Apr 24, 2025 City Council Meetings

PLEASE CONSIDER POSTPONING THIS PROJECT.

WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS TO SPEAK ON THE MAYORS OF THE, THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 11, IRBY FOSTER, BILL BUNCH, KAYLYN, BRETT, EMILIANO MARTINEZ, JEFF GROSSO.

THAT'S FOR THE MARRIAGES OF POSTPONEMENT ON 11.

I'LL READ ONE MORE TIME.

IRBY FOSTER, BILL BUNCH, KAYLYN, BRETT, EMILIANO MARTINEZ, JEFF GROSSO.

IF, IF YOU'RE HERE AND YOU WISH TO BE HEARD ON ITEM NUMBER 11 ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD SO WE CAN HEAR YOUR FROM YOU.

MR. BUNCH IS INDICATING HE PASSES ON THAT.

IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD MORNING.

I AM KAYLIN BRITT AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE AND WORK IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

I'M THE ACADEMIC DIRECTOR OF JAMES BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL IN AUSTIN, ISD.

I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON AGENDA ITEM 11, THE SLAUGHTER LANE CORRIDOR EXPANSION PROJECT.

I'M IN SUPPORTIVE OF POSTPONEMENT OF THE PROJECT APPROVAL.

I BELIEVE THE PROJECT SHOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL IT GUARANTEES AN INCORPORATION OF SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS ON SLAUGHTER LANE.

OVER MY 11 YEARS AT JAMES BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL, INCLUDING SEVEN AS A TEACHER, CURRENTLY MY FOURTH YEAR AS ACADEMIC DIRECTOR, I'VE WITNESSED THE EXPANSION AND SUBSEQUENT TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON SLAUGHTER LANE BETWEEN BRODY AND MOPAC.

I ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROJECT'S NECESSITY, HOWEVER, I URGE YOU TO INCLUDE SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS.

IN THIS PROPOSAL.

OUR TRAFFIC ON SLAUGHTER LANE HAS SURGED DRAMATICALLY LEADING TO SEVERE INJURIES, PARTICULARLY AT CROSSWALKS IN FRONT OF OUR SCHOOL.

IN 2018, THREE STUDENTS WERE TRAGICALLY HIT ON SLAUGHTER LANE AND WE'VE ALSO HAD FATALITIES AMONG OUR STUDENTS.

DESPITE OUR REQUEST FOR SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS IN 2018, WE WERE DENIED DUE TO LOW PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.

HOWEVER, SINCE 2018, WE'VE ACQUIRED LAND ACROSS FROM SLAUGHTER LANE IN OUR 2018 BOND.

THE LAND ACROSS THE STREET IS USED FOR ATHLETIC PURPOSES DAILY AND IT DIVIDES OUR CAMPUS.

STUDENTS ARE FORCED TO FREQUENTLY CROSS THE ROAD EVERY SINGLE DAY.

OUR, WE ALSO HAVE ATHLETIC FIELDS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO SLAUGHTER LANE THAT PR ARE NOT PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS.

THERE ARE TWO SCHOOLS ON SLAUGHTER LANE THAT HAVE SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS, INCLUDING GRIS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ZURICH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS HAVE SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS THAT WERE INSTALLED BY THE CITY.

THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS PROTECTING THESE STUDENTS BUT NOT BUOYS IS TROUBLESOME.

SLAUGHTER LANE IS FOUR LANES AT BOTH GKI AND CAER CAMPUSES.

WITH THE UPCOMING EXPANSION OF SLAUGHTER LANE TO SIX LANES, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS ARE IMPLEMENTED.

IN THIS PROJECT.

NOT ONLY IS SLAUGHTER GOING TO BE SIX LANES, BUT THE ROAD DIVIDES OUR CAMPUS.

OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE AREA AND IN THE DISTRICT HAVE SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS, CROCKETT HIGH SCHOOL, ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL, MCCALLUM.

HOWEVER, NONE OF THESE SCHOOLS HAVE A ROAD SPLITTING THROUGH THEIR PROPERTY.

THIS PROJECT SHOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THERE'S ASSURANCES THAT WE HAVE SCHOOLS ZONE LIGHTS INCORPORATED INTO THE PROJECT.

WE CANNOT DEVALUE THE LIVES OF STUDENTS COMPARED TO OTHERS, AND IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ADULTS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

SPEEDING THROUGH THE LIGHT, RUNNING THE RED LIGHTS, OR COMPLETELY UNAWARE THAT THEY'RE IN A SCHOOL AREA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS EMILIANA MARTINEZ AND I LIVE AND GO TO SCHOOL IN DISTRICT EIGHT.

I'M A SENIOR, THE CROSS COUNTRY TEAM CAPTAIN AND COS STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT AT JAMES BLUE HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON AGENDA NUMBER 11, REPRESENTING THE STUDENT BODY AND STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE.

MORE SPECIFICALLY, I'M ASKING YOU TO POSTPONE APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT UNTIL SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE PLANS THAT CONCERN SLAUGHTER LANE.

I KNOW THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE A SMALL DETAIL IN A BIG CONSTRUCTION PLAN, BUT FOR STUDENTS AT BUOY, IT'S A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION.

I CROSS AS A CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETE, WE'RE ON SLAUGHTER EARLY EVERY MORNING AND IT'S NOT JUST OUR TEAM, THE SOCCER TEAM, BOYS AND GIRLS HAVE TO CROSS SLAUGHTER TO REACH THE PRACTICE FIELDS.

STUDENT DRIVERS, MANY OF THEM JUST LEARNING HOW TO NAVIGATE SLAUGHTER EVERY SINGLE DAY, OFTEN DURING MOST HIGH TRAFFIC ITEMS. AND TO BE HONEST, IT'S SCARY FOR A STUDENT ATHLETE'S PERSPECTIVE.

WE'VE SEEN DRIVERS

[00:10:01]

SOME OF MY TEAMMATES HAVE HAD CLOSE CALLS WHILE OUT RUNNING.

I'VE HEARD STUDENTS SAY THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING OR DRIVING ON SLAUGHTER.

WE'VE HAD WRECKS ON WOLF TRAP AND SLAUGHTER THAT INVOLVE DIFFERENT STUDENT DRIVERS.

THESE AREN'T JUST INCIDENTS.

THERE ARE WARNINGS.

SLAUGHTER IS UNAVOIDABLE FOR BUOY STUDENTS.

IT IS ONLY, IT'S THE ONLY ROAD IN AND OUT.

YOU CAN'T RUN FROM IT.

LITERALLY.

IF THIS EXPANSION MOVES FORWARDS WITHOUT SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS, WE'RE MISSING A CRUCIAL OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT LIVES.

THIS IS ABOUT STOPPING PROGRESS.

IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE SAFETY IS A PART OF THAT PROGRESS.

WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO CANCEL A PROJECT, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DELAY UNTIL SAFETY FEATURES, SPECIFICALLY A SCHOOL ZONE AROUND BUOY IS GUARANTEED PART OF THE PLAN.

WE'RE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, YES, BUT WE ARE ALSO CITIZENS.

MANY OF US NEW DRIVERS, SOME OF US READY ALREADY VOTERS AND WE DESERVE A VOICE WHEN CITY'S MAKING DECISIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT THE REQUEST TO TO POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER, NUMBER 11 UNTIL SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS ARE INCLUDED ON SLAUGHTER LANE FOR BOWIE.

THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO.

YES, COUNCILMAN HARPER AND MILANO.

I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TODAY.

I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE.

IT IS TOO BAD YOU'RE ALREADY A SENIOR 'CAUSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A STUDENT CITY COUNCIL AND YOU'D BE A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOUR DISTRICT.

BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND OFTENTIMES WE HEAR FROM ADULTS ABOUT HOW TRAFFIC IMPACT AND OTHER THINGS WILL IMPACT YOU.

BUT WE WANNA HEAR FROM SCHOLARS AS WELL.

I DON'T THINK WE ENCOURAGE IT ENOUGH, SO JUST WANTED TO SAY WE ALL REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN WE SEE Y'ALL SHOW UP.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

MY NAME IS JEFF GROSSO.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT AS WELL.

I GOT THREE TEENAGERS AT BOWIE, TWO SOCCER PLAYERS AND A CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER.

ADDITIONALLY, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GIRLS, UH, SOCCER BOOSTER CLUB.

SO I'VE BEEN CO-LEADING AN EFFORT, UH, WITH THE BUOY PARENTS AND ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS SINCE OCTOBER 24 TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ALONG SLAUGHTER LANE IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.

BOTTOM LINE, UP FRONT, WE'RE ASKING YOUR SUPPORT TO REQUIRE A SCHOOL ZONE FOR BUOY HIGH SCHOOL ALONG SLAUGHTER LANE THAT RUNS THROUGH OUR CAMPUS.

WE'RE SUPPORTIVE DELAYING A VOTE ON APPROVING THE EXPANSION PROJECT UNTIL THIS STICKING POINT ISSUE OF THE SCHOOL ZONE IS RESOLVED.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AND RECEIVING GREAT COLLABORATION FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND COACHES, COUNCILWOMAN ELLIS'S, OFFICE, A ISD AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED.

BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH TRANSPORTATION, ENGINEERING, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, CAPITAL, DELIVERY SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION AND SO FORTH.

OUR EFFORTS HAVE, UH, ENABLED NEW SIGNAGE, NEW IMPROVED CROSSWALKS, NEW TRAVELING SIGNAL TIMINGS REQUESTED, GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT THE SOCCER FIELDS AND UH, SOFTBALL FIELDS ARE NOW IN THE EXPANSION PLAN.

SO I'M REALLY SINCERELY GRATEFUL, UH, FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

THAT SAID, WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED IS THE SCHOOL ZONE, AND THAT IS TO REDUCE THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC AND THAT WAS OUR PRIMARY REQUEST AND OUR BIGGEST CONCERN WHEN THIS ALL BEGAN.

SO DESPITE THE IMPROVEMENTS, WE'RE STILL AT A 45 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT, WHICH USUALLY MEANS TRAFFIC IS GOING 60 MILES PER HOUR AND THAT'S JUST A RECIPE FOR TRAGEDY.

WE LITERALLY HAVE 103,000 CROSSINGS OF SLAUGHTER LANE PER SCHOOL YEAR.

IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS TO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET KIDS BACK AND FORTH FROM SOCCER FIELDS, CROSS COUNTRY AND SO FORTH WITHOUT SOME LEVEL OF REDUCTION OF SPEED.

SO WE'RE NOT SINCERELY ASKING FOR MUCH.

WE'RE ASKING FOR A SCHOOL ZONE THAT REDUCES FROM 45 TO 30.

THE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES SHOW THAT PEDESTRIAN VERSUS VEHICLE FATALITIES DROPPED BY 50% IF WE JUST DROP SPEEDS TO THAT DEGREE.

THANK, THANK, THANK YOU SIR.

APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO TOO.

UH, PAUL WAGNER, DISTRICT NINE.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 13, IRBY FOSTER, ITEM 14, IRBY FOSTER.

ITEM 16 IS A REMOTE SPEAKER, PAUL WAGNER.

HI, UH, OOH, EXCUSE ME THERE.

SPILL A DRINK.

I DID HAVE SOME CORRESPONDENCE WITH DISTRICT EIGHT ON THIS JUST 'CAUSE WE HAD GONE BACK AND FORTH ON THESE IT SPENDS IN THE PAST.

UH, I'M SEEING THIS AGAIN, LARGE IT SPENDS, THEY CONCERN ME.

I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT COMES UP WHEN YOU ARE A LARGE IT BUYER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT IS COMPARISON.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN AT LEAST IS EITHER PUSHING 130 MILLION OR 190 MILLION AS FAR AS I CAN TELL IN IT.

SPEND RANKING THAT AGAINST DALLAS, BOSTON, SAN ANTONIO, CHARLOTTE, HOUSTON CITIES, BOTH OF SIMILAR SIZED BUDGETS, BUT NOT SIMILAR SIZED POPULATIONS.

WE WOULD RANK THE HIGHEST AT 191, UH, DOLLARS PER RESIDENT.

[00:15:01]

NOW IF YOU LOOK AT IT AN EMPLOYEE LEVEL, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE AUSTIN RANKS IN THIS.

NEVERTHELESS, IT'S STILL RANKING NUMBER ONE OR TWO IN TEXAS AGAINST DALLAS.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT THIS AS A HOLISTIC NUMBER FIRST AND THEN START DELVING INTO THESE SMALLER NUMBERS.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THE SMALLER NUMBER HERE OF CONCERN LINE ITEM NUMBER 16.

MY FIRST AND FOREMOST STATEMENT, IF MY SLIDE IS UP, WHY ARE WE SOURCING FROM NON-US COMPANIES SELLING COMMODITY IT PRODUCTS? I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.

AUSTIN COMPANIES FIRST.

EVERY TIME YOU GIVE MONEY TO A LARGE IT SHOP THAT DOES VERY LITTLE IN MY OPINION.

BESIDES RESELLING IT, COMMODITY SERVICES, YOU ALLOW THEM TO BUY STEAK DINNERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN OTHER CITIES, SPECIFICALLY THIS CASE HOUSTON.

THEREFORE, THE VALUE HAS BEEN EXTRACTED FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, BOTH FROM A CITIZEN TAX REVENUE THAT EVENTUALLY FLOWS BACK IN AND JUST FROM BUILDING THE ECONOMIC HUB HERE.

ONE MORE TIME ON THIS ONE.

I HAD A EXCHANGE WITH DISTRICT EIGHT ON THIS.

THANK, THANK YOU YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU PROBABLY BY THESE PARTS.

YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.

UH, PAUL WAGNER'S ALSO SIGNED UP FOR 18, SO I'M GOING TO UNMUTE PAUL AGAIN.

1818 WAS CLARIFIED TO ME THAT THIS IS LIKELY NOT YOUR OFFICE 365 SPEND.

NEVERTHELESS, ALWAYS LOOK AT THIS AS AN PER EMPLOYEE PERSON, UH, COUNT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SHELFWARE THAT GETS SOLD SPECIFICALLY INTO GOVERNMENT WHERE THE LICENSES GO UNUSED.

IN CLARIFYING SOME WORK THAT I HAD IN EXCHANGE WITH DISTRICT EIGHT ON THIS, IT DOES LOOK TO ME THAT THIS COMPANY IS TRYING TO BE A MICROSOFT AZURE CLOUD MANAGEMENT SHOP.

THIS IS A BIG LINE ITEM AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I GO VERY UNLIKELY THAT THEY EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY ITEMS ON THIS.

IT WOULD BE CHEAPER AND BETTER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO JUST HIRE AN AZURE CLOUD STAFFED PERSON TO MANAGE THIS ROUGHLY 14 MILLION A YEAR BUDGET.

UH, I THINK AGAIN, GOING BACK, THIS IS A DALLAS COMPANY, YOU'RE EXTRACTING VALUE AND NUMBER TWO, WHERE IS THE PROOF OF CONCEPT BEFORE THIS GOES INTO PRODUCTION? SO I'LL HAMMER THAT HOME.

ALL IT SERVICES SHOULD RECEIVE A PROOF OF CONCEPT THREE.

IT'S AN INDUSTRY STANDARD BEFORE THEY GO TO PRODUCTION ON MULTIMILLION DOLLAR SPEND.

THANK YOU FOR ITEM 21, BILL BUNCH, ZENOBIA JOSEPH PASS, MR. BUNCH IS PASSING ITEM 23, BILL BUNCH.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY BILL BUNCH.

UH, WE'LL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE SPEAKING ON ITEM 23, WHICH COSTS FOR $3 MILLION OF ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR A 22 FOOT, UH, WASTEWATER, UH, URBAN RUNOFF, UH, WASTEWATER TUNNEL TO GO FROM I 35 ALL THE WAY OUT TO EAST AUSTIN TO DUMP A HUGE AMOUNT OF URBAN RUNOFF FROM THE I 35 CORRIDOR AND THE EXPANSION, UM, INTO THE RIVER BELOW LONGHORN DAM.

UM, THIS PART OF THE I 35 PROJECT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NEPA PROCESS.

THERE WAS NEVER ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS OR TO SEE ANY EVEN VAGUE GENERAL CONCEPTS OF WHAT IT WAS.

UH, AND THAT'S PART OF THE LAWSUIT THAT'S STILL PENDING.

UM, YOUR BACKUP DOESN'T REALLY TELL US WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING WITH THE 3 MILLION.

I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THAT'S TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE TUNNEL.

UM, HOPEFULLY PUT SOME TREATMENT CAPACITY AT THE END OF IT RATHER BEFORE YOU'RE JUST DUMPING IT IN THE RIVER.

UM, THIS REALLY NEEDS SOME PUBLIC PARTICIPATION THAT WAS COMPLETELY MISSING IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

UM, SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU APPOINT, UH, A, A CITIZEN COMMITTEE TO IMMEDIATELY GET WITH THE ENGINEER IF YOU GO FORWARD RIGHT NOW OR POSTPONE THIS TO GET MORE INFORMATION.

UM, THIS O OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED DETAILS THAT NEEDS TO GO TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD.

UM, IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION

[00:20:01]

AS WELL.

UM, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL STRETCH OF THE RIVER.

UM, WE SHOULD NOT BE SHIPPING, UH, URBAN RUNOFF.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE WORST STUFF WE HAVE IN THE PART OF THE CITY THAT WAS BUILT WITHOUT ANY, UH, POLLUTION CONTROLS AT ALL.

THANK YOU MR. BUNCH.

PAY ATTENTION.

POSTPONE THE MERITS OF POSTPONEMENT FOR THIRTIES AND NOIA.

JOSEPH THE MERITS A POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 31.

BILL BUNCH.

MR. BUNCH.

YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON 31.

OH, THAT'S POSTPONE.

I'M FINE.

ITEM 40 43, CARLOS LEON AND ZENOBIA JOSEPH.

SO CARLOS LEON FIRST AND FOREMOST S FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO ITEM 43.

HOW DOES URBAN ALCHEMY COLLABORATE WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? BACKUP SAYS THIS PILOT PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN HIGH NEED AREAS DOWNTOWN, WELL, A PL CENTRAL LIBRARIES JUST DOWN THE STREET WHERE MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE READ AND GO ONLINE.

BUT BECAUSE MOST CRIMINAL TRESPASS NOTICES A PL ISSUES ARE FOR CENTRAL PATRONS, THE TWO GROUPS APPEAR CORRELATED.

LAST MONTH YOUR LIBRARY COMMISSION SUPPORTED A P'S RECOMMENDATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM YOU FOR TWO FTE SOCIAL WORKER POSITIONS.

QUOTE, EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, STAFF ASSIST AUSTINITES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN NEED OF WARMING OR COOLING STATIONS OR COPING WITH COMPLEX PROBLEMS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.

MANY LIBRARY PATRONS HAVE MULTIPLE NEEDS THAT REQUIRE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND SOME LIBRARY VISITORS CAN BE OBSTREPEROUS, ABUSIVE OR VIOLENT WHILE THE LIBRARY IS READY AND WILLING TO ASSIST THESE PERSONS AND CAN PROVIDE A VITAL LINK TO SERVICES.

STAFF NEED SUPPORT TO ASSIST WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WHO NEED ADDITIONAL CARE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT URBAN ALCHEMY PLEDGES TO DEESCALATE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND PROVIDE INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS OR PREVENT MENTAL HEALTH EPISODES.

INTERRUPT BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES, PREVENT CRIMES, AND CONNECT PEOPLE TO SOCIAL SERVICES.

SO IS URBAN ALCHEMY ENOUGH OR SHOULD YOU ALSO FUND A PL SOCIAL WORKERS? JESUS SAID VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU IN AS MUCH AS YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, MY BRETHREN YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.

MATTHEW 25 40.

IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY.

AMEN.

THANK YOU SIR.

ITEM 46, MONICA GUZMAN.

SHE PASSES ITEM 49.

MONICA GUZMAN.

SHE'S PASSING.

OKAY, ITEM 50, DANA HAGAR, IT'S REMOTE.

OKAY, READY? YES PLEASE.

ARE WE READY? YES, IF YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD.

3 51 AND LIVE NATION IN ZILKER PARK.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE HISTORIC ZILKER PARK BRIDGE, THAT ELEGANT STRUCTURE BUILT IN 1926 AND LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NO LESS.

THIS BRIDGE ISN'T JUST INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S A WORK OF ART OF TIMELESS BEAUTY.

IT EVOKES CRAFTSMANSHIP AND A TOUCH OF OLD EUROPE IN NEW AUSTIN.

ITS GRACEFUL ARCHES REFLECT AN OLD AUSTIN THAT VALUED CULTURE OVER CONCRETE.

IT INCORPORATES ELEMENTS OF RENAISSANCE, BAROQUE, AND NEOCLASSICAL DESIGN.

NOW WE'RE TOLD THE BRIDGE IS FRAIL AND OBSOLETE AND THAT IT MUST BE DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED WITH A MASSIVE UNINSPIRED HIGHWAY STYLE BRIDGE.

BUT STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TOM CAM, WITH OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE REVIEWED THE CITY'S OWN DOCUMENTS AND FOUND THE OPPOSITE.

THE CITY'S OWN ENGINEERING ASSESSMENTS RATE THE BRIDGE IN FAIR CONDITION.

IT NEEDS MAINTENANCE MAINLY TO THE DECKING, NOT DEMOLITION.

SO WHY A $40 MILLION PLAN FOR A BIGGER BRIDGE? WELL I THINK THOUGH THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WAS OFFICIALLY SHELVED AND THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON.

THE PRESSURE HASN'T STOPPED.

THIS IS MORE THAN A REPAIR ISSUE.

IT'S A SHIFT IN LARGER BRIDGE ENABLES NEW UTILITY CORRIDORS LIKE SEWER, WATER, POWER, TELECOM, AND THAT ALIGNS WITH EFFORTS TO EXPAND VENUE CAPACITY PUSHED BY ZILKER

[00:25:01]

THIS ISN'T ABOUT PRESERVING A PUBLIC PARK, IT'S ABOUT PAVING THE WAY FOR PRIVATIZATION.

THAT'S DIRTY WORD AND SAFETY.

RECENT CHANGES TO BARTON SPRINGS ROAD HAVE ALREADY IMPROVED THAT NO EVIDENCE IT'S UNSAFE, NO NEED TO REPLACE IT.

LET'S BE CLEAR.

THE CITY'S OWN DATA DOESN'T SUPPORT DEMOLITION.

THIS IS PUBLIC LAND.

IT SHOULD BE SHAPED BY PUBLIC DESIRE, NOT PRIVATE PROFIT.

STAND WITH THE PEOPLE.

I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

CAMERON CASSIDY? YEP.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.

ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS CAMERON CASSIDY.

I'M DETECTIVE NATIVE.

UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT 14 AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HISTORICALLY BEAUTIFUL ZILKER BRIDGE AND WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADVOCATE WITH THE OPINIONS OF SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

THOSE FOLKS HAVE, UH, SOME REALLY GOOD, UH, KNOWLEDGE ON THE SUBJECT AND UM, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF THE COUNCIL COULD HEAR THEM OUT AND LISTEN TO THEM SPECIFICALLY.

BUT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BRIDGE IS STILL STURDY ENOUGH AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ENGINEERING AND THE ENGINEERING OPINIONS OF THE STATE.

UH, AND IT GIVES ME A BAD TASTE OF MY MOUTH TO SEE A GOOD BRIDGE GO FROM UH, 20 MILLION TO 40 MILLION FOR RECONSTRUCTION.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION AND THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THE BRIDGE IS SAFE.

AND IF THE CITY WOULD JUST, UH, LOVE AND MAINTAIN IT, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER HISTORIC THINGS IN AUSTIN THAT WE LOVE AND MAINTAIN, UM, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO STICK AROUND AND DO GOOD.

I MEAN, LOOK AT OTHER PLACES WHERE BRIDGES HAVE STANDARD FOR, UH, HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

UM, WE KEEP ON GETTING RID OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE AUSTIN AUSTIN.

WE'LL BE LEFT WITH A HOLLOW SHELL OF NOTHING.

AND UM, IT'S APPARENT THAT AUSTIN HAS LOST A LOT OF ITS BEAUTY OVER THE YEARS AND I WOULD JUST HATE TO SEE FOR IT TO LOSE ANY MORE OF ITS BEAUTY.

YOU'VE MOVED TO THE NEXT ONE THAT THE BRIDGE IS UNSAFE, BUT THERE IS NO CRASH DATA, NO EVIDENCE.

RETURNING TO IN PERSON FOR ITEM 50, ROY WHALEY, BRENT THOMAS, BEN LIVINGSTON, SOPHIA DELORETTO CHUDY, CHRIS FLORES.

AND PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE.

I AM BEN LIVINGSTON.

DO I SPEAK NOW OR? YES.

YES, PLEASE PROCEED WHEREVER THE MAYOR IS.

MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THE ZILKER BRIDGE IS A HISTORIC TREASURE THAT MUST BE PRESERVED AND PROTECTED.

LIKE OVER 25 OTHER EARLY 20TH CENTURY BRIDGES ACROSS AUSTIN.

IT WAS BUILT WITH TIMELESS ENGINEERING BACK TO THE ROMAN TIMES.

THE SAME PRINCIPLES THAT HOLD UP 2000 YEAR OLD BRIDGES ACROSS EUROPE ARE ALIVE RIGHT HERE SPANNING BARTON CREEK.

THESE ARE FOREVER BRIDGES IF WE CHOOSE TO PROTECT THEM INSTEAD OF LETTING LIES AND GREASE GREED PAVE OVER OUR HERITAGE.

LET ME EXPLAIN.

THE SILK OR BRIDGE IS A NA PART OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

HISTORIC DISTRICT CROSSING BARTON CREEK AND ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC PLACES IN AUSTIN.

REPLACING IT WITH A BIGGER HIGHWAY STYLE STRUCTURE WOULD DESTROY NOT JUST A BELOVED PEDESTRIAN AND SCENIC ROUTE, IT WOULD TEAR INTO PROTECTED ARCHEOLOGICAL LAND, DAMAGED BARTON CREEK, THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND ERASE CHERISHED VIEWS LONG AND ENJOYED BY SWIMMERS, PADDLERS, WALKERS, AND RUNNERS.

CITY STAFF CLAIMED THE BRIDGE WAS FRAIL AND UNIPAR UNREPAIRABLE UNTIL LOCAL STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TOM CAM READ THEIR PURPORTS AND PROVED THEM WRONG.

THE CORE STRUCTURE IS SOLID.

THE DECKING NEEDS ATTENTION, NOT DEMOLITION THEIR JUSTIFICATION.

IT'S ABSURD.

CLAIMS ABOUT NEEDING EXPLOSIVES TO DO BASIC REPAIRS.

ANYONE CAN WALK BENEATH IT AND SEE THE BRIDGE IS IN FAIR CONDITION.

WHAT IT NEEDS IS MAINTENANCE.

IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED, NOT MILLIONS WASTED ON REPLACEMENT.

LET'S BE HONEST, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT A BRIDGE.

IT'S ABOUT PAVING THE WAY FOR CORPORATE TAKEOVER OF ZILKER PARK LIKE WE'VE ALL SEEN BEFORE AND STOPPED.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

LOOKS LIKE THE TICKET MASTER ELEPHANT IS NEVER, HAS NEVER LEFT THE ROOM.

THE BIGGER BRIDGE LETS THEM RUN PIPES, CABLES, AND TRUCKS TO BUILD THEIR DREAM OF A YEAR-ROUND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

NOW THAT THE FRAIL BRIDGE STORY HAS COLLAPSED,

[00:30:01]

THANK YOU SIR.

CONTINUE ON.

ITEM 50, ROBERT CORBIN, JOE GEISELMAN, BILL BUNCH, AND FABIAN RAY.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, FEEL FREE TO JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOU CAN GO FORWARD.

UM, GOOD MORNING, ESTEEMED ELECTED PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.

MY NAME IS CHRIS FLORES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10.

I'M A DAILY SWIMMER AND A PARKS ADVOCATE.

I'M SPEAKING AGAINST ITEM 50 ON YOUR AGENDA AND ASKING THAT YOU POSTPONE DISCUSSION AND VOTING ON IT.

TO LOOK AGAIN AT YOUR FISCAL AND FUNCTIONAL RATIONALE, I OFFER TWO POINTS.

UH, NUMBER ONE, THE BRIDGE ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IS BEAUTIFUL.

THESE ARE MY PHOTOGRAPHS.

UM, WE, UH, TYPICALLY SEE IT FROM THE TOP WITH OUR CARS, BUT UNDERNEATH IT IS SPECTACULAR.

IT HAS AN ART DECO STYLE, AS DOES ZILKER METRO PARK.

BRIDGES ARE CULTURAL STRUCTURES AND VISITED YEAR ROUND BY TOURISTS AND LOCALS.

THEY ARE LIVING REMNANTS OF OUR SHARED HUMAN HERITAGE.

THIS BRIDGE COULD BE REPAIRED AND LIT UP FOR 24 HOUR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT AS A DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE FOR UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS.

THIS IS WHAT MOST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD DO WITH THEIR OLD BRIDGES.

PLEASE GOOGLE SEARCH PARIS, PITTSBURGH, AMSTERDAM, HAMBURG, VENICE, ITALY, TURKEY, IRAN, CZECH REPUBLIC, SWITZERLAND AND CHINA.

AMONG OTHERS, MANMADE BRIDGES AS OLD AS 1300 BC ARE STILL STANDING.

THEY'RE VISITED BY MILLIONS OF PEDESTRIANS.

THEY GENERATE TOURIST DOLLARS.

MY SECOND POINT IS THAT I SUGGEST THE CITY INSTEAD SPEND THESE BRIDGE DOLLARS ON BRIDGE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT GET PEOPLE TO WORK AND HOME ACROSS THE COLORADO RIVER.

OUR CURRENT BRIDGES ARE TRAFFIC BOTTLENECKS AT RUSH HOUR.

I THINK WE NEED AT LEAST THREE MORE MOTOR CAR BRIDGES, PROBABLY MORE DOLLARS TO PLEASE COMPARE AUSTIN TO PARIS.

OUR POPULATION WILL ONE DAY BE 8 MILLION AS WELL.

WE NEED TO PRESSURE PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC LOVELY STRUCTURES FOR FUTURE AUSTINITES TO REVERE AND STILL FISCALLY BUILD FOR OUR FUTURE ECONOMY.

IF YOUR NAME'S IN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS JOE ZELMAN.

I ACTUALLY LIVE IN BARTON HILLS AND USE THAT BRIDGE EVERY DAY, UM, AS MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS DO.

UM, FOR ME IT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S A MATTER OF ACCESS, SAFE ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UH, BARTON HILLS RELIES ON TWO PRIMARY WAYS IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

SO FOR US IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.

IT'S AN ACCESS ISSUE.

YOU'RE SOMEWHAT IN A BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.

YOU'VE GOT A HUNDRED YEAR OLD BRIDGE.

UH, I'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH BRIDGES.

THEY NEVER SEEM TO GET BETTER WITH AGE.

UM, I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY PRETTY MUCH FORCED TO DO SOMETHING WITH A BRIDGE, UH, WITH A SUFFICIENT RECEIPT RATING THAT IT HAS.

UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE CITY'S, UH, AGENDA ITEM TO SEEK FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THIS BRIDGE.

UM, AND, UH, TO PROCEED WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, MY MAIN CONCERN I THINK IS, UM, UH, ACCESS IN AN EVENT OF A WILDLAND FIRE.

UM, AUSTIN RANKS FIFTH IN THE NATION FOR RISK OF WILDLAND FIRE.

BARTON HILLS.

UH, A MAJOR PORTION OF IT IS EITHER ELEVATED OR HIGH RISK OF WILDLAND FIRE.

WE NEED THAT ACCESS POINT TO GET IN AND OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE USE IT ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU MR. ESMAN.

OKAY, I CALLED EVERYONE FOR ITEM 50, SO I WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM.

I SIGNED UP.

YES, I CALLED YOUR NAME BILL BUNCH.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 50? GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS BILL BUNCH WILL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE URGING YOU TO VOTE NO ON COMMITTING, UH, $40 MILLION OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO DESTROY, UH, ONE OF OUR, UH, HISTORIC TREASURES.

THIS IS A DEDICATED FEATURE OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT OF ZILKER PARK.

UM, WE GOT HERE THIS FAR OVER SOME PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE STAFF WAS BASICALLY LYING TO YOU AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEIR OWN

[00:35:01]

STUDIES WERE SHOWING.

THEY SAID THAT THE BRIDGE WAS FRAIL AND THAT IT WOULD COST A LOT MORE TO LITERALLY BLOW UP THE DECKING AND REPLACE IT THAN IT WOULD TO DEMOLISH THE WHOLE THING AND BUILD THIS GIANT NEW UGLY HIGHWAY BRIDGE.

UM, WE DEBUNKED THAT.

UH, TOM CAM, THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS READ THE STUDIES.

THE STUDIES MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE BRIDGE IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND WE CAN MAINTAIN IT LITERALLY FOREVER.

LIKE BRIDGES ARE DONE AROUND THE WORLD.

UM, ALSO NOW THE STAFF DOESN'T SAY IT, BUT THEY'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE ALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD AND, AND THAT THERE'S A SAFETY PROBLEM, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE FOR THAT WHATSOEVER.

WITH THE RECENT BARTON SPRINGS ROAD SAFETY PROJECT.

UH, ONE LANE NOW FOR CARS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO BIKES.

IT'S WAY, WAY MORE BIKE USER FRIENDLY, PET FRIENDLY.

WE COULD BUILD A PARALLEL BIKE, UH, PED BRIDGE FOR TWO OR $3 MILLION AND SAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BRIDGE INSTEAD OF DESTROYING IT.

UM, THERE'S NOTHING IN YOUR BACKUP THAT, UH, TALKS ABOUT WHETHER THE MOBILITY BONDS THE 8 MILLION YOU WANT TO DEDICATE HERE, UH, WHERE THAT ACTUALLY STANDS.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER COMPETING PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES? I'M PRETTY CERTAIN THAT THIS BRIDGE WAS NOT SPELLED OUT IN THOSE OUT WAS A COUPLE MILLION WAY BACK IN A BOND PACKAGE FOR, FOR STUDYING THE BRIDGE.

UM, WE NEED A PUBLIC PROCESS.

THANK YOU MR. BUNCH.

A WHOLE BUNCH OF QUESTIONS USED TO BE ASKING.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 51.

XENOBI JOSEPH.

I KNOW I SAW MS. JOSEPH, I JUST SAW, SAW A MINUTE AGO.

OH, THERE SHE IS.

MS. JOSEPH.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.

MY COMMENT HAS RELEASED TO 51 ALSO RELATES TO 52 AND 53.

I'LL JUST PULL THE SLIDE BACK UP IF YOU NEED ME TO, SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN.

THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ITEMS. THIS SPECIFIC ONE IS FOR THE CAPITAL AREA RULE TRANSPORTATION ITEM.

I AM OPPOSED TO IT.

AND JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT TITLE SIX APPLIES TO ALL OF YOUR PROGRAMS. I SHOWED YOU THIS SLIDE BEFORE.

SPECIFICALLY WE NEED LIGHTS BASIC SAFETY.

SO EXPANSION IS WHAT I'M IN OPPOSITION TO.

LIGHT.

I TOLD YOU ONCE BEFORE IN THE AREA BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, YOU'RE CATERING TO THE STUDENTS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AREA WHO HAPPEN TO BE MINORITY.

THE NEXT SLIDE SHOULD HAVE THE TITLE SIX LANGUAGE.

I JUST WANNA READ TO YOU SPECIFICALLY.

TITLE SIX COVERS ALL OF THE OPERATIONS OF COVERED ENTITIES WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER SPECIFIC PORTIONS OF THE COVERED PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE RECIPIENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL OF THEIR ACTIVITIES OR IN COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE VI, IT GOES ON TO MENTION RIDE SHARING PROGRAMS, ROADWAY INCIDENT RESPONSE PROGRAMS, OR OTHER PROGRAMS NOT FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.

AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IT SAYS AGAIN, ALL PROGRAMS RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM FTA ARE SUBJECT TO TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

SO SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THESE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS, YOU'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE AS IT RELATES TO THE SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, NORTH OF US, 180 3.

SO I'VE SHOWED YOU THIS SLIDE BEFORE NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY WAS ELIMINATED JUNE 3RD, 2018.

AND CENTRAL AUSTIN AND DOVE SPRINGS HISPANICS TOO.

THANK MS. JOSEPH.

MS. JOSEPH, YOU ALSO SIGNED UP FOR 52.

YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THAT? SURE.

I HAVE AN EXCRUCIATING HEADACHE, BUT I'LL DO IT.

UM, AS IT RELATES TO ITEM UH, 52, THAT'S SPECIFICALLY THE $10 MILLION ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANT.

IT IS TO ENRICH OUR ENHANCE, UH, MOBILITY AS RELATES TO TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE YOUR NETWORK IS IN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN.

IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 2016.

CAPITAL METRO ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017, QUOTE, SUPPORTERS OF THE PLAN, INCLUDING CAP METRO ITSELF, ACKNOWLEDGED THAT EVERY POLICY HAS CERTAIN CASUALTIES.

THOSE CASUALTIES MAYOR ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS ON ROUTE 2 33.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE ON ROUTE 2 37, THOSE ARE THE BUS ROUTES THAT ARE ACTUALLY FUNDED BY THE COUNTY THAT'S 10 TIMES LONGER THAN SOUTHWEST

[00:40:01]

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO LIVE AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE ARE WAITING 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS.

WHEN ONE OF THOSE ROUTES GETS CUT, THEY WAIT IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS TWO HOURS.

YOU ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE VI.

I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE THAT YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THE FED OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR PROPAGANDA.

THE PROPAGANDA IS THIS EQUITY AD NAUSEUM THAT YOU USE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE SLIDES I'VE SHOWED YOU BEFORE.

IT SAYS WHERE'S THE EQUITY? BUT YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND A BLACK MAN WHEN IT COMES TIME TO PROMOTE YOUR LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, YOUR BUSES.

I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT YOU EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES TOO IN 2023.

SO THE WORDS THAT YOU HEAR ME SPEAK ARE YOUR OWN SPECIFICALLY AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WALK, BIKE ROLE.

THIS IS YOUR LANGUAGE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AND YOU'VE DONE NOTHING TO IMPROVE THOSE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

SO YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.

THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE 2017 DEFINITION.

THANK MS. JOSEPH.

MS. JOSEPH, YOU ALSO SIGNED UP ON 53.

53 IS THE THIRD ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANT.

ITEM BACKUP IS VERY MISLEADING BECAUSE IT ONLY SPECIFIES $250.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OCTOBER 24TH, 2024 IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL, IT TELLS YOU THAT YOU ACTUALLY REALLOCATED ABOUT $47 MILLION.

YOUR SYSTEM IS DISCRIMINATORY TO DEAL WITH THE HOMELESSNESS.

YOU ACTUALLY ARE REMOVING THE BENCHES.

YOU DO NOT HAVE SCREENS NEXT TO RUNDBERG, HEB.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KEEP THESE THINGS IN MIND.

SPECIFICALLY, I KNOW YOU HAD ITEM 30 EARLIER ON DEMAND MANAGEMENT.

THAT IS A FARCE.

THAT IS NOT A SOLUTION FOR COMMUTERS.

IT IS A SHARED RIDE.

AND SO I OPPOSE THAT AS WELL.

AND IT IS GERMANE.

IT'S IN THE FY 2024 BUDGET ON PAGE 1 45, $550,000 LINE ITEM.

BUT YET WE DON'T HAVE LIGHTS AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.

THERE ARE NO LIGHTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I SHOWED YOU THE BLACK MAN, YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE HIM ACROSS FROM COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THERE ARE OVER 2000 UNITS AT JAEGER AND JAEGER AND TECH RIDGE BOULEVARD AND THERE IS NO SHELTER.

BUT IF YOU RIDE DOWN DUVALL ON ROUTE SEVEN EVERY 10 MINUTES IN HYDE PARK FOR THE $2 MILLION HOMES, THERE ARE SHELTERS ON ALMOST EVERY BLOCK.

IT IS DISCRIMINATORY.

MAYOR, YOU HAVE CONTINUED TO SEGREGATE THE CITY AND I WILL LASTLY REMIND YOU THAT IT'S ABOUT 30 YEARS IT TOOK TO GET THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SIDEWALK TO NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER UNDER YOUR WATCH WHEN YOU WERE THE SENATOR OF DISTRICT OR TEAM.

IT'S A DISCRIMINATORY SYSTEM.

I OPPOSE ALL OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ITEMS AND WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION.

I SEE YOU LOOKING AT THE CLOCK.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU PUT THE CLOCK WHERE WE COULD SEE IT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.

NO.

FOR ITEM NUMBER 54, BILL BUNCH AND CARLOS LEON, MR. BUNCH PASSES ZOE CARLOS, LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO ITEM 54, APPROVING NEW MEMBERS TO THE LIBRARY COMMISSION.

HELP THEM MEET AGAIN SO I COULD AGAIN TESTIFY TO THEM.

HOWEVER, A PL CONTINUING TO NOT OFFICIALLY PROPOSE THEN ADOPT UPDATED CTN POLICIES TO CONTINUE NOT COMPLYING WITH YOUR SUPERSEDING RULES FOR PUBLIC USE OF CITY PROPERTIES LEGALLY AND PERILS YOU UNDER MONELL DOCTRINE IN MON V DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THE US SUPREME COURT RULED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR MISCONDUCT UNDER FEDERAL LAW 42 US CODE 1983, MEANING I CAN PURSUE A FEDERAL CASE AGAINST YOU BECAUSE YOUR LIBRARY DEPARTMENT HAS CTN POLICIES VIOLATING BY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

FOUR ELEMENTS MUST BE SHOWN.

ONE A PL HAS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL POLICY DENYING ME PHYSICAL ACCESS TO ALL A PL LOCATIONS BECAUSE OF AN ALLEGED VIOLATION AT ONE LOCATION.

TWO A PL VIOLATED MY FUNDAMENTAL FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO RECEIVE

[00:45:01]

INFORMATION IN PERSON AT A LIMITED PUBLIC FORUM LIBRARY BECAUSE THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE IDEAS IS A NECESSARY PREDICATE TO THE RECIPIENT'S MEANINGFUL EXERCISE OF HIS OWN RIGHTS OF SPEECH, PRESS AND POLITICAL FREEDOM BOARD OF EDUCATION VP THREE.

THAT POLICY CAUSED THE VIOLATION OF MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND CAUSED ME HARM.

THE LOSS OF THE IN-PERSON ACCESS TO AND USAGE OF ALL A PL BRANCHES.

FOUR A PL IS AT FAULT FOR THE INCIDENT WHEN I SUFFERED HARM BECAUSE A PL ISSUED ME THAT CTN AT HOUSING BRANCH THOUGH NO VIOLATION OCCURRED THERE.

WHICH HOUSING STAFF ADMITTED TO A PD ON RECORD? FOLLOW UP WITH CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS ASAP.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

IN JESUS' NAME, I PRAY FOR ITEM 55, WE HAVE STEVEN APODACA REMOTE.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS STEVEN AKA I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER IN DISTRICT TWO AND I WORK PROFESSIONALLY TO SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATIONS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

I ALSO SERVE ON THE CITY'S TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION.

I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 55, UH, THIS FORWARD THINKING RESOLUTION, ETHICAL AI AND DIGITAL EQUITY.

UH, FIRST ONE, I THANK MAYOR PROTI FUENTES FOR SPONSORING THE RESOLUTION.

ACKNOWLEDGED THE THOUGHTFUL WORK HER OFFICE DID IN GATHERING INPUT FROM A WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THIS POLICY IS BOTH INCLUSIVE AND ACTIONABLE.

UH, THE COMMISSION ON WHICH I SERVE WAS LONG ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT PRIORITIZE INCLUSION ACCESS.

MOST NOTABLY, THROUGH OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF GT OS.

THAT'S THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM, WHICH INVESTS DIRECTLY IN COMMUNITY LED EFFORTS TO CLOSE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

WE'VE ALSO PASSED MANY RECOMMENDATIONS REINFORCING THE CITY'S BROADER COMMITMENT TO DIGITAL EQUITY AND ENSURING EVERY AUSTINITE HAS A TOOL AND SKILLS TO THRIVE IN OUR EVER INCREASING CONNECTED WORLD.

UH, THIS RESOLUTION TAKES THOSE PRINCIPLES TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

IT RECOGNIZES THAT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, IF LEFT UNCHECKED, CAN AMPLIFY THOSE INEQUALITIES, BUT WHEN IMPLEMENTED THOUGHTFULLY CAN REALLY ENHANCE SERVICE DELIVERY, EXPAND ACCESS, AND CREATE A MORE RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT THIS RESOLUTION DOESN'T SHY AWAY FROM THE HARD QUESTIONS AS WELL.

UH, IT TAKES A CLEAR STAND ON WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS, DATA PRIVACY AND TRANSPARENCY.

IT ALSO ENSURES THAT AI SYSTEMS USED BY THE CITY ARE NOT ONLY EFFICIENT BUT ETHICAL, ACCOUNTABLE AND ROOTED IN HUMAN OVERSIGHT.

UM, AND ALSO IT BUILDS ON AUSTIN'S EXISTING DIGITAL EQUITY INFRASTRUCTURE BY COMMITTING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, UPSKILLING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

UH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE TO LEAD AND SHAPE HOW CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY APPROACH AI, NOT JUST AS A TOOL BUT AS A HUMAN ONE.

SO I URGE YOU ALL TO PASS THE RESOLUTION, MAKE AUSTIN A NATIONAL MODEL FOR RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE-CENTERED AI POLICY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

FRIDAY 55.

MONICA GUZMAN, FOLLOWED BY KEVIN WELCH AND CAROL GUTHRIE.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD MORNING.

I'M MONICA GOSMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA.

GO AUSTIN AU.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM FUENTES FOR LEADING THE EFFORTS ON ESTABLISHING AI GUIDELINES.

AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOR YOUR AMENDMENT FOR DEFINING DISCRIMINATORY BIAS AND WHY IT NEEDS TO BE SPELLED OUT.

THIS RESOLUTION IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, IMPACT ON ENERGY USE AND RISKS TO THE POWER GRID.

RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR DIGITAL SKILL BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, FOCUS ON WORKFORCE IMPACTS AND OTHER CRITICAL ASPECTS.

WE SUGGEST AN EDIT TO LINES 1 75 TO 1 77, THE READS.

THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, EQUITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISIONS AND UTILIZE EXISTING COMMUNITY INPUT AND EXPERTISE TO LAUNCH A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THAT BY EMAIL MAYOR PRO ES.

UM, AND ALSO JUST I WANNA ADD, AS A D FOUR RESIDENT, AS A UNION MEMBER, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS STRUGGLED AS MANY IN THIS COMMUNITY DUE, I DO NOT USE THAT SELF-CHECKOUT.

I PAY TAXES TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE, NOT A COMPANY THAT CAN BUILD MACHINES.

I'M NOT A FAN OF PAYING HIGH FEES TO HAVE MY MEAL DELIVERED, BUT I'D RATHER HAVE IT DELIVERED BY A HUMAN BEING, NOT A ROBOT THAT'S ROLLING DOWN OUR SIDEWALKS.

I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT SURVEILLANCE.

AND SO AGAIN, THAT ONE'S REALLY HITTING ME PERSONALLY.

MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS EMPLOYED BY A PUBLIC AGENCY, NOT NOT AT THE CITY LEVEL, , UM, I WAS BEING MONITORED BY HUMAN BEINGS.

SO CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE MONITORED BY AI? AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THOSE WHO HAVE ALEXA, ECHO, SIRI, OTHER PEOPLE HEAR WHAT WE ARE SAYING AND WE THINK THEY'RE NOT.

NOW I'M NOT

[00:50:01]

PARANOID.

MY GPS IS ACTIVE MOST OF THE TIME, MAINLY BECAUSE I LEAD A VERY PUBLIC LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT NOT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THAT.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE THERE.

HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS KEVIN WELCH.

I'M SPEAKING FOR ITEM 55 AND THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AT EFF AUSTIN, THE DIGITAL CIVIL LIBERTIES ADVOCACY GROUP.

I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD, BUILDING ON HER EARLIER WORK, ESTABLISHING HR POLICIES AROUND AI FOR THE CITY.

UM, I AGREE WITH BASICALLY WHAT THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID.

I ALSO ENCOURAGE, UM, CITY DEPARTMENTS TO WORK WITH THE TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION, WHICH APODACA IS ON.

UM, THERE'S A WORKING AI GROUP, WHICH I'VE BEEN HELPING CONSULT WITH.

UM, THERE'S A FAMOUS ANECDOTE IN THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WHERE THEY WERE TRYING TO TRAIN IN AI TO FIND CANCER IN MEDICAL IMAGES.

AND THE AI EVENTUALLY LEARNED THAT CANCER MEANT THERE WAS A REFERENCE RULER ON THE IMAGE.

SO IT LEARNED SOMETHING THAT WAS CORRELATED WITH CANCER IN THE IMAGES, BUT IT DIDN'T LEARN ATACTUALLY SPOT CANCER.

AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THESE SYSTEMS ARE TRAINED ON HISTORICAL DATA.

HISTORICAL DATA CAN BE VERY DIS DISCRIMINATORY.

IT CAN BE RACIST, IT CAN BE SEXIST, DISCRIMINATED AGAINST GENDER IDENTITY.

SO IT IS VITAL THAT CITIZENS BE CONFIDENT THEIR RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED WITH THESE SYSTEMS. WE MUST HAVE QUEER POLICIES AND WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S HUMAN BEINGS WHO CAN ALWAYS, UH, REMEDY WHEN MISTAKES ARE MADE.

SO I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND CITY DEPARTMENTS ESTABLISHING THESE GUIDELINES AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

SUSPECT CALLER, UM, THAT DISRUPTED THE VERY COUNCIL HERE THAT WE'RE STANDING IN RIGHT NOW TOUTING THE USE OF AI IN A HARMFUL WAY.

CAROL GUTHRIE, BILL BUNCH, MIMI STYLES BRIDE AND SUMMERS AND TODD, GOOD LUCK.

THAT'S ALL FOR ITEM 55.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND TAKE A SEAT SO THAT YOU'LL BE IN A POSITION TO BEGIN YOUR TESTIMONY.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS BILL BUNCH WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UH, WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION AND THANK, UH, MAYOR PROTE FUENTES AND THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

UH, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND, UH, MAYBE YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE SOME VERBAL DIRECTION, BUT YOU COULD ALSO TWEAK IT SLIGHTLY IN ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION, UH, AS THE FIRST, UH, BE IT RESOLVE CALL CALLS FOR OF DATA CENTERS.

UM, AND IT TALKS ABOUT LOCAL DATA CENTERS.

UM, PLEASE MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT THAT INCLUDES THOSE IN THE, IN THE METRO AREA BECAUSE WE'RE DRAWING FROM THE SAME RESOURCE, UH, AND WORKING WITH THE SAME GRID.

SO THAT SHOULDN'T BE CONFINED TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED INSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS OR EVEN OUR ETJ.

UM, THE OTHER SMALL ENTITIES I THINK WOULD REALLY WELCOME THE RESOURCES OF AUSTIN, THE WHOLE METRO REGION, FIGURE THESE ISSUES OUT.

UH, I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU INCLUDE CRYPTO CURRENCY MINING IN THAT DATA CENTER CATEGORY BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALSO ENORMOUS.

UH, ENERGY SUCKS THAT LEADS TO WATER CONSUMPTION AS WELL.

AND OTHER ISSUES, NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS, ET CETERA.

AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD URGE YOU TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER ALSO, WHENEVER ANYTHING COMES TO YOU, A SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST, A ZONING CASE OR SOMETHING THAT HAS A DATA CENTER OR A CRYPTO MINING FACILITY ENGAGED IN IT, THAT, THAT BE FLAGGED IN THE PUBLIC NOTICE.

'CAUSE THESE, THESE ARE, THIS IS A WHOLE NEW ANIMAL OF DEVELOPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE FLAGGED FOR YOU AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.

UM, MAYOR PRO TIM, INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS MIMI STYLES.

UM, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF MEASURE.

UM, I'M ALSO THE CO-CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON TILLSON HBCU AI CONFERENCE.

UM, AND I'M ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF RESPONSIBLE AND ETHICAL AI FOR AUSTIN AI ALLIANCE.

UM, I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 55.

FOR YEARS I'VE WORKED AT THE INTERSECTION OF DATA OF JUSTICE OF COMMUNITY, BUT MOST RECENTLY LEADING EFFORTS TO INTERROGATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

I USE THE WORD DELIBERATELY BECAUSE TOO OFTEN AI IS BUILT WITHOUT US.

IT'S TESTED ON US AND IT'S DEPLOYED IN WAYS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

YOU MIGHT ALSO REMEMBER, UM, I WAS ALSO THE WHISTLEBLOWER WHO ALERTED CITY LEADERS TO THIS, TO THE

[00:55:01]

THAT MOMENT WAS NOT JUST ALARMING FOR ME AND FOR MANY OTHER FOLKS IN OUR CITY, BUT IT WAS A WAKE UP CALL AND MADE IT CLEAR JUST HOW URGENTLY WE NEED TO.

WE NEED FRAMEWORKS, UM, THAT, THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN CITY ETHICS AND EQUITY AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION.

THIS RESOLUTION IS A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

IT SAYS THAT AUSTIN WILL NOT JUST ADOPT TECHNOLOGY FOR CONVENIENCE, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO LEAD IT, UM, WITH INTENTION AND WITH CARE.

AND SO THROUGH MEASURES WORK TO INTERROGATE AI FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, UM, ALONGSIDE THE ROBERT WOODS JOHNSON'S FOUNDATION, WE'RE BUILDING A COMMUNITY THAT'S INFORMED BY OUR EXPERIENCE.

UM, THAT'S WHAT THIS RESOLUTION REALLY STANDS FOR, FOR EQUITY AND TECH, WORKFORCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DIGITAL INCLUSION.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME'S BRIAN SUMMERS.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES LOCAL 1624.

UH, SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR UNION MEMBERS, WE HAVE NEARLY 5,000 OF THEM IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY SERVING AUSTIN CITY EMPLOYEES IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

UH, I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR PRO TIM FUENTES FOR, UH, HER WORK ON THIS RESOLUTION.

WE'RE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF OBVIOUSLY ITEM NUMBER 45.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE CO-SPONSORING TODAY.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER HARPER MADISON, SIEGEL CADRE AND VELAZQUEZ.

WE SUPPORT INNOVATION, BUT IT MUST COME WITH SAFEGUARDS.

THE RESOLUTION IS AN IMPORTANT STEP BECAUSE IT ENSURES AI IS USED TO SUPPORT NOT REPLACE PUBLIC WORKERS.

WE ESPECIALLY SUPPORT THE CLEAR COMMITMENT IN THIS RESOLUTION TO A NO DISPLACEMENT WITHOUT CONSULTATION POLICY.

THIS MEANS THAT NO AI SYSTEM WILL BE USED TO ELIMINATE OR RADICALLY CHANGE JOBS WITHOUT A REAL CONVERSATION WITH WORKERS AND THEIR UNION.

THIS LANGUAGE RECOGNIZES WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG.

AI DECISIONS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO US, THEY SHOULD HAPPEN WITH US.

THIS RESOLUTION ENSURES WORKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW.

AN AI IS BEING USED TO INFLUENCE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS, EVALUATIONS, OR SCHEDULES, AND GIVES THEM THE, THE POWER TO CHALLENGE DECISIONS WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.

AND THAT KIND OF TRANSPARENCY IS ESSENTIAL FOR TRUST AND FOR JUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE.

WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR ONGOING COMMUNICATION WITH AFSCME AND FRONTLINE REPRESENTATIVES.

AI IS NOT A ONE AND DONE ISSUE, AND THIS SETS A TONE FOR A SHARED PATH FORWARD.

UH, AI IS COMING TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT WITH RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS, AUSTIN CAN LEAD THE WAY AND SHOWING THAT DIGITAL INNOVATION AND WORKERS' RIGHTS CAN GO HAND IN HAND AND ASK ME.

URGES YOUR SUPPORT.

OH YES.

IF YOU, IF YOU NEED PLEASE GO AHEAD.

CALLED, CALLED.

THAT'S WHY.

THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE ASK FOR PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD, SO WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE READY TO TESTIFY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

JUST A FEW ROW BACK.

UM, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, MY NAME'S TODD KILLICK.

I'M A UNION REPRESENTATIVE WITH ASME LOCAL 1624.

WE STAND IN STRONG SUPPORT OF ITEM 55 AND WE THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR THIS VITAL RESOLUTION.

UH, THIS RESOLUTION CHAMPIONS FAIRNESS FOR WORKERS IN THE AGE OF AI.

WHILE WHILE AI OFFERS POTENTIAL, IT DEMANDS SAFEGUARDS.

THIS RESOLUTION ENSURES TRANSPARENCY, REQUIRING CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND HUMAN OVERSIGHT.

WHEN AI IMPACTS JOBS, WORKERS DESERVE TO KNOW AND HAVE A VOICE.

CRUCIALLY, THIS RESOLUTION RESPECTS THE UNION'S ROLE.

ENSURING AFSCME IS CONSULTED EARLY IN THE PROCESS, NOT JUST WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE.

WE ARE NOT AGAINST TECHNOLOGY.

WE ARE FIRMLY PRO WORKER BANNING PRODUCTIVITY, SCORING MANDATING NOTICE AND ESTABLISHING APPEAL RIGHTS, DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK.

THIS IS A STRONG FORWARD THINKING POLICY THAT SETS THE RIGHT STANDARD FOR AI.

AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS TRANSPARENT, ETHICAL WITH WORKERS AT THE TABLE.

ASK ME.

THANKS THESE FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR ITEM 55.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

ALL CONSENT SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED.

UM, MEMBERS, BEFORE I CALL FOR A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, LET ME MENTION, UH, SOMETHING, UH, I, I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS NEEDED A CHANGE IN CORRECTION.

AND THAT IS THAT ITEM NUMBER 31, THE POSTPONEMENT IS THAT THAT WILL HAVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, AS PART OF THE CHANGE OF CORRECTIONS.

ITEM NUMBER 31 SHOULD BE POSTPONED TO MAY 8TH INSTEAD OF MAY 22ND.

SO FOR THE RECORD, ITEM NUMBER 31 WILL BE POSTPONED TO MAY 8TH INSTEAD OF MAY 22ND.

ITEM 11 IS ALSO A POSTPONEMENT AT THE REQUEST COUNCILS MEMBER ELLIS.

AND ITEM NUMBER 30 IS A POSTPONEMENT TO

[01:00:01]

MAY 8TH.

BEFORE I TAKE A MOTION, I'M GOING TO CALL ON COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER BECAUSE, HI, HE MAY WANT TO, UH, HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE AN ITEM, BUT I WANNA CALL ON HIM, MAKE SURE WE HAVE CLARITY.

RICHARD MENDOZA, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 50 AND I WAS WONDERING IF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS STAFF COULD HELP ANSWER THEM? GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM.

UM, I FIRST WANTED TO JUST GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURAL NATURE OF THE BRIDGE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD VARYING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SOUNDNESS OF THE BRIDGE.

UM, I KNOW THE BACKUP ITSELF SAID IT'S IN FAIR CONDITION, WHICH, UH, I ASKED IN THE Q AND A, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN? SO I WAS WONDERING YOU COULD JUST TALK ABOUT ITS CURRENT STRUCTURAL SOUNDNESS.

I, YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR QUESTION.

UM, THIS IS ON THE TXDOT BRIDGE SYSTEM AND AS SUCH IT'S INSPECTED EVERY TWO YEARS.

SO THE LAST INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED LAST YEAR IN 2024.

AND BRIDGE RATINGS ARE ESTABLISH ON A NUMBER OF CRITERIA, UH, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY BEING ONE OF THEM.

AND IN TERMS OF THE STRUCTURAL RATING OF THE BRIDGE, IT DID RATE IN FAIR CONDITION AS OF 2024.

HOWEVER, THESE INSPECTIONS ARE BASICALLY VISUAL INSPECTIONS.

AND, UM, BACK IN I THINK 2015 OR 2014, UH, THE CITY SOLICITED A, UH, CONSULTANT ENGINEER TO CONDUCT, UH, GREATER FORENSIC INSPECTIONS OF THE BRIDGE.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE BRIDGE HAD REACHED ITS, UH, COMPLETE, UH, LIFECYCLE.

IT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 2025 AND UM, DESIGNED FOR A 50 TO 75 YEAR LIFESPAN.

IT WAS EXPANDED IN 19, UH, 46.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT FORENSIC INSPECTION, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY EITHER MAJOR RE REHABILITATE OR REPLACE THE BRIDGE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

WELL, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS EXPIRED, UH, FIVE YEARS AGO.

UM, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, I RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM OUR BRIDGE ENGINEER RECOMMENDING BASED ON THE AGE AND, AND THE EXPIRATION OF THE, UH, TIME FROM THE PREVIOUS REPORT TO LOAD LIMIT BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE.

UM, JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, ALSO, BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE IS ONE OF FIVE THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ARE OUR SYSTEM, UH, IN IMMEDIATE NEED OF EITHER MAJOR REHABILITATION OR COMPLETE, UH, REPLACEMENT.

AND SO IN SEPTEMBER, 2023, UNDER THE ADVISEMENT OF OUR BRIDGE ENGINEER TO LOAD LIMIT THE BRIDGE, I PREPARED A MEMO ADVISING THAT I WOULD BE DOING SO IMMEDIATELY.

AND WHILE LOAD LIMITING THE BRIDGE WOULD NOT IMPACT MOST VEHICLE TRAFFIC, IT WOULD IMPACT, UM, THE ABILITY FOR HEAVY, HEAVIER VEHICLES TO TRANSVERSE THE BRIDGE.

AND IT WOULD IMPACT, UH, HEAVY DELIVERY TRUCKS.

IT WOULD IMPACT, UH, BUSES, CAT METRO ROUTES, AS WELL AS OUR LARGER FIRE APPARATUS.

SO IT WOULD, UH, IMPACT THE ABILITY FOR EMERGENCY, UH, RESPONSE.

FORTUNATELY, AT THAT SAME TIME, WE WERE LOOKING AT A, UH, SAFETY PROJECT ON BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE, AND I REASSIGNED, UH, LANES ON BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE FROM FOUR TO THREE.

AND AFTER CONSULTING AGAIN WITH, UH, OUR, UM, BRIDGE ENGINEER ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN LANES, UH, HE WAS ABLE TO RETRACT HIS ADVISEMENT TO LOAD LIMIT THAT BRIDGE.

AND SO TODAY WE CAN STILL UTILIZE IT FOR BUSES, HEAVIER RESPONSE VEHICLES AND LARGE DELIVERY TRUCKS.

HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THIS ONLY BUYS US A TIME, AND IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE AT THE NEXT BIANNUAL INSPECTION IN 2026, I MAY BE, UM, UM, REQUIRED TO LOAD LIMIT THAT BRIDGE AGAIN, UH, IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

[01:05:01]

AND JUST SO THAT I'M KIND OF UNDERSTANDING, AND YOU GAVE A PRETTY GOOD HISTORICAL CONTEXT THERE.

SO IT USED TO BE TWO LANES EACH WAY AND WE KIND OF TIGHTENED THE TRAFFIC MORE TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE, RIGHT.

'CAUSE IT WAS, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WHERE IT'S STRONGER OR, OR BY, BY DOING THAT, THAT'S WHAT CREATED THE ABILITY TO USE THE BRIDGE.

BUT WE WENT FROM FOUR LANES TO THREE LANES.

IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF GOING THREE LANES TO TWO LANES.

IS THAT, AM I HEARING YOU RIGHT? NO, IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY I WOULD HAVE TO LOAD LIMIT THE BRIDGE.

RIGHT.

UM, THERE, THIS THEN GETS INTO LIKE THE QUESTION OF WHICH WE'VE HEARD FROM TODAY, KIND OF THE, THE VARIOUS OPTIONS.

AND SO WHEN WE GET TO LOOKING AT REHABILITATION VERSUS REPLACEMENT, IF THE BRIDGE IS REHABILITATED, MY MEMORY OF THE PRESENTATION PREVIOUSLY WAS WE WOULD ADD SOME SUPPORT TO THE ARCHES UNDERNEATH, ADD ADDITIONAL ARCHES OUTSIDE OF THOSE AND THEN HAVE TO REPLACE THE DECK.

IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? SO MY LAST RECOLLECTION OF THE ALTERNATIVE TO REHABILITATE WOULD ACTUALLY REQUIRE, UH, DEMOLITION ALL THE WAY TO THE PEERS AND SUPPORT COLUMNS.

UM, THE ARCHES ARE NO LONGER SALVAGEABLE.

AND UH, WHEN WE CAME TO CITY COUNCIL WITH, UH, THREE BUILD ALTERNATIVES AND THE REHABILITATION ALTERNATIVE, THE COST FOR FOR REHABILITATION ACTUALLY EXCEEDED, UH, THE REPLACEMENT COSTS FOR THE BRIDGE.

BUT IN TERMS OF, JUST, WHAT I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT IS, I REMEMBER PART OF THE DECISION CALCULUS AT THAT TIME BEING, IF YOU HAD TO RE REMOVE THE WHOLE DECK STRUCTURE, THEN YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE IT TO TRAFFIC, RIGHT? LIKE THAT THERE WAS THAT THEN THAT UNDER THE REPLACEMENT OPTION, THERE WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BUILD AROUND AND THEN BUILD IN THE MIDDLE OR, YOU KNOW, DO THIS WEIRD SHIFTING PATTERN.

BUT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH, BUT THAT POTENTIALLY REMOVING THE DECK WOULD LET, WOULD MAKE THE BRIDGE UNUSABLE.

AND I MIGHT BE, I MIGHT BE REMEMBERING INCORRECTLY.

I'M, I'M TRULY TRYING TO REMEMBER.

UM, AND I, YES, IF I, IF I MIGHT INTERRUPT, I APOLOGIZE.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THIS, I, I THINK WE OUGHT TO PULL THIS.

I FOCUS SURE.

IS GONNA BE NO, NO, I, AND I JUST, I WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WITH PEOPLE HERE.

SO WHY, WHY DON'T WE DO THIS IF, IF YOU, IF SUBJECT TO COUNSEL OBJECTING.

BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS TOO.

SO, SO IN ORDER TO GET THE CONSENT AGENDA AND, AND LET PEOPLE GO, WE'LL DO THAT.

AND THEN WE CAN, AND COME BACK TO THIS IF THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S FINE.

I, FOR, THAT'S NO PROBLEM WITH ME.

GOOD, GOOD.

UH, IS THAT OKAY, COUNSEL? ALL RIGHT, THEN, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.

AND, AND SO, SO ITEM NUMBER 50 IS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AND, UM, SO IT'LL BE, IT WILL NOT BE PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO IF YOU'LL, YOU CAN HAPPY TO STAND THERE IF YOU WANT TO, BUT, UM, UH, YOU'RE DONE.

UM, SO ITEM NUMBER 50 WILL BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER 11 IS A POSTPONEMENT.

ITEM NUMBER 30 IS A POSTPONEMENT.

AND ITEM NUMBER 31 IS A POSTPONEMENT.

AND FOR CLARITY IN THE RECORD, ITEM NUMBER 31 IS A POSTPONEMENT TO THE EIGHTH INSTEAD OF TO THE 22ND, AS IS IN THE, UH, BACKUP UNDER THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UH, MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

AND THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

WITHOUT SUFFICIENTLY SAFE SHARED USE PATHS AND CROSSINGS.

UM, SO I, I FIRST WANTED TO, UM, SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF COMMENTS WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC SIGNIFICANTLY ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, UH, REGARDING THE SAFETY OF OUR YOUTH TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL AND FROM SCHOOL ON SLAUGHTER LANE.

AND I WILL SHARE THAT THESE COMMENTS RESONATED VERY DEEPLY WITH ME, AND THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR TO CONCERNS THAT ARE STRONGLY FELT IN DISTRICT SIX AND ACROSS THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF AUSTIN.

UM, I PARTICULARLY AM MOVED BY THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHEN THEY MUST CROSS AND, AND WALK DOWN HEAVILY TRAFFICKED ROADWAYS

[01:10:01]

UM, I ALSO, UH, REALLY FEEL STRONGLY AND SEE FREQUENTLY IN OUR OUTLYING AREAS THE VERY REAL SAFETY CONCERNS ON ROADS THAT HAVE 40 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMITS WITH TRAFFIC THAT IS FREQUENTLY GOING 50 MILES PER HOUR OR FASTER.

UM, THAT OFTEN INCLUDES ROUTES USED BY OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, UM, WITHOUT THE SAME LEVEL OF SHARED USE, SAFE SHARED USE PATH ACCESS THAT IS EXPERIENCED IN MORE CENTRAL AREAS.

I, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE AS A CITY MUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IN THESE AREAS, WHICH WILL ONLY BECOME GREATER SAFETY CONCERNS AS SO MANY OF THE HIGHWAYS THAT GO THROUGH AUSTIN ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

AND EVEN MORE COMMUTERS RESORT TO USING OTHER STREETS TO TRY TO SHAVE TIME FROM THEIR COMMUTES MOVING MORE QUICKLY THAN IS SAFE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

PLEASE KNOW THAT IN DISTRICT SIX, WHICH IS, UH, NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN SUBURBS OF AUSTIN, WE SHARE YOUR STRONG CONCERNS ABOUT SLAUGHTER LANE SPECIFICALLY AND ABOUT THESE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AS A WHOLE.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED, ASKED TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESOLUTION THAT IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 55.

UH, AND ALSO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE THERE, THAT AUSTIN MUST ALWAYS REMAIN A TECHNOLOGICALLY INNOVATIVE CITY.

WE'RE KNOWN FOR CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING.

WE'RE KNOWN FOR TECHNOLOGY.

THIS IS, AND WE'RE ALSO KNOWN FOR, UH, LIVING OUT OUR VALUES THROUGH OUR CITY POLICIES.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN REPLACING HUMAN DISCRETION WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

WE MUST RETAIN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

AND THAT MEANS TAKING DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY AS LEADERS IN THIS CITY FOR PREVENTING THE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF USING MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS FOR CITY PURPOSES.

I WANT TO THANK MAYOR PRO TEM FUENTES FOR SPEARHEADING THIS EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT A BALANCED APPROACH TO AI THAT ALLOWS US TO BENEFIT FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE ACCOUNTABILITY WE OWE TO OUR RESIDENTS.

AND ALSO AFFIRM THAT OUR WORK IN THIS AREA IS NOT COMPLETE, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE UNDER OUR UNDERSTANDING OF AI AND ITS SOCIAL IMPACTS IS IN ITS INFANCY.

AND FINALLY, I, BEFORE WE DO THAT WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT ITEM.

AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE DEBORAH THOMAS AS OUR NEW ATTORNEY.

UH, AND AGAIN, EXPRESS HOW HAPPY I AM TO SEE THIS PROMOTION FROM WITHIN.

UH, AGAIN, I THINK IT REFLECTS OUR, THE VALUES OF OUR CITY THAT YOU HAVE MOVED INTO THIS POSITION.

UH, I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ALSO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR A API COMMUNITY TO MOVE INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ACROSS OUR CITY.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

UM, THANK YOU.

UH, WE'LL CALL ON YOU.

AND THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

PERFECT.

WELL, SORRY GUYS FOR NOT BEING THERE WITH Y'ALL.

I, UH, DECIDED NOT TO SPREAD COVID AROUND CITY HALL.

SO I, I, I'M STAYING HOME OUT OF A ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.

I KNOW Y'ALL ARE MISSING ME, BUT IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE MY HEAD 20 TIMES LARGER THAN IT NORMALLY IS ON THAT SCREEN.

UH, I WANNA TALK ABOUT ITEM 41, 28 0 1 CASTRO IN DISTRICT THREE.

IT'S BEEN OWNED BY THE CITY SINCE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FLOOD CONTROL CHA, OH, EXCUSE ME, CHANNEL ON BOGGY CREEK.

UH, SINCE THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 1991 AND BEFORE LAST YEAR, THIS LAND WAS TOO SMALL TO DO ANYTHING WITH.

BUT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT THIS, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THIS DS HAS DONE ON LOT SIZES AND PARKING MINIMUMS, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO WORK TO CONVEY THAT LAND TO A LOCAL HOUSING NONPROFIT TO DEVELOP TWO AFFORDABLE FAMILY HOMES.

SOME MAY LOOK AT THAT AS JUST TWO FAMILY UNITS, BUT IN EAST AUSTIN WHERE AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE HARD TO COME BY FOR TWO FAMILIES, THIS IS HUGE.

THERE'S NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL TO OUR AFFORDABLE, UH, OUR TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

LET'S CONTINUE TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO ADD TO OUR TOOLBOX SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

I WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF FOR, FOR WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE, ESPECIALLY ONE TO RECOGNIZE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY JIM MEYER, REAL ESTATE OFFICER, MICHAEL GATES, RAMIT RAMES, SWAMY NATHAN FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION FOR THEIR EFFORTS.

AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO DISTRICT THREE, SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR, VICTORIA HALL FOR, UM, FOR NOT GROWING TIRED OF ME WHEN I KEPT PRESSING ABOUT THIS SMALL LITTLE PIECE OF LAND.

BUT LIKE I SAID, WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AS A DIOCESE, WE HAVE TURNED THIS SMALL LITTLE PIECE OF LAND THAT WOULDN'T BE USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE INTO TWO AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

MAYOR PRO TIM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

IS, AND, AND AS I'VE DONE TWO I, SO SOMETHING HAPPENED.

UM, FIRST, YES, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT I, I KNOW I RAISED MY HAND SEVERAL PEOPLE AGO, AND SO DID COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE, IF THIS THING IS NOT SHOWING THAT WE WERE RAISED.

IT DOES NOT, IT DOES NOT SHOW.

YOUR NAME IS NOT SHOWN ON HERE, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN

[01:15:01]

WELL, SOMETHING HAPPENED, AND IF YOU'LL PUNCH IT AGAIN, WE'LL SEE IF IT COMES UP.

IT, IT JUST CAME UP.

SO I'LL CALL ON YOU AND, AND MEMBERS, WHAT I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO IS CALL IN THREES AS OPPOSED TO CALLING EVERYBODY'S NAME EACH TIME.

SO IF YOU'RE ON HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST NOW, I MENTIONED THE MAYOR PRO TIM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, IT'LL THEN BE COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

BUT INSTEAD OF ME JUST DOING THAT EACH TIME, I'M TRYING TO DO IT IN THREE SO THAT YOU CAN BE PREPARED.

MAYOR PRO TEM.

WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THE, ON THE USAGE OF THAT LAND AND BRINGING TWO MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES TO YOUR DISTRICT.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT EFFORT MOVE FORWARD.

AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, COLLEAGUES, THE INTELLIGENCE, IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

IT IS CHANGING HOW WE LIVE, HOW WE WORK, AND HOW WE ARE CONNECTED.

IT IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE NEW INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

AI IS TRANSFORMING OUR ECONOMY, RESHAPING OUR LABOR MARKET, AND INTRODUCING POWERFUL NEW EFFICIENCIES.

BUT WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY, THERE COMES SOME REAL RISKS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY USAGE, TO EQUITY, TO TRANSPARENCY, AND WITH WORKERS' RIGHTS.

ITEM 55 RECOGNIZES THAT LARGE DATA CENTERS, WHICH POWER OUR AI SYSTEMS, CONSUME MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY.

AND AS THE USE OF AI GROWS, THIS ITEM DIRECTS THE CITY TO STUDY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THESE DATA CENTERS AND TO RECOMMEND STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THEIR BURDEN WITHIN OUR CITY'S UTILITY SERVICE AREAS.

IT ALSO ADDRESSES A GROWING CONCERN, AI'S POTENTIAL TO WIDEN THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

IF DEPLOYED WITHOUT CARE, AI SYSTEMS COULD DEEPEN THESE INEQUITIES IN ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY.

THAT'S WHY ITEM 55 PROMOTES DIGITAL EQUITY AND AI LITERACY, AND ENSURES OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO ENGAGE WITH THESE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

WE'RE ALSO TAKING A BIG STEP TOWARD GOVERNMENTAL TRANSPARENCY.

RESIDENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW HOW THE CITY COLLECTS AND USES THEIR DATA AND HOW AI SYSTEMS MAY IMPACT THEM.

THIS RESOLUTION CALLS FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS, ETHICAL GUARDRAILS, PROHIBITED USES ONGOING RISK ASSESSMENT, AND AS WELL AS AN ANNUAL PUBLIC AUDIT OF THE AI USE BY THE CITY.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ITEM 55 PROTECTS WORKERS.

IT ENSURES THAT THE, THAT NO CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE WILL BE DISPLACED BY AI WITHOUT MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION.

AI SHOULD ENHANCE, NOT REPLACE PUBLIC SERVICE, AND WE MUST UPHOLD JOB QUALITY, WORKER PRIVACY, AND FAIR TREATMENT AS TECHNOLOGY IS INTRODUCED TO THE WORKPLACE.

I WANNA THANK OUR CITY STAFF, OUR PARTNERS AT EFF AUSTIN, AT MEASURE AUSTIN AI ALLIANCE, UT GOOD SYSTEMS, AFSCME, AND SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE HELPED BRING THIS RESOLUTION TO LIFE.

I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO AMELIA CASAS WITH MY TEAM FOR HER WORK ON THIS POLICY, AS WELL AS A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSORS ON THIS ITEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER CADRE HARPER MADISON, SIEGEL VELASQUEZ, AND LANE.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

THEN COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO ITEM 55, SO IF THE MAYOR WITHOUT OBJECTION COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 55.

AND THE STUDENTS AS WELL, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION AND REACH CONSENSUS ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

AND THEN I APPRECIATE, UH, THE POSTPONEMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 11, AND I APPRECIATE THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE FROM BOWIE HIGH COMING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THIS TODAY.

STAFF HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN INCLUDING MOST OF THE PARENTS ASKS IN THIS PROPOSAL FOR A ROAD THAT DOES TRANSECT BOWIE HIGH.

BUT WE ARE DEALING WITH THE REALITY OF NATIONAL STANDARDS, NOT ALWAYS LINING UP WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE FOLKS WHO USE THESE PUBLIC SPACES EVERY DAY.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE ARE A LEADER IN HOW WE DESIGN OUR STREET SCAPES.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD CONSTITUENTS ASK TO HELP GET A SCHOOL ZONE INSTALLED.

THE OTHER ONE WAS ACTUALLY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT DIDN'T HAVE A SCHOOL ZONE.

THIS IS ALSO NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD PARENTS ASK FOR HELP MAKING SLAUGHTER LANE SAFER.

IN 2021, A 19-YEAR-OLD DROVE DOWN SLAUGHTER LANE AT 90 MILES AN HOUR.

THEY JUMPED THE CURB ENDING UP IN A TREE AND HAD TO BE EXTRICATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SENT TO THE HOSPITAL BY FIRST RESPONDERS.

SO I THINK THAT THE LIST THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE COME TO US WITH IS, IS VERY REASONABLE.

STAFF HAS ALREADY HELPED WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE LEADING PEDESTRIAN INTERVALS ARE GOING TO BE ADJUSTED TO ALLOW FOR MORE STUDENTS CROSSING THE ROAD.

THEY HAVE AGREED TO ADD A GUARDRAIL NEAR THE SPORTS FIELD SO THAT IF A CAR JUMPS A CURB, THAT THEY'RE NOT ENDING UP IN SPACES WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS, UH, PRACTICING.

AND THEY'RE GONNA IMPROVE SIGNAGE AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS REALIZE THEY'RE IN AN AREA WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENTS MOVING AROUND.

THERE IS ALSO GONNA BE A SCHOOL ZONE ON WOLF TRAP TO HELP WITH THIS ONE OF THE STREETS THAT CONNECTS DIRECTLY INTO THIS AREA.

SO THE LAST STEP IS JUST ASKING FOR THE SCHOOL ZONE ON SLAUGHTER LANE.

I REALIZE THERE'S SOME NUANCE AROUND HOW AND WHEN THOSE ARE DECIDED.

UM, BUT I THINK TOGETHER WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE PARENTS AND THE PRINCIPAL

[01:20:01]

IT'S NO SECRET THAT ROAD SAFETY IS A BIG PRIORITY OF MINE.

AND I THINK WITH A LITTLE MORE TIME WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THIS.

UM, AND THEN WHEN PEOPLE BRING REASONABLE ASKS AND THEY'RE VERY CALIBRATED ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO HELP THEM, I'M VERY MOTIVATED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED.

SO I APPRECIATE HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO SORT THROUGH THIS WITH THE, THE FOLKS INVOLVED.

THANKS.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

I'LL JUST, UH, QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS, UM, STARTING WITH ITEM 16, WHICH IS A WONKY TECHNOLOGY ITEM, BUT, UH, I THINK IT SPEAKS TO HOW WE NEED TO ACT AS A CITY IN THESE FISCALLY CONSTRAINED TIMES.

UH, THIS ITEM IS BASICALLY CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGE OF LIMITED FI UH, FIBER OPTIC CABLE.

AND IT'S HIRING A VENDOR THAT MAKE ALLOWS US TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS WITH EACH, UH, SINGLE PAIR OF FIBER OPTIC CABLE.

AND I JUST LIKE THIS IDEA OF WORKING SMARTER WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER IDEAS OR HOW WE CAN USE CITY LAND TO BUILD HOUSING, HOW WE CAN, UH, USE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY TO TRAIN WORKERS FOR CITY JOBS.

AND SO I JUST WANNA, UM, KIND OF SHARE A LITTLE PHILOSOPHICAL COMMENT THAT THIS IS A, A NICE APPROACH.

UM, ITEM 25, I JUST WANNA FLAG A LITTLE CONCERN.

THIS IS A, A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR CITY VEHICLES MAINTAINING 341 DODGE AND RAM VEHICLES.

UM, AND AT THE CLIMATE WATER ENVIRONMENT AND PARKS COMMITTEE, UH, WE HEARD HOW VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION IS ONE OF THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE THINGS WE CAN DO TO ADVANCE OUR CLIMATE GOALS AS A CITY.

SO I KNOW WE CAN'T ELECTRIFY OVERNIGHT, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL SEE, UH, FAR FEWER CONTRACTS LIKE THIS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

UM, ITEMS 51 TO 53 ARE ALSO CLIMATE FOCUSED.

UM, THESE ARE FUNDED BY CLIMATE, UH, POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT, AND THEY FUND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

SO THIS IS REALLY GREAT TO SEE.

WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE STAFF THAT PUT THIS GRANT PROPOSAL TOGETHER.

UH, WE'RE HELPING FOLKS GET HERE FROM SAN MARCUS BASTROP TAYLOR.

WE'RE HELPING CAP METRO EXPAND BUS AND PICKUP UP ROUTES, AND WE'RE FUNDING AIR QUALITY TESTING.

SO ALL THESE ARE GREAT PROGRAMS. AND FINALLY, ON ITEM 55, JUST WANNA THANK THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR LEADING THIS GREAT EFFORT ON AI AND, UM, HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR THE EFFORT.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

WHAT I WANT TO DO, UH, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE CLARITY IN OUR RECORD.

I WANNA START BY FIRST THANKING THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR HER WORK ON ITEM 55 AND ALSO HER STAFF.

THEY'VE BEEN, UH, VERY GRACIOUS IN WORKING WITH US TO MAKE A COUPLE OF WHAT I BELIEVE ARE SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO IMPROVE IT.

WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF, UH, OTHER CITIES, HELSINKI, STOCKHOLM, WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF OTHER LEGISLATION IN THE EU, THE NIST AI, WHAT MIT AND OTHER FOLKS ARE DOING IN THIS SPACE, AS WELL AS EXPERTS IN AI ETHICS AND GOT THEIR GUIDANCE AND REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO RIGHT OUT THE GATE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN HAVE AS MUCH SPECIFICITY AND TRANSPARENCY TO CREATE A BETTER PRODUCT.

AND SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT, UM, THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US TO INCORPORATE THOSE CHANGES LAST MINUTE.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THAT ITEM AS WELL.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DUCH WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 55.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE TWO TECHNOLOGY ITEMS, ITEM 16 AND 18.

I THINK GOING FORWARD, I'D REALLY LIKE TO WORK CLOSER WITH CTM TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHY WE CAN'T HIRE LOCAL AUSTIN VENDORS FOR THESE SCOPES OF WORK.

I THINK ESPECIALLY ITEM 18, WHICH IS JUST A MICROSOFT PARTNER, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, OFFERING A FAIRLY STANDARD SERVICE AGREEMENT.

UM, THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT USING ANY OF THE PROPRIETARY TOOLS THAT WE EXPLORED THAT THEY'VE GOT.

UH, SO I'M NOT SURE, I'M SURE WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF GOLDEN PLATINUM STANDARD MICROSOFT PARTNERS HERE IN THE AUSTIN, CENTRAL TEXAS AREA THAT WE COULD TRY AND WORK WITH RATHER THAN GOING TO, UH, OTHER CITIES OR STATES.

AND THEN FOR ITEM 16, SAME THING.

I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH CTM TO TRY AND GET MORE LINE ITEM INFORMATION ABOUT OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER COSTS.

I THINK THAT'D BE HELPFUL FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE FROM THEIR VENDORS AS WELL AS, AGAIN, HAVING A LOCAL VENDOR TO WORK WITH THAT HAS EXPERTISE IN THAT SPACE.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY, I'M WONDERING, IS IT POSSIBLE TO CALL UP SOMEBODY FROM, UM, UH, WATERSHED TO ASK THEM A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT ITEM 23 OR NOT? YOU, IF YOU HAVE SOME, IF SOMEBODY'S HERE, YOU CAN DO THAT.

UM, OR DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WISH TO PULL THE ITEM? UH, THAT'S WHY I ASK IF ANYBODY WANTS TO PULL ANYTHING.

UM, SO THAT WE, YEAH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA PULL THE ITEM.

I'VE JUST GOT TWO QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'RE GOING, WE WILL TAKE THAT UP AT ANOTHER POINT.

WHAT ITEM IS THAT? ITEM 23.

23? YEAH.

ITEM NUMBER 23.

SO ITEM NUMBER 23 IS ALSO BEING PULLED.

AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ON ITEM NUMBER 55, THERE'S AN AMENDMENT THAT'S BEING OFFERED.

SO, UH, HERE'S

[01:25:01]

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM MOVES THAT ITEM NUMBER THAT THAT MOVES TO AMEND THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

AND THE AMENDMENT IS TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER 23 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 23 IS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND, AND THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL NOW HAVE THAT AMENDMENT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT MADISON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS BE AMENDED.

SO THAT ITEM NUMBER 55 BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA SO THAT HE MAY BE, BE ABLE TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO ITEM NUMBER 55 AS A SEPARATE STANDALONE ITEM THAT IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, UH, THE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED.

SO NOW ITEMS 23 AND ITEM 55 IN ARE, ARE OFF AS, AS IN ADDITION TO ITEM NUMBER 50 ARE NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO WITH THAT, UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS READ AND NOW AMENDED.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UCHIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO, THANK YOU FOR PULLING THAT ITEM.

FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, REFUSE COLLECTION, CHILDCARE, MEDICAL CARE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I'LL START WITH ITEMS NUMBER THREE AND FOUR.

THEY PERTAIN TO THE DECK.

I SEE Y'ALL BACK THERE.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR IMPACT GOES SO FAR BEYOND THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH INTEGRAL CARE, UM, WILL ADDRESS EXISTING SILOS AND GAPS IN SERVICES AND DESTABILIZE, UM, INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING JOURNEYS BY REPLICATING AND ADAPTING AND HOUSE TRAUMA-INFORMED BEST PRACTICES IN THEIR FIELDS.

UM, AND EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVELY, WE ARE NOW ABLE TO DO THIS ON WHEELS, UM, WITH THE MOBILE COURT.

ITEM NUMBER 46 REGARDING A ISD PROJECT SAFE.

UM, THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR OUR PARKS AND RECS AQUATICS DIVISION TO PROVIDE SWIM CLASSES AND WATER SAFETY TO FIRST GRADE STUDENTS BOTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND DURING SUMMER MONTHS.

UM, THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

KIDS REALLY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SWIM.

THE BEST PREVENTION IS KIDS KNOWING HOW TO SWIM.

SO IF YOU'RE ABLE, UM, MAKE SURE OUR LITTLE ONES KNOW HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE IN THE WATER.

ITEM NUMBER 55.

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, FOR HER EFFORTS ON LEADING HERE.

AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO THANK STAFF.

TRUTH BE TOLD, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS CONVERSATION ORIGINALLY STARTED, MAYOR PER TIM AND MY OFFICE WERE SORT OF SIMULTANEOUSLY LOOKING AT AI, CRYPTOCURRENCY, THESE THINGS, JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO THE WORK THAT THEY DO OR THAT WE DO.

AND IT TURNS OUT OUR STAFF WAS ALREADY DEEP DIVING AND, UM, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

AND SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATED HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR STAFF WAS ALREADY TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES MIGHT, UM, HOW THEY MAY IMPACT THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE IN AUSTIN.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 55, EXCUSE ME.

AND SINCE I'M ANTI IFC NOW, I'M GONNA JUST POST A PROPOSAL ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.

UM, AND SO, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THIS CONVERSATION.

I'M CALLING IT, UM, UH, AI PROOF WORKFORCE, OUR LIVING WORKFORCE.

BUT I THINK WHAT Y'ALL ARE THINKING IS, HOW IS IT SO THAT AI DOESN'T TAKE THEIR JOBS? UM, THAT'S NOT HOW I'M THINKING ABOUT IT.

I THINK IF WE'RE BEING ENTIRELY HONEST, THERE'S A LOT OF JOBS THAT ARE GONNA GET AUTOMATED AND WE'RE NOT READY FOR THAT.

UM, BUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT INSTEAD IS I'M REFERRING SPECIFICALLY DURING COVID, OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

IT'S THE PEOPLE WE PAY THE LEAST.

THE PEOPLE WE PAY THE LEAST ARE THE ONES WE NEED THE MOST.

THAT'S THE GAG.

SO AI PROOF WORKFORCE TO ME MEANS THAT WE NEED TO TRIPLE DOWN ON MAKING CERTAIN THAT PEOPLE WHO DO THE JOBS THAT COMPUTERS CAN'T DO, CAN'T AFFORD TO SURVIVE.

SO MY AI PROOF WORKFORCE SUGGESTION IS THAT WE REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT JOBS WILL NOT FORESEEABLY BE OUGHT.

WE HAVE THE DATA, YOU GUYS, WE CAN DO PROJECTIONS THAT DETERMINE HOW MANY HUMAN JOBS WILL GO BY WAY OF THE ROBOT.

SO LET'S NOT PRETEND WE DON'T KNOW.

THAT SAID, WITH THAT INFORMATION, HOW ARE WE GONNA USE IT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE BUILD UP OUR WORKFORCE SO

[01:30:01]

THAT WE HAVE JOBS FOR HUMANS AND THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR LIVING WORKFORCE? 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T BE REPLACED OR REPROGRAMMED.

SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEY LIVE WELL? UM, AND I'M NOT CERTAIN EXACTLY HOW TO FRAME THAT YET, BUT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THAT THAT'LL BE COMING OUR WAY AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 43.

THIS IS THE HEART PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY WHERE THIS IS, UH, FOCUSED.

WANTED TO THANK OUR HSO STAFF.

I SEE DAVID IN THE BACK FOR CONTINUING TO WORK ON, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS DOING THE SAME THING FOR EVERY REGION OR EVERY INDIVIDUAL.

RECOGNIZING THAT HOMELESSNESS IS VERY COMPLEX AND REQUIRES A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS.

AND THIS IS ONE OF 'EM, I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE IT, UH, IN PRACTICE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND SEEING REAL SUCCESS.

AND SO JUST WANNA BOTH THANK YOU FOR THAT, BUT ALSO THANK THE DAA WHO I KNOW IS HERE FOR HELPING FUND THIS.

WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE DAA AND THEY HAVE CONTINUALLY STEPPED UP, UH, WHEN WE HAVE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DO PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND OTHERS TO SUPPORT OUR DOWNTOWN.

AND SO JUST WANT TO THANK Y'ALL, UH, FOR COMING TO THE TABLE AND HELPING FUND THIS REALLY WORTHWHILE EFFORT.

COUNCIL MEMBER VALA.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT.

UH, WE HAD A A A BEAUTIFUL RECOGNITION THIS MORNING AND A PROCLAMATION, UH, APRIL 30TH WILL BE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF, UH, SAIGON.

AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY, UH, TO, UH, HONOR THE DAY.

WE HAD, UH, SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, SO MANY DIFFERENT GENERATIONS, UH, INCLUDING A VETERAN OF THE, UH, SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY WHO, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, UH, SOME OF THE, THE STORIES THAT THAT, THAT HE HAS.

BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY THIS MORNING.

WE READ THE PROCLAMATION IN ENGLISH AND IN VIETNAMESE, AND IT WAS VERY SPECIAL TO HEAR VIETNAMESE HERE IN CITY HALL IN AN OFFICIAL CEREMONY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE VERY IMPORTANT DAY, UH, AND TO THANK ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE A PART OF THE CEREMONY THIS MORNING.

VERY NICE.

THANK YOU MEMBERS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE, THAT'S ALL THE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT IS AMENDED.

UH, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SH YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

SORRY, I'LL GET THERE IN JUST A SECOND.

ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, YOU WISH TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO.

ON WHICH ITEM? 16 AND 18.

16 AND 18.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED? THAT BEING THE CASE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED FOR THE RECORD.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ IS ON THE SCREEN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN BEING SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM 16 AND

[50. Approve an ordinance authorizing negotiation and execution of an agreement with the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration to accept $32,000,000 in grant funds from the 2024 Bridge Investment Program, Planning and Bridge Project Grant program for the Barton Springs Road Bridge replacement project; amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Transportation and Public Works Department Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund (Ordinance No. 20240814-007) to accept and appropriate $32,000,000 in grant funds; and amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Transportation and Public Works Department Capital Budget (Ordinance 20240814-007) to transfer in and appropriate $32,000,000 in grant funds. Funding: $32,000,000 is available from the U.S. Department of Transportation. A City funding match of $8,000,000 is required and available in the Transportation and Public Works Department’s Capital Budget.]

18 MEMBERS.

WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 50, UM, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, IF YOU WISH TO BE, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK OR ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON ITEM NUMBER 50, PLEASE TRY TO LET ME KNOW.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE? SO I GUESS TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT LIKE, IF, IF WE DO NOTHING, WILL THIS BRIDGE JUST FALL DOWN? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT YOU SAID WE PUT MORE, UM, LOAD RESTRICTIONS ON IT, BUT WOULD IT EITHER GET TO A POINT WHERE IT'S ALMOST UNUSABLE BECAUSE THE RESTRICTIONS BECOME SO TIGHT? OR AT WHAT POINT WOULD WE FACE AN ACTUAL RISK OF A COLUMN FALLING DOWN OR THE, THE, THE DECK, YOU KNOW, DETERIORATING THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR MENDOZA AND, AND WHILE HE COMES DOWN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, REALLY THIS ONE I FEEL LIKE IS, THERE'S A TRUE TENSION IN TRYING TO PRESERVE A HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND THE, THE NEED AND, AND I THINK THE PRIORITIES PRIORITY, WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT AS A COMMUNITY WHENEVER WE CAN WITH JUST THE, THE, THE SAFETY NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

AND, AND IF THOSE TWO THINGS ARE ARE PUT IN CONFLICT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A DUTY TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE.

AND SO WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO JUST BETTER UNDERSTAND HERE TODAY, AND, AND IF WE NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME, THEN I MIGHT ASK FOR A LITTLE MORE TIME, BUT JUST I WANT TO TRULY FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT BALANCE IS AND WHAT ARE THE SAFETY RISKS TODAY.

AND WE HAD A RESIDENT FROM BARTON HILLS, UH, COME TO SPEAK.

I WENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING THIS WEEK.

THIS WAS PRESENTED THERE, AND THE DISCUSSION WAS MIXED.

SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH WANT TO KEEP THE BRIDGE AS IS, I GET THAT.

UH, BUT OTHERS TALKED ABOUT THE FIRE RISK AND THE EVACUATION RISK AND, AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS BRIDGE IS EITHER FURTHER CONSTRAINED OR EVEN AS IS TODAY.

YOU JUST, YOU CAN'T PUT THE, THE VOLUME THROUGH THAT IF WE NEEDED TO EVACUATE, AND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY ONLY HAS TWO WAYS IN AND OUT FOR A VERY LARGE AREA, UM, JUST

[01:35:01]

AND, AND I CAN'T PUT A SPECIFIC DATE ON THAT, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THIS BRIDGE HAS, UH, EXCEEDED ITS, UH, DESIGN LIFE AND DESIGN USE.

AND, UH, I, I STAND CORRECTED.

THE ADDITIONAL FORENSIC ENGINEERING REPORT WAS ACTUALLY CONDUCTED IN 2017.

AND IN THAT REPORT, UH, THROUGH THEIR FORENSIC INSPECTIONS, THEY DISCOVERED MORE ISSUES THAN WHAT WAS CONTAINED IN THE TXDOT VISUAL REPORT.

AND SO THAT LED TO THEIR ENGINEERING, UM, OPINION THAT THIS NEEDED EITHER MAJOR REHABILITATION OR COMPLETE REPLACEMENT WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THAT FIVE YEARS, OF COURSE, UM, EXPIRED IN 2022.

WE DID PUT THIS BRIDGE AND IT WAS APPROVED BY THE, UH, OUR, UH, VOTERS IN THE 20, I BELIEVE, 2018 BOND, OR 2020 BOND.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHICH ONE.

AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY WITH DIFFERENT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES.

UH, WE DID EXPLORE THE REHABILITATION OPTION AND OUR ENGINEERING OPINION IS THAT FOR THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH DOING THAT, WE WOULD NOT ACHIEVE THE, UH, LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THE LONGEVITY OF A FULLY REPLACEMENT BRIDGE.

AND SO WE WENT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THREE DIFFERENT DESIGN ALTERNATIVES TRYING TO KEEP IN THE SPIRIT OF THE CURRENT DESIGN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

THE ALTERNATIVE, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD AND OUR COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, ACTUALLY OPENED UP VISUAL, UH, LINES, UH, TO LADY BIRD LAKE FROM THE USERS OF BARTON CREEK.

AND, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, IN 20 23, 1 YEAR PASSED THE ENGINEER'S OPINION TO EITHER REPLACE OR REHABILITATE.

I RECEIVED THE, UH, NOTICE TO LOAD LIMIT AS A CAUTIONARY, UH, MEASURE.

NOW WHEN, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY, UH, OLD BRIDGES OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE LOSE SLEEP ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY, THEY, UH, GET TO THIS CURRENT, UH, STATE.

AND, UH, IF I DEEMED IT WAS UNSAFE, I WOULD CLOSE IT.

I WOULD, I WOULD NOT TRY TO MANDATE IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S NOT UNSAFE.

HOWEVER, IT HAS EXCEEDED ITS LIFESPAN.

WE DO HAVE ENGINEERING, UH, DATA AND FORENSIC, UH, INFORMATION, UM, IN TERMS OF THE COST BENEFIT THAT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ACCEPTING THIS 30, UH, $2 MILLION OF FEDERAL GRANT, UH, TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT, UH, OUR COMMUNITY CAN ENJOY AN IMPROVED AMENITY, UH, FOR THE NEXT 7,500 YEARS TO COME.

AND I DO ALSO WANNA SPEAK TO PRIOR COMMENTS REGARDING THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE BRIDGE.

UH, THE BRIDGE IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE HISTORIC ZILKER PARK ZONE.

HOWEVER, THE STRUCTURE ITSELF IS NOT LISTED AS A HISTORIC, UH, STRUCTURE, AND IT'S NOT LISTED ON THE TXDOT LIST OF HISTORIC BRIDGES.

AND, AND YOU TALKED ITEM TODAY.

DOES THAT COMMIT US TO THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN AS THE GRANT TIED TO THIS DESIGN, OR COULD YOU TOMORROW DECIDE? YOU KNOW, WE DO THINK THE REHABILITATION OPTIONS THE BEST OPTION.

SO WE'RE GONNA USE THIS $32 MILLION TO DO THAT.

IF THE BRIDGE APPLICATION WAS MADE FOR A REPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGE.

UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT REQUIRED THE LEVEL OF DETAIL OF THE EXACT, UH, DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION.

UH, I AM AS CURRENTLY, UM, PLANNED, WE DO PLAN TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE WHILE MAINTAINING LANES OF TRAFFIC IN EITHER DIRECTION.

UM, I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE FROM MY TEAM THAT THAT PROCESS WILL TAKE THREE TO FOUR YEARS.

UH, I'M CHALLENGING MY TEAM AND I'M WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND, UH, TRANSIT PROFESSIONALS TO EXPLORE AND ENTERTAIN THE IDEA IF I WERE TO, UH, CLOSE BARTON SPRINGS, COULD I COMPRESS THAT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE AND LIMIT THE

[01:40:01]

IMPACT.

AS YOU KNOW, ACL IS, UH, MAJOR EVENTS, KER PARKS GOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

AND, UH, SO THAT MAY INCUR GOING BACK IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE DESIGN OPTION, BUT I DON'T FEEL IT WOULD PUT THE GRANT AT RISK.

YOU KNOW, IN MY IDEAL WORLD, THE DAY AFTER ACL CLOSES, I CLOSE THE STREET, I HAVE THE BRIDGE READY AND REOPENED BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT ACL.

UH, THAT'S VERY AGGRESSIVE.

IT CAN BE DONE.

I'M EXPLORING THAT NOW.

UM, BUT IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE, UM, THE GRANT WAS FOR REPLACEMENT ONLY.

UM, AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE, THE USABILITY OF THIS AREA FOR ALL RESIDENTS.

NOT NOT JUST AROUND A, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR FESTIVAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, KNOW THE DAILY RESIDENTS.

AND, AND I, THIS MORNING ACTUALLY GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE, THE TRAFFIC AT THAT INTERSECTION.

I, UM, ACTUALLY MY FIRST SWIM IN DISTRICT EIGHT AT BARTON SPRINGS ROAD OR BARTON SPRINGS POOL.

SO, UM, IT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE, BUT I HAD NOT SAT THROUGH THAT LIGHT IN A, IN QUITE SOME TIME.

AND I WENT BACK AND REVIEWED THE, THE BACKUP MATERIALS, SEEING THAT THE NO REPLACEMENT OPTION OR THE, THE REHABILITATION OPTION IN 15 YEARS TRIPLES THE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL TO GET THROUGH THAT.

AND IT WAS ALREADY QUITE A LONG PROCESS TO GET THROUGH, UH, THAT LIGHT.

AND IT IS OVER 7,000 VEHICLE HOURS WASTED BETWEEN THE TWO OPTIONS.

AND SO, UH, THAT'S BOTH, UH, JUST EFFICIENCY OF, OF TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO IDLING VEHICLES SITTING THERE IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA.

UM, THAT ALSO KIND OF MADE ME, GIVE ME PAUSE.

AND SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR GIVING US THE INFORMATION HERE.

THIS ONE IS, IS, IS NOT AN EASY ONE BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO PRESERVE THE BRIDGE.

UM, BUT I, I ULTIMATELY THINK JUST FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, WE, WE CAN'T TAKE ON THAT RISK AND OR, OR LIMIT IT TO SUCH AN IN, YOU KNOW, ONE LANE EACH WAY.

OUR, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE ZORA VISION PLAN, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS I HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS, DON'T MAKE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD ONE WAY, ONE LANE EACH WAY.

THAT WAS VERY LOUD FEEDBACK.

AND IF WE HAVE TO LIMIT THE USE OF THIS BRIDGE TO, TO THAT LOAD, UM, IT IS ANOTHER BOTTLENECK AND JUST AN ISSUE GETTING PEOPLE IN AND OUT AND IN A, AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION AND UM, WITH THAT.

I'M DONE.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

BUR NEXT WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY.

THANK YOU MAYOR PERAM.

UH, I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING, UH, QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC.

AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WE'VE BEEN SHARED A ENGINEERING REPORT FROM ANOTHER ENGINEERING FIRM, UM, WHO ARRIVES AT A VERY DIFFERENT CONCLUSION, IT SOUNDS LIKE, THAN THE ONE THAT YOU ALL IN THE BACKUP HAVE SHARED WITH US.

SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DID, DID YOU ALL OR TDOT OR ANYBODY ELSE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS CONSULT WITH AN ENGINEERING FIRM THAT SPECIALIZES IN HISTORIC BRIDGES OR, OR EVEN JUST HISTORIC STRUCTURES? I DON'T BELIEVE WE DID.

UH, AS THE BRIDGE IS NOT A HISTORIC STRUCTURE.

AND THEN, UH, AMONG THEIR CONCLUSIONS IS THAT, AND ADMITTEDLY I'M GONNA POINT OUT THAT THEY SAID NO INSPECTION WAS MADE OF THE CONCRETE STRUCTURES UNDER THE WATER.

UH, BUT THEY SAY WITH MINOR MAINTENANCE, THE LIFE OF THIS BRIDGE CAN EASILY BE EXTENDED BY DECADES AND POTENTIALLY ANOTHER CENTURY, WHICH IS A DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT CONCLUSION THAN WE'VE DISCUSSED.

CAN YOU HELP ME RECONCILE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT, I WOULD, I WOULD NEED TO READ THE, UM, THE THIRD PARTY ENGINEER REPORT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.

I, I CAN SPEAK TO THE, THE, UM, PUBLIC WORKS OR TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS CONSULTANT ENGINEER, UM, THAT PROVIDED THE FORENSIC INSPECTIONS.

UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE THIRD PARTY HIRED BY O BY OTHERS, I CAN'T SPEAK TO.

INTERNAL TO THE BRIDGE STRUCTURES THAT DON'T MANIFEST ITSELF INTO A VISUAL INSPECTION UNTIL YEARS LATER.

MY RECOLLECTION OF THE CITY'S REPORT SAYS THAT THE ARCHES ARE IN GENERALLY GOOD CONDITION, UH, WITH THE OTHER COMPONENTS BEING IN FAIR OR BETTER SHAPE.

I'M CURIOUS TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHERE YOU THINK THE BIGGEST, UH, BIGGEST SAFETY OR STRUCTURAL CONCERNS ARE WITH THE BRIDGE THAT STANDS RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, MY BIGGEST CONCERN ARE ON THE, UM, THE INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED INTERNAL, UM, TO THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE, NOT JUST THE SURFACE WHEN THESE ISSUES ARISE.

UM, IT'S USUALLY FROM, UH, MATERIAL FAILURE

[01:45:01]

AND SO THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR OUR ENGINEER OPINION TO REPLACE AND, UM, UH, MY, UH, SUPPORT OF THAT OPINION.

UH, I'M CURIOUS, WE, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER'S QUESTIONS REGARDING REHABBING, AND I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE THAN REPLACING AND MAY, AND THAT COST MAY ACCELERATE OVER TIME, UH, DEPENDING ON OUR ACTIONS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

UH, I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER FACTORS THOUGH THAT THAT COULD BE EITHER QUANTIFIED OR IF NOT QUANTIFIED, AT LEAST CONSIDERED AS THAT WOULD, UH, BE FACTORED INTO THIS QUESTION OF REHABBING VERSUS REPLACING? UM, I'M NOT SURE.

I, I'M NOT SURE I FOLLOW.

SO I'M LIKE, THERE'S THE, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT APPRECIATE THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.

THERE ARE, THERE ARE FOLKS THAT, UH, THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF OF BRIDGES.

UH, ARE THERE THINGS, ARE THERE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT OR THAT YOU ALL HAVE, HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT WOULD BE EITHER COULD BE QUANTIFIED OR CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION REGARDING REHAB VERSUS REHABILITATION? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, SIR.

YEAH.

THE REHABILITATION VERSUS REPLACEMENT, UH, ANALYSIS WAS PRIMARILY ON COST BENEFIT FOR A REHABILITATED BRIDGE VERSUS A, A FULLY REPLACED NEW BRIDGE.

AND THEN I KNOW THAT THERE WERE FOLKS THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, EVACUATION AND WILDFIRE AND OTHER EMERGENCY SCENARIOS.

WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR WHEN THE BRIDGE IS BEING REPLACED, EVEN IF YOU'RE TRYING TO AGGRESSIVELY REPLACE IT WITHIN A YEAR, UH, OF ACCOMMODATING ANY OF THOSE OTHER EMERGENCY ROUTES FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD? SO AS IT'S CURRENTLY PLANNED, WE WOULD MAINTAIN THE LANES IN EITHER DIRECTION FOR THE DURATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION.

AND SO THE RESPONSE TIMES IMPACTS WOULD BE MITIGATED IN THAT WAY.

AND MY LAST QUESTION IS, IF WE REPLACED THE BRIDGE, IS THE REPLACEMENT, WOULD IT HAVE A LARGER FOOTPRINT, UM, IS IT GONNA TAKE UP PARKLAND OR EASEMENT OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD SEE DIFFERENTLY FROM TODAY'S BRIDGE? YEAH, THE CURRENT DESIGN IS TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT NUMBER OF TRAVEL LANES.

IT DOES HAVE A LARGER FOOTPRINT.

THAT FOOTPRINT IS PRIMARILY IN THE FORM OF ADDITIONAL BIKE AND PIT IMPROVEMENTS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

SO IT'S NOT SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER FOOTPRINT? UM, NOT SUBSTANTIALLY, NO.

UH, ALRIGHT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, UH, RESPONSES.

YES SIR.

WE NOW, WE'LL NOW HAVE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL BUR CADRY, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ASK QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY.

FUNDING IN THE FUTURE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIME.

UM, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS KIND OF GOING OFF OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN WAS ASKING, UM, AROUND, YOU KNOW, IF WE DID NOTHING RIGHT, AND I THINK HIS, HIS QUESTION HAD TO DO WITH JUST THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE.

IF WE DID NOTHING, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO, YOU KNOW, TO THE BRIDGE PROS, CONS, ALL THAT, IF WE DID NOTHING? WHAT DOES MOBILITY SAFETY LOOK LIKE IN THE AREA? RIGHT, FOR ALL, ALL DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORTATION IN, IN MY OPINION, UM, THE DO NOTHING ON BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE WOULD PLACE US AT RISK, UH, FOR, UH, NEAR TERM LOAD LIMITING, WHICH WOULD IMPACT, UH, PROVISION OF CRITICAL EMERGENCY SERVICES AS WELL AS IMPACT, UM, TRANSIT ROUTES AND DELIVERY VEHICLES.

THE CLOSEST EAST WEST CORRIDOR, UH, TO THE SOUTH IS BEN WHITE, INTO THE NORTH IS CAESAR CHAVEZ.

SO IT WOULD HAVE A, UH, BIG IMPACT ON MOBILITY IN THE AREA.

AND NOT ONLY JUST, UH, UH, AND IT, IT WOULD BE EXASPERATED BY, UH, THE OTHER CONSTRUCTION, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CENTRAL CITY SPACE.

LIKE I 35 CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, UM, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AND THEN IT'S STILL A FEW YEARS OUT, BUT, UM, CTMA STILL HAS DESIGNS TO ADD HOV LANES TO SOUTH MOPAC.

WE'LL, NOW HAVE QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR MORALES.

THANKS, MAYOR ROTEM AND THANKS DIRECTOR FOR, UH, STANDING UP SO LONG, ANSWERING ALL THE QUESTIONS.

, UM, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET A GRANT LIKE THIS.

I WAS IMPRESSED THAT WE WON A A $32 MILLION GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND, UH, SO HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO, TO GET A GRANT LIKE THIS? AND DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS THAT IF WE DON'T UTILIZE THIS GRANT THAT, UH, REPLACEMENT

[01:50:01]

UM, FEDERAL GRANTS IN MY EXPERIENCE, UH, ARE VERY HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.

AND, UH, OUR CITY WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE AWARDED THIS, UH, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, GRANT, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR FOR ON THE ORDER OF $32 MILLION.

UM, THERE IS ALWAYS RISK THAT, UH, RETURNING FEDERAL MONEY, WHICH I, I NEVER LIKE TO DO, UM, PLACES US AT A DISADVANTAGE, UH, FOR FUTURE GRANT APPLICATIONS.

AND I, I NOTICED IN THE BACKUP, UH, THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT THE NEW BRIDGE DESIGN COULD IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR BICYCLISTS OR PEDESTRIANS.

IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? IT WOULD, WOULD NOT ONLY IMPROVE IT, IT WOULD MAKE IT SAFE.

CURRENTLY IT'S NOT, NOT SAFE EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE PILOT TREATMENT THAT WE'VE DONE ON ONE SIDE, BUT IT'S NOT, UH, ADEQUATE FOR THE DEMAND AND POPULARITY AND USE OF ZILKER PARK IN THAT LOCATION.

AND MY LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE ZILKER EAGLE.

UH, SOME OF US HAVE KIDS THAT LIKE TO RIDE THE TRAIN AT THE PARK.

UM, IT WOULD, THE NEW DESIGN BENEFIT THAT, UH, STATIC APPEARANCE UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE IS ALSO PLANNED TO BE IMPROVED WITH ADDITIONAL LIGHTING.

AND THERE'S ALSO ISSUES WITH, UM, UM, EMBA, THE EMBANKMENT IS ERODING THIS PROJECT WILL, UH, FORTIFY AND REFORTIFY THAT EMBANKMENT TO LESSER THE RISK OF IMPACT TO THE ZIL OR EAGLE.

I HAVE COORDINATED WITH, UH, PARD, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD IMPACT AND THEY'D HAVE TO CEASE OPERATIONS OF THAT TRAIN.

BUT ONCE IT'S REOPENED, IT, IT WOULD BE AN IMPROVED, UH, EXPERIENCE.

WE'LL NOW HAVE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CORY.

THANKS.

MINE ARE, UH, LESS QUESTIONS.

I THOUGHT WE HAD ALREADY PRODUCTIVELY VETTED THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN UP THERE A LONG TIME.

WE MAY NEED TO GET YOU A CUP OF WATER.

UM, BUT YEARS AND YEARS AGO, BACK WHEN PAIGE, BEFORE ELECTED OFFICE, UM, WAS WORKING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING FIRM, IT WAS 2015 OR 2016 AND THE CITY HAD PUT TOGETHER A PRE-BID MEETING SPECIFICALLY AROUND AGING BRIDGES.

AND IT INCLUDED THE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD BRIDGE AND IT INCLUDED THE RED BUD BRIDGE, UM, WHICH WE KNOW HAS BEEN A, A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION OVER, UM, A FEW YEARS BACK.

SO WHEN I SEE 10 YEARS LATER TRYING TO COME INTO THE SAME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT TO DO, UM, I DO GET CONCERNED AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE SPEAKERS COMING UP AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN AESTHETIC APPEAL TO PARTS OF THE BRIDGE.

UM, IT'S NOT THAT AESTHETIC FROM THE TOP OF IT.

UM, I THINK THE PARK IS MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE BRIDGE NECESSARILY, BUT I HEAR CONSTITUENTS TALKING ABOUT THE, THE SAFETY ISSUES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

UM, I DUNNO THAT IT WAS DESIGNED IN A WAY BACK THEN TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO EONS OF, OF PRODUCTIVITY AND USEFULNESS FOR THE FOLKS THAT USE IT EVERY DAY.

UM, SO I HOPE WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT THIS TO REST.

THE BRIDGE IS GOING TO NEED TO BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT.

UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED SOME OF THESE OPTIONS AND I'VE BEEN TO THE COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TRYING TO SORT OUT HOW THIS MOVES FORWARD.

UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY, MY LARGEST CONCERN IS ALWAYS GONNA BE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE FOLKS THAT NEED TO USE THESE, THESE SPACES.

WHETHER THEY'RE ROADS, BRIDGES, SHARED USE PATHWAYS OR OTHERWISE.

UM, THE VISION ZERO PROGRAM HAS BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL.

ONE OF THE MAIN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ZILKER PARK ITSELF IS HOW DOES IT REMAIN ACCESSIBLE FOR THE FOLKS WHO NEED TO GO THROUGH IT OR WANT TO, UM, EXPERIENCE ALL THE GREAT FUN OPTIONS THAT IT HAS TO OFFER, WHETHER THEY'RE DOING THAT ON THE WEEKDAYS OR THE WEEKENDS.

UM, BUT THOSE MOBILITY OPTIONS ARE SOMETHING THAT I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WITH.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSES CAN GET IN AND OUT AND THAT THEY'RE NOT RUNNING INTO BIKE LANES TO DO IT.

UM, WE LOOKED AT CAMPO GIVING US SOME DOLLARS TO DO IT, BUT CAMPOS MAIN MISSION IS THAT DISCUSSING WHAT IS REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT.

AND THEY ALSO TEND TO FOCUS THEIR DOLLARS ON EXPANDING CAPACITY.

UM, WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT MORE CAR LANES.

WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO WALK AND BIKE AND STROLL AND, AND USE THEIR WALKERS AND SCOOTERS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THIS SPACE AS WELL.

UH, A LOT OF FOLKS ALSO THINK THAT SOUTHWEST AUSTIN ENDS AT ZILKER PARK.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY JUST THE BEGINNING.

I HAVE AN ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

ZILKER PARK IS MY NORTHEASTERN CORNER.

UH, MOST OF MY DISTRICT IS WEST OF MOPAC AND WEST OF BRODY LANE.

SO A LOT OF FOLKS LOVE TO SAY, OH, YOU MUST HAVE MENCHACA, YOU MUST HAVE WESTGATE.

AND I'M LIKE, NO, I LOVE THOSE STREETS.

BUT THEY'RE IN DISTRICT FIVE.

UH, WE'RE WEST OF BRODY AND SO THERE'S A HUGE, HUGE DISTRICT AND A LOT OF REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY THAT COMES THROUGH THIS BRIDGE.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY MAIN GOAL IS MAKING SURE THAT IT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND.

UM, STAFF HAS BEEN TRYING TO ASSESS THIS AND WORK THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION FOR 10 YEARS NOW.

AND SO, UM,

[01:55:01]

AND SO I REALLY HOPE AT SOME POINT WE CAN MAKE A DECISION, GET OUR DOLLARS, AND TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS LOCAL PARK AND THAT WE CAN DO IT IN A CLIMATE FRIENDLY AND ECO SUSTAINABLY WAY.

I I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO ADDRESS AND I'M VERY WORRIED IT'S GOING TO GET TO A POINT WHERE IT'S NOT SAFE AND IT CAN'T BE CROSSED.

AND THAT BUSES AND, AND ANY OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE HEAVIER THAT NEED TO GET THROUGH ARE NOT ABLE TO BE THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY, QUITE FRANKLY IRRESPONSIBLE PLACE FOR A, A MUNICIPALITY TO, TO PUT OURSELVES IN.

SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS BRIDGE IS ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE FOR EVERYBODY.

COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, I JUST HAVE ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION OFF OF A, A COMMENT YOU HAD WITH TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT THE BRIDGE AS IT CURRENTLY IS.

IT'S NOT SAFE FOR A BICYCLIST.

UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, NUMBERS, ANY DATA, ANY CRASH REPORTS ON, ON, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, FOR FOLKS THAT ARE ON BIKES, UH, I SAID IT WAS NOT IDEAL FOR BILIS COUNCIL MEMBER.

IT WAS NOT SAFE PRIOR TO THE TREATMENTS THAT WE MADE TWO YEARS AGO WITH PART OF THE VISION ZERO, UM, UM, TREATMENTS, WE REDUCED IT TO THREE LANES.

WE REPURPOSED ONE LANE TO BIKE AND PEDS, BUT THAT'S ONLY ON ONE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

YOU STILL HAVE TO, IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE, UH, LIKE BUILT UH, BARTON SPRINGS POOL, BIKES AND PEDS STILL HAVE TO GO DOWN TO THE NEXT PED CROSSING, CROSS A BUSY STREET.

UM, UH, IT'S IMPROVED WITH THE PILOT AND UH, THAT TREATMENT, BUT IT, IT'S NOT IDEAL.

AND PRIOR TO THAT IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT SAFE.

THE, UH, IT WAS FOUR LANES WITH NO MORE THAN A FOUR OR FIVE FOOT, UH, GREATLY RAISED CURB SIDEWALK ON EITHER SIDE.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

YES SIR.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, REMARKS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, I'LL BE VERY BRIEF AND IT'S ABOUT REMARKS ULTIMATELY.

UM, I WAS UH, VISITING DETROIT RECENTLY AND I WAS WATCHING, DETROIT IS ONE OF THOSE CITIES WHERE THEY DID A BUNCH OF SPRAWL BASED POLICY, UM, DURING THE BOOM TIME AND NOW THEY'RE LITERALLY PAYING THEIR CITIZENRY TO MOVE BACK IN FROM THE SUBURBS 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO DEPLOY EMERGENCY SERVICES ANYMORE.

UM, AND BRIDGE INVENTORY WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON, LIKE REALLY TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE BETWEEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND SAFETY.

UM, AND I WAS JUST SORT OF FEELING THE, THE PRESSURE.

UM, BUT THEN ONE OF THE MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS SAID, I'M NO TRAFFIC ENGINEER, I'M NO BRIDGE ENGINEER, BUT I KNOW I WATCHED THAT VIDEO, THAT BRIDGE COLLAPSE AND I NEVER WANT THAT TO BE IN MY TOWN.

AND THAT JUST, I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT.

AND SO FAR AS MUCH AS, AS AN AUSTINITE, YOU KNOW, ALL 48 OF MY YEARS HAVE BEEN IN THIS TOWN, UM, I I DO FEEL A WAY WATCHING MY HOMETOWN CHANGE, BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT US TO BE THE NATIONAL NEWS STORY WITH THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE THAT WE COULD HAVE PREVENTED BECAUSE WE WERE, UM, HANGING ONTO NOSTALGIA.

SO, I I SAFETY FIRST, UM, IS IS MY COMMENTARY.

OKAY, COLLEAGUE.

SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 50, UM, CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLI, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

WE WILL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 23.

ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS ON THIS ITEM? ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS ITEM? OKAY.

ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR.

MOTION CARRIES ITEM 20, ITEM NUMBER 50 IS APPROVED.

[23. Authorize a contract for engineering services for the Capital of Texas Expressway Water Quality Control Project for the Watershed Protection Department with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000. Funding: $3,000,000 is available in the Capital Budget of the Watershed Protection Department.]

THIS IS THE CAPITAL OF TEXAS WATER QUALITY CONTROL PROJECT AND I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT MAY THE MAYOR IS OFF THE DAIS FOR THE VOTE THAT WAS JUST MADE ON ITEM NUMBER 50.

AND SO NOW WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER 23.

COUNCILMAN DUCHEN, I BELIEVE YOU'VE PULLED THIS ITEM FOR A COUPLE QUESTIONS, SO I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO HELP ME BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS ITEM.

UM, THE WAY I'M READING THIS IS T DOT HAS THIS PROJECT AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE PAYING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CALL IT REMEDIATION PIECE OF THIS PROJECT, THIS CAPEX PROJECT.

CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND, IS THAT TYPICAL OR, UH, HOW DOES THIS PROCESS USUALLY WORK? UH, QUESTION.

MY NAME IS JUGE MORALES, DIRECTOR OF TODD GOES THROUGH THE NIPA PROCESS AND THEY HAVE A CERTAIN STANDARD THAT THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO AND THEY HAVE, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A HIGHER STANDARD.

SO WE'VE CREATED AN MOU YEARS BACK WHERE THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A HIGHER STANDARD AND WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT A BETTER QUALITY WATER QUALITY.

IN THIS CASE WE'LL COME IN AND PARTNER.

SO WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING FOR MULTIPLE YEARS TO, TO UH, COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

AND SO THIS BEFORE YOU AS A CONTRACT WAS AN ENGINEER THAT WOULD HELP US

[02:00:01]

DESIGN, BID AND CONSTRUCT THE WATER QUALITY POND THAT WOULD HELP TREAT THIS WATER THAT WOULD BE DISCHARGING IN INTO EAST AUSTIN.

UH, AND SO BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A HIGHER STANDARD, THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO WAY TO INCENTIVIZE STATE SOMEHOW TO, UH, EITHER RAISE THEIR STANDARD OR COVER OUR PORTION OF THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING OUR HIGHER STANDARD THROUGH GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND THROUGH THE MOU, UH, THEY ACTUALLY ARE ACTUALLY INCORPORATING, UH, DESIGN MODIFICATIONS TO HELP GET THE WATER TO THIS POND ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO.

SO I THINK THAT, THAT WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS ALREADY.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

ARE NOW RIGHT AT NOON FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

CAN I GET A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIE.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO ITEM NUMBER 23? SEEING NONE THAT MOTION PASSES.

[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]

WE WILL, UH, WITH MAYOR OFF THEIS FOR THE LAST VOTE THAT WE JUST TOOK ON ITEM 23 THAT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY WITH, UH, THE MAYOR WATSON OFF THEIS AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS OFF THEIS.

WE ARE NOW AT NOON COMMUNICATION.

I'LL RECOGNIZE THE CLERK TO CALL OUR SPEAKERS.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.

FIRST UP IS CAROLINE ROSE KENNEDY, THEN ANTHONY PIRO.

OKAY, MS. KENNEDY, ARE YOU HERE? I ANTHONY.

HOW DO Y'ALL, HOW DO Y'ALL, HOW YOU DOING? NATASHA ? UM, I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE 20 YEARS.

I'VE LIVED ON SIXTH STREET FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS AND I LOVE IT.

UM, AND I JUST WANT TO KEEP MY TIME SHORT.

I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE DONE A LOT OF CHANGES DOWN ON MY BLOCK.

I LIVE ON THE 400 BLOCK ABOVE THE BARS IN THE 1873 BUILDING.

UM, AND I'VE GOT NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET, ABOVE THE OTHER BARS.

AND I UNDERSTAND WHY Y'ALL HAVE MADE A LOT OF CH CHANGES DOWN THERE AND I RESPECT IT AND I KNOW Y'ALL WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE USE MORE PUBLIC TRANSIT AND I JUST, I LIVE DOWN THERE AND THE NEW PARKING CHANGES HAVE, HAS REALLY AFFECTED ME.

AND, UM, IT'S MADE ME FEEL DISPLACED AND I JUST WANTED TO SUPPORT A POSSIBLE IDEA.

THERE'S TWO BLOCKS THAT WERE NOT BARRICADED, UM, AND ONE OF 'EM AT THE 500 BLOCK AND THEY STILL HAVE LEFTOVER LIKE SOUTH BY PARKING WITH ONLY A PERMIT SIGNS.

AND THEY'RE NOT SERVING ANY PURPOSE FOR THE UBER DRIVERS OR THE DELIVERY DRIVERS OR ANYTHING.

'CAUSE NONE OF THEM HAVE THIS PERMIT.

AND, UH, IF YOU COULD TURN THAT INTO MAYBE A, A RESIDENTIAL PARKING SPOT, LIKE, LIKE NEXT TO UT ALL THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE THOSE STICKERS THAT SAY IF YOU'RE NEAR HERE, YOU GET A, YOU CAN GET A MONTHLY STICKER.

UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN FOR THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT JUST FOR LIKE THE 60 OF US THAT LIVE DOWN THERE.

OR EVEN BIGGER THINKING, UH, THE BRING THE TWO HOUR PARKING BACK TO CERTAIN PARTS OF THE DAY FOR THE WORKERS.

UM, THAT'S NEEDED TO COME IN AND OUT FOR A MOMENT.

UM, AND SO I'M MOSTLY JUST TALKING ABOUT THE EXACT BLOCK AND THE THE $75 INCREASE AND IT'S LIKE THE PARKING PRICES ARE LIKE, I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE HAVING TO HAPPEN, BUT IT'D BE NICE IF, UM, IF PEOPLE JUST NEED TO STOP IN FOR 15 MINUTES.

DON'T GET THREATENED BECAUSE ON THE APP I CAN ONLY PAY FOR A MINIMUM OF AN HOUR.

AND, UH, THE, THE CODE THAT SAYS YOU CAN GET 15 MINUTES FREE DOESN'T WORK.

AND UM, IT JUST, THERE'S ON A DAILY LEVEL IT'S KIND OF ANNOYING 'CAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN, UH, JUST, I WAS WAY MORE PEACEFUL BEFORE WHEN THERE'S, BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THINGS GO BACK.

BUT IF THAT ONE BLOCK ON THE 500 BLOCK ACROSS THE STREET FROM CASINO, THERE'S ONLY A TATTOO SHOP, UM, THE, IT WOULD SUPPORT, THERE'S ALL THIS OLD SIXTH STREET IS A NEW SIXTH STREET MEMORABILIA.

THERE, IT WOULD SUPPORT THE, THE NEW BUSINESSES GOING AND IT JUST POPPED IN THE NEW, LIKE THREE BUSINESSES IS PUT THERE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I GOTTA SAY.

THANK YOU GUYS.

MII BAILEY, WAYNE DAVISON, CALLIE HIPS, COUNCILOR HARPER MADISON.

HEY TONY.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

UM, BUT ALSO, UH, I I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER KADRI.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN WE MAKE THESE ADJUSTMENTS, OVERALL THE MISSION IS CLEAR AND DELIBERATE, BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SLIPS THROUGH THE CRACKS AND THOSE ARE, GENERALLY SPEAKING THE KIND OF THINGS THAT CAN BE AMENDED.

'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.

MM-HMM .

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.

UM, MIHI BAILEY, WAYNE DAVISON, KELLY HIPS.

UM, AND HE CAN ACTUALLY GET YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION FROM THE CLERK WHEN HE LOOKS AT THE SPEAKER LIST.

THANK YOU, NATASHA.

TAKE CARE.

[02:05:03]

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND COME DOWN.

JUST STATE YOUR NAME AT THE MIC.

AND AS THE NEXT SPEAKER MAKES THEIR WAY TO THE MIC, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ VOTED YES FOR ITEMS 23 AND ITEM 50.

OKAY, SO MIHI BAILEY.

OKAY, SO I'M UP HERE TODAY.

I WAS HOPING TO SPEAK TO THE MAYOR, BUT HE'S NOT HERE.

BUT IT IS IN REGARDS TO LIKE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE POSITION ARE Y'ALL'S CONCERNS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND, UM, THE OVERTURN ON THAT.

AND IN REFERENCE TO, UH, REPORTS THAT'S BEEN MADE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS BLATANTLY BEEN NEGLECTED.

CERTAIN INSTANCES THAT HAS, THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED, THAT HAS TOTALLY BEEN IGNORED.

AND, UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PROCESS WORKED BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF BAD THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND, UM, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY HELP WITH THE CITY AT ALL, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THE CITY IS INVOLVED IN IT.

I'M VERY SORRY TO HEAR THAT.

UH, RIGHT NOW YOU ARE TESTIFYING BEFORE COUNCIL AS PART OF OUR NOON COMMUNICATION MM-HMM .

SO YOU ARE ABLE TO SPEAK TO ANY ISSUE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THE NEXT TWO-ISH MINUTES.

AND THEN IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN HAVE SOMEONE FROM MY OFFICE COME DOWN AND CONNECT WITH YOU DIRECTLY ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU RAISE.

PLEASE PROCEED.

SO THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK CAUSES THE HOMELESSNESS IN, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN? BECAUSE CURRENTLY BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED, WHICH I FEEL LIKE WAS A FORM OF RETALIATION, I'M EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS NOW.

AND I, I WORK, I DO HAVE CHILDREN THAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF AND, AND HAVE THEM IN MY POSSESSION.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S TAKING PLACE.

SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK CAUSES HOMELESSNESS OUTSIDE OF A 'CAUSE? I DON'T DO DRUGS, I DON'T HAVE MENTAL ISSUES, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THOSE BAD THINGS GOING ON.

SO I WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK ACTUALLY CAUSED IT? AND I CAN TELL Y'ALL HOW I FEEL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, WHICH I FEEL HAS BEEN A FORM OF RETALIATION FOR ME, WANTING RESULTS AND ACTION TAKEN, UH, UPON THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THE CITY AND OUTSIDE THE CITY FOR CRIMINAL ACTS DONE AGAINST ME.

AND FOR ME, REPORTING IT, I HAVE BEEN RETALIATED ON, SO I WANNA UNDER SEE IF Y'ALL KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.

I'VE ASKED SOMEONE FROM MY TEAM, IF YOU COULD JUST HANG OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER MM-HMM .

AND WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL CONNECT YOU WITH SOMEONE FROM MY STAFF TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

UM, BUT RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO TO PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US.

WELL, I, I, THAT'S IT.

I MEAN, DO Y'ALL, DO Y'ALL CARE ABOUT THAT OR? YES, WE, WE DO.

Y'ALL SPEAK ABOUT IT ISSUES.

AT THIS PART OF THE MEETING, WE ACCEPT CONCERNS AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION, WE'LL HAVE OUR, OUR TEAMS COME CONNECT WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

OKAY? YES.

I'VE ALSO ASKED SOMEONE FROM MY STAFF TO CONNECT WITH YOU.

UH, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE HER ATTENTION ANYMORE AT THIS POINT.

MIA MIHA, I'VE ALSO ASKED SOMEONE FROM MY STAFF TO CONNECT WITH YOU AND THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY.

CALLIE HIBBS, ROCHELLE WILSON.

NEXT SPEAKER.

WAYNE DAVISON.

I HAVE THREE MINUTES.

YES.

HAD MORE RELAXED WATER AND RESTRICTION ALLOWING THEM TO WATER THE FOLLOWING DAY.

UM, MY NAME IS WAYNE DAYON.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10 AND I'VE BEEN AN AUSTIN RESIDENT FOR 56 YEARS.

MY COMMENTS CONCERN ARE WATER RESTRICTIONS THAT I BELIEVE CAUSE RESIDENTS TO USE MORE WATER AS IT PREVENTS ANY FLEXIBILITY ON WHEN YOU CAN WATER.

IF YOU MISS YOUR WATERING DAY, THAT INTERVAL BECOMES 14 DAYS.

FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN CHEATING ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATERING RULES.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF MY DATE OF WATER WAS WEDNESDAY AND IT RAIN WAS FORECASTED FOR THURSDAY, I WOULD SKIP WEDNESDAY AND TAKE A CHANCE IT RAIN ON THURSDAY.

IF IT DIDN'T, I WOULD WATER ILLEGALLY ON THURSDAY.

IF I DID, IF IT DID, I WOULD SAVE WATER.

NOW SINCE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS INSTALLED WATERLESS METERS AND NOT UPDATING WATER RULES TO MATCH, I AM FORCED WATER ON MY SCHEDULED DAY, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN.

FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 17TH, I WATERED USING 1007 18 GALLONS AND IT RAINED ON THURSDAY ON MARCH 26TH.

THIS YEAR THE CITY RECEIVED RAIN, BUT WE DIDN'T.

SO I APPLIED 700 GALLONS, THEN IT RAINED ON THURSDAY.

IF I HAD THE FLEXIBILITY TO WATER ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, 24,000 GALLONS WOULD'VE BEEN 2,400 GALLONS WOULD'VE BEEN STILL BEEN IN THE LAKE.

OTHER AREAS OF AUSTIN DID RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAIN ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH, AND I THINK OTHER HOMEOWNERS PROBABLY WATERED PRIOR TO THOSE RAIN, THUS WASTING WATER.

HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER.

WITH THE NEW METERS THAT RECORD AND REPORT EVERY GALLON, THE CITY NOW HAS THE DATA TO DETERMINE HOW MANY HOMEOWNERS HAVE WATERED THOUGH THE RAIN LATE, LATER IT RAINED.

RUN AN ANALYSIS OF YOUR DATA AND DETERMINE HOW MUCH WATER COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED CITYWIDE IF THE CITY

[02:10:01]

AS YOU CAN SEE, WITHOUT FLEXIBILITY, USERS ARE FORCED TO WATER ON THEIR DESIGNATED DAY.

IF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS INTERESTED IN SAVING WATER, YOU SHOULD USE IN CITIES INSTEAD OF PUNISHMENT.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS.

ONE, ALLOW HOMEOWNERS TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO WATER ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE DESIGNATED DAY.

OR TWO, ALLOW HOMEOWNERS THE FLEXIBILITY TO WATER ANY ONE DAY OF THE WEEK, WHICH I PREFER.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.

SUPPOSE I OWN THE WATER SUPPLY AND MY RULES WERE THAT YOU COULD WATER ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, BUT ONLY ONE ONCE OUT OF THE SEVEN DAYS AND YOU HAVE TO PICK THE DAY IN ADVANCE.

WOULD YOU PICK THE DAY BEFORE PREDICTED RAIN? THIS IS EXACTLY THE DAY THE CITY'S DEMANDING AUSTIN HOMEOWNERS WATER.

IN SUMMARY, THE CITY SPENT MILLIONS IN BUYING AND INSTALLING METERS, BUYING SOFTWARE, GATHERING DATA.

WHY DON'T YOU USE THE COLLECTIVE DATA TO STUDY YARD WATER AND USAGE? TO SEE A FLEXIBILITY TO REDUCE ACTUAL WATER USE, REQUIRING WATER ON SPECIFIC DAY OF THE WEEK IS NOT THE SOLUTION.

RESIDENTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE LAKE LEVELS, THE ONES I'VE TALKED TO BE INTERESTED IN FLEXIBLE RULE IF IT SAVES WATER.

SO I THINK YOU NEED TO EVALUATE WHAT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO PROPOSE IF FLEXIBILITY WOULD SAVE WATER AS OPPOSED TO USE WATER.

'CAUSE PEOPLE NOW ARE FORCED TO WATER ON WEDNESDAY AND EVEN IF ME WANT WATER ON THURSDAY.

I'M HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED FOR OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO SAFEGUARD OUR MOST CHERISHED RIGHT THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

MY NAME IS CALLIE HIBBS OF DISTRICT THREE.

I COME TO YOU TODAY NOT SIMPLY AS SOMEONE DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE AMERICAN FUNDED AND ISRAELI EXECUTED GENOCIDE OF PALESTINE, BUT AS A FOURTH GENERATION LONGHORN WHO STANDS HERE HORRIFIED BY THE VILIFICATION AND AT TIMES SUBSEQUENT KIDNAPPINGS AND ILLEGAL DETENTIONS OF ACADEMIC STUDYING AND UH, TEACHING HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

WAS THIS COUNCIL AWARE THAT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN FOUR LONGHORNS THAT HAVE BEEN STRIPPED OF THEIR VISAS DOING TO BEING OUTWARDLY CRITICAL OF THE COLONY OF ISRAEL.

OTHER CASES OF THIS EVER INCREASING RESTRICTION ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM INCLUDE THE KIDNAPPINGS OF MAHMOOD KIL, UH, OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND RU MEZA AUSTER OF TUFTS UNIVERSITY.

THEY'VE GARNERED SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION, NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, CONSIDERING THE BLATANT UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF THEIR APPREHENSIONS AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE STILL BEING ILLEGALLY DETAINED THIS DAY, WEEKS LATER IN SOME ICE DETENTION IN LOUISIANA, DR.

RASHID AIA OF UH, BROWN UNIVERSITY WAS VISITING LEBANON.

SHE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE US ON MARCH 13TH AND WAS DENIED REENTRY WHILE AT THE AIRPORT IN BOSTON, AND SHE WAS DEPORTED FROM THERE WHILE AT THE TIME HOLDING A VALID HB ONE VISA, SHE WAS NOT GIVEN DUE PROCESS AT ALL.

SHE HAS ACTIVE PATIENTS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

SHE'S A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT DOCTOR AND A PROFESSOR WHO TEACHES THESE SKILLS TO OTHERS.

THESE ARE BRIGHT MINDS THAT ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND IT GOES TO SHOW THAT THESE DETENTIONS AND DEPORTATIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WELLNESS NOR THE SAFETY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AND IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH MAINTAINING A FALSE FACADE OF SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL.

A FACADE MADE OF GLASS THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CRACKED AS TIME GOES ON AND YOU BEST BELIEVE IT WILL BE SHATTERED ONE OF THESE DAYS.

THERE IS NOTHING SELF-EVIDENT ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF ISRAEL.

IT IS A COLONIAL ENTITY THAT STEALS AND POISONS AND DESTROYS AND IT IS IN AND ITS EXISTENCE, IS IN, IS DEPENDENT UPON A TRANSCONTINENTAL WEB OF LIES AND MONEY.

AND Y'ALL, WE DON'T HAVE TO UPHOLD THESE LIES ANYMORE.

EVEN AS TRUMP AND ABBOTT ATTEMPT TO CODIFY AND FORCE OUR SUBMISSION TO THE ZIONIST ENTITY, WE ARE COLLECTIVELY FREEING OURSELVES FROM ALL OF THAT NONSENSE.

THIS VERY DAY.

WE HAD PEOPLE AT THE CAP, AT THE TEXAS CAPITOL TRYING TO REDEFINE ANTISEMITISM TO INCLUDE BEING ANTI-ISRAEL VIA HOUSE BILL 2 3 9 1.

THE GENOCIDAL COLONY IS IN NO WAY WORTH THE ERASURE OF OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES HERE AT HOME.

I ASK THIS COUNSEL, STAND WITH THE FREEDOM OF ACADEMIC EXPRESSION.

STAND WITH DUE PROCESS.

STAND WITH LONGHORNS.

STAND UP AGAINST THE TRUMP MUSK ADMINISTRATION AND ALL CONNECTED ENTITIES THAT SEEK TO INVOKE FEAR WITHIN OUR HEARTS AND STRIP US OF OUR MORAL AUTONOMY.

STAND UP AGAINST ICE AS THEY INVADE AND TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITIES AS THEY DO TERRORIZE.

MORE COMMUNITIES THAN ONE.

MAKE A STATEMENT, PASS A RESOLUTION, ANYTHING FREE.

PALESTINE.

THANK YOU ROCHELLE WILSON.

ABIGAIL MALLEK, CLIFF CLIVE.

[02:15:01]

OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH, EXPRESSION AND PROTEST IS UNDER ATTACK IN THIS COUNTRY AND IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LIKE THIS ONE TO PROTECT THESE RIGHTS WHILE WE THE PEOPLE EXERCISE THEM.

SINCE LAST SPRING, WE HAVE WITNESSED A SURGE OF STUDENT PROTESTS FOCUSING ON THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE.

THESE ARE NOT JUST FLEETING DISPLAYS OF YOUTHFUL REBELLION.

THEY ARE A MANIFESTATION OF DEEP-SEATED MORAL CONVICTIONS.

THE UNJUST TREATMENT OF RESIDENTS OF LEGAL RESIDENTS LIKE MAHMUD.

KHALIL ENDANGERS US ALL.

I URGE YOU TO USE YOUR POWER TO DEFEND THESE PEOPLE.

FAILURE TO DO SO ENSURES THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL BE NEXT AND EVENTUALLY THAT SOMEONE COULD BE YOU.

WE MUST NOT ALLOW THE TRUMP AND ABBOTT ADMINISTRATIONS TO REDEFINE ANTISEMITISM AS A TOOL OF SUPPRESSION AGAINST THOSE WHO QUESTION OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE.

ALLOWING A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO SILENCE THE VOICES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

THE PRO-PALESTINE MOVEMENT AMONG STUDENTS ARISES FROM A GENUINE CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND NOT FROM A DESIRE TO PROVOKE.

WE ARE SEEING A RISE IN FASCIST, RACIST, AND ISLAMOPHOBIC SENTIMENTS THAT THREATEN THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY.

JUST RECENTLY HERE IN TEXAS, TWO YOUNG MUSLIM GIRLS WERE VICIOUSLY BEATEN BY A MOB OF FELLOW STUDENTS SIMPLY FOR WEARING THEIR HIJABS.

THIS COUNCIL MUST BE A BEACON OF HOPE THAT CHAMPIONS FREE SPEECH FOR ALL.

AND IT IS IN THAT LIGHT THAT I IMPLORE YOU.

PLEASE DECLARE THE CITY OF AUSTIN A SANCTUARY CITY FOR FREE SPEECH AND POLITICAL DISSENT.

IN THE SPIRIT OF SOLIDARITY AND RESISTANCE, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A POEM FROM GAZA POETS SOCIETY, WHICH ENCAPSULATES GAZA'S STRUGGLE FOR DIGNITY AND SURVIVAL.

WHILE GRIEVING THE LOSS OF MY FAMILY AND MYSELF.

IT IS CRUCIAL TO REMEMBER THAT MY KILLER IS ALSO HUMAN.

THE BITTER TASTE OF THIS TRUTH WILL LINGER MOST STRONGLY FOR THOSE READERS WHO WERE COMPLICIT IN OUR DEATHS AS THEIR SILENCE PROVED FAR MORE POTENT THAN THE BOMBS MANUFACTURED IN NATIONS THAT PREACH LIBERTY AND PEACE WHILE DENYING RESPITE TO OTHER COUNTRIES FOR DECADES, MOHAMED MUSA IN CLOSING, SILENCE IS VIOLENCE, SILENCE IS PERMISSION, AND SILENCE HAS AN IMPACT GREATER THAN THE BLAST.

RADIUS OF 2000 POUND BOMBS, PLEASE INJURE, SILENCE, PERMANENT CEASEFIRE, ARMS EMBARGO, DIVESTMENT SANCTIONS, AND FREE PALESTINE.

AND IF Y'ALL ARE FREE AT FIVE O'CLOCK, I URGE YOU TO GO TO UT CAMPUS.

THERE'S GONNA BE A PROTEST THERE.

SEE WHERE THE VIOLENCE COMES FROM.

IS IT THE STUDENTS? IT'S NOT.

I WAS THERE LAST YEAR.

I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THAT.

IT IS A MOB OF VIOLENT POLICE OFFICERS ATTACKING KIDS.

GO SEE, GO CHECK IT OUT.

THAT'S ALL.

ABIGAIL MALIK CLIFF.

CLIVE.

HI, I'M ABIGAIL MALIK.

I'M A UT GRADUATE OF PROUD TEXAN AND A JEWISH MOTHER.

I'M SPEAKING TODAY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ATTACKS ON FREE SPEECH, ON DUE PROCESS, AND ON THE RIGHT TO PEACEFUL PROTEST.

I'M ASKING AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO STAND UP FOR THESE GREAT AMERICAN VALUES AND HONORED TRADITIONS.

AS A JEWISH MOTHER, I AM ANGERED AND HORRIFIED THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS TO BE CURTAILING FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN THE NAME OF JEWISH SAFETY.

BEFORE THE ELECTION, TRUMP STATED THAT THE JEWS WOULD BE TO BLAME IF HE LOST.

HE'S HAPPY TO U TO USE OUR FAMILIES AS A SCAPEGOAT WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT TO HIM.

BUT NOW THAT HE'S WON, HE PRETENDS TO CARE ABOUT JEWISH SAFETY SO THAT HE CAN USE IT AS AN EXCUSE TO PUNISH AND FRIGHTEN THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH HIM.

IF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY CARED ABOUT JEWISH SAFETY, THEY WOULDN'T BE WORKING WITH ELON MUSK, A MAN WHO LOVES NAZI SALUTES MORE THAN HE LOVES HIS OWN CHILDREN.

IN COLLEGE, I PROTESTED AGAINST THE IRAQ WAR, AND THIS PAST YEAR I'VE PARTICIPATED IN PROTESTS, VIGILS, AND LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA.

IN THOSE SPACES, PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND BACKGROUNDS ARE WORKING TOGETHER, EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

AS A JEW, I HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SAFE AND WELCOMED IN THOSE SPACES.

PLEASE DO NOT LET TRUMP AND HIS CRONIES CONVINCE YOU THAT PEACEFUL PROTEST FREE SPEECH AND DUE PROCESS ARE IN OPPOSITION TO JEWISH SAFETY.

THIS WEEK, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IS CONSIDERING A BILL HB 2391 THAT AIMS TO PUNISH K THROUGH 12 STUDENTS.

FOR CRITICIZING THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA OR CRITICIZING THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT LABELING POLITICAL SPEECH, WHICH IS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT AS HATE SPEECH WOULD BE A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

[02:20:01]

AND ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS FASCISM, JEWISH SAFETY COMES FROM FIGHTING AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY, THE SAME IDEOLOGY THAT THREATENS RACIAL EQUALITY, GENDER EQUALITY, L-G-B-T-Q, RIGHTS AND DISABILITY TO JUSTICE.

WHEN WE FIGHT AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY AND FASCISM, IT HELPS ALL COMMUNITIES.

WHEN WE FIGHT AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTORS AND DUE PROCESS, ALL WE'RE DOING IS HURTING OUR DEMOCRACY.

PLEASE STAND UP AGAINST ATTACKS AGAINST FREE SPEECH AND STUDENT PROTESTORS.

DO IT FOR ALL OF US.

AND TODAY AT 5:00 PM THERE WILL BE A PROTEST AT UT CAMPUS MARKING THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PEACEFUL STUDENT PROTESTORS BEING ARRESTED AND ASSAULTED BY STATE TROOPERS.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GO TO UT CAMPUS TODAY AT 5:00 PM TO SUPPORT STUDENTS EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

WILL ANY OF YOU JOIN ME? THANK YOU.

CLIFF CLIVE, DISTRICT EIGHT.

THIS WEEK MARKS THE 82ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING.

ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE UPRISING, MERRICK EDELMAN, WENT ON TO BE A LIFELONG ANTI-ZIONIST AND ADVOCATE FOR PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS.

EDELMAN REBUKED ISRAELI POLITICIANS FOR INVOKING THE HOLOCAUST TO DISMISS PALESTINIAN CALLS FOR JUSTICE.

DURING THE SECOND INTIFADA, HE COMPARED PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE FIGHTERS TO THE RESISTANCE FIGHTERS OF THE WARSAW GHETTO.

IF MERRICK WERE STILL ALIVE TODAY AND CAME TO SPEAK AT US COLLEGE CAMPUSES, WOULD HE BE CALLED A SELF-HATING JEW? WOULD BETAR HOOLIGANS FILM THEMSELVES HARASSING HIM AND STUFF BEEPERS IN HIS POCKETS? WOULD FOREIGN STUDENTS ATTENDING HIS SPEECHES HAVE THEIR VISAS REVOKED AND BE PICKED OFF THE STREETS BY UNDERCOVER ICE AGENTS? TODAY'S ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH DIDN'T COME OUT OF THE BLUE.

TRUMPISM IS ONLY BIDEN CARRIED TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION.

WHEN MASS PROTESTS BROKE OUT AGAINST HIS SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, BIDEN REPEATEDLY CONDEMNED THE ACTIVISTS AS VIOLENT AND ANTISEMITIC, RECEIVING ALMOST NO PUSHBACK FROM CYNICAL POLITICIANS AND CORPORATE MEDIA, UH, COMPLICIT CORPORATE MEDIA.

THIS GAVE TRUMP A SCAPEGOAT TO EXPERIMENT ON AS HE LOOKED FOR THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE TO DISMANTLE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY ON UT AUSTIN CAMPUS, TEXAS STATE TROOPERS BRUTALLY ASSAULTED STUDENTS GENOCIDE PROTESTORS IN THEIR TEENS AND TWENTIES WHO WERE THEMSELVES THEN BLAMED FOR THAT VIOLENCE.

NOW THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IS CRAFTING BILLS DESIGNED TO PENALIZE STUDENTS IN TEXAS SCHOOLS FOR CRITICIZING ISRAEL.

THESE BILLS WILL BE WEAPONIZED AGAINST POLITICAL SPEECH LEADING TO MORE VIOLENCE, INCLUDING AGAINST JEWISH STUDENTS WHO ARE WELL REPRESENTED IN THESE PROTESTS.

WE NEED TO DECLARE AUSTIN A SAFE ZONE FOR POLITICAL SPEECH IF WE DON'T TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS ISSUE.

WHO ELSE IN TEXAS WILL? I'M ASKING THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ADOPT A DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM THAT PROTECTS OUR JEWISH NEIGHBORS, BOTH ZIONIST AND ANTI-ZIONIST FROM JEW HATE, WHILE ALLOWING US TO HAVE OPEN CONVERSATIONS AND EVEN VIGOROUS PROTESTS ABOUT THE POLICIES, IDEOLOGIES, AND ACTIONS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

THIS IS A STATE THAT IS CURRENTLY STARVING 1.7 MILLION PALESTINIANS TO DEATH AFTER CHOOSING TO BREAK A CEASEFIRE DEAL THAT WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO END HOSTILITIES.

AFTER HOSTAGE EXCHANGE EXCHANGES ARE COMPLETED, A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS CONDEMN THESE ACTIONS AND WE DEMAND TO BE HEARD.

IF OUR RIGHTS ARE UNDER ASSAULT FROM ALL ANGLES, THEN WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER WITH WHATEVER LEVERAGE WE HAVE ACCESS TO.

WE CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY DECAYING FROM THE TOP DOWN WHILE CALLS FOR CHANGE ARE BEING BLOCKED FROM THE BOTTOM UP WITH FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OTHER FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS UNDER THREAT FROM BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.

IF THE ONCE PROGRESSIVE CITY OF AUSTIN ISN'T WILLING TO TAKE A PRINCIPLED STAND TO PROTECT US, THEN TEXAS IS TRULY F****D.

HAVE ALL SPEAKERS BEEN CALLED? YES, MAYOR PROTON.

OKAY, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

THIS CONCLUDES NOON COMMUNICATION.

WE WILL NOW STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 1:15 PM WE WILL HAVE LIVE MUSIC SESSION BY HAYDEN VIAL, I BELIEVE.

UH, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO JOIN US.

UH, VIRA BY HAYDEN VIRA WILL BE OUR LIVE MUSIC.

UM, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL STANDS IN IN RECESS UNTIL 1:15 PM COLLEAGUES, WE'LL SEE EVERYONE AGAIN AT 1:15 PM THANK YOU.

GOOD? YES.

AND WE'RE BACK FOR CITY HALL SESSIONS WITH LIVE MUSIC HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS AND OUR CITY HALL CHAMBERS.

HI EVERYONE.

[Live Music]

WE HAVE MARIACHI ROCK REVOLUTION.

THEY ARE THE BRAINCHILD OF GRAMMY NOMINATED AUSTIN LATINO ROCKER, ELECTRONIC ELECTRIC VIOLIN VIOLINIST, HAYDEN VITERRA.

THIS SHOW

[02:25:01]

IS A ROCK FUELED MARIACHI INFUSED SPECTACLE OF SIGHT AND SOUND, CELEBRATING THE TRADITION OF MARIACHI THROUGH AN UNPRECEDENTED FUSION WITH MODERN ROCK AND ELECTRONICA.

MR. R'S HIGH ENERGY PERFORMANCE PROVIDES A VARIETY OF STYLES THAT SPEAK TO THE LOVER OF ARENA ROCK BUELA, WHO GREW UP WITH VICENTE FERNANDEZ AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN BASED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

MARIACHI ROCK REVOLUTION HAS CAPTIVATED AUDIENCES AND THEATERS, PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTERS AND LIVE MUSIC VENUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WAS AN OFFICIAL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARTIST IN 2022.

SO WITH THAT, JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MARIACHI ROCK REVOLUTION.

THANK YOU AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AN HONOR TO BE HERE.

THIS SONG IS CALLED KIRA, WRITTEN BY MY LATE UNCLE, LATE UNCLE RAFAEL FRANCO, AND MY BROTHER DAVID VI, THE THANK Y'ALL.

[02:30:01]

I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT WE WILL BE AT THE LONG CENTER, SEPTEMBER 14TH, KICKING OFF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, BENEFITING AUSTIN SOUND WAVES.

IT'S GONNA BE THIS BAND PLUS THE UT MARIACHI, RICK TREVINO, AND OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS.

SO COME CHECK IT OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROCLAMATION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU ALL WITH.

I'LL GET YOU HERE HOLDING THIS.

YES, YOU CAN GO RIGHT HERE.

GO RIGHT HERE.

WONDERFUL.

BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.

AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE, AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I VANESSA FUENTES MAYOR PRO TEM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER CHITO AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 24TH, 2025 AS MARIACHI ROCK REVOLUTION DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SUCH TO SAY.

A FEW WORDS.

I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE COUNCIL, TO, TO VANESSA AND EVERYONE HERE.

AND, UH, I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN SINCE 1992 AND I CAN'T DREAM OF, UH, ANYWHERE ELSE THAT I WOULD RATHER BE.

UM, THIS IS THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD, UM, EVIDENCED BY THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT HERE FOR THE MUSICIANS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY TRY TO DO.

THE CULTURAL ARTS DEPARTMENT.

IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE.

UM, I'M STARTING A NEW MISSION WITH A NONPROFIT TO BENEFIT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY MUSIC PROGRAMS THROUGH THIS BAND AND OTHER PERFORMANCES, AND I KNOW THAT AUSTIN WILL SUPPORT IT AND I LOVE BEING HERE.

GOD BLESS AUSTIN, TEXAS.

ALRIGHT GUYS, WE CAN ALL I KNOW HE'S READY.

UH, IT'S ONE 15 ON APRIL 24TH, 2025, AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

IF I COULD ASK THE THO THOSE THAT ARE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY TO LET ME KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE AND, AND SO I MAKE SURE AS I, AS I KEEP COUNT.

GOT

[Items 23 & 50]

YOU.

UH, VERY GOOD MEMBERS.

AS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, ON ITEM 50 AND ITEM 23, A VOTE WAS TAKEN.

UH, I'M, I MOVE, UH, THAT ON ITEMS 50 AND 23 THAT I BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF THOSE ITEMS, UH, THEY WILL NOT, MY, MY BEING SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF THOSE ITEMS, EVEN THOUGH I WAS, UH, TEMPORARILY OFF THE DIOCESE, WILL NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THE VOTE THAT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

AND SO I'LL ASK ANY DISCUSSION, UH, HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THE UH, ITEM IS ADOPTED AND I WILL BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF ITEMS 50 AND 23 WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND HARPER MADISON OFF THE DAAS AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS OFF, ALSO OFF THE DAAS.

THANK YOU

[55. Approve a resolution regarding establishing artificial intelligence guidelines, policies and oversight, workforce considerations, environmental impacts, digital equity, and public engagement. (Part 1 of 2)]

MEMBERS.

THAT WILL NOW TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 55.

UH, THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 55 ALREADY, BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE CON COUNCIL.

YOU'RE RIGHT, UH, ON THE VOTE TO SHOW ME VOTING IN FAVOR OF FIFTIES AND 23.

COUNCIL MEMBER LANG WAS ALSO TEMPORARILY OFF THE DIOCESE.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, I, I'M GONNA CALL BACK UP.

ITEM NUMBER 55 MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE A PROPOSED, UH, AMENDMENT.

IT IS A, IT IS LABELED COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AMENDMENT.

IT HAS TWO PARTS TO IT.

I'M GOING TO FIRST RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TIM TO SEE IF SHE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ON 55 AND MOVE FOR A MOTION.

THEN I WILL RECOGNIZE, UH, ONCE WE HAVE A SECOND, I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

MAYOR PROTI.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR VELA AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO ITEM NUMBER 55.

UM, COLLEAGUES, I SPOKE EARLIER TO THE, UH, MERITS OF THE RESOLUTION.

I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOR YOUR AMENDMENT THAT WE INCORPORATE INTO VERSION TWO.

SO WEST BEFORE US IS VERSION TWO OF ITEM 55.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

MAYOR PRO TIM MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 55, VERSION TWO.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? THE, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THAT'S WHY.

WHOLE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS, RIGHT? UM, OKAY, WELL THAT WAS GOOD, SAM.

IT'S KIND OF THROWN ME OFF NOW.

I HAD AHEAD FOR LUNCH.

ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE ON THE MAIN MOTION, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE

[02:35:01]

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

AND THIS IS OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.

UH, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE ITEM, THERE HAS BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL AND, AND STATE COURTS HAVE, UH, LIMITED PROTECTIONS FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q UH, COMMUNITY.

UH, AUSTIN HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THIS COUNCIL AND THIS GUYS I KNOW THE MAYOR PRO TEM IN, IN PARTICULAR.

AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO ADD IN, UH, THAT THE PROTECTIONS ARE, UH, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RACE, COLOR, SEX, DISABILITY, AND THEN ADDING SEXUAL IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION, UH, IN, UH, ONE PART.

AND THEN, UH, AGAIN, WHERE THE, UH, IN HARMONY WITH, UH, STATE FEDERAL INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH AUSTIN LAWS AND VALUES JUST TO GIVE A STAFF A PLAN, UH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

NOW WE WILL GO TO THE NON-CONSENT ITEMS AND WE WILL GO TO, UH, THE IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS MEMBERS.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES APPROVAL OF VELA AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO ITEM 55.

IT IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO.

TIM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

VELA AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO ITEM NUMBER 55 IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LANE OFF THE DAAS.

UH, WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION.

MAIN MOTION IS ITEM NUMBER 55, VERSION TWO AS AMENDED.

I'LL RECOGNIZE THE AMERAL TEMP TO CLOSE.

UH, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH, COLLEAGUES, I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION.

UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, CLOSES THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ITEM NUMBER 55, VERSION TWO, AS AMENDED WITHOUT OBJECTION IS APPROVED WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAAS MEMBERS.

[Eminent Domain]

I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH, UH, THOSE ITEMS AND WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS THAT WERE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND WE'LL HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF THOSE, BUT I WANNA GO THROUGH THOSE ITEMS SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR RECORD.

THEY'RE ITEMS 56, 57, 58, 59, AND 60.

ITEM NUMBER 61 WAS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED WITH ITEM ONE 16.

ITEM 62 IS ALSO ON, ON THIS AGENDA.

ITEMS 63 AND 64 WERE WITHDRAWN.

63 IS REPLACED WITH ITEM ONE 15 AND 64 WAS REPLACED WITH ITEM ONE 14.

ITEM 65 IS ON THE AGENDA.

66 AND 67 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN.

66 WAS REPLACED WITH ITEM ONE 13 AND 67 WAS REPLACED WITH ITEM ONE 12, ITEM 68 69, 70, 71, 72, 1 12, 1 13, 1 14, 1 15, AND ONE 16 ARE ALSO ON THE AGENDA.

MEMBERS.

WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THAT THOSE SPEAKERS BE CALLED FIRST, AND THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, WITH REGARD TO ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE UP FOR EMINENT DOMAIN.

UH, I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

I BELIEVE IN THE ONES YOU OUTLINED.

MAYOR, I ONLY HAVE A SPEAKER FOR ONE 12.

IT'S JENNIFER HOP.

PLEASE SAY THE NAME AGAIN.

JENNIFER HOP.

IS JENNIFER HOP GOOD IN THE ROOM? SHE'S REMOTE.

OKAY, BUT I'M NOT, JENNIFER, CAN YOU UNMUTE? OKAY.

WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO TRY TO RECONNECT WITH HER.

I HAVE A, I MY RECORD INDICATES THAT WE ALSO HAVE A SPEAKER ON ITEM 69.

YES, LARISSA HUFFMAN, ALTHOUGH I DO BELIEVE SHE INCORRECTLY SIGNED UP FOR THAT ITEM, BUT JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK.

FIFTY SIX FIFTY SEVEN, FIFTY EIGHT, FIFTY NINE, SIXTY, SIXTY TWO, SIXTY FIVE, SIXTY EIGHT, SIXTY NINE, SEVENTY, SEVENTY ONE, SEVENTY TWO, ONE THIRTEEN, ONE FOURTEEN, ONE FIFTEEN, AND ONE 16.

LARISSA HUFFMAN FOR ITEM 69.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TRY MS. HOP.

I HEAR SHE'S CONNECTED, BUT I'M NOT.

ALL RIGHT.

MEMBERS, WHAT I WILL DO IS I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO, UH, ALL OF THE ITEMS AND, AND I'LL LEMME CALL THEM AGAIN.

I'M LEAVING OUT ITEM ONE 12.

WITH RESPECT TO THE ITEMS THAT I JUST READ, BEING NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEMS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE

[02:40:01]

CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USES DESCRIBED THEREIN, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES APPROVAL.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL IS THEIR DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS. AS I CALLED THEM OUT, HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THEY ARE, THOSE ITEMS ARE APPROVED.

I WILL GO BACK NOW TO ITEM ONE 12, WHICH IS ALSO AN IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM.

AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF A SPEAKER, I'M BUY A LITTLE MORE TIME FOR THAT SPEAKER.

UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE 12 IS A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM.

AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY THAT'S SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN ITEM ONE 12.

THAT'S SET IN OUR AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USES DESCRIBED THEREIN.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES APPROVAL.

IT IS SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, AND WE WILL NOW TURN TO SEE IF WE HAVE A SPEAKER.

JENNIFER HOP.

WE WILL NOW GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

ARE YOU ON THE LINE? JENNIFER, CAN YOU HEAR US? JENNIFER, ARE YOU MUTED? WE SEE THAT YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, MAYOR.

I'M SORRY.

I THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE LINE.

ALRIGHT, UM, MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM ONE 12 WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER ONE 12.

THE, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.

[73. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to increase the maximum square footage limits of two new housing units when the property owner preserves the existing housing unit. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

UH, ITEM NUMBER 73 IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 73.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN, AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK FOR ITEM 73.

WE HAVE MEGAN KING, RITA THOMPSON, AND BILL BUNCH.

YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YES.

ERICA LEAK PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT IS INTENDED TO BE POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND.

I THOUGHT 74 WAS BEING POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND.

YOU ARE CORRECT.

APOLOGIES.

IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU THOUGH.

UH, I, I, OKAY.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN ON ITEM NUMBER 73.

IF YOUR NAME WAS CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

IF YOUR NAME WAS CALLED AND YOU ARE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHAT WE WOULD REQUEST YOU DO IS PLEASE COME FORWARD AND TAKE ONE OF THESE SEATS AT THE FRONT SO THAT WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE AND THAT YOU WISH TO BE HEARD.

IF THERE'S AN OPEN MICROPHONE, JUST TAKE THE MICROPHONE.

APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION.

AUSTIN.

I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR ORGANIZATION'S SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENT, WHICH SEEKS TO RECTIFY COUNCIL'S INTENT FOR THE PRESERVATION BONUSES.

FAR ENTITLEMENT PRESERVATION BONUS AIMS, AIMS TO PROMOTE PRESERVATION AND DISINCENTIVIZED DEMOLITION, CREATING NET BENEFITS FOR PRESERVATION, AFFORDABILITY, ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY.

WE ARE LOSING OLDER, SMALLER, MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES TO LARGER, LESS AFFORDABLE ONES.

DAILY.

AUSTIN AVERAGES OVER 500 RESIDENTIAL DEMOLITIONS ANNUALLY, AND THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION IS 2,800 SQUARE FEET.

IN A DEVELOPMENT CLIMATE THAT INCENTIVIZES DEMOLITION, THE PRESERVATION BONUS CREATES MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESERVE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO TAKE IT, RECALIBRATING THE BONUSES.

FAR ENTITLEMENTS TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL INTENT IS THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THE BONUS WORK FOR MORE POTENTIAL PROJECTS, WHICH TO DATE HAS BEEN ACCESSED BY ONLY SIX PROJECTS.

CITYWIDE COUNCIL'S JULY RESOLUTION DIRECTED STAFF TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENTS INCLUDING ALLOWING RELOCATED PRE 1961 HOMES TO ACCESS THE BONUS, REDUCING REAR AND FRONT SETBACKS AND ALLOWING FOR FRONT BACK SUBDIVISIONS.

IN ADDITION TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COUNCIL, INCREASING SITE COVERAGE AND ENTITLING PRESERVATION BONUS PROJECTS TO A FOURTH UNIT WILL INCREASE THE BONUSES EFFICACY IN ADDING DENSITY TO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS PRESERVATION.

AUSTIN AND OUR PARTNERS AT AUSTIN INFIELD COALITION AND A'S HOUSING ADVOCACY COMMITTEE ARE PROUD OF OUR COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CREATE THIS PRESERVATION BONUS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED WORK TO MAKE THE BONUS STRONGER, UNLOCK ITS POTENTIAL TO SAVE MORE AUSTIN HOMES FROM THE LANDFILL AND GENERATE MORE HOUSING.

SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 73, THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE'RE CONDUCTING WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 73.

PLEASE CALL THROUGH THE NAMES AGAIN ON ITEM 73, MEGAN KING, RITA THOMPSON.

BILL BUNCH IS RITA THOMPSON OR BILL BUNCH IN THE, IN THE CHAMBERS.

RITA THOMPSON OR BILL BUNCH MEMBERS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE

[02:45:01]

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 73.

MAYOR PRO, TIM MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 73.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

IS THERE DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 73 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.

ITEM NUMBER 74 IS AN ITEM TO BE POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND.

THE MAYOR PRO TIM MOVES THAT WE'VE POSTPONED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 74 TO MAY 22ND.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCILS MEMBER.

SIEGEL.

DISCUSSION, HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

[74. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish planning areas for specific geographic areas and establish regulations creating and amending these planning areas. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

ITEM NUMBER 73 4 IS POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND.

THAT'LL TAKE MAY.

I MAY, I'M SORRY.

THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE MERITS POSTPONEMENT FOR THAT ITEM.

MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO.

MS. GUZMAN, MS. THOMPSON.

WELL THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM 'EM BEFORE WE'LL DO THAT.

ITEM NUMBER 74.

THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE IF, IF SHE CALLS YOUR NAME AND YOU WISH TO SPEAK, IT'LL BE AS TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT, PLEASE.

MONICA GUZMAN.

RITA THOMPSON.

BRAD MASSING.

MR. MASSENGALE, ARE YOU IN THE CHAMBERS? I DON'T SEE THEM.

SO, UH, WE WILL NOW VOTE ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO MAY 22ND.

UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 74 IS POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND.

[75. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance regarding Undine, LLC’s proposal to increase water and wastewater rates for its customers located in the City’s corporate limits in the area known as Greenshores on Lake Austin. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 75.

THIS IS ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 75.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS FOR 75 MEMBERS.

THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 75.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 75.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AND WE WILL, I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE.

THE MAYOR PRO TEM MOVES APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE ITEM NUMBER 75? WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 75 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.

UM, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE TIME CERTAIN FOR 2:00 PM SO

[Executive Session]

WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP ONE ITEM PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO JESSICA ITEM NUMBER ONE 17, WHICH IS JESSICA ARIANO, UH, ED AL VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, ET AL IN NUMBER 1 23 CV 0 0 0 0 8 RP IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AUSTIN DIVISION ALEX GONZALEZ, SENIOR ED AL VERSUS LUIS SERRATO, ED AL NUMBER 1 23 CV 0 0 0 0 9 RP IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AUSTIN DIVISION, AND ALEX GONZALEZ, SENIOR ED AL VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN.

NUMBER 1 22 CV 0 0 6 5 5 RP IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AUSTIN DIVISION.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE ITEM THAT'S ANNOUNCED? HEARING NONE, THE COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 1:31 PM UH, FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

AS SOON AS WE FINISH THIS, WE WILL COME BACK OUT AND ANNOUNCE IT.

IF, IF IT GOES TO TWO O'CLOCK, WE WILL COME OUT NEAR THE TIME OF TWO O'CLOCK AND WE'LL TAKE UP OUR TIME.

CERTAIN.

TWO O'CLOCK 1 31.

WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

IT'S 2:09 PM ON APRIL 24TH, 2025.

WE ARE OUT OF A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.

ENCLO SESSION.

WE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.

MEMBERS BEFORE WE GO UP TO OUR TIME, CERTAIN ITEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE WAS OFF THE DAES WHEN WE TOOK THE VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER 55 AS AMENDED.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE MOVES THAT SHE BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF ITEM NUMBER 55 AS AMENDED.

THE, UH, ADDING HER VOTE WILL NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THE VOTE.

I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE'S MOTION IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ BEING, UH, OFF THE DAIS.

NOW WE WILL GO TO OUR TIME CERTAIN AND I WILL RECOGNIZE MS. HARDEN, UH, MEMBERS FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS AS SHE, AS SHE COMES UP, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. CA, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, VELAZQUEZ, MAYBE I JUMPED THE GUN.

YOU VOTED IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING COUNCIL MEMBER LANE TO BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF ITEM 55.

IS THAT CORRECT? GOOD.

ALL

[02:50:01]

RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

I JUST, I JUST, I JUMPED THE GUN.

UM, NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, MEMBERS, UH, ITEM 76 AND 77, THOSE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE RELATED TO ITEMS 85 THROUGH 93.

UH, WE ARE YOU, YOU'RE GETTING READY TO FIND OUT, WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE, THESE, THOSE ITEMS ARE GONNA BE POSTPONED, WHICH MEANS WE WILL POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THOSE ITEMS TO MAY 22ND.

UM, AND SO IF ANYBODY IS HERE TO, TO SPEAK ON THOSE MATTERS, YOU'LL BE SPEAKING.

UH, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

WE'RE JUST GONNA, BECAUSE THOSE ITEMS ARE BEING POSTPONED.

BUT THAT, UH, YOU WILL BE SPEAKING AS TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action) (Part 1 of 2)]

MS. HARDEN, I'VE CALLED YOU UP HERE AND THEN I STARTED TALKING, SO NOW YOUR TURN.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL JOY HARDEN WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

YOUR ZONING AGENDA BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 78 NPA 20 24 0 0 2 3 0.01.

THIS ITEMS IS BEING OFFERED AS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

AGAIN, POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 80 IS C 8 14 20 23 0 0 5 7.

THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 81 IS C 1 4 20 24 0 1 6 5.

THIS ITEMS BEING OFFERED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 8TH COUNCIL MEETING.

AGAIN, NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 8TH COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 83 C 814 2 0 9 0 0 9 4 0.03.

THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.

ITEM 84 C 4 20 25 0 0 1 8.

THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS AND WE GET TO ITEM 85.

AS YOU REFERENCED BEFORE, MAYOR, UM, ITEM 85 IS NPA 20 25 0 0 0 7 0.01.

NUMBER 85 BEGINS THE NINE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREA PLANS.

AND THESE ITEMS ARE ALL BEING POSTPONED TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

SO THIS ITEM 85 IS A STAFF POST MAMA REQUESTING YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING, ITEM 86 NPA 20 25 0 0 1 7 0.01 ITEM BEING POST POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY STAFF TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING, ITEM 87 NPA 20 25 0 0 1 7 0.02 STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 88 IS NPA 20 25 0 0 1 8 0.01 AGAINST STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 89 NPA 20 25 0 0 2 6 0.01 STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 90 NPA 20 25 0 0 0 1 0.01 STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 91 IS NPA 20 25 0 2 0 0.01 STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 92 IS MPA 20 25 0 0 2, 0 0.02.

STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING AND I AND ITEM 93, WHICH IS THE LAST NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH LAMAR SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATIONARY PLANS.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS A STAFF ASSIGNMENT REQUEST HERE.

MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

MOVING ON, ON TO ITEM 94 ON THAT.

AND THIS BEGINS YOUR AIRPORT AND IC TRACK.

SO THE NEXT SEVEN ITEMS ARE ALL RELATED.

UM, SO 94 C 14 AND THEY'LL HAVE BASICALLY THE SAME DISPOSITION ITEM 94 C 1 4, 20 25, 0 0 1 0.

THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, AND THIS ITEM WILL BE RETURNING ON YOUR MAY 8TH.

COUNCIL AGENDA FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION 5 0 0 1 4.

AGAIN CONSENT.

FIRST READING, RETURNING MAY 8TH FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING.

CONSIDERATION ITEM 96 C 1 4 20 25 0 0 1 2.

CONSENT PER READING RETURNING MAY 8TH FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.

ITEM 95 IS C 1 4 7 9 0 1 9 RCT.

THIS ITEM IS STILL PART OF THE RELATED CASES, BUT AS A RESTRICTED COVENANT HAS ONE READING.

THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS A APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MAY 8TH COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 98 IS C 1 4 20 25 0 0 1 5.

CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, RETURNING MAY 8TH, FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION ITEM 99 C 1 4 20 25 0 0 1 7 CONSENT FIRST READING, RETURNING MAY 8TH FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.

AND ITEM 100 C 1 4 20 25 0 6.

THIS IS THE LAST ITEM, UM, RELATED TO AIRPORT AND CAN TRACKS ON THIS AGENDA AT AGAIN, CONSENT.

FIRST READING, RETURNING MAY 8TH FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.

NOW MOVING ON TO 1 0 1 C 1 4 20 24 0 0 1, 2.

AND THE NEXT THREE CASES ARE RELATED.

UM, AND WE'LL HAVE THE SAME DISPOSITION.

UM,

[02:55:01]

THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING.

AND I JUST WANNA READ SOME CLARIFICATION LANGUAGE AND, UM, THAT LANGUAGE READS AS FOLLOWS.

A CLARIFICATION WAS MADE IN THE STAFF REPORT TO REFLECT THE PROPERTY IS IDENTIFIED AS TRACK 49 IN THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.

THE CONDITIONS ESTABLISHED FOR THE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.

AGAIN, WITH THAT CLARIFICATION, THIS ITEMS OFFER FOR CONSENT.

FIRST READING ONLY, RETURNING AT YOUR MAY 8TH.

COUNCIL MEETING FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.

MOVING ON TO 1 0 2, WHICH IS EIGHT ON C 1 4 20 24 0 0 0 1 1 3, EXCUSE ME, C 1 4 20 24 0 1 1 3.

THE SIGN IS BEING OFFERED AS CONSENT.

FIRST READING ONLY RETURNING, UM, ON YOUR MAY 8TH AGENDA FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION.

AND THEN WE HAVE ITEM 1 0 3 C 1 4 20 24 0 1 1 4.

THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED THEIR REZONING REQUEST FOR THIS ITEM TO G-R-M-U-V REMOVING THE DB 90 FROM THEIR REQUEST.

SO THIS IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, RETURNING MAY 8TH FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION WITH THE AMENDED REQUEST OF GR MBU V-C-O-N-P.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 1 0 4 C 1 4 8 4 0 2 0 2 2 RC.

A DESIGN IS BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR MAY 22ND COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 1 0 5 IS MPA 20 23 0 0 0 5 0.01.

THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.

ITEM 1 0 6 IS THE RELATED REZONING AND THAT'S C 1 4 20 24 0 0 1 5.

AGAIN, APPLICANT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST ITEM 1 0 7 IS NPA 20 24 0 0 0 8 0.01.

THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.

SECOND AND THIRD READINGS, ITEM 1 0 8 C 1 4 20 24 0 1 1 1.

THIS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SECOND AND THIRD READING ITEM 1 0 9 AND C 1 4 20 24 0 5 8.

THIS IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.

SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.

THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE ZONING AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT AGENDA.

AND AS ALWAYS, THIS IS AT YOUR DISCRETION.

ANY QUESTIONS, MS. HARDEN? MEMBERS, UM, AS I'VE INDICATED, ITEM 76 AND ITEM 77 WILL BE POSTPONED TO MAY 22ND.

THOSE RELATE TO ITEMS 85 THROUGH 93.

AND I'M GOING TO JUST FOR THE CLERK'S, UH, EDIFICATION, IF SOMEBODY IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THOSE, LET'S CALL THEM UP.

AS YOU CALL UP THE, THE, THE ZONING ITEM, IF YOU WILL, AS OPPOSED TO AS, AS PART OF A PUBLIC HEARING MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO READ QUICKLY THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, POTENTIAL AND ASK FOR A MOTION.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE SPEAKERS, SPEAKERS.

IF IT'S, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON A MOTION, ON, ON AN ITEM THAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED OR THAT THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE, PLEASE LIMIT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THE, THE POSTPONEMENT OR NOT AND WHY YOU'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF IT OR WHY YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF IT, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

BUT PLEASE TRY TO LIMIT IT TO THAT AND NOT THE MERITS OR YOUR HATRED OF DB 90.

UM, ITEM NUMBER 75, POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 22ND, 76 AND RELATED 77 POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 22ND.

UM, I'M SORRY, I JUST READ THOSE AS AS PART OF THE, I APOLOGIZE.

, LET'S GO TO THE ZONING ITEM 78 AND 79.

POSTPONEMENT TO 5 22 80.

POSTPONEMENT TO 5 22 81 AND 82.

UH, POSTPONEMENT TO 5 8 83.

ALL, ALL THREE READINGS.

84, ALL THREE READINGS.

85 THROUGH 93.

POSTPONEMENT TO EIGHT TO MAY 22ND, 94 96.

FIRST READING ONLY 97 POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 8TH, 98 THROUGH 100.

FIRST READING ONLY 1 0 1 AND 1 0 3.

FIRST READING ONLY.

AND REMEMBER MS. HARDEN READ A MOTION INTO THE RECORD.

1 0 4 POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 22ND, 1 0 5 AND 1 0 6, AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.

1 0 7 AND 1 0 8.

SECOND AND THIRD READINGS 1 0 9.

SECOND AND THIRD READINGS.

UM, MEMBERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDAS READ COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MAKES THE MOTION.

IT IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT LOOK ON YOUR, OKAY.

I YOU ARE, GO AHEAD.

SO QUICKLY.

UM, FOR, UH, FOR 97, YOU DID HAVE A POSTPONEMENT TO MAY 8TH, RIGHT? I, IF I READ WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME, I DID.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY, THEN EVERYTHING'S GOOD.

ALRIGHT, , UH, THEN, THEN YOUR MOTION'S.

COUNCIL MEMBER .

ALRIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBER VA MOVES APPROVAL AND IT'S SECONDED BY, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM, I'LL TURN TO THE CLERK.

THANK

[2:00 PM - Public Hearings and Possible Action]

YOU MAYOR.

ITEM THE, THE MERIT TO POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 76, THE NOIA JOSEPH.

AND THEN I HAVE A SPEAKER

[03:00:01]

ON REMOTE.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO A STAFF POSTPONEMENT FOR NORTH LAMAR.

I WANT YOU TO LOOK, THIS IS NORTH LAMAR.

NOW YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL IS WHERE THE SIGN IS.

AND I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THIS MORNING ABOUT 1121 PAGE.

ELLI SAID, IT'S NO SECRET THAT ROAD SAFETY IS A PRIORITY OF MINE, BUT APPARENTLY IT'S NOT A PRIORITY NORTH OF US.

180 3, YOU CANNOT GET TO THE SCHOOL FROM THE HAKA PROPERTY TO THE RIGHT.

IT'S NOT A DA COMPLIANT.

AND FOR CONTEXT, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER DONALD NORTON, THE MAN WHO WAS 65 IN HIS WHEELCHAIR, KILLED IN THIS AREA, THIS IS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.

MIKE SIEGEL'S PREDECESSOR AND MIKE SIEGEL HAVE DONE NOTHING TO IMPROVE THIS ACCESS POINT.

SO MY OPPOSITION IS THAT ON MAY 7TH, 2019, COUNCIL POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.

IT WAS A WORK SESSION AND THEN MAY 9TH, THEY POSTPONE THIS AREA INDEFINITELY.

THIS IS THE SCRIPT.

GREG KAAR SAID, WE DON'T OWN THIS ROADWAY IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL, THERE IS NOTHING FROM TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

YOU CANNOT SIMPLY DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH LOOP 2 7 5, WHICH WE KNOW AS NORTH LAMAR YOU NEED TO COORDINATE WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, STEVIE NEW GREATHOUSE.

AND THE REST OF THE STAFF ARE NOT GIVING YOU ALL OF THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE PRIORITIZING.

THIS IS AIRPORT BOULEVARD AIRPORT HAD ABOUT TWO 20,000 VEHICLES PER DAY IN 2016 WHEN CAPITOL METRO APPLIED FOR A TIGER GRANT.

NORTH LAMAR, WHICH YOU JUST SAW IN 2020 WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, HAD APPROXIMATELY 37,000 LIGHTS SHOWS YOU.

I'M SORRY, YOU WANT ME TO GO COME BACK CLERK DO WE HAVE, WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER FOR 76, SO I'M GONNA GO TO THAT AND COME BACK.

MONICA UZMAN ITEM 76, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

ON THE MARRIAGE OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, I WANT TO, UH, THANK COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING STAFF FOR THE POSTPONEMENT.

THIS ALLOWS US THE, YOU KNOW, GAVA, THE CONTACT TEAMS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, TIME TO ABSORB THE AMENDMENTS BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND AS WELL AS REACH OUT TO YOU IN ADVANCE OF THE MAY 22ND, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UH, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE INITIALLY POSTPONED PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING, WHICH YOU KNOW, WAS ORIGINALLY IN MARCH, THE PEOPLE WERE STILL NOT BEING LISTENED TO.

SO WE HOPE THAT YOU ARE OPEN TO HEARING WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY IF AND WHEN WE REACH OUT TO YOU BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 22ND.

AFTER THAT WOULD BE ITEM 80 ROSE HARGRAVE.

THANK YOU MONICA.

I ALSO HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE POSTPONEMENT FOR 77.

I'LL PASS ON THAT.

THANK YOU FOR ITEM 79, THE MERITS OF THOSE POSTPONEMENT, BRAD MASSING I

[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action) (Part 2 of 2)]

THESE ARE ALL THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

HEY Y'ALL, UM, THANKS FOR FOR PUTTING THIS OFF.

WE JUST HAD A MEETING TWO DAYS AGO WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT THIS AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF YET TO DISCUSS ON, ON THIS, INCLUDING THE RANDOM, UH, WAY THAT THE, THE AREAS OF BOTH OF THESE STATIONS WAS, UH, DONE.

JUST BASICALLY A CIRCLE, A COMPASS DRAWN AROUND A CIRCLE AND SAID THAT'S A 15 MINUTE WALK TO THE TRANSIT STATIONS.

UH, DISREGARDING THE FACT THAT THERE'S MAJOR THOROUGH AFFAIRS RUNNING RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THOSE, THAT IT'S GONNA PRECLUDE ANYONE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THOSE FROM GETTING TO THESE TRANSFER TRANSIT STATIONS IN ANY SAFE OR QUICK WAY.

UM, AND I CONCUR WITH MONICA THERE, THERE WAS, ESPECIALLY THE WAY IT ROLLED OUT FOR, FOR SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, WE DIDN'T REALLY GET ENOUGH CHANCE TO DO MUCH BLOCK WALKING OR TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THIS.

SO THANKS FOR EXTENDING THE TIME

[03:05:01]

AND LET'S, LET'S GET SOME ACTUAL COMMUNICATION FROM, FROM CITIZENS IN THE AREA RATHER THAN JUST BEING, HAVING THEM BEING DICTATED TOO AS TO WHAT'S COMING.

THANKS.

SPEAKING TO THE POSTPONEMENT FOR A, I HAVE ROSE HARGRAVE AND BILL BUNCH.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

AT THE SECOND READING, WE UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL RECOGNIZED OUR CONCERN.

I REPRESENT, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR ONE 60 AND ONE 50 EAST RIVERSIDE AND THEY REPRESENT, UH, 20% OR GREATER OF THE AFFECTED 200 BUFFER.

THE TIA SUPPORTING THIS POD UTILIZES A PRIVATE DRIVE OWNED BY MY PROPERTY OWNERS.

THE EASEMENT FOR THAT DRIVE EXPIRED IN DECEMBER OF 2022.

AND SO WE HAVE ASKED, UM, AS A COMPROMISE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT'S ATTORNEY THAT THREE THINGS BE MADE BEFORE THE THIRD READING.

THE FIRST IS THAT THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT INCLUDE THE FINAL REVISION FROM THE STAFF REPORT.

THE SECOND IS THAT IN THE SUPPORT EXHIBITS FOR THE PUD, THAT ANY REFERENCE TO THIS PRIVATE DRIVE BE REMOVED, INCLUDING THE INGRESS.

AND THEN WE WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT, UTILIZE THIS PRIVATE DRIVE AND HOW IT WILL VERY MUCH IMPACT THE TRAFFIC ON RIVERSIDE GOING INTO THE P.

IT WILL REDUCE THEIR ACCESS FROM ONE RIGHT TURN IN, RIGHT TURN OUT AND CURRENTLY THE PUD SHOWS THAT THEY HAVE THAT PLUS A CONTROLLED LIGHT ENTRANCE ONTO OUR PRIVATE DRIVE.

SO WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS POSTPONEMENT AND HOPE THAT THOSE THREE MINIMUM COMPROMISE CHANGES CAN BE ADDED TO THE BACKUP BEFORE THE THIRD READING.

UH, RESEARCH AND LAMAR AND THAT'S TRUE FOR THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.

I DON'T SEE MR. BUNCH FOR 80, SO I WILL MOVE TO POSTPONE HIM ON 85.

THE NOIA JOSEPH, THE THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL.

I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.

THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WAS FROM MY PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.

I WANNA SPEAK TO RICHARD MENDOZA AND YOUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MIKE ROGERS WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THESE PROJECTS.

SO MY OPPOSITION TO THE DELAY IS BECAUSE COUNCIL DECIDED ON MAY 7TH, 2019 DURING THE WORK SESSION THAT THEY WOULD POSTPONE THIS ITEM AND THEN VOTED TO POSTPONE FROM NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER TO TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE INDEFINITELY.

AND THEN ON DECEMBER 8TH, 2022, NATASHA HARPER MADISON CAME UP WITH THE E TODD LIES EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT TO INCLUDE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.

YOU DO NOT HAVE THESE FACTS IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS.

SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE POSTPONING BECAUSE THE STAFF DIDN'T EVEN GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT 2019.

YOU MAY REMEMBER ON MAY 7TH, 2024, THE STAFF GAVE A PRESENTATION TO URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND SAID THEY HAD DEFERRED THE MONEY FOR NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, NORTH LAMAR ALL THE WAY TO PALMER.

BUT NOW IF YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE APRIL 1ST, 2025 WHEN THEY UPDATED AUSTIN, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

NOW THEY SAY THERE'S MONEY, BUT YOUR STAFF ALSO SAYS WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE BOND IN 2026.

SO WHICH IS IT, MAYOR, ARE YOU GONNA FIX NORTH LAMAR IN 2009, TXDOT, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO STUDIED NORTH LAMAR FOR 20 MONTHS AND STILL THIS IS THE CONDITION OF NORTH LAMAR.

YOU PRIORITIZE WHERE THE WHITES LIVE AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE ON THE RAIL SYSTEM.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS 80 TO 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME AT CRESTVIEW NORTH LAMAR.

HOWEVER, IN THIS AREA YOU WILL REMEMBER AFRICAN AMERICANS EARN ABOUT $42,000 HISPANICS $50,000 ACCORDING TO YOUR 2020 REPORT FROM THE STAFF FOR THE CHAMBERS.

AND SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS YOU ARE ACTUALLY POSTPONING.

NOT SURE WHAT THE STAFF WANTS TO TELL YOU, BUT THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT TXDOT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL ANSWER THEM.

THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

FOR THE POSTPONEMENT OF 85 MONICA GUZMAN PASS.

DID YOU SAY PASS? I'M SORRY.

YES I DID.

OKAY, WHAT ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENTS OF 86? OH, I'M ALMOST AT CITY HALL.

THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN PASSING.

HOPING I CAN GET IN THERE BEFORE WE'RE GONE THROUGH THE LIST, BUT UH, 'CAUSE MY NOTES ARE ON MY COMPUTER, BUT BASICALLY I, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THE POSTPONEMENT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT WHAT MS. JOSEPH SAID REGARDING THE DANGERS OF CROSSING,

[03:10:01]

THAT'S RIGHT THERE ON BEN WHITE.

THESE ARE NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ROADS.

IT'S NOT GONNA BE WALKABLE FROM ONE SIDE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY TO ANOTHER, NOT FOR A LONG TIME.

AND AS WAS SAID, TXDOT, I HAVE ASKED FOR TEXDOT INFORMATION IN THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING LAST MONTH.

I ASKED FOR TDOT UPDATES.

UM, I HAVE A NAME OF COLE KITTEN FROM TPW.

I LEFT A MESSAGE.

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CAN'T PLANNING STAFF GET AN UPDATE FROM MR. KITTEN OR T DOT AND PROVIDE IT TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE ASK FOR IT.

WE NEED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION.

WE NEED CITY STAFF TO BE TRANSPARENT AND COMPLETE WHEN PROVIDING US INFORMATION WITH MAJOR TRANSIT UPZONING THAT PUTS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.

SUCH A STARK DIFFERENCE? I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT MUNZ, M-U-N-I-Z, THE LITTLE VEHICLES ARE OUT THERE AND HE HAS TITLE SIX POSTED.

MONICA, YOU ALSO SIGNED UP FOR 87.

DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THE POSTPONEMENT OF THAT ITEM? UH, BASICALLY WHAT I JUST SAID, THANK YOU FOR ID 7 87 AS WELL.

ZIA JOSEPH.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.

I JUST WANTED TO STATE MY OPPOSITION TO REMIND YOU THAT FOR KAT REMAP, JUNE 3RD, 2018, WHEN CAPITOL METRO CHANGED 52 BUS ROUTES.

SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY GOT A GRANT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR GEORGIA ACRES TO DO A PILOT.

ONCE AGAIN, WE IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T KNOW WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO THAT FUNDING.

SO IT'S MORE FREQUENT, MORE RELIABLE, BETTER CONNECTED IN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN.

THAT WAS WHAT WAS ON EVERY BUS.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS AN INEQUITABLE SYSTEM AS IT RELATES TO NORTH LAMAR.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT KU DID A STUDY, AN INVESTIGATIVE STUDY CALLED DANGEROUS BY DESIGN.

75 PEOPLE WERE HIT IN A THREE MILE STRETCH ON NORTH LAMAR, BETWEEN NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND PEYTON JEN.

IT TOOK DAVID JOHN MEDRANO TO DIE TO GET KILLED MID-BLOCK AT FAIRFIELD STATION AND OVER A YEAR FOR YOU TO PUT A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON THERE.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT CAPITAL METRO REFUSES TO CLOSE THE MIDBLOCK STOP.

5 8 5 7.

CHEETO VELA HAS HEARD ME SAY THIS REPEATEDLY, YET, YOU WANT TO DELAY NORTH LAMAR SMALL AREA PLANNING WHEN IN FACT YOU'VE HAD MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

THAT STUDY FROM TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE IS FROM 2009.

ON PAGE 75, IT TELLS YOU SPECIFICALLY THAT MIDBLOCK IS WHERE PEOPLE GET KILLED.

YET CAPITAL METRO REFUSES TO CLOSE THE MIDBLOCK STOPS AND CONTINUES TO KEEP 'EM OPEN AT THE METROPOLITAN PARK.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY, IT IS A MIDBLOCK CROSSING TO GO TO THE HAKA PROPERTY.

IT'S A MIDBLOCK CROSSING TO GET TO NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOLS.

SO IF PAIGE ELLIS WANTS US TO BELIEVE THAT SHE REALLY CARES ABOUT SAFETY, THEN MAYBE SHE CAN HELP DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE BUS RUNS EMPTY, 2.9 BOARDINGS AN HOUR IN CONVICT HILL 3 33 EVERY OTHER LAP, BUT YET BLACK PEOPLE WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS, 10 TIMES LONGER THAN WHITES.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER.

THANK YOU, MS. JOSEPH.

MONICA GUZMAN FOR THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT ON 88.

MONICA, ARE YOU WITH US? OKAY, I HAVE HER FOR 88 AND 89, BUT ALSO FOR 89 ZIA.

JOSEPH, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THE POSTPONEMENT ON 89? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNSEL, I'M ZIA JOSEPH.

MY COMMENTS, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.

MAYOR, I WANT YOU TO COME OVER TO RUNDBERG, HEB SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE SIDEWALK THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED THERE.

IT IS A PLAIN SIDEWALK.

IT'LL PROBABLY BE THERE FOR THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS.

BUT IF YOU GO JUST ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER ON MORROW STREET, YOU'LL SEE MULTIMODAL, YOU'LL SEE SIGNS, YOU'LL SEE THE LOGOS THAT TELL THE PEDESTRIANS WHERE TO GO, WHERE THE CYCLISTS SHOULD GO.

YOU'LL EVEN SEE THE RED PAVEMENT.

WHY IS THERE

[03:15:01]

SO MY COMMENTS ARE GERMANE.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS BAKED INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

BARRINGTON ELEMENTARY PLAIN SIDEWALK.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY'RE DOING SHODDY WORK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE PATCHING UP THE CONCRETE THAT THEY'VE MESSED UP CHEETO VALLEY.

YOU NEED TO GO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN YOUR AREA.

AND ACROSS THE STREET AT GUERRERO ELEMENTARY OFF OF NORTH LAMAR, THE SIDEWALK SIMPLY STOPS.

SO FOR ANY CHILD IN A WHEELCHAIR WALK OR CANE, ANY MOTHER WITH A BABY IN A STROLLER, YOU CAN'T EVEN GET TO THE SCHOOL FROM RUNDBERG NORTH LAMAR.

AND SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STAFF IS POSTPONING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT SMALL AREA PLANNING AND WHAT ZONING THEY HAVE IN MIND, BUT IT IS DISINGENUOUS MAYOR, AND THE SYSTEM IS DISCRIMINATORY.

IT'S NOT A DA COMPLIANT, AND I'VE SHOWED YOU THE PICTURES BEFORE.

SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE YOU WERE THE SENATOR REPRESENTING SENATE DISTRICT 14.

AND IT HAS NOT IMPROVED.

IT'S DISHEARTENING, MAYOR, AND I'LL REMIND YOU THAT BLACK PEOPLE WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS, 10 TIMES LONGER THAN WHITES.

AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE OVER SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS THAN OUR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.

WE'VE HEARD DIFFERENT INFORMATION.

SPEAKING ON THE MERITS, THE POSTPONEMENT ITEM 90, MONICA GUZMAN, I THINK SHE'S HERE LIVE NOW.

LET'S REPEAT BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT I'VE ALREADY SAID BEFORE IS THE SAME.

SORRY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M MONICA GOSMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR, GAVA, CHAIR OF THE NACA CONTACT TEAM AND D FOUR RESIDENT.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.

IT'S TRANSIT, IT'S NOT TRANSIT, IT'S LAND USE.

IT'S AFFORDABLE WHEN WE KNOW OTHERWISE.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE POSTPONEMENT.

RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TIME TO ABSORB WHAT HAPPENED AT THE PUB, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING.

AND ALSO, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF YOU TO, HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE HEARD BY YOU.

'CAUSE AS I SAID THE OTHER NIGHT, THIS CAN BE DONE WITH DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BENEFITING EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE LEAST OF US.

AND WE ARE DEPENDENT ON PLANNING, COMMISSIONING YOU AS THE LEADERS TO LEAD THE WAY.

, MR. MASSING, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON 95? JUST TO LET LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE IT'S AT AND ALL.

DON'T GO TOO FAR.

DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON 91? I PASSED FOR THE REST MUCH.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 94.

BRAD MASSENGALE.

MR. MASSENGALE, DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE? PLEASE COME FORWARD.

UM, I THOUGHT I SIGNED UP FOR NUMBER 79 TOO, BUT, UH, 94 WE'RE STARTING WITH THE LIST OF DB NINETIES AGAIN TODAY.

UM, AND ALL THESE ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ONE ANOTHER.

UH, THIS ONE'S AT AIRPORT AND CANDY LANE IN THE T HILL BRANCH WATERSHED AND DISTRICT FOUR.

UM, THIS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ALL OF THESE ARE IN IS, IS A PLACE I LIVED WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, OVER 53RD AND HALF STREET RIGHT THERE WHERE THE AIRPORT USED TO BE.

WHEREAS IN THE FLIGHT PATH, THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY INEXPENSIVE OLDER HOUSES.

THERE'S A LAUNDROMAT.

THE SAFEWAY, THE WHOLE WALKING THING THAT AUSTIN SEEMS TO BE STRIVING FOR NOW HAS BEEN THERE IN THE PAST.

NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THIS IS RIGHT ON TOP OF A NEGLECTED HALF OF THE TAN HILL BRANCH WATERSHED.

SO IIII REALLY 90, 94 ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, 1 0 3.

I I I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THERE, I'M, THESE ALL SEEM TO BE CONCENTRATED IN THIS ONE TRIANGLE OVER BEHIND THE, UH, TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.

IS IS THIS A MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY? IS THERE ANY KIND OF RECORD IS, UH, OF THESE PEOPLE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? OR, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE DEAL? I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE A, A TAKEOVER OF A WHOLE TRIANGLE OF REAL ESTATE.

UM, AND, AND MORE THAN JUST A BUNCH OF RANDOM DB NINETIES POPPING UP TOGETHER.

SO I'M, I'M JUST REALLY CURIOUS AS TO HOW THAT WORKS.

I'LL BE BACK NINE MORE TIMES.

[03:20:01]

UM, THIS ONE'S AT, UH, 5,500 MARTIN.

IT'S IN THE TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED AS WELL AT DISTRICT FOUR.

UM, MR. VELAS DISTRICT, THAT'S ALSO FOR ITEM 95.

BRIAN BEDROSIAN.

UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, UH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.

I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECTS.

MR. MASSING WAS JUST SPEAKING OF, UM, I'M THE, UH, CHAIR OF THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.

WE HAVE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DEVELOPER.

THERE IS AN OVERALL PLAN FOR ALL THESE PROPERTIES.

THIS IS ONE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT.

THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS UP TODAY.

WE, WE CALL THE SOUTHERN PARCELS, WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING ON PUBLIC PLACEMAKING AND TRANSIT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE DEVELOPER, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE ONLY PERMITTING THE FIRST READING TONIGHT OR TODAY.

UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT BEHIND THIS PROJECT.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

ITEM 96, BRAD MASINGO.

UM, I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE NEIGHBORHOODS WORKING ON THIS.

UH, NONETHELESS, I, I FEEL COMPELLED TO LET EVERYONE AT HOME KNOW ABOUT EACH OF THESE DB 90.

'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY LISTED IN THE, IN, UH, MS. HARDEN'S, UH, INTRO AS BEING DB NINETIES AND WHATNOT.

UM, SO THIS ONE'S AT 7 0 1 AND 7 0 3 EAST 55TH STREET.

AND AGAIN, ALL, ALL THESE ARE IN THE TAN HILL BRANCH WATERSHED.

I'M, I'M HOPING THAT WHATEVER PLANNING THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S DOING, THEY'RE TAKING THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

'CAUSE THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE HEADWATERS OF, OF A WHAT USED TO BE A BIGGER, UH, TRIBUTARY OF BOGGY CREEK BEFORE THE INTERSTATE WAS THERE.

BUT THERE'S STILL SOME HYDROLOGY AND GEOLOGY THAT CONNECTS ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER.

DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON 98? IT IS ANOTHER D ANOTHER DB 90 AT 55 0 9 MARTIN AVENUE.

IT'S IN THE TAN HILL BRANCH WATERSHED DISTRICT FOUR.

UM, AND JUST SO PEOPLE ARE CLEAR AT HOME, THIS IS THE TRIANGLE OF PROPERTY BEHIND THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE OVER THERE ON, UH, AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND 53RD AND THE INTERSTATE, SO OVER BY THE OLD SHINER BREWERY.

AND FOR NUMBER 99, I SHOULD JUST STAY HERE IF NO ONE ELSE IS SPEAKING.

UM, THIS ONE IS AT, UH, SEVEN 13 EAST 56TH STREET.

AND AGAIN, THE TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED DISTRICT FOUR N 100, AND THIS ONE IS AT 5,500 AIRPORT AND 55 12.

MIDDLE FISKVILLE, TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED, DISTRICT FOUR, BRIAN BEDROSIAN FOR ITEM 1 0 1 MAYOR COUNSEL, ONCE AGAIN, THE NEXT THREE PROPERTIES ARE A DIFFERENT PROJECT FROM THE ONES I SPOKE ON EARLIER.

UH, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO DEVELOPER ATTACHED TO THESE PROPERTIES.

WE'RE ONLY NEGOTIATING WITH THE APPLICANT.

WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS, AND WE HAVE NOT YET HAD A RESPONSE FROM THE APPLICANT, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE RECEIVING TOMORROW.

UM, WE ARE PERMITTING THE FIRST READING AS A SHOW OF GOOD FAITH, UH, IN THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPLICANT.

UM, WE DO REQUEST THAT THE THIRD READING BE POSTPONED UNTIL WE GET A, UH, AGREED UPON MOU BETWEEN THE PARTIES, UM, BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE DO, UH, WE DO SUPPORT THE ZONING ON THESE PROPERTIES.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, BRAD MASSENGILL 1 0 2, AND I WISH ALL LUCK WITH THAT.

UH, THIS ONE'S AT 7 0 4 EAST 53RD STREET AND NOT FAR AWAY.

UH, TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED, DISTRICT FOUR.

I ALSO FOR ITEM 1 0 2, JENNIFER HOP.

GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS JENNIFER HOP.

ABOUT ITEMS 1 0 1, 1 0 2, AND THEN 1 0 3, AND SPECIFICALLY THE REZONING REQUEST BY THE OWNER APPLICANT.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE ON MARTIN AVENUE, AND I HAD TO CALL IN THIS AFTERNOON, UH, BECAUSE I'M OUT IN MIDLAND WORKING IN MAYOR.

JUST TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, I DON'T HATE DB 90, UH, SO, WELL, SOME OF US ARE NOT GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT NEGATIVELY TODAY.

BUT, UM, I DID WANNA SPEAK

[03:25:01]

AND AS BRIAN JUST STATED, UH, WHAT WE WANT IS WE WANT THE, THAT THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING CONTACT TEAM.

AND THAT WOULD BE AS A CONDITION OF THE SECOND READING, AND THEN PRESENT A FULLY EXECUTED MOU AS A CONDITION OF THE THIRD READING.

AND AS BRIAN MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WITH, UH, DISTRICTS FOUR AND NINE, AND, UH, WE, WE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND TIMELINESS FROM THE APPLICANT.

UH, SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT THOSE ASSURANCES FROM THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH ON THAT MOU AND THEN HAVE THAT COMPLETELY, UH, EXECUTED BEFORE THAT THIRD READING.

SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

JENNIFER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON 1 0 3? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU WANNA SPEAK ON, UH, NO, THAT WAS THE SAME, SAME COMMENTS FOR ALL THREE.

YES, YES, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR ITEM 1 0 3, BRAD MASSEN, GO.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER DB 90 RIGHT THERE IN THE TANA HILL BRANCH WATERSHED AT 52 10 BURNING LANE.

UM, APPARENTLY THEY'RE REMOVING THE DB 90 FROM THAT.

I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY.

THAT MEANS THEY'RE STILL GONNA MAKE SOMETHING BIG WITH NO BONUS OR NOT, BUT MR. MASSAL, I, IT MAY JUST BE ME, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR YOU, AND IF YOU WANT TO BE HEARD, YOU MIGHT NEED TO SPEAK UP.

IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY THE MASK.

UM, I WAS JUST SAYING THAT, UH, I WAS READING, HEARING THE COMMENT THAT, UH, THEY'RE REMOVING THE DB 90 REQUEST FROM THIS, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW IF THAT'S A, A SMALLER BUILDING OR A BUILDING WITH NO BONUS IN IT OR NOT WHATNOT.

BUT, UM, IT'S, AGAIN, ALL THESE ARE, ARE, ARE RIGHT THERE TOGETHER.

AND I, I, I HOPE WATERSHED IS INVOLVED WITH THIS, WITH 'CAUSE ALL THESE, AND THIS, THIS, THE CONTACT TEAMS MAY NOT REALIZE THIS, BUT THESE, UH, DV NINETIES CAN HAVE UP TO 85% IMPERVIOUS COVER.

AND IF Y'ALL ARE HAVING ANY FLOODING ISSUES, HAVING NINE OF THESE WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF EACH OTHER, UM, IS GONNA HAVE A REALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YARD TO YARD FLOODING AND WHATNOT.

SO FOR 1 0 3, LEAH BOHO, HI, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M LEAH BOJO.

I'M THE APPLICANT ON THESE, UM, 1 0 1, 1 0 2 AND 1 0 3.

AND I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE TO YOU ALL, AS I ASSURED THE NEIGHBORS THAT I WOULD, THAT WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD AN MOU BY THE TIME WE GET TO THIRD READING.

SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT FOR 1 0 5, RITA THOMPSON.

RITA, ARE YOU HERE? ALL RIGHT.

THE POSTPONEMENT FOR 1 0 6, BRAD MASSING.

GO.

SOMEHOW I MISSED THIS ON MY NOTES.

UM, SO I GUESS THIS IS 1 0 6? YES.

I THOUGHT I SIGNED IT FOR, YEAH, I MISSED THIS.

I, SORRY.

I DON'T KNOW WHICH, WITH, WHERE IS THIS ONE LOCATED? Y'ALL EVEN KNOW .

WELL, WE, WE, UH, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON IT? NO, I, I, IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, I GUESS I CAN'T OKAY.

ON MY NOTES.

MR. MAGI, I DO HAVE YOU FOR 1 0 7, THOUGH.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON 1 0 7? SURE.

IT'S AN EMERGENCY, I GUESS.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS ANOTHER DB 90 AT, AT MONTOPOLIS AND FAIRWAY.

IT'S IN THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK WATERSHED, UM, OR RIVERSIDE.

RIVERSIDE, A CC GRILL PARK AREA IN DISTRICT THREE.

AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THESE DEVELOPER TO COME UP WITH QUITE A BIT OF, UH, CONCESSIONS TO MAKE THIS A MORE PALATABLE, UH, PROJECT.

I HOPE SOME OF THE OTHER DEVELOPERS IN THE ROOM ARE LISTENING THAT, THAT THERE IS ROOM TO, TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND COME UP WITH SOME THINGS THAT ARE GONNA KEEP DISPLACEMENT FROM BEING AS BAD AS IT IS AND HELPING AUSTIN RETAIN ITS, ITS ITS NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR,

[03:30:01]

OUR CHARACTER.

MR. BASIL, YOU ALSO SIGNED UP FOR 1 0 8.

IS THERE NO ONE ELSE FOR 1 0 7? THERE'S NO ONE ELSE FOR 1 0 7.

YEAH, JUST, JUST THE SAME.

THAT'S, THAT'S ONE.

OH, THE 1 0 7 IS THE, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

ALTERATION 1 0 8 IS THE ACTUAL ZONING.

SO YEAH, JUST TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION FOR EVERYONE, FOR ITEM 1 0 8, MISAEL RAMOS AND PAT CALHOUN.

HEY, ALL, MY NAME IS MESSIAH RAMOS.

I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

UM, AND I AM ACTUALLY IN FAVOR OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

AND, UH, PAT COULDN'T BE HERE, BUT SHE'S IN FAVOR TOO.

SO I'M GOING TO READ OFF A STATEMENT THAT SHE MADE.

UM, I, ALONG WITH MY FELLOW RESIDENTS OF THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT, HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY AND DILIGENTLY WITH THE RENER GROUP TO ACHIEVE A COVENANT THAT WILL REFLECT THE GOODWILL OF BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE PERSPECTIVE OWNER DEVELOPER OF THIS PROPERTY.

ALSO ON HISTORIC PROPERTY, AS WE HAVE STATED IN THE PAST, OUR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN THE LEGACY OF THE CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND TRAFFIC IMPACTS TO OUR HISTORIC COMMUNITY.

WE ARE FAST BECOMING A VALLEY SURROUNDED BY WALLS OF HIGH RISE BUILDINGS, ADDING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND TRAFFIC.

WE REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON OUR UTILITIES, AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG AND ARDUOUS TIME OF MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS.

HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP THAT WILL CONTINUE AS THE PROPOSED PROJECT MOVES FORWARD.

THERE REMAIN, I, THERE REMAINS ITEMS IN THE COVENANT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE NEGOTIATED, BUT WE, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR SUPPORT OF THE RENER GROUP IN GOOD FAITH THAT THESE ITEMS WILL HAVE A FAVORABLE OUTCOME TO THE DISTRICT.

SO WE'RE IN FAVOR OF THE ZONING.

UH, AFTER MONTHS OF DISCUSSION, WE WERE ABLE TO AGREE WITH THE FOLKS AT RENER FOR EXPLICIT DETAILS REGARDING RADIATION TESTING, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS.

THEY ALSO AGREED TO ADJUSTING THE AFFORDABILITY THRESHOLD, UH, BASED ON THE AREA INCOME DATA THAT WE PROVIDED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER POTENTIAL BENEFITS AS WELL.

THERE'S DEFINITELY MORE TO BE DONE AND THE OWNERS HAVE AGREED TO CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT WITH THEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

AND THEN FOR ITEM 1 0 9, BRAD MASSENGILL, LAST DB 90 OF THE DAY, UH, I REMEMBERED WHAT THAT OTHER ONE WAS TOO.

SO, UH, ANYWAY, UH, THIS ONE IS 2100 POLARIS, AND IT'S ACTUALLY IN A DIFFERENT WATERSHED.

IT'S IN THE LITTLE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED IN DISTRICT FOUR.

UM, ANOTHER DV NINE MAYOR, THAT'S ALL THE ZONING SPEAKERS, MEMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ZONING ITEM.

CONSENT ITEMS. UM, THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

LET ME ASK IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AT OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME? CERTAIN ON ZONING? IS THERE? YES.

COUNCIL, MAKE SOME COMMENTS? OKAY.

HANG ON ONE SECOND.

UM, ANYBODY WISHING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES? ALL RIGHT.

ANYONE WISHING TO TO BE SHOWN VOTING? NO.

I JUST WANNA QUICKLY TOUCH ON ITEMS 1 0 1 AND 1 0 2.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE APPLICANT, UH, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH, WITH DISTRICT FORCE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER VELO AND, AND HIS TEAM.

UH, AND I WANT TO THANK BRIAN IN, IN NORTH LOOP, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE'S BEEN DOING.

UH, WE'RE PASSING THIS CASE ON FIRST RATING TODAY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE, UH, TO REACH CONSENSUS.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROG.

I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING MORE PROGRESS.

I'M THANKFUL FOR THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE.

UH, AND, UH, ONCE AGAIN, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE BRIAN AND THE FOLKS AT NORTH LOOP.

LEAF JOHNSON FORD, WHICH WOULD BE MORE THE AIRPORT AND KENIG, UH, PROPERTIES THAT, THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING ALSO.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, ON THAT CASE, I'LL JUST ECHO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE'S, UH, COMMENTS.

AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, ON THE, UH, CASE ON POLARIS, UH, 1 0 9, THANK, UH, MICHELLE HOUSEMAN, THE, THE WOOTEN NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM.

AND, AND RYAN NE IN PARTICULAR.

UH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO A REALLY GOOD RESULT ON THAT.

THIS, UH, FRONTS THE, UH, CAPITAL METRO RED LINE RIGHT THERE.

AND THERE IS GONNA BE AN EASEMENT DEDICATED, UH, TO, UH, A ALLOW A PASSAGE THROUGH THERE.

IT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THE RED LINE THAT'LL HOPEFULLY CONNECT US ALL THROUGH THAT, UH, THAT, THAT RAIL LINE.

UH, AND, AND JUST IN GENERAL, IT LOOKS LIKE A SOLID PROJECT AND, AND HAPPY TO SEE IT, UH, GO THROUGH.

UH, AND, UH, AND ALSO JUST WANNA THANK BRIAN ON THE, THE

[03:35:01]

THAT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT.

UH, I KNOW THEY'VE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE, UH, DEVELOPERS ON THAT.

IT'S GONNA BE A VERY LARGE PROJECT WHERE WE'RE LARGELY REPLACING, UH, INDUSTRIAL AREA WITH HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL AND ALL THIS KIND OF GOOD STUFF.

UH, AND AGAIN, GOOD, HAPPY TO SEE IT, CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COOPERATION AND, AND WORK ON IT.