[CALL TO ORDER]
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MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AND WE ARE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER EVENT CENTER.
ROOM 1405 AT 6 3 1 0 WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 2.
AND WE'LL START WITH THE ROLL CALL.
BRISTOL, ABSENT AND FLURRY ABSENT.
NEXT FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP, SO I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
OH, DO WE? WELL, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER GANGLY IS ALSO NOT HERE, SO WHOEVER ISN'T HERE.
EVEN IF THEY, EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY'LL BE HERE LATER, YOU STILL READ THEM INTO THE RECORD AND WHEN THEY SHOW UP, YOU CAN SAY THAT THEY'VE JOINED.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER CHKS ABOUT TO JOIN.
UH, NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR MIC, PLEASE? I MAKE A MOTION.
WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE CHAIT QURESHI, LUIE, KRUEGER FIERRO SULLIVAN BRIMER.
[2. Name: Camelback PUD Amendment #3, C814-86-023.01 Applicant: Armbrust & Brown, L.L.P (Amanda Morrow) Location: 6505 Bridge Point Parkway, Austin, TX 78730 Council District: District 10 Staff: Leslie Lilly, Environmental Conservation Program Manager, (512) 535-8914, Leslie. lilly@austintexas.gov; Sean Watson, Environmental Program Coordinator, (512) 963-2167, Sean.Watson@austintexas.gov Applicant request: Amend a Planned Unit Development Staff Recommendation: Staff recommended with conditions]
NEXT, LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.WE HAVE THE CAMELBACK PUD AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE C 8 14 86 0 2 3 0 1.
LOCATION, 6 5 5 BRIDGEPOINT PARKWAY, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 3 0.
AND FIRST UP WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION FROM LESLIE LILLY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER.
IT'LL BE, UH, SEAN WATSON, ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR WHO WORKS FOR LESLIE.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING.
UM, MY NAME IS SEAN WATSON, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS EVENING I'M HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE CAMELBACK PUD AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THIS POINTER.
SO THIS IS THE, UH, LOCATION OF THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IT IS PROJECT NUMBER C 814 86, UH, 0 2 3 0.03.
SO THIS IS AN AERIAL OF THE, UH, PROJECT SITE.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT IS CLOSE TO THE FAMOUS 360 OVERLOOK AND PENNY BACKER BRIDGE ON LAKE AUSTIN.
SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS PUD, UM, 143.067 ACRES OF LAND AND UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 289 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
IT'S IN WATER SUPPLY, RURAL AUSTIN, FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION, LAKE AUSTIN AND COLD CREEK WATERSHEDS DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
PROPOSED REVISION TO AN EXISTING PUD IN THE PAST THAT HAD 64 FAMILY HOMES.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS CFS OR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON SITE, AND IT IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER AERIAL JUST SHOWING WEST BULL CREEK WATERSHED TO THE NORTH OF THE SITE.
AND A MAJORITY OF THE SITE IS IN THE LAKE AUSTIN WATERSHED WITH THE WESTERN PORTION IN THE COLD CREEK WATERSHED.
THIS IS ANOTHER WITH TWO FOOT CONTOURS, IS SHOWING THE DRAINAGE OF THE SITE FOR REFERENCE.
SO HERE IS THE ORIGINAL PUD, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED, WELL NOT THE ORIGINAL ORIGINAL, BUT THE 2018 PUD PROPOSED LAND USE PLAN.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S PRETTY SIMILAR, UM, UH, TO THE AMENDMENT, BUT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES.
THIS IS EXHIBIT G, WHICH SHOWS THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON SITE.
SO IN THE CENTER YOU HAVE THE MIXED RESIDENTIAL, UM, BASICALLY ON TOP OF THE HILL AND TO THE NORTH THERE'S A PRESERVE AREA WHERE THERE ARE NUMEROUS SPRINGS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE PARKLAND, UM, WITHIN
[00:05:01]
THAT PRESERVED AREA.AND THEN DOWN BELOW MIXED RESIDENTIAL THERE'S BLUFFS, RIM, ROCKS, SOME SEEPS AS WELL.
SO A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS PUD.
SO THE ORIGINAL PUD WAS FROM 1986 AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REVISED IN 2018.
THE 2018 PUD INCLUDED SEVERAL SUPERIORITY ELEMENTS BUT DID NOT ACHIEVE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT'S.
UM, STAFF SUPPORT DUE PRIMARILY TO THE MECHANIZED ACCESS, WHICH IS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A ULAR.
PREVIOUS SUPERIORITY ELEMENTS INCLUDE OR INCLUDED DEDICATED PARK LAND, INCLUDING A POPULAR 360 OVERLOOK, A MINIMUM THREE STAR GREEN BUILDING, STANDARD REMOVAL OF GRANDFATHERING FROM THE PREVIOUS PUT ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR ROADWAY DRIVEWAY CROSSINGS OF DRAINAGES WITH THREE, TWO ACRES OF CONTRIBUTING AREA DARK SKY LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS, 75% WATER QUALITY VOLUME TREATED WITH GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ONLY NON-POTABLE WATER TO BE USED FOR IRRIGATION.
THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW ALTERNATIVE SHORELINE ACCESS, WHICH IS IF CONSTRUCTED WE'LL REMOVE THE ABILITY OF THE APPLICANT TO CONSTRUCT THE MECHANIZED ACCESS OR A FUNICULAR.
SO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT HAS TWO, UM, TWO COMPONENTS.
THE FIRST IS ALLOW A CART PATH TO ACCESS THE DOCK DISTRICT, AND THE NEXT IS TO MODIFY FILL ALLOTMENTS IN DEPTH.
SO THIS IS A RED LINE OF THE 2018, UH, LAND USE PLAN.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT THERE'S A BLOW UP OF THE DOCK DISTRICT WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE PROPOSED MECHANIZED ACCESS WOULD BE LOCATED.
AND IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT, UM, JUST SOUTH OF THE MIXED RESIDENTIAL UM, AREA, YOU WILL SEE WHERE THE CART PATH, UM, IS PROPOSED TO BE LOCATED 15 FEET WIDE AND WOULD GO UP TO THE ADJOINING PROPERTY LINE TO THE SOUTHWEST.
SO WE'LL GET INTO THE, THE, UH, COMPARISONS WITH A FUNICULAR VERSUS A CART PATH.
SO THIS EXHIBIT SHOWS THE, UM, TREE IMPACTS OF THE FUNICULAR.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, YOU HAVE HERITAGE TREES.
UM, WHERE THE BASE OF THE FUNICULAR WOULD BE, IT HAD TO BE EXCAVATED TO ABOUT 64 FEET AND THEN WOULD GO UP OVER THE BLUFF OVER OTHER, UM, RIM ROCK CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
AND THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, TREE IMPACTS DUE TO THAT.
THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE
AND SO IF YOU SEE DOWN THE, IN THE, UH, DOCK DISTRICT OR A BARGE WOULD BE NEEDED TO BRING MATERIALS IN THE THREE BLUE SQUARES OR, YOU KNOW, CRANE, UM, LOCATION AREAS.
BUT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT, THERE'S THE ORANGE AREA AROUND THE FUNICULAR, AND SO THAT'S THE AREA THAT WE'RE VEG.
ALL VEGETATION WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED TO CONSTRUCT THE FUNICULAR.
SO HERE IS EXHIBIT OF TREE IMPACTS, UM, FOR THE CART PATH.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE MINIMAL COMPARED TO THE VEHICULAR.
AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE CART PATH DOES STAY OUTSIDE OF THE SETBACK FOR THE RIM ROCK FEATURE THERE.
THIS SLIDE BASICALLY SHOWS THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
YOU CAN SEE AN ORANGE WHERE YOU HAVE THE 15 FOOT WIDE CART PATH THAT WOULD, IF THIS AMENDMENT IS PASSED, UM, CONNECT TO MAYBE LIKE A 12 FOOT GRAVEL PATHWAY AND A CONCRETE PATH.
UM, I BELIEVE THE PATH AND ACCESS ON THIS PROPERTY, UM, WILL NEED TO BE ACCESSIBLE BY FIRE APPARATUS AS WELL.
SO THE EXISTING CUT AND FILL PUD CODE MODIFICATION THAT IS IN THE APPROVED 2018 PUD.
SO SECTIONS 25 8, 341 AND 25 8 3 42 FOR CUT AND FILL ARE MODIFIED.
SO THAT CUT REQUIREMENTS AND FILL REQUIREMENTS SHALL NOT APPLY TO DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CAMELBACK PUD, EXCEPT FOR THE LIMITATIONS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT D.
ALL CUT AND FILL OVER FOUR FEET SHALL BE STRUCTURALLY CONTAINED USING RETAINING WALLS.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT FROM THE 2018 APPROVED P AND I
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WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON THE LAST SENTENCE THERE, THE TWO ASTERISKS WHERE IT'S CUT AND FILL OF UP TO 20, 28 FEET, UM, PRIMARILY FOR FIRE LANES, UM, SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA.SO THIS AMENDMENT, IT WOULD STILL BE CUT OF 28 FEET, BUT AMENDED FOR FILL UP TO 30 FEET.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S MAINLY DUE TO FIRE CODE AND FIRE LANE CONSTRUCTION.
SO RECOMMENDATION STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PUT AMENDMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
PUTT AMENDMENT ALLOWS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ACCESS CART PATH TO THE DOCK DISTRICT.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE MECHANIZED ACCESS, THE FUNICULAR PUD NOTES WILL BE ADDED TO PROHIBIT ADDITIONAL ACCESS.
ONCE THE CART PATH'S SHOWN IN THE REVISED PUD HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
THE CART PATH WILL NOT IMPACT CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, UNLIKE THE FUNICULAR AND WILL OTHERWISE COMPLY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
NO ADDITIONAL CUT WILL BE ALLOWED OTHER THAN WHAT IS ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE APPROVED P.
SO HERE'S THE, UH, REVIEW SCHEDULE.
SO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HERE WE ARE TONIGHT, MAY 21ST.
NEXT UP ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION, JUNE 3RD AND CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 5TH FOR AMENDMENT THREE.
UH, I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, FELLOW CITIZENS.
UM, THIS IS NOT WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING.
I CAME FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT I SAT NEXT TO YOU, WHICH PROBABLY SOME SEEMED KIND OF WEIRD 'CAUSE THE CLICKER WOULDN'T REACH THIS FAR.
SO I BROUGHT A NEW CLICKER AND IT IS BEING DONATED TO THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR THAT, BUT I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT HERE AND IT CAN BE USED IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UM, YEAH, I'M NOT A DEVELOPER BY TRADE.
WE REALLY TRY TO APPROACH THIS AS NEIGHBORS.
UH, SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE HERE IN SUPPORT.
UM, IT'S, UH, I GUESS IT'S 143 SOMETHING ACRES WE'VE ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS 145.
UM, SOME OF THIS WILL BE REPETITION IF YOU WERE HERE FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION TWO WEEKS AGO, BUT I DON'T ASSUME EVERYBODY WAS.
SO, UH, THERE'S ALSO SOME NEW, NEW MATERIAL IN HERE.
UM, THE PUD IMPROVED IN 2018 DOES REQUIRE THAT WE BUILD, UH, THIS 800 FOOT LONG ELEVATOR, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED A FUNICULAR.
UM, WE CAN'T GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY UNTIL THE MECHANIZED ACCESS HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE THE PUD WAS WRITTEN.
SO, UH, WE HAVE TO BUILD IT IN ORDER TO GET A CO UNLESS THIS, UH, IS AMENDED, WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT AT THE TIME.
UM, SO WE NEED THE CITY'S PERMISSION TO NOT BUILD IT IN ORDER TO GET A CO UH, SHOULD BE A LOT LESS CONTROVERSIAL THAN BUILDING IT, UH, GETTING THE PERMISSION THE FIRST TIME.
UH, WHAT REALLY CHANGED HERE IS THAT WE REACHED AN AGREEMENT AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF TRYING WITH, UH, OUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE'RE ACQUIRING A 65 ACRES AND THEN LEASING BACK, UH, A 23 ACRE HOME SITE TO HIM.
UH, SO HE'LL CONTINUE TO BE OUR NEIGHBOR.
UM, BUT THAT REALLY UNLOCKED THE ABILITY TO, UH, REMOVE THE FUNICULAR BECAUSE NOW WE CAN JUST HAVE THIS CAR PATH, UH, THAT GOES DOWN THE HILL.
I KNOW THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, FIRE ACCESS.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A SEPARATE ROAD THAT'S ALREADY PAVED.
AND SO THAT CART PATH WOULD NOT BE USED, UH, FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN VERY SMALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, TO GO DOWN THE CART PATH, BASICALLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF A A GOLF CART.
UM, THE, UH, A PUT HAS TO BE AMENDED TO ALLOW FOR THE CART PATH.
UH, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD IT UNDER THE CURRENT PUT, SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE AMENDED.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S KINDA THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE HILL.
UH, THIS IS WHAT WE FELL IN LOVE WITH IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE BACKSTORY HERE IS THAT, UH, MY WIFE AND I WENT UP IN A SCISSOR LIFT THERE.
WE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE VIEW, BUT COULDN'T AFFORD TO BE THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
UH, SO IT BECAME A, A PROJECT.
UM, MY BACKGROUND'S NOT AS A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER.
I'M NOT AN IMPORTANT OR FAMOUS PERSON, BUT GOT TO DO SOME FUN THINGS.
I STARTED A BUSINESS IN MY DORM, UH, CALLED 1-800-CONTACTS A VERY LONG TIME AGO.
I DID THAT FOR 22 YEARS AND GOT TO MAKE A MOVIE WITH MY, UH, BROTHER THAT, UH, CALLED NAPOLEON DYNAMITE.
WELL, IF I GET ASKED TO SPEAK TO HIKE HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE STUDENTS, THEY DON'T ASK ME ABOUT 1-800-CONTACTS.
THEY ONLY ASK ABOUT NAPOLEON DYNAMITE.
UM, UH, SO MOST DEVELOPERS, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
MOST DEVELOPERS HIRE LAWYERS TO INSULATE THEM, UH, FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE FLIPPED THAT AND WE INSULATED OUR NEIGHBORS FROM OUR LAWYERS.
I SAID, WE JUST DO THE SAME THING TONIGHT.
WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE TO TALK TO OUR LAWYERS? UM, SO, UH, I, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT HORRIBLY POPULAR
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SOMETIMES, SO, UM, SO YOU GET ME INSTEAD.IF IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, IT PROBABLY WILL BE AT SOME POINT.
UH, TONIGHT, UH, I'VE GONE TO DOZENS OF NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
UH, WE DIDN'T INVITE OUR LAWYERS TO ATTEND ANY OF THEM.
I JUST MEET WITH PEOPLE DIRECTLY.
UM, YOU MIGHT'VE HEARD THIS IS GONNA BE A FOUR SEASONS.
I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY, THERE'S TWO THINGS I THINK THAT ARE A REALLY BIG DEAL FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE FIRST IS THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST, UH, RESIDENTIAL RESORT THAT FOUR SEASONS HAS EVER DONE.
IT'S SURPRISING THAT IT'S NOT IN LIKE DUBAI OR THE CARIBBEAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR HAWAII, THAT IT'S ACTUALLY HERE, UH, IN AUSTIN.
UM, BUT THE SECOND THING I THINK THAT'S REALLY BIG FOR THE CITY IS THIS IS THE FIRST NEW PUBLIC PARK CREATED ON, UH, ON LAKE AUSTIN A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S, I THINK, IMPORTANT.
UM, WE TOOK THE APPROACH OF FOLLOWING OUR ADVICE, THE ADVICE FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, AND MAYOR, WHICH WAS JUST GO MEET WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, ASK THEM WHAT THEY WANT, UH, AND THEN DO THAT.
UM, AND SO THE RESULT OF THAT WAS 11 LETTERS, UM, FROM NEIGHBORHOOD HOAS, EACH SUPPORTING THE, THE PUT AMENDMENT IN, UH, 2018.
AND THERE'S SOME NEW LETTERS THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, UH, NOW, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THIS, UH, THIRD AMENDMENT.
UM, SO, UM, THIS IS A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE IN AUSTIN.
WE RECOGNIZED THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
UH, ONE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS I HAD WAS I REACHED OUT TO JAMES BA, JAMES BASS, THE HEAD OF TDOT AT THE TIME, BECAUSE TDOT SORT OF CREATED THIS SCE SCENIC OVERLOOK WHEN THEY CONSTRUCTED THE BRIDGE.
AND THEY, THEY ACTUALLY CONTROL THE 200 FEET THAT'S CLOSEST TO THE BRIDGE.
AND WE KNEW WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH THEM IN THE CITY TO SORT OF, UH, CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS A PLACE THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, TDOT'S GONNA REMOVE THE LIGHTS ONE BY ONE OFF OF 360, INCLUDING THE ONE AT THIS INTERSECTION.
UM, AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GO THERE ANYMORE AND SORT OF USE THIS AS A, AS A PARK.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ACCESS WOULD CONTINUE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY GREET PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT WITH A PHOTO TAKEN FROM HERE AT TIMES.
OBVIOUSLY A POPULAR PLACE TO TAKE SELFIES.
I'LL SEE IN PEOPLE'S OFFICES AND THEIR HOUSES, LIKE PICTURES OF THEY THAT THEY TOOK FROM HERE.
AND EVERYONE WHO TOOK ONE OF THESE PICTURES PARKED ILLEGALLY AND WAS TRESPASSING WHEN THEY TOOK THE PHOTO, INCLUDING THE ONE AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND SO INSTAGRAM MADE THIS REALLY POPULAR.
UM, IT'S TRAFFIC'S REALLY PICKED UP.
UH, EVEN SINCE 2018, PEOPLE COME HERE AND GET ENGAGED.
UM, THEY'LL COME BACK HERE AND ACTUALLY GET MARRIED.
UH, THIS GROUP BROUGHT, UH, FOLDING CHAIRS ALL THE WAY UP THERE TO THE TOP OF THE HILL.
I'M, I'M SURE THE RAID IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING IN TOWN, RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT'S FREE.
UM, BUT THEY BROUGHT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND HELD A WHOLE WEDDING CEREMONY UP HERE.
AND SO WE WANTED TO PRESERVE THIS ACCESS, UM, FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, THERE'S FIVE NO PARKING SIGNS THERE.
'CAUSE WE TRIED FOUR AND THAT DIDN'T WORK.
UM, THERE ACTUALLY USED TO BE A WEBSITE ON ONE OF THE CITY'S WEBSITES THAT SAID, YOU'LL KNOW YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
UH, IF YOU SEE THE FIVE NO PARKING SIGNS, SO YOU'LL KNOW YOU'RE PARKING IN THE RIGHT, IN THE RIGHT SPOT.
THERE'S THREE TRASH CANS THERE.
UH, BECAUSE WE PUT THEM THERE.
WE GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE CITY FOR PUTTING TRASH CANS THERE.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T GET PERMISSION FIRST.
WE HAVE PERMISSION NOW TO PICK UP THE TRASH.
UM, THERE'S, YOU CAN SEE DOZENS OF CARS HERE.
IF YOU SEE IN THE FAR DISTANCE, THAT'S THE BRIDGE WAY THERE IN THE DISTANCE.
IT'S LIKE A HALF A MILE OF CARS DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, YOU CAN SEE 40, 50 CARS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY THAT'S SUPER DANGEROUS.
YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN AND STUFF WALKING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE THIS SAFE AND LEGAL.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, THE 2018 PUD TURNED THE CLIFF INTO A PARK.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN 12 HOME LOTS.
UM, WE DONATED THE LAND, ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PROVIDE TRAILS, UM, AND, UH, BENCHES AND STUFF AND SHADE STRUCTURES.
AND THEN, UH, THERE'S NO COST TO THE CITY EVER.
UH, OUR HOA COVERS ALL THE OPERATING COSTS FOR SECURITY AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARK, UH, INDEFINITELY.
UM, SO THERE'S REALLY NO COST TO THE CITY.
ANOTHER FUN FACT ABOUT THIS LOCATION, AMAZON'S SCREENSAVER FOR THE FIRE TV HAS 182 IMAGES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
IT HAS 10 FROM CALIFORNIA, TEXAS ONLY GOT ONE.
UM, SO IF YOU LIVE IN JAPAN, THIS IS TEXAS.
AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED, IT'S JUST THIS, THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE.
UM, THE 18, 19 87, I'VE SEEN 86 OR 87, I WOULD ACCEPT EITHER, UM, HAD 12 HOMES ALONG THE CLIFF.
UH, EACH ONE OF THOSE HOMES COULD HAVE HAD ALUMINUM STAIRS, UH, GOING DOWN TO THE LAKE, YOU CAN SEE THIS AT LAKE TRAVIS.
UM, IT REALLY WOULD'VE, WOULD'VE RUINED THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF THE CLIFF.
IF WE, IF THIS WAS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE, WE WOULD'VE SOLD THE PROPERTY.
WE DIDN'T WANNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, RUINING THIS LOCATION.
UM, INSTEAD WE AGREED TO MOVE OUR DEVELOPMENT, UH, 2000 FEET AWAY AND TURN THE CLIFF INTO A PARK, UM, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S BEEN USED FOR, FOR DECADES.
UM, I ALSO DON'T THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT TO HAVE A BIG HOUSE RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRIDGE.
UM, SO I THINK IT WAS A GOOD, A GOOD TRADE.
UM, AND THEN WE AGREED TO PRESERVE 2,400 FEET OF SHORELINE.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING 12 SEPARATE BOAT DOCKS, EACH WITH TWO SLIPS, EACH WITH A SET OF STAIRS, UM, WE MOVED EVERYTHING, UH, 2,400
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FEET AWAY ON THE WATER.AND ALL OF THAT WILL NEVER GET, UH, NEVER GET DEVELOPED.
UH, AND THEN IN EXCHANGE, WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ONE COMMUNITY, UH, BOAT DOCK, UH, ACCESSIBLE BY THE FUNICULAR.
UM, 90 OF THE 145 ACRES WAS PRESERVING PARKLAND.
THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT IN THE GRANDFATHERED PUD FOR ANY PARKLAND.
UM, SO THERE COULD HAVE BEEN, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN NONE.
UM, EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS GREEN IS GONNA STAY GREEN.
UM, UH, I THINK IT'S 21.86 ACRES OF TOTAL AND PREVIOUS COVER OUT OF THE 145.
AND THEN TO ADDRESS OUR NEIGHBOR'S CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR VIEWS, UH, MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S A PHOTOGRAPHER AND I, WE WENT TO EVERY, UH, ALL THE 14 HOUSES ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY, UM, AND THEN WENT BACK, UH, TO EACH OF THOSE NEIGHBORS AND THEN GAVE THEM A CUSTOM RENDERING AS SEEN FROM THEIR OWN HOUSE, AS I'M SURE ALL DEVELOPERS, UH, DO.
UM, AND, UH, THE, THE FUNICULAR WAS NEVER, UH, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WANTED.
IT WAS JUST KIND OF SOMETHING THAT MADE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT WAY WE COULD CONNECT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO THE LAKE, UM, AND, AND HELPED PAY FOR ALL OF THIS.
UM, AND THE FUNICULAR IS REALLY BIG.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW BIG IT WAS AT THE TIME.
WE HADN'T FULLY ENGINEERED AND DESIGNED IT.
IT'S WAY BIGGER THAN I THOUGHT.
UM, THIS 3, 360 BRIDGE TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE IS 600 FEET FROM ONE END OF THE ARCH TO THE OTHER.
THIS IS 200 FEET LONGER THAN THE 360 BRIDGE.
AND THEN YOU BASICALLY TAKE THAT BRIDGE, ROTATE IT ABOUT 40 DEGREES ON ITS SIDE, AND THEN CARRY 1.1 MILLION POUNDS OF STEEL AT THE BASE.
UM, SO IT MAKES A 60 BY 60 FOOT BY 60 FOOT DEEP CRATER AT THE BOTTOM IN A WETLAND.
UM, BUT IT WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORK.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE IT LANDS THERE WHERE YOU SEE THE, THE GREEN ARROW.
UM, THE PUD, AGAIN REQUIRES THAT WE BUILD THIS, UM, THIS IS WHAT THE AMENDMENT DOES.
UH, SO IT ALLOWS FOR A CART PATH.
IT'S 15 FEET WIDE ON OUR SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S 12 FEET RIGHT, UH, WIDE ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
UH, NEXT DOOR, UH, AGAIN, WE WILL ONLY USE IT FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, FIRE TRUCKS, LANDSCAPING VEHICLES, ET CETERA.
ANY GAS POWER VEHICLES WILL HAVE TO USE THE EXISTING ROAD THAT'S PAVED.
THAT'S ALREADY ON THE, ON THE PROPERTY, UH, NEXT DOOR.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED US LIKE, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS LAKE CLUBHOUSE IS GETTING LARGER.
I'LL SHOW YOU A GRAPHIC OF THAT.
UM, WHAT HAPPENED IS ALL OF THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, LIKE THERE'S PUMPS AND LIFT STATIONS AND STUFF TO TAKE WATER AND SEWAGE AND POWER AND STUFF UP AND DOWN, THAT WAS ALL INSIDE THE TRUSS OF THE FUNICULAR.
AND SO THAT DIDN'T COUNT AGAINST THE, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE PENALIZED FOR REMOVING THE FUNICULAR THAT MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, BECAUSE THERE'S NO BASE TO THE FUNICULAR NOW NEEDS TO MOVE INTO THE BASE OF THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE.
IT DOES NOT INCREASE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE AT ALL.
UM, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF USABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE WE HAVE INSIDE THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE.
IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY FAIRLY TIGHT.
IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE SEATING, THE CAPACITY OR ANYTHING ABOUT THE BUILDING.
I'LL SHOW YOU A GRAPHIC OF IT IN A SECOND.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE WANTED TO RESPOND TO A CHANGE IN THE MARKET.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW OFFICE SPACE IS NOT DOING SO GREAT RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE WANNA DO MORE RESIDENCES.
UH, NEIGHBORS SEEM TO PREFER THAT ANYWAY, BECAUSE IT LOWERS THE TRIPS BY ABOUT 2000 TRIPS A DAY.
UM, AND SO NEIGHBORS WERE OKAY WITH HAVING MORE RESIDENCES AND LESS OFFICE.
WE HAD THIS ARTIFICIAL CAP OF 200 RESIDENCES.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT CAME FROM OTHER THAN IT'S LIKE WE DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT AT THE TIME.
I THINK IT'S LIKE THE NUMBER OF FINGERS AND AND TOES I HAVE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WITH A ZERO ON IT.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE 200 CAME FROM.
AND SO THERE'S ALREADY A FORMULA IN THE POD THAT ALLOWS FOR, IF YOU DO MORE RESIDENCES, YOU HAVE TO DO LESS OFFICE.
WE WANT TO TAKE THE EXACT SAME FORMULA THAT WAS IN THE 2018 POD AND JUST REMOVE THE CAP TO ALLOW FOR MORE RESIDENCES.
UM, AND, UH, YOU'LL SEE A GRAPHIC FOR THAT IN A SECOND.
THERE IS A, UH, INCREASE IN, UH, CUT AND FILL FROM 28, UH, TO 30 FEET.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
UM, IT'S TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGE FROM, WE HAD NINE LARGE HOMES.
WE'RE DOING NOW 28 SMALLER HOMES.
UM, AND ALLISON FROM KIMLEY HORNS HERE, AND SHE KINDA SPEAK TO THAT.
I'LL SHOW YOU KIND OF EXACTLY WHERE THAT HAPPENS.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE CONCESSIONS WE MADE TO SATISFY SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS 4,000 FEET AWAY, UH, WAS TO CAP THE BUILDING AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AT 45 FEET.
EVEN THOUGH 60 FEET IS ALLOWED, UH, THE WHOLE, UH, THE REST OF THE BUILDINGS ARE ALLOWED TO BE 60 FEET HIGH.
AND SO RATHER THAN, UH, CHANGE THAT, UH, WE'D, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE ANOTHER FLOOR ON BUILDINGS THAT ARE FARTHER DOWN THE HILL THAT ARE, UH, NOT GONNA HAVE ANY CHANCE OF OBSTRUCTING ANYBODY'S VIEW.
AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE PARKING.
AND YOU SAW THAT IMAGE EARLIER WITH THE CARS PARKING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD.
WE'VE SEEN A BIG INCREASE EVEN SINCE 2018 AND 2018 TO MEASURE HOW MANY VISITORS WERE COMING THERE.
THERE, I USED TO ASK PEOPLE, LIKE EVEN THE PEOPLE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOW MANY TRIPS DO YOU THINK? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE EVERY DAY? UM, SO NOBODY KNEW.
UH, SO WE COUNTED, UH, WE STAFFED THE OVERLOOK, UH, FROM 6:00 AM UNTIL 11:00 PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR FOUR WEEKS.
AND THIS WAS IN JULY OF 2018 WHEN IT WAS HOT WEATHER.
[00:25:01]
AND IT WAS CONSISTENTLY, UH, 4,000 PEOPLE, UH, A WEEK.IT WAS WAY MORE THAN ANYBODY THOUGHT, UH, WERE ACTUALLY COMING THERE.
UM, AND SO WE REALIZED WE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NEED MORE, UH, MORE PARKING.
WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND TDOT TO DO 75 AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FUND A LITTLE BIT MORE IF NEEDED IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THAT.
UM, AND WE'VE SET THAT ASIDE BY THE WAY, TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLE RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT WE WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT UNTIL THEY'RE SATISFIED THAT IT'S BETTER TO HAVE 75 PARKING SPACES.
AND INSTEAD OF 25, THIS IS THE CART PATH ROUGHLY GOING DOWN THE, THE HILLSIDE INSTEAD OF THE FUNICULAR.
UM, ALL THE SEWAGE ELECTRICAL WATER, ALL USED TO GO UP IN THAT TRUSS.
WE WANT TO, AGAIN, MOVE THAT INSIDE THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE BUILDING.
THIS WAS THE BUILDING BEFORE WITH THE FUNICULAR.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE AT THE BOTTOM IS THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE.
THE STUFF YOU SEE ABOVE THAT, THAT'S ALL THE BASE OF THE FUNICULAR.
YOU CAN SEE IT GET GRAYED OUT.
THE BLUE THAT YOU SEE IS THE NEW LAKE CLUBHOUSE.
IF I FLIP BACK AND FORTH, YOU CAN SEE LIKE BEFORE, AFTER.
SO THE LAKE CLUBHOUSE ISN'T GETTING ANY LARGER.
WE JUST WANNA TAKE THE STUFF THAT WAS IN THAT BASE AND MOVE IT INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE, OF THE LATE CLUBHOUSE.
THE OTHER THING IS JUST TRYING TO DO, WE WANNA DO MORE RESIDENTIAL, UM, RESPONDING TO THE, THE MARKET.
UM, THIS IS, UH, BEFORE, UH, WHERE WE COULD HAVE SORT OF MORE OFFICE.
THIS IS WHAT THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR.
SO WE GO FROM NINE RESIDENCES ON THE HILLSIDE TO 28.
UM, THIS IS THE GRAPHIC FROM, UH, KIMBERLY HORNE FROM ALLISON WHO'S HERE.
I CAN SPEAK TO THIS A LOT BETTER THAN I COULD.
THERE'S A LITTLE SPOT THAT'S BLUE IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THIS IMAGE.
AND I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT IT WITH A GREEN ARROW.
THAT LITTLE BLUE SPOT RIGHT THERE IS WHERE IT, IT GOES FROM 28 TO 30 FEET.
UM, SO THAT IF YOU'RE, IT'S NOT LIKE THE WHOLE SITE, IT'S THAT LITTLE BLUE SPOT RIGHT THERE.
AND AGAIN, AS WAS NOTED EARLIER, IT'S FOR FIRE.
UM, AND THEN THE TWO BUILDINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, UH, WHERE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ADD ANOTHER FLOOR.
UH, AND THEN, UH, SHIFTING FROM COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL IS ALMOST 2000 TRIPS THAT IT WILL REDUCE, UH, EVERY DAY, UH, BY DOING LESS OFFICE AND MORE RESIDENTIAL.
UM, THIS IS THE WHERE WE'RE REQUIRED TO PUT THE PARKING.
IF YOU SEE THE GREEN ARROW, 25 PARKING SPACES HERE, THAT'S ABOUT A HALF A MILE.
WHERE FROM, FROM WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO GO AT THE TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CLARITY ON THE LAND IN BETWEEN, UH, OUR PROPERTY AND WHERE TDOT IS.
IT'S A, A DEVELOPER FROM 30 YEARS AGO THAT HAD SOME LEFTOVER GREEN SPACE THERE.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S USING EMINENT DOMAIN TO ADDRESS THAT SPACE IN BETWEEN SO THAT WE CAN CONNECT THE WHOLE THING.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER DID, UH, AT THE END OF HER TERM, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO HELP LEAN INTO THAT AND MOVE THE PARKING CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO GO ONCE THOSE THINGS ARE CONNECTED.
AND THEN TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT'S THERE.
UM, SO WE MAKE SURE THERE'S SUFFICIENT PARKING THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE KIND OF ALL THREE PARTIES TO WORK TOGETHER.
TDOT, UH, THE CITY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND, UH, AND OUR GROUP.
AND THEN WE REALLY JUST WANNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THE OVERPASS IS GOING IN.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE, IF ANYBODY'S EVER GONE TO LIKE SOUTH 360 AND UH, SOUTH MOPAC, THERE'S LIKE AN OVERPASS THERE AND THERE'S A LOOP UNDERNEATH WHERE YOU KIND OF HAVE TRAILHEAD ACCESS.
AND THIS IS REALLY SORT OF INSPIRED BY THAT.
AND SO IT'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT'S GONNA BECOME A DEAD END.
THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING, TEXTILE WILL BE TAKING THOSE JERSEY BARRIERS, THOSE CONCRETE BARRIERS THAT GO DOWN THE CENTER OF THE HIGHWAY AND PUTTING 'EM ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TOO.
RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE, THOSE PICTURES YOU SAW EARLIER, PEOPLE ARE PARKING, UH, ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY.
ONCE THOSE GOES IN, GO IN TO ACCESS THIS, THEY'D HAVE TO PARK IN A HIGHWAY.
UM, SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO.
PLUS THERE'S A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE THAT CAN KIND OF STOP TRAFFIC.
AND SO IT'S WHY IT SORT OF WORKS THE WAY THAT IT IS.
BUT IT WOULD OTHERWISE, IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING HERE, IT'D BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THIS LOCATION.
SO WE WANT TO DO THREE TIMES AS MUCH PARKING AND HAVE IT BE CLOSER TO WHERE THE OVERLOOK IS.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS I WAS NOTING EARLIER, WE JUST, WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH PAR IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THIS.
SO JUST TO SUM UP, WE'RE ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO NOT BUILD THE FUNICULAR AND HAVE A CART PATH INSTEAD.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
AND ALLISON'S HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY DETAILED QUESTIONS, WANNA DIG IN ON ANYTHING? GREAT.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL SURE.
LOOP BACK TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS.
SO FIRST UP FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
MY NAME IS MARISA BARRETA LIPER, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE SHEPHERD MOUNTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THAT'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[00:30:01]
IT'S THE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOOD WE ARE.WE INCLUDE ABOUT 85, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT JONATHAN SAID A WHILE AGO THAT WHEN HE STARTED THIS PROJECT IN 2016, THAT MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER ASKED HIM TO WORK WITH NEIGHBORS.
BUT THE THING THAT HE DIDN'T MENTION IS THAT THEY DIDN'T TELL HIM HOW TO WORK WITH NEIGHBORS.
AND HE HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
HE, UH, I DON'T THINK THEY GAVE HIM SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS, BUT HE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
AND HE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ATTENTIVE TO US.
HE HAS HOSTED A MEETING FOR US ANYTIME WE HAVE ASKED HIM TO.
SO WHENEVER SITUATIONS OCCUR AND OUR NEIGHBORS ASK ABOUT, UH, DETAILS AND THEY WANNA MEET WITH HIM, HE IS ALWAYS EAGER TO SIT DOWN WITH US AND GO OVER WHATEVER DETAILS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.
AND WE, UM, WE SEE NOW THAT HE CAN BE TRUSTED.
HE HAS A LOT OF INTEGRITY AND HE IS PROVIDING SO MUCH COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT WE ARE UNANIMOUSLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
AND WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL NEIGHBOR, HONESTLY.
SO, UM, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL APPROVE THIS PROJECT TONIGHT WITH NO AMENDMENTS.
WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH ALL OF THESE CHANGES, PARTICULARLY NO FUNICULAR, UH, AND, UM, WITH OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT, UM, THE, UH, THE PARKING SPACES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT PERTAIN TO WHAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT TONIGHT.
BUT, UM, WE, WE ASK THAT YOU DO PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS AND COULDN'T HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH A NEIGHBOR AND DEVELOPER.
I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF TONIGHT.
UH, I DO BELONG TO TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND, UM, THEY HAVE SUBMITTED SUPPORT LETTERS.
AS MARISA SAID, WE'VE BEEN, UM, COMMUNICATING WITH JONATHAN FOR OVER NINE YEARS.
UM, OUR ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENT AT LEAST 12 NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THESE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
ACTUALLY, RECENTLY, JONATHAN ASKED US TO HOST A MEETING SO HE COULD LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PUT AMENDMENT.
SO WE EMAILED FOLKS AN INVITATION AND WE HAD OVER 80 PEOPLE SHOW UP.
UM, HE WENT OVER THE DETAILS AND HE STAYED AND ANSWERED EVERY SINGLE QUESTION.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UM, WE ARE IN SUPPORT, UH, ALL 12 NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE PARKING SPACES, THE FUNICULAR REMOVAL, AND THE INCREASE IN RESIDENTS, WHICH MEANS LESS PARKING.
UM, SO HAVING BEEN THE COMMUNICATOR FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, I ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT IT.
I HEAR ABOUT SOMEBODY'S TRUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
I HEAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS PARTICULAR PUTT AMENDMENT.
ALL WE GOT WERE THANK YOUS, INCOMPLETE SUPPORT.
WE ASK TONIGHT THAT YOU APPROVE, UH, AMENDMENT THREE WITHOUT CHANGES.
NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER CHANG.
I HAVE NO QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, MAYBE COME BACK TO ME AT THE END.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, REALLY THE ONLY SORT OF POTENTIAL, UH, NEGATIVE IMPACT FROM THE CAR PATH WOULD PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER SORT OF, UH, TREES YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF TO, UH, TO BUILD THAT VERSUS THE FUNICULAR.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT LIKE THE FUNICULAR WILL NOT HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY FOLIAGE OR WHATEVER THE POLITICALLY CORRECT TERM FOR GREEN STUFF IS.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMPARISON SORT OF BETWEEN THE TWO FROM THAT REGARD AT LEAST, OR ANY OTHER POTENTIAL NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS? WAS THAT QUESTION DIRECTED TO STAFF? TO EVERYBODY? OKAY.
[00:35:01]
UH, SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE PROPOSED CART PATH, WHICH THEY CAN KIND OF WORK WITH THE GRADE AND WORK WITH THE EXISTING TREES TO KIND OF MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE VERSUS A STRAIGHT SHUT SHOT DOWN, WHICH THERE'S NO ABILITY TO KIND OF MOVE AND WORK WITH THE TOPOGRAPHY AT ALL WITH THE FUNICULAR.SO, UM, WHILE I DON'T THINK THERE'S NECESSARILY A SURVEY THAT'S BEEN DONE, THE IMPACT TO, UM, VEGETATION, UM, IMPACTS TO THE SHORELINE VISUAL IMPACTS, GRADING IMPACTS ARE, UM, UM, MUCH, MUCH MORE SEVERE WITH THE, WITH THE MECHANIZED ACCESS THAN THE, THE CART PATH.
SO WE ARE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF, UM, THE, THE, THE PROPOSAL.
UM, HAVING BEEN A PRESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MYSELF, I GIVE A LOT OF WEIGHT TO Y'ALL SHOWING UP AND SUPPORTING THIS IDEA.
UH, IT MEANS A LOT TO, UM, REACH OUT AS, AS, UH, Y'ALL HAVE TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK.
UM, AND ACTUALLY IT MEANS EVERYTHING BECAUSE, UH, IF YOU DON'T REACH OUT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THEN YOU MAYBE DON'T HAVE THEIR BEST INTEREST IN MIND.
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS PROBABLY THE SMARTEST MOVE THAT YOU MADE, UH, IN ADDITION TO GETTING RID OF THE FUNICULAR IDEA.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE, UH, THE, THE CART PATH IS, IS A MUCH BETTER USE OF, OF THAT SPACE AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
ALSO, UM, HAVING BEEN A SOMEWHAT OF A FILMMAKER MYSELF, I FEEL LIKE NAPOLEON DYNAMITE'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GANGLY, UH, NO QUESTIONS.
JUST SUPER IMPRESSED WITH THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND THE COMRADERY THAT WAS PUT INTO THIS PROJECT.
COMMISSIONER FIERRO, NO QUESTIONS, BUT I MOSTLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR LIKE US.
UH, THE COMMISSIONER WAS SAYING TO ASK THE NEIGHBORS WHAT THEY WANT AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE IT'S VERY RARE, EVEN FROM LIKE EVEN COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, THEY SOMETIMES FORGET TO ASK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SITE, THEY'RE TRYING TO DO ENACT CHANGE.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
YEAH, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE PARK LAND.
UM, IS THAT GOING TO BE LIKE CITY OF AUSTIN PARK LAND DONATED? YEAH.
AND PART OF THE REASON THAT I ASK IS BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THE PARKS BOARD IS NOT ON THE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT WILL REVIEW THIS, BUT PERHAPS THEY SHOULD.
THEY THEY CERTAINLY BE WELCOME TO.
I ALSO DON'T WANT TO, THE, THE, THE NOTE ABOUT, UH, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE.
IT WAS MY BROTHER KIRSTEN, MY WIFE AND I JUST PUT UP THE MONEY FOR THE MOVIE AND THEN HE DID ALL THE WORK.
SO YEAH, WE JUST PROVIDED A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FUNDING.
AND WHAT YEAR WAS THAT WORK? IT WAS 2004.
2003 WE PRODUCED IT AND THEN 2004 IT CAME OUT.
SO THE PARK, UH, I KNOW THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
SO THE PARK IS, IT'S THE CITY.
UH, WE DEDICATE THE LAND TO THE CITY.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I REMEMBER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH KIMBERLY MCNEELY, WHO UNDERSTAND IS, IS, IS NOT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ANYMORE.
UH, THE QUESTION WAS JUST TIMING.
WE'RE CLOSING ON FINANCING HERE SOON.
AND OUR LENDER WILL, UH, REQUIRE US TO BUILD THE FUNICULAR IF WE DON'T GET THIS APPROVED QUICKLY, BECAUSE, UH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA APPROVE FUNDING FOR A PLAN THAT DOESN'T HAVE LAKE ACCESS.
AND THE ONLY LAKE ACCESS WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT'S ALLOWED IN THE PUD IS THE FUNICULAR.
AND SO IF WE HAD GONE TO PARKS BOARD RIGHT NOW TO SETTLE THIS TXDOT PARK, LIKE THE WHOLE THING, IT WOULD'VE SLOWED THINGS DOWN AND THEN WE WOULD'VE BEEN STUCK WITH BUILDING THE FUNICULAR.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE'RE NOT LIKE SKIPPING PARKS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA MEET WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
WE WEREN'T REQUIRED TO MEET WITH PARD, UH, WITH THE PARKS, UH, COMMISSION OR WHATEVER LAST TIME, BUT WE DID ANYWAY.
UM, SO YEAH, I MEAN WE'RE, WELL LET ME ASK STAFF THEN.
WOULD, WOULD THIS COME BACK TO THE PARKS BOARD OR TO THE PARK PAR TO PARD TO, RIGHT.
SO THIS LOOK INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS.
SO WITH THE, THE PROPOSAL AT HAND RIGHT NOW HAS REMOVED ANY CHANGES TO THE PARKLAND DEDICATION, UM, WHILE THEY WORK OUT ADDITIONAL, UM, DETAILS WITH, WITH BETWEEN PARKS AND, AND, UH, TEXAS, UH, TRA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND SO WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEY'LL COME BACK WITH ANOTHER PUT AMENDMENT THAT WOULD NEED TO GO TO THE PARKS BOARD.
HAPPY TO, SHOULD I STAY UP HERE? WHAT DO YOU THINK? OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[00:40:01]
VERY THOROUGH AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.UH, KIND OF AS A PREP FOR THE WHOLE THING.
UH, AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE THE MEETING, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT REALLY KIND OF CATCH ME UP WITH WHAT WENT ON IN 2018.
SO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS MAY NOT REALLY ADDRESS THIS YET, BUT IT KIND OF GIVES ME A CONTEXT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
UH, SO ANYWAY, UH, ORIGINALLY I GUESS THIS WAS GONNA BE AN ALL SOLAR DEVELOPMENT.
IS THAT STILL THAT'S INTERESTING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HAD IT BEEN ALL SOLAR.
UM, UH, THE, THE WAY THE CITY CALCULATES SOLAR, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, SO SOLAR PANELS GET 50, 50% BASICALLY.
SO IF YOU HAD AN ACRE SOLAR PANELS, IT WOULD COUNT AS A HALF AN ACRE.
UH, WE TRY TO PITCH IT, WE WANTED TO TAKE THE, UH, PRESERVE AREA AND PUT MORE SOLAR THERE.
UM, BUT, AND SOMEBODY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS, BUT, UH, YOU CAN HAVE ELEVATED SOLAR PANELS AND LET'S SAY IT'S 10 BY 10 FEET, SO YOU'D HAVE A HUNDRED SQUARE FEET OF SOLAR PANELS, EVEN IF IT ONLY HAD ONE FOOT A POLE THAT COMES DOWN AND TOUCHES THE GROUND, THE CITY WOULD NOT COUNT THAT AS ONE SQUARE FOOT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
THEY WOULD COUNT IT AS 50 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND SO WE ONLY HAVE 21.86 ACRES OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND IF THE CITY COUNTED THAT POLE AS ONE SQUARE FOOT OF IMPERIOUS COVER, LIKE PEOPLE DO FARMS NOW UNDER SOLAR PANELS, SO LIKE WATER OR SUNLIGHT COULD STILL HIT THE GROUND.
IT'S UNDISTURBED, UH, BUT THE CITY DOESN'T CALCULATE IT THAT WAY.
SO IF THE CITY WERE TO CHANGE THAT CALCULATION, WE'D BE ALL IN ON DOING MORE SOLAR.
UH, BUT WE CAN'T NOW 'CAUSE WE NEED, WE NEED LIKE 10 ACRES OF SOLAR PANELS AND, UM, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MAKE THAT WORK UNDER THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
WITH REGARD TO THE CART PATH, HOW, HOW LONG IS THAT CART PATH GONNA BE? UH, I DON'T REALLY ANSWER THAT.
ALLISON, DO YOU KNOW LIKE THE CART PATH? I KNOW IT'S 15 FEET WIDE ON OUR SIDE AND THEN 12 FEET WIDE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
IT'S PROBABLY A FEW HUNDRED FEET BEFORE THERE'S, THERE'S A PAVED ROAD THAT'S ALREADY THERE ON THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, AND SO IT JUST CONNECTS DOWN TO WHERE THE EXISTING PAVED ROAD IS.
AND IT'S PROBABLY A FEW HUNDRED FEET.
I GUESS I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BY, I MEAN, THE ORIGINAL FUNICULAR, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GONNA SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE CART PATH LOOKS LIKE IT GOES OFF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
SO WHO'S IT GOING, WHO'S THE CART PATH? SO THE TWO PROPERTIES ARE BEING COMBINED, RIGHT? SO IT'LL BE IN COMBINED, COMBINED, IT'LL BE ABOUT 210 ACRES.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE'RE LEASING A HOME SITE BACK TO THE, UH, NEIGHBOR THAT'S SELLING THE PROPERTY.
UM, UH, BUT THE, NO, THE CART PATH IS JUST IN LIEU OF BUILDING THE LIEU OF BUILDING THE FUNICULAR.
THE FUNICULAR IS 25 FEET WIDE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE MENTIONED THAT TONIGHT.
SO IT'S 800 FEET LONG, 25 FEET WIDE AND WOULD JUST CUT A SWATH THROUGH ALL THOSE TREES, UH, GOING DOWN TO THE LAKE.
SO THE COMMISSIONER BRIMER THE, UH, THE CART PATH IS INTENDED TO CONNECT TO AN EXISTING DRIVEWAY THAT, UM, WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE BOAT DOCK.
SO THAT'S AN EXISTING, IT, IT CUTS THROUGH AN EXISTING KIND OF THEATER DOWN AT THE SHORELINE THAT'S THERE.
SO IT WOULD, LIKE, THE CART PACK GETS TO THAT AND THEN THEY JUST USE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET DOWN TO THE BOAT DOCK.
SO SPECULATIVELY RESIDENTS WHO WOULD'VE BEEN SERVED BY THE FUNICULAR WOULD THEN DRIVE DOWN TO OR WALK DOWN IF THE CASE MAY BE, UH, YEAH, YOU COULD TO WHERE THE CART PATH IS AND THEN WALK, YOU'D EITHER WALK DOWN THE TOP PATH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU'D EITHER WALK DOWN OR BE IN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT'S A LITTLE LARGER THAN A GOLF CART.
SO YEAH, YOU WOULDN'T DRIVE IN YOUR OWN VEHICLE.
NOBODY, NOBODY'S GONNA BE ALLOWED TO LIKE GET IN A GAS POWERED VEHICLE AND LIKE DRIVE DOWN TO THE OKAY.
YEAH, THAT, I WAS GONNA ASK THAT QUESTION.
EVEN SERVICE VEHICLES, WE WON'T HAVE DRIVING DOWN THERE ANYTHING THAT'S LIKE A LARGE GAS POWERED VEHICLE.
THERE'S A LARGER PAVED ROAD THAT GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE THAT, THAT WILL BE WHAT'S USED FOR THAT.
THIS IS JUST A, THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING IT A CART PATH.
NOW, I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT SOME OF THE WORDING AND THE ATTACHMENTS TO THE, UH, THE DOCUMENT IN SOME CASES SAYS THE CART PATH WAS BEING PUT IN AS AN OPTION AND IN OTHER PLACES IT, IN ONE OF THE PLACES SPECIFICALLY SAID IN LIEU OF, AND THOSE SEEM TO BE CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS.
AND IN THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, BOTH BY STAFF AND YOURSELF, IT WAS MADE CLEAR THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, THE FUNICULAR WAS GOING TO BE DEAD.
BUT AT THE SPORTING DOCUMENTATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED, UH, BY, I GUESS BY YOU AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHOEVER YOU KNOW, PUTS TOGETHER YOUR PAPERWORK SEEMS TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT CLEAR.
UM, THE WAY THE LANGUAGE IS, I BELIEVE IT'S WRITTEN, IS YOU CAN'T, WE CAN'T BUILD BOTH.
SO THE ONLY REASON THAT WE NEED THE OPTION OF DOING ONE OR THE OTHER IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT CLOSED ON
[00:45:01]
THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR.SO IN THE EXTREMELY UNLIKELY EVENT THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, WE COULDN'T HAVE IT, WE COULDN'T CHECKMATE OURSELVES WHERE THERE'S NO OPTION TO GET TO THE LAKE.
SO AS SOON AS WE CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, WE WILL, THE FUNICULAR WILL BE GONE AND WE'LL DO THE CART PATH INSTEAD.
BUT WE, THE UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE LANGUAGE COULD BOTH BE BUILT.
YOU CAN'T, WE CAN'T HAVE THE CART PATH AND THE FUNICULAR.
WE'D HAVE TO BUILD ONE OR THE OTHER.
WELL, I DID NOTICE THAT ONE OF THE CHANGES IN THERE REMOVED THE APPENDIX.
THEY'RE REFERRED TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE DEFINITION OF THE, THE VEHICULAR AND ALL THAT.
BUT IT WAS, SOME OF THE WORDING WAS KIND OF VAGUE.
AND SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT ALL THAT.
UH, THEN ANOTHER THING, THERE'S SOME TERMINOLOGY THAT I WAS NOT CLEAR ON.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OFFSITE SERVICE ACCESS AND A CART PATH? ISN'T THE, I APOLOGIZE FOR ANYBODY LISTENING ONLINE, ALLISON, ISN'T IT THE FIGHT'S THE FIRE LANE COMING IN THE MAIN THE MAIN ENTRANCE.
SO THERE'S A MAIN ENTRANCE THAT'S PAVED AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S CALLED OFFSITE.
I I REMEMBER THAT COMING UP, COMING UP ON A CALL.
YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN COME UP HERE.
YOU WANT TO ANSWER? YEAH, I'M TRYING TO
BUT IT'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S CALLED THAT, BUT BASICALLY THERE'S, THERE'S THE CART PATH.
WE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT LIKE, THAT'S NOT FOR FIRE TRUCKS.
'CAUSE WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE, WE DON'T WANT HEAVY VEHICLES COMING DOWN THAT CART PATH.
WE WANT IT TO BE SORT OF A NATURE TRAIL WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING UP AND DOWN AND NOT HAVING LIKE, BIG VEHICLES THERE.
UM, AND SO THE MAIN, THE MAIN ACCESS ROAD FOR FIRE TRUCKS IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ENTRANCE THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S WHY THAT'S THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT IS CALLED THAT.
I AGREE THAT IT'S CONFUSING, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S SEPARATED JUST SO THAT WE DIDN'T END UP WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYING, HOW ARE WE GONNA DRIVE A FIRETRUCK DOWN THIS, IT NEEDS TO BE 25 FEET WIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
NOW THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN 2018 IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ABOUT THE CLUBHOUSE BEING WITHIN A FLOOD ZONE AND THE CLUBHOUSE IS BEING ALTERED TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA EQUIPMENT.
ARE YOU BUILDING A SECOND STORY ON THE CLUBHOUSE BECAUSE YOU SAY YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THE FOOTPRINT, SO THAT WOULD IMPLY THAT YOU'RE PUTTING A SECOND STORY ON IT.
SO THAT ALSO HASN'T CHANGED OR IT'S ALLOWED TO BE 30 FEET HIGH.
UM, THE, THE, WE HAD TWO OPTIONS.
WE COULD, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE BOAT DOCKS ON LAKE AUSTIN OR SOMETHING, YOU'LL SEE THEY'LL HAVE LIKE A TERRACE UP ABOVE.
AND SO WE, WE DECIDED TO PUT THE OCCUPIABLE SPACE ON THE SECOND LEVEL.
THE NECK, THE LOWER LEVEL IS OPEN AIR.
UM, AND SO WE JUST SORT OF IN INVERTED THAT, BUT IT'S STILL STILL 30 FEET AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED.
NOW YOU GOT A FLOOD VARIANCE, AN ADMINISTRATIVE FLOOD VARIANCE WITH THE, UH, 2018 AMENDMENT.
UH, IS THIS GONNA CHANGE THE FLOOD VARIANCE BY PUTTING THIS ADDITIONAL THING THERE? I DON'T THINK SO.
YOU JUST WANNA TAKE THAT? UM, I, I REALLY DOUBT IT.
UM, YEAH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
SO THAT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE ANY OF THAT.
UM, THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER, UH, LET'S SEE HERE.
LET ME MARK THE STUFF OFF THAT I'VE ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF HERE.
HOW, HOW LARGE IS THE DOCK CURRENTLY? HOW LARGE IS THE DOCK? YEAH, IT'S 576 FEET.
BECAUSE I HAD HEARD, OR I'D READ SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING, THERE WAS 18,000 SQUARE FEET.
OH, UH, 18,000 SQUARE FEET WOULD BE, IF IT MAXED OUT, THAT'S I THINK ROUGHLY 30 TIMES 5, 76, ISN'T IT? UH, SO YEAH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE, IF IT WERE ALL MAXED OUT, IF YOU HAD, UH, THAT, THAT'D BE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF LIKE AREA THAT IT WOULD TAKE UP IF YOU TOOK, IT'S ALLOWED TO BE 30 FEET DEEP AND 576 FEET.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY 575.
SO THERE'S 3000 FEET OF SHORELINE AND THE RULE IS GENERALLY 20% OF THE SHORELINE FOR BOAT DOCKS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CALCULATION CAME FROM.
THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE THING WHERE THERE WAS A DEBATE WITH THE CITY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE OWNED THE ACTUAL SHORELINE OR IF WE JUST OWN THE WATER.
'CAUSE PART OF OUR LAND GOES, OUR, THE LAND GOES ALMOST A HUNDRED FEET OUT INTO THE WATER AND RATHER THAN THERE'S LIKE A LITTLE PIECE ON THE END AND RATHER THAN WE COULD HAVE ARGUED FOR 600 FEET AND WE JUST CONCEDED AND SAID WE'RE FINE WITH 5 76.
THAT'S WHERE THAT, IF YOU WONDER WHERE THAT NUMBER COMES FROM, UM, THE CUT AND FILL,
[00:50:01]
THE 2018 DISCUSSION, UH, GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME JEFF HOWARD SAID THAT, UH, YOU WERE NOT GONNA NEED TO EXCEED 24 FEET.UH, AND YOU KNOW, WAS WAS WHAT WAS INCLUDED AT THE TIME.
UH, AND WHAT FINALLY WENT THROUGH COUNSEL WAS SOMETHING LARGER THAN THAT.
NOW, IF I READ CORRECTLY, WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED NOW BY YOU, YOU'RE ELIMINATING YOUR REQUEST IS TO ELIMINATE ALL RESTRICTIONS ON CUT FILL.
IS THAT NOT CORRECT? IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT.
COULD YOU SPEAK, UH, UH, LESLIE LILY WATERFIELD PROTECTION? UM, THE ORIGINAL OR THE 2018 PUTT AMENDMENT HAS AN EXHIBIT, UH, THAT SEAN SHOWED IN HIS PRESENTATION WHERE THE CUT AND FILL IS, UH, ALLOTTED TO EXCEED FOUR FEET, UM, WITH CERTAIN AREA AMOUNTS.
THIS AMENDMENT IS SHIFTING SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS AROUND WHERE THERE IS NOT MORE AREA BEING DISTURBED ASSOCIATED WITH THE AREA THAT IS ALLOWED FOR CUT OR FILL.
BUT THERE IS SOME CHANGES IN THE ALLOTMENTS OF FILL THAT WILL BE ALLOWED UP TO 24 FEET AND FILL THAT IS ALLOWED FROM FOUR TO 12 FEET.
SO THERE'S SOME SHIFTING IN NUMBERS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY BECAUSE OF THE, UM, THE FIRE ACCESS PATH IN THE EXHIBIT THAT DEFINES WHAT IS ALLOWED FOR CUT AND FILL, UH, WHAT IS APPROVED, WHAT WAS APPROVED IN THE 2018 AMENDMENT WAS CUT AND FILL UP TO 28 FEET FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE ACCESS ROADS.
UM, WITH THE, THE NEW DESIGN THERE IS I BELIEVE LIKE 40, 45 SQUARE FEET OR SO, UM, OF CUT THAT IS PROPOSED UP TO 30 FEET FOR ONE FIRE ACCESS ROAD.
I THINK YOU SHOWED ONE OF THE, YEAH, IT WAS A GREEN ARROW EARLIER.
UM, A, A VERY SMALL SECTION FOR THE TION CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD.
UM, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED.
WE WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT TO REALLY HAVE THEM DEFINE MORE CLOSELY WHAT WAS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED SO WE COULD MINIMIZE CUT, SO WE COULD MINIMIZE CUT.
UM, SO NO CHANGES TO THE CUT AND THE FILL IS, IS THE PART THAT'S BEING ADJUSTED.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN FILL BEING PROPOSED WITH THIS AMENDMENT IN THE 24 TO 20 RANGE AND A DECREASE IN FILL ASSOCIATED WITH THE 12 TO FOUR RANGE.
AND AS THE RED LINE LANGUAGE SHOWS AT THE BOTTOM CUT OF UP TO 28 FEET FEET, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED AND THEN FILL UP TO 30 FEET, WHICH IS TWO ADDITIONAL FEET OF DEPTH FOR UH, ABOUT 45 SQUARE FEET ASSOCIATED WITH A FIRE LANE.
PROBABLY THE REASON I ASK IS, UH, RECENTLY, UH, SEVERAL PROJECTS HAVE COME BEFORE US IN EAST AUSTIN WHERE WE HAVE SHOWN RELUCTANCE TO EXTEND, CUT AND FILL GREATER THAN 20 FEET.
AND SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, THAT SHOWED A LARGER THAN WHAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT RECENTLY.
IT, YOU KNOW, CAUSED ME TO QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THE NECESSITY OF GRANTING A BLANKET EXCEPTION FOR A LARGE THING.
UH, NOW WE HAVE ALSO ON A, ON, YOU KNOW, GRANTED EXCEPTION TO THE CASE OF, I REMEMBER OUT IN WEST AUSTIN SOMEWHERE OFF OF CITY PARK ROAD, MAYBE A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A FIRE STATION THAT NEEDED, UH, SOMETHING DONE AND WE, YOU KNOW, GRANTED A AN EXCEPTION FOR THAT, A VARIANCE FOR THAT IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THAT PARTICULAR THING.
'CAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE, THE FIRE STATION'S SAFE OPERATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR ISSUE AT HAND, WE'RE WILLING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THAT TYPE OF THING.
BUT TO MAKE A GRANT, YOU KNOW, A BLANKET, YOU KNOW, EXCEPTION FOR THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE, I'D RATHER, YOU KNOW, BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAUTIOUS AND THEN BE FREE TO TAKE ON LITTLE THINGS AS THEY COME UP, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SAY, SURE, YEAH, YOU WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE NEED FIRETRUCK ACCESS OR I DUNNO, WHATEVER IT IS.
FUNNY YOU MENTIONED THAT THE APPLICANT HAS SAID THAT UP THE, THE FILL UP TO 30 FEET IS BE FOUR AROUND WHAT, 200 SQUARE FEET OR SOMETHING? SOME SMALL AREA FOR FIRE ACCESS.
[00:55:01]
OF THE REASONS WHY, UM, IT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THIS ISN'T GRANTING THEM A BLANKET, UH, ABILITY TO DO CUT AND FILL.IT IS PER AN EXHIBIT THAT IT, UM, WAS ALREADY IN THE PUT AND THEY'RE JUST MODIFYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNTS AND LOCATIONS.
SO IT'S UH, AND YOU KNOW, IN THE NATURAL AREAS, THE GREEN AREAS THAT THEY'RE NOT TOUCHING THERE IS WILL BE NO CUT AND FILL.
SO GIVEN THE THE, UM, THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PUT AND WE LOOK AT SUPERIORITY OF THE PUT AND KIND OF LOOKING AT THE, THE BIG PICTURE, UM, SINCE THERE WAS ALREADY CUT AND FILL ALLOWED WITH THE ORIGINAL PUD, THEY'RE GOING UP A LITTLE BIT IN CERTAIN AREAS.
REMOVING THE FUNICULAR WOULD ALSO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF, UH, GRADING ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING THAT UM, BASE.
UM, SO WE THINK THAT THIS IS A, A GOOD TRADE OFF AND BRINGS THE PUD TO SUPERIOR.
UM, WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY WE DID NOT CALL THIS PUD SUPERIOR.
UH, WILDFIRE IS A BIG PROBLEM OUT IN WEST AUSTIN.
I KNOW BECAUSE I BUT AN AREA THAT WILL BURN TO A CRISP IF THERE'S A WILDFIRE OUT THERE.
UH, IS YOUR POD DOING ANYTHING TO MITIGATE WILDFIRE SPREAD OR, I DON'T KNOW REALLY HOW TO PHRASE THE QUESTION, BUT YOU GET THE DRIFT OF WHAT I'M SURE TRYING TO GET.
YEAH, I MEAN WE HAVEN'T WAITED.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY, UH, AT OUR NEIGHBOR'S REQUEST, UH, FUNDED A SYSTEM, UH, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 20 OR $25,000, UH, TO DO EARLY DETECTION SYSTEM FOR WILDFIRES.
AND IT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, A BOAT FIRE AT THEIR BOAT DOCK AND IT DETECTED IT, I THINK YOU COULD SEE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN MILES.
IT WAS A NEIGHBOR WHO DID ALL THE RESEARCH, SO I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT EITHER.
UM, THEY JUST ASKED IF WE WOULD FUND IT.
AND SO OUR OTHER NEIGHBOR, UM, THAT HAS A LARGE HOME NEXT DOOR, UH, IS QUITE LARGE, UH, HAS A 60 FOOT LIKE OBSERVATORY ON IT, I THINK IT'S SIX, MAYBE 65 FEET HIGH.
AND HE KINDLY AGREED TO LET THAT SYSTEM BE INSTALLED AT THE TOP OF THERE.
AND ONCE OUR BUILDINGS ARE BUILT, WE'LL INSTALL THOSE CAMERAS AT THE TOP OF, UH, THE HILL WHERE WE ARE AS WELL.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL, YOU'RE 400 FEET.
IT'S GOT, UH, I MEAN AMAZING VIEWS FOR HUMANS, BUT ALSO GREAT VIEWS FOR FIRE DETECTION CAMERAS.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO LEAN IN ON THAT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING THAT COULD BE DONE WOULD BE TO DETECT THOSE FIRES 24 7, UH, WITH AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, EVEN IF THERE'S A FALSE POSITIVE HERE.
AND THEN, UH, IT'D STILL BE BETTER THAN A FALSE NEGATIVE.
AND HAVING A FIRE START AT THREE IN THE MORNING THAT PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
NOW, DOES THE HOTEL ROOMS COUNT, UH, AGAINST THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS? SO WE DON'T HAVE A HOTEL.
UM, THE ORIGINAL, THE 2018 POD DID ALLOW, YOU PROBABLY READ THAT IT COULD HAVE UP TO 80 ROOMS. UM, WE DECIDED TO BUILD RESIDENCES INSTEAD OF THE HOTEL.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS UNIQUE.
I, I KNOW WHEN PEOPLE SEE FOUR SEASONS, THEY ASSUME THERE WOULD BE A HOTEL.
UM, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE FIRST PROJECT THEY'VE DONE LIKE THIS WHERE IT'S A, IT'S A PRIVATE RESORT, AND WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A HOTEL.
SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, THE HOTEL.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE WHAT THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAD SAID.
IT'S REALLY REFRESHING TO HAVE, UM, SUCH AWESOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS.
WE FEEL LUCKY THAT WE HAD NEIGHBORS WILLING TO MEET WITH US.
I MEAN, NEIGHBORS COULD HAVE SAID, I'M NOT GONNA MEET WITH YOU.
SO WE FEEL LUCKY THAT PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO ENGAGE AND, AND, UH, AND TALK TO US IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE ALCON'S CANYON CANYONLANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, THIS IS IN CONFIRMED GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER HABITAT.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS FROM STAFF AND THE APPLICANT, WHAT SURVEYS, IF ANY, HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE TO ASSESS GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS ON THE SITE AND HOW THEY MIGHT BE DISTURBED BY THIS PROJECT? SO, UM, PERMITTING OF ENDANGERED SPECIES IS HANDLED THROUGH A, A DIFFERENT GROUP.
OUR CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UM, AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY IF THERE HAVE BEEN SURVEYS DONE HERE.
UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, THERE ARE, UM, RESTRICTIONS AROUND WHEN CLEARING CAN OCCUR SO THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN DURING NESTING SEASON, UM, WHICH I'M SURE THEY'VE COMPLIED WITH.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I, I DON'T HAVE DETAILS ABOUT THAT.
[01:00:01]
M WITH KIMLEY HORN, AS PART OF THE 2021 SITE PLAN, WE DID COORDINATE WITH BCCP AND, UM, GET A LETTER FOR PARTICIPATION INTO THEIR PROGRAM TO PAY THE MITIGATION FOR THE TAKE IN HABITAT THAT'S GONNA OCCUR WITH THE TREE CLEARING.AND ARE YOU PLANNING ON ONLY BUILDING BETWEEN JULY AND MARCH? MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN I KNOW TRAVIS COUNTY IS ALSO HOME TO SOME ENDANGERED CAR SPECIES, WHICH PROBABLY WOULDN'T, WE WOULDN'T BECOME AWARE OF UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED.
BUT I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS IS LIKE, HOW SURVEYS ARE DONE, WHAT CONSIDERATIONS ARE MADE FOR THOSE ENDANGERED SPECIES AS WELL? NO HABITAT FOR THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE ERI PROCESS.
IF SOMETHING WAS OBSERVED DURING CONSTRUCTION, WE WOULD GET AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP OUT THERE TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE HABITAT AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THE SPECIES TO BE PRESENT.
AND SO, ARE YOUR WORKERS AHEAD OF TIME BRIEFED ON IDENTIFYING THOSE ENDANGERED CAR SPECIES, OR HOW WOULD, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT ORIGINATES WITH YOU ALL TO THEN SAY, HEY, WE'VE SEEN SOMETHING.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S IF A FEATURE IS UNCOVERED DURING EXCAVATION, IT WOULD KIND OF BE THE CONCERN THERE.
SO LIKE IF A MAJOR VOID WAS FOUND DURING SOME SORT OF EXCAVATION, THAT WOULD BE WHEN WE'D GET A CALL FROM THE CONTRACTOR AND WE WOULD SEND A TEAM OUT THERE TO, TO ASSESS POTENTIALS.
AND REGARDING VOIDS ALL, UM, THERE WOULD BE A NOTE ON ALL COVER SHEETS THAT IF A VOID IS ENCOUNTERED, THEN ALL WORK HAS TO STOP AND THEY HAVE TO, UM, REACH OUT TO, UH, WATERSHED GEOLOGISTS, UM, TO, TO LOOK AT IT.
SO AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOP IN ANY APPROPRIATE, UH, AUTHORITIES.
UM, AND THEN I UNDERSTAND WITH THE CART PATH THAT WILL DIVERT YOU ALL INTO SOME LAND IN THE ETJ WHERE THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCES DO NOT APPLY.
AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT SURVEYS HAVE BEEN DONE THERE OF TREES, HOW THE POTENTIAL PATH WOULD DISTURB, UM, HERITAGE TREES.
YEAH, WE HAVE OUR CITY ARBORIST.
UM, UH, WE HAVE ON THE SITE PLAN FROM 2021.
UM, I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT ONE OF THE BENEFITS FROM REMOVING THE FUNICULAR IS THERE WAS CLOSE CONSTRUCTION NEXT TO, I THINK IT WAS THREE HERITAGE TREES.
WE WORKED HEAVILY WITH THE APPLICANT AT THAT TIME TO MEET THAT PRESERVATION OF THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE AND MEET PRESERVATION CRITERIA, MEET PRESERVATION CRITERIA WITH THE CANOPY.
SO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE HAPPY ABOUT IS THAT THERE WILL BE NO CONSTRUCTION NEXT TO THOSE TREES.
UM, AND SO IN TERMS OF WHAT IS OUT THERE ON THE REST OF THE PROPERTY, THERE WERE NO HERITAGE TREES, UM, NEAR THE PROPOSED GOLF CART.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS JUST, UM, REGULATED, NOT EVEN PROTECTED ASH JUNIPER, UM, PREDOMINANTLY SOME CEDAR ELM AND SOME VERY SMALL DIAMETER REGULATED, UH, LESS THAN 19 INCH PROTECTED TREES.
SO FOR US, IT'S BETTER IF YOU DON'T CONSTRUCT AROUND THOSE LARGE HERITAGE TREES.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE LOOKED AT THE, THE PIECE OF LAND IN THE ETJ AND HAVE ASSESSED THAT THERE AREN'T ANY TREES GREATER THAN 19 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE.
THERE'S SOME REGULATED TREES, BUT NOTHING THAT BY CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARDS WOULD BE HERITAGE TREES IN THE ETJ, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T OFFICIALLY APPLY, BUT IT'S RELEVANT TO AN AMENDMENT WE WERE GONNA PROPOSE.
I, UH, MYSELF AND OUR LICENSED AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ARBORIST STAFF WERE AT THE SITE AND VIEWED THE WHOLE PATH.
UM, SO EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T REGULATING THAT AREA, UM, WE DIDN'T OBSERVE, AND ON THE SURVEY, THERE'S NO, UM, PROTECTED OR HERITAGE TREES WHERE THE PROPOSED GOLF CART PATH WOULD GO.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION, HAVE YOU ALL CONSIDERED USING DARK SKY AND BIRD FRIENDING, BIRD FRIENDLY LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY? AND IF SO, WHAT HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS LOOK LIKE? YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY AGREED TO MAKE, UH, THE WHOLE PROJECT DARK SKY COMPLIANT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE SOMETHING? AND I ALSO WANNA NOTE BEFORE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, IF ANYONE DOES HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO ADD AS A RECOMMENDATION, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT NOW SO STAFF AND THE APPLICANT HAVE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS IT.
UM, ONE, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, SOMETHING STAFF, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS FROM WATERSHED OR IF IT WAS PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BA CANYON LANE PLAN, DID A TOUR OF THIS PROPERTY.
WERE ANY OF YOU ALL INVOLVED IN THAT? UM, WE, WE RECENTLY DID A, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'D CALL IT A TOUR, BUT WE DID WALK THE GOLF COURT PATH
[01:05:01]
WITH, UH, WITH OUR CITY ARBORIST STAFF.COMMISSIONER BRIMER? YEAH, I DID THAT ONE MORE TIME.
I DID HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, UH, FORGOT TO ASK LAST TIME.
THE PUT IS COVERED BY THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES, I BELIEVE IT IS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? OKAY, AT THIS POINT I'LL CALL FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOVED BY SULLIVAN, SECONDED BY BRIER.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE CHANGSA KHI LUKI KRUEGER GOLEE FIERRO SULLIVAN BRIMER.
IN THAT CASE, I HAVE A MOTION FOR US TO READ.
SO THE DATE IS MAY 21ST, 2025.
THE SUBJECT IS CAMELBACK POD AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE C EIGHT 14 DASH 86 DASH 0 2 3 0 3.
LOCATION 6 5 0 5 BRIDGEPOINT PARKWAY, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 3 OH.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO AMEND A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE AN OPTION FOR A CART PATH AND OFFSITE SURFACE ACCESS.
IN LIEU OF THE FUNICULAR MECHANIZED ACCESS TO REACH THE DOCK D DISTRICT.
THE 15 FOOT WIDE CART PATH WOULD RUN FROM THE MIXED RESIDENTIAL MR. DISTRICT ACROSS THE PRESERVE, OPEN SPACE P DASH OS, TO A CONNECTING POINT ON THE ADJACENT PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH, AS DEPICTED ON THE PROPOSED PUD LAND USE PLAN.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN WATER SUPPLY, RURAL LAKE AUSTIN AND COLD WATER CREEK WATERSHEDS.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THIS PROJECT SHALL COM SHALL COMPLY WITH THE CURRENT PUD REQUIREMENTS, EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS.
