[00:00:03]
IT IS, UH, TUESDAY, MARCH 5TH, 2024.
[CALL TO ORDER ]
IT'S 5:02 PM AND I'M GONNA CALL THE, UH, REGULAR MEETING OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO ORDER.[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
SO AS ALWAYS, OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS GOING TO BE, UH, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITY TO SPEAK TO US ON ISSUES THAT ARE NOT PART OF OUR ORGANIZED AGENDA FOR THE EVENING.
I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER, UM, UH, SIGNED UP.
UM, WE CAN TAKE UP TO THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I WILL CALL THE SPEAKER, UM, ADAM GREENFIELD IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME AND, UH, CHAT WITH US TODAY.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.
ADAM GREENFIELD HERE, UH, REPRESENTING SAFE STREETS.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH REGARD TO A RECENT STAFF PROPOSAL FOR SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD BETWEEN LAMAR AND 34TH STREET.
AUSTIN WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UM, GET INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE.
UH, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS YOU KNOW, THAT WE CONNECT, UH, LADYBIRD LAKE TO 180 3 WITH A CONTINUOUS, UM, PROTECTED ALL AGES AND ABILITY, BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN FACILITY.
UM, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THIS CRITICAL CONNECTION ON SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD THAT WE DON'T LOSE THAT CONNECTION.
SO THERE'S BEEN NUMEROUS PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY STAFF, UH, ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT SECTION.
UH, SAFE STREETS AUSTIN IS, IS ASKING THAT NO PROTECTED FACILITY ON SHOAL CREEK BE REMOVED UNTIL A, A LONG TERM, UM, UH, FACILITY HAS BEEN DECIDED UPON AND INSTALLED.
SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT AT NO POINT SHOULD THERE BE THE LOSS OF A, UH, CONTINUOUS PROTECTED FACILITY ON SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD.
AND REALLY WE CANNOT SET THE PRECEDENT OF REMOVING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IN THIS CITY.
WE JUST SHOULD NOT BE DOING THAT.
WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZING SAFETY.
WE SHOULD BE, UM, COMMITTING TO WHAT THE CITY HAS IN ITS PLANS.
UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGEMENT WITH YOU ON THIS.
I THINK WE CAN GET A GOOD RESULT.
AND, UH, JUST ALSO ON ANOTHER ITEM, YOU HAVE A LIVING STREETS PRESENTATION.
UM, DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS? WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE A QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS?
UM, I NOT DISCUSSING THE ITEM, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND I WILL NOTE THAT, UM, SECTION 4.35 OF THE BIKE PLAN DIRECT STAFF TO NOTIFY THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WHEN PROJECT PROPOSALS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE BIKE PLAN.
SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING, UH, WE HOPEFULLY SHOULD GET FAIRLY SOON.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Urban Transportation Commission REGULAR MEETING on February 6, 2024. ]
MOVE INTO APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.UH, COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE THE MINUTES FOR OUR, UH, REGULAR MEETING.
THAT WAS ON FEBRUARY 6TH, 2024 IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, THIS WAS ALSO PRECIATE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES.
UH, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BROOKS.
I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PER THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? COMMISSIONER WHEELER IS ONLINE, SO IF WE COULD HEAR FROM HER OR SEE HER HAND.
YEAH, I FREE, OH, YOU'RE BEHIND ME AND NOT IN FRONT OF ME.
THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.
[2. Discussion on Living Streets program update ]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS AND THE FIRST ITEM, UM, ON OUR DISCUSSION LIST TODAY IS A PRESENTATION ON THE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM UPDATES.ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
I'M DIVISION MANAGER OF THE SMART MOBILITY OFFICE, AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY COLLEAGUE MATT MAGE, WHO IS THE, UM, PROGRAM MANAGER FOR LIVING STREETS.
AND I'D LIKE TO JUST START OFF BY SAYING, UH, THE SAFE STREETS PROGRAM IS PRETTY ROCKING TOO, SO THAT'S GIVE A LITTLE LOVE BACK.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA SET THE TABLE REAL QUICKLY AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO MATT WHO CAN REALLY DIVE INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS REALLY PRETTY AMAZING PROGRAM.
SO, BACK IN 2023, WE WERE IN A PLANNING PHASE FOR THIS, DEVELOPING THE DESIGN FOR THE PROGRAM, WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT, LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES AND HOW THEY DID THIS.
UM, LOOKING AT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ORIGINAL, UM, HEALTHY STREETS THAT HA WAS OUT THERE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
[00:05:01]
PRETTY MUCH MOST OF 2023.AND THEN THE END OF 2023, WE DEVELOPED AN APPLICATION PROCESS IN A WAY OF BRINGING APPLICATIONS IN THROUGH THE NAC SYSTEM AND STARTED TO COLLECT APPLICATIONS.
NOW, WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW DURING 2023 WAS HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE'RE GONNA GET, HOW MUCH INTEREST WAS THERE GOING TO BE IN THIS PROGRAM? SO ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS BRIEFING IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED ABOUT 60 OR MORE APPLICATIONS.
UM, SO THEN IT BECOMES A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION, HOW DO WE VET THESE? HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHICH STREETS ARE, UM, VIABLE TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF, UH, UH, UH, APPLICATION OF THESE, YOU KNOW, JUST SLOW DOWN THE, SLOW DOWN THE CARS AND SUCH.
SO ALL THAT DETAIL MATT CAN GO INTO, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH OUR BRIEFING.
SO I'M GOING TO START BY SAYING MATT'S FINE.
MY LAST NAME IS PRONOUNCED MAJ.
UM, AND I GET THAT QUESTION ALL THE TIME.
UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA GIVE YOU GUYS SOME BACKGROUND ON WHERE LIVING STREET STARTED, HOW WE GOT TO NOW, WHAT THE ACTIVATIONS ARE.
NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES, HEALTHY STREETS AND PLACE STREETS, OUR METHODOLOGY AND SELECTION CRITERIA, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS, OUR CURRENT PROGRAM, DEMAND AND PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN OUR FIRST ACTIVATIONS, OUR LESSONS LEARNED, IF YOU WOULD.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE KIND OF PROJECTING IN TERMS OF THE NEXT PIECES OF THE PROJECT.
SO IN MAY, 2020, THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED.
UM, AND WHILE THAT WAS EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE, ONE THING DID COME OUT OF IT THAT WAS ACTUALLY POSITIVE, AND IT'S THAT 72% OF OUR POPULATION OF 1200 PEOPLE THAT WERE SURVEYED AGREED THAT LIVING STREETS WAS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE A PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE CITY.
THEY DID COME BACK AND GIVE US FEEDBACK ON THE 16TH STREETS THAT WE HAD UP AND RUNNING.
AND THAT FEEDBACK WAS THEY NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED, NOT AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, BUT AS A PRECURSOR TO MAKE PROPER SPACE AND PLACE FOR THEM.
THEY WERE THE PRIMARY INTERESTED PARTIES.
THE SECOND IS NOT ALL STREETS ARE EQUAL.
SO WHEN WE LIFTED IT ON CERTAIN STREETS, THEY HAD LESS RESPONSE THAN OTHER STREETS.
STREETS THAT ARE EXTREMELY HILLY OR HAVE TOO MUCH CROSS TRAFFIC, OR YOU HAVE TO GO TOO LONG OF A LAMP TO GET TO, OR ONES THAT DIDN'T HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO OTHER LOCATIONS WEREN'T AS SUCCESSFUL AS SOME OF OUR OTHER STREETS THAT WERE MORE RESIDENTIALLY DRIVEN, ALREADY FRIENDLY OR, AND SAFER IN NATURE.
AND THEY COULD PROVIDE THAT COMMUNITY ASPECT.
SO THE PRO THE RESOLUTION SET UP FOR A PROGRAM CALLED THE STREETS PROGRAM, AKA, THE LIVING STREETS.
SO THE STREETS PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY THE PIECE THAT I MANAGE, WHICH INCLUDES THE HEALTHY STREETS AND PLAY STREETS, NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES, UH, PART OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS AN UMBRELLA PIECE.
AND IT'S ALL THESE PIECES THAT HAVE TO BE RESIDENT LED AND REQUIRE 60% APPROVAL BY THE RESIDENTS, WHICH SEEMS ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH IN SOME SENSE AND ASTRONOMICALLY LOW IN OTHERS.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WHEN YOU'RE ASKING 60% OF A STREET TO APPROVE OF SOMETHING, THEY REALLY DO NEED TO BE INFORMED.
AND IT'S ALSO, WE WANT MORE THAN A MAJORITY.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO TRULY BELIEVE IN THE PROGRAM BEFORE THEY SIGN OFF ON IT.
ALL THE ACTIVATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING USE SOFT CLOSURES.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS NOTHING IS FIXED IN PLACE.
WE USE TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES LIKE CONES, BARRELS AND SIGNAGE TO CREATE THE STREETS.
THEY'RE DERIVED OUT OF ASMPS AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLANS, DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR CLASS ONE, UH, COMPLETE STREET.
BUT WE USE MODIFIED METHODS TO ACTUALLY EMPLOY THEM AND PUT THEM OUT THERE.
THEY'RE ALL THREE TO SIX MONTHS IN DURATION WITH EXCEPTION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY.
AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.
AND WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO ADDRESS EQUITY AS AN ISSUE.
WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT LIVING STREETS PROGRAMS IS THAT THOSE WHO ARE INFORMED APPLY MOST TO CITY PROJECTS.
AND WITH AN UMBRELLA PROJECT LIKE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM AND ITS GOAL OF PROVIDING SAFETY AND ADEQUATE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO COMMUNE AND MOVE ABOUT THEIR RIGHT OF WAY, WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO REACH OUT TO THOSE IN MOST IN NEED AND FIND METHODOLOGIES TO DO THAT.
AND I'LL BE FRANK, WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
WE DID GET A GOOD RESULT, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE PRESENTATION, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE
[00:10:01]
OF THE LESSONS LEARNED.SO THE THREE PROGRAMS FALL UNDER THE LIVING STREETS BANNER.
UM, IT'S PART OF COMMUNITY SERVICES OUTREACH ACTIVATIONS WITHIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS PORTFOLIO.
IT FALLS UNDER SMART MOBILITY BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT INNOVATIVE WAYS TO CREATE PLACE.
WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING IN THIS PROJECT, WAYS TO ACTUALLY MEASURE THE OUTCOMES.
PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR COUNTS, DEFERMENTS FROM THIS STREET TO OTHERS.
CRITICAL FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND PROBLEMS THAT ARE CREATED.
SO THE PROGRAMS FALL OUT LIKE THIS.
A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY IS SIMPLY EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
YOU WANT TO THROW A PARTY ON YOUR STREET IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS THE PROGRAM FOR YOU FOR A NOMINAL PERMIT FEE.
$50 PLUS A SURCHARGE, YOU CAN CLOSE UP TO ONE BLOCK OF YOUR STREET FOR 24 HOURS ONCE, ANYTIME, RIGHT? UM, IT REQUIRES LIGHT BARRICADES TYPE ONES WITH SOME SIGNAGE.
IT DOES REQUIRE MONITORS AT THOSE BARRICADES AND WILL CONTINUE TO REQUIRE MONITORS AT THOSE BARRICADES FOR THE TIME BEING AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT OTHER METHODOLOGIES TO DO THESE CLOSURES.
BUT THE IDEA IS THAT ALL THE RESIDENTS NEED A PLACE TO COMMUNE.
AND THE STREET USED TO BE THAT PLACE PRIOR TO THE ADVENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE TAKING OVER TRAFFIC CONTROL, RIGHT? SO THE STREET ACTUALLY WORKS GREAT FOR THIS AND PEOPLE START TO ACTIVATE IT.
THEIR LARGEST, UH, DEMAND DAY.
PUT OUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY ADJACENT STREETS COME OVER AND EVERYONE SETS UP ON DIFFERENT SIDEWALK PIECES AND GIVE OUT CANDY ON ONE SAFE STREET WHERE ALL THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN COME AND COMMUNE.
IT'S AN AMAZINGLY POPULAR DAY, AND OUR STAFF HAS GONE OUT AND SUPPORTED THAT BY MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE BARRICADES WERE PUT OUT AND DELIVERED ON A TIMELY MANNER AND THEN RETURNED AS WELL.
SO WE DO PROVIDE THOSE CLOSURES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
A HEALTHY STREET COMES OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND THIS, THIS IS THE STREET THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF A LIVING STREET.
IT'S THE PANDEMIC HEALTHY STREET.
AGAIN, IT CREATES PINCHES, CHICANES AT OTHER METHODOLOGIES TO DETER AND PREVENT AND LIMIT TRAFFIC, BUT ALSO TO SLOW IT.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE GET ALL THE TIME IS, IS THIS ABOUT TRAFFIC MITIGATION, SPEED MITIGATION? AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCY, NEIGHBORHOOD PLACEMAKING AND CREATING, UH, THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE AND LEVEL VOLUME ON OUR STREETS THAT A RESIDENT WOULD DESERVE.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE CONVERSATION HAS TO START AT THAT SAFETY LEVEL.
BECAUSE WITHOUT SAFETY, WE CAN'T DO THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN'T DO THE RESILIENCY, AND YOU DON'T GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND WE DID SEE THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC AND STREETS LIKE THIS CHANGED SOME OF THAT CURVE.
WHEN JONATHAN, MY COLLEAGUE IN THE BACK AND I ARE OUT TALKING WITH THE PUBLIC ON THESE STREETS, ONE THING THAT WE GET OFTEN IS, IS I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? WELL, 60% OF YOUR STREET ASKED FOR IT OR MORE.
AND HONESTLY, WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE THAN 60%.
UM, AND MY RESPONSE IS, I ENCOURAGE YOU GO OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE, ASK THEM WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE THE STREET SHOULD BE.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WHEN WE ENCOURAGE THAT CONVERSATION, LO AND BEHOLD THEY SLIDE OVER TO THE YES SIDE ALMOST EVERY TIME.
NOT EVERY TIME, BUT ALMOST EVERY TIME.
SO AGAIN, THREE TO SIX MONTHS, THREE TO FOUR BLOCKS, THIS IS AN ALWAYS UP OPTION.
OUR NEXT OPTION TAKES THE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY CONCEPT OF ONE BLOCK, SOFT CLOSURES, TYPE ONES AND MONITORS AND MERGES IT WITH THE ACTIVITY OF A HEALTHY STREET.
IT'S MANAGED AND APPLIED FOR BY RESIDENTS, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER PIECES, WE PROVIDE THE EQUIPMENT AND IT'S THREE DAYS A WEEK FOR UP TO 12 HOURS A WEEK.
YOU AS THE RESIDENT AND APPLICANT CHOOSE YOUR DAY OF THE WEEK AND THE TIME OF DAYS THAT YOU WANT IT OUT THERE.
OUR ONLY REQUIREMENT IS YOU STILL HAVE TO GET YOUR 60% SIGNATURES.
SO THIS GOES UP FOR THREE TO SIX MONTHS, POTENTIALLY EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, THREE TO SEVEN SEEMS TO BE LIKE OUR POPULAR TIMEFRAME RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE THE WAY THEY WOULD IN A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY VERSUS IN A HEALTHY STREET, WHICH IS ABOUT CONNECTIVITY, TRANSPORTATION, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, BICYCLE ACTIVITY.
[00:15:01]
IS ACTUALLY ABOUT RECREATING IN THE STREET AND TURNING IT INTO POTENTIALLY A BASKETBALL COURT OR OTHER PIECES.SO WE GOT TO NOW BY GOING THROUGH MANY, MANY STEPS, AND I'LL BE HONEST, UM, NONE OF THIS IS NEW, BUT ALL OF IT IS MORE MODERN.
UM, AND REALLY THAT STARTED WITH A PANDEMIC.
MANY, MANY A CITY SAT DOWN AND STARTED TO RETHINK WHAT THE RIGHT OF WAY WAS WHEN PEOPLE WEREN'T OUT THERE USING IT.
IT WAS NOT ONLY NEEDED FOR THE TIME, BUT FOR THE CULTURE AS WELL.
PEOPLE WEREN'T ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER EFFECTIVELY.
THEY HAD LOST TOUCH WITH NOT ONLY THEIR NEIGHBORS, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN IN ITS CULTURAL IDENTITY IN ITSELF, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE PUT THESE UP DURING 2020, UM, WE DID A SURVEY ALSO.
THAT SURVEY WENT OUT TO OVER 1200 PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE SURVEY THAT REALLY BECAME THE IMPETUS FOR THE RESOLUTION.
WE BEGAN WORKING ON IT AS STAFF AROUND, UH, OCTOBER, 2021, FORMING UP WHAT THE PROGRAM WOULD BE AND DEVELOPING THAT PROGRAM.
WE'VE BEGUN THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND UH, OUR FIRST WINDOW OPENED NOVEMBER 2ND FOR APPLICATIONS CLOSED JANUARY 5TH.
BY THE TIME WE CLOSED, WE HAD 42 APPLICATIONS, WHICH WAS ASTOUNDING US.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SITTING ON 58 ACTIVE APPLICATIONS AND WE'VE RECEIVED MORE THAN THAT.
SOME OF THEM WEREN'T FOR SPOTS THAT WE COULD FIND A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR THEM, IIE ON UT'S CAMPUS, UH, DOWNTOWN ON 18TH AND LA VACA, MAYBE NOT THE BEST PLACES FOR SOME OF THIS.
AND THOSE WERE SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED.
SO WHILE WE'VE RECEIVED CLOSE TO 80 SOME APPLICATIONS, 58 ARE ABSOLUTELY VIABLE AND ACTIVE WITHIN OUR PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO NOW AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK.
SO OUR SOFT LAUNCH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN THIS, THAT THE SOFT LAUNCH PIECE OF ALL THIS IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE PROGRAM.
WE NEEDED TO DO THE RESIDENT COMMUNICATIONS, WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REACH THEM AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE.
SO WE CHOSE THREE VERY DISTINCT LOCATIONS.
37TH STREET, WHICH YOU MIGHT KNOW AS 37TH STREET LIGHTS OR CANDY CANE LANE, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FISHER GARDEN, YOU MAY KNOW THAT AREA AS LIMON.
IT'S BETWEEN SPRINGDALE BALM AND AIRPORT AND THEN AVENUE G.
AVENUE G WAS THE LAST REMNANT OF THE PANDEMIC VERSION AND IS ONE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON AND HAVE INSTALLED CURRENTLY.
SO THOSE SOFT LAUNCHES GAVE US A COMMUNITY RESPONSE THAT ALLOWED US TO ADAPT, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THE APPLICATION PROCESS, WHAT THE NEEDS WERE GONNA BE, HOW MUCH INFORMATION WE NEEDED TO COLLECT TO MAKE THIS FEASIBLE AND VIABLE.
THAT OPENED OUR APPLICATION WINDOW.
WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND WE LAUNCHED OUR FIRST ONES WENT UP AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY AND THEY'LL BE ACTIVE FOR A FULL SIX MONTHS WITH THE OPTION FOR RENEWAL.
WE HAVE A MARKETING PLAN AND THE MARKETING PLAN IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
UM, I'LL BE HONEST, ADAM'S SITTING BEHIND ME, SO IT'S MY TURN TO GIVE HIM THE COMPLIMENT.
WHEN WE NEEDED TO DO MARKETING ORIGINALLY, ADAM HAD ALREADY REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, KEEP ME INFORMED PLEASE.
SAFE STREETS IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS.
I HEAR YOU'RE INVOLVED BECAUSE YOU WERE, YOUR NAME WAS THROWN OUT THERE SEVERAL TIMES, MATT, UM, AND I'M GONNA CALL YOU REGULARLY.
UH, BUT IT WAS BECAUSE OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND THE EMAILS THAT HE PUT OUT TO HIS CONSTITUENTS THAT WE SAW A HUGE UPTICK IN APPLICATIONS.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, A LOT OF THOSE APPLICATIONS DID ACTUALLY COME CLOSE TO THE EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONES, RIGHT? THEY WERE SPOTS IN NEED.
AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THOSE RESIDENTS TO ACTUALLY APPLY AND GO FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS.
BUT THIS IS WHERE WE KNOW WE CAN DO MORE.
I STARTED THE CONVERSATION WITH THAT.
SO WE DO OUTREACH AND EVENTS AND MEETINGS.
WE HAVE DONE, UH, BICYCLE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVOCACY COMMITTEE AS WELL AS MOB COM AND MEETING WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THEIR AREAS.
UM, PARKS AND REC WHO'S SITTING BEHIND US HAS BEEN GRACIOUS AND HOSTED EVENTS FOR US AT RECREATION CENTERS.
AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT WE'VE SINCE DEVELOPED BILINGUAL TRIFOLDS THAT DESCRIBE THE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN THAT WILL COME UP AND A CAP METRO
[00:20:01]
BUS CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY.AND THE IDEA IS TO RUN THESE THROUGH JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST, WHICH IS A VERY LONG KIND OF MARKETING PLAN, BUT IT DOES TAKE THREE MONTHS FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO GET APPLICATIONS.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAD 40 EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST THAT BECAME APPLICATIONS WAS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET ALL 60% OF THE SIGNATURES.
SO THEY STILL REMAIN ACTIVE, BUT THEY DIDN'T MEET THE DEADLINE.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME AND WE DO THE OUTREACH IN THOSE AREAS THAT ARE THE REDS AND PINKS THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.
THE PROCESS KIND OF GOES LIKE THIS.
YOU TELL US YOU'RE INTERESTED, WE COME BACK AND WE SAY, GREAT.
YOU'RE EITHER ON A VIABLE STREET OR YOU'RE NOT.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN A SECOND.
UM, WE SUBMIT THAT TO OUR ENGINEERING TEAM.
THEY DO A QUICK REVIEW WITH US.
WE SELECT THE CLOSURE TYPES, THE LENGTH OF THE STREET, THE MOST APPROPRIATE APPLICATION.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED A PLACE, STREET OR HEALTHY STREET, WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE COMPLETION OF THE APPLICATION IS THE RESIDENT GOING OUT, GETTING THE 60% SIGNATURES AT WHAT THAT POINT, ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN WITH THE 60% SIGNATURES STAFFED AS A FULL REVIEW.
AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM OUR TEAM TO THE ENGINEERING TEAM SITTING AROUND AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THESE SEQUENTIALLY HAVE MET THE BASIC GOALS OF THE NEEDS.
AND THEN WE DO OUR PROJECT INSTALLATION.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE PROCESS THAT GOES THROUGH.
OVERALL, THAT'S ABOUT A FOUR MONTH PROCESS TO FROM START TO FINISH FROM RESIDENT EXPRESSION TO INSTALLATION.
AND THE WAY THIS PANS OUT IS WE DID LOOK AT RESIDENTIAL STREETS ONLY.
WE LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLANS.
CLASS ONE ROAD TYPOLOGIES, WHICH ARE RESIDENTIAL DRIVEN 25 MILES PER HOUR AT LAST, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 25 AND 40 FEET AND WIDTH.
UH, THEY TYPICALLY HAVE PARKING ON BOTH SIDES.
THEY TYPICALLY DO NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS.
UH, SOME HAVE BEEN MET WITH COMPLETE STREETS.
THAT IS NOT A PREREQUISITE TO BE PART OF THE PROGRAM.
YOU CAN STILL APPLY IF YOU HAVE A COMPLETE STREET, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE INTO INTERESTED IN A PLAY STREET.
HAVING SIDEWALKS DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE A FRONT YARD OR A BACKYARD TO RECREATE IN, RIGHT? SO THERE'S DEFINITELY BENEFITS THERE.
UM, YOU HAVE TO HAVE 90% OF THE PARCELS BE RESIDENTIAL.
WHAT IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE IS ON A COLLECTOR OR A MAJOR ARTERIAL OR DIRECTLY OFF OF THOSE WITHOUT SPECIFIC ENGINEERING APPROVAL.
IT CANNOT AFFECT TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND IT WILL NOT EVER AFFECT A TRANSIT ROUTE.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY HOW WE LOOK AT IT.
SO THE MAP YOU SAW WAS ALL THE VIABLE STREETS IN AUSTIN, AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY PRESS IT ONE MORE TIME.
UM, AND THEY'RE STREET SO HIGHLIGHTED IN THE LIGHT BLUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
UM, THE NEXT PIECE IS ONCE THEY GET THEIR SIGNATURES IN, WE TAKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF SIGNATURES THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM THE PARCELS OF LAND TO DO THIS AND ALL THOSE VIABLE STREETS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A PRIORITY NUMBER.
WHEN WE KIND OF BREAK THOSE INTO TWO CATEGORIES, EQUITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONNECTIONS.
SO WITHIN EQUITY YOU HAVE OUR EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONES, OUR, UH, AGE GROUP CATEGORIES.
WE ARE DEFINITELY TARGETING AUDIENCES THAT ARE EITHER 65 OR OLDER.
UH, GENERALLY POPULATION OF THE STREETS OR CHILDREN ON THE POPULATION OF THE STREET.
NOT THAT WE ALL CAN'T USE ACTIVITY, BUT THE STREETS ARE REALLY DESIGNED AROUND THIS IDEA OF CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND PROVIDING THAT EXERCISE TO THOSE IN MOST NEED, THUS EQUITY.
RIGHT? AND PART DEFICIENT, AND THIS IS AN INTERESTING ONE BECAUSE THE NEXT ONE UNDER AMENITIES IS PARKS.
AND I NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY THOSE TWO THINGS ARE SEPARATED AND ALSO EQUAL IN POINT STRUCTURE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE HEALTHY STREETS AND PLAY STREETS ARE A FORM OF RECREATION.
SO IF THERE IS NO VIABLE PARK NEAR YOU AND YOU ARE IN A PARK DESERT, THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST OPTION FOR YOU TO GET OUT SAFELY AND ENJOY A HEALTHY ACTIVITY.
IF YOU ARE NEXT TO A PARK, WE WANT TO ENSURE OTHERS THAT THEY HAVE A SAFE ROUTE TO THAT PARK.
SO OUR PUBLIC AMENITIES INCLUDE THINGS LIKE LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS AND REC CENTERS AND ALL THESE OTHER GREAT PLACES THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO GET TO AT A CIVIC LEVEL.
UM, AND THEN THOSE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE BANKS
[00:25:01]
AND POST OFFICES AND HOSPITALS AND URGENT CARES AND MEDICAL CENTERS.WE'VE LOOKED SO FAR DOWN INTO PHARMACIES, BUT THAT BECAME REALLY CONVOLUTED TO BE QUITE FRANK.
UM, FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT IS KIND OF OUR CATCHALL CULTURAL ASPECT.
AND I THINK IF THERE'S ANY ONE CATEGORY THAT WE COULD BRUSH UP FURTHER ON, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PIECES WHERE WE KNOW THAT THE STREET ITSELF HAS CULTURAL IDENTITY AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO NECESSARILY CAPTURE THAT IN A PRIORITIZATION MAPPING TYPE BECAUSE THAT IS OFTEN QUALITATIVE IN ITS EXPRESSION AND SOCIALLY EXPRESSIVE AS OPPOSED TO A PLACE-BASED PIECE, RIGHT? SO WE THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY AN AREA THAT WE CAN BRUSH UP AND TOUCH UP A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY, URBAN TRAILS, BUS ROUTES, TRANSIT SYSTEMS, HIKING BIKE LANES, AND THEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT HAS A SIDEWALK OR NOT.
NOW THE LAST FIVE GROUPS THAT I JUST LISTED ALL ARE WORTH A COLLECTIVE TOTAL OF FIVE POINTS AND OUR EQUITY SECTION ALONE IS WORTH FIVE POINTS AND THIS HELPS BALANCE THAT.
BUT THERE IS ONE OTHER PIECE TO THIS.
WE TAKE YOUR POINT VALUE FROM THE STREETS THAT WERE ASSIGNED, RIGHT? AND WE RELY ON YOU TO GET MANY RESIDENTS TO SIGN OFF ON YOUR APPLICATION AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S THAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS MULTIPLIED BY YOUR PRIORITIZATION VALUE THAT GIVES YOU YOUR APPROVAL VALUE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE PRIORITIZE ALL OF OUR APPLICATIONS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A LOW PRIORITY STREET, JUST BECAUSE IT'S SO WELL FIT OUT, IF YOU GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR STREETS SIGNED OFF ON IT, YOU HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING INTO THE SYSTEM AS WELL.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN START TO BALANCE THIS EQUITY RELATIONSHIP AND CONNECTIVITY PLACE MAKING ISSUES.
SO THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AND I THINK REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT PROCESS IS ACTUALLY HOW ALL THIS STARTED TO PAN OUT.
UM, THE CHART THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS OUR POWER BI DASHBOARD OF THE 60% REQUIRED, WE ARE AVERAGING 73%, 66, 60 7% ON SPECIFICALLY A HEALTHY STREET AND 80% ON A PLAY STREET.
THAT MEANS 80% OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVE ON THAT ONE BLOCK HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE PROGRAM AND ARE INTERESTED.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU SEE LISTED HERE ON THIS ARE THE, UH, APPLICATIONS THAT WERE APPROVED, UH, IN THE DARK HIGHLIGHT TO THE LEFT MIDDLE, WHERE ABOVE THE 31.73 NUMBER.
AND THAT'S THE NUMBER OF AVERAGE RESIDENTS THAT HAD TO SIGN OFF ON IT.
UM, WHERE A PLACE STREET IS A MUCH SMALLER STREET, SO YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY RESIDENTS LIVING ON IT.
AND THAT'S REALLY THIS DISTINCT DIFFERENCE.
AND AS YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, IT DOES FOLLOW LIKE THE 35 CORRIDOR.
THE ONES THAT WE APPROVED ARE EVEN CLOSER TO THE 35 180 3 CORRIDOR, BUT THEY DO BORDER BOTH SIDES OF THAT.
WHAT WE DIDN'T GET WAS A HUGE APPLICATION, UM, SUBMISSION FROM EAST AUSTIN LIKE WE WOULD'VE HOPED OR FROM THE DELVE AREA SOUTH AUSTIN LIKE WE WANTED.
AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE AREAS ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF SIDEWALKS AND OTHER PIECES.
AND THAT'S WHY OUR COMMUNICATION PLAN COMES INTO PLAY.
HERE ARE THE QUICK LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE THREE SOFT LAUNCHES, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER LESSONS, BUT THESE DO COMPROMISE THEM IN A NICE SUMMARY FOR US.
UM, 37TH STREET SAW 3000 ATTENDEES A NIGHT ON AVERAGE, NOW WEEKENDS ABOUT 8,000.
TUESDAY NIGHTS ONLY 800 TO A THOUSAND.
BUT THAT MEANT THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE GOING OUT THERE AS A CULTURAL DESTINATION TO SEE SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS HAD PUT ON THEIR OWN.
IT'S NOT A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, IT'S NOT A PERMITTED EVENT.
IT'S PEOPLE DECKING OUT THEIR STREET AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 35, 40 YEARS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, THE COMPLETE CLOSURE ACTUALLY DECREASED CRASH INCIDENTS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR THERE WERE FENDER BENDERS REPORTED THERE.
AND THIS YEAR WHERE THERE WERE NONE, ADDITIONALLY THE COMMENTS THAT CAME BACK WERE, CAN WE PROVIDE BETTER ADEQUATE A DA ACCESSIBILITY? AND THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE CURRENTLY WORK ON AS WELL AS THIS DID DRAW A MUCH LARGER CROWD BECAUSE WE COULD GET OUT AND COMMUNE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND MAYBE WE NEED TO THINK SLIGHTLY BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF IT ON HOW PEOPLE GET TO IT AND THINK THAT THROUGH AS WELL.
AVENUE G DOESN'T EVEN GO BY AVENUE G HEALTHY STREET, THEY GO BY HYDE PARK HEALTHY STREET.
[00:30:01]
THAT'S BECAUSE AVENUES F AND AVENUE H HAVE SIGNED UP TO SUPPORT IT.NOW THEIR SIGNATURES DON'T COUNT AS 60%, BUT THEY SIGN NONETHELESS SAYING THAT THIS IS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
THEIR BIG CONCERN IS HYDE PARK IS GOING THROUGH A WATER MAIN CHANGE OUT.
THEY HAVE TERRACOTTA PIPES FROM 1950 SOMETHING IN THEIR STREETS AND EVERY STREET LOOKS LIKE YOU SEE THERE WHERE IT'S BEEN RUTTED AND GED.
UM, SO THE CLOSURE TYPES THAT WE ARE USING ARE CONES AND BARRELS, AND IT HAPPENS TO BE THE SAME CLOSURE TYPE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION IS USING.
SO THE REQUEST TO US IS CAN YOU MAKE IT LOOK DIFFERENT? AND PS REALLY IS ORANGE THE BEST WE CAN DO.
UM, SO THE STYLE AND EXPRESSION OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE REPRESENTING A NEIGHBORHOOD HYDE PARK AS A HEALTHY STREET, IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A LESSON LEARNED AS WELL.
FISHER GARDEN, UM, HAS A GREAT CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY BACKGROUND.
THEIR BIGGEST ISSUE THOUGH IS YOU ARE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE HIGHEST CRASH ZONES, PEDESTRIAN INCIDENTS IN THE CITY BETWEEN BALM, SPRINGDALE AND AIRPORT.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE LITTLE RED DOTS ON THE MAP.
THOSE ARE ALL INCIDENTS REPORTED THROUGH THE VISION ZERO PROGRAM THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE CULTURAL IDENTITY, THE AREAS IN IN FLUX, IT'S SLOWLY GOING THROUGH GENTRIFICATION, ESPECIALLY ON LIONS.
THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET OUT AND MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS.
THERE'S CLOSE TO 92 SIGNATURES OR 92 RESIDENTS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO GET SIGNATURES FROM.
SO THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY MEET THE DEADLINE THAT WE WERE WORKING TOWARDS, AND THEY'RE STILL WORKING TOWARDS THAT.
WE, WE DO KNOW ABOUT THIS AREA AND WHAT THE PROGRAM'S PROVIDING IS THAT IT WILL DECREASE TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA.
IT'S EXTREMELY COST EFFECTIVE.
THEIR CLOSURES ARE LESS ABOUT A THIRD LESS THAN AVENUE GS HYDE PARKS BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO ISOLATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT MORE DISTINCT AREAS, WHICH MEANS LESS CLOSURE EQUIPMENT, WHICH MEANS MORE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNING.
AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY GOING TO PREVENT CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC, INCREASED SAFETY ON THE STREETS, AND PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO SIDEWALKS.
SO THE LAST PIECE IS WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE STAFF MEMBERS.
WE DID A, WE WERE ASKED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS TO DO PROJECTIONS ON WHERE THE PROGRAM COULD GO.
AND ESSENTIALLY WITH THREE STAFF MEMBERS, WE COULD RUN THIS ONE OF TWO WAYS.
UM, AND IT, WHAT IT MEANS IS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? THE 18 INSTALLATIONS FOR THE BUDGET WE HAVE.
AND IF WE ACTUALLY PROJECT THAT OUT, THE MOST WE THINK THAT WE COULD DO IN ANY GIVEN YEAR RIGHT NOW IS 72 ACTIVATIONS.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS TWO CORRESPONDING ACTIVE TRACKS WHERE THEY'RE OFFSET SO THAT STAFF HAS TIME TO PROCESS OUR APPLICATIONS AND REVIEW THOSE AT THE SAME TIME AS RENEWING AND APPROVING THE OTHER APPLICATIONS.
SO IT'S THIS WHOLE PROCESS THAT REALLY IS THE EBB AND FLOW.
SO WITHOUT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF, THIS IS WHAT WE COULD DO, RIGHT? AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING WHERE WE'RE AT, HOW MANY ACTIVATIONS ACTUALLY RE WANT TO REAPPLY DOING THAT ASSESSMENT.
LITERALLY WE JUST PUT OUR FIRST APPLICATIONS OUT THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE BLUE LINE IS ABOUT A MONTH INTO THE PROGRAM, UM, WHERE THINGS ARE GONNA FALL.
WE HAVE LOST ONE ACTIVATION ON THE STREET.
THEY ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR, THEY MEANT TO APPLY FOR ANOTHER PROGRAM.
THEY MEANT TO APPLY FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY.
THEY FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION FOR HEALTHY STREET, WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE VETTING PROCESS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY.
A ONE OF, WE INSTALLED THE SIX MONTH AND THEY WENT, WHAT IS THIS? SO IN CONVERSATION, WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS ANOTHER GOOD LESSON LEARNED.
AND IT'S THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIKED IT ONCE IT WAS INSTALLED AND SOME, SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT THEY ASKED FOR, RIGHT? SO THEY WEREN'T WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE.
TRUE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING IS REALLY CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROGRAMS. SO THAT APPLICATION WINDOW PERIOD OF THAT SIX MONTHS IS SO CRITICAL TO THEM GETTING ALL THE SIGNATURES, THE RESIDENTS ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS MOVING FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE.
UM, I IMAGINE WE'RE GONNA HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.
[00:35:01]
QUESTIONS, UM, THAT CAME UP FOR ME.SO ONE IS ON THE RESIDENTS APPROVAL OF THE AREA, UM, THAT IS RESIDENCE, RIGHT? SO HAVE YOU HAD ANY INSTANCES WHERE LIKE A RESIDENT SIGN OFF AND THEN A LANDLORD TRIED TO DISPUTE THAT OR ANY, LIKE, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE ON FISHER GARDEN? WE, THERE'S ONE RESIDENT WHO ACTUALLY OWNS PROPERTY ALSO AND HAS TENANTS.
THE TENANT THAT WAS GONNA SIGN OFF IS LIKE, CAN I TALK TO MY LANDLORD FIRST? THE LANDLORD CAME OUT AND WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION.
HE'S LIKE, YOU'RE GONNA SIGN
UM, I HAD THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU'RE IMPLYING.
WHICH WAS, WE ACTUALLY GOT SUPPORT BECAUSE THE LANDLORD HAD LIVED THERE FOR OVER 35 YEARS, WAS A, A MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE COMMUNITY COULD DO.
UM, BUT WE DO ALSO HAVE STIPULATIONS THAT MULTIFAMILY IS ALLOWED, HOWEVER, IT'S WITH DISCRETION, RIGHT? SO WE DON'T WANT A UNIT OF 200 APARTMENT COMPLEXES EMPTYING ONTO A LIVING STREET THROUGH ONE OR TWO DRIVEWAYS IN AND OUT OF THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S NOT GOING TO PRESENT A SAFE STREET.
RIGHT? ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S A BURDEN ON THE RESIDENT THEN TO ACTUALLY GO AFTER THOSE SIGNATORIES, RIGHT? SO IF IT'S A 200 PERSON COMPLEX, HOW WOULD THEY EVEN GET 60% OF THAT? IT'S NOT FEASIBLE TO ASK THAT OF A RESIDENT.
SO WE DO HAVE VERY STRICT GUIDELINES THAT WE EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE AND WE GO THROUGH AND REVIEW HOW MANY DOUBLE OCCUPANCY AND AUXILIARY UNITS THERE ARE.
UM, CURRENTLY WE'VE HAD 37TH STREET AND FISHER GARDEN THAT HAVE HAD UNITS OF 20 ISH MM-HMM.
AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO FACILITATE THE CONVERSATION.
THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN EVERY RESIDENT IN THAT AREA, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTEN NOTIFICATION FROM THOSE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED.
UM, SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, I MEAN THIS HAS BEEN COMING UP ON THIS, THIS BODY HAS HEARD A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AT, SINCE THE INITIATION OF HEALTHY STREETS IN 2020, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEEPS COMING UP FOR ME IN PARTICULAR, AN AREA LIKE AVENUE G THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS PUT IN AS A HEALTHY STREET WAS SORT OF THE MOST POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL HEALTHY STREET AS NOW A LIVING STREET.
AND THAT'S A SIX MONTH ACTIVATION.
LIKE IT, YOUR PROGRAM USES TEMPORARY TREATMENTS.
LIKE AT WHAT POINT DO WE DECIDE, OR COULD WE TRANSITION FOLKS TO HAVING A MORE PERMANENT TREATMENT, PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS FOR THAT? PARTICULARLY LIKE IF THEY DON'T LIKE ORANGE CONES, LIKE I, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHATEVER OR WHATEVER THE LOOK MAY BE THAT THEY'RE NOT LOVING.
LIKE HOW, HOW DO WE IMAGINE TRANSITIONING THOSE PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY CAN LIKE SORT OF FOREVER BE HEALTHY OR COMPLETE STREETS PERMANENTLY? I I'M WONDERING IF JOHN EASTMAN PAID YOU AN ADVERTISEMENT FEE TO ASK ME THAT QUESTION.
SPECIFICALLY, WHO'S OVER THE SIDEWALKS DIVISION IN OUR UH, DEPARTMENT, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH SHARED STREETS.
AVENUE G IS ONE OF THOSE STREETS WE ARE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT BECAUSE OF THAT, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S CURRENT CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, WE KNOW THE ROAD NEEDS TO BE REPAVED BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONSTRUCTION WORK THAT NEEDS HAPPENED.
WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING AT HOW WE AUGMENT THAT? SO PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING WITH OUR SIDEWALK DIVISION AND THE NEXT STEP UP OR THE SEMI-PERMANENT, IT'S REALLY PERMANENT, UM, BUT IT'S NOT A FULL COMPLETE STREET.
AND THE SHE STREET ALLOWS THINGS LIKE THE FLEXIBLE DELINEATORS, THE LOLLIPOP POSTS AND PAINT ON THE SIDEWALK TO ELIMINATE OR TO DEMARCATE THE BUMPOUTS, RIGHT? WE USE TRAFFIC CON, RIGHT? A COMPLETE STREET WOULD BE COMPLETE CURB AND GUTTER, A DA SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS PROTECTED PARKING.
ALL THREE PROGRAMS ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS IN SOME LEVEL OR WAY.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE CONVERSATION WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING IS HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE TRANSITIONS? THEY REACHED OUT TO US SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE GOT SO MUCH GOOD FEEDBACK AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
SO THE WAY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS CONCEPTUALLY IS THAT OUR PROGRAM DOES START TO ALIGN WITH THEIR PROGRAM MORE CLOSELY THAT WHEN WE IDENTIFY A STREET THAT IS APPROPRIATE, THEIR PROGRAM USES OUR PROGRAM TO TEST METHODOLOGY OUT AND WE BECOME A TEST LAB.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY IN SMART MOBILITY OFFICES, BEWICK, WE ARE THE INNOVATION OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY CHANGE IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? SO THINKING THROUGH HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND WHAT ITS IMPACT IS THAT'S OUR FORTE.
SO WE'RE BRINGING THAT TO THE TABLE WITH OUR OTHER DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL VISION ZERO AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO START
[00:40:01]
TO ADAPT THOSE GOALS AS PART OF THIS AS WELL.AND THINGS LIKE DAY LIGHTING, REMOVING THINGS FROM THE STREET CORNER SO THAT WE BROADEN THE VIEW AS YOU COME TO THE INTERSECTION.
THOSE ARE ALL CRITICAL PIECES.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANTED TO MOVE TO THE CONES AND BARRELS THAT OPEN UP YOUR LINE OF SIGHT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
KEEP IT AT THIS LEVEL, BUT GIVE YOU A VERTICALITY AS WELL.
UM, WE ARE COORDINATING WITH ALL OF OUR, UH, PARTNERS, DIVISIONS WITHIN TPW AND WORKING VERY CLOSELY ON HOW THOSE ACTUALLY PAN OUT, INCLUDING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TRANSPORTATION, ENGINEERING.
THE ROAD GEOMETRY OF THIS, THE WAY WE CURRENTLY THINK ABOUT WHAT A LIVING STREET IS, IS NO DIFFERENT THAN A SHARED STREET OR A COMPLETE STREET.
IT IS A STREET TYPOLOGY AND IT'S NOT A PERMITTED PIECE AT THAT POINT.
IT'S A CITY INSTALLED PROGRAM AT RESIDENT REQUEST.
YEAH, IT STRIKES ME THAT YOU COULD EVEN WORK, I MEAN EVENTUALLY LONG TERM, LIKE EVEN WORK BACKWARDS FROM THE WALK BIKE ROLE PLAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO, TO INVITE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE AREAS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY BE IN UNDERREPRESENTED AREAS, UM, THAT, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT FOR EQUITY.
LIKE KIND OF WORK BACKWARDS IN TERMS OF CONTACTING, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE PRIOR HIGH PRIORITY AREAS WOULD BE THAT ARE IN NEED OF, OF PROGRAMS LIKE THIS.
I'LL SHUT UP AND TAKE FROM COMMERS.
MELISSA, UH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
SO I THINK FOLLOWING UP ON COMMISSIONER SUMMERS, UM, ON THE EQUITY LENS, SO NORTHEAST, I'M LOOKING AT THE MAP AND THERE AREN'T ACTIVATIONS.
AND WITH YOUR NEW METHODS OF OUTREACH AND MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, DO Y'ALL, HAVE Y'ALL SET ANY GOALS FOR GETTING ACTIVATIONS IN THOSE AREAS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED? YES.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS GEARED TOWARDS.
SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE WITHIN TPW TO DO THAT OUTREACH.
THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED MIKE HARGUS WHO WAS WITH OUR DIVISION, BUT HIS WHOLE TAKE ON HOW HE APPROACHES OUTREACH IS TO MEET PEOPLE IN THEIR PLACE.
AND IT'S THAT GOAL THAT TRAINED OUR TEAM TO DO THE OUTREACH AND THE FIRST STEP IS TO GET THE WORD OUT AND EDUCATE PEOPLE.
THIS NEXT STEP IS TO GO TO PLACES LIKE THIS AND ASK YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES AND REQUEST SUPPORT AS WELL.
THEY CAN ADVOCATE, WE INFORM, RIGHT? THE THIRD PART IS ACTUALLY GOING ONCE WE GET THE REQUEST AND DOING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND OTHER MEETINGS, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY OUR GAME PLAN LONG TERM IS THAT'S WHY ALL THOSE PARTS ACTUALLY PLAYED THE ROLE TOGETHER IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE TARGETING THOSE AREAS.
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO BE TARGETED IN, WE CAN VERY SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO ZIP CODES.
UH, I'LL GO WITH COMMISSIONER KAMAN.
THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT STUFF.
UM, I KIND OF WANTED TO, I HAVE A QUESTION SORT OF RELATED TO WHAT, UH, CHAIR SUMMERS WAS SAYING IS FROM THE WALK BIKE ROLE PLAN, UH, THE SHARED STREETS IS LIKE A SIDEWALK ALTERNATIVE AND IT'S ALREADY LIKE MAPPED OUT A LOT OF LIKE WHERE THE CERTAIN STREETS ARE DESIGNATED AND EVERYTHING.
HOW DO YOU, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF, UM, JOHN EASTMAN'S PLAN FOR, YOU KNOW, BUILDING OUT THAT SHARED STREET NETWORK, BUT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING OVERLAP OF, YOU KNOW, OF A COUNCIL PAST PLAN THAT SAYS THIS IS WHERE SHARED STREETS ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLED VERSUS LIKE, UH, YOURS, WHICH IS MORE RESIDENT DRIVEN.
LIKE HOW ARE YOU APPROACHING THAT WHERE LIKE AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY SLATED FOR GETTING PERMANENT SORT OF, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE ON THERE AND HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT JONATHAN AND I ARE SPECIFICALLY STUDYING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAD THE REQUEST FROM JOHN EASTMAN'S TEAM, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND JONATHAN, AND MY UNDERLYING RESEARCH QUESTION IS, SHOULD SHARED STREETS PRIORITIZATION BE A PRIORITIZATION NUMBER WITHIN THE PRIORITIZATION MAPPING, KNOWING THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED? MAYBE THAT'S EVEN A BETTER WAY OF LOOKING AT SIDEWALK DEFICIENCIES, WHICH WAS OUR FIRST TAKE AT IT.
AND THAT'S TO BE REAL FRANK ABOUT IT, IS HOW WE STARTED TO APPROACH IT WAS SIDEWALK DEFICIENT AREAS, RIGHT? BUT WITH THE CONVERSATION WITH JOHN AND HIS TEAM AND HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY DEVELOP THAT OUT, REALLY LIVING STREETS WAS ALSO ENVISIONED AS A SIDEWALK ALTERNATIVE.
JUST A SHORTER TERM ONE, RIGHT? UM, SO ALL THESE THINGS DO PLAY PERFECTLY TOGETHER AND IT'S REALLY FORMING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS
[00:45:01]
AND HOW THEY PROGRESS FROM ONE PIECE TO ANOTHER.UH, JOHN'S BUDGET IS MUCH LARGER BECAUSE IT'S TAKES MORE WORK TO PUT IN A SHARED STREET AND IT TAKES THREE TIMES, EIGHT TIMES THAT TO PUT IN A COMPLETE STREET, RIGHT? SO OUR PROGRAM'S ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF WHAT A SHARED STREET'S COST IS.
SO SEQUENTIALLY THESE THINGS CAN RAMP UP IN TERMS OF THE, OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR CITIZENS AND IT PROVIDES ALTERNATIVES FOR US TO FLEX AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE.
CHAIR S UM, SO ONE QUESTION I HAVE, UM, IS ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES AND OBVIOUSLY THIS KIND OF PRE-EXIST, THE, UM, LIVING STREETS, UH, ORDINANCE, UM, AND RESOLUTION, I GUESS.
WELL I THINK IT WAS FULL ANYWAYS.
UM, THE BLOCK PARTY STILL REQUIRES A PERMIT.
UM, I THINK AS WE KNOW FROM THE PERSON WHO JUST APPLIED FOR A, A HEALTHY STREET INSTEAD, IT'S A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS.
THERE'S EVEN A POINT, I THINK WHERE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION CAN OBJECT AND YOU CAN COME TO A HEARING AT THE UTC, WHICH, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF SEEMS KIND OF UNNECESSARY WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR, UH, A HEALTHY STREET ACTIVATION.
I, I'M CURIOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A HOLDOVER FROM CITY CODE.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE'S A PURPOSE FOR THAT AND IT'S HELPFUL IN ANY WAY? OR DO YOU NOT? YES, THERE IS A PURPOSE.
UM, THERE IS ALSO EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH REQUIRED.
SO THE RESOLUTION IS VERY CLEAR, ELIMINATE ALL OBSTACLES.
PERMITTING IS ONE OF THE OBSTACLES THAT WE FOUND IN TERMS OF OUR PEER REVIEW CITIES.
SO THAT'S MY ANSWER TO WHY WE WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT IT FURTHER AND CHANGE IT.
HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, THE DIFFERENCE IS CONDITIONAL AND SOCIAL TRAINING.
A HEALTHY STREET AND A LIVING STREET, I'M SORRY, A HEALTHY STREET AND A PLACE STREET ARE LONG TERM.
I CAN CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE AND ADAPTATION AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE WHERE A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY, BECAUSE IT LITERALLY POPS UP AND GOES AWAY, IS SO EPHEMERAL THAT ITS PROCESS NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND IT'S MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH AN EVENT, BUT IT'S REALLY STILL FALLS UNDER THE LIVING STREET UMBRELLA.
THOSE ARE THE FINE LINES AND THE FINE TUNING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, IT IS LITERALLY A NOMINAL FEE.
IT'S THE LOWEST FEE WE CAN POSSIBLY CHARGE AS A CITY AT $50.
AND I THINK A 4% SURCHARGE, THAT'S $52 AND 40 CENTS.
UM, APPLICANTS HAVEN'T SEEN THAT AS AN OBSTRUCTION.
HOWEVER, MY PEER REVIEW AND RESEARCH HAVE SAID THAT IN EQUITY AREAS, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY MM-HMM
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE APPLICATION PROCESS, THE PROCEDURES, THE WAY WE STREAMLINED OUR SYSTEM OF YOU TELL US YOU WANT ONE, WE WILL FIND IT FOR YOU AND THEN YOU GO GET YOUR SIGNATURES.
THAT'S AS ABOUT AS CLEAN AS WE COULD GET IT.
AND REALLY NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES THAT CAME FROM NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES.
SO LIKE CONCEPTUALLY IT'S THERE PAPERWORK WISE THOUGH, MAYBE THERE'S MORE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
SO ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
IT WOULD BE MY COMMENT, COMMISSIONER SMAR.
BUT ULTIMATELY THERE IS A REASON RIGHT NOW THAT IT, IT STILL EXISTS IS OUR PROGRAM ALSO WASN'T SET UP.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE LITMUS TESTS THAT WE HAVE NOW, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE METHODOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
MAYBE THERE'S ROOM FOR GROWTH AND MOVEMENT AT THIS POINT.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, COMMISSIONER BROOKS? YES.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPERATES A VERY SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHT OUT EVENT.
WHAT SHOULD I TELL THEM? THEY SHOULD APPLY ALWAYS FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY FOR THAT, RIGHT? THAT'S REALLY WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES CAME FROM IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UM, THAT WAS ITS FOUNDING INSTITUTION.
HOWEVER, IF THEY LIKE THAT LOOK AND FEEL A HEALTHY STREET AS A CONNECTOR IS ACTUALLY A GREAT ALTERNATIVE.
AND IF THERE'S CHILDREN'S OR CHILDREN AT HEART THAT WANT TO RECREATE IN THE STREET, UM, THEY SHOULD GO AFTER A PLAY STREET.
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. THE MORE HONESTLY, THE MORE APPLICATIONS WE HAVE, THE MORE INFORMATION WE'RE COLLECTING, THE MORE DATA WE'RE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE AND MAKE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS, THE BETTER THIS IS GONNA BE.
SO WHEN WE HEAR COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS, OUR FIRST THING IS THANK YOU.
WELL, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHT OUT IS ALWAYS HELD IN A PARKING LOT, A SHOPPING CENTER, PARKING LOT RATHER THAN ON STREETS.
IT WORKS FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WORKS, BUT IS THAT SHOPPING CENTER REALLY YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
[00:50:01]
RIGHT.YOU KNOW, UH, PART OF THE EVENT IS THEY INVITE LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES.
THAT'S HARD TO DO ON MOST OF THE STREETS THAT WOULD FIT THE OTHER CRITERIA.
SO, AND CERTAINLY A GROCERY STORE IN THE MIDDLE OF GROCERY STORE IS A COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND IT'S, IT'S WHY IT SHOWS UP ON OUR PRIORITY.
SO I DON'T DISCOURAGE YOU FROM DOING IT THERE.
I'M JUST SAYING YOU MIGHT SEE A LARGER TURNOUT DIRECTLY ON YOUR STREET BECAUSE IT'S LESS FOR PEOPLE TO WALK TO AND FROM AS, AS FAR AS EMERGENCY VEHICLES ENTERING AND EXITING ALL THESE, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT ACCESS.
WE MAINTAIN IT FOR ANY LOCAL RESIDENT.
WELL, NO, THE PROBLEM IS WE INVITE THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES YES.
AND THEY THEY COME, THEY DO A PRE KIDS LOVE IT.
THEY GET OUT TO CLIMB ON A FIRE TRUCK OR AN AMBULANCE YEAH.
AND THERE'S GOTTA BE SPACE WHERE THE EVENT IS HELD FOR THOSE VEHICLES TO PARK.
AND, AND MOST STREETS HAVE THAT SPACE ACCOMMODATION AT 25 FEET MINIMUM.
THEY CAN BRING IN ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND KIDS CAN GATHER AROUND THOSE, ESPECIALLY DURING A NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY.
AGAIN, ALL SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH A PD AND A FD ON THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS.
LITERALLY, WE, WE DID TABLING AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THIS YEAR, AND I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CHIEF HERNANDEZ ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND HER RESPONSE WAS, I'M IN WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, WE'RE IN.
UM, AND I THINK YOU'D SEE THAT CHIEF JOEL BREAKER IS OF THE SAME MINDSET IS THESE DO PROVIDE THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT THEIR TEAMS REALLY DO WANT AND NEED, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE PEOPLE WHERE THEY LIVE AND WORK.
WE ALSO FORMED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, ENSURING THAT CITY SERVICES WOULDN'T BE INTERRUPTED AND SEVERAL OTHER DIVISIONS, DEPARTMENTS, SORRY, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE TWO COMMISSIONERS ONLINE.
I IF Y Y'ALL EVER NEED ANY AND I'M NOT SEEING YOU ONLINE PEOPLE, YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST YELL AT ME, UM, AND LET ME KNOW THAT.
BUT, UM, IF WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, IF NOT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[3. Discussion and approval of a Right of Way vacation of 5600 Middle Fiskville Rd ]
NOW MOVING INTO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UM, ITEMS THREE AND FOUR ARE RIDE OF WAY VACATIONS.UM, SO I'M GONNA CALL THOSE UP AT THIS TIME.
THE FIRST ONE BEING A RIDE OF WAKE GAVE VACATION AT 5,600 MID MIDDLE FISKVILLE ROAD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER BUKERT.
I'M A PROPERTY AGENT SENIOR WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AT THE LAND MANAGEMENT DIVISION WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT A RIGHT OF WAY VACATION REQUEST, UH, STREET, UH, RIGHT OF WAY VACATION APPLICATION OF APPROXIMATELY 0.316 ACRE TRACK OF LAND, UH, ABUTTING 56, UH, I'M SORRY, 5,600 MIDDLE FISKVILLE ROAD.
THE ABIDING PROPERTY OWNERS ARE JOHNSON SPECIAL LAND LTD AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND THE DISPLAYED MAP IS OF 56 MINUTE, UH, 5,600 MINI ROAD.
UM, THE ABUT PROPERTY OF THE REQUESTED RIGHT OF WAY, UH, THAT IS A PAVED, DEVELOPED RIGHT OF WAY.
THE VACATION TRACK IS APPROXIMATELY, UH, 0.316 ACRE AND IT IS BUDDING 5,600 MIDDLEVILLE ROAD.
UH, ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE VACATION AREA WERE SENT PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONS ON FEBRUARY 6TH, 2024.
UH, NO OBJECTIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THIS TIME.
ALL AFFECTED CITY DEPARTMENTS AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
STAKEHOLDERS, UH, HAVE REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS RIGHT OF WAY VACATION APPLICATION SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS LISTED ON THE MASTER COMMENT REPORT THAT WAS SUBMITTED WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
[00:55:01]
AND THE CITY WILL RETAIN A PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT FOR AUSTIN WATER AND AUSTIN ENERGY FACILITIES.HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DEVELOP THE VACATED, UH, THE AREA TO BE VACATED? EXCUSE ME.
UM, ON THE INITIAL APPLICATION BACK IN 2020, THE APPLICANTS INDICATED IT WAS GOING TO BE TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, SINCE THEN, UM, THEY HAVE FILED A NEW SITE PLAN.
UH, THE PREVIOUS SITE PLAN WAS SP 20 20 0 2 7 3D AS IN DAVID.
UM, THE NEW SITE PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY SITE PLAN WAS FILED JUNE THE FIRST OF 2023.
UH, SITE PLAN NUMBER 20 23 2 7 1 C AS IN CAT AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED ONE ROUND OF COMMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RIGHT OF WAY PROCESS.
UM, THE APPLICANT CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BUDDY PROPERTY AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE PROBABLY A FAIR NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE.
UM, SO I AM, SO THE CURRENT, I MEAN THE PRE YOUR POWERPOINT SHOWS THE 2020 SITE PLAN.
IS THE 2023 SITE PLAN IN THIS PACKET OR CAN WE GET SOME MORE EXPLANATION OF THE 2023 SITE PLAN? HELLO, I'M DANIEL MAHONEY WITH MAHONEY ENGINEERING.
I REPRESENT, UH, THE APPLICANT.
UM, THE 2023 SITE PLAN IS ACTUALLY FILED BY, UM, A PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UM, WE ARE NOT THE ONES SUBMITTING THAT SITE PLAN, BUT IT'S A SITE PLAN THAT'S KIND OF COME IN, IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND OVERLAPPING THE RIGHT OF WAY AREA, UM, AT 56 AND AIRPORT BOULEVARD.
UM, THAT SITE PLAN IS LIKE A MULTIFAMILY, THE SITE PLAN FROM 2020 IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE SITE PLAN.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAD TO PERFORM THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS PRIOR TO VACATION THE RIGHT OF WAY IN ORDER TO MAKE A SA SAFE PEDESTRIAN, UM, BICYCLE AND KIND OF VEHICLE OR KIND OF TRANSITION THIS AREA, DO THE VERY KIND OF PIZZA WEDGE KINDA SHAPE OF THIS AREA.
SO THOSE ARE TWO KIND OF SEPARATE PROCESSES OF, UH, SITE PLANS.
YEAH, I GOTTA BE HONEST, I'M NOT, I GUESS I'M NOT, I UNDERSTANDING MAYBE YOU CAN BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
I CAN SHARE WITH YOU A, UH, A COUPLE SLIDES OFF A POWERPOINT.
UM, AND, UH, LET ME CLICK THROUGH.
THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT WE FILED IN 2020, UM, TO PUNCH THROUGH 56TH STREET INTO AIRPORT.
UM, AS THE, THESE CONVERSATION STARTED, UH, WITH MOBILITY BOND PROGRAM KIND OF VISITING, UM, NEIGHBORS AND KIND OF COORDINATING HOW THIS MOBILITY BOND'S GONNA WORK.
AND IT WAS KIND OF A VERY WEIRD INTERSECTION WHERE MILL FIST, UH, INTERSECTED AIRPORT AND JUST SEEM VERY INEFFICIENT, KIND OF UNSAFE BEING AS CLOSE IT IS TO KANIG.
UM, SO ONE OF THE IDEAS WAS TO MAYBE POTENTIALLY VACATE THIS PORTION GOING NORTH AND HAVE A BETTER TRANSITION OF 56 STRAIGHT INTO, UM, AIRPORT.
SO WE FILED A SITE PLAN, HAD IT APPROVED, BUILT IT CONSTRUCTION, MOVED, YOU KNOW, POWER POLES, TELECOM, AND ALL THIS IS OPERATION RIGHT NOW AND PEOPLE ARE USING IT.
UM, EXACTLY WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, LET ME JUST CLICK A COUPLE SLIDES AHEAD.
KEEP, UM, RIGHT, KEEP GOING A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT'S BEEN FILED THAT WE ARE NOT APPLICANT TO THAT WILL OVERLAY THE RIDE AWAY VACATION.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IT'S A VERY LARGE MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY, KIND OF, OF A GROCERY STORE, MULTIFAMILY, UM, VERY URBANISTIC KIND OF ENVIRONMENT.
SO TRYING TO CARVE UP A OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTIVATING THIS INEFFICIENT RIGHT OF WAY SPACE, UM, THE RIGHT OF WAY SPACE YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THEIR SITE PLAN.
WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO KEEP IT AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE, UH, THE RED BIKE LANE WILL GO THROUGH THERE TRAIL, AND THEN THERE WILL BE KIND OF PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY KIND OF WHERE THOSE EASEMENTS ARE FOR THE RETAINING EASEMENTS FOR POWER AND WATER THAT'LL BE UNDERGROUND.
AND THAT'S GONNA REPLACE SORT OF LIKE THE CAR DEALERSHIP? CORRECT.
BUT YOU'RE NOT REPRESENTING THE CAR DEALERSHIP YOU REPRESENT.
I REPRESENT THE CAR DEALERSHIP.
I DON'T REPRESENT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING IN TO REPLACE THE CAR DEALERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR SLICING THAT FOR US.
I THINK I'M UNDERSTANDING BETTER NOW.
[01:00:01]
QUESTIONS FOR NOW.I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER, I KNOW YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, WE'VE SPOKEN EXTENSIVELY, UH, TODAY ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS I HAD.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A, A MOTION THAT WILL WILL WORK FOR, FOR EVERYONE.
AND I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION THAT I CAN EXPLAIN THAT WITH.
UM, THE CONCERN I HAD IS THAT, UH, THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM HAS NOT YET FINISHED THAT SHARED USE PATH THAT WOULD CONNECT, UM, TO THE BEAUTIFUL CONNECTION YOU GUYS HAVE BUILT FROM MIDDLE FISKVILLE ROAD.
UM, YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO PULL THE PRESENTATION UP.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION LATER AND THEN IF I CAN EXPLAIN IT, I THINK THAT'LL WORK.
UM, I, I'LL EXPLAIN THAT LATER, BUT I, I DO HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU THAT I THINK WILL HELP ELUCIDATE THAT.
SO FIRST, UM, YOU GUYS BUILT THAT, UH, OR PAID FOR THE BUILDING OF THAT INTERSECTION AT 56 AND THE AIRPORT AND THE ASSOCIATED BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF THIS NEW SITE PLAN, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
AND THEN YOU ALSO DO NOT EXPECT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY TO BEGIN ON THIS PARCEL, UM, FOR ABOUT TWO TO THREE YEARS? YES.
UM, THE, THE SITE PLAN WAS FILED IN JUNE, UM, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THEY GOT FIRST ROUND OF COMMENTS IN AUGUST.
I'M NOT THE APPLICANT ON THAT, BUT I JUST KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THE PROCESS AND SEEMS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TWO YEARS OUT.
UM, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
UM, THIS RIGHT OF WAY VACATION IS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF THIS PROPERTY TO THE OTHER DEVELOPER, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
I'M GONNA ASK, UM, IF ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
AND I THINK YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER? YEAH, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION AND I HAVE THIS WRITTEN DOWN SO I CAN MAKE SURE ALL PARTIES HAVE IT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION WITH THE CONTINGENCY THAT THE VACATED RIGHT OF WAY REMAIN AVAILABLE TO PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS UNTIL THE SHARED USE PATHS ON THE ADJOINING SIDE OF AIRPORT BOULEVARD ARE COMPLETED.
UM, AND THEN IF I HAVE A SECOND, I CAN PULL THE PRESENTATION ACCOUNT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT.
I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
I GUESS I JUST, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
WHAT I, I THINK THIS WILL EXPLAIN.
SO IF EVERYONE CAN TAKE A LOOK ON THE LEFT, THAT'S AN IMAGE I PULLED FROM THE ALL AGES AND ABILITY MAP.
UM, SO YOU SEE IN PURPLE IS THE MIDDLE FISKVILLE ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD BIKEWAY.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY COMPLETED I THINK YESTERDAY.
UM, AS PART OF THE SITE PLAN, THEY BUILT THE CONNECTION ONTO 56TH STREET, THE MIDDLE FISHVILLE ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD.
BIKEWAY IS SUPPOSED TO CONNECT TO THE SHARED USE PATHS ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD THAT ARE BUILT AS PART OF THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM.
THE CURRENT CONSTRUCTION WAS SUPPOSED TO GO FROM 51ST STREET, SORRY, 55TH STREET TO NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.
AND I, I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT ON IT, UH, BUT THE CONSTRUCTIONIST SEEMED TO STOP.
UH, RIGHT WHERE THIS INTERSECTION OF THIS RIGHT OF WAY IS.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE'S A MIDDLE ISLAND THAT EVENTUALLY, AND I BELIEVE IT IS CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND SOMEBODY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WILL BE WHERE THE SHARED USE PATH IS ON THE RIGHT WILL BE THE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND TO VACATE TODAY BECAUSE OF THAT CURB.
THE WAY BICYCLISTS ARE CONNECTING THROUGH IT IS TO TAKE THIS RIGHT AROUND ON THE WHAT IS TO BE THE VACATED, UH, SECTION OF MIDDLE FISKVILLE ROAD.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THE TWO SECTIONS THERE.
UH, I'LL SAY I'VE USED THIS A LOT.
UM, AND I WILL ALSO SAY I, UM, YESTERDAY, JUST TO MAKE SURE THIS WASN'T JUST A ME THING, I KIND OF SAT THERE AND WATCHED THE INTERSECTION OF RUSH HOUR AND I SAW 10 BICYCLISTS COME THROUGH, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE FIRST DAY THE NEIGHBORHOOD BIKE WAVE WAS OPEN, AND THIS PROJECT ISN'T QUITE COMPLETE.
UM, AND I ALSO SAY THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE DEVELOPER'S ISSUE, RIGHT? THE DEVELOPER, UH, RIGHT.
THIS, THESE WERE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED A WHILE AGO AND THEY'VE BEEN WAITING ON IT FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND THEN I, IF WE CAN GO THE NEXT ONE.
I HAVE TWO GIF THAT KIND OF SHOW.
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET, IF YOU, OH, 'CAUSE IT'S A PDF OH, I HAVE THE WRONG, YEAH, IF YOU CAN PULL UP THE LINK, I THINK.
AND WE'RE WAITING ON WHICH BUILDING THE
SO I'LL, WHILE THEY'RE EXPLAINING THAT, I'LL EXPLAIN.
UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS TO SEE WHAT THE SCHEDULE IS FOR THAT.
UM, ORIGINALLY THEY TOLD ME THE DEFINITIVE TIMELINE IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT SOMEHOW GOT SHIFTED INTO THE NEXT PHASE.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE CURRENT PHASE, THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE.
UM, IS THAT, AND I'M QUOTING FROM SOMEONE AT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES NOW.
[01:05:01]
THE CONSTRUCTION IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN SPRING OF 2024 AND COMPLETE BY SPRING OF 2025.UH, BUT THEN I FOLLOWED UP, I'M LIKE, IS THIS PART GOING TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE? AND THEY SAID THEY PLAN TO PRIORITIZE THIS SECTION OF THE SSUP, SO IT COULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE VACATION OF THIS RIGHT OF WAY AND PROBABLY WILL BE COMPLETED BEFORE ANY CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS HAPPEN.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE, UM, IS ONE, JUST ENSURING THAT WE STILL HAVE ACCESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, BUT THE TIMELINES HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE LOOSE ON THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD.
UM, BUT SECOND, I THINK THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL ENSURE THAT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DOES PRIORITIZE THIS CONNECTION, UM, BECAUSE IT IS VERY NECESSARY.
UM, I CAN SHOW YOU THE GIF OF HOW PEOPLE ARE USING IT RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND IT'S NOT A DA ACCESSIBLE AT ALL.
IF YOU HAVE A, A LARGE BIKE OR A LARGE MOBILITY DEVICE, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH.
UM, AND IT IS VERY UNFRIENDLY TO PEDESTRIANS.
UM, SO THIS SEGMENT REALLY NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED AND I THINK THE MOTION I JUST LAID OUT HOPEFULLY PUTS US IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND I'LL, YOU GUYS FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN ANYTHING? NO.
UH, WE DO HAVE A SLIDE IN THERE.
I THINK IT WOULD KIND OF SHOW YOU WHAT MOBILITY BONDS PROJECT ON MY SLIDE SHEET THERE.
IF YOU GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES.
THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT WE GOT FROM THEIR ENGINEER TODAY.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE REPRESENTED BY HALF ASSOCIATES.
UM, BUT THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THAT BIKE PATH.
UM, AND WE HAD REALLY KIND OF PLANNED TO BE IN AFTER THIS PROJECT WAS COMPLETELY DONE.
SO IT WAS KIND OF MORE OF US PATCHING INTO THEIR DESIGN AND WE COORDINATED HEAVILY WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE IT WORKED.
AND NOW IT'S LIKE WE'RE KIND OF GOT IN FRONT OF THEM A LITTLE BIT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE THREE AND A HALF YEARS INTO OUR VACATION RIGHT AWAY KIND OF PROCESS.
UM, SO THIS, THIS IS WHAT YOU'LL END UP SEEING AS A SOLUTION, HOPEFULLY HERE BY SPRING OF 25 OR HERE SHORTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, EVEN IF NOT SOONER.
AND, AND I WILL SAY AS SOMEONE WHO BITES THIS AREA FREQUENTLY, UM, I LIVE IN MUELLER, SO IT'S NOT, NOT FAR FROM ME, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT, UM, IS THIS IS FAR PREFERABLE TO HAVING THIS SECTION OF MIDDLE FI AND THEN TRYING TO CURVE AROUND, UH, THIS IS A MUCH MORE DIRECT PATH.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO A MUCH SAFER PATH, UM, BECAUSE IT WILL MINIMIZE INTERACTION, UH, WITH VEHICLES, UH, FOR BICYCLES.
AND WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF TWO-WAY BICYCLE TRAFFIC HERE, UH, UNTIL THEY PUT IN A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON FOR BIKES TO GET ON THE OTHER SIDE AND PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.
THIS IS, WE'RE DOING THE WORK.
UM, IS, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS AMONG COMMISSIONERS FOR THE APPLICANTS, FOR THE CITY STAFF ABOUT THE MOTION ON THE TABLE? AND I THINK WE'VE GOT THE GIFTS RIGHT HERE.
SO THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS THE, AH, ALL GOOD.
JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION'S ON.
SO ON THE LEFT IS THE CURRENT WAY, RIGHT? THE RIGHT IS IF YOU TAKE THE GRAVEL PATH, UH, WHICH ALSO IS A CURVE.
SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT, RIGHT? IT DOES END, BUT THERE'S THIS KIND OF WISH PATH THAT PEOPLE HAVE CREATED WHERE YOU CAN SCOOP BACK UP ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND THEN CONNECT INTO THE MIDDLE FISHVILLE, UH, ROAD, RIGHT? SO IT IS NOT PREFERABLE BY ANY MEANS, UH, BUT IT IS NECESSARY JUST TO ENSURE FOLKS ARE NOT TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE GRAVEL OR TRYING TO GET THROUGH, UM, THE, UH, AIRPORT BOULEVARD TRAFFIC.
YEAH, THEY SHOULD PROBABLY FINISH THE SHARED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? CAN WE JUST REPEAT
LET ME REPEAT IT AND I I WILL MAKE SURE, UM, EV EVERYONE HAS THIS LANGUAGE, UM, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION WITH THE CONTINGENCY THAT THE VACATED RIGHT OF WAY REMAIN AVAILABLE TO PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS UNTIL THE SHARED USE PATHS ON THE ADJOINING SIDE OF AIRPORT BOULEVARD ARE COMPLETED.
THAT COMMISSIONERS IS THE MOTION IN FRONT OF US.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE ON THAT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
I THINK THAT THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE HERE.
[4. Discussion and approval of a Right of Way vacation of 64½ Rainey Street ]
ANOTHER RIGHT OF WAY VACATION NUMBER ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA, RIGHT OF WAY VACATION OF 64 AND A HALF RAINY STREET.I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT GROUP WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, CHRISTOPHER AND I WORKED TOGETHER, AND, UH, WE THOUGHT WE'D TAG TEAM ON THIS ONE.
[01:10:01]
RIGHT OF WAY VACATION FOR AN ALLEY, UH, OF AN APPROXIMATELY 1074 SQUARE FOOT TRACT OF LAND.THAT'S A BUDDING 64 AND HALF RAINY STREET.
THIS, UM, ITEM HERE, THIS NEXT MAP SHOWS THE, UM, AREA TO BE VACATED, UH, BUDDING.
UM, 64 AND A HALF RAINY PROPERTY OWNER IS THE, UM, WELL, IT'S THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S THE, UH, MS, UH, BARTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH IS ON THE OTHER SIDE THERE.
THE, UM, NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW THE, UH, IT'S A PAVED DEVELOPED ALLEY, AND THERE'S THE, THE MAC THERE ON THE, ON THE LEFT.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR STREET VIEW.
WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, ABANDON OR VACATE THAT AREA SHOWING THERE.
AND THE REASON WE'RE GONNA DO THAT IS GONNA BE CLEAR IN A MOMENT.
UH, VACATION TRACK IS APPROXIMATELY 1074 SQUARE FOOT.
UH, ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE VACATION AREA.
WERE SENT PUBLIC NOTIFICATION ON FEBRUARY THE SIXTH, 2024.
AS OF THE TIME OF THIS PRESENTATION, NO OBJECTIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ALL AFFECTED, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS HAVE REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS RIGHT OF WAY VACATION, UH, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS ON THE MASTER COMMENT REPORT THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, THE CITY WILL RETAIN A PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT OVER THE AREA TO BE VACATED.
SO HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DEVELOP THE AREA TO BE VACATED? UH, LET'S JUMP AHEAD TWO SLIDES.
THE AREA REQUESTED TO BE VACATED WOULD BECOME A PART OF THE PARKLAND.
UH, THE CULTURAL CENTER WOULD THEN BE CONNECTED BETWEEN THEIR EXISTING FACILITY AND THE NEW POCKET PARK CONNECTED BY THE ALLEYWAY WITHIN THE FACILITY PLAN FOR THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRAND
UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S SAFER AND IT'S GOT A, A, A NICE, UH, UH, ACCESS THERE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I ALSO HAVE WITH ME, UM, RICARDO SOLIS WITH AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY THAT I CANNOT ANSWER, UH, WHICH PROBABLY WILL BE MOST OF THEM.
YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY FOR THE, UM, FOR THE APPLICANT, THE CITY.
UM, BUT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE AT THIS TIME, IT'S SORT OF LIKE A, UH, LIKE ALMOST LIKE A BEING USED AS A PEDESTRIAN FACILITY OR SIDEWALK.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL WERE WANTING TO EXPAND ON THOSE ELEMENTS AND SORT OF HAVE THIS BE A ENTRANCE WALKWAY.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PLANS FOR THE SITE? UH, YES.
RICARDO SOLI WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND YES, THIS, UH, 64 AND A HALF IS, IS A POCKET PARK THAT'S NOT YET DEVELOPED.
AND THE IDEA WOULD BE TO CONNECT THE TWO, UH, WITH A DA, UH, ACCESSIBLE RAMP THAT WOULD GO UP BECAUSE THE, THE, THE MAC PROPERTY SITS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE POCKET PARK.
AND SO, UM, THE IDEA IS THAT WE WANTED TO, TO CONNECT IT, TO MAKE IT FEEL PART OF THE PROPERTY ALL PARK LAND, AND NOT HAVE THE ALLEYWAY COME THROUGH THERE WITH, UH, DELIVERY TRUCKS OR, OR, OR WHATEVER THAT THAT IS.
UM, THE, THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE, THE CULTURAL CENTER IS ON RIVER STREET, WHICH COMES IN TO A KIND OF A CIRCULAR DRIVE.
AND THE ALLEY, UH, UH, COMES IN AND ODDLY, LIKE AROUND THREE O'CLOCK IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT.
UM, AND SO THE IDEA NOW WOULD BE THAT WE CAN AVOID THAT TRAFFIC COMING INTO, UH, REALLY TRAFFIC THAT'S GOING, UH, SERVICE SERVICING OTHER USES ON THAT ALLEYWAY INSTEAD OF THE, THE CULTURAL CENTER.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT IS THE IDEA, THE VISION PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN, IN 2016 ENVISIONED THAT, THAT, THAT THE POCKET PARK WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THE, TO THE MAIN CAMPUS OF THE CULTURAL CENTER.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
I, I ALSO WANTED TO ADD, UM, THAT WE, UM, ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE PROPERTY OF 64 AND A HALF STREET, UH, WE WENT IN EIGHT FEET INTO PARKLAND IN ORDER TO ALLOW THAT DRIVEWAY TO MAKE THAT 90 DEGREE TURN FROM THE ALLEYWAY TO CONNECT TO RAINY STREET AND TO GIVE THEM PLENTY OF ROOM TO DO THAT.
SO WE DID, WE DID COME IN EIGHT FEET INTO THE POCKET PARK, JUST, JUST AS A, OKAY.
I'M GONNA, UH, MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
AND SECOND FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER KAMAN.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION NOW THAT WE HAVE A MOTION? ALL
[01:15:01]
RIGHT.UH, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A VOTE ON APPROVING THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION FOR 64 AND A HALF RAINY STREET.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY YES.
AND I SEE COMMISSIONER WHEELER ONLINE ALSO HAS HER HAND UP, SO THAT IS APPROVED, UH, UNANIMOUSLY BY THOSE PRESENT.
OH, MICHELLE SMITH IS LEFT THE ROOM, BUT I WANTED TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT SHE'S RETIRING ON FRIDAY, SO YOU WON'T BE SEEING HER HERE ANYMORE.
YOU'LL BE SEEING MYSELF OR CHRISTOPHER, SO THANK YOU, MICHELLE, WHEREVER YOU ARE.
UH, SHE'S A STANDBY FOR US AT THIS COMMISSION, SO WE'LL GET USED TO NEW FACES.
UM, WE NOW HAVE, UM, A SERIES OF THREE ITEMS THAT ARE ORIGINATING FROM OUR BODY.
UM, WE HAD, COMMISSIONER SMITH WAS ONLINE, BUT IT APPEARS THAT HE MAY HAVE LEFT.
CAN WE CONFIRM THAT, THAT HE'S NO LONGER HERE? YES, HE IS.
UM, LET ME ASK OUR, BECAUSE I WAS GONNA PROPOSE TAKING, WELL, I STILL MIGHT PROPOSE TAKING THAT.
NO, I WON'T PROPOSE TAKING THAT FIRST IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, BUT WE WILL HAVE TO POSTPONE.
BUT, UM, NAT, DO YOU KNOW IF HE CAN COME BACK THAT I'M ABOUT, I'M SENDING HIM A TEXT RIGHT NOW.
TO SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM TO HOP BACK ON.
WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD THEN AND JUST GO IN ORDER.
SO IF WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM BACK ONLINE.
[5. Discussion and approval of a recommendation on the Transportation and Public Works and Capital Delivery Services budget allocations ]
LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER.JUST GO IN, DO, GO DOWN THE LIST IN ORDER, UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION ON THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AND CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES BUDGET ALLOCATION.
SO AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE, UH, FORMED, UH, WE IDENTIFIED SOME FOLKS TO, UH, COME TOGETHER AND, UH, PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION FOR US, UH, AND CO-SPONSOR THIS.
SO WE DO HAVE THIS RECOMMENDATION IN YOUR PACK, UH, YOUR BACK BACKUP, UM, UH, AND, UH, AND SO WE'LL DISCUSS THAT.
I, UM, DO YOU WANNA SORT OF MAKE A MOTION AND PUT THIS ON THE TABLE FOR US AND EXPLAIN IT FOR US A BIT? COMMISSIONER SIMA, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION, AND I'LL SECOND.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS A, A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN, UH, ME, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ AND COMMISSIONER BROOKS.
UM, SO I, I THINK WHAT PROBABLY MAKES SENSE IS WE'LL JUST GO IN ORDER AND THEN, UM, I CAN EXPLAIN THINGS THAT WERE MINE AND MAYBE COLLABORATIVE, AND THEN IF YOU ALL WANT TO JUMP IN ON ONES THAT WERE KIND OF YOURS.
UM, SO THE, UH, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T REMEMBER, THE, UH, DEADLINE FOR US TO COMMENT ON THE BUDGET IS, UH, MARCH 31ST.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO, UM, AT THIS MEETING.
UM, THE FIRST LITTLE SECTION IS JUST KIND OF BROAD GOALS.
THIS WAS TAKEN, UH, DIRECTLY, BUT EDITED A LITTLE BIT, UM, FROM THE LAST BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WE DID, WHICH WAS, UM, EITHER 23 OR 22.
I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT IT'S TAKEN FROM THAT JUST 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF A BROAD, UM, I WILL NOTE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER SMITH WITH US, IF WE WANT TO TABLE THIS AND TAKE UP THE, UM, SEVENTH, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE CHAIR.
UM, IF WE, IF COMMISSIONER SMITH, ARE YOU, YOU'RE WITH US NOW? YES, I AM.
I WAS GETTING IN MY VEHICLE AND I LOST CONNECTION.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY WITH US FOR THE DURATION, OR ARE YOU TIME LIMITED? NO, I'M, I'M IN THE CAR FOR ANOTHER HOUR, SO I'M TOTALLY FINE.
[7. Discussion and approval of a recommendation on representation on the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board ]
SINCE WE STARTED THIS ONE, LET'S TAKE IT UP.I WOULD, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A NOTE.
I THINK WE MIGHT DO NUMBER ITEM SEVEN NEXT BECAUSE WE WANNA GET IT DONE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY SPEAKER HERE THAT WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
SO WE MAY DO NUMBER SEVEN FIRST, BUT SINCE WE START AT FIVE, LET'S NOT GET TO ROBERT'S RULEY HERE.
UM, OKAY, SO GOING ON TO THE ACTUAL, UM, UM, ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE, UH, WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM TO BUILD OUT AN ADDITIONAL 50 ACTIVATIONS.
UM, I DID NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED YET.
UM, I LOVE THAT YOU DID THAT ABOUT THE, UH, YOU GUYS CAN HANDLE 72 ACTUALLY.
UM, SO I THINK, SO WE SHOULD INCREASE THIS NUMBER
YEAH, ONCE WE, ONCE WE LAY IT OUT, I'LL, I'LL DEFINITELY MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THAT TO 72 'CAUSE THE MORE THE MERRIER.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS YOURS IF YOU WANNA TAKE IT.
THAT WAS NO, YOUR, IT WAS, YEAH.
UH, THIS IS, UM, STATING, UH, THAT WE WOULD LIKE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, UM, TO PARTICULARLY, UH, LOOK AT ALLOCATING
UM, TAKING AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE, WHICH THEY'RE ALREADY DOING, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE, UM, UM, CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THAT, UM, TO SPEND THE UNSPENT, UH, UH, BONDS FOR BIKEWAYS AND URBAN TRAILS GOING ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.
I THINK THIS ONE IS YOURS AS WELL.
SO THIS ONE IS JUST AN OVERALL, WE JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, AN INCREASE IN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY'S DATA IN REGARDS TO BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE,
[01:20:01]
UM, AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS DEPLOYED.AND SO HOW IS IT REALLY MEETING THOSE GOALS OF, UM, VISION ZERO AND ET CETERA.
SO YOU COULD SEE THERE THOSE, THE SNOW BIKE, LANE DELINEATORS, ALL THAT STUFF THERE.
UH, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS, UH, ENSURING THAT TPW EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO WORK IN PERSON ARE LOCATED AT CITY OFFICES WHERE THEY CAN REASONABLY COMMUTE VIA ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE OFTEN HAVE REALLY GREAT DESIGN HERE IS BECAUSE, UH, TRADITIONALLY THEY HAVE BEEN LOCATED AT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OFF OF MOPAC, IT WAS RIGHT OFF OF, UM, ZILKER.
AND THERE WAS A BUS STOP THERE AT THE BARTON OAKS PLAZA WHERE MOST OF THEM WERE.
UM, AND THAT ALLOWED, I THINK, A CULTURE WHERE, UH, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION WAS PRIORITIZED.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE SINCE BEEN MOVED TO THE BEN WHITE LOCATION, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S EVER TRIED TO BIKE ON BEN WHITE IS NOT FUN.
UM, SO, UM, THIS IS IS TWOFOLD SAYING, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN LOCATE THEM AT CITY OFFICES, UH, WHERE THEY CAN USE THAT ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS, UM, GOING BACK TO, UH, COMMISSIONER BROOKS RECOMMENDATION ABOUT TELEWORKING, ENSURING THAT WE ARE ALIGNING WITH BEST PRACTICES ON, UM, UH, TELEWORKING.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, UH, I THINK WE ALL GOT THE EMAIL FROM, UH, THE PARKS BOARD.
UH, THEY CONSIDERED A RECOMMENDATION TO ASK TPW TO COMPLETE A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AND TRANSPORTATION TO MANAGE MANAGEMENT STUDY.
THIS WAS SOMETHING I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN SUGGESTED WAY, WAY BACK IN THE DAY.
UM, SO, UM, THEIR ISSUE WAS THEY FELT LIKE IT SHOULDN'T COME OUT OF THE PART BUDGET.
IT SHOULD COME OUT OF THE, UH, TPW BUDGET.
UM, I TEND TO AGREE WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, UH, IS ACCIDENTALLY DOUBLED UP, SO I WILL MOVE TO DELETE THAT ONE AND I'LL MOVE DOWN TO THE NEXT ONE.
UH, THIS ONE IS ABOUT, UH, A VOLUNTEER BIKE ENFORCEMENT GROUP SETTING SIGN FUNDING FOR, UH, THE ASSOCIATED TRAINING AND PURCHASING AN E-BIKE FLEET FOR THE TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY OFFICERS.
UH, THIS GOES BACK DIRECTLY TO OUR BIKE LANE BLOCKAGE RECOMMENDATION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE INDICATED AT THE LAST MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON, UH, SOMETHING REGARDING BIKE LANE BLOCKAGES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL LOOK LIKE OUR RECOMMENDATION, BUT I KNOW THEY ARE USING THAT AS A BASIS.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SHOULD COME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO THIS IS A GOOD WAY FOR US TO GET THE FUNDING FOR THAT IN THE BASE BUDGET.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR LATER.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, UH, IS, UH, SO CURRENTLY, UM, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT RENTS, UH, 65 MERIDIAN ARCHER MOVABLE BARRICADES, UH, WHICH ARE THE BARRICADES YOU SEE DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UM, THEY, SINCE THEY RENT THEM, THEY CAN'T BE DEPLOYED, UM, YEAR ROUND.
AND WE ACTUALLY JUST HAD AN INCIDENT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UM, WHERE SOMEBODY GOT WITHIN A BLOCK OF THE AUSTIN MARATHON, UH, WITH A CAR, THEY WERE DRUNK DRIVING IN THE MORNING.
UH, LUCKILY, WELL, I DON'T WANNA SAY LUCKILY, BUT THEY HIT A TREE.
SO THEY DID NOT GO INTO THE CROP.
UM, I THINK THE QUOTE FOR IT IS SOMEWHERE AROUND JUST OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND, UM, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE FOR US TO INCLUDE THAT IN OUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, AS IT IS A, A BIG PART OF THE, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
UM, AND I, I BASICALLY, UM, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION DID A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT IT, UH, LAST YEAR, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS TOO LATE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS TO BE CONSIDERED.
I EXPECT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WILL DO ANOTHER ONE AT THE UPCOMING MEETING.
SO THAT'S WHY WE SAY, SEE ANY SUBSEQUENT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THE BICYCLE PLAN, UM, SPECIFICALLY CONTEMPLATES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE THE QUICK BUILD STRATEGY OF, YOU KNOW, WE GET THESE DELINEATORS AND THE PAINT OUT THERE TO, TO EXPAND OUR ALL AGES INTO MOBILITY.
BUT THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE WE NEED, UM, MORE, RIGHT? WE NEED, UM, WHEN IT'S SAYING, UH, PROTECTED BIKE LANES, IN THE SENSE IT'S TALKING ABOUT CONCRETE PROTECTED, WE NEED PROTECTED INTERSECTIONS, WE NEED FLOATING BUS STOPS.
UM, AND SO IT STATES THAT 14 MILLION SHOULD BE ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR, UH, TO START KIND OF PIECEMEALING THAT APPROACH YEAR BY YEAR ON A NEED BY NEED BASIS THAT IS IN THE BICYCLE PLAN.
SO WE JUST KINDA WANNA REITERATE HERE THAT RIGHT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS COUNCIL APPROVED.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT ACTUALLY ENDS UP IN THE BUDGET.
UH, THE NEXT ONE WAS THAT, THAT WAS REUBEN, RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, WE FACE A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
THE MAIN WAY OF MEASURING BICYCLING USAGE AS A MODE IS THROUGH THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE, WHICH CONTAINS A QUESTION ON HOW PEOPLE GET TO WORK.
AND BICYCLING HAS GONE THROUGH THE BOTTOM, IT'S DROPPED CONSIDERABLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC AND HAS NOT YET RECOVERED.
I THINK THIS IS A FALSE MEASUREMENT 'CAUSE IT ONLY ASKS, YOU HAVE A CHOICE OF EITHER SAYING YOU USE A BICYCLE TO GET TO WORK
[01:25:01]
OR YOU WORK AT HOME.AND I SUSPECT WHAT IS THE CASE IS MANY BICYCLISTS NOW WORK PRIMARILY AT HOME, BUT STILL USE THEIR BICYCLES EXTENSIVELY.
UNLESS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS SOME BETTER MEASUREMENTS THAN THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.
THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY IS WHAT OUTSIDERS AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING, GOVERNMENT FUNDING AGENCIES WILL SEE.
AND THAT SAYS THAT BICYCLING IN AUSTIN HAS DROPPED.
SO THERE'S A KIND OF AN URGENT NEED TO COLLECT BETTER DATA.
AND THEN THE, UH, NEXT ONE WAS ONE WE ALL KIND OF TAG TEAM.
UM, AND THIS WILL ALSO BE TOUCHED ON WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION.
UH, BUT I THINK MANY OF US HAVE OBSERVED THAT IT IS, UM, DIFFICULT TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, UH, PROJECTS.
I, I HAD THAT PROBLEM, UH, THIS WEEK.
I WAS TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD, SEP WOULD, WOULD COME.
AND I, I ONLY GOT THAT INFORMATION ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING.
UM, SO THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW BETTER, NEEDS TO KNOW MORE.
I, I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
AND PARTICULARLY IN UP-TO-DATE WEBSITE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CORRIDOR PROGRAMS. SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW THE PLANS, YOU KNOW, THE UPDATED, UH, CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS ALL JUST KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE TPW MERGER AND THE SPINOFF OF CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'RE WORKING ON.
UH, BUT PERHAPS THE GEARS ARE STILL MOVING TOWARDS IT.
SO WE'RE ASKING THEM TO PRIORITIZE IT, UH, IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
ANYTHING YOU GUYS WANT TO ADD ON THAT? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT I THINK WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF OUTLINING EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, REALLY FROM LOOKING AT THE BEGINNING OF A PROJECT AS UPDATES HAPPEN, UM, INVOLVING THE, THE COMMUNITY, GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK, POSTING THAT FEEDBACK, UM, AND THEN REALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF UNDERSTANDING KIND OF THE FULL CYCLE OF, OF THOSE PROJECTS IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB, UM, WORKING ON THE LANGUAGE THERE.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE, COMMISSIONER BROOKS KIND OF TOOK THE LEAD ON, IF YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THAT THIS GOES ACTUALLY BACK TO TPW, UM, THIS ONE.
UM, I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH FUNDING WAS SPENT BY TPW ON BEHALF OF CAB METRO.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, A SIDEWALK BUILT NEXT TO A CAB METRO STOP, WHERE THE PRIMARY REASON FOR GIVING THE SIDEWALK THAT PRIORITY WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A BUS STOP THERE.
UM, IT TURNS OUT THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION.
I REACHED OUT TO TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A POSITION TO KNOW ONE OF THEM ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN SIDE, ONE OF THEM ON THE CAP METRO SIDE, AND DIDN'T GET ANY RESPONSES.
I THINK THE CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT NOW EXISTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAP METRO DESERVES TO BE PUBLICIZED.
AND ONE WAY TO PUBLICIZE IT WOULD BE TO SHOW THE SPENDING DONE ON BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO PROVIDE, TO ASSIST IN CONSTRUCTING BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT IN AUSTIN.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT PROPOSITION IS ABOUT.
AND, AND I'LL SAY MY MOTIVATION HERE WAS REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES TPW WILL KINDA, UM, TAKE THE LEAD OR BRUNT A PROJECT FOR CAP METRO OR, UM, A TP OR EVEN TECH STOCK, UM, AND THEN GET REIMBURSEMENT BACK.
UM, I THINK SOMETIMES IN THE BUDGET THAT CAN BE MISCONSTRUED BY FOLKS AS, YOU KNOW, TPW SUBSIDIZING THESE ENTITIES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I THINK THIS WOULD BE A BETTER WAY TO, UH, BOTH INCREASE TRANSPARENCY, BUT ALSO, UH, KIND OF PAINT A BETTER PICTURE TO THE PUBLIC OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THIS FOR EFFICIENCY, WE'RE NOT DOING IT BECAUSE OF MISMANAGING OF FUNDS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OF, OF THE RECOMMENDATION? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, OR JUST SOMETHING TO SAY IS IN THE SECOND, UH, BE IT FOR THE RESOLVED, UM, FUND THE PRIORITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 TO 25 BUDGET, UH, WORK WITH CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES TO ACCELERATE PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE BONDS.
UM, IS CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES IN CHARGE OF SPENDING THE MONEY AT BIKEWAYS AND URBAN TRAILS? 'CAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THOSE ARE DONE ENTIRELY BY TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS RATHER THAN CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES THEY DONE BY TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS THE INTENTION WAS TO, WELL, I GUESS WE CAN REMOVE THAT SECOND PART.
I THINK THE INTENTION WAS JUST, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES IS THE ONE DOING THE PROJECT DELIVERY.
SO THEY NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN WORKING WITH THEM, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING IT RIGHT.
SO DO WE NEED TO JUST PUT THAT WORK
[01:30:01]
WITH TPW AND CAPITAL? YEAH, I'D BE OKAY WITH THAT ADDITION.SORRY, I DIDN'T HAVE MY MIC ON.
SO IS THE ADDITION TO ADD WORK WITH TPW AND CAPITAL DELIVERY YEAH.
IN THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TO ACCELERATE, I THINK THE ACCELERATE BONDS FUNDING IS IMPORTANT.
BUT THE, SO THE BE IT RESOLVE SAYS, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVE THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FUND THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES.
SO WE WOULD BE TELLING THEM TO WORK WITH THEMSELVES.
I THINK IT'S ALL COVERED THERE.
I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THIS CURRENT LANGUAGE.
AND SO I HAD ALREADY HAD THE FEELING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO RECUSE FROM THE TWO OF THESE, THE CLIMATE EQUITY INVESTMENTS AND THE APPOINTMENT AT CAMPO.
BUT NOW I'M WONDERING IF I HAVE TO DO THAT FOR THIS ONE SINCE SOME OF THE FUNDING IS FOR, UM, BUS STOPS.
IS THAT KIND OF THE, CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT PART? I, IT'S NOT FOR BUS STOPS.
UM, IT'S FOR, UM, UH, UM, FLOATING BUS STOPS.
SO TAKING THE BIKE LANE AROUND THE BUS STOP, NOT IMPROVING THE BUS STOP.
UM, THIS IS ON THE SECOND BE IT RESOLVE THE, UH, FOURTH BULLET.
UM, AND IN FACT, I THINK I, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I THINK I WILL ALSO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THAT LANGUAGE SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC.
I TOOK IT FROM, DIRECTLY FROM THE BIKE PLAN, UH, BUT IT'S KIND OF REFERENCING BACK.
SO I THINK THAT WE CAN CLEAR THAT UP.
JUST ONE, JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE THING, AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD SOLVE IT, BUT A NUMBER OF THE, EVERYTHING LEADING UP TO THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, THAT'S GONNA FALL ON THE PROJECT SPONSOR FOR LIKE, SO THAT WOULD BE IN, UM, LIKE FOR THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM.
WELL, CORRIDOR PROGRAM IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST EXAMPLE, BUT THAT WOULD BE NOW TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, DEVELOPING THE PROJECTS.
AND THEN AS WE GET THAT DEVELOPED, DO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UM, DEVELOP THE PLAN, PUBLISH THE PLAN, GET FEEDBACK ONCE THAT GETS DONE.
AND THEN NOW WE'RE READY TO FUND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FUNDING AND NOW IT'S READY TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S WHEN IT GETS HANDED OVER TO CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.
UH, AND I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS.
I, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE CAN ADJUST IT AND SPLIT SOME OF THESE OUT BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION AND CDS, BUT MAYBE IT'S CDS AND TRANS AND TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS WORKING TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS.
WELL, AND THEN WHAT I WAS GONNA SUGGEST IS, I THINK, I THINK WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THIS, WE DID HAVE THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM ON OUR MIND.
UM, SO WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO JUST SPECIFY THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM? 'CAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THAT IS WHOLLY WITHIN CDS.
THE, THE DELIVERY OF THAT PROGRAM IS, AND I, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THAT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WENT OVER THERE TOO, WHERE I'LL FIND OUT AND GET BACK TO YOU.
SO I THINK MAYBE AN EASY SWITCH IS WE JUST SAY TPW AND, AND CDS ON THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL LET Y'ALL PARSE IT OUT.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE LIKE THE, I KNOW ENTIRELY THE SENTIMENT THAT THIS ENTIRE BE IT FOR THE RESOLVED IS COMING FROM, I THINK SPECIFYING LIKE FORMER CORRIDOR PROJECTS IN THERE, LIKE REALLY GETS AT WHERE THE, UH, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IS LIKE TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, AND CDS ON THE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, FORMERLY KNOWN AS CORRIDOR PROJECTS OR, OR HOWEVER WE WANNA GET A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC SO THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THAT'S, I THINK THE SAME THING OUGHT TO HAPPEN IF IT'S NOT A CORRIDOR PROJECT.
THERE OUGHT TO BE A SINGLE POINT OR AS FEW POINTS AS POSSIBLE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
SPENCER, YOU'VE TEASED US WITH THE YEAH.
TANTALIZING POSSIBILITY OF AMENDMENTS.
SO, UM, DO YOU, ARE YOU, DO YOU HAVE THAT PREPARED, OR DO YOU NEED A SECOND? I THINK I DO.
WE WILL SEE IF WE DO SOME OF THAT'S ON THE FLY.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND ON THE FIRST BE RESOLVED, THE POINT ABOUT LIVING STREETS CHANGE 50 TO 72.
AND THEN, UH, REMOVE THE, UM, FIRST MENTION OF A PURCHASE OF AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE FLEET, THIS MIKE INSTEAD, THIS MIKE'S CASE.
UM, AND THEN ADD ON THE, UH, BICYCLE PLAN ITEM FIVE MILES OF CONCRETE PROTECTED BIKE LANES, FIVE PROTECTED INTERSECTIONS CAN WORK.
AND THEN 10, WE'LL USE THE TERM FLOATING BUS STOPS.
UM, AND THEN ON THE FIRST BE RESOLVED, THIS IS
[01:35:01]
WHERE I MAY HAVE TO DO IT ON THE FLY.UH, LET'S SAY THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICE SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS WORK TOGETHER WHEN TASKED WITH SHARED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND THEN LET IT GO THROUGH FROM THERE.
FIRST ELECTRIC BIKE MENTIONED, WAS THE, UH, PURCHASE AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE FLEET, OR, UM, YES.
AND WE'RE STRIKING THAT, STRIKING IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S MENTIONED LATER BELOW.
SO, AND THE LAST THING YOU SAID, THE LAST THING I SAID WAS CHANGING THE SECOND BE IT RESOLVED SO THAT IT READS, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVE THAT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECOMMEND THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS WORK TOGETHER ON SHARED PROJECTS.
ON SHARED PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO STRIKE RESPONSIBILITIES AND ON ITS PROJECTS, AND THEN CONTINUE WITH AND DEDICATE FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH SERVICES.
SO THAT, THAT I THINK MAKES SENSE TO EVERYONE.
I CAN TYPE IT UP TOO RIGHT NOW, SO I CAN MAKE SURE I CAN READ IT BACK.
I THINK YOU, YEAH, THAT WOULD, I, SO, YEAH.
LET ME, IF, IF PEOPLE I'LL READ IT ONE MORE TIME TOO.
IT WAS, SO, IT WAS B FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS WORK TOGETHER ON SHARED PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON ITS PROJECTS.
UH, WORK TOGETHER ON SHARED PROJECTS, WORK TOGETHER ON SHARED PROJECTS TO CARRY OUT, TO CARRY OUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, ENGAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO DON'T STRIKE RESPONSIBILITIES INDEBTED.
I'M TYPING THIS UP BY THE WAY, SO DON'T WORRY.
UH, AND ALLOCATE DEDICATED FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH STRATEGIES.
CAN I JUST CLARIFY? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ OUT LOUD THAT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDS THAT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS ON SHARED PROJECTS CARRY OUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND ALLOCATE DEDICATED FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE, YADA, YADA, YADA.
SO THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM SPENCER SCHUMACHER IS TO BUILD A STRIKE 50, UH, LIVING STREETS AND REPLACE THAT WITH 72, STRIKE THE FIRST BULLET POINT ON ELECTRIC BICYCLE FLEET, UH, FOR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY OFFICERS ON ITEM ON THE BULLET POINT THAT BEGINS PER ITEM 4.7, 1.1 B OF THE 2023 BICYCLE PLAN, EDIT THE, UH, POST THE SECTION POST, UH, COLON TO FIVE MILES OF CONCRETE, PROTECTED BY LANES, FIVE PROTECTED INTERSECTIONS, 10 FLOATING BUS STOPS.
AND THEN WE REALLY DUG IN ON THAT LAST PIECE.
AND I THINK HOPEFULLY WE'RE ALL CLEAR THERE.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA NECESSARILY READ THAT AGAIN.
SO THAT'S THE MOTION AND DOES ALL THOSE THINGS.
UM, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THESE AMENDMENTS? MM-HMM.
UM, LET'S, ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, UM, MOTION TO AMEND, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THE COMMISSIONER SMITH, I HEARD YOU, UH, VERBALLY, SO THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.
SO NOW WE HAVE THE AMENDMENT MOTION MOTION.
UM, ARE THERE ANY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER AMENDMENTS? GREAT.
LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THE WHOLE THEN.
ALL, UM, THE, THOSE WHO WANNA VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS AMENDED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY, AYE.
COMMISSIONER SMITH, CAN YOU LET US KNOW YOUR VOTE? AYE, UH, GREAT.
I MAY HAVE JUST NOT HEARD YOU.
SO THAT IS, AGAIN, UNANIMOUS OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DRAFTED THAT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP, UM, ITEM SEVEN NOW, SINCE WE HAVE A SPEAKER FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO, AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE THAT ONE UP FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE.
I KNOW THAT A COUPLE PEOPLE ARE RECUSING AND YOU MAY WANT TO, UM, VACATE THE DIOCESE.
WE CAN COME GRAB YOU, UM, LATER, UM, UM, WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE ITEM.
[01:40:01]
BEST PRACTICE, UM, TO, FOR EVERYONE.UM, SO WE, I'M JUST COUNTING 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
SO WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM THAT WILL HEAR THIS MOTION.
WE HAVE TWO RECUSALS ON THE DIOCESE.
SO, UM, DO YOU, UH, SPENCER, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER, YOU WROTE THIS, I THINK IN, WELL, YOU AND COMMISSIONER BOOKS WROTE IT TOGETHER, REALLY.
SO IF Y'ALL WANNA INTRODUCE IT FOR US, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE OUR SPEAKER.
SO I'LL MAKE A, SHOULD I MAKE A MOTION OR JUST EXPLAIN IT? UH, YEAH, GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK I EXPLAINED THIS IN PRETTY GREAT DETAIL IN THE DECEMBER MEETING, UH, DECEMBER MEETING.
SO I, I, I DON'T THINK I WANT TO GO TOO MUCH INTO, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, FOLKS CAN SEE THE COMMENTS THERE, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE WERE HERE FOR THAT.
UM, I DO WANNA NOTE TWO THINGS.
UM, WE HAVE THE SUPPORT ON THIS RECOMMENDATION OF RETHINK 35 OF FARM AND CITY AND OF, UH, SAVE OUR SPRINGS, UH, WHICH THOSE THREE ORGANIZATIONS DO NOT ALIGN ON MUCH
SO THE FACT THAT ALL THREE OF THEM REACHED OUT TO US AND MADE THIS A PRIORITY, I THINK SHOWS, UH, JUST HOW BADLY THE CURRENT SITUATION IS FOR AUSTIN.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO NOTE IS, UM, I, WE DID ADD TWO ITEMS, UM, SINCE WE FIRST CONSIDERED IT IN, UH, DECEMBER.
AND THOSE ARE ON THE FIRST BEAT RESOLVES, UH, ITEMS TWO THROUGH FOUR, I BELIEVE, WHICH ARE, UH, EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CAMPO, UH, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING WHETHER THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT ONE WAS IN THE OLD ONE.
UH, THE PROCESS BY WHICH TPB MEMBERS ELECT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE TPB OFFICERS, UH, WHETHER CERTAIN DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE BY A FULL VOTE OF THE TPB RATHER THAN THE EXECUTIVE BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.
UH, AND SOME OF THOSE WERE EXPLICITLY SUGGESTED BY, UM, SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS I MENTIONED, AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOOD CHANGES.
I'LL NOTE, UM, THE REASON I BROUGHT UP, UM, THE ELECTIONS IS, UM, IN JANUARY, UH, THEY ELECTED THEIR CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY.
AND I WILL JUST START THIS COMMENT BY SAYING, I HAVE WORKED FOR BODIES AT THE CITY LEVEL, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, AND AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE.
UH, WHERE THEY HAD A STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO ELECT THE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY FOR TWO YEARS.
AND THEN THE STAFF REPORT MENTIONED THAT THE SLATE OF OFFICERS ARE JUST THE CURRENT PEOPLE, UH, BECAUSE THEY AGREED TO CONTINUE SERVING.
UM, I JUST WANT YOU TO IMAGINE FOR A SECOND WHAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE WOULD SAY IF THAT'S HOW WE, UH, ELECTED OUR OFFICERS JUST BY STAFF RECOGNITION.
REMEMBER I WAS THERE, OH, YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR MICROPHONE ON? YES.
UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY CYNTHIA LONG WHEN ASKED HOW THE NOMINATIONS WERE DONE AND SAID, WELL, I LOOKED AT THE EXISTING PEOPLE AND I ASKED THEM WHETHER THEY WANTED TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER TERM.
SO IN A NOMINATING COMMITTEE OF ONE PERSON AND A VERY INFORMAL NOMINATING PROCESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL RESPECT TO COMMISSIONER LONG, I THINK IT IS INDICATIVE OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH DECISIONS ARE NOT BEING MADE IN THE OPEN.
AND ATTEMPTS TO BRING THEM TO THE OPEN ARE BEING SHUT DOWN, UH, BY THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, WHICH I THINK UNDERSCORES ALL OF THE ISSUES HERE.
UM, I WILL REITERATE AGAIN, UH, THIS DOES NOT SAY LEAVE CAMPO.
UH, IT SAYS, LET'S EXPLORE OUR OPTIONS AND LET'S START THE CONVERSATION.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WILL NOTE IS THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION HAS ACTUALLY DISCUSSED, UM, MPO REFORM ON THEIR OWN, UH, AFTER SEEING THIS.
UM, SO I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE AS PART OF THEIR FINAL NOVEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS 'CAUSE WE'RE KIND OF FAR FOR THAT.
UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THEY'RE GOING TO STUDY AND, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND ON, UH, I BELIEVE IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
UM, SO YEAH, WITH THAT, WE, UM, I THINK I'M DONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY, WE HAVE A SPEAKER, SO FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK I WILL NOW CALL OUR SPEAKER, UM, UH, MR. BOBBY LAVINSKY.
BOBBY LAVINSKY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST COME AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO OUR, UM, TO THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A PET PEEVE OF MINE SINCE I STARTED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WORKING FOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JENNIFER KIM, WHO WORKED, UH, WHO WAS ON CAMPO, UH, WHEN THE REFORM HAPPENED.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I WANNA JUST KIND OF ADD SOME COLOR TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN.
UM, WHEN, UH, THAT FORMER, UM, COMPETITION WAS IN PLACE, WE HAD STATE REPRESENTATIVES, WE HAD STATE SENATORS SERVING ON CAMPO.
THE PROBLEM WAS, UM, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF EAGERNESS TO GET INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTATION POLICY AT THE TIME, AND THEY'D OFTEN SEND THEIR PROXIES.
[01:45:01]
I THINK THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE REFORM HAPPENED WAS TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE TO THAT ARE APPOINTED ON THE BODY TO SHOW UP TO THE, TO THE MEETINGS AND VOTE AND NOT JUST SEND THEIR PROXIES.AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF TRYING TO GET TO, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE BY THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ELECTED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
BUT OVER TIME, AND THIS IS A, A CONCERNS THAT WE EXPRESSED AT THE TIME, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WE'VE ALSO DILUTED THE VOTES OF PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WHERE, WHERE AUSTIN WAS BACK THEN, WE HAD AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAD THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WE HAD THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES, WE HAD THE STATE SENATORS ALL SERVING ON CAMPO, UH, ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, ARE VOTING FOR THEM NOW, FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE EITHER REPRESENTED BY ONE PERSON OR MAYBE NOBODY, UM, ON THOSE, ON THE CAMPO BODY.
UM, AND DECISIONS BEING MADE BY A COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S A PROCESS THAT'S, THAT'S WORKING.
I THINK WE'VE HAD OVER A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE OF PROJECTS, NOT JUST THE ONE THAT, UM, WE'RE SUING OVER RIGHT NOW, UH,
OFTEN, UM, IN A FEAR-BASED WAY.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE THEIR PROJECTS DEFUNDED, UM, THAT, THAT MATTER TO THEM.
AND AUSTIN NEEDS TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO THE TABLE.
DO WE HAVE, UM, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? I MEAN, WE DID, WE DID DISCUSS THIS IN DECEMBER BEFORE WE REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO POSTPONE THE ITEM, UM, BECAUSE OF THE RECUSALS.
SO WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ONCE BEFORE.
I KNOW A COUPLE PEOPLE WEREN'T AT THAT MEETING, SO I DEFINITELY, AND WE'VE MADE A COUPLE ALTERATIONS, SO WE DEFINITELY WANNA HAVE THE CHANCE TO DISCUSS IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS, UH, PROPOSED, UH, RECOMMENDATION? UM, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I JUST, I KNOW WE ALREADY SPENT A SECOND TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO AGAIN, HIGHLIGHT JUST HOW EGREGIOUS THE BEHAVIOR AT THE JANUARY CAMPO MEETING WAS BY CHAIR LONG AND DETERMINING THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND, UM, THE, UH, OFFICERS AND I, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND, UM, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FUENTES HERE WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HELP BOLSTER THAT VOICE MOVING FORWARD.
THAT, UH, THAT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, CAVALIER ATTITUDE TOWARDS SERIOUS BILLION DOLLAR DECISION MAKING IS UNACCEPTABLE.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD STEP IN THE, UM, IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION REGARDING CAMPO REPRESENTATION.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA, UM, CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS RECOMMENDATION THEN.
UM, ALL THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF, OF, OF PASSING THE RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE,
POINT OF ORDER REAL QUICK, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE SO TIGHT ON QUORUM.
UM, COMMISSIONER SMITH, COULD YOU PUT YOUR VIDEO ON JUST SO WE COULD, HE SAID, I THINK THAT IS, I HEARD HIM, BUT IF IT'S POSSIBLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, I'M DRIVING, SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO TURN VIDEO ON.
SO I THINK THAT WE, UM, PASSED THAT ONE AFTER A COUPLE ATTEMPTS, SO, UM, THAT IS GREAT.
SO, UM, LET'S GO GRAB, WE'RE GONNA GO GRAB OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
THE PROBLEM WITH OFFERING THIS MANY RECOMMENDATIONS IS, I CAN'T LEAVE YOU
DO YOU NEED, I THINK DANIEL LEFT.
SO WATER, THAT'S WHAT WE WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
HEALTHIER, HEALTHY STREETS, HEALTHY WATER, LIKE
SEE, FOUR HOUSES A DAY IS RECOMMENDED.
[01:50:27]
OKAY.IS COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, IS SHE ON HER WAY BACK? DO YOU ANY? UM, SHE'S NOT, SHE'S, SHE'S NOT GONNA VOTE ON THIS.
[6. Discussion and approval of a recommendation advising on the use of upcoming Climate Equity investments. ]
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP, UM, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION ADVISING ON THE USE OF UPCOMING CLIMATE EQUITY INVESTMENTS.UM, WE HAVE A, UM, DOCUMENT THAT WAS, UM, CIRCULATED.
UM, AND WE'LL, UM, SO Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR PACKETS OR IN THE EMAIL.
AND, UM, I GUESS, UH, I GONNA BE, AGAIN, CALLING ON PROBABLY COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER TO INTRODUCE THIS TO US AND MAKE A MOTION.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO, UM, UH, I'M SURE AS WE SPOKE LAST TIME, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ATLER, UM, SET FORTH IN THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT'S CITED HERE.
UM, A PROCESS BY WHICH, UH, WE WOULD GATHER PUBLIC INPUT TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE ON OUR CLIMATE RELATED PLANS, UH, AND WHERE WE NEED INVESTMENTS TO GET BACK UP TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY TRANSPORTATION IS A BIG PART OF THAT.
UH, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN NOTES ARE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS ALREADY THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF LOCAL AIR POLLUTION AND WILL SOON BECOME THE LARGEST EMITTER OF GREENHOUSE GASES.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS IN 2014, SO MAYBE IT DID.
UM, SO, UM, AS WE WERE KIND OF DISCUSSING WHAT WOULD FIT INTO THIS, UM, KIND OF WHERE WE STARTED TO LOOK WAS WHERE ARE WE ON OUR A SMP AND ALSO CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN MODE SPLIT GOALS.
UM, AND BOTH OF THOSE ARE REALLY ACTUALIZED, I WOULD SAY BY TWO THINGS.
UM, THE TRANSPORTATION, OR, SORRY, THE TRANSIT, UH, PIECE OF IT IS OBVIOUSLY MOSTLY PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, AND PROJECT CONNECT IS FUNDED.
WE FELT LIKE PROBABLY BEST THAT WE STAY AWAY FROM THAT, LET THEM WORK THROUGH THE EIS PROCESS.
UM, SO THEN WE LOOK AT THE SIDEWALKS, WE LOOK AT THE URBAN TRAILS, WE LOOK AT THE BIKEWAYS, UH, AND WHAT WE REALLY TALKED ABOUT IS HOW, UM, REALLY WHERE THESE PLANS ARE ACTUALIZED.
AND IN FACT, THE, THE CHAIR OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE KIND OF, UH, ACKNOWLEDGED THIS IN THE LAST MEETING TOO, IS THE A TX WALK BIKE ROLE PLANS, THAT'S OUR 2023 URBAN TRAILS PLAN, OUR 2023 BICYCLE PLAN, OR IN OUR 2023 SIDEWALKS CROSSING AND SHARED STREETS PLAN.
UM, SO KINDA WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE LOOKED AT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE OUTLINED THERE, UH, HOW MUCH FUNDING DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR MOBILITY BONDS TOWARDS THOSE GOALS? AND THEN WHAT'S THE GAP? UM, SO I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND GO RIGHT DOWN THROUGH IT.
SO STARTING WITH BIKEWAYS, UM, THE CURRENT BUILD OUT IS AT 232 MILES.
UH, OUR GOAL SET FORTH IN THE BIKE PLAN IS TO BUILD OUT AN ADDITIONAL 148 MILES OF THE ALL AGES AND ABILITIES NETWORK BY 2026.
THAT GETS US TO A TOTAL OF 380 MILES.
THE PLAN ASSUMES THAT A PROTECTED BIKE LANE COSTS $600,000 PER MILE.
UH, SO THAT MEANS WE NEED A TOTAL OF 88,800, SORRY, $88,800,000.
UH, AND IN OUR MOBILITY BONDS, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 39,840,000 AND UNSPENT BIKE FUNDS.
UH, THAT IS FROM THE, UM, PROJECT THAT DIRECTOR, OR SORRY, PROJECT PRESENTATION THAT DIRECTOR SNOW GAVE US IN DECEMBER, UH, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY PERFECT TIMING 'CAUSE I WOULD ASSUME THAT IS WHAT THE, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WERE BEING USED FOR THE FINAL FIGURES FOR THE A TX WALK BIKE RULE.
UH, SO THAT GETS US TO, TO FUND THOSE EXTRA 148 MILES, UH, WE NEED $48 MILLION, 960,000.
UH, NEXT, THE, UH, BIKE PLAN ALSO HAS THE GOAL OF 300, UM, METRO BIKE STATIONS BY 2025.
UM, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE SETASIDE GRANT FOR 11.3 MILLION.
UH, THAT WILL BUILD A HUNDRED NEW STATIONS.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE ASSOCIATED, UM, UH, BICYCLES TO GO WITH THEM.
UH, 83 OF THOSE WILL BE REPLACING THE EXISTING STATIONS.
SO THAT MEANS WE ONLY HAVE A A HUNDRED TOTAL IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, SO USING THAT TRANSPORTATION SET ASIDE GRANT AS A ROUGH FIGURE, UH, WE NEED DOUBLE TO HIT OUR GOAL BY 2025 TO GET TO 300.
[01:55:01]
SO THAT BRINGS US TO 22,600,000.UH, NEXT, GOING OUT TO THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE BENCHMARKS IN THE PLAN, BUT RATHER THE PLAN'S GOAL IS TO BUILD ALL 94 MILES OF THE TIER ONE TRAILS.
THOSE ARE THOSE THAT ARE MOST PRIORITIZED, UM, IN TERMS OF THEIR EQUITY ANALYSIS, UM, AND, UM, 94 MILES BY 2043.
UM, SO TO DO THAT, THAT MEANS WE NEED TO AVERAGE A ABOUT 52 MILLION IN URBAN TRAIL SPENDING PER YEAR.
SO TO GET US JUST TO, UM, 2028, THAT MEANS WE NEED TO AVERAGE, UGH.
DOING THE MATH ON THIS IS SO HARD.
UM, I FORGET WHAT THE TOTAL IS.
I DIDN'T PUT AN IN HERE, BUT YEAH, YOU CAN REVERSE DO THE MATH.
UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 80 MILLION GIVE OR TAKE IN UNSPENT URBAN TRAILS FUNDS.
THAT MEANS TO AVERAGE A BUILD OUT OF 15, 15.6 MILES IN TIER ONE URBAN TRAILS.
UM, FROM NOW TILL 2028, WE NEED $75,826,000.
UH, NEXT WE GO TO THE, UM, SIDEWALKS.
UH, WHAT IS THE FULL NAME OF THIS PLAN? SIDEWALKS CROSSING AND SHARED STREETS PLAN.
UM, SO WE HAVE THE GOAL OF BUILDING OUT, UM, THERE'S A TOTAL MILEAGE OF HOW MANY OF THE VERY HIGH AND HIGH PRIORITY WE WANT.
UH, THE, THE SIDEWALKS CROSSING AND SHARED SPLITS PLAN NOTES THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS, QUOTE, LESS THAN HALF OF THE ESTIMATED FUNDING REQUIRED TO MEET PLAN GOALS THROUGH 2028.
THOSE GOALS ARE SPENDING 32 MILLION FOR 34 NEW MILES OF SIDEWALKS AND 20 MILES OF SHARED STREETS ANNUALLY.
SO OVER FOUR YEARS, THAT AMOUNTS TO $128 MILLION.
THE BIKE PLAN OR THE PLAN SAID THEY HAVE ABOUT HALF.
SO THEN WE GET TO $64 MILLION.
UH, IF YOU TOTAL ALL OF THAT UP, WE ARE ASKING FOR AN INVESTMENT OF $211,386,000.
UM, AND I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT HOW WE PHRASE THIS.
UM, UH, STAFF HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR, UH, THAT THEY DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO ANOTHER BOND.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN PEOPLE'S MOUTH.
UH, LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S BEEN A LARGE SENTIMENT THAT, UM, WE SHOULDN'T DO ANOTHER MOBILITY BOND UNTIL WE HAVE SPENT ALL OF OUR CURRENT ONES, WHICH WILL BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2027 AND 2029, DEPENDING ON HOW GOOD CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DOES.
UM, WHAT I THINK THIS PLAN IS, WHAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TRYING TO INDICATE IS EVEN IF WE DO HIT THAT GOAL, WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIT OUR SHORT-TERM MOBILITY GOALS THAT WE JUST OUTLINED.
UM, SO AS A RESULT, WHAT THE SECOND BE AT RESULT SAYS IS, LET'S CONSIDER THIS A BRIDGE INVESTMENT.
WE HAVE ALL THESE SHORT TERM GOALS AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO GET THERE.
SO HOWEVER WE FINANCE THIS AND THE, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN GIVES MULTIPLE WAYS OF FINANCING.
UH, LET'S DO THIS JUST TO GET US OVER THIS GAP SHORT TERM.
AND THEN LET'S ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT THAT, TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR FUTURE FUNDING STRATEGIES SO WE CAN HIT THOSE LONG TERM GOALS.
AND WHEN I'M TALKING SHORT TERM, I MEAN FROM NOW TILL 2028 AND LONG TERM BEYOND 2028.
UM, SO IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED RECOMMENDATION TO READ.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY SIMPLE ONE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND HOW WE GOT THERE.
UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE VAGUEISH LANGUAGE HERE.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING INVESTMENTS.
WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING PRESCRIPTIVE IN HOW WE GET THERE.
I THINK PUTTING A BOND TOGETHER THIS YEAR WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
UM, AND THEN I SHOULD ALSO NOTE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, WE DID PUT SPECIFIC THINGS ABOUT EQUITY, UM, IN THERE, RIGHT? SO EACH OF THESE PLANS HAVE A CERTAIN EQUITY ANALYSIS TOOL.
UH, THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T, AT LEAST THAT I KNOW OF, THERE MIGHT BE ONE I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IS METRO BIKE, UH, WHERE WE SAID THE INVESTMENT SHOULD PRIORITIZE NEWS STATIONS IN LOW INCOME AREAS WITH HIGH MOBILITY NEEDS AND CONNECTIONS TO CAT METRO'S EXISTING FREQUENCY, HIGH FREQUENCY BUS AND METRO RAIL RAIL NETWORK.
SO I THINK THAT'S BALANCING BOTH.
WE WANT TO MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS WHERE IT IS THE MOST EQUITABLE AND WHERE WE'RE GIVING IT TO THE FOLKS WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
AND ALSO WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN TERMS OF REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS.
UM, AND I THINK, 'CAUSE THIS WAS ALSO IN OUR OTHER RESOLUTION, SO I, I STILL PRETTY MUCH HAVE ISSUE WITH THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, UM, NOT BEING BUILT OUT OR LIKE TIER ONE, NOT TILL 2043.
SO A LOT OF THESE OTHER ONES HAVE, YOU KNOW, 2026, 2025, UM, OR 2025.
[02:00:01]
AND SO I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO BUILD OUT 15.6 BY 2028, NOT LOOKING AT THE 2043 DATE? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, 'CAUSE I, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT PUTTING A PRIORITY ON URBAN TRAILS.AND SO, AND I KNOW WE PUT THAT IN THE OTHER RESOLUTION AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESOLUTION FOR BUDGET AND USAGE OF THESE FUNDING ALSO MATCHES POTENTIAL TIMELINE TO MOVE OR RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THAT, THAT TIMELINE UP TO MEET THAT AS WELL.
YEAH, SO, SORRY, LET ME DO SOME QUICK MATH HERE.
YEAH, THAT IS 15.6 TOTAL, UM, OF THE 94.
UM, NOW I SHOULD SAY, AND I, I DID NOT PUT THIS IN HERE.
UM, AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO UNSPENT.
'CAUSE THAT GETS US TO A TOTAL OF $156 MILLION, UH, WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE.
UM, SO I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I DEFINITELY DON'T DISAGREE THAT THAT IS A SLOW TIMELINE AND WE SHOULD ACCELERATE IT.
UM, WHICH YOU PUT IN THE OTHER, I'M SORRY, WHICH YOU PUT IN THE OTHER RESOLUTION.
YES, BUT I'M TRYING TO MATCH IT IN THIS ONE AS WELL.
I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY THAT I THINK WE SHOULD AVOID DOING THAT HERE BECAUSE WHAT COUNCIL KIND OF DIRECTED FOLKS TO LOOK AT IS LET'S LOOK AT OUR EXISTING PLANS, THE SCHEDULED INVESTMENTS IN THEM, AND WHERE ARE WE OFF.
SO I, I DON'T, I THINK WE'RE REALLY, I MEAN, YEAH, I KNOW WHAT THE PLAN SAYS, BUT I, I WILL SEE.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY OFF WITHIN THAT TIMELINE SURE.
AND SO I, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I THINK THAT THE BETTER ACTION FOR US WOULD BE TO DO A SEPARATE RECOMMENDATION TO LOOK AT WAYS TO AMEND THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN TO ACCELERATE THAT FUNDING.
THAT WAY WE CAN STICK TO THE MISSION OF IT, WHICH IS LET'S, THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT OUR EXISTING PLANS RATHER THAN CONSIDER NEW PLANS OR AMENDMENTS TO THOSE PLANS.
UM, I, I KNOW FOR ONE, UM, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PART OF A TX BIKE WALL, WHICH IS THE, THE BICYCLE PLAN, WHICH SPECIFICALLY ASKS US TO DO RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I WOULD CERTAINLY BE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER ON A, UH, COMPREHENSIVE LOOK, PERHAPS ON THE, THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE A TX WALK BY RULE, PLANS OF AMENDMENTS WE SHOULD SUGGEST.
UM, BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT WE STICK TO WHAT THE PLAN SAYS IN THOSE SCHEDULED INVESTMENTS, JUST SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GIVING THIS, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY LARGE FIGURE FROM, UM, YEAH.
I, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE, I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED IN MY YEARS WORKING ON CITY STUFF THAT WE SET THESE GOALS, WHICH ARE A LOT OF TIMES VERY, VERY SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND ROLLOUT AND YEARS.
AND THEN WE JUST DON'T, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY BENCHMARKING THEM.
LIKE I, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE NEED TO CHECK ON OUR PROGRESS.
UM, AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IS WHERE WE CAN SEE WE HAVE THE BEST SPEND THROUGH, AND ALSO LIKE SO MUCH IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S, LIKE, LIVED DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE SPENDING SOME OF OUR TRANSPORTATION MONEY IS LIKE ON THE MORE COMPLEX CORRIDOR PLANS, WHICH I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TOO.
BUT LIKE ALL THESE TYPES OF PLANS ARE, THEY'RE JUST IN GENERAL, I THINK, EASIER WAYS TO SPEND OUR MONEY.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF FALLING SHORT OF OUR GOALS IN A LOT OF CASES.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO FALL SHORT OF OUR GOALS FOR THESE TYPES OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AREAS.
UM, AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY, TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, ACCELERATE THAT AS WELL GOING FORWARD.
LIKE WHY IS THE GOAL 2043? YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER WILL BE, I WAS GONNA SAY, MY KIDS WILL BE IN COLLEGE.
UM, I KIND OF WANT TO KEEP, KEEP THIS THREAD GOING HERE.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT I, AN OPPORTUNITY I SEE HERE IS IN THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, I HAVE IT PULLED UP.
IT SAYS, THE ABILITY FOR THE, THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM TO DELIVER PROJECTS ON AN ACCELERATED TIMELINE IS ALSO HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON INCREASED INTERNAL CITY OF AUSTIN CAPACITY ACROSS SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS CONCERNING STAFFING SYSTEMS AND THE PROCESSES FOR PERMITTING.
I THINK MAYBE THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, OPPORTUNITY HERE TO INCLUDE A RECOMMENDATION TO LOOK IF, UH, AT THE FISCAL NEED FOR
[02:05:01]
THOSE, UM, THAT CITY OF AUSTIN CAPACITY IN THE NON-PHYSICAL CAPITAL SPENDING THAT WE HAVE HERE.UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A FISCAL NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING SYSTEMS AND PERMITTING PROCESSES, THEN IN A, IN A NUMBER THAT IS NOT EXPLICIT, UH, WITHIN THE PLANS, THAT THAT COULD ALSO BE AN ADDITIONAL PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK WHAT, WHAT WE DID DO IN THIS IS WE DID PROVIDE SOME DIRECTION ON OTHER ONES, AND WE DIDN'T DO THIS ON THE URBAN TRAILS WHERE WE SAID, RIGHT, PROJECT SELECTED SHOULD BE USING THIS PRIORITIZATION, RIGHT.
TO ENSURE EQUITY TO ENSURE THIS.
SO I, I THINK IT WOULD BE, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE QUOTING FROM THAT SECTION AND YOU HAVE THE SECTION NUMBER PULLED UP, UM, IF WE SAID, UM, ALONG WITH THE INVESTMENT, THE CITY SHOULD LOOK AT WAYS TO ENSURE WHATEVER YOU JUST SAID, I, I WOULD LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T, UM, THE ONE THING I LIKE ABOUT THIS RECOMMENDATION TOO IS THAT WE, WE ARE ABLE TO PULL A SPECIFIC NUMBER THAT IS BACKED BY, UM, OUR ACTUAL BUILD OUT AND OUR ACTUAL BOND SPEND.
UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN KIND OF RECOMMEND IT AS A FISCAL PRIORITY THAT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE AND THE, UH, CITY MANAGER SHOULD CONSIDER BRINGING TO COUNCIL.
UH, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY ATTACHING A NUMBER.
WE'RE SAYING, DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO GET HERE.
MM-HMM,
AND I DON'T THINK THE RESOLUTION COMPLETELY ADDRESSES THE TOPIC.
IT'S JUST WHAT WE HAVE TIME TO DO.
AND WE OUGHT TO MAKE DEFINITE PLANS TO INCLUDE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS TO GO DEEPER.
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING ULTIMATELY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFF? HOW DO WE KNOW? MM-HMM.
AND THESE ARE ALL, THEY'RE PROBABLY GO FAR BEYOND TPW.
AND THERE'S THAT KINDS OF THINGS YOU WRESTLE WITH.
I WAS GONNA SAY, I'M SURE, I'M SURE YOU WOULD LIKE MORE STAFFING
WE ALWAYS WANT MORE STAFFING, RIGHT.
WELL, I THINK, UH, AN URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM MANAGER,
AND I KNOW THAT, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THAT, SO YES.
SO, SO THAT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION.
DO WE HAVE, IS IS THERE AN AMENDMENT THERE OR ARE WE JUST KIND OF SAYING THERE'S MORE TO BE, THERE'S MORE TO COME AROUND THESE ISSUE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE UP IN THE FUTURE? I'D BE, I'D BE COMFORTABLE PUTTING AN AMENDMENT FORWARD, BUT I'D ALSO BE COMFORTABLE HAVING A, UM, LARGER ITEM THAT LOOKS AT THE TIMELINE OF THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE, WHENEVER THAT 2043 AND 1819 MILES COMES OUT, THERE'S ALWAYS LIKE AN AUSTIN ARTICLE OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT SAYS, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? SO I THINK THERE'S CONTINUED INTEREST IN THAT, AND THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER AND BIGGER DISCUSSION LATER ON.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU DO WANT TO ADD ON THIS ONE, I DO HAVE THE LANGUAGE PULLED UP.
I I COULD ADD IT IN FOR THE EASY, BUT I WILL YIELD TO YOU ALL.
I, I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE AN EITHER OR.
IT'S 3.5 FROM THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, PAGE 59.
I THINK I JUST PULLED THE QUOTE.
SO JUST GIMME LIKE 30 SECONDS TO ADD IT INTO THIS DOCUMENT SO I CAN MAKE SURE, AND THEN I CAN READ IT OUT.
UH, AND SO THIS IS A MO THIS IS A MOTION TO AMEND.
ARE WE DOING, WE'RE DOING THE THING.
IF, IF WE, I MOVE TO AMEND
I WAS GONNA SAY BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION, WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT WE'RE MOTIONING
SPENCER PROBABLY BE IN BETTER POSITIONED TO MOVE TO AMEND THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET OFF THAT.
I, I CAN GIVE YOU THE LANGUAGE IF YOU DO, MAYBE TO ADD ONE THING JUST TO FILL THE TIME WHILE COMMISSIONER SCHUMAKER, UH, SCHUMACHER WORKS ON THAT, THE ONE THING THAT STAFF CAN'T DO IS ADVOCATE FOR POSITIONS FOR FUNDING AND SO FORTH.
WE HAVE INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS AND PRIORITIZING, BUT WE CAN'T ADVOCATE FOR STAFF.
SO THAT IS, UM, OR OTHER RESOURCES LIKE THAT, WE CAN JUST, LIKE, UM, MATT HAD SAID EARLIER, WE CAN INFORM, WE CAN PROVIDE OUR TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION, UM, BUT WE CAN'T ADVOCATE.
SO JUST TO LET YOU LET YOU KNOW WHERE, WHY I WAS, WHY I WAS QUIET.
UM, AND THERE IS, WHAT IS YOUR, SO THE PERSON THAT IS OVERSEEING BIKEWAYS AND THE PERSON THAT IS OVERSEEING SIDEWALKS, WHAT ARE THEY CLASSIFIED AT TYPICALLY?
[02:10:02]
UM, WE, WE CLASSIFY THEM AS DIVISION MANAGERS.SO I THINK, UH, MAYBE PERHAPS ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO MAKE IS A DIVISION MANAGER, LEVEL PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM.
I'M GONNA GIVE THIS TO YOU SO YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION
SO IT'S, UH, NOT SUB BULLET POINT RIGHT HERE.
I MOVE TO AMEND IN THE, UH, SECOND OR IN THE FIRST BE IT RESOLVED CLAUSE IN THE URBAN TRAILS.
BULLET POINT TO INCLUDE THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN IS DELIVERING PROJECTS ON AN ACCELERATED TIMELINE AS THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN NOTES DOING SO IS DEPENDENT ON INCREASING INTERNAL CITY OF STAFF CAPACITY ACROSS SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS CONCERNING STAFFING SYSTEMS AND THE PROCESSES FOR PERMITTING.
I THINK WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT QUITE A BIT, BUT IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION TO AMEND THE AMENDMENT, I SHOULD SAY? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA TAKE A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT, WHICH WE JUST HEARD, READ OUT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT.
PLEASE, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT IN VOTING.
UM, THAT TAKES US BACK TO OUR NOW AMENDED MOTION, UH, ORIGINAL MOTION FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED IT FAIRLY WELL.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE, UM, MOTION TO, UH, VOTE THEN TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION ON CLIMATE EQUITY INVESTMENTS AS AMENDED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT AND VOTING.
SO THAT TAKES US THROUGH OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. WE GOT A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT DONE TODAY.
WE HAVE OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES AND WE'RE GOING, UM, I SEE NATALIE'S ON HER WAY TO GRAB, UH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
WE'RE JUST BARELY AT OUR TWO HOUR MARK, SO YEAH, WE ARE DOING PRETTY WELL
[8. Update from the Downtown Commission regarding actions from the February 21, 2024 meeting: Commissioner Spencer Schumacher ]
WE'RE GONNA HEAD RIGHT INTO OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES, UH, WITH NUMBER EIGHT, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.FEBRUARY 21ST, 2024 MEETING COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.
UM, YES, THERE'S ONE ACTION ITEM, UH, WHICH WAS, UM, RECOMMENDING, AND THIS WAS SECONDING, UH, ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION BY THE MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY SET UP A CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY, UM, WORKING GROUP OR, OR COUNCIL OR WHATEVER, OR COMMISSION, UM, TO ADVISE ON THE, UM, CONSTRUCTION OF THAT.
UM, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY ACTION ITEM.
UM, UH, UPDATE FROM COMMISSIONER
[9. Update from the Joint Sustainability Commission regarding actions from the February 28, 2024 meeting: Commissioner Diana Wheeler ]
DIANA WHEELER ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024 MEETING.UM, WE HAD A REALLY INTERESTING PRESENTATION ON THE GREEN STREETS INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS, UM, UH, BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, RESOLUTION WE, THAT WE VOTED ON, BUT THEY WERE FOCUSING ON THE FACT THAT STREET TREES IS WHAT KEEPS AUSTIN COOL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, CANOPY JUST COVERAGE IS GREAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT TRANSPIRATION STREET TREES ARE THE WAY TO GO.
AND OF COURSE THERE ARE ISSUES WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PLUMBING AND WIRING AND, AND HOW, WHICH TREES YOU PICK AND HOW DEEP THE ROOTS GO.
UM, BUT I WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT THAT PRESENTER, I WAS TRYING TO LOOK UP HIS NAME.
KEVIN, UM, PRESENTS HERE, SO I WILL CONNECT HIM VIA EMAIL.
I THOUGHT I'D DONE THAT ALREADY, BUT I DON'T THINK I DID.
'CAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE HIM SPEAK AT A FUTURE UT C MEETING SINCE IT HELPS PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS WITH THE, UM, STREET TREES.
I, I WAS WATCHING IT AND I, I THINK I,
[02:15:01]
I AGREE.I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD ALSO, I WOULD LOVE TO ALSO SECOND THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
AND YEAH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IN FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I'M TRYING TO KEEP US REALLY HONEST HERE WITH, UH, WITH STUFF ON OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES AND AGENDA ITEMS. SO YES, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
[10. Update from the Bicycle Advisory Council regarding actions from the February 20, 2024 meeting: Commissioner Spencer Schumacher ]
FEBRUARY 20TH, 2024.MEETING COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.
YEAH, SO, UH, WE HAD TWO ACTION ITEMS. UM, ONE WAS, UH, PRETTY MINOR WAS, UM, UH, CURRENTLY, UM, TXDOT AND, UH, CAMPO ARE LOOKING AT, UH, HOW TO, UH, ADJUST THE CURRENT, UH, STATUS OF PALMER LANE.
UM, SO WE SENT A RECOMMENDATION, UH, WHICH WAS ALSO PASSED BY THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL BACK IN 2018, ASKING FOR A, A 12 FOOT SHARED USE PATH ON BOTH SIDES OF PALMER LANE, SINCE IT IS IDENTIFIED AS A FUTURE, ALL AGES INABILITY, UM, STREET IN THE BICYCLE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD, UH, UM, MUCH, UH, LARGER RECOMMENDATION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON.
UM, THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL, WE, UM, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
WE DID A RIDE ALONG OF THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD, UH, CORRIDOR BACK IN JANUARY TO KIND OF INFORM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICE, UM, UM, ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE FUTURE CORRIDOR PRO UH, PROJECTS AND ALSO THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED IN AIRPORT.
OF COURSE, WHAT I SHOWED EARLIER TODAY ON THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATION, UH, WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM.
UH, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF AREAS OF CONCERN.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, UH, THE, UH, SHARED USE PATH, MINIMUM WIDTH IN THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL IS 10 FEET.
UH, THERE WERE MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF AN EIGHT FOOT SHARED USE PATH.
UH, THERE WERE, UM, AREAS WHERE IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS A, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SITE DETERMINATION WHERE INSTEAD OF THE BIKE LANE NATURALLY GOING INTO THE SHARED USE, UH, PATH, IT LIKE CURLS LIKE THIS.
UM, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE A SHARED USE PATH IS CLEARLY NOT APPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH LEVELS OF, UH, PEDESTRIAN VOLUME.
UH, AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE NUMBER OF DRIVEWAY CUTS.
UM, IT MAKES SOME PLACES VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO BIKE OR WALK, UM, WITH NOT MUCH PROTECTION.
UM, SO I WOULD HIGHLY, IF WE COULD SEND IT OUT, UM, TO EVERYONE, I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ IT.
UM, PART OF THE REASON WE DID THIS IS, UM, WE'VE BEEN ASKING CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOLKS ON THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OR WHAT'S LEFT OF IT, UM, TO COME AND, AND PRESENT TO US.
'CAUSE WE HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT JUST WASN'T HAPPENING.
SO WE DECIDED TO GO OUT AND DO KIND OF A PROACTIVE RECOMMENDATION OF THESE OTHER THINGS WE'RE SEEING ON OUR OWN.
AND WE'D LOVE TO DISCUSS THEM WITH YOU.
[11. Update from the Pedestrian Advisory Council regarding actions from the February 5, 2024 meeting: Commissioner Daniel Kavelman ]
IS THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL.FEBRUARY 25TH, 2024 MEETING FROM COMMISSIONER COMAN.
WE JUST HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE MO, UM, MULTIMODAL, MULTIMODAL MOBILITY CONNECTIONS, UM, FROM A TP ABOUT HOW THEY'RE INTEGRATING.
[12. Update from the City Council Mobility Committee regarding actions from the February22, 2024 meeting: Commissioner Susan Somers]
MOBILITY COMMITTEE.UM, I HAVE, I DID ATTEND, I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT TO REPORT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY, UM, ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN IN OUR FEBRUARY 6TH MEETING.
SO I DIDN'T REPORT A LOT TO THEM.
UM, THIS GO ROUND, UM, I DID MENTION, UM, THAT WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES ON OUR COMMISSION.
SO, UM, AND THEY HAD, WHAT THEY HAD ON THEIR AGENDA WAS THEY HAD THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL UPDATE, WHICH IS THE SAME THING, I THINK PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING WE SAW LAST MONTH AS WELL.
AND THEN ALSO THEY HEARD THE PROJECT CONNECT MULTIMODAL MULTIMODAL INTEGRATION UPDATE AS WELL, SO THAT YOU ALSO MENTIONED IT FROM PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY.
SO, UM, AND THEN, UH, THAT'S FROM THE, AND
[13. Update from the Community Advisory Committee for Austin Transit Partnership Board regarding actions from the February 8, 2024 meeting: Commissioner Susan Somers ]
THEN WE'LL GO TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD REGARDING ACTIONS FROM THE FEBRUARY 8TH, 2024 MEETING.COMMISSIONER BROOKS AND I SIT ON THAT.
UM, SO WE CREATED OUR WORKING RECONSTITUTED, OUR WORKING GROUPS.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF STANDING WORKING GROUPS, SO WE RECONSTITUTED THOSE.
WE ALSO HEARD THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL UPDATE NEPA PROCESS AND SCOPING MAYBE IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, BUT LIKE WE HEARD BASICALLY THAT SAME PRE PRESENTATION.
WE HEARD ANOTHER UPDATED ON EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ALSO HAD A RESEARCH PRESENTATION FROM A UT STUDENT WHO'S BEEN INTERNING WITH TRANSIT FORWARD ON THE RACIAL HISTORY OF ZONING AND REVOLVING LOANS.
SO THOSE WERE OUR ITEMS. UM, NO BIG ACTION ITEMS OTHER THAN THE CREATION OF OUR WORKING GROUPS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
IF Y'ALL WILL BEAR WITH ME.I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I THINK I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS WRITTEN DOWN IN TERMS OF OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO YOU HAVE A LIST HERE.
SO ONE IS THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM UPDATE.
UM, AND, AND SOMEONE CAN JUMP IN AND I, I'LL HEAR, LET ME JUST SAY THIS TOO.
WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE DON'T GET INTO DISCUSSING ACTION ISSUES AND ITEMS. WE NEED TO JUST
[02:20:01]
SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANNA DISCUSS IN THE FUTURE.SO I'M GONNA TRY TO BE BETTER ABOUT IF WE GET INTO THAT, CUTTING US OFF.
'CAUSE WE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE HAVING, UH, ACTION ORIENTED DISCUSSIONS OF THESE ITEMS, JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.
UM, THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM UPDATE, I WOULD ACTUALLY ALIGN THAT WITH THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD BUILDOUT, UM, AND WHAT THE, THE BAC PASSED IN TERMS OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD WANT TO PASS EXACTLY SOMETHING ON THIS BODY THAT'S EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT WE MAY WANNA DIG IN ON SOME OF THOSE CORRIDOR PROGRAM UPDATES AND ROLLOUT ITEMS. 'CAUSE AIRPORT BOULEVARD IS THE FIRST ROLLOUT BIG ITEM THAT WAS ROLLING OUT FROM THERE.
SO I WOULD JUST SORT OF TAG THAT ON THAT.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA TAKE UP.
I KNOW THAT'S THOSE STAFF WERE WAITING TO BE READY TO SPEAK TO US, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
BUT AS SOON AS THEY'RE READY, WE'RE GONNA WANNA HEAR FROM THEM.
TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA, MANUAL UPDATE, PARKING ENTERPRISE INCLUDING CURB MANAGEMENT, PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICTS, PARKING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL, UH, OFFICER ELECTIONS.
I HAD TALKED TO NATALIE ABOUT POSSIBLY HAVING OFFICER ELECTIONS AT OUR NEXT MEETING IN APRIL.
IS IS THAT I GOT A EMAIL FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE TODAY.
WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DO THOSE.
YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, PLEASE BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR PER BYLAWS.
IS THAT ALL THAT WE HAVE? IS THAT RIGHT? I THINK PARLIAMENTARIAN, NOT THAT I KNOW OF.
I DO HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN AT ONE TIME.
WE'LL CHECK THE BYLAWS AND BE SURE, BUT, UM, WE WILL NEED TO TAKE OUR, UH, WE'LL NEED TO TAKE THAT UP IN APRIL FOR SURE.
UM, WE, THE PROPOSED MONTH FOR THE BUDGET IS THAT, DIDN'T WE DO THAT TODAY? SORT OF.
ARE THEY, ARE THEY MAKING THE ROUNDS? I MEAN, I KNOW WE HEARD FROM THEM AT A TP, BUT, UM, I, I KNOW THAT THAT'S COMING BACK UP IMMINENTLY TO COUNCIL.
SO I, WE, I THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THEM BEFORE THAT IF THEY'RE READY.
I, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SECURE THEM FOR ANY OF MY, MY DIFFERENT, UM, COMMISSIONS COUNCILS.
UM, PROBABLY MAY WOULD BE THE SOONEST, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE AN OVERLAY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, BECAUSE THEY, THEY WILL HAVE GONE TO COUNCIL, I THINK APRIL 11TH, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM THEM BEFORE THEN.
SO, UM, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE NO.
WELL THEY, AND UM, IN FEBRUARY THEY DID PASS THAT BIG LIKE LAND USE OMNIBUS SORT OF BILL THAT INCLUDED THE ETOD OVERLAY IN IT.
AND I THINK THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO COME BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE IN MAY.
SO MAYBE, YEAH, RUBEN AND I ARE ON THE CAC WORKING GROUP THAT'S WORKING WITH THEM ON THE ETOD.
SO I WOULD SAY, UM, WE MIGHT WANNA TAKE SOMETHING UP, A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT, ON THIS BODY.
EVEN IF THEY CAN'T COME SPEAK TO US, WE MIGHT WANNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION SO THAT WE'RE ON THEIR SHORT LIST OF PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
SO, UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT MORE AND WE'LL, AND EVEN IF THEY CAN'T COME TO SPEAK TO US, BECAUSE WHATEVER REASONS I THINK THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM MAKING A RECOMMENDATION WHENEVER IT GOES TO COUNCIL, BUT I ACTUALLY NEED TO REMIND MYSELF IT'S IN MY EMAIL, I'M SURE WHEN EXACTLY IT'S GOING TO COUNCIL.
UM, SO ZILKER TRANSPORTATION, WE KIND OF ADDRESSED THAT A BIT THROUGH ONE OF A ELEMENT OF OUR, UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
DO WE NEED ANY MORE THAN THAT AT THIS POINT? DO WE, DO WE STILL NEED THAT ITEM? I THINK WE CAN MAYBE HOLD ON THAT.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OTHERS AND THEN PEOPLE CAN TELL ME MORE.
SO, UM, ONE I HAD WAS, I HAVE, UM, UH, I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY BRING THIS IN APRIL IF WE CAN.
IT'S A LIVING STREETS AND PEDESTRIAN VIBRANCY, UH, SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, THERE'S SOME WHAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED EASY FIXES.
QUICK FIXES AND CODE THAT COULD INCREASE THE VIBRANCY OF, OF PEDESTRIAN SPACES.
THINGS LIKE BULLETIN BOARDS AND OTHER ELEMENTS THAT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WALKERS AND SO, UM, OR ROLLERS.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PIECE THAT TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY FOR APRIL.
THAT MIGHT, IF, IF WE CAN PUT, IF I CAN HAVE A CO-SPONSOR, UM, I THINK WE CAN GET THAT DONE VERY EASILY.
UM, I DID HAVE THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD, BUT MAYBE THAT'S GETTING WRAPPED INTO THE OVERALL CORRIDOR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION OR PRESENTATION.
UM, COMMISSIONER COMAN LET ME KNOW ABOUT AN AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT DEALS WITH SAFETY.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANY MORE ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW? UH, NO.
UM, I SENT IT SOMETHING TO OUR, UH, LIAISON, BUT IT WAS THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION AND NOW THAT IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN PAST THAT AIRPORT, I CAN
[02:25:01]
PROBABLY SHAPE IT INTO SOMETHING MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS BUDDY.SO I'LL BRING THAT BACK, UH, NEXT MONTH.
AND IF YOU'LL JUST NEED A CO-SPONSOR, BUT I THINK THAT YOU CAN EASILY FIND THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A COMMUNITY, UH, SPEAKER TODAY, UH, THAT TALKED ABOUT THE SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD, UM, POTENTIALLY REMOVING PROTECTED, UH, FACILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT A QUICK REC ON THAT, UH, IF THAT'S TIMELY FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT WE, UM, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE WANNA DO AS WELL.
I, IF I CAN ADD, I, I THINK THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL BE TAKING IT UP AT ITS NEXT MEETING, WHICH MAY FEED NICELY INTO THAT.
SO I CAN OFFER SPONSORSHIP AND HOPEFULLY THE BAC ACTION CAN IMPLY WHAT WE SHOULD DO THERE.
AND, UM, SO I'VE, AND THEN, UM, THEN WE ALSO HAD URBAN TRAILS AS ANOTHER ACTION AREA THAT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
THE TIMING, STAFFING, VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I'VE COLLECTED JUST FROM THE MEETING TODAY.
DID I MISS ANYTHING OR DO PEOPLE HAVE ADDITIONAL ITEMS? OKAY.
I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE EMAIL AND WE HAVE ALL THOSE LISTED OUT AND, AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE QUICK FIXES THAT I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN ADD A BUNCH OF THINGS TO.
APRIL, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAD IN TERMS OF APRIL IN TERMS OF LIKE STAFF PRESENTATIONS OR ELEMENTS SO FAR? NATALIE, I REALLY TRY AND WORK ON IT AFTER THE MEETING PERFECT.
UH, 'CAUSE I CAN, I CAN TRY AND GUESS, BUT IT DOESN'T USUALLY GO THE WAY I WOULD'VE GUESSED.
AND YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
SO WE'LL CONNECT ABOUT THAT AND I'LL, I'LL HAVE THAT LIST READY TO GO.
ANYBODY ELSE WITH FUTURE ITEMS? YEAH.
I HAVE A COUPLE, BUT NOT TOO MANY.
UM, I GUESS ONE'S A QUESTION FOR NATALIE.
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT GROUP IS PLANNING ON PRESENTING TO THE UTC? 'CAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE MAKING THE ROUNDS THIS MONTH AND APRIL.
I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM, BUT I CAN, UM, IF I GET CONTACT INFORMATION, I CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO THEM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
UM, I, I THINK I, I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE THAT UP IN APRIL, UM, UM, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE, UH, IMPACTS ON STREET LEVELS AND HOW THAT INTERACTS WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
YEAH, DEFINITELY INTERACTS WITH PROJECT CONNECT, DEFINITELY INTERACTS WITH TRAILS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
UHHUH,
I HAVE SOME IDEAS, BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR THE, THE PRESENTATION AND TALK WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS.
YEAH, THERE'S, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE DONE IT ALREADY, BUT I KNOW WE'RE IN THE LAST BITS OF THEM FINALIZING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT REGULATING PLAN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE I THINK A LOT OF LIKE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA, STUFF THAT GOES ON THERE.
SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND THEN YOU HAD SOME MORE, UM, OH, UH, I WANTED A SECOND, UM, COMMISSIONER WHEELER ON THE, UM, GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE.
UM, THE GREEN STREETS OR THE, THE GREEN STREETS, SORRY.
IT WAS ACCIDENTALLY PHRASED AS GREAT STREETS ON THE JSC AGENDA.
SO I BELIEVE AND COMMISSIONER WHEELER.
UM, I, I'D BE HAPPY TO SPONSOR IT WITH YOU IF YOU WANNA TAKE THE REINS ON IT.
UH, BUT I BELIEVE THE DESIGN COMMISSION AND THE, UH, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HAVE PASSED A RECOMMENDATION ON IT, CORRECT? UH, YES.
UM, I WAS TRYING TO SEND AN EMAIL.
CAN YOU SEE MY VIDEO? OKAY, WELL YOU CAN HEAR ME ANYWAY.
WE DID INDEED PASS A RECOMMENDATION TO, UM, TO SUPPORT THE, UH, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RESOLUTION, SPECIFICALLY THE GREEN STREETS INITIATIVE.
THE, UH, THE ACTUAL WORD, THE, THE FINAL DRAFT WASN'T COMING OUT UNTIL THREE EIGHT, BUT WE RECOMMENDED IT IN SPIRIT.
AND I, UM, I JUST SENT AN EMAIL TO THE, THE JSC, UM, APP CONTACT TO TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT PRESENTER.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD JUST ADD ON THE, UM, OH, ONE OTHER ONE.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AN UPDATE FROM, UH, ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS WITH TDOT ON STATE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THEN THE, THE LAST ONE IS, UH, PERHAPS IS A, A SUGGESTION ON THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM IN AIRPORT BOULEVARD.
UM, THE, THE MOTIVATION FOR THE BAC BEHIND OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS JUST THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? SO WE WERE REALLY JUST TRYING TO START THE COMMUNICATION OF LIKE, OKAY, THESE ARE CONCERNS, CAN YOU COME BACK TO US WITHIN? AND WE'RE ALREADY HEARING THAT SOME OF THE THINGS ARE BEING ADDRESSED, UH, ONGOING.
WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T TOLD ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I THINK IF, IF WE COULD PERHAPS MAYBE GET A BRIEFING ON IT FROM, OR, OR A, A DISCUSSION ITEM ON IT AT THIS MEETING, AND THEN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER A RECOMMENDATION IS NECESSARY, PERHAPS IN MAY, THAT WOULD BE MY, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.
I MEAN, WHEN I ORIGINALLY PUT CORRIDOR PROGRAM UPDATE ON THERE,
[02:30:01]
I THINK IT WAS LIKE, WELL BEFORE WE HEARD THE PRESENTATION FROM CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.AND WHAT I REALLY WANNA UNDERSTAND TOO, IT'S, IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE INPUT THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS LIKE, WE'VE HAD THESE PLANS SITTING ON THE SHELF SINCE 2016.
IN FACT, MAYOR ADLER AT THE TIME WAS SAYING, WE HAVE THE PLANS ON THE SHELF, LET'S BUILD THE PLANS THAT ARE ON THE SHELF.
WELL NOW THEY'VE SAT ON THE SHELF A LOT MORE AND SOME OF THESE PREDATE AT 2016 BY QUITE A BIT.
AND LIKE, THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED.
WE'VE LIVED THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WE'VE CREATED LIVING STREETS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, A LOT'S HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
WE ARE SENDING OUR KIDS TO COLLEGE.
SO LIKE, I THINK HEARING ABOUT HOW WE'RE REENGAGING AND BUILDING OUT AND LIKE BUILDING TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THESE, UM, GIVEN THOSE GAPS IN TIME, I THINK LIKE GETTING A PRESENTATION ON THOSE ELEMENTS AND HOW THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE ALSO, WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING FROM THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD EXPERIENCE, IT'S THEN GONNA INFORM THE OTHER CORRIDORS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO I THINK THAT LIKE MAYBE CUE THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN LIKE DO A REC, UM, SUBSEQUENT COULD BE A, A GOOD CADENCE FOR US.
SO I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
ANY OTHER ITEMS? I WAS JUST GOING, I, I THINK YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY SUGGESTED IT, UM, THAT WE HEAR AGAIN FROM CDS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW THEY'RE ENSURING THAT IT HAPPENS ON THAT ALL OF IT HAPPENS ON ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS.
ALTHOUGH I THINK WE'VE ONLY ASKED THEM ABOUT TPW PROJECTS, NOT WATER PROJECTS, BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE PART OF, I I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT'S AN ENOUGH OF A DISTINCT TOPIC OR YEAH, I THINK IT'S THE SAME.
'CAUSE I THINK TOO, LIKE MY QUESTION IS ALL OF THESE THINGS STEM FROM PLANS THAT HAD EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY INPUT AT THE TIME.
THE PROBLEM IS SOME OF THE PLANS ARE EXTENSIVELY OLD AT THIS POINT.
AND, AND, AND PROBABLY HAVE BEEN, UH, ALSO OVERRIDDEN BY VARIOUS PLANNING, UH, IN, OF VARIOUS KINDS IN CITY PLANS SINCE THE TIME THAT THEY WERE PASSED.
LIKE, THEY MIGHT HAVE MORE OUTDATED RECOMMENDATIONS THAN WHAT MORE CURRENT CITY PLANS HAVE.
ANYWAY, THIS IS THE FUN STUFF, RIGHT, Y'ALL.
SO, UM, YES, I THINK THAT THAT'S INCLUDED IN WHAT WE WANNA HEAR FROM.
SO ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
THEN WITH HEARING NO OTHER OBJECTIONS, I'M GONNA CALL TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AT 7:35 PM.