[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
AND WE'LL BEGIN THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR MAY 19TH, 2025.UM, AND I'LL CALL ATTENDANCE TO START.
SO, STEPHANIE BZA, I'M PRESENT.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER ILLA LOBO.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER MERIT PRESENT BOARD MEMBER ABARA.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER KERN STERILE PRESENT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN PRESENT BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS PRESENT AND BOARD MEMBER BECKER.
AND I BELIEVE HE'LL BE JOINING US A FEW MINUTES LATE.
ALRIGHT, THERE BEING QUORUM, WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
GENERAL.THIS IS RESERVED FOR THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS ITEMS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE TOM KEM, FOLLOWED BY SANTIAGO SWAN, THEN AUBREY RUDDER.
MR. KEM, IF YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE CENTRAL MICROPHONE AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
UH, WHENEVER YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I'M A RETIRED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND, UH, AND HORTICULTURIST FROM TEXAS TECH 1969.
AND I HAD MY OWN LANDSCAPING BUSINESS FOR 38 YEARS HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I COULDN'T DRIVE MORE THAN A MILE OR SOMETHING THAT I HADN'T PLANTED UNDER MY OWN COMPANY OR SOMEONE ELSE IS DESIGNED ON COA PROJECTS.
RECENTLY AT THE MES UH, AT THE CREEK SOFTBALL COMPLEX, I NOTICED A PLANTING GOING AND, UH, NOTICED SOME DEAD TREES.
AND I ASKED 'EM ABOUT WHAT THIS WERE AND THEY SAID THEY WERE MESQUITE.
AND I SAID, WELL, THIS PARKING LOT IS DESPERATE FOR SHADE.
AND THERE WAS SPACES TO PLANT SHADE TREES.
AND, AND THEY PUT IN, THEY DUG FROM THE WILDS, MESQUITE TREES AND PUT 'EM IN THERE AND A LOT OF 'EM DIED.
AND THEN THEY TOLD ME THEY'D CONSULT WITH ME 'CAUSE I MET THEM OUT THERE, UH, TO, UM, ABOUT WHAT TO PLANT.
AND, AND I GAVE 'EM A WHOLE LIST OF GOOD TREES TO PLANT THAT, UH, FOR THAT SITUATION.
WELL, A LITTLE WHILE LATER, I NOTICED THEY PUT IT IN, PUT IN SOME BUSHY MOUNTAIN LAUREL, LITTLE BUSHY MOUNTAIN LAUREL FOR THE DEAD MESQUITE TREES, WHICH WILL ALSO NOT MAKE A, A SHADE TREE.
AND ALL PARTS OF THE, UH, THE MOUNTAIN LAUREL ARE POISONOUS, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, THE RED SEEDS THAT WILL BE CRUSHED BY, BY VEHICLES, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE THE PARK USERS OR THE FIRE, FIRE TRAINING FACILITY THAT'S THERE IN THAT SAME PARK.
WHEN YOU GO, IT'S ON PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD, YOU'LL FIND IT.
I'M SORRY, I'M SPEAKING SO FAST BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SO ANYWAY, UH, I CONSULTED JOE MARCUS FROM THE WILDFLOWER CENTER AND HE TOLD ME, HE SAYS, I'M FREQUENTLY CONSULTED ABOUT PLANTINGS.
AND I SAYS, UH, I SAID, HE SAID, I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE SOMEBODY WOULD SIGN OFF ON THAT.
WELL, I HAVE SOMETHING HERE I WANT TO, I GOT FROM TEXAS HIGHWAYS THAT, UM, IS AN XRP FROM A TEXAS HIGHWAYS ARTICLE.
IT SAYS THEY DON'T NEED MUCH WATER OR CODDLING, THEY'RE JUST PLENTIFUL SUN.
THE SEEDLINGS ARE PERNICIOUS, DIFFICULT TO UPROOT.
MESQUITES RARELY GROW STRAIGHT AND TALL.
THEY'RE OFTEN BUILT WIDE AND LOW TO THE GROUND.
THEY'RE WAVERED BRANCHES REVEALING THE TRUTH OF THE WIND.
THEIR LEAVES ARE NOT, THE LEAVES ARE SPINDLING, NOT BIG AND WIDE, RESULTING IN LITTLE SHADE.
THEY'LL DRIP DARK SAP ON YOUR VEHICLES AND YOUR PICNIC TABLES AND THEIR PALE BEAN PODS WILL OVERWHELM THE GROUND.
YOU'LL TRY TO TRIM THE BRANCHES AND END UP LEAVING THORNS RED TIP WITH YOUR BLOOD.
YOU'LL CLEAR AN AREA OF MESQUITES AND THEY'LL JUST KEEP RETURNING YEAR AFTER YEAR IF IT WAS A GENERATIONAL MISTAKE FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
AND I SENT THEM VOLUMES OF INFORMATION AND TRIED THEM TO BE GOOD LEADERS AND TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND, AND, AND REPLACE THOSE WITH GOOD TREES LIKE CEDAR REM OR CHICO PIN OAKS OR, OR THE, UH, THE OTHER, UH, LACEY.
MAY I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION REAL QUICK, MR. SURE.
JUST FOR THE, THE CALL TO ACTION, YOUR HOPE IS TO STILL GET THOSE REPLACED.
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT THE CALL TO ACTION IS SINCE YOU WERE CUT OFF AT THE END.
THE CALL BACKS YOUR CALL TO ACTION.
WHAT YOU'D HOPE TO COME FROM, FROM YOU SPEAKING TODAY? MY CAUSE OF ACTION.
[00:05:01]
WOULD, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE? OH, OKAY.I WOULD LIKE THIS COMMISSION TO, TO ADVISE THE DIRECTOR OF GARY AND HIS STAFF SPECIFICALLY.
THE ONE THAT I SIT, I FOUND OUT WAS IN CHARGE OF LILY, UH, LEANNA CARLA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I DID SPEAK WITH A LOT OF STAFF.
I TALKED WITH JODY J MANY TIMES.
AND, AND JUST TELL 'EM TO REVIEW THE MATERIAL THAT I'VE SENT THEM AND BE GOOD LEADERS AND, AND CORRECT THIS MISTAKE.
THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT, THEY WERE NOT GOING TO TAKE OUT THE, UH, THE MESQUITE TREES.
AND IT'S A GENERATIONAL MISTAKE.
'CAUSE 25 YEARS FROM NOW, YOU COULD HAVE GOOD SHADE IN THAT PARKING LOT.
MESQUITES GET, LIKE, THEY GET MESQUITES, GET LIKE ME, YOU GET WORSE WITH AGE
ALL THE TREES GET BETTER WITH AGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I HAVE A CLARIFICATION QUESTION ALSO.
DID SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, CAN YOU TELL ME THE, THE PARKING LOT, WHERE IS THAT LOCATED AT? IT'S, IT'S ON PLEASANT.
IT'S THE CREEK SOFTBALL COMPLEX AND THERE'S AN A FD, UH, FACILITY THERE WITH THEIR TRAINING TOWER AND THEY HAVE FIRE TRUCKS OUT THERE.
I EVEN TALKED TO MR. SILAS, THE BATTALION CHIEF THERE.
AND WHEN I, WHEN I FIRST ADDRESSED HIM, I SAID, DID YOU KNOW MESQUITES HAVE VICIOUS THORNS AND THEY COULD GET CAUGHT UP IN YOUR HOSES WHEN YOU'RE PRACTICING AND YOUR, TO WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING OR YOUR TIRES? AND THAT JUST DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SANTIAGO SWAN, FOLLOWED BY AUBREY RUDDER SANTIAGO.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE HERE TODAY.
I AM PROBABLY GONNA THROW A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TERMS OUT AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO CONNECT WITH ANYONE THAT'S ON THIS DIOCESE.
UH, AFTER THIS MEETING TO EXAMINE A FEW OTHER THINGS, UM, THAT I MENTIONED, UH, FOR ANY CLARIFICATION.
UM, I AM HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FORCE.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY LED, UH, THREE ACRE PILOT PROJECT DEMONSTRATING PERMACULTURE AS A, UM, LEGITIMATE PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR HOW TO, UM, STEWARD OUR LANDSCAPES.
UH, WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
WE HAVE OUR NONPROFIT SPONSOR, FRUITFUL COMMONS, HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTING GRANTS THROUGH THE URBAN FORESTRY, UH, DIVISION OF PARD.
UM, AND, UH, THIS MAP THAT'S IN FRONT OF Y'ALL RIGHT NOW IS, UH, JUST SOUTH OF, UH, THE FOOD FOREST.
THE FOOD FOREST IS A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN THAT'S IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER.
UM, THAT'S PART OF THE THREE ACRES THAT, UM, SO I 35 IS, IS ADJACENT ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, TOWN LAKE WILL BE, UM, ABOUT 400 FEET, UH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR, OUR SITE.
UM, IN 2024, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UH, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING A, A HISTORIC POGON GROVE.
THAT WAS, UM, THERE'S A GRANITE MARKER IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER ALONG THE GREEN DOTTED LINE THAT'S, UH, THE PATHWAY THAT MARKS, UH, HIS PEON THAT WAS DONATED IN 1964 TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, IN 1977, UH, THERE WAS A, UH, GRANT, UM, FROM THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, WHICH IS A FEDERAL GRANT, UH, TO IMPROVE THIS PROPERTY, WHICH GIVES THIS ENTIRE PROPERTY SECTION SIX F PROTECTION.
SO ANY LAND THAT IS CONDEMNED IN THAT AREA, UH, REQUIRES A LIKEKIND EXCHANGE OF EQUAL, UH, RECREATIONAL VALUE IN 2020, UH, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, UH, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT ALLOW, UH, NEGOTIATE A CONDEMNATION OF THIS PROPERTY FOR $1.1 MILLION, UH, AND THROUGH THE TRAVIS COUNTY PROBATE OFFICE.
UM, WITHOUT TAKING INTO REGARD THE SECTION SIX F, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS THAT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HAS AS ASSURED ME THAT ARE NECESSARY, UM, I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT HOW TO SHAPE A FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVE, UH, TO THE USE OF THIS LAND, WHICH WILL BE TURNED INTO A, UH, MULTIMODAL, UH, BRIDGE, UH, PATHWAY,
[00:10:01]
UM, THAT WILL BE BREAKING GROUND VERY SOON.WE HAVE A MEETING IN FALL THAT'S PART OF A QUARTERLY, UH, MEETING THAT'S BEEN GUARANTEED BY TECH FOUR, OUR ORGANIZATION TO GIVE US CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.
I'D LIKE TO INCREASE ANY OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
I HAVE QUITE A BIT MORE TO SPEAK ON THIS, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, CERTAINLY TO CLARIFY HERE, UM, AS, AS THE DECONSTRUCTION OF THIS AREA IS DUE TO THE EXPANSION OF I 35.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE AUBREY RUDDER, AND AS AUBREY APPROACHES THE DAY AS BOARD MEMBERS, I SENT AN EMAIL TO FACILITY SERVICES ASKING THAT THE TEMPERATURE BE ADJUSTED.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF RENTAL OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
I WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL AN UPDATE ON A NEW PROGRAM.
WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED AT A RC CALLED STA OR TRASH.
AT THE END OF APRIL, WE BEGAN PROVIDING FREE MESH BAGS AT THE ENTRANCE OF OUR DOCK TO ENCOURAGE GUESTS TO COLLECT, IM PROPERLY DISPOSE OF ANY TRASH WHILE OUT ON THE WATER, UM, HELPING TO PREVENT LITTER FROM ENDING UP IN THE LAKE.
WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD TO LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM AT A RC.
WE HOST SEVERAL, SEVERAL TRASH CLEANUPS EACH MONTH, BUT THIS NEW PROGRAM IS FOCUSED MORE ON PREVENTING TRASH FROM ENDING UP IN LADY BIRD LAKE.
I WANNA THANK CHRIS FLORES, WHO SH SHARED A VIDEO AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONS MEETING OF A PROGRAM THEY RUN IN COMAL COUNTY WITH THE SAME GOAL, WHICH INSPIRED US TO LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM HERE IN AUSTIN.
A RC IS COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND EXCITED TO OFFER THE ST.
TRASH PROGRAM TO THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE BAG THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCE OF OUR DOCK.
IT'S GREEN, IT'S EASY TO GRAB.
UM, ONCE GUESTS BRING IT BACK, WE EMPTY IT AND THEN REUSE IT.
UM, THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR PARKS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DANIEL KAMAN, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT COBB, AND THEN COLIN MCMURRAY, DANIEL KAMAN.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
UH, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, MY NAME IS DANIEL CAVEMAN.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
UH, SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY IS A PROUD STEWARD OF SHOAL CREEK, WHICH RUNS FROM JUST NORTH OF 180 3 TO LADY BIRD LAKE.
THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL TRAVELS ALONGSIDE THE CREEK AND ON SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD ALONG THIS DISTANCE AS WELL, UH, CONNECTS THROUGH MANY PIECES OF PARKLAND, INCLUDING CEDAR SPRINGS PEACE PARK, AND NORTHWEST DISTRICT PARK.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PARKS BOARD ON IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE GROW ZONES, RIPARIAN RESTORATION, AND CLEANUP EFFORTS.
I'M HERE TO KIND OF JUST, UH, HIGHLIGHT SOME GOOD NEWS FROM THE WEEKEND.
UM, OUR MOST RECENT EVENT THAT, UM, OCCURRED ON SATURDAY WITH OVER 80 PARTICIPANTS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CREEK WAS THE THIRD ANNUAL SHOPPING CART CORRAL.
WE REMOVED 170 BAGS OF TRASH, NINE SHOPPING CARTS, AND OTHER VARIOUS LARGE PIECES OF TRASH LIKE PALLETS, MATTRESSES, A METAL FIRE PIT, AND EVEN AN ENTIRE BASKETBALL HOOP.
UH, WE HAD FIVE TEAMS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS, INCLUDING DUNCAN PARK AND NEAR NORTHWEST DISTRICT PARK THAT ARE SO VALUED BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND WHILE WE REMOVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF TRASH, NOW, THE DEBRIS FROM THE CREEK AND THE PARKLAND ALONGSIDE IT, UH, THROUGH THIS EVENT, UH, THAT WE DO ONCE A YEAR, AND OUR TWO TO THREE CLEANUPS THAT WE DO PER MONTH, UM, OF COURSE, THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY, AND EVERYBODY THAT CARES ABOUT PARKLAND IS OF COURSE, CRITICAL, UH, THAT WE WORK WITH ALL THE TIME.
AS WE ALL KEEP, TRY TO KEEP THIS, UH, COMMUNITY ASSET CLEAN.
UH, THE CONSERVANCY INVENTORIED ALL OF THE TRAIL SUPPORTIVE ASSETS ALONG THE CREEK AND TRAIL, INCLUDING LIGHTING, BENCHES, WATER FOUNTAINS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TODAY, TRASH RECEPTACLES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ADVOCATING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ADDITIONAL RECEPTACLES, ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, FROM 12TH TO LADY BIRD LAKE THAT SEES THE HEAVIEST USE AND WILL ALLOW TRAIL USERS AND CREEK VISITORS TO CONVENIENTLY DISPOSE OF THEIR TRASH SO THAT LESS OF IT MAKES IT INTO THE CREEK.
AND WE CAN ALL CONTINUE TO ENJOY A PLEASANT AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF AUSTIN AS A PART OF A LARGER WASTE REDUCTION PLAN.
PARD, UM, IS IMPLEMENTING, UH, THERE IS A PACKET IN AND PACKET OUT POLICY AT SEVERAL POINTS ALONG THE TRAIL, UM, AND AT 10TH AND 11TH STREET, UM, WHICH HAS MEANT THE REMOVAL OF A COUPLE OF TRASH CANS.
UM, WE JUST HOPE THAT THESE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS CAN BE COMMUNICATED EFFECTIVELY AND EVALUATED FOR THE SUCCESS.
AND WE, UM, ALL ARE DOING OUR PART TO KEEP OUR PARKLAND CLEAN.
UH, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH PARD AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THIS BOARD AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, UH, TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT WORK FOR ALL AUSTINITES AS WE, UM,
[00:15:01]
WANT TO PROTECT AND HAVE A, UM, HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCE ACROSS THE PARKLAND IN AUSTIN.OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY COLIN MCM.
SCOTT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO APPOINTED YOU AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO VOTE FOR AN EQUITABLE AND FAIR RAISE IN THE LIVING WAGE.
A 4% RAISE, WHICH IS THE SAME AMOUNT THAT THE REGULAR EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING.
LAST YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE BUDGET OFFICE PROMISED THE RAISE WOULD GO UP TO 2228 THIS YEAR, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A 3% RAISE.
INSTEAD, THEY PROPOSED ONLY A 1.97% RAISE IN THE LIVING WAGE TO 2205.
THEY ALSO PROMISED LAST YEAR THAT THE BASIC LEVEL OF WAGES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES REGULAR WOULD GO UP TO 3% ALSO.
HOWEVER, THEY CHANGED THAT TO 4%.
SO ON ONE HAND, THEY WENT UP FOR THE REGULAR EMPLOYEES AND WENT DOWN FOR THE LOWEST EARNING WORKERS WITH ONLY 1.97%.
SO WE HAVE SPOKE, I SPOKE TO CITY COUNCIL AND THERE WAS SOME INTEREST THAT SEEMED, PARTICULARLY FROM VANESSA FUENTES ASKING, WHY IS IT, DIDN'T YOU KEEP YOUR WORD? AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO GET THEM TO RAISE IT TO 4% FOR US AS WELL AS EVERYBODY.
THE REASON TO THIS, THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PRICE BASKET THAT HAVE GONE UP.
FOOD 3% OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, ELECTRICITY 5.8%, UH, FOOD AWAY FROM HOME, 3.8.
A LOT OF LOWER INCOME TEMPORARY WORKERS EAT AWAY FROM HOME, SO THEIR WAGES ARE NOT GOING UP TO COVER THESE INCREASES.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO KEEP THEIR WORD AT LEAST, WHICH WOULD BE 2228, BUT ALSO TO GO UP TO 4% 2249, WHICH WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PERCENT THAT THE REGULAR EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA GET.
AND MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT, I'VE ALSO SENT AN EMAIL TO SUSANNA CARAL TODAY, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDING SOME REVISED LANGUAGE THAT WOULD PROTECT 15, 16, 17 YEAR OLDS FROM BEING GROOMED FOR RELATIONSHIPS EVEN AFTER THEY TURNED 18.
SO IF A SUBORDINATE EMPLOYEE WAS HIRED WHILE THEY WERE 15, 16, OR 17-YEAR-OLD YEARS OLD, IN A ROMANTIC, SEXUAL OR PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER, HEAD LIFEGUARD, OR ANY EMPLOYEE IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY OVER TO THE SUBORDINATE IS LATER DISCLOSED.
EVEN IF IT BEGAN AFTER THE SUBORDINATE EMPLOYEE TURNED 18, THE MANAGER SUPERVISOR WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.
THE GROOMING WILL BE ASSUMED TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE A MCMURRAY.
UH, MY NAME'S COLIN MRO, VICE PRESIDENT OF AUSTIN RIDGE RIDERS MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB.
WANTED TO SAY SOME POSITIVE WORDS FOR PARKS AND REC.
UH, WE ARE 600 PLUS PAID MEMBERS, OVER 16,000 SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, MOUNTAIN BIKERS, AND WE ARE ONE OF THE, UH, PARKS.
SO WE DO A LOT OF CLEANUP DAYS.
WE DO TRAIL MAINTENANCE, UM, WE DO WOMEN'S RIDES AND A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH, UH, CHRISTINE CHU KNOLL AND THE, UH, COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK PROJECT PROGRAM.
UM, I'VE TRAVELED TO A LOT OF OTHER STATES TO RIDE MOUNTAIN BIKES, COLORADO, VERMONT, CALIFORNIA, ALL OVER.
AND THE KEY THING IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES IS HAVING A STRONG COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, CYCLING ACTIVIST GROUP THAT, UH, TAKES CARE OF THE TRAILS, AND WE ARE DOING THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT, UH, WE GET TO WORK WITH CITY OF AUSTIN TO DO THAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE PRESENT THAT WANTED TO ADDRESS THE PARKS FOR DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT? THAT IS THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES[00:20:01]
OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 23RD, 2025.UM, YOU CAN JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW THE MINUTES IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, IT WILL JUST TAKE A FEW MORE SECONDS AND THEN IF ANYBODY DOES HAVE ANY CHANGES, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START SHARING THOSE NOW.
I'LL MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 23RD, 2025.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for PARD Golf staff in recognition of successful driving range and resurfacing projects at multiple golf courses. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Park Access for All, Urban Public Spaces). Presenter(s): Steve Hammond, Golf Division Manager, Parks and Recreation]
ALONG TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. THIS IS A PRESENTATION DISCUSSION, UM, AND APPROVAL OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, GOLF STAFF, AND RECOGNITION OF SUCCESSFUL DRIVING RANGE AND RESURFACING PROJECTS AT MULTIPLE GOLF COURSES.AND WE ARE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, LUCAS MASSEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
UM, IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO BE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GOLF AND MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE, UH, STEVE HAMMOND, OUR OPERATIONS MANAGER OF GOLF.
UM, WE'RE HERE TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN, UH, THE, UH, AUSTIN GOLF WORLD AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC GOLF.
I'VE BEEN WITH, I'VE BEEN WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC GOLF FOR, UH, SINCE 1997, SO I HAVE, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH IT, AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN AS GREAT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, CURRENTLY, UH, THE GOLF DIVISION HAS, UH, 112 HOLES OF GOLF IN OPERATION.
WE HAVE THAT AT SIX LOCATIONS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE FIVE PRACTICE RANGES.
UM, SOME OF THOSE ARE CITY OPERATED, SOME OF THOSE ARE CONTRACTED OUT, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY GREAT IN AUSTIN HOW THESE GOLF COURSES ARE LOCATED IN, UM, BASICALLY EVERY CORNER OF TOWN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT NORTHEAST OR NORTHWEST.
BUT, UM, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU GET TO 41ST STREET, UM, EVERYTHING KIND OF FANS OUT AND YOU CAN GET THROUGH IT REALLY, REALLY WELL.
UH, GET THROUGH, GET, GET TO A GOLF COURSES REALLY, REALLY EASILY.
UM, WE HAVE THE CLAY KAISER BALLER THAT'S IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, THAT'S A 36 HOLE, UH, REGULAR GOLF COMPLEX WITH FOUR, UH, WHOLE PRACTICE COURSE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE MORRIS WILLIAMS GOLF COURSE.
THAT'S GONNA BE OUR DISTRICT ONE GOLF COURSE OFF OF MAYNARD ROAD, FULL 18 HOLES, WONDERFUL PRACTICE FACILITY AS WELL.
THE HISTORIC LIONS GOLF COURSE IS GONNA BE IN DISTRICT 10.
THAT'S OFF OF INFIELD ROAD LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, AND THE OLDEST GOLF COURSE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THE OLDEST GOLF COURSE WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI IS HANCOCK GOLF COURSE OFF OF, UH, 41ST STREET, PECK, RED RIVER.
UH, THAT IS A NINE HOLE GOLF COURSE.
IT'S A TREASURE, AND I'LL WE'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL OPERATED BY CITY STAFF, UM, WITH CITY OPERATIONS.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE, UH, GRAY ROCK IN DISTRICT EIGHT BUTLER, WHICH IS THE GREATEST NON-TRADITIONAL GOLF ENVIRONMENT, UM, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SMALL, IT'S SHORT.
YOU CAN GET AROUND IT PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IT DOES REQUIRE SOME SKILL TO PLAY.
UH, IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S A LOT OF FUN AND I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, UH, VISIT THAT FACILITY.
AND WE ALSO OWN A PRACTICE RANGE IN ROUND ROCK.
UM, WANNA RUN A LITTLE BIT ON THROUGH THE NUMBERS WITH YOU.
SO I'VE BEEN WITH, UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I HAVE SOME PRETTY, PRETTY STAGGERING NUMBERS ON WHAT THE RECENT SUCCESS HAS, UH, YIELDED.
UH, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SEE THE NUMBERS ON YOUR SCREEN OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, BUT IN 2017, WE WERE A $6.7 MILLION OPERATION.
UM, 2020, WE WERE 7.1, AND THAT WAS BEING CLOSED FOR 93 DAYS FOR COVID.
BUT WHAT YOU SEE NOW IS WE'RE GOING TO DO UPWARDS
[00:25:01]
OF $14 MILLION.UH, THE GREATEST PART ABOUT THAT IS WE HAVE NOT RAISED ANY FEES SINCE OCTOBER 1ST, 2022.
THE GAME JUST CONTINUES TO GROW IN POPULARITY.
WE CONTINUALLY GET MORE EFFICIENT ON HOW WE GET PEOPLE OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE.
UM, IT'S LIKE I SAID THIS, THIS, THESE, UH, NEXT FEW SLIDES, THEY JUST ILLUSTRATE HOW WILDLY POPULAR, UM, GOLF IS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S FUN TO BE A PART OF, UM, OUR PARTICIPATION.
SO YOU, YOU WONDER, YEAH, YOU HAVE GOLF COURSES EVERYWHERE, UH, MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.
THIS IS, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS ON WHAT WE SERVICE.
THESE ARE FACE-TO-FACE TRANSACTIONS.
WE'LL HAVE 355,000 FOLKS WALK THROUGH OUR FACILITIES THIS YEAR, AND THEN YOU'LL ADD ANOTHER 90,000 WALKING THROUGH, UH, BUTLER PITCH AND PUTT AS WELL.
UM, SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 450,000 PARTICIPATION VISITS A YEAR.
THAT IS, UH, THAT'S JUST GREAT FOR THE, FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, GREAT FOR THE GOLF DIVISION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S GREAT FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
UH, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS, UH, KEEPING PRICES A FACTOR.
IT'S, IT'S OUR JOB TO PROTECT THIS GAME AND PROTECT THE PRICE OF THE GAME RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO WE HAVE, UH, FREQUENT PASS HOLDERS, UM, THOSE NUMBERS UP THERE.
THEY'RE GONNA GENERATE ROUGHLY A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, FOR OUR, FOR OUR PASS HOLDERS OVER, OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
UM, THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT WE, I MEAN, WE KNOW WE GET TO KNOW THEM.
WE KNOW ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR, AND THEIR TRULY ARE PART OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE BUILT.
UH, AND IT'S TRULY A PLEASURE TO SERVE ALL OF THEM.
UM, IN 2019, UH, EXCUSE ME, I DON'T HAVE ANY FIGURES ON THAT
UM, WE, WE DO ANTICIPATE THESE FIGURES GENERATING ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
THEY, THEY GENERATED 963,000, UH, DOLLARS IN 2024.
THIS IS WHAT WAS REALLY EXCITING THAT WE, UH, UNDERTOOK THIS YEAR.
WE'RE CREATING A THIRD SPACE, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT, UM, NOT SEEN A WHOLE, A GREAT DEAL AROUND, UH, GOLF OR GOLF IN AUSTIN.
WE HAVE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE AND BEST PRACTICE RANGES IN TOWN, WHETHER IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, ALL OF OURS ARE REALLY GOOD, REALLY WELL KEPT.
UM, BUT THE COOLEST PART THAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE WERE ABLE TO REJUVENATE SOME LIGHTS THAT WE HAD INSTALLED IN 1999 AT THE CLAY KAISER GOLF COMPLEX.
UM, IT, WE, WE HAD LIGHT POLES UP THERE, AND THEY HAD BEEN UP THERE FOR YEARS, AND THEY COST MORE MONEY TO BURN THAN WHAT THEY WERE MAKING, AND THEY JUST KIND OF WENT BY THE WAYSIDE.
WELL, WITH A RESURGENCE OF POPULARITY, WE, WE'VE COMPLETELY RETROFITTED THOSE, UH, LIGHTING THAT, THE LIGHTING OUT THERE THAT HAS INCREASED OUR ACCESSIBILITY TO UP TO THREE HOURS A DAY SO FAR THROUGH THE FIRST FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS, WE'VE GENERATED ABOUT ALMOST $60,000.
UM, BUT IT ALSO GIVES US OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIVE MUSIC, SOCIAL EVENTS, UM, BRING PEOPLE OUT AFTER HOURS.
THE TOTAL PRICE OF THE CONVERSION WAS $149,000.
SO, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE AT CAPACITY ON HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU CAN GET OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, MAYBE, MAYBE FOLKS DON'T HAVE TIME FOR GOLF AND MAYBE, MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO, TO HIT BALLS IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENINGS.
BY STAYING OPEN LATER, IT, IT GIVES THE, UH, THOSE GOLFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND CONTINUE TO PLAY.
UM, I WILL POINT OUT THAT THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE AT SEVERAL OF OUR LOCATIONS.
UM, NOBODY'S GONNA ALLOW US TO PUT A LIGHT TOWER UP OUT AT BERGSTROM OR MORRIS WILLIAMS WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGH DENSITY OF, OF PUBLIC FOLKS LIVING THERE.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS A PERFECT SPACE.
IT'S, UH, SURROUNDED BY WILLIAMSON AND ONION CREEK WILL NEVER HAVE GO, UH, HOUSES ON THE, THAT GOLF COURSE.
SO THAT PARTICULAR SPACE IS THE PERFECT SPOT TO HAVE A, UH, LIGHTED DRIVING RANGE AND, AND SHOW OFF THAT THIRD SPACE.
UM, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, INNOVATIVE OPERATIONS.
AND IN 2018, WE WENT THROUGH A STUDY WITH THE NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION.
THEY LOOKED AT THE HANCOCK GOLF COURSE, AND THEY SAID, UH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE MONEY OUT HERE UNLESS YOU CHANGE THE SCALE ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING THINGS AND CHANGE YOUR COMPLETE SCOPE.
THEIR, THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO CONTRACT THAT OUT AND TURN IT INTO A PRACTICE FACILITY, MAYBE A, A A A MID-SCALE RESTAURANT IN THERE.
UM, GET SOME BEER, ALCOHOL IN THERE.
PROBLEM IS, IS IT'S ADJACENT TO A REC CENTER.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SELL BEER ON THE HANCOCK, UH, GOLF COURSE PROPERTY.
SO WE HAD TO CONTINUE TO THINK.
AND WHAT WE DID IS WE GOT IN BUSINESS WITH TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WE INSTALLED WHAT ESSENTIALLY IS A PARKING METER, BUT IT IS A PAY STATION.
AND THAT IS HOW OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, PAY US FOR THE ROUNDS OF GOLF, PAY THE PARKING METER, UM, GET OUT THERE, AND THEN THEY GO PLAY.
WE DO HAVE STAFF, UH, OUT THERE THAT DILIGENTLY MONITORS WHAT WE HAVE OF THE PLAYERS OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE.
AND THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IS ILLUSTRATED ON THE SCREEN.
IT IS STAGGERING, UM, THROUGH, UH, THE RESURGENCE OF POPULARITY AND THROUGH A TOP-NOTCH STAFF THAT WE HAVE AT HANCOCK, WE HAVE
[00:30:01]
MORE THAN DOUBLED.UM, THE PARTICIPATION OUT AT HANCOCK GOLF COURSE, UM, WE ANTICIPATE DOING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 50,000 ROUNDS THIS YEAR.
UH, AND WE, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY WE DON'T GET THERE.
UH, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT GOLF COURSE, UH, COME ALIVE AGAIN IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BUILT OUT THERE.
UM, AND IN 2024, HANCOCK CELEBRATED, UH, 125 YEARS IN OPERATION.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS ALWAYS COOL.
HANCOCK IS THE ORIGINAL AUSTIN COUNTRY CLUB AND WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, UM, DOWN HERE IN THIS STATE, UH, WE'LL HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OUR AGRO AGRONOMY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UM, THE PUTTING GREENS OF THE BACKBONE OF ANY GOLF COURSE, UM, UH, RESURFACING OF THOSE PUTTING GREENS IS REQUIRED.
WE HAVE RESURFACED, AT LEAST A PUTTING GREEN, UH, A GOLF COURSE SET OF PUTTING GREENS EVERY YEAR SINCE 2022.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANNED TO RESURFACE UNTIL, UM, 2027 IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE, WE'VE ALSO HAVE, UH, AUTOMATED ALL OF OUR IRRIGATION AT ALL OF OUR GOLF COURSES.
UM, OUR NEXT MOVE, UH, IS WE ARE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH AND LOOKING AT, UH, AUTONOMOUS MOWERS AND BATTERY OPERATED MOWERS TO CONTINUE, UM, OUR INNOVATION IN AGRONOMY.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD.
HERE'S WHAT, UH, HERE'S WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE IN MIND.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF US WHO'VE BEEN WITH THE, THE DIVISION, UH, WE'RE GETTING OLDER.
I THINK I MENTIONED THAT I STARTED IN 98.
UM, ASIDE FROM CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR PROPERTIES, WE HAVE TO FIND OUR NEXT SET OF LEADERS AND FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO GROW OUR GRASSES AND SELL OUR PRODUCT.
UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S ONE THING THAT WHAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO, UM, WE'RE GONNA EVALUATE INNOVATIVE AGRONOMY PRACTICES, JUST LIKE WE, WE DISCUSSED WITH, UH, OUR AUTONOMOUS MOWERS AND BATTERY OPERATED MOWERS.
ONE THING THAT WE DID DURING COVID IS WE, UH, INCREASED OUR SPACING ON THE GOLF COURSE, ON HOW FAST WE TEE GROUPS OFF.
UM, THAT RIGHT THERE HAS CHANGED THE PACE OF PLAY AND ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO PLAY OUR GOLF COURSES.
UH, IT, IT HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED IT AND COMPLETELY CHANGED THE WAY THAT FOLKS VIEW, UH, PUBLIC GOLF IN AUSTIN.
THE, ONE OF THE, UH, LEADING CAUSES OF PEOPLE EXITING THE GAME IS THE SIMPLE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES TO PLAY GOLF WITH OUR NINE HOLE OFFERINGS, WITH OUR 10 MINUTE SPACINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THAT BARRIER.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GENERATE MORE MONEY, WE COULD PUT MORE PEOPLE ON THE GOLF COURSE IF WE WERE AT EIGHT MINUTES, BUT IT DIMINISHES THE GOLF EXPERIENCE SO MUCH THAT WE'RE GOING TO REMAIN AT 10.
UM, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT IT SOMEDAY SOMEHOW THAT WE REACH AGREEMENT, REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ON, UH, FULL OWNERSHIP OF LIONS FOREVERMORE, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS SAVED UNIFIED ANYMORE.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S ON, UH, SEVERAL OF, UH, Y'ALL'S MINDS AND, AND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS' MINDS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND WE HOPE THAT PLACE REMAINS A GOLF COURSE FOREVERMORE.
BUT I THINK MAINLY WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LEAD THE MARKET IN AFFORDABILITY AND LEAD IT BY A LARGE MARGIN.
THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ANOTHER DAILY FEE GOLF COURSE BUILT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, UM, IN ANY OF OUR LIFETIMES.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE HIGH-END PRIVATE CLUBS THAT REQUIRE A PROPERTY PURCHASE OR A QUARTER MILLION DOLLAR BUY-IN.
UM, THAT'S NOT WHO OUR GOLFER IS.
WE LOVE TO HAVE THOSE FOLKS PLAY, BUT THAT'S NOT WHO WE THINK ABOUT WHEN WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER OUR PROGRAM.
SO IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE LEAD THE MARKET IN AFFORDABILITY, AND WE WILL DO IT BY A LARGE MARGIN.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION ON THE LIGHTING? UM, YES.
I JUST, JUST FOR MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE TIME OF IDENTIFYING THE NEED OR THE ABILITY TO, TO IMPROVE, UM, OR TO OFFER MORE TIME BY ADDING LIGHTING TO THE CONVERSION, DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION ON THAT ONGOING? I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA FOR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING ASKED ALL THE TIME FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS TO HAPPEN AND FOR, FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND I WANT TO GET AN IDEA FOR HOW THE TIME, HOW LONG THE TIMELINE IS ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THERE WAS A SLIDE ON, ON THE LIGHTING AND THE CONVERSION.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS FROM THE TIME THAT YOU IDENTIFIED THAT THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THEN THE ACTUAL CONVERSION, SO DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHEN, HOW ABOUT HOW LONG THAT WAS? IT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE UNIQUE, UM, THAN OTHER DIVISIONS OF PARTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE ARE AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
UM, WE HAD A PRELOADED LAST YEAR, A, UH, N-R-C-I-P FUND.
WE HAD SOME PROJECTS IDENTIFIED, SO WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UH, THE PROJECT LAST YEAR DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN WE STARTED WORKING OCTOBER, UM, ON IT, WHICH WE ALREADY HAD A CONTRACT WITH MUSCO LIGHTING, SO WE WERE ABLE TO EXERCISE THAT CONTRACT WITH MUSCO LIGHTING, AND WE WERE, WE WERE FIRING LIGHTS BY THE END OF FEBRUARY.
BUT WE WERE, WE WERE FUND, WE WERE, WE WERE ALREADY FUNDED FOR IN OUR CAPITAL
[00:35:01]
FUND.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? GO AHEAD, MR. BU.
UH, WHERE, WHERE IS THIS THIRD SPACE? WELL, IT'S A, IT IS A NON-TRADITIONAL SPACE.
IT'S, IT'S A SPACE AFTER DARK, UM, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
WHERE IS IT LOCATED? UH, THE, UH, JIMMY CLAY, ROY KAISER GOLF COMPLEX.
IT IS DISTRICT TWO, TWO AND A TWO AND A QUARTER MILES EAST OF I 35 OFF OF STANE LANE.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HOW YOU INCREASED USAGE OF THE COURSES SO MUCH.
WAS IT LIKE PROGRAMMING THAT YOU DID, OR IS IT JUST KIND OF NATURALLY PEOPLE WANTED TO PLAY MORE GOLF? IT WAS INCREDIBLY ORGANIC AND, AND THE POPULARITY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.
IT, IT, IT REALLY, ONCE COVID HIT IT, IT, IT SEEMED LIKE WHENEVER WE CLOSED THE GOLF COURSES BEFORE COVID, BUT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO ACCESS THEM FOR FREE, WE'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY GOLFERS IN OUR LIVES,
AND THEN WE, WHEN WE REOPENED AND STARTED TAKING REVENUES AGAIN, WE WERE THINKING, THIS IS BANANAS.
AND SO IT NEVER SLOWED DOWN FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, AND NOBODY IN IN THE INDUSTRY CAN TELL YOU WHY IT INCREASED OTHER THAN PEOPLE'S DESIRE TO GET OUTSIDE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND IT, IT'S AN INFECTIOUS GAME.
IT, IT, IT, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME IT IS INFURIATING, BUT IT'S AN INFECTIOUS GAME AND YOU ARE CONSTANTLY CHASING AFTER THE, THE NEXT BEST SHOT OF YOUR LIFE.
UM, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE REALLY CONCENTRATED ON CAPTURING THE CUSTOMER THAT WE HAVE THROUGH PACE OF PLAY AND PRICING, UH, AND REALLY GOOD GOLF COURSE OFFERINGS.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE LARGE NUMBERS OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S, WE HAVE NOT PROGRAMMED A GREAT DEAL TOWARDS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT.
HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, CHAIR.
UM, DO YOU CONTRACT OR DO YOU EMPLOY, UH, GROUNDSKEEPERS, MAINLY STAFF? UH, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
DO YOU EMPLOY, UH, GROUNDSKEEPING STAFF OR IS THAT CONTRACTED OUT? UM, AT JIMMY CLAY OR, OH, JUST ALL YOUR, OR IS IT DIFFERENT AT FACILITIES? UH, IT'S DIFFERENT AT EVERY FACILITY.
GRAY ROCK BUTLER AND, UH, UH, THE DRIVING RANGE IN ROUND ROCK, THAT IS ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE OPERATIONS ARE ENTIRELY CONTRACTED OUT.
AND THE OTHER ONES, THE OTHER ONES ARE ALL CITY EMPLOYEES FROM GOLF SHOP OPERATIONS TO THE AGRONOMY.
WHAT BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS WILL GO AND THEN, AND THEN IT'LL BE YOUR TURN.
STEVE, WHAT'S THE TOTAL ACREAGE WHEN YOU ADD ALL OF THE GOLF FACILITIES TOGETHER? I BELIEVE IT'S A LITTLE OVER 1400.
I'M INTERESTED IN THE AUTONOMOUS MOWERS.
UM, IF THEY, IF YOU HAVE ANY DATA TO SHARE ON WHAT THE COST WOULD BE, WHAT THE SAVINGS WOULD BE, UH, WHAT YOUR TIMING IS.
I, I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING, UM, A VERY INNOVATIVE, UH, WAY TO KIND OF ADDRESS, UM, ONGOING COSTS.
AND THEN A, A QUESTION AFTER THAT RELATED TO, UM, SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING.
I, I FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS, AND YOU MADE ME THINK ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE INCREASE IN INTEREST IN, IN GOLFING.
AND I, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU SEE ANY, ANY, UM, OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT STARTED GOLFING IN THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING, IF THEY KIND OF CONTINUED ON AS ADULTS? OH, AB ABSOLUTELY.
I'LL ANSWER THAT, THAT QUESTION FIRST.
UH, WE, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING, WHETHER IT BE AT GRAY ROCK OR THROUGH THE S-T-P-G-A JUNIOR, UH, PROGRAM.
THERE ARE, THERE OUR PARTNERS, UM, WITH REGARDS TO TOURNAMENT PLAY.
WE SEE THEM, THE, THE, THE GREAT PART ABOUT IT'S, WE'VE SEEN THESE KIDS THAT WE SAW COMING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN WE SAW THEM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH PLAYING IN FIRECRACKER OPEN, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE OLDEST AMATEUR EVENTS IN, IN, IN TOWN THAT WAS, UH, AT LIONS OVER JULY 4TH WEEKEND.
SO THE, THE, THE, UH, THE, THE RETENTION IS THERE IN A LOT OF PLACES.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN KIDS GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS PLAY IN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND WE'VE SEEN OUR KIDS PLAY IN COLLEGIATE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE.
UH, I ANSWERED THAT QUESTION FIRST 'CAUSE IT WAS EASY.
THE SECOND QUESTION, UH, WITH AUTONOMOUS MOWERS, THE ANSWER IS, I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVE A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH A CONSULTING GROUP AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT AUTONOMOUS, AUTONOMOUS MOWERS AND, UM, BATTERY OPERATED MOWERS.
UH, WE HAVE TALKED TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS THAT HAVE SAID, I'M NEVER GONNA HIRE ANOTHER PERSON AGAIN.
THEY, OF COURSE, THEY SAY THAT IN JEST.
UM, BUT THEY, BUT THE, THE FIRST GENERATION IS NEVER THE GENERATION FOR US TO BUY SOMETHING.
IT'S ALWAYS GEN TWO AND AUTONOMOUS MOWERS ARE NOW HITTING GEN TWO AND GEN
[00:40:01]
THREE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY, REALLY WANNA LOOK AT.UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TURN THEM LOOSE, YOU CAN GEOFENCE THEM AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AND THEN, UM, COME BACK AND THEY NEVER GO ON LUNCH BREAK.
BUT WE WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT A LOT MORE ABOUT IT.
I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY'RE COST PROHIBITIVE OR NOT.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY BOARD MEMBERS ONLINE? ALL RIGHT.
SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST FOR GOLF.
UM, MR. BECK, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'D BE POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT TO GET A FOLLOW UP MEMO JUST ON, UM, WHEN WE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MOWERS AND IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME INTEREST IN KNOWING WHAT THE YOUTH PROGRAMMING IS.
SO JUST TO FOLLOW UP, UM, SOME MORE DETAILS ON THAT, UM, JUST SO THAT WE CAN BE INFORMED.
I DO HAVE, UM, I'LL READ OUR LETTER AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION FROM THE BOARD.
BUT WE DO HAVE A LETTER, UH, FOR Y'ALL TODAY.
UM, AND THIS IS A DR THIS IS, UM, JULY 28TH, 2025, AND IT SAYS, DEAR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION GOLF, A TX.
ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING STEWARDSHIP AND INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT OF AUSTIN'S GOLF FACILITIES.
GOLF A TX HAS DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE SUCCESS IN BOTH FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR DIVERSE OFFERINGS ACROSS SEVEN FACILITIES SERVING 1,441 ACTIVE PASS HOLDERS AND WELCOMING GOLFERS OF ALL AGES AND SKILL LEVELS.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED BY YOUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.
YOUR DECISION TO MAINTAIN FEE STRUCTURES SINCE OCTOBER, 2022, WHILE STILL PROJECTING REVENUE GROWTH TO OVER 14 MILLION IN 2025 SHOWS EXCEPTIONAL FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE GROWTH IN ROUNDS PLAYED FROM THREE, OH MY GOSH, I OFF ON THE NUMBERS 'CAUSE IT'S SO HIGH.
UM, 312,575 AND 2021 TO AN ESTIMATED 355,000 IN 2025 REFLECTS THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE YOU PROVIDE TO AUSTIN'S GOLF COMMUNITY.
YOUR INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO OPERATIONS DESERVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF HANCOCK GOLF COURSE TO AN UNSTAFFED PAY STATION MODEL HAS BEEN REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL MORE THAN DOUBLING ROUNDS PLAYED, UM, FROM 20,000 PLUS IN 2019 TO AN ESTIMATED 50,000 IN 2025.
THIS 120 4-YEAR-OLD 120 5-YEAR-OLD COURSE CONTINUES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
THE RECENT COMPLETION OF THE CLAY KAISER DRIVING RANGE LIGHTING PROJECT EXEMPLIFIES YOUR VISION FOR CREATING VIBRANT COMMUNITY SPACES.
THE INVESTMENT HAS ALREADY GENERATED NEARLY $60,000 IN REVENUE SINCE MARCH WHILE EXTENDING DAILY ACCESSIBILITY BY UP TO THREE HOURS AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL EVENTS AND LIVE MUSIC.
YOUR DEDICATION TO MAINTAINING WORLD CLASS PLAYING CONDITIONS THROUGH SYSTEMIC CUTTING, GREEN RESURFACING ACROSS ROY KAISER, GRAY ROCK, JIMMY CLAY, AND BALLER COURSES.
ALONG WITH YOUR FORWARD THINKING APPROACH TO AUTOMATED IRRIGATION AND THAT MOWING TECHNOLOGY THAT Y'ALL SPOKE OF DEMONSTRATES YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN AGRONOMY.
PLEASE KNOW THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FULLY SUPPORTS YOUR WORK TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL GOLF EXPERIENCES FOR ALL AUSTINITES WITH SINCERE APPRECIATION, YOUR PARKS BOARD.
GREATLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LETTERS? I'LL MOVE AND IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION FROM VICE CHAIR FLOWERS AND A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
[3. Presentation, discussion and approve a recommendation to Austin City to approve a permanent change of use of 31,694 sq. ft. of parkland located at Balcones District Park to allow for the construction of the Walnut Interceptor Odor and Corrosion Improvements project. Total mitigation is $742,361. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Operational Efficiency). Presenter(s): Tony Lopez P.E., Project Manager, Capital Delivery Services.]
AHEAD TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNSEL TO APPROVE A PERMANENT CHANGE OF USE OF 31,694 SQUARE FEET OF PARKLAND, LOCATED OUT AT B'S DISTRICT PARK TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALNUT, WALNUT INTERCEPTOR, ODOR AND CORROSION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.TOTAL MITIGATION IS MM-HMM
DO WE HAVE ANY CO OKAY, PERFECT.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE PRESENTATION WHEN YOU'RE READY.
MY NAME IS TONY LOPEZ, PROJECT MANAGER FOR, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND WE ARE, UH, CONSTRUCTING THIS PROJECT FOR AUSTIN WATER.
UH, IT IS AN ODOR CONTROL FACILITY TO BE PLACED, HOPEFULLY ON DESIGNATED AREA FROM, UH, A PORTION OF THE PARK.
AND, UH, THE ORIGIN OF THE NEED FOR THIS FACILITY IS BECAUSE OF THE FUMES THAT ARE CARRIED IN THE WASTEWATER INTERCEPTOR, UH, DAMAGE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THEY CORRODE, UH, CONCRETE AND WHATNOT.
AND, UH, THIS WILL BE A RELIEF OF THESE, OF THESE GASES.
[00:45:01]
SEE, HOW DO I MOVE THIS? OKAY, SO THE BENEFIT WILL BE OBVIOUSLY TO RELIEVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THESE FUMES AND, UH, EXTEND ITS LIFE.UM, WE DID LOOK AT MANY OTHER, UH, AREAS, UH, BUT ALONG, ALONG THIS, UH, INTERCEPTOR, THIS WAS THE, PROBABLY THE ONLY PORTION THAT WE COULD, UH, CONSIDER FOR THIS.
AND SO WHAT WE WOULD NEED, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD, UM, REMOVE A A FEW TREES.
THIS IS NOT A HUGE AREA, IT'S ONLY LIKE A LITTLE OVER 31,000 SQUARE FEET.
IT'S LOCATED, BRING MY GLASSES.
SO I CAN'T SEE THAT THIS CLOSE, BUT THIS, IT'S A LONG MPAC JUST NORTH OF, HMM.
ANYWAY, THESE ODORS, UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY ESCAPE THE, UH, INTERCEPTOR, UM, THEY'RE RELEASED OUT INTO THE ENVIRONMENT AND OFTEN CAUSING COMPLAINTS.
UM, SO WE HAVE EQUIPMENT IN THE ORDER CONTROL FACILITY WITH FANS THAT ARE GONNA BE, SUCK THE AIR OUT OF THE SEWER AND PUSH IT INTO THE TREATMENT PROCESS.
UM, THESE ARE, I'M SORRY, THESE ARE MORE TECHNICAL DETAILS, BUT THERE ARE BIO TRICKLING FILTERS THAT, UH, THERE ARE THE SMALLEST ONES THAT, UH, THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH.
THERE'S, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, BUT THEY REQUIRE FAR MORE, UH, LAND 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE HORIZONTAL.
THESE ARE BUILT SO THAT THEY DON'T USE UP THAT MUCH SPACE.
UM, AND THIS, THIS LOCATION, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS THE STRATEGIC.
NOW WE DID CONSIDER SEVERAL OTHER SPOTS, BUT LIKE I MENTIONED IT, THIS IS THE, THE BEST LOCATION DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE INTERCEPTOR.
THESE ARE THE TWO MAJOR POINTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, THE ONE ON THE SOUTH IS CALLED THE LOYOLA SITE, AND THE ONE ON THE NORTH THAT IS THE ONE THAT, THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY.
THESE ARE WALNUT CREEK AND LITTLE WALNUT CREEK.
SEE, I CAN'T SEE THE LOCATION HERE.
IT'S JUST ON THE, ON THE VERY SOUTHERN PORTION WHERE THEY SPLIT.
THAT'S THE BIO TRICKLING FILTER THAT I MENTIONED.
YOU'VE GOT THE FANS THAT PULL OUT THE, UH, FUMES FROM THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, UH, INTO THE BIO TRICKLING FILTER.
AND THEN THAT RELEASES, UH, IT CATCHES ALL OF THAT IN WATER AND THEN IT GOES INTO, UH, THE MEDIA AND DRAINS IT OUT.
THAT'S THE LOCATION SPECIFICALLY JUST NORTH OF THE VALVE ON MOPAC.
PROBABLY THE LESS DESIRABLE PORTION OF THE PARK, IF ANY, COULD BE CALLED THAT.
SO THIS LOCATION WE CONSIDER IT THE BEST BECAUSE IT MAXIMIZES THE ZONE OF INFLUENCE.
UM, TAKING IT FROM THAT, THE INTERCEPTOR, LIKE I MENTIONED, UM, THE, THE INTERCEPTOR AND THE FACILITY THAT WE PLAN ARE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE CREEK, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD ANY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD CROSS THE CREEK.
IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AND IT'S NOT IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, IT'S ADJACENT TO MOPAX, SO IT'S NOT THE BEST PART TO ENJOY ANY PARK FROM.
AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, WELL SEPARATED FROM, UH, ANY OTHER STRUCTURE, NORTH OR SOUTH.
IT'S ADJACENT, IT'S CLOSE TO A TRAIL, BUT MAINLY AWAY FROM, UH, THE, THE PRINCIPLE HIKING BY TRAILS AND WE'RE, AND IT'S SCREENED BY TREES.
[00:50:03]
THESE WERE THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED.UH, I WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT AT THE TIME THAT THESE WERE COMING UP, SO I WOULDN'T KNOW THE DETAILS TO BE HONEST.
SO PHOTOS OF THE LOCATION AS IT IS, YOU CAN SEE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE ONE, SORRY, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE ONES THAT WERE CONSIDERED? UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WEREN'T PART OF THE PROJECT, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN SHARE OR LIKE HIGH POINTS, UH, OF, OR LOW POINTS, I GUESS WHY THEY WEREN'T CHOSEN? UH, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
'CAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE LOOKED AT ALL THE SLIDES.
UM, LOCATION A IS PRIVATELY OWNED, SO THE COST WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT.
UM, AND THE TIMEFRAME FOR REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION WOULD'VE MADE IT NOT PROHIBITED, BUT DELAYED THE PROJECT SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, LOCATION B IS WITHIN THE SAME PARK, BUT IT'S WITHIN WATER QUALITY ZONE BECAUSE IT'S CLOSER TO THE CREEK AND LOCATION D FURTHER TO THE EAST.
UM, NORTH OF THE AUSTIN MEDICAL CENTER.
IT'S NEAR, UH, THE INTERCEPTOR, BUT UM, IT'S FURTHER AWAY FROM THE COMPLAINT SO IT WOULDN'T MITIGATE AS WELL.
SO THIS IS THE SITE CURRENTLY, OBVIOUSLY THESE PICTURES ARE TAKEN JUST BEFORE ELECTIONS.
IT'S, THIS IS THE SIDEWALK RIGHT.
ADJACENT TO, UH, MOPAC CURRENT CONDITIONS.
UM, THE SITE BORDER OF MOPED, LIKE I MENTIONED ONCE AGAIN, UM, AND A COMMERCIAL AREA AND IS A VERY LOW USAGE, UH, IN THE PARK.
IT IS THE SITE THAT WE COULD USE THE SMALLEST PORTION OF AREA FOR THE FACILITY.
UM, THE BIO TRICKLING FILTERS, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE VERTICAL AND SO, UH, IT, IT MAKES THE SMALLER FOOTPRINT AND IT KEEPS US AWAY FROM TRAILS AS BEST POSSIBLE IN THAT LOCATION.
ON THE VERY EDGE OF THE PROPERTY, IT IS NOT IN THE EDWARDS FOR RECHARGE ZONE AND NOT IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UM, WITH NO PRESUMED ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE VICINITY.
AND IF WE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO AVOID HAVING TO, UH, REROUTE THE, THE TRAIL BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL PLAN HAD SOMETHING ELSE, UH, INVOLVED, I JUST DID NOT, I DIDN'T UPDATE THAT, UH, PART OF THE SLIDE ON TIME.
UM, THERE WILL BE NO INTERRUPTION TO THE TRAIL AND THE RUNOFF THAT RESULTS FROM BUILDING ON THE PROPERTY WILL NOT INCREASE THE OVERALL RUNOFF FROM THE SITE.
UM, MAINLY BECAUSE IT, IT, IT WOULD ONLY INVOLVE ACCESSING THE SITE, UH, FOR MAINTENANCE.
SO JUST GOING TO SECTION 26.001, UM, NO DEPARTMENT CAN APPROVE ANY PROJECT THAT REQUIRES A USE OF ANY PUBLIC LAND DESIGNATED AS PARK AND LESS DEPARTMENT ACTING THROUGH ITS DULY AUTHORIZED GOVERNING BODY OR OFFICER DETERMINES THAT ONE, THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO YOU TO THE USE, UH, OR TAKING OF SUCH LAND, WHICH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED, UH, ALONG WITH PERSONNEL FROM PARK.
AND THE PROGRAMMER PROJECT INCLUDES ALL REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND AS PARK, UH, RECREATION AREA, SCIENTIFIC AREA, WILDLIFE REFUGE, HISTORIC SITE RESULTING THE USE ARE TAKING, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN CONFIRMED.
UM, AUSTIN WATER RE REQUEST THE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF 31,694 SQUARE FEET FOR PERMANENT USE ON PARKLAND LOCATED AT BALCON DISTRICT PARK.
AND THE MITIGATION AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THIS IS $742,361
[00:55:02]
AND UH, THAT'S IT.I DO APOLOGIZE FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE SLIDES I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH BECAUSE LIKE I MENTIONED, I PICKED THIS UP RELATIVELY RECENTLY.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER YOU BANKS? UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, THE TRAIL THAT RUNS ALONG THE CREEK IN THE PARK.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT TRAIL.
IS THIS ON THE SOUTHERN END? NORTHERN END? I, I'M, I'M STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS IS GOING.
IT'S ON THE SOUTHERN END OF THE TRAIL, SOUTHERN END OF THE TRAIL, ALMOST AT TU BALL OR AT, AT THE VERY CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
THE TRAIL TURNS UP AGAINST THE PROPERTY LINE AND MOVES BACK ONCE IT GOING IN FROM MOPAC IMMEDIATELY TO THE SOUTH AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
HOW FAR IS THIS FROM THE TRAIL IN THE CREEK? I'M GONNA SAY 60, 70 FEET RIGHT ON IT.
CLOSE, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TOUCHING THE TRAIL ORIGINALLY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FOOTPRINT WOULD'VE, UH, ALTERED IT, BUT NO.
AND THIS IS THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE THAT'LL BE CONSUMED? YES.
I GUESS ONE IS ON THE EARLIER SLIDES THERE WAS A MAP WITH KIND OF THOSE HEAT ZONES OF WHERE THE COMPLAINTS ARE COMING FROM.
SO DOES THIS ADDRESS JUST THE TOP LEFTMOST CLUSTER OR WOULD IT ALSO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE BEING SEEN FURTHER DOWNSTREAM? UM, IT, IT, IT WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF, UH, THE COMPLAINTS DOWNSTREAM BECAUSE THE PRESSURE IS DEFINITELY REDUCED BY THE TIME IT, IT GETS THERE.
SO NOT TO THE SAME DEGREE, BUT YES.
SO MOSTLY THAT TOP LEFT QUADRANT, BUT GENERALLY THROUGHOUT THERE SHOULD BE SOME DIMINISHED RESULTS OR COMPLAINTS AS WELL.
AND THEN ON THE LOCATION OF THE SITE AND I GUESS SIZE OF THE SITE, SO IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE A THIRD TO HALF OF THE SITE ON SLIDE NINE OUT OF 16, A THIRD TO HALF OF THE SITE IS TAKEN UP WITH THE TURNAROUND.
AND SO I GUESS THIS REQUEST IS FOR A PERMANENT CHANGE IN USE FOR THE PARKLAND? CORRECT.
CAN THE TURNAROUND BE SHIFTED TO THE SOUTH? 'CAUSE I SEE THERE'S A PAVEMENT STUB JUST ON THE SOUTH EDGE.
LIKE CAN THAT TURN AROUND BE PUSHED DOWN SO THAT LESS ACREAGE IS TAKEN OUT OF THE PARK? JUST CURIOUS.
UH, DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE FACILITY, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS FROM BOTH SIDES FOR MAINTENANCE AND SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN EVERYDAY DEAL.
IT HAS TO BE AVAILABLE WHEN THEY NEED TO ACCESS THE SITE.
ON THE LAST ONE OF THE LAST SLIDES IT MENTIONED THAT SITE RUNOFF CONTROLS PROVIDE NO NET INCREASE.
WHAT ARE THE SITE RUNOFF CONTROLS THAT ARE PROVIDED? I, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT WE ARE, UH, HOLDING BACK, WE'RE HAVING SMALL, UH, DETENTION.
SO IT DOES NOT, UH, ADD TO THE RUNOFF BEING BUILT WITH THIS PROJECT YES.
OR TAKEN OUT OF AN EXISTING FACILITY? YES.
NO, IT'S A, UH, SORT OF A RAIN BARN KIND OF JUST TO, LIKE I SAID, IT, IT'S NOT REALLY THAT BIG.
IT WON'T REQUIRE THAT MUCH, BUT WE'RE ADDING SOME DETENTION TO HOLD IT BACK BUILT WITH THIS PROJECT ON THAT SITE, CORRECT? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ONLINE? OKAY.
OH, BOARD MEMBER WARREN? YEAH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
THE, THERE'S A PROJECT KIND OF SIMILAR LIKE THIS THAT HAPPENED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD RECENTLY AND PEOPLE WERE UPSET THAT WE WEREN'T NOTIFIED.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE LIKE ASKED FOR FEEDBACK FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY OR IF YOU PLAN TO DO THAT AT ANY POINT AFTER THIS? UH, YEAH, WE WILL, UH, NOTIFY THEM ACTIVELY.
WE'VE GOT, UH, AUSTIN WATER, PIO, UH, PREPARING, UH, FOR THAT ONCE WE GET ALL OF THIS APPROVED AND ARE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DESIGN AND PERMITTING, ET CETERA.
[01:00:01]
I HAVE A, A QUICK QUESTION.UM, I HOPE AS IT, IT IS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE PANEL, UH, BUT IF NOT, THAT'S OKAY.
UH, ONE, ONE THING, UH, AS I WAS EDUCATING MYSELF ABOUT MITIGATING ODOR, UM, SOME CITIES THEY DO SOME KIND OF REGULATION FOR COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS TO BASICALLY INSTALL TRAPPINGS FOR GREASE OIL AND FATS.
UH, DO WE IMPLEMENT ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN AUSTIN? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO SINCE THERE ARE COMPLAINTS? UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT RELATED TO THE ODOR THAT, UH, EMANATES FROM THE SEWER SYSTEM.
UH, THOSE ARE DIRECTLY FROM THE ESTABLISHMENTS AND UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER GOES INTO THE SYSTEM EVENTUALLY WILL CARRY THROUGH THERE.
BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS DO WE HAVE THEM, I KNOW OF ESTABLISHMENTS THAT DO HAVE GREASE STRAPS AND WHATNOT, BUT I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT PART OF THE CODE, THAT'S NOT MY, MY FIELD OF EXPERTISE.
SORRY, I MIGHT MISS HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD.
SO THIS MIGHT NOT BE RELATED TO JUST LIKE THE FATS AND OILS AND GREASE, CORRECT? THE, THE, THE O THE ODORS FROM THE SEWER SYSTEMS, WHICH MIGHT NOT BE RELATED.
I CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION IF SOMEBODY, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? I HAVE ONE MORE.
UM, AGAIN, I'M STRUGGLING TO MAKE SURE I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS IS LOCATED, BUT I'M ASSUMING, I THINK I KNOW, UM, I ALSO KNOW THE WAY THAT AREA FLOODS.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, IS THIS, HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE FLOOD PLAIN ALONG THE WALNUT CREEK? IT'S, IT'S OUT OF THE, UH, FLOOD WAY.
IT'S PROBABLY STILL IN THE FLOOD PLAIN, BUT, UH, IT'S BEING BUILT SO THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT IT.
AGAIN, WE'RE USING VERTICAL UM, FILTERS.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT USING THE, THE FILTRATION MEDIA ON THE GROUND, SO IT SHOULD BE AN ISSUE.
DID YOU HAVE A FOLLOW UP OR NO? NO, I'M, I'M FINE, THANK YOU.
I CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY TO APPROVE A PERMANENT CHANGE OF USE OF 31,694 SQUARE FEET OF PARKLAND LOCATED AT OCONUS DISTRICT PARK TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALNUT INTERCEPTOR ODOR AND CORROSION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
TOTAL MITIGATION BEING $742,000 361.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION FROM BOARD MEMBER FIBO.
BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, UM, SECOND THAT, ANY DISCUSSION DID YOU HAVE? ALL RIGHT.
THIS MITIGATION, THIS IS TO MITIGATION MITIGATE FOR THE PROPERTY LOSS, CORRECT? YES.
WHERE DOES IT GO? GREG MONTE IS WITH PARKS AND RECREATION THAT GOES INTO OUR, UM, UH, FUNDING FOR, UH, FUTURE PROJECTS.
IT'S A CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND REC FUNDING SOURCE.
SO IT, IT, IT POTENTIALLY BUYS ANOTHER THREE QUARTERS ACRE OF LAND.
DOES IT PURCHASE ANOTHER THREE? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE LOSING THREE QUARTERS THAT WE COULD DO, WE GET THREE QUARTERS? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW AROUND THIS PART, BUT IS, IS THAT ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS? YES, THE MONEY CAN BE USED FOR FUTURE LAND ACQUISITIONS OR OTHER USES THAT THE DEPARTMENT DEEMS NECESSARY AT THE TIME.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WELL I'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT LOOKS LIKE, OH, MOTION PASSES.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON
[4. Presentation, discussion and approval of a recommendation to Austin City Council to approve the temporary use of 20,800 sq. ft. of parkland located at Jamestown Neighborhood Park for temporary storage and staging area for a period not to exceed 570 calendar days. Total Mitigation is $58,233. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Operational Efficiency). Presenter(s): Claudia Corsetti P.E., Project Manager, Capital Delivery Services.]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE TEMPORARY USE OF TWENTY THOUSAND TWENTY THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED SQUARE FEET OF PARKLINE LOCATED JAMESTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE AND STAGING AREA FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 570 CALENDAR DAYS.DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THIS MR. BECK? OKAY, THANK YOU.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, TAKE THE PRESENTATION.
[01:05:01]
CORSETTI.I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER FROM UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.
UM, AND TONIGHT WE'LL DISCUSS THE LITTLE WALNUT CREEK JAMESTOWN TRIBUTARY EROSION AND DRAINAGE PROJECT.
UM, OUR REQUEST IS FOR OUR CHAPTER 26, UM, STAGING AND STORAGE WITHIN PARKLAND, UM, AT THE JAMESTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
I'LL GO OVER OUR PROJECT, UH, PROVIDE A LITTLE BACKGROUND, UM, OUR EVALUATION PROCESS, KIND OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT, UM, FOR CONSIDERING THE SITE AND THEN, UH, PARKLAND IMPACTS POTENTIAL.
AND THEN, UM, PROVIDE THE PROJECT TIMELINE.
AND I'LL LEAVE SOME TIME FOR Q AND A.
UM, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURES, YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW ON THE LEFT SIDE AND ON THE RIGHT IS THE, UM, PHOTO SIMULATION.
UM, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, SO APPROXIMATELY 2,600 LINEAR FEET OF CREEK STABILIZATION AND RESTORATION IS OUR REQUEST.
UH, WE'RE NEEDING TO PROTECT 30 SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES AND THREE LARGE MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES FROM EROSION.
UH, WE ARE GONNA BE REPLACING AN UNDERSIZED SIX BY SIX BOX CULVERT AT FAIRFIELD DRIVE CROSSING, UH, WITH A 46 FOOT SPAN BRIDGE TO REDUCE FLOOD RISK TO DRIVERS, UM, RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
UM, ABOUT 1900 LINEAR FEET OF STORM DRAINS WILL BE ADDED, UM, REDUCING FLOOD RISK TO 11 SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES.
AND I HAVE A APPROXIMATELY 1400, UH, LINEAR FEED OF WATERLINE 900, LINEAR FEED OF WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENTS AND 7,000 SQUARE YARDS OF PAVEMENT REPAIRS.
AGAIN, UM, JUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE BEFORE AND AFTER.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO IS THAT, UM, BEAUTIFUL PHOTO SIMULATION.
SO THE JAMESTOWN TRIBUTARY HAS OVER 19 ACTIVE EROSION SITES DUE TO ERODING BANKS.
EROSION CONTINUES TO THREATEN PROPERTIES, UM, RESOURCES FOR BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS, PARKING LOTS.
WE HAVE YARDS, FENCES, CULVERTS, SIDEWALKS, AND UTILITY POLES AND PIPES THAT ARE, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE PHOTO ABOVE, ARE FALLING INTO THE CREEK.
UM, WE HAVE KNOWN LOCAL FLOODING PROBLEMS, INCLUDING BUILDING AND FLOODWAYS, I'M SORRY, ROADWAYS, UH, STRUCTURES IN THE FLOODPLAIN, AND THEN ROADWAYS THAT CROSS CREEK FLOOD RE FREQUENCY FREQUENTLY, SORRY.
AND SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM PHOTO IS THAT, UM, DUMPING OF SEDIMENT OVER TIME.
UM, THIS, THIS IS THAT CULVERT THAT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A 46 FOOT SPAN BRIDGE.
UM, BUT IT IS A POINT WHERE A LOT OF SEDIMENT CAN JUST BUILT UP.
ALRIGHT, STAGING AND STORAGE EVALUATION.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE CONSIDERED WHERE WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION TO HAVE STAGING AND STORAGE.
UM, THE FIRST OPTION IS AT THE, UM, JAMESTOWN, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, WHICH IS, UM, TO THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE IN GREEN.
UM, THIS SITE IS ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET AWAY FROM OUR ACTUAL LI LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER SITE WAS OPTION TWO, WHICH IS, UM, OVER BY THE, UM, THURMOND HUD, UM, FACILITY.
UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, A APARTMENTS OR YEAH, HOUSING THERE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THERE.
AND, UM, AND LOOKING AT THESE TWO, OPTION ONE WAS LARGE AND IT WAS ISOLATED.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY CITY OWNED AND WATERSHED WORKED REALLY HARD WITH, UM, WITH REAL ESTATE TO ACQUIRE THAT LAND.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND OPTION WAS, UM, A HEAVY USE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
UM, IT HAS FEDERAL AND HUD RESTRICTIONS, SO WE WERE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO NOT IMPACT THAT, UM, THOSE, UM, RESIDENTS.
SO WE LANDED AT THE PROPERTY TO THE LEFT, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UM, HERE'S ANOTHER PHOTO OF WHERE THAT IS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A BIG OPEN, EMPTY LOT, UM, NO TREES.
UM, CURRENTLY IT'S JUST VACANT.
UM, AND LET ME SEE THE NEXT PHOTO.
YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM PHOTO FROM THE CORNER TAKEN.
AND THEN THE ONE ABOVE IS JUST THE ACTUAL AERIAL, UM, WHERE YOU CAN SEE HOW WIDE AND OPEN IT IS AT THE MOMENT.
