[00:00:06]
[Call to Order]
IS APRIL 4TH, 2024.IT'S 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THIS REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN AUSTIN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET.
THE ORDER FOR THE DAY, I'LL, I'LL QUICKLY RUN THROUGH THE ORDER FOR THE DAY.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HEAR, UH, FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, SPEAKERS, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON.
AND AFTER THAT, WE WILL GO IMMEDIATELY TO A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH BRIEF COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS RELATED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE WILL HAVE, WE WILL THEN HEAR THE NON-CONSENT SPEAKERS, BOTH VIRTUAL AND PERSON MEMBERS, THE, UH, NON-CONSENT ITEMS AT ITEM NUMBER 71.
AND THEN WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS 46 THROUGH 48 AND ITEM 71, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEN CLOSE IT IMMEDIATE, AND TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION.
I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON A NON-CONSENT ITEM OR AT A PUBLIC HEARING, YOU'LL BE CALLED TO SPEAK DURING THE ITEM, THE NON-CONSENT ITEM, OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHATEVER YOU'VE SIGNED UP FOR, UNLESS IT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU AND YOU WANT TO DO IT DURING THE CONSENT TIME.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE TELL THE CITY CLERK SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE AND ORGANIZE THAT.
UM, AS TIME ALLOWS, AS NEAR TO 10 30 AS WE CAN, WE WILL RECESS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE A-H-P-F-C.
UH, WE WILL HAVE THAT MEETING, HEAR ANY HEAR SPEAKERS, IF ANY, UH, CONDUCT BUSINESS VOTE AND ADJOURN THAT MEETING.
AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE HAVE A NOON PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN LIVE MUSIC, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO ZONING ITEMS, WHICH IS ALSO SET FOR A TIME, CERTAIN OF TWO O'CLOCK.
UM, COUPLE THINGS I WANNA POINT OUT AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL, UM, IF NEED BE.
WITH REGARD TO THE RULES OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC COMMENT, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT ONE OF OUR RULES IS THAT YOU CAN'T HOLD UP THINGS IF YOU'RE SEATED IN THE SEATS, SO THAT YOU MIGHT BLOCK THE VIEW OF SOMEONE IF YOU WANT TO HOLD UP A FLAG OR A, A POSTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, WE HAVE SPACE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM FOR THAT.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL ASK YOU NOT TO HOLD THOSE UP.
SO, UM, MEMBERS IN YOUR, I WANNA NOW READ INTO THE RECORD THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 4TH.
ITEM NUMBER ONE, YOU SHOULD DELETE THE WORD APRIL AND A A, UH, REPLACE IT WITH THE WORD MARCH.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT FOR CHANGES ON, UH, IN CORRECTIONS IS ITEM NUMBER 37 MEMBERS THAT RELATES TO BOARD AND COMMISSION NOMINATIONS AND WAIVERS.
YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE LATE BACKUP IN THAT REGARD, AND I DON'T NORMALLY POINT OUT LATE BACKUP, BUT BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH NOMINATIONS AND, AND THE NAME HAS BEEN REMOVED, I JUST WANNA CALL ATTENTION TO THAT ITEM.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA CALL ATTENTION, SO THAT, AND THAT COVERS THE CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS, UH, FOR APRIL 4TH, 2024.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA POINT OUT ARE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPEAKING ON ZONING ITEMS OF ITEM NUMBER 63, IT'S ITEM NUMBER 63.
ITEM NUMBER 63 HAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM.
HOWEVER, ITEM NUMBER 63 IS ON THE AGENDA TO BE POSTPONED.
SO IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK EITHER VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON, YOU'LL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK, BUT ONLY AS TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
AND THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO UNTIL, BECAUSE YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE MERITS AT A LATER POINT IN TIME.
SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 63, AND WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT, THAT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE POSTPONED.
AND I JUST WANNA CALL THAT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION NOW, SO THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE YOUR DECISIONS, UH, FOR AT, AT, AT THE TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, UH, MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
OH, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UM, I JUST WANNA FLAG FOR THE MANAGER THAT WE, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO THE CENTRAL HEALTH BOARD OF MANAGERS AND JUST WANNA FLAG THAT AS AN ITEM THAT, UM, SHOULD GET ADDED TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA.
[Public Comment]
TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THAT YOU, UM, START US WITH OUR SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.[00:05:01]
SPEAKER IS PAUL ROBBINS COUNCIL, UH, THIS IS PAUL ROBBINS.IS THE CHART, IS THE CHART THAT I SENT, UH, DISPLAYED? NO, IT'S NOT.
COUNSEL ITEM FOUR ON YOUR AGENDA STARTS THE PROCESS FOR AN INTERIM ANNUAL RATE INCREASE FOR TEXAS GAS SERVICE.
IF APPROVED, IT WILL BE FOR $32, ABOUT 11% IN JUST ONE YEAR, AND AN INCREASE OF $170, A 58% INCREASE IN JUST FIVE YEARS.
ABOUT HALF OF ALL AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS ALSO HAVE GAS SERVICE.
MULTIPLY THIS RATE INCREASE TIMES THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL GAS CUSTOMERS, AND YOU HAVE A COLLECTIVE INCREASE OF ABOUT $38 MILLION TO AUSTIN GAS CUSTOMERS IN ONLY FIVE YEARS.
IF YOU LAYER ON THE SECURITIZATION CHARGE FOR THIS OUTRAGEOUS, UH, PRICE INCREASE THAT WE PAID DURING WINTER STORM YEAR IN 2021 FOR FUEL, THE INCREASE IS 73%.
HOWEVER, YOU WILL NOT NOTICE THIS CHARGE BECAUSE TEXAS GAS SERVICE HAS HIDDEN IT IN THE FUEL COSTS.
ALSO, YOU'LL FIND THAT AUSTINITES SERVED WITH NATURAL GAS ARE MORE LIKELY TO VOTE THAN HOMES THAT HEAT WITH ELECTRICITY.
TEXAS GAS SERVICE HAS A HISTORY OF HIGH RATES, POORLY RUN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, PUNISHING THE POOR WITH ITS RATE DESIGN, IGNORING A MEANINGFUL CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS.
BUT THIS IS, THERE'S ONE IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THIS.
THE FRANCHISE FOR THE COMPANY THAT IS IT'S LICENSED TO OPERATE IS EXPIRES IN 2026.
NOTHING OBLIGATES AUSTIN TO RENEW IT.
THIS IS A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY.
GET ALL NEEDED REFORMS. BOB HENDRICKS.
I LIVE IN ALLENDALE DISTRICT SEVEN, BUT I AM ALSO HERE TO REPRESENT THE 4,000 SIERRA CLUB MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN AUSTIN.
THE, AS THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WE FULLY SUPPORT ITEM NUMBER 39 ON THE AGENDA.
WE NOTE THAT THE CARBON POLLUTION, PUTTING A BLANKET OF HEAT TRAPPING GAST AROUND THE PLANET HAS LED TO AN INCREASED WARNING, EXCEEDING ONE AND A HALF DEGREES.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE'VE READ THE SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS ON HOW THE OVERHEATING OF THE PLANET IS CAUSING WILDFIRES, HURRICANES, DROUGHT, AND MORE.
ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE, WE MUST MORE AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE TO REDUCE OUR CARBON POLLUTION.
WE KNOW THAT ANY REDUCTION IN ELECTRICITY DEMAND REDUCES CARBON POLLUTION, AND WE SUPPORT, UM, UM, SHOOT.
WE SUPPORT AUSTIN ENERGY'S EXCELLENT DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS TO HELP REDUCE THE POLLUTION.
WE ALSO AGREE THAT THIS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT WE MUST GET OUT OF THE LCRA CONTRACT ON RUNNING OUR PORTION OF THE FA COAL PLANT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE AGREE THAT THE AUSTIN ENERGY DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM CAN REDUCE STRAIN ON THE ELECTRIC GRID BY REDUCING ENERGY DEMANDS DURING PEAK USAGE TIMES, AND LOWER THE OVERALL COST OF ELECTRICITY FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WE AT THE AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB PLAN TO HELP EDUCATE OUR MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC AND URGE MORE OF THEM TO ALSO SIGN UP FOR THE DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM.
WE ALSO HOPE TO WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY IN OTHER WAYS TO HELP OUR TRANSITION TO A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAN ELECTRICITY FUTURE THAT IS ALSO AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK.
UH, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE, UH, GEAL SLAUGHTER LANE, AND I SAY GOOD MORNING ALSO TO MY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, SPEAK ON ITEM 39 AND, UH, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.
OUR CITY HAS AN EXCELLENT DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL, UM, BUILDINGS, AND I APPROVE OF THIS PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE CITY BUILDINGS.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK IS THAT WE ALSO IMPROVE OUR, UM, PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND OUTREACH FOR, UM, DEMAND RESPONSE BY, UM,
[00:10:01]
ORDINARY CITIZENS AND RESIDENCES.UM, THERE WE HAVE A, A DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR, UM, FOR THOSE, BUT IT'S JUST, UH, YOU JUST GET A $25 CREDIT FOR SIGNING UP FOR IT.
UM, BUT I THINK, UM, THERE'S AN UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN TO RESPOND WHEN WE'RE HAVING WEATHER EXTREMES AND TO CUT THEIR POWER, UH, USAGE, UM, BY A FEW DEGREES.
AND, UM, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE, THOSE TIMES OF EXTREME WEATHER ARE WHAT GIVES US OUR, UM, PEAK DEMAND ON ELECTRICITY FOR HEATING OR COOLING.
AND, UM, IF MORE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE, THEY PROBABLY WOULD.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT STRUCTURED SO THAT, UM, PEOPLE COULD HAVE, UM, THE, THE RESULTS OF, UM, RESPONDING TO THE DEMAND RE UM, DEMAND RESPONSE NEEDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CUT A PERSON'S ELECTRICITY BILLS ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH THEY, UH, REDUCE THEIR ENERGY USAGE.
UM, I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT STRUCTURED LIKE THAT AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM AT ALL IF WE CAN CUT OUR ENERGY USE DURING THESE TIMES AND THUS NOT NEED TO BUILD WHOLE NEW GAS PLANTS IN ORDER JUST TO MEET THOSE PEAK TIMES.
WE'LL BE DOING OUR PART TO THANK YOU.
HEY COUNSEL, THIS IS ROBERT BOWLER.
UH, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF ITEM UH, 40, UH, FOR KEEPING VEHICLES OUT OF BIKE LANES.
UM, I SUBMITTED A, UM, A DIGITAL DOCUMENT WITH MY PERSONAL STORY.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE CAR IN THE BIKE LANE, I HAD THE MOST SERIOUS BIKE CRASH I'VE EVER HAD.
I BROKE MY BACK AND WAS IN A BACK BRACE AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR THIS UNIQUE KIND OF HELMET, WOULD'VE HAD MORE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO MY FACE.
THIS WAS ACTUALLY, UH, IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS A PROTECTED BIKE LANE, UM, BUT THE CAR PARKED IN IT JUST PAST IT, AND SO I COULDN'T SEE IT PAST THE LEGALLY PARKED CARS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BIKE LANE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE DIAGRAM FOR MORE INFORMATION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS AND ALSO EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, THIS INITIATIVE IS NOT STRICTLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF CYCLISTS.
THE MORE PEOPLE WE HAVE SAFELY AND COMFORTABLY RIDING IN OUR BIKE LANES IS MORE PEOPLE OFF OF OUR CONGESTED ROADWAYS AND IT ALSO MEANS A BUNCH OF HEALTHIER AUSTINITES, UH, USING THAT WAY TO GET AROUND.
IT'S ALSO, FRANKLY, A LOT MORE FUN IF YOU HAVE NOT TRIED THIS, UM, IN, IN A SAFE AREA.
UH, PLEASE SUPPORT THAT, ESPECIALLY I SEE LISTED IN MY COUNCIL MEMBER CHETO NOT, UH, NOT ON THERE.
SO GIVE THIS TO YOUR VOTE, MA'AM.
COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH SPEAKING ON ITEM 67 SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION A PREVIOUS RESOLUTION THAT MENTIONED THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT RESOLUTION 2 0 2 3 0 8 3 1 DASH 1 3 7, WHICH MAKES REFERENCE TO THE GREEN LINE.
THE COMMUTER RAIL IS NEVER GOING TO NORTHEAST AUSTIN AND IT IS UNFUNDED HAS NEVER BEEN FUNDED.
I WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THESE ARE FALSEHOODS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THIS RESOLUTION.
YOU'RE ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP QUALITY, AFFORDABLE COMMUNITIES IN TARGETED GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
AND YOU MENTIONED THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT.
I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT MANDY DEO SUBMITTED A HUD RESOLUTION OR APPLICATION TO PATHWAYS TO REMOVING OBSTACLES TO HOUSING IN 2023 OCTOBER, AND IT SPECIFIED THAT FEWER THAN 10 AFFORDABLE HOMES WERE BUILT IN DISTRICTS 5, 6, 8, AND 10 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR LOW INCOME AUSTINITES IS CONCENTRATED IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE VIOLATING TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
BLACK PEOPLE IN COLONY PARK AND CRAIG WOOD.
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THE SMART HOUSING POLICY IS OVER 20 YEARS OLD AND THAT'S IN THAT DOCUMENT AS WELL.
AND SO IF YOU WANT TO BE SINCERE, THEN PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'VE HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES SINCE CAP REMAP TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE FOR BLACK PEOPLE.
I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU HAVE SUCH AN AVERSION OF BLACK PEOPLE, BUT THIS IS REALLY JUST A SCREEN TO TRY TO GET THE $5 BILLION OR HALF OF THAT FOR THE LIGHT RAIL.
THE COMMUTER RAIL IS NOT GOING TO NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
IT IS NOT IN THE JUNE 3RD, 2023 REVISED PROJECT CONNECT LIGHT RAIL PLAN.
[00:15:01]
MIND AND TO ALSO REMEMBER DR. KING TODAY IN HIS ASSASSINATION AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968, WHICH THIS ALSO VIOLATES.AND SO IT'S DISINGENUOUS AND TO THE MEMBERS WHO ARE BLACK AND BROWN, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IT IS DISINGENUOUS FOR YOU TO SUPPORT THIS SOLUTION.
THAT'S ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS WE HAVE, MAYOR, SO I'M GONNA MOVE TO IN PERSON.
MAYOR, I HAD SIGNED UP, MAYOR THERE.
WE'RE NOW MOVING TO IN PERSON MR. PENA, AND, AND I SEE YOU
I'M GONNA CALL THREE NAMES IN A ROW.
IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME DOWN AND LINE UP FOR THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE MIC.
ITEM 6 23 35 43, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT COBB AND ALEX STRINGER.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, BILL BUNCH.
LET SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, JUST AS A POINT OF ORDER, ARE YOU STILL LIMITING TWO MINUTES TO ALL CONSENT ITEMS THAT YOU SIGNED UP ON? YES, THAT'S WHAT THAT THE WAY I READ THE RULES.
I WANT TO ALL LODGE AN OBJECTION TO THAT AND SPECIFICALLY DIRECT IT TO YOU.
MAYOR WATSON, UH, MR. RYAN ALTER, MS. VELA, UM, Y'ALL ARE ALL LAWYERS.
YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL DUTY TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR AND YOU CAN ONLY LIMIT TIME ON A PER ITEM BASIS.
ARE YOU SPEAKING? YOU CANNOT ON AN ITEM CANNOT LIMIT ITEM.
YOU CANNOT LIMIT IT TO THE ENTIRE AGENDA.
MR. BUNCH, ARE YOU SPEAKING ON AN ITEM? I AM SIGNED UP FOR FOUR ITEMS AND I WANT, AND WHY DON'T YOU, ON EACH OF THOSE FOUR ITEMS UNDER THE LAW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND IS WHAT IS REQUIRED.
DO I GET MY EIGHT MINUTES? NO, SIR.
I GET TWO MINUTES FOR MY FOUR ITEMS AND YOU'RE DOWN TO 1 0 1.
AND I WILL SEE YOU IN COURT PROMPTLY AND WE WILL HAVE THIS FOOLISHNESS PUT TO AN END 51.
UM, I AM OPPOSED TO FUNDING THE SOUTHWEST PRESSURE ZONE STUDY.
WE SHOULD NOT BE THINKING ABOUT HAVING TO EXPAND OUR WATER PIPES.
WE SHOULD BE DOING THE FACING REALITY OF OUR WATER FUTURE THAT IS NOT GUARANTEED BY A HUNDRED YEAR CONTRACT.
AND WE GOTTA MAKE DO WITH THE WATER WE HAVE.
AND THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA EXPAND PIPES AND BE PUSHING OBSCENE AMOUNTS OF MORE WATER IS ABSURD.
UM, SETTING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UH, DEREGULATION PLAN IS A DIRECT ATTACK ON, UH, LADY BIRD LAKE AND OUR WATER QUALITY AS WELL AS COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING THAT SHOULD NOT BE SET FOR MAY 2ND THAT NEEDS TO GO AWAY.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING BARTON SPRINGS AND OTHER POOLS.
