Nov 21, 2024 City Council Meetings

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YOU ARE WATCHING A MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WITH MAYOR KIRK WATSON, MAYOR PRO TIMM LESLIE POOLE.

COUNCIL MEMBERS NATASHA HARPER MADISON, VANESSA FUENTES, JOSE VELAZQUEZ, CHEETO VELA, RYAN ALTER, MACKENZIE, KELLY, PAIGE ELLIS, ZOE CADRE, ALLISON ALTER, INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY DEBORAH THOMAS, CITY CLERK MYRNA RIOS, AND CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

IT'S 10

[Call to Order]

WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN AUSTIN CITY HALL, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, UM, UH, MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THE WAY WE'LL PROCEED TODAY IS WE WILL, UH, I'LL READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE IN THE RECORD, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO OUR

[Consent Agenda]

WE WILL HEAR FROM SPEAKERS ON, UH, THE, FROM THE PUBLIC ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

WE WILL THEN TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA AND, UH, AFTER, UH, DISCUSSION AND BRIEF COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AND WE WILL VOTE ON THAT.

ITEMS MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED IS ITEM NUMBER 55.

WHAT WE WILL DO IS HAVE, UM, A BRIEFING ON THAT.

YOU'LL RECALL THAT AT THE WORK SESSION, WE DEFERRED THAT UNTIL TODAY, WE WILL HAVE A, UH, A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON 55.

THEN WE HAVE, UH, FOUR ITEMS, ITEMS 3, 4, 5, AND SIX THAT ARE RELATED TO AUSTIN WATER, AND WE WILL TAKE THOSE UP.

ITEM NUMBER 72 HAS ALSO BEEN PULLED.

DID, DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? REMEMBER, TIM? 72? IT'S STILL, YOU THINK YOU DON'T THINK IT'S STILL PULLED? WELL, WELL, I'LL, I'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THAT.

UM, MY NOTES INDICATE THAT, BUT I'LL, WE'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THAT AND IF IT CAN GO BACK ON, WE'LL MAKE SURE, UH, IT GOES BACK ON.

THEN.

ON NON-CONSENT ITEMS, UH, WE HAVE SOME ITEMS FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES 76 AND SEVEN, AND THEN ITEM 77 IS AN IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM ON PUBLIC HEARINGS.

LET ME, FOR THE RECORD, IT AND THE PUBLIC THAT MIGHT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

LET ME, UH, READ INTO THE RECORD WHERE WE ARE ON THOSE.

ITEM 78 AND 79, WE WILL HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS.

ITEM NUMBER 80 HAS BEEN

[80. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 (Land Development) related to development regulations applicable to residential re-subdivisions and to multi-family residential site development of five to sixteen units. (Part 1 of 2)]

ITEM NUMBER 80 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO DECEMBER 12TH, AND ON ITEMS 81 AND 82, THERE WILL BE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THOSE TO DECEMBER 12TH.

OF COURSE, AT NOON, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, AND WE WILL RECESS FOR LIVE MUSIC.

UH, I ANTICIPATE WE WILL BE BACK AT AROUND ONE 10, UH, AFTER THE RECESS, AFTER WE COMPLETE THE 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN RELATED TO ZONING ITEMS. WE, WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT SOME POINT, AND, UH, AS I WORK, UH, MY WAY THROUGH THE AGENDA AND TRY TO RUN AN EFFICIENT MEETING, WE WILL DO THAT WHENEVER IT'S THE BEST TIME OR MOST APPROPRIATE TIME.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE IN A POSITION TO DO THAT BEFORE THE TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, LET ME READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.

ITEMS NUMBER 34 AND 37 ARE WITHDRAWN.

34 AND 37 ARE WITHDRAWN.

ITEM 61 AND 62 ARE POSTPONED TO DECEMBER 12TH, 2024.

ITEMS 80, 81 AND 82 SHOULD READ WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, TAKEN UP.

THESE ITEMS WILL BE POSTPONED TO DECEMBER 12TH, 2024.

ITEM 1 0 5 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED WITH ADDENDUM ITEM ONE 16.

ITEMS ONE OH, ITEM 1 0 6 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED WITH ADDENDUM ITEM ONE 17, AND I'VE READ ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND, UM, I WILL TURN TO THE CLERK AND ASK IF YOU WILL PLEASE HELP US BY CALLING OUT NAMES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

WE WILL CALL BY THE SPECIFIC ITEM.

YOU'LL BE CALLED UP ON A SPECIFIC ITEM TO SPEAK, AND, UM, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

WE'LL START WITH IN PERSON,

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MR. BUNCH PASSES.

WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM 47.

WILLIAM BUNCH, MR. BUNCH, ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK ON THAT ITEM? HE PASSES ON THAT ITEM AS WELL.

ITEM 59, FELICITY MAXWELL WITH MONICA GUZMAN DUCK.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.

MAYOR PERAM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FELICITY MAXWELL, DISTRICT FIVE AND ARA BOARD MEMBER REGARDING ITEM 59.

WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THE CONTINUED COMMITMENT FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH A SMALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS HERE IN AUSTIN.

THIS PROGRAM, WHEN RUN PREVIOUSLY, GAVE CRITICAL TOOLS TO LOCAL DEVELOPERS TO BUILD MUCH NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN OUR CITY.

THE TRAINING STARTED LAST YEAR AND HAD OVER 70 PEOPLE APPLY FOR THE TRAINING WITH THE FINAL, FINAL 20 MEMBERS REP OF THE COHORT FROM A DIVERSE SET OF BACKGROUNDS, MANY OF THEM HAVING NEVER PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

UH, THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED FOUND THE CONTENT.

EXCELLENT SAID THE, THE SAMPLE PROJECT WAS EXTREMELY INSIGHTFUL AND GREAT, AND HOW ALERT ALLOWED THEM TO LEARN A GREAT TEAM BUILDING APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT.

WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THIS EFFORT, AND IT'S CONTINUED TO COMMITMENT TO SMALL DEVELOPMENTS HERE IN AUSTIN.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, MONICA GUZMAN, ON ITEM 72, SHE'S INDICATING SHE DOES NOT WISH TO TESTIFY ON THAT ITEM.

