Feb 05, 2025 Environmental Commission

NICE.

WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION.

COMMUNICATION AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, BOBBY LAVINSKY.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE PUBLIC

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

BOB LAVINSKY SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UM, I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY.

UM, IT'S THE MOPAC SOUTH PROJECT, THE EXPANSION PROJECT THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.

THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR, IT JUST ENDED FOR THE OPEN HOUSE NUMBER SIX, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE A DRAFT DA, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT RELEASED, UM, SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR.

UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, HELP GENERATE, UM, OVER 1500 COMMENTS, UH, BY THE DEADLINE OF PEOPLE ALL ACROSS AUSTIN THAT EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF OPEC.

I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT THAT WIDER WON'T WORK.

UM, IT DOESN'T SOLVE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. AND THE PATH OF THIS IS ENTIRELY OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.

C-T-R-M-A.

THE PROJECT SPONSOR STILL HAS NOT COMMITTED TO A WATER QUALITY STANDARD THAT THEY'LL EMPLOY.

THEY HAVE NOT COMMITTED TO A WATER QUALITY TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY WOULD EMPLOY, AND THEY HAVE NOT ENGAGED SO FAR IN ENDANGERED SPECIES, UM, CONSULTATION THAT COULD PROTECT SALAMANDERS.

UM, AT BARTON SPRINGS.

THIS PROJECT IS, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT THE, UM, THE, UH, THE PATH, UM, IT'S EITHER A QUARTER TO A HALF MILE FROM BARTON SPRINGS.

THAT MEANS THAT ALL THE OTHER PAST FIGHTS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER MOPAC, UM, ARE NOT PRECEDENT BECAUSE, UM, THEY CANNOT RELY ON THE OPTIONAL ENHANCED MEASURES AT THE TEXAS COMMISSION.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR PROTECTIONS OF THE SPECIES TO DETERMINE THAT THERE'S, UM, NOT A LIKELIHOOD OF TAKING.

UM, THERE IS LIKE LIKELIHOOD OF TAKING THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS ALONE THAT ARE, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT ARE A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE SALAMANDER.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE'RE GONNA CALL ON YOU TO HELP US, UM, ON THIS, UM, SOMETIME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

UM, YOU THINK THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE MIDSUMMER.

UM, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION CALLING ON, ON CTMA TO, UM, WORK BETTER WITH THE CITY PLANS AND POTENTIALLY PUT FORWARD AN ALTERNATIVE THAT WOULD BE MORE IN LINE WITH CITY'S GOALS.

UM, THE SECOND MAP, UM, UH, DOCUMENT THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU, UM, I ACTUALLY PREPARED FOR THE HAYES COMMON DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS DOWN ON THE HAYES COUNTY BORDER AT TRAVIS COUNTY.

BUT IT'S REALLY RELEVANT BECAUSE REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS EXPANDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT SPRAWL.

UM, AND THAT SPRAWL IS GONNA OCCUR OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE.

THAT MAP SHOWS YOU ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO, UM, DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA IF WE START EXPANDING THE ROADS IN THAT AREA.

UH, SOUTHWEST 45 IS PROPOSED TO BE PROPOSED TO BE EXPANDED BY HAYES COUNTY.

THEY'VE APPROVED $7 MILLION TOWARDS THE DESIGN OF THAT PROJECT.

UM, AND THERE'S ONGOING, UM, EFFORTS BY DEVELOPERS TO EXTEND WATER UTILITIES IN THAT AREA.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THAT TO, TO PREVENT THE, UM, DEGRADATION OF THE AQUIFER IN THAT AREA.

SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO WOULD BE GRATEFULLY HELPFUL.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE DISCUSSION ITEMS,

AND IF YOU CAN, UH, JUST GIVE YOUR INFORMATION TO YOU, ELIZABETH, AND SHE'LL SEND OUT TO ALL THE REST OF COMMISSIONERS.

UM, NEXT SET.

WE HAVE

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

HAVE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE, UH, APPROVAL.

UH, MOTION BY SULLIVAN TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY RESI.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS.

AND WE HAVE BRIMER, RESI, FLURY, BEDFORD, BRISTOL, SHERA, SULLIVAN, ALL THOSE OPPOSE AND ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.

WE HAVE NICHOLS EX ABSTAINING MOTION PASSES.

[00:05:01]

[2. Presentation and discussion on Austin Light Rail Update – Austin Transit Partnership staff]

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL UPDATE, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP STAFF.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UM, I THINK FOR THE CAMERA, DON'T THEY NEED TO BE UP AT THE FRONT? ARE YOU GOOD? OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

AND WE'LL DO QUICK INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN JUMP INTO OUR UPDATE.

I'M LINDSAY WOOD WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

LISA STOR, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

DARREN LOZANO WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

UH, GIANNIS BANKS WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

ALRIGHT, AND BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THE UPDATE, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE ARE HERE.

UH, SO AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WAS CREATED AS A REQUIREMENT OUT OF THE REFERENDUM TO BRING LIGHT RAIL TO AUSTIN.

AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SHARE AN UPDATE THAT LIGHT RAIL IS UNDERWAY AND WE ARE SEEKING INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON THIS CRITICAL MILESTONE IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS TO BRING FEDERAL DOLLARS TO AUSTIN TO HELP FUND THIS PROJECT.

UH, WE'VE RECENTLY HOSTED FOUR OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS TO SHARE SOME UPDATES ON THE PROJECT, AND WE ARE MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH VARIOUS VENUES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY LIKE THIS ONE TO GATHER THAT CRITICAL INPUT, UH, BOTH IN TERMS OF, UH, FEEDBACK ON OUR DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, AS WELL AS OUR PRELIMINARY DESIGNS TO HELP US INFORM WHAT WILL BE THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND TO GUIDE HOW WE CARRY THE DESIGN FORWARD FROM HERE.

SO, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND BECAUSE THIS IS AUSTIN'S FIRST LIGHT RAIL, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT IT WILL BRING HERE.

UH, LIGHT RAIL IS FREQUENT AND, YOU KNOW, MORE FREQUENT THAN SOME OF THE RAIL MODES YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH, LIKE COMMUTER RAIL.

UH, WHEREAS LIGHT RAIL OPERATES EVERY FIVE TO 10 MINUTES, SO YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO LOOK UP THE SCHEDULE AND WHEN THE NEXT TRAIN IS GOING TO BE THERE.

BUT YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE STATION AT YOUR CONVENIENCE AND KNOW THAT A TRAIN IS COMING SOON.

UH, LIGHT RAIL IS RELIABLE BECAUSE IT'S IN ITS OWN DEDICATED SPACE, SO IT'S NOT SHARING A LANE WITH TRAFFIC, BUT ACTUALLY HAS ITS OWN, UH, RIGHT OF WAY AND TRANSIT WAY AND IT'S ACCESSIBLE.

IT HAS STATIONS THAT ARE LOCATED FREQUENTLY ALONG THE ALIGNMENT.

UH, SO IT'S NOT FAR TO GET FROM ONE STATION, UH, TO THE NEXT.

IT'S ALSO FULLY ELECTRICALLY POWERED.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

A SERIES OF DESIGN OPTIONS.

UH, SO THIS FIRST PHASE OF LIGHT RAIL EXTENDS FROM 38TH AND GUADALUPE AND COMES DOWN GUADALUPE IN A STREET RUNNING ALIGNMENT, RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET DOWN THROUGH, UH, THE WEST SIDE OF THE UT CAMPUS INTO DOWNTOWN WHERE IT THEN TURNS RIGHT OR TURNS EAST ON THIRD STREET AND COMES OVER TO TRINITY TURNING SOUTH AGAIN AND, AND PASSING ALONGSIDE THE CONVENTION CENTER CROSSING OVER LADY BIRD LAKE ON A NEW LIGHT RAIL BRIDGE THAT WILL ALSO HAVE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY TO SPLIT INTO TWO SEPARATE BRANCHES SOUTH OF THE RIVER.

UH, ONE GOING SOUTH ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS TO ULT WHARF AND ONE GOING EAST ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE, DRIVE OUT TO WHAT WE CALL THE YELLOW JACKET STATION OR JUST SHY OF 71.

THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES PRIORITY EXTENSIONS THAT WERE INFORMED BY COMMUNITY INPUT AND HEARING WHAT PEOPLE WANTED MOST AS THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE ARE DESIGNING THIS TO BE AN EXPANDABLE SYSTEM TO GROW WITH AUSTIN AND OUR PREFERRED PRIORITY EXTENSION BEING THE ONE TO THE AIRPORT, UH, FROM THAT YELLOW JACKET EAST END OF LINE, EXTENDING INTO THE AIRPORT AND CONNECTING INTO OUR, OUR SOON TO BE, UH, EXPANDED AUSTIN AIRPORT.

AND THERE'S ALSO AN EXTENSION PLANNED FROM 38TH STREET GOING NORTH TO CONNECT TO CRESTVIEW.

UH, PART OF THIS UPDATE THAT WE'RE HERE TO SHARE TODAY AND IS PUBLISHED WITH OUR DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ARE RECOMMENDATIONS ON

[00:10:01]

AND THOSE OPTIONS ARE GENERALLY CATEGORIZED AS THINKING ABOUT WHERE STATIONS ARE LOCATED, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE THERE, HOW ARE THEY SPACED, UH, MULTIMODAL INTEGRATION, AND HOW THE LIGHT RAIL WILL INTERACT WITH ALL MODES OF TRAVEL AND, UH, INCLUDING VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, BUSES, BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS.

AND ALSO HOW WE CROSS LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, AND, AND HOW WE BRING THAT BRIDGE STRUCTURE DOWN TO THE GROUND.

SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO ADD A STATION DOWNTOWN NEAR WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO KEEP, UH, THE EAST RIVERSIDE STATIONS AT MONIS, BUT RELOCATE OR, OR SHIFT REALLY ONE OF THE STATIONS, UM, TO GROVE IN ORDER TO HELP CONNECT WITH THE PLANNED, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AT THAT LOCATION, AS WELL AS PROVIDE A CONNECTION TO A CC UH, RIVERSIDE CAMPUS.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO EXTEND THAT BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE THAT I, I MENTIONED AND KEEP THAT ELEVATED THROUGH THE WATERFRONT STATION AND THROUGH THE JUNCTION OF BRAIDING THE SOUTH AND EAST BRANCHES OF THE LINE TOGETHER.

AND THEN TYING THE BRIDGE BACK DOWN WHEN IT COMES INTO THE NATURAL HILLS IN THAT AREA AS OPPOSED TO COMING TO GROUND FIRST AND THEN GOING RIGHT BACK UP THOSE HILLS.

UH, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING IMPROVEMENTS ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE, WHERE WE HAVE A, A WIDER RIDER OF WAY AND SOME REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP MOVE PEOPLE IN A, A COMFORTABLE AND SAFE WAY CONNECTING THEM NOT ONLY TO THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, UH, BUT REALLY ALL THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THIS AREA, WHICH I THINK, LISA, YOU'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO HERE IS A CONCEPTUAL VISUALIZATION OF WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE GREENWAY, ONE OF OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT LINDSAY JUST WENT THROUGH.

THIS OPTION BRINGS BOTH A PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PATH NEARBY, ADJACENT TO THE LIGHT RAIL IN SORT OF THE MEDIAN OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN BETWEEN THE TWO, UH, VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANES.

THIS NEW GREENWAY WOULD STRETCH FROM LAKESHORE STATION ALL THE WAY TO YELLOWJACKET STATION, SO THROUGH FIVE STATIONS ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND WOULD FORM A NEW WAY TO CONNECT SORT OF TO THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND ALL THE WAY OUT ALONG THIS CORRIDOR.

WE ARE ALSO INCLUDING, UM, ADDITIONAL SHARED USE PATHS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CURB EDGES HERE, BUT WE THINK THAT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A SHADED TREE, TREE-LINED AREA IN THIS SPACE COULD BE REALLY PHENOMENAL.

UM, WE THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR TREE PLANTING HERE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO ON THE BACK OF CURB BECAUSE OF OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND UTILITY CONFLICTS AS WELL AS DRIVEWAYS THAT INTERSECT A LOT OF LOCATIONS THERE.

NEXT SLIDE HERE IS ANOTHER VIEW OF THAT SORT OF AS AN AERIAL LOOKING TOWARD DOWNTOWN, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW ALL MODES WORK TOGETHER.

AND THIS IS EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AT PLEASANT VALLEY.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THE, THE BUSES AND THE TRAINS THERE AS WELL AS THE GREENWAY.

ANOTHER LOCATION THAT WE'RE REALLY, UH, EXCITED TO SHOW OFF IS A MORE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED DRAG.

SO THIS IS A RENDERING SHOWING WHAT THE UT STATION COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, NEAR 22ND STREET, WHERE WE REALLY ONLY HAVE TRAINS AT THE LIGHT RAIL.

WE HAVE BUSES, BIKES, AND PEDESTRIANS IN THIS AREA.

SO WE ARE REMOVING, UM, PERSONAL VEHICLES FROM THIS SECTION OF THIS OF THE ALIGNMENT, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.

AND THEN THE LAST RENDERING WE HAVE HERE TO SHOW YOU IS AT OLTORF.

SO THIS IS THE SOUTH END OF LINE, UH, FOR PHASE ONE.

AND THIS IS REALLY IMAGINING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE NEW HEB THERE, BUT REALLY IMAGINING WHAT IT COULD BE LIKE TO HOP ON AND HOP OFF AT A DESTINATION NEAR YOU.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DARREN.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU LISA.

WHAT CONSTRUCTION ANTICIPATED TO

SO ONE THING TO NOTE AND WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON TONIGHT IS THE ACTUAL PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.

UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH A FEDERAL PROCESS.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A PARTNER IN THE INVESTMENT OF LIGHT RAIL.

AND SO OF COURSE WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THEIR PROCESS.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IT'S CALLED PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.

AND WHAT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES IS COMPLETION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AS, UH, LINDSAY MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.

BUT WE ALSO WANNA SHARE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD TOWARD.

UM, THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY WORK TO BRING A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD TO ADVANCE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AS WE LINE UP FOR THOSE FUTURE PHASES.

[00:15:01]

START IN 2027, UH, WITH LIGHT RAIL OPERATION ANTICIPATED IN 2033? NEXT SLIDE.

SO, AS I MENTIONED, AS PART OF THE, UM, FEDERAL PROCESS, WE COMPLETED THIS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

AND THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE OUR WORK.

AND THIS GRAPHIC REALLY SIGNIFIES ALL THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS THAT WE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF THE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ITSELF.

ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN REALLY THINK OF IS ASSUMED OR INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENT.

ONE THING TO NOTE AS WELL IS THAT WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AT CAP METRO AS WE DEVELOPED THIS DOCUMENT.

SO WHAT THE DOCUMENT ACTUALLY ENTAILS IS A SUMMARY OF WHAT'S THERE TODAY, UH, WHAT THE POTENTIAL OF EFFECTS COULD BE AS A RESULT OF LIGHT RAIL AND MO.

AND REALLY IMPORTANT IS WHAT ARE PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES THAT'S ALL ENCOMPASSED AS PART OF THIS, UM, ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

UM, ONE THING TO NOTE AS WELL IS, AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE OBVIOUSLY WE VERY MUCH VALUE COMMUNITY INPUT.

AND SO AS PART OF THIS, UM, DOCUMENT ITSELF, THIS WAS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC ON JANUARY 10TH, AND THE COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDS THROUGH MARCH 11TH.

UH, THAT'S A 60 DAY COMMENT PERIOD, WHICH IS MORE THAN IS REQUIRED.

AND ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD FOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS, AS YOU HEARD ABOUT, AGAIN, EXCEEDING WHAT IS REQUIREMENT PER, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT, NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT.

SO YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS QUITE A LENGTHY DOCUMENT.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE PROVIDED HERE IS KIND OF A SNAPSHOT, AND I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE THIS IN YOUR PACKET OF WHAT DOES EACH AND EVERY DISCIPLINE TAKE A LOOK AT, AT A VERY QUICK, UH, ONE TO DO SENTENCE SUMMARY.

BUT ONE THING THAT WE DID TO MAKE THE DOCUMENT A LITTLE MORE, UH, READER FRIENDLY IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIVE THROUGH THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT.

WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH IS ABOUT A 20 PAGE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, A SUMMARY.

UH, YOU CAN FIND THE HIGH LEVEL FINDINGS THAT ARE IN THE DOCUMENT, THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT ITSELF, WHAT WE IN, WE CALL THE CHAPTERS, OR CHAPTERS ONE THROUGH SEVEN OR A COUPLE HUNDRED PAGES, PROVIDING A LITTLE MORE DETAIL.

AND IF YOU WANT TO DIVE DEEPER INTO ANY SPECIFIC ITEM, WE HAVE TECHNICAL REPORTS THAT ARE PART OF THE APPENDICES.

SO AGAIN, YES, IT IS A LENGTHY DOCUMENT, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO BE TRANSPARENT IN ALL THE ANALYSIS THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER, UH, AS PART OF THE DOCUMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.

SO WE'RE JUST GONNA RUN THROUGH A FEW OF THE, UM, VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL DISCIPLINES AT A HIGH LEVEL.

AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA READ VERBATIM, UM, EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THE SLIDES HERE, BUT JUST SOME OF THE TAKEAWAYS, UM, REALLY FROM AN AIR QUALITY STANDPOINT.

UM, LINDSAY MENTIONED REALLY THIS IS AN INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND ONE OF THE GOALS AND ONE OF THE, THE GREAT BENEFITS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE TAKING CARS OFF THE ROAD IN TERMS OF LIGHT RAIL.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S ALLUDED TO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, REDUCTION IN VEHICLE MILES TRAVEL.

IT'S BASICALLY, UH, TAKING CARS OFF THE ROAD AS TRIPS TRANSFER TO, UH, LIGHT RAIL.

TREES, OF COURSE, ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, YOU SAW RENDERINGS AND HOW THOSE ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN.

AND JUST SO EVERYBODY IS WELL AWARE THAT WE TOOK A VERY EXTENSIVE INVENTORY OF THE TREES ALONG THE PROPOSED ALIGNMENT, UM, WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, ARBORISTS TO COME UP WITH A METHODOLOGY THAT WAS AGREED UPON BY, UM, BOTH THE CITY AND BY A TP.

UH, WE DID SOME VERY DETAILED, UH, TREE SURVEYS.

UH, WE LOOKED TO OBVIOUSLY PROTECT AS MANY TREES AS WE COULD.

AND AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL ABIDE AND ADHERE TO ALL, UH, CITY POLICIES AND ORDINANCES AS WE ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE DESIGN, UH, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT AS IT ADVANCES IN THE FUTURE.

ONE OF THE OTHER INTERESTING COM UH, ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT IS REALLY THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM WOULD OPERATE IN WHAT IS CURRENTLY EXISTING THOROUGH FARES OR ROADWAYS TODAY, WITH THE ONLY EXCEPTION BEING THE NEW BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT ALLOWS US TO DESIGN WITH AN EXISTING, UH, RIGHT OF WAY, UM, ALONG THE, UH, ALONG TRAFFIC LANES.

UM, AND OF COURSE WHAT THAT MEANS ALSO IS WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT ARE SOME POTENTIAL RIGHT OF WAY IMPACTS ALONG, UM, THE ALIGNMENT.

BUT JUST NOTE AGAIN THAT A LOT OF THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BE WITHIN EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY, UH, ALONG CURRENT ROADWAYS.

AND SO I'M REALLY COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY AND THEIR, UM, CITY RIGHT OF WAY FOLKS AS WELL AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROJECT.

COMES TO THE STATION DESIGNS AND THE VEHICLES THEMSELVES.

WE ALSO WANT TO NOTE, AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE BECAUSE THERE ARE REALLY SOME COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT ARE GOING TO BE EXPERIENCED AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT, AND THEY'RE OUTLINING THERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, BUT IT'S, IT'S A REALLY A TRANSPORTATION MODE THAT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT AS AN AFFORDABLE AND A RELIABLE OPTION TO WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE TODAY.

UM, IT'S ALSO GONNA BE ACCESSIBLE.

THAT'S A REALLY KEY IMPORTANT NOTE WHEN IT

[00:20:01]

THEY'LL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL ACCESSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE THE SYSTEM.

UM, THERE ARE ALSO JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS BRINGS AS WELL.

UM, ALL THE WAY FROM THE ENGINEERING DESIGN, WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TO CONSTRUCTION JOBS TO ACTUALLY GO INTO THE FUTURE OF THE OPERATIONS JOBS AS WELL.

UM, AND ALSO AS PART OF THE PROJECT, WE'LL HAVE IMPROVED AMENITIES ALL THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR, IMPROVED SIDEWALKS, IMPROVED BIKE AMENITIES, THIS ALL COME ALONG, UH, WITH A SLIGHT RAIL INVESTMENT.

REALLY THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS WHAT YOU SEE IN BOLD FOR ANY TYPE OF, UH, MAJOR TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT THAT BRINGS ALONG, UM, JOBS AND ALSO, UH, A POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.

AND THAT'S REALLY THE MAIN TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SLIDE WHEN IT COMES TO TALKING ABOUT SOCIOECONOMICS AND THE BENEFITS OF LIGHT RAIL RELATED TO THIS TOPIC.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE, UM, A CONSTRUCTION JOB.

AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE WANNA MAKE SURE, AND I HOPE IT'S BEEN, UH, CONVEYED WELL, THAT YOU HEARD THE WORDS DRAFT, YOU HEARD THE WORDS RECOMMENDED.

THOSE ARE TRULY WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

AS PART OF THAT, WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP A MITIGATION MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND THAT'S GOING TO DOCUMENT ALL THE MITIGATION THAT IS REQUIRED AS PART OF THE PROJECT, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TOOK A REALLY HARD LOOK AT AND IS DEFINED IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT WE REALLY WANT THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN TO MAKE SURE ALL THE MITIGATION, UM, ITEMS WE IDENTIFY, UM, MAKES SENSE AND ARE ACCEPTABLE.

BUT THERE IS ANYTHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDED OR ANYTHING THAT'S OF IMPORTANCE.

WE REALLY WOULD LIKE YOU TO PROVIDE A COMMENT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, SO IT CAN TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION FOR THE MITIGATION MANAGEMENT PLAN AND FOR THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

AND TO WRAP UP, REALLY, THIS IS, UH, THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS YOU CAN PROVIDE INPUT ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

THE EASIEST WAY IS TO ACTUALLY USE THE QR CODE, WHICH WILL TAKE YOU RIGHT TO OUR WEBSITE, AND YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY, UM, PROVIDE INPUT IN SURVEYS, UH, THROUGHOUT, IN ON THE WEBSITE CAN ALWAYS CALL, AND WE'LL HAVE YOU LEAVE A MESSAGE AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT AS WELL.

WE DO HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS, OR YOU CAN ALSO SEND, UM, JUST THE STANDARD MAIL TO THE ADDRESS YOU SEE THERE.

ONE THING TO NOTE, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, UH, EVERY SINGLE COMMENT WE RECEIVE WILL BE DOCUMENTED AND EVERY SINGLE COMMENT WILL BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

SO YOU'LL SEE ALL OF THE COMMENTS AND EVERY COMMENT RESPONDED TO AS PART OF OUR FINAL DOCUMENTATION.

ACTUALLY, CAN YOU GO BACK ONE, I'M GONNA END WITH THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS YOU HOW TO PROVIDE COMMENT, BUT WITH THAT, OUR TEAM IS HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION? I COULDN'T, ELIZABETH, ELIZABETH, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION OR NO? OKAY.

UM, I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE A REMOTE REGISTERED SPEAKERS.

UM, FIRST UP, LET'S GO WITH LARRY AKER.

LARRY, ARE YOU ON THE PHONE? HELLO, MR. AKERS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.

MY NAME'S LARRY AKERS.

I'M WITH A GROUP CALLED MOBILITY AUSTIN, NEWLY FORMED GROUP.

UH, WE FURNISHED YOU WITH SOME MATERIALS, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, THE RAIL PROJECT, BUT, UH, WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS, UH, A PROJECT THAT WE'RE PROMOTING AS AN ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS, UH, A PUBLIC, A HYBRID PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.

BY THE WAY, I SUBMITTED A SLIDE SET.

DO YOU HAVE THAT UP? UH, DO WE HAVE THE SLIDES FOR, UM, MR. AKERS? UH, JUST ONE MINUTE.

THERE'S, UH, THEY'RE PUSHING HIM UP RIGHT NOW.

IT LOOKS LIKE I'LL JUST GO AHEAD.

ELSE IN THE CITY, UH, WE'RE ENDORSING THE IDEA OF ON DEMAND MICRO TRANSIT.

UH, THEY JUST, I'LL GO .

SO OUR, OUR OPINION OF THIS IS THAT IT'S A, A LESS COSTLY, A MORE EXTENSIVE, MORE USABLE, MORE EQUITABLE AND FORWARD LOOKING MODEL OF PUBLIC TRANSIT THAN, UH, THAN OUR RAIL PROJECT.

SO, UH, WHEN YOU GET SLIDES UP, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE SECOND ONE, THEN, UH, WHAT DO WE MEAN BY A HYBRID? UH, A HYBRID SYSTEM, A HYBRID OF WHAT? WELL, THE TWO PRIMARY COMPONENTS WE HAVE, UH, WE OFFER RAPID BUS SERVICE IN, UH, OUR HIGH DENSITY, HIGH DEMAND QUARTERS.

BASICALLY WHAT IS ALREADY, UH, IN PLACE AND PLAN, UH, AS, AS PART OF, UH, OF A PROJECT CONNECT.

BUT EVERYWHERE

[00:25:01]

NOW, THE CITY OFFERS, UH, MICRO TRANSIT IN ZONES AROUND, UH, THE EDGE OF THE CITY FOR THE MOST PART.

BUT OUR PROPOSAL IS TO MAKE THAT A CITYWIDE SERVICE AND HAS BEEN DONE IN SOME OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

NEXT SLIDE THEN.

SO WHAT DO I MEAN BY, UH, ON DEMAND MICRO TRANSIT? WELL, THESE ARE VANS, UH, THAT OFFERED SHARED DOOR TO DOOR OR CURB TO CURB RIDES, UH, ANYWHERE IN TOWN.

THEY'RE SUMMONED, UH, BY RIDERS WITH, UH, UBER-LIKE APP OR BY TELEPHONE.

AND THE DISPATCHING SYSTEM, UH, FOR, FOR THEIR FLEET CAN, UH, DYNAMICALLY LOCATE THE VANS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND OPTIMIZE, UH, THE ROUTES ACCORDING TO THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, FOR MULTIPLE PASSENGERS WHO MAY BE, UH, TRAVELING ALONG, UH, RELATIVELY SIMILAR PATHS SO THAT THEIR TRIPS CAN BE OPTIMIZED.

AND THAT SYSTEM THEN CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH THE DISPATCHING SYSTEM, UH, TO THE RAPID BUS SYSTEM SO THAT IF, UH, A QUICKER RIDE WOULD BE AVAILABLE BY PICKING SOMEONE UP, UH, AT THEIR CURB AND TAKING THEM TO A RAPID BUS STOP TO GET TO THEIR DESTINATION THAT CAN BE OFFERED AND THE CHOICE THAT THE USER CAN HAVE.

SO WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS? WELL, THE BIG ONE, UH, SEVERAL BIG ONES.

UH, THIS SYSTEM WOULD SERVE THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, MAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT AVAILABLE NOT ONLY TO THOSE WHO LIVE ALONG TRANSIT CORRIDORS, BUT TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY.

UH, THE CAPITAL COST OF THIS THING IS JUST VASTLY LESS THAN, UH, OUR RAIL PROJECT.

AND WE, AS, AS A STRAW MAN, WE POSED A FLEET OF A THOUSAND, UH, VEHICLES, UH, WHICH ALONG WITH THEIR EV CHARGING STATIONS AND, AND DISPATCHING SOFTWARE, WE COST ON THE MORE OF $160 MILLION, WHICH IS A HECK OF A LOT LESS THAN 7.1 BILLION.

UH, EASE OF USE IS A MAJOR FEATURE BECAUSE, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE RIDER, THIS INVOLVES NO TRICKS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND LAST MILE.

MR. EGGERS, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP.

PLEASE FINISH YOUR THOUGHTS.

UM, AND I GUESS QUICKLY THEN, THAT THE EQUITABLE ASPECT OF THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING AND THAT, THAT EVERYONE IS PAYING FOR, FOR PROJECT CONNECT A LOT, A LOT.

AND THIS IS, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE THAT BRINGS THAT WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO WHAT BRINGS TRANSIT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING FOR IT.

IT'S AN ADAPTABLE SYSTEM.

UH, IT'S SUSTAINABLE IN THE SENSE THAT IT SUPPORTS WIDER EV ADOPTION AND ALL OF THIS STUFF.

UNLIKE WHEN PROJECT CONNECT WAS CONCEIVED, ALL OF THIS TECHNOLOGY IS NOW MATURE AND COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE.

UH, IT'S TOO BAD IT WASN'T AROUND IN THE LATE 2010, BUT IT'S HERE NOW.

AND I THINK, UH, AS A FORWARD LOOKING CITY, CITY, WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. AKERS.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, BARBARA EPSTEIN.

BARBARA, ARE YOU ON THE PHONE? AND REAL QUICK BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, BARBARA, AND FIRST OFF, WELCOME.

I JUST WANNA SAY WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, SO PEOPLE ON THE PHONE, YOU CAN'T SEE THEM, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT WANNA SPEAK THIS EVENING.

SO I'M GONNA ASK EVERYBODY TO BE AS BRIEF AND QUICK AS THEY CAN.

HELLO, MS. EPSTEIN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.

SORRY.

UM, I LIVED NORTH OF UT FOR 51 YEARS, DEPENDING TOTALLY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT BECAUSE I'M LEGALLY BLIND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE TO SUCCEED, YOUR RAIL PLAN NEEDS CIRCULATORS LIKE THE OLD OWS, AND THE AIRPORT SHOULD'VE BEEN THE PRIMARY DESTINATION IN PHASE ONE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT.

YOUR SUMMARY SUGGESTION THAT UT THAT THE UT MALL AS A RAIL DESTINATION FOR FOOTBALL GAMES IS ODD.

THE STADIUM IS A HALF HOUR WALK AWAY.

CAP METRO'S TRIP PLANNER SAYS IT IS A 13 MINUTE WALK FROM THE MALL TO THE BUS STOP SERVING THE STADIUM.

AND THE INTERNET SAYS THAT UT PARKING FACILITIES ACCOMMODATE JUST UNDER 16,000 CARS FOR GAMES WHERE TAILGATING IS A TRADITION.

DID YOUR SURVEY ASK PEOPLE IF THEY ALREADY USED PUBLIC TRANSIT? MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE FOR IT, BUT EXPECT SOMEONE ELSE TO USE IT.

AUSTIN HOUSING WORKS.

2023 STATS FOR MY DISTRICT STATES THAT 86% OF RESIDENTS LIVE WITHIN A FIVE MINUTE WALK OF HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSIT, BUT ONLY 5% USE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO GO TO WORK.

THOSE WHO USE AND NEED PUBLIC TRANSIT THE MOST WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD NEW HOUSING, DESPITE IT BEING CALLED THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED

[00:30:01]

DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

THE LATEST NEWS SAYS DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO PAY FEES IN LIEU OF AFFORDABLE UNITS.

OF COURSE, THE PLAN WAS ROLLED OUT WITH A LITTLE E CAPITALIZING.

IT DIDN'T MAGICALLY MAKE IT EQUITABLE.

CURRENT PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE FOR ME IS INADEQUATE.

IT TAKES ME 30 MINUTES TO WALK THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, HEB OR A MILE TO MY DOCTOR, BUT 45 MINUTES TO TAKE THE TWO REQUIRED BUS ROUTES.

IF SOMEONE OFFERS ME A RIDE TO EITHER ESSENTIAL DESTINATION, IT IS A FIVE MINUTE DRIVE.

CAT METRO LOOKED AT CHEBA BRAZIL'S RAPID BUS SYSTEM IN 1997, BUT DIDN'T ADOPT A FAR LESS EXPENSIVE, FAR LESS DISRUPTIVE SYSTEM THAT WE KNEW EVEN THEN WORKED TODAY.

CRI CHIBA IS A PROVEN INTERNATIONAL MODEL OF PUBLIC TRANSIT WITH A POPULATION OF THREE AND A HALF MILLION.

75% OF ITS RESIDENTS RIDE THE BUS.

SOME ROUTES RUN EVERY 90 SECONDS, AND THE COLOR CODED BUSES ALLOW PEDESTRIANS TO INSTANTLY KNOW WHERE A BUS IS HEADED.

IT'S BUSINESS INTEREST, NOT GOOD TRANSIT PLANNING.

THAT PROBABLY EXPLAINS WHY AUSTIN ISN'T ADOPTING A RAPID BUS SYSTEM AT A FRACTION OF THE COST WITH OUR EXISTING FLEETS WITH ROUTES THAT COULD BE ENDLESSLY MODIFIED.

LAST YEAR, A STATESMAN OPINION PIECE PROCLAIMED 25 BILLION FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PROJECTS, GOOD BUSINESS AND GOOD FOR BUSINESS.

IT DIDN'T SAY IT WAS SOLVE OUR TRANSIT PROBLEM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.

UH, THANK YOU.

UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, BILL, UH, BILL EL SHIRE.

OH, YOU COULD GO UP TO THE PODIUM AND, UH, PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.

FURTHER FOR LOCAL POLITICAL OBJECTIVES OR FOR PROJECTS AND GOALS THAT ARE PURELY LOCAL IN NATURE.

UH, MY NAME IS BILL AHIRE.

GONNA ASK YOU TO FOCUS ON THIS RETHINK PROJECT.

CONNECT THE WAY YOUR MEETING IS POSTED TONIGHT.

YOU CAN'T VOTE, YOU'RE JUST GETTING PRESENTATIONS.

YOU CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS, BUT YOU'RE NOT SET UP TO TAKE ANY ACTION.

AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT HERE.

YOU ARE HERE ON THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE YOU FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR IT.

UH, BUT YOU OUGHT TO HAVE IT AN ORGANIZED BRIEFING, NOT A DOG AND PONY SHOW.

NOT A SALES PITCH.

A GOOD BRIEFING OF THAT 16,634 PAGE DOCUMENT IS GOING ON NOW AND GIVE YOUR FORMAL UNITED HOPEFULLY INPUT LIGHT RAIL WAS SPLIT WHEN IT WAS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.

IT WAS ALL UNDER CAPITAL METRO WITH THE CREATION OF A TP LIGHT RAIL IN, IN 2023, GOT SPLIT OUT AND IT IS BEING SEPARATELY MANAGED AND ATTEMPTED TO BE FUNDED BY A TP SEPARATE FROM CAPITAL METRO THAT DOES THE BUS AND THE COMMUTER RAIL.

FIRST OF ALL, THAT MAKES NO SENSE.

SECONDLY, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY THAT PERPETUATES THAT SPLIT.

WE OUGHT TO BE HAVING AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY OF THE ENTIRE PLAN, THE WHOLE THING THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2020 BY, BY THE VOTERS NOT SET ILLEGALLY SEGMENTED INTO JUST THIS PHASE.

A TP IS THEREFORE PREJUDICE.

THEY WERE CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUSHING LIGHT RAIL.

AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS DIS IS PREJUDICE AND IT SHOWS UP IN THE DOCUMENT.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE FUNDING AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PROJECT CONNECT EXISTS HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

YOU NEED, AS LARRY POINTED OUT, YOU NEED TO RETHINK WHERE YOU ARE NOW, NOT WHERE YOU WERE IN THE EIGHTIES OR NINETIES OR TWO THOUSANDS, BUT WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

THE DOT IN LATE JANUARY PUT OUT A NEW ORDER, UH, ENSURING RELIANCE UPON SOUND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.

THEY WERE GOING TO RESTRICT FEDERAL FUNDING BASED ON SOUND ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES AND ANALYSIS SUPPORTED BY RIGOROUS COST BENEFIT REQUIREMENTS AND DECISIONS.

UH, THEY ARE GOING, UH, UH, TO NOT FUND, UH, UH, UH, PROJECTS THAT, UH, USE

[00:35:01]

THEY ARE GOING TO U UH, UH, PROMOTE, UH, UTILIZING USER PAY MODELS AND THEY ARE GOING, UH, TO PROMOTE, UH, UH, PROJECTS THAT GIVE ACCESSIBILITY TO, OF TRANSPORTATION TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND GIVE PREFERENCE TO COMMUNITY WITH, UH, HIGHER MARRIAGE AND BIRTH RATES.

AUSTIN.