AND, UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 35 TO NAME THE BATHHOUSE OF BARTON SPRINGS.
FOR JOAN MEANS AS SOMEONE WHO SPENT A LOT OF HOURS AT THE FRONT GATE OF BARTON SPRINGS, I SEE PEOPLE COME IN ALL THE TIME AND I SEE WHAT A GREAT PLACE OF JOY AND COMMUNITY AT BARTON SPRINGS BRINGS SMILES AND LAUGHTER ON EVERYBODY'S FACE.
WHO COMES IN THERE? PEOPLE SAY MERELY HAVE THEY GO IN.
JOAN COULD NOT GO IN THAT POOL.
SHE WAS 17 YEARS OLD THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER OF 1960, AND SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE CLASS PICNIC AT AUSTIN HIGH TO BE HELD AT ZUCKER PARK, GOING TO SWIMMING AFTERWARDS, SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED.
AND THE OTHER BLACK STUDENTS AT AUSTIN HIGH WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO SWIMMING.
SHE SAID, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I'M GONNA PUT UP WITH.
AND SO SHE ORGANIZED SWIM INS.
SHE JUMPED IN WITHOUT PERMISSION, SHE BROKE THE RULES.
LIFEGUARDS LIKE ME BACK THEN HAD TO KICK HER OUT.
AND SHE CAME BACK THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER.
1962 YEARS LATER, THEY DESEGREGATED AN OPENED BARTON SPRINGS POOL FOR EVERYBODY.
[00:20:01]
THIS NOMINATION TO CHANGE THE BATHHOUSE SO THAT WHERE SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GO IN, SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO WALK THROUGH THAT BATHHOUSE IT NOW AFTER YOU VOTE WILL BEAR HER NAME.I THINK THAT'S A FITTING HONOR FOR HER AND FOR ALL, EVERY, ALL THOSE TEENAGERS BACK THEN AND THE TEENAGERS TODAY WHO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S THEY BELIEVE IS WRONG AND WANNA MAKE IT RIGHT.
AFTER ALEX STRINGER IS LING Z AND KELSEY HUGHES, SHE'S CALLED YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
UM, I'M SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ITEM 38 BECAUSE SEX TRAFFICKING, UM, SEX TRAFFICKING, JUST LIKE THE WORD PEDOPHILE, IS A RACIST REPUBLICAN WHITE SUPREMACIST DOG WHISTLE.
OKAY? AND THE LAST THING THAT WE NEED IS RIGHT WING VITRIOL.
HONESTLY, YOU WOULD THINK THAT A MAGA REPUBLICAN WROTE THIS LEGISLATION, AND I'M HONESTLY SURPRISED THAT Y'ALL ARE NOT WEARING YOUR KKK ROBES AND WHITE HOODS ON THE DAIS RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, OUR DEMOCRACY, IT'S ON THE LINE.
AND DONALD TRUMP IS ON THE VERGE OF GETTING REELECTED TO THE OVAL OFFICE, OKAY? AND THE ONLY HOPE OF SAVING OUR DEMOCRACY AND GETTING JOE BIDEN BACK INTO THE WHITE HOUSE IS TO SURGE THE BORDER AND GET AS MANY OF THESE MIGRANTS TO VOTE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE UNITED STATES CITIZENS.
YOU KNOW, LOOK, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE BECOME BRAINWASHED WITH RIGHT WING DISINFORMATION AND THEY ARE NO LONGER A USEFUL VOTING ALLY TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, OKAY? AND THIS IS ALL THAT WE HAVE.
IMMIGRANTS ARE OUR ONLY HOPE TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY FROM FASCISM.
OKAY? AND NOT ONLY THAT, NOBODY IN OUR COUNTRY WANTS TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY AGAINST VLADIMIR PUTIN, AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE CITIZENSHIP TO EVERY SINGLE MIGRANT THAT CROSSES THE BORDER AS LONG AS THEY GO INTO UKRAINE AND FIGHT ALONGSIDE THE AZOV BATTALION.
THEY ALSO NEED TO REPLACE OUR RACIST AND WHITE SUPREMACIST POLICE FORCE.
FURTHERMORE, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF BARTON SPRINGS TO THE HUNTER BIDEN NATURE CENTER IN ORDER TO RID OURSELVES OF THE LEGACY OF WHITE SUPREMACY ENTRENCHED IN OUR CITY.
AND FROM DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, I'M HERE WITH SIERRA CLUB.
I'M HERE TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON ITEM 39 REGARDING DEMAND RESPONSE POLICY.
IT IS GOOD POLICY, UH, INCENTIVIZE GOVERNMENT BUILDING AND A BIG POPULATION ENERGY USERS TO REDUCE THEIR USAGE WHENEVER THEY CAN VOLUNTARILY GIVEN THE FAST POPULATION GROWTH IN OUR CITY AND TEXAS IN GENERAL.
PLUS THE, THE MORE FREQUENT EXTREME WEATHER, LIKE A COLD WINTER STORM, THE SUMMER HEAT WAVES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
OUR POWER GRID IS FACING HIGH AND HIGH PRESSURE TO DELIVER THAT ENERGY AND MUCH HIGHER ENERGY COST TO EVERYBODY.
AND WE HAD THAT, UM, NEAR MISS INCIDENT ALREADY HAPPENING IN WINTER.
YURI, WE DON'T WANT TO RELIVE THAT.
HOWEVER, SUCH A GOLD POLICY SHOULD BE, UM, SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST BIG, UH, UH, CORPORATES, RIGHT? UH, INFLATION HAS COOLED DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, SIGNIFICANTLY PLAY FROM THE PEAK TIME, BUT THE PRICE, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING DOWN.
THE PRICE IS STILL GOING UP JUST SLOWLY THAN BEFORE.
NOW THOSE LOW INCOME COMPANY, UH, LOW INCOME, UH, ALL, ALL ENERGY CUSTOMERS, THEY'RE FACING REAL, REAL HARD, UH, FINANCIAL, UH, PRESSURE.
SO I THINK THIS, UH, GOOD POLICY CAN EXPAND TO THOSE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY THOSE, UH, UM, LIVING, UM, BARELY GETTING BY THOSE LEVELS.
I THINK THEY'RE GET INCENTIVIZED TO REDUCE ENERGY.
KELSEY HUGHES ON 39 AND 40, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL CAMAN AND EDGAR HANDEL.
IF I'VE CALLED YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME ON DOWN, GO RIGHT UP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME.
[00:25:01]
I'M THE PROJECTS AND POLICY MANAGER AT SHELL CREEK CONSERVANCY AND A MEMBER OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 39, WHICH WILL ENROLL CITY BUILDINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE INTO THE AUSTIN ENERGY COMMERCIAL DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IS GONNA BE GREAT FOR OUR CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND THAT OF OUR GRID AS WELL.
UM, BUT MAINLY I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 40, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR GREATER CLARITY REGARDING PARKING AND BIKE LANES, UM, AND INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ENFORCEMENT.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF BICYCLISTS VEHICLES PARKED IN BIKE LANES, PUT CYCLISTS IN HARM'S WAY.
AND LAST YEAR BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, WE HAD A 500% INCREASE IN FATAL INCIDENTS REGARD, UM, OF THOSE PEOPLE ON BIKES.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY REFRESHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE SO WILLING TO JUMP IN AND MAKE SOME GOOD IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SAME MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, THE CITY HAS A GOAL OF INCREASING THE SHARE OF PEOPLE COMMUTING TO WORK FROM 1% TO 5% ACCORDING TO THE A SMP.
UH, AND IF WE WANNA HAVE FIVE TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE CYCLING TO WORK, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL SAFE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE ALREADY DO HAVE.
UM, MUCH OF THIS ITEM COMES FROM RECOMMENDATIONS PUT TOGETHER BY THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
UM, AND I, UM, REALLY HOPE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE FOR US TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO CRAFT GOOD POLICY.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK TO HELP MAKE OSMO TRULY MULTI MULTIMODAL CITY.
UM, GREAT WORK AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
EDGAR HANDEL, MONICA GUZMAN, AND THEN SPENCER SHOEMAKER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF GO VALLEY IN EAST AUSTIN, DISTRICT THREE.
I'M ALSO BOARD VICE PRESIDENT OF AURA, A LOCAL PRO HOUSING PROT TRANSIT GROUP THAT ADVOCATES FOR AN AUSTIN MADE FOR PEOPLE, NOT JUST CARS THROUGH AURA.
I'VE COME TO KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO USE BIKES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND IT'S VERY CLEAR CARS, PARKING AND BIKE LANES IS VERY COMMON IN SERIOUS ISSUE, BUT I'VE ALSO SEEN IT FIRSTHAND.
MY WIFE AND I BIKE OUR SON TO PRESCHOOL, MY WIFE BIKES TO WORK.
WE BIKE ALL AROUND EAST AUSTIN AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT CARS PARKING IN BIKE LANES HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO LEAVE THE RELATIVE SAFETY OF THE BIKE LANE WITH OUR KIDS AND CONTEND WITH CARS THAT ARE OFTEN DRIVING AT DANGEROUS SPEEDS AND DON'T EXPECT BIKES TO BE MERGING INTO THEIR LANE.
I SUPPORT ITEM 40 TO PROTECT OUR BIKE LANES FROM CARS PARKING BECAUSE IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
IT'S GOOD FOR SAFETY, GOOD FOR CLIMATE, PROTECTS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO ARE HIT HARDEST BY TRAFFIC VIOLENCE.
AND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST OUTTA OUR BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.
I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM 67 ON COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS.
THE VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ALREADY HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY HAS SOME COMMUNITY LAND TRUST HOMES.
AND HAVING THESE KINDS OF AFFORDABLE HOMES IN OUR OWN BACKYARD MAKES ME APPRECIATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD EVEN MORE.
IF I HAD ONE COMPLAINT IS THAT WE COULD USE MANY MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES, SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS ITEM.
I THINK IT WILL PAIR EFFORTS, PAIR WELL WITH EFFORTS LIKE THE HOME INITIATIVE, MAKING IT SO THAT MONEY SPENT ON PROGRAMS LIKE THIS GOES FURTHER.
AND WE CAN USE PUBLICLY OWNED LAND FOR BUILDING MORE HOMES FOR PEOPLE IN NEED.
WE'VE SEEN IN AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES THAT BETTER LAND USE POLICIES AND REFORMS CAN LEAD TO UPTICKS IN PUBLIC AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.
I HOPE TO SEE AUSTIN FOLLOW THIS TREND AND INCREASE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS AND PUBLIC HOUSING AND PERHAPS EVEN LOOKING TO MIX INCOME, SOCIAL HOUSING.
THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND THIS COMMUNITY LAND TRUST RESOLUTION SEEMS LIKE A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA.
GAVA SUPPORTS THE SIERRA CLUB LONE STAR CHAPTERS ADVOCACY FOR ITEM 39.
WHILE AUSTIN ENERGY DOES HAVE A DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM, IT'S TOO SMALL AND ARE MANY WAYS TO IMPROVE RESIDENTIAL DEMAND RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE ON THEIR BILLS RIGHT NOW AND MAKE OUR GRID EVEN MORE RELIABLE.
THE PROGRAM CAN BE IMPROVED BY PAYING AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY FOR REDUCING THEIR POWER, NOT JUST AN ANNUAL $25 CREDIT FOR ENROLLING IN THE PROGRAM.
AUSTIN ENERGY WILL NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT THAT WILL LEAD TO A REAL INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION, GIVEN THAT ANY RESIDENT IS ABLE TO OPT OUT OF EVERY DR CALL, EXPAND ENROLLMENT AND BETTER PROMOTE THE PROGRAM.
MOST PEOPLE IN AUSTIN DON'T SEEM TO EVEN KNOW THIS PROGRAM EXISTS.
HELP ENSURE MORE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CAP CUSTOMERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN DR BY PROVIDING CAP CUSTOMERS WITH FREE SMART THERMOSTATS, NOT JUST A REBATE FOR THEM.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE WAYS TO IMPROVE ENROLLMENT IN DR FOR SMALL COMMERCIAL USERS LIKE MOM AND POP SHOPS AND OTHER SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
FINALLY, ERCOT NOTED RECENTLY THAT CONSERVATION ALERTS ASKING PEOPLE TO VOLUNTARILY REDUCE THEIR ENERGY USE ARE BECOMING LESS EFFECTIVE OVER TIME.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE AUSTIN ENERGY'S DEMAND RESPONSE AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE AND OTHER SUPPORTING COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
[00:30:01]
RESOLUTION AS A CITY MANAGER IS WORKING WITH INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS AND GROUPS.WE ASK EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.
THEY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD MOST BENEFIT FROM HOME OWNERSHIP THROUGH ACL T.
AND IN THE FEW SECONDS I MAY HAVE LEFT AS JUST A D FOUR RESIDENT, A REFLECTION ON GAVA.
THANK YOU FOR ITEM 38, UH, WHERE I LIVE IN PARTS OF SOUTH AUSTIN WITH THE INTERSTATE RUNNING THROUGH THERE.
IT MAKES IT A HIGH RISK AREA FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE STATISTICS OVER THE YEARS IN THE PAST AND EVEN ATTENDED, UH, INFORMATION SESSIONS ABOUT IT.
GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
MY NAME IS SPENCER SCHUMACHER AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OR FOR ITEM UH, 40.
UH, I AM ON THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL IN THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
UH, SO THE BIKE LANE PARKING PROGRAM IS, IS VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
UH, IN 2020, WE CREATED A, A PROGRAM BY WHICH PEOPLE CAN REPORT BIKE LANE PARKING VIOLATIONS VIA 3 1 1, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A MOBILITY OFFICER.
IN SOME CASES A PEACE OFFICER COME RESPOND.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE STATISTICS THAT THAT IS NOT WORKING.
63% OF ALL OF THESE ARE CLOSED OUT WITH NO PROBLEM, FOUND ONLY 12.5% AND WITH A CITATION AND NO PROBLEM FOUND DOES NOT MEAN THE VEHICLE'S NOT PARKING THE BIKE LANE.
AND WE CAN SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THESE ARE JUST A COLLECTION OF SOME OF THE ONES I'VE MADE OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS WHERE YOU CAN VERY CLEARLY SEE SOMEONE BLOCKING THE BIKE LANE.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THEY ARE GONE BY THE TIME PARKING ENFORCEMENT SHOWS UP OR MOBILITY OFFICERS SHOW UP.
AND IN FACT, IF YOU TALK TO COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS, THEY KNOW THIS, THEY WILL TELL YOU, GO AHEAD AND CALL PARKING ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE GONE BY THE TIME THEY SHOW UP.
SO THE SOLUTION IS PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT, NOT REACTIVE ENFORCEMENT.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, FIRST WE NEED TO ASK MORE FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY OFFICERS.
RIGHT NOW, 73.2% OF THEIR CITATIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 24 ARE ABOUT PAID PARKING ONLY.
WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, NOT REVENUE ISSUES.
ALSO, HAVING A VOLUNTEER BIKE LANE ENFORCEMENT GROUP WILL HELP SUPPLEMENT TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY OFFICERS, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN THEY DON'T WORK ON SUNDAYS.
UH, I WANT TO CLOSE BY THANKING OUR WONDERFUL MOBILITY COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP, UH, CHAIR ELLIS AND VICE CHAIR CADRY, UH, FOR GETTING US TO A DAY THAT SO MANY IN THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T THINK WOULD COME.
UH, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE REST OF YOU FOR KEEPING THIS ON CONSENT, SO THANK YOU.
LUIS OSTA LUGO ON 40, FOLLOWED BY LUIS D AND THEN STREETCAR NALU.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 40.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? LUIS OLUGO.
I WANTED TO THANK MY COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR LEADING ON THIS MAYOR, MY PARTNER, LIKE EVERY DAY, GET GROCERIES, VISIT OUR FRIENDS.
I HANG OUT WITH FAMILY, UH, WOULD LOVE TO BE TO SAFER.
AND I THINK ITEM FOUR, ITEM 40 WILL DO THAT.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS LOUIS DEANGELOS AND I'M A DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENT SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF ITEM 40.
UH, ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO AFTER PURCHASING AN E-BIKE FOR $800, WE WENT FROM BEING A TWO CAR HOUSEHOLD TO A ONE CAR HOUSEHOLD.
IT HAS ALREADY SAVED US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN CAR PAYMENTS, INSURANCE, AND OTHER EXPENSES.
UH, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS SINCE MOVING HERE TO AUSTIN, I'VE NOTICED MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BIKE LANES IN THE CITY.
UH, IT'S NOT GONE UNNOTICED, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE, UH, TO MAKE MORE FOLKS LIKE MYSELF FEEL SAFE ENOUGH, UH, ON THE STREETS TO TRADE AT LEAST SOME OF THEIR CAR TRIPS, UH, FOR BIKE TRIPS, HELPING THE CITY TO ACHIEVE ITS GOAL OF A 50 50 MODE SHARE OF COMMUTES BETWEEN DRIVING AND OTHER MODES BY 2039.
ITEM 40 IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT.
UH, ONE RELATED AREA I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO IS THE ABILITY FOR VOLUNTEER BIKE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM AS, UH, THE FORMER SPEAKER SPENCER HAS MENTIONED.
UM, UH, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SUBMITTED PARKING IN THE BIKE LANE PHOTOS TO 3 1 1, THE CURRENT SYSTEM MOSTLY DOES NOT WORK, UH, WITH ALMOST 70% OF THOSE REQUESTS, UH, BEING SHOWN AS NO PROBLEM FOUND, UH, BECAUSE MOBILITY OFFICERS WERE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND IN TIME, UH, A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, UH, COULD MAKE IT SO THAT SO MANY OF THOSE ISSUES DISAPPEAR BEFORE A 3 1 1 REQUEST IS EVEN NEEDED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, PARKING IN THE BIKE LANE MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S JUST A SMALL PROBLEM, BUT ON BUSY STREETS STEPPING OUT INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC IS NOT ONLY INTIMIDATING, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE DANGEROUS AS WE SAW IN THE SPEAKER WHO SPOKE REMOTELY EARLIER WITH HIS ACCIDENT.
UM, IF IT'S INTIMIDATING TO ME, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW IT IS FOR PARENTS BIKING WITH THEIR KIDS AS WE HEARD FROM, UH, OR SOME OF MY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS, UH, AND FRIENDS WHO ENJOY BIKING AROUND TOWN.
PLEASE VOTE YES ON ITEM 40 AND
[00:35:01]
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS ISSUES.THERE ARE A LOT OF US WHO WANNA MAKE AUSTIN A SAFE PLACE TO GET AROUND IN, WHETHER THAT BE BY CAR, ON FOOT, UH, BIKING OR VIA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE TIME AND IF ANYONE EVER WANTS TO GET OUT FOR A BIKE RIDE, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO FOR A RIDE WITH YOU IN THE CITY.
RECAR NALU FOLLOWED BY CUTTER GONZALEZ AND THEN ADAM GREENFIELD, ALL ON ITEM 40.
ROY WHALEY, FOLLOWED BY QUINCY DUNLAP AND EDGAR HANDEL.
SORRY, I THINK I'VE ALREADY CALLED EDGAR HANDEL.
MR. WALEY, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MICROPHONE.
ALRIGHT, YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED AND YEAH, JUST DO IT.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ADAM GREENFIELD HERE WITH SAFE STREETS AUSTIN.
UH, WE ARE STRONGLY IN SUPPORTIVE OF ITEM 40, UH, REGARDING THE PROHIBITION ON PARKING IN BIKE LANES.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
I, UH, I HAVE WATCHED MANY TIMES ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
PEOPLE HAVE TO PULL INTO THE, UH, VEHICLE LANE TO OVERTAKE PARK CARS.
SOMETIMES IT'S CHILDREN, CHILDREN ARE RIDING ON CONGRESS AVENUE AND MANY OTHER STREETS, AND THEY, NEITHER THEY NOR ANYONE ELSE ON A BIKE SHOULD HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO THIS IS A, A, A COMMON SENSE POLICY.
UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A GREAT THING TO DO.
IT'S ALSO A, UH, THOUGHTFUL POLICY.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE IN THIS ITEM, UH, REFERENCES TO IMPROVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACES WHERE THESE, THESE INFRACTIONS ARE HAPPENING SO THAT THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.
SO THIS IS A WONDERFUL STEP IN THE CONTINUED ADVANCEMENT OF AUSTIN AS A GREAT PLACE TO RIDE A BICYCLE.
I AM THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
I WANT TO START OUT TALKING ABOUT 37.6.
IT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM, IT'S THE LAKE LEVEL.
AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THAT'S HOW FULL IT IS.
PLEASE THINK ABOUT OUR WATER SUPPLY EVERY TIME YOU SHOW UP AT THIS OFFICE.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY STRAW IN THERE AND IT'S FALLING.
AND I WANNA THANK MY FELLOW SIERRA'S OWN, OWN SPEAKING ABOUT ITEM 39 AND ALSO SCOTT COBB.
AND THE, UH, THE BATHHOUSE CHANGED NOW ON ITEM 40, I AM A CYCLIST, UM, AND I HAVE BEEN OFF MY BIKE FOR QUITE A WHILE BECAUSE I DID HAVE A WRECK IN, UH, NOVEMBER.
UH, BROKE MY ELBOW AND MESSED UP MY KNEE.
BUT I'M BACK RIDING AGAIN AND I'M HAPPY, EXCEPT FOR WHEN I HAVE TO SWERVE AROUND A PARKED CAR AND MY BIKE LANE.
I DON'T PARK MY BIKE IN THEIR LANE.
I WISH THEY WOULDN'T PARK THEIR CARS IN MY LANE.
NOW THEN WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT PEACE, LOVE, AND UNDERSTANDING, WE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE TIMES, UM, I WOULD RATHER HAVE SOMEONE PULL OVER BRIEFLY IN A BIKE LANE TO CHECK DIRECTIONS ON THEIR PHONE TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE GOING BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A SHADE SHADE TREE AREA THAN HAVE THEM DRIVING AROUND CHECKING THEIR PHONE.
I FEEL A LOT SAFER GOING AROUND THEM, BUT THERE, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.
UM, BUT OVERALL THIS IS, THIS IS OUR BIKE LANE, THIS IS HOW WE GET PLACES AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO GET PLACES SAFELY.
AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN BUSTED UP MORE TIMES ON A BICYCLE THAN I HAVE BEEN AT CITY HALL, IT SEEMS. SO THAT'S A LOT.
ITEM 40, I BELIEVE I WAS NEXT.
QUINCY DUNLAP, UH, A AREA URBAN LEAGUE, ACKNOWLEDGING MAYOR WATSON, D FOUR REPRESENT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, INTERIM CITY MANAGER GARZA THE, A AREA URBAN LEAGUE IS IN IMPORT IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 67 REGARDING COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND LAND BANKS TO BE HEARD ON APRIL 4TH.
IN GENERAL, WE ARE STRONG PROPONENTS OF OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND NUANCED APPROACHES TO IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TO INCLUDE AFFORDABILITY AND HOUSING EQUITY, WHICH INCLUDES THE UTILIZATION OF CLTS AND LAND BANKS.
THE RESOLUTION PROPOSES TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER OF AUSTIN TO TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO UTILIZE LAND BANKING AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AS A TOOL FOR
[00:40:01]
ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, LACK IN AUSTIN AND PROMOTING EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT.IT AIMS TO IDENTIFY VIABLE LAND ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES, EXPLORE BEST PRACTICES FOR EXPANDING LAND BANKING AND CLT DEVELOPMENT, ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THESE INITIATIVES AND COLLABORATE WITH RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO LEVERAGE EXISTING RESOURCES.
ULTIMATELY, THIS INITIATIVE SIX, TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE HOUSING OPTIONS, PREVENT DISPLACEMENT IN THE GROWING PARTS OF AUSTIN AND PROVIDE HOMEOWNERS AND HOME BUYERS WITH THE AUTONOMY IN AUSTIN.
THE A A UL WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATING AND CO-CREATING WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING NON-PROFITS AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES.
IN THE EFFECTUATION OF THIS RESOLUTION, IT IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE AND LISTEN TO STAKEHOLDERS, BUT TO EFFECTIVELY LAYER IN THEIR INPUT INTO THE DESIGN AND EVENTUAL REPORT REGARDING THIS MECHANISM.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO COME, IT WILL CONTINUE TO COME.
IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT WE ARE ALSO WARY OF THIS VENTURE DUE TO THE HISTORIC INGENUITY OF THE CITY IN RELATION TO THE REVITALIZATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MY TIME'S UP, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WE SUPPORT IT IF IT IS CUTTER GONZALEZ FOR ITEM 40.
AND THEN ITEM ON ITEM 67, ANUSH RAISON.
ERIC, BY AND ASHTON CUMBERBATCH, I'VE CALLED YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
ANUSH RAISON, ERIC BY ASHTON CUMBERBATCH, GOOD MORNING.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 40.
UM, I'M HERE IN, UH, IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 40.
I BIKE MY SON TO SCHOOL ALMOST EVERY DAY AND TRY TO BIKE TO WORK REGULARLY.
AND WE GENERALLY LOVE BIKING IN AUSTIN.
UH, THE SAFETY OF MY ROUTE, THOUGH IS WHAT MAKES, UM, DETERMINES IF I DRIVE OR I BIKE.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN AUSTIN RECENTLY IN BIKE LANES.
UM, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE THE SAFETY OF OUR BIKE RIDERS.
UM, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON ON MY ROUTES THAT CARS ARE PARKED IN THE BIKE LANE.
JUST YESTERDAY AS I WAS BIKING BACK, UM, FROM PICKING UP MY SON, UM, A RIDESHARE PULLED INTO THE BIKE LANE.
I WAS RIDING IN, UH, TO PICK UP PASSENGERS.
UM, AND I EVEN SAID, HEY, THIS IS THE BIKE LANE.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, HAPPENS.
I, UM, TAKE PICTURES SOMETIMES IN HOPES OF SENDING IT TO 3 1 1, BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS VERY QUICKLY.
UM, AND, AND THIS LANE WAS EVEN A LANE THAT HAD FLEX POSTS, SO IT WASN'T JUST, IT WAS SOMEONE WENT AROUND THE FLEX POSTS JUST TO GET IN THE LANE.
UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE MAKING BIKING SAFER IN AUSTIN, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE USING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ERIC BYRD AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BLACK PROFESSIONAL ALLIANCE OF AUSTIN.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT FOR ITEM 67.
IT'S A RESOLUTION AIMED AT UTILIZING LAND BANKING AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TO ADDRESS OUR CITY'S URGENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.
THIS RESOLUTION IS A COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION AND EQUITY AND HOUSING.
IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND IT ENSURES THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD.
LET'S LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION, AND LET'S DO THIS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF.
I COME FROM A PRETTY BIG FAMILY.
MY GRANDMOTHER HAD 14 CHILDREN AND I HAVE 50 THANK YOU
I I HAVE 51 COUSINS, UH, FIRST AND SECOND ON THAT SIDE, THAT ONE SIDE.
UM, OUT OF ALL OF US, I AM PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE THAT LIVES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND IS NOT ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
EVERYONE ELSE HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT TO THE MARGINS.
UM, WE DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A LEGACY IN THIS CITY.
WE BE, WE DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO CALL OURSELVES AUSTINITE FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE PRESENT, UH, ON COUNCIL ON THE DIOCESE, AND IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY TO THE UPCOMING BPA HOUSING AND INNOVATION SUMMIT AT A CC EASTVIEW.
WE WILL HAVE A, AN INFORMATIONAL PANEL DISCUSSION FROM NINE TO ONE.
IT'S DESIGNED TO EXPLORE INNOVATIONS AND POLICY PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.
WE WILL, UH, WE ARE PROUD TO COLLABORATE
[00:45:01]
WITH ESTEEMED PARTNERS SUCH AS AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION, COMMUNITIES, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, UH, THE AUSTIN BLACK REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS.SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL OUT.
UM, THIS IDEA CAME FROM A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH THE FORMER CEO OF HABITAT, UM, TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS 3D PRINTING AND, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, INTERIM CITY MANAGER, JESUS GARZA.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ADAT A TX.
HERE TO SPEAK ON SUPPORT OF ITEM 67.
UH, THIS ITEM DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE THE UTILIZATION OF TWO KEY HOUSING TOOLS, COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, OR CLTS, AND LAND BANKING.
AS YOU'RE MOST LIKELY AWARE, CLTS ARE AN EVIDENCE-BASED TOOL FOR PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THERE ARE OVER 200 ACTIVE CLTS IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING SOME RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND AS NOTED BY THE UPROOTED PROJECT, CLTS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS TO OWN HOMES IN A GENTRIFYING NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHILE GIVING COMMUNITIES LONG-TERM CONTROL OVER THE LAND.
CLTS CAN QUALIFY FOR SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY TAX SAVINGS IN TEXAS, AND CLTS CAN BE USED WITH A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING AS WELL AS MIXED USE AND MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AND WITH HOME OWNERSHIP AS WELL AS RENTAL HOUSING.
REGARDING LAND BANKS, THE NHC HOUSING POLICY GUIDE STATES THAT THEY PROVIDE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS WITH LAND FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PROBLEM PROPERTIES IN THE COMMUNITY BY CREATING A PROCESS FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSITION.
LAND BANKS ARE A POWERFUL TOOL FOR JURISDICTIONS FACED WITH PROBLEMS FROM BOTH THE HOT AND COLD ENDS OF THE HOUSING MARKET SPECTRUM.
IN HOT MARKETS, LAND BANKS ALLOW JURISDICTIONS TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS WITH LESS CONCERN ABOUT THE COST OF LAND BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A PORTFOLIO OF PARCELS READY FOR DEVELOPMENT IN COAL MARKETS, LAND BANKS REDUCE BLIGHT BY ACQUIRING ABANDONMENT AND OR DELINQUENT PROPERTIES, CLEARING TITLE AND THEN PUTTING THE PROPERTIES BACK INTO PRODUCTIVE USE.
WHAT NOT THE ONLY NEEDED TOOLS USED IN WISE HARMONY AND IN A CO-CREATIVE MANNER WITH APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
CLTS AND LAND BANKING CAN HELP AUSTIN ADDRESS ITS CRITICAL DEARTH OF PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE LACK OF ALL TYPES OF HOUSING IN ALL PARTS OF TOWN AND MIXED INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE LOOK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON ITEM 67.
MAYOR, WE HAVE CALLED ALL CONSENT SPEAKERS.
WE'VE CALLED ALL CONSENT SPEAKERS.
MR. PENA, DID YOU SIGN UP? MR. PENA SIGNED UP.
I'M SORRY, MAYOR, I DON'T SEE HIM ON THE LIST.
WELL, I'M SORRY IF YOU, IF YOU, IF IT DIDN'T GET SIGNED UP, UH, YOU KNOW HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS AND I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP FOR TODAY, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]
WISHING TO PULL AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO SHOW THAT THEIR VOTE THAT THEY'RE RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VELA TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAIS MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
I WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AT IT IS 10:49 AM I'LL NOW CALL TO ORDER
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Public Facility Corporation Meeting (Part 1 of 2)]
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOU AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION MEETING.AND MAYOR, YES, NOT TO INTERRUPT, BUT, OH, I'M SORRY.
I, YOU HAVE TO TELL ME THAT EVERY WEEK AND I'M NOT SURE WHY.
BUT, UM, UM, SO I'LL AND, AND YOU'RE THE TOP OF THE LIST SO I, IT'S APPROPRIATE I GUESS THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
UM, LET ME, LET ME RECESS THE MEETING WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'LL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION MEETING AT TEN FORTY NINE.
I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 10 49 AND I'LL
[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]
RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.AND THEN ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION, MAYOR.
UM, THIS MORNING I HAD THE HONOR OF HOSTING FILM AND TV ACTRESS CHRISTIE CARLSON ROMANO HERE AT CITY HALL TO CELEBRATE AND HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE'S
[00:50:01]
DOING TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.SHE'S A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN AFTER LEAVING HOLLYWOOD.
AND THE PROCLAMATION THAT I PRESENTED HER WITH TODAY SERVES AS A REMINDER THAT WE CAN ALL BE DILIGENT IN MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
SHE SHARED HER BRAVE STORY WITH US THIS MORNING AND IT'S WORTH A WATCH.
SO IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE GO BACK INTO THE ARCHIVES AND CHECK IT OUT.
MY RESOLUTION ITEM 38, WHICH WE PASS TODAY, DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE MEASURES TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I WANNA THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, RYAN ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ FOR SUPPORTING THIS CRITICAL EFFORT.
THANK YOU TO THE SIX ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS POLICY.
AND THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO CAME TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ITEM.
I'M PROUD THAT MY POLICY PASSED ON CONSENT AND UNANIMOUSLY SIGNALING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SUPPORT COMBATING THIS CRIME.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING STAINS THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY WITH ITS DARKNESS AND CRUELTY.
YET TODAY THE CITY COUNCIL STANDS TOGETHER IN OUR MISSION TO ILLUMINATE THE SHADOWS BY COLLABORATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS ITEM TOGETHER, WE ARE DEDICATED TO AMPLIFYING AWARENESS AND PROVIDING CRITICAL RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
HERE IN AUSTIN, I PLEDGE UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO FOSTERING A SAFER AUSTIN WORKING TIRELESSLY TO REALIZE THIS VISION AS MY COLLEAGUES ALSO DO, UM, TO THOSE VOICES WHO HAVE BEEN SILENCED BY THE INJUSTICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
OUR COMMUNITY STANDS WITH YOU AND TOGETHER WE WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR VOICES ARE HEARD AND YOUR RIGHTS ARE UPHELD.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION, MAYOR.
I HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS TO SPEAK ON TODAY.
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS, UH, AUSTIN WATER UTILITY CONTRACT FOR THE SOUTHWEST PRESSURE ZONE.
THIS IS GONNA BE A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT ABOUT PROVIDING MORE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUNDANCY FOR THE DAVIS LANE PUMP STATION.
UM, IT'S GONNA INCLUDE A VARIETY OF OPTIONS INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS AND POTENTIAL LAND ACQUISITIONS.
UM, THIS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FAR SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
'CAUSE IN WINTER STORM OF 2021, THIS AREA HAD RESIDENTS WHO DID NOT HAVE DRINKABLE WATER FOR, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT A WEEK AT THAT POINT.
SO I KNOW THERE WERE SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY SYSTEM THAT EITHER DIDN'T HAVE IMPACTS, DIDN'T LOSE WATER, OR WERE ABLE TO GET IT BACK ON RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
BUT THIS PART OF TOWN IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
ITEM NUMBER 31 IS THE MCCARTY LANE PARKLAND ACQUISITION.
UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE, UM, 3.66 ACRES OF 2018 VOTER APPROVED BONDS.
UM, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND GREENBELT EXTENSIONS THROUGH THE WILLIAMSON CREEK AREA IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN AND LOOK FORWARD TO POTENTIALLY HAVING A NEW TRAILHEAD.
SO I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT FOR THE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA.
ITEM 35 IS RENAMING THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE AFTER JOAN MEANS CABBEL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE MR. COBB COMING AND SPEAKING TO US TODAY AND PUSHING THAT INITIATIVE FORWARD.
WE JUST DID A GROUNDBREAKING ON THAT BATHHOUSE.
SO I THINK THIS IS VERY TIMELY.
AND I REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE ISSUED A PROCLAMATION TO HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN HER HONOR, THEY WERE ABLE TO TELL STORIES ABOUT A SCHOOL SANCTIONED EVENT WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO BARTON SPRINGS, BUT SOME OF THE STUDENTS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SWIM IN THE POOL.
THIS IS JUST THE 1960S, THIS IS NOT A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
UM, THIS IS A VERY REAL PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT WE HAVE TO CONFRONT.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BATHHOUSE FUNCTIONS FOR EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS TO USE IT AS IT GOES THROUGH ITS REMODEL, AND THAT WE HONOR THE HISTORY OF BARTON SPRINGS AND JOAN MEANS KABEL.
AND THAT BRINGS ME TO THE LAST ITEM THAT I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY, THE BIKEWAY PARKING PROHIBITION INITIATIVE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO WORK ON THIS INITIATIVE.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF ALSO ON THE BACKEND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS RESOLUTION FUNCTIONS WELL.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN TOWN THAT SEE BIKE LANES AND THEY MAY NEVER RIDE A BIKE AND THEY MAY NEVER USE THEM, AND SO THEY DRIVE PAST THEM EVERY DAY AND THEY THINK THEY'RE JUST TAKING SPACE THAT COULD BE USED OTHERWISE.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, IF YOU ARE ON A BIKE AND YOU ARE IN A BIKE LANE, YOU HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY A CAR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A VERY MOMENTARY IMPACT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS PULLING OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANE, BUT IT HAS VERY REAL CONSEQUENCES AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS TODAY.
UM, THESE CAN BE LIFE CHANGING.
PEOPLE CAN GET KILLED BY HAVING TO SWERVE OUT OF A BIKE LANE UNEXPECTEDLY WITH ONLY THE PROTECTION OF A BIKE HELMET.
UM, SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE THAT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR HANDS ON AND I'M PROUD TO BRING THIS FORWARD TODAY AND APPRECIATE, UM, MY CO-SPONSORS WORKING ON THIS WITH
[00:55:01]
ME AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER.COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
THEN COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE RECOGNITION.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT OUR CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR YOUR INITIATIVE ON ITEM NUMBER 40 REGARDING HOW WE AS A CITY CAN BETTER ENFORCE THE PROHIBITION OF PARKING AND BIKE LANES.
THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MOBILITY ISSUE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, ESPECIALLY IN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION LIKE OUR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT MY GREAT APPRECIATION AND POINT OUT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC JUST HOW MUCH WORK YOU DID TO ADDRESS CONCERNS AROUND EQUITY.
UM, I IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I OFTEN REPRESENT FOLKS WHO, ONE, FIND THAT SNOWBALLS INTO A MUCH BIGGER DEAL CAN BE A PROBLEM.
AND I, A COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS REALLY TOOK THE TIME TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, I'M VERY EXCITED THAT, UM, WE ARE RENAMING THE ZILKER BATHHOUSE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO TAKE BOLD AND BRAVE STEPS IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, MARKS ON AUSTIN'S HISTORY THAT WE'RE NOT PROUD OF.
BUT THE ABILITY TO, IN 2024, BE MOVING TOWARDS RECONCILIATION FOR SOME OF THOSE WRONGS OF OUR PAST DOES MAKE ME PROUD.
UH, LASTLY, I'M EXCITED TO PASS A RESOLUTION ON COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND LAND BANKING.
THANK YOU TO OUR CO-SPONSORS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND UTILIZE ALL POSSIBLE TOOLS THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE TO ADDRESS OUR CRITICAL HOUSING SHORTAGE AND PRODUCE MORE AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY SAID RECENTLY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE BECAUSE HOUSING IS IMPORTANT AT EVERY INCOME LEVEL.
UM, SO AFFORDABLE CAN SOMETIMES BE MISCONSTRUED AFFORDABLE TO WHO, UM, SO ATTAINABLE HOUSING, THAT MEANS IT'S AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE BY YOU.
AND WE NEED THAT AT EVERY INCOME LEVEL AND SUSTAINABLE HOUSING OPTIONS IN ALL AREAS OF AUSTIN USING THESE TOOLS, UM, TO MR. DUNLAP FROM AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE.
TO HIS POINT, USING THESE TOOLS WITH AN EQUITY EMPHASIS WILL EMPOWER AUSTIN RESIDENTS, UM, THE, WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT BENEFIT OF ALL.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. MAYOR.
UH, I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS, UH, REALLY BRIEF.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR HER LEADERSHIP.
NOT ONLY, UH, ON THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AS CHAIR, BUT ALSO FOR BRINGING FORWARD ITEM NUMBER 40, UH, WHICH I WAS, UH, VERY GLAD TO CO-SPONSOR BIKE LANE BLOCKAGES ARE A MAJOR ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT ESPECIALLY, UH, IN DISTRICT NINE, UH, WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF DOWNTOWN, UH, IT'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE.
IT'S, I THINK IT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING OUR OFFICE GETS CALLS ABOUT.
UH, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IT MIGHT BE A MINOR INCONVENIENCE, UH, BUT FOR SOME FOLKS IT'S, AND THIS HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BY SO MANY SPEAKERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM MR. ROBERT BALLER TO A LOT OF THE OTHER FOLKS TALKED ABOUT THEIR, THEIR INTERACTIONS, UH, DEALING WITH VEHICLES THAT BLOCK BIKE LANES.
UH, IT'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, AN UNEVENTFUL BIKE RIDE AND AT TIMES A, A DLY, UH, CAR CRASH.
SO I THINK CITY'S TAKING A A GREAT STEP, UH, WITH THE PASSING OF THIS ITEM AND I'M THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF IT AND THANKFUL FOR ALL THE CO-SPONSORS AND AND THE SPONSOR.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
UH, QUICK COMMENTS ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 39.
YOU KNOW, TODAY, UH, OUR CITY IS TAKING ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS BEING MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
UH, IT WAS SHOCKING TO ME WHEN I LEARNED THAT BUILDINGS ACCOUNT FOR AROUND 50% OF OUR TOTAL CARBON EMISSIONS HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND SO BY USING LESS POWER, ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES OF PEAK DEMAND, UH, IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE.
AND DEMAND RESPONSE IS ONE OF THE CHEAPEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO NOT ONLY SAVE MONEY, BUT TO STRENGTHEN OUR GRID, UH, BY INCENTIVIZING HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO REDUCE ENERGY USAGE, INCLUDING OUR CITY BUILDINGS.
WE WILL SAVE MONEY AND SET A STRONG EXAMPLE FOR BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY TO DO SO AS WELL.
UH, WHEN ADOPTED DEMAND RESPONSE STABILIZES OUR GRID, IT REDUCES COMMUNITY ENERGY USE AND PAYS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO DO IT.
SO I WANT TO THANK AUSTIN ENERGY FOR WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR OFFICE ON THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, MY CO-SPONSORS FOR SUPPORTING AND FOR MAYOR, MAYOR PRETEND POOL, UH, FOR YOUR CONSTI CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH IS GONNA HEAR THE UPDATE, UH, TO THIS ITEM IN DECEMBER.
ALSO, JUST A QUICK NOTE ON ITEM 40, UH, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR THIS ITEM.
WHEN I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL, I WAS RIDING MY BIKE.
IT WAS VERY, VERY COLD, AND I TOOK A MOMENT TO TUCK MYSELF DOWN TO TRY TO CONSERVE SOME HEAT AND I RAN STRAIGHT INTO A CAR, FLEW OFF THE HANDLES HEAD INTO THE REAR WINDSHIELD.
I WAS LUCKY I WAS WEARING MY ACTUAL SKI HELMET AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLD.
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS? IT'S A REAL SERIOUS ISSUE.SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN EVEN LOOK BROADER TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE AREN'T PARKING THEIR SCOOTERS IN BIKE LANES.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S ANOTHER BIG PROBLEM.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT BEFORE I, I HAVE YOU SPEAK MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WAS TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAAS WHEN WE VOTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, HE WOULD LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS VOTING FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, HE WOULD NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THE VOTE.
I MOVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELA BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? HE'S SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A, A COUPLE OF, UH, VERY NOTEWORTHY ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER 14 IS A CITY CONTRACT FOR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION.
UH, AND IT DEMONSTRATES OUR CITY'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO MULTILINGUAL ACCESS IN, IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, ENGLISH AND SPANISH, BUT VARIOUS OTHER LANGUAGES, UH, AS WELL.
AND, UH, UH, A COMMITMENT THAT I COMPLETELY SUPPORT AND GLAD TO SEE THOSE ITEMS COMING THROUGH.
UH, THE AGENDA, I HAVE TO THANK SCOTT COBB.
AND ON ITEM 35, THE RENAMING OF THE BATHHOUSE FOR JOAN MEANS, UH, CABE.
HE APPROACHED ME, UH, QUITE SOME TIME AGO, AND, UH, I, UH, AGREED THAT THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE PETITION MOVE THROUGH PARKS AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY GREAT ITEM.
I REMEMBER JUMPING INTO THE SPRINGS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, UH, TO CELEBRATE THE INTEGRATION, UH, OF THE, UH, BARTON SPRINGS BASED ON WHAT HER AND OTHER STUDENTS HAD DONE.
AND IT WAS VERY MOVING CEREMONY.
HER FAMILY WAS THERE AND IT'S GREAT TO, UH, SEE THE BATHHOUSE NAMED IN HER, UH, HONOR.
UM, ITEM 39, UH, A GREAT ITEM.
IF WE'RE GONNA ASK FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMAND RESPONSE, WE NEED TO LEAD THE WAY AS A CITY.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALCH FOR THAT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THAT ITEM.
UH, AS WELL, WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER AVE WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR.
THANKS TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PAIGE ELLIS FOR A GREAT, UH, ITEM.
UH, BIKE LANES ARE NOT FOR PARKING.
THEY'RE TO KEEP BICYCLISTS SAFE AND AWAY FROM VEHICLES.
UH, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT.
AND AGAIN, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRA ITEM THAT OBJECTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER AVAILABLE BE SHOWN, UH, AS A CO-SPONSOR.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UH, WITH THAT WE WILL, WITHOUT OBJECTION, RECESS, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 11:02 AM AND I WILL CALL TO
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Public Facility Corporation Meeting (Part 2 fo 2)]
ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION MEETING AT 11:03 AM AND I'LL RECOGNIZE STAFF.GOOD MORNING, MR. PRESIDENT MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, MY NAME IS JAMIE MAY.
I AM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE, UH, HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
TODAY I'M HERE TO PRESENT YOUR, UH, AGENDA FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION.
YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA.
BOTH I WILL, UH, BOTH ARE OFFERED ON CONSENT.
UH, THE FIRST IS TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2023, UH, A-H-P-F-C BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
AND THE SECOND IS TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF, UH, PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS UP TO $35 MILLION, UH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELA NUEVA.
THAT IS A-G-N-D-C OR GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PROJECT AT 2 0 1 3 MONTOPOLIS DRIVE.
UH, WE RECOMMEND THE, UH, DATE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING BE THURSDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2024.
AND AGAIN, I OFFER THESE ON CONSENT MEMBERS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? UH, WITH REGARD TO THESE ITEMS? THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT.
HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM.
UH, THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THE, UH, BOARD MEMBER VELAZQUEZ SECONDED BY THE VICE PRESIDENT, UH, IS MOVED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA IS READ.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM A CONSENT ITEM? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN AS RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY OF THE ITEMS ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING? NO.
THE CONSENT AGENDA OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION, UH, IS ADOPTED THERE BEING NO FURTHER TO BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT 11:04 AM AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING AT 11:05 AM MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 71.
[71. Approve an ordinance appointing a City Manager and authorizing the Mayor to execute an employment agreement with the new City Manager.]
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 71.[01:05:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE REMOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 71.IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
MAYOR, I DO HAVE A SPEAKER ON THE ITEM.
YEAH, I WAS, I WAS COMING TO YOU NEXT.
UM, WE HAVE SOMEONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 71.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WHO DO YOU GOT? OH, SORRY, MAYOR, THAT'S ZIA JOSEPH.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ZIA JOSEPH, I AM WITH BILL BUNCH.
AS IT RELATES TO YOUR PROCESS, I DID REGISTER TO SIGN UP ON THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU SELECTED AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN, BUT I AM A LITTLE BIT LEERY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND KEY POSITIONS IN YOUR CABINET THERE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE OUTCOMES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS SEEM TO BE DISMAL.
AND I WILL JUST CONTEXTUALIZE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THAT IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 30 YEARS TO GET A SIDEWALK FROM NORTH LAMORE TRANSIT CENTER TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP WHEN YOU WERE A SENATOR AT SENATE DISTRICT 14, I WAS YOUR CONSTITUENT.
AND I TESTIFIED BEFORE YOU ON THAT IN 2011, AND YOU SAID, I HAVE A VOTER REGISTRATION CARD FOR YOU.
I VOTE, I AM WELL AWARE OF THE PROCESSES, BUT IN THIS CASE, AS RELEASED TO JUST PROCEDURES, I HAD NO IDEA I WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
I WISH THE CITY MANAGER WELL, BUT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT JUST PUTTING BLACK PEOPLE IN THESE STRATEGIC POSITIONS DOES NOT MAKE YOU COMPLIANT WITH TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
AND TODAY ON KAZI, THERE WAS SOMEONE FROM HOUSING AND FROM YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE RATHER SPEAKING ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER, UM, DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE ITEMS. I NEED YOU TO JUST COMPLY WITH THE LAW AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND I WISH THE CITY MANAGER WELL AND WOULD ASK HIM TO SPEAK TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST THOSE THAT SUPPORT YOU, BUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE TITLE SIX ADVOCATES TOO.
THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 71.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES? THANK YOU.
UM, COLLEAGUES, WE KNOW THAT WITH THIS ITEM, WE ARE TAKING THE, THE NEXT STEP IN BRINGING ON A NEW CITY MANAGER.
UH, CERTAINLY I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO WORKING WITH TC BROAD NEXT.
AND, UM, I'M EXCITED FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND THE WEALTH AND DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT HE'LL BRING TO OUR CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND OF COURSE, WHENEVER HE IS ABLE TO JOIN, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE MORE COMMENTS TO GIVE ON THAT.
BUT I DID WANNA TAKE A MOMENT, UH, TO THANK OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, JESUS GARZA, FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE FOR OUR CITY, UH, INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS.
I'VE, I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU AND I'M, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR LEAD LEADERSHIP AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND JUST WANNA SAY MY, MY THANKS TO YOU PUBLICLY.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
UH, VERY SIMILAR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, MR. TC BRONA, UH, JOINING US, UH, IS PROBABLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE.
YOU KNOW, IF WE HADN'T HIRED HIM, HE, THE NEXT MAJOR CITY WOULD'VE PROBABLY SNAPPED HIM UP AND I'M GLAD HE'S COMING TO AUSTIN.
ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UH, MR. JESUS GAZA FOR THE YEAR THAT HE HAS PUT IN.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS FORWARD.
UH, AND IF WE WOULD'VE HAD SOMEBODY ELSE, I'M, I'M, I'M AFRAID THAT WE WOULD'VE BEEN KIND OF ON PAUSE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATED THE, THE BIAS TO ACTION AND, UH, I WISH HIM WELL, UH, MOVING BACK INTO RETIREMENT AND
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. GARZA.
THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACK, UH, HAS A BLANK FOR THE NAME, UH, WHICH IS CUSTOMARY.
THE NAME WILL BE FILLED IN AS TC BROAD ACTS.
AND I WILL ALSO POINT OUT TO COUNSEL AND REALLY TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE START DATE FOR MR. BROAD ACTS THAT SET FORTH IS MAY 6TH, SO THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE AWARE OF THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 71? ALRIGHT, MAYOR PRO TIM, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY, JUST REALLY QUICK, UM, A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO JESUS GARZA FOR THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT YOU DID AS OUR STEERING THE SHIP, AS OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR SECOND RETIREMENT AND A, A BIG HUGE AUSTIN, WELCOME TO TC BROAD.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU HERE NEXT MONTH
[01:10:01]
AND BEGINNING OUR WORK WITH YOU.YEAH, I'LL MAKE MY COMMENTS REALLY QUICK.
UH, AND IT'S GONNA ECHO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS ALREADY SAID.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, INTERIM AND CITY MANAGER'S, UH, TIME WITH US THIS PAST YEAR.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE YOU'VE, YOU STARTED.
UH, I WAS VERY THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO APPLIED TO BE THE NEXT CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, THANKFUL FOR MS. HENSLEY FROM, UH, DENTON TO, YOU KNOW, BE ONE OF THE FINALISTS, UH, AND EXCITED TO WORK WITH, UH, MR. BROAD NEXT WHEN HE STARTS ON MAY 6TH.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO FIRST OF ALL CONGRATULATE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON WHAT I THINK IS AN OUTSTANDING SELECTION.
IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO, TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU AS WELL AS THE STAFF.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING AS A CITIZEN, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, ESPECIALLY, UH, WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN ON MY LAP.
SO,
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN NOT VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? ITEM NUMBER 71 IS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
I WILL POINT OUT FOR THOSE THAT THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW.
UM, WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTED TO CHANGE CITY MANAGERS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT SAID IS THAT IT WANTED TO HAVE SOMEONE COME IN AS AN INTERIM AND TAKE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME SO THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE, WHEN WE HIRED THE NEXT CITY MANAGER AS A PERMANENT CITY MANAGER, THAT PERMANENT CITY MANAGER WOULD BE ABLE TO COME IN AND LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE AND NOT JUST LOOK AT THE PAST.
UM, THIS INTERIM CITY MANAGER HAS SET US UP TO DO THAT, AND THAT'S BEEN WELL SAID BY OTHERS, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO POINT THAT OUT.
AND THE, THE ROLE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PLAYED, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS COUNCIL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.
THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE, UM, DEMONSTRATED WHAT IS A VERY, VERY, HOW TO GO ABOUT A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT DECISION, PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION THAT WE'LL MAKE AS A COUNCIL.
UM, AND I THINK WE, I, I THINK WE WILL BE VERY PROUD, UH, AND, AND MR. BROAD NECKS WILL MAKE US VERY PROUD, UH, WHEN HE COMES ON AS THE PERMANENT CITY MANAGER.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, UH, MR. BROAD WHEN HE STARTS ON MAY 6TH.
SO GOOD JOB EVERYBODY THAT WILL TAKE US NOW TO, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. UH, I'LL CALL UP ITEM NUMBER
[46. Conduct a public hearing and consider a resolution related to an application by FC Burleson Housing LP, a to-be-formed limited partnership, or an affiliated entity, for housing tax credits for a multi-family development to be financed through the private activity bond program and to be known as Burleson Studios, located at or near 7905 Burleson Road, Austin, Texas 78744, within the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.]
46 WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 46 AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.SO NOIA JOSEPH, MS. JOSEPH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
COUNSEL, MY COMMENTS HAS RELEASED TO ITEM SIX F BURLESON HOUSING IS MAYOR, I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT ROUTE 2 28, WHICH IS THE ONLY ROUTE THAT WILL SERVE THIS AREA.
THAT BUS STARTS AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND IT ENDS AT 6:30 PM I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT 50 OF THE UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE AT 30% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THAT'S PEOPLE WHO EARN IN THE 20 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS RANGE.
AND 56 OF THOSE UNITS WILL BE 50% AREA MEDIAN INCOME, WHICH IS ABOUT $41,000.
AFRICAN AMERICANS EARN ABOUT $42,000.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BURLESON VILLAGE 640 HOUSING UNITS IN THAT AREA.
YOU ARE CONCENTRATING POVERTY IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
YOU ARE RECLASSIFY THE 1928 CITY PLAN.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT JUST PUTTING PEOPLE THERE AND GIVING DEVELOPER DENSITY ENTITLEMENTS, THIS IS 60 FEET OR SO FOR ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE IN THE AFTERNOON, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU'LL CALL ME TO SPEAK ON, BUT YOU ARE CONCENTRATING PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE LEAST IN THIS AREA.
I WOULD JUST ASK YOU IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT PEOPLE THERE, GIVE THEM SOME LAND SO THEY CAN PLANT SOME PRODUCE BECAUSE THIS IS A PLANTATION MENTALITY.
THEY'RE OUT OF SIGHT OUTTA MIND.
AND THERE IS A LOSS REVIEW JOURNAL THAT ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT THIS CONTAINMENT STRATEGY, AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS DOING THE SAME THING.
THERE'S NO SUNDAY SERVICE ON THE BUS.
SO IF YOU DON'T THINK THIS IS LIKE A PLANTATION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO CALL IT.
I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED, MAYOR, AND YOU CAN VOTE THIS DOWN.
I KNOW YOU HAVE THE WILLPOWER.
PLEASE STOP SEGREGATING THE CITY AND TO THE COUNCIL, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN YOUR PREDECESSORS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR BLACK PEOPLE.
I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE MY COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME, BUT IT IS ONE TO FIVE MILES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
[01:15:01]
TWO DECEMBER 15TH, 2020.THAT'S ALL FOR 46 MAYOR MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 46.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 46.
THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 46.
IS THERE A MOTION MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCILMAN VELA? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 46 WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 46 IS ADOPTED.
[47. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance adopting Local Standards of Care for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Youth Programs.]
NUMBER 47.WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 47.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS FOR 47 MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 47.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 47.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 47.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 47 WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 47 IS ADOPTED.
[48. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance adopting the Fifth Amendment to the Agreement Concerning Creation and Operation of Moore’s Crossing Municipal Utility District, located in Austin’s limited purpose jurisdiction, in southeastern Travis County east of FM 973 at the intersection of FM 973 and Elroy Road in Council District 2.]
48 WITHOUT OBJECTION.I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 48 AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK ONE SPEAKER IN PERSON, RACI HADDAD, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL AND MAYOR.
I'M AN ATTORNEY AT HUSCH BLACKWELL LAW FIRM.
UH, I'M REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER ON ITEM 48.
I THINK YOU ALL HAVE BEEN VERY WELL BRIEFED ON IT, BUT BASICALLY IT IS SIMPLY A, UM, APPLICATION FOR A FIFTH AMENDMENT TO A CONSENT AGREEMENT FOR MOORE'S CROSSING DEVELOPMENT.
MOORE'S CROSSING HAS ABOUT 804 ACRES AND HAS BEEN VERY MUCH DEVELOPED.
WE EXPECT THE DEVELOPMENT TO BE COMPLETED PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.
UM, THIS ITEM, THE, THE APPLICATION FOR THE FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSENT AGREEMENT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING WORKING WITH, UM, THE CITY ON AFFORDABILITY.
THE DEVELOPER HAS FAR EXCEEDED AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE PART OF THE ORIGINAL CONSENT AGREEMENT, AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE ORDINANCE RELATED TO THE MINOR MODIFICATIONS WE'RE ASKING THE CITY TO APPROVE.
UM, I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE'S ANY.
UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS ON THIS NOW.
WE DID A FULL AFFORDABILITY REVIEW.
THIS WOULD CONTEMPLATE THAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD RECEIVE 100% REIMBURSEMENTS, UH, ON ANY FUTURE BOND ISSUANCE FOR, UM, WATER WASTEWATER.
AND THEN THE DEVELOPER WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING BACK 8% OF BOND REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
IN ADDITION, THEY'D BE DONATING OR CONTRIBUTING BACK 2% OF BOND ISSUE FOR PARKS.
SO WE'VE WORKED WITH SCOTT GRANTHAM AND OTHERS AT THE CITY AND THAT'S THE SUM, THE SUMMON SENSE SUBSTANCE OF IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.
MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UM, CAN YOU TOUCH ON THE TIMELINE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE DEVELOPMENT FOR MUD CROSS? YES, IN FACT, I HAVE A TIMELINE HERE FOR MY CLIENT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED.
THE DISTRICT WAS CREATED IN 1987 AND IT HAS ABOUT 804 ACRES.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF COMPLETED RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, BUT WE EXPECT IN THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, EVERYTHING WILL BE BUILT OUT THERE.
OKAY? UM, STONY RIDGE SINGLE FAMILY HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN 96 TO 2000 STONY RIDGE, SECOND PHASE 2007, UH, ANOTHER SINGLE FAMILY PHASE OH NINE, STONY RIDGE SECTION PHASE THREE, UH, PHASE C 2022, FIRE AND EMS CONSTRUCTED IN 2021.
AND THEN WE DID MULTIPLE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS TO ELROY ROAD, UH, AND ROSS ROAD AND THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, THEN THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS CYPRESS CREEK'S APARTMENTS, UM, ANTICIPATED BUILD OUT 2025 AGAVE EAST APARTMENTS END OF THE YEAR THIS YEAR.
UH, STONY RIDGE, HIGHLAND SINGLE FAMILY IS A 550 LOT KB HOME PROJECT NEXT THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
AND THEN THERE'S FUTURE PROJECTS WHICH WOULD BE CONTINUED MULTIFAMILY, UM, AND A MIXED USE OFFICE IN RETAIL.
AND THAT'S ALL PROBABLY GONNA BE DONE IN THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS DEPENDING ON PERMITTING AND HOW LONG THOSE THINGS TAKE TO GET PROCESSED.
AND, AND, AND COLLEAGUES, I THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE.
YOU CAN HEAR THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS AREA.
AND I JUST WANNA FLAG, YOU KNOW, I HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS AND, AND RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN, IN THAT PART OF SOUTHEAST AUSTIN WHO ARE EAGER TO BE ANNEXED BY THE CITY WHO WANT TO BE FULL, YOU KNOW, CITY OF AUSTIN, RESIDENTS NOT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, NOW WITH THE MUD THEY IN THE LIMITED JURISDICTION AND SO I JUST ALSO WANNA FLAG THAT THERE IS A DESIRE, UH, TO, TO BE ENTERED INTO THE CITY.
[01:20:01]
YOU.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 48.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 48 AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 48, WHICH IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 48 WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 48 IS APPROVED.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 74.
[74. Approve an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 20240201-027 to amend the published notice requirements for joint public hearings between the City Council and Planning Commission; and declaring an emergency.]
UM, ITEM NUMBER 74 IS TO, UM, ADDRESSES THE NOTICE OF OUR JOINT MEETING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 74.IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
IS THERE DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 74? WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 74 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.
THAT TAKES US TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS A 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, BEFORE I RECESS THE COUNCIL, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC, UM, ITEM NUMBER 63 AT OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN RELATES TO ZONING AND IF IT, IF PEOPLE ARE PLANNING ON SPEAKING WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 63.
ITEM NUMBER 63 IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE POSTPONED.
YOU MAY STILL SPEAK IF YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT YOU WILL BE SPEAKING AS O ONLY AS TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
AND I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO COME DOWN HERE THINKING THEY'RE GONNA BE SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE MATTER, UM, AND OR CALLING IN ON THE MERITS OF THE MATTER IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO.
THAT'S WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 63 MEMBERS.
THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS COME BEFORE US UNTIL OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIMES CERTAIN, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION FOLLOWED BY LIVE MUSIC.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK NOON.
IT'S 11:22 AM THANKS EVERYBODY.
I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, UM, ON WEST SECOND STREET.
WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
WE ARE AT OUR TIME CERTAIN OF 12:00 PM FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A RECESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND WE WILL RECESS FOR LIVE MUSIC AND WE'LL RETURN, UH, AT OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN FOR ZONING AND PLANNING.
UH, BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET ME JUST, UH, REITERATE WHAT I DO AT EACH MEETING, THAT DURING ANY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UH, PEOPLE SHOULD PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE IS BEHAVIOR THAT CAN VIOLATE THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING AND IT WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
YOU MAY NOT SPEAK OUT OF TURN.
YOU MAY CRITICIZE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, BUT YOU MAY NOT USE PERSONALLY DEROGATORY OR DISPARAGING REMARKS.
YOU MAY NOT DEFAME ANOTHER PERSON.
USE OBSCENE LANGUAGE, USE ABUSIVE LANGUAGE THAT IS LIKELY TO INCITE A BREACH OF THE PIECE.
MAKE THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ANY PERSON, UH, OR OTHERWISE.
DISRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING BY CALLING OUT WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN OR, UH, YELLING COMMENTS, THAT SORT OF THING WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN.
ALSO NOTE THAT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE A SAFE AND EFFICIENT ACCESS TO WITNESS THE COUNCIL'S DELIBERATIONS.
YOU MAY NOT SIT OR STAND IN THE AISLES OR OTHERWISE OBSTRUCT THE EXITS OR EMERGENCY EXITS.
AGAIN, IF YOU WISH TO DISPLAY A SIGN, A FLAG, A PROP OR OTHER OBJECT, YOU MUST DO SO IN THE DESIGNATED AREA IN THE BACK OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
ITEMS NEED TO MEASURE NO MORE THAN 23 BY 28 INCH IN TERMS OF A RECTANGLE.
YOU CANNOT OBSTRUCT THE VIEW OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE SEATED IN THE SITTING AREA.
SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS IF YOU'RE HOLDING UP SOMETHING, PLEASE TRY TO HOLD IT JUST, YOU KNOW, AT AT CHEST LEVEL SO THAT YOU'RE NOT BLOCKING SOMEONE ELSE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT PLEASE DON'T BLOCK ANYBODY'S VIEW AND THAT INCLUDES FLAGS THAT I'VE ASKED AGAIN, THAT THEY NOT OBSTRUCT AND THEY NOT BE OUT INTO THE AISLES.
UM, THERE MAY BE NO DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE PODIUM, MEANING YOU IF YOU'RE CALLED UPON TO SPEAK, IF YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME UP AND SPEAK.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE AT THE PODIUM.
IF, UM, AGAIN, IF, IF SOMEONE VIOLATES THIS RULES, THESE RULES, AND I'M NOT
[01:25:01]
ANTICIPATING THAT SOMEONE WILL, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S CLEAR YOUR TIME MAY BE CUT SHORT OR YOU MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING.WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WELCOME EVERYBODY.
[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]
THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND ASK THEM TO HELP US NAVIGATE THROUGH THE 12 O'CLOCK PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS REMOTE JIL SARI.
UH, MY NAME IS JIL ARI, A LEBANESE AMERICAN LIVING IN OFFICE.
I TAKE A CALL TODAY REGARDING THE HOME INITIATIVE.
HOWEVER, WHEN I SPOKE TO A COLLEAGUE ABOUT SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY, THEY MENTIONED THERE WAS A MORE PRESSING ISSUE.
MY FAMILY FLED LEBANON AFTER BEING THREATENED BY HEZBOLLAH, AN INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
THE LAW IS NOW THAT THEY FACT A LEADER OF LEBANON, A COUNTRY WHICH HAS BECOME THE FAILED STATE WITH NO FUNCTIONING ECONOMY.
NOW THERE ARE THOSE IN AUSTIN WHO SUPPORT HAMA AND OTHER INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT GOVERNS GAZA.
A SHORT DISTANCE FROM MY FAMILY'S FORMER HOME OF LEBANON.
HAMA HAMAS' MESSAGE OF GOVERNING INCLUDES KILLING THEIR OWN CITIZENS BASED ON NOTHING MORE THAN THEIR SEXUAL PREFERENCES.
THEY ALSO KIDNAP RAPE AND MURDER HORRIFICALLY, NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER.
HAMAS' SUPPORT AND AUSTIN TAKES THE FORM OF STICKERS THAT SAY RAPE IS RESISTANT.
THE RESULT, THERE ARE THOSE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW WEARING SCARFS INSPIRED BY THE ONE POPULARIZED BY YASSER AFA AS MUCH A TERRORIST AS OSAMA BIN LADEN TAKEN TO THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR RESISTING CALLS FOR THE RESOLUTION.
HAMAS SUPPORTERS ARE CALLING FOR HOWEVER MORNINGS TO BE DONE.
THESE PROTESTS FROM INSIDE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE INCITING DESPICABLE BEHAVIOR.
ATTENDEES HAVE BEEN MOCKED, SHOUTED DOWN, SPAT ON, AND CURSED AT OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR THAT NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN.
PATROL MA SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO SPREAD LIES AND MAKE BEHEADED COMMENTS UNCHECKED.
THIS IS NOT HOW AUSTIN BEHAVES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUST NOT STAND WITH RAPISTS OR THEIR APOLOGIES.
IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST A YEAR FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE THE TIME NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND MIDDLE EASTERN DYNAMICS.
WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THIS IS NOT WHERE THE FOCUS SHOULD BE SINCE IT WOULD COME AT THE EXPENSE OF MANAGING OUR AMAZING CITY.
PLEASE STOP THESE INCENDIARY, HATEFUL SPEECH THAT HAVE COME TO DOMINATE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT LEAD TO HARASSMENT AND MARGINALIZING OF MANY OF AUSTIN CITIZENS.
DOING SO WILL ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE ITS GREAT WORK IN MANAGING THE GROWTH OF AUSTIN, MAINTAINING ITS PLACE AT THE GREATEST CITY IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
I AM MOVING TO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST IN-PERSON, SPEAKER ARA DEBAKEY, FOLLOWED BY MAYA KINSKI AND THEN JEN RAM.
WEBEX ASSISTANT IS ENABLED TO SAVE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS.
GOOD TO KNOW OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'VE BEEN A AUSTIN RESIDENT FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND I'M A BIT NERVOUS DUE TO THE HOSTILE VIBES WITHIN THIS CHAMBER.
IN THE PAST FEW SESSIONS, MY FAMILY AND I CHOSE THIS GREAT CITY FOR ITS VIBRANT, LIBERAL AND FESTIVE CULTURE.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN ISRAEL, BUT I'M BECOMING A PROUDEST TONIGHT.
BOTH MY KIDS GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ENJOY THE DIVERSE, UH, BACKGROUND OF THEIR FRIENDS AND TEACHERS.
WE ARE A PART OF A THRIVING JEWISH AND ISRAELI COMMUNITY, TAXPAYERS WHO ARE KNOWN FOR CONTRIBUTING AND VOLUNTEERING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF US TO JUST AS MUCH AS I MOURN FOR THE INNOCENT BEING KILLED AND I'M IN PAIN WHEN I WITNESS THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS THAT IS BEING, UH, HAPPENING IN GAZA.
SADLY, I WILL NOT SOLVE THIS CRISIS IN MY HOMELAND, BUT NEITHER WILL YOU.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IS CALLED FOR A NONVIOLENT POLICY.
HERE IN AUSTIN, SINCE THE OCTOBER 7TH EVENTS WHEN HAMA DECLARED WAR ON ISRAEL, MAING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS, THE JEWISH AND ISRAEL COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN HAVE BEEN SUFFERING BLUNT ACTS OF HATRED AND ANTISEMITISM.
WE, THIS IS ONLY HAPPENING BECAUSE WE ARE WHO WE ARE BECAUSE OF OUR IDENTITY AS ISRAELIS
[01:30:01]
AND AS JEWISH PEOPLE.THOSE HACKS HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY ILLEGAL VANDALISM SUCH AS GRAFFITI ALL OVER TOWN, AND A CALL FOR ADA.
DO YOU MIND STARTING THAT? ADA IS A CALL FOR A VIOLENT RESISTANCE.
THOSE ACTS HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY ILLEGAL BOND.
SORRY, WHAT YOU SAW JUST, UH, HERE WAS A PART OF, UH, THE, UH, RALLY THAT WAS HELD ON NOVEMBER 12TH HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, DO I SEE WHERE CAN I SEE MY PRESENTATION PLEASE? THANKS.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE LEFT SIDE IS FROM THAT EXACT RALLY WHERE THE PRO PALESTINIANS WERE PROTESTINGS AGAINST US, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
AND WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, HIS HAMA, PLEASE STOP THE CLOCK INVADING ISRAEL FOLKS ON OCTOBER 7TH.
MA'AM, MA'AM, HANG ON ONE SECOND.
PLEASE DO NOT DISRUPT THE SPEAKER SO THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT DISRUPT YOU.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH THE SPEAKER, BUT YOU SHOULD NOT DISRUPT THE SPEAKER THAT IS OUT OF ORDER AND YOU WANT TO BE TREATED WITH THE SAME RESPECT.
I'M DEMONSTRATING THIS SLIDE BECAUSE I'M IN FEAR.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS THE MOST VALUABLE PRINCIPLE WE HAVE HERE IN THE US BUT CALLING FOR VIOLENCE IS NOT.
WE ALSO SHOW OUR SOLIDARITY WITH OUR HOSTAGES AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BUT WE DO NOT CALL OUT FOR THE KILLING OF THE OTHER SIDE.
WE WANT HAMAS TO LAY DOWN THEIR WEAPON FOR THE PALESTINIANS AS MUCH AS WE WANT IT FOR OUR PEOPLE.
THIS CALL FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA IS A CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL, WHICH IS IN OTHER WORDS, GENOCIDE.
ASHKENAZI KAZI, JEN RAMOS, AND THEN MARTHA LANGFORD.
PLEASE, CAN YOU CALL, WOULD YOU CALL THE NAME AGAIN? YES, SIR.
MAYA ASHKENAZI, FOLLOWED BY JEN RAMOS AND THEN MARTHA LANGFORD.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD, EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN THE EXACT ORDER THAT SHE CALLED IT.
JEN RAMOS, DO YOU HAVE NO GOOD AFTERNOON? MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND MAYOR? MY NAME IS JEN RAMOS.
I WEAR MANY HATS AND HOLD MULTIPLE TITLES IN THIS COMMUNITY, STATE AND COUNTRY.
BUT TODAY I'M HERE AS THE SENATE, THE STATE SENATE DEMOCRATIC WOMAN FOR SENATE DISTRICT 21, A TERM I'VE HELD FOR THREE ROLES FOR THREE YEARS, FOR THREE TERMS, RATHER, IN THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
ON DECEMBER 12TH, THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY BECAME THE FIRST POLITICAL PARTY IN THE COUNTRY TO PASS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.
THIS RESOLUTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AMONG A STATEWIDE BODY, AND A COPY OF SAID RESOLUTION WAS SENT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR WITH A DEMOCRATIC VOTING HISTORY.
ON FEBRUARY 20TH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA POSTED A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF SENATE CANDIDATE ROLLING GUTIERREZ, CITING HIS SUPPORT FOR A CEASEFIRE AS THE REASON TO SUPPORT GUTIERREZ, WHILE NEGLECTING TO MENTION THAT HE HAS REMAINED SILENT ON HIS SUPPORT WITHIN THE VERY ROLE HE HOLDS ON COUNCIL.
ON MARCH 25TH, DELEGATES TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WERE GREETED WITH KIRK WATSON'S NAME EMBLAZONED OBNOXIOUSLY ON LANYARDS ON SIGNAGE, AND AT A FULL PAGE PROGRAM AD THAT STATED AMONG SEVERAL PLATITUDES, WE MUST ALL FIGHT FOR OUR DEMOCRATIC VALUES.
PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND FOR LATER.
TODAY IS APRIL 4TH, AND FOR THE EXCEPTION OF THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE BEEN GREETED WITH THE RUDE AND TELLING SILENCE ON THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
WE, THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE CITY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR OUR COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION LANGUAGE OF FIVE CITY COMMISSIONS AND THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION FOR MONTHS.
POLITICAL COURAGE SHOULD NEVER BE THE CEILING AND I CAN'T FORCE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE VERY REAL PEOPLE SUFFERING AT PALESTINE, A SUFFERING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS ON END.
BUT AS A PARTY LEADER, I CAN REMIND YOU THAT WHEN ELECTION SEASON COMES, THE VERY PEOPLE WHO KNOCKED ON DOORS FOR YOU, STOOD BY YOU, DONATED MONEY TO YOUR CAMPAIGNS AND GOT YOU ELECTED WILL REMEMBER YOUR SILENCE AND WE WILL GREET IT WITH THE VERY SAME SILENCE YOU'VE GIVEN US.
I CLOSE WITH THIS IN PARTICULAR FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS WON WITH A MERE 700 VOTES WHILE GIVING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE HIS NAME PLASTERED AMONG TRAVIS COUNTY DEMOCRATS, MAYOR WATSON'S WILLINGNESS TO MEET WITH SUPPORTERS OF THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
WHEN CONSTITUENTS COME TO SPEAK ON THESE ISSUES, TELL US WHAT PALESTINIAN ADVOCATES HAVE KNOWN FOR MONTHS THAT MAYOR WATSON HAS THE POLITICAL COURAGE OF A
[01:35:01]
POTTED PLANT AND THE DELICATE TEMPERAMENT OF THE POT IT'S HOUSED IN.THANK YOU AND SUPPORT A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
MY NAME'S MARTHA LANGFORD, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL PEOPLES.
I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE SENIOR CITIZENS OF GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER, OUR PROGRAM, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT FOUR.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT CITY OF AUSTIN BOND PROGRAM ISSUANCE.
SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO PARKS AND RECREATION CURRENTLY ANTICIPATED FOR 2026.
WE TRIED TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU BY THIS RECENT PAST MARCH OR 31ST WITHOUT SUCCESS.
ALTHOUGH WE REPRESENT DISTRICT FOUR SENIORS, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE SO BOLD AS TO CLAIM THAT WE ARE ALSO REPRESENTING SENIORS ALL OVER NORTHEAST AUSTIN AS THEY HAVE NO OTHER RECREATION CENTER, LET ALONE ANY SENIOR CENTER.
DURING 2023, WE PRESENTED OUR NEEDS TO THE COMMISSION ON AGING, THE HISPANIC LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION, AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
WE ALSO PRESENTED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, WHICH PASSED RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 3 1 12 7 0 2 AT THEIR NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023 MEETING SUPPORTING THE GUS GARCIA SPECIAL USE SENIOR FACILITY.
SINCE WE ARE NOT A GROUP WITH RESOURCES TO HIRE OUR ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS, WE DID NOT APPEAR WITH A THOROUGH PRESENTATION BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.
TIME WENT BY AND THINGS DID NOT DEVELOP AS HOPED.
THUS, WE ARE HERE APPEALING TO YOU TO READ AND FAVORABLY RESPOND TO THE PRESENTATION AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDATION SENT TO YOU BY OUR DISTRICT FOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE PARKS BOARD, CATHERINE FLOWERS.
WE ARE ASKING FOR A SENIOR CENTER ON SITE AT GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER AND PARK.
ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REPRESENT OUR NEEDS.
WE ARE THE ONLY AUSTIN CITY RECREATION CENTER AND PARK SERVING THE NEEDS OF ALL CITIZENS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF I 35 TO THE WEST AND NORTH OF RUNDBERG LANE, INCLUDING PARTS OF DISTRICT FOUR, ONE AND SEVEN.
TOGETHER SENIOR POPULATIONS THERE AMOUNT TO 23,673 PEOPLE, WHICH BASICALLY ARE IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA.
SENIOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
NEW PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN NEEDED HAVE HELPED INCREASE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND ALREADY TIGHT SPACE FOR OUR ACTIVITIES HAS INCREASED OUR NEEDS EVEN FURTHER.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE SENIORS AND THAT MEANS THAT FACTUALLY SOME OF US WILL NOT BE AROUND, WHOOPS.
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE, THE SENIOR POPULATION OF THIS AREA WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACCORDING TO OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, CITY, STATE, AND NATIONALLY.
OUR SENIOR PROGRAM IS LIMITED TO THE HOURS OF 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM ON WEEKDAYS.
PLEASE HELP GARCIA RECREATION ACCOMPLISH THIS FUTURE GOAL.
ROCHELLE WILSON, A SOFT LEARNER COUNCIL VELA, UH, JUST A, OH, SORRY.
A QUICK THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
UH, VISITED WITH THE SENIORS, UH, A FEW MONTHS BACK, BUT IT WAS A PLEASURE AND THEY'VE GOT GOOD A HUNDRED MORE THAN A HUNDRED FOLKS PARTICIPATING, TALKING TO PARKS ABOUT THAT.
UH, HOPING TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY A, A TEMPORARY SOLUTION IN THE FORM OF, UH, OF A PORTABLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, YOU HAVE MY, UH, WHOLEHEARTED, UH, SUPPORT FOR THE INCLUSION OF A, OF A SENIOR CENTER IN THE NEXT PARKS AND, UH, RECREATION BOND, WHATEVER THAT IS.
I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
HE, UM, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND BEGIN SPEAKING.
CAN YOU PLEASE START THE MEDIA I PROVIDED BEFORE STARTING MY TIME? YES, THANK YOU.
[01:40:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON.I'M A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT AND AN AVID VOTER, AND THIS YEAR AMONG HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER VOTERS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, I AM A SINGLE ISSUE VOTER.
THAT ISSUE IS GENOCIDE, WHICH EITHER YOU SUPPORT OR YOU DO NOT SUPPORT.
THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND HERE.
I HAVE WATCHED AS OTHERS HAVE COME BEFORE YOU WEEK AFTER WEEK WITH TESTIMONY ABOUT THE HORRIFIC GENOCIDE HAPPENING IN PALESTINE WITH IMAGES SO HORRIBLE THAT MOST OF YOU TURNED AWAY FROM THEM.
AND I HAVE WATCHED THAT NOT BE ENOUGH TO SWAY THIS BODY.
I WILL BE REMEMBERING THAT EVERY TIME I ENTER A VOTING BOOTH.
I CAME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SHARE A DREAM, TO SHARE MY DREAM.
MY DREAM IS THAT I WILL GO TO SLEEP TONIGHT, AND WHEN I WAKE UP, THERE WILL BE NO MORE MURDERED PALESTINIANS.
MY DREAM IS THAT EACH DAY AFTER THAT, I WILL WAKE UP AND THERE WILL STILL BE NO MORE MURDERED PALESTINIANS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS NOT A DREAM THAT I CAN JUST MAKE INTO REALITY, BUT IF WE DO NOT DARE TO DREAM, HOW WILL WE KEEP OUR HUMANITY? I BEG OF YOU, EACH OF YOU DREAM WITH ME.
MY DREAM IS THAT A MONTH FROM NOW, WE WILL HAVE FOUND ALL THE BODIES UNDER THE RUBBLE AND WE WILL PAY THESE MARTYRS THEIR DUE.
MY DREAM IS THAT FOR EVERY CHILD'S GRAVE THAT HAS TO BE PLANTED AND THAT HAS TO BE DUG AND ALL TREE WILL BE PLANTED MORE THAN 14,000 TREES THAT WILL GROW FOR 500 YEARS.
MAAH, MY DREAM IS THAT WE WILL REBUILD THE SCHOOLS AND THE PLAYGROUNDS THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED TO BE TURNED INTO GRAVEYARDS.
THAT OUR COLLECTIVE SHAME WILL MAKE US ACT BETTER.
AND I'M LOSING MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
MY DREAM IS THAT NEXT RAMADAN, THERE WILL BE MOSQUES AND CHURCHES REBUILT ALL OVER GAZA AND THEY WILL BE FILLED WITH PALESTINIANS WHO HAVE FOOD BUT ARE CHOOSING TO BE HUNGRY.
MY DREAM IS THAT FROM RAMAH TO NAJAH, THERE WILL BE MERCY, SAFETY AND FREEDOM, AND THAT DURING MAFARA WE WILL EARN OUR FORGIVENESS.
THAT MY DREAM IS THAT THIS RECLAMATION WILL BE FUNDED BY THOSE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GENOCIDE THAT THE WEST SHOW PALESTINIANS.
THE DIGNITY OF CLEANING UP THIS MESS SWIFTLY, THAT WE NOT MAKE THEM LANGUISH INTENSE COBBLING TOGETHER IN EXISTENCE.
WHILE WE PONTIFICATE THE REASONS WHY THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, MY DREAM IS THAT I WILL GO TO SLEEP TONIGHT AND WHEN I WAKE UP, THERE WILL BE NO MORE MURDERED PALESTINIANS.
THAT DREAM CAN START HERE TODAY WITH EACH OF YOU.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO END THIS GENOCIDE, AND I CERTAINLY DON'T EXPECT YOU TO HAND ME MY DREAM.
I AM JUST ASKING THAT YOU STOP DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT THE MURDER OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS IS REASON ENOUGH TO ASK.
I AM JUST ASKING THAT YOU STOP QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT THE MURDER OF 14,000 CHILDREN IS ENOUGH TO CALL FOR A PERMANENT SEATS FIRE NOW.