MS. GUZMAN.

I GOT THAT RIGHT, DIDN'T I? YES.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

OKAY.

BY THE WAY, SHE GAVE ME A THUMBS UP, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S EVER HAPPENED, SO I WANT EVERYBODY TO NOTICE THAT.

OKAY.

UH, WE DO ALSO HAVE MR. BUNCH ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, MR. BUNCH.

YOU WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS NOT THE WATER THING.

3, 4, 5, AND SIX HAVE BEEN PULLED.

Y'ALL PASS ON THAT AS WELL.

CONTINUE ON.

ITEM 72, WE HAVE ROBIN, RATHER.

HANG, HANG ON ONE SECOND.

UM, FOR THE RECORD, ON ITEM NUMBER, SE NUMBER 72 MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE'S A, A VERSION TWO THAT'S BEEN POSTED, UH, BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM.

SO ITEM NUMBER 72 CAN GO BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE, UH, SEES A NEED TO PULL THAT.

AND IF, AND, AND IN ANY CASE, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 72 AND, AND IT WILL BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA UNLESS SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS.

SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, REMINDING ME OF THAT.

AND, AND MS, RATHER, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY, ROBIN, RATHER.

OKAY, NEXT.

NEXT WE HAVE CRAIG NASER, WILLIAM BUNCH, BRAD MASSING.

CHRIS FLORES, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TESTIFY AND YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT.

MAY, UH, CAN I, LEMME FINISH MY THOUGHT.

PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AND BE PREPARED TO TESTIFY SO THAT WE CAN GET RIGHT TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE READY.

AND IF THERE'S AN EMPTY MICROPHONE, PLEASE USE THAT MICROPHONE, BUT PLEASE, UH, GO AHEAD AND GET UP AND COME DOWN HERE SO THAT WE WILL, UH, BE ABLE TO, TO HEAR FROM YOU IN A PROMPT WAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

THANK YOU.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE VERSION TWO YET FOR 72.

SO IS THAT ON ITS WAY? MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, LAW WAS WORKING AS FAST AS THEY COULD.

IT, UH, SHOULD BE UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD NOW, AND IT IS BEING, UH, EMAILED AROUND, SO IT WILL BE AVAILABLE, IT DOES INCORPORATE THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAD OFFERED.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO SURE.

WRITE THAT.

WE HADN'T SEEN IT YET.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

HELLO, FRIENDS.

CRAIG NAZER, SIERRA CLUB, AND AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS.

ITEM 72, 73 AND 74 ARE VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS AND THE CONSTITUENTS I REPRESENT HERE SALUTE YOU FOR SUPPORTING THEM.

AUSTIN IS MORE THAN A PLACE FOR HUMAN HABITATION.

NATURE'S INDISPENSABLE.

DECADES OF BAD CHOICES HAVE SHOWN US THAT HEALTHY EGO SYSTEMS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL.

UNFORTUNATELY, HUMANS TOO EASILY GET ABSORBED IN THEIR OWN EGOS AND FORGET THAT FACT.

AT OUR GREAT PERIL AND THE HINDU FAITH, THE TRUE ENEMIES OF KRISHNA ARE THE ONES WHO GO AROUND MAKING THE UNIMPORTANT THINGS IMPORTANT.

WE NEED BIRDS, BATS, DRAGONFLIES, AND FISH TO EAT MOSQUITOES, AND WE ACTUALLY NEED MOSQUITOES TO FEED THESE CREATURES.

WE NEED HAWKS, OWLS, FOXES, AND COYOTES

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AND WE NEED SOME RATS AND MICE TO CLEAN UP OUR WASTE AND FEED THESE PREDATORS.

WE NEED TREES AND SOIL TO SUCK UP ALL THE CARBON WE PUMP INTO THE AIR AND SEQUESTER IT TO MAINTAIN A LIVABLE CLIMATE, TREES AND SOIL, CLEAN OUR WATER AND MAKE OUR AIR BREATHABLE.

NEIGHBORHOODS WITH TREES HAVE LESS VIOLENCE AND AREAS WITH BATS HAVE AN 8% LOWER INFANT MORTALITY RATE DUE TO THE DECREASED USE OF INSECTICIDES.

WE NEED OUR CATS AND DOGS BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILY.

IN FACT, ON SPACESHIP EARTH, THERE ARE NO PASSENGERS.

WE ARE ALL CREW.

ON A BEACH, A BOY WALKS TO THINK ABOUT HIS LIFE.

THE TIDE HAS GONE OUT, AND HE OCCASIONALLY BENDS DOWN TO PICK UP A STRANDED STARFISH AND TOSSED IT BACK INTO THE SEA.

AN ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED MAN WALKS THE BEACH ALSO THINKING ABOUT HIS OWN LIFE AND SEES THE CHILD, WHAT IS THIS POINTLESS THING YOU ARE DOING, MY CHILD? HE SAYS, WITH ALL THE WAR AND FAMINE AND DISEASE AND PROBLEMS IN THIS MODERN WORLD, WHY ARE YOU WASTING TIME PITCHING STARFISH? WHO ON EARTH COULD CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING? WITH ALL OUR PROBLEMS, THE BOY BENDS OVER, PICKS UP ANOTHER STARFISH, TOSSES INTO THE SEA AND SAYS THAT ONE CARED.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THESE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU MR. BUNCH.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UH, WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT LOOKING AT, UH, INCREASED AND BETTER FUNDING FOR OUR PARKS, UH, ON ALMOST ALL OF WHAT'S MENTIONED, UH, IS WORTH INVESTIGATING.

WE OPPOSE AND ASK THAT YOU PULL OUT ANY REFERENCE TO EXPANDING THE, UH, PARTNERSHIP, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH FOR-PROFIT OR NONPROFIT ENTITIES AT THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY.

UM, Y'ALL HAVE AN AUDIT GOING FORWARD RIGHT NOW TO LOOK AT THOSE.