UM, AND THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE, UM, THE ACTUAL, UM, STAGING AND STORAGE WHERE OUR FOOTPRINT WOULD BE.
UM, WE'RE NOT TAKING THE FULL WE LOT, WE'RE JUST TAKING, UM, 20,800 SQUARE FEET JUST FOR STAGING AND STORAGE TEMPORARILY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, I CAN DIVE INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
[01:10:01]
UM, AGAIN, LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF THE PARK AND RELATIVE TO WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING IN THE STORM DRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE FIVE STORM DRAIN LINES THAT ARE GONNA GO IN.AND THEN OF COURSE THE CREEK ITSELF, UM, THE EMBANKMENT WORK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.
SO, UM, IT'S ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET AWAY FROM WHERE THAT WORK IS GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, MINIMIZING IMPACTS TO PARKLAND.
SO WE ARE GONNA BE, UH, ADDING PROTECTIVE FENCING THAT WILL BE USED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO NEARBY TREES AND NATURAL AREAS.
THE CONTRACTOR WILL FOLLOW A ROBUST ENGINEERED DESIGN TO PREVENT SEDIMENT AND EROSION, AND THEN ALL DISTURBED PARKLAND WILL BE RESTORED AND RE-VEGETATED.
AND THEN OUR PROJECT TIMELINE, OUR PROJECT WAS RECENTLY AWARDED LAST WEEK ON THE 24TH OF JULY.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE AWARD PHASE TO MAKE SURE THE CONTRACTOR CAN COME ONLINE.
UM, CONSTRUCTION IS TO BEGIN IN THE FALL.
UH, WE ANTICIPATE A NOTICE SUPERSEDE TO HAPPEN SEPTEMBER, 2025 AND THE DURATION OF CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE 570 CALENDAR DAYS.
AND THIS IS THE SECTION OF THE CODE THAT I NEED TO READ.
THIS IS, UH, SECTION 26.001 PROTECTED LAND NOTICE OF TAKING.
SO STATE ENTITIES CANNOT APPROVE PROGRAMS OR PROJECTS THAT USE OR TAKE LAND, PUBLIC LAND DESIGNED FOR PARKS, RECREATION, SCIENTIFIC AREAS, WILDLIFE REFUGE OR HISTORIC SITES, UNLESS THEY'RE AUTHORIZED GOVERNING BODY OR, UM, OFFICER DETERMINES THAT ONE, THERE IS NO FEASIBLE OR PRUDENT AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO USE OR TAKING OF SUCH LAND.
TWO, THE PROGRAM OR PROJECT INCLUDES ALL REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO LAND AS A PARK, RECREATION AREA, SCIENTIFIC AREA, WILDLIFE REFUGE OR HISTORIC SITE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF OR TAKING AT THE MOMENT.
UH, WATERSHED WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF 20,800 SQUARE FEET OF TEMPORARY STORAGE AND STAGING FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED A TOTAL OF 570 CALENDAR DAYS ON PARKLAND ASSOCIATED WITH THE JAMESTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
OUR MITIGATION AMOUNT IS $58,233.
AND THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION AND, UM, APOLOGIES IF THIS IS SOMEWHERE IN HERE AND I'VE MISSED IT.
I JUST MIGHT NEED TO BE POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE STAGING OF STORAGE AREA IS TAKING UP JUST A BIT OVER 20,000 SQUARE FEET AND NOT THE ENTIRETY.
I'M HAVING TROUBLE VISUALIZING 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT, UM, THE SLIDE DECK SIX, LIKE THE GREEN SPACE, AND THEN I'M LOOKING AT SEVEN, WHICH SHOWS THE AREA, BUT I'M HAVING TROUBLE VISUALIZING WHAT IS LEFT AVAILABLE WHEN THAT IS TAKEN OUT OF USE.
AND I CAN'T FIND A SLIDE OR A, SOMETHING THAT SHOWS ME THE OVERLAY OF THE FOOTPRINT WITH THE WHAT'S LEFT.
DO WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LEMME GO BACK TO THE SLIDE, UM, UP, RIGHT.
SO YEAH, SO IF YOU SEE THERE ON SIX, WE CAN SEE KIND OF THAT SHAPE, TRIANGLE, WHATEVER, AND THEN YOU SEE SEVEN.
BUT I'M NOT, YOU CAN EVEN TELL ME IN NUMBERS THAT'LL HELP TOO.
BUT LIKE, HOW MANY SQUARE FEET ARE AVAILABLE ARE STILL AVAILABLE OF THE OPEN PROPERTY? 'CAUSE I CAN'T TELL, LIKE, CAN SOMEBODY STILL KICK A SOCCER BALL WITH WHAT'S LEFT OR IS IT LIKE I CAN DE DEFINITELY, UM, YEAH, THE BEGINNING, UM, OF THE AREA WHERE IT'S GONNA BE FENCED OFF, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT THAT SECOND LOT.
YOU SEE THE VERY, I'M TRYING TO SEE WHERE, BECAUSE ALSO THE, I THINK THE IMAGE UNDERNEATH IS FLIPPED IN MY, LIKE WHERE JAMESTOWN DRIVE IS.
THAT IS THE CORNER CLOSEST TO THAT.
UM, DISCOUNT TIRE CENTER OR NO.
UM, SO WHERE, HERE, IF I GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE, THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES ARE ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THEN THE COMMERCIAL IS ON THE RIGHT.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, JUST BARELY ENCROACHING ON THE SECOND LOT.
IF YOU CAN KIND OF TELL WHERE THAT IS ON THE LEFT SIDE WHERE IT SAYS BLOCK H UM, AND IF I GO BACK TO THE AERIAL, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT LOT IS ON THE VERY CORNER OF JAMESTOWN AND BA BANGER BEND.
SO WE'RE GONNA STAY AT THE VERY FRONT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO IN THE BACK.
SO IF I'M LOOKING AT, I'M SORRY, I'M JUST TRYING TO VISUALIZE CAN I, SORRY, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I THINK WILL HELP.
IT'S SHAPED LIKE NEVADA WITH AN ARM.
WHICH PART ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THE BOTTOM, THE TOP OR THE ARM? UH, THE TOP.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PART CLOSER
[01:15:01]
UP HERE? YEAH.SO THERE'S GOING TO BE FIELD LEFT BELOW THAT'S USABLE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF AREA LEFT.
UM, AND WHERE THE RED.IS IN THAT PHOTO, THAT IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE CENTERED.
THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION, SO THAT'S PERFECT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE, I, I KNOW IT'S GREEN SPACE, THERE'S NO PLAYGROUND OR ANYTHING THERE, BUT PEOPLE STILL USE THOSE SPACES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, SO.
THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO VISUALIZE THE SPACE BEING TAKEN UP.
AND THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE STAGING AND STORAGE.
YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ON SHEET SEVEN, IT SHOWS THIS SHAPE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TRACT, BUT IT'S CENTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKLAND AREA.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW FREQUENTLY THIS AREA WOULD BE USED, BUT I FEEL LIKE IF THE STAGING IS FENCED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST A SLIVER ON THE EAST AND WEST SIDES, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA HAVE FENCING UP.
IT WON'T REALLY LOOK LIKE A SPACE THAT PEOPLE CAN USE.
SO I MEAN, CAN THE STAGING AREA BE SHIFTED CLOSER TO THE DISCOUNT TIRE? I DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY EASEMENTS OR SETBACKS OR ANYTHING CLOSER TO DISCOUNT TIRE, BUT, YOU KNOW, PUSHING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTHWESTERN CORNER SO THAT AGAIN, IT DOESN'T BLOCK ACCESS TO THE WHOLE TRACT AND IT'S PUSHED OVER MORE TO ONE SIDE.
I WANNA KIND OF SEE IF I CAN HELP OUT WITH THIS ONE.
'CAUSE THE DISCOUNT TIRE AREA THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFERRING TO, THEY DO HAVE PARKING SPACES AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, A FEW OF THOSE SPACES, UM, LET ME SEE IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE HERE.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE RED DOT, YOU CAN SEE THE DISCOUNT TIRE IS LOCATED THERE.
IF IT'S SHIFTED OVER, THERE ARE SOME PARKING SPACES THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR PARK VISITORS.
IF THEY SHIFTED IN THAT DIRECTION TOWARDS THE, WHAT WE CALL THE COMMERCIAL AREA, THEN YOU'RE ABUTTING THAT PARKING AREA AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE PEOPLE WILL THEN ACCESS THE SPACE.
IF YOU MOVE IT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, THEN YOU'RE BACKING UP AGAINST PEOPLE'S HOMES THAT LIVE THERE.
SO I THINK THE IDEA WAS IF YOU PLACE IT IN THE MIDDLE, YOU GIVE A BUFFER TO THE RESIDENTIAL THAT ARE LOCATED THERE ADJACENT TO THE PARK, AND THEN YOU GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BUFFER SPACE FOR THOSE HIDDEN PARKING SPACES THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR THE PARK VISITORS THERE.
I I AM, I'M LOOKING, I PULLED UP THE WEBSITE FOR THE PARK AND I'M NOTICING THAT THEY HAVE, UM, THERE'S LIKE, THEY, IT IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF PLANNING TO DEVELOP THIS AREA.
'CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S PRETTY UNDEVELOPED NOW.
SO MY QUESTION IS LIKE YOU, YOU'RE SETTING ASIDE A BUNCH OF MONEY TO MITIGATE AND PUT IT BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE YOU MOVED IN, BUT THEN THERE ARE ALSO LARGER PLANS TO REDEVELOP THIS PARK.
IS THERE ANY LIKE WAY TO KIND OF LOOK AT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER SO THAT YOU'RE SPENDING THE MONEY, LIKE IN FURTHERANCE OF SETTING THE PARK UP THE WAY THAT THE PLANS ARE DEVELOPED FOR THE FUTURE INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT BACK EXACTLY THE WAY THAT IT WAS AND THEN RE SPENDING THE MONEY TO DEVELOP THE PARK IN THE FUTURE? IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN CONNECT THOSE TWO PROJECTS? MY, EXCUSE ME.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PARK PROJECT IS THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO COMMENCE, UM, AS THIS STAGING AREA IS ENDING.
SO BY, BY CODE THE DISTURBANCE HAS TO BE RESTORED TO EQUAL OR BETTER CONDITION.
SO THE PROJECT, THE STAGING IS REQUIRED TO, TO GO BACK TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.
BUT I THINK AT, AT THAT TIME AS THEIR ENDING THEIR STAY IN THE PARK, THEN WE CAN, WITH OUR PROJECT KIND OF BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA.
'CAUSE I THINK THE TWO ARE GONNA PROBABLY, HOPEFULLY START AS THE OTHER ONE IS EXITING THE PARK, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, DOES.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE, SO I WAS LOOKING AT STREET VIEW.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NOT, UM, THE MOST UPTODATE, BUT THERE ARE SOME NEW PARKING SPACES ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE DISCOUNT TIRE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE MARKED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FOR THE PARK.
IT SAYS TOWING AND ENFORCED FOR EMEC INVESTMENTS ONLY.
THAT, THAT WAS THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
BUT NOW THOSE ARE THE CITY'S SPACES.
YES, AND I, IT DOESN'T SHOW IT.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THOSE PARKING SPACES ARE ACTUALLY WITHIN THE PARK.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ANYBODY.
I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE TEMPORARY USE OF 20,800 SQUARE FEET OF PARK
[01:20:01]
LAND LOCATED AT JAMESTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE AND STAGING AREA FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 507 CALENDAR DAYS.ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS.
SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL ALL THOSE, UM, OPPOSED? ANYONE ABSTAINING? OKAY, THE MOTION PASSES.
WE'LL, NOW UM, WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
[5. Approve the Parks and Recreation board Annual Internal Review and Report. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers).]
FIVE.SO THIS IS A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM APPROVED THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AND REPORT WHILE COMPILING, UM, THIS REPORT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHAIR'S RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD VOTE TO APPROVE THIS AS A BODY.
ALRIGHT, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OH, I DON'T THINK SO.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? I DIDN'T THINK SO, BUT NO CHAIR.
UM, I DID THIS WHEN I WAS CHAIR AND IT'S NO EASY TASK, SO, UM, I KNOW A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THIS.
SO I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AND REPORT.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER MERIT.
UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT 10 ON THE DICE.
A MOTION PASSES WITH BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS, UM, OFF THE DICE.
[6. Discussion and create a working group to examine the importance of parkland as it relates to stormwater retention and detention. (Sponsors: Eubanks, Abou-Emara).]
MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UM, THIS IS A DISCUSSION TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKLAND AS AS IT RELATES TO STORMWATER RETENTION AND DETENTION.UM, AND WE'VE GOT SPONSORS, EUBANK AND ABARA, AND IT'S BEING BROUGHT UP, I BELIEVE, DUE TO THE FLOODING, WHICH HAS RECENTLY IMPACTED CENTRAL TEXAS.
SO, UM, WITH BOARD MEMBER EUBANK OFF THE DA I'LL TURN IT TO YOU.
WE ACTUALLY DO A SPEAKER ON THIS SIDE.
UH, CHRIS FLORES HAS SIGNED APPRECIATE Y'ALL PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, AND I BELIEVE CHRIS IS THE ONLY SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HERE WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD.
I'VE GOT MY WARRIOR PRESS HERE.
UH, I'VE GOT, UH, NICO HOWARD SIGNED UP.
SORRY ABOUT THE CONFUSION THERE.
UH, NICO HOWARD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING THE BUT NIGHT.
UM, I, UH, WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS TO SUGGEST USING, UH, NATURAL SYSTEMS, UM, TO REDUCE FLOODING ON CITY PARKLAND.
AND I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE IN AUSTIN WHO HAD A RESEARCH SITE WHERE WE MEASURED RAINFALL, HAD A TOWER TO MEASURE RAPID TRANSPIRATION AND FLUES TO MEASURE RUNOFF SOIL MOISTURE PROBES.
AND I'VE COLLABORATED WITH OTHER FOLKS AND LOTS OF OTHER RESEARCH.
IT SHOWS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING THAT THE, UM, NATURAL FOREST INFILTRATE A LOT OF WATER, REDUCE FLOODING.
SO SOME OF THE MAJOR FLOODS IN CENTRAL TEXAS, INCLUDING THE 1921 FLOOD THAT KILLED A 220 PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, SCIENTISTS ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE MASSIVE DEFORESTATION THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS AND, AND PARTICULARLY PEAKING IN THE 1940S WITH THE CATTLE EMPIRE.
UM, AND SO THE STUDIES WE'VE DONE SHOWN THAT THE, UM, TREE ROOTS AND THE TREE THEMSELVES, UM, YOU KNOW, INFILTRATE WATER CONSIDERABLY INTO THE GROUND, WHICH PROVIDES RECHARGE FOR SPRINGS, REDUCES FLOODING, BUT THE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT TREES DO, INCLUDING RETAINING THE SOIL IN PLACE, UM, AND, AND THE STRUCTURES OF THE TREES HELPING TO REDUCE THE, THE, UM, THE RUNOFF, UM, ARE VERY EFFECTIVE WAYS TO, UM, REDUCE FLOODING.
AND THE SECOND REALLY MAJOR THING, AND LIKE EVERY PARK PRETTY MUCH ON THE WESTERN SIDE HAS LARGE CAVES THAT WERE FILLED IN.
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PARK ACQUIRED THEM, BUT MANY, IF THEY WEREN'T FILLED BY THAT TIME, THEY PARKS AND RECREATION TYPICALLY FILLED THEM IN LIKE PERRY PARK.AND, UM, SCHROEDER PARK IS ABOUT 16 FILLED CAVES.
UH, MANY OF THESE, UM, PARKS, SOME OF THEM HAVE, UM, LARGE CAVE BASINS THAT ARE HUNDREDS OF ACRES IN SIZE.
AND IF THE, IT'S SORT OF LIKE A BATHTUB THAT IF YOU KEEP THE DRAIN IN PLUGGED, UM, IT WILL COMPLETELY DRAIN THE AREA, YOU KNOW, SO YOU DON'T HAVE RUNOFF GOING TO THE CREEKS AS OPPOSED TO, UH, WATER QUALITY PONDS THAT HAVE A LIMITED STORAGE CAPACITY.
UM, AND THEY, UM, THEY FILL UP WITH SEDIMENT AND THEY'RE ALSO FOR PARKS.
THEY'RE MORE UNSIGHTLY THAN THE NATURAL VIEWS.
UM, AND CAVES CAN BE PROTECTED SO THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE AROUND THEM ALL AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, RECOMMEND THE NATURAL SYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY REOPENING CAVES ON PARK LAND AND, AND REFORESTING ITS MEASURES TO REDUCE FLOODING IN ADDITION TO OTHER ADVANTAGES.
TREES, UM, SEQUESTER CARBON, THEY COOL.
WE MEASURE ABOUT 90 DEGREES COOLER PEAK SUMMER TEMPERATURES IN THE FOREST.
AND PART OF THAT'S THE EVAPORATE TRANSPIRATION PROCESS.
UM, THEY ALSO, UM, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT IN TRAVIS COUNTY, HAYES COUNTY TREES WILL, UM, TAKE IN 96% OF THE PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTION.
UM, LOTS OF GREAT ADVANTAGES TO MANAGING FOR TREES.
ALRIGHT, UM, BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS AND A BOOMER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY YOU BROUGHT THIS UP? YES.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE TIME.
UH, IF WE COULD SHOW, I HAVE A FEW QUICK SORT OF PICTURES TO SET THE STAGE.
AND YOU COULD START WITH NUMBER ONE.
THIS FIRST PHOTOGRAPH IS A PEACE PARK.
THIS IS AFTER THE MAY RAIN, THE MICROBURST THAT WHERE WE HAD, UM, NOT A GREAT DEAL OF RAIN, BUT IT CAME VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE OVERFLOW OUT OF SHOAL CREEK INTO THE PARK.
UM, NEXT, THIS IS THE ONE OF THE DETENTION RETENTION INFILTRATION PONDS BUILT BY WATERSHED AND BY WHAT, BY THE WAY, THIS IS ALL WATERSHED.
THIS IS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S PARD LAND AND PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY INVOLVED MAINTENANCE, ET CETERA, IS FOR WATERSHED.
UH, THIS IS, IF YOU CAN SEE THE RAINDROPS, THIS IS DURING THE JULY THE FOURTH RAIN.
AND SO I'M STANDING OUT IN THE DETENTION POND AND IT IS ACTUALLY THE DRIEST PLACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'VE TOLD MY NEIGHBORS THIS IS A PLACE WE SHOULD ALL GO DURING THE NEXT FLOOD IS THE DETENTION POND.
NEXT, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE MAINTENANCE.
UH, I LIVE LITERALLY ACROSS THE STREET.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WATERSHED HAS NOT MAINTAINED THIS IN YEARS.
UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, PAR DOES MOW AROUND IT AND PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY DOES GREAT WORK OVER ON THE TRAIL, BUT NOT WITHIN THIS SWALE, OUR DETENTION POND.
THIS IS THE LANDSLIDE, WHICH IS NOW RESTRICTED FLOW OF SHOAL CREEK.
AND SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE AROUND IN 81, YOU REMEMBER WHAT BLOCKED THE CREEK AND THE FLOODING THAT IT CAUSED UPSTREAM.
WE NOW HAVE THAT AS A LANDSLIDE NEXT, AND ALREADY WE'RE SEEING EROSION BEHIND THE, UH, BERM.
UM, AND THIS BERM WAS REPLACED, UH, A MATTER OF MONTHS AGO.
AND ALREADY IN THE LAST TWO RAINS, WE'VE HAD EROSION.
AFTER THE JULY THE FOURTH RAIN, WE HAD A LITTLE OVER FOUR INCHES.
AND SO THIS IS HEADING FROM 24TH DOWN TOWARD DOWNTOWN, DOWN TOWARD THE LAKE.
NOW THE POINT OF SHOWING THE PICTURES IS NOT TO POINT OUT SHO CREEK, ALTHOUGH WISH SHO CREEK CONSERVANCY WAS STILL HERE.
UH, THE FACT IS THOUGH, I THINK FOR ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM, AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN KERRVILLE AND HUNT AND MARBLE FALLS, ET CETERA, UH, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT THERE ARE TWO
[01:30:01]
THINGS.ONE IS WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THIS INCREDIBLE ECOLOGICAL SERVICE THAT PARKLAND PROVIDES IN STORMWATER DETENTION AND RETENTION.
THE WORD HAS TO BE OUT THERE OF JUST HOW IMPORTANT OUR PARKS ARE, NOT JUST FOR RECREATION, BUT FOR STORING WATER AND DETAINING WATER.
THE SECOND THING IS WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS, UH, WHETHER IT BE BULL CREEK, WHERE WE HAD A 500 YEAR FLOOD IN 2010, UH, WHETHER IT BE WALLER CREEK OR WALNUT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
UH, ALL OF THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THE NOTION THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD A FLOOD LIKE IN KERRVILLE OR HUNT OR SAN SABA IS OF COURSE NOT TRUE.
IF YOU COULD OPEN UP THAT ONE LAST FILED, IT SAYS FLOODING.
I JUST THREW TOGETHER A LIST OF THE HISTORIC FLOODS IN THE AUSTIN AREA OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS.
UM, YOU CAN, I'D BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU ALL A COPY.
THERE ARE TWO PAGES OF THESE FLOODS, AND YOU CAN ALSO GET A SENSE OF THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS.
UM, THERE WAS A WONDERFUL, UM, OP-ED ACTUALLY IN THE AMERICAN STATESMAN SUNDAY THAT DEALT WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH CLIMATE AND THE INTENSIFICATION OF THE RAINFALL.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE FACED WITH.
SO, UM, MY THOUGHT WAS WE COULD CREATE A WORKING GROUP THAT CAN PULL TOGETHER THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, WHERE WE ARE, WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING, ET CETERA, THAT CAN ULTIMATELY BE SHARED WITH THE BOARD.
OBVIOUSLY ANY RECOMMENDATIONS COME FROM THE BOARD, NOT A WORKING GROUP, BUT IT, GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN KERRVILLE, GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN HUNT, THIS SEEMS LIKE A PERFECT TIME FOR US TO VISIT THIS ISSUE.
AND JUST, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. DUNBACK, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE WORKING GROUP CAN BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION AND TO THE BOARD.
TO THE BOARD, CORRECT? UH, YES.
THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKING GROUP WOULD BE TO WORK TO CREATE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY WOULD THEN RETURN TO THE PARKS BOARD WITH.
SO IT WOULD BRING IDEAS TO BACK BEFORE THE BOARD.
MY ANTICIPATION, IT TAKES SIX MONTHS, NOT THREE MONTHS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION I HAVE SPOKEN WITH CHAIR, UH, BRISTOL OVER AT EC.
UM, SHE'S VERY SUPPORTIVE AND THERE'S SOME OUTSIDE INFORMATION WE NEED TO BRING TOGETHER.
UM, I THINK THE TIMING IS RIGHT.
UM, BOARD MEMBER OF BOMAR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING, UM, BEFORE WE CAN? UH, NO, I, UH, I I ECHO THE, THE CONCERN THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, THAT NEW BANKS HAD.
UM, THE TIMING SEEMS RIGHT, UH, ESPECIALLY THAT, UM, WE LIVE, WE ALL LIVE IN, UH, DIFFERENT PARTS OF AUSTIN AND, UM, WE, I I BELIEVE RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW WHAT KIND OF RISK THEY LIVE IN AND WHAT KIND OF MEASURES THEY NEED TO TAKE.
AND I THINK, UH, IN THE TIME PERIOD THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER EUBANKS TALKED ABOUT, WE CAN GATHER THAT INFORMATION FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES AND, UM, SEE WHAT STEPS THE, WE CAN RECOMMEND FOR THE BOARD TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY.
WELL, ONE QUICK CLARIFICATION.
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A STORMWATER STUDY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THIS IS SIMPLY MEANT TO BE A BROAD BRUSH LOOK AT PARKLAND AND STORMWATER RETENTION AND DETENTION.
YEAH, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE OF A THOUGHT.
UM, NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT, UH, I DO THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION OF BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS BECAUSE I DO THINK WE'LL WANNA BE CAREFUL WITH THIS ONE JUST 'CAUSE IT COULD EASILY GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF PARKS.
AND BECAUSE OF OUR BYLAWS, WE'LL WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S, UH, HUED TO PARKS.
I MEAN, I, I THINK THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME INITIATIVES GOING ON CITYWIDE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
UH, SO OBVIOUSLY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND WATERSHED, AND I'M SURE OTHERS ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS.
SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BOTH CONSULTING PEOPLE WHO CAN INFORM, BUT ALSO KEEPING IT, UH, FOCUSED ON PARKS SINCE THAT IS THE PURVIEW.
UM, I AGREE IT'S A, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT AND TIMELY ISSUE, AND THANKS FOR BRINGING UP THE ISSUE OF SCOPE CREEP.
IT COULD HAPPEN AND WE'LL MAKE SURE IT STAYS WITHIN PARKLAND.
WELL, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION
WHAT IS IT, WHAT IS IT? THE WORD IN HERE, YOU MOTION TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP.
SO YES, YOU TAKE THE LANGUAGE FROM THE CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKLAND AS IT RELATES TO STORMWATER RETENTION AND DETENTION.
[01:35:01]
WE'VE GOT A MOTION FROM BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS, AND WE'VE GOT A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.ANY OTHER, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALRIGHT, IT'S LOOKING SEVEN 40.
UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, THIS IS, SORRY, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT HERE.
[7. Discussion on budget deficits and cutbacks on external funding and support as they relate to the long-term sustainability of Austin’s Parks system. (Sponsors: Eubanks, Abou-Emara, Taylor)]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION.IT'S A DISCUSSION ON BOARD BUDGET DEFICITS AND CUTBACKS ON EXTERNAL FUNDING AND SUPPORT AS THEY RELATE TO THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF AUSTIN'S PARK SYSTEM.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS, MR. BECK? UH, YES.
UM, NICO HOWARD, I BELIEVE IS OUR ONLY SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM.
NICO, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I'M NICO HOWARD, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ON THIS, UH, BUDGET ISSUE, UM, A LOT OF THIS ISSUE WAS ACTUALLY RESOLVED, 2001, BUT IT WAS JUST NEVER IMPLEMENTED.
AND LET ME POINTED OUT AS THERE'S A OCTOBER 9TH, 2001 MAYOR KURT WATSON PRO, TIM COUNCILWOMAN, JACKIE GOODMAN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHI WIND, THEY DRAFTED A MEMO RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, AND WHAT THEY SAID IS, CURRENTLY THE CITY'S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE BCP LANDS.
AND THOSE ARE SENSITIVE LANDS SET ASIDE FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, CAVES AND FORESTS.
THE CONCERN WE SHARE IS THAT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BCP MAY NOT BE PERFECTLY SUITED TO, AND IN FACT MAY DETRACT FROM THE IMPORTANT MISSION OF PART, WHILE BCP LANDS ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENJOYED BY THE PUBLIC HABITAT CONSERVATION FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THESE LANDS, WE MUST ALSO, UM, BE THE MANAGEMENT PRIORITY.
FURTHER, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS LEARNED MUCH ABOUT LAND MANAGEMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE BCP THROUGH AGGRESSIVE OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION OVER THE AQUIFER OR OLOGY BASED CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE DESIGNED SOUND EVALUATION TOOLS AND METHODS FOR LAND ACQUISITION, LAND MANAGEMENT.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE ARE USING THE TALENT WE'VE DEVELOPED WITHIN THOSE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO THE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE BCP SYSTEM.
AND AROUND THE SAME YEAR, FISH AND WILDLIFE SENT A REMINDER THAT TO, UM, THAT YOU NEED TO BE FOLLOWING THE PERMIT.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BIOLOGY BASED STAFF, WHICH PART DOES NOT HAVE.
UM, AND THERE ARE OTHER OUTSIDE IDENTITIES.
THE, UM, TEXAS CAVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, UT GROTTO, THEY'VE BEEN PROTECTING CAVES LOCALLY SINCE THE 1950S.
THE AUDUBON SOCIETY, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN PROTECTING, UM, BIRDS, UM, AND, UM, THROUGH USAGE, THROUGH, UH, INTERDEPARTMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, LIKE WATERSHED AND AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN WATER HAD OFFERED TO HELP CO-MANAGE SOME OF THE, UM, BCP PRESERVE SYSTEMS. AND THERE'S, I, THERE'S ABOUT 4,300 ACRES THAT PART WANTS TO SPEND, GET A LOT OF MONEY FOR IT SO THEY CAN GET THE STAFF TO START MANAGING THOSE, UM, WHICH HAVE BEEN ABYSMAL FAILURES THE LAST 20 YEARS AS FAR AS MANAGEMENT FOR THE SPECIES, UM, ON THEM.
AND SO, UM, I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE, ALSO A MEMO BY, UH, ASSISTANT MANAGER RONNIE CHAN IN, IN 2002, UM, AGAIN, HE SAID THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN OPEN SPACE FOR PUBLIC USE.
AND THE MISSION OF THE BCP IS TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE LAND MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN ORDER TO PROTECT EIGHT FEDERALLY ILLICIT ENDANGERED SPECIES AND PROVIDE CONSERVATIONIST HABITAT.
CURRENTLY, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE BICONES CANE LAND PRESERVE PROGRAM, AND THEY MANAGE THE WHOLE PROGRAM BACK IN 2000 BEFORE IT GOT TRANSFERRED.
EXCEPT FOR THOSE 4,300 ACRES, THE, UM, THE CITY GOVERNMENT COUNCIL EXPRESSED CONCERNS AND MANAGEMENT.
THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY, UM, SPONSORS, UH, BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS, BOARD MEMBER ABARA, AND BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
UM, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY.
WELL, I'D BE GLAD TO SPEAK TO THIS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH DISCUSSIONS OF FUNDING VARIOUS SOURCES, EXTERNAL,
[01:40:01]
INTERNAL, ET CETERA, NOW FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.AND, UH, DURING THAT PERIOD, UM, SOME OF THOSE SOURCES, UM, CERTAINLY IN MY CAREER, SOME OF THOSE SOURCES HAVE BEEN STATIC.
UM, WE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE, WE KNEW WHAT WE COULD DEPEND ON.
UH, AND SINCE JANUARY, THIS HAS CHANGED.
AND, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO NOT WORK IN PARKS, UH, THOSE OF US WHO FOLLOW IT VERY CLOSELY, THE INDUSTRY ITSELF IS, IS, IS, UH, AND I GUESS OUR DIRECTOR COULD EITHER NOD YES OR NO IS IN A STATE OF, LET'S JUST SAY CONCERN, UM, PERHAPS CHAOS, BUT CERTAINLY CONCERN DEPENDING ON WHICH ORGANIZATION AND WHICH EMPLOYEES.
EVERYTHING FROM CUTBACKS AT THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, CLAWBACKS OF FUNDING THROUGH THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, DIMINISHMENT OF COMMUNITY GRANTS THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AND THESE ARE EXTERNAL SOURCES OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT WE COULD COUNT ON, MAY HAVE COUNTED ON IN THE PAST, WOULD COUNT ON IN THE FUTURE.
AND I THOUGHT, SINCE I DON'T KNOW A CITY OR AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S NOT HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING THIS DISCUSSION FORWARD.
UM, I WISH I HAD FIRM ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT IT'S GONNA BE LIKE NEXT MONTH, AND I DON'T, UH, IT'S CHANGING THAT RAPIDLY, BUT I KNOW THAT PART IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THAT, UH, KEEPING AN EYE ON IT.
BUT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE TO ADVISE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE GOOD INFORMATION.
AND RIGHT NOW THAT INFORMATION IS DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN SIMPLY BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS ARE CHANGING.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION EXCEPT BECAUSE THIS IS A DISCUSSION.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS DOESN'T JUST IMPACT PART, IT IMPACTS EVERY NONPROFIT THAT WORKS WITH PART IT.
IN FACT, EVERY SMALL GROUP THAT DEPENDS ON THIS OUTSIDE FUNDING, WE CAN GO DOWN THE LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE IT POTENTIALLY IMPACTS.
ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DISCUSS, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HELD BY PART, MAYBE AUSTIN OUTDOORS OR A PF FOR ONE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
MAYBE THIS IS TIME TO PULL ALL OF THESE GROUPS TOGETHER IN ONE ROOM AT ONE TIME FOR A MEETING TO DISCUSS WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS, WHAT CAN YOU COUNT ON WHAT'S NOT GONNA BE THERE, WHAT IS GONNA BE THERE, WHAT ARE THE OTHER, OTHER ALTERNATIVES? I DON'T WANT TO SEE US IN A HUMANITIES TEXAS SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE LITERALLY SCRAMBLING FOR YOUR SURVIVAL.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS DISCUSSION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.
BOARD MEMBER AARA, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NOTHING ON MY SIDE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M PREPARED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STATE OF, YOU KNOW, GRANTS AND GIVING AND ALL THAT, OTHER THAN WHAT I KNOW FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE NONPROFIT THAT I WORK IN.
AND SO I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM.
THERE'S A LOT OF FUNDING CUTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DONORS WHO ARE LOOKING AT WHERE THEY'RE GIVING THEIR MONEY AND MAKING DIFFERENT DECISIONS AND ALL, AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO THERE'S CERTAINLY THAT, UM, THAT PIECE OF IT THAT I HAVE FROM A LIVED EXPERIENCE, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE TO GO ON A DISCUSSION.
UM, I DID JUST WANNA SHARE JUST FOR THE PUBLIC SO THAT, UM, IN CASE YOU MISSED THOSE MEETINGS OR, OR WEREN'T AWARE THAT WE DO MAKE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AS A, AS A BODY.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS, UM, AND THAT THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE THERE FORM AND SUBMITTED AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL PROCESS.
AND ALL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ARE, ARE ASKED TO DO THAT.
AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, WAS MADE ON MARCH 24TH, 2025, AND WE DID HAVE A GROUP WHO CAME BACK TO US, UM, AND WAS ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THEY WERE WORKING ON, AND THEN WE VOTED THAT WAY.
AND SO THAT DID HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO BUDGET TOWN HALLS TAKING PLACE, UM, WHERE CONSTITUENTS CAN LEARN ABOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S BUDGET PROCESS, ASK QUESTIONS, CONNECT, YOU KNOW, AND LEARN MORE ABOUT CITY RESOURCES AND SHARE TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS DIRECTLY WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM, UM, WHAT THEY'RE NOT SEEING
[01:45:01]
IN THE BUDGET, HOW THEY WOULD PREFER THINGS TO, TO CHANGE.AND SO THERE'S THIS OPPORTUNITY, THERE'S STILL THAT OPPORTUNITY NOW.
UM, AND SO FOR THE PUBLIC WHO'S LISTENING AND FEELS LIKE THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO DO THAT THIS IS ALREADY LEFT, UM, THERE'S VERY MUCH SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.
YOU CAN GO AND SPEAK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTLY.
SO I DO WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE JUST BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT THAT'S THE, THE DIRECTION OF THAT.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT, UM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE HEAR BUDGET, THEY, THEY MAY THINK OF SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD.