A SOFT LEARNER FOLLOWED BY HAT NA NACHE AND CAROLINE ROSE KENNEDY, I TOUGH LEARNER, HONORABLE MAYOR WATSON AND A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS S LERNER, THE GRANDSON OF CHRISTINA LEITZ, A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR WHO WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO ESCAPE HER VILLAGE AUSTRIAN IN POLAND AS ANTI-SEMITIC VOICES BECAME LOUDER IN THE EARLY 1930S, AND EVENTUALLY SHE MADE HER WAY TO ISRAEL THE HOME OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
I SERVED IN THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES FOR THREE YEARS.
I MOVED TO TEXAS SIX YEARS AGO WITH MY WIFE AND MY FOUR KIDS.
MY WIFE IS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND MY FOUR KIDS WHOM I PROUDLY SENT TO THE ONES WHO TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
I SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE AS A CYBERSECURITY EXPERT HELPING GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENTS, UM, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
AS A JEWISH AND ISRAELI AMERICAN RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE THAT THE ANTISEMITIC MOB BEHIND ME HAS BEEN PUSHING LOUDLY FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT ATION OF FIGHTING.
IT'S A WELL ORGANIZED EFFORT TO DELEGITIMIZE ISRAEL AND DEMONIZE ISRAEL AND JEWISH PEOPLE.
WE SEE NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY THAT THOSE CALLING FOR RESOLUTION ARE ALSO CALLING FOR BOYCOTTS.
[01:45:01]
HERE IN AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, PRESSURING ARTISTS PULL OUT OF SIDE BY SOUTHWEST AND TARGETING BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS OWNERS WITH ANY CONNECTIONS TO ISRAEL.THIS CONFLICT HAPPENS 7,000 120 MILES AWAY FROM HERE, AND IT IS AT LEAST 75 YEARS OLD.
IT'S VERY COMPLEX WITH MORE AT STAKE THAN THE CONS MAY BE AWARE OF.
NEGOTIATION FOR HOSTAGE RELEASE AND HUMANITARIAN AID ARE ALREADY TAKING PLACE AND HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS WITH THE INVOLVEMENT AND HELP OF MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.
ANY RESOLUTION MADE BY THIS CITY COUNCIL WILL NOT MOVE THE NEEDLE INTERNATIONALLY, HOWEVER, IT WILL FUEL THE HATRED AND TARGETING OF THE JEWISH AND ISRAEL AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO LIVE RIGHT HERE.
I'M NOT A LOCAL GOVERNANCE EXPERT.
STILL IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THE CITY SHOULD SPEND ITS PRECIOUS RESOURCES ON LOCAL MATTERS LIKE REC CENTERS, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, AND MUCH MORE, UH, RELEVANT TO THESE DAYS, ITS OBLIGATION TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS.
MY COMMUNITY DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TODAY WHEN WE SEE THE ANTI-SEMITIC VOICES VIOLENTLY MARCHING THE STREETS OF AUSTIN.
AS MAYA SHOWED CALLING FOR AN ANTIFA AND GENOCIDE OF MY PEOPLE, I'M HEARING VOICES SAYING THAT THEY DO NOT TARGET ALL JEWS JUST AS ZIONIST.
WELL, WHEN THEY SAY ZIONISTS, THEY MEAN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE JEWISH POPULATION IN AUSTIN WHO BELIEVES IN THE RIGHT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL TO EXIST.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DOING WHAT'S RIGHT AND KEEPING OUR CITIZENS SAFE.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
MAYOR WATSON, DO YOU SEE THIS PICTURE? YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE EXCUSE YOURSELF FROM THE CHAMBERS.
LET'S HAVE ORDER SO THE SPEAKER MAY SPEAK.
IF YOU'D STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FEE IN LIEU PROVISION IN THE NEW DB 90 ZONING CATEGORY THAT NINE OF YOU VOTED FOR A MONTH AGO.
THE IDEA BEHIND THE DB ZONING IS THAT AN APARTMENT OR CONDO DEVELOPER GETS MORE DENSITY AND 30 FEET MORE HEIGHT IN EXCHANGE FOR SO-CALLED COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
THE KEY BENEFIT IS RESERVING 10 TO 12% OF THE APARTMENTS OR CONDOS ON SITE FOR RENT OR SALE TO INCOME LIMITED PEOPLE.
THIS IS TOUTED AS PROMOTING NOT SIMPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
I BELIEVE THAT THE FEE IN LIEU IS BAD IN PRINCIPLE AND BAD IN PRACTICE.
BY PAYING THE FEE IN LIEU, A CONDO DEVELOPER CAN AVOID GETTING, AVOID SETTING ASIDE ANY CONDO UNITS FOR LIMITED INCOME PURCHASERS WHILE STILL GETTING TO BUILD HIGHER AND DENSE DIRT.
THUS, IT GIVES A CONDO DEVELOPER BONUSES WHILE HE CREATES AN ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED BUILDING.
THIS IS A NIMBY SITUATION NOT IN MY BUILDING.
ECONOMIC SEGREGATION ENTAILS RACIAL SEGREGATION.
TO ME, THE FEE OPTION DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST FURTHER.
THE FEE IN LIEU WAS NOT PART OF THE VM U2 ZONING.
THAT DB 90 WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PATTERNED AFTER IT WAS NOT PART OF YOUR FEBRUARY 1ST RESOLUTION INITIATING THE DB 90 ZONING.
IT WAS NOT IN THE STAFF'S ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE DB 90 ORDINANCE.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD THE STAFF ADDED BESIDES BEING A BAD IDEA.
IN PRINCIPLE, THE FEE AS FORMULATED IS BAD IN PRACTICE.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS BASED ON THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDED FORMULA FOR COM COMPUTING.
THE FEE, THE FEE VARIES DEPENDING UPON HOW MANY BEDROOMS ARE IN THE CONDO.
AND BASICALLY FOR A ONE BEDROOM CONDO, IT'S 86,000 PLUS FOR TWO BEDROOM IS 136,000.
FOR THREE BEDROOM, IT'S 238,000.
THE FEE IS A WASH FOR THE, FOR THE DEVELOPER IF THE CONDOS BEING BUILT ARE PRICED AT THE CITYWIDE MEDIUM PRICE.
THE FEE DOES, HOWEVER, DOES NOT GO UP IF YOU BUILD MORE EXPENSIVE CONDOS.
THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S A PLUG ON YOUR HEAD.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS HOW THE DEVELOPERS OF MORE EXPENSIVE CONDOS
[01:50:02]
THE NEXT OKAY, WOULD YOU ADD THE NEXT SLIDE? SLOWS HOW THE DEVELOPERS OF MORE EXPENSIVE CONDOS CAN MAKE MORE MONEY BY PAYING THE FEE INSTEAD OF SELLING A FEW UNITS TO LOW INCOME PERSONS.IT'S BASED ON AN IMAGINARY 80 CONDO UNIT WITH A MIX OF BEDROOMS, WITH THE CONDOS BEING PRICED ABOUT 55% ABOVE THE CITYWIDE MEETING.
I DON'T HAVE TO TIME TO EXPLAIN THE DETAILS.
I'LL SEND YOU THESE CHARTS IN MY PRESENTATIONS.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE DEVELOPER OF THIS 80 CONDO UNIT WOULD GET ALMOST $2 MILLION MORE BY GOING THE FEE ROUTE RATHER THAN PROVIDING UNITS ON SITE SUMMARIZED BECAUSE OF THE DISRUPTION.
SO THE FEE IN LIEU IS A GREAT WAY FOR A DEVELOPER TO GET TO BUILD THREE MORE STORIES HIGHER AND DENSER AND KEEP THE LESS WEALTHY FOLKS OUT AND MAKE MORE MONEY.
PLEASE REMOVE THIS SHAMEFUL LOOP LOOPHOLE THAT ENCOURAGES SEGREGATED HOUSES.
AND THEN CAROL ROSE KENNEDY AS HE'S APPROACHING MEMBERS AT THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UH, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK, BUT I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY ABOUT THE, THE MUSIC DURING THE VIDEO BEFORE MY TIME HOT.
YOU WATCHING YOUR B***H? THERE TO GO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M A PROUD PALESTINIAN AMERICAN AND ARAB AMERICAN.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE LATEST MASSACRE THAT HAPPENED MONDAY AT PHA HOSPITAL BY YOURS AND OUR TAX MONEY.
THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE.
ISRAELI OCCUPATION, ISRAELI TERRORISTS KILLING THE CIVILIANS AND THE SLAUGHTER IN PALESTINE.
I STAND IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, APRIL, AS THE NATIONAL ARAB AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY, NEVER CELEBRATED THIS MONTH.
EVEN WITH THE CONTRIBUTION OF SO MANY OF ARAB AMERICANS TO THIS COUNTRY.
I WILL NAME DANNY THOMAS FROM SAN JUDE HOSPITAL.
I'LL NAME DR. MICHAEL DEBAKEY BECAUSE OF HIM.
SO MANY OF YOU AND SO MANY OF OUR FELLOW AMERICANS ARE ALIVE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS NOT ON THE RADAR OF OUR MAYOR BECAUSE THE MAYOR NEVER CARED FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND LIKE OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT AGE, DISTRICT EIGHT PAGE.
I WORKED, VOLUNTEERED BLOCK WALK FOR YOU.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE I REGRET DOING THAT BECAUSE YOU FAILED US AS A COMMUNITY.
YOU REFUSED TO MEET WITH US AS A COMMUNITY.
YOU MEET WITH ME VIRTUALLY THEN YOU NEVER RESPONDED BACK.
I WILL SAY YOU ARE TERMED OUT, BUT YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE AGAIN.
I WILL BE THERE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOU, YOU ARE LACK OF LEADERSHIP AGAIN TO SUPPORT HUMANITY.
YOUR LACK OF LEADERSHIP TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
MR. MAYOR, BACK IN DECEMBER, YOU CAME TO ME OVER THERE, INTRODUCED ME TO YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND ASKED ME TO TAKE A APPOINTMENT WITH YOU, WHICH IS I DID.
AND IT WAS GIVEN TO ME FEBRUARY 8TH.
FEBRUARY 8TH HAPPENED TO BE FOUR DAYS AFTER THE HATE CRIME.
MR. MAYER, AS I KNOW A MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, YOU'VE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE HATE CRIME.
I DID NOT SEE YOU AT THE HOSPITAL.
I DID NOT SEE YOU CALLING THE VICTIM, THE MAYOR OF ARLINGTON DID.
I DID NOT SEE YOU STANDING WITH MY COMMUNITY RUNNING LIKE ANY OTHER LEADER WHO WANTS AND WANNA REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AS IN GENERAL, NOT A MAYOR WHO WON ELECTION BY 886 VOTES.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU DEHUMANIZED US, MR. MAYOR, YOU WERE NEVER NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
THEN FEW DAYS LATER, YOU ISSUE A STATEMENT.
YOU DEHUMANIZED MY COMMUNITY, THE PALESTINIAN, THE ARAB, THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
WHAT WAS DIVISIVE IS YOUR LACK OF LEADERSHIP.
MR. MAYOR, WHAT WAS DIVISIVE? YOU ARE NOT PASSING AT CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION.
WHAT WAS DIVISIVE FROM YOU MR. MAY THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF CANCELED THE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 8TH, THE NIGHT BEFORE.
INSTEAD OF YOU COMING, RUNNING LIKE WHAT A MAYOR WOULD DO, YOU CANCELED SHAME ON THIS.
I'LL REMEMBER YOU IN NOVEMBER, SIR.
[01:55:03]
I WANT EVERYBODY TO WATCH WHAT'S COMING UP.SO I WANNA SHOW YOU WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTING.
WHO DO YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN TO GOD? I WANT TO, TO OUR, TO BE CIVILIZED WITH JEWS FROM ISRAEL.
THE UNIT WAS, UH, IN CHARGE OF EXPLOSIONS.
WE BLEW UP, UM, HOUSES OF, UH, TERRORISTS, MOSQUE UN UM, OFFICES.
I REMEMBER WE GOT INTO SOME UN OFFICE THAT WAS IN CHARGE OF, UH, HELPING, UM, FAMILIES IN GAZA THAT WAS, UH, AFFECTED BY THE WAR AND WE DESTROYED IT.
WE, WE GIVE PASTIES FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR THE SOLDIERS, FOR THE COPS, FOR EVERYBODY.
THIS IS, THIS IS REAL HUMANITARIAN.
OKAY? THEY NEED TO BLOCK THE EIGHT GAZA.
THEY NEED TO BLOCK THE, THE GAS TOGETHER, EVERYTHING TO BLOCK.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO EVERY, EVERY WEEK, 2, 3, 4 TIMES A WEEK.
AND AS THE BIBLE SAYS, THIS PLACE IS, IS, IS, IS FOR US.
IT'S PROMISED FOR US SO THEY CAN STOP TO DEATH.
THIS IS A CHILD THAT WAS RUN OVER BY AN ISRAELI TANK JUST LIKE RACHEL, COREY, AND MANY OTHERS.
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY RUN OVER BY A TANK.
DO NOT GET IT CONFUSED WITH JUDAISM.
AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE A WHITE SUPREMACIST.
MS. KENNEDY, MS. KENNEDY, MS. KENNEDY, IF YOU'D MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MICROPHONE, YOU HAVE SOLD YOUR SOULS FOR MONEY.
MS. KENNEDY, IF YOU'D MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MICROPHONE, YES.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IS A RACIST M**********R.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IS RACIST.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU BELIEVES THAT IS JUDAISM.
THESE PEOPLE PLEASE EXCUSE YOURSELF.
OKAY, MEMBERS AT THE, AT THE CONCLUSION OF MS. KENNEDY'S TESTIMONY, WE WILL, AT THE CONCLUSION OF MS. KENNEDY'S TESTIMONY, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK.
DO I START? PLEASE, EVERYBODY, PLEASE, PLEASE, IF YOU COULD COME TO ORDER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OTHERS TESTIFY.
[02:00:01]
I USED TO WORK AT IRS AMONG THE BEST WHO SERVED AND THEN MY BOSS SAID, KENNEDY, YOU'RE GETTING ON MY NERVE.IN 1,991, I LOOKED THROUGH TRUCKS OF MAIL THAT CAME INTO THE TEXAS SHOP THROUGH WIND AND FIRE IN HELL BY BIRD, BY PLANE, BY SUPERMAN, OR ON FOOT.
SO JOYFULLY BY GOAT, BY ROTOR, ON BICYCLE, AND ACROSS THE SHINING SEA.
I EAR MARCH, RED MARCH TAX RETURNS WITH DOG BITES, PEE AND WINE.
BUT THE ONES FROM THE POPES AND THE PRESIDENTS SMELLED VERY BAD OF SWINE.
BUT I WORE MY SUIT WITH HOSE AND HEELS.
AND I WALKED REAL FINE AND I TALKED REAL STRAIGHT, BUT I PLASTERED ON MY SMILE.
AND THEN I GOT TO MOVE DOWNTOWN ON THE HILL NEAR THE CAP AT ALL HOW PROUD I WAS, BUT HUMBLED WHEN I FACED THE ALBI, NO BULL THROUGH THE K BOMB AND 9 1 1.
BUT SOON I FOUND THAT THE ONE TO FEAR WAS RIGHT BEHIND MY ASS.
SHE CRITICIZED MY MESSY DESK, THE FOUL PILES ON MY FLOOR, MY OVERLOADED VOICE MAILBOX, MY UNREADY MEL CHORE.
AND THEN IT WAS MY TONE OF VOICE, THE COLOR OF MY EYES.
AND THEN MY RESPIRATION RATE COULD BE I'M TWICE HER SIZE.
THE MORAL TO HER STORY IS DON'T GIVE YOUR TIME IN LIFE TO FED OR SHENANIGANS.
AND UNLESS YOU HAVE A WIFE, I GAVE MY TIME AND LIFE TO Y'ALL, MY MONEY AND MY FUN.
AND NOW I HAVE GREAT NEWS FOR Y'ALL FROM YOUR UNCLE SAM.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME SIR.
OR HAVE YOU FINISHED MS. KENNEDY? I'M SORRY? HAVE YOU FINISHED? OH YEAH.
WELL, OKAY, IF YOU'RE DONE, IF YOU'RE DONE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SERVING MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 PM IT IS 12:41 PM THE ONLY CHILD
[Live Music Dion]
BORN TO ARCHIE ARNOLD AND RICHARD ARNOLD IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA.BUT SHE ATTENDED LL CAMPBELL ELEMENTARY AND DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL, NOW KNOWN AS DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, AND CO AND COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
IT WAS AT DOBY THAT SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE CHOIR UNDER THE DIRECTOR OF DR.
SHE GRADUATED FROM WHAT WAS THEN KNOWN AS REAGAN HIGH SCHOOL AND SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE IN SAN MARCO WITH A BA IN COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS. SHE'S BEEN EMPLOYED WITH THE IT DEPARTMENT FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS AND CURRENTLY WORKS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
HER LOVE FOR MUSIC AND GOD WAS FURTHER STRENGTHEN, STRENGTHENED BY HER SPIRITUAL FATHER, PASTOR AV MONROE, WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2020.
HER SPIRITUAL WALK TOOK A HUGE HIT AS HE WAS TAKEN UNEXPECTEDLY.
HOWEVER, MS. DION CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD IN HER MUSIC.
ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2013, MS. DION RELEASED HER FIRST SOLO GOSPEL ALBUM ENTITLED I'M READY, WHICH IS IN, IN WITH A PRODUCTION COMPANY, WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY BARRY JW FRANKLIN.
MANY PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT NAME.
AS D OWNER OF A LIFE CELEBRATION MORTUARY HERE IN AUSTIN AND MAYNARD, TEXAS IN 2023, MS. DION RELEASED A SOLO CD WITH TWO SONGS ON IT, AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE UNDER DIONNE ARNOLD.
MS. DION BELIEVES SHE'S NOT THE PERFECT CHRISTIAN AND HAS FALLEN SHORT MANY, MANY TIMES.
BUT BY THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD, SHE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS HER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MS. DION, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR WATSON, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND CITY HALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT.
[02:05:01]
SPACE, GOD HAS PREPARED A PLACE AND IT'S FOR THOSE WHO REALLY TRUST HIM AND OBEY.HE, HE'S COMING BACK REAL SOON, MAYBE MORNING, NIGHT ON AND THE DOWN IS GETTING CLOSER EVERY DAY.
IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF GOD'S GRACE THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY.
IT'S TRULY AMAZING, AMAZING GRACE.
GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING GRACE.
GOD'S GRACE IS TRULY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'RE GONNA BE JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
SO IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO GET TO ISSUE THIS PROCLAMATION AND I'M GLAD TO BE JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
THE PROCLAMATION READS STEP, STEP UP HERE IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, THE PROCLAMATION READS, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.
AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 4TH, 2024 AS DION DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
CAN WE HEAR YOU AND CAN WE FOLLOW YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? UH, YOU CAN I TELL ME ABOUT THAT STEP UP.
[02:10:01]
I HAVE A PAGE ON YOUTUBE AND IT IS CORRECTLY SPELLED DION ARNOLD, A-R-N-O-L-D, AND MY FIRST CD IS ON YOUTUBE AS WELL AS MY SECOND, UH, SINGLE RELEASE.THANK GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action)]
I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING THAT WE BEGAN THIS MORNING.
IT'S APRIL 4TH, 2024 AND IT'S 2:00 PM MEMBERS.
WE ARE AT THAT POINT IN OUR AGENDA WHERE WE HAVE A TIME CERTAIN FOR TWO O'CLOCK, AND THOSE ARE THE ZONING ITEMS. SO I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, MS. HARDEN TO LEAD US THROUGH THAT.
I'M JOY HARDEN WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
YOUR ZONING AGENDA BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 49 C 1 4 20 22 0 0 9 0 AND THIS IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR MAY 2ND COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 50 IS NPA 20 22 0 0 0 5 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 51 C 14 20 22 0 1 0 7.
AGAIN, INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT BY UH, INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
ITEM ITEM 52 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 1 5 2.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 53 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 1 0 6.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 55 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 1 3 8.
THIS IS A REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER TO YOUR APRIL 18TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 56 IS C 1 4 2 23 0 1 1 0 1 1 4.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD PLUS OBAMA REQUEST TO YOUR APRIL 18TH COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 58 IS C 1 4 20 23 0 1 48.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 59 IS C ONE 40 H 20 23 0 1 47.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 60 IS C ONE 40 H 20 23 0 1 4 5.
THIS IS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR APRIL 18TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 61 IS NPA 20 23 0 0 1, 4 0.03.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 62, AND THAT'S C 1 4 20 23 0 0 9 3.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS WITH THE FOLLOWING MOTION, UM, THAT I'LL READ INTO THE RECORD.
AMEND PART D, ONE OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
NUMBER ONE, THE MINIMUM SETBACKS ARE A ZERO FEET FOR THE FRONT YARD, B, 10 FEET FOR THE STREET SIDE YARD, C, 10 FEET FOR INTERIOR SIDE YARD, AND D 10 FEET FOR THE REAR YARD.
AND WITH THAT, UH, MOTION SHEET RIGHT INTO THE RECORD, WE CAN OFFER THIS FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
I DO WANNA NOTE, UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD THAT STAFF DID NOT RECOMMEND THESE ITEMS, UM, ITEM 61 AND 62 BECAUSE THEY ARE IN A JOB CENTER.
UM, BUT THEY WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST TO ADD THE PDA.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS READY FOR ALL THREE READINGS WITH THE MOTION SHE READ INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM CC THREE IS C 14 8 5 2 8, 8 0.166 RCA TWO.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR APRIL 18TH COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, UM, WITH THE FOLLOWING MOTION THAT I'LL MOTION SHEET THAT I'LL READ INTO THE RECORD.
THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED THEIR RE REQUEST AND STAFF IS AGREEABLE TO THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATION TO THE STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION'S.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER ONE IS TO REMOVE THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR CS ONE V-C-O-N-P ZONING.
THE AMENDED RY REQUEST IS NOW FROM C-S-C-N-P AND CS ONE CO NP TO CS VCO NP.
UM, AND WITH THAT READ INTO THE RECORD, WE ARE BRINGING, UM, WE ARE OFFERING THIS ITEM FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, AND STAFF WILL BE BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATIONS
[02:15:01]
AT YOUR APRIL 18TH COUNCIL MEETING.ITEM 65 IS NPA 20 23 0 0 1 5 0.04.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 2ND COUNCIL MEETING.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 66 C 1 4 20 23 0 1 1 7.
AGAIN, APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR MAY 2ND COUNCIL MEETING.
AND MOVING ON TO THE TWO ADDENDUM ITEMS. ITEM 72 C 1 4 20 23 0 0 4 9.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.
AND THIS INCLUDES, UH, THE CHANGES ON THE MOTION SHEET THAT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO YOU.
AND ITEM 73 IS C 14 20 23 0 0 5 0 AND THAT'S BOMB WEST PDA.
AGAIN, THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT SEGMENT.
THIRD READINGS WITH AGAIN, UM, BEING OFFERED WITH A MOTION SHEET THAT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED.
UM, THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE ZONING AGENDA.
AND AS ALWAYS, THIS IS AT YOUR DISCRETION, COUNSEL.
MEMBERS, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. HARDEN? UH, WHAT I'LL DO IS, UH, READ INTO THE RECORD AND THEN WE WILL CALL, I'LL CALL ON THE CLERK TO TELL US IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT I'D LIKE TO GET A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, LET ME, LET ME READ IT IN THE RECORD REAL QUICK.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CONDRE WILL BE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.
49 IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 2ND.
UH, ITEMS 50 AND 51, WHICH ARE RELATED, IT'S AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
CONSENT ON ALL 3 55 POSTPONED TO APRIL 18TH.
56 IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL 18TH, 57, 58, AND 59 ON ALL THREE READINGS.
60 IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL 18TH 61.
AND RELATED ITEM NUMBER 62 IS CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS WITH ITEM NUMBER 62 HAVING THE MOTION THAT MS. HARDIN READ INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM 63 IS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL 18TH, 64.
IS CONSENT ON FIRST READING, UH, WITH THE MOTION SHEET THAT WAS READ, UH, INTO THE RECORD, UH, BY MS. HARDEN.
IT'LL BE COME BACK TO US ON APRIL 18TH.
65 AND 66 ARE BOTH APPLICANT POSTPONEMENTS MAY 2ND IN THE ADDENDUM.
72 AND 73 ARE CONSENT ON SECOND AND THIRD READING, UM, SECOND AND THIRD READING.
AND IN BOTH INSTANCES, MEMBERS YOU HAVE A YELLOW MOTION SHEET RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER 72, WHICH IS BOMB EAST.
AND ITEM NUMBER 73, WHICH IS BOMB WEST COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, REMOVES ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IS READ.
IS THERE A SECOND? THE SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I WILL TURN NOW TO THE CLERK AND ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
YES, MAYOR, WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS.
THERE'S NO ONE CURRENTLY ON THE LINE, SO I WILL START WITH IN PERSON LORRAINE ATHERTON SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 56, FOLLOWED BY BILL BUNCH, MS. ATHERTON.
THE NEXT SEVERAL SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP FOR 63, SO I'LL JUST READ SEVERAL NAMES AT A TIME.
THIS IS TO ADDRESS THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
JASON HASKINS, JASON EK, DAWN, DON MA, KAREN DALLMAN, STUART GOODMAN, SHEILA ANDERSON, KRISTEN JACOBS, CHRIS NEWPORT, DON GIBSON, PATRICIA GIBSON, CHANDLER HARRIS, DONNA CLEMENT, JUSTIN JENSEN, JARED KIRK, KELSEY HUGHES, SCOTT DALMAN, STACEY BLACK, ERIN HEIDELBERG, WALTER MOORE, EDGAR HANDEL, ALAN DEW, ANUSH RAZA, BJORN MACK ON ITEM 72 AND 73, VALERIE MENARD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL AND MAYOR.
UH, YES, I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UH, REGARDING THE BOMB, EAST WEST DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE WORKED WITH THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, DURING THIS NEGOTIATION AND WE WERE REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT FROM THAT, UH, A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WAS, WAS CREATED.
AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT.
UH, 'CAUSE NEIGHBORHOODS CAN REALLY BEST DEFEND THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE ORGANIZED.
SO THAT WAS A VERY POSITIVE PART.
BUT WHAT I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, REALLY HANDLE THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE OF THIS, OF THIS NEGOTIATION.
AND THEY ASKED US TO TAKE THE LEAD ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
[02:20:01]
IT WASN'T UNFORTUNATELY UNTIL THIS WEEK THAT WE FOUND OUT WHAT, WHAT REALLY WAS WHAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT.AND SO, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UM, THERE WILL BE, UM, 10% OF THE UNITS SET ASIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, 60% MFI FOR RENTALS AND, UM, ONLY AND 80% FOR, UM, OTHER OCCUPIED UNITS OR HOMES.
SO, UH, FOR US, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT AFFORDABLE.
AND I KNOW THIS COUNCIL, UH, CONTINUES TO, UH, COMMIT TO AFFORDABILITY, BUT IF WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS, AND WE KNOW WE WILL ALONG EAST AUSTIN AND INTO EAST AUSTIN, ALONG THE RIVER, UH, WE, I REALLY ASK THAT THE COUNCIL LOOK AT AFFORDABILITY.
UH, 80% MFI IS NOT, UH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT AREA MEDIAN INCOMES.
UH, WE NEED TO CONSIDER WORKING CLASS FAMILIES.
EAST AUSTIN IS HOME STILL TO WORKING CLASS FAMILIES.
UM, AND THIS, THIS AGREEMENT IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO LIVE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT 60% IS IS GOOD, 80% IS NOT, 50% IS BETTER.
SO IF WE COULD GET A 50% MFI, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
AND CERTAINLY TO LOW LOWER THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING FROM 80%, THAT'S JUST NOT AFFORDABLE.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS ALREADY PASSED ON FIRST READING, SO MAYBE NOT THIS TIME, BUT PLEASE LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
PLEASE STOP APPROVING DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS THAT ARE NOT AFFORDABLE.
THANK YOU ZENO JOSEPH FOR ITEM 49, 61, 62, AND THEN LEE EDWARDS FOR 72 73.
I THINK HE DIDN'T WANNA SPEAK, BUT I WANTED TO CALL JUST IN CASE.
AND THEN I HAVE ONE REMOTE SPEAKER, TIMOTHY KEAT FOR ITEM 57.
UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNSEL FOR GRANTING THE TIME TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE AS WELL IN WEST LYNN.
I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WITH MY WIFE LAURA GONZALEZ FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
WE RAISED OUR CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, OUR FAMILY HOME IS LOCATED LESS THAN 150 METERS FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT THIS DEVELOPMENTAL ROAD, THE FAMILY FRIENDLY QUALITIES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
UM, SO JUST DOWN THE STREET IS MATTHEWS ELEMENTARY WHERE WE SEND OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.
MANY CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COLLECT NEAR THE FORMER ANNOUNCED PHARMACY WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL BUS.
WE WONDER WHAT WILL BECOME A WESTLAND BY NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF MAJOR TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR AND INSTITUTIONS LIKE MATTHEWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BECOME, TO RESEMBLE OTHER COMMERCIAL AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS IN OUR CITY.
UM, AND, UH, AS A, UH, UM, FAMILY THAT LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND WORKS AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, WE'RE QUITE, UH, AWARE OF THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES AND WE DON'T FEEL THAT THIS, UH, DEVELOPMENT WILL, UH, IMPROVE THOSE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, RUNOFF, UH, IN THE AREA.
WE'VE SEEN, UM, UH, SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER RUSHING DOWN OUR ALLEYWAY, WHICH IS QUITE JUST ACROSS THE STREET.
UH, AND WE FEEL THAT COULD BE, UH, A RISK FOR FLOODING AND, AND ENDANGERING PEOPLE.
SO WE WERE, WE WERE OPPOSED TO THIS, UH, UH, CHANGE.
WE FEEL THAT, UM, THE CURRENT ZONING, UH, IS ADEQUATE, UH, TO MEET THE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, UH, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT, UM, IF WE, UH, UH, CHANGE THE ZONING AND ALLOW, UH, GREATER HEIGHTS, WE WILL BE, UM, UH, CHANGING DRAMATICALLY THE NATURE OF THIS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WE'RE OPPOSED TO THAT ACTION.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE ZONING SPEAKERS, MEMBERS, THAT'S EVERYONE THAT'S SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS READ.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM THE VOTE? ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN? COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY IS RECUSING HERSELF FROM ITEM NUMBER 54.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE SHOWN AS RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THE MAYOR PRO TIM IS INDICATING SHE IS VOTING NO ON ITEM 61 AND 62.
IT TURNS OUT 62 IS THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO JUST 61.
THANKS THE MAYOR PRO TIM IS BEING SHOWN VOTING NO ON 61.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
UM, DISCUSSION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, I APPRECIATE, I KNOW THE NEIGHBORS HAD ASKED FOR THE POSTPONEMENT ON ITEM 63 AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT BEING, UM, ACCEPTED FOR THIS MEETING.
I KNOW WE OFTENTIMES TALK IN TERMS OF ITEM NUMBERS, BUT WANTED FOLKS TO KNOW THAT'S THE SUNSET RIDGE AND
[02:25:01]
THAT THAT ONE ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA IS SHOWN AS POSTPONEMENT FOR TWO WEEKS.ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, CUSTOMER FUENTES.
UH, COLLEAGUES, THIS IS ONE OF THE ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA TODAY IS CHANGING AN INDUSTRIAL USE TO A MIXED USE THAT OF WHICH MY, UH, CONTACT TEAM SUPPORTS.
AND I THINK WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF THESE CASES IN MY DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR ABOUT CHANGING INDUSTRIAL ZONING USES TO, TO MIXED USE.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER IS DIRECTION TO CITY STAFF BECAUSE AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, WE ARE ENGAGING A CONSULTANT TEAM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR INDUSTRIAL USES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT FOR A LARGE PART OF OUR EAST SIDE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN ZONED INDUSTRIAL AND THERE IS A GROWING WANT AND NEED FOR THESE USES TO BE CHANGED TO MIXED USE TO OFFER COMMUNITY RETAIL AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND HOUSING, PARTICULARLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE THESE JOB CENTERS AND INDUSTRIAL USES, UM, ESPECIALLY AS A GROWING CITY.
SO JUST WANTED TO OFFER THOSE AS AS DIRECTION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, I AGREE WITH THAT.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THAT, UM, ADDITIONAL PLANNING IS GOING TO HAPPEN, UM, IN YOUR DISTRICT AND FRANKLY ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, MY CONCERN ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE WAS THE DISTANCE OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
AND IF WE ARE PUSHING LIGHT INDUSTRIAL OUT EVER FURTHER, FURTHER, FURTHER OUT, IT'S NOT THAT I'M OPPOSED TO BRINGING IN RESIDENTIAL, IT'S JUST THAT AT SOME POINT THEN THAT RE WHERE DOES THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL GO? AND THERE ARE JOBS THERE.
AND SO I THINK THE ANSWER TO ALL OF THIS IS THE PLANNING THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, AND I'M VERY, UH, APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AND YOUR COMMENTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THOSE RESULTS ARE FROM, FROM THE CITY STAFF.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR ZONING IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN AS RECUSING HERSELF ON ITEM NUMBER 54, THE MAYOR PRO TEM BEING SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM 61 AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER OFF THE DAAS MEMBERS THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL BE ADJOURNED AT 2:16 PM THANKS EVERYBODY.