UH, THOSE HAVE GONE WAY DOWN THE LINE VERY QUICKLY THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, WITHOUT A HARD LOOK.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING ALREADY IS THAT THE AGENDAS OF THESE NONPROFITS AND FOR-PROFITS VASTLY DIVERGE FROM WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS FROM OUR PARKS.

OUR, UH, LONG RANGE PLAN, OUR PARKS, OUR FUTURE PLAN TELLS US WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS.

THEY WANT NATURE PARKS.

THEY WANT PLACES WHERE NATURE IS IN THE CITY, WHERE THEY CAN ESCAPE FROM THE MADNESS OF THE CITY, WHERE THEY CAN ESCAPE CONCRETE AND STRUCTURES, BUILDINGS, UH, CONSTRUCTED PLAYGROUNDS EVEN.

UM, AND YET WHAT WE GET FROM THESE NONPROFITS IS FOR-PROFIT EVENTS, MONEY MAKING EVENTS, VIEWING OUR PUBLIC LANDS, OUR PARK LANDS, OUR PUBLIC TRUST LANDS AS A PLACE TO MAKE MONEY.

THAT'S NOT HOW WE FUND OUR PARKS.

WE NEED TO BE GOING IN REVERSE ON SOME OF THOSE, UH, UH, PARTNERSHIPS, QUITE FRANKLY, BUT AT MINIMUM THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE EXPANDING THOSE UNTIL THE PUBLIC GETS THE AUDITS BACK AND WE GET SOME STANDARDS AND SOME COMPLIANCE AND SOME PUBLIC INPUT IN THE PROCESS.

SO PLEASE, UH, TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.

THANK YOU.

UH, MR. BUNCH.

YOU ALSO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON 61 AND 62.

DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE MERIT'S, THE POSTPONEMENT ON THOSE TWO ITEMS? OKAY.

CONTINUING ON ITEM 73, CRAIG NASER, WILLIAM BUNCH, ROY WHALEY, JENNIFER BRISTOL.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED AND YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE MOVE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.

STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

CRAIG NASER AGAIN.

UH, I WAS ON THE WORKING GROUP, UH, FOR THIS ITEM 73.

THIS HAS BEEN A WHILE IN THE WORKS GOING THROUGH VARIOUS COMMISSIONS.

I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK, UH, I THINK IT SHOULD PASS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR, UM, HEARING US OUT ON ITEM NUMBER 73, BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN FOR BUILDINGS.

AND I'M VERY EXCITED, UM, ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION.

MY NAME IS JENNIFER BRISTOL AND I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ASKED TO BE FORMED TO REALLY REVIEW, UM, WHAT IT

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UM, AND, AND HAVE CONSTRUCT BUILDINGS, UM, THAT ARE AS FRIENDLY AS THEY CAN BE AND SAFE AS THEY CAN BE.

THE NUMBERS ARE ASTOUNDING AND THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

WE LOSE OVER 1 BILLION BIRDS EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO COLLISIONS WITH BUILDINGS.

WE CANNOT SUSTAIN THAT.

AND IF WE DO NOT HAVE OUR BIRDS, JUST AS RACHEL CARLSON SAID IN HER AMAZING WATERSHED BOOK, SILENT SPRING, IF WE DON'T HAVE BIRDS, WE HAVE A SILENT SPRING INSECTS.

ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT BIODIVERSITY DEPENDS ON THE COLLABORATION OF INSECTS, BIRDS, AND US.

SO I I REALLY HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL, UM, REVIEW THIS AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN HAVE THE MOST BIRD FRIENDLY CITY IN TEXAS.

THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN TEXAS LOOKING AT THIS, UM, AS DEEPLY AS WE ARE.

AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY COMPETITIVE, UH, AND I SAY LET'S BE FIRST.

UM, SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY, UH, ALL, ALL THE STAFF THAT HELPED US OUT UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THIS IS.

WE HAD AN AMAZING WORK GROUP FROM CONSERVATIONISTS TO ARCHITECTS TO DEVELOPERS ALL COMING TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT THIS.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY WHAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD, UM, Y'ALL CAN AGREE WITH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HELLO, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.

I AM CHRIS FLORES OF DISTRICT 10.

I AM SPEAKING OUT OF TURN.

I MISSED MY OPPORTUNITY OVER THERE ON ITEM NUMBER 72, AND NOW YOU'RE ON 73, SO I APOLOGIZE.

I'M TAKING YOU BACK TO 72.

UM, I AM FOR RESOLUTION 72 AS AMENDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, AND OF COURSE, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT VERSION ONE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN THE VERSION TWO.

UM, I, I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR A FEW MORE AMENDMENTS.

UM, ONE, REMOVE THE LANGUAGE ABOUT REGIONAL APPROACH TO PARK MANAGEMENT.

I THINK WE NEED THE OPPOSITE.

A CENTRALIZED PARK MANAGEMENT APPROACH WITH STRONG, UNILATERAL FAIR, EQUAL AND RULES AND CONTRACTS THAT THE COUNCIL, THE PARKS BOARD, THE CITIZENS AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN EASILY FOLLOW.

UH, TWO, I WOULD SAVE THE DOLLARS, REMOVE THE CONSULTANT DIRECTIVE.

THE CITY HAS A SHARPEST TAX TEAM IN ITS CORPORATE OFFICE THAT SCOURS THE COUNTRY FOR GRANTS.

IT IS IDEALLY SUITED TO RESEARCH PARKS, FUNDING MODELS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.

A CONSULTANT MAY DELIVER BIASED RESULTS THAT THE CITIZENS COULD ULTIMATELY REJECT.

UM, THREE, UM, REMOVE THE PARTNERSHIPS LANGUAGE.

UM, WE DO NOT NEED THIS ITEM TO BE RESEARCHED AFTER LIVING UNDER THIS COUNCIL IMPOSED MODEL FOR YEARS.

WE NEED A THOROUGH REPORT FOR CITIZENS TO SEE THAT EXPOSES THE PROPHETS THAT ARE BEING HOARDED BY NONPROFITS THROUGH TICKETED EVENTS AND ALCOHOL SALES IN OUR PUBLIC LANDS.

THE PEOPLE ARE BEING PUT OUT OF OUR LANDS AND OUR LANDS ARE SUFFERING.

I CLOSE WITH THIS.

UH, IN JUNE, 2026, UM, AUSTIN WILL HOST A NATIONAL GREATER GREENER CONFERENCE.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL TARGET FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO SHINE, TO SHOW THE COUNTRY HOW WE CAN ON OUR OWN, WITH NO OUTSOURCING, TAKE OVER OUR PARK MANAGEMENT AND MAKE IT THRIVE IN THE FACE OF TIGHT BUDGETS AND A HOTTER CLIMATE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

IN ADDITION TO THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN CALLED MONICA GUZMAN IS ALSO HERE IN PERSON TO SPEAK ON ITEM 72.

ITEM 73, MR. BUNCH.

YES.

UH, BILL BUNCH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

ITEM 73.

UH, WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, UH, LIGHTS OUT, UH, DARK SKIES INITIATIVE.

UM, BUT THIS DOES RELATE BACK TO 72.

WE NEED TO START AND DO IT RIGHT NOW WITH OUR PARKS AND WITH THOSE MAKING PROFITS OFF OF OUR PARKS.

WE HAD FOR YEARS A LARGE CORAN POPULATION THAT OVERWINTERED, UH, IN THE LARGE CYPRUS PECAN OAK TREES ALONG LADY BIRD LAKE SHORELINE IN ZILKER PARK JUST WEST OF LONE F POINT.

THAT POPULATION IS ALL BUT GONE NOW AND IT DISAPPEARED AND WAS MORE THAN CUT IN HALF.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 200 TO 300 BIRDS THAT WERE THERE WINTER AFTER WINTER.

UM, AND THEY

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UH, THE ONE YEAR THAT THEY REALLY SUFFERED, THERE WAS A HUGE FERRIS WHEEL THAT WAS LIGHTED UP ALSO RIGHT ON TOP OF THE TREES RIGHT NEXT TO THE TREES.

UM, ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO BE PUSHED COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE LAKE.

THOSE BIRDS MIGHT COME BACK.

UM, BUT I'M CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE SIMILAR EFFECTS FROM OTHER EVENTS WITH LIGHTS THAT ARE IN INAPPROPRIATE WITH SOUND THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE AFTER DARK WHEN OUR BIRDS AND OUR OTHER WIDE WILDLIFE NEED TO BE DARK AND ALSO NEED IT TO BE QUIET AND OUR PARKS OR THEIR REFUGE, THEIR, THEIR HOME, THEIR, THEIR HABITAT.

UM, AND YET HERE IS A GLARING EXAMPLE WHERE, UM, THIS AGENDA OF HANDING OVER OUR PARKS TO PRIVATE OPERATORS TO MAKE MONEY OR IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU WANT.

SO PLEASE, LET'S, LET'S, UH, LET'S START AT HOME WITH THIS POLICY, BUT ALSO, UH, HAVE IT APPLY TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, AND PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR OF GAVA GO AUSTIN, BA AUSTIN.

WE STAND WITH REWILD IN THE REQUEST TO REMOVE PARTNERSHIP, UH, REVENUE.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE PARTNERSHIPS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER AN AUDIT AND WE ASK THAT THE AUDIT BE COMPLETED AND THAT THE COMMUNITY HEAR THE RESULTS IN A BRIEFING BEFORE THAT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU.

NEXT, WE'LL HAVE ITEM 74.

WE HAVE ANGELA GARZA, CRAIG NASER, AND WILLIAM BUNCH.

YOUR NAME'S BEN CALLED AND YOU WISH TO TESTIFY.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

WELCOME.

HI.

THANK YOU.

UM, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL LEADERS FOR BEING UP HERE.

AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT ONCE I WROTE THE ORDINANCE, IT WAS INTACT, WHICH IS AWESOME.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR CONSIDERING THE TREES.

SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

ANGELA GARZA.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

GREG NASER ONCE AGAIN ON ITEM 74.

I THINK THE CITY HAS MADE SOME VERY GOOD STRIDES IN PRESERVING OUR TREES AND OUR TREE CANOPY.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE ENOUGH YET, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT DONE.

WE'VE GONE FAR DOWN THE ROAD AND I REALLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

NUMBER 74.

ONE THING ABOUT TREES, IF YOU'VE EVER PLANTED TREES, IS TREES.

PICK WHERE THEY WANNA GROW.

THEY PICK WHERE THEY WANNA GROW BY DYING IF YOU PLANT THEM WHERE THEY DON'T WANT TO GROW.

AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE THESE MITIGATION EFFORTS AND THEY'RE GOOD EFFORTS, GOOD FAITH EFFORTS.

WELL, WE CAN PLANT A TREE HERE OR DO IT HERE OR DO IT THERE.

AND NOT ALL THESE TREES THAT WE SAY WANNA GROW SOMEWHERE WILL GROW THERE.

AND WE'VE SEEN THIS HERE, LIKE RIGHT HERE OUT THE WINDOW OF CITY HALL.

WE'VE SEEN THIS UP AT ARBOR WALK WHERE BALD CYPRUS, THEY PLANTED OR DYING.

NOT ENOUGH ROOT ROOM, NOT ENOUGH WATER.

I MEAN, WE MEAN WELL, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE A DECISION FOR TREES.

SO WHAT WE GOTTA DO IS PROTECT THE TREES WE ALREADY HAVE.

THEY'RE GROWING THERE FOR A REASON.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT US, IT'S ABOUT THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.

WE NEED THESE TREES, WE NEED THEM A LOT.

UH, SO I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I WANT US TO CONTINUE IN THIS DIRECTION.

UH, BUT JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND 'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THIS ITEM.

IT'S MANY ITEMS THE CITY DOES THAT WORKS AGAINST TREES.

AND I THINK OVERALL, ARE WE SUCCEEDING OR FAILING? WE COULD DO A LOT BETTER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, BILL BUNCH, SILVER SPRINGS ALLIANCE AGAIN.

UM, YES, WE SUPPORT, UH, THIS

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UM, WE WANT TO ASK AGAIN THAT YOU GO FURTHER.

UH, WHAT THE PROCESS WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW IS FAILING.

UH, DEVELOPERS ARE, UH, ROUTINELY BEING GRANTED EXEMPTIONS, UH, TO ALLOW THE DESTRUCTION OF HERITAGE TREES THAT YOU CAN NEVER GET BACK.

I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TREES ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, 50 TO TWO OR 300 YEARS OLD, UM, THAT PROVIDE SHADE HABITAT, UM, AND, UH, PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND CAPTURE CARBON.

AND SO THESE OLD TREES THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND.

UM, AND YET, UH, DAY AFTER DAY, WE HEAR ANOTHER STORY OF, UH, A DEVELOPER WANTING TO BUILD ON A LOT WHERE THERE'S A TREE IN AN INCONVENIENT POSITION, UH, GETTING A WAIVER OR A VARIANCE OR SIMPLY CHOPPING IT DOWN, UH, OVER THE WEEKEND OR AT NIGHT.

UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, GETTING A MERE SLAP ON THE WRIST.

UM, WE, WE HAVE TO SAVE THESE TREES NOW.

WE NEED A GHOST TREE ORDINANCE THAT BASICALLY SAYS, UH, IF YOU'RE GONNA CUT DOWN A HERITAGE TREE, UH, YOU STILL CAN'T BUILD WHERE IT WAS, UH, AND TAKE ALL THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE OUT OF, UH, KILLING OUR TREES.

AND WE NEED SECOND AND THIRD OPINIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD IN, UH, INPUT, UH, WHEN A HERITAGE TREE IS BEING DEEMED TO BE TOO, UH, SICK OR, UM, FRAGILE TO SURVIVE.

UH, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST SEEING TIME AND AGAIN, UH, ARBORISTS HANDING OUT OPINIONS THAT REALLY DON'T HOLD WATER AREN'T DEFENSIBLE IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THEM.

UM, SO MANY TREES THAT ARE HEALTHY AND CAN LIVE DECADES, CENTURIES EVEN FURTHER ARE, UH, BEING LABELED AS, UH, DANGEROUS OR DISEASED.

UM, AND, UH, IT REALLY JUST BEING DONE INAPPROPRIATE IN, AGAIN, IN THE NAME OF MAKING MONEY AND, UH, PAVING A LOT THAT, UH, SHOULDN'T BE PAVED.

THANK YOU.

ALL ITEM OR ALL SPEAKERS THAT SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT, NOT PULLED ITEMS HAVE BEEN CALLED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MEMBERS, AS YOU HEARD, THAT'S ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WANNA BE CLEAR, THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 75, 1 13 AND ONE 14.

THE ITEMS PULLED ARE 55, 3, 4 5, AND SIX.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

DISCUSSION, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I JUST WANNA BUILD OFF OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE'VE HEARD TODAY AS IT RELATES TO ITEM 74.

REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THIS FORWARD AND HELP CREATE FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, REAL PROTECTIONS FOR TREES IN OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS, WHETHER IT WAS IN THE HOME DISCUSSION OR JUST AS WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AS IT RELATES TO MORE STREET TREES AND, AND GROWING OUR TREE CANOPY.

AND SO WE ARE TAKING A MEANINGFUL STEP TO INCENTIVIZE THE PRESERVATION OF THESE TREES WHEN PEOPLE ARE BUILDING HOMES ON A RESIDENTIAL LOT, WHICH TODAY WE ONLY PROTECT A A COUPLE PERCENT OF THE TREES.

IT'S THE, THE HERITAGE TREES AND THE LARGE AND THE, UH, PROTECTED TREES.

BUT YOU NEVER GET TO BE A HERITAGE TREE IF, IF YOU FIRST WEREN'T ONE OF THESE EIGHT TO 18 INCH TREES.

AND SO, I'M, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD HERE TODAY AND, AND EXCITED TO SEE, UH, THESE TREES GROW TO BE SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALISON ALTAR, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, AND THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO 10 POOL, UM, FOR YOUR RESOLUTION FOR ITEM 72 AND TO THE CO-SPONSORS, UM, FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKS FUNDING.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU INCORPORATING THE AMENDMENTS THAT I OFFERED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AND, AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTAR WHO WORKED WITH ME ON THOSE AMENDMENTS.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS SYSTEM WHERE WE HAVE QUORUMS AND, AND WE CAN'T ALL BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND, UM, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS PLUS MORE BEFORE THAT TO WORK AS A PARKS ADVOCATE.

UM, AND SO I DID WANNA ADD A, A, A FEW THINGS.

I'M REALLY PROUD THAT WHILE I'VE BEEN ON OFFICE, WE'VE, UM, MOVED THE NEEDLE ON ACCESS TO PARKS.

UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, A GOAL TO HAVE

[00:30:01]

UM, IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN OFFICE, UM, WE'VE MOVED THAT FROM 65% TO, IT'LL BE ABOUT 72% AT THE END.

UM, WITH THE PANDEMIC, WE REALLY SAW THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PARKS, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, SPACES WHERE THE COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER, UM, AND SO THE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF THEM, UH, BUT ALSO THE WEAR AND TEAR THAT CAN HAPPEN, UM, WHEN THEY'RE VERY MUCH LOVED.

UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR AS CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE BUDGET STAFF TO DEVELOP A MODEL THAT HELPED US TO QUANTIFY WHERE WE WERE AT WITH RESPECT TO OUR SERVICE LEVELS OF OUR PARKS.

AND THAT, UM, REPORT REALLY FOCUSED ON MOWING AND, UM, TRASH AND RESTROOMS. UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER ELEMENTS OF SERVICE THAT I WANNA JUST CALL TO ATTENTION OF MY COLLEAGUES.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ADDED WAS TO FURTHER ADDRESS THAT.

SO WITH STORM MARA, WE HAD TREMENDOUS DAMAGE TO OUR TREES, UM, IN OUR PARKS BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY TAKING CARE OF THEM SOMETHING LIKE EVERY 60 YEARS AT THIS POINT.

UM, THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, THE NATURAL AREA MAINTENANCE WITH OUR LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN AND, AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.

UM, AND ALSO WANNA CALL ATTENTION TO OUR SUGGESTION THAT THE MANAGER CONSIDER REDEPLOYING SOME OF THE STAFF FROM THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER WHO WILL BE RETAINED ON STAFF, BUT UNABLE TO WORK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WHILE IT'S CLOSED.

UM, THAT, THAT STAFF BE CONSIDERED, UM, AS A POSSIBLE RESOURCE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS WITHIN, UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

PARKS DEPARTMENT, YOU MAY RECALL ALSO INCLUDES THE CULTURAL CENTERS AND MUSEUMS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND AS WELL AS THERE BEING A LOT OF, UM, EVENTS AND ON OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR PARKS.

UM, WHILE THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TEMPORARY FOR A FEW YEARS, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD REALLY HELP US TO, TO BRIDGE, UM, SOME OF THOSE GAPS.

UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FURTHER IN OUR, IN OUR AMENDMENTS, WE JUST REALLY WANTED TO REAFFIRM SOME OF THE ELEMENTS, UM, THAT ARE LISTED IN OUR LONG RANGE PLAN.

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ OR REVIEWED LATELY, OUR PARKS, OUR FUTURE LONG RANGE PLAN, UM, IT WAS THE PRODUCT OF TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK OF OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE SPOKEN TO IT THAT THERE IS A DESIRE FOR NATURE, ET CETERA.

AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND, AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR, UM, SEE THIS RESOLUTION, UM, AS A REAFFIRMATION OF THE COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENTS TO FUND OUR PARKS, TO EXPAND OUR PARKS, TO SUSTAIN OUR PARKS, AND TO MAINTAIN OUR PARKS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE, FOLLOWED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.

GREAT, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, OR MAYOR PRO TEM POOL AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON ITEM 72 AND 74 RESPECTIVELY.

AND I'D, I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR FOR BOTH THAT OBJECTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THOSE ITEMS. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER BAYLA.

THANKS, MAYOR.

I WAS ABLE TO INCORPORATE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER'S CHANGES AND FURTHER REFINE THE RESOLUTION TO RESTATE OUR GOALS FOR EQUITABLE PARK ACCESS AND SERVICE, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS AROUND THE CITY THAT HAVE LONG BEEN UNDERSERVED.

ITEM 72 SPEAKS TO FINDING A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND ASKS FOR AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FUND.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD AT THE LEVEL THAT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE IT.

OUR PARKS TEND TO BE HEAVILY LOVED BUT UNDERFUNDED, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN BUDGET TIME ROLLS AROUND AND I'M, I'M HOPING THIS RESOLUTION WILL HELP FIND A STEADY SOURCE OF FUNDING SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CRITICAL NEEDS AND MAINTAINING OUR PARKS.

ON ITEM NUMBER 73, UH, THIS RESOLUTION, UH, THAT I BROUGHT ASKS THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE A PROGRESS UPDATE ON THE CITY'S LIGHTS OUT INITIATIVE FROM 2021, AND TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF INTEGRATING BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN INTO OUR CITY REGULATIONS AS JENNIFER BRISTOL NOTED.

AND, AND THANKS JEN FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO THIS.

NO OTHER CITY IN TEXAS IS SET IN PROTECTIONS FOR BIRDS, AND THEIR ROLE IN OUR ECOSYSTEM IS SIGNIFICANT AND UNIQUE.

SO, MY FULL APPRECIATION TO MS. BRISTOL AND THE WORK GROUP, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONVENED TO CRAFT A POLICY THAT SUCCESSFULLY FOCUSES ON THESE PROTECTIONS.

AND MY THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ZOE CADRE, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VANESSA FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS, WHO ALL HAVE CO-SPONSORED THIS

[00:35:01]

AND TO THE ENTIRE DAAS FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT.

BIRD POPULATIONS FACE SIGNIFICANT THREATS FROM COLLISIONS WITH BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY DUE TO GLASS STRUCTURES AND NIGHT LIGHTING, WHICH RESULT IN A BILLION BIRD FATALITIES.

HAVE WE HEARD, AS WE HAVE HEARD EVERY YEAR FROM COLLISIONS WITH MAN-MADE STRUCTURES, OUR RIVER CORRIDORS, ESPECIALLY POPULAR WITH MIGRATING BIRDS, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SAFER TRAVELS TO OUR BIRD FRIENDS ON THEIR MIGRATORY PATHWAYS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR JIM.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

I WANTED TO THANK, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, ALISON ALTER, AND EXCUSE ME, UM, RYAN ALTER FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS ITEM.

AND THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM FOR INCORPORATING THOSE CHANGES TO IT.

UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO CO-SPONSOR AND ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY WITH THE ACQUISITION, THAT WE ARE ALSO MAINTAINING THE, UH, THE UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE OF PARKS AND UNDERSERVED AREAS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ WILL ALSO BE SHOWN AS THE SPONSOR OF THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

THAT WAS 72, JUST TO BE.

YES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 69, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO TO, UH, CONSTRUCT A, A TRAIL REALLY TO EXTEND A TRAIL IN, UH, NEAR EAST AUSTIN.

THE, THE RED LINE, UH, TRAIL, UH, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO, UH, A VERY KEY TRAIL HELPING OUR, UH, NEAR EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORS GET INTO DOWNTOWN.

UH, IN COMBINATION WITH THIS, UH, CAPITAL METRO IS ALSO DOUBLE TRACKING THE RED LINE, WHICH ULTIMATELY, IF WE'RE GONNA GET THE KIND OF RIDERSHIP WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ON THE RED LINE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, DOUBLE TRACK IT.

UH, THIS IS, UH, MOSTLY GRANT FUNDED, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, THANK THE STAFF AT CAPITAL METRO AND WITH, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE THE FUNDING AND TO EXTEND THE TRAIL AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF, UH, OF THE RED LINE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UM, MEMBERS WITH THAT, WITH THAT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER WOULD LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 72, WITH WITHOUT OBJECTION, SHE'LL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF 72.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

APPRECIATE IT.