HAS, UH, UH, PLEASE FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.

YOUR THREE MINUTES HAVE ELAPSED.

UH, UH, WHICH, WHICH NAME IS THAT? SO I COULD JUST, KATHY.

KATHY.

UH, AUSTIN, TEXAS HAS A LOWER BIRTH RATE THAN OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS.

BIRTH RATE IS 3.8%, AND IN 2022, THE AVERAGE BIRTH RATE FOR WOMEN AGED 15 TO 50 IN THE US WAS 5.2%.

WE'RE NOT GONNA SCORE WELL ON THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS, UH, OF, UH, PROJECT CONNECT, IT'S 724 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PER MILE TO CONSTRUCT $249,000 IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS PER RIDER.

UH, IT IS A A A A IT, IT IS FUNDED BY A LOOPHOLE THAT HAS BEEN EXACT ATTEMPTED IN THE TEXAS TAX CODE.

AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT LOOPHOLE CLOSED IN THE UPCOMING SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE.

SO BETWEEN DOT AND THE LEGISLATURE, WE NEED TO BE READY TO RETHINK BECAUSE WE NEED MASS TRANSIT.

AS BARBARA EPSTEIN TESTIFIED HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO, VEHICLES WERE GONNA REDUCE THE VMP, THE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED BY 0.0004, THAT'S 4 1 10 THOUSANDTHS.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE AIR QUALITY INDEXES, IT CHANGES ABOUT THAT MUCH TOO.

YOU ARE NOT HELPING AIR QUALITY, YOU ARE NOT MOVING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR THE BIGGEST PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY.

THIS IS INADEQUATE.

D-I-S-D-E-I-S.

IT DOES NOT CONSIDER THE REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE OF AN EXPANDED BRT AND MICRO TRANSIT SYSTEM.

UH, IT, IT DOES NOT MITIGATE.

IT ADMITS IN THIS, IN THIS STUDY THAT IT WILL ENHANCE GENTRIFICATION, AND YET THE MITIGATION THAT IT PROPOSED HAS THE SUBSTANCE OF COTTON CANDY.

PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

THE DEADLINE IS MARCH 11TH FOR, UH, FOR COMMENTS.

I REALIZE YOU DON'T, YOU MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER MEETING SCHEDULED BEFORE THEN, BUT YOU COULD BE THE LEADERS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT BEGIN WHAT IS MOST NEEDED TO RETHINK PROJECT CONNECT.

IN PARKS, WHICH IS PITIFUL.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE ROBIN RATHER.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

SO GOOD TO SEE YOU COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT.

UH, REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.

AND I WANNA AMPLIFY WHAT MY COLLEAGUE BILL SAID ABOUT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND WEIGHING IN, NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SYSTEM ITSELF, THE EQUITY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PARTS OF IT, WHATEVER YOU FEEL IT WOULD BE A, A SIN IF AUSTIN'S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DIDN'T WEIGH IN HEAVY ON THIS TOPIC.

I'M GONNA MAKE MY OWN COMMENTS VERY BRIEF.

MY NAME'S ROBIN, RATHER.

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF REWILD.

WE DON'T HAVE A POSITION ON THIS SYSTEM.

WE DO WANNA THANK THE INCREDIBLE STAFF THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS PRESENTATION AND ALL OF THIS WORK.

AND NO MATTER HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT, THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE GRATEFUL FOR.

UM, THREE QUICK POINTS.

THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THIS SYSTEM WOULD REQUIRE, UM, WHAT WE WOULD CALL ALIENATION OF PARKLAND.

THE CITY CHARTER BACK IN 2012 WAS CHANGED, AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER SAYS PARKLAND CAN'T BE SOLD, LEASED, OR ALIENATED FOR ANY REASON WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE CITY, UH, PUB THE PUBLIC OF THE CITY.

AND SO WE'RE ASKING, NUMBER ONE, COULD YOU PLEASE FIND A WAY TO NOT ALIENATE ONE INCH OF PUBLIC PARKLAND? WE RANK 44TH IN THE COUNTRY

[00:40:01]

WE REALLY NEED OUR PARKS FROM A CLIMATE STANDPOINT, PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT, MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT, EQUITY STANDPOINT, EVERY STANDPOINT WE CAN THINK OF.

AND SO WE NEED ALL OUR PARKS.

WE NEED EVERY BIT OF OUR PARKS.

PLEASE DON'T ALIENATE ANY PARKLAND.

SECONDLY, WE WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AS PROPOSED WOULD BE, WOULD BE BUILT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO EXPAND MOPAC AND PROPOSING TO EXPAND.

ID I 35.

AND THE THOUGHT OF THOSE THREE PROJECTS GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE EIS CONTEMPLATES, NOT JUST ITS PIECE, BUT THE OVERALL IMPACT ON HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, ON TRAFFIC, ON EQUITY, ON ALL OF IT.

WE SHOULD BE TAKING A HOLISTIC VIEW.

AND LASTLY, AND I WANT TO ECHO BILL'S POINT HERE TOO.

WHAT ARE Y'ALL GONNA DO WITH THE PUBLIC TAXES THAT YOU'VE ALREADY, UH, TAKEN FOR THIS PROJECT? IF THE FEDS SOMEHOW DON'T FIND A WAY TO FUND IT? I, I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION.

UM, IT'S UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW IF THE TREASURY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE MONEY OR JUST CRYPTOCURRENCY, BUT IF THEY DON'T FUND THE PROJECT, WHAT HAPPENS? A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT I TALK TO ARE WONDERING ABOUT THAT.

WAIT A SECOND, THIS SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY BIG ROLL OF THE DICE.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE MONEY IF WE DON'T GET THE FEDERAL MATCH? UH, AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU AGAIN, APPRECIATE BEING HERE.

THAT'S ALL THAT WE HAVE FOR, UM, FOR SPEAKERS.

UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.

LET'S START WITH THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS.

COMMISSIONER, UH, NICHOLS, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

I'LL LET MY OTHER COLLEAGUES GO AHEAD AND SPEAK FIRST.

IF I THINK OF ANYTHING, I'LL BE SURE TO LET YOU KNOW.

COMMISSIONER KRUEGER.

HI EVERYONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.

AND FOR ALL THE FOLKS WHO SHOWED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS IS CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND, UM, WORTHY OF DISCUSSION.

I AM CURIOUS ABOUT AROUND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP ABOUT, UM, THIS, THE CURRENT STATE OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND HOW THE NEW ADMINISTRATION MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE FUNDING OR TIMELINE OF THIS PROJECT.

AND I'M WONDERING IF SOMEONE CAN SPEAK TO ANY ANTICIPATED ISSUES THAT THAT MIGHT BRING UP.

AND IF INDEED, YOU KNOW, FUNDING ISN'T POSSIBLE TO THIS, TO ROBIN'S QUESTION, WHAT DOES HAPPEN TO THE MONEY? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

SO WE ARE AWARE OF THE, UM, EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION.

CURRENTLY WE'RE WORKING WITH THE U-S-D-O-T ON THAT, AND ALSO WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT THROUGH, UH, THE REGULATIONS AS THEY ARE WORKING, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THE PROJECT IS COMPETITIVE UNDER THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE IN COORDINATION REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, UM, REGARDING THE INFORMATION OR THE QUESTION REGARDING THE FUNDS.

I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT, UH, SPECIFIC QUESTION, BUT THANK YOU.

AND JUST REAL QUICK NOTE, WE HEARD SOME REALLY GOOD COMMENTS AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PLEASE, PLEASE DOCUMENT THESE IN THE DRAFT EIS SO WE CAN MAKE THEM AS FORMAL SUBMISSIONS, UH, ON THE DOCUMENT ITSELF.

I'M GONNA PASS FOR NOW ON TO THE NEXT PERSON.

UH, YEAH, I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME Y'ALL PUT IN ON ALL THIS.

UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I TOOK THE TIME TO READ ALL 16,300 PAGES OF THIS, BUT I DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT THROUGH ALL OF IT.

UM, I'M GONNA HIT ON ONE OF THE ITEMS SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED.

SO WHAT'S THE PLAN B IF YOU DON'T GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING? I, SO AS DARREN MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

THIS ISN'T A, A PROCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE A COLLEGE APPLICATION WHERE YOU SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK AND, AND HOPE YOU GET A GOOD ANSWER.

IT'S A FEDERAL PROCESS THAT HAS VERY STRUCTURED MILESTONES ALL ALONG THE WAY, AND WE WORK WITH FTA OR THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AT EACH OF THOSE MILESTONES TO AVOID ANY SURPRISES.

SO IT'S, IT'S VERY MUCH A PARTNERSHIP.

AND THIS, UH, AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH THE INITIAL, UM, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS ONE

[00:45:01]

OF THOSE KEY MILESTONES.

AND WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS THROUGH EACH OF THOSE CHECKPOINTS IN THE PROCESS.

UH, NOW THE, UH, CHAPTER 26 OF THE, UH, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS TO, UH, ACQUIRE PUBLIC, UH, PARKLAND AND THAT SORT OF THING.

ARE THESE FOUR MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HELD ALREADY, ARE YOU COUNTING THAT TOWARDS THE CHAPTER 26 MEETINGS? NO, WE ARE NOT, UH, WE ARE AWARE OF THE CHAPTER 26 REQUIREMENTS.

AND AS I MENTIONED REGARDING THE MITIGATION MANAGEMENT PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO OUTLINE THAT PROCESS AND HOW WE WILL ADHERE TO THE CHAPTER 26 PROCESS AS WELL AS OTHER, UH, AS WE HAVE IN THE DOCUMENT SECTION FOUR F AND SIX AND SIX F UM, REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.

BECAUSE I, WELL, I GUESS PART OF MY CONCERN IS I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY, UH, PR REGARDING ANY OF THESE FOUR MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HELD.

AND, UH, SO I QUESTIONED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR PR CAMPAIGN TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT TO THE PUBLIC AT, UH, WRIT LARGE ABOUT THESE MEETINGS.

SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW EFFECTIVE AT, UH, YOU KNOW, GATHERING, UH, PUBLIC INPUT, UH, MIGHT BE, UH, THE PARK AND RIDE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AT 38TH STREET.

UH, HOW ARE YOU GONNA PROPOSE TO ACQUIRING THE LAND? UH, IS THAT GONNA BE ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THAT INTERSECTION OR WHERE'S THAT GONNA BE? IT IS PROPOSED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER, THAT'S CORRECT.

OH, SORRY, NORTHEAST, I'M SORRY.

NORTHEAST I, MY EAST NORTHEAST THAT'S, UH, CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY NUMBER OF, UH, COMMERCIAL SPACES.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, IT IS.

CORRECT.

ARE YOU GONNA ACQUIRE THAT, UH, PROPERTY VIA IMMINENT DOMAIN, OR ARE YOU GONNA PURCHASE THAT OUTRIGHT? WE'RE ON, UH, UH, IN REGARDS TO ANY PROPERTY ACQUISITION ALONG THE CORRIDOR, UM, OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO REACH A MUTUALLY AGREEABLE SOLUTION TO PURCHASE THOSE PROPERTIES AND, AND ARE IN GOING TO BE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS.

WE MUST FOLLOW, UM, IT'S CALLED THE UNIFORM ACT IN ORDER TO FAIRLY COMPENSATE THE PROPERTY OWNERS AS WELL AS PROVIDE ANY RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, UM, TO EITHER THE PROPERTY OWNER AND OR THE TENANTS OF THOSE PROPERTIES WHERE REQUIRED.

I ASK, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE, UH, THE RIGHT OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY.

UH, ONLY THE CITY CAN DO THAT.

I, I MAY BE MISTAKEN HERE.

LIKE I SAID, I HAVEN'T, UH, GONE THROUGH ALL THE, UH, LEGALESE OF ALL THIS STUFF QUITE YET.

UH, NOW, UH, IT SAYS THAT, UM, THE CITY CODE, UH, ARTICLE TWO CHA, UH, CHAPTER SEVEN, UH, SAYS THAT THE CITY MAY NOT ALIENATE PARKLAND WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC.

UH, BUT YOU DON'T MENTION THAT THROUGH ANY OF THE DOCUMENTATION HERE.

UH, BUT YOU DO MENTION THAT YOU'RE GONNA ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY, THE PARKLAND PROPERTY THROUGH LICENSING AGREEMENTS.

IS THAT YOUR PLAN TO DO THAT? AND IF SO, WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THE LICENSING AGREEMENTS AND WHAT'S THE FEE YOU'RE GONNA PAY TO THE CITY FOR LICENSING AGREEMENTS? UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT, UH, UH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

I THINK IN GENERAL, UM, WE ARE STILL EARLY DAYS.

I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A BIG MESSAGE HERE.

SO, BECAUSE OUR ENTIRE PROJECT HAS TO GO THROUGH THESE FEDERAL PROCESSES AND CHECKPOINTS, LIKE LINDSAY WAS TALKING ABOUT, BEFORE WE GET TO ANY PART OF PROPERTY ACQUISITION IN ANY METHODOLOGY, WE HAVE TO COMPLETE OUR NEPA PROCESS, THAT NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.

SO WE'RE STARTING WITH THIS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTING ALL OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND THE FOOTPRINT OF OUR PROPOSED PROJECT HEARING FROM YOU ALL, FROM ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON ANY OF THOSE IMPACTS COMING UP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MITIGATIONS TO, TO EITHER AVOID THOSE IMPACTS OR TO MITIGATE THEM.

AND THEN PUBLISHING OUR FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

AND THEN WE CAN START GOING THROUGH THE PROCESSES THAT YOU ALL ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH, HONESTLY, FROM A LOCAL REGULATORY STANDPOINT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE WORKING WITH BARD AND THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT ON CHAPTER 26 HEARINGS ON ANY OF THE OTHER SORT OF PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS THROUGH ALL OF THOSE METHODS THAT ARE FEASIBLE AT THE TIME.

AND SO THAT THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL COMING BACK, DOING SITE PLANS.

THERE'S A WHOLE LEVEL OF PERMITTING THAT YOU ALL ARE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN THE ROAD.

UM, I THINK DARREN MENTIONED WE'RE GETTING OUR FINAL CONTRACTING, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDERWAY THIS YEAR WITH OUR NEW PARTNER, AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE TO COME.

SO THIS IS JUST ONE STEP ALONG A LONG PROCESS.

WE'VE BEEN HERE A NUMBER OF TIMES

[00:50:01]

BEFORE.

I UNDERSTAND, EXCEPT FOR THIS WE'LL COMING BACK, THIS IS IN CHAPTER TWO.

I UNDERSTAND.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

EXCEPT FOR THIS IS NOT CHAPTER 26, THIS IS, UH, CITY CODE ARTICLE TWO, CHAPTER SEVEN, WHICH SAYS THAT, UH, THE CITY MAY NOT ALIENATE PARKLAND, UH, WITHOUT A PUBLIC VOTE, WHICH REQUIRES A SUB, A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC TO REUSE PARKLAND FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT PARKLAND, THAT'S SEPARATE FROM A CHAPTER 26 ACQUISITION, WHICH IS A STATE ISSUE.

AND SO MY QUESTION IS, IS ARE YOU TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT, UH, CITY CODE BY ENTERING INTO A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY TO GET AROUND THAT PART OF CITY CODE? IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION.

WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT CIRCUMVENTING ANY SORT OF CITY CODE OR CHARTER OR TEXAS STATE LAW.

SO THE LICENSING AGREEMENT IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT CITY CODE.

UH, NOW, UH, MOVING ON TO THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, YOU MENTIONED WATERFOWL AND, UH, AND THAT SORT OF THING, UH, AND AP I APOLOGIZE, NOT HAVING GONE THROUGH ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS THOROUGHLY.

SOME OF THEM I'VE READ, UH, FROM BEGINNING TO END.

SOME OF 'EM I'VE SKINNED AND SOME OF 'EM I'VE JUST SKIPPED, UH, YOU KNOW, SKIMMED BRIEFLY.

SO IF I GET SOME OF THIS IN ERROR, I'LL BE HAPPY TO LET YOU ALL CORRECT ME ON THIS.

BUT, UH, YOU'VE STUDIED SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE WILDLIFE THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTED ON THERE.

UH, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY, UH, UH, BIRD SPECIES OR ANYTHING THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPACTED IN ANY OF THE, UH, WETLAND RIP AREAS ALONG, UH, LADY BIRD LAKE DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE, UH, BRIDGE THROUGH, UH, WALLER, UH, BEACH? IS THAT CORRECT? I'LL JUST SAY WE HAVE A REALLY THOROUGH ANALYSIS IN THOSE DOCUMENTS.

AND TO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION THERE, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THAT COMMENT ON THE DRAFTED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

UM, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

UH, NOW, YOU KNOW, THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REPORT, UH, LISTS, UH, I DON'T KNOW, 50 OR 60 DIFFERENT, UH, PHYSICAL LOCATIONS WHERE THERE'S A KNOWN HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, UH, RISK BECAUSE OF, LIKE IT'S A GAS STATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT LACKS DETAIL ON HOW THE WASTE WILL BE HANDLED, EACH ONE OF THOSE SITES.

UH, SPECIFICALLY IT DOESN'T, UH, TALK ABOUT, UH, MOVING THE WASTE, UH, OR A DESTINATION FOR THAT TYPE OF THING.

AND THERE'S NO, UH, MENTION AS TO A PROCESS BY WHICH YOU MIGHT ESTIMATE THE COST OR THE REMOVAL OF THAT, UH, WASTE.

IS THAT JUST, UH, LATER ON IN THE PROCESS OR, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

DARREN MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THIS DRAFT, OR THE PROCESS BETWEEN THIS DRAFT AND THE FINAL IS SEEKING FEEDBACK ON COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS LIKE THESE THAT CAN HELP INFORM OUR PROPOSED MITIGATIONS THAT WILL BE PART OF THE FINAL, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

SO WE, WE MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THOSE ANSWERS TODAY, BUT REALLY DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUBMIT THOSE COMMENTS BECAUSE IT THEN DRIVES AND WE WILL RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE ONE.

UM, IT, IT DRIVES HOW WE CAN BUILD THOSE PROPOSED MITIGATIONS INTO THE PROJECT AND THEN PUBLISH THOSE WITH THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

ARBORIST OFFICE, IN ORDER TO MAKE, UH, THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO, WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO FULLY MEETING THE TREE, UH, ORDINANCE AND TO REPLANTING MORE TREES THAN WE TAKE OUT.

HOW MANY HERITAGE TREES DO YOU PLAN ON REMOVING? I THINK YOU MENTIONED THERE'S, UH, 211.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY ON DEVELOPING WHAT WE'RE CALLING A COMPREHENSIVE TREE MANUAL TO HELP INFORM THE FUTURE DESIGN PHASES THAT ARE COMING, FUTURE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASES, AND ARE WORKING ON A PRESERVATION FIRST, UH, YOU KNOW, PHILOSOPHY HERE.

SO THE ATTEMPT AND WHAT IS DOCUMENTED IN THAT MANUAL IS BASICALLY MEANS AND METHODS AND BEST PRACTICES TO AVOID ANY, UH, HERITAGE AND PROTECTED TREE SPECIES WITHIN THE ALIGNMENT.

NOW THAT SAID, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE DOCUMENTED WHAT WAS SURVEYED WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT, AND SOME OF THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE TREES ARE WITHIN WHAT WE ARE LIKE CALLING THE GUIDEWAY.

AND THOSE ARE GONNA BE HARDER TO SAVE.

THERE WILL BE REMOVALS, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE KIND OF ON THE BACK OF CURB ON THE OUTSIDES.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO IN FINAL DESIGN PHASES TO TRY AND MITIGATE, TRY AND WORK AROUND THOSE EXISTING TREES.

AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A NUMBER FOR YOU.

WE HAVE MORE OF A PROCESS ABOUT HOW OUR PHILOSOPHY IS GONNA WORK THROUGH FINAL DESIGN WITH THOSE PARTNERS.

AND IN, IN PARTNERSHIP, HONESTLY, WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN

[00:55:01]

UH, THE AIR POLLUTION TARGET SAVINGS THAT YOU PLAN ARE RELY A LOT ON AUSTIN ENERGY'S PLAN TO MOTHBALL THE, UH, LAST COAL FIRED POWER PLANT, IF I READ THE DOCUMENT CORRECTLY.

UH, BUT AUSTIN ENERGY'S BEEN TRYING TO KILL THAT THING FOREVER.

UH, ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVE PLANS TO DRIVE AUSTIN ENERGY TO, UH, GET THAT THING MOTHBALLED, UH, MORE QUICKLY THAN THEY HAVE BEEN OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS? I MEAN, UH, IS THERE ANY REASON TO SUSPECT THAT IT'S GOING TO GET DONE JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE DRIVING IT OTHER THAN THE REST OF US ? GREAT QUESTION.

WOULD LOVE FOR THAT COMMENT TO BE IN THE, UH, IN THE DEIS, UH, RECORD AND WE, WE, WE CAN WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS.

UH, NOW ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT, UH, THAT DROVE THE, UH, INCREASED COST OF THE EXPANSION OF MOPAC WITH THE, UH, TOLL LANES WAS, UH, SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE, UH, LIMESTONE FORMATIONS UNDERNEATH THE, THE ROAD.

UH, AND DURING THE BUILDING OF INTERSTATE 35, THERE WERE SOME VOIDS UNDERNEATH THE, UH, ROAD THAT CAUSED, UH, SOME CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS THERE AS WELL.

UH, HAS THERE BEEN A, UH, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UNDER ALL THESE PLACES TO DETERMINE THAT THERE ARE NOT, UH, GEOLOGICAL RISKS SUCH AS THIS UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION AREA THAT WOULD INCREASE THE COST OF, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION? SO WE'RE IN AN EARLY PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE, BUT THAT DOES INCLUDE GEOTECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND, AND STUDY OF GEOLOGIC AS WELL AS GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS.

AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT WITH EACH PROGRESSIVE STAGE OF DESIGN.

AND DARREN MENTIONED BRINGING ON OUR FINAL DESIGNER AND CONTRACTOR TARGETED FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR IN 2026, AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO MORE OF THOSE STUDIES TO BE MANAGING THAT RISK.

AND, UM, SATISFY IS TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.

UH, WHAT'S THE, UH, YOU MENTIONED IN THERE THERE'S GONNA BE A DEFINITE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL, UH, BAT COLONY.

UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON THE SCOPE OF THAT IMPACT? I'LL SAY FOR THAT ASSESSMENT, WE DID HIRE A LOCAL BAT EXPERT TO DO THAT ANALYSIS, AND IT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS IN THE DOCUMENT ITSELF.

UM, THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ARE THERE AS WELL.

AND AGAIN, THAT IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE RECOGNIZED TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE, UH, WEIGH IN AND PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

NOT ONLY WOULD THE HOSPITAL NEED TO BE ALONG THE ALIGNMENT, BUT THE LOCATION OF THE ACTUAL SPECIFIC SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT WOULD NEED TO BE SORT OF ON THE BUILDING FACE AND BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE LIGHT RAIL TRACKS TO HAVE INTERFERENCE.

UH, NOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S GOING TO, THERE'S A POSSIBLE IMPACT WITH, UH, THINGS LIKE VIBRATION AND ELECTROMAGNETIC IMPULSE.

UH, WHAT ARE THE DESIGN CRITERIA YOU'RE GONNA USE SPECIFICALLY TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF VIBRATION? ALSO, YOU MENTIONED, UH, ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE MAY HAVE AN IMPACT ON, UH, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SUCH AS, UH, PACEMAKERS AND SOME, UH, FIRE EQUIPMENT.

YOU'RE PASSING BY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FIRE STATIONS AND THAT MIGHT IMPACT THEM.

UH, WHAT'S THE, UH, MITIGATION THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO TO, UH, MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THOSE THINGS? ALL RIGHT.

UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO DETAILED DESIGN CRITERIA, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY THESE MITIGATIONS THAT ARE INFORMED BY COMMUNITY COMMENTS ON THE DEIS WILL ALSO INFORM OUR DESIGN CRITERIA GOING FORWARD.

THE MITIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT BECOME COMMITMENTS THAT WE ARE, UH, LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO FULFILL AND PASS ON THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS, UM, SAY TO THE, THE CONTRACTORS, INCLUDING WHATEVER CRITERIA THEY MUST MEET FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE TO MEET THOSE COMMITMENTS.

UH, BUT ON YOUR QUESTION RELATED TO EMI OR ELECTROMAGNETIC, UM, INTERFERENCE, WE HAVE DONE THE INITIAL STUDIES TO UNDERSTAND WHERE, YOU KNOW, SENSITIVE RECEPTORS MAY BE ALONG THE ALIGNMENT AND THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, YOU HAVE TO BE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE TRACKS OR TO THE, THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT WAY TO INTERFERE WITH SUCH EQUIPMENT.

AND, UM, EXAMPLES FROM OTHER PROJECTS ARE THINGS LIKE MRI EQUIPMENT THAT HOSPITALS MAY HAVE.

AND, UM,

[01:00:01]

UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONDITION.

UH, BUT THAT SAID, EVEN IF WE DID, THERE ARE MITIGATIONS FOR THAT AND, AND SOLUTIONS THAT ARE USED IN MANY OTHER CITIES TODAY, UH, THAT ARE CALLED SHIELDING.

AND YOU BASICALLY, YOU, YOU BUILD INTO THE STRUCTURE, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT INTERRUPTS THAT CURRENT.

ONE THING I'LL ADD TO THAT TOO, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, IS ONE OF THE, UH, MITIGATION MEASURES WE NOTE IS ACTUALLY PERFORM PERFORMING MONITORING WHEN IT COMES TO THE EMF AND ALSO VIBRATION, AND THEN DEVELOPING, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL MITIGATION AS THE MONITORING, UH, GOES, IF THERE'S ANY POTENTIAL IMPACT.

NOW, IF EQUIPMENT HAS TO BE RELOCATED BECAUSE IT'S, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, EMP AND SO FORTH, UH, WHO BEARS THE COST OF RELOCATING THE EQUIPMENT AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANY KNOWN EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT.

SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS THAT ARE ALONG THE ALIGNMENT, INCLUDING A POCKET PARK ON EAST RIVERSIDE AND NORWOOD PARK ALONG, UH, EAST RIVERSIDE, RIGHT BY 35.

NOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S, UH, THE DRAFT ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE DONE SOME SAMPLING OF THE AREA AR AT VARIOUS SPOTS AROUND THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ROUTE OF THE EVERYTHING.

UH, AND I BELIEVE DEPENDING UPON THE SPECIFIC ITEM THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU EXAMINED AREAS BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A HALF MILE FROM THE ROUTE.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT THE MAP THAT YOU HAD TO MAKE A SPECIFIC DETERMINATION AND HOW FAR, UH, THE GREAT LAWN IS FROM WALLER BEACH.

BUT, UH, THERE'S A SITE CALLED VERA DANIEL SITE ON THE GREAT LAWN WHERE THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL LOCATION OF PALEO INDIAN, UH, ARTIFACTS THERE.

UH, AND THEY ARE AT LEAST FIVE FEET AND MORE DOWN.

UH, WHEN I REVIEWED YOUR ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY, UH, THE Y'ALL DIDN'T GO TOO FAR DOWN AT WALLER BEACH.

UH, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT, UH, YOU WOULD NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, EXTENSIVE, UH, DIGGING DOWN AT WALLER BEACH TO SEE, UH, IF THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, RELEVANT, UH, YOU KNOW, ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

UH, A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT MULTIPLE FLOODS HAVE OCCURRED ALONG THERE OVER THE YEARS.

AND, UH, SEDIMENT IS BURIED A LOT OF THAT STUFF, UH, DOWN FURTHER THAN MIGHT, YOU KNOW, FURTHER THAN MIGHT BE NORMAL FOR THAT AREA.

IS THERE ANY PLANS TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START CONSTRUCTION DOWN THERE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, DO MORE EXTENSIVE, UH, DIGGING? UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT'S AN ACTUAL AMAZING COMMENT.

WE, WE WOULD LOVE TO, TO, UH, SEE THAT FORMALLY IN THE COMMENT RESPONSES ONLINE.

UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT MOST OF, WE ALSO HAVE PREVIOUS ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED HERE.

SO WHILE THE, THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN A, A SITE THAT WE ARE GOING OUT TO DO AN, AN ADDITIONAL DIG ON, IT MAY ALREADY BE NOTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.

HOWEVER, PLEASE MAKE THAT COMMENT AND WE WILL FORMALLY RESPOND TO YOU.

UM, YEAH, WE, WE CERTAINLY DON'T INTEND TO DO ANY DISTURBANCE TO AN ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.

THANKS.

THERE'S ALSO SOME SITES, UH, OF, UH, EARLY, UH, MEXICAN, UH, INHABITATION AROUND RAINY STREET, WHICH MAY BE CLOSE ENOUGH FOR EXAMINATION DEPENDING ON UPON THE LOCATION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ROUTES AS WELL.

UH, NOW APPENDIX G THE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING PERMANENT, UH, PARK LAND, UH, AND IN SOME CASES IT'S, UH, AS MUCH AS 30% OF PARKS, UH, IN SOME CASES IT'S AN, AN ENTIRE ACRE.

UH, ARE THE NEIGHBORS OF THESE PARKS AWARE OF THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SEIZING PARKLAND IN SOME CASES AS MUCH AS A THIRD OF A PARK? THANK YOU.

UM, I THINK ON THE PARKLAND CHAPTER, I JUST WANNA CHARACTERIZE, UH, I THINK THAT 30% NUMBER IS INTERESTING.

SO AT WALLER BEACH IN PARTICULAR, WHICH IS THE LARGEST SORT OF LOCATION WHERE WE HAVE TO FIT A BRIDGE THROUGH THE EXISTING PARKLAND, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE TAKING AN ACRE IN TOTAL FOR

[01:05:01]

WE ARE REALLY TAKING SLIVERS ALONG THE EDGE TO BUILD BACK OF CURB FACILITIES THAT COULD VERY WELL BE PARKLAND USES.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, IT'S LIKE A SIDEWALK OR A TRAIL ADJACENT TO THE PARK ITSELF, AND THOSE ARE ALMOST ALWAYS LESS THAN HALF AN ACRE.

UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY NOT TAKING A WHOLE LOT OF PARK AS WE DO THIS, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND CAREFUL AND, UH, REACH AS MANY NEIGHBORS AS WE CAN AROUND THOSE PARKS AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF AND ARE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THIS AS WELL.

THERE'S A, UH, POCKET PARK OUT ON, UH, RIVERSIDE.

IT'S AIRPORT SOMETHING, PARK, I FORGET THE NAME OF IT, I'D HAVE TO LOOK IT UP.

BUT IT SAYS THAT, UH, 30% OF THE PARK, WELL, MAYBE IT'S LIKE 29.7, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE PARK WILL BE PERMANENTLY ACQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE, UH, THE METRO SYSTEM.

THERE'S AN ADDIT AND ADDITIONAL SMALLER PIECE THAT WILL BE USED FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES.

AT LEAST I, THAT'S WHAT IT IMPLIES.

SO THAT'S WHY I ASK.

UH, THERE'S, UH, AT AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL, WHICH IS A, UH, HISTORICAL LOCATION, THERE'S AN ACRE THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN FOR A CON FOR PERMANENT USE AS WELL.

UH, NOW WOOLRIDGE PARK, AND I MAY BE INCORRECT OF THIS BECAUSE UH, I'VE RECEIVED CONTRADICTORY INFORMATION, UH, YOU'RE GONNA BE TAKING PART OF THAT AS FAR AS THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WOOLRIDGE PARK IS TECHNICALLY OWNED BY THE STATE AND IT'S UNDER LEASE BY THE CITY ON A UNDER YEAR LEASE.

SO DO YOU ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THAT? UH, I WANNA, I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT ALSO WANNA MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS ON SOME OF THE OTHER ONES YOU NOTED.

UM, STARTING WITH NORWOOD PARK, UH, PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION, SO IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT WHERE WE HAVE DESIGN OPTIONS, WE'RE ACTUALLY SHOWING THE COMPARATIVE IMPACTS OF, IN SOME CASES TWO DIFFERENT DESIGN CONCEPTS.

UH, IN THE CASE OF NORWOOD PARK, THE OPTION THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING SUBSTANTIALLY MINIMIZES AND NEARLY ELIMINATES, UH, THE PARKLAND IMPACT, UM, THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED ASSOCIATED WITH A STATION LOCATION THERE, A LIGHT RAIL STATION BEING LOCATED THERE, BUT WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.

UH, SO WE HAVE FACTORED THAT INTO OUR DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS AND ARE ARE MINIMIZING, UM, TO ONLY THE DEGREE THAT LISA DESCRIBED OF SIDEWALKS, BASICALLY THAT ARE, ARE COMING ALONG THE EDGE OF THE PARK.

UM, I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE POCKET PARK YOU MENTIONED, UH, AIRPORT COMMERCE, UM, SIMILAR CONDITION.

THE PARK ITSELF IS VERY, VERY SMALL.

SO SOME, THERE'S A BIT OF A RATIO ISSUE GOING ON HERE.

IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE PLAYGROUND AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THERE IS BASICALLY A SIDEWALK THAT WILL BE IN THE, THE FRONT, KIND OF STREET FACING EDGE OF, OF THAT POCKET PARK.

AND THEN LASTLY, WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE, UH, WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING AS PART OF OUR DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCLUDE A STATION, IT'S REALLY ACROSS FROM WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE.

IT IS NOT IN THE PARKLAND, AND WE ARE NOT ACQUIRING ANY PARKLAND AT WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE.

GIVEN ABOUT THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

ALRIGHT.

UH, AND I GUESS I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BUILDING A MAINTENANCE FACILITY OVER THERE.

UH, I GUESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE LOCATION OF IT.

UH, YOU KNOW, EAST AUSTIN HAS BEEN THE SITE OF SOME, UH, PRETTY AWKWARDLY PLACED, UH, GASOLINE FACILITIES AND THAT SORT OF THING THAT HAVE HAD A, UH, NEGATIVE IMPACT IN THAT PART OF TOWN OVER THE YEARS.

AND MY CONCERN IS REALLY, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANOTHER EYESORE IN THAT PART OF TOWN MOVING FORWARD.

ALSO, THERE'S A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE GONNA BE RELOCATED, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GONNA BE, UH, MONEY OFFERED TO THE BUSINESSES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO RELOCATE, BUT THE DOCUMENT INDICATES THAT SOME OF THOSE MAY NOT SURVIVE OR MAY CHOOSE TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

AND, UH, MANY TIMES WHEN BUSINESSES ARE DISPLACED, UH, THEY'RE JUST GONE.

AND, UH, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDED DOESN'T GIVE THEM ENOUGH, UH, TO RELOCATE.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UH, COMMISSIONER RESI.

HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO ECHO THE CONCERNS THAT MANY HAVE, UH,

[01:10:01]

I'M VERY WELL AWARE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS.

UH, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THAT THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN FOR GOVERNMENTS INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, ROLLING IT, LIGHTING ON FIRE AND SMOKING IT.

SO I THINK, UH, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY A LOT CONCERN THERE GOING FORWARD.

BUT, UH, I HIGHLY ADVISE THAT Y'ALL FIND YOURSELVES SOME, UH, SOME GOOD BARTENDERS 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A PROCESS.

UH, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS SORT OF LIKE ON THE MAP ABOUT WOOLRIDGE SQUARE.

I THINK THAT WAS THE ONE THAT Y'ALL SAYS AND YOU STOP.

UH, CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ON SORT OF THE IDEA BEHIND SORT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, CREATING IT ? SURE, YES.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HEARD COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THAT DATING ALL THE WAY BACK TO, I THINK IT WAS 2023, UH, AND, AND MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AND STAKEHOLDERS WANTING, UH, TO LESSEN THE SPACING OF STATIONS DOWNTOWN, GIVEN THE, UM, KIND OF HIGHER DEMAND FOR RIDERSHIP IN THAT AREA AND BEING CLOSER TO SOME OF THE, UM, I GUESS ORIGINS AND DESTINATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT CENTERS OVER THERE BY THE CAPITOL COMPLEX AND, AND NUMEROUS OTHERS SURROUNDING THAT AREA.

AND IT, IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF, ALONG THE ALIGNMENT, IT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE HAD, UH, THE LONGER SPACING BETWEEN STATIONS.

AND SO WE LISTENED TO THAT FEEDBACK AND, AND ARE PROPOSING ADDING THIS STATION IN ORDER TO MAKE, UM, THAT DISTANCE BETWEEN STATIONS IN SUCH A DENSELY POPULATED AREA.

SHORTER.

YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND THEN ABOUT THE MAP, YOU KNOW, UM, I HAD SOME, SOME QUESTIONS.