AS PROPOSED IN THE AMENDMENT, A PUD AMENDMENT ALLOWS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ACCESS CART PATH TO THE DOC DISTRICT.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE MECHANIZED ACCESS, FUNICULAR PUD NOTES WILL BE ADDED TO CLARIFY THAT ONCE THE CART PATH IS CONSTRUCTED, NO OTHER ACCESS WILL BE PERMISSIBLE, INCLUDING THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FUNICULAR.
THE CART PATH WILL NOT IMPACT CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, CEFS AND OTHERWISE COMPLY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
C NO ADDITIONAL CUT WILL BE ALLOWED OTHER THAN WHAT IS ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE APPROVED PUD D.
CHANGES TO THE ALLOTMENTS AND ALLOWABLE DEPTHS OF FILL WILL BE ALLOWED AS PROPOSED BY THIS AMENDMENT.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE REQUEST WITH THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS.
ONE DARK SKIES, BIRD FRIENDLY LIGHTING IS USED THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING ALONG THE CART PATH AND DOCK SPACE.
TWO, ALL AREAS DISTURBED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CART PATH SHALL BE REPLANTED WITH NATIVE PLANTS WITH A MANAGEMENT PLAN.
ANY DISCUSSION? UM, ONE, UM, I BELIEVE, UM, I SAW ON MAYBE STAFF CAN CONFIRM THAT, UH, I THINK DARK SKY REQUIREMENTS IS ALREADY ADDRESSED IN THE ORIGINAL POD, SO MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, THAT CONDITION WOULD BE A LITTLE REDUNDANT.
SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION IF, IF I MAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER, LIZ, UH, LIZ WAS CORRECT THAT IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL 2018, BUT THE BIRD, UH, THE BIRD PART WAS NOT IN THE 2018.
SO YOU COULD ADD THAT IN THERE WITHOUT BEING REDUNDANT.
YEAH, WE DO SAY INCLUDING ALONG THE CART PATH.
SO I THINK MAYBE THAT'S A NEW PIECE.
AND, AND I, I MEAN, WE JUST HAD VERBAL, UH, APPROVAL FROM THE APPLICANT THAT THEY WILL DO THAT, BUT I'D RATHER PERSONALLY PUT IT IN WRITING IF IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
SO, DARK SKY LIGHTING SPECIFICALLY OR ALONG THE CART PATH? YES.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS ALREADY OKAY.
BUT THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT, 2018 DID NOT MENTION BIRD FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTION OR LIGHTING AT ANYWHERE WITHIN THE POD.
AND I THINK THE ORIGI, I, I THINK WHAT YOUR INTENTION IS, IF I MAY MM-HMM
IS TO, THROUGHOUT THE P HAVE BIRD FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTION AND LIGHTING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IF YOU'RE WISHING TO MAKE IT P WIDE RATHER THAN JUST ALONG THE CART PATH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO INSERT THAT PHRASING.
I'M, I'M JUST GUESSING AT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO IT SAYS, DARK SKIES SLASH BIRD FRIENDLY LIGHTING
[01:10:01]
IS USED THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING ALONG THE CART PATH AND DOCK SPACE.SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE.
AND SO, DARK SKY LIGHTING IS REALLY, UM, THE STANDARD FOR BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN.
AS FAR AS THE GO LIGHTING IS CONCERNED.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE KIND OF DISCUSSED, UH, BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN ON THE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S JUST KIND OF A SEPARATE THING FROM THE LIGHTING.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
IN THAT CASE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I CAN YOU, UH, SAY YOUR VOTE YES.
COMMISSIONER BRIMER FOR, AND COMMISSIONER KRUEGER ALSO VOTES FOR.
SO THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[3. Presentation and discussion on Austin Resource Recovery’s Road to Zero Waste — Ron Romero, Assistant Director, Austin Resource Recovery]
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO DISCUSSION ITEMS NUMBER THREE, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES ROAD TO ZERO WASTE.FROM RON ROMERO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ON MY BEHALF.
NO, THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME OUT HERE.
I'M RON ROMERO, I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TO COME AND TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT AND, UH, WHERE WE ARE NOW, TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS, WHERE WE'RE HEADED, UH, SOME INITIATIVES AND, AND GOALS THAT WE HAVE, UM, AND JUST HOW IT ALIGNS WITH THIS COMMISSION.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME PROGRAMS. AND, UH, AFTERWARDS, DEFINITELY WE WILL ENTERTAIN SOME QUESTIONS, UH, BUT ALSO WITH THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE, HOPEFULLY AN INVITATION TO COME BACK, IF YOU, UH, HAVE SPECIFIC CONTENT THAT YOU WANT US TO TALK ABOUT, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, THIS, UH, PRESENTATION AND, UH, TO FOCUS ON.
WE'LL BE GLAD TO COME BACK, GET THE, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HERE AND PROVIDE YOU WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR MISSION.
OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN OUR PLANET.
AND OUR VISION IS DRIVING THE GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION OF TRADITIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT TO SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE RECOVERY.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AND JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THOSE THINGS FOR YOU.
UH, THE FIRST ONE THAT I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT ARE YOUR BIG THREE, WHAT WE CALL THE BIG THREE.
AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
THERE ARE CURBSIDE COLLECTIONS.
THIS IS YOUR CART, RESIDENTIAL CART SERVICE, UH, FOR TRASH RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING TRASH, WEEKLY SERVICE, RECYCLABLES, BIWEEKLY COMPOSTING WEEKLY SERVICE.
UM, THREE VERY, VERY POPULAR PROGRAMS HERE WITH THE CITY.
UH, TWO OF 'EM, UH, I WANNA BRAG A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRASH AND, AND RECYCLING.
UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY, UH, THE LAST COUPLE OF CYCLES, THOSE TWO PROGRAMS HAVE RATED VERY, VERY HIGHLY, UH, WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND WITH THE PUBLIC, UH, TRASH AND RECYCLING, UH, CONTINUE TO BE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY TWO OF THE BIG THREE COMPOSTING, WHICH WE'VE ADDED HERE IN RECENT YEARS, UH, IS GAINING A LOT OF MOMENTUM.
UH, WE'RE REALLY, REALLY HAPPY WITH THE TRAJECTORY THAT THAT PROGRAM IS TAKING.
UM, BUT JUST THREE VERY, VERY SOLID PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER FOR OUR, OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL BASE OF ABOUT 220,000 CUSTOMERS, UH, THAT WE SERVICE.
UH, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TRUCKS ON THE, UH, ON, OUT ON THE STREETS.
UH, YOU SEE US IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WE ARE THE FRIENDLY SERVICE THAT, UH, THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ALSO ABOUT BRUSH BULKY AND HHW ON DEMAND SERVICES.
UH, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HEARD, UH, WE'VE KIND OF REDESIGNED THESE PROGRAMS. UH, INSTEAD OF YOUR EVERY SIX MONTHS ROTATION THAT WE COME OUT AND SERVICE YOU AND PICK UP YOUR BRUSH AND BULKY ITEMS, WE'VE, WE'VE TRANSITIONED OVER TO AN ON DEMAND SERVICE WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY GIVEN THREE TIMES A YEAR TO SET OUT EITHER ONE OF THOSE, UM, IN ANY ONE OF THOSE, UH,
[01:15:01]
COMMODITIES, THE BRUSH, THE BULKY, AND THE HHW.WE STARTED THIS IN JANUARY, AND IT HAS BEEN A VERY, VERY, VERY POPULAR, UH, CHANGE IN THE PROGRAM.
UH, WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN USE.
UH, WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, CLEANER NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'VE SEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND, UH, BLOCK LEADERS GETTING TOGETHER TO, TO, UH, COORDINATE THESE SERVICES HAPPENING.
UM, BUT IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL SO FAR.
I WANNA TALK ALSO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RECYCLING AND REUSE DROPOFF CENTER.
IT'S OVER OFF OF BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
UM, A VERY, VERY POPULAR PROGRAM ALSO WHERE, UH, RESIDENTS OF, UH, OF, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY CAN COME AND DROP OFF ITEMS THERE AT THEIR LEISURE.
UH, WE TAKE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THERE.
UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY, REALLY POPULAR.
THIS PAST SEASON, OF COURSE, WAS A VERY BIG, BIG ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
WE RECYCLE ELECTION, ELECTION SIGNS THERE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY POPULAR THERE AT THE, UH, AT THE LOCATION.
UH, BUT YOU'RE ABLE TO DROP OFF IF YOU, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO COME IN AND DROP OFF AND NOT SCHEDULE.
YOU CAN COME IN AND DROP OFF YOUR CHEMICALS.
YOU CAN DROP OFF HARD TO RECYCLE ITEMS. IT'S JUST A VERY, VERY GOOD SERVICE.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KIND OF READ UP ON IT, USE IT.
UH, IT'S A GREAT SERVICE, UM, LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN FOR RESIDENTS.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CITYWIDE SERVICES.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STREET SWEEPING.
STREET SWEEPING IS PROVIDED FOR MAJOR ROADS, RESIDENTIAL STREETS, BIKE LANES, AND BOULEVARDS.
UM, WE HAVE A CYCLE THAT RESIDENTIAL, UH, STREETS ARE SWEPT SIX TIMES A YEAR.
UH, BOULEVARDS ARE SWEPT TWICE A MONTH, AND BIKE LANES ARE ALSO SWEPT TWICE A MONTH.
UH, LAST YEAR WE SWEPT OVER 76,000 MILES, CURB MILES.
UM, ALSO A VERY, VERY POPULAR PROGRAM HERE.
UM, YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE, UH, GET AN IDEA OF WHEN WE'RE COMING THROUGH.
UH, BUT A RELIABLE SERVICE, UH, SOMETHING THAT THE, UH, THE PUBLIC HAS DEFINITELY EMBRACED.
UM, I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF OUR BUSINESS SERVICES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT.
UM, WE OFFER A CIRCULAR BUSINESS SERVICE.
UH, WE HAVE A COMMERCIAL COMPLIANCE UNIT, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND, UH, DEMOLITION RECYCLING ORDINANCE, UH, SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE, CY UNIVERSAL RECYCLING ORDINANCE, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ZERO WASTE BUSINESS REBATE.
AND I'M GONNA COME BACK AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE HERE, BUT I ALSO KIND OF WANTED TO FOCUS ON SOME OF OUR REAL POPULAR PROGRAMS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE, UH, ONE ARE JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT, BUT HAVE REALLY, REALLY TAKEN OFF AND PUT THE, UH, DEPARTMENT AT A VERY, VERY POSITIVE LIGHT.
UH, THE FIRST ONE I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS OUR, UH, AUSTIN REUSE DIRECTORY.
AND IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT, THIS IS ONLINE DIRECTORY MAKES IT EASY TO LOCATE PLACES TO DONATE AND BUY SECONDHAND ITEMS ACROSS AUSTIN.
SO WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE WEBSITE.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE ADDRESS THERE THAT WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE TO THE COMMISSION.
IT, I THINK IT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR, UM, IN YOUR PACKET.
UH, BUT THE AUSTIN REUSE DIRECTORY IS SOMETHING THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE, UH, HAVE, UH, ACCESSED AND, AND HAVE BEEN USING THE FIXIT CLINIC.
AUSTIN BUILDS COMMUNITY AND EDUCATES RESIDENTS ABOUT THE VALUE OF REPAIR AND REUSE AT EVENTS HOSTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MEANING AT LOCAL LIBRARIES, YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY EXPERT RE EXPERTS REPAIR AND TEACH RESIDENTS HOW TO REPAIR CLOTHES WITH SEWING CLASSES, APPLIANCES.
WE'VE GOT, UH, CERTIFIED PEOPLE THAT COME AND VOLUNTEER TO TEACH THIS CLASS, AND ALSO ELECTRONICS.
SO THIS HAS BECOME VERY, VERY POPULAR.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH OUR, OUR LIBRARY, OUR, A PUBLIC LIBRARY TO HOLD THESE FIXED IT CLINICS.
AND, UM, HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A SPIKE AFTER COVID, OF COURSE, I THINK EVERYTHING WAS KIND OF DORMANT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'VE SEEN A REALLY, REALLY BIG INTEREST IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
ENCOURAGE YOU, UH, TO LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE.
UH, BUT IT'S AT OUR, OUR LOCAL, UH, WE PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL PARK, UH, EXCUSE ME, OUR LIBRARIES.
AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT CLINIC.
GENERATION ZERO IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
UM, BASICALLY WE'VE PARTNERED WITH, UH, KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL, WHO GOES OUT TO OUR, UM, OUR SCHOOLS AND BASICALLY PROVIDES PRESENTATIONS, UM, AND TRAININGS, UH, TO OUR, OUR K THROUGH 12, UH, SCHOOL KIDS IN
[01:20:01]
REGARDS TO SUSTAINABILITY, COMPOSTING, RECYCLING.AND I SAY THIS, THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, I REALLY, REALLY LIKE THIS PROGRAM.
ONE, I LEAD THE, UH, THE, THE BIG THREE.
UH, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CURBSIDE, YOUR RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE COLLECTION PROGRAMS. AND IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT ABOUT EDUCATION.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH MONEY TO EDUCATE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE COMING INTO AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, SOME, SO MANY PEOPLE MOVING OUT, UH, PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR GENERATION ZERO, WE GO INTO THE SCHOOLS, WE TALK TO THE SCHOOLS.
'CAUSE WHAT WE FOUND IS A LOT OF TIMES CHILDREN TEACH THEIR PARENTS.
THEY EDUCATE THEIR PARENTS ON, YOU KNOW, HOW TO RECYCLE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD TO GO TO SOME OF THESE TRAININGS, TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, TALK IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND JUST SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO TELL MY MOM ALL THE TIME, THAT DOESN'T GO IN THE TRASH MOM.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR THAT, YOU GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND YOU HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING THE NEEDLE.
WE'RE STARTING EARLY TO EDUCATE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE CONTINUE TO SAY.
THE EDUCATION IS A BIG PART OF, OF PROGRAMS, ANY PROGRAM.
BUT, UH, THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH MONEY FOR EDUCATION.
UH, BUT IT'S REAL IMPORTANT WE SET THAT SEED WITH, WITH, UH, WITH THE KIDS AND, AND THAT GROUP, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE THE ONES LEADING THE, UH, THE CHANGES IN THE HOUSEHOLD MOVE OUT A TX.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS A SEASONAL DONATION PROGRAM THAT HELPS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STUDENTS IN WEST CAMPUS GIVE AWAY GENTLY USED ITEMS AND GIVE IT A SECOND LIFE.
UH, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS ASSISTED AND HELPED COORDINATE THIS PROGRAM, THIS EFFORT.
AND DURING THE SUMMERS, UH, IN JULY, YOU KNOW, WHEN KIDS ARE, WHEN STUDENTS ARE MOVING OUT, UH, SUMMER ARE MOVING IN, SUMMER SCHOOL HAS ENDED.
YOU JUST SEE, YOU KNOW, FURNITURE IN THE PAST.
YOU'VE SEEN FURNITURE, YOU'VE SEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE, GOOD SHAPE, THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST MOVING ON AND MOVING OUT.
AND SO WE COLLABORATED AND WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT ACTUALLY WOULD HELP US, UH, YOU KNOW, CREATE A SYSTEM.
SO A LOT OF THIS STUFF CAN BE REUSED INSTEAD OF BEING LANDFILLED.
SO IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
UH, IT'S, IT'S ONE THAT WE TOUT EVERY YEAR.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TALKING WITH OTHER SCHOOLS.
I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HOUSTON TILLSON, WHO HAS, UH, BEEN INTERESTED.
EDWARDS, THERE'S SOME, THERE ARE OTHER, UH, UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS HERE IN AUSTIN THAT, THAT, LIKE, WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING WITH REUSE AND RECYCLING.
AND SO WE, WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT, UH, DEFINITELY A GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR, OUR ZERO WASTE BLOCK LEADERS.
AND OUR BLOCK LEADERS ARE RUN OF THE MILL, JUST REGULAR RESIDENTS WHO WANNA BE INVOLVED, WHO WANNA BE INVOLVED IN, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S RECYCLING, SUSTAINABILITY, HELPING COORDINATE AND, AND BEAUTIFY THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WE'VE GOT THIS PROGRAM WHERE WE TAKE VOLUNTEERS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS AND KIND OF, UH, GIVE THEM SOME TRAINING, GIVE THEM, UH, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND, AND KIND OF TRAIN THEM UP.
LET THEM KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS WE HAVE GOING ON, UH, WHAT OUR INITIATIVES ARE.
AND THEY'RE KIND OF OUR, OUR SPOKESMAN.
THEY GO OUT THERE AND THEY EDUCATE THEIR NEIGHBORS.
THEY ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE HAVE TRAININGS, WE HAVE MEETINGS.
UH, IT'S JUST A GOOD, GOOD WAY TO, UH, REACH OUT TO AUSTIN TO FIND PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE INVOLVED.
SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST EDUCATE THEIR NEIGHBORS.
SO THIS IS AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO KIND OF REACH OUT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, REGULAR, REGULAR CITIZENS THAT WANT TO GET INVOLVED, UH, THAT WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT KIND OF WANNA BE OUR SPOKESPERSON.
AND, UH, WE WILL TAKE IT ANYTIME THAT THEY OFFER IT.
IF, IF ANYONE HERE IS INTERESTED IN, IN VOLUNTEERING TO BE A BLOCK LEADER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH.
I'LL BE GLAD TO SIGN YOU UP AFTER, AFTER THE MEETING.
UH, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT.
I, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU, AGAIN, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT A RR IS DOING AND WHAT WE CONTINUE TO DO TO TRY TO PUSH THE NEEDLE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO, BY 2040 TO, UH, DIVERT 90% OF WHAT'S GOING TO THE LANDFILL.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO PUT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES IN PLACE TO PUSH THE NEEDLE, UM,
[01:25:01]
INVOLVING THE, THE PUBLIC INVOLVING STAKEHOLDERS, UH, BEING AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN.I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, WE TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK TO THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT WE DO, WE HAVE THE SAME GOALS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE WANNA PROTECT A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.
YOU KNOW, OUR STREET SWEEPING HELPS US REMOVE, UM, YOU KNOW, LITTER THAT GETS INTO THE WATERWAYS AND, AND, AND, AND DAMAGES THE, UH, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME, WE REPORT TO THE, UH, ZERO WASTE, UH, UH, COMMISSION, THE SWAC COMMISSION.
BUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO KIND OF OVERLAP AND WE, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME GOALS AND, YOU KNOW, FOR AUSTIN AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR RESIDENTS.
IF THERE'S ANY SUBJECT MATTER THAT I'VE BRIEFLY COVERED, WE'LL BE GLAD TO COME BACK AND GIVE YOU MORE CONTENT.
UH, TALK ABOUT IF YOU WANNA DELVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THOSE, UH, SUBJECTS OF THOSE PROGRAMS, WE'LL BE GLAD TO COME BACK AND, AND DO A FULL FLEDGED PRESENTATION FOR YOU.
UH, BUT I APPRECIATE THE INVITATION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY I RESPECT THESE COMMISSIONS.
MR. SULLIVAN IS, WAS ON THE, UH, THE ZAC COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY, SO I, I'M FAMILIAR WITH HIM.
BUT, UH, WE RESPECT THESE COMMISSIONS AND, AND, AND IT'S MORE OF A PARTNERSHIP AND, AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.
I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER BRIMER FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, NO QUESTIONS.
BUT IT WAS A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
I WOULD LIKE A COPY OF YOUR SLIDE.
SO IF YOU COULD FORWARD THEM OVER TO ELIZABETH SO SHE COULD, UH, DISTRIBUTE 'EM TO THE MASSES, IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
SO, AND I GUESS THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA VOLUNTEER TO BE A BLOCK LEADER, SO I'LL CATCH YOU AFTER THE MEETING.
UM, FRANKLIN, COULD I, COULD I GET YOU TO SHOW THAT ONE SLIDE? UM, I, I, I BROUGHT, I ACTUALLY MADE UP A SLIDE.
'CAUSE WHEN I SAW THIS ON THE AGENDA, I WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING TO, TO AR US AND RESOURCE RECOVERY'S, UH, ATTENTION.
SO THIS IS A MAP, UH, FROM GOOGLE EARTH, UH, THAT SHOWS SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD AND ON BIKE TO WORK DAY LAST FRIDAY,
AND, AND THIS IS IN YOUR DISTRICT? UH, ANNA ANNIE.
UM, SO ANYWAY, UM, ON THE WAY, ON MY WAY HOME, MY HANDLEBAR ON ONE OF MY BIKES, I WAS TRYING TO, THERE WAS A CAR COMING.
AND SO I KIND OF HUGGED THE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, MOVED OVER AND I BUMPED INTO ONE OF THE, UM, GARBAGE, UH, CONTAINERS.
UM, BUT THE POINT IS THAT, THAT INSPIRED ME TO BRING THIS UP TODAY.
WELL, ON ONE, ONE OF THE, UH, THERE WAS, THERE WERE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR HOUSES IN A ROW THAT HAD THEIR, UM, THEIR GARBAGE CANS ON THE, UM, WHITE, THE, THE WHITE LINE THERE, THAT'S THE SOLID WHITE LINE, UM, WHERE THE ARROW IS POINTING, SAYING PLACE WASTE CYCLING AND COMPOSTING BARRELS HERE.
AND SO THEY WERE NOT IN THE ROAD FOR MOTOR TO INTERFERE WITH MOTOR VEHICLES.
AND THEY WEREN'T IN THE BIKE LANE.
AND WHEN I CAME ON MY WAY HOME, THE A RR GUYS HAD LEFT THEM THE EMPTY BARRELS ON THAT LINE ALSO.
AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S THE ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PROTECT THE BIKE LANE BY PUTTING STUFF RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF IT WITH THE ROAD BETWEEN THE ROAD AND THE BIKE LANE.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE, ON FRIDAYS, IT IS A MINEFIELD OUT THERE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, BARRELS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIKE LANE, AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE PUT 'EM UP AGAINST THE CURB.
SOME OF 'EM LEAVE 'EM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF RIDICULOUS.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE, THE FEEDBACK, SIR.
AND YEAH, AND I'LL SEND, I'LL SEND, I'LL EMAIL YOU THIS IF THAT'D BE GREAT.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE ARE STILL, UH, ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS, NOT ONLY CITY MANAGEMENT, UH, HERE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT STAKEHOLDERS AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN REGARDS TO THIS SUBJECT.
UH, WE ARE, WE'RE LOOKING, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT UPDATING OUR ADMIN RULES.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL PROBABLY BE DOING THAT IN LATE JULY.
BUT UNTIL THEN, WE'RE ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS, UH, TRYING TO EDUCATE, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS AND SUCH.
WE DO, AND NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, ARE VERY UNIQUE.
AND, AND ONE THING ABOUT A RR AND, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT, WE SUPPORT PEDESTRIANS AND WE SUPPORT BIKES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT'S PERFECT FOR THIS CITY.
UM, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR OUR COLLECTION SYSTEM.
SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THAT AS BEST THAT WE CAN.
WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A MEETING IN THE ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY TRYING TO GET FEEDBACK ON,
[01:30:01]
ON HOW WE CAN EDUCATE CUSTOMERS AND, AND COME TO A CONSENSUS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, CARTS AND, AND BIKE LANES.AND, AND JUST TO SHOW HOW MUCH I TRUST YOU GUYS,
I'VE GOT MY, UH, RECYCLING AND COMPOSTABLE STUFF IN HERE FROM MY LUNCH.
I DON'T TRUST THEM AT UT I SHOULDN'T SAY WHO I WORK FOR
SO WE, WE APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
IF YOU PLEASE EMAIL ME THAT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT SLIDE.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE IT TO THE, TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND WE'LL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK, SIR.
THANKS, COMMISSIONER FIERRO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE SOME, UH, TRAININGS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN GO TO AROUND, LIKE, LEARN HOW TO RECYCLE.
UH, IN MY DAY-TO-DAY WORK, I'M MOSTLY, UM, AROUND FOLKS THAT PRE PREDOMINANTLY SPEAK SPANISH.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THESE TRAININGS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH.
IS THERE INTERPRETATION OR USING OF THE I SPEAK AUSTIN.
AND ALSO HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY FIND ABOUT WHERE THESE TRAININGS ARE GONNA BE AND WHERE, CERTAINLY.
NO, UM, THEY ARE IN, UM, AND ALSO IN SPANISH.
UM, WE DO OFFER THE TRAININGS THAT WE DO, ESPECIALLY IF YOU VOLUNTEER TO BE A BLOCK LEADER, WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT'LL KIND OF GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE GUIDELINES AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
I'LL BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU MY EMAIL AFTER, UM, AFTER THIS, AND I'LL CONNECT YOU WITH THE, UH, OUR, OUR RIGHT DIVISION, UH, THAT CAN PRETTY MUCH KIND OF SATISFY ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AND, AND LET YOU KNOW ABOUT TRAININGS AND OUTREACH AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GANGLY, NO QUESTIONS.
I WAS WONDERING, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF RECYCLING ACTUALLY GOES INTO THE RECYCLING SYSTEM THESE DAYS? THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE GET QUITE OFTEN.
UM, AUSTIN IS CONTRACTED WITH TWO, UH, MURPHS TWO VENDORS.
WE'VE GOT ALCON'S RECYCLING, AND WE'VE GOT TDS ONE IS NORTH, UM, OVER OFF OF JOHNNY MORRISON, TWO 90, THAT'S BALCONES.
UM, AND TDS IS SOUTH, WHICH IS OVER IN CREEDMORE.
UH, 60% OF OUR RESIDENTIAL RECYCLINGS, UH, GO TO BALCONES.
AND, UH, THE OTHER 40% GO TO, UM, TDS.
NOW, EACH OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE, HAVE, YOU KNOW, STRONG CONTRACTS TO, TO SELL THOSE COMMODITIES.
THE CITY GOES OUT AND, AND PERFORMS AN AUDIT, UM, A YEARLY AUDIT AT EACH OF THOSE VENDORS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE, ARE BEING SOLD TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THE PROPER VENDORS AND BEING RECYCLED AND THAT TYPE OF TYPE OF THING.
SO WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH BALCONES AND TDS AND, UH, THEM RECYCLING THE, UM, THE RESIDENTIAL RECYCLABLES COMMODITIES THAT THEY GET FROM US.
UM, I HAVE, UH, SEEN NUMBERS ON THIS BEFORE, AND WE HAD A PRESENTATION AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LAST YEAR FROM SOMEBODY WHO WAS NOT WITH THE CITY, BUT THEY WERE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.
AND, AND THE ACTUAL ANSWER TO THE QUESTION WAS 30% OF OF THE A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT'S BEING PUT IN THE, INTO THE SYSTEM.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE RECENTLY HAD AN AUDIT, AND WHAT WE LOOK, WHEN WE DO A COMPOSITION STUDY, WE LOOK AT WHAT, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, TRASH, WHAT'S IN THE TRASH, UH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE RECYCLING STREAM, IT'S TRASH AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT PROPER RECYCLING.
AND AT OUR LAST AUDIT THAT WE HAD WITH TDS 15%, WE HAD A CONTAMINATION RATE OF 15%.
THE OTHER, UH, 85% WAS, WAS ACCEPTED RECYCLING THAT, THAT WE EXPECT TDS TO, UH, TO RECYCLE AND SELL WITH THEIR CONTRACTS AND SUCH.
UM, IS THERE ANY KIND OF ANALYSIS THAT, THAT, UH, MIGHT ALLOW FOR A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING RECYCLING? FOR EXAMPLE, IN EUROPE, THEY SEPARATE THE GLASS INTO DIFFERENT COLORS.
UH, THEY'RE VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE IN, IN KIND OF DOING IT AT THE CURB.
AND, UH, MAYBE INSTEAD OF HAVING A CADILLAC APPROACH WHERE YOU THROW EVERYTHING INTO ONE BIN, YOU, UH, STREAMLINE IT AT THE HOUSE INSTEAD.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE CONSIDERED? WE HAVE NOT CONSIDERED THAT, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY LOVE TO BE SENT TO EUROPE TO GO EXPLORE THAT, UH,
BUT, UH, WE, WE HAVE NOT CONSIDERED IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, WHAT WE LOOK AT IS, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, FOR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THAT'S WHY IT'S KIND OF AN ALL, ALL IN ONE CART.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE GREAT PARTICIPATION.
[01:35:01]
GOT LAST, UH, PARTICIPATION STUDY WE DID, UH, WE HAD 85% OF THE CITY IS PARTICIPATING IN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM.AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A RECYCLING PROGRAM WHERE IT'S NOT MANDATORY.
WE'RE NOT CALIFORNIA, WE'RE NOT THESE OTHER STATES.
WE'RE NOT MANDATING THESE, THESE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING 85% PARTICIPATION BY PEOPLE WHO WANNA DO THE RIGHT THING.
SO FOR THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING, WE HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH MAKE IT EASE AS EASY AS WE CAN.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION OF, OF ABOUT THAT, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST BEEN DISCUSSION, SIR.
HEY, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
SUPER HELPFUL TO GET A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF, UH, WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, THE A RR.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE ON-DEMAND BULK PICKUP THING IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WANTING FOR A WHILE, SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT HAS FINALLY HAPPENED.
YOU OPEN GETTING GOOD RESULTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER, UH, ACTUALLY SHOUT OUT WIZARD PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THEY ONCE HAD, UH, SORT OF LIKE A, AN EVENT WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW STUFF CAN GET MESSED UP AT THE RECYCLING CENTERS AND PEOPLE DON'T PUT THE RIGHT STUFF IN THERE.
UH, SO TALKING ABOUT THE SORT OF, UH, I FORGET IT WAS THE, THE, UH, THE YEARS BASICALLY JUST GOING TO SCHOOLS AND TALKING TO KIDS, I WAS LIKE, MAN, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, DON'T PUT TRASH BAGS OR LIKE RECYCLED STUFF IN THE TRASH BAGS AND THEN PUT IN THE RECYCLING BIN.
BECAUSE NOW THAT I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, WHENEVER I SEE THAT ALL THE TIME, IT'S JUST HORRIFIC RAGE JUST LIKE FILLS ME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO, MAYBE EVEN PUTTING STUFF ON THE RECYCLING BINS THEMSELVES, RIGHT? AND BEING LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE MESSING UP PEOPLE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE WITH OUR LIVES? UM, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT UH, THAT ABSOLUTELY KILLS ME INSIDE IS LIKE WHEN WE HAVE, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST AT THIS EVENT TODAY, UM, AT LAS ROSA, RIGHT? AND, UH, AGAIN, SHOT AT WINDSOR PARK, UH, HANKS WAS DOING THE CATERING, AND THEY HAD LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE BIODEGRADABLE LITTLE FORKS AND, AND TRAYS, BOATS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL 'EM.
BUT THEN EVERYONE'S JUST THROWING THEM AWAY INTO REGULAR TRASH CANS.
SO I'M LIKE, WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF THIS? SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENCOURAGE, UH, MORE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OR BUSINESSES TO, UH, HAVE SEPARATE COMPOST, UH, BINS OR FACILITIES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING AND WE'RE CONTINUING, WE NEED BUY-IN FROM THESE BUSINESSES AS WELL.
UM, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE TOO, RIGHT? BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF WIDESPREAD ADOPTION, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT, UH, MAYBE NOT, OR EVEN SO, LIKE MANDATORY THAT WE HAVE COMPOST FACILITIES OR, OR BINS IN LIKE ALL COMMERCIAL, UH, SORT OF PROPERTIES OR BUSINESSES.
I WANTED TO GET YOUR INPUT ON THAT.
UH, YES, WE, WE AGREE A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF IT TAKES EDUCATION.
UH, WE DO HAVE A RECYCLING, UH, UNIVERSAL RECYCLING ORDINANCE WHERE MULTIFAMILY AND BUSINESSES ARE REQUIRED TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE COMPOSTING AND RECYCLING, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND, AND IF IT'S MULTIFAMILY TO THEIR RESIDENTS, UM, WHAT WE LACK IS WE, WE NEED THAT, THAT, UH, THAT MECHANISM WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IT'S A VOLUNTARY, UH, UM, REPORTING SYSTEM THAT THEY GIVE US, THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATING AND THEY'RE ADHERING TO THIS ORDINANCE.
UH, BUT WE NEED A MECHANISM WHERE WE HAVE, UM, A LOT MORE EDUCATION.
WE'RE ABLE TO GO OUT AND VISIT WITH, UH, WITH BUSINESSES AND TRAIN THEM.
UH, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT, UH, HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, TO PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUS ON THAT.
UH, 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND, AND UH, COMPANIES ARE DOING ALSO HELPS US MOVE THE NEEDLE, YOU KNOW, INTO ZERO WASTE.
SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A CONSIDERED A CONSIDERED EFFORT TO GET OUT THERE AND, AND, UH, EDUCATE AND, UH, HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, PUT PUT REPORTING GUIDELINES IN PLACE FOR THEM TO, UH, TO ADHERE TO SOME OF THESE RULES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, ALL OF MY QUESTIONS WERE STOLEN BY OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I, I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN, UH, THE COMPOST PICKUP PROGRAM.
SO I KNOW PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN, UM, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DOWNTOWN, AND THEY PAY FOR SOME COMPANY TO COME AND PICK IT UP FROM THEIR APARTMENT, AND IT'S SOMETHING LIKE $70 A MONTH OR SOMETHING.
AND I, YEAH, I FEEL LIKE I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE CITY OFFERED THAT, OR THAT IT WAS AN ORDINANCE FOR RESIDENCES OR RESIDENCIES TO BE OFFERING TO
[01:40:01]
BEGIN WITH.UM, WE'VE HEARD THOSE STORIES ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRICING FOR, UH, MULTIFAMILY AND APARTMENTS AND, AND CONDOS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE CITY, YOU KNOW, DOES NOT, YOU KNOW, REGULATE ANY OF THAT.
THE PRICING COMING FROM PRIVATE HAULERS AND, AND THOSE SERVICES OFFERED, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THOSE, UH, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND, AND ASSOCIATIONS UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, BUT, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE COMPOSTING PROGRAM, UH, WE CONTINUE TO, UM, EDUCATE ALL OF AUSTIN, NOT ONLY OUR RESIDENTS, BUT UH, UM, OF THE BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING, UH, DIVERTING, YOU KNOW, UH, WHETHER IT'S GREEN WASTE OR FOOD WASTE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE LANDFILL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON.
I, UH, I CALLED IT OUR BIG THREE, UM, WITH THE, UH, COMPOSTING BEING THE BABY BROTHER THAT'S GROWING UP, AND IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY, REALLY STRONG PROGRAM HERE.
UM, AUSTIN HAS SOME REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THIS DEPARTMENT FOR WELL OVER 20 YEARS, AND I'VE SEEN THE CHANGES IN THE EVOLUTION.
UM, AND WE'VE REALLY GOT SOME GOOD THINGS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M GETTING CALLS FROM, FROM, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES AND YOU KNOW ABOUT, HEY, WHAT IS AUSTIN DOING? YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA REINVENT THE WHEEL.
WHAT'S WORKING FOR YOU GUYS? THAT, THAT'S A FORM OF FLATTERY FOR US.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS, A LOT OF WORK AND PROGRESS ALL, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, BUT WE ARE, WE'RE VERY INTENT ON TRYING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND, AND, UH, KEEP THIS, UH, COMMUNITY CLEAN AND CON CONTINUE TO KIND OF SAVE LANDFILL SPACE AND TRY TO HIT THAT 90% DIVERSION BY 2040 FOR SURE.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS.
I WAS WONDERING IF, UM, THERE'S BEEN ANY LIKE, OUTREACH EFFORTS TOWARDS, LIKE, MAJOR DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY PROMINENT IN AUSTIN? I KNOW I HATE TO PUT LIKE MORE BURDEN ON, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE TRYING TO DO GOOD, BUT I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIME THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT ENDS UP HAPPENING.
UM, BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY OUTREACH OR ARE THOSE BIG DEVELOPERS RECEPTIVE TO THAT AT ALL, OR? WELL, WE'VE GOT A DIVISION HERE, A STRATEGIC, UH, INITIATIVES DIVISION THAT FOCUSES ON BUSINESS OUTREACH.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST SO, IT, IT'S SUCH A GROUP THAT'S SO INTENSE AND THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, SO MOTIVATED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE MESSAGING OUT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THESE INITIATIVES AND WHERE AUSTIN IS AND, AND WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO.
SO YES, THERE IS A TEAM THAT, THAT DOES BUSINESS OUTREACH WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL TALKING TO DEVELOPERS, NEW COMPANIES COMING IN, JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, TALK ABOUT AUSTIN AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
UM, I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ON DEMAND SERVICES, WHICH I KNOW HAS, HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP ALREADY.
I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW FROM AN INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE, THAT CREATES, UH, IT'S MORE CONVENIENT.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL A CERTAIN DATE.
BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE.
'CAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT CARBON EMISSIONS, OR EVEN JUST THE CULTURAL ASPECT, LIKE WHEN BULK PICKUP IS HAPPENING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I KNOW I KIND OF GO ON A WALK AND GO SHOPPING THROUGH MY, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBOR'S TRASH AND, UH, AND, AND THAT KEEPS SOME THINGS OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND VICE VERSA.
UM, AND EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN I NEEDED SOMETHING PICKED UP AND I REALIZED, OH, WE HAVE TO DO IT ON DEMAND.
YOU KNOW, I PUT OUT A SIGN FOR MY NEIGHBORS TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS BULK PICKUP.
UM, SO TO ME, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, IT FELT A LITTLE MORE CUMBERSOME TO LIKE, MAKE THE CALL.
AND SECONDLY, FROM A COMMUNITY-WIDE PERSPECTIVE AND FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE, UH, MORE BURDENSOME ON OUR SYSTEM TO HAVE TO DO MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE DRIVES OUT PLACES RATHER THAN A SINGLE DRIVE THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'M SURE YOU ALL RESEARCHED THIS AND HAD YOUR REASONING, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN SHARE MORE ABOUT WHY THE SWITCH WAS MADE.
YEAH, SO WE, UH, WE ACTUALLY PILOTED THIS FOR OVER A YEAR, UM, UH, GATHERING STATISTICS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT FUEL, UH, COSTS, LOOKING AT, UH, PERSONNEL COSTS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A RETURN OF INVESTMENT ON, ON THIS PROGRAM AND HOW WOULD IT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR DEPARTMENT.
WHAT WE WANNA DO AS A DEPARTMENT IS TO CONTINUE TO KEEP RATES AS LOW AS WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR EVERYTHING ABOUT HOW UNAFFORDABLE AUSTIN IS NOWADAYS.
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT WAYS TO KIND OF REDESIGN AND COME UP WITH GAINING SOME EFFICIENCIES WHEN WE DID OUR PILOT PROGRAM.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE SAW IS THAT, YOU KNOW,
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WE GIVE, WE WERE GIVEN THE, UH, THE CUSTOMER A LITTLE BIT MORE LEEWAY IN REGARDS TO, UH, WHEN THEY WANTED THEIR BULK SERVICE.UM, AND SO WE, WE CREATED A, WE HAVE A MAPPING SYSTEM THAT DOES THAT.
WE DO A POINT TO POINT NOW ON, ON, UH, ON COLLECTIONS.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE'VE BEEN IN, IN IT FOR FIVE MONTHS, SINCE JANUARY.
SO WE'RE STILL GATHERING INFORMATION.
UM, BUT SO FAR THE POPULARITY OF THE PROGRAM, THE REDUCTION IN, IN OVERTIME FUEL COST PERSONNEL, UM, IT'S STARTING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARER THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS A GOOD, GOOD WAY TO KIND OF REDESIGN THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT I'LL BE GLAD AFTER A YEAR AND, AND WE'VE GAINED SOME, SOME REALLY HEAVY STATISTICS ON, ON, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE GAINS THAT WE'VE MADE AND, AND IF THERE'S SOME DRAWBACKS OF IT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD ABOUT BEING TRANSPARENT.
SO I'LL BE GLAD TO COME BACK AT A LATER TIME AND, AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AFTER WE'VE BEEN IN THE, UH, THE PROGRAM FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
YEAH, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HEAR.
AND I HEARD YOU MENTION FUEL COSTS, A NUMBER OF TRIPS, WHICH OF COURSE DIRECTLY TIE INTO CARBON EMISSIONS, SO YES, MA'AM.
I IMAGINE THAT'S A, A PROXY FOR MEASURING THAT, BUT I'M DEFINITELY CURIOUS ABOUT YEAH.
WE'LL JUST, UH, WE'LL COME BACK AT, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR NEXT YEAR AND THEN, AND GIVE YOU A GOOD ROBUST, UH, PRESENTATION ON, ON HOW, HOW ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE ON DEMAND HAS TURNED OUT.
AND THEN JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION.
UM, FOOD WASTE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP.
I KNOW PART OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE FOOD PLAN WAS A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASSESSMENT OF FOOD WASTE.
UM, AND I KNOW AUSTIN PRODUCES 1.24 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD WASTE EVERY DAY, AND FOOD WASTE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 21% OF ALL THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CREATED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOUR DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRACKING THOSE METRICS AND MONITORING OUR IMPROVEMENT THERE.
I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I DO KNOW THAT WE ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE STATISTICS, WE SHARE INFORMATION, WE HAVE ROUND TABLES WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME OBJECTIVES.
UH, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
I, I, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME, SOME STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, IN, IN THIS MM-HMM
UM, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT ANSWERS FOR YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER, ONE THING I FORGOT, I WAS GONNA MENTION THIS BEFORE, BUT LIKE, I'M A NUMBERS GUY AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE LIKE THE TRENDS, LIKE WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN, UH, TWO THOU IN 1995? WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN TWO, 2000, 2005, ET CETERA, IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH WASTE AUSTIN WAS PRODUCING? SURE.
HOW MUCH RECYCLING WAS GOING ON.
AND THEN COMPARE THAT TO THE POPULATION GROWTH.
CERTAINLY, YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN GIVE, GIVE THAT TO YOU.
WE'D BE GLAD, I'LL BE GLAD TO COME BACK AND, YOU KNOW, DO A QUICK BRIEFING OR, UM, WHATEVER.
WELL, I, LIKE, I WONDER IF IT'S LIKE ALREADY ON AN AR R WEBSITE OR IT IS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I, AND I HATE TO JUST BUST IN THE CONVERSATION HERE, BUT I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE PER CAPITA AND HOW THAT'S CHANGED OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE RIGHT, RIGHT.
IF YOU COMPARE POPULATION GROWTH WITH WASTE, THEN IT'S, UH, WASTE IS GOING, ISN'T GOING UP AS FAST AS POPULATION GROWTH.
THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE BEING MORE, MORE CONSERVATIVE ABOUT PRODUCING WASTE.
I THINK WHEN MEAN WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB, YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT STUFF LIKE AMAZON PRIME, RIGHT, TEAM MOOD, YOU KNOW, THESE DIFFERENT SORT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, SUPER, SUPER ROBUST DELIVERY SERVICES, RIGHT? I MEAN, CLEARLY THERE'S A LOT OF WASTE BEING GENERATED THERE.
UH, SO I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE TRENDS ARE.
YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.
UM, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS VERY, VERY HEAVY ON STATISTICS.
UM, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S PURCHASING EQUIPMENT WHERE IT'S ADDING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, YOU KNOW, THOSE NUMBERS, WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA DIG DOWN TO THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WE'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION, CERTAINLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, I HAD ONE MORE.
I, I WAS CURIOUS, UM, IS THE COMPOST SERVICE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY? UH, THAT'S A TRICKY QUESTION.
WE, RESIDENTIAL SERVICE, IF YOU'RE A, UH, A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, UH, WE WILL SERVICE YOU.
UM, THERE ARE POCKETS IN THE CITY THAT OBVIOUSLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY DOES NOT SERVICE, UM, WHETHER IT'S A, UH, A PRIVATE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BUT WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 220,000 CUSTOMERS.
IS IT A CERTAIN AREA YOU'RE LOOKING AT OR, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF, I WORK ALL OVER THE CITY.
I'M IN A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I'VE NOTICED THAT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T HAVE 'EM, THEY DON'T HAVE THE, THE GREEN BARREL.
SO I WAS CURIOUS IF THAT WAS LIMITED FOR SOME PARTICULAR REASON.
NO, IF WE PICK UP YOUR TRASH AND RECYCLING, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE THIRD CART, THE GREEN CART.
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IT'S NOT MINE.I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL MY CLIENTS.
AND I SEE THAT SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE 'EM.
THEY SHOULD HAVE IT AND WE WANT THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO I COULD TELL THEM YOU NEED TO CALL IN AND CALL, CALL THREE ONE ONE CALL AND HAVE EM BRING ONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INVITATION.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE ARE MOVING TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO ADJOURNMENT? ALRIGHT, IN THAT CASE IT IS 7 51 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.