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[CALL TO ORDER]
EVERYBODY.UM, IT IS NOW 6 0 5 AND WE'LL BEGIN THE REGULAR MEETING IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
PRESENT VICE CHAIR FLOWERS PRESENT.
BOARD MEMBER MERIT PRESENT BOARD MEMBER AVI AMARI.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER KERNS OAL.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
AND MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.UM, THIS IS RESERVED FOR THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS ITEMS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE DANA WILLIAMS, FOLLOWED BY MALCOLM YATES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE MALCOLM YATES.
MR. YATES, YOU CAN TAKE THE EMPTY SEAT FRONT OF THE DESK.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION TO PULL UP.
CAN UH, BOARD MEMBERS MERRI AND FRANKLIN SEE THE PRESENTATION ON SCREEN? YES.
YATES, WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME HE BEGIN SPEAKING.
I'M CHAIR OF EAST RIVERSIDE
WE HAVE RESEARCHED THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA AND THEN CREATED BROAD GAP ANALYSIS REPORT.
CONFIRM THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY CENTER AND FOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR THE POPULATION OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
THIS REPORT USES THE SAME CRITERIA AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GAP ANALYSIS REPORT.
TO DEMONSTRATE THIS NEEDS THE E IRAQ REPORT IS TOO LARGE TO PRESENT A THREE MINUTE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
THE IRAQ REPORT HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
WE WILL BE SUMMARIZING THIS REPORT TONIGHT.
THE RESIDENTS OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA TO REQUEST THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS REVIEW THE COMPLETE Q ROCK GAP ANALYSIS REPORT AND SUPPORT OUR NEEDS.
BRING MORE PREPARATIONAL FACILITIES.
THIS IS A LIST OF PROPOSAL BOARD CRITERIA USED THAN THE HEALTH OF PARK DEPARTMENT DEMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE GAP ANALYSIS REPORT.
THE
THIS IS A LIST OF THE CRITERIA USED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS PARTS DEPARTMENT IN THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENT WITH MOST PARTS DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICES.
THESE ARE THE FOUR MOST IMPORTANT EQUITY BASED CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZING CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN AN AREA.
RACIALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY, NEIGHBORHOOD POPULATION DENSITY, YOUTH POPULATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME STATISTICS.
THE ROCK GAP ANALYSIS CONTAINS SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF STUDENTS THAT WIND THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH SERVES THE RIVERSIDE AREA.
THE STUDENT POPULATION IS 89% HISPANIC OR AFRICAN AMERICA
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IS OVER 90% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.THIS IS JUST ONE STATISTIC TAKEN FROM THE U GAP ANALYSIS REPORT PRESENTED TO 90.
THIS TABLE SHOWS THE EAST HERBICIDE AREA IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR THE FOUR EQUITY BASED CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZING CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
THIS TABLE IS A SUMMARY OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC CRITERIA PRESENTED IN
BACKUP INFORMATION FROM SORT OF THESE STATISTICS IS IN THE PRESENTATION OF SENT TO PARK BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS SUMMARY CONTRADICTS THE CONCLUSIONS OF PARK HARD GAP ANALYSIS REPORT, WHICH CONCLUDES THAT THE GREATEST AIM OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IS ON THE NORTH SOUTH LEDGES OF BOSTON.
BASED ON THE CRITERIA USED BY THE POWER GA ANALYSIS REPORT, THESE HERBICIDE AREA NEEDS TO DESERVE MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE REQUEST FOR
MAY I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? YES.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU CLARIFYING, CLARIFYING QUESTION.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AT LEAST ON THAT AREA OF TOWN, THERE IS A MONIS, UH, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY CENTER DOES NOT, DOES THAT NOT FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THE FACIL OF THE SPACE THAT YOU'RE SEEING? UNLESS I'M LIKE, I'M MISTAKEN.
LIKE, IS THAT, IS THAT OPEN? IS IT OPEN? WELL, THAT QUESTION IS ANSWERED IN THE LONGER PRESENTATION.
IT SHOWS THAT FROM THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA TO THE
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ED MILLER, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT JENSON.
MR. JOHNSON, FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE M MT C AT THE J BOARD MEMBER BECKER, I, I NOTICED YOU JOINED US.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UH, WOULD YOU HAVE A MOMENT IF YOU COULD LOCATE THE QUORUM CALL EMAIL IN YOUR INBOX AND REPLY WITH THAT PHRASE THAT SAYS THAT YOU'RE ATTENDING REMOTELY AND HAVE NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST? WILL DO.
WANT TO REMEMBER WHAT I LOOK LIKE? SO I FINE MR. JOHNSON.
UH, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU CAN BEGIN SPEAKING.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A FEW FILES YOU WANNA CYCLE BETWEEN.
SO JUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THERE WILL BE A FEW MOMENTS THAT I HAVE TO DO THAT MANUALLY.
SO YES, THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU CAN SPEAK.
THIS IS MY NAME IS SCOTT JOHN.
THIS IS NOT THE REST OF MY SHORT REALIZATION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION ENVIRONMENT IS I CREATED THE PARKS AND LIBRARIES FUND THAT REPLACED THE TREE PLANNING FUND IN 2013 AND HAD GROWN.
THE FUND AND SCHOLARSHIPS ARE GIVEN TO ADVERSE FAMILIES WHO WE CAN'T AFFORD SOME CAMPS WITH SPORTS FEES PAYING ABOUT HALF THE HOUR THIS YEAR.
IT'LL BE MORE THAN HALF LAST YEAR.
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THAT AS WELL, BUT WITH A LARGE RENT COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE UTILITY BILL, WE'VE RAISED ABOUT 400, $450,000 SINCE 2013.
YOU CAN DONATE YOURSELF TO THE FUN AND WE'LL CUE THAT UP SOON OR ANY OF THE FUNDS.
THE TOP ONE IS THE ONE THAT'S BEEN ON THE LONGEST HELP PEOPLE PAY THEIR BILL OR SOME LIBRARIES FUND THE OTHER FUND ON THE BOTTOM HOME STUDENT ASSISTANCE FUND.
I DID CREATE THAT ONE AS WELL.
IT'S BEEN ON THE BILL SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2023.
THIS IS A LETTER DATED FROM 1997.
AS I HELPED AUSTIN ENERGY, I CREATED THE IDEA TO LAUNCH THE ELECTRIC LAWN EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
THE CITY'S DOING IT NOW, BUT AS A POINT OF SALE CHECKOUT WITH VERY LITTLE FUNDING AND VERY LITTLE.
THERE'S NO SCRAPPERS THE MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT OF AN ELECTRIC LAWN EXCHANGE PROGRAM OR ANY PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE DONATING SOMETHING IN THAT'S GAS POWERED AND GETTING SOMETHING BACK ELECTRIC IS SCRAPPING THE GAS POWER MOTOR OR ENGINES.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF ME BEING HERE TODAY IS THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR, I, I'M NOTING THE WORKING GROUPS FOR JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AS MR. BECKON ON ONE AS WELL.
AND I ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD PUT FORWARD A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION
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FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO BUY HEARD THE BATTERY ELECTRIC RIDING LAWNMOWER.IT MAY TURN OUT TO BE A ROBOTIC LAWNMOWER AS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, THE STAFF HERE.
BUT NONETHELESS, YOU UP THE SLIDE PLEAD JOINT VOTING RECOMMENDATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE FUNDING LISTED AT $75,000, IT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING BUDGETING GEAR THAT MOWER ITSELF COULD WELL COST LESS THAN THERE MIGHT BE SOME ISSUES RELATED TO THE CHARGING OF IT'S TAKEN CHARGE OF IT.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS HOW I, I CAN ASK, UM, TIM TO SEND THIS OUT LATER.
THIS IS ABOUT HOW TO PAY BILL, UM, THE SEX CONDUCT POLICE FOR INABILITY RECOMMENDATION.
SO THIS PAST IN THE MARCH MEETING, AND WE'D LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE A NEED TO SUPPORT IT TOO IN SOME INDIVIDUAL WAY OR SOME TANGIBLE WAY.
NONETHELESS, IF THIS FUNDING DOESN'T GET PUT IN THE BUDGET FROM THE CITY LAWS, HOPEFULLY BARR CAN CONSIDER SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE RIDING LAWNMOWER FOR ONE OF THE PARKS OR ROBOTIC.
YES, I KNOW MR. MILLER JUST WALKED IN.
MR. MILLER, YOU'RE ON THIS FOR A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO RIGHT NOW OR WOULD YOU LIKE SOMEONE TO GO IN FRONT OF YOU? LET SOMEBODY GO.
I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND PLACE NOW.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER THEN WILL BE SCOTT COBB OR ANYONE WHO JUST WALKED IN THAT NEEDS A PARKING VALIDATION.
YOU CAN BRING YOUR TICKET UP HERE AND I'LL GET YOU VALIDATED MR. KA.
WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU GET BEGIN TO THE MEETING.
SO LAST MONTH I TOLD YOU ABOUT, UH, CHIEF MR.
HE SAYS, RECENTLY SERIOUS CLAIMS OF WORKPLACE HARASSMENT HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLICLY, BOTH ONLINE AND AT PUBLIC MEETINGS ABOUT THE PART ATHLETICS DIVISION.
THESE ALLEGATIONS WERE INVESTIGATED FULLY BY BOTH HAR AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S NEW RESOURCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THIS WAS NOT OCCURRING.
TODAY, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR RELEASED A REPORT.
I JUST READ IT 10 MINUTES AGO.
I SENT ALL OF Y'ALL, YOU CAN READ IT.
IT'S ENTITLED, THE CITY IS NOT MANAGED ALL DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT, AND RETALIATION COMPLAINTS EFFECTIVELY OR CO.
DESPITE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACE, IT FAILS TO EFFECTIVELY AND CONSISTENTLY ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT, OR RETALIATION.
IT SAYS WE SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN THE CITY'S APPROACH TO BOTH AREAS, TRAINING AND INVESTIGATION, AND A 2017 AUDIT AT SIMILAR FINDINGS.
IT SAYS, UNTIL THE CITY ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES, EMPLOYEE CANNOT PRESS THAT THEIR COMPLAINTS WILL BE HANDLED FAIRLY THOROUGH.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE ENTIRE REPORT, WHICH I EMAILED TO YOU, AND WHEN THE GEAR GETS UP HERE ASKING HIM WALK BY TO SEND A COUNSEL, WHY I TO THE PUBLIC? WHY STOP PROTECTING EMPLOYEES? WHY HUMAN RESOURCES AS WE NOW SEE IN THIS REPORT, FAILED EMPLOYEES AND THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE? NOT SAFE.
IT SAW AN EMAIL WHERE HR LIED, EXCUSE ME, GAVE FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AGES OF EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSEDLY HIRED.
THEY SAID THEY WERE 18, THE ALLEGED GROOMING.
THEY WERE NOT 18 WHEN THEY WERE HIRED.
THERE WAS A REPORT ISSUED IN 2023.
THE SOMEONE HAD FILED MENTIONED THE NAMES OF TWO LIFEGUARDS
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NAME HR ISSUED A REPORT 2023.WE CANNOT IDENTIFY THESE TWO LIFEGUARDS BASED ON THEIR FIRST NAMES.
IF YOU READ AUDITOR'S REPORT, REASON THAT IS BECAUSE LACK TRAINING, LACK CONFIDENCE, INCONSISTENT POLICIES THAT IS PUTTING EMPLOYEES AT RISK, INCLUDING TEENAGE.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS, BUT NOW LOOK AT THE CITY AUDITORS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ED MILLER, FOLLOWED BY DANA WILLIAMS. MR. MILLER, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME THAT YOU CAN SPEAK FOR, UH, OUR BOARD MEMBERS P VIA WEBEX.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR EVERYBODY? ALL RIGHT.
I HAD SOME REQUEST PARK FOR THE ONLY CROWDED FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ON OUR CITY RIVERSIDE.
THE UTILITY IS MUCH LIKE FOR POCKET PARK, BUT THERE'S NO REC CENTER, CIVIC CENTER OR LIBRARY FOREST PLAYGROUND PLACE FOR PEOPLE CAN GATHER RECREATION.
THAT IS THE, THIS IS POPULATION OF THE CITY.
50,000 PEOPLE IN THE 17 SEVEN CIVIL ONE AREA TWO.
HIGHEST EMPLOYMENTS, HIGHEST SCHOOL DROP OUT AND NO RECREATION.
WE HAVE NO PLACE TO DELIVER SERVICE.
WE HAVE TO GO TO TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL OR SOUTHEAST HEALTH BECAUSE THERE'S NO
I'D LIKE TO READ BACK TO YOU, UH, SELECTION FROM YOUR ADDING FORCE ORDERED BY THE AUDITOR IN WHICH IT SAYS THAT ACCESS TO PARKLAND REMAINS A PRIORITY.
THE GOAL OF ENSURING RESIDENT IN THE URBAN CORE ACCESS TO A PARKLAND IN FIVE OUT IN THE BIRD
WELL, IT APPEARS THAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE GIVING MORE ENHANCEMENTS TO THEIR FAR FUND NEW PROJECTS IN THE URBAN COURT WHERE THE NEEDS PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE MISBEHAVING AND HAVE NO PLACE FOR RECREATION SERVICE.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU IF THEY PUT IT DOWN IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
FIVE
BEEN WORKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALMOST 30 YEARS.
I STARTED OUT AS A PROFESSOR AT A CC WOODSIDE RUNNING
THE SENIORS COMING BACK TO SOCIETY AFTER PRISON.
AND STRANGELY MY EYES IN THE 15 YEARS I WAS THERE, I GOT USED TO ALMOST EVERYBODY THAT WALKED THROUGH MY CLASSROOM DOOR LIVING IN THESE RIVERSIDE WHERE THERE ARE NO SERVICE TO DE SUPPOSE THAT'S A COINCIDENCE.
IT SEEMED TO ME A MATTER OF POSITIVE EFFECT.
YOU'RE IN THE POSITION OF CHANGE.
WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WE NEED TO MANAGER TODAY.
SIR, I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE RUIZ BRANCHES OFF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN GROVE.
UM, IT WHERE ARE YOU PROPOSING ANOTHER, ANOTHER LIBRARY IN THE RIVERSIDE LOCATION? WELL, THERE'S NOT ONE, THERE'S ONE ON BIG GROVE THERE ALMOST WITH THE COLLEGE.
IT'S RIGHT UP OF, I I WAS JUST THERE WITH MY KIDDOS.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S JUST NORTH OF EAST RIVERSIDE.
UM, WELL IT'S JUST NORTH OF, UH, THERE'S YOUR FIVE OR 10 MINUTE WALK JUST TO GET TO THE FIRE RIVER AND TO GET DOWN THE ROAD WAS ANOTHER 10 15 MINUTE FALL.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, UM, WHERE YOU WOULD PROPOSE ANOTHER LIBRARY IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA?
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WELL, I'M CERTAIN ABOUT 'EM.I HAVEN'T HAD UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD.
A NONPROFIT GUY THAT'S UP YOUR PLEAD FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE MOST TROUBLED NEIGHBORHOOD SEE THE HIGHEST PRIME RATES AND IT'S CAUSING NO SERVICES, NO RECREATION, NO PUBLIC FACILITY OF ANY STORE AND THE HIGHEST PRIME
BUT FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE, YOUR SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU SAID THAT YOU MANAGED NON-PROFITS AND THERE'S NO SPACE TO, FOR YOU TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE MONTA THIS RECREATION CENTER, ARE ARE Y'ALL, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THAT FACILITY? WELL, I GO TO MEETINGS AT REGULARS.
BUT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE YOUR SERVICES? WELL, IT IS A HALF HOUR WALK.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DANA WILLIAMS. AS A REMINDER TO THE AUDIENCE, UH, JUST WITH THE ACOUSTICS IN THIS ROOM AND WITH NONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, USE SOME MICROPHONES.
SO IF ANYONE NEEDS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OR NEED A MOMENT, UH, FEEL FREE TO STEP OUT IN ONE OF THE COMMON AREAS.
JUST SOME REALLY LOVELY CITY OF AUSTIN FURNITURE UP THERE.
UH, MS. WILLIAMS, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
SO GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM DANA WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ROWINGS CLUB.
AND, UM, DID YOU HAVE SOME SLIDES THAT I'VE SENT YOU? SHOW A FEW PICTURES OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATED ACTIVITIES AT THE BOATHOUSE AND, UH, DURING THE LAST MONTH, AND I HAVE QUITE A FEW REALLY NICE PICTURES OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.
YESTERDAY MORNING I WANTED TO START OFF WITH, WE CELEBRATED NATIONAL LEARN TO ROW DAY AT BOATHOUSE.
AND THIS EVENT IS CELEBRATED BY BOAT HOUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO OPEN THE BOATHOUSE TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
SO ABOUT 45 PEOPLE ATTENDED NATIONAL LEARN TO ROW DAY YESTERDAY, AND THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT GROWING.
THEY WENT OUT ON THE WATER ON ONE OF OUR QUADS ON LAKE BIRD LAKE.
WE ALSO PROVIDED FREE COFFEE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT OUR ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS AND RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON OUR KAYAK RENTALS.
AND THERE'S SEVERAL OF THOSE YOU CAN MOVE ON THROUGH THOSE.
WE ACTUALLY HAD VERY NICE WEATHER FOR THAT YESTERDAY.
THEN AT, UM, WE CLOSED OUT OUR JUNIOR'S COMPETITIVE SEASON WITH THE GALA ON MAY 9TH.
WE HAVE 11 GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS THAT ARE GONNA BE SPREADING OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GOING TO PLACES.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THREE OF OUR WOMEN ROWERS GOING TO UT, UM, SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY, THE US NAVAL ACADEMY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS, AND UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT.
BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AS THEY'RE GOING TO SERVICE EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS, NOT ONLY FOR THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, BUT FOR OUR CITY TOWN.
ONE OF THE WONDERFUL OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH MARCUSON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEY HAVE THEIR END OF SCHOOL FIELD TRIP.
UH, WE WORK WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE HAVE A COACH AND A VOLUNTEER WHO GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WORK WITH THEM ON OUR ROWING MACHINES AND, AND WORK WITH THEM ABOUT ROWING AND, AND TO FIGHT INTO ACADEMICS AS WELL.
THEY WERE WITH US ON MAY WELCOME 13TH ON THE WATER AND WE CONTINUE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THERE WE CONTINUE OUR LIGHT CLEANUP EFFORTS.
LAST MONTH I TALKED ABOUT OUR EARTH DAY CLEANUP, WHICH WAS HUGE IN THE LAST MONTH.
WE WORKED WITH WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY BROUGHT 50 OF THEIR STUDENTS ON SITE TO DO THE TRAIL AND ON THE WATER CLEANUPS AND COLLECTED 45 BAGS OF TRASH ON THAT DAY.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THERE THEY ARE.
LASTLY, WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ONE OF THE SITES FOR THE AUSTIN PARK SUMMER CAMPS STARTING IN JUNE.
AND THOSE ARE GONNA RUN THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I WILL CATCH YOU UP NEXT MONTH ON SUMMER HAPPENINGS.
I KNOW WE HAVE SPEAKERS DOWN THE LIST FOR AGENDA ITEMS AND THEY'LL COME LATER, BUT IS THERE ANYONE ELSE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS? THAT IS THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THAT BEING THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT,
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF[00:25:01]
APRIL 28TH, 2025.UM, IF YOU'LL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW THE MINUTES IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY AND YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO SPEAK UP IF YOU HAVE ANY EDITS, CHANGES, I MOVE TO APPROVE.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, CHAIR
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for the PARD Nature Play program. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Park Access for All, Urban Public Spaces). Presenter(s): Christine Chute Canul, Partnership Coordinator, Melody Alcazar, Program Manager, Lindsey Machamer, Project Management Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department.]
UH, STRAIGHT AHEAD TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND APPROVED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE HARD NATURE PLAY PROGRAM.AND I BELIEVE THERE'S A PRESENTATION.
I'M, UH, CHRISTINE
AND, UM, TODAY PULL UP A POWERPOINT
UM, IT BEGAN IN 2018 AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA REALLY SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE TEAMS AND DEDICATED STAFF THAT HAVE HELPED TO MAKE HARD A NATIONAL LEADER IN NATURE PLAY.
UH, SO HERE YOU'RE, WHAT WE'RE HIRING HERE IS REALLY SHOWCASING THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
UH, YOU SEE THAT IT IS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, ONE DIVISION, ONE DEPARTMENT, UH, IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S ALSO MANY OF OUR PARTNERS WHO HAVE HELPED BRING MAJOR PLAY TO AUSTIN.
UM, AND YOU SEE UNDER THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IT'S VERY CROSS DEPARTMENTALS.
WE HAVE DSD, UH, TRANSPORTATION PARKS DEPARTMENT, LARGE DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PARTNERS, UH, WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHICH COMES TOGETHER TO HELP MAKE NATURE PLAY, UH, ESTABLISH THIS AS AN INITIATIVE OF THE CITY.
HERE WE'RE JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE TEAMS WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT THAT ARE HELPING TO LEAD THESE EFFORTS.
AND IT'S REALLY ACROSS, AGAIN, MULTIPLE DIVISIONS FROM OUR VISION PLANNING TO OUR, UH, PARK DEVELOPMENT DESIGN, UH, TO OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT AND TO OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TEAMS. ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE COME TOGETHER ON THIS COLLABORATIVE HEAD, UH, TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS AT FIRST START.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE, UM, REALLY OUR, OUR VISION AND ACCENT WITH THE KIDDO JUMPING ON DIFFERENT STEPS.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE WORKED HARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS INTEGRATING THIS NATURE PLAY PROGRAM INTO HOW OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS CAN MEET THEIR GOALS AS WELL.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF OUR CONNECTED CITY PRIORITIES WITH KEY LINKS, PLAYBOOK, CLIMATE, EQUITY PLAN, AND MANY OTHERS.
AND THOSE ARE REALLY CALLING OUT NATURE PLAY AS A WAY TO MEET THOSE LARGER CITY GOALS.
UH, CHRISTINE MENTIONED WE STARTED IN 2018, UM, AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE, WE'VE GROWN QUITE A BIT SINCE THEN.
UM, IN 2019 WE STARTED OUT, UH, MAILING THROUGH PROGRAMMING WITH OUR BLUE SMART LENDING KIT, UM, WHICH IS REALLY A, A GIANT BOX OF NATURE ITEMS THAT YOU CAN PLAY WITH.
AND, UM, WE HAVE SCHOOLS CHECK THEM OUT, CHILDCARE CENTERS, PARKS, UM, AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO INTEGRATE NATURE INTO AREAS ESPECIALLY THAT ARE DEFICIENT.
UH, MOVING INTO 2021 WITH OUR FIRST PILOT INSTALLATION METRO.
UM, THIS WAS DONE THROUGH GRANT FUNDING IN, UM, CONJUNCTION WITH THE CI PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT THAT WAS HAPPENING UP ON
UH, WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE ON THAT FIRST LARGE PILOT THAT WE WERE OFFERING BOTH CHOICES.
IT WASN'T EITHER AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE WHY, WHY DON'T I GET THE, LIKE, THE BIG PLAYGROUND INSTEAD OF ALL THE LOCKS AND BOULDERS.
AND WE NEEDED TO SPEND THOSE NEXT FEW YEARS EDUCATING NOT JUST INTERNALLY WITH OUR STAFF, ALSO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, SO THAT THEY
[00:30:01]
UNDERSTOOD THE BENEFITS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE INTEGRATING NATURE LIKE IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY THAT PROVIDED THE MOST BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.BUT IN 2022, WE ROLLED OUT OUR NATION PLAY GUIDELINES, WHICH REALLY STREAMLINED HOW WE DO THIS AS A CITY.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO VERY HEAVILY WE EXPOSE, UM, THROUGHOUT, UM, OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL AS NATIONALLY.
UH, AND THEN JUST LAST YEAR, UM, WE OPENED UP OUR MAJOR PLAY MATERIALS TO OUR
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, SITE EXAMPLES REALLY RUN THE GAMUT.
UM, AND THEY GO FROM TINY LITTLE POCKET PARKS.
YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY LARGE METRO PARKS, BUT FUNDING VARIES.
UM, HOW THESE SPACES ARE ACTIVATED VARIES.
UM, BUT IT'S A GREAT WAY, PARTICULARLY IN SPACES THAT CAN'T HAVE TRADITIONAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT TO ADD IN THESE PLAYFUL ELEMENTS IN BOTH PARK DEFICIENT, BUT ALSO DANGER DEFICIENT AND PAID DEFICIENT AREAS OF OF TOWN.
ALL RIGHT, I'M MISSION PROCUREMENT.
UH, SO THIS IS OUR MATERIALS YARD IN ACTION.
UM, AND WE REALLY SCALED THIS UP THROUGH THE OLD LAND PASSIVE STAND MODERNIZATION PROJECT.
I KNOW CAME THROUGH AS A CHAPTER 26 PROJECT FOR
SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE RESULTS OF THAT FROM THE NATURE LAKE PERSPECTIVE.
WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE, UM, ABOUT A THOUSAND ACTIVITY BIRDS OF BOULDERS, 277 TREES, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE USED TO CREATE NATURE PLACE SPACES BOTH ON CITY PARKLAND, BUT ALSO AT OUR SCHOOLS, AT OUR CHILDCARE CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY.
THIS WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
WHEN I SAY NATURE PLAY, IT MEANS SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT OTHERS WE THINK OF.
AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID WAS START WITH, UM, PARTNER TRAINING UNTIL WE WROTE DOWN EXPERTS TO THE CITY STAFF, UM, THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE USE TO DO THESE INSTALLATIONS, UM, COS AT A ISD AND TEXAS WILDLIFE AND KIND OF EVERYONE ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAD INTEREST IN THIS WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN REGARDS TO DESIGN, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL PLACE SPACES.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF OUR STAFF AND PARTNERS, UM, IN THOSE TRAININGS RIGHT THERE.
UM, I, I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE AS A CITY SO FAR AND SO FAST IS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SUPPORT WITHIN NOT JUST THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT SOME REALLY KEY PLAYERS WITH THIS WORK.
UH, FACILITY CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT, OUR PARTNERSHIP TEAM OF COURSE, AND PLAYGROUNDS, WHICH IS UNDER MAINTENANCE AND WITHOUT KIND OF THEIR BUY-IN AND THEIR VISION OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AND FEELS LIKE, I DO NOT THINK THAT WE WOULD BE WHERE WE ARE OR WE ARE INTEGRATING NATURE PLATE IN EVERY SINGLE WORK AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE A PICTURE OF, UH, LARRY HOUSTON.
UH, AND ALSO YOU CAN SEE A DESIGN AND INSTALLATION FROM ERIC NER WHO'S ALSO WITH FACILITY CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THESE STAFF MEMBER ARE REALLY TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THIS WORK.
THEY'RE FINDING A LOT OF PRIDE.
UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO USE CREATIVITY I THINK, IN A WAY THAT THEY DON'T USUALLY GET TO DO WITH PUTTING IN LIKE AN A D EIGHT PATH OR A BENCH.
UH, SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE SOME KEY STAFF, UH, KIND OF GROW UP INTO THIS AND REALLY MAKE IT THEIR OWN NEXT LINE.
AND, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, ANY TIME YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE, UM, OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE PROCESSES IN PLACE AT THE CITY, WE RELY HEAVILY ON PARTNERS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BRING THIS TO LIFE.
AND THAT IS THROUGH, UH, BOTH THE HELPING WITH THE MAINTAINING THEM AFTER THEY GROW IN.
AS WE'RE SEEING HERE, WE'VE SEEN, UH, SOME OF OUR, SOME FAMILIES COME OUT DURING, IT HITS MY BIRTHDAY TO HELP STEWARD ONE OF OUR SITES.
UM, YOU SEE ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, JULIA HILL, UH, WHO IS REALLY LEADING THESE EFFORTS OF OUR NATURE PLAY YARD, AS WELL AS OUR ONGOING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THESE SITES.
UM, AND IT JUST SHOWS THAT REALLY IN A SHORT TIME WITH BRINGING IN ALL, YOU KNOW, GROUPS FROM DEPARTMENTS, FROM NONPROFITS TO, UH, CITY STAFF, BRINGING TOGETHER ON THIS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP, YOU CAN REALLY, REALLY SEE A DIFFERENCE IN A SHORT RUN OF TIME.
SO, UM, WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL TO, TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE REQUESTING THESE AT RECORD NUMBERS TO HAVE THEM IN THEIR PARTS AS WELL.
WE DIDN'T EVEN THINK PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHAT NATURE PLAY WAS.
AND NOW, UH, REALLY IT IS OUR, THE COMMUNITY IS REQUESTING THEM.
SO WE HAVE, UM, TODAY 23 SITES
[00:35:01]
INSTALLED.UM, WE'VE GOT EIGHT PLANS JUST FOR THIS COUNT HERE.
UM, AGAIN, THAT WON'T INCLUDE ANY NEW PROPOSALS THAT WE LIKELY BOOK IT FROM THE COMMUNITY THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE AT OUR MATERIALS YARD, UH, 15 PARTNERS THAT ARE COMING MONTHLY TO PICK UP THOSE WALKS AND HOLDERS AND USE IN THEIR OWN SPACES.
AGAIN, WHETHER THAT'S THE SCHOOLS, CHILD CARE CENTERS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND OUR LOOSE PARTS LENDING KIT, WHICH YOU CAN SEE PICTURED HERE, HAS BEEN USED BY OVER 4,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS SINCE WE STARTED IT.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO SEE ALL OF THIS GROW.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING, UH, NEWS, UM, PLAY WITH THOSE LOOSE PART TS, UM, AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
I GOT IN THERE MYSELF, UH, TO PARTICIPATE AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, ESPECIALLY AS WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO THIS IS A NICE WAY TO MEET COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE THEY ARE, MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, OPENING UP FOR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ A LETTER THAT WE HAVE PREPARED FOR Y'ALL.
UM, IT IS DATED MAY 19TH, 2025.
IT SAYS, UH, DEAR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION NATURE PLAY PROGRAM TEAM.
ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU DO THROUGH THE NATURE PLAY PROGRAM.
YOUR DEDICATION TO FOSTERING ACCESSIBLE NATURE-BASED PLAY OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS AUSTIN IS NOT ONLY TRANSFORMING PARK AND PROGRAM SPACES, BUT ALSO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES.
AS YOU STRIVE TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD HAS ACCESS TO AND CONNECTION WITH NATURE EVERY DAY, THE TANGIBLE RESULTS OF YOUR EFFORTS SPEAK VOLUMES.
WITH 23 INSTALLATIONS COMPLETED ON PARKLAND AND EIGHT MORE PLANNED FOR 2025, YOU'RE ACTIVELY RESHAPING HOW FAMILIES AND CHILDREN ENGAGE WITH THE OUTDOORS.
THE NATURE PLAY MATERIALS YARD SERVING OVER 15 PARTNERS, INCLUDING A IC AND LOCAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, DEMONSTRATES YOUR COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATION AND LONG-TERM IMPACT.
YOUR LOOSE PARTS KIT, LENDING KITS COVERAGE OVER 4,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS YOU SHARED, EXPANDING ACCESS TO CREATIVE UNSTRUCTURED PLAY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY.
BUT BEYOND THE NUMBERS, YOUR WORK REFLECTS SOMETHING EVEN MORE POWERFUL, A CULTURAL SHIFT WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
YOU'RE NOT JUST DELIVERING PROJECTS, YOU'RE HELPING TO REDEFINE HOW THE DEPARTMENT OPERATES THROUGH DESIGN, MAINTENANCE AND AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS TRANSFORMATION IS BEING LED WITH INTENTION, WITH CARE AND GREAT VISION.
I ESPECIALLY WANNA RECOGNIZE THE BEHIND THE SCENES DEDICATION THAT MAKES ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE FOR MODERNIZING PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND UPDATING DESIGN STANDARDS TO INVESTING IN STAFF TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
YOUR WORK IS CREATING LASTING CHANGE.
THE PRIDE AND PROFESSIONALISM YOU BRING TO EACH PHASE, WHETHER THAT'S PLANNING, BUILDING, MAINTAINING, IS BOTH INSPIRING AND DEEPLY APPRECIATED.
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE COMMUNITY FEELS IT WHEN RESIDENTS TAKE THE TIME TO STOP, SAY THANK YOU AND CONNECT WITH YOUR CREWS.
IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE TRUST AND GOODWILL THAT YOU'RE BUILDING THROUGHOUT YOUR WORK.
THESE MOMENTS ARE AT THE HEART OF THE STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED AUSTIN COMMITTED TO CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH THE NATURAL SPACES WHERE THEY LIVE, LEARN, AND PLAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR PARKS, FOR OUR PEOPLE, AND FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
YOUR EFFORTS ARE NOT ONLY NOTICED, THEY'RE TRULY VALUED WITH GREAT APPRECIATION.
THESE LETTERS PRESENT TO, UH, YEAH, LET'S DO IT.
UM, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE PRIOR NATURE PLAY PROGRAM.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE BOARD? ALRIGHT, WELL WE CAN TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LETTERS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AGAIN.
[3. Presentation, discussion and approve a recommendation to Austin City Council that the Lakeshore PUD Amendment Development application is superior with respect to parkland dedication. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Robynne Heymans, Principal Planner, Parks and Recreation Department. ]
WILL NOW MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.UM, DISCUSSION ACTION ITEMS, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT THE LAKE SHERIFF HAD AMENDMENT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION IS SUPERIOR WITH RESPECT TO PARKLAND DEDICATION.
AND WE HAVE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
MR. YATES, FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE EMPTY SEAT AT DE ONE MOMENT WHILE I PULL UP YOUR,
[00:40:04]
ARE YOU CORRECT SLIDES? YES.SO I'M GOING SHOOTING THESE REAL FAST.
SO WE'RE PROBABLY GOING BE SKIPPING OVER SOME.
SO I'M GONNA SAY, UH, SLIDE ONE, SLIDE TWO, SLIDE FOUR, STATE EIGHT.
LIFE SHORTCUT WILL GENERATE A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUNDING PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL.
YOU, HOPEFULLY THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE SPENT.
EAST RIVERSIDE AREA AND RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA SHOULD HAVE SOME INPUT ON WHERE, HOW THESE ALLY SPENT.
THIS PRESENTATION DETAILS SOME EXAMPLES OF WHY MORE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT IS NEEDED.
I WILL GO OVER THESE EXAMPLES VERY FAST.
THE OFFICER COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A RESOLUTION REQUESTING MORE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT OF THE PARKLAND DEDICATION PROCESS.
POLICE REVIEW THIS PRESENTATION AND A COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM REQUEST FOR THE ITEMS AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION.
MOST THE EASTWARD SIDE AREA IS DESIGNATED ARE PLANNED EFFICIENT.
THE AREAS WHICH ARE NOT SPECIFIC PARKLAND DEFICIENT.
THE PARKS ARE QUESTIONABLE VALUE TO CITIZENS.
SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, THIS IS THE ROYAL PRESS CONTACT PARK.
REALLY UTILITY EASEMENT LINE SIX.
THIS IS THE WOODLAND POCKET PARK.
IT IS A VACANT RESIDENTIAL LOT WITH NO SIGNS OR SLIDE EIGHT.
THIS IS THE WILLOW CREEK GREEN BELT.
IT IS A DRAINAGE DITCH BETWEEN TWO APARTMENT COMPLEXES WITH NO PUBLIC ACCESS.