UM, I REMEMBERED THAT ORIGINALLY I THINK THE SOUTHERN PORTION WAS POTENTIALLY GOING TO EXTEND, UH, I THINK TO THE SOUTH AUSTIN TRANSIT CENTER, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

UM, BUT I DIDN'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT.

SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL FORESEE HAPPENING AFTER BONDS ARE PASSED TO CREATE BOTH THE AIRPORT EXTENSION AND THE NORTH AUSTIN EXTENSION? UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY THAT WASN'T SHOWN IN THE, THE MAP.

SO THE, THE SEGMENT YOU'RE, UM, REFERRING TO IS PART OF THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM VISION AND, UM, WE'LL STILL PLAN AND, AND DESIGN AND BUILD THIS INITIAL PHASE TO BE EXPANDABLE INTO THOSE FUTURE EXTENSIONS.

UH, WE'VE NOTED THE PRI THE TWO PRIORITY EXTENSIONS BASED REALLY, UH, ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK OF THOSE BEING THE ONES THAT ARE DESIRED TO COME FIRST.

BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN OTHERS AREN'T COMING AFTER THAT.

YEAH, FOR SURE.

I'M SURE IT'LL BE A BATTLE BETWEEN THE NORTH SIDE AND THE AIRPORT PEOPLE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, WHAT GETS BUILT FIRST AS FAR AS THE EXTENSIONS.

UM, I'M GLAD I'M NOT GONNA BE A PART OF THAT, HOPEFULLY.

FINGERS CROSSED.

UM, ABOUT THE BRIDGE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING, Y'ALL MENTIONED PEDESTRIAN BIKE.

I DIDN'T HEAR BUS.

I REMEMBER AT SOME POINT THERE WERE, UH, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, MASS TRANSIT ON THERE, SORT OF ABOVE THE BRIDGE.

IS THAT STILL THE PLAN THERE? UH, WE ARE, ARE CURRENTLY NOT PLANNING TO HAVE BUS OPERATIONS ON THAT BRIDGE.

GOTCHA.

YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ALONG THAT AREA, THERE'S THE, THE SOCO STOP, RIGHT? AND THEN THERE'S THE WATERFRONT STOP.

WHICH ONE'S GOING TO BE CLOSEST TO ZICA PARK, RIGHT? BECAUSE Y'ALL HAD A PICTURE OF THE, UH, THE UT ONE, RIGHT? USING FOOTBALL, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, FOOT UT FOOTBALL, UH, THE STADIUM HOLDS A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE.

ACL ALSO HOLDS, UH, YOU KNOW, A A LOT OF PEOPLE AS WELL, WHICH WILL BE, WHO WILL ALL BE TAKING THE TRAIN, I ASSUME IF THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO DESCEND ONTO ZILKER PARK AND MASS AMOUNTS OF NUMBERS.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE STRATEGY WILL BE THERE TO DEAL WITH THESE MASS AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE.

SO TO ANSWER THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, THE WATERFRONT STATION WOULD BE CLOSER TO THAT AREA AND WE'LL ALSO INCLUDE CONNECTIONS FROM THAT ELEVATED BRIDGE STRUCTURE DOWN TO, UH, THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, WHICH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES WONDERFUL ACCESS TO AN AMENITY WELL LOVED, UH, BY OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF PREPARING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND HIGH LEVELS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, RIDERS AND, AND LOADING BOTH AT THE STA UH, STATIONS AND THE TRAINS.

WE ARE DESIGNING TO THOSE CONDITIONS.

UH, AND WE'RE ALSO DESIGNING THESE STATIONS TO ALLOW US TO COUPLE MORE THAN ONE TRAIN TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MOVE MORE PEOPLE FOR THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL DRIVERS THAT, THAT NEED THAT.

SO OUR STATIONS ARE LONG ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, TYPICAL DAY TO DAY WE ONLY NEED ONE TRAIN, BUT OUR STATIONS ARE LONG ENOUGH AND AND BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE TWO SO THAT WE CAN MOVE, UM, LARGER AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE THE

[01:15:01]

ABILITY TO, UH, CREATE SPECIAL OPERATING FREQUENCIES TO ACCOUNT FOR EVENTS LIKE THAT WHERE YOU, YOU JUST RUN THE TRAINS MORE OFTEN.

YEAH, IT MAKES SENSE.

I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF GIANT MASS EVENTS IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? YOU THINK OF SOUTH BY, YOU THINK OF ACL YOU THINK OF UH, YOU KNOW, UT FOOTBALL, YOU ALSO THINK OF UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF F1 AND CODA EVENTS, BUT GOD BLESS ANYBODY THAT'S TRYING TO RUN A TRAIN OUT THERE.

UH, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION SORT OF ALSO HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE MAP, UM, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE PARK AND RIDE SITUATIONS FOR THE EXTENSIONS? I ASSUME THAT ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETED, LIKE THE END STOPS WOULD ALSO HAVE PARK AND RIDES 'CAUSE THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY, UM, DISPLAYED ON THE MAP, SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.

WHEN YOU SAY EXTENSION, YOU MEAN THE PRIOR EXTENSIONS TO CRESTVIEW INTO THE AIRPORT? YEAH, YEAH, CRESTVIEW AND AIRPORT.

SO LET'S START WITH THE AIRPORT FIRST.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T ENVISION A PARKING RIDE AT THE AIRPORT BECAUSE IF NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT TO JUMP ON THE TRAIN.

YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT'S SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED TO TRY AND FIGURE THAT OUT.

SO YELLOWJACKET BECOMES OUR END OF LINE THERE.

UM, CRESTVIEW CREST VIEW, WE HAVE NOT PLANNED AHEAD TO PARK AND RIDE, SO THAT'D BE PART OF THAT FUTURE ANALYSIS AS WE LOOK TO CRESTVIEW.

YEAH, SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

APPRECIATE Y'ALL, COMMISSIONER FLURY.

UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION AND TIME TONIGHT.

UM, FIRST QUESTION I HAD WAS RELATED TO SPECIAL EVENTS AND SO Y'ALL KIND OF TOUCHED ON ON IT ALREADY.

IT WAS GONNA BE SOMETHING SIMPLE.

HOW DOES YOUR, UH, DEIS, UM, ADDRESS SPECIAL EVENTS? AND SO MAYBE I'LL JUST ADD A COMMENT, YOU KNOW, AS AN AUSTIN, UH, RESIDENT, I FEEL THERE'S A SPECIAL EVENT EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND AND THAT'S WHEN THE SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN ANYTIME I WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE.

AND SO THEN MAYBE Y'ALL HAVE HEARD THE KIND OF MINDSET OF LOCALS OF I'M NOT GOING OUT DURING SOUTH BY, I'M NOT GOING OUT DURING THAT.

AND SO I GUESS I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, TO LOOK AT THE FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS THAT'S NOT JUST THESE BIG KNOWN ONES.

THERE'S GONNA BE NEW EVENTS, UM, IN 2045, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A PROGRESSION SHOWING GROWING OF NUMBER OF SPECIAL EVENTS IN AUSTIN TO CONSIDER? AND, UM, UH, SO KIND OF GOING BACK TO THAT QUESTION, DOES DOES THE PLAN AT THIS POINT LOOK AT AT THE LOCAL'S PERSPECTIVE OF HOW THEY'LL STILL BE ABLE TO USE THE LIGHT RAIL DURING THE, THE WEEKENDS? UH, YEAH, GREAT COMMENT.

UH, AND YES, WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, FOR OUR INITIAL SERVICE PLANS, UH, MEANING WHEN THE TRAINS OPERATE, UH, AND AT WHAT FREQUENCY WE'RE BUILDING THAT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND, AND NOT HAVING THIS SORT OF REDUCED LEVEL OF SERVICE WHERE IT DROPS WAY DOWN ON THE WEEKENDS OR SOMETHING, UM, LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF AUSTIN AND THE FACT THAT OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AREN'T SO SPECIAL ANYMORE.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE FREQUENT AND, AND NEARLY EVERYDAY OCCURRENCES.

BUT GREAT COMMENT AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE PLANNING FOR THAT AND, AND IT'S HELPFUL FOR US TO HEAR THOSE CONCERNS.

SO, UH, A A COMMENT YOU MADE ABOUT, UH, THERE BEING ONE TRAIN AND BEING ABLE TO ADD TWO THAT TYPICALLY THE CAPACITY IS JUST ENOUGH FOR, FOR ONE TRAIN, AND IS THAT THE IMMEDIATE USE IN 2033? AND THEN IS LONG-TERM GOAL THAT WE WILL HAVE TWO TRAINS, EVERYONE WILL BE USING THIS, BUT WHAT, WHAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN OUTLOOK CAPACITY? SURE.

SO WE CAN OPERATE, WE'RE BUILDING THE PLATFORMS TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE TWO TRAINS AT THEM, DAY ONE IF WE NEED TO.

UH, WE ALSO WILL HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY IN THE NUMBER OF TRAINS TO ALLOW THAT TO ACCOMMODATE THE, THE SPECIAL NATURE OF AUSTIN AND ALL OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS WE HAVE AS WELL AS RIDERSHIP GROWTH AS A WHOLE.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT INITIALLY BUILDING THE PLATFORMS EVEN LONGER TO ACCOMMODATE THREE TRAINS, WE ARE DESIGNING TO PRESERVE THE FOOTPRINT FOR THAT, UH, SO THAT IN LATER PHASES, WHICH ARE, ARE NOT PROJECTED TO BE NEEDED UNTIL WELL BEYOND EVEN THE PRIORITY EXTENSIONS, BUT WE'RE DESIGNING FOR THE FOOTPRINT OF EVEN, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM TO COME OF OPERATING THREE CHAIN, UH, THREE TRAINS.

BUT THERE'S REALLY NO, UM, DATA TO SHOW THAT WE WOULD NEED THAT ANYTIME SOON.

SO, UH, I GUESS STAYING ON THE SPECIAL EVENTS, I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE, REALLY LOOK AT, UM, THE PHRASE I'LL USE WHEN THE SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN AT THOSE CAPACITY EVENTS AND ON THE, THE, THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF NOT PEOPLE USING THE TRAIN, BUT PEOPLE TRYING TO GET AROUND IT, WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A, A MASS PULSE OF VERY EXCITED PEOPLE WHO JUST GOT OUTTA A FOOTBALL GAME AND THEY'RE NOW GOING TO CERTAIN AREAS MAYBE THEY HADN'T BEFORE.

AND, UH, THAT, THAT, UM, IN IN PARTICULAR CAN CONCERN ME IF IT'S JUST AN UNDER OF THINKING ABOUT HOW, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A NEW SYSTEM THAT'S GONNA BE EXCITING TO USE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA USE IT AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT JUST THE USE, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER IMPACTS.

OF PARKLAND, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S SMALL LITTLE SLIVERS AND, AND, AND FRAGMENTS, UH, ARE WHEN YOU, YOU DO THE TOTAL OF TOTAL AMOUNT OF ACREAGE, UH, TAKEN BY THE PROJECT, I ASSUME THE MITIGATION FOR THAT IS ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL PARK LAND, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, YEAH, WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND ALSO WITH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT, UM, ON MAKING SURE THAT THE, THAT THE MITIGATION FOR THAT IS, IS ACCURATE.

WE APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.

AND NEXT KIND OF QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, SO WHEN Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT THE TAKING

[01:20:01]

SO IT WOULD BE, UM, FUNDING ADDITIONAL PARKLAND.

AND THEN IN GENERAL IS THE GOAL TO GET, UM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL BIG PARKS OF, OF THAT, UH, SIZE.

UH, AND HAVE Y'ALL IDENTIFIED ANY POTENTIAL PARKLANDS YET? YEAH, ONE THING.

UM, IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL, UH, AMOUNT OF PARKLAND TO BE, UM, I GUESS RE RECOVERED, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.

ONE THING THAT I WILL SAY, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, IS WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A SIX F IMPACT DUE TO THE WALLER BEACH, UM, IMPACT.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SIX F IMPACT, UH, THAT REQUIRES YOU TO FIND ADDITIONAL OR REPLACEMENT PROPERTY.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND IS WITHIN, UH, DOCUMENTED IN THE EIS AS WELL.

SO YOU CAN THE ONE FOR ONE THAT IS A ONE FOR ONE, NICE.

YOU CAN POINT TO IT ON A MAP.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE CONSIDERING THIS LAND, IS THAT WHAT YOU MEANT BY IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED? I'M JUST, YES.

AND IT'S IN THE EIS AS WELL.

YEAH, I ALL RIGHT.

DON'T KNOW THE ADDRESS, THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT YES, WE HAVE THAT DOCUMENTED.

UM, AND THEN LAST KIND OF QUESTION, UM, I MIGHT BE USING AN OUTDATED TERM, GOING BACK TO MY GRAD SCHOOL DAYS, UH, 10 YEARS AGO.

UM, UM, BUT BIG TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, HIGHWAYS, THEY USE THIS TERM OF COMMUNITY SEVERANCE, LOOKING AT HOW MUCH A PARTICULAR TRANSPORTATION PROJECT MIGHT SEVER COMMUNITY RELATIONS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.

I 35 IS A BIG ONE, MOPAC AND JUST THE ABILITY TO GET ACROSS.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE LIGHT RAIL HAS, UM, LOOKED THE, THE STUDY LOOKED AT THAT IN ANY WAY.

AND IF THERE'S ANY UNIQUE CONSIDERATIONS WITH THE, THE LIGHT RAIL? I'LL SAY NOT, NOT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

UM, NOT SPECIFICALLY FROM THAT ASPECT.

ONLY BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS PROJECT IS ALREADY ON EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY.

WE'RE NOT BUILDING A NEW GUIDEWAY THAT'S GOING TO, UM, DISSECT OR BISECT A CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

UM, BUT WE DO HAVE EXTENSIVE WRITE-UPS ON THE COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS, UH, DOCUMENTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND HOW THE PROJECT, UH, ADHERES TO COMMUNITY GOALS RELATED TO INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO THERE'S INFORMATION RELATED TO THAT, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO COMMUNITY.

UM, UH, WHAT'D YOU CALL THE SEVERANCE? SEVERANCE? YEAH.

UM, THIS PROJECT DOES NOT ANTICIPATED TO HAVE THAT.

WELL, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER THAT MAYBE THERE ARE ALREADY SOME RIGHT OF WAYS THAT DO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF COMMUNITY SEVERANCE, AND THIS IS ONLY GONNA HEIGHTEN IT MORE SO IT WOULD CROSS A CERTAIN, CERTAIN THRESHOLD WHERE IT'S NO LONGER VIABLE FOR A FAMILY TO WANNA, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL RIGHT NEXT TO IT, IT, IT, IT COULD, UH, STILL BE A BARRIER IN SOME SENSES WITH JUST THE CROWD, THE NOISE, THE ACTIVITY GOING ON.

AND, UH, I, I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE IS THE, THE, THE RENDERING Y'ALL SHOWED IT, IT, IT HAD JUST THE IMAGE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHT RAILS AND, UM, BIKE PATH NEXT TO IT.

IS, IS THAT CONSISTENT THROUGH, NOT, NOT NECESSARILY THE BIKE PATH, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY BARRIER THAT AT ANY POINT SOMEONE COULD WALK ACROSS IT.

IS THAT GENERALLY THE DESIGN STANDARD OR IS THERE SOME SORT OF BARRIER TO PREVENT FOLKS WALKING ACROSS AT SOME POINTS? YEAH, I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.

I THANK YOU.

I THINK, UM, AGAIN, THOSE ARE LIKE CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS TO SORT OF GIVE AN IDEA OF WHAT ESSENTIALLY THE LIGHT RAIL COULD LOOK LIKE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PEOPLE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY.

AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THE DETAILS WITHIN THAT ARE TO COME, ARE STILL, ARE STILL BEING WORKED ON.

SO CERTAINLY THE SEPARATION OF MODE IS A MAJOR ASPECT OF THAT, AND TRYING TO GET THAT REALLY CAREFULLY DONE, UM, IS, IS AN EFFORT THAT WE WILL UNDERTAKE DURING FINAL DESIGN.

I WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, THE IDEA OF COMMUNITY SEVERANCE, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LIKE STAUNCHLY TRYING TO STITCH BACK TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF THE MOVES THAT WE'RE DOING AS PART OF THE DESIGN WORK IN AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.

UM, SO BECAUSE WE ARE ADDING A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITIES WITHIN THE RIGHTS OF WAY THAT WE'RE IMPACTING THE INTENTION IS REALLY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO CROSS THOSE RIGHTS OF WAY, UM, IN A MORE EFFICIENT WAY AND TO FEEL SAFER DOING SO.

UM, I WOULD, YEAH, I JUST HAVING WALKED ACROSS, YOU KNOW, YEAH, EAST RIVERSIDE AT PLEASANT VALLEY AND SEEING HOW WIDE THAT IS AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO TRAVERSE, I THINK THE INTENTION HERE IS REALLY TO TRY AND BRING, UM, PEOPLE CLOSER TOGETHER RATHER THAN AN IDEA OF SEVERANCE.

NOT A LITTLE CRACKY RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW.

COMMISSIONER SHIRA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

UM, MY VOICE IS

[01:25:01]

I REALLY APPRECIATED THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE THREE PROJECTS OCCURRING AT THE SAME TIME.

AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN EXPAND ON ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED.

UH, WE ARE PART OF A REGIONAL APPROACH TO COORDINATING CONSTRUCTION FOR MULTIPLE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL OCCUR ALL IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME, INCLUDING NOT ONLY THE ONES MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT YOU KNOW, THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND, AND THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.

AND THERE IS A CONSTRUCTION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, UM, THAT IS, IS ALREADY ACTIVE AND DEVELOPING THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TOOLS TO CREATE A ONE STOP SHOP SO THAT, UH, FOR INFORMATION ON, ON WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION SAY DETOURS OR OR PATHWAYS ARE ON ANY GIVEN DAY DURING THAT, UM, TIME PERIOD OF SIMULTANEOUS CONSTRUCTION.

SO, UM, ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY WON'T HAVE TO SAY, OH, WELL I KNOW CTMA IS BUILDING MOPAC, LET ME GO LOOK ON THEIR WEBSITE.

AND I KNOW TECHOPS BUILDING I 35 AND A TP IS BUILDING LIGHT RAIL.

THEY WON'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT ACTUALLY, UM, CREATING A, A SINGLE CENTRALIZED POINT OF COMMUNICATION THAT SHOWS ANY NECESSARY DETOURS AND PROVIDES RECOMMENDED PATHWAYS, THEY CAN PUT IT IN KIND OF LIKE YOU DO GOOGLE MAPS OR WAYS, UM, YOU CAN EVEN USE THOSE, UM, APPLICATIONS AND, AND IT'LL MERGE TOGETHER TO SAY, I NEED TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND, UM, KNOWING THE CONSTRUCTION IS OCCURRING, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE.

THAT SEEMS VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, IS THAT SPECIFIC TO PHASE ONE OR IS THAT INCLUDE THE CURRENT CURRENT EXPANSIONS OR IS IT THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL PROJECT PLAN? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE GET THAT A LOT.

UH, THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS ONLY FOR PHASE ONE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

GIVEN ITS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF, UM, THE TIME IS NOW TO DO THAT WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD IN THAT AREA AND WITH ITS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS AND POSSIBLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH BEING ON AIRPORT PROPERTY AND BRINGING THE LIGHT RAIL INTO THE AIRPORT.

SO YOU'D HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN FOR EACH AS YOU DO EACH EXPANSION, OR DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD DO IT TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE RIVERSIDE CRESTVIEW? I'LL EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

SO WHERE WE'RE AT IS, UM, WE WANT TO ADVANCE THE PHASE ONE, UH, PROJECT THROUGH THE DRAFT DIS SO WE CAN INITIATE THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE READY TO, UM, PIVOT AND DEVELOP WHATEVER ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE IS REQUIRED AND ON THE DESIGN SIDE AS WELL.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO IT, UH, ADVANCE EARLY THE DESIGN OF THE AIRPORT EXTENSION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE, AND THAT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR THE NORTH EXTENSION AS WELL AS WE WERE TO GO FORWARD.

SO IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE, BUT WE'RE SET UP IN A WAY WHERE WE COULD ADVANCE THAT WORK PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND I'LL ADD ON THE DESIGN ASPECT OF THAT, PARTICULARLY FOR THE AIRPORT EXTENSION BECAUSE THERE IS A UNIQUE SITUATION OF ADJACENT PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD.

NOW WITH THE AIRPORT EXPANSION ITSELF AS WELL AS TWO TEXT PROJECTS AT 180 3 AND 71, WE ARE MOVING THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN FORWARD, UM, FOR THAT EXTENSION TO ALLOW US TO COORDINATE WITH THOSE ENTITIES AND THOSE OTHER PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.

ONE LAST QUESTION.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE EXPANSION PHASES RIGHT NOW AND ANY CURRENT DECISIONING? AND CAN YOU GIVE ANY EXAMPLES OF THAT? I'M NOT QUITE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

LIKE, ARE THERE ANY, ANY DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE RIGHT NOW THAT IMPACT WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD EXPAND OH, OKAY.

TO, TO THE AIRPORT? YES.

AND, AND I'M REALLY THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS.

I, I GUESS SURE.

UM, SO WE'RE BROADLY SPEAKING, ALL DECISIONS BEING MADE RIGHT NOW ARE THROUGH THE LENS OF WANTING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THIS SYSTEM AND, AND ALLOWING US TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.

AND THAT GOES FOR, UM, DESIGN DECISIONS AND BEING ABLE TO EASILY AND QUICKLY, UH, YOU KNOW, EXTEND IN THE NEXT PHASES AS WELL AS FINANCIAL PLANNING AND HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CONTRACTING.

AND SO BROADLY SPEAKING, YES, I THINK FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, I SEE, YOU KNOW, THE EXPANSION BEING IN IMPORTANT.

UM, AND SO IT NOT BEING LIKE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY NOW, LIKE HOW DOES THAT KIND OF WEIGH INTO THE DECISIONING OF, OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR, OR OTHERWISE.

SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ACTIVELY SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND IN PARTICULAR FOR THAT AIRPORT EXPANSION, AGAIN,

[01:30:01]

SO WE'RE, UM, ENTHUSIASTICALLY WANTING AND HAVE MADE THAT OUR PREFERRED EXTENSION FOR THOSE REASONS.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.

WELL, JUST TO CONTINUE ON THAT, I MEAN, YOU CAN DO AN EA AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS A LOWER GRADE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT TXDOT DID FOR IH 35.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE DONE MOST OF THE WORK FOR THE FIRST EIS, BUT FOR INDIVIDUAL EXTENSIONS YOU CAN GO TO A LOWER THRESHOLD, UM, APPROACH.

UM, I HAVE THE PARLIAMENTARY THING TO POINT OUT HERE THAT COMMISSIONER KRUEGER HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, BUT SHE WASN'T HERE FOR THE ROLL CALL, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S SHOWN, UM, HAVING BEEN PRESENT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

UM, ONE, ONE POINT, UM, I WAS IN A, UH, WELL FIRST OFF, LET ME JUST SAY THAT I, FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS I WAS ON THE, UH, FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE FOR A TP ABOUT THIS.

SO I KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

UM, AND A LOT OF THE GOOD QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED.

UM, I WAS IN A CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY THOUGH WITH SOME OF MY URBAN FRIENDS ABOUT, UM, WHY THE WOOLRIDGE, UH, STOP WAS NOT THERE ORIGINALLY, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S A NO BRAINER BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL THE BUSES STOP AT WOOLRIDGE SQUARE.

AND SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'D HAVE A, A, A LIGHT RAIL STOP.

ALSO, I'D ALSO MENTION THAT I WAS IN EL PASO A MONTH AGO AND I WAS LUCKY TO STAY IN A HOTEL RIGHT WHERE THE LIGHT RAIL RAN RIGHT IN FRONT AND THERE WERE NO BARRIERS TO CROSSING THE STREET THERE.

SO I, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE HAVE THE SAME THING IF WE'RE GONNA RUN AT GRADE, IT OUGHT TO BE AS EASY TO CROSS AS IF THERE WAS NO, I MEAN, IF IT WAS JUST, YOU HAVE TO LOOK BOTH WAYS FOR A TRUCK.

YOU GOTTA LOOK BOTH WAYS FOR A TRAIN, BUT THERE'S NO REAL BARRIERS TO CROSSING THE STREET.

UM, BUT ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS THE CHOICE OF RUNNING ON, UH, E ON EAST WEST ON THIRD AS OPPOSED TO, UH, GOING EAST WEST ON FOURTH.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE, UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE THE LAB LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY, UM, OFF OF THIRD STREET TO FOURTH STREET, BUT WHY NOT JUST HAVE USED FOURTH STREET INSTEAD? SURE.

UH, WE LOOKED AT BOTH AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH FOURTH STREET, UH, I'LL MENTION A COUPLE NOTABLE ONES.

ONE IS, UM, THERE'S THESE HISTORIC LOADING DOCKS ON FOURTH STREET THAT ACTUALLY COME OUT INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY AND ARE CONSIDERED HISTORIC STRUCTURES.

AND SO THEY CREATE THIS VERY NARROW PINCH POINT FOR BEING ABLE TO FIT THE LIGHT RAIL AND ADEQUATE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY THROUGH THERE WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

SO IT, IT MADE THAT VERY TIGHT AND CREATED A LITTLE BIT OF A, LIKE, WALLED IN SITUATION FOR THOSE PEDESTRIANS AND NARROW SIDEWALKS.

UM, ANOTHER REASON IS THE GEOMETRY, WHERE YOU MAKE THE TURN FROM FOURTH STREET TO GUADALUPE.

UH, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY ON A, A SLOPE THERE AND IT'S AT A SLOPE WHERE THE TRAINS DON'T LIKE TO MAKE A TURN AND BE ON A VERTICAL SLOPE AT THE SAME TIME.

FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AS WELL.

THEY CAN MAKE THE TURN, BUT IT'S BETTER TO DO IT FLAT AND, AND THEY CAN GO WITH THAT SLOPE, BUT IT'S BETTER TO DO IT NOT ON A TURN.

SO IT COMBINED THOSE TWO THINGS IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T WORK WELL WITH THE, UM, TRAINS REQUIREMENTS.

GOOD.

ALRIGHT.

THAT'S, I GOT MY AN, I GOT THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION THAT THE URBANISTS WERE ASKING ME ABOUT.

ALRIGHT, WELL THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU SECRETARY BRISTOL.

I SURPRISINGLY HAVE NO QUESTIONS TODAY.

, YOU HAVE DODGED A BULLET , UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT.

I HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE, UM, TAKES THE TIME TO GET ON THERE AND MAKE THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU.

I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.

UM, I WAS WONDERING IF, UM, IN THE ROUTE PLANNING PROCESS, IF LIKE A HIGH, UH, TRAFFIC OF EMPLOYMENT WAS KIND OF CONSIDERED LIKE, 'CAUSE LIKE WE HAVE THE STATE AGENCIES HERE AND SO THAT'S A HIGH DEMOGRAPHIC OF AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY USE A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.

SO I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS IF ANY OF THAT WAS KIND OF FACTORED INTO THE PLANNING OR CITY OFFICES WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

UH, YES, THAT'S VERY MUCH CONSIDERED WHEN YOU, UH, SELECT WHERE YOU ACTUALLY IDENTIFY WHERE A LIGHT RAIL ACCENTURE SHOULD GO.

UM, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, THIS FOLLOWS ONE OF THE HIGHEST, UM, RIDERSHIP BUS ROUTES.

UM, AND WHEN WE ACTUALLY CAME UP AND DEVELOPED THE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS, WE LOOK AT, UH, EXISTING POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT, ALSO

[01:35:01]

SO THAT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THIS, UH, ALIGNMENT AND CORRIDOR WAS PLANNED.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, UM, LIKE IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S EVER A PATH TO HAVE IT BE USED AS A TRANSPORTATION, AS ZILKER, LIKE, UM, I KNOW IN, UM, LIKE SUMMERTIME, LIKE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE SHUTTLES, BUT THE SHUTTLES ONLY OPERATE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND IT'S ONLY THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, LIKE IT'S JUNE, JULY, AUGUST.

AND SO I'M JUST WAS KIND OF WONDERING IF THAT WAS KIND OF FACTORED INTO, UM, POTENTIAL PLANNING IN THE FUTURE AS WELL, OR? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I'D SAY IT CAN BE, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UH, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CAP METRO ON THE CONNECTING SERVICES TO THE LIGHT RAIL.

UM, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR TRANSIT PLANNING EFFORT RIGHT NOW, THEIR 2035 TRANSIT PLAN, AND THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT IN THE SPRINGTIME TO SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT.

SO CERTAINLY WELCOME YOU TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT COMMENT AND FEEDBACK AS WE START TO, UH, COOPERATE AND CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH CONNECTIONS ALONG THE LIGHT OR WITH US AND SHUTTLES.

THAT'S ALL I HAD.

UM, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTION.

COMMISSIONER KRUEGER, I'M SORRY.

HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A QUICK ONE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN AND, AND BEDFORD CAN ACTUALLY PROBABLY WEIGH ON TOO BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT AIR QUALITY.

UM, SO I KNOW THE TCQ IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING AND ENFORCING AIR QUALITY REGULATIONS IN AUSTIN, UM, AND THEY OPERATE A STATEWIDE NETWORK OF AIR QUALITY MONITORS.

AND YOU ALL HAVE IDENTIFIED IN YOUR, OR IN YOUR REPORT THAT THERE ARE SIX THAT ARE NEAR THE PHASE ONE AREA.

AND LOOKING AT THE MAP, I WOULD SAY THERE ARE THREE IN PARTICULAR THAT ARE FAIRLY CLOSE.

UM, BUT I AM CURIOUS AND CONCERNED IN PARTICULAR FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN MOST PORTION THAT GOES OUT TOWARDS THE AIRPORT BECAUSE FROM THE MAP, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE FURTHEST AWAY FROM ANY STATE MONITORING, UM, DEVICE THAT I CAN SEE.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT FOLKS IN THAT AREA HAVE ALREADY HAD TO UNDERGO AIR AND NOISE POLLUTION FROM THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, WHICH IS SLATED TO GO AT LEAST UNTIL 2030.

SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT, OR ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS OR CITY STAFF CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE OF THESE AIR QUALITY MONITORS INDICATES THAT WE ARE INDEED OUT OF COMPLIANCE.

AND I KNOW THAT TCEQ THEN ULTIMATELY REPORTS TO THE EPA, WHICH IS IN JEOPARDY.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF FOLKS CAN WEIGH IN ON WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR IF WE DO FIND WITH ALL OF THESE VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY THAT WE ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE? SURE.

WE ARE ACTUALLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE RIGHT NOW WITH THE PM 2.5 STANDARD, BUT THE, IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET LABELED NON-ATTAINMENT.

AND SO WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS LIKE, IS IS ANY KIND OF, IS SOMETHING TRIGGERED AT THE STATE LEVEL OR THE CITY LEVEL, LIKE WHO IS IT THEN INCUMBENT UPON TO MAKE CHANGE? IS IT SIMPLY GUESS WHAT Y'ALL WE'RE NOTIFYING YOU, YOU'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE? OR ARE THERE A SERIES OF ACTIONS THAT THEN AUTOMATICALLY TAKE PLACE ONCE WE ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE? I I, I THINK WE MAY NOT HAVE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE HERE PRESENT WITH US TODAY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

AND I'M, I'M CURIOUS IN PARTICULAR IF, IF YOU ALL WOULD BE OPEN AND WILLING TO ADDING ADDITIONAL AIR QUALITY, UH, MONITORING DEVICES IN PARTS OF THE PROJECT THAT ARE FURTHEST AWAY FROM TCEQ UM, DEVICES, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WOULD CONSIDER IF THE PUBLIC ASKED FOR IT.

CERTAINLY.

UM, NOTE THAT AS A, AS A PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL TAKE THAT BACK FOR CONSIDERATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT YOU NOTED, UH, TCEQ ACTUALLY IRONICALLY TODAY PROVIDED A LETTER, UH, TO US, UM, UH, ACTUALLY A LETTER OF SUPPORT NOTING THAT THEY, THAT THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE IN THE EIS.

BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT SHOULD BE THE FINAL SAVE FOR THE AIR QUALITY.

SO PLEASE NOTE THAT, UH, COMMENT, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL MONITORING.

WHAT IS THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT? EACH COMMENT IS ACTUALLY, UH, COMES TO A TP DIRECTLY.

AND OF COURSE, I UNDERSTAND THAT ULTIMATELY THIS WILL HOPEFULLY GREATLY, GREATLY BENEFIT OUR AIR QUALITY.

WE HAVE TO END OUR DEPENDENCE ON CAR CENTERED INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE WE'RE IN THIS PROCESS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF US BREATHING IN THE AIR AROUND ARE, ARE SAFE.

UM, AND YOU ALL HAVE MENTIONED MANY TIMES ENCOURAGING US TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHERE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT GOES.

WHO ANSWERS THEM?

[01:40:01]

UM, AND WE WORK WITH OUR TEAM, OUR SUBJECT MATTER MATTER EXPERTS TO ANSWER EVERY SINGLE UH, COMMENT THAT WE RECEIVE.

UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE CERTAINLY HAVE, UM, REPETITIVE COMMENTS AND, AND SO WE KIND OF PUT TOGETHER KIND OF A COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE FOR MAJOR TOPICS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, EACH OF THOSE COMMENTS WILL BE DOCUMENTED AND WE WILL HAVE THAT AS AN APPENDIX TO THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT WILL BE RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR.

HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

SO SOME FOLKS CAN EXPECT AN EMAIL RESPONSE BACK, IS THAT RIGHT? AND THEN FOR THE REPETITIVE COMMENTS, YOU'LL PUT THAT IN AN FAQ ON YOUR WEBSITE.

IF THERE'S A DIRECT QUESTION RELATED TO, UM, NE NECESS NECESSITATING A RESPONSE TO PROVIDE A COMMENT ON THE DOCUMENT, YES, WE'LL RESPOND DIRECTLY BACK TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.

UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, DEVELOPING SOME TYPE OF FAQ TO NOTE SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT ARE IN DEVELOPMENT.

UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP THAT, UH, SEPARATE FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EIS UH, TECHNICAL APPENDIX THAT'LL HAVE ALL THE COMMENTS DOCUMENTED AND RESPONSES.

AND DO YOU ALL HAVE A, A DESIGNATED STAFF PERSON OR STAFF PERSONS WHOSE JOB IT IS TO BE FIELDING THOSE COMMENTS? YES, WE HAVE MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS, UH, CERTAINLY.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, AND YOU ALL ALSO MENTIONED THIS CONSTRUCTION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AND WANTING TO CONSOLIDATE COMMUNICATION.

WHERE CAN FOLKS FIND THAT WEBSITE AND WHAT, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE GROUP THAT THAT WILL BE HOSTING THAT INFORMATION? UH, SO THE, THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM IS CALLED THE CONSTRUCTION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, AND I DON'T HAVE THE WEB ADDRESS HANDY, BUT WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AND GET THAT OVER TO YOU.

SO IT'S ALREADY ACTIVE.

THERE IS A WEBSITE ACTIVE.

AND THERE ARE ALSO ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS IN DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND INCLUDING EVEN A MOBILE APP THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD USE ON YOUR PHONE AND SAY, I'M TRYING TO GET TO WHATEVER DESTINATION IT IS AND IT'LL PULL DATA FROM THE, THE CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION PROVIDED BY EACH OF THE, THE PARTNERS TO THAT PROGRAM, UH, AND KIND OF USES THE, OR IT CAN BE DOVETAILED WITH THE BACKBONE OF OTHER NAVIGATION SOFTWARE LIKE GOOGLE MAPS AND, AND WAYS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

AND THEN LAST THING, UM, I KNOW A TOPIC ON MANY FOLKS' MIND IS, IS THE ISSUE OF DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION, WHICH HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN IN TERMS OF EFFORTS AT THE CITY LEVEL OR OTHERWISE TO, TO MINIMIZE DISPLACEMENT.

I'M GONNA PAUSE THIS REALLY QUICK BECAUSE THAT DOES, THAT'S A LITTLE OUTSIDE OF, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND, UM, I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO PUT Y'ALL ON THE SPOT UNTIL I ANSWER THAT.

WELL, AND I, LET ME JUST POINT OUT TOO, THAT WE DID PASS A $300 MILLION BOND FOR TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OR TO RECTIFY FOR ANY INVOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT THAT OCCURS.

AND, UM, WE HAVEN'T SPENT MUCH OF THAT YET.

I'M ON THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED ON TOUCHING THAT MONEY.

I DO WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT ONE THING FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO USE PROJECT DOLLARS ON PROJECT BENEFITS AND THE THINGS THAT AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL RIDER WILL BENEFIT FROM.

AND SO WE CONTINUE AT EVERY STAGE OF DESIGN AS WE PROGRESS FORWARD TO LOOK TO WAYS TO MINIMIZE OUR REAL ESTATE FOOTPRINT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE SPEAK OR IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO MINIMIZE THOSE IMPACTS.

TO, UM, OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.

UM, THERE'S NO OBJECTION.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON

[3. Name: Westcreek Mixed Use, SP-2023-0276C Applicant: Quiddity, Justin Cadieux, PE Location: 5725 W US 290 Highway EB, Austin, TX, 78749 Council District: District 8 Staff: Mike McDougal, Environmental Policy Program Manager, Development Services Department; 512-974-6380, mike.mcdougal@austintexas.gov Applicant request: Redevelopment Exception in the Barton Springs Zone [LDC 25-8- 26] Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends the Redevelopment Exception for this project.]

ITEM NUMBER THREE, ITEM, UH, WEST CREEK MIXED USE SP DASH 2 0 2 3 DASH 0 2 7, UH, SIX C.

APPLICANT IS LIQUIDITY, LIQUIDITY, UM, JUSTIN CALDO, PE AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION.

THANKS.

UH, MY NAME IS MIKE MCDOUGAL, UH, AND THIS IS THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, MIKE MCDOUGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PROGRAM MANAGER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

AND THIS IS THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.

THE PROJECT NAME IS WEST CREEK MIXED USE.

IT'S AT 57 25 WEST US TWO 90 HIGHWAY EASTBOUND, UH, 7 8 7 4 9.

YEAH, THE CASE NUMBER IS SP 20 23 0 2 7 6

[01:45:01]

SO WE'LL JUST BASICALLY COVER THREE TOPICS, UH, IN THIS PRESENTATION, THE SITE, THE CODE, AND THE PROJECT.

SO FIRST THE SITE, NEXT SLIDE.

SO VICINITY MAP.

SO THE PROJECT IS LOCATED ON TWO 90, ABOUT HALFWAY BETWEEN MOPAC AND THE Y AND OAK HILL.

UH, THOSE OF US HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN LONG ENOUGH.

MIGHT REMEMBER THIS.

I THINK THIS WAS THE OLD NC NB BUILDING BACK IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.

BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO IT'S IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.

THIS IS THE WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION MAP.

THERE'S FIVE WATERSHED CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE CITY.

THIS ONE IS IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE CLASSIFICATION.

IT IS OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECHARGE ZONE DELINEATION.

AND THIS IS AN AERIAL IMAGE OF THE BUILDING.

IT IS.

THERE IS EXISTING DEVELOPMENT ON THE BUILD OR ON THE PROPERTY EXISTING COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO TO SUMMARIZE AND ALSO TO GIVE A STREET VIEW OF THE, OF THE UH, PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY IS IN THE BARTON CREEK WATERSHED, BARTON SPRING ZONE CLASSIFICATION.

IT IS OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE.

THIS THIS IS CLASSIFIED THE BARTON, THE BARTON SPRING ZONE IS CLASSIFIED AS THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.

IT'S IN THE FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED AS A COMMERCIAL USE AND IT'S ALL UPLANDS.

AND THAT IS, THERE IS NO CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, NO WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE OF THE PROPERTY.

THOSE ARE CREEK SETBACKS THAT ARE GENERALLY LIMITED OR VERY LOW ALLOW OF CONSTRUCTION ALONG CREEKS, BUT THERE ARE NONE, UM, ON THIS PROPERTY.

ALL UPLOADS.

AND THE CODE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO WHAT IS THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION? SO SECTION 25 8 26 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION OF THE BARTON SPRING ZONE ALLOWS FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.

AND SO 25 8 26 SUPERSEDES ARTICLE 13, THE SOS REQUIREMENTS TO THE EXTENT OF ANY CONFLICTS.

AND SO THERE ARE MANY REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, BUT IN THE BRIEF SUMMARY, AND I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL IN A SECOND.

IN BRIEF SUMMARY, THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION RESETS THE WATERSHED AND PREVIOUS COVERED LIMIT EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT OF EXISTING AND PREVIOUS COVERED CURRENTLY ON SITE.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO, UM, I'M MOSTLY PAPERLESS, NOT ENTIRELY.

UM, SO THE UNDER CURRENT CODE, THE IMPERIOUS COVER LIMIT WOULD BE 15%.

HOWEVER, THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT 40 45% IMPERVIOUS COVER.

SO ONE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, A PERSON COULD DEMOLISH THE EXISTING IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THEN COME BACK TO THE SAME AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WAS DEMOLISHED.

SO RATHER THAN HAVE TO COME BACK TO 15%, THAT COULD COME BACK TO THE 40 OR 45%.

I'LL GIVE YOU EXACT NUMBERS IN A SECOND.

SO THE READ LEVEL EXCEPTION ALLOWS A DEVELOPER TO REMOVE EXISTING IMPERVIOUS COVER AND BUILD BACK UP TO THE SAME AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.

AND TO BE CLEAR, THERE ARE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT REMOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER AND BUILDING YOUR BACK.

SURE THE PONDS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND PERPETUITY.

SO WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION? SO LDC, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 26 PART E LAYS OUT NINE REQUIREMENTS.

FIRST MAY NOT INCREASE IMPERVIOUS COVER.

SO THAT SAID, YOU GET TO BUILD BACK WHAT YOU HAD BEFORE.

NUMBER TWO MAY NOT INCREASE NON-COMPLIANCE IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE, OR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE REQUIREMENTS.

UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO INTO DETAILS ON THAT IF, IF NECESSARY.

AFTER THE PRESENTATION, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE TOO MANY DETAILS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY CEFS CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON THIS PROPERTY.

THERE ARE NO CRITICALS OR TRANSITIONS ON THE PROPERTY.

SO ITEM NUMBER TWO WOULD BE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS PROPERTY.

NUMBER THREE, THEY MUST COMPLY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY EROSION, SATION CONTROL AND FISCAL REQUIREMENTS.

THAT BASICALLY MEANS THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE US AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY IF NECESSARY IN THE PROPERTY.

THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE EROSION SEDIMENTATION CONTROL DURING CONSTRUCTION AND THEY HAVE TO GIVE US FISCAL SURETY FOR THE PROJECT.

UM, THE REASON THAT'S IN THE CODE IS BECAUSE THIS, THE WAY THE SECTION OF CODE IS WRITTEN, IT SAYS 25 8 SUB CHAPTER EIGHT DOES NOT APPLY.

SO THE REDEVELOPMENT INCEPTION DELETES A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND THEN IT HAS TO BRING SOME BACK IN.

SO ITEM THREE, IT'S BRINGING IT BACK IN BECAUSE IT DELETED A LOT OF THE REQUIREMENTS.

IT'S LIKE, OH, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO DO X, Y, AND Z.

SO IT TAKES AWAY THEN BRINGS BACK NUMBER FOUR, THE WATER PLATE CONTROLS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT SITE MUST PROVIDE A LEVEL OF WATER QUALITY TREATMENT THAT IS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THAT WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS THAT THAT IS THE APPLICANT CAN BUILD BACK IN PREVIOUS COVER TO WHAT THEY HAD, BUT THEY'VE GOTTA MODERNIZE THE WATER QUALITY.

THESE OLDER SITES OFTEN DON'T HAVE WATER QUALITY OR THEY HAVE OUTDATED WATER QUALITY.

THIS BASICALLY SAYS WE'VE GOTTA BRING IT UP TO MORE MODERN CODE.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF GIVE AND TAKE.

UM, AND THEN ITEM NUMBER SIX PROVIDES ADDITIONAL WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS.

WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.

THEY MUST OBTAIN A BARTON SPRING ZONE OPERATING PERMIT FOR PONDS.

SO WATER QUALITY PONDS HAVE TO HAVE AN OPERATING PERMIT TO MAKE TO BE SURE THEY'RE CON CONTINUING TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.

THIS BASICALLY SAYS, OH, WELL, LIKE ANY OTHER SITE IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE, YOU MUST HAVE A PERMIT SO THE CITY CAN INSPECT THE POND, MAKE

[01:50:01]

NUMBER SIX IS IT'S A LITTLE BIT TRICKY.

A SITE WITH MORE THAN 40% NET SET AREA IMPERVIOUS COVER MUST HAVE EITHER SAID FILL PONDS FOR THE ENTIRE SITE OR SOS PONDS AND SAID FILL PONDS FOR THE, FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF WE HAVE MORE THAN 40% IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THIS SITE, THAT THE APPLICANT MUST PROVIDE SEDIMENTATION FILTRATION PONDS OR THEY CAN PROVIDE SOS AND SEDIMENTATION FILTRATION PONDS.

UH, SOS PONDS ARE TO A HIGHER STANDARD, BUT ITEM SIX SAYS YOU CAN DO EITHER SFI PONDS OR A MIX OF S FILL AND OS PONDS.

NUMBER SEVEN, A SITE WITH 40% OR LESS NET SEDIA AND PREVIOUS COVER MUST HAVE OS PONDS FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.

SO IF THEY HAD 39% IN PREVIOUS COVER, THEY'D HAVE TO DO SOS FOR THE WHOLE SITE.

SAID FILL WOULD NOT BE AN OPTION.

NUMBER EIGHT, THEY MUST MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF REDEVELOPMENT IF THE SITE HAS A SAID FILL POND.

MITIGATION CAN INCLUDE PAYING INTO A MITIGATION FUND, TRANSFERRING LAND OR RESTRICTION OR RESTRICTION DEVELOPMENT ON LAND.

BASICALLY THAT MEANS THAT, UH, IF THEY HAVE SET FILL PONDS AND THEY, THEY PROPOSE THIS FOR THIS PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY INTO A MITIGATION FUND TO OFFSET THE IMPACT OR PAY, UH, OR, OR PROVIDE LAND TO OFFSET THE IMPACT OR PROVIDE RESTRICTIONS OR, OR ADD RESTRICTION TO IT TO LAND.

AND I'LL, I'LL GO OVER THAT IN MORE DETAIL AS WELL IN A MOMENT.

NUMBER NINE, DEVELOPMENT MAY NOT BE LOCATED WITHIN THE EROSION HAZARD ZONE UNLESS PROTECTIVE WORKS ARE PROVIDED.

THERE IS NO EROSION HAZARD ZONE.

BUT, UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DISCIPLINE.

THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF CROSS TEAM COORDINATION, BUT THE BASIC IDEA IS DON'T WANNA BUILD TOO CLOSE, CLOSE TO THE CREEK.

'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING FALLING INTO THE CREEK AND, AND HAVING A LOT OF EROSION IN THE CREEK AS WELL.

HOWEVER, THERE IS NOT AN EROSION HAZARD ZONE ON THE PROPERTY.

SO NUMBER NINE WOULD BE INAPPLICABLE.

SO TO SUMMARIZE, IT WAS A LOT ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION AND, UH, GIVING YOU THE, THE THREE MINUTE OVERVIEW AND, AND WHAT TAKES IT HOURS TO EXPLAIN.

SOMETIMES, UH, IT CAN BE REALLY COMPLICATED.

SO TO SUMMARIZE, THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION DELETES SOME PARTS OF CODE.

IT DELETES GRADING LIMITS AND CONSTRUCTION SLOPES LIMITS, AND 25 A SUBTRACT A, THEY NO LONGER EXIST.

THE EVEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MIGHT REMEMBER THAT, THAT MYSELF AND, AND, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWERS HAVE TAKEN GRADING VARIANCES IN THE PAST.

GRADING APPLIES SOMETIMES, UH, BUT UNDER THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, THERE ARE NO GRADING LIMITS.

NUMBER TWO, IT RESETS THE WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT TO BE EQUAL TO THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CURRENTLY ON SITE WITH SOME REQUIREMENTS.

AND NUMBER THREE, PROHIBITS DEVELOPMENT IN UNDISTURBED AREAS OF THE CRITICAL OR TRANSITION ZONE.

NUMBER THREE IS NOT APPLICABLE.

THERE IS NO CRITICAL OR TRANSITION ZONE.

SO TO CONTINUE IT ALSO PROHIBITS, UH, THE EXCEPTION PROHIBITS DEVELOPMENT AND UNDERSTOOD WETLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE SETBACKS.

THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE.

THERE ARE NO SUCH SETBACKS ON THIS PROPERTY, REQUIRES BARTON SPRINGS ZONE MITIGATION, THAT'S THAT FEE I MENTIONED AND THEN REQUIRES WATER QUALITY PONDS.

SO WHY ARE WE HERE? SO THIS PROJECT MEETS THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION REQUIREMENTS.

SO YES, WHY ARE WE HERE? WELL, 25 8 26 F STIPULATES CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL IS REQUIRED IF THE REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSES MORE THAN 25 DWELLING UNITS.

THIS, THIS PROPERTY PROPOSES 305 UNITS.

SO TO USE THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM CITY COUNCIL.

AND SO BEFORE IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS ASKED TO, TO VOTE AND GIVE A RECOMMENDATION AND A RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NEXT REASONABLE LOGICAL QUESTION.

25 8 26 G STIPULATES THAT CITY COUNCIL SHALL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FACTORS IN DETERMINING WHETHER TO APPROVE A PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT.

NUMBER ONE, BENEFITS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.

NUMBER TWO, WHETHER THE MITIGATION OR MANNER DEVELOPMENT OFFSETS THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT.

NUMBER THREE, THE EFFECTS OF OFFSITE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT.

AND NUMBER FOUR, COMPATIBILITY WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

I KNOW I'VE ZIPPED THROUGH THOSE FOUR ITEMS RAPIDLY AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT, BUT WE'LL COVER THOSE ALSO IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AS WELL.

AND, AND I'LL PROVIDE, UH, STAFF'S, UH, ANSWERS STAFF'S OPINION ON THOSE.

SO THE PROJECT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, EXISTING CONDITIONS, THE SITE IS APPROXIMATELY SIX AND A HALF ACRES AND WAS PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED FOR COMMERCIAL USE.

THE PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF MIXED USE, MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL.

THIS IS JUST A SCREEN GRAB FROM THE, THE SITE PLAN OF THE PLANS THAT SUBMITTED FOR STAFF REVIEW.

THE PROJECT WILL REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM 129,714 SQUARE FEET TO 128,515.

SO IN SIMPLER NUMBERS FROM 129,000 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER EXISTING TO 128,000 IMPER SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER PROPOSED.

SO ABOUT A 1200 SQUARE FOOT REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS COVER.

IT DOES COMPLY WITH THAT.

SO THIS IS WHAT I'D MENTIONED BEFORE.

UH, THE, UH, HOW WELL THIS IS WHAT WE, SOME ITEM WE COVERED BEFORE, HOW THE PROJECT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION.

THE REDEVELOPMENT MAY NOT INCREASE THE EXISTING AMOUNT OF IMPROVERS COVERING THE SITE.

[01:55:01]

WE HAVE, WE ARE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE EXISTING IMP PREVIOUS COVER.

IN FACT, OBVIOUSLY LESS THAN NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THE SECOND ITEM, THE REDEVELOPMENT MAY NOT INCREASE NON-COMPLIANCE.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL CODE LANGUAGE.

SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE, UH, WORDY THAN, THAN MY SUMMARY WAS.

THE REDEVELOPMENT MAY NOT INCREASE NON-COMPLIANCE, IF ANY WITH ARTICLE SEVEN, DIVISION ONE, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE RESTRICTIONS, SECTION 25 8 2 81, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES SECTION 25 8 2 82 WETLAND PROTECTION OR 25 8 42 WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE, NO CS, NO TRANSITIONS, NO CRITICAL ON THE PROPERTY.

ITEM NUMBER TWO IS NOT APPLICABLE.

THE REDEVELOPMENT MUST COMPLY WITH 25 8 1 21.

SO THIS, I, I CAN READ THIS ALL TO YOU, BUT YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT ME READING IT TO YOU WORD FOR WORD, BAD FORM WITH POWERPOINT SLIDES.

UM, BASICALLY THIS SAYS THEY HAVE TO GIVE US AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY AND PROVIDE EROSION CONTROL, AND THEY HAVE TO GIVE US, UH, FISCAL SURETY PROJECT COMPLIES.

UH, THE PROJECT DOES PROVIDE ESC THAT IS EROSION SEDIMENTATION CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE AND CRITERIA.

AND FISCAL POSTING IS A REQUIREMENT OF SITE PLAN PERMIT ISSUANCE.

THAT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWER OF THE CASE AND ALSO THE CASE MANAGER, UH, WOULD NOT ALLOW A PERMIT TO BE ISSUED IF THE FISCAL SURETY HAS NOT BEEN POSTED.

WATER QUALITY CONTROLS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT SITE MUST PROVIDE A LEVEL OF WATER QUALITY THAT'S EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THAT, WHICH REASONABLY PROVIDED THE PROJECT DOES COMPLY.

WATER QUALITY IS PROPOSED.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE WATER QUALITY DRAINAGE ENGINEER REVIEW STAFF TO BE SURE THAT THE WATER QUALITY DOES COMPLY WITH THE CODE.

SO ONE OF MY COMMENTS DURING THE REVIEW WAS TO THE WATER QUALITY REVIEWER SAYING THE APPLICANT MUST PROVIDE.

AND I QUOTE THE LANGUAGE UP FROM THE CODE AND TO GET A VERY SIMPLE ANSWER FOR, FOR A VERY COMPLICATED CO COMPLICATED QUESTION, I ASK THE WATER QUALITY ENGINEER HAS THIS BEEN PROVIDED.

SO THE PROJECT DOES COMPLY.

AND THEN FOR NUMBER FIVE, FOR COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, THE OWNER OR OPERATOR MUST OBTAIN A PERMIT UNDER 25 8 233 PARTS SPRINGS ON OPERATING PERMITS FOR THE SAID FILL AND THE ASSET.

WEST PONDS PONDS.

THE APPLICANT IS IN THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING THE, THE, UH, OPERATING PERMIT.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST TO BE SURE THE PERMIT IS TO ENSURE THAT THE PONDS CONTINUE TO FUNCTION PROPERLY MOVING FORWARD, UM, TO BE SURE THE MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING IS, IS DONE PROPERLY SO THE PONDS DON'T DEGRADE OR FAIL TO WORK IN THE FUTURE.

BUT A PERMIT IS, IS IS PART OF THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.

AND SO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS, IS WORKING WITH WATER QUALITY REVIEWER.

WATER QUALITY REVIEWER IS WORKING WITH THE OPERATING PERMIT PERSON.

SO IT'S A BIG, UH, YOU KNOW, A A LOT OF INNER COMMUNICATION TO BE SURE THAT ALL THE PERMITS ARE BEING COMPLIED OR BEING, BEING, UH, I GUESS PULLED OR, OR, UH, PROVIDED.

SO FOR A SITE WITH MORE THAN 40% NET SET AREA, THE REDEVELOPMENT MUST HAVE THE SAID FILL PONDS FOR THE WHOLE SITE OR SOS PONDS AND SAID, FILL PONDS.

WHILE THE PROJECT IMPLIES SAID SEDIMENTATION FILTRATION PONDS ARE PROPOSED FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.

SO WE HAVE MORE THAN 40% NET SET AREA PREVIOUS COVER ON THIS SITE.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS NOT APPLICABLE.

THAT'S FOR SITES WITH LESS THAN 40% NETS THAT ARE PREVIOUS COVER.

SOS PONDS WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE WHOLE SITE, NOT APPLICABLE FOR NUMBER SEVEN.

NUMBER EIGHT, THE PROPERTY OWNER MUST MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION H.

AND SO THAT'S THE, THE OPERATING FUND PAYMENT THAT'S NECESSARY.

YES, THE PROJECT COMPLIES.

THE APPLICANT WILL PAY INTO THE BARTON SPRING ZONE MITIGATION FUND, AN AMOUNT OF ABOUT $400,000.

TH THAT IS $390,240 AND 3 CENTS PRIOR TO THE PERMIT ISSUANCE.

UM, AND THAT IS, UH, THAT, THAT NUMBER'S CALCULATED BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT AND, UH, A FEE OF ABOUT $45,000 PER ACRE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.

BUT THE APPLICANT WILL PAY THAT BEFORE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WOULD APPROVE THE PERMIT APPLICATION.

AND THEN NUMBER NINE IS THE EROSION HAZARD ZONE.

THERE'S NOT AN EROSION TO HAZARD ZONE ON SITE, SO THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE.

SO THE REASON THAT I WENT INTO ALL THIS WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YES, THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION COMPLIES OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING COMPLIED WITH, THE APPLICANT WOULD PAY THE 390,000 AT THE VERY END OF THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S NON-REFUNDABLE.

SO THAT FEE HASN'T BEEN PAID YET BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, , IT'S THE LAST STEP BEFORE PERMIT ISSUES.

SO WHAT CODE ASKS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVE, OR EXCUSE ME, CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL IS REQUIRED IF WE HAVE MORE THAN 25 DWELLING UNITS.

COUNCIL REQUESTS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, AND THERE'S RECOMMENDATION.

THERE'S ONLY A VOTE FOR OR AGAINST THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION ON THE PROPERTY.

AND THIS, THIS LAST BULLET POINT VARIANCES, UH, YOU KNOW, OFTEN STAFF WILL BRING VARIANCES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL BRING VARIANCE CONDITIONS.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL ALSO PLACE VARIANCE CONDITIONS ON A PROJECT SEEKING A VARIANCE.

THIS IS NOT A VARIANCE PROJECT, AND I WANNA JUST CONTRAST THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A VARIANCE CONDITIONS ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION REQUEST.

SO HERE'S WHAT THE CODE DIRECT CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.

WHICH ARE AT 60% MFI AND WILL CONTRIBUTE ABOUT $400,000 INTO THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE MITIGATION FUND.

SO THIS IS THAT ITEM THAT HAD GONE OVER WORK BEFORE THE BENEFITS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO THE, THE SUBJECT AREA IS CURRENTLY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE AREAS AND OFFICE BUILDING WILL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS, UH, 305 ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS, 12% ARE, UH,

[02:00:01]

SO THAT'S, UH, THE, THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE NEXT THING THAT COUNSEL WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER THE PROPOSED MITIGATION OR MANNER OF DEVELOPMENT OFFSETS THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT.

THE APPLICANT IS REDUCING THE IMPERVIOUS COVER BY 1200 SQUARE FEET.

UH, THEY COULD BUILD THE UP TO THE FULL 1 29 5 15.

UM, THEY'RE, I THINK THAT WAS THE NUMBER, UH, BUT IT'S REDUCED TO, TO, UH, BY 1200 SQUARE FEET.

UM, THEY'RE GOING TO TREAT THE BARTON SPRINGS, EXCUSE ME, TREATMENT OF THE BARTON SPRINGS AND REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION STANDARDS OF PREVIOUSLY UNTREATED RUNUP GOING TO BARTON CREEK.

THAT'S A LENGTHY WAY OF SAYING THERE IS SOME WATER THAT IS NOT GO INTO A WATER QUALITY POND BEFORE IT'S DISCHARGED.

ALL THE WATER WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH A WATER QUALITY POND BEFORE IT'S DISCHARGED.

UM, AND THEN, WELL, EXCUSE ME, THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE.

THE, I I BELIEVE IT'S THE FIRST INCH AND A HALF.

IS THAT RIGHT, LIZ? OF RUNOFF TO THE, TO THE WATER QUALITY POND.

HOW MUCH? IT'S, IT'S NOT ALL THE WATER.

THERE'S THE WATER QUALITY POND BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE FIRST INCH OF RUNOFF, HALF INCH PLUS.

SO IN A LARGE RAIN EVENT, THE, THE, THE FIRST HALF INCH GOES TO THE POND, THAT'S THE MOST, UH, POLLUTANT HEAVY.

AND THEN AFTER THAT IT GOES TO A DETENTION POND, AND THEN THE PROJECT WOULD MODERNIZE A PORTION OF THE EXISTING WASTEWATER SYSTEM.

UH, SO THE NEXT CONSIDERATION FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IS THE EFFECTS OF OFFSITE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT IS, WHAT WOULD THIS PROJECT DO TO OFFSITE INFRASTRUCTURE? THE APPLICANT HAS ADVISED THAT NO WATER UPSIZING IS NEEDED TO, IS NECESSARY TO, TO SORT OF, EXCUSE ME, TRY AGAIN.

NO WATER UPSIZING IS NECESSARY TO SERVE THE PROJECT.

AND THERE IS A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST TO REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET OF EXISTING EIGHT INCH GRAVITY WASTEWATER MAIN WITH A 12 INCH WASTEWATER GRAVITY MAIN.

AND THEN COMPATIBILITY WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UM, A PORTION OF THE COMP IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STATES AUSTIN LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY REQUIRES A FRESH FOCUS ON REDEVELOPMENT AND INFILL WITHIN THE CITY'S DEVELOPED AREAS EVER AND COMPACT, COMPACT GROWTH.

UH, PRESENT AN ALTERNATIVE DIRECTION TO EARLIER DECADES OF SPRAWLING LOW DENSITY TO DEVELOPMENT.

OAK HILL IS CERTAINLY, UM, WELL, I WOULD CHARACTERIZE THIS AS AN INFILL SITE, AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, OAK HILL MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPRAWL SOMETIME DECADES AGO.

IT IS NO LONGER, UH, SPRAWL.

UM, SO, UM, THE PROJECT PROPOSES COMPACT DENSE DEVELOPMENT, 305 ACRES ON SIX AND F SORRY, EXCUSE ME, THREE ON 305 UNITS ON SIX AND A HALF ACRES.

AND THE PROPOSED PROJECT CONSISTS OF REDEVELOPMENT AND EXISTING DEVELOPED AREA.

SO, SO THIS IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND SO, THE DETERMINATIONS CITY STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION OF THE BARTON SPRING ZONE, AND ITS STAFF RECOMMENDS THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION BASED ON THE REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED IN 25 8 26.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL LET THE APPLICANT SPEAK.

GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

WHILE THIS, UM, IS BEING BROUGHT UP, UH, I'LL JUST, MY NAME IS DAVID HARTMAN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, AND WE HAVE THE CIVIL ENGINEER HERE IN THE ROOM WITH US AND AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AS WELL.

WE, WE HAVE THE DEVELOPERS REPRESENTATIVES VIRTUALLY AND AVAILABLE ON THE PHONE.

UM, WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

THIS IS A CULMINATION, BASICALLY OF A TWO AND A HALF YEAR ENTITLEMENT PROCESS.

UH, TONIGHT'S MEETING AND THE CITY UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS THE LAST STEPS IN THE PROCESS.

AND I'LL SUMMARIZE THAT TWO AND A HALF YEAR PROCESS IN THIS PROJECT VERY SIMPLY BY SAYING THIS PROJECT REPLACES A VACANT BANK WITH 10 LANE DRIVE THROUGH WITH HOUSING, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, REDUCES IMPERVIOUS COVER, SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO WATER QUALITY DETENTION WHERE NO WATER QUALITY CURRENTLY EXISTS, PAYS MORE THAN $390,000 INTO THE BARTON SPRINGS MITIGATION FUNDS MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES, $124,000 IN STREET IMPACT FEES.

AND THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY THE CITY STAFF EXACTLY IN THE HEART OF IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTERS WITH MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY WHERE YOU WANT THIS TYPE OF PROJECT.

THIS IS A LOCATION MAP KINDA WEST OF, UH, MOPAC ALONG BEN WHITE.

YOU CAN SEE THE NORTH IS TWO 90, TO THE EAST IS WEST CREEK, AND TO THE SOUTH IS OLD FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.

OP, THERE'S ALSO WEST CREEK SOCCER FIELDS AND A, AND A SCHOOL NEARBY.

ADJACENT USES, AND WE'RE BASICALLY SURROUNDED TO THE IMMEDIATE SOUTH BY BUSINESS NORTH, NORTHEAST BY BUSINESS.

TO THE WEST IS THE POST OFFICE AND MOBILE HOME.

THERE'S

[02:05:01]

NEXT SLIDE, AGAIN, WE'RE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF MULTIPLE IMAGINE AUSTIN COURT, UH, CENTERS.

UM, HALF SIX, TWO THIRDS OF A MILE FROM THE CLOSEST ONE.

NEXT SLIDE, A SMP LEVEL FIVE, LEVEL FOUR STREETS, MEANING THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.

UH, EXISTING, UH, CAP METRO BUS ROUTES, A THIRD OF A MILE TO THE WEST, AND ABOUT A NINE IRON TO THE EAST.

AND, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OAK HILL PARKWAY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN THAT RUNS, UM, IN THIS VICINITY.

AND THIS IS PICTURES OF A, I THINK IT'S A 10 FOOT WIDE, UM, MULTI-USE TRAIL THAT RUNS RIGHT SMACK DAD A IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.

THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

UH, TOOK THOSE PICTURES A COUPLE OF SATURDAYS AGO.

AND THIS IS RIGHT AT THE PICKUP ZONE FOR CAP METRO, WHERE, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THAT MEANS THAT YOU CAN CALL CAP METRO, UM, AND THEY'LL PICK YOU UP AND, AND TAKE YOU FOR A COUPLE OF BUCKS.

AND ALL THAT TO SAY AGAIN, IS THIS IS A ROBUST MULTI MULTIMODAL ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY FOR THIS PROJECT.

AS STAFF SAID, THIS IS IN THE BARTON SPRING ZONE, NO EXISTING WATER QUALITY CONTROLS.

PRE ATLAS 14 DETENTION POND, NO FLOODPLAIN OR CAF, NO NATURAL SLOPES GREATER THAN 15% EXISTING IMPERVIOUS COVER IS 45.6% THINK BUILDING WITH DRIVE THROUGH.

UM, NO HAZARDOUS ZONE IS EROSION.

HAZARD ZONES OR CREEKS CLOSE TO IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTER ON THE A LEVEL OF FOUR AND FIVE A SP STREETS, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO BUS STOPS ON OUR ROUTE, UM, NEXT TO THE PET BIKE PET ROUTE.

AND AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS JOURNEY FOR BASICALLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

UM, NOW NEXT SLIDE.

THIS SHOWS THE PROJECT, AND SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S A A FIVE STAR, FIVE STORY QUALITY PROJECT, TYPICAL AS IF YOU, AS YOU WOULD SEE, UM, IN THIS, UM, IN THIS KIND OF THIS AREA OF THIS, UH, REMOVED FROM CENTRAL CITY.

UM, THIS HAS, WEST CREEK IS KIND OF TO THE TOP AND, AND BEN WHITE IS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS, THIS PAGE.

SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE, UH, TWO ACCESS POINTS ON THE TOP ALONG WEST CREEK.

ONE ACCESS POINT VEHICLE ACCESS POINTS, UH, ON BEN WHITE BOULEVARD, NO VEHICLE ACCESS ON THE, THE OLD FREDERICKS ROAD ON FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.

ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE CONNECTING NEW SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION, NEW TRAIL CONNECTION TO THE NEW BIKE PET BIKE PAD, MULTI-USE TRAIL.

IN TERMS OF THE, UH, HOUSING UNITS, AGAIN, 305 UNITS, UM, UH, WHERE THERE'S NOW A VACANT BANK BUILDING WITH 10 LA DRIVE THROUGH 12% OF THE UNITS WILL BE AFFORDABLE AT 60% MFI OR 37 OR SO UNITS BY MY AGGIE MATH IMPERVIOUS COVER IS GONNA BE REDUCED BY ALMOST 1200 SQUARE FEET TREATED IMPERVIOUS COVER.

FROM A WATER QUALITY STANDPOINT, WE'RE GONNA DO A WATER QUALITY POND COMPLIANT WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, MEANING A BIOFILTRATION POND.

WE'RE UPSIZE, WE'RE UPSIZING EXISTING WASTEWATER LINE.

THERE'S NO CUT AND FILL IN TERMS OF OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS PROVIDING, UH, A LOT OF OPEN SPACE, UH, THE PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS I MENTIONED $390,000, UM, IN THE BARTON SPRINGS MITIGATION FUND, MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKLAND IDENTIFICATION FEES AND $124,000 AND STREET IMPACT FEES.

AND WE'RE ALSO DEDICATING RIGHT OF WAY ALONG WEST CREEK DRIVE.

UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UH, IS STAFF HAS WENT THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION AND WE, WE COMPLY WITH ALL THOSE PROVISIONS OF CODE OR THEY DON'T APPLY.

AND THEN THE FINAL KIND OF FOUR FACTORS THAT COUNCILS CONSIDER ALL DRILL DOWN ON, UM, UH, THAT STAFF IS ONE OVER.

AGAIN, UH, ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, REDUCING IMPERVIOUS COVER TREATMENT OF PREVIOUSLY UNTREATED WATER GOING TO THE BAR CREEK WATERSHED, MODERNIZING AND UPSIZING A PORTION OF THE EXISTING WA UH, WASTEWATER SYSTEM.

CONVERTING A FORMER BANK OF VACANT BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING WITH DRIVE THROUGH AND PAR AND PARKING TO MUCH NEEDED HOUSING, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CONTRIBUTING MONEY INTO THE BARTON SPRING ZONE MITIGATION FUND, MORE THAN $390,000, MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKLAND, DEDICATION FEES, STREET IMPACT FEES DEDICATING RISE RIGHT OF WAY ALONG, UM, UH, WEST CREEK DRIVE.

REDUCING, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER BY ABOUT 1200 SQUARE FEET.

AND THEN IN TERMS OF MITIGATION, WE'RE, UM, OFFSETTING THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

WE'RE AGAIN

[02:10:01]

CODE COMPLIANT WATER QUALITY POND PAYMENT IN THE MITIGATION FUND.

AND WE'RE BRINGING, UM, UH, THE 10 DETENTION INTO COMPLIANCE WITH, UM, ATLAS 14.

THERE IS NO WATER UPSIZING NEEDED FOR THE PROJECT, BUT WE ARE AGAIN, UM, PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET, UH, OF UPSIZED, UH, 12 INCH WASTEWATER GRAVITY, MEAT, UH, MAIN.

AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, I BELIEVE IS THE LAST SLIDE.

UM, THAT IS BASICALLY CONSISTENT WITH THEIR OR THE MIXED USE CATEGORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, UH, CONSISTENT WITH BEING KIND OF IN THE CENTER OF MULTIPLE IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTERS, INCLUDING, UH, TWO THIRDS OF A MILE FROM ONE OF THEM, UH, ALONG THE A SMP ROADWAY, UM, LOCATED ALONG THE BUS ROUTE, BUS STOPS, AND ALONG A PEDESTRIAN ROUTE.

AND I'LL STOP THERE AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

UM, WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.

UM, UH, LEE ZIEGLER, UH, I THINK YOU'RE ON THE TELEPHONE CALLING IN ON THE TELEPHONE WITH A PRESENTATION AS WELL, CORRECT? ONE MOMENT.

HELLO, MS. ZIEGLER.

UH, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.

GOOD EVENING, PLEASE, ZIEGLER.

OKAY, OAK HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING CONTACT TEAM CHAIR, PLEASE GO TO SLIDE TWO.

ARE YOU THERE? YES, YES, WE ARE.

SLIDE TWO.

THIS SITE CURRENTLY IS IN SERIOUS NEED OF IMPROVED TRAFFIC, CALMING, AND ALSO A WATER AND DRAINAGE PLAN THAT IS NOT ALMOST ENTIRELY DESIGNED TO CHANNEL WATER AROUND THE PROPERTY AND SEND IT DOWNSTREAM TO A REGIONAL POND.

ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, CARS AND WASTE INTRODUCED BY THIS PLAN RAISE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS RELATIVE TO FLASH FLOODING AND DRAINAGE.

THE REDEVELOPMENT APPEARS TO ADD DIRECT RUNOFF ONTO WEST CREEK DRIVE BEYOND THE PLAN CHANNELS DUE TO ELIMINATION OF THE CENTRAL DETENTION AND ACCOMPANIED BY ADDITIONAL BUILD OUT ON THE THAT EAST SIDE, THE WEST CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THE CONTACT TEAM WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THIS REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION USES ALL AVAILABLE MEANS TO MITIGATE HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPACT.

SLIDE THREE.

GIVEN THE ACTUAL EXISTING SLOPE, AN SOS WATER QUALITY POND IS PARTICULARLY NEEDED FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.

SLIDE FOUR, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING PLAN TREE LOSS.

SLIDE FIVE.

ALTHOUGH AN SOS POND WOULD SERVE THAT FUNCTION, MITIGATION FUNDS APPLIED IN AN INNOVATIVE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN MIGHT IMPROVE DRAINAGE AND SOIL RETENTION.

ON THE REMAINING GREEN SPACE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD PREFER AVAILABLE FUNDS BE APPLIED ON SITE TO BETTER MAINTAIN WATER CONSERVATION AND QUALITY.

SLIDE SIX.

HERE YOU SEE THE LOWEST POINTS ON THE PROPERTY NEAR THE CORNER OF WEST CREEK DRIVE AND OLD FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.

SLIDE SEVEN DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY TO DUMP ADDITIONAL STORM WATER BY DRIVEWAYS TO K CLINGMANS AUTO AND THE SCHOOL SOCCER FIELD ACROSS WEST CREEK DRIVE WITH INCREASED OFFSITE SHEET FLOW VELOCITY AND REDUCED ABSORPTION BY LOSS OF POCKETED TREES AT A HIGHER ELEVATION.

SLIDE EIGHT.

THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO EXISTING DETENTION PONDS THAT WILL BE ELIMINATED PUTTING A SINGLE BIOFILTRATION POND AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY ON HIGHWAY TWO 90.

SLIDE NINE.

FLOW GROW GOES WEST TO EAST AND THE OUS COVER IS BEING DEDICATED ALMOST ENTIRELY TO PROTECTING THE PROPERTY FROM ADJACENT WEST PROPERTY AND DIRECTLY DIRECTING THAT FLOW TO THE REGIONAL POND.

SLIDE 10, THE STAR TIP IS THE SITE LOCATION DRAINAGE WILL BE DIRECTED ACROSS HIGHWAY TWO 90 TO A REGIONAL POND, THE FULL STAR WHERE DEVELOPMENT FROM ABOVE NECESSITATED NEARBY HOME BUYOUTS FOR IMPROVED DRAINAGE DUE TO PASS FLOODING.

SLIDE 11, THERE MAY BE EVEN MORE WATER ACCUMULATION WITH A LOSS OF 3.5 ACRES BY 12.

HERE'S THE POND LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE BUYOUT ZONE CAPACITY FOR THE DISTRICT, DISTRICT POND SHOULD BE EVALUATED.

SLIDE 13.

PLEASE CONSIDER THE IMPACT AND OPTIONS FOR MITIGATION.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE RITA BERRY AND I BELIEVE SHE'S CALLING IN.

[02:15:01]

HELLO, MS. BERRY.

UH, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS RITA BERRY.

I'M REPRESENTING THE WEST CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.

WEST CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD IS CONCERNED WITH THE POSSIBLE INCREASE IN STORM WATER DRAINAGE FROM THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF THE WEST CREEK MIXED USE PROJECT.

WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE DRAINAGE FROM THE COURTYARD AREA WITH THAT AREA CONTAINING A POOL AND CONCRETE SURROUNDING THE POOL WITH A SMALL AREA WITH TREES.

PRE REMOVAL FROM THE PROPERTY WILL ALSO INCREASE THE STORMWATER RUNOFF.

WEST CREEK DRIVE IS A VERY CONGESTED STREET WITH PARENTS BRINGING THEIR STUDENTS TO PATTON ELEMENTARY, ASHFORD MONTESSORI SCHOOL, SMALL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN LONE STAR SOCCER FIELDS.

THE DECISION MADE TONIGHT WILL NOT ONLY AFFECT THE WEST CREEK MIXED USE PROJECT, BUT OUR SCHOOL SOCCER FIELDS AND OUR WEST CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND NEXT UP WE HAVE BOBBY LEVINSKY.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

BOBBY LEVINSKY WITH THE AV OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UM, I SENT TO Y'ALL EARLIER TODAY A LETTER, UM, THAT'S KIND OF OUTLINING THE COMMENTS THAT WE'LL HAVE TODAY.

AND I THINK WHAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE HERE IS THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION IS AN EXCEPTION TO THE SOS ORDINANCE.

SO IT IS NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS.

IT'S NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE WATER QUALITY LIMITS.

WE DEAL WITH THAT A LOT WITH A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES.

THE REDEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE IS DESIGNED FOR THAT.

BUT WHAT'S CRITICAL HERE IS THAT IT'S A DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL RIGHT NOW.

IT'S NOT BASED OFF OF THEY MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA IN THE CODE, THEREFORE THEY AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY.

WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO IS TRY TO BALANCE THE, THE OVERALL VALUES AND WHETHER OR NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT CAN MAKE SENSE FOR US TO EXCUSE THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOS ORDINANCE.

THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT'S BEING DECIDED.

IT'S AN EXCUSE OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOS ORDINANCE.

I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE THAT THIS SHOULDN'T BE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

UM, I THINK THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE OF THIS SITE WILL BE FOR HOUSING.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF EMPHASIZE HERE THOUGH IS BECAUSE THIS IS A DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL, CAN THEY DO BETTER? YOU KNOW, I DEAL WITH A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES WHERE IT COMES TO THE OAK HILL RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.

TYPICALLY WE CAN GET THEM TO DO SOS WATER QUALITY PONDS, EVEN ON IMPERVIOUS COVER AS HIGH AS 45%.

UM, WHEN THE THRESHOLD WAS SET AT THAT 40%, UM, IN THE, UH, REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION, IT CREATED THIS REALLY PERVERSE IN INCENTIVE THAT I HOPE WE CAN HAVE MAYBE A POLICY DIALOGUE AT SOME POINT AROUND, UM, THAT IF YOU MAINTAIN YOUR IMPERVIOUS COVER OVER 40%, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE HIGHER, UH, WATER QUALITY POND FOR SOS.

UM, SO YOU'RE GONNA MAINTAIN YOUR IMPERVIOUS COVER 'CAUSE IT'S CHEAPER TO NOT HAVE TO DO AN SOS WATER QUALITY POND.

UM, THAT WAS, I THINK AT THE TIME I REMEMBER I WAS AN AIDE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER MORRISON WHEN THAT WAS GOING FORWARD.

UM, AT THE TIME THE DIALOGUE WAS THAT THE, THE SIZE OF THE SITES, IT MADE MORE SENSE THAT, UM, THE, THE SMALLER SITES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MEET SOS WATER QUALITY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AS ENOUGH MUCH ROOM.

UM, AND SO THEY NEEDED TO KEEP MORE OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.

UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE ANYMORE THOUGH, BECAUSE WE'VE CHANGED OUR CODE.

UM, SO BACK WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION WAS DONE, IT WAS BASED OFF OF 60 FOOT HEIGHTS.

NOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET DV 90, THEY CAN GO TALLER.

SO TYPICALLY WHEN YOU GO TALLER, CAN YOU GO MORE CONSTRICTED? CAN YOU REDUCE YOUR IMPERVIOUS COVER MORE? CAN WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO THE SOS IMPERVIOUS COVER LEVELS THAT WERE SET BY SCIENCE, THAT WERE SET TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER OVER TIME.

WHILE THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT TO CURRENT CONDITIONS, IT ALSO LOCKS IN THOSE CURRENT CONDITIONS FOR ANOTHER 40 YEAR LIFESPAN OF THE PROJECT.

SO WE'RE LOCKING IN THE NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOS ORDINANCE WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTIONS.

SO THEY'RE ABLE TO DO AN ADDITIONAL FLOOR ESSENTIALLY WITH THE WAY THAT IT WORKS OUT.

THEY'RE GETTING OUT AT 65 FEET OF HEIGHT.

UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WOULD'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO BEFORE.

THAT'S A LOT OF PROFIT THAT YOU CAN BRING IN FOR AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

IT'S, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CALCULATE THAT.

IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LONG SINCE I'VE TAKEN THOSE REAL ESTATE CLASSES.

BUT, UM, IT IS IN THE MULTIMILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

I MEAN, JUST THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ON THAT TOP LEVEL OVER A LIFESPAN OF THE PROJECT.

SO CAN WE GET THEM TO A POINT WHERE THEY REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER TO THAT 40% THRESHOLD AND THEN REQUIRE, MAKE SURE IT'S REQUIRED THAT THERE'S AN SOS WATER QUALITY POND, WHICH GETS TO US, TO THE NONDEGRADATION.

I THINK THAT ALSO SOMEWHAT ADDRESSES SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CONCERNS, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.

A LOT OF WHAT THEY WERE RAISING OR HAD TO DO WITH OVERLAND OVERLAND FLOWS, UM, AROUND THE PROJECT, MAYBE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT THEY WERE RAISING.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE ROY WHALEY.

[02:20:11]

HOWDY YA.

MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY.

I'M THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.

AND, UM, ALL OF THIS LOOKS VERY FAMILIAR TO ME, BUT I'M STILL LIVING IN A NEW WORLD.

WE'RE ALL LIVING IN A NEW WORLD WHERE WHAT COULD BE TODAY WILL GO AWAY TOMORROW.

Y'ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

LET'S DO THE BEST WE CAN IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AGAIN, LET'S DO OUR BEST TO PRETEND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO CONTROL OVER US.

UM, ANYWAY, ON THIS PROJECT, I'M, MY CONCERN IS WITH SPEAKING OF THE HEIGHT, UM, TO REDUCE IT, THAT'S GREAT, BUT I'M CONCERNED MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE AT THIS LOCATION AND THAT WE DO NEED THE, THE SOS QUALITY THERE, UH, OF THE PONDS.

AND, AND THAT WAS THE IDEA.

I WAS THERE WHEN WE DID THIS REWRITE YEARS AGO, AND THAT WAS THE IDEA THAT WE ARE AFTER IS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT.

NOT TO SAY NO TO REDEVELOPMENT.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP THE THINGS THERE THAT'RE POLLUTING TO CONTINUE TO POLLUTE, BUT THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THINGS AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THINGS ON THIS.

AND THAT IS THE GO TO SOS STANDARDS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY WATER CONTROL THERE.

LIKE I SAY, I'M NOT WILD ABOUT THE INCREASE.

I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, I COULD SAY WE COULD DO IT THIS THICK OR WE COULD DO IT THIS THICK.

THIS THICK IS GOING TO HAVE MORE IMPACTS, NOT JUST ON WATER QUALITY, BUT EVERYTHING OVER THERE.

ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, AND I'VE NOT BEEN OVER THERE IN A WHILE, BUT THE, THE TRANSIT ISSUES ARE, ARE NOT FRIENDLY TO THIS LOCATION.

AND I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN TRANSIT.

UM, I USE, I USE THE BUS SYSTEM FREQUENTLY.

I HAVE A CAR, BUT I PREFER TO GO BY BUS THOUGH LOOKING AT THIS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TRANSIT OPTIONS.

SO I WOULD WANT TO REDUCE IT.

I'D WANT TO GO WITH SOS QUALITY.

I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE IDEA OF THE REWRITE WAS TO GIVE THESE KIND OF EXCEPTIONS TO SOMETHING WE FOUGHT SO HARD TO PRESERVE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE CRAIG NASER, HELLO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

CRAIG NASER, CONSERVATION CHAIR, LONE STAR CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB.

AND AS A CONSERVATION CHAIR OF THE STATE, I SEE STUFF GOING ON ALL OVER THE STATE AND IT CAN BE RATHER DEPRESSING.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT AN ISSUE LIKE THIS, UM, WE HAVE THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND WE HAVE THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW AND THE LETTER OF THE LAW DEFENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION OF WORDS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO BECAUSE OF THIS AND THAT.

AND I TRADE THIS OFF FOR THAT.

AND, AND I GET THAT, AND MAYBE IT'LL COME DOWN TO THAT AND MAYBE THE PEOPLE ARGUE IT AND THE CITY COUNCIL PROVE IT WHEREVER.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPIRIT OF OLD LAW, THE SPIRIT OF THE SOS ORDINANCE WAS TO PRESERVE BARTON CREEK.

IT WAS TO PRESERVE OUR WATER.

AND YOU HAVE, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, ARE THEY REALLY DOING THAT? I THINK THEY CAN DO BETTER.

YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT NOTHING AGAINST THIS PROJECT OR ANY PROJECT REALLY.

THERE ARE SOME GOOD ASPECTS TO THIS PROJECT, CERTAINLY, BUT IF YOU CAN DO BETTER, I WOULD JUST THINK AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND THIS PLACE IN ON THE EVOLUTION OF MAN ON THIS PLANET OF EARTH, WE NEED TO, SO I AGREE WITH BOBBY LEWINSKY'S, WHAT HIS STATEMENT WAS.

IF YOU CAN PUT ON THE REALLY GOOD SOS PONDS, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WITH IT.

IT SAYS ATLAS 14.

ATLAS 14 IS ALREADY AN UNDERESTIMATE OF WHAT A MAXIMUM FLOOD COULD HAPPEN AND COULD DO.

SO PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT WATER SHEETING OFF THE PROPERTY, THAT IS ANOTHER CONCERN.

[02:25:01]

IT'S A SERIOUS CONCERN.

SO I WOULD JUST SUGGEST YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN DO, AND I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, UH, THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL.

CORRECT.

THANKS, CHAIR.

AND COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD PRIMARILY JUST RESPOND BY SAYING, TAKING THE 10,000 FOOT VIEW OF, I I WAS AROUND ALSO WHEN 2007, WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.

AND REALLY, THE, THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO TAKE OLD ANCIENT, YOU KNOW, POOR OR NON-EXISTENT WATER QUALITY ATTENTION, ALLOW THOSE PROJECTS TO BE REDEVELOPED, UM, AND, AND BROUGHT UP TO, TO BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND THEN THAT 20 YEARS SINCE THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED, I THINK THERE'S ONLY BEEN, I'M ONLY AWARE OF SIX OR SO PROJECTS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY USED IT AND BEEN ABLE TO COMPLY WITH IT.

AND THIS IS ONE OF 'EM.

AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD, UM, TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO YOU.

AND THIS SORT OF PROJECT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED FOR ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT IT BRINGS, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, BENEFITS.

AGAIN, THE REPLACING A, A BANK BUILDING 10 LANE DRIVE THROUGH WITH HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, REDUCING IMPS COVER SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO WATER QUALITY DETENTION.

I THINK SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, LOCALIZED FLOODING HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THERE EXISTS PRE ATLAS 14 DETENTION.

AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BRINGING IT UP TO ATLAS 14 AND CHANNELIZING IT AGAIN, THE PAYMENT OF 390,000 INTO THE BARTON SPRINGS MITIGATION FUND.

WE'RE DOING ALL THESE THINGS FOR OUR SITE ON SITE, AND THE WAY THE CODE CALCULATES THAT PAYMENT IS THAT THAT COULD BUY 8.2 ACRES WORTH OF OFFSITE LAND TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS PER THE CODE, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS SO RARE AND IT'S NOT UTILIZED AS MUCH AS I, I WISH IT WAS.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BRINGING THIS TO, TO THE, THE, THE COMMISSION, AGAIN, PAYMENT OF MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES, STREET IMPACT FEES.

UM, WE, UH, URGE YOUR SUPPORT OF STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR, UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE, UM, COMMISSIONERS IF WE CAN GET THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS ON THE SCREEN.

UH, COMMISSIONER NICHOLS, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

I'M SUPPORTIVE.

COMMISSIONER KRUEGER, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, AS USUAL, I'M WRESTLING WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE GIVEN A BINARY CHOICE TO MAKE ON AN INCREDIBLY NUANCED ISSUE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T ADD ANY CONDITIONS TO THIS, BUT I AM CURIOUS IF THE APPLICANT COULD ADDRESS WHAT I'M HEARING AS THE SALIENT QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE, WHICH IS WHY NOT DO AN SOS FILTRATION POND HERE.

AND, UH, THIS IS LIZ JOHNSTON, A INTERIM ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.

I DID WANNA ALSO JUST SAY THAT WHILE THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY CONDITIONS, UM, I THINK YOU COULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS GOING TO ENVIRONMENT, UH, TO CITY COUNCIL.

THEY HAVE CERTAIN THINGS, YOU KNOW, RELATED TO COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND, AND WHATNOT.

SO IN THOSE VEINS YOU COULD MAKE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO THANKS.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

YES, COMMISSIONER, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

I WOULD JUST SAY WHAT I SAID PREVIOUSLY IS THAT, THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE ON, ON A RAZOR'S EDGE IN TERMS OF VIABILITY AND, AND MAKING THEM WORK.

AND, AND THIS PROJECT IS PROUD TO HAVE BEEN AND, AND, UH, REVIEWED BY MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES, UM, AND UNDER THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS AND COMPLYING WITH ALL APPLICABLE CODES AND INCLUDING SOME PRETTY STRINGENT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND PROVIDING BIOFILTRATION PONDS.

SO THAT'S JUST BASICALLY WHERE THE PROJECT IS AT AND THAT'S WHAT'S VIABLE FOR THIS PROJECT.

THE, AN ALTERNA, YOU KNOW, AN ALTERNATIVE IS FOR THIS KIND OF PROJECT TO CONTINUE TO JUST LANGUISH AND NOT DO ANY IMPROVEMENTS, BE IT A DRIVE THROUGH BANK WITH 10 LANE DRIVE THROUGHS, UM, 10 LANES WORTH OF DRIVE THROUGH AND BE PRE ATLAS DETENTION FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

HAVE YOU ALL QUANTIFIED WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO AN SOS FILTRATION POND? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A RAISES.

NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

AND SO I IMAGINE THAT THE COST OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS PART OF THE CALCULUS.

UM, SORRY, I STILL HAVE SOME BACK AND FORTH.

I KNOW YOU KEEP WALKING BACK.

UM, I, YEAH, I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT PHRASE, THE PROJECT BEING ON A RAZOR'S EDGE.

I'M INTERPRETING THAT AS LIKE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY.

[02:30:01]

I I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S ONE OF THE FACTORS AGAIN, THIS, THIS, THIS PROJECT AS IS COMPLIANCE CO COMPLIES WITH CITY CODE, INCLUDING ALL DI THE MULTIPLE DI DISCIPLINES THAT REVIEWED IT AS WELL AS THE BARTON SPRING, THE, EXCUSE ME, THE REDEVELOPMENT ACCESSION, UH, PROVISIONS.

RIGHT? I, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT COMPLIES WITH CODE AND YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS NOT ENJOYING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.

I'M REALLY NOT TRYING TO BE, UH, RUDE OR ANYTHING BY ASKING THEM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S VALID.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE DOING WHAT THE CODE REQUIRES.

THAT'S GREAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, BOBBY BROUGHT UP, MAYBE THERE'S A POLICY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REVISIT SOME OF THIS CODE.

SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE DOING WHAT IS REQUIRED AND THEN WE CAN ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT IS THE BARE MINIMUM ENVIRONMENTALLY THAT'S REQUIRED.

I, OF COURSE, SEE BENEFIT TO BUILDING THIS PROJECT IN D EIGHT.

THERE ISN'T A LOT OF MULTIFAMILY USE IN D EIGHT.

I'M NOT HERE AS MANY OF OTHERS HAVE SAID TO DENIGRATE YOUR PROJECT, BUT I AM HERE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

UM, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR WHY YOU'RE NOT DOING AN SOS FILTRATION POND.

OTHER, OTHER THAN YOU'RE LOOSELY SUGGESTING THAT IT'S NOT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.

UM, I ASSUME THAT'S ONE OF THE FACTORS.

AGAIN, WE HAVE BIOFILTRATION PONDS THAT ARE, UH, COMPLYING WITH KIND OF GREEN, GREEN WATER QUALITY AND, AND DETENTION FOR THIS, THIS PROJECT AND, AND CURRENT ATLAS 14 DETENTION FOR THIS PROJECT.

SO I'M, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND, AND I'M NOT TAKING A NEGATIVE WHATSOEVER.

I'M JUST TRYING TO ANSWER IT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.

COMMISSIONER BRIMER, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION FOLKS.

I APPRECIATE, UH, THE TIME YOU TOOK.

UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF, ONLY A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

UH, WHERE'S THE PARKLAND DEDICATION MONEY GOING TO BE SPENT? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA? I CAN SPEAK BROADLY TO THE PARKLAND DEDICATION.

ORDINANCE GENERALLY REQUIRES, UH, SPENDING MONEY WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF WHERE PROJECT IS.

I THINK IT'S A HALF MILE, RIGHT? AND SO IS THERE A PARK LAND, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A PARK WITHIN A HALF MILE RADIUS WHERE THE MONEY'S GONNA BE SPENT? THAT'S A QUESTION FOR, FOR PARK STAFF.

I THINK MY, MY EXPERIENCE FOR 26 YEARS WORTH OF DOING THIS IS THAT YOU BASICALLY PAY FUNDS INTO THE PARKLAND DEDICATION, UH, FUND.

AND THEN OVER TIME IT'S DRAWN DOWN FOR VARIOUS, THERE'S NOT ONE PROJECT THAT IDENTIFIES ONE PARTICULAR PART, BUT BROADLY SPEAKING, IT'S SPENT WITHIN A HALF MILE.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE, YEAH, WE'RE PAYING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION MAY BE BETTER DIRECTED STAFF.

UH, IS THERE A PARK AND A HALF MILE OF THIS LOCATION THAT, UH, MIGHT BE THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS, UH, MONEY? UM, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT HAVE PARK, UH, REVIEW STAFF HERE, SO WE ARE, UH, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

BUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, IT IS USED WITHIN, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO THE VICINITY.

UM, AND THEY HAVE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT THEY USE.

IT COULD BE ALSO USED FOR PARKLAND, UH, ACQUISITION.

SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IDENTIFIED AT THIS POINT.

UH, TOTAL MITIGATION REQUIRED 683 INCHES, UH, WHICH COULD BE IN THE FORM OF, UM, PAYMENT OR PLANTING.

UH, AND HOW MANY TREES ARE PLANNED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE, UH, LOT.

AND ARE, ARE ANY OF THEM, UH, HERITAGE TREES, MIKE MCDOUGALL, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PROGRAM MANAGER, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT? YES.

UH, THE TABLES, UH, REVIEWED BY THE CITY, THE ARBOR REVIEWER INDICATES THAT THERE ARE 1,151 INCHES SURVEYED AND 950 INCHES TO BE REMOVED.

AMONG THOSE ARE THREE HERITAGE TREES WITH A TOTAL, A CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF 73 AND A HALF INCHES.

AND WILL THOSE BE, UH, WILL, I GUESS, ARE THOSE GONNA BE REPLACED ON SITE OR ARE THOSE GOING TO BE, UH, UH, MITIGATED BY PAYING INTO THE, UH, FUND FOR THAT, UH, SORT OF THING? I, TOTAL MITIGATION PROVIDED 600, EXCUSE ME.

UH, LET'S SEE.

[02:35:01]

TOTAL MITIGATION PROVIDED 689 INCHES.

UH, PROPOSED TREES 400.

IT'S BOLIVIA PLANTING, OH, SORRY, BOLIVIA PLANTING.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE RESPONSE ON THAT ONE.

CAN YOU, UH, STATE, STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE AND ANSWER? YES, THIS IS JUSTIN KD WITH LIQUIDITY.

JUSTIN KD WITH LIQUIDITY ENGINEERING.

UH, THE TREES ON SITE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, FULLY REPLANTED VIA, UH, FULLY REPLANTED, SO NO, NO FEES, UH, FOR THE MITIGATION.

AND THEN AS FAR AS THE TREES, UH, REMOVALS, UH, WE HAVE, UH, APPROVED WAIVERS FOR THE REMOVALS.

UM, AND ONE OF THEM IS, UH, A DEAD TREE, AND THEN THE OTHER TWO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DETEN DE DETENTION POND.

UH, SO WHEN WE'RE UPSIZING INTO THE BIOFILTRATION POND, UH, ULTIMATELY TO DO THAT, IT REQUIRES THE REMOVAL OF THE TREES TO TREAT THE WATER GOING TO THE BARTON SPRING ZONE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER QURESHI.

UH, THANK YOU.

I WOULD, UH, AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER, UH, KRUEGER WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, SOS POND.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THE, UH, FINANCIAL ISSUES INVOLVED AND THE FACT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS MAY NOT HAVE, UH, GONE PAST THE, UH, INITIAL SCOPE BASED UPON THE CITY CODE.

BUT, UH, REGARDLESS OF THAT, UH, I WOULD THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON A SOS POND AND OTHER, UH, RUNOFF MITIGATION FEATURES MIGHT HAVE BEEN A, UH, GOOD THING TO CONSIDER IN YOUR, IN YOUR PLANNING FOR THE ENTIRE THING.

GIVEN THAT THIS IS, UH, OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE, THAT'S, UH, ALL I HAVE.

HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

YEAH, I'M JUST GOING TO ECHO, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE OVER, YOU KNOW, DRAINAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, RUNOFF, UH, ALSO, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC IMPACTING THE AREA.

CERTAINLY I THINK THE, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, APARTMENT COMPLEX LOCATED NEAR A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN, IN MASS TRANSIT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED FOR SURE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, UH, ENCOURAGED THE DEVELOPERS TO, YOU KNOW, ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT STUFF LIKE, YOU KNOW, EV CHARGING, UH, POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, SELLER PANEL USAGE AND, AND DARK SKY LAYING AS WELL.

AND, UH, NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

APPRECIATE IT.

COMMISSIONER FLURY? YEAH, I THINK I REALLY JUST HAVE MORE COMMENTS THAN QUESTIONS AND, UH, I THOUGHT THE, THE, THE PROJECT DID VERY WELL OF HITTING, UH, YOU KNOW, 305, UH, SITES WHERE THERE WERE NO, UH, UNITS WHERE THERE'S NO HOMES TODAY.

SEEMS QUITE IMPRESSIVE TO HAVE KEPT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER SOMEWHAT EQUAL.

UM, IT, IT'S KIND OF SHOCKING AT THE SAME TIME TO JUST THINK ABOUT THE TWO VERY CONTRASTING, UH, LIFESTYLES THAT ARE GONNA BE ON THE SITE, BUT VERY IMPRESSIVE FOR HOW IT CONNECTS TO THE CITY.

UM, THE, UH, FOUR GOALS THAT IT WAS HITTING OF THE CITY THAT IT DID WELL THERE.

BUT DO WANT TO ECHO WHAT WE'VE HEARD, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS SAY THAT, UH, DO RECOMMEND THAT THE PROJECT HIT THE SOS, UH, POND STANDARDS HIGHEST WATER QUALITY STANDARD.

UM, WOULD HOPE THAT KINDA THAT, THAT YOUR, YOUR TEAM HAS RUN THOSE NUMBERS.

'CAUSE IT WOULD SEEM WITH SUCH A, UH, I, I DON'T HAVE THE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BRING THAT UP TO COMPLIANCE.

BUT WITH SUCH A BIG PROJECT, IT SEEMS LIKE A DETENTION POND SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO KEEP IT FROM, FROM BECOMING FEASIBLE.

SO IT BEING OVER THE MOST CHERISHED AQUIFER THAT EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN HERE IN AUSTIN KNOWS ABOUT FOR SOME TIME, UH, WHY NOT LEAN INTO THAT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND, AND, AND REALLY SAY WE HIT THE HIGHEST STANDARDS REGARDING WATER QUALITY.

'CAUSE WE ARE ON TOP OF THE RECHARGE ZONE.

WE ARE ON TOP OF EDWARDS AQUIFERS, SO WE DID THE, THE BEST.

AND THEN THERE'S NO QUESTION TO IT.

UM, SO I, I THINK WHEN PRESENTING TO CITY COUNCIL, THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO KNOW MORE CLARITY WHY, UH, THE PROJECT COULDN'T HIT THAT OR MAYBE IT COULD.

UM, SO DO, WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

UM, AND THEN, UH, UH, UH, A SECONDARY POINT TO THE FLOOD FLOODING CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD.

UM, I DIDN'T, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT IN THE PRESENTATION.

UH, YOU KNOW, I SAW IT WRITTEN THAT IT, IT MEETS THE ATLAS 14 STANDARDS, BUT LET'S SEE IT ON A MAP.

LET'S, LET'S SHOW THE CITIZENS CLEARLY THAT, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT THE MODEL LOOKS LIKE.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN A 500 YEAR STORM.

THIS IS HOW IT, IT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, BE CAPTURED, UH, IN THE PLANS.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD

[02:40:01]

WOULD DO MUCH BETTER.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO ONE, ONE OF THE, UH, ITEMS YOU HAD MENTIONED WAS THE DETENTION POND SIZING OR THE WATER QUALITY SIZING.

UH, SO, UH, WHY WE WEREN'T DOING SOS, SO WE DID LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS AND A LOT OF THE SOS OPTIONS TAKE A LARGER FOOTPRINT OF LAND.

SO WITH THE DRAINAGE PATTERNS FOR THE SITE, A LOT OF THE FLOWS ARE GOING TO TWO 90 AND WEST CREEK DRIVE THAT CORNER.

AND SO GIVEN THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AROUND, IT ULTIMATELY CHOKED US INTO THAT FOOTPRINT FOR THE POND THAT WE HAD CHOSEN.

UH, AS WELL, THE POND IS A LEVEL ABOVE A TYPICAL SEDIMENTATION FILTRATION.

IT'S A BIOFILTRATION POND THAT HAS PLANTINGS WITHIN IT AS WELL.

SO NOT JUST THE BASE MINIMUM LIKE MENTIONED, BUT IS ACTUALLY A STEP ABOVE, UH, WHAT THE MINIMUM IS REQUIRED ON.

AND THEN, UH, AS WELL TO RESPOND TO THE, THE DRAINAGE IN THE AREA.

UM, THAT, THAT IS CORRECT.

THE, THE EXISTING PONDS WERE UNDERSIZED PRE ATLAS.

AND WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE IS THOSE ARE TYPICALLY ABOUT 25% TOO SMALL.

SO THAT WE DO THINK THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE DRAINAGE ISSUES IN THE AREA.

AND WHEN WE WERE DESIGNING THE POND, UH, WE DID A SITE VISIT IN THE RAIN, THERE WAS A BIG RAINFALL EVENT AND LOOKED AT ALL THE DRAINAGE CONDITIONS IN THE AREA TO REALLY GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE FLOWS.

AND WE DO BELIEVE IT'S GONNA HELP A LOT IN THE AREA.

THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE DOING.

UH, NO MORE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.

UM, COMMISSIONER SHIRA? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, OVERALL I FELT THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND, UM, IMPROVEMENT TO THE, TO THE, UH, LOT.

UM, JUST THINKING MORE OF A ENVIRONMENTALLY ACTUALLY LIVING THERE AND THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I JUST AM WONDERING, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE TWO SCHOOLS NEARBY, IS THIS TARGET AUDIENCE, UH, FAMILY FOCUSED? IS IT, AND, AND CAN YOU MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW, UM, HOW IT MIGHT BE? YEAH, YEAH.

I DON'T HAVE THE, THE UNIX MIX IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

IT HAS, UH, MULTIPLE AMENITIES WITHIN WALKABLE DISTANCE OR BUS, YOU KNOW, JUMP ON A BUS DISTANCE FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE, INCLUDING THE, THE SCHOOLS NEARBY THAT NOBODY HAS TO JUMP IN A CAR TO GO TO.

SO I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE POINTING OUT ONE OF THE, THE REAL OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE THERE, AND I'M NOT, I I JUST DON'T HAVE THE UNIT MIX, UM, IN, IN FRONT OF ME.

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

I MEAN, WHEN I THINK OF OUR FAMILY AND WHAT'S, UM, MAKES IT, IT, UM, NICE FOR US TO LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEING ABLE TO WALK TO THE PARK AND THOSE, THE SCHOOLS BEING RIGHT THERE.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU, YOU WERE ADDING ANY, YOU KNOW, PLAYGROUNDS OR OUTDOOR FEATURES TO THE, TO THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT DEFINITELY, UM, CONSIDER THAT.

AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THE PARKLAND FUNDS COULD GO TO THE SCHOOLS NEARBY.

JUST SEEMS LIKE A VERY INTENTIONAL THING THAT WE SHOULD DO.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION LIKE THAT.

BUT, UM, YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU MR. MC, MR. COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN? YEAH, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, SECRETARY BRISTOL.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND UM, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.

I I DO HAVE, UM, QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS AND, UM, AND PROBABLY EVEN A COUPLE COMMENTS.

SO, UM, I THINK MY, MY COMMENT IS ECHOES, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT SOME OF THE, UM, UH, FOLKS WHO WERE MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER TODAY.

YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT FOOTPRINT REDUCED.

UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT REDUCED BY ABOUT 3000, UM, SQUARE FEET.

UM, AND MAYBE THAT MEANS THAT, UM, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF HEIGHT, ADDITIONAL HEIGHT THAT COMES ONTO THAT BUILDING.

UM, IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SQUEEZE THAT DOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD, UM, I, I, I FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS IN AN AREA WHERE THE HEIGHT DOESN'T REALLY IMPACT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY, UM, IT WOULD ACTUALLY ACT AS A LITTLE BIT OF A BUFFER BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S BEHIND IT.

UM, SO, SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

I'M USUALLY NOT A HUGE, UH, PROPONENT OF HEIGHT, BUT, UM, IN, IN THIS PLACEMENT, IT, IT SEEMS, UH, LOGICAL AND FINE.

UM, IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL COULD CONSIDER? YEAH, TO BE CLEAR, WE SUBMITTED OUR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FULL BLOWN CONSTRUCTION IN AUGUST OF 2023.

[02:45:01]

IT'S BEEN UNDER REVIEW.

AND SO EVERYTHING IS BASICALLY APPROVED, UM, YOU KNOW, CALL IT SEVEN AFTER SEVEN FIGURES OR SO WORTH OF MONEY SPENT ON THIS PROJECT.

SO THIS PROJECT REALLY THE ONLY THING, IT'S, IT'S PENDING AND WAITING APPROVAL OF IS THIS REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION.

AND, AND, AND THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, REDO OUR BUILDING AT THIS TIME IS, IS JUST REALLY NOT, NOT AN OPTION FOR THIS PROJECT.

UM, I JUST NEEDED TO SAY THAT ON RECORD HERE, UM, IN YOUR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING AT AND CONSIDERING THAT HERE TODAY.

UM, ARE YOU REUSING ANY OF LIKE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE WATER ON SITE, YOU RE RECYCLING ANY OF THE WATER ON SITE? NO, THERE IS NO WATER REUSE ON SITE FOR THIS ONE.

YOU, UM, ON, UM, ARE YOU ALSO INTENDING TO USE, UM, DARK SKY LIGHTINGS THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE SITE PLAN? DO YOU REMEMBER? I DO KNOW THAT THE LIGHTING IS SUBCHAPTER E COMPLIANT, SO IT'S DOWN FIRING AND SHIELDED.

UH, AS FAR AS DARK SKY LIGHTING, I'M, I'M NOT SURE TO, TO THAT ONE SAME THING.

I'VE LOOKED AT THIS.

YEAH, SAME THING.

THANK, YEAH, THANK YOU.

UM, AND SO THINKING ABOUT RUNOFF, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I, I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE, UH, AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, UM, WANTING TO MITIGATE AND, AND MINIMIZE, UM, THAT RUNOFF IN THERE.

AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CAN WE PUT, ESPECIALLY BUFFERING THOSE ADJACENT PROPERTIES USING THINGS LIKE TINY FORCE CONCEPT FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAS A LOT OF INTENSE BIODIVERSITY OF PLANTS.

UM, IT'S NOT JUST HERE'S YOUR TREE AND IT'S ALL MOWED UNDERNEATH IT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY, REALLY HAS A LOT MORE DENSITY TO IT.

UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AS A BUFFER, UM, BETWEEN, BUT ALSO THEN IT HELPS REALLY SLOW THAT WATER DOWN IN A VERY COMPACT SPACE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THAT AS A, A MITIGATION EFFORT.

UM, ALONG THAT, UM, I'M NOT SUPER EXCITED TO HEAR THAT, UM, TWO HERITAGE TREES ARE BEING REMOVED FOR, UH, TO BE IN THE RETENTION POND.

THAT, THAT SEEMS, UM, NOT LIKE A GREAT PROGRESS , SORRY, I KEEP CLICKING THE BUTTON.

UH, IF I CAN CLARIFY ON THAT ONE.

SO, UH, THE TWO EXISTING HERITAGE PONDS ARE IN THE EXISTING DETENTION POND THAT IS UNDERSIZED.

SO TO DO ANY CHANGE THEY'RE IN EXISTING IN THE EXISTING GOT IT.

DETENTION POND.

SO TO BACK UP TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, WE DID, UM, A SITE WALK WITH THE ARBORIST GROUP.

SO NAOMI, THEIR WHOLE GROUP WENT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE HERITAGE TREE ON THE, ON THE SITE.

AND ULTIMATELY WE, WE WALKED THROUGH OUR PLAN, HEY, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS A CONCERN AND WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE BRING THIS DETENTION POND UP TO CURRENT CODE.

SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS OUR STRUGGLE IN THAT CORNER, WAS FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THIS? AND SO ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, IT, IT ENDED UP BEING THAT THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE OPTION OTHER THAN REMOVING THE TWO HERITAGE TREES.

AND THAT WAS THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH AS STAFF WAS SHOWING THAT THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR THAT CORNER, GIVEN THE WAY IT'S A HOLE IN THE GROUND, UH, ALL THE FLOWS ARE GOING THERE AND ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO TREAT THOSE FLOWS IN THAT LOW POINT.

THERE'S, THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY, UH, TO, TO TREAT THOSE FLOWS OTHER THAN TO REMOVE THE TREES, UH, WHEN WE WERE CONVERTING IT TO THE BIOFILTRATION POND.

SO THAT'S THE FULL, FULL PICTURE ON THAT ONE.

THANK YOU FOR, FOR EXPLAINING THAT A LITTLE BETTER FOR ME.

THEY'RE NOT BEING TRANSPLANTED.

UM, THAT HELPS.

AND, UM, ARE THOSE TREES, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE REPLANTED ON THE PROPERTY, RIGHT? THEY'RE GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE? IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT, IT IS CORRECT.

IT WOULD BE NEW PLANTINGS FOR THE, THE MITIGATION FOR THE, THE SITE.

SO THERE'S NO, NO FEES, UH, BEING PAID INTO A FUND, BUT IT WOULD BE ENTIRELY NEW TREES BEING PLANTED AROUND THE ENTIRETY OF THE SITE.

SO THE TREES AREN'T BEING REMOVED, THEY'RE JUST BEING CUT DOWN.

THEY'RE NOT BEING LIKE TRANSPLANTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.

CORRECT.

ONE OF THE GREEN SCHOOL PARK CONCEPTS.

INTERESTING.

UM, OKAY.

UM, I WANNA GO BACK TO, UM, COMMISSIONER SHEAR'S.

UH, QUESTION ABOUT, UM, HAVING, UM, APPROXIMATELY 900 PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WITHIN A QUARTER OF A MILE WALKING DISTANCE, UH, TO A PARK.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB ON THE, ON THE SITE WITH ADDING SOME TRAILS AND YOU KNOW, THE CONNECTIVITY PIECE.

THAT'S FANTASTIC.

UM, I'M WONDERING, UM, HOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THIS IS PROBABLY A BETTER QUESTION TO THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A PARTNERSHIP, UM, AGREEMENT WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE SCHOOL CAMPUS, UH, DURING OUTTA SCHOOL TIME AS A PARK, AS, AS

[02:50:01]

UM, THAT IS AN INTERESTING IDEA.

LIZ JOHNSTON AND GERMAN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD, UH, DEFINITELY NEED TO HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL TO TO KNOW IF THEY WOULD WOULD WANT THAT OR NOT.

I KNOW THAT, UH, THESE DAYS IT'S, UM, SOMETIMES IT'S, UM, THEY'RE LESS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT BRINGING OUTSIDE FOLKS ONTO THE CAMPUS FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE UP, UP TO THEM.

UM, SO I I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REQUIRE THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT, IT WOULD, UH, IT WOULD ENTAIL OBLIGATING A ISD, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION, BUT YOU KNOW, WE COULD CERTAINLY ASK THEM TO LOOK INTO IT.

UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO PUT ON HERE AS A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER WORKING WITH A ISD ABOUT WHERE THAT PARKLAND DEDICATION MONEY CAN GO, UM, AS, AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR AS YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, UM, THAT'S AN OPTION.

IT'S A BIG SCHOOL FOOTPRINT THAT'S NEXT DOOR.

UM, AND, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG MODE SPACE ALSO.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'D BE SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UM, ON THAT CAMPUS AS WELL.

I THINK THAT'S, OH, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

UM, PARKING, ARE YOU, IS THERE SURFACE PARKING? IS IT A PARKING STRUCTURE? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT'S A STRUCTURED PARKING GARAGE, UH, WITHIN THE PROJECT EX.

EXACTLY.

AND ON THAT ONE ALSO, I ASSUME THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, DOWNCAST LIGHTING, ALL THE BEST BELLS AND WHISTLES IN THAT COR CORRECT.

WHOLE PROJECT COMPLIANT WITH THE SUBCHAPTER YOU DOWN FIRING, LIGHTING.

EXACTLY.

AND IS THERE ANY, UH, WAY TO HAVE, UM, SOLAR PANELS ON THAT OR SOMETHING KIND OF COOL TO MAKE IT, UH, YOU KNOW, A A A PARKING STRUCTURE THAT MAYBE HAS EVEN BRINGING INFRASTRUCTURE ON IT? ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CONSIDERED, UH, OR, OR THAT WE DISCUSSED.

BE A LOT COOLER IF YOU HAD.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I GOT CHAIR.

I JUST HAD A FEW QUESTIONS I HAVEN'T BEEN ASKED YET.

UM, I WAS CURIOUS IF LIKE, UM, IF Y'ALL CONSIDERED POLLINATOR GARDENS OR ANYTHING ELSE ON THE PROPERTY TO ENCOURAGE LIKE, UM, BUTTERFLIES TAKING OFF OR, UH, WELL BOOSTING THE POPULATION AND STUFF.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, UH, FROM THE LANDSCAPING SIDE AROUND THE SITE, I, I DO KNOW THERE'S A HIGHLY AMENITIZED COURTYARD.

UM, AS FAR AS THE DETAILS, I, I DO APOLOGIZE.

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, THE AMENITIES, BUT I DO KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S PLENTY OF GREEN SPACE, OPEN SPACE AND, AND WITHIN THE COURTYARDS AND, AND A LOT OF VEGETATION, UH, THE SPECIFIC TYPES, I, I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT SPECIFICS.

AND, UH, ONE THING I KIND OF THOUGHT OF OF, UM, SINCE IT'S SO CLOSE TO A SCHOOL, IF THERE WOULD ON A PO POTENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND MAYBE HAVING LIKE DEDICATED SPACE ON THE PROPERTY FOR LIKE CLASSES OR TUTORING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IN CASE IT, YOU HAVE LIKE A, A FAMILY, A HUGE FAMILY DYNAMIC TO LIVE IN THAT COMPLEX.

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S NOT A DEDICATED A ISD OR TUTORING SPACE IS NOT SOMETHING WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON THE PROJECT HAVE ON SITE.

AND LIKE I SAID, THE BUILDINGS FULLY, COMPLETELY DESIGNED AND PERMITTED PRACTICALLY.

UM, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY INHERENT IN BEING SO CLOSE TO THE SCHOOL AND SO CLOSE TO THE OTHER AMENITIES THERE IS THAT WE, WE WANT TO BE A, A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND, AND WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, AND, AND WE, WE PLAN TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.

AND I'M SURE INHERENTLY OVER TIME THAT SORT OF PARTNERSHIP MAY EVOLVE OVER TIME.

THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD SUGGESTION.

AND ALSO I WAS KIND OF, I WAS WONDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING SOME SPACE ON THE PROPERTY FOR MAYBE A COMMUNITY GARDEN OR SOMETHING TO KIND OF FACTOR IN.

UM, WELL, SINCE YOU HAVE AFFORDABLE UNITS, IT COULD BE A, A A, A VERY SLIGHT WAY TO OFFSET MAYBE SOME FOOD SHORTAGES OR, UM, FOOD AVAILABILITY SINCE ALSO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE NEAREST, UM, GROCERY STORE IS ON THAT, LIKE, IN THAT AREA.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A WAYS OFF.

SO MAYBE, YEAH.

A WAY TO OFFSET LIKE FOOD DESERT YEAH.

EFFECT AS WELL.

NO, AS, AS JUSTIN SAID, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH US BEFORE US TODAY, BUT AGAIN, I'LL SAY THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, A BIKE PED WALK BUS TRIP, YOU KNOW, TO THOSE TYPE AMENITIES, BUT CERTAINLY CERTAIN, UNFORTUNATELY JUST DON'T HAVE THE, THE CYCLING SHEETS THAT ILLUSTRATE THAT.

UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE UNLESS ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

UM, I MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SECOND.

[02:55:01]

SECONDED VICE CHAIR.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS, IS YOUR HAND RAISED ? IT'S UNANIMOUS.

ALRIGHT, UM, UH, FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025.

UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? WE DO.

AND I, I HOPE THAT I HAVE, UM, CAUGHT THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, REQUEST FOR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.

DO I NEED TO WAIT, MICHAEL? NO, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU, I DIDN'T NEED TO.

I, UM, UH, THIS IS THE WEST CREEK, UH, MIXED USE SP DASH 2 0 2 3 DASH 0 2 7 6 C AND THE LOCATION IS 5 7 2 5 WEST US, UH, TWO 90 HIGHWAY, UH, EEB EASTBOUND AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 4 9.

WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION IN THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 26.

AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THIS PROJECT REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THE REDEVELOPMENT INCLUDES MORE THAN 25 DWELLING UNITS AND THE PROJECT, UH, PROPOSES 305 UNITS.

AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE PROPERTY, UH, IS LOCATED WITHIN THE BARTON CREEK WATERSHED, BARTON SPRINGS ZONE CLASSIFICATION AND DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.

AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES STAFF RECOMMENDS, UM, THIS REDEVELOPMENT, UM, EXCEPTION, THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS.

NUMBER ONE, UH, UPGRADING THE BIOFILTRATION POND TO A SYSTEM THAT IS SOS COMPLIANT.

TWO, CONSIDER EV CHARGING STATIONS AND SOLAR PANELS.

THREE.

UTILIZE DARK SKY LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY.

I CAN TAKE THAT ONE OFF BECAUSE YOU SAID THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THAT.

THREE MITIGATE, UH, RUNOFF TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING TINY FOREST CONCEPTS THAT UTILIZE DENSE VEGETATION THAT ALSO INCREASE BIODIVERSITY AND REDUCE HEAT ISLAND.

FOUR.

CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH A ISD TO UTILIZE THE CAMPUS AS PARKLAND WITH SOME OF THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES GOING TO THE SCHOOL TO IMPROVE THAT PROPERTY AS A PARK SETTING.

FIVE.

WORK WITH THE SCHOOL TO OFFER SIGNAGE OR EDUCATION MATERIALS, UH, ON THE AQUIFER AND WATERSHED.

DOES THAT CAPTURE WHAT YOU SAID? I THINK SO.

GARDENS.

AND ON THAT LAST ONE I'M GONNA ADD, UH, POLLINATOR GARDENS AS WELL AS WATERSHED COMMISSIONER BRISTOL.

I'D LIKE TO ADD ONE MORE ITEM.

YES SIR.

UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER TO UH, 40.

I THINK IT'S, RIGHT NOW IT'S AT 45.

IS THAT WHAT IT IS? SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

ARE YOU SAYING IN A PERCENTAGE? YEAH, IN PERCENTAGE.

MIKE MCDOUGAL INVOLVEMENT OF POLICY PROGRAM MANAGER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS 45.29% AND I'D LIKE TO REDUCE IT TO 40.

GOT IT.

ANYTHING ELSE? UH, UH, I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THERE'S TWO SCHOOLS AND SO, UM, INSTEAD OF SCHOOL TO NOTATE THAT IT'S BOTH THE ELEMENTARY AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, I'LL PUT CAMPUSES.

YEP.

ANYTHING ELSE? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WELL, I'LL SECOND IT.

UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? I AM A LITTLE CURIOUS ABOUT THE REQUEST TO REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER KNOWING THAT THEIR PLANS ARE ALREADY PRETTY MUCH APPROVED IS WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE, OR I THINK YOU KNOW THAT, UM, IN A FINAL STATE SINCE THIS GOES BEFORE COUNSEL, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN DECIDE IF THEY WANNA INCLUDE THAT OR NOT.

DOES THAT SOUND ALL RIGHT? OKAY.

COULD YOU JUST SECOND UHHUH?

[03:00:01]

I SECOND IT.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE ON THIS MOTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR WITH HOW THE MOTION IS, UM, WRITTEN.

RAISE YOUR HANDS.

HAVE NICHOLS KRUEGER, BRIER, RESCHE, FLURRY, BEDFORD, BRISTOL, SHERA AND SULLIVAN.

THANKS EVERYBODY.

OKAY, IT IS 9:02 PM I SUGGEST WE TAKE A SEVEN MINUTE BREAK, AND GET BACK, UM, A SHARP SEVEN MINUTE BREAK.

SHARP .

WE STILL HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS. UM, I THINK EVERYONE'S ALL RESTED FROM THE BREAK.

HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS, UH, TAYLOR SLOPE DREDGE MAINTENANCE SP DASH 2 2 4 DASH 0 0 1 9 D.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE AND WE

[4. Name: Taylor Slough Dredge Maintenance, SP-2024-0019D Applicant: Janis J. Smith, P.E., Janis Smith Consulting Location: 3704 ½ Meadowbank Dr, Austin, TX, 78703 Council District: District 10 Staff: Miranda Reinhard, Environmental Scientist Senior, Watershed Protection Department 512-978-1537, miranda.reinhard@austintexas.gov Applicant request: Request to vary from LDC 25-8-261(C)(9)(a) to allow more than 25 cubic yards of dredging in Lake Austin. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends this variance with conditions]

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A STAFF, UH, PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS MIRANDA RYAN HARD AND I AM IN THE WATERSHIP PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST SENIOR AND I'M THE WETLAND BIOLOGIST REVIEWER FOR THIS CASE.

AND I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING ON THE VARIANCE FOR DREDGING 25 CUBIC YARDS IN OVER 25 CUBIC YARDS IN LAKE AUSTIN.

AND THE CASE IS CALLED TAYLOR SLEW DRUDGE MAINTENANCE.

SO THE ADDRESS IS 37 0 4 MEADOWBROOK MEADOW BANK DRIVE, AND IT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE AND FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.

IT'S LOCATED IN WEST AUSTIN AND NORTHWEST AUSTIN AND WEST OF MOPAC AND EAST OF THE COLORADO RIVER ALONG LAKE AUSTIN.

IT'S LOCATED IN THE LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN CLASSIFICATION, DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION AND COUNCIL DISTRICT 10.

AND THIS IS SHOWING THAT IT'S LOCATED WITHIN A WATERWAY OF LAKE AUSTIN ITSELF.

SO THE SITE IS, HAS, IS BOUNDED BY MEADOWBANK MEADOW.

I KEEP WANTING TO SAY IT.

MEADOWBANK, UM, THAT IS RIGHT.

MEADOWBANK, SORRY.

, UH, MEADOWBANK DRIVE AND TAYLOR'S DRIVE TO THE SOUTH AND THEN WEST 35TH STREET IN MOUNT BONNE TO THE NORTH MAYFIELD PARK IS UP TO THE NORTHEAST.

AND THEN THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN OR LAGUNA GLORIA IS UP TO THE NORTH WEST JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT.

AND LAKE AUSTIN EXTENDS FURTHER TO THE WEST.

SO HERE'S AN AERIAL IMAGE OF THE WATERWAY AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY BOUNDED MOSTLY BY A CONCRETE BULKHEAD IN CERTAIN AREAS AND THEN OPEN LAND IN CERTAIN AREAS WITH RESIDENCES AND ASSOCIATED BOAT DOCKS.

AND THEN THERE IS CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE FOR WETLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OR CEFS, TWO RIM ROCK CEFS THREE SPRING CEFS, ALL ALONG THIS LAGOON OR WATERWAY AREA.

SO LDC 25 8 2 61 C NINE A, UH, STATES THAT 25 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGE IS ALLOWED IN THE LAKE FOR NAVIGATION SAFETY FOR A SINGLE SITE PERMIT.

AND THIS VARIANCE REQUEST IS TO ALLOW MORE THAN 25 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGING IN LAKE AUSTIN.

SO DUE TO CHANNEL INACCESSIBILITY AND BUILDUP OF SEDIMENT OVER THE YEARS IN THE WATERWAY, THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF DREDGE VOLUME TO RESTORE THE WATERWAY TO A NAVIGABLE DEPTH AND RESTORE SHORELINE ACCESS TO RESIDENCES.

AND THE EXISTING BATHYMETRY SHOWS DIFFERING DEPTHS RANGING FROM 4 92 TO 4 89 FEET IN ELEVATION.

AND ULTIMATELY THIS VARIANCE REQUEST IS ABOUT RESTORING CHANNEL, CHANNEL NAVIGABILITY AGAIN.

MORE TIME, EFFORT, AND BURDEN BUREAUCRATICALLY TO UNDERGO THE VARIANCE PROCESS MULTIPLE TIMES.

SO THIS IS JUST AN AERIAL IMAGE ON NEAR MAPS FROM JANUARY 11TH, 2025 SHOWING THAT SEDIMENT ACCUMULATES PRETTY DRASTICALLY IN THIS AREA AND THAT MORE FREQUENT DREDGING REQUESTS OF SMALLER DREDGE VOLUMES WOULD RESULT IN A RISK OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND

[03:05:01]

SO APPROVAL OF THE LARGER DREDGE REQUESTS WOULD RESULT IN LESS FREQUENT RISK OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND LESS TIME AND EFFORT COMPARED TO PROCESSING MULTIPLE VARIANCES.

SO APPROVAL OF A SMALLER DREDGE VOLUME MIGHT RESULT IN MORE FREQUENT DREDGING REQUESTS AND RISK HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.

SO THIS CODE SECTION ALLOWS FOR 25 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGING IN FOR A SINGLE SITE PERMIT.

AND THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THREE FEET IN DEPTH DOWN TO 4 89 0.2 FEET IN ELEVATION.

AND THE TOTAL VOLUME OF DREDGE IS 1771.3 CUBIC YARDS.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED BACK IN 2010 FOR DREDGING DOWN TO 489 FEET IN ELEVATION AND REMOVING APPROXIMATELY 5,000 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGE VOLUME.

AND THEN TAYLOR S SLEW SILT REMOVAL PROJECT NAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME EXACT AREA.

UM, THAT PROJECT WAS APPROVED BACK IN 1993 TO DREDGE DOWN TO 488.3 FEET AND REMOVED 25 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGE MATERIAL FROM THAT WATERWAY.

SO HERE'S KIND OF A COMPARISON BACK AND FORTH TO SHOW YOU THE 1993 PROPOSAL AND THEN THE DREDGE PROPOSAL.

TODAY IT'S FOR THE SAME GENERAL AREA AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROJECT PROPOSES A SMALLER DREDGE DEPTH AND A SMALLER VOLUME OF DREDGE DUE TO THE SMALLER FOOTPRINT.

UM, BUT THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING A SIMILAR DREDGE DEPTH TO BOTH OF THE PROJECTS THAT I HAD JUST SHARED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.

AND SO OVER 32 YEARS OF SEDIMENT BUILDUP, THIS IS WHY THEY'RE REQUESTING TO HAVE A DREDGING PROJECT AGAIN.

UM, AND THE PROPOSED DREDGE FOR THIS IS 4 94 89 0.2 FEET IN DEPTH.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THAT 4 88 0.3.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THERE IS REQUIRED WETLAND MITIGATION FOR THIS SITE.

THE WETLAND CEF DISTURBANCE AREA IS SHOWN IN BLUE AND THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 506 SQUARE FEET AND THAT EQUATES TO 64 WETLAND MITIGATION PLANTS BEING REQUIRED.

AND THEN THE WETLAND CEF SETBACK DISTURBANCE AREA IS SHOWN IN YELLOW AND THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 9,139 SQUARE FEET AND EQUATES TO 1,172 PLANTS.

SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF WETLAND MITIGATION REQUIRED IS FOR ANY IMPACTS OR DISTURBANCE TO WETLAND CEFS AND THEIR SETBACKS.

SO THAT TOTAL COMES OUT TO THAT 1,236 PLANTS.

SO BULKHEAD MITIGATION IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR THIS SITE BECAUSE THERE IS BULKHEAD MODIFICATION BEING PROPOSED.

AND SO THERE IS A NEW ADDITION OF BULKHEAD ADDED TO THE AREA DOWNSTREAM OR DOWN SLOPE OF THE PROPOSED STAGING AREA.

AND SO THAT BULKHEAD MODIFICATION AREA IS SHOWN HERE IN ORANGE.

AND THEN THE STAGING AREA IS SHOWN IN RED, AND THAT BULKHEAD MODIFICATION AREA IS 43, UM, LINEAR FEET APPROXIMATELY.

AND SO THE WAY THAT WE DO BULKHEAD MITIGATION CALCULATIONS, IT'S THE LINEAR FEET MULTIPLIED BY TWO PLANTS DIVIDED BY THREE LINEAR FEET.

AND THAT EQUATES TO THAT 29, UH, TOTAL BULKHEAD MITIGATION PLANTS REQUIRED.

SO THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS PART OF THAT REC PART OF THE REQUIRED, UM, MITIGATION, AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL MITIGATION.

SO THE, THE WETLAND MITIGATION THAT IS BEING PROPOSED, THOSE ONE THOU, THAT 1003 236 PLANTS IS COMPRISED OF NINE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF FACULTATIVE FAC, WET AND OBLIGATE SPECIES.

AND THEN THE BULKHEAD MITIGATION PLANTINGS IT, THE 29 ARE COMPRISED OF THREE DIFFERENT FACULTATIVE, WET AND OBLIGATE SPECIES.

AND THEN ON THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE THE WETLAND CCFS ARE SHOWN IN BLUE.

THE COMBINED WETLAND MITIGATION AND BULKHEAD MITIGATION THAT'S REQUIRED IS SHOWN IN GREEN ALL ALONG THE SHORELINE.

AND THEN THE AREA OF DISTURBANCE WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, THAT'S TO BE RESTORED WITH 6 0 9 S SEEDING AND PLANTING IS SHOWN IN PURPLE.

SO IN ADDITION TO THESE REQUIREMENTS, THEY'RE ALSO GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND IN CERTAIN AREAS, AND ONE OF THEM IS LIMITING DREDGING TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE 50%, UM, CRITICAL ROOT ZONES OF TREES ALONG THE SHORELINE AND INSTALLING TREE FENCING.

[03:10:01]

AND I JUST HIGHLIGHTED A FEW OF THE 50% CRITICAL ROOT ZONES OF SOME OF THE TREES IN PINK HERE.

NOT ALL OF THEM ARE SHOWN.

ADDITIONALLY, THEY'RE PROVIDING SEVERAL MEASURES TO MINIMIZE OR AVOID SEDIMENT DISCHARGE.

AND ONE OF THOSE INCLUDES A STABILIZED CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE IN BLUE.

THEY ARE PROVIDING HYDRAULIC DREDGING FOR THIS CASE.

AND SO THAT INCLUDES UPTAKING SEDIMENT DIRECTLY FROM THE LAKE WATER AND IT GOES THROUGH A PIPE AND THEN GETS PLACED INTO SPECIFIC DUMPSTERS IN THIS CASE WHERE IT THEN GOES THROUGH A WIRE AND THAT IS THEN REMOVED FROM THE, THE ADDITIONAL SEDIMENT AND WATER THAT'S DISCHARGED FROM THAT IS REMOVED AND PLACED INTO DREDGE FILTER BAGS.

AND THEN THAT IS DE-WATERED FROM THERE AND EVENTUALLY GOES OFFSITE.

SO THAT'S THE SHORT VERSION.

AND I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, UM, LET ME FIND MY NOTE AGAIN.

YEAH, SO THE DUMPSTERS AND THE DREDGE FILL BAG FILTER BAGS ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED, ARE GONNA BE PLACED IN A STABILIZED DEWATERING AREA.

AND SO THAT'S THE ENTIRE AREA SHOWN IN BLACK HERE.

AND SO THAT WHOLE AREA IS GOING TO HAVE A GRAVEL FOUNDATION THAT WILL TEMPORARILY BE THERE JUST FOR THE DUMPSTERS AND THE DREDGE FILTER BAGS FOR IT TO BE PLACED ON.

AND SO THIS HAS A MULTIPLE STAGE PROCESS.

STAGE ONE IS SHOWN IN ORANGE WHERE THERE'S FOUR 40 YARD DUMPSTERS THAT ARE TOPPED WITH THAT WIRE CLOTH TO SCREEN THE WATER AND FINE SEDIMENT THAT WILL BE INSTALLED.

AND THIS STAGE INCLUDES PUMPING THAT DREDGE SEDIMENT INTO THE DUMPSTERS THROUGH THE WIRE CLOTH, AND THEN THE MATERIALS COLLECTED ON THE SCREEN, AND THAT'S GONNA BE SHOVELED OFF INTO FILTER BAGS FOR REMOVAL.

AND THEN STAGE TWO IS THE AREA IN YELLOW, AND THAT'S WHERE FOUR 15 BY 15 DREDGE BAGS WILL BE.

FILTER BAGS WILL BE USED AT ONE TIME, AND THE STAGE INCLUDES PUMPING THAT WATER FINE SEDIMENT FROM THE DUMPSTERS INTO THE SAID FILTER BAGS.

THE FINE SEDIMENT IS RETAINED IN THE BAGS, THE WATER DRAINS FROM THE BAGS DOWN THE SLOPE, AND THEN THAT WILL ALLOW FOR THE FILTER BAGS TO PROPERLY DRAIN OF ANY EXCESS WATER.

AND SO THIS PROCESS CAN TAKE UP TO SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS, DEPENDING ON SEVERAL FACTORS.

BUT ONCE THE DREDGE FILTER BAGS ARE DRIED AND SOLIDIFIED, THEN THOSE FILTER BAGS WILL BE PLACED INTO TWO ADDITIONAL SPOILS DUMPSTERS AT THE VERY FAR, UM, END THAT ARE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE.

AND THOSE TWO SPOILS DUMPSTERS WILL BE USED TO STORE THE SPOILS UNTIL THEY'LL, THEY'RE READY TO BE HAULED OFF TO THE LANDFILL FOR PROPER DISPOSAL.

AND SO THEN THIS PROCESS IS JUST GOING TO KEEP CONTINUING UNTIL ALL OF THE EMPTY DREDGE BAGS ARE REPLACING EACH OF THE ONES THAT WERE FILLED UP AND THEN UNTIL ALL OF THE DEWATERING PROCESS IS COMPLETE.

SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THIS, THEN THERE'S GONNA BE MULCH SOCK PLACED ALONG THE ENTIRE LOC THAT IS, UM, OF THE STAGING STORAGE AND DEWATERING AREA, AND THAT'S SHOWN IN BROWN.

AND THEN THERE ARE TWO ROCK BERMS TO BE PLACED DOWNSTREAM OF THE STAGING STORAGE AND DEWATERING AREA.

AND THAT'S SHOWN IN RED.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO FLOATING TURBIDITY CURTAIN THAT IS SHOWN TO BE DOWNSTREAM OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS AS WELL AS ALONG THE ENTIRETY OF THE ACTIVE CHANNEL.

UM, SO THAT WILL BE ALONG THE WHOLE SHORELINE.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS, UH, HAS DETERMINED THAT FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET AND SIMILAR VARIANCES HAVE BEEN GRANTED FOR PROJECTS WITH SIMILAR CODE REQUIREMENTS, AS I INDICATED WITH THOSE EXAMPLES.

WILL REDUCE THE DISTURBANCE OF SEDIMENT DUE TO NAUTICAL TRAFFIC.

OH, SORRY, , I'M JUST GOING TO THE NEXT PAGE.

UM, THE VARIANCE IS NECESSITATED BY TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES NOT DESIGN CHOICE.

THE AMOUNT OF DREDGE REQUESTED IS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT NEEDED TO RESTORE NAVIGABLE DEPTH FOR HOMEOWNERS WITH SHORELINE ACCESS TO THE WATERWAY.

THE VARIANCE IS ALSO THE MINIMUM DEVIATION FROM CODE.

THE CODE ALLOWS UP TO 25 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGE FOR NAVIGATION SAFETY FOR A DOUBLE SLIP DOCK.

AND THE AMOUNT OF DREDGE REQUESTED IS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT NEEDED TO RESTORE NAVIGABLE DEBT FOR HOMEOWNERS WITH SHORELINE ACCESS TO THE WATERWAY.

APPROVAL OF A SMALLER DREDGE VOLUME MAY RESULT IN MORE FREQUENT DREDGING REQUESTS AND RISK OF HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

THE VARIANCE IS UNLIKELY TO RESULT IN HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.

THE DREDGE WILL RESULT,

[03:15:01]

BARGE ACCESS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING OF EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS WILL OCCUR AT THE SHORELINE.

SEVERAL MEASURES TO MINIMIZE AND AVOID SEDIMENT DISCHARGE ARE BEING PROVIDED AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

AND THEN THIS PROJECT WILL CONDUCT DREDGING VIA THE HYDRAULIC METHODS THAT I DISCUSSED.

THERE'S GOING TO BE THE REQUIRED WETLAND MITIGATION AND BULKHEAD MITIGATION PLANTINGS ALONG THE SHORELINE THAT WILL BE PROVIDED.

THE RESTORATION OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE PER 6 0 9 S WILL BE PROVIDED.

DREDGING WILL BE LIMITED TO OUTSIDE OF THE 50% CRITICAL ROOT ZONES OF TREES ALONG THE SHORELINE.

AND TREE FENCING WILL BE INSTALLED AND DENYING DREDGE TO NAVIGABLE DEPTH POTENTIALLY HARMS THE WATER QUALITY OF THE LAKE DUE TO SEDIMENT LAID IN WATER IN THE WAKE FROM CHURNING OF THE LAKE BED BY BOATS.

WATER QUALITY WILL BE EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN WATER QUALITY WITHOUT THE VARIANCE.

SO DREDGING IS NECESSARY TO ELIMINATE THAT TURNING OF THE LAKE BED AGAIN, AND BOTH THE REQUIRED WETLAND AND BULKHEAD MITIGATION PLANTINGS ALONG THE SHORELINE WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT WATER QUALITY.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, PROVIDE THE REQUIRED WETLAND MITIGATION PLANTINGS ALONG THE SHORELINE.

NUMBER TWO, PROVIDE BULKHEAD MITIGATION PLANTINGS ALONG THE SHORELINE.

NUMBER THREE, RESTORE THOSE AREAS OF CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE PER 6 0 9 S.

NEXT SLIDE, NUMBER FOUR, LIMIT THAT DREDGING WITHIN THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONES.

NUMBER FIVE, PROVIDE ALL OF THE MEASURES FOR MINIMIZING AND AVOIDING SEDIMENT DISCHARGE LISTED THERE.

AND THEN NUMBER SIX IS CONDUCTING DREDGING VIA THE HYDRAULIC METHODS.

SO YES, NEXT SLIDE.

THAT'S GREAT.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE APPLICANT HAS A PRESENTATION AS WELL, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THAT.

SO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, LET'S GET THE APPLICANT'S, UH, PRESENTATION UP.

Y'ALL ARE GONNA HAVE TO TELL ME I CAN'T, LEMME GET BACK THERE.

I'M THE ENGINEER OF RECORD FOR THE TAYLOR S SLEW DREDGE MAINTENANCE PROJECT.

TAYLOR S SLOUGH IS A COVE OFF THE MAIN BODY OF THE LAKE IN AUSTIN, IN LAKE AUSTIN.

IT'S BORDERED BY LAGUNA GLORIA MAYFIELD PARK AND SI IN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS IN TERRYTOWN.

I'M SORRY, I LEFT MY READING GLASSES.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO IMPRESS Y'ALL.

THIS, THIS PROJECT IS A COLLABORATION OF 11 HOMEOWNERS WHOSE PROPERTIES BORDER TAYLOR SLEW.

DAVID GOODMAN IS THE ORGANIZER OF THE HOMEOWNERS AND HE'S HERE WITH ME.

TONIGHT WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR VARIANCE APPLICATION FOR DREDGE MORE THAN 25 CUBIC YARDS.

THE DREDGE IS NECESSARY TO REESTABLISH A NAVIGABLE DEPTH FOR THE SLEW.

THE PROJECT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY BOTH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND WAS DEEMED NO PERMIT REQUIRED BY BOTH.

THE PROJECT BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT IS A MAINTENANCE PROJECT BECAUSE IT REPLICATES A DREDGE PROJECT THAT WAS PERMITTED IN 1992 AND COMPLETED IN 1993.

ACCORDING TO THE NEIGHBORS, THE SLEW BEGAN TO SILT UP IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES.

THE PATTERN OF SILT DEPOSITING IN THE SLOUGH CONTINUED AFTER THE 1993 PROJECT, AND THE SLOUGH IS NOW LESS THAN A FOOT DEEP IN SOME AREAS.

A HOMEOWNER AND I WERE MEETING ON SITE WHEN CITY OF AUSTIN WATERSHIP PROTECTION STAFF HAPPENED BY AND STOPPED A VISIT.

THEY WERE IN AN ALUMINUM FISHING BOAT.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE SEDIMENT STIRRED UP BY THAT BOAT.

THE CLOUD THAT YOU'RE SEEING IS AN AREA OF HIGH TURBIDITY CAUSED BY THE PROPELLER HITTING THE LAKE BED BECAUSE THE WATER'S TOO SHALLOW.

EVEN FOR THIS ALUMINUM FISHING BOAT, THE DRAFT OF A SKI BOAT IS ABOUT TWO FEET DEEPER.

A WARM WEEKEND LIKELY ENTAILS MULTIPLE BOATS ENJOYING THE SLOUGH BOATS OWNED BY LAKESIDE RESIDENTS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

HE TURBIDITY IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS TO THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS LIVING IN THE LAKE.

IT DECREASES THE AVAILABLE OXYGEN IN THE WATER.

THE PARTICLES MAKING IT CLOUDY, BOTH ABSORB AND BLOCK SUNLIGHT FROM TRAVELING THROUGH THE WATER.

SUNLIGHT CAN'T REACH SUBMERGE PLANTS, SO THE PLANT'S ABILITY TO PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND PRODUCE OXYGEN IS REDUCED.

IN SHORT, HIGH TURBIDITY REDUCES THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF OXYGEN PRODUCTION IN THE LAKE WATER AND WIDESPREAD TOITY AND DANGERS, THE WELLBEING OF THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS LIVING THERE.

[03:20:01]

INCREASING THE WATER DEPTH IN THE SLOUGH SHOULD GREATLY REDUCE THE CLOUDY WATER PLUMES CAUSED BY PROPELLERS TURNING UP THE LAKE BED.

THE ONLY WAY TO INCREASE THE DEPTH IS TO DREDGE DREDGING WILL REMOVE THE SILT CURRENTLY BEING STIRRED UP BY THE BOAT TRAFFIC, AND IT WILL BE DONE WITH EROSION CONTROLS IN PLACE.

THE AREA AND DEPTH OF THE DREDGE ARE SET BY THE FOLLOWING.

THE DEPTH IS DETERMINED BY THE LAKE BED ELEVATION AT THE DOWNSTREAM END OF THIS PROJECT.

AND THE DREDGING AREA IS THE SAME DIMENSIONS AND LOCATION AS PERMITTED IN THE 1992 SITE PLAN.

THE DREDGE CHANNEL IS ABOUT 30 FEET OUT INTO THE LAKE, SO IT REQUIRES MINIMAL LAND DISTURBANCE.

THE DREDGING, WHICH TOTALS ABOUT 1,771 CUBIC YARDS, WILL BE COMPLETED BY SUCTION FROM A BARGE.

AND THE SEDIMENT WILL BE PUMPED TO A LOT THAT'S CURRENTLY VACANT, WHERE THE DREDGE DEWATERING WILL TAKE PLACE.

THE DREDGE MATERIAL WILL BE FILTERED, THE WATER RELEASED BACK TO THE LAKE, AND THE SEDIMENT WILL BE DRIED AND DISPOSED OF IN A LICENSED LANDFILL.

ONCE THE DREDGING IS COMPLETE, THE LOT WILL THEN BE RE-VEGETATED.

THE LIMIT OF CONSTRUCTION IS WITHIN THE 150 FOOT SETBACKS OF THREE WETLANDS.

ONE WETLAND IS WITHIN THE LIMIT OF CONSTRUCTION AND IT'S COMPLETELY RESTORED WITH THE PLANTING PLAN.

ADDITIONALLY, THE TWO OTHER WETLANDS ON LAND THAT WON'T BE DISTURBED ARE MITIGATED, MITIGATED AS IF THEY WERE.

THE MITIGATION PLANTING PLAN INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION OF 1,349 PLANTS, INCLUDING 24 TREES, 60 BUSHES, AND 1,265 WETLAND PLANTS.

WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR VARIANCE APPLICATION TO DREDGE MORE THAN 25 CUBIC YARDS IN LAKE AUSTIN.

THE PROJECT HAS THE ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING LAGUNA GLORIA.

ALL ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BE A, TO BEING ABLE TO AGAIN, ACCESS THE SLEW AND LOOK FORWARD TO 30 MORE YEARS OF NAVIGABILITY AS WAS PROVIDED BY THE 1992 PROJECT.

DAVID GOODMAN, THE ORGANIZER OF THE GROUP OF NEIGHBORS WHO ARE MY CLIENTS, WOULD LIKE TO SAY HELLO.

AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

YES, PLEASE.

HI, MY NAME IS DAVID GOODMAN AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND I REPRESENT, UH, THE 10 OTHER NEIGHBORS.

SO THERE'S ACT SO THERE'S 10 OF US.

SO I'M HAP I'M HERE TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, JANICE.

BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

SO WE, WE WANNA MAKE IT, WHAT I CAN SAY IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, IT'S GONNA BE BETTER OFF WHEN WE'RE DONE THAN, THAN WHAT IT IS TODAY.

UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS.

UH, COMMISSIONER KRUEGER, I THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION AND FOR BEING HERE.

I'M, THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS MAYBE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE SOME LAKESIDE PROPERTY OWNERS HERE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE RECURRENT ISSUES THAT HAS COME UP ON THIS COMMISSION IS THE QUESTION OF, UM, THE LONGEVITY OF SOME OF THE NATIVE PLANTING THAT THE CITY DOES ON PROJECTS LIKE THIS, WHERE THE CITY INVESTS A LOT IN, IN SHORING UP THE LAKESIDE AND, AND DOING NATIVE PLANTINGS.

BUT THEN WE STRUGGLE WITH ENFORCEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THE PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS THERE TO ENSURE DO THOSE NATIVE PLANTINGS STAY, UM, OR DO FOLKS END UP, YOU KNOW, REPLACING THE NATIVE PLANTING WITH THEIR OWN MORE ORNAMENTAL NON-NATIVE PLANTING.

UM, SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL CAN SPEAK TO HOW YOU FEEL THE RESPONSIBILITY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS ON THE LAKE, UM, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, IF AND WHEN WE GO THROUGH WITH THIS PROJECT AND HELP SHORE UP THE AREA THAT YOU ALL WILL HELP MAINTAIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY OF IT.

THAT WAS A, THE REVIEWERS BROUGHT THAT UP IN THE REVIEW PROCESS.

THE ALL THAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE HOMEOWNERS HAVE BEEN INFORMED AND HAVE AGREED, UH, THAT THEY WOULD PLANT THE PLANTS THAT ARE PLANTED AND MAINTAIN THEM.

I'D SAY A LITTLE, I'D SAY THE EXACT SAME WAY, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THOUGH.

I MEAN, WE REALLY CARE.

THESE ARE OUR HOMES.

UM, WE TOOK THE ADVICE FROM, FROM YOUR GUYS' COLLEAGUES ON WHAT SHOULD BE PLANTED.

AND WE WANT IT TO BE A BETTER PLACE.

THE WILDLIFE'S BETTER, THE FISH ARE BETTER.

UH, WE REALLY CARE.

WE USE THE WATER, RIGHT.

WE, WE PADDLEBOARD, WE DO DIFFERENT THINGS OUT THERE.

UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

THE ENVIRONMENT'S VERY IMPORTANT, HAVING LAGUNA GLORIA, UM, WORKING WITH THEM.

SO NO, IT'S OUR HOMES.

WE CARE.

I MEAN, WE, YOU LOOK AT THE REMEDIATION OF THE THINGS THEY'VE ASKED US TO DO, AND WE KIND OF TOOK IT A STEP ABOVE.

SO, NO, THIS IS LONG TERM.

I MEAN, AS, AS THEY MENTIONED AS 1993, YOU KNOW, UH, I HOPE THIS LASTS FOR ANOTHER 30, 40 YEARS.

[03:25:01]

THANK YOU FOR THAT ENCOURAGEMENT.

I HOPE, UH, YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH, WITH YOU ON THAT FRONT.

AND, UM, I'LL ALSO ASK ABOUT LIKE FERTILIZER USE, PESTICIDE USE, THINGS LIKE THAT NEAR THE LAKE.

ARE THOSE THINGS THAT YOU ALL BEAR IN MIND AS WELL? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

UM, FOR SURE.

SO EVERYBODY, THE NICE THING IS I THINK ALL THE NEIGHBORS, AND I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF 'EM 'CAUSE I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW 'EM VERY WELL THROUGH THIS PROJECT.

UM, WE SPENT OVER TWO YEARS KIND OF GOING THROUGH THIS.

AND AS JANICE SAID, EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD.

UM, WE'RE VERY ECO-FRIENDLY, SO WE ONLY USE GREEN THINGS.

UH, I CAN AT LEAST SAY ON RECORD FOR MYSELF.

SO YEAH, WE, WE ABSOLUTELY CARE.

WE KNOW IT'S A WATER SOURCE, WE KNOW PEOPLE USE IT, UH, AND WE TAKE GRAPE RIDE IN IT.

THE, YOU CAN ASK MY, THE ONE THING I HAVE GOT ON MY NEIGHBORS, WE TRY TO KEEP SOME OF THE, UH, LEAVES AND STUFF OUT SO WE DON'T HAVE A SEDIMENT FILL IN AS QUICKLY.

UH, BUT THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY NEGATIVE THING THAT I CAN SAY.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE LIKE TO BLOW 'EM IN THE, IN THE LAKE RATHER THAN, THAN RAKE 'EM UP OR, OR I THINK IT'S NICE TO LEAVE SOME OF 'EM ON THE, UH, GROUND AS WELL.

UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF 'EM UP, BUT WE DO CARE ABOUT IT AND WE DO CARE ABOUT NOT USING PESTICIDES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRIER.

WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF IT AND WOULD JUST ASK AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN IF YOU COULD DO SOME ORGANIZING WORK WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY ARE, UM, TO JUST REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH OWNING A HOME IN SUCH A ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.

BUT THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS I HAVE.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR PRESENTATIONS AND THE INPUT FROM THE, UH, RESIDENTS.

UM, THIS WAS DONE 30 YEARS AGO, SO IT'S LASTED A FAIRLY LONG TIME.

UH, DO WE KNOW WHERE ALL THIS RUNOFF IS COMING FROM? I MEAN, TO SOME EXTENT THIS IS A NATURAL PROCESS BY WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, BODIES OF WATERS SILT UP OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

UM, SO WHERE, WHERE'S THE, UH, WHERE'S THE SILT COMING FROM? DO WE KNOW? SO WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAID IS THAT WHEN, UM, THERE WAS A BUNCH OF WORK DONE TO CAMP MABRY IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, AND THAT THEY NOTICED IT BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL THERE BY AND LARGE, THAT THEY NOTED A, AN INCREASE IN THE RUNOFF INTO THE, INTO THE LAKE WHEN THE WHATEVER WAS DONE AT CAMP, CAMP MABERRY WAS DONE.

BUT I HAVE NO, THAT'S, I'VE JUST, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.

WELL, THAT EXPLAINS WHY THEY NEEDED TO DREDGE IT IN, UH, YOU KNOW, 1993 OR WHENEVER THAT WAS.

BUT THAT WAS 30 YEARS AGO.

UM, YOU KNOW, BUT 30 YEARS LATER WE'RE DREDGING IT AGAIN.

UM, WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE AND, AND THE WHAT CAUSED THE DREDGE? WHAT CAUSED THAT THEY CHANGED THE DRAINAGE PATTERNS.

WHO'S THEY AT CAMP MAYBERRY? THAT'S, I'M JUST GUESSING, BUT IF, IF ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S MORE FLOW INTO THE LAKE BECAUSE OF WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AT CAMP MAYBERRY, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS TRAIN CHANGE THE DRAINAGE PATTERNS.

YEAH, AND I WOULD ALSO ADD, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS, AS YOU SAY, KIND OF THE, THE NATURAL, UM, CONDITION FOR RESERVOIRS.

THEY ARE, THEY DESIGN, THEY'RE BASICALLY SEDIMENT TRAPS.

UM, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT AFTER 30 YEARS HAVE GONE BY, THAT ENOUGH SEDIMENT HAS COME IN FROM, YOU KNOW, COULD BE CAMP MAYBERRY, COULD BE JUST NORMAL CREEK EROSION OR CONSTRUCTION EROSION.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF, UM, DIFFERENT REASONS WHY SEDIMENT MAY COME IN.

UM, I BELIEVE, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TROPICAL STORMS. I CAN'T, MAYBE HERMINE FOR EXAMPLE, MAY HAVE BROUGHT IN AND I KNOW ANOTHER, UH, BULL CREEK FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THAT HAS BROUGHT IN SEDIMENT AS WELL.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S PROBABLY A CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF, OF VARIOUS, UH, SITUATIONS THAT OCCURRED OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS.

UH, I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT IF WE, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF, UH, SEDIMENTATION THAT'S GONNA OCCUR NATURALLY ANYWAY.

BUT IF THERE'S A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENTATION THAT COMES FROM A POINT SOURCE, PEOPLE REFERRING TO CAMP MAYBERRY, THEN UH, MAYBE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS SPEAK, AND BY WE, I MEAN, WATERSHED NEEDS TO RUN UP AND SPEAK TO, UH, WHOEVER RUNS THE PLACE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO, UH, DO BETTER WORK UP HERE BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ISSUE.

UH, NOW THE NEXT THING IS, UH, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DISTURB SEDIMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF A LAKE, YOU STIR UP A LOT OF, UH, TOXINS THAT, UH, HAVE, YOU KNOW, SETTLED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.

AND, UH,

[03:30:02]

SO YOU'RE GONNA BE DREDGING ALL THIS STUFF UP AND, UH, SO YOU'RE GONNA WIND UP WITH A LOT OF TOXINS THAT ARE, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE REALLY.

HAS ANY, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT KIND OF TOXINS ARE IN THE, UH, SLUDGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE RIGHT THERE? WE DIDN'T DO WATER QUALITY, QUALITY TESTING ON THE LAKE BED MATERIAL? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? WELL, YEAH, WELL, KIND OF BECAUSE, UH, YOU'RE GONNA BE DRAGGING THAT TO THAT, UH, VACANT LOT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, DRYING IT OUT AND THEN, UH, YOU'RE GONNA BE TAKING IT OVER TO A LANDFILL.

SO WE DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT'S GONNA WIND UP IN EITHER ONE OF THOSE PLACES.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS GOING TO BE, UM, DOWNSTREAM, METAPHORICALLY OF, UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE DRAIN THIS SORT OF THING.

UH, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME, UH, FERTILIZERS AND, UH, BUG SPRAYS AND ALL THAT OTHER KIND OF THING, BUT I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, AND ARE THERE GONNA BE ANY TYPES OF, UH, ACTIVITIES GONNA BE TAKEN TO MITIGATE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONS, YOU KNOW, INCREASE CONCENTRATION OF ALL THAT TYPE OF, UH, THING AS IT'S, UH, PULLED OUT OF THE LAKE, WE ARE TREATING THAT SEDIMENT.

THERE'S A TON OF HOURS AND EFFORT AND THOUGHT WENT INTO HOW TO TREAT, UH, THE DREDGE.

AND WE, UH, TOOK A SAMPLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH WAS WATER AND HOW MUCH WAS SEDIMENT.

THE CORE, UH, SUGGESTS THAT YOU TREAT THE SEDIMENT TO 300 PARTS PER MILLION, WHICH IS LIKE, YOU CAN'T SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEYOND YOU.

YOU CAN'T SEE THAT SMALL.

AND WE'VE GOT IT, IT, OUR TREATMENT SYSTEM IS THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'LL BE CLEAR WATER RUNNING DOWN THAT ONCE IT HITS THE LAST ROCK, ROCK RIP WRAP THAT'S WRAPPED WITH A CERTAIN KIND OF FILTER FABRIC THAT, UM, TREATS IT TO THE LEVEL THAT THE CORE WANTS.

IT'LL BE CLEAR WATER.

UH, WHEN YOU'RE DREDGING THE AREA, IS THERE GONNA BE, UH, WHAT IMPACT IS THAT GONNA HAVE ON THE, UH, WILDLIFE, FISH, MOLLUSKS, ET CETERA? THAT'S, UH, IN THE, UH, UH, IN THE LAKE RIGHT THERE.

SO IT'S A VACUUM SYSTEM.

SO IT, HE'S VACUUMING THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE VACUUMING FROM THE LAKE BED.

AH, HE'S ON A BARGE.

HE'S ON A BARGE.

AND SO HE'S VACUUMING FROM THE LAKE BED AND HE'S GOT A PUMP ON THE BOAT AND HE'S GOT A BOOSTER PUMPS ON THE SHORELINE TO GET IT UP THE HILL TO WHERE THE, THE FILTER SYSTEM IS.

SO YOU'RE GONNA BE VACUUMING UP FISH AND MULAS THAT ARE IN THE WATER THAT YOU CAPTURE IN THIS SYSTEM.

I, I DON'T KNOW.

ALL THANK YOU COMMISSIONER QURESHI.

UH, YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

UH, NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

COMMISSIONER FL.

UH, HI.

JUST, UH, ONE QUESTION.

I I, I'M FAMILIAR WITH SOME LARGE DREDGING PROJECTS AND WHERE THEY HAVE FOUND SOME BENEFICIAL USE OF THE DREDGE LATER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR THE CITY, IF, IF Y'ALL LOOKED INTO ANY BENEFICIAL USE OF THE DREDGE OR IF IT'S JUST TOO SMALL.

UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OR WHAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO DO WITH THE DREDGE.

THE CITY HAS NOT, UM, ASKED, WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED A, A PROJECT FOR IT.

UM, SO I DON'T KNOW.

I'LL DEFER TO OUR, IT'S, WE HAVE TO PUT THAT NOTE ON, ON EVERY SET OF PLANTS.

WE HAVE TO PUT THE NOTE THAT THE DREDGE MATERIAL WILL BE HAULED TO A CERTIFIED LANDFILL.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CODE, I MEAN, I HAVE TO PUT IT ON EVERY DREDGE PROJECT THAT I, I MEAN, AND, AND I DREDGE A LOT 'CAUSE I DO A LOT OF BOAT DOCS.

I DON'T DO BIG DREDGE PROBLEMS JOBS OFTEN, BUT, YEAH.

UM, I THINK THE, THE, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OR HAD SEEN IN THE PAST IS PEOPLE DREDGING AND THEN PUTTING IT IN RIGHT BACK IN THE LAKE IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION OR TAKING IT TO A PLACE THAT'S, UM, JUST LIKE, UH, UNPERMITTED.

SO THEY JUST PILE FILL IN A PLACE WHERE, UM, IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE.

I THINK WE COULD, IF THERE WERE AN IDENTIFIED PROJECT THAT IT COULD BE USED, THAT WOULD BE FINE.

UM, THAT COULD BE, THE LOGISTICS OF THAT COULD BE MORE, MORE CHALLENGING.

UM, SPEAKING OF MU UM, I JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, THE LAST DRAW DOWN THAT THIS, UM, THAT THE LAKE HAD, WE DID DO MUSCLES SURVEYS.

WE LOOKED AT STRANDED MUSSELS, UM, DURING THE, THE LAKE DRAWDOWN AND I, I WAS AT THE ONE FOR, FOR THIS SITE, AND THERE WERE VERY FEW BECAUSE THE SEDIMENT WAS SO, UH,

[03:35:01]

THICK AND DEEP.

UH, IT'S NOT VERY GOOD HABITAT FOR NATIVE MUSSEL.

SO I, I, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE COULD BE FISH IMPACTED, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE TOO MANY, IF ANY, NATIVE MUS.

SO JUST SOME REASSURANCE THERE BECAUSE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

YEAH, THEY REVIEW FOR THAT.

AND, AND I CAN ECHO THAT.

I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUTTA TURN, BUT I'VE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER SEEN MUSSELS AND WEARING THE WATER A LOT.

UM, SO I CAN, I DIDN'T WANNA SPEAK OUTTA TURN 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW.

YOU GUYS ARE THE EXPERT, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF MUSCLES.

WE DON'T HAVE 'EM LIKE ON THE DOCK OR THE BOATS OR ANYTHING.

WE DON'T SEE THEM.

COMMISSIONER SHERA.

YEAH, WE HAD A DREDGE, UM, REQUEST NOT TOO LONG AGO.

SO I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS EVEN THAT WE'RE ASKING TONIGHT WERE HAVE KIND OF ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED IN THAT RECENT REQUEST.

UM, BUT I DID JUST WANNA CLARIFY 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I ASKED THIS IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.

THE APPLICANT PAYS COMPLETELY FOR THE DREDGE, CORRECT? OH YEAH.

THAT, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

UH, OKAY.

COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.

YEAH, NO QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SECRETARY BRISTOL AGAIN, SURPRISINGLY, NO QUESTIONS, NO QUESTIONS FROM ME, .

UM, LET ME DO A DOUBLE CHECK JUST IN CASE.

NO COMMISSIONERS ARE RAISING THEIR HANDS.

I MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SECOND BY BRISTOL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.

BRIER, YOU HOLDING OUT? I'M GONNA ABSTAIN.

OH, OKAY.

UM, WE HAVE KRUEGER RESI, LU BEDFORD, BRISTOL, SHERA, AND SULLIVAN.

ALGAE BLOOMS. EACH OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A PACKET THAT INCLUDES THE GO GREEN MANUAL AND TWO, FIND WAYS TO RE REUSE THE SEDIMENT AFTER IT IS DRIED AND, UM, EVALUATED FOR TOXINS.

NOW WE HAVE A MOTION, RIGHT? WE DO, UH, FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025.

TAYLOR SLU OR SLAW, UH, DREDGE MAINTENANCE, SP 2 0 2 4 0 0 1 90.

UH, LOCATION IS 3 7 0 4 AND A HALF.

UH, MEADOW BANK DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 0 3.

WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO VARY, UM, FROM, UH, LDC TWO FIVE DASH 8 2 6 1 C NINE A TO ALLOW MORE THAN 25 CUBIC YARDS OF DREDGING IN LAKE AUSTIN.

WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED WATER SUPPLY RULE CLASSIFICATION, DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.

AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.

AND THOSE CONDITIONS ARE, NUMBER ONE, PROVIDE REQUIRED WETLAND MITIGATION PLANTINGS OF 1,236 PLANTS COMPRISED OF NINE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF F-A-C-F-A-C-W AND OBL SPECIES ALONG THE SHORELINE PROVIDE BULKHEAD MITIGATION PLANTINGS OF 29 PLANTS.

29 PLANTINGS COMPRISED OF THREE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF FACW AND OBL SPECIES ALONG THE SHORELINE.

THREE, RESTORE ALL AREAS DISTURBED IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE PER STANDARD SPEC SPECIFICATIONS, 6 0 9 S FOUR LIMIT JUDGING OUTSIDE OF THE 50% CRITICAL ROOT ZONE OF TREES ALONG THE SHORELINE AND INSTALL TREE BOARD BENING.

UH, FIVE PROVIDE MEASURES TO MINIMIZE AND AVOID SEDIMENT DISCHARGE, INCLUDING ONE STABILIZE CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE, UH, AND ACCESS ROADS FROM THE MEADOWBROOK DRIVE.

MEADOW BANK, UH, DRIVE ENTRANCE, UH, TO THE BARGE ACCESS LOCATION, TWO MULCH.

SO AROUND THE ENTIRE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, OF THE STAGING, STORAGE AND DEWATERING AREAS.

THREE, TWO ROCK BERMS DOWNSTREAM OF THE STAGING STORAGE AND DEWATERING AREAS.

AND FOUR DESTI, UH, STABILIZING DEWATERING AREA FOR DREDGE BAG.

FOUR DREDGE BAGS.

FIVE FLOATING TURB TURBIDITY CURTAINS DOWNSTREAM OF THE WATER, DREDGING OF THE WATERING OPERATIONS.

AND SIX FLOATING TURBIDITY CURTAINS SURROUNDING THE ACTIVE DREDGE AREA.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY, CONDUCT DREDGING VIA HYDRAULIC METHODS, INCLUDING BAGGING OF MATERIALS.

THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE, UH, REQUESTS WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.

ONE, SUPPLY INFORMATION ABOUT BREAST PRACTICES IN MAINTAINING THE PLANTS AND AVOIDING USE OF CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE

[03:40:01]

BUT LIZ, I'M NOT, I THINK THAT'S CITY CODE.

I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT ON THAT LAST CONDITION? COULD YOU REPEAT THAT LAST CONDITION, PLEASE? YEP.

UH, FIND A WAY TO REUSE THE SEDIMENT AFTER IT IS DRIED AND EVALUATED FOR TOXINS.

UM, IF THAT COULD BE A, A, A, MAYBE A RECOMMENDATION, NOT NECESSARILY A CONDITION, BECAUSE IT MAY, WE MAY NOT FIND A WAY TO REUSE IT.

UM, UH, AND WE HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH, UH, THE CRITERIA MANUAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT KIND OF RUNNING A FOUL OF EXISTING REQUIREMENTS.

SO IF I, IF I SAY, UH, RECOMMEND BINDING, THAT WOULD BE YES.

WE COULD THEN WE COULD INVESTIGATE.

GOT IT.

SECONDED BY SHIRA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.

KRUEGER RESI, FLURRY, BEDFORD, BRISTOL SHERA SULLIVAN, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING PRIMER.

THANKS EVERYBODY.

IT IS NOW 9:50 PM SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO DO A MOTION TO EXTEND TIME SECOND.

SO WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS.

WE CAN EXTEND TIME, RIGHT? OR WE CAN TABLE THIS AND HAVE IT COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.

THESE CITY PEOPLE ARE SHAKING THEIR HEADS.

I KNOW WE'RE GOOD AT TONIGHT.

LOVE Y'ALL.

WE LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU.

WE DON'T WANNA PUT YOU OFF, BUT JUST WANNA SAY THERE'S TWO OPTIONS.

I'LL MOVE THAT WE EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL 10 30.

WE CAN'T JUST DO LIKE 11.

BE SAFE.

IT'S LIKE I KNOW.

I WAS ABOUT TO SAY 11 .

'CAUSE IT'S, THEY HAVE TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION, THEN WE ASK QUESTIONS.

SO IT'S LIKE WHATEVER TIME YOU THINK IT IS, DOUBLE IT, YOU KNOW? YEAH.

AND IF WE FINISH SOONER, WE FINISH SOONER.

CAN I SECOND THE 10 30 ? YEAH, I SEC I, I WOULD THIRD THE 10 30 .

LET, LET'S, LET'S REALLY MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TIGHT ON THIS AND, UH, EVERYBODY HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS READY? THANKS.

WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF Y'ALL'S TIME AND WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S PATIENCE.

DO WE HAVE TO VOTE? LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, LET'S VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING IN TIME UNTIL 10 30.

UH, WE HAVE KRUEGER KREY, FLURY BEDFORD, BRISTOL SHERA SULLIVAN.

FARMER, WERE YOU ABSTAINING OR OPPOSING? OH, OPPOSING.

UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, A PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON A CREATION, CONTINUATION, TERMINATION AND STATUS OF A CONCESSION, INCLUDING, UH, ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR A CONCESSION IN TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK FOR INCLUSION IN THE JOINT REPORT BETWEEN THE PARKS AND RECRE RECREATION BOARD AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT IS PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL ANNUALLY.

HE WAS OPPOSING MOTION STILL PASSES.

NEXT UP WE HAVE,

[5. Presentation, discussion, and action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council on the creation, continuation, termination, and status of a concession including issuance of a Request for Proposal for a concession in Town Lake Metropolitan Park for inclusion in the joint report between the Parks and Recreation Board and the Environmental Commission that is provided to City Council annually – Karen Charles, Contract Management Specialist, and Denisha Cox, Contract Management Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department.]

THAT WAS A .

THAT WAS A TONGUE TWISTER.

UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.

DO WE HAVE A STAFF? THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT, Y'ALL.

NO WORRIES.

WE DIDN'T WANNA HAVE TO COME BACK , SO WE DON'T MIND.

SHE'S LIKE, IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL GOOD.

WE'VE ALREADY SPENT OUR NIGHT HERE.

WE MIGHT AS WELL CAP IT OFF.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

SO, GOOD EVENING.

UH, MY NAME IS KAREN CHARLES AND I'M A CONTRACT MANAGER FOR THE CITY'S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT INFORMATION FROM THE ANNUAL CONCESSIONS REPORT TODAY.

BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO START HERE ON MY RIGHT, UM, AND, UM, LET MY STAFF, NOT MY STAFF, LET THE STAFF INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

HI, MY NAME IS DANISHA COX.

I'M THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR FOR THE FINANCIAL SERVICES WITHIN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.

HELLO, I'M PAT ROSET, I'M THE BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT WITHIN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

PIPER, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

SUZANNE PIPER, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU LADIES.

OF EACH YEAR, THE DIRECTOR SHALL DELIVER A REPORT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON THE CONCESSIONS GRANTED UNDER THIS DIVISION.

AND I'LL TRY TO TALK LOUD TO KEEP Y'ALL AWAKE.

OKAY, .

ALRIGHT, SO AUSTIN CITY CODE EIGHT DASH ONE DASH SEVEN THREE REQUIRES THAT ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31ST

[03:45:01]

THE ANNUAL REPORT PREPARED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE FOUR SECTIONS.

FOUR SECTIONS, THE NAME OF EACH CONCESSION OPERATING IN TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK, AN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT FOR EACH CONCESSION, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WATERCRAFT CRAFTS RENTED IN TOWN, LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK, AND A STATEMENT DESCRIBING ANY PROBLEMS CAUSED OR CREATED BY A CONCESSION.

SO THIS MAP SHOWS THE CONCESSIONS CURRENTLY LOCATED AROUND LADY BURG LAKE AND TOWN LAKE PARK.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE UPPER RIGHT, I'M SORRY, UPPER LEFT, FAR UPPER LEFT, YOU HAVE THE ROWING DOCK.

UM, AND THEN THERE IS THE TEXAS ROWING CENTER.

UM, RIGHT BELOW ROWING DOCK YOU'LL SEE UM, THE ZILKER EAGLE AND THAT'S THE NEW TRAIN THAT'S BEEN OPENED, UM, AT ZILKER PARK.

UM, AND THEN I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM 'CAUSE I KNOW WE'RE PRESSED FOR TIME HERE, BUT THEN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS GONNA BE EPIC SUB.

THIS EXTENSION AMENDMENT WILL EXPIRE OCTOBER 31ST, 2025.

SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE CURRENT CONTRACT TERMS FOR EACH OF THE CONCESSIONS.

UM, A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS PART REQUESTED, AN ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR EXTENSION FOR ROWING DOCK TO ENSURE THE WATERCRAFT AMENITIES IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

ALSO, REGARDING THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL ON AUGUST 26TH, 2024, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDED TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT COUNCIL ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 1 9 12 0 5 DASH OH SEVEN OH BE REVIEWED FOR APPROPRIATENESS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE BOARD RECOMMENDED THAT THE PARK DIRECTOR EXPLORE ALTERNATE LOCATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL IN LIGHT OF THE HOLLY SHORES COMMUNITY.

OBJECTIONS TO THE RECOMMENDED PERMANENT LOCATION DUE TO IT NOT BEING AN APPROVED COMPONENT OF THE HOLLY SHORES, EDWARD SENIOR PARK MASTER PLAN AND THE LACK OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT REGARDING EXPLORATION OF ALTERNATE LOCATIONS.

DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING PENDING FY 25 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUTCOMES.

ONCE A LOCATION IS DETERMINED, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE VENDOR WILL OPERATE IN THE IDENTIFIED LOCATION.

NOW THIS IS A GRAPH OF THE, UM, THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS THE CONCESSIONS INCOME REPORTED EXPENDITURES AND PAYMENTS TO THE CITY FOR FY 24.

SO THE DARK BLUE BAR REPRESENTS GROSS SALES AND THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, SALES MINUS, UH, PLUS SALES TAX.

THE RUST BAR REPRESENTS REPORTED EXPENDITURES AND THE GRAY COLORED BAR REPRESENTS CONCESSION PAYMENTS TO THE CITY, INCLUDING MONTHLY FLAT FEES AND REVENUE SHARES.

UM, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, EPIC SUB PAYMENTS GO DIRECTLY TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, ZILKER EAGLE.

SINCE THE ZILKER EAGLE HAS ONLY BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE JUNE 12TH, 2024, THEY HAVE NOT INCURRED A FULL YEAR OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES.

ONCE THEY BEGIN TO GENERATE REVENUE, A PF OR AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION WILL PROVIDE THEIR NET REVENUE DISTRIBUTION PLAN TO BE APPROVED BY PAR DIRECTOR.

A PF WILL THEN DISTRIBUTE ALL NET PROCEEDS FROM TRAIN OPERATIONS TO NONPROFITS SUPPORTING PARKS ACROSS THE CITY IN A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE MANNER.

THE PROCEEDS ARE TO BE USED FOR PARK SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, UPGRADES, AMENITIES, AND MAINTENANCE.

NOW THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE TOTAL CONCESSIONS GROW SALES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WAS AN UPTICK IN FY 22 FROM COVID, AND NOW WE'RE SEEING WE'RE STARTING TO SEE ACTIVITY LEVEL OFF.

NOW THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS MADE BY THE CONCESSIONS FOR FY 24 THIS YEAR.

[03:50:02]

BUTLER PITCH AND PUTT AND ROWING DOCK MADE IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR SITES.

SO BUTLER PITCH AND PUTT, THEIR IMPROVEMENTS WERE TO THE PROPERTY, UM, WHICH INCLUDED A NEW WELL WATER PUMP, SEASONAL TREE MAINTENANCE, SAWED TURF GRASS INSTALLATION UPDATES TO THE PUTTING DRAINAGE, PUTTING GREEN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND METAL ROOF INSTALLATION OVER OUTDOOR TRELLIS STRUCTURES.

ROWING DOCK MADE IMPROVEMENTS BY REDOING THEIR GRANITE PATHWAYS, REPAIRS AND RES STAIN, THEIR PICNIC TABLES AND BEAMS AROUND THE PARKING LOT.

THEY TRIM TREES SANDED AND STAINED AND REPLACED BOARDS ON THE BOXES AROUND THE TRASH CONTAINERS.

SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN THOUSAND AND FIFTY THREE CENTS PART ALSO RECEIVES REVENUE FROM SHORT TERM PERMITS FOR COMMERCIAL USE OF THE PARK LANDS.

NOW ON THIS SLIDE, WE'VE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OTHER PAR CONCESSION ACTIVITIES.

THERE ARE SEVERAL CONCESSIONS SET UP AT PARD GOLF COURSES.

CLAY KAISER AND MOORES WILLIAM BOTH HAVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS.

TEJAS GOLF IS A GOLFING RANGE OR A DRIVING RANGE.

ALL THREE PAY A PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE TO PAR AND FY 24 GOLF A TX RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $416,586 IN PAYMENTS FROM THESE THREE VENDORS.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENDOR AT LIONS GOLF COURSE AND THE REVENUE SHARE FROM THAT CONCESSION GOES TO THE SAVE HISTORIC MUNI DISTRICT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT GOLF COURSE.

AND FY 24, THE LYONS CONCESSIONS PAYMENTS TO SHMD TOTAL 64,000 64 100 AND I'M SORRY, LET ME DO THAT AGAIN.

THE PERMIT PROCESS FOR TEMPORARY CONCESSIONS IS OVERSEEN BY THE SPECIAL EVENTS OFFICE.

PERMITS ARE ISSUED FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS VENDING, OUR MERCHANDISE, SALES, FITNESS TRAINERS, AND PERFORMING ARTS.

THE TABLE YOU SEE HERE LISTS THE COST PER PERMIT, THE NUMBER OF PERMITS ISSUED FOR FY 24 AND THE TOTAL REVENUE FROM EACH PERMIT TYPE FEES ARE BASED ON THE TYPE OF USE AND THE TYPE OF PARK.

METRO PARKS ARE $1,500 AND ALL OTHERS ARE $500 FOR SIX MONTHS PERMITS OR $50 FOR A ONE DAY PERMIT.

FITNESS TRAINERS ARE CHARGED PER TRAINER WITH ADDITIONAL CHARGES PER ATTENDEE FOR FEE-BASED CLASSES WITH MORE THAN THREE ATTENDEES.

NOW THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE RECOMMENDATIONS STAFF RECEIVED FROM THE PARKS BOARD LAST YEAR REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND REVENUE SHARE PAYMENTS.

IN 2022, PART COMMISSIONED A STUDY OF LAKE LADY BIRD LAKE CAPACITY THAT CONSIDERED THE RECREATIONAL USE OF THE LAKE AND THEIR POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS.

THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THESE STUDIES WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION DURING FURTHER SOLICITATIONS REGARDING REVENUE SHARING.

THE PAR CONTRACTS UNION HAS HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ECONOMIC DE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE CONCESSIONS REAL ESTATE.

THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL INFORM THE REQUESTED REVENUE SHARE FOR ANY POTENTIAL NEW VENDORS.

NOW THIS SLIDE ADDRESSES THE RECOMMENDATION PART RECEIVED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN FY 23 REGARDING MARINE WASTE DISPOSAL, LAKE SAFETY AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS PART HAS FOLLOWED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONCESSION COMPLIANCE EFFORTS.

STAR RIVERBOATS, WHICH HAS, UM, ONE VESSEL WITH AN ONBOARD, UM, TOILET.

NOW THIS SLIDE GIVES A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MARINE WASTE DISPOSAL.

THIS PERTAINS ONLY TO LONE

[03:55:01]

AS YOU SEE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES THAT REGULATE THIS TYPE OF BOAT AS PART OF PARTS CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PART REQUESTS COPIES OF MANIFESTS TO MAKE SURE LONE STAR RIVERBOATS COMPLIES WITH STATE AND LOCAL, STATE AND CITY REGULATIONS.

THESE MANIFESTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WRITTEN REPORT SUBMITTED TO PART, UH, PART PARKS AND REC BOARD, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

AND IF YOU HAVE A FULL COPY OF THE ACTUAL, UM, WRITTEN COPY OF THE REPORT, IT'S GONNA BE AT THE VERY END OF THE REPORT.

NOW, IN 2022 PARK COMMISSIONED A STUDY OF LADY BIRD LAKE CAPACITY THAT CONSIDERED THE RECREATIONAL USES OF THE LAKE AND THEIR POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS AND OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY'S FINDINGS WERE PRESENTED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

ALONG WITH THE FY 23 ANNUAL CONCESSIONS REPORT.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION DURING FUTURE SOLICITATIONS.

UNLICENSED VENDOR ACTIVITY IS MONITORED BY THE PARK RANGERS.

ADDITIONALLY, CITIZENS CAN REPORT UNLICENSED ACTIVITY THROUGH 3 1 1.

THE MOBILE APP HAS A CATEGORY FOUR COMMERCIAL USE OF PARKLAND, WHICH IS FOR REPORTS OF UNLICENSED VENDORS.

NOW THIS TABLE RECORDS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RENTALS FOR EACH CONCESSION IN FY 24 AS RECORDED IN THE MONTHLY REPORTS SUBMITTED BY EACH CONCESSION.

IN ADDITION, THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB AND TEXAS ROWING CENTER FY 24 SHELL RENTALS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL COUNT ABOVE AND WILL BE REPORTED IN THE NUMBER OF RENTALS GOING FORWARD.

THE TOTAL OF BOTH SHELL RENTALS IS 7% OF THE 201,652.

TOTAL CONCESSION RENTALS PART WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE NUMBER OF BOATS IN THE CONCESSIONS RENTALS INVENTORIES.

ADDITIONALLY, PARK STAFF AND PARK RANGERS, ALONG WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPOND TO REPORTS OF UNPERMITTED CONCESSIONS INCLUDING WATERCRAFT ACTIVITY.

NOW, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, PART HAS ASKED THE CONCESSIONS TO RECORD THE NUMBER OF RENTALS EACH DAY DURING A DESIGNATED PEAK PERIOD.

THE TABLE HERE SHOWS THE TOTALS FOR EACH EIGHT DAY PERIOD.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE NUMBERS DO NOT REFLECT THE NUMBER OF BOATS ON THE LAKE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

ONLY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RENTALS BY PART CONCESSIONS.

NOW THIS CHART SHOWS THE NUMBER OF WATERCRAFT IN EACH CONCESSIONS RENTAL INVENTORY, THE TEXAS ROWING CENTER AND AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.

INVENTORIES ALSO INCLUDE ROWING SHELLS AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, AND COACHING LAUNCHES THAT ARE USED FOR LESSONS, CLUBS, CAMPS, ET CETERA.

NOW THIS SLIDE ADDRESSES, UM, STAFF RESPONSES TO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.

SO PART INCLUDES ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS IN EACH RFP.

