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[00:00:01]

ORDER.

[CALL TO ORDER]

IT'S, UH, 6 0 1.

SO VICE CHAIR, MINOR.

WAIT, PRESENT.

UH, COMMISSIONER CAROL? PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER GILLES.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER HOWARD? HERE.

COMMISSIONER LADNER.

PRESENT, UH, DISTRICT SIX.

WE HAVE A VACANT CHAIR.

UH, COMMISSIONER LUKINS HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER MCKINNEY? HERE.

COMMISSIONER WALLACE.

AND COMMISSIONER TRO HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SIGNED UP? CHAIR? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

TAKING A MINUTE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES.

UM, AND DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING ON SEPT? SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2024.

ALL MOTION.

ALL RIGHT.

SECOND.

SECOND.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER LUKINS, DID YOU VOTE ON THAT ONE? YES.

OKAY.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

PARDON ME.

COMMISSIONER CAROL, DID YOU VOTE ON THAT ITEM? I WAS GONNA ABSTAIN UNLESS YOU NEED ME SINCE I WASN'T HERE.

UM, YOU ARE ABLE TO VOTE ON ANY MEETING MINUTES? SURE.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO.

YOU CAN ABSTAIN IF YOU'D LIKE AS WELL.

YEAH.

SO ARE YOU ABSTAINING? SORRY.

YES.

OKAY.

SO WE ARE GOING TO, UH, SKIP AROUND

[4. Discussion and action to recommend the Equity-based Preservation Plan to City Council. Presented by Cara Bertron, Planning Department. ]

TO, UH, NUM ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION TO RECOMMEND THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL.

UH, PRESENTED BY KARA BURTON, UH, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

KARA BERTRAN, PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, SHIFTING YOUR SCHEDULE A LITTLE BIT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN FOLLOWING THE BRIEFING THAT I GAVE Y'ALL AT, UM, ONE OF YOUR SPRING MEETINGS AT THAT TIME, UH, I WANTED, I CAME AND, AND TALKED ABOUT THE PLAN AND, AND URGED YOU VERY POLITELY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO PARTICIPATE IN GIVING FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT PLAN DURING, UH, UM, THAT WINDOW.

NOW I'M BACK TO TALK ABOUT THE FINAL PLAN AND THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT THAT, UH, KIND OF THE RESULTS OF THAT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.

UM, THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.

UH, THE PLAN IS HEADED TO COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION NEXT MONTH.

UH, ALRIGHT.

NEXT.

LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, AS A QUICK REFRESHER, THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN WAS DEVELOPED AND REVISED BY A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP APPOINTED BY THE LANDMARK COMMISSION OVER THE COURSE OF, UM, ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS.

THE PLAN HAS, THAT'S BEEN THE LENGTH OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.

UM, THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS CAME FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN.

THEY REFLECT THE CITY'S RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY.

THEY BRING A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPERTISE FROM, UM, ARCHITECTURE PLANNING, PRESERVATION, ARCHEOLOGY, TO FOLKS WHO HAVE REALLY DEEP CONNECTIONS WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS OR THE LONG FAMILY CONNECTIONS WITH THE CITY.

SO, A REALLY NEAT, A NEAT BODY TO DEVELOP THIS PLAN THEY HEARD FROM 275 OTHER PEOPLE.

IT'S KIND OF SUMMARIZED ON THE RIGHT SIDE THROUGH A COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY, FOCUS GROUPS TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP WITH CITY STAFF, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL THAT WE DID IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, ULI AUSTIN.

UM, AND, UM, YEAH, THAT, UH, SO LOTS, LOTS OF PEOPLE, UH, LOTS OF VOICES WENT INTO THE THE DRAFT PLAN.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

HERE'S THE VISION FOR THE PLAN.

OH MY GOSH, THAT GOT A LOT LOUDER ALL OF A SUDDEN.

OKAY.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES AND STORIES.

PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL.

THIS IS A BIGGER VIEW OF WHAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION DOES, THEN IT HAS, UH, A BIGGER ROLE THAN IT HAS PLAYED IN AUSTIN IN THE PAST.

I THINK A REALLY EXCITING ONE, UM,

[00:05:01]

GROUNDED IN, IN WHAT THE COMMUNITY, UH, THINKS IT SHOULD BE DOING IN, IN THE ROLE FOR COMMUNITY HERITAGE IN A CHANGING CITY.

NEXT SLIDE.

THE PLAN HAS 14 GOALS AND 107 RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE EASIEST AND MOST CONCISE WAY TO TALK ABOUT THESE IS IN THREE THEMES.

SO WHAT WE PRESERVE, WHICH INCLUDES THE FIRST FIVE GOALS, WHO PRESERVES, WHICH IS THE NEXT THREE GOALS, AND THEN HOW WE PRESERVE, WHICH IS ALL THE GOALS ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN THE RIGHT COLUMN.

IN THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK, UM, PRETTY FAMILIAR TO YOU POTENTIALLY FROM THE SPRING BECAUSE, UM, WHAT WE HEARD WHEN WE DID OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE DRAFT PLAN WAS THAT PEOPLE, PEOPLE THOUGHT WE BASICALLY GOT IT RIGHT, THAT THE DRAFT PLAN COVERED THE BIG THINGS IN THESE GOALS.

SO IF THEY LOOK FAMILIAR, THEY PROBABLY, THEY ARE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THE FIRST THEME, WHAT WE PRESERVE THE IDEA IS REALLY TO THINK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PRESERVING, WHOSE HISTORY, UH, WE ARE PRESERVING, AND HOW PRESERVATION CONNECTS TO OTHER, UM, IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THE CITY.

SO, BETTER RECOGNIZING OUR RICH AND COMPLICATED HISTORY THROUGH MORE WORKING, WORKING MORE ACTIVELY WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND INTERPRETING THE RE RESOURCES WE HAVE.

UM, BETTER RECOGNIZING AND PROTECTING LEGACY, UH, LEGACY BUSINESSES AND MURALS.

SO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES, AND USING PRESERVATION TOOLS AS ONE WAY TO SUPPORT OTHER COMMUNITY PRIORITIES LIKE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.

NEXT SLIDE.

THE SECOND THEME, WHO PRESERVES IS REALLY ABOUT INVITING MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PRESERVATION AND SUPPORTING THEM, UM, IN THAT PARTICIPATION.

SO ENGAGING NEW PEOPLE, WHICH WE STARTED TO DO WITH OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE DRAFT PLAN AND ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE, UM, MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE HANDS-ON WORK IN, IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THE LAST THEME, HOW WE PRESERVE THIS IS REALLY KIND OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS RECOMMENDATION ABOUT HOW CAN WE BE MORE STRATEGIC AND MORE EFFECTIVE IN, UM, HOW WE REGULATE AND, AND REVIEW FOR HISTORIC RESOURCES.

SO UPDATING DESIGNATION CRITERIA, UH, CONTINUING EVEN, EVEN BETTER, SUPPORTING OUR HISTORIC PROPERTY STEWARDS, MOSTLY PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IN WAYS THAT ARE MORE EQUITABLE AND EQUALLY EFFECTIVE TO BE STRATEGIC WITH THE REVIEWER DOING IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT AND IMPLEMENT THE PLAN COLLABORATIVELY.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, A HANDFUL OF SELECTED RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TO, I MENTIONED AN INTERPRETATION.

SO, UH, CERTAINLY TELLING THE STORIES OF, OF WHY PLACES ARE IMPORTANT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT DO RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT LEGACY BUSINESSES.

UM, REALLY TRY TO, TO REDUCE DEMOLITION, NOT THROUGH REGULATING EVERYTHING, NOT THROUGH THROUGH DESIGNATING EVERYTHING, BUT THROUGH, UM, WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO, TO INCENTIVIZE ALTERNATIVES, CREATING A PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER, UM, AND LOOKING AT A TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OUR HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS WITH REAL RESOURCES, UM, WHILE, AND NOT ASK THEM TO KIND OF MAKE A BIG FINANCIAL SACRIFICE.