THE FRONT LAND DEDICATION FEES FOR THE NEW APARTMENT BUILDING.
FUNDED IMPROVEMENTS TO A PARK ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LADY BIRD LAKE.
THAT IS OVER A MILE FROM THE NEW APARTMENT.
THIS IS THE AL NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON PARKLAND DEDICATION.
THESE ARE THE REQUESTS HOLDING A NC RESOLUTION.
THESE ARE THE ACTION ITEMS FOR THE PARKS SCHOOL THAT REQUESTED A NC RESOLUTION.
PLEASE ADD THESE ITEMS WITH A FUTURE PARKS BOARD.
UH, CAN YOU TELL ME THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT THE NAME AGAIN? THE COMBINED EAST RIVERSIDE HOR COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
SO, UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH CONTACT TEAMS, I CAN BUY SOME INFORMATION ON THE CITY WEBSITE AS WHAT THEY ARE.
THAT IS THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SITE.
I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH THE PARKLAND DEDICATION AND ACQUISITION TEAM.
I'M HERE FOR TWO PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'LL COVER THE LAKESHORE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IT'S A, IT'S AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING LAKE SWARD.
BUT, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THIS PLAN IS LOCATED IN, WITHIN THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR BETWEEN LAKESHORE BOULEVARD AND ELMONT DRIVE.
IT'S THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE ORACLE CAMPUS.
ITS EXISTING USE RIGHT NOW IS AN AUGUST CAMPUS AND THERE'S SOME RESIDENTIAL.
THE PROPOSED USE IS MIXED, UH, MIXED USE ACTIVITY CENTER WITH OFFICE RESIDENTIAL HOTEL, UM, AT THIS LOCATION.
SO THE ORIGINAL 2006 P WAS 50 ACRES.
IT HAD A PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIRE OF $658 PER RESIDENTIAL UNIT WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY.
[00:45:01]
THE SAME FOR THAT 50, UM, UNITS FOR 52 PER AREA.UH, IT CURRENTLY FEATURES OFF AND OFFICE, CAMPUS AND RESIDENTIAL.
UM, THE AMENDMENT IN REVIEW ADDS 2.3 ACRE, A 2.3 ACRE CORRECT.
WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE KIND OF HATCHED IN AREA.
UH, IT INCREASES THE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT.
SO, UH, TO KIND OF MATCH THE HEIGHT AROUND, UH, WITHIN THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR, THE, UM, THE ALONG LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD IS FROM 40 TO 120 FEET.
THE AREA AREA IS, IT'S FROM 60 TO 90 FEET.
IT MODIFIES INTERNAL ROADS FROM A BRIDGE PATTERN TO, TO MATCH EXISTING ROADS THAT ARE BUILT TODAY.
IT ALSO MODIFIES THE LANGUAGE IN THE PIPE TO EXPAND THE $650 MEANS FOR RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO HOTEL UNITS AS WELL.
AND THEN IT, THE, THIS RESTRICTION AT $650 PER UNIT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE 2.3 ACRE TRACT THAT IS BEING ADDED.
THE 2.3 ACRE TRACT IS SUBJECT TO WHATEVER CURRENT PARKLAND DELEGATION ORDINANCE IS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL.
IS THAT PLAN OR SUB SUBMITTAL? UM, AT THAT TIME A HUNDRED PERCENT FEES AND MOVE WILL BE REQUIRED FOR APPLICABLE USES.
UM, ADDITIONALLY TO ACCOUNT FOR THE INCREASED DENSITY THAT THIS AMENDMENT OSIS, THE, UH, APPLICANT WILL CONSTRUCT A 12 FOOT TRAIL ON THE WEST SIDE OF WILLOW CREEK BETWEEN ELMONT AND LAKESHORE BOULEVARD TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE THAT ADDITIONAL DENSITY AND ALSO PROVIDE A PEDESTRIAN BY
SO CARD CURRENTLY SUPPORTS THIS PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT FOR SUPERIORLY WITH RESPECT TO PARK PLAN DEDICATION.
I, UM, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT THE LAKESHORE AND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION IS SUPERIOR WITH WITH RESPECT TO CARBON MITIGATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER IN, I DO HAVE A, A QUESTION.
DO Y'ALL HAVE A SKETCH OF WHAT, WHERE THAT TRAIL IS GONNA BE? OR CAN YOU POINT THAT OUT? YES.
THIS, THE PREVIOUS BUTTON, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? IT'S THE RED LINE.
OH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE TRAIL.
UH, THE SHADE, THE DARK GRAY SHEETED.
THAT'S THE, UH, PROPOSED ROAD CONFIGURATION.
AND THE RED IS THE TRAIL I'M SURE WILL BE BUILT KIND OF CONCURRENTLY WITH EACH PHASE OF SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT THAT COMES IN AS IT'S BUILT AS THEY'RE BUILT.
SO WHEN A SITE PLANE ALONG, THAT ALIGNMENT COMES IN, THEY'LL BUILD AND WHAT WILL THE MATERIALS OF THE TRAIL BE IF THAT CONCRETE AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE OUTER HALF OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY.
THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE ALIGNMENT.
SO IT'LL BE LIKE A SHARED JUICE TRAIL THAT CAN TAKE TWO BIKES OF PASSING ONE ANOTHER.
ANY OTHER? I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT MAYBE THE, THE SITE MAP.
UM, I THINK IT'S LIKE EARLIER IN THE SLIDES.
UM, SO IN, IN THIS PICTURE, I SEE THAT THERE ARE ALREADY SOME BUILDINGS AND ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE ORACLE BUILDING IS THERE SOMEWHERE OR, OR IS THIS IT'S IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF THAT.
OKAY, SO THAT'S ORACLE OR NORTHEAST.
THAT'S LIKE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM IS A EXISTING RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND THEN TO THE LEFT IS IF YOU WANT, UM, AND THEN THE SHADED AREA ADDED APARTMENT COMPLEX, THAT WAS SINCE
SO EVERYTHING IN THE PINK, EVERYTHING THAT'S INSIDE THE PINK BOX, POLYCON, WHATEVER, UH, THAT, THAT STAYED THE SAME.
WITHIN THE, YEAH, THAT'S ALL SEEN.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGING IS THE WHAT YOU THE, THE, THE ADDITION.
EXCEPT WHERE THEY'RE ADDING FROM TO THE, THE HOTEL PIECE.
'CAUSE THOSE WEREN'T CONTEMPLATED AT THE TIME.
I MEANT LIKE THE, THE THE CONSTRUCTION.
THE CONSTRUCTION IS THE STAYING WITHIN THAT SHADED WHITE, PINK SHADED AREA? UM, NO.
THE ENTIRE THING WILL IS AVAILABLE TO BE REDEVELOPED AND CONSTRUCTED.
BUT THE ONLY MODIFICATION WERE IGNITE IS TO THE SHADED AREA.
THE OTHER ONE IS ALREADY GOVERNED BY THE EXISTING.
THE, THE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, UM,
[00:50:01]
THOSE ARE DIFFERENT PARTIES THAT ARE GOING TO BUILD IN THESE AREAS OR IS IT JUST ORACLE OR, UM, UM, IT'S ALL GOVERNED BY THE P.AND SO THE KIND OF MANDATES WHAT'S HAPPENING ON EACH OF THE SITES REGARDLESS OF WHO BOUNDARY.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH SHOWED THE AMENDMENTS TO THE LANGUAGE.
IT ADDS IN THE WORD HOTEL AND IT SAYS 650 PER RESIDENTIAL OR HOTEL UNIT.
WHEN IT SAYS HOTEL UNIT, IS THAT PER HOTEL ROOM OR PER BUILDING STRUCTURE? PER ROOM.
IT'S ALSO SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS HOTEL, BUT IT'S YET.
ANYBODY ELSE? BOARD MEMBERS, ANYONE ELSE ONLINE? ALRIGHT.
UM, AT THIS TIME I CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION BOARD MEMBERS.
I MOVE TO APPROVE RECOMMENDATION TO ALSO CITY COUNCIL THAT THE LAKE SHORE PLAN AMENDMENT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION IS SUPERIOR WITH RESPECT TO PARKLAND DEDICATION.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
WE HAVE A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RESISTANCE TO THIS AT ALL THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP TO EITHER CITY COUNCIL OR TO THE BOARD.
I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING, BUT I'M ONE PERSON.
SO, AND THE QUESTION IS, DOES THIS NEED TO BE ENTERTAINED BROADCASTED OR, OR, UM, STUDIED IN MORE DETAIL, UH, BEFORE WE MAKE SUCH A RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY MEASURED DEVELOPMENT.
SO YEAH, WE DO KNOW THAT PAR, UM, AS MENTIONED IN THE, UM, THE SLIDE SUPPORTS THE PLANNED, UH, UNIT DEVELOPMENT FOR SUPERIORITY.
SO WE, WE HAVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS BEHIND IT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER, DO YOU NORMALLY DO ANY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR PUD RELATED? UH, NO, I'M NOT TYPICALLY.
UM, BUT THIS WAS, WE DEPARTURE CONTROVERSIAL.
THE, THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE HAS PRETTY, UH, STRICT AND RESTRICTIVE LANGUAGE.
AND SO THE NEW SECTIONS REALLY THE ONLY PLACE WHERE WE CAN LOOK TO SUPERIORITY AND THEY ACHIEVED.
AND SO WHEN YOU SAY IT WAS UNCONTROVERSIAL, YOU MEAN PART DID NOT RECEIVE A LOT OF DIRECT AND SOMETIMES FOR SOME BUDS YOU WOULD RECEIVE A LOT OF DIRECT COMMENTARY AT TIMES.
I THINK THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT, UM, THE PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS ARE WHATEVER IS, UM, IN EFFECT OF THE TIME OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING GRANDFATHERED.
THIS NEW HATCHED PIECE IS NOT GETTING GRANDFATHERED INTO SOMETHING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? UH, NO.
I, I I GUESS MY UH, MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THAT, WELL, THERE IS ALREADY PLANS FOR THIS.
IT'S JUST LIKE, IT'S AN AMENDMENT FOR LIKE INCREASING THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, ADDING A TRAIL, UM, AND PROPOSED ROAD USAGE AND SO FORTH.
AND LIKE HOW MUCH HAS BEEN THE, THE CAN CAN YOU I GUESS CLARIFY THE $650, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT GOING TOWARDS EXACTLY.
THAT DOES, THAT GOES TOWARD THE PARKLAND DELEGATION FUNDS.
SO THAT'S THEIR, AND THAT IS MISER WHAT IT WAS BACK IN THOUSAND RANGE.
BRING BACK A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT HERE.
UH, THIS PO WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED IN 2007.
UH, THERE'S A, A PARCEL THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO X
AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, AND JUST FOR CLARIFY
AND IF THEY WERE GONNA HAVE DONE THE PROCESS NORMAL NOW THROUGH WOULD BE ESTABLISHED A CONTROL THAT NUMBER BE, WOULD IT BE LOWER? UH, IT WOULD BE HIGHER.
IT WOULD JUST BE COMM IT WOULD JUST BE THE CURRENT PART AND DEDICATION.
[00:55:01]
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.IT'S, THEY WERE, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME.
YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN AN ESTABLISHED
SO TO UH, JUST TO FINISH, UH, THE, THAT WAS GRANDFATHERED ON PARKLAND DEDICATION SAID $650 PER ROOM, UNIT, HOTEL ROOM UNIT OR WHATEVER.
UH, CAR PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES FOR I MULTIFAMILY 3000.
SO $3,568 PER THE NEW UNION WHERE THEY WOULD BE, IF IT WAS UNDER THE OLD 2007, THEY'D BE PAYING $650 PER UNIT.
NOW THEY'RE PAYING 3,500 PER, SO THEY'RE COMING IN, UH, PLUS BILL THE TRAIL DEDICATED TO LAND QUESTION, QUESTION BOARD MEMBER.
WHEN YOU PROPOSE THESE TRAILS, HOW LONG IS GOT HOW MANY LINEAR THINK LIKE 500.
UM, YOU MEASURE, WELL WE DID A CALCULATION.
KEVIN, WHAT WE FACED WITH IN CHILD, SIR, THAT CONCRETE, EITHER YOU LOOK FOR SHADING AND LOOKED AT SYSTEM WHOSE SIDE IS CONCRETE, UH, THE LOCATION.
WE DO LOOK AT OTHER SERVICES, UH, MAIN GRAND GRAVE, UH RIGHT.
SO, UH, WE DID, UH, SUGGEST CONCRETE IN THIS LOCATION.
SO, SO THEN IT SHAPE, SO IT'S NOT ADDING, I I WOULD, UH, I I HAVE NOT SEEN THE DESIGN.
IT'S ON THE, THE TREES AND THE DEDICATED AREA WOULD REMAIN.
SO THAT WE'RE GETTING THE, THE DEDICATION OF THE, THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE EASEMENT, UH, THAT CRITICAL WATER QUALITY, SOMETHING'S PROTECTED FROM DEVELOP TRAILS ARE ALLOWED
WELL, WHATEVER EXISTS THROUGH.
SO, SO I ACTUALLY HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THIS, 'CAUSE I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD IT.
NOW I'M WONDERING IF, IF I DIDN'T, SO LET ME PHRASE WHAT I THINK IS TRUE ABOUT THIS AND YOU TELL ME IF IT'S WRONG.
SO THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS AMENDMENT.
ONE IS THAT YOU'RE ADDING HOTEL INTO THE LANGUAGE AND THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD A HOTEL ANYWHERE IN THIS POD OR ANY ADDITIONAL NO, IT IS, SORRY TO, I MEAN I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BUT YOU CAN JUST ADDING HOTEL TO THE PARKLAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENT.
WELL, OKAY, THAT'S, THIS IS NOT REALLY MY CLARIFIER, SO THAT WAS NOT THAT IMPORTANT, BUT YES,
BUT THE SECTION THAT IS THE SHADED SECTION, THE PINK AND WHITE SHADED SECTION THAT IS THE ADDITION OF LAND.
THEY ARE PAYING THE CURRENT FEES FOR PARKLAND DEDICATION, WHICH IS 3000 FOR THAT ONE SECTION.
THE REST OF THE PUT IS PAYING THE OLD $650.
I GUESS I WAS CLARIFYING ON PEDRO'S BEHALF.
BUT THIS ONE SECTION COMES IN AT THE CURRENT RATE.
I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION AND WELL ASK FOR A VOTE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO, ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR, DEPENDING ON WHICH, FOR SURE.
[4. Presentation, discussion and approve a recommendation to Austin City Council that the 500 S Congress PUD Development application is superior with respect to parkland dedication. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Robynne Heymans, Principal Planner, Parks and Recreation Department. ]
WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS PET DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION IS SUPERIOR WITH RESPECT TO PARKLAND DEDICATION.DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS, MR. BECK? WE DO NOT.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS ROBIN NAMAN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER OF THE
[01:00:01]
NEXT SLIDE.SO THIS ONE IS LOCATED AT SOUTH FIRST, NEXT TO THE ONE TEXAS CENTER ON UH, CREEK.
IT, IT IS CURRENTLY AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, BUT ANY GOES AS WE HAD A, A VERY LIVELY DISCUSSION ABOUT.
AND, UM, THE PROPOSED USES MIXED USE, MULTIFAMILY, HOTEL OFFICE AND RETAIL.
UH, THE MAX HEIGHT ARE GONNA BE BETWEEN SIX AND 650 OR BETWEEN 500 AND 650 FEET.
THE PUT IS ABOUT SIX AND A HALF ACRES, UM,
IT PROPOSES 950 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, 225 HOTEL KEYS FOR UNITS OF ROOMS, 600,000 SQUARE FEET OF POCKETS AND HUNDRED 55 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL.
AND THIS INCLUDES EO AND RETAIL SPACES.
UH, MOVING CANYON
AND THE OVERLAY, IT'S ADJACENT TO THE ONE TEXAS CENTER AND ACROSS THE CREEK FROM THE SCHOOL.
S LOCATION WITHIN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLANS.
UM, I'VE OUTLINED IT HERE AND, UH, HERE'S THE TRAIL
HAYWOOD AVENUE OR A PROPOSED KIND OF ROAD CONNECTOR.
YOU CAN SEE THESE REALIZED IN THE PS UM, OPEN SPACE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE PLAN.
THE SHADED AREA IS THE, WELL THE SHADED AREA OUTLINING IS THE PROPOSED PARKLAND AREA.
S SOMATIC EXCEED 15% OF THE GROSS SITE AREA OF THE CUT.
UNDER TODAY'S ORDINANCE, YOU'RE CA AT 10%.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE SUPERIORITY IS TO GO 2% OF THE SITE.
UM, THIS IS A PROPOSED ALIGNMENT THAT WILL BE, UM, MODIFIED THROUGHOUT THE SITE THING, PROCESS AS WE GET MORE DETAIL ON WHERE THE BUILDINGS ARE.
BUT THIS IS SORT OF THE AREA THAT THE
AND THERE A NICE ABOUT THIS SPACE BETWEEN THE EXISTING ONE TEXAS CENTER PARKING GARAGE AND THEIR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR A TRAIL CONNECTION TO BORROW PART OF THE CITY'S PROPERTY AND EXPAND WHAT THEY'RE DEDICATING ON THEIR PROPERTY FOR A DRUG CONNECTION.
AND THEN TO THE EAST WEST, UH, THEY WILL BUILD A 12 FOOT WIDE TRAIL, AN OUTER HALF OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, UM, SOMEWHERE WITHIN THAT SHADED AREA.
UM, THE TRELLO ALIGNMENT RIGHT NOW, UM, CAN CHANGE BASED ON THE PLAN, PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, THE, FOR IN ADDITION, THEY'RE ALSO DEDICATING ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE, WHICH WILL BE WITHIN THE SALE AREA AND CENTER.
UM, AND IT WILL BE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE SITEMAN PROCESS THAT
UM, BUT THEY'LL BE DEDICATING 10% MORE OPEN SPACE IN 20% TO GO TO REQUIRED.
UM, SO CARD CURRENTLY SUPPORTS THIS PLANNING DEVELOPMENT FOR SUPERIORITY WITH RESPECT TO OUR PLAN.
DEDICATION, LONG BEEN A PLAN TO HAVE PARKLAND ALONG WEST GOLDEN, THE CREEK AND CONNECTION, UM, THAT WILL CONNECT CONGRESS DOWN TO THE CREEK AND AS OCC AND EVERYTHING ELSE GETS TOGETHER.
SO ON THE LEFT, THAT'S GOING TOWARD ONE TEXAS WELL YEAH.
UH, THE BUILDING ONE TEXAS PARKING I GUESS, OR YES.
WHERE THE PARKING STRUCTURE IS.
SO THERE'S ALREADY A, UM, THERE'S ALREADY A TRAIL THAT'S GOING ALL THE WAY TO FIRST STREET.
SO IT'S PROPOSED BUT THERE'S NOT FRANCIS.
SO THE PROPOSED TRAIL, DOES THAT GO LIKE FROM FIRST TO CONGRESS? IS THAT NOT YET? NO, THAT'S YEAH.
AND, AND PART OF THIS BASICALLY INDICATES THIS AREA FOR THE CONTINUITY OF THAT PROJECT IN THE FUTURE? CORRECT.
UH, SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST TO, UM, FOR YOU TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY OF CITY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
THAT THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS HIGH DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS SUPERIOR WITH RESPECT TO
[01:05:01]
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? DIANE? OH, SIDE, I, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS BEFORE.I ASSUME THAT THERE ARE ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONNECTIONS OF THE PROPOSED YES.
SO ON THE DIAGRAM, VERY TINY, BUT IT DOES SAY A DA ACCESSIBLE CORRECT.
THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN YEAH.
AND YOU CAN'T CONNECT UNLESS YOU BACKTRACK AND GO THROUGH THE STREET.
THAT WOULD BE VERY GOOD FOR ALL WE, AND THEN ALSO WITH RESPECT, UM, I, I ACTUALLY PREFER, 'CAUSE MY SON USES A WHEELCHAIR, CONCRETE PADS BECAUSE THERE ARE PATHWAYS, UM, ON THE PREVIOUS PROJECT WHERE IT'S DECOMPOSED GRANITE AND THEN THE WEATHER WASHES AWAY AND THEN YOU CAN'T GET UP WITH CHAIR CREW.
AND SO IT'S JUST MORE MAINTENANCE.
I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THE OPEN PARKS AND OPEN SPACE PLAN THAT WAS SHOWN.
IT HAD THE EAST WEST CONNECTOR.
AND THEN IF YOU GO BACK UP A SLIDE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT CONNECTS THAT EAST WEST TRAIL TO, IT SAYS PROTECTED BIKEWAYS.
DOES THAT ACTUALLY, IS THAT ACTUALLY PLANNED TO CONNECT TO A BIKEWAY ON CONGRESS? THIS IS, YEAH, THIS IS THE SOUTH AND HILL WATERFRONT CENTRAL PLANT.
SO THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE LONG TERM PLAN HERE IN THIS
SO THAT TRAIL, THAT TRAIL THAT GOES EAST WEST WILL CONNECT UP TO UP TO CONGRESS? YES.
ANYTHING ELSE? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? RIGHT, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE THEN.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, BECK.
ALRIGHT, IT'S UNANIMOUS AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL SEE WHAT TIMEFRAME, RIGHT? WE'LL MOVE TO
[5. Discussion and approve an appointment to the vacant seat on the Parks and Recreation Board Contracts and Concession Committee. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers)]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSS AND ACTION ITEMS. THIS IS A DISCUSSION, DISCUSS AND APPROVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE VACANCY ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD CONTRACTS AND CONCESSION COMMITTEE.UM, THIS WAS THE POSITION HELD BY FORMER BOARD NUMBER REED.
UM, I AM, I AM INTERESTED IN THIS OPENING.
I HAD, UM, VOICED MY INTEREST PRIOR.
UM, AND THERE, THERE WASN'T A SPOT AT THE TIME, SO I WOULD LIKE TO THROW MY NAME IN THE HAT FOR THIS.
UM, SO OPEN IT UP IF ANYBODY ELSE.
THANK YOU'D BE THE CONTRACT AND SESSION COMMITTEE, UM, TO SUPPORT YOUR TION.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT, I, I'LL BE QUIET.
UM, SPEAKING AS THE CHAIR OF THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, I CAN SAY THAT, UM, HAVING HAD OUR PREVIOUS CHAIR, UH, VIA OBOS ON THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE IS QUITE HELPFUL GIVEN HOW RELATED THE WORK IS THAT WE DO TO THE, THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THESE MEETINGS.
SO I WOULD ALSO BE IN FAVOR OF HAVING CHAIR BAAN AS PART OF THE COMMITTEE.
I MOVED THE APPROVED STEPHANIE
UH, IT DOESN'T SIT, I'LL SECOND IT.
THERE'S THE, THE LANGUAGE WASN'T PERFECT, BUT IT'LL BE FINE A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? OH, I, I'M GETTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? RIGHT? UM, WE WILL TAKE A VOTE THEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[6. Discussion and approve a nomination to the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers)]
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS DISCUSSION AND APPROVE A NOMINATION TO THE[01:10:01]
SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.UM, THIS IS THE POSITION THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY HELD, UM, AND HELD IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
I THINK IT'S NICE TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE ON THAT, UH, ON THAT COMMITTEE.
SAY THAT THERE'S A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
UH, THIS NOMINATION WILL NEED TO BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, WHICH MADE THE LANGUAGE FOR THE PREVIOUS ITEM MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE CONTRACT SESSION COMMITTEE TAKEN.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO HOLD SOME OPEN DISCUSSION BEFORE ANY NOMINATIONS OR MOTIONS ARE MADE.
SO DOES ANYONE HAVE INTEREST SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY? YOU MAY NOMINATE YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE? I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MYSELF.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, SEVERE EXPERIENCE ON THIS.
UH, HOW MANY TIMES DO THEY MEET AND WHAT KIND OF TIME COMMITMENT DOES THE DAY? YEAH, SO THEY ARE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS MONTHLY.
THAT BEING SAID, THEY HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY ALWAYS MEANT MET EVERY MONTH.
UM, THE MEETING TIMES CAN VARY.
SO THEY CAN VARY FROM AN HOUR AND A HALF TO A MUCH LONGER SESSION.
VERY SIMILAR TO THE, TO THE BOARD.
PROBABLY NOT QUITE AS LONG AS OURS.
UM, UM, AND THERE ARE, THERE IS, UM, DEFINITELY MATERIALS TO READ AHEAD OF TIME.
UH, BUT IT IS AN INTERESTING POINT, BUT THEY'VE ONLY MET FIVE TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR.
SO IT'S BEEN ON THE SCHEDULE, BUT IT'S BEEN, YEAH, ABOUT EVERY OTHER, I WOULD SAY, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT PATTERN WOULD CONTINUE, BUT IF IT DOESN'T AND THEY START MEETING EVERY MONTH, DON'T HELP ME TO, I JUST DON'T.
AND, UH, FROM WHAT I SAW ABOUT THE PLANNING AND ALL THAT, IT'S, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE AN EXCITING PROJECT THAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
UM, IT SOUND, I MEAN, IT IT, THERE, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THERE ARE SOME MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE YET TO BE DONE AND, AND THERE, IS THAT CORRECT ASSUMPTION OR IS IT ALREADY? I DON'T KNOW IF I'M THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
'CAUSE ALTHOUGH THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING MM-HMM
I THINK THERE'S QUITE A BIT IN MOTION AS WELL.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S AN IMP IT'S AN IMPORTANT, UM, UH, MORE OR IMPORTANT COMMITTEE TO BE ON AND THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD AND TO MAKE SOME, UM, ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT THERE ARE ALREADY SOME THINGS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
BUT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M THE BEST PERSON TO SPEAK TO.
I, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR TIM.
UM, IS THIS A NOMINEE FROM PARKS BOARD COMPETING WITH OTHER BOARDS OR IS IT JUST BEING A POSITION THAT'S ONLY TAKEN FROM HERE? NO, THE PARKS BOARD HAS A STANDING SEAT ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATER BRIAN ADVISORY BOARD.
SO IT'S UP FOR ONE OF OUR, UP TO ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO FILL THAT SEAT.
THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE, UM, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE IN THAT WE JUST HAVE THE ONE SO THAT THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT BACKUP IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, SO YOU WOULD BE THE SOLE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE FOR PARKS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS OPPORTUNITY? UM, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE, YOU GOTTA READ THE LANGUAGE.
I MOVE TO APPROVE A NOMINATION FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
THAT BEING OUR DISTRICT SIX REPRESENTATIVE, UH, BOARD MEMBER
ALRIGHT, AND WE HAVE A SECOND FOR BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION?
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? DO I VOTE FOR MYSELF? YES.
CANNOT ONLY VOTE FOR YOURSELF.
AND IT'S UNANIMOUS AGAIN, SO IT'S NINE ZERO.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA TAKE JUST A SHORT FIVE MINUTE BREAK, SO WE'LL BE BACK AT 7 25.
UM, ALRIGHT, WE ARE BACK FROM BREAK.
GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE'RE GONNA GO AND GET STARTED.
[7. Presentation and discussion on data collected in connection with Council Resolution No. 20241121-072, directing the City Manager to assemble a team from key City Departments (PARD, Financial Services, LAW, and others) with assistance from external consultants to explore additional funding sources for park management, land acquisition, amenities, facilities, and maintenance. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Operational Efficiency, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Liana Kallivoka, Assistant Director and Alyssa Tharrett, Project Management Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department.]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSSION ITEM PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON DATA COLLECTED IN CONNECTION WITH COUNCIL RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 0 2 4 1 2 1 DASH 0 7 2.UM, WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT.
[01:15:01]
MOVE TO THAT.I BELIEVE WE HAVE EIGHT PUBLIC COMMENTERS ON THIS ITEM.
UH, OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTER IS GOING TO BE CARRIE SPIGEL HALTER, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN RADER.
IS CARRIE HERE? CARRIE, FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE, UH, MT SEAT AT THE DESK.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND MARCH BOARD MEMBERS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MY NAME IS KERRY SPIGEL HOLTER AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AUSTIN OUTSIDE A COALITION OF OVER A HUNDRED ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTIN.
AND I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES AND ALTERNATIVE FUNDING FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS ATED AND THERE'S BROAD, UH, BROAD PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THIS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY INPUT CAPTURED IN THE PARKS ALTERNATIVE FUNDING EXPLORATION SURVEY, WHICH IDENTIFIED NEW DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCES AS THE BOTH POPULAR PARK FUNDING SOURCE AT 93% OUT RANKING, INCREASING FOR FEES, INCREASING TAXES, AND ADDING NEW FEES.
SO REGARDING COUNCIL RESOLUTION 20 24 11 21 0 7 2, UH, THIS ALS, WHICH, AND THE SURVEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT 91% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS SUPPORT MORE FUNDING FOR AUSTIN PARKS, POOLS AND FACILITIES.
SO REGARDING THAT COUNCIL RESOLUTION, I'M HOPEFUL THAT PAR WILL SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE TO PROPERLY FUND OUR PARK MANAGEMENT, LAND ACQUISITION AMENITIES, FACILITIES, AND MAINTENANCE.
AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, PAR RECOMMEND THAT THE CREATION OF MANY FEW FUNDS SHOULD RESULT IN A LARGER PAR FUNDING BUCKET AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO REDUCE THE GENERAL FUND FUNDING TO PAR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ROBIN RATHER FOLLOWED BY NICOLE HEATHERTON.
ROBIN, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU CAN SPEAK.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE THING THAT PUT THIS ANALYSIS TOGETHER.
THIS IS MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE, UM, INITIATIVES THAT WILL BE TAKING UP THIS YEAR OR IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN FOLLOWED.
ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH MAINTENANCE, HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE DOWN, HOW
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE AIMING FOR.
UH, OUR BEST GUESS IS PART NEEDS ANOTHER THAN 50 TO A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE.
AND WE'RE HOPING YOUR ANALYSIS CAN PROVIDE THAT KIND OF A, OF A GOAL.
IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, THAT ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT PRESENTLY GOES TO THE LARGE ARE NONPROFITS, UM, HAPPEN FOR AND HAVE FULL TRANSPARENCY DO, WOULD BE ASHAMED TO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FOLKS HAVE DONE WITH THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY'VE RAISED, REGARDLESS OF THE OPINION THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THAT MONEY HAS GONE TO THE NONPROFITS THEMSELVES.
AND NOT HARD, BUT IT'S HARD TO FIND OUT BECAUSE THERE'S SO LITTLE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN IT.
SO BEFORE WE PICK A NEW REVENUE SOURCE, WE'RE ASKING THAT WE CLEAN UP THE NON-PROFIT REVENUE SOURCE.
THEY DO SOME GREAT WORK, UM, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, BUT OVERALL IT'S A, IT'S A CONVOLUTED MESS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF ANSWERED QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU, WAS THAT ANY, UM, NEW ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCE SHOULD BE MEASURED AGAINST SOME SPECIFIC CRITERIA? AND THESE ARE NOT IN ANY ORDER, BUT, UM, THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE REAL COMMUNITY-BASED ENGAGEMENT, NOT ASTROGEN.
WE DON'T FEEL THE SURVEY THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AUSTIN POPULATION.
THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN AS SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS FOR LARGER COMMUNITY OR BOSTON.
SO WE NEED TO DEAL ENGAGEMENT, WE NEED AN NATURE BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON MAINTENANCE.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON NEWTON PARK LAND ACQUISITION.
WE NEED TO CLOSE THE INVESTMENT DISPARITY BETWEEN YEAST AND WEST
AND WE REALLY NEED TO ELEVATE AND UPLEVEL OUR TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY.
AND SO ANY OF THE SOURCES Y'ALL HAVE IDENTIFIED SHOULD BE BENEFIT, I GUESS, AND MEETING A LOT BETTER ON THOSE CRITERIA.
UM, WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF A NEW GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY SUCH AS THE ONE THAT GOVERNS, GOVERNS THE WATERLOO CREEK WAY RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A NEW BOARD WITH LESS ACCOUNTABILITY, LESS TRANSPARENCY.
I WILL POINT OUT WE WELL TO FULL WHILE BACK AND
[01:20:01]
ASKING JUST ABOUT TRUST, JUST TO FINISH THIS UP.THE PUBLIC TRUST IN PART IS THAT OVER 84%, THERE'S TREMENDOUS TRUST IN PART, ANY MONEY FROM ANY NEW REVENUE SOURCES SHOULD GO TO PAR, NOT OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT REAL TRUSTED.
FIND OUT COMMERCIAL OPERATORS ARE TRUSTED AT A LEVEL 34% AND WE HAVE THAT'S FINE, BUT IF YOU YEAH, WE'D LOVE THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE NICOLE NETHERTON, FOLLOWED BY GAIL
NICOLE, WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND PARK BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AND TO MAKE SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE REPORT.
HE'S, PART CONSERVANCY IS AN EXAMPLE OF A NONPROFIT PARTNER IN THE PARK SPACE THAT I WOULD ARGUE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ENDEAVOR OF STEWARDING PUBLIC GREEN SPACE.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, HE'S PART CONSERVANCY IS THE NONPROFIT PARTNER WORKING WITH PART OF A RESTORE AND ENHANCE AND MAINTAIN THE 84 ACRES OF PEACE DISTRICT PARK WITH A SUSTAINABLE USE IN ENVIRON
OUR ORIGIN STORY AS TRUTH FOR PEACE FORMED IN 2008 BY RICHARD CRAIG AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT TREE HEALTH AND A EROSION IN THE PARK SHOWS HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN OUR PARKS IN WAYS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THEIR FUTURE.
OUR NONPROFIT WAS BORN FROM VOLUNTEERS WHO CARED ABOUT EAST PARK, BOTH THE RENOVATION OF KINGSBURY COMMONS AND D C'S 2023 PARKS OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
THE 10 MEMBERS OF STAFF OF PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY WORK THERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE, WE ARE 20 MORE HANDS AND 10 MORE HEARTS HELPING SUPPORT AUSTIN'S OLDEST PARK AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT PARK IS THE ROOT OF OUR SUCCESS.
PEACE PARK TURNS 150 YEARS OLD THIS SUMMER AND WE HOPE THAT THE PARK WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE FOR AT LEAST 150 YEARS MORE.
I HOPE THAT ALL OF OUR GREEN SPACES WILL THRIVE INTO THE FUTURE OF VISION AND CARE THAT WE SHOW UP TODAY.
WE AGREE WITH THE REPORT THAT PARKS ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR OUR HEALTH, FOR OUR COMPANY, NOT TO MENTION FOR TAKING CARE OF NATURE WHICH SUSTAINS US ALL OF THE ORGANISMS WE LIVE WITH.
I HOPE THAT MANY OF THE GOOD IDEAS DISCUSSED IN THIS REPORT WILL BECOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNSEL AND THAT YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE A BROAD APPROACH TO SOLVING THESE IMPORTANT PROBLEMS AND ADVOCATING YOU ALTERNATE FUNDING REMARKS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT BESIDES EXPLORATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE GAIL
THAT'S THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I'M, UH, SEATING AND REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY GROUP GROUP.
WE HAVE A JOB TO TWO SMALL CREEKS AND THE SOUTH PARK SILK PARK.
WE'VE DONE THAT FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK IN THE PARK.
UM, WE FOCUSED ON PLANTING A LOT OF DAILY PLANTS, TAKING OUT A LOT OF INVASIVE PLANTS AND UH, AND CLEANING UP A LOT OF TRASH.
UM, SO, UM, I NOTICED IN THE SLIDE PRESENTATION IT'S BACKED UP TO THIS ITEM.
THIS, UM, ONE OF THE VERY LAST SLIDES HAS A SLIDE ABOUT DEDICATED FUNDING EXAMPLES AND THE BULLET IS VOLUNTEERED HUMAN RESOURCE THAT COULD MEASURABLY REDUCE FINANCIAL RESOURCES, STRONG COMMUNITY INTEREST.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A SMALL PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART AND I HOPE YOU DON'T, UH, LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
I, BECAUSE I'M IN THE PARK SO MUCH, I SEE I HAVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE FOR YEARS AND I SEE HOW HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE IT GETS WORSE EVERY YEAR.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME OTHER COMPLICATIONS LIKE COVID, COVID AND SUCH, BUT, UH, I SEE A REAL DESPERATE NEED AND I SUSPECT THAT ZILKER PARK MAY BE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN ALONG OTHER PARTS.
SO I DO WANNA SUPPORT THIS EFFORT AND I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT PARK HAS DONE TO START THIS CONVERSATION.
I SUPPORT THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE LAID OUT BY COUNCIL ABOUT EQUITY, ACCESS AND ACQUISITION, MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY.
[01:25:02]
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE MORE EMPHASIS ON SOME COST RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.WE WANNA KNOW WHERE THE FUNDS ARE GOING.
UH, ANY AND FUNDING SOURCE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME, UH, UH, FOCUS ON ENFORCEMENT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PREVENT PREVENTATIVE, UH, ISSUES THERE.
IF WE HAD BETTER ENFORCEMENT IN THE PARKS.
UH, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, A FOCUS MORE ON EQUAL BETTER ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE NATURAL AREAS BECAUSE THOSE CAN BE COST EFFECTIVE TOO.
LIKE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME CHANGES IN THE MOLD REGIME, UH, WHICH COULD ALSO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
UH, THE PRESENTATION, UM, SLIDESHOW THAT, UH, IS BACKUP FOR TODAY'S, UM, UH, ISSUE.
UH, IT'S A LITTLE HARD FOR ME TO COMMENT ON.
I I DON'T FORWARD TO A FULL REPORT.
UM, AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT USING ANY SURVEY RESULTS TO INFORM THAT REPORT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A SMALL SAMPLE SIZE AND IT'S NOT REPRESENTATIVE.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WILL THAT SURVEY INFORMATION INFORM THE REPORT? AND IF NOT, I MEAN, SHOULD IT, UM, IF NOT, THEN WHY WE, WHICH SO AND THEN LAST DOES THIS, DOES THIS GO TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK BEFORE WE EVER SEE A FINAL REPORT? THAT SEEMS A LITTLE RUSHED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE FORMER PARKS BOARD MEMBER RICHARD PALM, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FLO.
A QUICK PRESENTATION JUST SO IT COULD BE MORE VISUAL HAS BEEN PUTTING THIS UP.
I HAD SOMETHING VOTED MORE SUBSTITUTE, WHICH I ACCIDENTALLY ERASED AND SO I GET A 20, 20 MINUTE DESIGN PRESENTATION.
SO PALM, I APPRECIATE TOWARD BEING IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.
UM, SO THIS IS THE, THE KEY THING.
AND I SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS FOR THE SAME THING USED.
SIMPLY BE CREATED AND THAT'S GONNA BE PART YES.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENG AND SO THAT IS THE ROAD TO ENGAGING INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT NOT MEETING PAST NEEDS.
SO NOT MUTUAL
WERE S BE TWO UP THE BACK 80 SEC OR 86, UH, LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT CAP THIS AT 3.5, UH, TWO 5% TAX GAP WITHOUT VOTER ELECTION.
AND THEN HB 1526, BUT THE 80 A RECESSION, WHICH IMPACTED OUR PARKLET EDUCATION.
THE BAR, THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHERE WE WERE COLLECTING A PARKLET INDICATION, UH, PRIOR TO THE ENACTMENTS OF THAT BILL IN TWO AFTERWARDS.
SO THE FRUSTRATIONS IS FROM THE 2021 PRESENTATION.
WHY BUY NEW PROPERTY WHEN IT TAKES THE MONEY TO DEVELOP? WHEN IS MY PART GOING TO BE APPROVED? YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'LL BE FUNDING FOR X, Y WHY DON'T WE PROVIDE SUMMER CAMPS? ALL THIS STUFF THAT WE, YOU'LL HAVE ROUTINELY, ROUTINELY HEARD AS A PARTS WILL CONVERT AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET LOUDER.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT GUIDANCE NOW IN PARTICULAR NRPA, WE LOOK AT SEVEN DIMENSIONS OF WELLBEING.
AND THIS IS A NICE COMMENT FROM NRPA THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ADDRESS EVERY ASPECT, THIS HOLISTIC ASPECT OF WELLBEING WITH PARK AND RECREATION.
AND SO THAT IS GOING TO BE MENTAL, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMICALLY CULTURAL.
THESE ARE ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH PARK SYSTEMS HELP OUR WELLBEING.
SO THE KEY THING THAT WE'RE MINDFUL FOR SOLVING THIS, THAT MEANS ROBUST PROGRAM BEST, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE RECREATION.
WE WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF IT TO MEET EVERYBODY'S NEEDS.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES.
AND SO PARK SERVE, WE HAVEN'T LOOKED IN TRUSTED PUBLIC LAND ON PARK SERVE.
AND IN THIS CASE, EVERYTHING YOU SEE BLUE IS MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISPARITY.
THAT'S THE HEALTH, THIS IS THE LACK OF IT.
SO WHEN YOU GO FURTHER AT EAST AUSTIN AND OTHER PARTS, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO SUSTAIN THE NEED FOR IT.
AND RIGHT THERE YOU'LL SEE THE RIGHT HAND CORNER, 69% OF RESIDENTS HAVE ARE WITHIN THE 10 MINUTE WALK.
SO YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING BACK AGAIN, 2021 BUDGET, UM, AND WE'RE NOT MEETING THE NEEDS, RIGHT? AND SO WE SEE 64%.
WE HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, THIS IS OUR LAST BUDGET, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN'T SEE THE NUMBERS HERE.
YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE DECK LATER AND WE'RE NOT BECOMING CLOSE TO BEING THE NEEDS.
[01:30:01]
OTHER SYSTEMS OUT THERE.THERE'S A NICE COMPARATIVE, WE LOOK AT THE 2021 REPRESENTATION OF NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS GOES ON THE PARK DISTRICTS, WHICH BY THEM THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM NEXT SLIDE.
WE NEED ALL TYPES OF FUNDING FROM ALL DIFFERENT PLACES.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE A LOT OF, BUT THIS IS A PRESENTATION I DID, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UH, NATIONAL CONFERENCE, NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO, AND THEN WE'LL GO TALK ABOUT PARKS DISTRICTS.
BUT NEXT SLIDE I INVITE YOU TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT THE REST OF IT.
THE SEATTLE MODEL IS A GREAT MODEL FOR US TO LOOK AT, BUT IT'S NOT YOU, YOU WANT DO WANT GLASS OF FUNDING ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.
WILL WE'LL RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS LORES, FOLLOWED BY TODD SID.
CHRIS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
DID YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? NO, I'M GOING TO TRY TO PROJECT AND IMPACT YOURS, BUT I TRY.
UM, WHAT YOU THINK EVERYBODY? UM, MY NAME IS CHRIS GLORIA.
I THINK, UH, BASED ON THE POWER OF MY PRESENTATION THAT INCLUDES SIMILAR, SOME MORE WORK TO BUILD TRUST.
UM, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, HOWARD, MAY 7TH, 2025.
MEMO SENT THE STUDY CALLED ALTERNATIVE.
OUR FUNDING WOULD BE BROKEN INTO THREE PHASES.
PHASE ONE WAS A SURVEY OF BENCHMARKING.
THE SURVEY INVITATION DID NOT INCLUDE ALL LOCAL MEDIA AND THE SAMPLE SIZE WAS TOO SMALL FOR A CITY THIS SIZE AND A RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT AND A SHORTER CLEANER FOLLOW UP SURVEY BE DONE BY A LOCAL UNIVERSITY IN THE COMING COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, ON PHASE TWO, UM, THE, THE IDEA WAS TO ANALYZE GAPS IN SHORTFALLS IN FUNDING.
THIS DATA SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY.
UM, I READ IN THE AUSTIN MONITOR IN MAY, UH, 2025 THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT INCURS A MAINTENANCE SHORTFALL OF 120 MILLION A YEAR.
CURRENTLY THERE'S AN ACCUMULATED $700 MILLION, UH, BUCKET FOR FALL MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
THE 20 25, 26 BUDGET WAS 180 MILLION FOR PARKS.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT WHAT IS NEEDED TO FULLY FUND THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS 120 MILLION PLUS 180 MILLION EQUAL 300 MILLION YEAR? IS THAT WHAT WE NEED? NO ONE'S TELLING US THAT.
AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHAT DO WE NEED TO FUND IT BEFORE WE TAKE A SURVEY? IT TOOK A SHOT AT IT.
UM, JUST FOLLOW ME, UH, TO COST IT OUT.
IF THERE WERE A LINE ITEM, ENTERPRISE PARKS ON MY ELECTRIC BILL, I TOOK 300 MILLION, I DIVIDED IT BY 650,000 ELECTRIC BILLS IN AUSTIN COMES OUT TO $461 A YEAR OR $39 A MONTH.
WOULD I BE WILLING TO PAY THAT AS A CITIZEN? THAT'S THE KIND OF QUESTION THAT SHOULD BE ON THE SURVEY.
ME, I WOULD SAY YES, I'LL PAY UP TO 50, MAYBE 60, THAT'S EVEN MORE THAN THE SWIM PASS.
BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF QUESTION YOU NEED TO SURVEY THE PUBLIC ON.
IF WE'RE GONNA FIND A SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT PAYS FOR THE WHOLE NEED OF THE PARK.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE PHIL PHILANTHROPIC ENTITIES ON PROFITS, BUT WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE IS NOWHERE NEAR 300 MILLION A YEAR.
THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH PHILANTHROPY IN AUSTIN.
UM, MR. GATES IS CLOSING HIS FOUNDATION BECAUSE HE SAID POINT BLANK, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PHILANTHROPY WE NEED, WE NEED THIS TO BE A GOVERNMENT FUND.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE TODD SIP, FOLLOWED BY JOY KOVSKI.
TODD, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES OF THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
MY HANDWRITING IS FOR, MY NAME IS TED
AND UH, I'M HERE AS AN INDIVIDUAL BUT ALSO AS A BOARD MEMBER.
THAT COALITION YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT EARLIER, AUSTIN OUTSIDE.
AND I HAVE ONE, UH, ONE OR TWO SIMPLE POINTS AND YOU'LL SEE A SLIDE DECK SHORTLY BY STAFF, I'M PRETTY SURE IS ENTITLED ALTERNATIVE TALK FUNDING IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THEY SAY ON SLIDE THREE
[01:35:01]
THAT THIS WHOLE WORKING GROUP IS CREATED BY RESOLUTION THAT ASKS THEM TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES OR PARTS.AND I KNOW IT WAS NOT THE STAFF'S INTENTION TO SUGGEST THAT THESE NEW FUNDING SOURCES MIGHT BE ALTERNATIVES TO THE EXISTING GENERAL FUND SOURCES.
SO JUST THINK OF THIS, UH, WHOLE REPORT AS WHAT IT IS, ADDITIONAL PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, THAT'S MY SOLE MESSAGE, SO I HOPE IT'S LOUDLY CLEAR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JOY KA.
JOEY, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAK.
UM, I DON'T THINK I'LL NEED ALL THE, UH, ALL THE THREE MINUTES.
I'M JOY ALSO WITH THE AUSTIN UM, PARK FOUNDATION.
AND UM, A COUPLE SIMILAR TO TO TED, JUST WANT TO KIND OF REITERATE I THINK A COUPLE THINGS.
FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU'ALL THE STAFF.
UM, UM, COUNSEL I THINK CAME OUT WITH THIS RESOLUTION IN NOVEMBER.
I WANNA SAY IT WAS A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND.
SO I THINK STAFF HAS BEEN REALLY, UM, UH, WORKING HARD TO GET EVERYTHING BACK BY THE DEADLINE.
SO I WOULD SAY ANYBODY WHO IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE DEADLINE, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO DIRECTED THE RESOLUTION TO STAFF AND WANTED THIS ESPECIALLY BACK AND FORTH BUDGET.
UM, I THINK, I THINK STAFF, IF THEY HAD THEIR DRUTHERS, PROBABLY WOULD'VE WANTED A LOT MORE TIME TO TO DO THIS, BUT THAT WOULD THE RESOLUTION BUT FOR BY COUNSEL.
SO ANYWAYS, THANKS TO STAFF AND THE UM, UM, THE CONSULTANTS WHO WORK ON THIS, UM, I'M GONNA REITERATE TOO, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT'S FOR IT IS AN ADDITION, NOT A SUPPLEMENT.
UM, I REALLY, I MEAN, AGAIN, THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN THE PRESENTATION YET, BUT I READ THROUGH THE SLIDES.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO SHOW WHERE PARK SYSTEM IS IN COMPARISON TO OTHER PARKS.
UM, AND THIS JUST LIKE ANY GOOD BUSINESS MODEL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE REVENUE GENERATION AND CITY BOSTON PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE.
SO EVEN A SPEED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, THEY GO STRAIGHT TO THEM.
THERE'S GETTING BE, UM, IT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL BUT BE THE GENERAL FUND CANNOT BE
UM, WHILE WHAT'S THE POINT OF ADDING ANYTHING NEW? UM, AND THEY THINK THE LAST POINT IS I WOULD JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE ARTS BOARD MEMBERS TO TALK TO THOSE FOLKS WHO APPOINTED YOU AND TALKED TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND GET THEM TO TALK TO COUNCIL.
'CAUSE I THINK THE ONLY WAY THIS WILL, UM, MOVE FORWARD IS IF THERE IS POLITICAL PRESSURE GIVEN THE, UM, FINANCIAL, UM, STATE THAT WOULD BE OUR, SO ANYWAYS ENCOURAGING USE, UM, YOUR CONTACTS, YOUR KNOWLEDGE, TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND LET'S GET SOME MORE FUNDING.
ANYBODY ELSE? I BELIEVE THAT IS THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
I'M A PROJECT ASSISTANT FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I'M PART OF THIS PROJECT TEAM AND TODAY WE ARE PRESENTING OUR PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS FOR THE ADDITIONAL PARK BENDING STUDY.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION REPRESENTS THE DRAFT IN PROGRESS AND SOME ELEMENTS MAY APPEAR DIFFERENT IN THE FINAL REPORT.
SO
TRANSFER PUBLIC LAND IS A NATIONAL NON-PROFIT AND PARK ADVOCATE.
THEY ARE ALSO A GREAT RESOURCE FOR PARK DATA, WHICH IS USED TO ASSESS THEIR ANNUAL PARK STORE AND OTHER RESEARCH RESEARCH STUDIES.
WE ALSO HAVE PFM GROUP CONSULTING.
THEY'RE TRUSTED CONSULTANT AT THE CITY OF OFFICE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THEY SPECIALIZE
[01:40:01]
IN FUNDING FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT.BOTH OF THEM ARE HERE VIRTUALLY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT COME UP TODAY.
JUST TO RECAP WHY WE ARE HERE, THERE WAS A COUNCIL RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO ASSEMBLE A TEAM TO EXPLORE NEW OR UNTAPPED VERSUS FOR ADDITIONAL PRIOR FUNDING.
THE CITY WAS ALSO ASKED TO HIRE CONSULTANTS AND PERFORM PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
RESOLUTION CAME OUT IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.
THE CONSULTANTS WERE OFFICIALLY BROUGHT ON BOARD IN FEBRUARY, AND THE THREE PHASES OF THEIR SCOPE OF WORK IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT SLIDE.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE KNEE DEEP IN PHASE THREE TRYING TO GET TOGETHER OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, HOWEVER, BEFORE THIS RESOLUTION PARK SPENDING HAS BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, NOT JUST BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY WITH THE STATE AS WELL.
THERE WAS AN INTERNAL STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 2019 AND FORMER PARKS BOARD VICE CHAIR OF RICH PALMA PRESENTED RESEARCH ON PARK DISTRICTS, WHICH IS THE CONCEPT WE'LL TOUCH ON IN A BIT, UH, FOR THE PARKS BOARD IN 2021.
THERE WAS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO START UTILIZING POT FUNDING, WHICH IS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS AS IS ALLOWED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
AND, UH, WE STARTED DOING THAT FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS AS WELL.
SOME OTHER HIGHLIGHTS NOT LISTED ON THE SLIDE IS THERE WAS A 2020 COUNCIL RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY TO BRING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NON-PROFIT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS.
MANY OF THOSE AGREEMENTS HAVE COME BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD OVER THE YEARS.
THERE'S ALSO AN ORDINANCE IN 2022 THAT ALLOWED THE CITY TO COLLECT PARKLAND MITIGATION FEES ON COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WAS A BIG DEAL AND A BIG WIN, BUT THEN IT HAD TO BE ADJUSTED WHEN STATE HOUSE BILL 1526 PATH IN 2023, BUT A NEW REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS ON THE FEES THAT WE HAVE TO COLLECT.
SO THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ALONG WITH OUR FUNDING IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
BASICALLY THE TAKEAWAY IS THAT THIS IS A TARGET THAT IS IN PERPETUAL MOTION IN THE LANDSCAPE THAT'S CHANGING.
SO FOR OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESOLUTION MENTIONED THAT WE HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENT, WHICH WE HAD TWO PARTS FOR
WE HAD A SURVEY THAT WAS OPEN FOR ONE MONTH THAT WAS SHARED THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT CHANNELS.
WE HAD SOME POPUPS AT REC CENTERS.
WE WERE SHARING, WE SHARED IT THROUGH OUR PARTNERS.
WE HAD, UH, INFORMATION IN OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS WITH INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS AND WE GOT GOOD RESPONSE.
I WOULD SAY, BASED ON THE STATISTICS MENTIONED THERE.
UH, THROUGH THAT SURVEY YOU WERE ABLE TO SIGN UP FOR TWO SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS.
WE HELD THOSE VIRTUALLY AND APRIL, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THE FULL SURVEY RESULTS, YOU CAN USE THE QR CODE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE.
AND UM, YEAH, WE HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS, A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS THAT WERE SHARED THAT HAVE GONE ONTO INSPIRE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MIGHT SEE.
AND I'LL PASS IT TO OUR DIRECTOR.
GOOD EVENING AND THANKS PERMI ALSO FOR ALLOWING US TO SHARE THE, THE RESULTS AND THE ANALYSIS THAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, UM, LAUREN MENTIONED THE SURVEY AND WE'LL HAVE SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, UH, THROUGHOUT THE NEXT SLIDE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
UH, AND THIS IS TO, UM, SO THAT YOU GET A GLIMPSE OF, UM, WHAT WE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN SO FAR.
SO ON THIS FIRST QUESTION YOU CAN SEE, UM, UH, IT WAS ABOUT SUPPORTING WITH MORE FUNDING, UH, FOR PRODUCTS, SCHOOLS, AND UTILITIES.
AND THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE OF, UH, 91% OF THE 479 PARTICIPANTS.
UH, TO THE QUESTION SELECTING YES, WE ALSO RECEIVED COMMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY AND THIS WERE ALSO ALSO PART THE FEEDBACK AND THE ANALYSIS THAT WE ARE PERFORMING.
SO THE QUESTION HERE, UM, IS, ARE PARTS A GOOD INVESTMENT? NEXT SLIDE.
SO PARTS TWO ENHANCE PROPERTY BUYERS, PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACES INCREASE THE VALUE OF AIR BY FARMS. PEOPLE ENJOY LIVING CLOSE TO RECREATIONAL AMENITIES AND ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR THAT PROXIMITY.
THIS IS KNOWN AS A PARK PREMIUM AND IT ALSO LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GENERATED FOR THE STATE.
THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED THAT 5% OF THE VALUE
[01:45:01]
OF HOMES ADJACENT TO PARKS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THAT PROXIMITY.AND AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, A SALARY AUSTIN FOUND THAT THE PROPERTY CRISIS IN BARTON NEIGHBORHOOD DECREASE ABOVE HALF FOOT FURTHER FROM PARKLAND OR B, THE HOME
THESE VISITORS SPEND MONEY LOCALLY ON FOOD LARGELY AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
AUSTIN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS MUSIC SCENE HOSTING MAJOR EVENTS LIKE
THE PARK DEPARTMENT WAS EVENTS SAYING, UM, RACES AND FESTIVALS THAT ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PARK ACCESS AND ATTRACT MORE VISITORS.
PLUS YEAR ACL, WHICH IS HOST IN METRO PARK.
THAT IS 550 MILLION TO THE CITY IN A HARM OF BENEFITS.
PARKS ALSO GENERATE HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS, ACCESS TO PARKS IN GROUPS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH RESULTS IN HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS.
THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SET GUIDELINES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND THOSE, UM, INCLUDE ENGAGING IN ACTIVITY FOR 150 MINUTES, UH, OVER A WEEK, UM, TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF CHRONIC ILLNESSES, RIGHT, ALL RESIDENTS REDUCE THE PART, UH, SYSTEM RECEIVE HEALTH BENEFITS.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON OUR PARKS ARE, UH, UTILIZING THE PARKS AND THE TRAILS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT HELPS THEM MEET THE CDC GUIDELINES.
SO TPL ESTIMATES THAT THE ANNUAL HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS IS 1500 FOR ADULTS BETWEEN 18 AND 64 YEARS OLD.
AND MORE THAN 3000 FOR ADULTS OVER 65 AND PARKS BECAME A LIFELINE FOR MANY OF US.
DURING THE PANDEMIC SPENDING TIME IN NATURE REDUCED STRESS AND WALKING THE TRAIL WITH A FRIEND FULFILLED OUR MADE FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION DURING A TIME OF ISOLATION.
THE ECONOMIC, UM, BENEFITS TO NOT, UH, UH, STOP THERE.
AIR POLLUTION, UH, IS A REAL, UH, ISSUE, ESPECIALLY, UH, IN AUSTIN.
UH, TREES TRAPS AND VEGETATION ABSORB AIR POLLUTION RESULTING IN HEALTH BENEFITS FOR AUSTIN IN RESIDENTS.
THE AMERICAN LAB ASSOCIATION ANALYZES THE STATE OF THE AIR FROM COUNTIES ACROSS THE US AND GRADES TRAVIS COUNTY WITH AN F FOR THE NUMBER OF DAYS OF ELEVATED OZONE EACH YEAR.
AND A PARTICLE ION A GREEN SPACE IN AUSTIN REDUCES OZONE BY 2.3 MILLION POUNDS PER YEAR, FIVE OUTSIDE BY 10,500 POUNDS PER YEAR.
AND SIMILAR NUMBERS ARE FROM NITROGEN DIOXIDE, SULFUR DIOXIDE, UM, OR SMALL PARTICULAR MATTER.
THIS IS WORTH 6.2 MILLION IN REDUCED HEALTHCARE IMPACTS EACH YEAR.
THIS NUMBERS ARE
UH, INFILTRATION IS ANOTHER BENEFIT FROM, UM, FROM THE GREEN AREAS.
THE PREVIOUS SERVICES ENTRY CAN BE IN PARTS OF ABSORBED RAINFALL, WHICH REDUCES THE FLOODING IMPACTS RECHARGES BEYOND WATER AND IMPROVES WATER QUALITY.
THIS ALSO REDUCES THE CITY SPENDING ON STORMWATER TREATMENT AND WATER QUALITY MITIGATION.
TDL CREATED A CITYWIDE ESTIMATE OF THE BENEFITS OF THREE CANOPY TO STORMWATER RESTRICTION.
A TREE CANOPY ACROSS AUSTIN REDUCES STORMWATER AND AMOUNT BY 620 $18 MILLION PER YEAR AND INTERSECTS $3.1 MILLION OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE CITY.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
[01:50:01]
HAD THE MOST HEADQUARTERED RELOCATIONS ACROSS THE US IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS IN GROWTH.DUE TO THE ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS AND NEARBY NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
THE RECRUITMENT BROCHURES WERE MADE FOR MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN AUSTIN.
HIGHLIGHT THE PARTS, TRAILS, CREEKS AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TO ATTRACT AND PERTAINS SKILLED EMPLOYEE DURING TIME.
JOB MARKETS NEARBY MARKS AND TRAILS INCREASE THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC NEAR BUSINESSES, HELPING ALSO TO INCREASE THE CUSTOMER BASE FOR RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL.
AND THERE IS ALSO VALUE IN OUTDOOR RECREATION WHERE SPENDING FOR, UM, ON SPORTS AVIATION AND EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, ALONG WITH THE THIRD SPENDING IN
SO WE HEARD THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH MONEY DO DOES THE DEPARTMENT NEED? UM, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND ALSO DISCUSS WHERE THIS FUNDING IS COMING FROM.
SO I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PUT THE BACKDROP OF THIS DISCUSSION THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE, UH, BUDGET SITUATION FOR THE CD.
UH, TODAY, UM, WE HAVE BUDGET DEFICITS THAT WE ARE FACING AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REDUCE OUR BUDGET BY 1.5% AND WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO FIND, UM, PROPOSALS FOR A 5% REDUCTION NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THE CITY WILL CHECKS 33.4 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR 26 AND A PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT DEFICIT OF 79.9 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE THAT BY 2030.
SO THE GENERAL FUND, UM, THAT SUPPORTS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PARKS IS THE FOURTH LARGEST ALLOCATION OF THE GENERAL FUND WITH AT 35.1% FIRE AT AT 18.5% AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AT 10 AHEAD OF US, WE ARE AT 9.5% AND THE GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS FOR THE CITY ARE 23% OF ALL THE CITY PLAN LOCATIONS.
THE LARGEST FUND USERS ARE AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER.
SO THE PARK SCORE INDEX AND HOW DO WE EVALUATE THE, UM, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR PARK SYSTEM? THE PARK SCORE INDEX IS A COMPREHENSIVE RATING SYSTEM THAT MEASURES HOW WELL THE HUNDRED MOST POPUL CITIES IN THE, IN THE US ARE MEETING THE NEED FOR PARTS LOWER RANKING IS CONSIDERED AND BETTER SCORE, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE ALL OF BILLING FOR NUMBER ONE IN 2000.
WASHINGTON DC WAS TOP BRANCH AND MINNEAPOLIS, UH, BRANCH SERVED AUSTIN IN 2024 WAS AROUND 44.
AND WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME WORK AHEAD OF US
TPL ASSIGN POINTS ACROSS THE FIVE CATEGORIES BELOW.
HIGHER NUMBERS IN THIS CATEGORIES REFLECT A BETTER SCORE AND AS YOU COULD SEE, AUSTIN IS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR ACREAGE ACCESS AND INVESTMENT AND BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR AMENITIES AND EQUITY.
I WILL JUST NOTE BRIEFLY THAT EQUITY FOCUSES ON HOW WELL THE PARTS SYSTEM PROVIDES EQUITABLE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES AND PARTS FOR ALL RESIDENTS REGARDLESS OF RACE OR INCOME AMENITIES.
UH, LOOK AT SPECIFIC AMENITIES AND HOW MANY WE HAVE PER RESIDENT.
AND THE AMENITIES CONSIDERED INCLUDE BASKETBALL HOOPS, DOG PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTERS, RESTROOMS AND SPLASH PADS.
I WOULD NOTE ABOUT THE ACREAGE, UH, SCORE.
THAT PROBABLY IS A BIG LOWER BECAUSE UM, WE HAVE SMALL PARTS LIKE PARK AND PARK AND THE METRIC ARE WORTH POINTS FOR ACREAGE BASED ON THE MEDIAN PARTS SIZE AND THE PERCENTAGE OF A LAND USE FOR DEVELOP
[01:55:01]
AND THIS WHOLE PICTURE LEADS US TO THE QUESTION IF INVESTMENT IS OUR HIGHEST SCORE, WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING? NEXT SLIDE FROM, FROM THE CITIES THAT UH, WE HAVE IN OUR LIST AS COMPETITORS, THE MEDIUM PARK EXPENDITURE PER CAPITA IS IN CISCO YEAR 23 IS ABOUT 203.
AUSTIN'S PER CAPITA EXPENDITURES CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THIS RADI.
AS WE CAN SEE,
HOWEVER, JUST NOTE THAT AUSTIN HAS A, A LARGER POPULATION THAN THE HIGHEST SPENDING YEARS INDICATING THAT IN ADDITION TO THE CITY'S LOWER OVERALL SPENDING, AUSTIN MUST LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS TO SERVE MORE RESIDENTS THAN IT'S REALLY YEARS.
AUSTIN'S PER CAPITA EXPENDITURES ARE, ARE HIGHER THAN ALL THREE BENCHMARKS.
TEXAS SAVINGS, WHICH HAVE THE THREE LOWEST EXPENDITURES PER CAPITA AMONG THE BID GROUP.
WHILE THE OVERALL FUNDING FOR AUSTIN PARKS AND AVIATION SYSTEM IS AROUND THE MEDIAN FOR THE COMPARISON ZONE GROUP, THE MAJORITY OF AUSTIN PARKS RECREATION FUNDING COMES FROM THE PRIMARY CITY AGENCY FROM THE GENERAL FUND WITH ABOUT 18% COMING FROM PRIVATE FUND RATES.
OUTSTANDING PARK SYSTEMS LIKE THE SYSTEM IN SAN FRANCISCO, UH, OR IN BOSTON AND ATLANTA ALL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM SPECIAL GROUPS, DISTRICTS AND OTHER AGENCIES.
AUSTIN HAS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PURE TO DIVERSIFY ITS PRODUCTS SPENDING SOURCES WHICH WILL MAKE PARK MORE RESILIENT TO FLUCTUATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND AVAILABILITY.
THE SURVEY RESULTS FOR THIS QUESTION WHICH WAS HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE SPENDING ADDITIONAL MONEY RAISED? GIVES US, ALSO GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE ALMOST 500 RESPONDENTS UH, FELT.
SO OVERWHELMINGLY SHOWN THE MOST SUPPORT IN PRIORITIZING SPENDING TOWARDS PARK MAINTENANCE FOLLOWED BY RENOVATING FACILITIES AND ADDING AMENITIES TO LESS DEVELOPED PARTS, RANKING CLOSELY THOSE TWO TO EACH OTHER.
MOST UPLOADED COMMENT, UM, WAS THAT AUSTIN NEEDS TO FOCUS ON PRESERVING ANY EXISTING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN OUR PARTS AND ACQUIRING MORE PIPELINE TO REDUCE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, MITIGATE DANGEROUS CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROVIDE SAFE NATURAL SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO REGULATE OUTDOORS.
THIS IS THE BY CHART OF THE DEPARTMENTS OPERATING BUDGET, HIGHLIGHTING THE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SERVICES, INTERNAL TRANSFERS TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND CEMETERIES.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT PERSONNEL EXPENSES MAY HAVE 67.5% OF THE PARTY'S EXPENDITURES MAKING IT BY FAR OUR HIGHEST EXPENSE AND THE FASTEST GROWING EXPENDITURE CATEGORY.
WHEN WE FACE BUDGET CUTS, IT MEANS WE HAVE TO FIND FUNDS TO CUT FROM CONTRACTS AND COMMODITIES WHICH ARE MUCH LOWER PERCENTAGE.
I ALSO THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE AT SOME POINT TO CONFIRM THAT AUSTIN HAS THE HIGHEST CITY EMPLOYEE MINIMUM WAGE IN OUR COMPARED TO THE GROUP AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS A LOWER, UM, MINIMUM WAGE.
SO BY PORTION OF TOTAL SPENDING, AUSTIN SPENDS THE HIGHEST PORTION OF ITS TOTAL SPENDING ON RECREATION AND PROGRAM IN THIS VERBAL COMPARATIVE.
AUSTIN SPENT THE SECOND LIST ON GRANTS MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COMPARED TO THIS UH, GROUP OF YEARS AND ALL BUT THREE OTHER CITIES SPENT A HIGHER PORTION OF THEIR BUDGET ON CAPITAL POSITION.
[02:00:02]
I WANT TO NOTE HERE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES IN THE AREA OF, UM, CAPITAL UH, SPENDING AND LABOR ACQUISITIONS DUE TO THE RECENTUM, THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE UPCOMING BOND.
I'M ELIZABETH THERE, PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR,
SO HOW CAN AUSTIN MARKS GET MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOR THE SURVEY RESULTS ON THIS ONE, WE ASK PEOPLE WHERE, WHAT VERSION OF ALTERNATIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE MOST AND PREFER AND OVERWHELMINGLY MOST PEOPLE SEND NEW DEDICATED FUNDING RATHER THAN TAX THE SURVEY INCREASED FEES.
SO WE'LL LOOK OVER THESE THREE OPTIONS IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES AND LOOK AT THE LIMITATIONS THAT SOME OF THOSE MIGHT HAVE THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED.
SO THIS CHART IS FROM THE TRUST REPUBLIC LAST 2023 REPORT ON
IT SHOWS YOU A SUMMARY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING MECHANISMS AND THERE ARE APPLICABLE USES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING HAVE AT LEAST AVAILABLE OPTIONS.
SO HOW DO OTHER CITIES FUND THEIR PARKS? UM, THIS IS A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS, UH, TO SHOW OUR COMPARATORS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
THE TEXAS ONES AND NATIONAL ONES HAVE THE BEST PRACTICES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT ALL OF US USE PARTNERSHIPS AND BONDS FOR PARKS.
UM, ALMOST ALL THE NON TEXAS UH, COMPARATORS HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCES OR TAXES CHANCES.
SEVERAL HAVE PARK DISTRICTS INCLUDING AUSTIN.
WE HAVE THE I CREEK METRO PARK DISTRICTS.
A VERY LIMITED AT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, BUT SOME HAVE CITYWIDE PARK DISTRICTS LIKE SEATTLE.
THERE'S ONE, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO THAT HAS A PARK F UTILITY PAGE, WHICH IS THE UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE FEE THAT'S ABOUT ABOUT 50 ON EVERY UTILITY FUND.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS IN WHICH OTHER CITIES AREN'T FUNDING AND THERE'S NO JUST ONE WAY YOU CAN SEE IT'S IN MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE AREAS.
SO WE'RE GONNA DIVE INTO FEES NEXT.
UH, IN THE SURVEY WE ASKED WHAT NEW FEES WOULD BE PREFERRED AND THE RESULTS AREN'T TOO FAR APART FROM EACH OTHER.
THEY SAID THEY LIKE NEW
SO AS WE GO OVER FEES, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENTERPRISE FUND DEPARTMENTS AND GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS.
'CAUSE THEY, UH, THEY USE FEES DIFFERENTLY.
THEY ALLOW FOR THE CUT KEEPING OF 'EM OR NOT.
SO ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE FINANCIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING.
THE REVENUE THAT THEY KEEP, THEY GET FROM PEACE STAYS WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY UTILIZE 'EM.
THERE'S SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THERE AND IT'S NOT JUST DEPARTMENTS.
IT COULD BE A PROGRAM OR SERVICE AREA WITHIN A DEPARTMENT.
SO OUR GOLF DIVISION IS AN ENTERPRISE PROGRAM WITHIN BARD.
UM, ALTERNATIVELY THE GENERAL FUNDED DEPARTMENTS, UM, THEY RECEIVE THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND THERE.
THEY DON'T USUALLY KEEP THEIR FEES.
THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THAT THAT ARE CALLED SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
THOSE TEND TO GET APPROVED THROUGH BUDGET AND COUNCIL AND UM, THEY USE OR THE REST OF OUR FEES WILL GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, UM, TO OFFSET OUR GENERAL FUND DEPENDENCY, UH, KEEPING FEES WITHIN GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT.
SOMETIMES IT'LL JUST CHANGE OUR DEPENDENCY ON THE GENERAL FUND AS WE GO ALONG.
SO IF WE'RE GETTING A 11% FEES, IF WE'VE GAINED MORE FEES, IT JUST MEANS WE'RE NOW COVERING 15% OF THE GENERAL FUND RATHER THAN INCREASING THE GENERAL FUND IN ITS TOTAL.
SO IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR STRATEGY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT REGARDLESS OF THE FEES WE CHARGE, THEY HAVE TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COST OF SERVICE.
IT'S A NON-PROFIT TYPE METHODOLOGY IN WHICH OUR FEES CAN'T BE PROFITABLE.
SO, SO HERE YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LIST OF SOME CURRENT AND POTENTIAL FEES THAT WE GO OVER.
UM, A LOT OF THESE HAVE RESTRICTIONS.
[02:05:01]
THERE'S ASTRO FUND.WHICH ONES GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND WHICH ONES WE KEEP.
THE ONES THAT WE KEEP TEND TO HAVE A VERY LIMITED USE.
THEY HAVE TO STAY WITH EITHER THE KIND OF DIVISION THAT'S CREATED ON THE PROGRAM OR THE AREA LIKE THE PARK BIG ENTRY FEE WHERE THE FUNDS HAVE TO STAY TO BE UTILIZED FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT, THAT SAME PART.
SO THEY'RE NOT WIDE SPREADING FEES IN WHICH WE CAN USE 'EM FLEXIBLY.
UH, THERE'S A COUPLE NEW ONES ON HERE THAT PARK MAINTENANCE FEE, THAT DRAINAGE FEES, THOSE COULD HAVE POTENTIAL TO BE USED MORE FLEXIBLY AND I THINK THEY MIGHT BE MORE IMPACTFUL AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THEY BRING IN, IN TOTALITY AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF OUR OTHER ENTRY FEES OR PERC FEES OR PROGRAM FEES, WHICH CAN'T BE PROFITABLE.
IN CURIOSITY THAT CURRENTLY FEES MAKE UP 11.5% OF OUR GENERAL FUND, BUT THERE'S NO PROMISE THAT INCREASING FEES WILL INCREASE OUR GENERAL AND SOME.
UH, IN THE SURVEY WE ASKED WHICH, UH, TAX WAS THE MOST PREFERRED, UH, BY FAR WAS TAXES ON SPECIFIC GOODS OR SERVICES AND THEN BONDS AND THEN PROPERTY TAXES.
AND WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TAXES AND THE LIMITATIONS TO THE NEXT SITES.
THE SALES TAX, WHICH WAS THE ONE THAT WAS VOTED AT HIGHEST AND PREFERRED.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A PROFITABILITY WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE ARE ALREADY AT OUR LIMIT, LEGAL LIMIT OF THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT FOR TAXES.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO RAISE IT UP TO DEDICATE IT TO PARKS.
THERE'S ALSO SEVERAL STATE LAWS THAT MAKE MANY OF THESE TAXES ILLEGAL, SUCH AS THE PLASTIC BAG TAX, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER THAT ONE.
AND THE LOTTERY TAX THINGS WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.
THERE'S A HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
THIS ONE IS GENERALLY NOT ELIGIBLE FOR GENERATIVE MAINTENANCE.
WE DO UTILIZE IT FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDS, FUNDING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS UH, PROGRAMMING OF STAFF AND ADVERTISING FOR THOSE FACILITIES AS ELIGIBLE.
IF THERE WAS A CHANGE TO HOTEL, A TAX ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE AND MAYBE IT COULD BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS, BUT AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS IT'S NOT INCOME TAX IS ILLEGAL AND THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION DOES NOT LOAN FOR THAT YEAR.
AND THEN THERE'S TAX INCREMENT FINANCING TAX.
USUALLY THESE ARE USED IN A SPECIFIC REINVESTMENT ZONE, UH, THAT HAS SUBSTANTIAL DETERIORATION AND CREATE FINANCE IMPROVEMENTS.
SCHEDULING DEVELOPMENT, WE'LL SEE THIS IN OUR WATERLOO BRIEFLY.
WE USE THE TURS TO SUPPORT THAT REDEVELOPMENT.
THESE REQUIRE, UH, VOTER APPROVAL.
WE WANNA INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX OVER THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT CAPS OUR REVENUE GROWTH AND IT HINDERS OUR ABILITY TO DEDICATE PROPERTY TAXES TO SPECIFIC CASES.
ALL THIS WOULD SAY WE COULD ASK THE VOTERS TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES, BUT IT DOESN'T PROMISE THAT IT'LL AFFECT TO MARKET 'CAUSE IT CAN'T BE SPECIFIED.
THERE IS A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, UH, SO PROPERTY TAX, THESE REQUIRE ACCEPT PROPERTY OWNER APPROVAL WHETHER LAND SIZE OR OTHERWISE.
IT DOESN'T COMMONLY, UM, HAVE EXCLUSIVE USE OF PROPERTY EITHER.
AND THEN THERE'S PARK DISTRICTS THAT HAVE LOCAL PROPERTY TAXING AUTHORITY.
THESE ARE DEDICATED REVENUE STREAM OF PARKS MIGRATION IN TEXAS.
UH, CURRENTLY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS CAN ESTABLISH THESE, BUT CITIES ARE NOT EXPLICITLY AUTHORIZED TO DO THE SAME.
THERE IS POSSIBLE RESOURCE TO DO MORE OF AQUA PARKS DISTRICT STRUCTURE TO CREATE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION IN ORDER TO CREATE A PARK DISTRICT IN AUSTIN, BUT HOUSTON DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING SAYING THAT THE, THE TC COULDN'T ALSO BE THE CITY COUNCIL RATHER THAN SUB BOARD.
SO LASTLY WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT DEDICATED FUNDING.
UM, FOR A SURVEY, THE, THE HIGHEST RESULTS CAME BACK AND PREFERRED TO HAVE NONPROFIT PARTNERS FOLLOW THEIR SPONSORSHIPS AND THEN DONATIONS.
SO, SO PARTNERSHIPS COME IN GENERALLY THROUGH CATEGORIES OF FOUNDATION AND CONSERVANCY OR A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP HEARD FROM ALL OF THEM TONIGHT.
UM, SPONSORSHIPS, THEY HISTORICALLY HAVEN'T BEEN ALLOWED IN THE CITY, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH A LAW DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY.
THEY KIND OF IRON THAT OUT TO HAVE A POSSIBLE PATH FORWARD.
DONATIONS, THEY'RE ALLOWABLE, BUT WE DO SEE A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITHIN THE CITY PROCEDURE.
UH, THAT IMPACTS COMMUNITY TRUST.
OFTENTIMES THEY'LL TAKE DONATIONS BUT THEY CAN'T BE USED UNTIL THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE
[02:10:01]
OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE FUNDS AND THE BUDGET CYCLE BETWEEN WHEN YOU GET 'EM IN THE NEXT YEAR IS THEY COULD GET SWEPT AWAY AND IT'S HARD UNLESS YOU HAVE PEOPLE DEDICATED TO WATCHING THOSE FUNDS AND BEING A STEWARD OF THEM TO KEEP, UM, THEM WHERE THEY SHOULD BE GOING.AND THEN OF COURSE VOLUNTEERS.
IT'S A, A HUMAN RESOURCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WILL MEASURABLY REDUCE OUR FINANCIAL IMPACT CONSIDERING OUR HIGHEST, UH, REVENUE GOES TOWARDS PAYING PERSONNEL COSTS.
SO VOLUNTEER WOULD HAVE A STRONG IMPACT ON THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE ALL OF THESE REQUIRE CONSIDERABLE OVERHEAD TO MANAGE EFFECTIVELY THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS.
OF COURSE, LIMITATION EXISTS IN OUR CURRENT STAFFING AVAILABLE SITE NEXT SIDE.
SO NEXT STEPS WE'RE LOOKING AT A MEMO TO MAYOR COUNCIL IN JUNE WITH A SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS OR DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ALONG WITH THEIR FULL REPORT.
AND THEN IN JULY AND AUGUST WE'LL SEE THE, THE BUDGET CYCLE GO THROUGH.
WE'LL SEE WHAT IMPACTS TO COUNT TO IT.
ALRIGHT, GO MEMBERS QUESTIONS? NO QUESTION.
UM, ON THE SLIDE, UH, RELATING TO FEE EXAMPLES, UM, WHERE IMPACT MORE UM, OR LESS, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE, UH, FEES ARE RESTRICTED OR USE ONLY AT SLIDE SLOT, THE POEM COLLECTED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IT'S GATE THINGS, IT'S IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED LIKE THE GATE BEFORE POOL OR LIKE WHAT, CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT LIKE A GATE PARK ENTRY SLASH GATE FEE IS? SO LIKE AL ALONG HAS A ENTRY GATE FEE AND SO THE FUNDS COLLECTED AT AL ALONG BE USED FOR IMPROVEMENTS, MAINTENANCE AT AL ALONG.
BUT POOLS ARE FEE THAT GO BACK TO THE GENERAL.
AND I GUESS, OKAY, THAT'S INTERESTING.
YEAH, I GUESS THEN JUST GENERAL GEN.
UM, SO HOW DOES, UM, WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT AT, FOR EXAMPLES OF OUR FEST AND THERE WAS AN FB, THERE'S PARKING FEE.
HOW DOES THAT FACTOR INTO WHAT YOU'VE SHOWN US? SO, SO THERE ARE UM, TWO PARTS THERE.
ONE IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS AN AGREEMENT REGARDING THE EVENT TO THE UNIVERSITY ACTUAL COSTS.
AND THIS COULD BE, UM, PERSONNEL HOURS FOR OVER TIME IF THEY HAD TO BE THERE OR UM, REPAIRS TO THE GREENS OR ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE CARE AFTER THE EVENTS.
SO THAT COMES DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S REIMBURSED EXPENSES.
UM, THERE IS ALSO, UM, AN AGREEMENT THAT THE LAND MAY HAVE WITH THE CITY FOR A
BUT UM, THAT GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FACT.
IT DOES NOT COME TO THE DEPARTMENT.
WHO DECIDES THAT? WHO DECIDES THAT THE AGREEMENT WITH ACL IS SIGNED? NOT EVEN, NO.
WHO DECIDES THAT? IT GOES TO THE GENERAL ONE? YEAH.
WHO DECIDES THAT? IT GOES TO THE GENERAL ONE, THE AGREEMENT THAT THE EVENT HAS WITH THE CITY.
AND THAT IS, SO THE CITY'S POSITION IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT GETS COMMENTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WHATEVER WE RATE, WE HAVE TO GET IT BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND UNLESS IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND THOSE ARE DIRECTED TO A SPECIFIC PART FOR
SO IT SOUNDS WE'RE REALLY SAYING MONEY AND WE'RE GIVING ALL BACK TO YEAH, AND THAT'S, YEAH.
AND THAT'S LIKE, IT JUST GENERALLY LIKE MY MENTALITY GOING TOWARDS THIS AND EVENTUALLY GETTING BEYOND LIKE HOW I'M GONNA VOTE, IT'S GONNA BE THAT I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO FUNDING SOURCE SET'S OFF THE TABLE.
RIGHT? FOR ME THAT MEANS INCREASING NON-PROFIT PARTNERS, THAT MEANS INCREASE IN PART FEE.
THAT MEANS LOOKING AT DESIGNATING ALL ENTRY AND GATE FEES AS PART, UH, AS PART OF PARK BUDGET, NOT THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
EVERYTHING YOU MENTIONED HERE, LIKE FOR READING NOTHING JUST OFF THE TABLE, I MAKE IT PART B, MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING HERE AND THERE TO PROVIDE
[02:15:01]
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU THESE QUESTIONS.LIKE WELL WE DECIDE THAT THIS IS GONNA GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? IT IT'S JUST TRY TO GET MORE KNOWLEDGE OF FACTS.
SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE, TO FROM THIS TO SPEAK, UM, TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AROUND THE GENERAL FUND.
LIKE THERE IT'S LIKE A GIVE AND TAKE.
SO LIKE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GIVING AS MUCH TO THE GENERAL FUND BUT THEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING AS MUCH.
UM, AND SO HOW ARE THOSE LEVERS CURRENTLY WORKING AND IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT IT IS AN ADD MORE AS WE'RE DEFINITELY HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY, LIKE WE DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, TO PUSH ONE UP AND THE OTHER GO DOWN, WHAT? TO CONTINUE TO GO UP.
SO AM I MAKING SENSE IN THE QUESTION THAT I'M ASKING? LIKE, IS THERE THE POSSIBILITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO GO UP AND TO KEEP THESE FEES AND RECEIVE WHAT WE'RE ALREADY RECEIVING FROM THE SCHOOL? THIS IS THE BUDGET IS TO DECIDED THAT YEAR PROVIDE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE HOW TO DIRECT
WE, THAT IS THE FOR NOW AND UM, WE HAVE TRIED OVER THE YEARS TO INCREASE, UM, LEASE IN EFFORTS TO BRING MORE MONEY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
EVEN THAT HAS RECEIVED SOME RESISTANCE FROM COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY SENSITIVE, RIGHT? SO THEY THOUGHT THAT THAT HAS TO, UH, THE PRODUCT VISITORS.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD EVEN FOR, UH, FOR UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OR FOR LAND THAT'S TAKEN BY A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, WE HAD ACTUALLY, UM, TO ASK FOR IT TO GO BACK SO THAT WE CAN REPLACE THAT, WHICH IS NOT EXACTLY A FEE, IT WAS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
BUT EVEN THAT WE HAD TO, UM, GO INTO A SPECIAL DISCUSSION AND TO PROVIDED DIRECTION.
SO I THINK I'M SAYING THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS WITHIN OUR HANDS RIGHT NOW, BUT COUNCIL IS THE DECIDING.
SO ONE FEW MAYBE YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, CITY COUNCIL ASKED TO REDUCE YOUR BUDGET BY 1.5% AND 5% BY NEXT YEAR.
SO THAT'S THE MONEY THAT'S ALLOCATED TO THE, TO PART OR TO THE PARTS BY THE, THE GENERAL FUND.
ALL THAT MONEY COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND? YES.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE SURVEY.
SO AS YOU HEARD SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAMPLE SIZE.
SO IS THE 17,000 THAT WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE, UH, S UH, OF THE PRESENTATION WAS, WAS THAT THE SAMPLE SIZE? THOSE WERE THE INTERACTIONS OR LIKE THE RESPONSES I GOT UM, SO WHEN, WHEN WE SAY, SO THERE WERE 17,000 UH, RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY.
UM, 17,000 INDIVIDUALS I ASSUME? NO, NO.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT, THAT WE GOT THE SOLUTION FROM NOVEMBER.
NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT FOR A SURVEY.
WE ASK FOR TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESENT THE RESULTS TO THE PUBLIC AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
BUT WE WANTED TO GATHER IDEAS, WE WANTED TO UM, UNDERSTAND WHAT UM, SOME OF THE ENGAGED ADVOCATES MM-HMM
IT'S NOT A SURVEY THAT WILL HAVE A LOSS ON WHETHER PEOPLE WANT TO PAY FOR MONEY.
THIS IS, THIS WAS NOT EXACTLY BEING INTENDED WAS JUST GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU THINK WHERE WE WOULD GO.
THE SURVEY IS NOT REPRESENTED SO I, BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME THAT I HEAR USE OF THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC SAID COMMUNITY SAID THE PUBLIC SAID, I THOUGHT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PUBLIC SAID SOMETHING.
DISTRICT TWO HAVE 4% RESPONSE.
WE HAVE ZIP CODES THAT HAD NO RESPONSE AT ALL.
WE HAVE ONE ZIP CODE NEXT TO THE SOLDIER THAT HAD A 13% RESPONSE RATE.
WE HAD NO, YOU LOOK AT SIR, LOOK, I'VE DONE
[02:20:01]
RESPONSE.IF YOU LOOK AT SURVEYS, FOUR GENERAL ERRORS HERE, YOU, YOU'RE MEASURED BEFORE I EVER PRESENT THAT TO THE PUBLIC.
ONE IS COVERAGE, ONE IS A NON-RESPONSE ERROR.
IF I HAVE 600 RESPONDENTS YET ONLY 300 ANSWERED A CERTAIN QUESTION, THAT'S AN ERROR.
I'VE GOTTA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF FIVE.
THAT IS, UH, THERE'S MEASUREMENT ERRORS AND I SEE THOSE ERRORS THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY.
NOW UNDERSTANDING THE TIME AND UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE NOT PRESENTING THIS BUT PUBLIC STATE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS OF THAT IN THAT THIS IS A SNAPSHOT BEHIND A FULL OF PEOPLE.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU WHO THEY ARE.
CORRECT? ABOUT THE SURVEY POPULATION IN AUSTIN, WE LOST DEMOGRAPHERS ABOUT 46, 40 7%.
ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR POPULATION IS HISPANIC.
DISTRICT TWO IS ABOUT 60 ISH, 11% OF HISPANIC ARE HISPANIC.
WHAT CONCERNS? AND JUST THE DEMOGRAPHIC IS THAT WE WOULD MISREPRESENT THIS POTENTIAL IS BEING MODEL.
SO WE HAVE TO CRAFT THE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THIS INFO PEOPLE SAID THIS ON THIS CHAPTER, THIS WEB SURVEY.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LANGUAGE WHO CRAFTED THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT WAS.
IT TURNED OUT HOW COMMUNICATIONS UNIT IT WAS THE, SO I I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS BASICALLY YOU HAVE THE COS BEING TURNED UP SURVEY AND THE RESPONDING, UM, THE EXTENT OF THE UH, BREACH ON THAT SURVEY.
YEAH, I I'VE ALREADY SEEN BEING PROMOTED AS BEING THE VOICE OF THE PROBLEM.
NOT SAYING THIS ADVOCACY, I DON'T CARE WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE.
I I I'M RICH, I I ALL DIFFERENT FUNDING APPROACHES THAT EVERY FUNDING APPROACH WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON.
BUT WHAT I NOTICE IS WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS, DID YOU LOOK AT CLEVELAND AND TOLE METRO ARTS, WHICH HAS THE BILL TAX.
DID YOU LOOK AT THE SODA TAX OF PHILADELPHIA? I DON'T CARE IF IT'S LEGAL TEXAS OR NOT.
ONE AND A HALF CENT PER ONE OUNCE OF SUGARY DRINK.
THOSE ARE THE EARLY CHILDREN'S EDUCATION IN REC CENTERS.
I'VE WORKED IN MINNEAPOLIS, UM,
THAT'S CITY PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY, PARTNERING WITH UT LOWER RO VALLEY AND WE PARTNERED WITH UT THERE'S ONE CITY THAT IS, SO HERE'S EXAMPLES.
WE HAVE A IN CHICAGO AND DEN MILLENNIUM.
WHEN BILL WHITE DID, WAS IT GREEN IN HOUSTON, THEY SOLD OFF EXCESS CITY PROPERTY THAT HAD NO PARK VALUE WHATSOEVER IN ORDER TO FUND PARKS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HUNDRED YEAR HISTORY OF PARK DEVELOPMENT, GO BACK TO STEAD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY, THE TIMES WHEN PARTS JUMPED AHEAD IS WHEN PEOPLE TOOK OFF THE BLIND, TOOK OFF THE LIMITATIONS AND SAID LET'S LOOK AT EVERY POSSIBILITY.
EVERY POSSIBILITY FOR FUNDING.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING UP THERE, EVERY NEED, I AGREE WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT IT'S GONNA TAKE IMAGINARY AND I DON'T WANT THIS FLAWED SURVEY TO BOG YOU.
MR. EUBANKS, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I JUST ASK IT.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT EITHER RESURVEY, DO WE HAVE SOMETHING ACCURATE FOR, I KNOW YOU DON'T, MAY NOT HAVE TIME OR CAN WE JUST TAKE THE SURVEY OUT OF IT AND SAY HERE ARE OUR, BUT WE HAVE A REAL DEADLINE SUBMITTING THIS STUDY.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OUR PLEASE, THE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE LIST OF OPTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE ARE GONNA BE INFLUENCED BY THE SURVEY.
[02:25:02]
THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO GET, UM, THESE ADDITIONAL IDEAS OF WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE.AND ACTUALLY I'M HAPPY THAT OUR, UH, CONSULTANTS ARE HERE AS WELL AND WE CAN LOOK FURTHER INTO THOSE THINGS AND POSSIBLY ADD OR EXPLAIN WHY WE CAN OR WE CANNOT.
SO THIS IS THE REAL VALUE OF THIS, UH, FOR IS TO GATHER MORE FEEDBACK TO GATHER THIS INFORMATION THAT WILL COME INTO THE REPORT.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR TIME, WE WERE HOPING TO GET SOME INPUT FROM COUNCIL, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THAT WILL BE THE CASE.
THEY DON'T SHARE WITH THEM THE DRAFT REPORT AND MAYBE AFTERWARDS WE CAN HAVE THEIR, I WANNA JUST TURN ONLINE AND SEE IF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WERE JOINING US ONLINE.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU HAD SAID.
IF THERE, SO FOR EXAMPLE, I GO TO BAR SPRINGS, I PAY MY ENTRY FEE.
DOES THAT PANTRY FEE STAY WITHIN WORK SPRINGS OR IS THAT MONEY THAT CAN BE SPREAD AND USED? IS THAT OKAY FOR THE GENERAL FUND OR IS THAT THE GENERAL FUND? YEAH, AND AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER, UH, BOARD MEMBERS MAY BE INTERESTED IN THIS, BUT IT'S GENERAL FUNDS ARE USED AT A MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THIS WORD AGAIN, BUT I HAVE A POLICY DEGREE, WHICH IS WHY I KNOW THIS GENERAL FUNDS ARE USED AT A CITY LEVEL SPECIFICALLY.
'CAUSE YOU NEED A RESERVE, RIGHT.
AND PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THERE ARE TWO REASONS THAT OUR RESERVE IS LARGER THAN SOME OTHER PLACES.
ONE OF WHICH IS THAT WE'RE EXTREMELY CLIMATE SENSITIVE.
SO IF A NATURAL DISASTER HAPPENS, THE CITY WANTS THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO USE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE RESERVES FOR THAT PURPOSE.
AND THEN SECONDLY, THE, THE, THE WAY OUR CITY IS FUNDED BECAUSE OF THE VOLATILITY OF THE STATE LEVEL AND HOW WE ARE OFTEN IN CONFLICT WITH STATE POLICIES, THAT RESERVE HELPS MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.
SO I'M NOT SAYING I REALLY WISH ALL THE PARKS MONEY STAYED WITHIN THE PARKS, BUT I THINK YOU'LL LOOK AT OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND SEE VERY SIMILAR THINGS THAT MOST OF THE MONEY FOR THE CITY COMES INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO ALLOW THAT FLEXIBILITY.
AND I MEAN, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT, BUT MY GUESS IS PARTS BENEFITS FROM IT.
IN SOME AREAS, PLACES LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY ARE PUTTING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO THE GENERAL FUND AT TIMES.
UM, SO I THINK THERE ALL THIS TO SAY THERE WAS AN AUDIT IN 2023 BY THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE THAT HAS TO DO WITH CITY RESERVE PROCESSES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
IT JUST DETAILS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PEER CITIES AROUND GENERAL FUND USAGE AND RESERVES.
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT LIKE THE CONSEQUENCES.
CONSEQUENCES IF WE KEPT THE FEES FOR BARTON SPRINGS.
AND THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO BE USED AT BARTON SPRINGS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE GENERAL, MY CONCERN.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, AND IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE OBSERVED THIS, UM, IF YOU'RE NOT A RESIDENT OF CITY OF AUSTIN AND YOU GO TO BAR SPRING CAP
AND WHO SETS THAT RIGHT COUNCIL.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WE SPECIFICALLY TRIED TO INCREASE LAST YEAR WORK.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAYING I THINK THE VICE CHAIR FLOWERS' POINT IS, IS THAT I WASN'T TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THAT.
I'M LIKE EVERYTHING'S TO STAY WITH THE, THE, THE, THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE GIVE AND TAKE, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE 5% ACTUALLY SINCE THEY'RE BEING EVERYONE BEING AT TO DO, EVERYONE'S IN ENTIRE STRAIT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR IN REGARDS TO THIS CONVERSATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES, IS THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHO'S KEEPING THE MONEY, WHY THEY'RE KEEPING THAT MONEY, AND WHETHER THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO KEEP SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR PARKS, RIGHT? LIKE I KNOW THERE'S SOME YOU JUST SAID LIKE, OH IF THE, IF THE FIFA BARN SPRINGS WAS BEING KEPT, BUT IF IT KEPT THE, THE FIFA BARN SPRINGS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE USED AT BARN SPRINGS.
BUT WHY SHOULD THAT BE THE CASE? WHY CAN'T IT JUST STAY WITH PARKS AS OPPOSED TO THE PARK? SO I'M ADVOCATING FOR IS THAT OR POOLS IN GENERAL, RIGHT.
PARK, I GUESS MY POINT, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY THAT IN THEORY WELL IS IS THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE TAKING A VERY, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES NOW WE SHOULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT HOW, WHAT MONEY, HOW THAT MONEY THAT PARKS IS GENERATING, HOW THAT'S BE ALLOCATED
[02:30:01]
AND, AND WHY AND SEEING IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DO IT.UM, I'M THAT, THAT'S JUST MY POINT, BUT JUST, UM, FOR MY, MY KNOWLEDGE AROUND THE ONION CREEK METRO PARK DISTRICT, DOES THAT LOOK GOODNIGHT RANCH? IS THAT OKAY? THAT'S WHAT I GOT.
ANYBODY ELSE? MORE QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[8. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access). Presenter(s): Jesús Aguirre, Parks and Recreation Director. ]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AND THAT IS A STAFF BRIEFING HERE.WHO IS, I THINK IT'S, YOU WANT THE SHORT VERSION A LONGER SURE.
SORRY, THAT JUST THE ONE GOOD VERSION.
I'M HERE FOR
UH, FIRST OF ALL, FOR PART PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, YES, WE HAVE, WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE WE ARE FINISHING TWO GOALS.
ALL PARK, POOL AND VISION POOL.
OUR GOAL IS A NEW BOOK THAT IS ADDED TO OUR, UH, SYSTEM AND IT'S ACTUALLY A NEW GOAL IN MANY, UM, DECADES.
AND THE RIBBON CUTTING, UH, EVENT FOR, UH,
THE NEXT ONE IS GIVEN AND THE RIBBON CUTTING IS ACTUALLY NOT ON MAY 30TH.
SO, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME AND JOIN US IN THE EVENTS, UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU THERE AND UM, IT'S DEFINITELY A, AN IMPORTANT A MILESTONE FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN WAITING FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME.
WE HAVE A NEW BATHHOUSE AT PARTIES.
ACTUALLY WE ARE REOPENING AFTER MAJOR INNOVATION OF THE BATHHOUSE THAT WAS FILLED FOR MANY YEARS.
AND THAT, UM, WOULD BE THE, THE COMPLETION JUNE 20TH.
AND WE HAVE, UM, OUR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS FOR, UH, LITTLE WALNUTS CREEK AND UH, CENIC GROUP BOOK PARK THAT WILL BE ALSO BE FINISHED IN JUNE.
WE HAVE SHADE STRUCTURES, UM, AND THAT ARE COMING ON JUST IN TIME FOR THE SUMMER.
UH, WE HAVE FULL SHADE STRUCTURES OF
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE SHADE STRUCTURES AT AGA AND METS PLAYGROUND.
IF YOU RECALL, COUPLE YEARS AGO, COUNCIL, UH, PROVIDED THE FUNDING AND A PF PROVIDED MATCHING FUNDS.
SO OUR FUNDING GOES MUCH FURTHER AND WE ARE ABLE TO ATE THOSE MUCH NEEDED CHAIN STRUCTURES TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT SLIDE HAS AN UPDATE ON, UH, ER, SO THIS YEAR WE ARE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THE SHUTTLE SERVICE THAT WE HAD, UM, THE THREE PREVIOUS YEARS.
BUT WE HAVE, WE ARE TESTING THE FILTER REVIEW.
UM, THIS IS A, AN INTERNAL CIRCULATOR THROUGH CHART AND IS GOING TO OPERATE WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS, UH, FROM MAY, UH, 24TH UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO THAT IS FROM, UM, MEMORIAL TO LA FORTE.
AND UH, WE ARE GOING ALSO TO OFFER VALIDATION FOR ING AT THE BURG LANDFILL.
THE STRATFORD, UH,
WE WANT TO INCENTIVIZE OR, UM, DIRECT MORE PARKING AT THE BEDROOM LANDFILL RATHER THAN, UH, THE POLICY.
SO ON THE BACK END OF THIS WORKING AT
BUT IT STAYS FOR THIS YEAR AGAIN AT 50%
[02:35:01]
CAPACITY.THAT'S ONLY ON SATURDAY, SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS, UM, THROUGH, UH, LABOR DAY AND UH, UM, AFTER THE GLASS HOUSE, THEY, JOHN BAD HOUSE IS REOPENED, THEN THE PARKING CAPACITY ALSO WILL BE REDUCED AT 30%.
WE HOPE THAT THE BAD HOUSE WILL BE OPEN SOMETIME MID SUMMER, BUT UM, WE ARE NOT, THAT IS NOT CLEAR YET.
AND WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING HOW TO MAINTAIN THE PARKING CAPACITY AT 50% DURING SPECIAL EVENTS.
THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A PERMANENT PORTION OF THE BALL FIELD THAT IS NOT BEING USED FOR PARKING.
AND THAT WILL BE THE FIRST STEP TO, UM, PLAN FOR AND MORE SUSTAINABLE USE THERE THAT PRODUCE IRRIGATION THAT WE CAN INSTALL LOCATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UM, RECREATIONAL FROM THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, PATIENT SERVICES I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE TRAINING FOR, UH, SUMMER STAFF, THE CAMP PREPARATION TRAINING AS UM,
ALSO WE HAVE THE ADOPTED FIELD DAY ON MAY 2ND AT
AND THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER 200, UH, YOUTH AND ADULTS FROM S3 FOUR INCLUSIVE GAMES ACTIVITIES AND THE TALENT SHOW COMMUNITY RECREATION.
ON NEXT SLIDE, UM, CON SENIOR ACTIVITIES CENTER HAD THE SPRINKLING, UM, AND THE, UH, EVENT WAS PACKED WITH ENGAGING ACTIVITIES AND GAMES DESIGNED FOR ALL TO ENJOY AND WE HAD MORE THAN 80 PARTICIPANTS.
AND OF COURSE THERE IS INFORMATION ON THOSE SLIDES FOR OTHER, UM, EVENTS THAT YOU MAY, UH, REVIEW PROJECT.
AND THE NEXT ONE, FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE GETTING READY TO OPEN ALL OF THE BOOTHS.
SOME HAVE ALREADY STARTED OPENING AND SO FAR WE'VE HAD ACTUALLY A RECORD NUMBER OF FIVE THIRD APPLICANTS.
SO WITH STILL, UH, CONFIDENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE A SUCCESSFUL, UH, SUMMER SEASON, UH, QUALITY MAINTENANCE AT, UH, BIG STATED POOL.
THEY WENT THROUGH THIS SPRING CLINIC, UH, AND THIS PATIENT OF THE SUMMER SEASON SPLASH FLOODS ACROSS THE AREA, UM, ARE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND THEN, UM, AS BRIGHTON SPRING, UM, WE ALSO PREPARING AGAIN FOR THE SUMMER SEASON AND UH, THERE WAS A LIFEGUARD TRAINING, WHICH IS STILL UNDERWAY.
AND WE HAVE NEW FURNITURE THAT IS BEING DESIGNED AND PURCHASED FOR PRIVATE STAFF AREAS AND ANTICIPATION OF THE
UM, THIS IS AN EVENT THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED ON MAY 14TH, WHICH WAS THE CEREMONY AT, UH, OAKWOOD CEMETERY, UM, WITH THE TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.
AND THEY VERY PREPARED SPECIAL EVENTS.
UM, AND THERE WERE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ALREADY, UM, IN FOR THE FIELD GUIDE FESTIVAL AT SUNSHINE RUN NATURAL RESOURCES.
UH, WE HAVE NATURE PROGRAMS AND I WANT FIND THE ONES AT
AND I WOULD LET YOU REACH THE ON YOUR OWN.
I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF CINCO, THE MAYO CELEBRATIONS AT THE VARIOUS REC CENTERS, UH, UH, THAT HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE MONTH AND SO, UM, THAT WAS ANOTHER PIECE, NOT INCLUDED, BUT THAT OUR, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS GOT JOY.
I HAVE A QUESTION JUST SPECIFICALLY AROUND, UM, DIPMAR POOL BECAUSE I GOT SOME QUESTIONS, UH, FROM CONSTITUENTS.
THERE WAS A PUMP OUT, UH, AND THEY WERE WORRIED THE POOL WOULDN'T OPEN.
DO, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT? UH, AGAIN,
[02:40:01]
THE, THE PUMP WAS LITTLE OPEN POOL SEASON.UH, SOME OF THOSE STUFF, I MEAN WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER, WE REBOOT THEM LITTLE KIND OF COVERS DIFFERENT STATES.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THAT SPECIFICALLY TO TRIP, UH,
SO IS IT ANTICIPATED THAT IT'LL OPEN AS SCHEDULED OR ARE WE RIGHT NOW? YES.
WE WILL, WE WOULD UPDATE THE PUBLIC IF THERE'S ANY DELAY OF THAT.
CAN WE CHANGE LANDFILL SINCE THE BUTLER FAMILY, THE LANDFILL OF CITY OF AUSTIN, IT WAS A
I THINK WE CAN CHANGE THAT NAME JUST TO CALL IT WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT RATHER THAN NAMING THAT.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE LIFEGUARD APPLICATION.
I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN ISSUING YEARS PATENT, SO I AM UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE ON TRACK TO BE ABLE TO OPEN ALL OF OUR CITY POOLS.
SO YEAH, 18, EVERYONE'S PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL, UH, MOVE ON TO FUTURE
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA, AGENDA ITEMS. UH, THIS IS GENERALLY FOR ITEMS THAT ARE READY TO BE PRESENTED, UM, BUT WE'VE GOT OTHER REQUESTS OR THINGS WE CAN PRESENT THEM HERE.SO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, UH, WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE BASEBALL FIELD WORKING GROUP NEXT MONTH.
ANYONE ELSE? AND YOU CAN ALWAYS SHARE THOSE WITH US VIA EMAIL AS WELL, SO IF NOT LAST CALL.
IT IS, UH, IT, YEAH, IT'S 8 55 NOW AND SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'LL ADJOURN THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING.