAIRMENT.
AND THIS IS IN CONTRAST WITH, WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN EARLY SETTLER ACCOUNTS OF THE AREA THAT HAD LIKE CLEAR RUNNING STREAMS, WHICH IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO EAST.
YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THESE DAIRY TURD STREAMS AND WHAT KEPT TOGETHER ALL THOSE SOILS IS LIKE THE INCREDIBLE VEGETATION IN THE DRAINAGE AREA, THE FILTERING ABILITY.
PLUS WE HAD GIL GUIDE, WHICH IS A NERDY TERM.
IT'S LIKE THESE DEPRESSIONS IN THE PRAIRIES THAT HELD WATER AND SLOW IT DOWN.
SO IT'S ALL THIS SEDIMENT MOVING FROM THE, FROM THE DRAINAGE AIR, BUT ALSO AS PART OF THE STREAM AS THE, THE, THE STORMS ERODE, THE, THE STREAM BED AND BANK.
SO THEY'RE INCREDIBLY UNSTABLE.
UH, NOW THEY'VE RUN AWAY, UH, INCISION GOING ON.
SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF BAD NEWS
THERE'S A FEW PLACES HERE AND THERE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SOME SENSE OF HOW THINGS COULD GO WHEN THEY'RE, UM, IN GOOD CONDITION.
BUT THE REPORT RECOMMENDED A LOT OF THINGS LIKE REVISING CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, UH, PROVISIONS RELATED TO RESOLUTION.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY AT THIS POINT, UH, WORKING WITHIN THE, UH, RAIN RIVER STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK TO INCORPORATE PROTECTION SPECIFIC TO THE BLACK LAND PRAIRIE STREAMS. MANAGE OUR ASSETS, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOK HAVING A LENS LIKE BLACK LAND PRAIRIE LENS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ASSETS AND, AND EROSION, UH, UM, PRIORITIZATION AND PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION.
DOING ACTIVE RESTORATION, NOT JUST PASSIVE RESTORATION, WHICH IS A LOT OF THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE USED FOR URBAN SYSTEMS. THAT'S JUST STOP MOWING, LET IT GO AND IT'LL GROW.
AND IT WORKS THERE, BUT NOT IN THE BLACK LAND PRAIRIE.
SO LAND ACQUISITION LONG, UH, IMPORTANT CORRIDORS.
SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, AND THIS IS THE FOLLOW UP, UH, PIECE OF THE PRESENTATION IS THE ACTIVE RESTORATION.
SO ONE OF THE INITIAL ACTIONS, LIKE OKAY, WE HAVE NO CANOPY STREAMS COMPLETELY AVOID VEGETATION.
WE NEED TO GO PLANT TREES ON THE STREAMS TO, YOU KNOW, START KICKING UP THE SYSTEM BACK.
UH, IT IS GONNA TAKE FOREVER TO DO THAT, BUT WE NEED TO GET STARTED SINCE WE MET, MET WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, NATIONAL CONSERVA, NATIONAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SYSTEM, NO, I'M SAYING IT ALL WRONG.
N R C S, UH, WILBARGER CREEK CONSERVANCY,
[00:15:01]
THREE FOLKS.TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAN SPARKS OF WILDLIFE UNIT, AND MAKING THE PITCH LIKE WE NEED A REFORESTATION, WE NEED A FLOODPLAIN REFORESTATION PROGRAM.
AND, UH, WE MANAGED TO PARTNER WITH THREE FOLKS TO DO A COPILOT.
AND IT WAS, UH, VERY INTERESTING 'CAUSE
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.
SO WE WERE ON THE CITY SIDE KIND OF TO COME UP WITH WORK PLAN AND AUTHORIZATION TO GET FUNDING ALIGNED SO THEY CAN DO A PILOT.
AND THEY WERE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING IT ON THE PRIVATE END OF THING.
SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, NOW WE HAVE SOME FUNDING.
SO WE DID A PILOT FOR THAT AND UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF, THAT WAS HOW IT, THE PROGRAM STARTED.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA EXPLAIN A WHOLE LOT MORE ABOUT IT.
I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE IS THEIR BEGINNING OF THEIR PRESENTATION.
UH, MY NAME'S VALERIE BURY AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF REFORESTATION AND LEAD ARBORIST FOR TREE FOLKS.
UH, TREE FOLKS IS A NON-PROFIT, AN URBAN FORESTRY BASED NON-PRO NONPROFIT BASED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE FOCUS ON TREE ADOPTION OF ED, UM, REFORESTATION AND COMMUNITY PLANTINGS.
UM, OVER OUR 30 YEARS AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE'VE PLANTED A LITTLE BIT OVER 3 MILLION TREES AND COUNTING.
UM, SO TODAY, UM, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE PROGRAM, WE'RE GONNA KIND OF FOCUS ON OUR REFORESTATION EFFORTS.
UM, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BRIEF HISTORY.
UM, SO ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, UM, WHEN THE BASTROP WILDFIRES HAPPENED IN 2011, UM, TREE FOLKS ALONG WITH OTHER BASTROP COUNTY AND AGENCY PARTNERS, UM, WE ALL PARTNERED TOGETHER TO PLANT TO REPLANT PINE TREES IN BASTROP COUNTY.
AND WE PLANTED OVER 2 MILLION PINES THERE AND DISTRIBUTED ANOTHER 150,000 OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AFTER THAT.
THEN WHILE THAT PROGRAM WAS STILL IN, WAS STILL HAPPENING, WE HAD THE 2015 MEMORIAL DAY FLOODS, UH, ON THE BLANCO RIVER.
AND SO HAYES COUNTY REACHED OUT TO TREE FOLKS AND THEY WERE LIKE, HEY, CAN YOU DO A SIMILAR PROGRAM FOR US? UM, 'CAUSE THEY LOST ABOUT 85% OF THEIR TREE CANOPY ALONG THE RIVERS.
SO OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD, WE, UM, WE REFOREST IT ABOUT 20 MILES ON THE BLANCO RIVER.
AND THEN, UM, SO CURRENTLY NOW WE'RE DOING THE FLOODPLAIN REFORESTATION, UM, ALL OVER CENTRAL TEXAS IN SEVEN COUNTIES.
AND THIS WAS, THIS PROGRAM WAS PILOTED, UM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATERSHED DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, YEAH, SO FROM ANA'S STUDY WE KIND OF RAN WITH THAT AND THAT REALLY HELPED INFORM OUR PILOT, UM, OUR TIRE TARGET PILOT AREA, WHICH WE DID IN THE EASTERN, EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND WE'VE EXPANDED SINCE THEN.
AND IN 2021, UH, WE STARTED A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT JUST TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
SO THE CONTRACT, IT'S A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT THAT PROVIDES FUNDING ABOUT $125,000 A YEAR TO TREE FOLKS, UM, TO PLANT SAPLINGS AND WILD NATIVE GRASSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON WATERSHED LANDS.
AND IT ALSO HELPS TO PROVIDE MARKETING AND EDUCATION MATERIALS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER INFORM LANDOWNERS IN AUSTIN AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO UNIQUE BECAUSE WE GENERATE CARBON CREDITS THROUGH ALL THE ACREAGE THAT WE PLANT.
UH, THE CARBON CREDITS NOT ONLY HELP PAY FOR A SMALL PORTION OF THE PROGRAM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT HELPS PROTECT THE, THEY LEGALLY PROTECT THE PROPERTIES, THE PLANTING AREAS FOR 26 YEARS.
UM, AND ANOTHER UNIQUE ELEMENT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, UM, AND THIS CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY, IS THAT IT'S HELPED US DEVELOP A WOODY SEED COLLECTION PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE CAN COLLECT NATIVE WILD, UH, TREE SEEDS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THEM GROWN BY NURSERIES OR, UM, SCATTER THEM ON OUR OWN.
AND EACH YEAR WE PROVIDE A PROGRAM GROWTH PLAN.
SO WATERSHED DEPARTMENT REALLY IS HELPING US TO, UM, GROW THE PROGRAM AND MAKE IT JUST MAKE IT BETTER OVERALL.
AND WE DO A 20, AT LEAST A 25% MATCH IN FUNDING EACH YEAR.
[00:20:01]
ANA WENT OVER A LOT OF THE BENEFITS FOR THESE STREAMSIDE FORESTS AND SO WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES.SO LIKE SHADE PROVIDES SHADE, WHICH UM, REALLY HELPS WITH WATER QUALITY AND PROVIDES REGIONAL COOLING.
AND THEN THIS ROOT SYSTEM REALLY HELPS STABILIZE THESE STREAM BANKS AS WELL.
SO, UM, HELPING PREVENT EROSION, FURTHER EROSION, ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE AREAS.
SO THIS PROGRAM'S CALLED THE CENTRAL TEXAS FLOODPLAIN REFORESTATION PROGRAM AND, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CONTRACT FALLS UNDER THIS UMBRELLA PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE WORK IN SEVEN COUNTIES TO DO.
UM, WE WORK WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, UM, THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS AND WE GO TO THEIR PRO FOR QUALIFYING APPLICANTS.
WE GO TO THE PROPERTIES AND PROVIDE ONSITE CONSULTATIONS, AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE TREES AND THE PLANTING SERVICES.
UM, SO EACH ACRE THAT WE PLANT IS ESTIMATED TO GENERATE ABOUT 106 TONS OF, UM, CARBON OUTTA THE ATMOSPHERE OVER A 25 YEAR PERIOD.
AND SO THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO OFFSET THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE FOR ALL CENTRAL TEXANS.
AND SO HERE WE HAVE A MAP OF ALL THE PROPERTIES WE'VE PLANTED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SO FAR OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THEM ARE CLUSTERED, UH, WITHIN THE EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY REGION 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'VE SPENT MOST OF THE TIME.
UH, BUT YEAH, WE'VE DONE ABOUT 56 SITES SO FAR AND ALMOST 240 ACRES PLANTED.
UM, SO IT'S GOING PRETTY WELL.
AND, UM, WE CONT WE'RE PLANNING TO JUST CONTINUE GROWING THE PROGRAM, BUT THERE ARE TWO MAIN LIMITING FACTORS, WHICH IS, UM, LANDOWNERS THAT ARE WILLING TO COMMIT TO THIS 26 YEAR PROJECT AND, UM, AND TREE SUPPLY FOR NA QUALITY NATIVE TREE SUPPLY.
AND THIS IS THE SECTION THAT BEN'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES.
THE IMAGE YOU SEE HERE IS TREE CANOPY COVER, OR THE, ACTUALLY REALLY THE LACK OF TREE CANOPY COVER ALONG THE FLOODPLAINS.
AND THIS IS FOR ALL OF TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE CLEAR EAST WEST DIVIDE WITH THE HILL COUNTRY.
AND SO THIS IS JUST REALLY UNDERSCORING ANA'S PRESENTATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
AND SO VAL'S BEEN RUNNING THIS PROGRAM FOR, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE NEED FOR TREES.
AND IT'S LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? AND WE'RE GONNA NEED A LOT OF TREES AND REALLY A LOT OF SEEDS GROWN TO DO THAT.
AND ULTIMATELY WE'D LIKE TO DOUBLE THE INPUT OF THE PROGRAM OR OUTPUT OF THE PROGRAM IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO WE REALLY STARTED TO DIVE INTO THE WHY, WHY THESE TREES DON'T EXIST.
AND A FEW MAIN REASONS, I'M SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE HEARD SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES BEING A COMMON PROBLEM ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND THAT'S THE SAME THING HERE.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A FEW UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR THE TREES.
UM, MOST TIMES THE NURSERIES DON'T LIKE WHERE WE BUY TREES.
WE TYPICALLY WILL GO TO LIKE A LOCAL GROWER.
THERE'S, THERE'S A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS THAT THEY SPECIALIZE IN GROWING THESE TREES.
UM, BUT EVEN THE ONES THAT WE WANT TO, TO HAVE MAXIMUM DIVERSITY FOR THE TREES THAT WE PLANT, THEY'RE REALLY HARD TO FIND, FIND AND MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE UNPROFITABLE.
UM, AND AS A RESULT, AND AS A RE AS A RESULT OF THESE ISSUES, WE'VE LOST LIKE FIVE OF OUR LA 11 GROWERS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO, WHICH IS TO SAY WE COULD SEE THE WRITING IN THE WALL AND WE WANTED TO FIGURE OUT AN ISSUE.
AND ANA WAS AWARE OF THAT ALSO.
AND THE PROVISION THIS CONTRACT ALLOWED US TO, TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE SEED COLLECTION TOO.
SO THROUGH GRANT FUNDING AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREEN WORKFORCE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM, PART OF THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN AND CONSERVATION CORPS, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM IN A DEEPER LEVEL AND START TO SEE THE VISION FOR WHAT COULD WE DO TO IMPACT THE TREE SUPPLY.
AND THE RESULT OF THAT WORK WAS A VISION FOR A NURSERY OF NURSERIES.
SO THE CONCEPT THERE BEING THAT TREE FOLKS GROWS TREES AND TEACHES OTHERS AND SUPPORTS OTHER GROWERS TO DO SO.
AND THROUGH CONSERVATION CORE WORKS COMING THROUGH THE SEEDS TO TREES PIPELINE FROM WHERE SEEDS ARE COLLECTED OUT IN THE FIELD, THEY'RE GERMINATED GROWN, THEN PLANTED, AND THEN
[00:25:01]
MONITORED.SO THERE'S A, ALL THE PIECES RELATED TO THAT.
UM, IT WAS A, IT'S A BIG VISION AND IT DEFINITELY WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WEREN'T SURE HOW WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO MEET, BUT PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO ACHIEVE AND, AND ACQUIRE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.
UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE AN URBAN FOREST GRANT TO START OFF THE KICKOFF OF THIS NURSERY.
AND IT PAID FOR THINGS LIKE STARTUP MATERIALS, HIRING A PERSON.
AND THE ULTIMATE RESULT IS TO GROW 15,000 TREES.
UH, FOR CONTEXT VOWEL WILL PLANT ABOUT 60 TO 70,000 IN A YEAR.
AND SO SETTING AN, A FAIRLY AMBITIOUS GOAL FOR OUR FIRST YEAR TO HELP SET US UP FOR THE FUTURE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE TRYING TO DOUBLE THE OUTPUT OF THE PROGRAM SO THAT DOUBLING LOOKS LIKE, UH, ABOUT HALF A MILLION TREES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO YEAH, IN ORDER TO REACH THAT 575 ACRES AND WHICH WOULD PRODUCE OVER 60,000 CARBON CREDITS, WE WOULD NEED TO GROW 50 HALF A MILLION TREES AND COLLECT ABOUT 3.5 MILLION SEEDS.
AND IN ORDER TO HELP LIKE THAT BIG VISION, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WHO ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO THIS WORK.
AND WE'VE SUBMITTED A $10 MILLION PROPOSAL TO THE U SS D A TO HELP TO FUND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR PROGRAMMING.
BUT THE CENTER POINT OF THIS IS THE NURSERY AND THE LARGER C C T F R P PROGRAM.
I MENTIONED IT'S AMAZING TO ME TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AND INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT.
WE GET PEOPLE LEFT AND RIGHT WHO ARE, SEE THE PASSION AND SEE THE OPPORTUNITY AND, AND REALLY TO SEE THE NEED.
AND SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO'S CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROJECT TO THIS POINT, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS AND REACH THESE GOALS BECAUSE THE URGENCY IS REALLY CLEAR.
ANA'S GOING TO CLOSE IT OUT FOR US.
SO I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE SCALE OF THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE CONFRONTING HERE.
SO WE HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO AND THE STRATEGIES THAT WE FOLLOW NEED TO MEET THAT SCALE, RIGHT? AND SO HAVING THREE ACRES AT A TIME AND GONNA GET US THERE.
SO REALLY WHAT WE DID WITH THE, THE FLOODPLAIN REFORESTATION, UH, CONTRACT AND ADDING THAT GROWTH PROVISION IS CREATE THE SPACE.
SO ORGANIZATIONS CAN LOOK AT HOW DO WE U HOW COULD THEY USE CITY FUNDING AS SEED MONEY AND THEN MULTIPLY.
THEY ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S ONE MECHANISM BY WHICH THEY CAN REALLY MULTIPLY THE IMPACT.
UM, REALLY IMPORTANT CHALLENGE IS THE RATE AND MAGNITUDE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS HEADING AND IT'S HAPPENING ALREADY IN THE EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY, IS GOING TO IMPACT THOSE STREAMS THAT ARE ALREADY DEGRADED AND HIGHLY VULNERABLE.
SO IT'S, THE CHALLENGE IS PRETTY HIGH AND PROACTIVE RESTORATION REALLY IS CRITICAL.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE JUST LETTING GO AND LET THE LAND HEAL ITSELF.
IT'S NOT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, IT'S NOT REALLY HEALING ITSELF.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, ACTION THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
BUT THE, THE SCALE JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.
AND IT REALLY, IT IS A COLLECTIVE CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL NEED TO MAKE A, YOU KNOW, COME TOGETHER AND BRING OUR CONTRIBUTION.
AND ADDRESSING THE BOTTLENECKS IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, NOT, NOT ALWAYS, WE COME WITH GOOD NEWS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE ANY TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MAKE TIME FOR QUESTIONS, I PROMISE.
UH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'LL, I'LL SAVE MY QUESTIONS TO THE END, BUT, UM, AROUND, AROUND THE HORN HERE, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER ANNA OR SHE FOLKS? YEAH, Y'ALL, UH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION FOR SURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE ON THE EAST SIDE, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE, YOU KNOW, UM, NOT AS GOOD FOR HOUSES 'CAUSE THE SOIL OFTEN CAUSES FOUNDATIONS TO MOVE.
BUT LIKE YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, BETTER FOR, BETTER SUITED FOR AGRICULTURE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RICH SOIL.
UM, I CERTAINLY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROTECTIONS FOR THE, THE EASTERN STREAMS OF THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIES GIVEN HOW MUCH PROTECTION WE HAVE FOR SORT OF THE WEST SIDE WITH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND STUFF LIKE
[00:30:01]
THAT.UM, YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HAVING LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER TERM WOULD BE LIKE, LIKE LAND CONSERVANCIES OR SOME KIND OF LIKE PROTECTED PUBLIC LANDS THAT WE WOULD LIKE PURCHASE, I GUESS AND KEEP NON DEVELOPED.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT? THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIES? WE DO NOT HAVE A PROGRAM FOR LAND ACQUISITION IN EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CITY THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS, THE CLIMATE EQUITY ACTION PLAN IDENTIFIED THAT AS ONE OF THE PRIORITY ACTIONS.
SO THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN WOULD MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE DO NOT HAVE AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND.
AND SO I GUESS THIS IS JUST FOR MY OWN PERSONAL CURIOSITY, WOULD YOU WANNA LIKE BUY LAND THAT'S LIKE AROUND A BUNCH OF STREAMS OR IS THERE LIKE A CERTAIN LIKE AREA WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, IF WE PROTECT THIS AREA, THEN LIKE EVERYTHING'S HUNKY DORY OR GREAT.
WELL, IT WAS A SIMPLIFICATION, RIGHT? BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, IT IS COMPLEX.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE AS A CITY IS THAT WE HAVE PROVISIONS THAT, UH, RESTRICT DEVELOPMENT NEAR THE STREAM.
SO WE HAVE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES AND THE FLOOD PLAIN PROTECTION.
SO THOSE SET ASIDE BY DEFAULT DEVELOP FROM THE, THOSE AREAS TO BE DEVELOPED.
SO IN TERMS OF LAND ACQUISITION, MY, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT CLIMATE EQUITY ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION IS LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE LOOK AT SYNERGIES FOR PARCELS THAT WOULD PLAY MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING PROTECTION OF PERHAPS STREAMS THAT ARE IN BETTER CONDITION, BUT ALSO OTHER GOALS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, CONNECTIVITY, GREEN BELTS, PERHAPS HOUSING, YOU KNOW, SUSTAINABLE OR REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE.
SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT'S LOOKED AT.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEVELOPING A MATRIX THAT WILL LOOK AT MULTIPLE BENEFITS AND MULTIPLE GOALS SO THE CITY CAN MAXIMIZE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL MENTIONED THAT LIKE, UH, FIVE OF 11 OF THE GROWERS I THINK FOR EITHER THE CITY OR TREE FOLKS HAD RECENTLY GONE OUT OF BUSINESS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SORT OF STARTING THIS PROGRAM WITH GRANT MONEY TO UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF FOSTER A NEW SORT OF GROWER SYSTEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY LIKE SUBSIDIES OR PROGRAMS OR GRANTS? EITHER LIKE LOCALLY, I'M SURE LIKE STATE OR FEDERALLY WE PROBABLY DO.
WE LIVE IN TEXAS, SO WHATEVER.
UM, BUT LIKE TO, TO HELP THESE NEO NATIVE TREE GROWERS THAT ALREADY EXIST, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THEY ALWAYS SAY IT'S EASIER TO DESTROY SOMETHING THAN TO BUILD IT.
UH, BUT IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO HELP SUSTAIN SOMETHING THAN TO BUILD IT UNLESS IT'S, UH, A C C PINNACLE, IN WHICH CASE I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, UH, YEAH.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF PROGRAM LIKE THAT THAT Y'ALL THINK LIKE EITHER THAT WE COULD TAKE OR WE COULD HELP TAKE GROWERS, HELP GROWERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OR PERHAPS LIKE ON A LOCAL LEVEL START SOME KIND OF PROGRAM WHERE WE WOULD GIVE GRANTS TO NATIVE TREE GROWERS TO HELP THEM NOT GO OUT OF BUSINESS OR CLOSE DOWN OR WHATEVER? UH, YEAH.
TO FORMER A C C PINNACLE STUDENT HERE, CAN THAT AMEN.
SHOUT THE SOUTH SIDE? NO, CAN DO THAT.
ONE, UM, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I CERTAINLY, I, THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM, THE TREE SHORTAGES IN LIKE THE LABOR SHORTAGES, NUMBER ONE.
AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT YES, INDIRECTLY THROUGH LIKE THE AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS AND THE TEXAS CONSERVATION CORPS SEEMS TO BE, AND THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS LIKE THAT CAN ADDRESS THE WORKFORCE ISSUE THAT THE NURSERIES ARE EXPERIENCING RELATED TO THIS.
THERE'S STILL I THINK, A ROLE FOR A NONPROFIT BECAUSE THOSE TREES ARE NOT REALLY PROFITABLE TREE FOLKS CAN GROW THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO MAKE A PROFIT ON THEM.
AND SO WE CAN ALSO GROW AS MUCH AS OUR PROGRAMMING NEEDS, BUT THEN ALSO GROW ENOUGH FOR THE, THE SPECIALTY PROJECTS LIKE THE LANDSCAPE, DIVINE FIRMS WHO, WHO WANT THOSE LIKE REALLY RARE TREES THAT OTHER PLACES ARE, ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GROW BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE BUSINESS SENSE FOR THEM.
SO YEAH, THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.
AND YEAH, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE LAST J C COMM OR COMMITTEE MEETING, WELL I GUESS I SAID COMMITTEE TWICE, BUT, UH, YEAH, THEY, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE CONSERVATION CORPS AND THEY'RE DOING LIKE REALLY GOOD WORK.
UH, BUT YEAH, SUPER INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
I WAS CURIOUS, UM, IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR TREE SPECIES THAT DOES BEST SPOT CLOSEST TO THE WATER.
THERE'S TONS OF TREE SPECIES
[00:35:01]
OUR PROGRAM, UH, WE USUALLY PLANT AT LEAST 40 DIFFERENT SPECIES.NOW NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE ON THE WATER.
SOME OF THEM ARE MORE ON THE UPLAND AREAS, BUT, UM, YEAH, IF LIKE BALD CYPRESSES, BEAUTY BERRIES, BUTTON, BUSH
AND UM, I GUESS IT MAY HAVE BEEN ANSWERED ALREADY, BUT I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE WAS A MAIN REASON WHY THE LOSS OF THE GROWERS.
IS IT MOSTLY THE PROFITABILITY OF THE TREES? YEAH, FROM WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS TWOFOLD, LIKE THE SUPPLY CHAIN, EVERYTHING'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S ALSO A LOT OF TIMES SOMEONE IS LIKE REALLY PASSIONATE AND NOBODY'S REPLACING THEM.
SO NOBODY, AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE PROJECTS I DIDN'T MENTION OR ONE OF THE PIECES I MENTIONED.
SOME OF, A LOT OF OUR WORK IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS SEED SAVERS AND THEY'RE CAPTURING THE SEEDS BUT ALSO CAPTURING THE STORIES OF THOSE GROWERS.
SO AS THEY ARE RETIRING, MANY OF THEM HAVE RETIRED.
AS THEY'RE RETIRING, WE'RE GOING OUT INTERVIEWING THEM, I SHOULD SAY WE, THE CENTRAL TEXAS SEED SAVERS ARE AND CAPTURING LIKE, OH, HOW DO YOU GROW THE TEXAS MADONE? OR THOSE KIND OF THINGS, THE TREES THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT TO PROPAGATE.
AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20, 30 YEARS.
AND I WILL SAY THEY HAVE BEEN THE MOST GENEROUS GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, IN SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE FOR SURE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS A LITTLE BIT ON THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING.
HOW MUCH OF THIS IS IN SORT OF PRIVATE CONSERVATION LANDS LAND, YOU KNOW, WITH THROUGH LAND TRUSTS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND HOW MUCH OF IT IS PUBLIC? UM, MOST OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE PLANT ARE FOR PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.
UM, NOW THEY'RE NOT ALL NECESSARILY UNDER LIKE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR ANYTHING, AND ACTUALLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE ARE.
UM, BUT WE, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE PROPERTIES ALREADY HAVE A FULL FOREST AND ARE ALREADY DOING REALLY GREAT.
SO IT'S REALLY, UM, TRYING TO CONVINCE LIKE THE FARMERS AND RANCHERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE AREAS, UM, TO CONVERT THEIR CREEKS INTO FORESTS.
WHAT'S THAT LIKE
THEY, I MEAN, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY LOVES, WELL MOST PEOPLE LOVE TREES, SO THAT'S PRETTY EASY.
UM, IT'S MOSTLY LIKE KIND OF GETTING PEOPLE TO GRASP THE CONCEPT OF LIKE NO LONGER MOWING ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS AND IT'S GONNA LOOK KIND OF UGLY FOR A FEW YEARS IF YOU'RE USED TO LIKE A MANICURED LOOK.
BUT ONCE THOSE TREES DO START TO GROW, THEN UM, YEAH, YOU'LL HAVE A FOREST EVENTUALLY.
OUR OUTREACH, WE DO MAILERS, WE DO SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE DO LOTS OF TABLING EVENTS AS WELL AS, UM, LOTS OF UM, WORD OF MOUTH THROUGH OUR PART, OUR PARTNERS AND STUFF.
I'M HOPING WE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO SHARE AS WELL, IF YOU CAN CIRCULATE.
UM, I ASSUME THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED LIKE A CAPITAL PROJECT IF YOU, IF WE WANTED TO BUY LAND AND, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKE A LARGE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT, WE WOULD'VE TO GO OUT FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I AM GOING TO SKIP THAT QUESTION.
IT'S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE
A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT WITH, YOU KNOW, AS WE, WE MENTIONED, THE, THE CLIMATE EQUITY ACTION PLAN IS LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, OF THAT MAGNITUDE.
'CAUSE I MEAN, IF IT WERE GOING TO BE PARK LAND, THEN THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT WE WOULD GO OUT FOR.
UH, TO PAY FOR THE SPECIFIC FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT THAT IS NEEDED.
AND WHAT ABOUT TRAVIS COUNTY? BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS PROBABLY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S, UH, YOU KNOW, CITY MM-HMM.
SO WE DO WORK WITH TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS.
UM, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM, THE PILOT PROGRAM, WE PLANTED ABOUT 20 ACRES FOR THEM ON ONE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND THERE WERE SOME STAFF ROLE CHANGES.
AND NOW, UM, THE WOMAN APRIL ROSE, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE LAND STEWARDSHIP ON THE PARKS, SHE'S ACTUALLY A FORMER TREE FOLK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AS WELL,
SO, UM, WE'RE WORKING, WE'RE GONNA START WORKING WITH HER.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF ACRES.
UM, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE STREAMS THAT, UM, NEED REFORESTATION ON THEM.
[00:40:01]
REGIONAL APPROACH, LIKE LOOKING AT BASTROP AND MAYBE BRINGING IN CAP COG OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT? YEAH, UM, ACTUALLY THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.WE HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY LIKE BROUGHT IN CAP COG, BUT WE DO USE THEIR, MOST OF THEIR REGION, THEIR LIKE PLANNING REGION FOR, UM, AREAS THAT FOR, UH, PROGRAM AREAS.
'CAUSE YOU ALREADY MENTIONED THAT YOU DID SOME WORK IN BASTROP AFTER THE FIRES.
SO, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT, UH, WANNA MENTION ABOUT THE NONPROFITS NOT BEING TIED TO THE SAME CONSTRAINTS THAT LIKE THE CITY HAS FOR LIKE FUNDING ALLOCATION.
SO THE CITY WITH THE FLOOD PLAIN REFORESTATION CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE IS THE SLIVER OF WHAT THEY DO.
AND IT FUNDS THE REFORESTATION OF PUBLIC PARCELS.
THEY HAVE, THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER PROJECT AND PROGRAM AND THEY, THEY DO PLAN IN MANY COUNTIES.
AND SO, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS COLLECTIVE IMPACT.
BUT YEAH, THE, THE REGIONAL APPROACH IS ONE THAT WE HOPE THAT'S THE WAY TO GO.
'CAUSE THE DATA IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS A ORIGINAL CHALLENGE.
YOU GUYS GOT ANY QUESTIONS? SURE.
THIS IS MELINDA SHIRA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I SAW THAT YOU HAD, UM, ABOUT 600 VOLUNTEERS LISTED AND I WANTED TO SEE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THOSE VOLUNTEER ROLES HAVE BEEN WITH TREE FOLKS AND THIS PROJECT? YEAH, YEAH.
WE HAVE, THERE'S SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE, LIKE PLANTING TREES.
WE DO THE READY SET PLANT PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERSHED WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE A 10 TO 12 EVENTS PER YEAR WHERE FOLKS CAN COME OUT AND PLANT BABY TREES ALONG RIPARIAN AREAS, CREEKS AND STREAMS. THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, TABLING OR SERVING AT OUR ADOPTION EVENTS.
SO THOSE ARE WHERE WE WORK TO HAND OUT FREE TREES TO RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND BEYOND.
AND THEN FOR THIS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY, A LOT OF THE WORK IS AROUND SEED COLLECTION AND ALSO WORKING IN THE NURSERY.
SO WE'VE, WE'RE JUST STARTING UP THE, UH, HAVING A WEEKLY VOLUNTEER EFFORTS AT THE NURSERY.
AND THEN IF YOU, YOU CAN DONATE SEEDS AT ANY TIME.
SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP A DECENTRALIZED PIPELINE TO COLLECT THOSE SEEDS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THE THREE AND A HALF MILLION SEEDS ARE NEEDED.
AND SO THAT COULD BE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT LIKE, LEVELS OF QUALITY, SO THAT COULD BE LIKE WILD COLLECTED OR IT COULD BE IN PARKS OR IT COULD BE IN YOUR YARD.
AND WE USE THEM FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAM PURPOSES IN OUR PROGRAMMING.
YES, THAT SOUNDS REALLY AWESOME.
I'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SEED COLLECTION AND, AND SHARING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
JUST SEND IT TO THE, THE, THE PORTAL ELIZABETH FUNK OVER THERE.
UM, AND SHE'LL GET EVERYTHING TO US.
AND I'M ASSUMING A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION'S ON Y'ALL'S WEBSITE AS WELL, CORRECT? YES, IT'S RIGHT.
BUT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SPOON, FEED IT TO US AND WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, SPREAD IT OUT.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION FOLKS.
UH, WE'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, FROM PARD ON THE, UH, LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
UH, DOES THIS, WHAT YOU'RE DOING OVERLAP WITH ANYTHING THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH AT ALL? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO.
IF I MAY, I I WOULD SAY ONLY THAT, UH, SO THIS IS A REFORESTATION PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE, THE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT THAT IS FOR PRESERVES.
IF IT INCLUDES OPPORTUNITIES, WE WILL FOR SURE JUMP IN.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE NOT EXPLORED PERSONAL SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS IN THE PLAN, BUT THERE, I'M SURE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES.
I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL, SO YES, FOR SURE.
WE'RE LIKE, THUMBS UP,
WELL, THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLANT, IF I INTERPRET IT CORRECTLY, IS MAINLY DIRECTED AT, UH, PARCELS THAT ARE OWNED BY PARD AND THEY'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON MANAGING THOSE ACTIVELY IN ONE MANNER OR ANOTHER.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT YOU'RE DOING ARE, YOU KNOW, INVOLVE PROPERTY THAT'S OWNED BY PART OR NOT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY I ASKED.
MOST OF THE PARCELS THAT WE'VE RE FORESTED SO FAR ARE PARKLAND.
UH, IT ALSO INCLUDES A, A FEW PARCELS THAT ARE, UM, MANAGED BY THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY.
[00:45:01]
BUT MOST OF, MOST OF THE REAL ESTATE FOR FLOOD PLAIN OPPORTUNITY, FLOOD PLAIN REFORESTATION OPPORTUNITIES ARE WITHIN PARKLAND.SO WE HAVE AN ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP AND WE CHECK CAN WE PLANT IN YOUR PARKS KIND OF
WELL I WOULD SUGGEST YOU READ THE, UH, LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FROM PARK AND SEE HOW YES, SIR.
THANKS Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION AND I DEFINITELY WILL BE SHOWING UP WITH SOME SEEDS ON YOUR DOORSTEP.
YOU EVEN GOT A LITTLE CIRCLE HERE ON MY NOTES.
UM, SO, UM, FIRST OFF, I DO WANNA FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAD ABOUT, UM, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS.
UM, THE, UM, THE BONDS THAT ARE COMING UP, UH, WILL BE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL TO PURCHASE MORE PARKS ALONG THOSE EASTERN CRESCENT CREEK WAYS.
UM, FOLLOW UP TO YOUR BOND QUESTION, YES, BONDS CAN BE USED STILL FOR LAND AND ACQUISITION, BUT NO MORE FOR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
SO, UM, THAT HAS TO COME FROM A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
UM, AND SO YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEGRADATION OF THE CREEK BEDS AND UH, I WANNA GO EVEN A LITTLE BIT FARTHER ON THAT.
I HAVE WATCHED THE HEADWATERS OF HARRIS CREEK JUST COMPLETELY DETERIORATE.
AND THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE UPSTREAM A, UM, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BUILT THEIR RETENTION PONDS POORLY.
AND THAT'S ALL IT TOOK WAS ONE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO COMPLETELY TAKE A, A STREAM THAT WAS FAIRLY LEVEL, UM, TO A 16 FOOT VALLEY MM-HMM.
THAT'S HOW QUICKLY THESE STREAMS CAN BE REALLY, REALLY DEGRADATED.
AND I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT FROM FIRSTHAND WATCHING THAT HAPPEN.
UM, IT WAS REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, PRETTY, PRETTY SOBERING, UM, TO WATCH THAT, UM, FALL APART.
UM, SO, AND THEN ALSO TO WATCH THE AMOUNT OF TRASH, UM, THAT BUILT UP IN THOSE, YOU KNOW, REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND, AND, AND HOLD IT THERE.
SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT, UM, FIRST I WANT TO ASK Y'ALL SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, INVASIVE REMOVAL, INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PLAN ON THAT, UH, TO GET THOSE OUT OF THE CANOPY BEFORE REPLANTING SOME OF THE OTHER CANOPY.
TYPICALLY FOR THE AREAS THAT WE'RE PLANTING, THERE'S NO EXISTING CANOPY LIKE, AND, AND OTHER PLACE.
IN OTHER INSTANCES, WE WILL, WHEN WE WORK WITH WATERSHED, THEY WILL HAVE EITHER THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS OR TEXAS CONSERVATION CORPS COME THROUGH AND DO THAT WORK BEFORE WE WOULD GO IN AND PLANT THE TREES.
SO IT'S EITHER NOT HAVING CANOPY OR IF IT'S ON CITY OF AUSTIN LAND, THEN WATERSHED USUALLY TAKES CARE, WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.
ANYTHING TO ADD? YEAH, SO MOST OF THE AREAS WHERE WE DO HAVE INVASIVE SPECIES TO MANAGE, LIKE CAN CANOP BE DOMINATED, TYPICALLY LEG STROUM IS THE, THE MAIN CULPRIT HERE.
UM, SO THERE'S SEVERAL MECHANISMS EITHER WITH, UH, ACTIVE CREW INVOLVEMENT OR THROUGH THE ADOPTED CREEK PROGRAM, AND THEY GET INVOLVED WITH A LONG-TERM, UH, RELATIONSHIP, UH, WITH, WITH THE STREAM THEY ADOPT.
AND THEN INCLUDING REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES BEFORE WE CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT PLANTING, UH, SAPLINGS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THERE AND THEY WILL JUST GET, YOU KNOW, SHADED OUT AND THERE.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANNA ASK A QUESTION.
UM, AS FAR AS THE CARBON CREDITS, WHO IS, WHO HAS BEEN, WHO'S THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS FROM THAT? IS IT THE CITY? IS IT? OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO THE LANDOWNERS DONATE THE CARBON CREDITS TO TREE FOLKS.
SO THEN THAT'S KIND OF, 'CAUSE SINCE WE DO FOR PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, IT'S ALL, EVERYTHING'S FREE OF FREE OF CHARGE, THE SERVICES, UM, THEN THAT'S KIND OF THEIR PAYMENT IS TO DONATE THE CARBON CREDITS TO TREE FOLKS.
AND WE HANDLE ALL THE FILINGS AND PAPERWORK AND ALL THE FEES AND KEEP UP WITH ALL THE REPORTS EVERY YEAR THAT ARE, UM, DUE FOR THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S EXCITING FOR Y'ALL.
THAT, THAT, THAT IS BEING STARTED.
UM, AND THEN, SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE TREES AND ALONG THE REPAIRING AREAS, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AS YOU COME UP INTO THE, THE PRAIRIES THEMSELVES, TELL US A LITTLE, I MEAN, IS THERE A PLAN TO ALSO TAKE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF HERE'S THE CREEK BED COMING UP INTO THE UPLANDS WHERE YOU'RE ALSO THEN HAVING MORE OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, NATIVE PLANTS AND PRAIRIE GRASSES AND STUFF IN THE UPLANDS?
[00:50:01]
OR IS THAT LIKE KIND OF A PHASE TWO OR THREE? SO THE CONTRACT INCLUDES SITTING WITH NATIVE GRASSES 'CAUSE THEY DO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FLOOD PLAINS.WE DO NOT HAVE PLANS TO MOVE OUTWARDS FROM THE FLOOD LANE.
LIKE THIS IS FOCUSED ON, ON THE, UM, THE FLOOD LANES AND THE STREAM CORRIDORS.
THE BLACKLINE PRAIRIE IS AN AREA, YOU KNOW, IT IS GRASSLAND AND UH, IT IS HEAVILY USED STILL.
AND, AND SO WE DON'T, YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN FOR RESTORING THOSE.
I AM SURE PART OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT INCLUDES PRAIRIE RESTORATION, UH,
I HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THOSE TWO PRESERVE, SO YEAH.
BUT, BUT IT'S NOT PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ALTHOUGH THE CONTRACT INCLUDES ADDING SEED NATIVE SEED TO THE, TO THE CORRIDORS.
THANKS FOR ALL Y'ALL ARE DOING.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT WORK.
I GUESS IF YOU COULD ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE LANDOWNER PART.
ABOUT 25 YEARS, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE TREES THERE OR KIND OF WHAT'S THE FRAMEWORK OF THAT SO WE BETTER UNDERSTAND AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOES? YEAH, SO, UM, EACH CARBON CREDIT PROJECTS PROJECT
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT NUMBER COMES FROM.
AND, UM, YEAH, SO BASICALLY WE'VE PUT A, WE FILE A DEEDED AMENDMENT ON A DEED COVENANT ON EACH PROPERTY THAT WE PLANT FOR.
AND OF COURSE THE LANDOWNER AGREES TO THAT.
AND SO THEN IT FOLLOWS THE LANDOWNER.
IF IT DOES CHANGE HANDS, UM, THE TREES ARE PROTECTED AND THERE'S LIKE A FEE FOR REMOVING THE TREES, UM, WITHIN THAT PERIOD.
UM, AND THEN, UH, MY LAST QUESTION ON THE OTHER QUESTION ON IS FOR YOU, I MEAN, A LOT OF PROJECTS COME TO US, UH, THAT YOU, YOU KNOW THIS, BUT, UM, THAT ARE IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE, UM, WHERE MAYBE THEY'RE HAVING AN ENCROACHMENT IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE OR THERE THERE'S DEGRADATION OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
ARE THERE ANY FINDINGS IN THE REPORT OR, YOU KNOW, BEST PRACTICES THAT YOU COULD GIVE US FOR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT, AT RECOMMENDATIONS OR MOTIONS RELATED TO THOSE? I MEAN, RELATED TO THE, THE FLOODPLAINS IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE, UH, I THINK THE FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION PROVISIONS, SO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTORATION ARE PRETTY SOLID.
UH, THEY ONLY KICK IN WHEN WE ARE, WHEN THE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS REQUESTS FOR MODIFYING THE FLOOD LINK MM-HMM.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT, UH, LOOKS AT WHEN THERE IS A PROPOSED ELEMENT THAT LOOKS AT THE CONDITION OF THE CORRIDOR AND KICKS IN REGARDLESS OF FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION OR NOT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL NEED TO EXAMINE MORE CAREFULLY.
I HONESTLY DON'T HAVE AN IDEA.
HOW WOULD, HOW WOULD THAT BE INCORPORATED? UM, THE ACTIVE RESTORATION COMPONENT OF A, OF, OF IT AT ALL? IT IS, IT IS NEEDED, BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE MECHANISMS WOULD BE.
WE DO HAVE RECIPES OF HOW TO GO ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS, BUT THE POLICY LINKAGE IS, IS WE'LL NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO, HOW TO GET THAT.
YEAH, I, YEAH, I, I PRESUME THAT THAT WAS GONNA BE THE ANSWER, BUT I WAS HOPE, I WAS HOPEFUL OTHERWISE.
UM, WE'LL COME BACK WITH SOMETHING FOR YOU IF, IF, IF IT EXISTS OR IF YOU HAVE IDEAS THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE AND MORE PROJECTS GOING ON IN THAT AREA AS YOU KNOW.
UM, UH, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT IN, IN SOME, UH, PODS WE HAVE INCORPORATED ELEMENTS AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY IN THE PAST, AND THOSE I, I THINK, HAVE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL, UH, APPROACHES.
SO WHEN IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRIGGERED BY FLOOD FLOW MODIFICATION, BUT BY THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER PIECE THAT COMES TO MIND IN TERMS OF A MECHANISM TO TRIGGER TO TRIGGER THOSE.
IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW ANY PUDS THAT YOU LIKE HOW THEY WORKED OUT, UM, IN THAT REGARD, PLEASE POINT US TO THEM SO WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE, SOME OF THOSE CONDITIONS.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH GUYS, VERY MUCH.
YEAH, PETER, I, I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS NEXUS BETWEEN THE RESTORATION OF THE RIPARIAN AREAS AND THE IMPACT ON FLOODING.
UM, JUST BECAUSE IT, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT SAVES PROPERTY, BUT IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, OPENS UP POTS OF MONEY THAT COULD BE USED TO RESTORE THE RIPARIAN AREAS, YOU KNOW, SOME, YOU KNOW, HOMELAND SECURITY, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TYPE MONEY.
ANY, ANY OTHER FINAL QUESTIONS, GUYS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CAN I JUST SAY ONE MORE THING? SORRY.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IT HAS BEEN, THIS IS LIKE TEAMWORK AND ONE OF, ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT
[00:55:01]
HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING THIS CONTRACTS, LIKE THIS ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS JOHN CLEMENT.I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE HE WAS THE PREVIOUS MANAGER OF THE WHOLE THING.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE CONTRACT, WE THOUGHT REAL HARD ON HOW TO MAKE THEM BE PART OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
SO KUDOS, JUST WANNA CREDIT WHERE KAREN IS.
[5. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a recommendation on the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) Land Management Guide for parkland natural areas – Amanda Ross, Division Manager, and Matt McCaw, Program Manager, PARD (30 minutes)]
ON, UH, TO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS.UH, NUMBER FIVE, A PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION ON THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT'S LAND MANAGEMENT GUIDE FOR PARKLAND AND NATURAL AREAS.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A, A PRESENTATION AND THEN, UH, UM, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
THE LITTLE GREEN LIGHT'S ON THEN.
WELL I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE PLANNED THAT BETTER.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AT WATERSHED PROTECTION FOR THE WONDERFUL INTRO.
I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I'M KIND OF JUST SETTING THE STAGE FOR OUR, UH, TRUE PRESENTER ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHAT, WHAT ANNA HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF LAND IN THE CITY, UM, A LOT OF PARKLAND THAT IS, THAT IS FAIRLY DEGRADED AND WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY DONE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT ON A FAIR AMOUNT OF THAT PARKLAND.
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT A SHIFT TO MORE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT FOR THE HEALTH OF THOSE ECOSYSTEMS, FOR OUR LONG-TERM RESILIENCY IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOPEFULLY FOR PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY LONG-TERM SO THAT GENERATIONS ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO ENJOY THIS LAND.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, AND HOW WE GOT HERE.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AT WATERSHED FOR THAT LOVELY INTRO AND FOR THE SUPPORT AND FEEDBACK AND REVIEW OF THE PLAN THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THIS TIME AS WELL.
I WANTED TO ALSO SHARE THAT WE HAVE, UM, OUR PARTNERS FROM THE BALCONES CANYONLAND, UM, WITH US HERE TONIGHT AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE SHERRY KOOL, WHO IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE OFFICER WITH AUSTIN WATER, AND WE HAVE, UM, KIMBERLY HARVEY, WHO IS THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS CONSERVATION PLAN COORDINATING SECRETARY WITH US AS WELL.
SO IF THERE'S SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON B C P THAT THEY COULD HELP US WITH THOSE AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE HAVE MATT MCCALL, WHO IS OUR PROGRAM MANAGER.
HE'S OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
HE HAS 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, UM, AS A BIOLOGIST, AS A, AN ECOLOGIST.
HE'S THE MOST RECENT, UM, FORMER PRESIDENT FOR THE SOCIETY FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, UM, WITHIN, UM, OUR AREA.
AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO, UH, TO KIND OF HAVE HIM TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PLAN, THIS GUIDING DOCUMENT AND, AND SOME OF THE SHIFT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING, UH, TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS, UH, LAND MANAGEMENT, UH, GUIDE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UH, I HAVE A POWERPOINT THERE.
WE'RE, UH, I THINK WE CAN, ANYWAY, UM, THANKS AMANDA.
MATT MCCAW, PROGRAM MANAGER FOR A PARDON LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S A FAIRLY NEW PROGRAM STARTED IN 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE, UH, A LOT OF THINGS, UH, BUT MOST RECENTLY THE 2019 WILDFIRE AUDIT, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT, UH, IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO, UH, FIRST, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND ALSO APOLOGIES.
UH, IF YOU HEARD THIS PRESENTATION LAST WEEK, UH, TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
UM, A JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
SO A NATURAL AREA, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A NATURAL AREA, IT IS ANY SORT OF LAND AREA WITH MOSTLY NATURAL CHARACTER DOMINATED BY NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, UH, APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF ALL PARK LAND TODAY IS DEDICATED AND PROTECTED IN NATURAL AREA OF SOME FORM OR ANOTHER,
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UH, SUCH AS NATURE PRESERVES GREEN BELT OR, UH, PIECES OF OTHER LARGE OR SMALL PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.UH, IT'S ROUGHLY 12 THOU OVER 12,000 ACRES OF PARKLAND IS, IS NATURAL AREA OF SOME TYPE.
UH, THEY PROVIDE CRITICAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, UM, WHICH YOU'RE ALL AWARE, UH, TOP OF MIND FOR PARKS ARE IN THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN THE HUMAN HEALTH AND WELLBEING REALM.
SO THAT WOULD BE PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL STABILITY, COMMUNITY CONNECTEDNESS, THAT SORT OF THING, ALONG WITH WATER QUALITY, AIR CLIMATE REGULATION, A LOT OF OTHER SUITE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.
SO JUST THE PIE GRAPHS ARE THE BREAKDOWN, AS I MENTIONED, SORT OF ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF ALL PARKLAND IS NATURAL AREA OF SOME TYPE.
THE BALANCE IS BUILT OR ACTIVELY MAINTAINED SUCH AS BALL FIELD, SPORTS FIELD.
UH, THE BUDGET, HOWEVER, IS, UH, NEGLIGIBLE MANAGED FOR MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL AREAS.
UM, I DON'T MEAN TO INSINUATE THAT THE THE BUDGET SHOULD BE REFLECTIVE OF THE ACREAGE DISTRIBUTION, BUT I'M JUST POINTING OUT THAT, UM, SO FAR ABOUT 0.2% OF OUR BUDGET IS DEDICATED TOWARDS THREE QUARTERS OF OUR LANDS.
UH, THIS HAS LED TO CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF DEGRADATION THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM, UH, MO BECAUSE LACK OF MANAGEMENT, MOST NATURAL AREAS HAVE NOT BEEN MANAGED FOR ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND, UH, ARE THUS THREATENED, UM, BY, UH, EXTREME HEAT, UH, DROUGHT, DISEASE, WILDFIRE.
ALL OF THESE, UH, THREATS ARE CURRENTLY BEING EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND POSE CERTAIN RISKS TO THE PARKS THEMSELVES AND TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
THE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AUDIT, THIS WAS, UH, A REVIEW CONDUCTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR IN 2019.
IT FOUND THAT PAR AT THE TIME DOES, DID NOT, AND WE STILL DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MANAGE PARKLAND NATURAL AREAS, UH, TO ADDRESS WILDFIRE RISK.
UM, THE SOLUTION BROADLY, UH, SEEMS TO BE THE THEME FOR THE NIGHT, WHICH IS ACTIVE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.
UH, THE, THE AUDIT, UM, FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT PARD, UH, CREATE AND IMPLEMENT LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS WITH A PRIORITY ON WHAT IT REFERRED TO AS HIGH RISK PROPERTIES.
THE RESPONSE, UH, FROM PARD TO THAT AUDIT WAS TO CREATE A LAND MANAGEMENT TEAM AND ALSO TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
SO I WAS, UH, PART RECLASSIFIED TWO POSITIONS INTERNALLY, I WAS HIRED ON AS THE PROGRAM MANAGER TO BEGIN STANDING UP THAT LAND MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AND SINCE DAY ONE, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, THIS LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE FINALLY BRINGING IT TO FRUITION SO WE CAN PUT IT INTO ACTION.
UH, I'LL POINT OUT THIS, UH, INITIATIVE IS NOT SOLELY IN RESPONSE.
IT'S NOT INDEPENDENTLY RELATED ONLY TO THE, THIS WILDFIRE AUDITS RELATED TO A HANDFUL OF INITIATIVES, PLANS, DIRECTIVES, ET CETERA.
THIS IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLING.
I'LL CALL OUT THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
WELL, THERE ARE MANY GOALS RELATED TO THIS INITIATIVE.
TWO SPECIFICALLY, UH, UH, ONE TO MANAGE NATURAL AREAS FOR RESILIENCE.
UH, AND GOAL FOUR IS TO INCLUDE ALSO YOUNG LANDS UNDER A MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT RESULTS IN NEGATIVE CARBON EMISSIONS AND, UH, MULTIPLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
OTHER INITIATIVES, I'LL JUST CALL OUT.
SO THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY, C W P P.
WE CALL IT COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
UH, OUR PARKS LONG RANGE PLAN FOR 2020 TO 2030, UH, NINE PARKS VISION PLANS, UH, THE AUSTIN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND STRENGTHS AND GAPS ANALYSIS, UH, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION'S HEALTHY PARKS PLAN.
AND I'M SURE THERE ARE JUST AS MANY THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MENTION.
THE POINT HERE IS THAT, UH, WE, HERE, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CLEAR ABOUT WHAT, UH, IS NEEDED AND DESIRED, AND WE HAVE A CLEAR MANDATE, UH, TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO DELIVER ON THAT.
SO THE SCOPE, UH, THE FIRST STEP IN CREATING ANY SORT OF GUIDING DOCUMENT LIKE THIS IS DECIDING WHAT IS IN AND WHAT'S NOT.
UH, THE AUDIT LANGUAGE DIRECTED PART TO CREATE LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS, PLURAL.
HOWEVER, UH, THAT CAN BE A BIT INEFFICIENT.
UH, THERE IS CERTAIN COMMUN, THERE'S A CERTAIN ECONOMIES OF SCALE HERE.
AND SO WE REALIZED EARLY ON IT'S ONE PARK SYSTEM.
WE CAN CREATE ONE PLAN AND MAKE IT A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, UH, DOCUMENT AND PROCESS.
[01:05:01]
A LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.AS I SAID, ABOUT 25% OF OUR LANDS ARE DEVELOPED OR BUILT.
SO WE WENT THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS, UH, INTERNALLY TO DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT PARKS OR PIECES OF PARKS ARE.
UH, IN THIS PLAN, WE, WE CAME UP WITH OVER 10,000 ACRES OF NATURAL AREAS.
THAT'S A, IF YOU DON'T THINK IN TERMS OF ACRES, THAT'S ABOUT 15 SQUARE MILES, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AREA AND A BIG CHUNK OF THE UT CAMPUS AND A BIG CHUNK OF SOUTH AUSTIN AS WELL.
UM, ALL PARD NATURE PRESERVES AND PARD PORTIONS OF THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS PRESERVES ARE INCLUDED.
WE, WE ALSO LOOK FOR CONTIGUOUS NATURAL AREAS OF ABOUT 75 TO A HUNDRED ACRES AT LEAST.
THE IDEA HERE IS THAT LARGE CONTIGUOUS NATURAL AREAS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, ECONOMICAL TO ACTIVELY MANAGE AND RESTORE THAN SMALL DISJUNCT FRAGMENTED PIECES.
UH, IT EXCLUDES THOSE SMALL DISJUNCT FRAGMENTED PIECES, NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VALUABLE, BUT, BUT JUST BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE MORE DIFFICULT AND LESS ECONOMICAL TO MANAGE.
AND, AND WE REALLY NEEDED TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND SO THIS 10, THIS IS 10,000 ACRES OF LOW HANGING FRUIT, ESSENTIALLY.
UM, IT ALLOWED US ALSO TO CREATE LARGE MANAGEMENT COMPLEXES.
UH, WE CAN START TREATING NATURAL SYSTEMS AS NATURAL SYSTEMS WITHOUT REGARD FOR INTERNAL, UM, REAL ESTATE, ARBITRARY REAL ESTATE BOUNDARIES.
UH, I'LL, I'LL MENTION JUST QUICKLY SINCE WE HAVE OUR B C P COLLEAGUES UP HERE.
UH, THE, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE MAP, SO THE, THE GREEN IS ALL OF THE LANDS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE OF THIS PLAN.
ORANGE IS ALCON'S CANYON LANDS PRESERVE, I, THAT LOOKS LIKE ALL OF THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE, NOT JUST AUSTIN'S PORTION.
THE BLUE IS ALL OF THE DO THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS, B C P AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS ARE MANAGED BY AUSTIN WATER NOT PARK.
UM, AND WE WERE VERY CAREFUL IN THIS PLAN TO CLARIFY THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE, THE ORGANIZATION AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS PRESERVE STAYS IN PLACE.
THOUGH THE, THE B C P IS ACTUALLY TIED TO FEDERAL PERMITS THAT ARE, THAT SUPERSEDE A PLAN OF THIS TYPE.
UH, AND THEN WITH THOSE PARK LANDS THAT ARE PART OF THE B C P, WE STILL MANAGE WITHIN THE, UH, WITHIN ALL THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OF THE B C P AND HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THE STAFF.
SO THESE ARE THE BASIC COMPONENTS.
FIVE MAJOR COMPONENTS TYPICALLY ARE IN A PLAN LIKE THIS.
SO SITE ANALYSIS, UM, USUALLY A COUP, A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS.
I'LL COME BACK TO THE CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS.
THAT'S FAIRLY INNOVATIVE, UH, THAT, THAT WE DID AS PART OF THIS PLAN.
MANAGEMENT GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND MONITORING.
SO, SITE ANALYSIS IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW ON THE GROUND IN OUR CURRENT CHALLENGES.
CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS.
WE'RE LIVING CLIMATE VULNERABILITY, AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT CONTEXT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING IN SEVERAL DECADES FROM NOW.
SO THESE ARE OUR FUTURE CHALLENGES.
MANAGEMENT GOALS ARE THE SPECIFIC VEGETATIVE COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, THE LITERATURE INDICATES ARE GONNA BE MOST RESILIENT IN THE COMING DECADES.
SO THOSE ARE SPECIFIC VEGETATION TYPES THAT WE'LL BE MANAGING TOWARD.
RESTORATION STRATEGIES ARE HOW WE'RE GONNA ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.
AND THEN MONITORING DIRECTION IS HOW WE'RE GONNA EVALUATE PROGRESS.
I THINK I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE THAT'S GONNA TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS.
SO JUST A LITTLE, CAN I, I'LL GO BACK ONE MORE THOUGH.
UM, THE IDEA HERE IS, SO I'M TRAINED AS A SCIENTIST, AS A BIOLOGIST, AS A RESTORATION ECOLOGIST, AS A PRACTITIONER.
I'VE PUBLISHED A BIT, UM, ANYONE WHO HAS DUG INTO THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE, I KNOW THESE FOLKS OVER HERE HAVE A LOT.
UH, SCIENCE NEVER TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO, UH, AND IT RAISES MORE QUESTIONS THAN IT EVER ANSWERS.
AND SO IF WHEN WE DIG INTO THE LIT THE LITERATURE AND TRY AND MAKE DECISIONS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
UM, THE LITERATURE NEVER GIVES YOU A MAP AND SAYS, GO WORK HERE.
AND SO WE REALIZED EARLY ON, ACTUALLY BEFORE I CAME TO PAR, I REALIZED WE NEEDED SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, UH, CREATE, UM, SOME CUSTOM VULNERABILITY INDICES USING SOME, UM, SIMPLE, UH, ALGORITHMIC APPROACH.
SO FIRST, WE WERE ABLE TO DIG INTO THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE AND IDENTIFY THE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE VULNERABILITY.
WHEN WE DID THAT, WE REALIZED, WELL, VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE ARE AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF A SPECTRUM.
[01:10:01]
SO ONCE YOU DEFINE AND MAP VULNERABILITY, YOU HAVE CONVERSELY DEFINED AND MAPPED RESILIENCE.WE WERE ABLE TO USE THOSE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM TO CREATE INDICES BY UNDERSTANDING HOW THOSE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS AFFECT VULNERABILITY, CREATE SOME INDICES, CREATE A MAP WITH SOME FANCY G I SS, COLOR CODED APPROPRIATELY.
AND THEN THERE WE HAVE OUR BASIC, UH, FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL MAP OF AREAS OF PARKLAND THAT ARE MORE OR LESS VULNERABLE, MORE OR LESS RESILIENT ACCORDING TO ESSENTIALLY HOW WE'VE DEFINED IT.
UM, THE COOL THING ABOUT THAT IS THOSE ARE ALL PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM THAT ARE MEASURABLE.
SO AS WE MANAGE OR DON'T MANAGE, WE CAN MEASURE AND QUANTIFY THAT CHANGE IN VULNERABILITY OR RESILIENCE OVER TIME TO KNOW IF WE'RE BEING SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.
OKAY, NOW WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I, I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO HANG ON THAT BECAUSE THAT IS FAR AS WE KNOW, HASN'T BEEN DONE IN THIS COUNTRY.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL, AND IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO POSITION THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN PART IN THAT WAY.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF COMMUNITY INPUT TO GO ON.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED ALL THOSE VISION PLANS, LONG RANGE PLAN, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, CLIMATE, UH, WILDFIRE AUDIT, C W P P.
UM, WE HAVE VERY CLEAR INPUT AS TO WHAT THE DELIVERABLE NEEDED TO LOOK LIKE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN, WE, UH, WE COMMUNICATED WITH AND ENGAGED WITH AT LEAST 50 STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
ESSENTIALLY, OUR ENTIRE PARD ROLODEX WAS INVITED TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE WE KEPT THEM IN THE LOOP, GAUGED THEIR FEEDBACK.
THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE, UH, FROM ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, WHO CAME TO THESE MEETINGS WAS TWOFOLD.
IT'S HOW CAN WE HELP? SO THAT WAS ENCOURAGING.
THIS COMMUNITY INPUT WILL CONTINUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE, I'LL BE HONEST, PAR HASN'T DONE THIS BEFORE AND WE'RE LEARNING AS WE GO, BUT THE CONCEPT IS THIS PLAN, AS IT'S CALLED, IS REALLY MORE OF A GUIDING DOCUMENT.
IT'S OUR SUMMATION OF OUR BODY OF KNOWLEDGE, UH, TO GUIDE US GOING FORWARD.
BUT IT DOESN'T EXACTLY TELL US WHAT TO DO, WHERE, WHEN, HOW ALL OF THAT WILL COME OUT IN WORK PLANS.
THESE WORK PLANS ARE ESSENTIALLY LIKE ROLLING FIVE YEAR WORK PLANS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE DETAIL HAPPENS.
IT'S, IT'S AN EXCRUCIATING LEVEL OF DETAIL DOWN TO, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW HIGH YOU CAN LEAVE A TREE STUMP.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA BURN? ARE YOU NOT GONNA BURN? ARE YOU GONNA LEAVE SOMETHING ALONE? ARE YOU GONNA PLANT, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA PLANT? WHEN YOU GONNA PLANT, HOW ARE YOU GONNA PLANT? IT'S, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DETAIL.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE, WHEN WE, WHERE WE HAVE ACTIVE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, THAT'S WHERE THOSE GUYS WILL COME BACK IN.
UM, WE'RE THE, I WE'RE CALLING IT UNIFIED MANAGEMENT.
THAT MODEL COMES OUT OF I C S.
SO WHERE, WHERE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS TRYING TO MANAGE A REALLY COMPLEX, HECTIC SITUATION, THAT'S NOT UNLIKE TRYING TO MANAGE A PARK.
SO WE'VE TAKEN THE IDEA OF UNIFIED COMMAND, TURN IT INTO UNIFIED MANAGEMENT, WHERE WE CO-CREATE WORK PLANS THAT SAYS EXACTLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, WHERE, WHEN, HOW.
AND THEN ALL OF US COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OUR AGENCY PARTNERS, INTERNAL STAFF, CAN ALL WORK OFF OF THE SAME PLAN AND LO KNOW WHO'S ROLE, UH, UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S ROLE, AND THEN WE CAN UPDATE THOSE PLANS EVERY YEAR BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED OR DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO JUST SOME FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS IS A REALLY BUSY SLIDE, AND I'M SORRY.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF DETAIL, SO IT, I CAN BARELY READ IT.
GOOD THING I'VE GIVEN THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT SEVEN TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH.
SO JUST THE STATE OF AUSTIN'S NATURAL AREAS, ALMOST 90% OF THE LAND THAT AUSTIN HAS SPENT MONEY TO PROTECT LIES WEST OF 35.
THAT IS JUST THE MAP THAT IMPLIES NO ILL INTENT.
ALL OF THAT LAND WAS PURCHASED OR PROTECTED THROUGH LEGITIMATE PROCESSES AND PURPOSES FOR WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUANTITY AND ENDANGERED SPECIES AND PARKLAND.
BUT STILL, THE MAP IS WHAT IT IS.
UH, ABOUT ALMOST 99% OF ALL OF THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION TREATMENTS ON THAT LAND HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED WEST OF 35.
THAT HAS MOSTLY TO DO WITH BUDGET AND STAFFING.
THE SOCIAL VULNERABLE, SOCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES THAT DEPEND ON PUBLIC LAND FOR QUALITY OF LIFE ARE DISTRIBUTED MAINLY EAST OF 35, AND I USE 35 BOTH AS
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A HANDY GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE AND ALSO AN HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE REFERENCE AS THE OLD EAST AVENUE IN THE 1928 PLAN.SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE SORT OF THE BIOGEOGRAPHY OF OUR PARKS.
A AS THEY STAND TODAY OR AS OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC LAND, NOT JUST OUR PARKS, ALL OF AUSTIN PUBLIC LANDS.
UH, CURRENT CHALLENGES, ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF ALL OF THE LANDS IN THE SCOPE OF THIS PLAN, RANKED OUT AS MODERATE TO VERY POOR ECOLOGICAL CONDITION.
ECOLOGICAL CONDITION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE SPECIES AND STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY OF AN ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY IS RELATED VERY TIGHTLY TO ITS VULNERABILITY OR RESILIENCE TO THE STRESSORS I MENTIONED EARLIER, HEAT, DROUGHT, DISEASE, WILDFIRE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, AREAS OF, LET'S JUST SAY WILDFIRE RISK, AS I MENTIONED, I'M KIND OF A SCIENTIST.
SO WE, WE CALCULATE, WE HAD TO DECIDE WHEN, WHEN DEALING WITH WILDFIRE RISK, WHAT DO WE MEAN BY WILDFIRE RISK AND RISK TO WHAT WE REALIZED THAT IN ORDER TO BEST PROTECT THE NATURAL RESOURCES, THE PARKS, THE PARKS, AMENITIES, THE SERVICES THAT THOSE PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROVIDE, THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OUR NEIGHBORS.
WHEN IT CAME TO WILDFIRE, THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, OUTCOME WAS TO KEEP FIRE FOR THE MOST PART OUT OF THE CANOPY.
AND SO WE DID SOME, UH, MAPPING.
WE PULLED SOME DATA OUT OF THE C W P P.
WE WERE ABLE, WE WERE ABLE TO ESTIMATE, UH, CROWN FIRE PROBABILITY.
SO AREAS OF ELEVATED CROWN FIRE PROBABILITY ARE FAIRLY WELL DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
UH, HOWEVER, AREAS OF HIGHEST CLIMATE VULNERABILITY INDEX, THIS IS ONE OF THE INDEX THAT WE CREATED IN THIS PLAN, UH, ARE ALSO DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE PARK SYSTEM, BUT TEND TO BE, UH, DISTRIBUTED EAST OF MOPAC.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS TO ACCOMMODATE FOR SOCIAL VULNERABILITY.
BECAUSE THIS PLAN WAS, IS RESPONSIVE TO AN AUDIT RELATED TO COMMUNITY LEVEL RISK, WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS THE ABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY TO PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO DISASTERS SUCH AS WILDFIRE.
UH, CONVENIENTLY, THE C D C, UH, CREATES A SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX.
WE WERE ABLE TO ROLL THAT IN AND INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF OUR RISK CALCULATION, ONE OF OUR RISK CALCULATIONS, OR ONE OF OUR VULNERABILITY CALCULATION.
SO, FUTURE CHALLENGES, UH, CLIMATE CHANGES ALREADY INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF WIDESPREAD TREE MORTALITY AND INTENSE WILDFIRE.
UH, A THIS IS NOT, UH, I MENTIONED, UM, HOW HARD IT IS TO, TO PULL ACTIONABLE DATA OUT OF THE SCIENCE, BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL THIS NUGGET OUT.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE, AND THIS IS ONE THING THAT I KEEP IN MY HEAD, UH, AS I THINK ABOUT PUTTING THIS PLAN INTO ACTION.
SO EARLIER WE HEARD ABOUT 2011 AND IT BEING THE MOST DAMAGING WILDFIRE SEASON IN TEXAS OF HISTORY.
IT ALSO SET THE NEW DROUGHT OF RECORD.
THE TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS IN 2011 ARE PROJECTED TO BE THE AVERAGE AS SOON AS 2040, AND AT THE LATEST BY 2070.
SO IN MY HEAD, 2040 IS OUR TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS FOR PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CLIMATE STRESS.
UH, THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES, UH, MAPS FROM THE PLAN ITSELF.
THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS A MAP OF CLIMATE, UH, SORRY, UH, CROWN FIRE PROBABILITY.
AND THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS, UH, CLIMATE VULNERABILITY INDEX.
SO CLIMATE VULNERABILITY INDEX IS A COMBINATION OF, AND I CAN'T EVEN READ, I'M GONNA HAVE TO TURN THIS WAY.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF ECOLOGICAL CONDITION, LIKE I MENTIONED, CROWN FIRE PROBABILITY, WHICH IS THE MAP ON THE LEFT, SOIL WATER AVAILABILITY, WHICH IS THE FUNCTION OF SOIL TYPE AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX.
SO YOU SMASH ALL THOSE TOGETHER, YOU GET AN IDEA OF MORE OR LESS VULNERABILITY OF VARIOUS SYSTEMS AT A FAIRLY COARSE SCALE, UH, INCLUSIVE OF THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY'S CAPACITY TO PREPARE FOR VARIOUS CALAMITIES.
SO, UH, WHAT IS IMPLEMENTATION GONNA LOOK LIKE? SO, THE PROGRAM STRATEGY THAT HAS EVOLVED OUT OF THIS EFFORT IS LONG-TERM HOLISTIC RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL AREAS FOR SEVERAL REASONS TO MITIGATE
[01:20:01]
RISK, TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE, AND TO SECURE THE ABILITY OF OUR PARKS, TO PREPARE ALL THE ECOSYSTEM, TO PROVIDE ALL THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, IT'S GONNA REQUIRE VARIOUS, UH, ACTIVE RE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES.BALLPARK, WE NEED ABOUT A THOUSAND ACRES OF RESTORATION TREATMENT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
EVERY YEAR, UH, JUST TO SORT OF PREPARE FOR 20, 40, VARIOUS, UH, ACTIVITIES MAY INCLUDE SELECTIVE THINNING AND FUEL REDUCTION TREATMENTS.
THIS IS THE TARGETED PRESCRIBED, UH, REMOVAL OR THINNING OF SMALL BRUSH AND TREES TO IMPROVE FOREST HEALTH.
THIS IS THE IDEA OF, UM, GIVING SPACE SO THAT, UH, TREES MAY GO AHEAD AND, AND MATURE AND, AND, UH, BE MORE RESILIENT.
UH, WHEN RESOURCES BECOME LIMITED, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY REMOVAL OF CANOPY, BUT IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THAT CANOPY.
UH, PRESCRIBED FIRE, UH, I BELIEVE IS FAIRLY WELL, WELL RECOGNIZED BY ALMOST EVERY MAJOR, UH, UH, PROFESSIONAL FORESTER IN THE COUNTRY.
IT'S A, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT MANAGEMENT TOOL.
UH, AND IT IT ALSO IMPROVES THE ECONOMICS OF A LOT OF OTHER STRATEGIES, INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL BY VARIOUS MEANS, UH, ALONG WITH PLANTING AND SEEDING TO IMPROVE GENETIC, UM, TO IMPROVE SPECIES COMPOSITION AND, AND OVERALL RESILIENCE, UH, RESOURCE NEEDS, UH, AS THE AUDIT CLARIFIED, UH, ALL, MOST OF, ALMOST ALL OF THE, THE ACTIONS HERE RECOMMENDED ARE IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S BE BEING DONE NOW.
AND SO WE WILL NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCE NEEDS IN THE WAY OF STAFFING EQUIPMENT, OPERATING FUNDS, WORKSPACE.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
WE WILL BE TAKING THIS BEFORE COUNSEL, SEPTEMBER 21, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL TO ADOPT, UH, THIS PLAN WHEN IT, WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO PRESENT IT.
I THINK WE, DO WE HAVE, UH, YES, WE HAVE SPEAKERS NOW, OR, OR COMMENTS, COMMENT NEXT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTERS? YEAH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, LET'S, LET'S MAYBE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEN, UH, AND THEN GET, GET YOU GUYS READY FOR SOME Q AND A.
WE HAVE A COUPLE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENTERS.
UM, FIRST UP IS ROY WHALEY, UH,
UH, FIRST UP IS ELIZABETH MCGREEVY.
DO I, AM I SUPPOSED COME RIGHT HERE? YES, PLEASE.
AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, IS THAT CORRECT, ELIZABETH? OKAY.
EXCELLENT WORK, MATT, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR THIS IS SO DETAILED AND SO ALL INCLUSIVE AND, YEAH.
UH, CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS DEFINITELY NEED ACTIVE MANAGEMENT.
AND, UH, I, I PUT ON MY THING THAT WAS AGAINST THE PLAN, BUT I'M REALLY MORE NEUTRAL JUST BECAUSE I SEE A FEW THINGS IN THE PLAN THAT COULD BE TWEAKED TO IMPROVE, IMPROVE IT.
UH, ONE THING WOULD BE, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PLAN, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO READ THE WHOLE THING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT GETS INTO MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND SUGGESTIONS.
ONE THING I LIKE TO SUGGEST, THOUGH, IS THAT, LIKE, UH, TEXAS RED OAKS, UH, FIRES ARE NOT CARRIED VERY WELL IN THEIR CANOPIES, YOU KNOW, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
INSTEAD OF TAKING OUT TREES THAT MAY BE PLANTING TREES THAT DON'T CARRY FIRES MUCH.
UM, AND INSTALLING THINGS LIKE CONTOUR BREAKS TO INCREASE THE GROUND HYDRATION SO THAT THE PLANTS CAN GO FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AND NOT DEHYDRATE SO MUCH.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, INSTEAD OF JUST REMOVING VEGETATION, FIND WAYS TO BOOST THE SOIL HEALTH SO THAT IT CAN HOLD WATER FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE DROUGHTS.
UM, ALSO, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT PRE RIGHT? I KNOW THAT HE, YOU WERE SAYING, UH, THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS, UH, BUT IT'S, THE SOILS ARE DEGRADED.
PRESCRIBED FIRE MAY NOT BE THE BEST SOLUTION SINCE, UH, SOME REACHES RESEARCH IS SHOWING THAT FREQUENT FIRE IS, UH, PULLING CARBON OUT OF THE SOIL.
AND WHERE WE HAVE LIMESTONE BEDROCK WITH SHALLOW SOILS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE WEST OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE EDWARDS PLATEAU THAT OUR SOILS ARE, ARE SO SHALLOW AND RESEARCH IN LIKE AUSTRALIA SHOWING THAT PRESCRIBED FIRE IS PULLING A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH CARBON OUTTA THE SOIL.
SO IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO KIND OF INVESTIGATE THAT BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, USE THOSE STRATEGIES WHERE WE HAVE LIMESTONE WITH THE SHALLOW SOILS.
[01:25:01]
AND, UH, UH, THAT'S A BIT, THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR NOW.I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME TWEAKING THAT CAN BE DONE TO THE PLAN, BUT OVERALL IT'S, UH, COMMENDABLE EFFORT.
WELL, DANG, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
I'M THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS WE'VE HAD THIS EVENING.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND, AND SOME VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC, LIKE DR.
UM, AND HAVING TALKED WITH HIM, I AGREE THAT, UM, THIS, THIS PLAN SHOULD BE MOVED.
THAT, THAT, THAT ALL THE, UH, THE ALCON'S LAND PRESERVED SHOULD BE REMOVED OUT OF THE PARKS, UH, JURISDICTION AND BACK TO, UH, TO THE CANYON LANDS.
UM, AND, AND BECAUSE I THINK, AND THIS IS NO INSULT TO ANYONE OVER HERE, BUT THEY HAVE A BETTER GRIP ON HOW TO HANDLE THESE THINGS.
UM, ALSO, SO LONG AS I'M HERE, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ITEM SIX, ALSO, ON REMOVING THE PARKING.
UH, SIERRA CLUB DEFINITELY SUPPORTS THAT.
AND THE SHUTTLE, UH, THAT WE HAVE A SHUTTLE IN PLACE NOW.
UH, BUT IT IS SEVERELY UNDERUSED.
I, I WROTE A, A CHECK TO PAR, UH, MYSELF FOR $500 TO RAISE AWARENESS, UH, FOR THE SHUTTLE.
AND YET THERE'S VERY LITTLE SIGNAGE, VERY LITTLE USAGE, VERY LITTLE AWARENESS.
UH, SO, SO WE DO SUPPORT THAT.
UM, AND SO LONG AS WE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THE CONCERNS WE HAVE HAS TO DO WITH THE CONTROLLED BURNS THAT AREN'T ALL THAT CONTROLLED RIGHT NOW.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORIC, UH, MISINFORMATION, UH, ON HOW THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, AND THAT IT ALWAYS COMES BACK HEALTHIER WHEN WE DO CONTROLLED BURNS AND BETTER.
UH, SO PERHAPS WE COULD DO A CONTROLLED BURN OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF AUSTIN, AND, UH, IT WOULD COME BACK WHERE WE HAVE MORE FOURPLEXES AND, UH, A DUS, ET CETERA, IF IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I WANT TO PARTICULARLY THANK ELIZABETH MCGREEVY FOR, FOR HER WORK ON THIS AND HER EXPERTISE AND HER CONTINUING CONCERNS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, LET'S, LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN HERE WITH QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA START REMOTE, UM, 'CAUSE I'LL LET YOU OFF THE HOOK LAST TIME.
UH, SO, UH, REMOTE COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UH, MELINDA, DO YOU WANNA GO FIRST? SURE, I'LL GO FIRST.
I'M GONNA JUST ASK ACTUALLY ABOUT THE STRATFORD YARD AND, UH, THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
AND I'M, I WE'RE, THAT WE'RE PIVOTING THERE A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S, SO THAT'S THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
UH, MR. MR, I KNOW THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THE LAND MANAGEMENT, UM, AND HIS EXPERTISE ON REWILDING, THAT, THAT, UH, AREA AS IT RELATES TO THE PLAN THAT BEFORE US.
YOU, ME, TO PICK IT UP? YEAH, I, I'LL START WITH IT.
BUT, UM, AND THEN MATT WILL GET INTO OUR, THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE OF IT.
[01:30:01]
ACTUALLY PART OF THE ZILKER NATURE PRESERVE ALREADY.UM, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF, UM, JUST SOME RESTORATION IN THAT AREA ALONE.
UM, AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT IN A METROPOLITAN PARK THAT HAS A VARIETY OF, USES, A VARIETY OF PRESSURES ASSOCIATED WITH IT, A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE POTENTIALLY COMPETING INTERESTS IN THAT SITE AS WELL.
AND DIFFERING THOUGHTS ON THAT.
SO, AS A PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE KIND OF HAVE TO KIND OF WEIGH ALL OF THEM AND, AND WORK FORWARD WITH THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS RESTORATION OF A, A SPACE, I THINK WE WOULD KIND OF FOLLOW SOME OF THE, THE TECHNICAL GUIDANCE HERE, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, IT, IT IS THAT ACTUALLY THAT AREA IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE ZILKER NATURE PRESERVE.
UM, SO IF YOU'VE EVER DONE THE ESS CREEK WALK, WHICH I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, SS CREEK, BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY ILRA NATURE PRESERVE, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE IT'S THERE.
UM, BUT THERE'S SOME REALLY LOVELY SPACES IN THERE.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, THE IDEA OF TAKING SOMETHING AND MAKING IT, UM, YOU KNOW, A NATURAL HABITAT IS ALWAYS APPEALING.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
I GUESS I WOULD JUST CLARIFY THAT, UH, THE ONLY PART OF ZILKER THAT'S PART OF THIS PARTICULAR PLAN IS THE ZILKER NATURE PRESERVE, WHICH IS THE PORTION OF ZILKER WEST OF MOPAC.
UM, SO THAT'S, I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD ON THAT.
BROWNER, YOU GOT ANYTHING? YOU HAVE A FEW, UH, FEW ITEMS. UM, I GUESS I WAS READING, UH, THERE, THERE WERE TWO SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS THERE.
UH, AND IN MY NOTES HERE, I'VE, UH, THEY WERE, I I PUT THEM DOWN AS PLAN VIRGIN ONE, OR VOLUME ONE AND VOLUME TWO.
VOLUME ONE, AS I WAS READING THAT MADE MULTIPLE REFERENCES TO VARIOUS APPENDICES.
WERE THEY NOT INCLUDED IN WHAT YOU SENT OUT? 'CAUSE I COULDN'T FIND THEM.
APPEND THE APPENDICES ARE, UH, NOT VERY FUN TO READ.
I WOULDN'T, I, I ACTUALLY DIDN'T ANTICIPATE ANYONE
THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED AS A BACKUP.
BUT WE DO HAVE ALL THREE VOLUMES ON THE, OUR PARD WEBSITE NOW.
AND SO IF WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE THAT, I CAN GET THAT TO, UH, ELIZABETH.
I, UH, I SPENT A THRILLING SIX HOURS READING ALL YOUR STUFF LAST NIGHT, UH, AND I FOUND IT DISAPPOINTING THAT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION WASN'T THERE.
UM, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I WILL SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, VOLUME ONE WAS VERY INFORMATIVE, EVEN THE SUMMARY OF THE, UH, ECOLOGY OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA, UM, DEFERRING TO SECTION SIX, WHICH REALLY GETS DOWN TO THE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OF THE WOODLAND GRASSLANDS AND BOTTOMLAND MANAGEMENT.
UH, BUT THE REAL MEAT TO ME WAS IN, UH, VOLUME TWO, WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE, UH, VARIOUS PLOTS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE VARIOUS SECTIONS.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AROUND MIDNIGHT, I KIND OF DOZED OFF HERE AND THERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME THAT, AS FAR AS I COULD FIGURE, YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO CONTROLLED BURNS AT, UH, BLU CREEK, DECKER LAKE, OLD ONION CREEK AT SAN OH, AT OLD SAN ANTONIO, UH, ONION CREEK WILDLIFE COMMONS FORD, DICK NICHOLS AND, UH, BARRELS.
IS THAT CORRECT? OR DID I MISREAD THAT? YEAH, JUST, UH, THAT, THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
SO THERE'S SORT OF TWO LEVELS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STRATEGIES.
UH, WE HAVE IN THE LAST YEAR, UH, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED PRESCRIBED BURNS AT ONION CREEK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.
UH, WE HAVE IN THE PAST IMPLEMENTED BURNS AT, UH, INDIAN GRASS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, DECKER TALLGRASS PRAIRIE PRESERVE.
UH, WE'RE UPDATING BURN PLANS FOR THOSE, UH, TRACKS ACTUALLY THIS YEAR.
UH, AS FOR THE OTHERS, THOSE ARE ALL STILL HYPOTHETICAL AT THIS POINT.
AND THAT WOULD COME OUT IN WORK PLANS.
I CAN CONFIRM THE INCREDIBLE DIFFICULTY OF JUST IMPLEMENTING PRESCRIBED BURNS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SIMPLY FOR LOGISTICAL AND COMMUNICATIONS AND SMOKE MANAGEMENT, UM, ALONE.
UH, WE MAY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES HERE AND THERE FOR SOME, UH, PILE BURNING, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL, LOCALIZED TYPE OF SLASH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, THE MENTION OF THOSE OTHER TRACKS FOR BROADCAST PRESCRIBED BURNS IS STILL SORT OF THEORETICAL AT THAT POINT, AND WOULD COME OUT IN, IN WORK PLANS.
WELL, THE REASON I ASK IS THIS, UM, EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, YOU MENTIONED, UH, COMMUNITY REACH
[01:35:01]
OUT IN ORDER TO CONTACT PEOPLE.UH, AT ONE TIME I WAS, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE BULL CREEK FOUNDATION, AND OUR JOB WAS STEWARDSHIP AROUND BULL CREEK, UH, ALONG THE DISTRICT PARK AND SEVERAL, SEVERAL OTHER PARK THAT THE CITY MAINTAINS ALONG THE CREEK.
AND ALTHOUGH I NO LONGER DO THAT, I'M IN CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BULL CREEK DISTRICT PARK AS ONE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ACTIVELY MANAGE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND NONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO WERE CONTACTED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND ALTHOUGH BULL CREEK ISN'T SCHEDULED TO BE, YOU KNOW, HAVE CONTROLLED BURNS THERE, UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, AN EXTENSIVE OUTREACH PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE LEFT OUT SOMEONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, A CONSTANT CONCERN I'VE HAD AS A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS FREQUENTLY VARIOUS PEOPLE COME BEFORE US AND SAY, WELL, WE'VE MADE THIS EXTENSIVE OUTREACH PROGRAM.
I'M PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE I'M ON EVERY MAILING LIST THE CITY OWNS, AND I NEVER GET MAIL FROM ANYONE ABOUT ANYTHING.
SO, UM, AND I STILL GET MAIL BECAUSE I'M USED TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE BULL CREEK FOUNDATION.
SO IF YOU'RE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS, I QUESTION HOW EFFECTIVE YOUR OUTREACH IS.
NOW, FURTHERMORE, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTROLLED BURNS, UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DO CONTROLLED BURNS IN AN EFFECTIVE, SAFE MANNER.
THERE WAS A HERMIT PEAK FIRE IN NEW MEXICO IN 2021, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, THAT GOT AWAY FROM THE US FOREST SERVICE.
UH, AND THEY DO CONTROL BURNS, KIND OF LIKE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND IT BURNED AN AREA OF THE SIZE OF NEW YORK CITY.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS THEY, UH, DID A STUDY ON IT, AND IT WAS 16 MONTHS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY DID THE BURN.
AND IT TURNS OUT, BETWEEN THE TIME THEY DID THE STUDY AND THE BURN ACTUALLY OCCURRED, UH, THE CLIMATE HAD CHANGED, IT GOTTEN HIGHER, DRIER, AND THERE WAS MORE, UH, DEBRIS OR MATERIAL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT ON THE GROUND.
AND THAT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE THING GETTING OUTTA CONTROL.
UH, THEN IF YOU GO A LITTLE FURTHER BACK, THERE WAS A CONTROLLED BURN DONE IN COLORADO WHERE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS OUT AND THEN IT WASN'T.
AND IT CAME BACK AND, UH, BURNED 27 HOUSES AND KILLED THREE PEOPLE.
'CAUSE IT WAS SMOLDERING UNDER THE, UH, THE STUFF AND THEY JUST WEREN'T WATCHING IT.
SO MY POINT IS, KIND OF THIS, DOING A CONTROLLED BURN OF A SIGNIFICANT AREA IS A VERY RISKY THING.
AND I WONDER IF THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF SKILLED PERSONNEL TO DO THIS ON A LARGE AREA.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BARROW AREA, UH, OLD CREEK, UH, OR ONION CREEK AT OLD SAN ANTONIO AND THE BL CREEK, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT HOUSES OVER THERE.
AND, UH, SO IS THERE, YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE'S ADEQUATE NOTIFICATION OF THE NEIGHBORS THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING A CONTROLLED BURN IN THE AREA.
ARE THEY NOTIFIED? THE CITY COUNCIL JUST PASSED A CODE AMENDMENT RECENTLY THAT CHANGED THE NOTIFICATION OF THINGS FROM 500 FEET TO 250 FEET.
AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
NOT THAT 500 FEET IS REALLY THAT MUCH OF A NOTIFICATION IF YOU'RE SETTING A FIRE IN MY BACKYARD.
SO THESE, THIS IS A THING THAT CONCERNS ME WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PRESCRIBED BURNS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE CONCERN I HAVE.
THE NEXT CONCERN HAS TO DO WITH THE, UH, USE OF CHEMICALS TO CONTROL, UH, INVASIVE SPECIES.
UH, WHEN I WAS IN THE BULL CREEK FOUNDATION, UH, THE CITY WOULDN'T LET US DO THAT.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE RISK OF LETTING A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, UH, USE CHEMICALS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL RISKS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
BUT, UH, I DID OBSERVE CITY PERSONNEL OR CITY CONTRACTORS TO BE MORE EXACT.
AND, UH, THEY WERE VERY METICULOUS IN IT.
SO I DON'T HAVE A REALLY AN ISSUE WITH THAT, UH, THAT MUCH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WORKING PRETTY MUCH ALONG BULL CREEK.
AND AGAIN, I KINDA WONDER WHAT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE GONNA BE TAKEN AS FAR AS WATER TESTING AND THAT SORT OF THING IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT IF SPILLS ARE MADE, HOW NEIGHBORS ARE GONNA BE NOTIFIED AND WATER'S GONNA BE TESTED ON A REGULAR BASIS TO SEE THAT IT DOESN'T GET INTO THE WATER SUPPLY.
'CAUSE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE NEAR SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER.
[01:40:01]
THAT'S CONCERN THAT I'VE GOT.UH, FINALLY, YOU KNOW, I FIND IT KIND OF ODD ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT MORE EMAIL ON ANYTHING ELSE WAS THE CAVES.
AND THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING IN HERE WITH REGARD TO CAVE MANAGEMENT.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE, UH, ANIMALS AND SPECIES THAT ARE IN CAVES, THE BATS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, BLIND CAVE, CRICKETS, SALAMANDERS, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY ATTENTION BEING PAID TO ACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE CAVES, UH, AS A SEPARATE TYPE OF THING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SURFACE MANAGEMENT OF VARIOUS, UH, FLORA AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT IS THERE ANY ATTENTION BEING PAVED TO, UH, MANAGING THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CAVES CLEANING UP THE, THE DEBRIS THAT'S BEEN TOSSED IN THERE AND THAT SORT OF THING? SO THAT'S A QUESTION.
SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR COLLEAGUES FROM B C P.
SO, CAVE MANAGEMENT PRETTY MUCH FALLS UNDER, UH, ON PARKLAND, FALLS UNDER OUR DUAL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS FOR THE B C P.
SO MANAGEMENT WITHIN CAVES ON TOP OF CAVES AROUND CAVES, NEAR CAVES, UH, FALLS WITHIN OUR B C P COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
AND I THINK, UH, EITHER SHERRY OR KIMBERLY CAN SPEAK MORE ELOQUENTLY TO THAT.
YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY WE DO, UM, THIS SHERRY KOOL, THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE OFFICER WITH AUSTIN WATER, AND I HAVE THE WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION IS IN MY GROUP.
SO THAT INCLUDES THE BA CANYON LANDS PRESERVE AND THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS.
AND WE DO EXTENSIVE CAVE RESTORATION THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SOME OF IT IS REMOVING SEDIMENT FROM CAVES AND OPENING THEM UP SO WE HAVE BETTER RECHARGE INTO THE AQUIFER.
AND THEN WE ALSO MONITOR ALL THE SPECIES THAT ARE COVERED ON OUR PERMIT.
SO WE'RE MOSTLY LOOKING AT THE SIX ENDANGERED CAVE INVERTEBRATES THAT ARE COVERED BY OUR PERMIT.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME CAVES THAT ARE OCCUPIED BY BATS.
UM, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT POTENTIAL TO LIST THE TRICOLORED BAT, UM, COMING UP AND OTHER SPECIES THAT MAY HA THERE MAY BE CONCERNS ABOUT WE, WE MONITOR THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE THERE IN OUR CAVES.
BUT OUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS FOR THE ENDANGERED, UH, SPECIES THAT ARE LISTED ON OUR PERMIT.
SO WE DO EXTENSIVE CAVE WORK, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BIOLOGISTS ON STAFF, UH, THAT DO THAT WORK.
WE PARTNER WITH PARD ON CAVES THAT ARE ON PARD, UH, MANAGED LANDS, AND WE WORK WITH THEM ON ACCESS TO THOSE CAVES.
UH, WE DO EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IN THOSE CAVES.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE'RE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT.
AND AS FAR AS LAND MANAGEMENT GO, AS MATT MENTIONED, THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT'S DONE ON A PARTICULAR TRACT, WE'LL BE IN THAT TRACT WORK PLAN THAT TRACKED LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND SO ALL OF THAT WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE B C C P PERMIT FOR PROTECTING THOSE FEATURES.
SO I GUESS IT'S NOT PART OF YOUR IMMEDIATE PLAN TO ADDRESS THE, I MEAN, YOU ADDRESS IN THERE, UH, LET'S SEE, WOODLAND MANAGEMENT, GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT, AND BOTTOM LAND MANAGEMENT.
BUT THERE'S NOT A SECTION ABOUT CAVE MANAGEMENT.
SO MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT AT THIS TIME YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T PLAN TO HAVE A SECTION SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING MANAGEMENT OF CAVE RESOURCES.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE SCOPE OF THIS PLAN WAS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS ADDRESSING DEFICIENCIES.
UH, AND WE FEEL OUR CAPABILITY FOR CAVE MANAGEMENT IS PRETTY WELL HANDLED.
AND SO IT DIDN'T REALLY MERIT, UH, ADDITIONAL PUBLIC FUNDING BEING DEDICATED TOWARDS CREATION OF A, ANOTHER SORT OF CAVE PLAN.
AND, UH, DOES, UH, B C P OR A PARD HAVE A, UH, A SPECIALIST ON, UH, YOU KNOW, BATS ON STAFF? WE DO NOT HAVE A SPECIALIST ON STAFF.
WE HAVE, UM, BIOLOGISTS WHO ARE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH BATS AND WORK WITH BATS IN TERMS OF JUST MONITORING NUMBERS IN OUR CAVES.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF CAVE INVERTEBRATE SPECIALISTS.
AS I MENTIONED, THE BATS AREN'T COVERED ON OUR B C P PERMIT, SO, BUT WE PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL.
UM, THERE WAS RECENTLY THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY HIRE A BAT BIOLOGIST, WHICH WOULD, IT SOUNDED LIKE MOST OF THE ROLE WOULD BE DOWNTOWN WORKING WITH THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE POPULATION AND OTHER PARKS AND BRIDGES AND THINGS.
[01:45:01]
THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT WE DO IN THE WILDLANDS, BUT THAT MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO HAVE IT IN SOME AREA.ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AROUND THE HORN HERE.
HEY, Y'ALL, UM, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE J S C, SO I GOT IT LAST WEEK, GOT WAY LESS EMAILS ABOUT IT LAST WEEK THAN I DID THIS WEEK.
SO I GUESS WE KNOW WHAT THE FAMOUS COMMISSION IS, I GUESS.
UM, YEAH, UM, YEAH, I GOT A LOT OF EMAILS ABOUT CAVES TOO.
I WAS JUST LIKE, LOOK, I JUST LOOK LIKE A CAVE MAN.
I DON'T ACTUALLY LOOK ANYTHING, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CAVES, SO I'LL HAVE TO DEFER MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR THAT.
SO, APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER BRIER ASKING SOME GOOD QUESTIONS AS ALWAYS.
UH, YEAH, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKED LIKE, UH, LIKE DECKER LAKE IS SORT OF LIKE A, A RISK HOT SPOT AND YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 2040 AND SORT OF HAVING THE PLAN KEEPING US READY FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TODAY AND YESTERDAY, I THINK THERE WERE LIKE SOME PRETTY BIG WILDFIRES IN, UH, IN BASTROP.
SO CLEARLY THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
I MEAN, JUST YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN 35 AROUND, UH, LIKE I THINK THE EAST RUNDBERG AREA, AND THERE WAS LIKE A, A RELATIVELY BIG, LIKE STREET FIRE, I GUESS.
UM, AND LIKE ALL THE GRASS, WHICH IS USUALLY YELLOW NOWADAYS IS, WAS LIKE ALL BLACK AND WHATNOT.
UM, SO I WAS WONDERING LIKE AS FAR AS DECKER LAKE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF RISK IN THAT AREA, RIGHT, THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, BUT THERE'S ALSO LOOKING TOWARDS 2040 PROBABLY GONNA BE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA TOO, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS PLAN, ARE WE ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT SORT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND HOW THAT'LL GO, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, FOURPLEXES AND ADUS, RIGHT? UM, SO YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, DECKER LAKE IN PARTICULAR, BUT JUST SORT OF ALL THE AREAS, RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, AS SORT OF DENSITY GROWS, UH, IN AUSTIN ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, ON THE EAST SIDE, PROBABLY MORE THAN THE WEST SIDE.
UH, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT SORT OF RISK MOVING FORWARD? YOU KNOW, AND UH, YEAH, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, THE CONCERN IS REALLY ABOUT WILDFIRE RISK WITHIN THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE.
SO THIS PLAN PRIMARILY LOOKS AT RISK AS IT'S DEFINED TO PARKLAND, UH, AND THE INDIRECT IMPACT ON NEIGHBORS AND PROXIMITY TO STRUCTURES AND STRUCTURE DENSITY AND STUFF THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
BUT AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, REALLY AS THE CITY GROWS, UH, THAT'S WHERE, UH, PART AND, UH, AUSTIN WATER AND THE WILDFIRE DIVISION OF AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT REALLY COLLABORATE ON THAT INTERFACE.
SO A F D LARGELY HANDLES THE URBAN SIDE, LAND MANAGEMENT PARTNERS HANDLE THE WILDLAND SIDE, AND THEN WE COLLABORATE ON THE INTERFACE.
UM, I KNOW, UH, AUSTIN WILD, THE WILDFIRE DIVISION IN AUSTIN, A F D YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE A STRONG, UH, IT'S CALLED FIREWISE OUTREACH PROGRAM TO FOCUS ON, UH, YOU KNOW, HOME MAINTENANCE AND HOME HARDENING, UH, FOR WILDFIRE DEFENSIBILITY AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.
SO IT'S KIND OF A TEAM EFFORT REALLY, I THINK FOR IN THE WILD AND URBAN INTERFACE.
FIRES ARE BAD, UM, UNLESS THEY'RE PRESCRIBED AND CONTROLLED, IN WHICH CASE I SUPPOSE THEY'RE GOOD.
UH, UNLESS YOU ARE THE PLANT THAT'S ON FIRE.
UM, YEAH, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ALSO JUST TO ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER BRIMER SAID, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, OUTREACH TO, TO NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND, AND THE CITIZENS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS OUTREACH TO, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT PROBABLY COULD HAVE SWATCHED A FEW OF THE EMAILS THAT WERE SENT OUR WAY, BUT PEOPLE WILL COMPLAIN NO MATTER WHAT, WHICH IS WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM LOCAL CIVICS, UM, MYSELF INCLUDED, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, YEAH, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO SORT OF THE IMPACT ON WILDFIRE.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ACTIVE ECO RESTORATION ON FLOODING AND FLOOD MITIGATION? 'CAUSE THAT'S A BIG INTEREST IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
I MEAN, SHORT ANSWER IS IT SHOULDN'T HAVE.
IT SHOULD HAVE, IT SHOULDN'T HAVE MUCH OF AN EFFECT AT ALL, REALLY.
SO WITHIN THESE PARKLANDS THAT WE ALREADY OWN AND WE ALREADY ME MANAGE, UH, IMPACT ON FLOOD PULSING SHOULD BE ESSENTIALLY NEGLIGIBLE AND, AND UNMEASURABLE REALLY, UM, WE'LL WORK WITH WATERSHED ALWAYS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT INSTREAM, UH, DEGRADATION OR SORT OF ENGINEERED OTHER TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, UH, SOLUTIONS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WATERSHED IN A COUPLE, COUPLE YEARS AGO HELPED US REPAIR AN EARTH AND DAM TO A TWO AND A HALF ACRE LAKE THAT WAS, UH, AT IMMINENT RISK OF FAILURE AND ON THE ONION CREEK,
[01:50:01]
UH, NATURE PRESERVE.BUT, BUT REALLY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK FLOODING IS REALLY MORE IMPACTED BY IMPERVIOUS COVER AND, AND WE'RE NOT ADDING OR REMOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER THROUGH ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION LARGELY.
SO I WOULD EXPECT NEGLIGIBLE IMPACTS TO FLOODING.
NOTHING ELSE THAT WAS FAST THAT WAS GIVEN EACH OTHER.
UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, I REALIZE HOW IMMENSE THIS PROJECT IS, SO THANK YOU.
UM, AND
UM, UH, SO THESE, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INTENSELY SITE SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTAND THEM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL TOOL.
UM, BUT IS THERE A PLAN TO EXTEND THIS TO OTHER AREAS OR IS THIS SORT OF THE, THE GUIDING AND THEN IT'LL JUST BE THE WORK PLANS FROM HERE? SHORT ANSWER.
CURRENTLY THIS PLAN STANDS ALONE AS IS, UH, PLANS LIKE THIS TYPICALLY, UH, RUN FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS BEFORE THEY GET A MAJOR UPDATE.
UH, I WOULD SAY JUST GENERALLY THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT STANDING UP, UH, CONCEIVABLY COULD BE THE SCAFFOLDING FOR MANAGEMENT OF OTHER AREAS THAT AREN'T IN THIS PLAN OR OTHER AREAS THAT ARE AC ACQUIRED IN THE, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I THINK SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S KIND OF CAUSE OF A LOT OF THE CONCERN THAT I'VE SORT OF SEEN IN, IN THE INBOXES AS WELL SEEMS TO BE THAT SORT OF THE STRATEGIES ARE SORT OF BROAD BRUSH STROKES.
UM, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE WORK PLANS OR SORT OF THE SOPS, WHICH IS SORT OF THAT IN BETWEEN PIECE, I CAN SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WOULD GET CONCERNED BY WHERE IT'S LIKE FIRE EARTH THINNING.
UH, IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAYBE NOT, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THE WEEDS ON THE WORK PLANS, BUT IN THOSE SOPS AS THEY'RE DEVELOPED, YOUR, YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION IS OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC TO BE ENGAGED IN DEVELOPMENT OF SOPS, NOT NECESSARILY THE WORK PLANS.
IS THERE, IS THERE SORT OF AN INTERMEDIATE STEP HERE THAT I GUESS WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING WHERE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE SAYING THINGS LIKE THESE STRATEGIES AND NOT REALLY HAVING THAT FOLLOW UP, SORT OF EXACTLY HOW WE WOULD USE PRESCRIBED BURNS IN WHICH CASES, BUT THE PUBLIC, I ASSUME WON'T HAVE INPUT INTO THE WORK PLANS.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY SORT OF IN BETWEEN THIS END AND THE WORK PLANS FOR INPUT? SO FOR CLARIFICATION, THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE INPUT INTO THE WORK PLANS, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
SO THE IDEA IS, IS THAT THIS IS KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE MENU, RIGHT? AND THEN IT'S WHAT IS THE EXACT POTENTIAL ON THESE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES, RIGHT? SO WHAT'S POSSIBLE HERE? WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS, WORK WITH OUR, OUR LOCAL NONPROFIT PARTNERS, WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO LIVES A MILE AWAY, BUT HAPPENS TO WALK THERE ON A DAILY BASIS, WHATEVER THOSE THINGS ARE, AND TALK THROUGH WHAT CAN YOU, WHAT CAN YOU HANDLE, WHAT CAN, WHAT DOES WORK FOR YOU, WHAT DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU? AND THEN HOW CAN YOU HELP, RIGHT? LIKE, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN IF YOU ARE A LOCAL NONPROFIT AND YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE VOLUNTEERS OR YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT WAY? SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS WE REALLY AS, WHAT IS IT CALLED UNIFIED MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? IS THE EFFORT TO, TO DEVELOP THOSE WORK PLANS WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR, WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DIRECTION.
THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR ACTUALLY, AND HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, JUST PART OF TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED ON, ON SORT OF THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS PRESERVES AND, AND THE CARS FEATURES ON A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES, ARE ALL OF THE CAVES ON THESE PROPERTIES ON B C P LAND? UM, NO.
THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE ON PARKLAND AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY SOME THAT ARE ON PRIVATE LAND.
THE B C P WAS KIND OF UNIQUE AMONGST HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS WHEN IT WAS CREATED BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
THEY ACTUALLY NAMED ALL THE CAVES, UM, THAT THEY WANTED THE B C P TO PROTECT.
UM, OTHER PLANS SINCE THEN HAVE DONE CAR FUNNEL AREAS, KIND OF REGIONS OF ENDANGERED, UH, SPECIES AND CAVES.
SO WE HAVE THESE 62 CAVES THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT.
SOME OF THOSE CAVES ARE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THOSE PEOPLE 20 YEARS, 25 YEARS LATER STILL ARE NOT INTERESTED.
AND SO WE WORK TO DEVELOP A CAVE SUBSTITUTION POLICY WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SUBSTITUTE A CAVE THAT MIGHT HAVE THE SAME SPECIES THAT MIGHT BE ON PROPERTY WE OWN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CAVES ON B C P PROPERTY THAT ARE NOT LISTED ON THE PERMIT THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR SUBSTITUTES.
AND ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION EARLIER, THERE IS A KARST MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT'S PART OF, THERE'S A WHOLE SERIES OF B C P LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND THE KARST ONE, UM, IS VERY DETAILED AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MATT MENTIONED, THAT WE KIND OF HAVE THAT COVERED AND THAT WILL STILL, YOU KNOW, APPLY WHERE THOSE CAVES ARE FOUND.
AND THAT'S ALL THOSE PLANS ARE ON, SOME OF THEM ARE ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT KIND OF HARD TO FIND, BUT THEY'RE ALL ON TRAVIS COUNTY
[01:55:02]
B C P WEBSITE AND YOU JUST GO TO REPORTS AND THEY'RE ALL THERE IF YOU'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN KART MANAGEMENT IN PARTICULAR.SO I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, WOULD THOSE CARS MANAGEMENT PLANS APPLY TO ALL OF THE CARS FEATURES ON THESE PROPERTIES AND NOT JUST THE B C P CAVES? UM, SAY THAT AGAIN.
WOULD THE CAR MANAGEMENT PLAN APPLY TO ALL OF THE CAVES ON THESE PROPERTIES AND NOT JUST THE B OKAY.
IT, AND I MEAN, WE CAN'T CONTROL OBVIOUSLY THE PRIVATELY MANAGED ONES, BUT WE DO HAVE A, UH, AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS CAVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AND ONE OF THE CAVES IS WHIRLPOOL CAVE, WHERE A LOT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION HAPPENS AND THEY, WE DO HAVE A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THEM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT ALL THE ONES THAT WE CAN AND, UH, SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER ONES.
I'LL JUST, UH, I LIKE OFFERING UP EXAMPLES.
SO ONE EXAMPLE THAT KEEPS COMING TO MIND IS, UH, A SHADE OF FUEL BREAK THAT WE INSTALLED AT GOAT CAPE CARS PRESERVE.
SO WE'RE IN THE CENTRAL, YOU PROBABLY MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FEELING WHERE THIS INTERESTING PLACE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY ALL AT ONCE AND NOBODY'S HAPPY.
SO WE, UH, SHADE OF FUEL BREAK, UH, WE INSTALLED AT GOAT CAVE CARS PRESERVE ADJACENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PURPOSES, UH, UH, REDUCING, UH, WILDFIRE IMPACTS TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
UH, BUT THAT'S ON GOAT CAVE CARS PRESERVE.
SO, UH, WHEN WE WERE PREPARING THE SPECS FOR THAT PROJECT, CALLED MY COLLEAGUE OVER AT B C P SAID, HEY, WE'RE DOING THIS.
HE LOOKED AT IT, SENT US SOME, REQUESTED SOME CHANGES TO THE SCOPE OF WORK TO PROTECT, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, HABITAT FOR, UH, CAPE CREEK HABITAT AND SSC FUNNEL HABITAT.
WE MADE THE EDITS TO THE SCOPE OF WORK.
AND NOW WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE SHADE OF FUEL BREAK, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION FOR THE NEIGHBORS, WHILE ALSO, UH, KEEPING THE BUGS IN THE CAVES AND THE COWORKERS HAPPY.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS JUST MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE FIVE YEAR WORK PLANS, WILL IT BE A DETAILED SECTION ON SORT OF WHAT MONITORING LOOKS LIKE SO THAT SUCCESS IS MEASURED AND WE CAN SORT OF SEE IF THERE'S ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF SOME OF THESE? YEAH, THERE WILL BE A STANDALONE ACROSS THE BOARD MONITORING PLAN, UH, THAT'S IN PLACE.
UH, NEED ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR THAT, BUT ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY, SO BACK TO THE CAVES ISSUE.
I, I'D LIKE TO SAY I'VE DONE THE RIGOROUS STATISTICAL ANALYSIS LOOKING AT ALL THE EMAILS THAT I GOT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A PREPONDERANCE THEM ARE FROM THE UNDERGROUND TEXAS GROTTO.
DID YOU INTERACT WITH THAT ORGANIZATION? I THINK IT'S THE UT GROTTO, BUT YEAH, THAT'S THE SHORT NAME FOR IT.
UT GROTTO, I DUNNO IF THEY WERE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY, UM, PART OF THE, THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT NECESSARILY.
UM, AGAIN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN KINDA THE UNDERGROUND SIDE OF THE HOUSE, RIGHT? UM, AND SO TYPICALLY OUR, OUR PARTNERS AT V C P ARE, ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT GROUP THROUGH OUTREACH, UH, THROUGH TRAINING, RIGHT? SO HOW CAN WE GET THEM, UM, TRAINED TO BE VOLUNTEERS AND, AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT CAVE RESTORATION.
SO, UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THEY, THAT THEY, UM, WERE SPECIFICALLY REACHED OUT TO FOR THIS OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE MULTITUDE OF OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT THAT'S
WELL, THE POINT IS THEY MADE VERY, VERY, VERY SPECIFIC ASKS.
THEY NAMED CAVES THAT THEY WANTED TRANSFERRED TO THE B C P.
THEY MENTIONED AN, UH, AN AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAVE PARTIALLY WORKED OUT WITH THE CITY THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE FINALIZED.
AND, UM, WHAT WAS THE THIRD ELEMENT? UM, THAT THEY WANTED A FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH UT GROTTO TO PARTICIPATE IN C STEWARDSHIP.
SO, UM, I KNOW I TALKED TO YOU BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT SOME OF THE EMAILS THAT WE GOT.
I, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ZIP THROUGH SOME OF THESE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S DOZENS OR AT LEAST A DOZEN THAT MAKE THE SAME ASKS.
YEAH, WELL, TO SPEAK TO THOSE SPECIFIC POINTS, THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT THE, THAT WAS MENTIONED IN SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS WAS FOR THE BILL RUSSELL, UH, CARS PRESERVE, CORRECT? YEP.
WILLIAM H. RUSSELL CARS PRESERVE, WHICH FORMERLY BLOWING SINK.
WE DO HAVE A JOINT LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WE DID THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMANDA AND HER TEAM.
SO THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THAT WAS INCORRECT.
UM, WE, AS FAR AS TRANSFERRING LAND, ALL OF THE LAND THAT WE ALL MANAGE BELONGS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
[02:00:01]
TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.IT'S REALLY JUST WHO'S MANAGING THAT LAND.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER EXAMPLES LIKE THE VILLAGE OF WESTERN OAKS CARS PRESERVE, WHERE WE DID AN AGREEMENT WITH, UM, WATERSHED AND THEY MANAGE THE STORMWATER POND ON THAT TRACK, AND WE MANAGE THE CAVES.
SO I THINK, I MEAN, IT'S PART OF OUR B C P ROLE TO MANAGE THE CAVES AND THAT WILL CONTINUE, UM, ON ALL THESE TRACKS.
WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? OH, WHAT WAS THE THIRD ONE TODAY? WELL, IT WAS THE TRANSFERRING THE WILLIAM RUSSELL CARS AND THE GOAT CAVE CARS PRESERVES TO THE B C P, UH, FINALIZE AND INSTALL THE INTERDEPARTMENT INTERDEPARTMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARD AND THE CITY'S WATERS, B C P, AND THEN CREATE A FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH UT GROTTO TO PARTICIPATE IN CAVE STEWARDSHIP.
SO THE INTERDEPARTMENT, WHICH IS PRETTY PARTISAN, YOU KNOW, THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL AGREEMENT, I'LL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PART ON THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE HAD SOME STAFFING CHANGES AT, IN OUR GROUP.
MATT HOLLAND JOINED US FOR A YEAR AND THEN RETIRED AND WENT TO WATERSHED.
AND NOW WE'VE JUST HIRED JUSTIN BATES, A NEW DIVISION MANAGER THAT'S ON HIS LIST TO WORK WITH KIMBERLY AND AMANDA AND MATT TO TRY TO GET THAT FINALIZED.
UM, AND THE UT GROTTO, WE, AS AMANDA MENTIONED, A LOT OF OUR STAFF PARTICIPATE WITH UT GROTTO.
WE HAVE, UH, STAFF THAT ACTIVELY ARE ON THE UT GROTTO BOARD, AND WE DO JOINT EDUCATION EVENTS WITH THEM.
AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE OPEN TO SOME TYPE OF MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
UH, WE DID ONE WITH TEXAS CAVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEVERAL CAVES THAT THEY OWN.
UM, I'M NOT SURE UT RADO OWNS ANY CAVES, BUT WE GENERALLY WORK WITH THEM ON MORE OUTREACH EDUCATION TRAINING TYPE THINGS.
UM, REALLY VERY THOROUGH, UM, PRESENTATION AND THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME WITH ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS AND STUFF TOO.
UM, I WANNA KINDA BRING IT BACK TO THE TOP SIDE, GET OUT FROM UNDER THE CAVES, AND, UM, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUNDING, UM, AND WHERE THE FUNDS COME FOR THIS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY BUDGET.
BUT THEN ALSO ARE THERE GRANTS, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER, YOU KNOW, UH, REVENUE STREAMS THAT COME IN THAT FUND IT? IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
I'LL TAKE A FIRST STAB AND MATT'S GONNA FINISH ME OFF HERE, UM, WITH SOME MORE DETAILS.
BUT, UM, CURRENTLY, UM, WE HAVE A TEAM OF, OF, OF TWO INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHO ARE SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO OUR LAND MANAGEMENT TEAM WITHIN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT ALSO PULLING IN OTHER PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE CONSERVATION TEAM ON OUR PARK RANGERS THAT SUPPORT, UM, WE WORK WITH, UM, THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS TO BRING THEIR WORK TO THE TABLE TOO, RIGHT? AND THEN ALSO THE FUNDING THAT'S PROVIDED FOR THEM SO THAT WORK CAN HAPPEN AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF KIND OF CURRENT, UM, CURRENT KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT INFORMAL TO SOME EXTENT HAPPENING.
UM, I THINK WHEN WE STARTED, WHEN I STARTED IN THIS POSITION IN 2017, I'M SURE YOU ARE HOPEFULLY ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH RENEE BARRERA, WHO WAS AMAZING.
UM, I THINK HE HAD A BUDGET OF $10,000 AND IT WAS, UH, REALLY UNFAIR TO PUT HIM IN THAT SPACE WHERE HE WASN'T ABLE TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT WAS AMAZING THAT HE WAS AS SUCCESSFUL AS HE WAS AND AS LOVED AS HE WAS.
UM, AND SO WE'VE REALLY WORKED HARD TO TAKE FUNDING FROM OTHER PLACES WHEN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT TO KIND OF BUILD UP A, A SMALL BUDGET TO HELP START WITH THIS.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE PARTNERS, UM, LIKE, UH, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN ALSO HELP WITH RESOURCES, UM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THOSE STRUCTURES ARE INVOLVED AND THERE'S REDUCTION OF WILDFIRE RISK.
SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
UM, THE CURRENT BUDGET FROM THE CITY MANAGER DOES PROPOSE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO US, AND I'LL HAVE TO RELY ON THAT FOR THAT EXEMPT NUMBER AROUND $300,000, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTRACT OUT SOME OF THE WORK.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T PROVIDE STAFFING CURRENTLY OTHER THAN IN A TEMPORARY MEANS.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO WORK ON, ON THAT PORTION OF IT.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE KIND OF A FIVE YEAR KIND OF PHASING IN PLAN THAT WE'VE PROPOSED AND SHARED AS WELL, SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF WORK TO BUILD SOME MORE STAFFING, SOME MORE RESOURCES AS WELL.
UM, AND IN FAIRNESS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY, IN ADDITION TO THAT $300,000, THERE IS SOME FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH SOME, SOME TRUCKS AND SOME EQUIPMENT TO HELP US BUILD THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT THE GOAL IS KIND OF TO PHASE IT IN OVER TIME.
AND, UM, I'M ACTUALLY ALSO, WE'VE BEEN VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE OFFERED TO GIVE US MONEY.
UM, IT'S JUST SOMETIMES YOU HAVE, UM, POWELL FOUNDATION MONEY THIS YEAR.
UM, YOU, YOU, YOU ALSO NEED PEOPLE TO, TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE MEETING THE INTENDED GOALS, THAT YOU'RE MONITORING IT PROPERLY, THAT THEY'RE BEING IMPLEMENTED APPROPRIATELY, THAT THE RESOURCES ARE BEING SPENT APPROPRIATELY.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT FIVE YEAR KIND OF PLAN TO
[02:05:01]
BUILD THAT UP COMES INTO, INTO PLAY.UH, MATT, WERE YOU GONNA, DO YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD? UH, NO.
NOT UNLESS YOU HAVE OTHER SPECIFIC BUDGET ASKS.
I, I I THOUGHT YOU WERE ABOUT READY TO JUMP IN THERE.
I WAS VIGOROUSLY TAKING NOTES, BUT THEN AMANDA COVERED IT ON OKAY.
AND, AND I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR WHEN THERE'S PUBLIC, UH, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, HAPPENING, UM, TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, SEEMS LIKE $300,000 IS, IS, UH, A, A FAIRLY SMALL, UH, AMOUNT TO, TO GET ALL THIS TO WORK.
UM, SO, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, THERE'LL BE, UH, SOME MORE FUNDING, UM, COMING IN OVER THAT FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY MAKE IT, UM, SUCCESSFUL.
UM, IT'S, I I CERTAINLY KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO HAVE A PLAN AND NOT HAVE ANY FUNDING, AND THEN IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOUR PLAN WAS SUCCESSFUL, UM, WHEN, WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS IT ON MY QUESTIONS.
UM, I DO WANNA JUST REALLY QUICK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UM, WE DON'T TALK VERY MUCH ABOUT THREATENED SPECIES, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE KIND OF COMING ONLINE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE REALLY ON THOSE BORDERLINES OF, UH, YOU KNOW, BECOMING ENDANGERED.
UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT CLIMATE CHANGE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR DROUGHTS, OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, FREQUENT WINTER STORMS. ALL THE ALIKE ARE, IS THAT ON Y'ALL'S RADAR.
TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE THREATENED SPECIES KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UM, ARE, ARE BEING MANAGED FOR IN THAT REALM.
SO, UH, I GUESS JUST TERMINOLOGY, WHAT, WHEN YOU SEE THREATENED, ARE YOU, YOU MEAN NOT, UH, NECESSARILY LISTED, BUT JUST SORT OF AT RISK GENERALLY IMPERILED? SURE.
UH, RIGHT BELOW ENDANGERED USUALLY THREATENED OR, UM, THREATENING ENDANGERED TO ME IS ALL ONE GROUP.
MAYBE YOU COULD HELP OR, OR MAYBE INCLUDE PROPOSED SPECIES LIKE THE TRICO BAT AND OTHER SPECIES THAT WERE MAYBE COMING ONLINE AS AS PROTECTED.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN SPEAK TO, UM, KIMBERLY HARVEY.
I, UH, WORK ON COMPLIANCE WITH ALCON'S COUNTY LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN FOR BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND SO I'M CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW THIS PLAN WILL, UH, YOU KNOW,
UH, SEVERAL OF THEM ARE MENTIONED ON THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, THE BRACKED TWIST FLOWER, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE DO HAVE, UM, WE ARE AWARE, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR SOME OF THESE INCLUDED IN THE BALCONES CANYONLANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T LISTED AS ENDANGERED WHEN THE PLAN WAS PUT TOGETHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME MENTIONS OF THIS.
AND FOR LOCATIONS WHERE SPECIES LIKE THAT ARE FOUND ON THE B BALCONES CANYONLANDS PRESERVE, WE DO, UH, YOU KNOW, MANAGE FOR THEM AS PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM OF KEEPING THAT, UM, CARS AND WOODLAND ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT HOLE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THIS PARTICULAR PLAN INTERACTS WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PROPOSED LISTINGS COMING UP.
YEAH, WELL, I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT.
THERE ARE ALL ON OUR RADAR, UM, OF COURSE THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES, THE ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, DETERMINES WHAT THE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES SHOULD BE OR THE GOALS FOR THAT PARTICULAR SPECIES.
WE, WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, SPECIES OF CONCERN THAT ARE CAVE INVERTEBRATES THAT WERE COVERED BY OUR PERMIT, THAT IF WE PROTECT THOSE AND IF THEY GET LISTED, THEN WE WON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.
UM, WE HAVE TALKED WITH TRAVIS COUNTY ABOUT DO WE NEED ANOTHER H C P TO COVER, YOU KNOW, ALL MORE AND MORE SPECIES GET LISTED.
BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE DO THE ONES THAT ARE ON OUR PERMIT AND WATERSHED IS REALLY IN THE LEAD ON SALAMANDERS.
UH, THEY MANAGE THE BARTON SPRINGS, UH, H C P FOR THE POOL.
SO, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE CITY IS GOING TO NEED A PERMIT FOR THOSE SPECIES, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A SEPARATE PERMIT.
AND THAT, IF YOU JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THE REALLY, THE PURPOSE OF THE PERMIT IS IF YOU NEED TO TAKE THE SPECIES.
SO IF YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION, SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST MANAGING LAND IN A WAY THAT PROMOTES THOSE SPECIES.
FOR INSTANCE, MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, YOU KNOW, THEY, WE HAVE, UM, LOTS AND LOTS OF MILKWEED ON OUR PROPERTIES.
THEY PARTICULARLY RESPOND TO PRESCRIBED FIRE ON THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LAND.
SO WE HAVE LOTS OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, BUT THAT'S ONE THAT IF IT BECOMES LISTED, I DON'T KNOW REALLY HOW THE SERVICE IS GONNA ADDRESS THAT.
[02:10:02]
MONARCH ACTIVITIES TO PART AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON TRYING TO PROMOTE, UH, MONARCH HABITAT.DID, I DON'T KNOW IF WE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION,
YOU DID, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION, UH, ABOUT HOW, UM, IT RELATES TO THE WEST AUSTIN BASICALLY PROPERTIES.
BUT SO THINKING ABOUT THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE, SINCE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EASTERN QUADRANT, ARE THERE, ARE THERE SPECIES OVER THERE THAT KIND OF ARE ON YOUR RADAR THAT YOU'RE THINKING, OKAY, WELL WE NEED TO REALLY BE PRETTY ACTIVE IN HOW WE'RE MANAGING THESE PROPERTIES FOR THESE SPECIES, THEN THEY CAN BE, YOU KNOW, PLANT ANIMAL? I WOULDN'T REPTILE, I WOULDN'T SAY THERE ARE ANY SPECIES, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE B C P THAT WE FEEL AT THIS POINT WE NEED TO MANAGE EXPLICITLY FOR.
UH, SO I WOULD JUST HIGHLIGHT, UH, ONE EXAMPLE IS TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE HAS A, A STATE NON-GAME DIVERSITY PROGRAM.
UH, AND THEY MAINTAIN A LIST OF, UH, SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED.
UH, THESE ARE NOT THREATENED AND ENDANGERED, BUT THEY'RE JUST RARE AND IMPERILED AND THEY NEED SOME ATTENTION.
UH, THEY HAVE RECOVERY PLANS FOR THE ONES THAT THEIR STAFF ARE ABLE TO, UH, CREATE.
SO WE'VE STARTED BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE FOLKS, UNDERSTANDING ARE THERE KEYSTONE OR ARE THERE INDICATOR SPECIES, UH, ON OUR PARKLANDS THAT WE COULD START LOOKING FOR MONITORING FOR? THAT WOULD BE INDICATORS, UH, OR, OR KEYSTONE SPECIES.
ONE THING THAT THAT, UH, WAS INTERESTING, WE MET WITH HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND, AND THE, THE REALIZATION IS REALLY THAT A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM SUPPORTS AN ECOSYSTEM.
AND SO THE, WHAT WE'RE DOING ACTUALLY ISN'T GONNA HELP US MANAGE JUST FOR ONE PARTICULAR SPECIES OF CONCERN, BUT REALLY AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT CONTAINS MANY, MANY SPECIES OF CONCERN.
AND, AND SO THAT, UM, NON-GAME DIVERSITY PROGRAM WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN FUNDING MECHANISMS TOO, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF OPERATIONALIZE SOME OF THEIR RECOVERY PLANS, MAYBE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP IN THAT WAY.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, ALSO HATE THE BUS, YOUR BUBBLE, THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY IS LISTED AS ENDANGERED, BUT, UM, ONE THING THAT I WAS, THAT I NOTICED IN THE, LIKE, WE GOT A LOT OF EMAILS FROM THE PUBLIC SAYING THAT THEY WEREN'T REALLY NOTIFIED, UH, ABOUT GETTING LIKE, INPUT OR OUT THROUGH OUTREACH.
AND SO I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU COULD ELABORATE ON WHICH, UM, MEDIUMS OR LIKE METHODS THAT YOU USE TO CONTACT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, OR EVEN IF THERE'S LIKE A LIST OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, LIKE H O A ASSOCIATIONS OR LIKE DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CONTACTED.
LIKE MAYBE IT COULD BE A GOOD THING TO LIST OUT ON THE WEBSITE.
LIKE, OKAY, THESE ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE WHAT WE HAD, THE, WHAT IDEAS THAT WE CAME UP WITH AND OR SUPPORT OUR, UH, OUR PLAN.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING JUST LOOK INTO, SO I'LL, I'LL GIVE THAT A SHOT.
SO, UM, I GUESS I'LL TRY AND PUT START THIS DELICATELY.
SO AGAIN, THIS WAS, THIS WAS A TECHNICAL DOCUMENT AND THERE WAS A DELIVERY AND RESPONSE TO A REVIEW BY THE CITY AUDITOR.
UM, STRICTLY SPEAKING, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO, UH, DO ANY PUBLIC OUTREACH OR ENGAGEMENT, BUT WE DID BECAUSE THAT'S HOW PAR WORKS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE IMPORTANT AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP 'EM INVOLVED AND ALSO IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, THE, THE SPECIFIC PROCESS, UH, IS, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HER TITLE IS.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATOR, UH, WHO HAS, SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY A PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATING OFFICE.
AND SO WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATORS WITHIN N PART, AS I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE A ROLODEX OF ADOPTED PART GROUPS AND ON AND ON AND ON, CONSERVANCIES AND FRIENDS GROUPS AND VARIOUS VOLUNTEER GROUPS.
UM, SO ALL OF THOSE RECEIVED DIRECT OUTREACH.
UH, WE ALSO WORKED WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND, UH, C I P, WHAT'S, IT'S IT CALLED OR, UH, COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UNIT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THEY, WE WORKED WITH THOSE FOLKS DIRECTLY TOO.
SO WE, WE, WE BLASTED IT TO EVERYBODY IN OUR ROLODEX.
UM, BUT AS, UH, AS MY COLLEAGUES WHO DO THIS KIND OF WORK, WE WE'RE CONTINUALLY BUILDING OUR CONTACT LIST.
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMEBODY WE UNFORTUNATELY MISS, AND ALL WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT IS TO ADD THEM TO THE LIST.
AND SO I'VE ADDED BULL CREEK FOUNDATION TO MY LIST, AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE OTHERS THAT WILL JUST CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE LIST AS THEY POP UP.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA NEED TO RECRUIT FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED, PARTICULARLY, UH, IN OUR MORE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
[02:15:01]
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN JUST SENDING A, A NOTIFICATION AND SEE WHO SHOWS UP.WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY BE ACTIVE AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE SO THAT THEY FEEL INVITED AND WELCOME.
AND, UM, I KNOW LIKE AT LEAST ONE COMMUNITY THAT'S COME FORWARD TO US SEVERAL TIMES IS, UM, ONION CREEK, UH, WITH ALL THEIR FLOODING ISSUES.
SO THAT MAY BE A GOOD, UM, COMMUNITY TO AT LEAST REACH OUT TO YOU.
YEAH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, AN AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS TEAM DEDICATED PRETTY MUCH TO THAT WATERSHED.
SO I KNOW WE'RE ALREADY, UM, PRETTY WELL EMBEDDED WITH THAT COMMUNITY OVER THERE.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD, UM, REGARDING INVASIVE SPECIES OF, OF, UM, VEGETATION, IS THERE LIKE A MAIN, A MORE PREVALENT SPECIES? LIKE IS IT LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE INVASIVE SPECIES IN AUSTIN? UH, LIKE PERCENTAGE WISE? I GUESS I KIND OF THINK OF THAT IN THE ASPECT OF LIKE HOW YOU MITIGATE THAT.
AND MAYBE IF THEY KNOW, OKAY, THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE TYPE OF SPECIES THAT IS BEING TARGETED TO BEING CONTROLLED, MAYBE THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE LIKE, OKAY, WELL WE KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS OF CONTROLLING THAT IS.
LIKE IF IT'S, OH, WE HAVE TO BURN IT ALL, OR IF WE HAVE TO LIKE, USE CERTAIN CHEMICALS TO LIKE TREAT IT.
AND THEN I THINK THAT WOULD PUT SOME OF THE, UM, COMMUNITY'S MIND AT EASE IF THEY KNOW, OKAY, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA TARGET THIS TYPE OF VEGETATION FIRST, AND THIS IS THE PROCESS AND HOW THEY TARGET IT.
MAYBE WE COULD LIKE EDUCATE OURSELVES, KNOW WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, ISSUES MAY ARISE FROM THAT, OR WHAT OUR DANGERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MIGHT BE FROM THAT WAY AND HOW THEY MITIGATE THAT.
SO YOUR FIRST ONE WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE THE BIG ONES? UH, IT'S KIND OF THE TOP FIVE RIGHT IN MY HEAD.
THERE'S A FUEL AUGUSTINE SPECIES, THERE'S A CHINA BERRY, THERE'S A CHINESE, CHINESE TAHOE, THERE'S A CHINESE PIST.
UM, DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CHINA.
IT'S JUST WHERE THEY KIND OF CAME FROM HERBACEOUS WISE.
THERE'S THE ONE CALLED THE KING RANCH BLUE STEM, THAT'S FROM, UH, I BELIEVE NORTH AFRICA.
ANYWAY, THOSE ARE KIND OF THE BIGGIES.
I WOULDN'T PUT IT IN THE TOP FIVE THOUGH.
UH, SO THE NEXT KIND OF QUESTION IS HOW DOES A COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON? SO I WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF, AND THIS FELLOW BACK HERE WAS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN.
UM, IT'S A DOCUMENT, NOT UNLIKE THE ONE I PRESENTED HERE.
IT'S GOT SOME A BIG GENERAL FRONT PIECE, AND THEN IT'S GOT, UH, UH, APPENDICES PARTICULAR TO IN EACH INDIVIDUAL SPECIES.
SO YOU COULD LOOK UP CHINA BERRY AND YOU WOULD SEE ALL THE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR CHINA BERRY, ALONG WITH SOME BASIC ECOLOGY.
UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE INVASIVE WOODY SPECIES TEND TO BE TREATED WITH THE SAME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
SO IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE FIELD AND YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THE TOP FOUR OR FIVE THAT I RATTLED OFF, IT'S KIND OF ALL THE SAME TREATMENT.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD, WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE'S HOMES AND, AND, UH, YARDS AND WHATNOT, WE'VE GOT A GREAT GROW GREEN PROGRAM THAT RUNS OUT OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM THAT, UH, IS EDUCATION FOCUSED ON ALTERNATIVE, UH, HORTICULTURAL SPECIES THAT PEOPLE CAN PLANT IN AROUND THEIR HOMES THAT ARE ALTERNATIVES TO LIKE NINA THAT MIGHT ESCAPE INTO A NEARBY NATURAL AREA.
YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH GUYS.
THANKS FOR BRINGING THE WHOLE TEAM.
APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL COMING.
UH, A COUPLE COMMENTS AND, AND QUESTIONS.
UM, I WOULD ADD UT GROTTO TO THAT SHORTLIST YOU'VE GOT THERE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BILL RUSSELL PRESERVE.
UH, AND THEN, UM, OH YEAH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO, WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING THESE WORK PLANS TO, TO, TO DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THEMES THAT WE HEARD IN OUR EMAILS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, BUT ALSO, UM, I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER FER, BUT YOU KNOW, TO INCLUDE MEASURABLE METRICS IN THERE TO WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHETHER YOU'RE, YOU'RE HITTING THE GOALS OR NOT.
UM, AND IT'D BE GREAT IF AS THESE ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND AS THEY'RE KIND OF, UM, BEING WORKED ON, IF, IF THERE'S A, A DATABASE OR YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S ON THE WEB SOMEWHERE TO WHERE SOMEBODY MOVES RIGHT NEXT TO, YOU KNOW, X PRESERVE AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE, THEY CAN GO AND KIND OF FIND OUT.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, AND THEN I, I, I DIDN'T, UH, I DID NOT SPEND SIX HOURS READING THE BOTH PLANS.
[02:20:01]
I, I PERUSED THEM MORE.BUT, UM, FROM AN HERBICIDE APPLICATION, WE GOT A LOT OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
ARE THOSE GONNA BE APPLIED FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW, U S D A REQUIREMENTS OR WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHEN AND THE, THE GENERAL FRAMEWORK OF HOW THOSE WOULD BE USED, IF THEY WOULD BE SURE.
SO I CAME PREPARED FOR THAT QUESTION, SO, UH, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T WANNA, I DIDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE, MAKE SURE YOU GOT, GOT CREDIT FOR YOUR HOMEWORK.
SO, UH, I, I JUST, THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT THE SCALE AT WHICH INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, IT CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED BY HAND TOOLS ALONE.
SO HERBICIDE AT SOME LEVEL IS ALWAYS NECESSARY AT SOME POINT JUDICIOUSLY.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLANS IN PLACE.
UM, I KNOW PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS ONE, AUSTIN WATER HAS ONE.
I EVEN WROTE ONE INTERNALLY FOR PRESERVES.
UM, ALL APPLICATORS ON CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK FOR PART, I CAN, I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE FROM MARKING IN AUSTIN WATER ALL APPLICATORS, UH, WELL, HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS ARE ONLY MADE BY STAFF, AND ALL APPLICATORS ARE TEXAS CERTIFIED PESTICIDE APPLICATORS BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
UM, SO I, I MENTIONED I GOT TO HELP DEVELOP THE CITY OF AUSTIN SPECIES MANAGEMENT, INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN.
UM, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE.
UM, I, I KNOW JUST, UM, FROM COLLEAGUES OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT IT IS PICKED UP BY CONSULTANTS, NON-PROFITS, JUST, JUST, IT HAS GOTTEN LEGS IN THE LAST 10 OR 11 YEARS AND IT'S BEEN REALLY COOL AND FOLKS ARE USING IT AS A RESOURCE.
UM, THERE WAS A, UH, COMMISSIONER BREMMER, I THINK I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT SPILLS.
SO, UH, UM, WE, WE, WE COME PACKING WITH, UH, CONTAINERS, CLEAN BOXES, DIRTY BOXES, SPILLS, CONTAINMENT DEVICES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THE SPILLS TEND TO BE ON THE ORDER OF LIKE A CAP FULL OF STUFF.
UM, OVER SPRAY IS TYPICALLY HANDLED NON-TARGET APPLICATION, NON-TARGET IMPACT IS TYPICALLY HANDLED BY JUDICIOUS APPLICATION ITSELF.
UM, SOMETHING LIKE A GALLON SPILL WOULD BE UNHEARD OF.
UH, SO TYPICALLY WE DON'T, I'VE NEVER PERSONALLY HAD TO DEAL WITH A HERBICIDE SPILL.
UH, I DEALT WITH A HYDRAULIC FLUID SPILL FROM A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT KIND OF RUPTURED ONE DAY.
BUT, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE QUANTITIES THAT WE'RE USING, THERE JUST ISN'T VERY MUCH TO SPILL TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO I'M REALLY NOT WORRIED ABOUT WATER QUALITY.
I'M REALLY MORE WORRIED ABOUT MORE IMPACT TO THE APPLICATOR.
AND SO WE DO A TON OF INTERNAL TRAINING.
WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STATE CEUS EVERY YEAR IN RECERTIFICATIONS.
THEN WE DO ADDITIONAL IN-HOUSE TRAINING, UH, BECAUSE MY CHIEF CONCERN IS CHRONIC LOW GRADE EXPOSURE TO STAFF OVER AN ENTIRE CAREER.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE HARM COMES.
I'M, I'M ACTUALLY NOT, THANKFULLY, I DON'T NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WATER QUALITY OR NON-TARGET IMPACTS BECAUSE OF THE SHEER VOLUME WE USE.
AND WE TEND NOT TO USE HERBICIDES THAT ARE EVEN, THAT WOULD REQ THAT ARE HOT ENOUGH TO REQUIRE A LICENSE BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL.
WE'RE ALL LICENSED BECAUSE WE'RE OPERATING ON PUBLIC LAND, NOT BECAUSE WE'RE, UH, USING STATE LIMITED PESTICIDES.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD.
ANY, ANY LAST QUESTIONS? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE? ANYBODY? CHAIR? YES.
UH, ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE, UH, THE TOP YOU JUST, UH, MENTIONED WAS THE APPLICATION, UH, WHEN WE WERE, UH, DOING REMEDIATION OF AUGUSTA AND NANDINA OUT ALONG BULL CREEK.
UH, WE WERE APPLYING THAT ON A, UH, PER, YOU KNOW, PER PLANT BASIS, BASICALLY.
HOW DO YOU INTEND TO APPLY THESE, UH, HER HERBICIDES AND WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY? YOU KNOW, WE, WE WENT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TREE BY TREE TO APPLY IT, UH, AT THE BASE OF THE TREE OR NOT.
WE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT WERE ACTUALLY DOING THIS.
UH, WHAT'S YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR APPLICATION STRATEGIES ON, ON THIS FOR CHEMICAL APPLICATION? SO ALL OF OUR APPLICATION METHODS ARE I P T INDIVIDUAL PLANT TREATMENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
SO IT MIGHT BE A CUT STUMP, IT MIGHT BE A BASIL, IT MIGHT BE A LANCE INJECTION.
IT MIGHT BE A SINGLE PLANT FOLIAR APPLICATION.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL CLASSIFIED AS INDIVIDUAL PLANT TREATMENT.
SO IT'S STILL ONE PLANT AT A TIME.
SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANY SPRAYING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO BROADCAST SPRAYING.
NOW MY NEXT QUESTION BACKS UP TO SOMETHING, UH, YOU SAID A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, UH, ABOUT YOU NOT BEING OBLIGATED TO, YOU KNOW,
[02:25:01]
DO PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EVERYTHING.AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IT'S A BIT TEDIOUS, UH, TO REACH OUT ON, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY A LOT OF THINGS THE CITY DOES, UM, IS NOT NECESSARY TO DO PUBLIC OUTREACH ON EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY MINOR AND THE IMPACT TO INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYTHING IS NOT THAT GREAT.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU MENTION THINGS LIKE BURNING, UH, THAT KIND OF GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, PAVING A STREET DOESN'T.
AND, UH, SO I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY OR THIS EARLY IN THE PROCESS, UM, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OBLIGATED TO DO SO.
I THINK YOU, YOU DO HAVE OBLIGATION TO DO SO.
UH, A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THE CONTROLLED BURNS, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IMPACT, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL IMPACT, A LOT OF THAT SOCIAL IMPACT OF THOSE AREAS YOU'RE DOING THE CONTROLLED BURNS HAVE HIGH SOCIAL IMPACT, UH, AREAS, AT LEAST WHEN I SKIM THROUGH IT LAST NIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DOING THE CONTROLLED BURNS IN AREAS WHERE THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF STUFF IS IN QUESTION.
AND THESE ARE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING CONTROLLED BURNS.
AND THESE PEOPLE, I, WHEN I SENT OUT THIS MATERIAL TO PEOPLE THAT I KNOW ON THE EAST SIDE, THEY WERE AGHAST THAT THEY WERE NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, BEFOREHAND BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT IT'S CRITICAL THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS BE NOTIFIED OF THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY.
UM, SO YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED TO NOTIFY 'EM, BUT THEY KIND OF TOOK IT PERSONALLY.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
AND I, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NOTIFICATIONS WITH RESPECT TO PRESCRIBED BURNS, THAT'S COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES.
SO, UM, JUST I'VE GOT SOME BROAD PREPARED SORT OF COMMENTS AND THEN SOME OTHER THINGS.
SO, UH, PARD UH, PRESCRIBED BURNING HAS BEEN PART OF PARD MANAGEMENT FOR LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN AROUND.
MOSTLY IT WAS LED BY, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO ALL, ALL BURNING ON PARD LAND, AND NEITHER DOES ANY, ANY LOCAL AGENCY DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO ALL ITS OWN PRESCRIBED BURNING.
SO WE ENGAGE IN COOPERATIVE, UH, AGREEMENTS.
SO PARD IS PART OF A, A GROUP OF SIX LOCAL COOPERATORS.
WE HAVE, UH, WRITTEN COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND I WROTE 'EM ALL DOWN.
JUST, I, I THINK THIS ILLUSTRATES SORT OF THE BROAD, UH, APPLICATION OF HOW PRESCRIBED BURNING IS USED LOCALLY.
SO AUSTIN WATER, TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS, US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, THE WILDFLOWER CENTER, AND AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THOSE ARE NON-PROFIT, CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL COOPERATORS.
UH, WITH WRITTEN, UH, COOPERATING AGREEMENTS.
WE FOLLOW THE HIGHEST OPERATIONAL STANDARDS IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, OUR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ARE DICTATED BY THE NATIONAL WILDFIRE COORDINATING GROUP.
THAT'S THE GROUP OF FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES THAT MANAGES WILDLAND FIRE NATIONWIDE.
THOSE STANDARDS ARE OPEN SOURCE, AND, AND SO ENTITIES LIKE US AND THE OTHER ONES I MENTIONED, CAN ADOPT THOSE AND THEN WORK SEAMLESSLY WITH THEM.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT STANDARDS.
UM, OUR STAFF HOLD, UH, MANY BASIC AND ADVANCED FEDERAL AND STATE, UH, WILD LAND FIRE CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL.
SO THE FEDERAL STANDARDS ARE, ARE REALLY OUR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
AND THEN THE STATE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF AG, UH, BURN BOARD STANDARDS ARE REALLY OUR LEGAL FRAMEWORK THAT WE MEET, UH, AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION.
SO EVERY BURN IS DIRECTED BY A BURN PLAN.
UH, AND EVERY BURN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS PERMITTED BY A F D.
THOSE PERMITS ARE GOOD FOR A YEAR.
UH, AND THE A F D REVIEWS, THOSE BURN PERMITS BEFORE THE, UH, A F D FIRE MARSHAL SIGNS THE PERMIT.
UM, THE PLANS ARE EXTREMELY DETAILED.
THEY'RE ABOUT 70 OR 80 PAGES I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
ONE OF THEM, UH, THEY, IT THEY TAKE ANYWHERE FROM REALLY IT'S MONTHS TO YEARS, UH, TO, TO PREPARE FOR ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF A PRESCRIBED BURN.
UH, AS A BURN BOSS, I CAN ATTEST THAT HALF OF THE WORK IS PREPARATION AND HALF OF THE WORK IS NOTIFICATION AND THE OTHER HALF IS ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK.
UM, I REALIZE THAT'S MORE THAN A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, THE, SO PART OF A BURN PLAN IS THE COMMUNICATION PLAN.
SO THAT'S INTERNAL COMMUNICATION.
[02:30:01]
THE LAST PRESCRIBED BURN, THE, THE LAST PLAN THAT WAS PERMITTED ON THE ONION CREEK, UH, PRESERVE, UH, I THINK MY NOTIFICATIONS WERE 70 OR 80 LINES LONG.MOST OF THOSE WERE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEN GOT BLASTED BACK OUT TO, UH, MORE INDIVIDUALS.
SOME OF THOSE LINES ARE INDIVIDUALS.
SO THE NOTIFICATIONS ARE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY ROBUST.
AND, AND SO THAT'S DIRECT CALLS, DIRECT MAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT MIGHT BE SIGNAGE, UH, IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE SURPRISED.
AND OUR, AS THE WORLD BEGINS TO COMMUNICATE DIFFERENTLY, OUR STRATEGIES FOR OUTREACH HAVE TO EVOLVE AS WELL.
UH, AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED SMOKE MANAGEMENT, UH, ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ON THE EAST SIDE, AIR QUALITY, C O B C O P D I KNOW IS, IS PREVALENT.
UM, I WOULD CALL OUT TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS.
SO TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS STARTED A LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM SIMILAR TO OURS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO.
AND THEY'VE BEEN, UH, IMPLEMENTING PRESCRIBED BURNS IN COUNTY PARKS EXTENSIVELY, UH, A LOT ON THE EAST SIDE.
AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING SMOKE IN THE AIR AND WORKING WITH NEIGHBORS AND, AND WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO, HOW IT'S A DIFFERENT BURNING ON THE EAST SIDE VERSUS THE WEST SIDE.
UH, IT'S NOT LARGELY DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S JUST A NEW COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE, UH, EXPOSING TO PRESCRIBED BURNING.
AND, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS RAN ALL THOSE TRAPS FOR US.
UM, SO ANYWAY, ANYWAYS, THOSE ARE JUST SOME NOTES.
I RAN SOME NUMBERS LAST YEAR AND, AND THE, WE DON'T HAVE SUPER, UH, SUPER DETAILED RECORDS, ESPECIALLY GOING BACK MORE THAN ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
BUT ALTHOUGH THOSE SIX ENTITIES THAT I MENTIONED, UH, IN THE LAST 10 TO 20 YEARS HAVE IMPLEMENTED OVER 600 BURNS HERE LOCALLY, MOST OF 'EM YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN AND THEY'RE A NON-EVENT.
UH, YES, ESCAPES DO HAPPEN AND WE HEAR ABOUT 'EM AND THEY MAKE THE NEWS, AND THOSE ARE UNFORTUNATE.
BUT WE, WE FOLLOW THE MOST RIGOROUS STANDARDS IN THE WORLD, I, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A, A REALLY STRONG TRACK RECORD OF OVER A 600 OR MORE SUCCESSFUL BURNS THAT MOST FOLKS NEVER EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
ANYWAY, THAT'S MY SPIEL ON PRESCRIBED FIRE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION OR OTHER DISCUSSION WE WANNA HAVE ON THE DIOCESE? WE DON'T NEED TO CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING 'CAUSE THIS ISN'T ONE.
DO YOU WANNA HEAR? YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UM, THE SUBJECT IS, UM, PARKS AND REC RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT, CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS OVER 10,000 ACRES OF NATURAL AREA.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES 87.5% OF THE AUSTIN'S PUBLIC NATURAL AREAS ARE WEST OF INTERSTATE 35 AND 95 AND 98.5.
OF ALL LANDS THAT HAVE RECEIVED ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION ACTIVITIES ARE WEST OF I 35.
HOWEVER, SOCIALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES DEPEND HEAVILY ON HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS WHERE THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND ECONOMICALLY AND ECONOMIC, UH, VITA VITALITY.
MOST COMMUNITIES CLASSIFIED AS HIGH SOCIAL VULNERABILITY ARE LOCATED EAST OF I 35 AND 76% OF THE PARKLAND AREAS ARE IN VERY POOR OR MODERATE CONDITION.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THE PURPOSE OF THE CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IS TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE ALLOCATION OF NATURAL AREA RE MANAGEMENT PART WILL USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE IN RESTORING AND MANAGING NATURAL AREAS TO MITIGATE RISK, IMPROVE RESILIENCE, AND PROVIDE ECO, UH, SYSTEM SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS PRESENTED, THE STAFF RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION.
UH, NUMBER ONE, BE INCLUSIVE TO, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, SORRY, UH, BE INCLUSIVE.
BE MORE INCLUSIVE TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, ESPECIALLY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS WHEN DEVELOPING THE WORK PLANS AND WORK WITH PAR TO ENSURE THAT CONTACTS FOR THOSE GROUPS ARE CURRENT AND UP TO DATE.
ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION IF, UH, POSSIBLE.
YEAH, LET, LET, LET'S HEAR IT.
I I'D LIKE TO, UH, ADD A RECOMMENDATION THAT IF THERE'S
[02:35:01]
A PRESCRIBED BURN THAT, UH, PEOPLE WITHIN A MILE THE PRESCRIBED BURN BE NOTIFIED 30 DAYS BEFORE THE PRESCRIBED BURN.DOES THAT SOUND DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE PLANT, IN, IN Y'ALL'S BURDEN PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS? OR, OR, OR DOES THAT ENHANCE IT? I JUST WANNA GET CLARIFICATION, RICK AND SURE, NO PROBLEM.
AND OR MATT, IS THERE A, IS THERE A PROTOCOL OF THAT NOTIFICATION IN THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE WORLD CLASS PROTOCOLS THAT WE FOLLOW THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED NATIONWIDE? SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE, WE PUT TOGETHER OUR, UH, SORT OF IN INTENT, OUR, I WOULDN'T SAY PLANS FOR PLANS, BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF, WE BASICALLY KNOW MORE THAN ABOUT A YEAR OUT, UM, THE, THE BURNS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND WE START WORKING ON THOSE COMP PLANS AND WE START WORKING ON PLANS, UH, UPDATING BURN PLANS AND, AND PULLING BURN PERMITS.
UH, ACTUAL NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE DAY OF THE BURN ARE COMPLETELY THE, THE DAY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF BURN IS COMPLETELY DEPENDING ON WEATHER FORECAST.
UH, WHICH DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR IS NOT ACCURATE, MORE THAN THREE TO FIVE DAYS OUT TYPICALLY.
UH, AND SO, UM, THERE'S, THERE IS OFTEN, UH, SOME SORT OF GENERALIZED NOTIFICATION THAT LIKE, HEY, WE MIGHT BE DOING THIS IN THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN SPECIFIC BURN DAY NOTIFICATIONS, IF PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY REQUEST IT MAY GO OUT 48 HOURS OR SOMETHING AHEAD OF TIME.
SO, UH, THAT WE, WE EITHER DO THAT OR COULD DO THAT DEPENDING ON THE DEFINITION OF NOTIFICATION, I GUESS.
SO THOSE KIND OF SHORT ORDER, THE 48 HOUR ONES, ARE THOSE PHONE CALLS? I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A LETTER IN THE MAIL.
UM, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA GET THERE ON TIME, RIGHT? IT MAY BE A PHONE CALL, IT MAY BE AN EMAIL, WHATEVER SORT THE PREFERRED CONTACT IS.
WELL, OKAY, LET ME BE MORE SPECIFIC HERE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT WITHIN A, WITHIN A MILE RADIUS OF A PARTICULAR LOCATION, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE EMAIL OR THE PHONE NUMBER OF EVERY RESIDENT IN THAT AREA.
SO SPECIFICALLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS A LETTER TO EVERY BUSINESS AND HOMEOWNER WITHIN ONE MILE RADIUS OF THAT SPOT.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DRIVE WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A BURN ON MAY 1ST, OR IT MAY HAVE TO BE DEFERRED UNTIL MAY 10TH BECAUSE OF WHATEVER.
BUT THERE'S GONNA BE AN INTENT TO HAVE A BURN AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ONE COMING UP AT A PARTICULAR TIME.
AND I THINK IT'S PRUDENT THAT THE PEOPLE WITHIN A MILE RADIUS OF THAT BE NOTIFIED WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME OF THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY YOU CAN SAY OUR INTENT WASN'T PERMITTING IS TO HAVE A BURN ON MAY 1ST.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE THING.
AND I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, RELYING ON PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS TO KNOWN LISTS OF CONTACTS IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
'CAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THE KNOWN LIST OF CONTACTS IS NOT BEING, IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S MORE SPECIFIC AND MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PHONE MAIL, YOU KNOW, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, UH, FACEBOOK, WHATEVER, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THAT.
BUT PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE GETS PAPER MAIL.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, I GUESS I KIND OF THINK OF LIKE HOW CITY OF AUSTIN, IF THERE'S LIKE A WEATHER THING THAT POPS UP ON A CERTAIN TY OR ON A CERTAIN SIDE OF TOWN, LIKE YOU GET THOSE AUTOMATED LIKE VOICEMAILS OR THE MASS TEXT BLAST, IS THAT AN OPTION TO KIND OF LIKE CONVEY THE BURNS? LIKE IF A RESIDENT, LIKE THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA, LIKE SEND A MASS BLAST OR LIKE, UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED, UH, EVERY WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED ALL THE STRATEGY.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT REVERSE 9 1 1.
REVERSE 9 1 1 IS A POSITIVE OPT-IN.
SO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T, I BELIEVE IT'S A POSITIVE OPT-IN OPERATED BY CTEC.
IT'S, IT'S NOT, DOESN'T PROVIDE UNIVERSAL COVERAGE.
UH, THE LETTERS WE'VE TRIED, WE MADE UP YEARS AGO, WE MADE UP POSTCARDS AND I BELIEVE WE WORKED WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE TO GET THE ADDRESS OF EVERY, UH, 9 1 1 ADDRESS, I BELIEVE WAS A HALF A MILE.
UM, THAT ACTUALLY PROVED TO BE LESS EFFECTIVE THAN YOU WOULD THINK.
UH, WE GOT A LOT OF BOUNCE BACKS.
WE GOT A LOT OF, UH, IT WAS WAY MORE COSTLY THAN YOU WOULD THINK.
[02:40:01]
ONE MILE BUFFER AROUND A SITE.UH, IT WAS THOUSANDS OF POSTCARDS, UH, AT QUITE A MONETARY AND STAFF TIME COST.
AND, AND INTERESTINGLY WAS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS WE THINK.
WHAT TENDS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THESE DAYS.
AND OUR OTHER, OUR PARTNERS CAN ATTEST TO THIS.
AND, AND SO THE, THE, THE BURN BOSSES AND THE OTHER STAFF AND THOSE OTHER AGENCIES WE MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY AND SORT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING.
INTERESTINGLY, WHAT SEEMS TO WORK IS A COMBINATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA, DIRECT OUTREACH AND RELATIONSHIPS, UM, AND SIGNAGE WHEN IT'S A POSSIBLE THAT ACTUALLY SEEMS TO WORK BEST.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLY OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS THROUGH OTHER, UM, AGENCIES LIKE A F D THROUGH OUR P I O OFFICE.
UM, SO IT, YOU, YOU, YOU WOULDN'T THINK, BUT ACTUALLY THAT'S WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS AT THIS TIME.
RICK, DO YOU WANNA KEEP YOUR, UM, SORRY, COMMISSIONER BRINER, UM, DO YOU WANNA KEEP, BASED ON WHAT THEY JUST TOLD YOU, DO YOU WANNA KEEP YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS IT STANDS OR DO YOU WANNA MODIFY THAT? UM, I AM PONDERING THIS AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
I GUESS MY FEELING IS THAT BASED UPON THE FEEDBACK I'VE RECEIVED, IS THAT THE OUTREACH THAT'S BEING USED IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN WHAT I'VE SEEN TO DATE.
AND IF THERE IS A MORE AGGRESSIVE METHOD THAT GETS BETTER RESULTS THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN TO DATE, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
UH, I UNDERSTAND MAIL GETS KICKED BACK.
I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A BETTER THING THAN WHAT SEEMS TO BE NOT TOTALLY EFFECTIVE NOW I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
I LIKE, UH, UH, THE IDEA OF THAT, THAT REVERSE 9 1 1, IF PEOPLE OPT IN ON THAT, I SUPPOSE THAT COULD BE A GOOD THING IF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT OR ARE AWARE OF THE OPTION TO OPT IN, UH, THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE, I GUESS.
UH, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT IT IN ORDER TO USE IT.
SO, UH, I'M AT A QUANDARY HERE AS TO, UH, WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO READ YOU WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN? LET, LET ME, LET ME JUMP IN REAL QUICK.
SO, MATT, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, MAYBE SEE IF YOU CAN BRIDGE THAT GAP THERE.
UM, WHAT I'M, I'M HEARING COMMISSIONER BRIMER THAT THE LEVEL OF OUTREACH THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED FOR THE PREPARATION AND AND PUBLIC OUT IN, UH, OUTREACH FOR THIS PLAN IS NOT, IS NOT THE LEVEL YOU WOULD WANT WHEN A BURN HAPPENS.
BUT I, BUT I BELIEVE THAT EACH OF THESE SPECIFIC BURN PLANS HAS A, A, A BURN SPECIFIC OUTREACH PLAN THAT ULTIMATELY HAS TO GET SIGNED OFF BY FIRE MARSHAL OR, OR, OR, OR SOMEONE'S GONNA GOTTA PUT A SIGNATURE ON IT.
UM, COULD YOU MAYBE ARTICULATE TO THE COMMISSION A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHERE WE BETTER UNDERSTAND, UH, THOSE STEPS AND, AND MAYBE HOW THEY ARE UNIQUE TO EACH BURN? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR INSTANCE, A A VERY LARGE ONE IN, IN SOUTHWEST TRAVIS COUNTY MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN A BURN PILE ON ONION CREEK OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T, I'M JUST MAKING THAT UP, BUT I, I'M HEARING COMMISSIONER BRIMER DOESN'T, IS SEEING THE DISCONNECT.
AND MAYBE YOU CAN EDUCATE US ON THAT GRADIENT.
SO I'M LOOKING AT BARREL NATURE PRESERVE IN, UH, WHEREVER THE, WHEREVER THE WORLD THAT IS 'CAUSE UH, IT IS, UH, WEST OF, UH, MOPAC, UH, AND EAST OF 360.
AND, UH, IT IS, UH, WELL, GOLLY GEE WHIZZ, IT TURNS OUT TO BE SOMEWHAT NEAR WHERE I LIVE.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF HOUSES THERE AND I BELIEVE IT'S ONE OF THE, MAYBE ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT DOING PRESCRIBED BURDENS.
I THINK, BUT I'M GONNA USE IT AS AN EXAMPLE, JUST 'CAUSE I PULLED IT UP ON, UH, GOOGLE MAPS.
UH, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT ARE AROUND THERE, AND I WOULD BE CONCERNED THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT NOTIFIED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO THEY CAN TAKE WHATEVER THEY FEEL ARE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IF THERE'S GONNA BE A PRESCRIBED BURN IN THEIR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN IN THAT AREA.
THERE'S A LOT OF CANYONS AND, AND ACCESSIBLE AREAS
[02:45:01]
THAT CANNOT BE REACHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOULD A PRESCRIBED BURN GET AWAY FROM THEM.AND SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO BE ON ALERT FOR THAT POSSIBILITY, AS SLIM AS IT MAY BE.
SO I WOULD THINK THAT IF I LIVED IN THAT AREA, UH, I'D KINDA LIKE TO KNOW THAT A PRESCRIBED BURN WAS GOING ON AND, YOU KNOW, SO I'D WANT SOME SORT OF AN AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WITHIN SOME DISTANCE OF THAT UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO CONDUCT A PRESCRIBED BURN ON A PARTICULAR SERIES OF DAYS.
THEORETICALLY, ASSUMING THE WEATHER IS GOOD.
UH, THAT IS, THAT IS KIND OF WHAT I'M WORKING TOWARDS FROM AN INTENT PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT WHAT'S GOING ON NOW GETS THAT DONE FROM WHAT I SEE.
CAN I JUST SAY THAT THIS SEEMS VERY MUCH LIKE A, LIKE A, AN EFFORT TO OPTIMIZE OUR PUBLIC ALERT SYSTEM MORE SO THAT, THAN TO OPTIMIZE THIS LAND PLAN? I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH THAT.
MATT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE EAGER TO SAY ONE THING FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD.
UM, SO, UH, IT, IT WE'RE, WE WANNA PUT A LITTLE TIME TO THIS, BUT LET'S, LET'S KEEP THE MEETING GOING.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I CAN GUARANTEE THAT WE DO NOT INTEND TO IMPLEMENT ANY PRESCRIBED BURN ON THAT PARTICULAR TRACT.
UH, IT'S, IT'S TOO SMALL, FRAGMENTED, IT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL.
UM, BUT, UH, WHERE I, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT OUTREACH FOR A BROAD PLAN LIKE THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT IN NATURE THAN OUTREACH FOR A PER SPECIFIC PRESCRIBED BURN.
OUTREACH FOR THIS WAS INTENDED TO BE CITYWIDE OUTREACH FOR A SPECIFIC PRESCRIBED BURN IS, IS MUCH MORE LOCALIZED.
UH, AND SO THAT ALLOWS US TO REACH OUT VIA WEB POSTINGS, SIGNAGE, SOCIAL MEDIA, DIRECT CALLS, DIRECT EMAILS, UM, RELATIONSHIPS, UH, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER A COMM PLAN AND GOING THROUGH NOTIFICATIONS FOR A PRESCRIBED BURN IS REALLY MORE ABOUT NOTIFYING A, UH, A, A WEB OF, UH, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY OF FOLKS AROUND VIA, AROUND A SITE VIA, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE WAYS I MENTIONED.
SO, SO, UH, WE, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MAJOR, MAJOR PART OF PRESCRIBED BURNING.
AND, AND WITH EVERY BURN, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T GET THE MESSAGE.
BUT THAT ALL WE CAN PROMISE IS THAT WE ADD THEM TO THE LIST AND WE DO BETTER NEXT TIME.
CHAIR IS THE NEW, IS THE NEW GUY.
I'VE GOT A PROCEDURE QUESTION.
WE HAD A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN WE HAD, UH, WAS THAT A MOTION TO AMEND THE RECOMMENDATION? ARE WE GONNA VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST? IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
SO, UM, IF, UH, IF THE AMENDMENT HAS NO OPPOSITION, SO IF ANYONE IS OPPOSED TO THE ADDITION OF THAT LANGUAGE, THEN VOTE ON THAT, UH, TO SEE IF IT GETS ADDED.
WELL, I'LL SAY THAT I'M A, I I'M IN FAVOR OF THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF, OF, OF THE AMENDMENT.
UM, DO YOU WANT TO REVISE YOUR LANGUAGE AT ALL? OR WE CAN DO AN UP DOWN VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT, WHICH WAS TO NOTIFY ANYONE WITHIN A MILE OF A PRESCRIBED BURN.
UM, I THINK YOU SAID 90 DAYS PRIOR.
UM, IF NO ONE HAS ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE TO PROPOSE WHAT I HAVE, THEN NO, I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE IT.
I MEAN, I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTION.
IT'S JUST THAT THAT IS MY, YOU KNOW, THAT IS MY SUGGESTION.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO PROPOSE A ALTERNATIVE, I'M OPEN TO THAT AS WELL.
WELL, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DOING A VOTE.
AND THEN CAN I, REAL QUICK, CAN I JUST SAY I'M NOT, I'M NOT UNSYMPATHETIC TO THE GOAL OF THE MOTION.
I JUST, I FEEL LIKE WEIGHING IN ON A PUBLIC OUTREACH STRATEGY THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN BRIEFED BY ALL THE VARIOUS ACTORS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHO DO THIS, THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS BRIEFING THAT WE RECEIVED TONIGHT.
SO, YEAH, AND PER SHARE, AND JUST FOR, WE WOULD NEED A, WE WOULD NEED A SECOND TO BE AMENDED REAL QUICK.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I READ THIS INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, READ WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE DOWN, AND SO THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD THAT, I DON'T EVEN MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
I JUST WANNA GET THE PROCESS RIGHT.
LET, LET, LET'S READ IT AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF IT GETS A SECOND.
AND RICK, THIS IS BASED ON WHAT YOU, UM, SAID, UH, USING YES, USING THE BEST TECH TECHNOLOGY OF THE TIME.
UH, PRESCRIBED BURN NOTIFICATIONS SHOULD GO OUT TO ALL RESIDENTS WITHIN A MILE OF THE BURN
[02:50:01]
WITHIN 30 DAYS WITH SPECIFIC BURN DATE NOTIFICATION HAPPENING WITHIN THREE DAYS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER, YES.DOES ANYONE WANT TO SECOND THAT? WHICH PRESUME WE WOULD THEN GO TO A VOTE TO ADD IT.
HAVING HEARD NO SECOND, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
UH, ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR AMENDMENTS TO THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE? MOTION THAT WE HAVE THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED? I HAVE A COUPLE STRAIGHTFORWARD AMENDMENTS, I HOPE, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP ME WORDSMITH THESE, JUST SORT OF ENSURING THAT NOT CHANGES TO THIS PLAN, BUT THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THE COMMUNITY HAS VOICED ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE WORK PLANS.
UM, SO ONE IS INCORPORATING ADDITIONAL WAYS TO IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH AND INCREASE GROUND HYDRATION IN FUTURE ASSOCIATED WORK PLANS.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE REAL QUICK? YEAH.
YEAH, LET'S JUST TRY TO DO IT AS ONE BUMP.
UM, ENSURE WORK PLANS INCLUDE MEASURABLE MONITORING EFFORTS TO DETECT AND CORRECT FOR ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS OF MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PRESCRIBED BURNS AND TREE THINNING.
AND THEN, AND I'M OPEN TO CHANGES ON THIS ONE, BUT REMOVE THE USE OF TOXIC HERBICIDES EXCEPT TO CONTROL INVASIVE, NON INVASIVE NON-NATIVE SPECIES, IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVES FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATION AND CONSIDER ADDITIONS TO THE 2017 PARD INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT TAKES SENSITIVE CARS TO FEATURES INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO THAT LAST ONE WAS TO ONLY USE THOSE AS A LAST RESORT.
IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY? BASICALLY? YEAH.
AND I THINK THE, THE REASON I'M OPEN TO AMENDMENTS ON THIS AND DISCUSSION IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THE ACTUAL 2017 PART I P M IS ACTUALLY WHAT'S BEING USED IN THE ASSOCIATED WORK PLANS, WHAT I GET.
DO ANY, I MEAN, WE MAY NOT KNOW 'CAUSE THE WORK PLANS DON'T EXIST YET, BUT, UH, IS THAT THE INTENT? I GUESS IF THEY'RE, I COULD SAY THAT, THAT THAT PART I P M PLAN IS SORT OF THE BASE LAYER, AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER I P M AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT ARE MORE SPECIFIC BEYOND THAT.
ANYBODY WANNA SECOND THAT? CAN YOU READ THE LAST ONE AGAIN? SORRY.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I GOT THE WORD.
UH, REMOVE USE OF TOXIC HERBICIDES EXCEPT TO CONTROL INVASIVE NON-NATIVE SPECIES.
IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVES FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATION AND CONSIDER ADDITIONS TO THE 2017 PARD INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT TAKE SENSITIVE KARST FEATURES INTO CONSIDERATION.
ANY OPPOSITION TO ADDING THAT AS AN, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? ALL RIGHT.
UM, ANY OTHER ADDITIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, LET'S VOTE.
UM, DO WE WANT TO, I DON'T, WE DON'T NEED TO READ THAT LAST ONE AGAIN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? UM, RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.
YOU GOT THAT ELIZABETH? SO I HAVE THREE, FOUR, UH, AND BROWNER.
UM, THANKS PUBLIC FOR COMING AS WELL.
LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, UM, AND COME BACK HERE AT APPROXIMATELY 9 0 3.
UM, AND, UH, CAN CONTINUE THE MEETING.
LET'S RESTART THIS REGULAR MEETING AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, WE ARE NOW ON AGENDA ITEM SIX,
[6. 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 – Requested and presented by Commissioner Brimer (10 minutes)]
WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD AND EXPAND THE ZILKER PARK SHUTTLE.UM, REQUESTED AND PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
UM, YOUR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, COMMISSIONER BREER.
UM, BACK ON JULY 24TH, THE PARKS BOARD MET AND PASSED A RESOLUTION, UH, REMOVING THE POLO FIELD AS PARKING SPOT WITHIN ZILKER PARK.
UH, AS FAR BACK AS 2018, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDED ELIMINATING THE POLO FIELD AS A PARKING LOCATION BY A VOTE OF NINE TO ZERO.
[02:55:01]
THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDED ENDING THE USE OF THE POLO FIELD AS A PARKING LOCATION.AS RECENTLY AS MAY 20 OF THIS YEAR, THE ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN RECOMMENDED ELIMINATION OF THE POLO FIELD AS A SOLUTION FOR PARKING AS WELL.
SO, HISTORICALLY, NO ONE HAS BEEN IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE POLO FIELDS A PARKING LOCATION.
THE REASON IT'S REMAINED A PARKING LOCATION THIS LONG IS THERE'S BEEN, UH, A HURDLE THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED BY PAR THAT SAYS REPLACEMENT PARKING HAS TO BE ESTABLISHED.
THAT'S, UH, OF EQUAL AVAILABILITY AND COST.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT HAS BECOME AVAILABLE, UH, THERE'S BEEN ADDITIONAL PARKING ADDED WITHIN ZILKER PARK WITH SHUTTLES PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FROM THAT PARKING TO, UH, THE AREA NEAR, NEAR BARTON SPRINGS.
ALSO, UH, PARD HAS, UH, ESTABLISHED A, UH, SHUTTLE BUS SYSTEM FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER OVER TO ZILKER PARK.
SO THAT HURDLE HAS NOW BEEN CLEARED AWAY FROM THE PROCESS.
AND SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THE PARKS BOARD AND RECOMMEND THAT ZILKER PARK OR THE POLO FIELD AT ZILKER PARK BE CLOSED TO PARKING.
NOW, THE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE UP THERE AND THAT I HAD, UH, PUT UP, UH, SHOWS THE POLO FIELD, AND IT SHOWS IT FULL OF CARS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF THE POLO FIELD BY THE CONSTANT USE OF CARS THERE.
AND REALLY WHAT THAT NEEDS TO DO IS BE RENOVATED OR REMEDIATED OR WHATEVER THE PROPER TERM IS, AND TURN BACK INTO PARK LAND SO PEOPLE CAN USE IT FOR ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE.
THE TERM WAS CALLED, I MEAN, IT IS CALLED THE POLO FIELD AND NOT THE PARKING LOT.
SO I THINK IT'S TIME, YOU KNOW, WE AS AN, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMISSION, SUPPORT OUR SISTER COMMISSION, THE PARKS BOARD IN THIS, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND THAT PARKING AT THIS PLACE BE, YOU KNOW, START BEING REMOVED, AND THAT WE MOVE TO RELY MORE ON SHUTTLE BUSES FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER AND WITHIN, UH, THE, UH, ZILKER PARK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, REPLACE THIS AND GET, UH, THE POLO FIELD, YOU KNOW, TURNED BACK INTO PARK SPACE TO BE USED BY PARK GOERS.
NOW, UH, A LOT OF YOU RECEIVE EMAILS AS I DID FROM PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THIS, UH, EFFORT, AND THEIR ARGUMENT WAS, WELL, THEY WANT POLO FIELD.
UH, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BUTLER LANDFILL SAVED.
I TOOK THE TIME TO EMAIL EVERY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE AND SENT THEM MY PHONE NUMBER AND SAID, GIVE ME A CALL.
AND OF THOSE SAY, I DON'T KNOW, 18 TO 22 PEOPLE THAT SENT EMAILS, SIX OF THEM CALLED BACK, AND I SPOKE WITH THOSE SIX PEOPLE, SOME OF 'EM FOR 15 MINUTES.
ONE, ONE PERSON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.
TWO OF THOSE PEOPLE RESPONDED BACK, AND BASICALLY THEY SAID THEY'VE RECONSIDERED THEIR POSITION AND THEY NOW FEEL THAT THE EFFORT TO REMOVE THE POLO FIELD FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, PARKING AS A SINGLE ITEM IS A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR.
AND THAT ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A STANDALONE ACTION ON THE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
SO I BELIEVE THAT IF, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE THE TIME AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND EXPLAIN THE INTENT OF ITEM SIX CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY SO THEY UNDERSTAND IT, MOST PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO REMEDIATE THE POLO FIELD OUT AS IT AS ITS OWN THING AND REMOVE IT FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE LIST OF PARKING SPOTS WITHIN THE, UH, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ZILKER PARK PARKING AREA.
NOW, THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT I DRAFTED, UH, AS, AS, UH, JEN HAS SO CAREFULLY POINTED OUT IS ABYSMALLY LONG.
UH, PART OF THAT IS THAT, UM, IT INCLUDES ALL 10 OR 11 ITEMS THAT THE PARKS BOARD INCLUDED IN THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE BULK OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PARKS BOARD.
AND IN AS MUCH AS WE'RE, OR MY INTENT IS SUPPORT THE PARKS BOARD, I FELT THE NECESSITY TO USE THEIR LANGUAGE IN MUCH OF MY, MY RECOMMENDATION.
UH, I DID ADD SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS IN
[03:00:01]
THERE THAT, UH, ARE UNIQUE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION'S MISSION AND GOALS AS AN ORGANIZATION.SO THERE IS SOME DIFFERENCES IN THAT PARTICULAR, UH, ASPECT OF THE WHOLE THING.
BUT IN THE CONCLUSION OF THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION, IT FOLLOWS THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PARK BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION, UH, YOU KNOW, ALMOST WORD FOR WORD.
AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
YES, THAT'S A PARTICULARLY UGLY PICTURE OF THE POLO FIELD, AND THAT SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY WE NEED TO NOT MAKE THAT A PARKING LOT ANYMORE.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT RUNS INTO, UH, RUNS OFF INTO, UH, LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, BARTON CREEK AND EAMES CREEK, AND IT'S ALSO ON TOP OF THE EDWARDS AFER RECHARGE ZONE.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S PROBABLY A BAD IDEA TO HAVE CARS PARKING THERE, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE OIL TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND POWER STEERING FLUID.
SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO FREE THEM.
AND IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO KEEP PEOPLE HERE PAST 10 O'CLOCK.
UM, DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR LET'S JUST C C WHY DON'T WE START WITH YOU SHERRA.
UM, YOU GET, YOU GET THE BLACK BEANS SINCE YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE NON BRIMER REMOTE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, WELL, THE, THE PARK RECOMMENDATION WAS TO MOVE THE PARKING TO THE BUTLER LANDFILL, AND I BELIEVE THERE, THERE'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION HERE FOR THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THE WAY THAT, UH, I PHRASED IT IS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PART HAS ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL SPACE WITHIN ZILKER PARK FOR CARS TO PARK.
AND THAT AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED IS EQUALED OR GREATER TO WHAT IS ON THE POLO FIELD, WHICH IS ABOUT 750 SPOTS, DEPENDING ON HOW AND HOW CLOSELY PEOPLE PARK TOGETHER AND ALL THAT SORT OF GOOD STUFF.
AND THE ORIGINAL HURDLE THAT HAD TO BE CROSSED WAS THEY HAD TO FIND ADDITIONAL SPOTS THAT MET THE METRIC OF CONVENIENCE AND EXPENSE.
SO BY ADDING THE ADDITIONAL SPOTS WITHIN THE PARK AND ADDING SPOTS REMOTELY AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, THAT HURDLE HAS BEEN MET.
SO THAT IS WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION STATES THAT I'VE DRAWN UP.
BRIAN, REAL QUICK, LET ME JUMP IN HERE.
SHE, BUT SO YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, REFERENCING THOSE ADDITIONAL SPOTS, IF, IF, IF THERE'S NO ONE, IF THERE AREN'T ANY MORE PARKING IN THE POLO FIELD, ZILKER CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE 750 SPOTS WITHIN THE PARK SOMEWHERE AND OR ONE TEXAS CENTER, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BREMMER? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
DO YOU, WHERE, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THOSE ADDITIONAL SPOTS IN ZEER ARE, OR ARE THEY ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL, OR ARE THEY ELSEWHERE THAT ARE, I GUESS NOT ON GRASS? UH, THEY ARE WITHIN THE PARK ON GRASS OR ON, WELL, I'M BEING, UH, I'M BEING A BIT COY ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
UH, THERE ARE MANY PLACES, THE PARK WITHIN ZILKER PARK, SOME OF THEM ARE ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL, SOME OF THEM ARE IN SOME PAVED SPOTS, UH, IN OTHER PLACES.
BUT THE GOAL OF THE HURDLE TO BE MET WAS YOU HAD TO HAVE MORE THAN 750 SPOTS.
THAT'S EQUAL TO WHAT IS ON THE POLO FIELD.
THE SPOTS MADE AVAILABLE BY PART EXCEED THAT COUNT.
SO THE HURDLE'S BEEN MET, AND SO WE CAN CLOSE THE POLO FIELD PARKING AS THE PARKS BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED.
BUT THESE AREN'T NEW PARKING SPACES, THESE ARE PARKING SPACES ALONG THE DRIVE AND OTHER PLACES WHERE, LIKE, ALONG WHERE THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS IS, WHERE THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN PARKING.
IS THAT CORRECT? THEY'RE NOT NEW.
WELL, THEY'VE BEEN INCREMENTALLY ADDED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS THAT ARE LOST TO HISTORY.
AND I, I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE PARKS BOARD AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME ELECTED TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA SECOND GUESS THEIR DECISION TO INTRODUCE THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME, AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR OR LAST, YOU KNOW, TWO MONTHS AGO, OR WHY THEY DIDN'T DELAY IT FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS.
UH, I KNOW THAT THEY CHOSE TO INTRODUCE IT AT THEIR LAST MEETING.
IT WAS PASSED ON A 10 TO ZERO VOTE.
[03:05:01]
WAS NO OPPOSITION BY ANYONE ABOUT EV YOU KNOW, ON ANYONE ON IT.AND I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, A SOUND MOVE ON OUR PART TO SUPPORT THE PARKS BOARD BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THEY MENTIONED AS TO WHY THEY WANTED TO, UH, REMOVE THE POLO FIELD FROM THE LIST OF PARKING SPOTS.
AND BECAUSE IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, I THOUGHT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TAKE UP AND RECOMMEND ON THAT BASIS.
I, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE SECOND, WHEREAS ON THE SECOND PAGE, IT SAYS, THE POLO FIELD IS HEAVILY COMPACTED FROM SUBSTANTIAL VEHICLE PARKING, AND THERE ARE LEAKS OF TOXIC FLUIDS FROM AUTOMOBILES RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW, HOW THAT WAS SUBSTANTIATED.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PULLED.
JENNIFER, DID YOU PULL THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER OR SECRETARY? BRISTOL'S NOT, UH, HERE ANYMORE.
SHE LEFT, UM, WELL, SECRETARY BRISTOL WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SOME EDITS TO SHORTEN THE DOCUMENT OR THE RECOMMENDATION, AND I BELIEVE SHE REMOVED THAT PARAGRAPH.
SINCE I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, I CAN'T REALLY TELL SO THE, THE, THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE, SO SHE, WELL, SHE DIDN'T MAKE ANY REVISIONS TO IT AND SEND THAT OUT TO ANYONE.
SO THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE IS THE ONE THAT YOU HAD REVISED, I BELIEVE.
AND ELIZABETH HAS PRINTED OUT FOR US, UM, OKAY.
SO I GUESS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO WITH THAT BECAUSE, UH, I, BECAUSE COMMISSIONER BRISTOL WAS GOING TO, UH, MAKE SOME EDITS, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS SHE WAS GOING TO PULL FROM A BREVITY PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THIS ISSUE GOING BEFORE COUNSEL? DO WE HAVE TIME TO COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS AND DO THIS, OR IS IT GONNA GO TO COUNCIL BEFORE THEN? DO YOU KNOW BRIMER WHEN? WELL, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA GO TO COUNCIL ON A PARTICULAR TIME.
UH, I SELECTED THIS TIME TO BRING IT BEFORE OUR COMMISSION BECAUSE THE PARKS BOARD, UH, VOTED ON IT AT THEIR LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS ON THE 24TH.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO BRING IT UP AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME TO, UH, YOU KNOW, VOTE ON IT BECAUSE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A TIMELY TYPE OF THING.
SHERA YOU, YOU WERE, YOU WERE KNEE DEEP INTO YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE, WE, WE'VE HIJACKED THAT.
AND, UM, YEAH, I, UM, I WAS TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN AND UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT THERE, THE PLAN INCLUDED A PARKING GARAGE AT THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
DOES ANYONE ELSE RECALL THAT? IT IT DID NOT? UH, IT DID NOT.
I GUESS THAT WAS MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT, UM, USING THE BUTLER LANDFILL, BUT IF THERE'S, I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE A GOOD AREA FOR A PARKING GARAGE POTENTIALLY TO ME.
UM, BUT I GUESS IF THAT'S NOT IN THE PLAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, CHAIR OPPOSITION TO MOVING.
YEAH, LIZ, WHAT, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UM, I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT PARKING ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
UM, WATERSHED PROTECTION HAS HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE PARKING ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, AND HAS, UM, BEEN, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A, A BETTER, MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION THAN AT THE, THE LANDFILL.
UM, CONTINUING, WELL, IT, IT IS T C E Q COMPLIANT, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, THE CONTINUAL USE OF THE, THE, THE PARKING RIGHT THERE COULD OVER TIME DAMAGE THE CAP.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR PERMANENT PARKING IN THAT LOCATION DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT DAMAGING THE, THE CAP.
UM, WE COULDN'T PLANT ANY TREES ON IT WITHOUT BRINGING A LOT OF SOILS.
THERE'S NO WATER QUALITY TREATMENT WHATSOEVER THERE.
UM, AND IT IS VERY CLOSE TO LADY BIRD LAKE, SO, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WATERSHED HAS NOT BEEN IN SUPPORT OF PARKING ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, I, I WAS JUST GONNA STATE IT'S MY REC MY REMEMBRANCE FROM THE, UH, ZILKER PLAN THAT IT, THERE WAS A PLANNED PARKING GARAGE UNDERNEATH MOPAC.
SO NOT ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL, BUT JUST TO THE WEST OF IT.
OR, OR I, I THINK THAT WAS POSSIBLY ENVISIONED, AND THERE WAS, WAS SOME LANGUAGE IN THE PLAN ABOUT REACHING OUT TO TXDOT.
AND OVER BY THE, BY THE DISC GOLF COURSE,
[03:10:01]
UH, FOR, UM, PARKING IN THE RIGHT IN TEXDOT RIGHT AWAY.THANK YOU BOTH FOR, UM, FOR THAT.
I, YEAH, BUT I GUESS WITH THE INPUT FROM WATERSHED, I, I DO HAVE SOME HESITANCY ABOUT BASICALLY RELYING ON PARKING AT THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
WELL, I THINK TO THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER SHERA, I WOULD SAY THAT PART OF THE SOLUTION IS KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE'RE RELYING ON EXTERNAL PARKING TO THE PARK, WHICH IS THE FREE PARKING AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, AND THERE'S A FREE SHUTTLE THAT RUNS FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER, TWO, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE, UH, OF, YOU KNOW, THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK NEAR BARTON SPRINGS.
SO TO SAY THAT THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO PARK AT THE, BUT LANDFILL IS NOT ENTIRELY CORRECT, IT IS PERHAPS A OPTION FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
IT IS NOT THE PREFERRED OPTION.
AND IF YOU NOTICE IN THE LANGUAGE, THE THING SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE TEMPORARY.
THE ZILKER VISION PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR THE PARK THAT ADDRESSES MANY DEFICIENCIES THAT EXIST IN THE PARK IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
WHETHER IT'S THE NUMBER OF TREES ARE THERE, OR YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WATER FOUNTAINS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS.
THIS OLD PROVISION PLAN ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS MANY OF THESE CONCERNS.
AND SO ON A LONG-TERM BASIS, THESE WILL BE ADDRESSED.
THE SHORT-TERM THING THAT I'M ADDRESSING HERE IS WE HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM WITH THE POLO FIELD AND IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF EVERYONE TO TRY TO REMEDIATE THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND BY GETTING PEOPLE OFF OF THAT NOW GIVES THE PARKS DEPARTMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO START THAT PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SINCE 2018, WHEN THE, THE THEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION VOTED NINE TO ZERO TO GET PARKING OFF OF THE POLO FIELD.
SO, BY VOTING TODAY TO DO THAT, WE'RE JUST REINFORCING THE VOTE OF A PREVIOUS COMMISSION TO DO THE SAME THING.
WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING MORE OR ANYTHING LESS THAN REINFORCING THAT DECISION BY THAT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO CORRECT A PROBLEM THAT EXISTED.
THEN WE ARE ALSO REINFORCING THE DECISION OF THE PARKS BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION THAT CORRECTS THE PROBLEM AS WELL.
THERE IS, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE PARKING SPOTS WITHIN ZUCKER PARK.
THERE'S ALTERNATIVE PARKING WITH OUTSIDE OF ZILKER PARK WITH FREE SHUTTLES.
SO PARKING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DRIVING PEOPLE OUT OF ZILKER PARK BY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO PARK.
THERE ARE SUFFICIENT ALTERNATIVES THAT EXIST.
WE'RE CORRECTING A PROBLEM THAT'S AN ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM.
I JUST THINK THAT WE, WE'VE ALREADY HEARD COMPLAINTS FROM THE LIFEGUARD COMMUNITY, STAFFING COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ABOUT NEEDING, UH, TO DEFINITELY, UH, DEFINE PLACES TO PARK.
I THINK IN THAT WE NEED TO ALSO CONSIDER, UH, ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS COMMUNITY INPUT AS THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S A LITTLE MORE DEFINED IT BEFORE SUPPORTING THIS.
WHAT ELSE, ANYONE, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CORRERE YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? RESI, WE'RE JUST GONNA GO AROUND THE HORN, TRY TO THIS ORGANIZE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IN GENERAL, MY OPINION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT PROBABLY MAKES SENSE, UH, LONG TERM TO GET RID OF PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
I WAS JUST LOOKING UP, UH, WHAT THE VISION PLAN SAID ABOUT THE LANDFILL.
UH, 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE I REMEMBERED THEM TRYING TO COUNT IT IN ADDITION OR, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF SORT OF LIKE ADDING TO THE PARKLAND, BECAUSE THEY WERE LIKE, HEY, WE'RE PUTTING UP GARAGES IN THIS NEW THEATER, BUT WE'RE GONNA TURN THIS LANDFILL INTO A ECOLOGICAL PARADISE.
UM, SO YEAH, I THINK OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT LONG TERM, UH, THE, THE BUTLER LANDFILL AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER PEOPLE SHOULD PARK THERE, WHETHER PEOPLE SHOULDN'T PARK THERE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE, THERE ARE ALWAYS GONNA BE EQUITY CONCERNS WHENEVER YOU REMOVE AUTOMOBILE PARKING FROM ZEEL PARK BECAUSE IT'S TEXAS, RIGHT? THAT'S HOW
[03:15:01]
A LOT OF PEOPLE GET AROUND.UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL COMPLAIN ABOUT SHUTTLES 'CAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, Y'ALL WANT US TO STAND OUT IN THE HEAT FOR 15 MINUTES OR HALF AN HOUR AND WAIT FOR A BUS TO TAKE US TO THIS PARK? UM, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, THAT'S JUST AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE PREVALENT AS, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO DISCOURAGE, UH, AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTATION IN THAT PART OF TOWN.
UM, BUT I THINK IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ELIMINATING PARKING ON THE POLE FIELD IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN, KIND OF JUST LIKE MAGIC IN PARKING SPOTS TO POP UP SOMEWHERE.
I THINK, UH, TADD BIT OF SKEPTICISM, BUT I DO THINK THE SHELLS ARE A GOOD IDEA, WHETHER IT'S FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER, UH, BARTON CREEK MALL, UM, WHEREVER THE HOOTERS OR THE MCDONALD'S.
I THINK THE HOOTERS IS TORN DOWN NOW, BUT I THINK THE MCDONALD'S, UH, HEY PETER PAN, RIGHT? UH, NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
UM, YEAH, THOSE ARE JUST MY OPINIONS.
I GUESS I SHOULD JUST SAY FROM THE OUTSET THAT I AM TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF DOING AWAY WITH THE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
IT IS, I FEEL LIKE AN OAKY DUST BOWL SURVIVOR WALKING THROUGH THERE WHEN I'M, WHEN, AND I HAVE BEEN A USER OF IT.
SO, UM, BUT I, I ALSO WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT PARKING AT ONE TEXAS CENTER IS NOT COMPARABLE.
I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT BECAUSE I WAS ONCE UPON A TIME A FATHER OF YOUNG KIDS WHO WOULD TAKE MY KIDS BY MYSELF TO ZILKER PARK AND HAVE TO SCHLEP A COOLER AND A STROLLER AND POSSIBLY A TRICYCLE AND OTHER TOYS, A SOCCER BALL, ALWAYS A SOCCER BALL.
AND DOING THAT BY SHUTTLE FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER IS NOT COMPARABLE.
UH, BUT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA OF DOING AWAY WITH THE POLO FIELD.
I JUST WANNA BE MINDFUL OF HOW WE DO IT.
AND I I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS, IS THERE YET COVER YOU GOT ANYTHING? I'M MADE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, SO I GUESS THE, MY CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE FOR STAFF, UM,
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS LIKE HARD ANSWERING PARKING AND SHUTTLE RELATED QUESTIONS AND SOME HISTORICAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TEMPORARY GRAVEL LOT, UM, I'M JUST, I'LL GO THROUGH MY QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST GONNA SORT OF SAY FROM THE ONSET, IF, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET ENOUGH INFORMATION TO TONIGHT, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM.
UM, SO DO YOU WANT ME TO DIG IN? YES.
START PITCHING 'EM OUT THERE AND LIZ WILL START SWINGING.
I'M GONNA SWING 'EM ALL TO MY
I'LL ACTUALLY, I'LL START THOUGH REAL QUICK.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER, UM, I DO WANNA START BY NOTING THAT MY SPOUSE WAS THE, UH, CHAIR OF THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP.
AND I CAN SAY THAT THE HURDLE THAT WAS, THAT YOU'RE SAYING WAS PLACED BY PARD.
UM, I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.
THE POLO FIELDS SUBGROUP OF THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED RECOMMENDING A PHASE REMOVAL OF POLO FIELDS PARKING WITHOUT PROVIDING CORRESPONDING CONVENIENT, AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PARKING AND OR TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS TO REPLACE THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPOTS REMOVED FROM THE POLO FIELD.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS RECOMMENDATION DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDING ACCESS, UM, FROM THIS SPACE THAT WOULD BE REVOKED FOR THE, FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR PARKING.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, AS FAR AS, UM, THE, THE QUESTION TO THE PAR, UM, RECOMMENDATION, I, I'M KIND OF GETTING CONFLICTING INFORMATION HERE,
SO IS THE BUTLER LANDFILL REMEDIATED, HAVE THE LANDFILL MATERIALS BEEN REMOVED? UH, NO.
THE, THE MATERIALS ARE STILL THERE.
UM, PAR DID GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO DO MAINTENANCE OF THE, UM, AREA.
SOME AREAS, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL GRAVEL WAS BROUGHT IN.
THEY FIXED SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES.
THEY DID SOME, UM, RESTORATE OR, UH, VEGETATIVE PLANTING IN SOME OTHER AREAS AND RESTRICTED VEHICULAR USE IN SOME AREAS.
BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIATED.
IT IS COMPLIANT WITH, UH, T C E Q STATE REQUIREMENTS THOUGH.
DO YOU KNOW IF THE POLO FIELD IS CONSIDERED THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA FOR PARKING? I KNOW IT'S NOT IDEAL AND NONE OF US REALLY WANT IT THERE, BUT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF AREAS SORT OF, I MEAN, THE, THERE ARE, I WOULD NOT SAY THAT ONE IS WORSE THAN THE OTHER, NECESSARILY ONE, I MEAN, THEY'RE BOTH OVER THE AQUIFER.
LADYBIRD LAKE IS VERY CLOSE TO THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
ONE IS, COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE SPRINGS.
THEY'RE BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONCERNED THEY'RE, THEY BOTH HAVE KIND OF NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TO HAVE PARKING,
[03:20:01]
UM, ON BARE GROUND.DO THOSE 750 SPACES OVER THE BUTLER LANDFILL COMPLY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EXISTING REGULATIONS? NO.
UM, I HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ABOUT SHUTTLES.
I, YEAH, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD LEAST READ, AT LEAST READ 'EM IN, SO.
SO THEY'RE IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THE, IT'S ON THE PROCESS.
THERE, THERE'S BENEFIT TO THAT, I GUESS I WOULD SAY.
UM, AND SO IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT PARS IN THEIR SECOND YEAR OF UTILIZING THE FREE EXTERNAL SHUTTLE TO AND FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER.
UM, DO WE KNOW WHAT THE RIDERSHIP IS DAILY OF THAT SHUTTLE? NO, I'M SURE SOMEONE IN PART DOES THOUGH.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS BRIER, THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT OF SHUTTLES REQUESTED ARE BASED ON, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, WHO CAME UP WITH THE NUMBER OF SHUTTLES NEEDED TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE THAT WE ARE DISPLACING? UH, I'M NOT QUITE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
ARE, ARE YOU ASKING WHETHER OR NOT THE NUMBER OF SHUTTLES IS GONNA COVER THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT ARE BEING REMOVED? CORRECT.
UH, I KNOW THAT PART IS THAT, UH, PARTS BOARD IS REQUESTING FUNDING FOR TWO ADDITIONAL SHUTTLES TO HANDLE TRAFFIC WITHIN AND OVER TO ONE TEXAS CENTER IN THIS BUDGET FOR THOSE 750 SPOTS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE TRUE ANSWER IS I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG THE SHUTTLES ARE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE CITY BUSES OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SMALLER.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE DAILY RIDERSHIP IS EXPECTED ON THE NEW PARK SHUTTLES? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THAT ASK THESE.
UH, ARE WE COLLECTING I DO NOT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU, YOU, THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON ON THAT.
UH, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE UP AROUND THE CITY, AROUND THE, THE PARK ENTRANCE AROUND DOWNTOWN AREA ADVERTISING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SHUTTLE, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OUT TO PROMOTE THE USE OF THE SHUTTLES FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER.
SO THEN THAT KIND OF DOVES INTO WHAT IS THE MARKETING PLAN AND WILL IT BE EXPANDED FOR THESE NEW SHUTTLES? IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET LINE ITEM THAT'S BEING REQUESTED? WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PAR BUDGET IS AND HOW IT'S ALLOCATED FOR MARKETING.
I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SOME MARKETING AND MONEY IN IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE ALLOCATING IT FOR VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE WHOLE THING.
THE, I'LL, I'LL JUST INTERJECT REAL QUICK.
THE FOURTH RECOMMENDATION IS RECOMMENDS AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FUND A HIGH PROFILE OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO BE MANAGED BY PAR TO CITY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ON VARIOUS METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION.
IS OKRA PARK, INCLUDING ALL CHANGES IN NEW OPPORTUNITIES? SO I, I THINK IT'S NOT PART OF THE MONEY FOR THE BUSES, BUT I THINK THE REQUEST FOR THAT MONEY IS IN, IN, IN THERE.
UH, I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST GONNA RATTLE THESE OFF THEN.
UM, HOW MUCH DOES THE DRIVER EARN? ARE THE DRIVER'S CONTACT EMPLOYEES OR CITY EMPLOYEES IN THIS CURRENT STRUCTURE? I WOULD HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA.
MY GUESS IS THEY'RE PROBABLY CONTRACT, BUT OKAY.
THAT'S THE WAY THE PART WORKS ON THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
FOR EXAMPLE, CAP METRO BUS DRIVERS ARE CONTRACTORS.
UH, ARE THE SHUTTLES ELECTRIC OR HYBRID? I DO NOT KNOW.
WHAT ARE THE EMISSIONS FROM RUNNING THESE SHUTTLES? I WOULD NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE FIT ON EACH SHUTTLE.
DOES IT ACCOUNT FOR COOLERS, BAGS, STROLLERS, AND A D A ACCESSIBILITY? I'M SURE THERE ARE A D A COMPLIANT, OTHERWISE THE CITY WOULDN'T BE OPERATING THEM WHETHER OR NOT THEY ACCOMMODATE, UH, LARGE DOGS OR LARGE, UH, COOLERS AND THAT SORT OF THING IS NOT KNOWN.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, THERE'S NOTHING TO PREVENT PEOPLE TO TAKE LARGE COOLERS, SOCCER BALLS AND OTHER THINGS ONTO THE PARK ROUNDS AND DROP THEM OFF AND THEN TAKE THE SHUTTLE OR TAKE THE, UH, THEIR CAR BACK OVER TO ONE TEXAS CENTER OR ANOTHER MORE REMOTE SPOT WITHIN THE PARK AND THEN TAKE A SHUTTLE BACK.
SO THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO PLACING LARGE OBJECTS ON THE BUS AND TAKING THEM OVER THERE.
UH, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, DROP OFF ANYWHERE WITHIN THE PARK USING THE EXISTING ROAD SYSTEM AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE SHUTTLE FROM A REMOTE PARKING LOCATION.
I WOULD MENTION THAT MY FRIENDS USED THE SHUTTLE LAST TWO WEEKS AGO, AND IT TOOK THEM 45 MINUTES TO GET FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER TO THE PARK.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, A VIABLE OPTION FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.
[03:25:01]
WHY THEY'RE BUYING MORE BUSES.SO THEN I GUESS YOU KIND OF GOT SERVICE ANIMALS THERE.
UH, UH, HAVE THERE BEEN CONSIDERATIONS FOR INCENTIVES FOR SHUTTLE USE? UM, DO YOU KNOW, LIKE FREE ENTRY TO THE POOL OR THINGS LIKE THAT INTO THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN LOOKS LIKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION IN THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THE Z PARK VISION PLAN ABOUT INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO USE REMOTE PARKING IN A BROAD SENSE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PARK REMOTELY AND THEN USE SHUTTLES TO GET INTO THE, UH, PARK.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE LARGER LOCAL PARK VISION PLAN IS TO, UH, SET UP, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGING STRATEGIES TO DO THAT.
UH, DO YOU KNOW IF PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THE PARK WILL BE INCREASED OR IF THEY'RE JUST GONNA RELY ON PHYSICAL STRUCTURES? THERE'S BEEN RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE PARKING ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE PARK IN ORDER TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
BUT THERE, THAT'S A LARGER PARKING STRATEGY.
A LOT OF THIS LIES UPON PART AND REALLY DOESN'T ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, REALLY, IF I MAY, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF AN ECOLOGICAL DEAL.
IT'S A QUESTION OF DO WE WANT CAR PARKED ON THE POLO FIELD OR NOT? AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S PARKING ENFORCEMENT IS REALLY NOT GERMANE TO, IN MY OPINION, GERMANE TO THE QUESTION.
IF PARD CHOOSES TO HIRE MORE PARK POLICE, THEN THAT'S A DECISION THAT PARD MAKES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T AFFECT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ECOLOGICALLY SOUND TO CONTINUE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD.
THIS, THIS RECOMMENDATION IS STRICTLY BASED UPON THE ELECT, THE ECOLOGICAL DESIRABILITY OF HAVING 750 CARS PARKED ON THE POLO FIELD AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT LAND IS BEST USED AS PARK LAND OR IS BEST USED AS A PARKING LOT.
AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BACK IN 2018 AND THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP AND THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN AND THE PARKS BOARD ALL HAVE VOTED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS TO SAY, NO, THIS IS NOT A DESIRABLE USE OF PARKLAND.
IT'S COUNTER TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OR THE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS OF THE CITY.
AND IT'S NOT DESIRABLE IN A BROAD SENSE.
IT'S NOT AN EFFECTIVE USE OF PARKLAND, THEREFORE, WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT.
AND THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT, THAT WE AS A BOARD COMMISSION OUR HISTORIC COMMISSION HAS, HAS RECOMMENDED AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED THE QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MARKETING AND ALL THIS SORT OF THING IS FALLS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE PARKS BOARD OR THE PARKS, UH, DEPARTMENT AND HOW THEY MANAGE THEIR BUSINESS.
AND, UH, IF IT WERE UP TO ME, I WOULD WALK OVER THERE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TELL 'EM HOW TO RUN THEIR BUSINESS.
BUT I'M NOT ON THE PARKS BOARD, I'M ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND I'M MAKING AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION, NOT A PARKS BOARD RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I'LL BE, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING THIS STRICTLY AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, NOT A, YOU KNOW, A Z PARK VISION PLAN THING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE, YOU KNOW, REMOTE ACCESS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN AND, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.
I'M, I'M GONNA JUST JUMP IN HERE REAL QUICK.
I, I THINK I, I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WASN'T PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE ENVIRONMENTALLY AND ECOLOGICALLY AN IMPROVEMENT.
UM, I THINK WHAT SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND, AND I AM, AM WRESTLING WITH IS WITHOUT A PLAN FOR WHERE THOSE CARS ARE GOING TO GO, THEY WILL STILL PARK SOMEWHERE IN ZILKER OR SOMEWHERE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO ZILKER.
WE'VE SEEN THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS OF COMING OUT OF C O D WHERE PEOPLE JUST STARTED PARKING ANYWHERE IN ZILKER, YOU KNOW, UM, DRIVING UP TO THE ROCK ISLAND.
UM, SO I, I, MY CONCERN, UM, AND, AND WHAT I THINK I'M HEARING A LITTLE BIT IS WE HAVE TO HAVE A, A DIRECTION FOR THOSE CARS TO GO, UM, OR AT LEAST SOME CONFIDENCE IN A PLAN THAT'S GETTING WORKED OUT.
THAT'S WHAT I READ IN THE, IN THE ZORA WORK PLAN, UH, WAS KIND OF A STEPWISE.
THE WORKING GROUP, UH, REPORT WAS KIND OF A STEPWISE
[03:30:01]
TRANSITION.UM, AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE ROADMAP FOR THAT.
SO THE CARS, IF WE SAY THE POLO FIELD'S OFF LIMITS, THEN THEY'RE JUST GONNA GO PARK IN THE DISC GOLF HOLES, OR THEY'LL GO PARK OVER ON THE GREAT LAWN OR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY, THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THAT UNDER ALL THE PECAN TREES OVER THERE.
I'VE DRIVEN BY THERE AND THERE'S A HUNDRED CARS UNDERNEATH THAT AREA BEFORE.
SO I, I, I, I, I, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
AND I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING A LITTLE BIT IN SOME OF THESE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS YEP.
AND I CAN, I CAN HOLD THE REST OF MY MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS.
THAT BEING SAID, IT'S, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A BINARY DECISION ON IF WE SHOULD BE PARKING ON OPEN SPACE IN THE PARK.
IT'S A DECISION OF ACCESS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO VISIT THIS PARK.
YOU KNOW, ON ONE HAND THERE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION TO ANSWER ON THE OTHER ONE, I FEEL LIKE IT'S MORE OF A MORAL QUESTION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S AN EITHER OR HERE.
UM, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE BALANCED DECISION OF SORT OF PEOPLE FIRST, WHICH IS WHAT THIS PARK IS FOR, THAT IS AS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE FOR.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT REMOVING ACCESS IS REASONABLE.
UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M GONNA BE HINGING MY VOTE.
NO, I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN.
THE PARKS BOARD, YOU KNOW, LOOKED AT ALL THIS AS PART OF THEIR EXAMINATION OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY FELT THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE.
AND THEY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT REMOVING PARKING FROM THE POLO FIELD.
AND THE PARKS BOARD WHO WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DID NOT FEEL THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE.
THAT ACCESS TO THE PARK WAS NOT IMPEDED, THAT OVERFLOW PARKING INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE PARK WAS NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
AND I, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT IF THE PARKS BOARD WORKING WITH PARD DOES NOT BELIEVE A PROBLEM, THAT'S A PROBLEM, THEN I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I'M GONNA POSITION TO SECOND GUESS THAT COMMISSION, THAT BOARD OR THE PARK DEPARTMENT ON THE WAY THEY RUN THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND I'M MAKING A MORAL JUDGMENT ON DO WE CONTINUE TO ENVIRONMENTALLY DEGRADATE, YOU KNOW, THE ZILKER PARK BY ALLOWING A LOT OF CARS TO PARK ON AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA GOING FORWARD.
AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YES, THAT THAT'S A FINE THING TO DO.
AND OR WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY BEST THAT WE JUST STOP THIS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PLAN SINCE 2018, AND IT'S TIME WE PULL THE PLUG ON IT.
AND IF THE PARKS BOARD AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT, THEN WHY ARE WE SECOND GUESSING THEM? YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO THE ENVIRONMENTALLY RIGHT THING TO DO WELL.
AND I THINK THAT THAT GOES BACK TO THE, IT, THE BUTLER LANDFILL LOT BEING NOT REMEDIATED.
YOU KNOW, THE PARKS BOARD VOTE WAS BASED ON THOSE CARS BEING MOVED TO A SEPARATE LOT.
THAT WOULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION.
THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, CHECKING THAT BOX FOR HAVING, YOU KNOW, NOT ACTUALLY REMOVING ACCESS, JUST MOVING THAT ACCESS.
BUT IF THAT LOT IS NOT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE, THEN I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS ACTUALLY A REFLECTION OF WHAT THE INTENT OF THEIR VOTE WAS.
WELL, THE, THE INTENT IS THAT THE PARKING SITUATION IN ZILKER PARK IS GONNA BE CONTINUOUSLY DYNAMIC BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN, WHICH INCORPORATES MANY CHANGES TO THE PARK, ONE OF WHICH IS THE PARKING.
AND THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ADDITIONAL PARKING STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE, UH, CAP METRO BUS ROUTES THROUGH OR NEAR THE PARK.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE DROP OFF POINTS.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A LOT OF THINGS.
THOSE ARE ALL GOING TO BE DETERMINED AS THE Z PARK VISION PLAN IS VOTED ON BY CITY COUNCIL, AND VARIOUS PARTS OF IT ARE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE COMING DECADES.
SO WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO JUDGE THAT.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE BUTLER LANDFILL IS NOT A LONG-TERM OPTION.
AND IN THE RECOMMENDATION I HAVE, I MENTIONED THAT THIS IS NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
IT IS A, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THING AS AN ENTIRETY IS NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE
[03:35:01]
A BLEMISH ON ZILKER PARK, WHICH IS REMOVING PARKING FROM A ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA AND ALLOWING THAT PARKING SPACE TO BE REMEDIATED AND TURNED INTO A USABLE PARK SPACE BY PARK USERS.AND WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OPEN SPACE IN ZILKER PARK TO ACCOMMODATE THE USERS TODAY AS MOVING FORWARD.
THERE WILL BE OTHER OPTIONS THAT THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WILL VISIT, AND THERE MAY BE A PARKING GARAGE BUILT OVER THERE BY MOPAC AT SOME LOCATION THAT IS YET TO BE DEFINED.
AND IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, THE NEED FOR THE BUTLER LANDFILL WILL DISAPPEAR.
AND AS THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN CALLS FOR, OR RECOMMENDS, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, IT WILL BE TURNED INTO A PRAIRIE, OR I, I FORGET THE EXACT WORDING, BUT IT WILL BE TURNED INTO A, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A REMEDIATED SPACE IN SOME MANNER.
AND CARS WILL NO LONGER PARK THERE.
AND THERE WILL BE OTHER ALTERNATIVES, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA.
SO THIS IS A VERY DYNAMIC THING, AND IT'S PRESUMPTUOUS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE, WE ARE SOLVING PARKING FOREVER AT ZILKER PARK.
WHAT WE ARE SOLVING IS A SPECIFIC PROBLEM TODAY WHERE WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY DEGRADATED AREA THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO GO AWAY.
THERE'S NOT BEEN ANYONE WHO HAS RECOMMENDED THE POLO FIELD REMAIN A PARKING SPOT.
AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND BACK UP THE PARKS BOARD AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO AWAY WITH NOW.
AND THAT'S, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHAT I INTRODUCE AS A RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE PULL THE PLUG ON THIS NOW, AND AS THINGS DEVELOP WITH A VISION PLAN, OTHER OPTIONS WILL COME FORWARD.
MAYBE WE'LL HAVE HELICOPTERS LAND EVERYONE, I DON'T KNOW, ELECTRIC HELICOPTERS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TESTING THOSE OUT NOW.
SO WHO KNOWS? OH, CAN I ASK? YES.
SO WAS IT ALSO PART OF THE, UM, UH, PARK PARK, IS IT PARKS COMMISSION? RIGHT? IT'S NOT PARKS BOARD.
I THOUGHT THEY RENAMED ALL THE BOARDS TO BE COMMISSIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WAS IT PART OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION ALSO THAT IT STILL BE USED FOR OVERFLOW PARKING FOR THE BIG EVENTS LIKE THE ZUCKER HILLSIDE THEATER BLUES ON THE GREEN ZUCKER TREE LIGHTING, TRAIL OF LIGHTS, KITE FESTIVAL? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOOD WITH THAT.
SO CONTINUED USE, BUT ON A RARE OCCASION, ON RARE OCCASIONS, THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY DOING AWAY WITH THE PARKING, IT'S STILL WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR OVER OVERFLOW PARKING FOR MAJOR EVENTS.
MORE QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION ONE, ONE, OR HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE YET? I NOT FINISHED.
THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS TOO.
WHAT COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN WAS ASKING, LIKE IF THEY WOULD STILL ALLOW, UM, THE BIG EVENTS TO PARK THERE.
UM, WELL THE, YEAH, THERE'S A LIST IN THE, UH, THERE'S A LIST OF THE BIG EVENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED MM-HMM.
SO WAS THERE AN OPTION FOR DURING THE WEEK SHUTTLE USAGE THAT YOU KNOW OF? BECAUSE LIKE, WELL, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO, AND REALLY THE SHUTTLE USAGE IS BASED UPON DEMAND.
AND RIGHT NOW THE DEMAND IS GREATEST DURING THE WEEK.
THERE'S ADEQUATE NUMBER OF, UH, THERE'S A WOMAN BY THE NAME OF DIANA PROCTOR WHO HAS DONE OVER THE PAST, SAY, THREE MONTHS, I DUNNO, WHAT IS THIS, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, WHATEVER, OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WHO'S SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME OUT AT ZILKER PARK THAT HAS BASICALLY STOOD OUT THERE AND WATCHED TRAFFIC GO BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE PARK.
AND SHE'S THE ONE WHO TOOK THE PICTURES OF THE POLO FIELD.
AND, UH, WHAT SHE'S OBSERVED IS THAT DURING THE WEEK, THE POLO FIELD IS NOT VERY HEAVILY USED.
AND SO THAT PROBABLY IS WHY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DOESN'T RUN THE SHUTTLES DURING THE WEEK, IS BECAUSE THE EXISTING PARKING SURFACE PARKING WITHIN ZILKER IS ADEQUATE DURING THE WEEK.
IT'S ONLY IN PERIODS OF HIGH DEMAND, LIKE THE WEEKENDS WHEN ONE TEXAS CENTER IS REQUIRED AT THIS TIME.
AND, UM, ALSO I NOTICED, LIKE,
[03:40:01]
IT SEEMS THAT IT'S ONLY FOR SUMMER.LIKE IT SAYS, UM, THE WEEKENDS MAY 27TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 4TH.
SO IS THERE AN OPTION FOR WHEN IT'S NOT SUMMERTIME MONTHS FOR THE SHUTTLE? WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE RATIONALE IS THIS, THE SUMMERTIME IS WHEN IT'S MOST HEAVILY USED.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO, YOU RESTRICT THE PARKING AT THAT TIME, AND THE RESOLUTION SAYS THAT IT, THEY PROHIBIT PARKING IN THE POLO FIELDS FROM SEPTEMBER 4TH TO MAY 31ST.
AND THERE'S, IT SAYS IT'S PROHIBITED ON WEEKDAYS SO ALREADY, SO.
I GUESS, UM, I GUESS I JUST THINK OF LIKE, HOW MANY PEOPLE USE OKE PARK DURING THE WEEK.
LIKE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO.
UM, SOMETIMES I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE LIKE A PLACE TO PARK AT LEAST THAT'S CLOSE TO THE PARK TO WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO LIKE WALK 2.3 MILES.
I THINK IT IS JUST TO GET TO THE PARK TO ENJOY IT FROM THE ONE, UM, THE ONE CENTER.
AND, UM, I ALSO HAVE RESERVATIONS WITH, LIKE, I KNOW THE PARKING OVER THE POLO FIELDS ISN'T IN THE IDEAL AREA.
IT'S VERY SENSITIVE, BUT I ALSO HAVE RESERVATIONS OF JUST REMOVING THAT ACCESS TO, UM, TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT HAVING LIKE AN IMMEDIATE THING.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE THE 750 PARKING SPOTS ARE ALLOCATED WITHIN THE PARK RIGHT NOW TO KIND OF LIKE SAY, OKAY, LET'S JUST GET RID OF IT.
LET'S GET RID OF THE GRAVEL PARK LOT.
I THINK LIKE IF WE NEED, WELL, PEOPLE HAVE THE OPTION, PEOPLE HAVE THE OPTION TO PARK ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL BECAUSE IT HAPPENS TO BE THERE.
UH, THERE'S ALSO OTHER SPOTS WITHIN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE PARK AS WELL.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE, IT'S THE, IT'S THE POSITION OF THE CITY FROM A NET ZERO CARBON PLAN, RIGHT.
TO MOVE AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND USE, INCREASING THE USE OF SHUTTLES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT IT REALLY KIND OF GETS DOWN TO IS THIS, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A PARKING SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS EVERYONE TO PARK IN FRONT OF BARTON SPRINGS 'CAUSE THEY WANT TO SWIM.
AND I'M ONE OF THE GUYS THAT WHEN I GO TO BARTON SPRINGS, THE FIRST THING I DO IS I DRIVE INTO THAT LOT AND I TRIED TO GET THAT COVETED LAST PARKING SPOT THAT ALLOWS ME TO PARK MY CAR AND WALK 25 FEET, THE ENTRANCE OF BARTON SPRINGS.
AND THAT JUST ISN'T GONNA WORK ANYMORE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE, FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE GONNA BE CLOSING ALL THAT WHILE THEY WORK ON THE BATHHOUSE FOR WHAT, A YEAR AND A HALF OR SOMETHING.
BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA BE THOSE PARKING SPOTS.
AND GOING FORWARD, THE OVERALL PLAN IS TO EMPHASIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, MASS TRANSIT, UH, YOU KNOW, BICYCLES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THAT'S PART OF THE SO PARK VISION PLAN.
AND SO IT'S, I THINK IF WE REALLY LOOK AT THIS REALISTICALLY, IT'S A MYTH THAT GOING FORWARD, EVERYONE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO PARK RIGHT IN FRONT OF SOMETHING.
THERE'S GONNA BE ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE DROP OFF POINTS.
THERE'S GONNA BE FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE GONNA UNLOAD THE MINIVAN AND FIVE KIDS AND COOLERS AND SOCCER BALLS AND BASEBALLS AND FOOTBALLS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THEN THEY WILL GO PARK AND THEY WILL, THEY WILL EITHER WALK BACK AND THEY WILL SHUTTLE BACK.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE PARKING GARAGES REMOTE OR OVER ON AIE MORTON OR, UH, AT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER BY MOPAC OR EVEN AN UNDERGROUND LOT.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW THESE THINGS 'CAUSE THEY ARE ALL SPECULATIVE AND WE CAN'T, WE, WE DON'T KNOW THE FUTURE.
AND AT BEST THEY'RE BEING ARGUED BY EVERYONE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S A MYTH TO SAY THAT WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE ABLE TO WALK 50 FEET TO GET TO OUR FAVORITE SPOT IN THE PARK.
AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE IDEA THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO PARK CLOSE AND EVERYTHING.
AND, AND, BUT I THINK IT'S A, A FALSE NARRATIVE THAT PARKING CLOSE IS SOMEHOW EQUITY AND THAT WE HAVE TO TRADE OFF PARKING CLOSE WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
[03:45:01]
MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE PARK.THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE PARK IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE HAVEN FOR NATURE AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN WAS THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, WAS PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING NATURE AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING AND MAKE IT SAFER AND BETTER.
AND WE CAN'T, ON THE ONE HAND VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY, WELL, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA LET 750 CARS PARK, YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERY FEW DAYS ON TOP OF, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ENVIRONMENT LEAST SENSITIVE PLACE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS KIND OF ALL ABOUT.
I'M GONNA, IN MY OPINION, JUMP IN HERE REAL QUICK, UH, AND, UH, MOVE THAT WE, UH, EXTEND THE MEETING TO 10 15, UH, COMING UP ON 10 O'CLOCK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING TO 10 15, RAISE YOUR HAND.
WELCOME TO THE FIRST MEETING,
YOU, DID YOU, WAS THAT A YES VOTE BRIER? UH, SURE, THAT'S A YES VOTE.
SO IT CARRIES, UM, UH, I'M GONNA, I WILL SAY THIS, UH, YEAH, GO FOR IT.
I WILL SAY THIS, I'VE MADE THE BEST ARGUMENT I CAN MAKE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVE PARKING LOCATIONS, THE TIMELINESS OF BUS SERVICE.
AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE PARKS BOARD BY, AND THE PARKS BOARD VOTED NOT, YOU KNOW, 10 TO ZERO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REMOVING THE POLO FIELD PARKING.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BACK IN 2018 VOTED TO DO AWAY WITH THE POLO FIELD AS PARKING.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY VOTING TO DO AWAY WITH THIS.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE THAT TODAY.
THAT'S MY BEST ARGUMENT, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE IT IS, WHAT WE, AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SHOULD DO, IS SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE POLO FIELD AS A SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SPOT.
THAT'S MY STANCE, AND THAT'S THE BASIS OF WHICH I MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
IF YOU WANT TO POSTPONE IT AND GIVE IT ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION TO A LATER DATE, THAT'S FINE.
UH, IF YOU WANNA VOTE NOW AND VOTE HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE TOO.
I, I, BUT I WILL ASK, I WILL ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I I I DON'T HAVE A YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE BETTER ARGUMENT TO MAKE.
UM, AND I, YES, I, UH, I AND I, I I THINK YOU'LL GET A LOT OF AGREEMENT FROM ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT, THAT THAT IS A SOUND, UH, UH, POSITION.
UM, I, I, I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER BRIMER, IS DO, DO YOU WANT TO VOTE ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE MOTION THAT YOU HAVE? UM, OR DO YOU WANT TO, UM, I GUESS WE COULD DO BOTH, BUT, UM, IN THE REMAINING 16 MINUTES, UM, OR, OR DO YOU WANT TO, UH, PROPOSE A MOTION THAT MORE BROADLY ARTICULATES THAT POINT? UM, I MEAN, I, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT THERE'S, THAT THE, THE WORKING GROUP REPORT TIMELINE HAS NOT BEEN FOLLOWED.
UM, THAT WE'VE PRETTY MUCH GOT ANOTHER MONTH OF PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS, AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE OFF LIMITS UNTIL TRAIL OF LIGHTS, MORE OR LESS.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, THE BATHHOUSE PRESUMABLY WILL START TO GET IT CONSTRUCTED AND IT WILL HAVE A WORSE PROBLEM NEXT SUMMER.
UM, AND, AND PRESUMABLY THREE MORE PEOPLE WILL FIND OUT ABOUT ZORA PARK IN THAT TIME, AND THEY'LL ALL BE, BE TRAVELING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN A CAR
UM, SO, UH, WE CAN VOTE ON THE MOTION THAT YOU'VE GOT DOWN OR WE COULD DO SOMETHING SIMPLER THAT MAYBE WOULD RENDER MORE SUPPORT, UM, IF THAT'S THE, THE INTENT OF YOUR, UH, YOU KNOW, OF THE ITEM.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING A RECOMMENDATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL GROUNDS.
THAT'S NOT THIS, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
WE'RE PARROTING THE, THE PARKS BOARD.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BRIER.
WE SHOULD NOT BE SECOND GUESSING THE PARKS BOARD IF THESE ARE THE PARKS BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
THESE ARE WAY OUTSIDE OF THE, THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION AS I, AS I UNDERSTAND THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE AN ADDITIONAL TWO WEEKS SO THAT WE CAN REFINE THIS.
AND, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO READ THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE, FROM 2018 TO
[03:50:01]
SEE, DO WE EVEN NEED TO SPEAK AGAIN? CAN WE JUST RE-OFFER THE SAME RECOMMENDATION? WHAT ARE YOU SHOULD BE THE FIRST TO KIND OF GIVE YOUR 2 CENTS ON THAT BREMMER.WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? OKAY.
UH, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THIS ABOUT THE 2018, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
I CAN EMAIL THAT TO LIZ OR TO ELIZABETH AND, UH, SHE CAN FORWARD IT OUT.
UH, THE REFERENCE TO, I WILL SAY THAT THE, UH, 2018 RECOMMENDATION REFERENCING THE POLO FIELD WAS ONE, WHEREAS AMONG 15.
SO, BUT I CAN, I CAN FORWARD IT OVER TO ELIZABETH AND HAVE HER FORWARD IT TO YOU.
UH, IF YOU WANT, THE REASON I INCLUDED EVERYTHING IN THE PARKS BOARD WAS TO REINFORCE, I GUESS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, THAT, THAT OUR COMMISSION BACKED UP THEM.
AND SO THAT WAS THE INTENT OF INCLUDING IT KIND OF WORD FOR WORD.
IF IT WOULD GARNER MORE SUPPORT, COMPARE IT DOWN TO NARROW IT AND KEEP THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE THING THERE, THEN I'M, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
AND THAT THAT WOULD BE FINE WITH ME IF SOMEONE HAS ALTERNATIVE WORDING TO PROPOSE.
UH, OUR, UH, OUTSTANDING SCRIBE, UH, JEN HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, LEFT, SO I WOULD HAVE TO YIELD TO, UH, THE CHAIR TO WORKSHOP, UM, THINGS BECAUSE HE'S DONE A FINE JOB WITH THAT BEFORE.
WELL, I THINK THE, MY CONCERN WITH POSTPONING FOR TWO WEEKS IS WE HAVE A PRETTY BUSY AGENDA IN TWO WEEKS, AND I HAVE FULL INTENTION OF NOT TRYING TO STAY HERE MUCH LONGER THAN WE DO ON A QUASI REGULAR BASIS ALREADY.
UM, SO THAT POSTPONEMENT, I BELIEVE WOULD BE AT LEAST, WOULD PROBABLY BE AT LEAST A MONTH.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE FILLING UP THIS FALL.
WELL, AND IT DOES SOUND LIKE THERE'S NO, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S PENDING COUNCIL ACTION, SO WE MAY, WE MAY HAVE MORE TIME.
UM, UM, OUR, WHEN WE DID THE ZILKER VISION PLAN, I DON'T REMEMBER THERE BEING LIKE EVER LEARNING LIKE WHO'S IN CHARGE OF ZILKER PARK, IS THERE SOMEBODY IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHO'S THE ILLUMINATI WHO'S, WHO IS LIKE THE, THE CZAR OF ZILKER PARK? BECAUSE IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTED PARKING IN ZILKER PARK.
YEAH, I I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ONE SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, THERE ARE VARIOUS PROJECT MANAGERS THAT, UM, DEAL WITH VARIOUS ASPECTS OF ZILKER PARK, BUT, UM, I'M SURE PARD WOULD BE INTERESTED IN.
SO, UH, WELL, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT IF WE DO DID POSTPONE THIS, THAT WE ASK SOMEBODY FROM PAR FROM PARD WHO IS, HAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARKING, YOU KNOW, WHO GETS YELLED AT WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING OR WHO COLLECTS THE MONEY WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY COLLECT THE MONEY FOR PARKING.
BUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARKING IN ZILKER PARK COULD BE HERE TO SAY, IF WE CLOSE THE POLO GROUNDS, WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
UM, OKAY THEN, UH, WELL, THE SEEING THERE NOT BEING A, A, A HUGE URGENCY BECAUSE THE, THE FIELDS WILL GET CLOSED.
THE P FIELDS WILL GET CLOSED THE, YOU KNOW, END OF SUMMER SEPTEMBER 4TH OR WHATEVER THE DATE WAS.
UM, UH, I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THIS FOR, UH, AT, AT AT LEAST TWO WEEKS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE SEPTEMBER, UM, UH, AND UNTIL A LATER DATE WHEN, WHEN COMMISSIONER BRIER, WHEN YOU CAN MAYBE SEE IF YOU CAN WRANGLE SOMEONE FROM PARKS TO SPEAK TO WHAT THE CAUSE AND EFFECT WOULD BE OF, OF CLOSING IT BY NEXT SUMMER.
AND, AND I IN PARTICULAR WOULD BE INTERESTED BECAUSE WHAT'S THE, THE FORECAST FOR PARKING NEXT SUMMER AS OPPOSED TO THIS SUMMER? 'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE WORSE.
SO I, I, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN IT OPENS UP ON MAY 26TH OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, AS PROPOSED, IF WE SAY TO KEEP IT CLOSED, UM, FOR ECOLOGICAL REASONS, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT OR WHAT'S, WHAT PLANS COULD THEY HAVE IN PLACE PRIOR TO THAT? UM, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION IS WE, WE POSTPONE AND I WOULDN'T PUT A BACKSTOP ON IT, BUT TO WHERE WE CAN GET IT ONTO AGENDA IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UM, AND, AND HAVE SOMEONE FROM PARKS WHO COULD SPEAK TO THE CAUSE AND EFFECT CHAIR, IF THAT'S
[03:55:01]
A MOTION, I WOULD SECOND IT PRIMER.WE GOT A, CAN I ASK A YEAH, GO FOR IT.
CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? UH, DO YOU MEAN BY PARKS? YOU MEAN PARKS BOARD OR PARKS DEPARTMENT? I MEAN, STAFF PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WELL, I, I'LL SEE IF I CAN ROUND SOMEONE UP, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE, UH, IN, IN, WE'LL MAKE THAT REQUEST.
AND ELIZABETH AND LIZ BOTH NODDING THEIR HEADS, SO THINGS HAPPEN WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
UM, UM, OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, BRIMER ARE YOU, HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT HIT YOU? ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? SURE.
UH, ALL THOSE FOR POSTPONING THIS, UH, TO A LATER DATE.
WE CAN HAVE MORE INFORMATION FROM PARK STAFF AND, UH, CAN ACCOMMODATE IT ON THE SCHEDULE.
UM, THANK YOU BRIER, UH, FOR BOTH BRINGING IT AND, UH, HER THAT FORWARD.
[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
UM, ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS TO REPORT.I SWEAR TO EVERY ALMIGHTY BEING YOU CAN THINK OF THAT.
UM, SO YEAH, THERE WERE A BUNCH OF COOL STUFF THAT CAME UP WITH THE J SS C UM, LAST WEEK.
TIME FLIES, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET THAT STUFF ON THE CALENDAR.
HOWEVER, ONE THING THAT I WAS TOO MUCH OF A MOR ON AN BUIL AN IDIOT TO REALIZE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA, BUT I DIDN'T DO THE 72 HOURS.
SO, HEY, EVERYTHING'S A LEARNING PROCESS, HOWEVER, SO THERE'S A PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE OFFICES OF SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCE, EQUITY, AND CIVIL RIGHTS.
THESE ARE, THERE'S NOT ONE OFFICE COVERING FOUR THINGS.
THESE ARE FOUR SEPARATE OFFICES SLASH CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE, UM, UNDER CONSIDERATION, UH, FROM I BELIEVE SORT OF LIKE CITY MANAGEMENT TO SORT OF BE, UM, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY DISSOLVED, BUT NOT INDEPENDENT OFFICES ANYMORE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE UNDER THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, AT LEAST AS FAR AS SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND RESILIENCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE J S C PASSED A, A RECOMMENDATION NOT TO DO THAT.
'CAUSE BASICALLY IT'S LIKE THERE'S NO WAY THAT EQUITY WILL BE IMPROVED BY HAVING SOME KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT OFFICE THEN UNDER BE UNDER A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR Y'ALL.
HOWEVER, I WOULD DEFINITELY ADVISE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL PERSON OR MAYOR OR ASSISTANT CI OR INTERIM CITY MANAGER OR, UM, HECK, ANYBODY, YOU CAN FIND, UH, SOMEBODY ON THE CORNER AND, UH, JUST BASICALLY ENCOURAGED THEM NOT TO SORT OF, UH, SHOVEL AWAY ALL THE EQUITY WORK THAT THE CITY HAS TRIED TO DO IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER CONSIDERED POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT BY CERTAIN PEOPLE.
ANY OTHER REPORTS? YEAH, I'LL, I'LL JUST MENTION THAT I WAS FINALLY GOT TO GO TO THE, UM, SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, SCHWAB
SOUTH CENTRAL CENTRAL WATER WATERFRONT WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING.
AND WE HEARD ABOUT THE REGULATING PLAN, WHICH WILL GUIDE THE HEIGHT, THE FLORIDA AREA RATIO, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS, ET CETERA.
NOT MUCH ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL, UM, ALRIGHT.
I'LL JUST CHIME IN ONE MORE TIME.
ABOUT ONE WEEK FROM TODAY OR OR MINUS FOUR HOURS.
UH, UM, WE'LL BE BACK HERE FOR THE RETREAT.
UM, AND, UH, PLEASE COME WITH IDEAS FOR FOCAL THINGS TO FOCUS ON THIS COMING YEAR.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS KIND OF ON, UH, ALL THINGS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION 1 0 1, UH, BUT THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME TIME TO DISCUSS POINTS OF FOCUS.
SO, UM, PLEASE, UH, EAT, EAT A GOOD LUNCH AND THERE WILL BE FOOD PROVIDED.
SO, AND IT'S, I DON'T, I HAVE NOT CONFIRMED QUESO YET.
RESI, BUT I WAS GONNA SAY MY MAIN FOCUS IS FREE FOOD, SO YEAH.
IS IT A 6:00 PM OPEN BAR? 6:00 PM THING? 6:00 PM HERE? YEAH.
AS RESI WOULD SAY, IT'S THE SAME MEETING, WHICH JUST COMES WITH QUESO.
I THOUGHT THE RETREAT WAS GONNA BE IN LIKE A PARK OR SOMETHING.
THEY'RE LIKE, OH, IS THE SAME ROOM YOU'RE ALWAYS IN.
AND I'M LIKE, HOW IS THIS A RETREAT? THIS IS JUST AN EXTRA MEETING.
LIKE, WHY ARE YOU DOING WORK RETREAT? ALL RIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE, ANYONE? ALL RIGHT.
[04:00:01]
WE'RE ADJOURNED.