UH, THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN, IN DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.

UM, I INCLUDED THE LIST OF, I, UM, WENT THROUGH SOME OF Y'ALL'S DOCUMENTS AND INCLUDED THE LIST OF SHARED VALUES FOR URBAN AREAS THAT REALLY OVERLAP WELL WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, DIVERSITY, ECONOMIC VITALITY, A SENSE OF TIME, UNIQUE CHARACTER AND AUTHENTICITY IS, SO IT WAS, I THOUGHT ABOUT INCLUDING MORE, AND I, I DID NOT WANT TO MAKE THAT MANY SLIDES FOR Y'ALL.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, TO SUMMARIZE THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT NEXT SLIDE, WE, UM, HAD A FOUR MONTH ENGAGEMENT WINDOW.

THAT'S WHEN I WAS LAST HERE THIS SPRING, THAT VERY CONSERVATIVELY WE ENGAGED MORE THAN 2,500 PEOPLE.

THAT'S JUST WHO WE WERE COUNTING AT EVENTS WHERE WE WERE COUNTING.

THERE WERE LOTS OF EVENTS WE DID NOT COUNT.

WE DID LOTS OF PRESENTATIONS TO CITY COMMISSIONS, TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AND PROFESSIONAL STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS.

WE INCLUDING, UM, A I A AUSTIN AND ULI, WE DID POPUPS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS AROUND THE CITY.

UM, WE DID LOT SMALLER CONVERSATIONS.

WE HOSTED FOR, UM, BIG CITY EVENTS, UH, VARYING TYPES.

UH, WE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A REALLY, UM, SUBSTANTIAL WAY THROUGH PAYING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TALK TO THEIR NETWORKS ABOUT THE PLAN.

SO AS COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, AND WE ALSO AWARDED FIVE MINI GRANTS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH OUT TO THEIR NETWORKS.

AND THE GOAL BEHIND THOSE, UM, PAID KIND OF COMPENSATED SUBSTANTIAL PARTNERSHIPS WAS REALLY TO ADD RESOURCES TO REACH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY PARTICIPATED IN CITY PLANNING PROCESSES AND WHO ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, MOST PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE PLANNING PROCESS THROUGH AN ONLINE SURVEY THAT TOOK FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES TO, TO COMPLETE.

UM, WHEN WE COMPARE THE SHARE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS TO AUSTIN AS A WHOLE, UH, FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WE HAD ROUGHLY

[00:10:01]

THE SAME PROPORTION OF PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITIES.

UM, WHICH ALL THOSE ARE REALLY EXCITING.

WE HAD A LOWER PROPORTION OF, OF RENTERS THAN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

UH, NEARLY 30% IS, IS STILL PRETTY GOOD FOR A CITY PROCESS, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON DURING IMPLEMENTATION IS THINKING ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO WORK WITH RENTERS MORE EFFECTIVELY.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THAT RESPONDENTS CAME FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN, WHICH IS, IS REALLY GREAT.

UM, AND THAT, UH, MORE THAN HALF OF PARTICIPANTS HAVE SPENT, UH, HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, SO HAVE SEEN, SEEN SOME CHANGE AND ARE, UM, YEAH, BRING, BRING THAT NEAT PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS NEWER RESIDENTS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UM, THE SURVEY ONLINE INCLUDED THESE SEVEN COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, WHICH ARE AGGREGATED FROM THE 14 PLAN GOALS.

UM, I THINK THE QUICK TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SLIDE IS THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.

UH, SO THE LOWEST SCORE HERE IS, IS 73%.

UM, WHEN WE ASKED PEOPLE TO GET A SENSE OF THEIR PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE SHOULD WE START FIRST, UH, PEOPLE SAID, FIRST ENSURE THAT PEOPLE IN BUSINESSES CAN STAY IN PLACE.

UM, THAT WAS WITH MORE THAN THAT WAS WITH 51% OF RESPONDENTS AND OTHER 20% SAID, HELP KEEP THE PLACES THAT ARE DISTINCTIVE TO AUSTIN FEELING LIKE AUSTIN.

I THINK THAT IS A VERY ACCURATE REFLECTION OF THE, OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING AS A CITY RIGHT NOW.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO PEOPLE ALSO GAVE COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY ON THE DRAFT PLAN.

WE GOT JUST OVER 270 COMMENTS, UM, ON THE DRAFT PLAN.

SOME OF THOSE WERE, DID NOT REQUEST ACTION OR CHANGES.

UM, ABOUT 140 ACTIONABLE CHANGES WERE SUGGESTED, MEANING THEY REQUESTED ACTION.

IT'S WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE PLAN AND IT'S ALLOW ALLOWABLE BY CITY CODE.

UM, HALF OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE DRAFT PLAN WERE REVISED BY THE WORKING GROUP, UM, MOSTLY FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, AND, AND COMPLETENESS AND EIGHT NEW RECOMMENDATIONS WERE ADDED.

AND THERE'S KINDA A LIST OF, OF THOSE THAT I WILL PAUSE TO AT LEAST SKIM THERE SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD THINGS, UH, THAT WE, WE JUST HAD BEEN MISSED IN THE DRAFT PLAN.

SO IT WAS GREAT THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATED AND, AND TOLD US WHAT WAS MISSING.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

HERE'S AN OVERVIEW TIMELINE OF THE PRESERVATION PLANNING PROCESS.

SO IT STARTED IN 2021 IS WHEN THE WORKING GROUP STARTED MEETING.

THEY MET FOR A YEAR TO DEVELOP THE DRAFT PLAN IN FALL OF 2022.

THEY PRESENTED THE DRAFT PLAN TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND COUNCIL ALLOCATED, UH, FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AT THAT TIME.

IT, IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, UM, TO HIRE A DEDICATED STAFF POSITION, WHICH IS IS THE POSITION I'M IN, AND TO GET THE ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT IN PLACE.

AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE DID KIND OF A LOW BUDGET, LOW KEY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO TRY TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION, LIKE MAYBE PRESERVATION IS SOMETHING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.

THEN WE DID THAT ROBUST OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT THIS SPRING.

UH, WE FACILITATED A PROCESS TO REVISE THE PLAN THIS SUMMER, IT WAS, THAT WAS DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE, UM, PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP THAT DEVELOPED THE PLAN AND A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.

AND HERE WE ARE.

SO WE'RE AT CITY BOARD AND COMMISSION BRIEFINGS.

UM, WE PLAN TO TAKE THE FINAL PLAN TO COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 21ST.

UM, AND THEN WE START, UH, THE LONG WORK OF OF PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.

ONE MORE SLIDE.

UM, A KIND OF GENERAL ONE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO WE'LL START WITH DOING WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE RESOURCES.

WE HAVE, UM, THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP AND LANDMARK COMMISSION HAVE IDENTIFIED A GROUP OF HIGH IMPACT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN START WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND START ALSO LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR RESOURCE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF AND FUNDING RESOURCES, WHICH WE HOPE TO START NEXT FALL.

WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC DASHBOARD TO TRACK PROGRESS ON THE PLAN.

WE'LL KEEP WORKING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO COORDINATE AND ALIGN OUR WORK.

AND WE'LL CONTINUE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP BUILDING.

IT'S, WHICH I'VE REALLY BEEN AT THE HEART OF THIS PROCESS AND, UM, MAKE THOSE A BIG PART, UH, PART OF IMPLEMENTATION GOING FORWARD.

I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

UM, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ACTION OR MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL, UM, I'M HERE IF YOU NEED ME AS A RESOURCE AND IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU WOULD DO NOT FEEL LIKE DOING THAT, THAT IS OKAY TOO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, I THINK, YEAH, ON THIS ONE WE'LL JUST OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS, UH, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.

COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE A LIST OF HIGH IMPACT RECOMMENDATIONS.

DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF THAT? THERE ARE.

WELL, I WILL SAY, SO IT WAS, IT WAS REVISION AND PRIORITIZATION BY COMMITTEE.

SO THE HIGH IMPACT, THE LIST OF HIGH IMPACT RECOMMENDATIONS IS 46 OF THE 107 RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH IS EXCITING, UM, AND

[00:15:01]

A LOT.

UM, I THINK ONE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IS THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

THAT'S, THAT WAS, I THINK, UM, AN IMPORTANT HIGH IMPACT RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE.

WE'VE DEVELOPED AN AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY MANAGER, UM, AND THAT'S LISTED IN, UM, IN YEAR ONE, WHICH IS THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE IN.

UM, OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE, UM, WORK THAT, UH, WELL WORK THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO, WHICH IS MORE OUTREACH TO PROPERTY OWNERS OF, OF POTENTIAL HISTORIC RESOURCES.

YOU KNOW, MORE, POTENTIALLY MORE DESIGNATION OF, OF RESOURCES THAT, UH, REPRESENT MORE DIVERSE HISTORIES, UM, LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A CULTURAL MAPPING PROGRAM, WHICH WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

OKAY.

YEAH, I MEAN, I CAN'T, UH, THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO, UH, TAKE THIS ON.

UM, I THINK AS A CITY, WE'RE WELL PAST THE POINT WHERE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, INSTITUTED.

UM, I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, UM, SEEING THE AMOUNT OF RESPONSE FROM THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, UM, MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

IT RESONATES WITH ME, UM, AFTER HAVING SEEN, UH, THE LANDMARK, UM, UH, ZONING, UH, CASE FOR, UH, THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, UM, WHERE WE HAD A DEVELOPER, UM, WHO WAS LOOKING TO COMPLETELY DECIMATE, UH, AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR A LOT OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY FOR YEARS, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEEDED IN ORDER TO SAVE THOSE SPACES.

UM, I'M SEEING NOW SOME EXAMPLES ON 12TH AND CONE, UH, WHERE THERE ARE SOME BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, IN THE CONTEXT OF, UM, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, VERY IMPORTANT BUILDINGS, UM, AND NOW SERVE AS A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR A VERY DIVERSE GROUP.

UM, I'M SEEING THAT THEY'RE BEING PUSHED OUT.

SO I THINK THERE'S JUST EXAMPLE AFTER EXAMPLE, AFTER EXAMPLE WHERE IT'S CLEAR THAT WE NEED, UH, THESE POLICIES, UH, AND UH, THIS APPROACH.

SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT.

I THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER WIRA.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UM, ECHO THE, THE GRATITUDE, UM, MS. UND THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THIS JUST HERCULEAN TASK.

UM, AND I THINK THIS TO, UM, TO FLAVOR MY, MY QUESTION A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, THIS, I THINK WE, THERE, THERE'S ALSO OFTEN KIND OF A LAZY INTERPRETATION OF, UH, PRESERVATION JUST BEING LIKE THE ONE LITTLE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE AND, AND THAT'S A PART, BUT NOT A, BUT NOT NEARLY THE WHOLE OF, OF WHAT YOU ARE YOU AND YOUR GROUP ARE DOING.

WHAT THIS BODY IS USED TO SEEING IS DOWNTOWN PROJECTS.

AND I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, MINORS ALREADY ALREADY ALLUDED TO THIS WITH THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, CONGRESS AVENUE, SIXTH STREET, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TO HAVE YOU SPECIFICALLY COMMENT ON ANY ONE PROPERTY OR, OR STREET, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HOW THIS PROCESS WOULD, WOULD TACKLE FACADE PRES PRESERVATION OR, OR, OR PRESERVATION OF THE DOWNTOWN, UM, AREAS WHERE, WHERE THERE IS THAT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE AND PROPERTY VALUE? YES.

THANK YOU FOR THE, THE QUESTION COMMISSIONER.

UM, THE PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN AREAS, THE TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOOL.

IT'S A MARKET BASED TOOL THAT THE, THAT A, UH, USUALLY THE CITY OR A QUA, ANOTHER QUASI, A QUASI PUBLIC ENTITY FACILITATES AND IT'S ABLE TO BRING REAL RESOURCES SO THAT, UM, A PROPERTY OWNER FOR A A AND ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA TAKE A STEP BACK.

I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST GOING TO EXPLAIN WITH MY HANDS IN AN AWKWARD WAY WHAT TDRS ARE, BECAUSE I THINK PROBABLY, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, AND IF, IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS A BETTER EXPLANATION, PLEASE JUMP IN.

SO BASICALLY TRANSFERS DEVELOPMENT OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ALLOW PROPERTY OWNERS TO SELL THE AIR RIGHTS UP TO THE ZONING LIMIT, KIND OF, OR THE, THE ZONING CAPACITY.

AND THEY CAN BE SOLD TO ANOTHER PROPERTY.

IT CAN BE IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE CITY, LIKE, UH, HAVING A SENDING AREA AND A RECEIVING AREA.

UH, SOME CITIES LIKE NEW YORK, UH, REQUIRE THEM TO BE ON AN ADJACENT PROPERTY OR A KITTY CORNER PROPERTY.

UM, BUT BASICALLY IT, IT, IT PAYS BY THE SQUARE FOOT OF DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY AND ALLOWS ANOTHER PROPERTY OWNER TO GO ABOVE WHAT THEY ARE ZONED FOR BY, BY RIGHT.

THAT CAPACITY.

UM, IT IS NOT PUBLIC FUNDS THAT ARE BEING USED.

SO IT IS, IT'S, I THINK IT CAN BE USED AT A SCALE THAT THEY CAN BE EMPLOYED AT A SCALE THAT, THAT WE COULDN'T DO FOR, UH, A PUBLICLY FUNDED INCENTIVE.

UM, WHEN I THINK, I DUNNO IF THAT'S THE ONLY TOOL, BUT I THINK IT IS POTENTIALLY THE MOST IMPACTFUL TOOL BY A LONG DISTANCE.

THE FIRST STEP WITH TDRS WOULD BE TO DO A MARKET ANALYSIS TO SEE HOW MANY SORT OF SENDING SITES, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS WOULD QUALIFY.

UM, WHERE THAT, WHERE THOSE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS COULD GO.

IS THERE A MARKET FOR THOSE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS? HOW MUCH MONEY

[00:20:01]

COULD BE CHARGED PER SQUARE FOOT? IS IT WORTH PEOPLE'S TIME OR WOULD IT BE WORTH, UM, IS IT WORTH THE, SAY A DEVELOPER'S, UH, MONEY TO BUY THOSE TO BUILD ABOVE WHAT'S ALLOWED BY WRIGHT? UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT IS THE FIRST BIG STEP.

AND THEN TO, AND TO RECOMMEND A STRUCTURE.

UM, THAT'S WHEN ACTUALLY WHEN WE SPOKE WITH THE LGBTQ PLUS QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION, THEY WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN TDRS BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS, IT'S A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED, UM, IN A DOWNTOWN CAPACITY, UM, AT A SCALE THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY REALLY WORK FOR, FOR THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS.

YEAH.

YES.

COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UM, I'M CURIOUS IF YOU, AS PART OF THIS PLAN HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO INTEGRATE THIS SORT OF, THESE SORT OF STRATEGIES AND IMPLEMENTATION, UM, INTO DISTRICT PLANNING OR ANYTHING ON A MORE KIND OF LOCALIZED LEVEL.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF THAT IN RECENT YEARS IN AUSTIN.

UM, BUT CLEARLY THERE'S A LOT OF THAT HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN TODAY.

UM, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER PLACES WHERE THAT SORT OF THINKING IS GONNA COME BACK IN.

UM, BUT LIKE THINKING ABOUT TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, THINKING ABOUT THE EXISTING KIND OF REGULAR REGULATORY, UH, SYSTEM THAT'S IN PLACE IN DIFFERENT AREAS, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT ALL REALLY NEEDS TO BE THOUGHT OF TOGETHER.

UM, HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN TALKING TO OTHER FOLKS IN PLANNING ABOUT KIND OF DISTRICT PLANNING AND HOW THIS WOULD WORK ON A MORE NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD BASIS? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO WE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THIS DISTRICT BY DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CITYWIDE PLAN.

I THINK THAT COULD, I THINK IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY GEOGRAPHY, BUT A LOT OF THE RECOMMEND, A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE KIND OF CITYWIDE POLICIES OR CODE CHANGES.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL HISTORIC RESOURCES, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH SMALLER SCALE PLANNING.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO, UM, BOTH TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT WE, WHAT TOOLS WE HAVE, AND TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO REALLY LISTEN TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT HISTORY THEY WANT TO PRESERVE AND HOW DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO DO WITH A DESIGNATED LANDMARK OR DISTRICT.

AND I THINK THAT TYPE OF, THOSE TYPES OF RECOMMENDATIONS COULD CERTAINLY BE, BE IMPLEMENTED IN THOSE SMALLER AREAS.

IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UM, WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS WE DID, UM, RECENTLY RES UH, CREATED SOME PARTICULAR, SOME PUT TOGETHER SOME BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS TO RESPOND TO THE RESOLUTION AROUND PLANNING IN 7 8 7 0 2 BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, AND, UM, NOTED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME POTENTIAL PILOT PROJECTS AS WELL.

SO WE'LL SEE IF THAT MOVES FORWARD.

I MIGHT, I MIGHT JUST MENTION, SORRY, BEFORE GO AHEAD, WE GO ON.

I JUST WANNA MENTION, UM, THAT BRITO WALLACE OR COMMISSIONER WALLACE WAS A PART OF THE WORKING GROUP THAT DEVELOPED THE, UM, DRAFT EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.

SO JUST, I FEEL LIKE I WOULD BE REMISS IN STANDING HERE AND NOT MENTIONING THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK ON THAT.

UM, YEAH, AND COMMISSIONER CARROLL PRE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE ULI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL WAS ON THE, THE GROUP THAT, IN THE GROUP THAT MADE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, SO, OKAY.

AWESOME.

BACK TO Y'ALL.

YEAH.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ANYONE? COMMISSIONER CARROLL? UM, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IS I'VE HAD, UM, AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT IN, IN THIS, UH, PLAN.

AND TO ME THAT'S DUE TO THE, UH, ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE WITH THIS PLAN.

AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND STAFF THAT THIS HAS BEEN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES I'VE SEEN, UH, AND BY CITY.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT TOO.

IT'S SOMETHING, WHEN I SAW THAT NUMBER OF 2000 PLUS FOLKS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO IT, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO, UH, CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE, UH, THING THAT YOU ALL ARE CREATING, UH, FOR AUSTIN AND JUST AS, AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, UH, AND TO TRY TO GET A HANDLE ON, ON, ON, YEAH, THE IDENTITY OF THE CITY AND HISTORICALLY WHO'S REALLY BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT AS WELL.

SO, UM, SO YEAH, THIS IS A, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.

UM, COMMISSIONER WIRA CHAIR, IN LIGHT OF THAT, AND I, THIS, THIS FALLS SOME, SOMETIMES IN SOME WAYS A LITTLE OUT OF THE PURVIEW OF WHAT WE USUALLY TALK ABOUT IN THIS COMMISSION.

UH, BUT GIVEN THE, THE ROBUSTNESS OF THE PUBLIC

[00:25:01]

ENGAGEMENT AND THE, THE DRILL CLARITY OF, OF, UH, OF THE STRENGTH OF THE PROCESS, UH, AS WELL AS OUR INTEREST IN HAVING A RICHNESS OF LAYERING AS PART OF A GOOD URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS BODY, UH, LEND ITS SUPPORT TO, UH, THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.

I'D LIKE TO SECOND THAT.

ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE'LL GET THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, UP AND POSTED.

WE ARE GONNA START BACK

[2. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Corridor Program. Presented by Eric Bailey, Capital Delivery Services Department.]

AT THE, UH, BEGINNING HERE, UH, STAFF BRIEFING ON THE CORRIDOR, UH, AN UPDATE FOR THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM, UH, PRESENTED BY ERIC BAILEY, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

UH, LET'S SEE.

THAT ONE'S ON.

OKAY, THERE WE GO.

UM, ERIC BAILEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, UH, GREAT TO BE WITH YOU, UH, WANT TORY, A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE REAL HEAVY CONSTRUCTION PHASE HERE IN THE COMING, UH, MONTHS.

SO, UM, I WANNA START OFF WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.

UM, CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE IS, UH, ACTUALLY AS PART OF THE REORGANIZATION WITHIN THE CITY, THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE NO LONGER EXISTS.

IT'S A PART OF, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.

NOW, CAPITAL CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES IS A RELATIVELY NEW DEPARTMENT THAT CAME TO BE, UH, IN THE SPRING OF 2023 AS PART OF THE REORGANIZATION, UH, FROM INTERIM, UH, A CM JESUS GARZA.

AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE IS THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT CAME TOGETHER.

CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES WAS, UH, SPUN OFF FROM THAT.

WHAT WE DO IS, UM, WE'RE A COLLECTION OF, UH, ENGINEERS, UH, PROJECT MANAGERS AND INSPECTORS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING AND INSPECTING, UH, CITY CIP PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY PROJECTS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, SUCH AS THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM.

SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, AS WE INHERITED THE PROGRAM IN THE SPRING OF 2023, THE PRIMARY THING WE, UM, REALIZED AS WE DOVE INTO SOME OF THE BACKGROUND HERE IS THAT THE DEMONSTRATED NEED OF, OF THE PROGRAM WAS ABOUT $900 MILLION.

UM, AND THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE 2016 BOND, THE TOTAL AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR THE CORRIDOR WAS $460 MILLION.

SO THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE DEMONSTRATED NEED AND, UH, THE FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE.

SO WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS IN TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS TO PRIORITIZE IMPROVEMENTS, PRIORITIZE WORK ACROSS THE CITY SO THAT ALL OF THE CORRIDORS, UM, WERE ABLE TO, UM, RECEIVE LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT, PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON SAFETY, BUT THEN ALSO KEPT IN MIND THAT WE DIDN'T WANNA DO ANYTHING AS A PART OF THIS WORK, THAT PRECLUDED ANY FUTURE WORK WHEN FUTURE FUNDING BECAME AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE, THE FULL NEED ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS.

SO, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE FROM THE PROGRAM TIMELINE, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM AND, AND ONGOING, UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ALSO CAME ACROSS WAS THAT THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF PRELIMINARY PLANNING DONE BESIDES IDENTIFYING THE CORRIDORS.

SO WE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN THE BEGINNING, UM, REALLY PLANNING OUT THE PROJECTS, UH, DOING SOME DESIGN WORK THERE, AND IDENTIFYING WHAT, UM, WAS REALLY NEEDED IN THOSE AREAS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE HISTORIC, UM, AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPROVE IN FUTURE BOND PROGRAMS, IS HAVE MORE DEFINED PROJECT SCOPE, SCHEDULE, AND BUDGET BEFORE THOSE ITEMS GO TO THE VOTERS.

SO THAT WAY, UM, WE CAN DELIVER BOTH ON, UM, YOU KNOW, COST AS WELL AS SCHEDULE WHEN WE PUT FUTURE BOND PROPOSITIONS FORWARD.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'RE WE'RE SHIFTING INTO A REAL HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, UH, PHASE.

WE'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE COMPLETED, SEVERAL THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN SOME OF OUR REAL MAJOR, UH, PROJECTS ARE COMING, UH, INTO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE FOR BID AND AWARD HERE IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS, UH, AN ONGOING, UM, EFFORT FOR THE PROGRAM.

STARTED OUT, UM, WITH THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE, AND THEN WORKED TOGETHER WITH, UM, GOVERNOR DELIVERY SERVICES, UM, CORRIDOR OFFICE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, AS WELL AS, UH, OUR CONSULTANT LIFELINE TO WORK ON ENGAGEMENT, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF WHAT THE DESIGN SHOULD BE, WHAT THE IMPROVEMENT SHOULD BE, BUT THEN ALSO TALKING ABOUT FOLKS THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, ANY KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCESS IMPACTS, CHANGES THAT WERE COMING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE, WERE GONNA BE AFFECTED, UM, ALONG THE CORRIDORS.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, AIRPORT BOULEVARD.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR PROJECTS THAT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED.

UM, THE PORTION

[00:30:01]

FROM NORTH LAMAR TO 55TH, YOU CAN SEE A PHOTO HERE SHOWS THE, THE RED SHARED USE PATHS AND SIDEWALKS.

UM, WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT OAK SPRINGS AND GUNTER STREET, UH, CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION.

UM, WE HAVE FROM 55TH TO 45TH ON THE WEST SIDE DOING SHARED USE PATHS THERE WHERE THERE WAS NO, UH, EITHER NO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS OR VERY LIMITED AND CONFLICTED ACCESS WITH DRIVEWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ONE OF THE METHODS THAT WE'VE, UH, SHIFTED TO AS A PART OF THE BUDGET, UM, REALITY IS A-I-D-I-Q OR IN INDEFINITE, UH, DURATION, INDEFINITE QUANTITY DELIVERY, WHICH IS ALLOWS US TO DO IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS SHARED USE PADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON A QUICKER TURNAROUND BASIS, WHILE ALLOWING THE, UM, FUTURE, UH, EXPANSION OF THE PROJECT OR FUTURE ADDITIONS, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT AREA TO REMAIN VIABLE AS THE FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE.

UM, ONE THING TO NOTE HERE, THE, THE, THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD CORRIDOR GOES ALL THE WAY FROM NORTH LAMAR DOWN TO, UM, 180 3.

SO THERE'S SEVERAL SECTIONS ON THERE.

WE ARE PARTNERING WITH, UM, TXDOT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE, THE, UM, MOAN TRAIL BRIDGE THAT PROJECT DOES IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE DELIVERED BY TECH STOP USING THE CITY DESIGN.

AND THEN WE'RE PLANNING, UM, SHARED USE PATH IMPROVEMENTS AND INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN THE CORRIDOR.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

FOR BURNETT ROAD, UM, YOU CAN SEE A PHOTO HERE OF THE INTERSECTION AT, UM, UH, COING LANE AND WHITEHORSE TRAIL, UM, RIGHT BY LAMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, WHERE WE TOOK A LITTLE PORK CHOP OUT OF THERE, REDUCED THE TRAFFIC SPEED IN THAT AREA, AS WELL AS THE TURNING MOVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION.

WE ALSO DID IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BREAKER LANE.

CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE A, THE PROJECT CALLED THE AE KRAMER DRAINAGE SITE.

UM, AS THE PART OF, AS PART OF THE PERMITTING FOR THE BURNETT ROAD CORRIDOR, WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD A, A PRETTY MASSIVE, UM, WATERSHED PROTECTION PROJECT THAT WE HAD TO DO, WHERE WE HAD TO MITIGATE A LOT OF THE, UH, INCREASE FLOWS, DO THE IN INCREASED IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THE AREA.

SO THIS IS AN ENABLING PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND BID THE, UM, BRIGHT VERDE WAY TO LOOP ONE AND THEN 180 3 TO BRIGHT VERDE SECTIONS OF, UH, BURNETT ROAD.

THE SECTION FROM, UM, WHITEHORSE TRAIL TO, TO 180 3 IS GONNA BE DELIVERED VIA IDIQ.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA BE PRIMARILY SHARED USE PATH IMPROVEMENTS ON, UH, BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

FOR THE EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, CORRIDOR, UM, WE'VE DONE SOME SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS HERE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE, THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM PASSED IS PROJECT CONNECT.

UM, SO WE SHIFTED FUNDING AWAY FROM RIVERSIDE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OF PROJECT CONNECT.

BASICALLY, THEY WERE GONNA BE RUNNING ALONG THE SAME ROUTE, THE SAME CORRIDOR THAT ANY OF WORK HERE WOULD'VE BEEN DONE.

SO THAT WORK WAS REALLY, UM, PRIMARILY DEFERRED OTHER THAN SOME SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE SAW SOME IMMEDIATE NEED FOR.

SO THOSE ARE THE SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS YOU SEE HERE, AS WELL AS THE ONES THAT ARE IN, IN CONSTRUCTION.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

FOR GUADALUPE STREET, UM, WE INSTALLED A CONTRAFLOW TRANSIT LANE, SO BUSES CAN GET THROUGH THE CAMPUS AREA ON A MORE REGULAR SCHEDULE.

UH, WE WORKED ALSO ON OASIS FROM 24TH TO GUADALUPE, AND THEN ON 24TH FROM GUAD TO NORTH LAMAR.

AND, UM, WHAT THAT DOES, AGAIN, THERE'S A LARGE, UH, IMPACT FROM PROJECT CONNECT COMING DOWN GUADALUPE.

SO THAT CHANGED THE, UH, THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT ALONG GUADALUPE, AND A LOT OF THAT WORK WAS ACTUALLY DEFERRED FOR WHEN, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT COMES THROUGH WITH THE RAIL LINE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD, NORTH LAMAR IS ONE OF OUR MORE CHALLENGING, UM, UH, CORRIDORS ALONG THE ENTIRE, UM, ALONG THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.

UH, WE'VE COMPLETED SIGNAL WORK AT GRADY, COOPER, FAIRFIELD, AND POWELL.

UM, WE HAVE UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION, UM, ON THE NORTHERN END OF, UM, NORTH LAMAR.

ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES HERE IS THAT ALL OF THE, WELL, A LARGE PORTION OF THE DRAINAGE IN THIS AREA IS OPEN CHANNEL DRAINAGE, UM, WHICH TAKES UP A LARGE PORTION OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.

AND ANYTIME YOU'RE TAKING OPEN CHANNEL DRAINAGE AND PUTTING IT INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, CLOSED CONDUIT, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY, VERY LARGE EXPENSE, UM, IN ORDER TO CREATE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCESS THAT, THAT'S NEEDED TO MAKE A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS OUT HERE.

SO THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN A, A LONG TIME COMING, AND WE'RE WORKING ACTUALLY WITH SOME OF THE DESIGNS THAT WILL BE, UM, HELD FOR FUTURE FUNDING AVAILABILITY.

WE ARE, UM, ABSOLUTELY WORKING ON CLOSING ANY KIND OF SIDEWALK GAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST MAKING SURE THERE'S A CONTINUOUS, UH, PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCESS UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR.

BUT, UM, MANY OF THE FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS NEED A, A WIDER COORDINATION EFFORT AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING ALONG THE, UM, PORTION PORTIONS OF NORTH LAMAR.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

WILLIAM CANNON CORRIDOR YOU SEE HERE.

UM, THIS IS THE RUNNING WATER

[00:35:01]

DRIVE TO MCKINNEY FALLS PARKWAY SECTION, UM, BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION.

UH, WE'VE DONE A LONG LIST OF SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS HERE.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED FOR DELIVERY THROUGH THE, UM, IDIQ, UH, FUNDING BUCKET FOR IMPROVED, UH, PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY AS THEY MOVE THROUGH.

SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR MAIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON.

UM, AND IF YOU'VE BEEN DOWN IN THAT AREA, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT GOING ON DOWN IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING THOSE ADDITIONAL TRIPS THAT ARE COMING FROM THIS AREA SAFER FOR FOLKS BOTH IN CARS AND ON FOOT AND RIDING, UM, BICYCLES.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SLAUGHTER LANE.

UM, WE'VE COMPLETED, UH, FM 1826 TO BARSTOW, AS WELL AS BRODY LANE TO MAN CHECK AND MAN CHECK TO CONGRESS.

WE HAVE SOME SIGNAL WORK, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE UPCOMING AT BRIAR RIDGE, BILL BROOK, AND NARROW GLEN.

YOU CAN SEE A PHOTO HERE OF, UM, SOME IMPROVED SHARED USE PATH, UM, ALONG BOTH THE NORTH AND UM, SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREETS.

UM, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SOME IMPROVED BIKE LANES IN THIS AREA IN TERMS OF SEPARATING THE BIKE LANE FROM, UH, TRAFFIC ALONG SLAUGHTER AS WELL.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SOUTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT'S UPCOMING.

WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE FINAL, UM, PERMITTING STAGES HERE.

UH, THIS PROJECT WILL INSTALL, UM, BIKE LANES, UM, AND ON THE, SEE THE BIKE LANES ARE GOING ON THE EAST SIDE AS LONG AS WELL AS AN IMPROVED SIDEWALK, AND THERE'LL BE A SHARED USE PATH ON THE WEST SIDE.

UH, UP AND DOWN YOU CAN SEE A SECTION OF THE ROADWAY THERE.

ON THE LOWER LEFT, OBVIOUSLY THE, UM, THE KEY THERE IS TO IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE CIRCULATION AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, SAFETY OF FOLKS THAT ARE USING THAT CORRIDOR, UM, TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY LONG DURATION PROJECT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF, UM, TRAFFIC CONTROL SETUPS AND THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO KEEP TRAFFIC ADEQUATELY CIRCULATING UP AND DOWN SOUTH OF MAR BOULEVARD.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, DELIVERY METHODS AND WAYS OF EXPEDITING THAT PROJECT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS AND PERMITTING PROCESS.

NEXT SLIDE.

ONE THAT I DID ACTUALLY, UH, WAS LEFT OUT OF HERE IS THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CORRIDOR, WHICH IS FROM, UM, 180 3 TO DECKER LANE.

THAT'S GONNA BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT ALONG THAT AREA.

THAT'S A PROJECT THAT IS ACTUALLY DELIVERED BY TDOT AS WELL.

THE CITY'S PROVIDING THE DESIGN AND A PORTION OF THE FUNDING.

UM, AGAIN, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SHARED USE PATHS ON, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE, THE STREET THAT ARE GONNA ALLOW BETTER ACCESS TO THE WALNUT CREEK TRAIL, AS WELL AS CIRCULATION, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND A TIE IN TO THE, UH, UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON JOHNNY MORRIS ROAD AS WELL.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER GILIS? YEAH.

UM, YOU MENTIONED SORT OF OPENING, UH, AN INDEFINITE TIMELINE SCENARIO TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE FUNDING ALONG SOME OF THESE CORRIDORS.

I'M CURIOUS, UM, WHAT IS THE CURRENT PLAN OR RELATIONSHIP TO GREENING AND STREET TREES TO THESE PROJECTS? IS THERE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION GOING ON TO COME BACK AND ADD PLANTING ALONG SOME OF THESE CORRIDOR? UM, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? MM-HMM.

FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YEAH.

SO RIGHT NOW THE FUNDING IS REALLY FOCUSED ON PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DUE TO THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE THAT'S AVAILABLE.

UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR FUTURE, UM, BOND ELECTIONS AND TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING ON THEIR PRIORITIZATION.

KEEPING IN MIND OBVIOUSLY THAT, THAT THERE IS DEMONSTRATED NEED ALONG THESE CORRIDORS, UM, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH FUTURE BOND ELECTIONS.

SO TIMING, AND THAT'S A VERY VAGUE ANSWER, AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UM, BUT THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE TREE PLANTING FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH TPW ON, UM, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING AND WHERE THEY WANT THOSE TREES TO GO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THE IMPORTANT CAVEAT, I THINK IS THAT, UM, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING RESTRICTIONS, WE, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THE FULL BUILD OUT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED.

UM, AND THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH A, A FUTURE, SOME FUTURE FUNDING MECHANISM.

THANK YOU.

AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP, I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S PRIMARILY A SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF USE PROJECT.

I JUST, I DO WANT TO ADD THAT, UM, THE ABILITY TO USE THOSE SPACES, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE TEXAS HEAT DOES REQUIRE SHADE, AND I'M HOPING THAT THERE'S, UM, A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAP METRO THAT'S HAPPENING.

I KNOW THAT A LOT OF, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUSES IS GOING ALONG THOSE ROUTE AND OFTEN, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU DON'T REALLY SEE ANY SHELTER OR BENCHES,

[00:40:01]

UM, YOU KNOW, ALONG THERE.

AND SO I, I DO APPRECIATE THE FUNDING IS IS SHORT.

YOU'VE GOTTA SORT OF START AT THE BASE AND, AND WORK UP FROM THERE.

BUT FOR THE, UM, FOR, FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WHAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, WHICH I HAVE TO SAY IN A LOT OF THESE CORRIDORS HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT.

I DO THINK, UM, COMING IN QUICKLY WITH SHADE STRUCTURE, UH, FOR THE TEXAS SUMMER IS, IS VERY, VERY ESSENTIAL.

YEP.

SO TWO THINGS ON THAT.

THE CAP METRO RAPID BUS STOPS THAT ARE PART OF PROJECT CONNECT, THEY ARE BUILDING SHADE STRUCTURES, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE STOPS AND IT'S SHADE STRUCTURE ON A BENCH USUALLY THAT GOES WITH IT.

UM, THAT'S BEING NOT DELIVERED THROUGH US, BUT THROUGH THE AWESOME TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE INSPECTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT OF THOSE, THOSE FACILITIES.

SO I KNOW THERE IS, UM, A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE THAT ARE GOING IN THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND THEN WE'VE ALSO EXECUTED A, A BASICALLY A TREE GROWTH CONTRACT WITH ONE OF OUR LOCAL SUPPLIERS HERE, WHERE I'D GET BACK TO YOU ON THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT'S SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF A THOUSAND TREES THAT THEY ARE GROWING FOR US.

SO THAT WAY WHEN WE PLANT THEM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST LITTLE STICKS THAT STICK UP THIS SIDE OF THE GROUND, IT'S GONNA ACTUALLY PROVIDE SOME BENEFIT WHEN THOSE TREES DO GET PLANTED.

SO THAT'S IN THE BACKGROUND IN TERMS OF FUTURE PLANTINGS AND AVAILABILITY FOR THAT.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

VICE CHAIR MINERS.

YEAH, I, UH, PARTIALLY WANT TO ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER GALLES IS SUGGESTING, UM, BUT ALSO JUST, UH, SHARE MY OWN EXPERIENCE.

UM, I LIVE HERE IN THE HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD AND I ACTUALLY TAKE THE TRAIL THAT WAS CREATED TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS.

UM, IF I, I DON'T TAKE ST.

JOHN'S, UM, AND THAT IS ABOUT A 20 TO 30 MINUTE WALK.

UM, AND SO I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO SERVING AS THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ONE OF THE COMMON COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET IS, UH, THE LACK OF SHADE, THE LACK OF TREES.

UM, I THINK THE CONCERN IS THAT, UM, IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL HAVE A PLAN TO DO THAT, BUT IN SOME CASES IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE IMPLAUSIBLE TO DO THAT RETROACTIVELY BECAUSE OF WHERE THE TRAILS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

UM, THERE ARE THE CONSIDERATIONS OBVIOUSLY WITH THE, UM, AUSTIN UTILITY, UH, POLES AND INFRASTRUCTURE MM-HMM, , UM, AND THEN THE DRAINAGE AND WHATNOT.

UM, BUT I THINK WHERE IT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME THAT THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY IS IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S A MIXED USE OR SHARED USE PATH THAT'S NEXT TO AN EXISTING SIDEWALK.

NOW WHY THE MIXED USE PATH WASN'T PLACED, WHERE THE EXISTING SIDEWALK IS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, UM, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, UH, EVEN CREATING FUTURE PLANTING AREAS, UH, WHERE THE EXISTING MISUSE PATH NOW STANDS, UM, FOR TREES THAT WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, BENEFICIAL TO THE UTILIZATION.

SO NOW I THINK WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME AMAZING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, AND I APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR THAT, BUT JUST AS SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY USES THAT, I CAN SAY THAT, UM, TO THE POINT OF WALKING IN THE HEAT, UM, THE USABILITY IS GREATLY COMPROMISED AND, UM, I THINK THAT WE WOULD APPRECIATE, UH, SOME CONSIDERATION, UM, SO THAT, UH, RETROACTIVELY YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO SOLVE A PUZZLE THAT TRY TO SOLVE A PUZZLE THAT SEEMS UNSOLVABLE.

MM-HMM.

COMMISSIONER CAROL, THANK YOU CHAIR.

AND, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH, WITH THOSE COMMENTS, FOR ME PERSONALLY, A SIDEWALK WITHOUT TREES IS NOT A SIDEWALK AT ALL.

I'M NEVER GONNA USE IT.

UH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

MM-HMM.

, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON THESE CORRIDOR PLANS, DO YOU REACH OUT TO THE CONTACT TEAMS OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS? YES.

AND YOU HOLD AN EVENT WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE INPUT YES.

TO THOSE PLANS? MM-HMM, .

OKAY.

UH, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, I GUESS AS AN EXAMPLE, THE SOUTH LAMAR, UH, ROADWAY SECTION THAT YOU'RE SHOWING, IS THAT ALL EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY, OR DO YOU HAVE TO OBTAIN MORE RIGHT OF WAY FOR, FOR THIS TO BE BUILT OUT? IT'S, I, I WON'T SAY IT'S ALL EXISTING RIGHT AWAY.

IT'S MOSTLY EXISTING RIGHT AWAY.

THERE ARE, UM, CERTAIN AREAS WHERE WE HAVE TO TAKE LITTLE SLIVERS OUT OF, OUT OF ADJACENT PROPERTY IN ORDER TO MAKE THE, UM, THE PADS NOT, YOU KNOW, GO IN AND OUT AND IN AND OUT IN TERMS OF THE DESIGN OF 'EM.

BUT WE'RE NOT ACQUIRING, YOU KNOW, LARGE, IT'S NOT LIKE TDO ON 35.

WE'RE, WE'RE ACQUIRING LARGE SWATHS OF PROPERTY UP AND DOWN, UH, SOUTH LAMAR, BUT THERE ARE SMALL SLICES THAT WE ARE ACQUIRING FROM SOME OF THE PROPERTIES ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

OKAY.

AND, UH, LAST QUESTION.

YOU SH YOU'VE SHOWN A LOT OF CORRIDORS HERE, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT THAT ARE MISSING.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR OTHER CORRIDORS IN AUSTIN? YOU MEAN JUST IN GENERAL? CORRIDORS UP IN, DOWN THE, I MEAN, THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM, RIGHT? IS ALL THE CORRIDORS THAT ARE IN HERE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MLK, LIKE I SAID, UM, IN TERMS OF OTHER CORRIDORS IN THE CITY, LIKE A SIMILAR PROGRAM, ARE

[00:45:01]

YOU TALKING ABOUT TO, DO WE HAVE LIKE A, IS THERE GONNA BE ANOTHER CORRIDOR PROGRAM PHASE TWO OR SOMETHING LIKE YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER, I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED MLK, BUT A SMALL PIECE OF IT.

MM-HMM.

, OBVIOUSLY MLK IS A VERY LONG ROAD.

YEAH.

AND A LOT OF IT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.

YEAH.

IS THERE ANY PLAN FOR THAT, FOR INSTANCE? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY A QUESTION FOR TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN, IN PLANNING FUTURE, UM, YOU KNOW, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND FUTURE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

SO.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER WIRA? UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.

UH, I WANT TO ECHO THE, THE, THE COMMENTS THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE ALREADY MADE.

UM, IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE REALLY, WE'VE FOCUSED ON SAFETY OVER HEALTH.

UM, AND THOSE THINGS HAVE A LOT OF OVERLAP, BUT AREN'T ALWAYS THE SAME.

AND, UH, COMMISSIONER CARROLL SAYS, A SIDEWALK WITHOUT A, WITHOUT A TREE IS, IS NOT A SIDEWALK.

I WANNA WALK ON.

UM, KIND OF THINKING, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN FALLING DOWN A TRAP OF THINKING LIKE TXDOT WHERE WE'RE MAKING THESE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING THE CHARACTER IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE PROMISED AS PART OF THE BOND INITIATIVE.

UM, AND I THINK I, I STRESS THAT BECAUSE THOSE CHARACTER IMPROVEMENTS ARE REALLY WHAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MODE SHARE, WHICH WAS SUCH A CENTRAL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT.

UM, I'M NOT BLIND TO THE SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING AND LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE OF THIS.

IT'S, IT'S A, IT WAS A AMBITIOUS, UM, PROJECT FROM THE GET GO.

IT'S BEEN MADE FAR MORE AMBITIOUS BY, UM, THE RISE OF COSTS, UH, THE REORGANIZATION OF CPO AT KIND OF A CRITICAL MOMENT.

SO THAT THERE'S A LOT GOING AGAINST THAT.

AND I, I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THE, THE STRUGGLES OF THAT, BUT I THINK I'D BE REMISS IN NOT, IN NOT ALSO ECHOING THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, THE UTILITIES DISTANCE FROM STREET TREES AND ALL THESE OTHER OBSTACLES THAT YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT ARE JUST, YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S, THEY'RE RIDICULOUS.

UM, AND, AND THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR Y'ALL.

I DO WANNA PIVOT AND SAY, WHAT HAS FRUSTRATED ME ABOUT THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM IS THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

THIS HAS BEEN AS OPAQUE AS CITY OF AUSTIN PROJECT AS I'VE EVER SEEN.

UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING.

UM, I WANTED TO BRING INFORMATION.

I LIVE OFF OF AIRPORT BOULEVARD.

I WANTED TO BRING INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLANS TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

UM, I'M SIGNED UP ON THE EMAIL LIST.

ALL I GET IS, UH, WE'RE GONNA START CONSTRUCTION IN SEPTEMBER.

IT'LL BE THIS WHOLE AREA WE'RE DOING THE WEST SIDE, IT'LL BE DONE IN SIX MONTHS.

UM, THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC.

AND I, I, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SCHEMATICS ON THE WEBSITE, UM, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THOSE WERE TAKEN DOWN, BUT AT SOME POINT, THOSE, THOSE HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

SO THE PUBLIC HAS NO WINDOW THROUGH WHICH TO VIEW THIS PROJECT.

THE IDIQ IS GREAT, BUT IT ALSO OBSCURES THE PROJECT PLANS FROM ANY SORT OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT THAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT BE ALSO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT.

SO WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.

UM, AND, AND THE LACK OF AVAILABLE SCHEMATICS HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATION OF MINE.

UM, THE, THE LACK OF ABILITY FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND AFFECTED ORGANIZATIONS TO READILY GET INFORMATION, UH, HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATION OF MINE.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I, I COMPARE THIS TO ANOTHER MOBILITY BOND PROGRAM THAT I THINK I, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING CONSTRUCTIVE WITH MY CRITICISM THAT I HOPE WE CAN LEARN FROM THE, THE BIKEWAYS PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE SAME 2016 MOBILITY BOND HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF PUTTING OUT ILLUSTRATIVE, UH, CON CONCEPTUAL, UH, IMAGES OF THE PROJECTS THEY'RE DOING, HOW THOSE ARE PHASED OUT.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SMALLER, BUT IT'S THE SAME IDEA THAT THEY'RE BREAKING THIS OUT INTO THE KIND OF CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE C ONE, C TWO, C3, AND SO FORTH.

UM, AND THEY'RE ALSO, THEY'VE PROVIDED, UM, ILLUSTRATIVE SCHEMATICS ON THEIR WEBSITE OF ALL THE PROGRAMS, OR AT LEAST ALL THE ONES THAT HAVE, THAT I HAVE SEEN.

SO TO ME, THERE'S A STRIKING DISPARITY IN THE TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN THAT PROGRAM AND THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE.

AND GIVEN THE, THE REACH AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS, I, I JUST, IT FEELS LIKE A MONUMENTAL MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.

UM, SO I URGE YOU GUYS TO, I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION LEFT TO DO.

UM, I MEAN, MO AS YOU, AS YOU WENT THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, MOST OF THESE CORRIDORS REALLY HAVEN'T STARTED SUBSTANTIAL CONSTRUCTION, UH, IN A LOT OF WAYS.

SO I THINK THERE'S STILL TIME TO RECALIBRATE AND CORRECT THAT.

UM, AND I, UM, HOPE TO SEND YOU AWAY BOTH, UH, WITH MY APPRECIATION FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S GOING ON, BUT ALSO MY FRUSTRATION THAT, UM, I'M HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME SEEING IT.

YEAH.

AND, AND TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD THAT IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF THE SCHEMATICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I INVITE YOU TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT THE, THE WEBSITES THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN REVAMPED THAT DO INCLUDE SCHEMATIC DESIGNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON THOSE WEBPAGES.

UM, AND IF THEY'RE NOT THERE, PLEASE REACH OUT AND LET ME KNOW.

UM, THAT'S BEEN ONE THING THAT OUR PIO TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, MONTH OR TWO TO GET THOSE S SCHEMATICS BACK UP AND RUNNING.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, PART OF THAT WAS A PART OF THE SHIFT IN THE CITY ORGANIZATIONAL

[00:50:01]

STRUCTURE AND SOME TECHNICAL THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES IN TERMS OF CONSOLIDATING ANYTHING.

AT ONE TIME, WE HAD SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF 27 OR 28 WEBPAGES THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM.

WE'RE TRYING TO WHITTLE THAT DOWN TO ONE WEBPAGE PER COURT, OR THAT HAS THOSE SCHEMATIC DESIGNS AND THAT INFORMATION ON THERE.

SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT DONE, BUT I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR PIO TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON RECENTLY.

SO, AND I APPRECIATE THIS, AND I KNOW, KNOW, YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT MEANING TO LAY THIS AT YOUR FEET.

UM, I'VE BEEN ASKED MUCH MORE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

.

WELL, , UM, YEAH, I HAVE, I MEAN, I HAVE, I HAVE ALSO WITNESSED THE JUST LABYRINTHINE YEAH.

THE WEBSITE.

UM, THAT, THAT IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE.

YEAH.

UM, I, YOU KNOW, AS IN MY ROLE AS A COMMISSIONER, I'D LIKE TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE DECISION MAKERS ON THIS REORGANIZATION TO SAY, THIS MADE A HUGE MESS, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC.

AND NOW YOU, ERIC, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE HAVING TO CLEAN THAT UP.

UM, SO I, I WANNA USE THIS PLATFORM TO, TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT MORE BROADLY.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE CHANGES YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO MAKE ON THAT.

AND, AND, UH, HOPE THEY CONTINUE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HOWARD.

UM, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO CARRY THE STREET TREE TORCH, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TORCHES OUT HERE FOR TREES, UM, NOT IN THE WAY YOU, YOU'D THINK.

UM, UH, I, I WANT TO REITERATE ALL THAT.

YOU KNOW, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT OUR SUMMERS RIGHT NOW AND SAY THEY'RE INTOLERABLE, INTOLERABLE.

NOBODY'S GONNA WALK AROUND.

BUT BY 2050, WE'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE THREE MONTHS ON AVERAGE OF, UH, HEAT INDEX OVER A HUNDRED DEGREES VERSUS ONE MONTH.

HISTORICALLY.

UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT HORRIBLE SUMMERS TODAY, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HORRIBLE HALF YEAR TOMORROW.

UM, AND THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO RE-ENVISION HOW OUR STREETS WORK.

UH, THE VISION WAS HUGE.

UH, THE BUDGET WAS, IT SEEMED HUGE AT THE TIME, , UH, AND NOW THE PROJECT IS INSANELY COMPLICATED.

AND, AND I, WE HAVE HUGE APPRECIATION FOR THAT.

UM, BUT I DO WORRY THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION ISN'T QUITE AS VISIONARY, UM, AS IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE TO GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO.

UM, I THINK I, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS ARE TAKING STEPS TO PLAN IN THIS PHASE ONE FOR FUTURE PHASES AS FAR AS LIKE PRESERVING AREAS FOR STREET TREES, UH, CONSIDERING HOW UTILITIES WILL BE RELOCATED, UM, IN THE FUTURE.

MM-HMM.

, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU MAKING THESE STEPS? UM, AND ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU WITH A EMPHASIS ON SAFETY, I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICAL.

YOU KNOW, RESEARCH HAS BEEN FAR MORE ADVANCED THAN WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING AT A AND M THESE DAYS.

UM, YOU KNOW, STREET TREES DELIVER A LOT OF SAFETY.

UH, RIGHT NOW, OUR SIDEWALKS AND OUR TURF, UH, THAT IS SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY THING WE CAN GET WITHOUT A LICENSE AGREEMENT.

UM, UH, OUR BIKE LANES ARE JUST MORE CLEAR SPACE FOR DRUNK DRIVERS TO RUN OFF THE ROAD.

UM, REALLY, WE, WE NEED TO NARROW THE STREETS AND WE NEED TO MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE PLACES WHERE YOU SHOULD GO SLOW.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE MORE PAVEMENT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ONE THING IS STORM WATER, BUT THE OTHER IS WE REALLY DO EXPERIENCE THE SPACE DIFFERENT.

WE BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY IN THE SPACE RIGHT NOW.

UH, OUR CORRIDORS FEEL LIKE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE THEY'RE BUILT LIKE HIGHWAYS OTHER THAN A LITTLE CURB, UM, IN SOME CASES, WHICH IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT, UH, TO WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, WHICH WAS NO CURB IN MOST CASES.

UM, AND, BUT I, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BROADEN OUR PERSPECTIVE ON SAFETY.

UH, THE CURB MATTERS.

STREET TREES MATTER A TON, UH, BOTH TO EXTREME HEAT, UM, AND, AND FOLKS THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE OTHER OPTIONS, BUT TO BE ON OUR STREETS, UM, UH, AND, AND, UH, HIGH HEAT TIMES.

BUT, UM, ALSO I THINK, UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE DECISION MAKING AND, UH, AROUND CONSTRAINED RIGHTS OF WASTE AND HOW, HOW ARE YOU GUYS, UH, WEIGHING THE TRADE OFFS BETWEEN LANE WIDTH AND, UH, AND LET'S SAY PLANTING ZONE OR A WIDER, UH, SIDEWALK OR MIXED USE PATH VERSUS, OR, SORRY, MULTI-USE PATH VERSUS, UH, SIDEWALK AND BIKE LANE.

UM, BUT ALSO I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT INTERSECTION TREATMENTS.

UH, IF, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED AT HOW MANY SLIP LANES ARE, ARE GETTING RECONSTRUCTED, UH, IN OUR VISIONARY TRANSPORTATION, UM, SORT OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

UM,