ADDITIONALLY, PARD STAFF WORKS WITH CORPORATE PURCHASING TO SOLICIT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS AND STAFF HAVE PUT IN PLACE STANDARD SCOPES OF WORK AND CONTRACT COMPONENTS, WHICH ARE USED FOR EACH NEW SOLICITATION AND CONTRACT.

OF THE ANNUAL CONCESSIONS REPORT, WE WANTED TO LEAVE YOU WITH A SUMMARY OF THE CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES OF THE CONCESSIONS.

SO, AS WE CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION

[04:00:01]

UM, SO AS PART OF THEIR AGREEMENT TO MANAGE THE WALLER CREEK BOATHOUSE, AUSTIN ROARING CLUB IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND FREE PROGRAMMING TO UNDERSERVED YOUTHS, INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO COVER ROWING FEES AND FREE BOAT RENTALS FOR PARTS, SUMMER CAMPS AND OTHER YOUTH GROUPS.

$40,000 IN ROWING SCHOLARSHIPS ANNUALLY AND AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 10% IN ANNUAL REVENUE FOR BOAT RENTALS.

NOW I'M NOT GONNA READ OFF ALL THE, ALL THE PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR EACH CONCESSION, BUT THEY'RE LISTED HERE ON TWO SLIDES.

SO IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE NA WILL GIVE YOU, UM, THE OTHER HALF OF THE PUBLIC BENEFIT FROM OUR CONCESSIONS.

SO WHILE NOT REQUIRED BY CONTRACT, THE OTHER VENDORS ALSO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN NUMEROUS WAYS, INCLUDING HOSTING OR PARTICIPATING IN FUNDRAISING AND LAKE CLEANUP EVENTS, DONATING SERVICES AND GIFT CARDS, AND OFFERING DISCOUNTED RATES TO STUDENTS AND OTHER GROUPS.

PARTICIPATION IN LAKE CLEANUP AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EFFORTS IS REQUIRED IN ALL NEW WATERCRAFT RENTAL CONTRACTS.

ALRIGHT, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS NEXT STEPS.

OR THE LAST SLIDE PLEASE.

SO WE PRESENTED THIS PRESENTATION TO THE PARKS BOARD ON JANUARY 27TH.

THE PARKS BOARD APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ON A SEVEN TO ZERO VOTE.

OUR REQUESTED ACTION TODAY FOR THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS TO MAKE A JOINT RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING CONTINUING AN EXISTING CONCESSION, TERMINATING AN EXISTING CONTINUATION, AND ISSUING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR AN EXPIRING OR NEW CONCESSION UNDER THIS DIVISION.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT INFORMATION FROM OUR 2024 ANNUAL CONCESSIONS REPORT AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, LET'S, UM, WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON THE ITEM.

LET'S WELCOME THE SPEAKERS TO SPEAK.

UM, FIRST UP WE HAVE CHRIS FLORES.

HELLO.

UM, HI EVERYBODY.

UH, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS CHRIS FLORES.

I LIVE IN D 10 AND I AM COMMENTING ON NUMBER FIVE, THE PARK'S DEPARTMENT'S 2024 ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT.

I SENT YOU AN EMAIL.

IT WAS VERY WORDY.

UM, THIS, UH, MY TWO MINUTES HERE WILL BE VERY BRIEF.

IF YOU APPROVE THIS REPORT AND OPT FOR THE NINE PERMANENT CONCESSIONS TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE, PLEASE DO SO WITH STRONG CONDITIONS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR WATERCRAFT RENTERS FROM KAMAL COUNTY JACKSON, ARE YOU READY? I WILL TALK WHILE JACKSON'S LOOKING FOR A FILE.

IT'S A, A PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, VIDEO MADE BY THE KAMAL.

ONE MINUTE LONG.

IT WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.

THANK YOU GUYS.

PROVIDING SHELTER AND GIVING LIFE TOWERING TREES HAVE ROOTED HERE AND WILDLIFE HAVE MADE THIS RIVER HOME.

[04:05:20]

IT HAS SEEN THE CHANGES OF THE SEASONS AND THE GROWTH OF MANKIND THIS YEAR.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

USE THE YELLOW MESH BAGS AND THE RIVER THAT COOLED YOU OFF DURING THE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE HOLLY REED.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS HOLLY REED.

I SERVE ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND ALSO ON THE PARKS BOARD CONTRACTS AND CON AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE.

I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT IN MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE 2024 CONCESSIONS REPORT.

THANK YOU TO THE STAFF WHO HAVE DONE THE WORK OF PREPARING THE REPORT, BUT IT IS NOT YET COMPLETE, CONTAINS CONFLICTING INFORMATION AND IS NOT FULLY COMPLIANT WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE.

SPECIFICALLY IF YOU'VE READ THE DRAFT CONCESSIONS REPORT, NOT THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THE OTHER BACKUP MATERIAL ON PAGE FOUR OF THE DRAFT CONCESSION REPORT, IT STATES IN FINE PRINT CURRENTLY ALL EPIC SUP REVENUE SHARE PAYMENTS GO TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

THAT WAS $42,000 BEGINNING IN 2025.

PHASE TWO OF THE POMA, WHICH IS THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S CONTRACT TRANSITIONS THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF TEXAS ROWING CENTER TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, INCLUDING ALL REVENUE SHARE PAYMENTS THAT WILL BE, THAT WAS $360,000 IN 2024.

THE CONCESSION REPORT.

WHAT IT FAILS TO MENTION IS THAT THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S PMA PHASE TWO WILL ALLOW THEM TO MANAGE AND TAKE IN REVENUE FROM ALL THE BOATING CONCESSIONS IN THE TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK, NOT JUST EPIC SUP AND THE TEXAS ROWING CENTER.

WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CITY WILL NO LONGER BE RECEIVING ANY OF THE REVENUE PAYMENTS FROM THE BOATING CONCESSIONS, WHICH TOTALED $1,209,000 IN 2024.

SO IN THIS YEAR, THAT REVENUE WILL GO TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

HOW WILL THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS REVENUE IS BEING SPENT DIRECTLY ON PARK LAND? THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS NOT REQUIRED I AN ITEMIZED REPORT OF HOW THE REVENUE IS USED BY NONPROFITS MANAGING CONCESSIONS.

IF A THIRD PARTY IS GOING TO TAKE IN REVENUE FROM CONCESSIONS OPERATING ON PUBLIC PARKLAND, THAT THIRD PARTY NEEDS TO REPORT WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH THE MONEY.

THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO BE ASSURED THAT THE NET REVENUE GIVEN TO PARKS, NONPROFITS IS SPENT ON PARKS AS PROMISED FISCAL TRANSPARENCY IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR PUBLIC TRUST.

MUNICIPAL CODE 8 1 7 3 STATES THAT THE ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT MUST INCLUDE AN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT FROM EACH CONCESSION.

THIS CODE REQUIREMENT OF FISCAL DETAIL HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY PROVIDED IN THE 2024 CONCESSIONS REPORT, WHICH ONLY REPORTS TWO NUMBERS, THE GROSS SALES AND THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES.

THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY CONTRACT STATES GROSS REVENUE WILL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE PARK AND BE DEPOSITED INTO THE PARK'S OPERATIONS FUND.

BUT THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY HAS FAILED FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO REPORT CORRECT DEPOSITS, EXPENDITURES, AND CONCESSION REVENUE THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM EPIC SUB.

SO I ASK THAT WE NEED THE 2024 CONCESSIONS REPORT

[04:10:01]

TO DETAIL WHAT NONPROFIT PARK PARTNERS ARE DOING WITH THE FUNDS THAT ARE BEING GENERATED ON PUBLIC PARKLAND AND REQUIRED TO BE USED ON THE PARKLAND.

PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE THE REPORT UNTIL YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION.

ABLE TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THE PUBLIC AS REQUIRED BY CODE, THAT THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AS A VOTER ACCORDING TO CODE.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE SUSANNA ALMANZA AND I BELIEVE IF SHE'S CALLING IN, I, OKAY.

UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE RICARDO SHAVANA.

IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, BUT I WANNA SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.

AND SO I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME AS I GO THROUGH THIS WITH YOU.

SO MY NAME IS RICARDO ANA.

IT'S MY FIRST TIME I'M PRESENTING BEFORE YOU TO CONSIDER PAUSING OR ACTUALLY NOT APPROVING THE, UH, CONCESSION REPORT AS PRESENTED.

AS I MENTIONED, UM, MY BACKGROUND HAS BEEN IN CORPORATE FINANCE AND I'M CURRENTLY A PROFESSOR AT AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.

I'M CURRENTLY TEACHING INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, BUT MY STUDY THROUGH THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS IN FORENSIC ACCOUNTING AND REVERSE ENGINEERING OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

SO I HAVE PRETTY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO DETERMINE IN-DEPTH STUDIES OF FINANCIALS AS PRESENTED AND AVAILABLE TO US.

SO I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF PRESENTING, UH, SOME INFORMATION TO YOU.

I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU NOW, WHICH I PRESENTED TO, WE'VE PRESENTED TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHICH WE PLAN TO MEET WITH IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DISCUSS WHAT WE PRESENTED TO HIM, WHICH I'M ABOUT TO PRESENT TO YOU.

SO MY SOURCES AND CITATIONS OF MY INFORMATION VERY QUICKLY IS THE CITY CHARTER AND REFERENCING TO 8 1 7 3 8 1 7 4 AND 8 1 7 2.

WE'LL GET INTO ALL THAT LATER.

SO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE IS MY INFORMATION, THE IRS REQUEST CONTROLLER, PUBLIC ACCOUNTS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORTS.

AND SO I HAVE HERE AS MY DISCOVERY INFORMATION PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, IN VERY QUICK DETAIL.

SO THE REASON WHY I WANT YOU TO SUSPEND DECISION ON THIS IS BECAUSE OF WHAT I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU.

AND I KNOW I'M VERY QUICKLY, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

LAST SUMMER.

WE PRESENTED A, AN OPEN LETTER OPPOSITION TO APPROVING THE, UM, THE EXTENSION OF, OF THE CONCESSIONS REPORT.

AND PARTICULARLY, UH, THE REASON BEHIND ALL THAT IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.

THE CONTRACTS AND COMMITTEES, UH, ALSO REVIEWED THIS INFORMATION.

BUT I WANT, I WANNA GET IN MORE DETAIL.

THERE'S TWO NONPROFITS RIGHT NOW THAT YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT ARE IN SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF ACTIVITIES THAT I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU.

UM, NOW, SO THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THAT, AS YOU MAY ALREADY BE AWARE OF, I'M JUST GONNA REPEAT IT VERY QUICKLY NOW, IS THAT IN ORDER FOR A NON-PROFIT LIKE THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL TO BE GRANTED NON-PROFIT EXEMPT STATUS, THEY NEED TO HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN NON-COMPLIANCE ACCORDING TO THE IRS AND THEY'VE BEEN REVOKED OF THEIR LICENSE TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE.

AND THEY ARE ONE OF THE CONCESSIONARIES RIGHT NOW ASKING FOR CONTINUED CONCESSIONS.

AND SO THEY'RE REQUESTING FOR A CONTINUANCE OF THEIR PLAN AND PROPOSITION FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE RE WE'RE RECONFIRMING WITH THE IRS DIRECTLY OTHER THAN THE NUMBERS THAT ARE ALREADY PRESENTED TO YOU THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN NOT IN COMPLIANCE.

WHILE THE INFORMATION AS FAR AS REVENUE'S CONCERNED THROUGH NONPROFITS TO THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE IS NOT REQUIRED, I DO KNOW THAT THEIR FOR-PROFIT ARM IS LESS THAN $50,000 IN REVENUE THAT IS NOT ANYWHERE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO CREATE A $2 MILLION EXPENSE INTO THE PROJECT THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING.

THE LAST AND MORE, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE 30 SECONDS, IF YOU COULD GRANT ME SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, IS THE TRAILS CONSERVANCY.

I DID A VERY IN-DEPTH STUDY WITH THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REVERSED THEIR DOCUMENTS AS FAR AS THEIR RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS.

I FOUND 24 VIOLATIONS ACCORDING TO GAP ACCOUNTING, WHICH I ALSO HAVE PRESENTED HERE TO THE MAYOR AND ALSO TO THE, UH, CITY MANAGER, WHICH WE PLAN TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL LATER.

BUT THE 24 VIOLATIONS INCLUDES MANAGEMENT OF THE TRAILS CONSERVANCY AND THE WAY THAT THEY OPERATE AND THE RATINGS ACCORDING TO HOW WE UN WE WE MANAGE BANKS.

THE OTHER IS 25 VIOLATIONS OF FINANCIAL REPORTING.

SO THESE ARE NOT LIGHTLY ALLEGED CONCERNS.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY GONNA BE BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT AND WE WE'RE PREPARED TO BE

[04:15:01]

CHARTER CODE REQUIRES THAT THE CITY, UH, ALLOW FOR VOTERS TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER THESE KINDS OF, UH, CITY CHARGERS, CITY CHARTERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING VIOLATED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXTRA TIME.

I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK.

UM, IT IS NOW 10 24.

I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE, UM, EXTEND UNTIL 10 45 SECOND SECONDED BY BRISTOL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS.

IT'S UNANIMOUS.

I'VE STARTED SEVEN NONPROFITS.

UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE PHILLIP THOMAS.

OKAY, UM, ROBIN RATHER, THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING LATE TO DO THIS.

THIS IS A INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

I WANNA SAY STRAIGHT UP, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ANY NONPROFIT.

I'M A THREE-TIME CHAIR OF SAVE OUR SPRINGS.

I'M ON THE BOARD OF SEVERAL NONPROFITS RIGHT NOW.

I'VE GOT NOTHING AGAINST ANY CONCESSIONS.

I LIKE PICKING UP AN ORANGE JUICE AT A PARK AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON.

WE HAVE A REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND IT'S NOT THESE LADIES' FAULT.

THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB DELIVERING TO YOU A VERY SPECIFIC REPORT THAT HAS SOME FACTS, BUT THAT IN EFFECT IS VERY INCOMPLETE IN EXPLAINING WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON HERE.

AS YOU KNOW, SINCE 2022, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVATIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION IN OUR PARKS.

CONCESSIONS ARE THE GATEWAY TO CONTINUED COMMERCIALIZATION AND GENTRIFICATION OF THE PARKS.

THIS REPORT LACKS TRANSPARENCY, IT LACKS ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IT LACKS A LOT OF SPECIFICS.

NOTHING IN IT IS WRONG.

AND I THINK AS, UH, UH, THE PARKS DIRECTOR POINTED OUT, YOU DID WHAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT IT MISSES THE MUCH LARGER POINT, WHICH IS THERE IS TREMENDOUS INEQUITY ACROSS THE DIFFERENT CONCESSION VENDORS.

SOME OF THEM HAVE LONG-TERM CONTRACTS, SOME OF THEM HAVE VERY QUICK CONTRACTS.

SOME OF THEM ARE TREATED REALLY WELL.

SOME OF THEM ARE NOT TREATED REALLY WELL.

SOME OF THEM ARE FAVORITES, AND SOME OF THEM, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT IS THE LONGEST SERVING AND HISPANIC OWNED, WHICH HAS 80% HISPANIC CLIENTELE, RECEIVE SOME OF THE WORST TREATMENT.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO IS, WHICH IT'S LATE AT NIGHT, THIS SHOULD BE EASY.

LET'S JUST PAUSE THIS WHOLE THING.

WE'RE ASKING FOR A LOT MORE INFORMATION.

AS MY COLLEAGUE RICARDO SHAVANA POINTED OUT, THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF SOME OF THE CONCESSIONAIRES AS WELL AS, UH, THE NONPROFIT THAT SOMEWHAT SECRETLY THIS YEAR, UM, HAD THEIR CONTRACT EXTENDED MUCH EARLIER THAN ANYONE THOUGHT WITHOUT COMING BEFORE YOU, WITHOUT COMING BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD, WITHOUT HAVING ANY PUBLIC, UM, UM, ENGAGEMENT WHATSOEVER.

THEIR CONTRACT WAS EXTENDED AND NOW THEY'RE TAKING OVER ALL OF THE CONCESSIONS.

BUT THAT NONPROFIT HAS THEIR OWN EXTREMELY SERIOUS POTENTIAL FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT ISSUES, A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, A LACK OF OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GREAT NONPROFIT, UM, PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS, WE HAVE TO HAVE GREAT TRANSPARENCY.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAVE, AND THE REASON I STAYED HERE ALL NIGHT TO SAY THIS TO YOU, IS THIS REPORT FINE AS IT IS, DOES NOT ANSWER THE BASIC QUESTIONS.

WHO'S MAKING MONEY OFF OUR PARKS? WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH IT? WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CONSEQUENCES? WHAT ARE THE EQUITY ISSUES INVOLVED HERE? AND IN PARTICULAR IS THIS WHOLE SYSTEM OF CON OF CONCESSIONS.

IS IT EVEN GOOD FOR PARD? IS IT EVEN GOOD FOR THE CITY? PARD HAS A HUGE MAINTENANCE BACKLOG.

YOU PROBABLY KNOW THERE'S 70 TO 90 STAFF PEOPLE SHORT IN THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS NO DISRESPECT MEANT TO THE PEOPLE WHO PREPARED THIS REPORT, BUT THIS IS A HUGE, CONVOLUTED ISSUE REPRESENTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND THAT THE PUBLIC'S ASKED FOR AN AUDIT.

THE CITY IS DOING AN AUDIT OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY AND OTHER NONPROFITS.

LET'S AT LEAST WAIT UNTIL THAT AUDIT IS OUT.

LET'S LET THE NEW PAR DIRECTOR GET HIMSELF SITUATED AND LET'S STRAIGHTEN THIS OUT TOGETHER.

LET'S NOT MAKE A QUICK DECISION TONIGHT.

I'M ASKING YOU NOT TO RUBBER STAMP THIS.

AND I,

[04:20:01]

FROM A CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT STANDPOINT, LET ALONE ANY OF THE OTHER FINANCIAL ISSUES, I THINK, I THINK WE DESERVE TO, TO SLOW DOWN AND MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THIS WHOLE THING RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT, UM, THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEXT PHASE OF THAT AGREEMENT, WHICH WAS AGREED, I BELIEVE IN, AND IT'S IN THE REPORT, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, LATE, UH, 24, UM, WHEN THIS WAS AGREED TO.

UM, LET'S OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.

LET'S START WITH THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS.

UM, COMMISSIONER KRUEGER, THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING SO LATE TO PRESENT AND TO SHARE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

I KNOW WE NEED TO KEEP IT BRIEF, SO I'LL JUST SAY I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD ENOUGH TONIGHT THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THIS DESERVES MORE DISCUSSION AND MORE CONSIDERATION THEN WE CAN REALLY AFFORD IT IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES.

SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION, WHETHER THAT'S AT THE NEXT MEETING, I'M NOT SURE PROCEDURALLY WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN.

UM, SO THAT'S MY FIRST THING TO SAY.

I DO HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THE REPORT, IF WE DO HAVE TIME FOR IT AND DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING FORWARD TONIGHT.

I AM JUST GONNA SAY PROCEDURALLY AND, AND LIZ AND ELIZABETH, UM, CORRECT ME HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE PUBLIC, UM, HEARING ON THIS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO MAKE EXTENSIONS, WE CAN, UH, WE HAVE FOUR STAFF HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE PREPARED THIS REPORT.

WE NEED TO HEAR THEM OUT AND, UM, AND GIVE THIS, YOU KNOW, SOME TIME.

I ALSO JUST WANT TO REMIND, UM, EVERY COMMISSIONER THAT WE'RE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND THAT IS OUR LENS, AND THAT IS OUR ONLY LENS HERE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FINANCIAL AND ALL THE OTHER PIECES OF THIS ARE LENS IS THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BEAR THAT IN MIND AS YOU HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS REPORT.

COMMISSIONER BRIER, UM, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PRESENTATION THAT, UH, THERE AREN'T, THERE ISN'T TIME FOR I WOULD AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER KRUEGER THAT, UH, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME AVAILABLE, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF, UH, CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION AT A LATER DATE.

UH, WITH, UH, REGARD TO, UH, WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER BRISTOL SAID, UH, WE'RE, I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, HOWEVER, UH, THE, WE'RE CHARTERED TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE REPORT UNDER EIGHT DASH ONE DASH 73 AND UNDER THAT SECTION OF CITY CODE, IT DOESN'T, UH, LIMIT US TO, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE ENVIRONMENT.

IT SAYS NAME OF EACH CONCESSION OPERATOR, THE TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT FOR EACH CONCESSION, TOTAL NUMBER OF WATERCRAFT RENTED AND CONTINUING EXISTING CONCESSIONS, TERMINATING AN EXISTING CONTINUATION AND ISSUING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR EXPIRING IN NEW CONCESSIONS UNDER THIS DIVISION.

SO THAT IS A LOT BROADER THAN JUST THE ENVIRONMENT ISSUES.

MY QUESTIONS DO CONTAIN A LOT OF ITEMS THAT WERE COVERED BY THE PRESENTATION.

I DO HAVE A FEW THAT EXTEND TO SOME OF THESE OTHER ITEMS LISTED.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY AT THIS TIME.

COMMISSIONER KREI? YEAH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, PRESENTATION.

I WAS WONDERING IF, UH, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL COULD SORT OF ELABORATE ON SORT OF THE, THE QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY HAD ABOUT THE, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY HAS AS, UH, RELATED TO THESE CONTRACTS AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR ASSUMPTION OF IT MOVING FORWARD.

I, OKAY.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YEAH.

SO, UM, SO UNDER THE CURRENT, UM, CONTRACTS, UM, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY WAS ALREADY OPERATING, UM, EPIC SUB UNDER CONTRACT.

AND UNDER THAT, UM, THAT REVENUE SHARE WENT BACK TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

UM, THE POMA WAS ESTABLISHED, UM, THROUGH COUNCIL RESO.

SO COUNCIL APPROVED THIS AND THE POMA HAS GONE FORWARD, WHICH IS THE PARKLAND OPERATION MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE POEM IS.

AND UNDER

[04:25:01]

AND, UM, IT WAS REVIEWED AND APPROVED.

AND BEGINNING IN PHASE TWO OF 25, UM, TEXAS ROWING CENTER WOULD BE ASSIGNED THAT AGREEMENT TO, UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

AND THEN FROM THERE, UM, THEY WOULD THEN TAKE OVER THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS JUST LIKE WE WOULD UNDER ANY OTHER MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION AGREEMENT.

AND IN RETURN, THE REVENUE WOULD GO TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY AND THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY UNDER THE OMA WOULD USE THAT MONEY TO, UH, FROM MAINTAINING THE TRAIL, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA AROUND, UM, THE CONCESSION.

SO, UM, THAT CURRENTLY IS THE ONLY, UM, VENDOR OR CONCESSIONAIRE THAT IS, UH, SCHEDULED TO, UM, WE MOVED UNDER THEMA.

UNDER THE OMA, IT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN ESTABLISH OTHER CONCESSIONAIRES, BUT THEY DO HAVE TO FOLLOW CODE.

SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO PRESENT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL THE, UH, UNDER, UM, CODED ALSO AS A REQUIREMENT THAT A, A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION OCCUR FOR VENDORS.

AND SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT PROCESS AS WELL.

AND THEN, UM, SOLICIT AND THEN AWARD, AND AGAIN, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW CODE.

SO IF THE REQUIREMENT IS, IS THEY HAVE TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION, THEY, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE AS WELL.

UM, SO CURRENTLY, UM, THAT IS THE ONLY CONCESSION THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE, UH, MOVED TO THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

EXCUSE ME, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION POINT THAT WAS SIGNED BY KIMBERLY MCNEELY AS SHE WALKED OUT THE DOOR TO WORK FOR THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

IT WAS SIGNED BY THE, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN CHARGE OF, YOU KNOW, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

SO THE, UH, PROCESS BY WHICH THIS POMA UPDATE WAS SIGNED WAS A BIT CLOUDY, TO SAY THE LEAST.

AND THERE'S A PART OF THE POMA THAT WAIVES THE REVIEW ON THE PART OF THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO REVIEW NEW CONCESSIONS.

SO PART OF OUR ABILITY TO REVIEW NEW CONCESSIONS IS WIPED OUT BY THE POMA.

SO THE POMA IS PUBLIC RECORD IF YOU WANT TO READ IT, WHICH I TOOK THE TIME TO DO.

YEAH, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY BEING A EXTENSION OF THE ILLUMINATI, WHICH I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO.

BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK CERTAINLY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENT AND JUST WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE TRANSPARENCY.

YOU KNOW, IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE GREAT IF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, UH, YOU KNOW, PRESENTS ON SORT OF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF THEIR FINANCES IS THE BEST WAY TO PLAY IT, BUT SORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE ARRANGEMENTS OF THAT WOULD BE LIKE, THEY WOULD GIVE A PRESENTATION SIMILAR TO LIKE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.

LIKE WHAT IS SORT OF THE PLAN THERE? I GUESS.

SO I CAN'T SAY WE, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ALWAYS ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PRESENT HERE, BUT, UM, AND I'M, I'M SPEAKING NOW, NOT NECESSARILY WHEN THEY TAKE OVER THE CONCESSION.

UM, BUT AGAIN, SO IF THEY ARE SOLICITING A CONCESSION, THEY, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SOLICITATION PROCESS AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEEK APPROVAL.

NOW REMEMBER, UM, UNDER THE APPROVAL PROCESS, IT COULD BE THAT ONE OF YOU MEMBERS SITS ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE AND APPROVES THAT CONCESSION THROUGH THAT EVALUATION.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY EVALUATED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEMBER, AND, UM, A PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER, I BELIEVE IS HOW IT'S KIND OF LISTED.

SO IT, IT, IT COULD EVEN BE DONE THAT WAY.

I MEAN, IN FACT, IT SHOULD BE DONE THAT WAY.

SO YEAH, APPRECIATE THE CONTEXT.

THIS SOUNDS, UH, SUPER INTERESTING AND I'LL PROBABLY ECHO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO DIGEST ALL THIS STUFF, BUT, UH, WE GOT WHAT WE GOT, SO APPRECIATE IT.

COMMISSIONER

[04:30:01]

FLURY.

SO NEW TO THIS AND, AND, AND WONDERING ABOUT PROCEDURE AND IF, UH, WE DO, UH, HAVE ABSTAIN FROM VOTING FROM NOT HAVING ENOUGH INFORMATION AND DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO REACH A VOTE, DOES IT THEN CONTINUE ON TO, TO HAVE, UH, A SESSION LATER? I THINK THAT WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO LEAVE IT OPEN TO RETURN.

YEAH, YOU COULD, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN DATE IS HOW IT USUALLY WORKS.

SO YOU COULD CONTINUE ON WITH THE QUESTIONS YOU COULD DECIDE TO POSTPONE NOW AND COME BACK LATER, UH, UM, OR CONTINUE ON AND MAKE THE VOTE.

IT'S UP UP TO Y'ALL.

AND THEN TO ANSWER, UH, COMMISSIONER FLU'S QUESTION, SO YOU HAVE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, YOU HAVE EIGHT COMMISSIONERS ON AND ALREADY EIGHT FOUR A VOTE TO PASS.

YOU NEED SIX.

SO IF TWO PEOPLE ABSTAIN OR SOMEBODY VOTES AGAINST MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE, UM, THEN CODE.

IT DOES SAY THAT THE REPORT NEEDS TO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FORM, THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO YOU ALL WHETHER WHAT TO DO AFTER THAT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AGAINST, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO POSTPONE.

IT'S PRETTY OPEN.

I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE POSTPONE THIS AGENDA ITEM UNTIL, UM, WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND THAT WE CAN PICK THIS CONVERSATION UP.

UM, YES.

WITHIN, IF WE CAN'T MAKE IT ON THE NEXT MEETING THEN, AND I'M GETTING A YES THAT WE CAN, THEN WE WILL, THERE IS SPACE ON THE FEBRUARY 19TH.

YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY THE MEETING THE DATE, THE FEBRUARY 19TH MEETING.

AND IT SHOULD BE ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THE OR ITEM NUMBER TWO AFTER CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION.

AGREE.

NO, LET'S PUT THEM BACK AT 10 30 OR 11.

NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.

I'M JUST KIDDING.

HE'S JOKING Y'ALL.

I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY IN THE THE CODE, IT'S, YOU MAY, UM, THE LANGUAGE IS MAY, SO, UM, YOU WHAT YOU'LL NEED BECAUSE WE MAY INCLUDE JUST YOUR, WHAT YOU SAY HERE THIS EVENING, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A MEMO.

UM, SO I WOULD BE CLEAR IN WHAT YOU'RE WANTING US TO DO, UM, BECAUSE THAT LANGUAGE WILL BE INCLUDED.

SURE.

UM, SO, UM, WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU OR MAY, MAY YOU , UM, UH, ADDRESS THE, UM, THE ISSUES OF, UM, UH, TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAR AND THE NONPROFIT, UM, PARK PARTNERS.

UM, WHAT ELSE AM I MISSING HERE? I JUST WANT TO ASK SOMETHING REAL QUICK.

UM, ELIZABETH, DO YOU KNOW IF WE WILL HAVE A QUORUM ON THE NEXT ONE? THAT WAS ANOTHER CONCERN THAT I, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE EVEN HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE BEFORE WE TRY AND POSTPONE IT TO THE 19TH.

I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

UM, I DON'T HAVE FULL RESPONSES TO THE FORM, SO I DO NOT KNOW.

YOU WANNA ASK FOLKS HERE, IS IT EVERYONE THAT'S HERE PLANNING ON BEING THERE ON THE 19TH? I SEE KRUGER, I SEE BRIER, REI, RY, BETH BEDFORD, BRISTOL SHEAR.

I AM ON THE COMMISSION UNTIL MY REPLACEMENT IS APPOINTED AFTER IN A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND WE HAVE SOME OF IT.

SO WE HAVE A SPOKEN QUORUM THAT WILL BE THERE ON THE 19TH.

I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION THAT MIGHT MIGHT BE HELPFUL, HELPFUL.

COMMISSIONER BRISTOL FOR WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THEM.

UM, YOU REFERENCED IN THE PRESENTATION MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MARINE WASTE.

AND WHEN I GO TO THE REPORT, UM, ON PAGE 29, WHICH IS THE LAST PAGE, IT SAYS APPENDIX TWO, AUSTIN LAKE WATER PROTECTION PLAN AND MARINE WASTE INFORMATION.

AND THEN IT'S JUST BLANK.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S MISSING.

I, I GOOGLED IT AND I WENT INTO THE BACKUP MATERIAL AND I DON'T SEE ANY DETAILS ABOUT IT, SO I'M WONDERING IF I'M MISSING IT OR IF IT'S JUST NOT INCLUDED.

LET ME JUST CUT YOU OFF REAL QUICK.

'CAUSE IT'S 10 43 AND SO WE HAVE TO EXTEND, UM, MOTION TO EXTEND THE 10 48.

UH, COMMISSIONER KRUEGER.

SECONDED BY KRUEGER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.

UNANIMOUSLY RAISING MY HAND.

OKAY, GO ON.

OH, I'M JUST WONDERING, I GUESS, AM I MISSING IT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED? THAT COULD BE INCLUDED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN AT THE NEXT MEETING.

SO NOT SURE WHAT VERSION YOU HAVE, BUT, UM, IT IS, IT IS INCLUDED IN THE FULL REPORT, SO WE, WE CAN MAKE SURE YOU GET THAT COPY.

I'M LOOKING AT WHAT WAS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND THEN'S ON THE CITY WEBSITE AS WELL.

YEAH, I JUST,

[04:35:01]

SO, UM, IT, IS THERE A SECOND? DID DID YOU FINISH YOUR MOTION? I DID.

, I DIDN'T, I WAS ASKING QUESTION.

SO THIS IS TO BE ON OUR NEXT MEETING ON THE 19TH, NUMBER NUMBER TWO ON THE AGENDA, CORRECT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS.

WELL, HANG ON, HANNAH.

OH, SORRY.

I'M, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT A FACE HERE THAT SAYS SHE DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.

WHAT DO WE GOT? UH, THAT'S, YES.

SO DO YOU HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE ADDRESSED OR IS THERE, WHAT INFORMATION CAN WE BRING BACK? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE APPENDIX TWO TO THE, UH, DRAFT REPORT.

SO WE, SO OBVIOUSLY, WHICH IS ABOUT WATER QUALITY OR THE, UH, WATER PROTECTION PLAN AND MARINE WASTE AND, UH, INFORMATION.

IT'S THE RECEIPTS FOR THE MARINE WASTE.

WHAT ELSE? COMMISSIONERS INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSERVANCY TRAIL, TRAIL CONSERVANCY, SINCE THAT SEEMS TO BE EVERYONE'S CONCERN.

YEAH, I MEAN IDEALLY IF THEY WERE ALSO THERE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHO, BUT I'M SURE THERE'S SOMEBODY ON THIS COMMISSION THAT Y'ALL CAN TALK TO PERHAPS.

YEAH, I, I FORESEE OVER TIME THAT WILL ASK THAT THIS REPORT INCLUDES SOME LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY WITHIN IT FROM THE TRAIL COMMISSION, UM, I DON'T KNOW, TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

YEAH, THAT'S, IT'S LAID.

I FEEL IT.

AND I JUST, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF DID PREPARE THE EXACT REPORT THAT THEY WERE ASKED TO PREPARE, SO NOW WE'RE ASKING THEM TO KIND OF GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD PREPARE AND PRESENT TO US.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF, KIND OF STRETCHING OUT HERE A LITTLE BIT.

WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION.

I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING UP TIME, BUT IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY IS NOW MANAGING ALL THE, UH, CONCESSIONS OR A NUMBER OF THEM DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.

SO DO WE GET REPORTS ON THE FINANCES? YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE CONCESSIONS DON'T REPORT BACK TO PART ANYMORE.

THEY REPORT UP TO, UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

SO DO WE GET, YOU KNOW, A REPORT LIKE THIS ON THE FINANCES EVERY YEAR? I GOTTA INTERRUPT YOU REAL QUICK, COMMISSIONER BRIER TO EXTEND THE TIME, UH, MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME TO 10 52.

I SAID LET'S MAKE IT 11 .

RIGHT.

LET'S JUST BE HONEST ABOUT THIS.

UM, AND IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EMAIL Y'ALL QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.

PERHAPS WE COULD FINISH THAT THIS WAY.

DOES THAT SOUND ALL RIGHT? YES.

LET'S DO THAT.

AND, UM, I WOULD JUST URGE, UH, TIMELINESS ON THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A BACKUP DO, UM, EARLIER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT MEETING.

SO, GREAT.

AND, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, CURRENTLY THEY ARE ONLY MANAGING EPIC SUB LONG CONTACT.

THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE, YEAH.

SO, UM, THE, UH, TEXAS ROWING CENTER, THEY'RE NOT OFFICIALLY MANAGING THEM YET, SO UNTIL THAT, UM, ASSIGNMENT HAS OCCURRED.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON, ON THE FLOOR AND, UH, WE NEED TO WRAP THAT UP.

UM, FOR 52, OR ARE WE DOING 11? NO, TO POSTPONE? WE, WE ARE.

OH, THE, OH, I GOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

BACK TO THAT .

UH, SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND FOR THE MOTION.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS, SO MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE, UM, 19TH.

THANK, THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

I'M SORRY.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

UP WE HAVE, UM, FEATURE AGENDA ITEMS. OH, NO.

UH, NEXT

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

OH YEAH, DO, ALRIGHT.

DO WE WANNA PUT A VOTE ON, UM, THE LIGHT RAIL ON OUR AGENDA AT SOME POINT? DID THE, THE, UH, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT? OKAY.

UM, IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? UM, SECOND.

WHY NOT? OKAY, SO SECONDED BY QURESHI.

UM, COULD I, UH, ASK FOR A LITTLE CLARITY ON THAT? WOULD THAT BE, UM, RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU ALL OR YES.

[04:40:01]

BE CLEAR THOUGH, I, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY WE ARE STILL MEETING, SO IF Y'ALL HAVE CONVERSATIONS, IF Y'ALL COULD MOVE THOSE OUTSIDE.

AND SO THE OFFICIAL WAY TO, UH, PROVIDE COMMENTS WOULD BE TO GO THROUGH THEIR, UM, FORM.

SURE.

SO IF THERE WERE SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY GO TO THEM, THEY WOULD, YOU WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW UP AND ADD IT TO THEIR ACTUAL FORM, SO, RIGHT.

WELL THE POINT IS IT WOULD BE A COM IT WOULD BE A SET OF COMMENTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON THE DRAFT DIS FOR PROJECT CONNECT OR LIGHT RAIL.

UNDERSTOOD.