[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
KRUGER RESI.IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND TURNING ON YOUR CAMERA PLEASE, SIR.
I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WE'RE HERE AT 63 10 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE.
WE'LL DO ROLL CALL REAL QUICK.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND STARTING RESI, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT A QUORUM.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS? OH, YOU GET, YOU GET CREDIT FOR BEING HERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE PRESENT NOW THAT WE'RE ROLLING? CALL NICHOLS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
AND WE, UH, AND WE DO HAVE A, A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, UH, CHARLES MOSSBERG.AND, UH, YOU, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO HIT THE BUTTON ON THE, UH, PODIUM FROM THE MIC.
UH, MY NAME IS CHARLIE MOSSBERG.
EDWARDS UNIVERSITY'S CIVICS LAB.
I'M HERE TO JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN CALLED GET FERTILIZER WISER.
THIS PROJECT IS A PILOT PROGRAM INTENDED TO OFFER A VOUCHER THROUGH THE CITY OF AUSTIN THROUGH AUSTIN WATER THAT'LL PROVIDE UP TO A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR AUSTIN HOMEOWNERS TO REPLACE NON-NATIVE WATER INTENSIVE AND FERTILIZER INTENSIVE PLANTS WITH NATIVE PLANTS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO REDUCE THEIR WATER AND FERTILIZER USE.
EXCESSIVE MINERALIZED FERTILIZER USE CONTRIBUTES, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW, TO A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, INCLUDING WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION ON OUR LAKES AND RIVERS, E AND ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE IN THE BUILDUP OF TOXIC ALGAE.
UH, THESE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MINERALIZED FERTILIZER ARE, ARE SOLVABLE.
MINERALIZED FERTILIZER IS NOT NECESSARY TO BE USED ON LAWNS AND PLANTS THAT ARE NATIVE TO AUSTIN.
SO OUR SORT OF CAMPAIGN IS IN A TWO PARTS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT THIS VOUCHER PROGRAM.
EDWARDS UNIVERSITY'S CIVICS LAB IS GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO OFFER A CLASS AT THE SCHOOL THAT WILL WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO DO PUBLIC OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT NOT ONLY THIS VOUCHER PROGRAM, BUT ALSO THE OTHER VOUCHER AND REBATE PROGRAMS THAT AUSTIN WATER ALREADY OFFERS AND PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO HOMEOWNERS IN AUSTIN THAT WILL TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT THE DANGERS AND THE, THE CONSEQUENCES OF USING FERTILIZER IN THEIR YARDS SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY REDUCE AUSTIN'S OVERALL FERTILIZER USE TO GET RID OF SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
CHARLIE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UH, SEND SOME INFORMATION TO ELIZABETH SO SHE CAN SEND IT OUT TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, REAL QUICK, CAN I, CAN YOU, CAN YOU SAY THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM AGAIN? YEAH.
THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM IS GI FERTILIZER WISER.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTERS? ALL RIGHT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
FIRST ITEM UP TO THE AGENDA IS THE REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 21ST.ELIZABETH HAS SENT THOSE AROUND.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR REVISIONS TO THE MINUTES? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MITTENS MINUTES AS WRITTEN.
UM, DESPITE MY BETTER JUDGMENT, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO
[2. Recognition of Kevin Ramberg for his service on the Environmental Commission – Katie Coyne, Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department]
WITH NUMBER TWO, UH, ON THE AGENDA.I'M THE CITY OF AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS, UH, TO PAY, UH, WELL EARNED AND DUE RESPECT.
APPEARS THAT YOUR TIME IS UP, MA'AM.
AND YOU WOULD LOVE THAT, HUH? UM,
HE'S DEDICATED HIS TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN SEVERAL COMMISSION COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE URBAN GROWTH POLICY AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION COMMITTEE, VALCON CANYONLANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE JOINT ENVIRONMENTAL PARKS BOARD.
BEFORE SERVING AS CHAIR, KEVIN CUT HIS TEETH AS SECRETARY,
[00:05:01]
WHERE I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO HIM EARNING HIS NICKNAME OF KEVIN EZ BERG.UH, WE, UH, HE THEN TOOK ON THE ROLE OF VICE CHAIR BEFORE BEING ELECTED AS CHAIR IN 2022.
UH, AS CHAIR KEVIN MAKES A POINT OF ENSURING EVERYONE'S VOICE IS HEARD, AND THAT CASES ARE THOROUGHLY EXAMINED.
AND I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT ALSO MANY WHO KNOW YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LOVED MOST ABOUT YOUR SERVICE ON THIS COMMISSION AND, AND AS CHAIR IS YOUR HEART.
UM, YOU COME TO EVERY MEETING WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, A SENSE OF HUMOR.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HEARD, YOU DO THIS JOB WITH A GREAT DEAL OF EMPATHY.
UM, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU'VE DEVOTED TO THIS COMMISSION.
AND, UH, PROBABLY AGAINST WHAT HE WOULD LIKE.
IF ANY COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO OFFER ANY REMARKS, WE'RE HAPPY TO, UH, GIVE A CHANCE FOR THAT, UH, AS WELL.
AND WE'D ALSO LIKE YOU TO COME UP AND BE RECOGNIZED.
WE HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU.
I'M GONNA JUMP IN AS YOU'RE HEADING UP THERE.
UM, SO KATIE RECOGNIZES YOUR HEART.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE YOUR HUMOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET TO SEE IT THAT MUCH WHEN WE'RE HERE IN THESE MEETINGS, UM, BUT WHEN WE'RE ON OUR PLANNING MEETINGS, UM, THEY CAN BE VERY FUNNY AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, GIVING OUR TIME AND, AND THINKING THROUGH THINGS THAT ARE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT OR CHALLENGING OR COMPLICATED.
AND, UH, KEVIN ALWAYS KEEPS IT LIGHT AND SPIRITED TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND I THINK, I THINK COMMISSIONER PERRY WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING NEAT WITH THE STICK
NO, NO, I'M NOT GONNA, WE WERE KIND OF JOKING THAT I SAID, WELL, I COULD TRY AN OLD COLOR GUARD ROUTINE FOR HIGH SCHOOL, BUT NO, NOT GONNA DO A 360 SPIN IN HERE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, KEVIN, AND FOR ALWAYS BEING LIKE OPEN-MINDED AND, UM, JUST OPEN AND JUST WILLING TO JUST BE A CONNECTOR OF PEOPLE.
LIKE, SINCE I FIRST STARTED, LIKE YOU WERE JUST WELCOMING.
LIKE, I REMEMBER LIKE SITTING IN A ROOM AND YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO ASK ME, OH, SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF.
AND THAT WAS JUST REALLY COOL.
AND YOU JUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT LISTENER TO, TO THE PUBLIC, TO US, GREAT FACILITATOR WITH COMING THE ROUGH RODS AND THE OCEANS THAT WE'VE HAD ON, ON THE COMMISSION.
AND, UM, YEAH, I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT ELSE YOU DO IN THE FUTURE.
KEEP IN TOUCH
AND IT HELPED, IT'S HELPED ME NAVIGATE SOME THINGS VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, VERY EFFECTIVELY THAN MORE SO THAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN OTHERWISE.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
I GOTTA SAY ONE THING, AND THAT'S JUST HE, UH, THE CHAIR AND I BOTH SAVE A TON, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY BY NOT SHAVING
IT'S GREAT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TO NOT SHAVE
JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
YOU'VE BEEN A FANTASTIC CHAIR.
YOU, I THINK EVERYONE SAID SOME VERSION OF THIS.
YOU'RE ALWAYS REALLY, REALLY OPEN AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S HEARD AND KEEP THE MEETINGS ON TRACK AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
IS HE GONNA GET A CD OF THIS, UH, WHOLE THING? YOU KNOW, YOUR HONOR, WANTED SAY SOMETHING THERE? UM, YEAH, I'D LOVE TO JUMP IN ECHO EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.
UH, INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT THE SHAVING AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
DIDN'T KNOW THAT PART, BUT, UM, CHAIR BERG, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH A CAPABLE LEADER, UM, VERY INTELLIGENT AND CURIOUS, AND YOU REALLY LEAD WITH HUMILITY, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF LEADER THAT I LIKE TO SEE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT AT ALL EGO DRIVEN.
YOU MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS A CHANCE, YOU KNOW, TO TALK BEFORE YOU DO.
UM, AND I'M SAD FOR US THAT YOU'RE GOING, BECAUSE I THINK YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN SUCH A, YOU KNOW, CALMING PRESENCE.
I BELIEVE PERRY SAID, YOU'RE A GOOD FACILITATOR.
YOU REALLY HAVE JUST HANDLED THE POSITION SO WELL, AND I THINK MADE EVERYONE FEEL HEARD AND SUPPORTED.
SO I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL, UM, FOR YOUR TIME ON THIS COMMISSION FOR THE TIME THAT WE OVERLAPPED.
WHAT A GREAT APPOINTMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I REALLY APPLAUD HER FOR, FOR SEEING THESE QUALITIES IN YOU AS WELL.
UM, AND I WISH YOU LUCK IN WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, AND I DO HOPE YOU'LL KEEP IN TOUCH.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.
[00:10:01]
IT IS PERFECTLY FINE.I'M GONNA SAY ALL NEGATIVE THINGS, UH, AND TRY TO CHANGE IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
UH, YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN GREAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE JENNIFER MENTIONED, UH, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A, UH, SOMEBODY LEADING THE WAY THAT'S GOT A SENSE OF HUMOR AND CAN KEEP THINGS LIGHT, BECAUSE TALKING ABOUT CUT AND FILL AND HERITAGE TREES FOR FOUR HOURS CAN BE A BIT, UH, A BIT MONOTONOUS AT TIMES.
SO, UH, YEAH, BIG SHOES FILL FOR ANYBODY ELSE.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, I'LL BE BRIEF AS WELL, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF, UH, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
UM, AND THIS COMMISSION IS A LOT EASIER FOR US TO DO, MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UP HERE BECAUSE YOU GUYS COME PREPARED AND, AND PRESUMABLY DO A LOT OF WORK BEFORE IT'S EVEN HERE.
AND A LOT OF PROJECTS DON'T EVEN MAKE IT TO US BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.
THANK YOU PERRY AND JENNIFER FOR, UH, HELPING KIND OF HEARD, HEARD THIS PROCESS FORWARD.
UH, I DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING.
UM, AND, UH, WHOEVER TAKES THE HELM, I'M SURE THEY'LL DO A GREAT JOB.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL THE KIND WORDS.
UM, AND I'M REALLY HOPING AND PLANNING TO NOT, UH, EINHORN'S NOT HERE TO VOTE AGAINST, BUT TO NOT GO PAST 10 O'CLOCK TONIGHT ON MY LAST MEETING.
SO, UM, WE'LL KEEP THINGS ROLLING.
YEAH, DON'T SLOW IT DOWN ON PURPOSE, PLEASE.
[3. Make a recommendation regarding the request for 311-315 South Congress Planned Unit Development (PUD) (C814-2023-0027) located at 311, 313, 315 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704 (District 9). Presenter: Leslie Lilly, Environmental Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department.]
UM, THANKS KATIE.UH, LET'S, UH, MAKE A, UH, THE MOTION OR THE ITEM IS MAKE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE REQUEST FOR 33 11 TO THREE 15 SOUTH CONGRESS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, PUD C EIGHT 14 DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 2 7, LOCATED AT 3 11, 3 13, AND THREE 15 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
AND I THINK, UH, LESLIE'S GONNA GIVE US A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, LESLIE LILY WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND WHILE MY PRESENTATION LOADS, I'LL JUST SAY I'M GLAD I GET TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION ON THE LAST NIGHT THAT YOU ARE CHAIR COMMISSIONER BERG.
SO GLAD TO SEE YOU OFF WITH YET ANOTHER PRESENTATION THROUGH SEASONS OF PRESENTATIONS DURING YOUR TERM AS CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
GETTING INTO THE ITEM I WILL BE SPEAKING ON TONIGHT.
THIS IS A NEW POD AT THREE 11 AT 3 11 3 15 SOUTH CONGRESS POD, LOCATED AT THREE 11 SOUTH CONGRESS.
SO, THIS SITE IS LOCATED IN CENTRAL AUSTIN, UH, JUST SOUTH OF LADY BIRD LAKE ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS LOCATED IN THE FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
IT IS NOT IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE OR IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE.
AS MENTIONED, THIS PROPOSED PROJECT IS A NEW POD ZONING.
UM, IT HAS A COMMERCIAL EXISTING COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON IT AND IS, UH, HAS EXISTING ZONING FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
THE CURRENT SITE IS A LITTLE LESS THAN AN ACRE AT 0.81 ACRES.
IT'S IN COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE, AND IT IS A PART OF THE GREATER SOUTH RIVER CITY COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
UM, SO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT HAS A LOT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT'S GOT A, A, A LITTLE OVER 96% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT WAS PLOTTED IN THE LATE SEVENTIES, DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, AND IT HAS EXISTING DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS THAT EXIST TODAY.
ALSO, AS IT RELATES TO THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN, IT IS IN AN IMAGINE AUSTIN CORRIDOR, AND IT IS ALSO LOCATED WITHIN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, IMAGINE AUSTIN TOWN CENTER.
SO, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON THE SITE.
THERE'S NO CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, THERE'S NO CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
THERE ARE NO NATURALLY OCCURRING SLOPES.
IT IS IN AN URBAN WATERSHED, WHICH IS, UH, THE LADY BIRD LAKE WATERSHED.
IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE AND CONTRIBUTING ZONE.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S NO A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN, AND THERE IS 96.7% IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THE SITE CURRENTLY.
UM, THIS IS THE LAND USE PLAN SUBMITTED WITH THE, UH, APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED PUD ZONING.
UH, THE BASE, UH, ZONING IS PROPOSED TO BE COMMERCIAL.
IT IS BEING, UH, ZONED FROM EXISTING COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TO A PUD ZONING.
AND DOES IT HAVE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CODE MODIFICATIONS PROPOSED? THERE ARE NONE, HOWEVER, THERE IS A LONG LIST.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, OF PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY ITEMS.
[00:15:01]
AND I WILL START AT THE TOP.I HOPE, UH, COMMISSIONER BRISTOL HAS FUN READING THESE OUT IN THE MOTION.
UM, SO WE'LL START WITH, THE POD IS COMPLYING WITH THE AUSTIN ENERGY'S GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM AT A THREE STAR LEVEL.
THE PROJECT IS ALSO PROPOSING TO COMPLY WITH LEEDS PI PILOT BIRD COLLISION DETERRENCE CREDIT, UH, WITH A GLASS REFLECTIVITY OF LESS THAN 15% IN THE, UH, ZONE ONE FACADE, WHICH IS THE, UH, LOWER HALF OF THE BUILDING.
THE PROJECT DOES NOT REQUEST ANY EXEMPTIONS OR MODIFICATIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND WILL DEVELOP UNDER CURRENT CODE.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WATER QUALITY CONTROLS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE SITE AS OPPOSED TO FEE IN LIEU OF ONSITE TREATMENT.
A THOUSAND CUBIC FEET OF WATER QUALITY VOLUME WILL BE PROVIDED FOR AN OFFSITE AREA, INCLUDING A PORTION OF CONGRESS AVENUE THAT DOES NOT CURRENTLY TREAT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER RUNNING OFF OF CONGRESS AVENUE.
THE PROJECT WILL INCORPORATE APPROXIMATELY 25 LINEAR FEET OF OFF STORM OFFSITE STORM IMPROVEMENT IN THE FORM OF GSI.
THE ALL, ALL REQUIRED TREE PLANTINGS WILL BE NATIVE TREES FROM APPENDIX FF OF THE ECM AND WILL UTILIZE CENTRAL TEXAS NATIVE SEED STOCK.
ALL NEW STREET TREES WILL BE A MINIMUM OF 5.5 CALIBER INCHES AND A MINIMUM OF 14 FEET IN HEIGHT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE BIODIVERSITY OF TREE SPECIES BY, UM, BEING COMPATIBLE AND THRIVING IN THE PROPOSED RAIN GARDENS THAT WILL TREAT THE OFFSITE DRAINAGE.
THE P WILL ALSO COMPLY WITH DARK SKIES REGULATION AND CONFORMANCE WITH THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING STANDARD FOR LIGHT POLLUTION REDUCTION.
ALL IRRIGATION ONSITE WILL BE OFF GRID OF POTENTIAL WATER UTILIZING EITHER THE RECLAIMED WATER FROM PURPLE PIPES CAPTURED RAINWATER OR, UH, CAPTURED CONDENSATE.
THIS IS THE CONTINUING LIST OF SUPERIORITY ITEMS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS.
THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE SEVERAL LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS MEETING THE INTENT OF THE PENDING FUNCTIONAL GREEN REQUIREMENTS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, UH, A RAISED GARDEN TERRACE PLANTERS, UM, AND ZEROSCAPE PLANTINGS WITH POLLINATOR FRIENDLY SPECIES.
THERE WILL ALSO BE, UH, BIODIVERSITY ACHIEVED THROUGH INNOVATIVE NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING ON THE ROOFTOP.
THERE WILL ALSO BE SOLAR POWER GENERATION THAT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE BUILDING DESIGN WITH A MINIMUM OF 2000 GROSS SQUARE FEET OF AREA DEDICATED TO ROOFTOP MOUNTED SOLAR PANEL ARRAY.
THE PROJECT WILL ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO BIODIVERSITY BY PARTICIPATING IN AN URBAN BEEKEEPING IN THE URBAN BEEKEEPING INITIATIVE.
THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE, UH, A DIVERSE MIXTURE OF LANDSCAPING AND UTILIZING DROUGHT RESISTANT NON-TOXIC PLANTS.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ALL NON TURF PLANT MATERIAL WILL COME FROM THE ECM APPENDIX IN OF THE GROW GREEN, NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE LANDSCAPE PLANT GUIDE.
THERE WILL BE AN INTEGRATIVE PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND AS PART OF THE POD, THE PROJECT WILL PROHIBIT USES THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AIR OR WATER QUALITY POLLUTANTS.
SO WITH ALL OF THOSE, UH, ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE POD WITH THE PREVIOUSLY LISTED ELEMENTS AS CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.
AND WITH THAT, IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I AM AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE AND HAVE HAS A PRESENTATION, AND THE ZONING CASE MANAGER IS ALSO ON THE LINE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE A PRESENTATION, GO THROUGH THAT AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF HAVE A OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENTS AFTER THAT.
I'M AMANDA SWER WITH RENER GROUP.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE HERE TONIGHT, UM, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, ARCHITECT, AND CIVIL ENGINEER.
IF THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T ANSWER, THEY'LL BE HAPPY TO.
LESLIE DID A, A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS THE 3 15, 3 11 TO THREE 15 SOUTH CONGRESS, BUT MANY OF YOU SAW THIS WHEN WE WERE IN FRONT OF YOU 18 MONTHS AGO FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT.
I COULDN'T, WHEN I WENT BACK, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT HAD BEEN THAT LONG, BUT, UH, WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THIS PROJECT BACK TO YOU.
THE ONE THING THAT I WILL STRESS AND REITERATE IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE AGREED TO WHEN WE CAME TO YOU THE FIRST TIME, UM, IS STILL IN THIS BUD.
SO WE DIDN'T TAKE OUT ANYTHING ENVIRONMENTALLY RELATED.
THERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT I'LL, UM, JUST HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WITH THE TIME.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, HOW MUCH, UH, SOLAR SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT'S BEEN DEFINED AS 2000 FEET.
SO THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT INITIALLY THAT LESLIE READ OFF THAT WERE, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.
THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN FINALIZED.
EVERYTHING THAT, UH, STAFF READ IS IN THE PUT NOTES OF THE, UH, LAND, LAND DEVELOP, LAND USE PLAN.
THAT'S THE WORDS I WAS LOOKING FOR.
[00:20:01]
UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.I'M GONNA SKIP THROUGH A LOT OF THIS, UH, 'CAUSE I PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER BEFORE LESLIE SHARED HERS
UH, SO THIS IS THE LOCATION OF THE SITE.
HAS LESLIE MENTIONED A LITTLE UNDER, UH, A LITTLE UNDER AN ACRE.
THE PROPERTY IS CS TODAY GOING TO PUD WITH A CS UH, BASE DISTRICT.
BUT RESIDENTIAL USES ARE ALLOWED AND IS THE PRE PREDOMINANT USE OF THE PROJECT.
THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DOES INDICATE MIXED USE.
SO THERE ARE NO PROPOSED CHANGES TO THAT.
OKAY, I'LL, I'LL JUST DO A QUICK BRIEF FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T HERE.
SO THIS IS PROPOSED TO BE A PREDOMINANTLY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT WITH 485 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
UH, GROUND FLOOR WILL BE COMMERCIAL SPACES WITH APPROXIMATELY 7,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE DO DID PRESERVE THE OPTION IF WE WANTED TO DO A FLOOR OF OFFICE IN THE BUILDING TO DO SO.
BUT THIS CANNOT BE A PREDOMINANTLY OFFICE BUILDING.
UH, ALL OF THE PARKING IN THIS PROJECT IS STRUCTURED PARKING, NO, UH, SURFACE PARKING.
AND WE ARE FAR EXCEEDING, GIVEN THE LOCATION, BICYCLE PARKING OVER 230% OF CODE.
UH, THE, WE CAN KINDA SKIP THROUGH THE OTHER PIECES 'CAUSE I'LL TOUCH ON IT LATER.
A PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CHANGES FROM WHEN YOU ALL SAW THIS PROJECT PREVIOUSLY THAT I WANTED TO MENTION.
UH, WHEN YOU SAW THIS PROJECT ORIGINALLY, THERE WAS A LOBBY THAT WAS ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS.
SO THE ENTIRE FRONTAGE OF SOUTH CONGRESS IS NOW PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES REALLY TO CREATE THAT, UM, THAT FLOW ALONG THE PROJECT, WHICH YOU SEE IN THE TOP LEFT OF THIS PICTURE IS WHERE THERE'S, UH, A LITTLE PLAZA HAS BEEN CREATED.
THERE'S WHERE THE ADDITIONAL STREET TREES ARE GOING TO BE INCORPORATED.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A PUBLIC SEATING AREA THAT PULLS UNDER THE BUILDING.
SO THERE'S BOTH, UH, OUTDOOR SPACE AND STRUCTURALLY SHADED SPACE.
UM, THIS IS THE ONE THAT I WANTED TO STOP ON FOR A SECOND.
UH, THIS IS, AGAIN, NOT ASKING FOR ANY ENVIRONMENTAL BEN BENEFITS, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE WERE STILL ON THE RECORD.
UH, AS I WENT THROUGH STAFF'S PRESENTATION, THERE WERE A FEW ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME THAT DIDN'T END UP IN THE PRESENTATION.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH ENVIRONMENTAL AWESOMENESS TO THIS PROJECT.
SO JUST HITTING THOSE PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.
WE ARE STILL, UH, AIMING TO BE A NET CARBON ZERO BUILDING.
WE ARE CONNECTING TO PURPLE PIPE.
WE WILL BUILD THAT CONNECTION WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE, WE WILL CONNECT.
SO THE PROJECT WILL BE PLUMBED FOR PURPLE PIPE WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL ASKED US WHEN WE WERE HERE THAT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF BEING AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS WE ARE, THE PARKING GARAGE IS GOING TO BE WIRED FOR 50 10.
THE PUT AS IT IS SITS TODAY, IT REQUIRES THAT 10% OF THE PARKING BE AUTOMATICALLY, UH, WIRED FOR ELEC OR HAVE THE CHARGING STATION'S NOT JUST WIRED THE, I TALKED ABOUT THE BO THE BICYCLE PARKING.
WE ARE STILL COMMITTED TO THE WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION.
THAT'S BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO SOME PEOPLE.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS STILL THERE.
FIT WELL CERTIFIED AND THE TREES.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BRING THIS PROJECT AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, MAYBE IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, EMAIL THAT I'LL TO ELIZABETH SO WE HAVE IT, UH, ON OUR COMPUTERS, UH, JUST IN CASE.
YES, ELIZABETH? WHAT'S THAT? WE HAVE ONE COMMENTER.
UM, MARA POWERS, AND I BELIEVE SHE'S CALLING IN, RIGHT? YES, SHE'S ONLINE.
UH, MS. POWERS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AGAIN.
MS. POWERS, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
WE STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU IF YOU'RE TALKING MS. POWERS.
I'M MAURA POWERS, CHAIR OF THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE FOR THE TRAVIS DERONE SOCIETY.
UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10 AND OUR MEMBERS LIVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I SPEAK TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE STAFF CONDITION THAT THIS PROJECT COMPLY WITH THE PILOT LEAD BIRD COLLISION DETERRENCE CREDIT THAT REQUIRES GLASS REEF LEFTHAND OF MORE THAN 15%.
HOWEVER, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE COMMISSION TO NOT LIMIT ITS RECOMMENDATION ON THE CONDITION TO THE GLASS COMPONENT.
THE LEAD CREDIT INCLUDES OTHER DESIGN STRATEGIES TO ARRIVE AT MAKING BIRD SAFE
[00:25:01]
BUILDINGS, EXCUSE ME, THAT, UH, INCLUDE MORE STRATEGIES THAN, UH, SIMPLY, UH, GLASS REFLECTIVITY.SO AUSTIN RECENTLY QUALIFIED AS A BIRD CITY BY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE AND TRAVIS AUDUBON.
AND AS PART OF THAT CERTIFICATION, THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED THE RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LIGHT SOUTH TEXAS INITIATIVE BY TURNING OFF UNNECESSARY LIGHTING DURING THE MIGRATORY SEASON.
SO AS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH, UH, THE BIRDS NAVIGATION SYSTEM.
BUT LIGHT POLLUTION IS JUST ONE OF THE OBSTACLES FACED BY MIGRATING BIRDS.
UH, POORLY DESIGNED BUILDINGS ARE AN EVEN GREATER THREAT, AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF POOR DESIGN.
WE COULD CITE THE MCCORMICK PLACE IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO, WHICH, UH, WAS THE SITE OF A MASS MORTALITY EVENT IN, IN OCTOBER.
OVER 1000 BIRDS DIED IN A SINGLE NIGHT AS THEY WERE BEGINNING THEIR FALL MIGRATION TO CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND THEN IN 2017, AN OFFICE BUILDING IN GALVESTON CAUSED THE DEATHS OF OVER 400 BIRDS IN ONE NIGHT THAT WERE RETURNING TO TEXAS AS PART OF SPRING MIGRATION.
SO THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING HAS UNDERGONE REMEDIATION AND HAS VASTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF BIRD STRIKES.
AND IN BOTH THESE CASES, THERE WAS UNUSUALLY HIGH WINDS THAT PLAYED A PART.
BUT THESE SAME BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS MOST OTHERS, EXPERIENCE BIRD STRIKES AS A MATTER OF DAILY ROUTINE.
AND THE TOLL ADDS UP SINCE WE'RE UNDERNEATH THE CENTRAL FLYWAY, WHICH IS THE FLIGHT PATH FOR MILLIONS OF BIRDS BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA DURING THE MIGRATORY SEASONS.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF, FROM SOUTH TEXAS AND SOUTH AMERICA DURING THIS SPRING MIGRATION, WHICH WE ARE JUST STARTING NOW, WE'LL LAND ON THE SHORES OF LADY BIRD LAKE TO LOOK FOR FOOD DURING THE DAY AND REST BEFORE RESUMING THEIR FLIGHT AT NIGHT.
AND THEN OTHER BIRDS LIVE HERE YEAR ROUND AND ARE OF COURSE, DOWN BY THE RIVER BECAUSE THEY ALSO NEED WATER AND FOOD.
SO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALREADY HAS A BUILDING IN SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEAD BIRD DETERRENT STANDARD IN ITS TOTALITY, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING IN A LANDMARK, AND YOU WILL PROBABLY RECOGNIZE IT AS THE GOOGLE BUILDING.
HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT A BUILDING CAN BE BIRD SAFE WITHOUT BEING EXPENSIVE TO BUILD.
IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF GOOD DESIGN, AND IT'S NOT LIMITED TO THE LEVEL OF REFLECTIVITY IN THE GLASS USED.
SO, AS A BIRD CITY, WE FEEL THAT AUSTIN SHOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF BIRD SAFE DESIGN IN ORDER TO REVERSE THE IMPACT OF POOR DESIGN ON BIRD SURVIVAL.
TRAVIS COUNTY AUDUBON APPLAUDS THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO INCORPORATE LEAD BIRD SAFETY STANDARDS AND HOPES THAT YOU WILL INCENTIVIZE BUILDERS TO RAISE THEIR STANDARDS ON DESIGN TO WHERE THEY ACTUALLY QUALIFY FOR THAT CREDIT INSTEAD OF JUST MEETING ONE OF THE CRITERION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO STICK ON THE PHONE IF YOU'D LIKE TO, MA'AM.
UM, ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO, LET'S GO AROUND AND, UH, COMMENT.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA GO FIRST, BUT I DO REMEMBER FROM THE, THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT YOU GET THAT ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS POSSIBLY SPOKE TO SOME OF THE WAY THAT THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED FROM A BIRD FRIENDLY, BAT FRIENDLY PERSPECTIVE.
SO MAYBE WHOEVER'S AN ARCHITECT OVER THERE BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
IF NOT, I TURNED MY MICROPHONE OFF.
UM, THIS IS THOMAS SMITH WITH PAGE, BUT WE ARE INTENDING TO MEET THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
THE REFLECTIVITY IS JUST THE PIECE THAT GOT HIGHLIGHTED.
OUR INTENT IS TO MEET THE ENTIRE LEAD BIRD DETERRENT PROGRAM.
DID I GET THE WORDS RIGHT? YEAH, YOU NAILED IT.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU COME UP WITH THAT.
I WORK WITH PAGE ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS.
UH, PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
THE INTENT IS TO MEET THE ENTIRE, UH, LEAD CREDIT HERE.
WE'RE NOT FAR OFF ALONG AND DESIGNED TO SAY, YEAH, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THAT.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN OUR LEAD CHECKLIST.
UH, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT DOES THAT COM YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES COMPLIANCE MEAN? IT MEANS HAVING YOUR GLASS LESS THAN 15%, UH, REFLECTIVE ON THE FIRST, I THINK IT'S THE FIRST 60 FEET IS YOUR ZONE ONE IN THE LEAD BIRD CREDIT.
BUT WE'RE INTENDING TO TAKE THIS ALL THE WAY UP TO 90 FEET.
SO, UM, WE WON'T HAVE REFLECTIVE GLASS ABOUT 15% FOR THE FIRST 90 FEET.
AND MOST OF OUR GLASS IN THAT, THAT LOWER LEVEL
[00:30:01]
IS RETAIL FUNCTIONING, WHERE YOU WANT TO HAVE REALLY LOW REFLECTANCE.SO I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET ANYWHERE CLOSE TO 15%.
AND THEN THE SECOND ELEMENT IS LIGHTING.
UH, AVOIDING, YOU KNOW, UNNECESSARILY UPLIGHTING OF THAT PODIUM, YOU KNOW, PORTION THAT FIRST 60, 90 FEET OF YOUR BUILDING.
UM, GOOD PRACTICE TELLS YOU DON'T PUT A BUNCH OF GLASS ON A GARAGE IF YOU DON'T NEED IT.
WE DON'T HAVE GLASS ON THE GARAGE ABOVE THE SECOND LEVEL.
SO, UM, WE'RE NOT PROVIDING HIGHLY REFLECTIVE SURFACES ON THE CLADDING OF THE GARAGE.
UH, AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE, UH, A VARIEGATED SURFACE.
SO WE HAVE AN OPAQUE VARI GATED GARAGE SCREEN.
WE SHOULD BE EXTREMELY BIRD FRIENDLY.
UH, FOURTH, AND THIS IS JUST THE BONUS PIECE, BUT, UH, THE INTENT IS TO INCORPORATE SOME EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS WITHIN OUR BUILDING.
SO, UH, RESIDENTS OF THE BUILDING WILL BE GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, AVOIDING, YOU KNOW, LEAVING THEIR LIGHTS ON WHEN THEY'RE NOT HOME AND NOT, UM, NOT TRIGGERING UNNECESSARILY UNNECESSARY LIGHT, WHICH IS JUST THE THING THAT ATTRACTS BIRDS.
SO WE THINK WE'RE PRETTY GOOD.
UM, LESLIE LILY WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO UPDATE THE NOTE IN THE PUD SO THAT IT REFLECTS ALL OF THE, UM, ELEMENTS OF THE LEAD CERTIFICATION THAT THEY ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE.
UM, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, HOW MANY FLOORS THIS BUILDING GOING TO BE? AND, UH, I GUESS YOU SAID GROUND FLOOR RETAIL AND THE REST WILL BE RESIDENTIAL OR OFFICE, OR, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS ANYWHERE IN THE PRESENTATION.
THE BUILDING IS ANTICIPATED TO BE, UH, A MAX OF ABOUT 45 STORIES.
IT WOULD BE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL PARKING.
IF THERE WAS OFFICE, IT WOULD BE RIGHT ABOVE THAT PARKING LEVEL, AND THEN THE REST WOULD BE RESIDENTIAL.
KRUGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF LESLIE OR THE APPLICANT COULD TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE URBAN BEEKEEPING PROGRAM.
I CAN DO MY BEST, BUT TALMAGE MIGHT HAVE TO, MIGHT HAVE TO HELP WITH THIS TOO.
THIS WAS A PIECE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US AS WE WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT.
SO WE WILL HAVE A BEE CONSULTANT THAT COMES IN AND HELPS US WITH THIS.
UM, THE BEES ARE GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE, UH, ON THE PODIUM LEVEL IS WHERE THAT HAPPENS.
AND IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY COOL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS WE HAVE THIS CONSULTANT WORK US THROUGH THE PROJECT AS IT'S IMPLEMENTED, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S EDUCATION, IT'S EXPERIENCE, UM, AND THEN THERE'S PRODUCT THAT IS INVOLVED WITH IT.
I'M CURIOUS, ARE THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, EUROPEAN HONEYBEES OR NATIVE BEES, OR IS THAT KIND OF BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT YOU'RE AWARE OF? AT THIS POINT? WE ANTICIPATE THAT THEY'RE NATIVE, BUT WE WILL DEFER TO OUR CONSULTANT AS WE GET TO THAT POINT OF CREATING THE HIVE.
WELL, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS, UM, ON, ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED.
I THINK THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GOOD, UM, ADDITION TO OUR DOWNTOWN.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, ENVIRONMENTALISM IS INTERSECTIONAL.
SO I WILL ALWAYS BE ASKING ABOUT LOW INCOME AND MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING IN THIS BUILDING, WHICH I DIDN'T HEAR YOU MENTION.
OH, I ONLY FOCUSED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL PIECES OF IT.
AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT, WE WILL WORK WITH STAFF.
SO AT A MINIMUM, IT WILL MEET THE PUD REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE OFFHAND? EVERYTHING KEEPS MOVING
SO YOU'RE LOOKING TO JUST ADHERE TO THE, THE MINIMUM LEVEL REQUIRED? WE'RE, WE'RE STILL LOOKING THROUGH THAT.
UH, RIGHT NOW THAT'S, WE HAVE MADE THE COMMITMENT IN THE PUD THAT THAT'S THE MINIMUM LEVEL THAT WE WILL MEET.
SO WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO EXCEED THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT MO MOVING PIECES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT ON WHERE THAT, UH, SUPERIORITY LEVEL LANDS.
BUT WE KNOW WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY DEVIATIONS TO WHAT'S REQUIRED BY CODE.
YEAH, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT SOUND, I WASN'T HERE 18 MONTHS AGO, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU INCORPORATED A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, COMMISSION REQUESTED, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE.
AND I DO, UM, URGE YOU AS A RENTER, AS AN ADVOCATE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME TO PLEASE, UM, CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, DOING YOUR DIL DUE DILIGENCE IN THAT
[00:35:01]
REGARD AS WELL AS YOU HAVE GONE, UM, ON THESE OTHER MATTERS.NICK, YOU GOT ANYTHING? UM, YEAH.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, UH, AS TO WHY YOU'RE GOING THE PUD ROUTE AS OPPOSED TO KICKING IN WITH THE SOUTH SHORE CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS AREA.
WE STARTED THIS PUD PROCESS OVER TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THERE WAS NO DEFINITIVE TIMELINE ON WHEN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT BONUS AREA WOULD HAPPEN.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THE DRAFTS CAME OUT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IN COMMENTS.
SO WE STARTED THIS WAY BEFORE THERE WAS ANY LIGHT AT THE END OF A TUNNEL ON WHEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE.
WE'VE, WE ARE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE, THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE CONTINUING WITH THE, WITH THE REZONING EFFORTS.
ONE THING THAT WE'VE TALKED, I'M ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AND ONE THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS HOW TO BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL PUDS THAT IT WILL HAVE BEEN APPROVED ALONG THE WAY, BUT STILL HAVING A, UH, A DISTRICT THAT WE CAN REFER TO.
UM, ONE OF, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE REFERRED TO IT AS DOWNTOWN
UM, THAT'S ONE THING THAT I KEEP THINKING ABOUT IS WHY CAN'T WE LITERALLY EXPAND DOWNTOWN TO INCLUDE THIS AREA? BUT PEOPLE IN SOUTH AUSTIN WOULD SHOOT ME FOR THAT
UM, SO, BUT STILL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS SOME CHARACTER THAT IS, UM, CARRIED OUT THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SOUTH SHORE WATERFRONT.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT, REVIEWING IT, RIGHT.
MAKING SURE THAT I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED, NOT REALLY.
HOW MANY OF THE THEMES THAT ARE IN THIS AND THE REQUIREMENTS ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY IN OUR PUT OR THAT WE EXCEED KNOWING THAT THIS IS DRAFT.
AND STILL VERY SUBJECT TO CHANGE, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOAL OF THE CITY, IS TO MAKE THIS A, A VIBRANT AREA AND RIGHT.
WELL, AND I CAN TELL THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE MOVING ALONG THOSE LINES, SO I'M, I'M, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
UM, I DID TALK TO, UM, ANOTHER DEVELOPER IN THIS AREA ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY.
AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT SOMEBODY WHO LIVES HERE CAN LIVE HERE WITHOUT OWNING AN AUTOMOBILE BECAUSE YOU'RE ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN AND ALL THE JOBS THAT ARE NEAR THERE.
AND THAT'S ABOUT, UM, THAT'S THE SECOND HIGHEST COST FOR PEOPLE IS TRANSPORTATION AFTER RENT OR MORTGAGE.
AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN THE 80% OR 60% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME CATEGORY.
THAT'S, 'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I, I PAY ATTENTION TO ALSO.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT LEAD CERTIFICATION LEVEL ARE YOU GOING FOR? WE'RE A GB THREE STAR RIGHT NOW.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE A EGB THREE STAR IS OUR COMMITMENT IN THE PED.
UH, AND I, I, I HAVE SEVERAL RANDOM QUESTIONS HERE THAT HAVE COME UP.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S METHOD TO MY MADNESS.
WE'LL POP AROUND
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE SIX ZERO 0%.
UM, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE STREET TREES? IS THAT THE CITY'S, UH, RESPONSIBILITY? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STREET TREES? THE DEVELOPER? THE DEVELOPER? YEAH.
UM, AND HOW MUCH, UH, POWER ARE YOU GONNA BE GENERATING FROM THE SOLAR PANELS? I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA ASK ME THAT QUESTION AND TALMAGE BEGAN TO DO A, A HIGH LEVEL LOOK INTO IT.
SO I'M GONNA LET HIM ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YOU CAN HANG UP HERE WITH ME, PLEASE.
UH, I THINK YOU ASKED THIS LAST TIME, SO I MAY HAVE, IF WE DID SOME MATH.
UH, SO SOMEONE BETTER VERSED IN BUILDING SCIENCE THAN I AM, TOLD ME ONE TIME PHOTOVOLTAICS, A GOOD WAY TO THINK ABOUT PHOTOVOLTAICS IS IF YOU HAD A TWO STORY OFFICE BUILDING AND YOU COVERED THE ENTIRE ROOF IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, IT COULD BE NET ZERO.
THAT'S KIND OF THE RATIO OF PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY TO OCCUPIED SPACE AND, AND LOAD DRIVE DRIVEN BY THE SPACE.
OFFICE LOAD IS OF COURSE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE LOAD NEEDED FOR A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
UH, BUT RESIDENTIAL BUILDING DEMAND IS HIGHER.
SO WE HAVE, I MEAN, I'M USING ROUND FIGURES HERE, ABOUT 500,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET OF ENCLOSED SPACE AND 2000 SQUARE FEET OF PHOTOVOLTAIC.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING SOMEWHERE AROUND 1% OF THE TOTAL ENERGY DEMAND ON THE BASIS OF THAT ARRAY THAT'S USING TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY.
[00:40:01]
UH, WE'LL HAVE GREATER OUTPUT, OF COURSE.UH, IF WE CAN SQUEEZE SOME MORE IN ON THE ROOF, WE'LL HAVE GREATER OUTPUT.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE RELATIVE PERFORMANCE.
AND I SHARE THE ANECDOTE BEFORE THIS, BECAUSE I GET IT.
1% DOESN'T SOUND LIKE VERY MUCH RIGHT.
BUT, UM, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT RELATIVE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PVS.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN THE PROJECT.
THESE GOING TO BE, UH, FIXED, UH, PHOTOVOLTAICS.
THEY'LL BE, THERE'LL BE A FIXED ARRAY.
SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ROTATE TO FOLLOW THE SUN.
WE CAN GET REALLY EXCELLENT ORIENTATION, UH, ON OUR BUILDING.
WE HAVE GOOD, GOOD SOUTH LIGHT.
UM, AND NOTHING BLOCKING US TO THE SOUTH.
AND WITH REGARD TO THE URBAN BEEKEEPING, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE, THE BEES? DEVELOPER? DEVELOPER? OKAY.
UH, YOU HAVE A, UH, A STATEMENT THAT SAYS, UH, EXPLORE PATHWAYS TO DELIVER EFFICIENT NET ZERO CARBON BUILDING.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN IN, IN ENGLISH? RIGHT.
THAT'S ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, A NET ZERO CARBON BUILDING, I THINK THAT'S ON AN OPERATIONS SIDE.
SO THERE'LL BE, UH, GREEN OFFSETS.
NOW, ARE YOU CONSIDERING USING, UH, THERE'S A NEW, UH, NEW FORM OF CONCRETE THAT USES, UH, LESS, YOU KNOW, THAT EMITS AND MM-HMM.
ARE YOU GONNA BE USING THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
GONNA, GOING TO EXPLORE THAT ONCE WE GET FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, BUT YEAH, FOR SURE.
UH, I MEAN, I HEARD THE OTHER DAY ABOUT A NEW ALGAE, UH, ADMIXTURE TOO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN POSSIBLE WE'LL EXPLORE THOSE THINGS.
BUT, UM, STILL, STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
UM, NOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
NOW I READ IN THERE THAT SOMEWHERE YOU'RE GONNA BILL BUY A, A, A PROPERTY OR SOMETHING DOWN ON SOUTH FIRST AND YOU'RE GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, NOMINALLY, UH, FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
THAT WAS ORIGINALLY, UM, ONE OF THE PROPOSALS IN THIS, THAT CONTRACT TO PURCHASE THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, UM, FELL THROUGH AND IS NO LONGER ON THE TABLE.
SO WE ARE STILL IN VERY DEEP CONVERSATIONS WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, UM, FIGURING OUT WHAT A PATH FORWARD FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS PROJECT IS.
WE WERE ALSO, FRANKLY, WAITING TO SEE WHAT CAME OUT WITH SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
THAT'S WHY I SAID THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE WILL HAVE THAT NAILED DOWN BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE WILL MEET THE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WILL GO FROM THERE.
WELL, YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 10% IN, IN THIS BUILDING WAS WHAT YOU PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
IF YOU, IF THE CONTRACT GOES THROUGH OR HAD GONE THROUGH WITH THIS OTHER FACILITY, WHAT PERCENTAGE WOULD IT HAVE BEEN RELATIVE TO THE 450 UNITS YOU'RE PROPOSING? IT'S NOT REALLY AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.
SO WHEN AND AGAIN THAT, THAT CONTRACT HAS FALL FALLEN THROUGH, SO THAT PUTTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE EL MEDO SITE IS NOT, IS NO LONGER ON THE TABLE.
BUT WHAT, WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE, I THINK THE EXACT PUD NOTE, AND I CAN GET THE LANGUAGE FOR YOU, SAYS THAT WE WILL MEET THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS IN THE PUD OR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALTERNATIVE AGREED TO, UM, WITH THE CITY'S HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, I THINK IS WHAT IT SAID.
WHEN, WHEN THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE
UH, AND SO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES OR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT, THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT YOU PROVIDE ENDS UP BEING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU PROVIDED AT, YOU KNOW, 30, 40, 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME VERSUS AN 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
SO I DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE CAN SHIFT TO, BUT WE TALK ABOUT, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING THROUGH.
SO ONE ALTERNATIVE YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS TO, UM, AND THIS MAY NOT BE THE EXACT CORRECT LEGAL TERM, BUT MITIGATE THE, NOT NOT PUTTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THAT UNIT BY BUILDING OR HAVING BUILT OR SOMETHING, UH, LOW-INCOME HOUSING SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THAT IS AN OPTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND, BUT YOU'RE WORKING WITH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS A ALTERNATIVE TO HAVING 10% OF THE UNITS IN THE BUILDING YOU'RE BUILDING, YOU'RE CONSTRUCTING TO HAVE.
WE'RE, WE ARE STILL VERY LOOKING, LOOKING AT ALL OF THE OPTIONS AT THIS POINT.
UH, YOU MENTIONED SHOWER FACILITIES IN THERE.
UH, WHAT ARE THEY,
I MEAN, WHO'S GONNA BE, HAVE ACCESS TO THEM? AND IT WOULD BE ANYBODY THAT'S IN EMPLOYEE OF THE RETAIL AREAS.
SO THE, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR OWN RESIDENTIAL UNIT WILL HAVE THEIR OWN SHOWER.
BUT IF THERE IS AN OFFICE COMPONENT, THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THOSE SHOWERS.
[00:45:01]
THAT ARE IN THE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES, IT'S ESSENTIALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY BIKEABLE AREA.THAT WAY YOU CAN RIDE, YOU CAN BIKE AND STILL HAVE ACCESS TO A SHOWER TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO YOUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
SO THEY'LL BE OPEN TO ANYBODY THAT WORKS IN THE BUILDING.
NOW YOU MENTIONED BIKES AND, AND SO DID, UH, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, UM, HOW, HOW FAR AWAY FROM THE NEAREST BUS STOP ARE YOU, IS THIS FACILITY ABOUT 15 FEET? ABOUT 15 FEET, YEAH.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP IN PERIODICALLY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THINGS.
AND IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME WHEN YOU MENTIONED TRASH REMOVAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT JUST POPPED IN MY MIND.
UM, THERE'S SOMETIMES THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE LARGE DUMPSTERS THAT TRASH ESCAPES THE DUMPSTERS AND THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, IT'S FINE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MINIMIZE THE, YOU KNOW, JAILBREAK OF TRASH FROM THE, UH, ALL OF OUR TRASH WILL BE WITHIN THE BUILDING.
IT WILL BE STORED IN THE BUILDING.
IT WILL BE PICKED UP IN THE BUILDING.
IT WILL NEVER LEAVE THE BUILDING.
SO THE TRASH TRUCKS WILL COME IN, GET THE TRASH AND LEAVE IT WILL, THE DUMPSTERS WILL NEVER BE OUTSIDE OF THE ENCLOSURE OF THE STRUCTURE.
UM, SO I GUESS THIS QUESTION WAS ANSWERED BY DATE.
SO YOU'RE NOT COORDINATING RIGHT NOW WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT THING? 'CAUSE IT DIDN'T EXIST WHEN YOU ALL WE'RE VERY MUCH MONITORING IT, BUT IT DID NOT EXIST AND IT STILL ISN'T ADOPTABLE TO UTILIZE.
UH, YOU MENTIONED COMMUNITY AMENITIES IN THERE AND YOU MENTIONED FOUR TREES AND A HYDRATION STATION.
YOU LAUGH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP ON SEVERAL PROJECTS.
SO IF I'M, IF I'M WALKING WELL, I UNDERSTAND WHAT FOUR TREES AND THE HYDRATION STATION IS.
I WAS, WHAT I WAS REALLY KIND OF GETTING TO IS WE BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE ON, ON THE AMENITIES.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN MIND.
IT'S JUST LIKE FOUR TREES AND A HYDRATION STATION.
SOUNDS A BIT, THESE HAVE BEEN SPECIFIC QUANTITATIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ADD INTO THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE, UM, SPECIFICALLY BEEN ASKED ON THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT WE COULD COMMIT TO IN THAT AREA, WHICH IS WHERE THE NUMBER OF THE FOUR TREES COMES FROM.
AND THEN THE HYDRATION STATION, IE THIS IS A HIGHLY, UH, BIKEABLE AND WALKABLE AREA THAT IF YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, YOU CAN FILL UP.
SO THEY'RE JUST SPECIFIC MATRIXES THAT WE WERE ASKED ABOUT THAT ARE INCORPORATED IN THE P NOTES.
AND CERTAINLY WE NEED MORE HYDRATION STATIONS NOWADAYS IN THE CITY.
SO I AGREE WITH THAT AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ADD MORE AMENITIES, WHATEVER THOSE MIGHT BE.
BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR IN MIND.
UM, NOW THE OTHER THING AND, AND THIS PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP WHEN YOU ALL CAME BEFORE, BEFORE US BEFORE, BUT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP TO ME BY, UM, SOMEONE WHO, WHO EMAILED, WHO HAD, YOU KNOW, REVIEWED THIS AND SENT ME AN EMAIL ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, SO I'M, MY, MY QUESTION IS, WHY ARE WE GIVING THIS PUD STATUS WHEN IT ISN'T 10 ACRES? NOW, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHEN I SAW YOUR, YOUR DOCUMENTATION, WHEN YOU LISTED THE THING, IT SAID, WELL, THIS IS A SPECIAL DESIGNATION AND I REVIEWED SEVERAL ITEMS IN THE CITY CODE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THERE WAS SOME AREAS, AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS, SO SOMEONE POINT ME IF I'M INCORRECT.
THE, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL AREAS THAT THE CITY HAS DESIGNATES SPECIFICALLY TO BE SPECIAL AREAS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT ARE DEEMED TO HAVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION, BUT THIS DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ONE OF THEM.
SO KIND OF WALK ME THROUGH WHY THIS ONE SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION TO THE 10 ACRE RULE.
WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL HAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED OTHER PLACES AS BEING EXCEPTIONS, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEE FIT.
TO MENTION THIS ONE IN THE, UH, EXCEPTION AREA, THE CITY HAS FOR MANY YEARS ENVISIONED THIS AREA WITH THE PLANNING EFFORTS TO BE AN AREA THAT IS NOT A 60 FEET AND HEIGHT, UH, PART OF TOWN.
AND SO ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE, YOU SEE MANY, MANY PUDS BECAUSE THERE'S, WE HAVE A BROKEN CODE.
WE HAVE A CODE FROM 1984 THAT DOESN'T HAVE OTHER OPTIONS OR ABILITIES TO ACHIEVE THE VISIONS THAT THE CITY HAD.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, ADOPTED PRINCIPLES AND ADOPTED VISIONS AND ADOPTED FRAMEWORKS THAT TALK ABOUT ADDITIONAL DENSITY, ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE PUD ROUTE.
NOT ONLY DOES IT ENCOURAGE YOU AND REQUIRE YOU TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SUPERIORITY TO BE ABLE TO GET FORWARD, IT ALSO HAS ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY THAT GOES
[00:50:01]
INTO, UH, THE ABILITY TO EXCEED THE BASELINE STANDARDS.NOW YOU HAD A RATHER EXTENSIVE LIST OF EXCEPTIONS THAT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE OUT OF, IT'S BASICALLY YOU RETAINING CS ZONING FOR THE PROPERTY.
ALL PUDS HAVE A BASE DISTRICT, RIGHT? CS IS OUR BASE DISTRICT.
AND YOU HAD A LIST OF ITEMS THAT YOU'RE GONNA PULL OUT OF IT SO YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, HAVE FUNERAL HOME AND USE WISE PROHIBITED USES.
SO YOU, YOU FUNERAL HOMES AND YES SIR, YOU BLOODLETTING AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF.
BUT I WENT THROUGH THE CS ZONING THING AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE ON THERE THAT HAD MY, UH, THAT THAT KIND OF INTERESTING.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, YOU DIDN'T EXCLUDE THAT.
AND RESIDENTIAL HOUSING, UH, TRADE SCHOOLS, ELECTRONIC PROTOTYPE ASSEMBLY, UM, URBAN FARMS,
NOW, IF THERE'S A, A LIST OF USES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PROHIBITED, WE'RE HAPPY TO CONSIDER 'EM.
THE USES THAT ARE PROHIBITED ARE USES THAT WERE, UH, ARE CUSTOMARILY PROHIBITED IN ALL IN THE CS PODS THAT ARE ON THE SOUTH OF THE RIVER.
THEY'RE THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE USES.
UM, AND THEY'RE THE USES THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS TEND TO WANT TO SEE.
UM, WE WENT WITH WHAT HAS CUSTOMARILY BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PROHIBITED USES LIST, IF THERE'S OTHER SPECIFIC, AND THAT WAS SUGGESTED TO US BY STAFF, FRANKLY, BUT IF THERE'S OTHERS THAT ARE DESIRED, WE ARE HAPPY TO, I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GONNA HAVE AN URBAN FARM HERE, BUT, UM, BIG
WELL, AND I DON'T SEE CUSTOM MANUFACTURING OR WAREHOUSING THERE NECESSARILY, BUT THE THING WITH A PUTT IS THAT IT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE BUILDING THIS YEAR, BUT 10 YEARS FROM NOW, SOMEONE TEARS IT DOWN AND DECIDES THEY WANT TO BUILD A, UH, YOU KNOW, A WAREHOUSE THERE.
AND THAT NIGHT, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY THE, THE BEAUTY AND THE INTENT OF THE POD IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE USES ARE THERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A BASE DISTRICT, THE OTHER LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT GO INTO THIS ARE SO SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE REALLY, THIS IS THE BUILDING OR THE PROJECT THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET WITHOUT US HAVING TO COME IN AND DO A PUT AMENDMENT.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ARE IN THE NOTES ALONG WITH PROBABLY JUST AS MANY THAT TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT AREN'T ENVIRONMENTALLY RELATED.
SO THERE'S, IT, IT'S NOT A BLANK CANVAS WHEN YOU APPROVE A PUT, IT'S A VERY STUDY.
YOU GO FAR DEEPER INTO A PROJECT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE WITH THE PUD THAN YOU DO UNDER ANY TRADITIONAL ZONING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET SO SPECIFIC.
I'M JUST THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT SAYS IF IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED, THAT IT'S IMPLICITLY ALLOWED.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I LOOK AT THINGS.
WE ARE HAPPY TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL USES.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
UM, IS IT, IS JONATHAN TOMKO THE STAFF CITY STAFF PERSON? YES.
HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE PUT AND WHY IT'S ALLOWED UNDER 10, 10 ACRES.
I WOULD SAY IN THE STAFF REPORT WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF OTHER PUDS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED THAT ARE LESS THAN 10 ACRES WITHIN THAT IMMEDIATE AREA.
OH, EXCUSE ME, JONATHAN, COULD YOU TURN ON YOUR, UM, CAMERA PLEASE? ONE SECOND.
I'M HAVING, UH, MY CHILD IS MASON CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TO HELP ME.
I'M HAVING ALSO SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
UH, JOHN, IF IF SOMEBODY GETS IN TROUBLE, IT'LL BE ME.
UM, BUT THE, THE, UM, THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES WHERE THE, THE PUT ZONING HAS BEEN GRANTED WHEN IT'S BEEN LESS THAN 10 ACRES.
AND SINCE THE, UH, THE APPLICANT HAS, UH, DONE THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT, UH, OFFERED THE SUPERIORITY THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, WHETHER IT BE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR, UH, THEIR COMMITMENT TO WORKING ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, SUPERIORITY AS WELL.
UM, IT DID MEET THE, THE GOALS OF IMAGINE AUSTIN IN TERMS OF BEING ON THAT CORRIDOR AND IN THAT, UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTER.
UM, SO WITH ALL OF THAT IN CONSIDERATION, I THINK THAT THE PUD ROUTE SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD PROVIDE SUPERIORITY.
THE APPLICANT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN THEY BEGAN THIS PROCESS, THE IMAGINE, UH, THE, UM, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DENSITY BONUS WAS NOT THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A, A FAIR STATEMENT AND THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND SO TO DEVELOP THIS PARCEL, BRING SOME MUCH MORE NEEDED, UH, HOUSING IN A CENTRAL LOCATION WHERE WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION ASSETS.
UH, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED A WIDE ARRAY OF WAYS TO GET AROUND IN TOWN, UM, WHETHER THAT BE BY BUS OR BIKE OR THE TRAIL THERE.
UM, IT HELPS US LEVERAGE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN INVESTMENTS IN THE AREA BY HAVING THIS LEVEL OF DENSITY THAT SUPPORTS BOTH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION AND THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN.
[00:55:03]
THANK YOU.I, I DID SEE IN THERE WHERE THE JUSTIFICATION WAS THAT IT HAD BEEN, UH, DONE MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE AREA BEFORE.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT A PRECEDENT HAD NOMINALLY BEEN SET AND THAT WAS THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF IT.
NEVERTHELESS, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, I WANTED SOMEONE TO STATE WHAT IT WAS.
UH, I MEAN, JUST 'CAUSE WE DID IT BEFORE DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
SO ANYWAY, I'M, I'M SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS THAT WERE GIVEN.
UH, YOU KNOW, SO THERE, THANK YOU THOUGH, YOUR HONOR.
UM, REAL QUICK TO FOLLOW UP, UM, WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIERS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT PUDS, UM, THAT ARE LESS THAN THAN 10 ACRES BEFORE TOO.
SO I JUST WANNA KINDA REMIND THAT THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD BEFORE US IN THE PAST.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAME FOR US, UH, BEFORE US 18 MONTHS AGO, WHICH I AGREE WITH YOU.
DOES NOT SEEM LIKE 18 MONTHS AGO
UM, AND YOU REALLY LISTENED, UM, IN THAT MEETING AND I REALLY COMMEND YOU.
I MEAN, I WISH THAT, I WISH EVERYBODY WHO WAS COMING UP WITH A PUD WOULD DO THINGS IN THIS, UM, AT THIS LEVEL.
UM, I FEEL LIKE THE END PRODUCT IS REALLY, UM, EXCITING.
UM, AND UM, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, UM, TO REALLY SEE THIS COMPLETED.
BUT, UM, I AM, AM REALLY, REALLY PLEASED, UM, TO SEE HOW MANY, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST THE CARE, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S GIVEN TO THIS.
I I THINK THAT THE END PRODUCT IS REALLY GOING TO BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT TO, UM, BE A PART OF AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, UH, SEE THESE THINGS AND, AND ALSO WANT TO EM EMULATE THEM, UM, AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY IN THAT SOUTH, SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT.
I HOPE THAT I SPEAK BETTER WHEN I GET DONE READING ALL OF LILLY'S UM, CONDITIONS ON THERE.
BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UH, I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU COULD, UH, SAY HOW MANY TREES ARE GONNA BE AROUND THE BORDER OF THE PROPERTY I WAS TRYING TO AND WHAT SPECIES OF THE TREES.
I'M GOING TO LET ANNE COLEMAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
MY NAME IS ANN COLEMAN, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ON THE PROJECT.
I'VE PRACTICED IN AUSTIN FOR 43 YEARS AND I WAS AN EIGHT YEAR MEMBER OF DESIGN COMMISSION.
UH, THE TREES, THERE ARE 15 TREES SHOWN THAT ARE STANDARD STREET TREES AS PER GREAT STREETS, UH, SPACING.
AND THEN WE'RE SHOWING ADDITIONAL FOUR, OR WE'RE HOPING FIVE AUSTIN ENERGY WILL TELL US.
ULTIMATELY WE'D LIKE TO GET AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE.
IT DOES SAY IN THE DOCUMENT THAT THESE TREES NEED TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH RAIN GARDENS BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE IN RAIN GARDEN.
SO THE SPECIES THAT WE HAVE NOT DEFINED IT YET, 'CAUSE WE WANNA COORDINATE THAT WITH STAFF, BUT THE OBVIOUS SPECIES THAT WOULD WORK IN THAT AREA ARE BALD CYPRUS MONTE, IS IT MONTEZUMA, CYPRUS, UH, TEX-MEX OR MEXICAN SYCAMORE.
EVEN LIVE OAKS AND CEDAR ELMS DO PRETTY WELL IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
IN CONTRAST TO SOMETHING LIKE A CHICA PEN.
OR MONTEREY OAK, THEY BOTH DON'T LIKE TO BE STANDING IN WATER MUCH.
SO, UH, ALL OF THOSE SPECIES WILL BE DETERMINED.
WE WANT SOME BIODIVERSITY WAS STATED.
SO WE WILL COME UP WITH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND, UH, BUT WE WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST THREE SPECIES, IF NOT, IF NOT MORE.
BUT WE WE'RE ALSO, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR DOING THE LARGER TREE TOO, IS FOR CLEARANCE IMMEDIATELY FOR A DA.
AND WE DO HAVE THIS STRUCTURAL SOIL SYSTEM IN THOSE AREAS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE GIRDLING AND THE PROBLEMATIC, UH, CONDITIONS THAT ARE EXISTING ON SITE THAT 97%, YOU CAN IMAGINE THOSE ASH TREES THAT ARE, ARE BIG DECLINE ARE GROWING IN SQUARE FEET OR SQUARE INCHES.
SO WE WON'T HAVE THAT CONDITION MORE.
WE'LL HAVE HEALTHY AND ROBUST STREET TREES.
UM, AND ALSO I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU COULD TELL, UH, DESCRIBE THE HYDRATION STATION OR JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT ALL IS INCLUDED IN THAT.
IT REALLY IS INTENDED TO BE A PUBLIC WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION.
UM, I'M WALKING DOWN, I'M THIRSTY, I'M OUT.
I CAN FILL MY WATER UP AND I CAN KEEP GOING OPEN TO ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS TO HYDRATE AS THEY MOVE THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY IN THE, THAT PART OF TOWN.
SO WOULD IT BE LIKE ONE BOTTLE RE REFILLING THING? WOULD IT BE LIKE 5, 10, 15? I DOUBT IT'S 15
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT IT'S PROBABLY ONE THAT CONTINUES TO BE UPDATED AND LOCATED.
YOU KNOW, THERE WILL ALSO BE, THIS WILL BE AN ENTIRE RETAIL AREA, SO YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOME FOOD COMPONENTS AS WELL TO IT.
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT IT'S ONE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT DEFINED YET.
[01:00:01]
I WAS CURIOUS IF, IF, IF THE SITE WAS GONNA PROVIDE LIKE PUBLIC TRASH RECEPTACLES OR IS THAT MORE OF THAT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR THE STREETSCAPE? THAT MM-HMM.AND LET'S SEE, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE IT.
OH, UM, IT WAS MENTIONED LIKE THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND SO I WAS CURIOUS, UM, WOULD IT BE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH ED EDUCATING THEM ON SOME KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE TO THE, LIKE, WOULD IT BE OPEN TO ADULTS OR WOULD Y'ALL BE PARTNERING WITH LIKE A SCHOOL TO KIND OF LIKE MAYBE MENTOR WITH THE BEES OR LIKE A GARDENING? I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES MM-HMM.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS GOING TO BE TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION OUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC AREAS, BUT THEN THE ABILITY TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC IS MM-HMM.
'CAUSE LIKE ONE THING THAT I I, THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE COOL IS TO MAYBE SEE IF Y'ALL CAN PARTNER WITH A, A, LIKE A SCHOOL THAT Y'ALL CAN MENTOR OR KIND OF, UH, FACILITATE LIKE A KIND OF, UM, EDUCATIONAL ASPECT, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL ASPECT WITH THAT SCHOOL.
SOMETHING WE CAN PASS ALONG TO OUR B CONSULTANTS.
HOPEFULLY LIKE AN UNDERSERVED SCHOOL BECAUSE YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT IDEA AND A GREAT POINT.
LET US MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT TO OUR CONSULTANTS AND, AND WORK ON INCORPORATING IT.
AND ANOTHER THING I NOTICED WAS, UM, THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE A PROJECT FOR PUBLIC ART PIECE.
AND I THOUGHT THAT IT'D BE GOOD TO KIND OF SUGGEST THAT MAYBE I'LL LOOK INTO LOCAL ARTISTS INSTEAD OF THAT'S THE INTENT.
ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE I SAW LIKE SOMETHING AT LIKE PEACE, THEY WERE KIND OF ASKING SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY TO MAKE A TROLL STATUE.
AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, YOU HAVE A CITY OF ARTISTS.
OUR INTENT IS TO IS TO USE LOCAL.
I MEAN, I LIKE TROLLS, BUT I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE LIKE A LOCAL ARTIST FAKE THAT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED.
AND THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
AND UH, JONATHAN, I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR I GUESS LOOKING AFTER YOUR KID AND SITTING ON THE CALL AT THE SAME TIME SO YOU GET FULL CREDIT EVEN THOUGH YOUR CAMERA'S NOT ON.
UM, YEAH, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND.
I, SO 96% IMPERVIOUS COVER CURRENTLY, I'M ASSUMING ALL OF THAT'S UNTREATED RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN I'M ASSUMING ALSO THE PORTION THAT SOUTH CONGRESS THAT THEY'RE PICKING UP IS ALSO UNTREATED RIGHT NOW? YES.
UM, AND THEN TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON PERRY'S COMMENT, UM, IF, IF SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS ARE SIGNAGE FOR THE PUBLIC, I WOULD RECOMMEND, OR WE USUALLY RECOMMEND THAT THEY'RE AT LEAST BILINGUAL, UM, OR YOU DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON KIND OF WHO, WHAT THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC IS IN THAT AREA, BECAUSE THAT IS A VERY TOURISTY PEDESTRIAN AREA.
SO AT LEAST LOOK TO HAVE AT LEAST, UH, SPANISH AND ENGLISH, IF NOT, ABSOLUTELY.
IF NOT MORE LANGUAGES OR A QR CODE TO FIND IT OUT IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE OR WHATEVER.
UH, ANY FINAL QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT NOR STAFF? YEAH, KRUGER, THANK YOU.
I HAVE A, A FOLLOW UP ON THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, AND I APOLOGIZE IF YOU MENTIONED THIS AND I, I MISSED IT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE CURRENT IMPERVIOUS COVER IS 96.7% AND THEN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE IN THE PU WILL BE 95%.
SO WE'RE AT LEAST REDUCING BY 1.7%.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU'RE FAR ALONG ENOUGH IN THE DESIGN PROCESS TO SPEAK TO WHAT THE ANTICIPATED IMPERVIOUS COVER WILL BE.
I DON'T, I'M PRETTY SURE I, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S THE MAXIMUM
I CAN'T TELL YOU AN EXACT NUMBER.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 93.2 OR 94.9.
I JUST KNOW THAT WE CAN'T EXCEED 95.
I THINK A LOT OF THAT'LL DEPEND ON HOW SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES END UP BEING PROGRAMMED.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, YES, COMMISSIONER BERG, WE DO HAVE A MOTION, UM,
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THIS THE LAST TIME? I DID NOT SEE YOUR, UH, OKAY.
UH, MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS APPROVED.
SUBJECT 3 1 1 THROUGH 3 1 15 SOUTH CONGRESS PUD, UM, C EIGHT 14 DASH 2023 DASH 27.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT
[01:05:01]
IS, UH, THE APPLICANT, UH, IS TO FORM A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT PUD, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE LAKE AUSTIN WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN WATERSHED, LADY BIRD LAKE.THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE STAFF RECOMMENDS, UM, THIS PUD WITH CONDITIONS HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE FINDINGS OF FACTS HAVE BEEN MET.
UM, BUT A GOOD LIST, AND I'LL READ THIS ALL DAY, ANY DAY.
UM, THE PUD WILL COMPLY WITH THIS CITY OF AUSTIN'S GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM AT A THREE STAR LEVEL.
TWO, THE PROJECT WILL COMP, UM, WILL BE COMPLIANT WITH L-E-E-D-L-E-E-D PILOT BIRD COLLISION DETERRENCE CREDIT, UH, IN REGARD TO THE BIRD COLLISION THREAT RATING FOR REFLECTIVE GLASS WITHIN THE FACADE ZONE.
ONE AREA AS DEFINED BY LEED FACADE ZONE ONE SHALL NOT HAVE GREATER THAN 15% REFLECTIVE GLASS.
THREE, THE PROJECT DOES NOT REQUEST ANY EXCEPTIONS OR MODIFICATIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND WILL DEVELOP UNDER THE CURRENT CODE AS THE, AS OF THE DATE OF THE APPROVAL OF THE PUD.
FOR 100% OF WATER QUALITY CONTROL REQUIRED, UH, FOR THIS SITE WILL BE TREATED ONSITE AS OPPOSED TO PAYMENT OF THE FEE IN LIEU OF ON SITE TREATMENT.
FIVE, UH, A THOUSAND CUBIC FEET OF WATER, UM, QUALITY VOLUME WILL BE PROVIDED FOR, UH, FOR O AN OFFSITE AREA, INCLUDING A PORTION OF CONGRESS AVENUE SIX.
THE PROJECT WILL INCORPORATE APPROXIMATELY 250 LINEAR FEET OF OFFSITE STORM IMPROVEMENT IN CONGRESS AVENUE SEVEN.
ALL REQUIRED TREE PLANTINGS SHALL UTILIZE NATIVE TREE SPECIES SELECTED FROM APPENDIX F OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA, MANUAL, UH, DESCRIPTIVE CATEGORIES OF TREE SPECIES AND UTILIZE CENTRAL TEXAS NATIVE SEED.
ALL NEW TREE, ALL NEW STREET TREES WITHIN THE PUD WILL BE A MINIMUM OF 5.5 CALIBER INCHES AND A MINIMUM OF 14 FEET IN HEIGHT, AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE BIODIVERSITY OF TREE SPECIES OF THE SITE OF THIS AREA OF SOUTH CONGRESS.
IN ADDITION TO BEING OF A SPECIES THAT WILL THRIVE IN THE PROPOSED RAIN GARDENS.
NINE, THE PUD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE DARK SKIES REGULATIONS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS IDENTIFIED IN ST SEVEN.
ALL IRRIGATION ON SITE WILL BE OFF GRID OF POTENTIAL WATER UTILIZING EITHER PURPLE PIPE, RAINWATER, RAINWATER CAPTURED ON THE SITE, OR, UH, CON CONDENSATED CAPTURE.
11 INCLUDES SEVERAL LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THE INTENT OF THE PENDING FUNCTIONAL GREEN REQUIREMENTS.
THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF 50% OR 455 SQUARE FEET OF RAISED TERRACE GARDEN PLANTERS TO BE PLANTED WITH ZERO ESCAPE PLANTINGS WITH A FOCUS ON POLLINATOR FRIENDLY, UM, SPECIES 12 UTILIZE METHODS TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL AUSTIN BIODIVERSITY THROUGH INNOVATIVE, UM, NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING AND OR ROOFTOP INSTALLATIONS.
13 SOLAR POWER GENERATION WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS, INTO THE BUILDING DESIGN AND WILL INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 2000 GROSS SQUARE FEET OF AN AREA DEDICATED TO THE ROOFTOP MOUNTED SOLAR PANEL ARRAY.
UH, 14, THE PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE BIODIVERSITY THROUGH AN URBAN BEEKEEPING INITIATIVE.
AND 15, MEET OR EXCEED THE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS IN SUBCHAPTER E BY PROVIDING, UH, A DIVERSE MIXTURE OF LANDSCAPING AND UTILIZE DROUGHT RESISTANT NON-TOXIC PLANTS.
I'M THINK I'M ON 15, UH, 100% OF ALL NATIVE NON TURF PLANT MATERIAL SHALL BE SELECTED FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL APPENDIX INN, CITY OF AUSTIN, PREFERRED PLANT LIST OF THE GROW GREEN NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE LANDSCAPE PLANT GUIDE.
UH, 16, AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT WILL BE PROVIDED 17 AS PART OF THE PUD.
THE PROJECT WILL BE WILL PROHIBIT USES THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO AIR OR WATER QUALITY POLLUTANTS.
ANY, WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND? ANY, UH, DISCUSSION, UH, AMONGST THE COMMISSION?
[01:10:02]
WAS THERE A SECOND? I SECONDED IT.UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS READ VERY WELL.
UM, YEAH, THIS, I DIDN'T MAKE A, THE COMMENT DURING MY, UH, QUESTIONS, BUT WE HAVE USED THIS AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER PUDS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US OR OTHER PROJECTS JUST 'CAUSE GO LOOK AT THIS ONE.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH WHAT YOU BROUGHT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
[4. Ledgestone Revised Wastewater Service Extension Request #4622R]
LEDGE STONE REVISED WASTE WATER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST NUMBER 4 6 2 2 R, WHICH IS AT 92 0 9 LEDGE STONE TERRACE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 3 7.I THINK WE'VE GOT A STAFF PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS KAYLA CHAMPLIN AND I'M WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
AND WHILE I'M WAITING FOR MY PRESENTATION TO GET UP, I'M JUST GONNA SAY, KEVIN WARE, RANDBERG, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY MISSED.
AND YOU'RE STILL GONNA COME TO THE HOLIDAY PARTIES, RIGHT? YEAH, ALL THE TIME.
WHEREAS THAT WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT.
JACKSON, UH, HAVING ANY PRESENTATION ISSUES? OKAY.
UH, SO, UM, TONIGHT I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING THE LEADSTONE REVISED WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST NUMBER 4 6 2 2 R.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'M GONNA DO A QUICK REVIEW OF SERVICE EXTENSION REQUESTS SINCE, UM, YOU DON'T SEE THIS PROCESSES THAT OFTEN.
SO A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST OR SCR IS AN APPLICATION FOR CITY WATER OR WASTEWATER SERVICE FROM A PROPERTY OWNER OR DEVELOPER.
SCRS ARE REQUIRED WHEN A PROPERTY IS LOCATED MORE THAN 100 FEET FROM AN ACCESSIBLE WATER OR WASTEWATER SYSTEM, OR WHEN EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS INADEQUATE FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
DEMANDS SERVICE MAY ALSO INVOLVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LINE OR AN ASSOCIATED FACILITY, OR UPGRADES TO EXISTING LINES OR FACILITIES.
AND THE APPLICANT PAYS FOR THE ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE AS OUTLINED IN THE SER.
PER THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, SCRS REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL IF THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AND THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION WILL REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SCR, AND THEN COUNCIL WILL MAKE THE FINAL APPROVAL.
UM, AND THEN IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE FOR S THAT NO CONDITIONS CAN BE PUT ON YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPROVAL.
THAT'S JUST A STRAIGHT UP, POOR DOWN VOTE FOR SCR.
SO, THIS SITE IS LOCATED AT 92 0 9 LIMESTONE TERRACE.
IT'S A 77.78 ACRES, 77.78 ACRE SITE, AND IS LOCATED IN AUSTIN'S TWO MILE ETJ.
IT'S IN THE SLAUGHTER CREEK WATERSHED, BARTON SPRING ZONE, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER CONTRIBUTING ZONE IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
AND IT IS SUBJECT TO THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS COORDINATES.
THIS IS THE LOCATION OF THE SITE IN THIS CONTEXT OF THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
SO, UM, FOR SOME OF YOU THIS MAY LOOK FAMILIAR AND THAT'S BECAUSE THIS PROJECT HAS RECEIVED, PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR A WASTEWATER SER AND A WATER SER.
UM, AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL REQUEST, APPLICANT'S PROPOSAL WAS FOR A A 550 UNIT MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT WITH 275 LUE OR LIVING UNIT EQUIVALENTS.
THE WASTEWATER SER WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION, AND THEN WAS SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN JUNE OF 20 20 20.
AND THE WATER SER WHAT WENT THROUGH THAT SAME PROCESS IN MAY OF 2023.
SO IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS, YOU CAN FIND THE STAFF MEMO AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, ATTACHED TO THE EXHIBITS.
THIS IS A MAP OF THE, OR THE SITE LOCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF IMAGINE AUSTIN'S GROWTH CONCEPT MAP.
IT IS NOT LOCATED NEAR ONE OF THE CENTER'S CORRIDORS WHERE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SEEKS TO DIRECT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
[01:15:03]
SO FOR THE REVISED SER, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO ADD 50 LIVING UNIT EQUIVALENTS OR LUS.SO THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 50 LUS, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 325.
AND THIS IS TO ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITION OF RETAIL IN RESTAURANTS SPACE ON THE SITE.
UM, SO ALTOGETHER THERE ARE 140 CONDO TYPE UNITS, 360 MULTIFAMILY UNITS, 11,620 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL, AND 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF RESTAURANT.
UM, THE APPLICANT CURRENTLY HAS A REVISED SITE PLAN IN REVIEW WITH THE CITY AND IS SUBJECT TO LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE CURRENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THE SITE, OOPS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THIS PROPERTY IS IN THE SLAUGHTER CREEK WATERSHED AND IS CLASSIFIED AS THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.
UM, WE'RE LOCATED AGAIN IN THE DRINK WATER PROTECTION ZONE WHERE IT'S AWKWARD CONTRIBUTING ZONE, AND THERE IS A WETLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, AND IT'S ASSOCIATED BUFFER THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY STAFF DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS, UH, ALONG A NATURAL CHANNEL OF LAUGHTER CREEK IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, IN THE SOUTHWESTERN EASTERN CORNERS OF THE SITE, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AND WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE FOR SLAUGHTER CREEK, AND THE SITE DOES NOT DRAIN TO SALAMANDER HABITAT.
HERE'S A MAP SHOWING THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON THE SITE THAT I MENTIONED.
THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE PROPOSED WASTEWATER EXTENSION.
THE PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDES REPLACING 1,800 SQUARE, UM, 1,800 FEET OF EXISTING 12 INCH INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAINE WITH 15 INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAINE ALONG WILLIAMSON'S CREEK, REPLACING 2000 200, 250 FEET OF EXISTING EIGHT INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAIN WITH 12 INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAIN ALONG TIJUANA TRAIL AND MO WINKLE DRIVE.
AND THEN IF THE APPLICANT'S PROJECT TIMELINE NEEDS THESE WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENTS PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION BY OTHER SCRS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED, APPRO APPROVED ALREADY IN THE AREA, THEN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THEM WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APPLICANT THAT DEVELOPS INFER.
UH, IN ADDITION, A LIFT STATION IS PROPOSED TO BE CONSTRUCTED WITH 4,775 FEET OF FORCE MAIN FROM THE LIFT STATION.
IT WILL EXTEND NORTH TO WEST US TWO 90 AND THEN NORTHEAST ALONG WEST US TWO 90 HIGHWAY, AND THEN NORTH ALONG SOUTH BEND DRIVE TO THE EXISTING EIGHT INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAIN LOCATED IN CIRCLE DRIVE.
AND THEN 2,150 FEET OF EIGHT INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAIN THAT'LL GO FROM THE PROPOSED LIFT STATION AND EXTEND ALONG THE HIGHWAY, UH, TO THE SUBJECT TRACT.
AND THE LIFT STATION ENFORCE MAIN ARE ALSO PROPOSED BY THE SER THAT WAS APPROVED FOR THE ADJACENT SITE, LOCATED AT 89 21 WEST US HIGHWAY TWO 90.
UM, THAT WA THAT IS AN SER THAT CAME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WAS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
UM, IF THEY CONSTRUCT THE LIFT STATION FORCE MAIN FIRST, THEN THE APPLICANT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UPGRADES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIFT STATION ENFORCE MAIN TO SERVE THIS DEVELOPMENT.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SKIP THAT ONE.
THAT'S JUST THE TEXT, UM, THAT I DESCRIBED.
SO THIS SLIDE IS A MAP THAT SHOWS THE LEDGE STONE MULTIFAMILY SITE AND THE ADJACENT SITE AT 89 21 US HIGHWAY TWO 90.
UM, I JUST INCLUDED THIS ONE HERE JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY ON, ON THOSE TWO SITES, AND THEY'RE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST THAT WAS APPROVED FOR THE ADJACENT SITE.
YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE RED BOX IS, UM, THE LOCATION OF THE LIFT STATION.
SO, UH, IF THE REVISED SER IS NOT EXTENDED TO THE SITE AND WASTEWATER DISPOSAL IS REQUIRED, THEN THE APPLICANT WOULD HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER OPTIONS FOR THIS AMOUNT OF EFFLUENT TREATMENT.
EITHER THEY WOULD DO A ONSITE SEWAGE FACILITY OR A LAND APPLICATION.
SO, UM, LAND APPLICATION, IT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE PERMITTED WITH THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS SITE, WE FOUND THAT IN THE ERI SHOWED THAT THE BRACKET, IT, THE SITE HAS BRACKET ROCK OUTCROP SOILS.
SO THESE SOILS ARE NOT IDEAL FOR OS SFS OR LAND APPLICATION BECAUSE THE SOIL TYPE IS VERY THIN AND ROCKY.
SO THERE ARE, UH, LIMITATIONS FOR SEPTIC TANK ABSORPTION,
[01:20:01]
UM, FIELDS AND POND CONSTRUCTION DUE TO THE SHALLOW DEPTH OF THE BEDROCK.SO, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT SOIL PIPING AND PREFERENTIAL FLOW PASS WOULD LIKELY FORM, UM, ALLOWING WASTEWATER WASTEWATER MIGRATION BELOW THE ROOT ZONE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT, UM, THERE'S A LIMITATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT TYPE OR DENSITY FOR OSSF OR LAND APPLICATION.
SO O SSFS COULD BE DEVELOPED WITH A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE WITH A, WITH THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES THAT ARE PROPOSED.
BUT TRAVIS COUNTY REQUIRES A LOT SIZE OF AT LEAST ONE ACRE.
UM, AND THEN, SO UNDER THOSE RULES, A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT WITH SIMILAR DENSITY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, UM, BASED ON THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATIONS THAT THE APPLICANT PROVIDED, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEVELOP AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED WITH A LAND APPLICATION PERMIT.
UM, THAT'S DUE TO THE SPACE THAT IS REQUIRED FOR, UH, SEPTIC APPLICATION AREA POND WASTEWATER TREATMENT FOOTPRINT.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DEDUCTED FROM THE IMPERIOUS COVER CALCULATIONS.
SO, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT ISSUE AS WELL AS THE SOIL ISSUE, UM, THE CITY, OUR DEPARTMENT PREFERS A CENTRALIZED WASTEWATER SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO LAND APPLICATION.
AND THEN I'VE JUST QUICKLY MENTIONED, UM, EARLIER THAT WA A WATER SER HA WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, BUT THEY'RE NOT SEEKING TO REVISE THE WATER SER HERE BECAUSE, UM, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE APPLICANT PLANS TO UTILIZE SERVICE FROM WEST TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC UTILITY AGENCY.
UH, SO THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REVISED WASTEWATER SER BECAUSE A WASTEWATER SER WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN 2020 WITH A SIMILAR INTENSITY.
THIS REVISED SER WILL ADD 50 LU SO THE APPLICANT CAN CAN ADD RETAIL AND RESTAURANT USES TO THEIR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN, AS I JUST MENTIONED, ALTERNATIVE WASTEWATER SYSTEMS SUCH AS OSSF OR LAND APPLICATION ARE NOT PREFERRED DUE TO THE THIN AND ROCKY SOILS ON THE SITE THAT CAN LEAD TO WASTEWATER MIGRATION BELOW THE ROOT ZONE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM AUSTIN WATER SER TEAM HERE AND THE APPLICANT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, UH, LET'S GO AROUND AND SEE IF MAY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, UH, KRUGER, WHY DON'T YOU GO FIRST SINCE RESI TOOK, TOOK THE HOME LAST TIME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, GO FOR IT.
RESI, YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UH, YEAH, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A COMMENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, MY FOLKS ACTUALLY LIVE JUST SOUTHWEST OF HERE, UH, WHERE THE RICH PEOPLE LIVE, RIGHT? UH, SO IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT, UH, THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN SER FOR EXTENSION WITH MORE WIRE BEING PUMPED FOR MORE RETAIL AND MORE RESTAURANTS BECAUSE THIS AREA IS GROWING, UH, VERY QUICKLY.
IT'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AROUND HERE.
UM, I DO KIND OF QUESTION WHEN WILL EVER STOP BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN EXTENSION IN 2020 AND THEN ONE IN IN 2023 AS WELL.
UM, BUT I MEAN, HEY, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE.
UM, SO YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
NICHOLAS, YOU GOT ANYTHING? NOTHING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M CURIOUS, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF ALLEGED STONE TERRACE AS A STREET? DO YOU KNOW? I, I'LL LET THE APPLICANT SPEAK TO THAT IF OKAY.
YEAH, I'M INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH TRAFFIC CAN, CAN IT CARRY OR IS IT SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS, THAT KIND OF THING.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, INTRODUCE YOURSELF WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
EVENING, UH, VETO TRIANO WITH ENDEAVOR.
UH, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IN REVIEWING THIS APPLICATION.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A TWO LANE, UH, RURAL ROADWAY.
SO, UM, WE, AS PART OF THE TIA ANALYSIS, WE WILL BE PROPOSING TO INSTALL A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, UM, AT LEDGE STONE AND TWO 90, AND THERE ISN'T ONE CURRENTLY.
WELL, WILL YOU BE REQUIRED TO DO SIDEWALKS ON LEDGE, LEDGE, STONE? I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT ROADWAY THAT ARE WARRANTED.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS PLANNING TO DO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROADWAY, UM, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT GOING IN.
'CAUSE IT WILL WARRANT, UM, THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC WILL, UH, HIT THE THRESHOLDS THEY NEED TO HIT TO JUSTIFY DOING SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA.
WELL, WITHIN THE CITY YOU HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IN THE TWO MILE ETJ, SO YEAH, I KNOW IN THE CITY, THE DEVELOPER WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE SIDEWALK R RIGHT.
[01:25:01]
THERE WERE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE TIA AND WHERE WE'RE CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS THOSE.UM, AND I KNOW, I, I BELIEVE THE PLAN IS THAT WE'RE GONNA INSTALL THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL OURSELVES.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UM, I, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EXCEPT FOR, UM, I, I QUESTION, UM, THE, UH, THE NAME OF THE PARK, UH, WHICH IS MOCCASIN PARK.
I WANNA TAKE KIDS DOWN TO MOCCASIN PARK.
SO
UM, YEAH, WE WERE LOOKING FOR A NAME INSPIRATION AND I LOOKED AT THE CREEK AND IT'S, IT'S DEVIL'S PENN CREEK, SO I
SO MAYBE DEVIL'S MOCCASIN, MAYBE.
YEAH, JUST REALLY MAKE SURE NOBODY GOES THERE.
UM, BUT NAME IT, NAME IT THAT WAY.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I KNOW IT'S KIND OF INTERWOVEN, BUT WE CAN'T REALLY, WE CAN'T MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE THE COMMENT THAT IF THIS SERVICE EXTENSION ADDITIONAL UNITS ARE FOR RETAIL OR FOR RESTAURANT, THERE'S PEOPLE ALREADY THERE.
SO IT MIGHT REDUCE THE TRIPS, UM, KIND OF IN THE AREA OF, OF ANYBODY WHO'S LIVING IN THAT MULTIFAMILY.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR BOTH OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND BY ME, BY BERG.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, MA'AM? WE DO.
UM, MARCH 6TH, 2024 LEDGE, STONE REVISED WATERSHED, UH, SORRY, WASTEWATER SERVICE EXTENSION, UH, REQUEST NUMBER 4 6 2 2 R.
AND UM, THIS IS LOCATED AT 9 2 0 9 LEDGE ZONE TERRACE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND THIS WAS IN THE AUSTIN TWO MILE, UH, ETJ.
I'M NOT ACTUALLY READING THE RIGHT ONE.
UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS, UM, REQUESTING A WATER SERVICE EXTENSION WITHIN THE AUSTIN TWO MILE EXTRA ETJ, WE'LL CALL IT THE ETJ.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE SLAUGHTER CREEK WATERSHED, BARTON SPRING ZONE, EDWARDS AQUIFER CONTRIBUTING ZONE AND DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE WATER SERVICE EXTENSION, THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE WSE REQUEST.
MY ONLY COMMENT IS THAT THOSE WERE BOTH WASTEWATER, UH, SERVICE EXTENSION REQUESTS.
ANY DISCUSSION? DO WE WANNA SAY STATE THE RATIONALE THAT IT'S BETTER THAN THE ONSITE WATER, UH, TREATMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE? THE RATIONALE FOR SUPPORTING IT? UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FINE.
SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, UH, CAN WE JUST POINT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, CAN WE DO THAT WITH AN SER OR IS THAT YEAH.
JUST A WHEREAS STATEMENT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? SO, RIGHT.
SO STATE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW CONDITIONS, BUT I THINK IT'S FINE TO EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE.
SO SIMPLY TO SAY THAT IT'S PREFERRED OVER THE ONSITE, UH, WATER TREATMENT AND, UM, THE, UH, WHAT WAS THE OTHER RATIONALE? OH, UM, THE THIN SOIL LAYER.
ANY OPPOSITION TO THAT ADDITION? SEEING NONE THAT MAKES IT ON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS WRITTEN AND UPDATED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[5. Northwest Area Lift Station Improvements Great Hills Lift Station No.53 (SP-2022-0537C)]
MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THE NORTHWEST AREA LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENTS, UH, PROJECT AT GREAT HILLS LIFT STATION NUMBER 53 SP 2022 DASH 5 37 C.UM, I THINK WE GOT CITY STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BRAD JACKSON WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'LL WAIT FOR THE PRESENTATION TO GET LOADED.
[01:30:01]
THIS IS GONNA BE THE NORTHWEST AREA LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENTS.GREAT HILLS LIFT STATION NUMBER 53.
IT'S, UH, LOCATED IN 9,009 AND A HALF.
SO IT'S LOCATED, LOCATED IN THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION, DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
IT'S NOT LOCATED OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
IT WAS WITHIN THE VERIFICATION ZONE, BUT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
UM, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 30,000 SQUARE FOOT LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION ON A 1.9 ACRE LOT.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT PHOTO THERE, THAT OUTLINES THE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THE LIFT STATION PROJECT.
UH, PORTIONS OF THAT ARE WITHIN A WASTEWATER EASEMENT.
SOME OF IT IS WITHIN THE, UH, PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL LOTS, WHICH WILL REQUIRE CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS AND THE LIFT STATION RUNS DOWN THAT BORDER BETWEEN THE TWO LOTS, THE DRIVEWAY TO ACCESS IT, AND IT IS BEHIND THE HOUSES ON A PRETTY STEEP, UH, STEEP SLOPES BACK THERE BEHIND THEM.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BRING THE LIFT STATION UP TO CURRENT CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARDS AND CONVERT THE EXISTING DRY PIT WET WELL DUPLEX LIFT STATION TO A SINGLE SUBMERSED ADDRESSING ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS FOR MAINTENANCE VEHICLES IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY REPAIR.
AND THE NEW LIFT STATION WILL NOT BE IN THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
THE EXISTING LIFT STATION WAS BUILT IN 1985 AND IS NEARLY 40 YEARS OLD, UM, REACHING THE END OF ITS EXPECTED LIFESPAN WITHOUT RISKING WASTEWATER OVERFLOWS INTO THE ADJACENT CREEK.
SO THE NEW LIFT STATION WILL BE CONSTRUCTED TO CURRENT CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARDS WITH BETTER TECHNOLOGY AND SAFEGUARDS FROM OVERFLOW EVENTS, WHICH WILL BE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR TO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AT THE SITE.
HERE'S THE VARIANCE REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
FIRST VARIANCE TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE FOR THE LIFT STATION PER 25 8 2 61 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SECOND VARIANCE TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING ON A SLOPE WITH A GRADIENT OF MORE THAN 25% PER LDC 25 8, 3 0 2 A ONE.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS TO ALLOW FILL UP TO 14 FEET FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A LIST STATION EXCEEDING THE FOREFOOT LIMITATION PER LAND OF ELEMENT CODE 25 8 3 42.
THIS IS THE MAP OF THE, UH, AREA WHERE THE LIST STATION IS.
YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING LIST STATION THERE HIGHLIGHTED THE GRAYED OUT AREAS IS THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
THE, UH, AREA UP AT THE TOP OF THE PHOTO IS THE WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
SO THE, THE LOT IS, UM, CURRENTLY HALF CRITICAL HALF WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.
THE LIST STATION ITSELF IS LOCATED IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AS YOU CAN SEE ON THAT MAP.
AND THE RED LINE YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM IS THE FLOODPLAIN.
SO IT'S JUST BARELY OUTSIDE THE FLOODPLAIN.
UH, AND WHAT DEVELOPABLE AREA IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE NOT IN THE FLOODPLAIN ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING LIFT STATION.
SO THIS IS JUST, UH, IMAGES OF THE EXISTING LIFT STATION TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY OUT THERE.
IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET, TWO 10 FOOT DIAMETER WET WELLS AND THEY'RE 30 FEET DEEP EACH.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME PROFILES OF THEM IF YOU CAN SEE.
THIS IS THE STRUCTURAL SITE PLAN FOR THE NEW LIFT STATION PROPOSED.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S GONNA BE PROPOSED NEXT TO THE EXISTING LIFT STATION.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T TAKE THE EXISTING ONE OUT OF SERVICE UNTIL YOU GET THE NEW ONE BUILT.
AND THAT RED HIGHLIGHTED BUILDING IS THE LOCATION OF THE 12 FOOT BY 20 FOOT BUILDING ON SLOPES FOR THE, UM, THE UTILITIES AND THINGS THAT NEED TO BE HOUSED FROM THE WEATHER AND, AND, YOU KNOW, KEPT OPERATIONAL INSIDE OF AN ENCLOSED BUILDING.
SO THAT'S THE BUILDING ON SLOPES PORTION OF THE VARIANCE REQUEST TONIGHT.
SO THIS SLIDE WILL SHOW YOU THAT THE LIST STATIONS LOCATED ON THE AREAS OF PRETTY STEEP SLOPES THERE, 35% EXCEEDING 35% IN GRADE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE DARKER SHADES.
THERE ARE THE, UH, 35% IN GRADE AREA OF SLOPES AND THE MAJORITY OF THE LIFT STATION'S GONNA BE IN THAT AREA THAT WHICH NE NECESSITATES
[01:35:01]
THAT 14 FEET OF FILL.AND, UM, IT'S REQUIRED TO FILL THAT MUCH BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BRING THE GROUND LEVEL UP TO THE EXISTING DRIVE AND ACCESS THAT'S OUT THERE CURRENTLY FOR MAINTENANCE VEHICLES AND ACCESS TO THE LIFT STATION.
AS YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION WITH THE PHOTOS, THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DROP OFF THERE THAT, UH, WOULD REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, WORKERS AND AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO CLAMOR DOWN A 10 20 FOOT KIND OF DROP OFF TO GET TO THE LIFT STATION TO DO WORK AS THE CURRENT LIFT STATIONS PROPOSE.
SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO BRING UP THE GROUND ELEVATION TO MEET THE DRIVEWAY FOR SAFETY CONCERNS AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW LIFT STATION.
SO THIS IS THE GRADING EXHIBIT SHOWING THAT GRADING TO BRING IT UP TO THE GRADE WITH THE EXISTING DRIVE AND, UH, ACCESS TO THE LIFT STATION.
SO THE MAJORITY OF IT THERE AT THE VERY BOTTOM POINTS WHERE IT REACHES ABOUT 12 TO 14 FEET.
UM, THE REST OF IT'S AROUND EIGHT TO 12 FEET IN, UH, DEPTH OF FILL AND THE AREA AROUND IT WILL BE, UH, SUPPORTED WITH A RETAINING WALL.
SO THIS IS THE, UM, PROFILES OF THE PROPOSED LIFT STATION, WHICH WILL HAVE JUST THE SINGLE WET WELL CONSTRUCTION THAT'LL BE 58 FEET DEEP AND I THINK IT'S 12 FEET IN DIAMETER.
YEAH, 12 FOOT AND BY 58 FEET DEEP.
SO HERE WE ARE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF.
UH, WE FIND THAT THE FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET ON THIS ONE, AND THAT WE RECOMMEND SUPPORTING IT WITH THE CONDITION OF PROVIDING THE STRUCTURAL CONTAINMENT OF FILL WITH A RETAINING WALL.
UM, I THINK THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR THE BEST KIND OF CONTAINMENT OF THE FILL AND, AND STRUCTURAL, YOU KNOW, CONTROL OF THAT AREA, OF THAT STEEP SLOPE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CREEK NEARBY AND, AND SO CLOSE TO THE FLOODPLAIN.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE EXISTING LIFT STATION AND THE SLOPES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO THAT'S THE EXISTING LIFT STATION THERE AS VIEWED FROM THE TOP OF THE DRIVE AISLE WITH THE, THERE'S STAIRS THAT YOU CAN'T SEE IN THE PHOTO THAT LEAD DOWN TO THE LIFT STATION THAT YOU HAVE TO WALK DOWN TO ACCESS IT.
SO THAT IS A VIEW FROM, UM, DOWN AT THE SURFACE LEVEL WITH THE EXISTING LIFT STATION FROM APPROXIMATELY WHERE THE NEW ONE WILL BE BUILT.
AND THIS IS A VIEW DOWN THAT SLOPE, UH, FROM THE DRIVE AISLE.
AND TO THE LEFT OF THAT PHOTO IS WHERE THE NEW LIFT STATION WILL BE PLACED.
SO IT'S ALREADY A, YOU KNOW, THE, THE 68 FOOT DEPTH OF DR, UM, YOU KNOW, DIGGING TO BUILD THE NEW ONE.
THERE'S ABOUT 14 FEET THAT WON'T HAVE TO BE DUG OUT BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE COVERED WITH FILL TO BRING IT UP TO THE LEVEL WITH WHERE THAT PHOTO IS TAKEN FROM.
NEXT SLIDE, THAT'S A LOCATION WHERE THE NEW LIFT STATION WILL BE.
UH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, A LITTLE BIT OF A ROCK OUTCROP.
IT'S NOT A CEF OR ANY KIND OF A RIM ROCK OR ANYTHING, BUT IT'S JUST AN AREA OF, OF KIND OF CUT SLOPES THERE FOR ACCESS TO THE EXISTING LIFT STATION.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE NEW LIFT STATION IS PROPOSED TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER VIEW OF WHERE THE NEW LIFT STATION WILL BE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THAT CHAIN LINK FENCE, UH, FILLING IN WHERE THAT KIND OF, JUST IN FRONT OF WHERE THAT CLIFF WALL IS.
AND THAT'S JUST A PHOTO OF THE, UH, LITTLE TRIBUTARY THERE THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE LIFT STATION.
THAT'S ABOUT 30, 40 FEET AWAY.
AND THAT'S A PHOTO OF THE DRIVE AISLE, UH, FOR ACCESSING THE LIFT STATION AND THE LIFT STATION'S THERE BEHIND THE, THE BRUSH.
AND THAT'S, UM, ALL I HAVE FOR YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW.
OTHERWISE WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM AND GIVE SOME MORE CLARIFICATION.
UM, LET'S GO AROUND, UH, WE'LL START WITH YOU GUYS.
RESI, WHY DON'T YOU GO FIRST IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHERE I'M ASSUMING THE APPLICANT DOESN'T HAVE A PRESENTATION, IS THAT CORRECT? I HAVE A FEW PHOTOS, YEAH.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, JUST STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE, TO THE PODIUM PLEASE.
[01:40:01]
NAME IS CHRIS AL.I AM A SENIOR ENGINEER AND PROJECT MANAGER FOR KRES AND ASSOCIATES HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, THIS EVENING.
UM, THE PRESENTATION I, I PUT TOGETHER IS, IS VERY FEW WORDS.
I I WANTED TO TRY TO GET THE, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS TO, TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU WERE AT THE STATION.
SO MR. JACKSON PROVIDED GREAT PHOTOS AND A BACKGROUND.
UM, SO, UH, THE FIRST SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THIS IS JUST TRYING TO, AGAIN, GIVING YOU OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE.
UM, THE TOP OF THE SCREEN THERE, TOP RIGHT IS THE, IS IS 180 3 AND THEN ON THE, THE OTHER YELLOW, UH, IS 2022 COMING DOWN.
SO WE'RE BEHIND THE ARBORETUM AND I KIND OF CIRCLED THE AREA OF GREAT HILLS SUBDIVISION THAT WE'RE LOCATED IN.
SO ONE OF THE VARIANCES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO APPLY FOR IS THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
THE LOCATION OF THE LIFT STATION BEING BUILT IN A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
AND I'M TRYING TO EMPHASIZE IN THIS EXHIBIT IS THAT THERE IS NO OTHER LOCATION TO MOVE THIS LIFT STATION THAT WILL PUT IT OUT OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, ALL THE AREAS AROUND AND DOWN THAT STREET AND IN THAT AREA, UM, TO SERVE THOSE RESIDENCES IS WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UM, ON THIS SLIDE I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT THAT LONG SKINNY DRIVEWAY, UM, FROM SPICE BUS DRIVE DOWN TO THE LIFT STATION, IT IS A SHARED ACCESS BETWEEN TWO RESIDENCES.
SO THEY BOTH HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR GARAGES, AND IF YOU KEEP GOING DOWN THE ACCESS YOU GET, UH, DOWN TO THE LIFT STATION.
UM, SO THIS, AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A TIGHT AREA.
SO I'M TRYING TO EMPHASIZE JUST, UM, THE SITE CONSTRAINTS.
SO THIS IS, IF YOU'RE ON SPICE BRUSH, THIS IS THE DRIVE GOING DOWN TO THE LIFT STATION.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE IF YOU GO FURTHER DOWN THE DRIVE, YOU CAN SEE ONTO THE LEFT IS THE RIGHT IS WHERE THE, THE RESIDENCES, GARAGES ARE.
SO THIS IS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT DRIVEWAY.
UM, AGAIN, EMPHASIZE HERE IS JUST THE STEEP SLOPE GOING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE, UH, BACKYARD AND THE HOUSES.
IF YOU, IF YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT, UH, THERE IS A, A SPORT COURT ON ONE SIDE, AND IF YOU TURN TO THE LEFT IS WHERE YOU GET TO, UM, THE GREAT HILLS LIFT STATION.
UH, THE, UH, THERE'S A GENERATOR ON SITE THAT'S BEEN PARKED THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON A TRAILER, BUT IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH PERMANENT ON SITE RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF YOU WALK UP TO THE LIFT STATION, NEXT SLIDE IS FINE.
UM, THIS IS LOOKING DOWN AT THE SITE AGAIN.
UH, I DID PUT A PICTURE HERE OF THE STAIRS.
VERY STEEP, UM, VERY OLD AND AGING, AGAIN, PICTURES OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE OVER FOUR YEARS OLD, DETERIORATING IN POOR CONDITION, UM, OUTDATED PAST ITS USEFUL LIFE.
UM, ANOTHER PICTURE, UH, JUST SHOWING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TIME OF THE YEAR, BUT THE OVERGROWTH, THE AMOUNT OF BRUSH, THE MAINTENANCE IS, IS, IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE, BUT IT'S, AGAIN, THE SITE IS HARD TO ACCESS.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNT OF OVERGROWTH AND BRUSH, UH, IN THE AREA.
SO I TOOK THIS PICTURE, UM, RIGHT AFTER, UH, AN EMERGENCY, UM, REPAIR WAS NEEDED AT THE SITE.
SO, UH, AUSTIN WATER HAD TO DO EMERGENCY REPAIRS AT THE LIFT STATION.
THEY COULDN'T ACCESS THE SITE FROM THE STAIRS AND FROM THE TOP PART.
SO THEY HAD TO BUILD THEIR OWN ACCESS.
THEY HAD TO DO SOME CLEARING, THEY HAD TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, A DRIVE DOWN TO THE SITE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE CURRENT LIFT STATION, IT'S LOCATION, YOU KNOW, INACCESSIBLE NOT SAFE TO GET TO.
UM, AND FOR THESE EMERGENCY REPAIRS, THEY HAD TO DO ALL THESE PREVENT, YOU KNOW, UH, I GUESS CLEARING AND, YOU KNOW, BUILDING AND ACCESS GRAVEL ROAD DOWN TO THE SITE JUST TO GET DOWN TO THE LIFT STATION.
SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE EXCAVATIONS THEY HAD TO DO AT THE SITE, UM, RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE BULL CREEK TRIBUTARY, UM, TO GET DOWN TO FIX THOSE, UH, THAT FAILING VALVE.
AND THEN I ALSO TOOK THIS PICTURE, THIS IS A, A MANHOLE THAT'S IS APPROXIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THEY, IT TOOK US HALF THE DAY TO LOCATE.
UM, BUT IT WAS LOCATED, AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS ABOUT FOUR FEET UNDERGROUND, RIGHT? SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THESE, UH, MANHOLES AND, AND MAKE THESE LINES MORE ACCESSIBLE, YOU KNOW, BRINGING 'EM UP TO GRADE.
UM, AND THAT'S THE WHOLE PART OF THE, OF, OF THE,
[01:45:01]
OF THE LIFT STATION OF THE PROJECT IS WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THE LIFT STATION UP TO GRADE UP TO THAT DRIVEWAY, UM, TO MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, MAINTENANCE AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE.AND, UH, WE ARE PROVIDING KIND OF AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, UH, FENCING AROUND THE LIFT STATION.
UM, WE'VE CONTACTED SOME LOCAL, UH, FENCE COMPANIES TO TRY TO PROVIDE THAT BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT BEHIND THE RESIDENCES.
AND IN OUR, UH, IN OUR ABILITY TO, TO GET THE WASTEWATER EASEMENT FROM THOSE RESIDENCES, THEY DID ASK, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA SEE A, YOU KNOW, A CHAIN LINK FENCE WITH, YOU KNOW, BARBED WIRE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BETTER.
AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY EMERGENCY REPAIRS DONE THIS SITE OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S AGING, IT'S PAST IT TO LIFE.
IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
UM, I KNOW IT'S ON THE TOP PRIORITY FOR AUSTIN WATER TO GET THIS, UH, LIFT STATION CONSTRUCTED.
UM, ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE, UH, THE APPLICANT OR, UM, CITY STAFF? UH, RESI, YOU'RE UP.
UH, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR BOTH OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
THE CONTEXT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, ONCE THE NEW LIFT STATION IS IN PLACE, WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, REMEDIATION OR RESTORATION EFFORTS THERE WILL BE TO, YOU KNOW, HELP RESTORE THE LANDSCAPE THAT'S BEEN DISTURBED IN THE PROCESS? US, SO RIGHT NOW THERE, THERE'S A, THERE IS A PLAN TO REMOVE, UM, A HANDFUL OF SMALLER TREES.
THERE'S SOME, UH, A LOT OF CEDAR TREES AND SOME MULBERRY TREES.
UH, WE ARE PLANNING TO DO A, UH, A REMEDIATION TO, TO PAY FOR THE INCHES OF TREES REMOVED.
UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE AREA THAT WE'RE CLEARING IS GONNA BE THE NEW LIFT STATION, RIGHT? SO IT'S GONNA HAVE A, UH, A GRAVEL WITH SOME, SOME ROCKS AND STUFF.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING ANY PLANTINGS ANYWHERE NEAR THE SITE.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT CLEAR FOR ACCESS PURPOSES.
UM, BUT WE DON'T WANT THE STAFF HAVING TO GO OUT THERE AND MAINTAIN IT AND HAVING TO TRIM BUSHES OR TRIM TREES AND REPLANTING ANYTHING.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST ACCOMMODATING IT BY PAYING FOR THE INCHES IN REMOVAL.
WHAT'S THE ULTIMATE SURFACE AREA GOING TO BE OF THE NEW SITE? SO, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS ON THE NEW IN FRONT OF ME.
I, I DO KNOW THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE TOTAL IMPERVIOUS OF THE PROJECT PROPOSED IS APPROXIMATELY 20%, UH, BASED ON THE ZONING, IT'S, UH, SF TWO I BELIEVE, AND THE, THE IMPERVIOUS ALLOWED IS A 45%.
SO WE'RE WELL BELOW THAT, UM, THAT THRESHOLD.
UM, WE ARE INCREASING THE, YOU KNOW, THE AREA PAVED FROM, YOU KNOW, 18% TO 20%.
SO IT'S A VERY MINIMAL INCREASE, UM, FROM WHAT'S OUT THERE CURRENTLY.
UM, AND I HEAR YOU IN, IN HAVING THESE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING OUT THERE TO, TO WORK ON, UM, THE STATION, AND THAT IS OF COURSE IMPORTANT.
I'M CURIOUS, UM, IN THE PHOTOS THAT YOU SHOWED WHERE THERE WAS, UM, THAT EMERGENCY CLEAR CUTTING THAT HA HAD TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT, IF ANYTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO HELP RESTORE THAT AREA AS WELL? OR IS THAT, THAT NOW LIKE A, A THOROUGHFARE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, USED REGULARLY OR WHAT'S THE STATE OF THAT AREA? SO THAT WAS JUST AN ACCESS ROAD THAT AUSTIN WATER HAD TO BUILD THEMSELVES TO GET DOWN TO THE SITE TO DO THE REPAIRS.
UM, THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET ANY EQUIPMENT FROM THE TOP OF THE DRIVE, YOU KNOW, TO WHERE THE CURRENT, YOU KNOW, ACCESS GATE IS TO THE SITE.
SO THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD TO GET DOWN THERE AND AND DO.
IT'S NOT USED AT ALL RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, IT'S JUST AN ABANDONED KIND OF TREK RIGHT NOW DOWN TO THE SITE.
UM, SO, UH, IT HASN'T BEEN RESTORED.
IT'S THE SAME AS IT WAS WHEN I FIRST WENT OUT THERE.
UM, BUT THAT, THE WHOLE POINT OF THAT IS TO, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL BE USED DURING CONSTRUCTION OBVIOUSLY, BUT IN THE FUTURE THAT WON'T BE AN ACCESS, THAT WON'T BE A DRIVE, YOU KNOW, THE LIFT STATION'S GONNA BE BROUGHT UP TO GRADE.
SO, UH, OUR INTENT IS OBVIOUSLY WE, WE WANNA TRY TO BUILD UP THAT AREA SO WE HAVE A RETAINING WALL ON THE BACKSIDE, UM, OF THE LIFT STATION, UH, OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.
UM, SO THAT, UH, THAT ACCESS WON'T BE USED IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, I THINK, I'M JUST TRYING TO
[01:50:01]
THINK THROUGH WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THERE CAN BE.UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SMALL SURFACE AREA, BUT TO, TO MITIGATE OR OFFSET ANY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AS MINOR AS THEY MAY BE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS SENSITIVE AREA WITH PLANTING TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO PLANT NATIVES IN THE SURROUNDING AREA? UM, AND IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL, BRAD JACKSON DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UM, I WILL POINT OUT THIS WHOLE AREA WILL BE REQUIRE 6 0 9 S RE-SEEDING WITH THE NATIVE SEATING.
SO WE WILL HAVE A MIXTURE OF THE HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT SEATING FOR 6 0 9 S DOWN CLOSER TO THE CREEK FOR THE RESTORATION.
AND THEN MORE OF THE KIND OF SUN DAPPLED, NOT SO MUCH HIGH MOISTURE SEATING MIX FOR THE AREAS THAT YOU SAW IN THOSE PHOTOS THAT WERE DISTURBED WHEN THEY DID THE EMERGENCY REPAIR.
SO THAT WHOLE AREA WILL BE RESEEDED AND GROWN UP WITH KIND OF WILD, TALL BUNCH GRASSES AND STUFF.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE LIKE A REGULAR ACCESS ROUTE.
IT WON'T HAVE TREES PER SE THAT COULD BLOCK VEHICLES THAT THEY NEEDED TO, FOR SOME REASON GET DOWN THERE BEHIND THE WALL FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE WORK.
BUT IT WILL BE RESTORED WITH NATIVE VEGETATION SIMILAR TO THE REST OF THE TRIBUTARY UP AND DOWN THE CRITICAL, WHICH IS OUR STANDARD REQUIREMENT FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT DONE IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
IT'S JUST FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, THERE COULD BE PROBLEMS WITH TRYING TO PLANT TREES DOWN THERE FOR BLOCKING ACCESS IN THE EASEMENT.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, UM, THE ABILITY TO KIND OF MAINTAIN THEM.
'CAUSE THEY'RE TECHNICALLY IN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD, NOT REALLY ON CITY PROPERTY, SO WE CAN'T REALLY PLANT TREES IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS AND REQUIRE THEM TO REMAIN.
SO THAT'S BEEN THE COMPLICATIONS WITH THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY IS THAT IT IS, IT IS BEING DONE IN AN EASEMENT ON SOMEONE'S PERSONAL SINGLE FAMILY HOME PROPERTY.
SO IT'S COMPLICATED OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS, BUT THE 6 0 9 S RECEDING IS A STANDARD TO BRING IT ALL BACK TO NATURAL LOOKING, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY RIPARIAN ZONE, AND THAT IS GONNA BE PART OF THE PROJECT.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN ALSO I KNOW THAT THERE'S THAT, THAT CREEK DOWN THERE.
DO YOU ALL DO ANY KIND OF WATER QUALITY MONITORING DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THE PROCESS? SO THE CURRENT TIMELINE, UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THESE COMMISSIONS AND GET THESE VARIANCES APPROVED, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT'S GONNA TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS AND IT HAS TO GO TO BIDDING FOR I'M, I'M GUESSING, UH, TO FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.
SO, UM, I THINK THEY WANNA START, YOU KNOW, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE OBVIOUSLY, BUT PROBABLY CONSTRUCTION AFTER BIDDING AND AWARD, UM, PROBABLY NOTICE TO PROCEED WOULDN'T BE UNTIL, UH, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER LOOKING RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND JUST BASED ON, UH, WHAT I'VE GATHERED FROM, UH, OTHER CONTRACTORS THAT I'VE, THAT HAVE BEEN TO THE SITE, UM, LOOKING AT THE SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION, CURRENTLY WE SHOW APPROXIMATELY TWO AND A HALF YEARS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT IS A LONG DURATION, THE SITE IS RESTRICTED, UM, SO IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO DO THE WORK, UM, IF, IF IT WAS JUST IN AN OPEN FIELD FOR INSTANCE.
UM, AS FAR AS WATER QUALITY, UH, I DON'T KNOW, I, I, I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT YET.
AND, AND WE WERE TRYING TO PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY CONTROLS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS, UM, ON OUR SHEETS AND OUR DRAWINGS TO SHOW THAT LIKE A DOUBLE MULCH SOCK AND SILT FENCING AND EVERYTHING TO PREVENT ANYTHING GOING INTO THE CREEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFICATIONS NOW FOR ANY TESTING OF WATER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT I GUESS THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALWAYS LOOK INTO AND, AND GET BACK TO THE CONTRACTOR AND HAVE THEM PROVIDE THAT DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, IT IS RIGHT, LIKE I, WE SHOWED BEFORE, IT IS RIGHT AGAINST THAT FLOODPLAIN.
SO OBVIOUSLY MAINTAINING THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL, YOU KNOW, FEATURES IS GONNA BE CRITICAL DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO PREVENT ANY KIND OF SPILLS OR ANYTHING BACK TO THAT CREEK.
YEAH, IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
YOU GOT ANYTHING SOLOMAN? YEAH.
SO WHERE DO YOU GET THE FILL? HAVEN'T GOT THAT FAR YET.
UM, WE'RE JUST, I MEAN, FOR ANY SIMILAR PROJECT LIKE THIS, I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE A CIVIL ENGINEERING COMPANY.
DO YOU GET IT, UM, FROM NEARBY OR IS IT FROM EAST FROM, IS IT
[01:55:01]
BLACKLAND PRAIRIE OR WHAT IS IT? NO, IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE SOMEWHERE LOCAL.IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANYWHERE FAR.
I MEAN, BUT LITERALLY IT'S A STRUCTURAL FIELD TO BRING UP THE SITE.
WE'RE, IT'S NOTHING, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE SIZE AND THE, THE UH, UH, COBBLES AND THAT SORT OF THING, IT HAS TO BE CERTAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, SIB ANALYSIS AND, AND, AND STRUCTURAL FIELD, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
BUT I DON'T HAVE A CERTAIN PLANT I'M GOING TO RIGHT NOW.
I HAVEN'T LOOKED THAT FAR YET IN THE DESIGN.
AND ANOTHER POINT TOO ALONG THE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING THE CREEK MM-HMM.
UM, I, I DID ASK, UM, BRAD ABOUT BRAD JACKSON ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WALL, UM, WOULD BUILDING THE, WOULD YOU BUILD THE WALL FIRST BECAUSE THAT MIGHT PREVENT SOME, UH, DEBRIS FROM GETTING INTO THE CREEK.
UM, OUR SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION, THAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENS.
OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO DO THE CLEARING, BUT RIGHT.
UM, THE WAY I HAVE THE SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION WRITTEN NOW, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH WITH OUR DESELECTED CONTRACTOR TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ON BOARD WITH THE SAME, THEY THINK THIS IS THE CORRECT WAY TO DO IT, RIGHT MEANS AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE, THE, THE WALL BEING ONE OF THE FIRST ITEMS TO BE BUILT, AND THE WAY I FORESEE IT NOW IS, IS KIND OF NOT A FULL CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING LIFT STATION.
SO IT'S GONNA BE KIND OF A PARTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALL AND A TEMPORARY WALL WHERE WE CAN BUILD UP THE SITE, UM, WHILST KEEPING THE LIFT STATION ONLINE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE THE ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS REDUCE THE TIME OF THE BYPASS OF THE STATION WHEN IT'S TAKEN OFFLINE.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN UP TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE DE DECOMMISSIONED, BYPASSING NEEDS TO BE TURNED ON IN CONSTRUCTION OF THE REST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE LIFT STATION.
SO, UM, THE WAY I HAD THE SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION, THAT WALL IS THE FIR ONE OF THE FIRST ITEMS TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, IS THE OLD EQUIPMENT GONNA BE REMOVED FROM THE OLD LIFT STATION? YES.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS, SOMEONE MENTIONED THERE WAS SOME EMERGENCY REPAIRS DONE RECENTLY.
WHEN WAS THAT? IT'S A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WAS THE MOST LATEST ONE.
I HAVE 'EM ON, ON RECORD, PARDON ME, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS.
GOOGLE EARTH SHOWED ABOUT 2021.
KIND OF GRADING, BUT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING AFTER THAT IN 2022 AS WELL.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S 35% GRADE BACK THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF RUNOFF FROM SPICE BRUSH DOWN THAT DRIVEWAY.
ARE YOU DOING ANY, ARE YOU CONSTRUCTING ANYTHING TO KEEP RUNOFF FROM COMING FROM PRICE BRUSH GOING INTO THE, UH, TRIBUTARY TO BULL CREEK? UH, DURING CONSTRUCTION OR WHAT? NO, AT ALL, AT ALL.
SO THE WAY THE DRIVEWAY IS CONSTRUCTED NOW AND THE WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE PLAN TO REPAIR THE DRIVEWAY AFTER CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE I FORESEE POTENTIAL, UM, DAMAGE DURING CONSTRUCTION, THE DRIVEWAY, BUT THERE'S NO PREVENTATIVE GATES OR FLOOD GATES TRYING TO PREVENT, I MEAN, IT'S, THERE IS INLETS ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW, FOR THE RUNOFF ON THE STREET LEVEL.
UM, BUT I GUESS ONCE IT GETS ON THE DRIVEWAY, UM, IT COMES TOWARDS THE SITE.
UM, THE RESIDENT THERE AT THAT HOUSE.
HE SAID THAT, UH, SOMEONE FROM THE CITY, AND THAT'S A REALLY SUITABLY VAGUE TERM, UH, SAID THERE'S GONNA BE NATURAL GAS LINES PUT DOWN THERE.
SO YES, THAT'S ONE OF THE, UM, REQUIREMENTS THE CITY WANTED TO 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S A, IT'S A DIESEL GENERATOR ON SITE AND WE KNEW THAT DURING, UH, ERY, THE, THE SNOW STORM ICE STORM WE HAD, UM, THEY HAD TROUBLE GETTING DOWN TO THE SITE BECAUSE OF THE, THE ICE ON THE, ON THE SLOPES.
SO WE CONTACTED TEXAS GAS, UM, AND WE FOUND WHERE THE NEAREST, UH, MAIN LINE IS UP ON YON, IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER MILE AWAY, UM, THE CITY AND, UH, WENT INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH TRYING TO GET A MAIN LINE TO COME DOWN SPICE BRUSH DRIVE FROM THAT MAIN LINE ON Y POND.
THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TEXAS GAS IS GONNA INSTALL A LINE AND THEN A SERVICE LINE IS GONNA COME DOWN TO THE SITE.
AND WE'RE INSTALLING A NATURAL GAS GENERATOR, NOT A DIESEL GAS GENERATOR.
IT'S A PERMANENT NATURAL GAS GENERATOR.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, SOME DON'T HAVE TO GO UP DIRECT FIELD GAS.
SO, WELL THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS THAT, UM,
[02:00:01]
RIGHT NOW, AS YOU INDICATED, THERE'S NO NATURAL GAS SERVICE TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.IT ALL STARTS, UH, PAST THE, UH, LCRA, UH, POWER LINES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE ON Y POND DRIVE A LITTLE BIT PAST THERE.
SO I THINK SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE, THEY, THEY, YOU HAVE GAS, RIGHT? UH, AND THEN THAT, THAT'S THE LINE WE'RE TAPPING INTO IT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA BRING THAT DOWN Y POND DRIVE, THEN HOOK A LEFT HAND TURN AND RUN IT DOWN SPICE BRUSH DOWN THERE.
SO ARE YOU, DOES THAT MEAN THAT TECHNICALLY ALL THE HOUSES ALONG PRICE BRUSH WILL HAVE ACCESS TO NATURAL GAS HOOKUPS? SO, AS OF THE WAY WE SEE IT, AND THE WAY I BELIEVE THE CONTRACT IS WITH THE CITY IS RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, TEXAS GAS IS BRINGING THAT LINE ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE STREET TO THE TOP OF THE STREET, AND THEN THEY'RE PUTTING THE SERVICE LINE DOWN TO THE SITE.
THERE'S NO, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS WITH, THIS IS A TEXAS GAS PROJECT.
THEY'RE THE ONES BE DOING THE INSTRUC CONSTRUCTION ON THAT.
I'M SURE THERE'S AN INCENTIVE, OBVIOUSLY RIGHT, FOR THEM TO BRING THAT LINE DOWN THERE AND TO PUT THOSE RESIDENCES ON NATURAL GAS.
UM, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PROJECT TO ADD NATURAL GAS TO THOSE HOUSES AT THIS TIME.
BECAUSE THE, THE RESIDENCE SAID THAT, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVE, WHOEVER THIS WAS, CAME BY AND SAID THAT UH, THERE WAS GONNA BE A GAS LINE LAID AND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD HOOK, HOOK UP THERE FOR A FEE, WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
SO I'M JUST, YEAH, I'M, I'M GUESSING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING NEGOTIATED WITH TEXAS GAS.
I DON'T, WE'RE NOT PUTTING LINES OR WE'RE NOT TAPPING ALL THOSE HOUSES OR ANYTHING WITH NATURAL GAS.
THE ONLY TAP WE HAVE IS FOR THE LIFT STATION.
YOU GOT ANYTHING? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE FENCING, UM, THAT'S THERE NOW.
UM, HOW WILL THAT BE IMPROVED? YOU SAID THAT, THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY LIKE IT THE WAY THAT IT IS, BUT HOW WOULD THAT BE IMPROVED? SO, CURRENTLY THE STANDARDS HAVE, FOR LIFT STATION, IT'S, IT'S JUST A CHAIN LINK FENCE WITH THREE STRANDS, BARBED WIRE.
AND THESE ARE VERY NICE HOUSES.
THEY'RE EXPENSIVE HOUSES AND THE SLIP STATION IS, IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO 'EM.
SO WHEN WE WERE NEGOTIATING WITH THE EASEMENTS, 'CAUSE WE HAD TO GET A WASTEWATER EASEMENT ON THAT PROPERTY TO BUILD THIS LIFT STATION, UM, ONE OF THE RESIDENTS BROUGHT THAT UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, I DON'T WANNA SEE THIS SOAR, YOU KNOW, EYESORE RIGHT IN MY BACKYARD, BUT I'M IN MY POOL.
SO, UM, WE WENT BACK, TALKED TO THE CITY, TALKED TO THE SPONSOR, AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND JUST SO HAPPENED AT THE TIME THAT, UM, THERE WAS A VENDOR THAT CAME IN TO HAVE A SECURITY FENCING, UM, AT THE COMPANY.
IT'S CALLED CLEARVIEW, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND CLEARVIEW PROVIDED, UH, AN INSTALLATION OR THEY, THEY BROUGHT SAMPLES, BUT BASICALLY THEY'RE, THEY, THEY DO A LOT OF INSTALLATIONS AT AIRPORTS AND IT'S SPORTING ARENAS, SO IT IS PRETTY LARGE, UM, VENUES.
UH, BUT THEY WANT TO TRY TO GET INTO, YOU KNOW, THE CITY TO DO MORE WORK.
AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A LOT SMALLER THAN AN AIRPORT OR, BUT IT, IT IS THE PROTECTIVE FENCING.
UM, SO WE ARE SPECIFYING THIS CERTAIN TYPE OF FENCE AT THE SITE, WHICH IS, IT'S JUST A MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING SITE.
UM, THE FENCING, YOU KNOW, IT PREVENTS ANYBODY FROM CLIMBING, OF COURSE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF THE SITE HAS A SHIELDING ON IT AS WELL THAT KIND OF HIDES ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND HIDES, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING INSIDE THE LIFT STATION SITE.
SO IT'S JUST A MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING FENCING THAT WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE.
TRY TO GET RID OF THE BARBED WIRE, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, SO YOU ARE, UM, IN THE HEART OF GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER HABITAT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE A CONDITION, UM, TO REALLY MINIMIZE CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN MARCH AND JULY MM-HMM.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE, UM, THE WAY THE CODE'S WRITTEN FOR THE GOLDEN CHIEF WARBLER IS THE, UH, THERE'S NO CLEARING BETWEEN, I BELIEVE MARCH TO AUGUST MM-HMM.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T, WE AREN'T PERMITTED TO REMOVE ANY, UH, ANY TREES OR VEGETATION DURING THAT TIME.
UM, I GUESS TIMING OF THE PROJECT ALSO, YOU KNOW, LEADS US THE, THE TIMEFRAME MIGHT SET FORTH BEFORE IT KIND OF LEADS US TO THAT AUGUST, SEPTEMBER WHEN WE'RE OUT OF THAT TIMEFRAME.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET STARTED, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, ONCE THAT DURATION'S, YOU KNOW, COMPLETED.
[02:05:01]
UM, ALSO, UH, WILL THERE BE ANY LIGHTING ON SITE? I BELIEVE THERE'S A SMALL LIGHT AT THE ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURE THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY WITH THE BUILDING PERMIT.UM, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A LIGHT THAT'S GONNA BE ON 24 7.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING IF, IF CAN BE ACCESSED TO TURN ON IF ANY, ANY, YOU KNOW, NIGHT REPAIRS OR, SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE ON EVERY SINGLE NIGHT? NO, NO MA'AM.
UM, AND THEN, AND LET'S SEE HERE.
UH, YOU MENTIONED REMOVING, UM, SOME ASH, JUNIPER AND MULBERRY TREES.
SO, UM, WILL THOSE BE ANY KINDA MITIGATION, UH, AROUND THAT? SO AS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, RIGHT NOW WE, WE JUST HAVE THE REMOVAL INCHES, UH, FEE BEING PAID.
UM, THERE'S, I MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S RIGHT WHERE WE NEED TO PUT THE NEW LIFT STATION.
AND, UM, FOR THE MOST PART THEY'RE SMALLER TREES, UH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED.
UM, AND THEN, UM, YOU, UH, MENTION MENTIONED THAT THE EASEMENT, UM, YOU, THAT YOU CAN'T ASK THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, TO, UH, MAINTAIN ANYTHING WITH ON THE EASEMENT.
UM, BUT ISN'T THE CITY ACTUALLY THE OWNER OF THE EASEMENT? TECHNICALLY? AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
UM, SO
FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE AN EASEMENT ON OUR PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COULD DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED THERE.
I'D HAVE TO CHECK ON IT WITH EASEMENT RIGHTS, BUT I ONLY UNDERSTOOD EASEMENTS TO BE, THEY WERE GRANTED TO WHAT WAS NEEDED FOR THE EASEMENT, WHICH IN THIS CASE WOULD BE THE WASTEWATER LIFT STATION.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GO, UH, EVEN, UH, LIKE MORE INTO THAT AND IT REQUIRE TREES AS AN ADDITION TO WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THE EASEMENT LANGUAGE WORKS.
THAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED AN OVERREACH OF OUR EASEMENT.
BUT AS I'VE UNDERSTOOD IT, THE EASEMENT JUST GRANTS US THE ACCESS TO DO THE WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS TO IT.
BUT TECHNICALLY IT'S STILL OWNED BY THE, THE LANDOWNER, THE PROPERTY, BUT WE JUST HAVE THE RIGHTS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS WITHIN THE EASEMENT.
YEAH, I, I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY CHECK ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I THINK THAT IS ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS TOO.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THE NATURAL GAS LINE 'CAUSE SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT THE KIND OF TRAILER GENERATOR THAT'S THERE.
NOW, DO YOU KNOW IF THAT, IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY REPORTED LEAKS OF DIESEL FROM THAT? NO, SIR.
AND DO YOU KNOW IF IT'S GOT CONTAINMENT AROUND IT? DOES THE, DOES THE GENERATOR ITSELF HAVE PRIMARY OR SECONDARY CONTAINMENT? YES.
IT IS CONTAINED, UH, ON THE, ON THE TRAILER.
AND THAT, I GUESS THAT CONTAINMENTS AT LEAST TWICE THE VOLUME OF WHATEVER THE DIESEL IT HOLDS.
UM, UH, TO KIND OF DOVETAIL ON, UH, ON JENNIFER'S COMMENTS, DOES THIS, THIS IS PROBABLY, MIGHT, MIGHT BE AN AUSTIN WATER QUESTION, BUT, UM, FOR THE AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, PRESUMABLY WE'RE GONNA RESTORE WITH 6 0 9 S SPECIES THAT, THAT YOU MAY NEED TO GET INTO AND OUT OF PRESUMABLY 38 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THIS ONE STARTS TO HIT ITS SHELF LIFE AS WELL, IS THERE A MO OR A MAINTENANCE PLAN THAT THE CITY HOLDS FOR THOSE AREAS FOR LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOT, UH, EITHER A NO MO AREA OR JUST TAKING OUT WOODY VEG THAT'S GROWING IN TO WHERE IT CAN GROW UP AND NOT JUST GET MOWED EVERY SIX WEEKS? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN ASK OR REQUIRE THE LANDOWNER TO DO, BUT DOES THE CITY, DOES AUSTIN WATER HAVE A POLICY FOR THOSE AREAS? UM, IN ITS KIND OF MANAGEMENT OF THE LANDS? SO I DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN, UM, AUSTIN WATER, UH, PERSONNEL OUT AT LIFT STATIONS DOING MAINTENANCE WITH WEED EATERS AND, AND MOWING.
UM, BUT THE WAY I FORESEE THIS LIFT STATION IS THE SEATING IS GONNA BE BEHIND THE LIFT STATION, AND WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THAT TO GROW AS MUCH AS IT CAN.
I MEAN, OR AS MUCH AS IT WILL.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT MOWING BEHIND THE
[02:10:01]
LIFT STATION.IT'S, I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES IT'S OVERGROWN NOW.
UM, I THINK AFTER CONSTRUCTION, AFTER THE SEATING, UH, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE CREEK AS WELL.
SO I DON'T FORESEE ANY NEEDING TO MAINTAIN THE AREA BEHIND THE LIFT STATION.
UM, THE WHOLE POINT IS TO GET IT UP AND OUT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T, THERE THERE'LL BE NO GRASS OR SEATING, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF THE LIFT STATION TO MAINTAIN IT.
YEAH, I MEAN I, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND, AND AS I KIND OF NOTED WHEN WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, I WAS KIND OF CLICKING THROUGH GOOGLE EARTH, JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT MM-HMM.
LOOKS LIKE THEY KIND OF MADE A, A TURNAROUND BELOW THE SPORTS COURT, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
UM, IF, IF THAT AREA, I, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT THAT COULD BE DESIGNED TO WHERE IF THERE'S RESTORATION IN AREAS AND THERE ARE KIND OF NOMO ZONES THAT THE CITY COULD SET UP AT LEAST FOR THEIR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S AREAS THAT COULD BE KIND OF ALLOWED TO, TO NOT BE MOWED, THAT WOULD BE PREFERRED.
UM, PRESUMING THAT THEY WILL NEED ACCESS DOWN THERE, BUT HOPEFULLY INFREQUENTLY.
I MEAN, O OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE ACCESSED, UM, YOU KNOW, FREQUENTLY DURING CONSTRUCTION, UM, BUT AFTER THE SEATING, UM, YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME IT'D BE MINIMAL EXCESS, UH, BUT TO PREFERABLY BE OVERGROWN OR NOT MOW YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY IF THERE'S WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A TRUCK WIDTH THAT NEEDS TO BE AS IT IS MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN WE, UH, WE HAD ANOTHER PROJECT KIND OF IN THIS, IN THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED COME BEFORE US LAST YEAR AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
AND I CAN'T EXACTLY REMEMBER THE LANGUAGE THAT I PUT IN A RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE OR MAYBE WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION STAFF TO REVIEW THE PERMANENT AND, AND, UH, TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT STORMWATER CONTROLS FROM A SALAMANDER PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE, WE'RE IN THE WILL CREEK WATERSHED, SO MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S PRETTY BUTTONED UP TIGHT WOULD BE GOOD.
WE, WE, WE DID HAVE, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS DONE AND RECOMMENDATIONS WRITTEN UP, UM, LIKE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, YEAH, IT'S A JOLLYVILLE, IT'S A JOLLYVILLE SALAMANDER, I BELIEVE IT IS.
WHAT'S UP? OH, PERRY, I'M SORRY.
UM, I WAS, UH, CURIOUS IF THERE'S A ESTIMATION OF HOW LONG THE PROJECT IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE FOR CONSTRUCTION UHHUH
UM, AND ALSO I WAS CURIOUS IF ANY OF THE OLD LIFT STATION PARTS WOULD BE RECYCLED AT ALL IN IT, OR IS THERE, OR IS IT WHEN YOU DECOMMISSION IT, IT'S LIKE GET RID OF IT ALL? SO IT IS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT IS, IT'S PAST, ITS USEFUL LIFE.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT CAN BE REUSED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH STRONG BELIEF THAT'S GONNA LAST ANY LONGER.
UH, SO AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, THE PUMPS, THE VALVES, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE TAKEN OUT.
CABINETS, THE ELECTRICAL, UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, A DECOMMISSIONING AND, UH, WHERE WE'RE GONNA FILL IT UP THE EXISTING WET WELLS, UH, UM, ON SITE.
SO THOSE WILL ALL BE BURIED UNDERGROUND.
THE ACTUAL WELLS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FILLED AND, AND DECOMMISSIONED.
BUT THE ACTUAL MECHANICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE CABINETS, ELECTRICAL VALVES, UM, THERE'S NO, UH, FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN, THERE'S NO REALLY USE TRYING TO GET THAT TO WORK ANYMORE.
ANY FINAL QUESTIONS FOR THESE GUYS BEFORE WE LET 'EM GO? ALL RIGHT, LIZ, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING
UM, UH, I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING
[02:15:02]
CRUSH YOU.DO WE HAVE A MOTION, MA'AM? MM-HMM.
UH, MARCH 6TH, 2024 NORTHWEST AREA LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENT GREAT HILLS LIFT STATION NUMBER 53 SP DASH 2022 DASH 0 5 3 7 C.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THAT THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CWQZ FOR A LIFT STATION PER LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 2 61.
AND A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE IS REQUESTED TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING, UM, ON A SLOPE WITH A GRADIENT OF MORE THAN 25% PER LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 3 0 2 A ONE.
AND A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE IS REQUESTED TO ALLOW FILL UP TO 14 FEET FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A LIFT STATION EXCEEDING THE FOREFOOT LIMIT LIMITATIONS PER LDC TWO FIVE DASH EIGHT DASH 3 42.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
AND THE STAFF CONDITION IS PROVIDE STRUCTURAL CONTAINMENT OF THE FILL WITH A RETAINING WALL.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE THREE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES WITH THE FOLLOWING.
UM, WITH OUR FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND NUMBER ONE, LIMIT CONSTRUCTION AND REMOVAL OF TREES FROM MARCH TO AUGUST TO MINIMIZE IMPACT TO ENDANGERED, UH, GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS.
UM, TWO, THIS IS THIS THREE, OR YOU GOT LIKE SEVERAL NUMBERS HERE, JUST WHATEVER THE NEXT NUMBER IS.
UM, APPLICANT SOLICIT AND INCORPORATE STORM WATERSHED PROTECTIONS.
THE APPLICANT WILL SOLICIT AND INCORPORATE WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION, JOLLYVILLE PLATEAU SALAMANDER EXPERT REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT STORM WATER DESIGN.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THOSE CONDITIONS OR OTHERWISE? YEAH, I DO.
UM, SEVERAL OF US SORT OF ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT MITIGATION MEASURES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEEDING, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE DOING.
BUT SHOULD WE PUT IN WRITING SOME OF THESE SPECIFIC ASKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REPLANTING, UM, NATIVE TREES WHERE POSSIBLE, OR THE PLACEMENT THAT YOU BROUGHT UP COMMISSIONER BERG IN TERMS OF THAT TURNAROUND AREA? I THINK I'D FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE PUTTING SOME OF OUR SUGGESTIONS IN WRITING ABOUT THAT.
UM, I MEAN, I CAN, I CAN DREAM SOMETHING UP.
UM, I THINK, I THINK FROM YOUR CONCERN IT WAS MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE RESTORING THAT AND, AND, UH, I THINK STAFF, YOU KNOW, GAVE SOME RE GAVE SOME FEEDBACK OR RESPONSE TO THAT, THAT 6 0 9 S WOULD BE USED BECAUSE IT'S IN THE CRITICAL.
SO WE COULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE, UM, THE, UH, AFTER CONSTRUCTION, THE DISTURBED AREAS FROM BOTH THIS CONSTRUCTION AND PREVIOUS EMERGENCY REPAIRS ARE RESTORED USING 6 0 9 S SPECIES.
UM, AND THAT THOSE AREAS ARE MAINTAINED AND MOWED TO THE LIMIT, TO THE MINIMAL EXTENT PRACTICAL TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO THE LIFT STATIONS BY AUSTIN WATER STAFF.
UM, ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS GUYS? DEBORAH? I HAVE A COMMENT.
AND IT'S NOT INTENDED TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, TO CHANGE THE, THE
[02:20:01]
MOTION, BUT, UM, MY COMMENT HAS TO DO WITH THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.UH, I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.
I THINK IT'S A BIT DISINGENUOUS TO NOT HAVE INCLUDED THAT IN THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, A GREAT SECTION OF Y POND DRIVE IS GONNA BE TORN UP IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THIS.
PLUS A GREAT ABOUT HALF THE SPICE BRUSH DRIVE ALSO, THIS IS NATURAL GAS, AND I BELIEVE SOMEWHERE I READ IN THE CITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE TO NET ZERO ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON CARBON EMISSIONS.
AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WAS GOING TO FIT INTO ALL OF THAT FROM A BROAD PERSPECTIVE.
AND BY NOT PRESENTING THIS, IT PREVENTED US FROM ASKING ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE ALLOWED US TO EXPLORE THIS TOPIC A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFECTIVELY.
AND THE ONLY REASON I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WAS I HAPPENED TO SPEAK TO THE HOMEOWNER WHO TOLD ME THAT ALL OF HIS NEIGHBORS HAD BEEN OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT UP WITH NATURAL GAS, WHICH WAS, I, AS I INDICATED, WAS RATHER AMAZING SINCE IT'S MAYBE QUARTER MILE, HALF MILE TO THE NEAREST GAS PIPELINE.
AND SO I THINK YOUR PRESENTATION WAS INCOMPLETE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS READ WITH, UM, THE ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS.
I SEE ALL BUT ONE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.
WE GOT ONE ABSTENTION WITH BRAMMER.
[6. Update from the Urban Forestry Committee on the next committee meeting date and time – Richard Brimer (Committee Chair)]
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE UPDATES? ANYONE? I DO.I THINK, I THINK BRIER DOES TOO.
WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? BROER, WHY DON'T YOU GO FIRST? YOU GO, THERE YOU GO.
UH, THE, UM, URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE IS HAVING A MEETING ON THE 28TH, I BELIEVE IN THE MORNING.
AND ACCORDING TO ELIZABETH, WE HAVE A QUORUM.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO CONFIRM OUR ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE, COLLIN, WILL BE EITHER ABLE TO TURN, ATTEND VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON.
UH, BUT IN ANY EVENT, WE'VE GOT A, UH, AGENDA THAT, UH, ELIZABETH IS GONNA CIRCULATE AROUND AT SOME POINT.
[8. Update from the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Citizen’s Advisory Committee on Golden Cheek Warblers– Jennifer Bristol]
YEAH.SO, UH, THE BO COUNTY CANYON LANDS, UH, CONSERVATION PLAN, CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY PROBABLY NEED A LONGER TITLE.
UM, THE, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT AS OF YESTERDAY, UM, THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS HAVE BEEN CITED.
UM, SO THE MALES COME FIRST AND THEY ARE HERE.
UM, THEY HAVEN'T QUITE STARTED SINGING YET, BUT SHOULD START HEARING 'EM PRETTY SOON.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE, UH, A GOOD YEAR.
UM, OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UM, ON MAY 10TH, UH, AT CITY HALL.
AND I WAS JUST CHECKING THE TIME ON THAT.
UM, AT 1:00 PM AND JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU KNOW, THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, IT DOESN'T JUST COVER THE GOLDEN SHEIK WARBLERS.
THERE ARE SIX OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES, UM, THAT ARE WITHIN THAT.
AND, UM, AND THOSE PROPERTIES ARE, UH, WELL OVER 30,000 ACRES, UM, NOW OF LAND TO HELP PROTECT THOSE AS WELL AS OUR WATER.
SO IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMETHING UNIQUE TO ONLY US.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION IF THAT'S PERMITTED? YEAH, I'LL, I'LL ALLOW.
NO, I I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU'RE FIRED.
I NEVER WANNA SEE YOU IN THAT CHAIR AGAIN.
UM, GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER, AND I THOUGHT OF THIS ONLY BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT THIS UP IN CONNECTION WITH THE, UH, LIFT STATION.
[02:25:01]
TIME IN WHICH WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO CLEAR LAND BECAUSE THEY DO THEIR THING.IS THAT PERIOD OF TIME ADJUSTING BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE? 'CAUSE I SUSPECT THEY DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IT'S TIME TO DO THIS, BUT NOW IF IT'S WARMING, IS IT GONNA START, THEY'RE GONNA START DOING THEIR THING EARLIER.
THAT'S AND WILL WE NEED TO ADJUST STUFF TO ACCOMMODATE THAT IN THE FUTURE? IT'S JUST A QUESTION.
YEAH, NO, IT'S AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT QUESTION.
UM, AND ONE THAT, UH, EVERYBODY'S KEEPING VERY CLOSE EYE ON OF, OF, SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S ALL THIS DATA THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW OF AS OF YESTERDAY OF WHO'S SEEING THE BIRDS AND WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE CHECKING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME, UM, WHERE THEY'RE SHOWING UP, WHAT, WHAT PARTS OF THE, UM, PRESERVE THEY'RE SHOWING UP AT.
UM, THERE'S ALSO PRESERVES UP IN BELL COUNTY, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE COUNTIES, UM, AROUND THAT.
THEY'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT.
AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE DATA POINTS TO SEE IF, IF THE WARBLERS ARE SHOWING UP EARLIER, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HOW THAT RELATES.
ARE THEY LEAVING EARLIER? UM, WHICH IS ALSO SOMETHING, UM, THAT COULD HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, UM, THAT, THAT GO INTO THAT.
UM, CERTAINLY AS WE'RE IN, UH, A DROUGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IMPACTS, UH, THE SPECIES AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, LACK OF INSECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE INSECTS, IF THE INSECTS ARE INCREASING AND HEADING OUT EARLIER, UM, DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND, AND WARMING TEMPERATURES, THEN THAT, THAT ALSO IMPACTS THE BIRDS AS WELL.
SO ALL OF THAT PLAYS IN, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
AND, UM, MAYBE AFTER THE MAY 10TH, UH, MEETING, I CAN GIVE Y'ALL A, A LITTLE BIT EVEN MORE IN DEPTH, UM, KIND OF FEEDBACK ON THAT.
BUT IT IS BIRDING SEASON, SO I'M THINKING ABOUT IT A LOT RIGHT NOW.
[9. Update from the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board on the status of the Combining District & Density Bonus Program – David Sullivan]
OTHER UPDATES? YEAH.SO ONE, ONE THING I'LL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC NOW, AND IT SHOWS IN OUR AGENDA ABOUT THE COMMITTEE UPDATES, WHICH IS A COOL THING.
WE CAN'T JUST SAY UPDATE ON THE ALCON'S PLAN.
IT HAS TO BE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THE WARBLERS.
SO ANYWAY, UH, WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UM, THE, UM, DRAFT, UH, UH, COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS NOW UP ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
UH, IT'S UNDER SPEAK UP AUSTIN.
UH, THEY'RE ASKING CITIZENS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEIR IMPRESSIONS OF IT.
AND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT APRIL TO FINALIZE THE, UH, FINAL COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
SO IT'S OUT FOR LIKE PUBLIC COMMENT OR? YEAH, PEOPLE.
AUSTIN'S THE BEST WAY TO FIND IT AND COMMENT.
AND I DID, I DID HAVE ELIZABETH'S, UH, SEND AROUND, UM, SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS IT THAT I ASKED YOU TO SEND AROUND OR THAT YOU DID SEND AROUND, UH, ELIZABETH.
OH, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CODE UPDATES.
SO THERE WAS A SECTION IN THAT CODE UPDATES ABOUT, UH, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
SO, AND IF I MAY ADD, THEY WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, AT THE NEXT, UH, MEETING ON MARCH 20 MM-HMM.
ANY FUTURE AGENDA OR YOU'VE GOT A COMMITTEE?
[7. Update from the Joint Sustainability Committee on the Green Streets Initiative, Impact Report for Parking, and Budget Recommendations– Haris Qureshi ]
WHAT DO YOU HAVE? PARIS ALSO HAS A COMMITTEE THING.JUST, I'M JUST BOXING YOU OUT OVER HERE.
SO AT THE JSC, UM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY.
WE PASSED, UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL JUST READ THROUGH THEM EXTREMELY BRIEFLY.
THEY RECOMMENDED, UH, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, PROJECT MANAGER BE ADDED TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY THAT THEY ADD, UH, OUTREACH, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS, UM, THAT THEY HIRE SORT SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING CONTRACTOR AND DATABASES TO, UH, SORT OF, YOU KNOW, SPEED UP THE PROCESS INCENTIVES AND EDUCATION FOR PRO CLIMATE PROHEALTH FOODS, UH, LOW CARBON CONCRETE THAT, THAT BE INCENTIVIZED.
UM, AND THAT THEY DO LIKE, SORT OF LIKE A PILOT TEST STUDY, UM, TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DECARBONIZED CONCRETE AND HOW THAT COMPARES.
UM, SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR.
UH, SO ANOTHER FTE, UM, A PASSIVE AND EMBODIED CARBON REDUCTION HOUSE PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE A, A PASSIVE HOUSE PROGRAM THAT BASICALLY TRIES TO REDUCE EMBODIED CARBON AND BUILDING MATERIALS.
UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLES NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 300 K THAT THEY ASKED FOR, FOR BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, SORT OF AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW TO INCREASE, UH, EV ADOPTION,
[02:30:01]
UH, ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ALL DEMOGRAPHICS, ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON THE EASTERN CRESCENT, UH, HEAT RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, FIGURING OUT HOW TO, UH, CONVERT IMPERVIOUS COVER FUNCTIONAL GREEN, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT, UH, CITY PARKING LOTS.UH, NO MO SIGNAGE FOR, UH, CITY LAND, UH, WILDLIFE AREAS, UM, CARBON NEUTRAL PUBLIC LANDS.
UH, I FEEL LIKE I WAS JUST LEADING UP READING OFF A LAUNDRY LIST, SO PLEASE EXCUSE ME.
I AM ALSO THE LAST PERSON GOING.
AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SORT OF A, A BIG CLIMATE BILL THAT, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER HAS PUT UP, UH, SOMEHOW THE JSC IS AND OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS TASKED FOR THIS.
UM, SO BASICALLY IT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN THAT WILL PROVIDE FUNDING, UH, FOR A LOT OF SORT OF VERY AMBITIOUS PLANS.
UM, THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT WAS CIRCULATED THAT HAS A FORM THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN FILL OUT.
UM, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO SPAM THIS FORM.
I'M SURE COMMISSIONER BRIER IS ALREADY NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
UM, SO THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:00 PM ON MARCH 27TH, THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO GET INPUT.
UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IN PERSON, BUT YOU CAN ALSO FILL OUT THE FORM.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.
SO HOPEFULLY COMMISSIONER BRIER CAN BE, UH, THE ALTERNATE FOR ME.
UM, AND YEAH, IT SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY AMBITIOUS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY GREAT IDEAS ON, YOU KNOW, SORT OF UPCOMING PROJECTS OR PLANS THAT THE CITY CAN, CAN DO, UH, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CHIME IN.
BUT WHY DON'T WE PUT THIS, WHY DON'T WE PUT THE JSC RECOMMENDATION ON OUR NEXT AGENDA TO SUPPORT, UH, I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THAT.
I THINK PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT THEY, UH, ASKED FOR, UH, MADE SENSE TO ME.
BUT WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, AND THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE JSE TO COUNSEL FOR FUTURE FOR THE BUDGET OR YEAH, FOR THE FUTURE BUDGET.
'CAUSE IT INCLUDES FTES AND PROGRAMS. WELL, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS FROM
WHEN IS THAT AND WHAT IS THAT? YEAH, THERE IS A SPECIAL CALL BUDGET MEETING.
THAT IS ONLY FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE GOING TO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, I BELIEVE.
RIGHT? THAT'S ON MARCH 28TH OR THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING'S ON THE 27TH.
AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT MEETING ON THE 28TH IS WHICH MEETING? THAT THE, THAT ONE WOULD BE THE SPECIAL CALL FOR THE BUDGET.
BUT THAT IS NOT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS COULD GO ON A MORE, A DIFFERENT AGENDA BASICALLY.
I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER REIA A QUESTION.
ARE YOU NOT GONNA BE AT THAT JSC MEETING? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YEAH, I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN.
SO COMMISSIONER BRIER, YOU ARE THE ALTERNATE, UH, AND FATE WILL HAVE IT.
YOU ARE EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
AND THAT'S ON THE 27TH, RIGHT? YES, IT'S IN THE DOCUMENTATION THAT, UH, WAS FORWARDED AND ALSO, UH, CCU IN THE, UH, JSC.
AND, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WORKING GROUP MEETING TOMORROW, I THINK AT 9:00 AM IF, UH, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE COMMISSION IS AVAILABLE BECAUSE, UH, EVERYBODY'S POINT OF VIEW FACT, IT WILL BE VERY WELL WELCOMED AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT TO DO IN THIS NEWFOUND POSITION OF IMPORTANCE.
WHERE'S THE, UH, 9:00 AM MEETING? UH, ONLINE.
UH, IF YOU CAN EMAIL ME A LINK OR SOMETHING.
UM, COMMISSIONER QURESHI, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SENDING THE LIST OF THOSE UPDATES TO ELIZABETH TO SEND OUT? 'CAUSE I HAD SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND CURIOSITIES THAT I DON'T NEED TO AIR OUT NOW.
BUT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST COPY PASTING, SENDING THAT MY WAY, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
YEAH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, THE ENTIRE LIST, LIKE YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT PASSIVE HOUSING, THERE WAS LIKE A LOT OF COOL THINGS THAT YOU WERE LISTING OFF PRETTY QUICKLY, SO, UM, I'D LOVE TO TAKE SOME MORE TIME TO READ UP ON IT.
RIGHT, BUT WAIT, I THOUGHT IT WAS SENT OUT, RIGHT? SO IT WAS SENT OUT ON WELL, BUT EVERYBODY'S INBOX GETS FLOODED.
SO ANYWAY, ELIZABETH DID SEND IT OUT EITHER YESTERDAY OR TODAY.
YEAH, I SENT IT A COUPLE DAYS AGO, BUT I CAN RESEND IT TO SO IT POPS UP TO THE TOP.
[02:35:01]
DO WE HAVE A MEETING ON MARCH 20TH THAT ON MARCH 20TH WE VOTE ON TO RECOMMEND THE JSCS BUDGET PROPOSAL BECAUSE IT'S AN EXCELLENT ENVIRONMENTAL GREATNESS TICKET.AND, BUT THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING LATER FOR THE WATERSHED THAT'S AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
WELL, I MEAN, I
THE, THE QUESTION I MAY HAVE FOR STAFF, AND WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE THIS DECISION NOW, BUT I WOULD SAY YOU GUYS SHOULD GET WITH THE OFFICERS AND SEE WHAT THE MEETING ON THE 20TH, WHAT'S ESSENTIAL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE DURING THAT TIME AND TRY TO ROLL THIS IN FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BUT, UH, WHEN, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TIMING AFTER THE 20TH FOR WHEN, YOU KNOW, USUALLY STUFF COMES BEFORE US AND THEN IT GOES ON AFTER US, AND NEITHER WE GET A WORD IN OR WE DON'T MM-HMM.
BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE END OF, I THINK, OR BY, AT THE END OF MARCH.
SO YEAH, IT'S THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY.
THERE'S, I BELIEVE, TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK.
WELL, I'VE GOT GOOD FAITH IN LEADERSHIP WITHOUT ME HERE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS,
UM, BUT YEAH, UH, I, I I WOULD SAY ELIZABETH AT LEAST SEND THAT BACK OUT TO EVERYBODY AT THE TOP OF THEIR INBOXES SO PEOPLE CAN DIGEST IT AND WE'RE NOT LEARNING OR THO THOSE THAT DIDN'T ATTEND ARE NOT LEARNING ON, ON THE DAIS, BUT THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS POTENTIALLY ASSOCIATED? NOT WITH A SPECIFIC DATE? YES.UM, SO I REACHED OUT TO, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER FER, UM, AND TALKED WITH, UH, ELIZABETH A. LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, HAVING THE CITIES CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE.
UM, COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION AND GET US CAUGHT UP ON ALL OF THEIR WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN, UM, ALL THE DIFFERENT FIELDS OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THEY'RE REALLY GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, TO REACH, YOU KNOW, OUR CLIMATE AGENDA, OUR WATERSHED AGENDA, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN SO MANY OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THEY ARE PUTTING THOSE INTO PRACTICE AND, AND, AND REALLY EXPANDING THAT EVEN BEYOND THE CITY AND, AND REALLY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THAT.
SO, UM, I WANNA SEE, UM, SOMETHING COME FORWARD FOR THEM AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOME TIME AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, AND, BUT WE'LL FIND SOMETHING.
UM, MAYBE IN THE SUMMER, MAY, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
I MAY HAVE TO, I MAY HAVE TO LOG IN AND WATCH THAT ONE.
ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED, UH, OFFICER ELECTIONS HAPPEN IN APRIL.
THERE IS ONLY ONE MEETING IN APRIL.
SO, UM, AND PEOPLE MUST BE PRESENT TO MAKE NOMINATIONS AND TO ACCEPT.
UM, AS COMMISSIONERS SULLIVAN POINTED OUT, COMMITTEES ARE LISTED DIFFERENTLY ON AGENDAS NOW.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY UPDATES, IT HAS TO BE WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY.
CAN'T BE, WE CANNOT HAVE ANY STANDING ITEMS. UM, AND I HAVE TO KNOW
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY COMMITTEE UPDATES, I NEED TO KNOW BY THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE PROBABLY THE NEXT HANDFUL OF MEETINGS, I'LL SEND OUT SOME REMINDER EMAILS AND THEN I WILL STOP.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU BEFORE I STOP
UH, AND THEN YES, BUDGET SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON THURSDAY, UH, THE 28TH, MARCH 28TH.
I GOT YOU SHOULD HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, WE'LL RECEIVE PRESENTATIONS FROM WATERSHED AND DSD 'CAUSE YOU ARE ADVISORY BOARD TO BOTH OF THOSE.
AND THEY REQUESTED, IF YOU DO HAVE ANY SPECIFIC PRIORITIES THAT YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO KNOW THINGS ABOUT, IF YOU COULD SEND THEM TO ME AHEAD OF TIME, THAT JUST MIGHT MAKE THE MEETING GO A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENTLY.
NOT REQUIRED, BUT CAN, THAT WAY THEY CAN DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ANSWERS FOR YOU.
HOW, IF, IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST TIME TO TURN THAT? I MEAN, A WEEK.
A WEEK OR NOT? AT LEAST A WEEK.
YEAH, AT LEAST A WEEK AHEAD WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS.
SO THE ONE MEETING IN APRIL IS THE THIRD? YES.
MR. RAMER, CAN YOU STAY RIGHT THERE AND ELIZABETH'S GONNA COME TAKE A PICTURE.
E HORN WOULD BE A HAPPY WE'RE ADJOURNED.
[02:40:01]
ONE.NOBODY DO WHAT I WOULDN'T DO DURING SOUTH FIVE.