I JUST WANNA ADD THAT, UH, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN TO A COUPLE OF THOSE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, BUDGET MEETINGS, UM, THE WORK THAT I DO, UM, PEOPLE AREN'T TALKING ABOUT PARKS.
I DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND, UM, THE IMPACT THAT AND WHAT THE NEW BUDGET'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
I, I REALLY HONESTLY DON'T, SO I, I'M GLAD WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
SO MAYBE IT'LL ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO CONTACT, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SO WE CAN HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE YEAH, IT DEFINITELY IS AN ISSUE.
UM, ACTUALLY, MY, MY FOCUS FOR THIS DISCUSSION WAS THAT NOT NECESSARILY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, MEANING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE NEW BUDGET, ET CETERA, IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE NEXT LEVEL UP, WHICH IS WHERE WE COULD POTENTIALLY DEP UH, DEPEND ON SOME EXTERNAL FUNDING THAT MAY NOT BE THERE.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE, UH, THE CLAW CLAWBACK OF ATLANTA WATER CONSERVATION FUND.
I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S 43% TO BE DIVERTED INTO FOREST SERVICE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, WHICH MEANS TIMBER ROADS.
BUT THE LAND OF WATER CONSERVATION FUND, I HOPE YOU ALL KNOW, ALSO FUNDS LOCAL PARK GRANTS, AND IT COMES IN BLOCK GRANTS TO THE STATE.
SO WHAT THE STATE'S ABLE TO DO WITH LOCAL PARK GRANTS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE, AT LEAST ONE BEFORE PARKS AND WILDLIFE NOW MAY NOT BE PREDICTABLE WHERE IT WOULD'VE BEEN BEFORE.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED VERY, VERY QUICKLY AND THEREFORE WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO REACH OUT TO FOR EXTERNAL FUNDING MIGHT NOT BE THERE.
AND OUR PARTNERS ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION.
SO I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, IF IT'S JUST ME RAISING A RED FLAG, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO RAISE THE RED FLAG.
I'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR 40 SOME ODD YEARS, AND I DON'T THINK SINCE JAMES WATT AND GORSUCH, RONALD REAGAN, HAVE I SEEN THIS SORT OF ATTACK AND IT'S FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN BACK THEN ON ALL OF THESE FUNDING SOURCES.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE AND I AM GOING TO TALK TO SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND SAY, HEY, MAYBE IT'S TIME EVERYBODY GOT TOGETHER IN THE SAME ROOM AND SAID, WHERE ARE WE AND WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THIS? BECAUSE THIS IS REAL.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING, UM, DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, UM, ABOUT IT NOT BEING BROUGHT UP IN, IN DIFFERENT ROOMS WITH, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET HALL MEETINGS.
I THINK IT'S ON, ON US AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE TALK TO IN OUR PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS TO CONTINUE TO HEIGHTEN THE AWARENESS AROUND, UM, THE NEED, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN ALSO WORKING WITH THE DIRECTOR OR MR. BECK AND BECK, SORRY.
AND, UH, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT OR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THEY, UM, THAT YOU THINK THEY MIGHT NEED TO BE AWARE OF, I THINK SHARING THOSE, EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY MAY ALREADY KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW, AGAIN, IN THE WORK THAT I DO, WE HAVE A GRANT PIPELINE AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING AT.
AND THERE'S STILL, THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS THAT GET MISSED OR THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT SEEING.
AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS.
I'M JUST, AGAIN, NOT QUITE SURE WHERE OUR DISCUSSION CAN GO TODAY WITHOUT ME DOING A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH
SO, WELL, I HAVE PROBABLY, I, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PAPERS AND ARTICLES ON THIS.
SO I, I, I'D BE GLAD TO FORWARD SOME OF THIS INFORMATION SO THAT Y'ALL, YOU CAN CATCH UP, MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELVES.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES IT DOES BRING UP IS, UH, EE EVERY PARK SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT.
I'VE, I, I'VE WORKED WITH MANY AND NONE OF THE SAME.
'CAUSE THEY EVOLVE DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT CITIES.
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THAT THEY WERE GLUED TOGETHER OVER TIME.
UH, IN OUR CASE, UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL, SEVERAL DIFFERENT SORT OF COMPONENT PARTS.
ONE OF THOSE IS WE'RE THE STEWARDS
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OF SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL RESOURCES IN THE CITY.SO YOU CAN HAVE HISTORY IN THIS LITTLE BUCKET OVER HERE.
AND THERE ARE VERY DISTINCTIVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION.
ARE THEY THREATENED NOW? YES, BUT IT'S OVER HERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE CULTURAL SITES AND REC CENTERS, ET CETERA, AND IT FITS IN THIS BUCKET.
AND THEN WE HAVE ECOLOGICAL SERVICES.
SO IN A WAY, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH THE STORMWATER WORK GROUP, HOPEFULLY ONE OF ITS COMES OUT OF THAT IS THE PUBLIC BECOMES AWARE OF HOW IMPORTANT THEIR PARKS ARE TO FLOODING AND TO PREVENTING FLOODING.
THAT WOULD BE A POSITIVE STEP IN THAT.
SO REALLY, WE ULTIMATELY GET TO RECREATION, AND THAT'S LAND AND WATER, PENNSYLVANIA, MANY OTHER, BUT ALL OF THOSE HAVE DIFFERENT POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, MOST OF THOSE ARE AT RISK.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT OUT BECAUSE IT DOES AFFECT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
ALRIGHT, WELL I APPRECIATE THAT.
I, I THINK WE'VE DEFINITELY HEARD, UM, THAT POINT.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE US ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.
UM, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS, UM, OFFLINE OR BRING BACK AND ANOTHER THANK YOU ANOTHER WAY.
ALRIGHT, UM, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
[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. ]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THE STAFF BRIEFING.UM, THIS IS STAFF BRIEFING ON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, PLANNING UPDATES, DEVELOPMENT UPDATES, MAINTENANCE UPDATES, PROGRAM UPDATES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES.
AND CHAIR, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM.
CHRIS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
UH, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10.
I'M A SWIMMER AND A PARK USER.
UH, I'M WILLING TO PAY FOR THE RECORD.
I'M WILLING TO PAY 30 TO $40 A MONTH ON MY UTILITY BILL TO SUPPORT PARKS.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ONE OF 700,000 UTILITY BILL PAYERS WHO WOULD ESSENTIALLY BECOME SHAREHOLDERS IN OUR PARK ENTERPRISE.
UM, I'M BRINGING A STORY TO YOU TONIGHT TO ILLUSTRATE THE SORT OF THING THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT DO, UH, AND THAT IS TO SOLICIT INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITS WEBSITE.
I SUGGEST, UH, TELL US HOW WE'RE DOING SECTION ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WEBSITE UNDER THE PARK POOL SPORTS FACILITIES BUTTONS.
MY STORY TONIGHT IS ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SPECIFICALLY MOVIES AT POOLS.
BACK BEFORE COVID AQUATICS MANAGED THE MOVIES AT D BETTY POOL, THERE WERE THREE A YEAR WITH TICKET SALES OF BETWEEN A THOUSAND TO 1500 EACH NIGHT.
THEY WERE WELL ATTENDED BY GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE AUSTIN FAMILIES.
THE MOVIE STARTED WHILE THE POOL WAS OPEN AND ENDED BEFORE KIDS' BEDTIME.
THEY WERE AGE RATED G ANIMATED FILMS, MOSTLY, WHICH HAVE BRIGHT COLORS AND ARE EASY TO SEE AT SUNSET.
POST COVID, UH, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN MANAGING THE MOVIES.
THEY SHOWED JAWS IN 2024 IN JUNE, IT WAS RATED PG AND IT DID NOT START UNTIL 8:00 PM AFTER THE POOL CLOSED, NO TICKETS WERE SOLD.
MY ESTIMATE WAS THAT 200 TO 250 PEOPLE ATTENDED.
UM, IN 2025 JUNE, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION HOSTED THE HALF OF IT.
AN L-G-B-Q-T MOVIE, AGE RATED PG ATTENDANCE WAS ESTIMATED AT 40.
THE NEXT MOVIE IS SPLASH SLATED FOR MONDAY NIGHT, UH, IN AUGUST AT 8:00 PM ON THE 12TH.
IT'S A PG RATED MOVIE I'M ASKING TONIGHT.
UM, DIRECTOR AGUIRE AND THIS BOARD TO CANCEL SPLASH, MAKE UP FOR APS POOR MANAGEMENT OF MOVIE NIGHTS AT THE POOL BY DOING THE FOLLOWING.
UM, MAKE THREE MORE MOVIE NIGHTS IN 2025 FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.
IT GETS DARK EARLIER, BUT IT'S STILL HOT, UH, AND DO IT ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN THE FAMILIES CAN BRING THEIR KIDS.
UM, GIVE THE MOVIE RENTAL MANAGEMENT, UH, RESPONSIBILITY BACK TO AQUATIC STAFF.
CHOOSE G RATED AGE MOVIES, UH, THAT ARE ANIMATED, THAT THEY HAVE MASS APPEAL, ADVERTISE THE OLD ANALOG WAY WITH A FLYER AT EVERY POOL.
UM, AND LASTLY, ESTABLISH AN AQUATICS METRIC OF A MINIMUM OF A THOUSAND, UH, ATTENDEES PER MOVIE FROM GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE AUSTIN.
THE WHOLE POINT OF THE POOL MOVIES IS TO GET LOTS OF FAMILIES IN THE POOLS IN HEAT.
UH, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION HAS MANAGED
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THE POOL MOVIES POORLY.I WANNA COME UP HERE JUST TO STAND UP A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UM, UH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR, UH, YOUR WORK TONIGHT AT THE MEETING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, BEFORE I GIVE OUR GENERAL UPDATE, I DID WANNA JUST, UH, UH, ADDRESS A FEW OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY THE PUBLIC JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS RESPONSIVE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I THINK THE, THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE VERY EARLY ON ABOUT THE MESQUITE TREES, I I APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.
AND THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, AS PART OF A MUCH LARGER PROJECT, UH, INVOLVING WATERSHED WITH, WITH REPLACING AN, UH, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TREES AND A BRIDGE.
SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE MESQUITE, UH, PLANTING THERE.
I THINK THERE WAS 29 MESQUITE TREES THAT WERE PLANTED IN THE PARKING LOT AS THE GENTLEMAN SAID.
BUT, UH, I'LL TALK TO THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND SORT OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS THERE AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT.
UM, ON THE, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE I 35, UH, PROJECT ON THE PECAN GROVE, UH, NEAR, UH, LADY BIRD, UH, UH, ADJACENT TO LABOR LADY BIRD LAKE.
AND I THINK AS WE TALKED AT PRIOR MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE TEXT DOT, UM, PROJECT, AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MITIGATION FUNDS FOR ANY IMPACT, INCLUDING FOR, FOR POTENTIAL IMPACT THERE ARE BEING, UH, PROVIDED AND, AND WE'RE WORKING FOR MOVING FORWARD.
THAT, AND I DO THINK THIS MULTIMODAL BRIDGE THAT IS BEING PROVIDED IN ADDITION TO THE IMPACT THE MITIGATION FUNDS, WILL PROVIDE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UH, BENEFIT AND IMPROVEMENT TO THE EXPERIENCE OF PARKS AND RECREATION USERS COMING ACROSS OVER THE WATER SO THAT THIS BRIDGE WILL, IF, IF YOU'VE TRAVERSED SORT OF THE, THE CROSSING ALONG I 35, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A REALLY TALL CONCRETE WALL THERE STILL FEELS PRETTY, PRETTY SCARY AND UNSAFE.
AND SO THIS BRIDGE WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THERE AND, AND CREATE A BETTER EXPERIENCE.
SO, UH, IN, IN THE END, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ULTIMATELY BETTER FOR THE CITY.
UH, AND THEN JUST WANNA APPRECIATE ALL OF THE, UH, OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAME TO, TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEIR GREAT WORK, INCLUDING INCLUDING OUR FOLKS OVER AT ARC, SHOAL CREEK, UM, AND, UH, THE MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB FOLKS.
AND, AND, AND I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, MR. RA'S TESTIMONY TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF E EQUITABLE PAY, EQUITABLE PAY FOR, FOR OUR TEMPORARY AND AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE MOVIES IN THE PARK, UH, I WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY AWARE OF THE PROCESS THAT EPF GOES THROUGH SELECTING THOSE MOVIES, BUT I COULD CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT AND TALK TO THEIR STAFF, UH, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GOAL IS THERE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT I, I WOULD COMMIT IN ANY WAY TONIGHT TO HAVE AQUATICS TAKE THAT BACK ON.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY WE'LL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT A PF TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY'RE, UH, RESPONDING TO ANY COMMUNITY CONCERNS IN TERMS OF THE MOVIES THAT ARE BEING SELECTED, UM, HAVING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE.
UH, OTHERWISE I CAN GO THROUGH THE PRO THROUGH OUR REPORT.
UM, I LIKE THIS NEW SETUP, BY THE WAY, SO I CAN SEE MORE.
UM, SO, UH, AS, AND I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE AND YOU HAVE THESE REPORTS, SO I'LL GO THROUGH AND READ A FEW OF THESE.
BUT, BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL SORT OF START OFF WITH JUST REITERATING HOW, UM, UH, THE SEASON OF, OF PARK AND RECREATION IS, UH, OFTEN IN THE SUMMER AND, AND JULY IS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
AND, AND, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN HAS, UM, SIGNED ON TO THE VARIOUS EVENTS THERE AND, AND REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND, AND, AND WE ARE REALLY SUPER BUSY.
AND, AND AS YOU GO THROUGH, WE GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE UPDATES, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE GREAT WORK BEING DONE BY OUR, OUR PROGRAMMING FOLKS AT THE VARIOUS COMMUNITY CENTERS AND ACROSS PARKS, UH, AND OF COURSE ALL OF OUR AQUATICS FACILITIES.
WE STILL HAVE TONS AND TONS OF OTHER PROJECTS HAPPENING WITHIN, UH, THE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS, UH, WITH, WITH OUR MAINTENANCE AND, AND PLANNING AND AND DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, KIND OF TO, TO KICK US OFF ON THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PIECE, UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO INVITE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN US ON SATURDAY FOR, UH, THE REOPENING OF THE METS PLAYGROUND.
UH, IT HAS BEEN, UH, COMPLETED.
IT'S ACTUALLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC NOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO A, UH, AN OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING THIS SATURDAY.
UH, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THESE PROJECTS AND, AND I'M CERTAINLY EXCITED ANYTIME WE HAVE, UH, INVOLVEMENT FROM OUR YOUTH IN THIS PROJECT INCLUDED SOME YOUTH INVOLVEMENT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO SEE ON THIS, THE, THE LOWER, UH, PICTURES HERE.
WE, WE COMPLETED SOME PLANTINGS AT THE ZILKER PECAN GROVE, UM, AREA TO, TO CREATE SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS TO STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND, AND SOIL QUALITY.
UM, THAT, AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THESE, SO I'M GONNA GO QUICKLY AND FEEL FREE TO STOP ME IF THERE'S ANY YOU HAVE CONCERNS, QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THE ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN, UH, GREEN ROOM WAS COMPLETED, UH, THIS LAST MONTH AND, AND INCLUDING NEW BEAMS, NEW FLOORING, ROOF, WINDOWS, AND SOME, UH, ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENT.
AND, AND THAT'S GOT ONE OF THE BEST VIEWS IN IN THAT BUILDING.
IT'S A REALLY, REALLY, UM, EXCITING SPACE.
UH, OSA AS PART OF A, A COMMUNITY PLACE MAKING PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION AND LED BY THE AMIGO GOZA, UH, COMPLETED, UM,
[02:00:02]
THIS PROJECT AND IT WILL BE, UH, UH, CELEBRATED ON AUGUST, AUGUST 21ST.UH, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE THE ION PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PARK NOW HAS A NEW BRIDGE FOR THEIR, UH, FOR IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY.
AND, AND THIS INCLUDED, UH, A DA CONNECTION TO THE SIDEWALK, A DIRECT PATH FOR NATURAL SERVICES, UH, UH, NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL ACROSS THE WALLER CREEK TRIBUTARY.
UH, AND THIS PROJECT WAS ALSO FUNDED BY THE PARKS FOUNDATION THROUGH THE ACL LI, UH, ACL LIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANT.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS, THIS TO WORK, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, THE BARTON SPRINGS, JOAN MEANS CABBEL BATHHOUSE REHABILITATION PROJECT.
HA HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND WE'RE NEARING COMPLETION.
UH, RECENTLY WE HAD AN OPEN HOUSE, UM, AND GOT A CHANCE TO TOUR AND, AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS HAVE CREATED THIS VIDEO, AND WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU ALL IN THE PUBLIC.
UH, SO YOU'RE GETTING SORT OF OUR FIRSTHAND LOOK OF WHAT THE, THE FINAL RENOVATION'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
THERE'S A PRETTY COOL SOUNDTRACK, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN HEAR IT DOWN.
AND THAT WAS SORT OF AN ABRUPT ENDING, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, I DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF EVER HAVING VISITED THAT BATH HOUSE, UH, WHEN IT BEFORE IT WAS REHABILITATED, BUT, BUT IT'S A PRETTY AMAZING AND IMPRESSIVE JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING JUST BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE, UH, THAT RENOVATION AND TRY TO GET IT OPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SLATED TO PROBABLY GET IT COMPLETELY DONE BY OCTOBER.
SO, UM, UH, WANTED TO JUST SHARE THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE, ENGAGED A CONSULTING COMPANY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND LOCAL LANDSCAPING AND LAWN CARE PROFESSIONALS AWARENESS REGARDING TRANSITIONING TO ELECTRONIC EQUIP ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT AND OTHER MISSION FREE PRACTICES.
AND WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN THAT AND HELPING, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT, UM, INITIATIVE BY THIS GROUP.
THE ON OUR NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION, UM, THE TWO OF OUR PROGRAMS RECEIVED AWARDS, UH, UNDER THE BEST OF BOSTON AWARDS.
ONE WAS FOR THE ZUCKER BOTANICAL GARDENS CONSERVANCY, UH, REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THEIR, THEIR DINO DAYS.
AND, AND THEN OF COURSE OUR, OUR IMPRESSIVE CAMACHO UH, COMMITTEE PROGRAMS, UH, RECEIVED ALSO RECOGNITION FOR THEIR GREAT PROGRAMMING AND AFFORDABLE PROGRAMMING FOR USE OF ALL AGES.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, UH, AT THE, UM, AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, WE HAVE LOTS OF LITTLE CRITTERS AND, AND ONE OF THE ROLES THAT WE PLAY IS TRYING TO, UH, SUPPORT, UH, ANIMALS THAT ARE INJURED AND TOO INJURED OR ARE NOT ABLE TO BE RELEASED.
AND JUST RECENTLY, UH, WE WELCOMED EMBER, WHICH IS A SCREECH OWL, UH, THAT WAS, UM, UH, COLLECTED BY TEXAS PARK WILDLIFE, BUT, UH, IS NOW BEING HOUSED AT THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, UH, WHERE, UH, SHE WILL LIVE OUT, OUT HER LIFE.
AND, AND, AND IMPORTANTLY FOR US AS WELL, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I'M GONNA GO VERY QUICKLY THROUGH AS YOU GOT LOTS OF PAGES OF THESE, OF THESE, BUT AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, UH, UH, LOTS AND LOTS OF SUMMER CAMP STUFF HAPPENING ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.
THEY, THEY'VE LAUNCHED A, A, A GROW TOGETHER PROGRAM FOR THREE AND FIVE YEAR OLDS.
UH, OUR ROVING LEADERS, UM, HAD A REALLY COOL EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WORLD WHIRLPOOL CAVE, UH, WITH AUSTIN PROTECTION.
AND, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTO THERE.
IT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY, UH, EXCITING EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE FOLKS.
UH, WE'VE GOT ADULT FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUES WITH OVER 200 PLAYERS COMPETING EACH AND EVERY WEEK.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE TEEN SUMMER CAMP AT NORTHWEST
[02:05:01]
RECREATION CENTER.UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER, UH, SUMMER CAMPS FROM JUNE 9TH TO AUGUST 13TH.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS AT PICK FAIR, OUR HANCOCK RECREATION CENTER SUMMER CAMPS, DOING LOTS OF FIELD TRIPS.
UH, THE BEST PART OF THESE, I GUESS, IS THE PHOTOS.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO OUR, TO OUR OLDER CAMPERS, TO OUR VARSITY GENERATION.
UH, THE, THE VARSITY GENERATION SENIORS AT, UH, VIRGINIA BROWN REC CENTER DID THEIR, UH, GATSBY INSPIRED, UM, UH, UM, FASHION SHOW.
AND, AND, UM, I'M SORRY THAT I MISSED THAT.
UH, GUS GARCIA OF THOSE SENIORS ALSO, UH, CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPUTER LITERACY CLASS, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, LOTS OF GREAT STUFF AT PAN AM, UH, AT THE MENEZ REC CENTER, INCLUDING A FISHING DERBY AND, AND, UH, HOT DOG, UH, BARBECUING THERE.
UH, TURNER ROBERTS RECREATION CENTER, UH, TEND, UH, TOOK A TRIP TO THE TEXAS CAPITOL.
THE DOLORES, UH, DUFFY RECREATION CENTER, UM, UH, HAS, UH, PART OF THAT, THAT, UH, CAMPUS HAS, UH, THE HISTORIC HENRY G. MASON CABIN AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, UH, THAT IS BEING RENOVATED OR ACTUALLY HAS COMPLETED THE RENOVATIONS.
UM, LOTS OF, UH, AGAIN, ALL ACROSS THE CITY, VAR C GENERATION PARTICIPATE IN WATER AEROBICS.
UM, I JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THESE MONTOPOLIS REC CENTER, UH, UH, TEAMING WITH FOLKS WITH KIDS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
UM, MORE OF OUR CITY GENERATION CENTER.
I'M, I'M GOING QUICKLY JUST 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS HERE, BUT, UH, A LOT OF GREAT PICTURES AND LOTS OF ACTIVITIES YOU CAN SEE REALLY TRYING TO ENGAGE, UH, UH, RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES IN THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, O MOVING ON TO THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR STAR SPANGLED EVENT WAS CANCELED DURING, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATELY DURING THE WEATHER, UH, EVENT ON, ON THE 4TH OF JULY.
WE WERE EXPECTING UP TO 50,000 PEOPLE BASED ON PAST ATTENDANCE, BUT, UH, WE MADE THE DECISION TO CANCEL THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE DID HOST THE, UH, MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER ALLSTAR CELEBRATION ON THE 19TH AND 20TH, UH, WITH LOTS OF PARTICIPATION THERE AND LOTS OF GREAT ENGAGEMENT BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE PARK BOARD FOR RECOMMENDING, UH, THE APPROVAL, OR AT LEAST AT BEGINNING, UH, NEGOTIATION, UH, OF, OF A CONTRACT WITH THE, THE LEGACY HOSPITALITY GROUP.
UH, WE PLAN ON BRINGING THAT TO COUNCIL IN AUGUST AND CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
UH, WE'RE ALSO, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF PREPARING A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION FOR A VOTING CONCESSION ON STRATFORD DRIVE THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING OPERATED BY ROLLING DOCK, SO BUSY ON THE CONTRACTING SIDE.
UH, YOU MIGHT, UH, GUESS THAT OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION HAS BEEN SUPER BUSY HERE FOR A FEW MONTHS, JUST PREPARING OUR BUDGET, SUBMITTING IT TO THE, TO THE SENIOR MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR REVIEW.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CITY MANAGER HAS RELEASED HIS BUDGET, UH, AND, AND LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING REGARDING THAT.
UH, AND OUR HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM HAS BROUGHT ON, UH, 700, 740 SEASONAL TEMPORARY AQUATIC STAFF, UM, AND, AND PROCESSED LOTS OF CERTIFICATION BONUSES, UM, FOR THOSE LIFEGUARDS.
SO PRETTY, PRETTY BUSY, UH, TIME OF THE YEAR FOR US HERE AT PARKS AND RECREATION.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION, AND IF YOU'VE TOUCHED ON THIS AT ANOTHER POINT SURE.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR IT OVER AGAIN, BUT JUST AS I'M HEARING ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, UM, AS YOU ADD MORE, OBVIOUSLY IT TAKES MORE TIME FROM YOUR TEAM, IT TECHNO, ARE THERE TECHNOLOGY UPDATES TO HELP WITH THE CAPACITY BUILDING THAT ARE PLANNED BEYOND WHAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON? TECHNOLOGY UPDATES LIKE A TECH.
I'M JUST THINKING LIKE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HUMAN RESOURCES, FOR EXAMPLE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SYSTEM THEY'RE USING.
IF IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S MAYBE OUTDATED AND IT CAN HELP PROCESS SOME OF THIS FASTER OTHER THINGS LIKE IN THE PIPELINE THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT REGARDING TECHNOLOGY? SURE.
WELL, WELL SPECIFIC TO, TO HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO THE, AS YOU LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY JUST, UH, ROLLED OUT THE WORKDAY MM-HMM.
PLATFORM THAT'LL, THAT'LL SORT OF, UM, BRING TOGETHER MANY OF THOSE HR FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE, THE, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EVALUATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, UH, AND THE VARIOUS PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
SO, SO THERE'S SOME AT THE CITY LEVEL THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THAT.
UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, SOLICITING FOR, UH, THE RECREATION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, UH, THAT, THAT HOPEFULLY IS, IS DEPENDING ON WHO GETS SELECTED THERE, HOPEFULLY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS MORE OF THOSE.
UH, BUT GENERALLY, CERTAINLY WE, WE, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER THINGS WE COULD DO, BE, BE, BE DOING BETTER WITH TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THE CITY'S ALSO BEGINNING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT HOW YOU COULD USE AI FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE WAY.
I KNOW OTHER CITIES, THERE WAS A COMMENT EARLIER I FORGOT TO MENTION ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SOLICITING, UM, INPUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE REALLY USING AI TO MAKE THOSE SITES MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY AND, AND ON SOME OF THE REALLY COMPLICATED THINGS LIKE GETTING PERMITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF OPTIONS AND
[02:10:01]
LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES.UM, I I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, WE AS A DEPARTMENT HAVE REALLY, UH, MAPPED OUT A SPECIFIC PLAN AND, AND ARE TRYING TO JUST SORT OF GET CAUGHT UP WITH EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.
BUT DEFINITELY IN THE, IN THE SPACE OF AI, THERE'S DIFFERENT GROUPS LIKE PLAY LAB AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE YOU CAN BUILD OUT WHAT YOUR PERSONA IS.
AND SO I'M SURE THAT WILL COME, BUT, AND, AND ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO, TO ACQUIRE ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, AND, AND, AND I'M SURE THOSE OF YOU WHO WORK IN PARKS AND REC AND OTHER PLACES AND, AND HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR A WHILE, AND CERTAINLY COMMISSIONER EUBANK, EUBANKS WILL, CAN, MIGHT AGREE ON THIS, IS THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN PARKS AND RECREATION IS JUST BEING ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN OUR PARKS AND WHO'S IN OUR PARKS.
GIVEN, GIVEN THAT THESE PARKS, PARTICULARLY IN AUSTIN, WE HAVE OVER 20,000 ACRES.
UM, THERE'S SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GET ACCESS TO THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, TO KNOW WHO'S IN THE PARKS.
AND THESE ARE BASED ON CELL PHONE DATA.
AND, AND, UM, IT, IT REALLY GIVES US LOTS AND LOTS OF REALLY RICH INFORMATION ABOUT WHO'S COMING IN, WHERE THEY COME FROM, WHERE THEY GO AFTERWARDS, HOW MUCH TIME THEY SPEND IN THERE.
AND I THINK THAT'LL HELP US ALSO, UH, MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS TO, TO BETTER SERVICE THE, THE RESIDENTS.
WELL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S JUST LOT, LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY IN THAT SPACE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF COST OFTEN ASSOCIATED.
AND SO YEAH, YOU'VE GOTTA LOOK AT, UM, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THE, THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD SAY IS, UM, I THINK, UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO USE AI, WE HAVE TO USE ANY SORT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN ORDER TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT AND EASIER AND BENEFICIAL FOR PARKS USERS.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT, AND I THINK THAT THE CITY MAY HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE RESOLUTION TOUCHING UPON THIS, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CURRENTLY WORK ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK MINE WAS MORE OF LIKE GIVING, GIVING OUR STAFF CAPACITY TO BREATHE BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE TO LIKE, HELP THEM BETTER DO THEIR, THEIR ROLE NOT TO REPLACE A ROLE.
SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS CLEAR ON MINE AND, AND I, I SHOULD ALSO MENTION AND, AND GIVE SOME KUDOS TO OUR, TO OUR TECH STAFF, UH, AT PARD.
SO CER CERTAINLY THE CITY HAS ALL THE SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS WHERE WE HAVE TO APPROVE TRAVEL REQUESTS OR VARIOUS PURCHASING REQUESTS, LIKE OUR TEAM HAS DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF, OF, UM, MAKING THOSE MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT DRIVES ME CRAZY HOW MANY OF THESE THINGS I HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND APPROVE, BUT AT, BUT AT LEAST I'M DOING IT ON AN ELECTRONIC VERSION RATHER THAN HAVING THESE PAPERS COME ACROSS A DESK TO TRY TO SIGN.
SO I THINK THE TEAM IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR THOSE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES AND HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, AND BECAUSE THEY REALLY RELATE TO THE, THE BULK OF WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, IN MANY CASES, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PARTNERED WITH US AND THEY PARTNER WITH US THROUGH THE CAPS PROGRAM MM-HMM
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF IT? YEAH.
UM, BASICALLY IT COMES DOWN TO JUST CAPACITY AND RESOURCES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE CAP PROGRAMS ARE THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATED, COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK PROJECTS.
SEE, REALLY, REALLY, I KNEW I WAS GONNA FORGET.
UM, WE, WE GET, WE GET A TON OF THESE AND, AND THEY'RE PRETTY COMPLICATED SOMETIMES.
UH, THEY, THEY'RE SOMETIMES AS EASY AS FOLKS WANT TO VOLUNTEER AND DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN A PARK ALL THE WAY TO LIKE, THEY WANNA INSTALL CERTAIN THINGS IN, IN OTHER, IN OTHER FACILITIES.
AND IT'S, UM, IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF TIME JUST RESPONDING TO THESE.
BUT JUST HAVING SOMEONE WHO CAN COORDINATE THAT PROCESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH STAFF RIGHT NOW.
IT IT IS A, IT IS A CAPACITY ISSUE, YES.
UH, THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
ALL OF THESE GREAT PROJECTS THAT YOU, YOU'RE REPORTING ON ALL OF THEM NEEDED ALL OF THEM.
UM, SIX YEARS AGO WE DEVELOPED A ROADMAP CALLED OUR PARKS OUR FUTURE.
UH, AND I'M ASSUMING WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THEY FIT INTO THAT, SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DO WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET THAT SAYS SIX YEARS IN, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THIS, WE HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED THIS, IT COST US THIS, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO FINISH IN FOUR YEARS, AND THIS IS WHAT IT'LL COST.
UM, WE, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE THINGS WITH REGARD TO THAT.
SO EACH YEAR, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, WE DO AN ANNUAL REPORT, RIGHT? UM, ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, AND IT'S ANCHORED AND BASED IN THAT PLAN.
SO IF WE GO BACK TO EACH OF THOSE YEARS, WE CAN, WE CAN SORT OF PULL THAT.
UM, I, I, I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE WORK TO DO TO TRY TO TRY TO STANDARDIZE SOMETHING ACROSS THE AGENCY TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING AND REALLY LOOKING AT, HERE'S ALL THE THINGS WE SAID WE'RE GONNA DO, WHERE ARE WE ON ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, IN SOME AREAS WE HAVE THAT, IN OTHER AREAS WE DON'T.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK ON THAT.
AND, AND I THINK ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT, YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS WAS SIX YEARS AGO.
THE PLAN WAS, WAS CREATED AND, AND
[02:15:01]
SO WE'RE FIVE YEARS INTO IMPLEMENTING THIS 10 YEAR PLAN.UH, ONE OF THE, THE, THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING INTERNALLY, AND I'M HAVING WITH THE, WITH THE TEAM AND OUR PLANNERS IS THAT, UM, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST FIVE TO SIX YEARS.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ITEM YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENT, COVID, THE GROWTH OF THE CITY, THE ONGOING ECONOMIC STUFF, LIKE, THERE'S LOTS OF REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED IN OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITIES THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GO BACK OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND VALIDATE WHAT WE SAID WAS IMPORTANT AT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, BACK THEN, AND, AND, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO.
ARE THESE STILL THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO? AND I THINK THAT'S, TO ME, REALLY WHERE I WANNA FOCUS THAT ENERGY AND REALLY LOOK AT, AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT ON THE THINGS WE SAID WE WERE GONNA BE DOING, HOW ARE WE DOING? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ARE THOSE THE THINGS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE FOCUSING ON.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR? ALRIGHT.
ONE THING JUST VERY QUICKLY, AND, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE HAVING YOUR DISCUSSION AND, AND I'M STILL LEARNING SORT OF THE, THE RULES OF ORDER HERE AND CERTAINLY NOT LOOKING TO ENGAGE IN THE DISCUSSION NOW, BUT I DO WANNA, YOU KNOW, THE POINT ABOUT THE OUTSIDE RESOURCES I THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, AND CERTAINLY ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, THESE, THESE THINGS ARE REALLY IMPACTING FOLKS.
I THINK FOR US IN HERE IN AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM, FROM LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND THROUGH THE, THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE IS RELATIVELY SMALL.
NOT SAYING IT'S INSIGNIFICANT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY IN THE TUNE OF TWO TO $3 MILLION A YEAR OVER OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT AMOUNT, BUT, BUT IT ISN'T THE, THE, THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS THE CITY, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OTHERS ARE HAVING.
UM, AND, AND SO I, I CERTAINLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND TO SHARE SORT OF WHERE WE ARE.
UH, BUT SO FAR WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT, THAT, UH, THOSE THINGS HAVEN'T YET BEEN CLAWED BACK.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE, WE JUST RECEIVED NOTICE OF A, OF A FEDERAL FUND TO FUND SOME OF OUR, UH, SENIOR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS, WHICH WE WERE WORRIED THAT IT WASN'T GONNA COME THROUGH, BUT IT DID, DID COME THROUGH.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO FUTURE
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS. UM, THIS IS GENERALLY FOR ITEMS THAT ARE READY TO BE PRESENTED, UM, BUT YOU CAN ALSO MAKE OTHER REQUESTS.ANYBODY FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I BELIEVE BOARD MEMBER BECKER MAY, DID YOU WANNA PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA FOR AUGUST? UH, YES.
UM, FOR AUGUST WE ARE GOING TO UH, ATTEMPT TO AIM TO HOPEFULLY MOST LIKELY BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO CLOSE OUT THE SOCCER AND BASEBALL FIELD, UM, WORKING GROUP THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
SO BRINGING FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S BASED ON THE REPORT THAT WE GOT BACK IN MARCH AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD AFTERWARDS.
SO WE'LL JUST MAKE A NOTE TO, TO LOOK AT THAT, MR. DUNBACK.
IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'LL ADUR ADJOURN THIS MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.