UM, SO THERE'S TONS TO BE EXCITED ABOUT TODAY ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PROUDLY THAT OUR DEDICATED CITY STAFF AND DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, UM, AS RECIPIENTS OF OVER $1.4 MILLION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE VERY SUCCESSFUL MOBILE COURT PILOT PROGRAM.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT ELSE WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THERE.

AND, UH, TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE WE'LL HOST THIS AFTERNOON, THESE GRANT FUNDS WILL COMPLEMENT AND ENHANCE THE MOBILE COURT IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS BY PROVIDING RESOURCES TO SUPPLEMENT A ROBUST PLANNING PROCESS AND STRENGTHEN SERVICES.

I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS GRANT FUNDING WILL TRANSFORM MORE LIVES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES, PLURAL, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.

UM, CREATIVE SOLUTION, CREATIVE SOLUTIONS LIKE THE MOBILE COURT ARE HOW WE SHAPE A SYSTEM THAT TRULY HELPS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS THROUGH THOUGHTFUL AND COMPASSIONATE ACTION.

UM, THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE DAX STAFF.

I KNOW YOU GUYS WORKED SO HARD AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BE IN COLLABORATION AND BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR EFFORTS.

UM, ALSO TO OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY TEAM AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DOWNTOWN, UM, COMMUNITY COURT, WE WILL BE HOSTING THE PRESS CONFERENCE LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON, UM, IN THE ATRIUM TO FURTHER TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE GRANTS, UH, FOR, UH, ALL THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED, IT'LL, UH, TAKE PLACE JUST AFTER MUSIC AROUND 1230.

WITH ALL THAT SAID, I JUST WANNA BRIEFLY ALSO EXPRESS MY EXCITEMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 66, WHICH REGARDS IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO GIBBS PARK, ANYBODY WHO'S DRIVEN DOWN 12TH STREET ON YOUR WAY UP TO THE SPRINGDALE AREA AS OF LATE, YOU SEE LOTS OF DIGGING AND LOTS OF DOING, AND I'M SUPER HAPPY AND EXCITED TO SEE, UH, AND TRUE AUSTIN FIXTURE, SOMETHING THAT WAS AN EVERY SUNDAY ACTIVITY FOR ME GROWING UP ON THE EAST SIDE.

UM, FINALLY GET THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES, UM, FOR THE OLD COMMUNITY AND THE NEW COMMUNITY, BOTH, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 33, HELPING US REGARDING FUNDING, UM, TOWARDS BICYCLE PROGRAMMING TO REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION CAUSED BY SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLES AND PROMOTING MORE AFFORDABLE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.

UM, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO BE, UM, SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR, UH, ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTER.

THANK YOU.

WITHOUT OBJECTION ON WHICH, WHICH, WELL, WHICH ITEM DID YOU, ARE YOU, UH, THE, UM, THE COUNCIL OR MAYOR? PROAM POOL'S.

OKAY.

MAYOR MEMBER PROAM POOL.

I, I'M CONFUSED FOR A SECOND.

UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON

[00:40:01]

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, COUNCIL MORE MORALES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I ALSO WANNA HEAP ON THE PRAISE FOR MAYOR PRO TEMPLE'S, ITEM NUMBER 72, AND INCLUDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR.

UM, IT'S NO SECRET THAT A LOT OF US ON THE DIOCESE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR PARK SYSTEM MOVING FORWARD.

UM, I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WILL BE CONTINUALLY EVOLVING, UM, BUT WE HAVE TO GET MORE CREATIVE WITH HOW WE'RE FUNDING OUR, OUR PARKS.

UM, WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD PARTNERS THAT ARE, UM, ACTUALLY LEVERAGING, UM, OTHER PHILANTHROPY THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME IN AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARK SYSTEM IS EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND THRIVING SO THAT EVERYBODY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS CAN ENJOY THEM.

UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE, THAT IT'S NOT JUST DISTRICT EIGHT PARKS THAT ARE ONLY GONNA BE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

AND I THINK THAT MEANS BUILDING UP PARKS ALL OVER THE SYSTEM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CREATIVE FUNDING SOURCES, AND THAT WE ARE, UM, OPEN AND WILLING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FOLKS THAT WANNA COME IN AND ADD IN, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR OWN DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THESE FANTASTIC WORKS.

LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, UM, PEAS PARK, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH WATERLOO GREENWAY.

UM, THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS AND WE ABSOLUTELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST WEST SIDE PARKS THAT ARE GETTING FUNDS.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE EAST SIDE PARKS ARE GETTING FUNDS AS WELL.

UM, SO I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS TAKEN THIS INITIATIVE AND BEEN VERY CREATIVE WITH HOW, HOW WE LOOK AT THIS.

AND I THINK IT SHOWS BY HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO CO-SPONSOR IT.

UH, WHAT, WHAT A GREAT IDEA IT IS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UM, INDICATED DISCUSSION.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED.

THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE'LL TAKE

[55. Authorize negotiation and execution of a contract for web redesign of the City of Austin’s austintexas.gov web site for Communications and Technology Management with TW Lrw Holdings, LLC d/b/a Material Holdings, LLC, for an initial term of three years with up to three one-year extension options, for a total contract amount not to exceed $5,550,000. Funding: $1,746,478 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget of Communications and Technology Management. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets (Part 1 of 2)]

SORRY, I MAY HAVE PUT THE ACCENT IN THE WRONG PLACE ON THAT.

UM, ALLOWABLE.

YEAH.

YEAH, THE WRONGS ALLOWABLE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, WE WILL HAVE A BRIEFING AND THEN, UM, TO TAKE THIS ITEM UP, MEMBERS, YOU'LL RECALL, THIS IS THE ITEM THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE BRIEFED ON, UH, TO WORK SESSION AND WE DEFER TILL TODAY.

SO WELCOME AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

GOOD.

APOLOGIZE FOR LA UH, FOR TUESDAY, UH, HAVING YOU HERE SO LONG AND THEN NOT GETTING TO IT.

WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.

MAYOR PROTI, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M IKA LAKEY, THE CITY'S CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER AND DIRECTOR FOR CTM.

I'M JOINED TODAY BY JESSICA KING, THE CITY'S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.

TODAY WE'LL PROVIDE, PROVIDE A BRIEFING RELEVANT TO ITEM NUMBER 55 REGARDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S WEBSITE.

REDESIGN.

THE ITEM AUTHORIZES THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR A WEB REDESIGN OF THE CITY'S AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE WITH MATERIALS HOLDING LLC FOR INITIAL TERM OF THREE YEARS, WITH UP TO THREE ONE YEAR EXTENSION OPTIONS FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $5.5 MILLION.

BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE ACTUAL WEBSITE REDESIGN, UM, I, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO FRAME AND PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR THIS PROJECT.

THIS PROJECT IS PART OF A LARGER DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY TO MODERNIZE KEY SYSTEMS THAT ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES WE PROVIDE AS A CITY.

THE PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY IS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH SIMPLE, SECURE, AND ACCESSIBLE DIGITAL EXPERIENCES.

THROUGH OUR INVESTMENT IN MODERN TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, THE TRANSFORMATION OCCURS IN THREE CATEGORIES, EMPLOYEE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE, DIGITAL, DIGITAL, CITY, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY DIGITAL EXPERIENCE.

TODAY WE'LL FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY DIGITAL EXPERIENCE WITH AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV, THE DIGITAL FRONT DOOR FOR CITY SERVICES.

AND WHEN PEOPLE KNOCK, WE WANT THEM TO FEEL WELCOME.

AS PART OF CREATING THAT COMMUNITY DIGITAL EXPERIENCE, WE IDENTIFIED THREE KEY PROJECTS FOR AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV, MULTI-LANGUAGE TRANSLATION, WHICH COVERS A BROAD RANGE OF LANGUAGES AND ENSURES EFFICIENT AND RAPID COMMUNICATION WITH ALL RESIDENTS.

THAT PROJECT IS NOW LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE, OUR ONE CITY DIGITAL ASSISTANT THAT MOVES FROM MULTIPLE CHATBOTS ACROSS THE WEBSITE TO A SINGLE CHAT BOT OR DIGITAL ASSISTANT TO STREAMLINE COMMUNICATION, PROMOTE BETTER

[00:45:01]

THAT PROJECT IS CURRENTLY IN TESTING, AND THE FOCUS FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS OUR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE PLATFORM, AND THE REDESIGN OF AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV.

THAT FOCUS IS TO MEET THE COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS FOR A MODERN SITE WITH TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF TODAY'S DIGITAL FIRST MINDSET.

TOGETHER, OUR DEPARTMENTS, CTM AND CPIO HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO IMPROVE THE SITE, BUT WE HAVE REACHED THE LIMITS OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY.

WE HAVE A ROBUST SITE WITH OVER 24 MILLION VISITS PER YEAR.

WE HAVE OVER 9,000 PAGES ON THE SITE AND OVER 500 AUTHORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THROUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN CTM AND CPIO, WE'VE MADE EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SITE'S, USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THOSE VISITING OUR SITE.

WE'VE REMOVED OVER 6,000 PAGES JUST THIS YEAR, KEPT ON PACE WITH UPGRADES AND ADDED NEW CAPABILITIES.

MANY OF THESE TASKS HAVE BEEN MANUAL AND TIME INTENSIVE, AND WE RECOGNIZE IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH.

WE'VE STRETCHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AS DEPICTED IN THE SLIDE, IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK UNDER THE WATER TO KEEP THINGS CALM ON TOP.

AND WE'LL TRY AND PROGRESS TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

THERE WE GO.

UH, WE'VE OUTGROWN OUR TRADITIONAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT PLATFORM THAT WE USE FOR MANAGING TRADITIONAL WEBSITES, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE.

THE NEW CONTRACT WILL ALLOW FOR A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE PLATFORM THAT FOCUSES ON HELPING US DELIVER THOSE MEANINGFUL DIGITAL EXPERIENCES DESIGNED FOR AND AROUND THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.

THE PLATFORM IS DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE COMPLEXITY THAT COMES WITH DELIVERING MANY DIFFERENT CITY SERVICES AND THE ABILITY TO SECURELY INTEGRATE WITH OTHER IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS AND DATA SOURCES AROUND THE CITY FOR A MORE SEAMLESS WEB EXPERIENCE.

JESSICA, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL.

SHE IS TALLER THAN ME.

GOOD MORNING.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, JESSICA KING, CPIO COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.

UM, AS CARA EXPLAINED, A DXP IS A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE FROM OUR CURRENT SINGLE CMS INSTANCE.

A DXP ALLOWS FOR PERSONALIZATION AND CAN HELP DELIVER CONNECTED AND CONSISTENT USER JOURNEYS TAILORED TO THEIR INTERESTS AND NEEDS.

HUMAN-CENTERED RESEARCH IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DESIGNING THIS DXP SOLUTION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR DIGITAL PROPERTIES MUST MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL AUSTINITES.

THE COLLABORATION OF AN EXPERIENCED DXP VENDOR AND OUR OWN CITY DIGITAL SERVICES STAFF IS A POWERFUL COMBINATION THAT LEVERAGES BOTH BROAD DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE WITH A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF RESIDENT AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS.

THE RECOMMENDED VENDOR WAS SELECTED AFTER A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION PROCESS IN WHICH 14 VENDORS RESPONDED.

THE SELECTION PANEL SCORED THIS VENDOR THE HIGHEST, BASED ON THEIR DEEP CONCEPTUAL AND SOLUTIONS BASED EXPERIENCE FOR COMPLEX AND MATRIXED ORGANIZATIONS THAT INCLUDE BOTH PRIVATE SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT CLIENTS.

THE SELECTION PANEL ALSO CONSIDERED THE VENDOR'S BEST IN CLASS RANKING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SIZABLE LOCAL PRESENCE, AND PREFERRED PARTNER AND PLATINUM LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS.