[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.UM, IT IS AUGUST 6TH, 2025, 6:00 PM WELL, IT'S 6 0 1, ACTUALLY, UH, WE ARE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER EVENT CENTER, UH, ROOM 1405 AT 6 3 1 0 WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, LET'S GO THROUGH ROLL CALL AND IF Y'ALL JUST WANNA START, UH, THE ONLINE COMMISSIONERS.
JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND THAT YOU'RE PRESENT.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET THEM A LITTLE LOUDER? OKAY.
AND I'M CHAIR BRISTOL, AND I AM HERE.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO, UM, THE PASSAGE OF, UM, THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.DOES ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION? UH, DO YOU WANNA DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME? IT, IT'S BOTH FOR THE, UM, WE'RE POSTED BOTH FOR, UM, JULY 2ND AND JULY SIX 16TH.
OH, 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE SPECIAL ONE.
SO I'LL MOVE APPROVAL FOR BOTH JULY 2ND AND JULY 16TH.
NO ONE, UM, IS ABSTAINING OR THAT WE'RE PASSED.
[2. Name: RBI Austin Youth Development Complex, SP-2022-0567C]
PRESENTATION.UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR RBI, AUSTIN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX.
AND I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND TELL THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE DO HAVE A VERY FULL AGENDA THIS EVENING, SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE VERY CONCISE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND REALLY QUICK, UH, MR. WHALE, UH, ROY, DO YOU, WERE YOU SIGNING UP? YOU HAVE 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR HERE,
I'M A, UH, WETLAND BIOLOGIST WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND I'LL BE PRESENTING ON THE RBI BASEBALL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX.
UH, SITE PLAN NUMBER 2 2 2 0 5 7 6 OR SIX SEVEN C HERE.
THIS IS IN THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED, UH, IN WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN.
THERE ARE, UH, WETLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON SITE, UH, AND IT IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE.
UH, CURRENTLY THE SITE IS, UH, UNDEVELOPED AND IT IS PROPOSING A BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELD, A SMALL BUILDING ASSOCIATED ACCESS DRIVES PARKING AND REQUIRED WATER QUALITY CONTROLS.
UM, THIS VARIANCE IS TO, UH, ALLOW ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT ON THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE PROPERTY THAT CROSSES, UH, FLOODPLAIN CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, UH, BUTLAND CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND THE ASSOCIATED SETBACK.
UM, IT IS CONSTRAINED TO THE PROPOSED DRIVEWAY LOCATION DUE TO THE EXISTING CEF SETBACK, UH, AND A HAZARDOUS PIPELINE SET BACK ALONG LOYOLA, UH, AND A HERITAGE TREE ON THE WESTERN TRACK SITE.
UH, THIS SITE SEEKS TO VARY FROM LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 2 61 G AND 25 8 2 63 TO ALLOW FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION OUTSIDE OF A CRITICAL WATER, WATER QUALITY ZONE THAT IS IN GOOD FLOODPLAIN HEALTH CONDITION, AS DEFINED BY A FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF FLOODPLAIN HEALTH.
[00:05:01]
FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR, UH, 4.7 ACRES, EXCUSE ME, OF FLOODPLAIN AND 3.8 ACRES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND, UH, DEDICATED INTO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.UH, THEY WILL PROVIDE 0.63 ACRES OF WILDFLOWER MEADOW MITIGATION IN THEIR DETENTION PONDS.
UH, PROVIDE AN ADDITI AN ADDITIONAL 0.62 ACRES OF RESTORATION WITHIN THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
UH, OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODPLAIN ON THE EASTERN TRACT.
UH, THEY WILL PROVIDE FIVE 1.55 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION, UH, 4.13 ACRES OF MITIGATION AND PAY $312,000 INTO THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND.
THIS IS, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITE THAT SHOWS, UH, THE AREA IN RED IS MODIFICATION, UH, A ZONE TWO MODIFICATION OF THE FLOODPLAIN THAT IS INSIDE THE CRITICAL, UH, THE PINK AREA IS THE FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
HERE IS A, A ROUGH OVERLAY OF WHERE THEY ARE PROPOSING, UH, FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION AND, UH, MITIGATION ON THE EASTERN PARCEL AND THE ADDITIONAL RESTORATION OF THE FLOODPLAIN THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE CRITICAL.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, THE AREA ON THE EASTERN PARCEL THAT IS SHADED AND PINK WILL BE DEDICATED AS A, UH, CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND, UH, WILL BE REMAIN, UH, UNDEVELOPED, UH, FOR THEIR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE MITIGATION.
THEY ARE, UH, ASKING FOR A SETBACK REDUCTION OF ONE AND A HALF ACRES, AND ARE PROVIDING A SETBACK EXPANSION, UH, OF ONE AND A HALF ACRES.
SO THEY DO MEET THE ONE ONE-TO-ONE IN KIND, UH, CEF MITIGATION.
SO THAT IS THE WATERSHED VERSION OF THE, UH, VARIANCE.
AND NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO COLLEAGUE MOHAMMED WHO WILL DISCUSS THE ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE.
I AM THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SPECIALIST SENIOR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT UR DIVISION.
AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION FOR THE EV REVIEW OF THE VARIANCE, UH, FOR RBI AUSTIN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX AT 74 0 1 LOYOLA LANE.
UH, TODAY WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE, UH, PROPERTY DATA SYNOPSIS, UH, SITE CONSTRICTIONS AND REGULATIONS, VARIANCE REQUESTS, UH, GRADING EXHIBITS, THE VARIANCE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONDITIONS.
UH, THIS IS THE PROPERTY AERIAL IMAGE OF IT.
UH, IT'S BETWEEN, UH, THE CORNER OF LOYOLA LANE AND SANDRO HILLS PARKWAY.
IT IS WITHIN THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED, WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS A SUBURBAN WATERSHED, AND THEREFORE IT IS A DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
IT IS NOT LOCATED OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER CHAR ZONE, AND IT IS IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER ONE.
THERE IS A ZONE, UH, ON THE PROPERTY, AS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN.
IT DOES CROSS THROUGH THE WHOLE PROPERTY, AND THEREFORE IT, IT, IT DISABLES THE ACCESS TO THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S LOCATED AS MENTIONED EARLIER, EARLIER ON LOYOLA LANE AND SAND HILLS PARKWAY.
IT'S ELEVATIONS RANGE FROM, UH, 5 24 TO 4 77 FEET.
THERE ARE SOME SLOPES, UM, WITHIN THE PROPERTY, AND THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE, UH, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
AS SHOWN ON THE, UM, THE PICTURE.
THE, UH, THE STEEP SLOPES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE.
THIS IS THE SIDE FROM A STREET VIEW.
THEY'RE REQUESTING A, A DRIVEWAY AND A BRIDGE TO BE CONSTRUCTED WITH A, WITH A CURRENT FAIL UP TO EIGHT FEET, UH, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO SAFELY CROSS THE CRITICAL, UH, CRITICAL WATER WALL ZONE TO ACCESS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
[00:10:01]
THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO, FROM, UH, TO VARY FROM LDC 25 8 3 41 AND 25 8, 3 42, UH, TO ALLOW CUT AND FILL UP TO EIGHT FEET.THIS IS THE GRADING EXHIBIT, WHICH SHOWS THE CUT AND FILL, UH, UP TO EIGHT FEET.
THE CUT IS IN ORANGE WHERE THIS, UH, WHERE THE DRIVEWAY IS.
AND THEN THE, THE GREEN IS THE FILL UP TO EIGHT FEET.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE, HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET, AND THE STAFF CONDITIONS WERE PRESENTED BY THE WHAT LIZ BALLERS, ERIC, UH, WE, WE, WE COMBINE 'EM TOGETHER.
AND, UH, THAT'S, UH, MY PRESENTATION.
AND THE APPLICANT WILL TAKE YOU FROM HERE.
GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M AMANDA SWARNER GROUP, AND I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION IF THAT COULD GET PULLED UP.
BUT, UM, JUST WANNA START WITH LIKE A SINCERE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU TO STAFF.
I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR FIVE YEARS, AND SPECIFICALLY THESE VARIANCES FOR MORE THAN 13 MONTHS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN EXAGGERATION.
WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE AT COMMISSION THE FIRST TIME IN JUNE OF 2020 WHEN MY KIDS WERE ACTUALLY GONNA BE IN COOPERSTOWN PLAYING BASEBALL.
SO I KINDA LAUGHED THAT HERE WE ARE LITERALLY 13 MONTHS LATER.
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT STAFF'S.
UM, HARD WORK ON THIS AND, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO THIS.
SO I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RBI WHILE I'M, I'M WAITING FOR THE PROJECT TO PULL UP.
BUT RBI, UM, STANDS FOR REVIVING BASEBALL IN INNER CITIES.
THEY'RE A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT SERVE UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH, UM, MOSTLY ON THE EASTERN CRESCENT BY PROVIDING BOTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS MENTORING AND OTHER, UM, ACHIEVEMENT AND OTHER ABILITY FOR THE YOUTH TO REALLY, UM, DIG IN AND THRIVE.
THEY LIVE ON A VOLUNTEER SYSTEM.
AND CAN I CLICK OR DO YOU CLICK FOR ME.
UM, AND SO I'M EXCITED PERSONALLY TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PROJECT FOR SO LONG.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE FOUNDERS OF RBI HERE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG, THAT NOT THE POINT.
BUT I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BACKGROUND AND, AND WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHY THIS PROJECT IS SO IMPORTANT.
UH, THE, UH, THE, THIS PROJECT AND THIS LOCATION IS REALLY PROVIDING AND ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT HOME FOR RBI RIGHT NOW, RBI FUNCTIONS OUT OF DIFFERENT, UM, FACILITIES THAT THEY'RE LUCKY TO GET TO USE WHEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO, THIS WILL CREATE A HOME BASE FOR THEM.
IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO PROVIDE A MULTI-USE FIELD THAT WILL SERVE BOTH, BOTH BASEBALL ATHLETES AND SOFTBALL ATHLETES, AS WELL AS A PERMANENT HOME FOR, UM, TUTORING, MENTORING, AND ALL OF THE OTHER AMAZING ACTIVITIES THAT RBI, UH, DOES TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
THAT BEING SAID, THIS SITE IS A, TO SAY IT HAS SOME CONSTRAINTS ON IT IS PROBABLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
THE GREEN THAT'S ON THE TOP OF THIS, UH, IS THE, UH, HAZARDOUS PIPELINE.
WE HAVE THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CRITICAL WHY, WHAT CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
THOSE ARE THE WORDS WE'RE NOT COMING OUTTA MY MOUTH, UM, THAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE HATCH THAT ARE THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, ALTHOUGH THE FLOODPLAIN ON THIS PROPERTY THAT'S SHOWN IN BLUE IS NOT CITY OF AUSTIN FLOODPLAIN OR FEMA FLOODPLAIN.
UH, THE AREA DOES HAVE MORE THAN 64 ACRES OF DRAINAGE.
SO WE DID HAVE TO, UM, COME IN AND DO SOME FLOODPLAIN MODELING ON THE SITE.
I THINK THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THINGS THE MOST.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I JUST, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I RECEIVED AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS, A A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SO THE BRIDGE THAT IS PROVIDING ACCESS TO THIS PROPERTY IS ABOVE THE A HUNDRED AND THE 500 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
UM, AT IT IS AT THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN, IT'S ONE AND A HALF FEET AT THE LOWEST SIX FEET, UM, AT THE HIGHEST ABOVE THE FLOODPLAIN.
THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN ON THIS PROPERTY IS ONLY 0.2 FEET HIGHER THAN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
THIS IS NOT A RIVER, IT IS NOT A, IT'S HARDLY A CREEK.
UH, YOU KNOW, WATER COMES IN THIS AREA.
THIS IS NOT, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A A, A HUGE FLOODWAY.
IT'S ONLY, IT'S GOT THE 0.2 AREAS OF DIFFERENCE THAT WE DO, UH, HAVE THREE, UH, DETENTION PONDS ON THIS PROPERTY THAT DO DETAIN THE ENTIRETY OF THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
THERE'S, ALL OF THE BUILDINGS ARE OUTSIDE OF THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
SO THE BUILDING THAT HAS HABITABLE SPACE ON THIS PROPERTY IS 17.
I'M LOOKING TO MAKE SURE 17 AND A HALF FEET ABOVE, PLUS OR MINUS ABOVE THE 500 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.
SO WE ARE NOT, UM, RIGHT NEXT TO THE FLOOD PLAIN.
THOSE ARE SOME QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I HAD RECEIVED.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO HAVE BEEN, UM, VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
MS. BARBARA SCOTT HAS BEEN A, A HUGE PROPONENT OF THIS AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE THANKFUL AND HELP AND PROUD
[00:15:01]
OF HER HELP FOR THIS.UH, WE DID JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED, ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY FLOODING HISTORY ON THIS SITE.
AND SHE SAID IN THE 40 YEARS THAT SHE'S BEEN HERE THAT THERE HAS NOT EVER BEEN ANY FLOODING HISTORY ON, UM, ON THIS PROPERTY.
SO, WITH THAT, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE ENGINEERS FOR THIS PROJECT HERE AS WELL.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH, UM, OUR ONLINE COMMISSIONERS IF Y'ALL ARE READY WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND COMMISSIONER, UM, PRIMER YOU GO FIRST.
I'M GONNA DEFER AND I'M GONNA LET OTHER FOLKS GO BEFORE MYSELF.
I, MARIANA I WAS, I WAS ALSO GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE END JUST 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK.
YEAH, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I CAN WAIT UNTIL THE END.
UM, SO TRYING TO, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH A BASEBALL GAME AT RBI? IS IT, HOW CROWDED CAN IT GET? IS AS FAR AS A SPECIAL EVENT? ARE THERE EVER AT NIGHT TRYING TO MEET, MAYBE THINK OF DARK SKY LIGHTING? TRYING TO THINK OF WHERE CROWDS ARE IN THE, ALONG THE STANDS OR BACKFIELD TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL SITE IMPACT.
AND THEN, MATT, DO YOU WANNA COME HELP ANSWER A COUPLE OF THESE QUESTIONS AS WELL? I CAN SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN I CAN.
I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT I SAID THAT.
SO TELL ME, WHAT'S THE QUESTION AGAIN? SPECIFICALLY? JUST THE FULL SITE IMPACT, UH, IF WE COULD HAVE THE SITE PLAN UP.
I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS GAMES AT NIGHT EVER, IF THERE, UH, LIGHTING, WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHERE BLEACHERS ARE IN THE CROWD.
SOMETIMES WHEN I ENVISION A BASEBALL GAME IS PRETTY LARGE.
AND SO THAT BACK EDGE IS ALSO RIGHT ON THE CRITICAL WATER ZONE.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE INFORMAL USE YEAH, GREAT.
OF THE SITE MIGHT LOOK LIKE AS, AS WELL AS THE, WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING IS THE DIRECT IMPACT.
SO AS FAR AS ACTIVITIES, UM, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES ARE GONNA BE INDOORS.
THERE'S THE, THERE'S THE FRONT BUILDING THERE THAT WE'RE CALLING THE HEADQUARTER BUILDING THAT'S ALL INDOORS.
THEN THERE'S A COVER TURF FIELD, WHICH IS ENCLOSED AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN THERE IS THE ONE OUTDOOR BALL FIELD.
AND SO WE DO DO ACTIVITIES IN THE EVENINGS AFTER SCHOOL AND IN THE EVENINGS.
UM, SO THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN AS FAR AS BLEACHERS AND, AND, AND THAT KIND OF QUESTION, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE VERY MODEST IN KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL BALL FIELD.
UH, SO PROBABLY MORE OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, SPACE TO BRING UP YOUR LAWN CHAIRS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND MAYBE SOME, SOME SMALL AREAS OF SEATING.
BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A BIG, A BIG GRANDSTAND OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON THE BALL FIELD.
COULD, COULD WE GET THE PRESENTATION? CLICKED BACK A COUPLE SLIDES TO THE GREEN, TO THE ONE THAT SHOWS THE, THAT ONE'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST TO TALK.
AND SO THE PROJECT IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MEETING ALL OF THE, THE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
WE DO HAVE SINGLE FAMILY NEXT TO US, SO WE HAVE TO MEET ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE SHIELDING, THE LIGHTING, ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS THAT, THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT PROJECT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THEY'RE YOUTH BASEBALL GAMES.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE 10 KIDS ON A TEAM.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, USUALLY 10 OR 12 PARENTS.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT'S AT MY KIDS' GAMES ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, YOU KNOW, UH, SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A MASSIVE IMPACT.
AND JUST SO I'M CLEAR, IT'S PRIVATE, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A PUBLIC AREA, LIKE THE, THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN'T COME AND JUST PARK AND WALK A TRAIL ON THE SITE ANYWHERE, IS THERE? SO THERE WILL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO THE FIELDS AND THE FACILITIES ARE PRIVATE.
THEY ARE GONNA BE OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY RBI FOR THE USE OF THEIR, UM, THEIR COMMUNITY.
THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE A TRAIL, UM, THIS IS A VISION OF D ONE THAT THEY ASKED US TO INCLUDE FOR FUTURE USE ON OUR PROPERTY.
SO WITHIN THE, UH, THE WETLANDS AND THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY AND ALL OF THAT AREA, THEY'RE ANTICIPATING A DISTRICT-WIDE TRAIL THAT WILL EVENTUALLY COME THROUGH HERE.
WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT SO THAT THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, BUT THE USE OF THE FACILITIES WILL BE, IT'S NOT A PARK.
AND SOME OF THE, I THINK THE VARIANCES WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE GONNA, OR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WATERSHED WHERE, UH, FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION IS THAT REQUIRE FIVE YEAR MANAGEMENT, 10 YEAR MANAGEMENT.
WHAT'S TIMEFRAME WHEN WE TALK RESTORATION IS THERE, HOW DO WE ASSURE THAT IT ISN'T A ONE AND DONE? UM, YEAH.
SO WITH FLOODPLAIN, WITH RESTORATION PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS, UM, THERE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTOR IS, IS THERE TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL, EVERYTHING IS THERE AND ALL LIVE BEFORE THE CERTIFICATE OF A OCCUPANCY,
[00:20:01]
UM, IS PROVIDED.AND I THINK PART OF OUR RESTORATION STANDARDS ASSUME A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DIE OFF OF SOME OF THE VEGETATION.
AND SO OVER TIME WE EXPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME WILL LIVE AND, UH, THE RESTORATION WILL, UM, WILL, YOU KNOW, UH, BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE A STANDARD OR FORMAL WAY OF GOING BACK OVER TIME TO, TO MONITOR IT.
AND THE, DOES THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT REQUIRE ANYTHING LIKE THAT? IS THAT ON, THAT'S ON A SEPARATE TRACK? CORRECT.
THAT IT WOULD BE ON A SEPARATE TRACK.
SO THERE ARE TWO TRACKS DIVIDED BY A LOT THAT AUSTIN ENERGY OWNS.
SO THIS IS THEIR, BUT BOTH ARE THEIR PROPERTIES.
SO THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT, UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS RESTORATION PROPOSED FOR THAT, BUT IT ISN'T AN EASEMENT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING NATURE TO, TO RESTORE ITSELF I GUESS IN, IN THAT SITUATION.
AND THAT PROPERTY IS OWNED BY RBI.
THE, THE CONSERVATION, SO IT'S, IT'S A REALLY LARGE RECTANGLE.
AS, AS STAFF WAS SAYING, THAT HAS A AUSTIN ENERGY EASEMENT THAT RUNS STRAIGHT SMACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
UM, THE LEFT LOT OR THE WESTERN LOT IS WHAT IS MORE DEVELOPABLE FROM A, FROM A TOPOGRAPHY AND A SPACE PERSPECTIVE AND COULD ACTUALLY FIT A FIELD ON IT.
UM, THEY'RE, AND PART OF OUR WORKING WITH STAFF, THEY REALLY ENCOURAGED US TO LOOK AT THAT EASTERN PROPERTY AS A WAY TO MAKE THIS VIABLE.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A FULL CONSERVATION EASEMENT, BUT IT IS OWNED BY RBI AND WILL BE MAINTAINED BY THEM.
UM, SO IF I UNDERSTAND THE MOST, THE REQUESTS AT FOR THE, THE VARIANCE IS REALLY ON THE BRIDGE, UH, YES.
AND IT'S A, UH, WHEN YOU TURN OFF LOYOLA, YOU COME, COME DOWN ON A STEEP SLOPE, AND THEN YOU'RE IN THE CRITICAL WATER ZONE OR THE, THE, THE FLOODPLAIN AND IT SAID YOU'RE OUT OF THAT.
SO CARS ARE NOT, IT'S NOT AT GRADE LEVEL, UM, AT THE FLOODPLAIN, SO FOLKS AREN'T WALKING ACROSS IT.
SO THERE'S A BRIDGE THAT IS ABOVE THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN THAT CONNECTS.
SO AT LOYOLA, YOU'RE ON GRADE, THEN THE BRIDGE STAYS ELEVATED AND COMES BACK ACROSS.
GENERALLY HOW MANY FEET IS THAT? I'M CURIOUS THE BRIDGE, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I BET SOMEBODY OVER HERE CAN TELL ME.
UH, SO WHAT I'M DOING IS JUST TRYING TO VISUALIZE THE IMPACT WE'RE BRINGING ONTO THE SITE.
WE'RE KEEPING CARS DIRECTLY OFF OF THE SOIL FOR THE BIG, YOU KNOW, BRIDGE AND THEN COMING ONTO A PARKING AREA.
UM, THE, SO CAN I SEE THE WHY? I LIKE TO CALL IT A Y.
SO YOU COME, YOU HAVE THE BRIDGE THAT COMES ACROSS AND THEN THERE'S THE TWO HERITAGE TREE, THE HERITAGE TREE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING TO COME ACROSS.
SO YOU'LL COME ACROSS, AND THE FILL REALLY IS TO MAKE THAT AT GRADE RIGHT THERE.
THAT ALLOWED US TO PROTECT THE TREES AND BRING THE BRIDGE IN AT GRADE.
THAT THEN TIES INTO THE OTHER AREA THAT'S ALREADY AT THAT LEVEL.
AND IS THERE STORM WATER RETENTION? IS THAT THERE? PART OF THE IS DETENTION AND THERE'S WATER QUALITY ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
MAY HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN WE GET TO IT, BUT, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, JOHN CLEMENT WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION, I MANAGE THE, UM, WETLAND BIOLOGY REVIEW STAFF, AND THERE IS A BARE ROOT SEEDLING PLANTING GOING TO HAPPEN IN A COUPLE OF AREAS ON THE EAST TRACT.
SO IT'S VERY, AS LIZ WAS SAYING, VERY LIGHT TOUCH, UH, NOT QUITE LETTING IT DO ITS OWN THING.
BUT THERE'S A FEW AREAS OF LOW CANOPY COVER THAT, UH, THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DROP SEEDLINGS INTO.
THEY'RE SMALL, UH, THEY DO A ULTRA HIGH DENSITY PLANTING OF THEM.
THEY DON'T GET ANY IRRIGATION.
10% OF THEM SURVIVE AND ULTIMATELY YOU WIND UP WITH THE SAME CANOPY AS IF YOU WERE GOING AROUND WATERING, YOU KNOW, 25 GALLON PLANTINGS FOR THREE YEARS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
UH, DID, DID SPUR ONE MORE QUESTION ARE, IS THERE PUBLIC USE, LIKE SIMPLY TRAILS ALLOWED ON THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT? WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE TRAILS THAT RUN THROUGHOUT BOTH PROPERTIES FROM EAST TO WEST.
WE, THIS IS A MAJOR, UH, PROJECT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, SO WE WILL ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE A, A ULTIMATELY A REGIONAL NETWORK THAT RUNS EAST WEST THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HERITAGE TREES.
I, I SEE THERE'S ONE RIGHT THERE WHERE THE BRIDGE IS COMING ACROSS.
ARE THERE ANY MORE ON THE PROPERTY? YES.
I WONDER IF MY CLICKER WILL WORK.
UM,
KAT, DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD THE NUMBER OF
AND ALL YOU'RE DOING IS GOING AROUND THE, THE, THE ONE HERITAGE TREE AND KEEPING IT YES, SIR.
UM, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF, WHAT DOES RBI STAND FOR? I DIDN'T
[00:25:01]
CATCH THAT.REVIVING BASEBALL IN INNER CITIES.
I THOUGHT IT MEANT RUN SPATTED IN, BUT I GUESS I WAS WRONG.
ANYWAY, SO IS THERE ANY PARKING THERE? I DO HAVE A PICTURE.
IF YOU GO ON TO SLIDE 10, THAT THOSE ARE THE PROTECTED AND HERITAGE TREES ON THE SITE.
SO THERE WERE THE TWO CLUSTERED, THOSE WERE THE, THE GREEN DOTS OR THE PROTECTED AND THE HERITAGE TREES THAT WERE ON THE PROPERTY.
AND WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU'RE PLANTING OVER THERE? THE, THE LITTLE, THE SMALL PLANTS.
WE TYPICALLY, UH, DRAG PEOPLE IN WITH, UH, WATERSHED'S ZONE RESTORATION PROJECTS.
UM, THEY GET PLANTED, UH, EVERY 10 FEET BASICALLY.
SO A HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT CENTERS AND, UM, UH, UH, DIVERSE VARIETY OF SPECIES.
UM, THERE'S A FEW GROWERS, CENTRAL TEXAS, A LOT OF THEM COME FROM SOUTH TEXAS, BUT THEY'RE ALL SPECIES THAT ARE NATIVE CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND, UM, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS THAT WE, WE WORK WITH TREE FOLKS AND DO SIMILAR, UH, PLANTING PROGRAMS. UH, YOU JUST GET OUT AND THE PLANTS THEMSELVES ARE THIS TALL AND WHEN CREWS DO IT, THEY CAN DO IT REALLY QUICKLY.
THEY JUST HAVE THESE, UM, I FORGET WHAT THIS KIND OF FORESTRY SHOVEL IS CALLED, BUT THEY JUST RAM IT IN THERE, PUT IT IN A DIVOT, DROP THE PLANT IN, HEAL IT IN WITH THEIR FOOT AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND, UH, WITH THE APPROPRIATE SPECIES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE AREAS ARE A LITTLE DRIER.
THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY REALLY OPEN SPACES RIGHT NOW, SO WE WOULDN'T BE DIRECTING THEM TO DO, YOU KNOW, UH, HIGH MOISTURE REQUIREMENT SPECIES, YOU KNOW, BALD CYPRUS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND WE WOULDN'T ASK THEM TO DO THINGS THAT AREN'T GONNA SURVIVE WELL, UM, AS A SEEDLING, YOU KNOW, IN, IN FULL SUN, LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE TRY AND MATCH THE SPECIES, UM, TO THE LIGHT CONDITION AND THE WATER CONDITION AND ALSO TO THE SOIL CONDITION, AT LEAST TO THE EXTENT OF, YOU KNOW, BLACK LAND SITES LIKE THIS IS VERSUS, UM, HILL COUNTRY SITES.
SO IT'S GONNA BE VOLUNTEERS PLANNING THESE? NO.
WELL, I MEAN, IF THEY WANNA SET UP A VOLUNTEER EVENT, THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO IT, BUT, UH, YEAH, THEY'RE ON THE HOOK TO ACTUALLY GET 'EM IN THE GROUND, SO ROGER THAT.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
WELL, I, I, I, WELL, ON THE QUESTION OF PARKING, WE DIDN'T RESOLVE THAT.
SO HOW MUCH PARKING WOULD THERE BE FOR THIS? I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED LIKE JUST PARENTS FOR KIDS, BUT THE, THE PARKING IS AROUND THE BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS PLAN.
MY EYES AREN'T THAT GREAT, BUT AS YOU COME IN, THE PARKING GOES AROUND THE BUILDING, SO IT'S ALL ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND THE TOTAL IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR ALL OF THIS IS 31%.
I THINK THAT WAS WHAT, WHAT THE BACKUP SAID.
UH, I WAS ABLE TO GET A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN A PHONE CALL WITH, UH, AMANDA PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
I DO HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, UH, AND, UH, STAFF OR, UH, THE APPLICANT CAN ANSWER AS APPROPRIATE.
UH, DID WE EVER FIND OUT, UH, WHETHER OR NOT, UH, IMAGINE AUSTIN COVERED THE, UH, BUILDING OF THE ROAD ON THIS, UH, PROPERTY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NATURE OF THIS SEEMED TO BE A BIT CONFUSING IS WHETHER OR NOT, UH, 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 6 2 61 A LOT WAS, UH, A LOT OF ROAD TO BE BUILT THERE OR WHETHER THAT WAS COVERED BY IMAGINE AUSTIN.
SO IT'S, UH, THE CODE SECTION IS 25 25 8 2 62 B FOUR, WHICH ALLOWS IN THIS, UH, AREA, WHICH IS A, WHICH IS SUBURBAN, NOT AN URBAN WATERSHED, IT ALLOWS FOR A ROAD TO CROSS A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AS LONG AS IT'S A, AT A CERTAIN LEVEL TO ACCESS A DEVELOPABLE AREA THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ACCESSIBLE.
IS THAT RIGHT? DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? UH, YES.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY MORE, SO THEY ARE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITIES AND WITH THE DRIVEWAY TO ACCESS THE DEVELOPABLE AREA PER THAT SECTION OF CODE.
UM, WHAT IS TRIGGERING THE VARIANCES ARE, UM, THE GRADING, UM, THE CUT AND FILL AND THE DISTURBANCE WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN, WHICH IS A SEPARATE SECTION OF CODE.
UH, AND I BELIEVE WE DETERMINED THAT, UH, ALL THE DEVELOPMENT'S GONNA BE, UH, GREATER THAN 50 FEET FROM THE CENTER LINE OF ANY CREEK
[00:30:01]
ON THE PROPERTY.YEAH,
UH, HOW MUCH OF THE PROPERTY IS GONNA BE COVERED BY THE ARTIFICIAL TURF? THE AREA WITHIN THE BASEBALL FIELD THAT YOU SEE ON THE SOUTH SOUTHEASTERN, THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THIS IS THE AREA THAT COULD BE, UH, COVERED WITH ARTIFICIAL TURF.
NOW, UH, I BELIEVE THIS REQUIRES A, SO ARE YOU GONNA HAVE, UH, A MAINTENANCE PLAN SUBMITTED TO, UH, WATERSHED FOR, UH, FOR MAINTAINING, UH, VEGETATION AND, UH, COMPACTION AND ALL THAT OTHER SORT OF GOOD STUFF? HAVE YOU DEVELOPED THAT ALREADY? YES, SIR.
AND THE, THE, THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY COUNTED AS IMPERVIOUS COVER WITHIN OUR PROJECT, SO IT IS FULLY INCLUDED IN OUR WATER QUALITY COUNTS AND ALL OF THOSE PIECES.
BUT DO YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT A, UH, UH, MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THE REST OF THE PROPERTY OR JUST THE PART THAT'S COVERED BY THE ARTIFICIAL TURF, WHICH YOU DON'T HAVE TO SUBMIT IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GROW ANYTHING THERE? I THINK THE ONLY MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR WATERSHED ARE RELATED TO THE, THE STORM WATER CONTROL FACILITIES, THE DETENTION AND WATER QUALITY POND.
UH, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA BE USING ANY FERTILIZER, PESTICIDES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ALONG THE, ON ANY OF THE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S ALL PLASTIC GRASS, SO THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT.
UM, THE, I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT, SOMEONE, OR I BELIEVE IT WAS THE APPLICANT MENTIONED THAT THE, UH, THERE'S NO FLOODING HISTORY, BUT THAT WAS ANECDOTAL PROVIDED BY ONE OF THE RESIDENTS.
DOES WATERSHED HAVE ANY, UH, ANY CITY STAFF HAVE ANY HISTORY TO THE FLOOD, UH, FLOODING IN THAT AREA? UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE, UH, LIZ JOHNSTON, INTERIM ENVIRONMENT OFFICER, UM, KEPT FORGETTING TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
UM, UH, SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE FROM FLOODPLAIN HERE.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE GAUGES ON THIS PARTICULAR TRIBUTARY, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF GRANULARITY OF DATA WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS.
WE DO HAVE GAUGES ON, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN STEM OF WALNUT, BUT THIS IS A TRIBUTARY TO WALNUT, SO, UM, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE REAL SPECIFIC.
WELL, UH, AHEAD REALLY KIND OF ALMOST ENDS MY QUESTIONS.
MY COMMENT IN GENERAL IS, KIND OF FALLS ALONG THIS LINE.
UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A SINGLE ENTRANCE AND EXIT THAT'S, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO YOUNG CHILDREN GOING TO BE DOING, UH, YOU KNOW, SPORTS ACTIVITIES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE ENTRANCE AND EXIT, UH, VIA CARS AND THERE'S NO OTHER DESIGNATED EXTRA, UH, EXIT, UH, THAT'S THERE, IT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN CASE OF A FLOOD, THERE'S GOING TO BE A RISK THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE AREA SAFELY IF THE, UH, BRIDGE IS COVERED WATER.
UH, I PERSONALLY KNOW THAT BRIDGES OF THIS HEIGHT BUILT OVER OVER CREEKS AND THINGS TEND TO BE FLOODED AT, AT AN ALARMINGLY HIGH RATE.
I KNOW OF ONE NEAR WHERE I LIVE THAT'S ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT ABOVE A CREEK AND IS REGULARLY FLOODS AND IS BLOCKED BY, UH, BULL CREEK.
AND IT ACTUALLY CHANGES THE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL THAT IS COVERED IN, YOU KNOW, FLOWS INTO THE CREEK, IT BLOCKS THE FLOW OF THE CREEK AND THEN DIVERTS THE FLOW ONTO, YOU KNOW, OUT OVER THE ROADWAY INSTEAD OF, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDER THERE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT THE BRIDGE ISN'T HIGH ENOUGH.
UH, BUT IT COULD CAUSE THE, UH, EXIT TO BE BLOCKED AND PEOPLE COULD NOT LEAVE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE, UH, ELEVATED RISK IN THE CASE OF A FLOOD THAT PEOPLE CANNOT GET OUT.
UH, AND SPEAKING WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT'S, UH, REPRESENTATIVE PRIOR TO THE MEETING, UH, THERE WAS AN INDICATION THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE GATE, THERE WERE, UH, EXITS PERHAPS THROUGH FENCES IN THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT IT WASN'T CLEAR THAT THAT WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR OTHER TYPES OF THINGS.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, PROBABLY THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EVACUATION PLAN THAT'S WELL-PUBLICIZED POSTED IN WITHIN THE AREA, AND THAT A DESIGNATED EXIT ROUTES THROUGH OTHER PLACES OTHER THAN THE, UH, CAR INTEREST EXIT NEEDS TO BE, UH, INSERTED IN THE PLAN IN ORDER TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR THE, UH, USERS IN CASE OF A FLOODING THING.
SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, SO I'LL UH, TURN IT OVER TO WHO ELSE, WHOEVER ELSE WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
[00:35:01]
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.YEAH, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER LUKI OR ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS MAYBE TOUCHED ON THIS, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED IT, BUT CAN THE APPLICANT COMMENT ON HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE YOUR ORGANIZATION SERVED IN 2024 AND WHAT YOUR PROJECTIONS ARE FOR 2025 AND 2026, ESPECIALLY SPECIFIC TO THIS BASEBALL FIELD, IF POSSIBLE, I'M GONNA LET, UM, I'M GONNA LET MATT COME AND ANSWER THAT AND ADD PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT WHEN HE IS DONE.
HEY, I'M MATT PRICE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR RBI AUSTIN.
UM, YEAH, SO AS FAR AS KIDS SERVED IN 2024, WE SERVED ABOUT 1600 KIDS, UH, THAT WAS SPREAD ACROSS ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT SITES.
SO WE USE A LOT OF THE PARD FACILITIES, A LOT OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, UH, BOTH WITHIN AUSTIN AND ALSO IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT, MAYNARD DE VALLEY, ET CETERA.
UM, SO WE'RE PRETTY SPREAD OUT, UM, FOR THOSE 600 KIDS.
WE'RE PROJECTING FOR 2025, WE'LL BE ABOUT SIMILAR NUMBERS AS LAST YEAR.
UM, THIS SITE WILL BE A GREAT PLACE, JUST A HUB YEAR ROUND.
KIDS CAN COME AND TRAIN AND BE MENTORED, UM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE PART FACILITIES THROUGHOUT, UH, AUSTIN, UH, AS WELL AS A LOT OF THE SCHOOL FACILITIES.
SO WE'LL STILL BE SPREAD OUT OVERALL.
UM, BUT YEAH, THIS WILL BE A GREAT PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN COME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UH, AND TRAIN.
UM, AND I APPRECIATED THE LETTERS THAT YOU SENT OVER THAT DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA.
CAN YOU TALK IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN LIKE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IN PARTICULAR RELATED TO FLOODING CONCERNS? UH, LET ME TAKE A STAB AT IT AND YOU CAN.
YEAH, SO WE STARTED ENGAGING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS AREA, PROBABLY SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
IS THAT PROBABLY PRETTY FAIR? UM, LONG BEFORE THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD OR EVEN A SUBDIVISION BACK BEHIND US AND HAVE BEEN IN REALLY CONSTANT COMMUNICATION, BOTH WITH THE LARGER NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENCES THAT ARE, THAT ARE NEARBY TO DATE.
I MEAN, I'M GONNA KNOCK ON WOOD A LITTLE BIT.
EVERYONE'S BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS REGARDING FLOODING WITH THE NEIGHBORS AS, AS WE SAID THIS WAS, IT'S A TRIBUTARY VERSUS A CREEK.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THERE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE FLOODING ISN'T ANTICIPATED HERE.
IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S GONNA BE WATER THAT COMES DOWN THE CREEK AND CATCHES YOU, UM, EXPONENTIALLY LATER.
SO IT HASN'T, FLOODING HASN'T BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, AGAIN, THE, THE SITE OF THIS PROPERTY THAT IS NEXT TO THE NEIGHBORS IS, I THINK WE SAID ALMOST 17 FEET ABOVE THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
DO YOU ALL HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD THERE ABOUT HISTORICALLY WHAT FLOODING HAS LOOKED LIKE, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, THIS LAST JULY 4TH, FOURTH, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO BE ON ALL OF OUR MINDS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE CHILDREN INVOLVED, OF COURSE WE'RE ALL, UM, MORE GOING TO BE MORE HYPER-VIGILANT IN THIS AREA.
FLOODS TEND TO BE VERY, VERY FLASHY.
UM, SO THEY DON'T, IT'S NOT LIKE ON THE, THE, UH, A BIG RIVER, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE DO HAVE A RIVER, BUT THIS IS NOT THAT.
SO ANY FLOOD WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, COME ON REAL FAST AND THEN GO AWAY REAL FAST AS THE RAIN BOMB MOVES THROUGH THIS, THE, THE CITY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT'S, IF THERE WERE FOLKS STRANDED THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A WARNING SIGN NOT TO DRIVE OVER THE ROAD IF IT WERE INUNDATED.
UM, UH, BUT IT WOULDN'T LAST FOR LONG, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD, IT WOULD GO UP AND THEN GO DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SENSE THOUGH, OH, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, WE HAVE A SENSE OF SPECIFICALLY HOW HIGH THE WATER LEVEL CAME IN THAT SPOT DURING THIS JULY 4TH FLOODING.
I MEAN, FLASH FLOODS ARE WHAT WE GET HERE, BUT WHEN THEY HAPPEN, YES, THEY HAPPEN QUICKLY, BUT THEY CAN CAUSE A LOT OF, UM, DAMAGE.
AND SO ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CUT AND FILL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FLOOD MITIGATION ZONE AND ALL OF THAT, I JUST WANNA HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE STARTING FROM AND KNOWING THAT WHATEVER WE DO COULD INCREASE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FLOODING POTENTIAL FOR THE AREA.
YEAH, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA FOR THIS TRIBUTARY.
WE COULD PROBABLY PULL IT FOR THE GAUGES ON WALNUT, YOU KNOW, BUT OF COURSE, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT, IF THAT FLOOD THAT HAPPENED ON SAN SANDY CREEK COULD COME OVER TO THIS WATERSHED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S ABOVE THE A HUNDRED YEAR.
UM, SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, UM, IF, IF, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT OVER TWO FEET OF OF RAIN IN THE MATTER OF, OF A DAY.
[00:40:01]
DESIGNED FOR THE A HUNDRED YEAR STORM ELEVATION, SO ANYTHING ABOVE A HUNDRED YEAR STORM, YOU KNOW, AND THERE IS SOME FREEBOARD ABOVE THAT AS WELL.UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN KIND OF UNCHARTED TERRITORY WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMOUNT OF RAIN THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THESE EVENTS.
UM, I ALSO HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT WATER QUALITY, UM, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE ARTIFICIAL TURF.
SO ARTIFICIAL TURF ARE KNOWN TO CONTAIN TOXIC METAL METALS AND CHEMICALS, INCLUDING LEAD AND ZINC, POLY AROMATIC, HYDRO HYDROCARBONS, PFAS, PLASTIC CHEMICALS, INCLUDING PHTHALATES AND BISPHENOL A, UM, OVER 350 OTHER CHEMICALS IDENTIFY IN THE EPA LITERATURE REVIEW FOR TIRE CHROME RUBBER CONFIRMED PRESENCE OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, UM, INCLUDING CARCINOGENS AND NEUROTOXICANT.
UM, ACTUALLY JUST TODAY IN THE WASHINGTON POST, THERE'S A STORY ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ARTIFICIAL TURF, UM, AND CANCER IN CHILDREN.
SO BOTH FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT AND LARGER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT, ESPECIALLY WITH PROXIMITY TO THE CREEK, I HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEACHING OF ALL OF THOSE TOXIC CHEMICALS, ESPECIALLY THE QUOTE UNQUOTE FOREVER CHEMICALS, WHICH ARE THE PFAS.
UM, SO I'M WONDERING IF CITY STAFF AND THE APPLICANT CAN ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN LIKE FROM JUST A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AND JUST WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE.
MIKE MCDOUGALL OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, I'M THE MANAGER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW TEAM.
UH, ARTIFICIAL TURF IS CONSIDERED IMPERVIOUS COVER BY THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND THE ECM, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY, UH, SPECIAL PROVISIONS, UH, DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THIS FOR A TURF WOULD BE CONSIDERED JUST THE SAME AS SAY, A PARKING LOT OR A BUILDING.
I DO CERTAINLY AGREE THAT, THAT THERE ARE, THERE LEACHING CHEMICALS AND A NUMBER OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS DO LEACH OFF OF THAT, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF WATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE, THE STANDARD WATER QUALITY PONDS AND DRAINAGE PONDS WOULD'VE BEEN REQUIRED WHETHER THE IMPERVIOUS COVER WAS DUE TO PARKING OR BUILDINGS OR ARTIFICIAL TURF.
AND THAT'S, UH, PER CODE REQUIREMENTS.
AND JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, UM, SO YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE RUN OFF FROM THE FIELD WOULD BE PASSING THROUGH A, UH, WATER QUALITY TREATMENT FACILITY, WHICH WOULD, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THEORY CAPTURE THE FLOATABLES THAT WERE COMING OFF OF THAT AND THE CONSTITUENTS THAT THE PONDS ARE DESIGNED TO CAPTURE.
UM, WHICH DOES NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDE PFAS, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A STORMWATER CONTROL FACILITY THAT THAT IS, THAT HAS BEEN INVENTED THAT WOULD TREAT THE FOREVER CHEMICALS.
OURS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR THAT
UM, I MEAN, IT'S, THAT'S A REAL CONCERN FOR ME.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CODE HASN'T KEPT UP WITH THE SCIENTIFIC REALITY THAT WE KNOW AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS.
SO I UNDERSTAND FROM A CODE POINT THIS MIGHT BE COMPLIANT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, CODE DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS REFLECT OUR MOST UPTODATE KNOWLEDGE AT THE TIME.
SO I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT AND FROM A WATER QUALITY STANDPOINT.
UM, ALSO FROM AN URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, THIS IS A REAL CONCERN, I MEAN, EVERYWHERE IN OUR CITY, BUT ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE AND ARTIFICIAL TURF DRASTICALLY INCREASES, UM, HEAT IN THE AREA.
SO, YEAH, AGAIN, I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE FROM THE APPLICANT, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY THIS OVER NATURAL GRASS? I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE LOTS OF CONSTRAINTS TO THIS LOCATION.
SO I THINK IT BEGS THE QUESTION, IS THIS THE RIGHT SITE FOR THIS PROJECT? GIVEN ALL THE CONSTRAINTS, THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
YEAH, AND JOHN CAN PIPE UP A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH IN ARTIFICIAL TURF, BUT WE BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY CERTAIN VENDORS THAT CLAIM TO HAVE PRODUCTS THAT DO NOT HAVE PFAS SO THAT THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE, BUT THAT OF COURSE WOULDN'T INCLUDE ALL THE OTHER TOXIC METALS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, PFAS OR JUST KIND OF ONE, ONE OF MANY, UM, KNOWN CARCINOGENS THAT THEY CONTAIN.
UM, YEAH, I THINK, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE APPLICANT WANTS TO ADDRESS ANY OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AROUND IT.
YEAH, I, I, I DEFINITELY HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR CONCERNS, AND I JUST KNOW THAT RBI IS ALWAYS USING THE BEST MATERIALS THAT THEY CAN FOR THEIR, FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THEIR CHILDREN, UM, THAT'S ALWAYS AT THE FRONT OF THEIR MIND.
AND SO WE'LL BE USING, UM, AS THINGS CONTINUE TO INVOLVE, WE'LL BE USING ABSOLUTE BEST PRACTICES AS THEY CAN AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
THIS IS, UH, JOHN CLEMENT WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UM, IN ADDITION TO, UH, POTENTIALLY PFAS FREE, UM, MATERIALS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PFAS COMES IN, UH,
[00:45:01]
DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE LUBRICANT.
SO IT'S USED A LOT FOR, UH, FORMING THE PLASTICS INTO THESE VARIOUS SHAPES.
UH, IN TERMS OF THE INFILL MATERIAL, NOTORIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST THAT'S BEEN, UM, RECYCLED RUBBER AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE METALS HAVE COME FROM.
UM, I'M SURE THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE STILL DOING SIMILAR THINGS, BUT, UH, COMPANIES ALSO HAVE A VARIETY OF TURF PRODUCTS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFILL.
IT CAN BE GRAVEL, IT CAN BE, UH, CO YOU KNOW, COCONUT PRODUCT AND VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT RATES AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF DECOMPOSING AND DIFFERENT POTENTIAL FOR RELEASING, UM, AND LOWERED RISKS FOR RELEASING TOXINS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND AS LIZ MENTIONED, WITH THE STANDARD S FILTRATION AND BIOFILTRATION PONDS, YOU KNOW, THE PLASTICS AS THEY'RE BREAKING DOWN, IF IT'S, UM, WITHIN THE TYPICAL, YOU KNOW, SEDIMENT PARTICLE SIZE OR LARGER, IT'LL GET CAUGHT BY THE POND, UM, AND THEN REMOVED WHEN THE POND IS MAINTAINED AND REHABILITATED OVER THE COURSE OF ITS LIFE.
UH, SO IT WOULD REALLY BE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH SPEAKING OF, YOU KNOW, THINKING OF MICROPLASTICS, LARGER PARTICLES GET CAUGHT SO THEY'RE NOT FREE THEN TO, UH, CONTINUE BREAKING DOWN AND RELEASING THE SMALLER MICROPLASTICS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT WOULD JUST BE MICROPLASTICS AS THEY'RE DIRECTLY KIND OF SHED FROM THE PLASTIC THAT COULD MAKE IT THROUGH THE PONDS AND INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, UM, ALL THOSE RISKS ARE REAL, UH, BUT ALSO ARE MITIGATED TO SOME EXTENT AND CAN BE MITIGATED DEPENDING ON THE, ON THE PRODUCT PROVIDED.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, HARD NOW WITH ANY, WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC ASSURANCES AROUND THE MATERIAL THAT'S GONNA BE USED.
UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE OF THE OPTIONS WE HAVE, THEY ALL STILL HAVE KNOWN REAL RISKS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO I'M, YOU KNOW, HEARING THAT YOU WANT TO EMPLOY BEST PRACTICES, BUT I, I DON'T HEAR SPECIFICS AND I DON'T KNOW, FRANKLY THAT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN FIND ON THE MARKET THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER TO BE IN YOUR PRICE RANGE AND BUDGET WOULD ALSO MEET OUR WATER QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS.
WELL, I, I WOULD JUST ADD, ADD ONE OTHER PIECE OF IT.
SO LIKE I SAID, AND THE STAFF SAID WE DESIGNED THIS, THAT WE COULD DO IT AS TURF.
RIGHT? A, A FULL DECISION HAS NOT BEEN MADE IF IT IS TURF OR GRASS, IT IS IMPERVIOUS.
THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS THERE THAT IF THE TURF PRODUCT IS USED, THAT IT IS FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS, WE'RE STILL AT SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, WE'RE STILL RAISING FUNDS.
IT'S AS A NONPROFIT, THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT TURF IS GOING, WHAT THAT TURF, 'CAUSE TURF IS GRASS, RIGHT? UM, IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, UM, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT THAT PRODUCT ENDS UP.
IF IT IS A TURF, WE HAVE TAKEN ALL OF THE MEASURES THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT IT IS TREATED AS STAFF AS MENTIONED.
AND HOW WILL THOSE DECISIONS BE MADE MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF IF IT'S NATURAL GRASS OR IF IT'S ARTIFICIAL TURF AND WHAT, LIKE GONNA PRIORIT, HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA PRIORITIZE THAT DECISION? IT'LL BE MADE AT THE TIME THAT WE GET TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIELD BASED ON, ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE, WHAT THE BEST PRACTICES ARE, WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE AT THE TIME.
THERE'S NOT A, A A, A FORMAL DECISION HAS NOT BEEN MADE IN EITHER DIRECTION.
AND IF YOU WERE TO USE NATURAL GRASS, WOULD YOU PLAN ON USING PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES TO TREAT IT? AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE TO FULLY COMPLY WITH CODE, BUT I CAN'T FULLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION AT THIS POINT.
WE, WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN THE WATERSHED AND WE'D HAVE TO BE SUPER SENSITIVE TO THE RUNOFF THAT GOES IN THERE.
UM, BUT WE ARE AGAIN, JUST KIND OF AT THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PHASE OF THIS.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RIGHT NOW? THANK YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA JUMP IN AND, AND, AND TALK TO THIS POINT A LITTLE BIT.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DAMNED IF YOU DO, YOU'RE DAMNED IF YOU DON'T, UM, WITH A, YOU KNOW, NATURAL GRASS FIELD, UM, YOU'RE WA YOU'RE USING A LOT OF WATER, UH, FOR THAT.
YOU'RE USING A LOT OF CHEMICALS, UH, TO GROW THE GRASS AND KEEP IT GREEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE USING SOME PESTICIDES ON THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU GOTTA KIND OF FIGURE OUT THE BALANCE OF, OF WHICH IS GONNA BE THE LEAST IMPACT, UM, FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPACE, UM, HOPEFULLY THE, THE, UH, WATER RETENTION AREA THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BETWEEN THE, THE PARKING LOT AND THE FIELD.
IS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CATCH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT Y'ALL ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WEIGHING THOSE TWO THINGS.
UM, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, I KNOW, UM, WHEN TRAVIS COUNTY WAS DECIDING ON THEIR, UM, LATEST BALL FIELDS AND EVEN
[00:50:01]
GOING THROUGH AND, AND RENEWING SOME OF THOSE BALL FIELDS, THEY WERE MAKING THE DECISION THAT THE ARTIFICIAL WAS LESS TOXIC IN HOW, UM, IT COULD BE MANAGED THAN GOING THROUGH AND USING ALL THE WATER, ALL THE CHEMICALS, ALL OF THE PESTICIDES AND STUFF.SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WAS, UM, EAST METRO PARK, UM, THAT'S, UM, THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT THERE.
SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF, OF SOMETHING THAT'S, UM, BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING ALL THE DARK SKY LIGHTINGS.
UM, WILL THERE ALSO BE A CUTOFF TIME? IS THERE LIKE A HARD CUTOFF TIME? 10 O'CLOCK LIGHTS OUT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ON, UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, THE PRAIRIE.
YOU'RE IN THE BLACKLINE PRAIRIE, UM, ON THE NATIVE PLANNING.
IS THAT, IS THAT PRAIRIE, MOSTLY PRAIRIE GRASSES? TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.
UH, JOHN P WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION? NO, IN THIS CASE IT'S, SO THE, THE WAY THE FUNCTIONAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT IS SET UP, IT'S PRETTY STRONGLY DRIVEN BY CANOPY COVER.
SO WE TYPICALLY REQUEST INCREASING CANOPY COVER IN THESE AREAS, WHICH, AND WE'VE HAD INTERNAL DEBATES ABOUT YOU CAN HAVE VERY HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, THRIVING GRASSLAND FLOODPLAINS, UM, BUT SINCE THE CRITERIA DRIVEN BY CANOPY, WE REQUEST, UH, SEEDLING PLANTINGS.
BUT ALSO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF, IF COMMISSION HAS CONCERNS WITH THAT, THERE'S OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD BE MADE.
I, I, I DEFINITELY HAVE CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY IN THAT UPLAND AREA, NOT NECESSARILY DOWN IN THE, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE THE RIPARIAN AREA, BUT CERTAINLY UP AS YOU MOVE UP THE HILL THERE IN THIS SORT OF, UM, THIS AREA THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UNDEVELOPED HERE.
UM, I REALLY HATE THAT TERM, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S, IT WON'T BE IN USE WITH THIS PROJECT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE SORT OF PRAIRIE RESTORATION UP IN THAT AREA FOR SURE.
UM, ESPECIALLY AREA CURRENTLY, THAT AREA IS OUTSIDE OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT, SO THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT, I DON'T, IS THAT ON ANY OF Y'ALLS? IF, IF YOU CAN GO, I HAVE IT, I HAVE IT ON THE SLIDES.
IF YOU JUST CAN JUST GO BACK ONE SLIDE TO SLIDE NINE.
DOES THE, THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT AREA IS BASICALLY EVERYTHING TO THE RIGHT OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY AREA THAT IS IN BLUE, GREEN, AND PURPLE, THAT WORK.
SO THAT AREA ENCOMPASSES THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, UM, THE EXISTING CCFS AND ADDS ADDITIONAL CF BUFFER TO THEM, UH, AND ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE CRITICAL AS WELL.
SO BASICALLY WE TOOK THE OUTER BOUNDARY OF ALL THOSE BUFFERS AND SAID, GIVE US A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR THAT, AND THEN THE REST OF THE PROPERTY ASSIST THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY AREA THAT'S GONNA HAVE ANY KIND OF REPLANTING IN IT? YES, YES.
UM, I ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE CUT AND FILL, AND THIS GOES BACK TO STAFF'S SLIDES.
UM, IT SAYS CUT, ALLOW, CUT UP TO EIGHT FEET.
THAT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE IF IT'S CUT.
UH, TYPICALLY IT'S JUST MEASURED AS, AS AN ABSOLUTE VALUE.
SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY CUT DOWN TO EIGHT FEET.
BUT, BUT YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
UH, SORRY, MY JIGGLE DSD YEAH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, YEAH, I HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT LIKE THAT.
UH, JUST, UH,
WELL, I'M, I'M GLAD WE'RE LOOKING AT 'EM NOW.
UM, SO, OKAY, SO THAT'S GONNA GO, YOU'RE BRINGING IT DOWN FROM LOYOLA.
YOU KINDA COME DOWN, YOU'RE CUTTING THROUGH THERE.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN THE FILL, ARE YOU USING ON ONSITE FILL OR YOU'RE BRINGING NEW FILL ON OR USING THAT FILL FROM THERE? I'M LOOKING TO PHONE A FRIEND OVER HERE FOR THAT.
JONATHAN MCKEE GARZA, EMC, UH, CIVIL ENGINEER.
SO I'M SPEAKING FOR THE CONTRACTOR AREA A LITTLE BIT HERE, BUT, UH, THE FILL IS MOSTLY FOR THE BRIDGE AREA, SO OBVIOUSLY THERE NEEDS TO BE STRUCTURAL ASPECTS TO THAT DIRT.
SO IT ALL DEPEND ON WHEN THEY START DIGGING UP, THEY CUT AREAS, IT'S THE RIGHT SOIL THEY CAN USE, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURALLY SPEAKING, THEY'LL
[00:55:01]
USE THAT OBVIOUSLY TO SAVE COSTS FROM HAULING IT OFF SOMEWHERE AND BRINGING NEW STUFF IN.BUT IF IT'S NOT, THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO BRING IN BETTER MATERIAL.
DO YOU KNOW IF PROJECTS IN THE AREA HAVE, HAVE USED THEIR FILL AT ALL? HAVE YOU LOOKED AT ANY OF THAT OR WHAT WAS DONE? I DID NOT.
I SEE MIKE
UM, UM, FOR THAT, UM, I THINK THE ONLY THING, UH, THE ONLY OTHER, YOU KNOW, QUESTION I HAD HERE WAS, UM, ARE YOU PLANNING ON USING ANY KIND OF SOLAR THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT OR TO REDUCE ANY OF THE ENERGY USE OUT THERE? IT, IT'S NOT IN THE CURRENT PLAN, NO, MA'AM.
CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? YES.
UH, CAN I ASK THE APPLICANT, ARE YOU GOOD WITH THE STAFF'S, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS? YES, SIR.
SO I'M PLAYING DOUBLE DUTY HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I COULD ASK MYSELF IF THERE'S A MOTION AND I WOULD SAY YES.
UM, SO
DO WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING TOO? OKAY.
MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DID WE GET THAT RIGHT? SECOND BY SULLIVAN.
I'M GONNA WRITE A COUPLE THINGS DOWN REALLY QUICK THAT I HEARD IN THE MEETING.
UM, AUGUST 6TH, 2025 SUBJECT IS RBI YOUTH, UH, AUSTIN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX, SP 2 0 2 2 DASH 0 5 6 7 C LOCATION AT 7 4 0 1 LOYOLA LANE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING, UM, SEVERAL VARIANCES.
ONE, UM, TO VARY FROM LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 26 1 G TO ALLOW FLOOD FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE TWO REQUEST, UH, VARY FROM LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 2 63 TO ALLOW FLOODPLAIN MODIFICATION OUTSIDE OF A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE THAT IS IN GOOD FLOODPLAIN HEALTH CONDITION.
THREE, REQUEST TO VARY FROM LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 3 41 TO ALLOW CUT, UM, UP TO EIGHT FEET AND REQUEST TO VARY FROM LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH 3 4 2 TO ALLOW FILL UP TO EIGHT FEET.
WHEREAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED SUBURBAN CLASSIFICATION, DESIRED DEVELOPMENT DESIRE, DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
WHEREAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS A VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
AND THOSE CONDITIONS ARE PROVIDE A 1.55 ACRE ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION, PROVIDE 4.3 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN MITIGATION PAY, UH, THREE HUNDRED TWELVE, SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY $5 AND 84 CENTS INTO THE RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND.
PLACE 4.7 ACRES, UH, OF FLOODPLAIN AND 3.8 ACRES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND INTO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, PROVIDE 0.63 OF WILDFLOWER MEADOW AND DETENTION PONDS AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL SIX, UH, ADDITIONAL 0.62 ACRES
[01:00:01]
OF RESTORATION WITHIN THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODPLAIN.THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZ RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS.
UM, ONE, UM, UM, DARK SKY LIGHTINGS FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS CENTERS.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, BEING ON A TIMER THAT AUTOMATICALLY GOES OFF AT 10:00 PM TO REDUCE LIGHT POLLUTION TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS TO RE REDUCE, UH, LEACHING FROM FIELD AS BEST AS POSSIBLE THROUGH RE UH, RETENTION STRUCTURE AND WATER QUALITY PONDS.
AND THREE, UTILIZE THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE MIX AND SEEDING ALONG THE ROADWAY FOR RESTORATION.
SECOND, I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, AMENDMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, ADD THE, UH, REQUIREMENT TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION, UH, PLAN SINCE THIS IS GOING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PART OF THIS AREA IS IN A FLOODPLAIN, I'D LIKE TO, UH, RECOMMEND THAT THE APPLICANT, UH, DEVELOP AN EMERGENCY, UH, EVACUATION PLAN FOR THE AREA IN THE EVENT OF A FLOOD.
THE SECOND ONE IS, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM, UH, CREATE LEASE ONE OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONER BRIER.
I WOULD RECOMMEND TAKING THEM ONE AT A TIME.
UM, SO SEEING, OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
AND THEN SO THAT IT DOESN'T GET TOO CONFUSING,
I WOULDN'T WANT TO CONFUSE ANYONE.
SO DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR HIS FIRST REQUEST? I'LL SECOND THAT.
UH, AND THEN ASK IF THERE'S ANY OBJECTIONS TO ADD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT ONE? NO.
UH, YEAH, THANK YOU ELIZABETH, FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, ON SPOT WITH EVERYTHING.
UH, THE SECOND WOULD BE THAT THERE BE AN ADDITIONAL EXIT THAT IS A DA COMPLIANT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ROAD IN CASE OF, UH, EVACUATION REQUIREMENTS.
I AM JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY I FEEL LIKE THAT FALLS A LITTLE OUTSIDE OF OUR PURVIEW, UH, FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUEST.
UH, WELL, I'M LOOKING AT THE FACT THIS, HOLD ON, LET'S LET LIZ ANSWERED THIS REALLY QUICK.
UH, YEAH, I'M THINKING ON THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FLOOD SAFETY IS IMPORTANT.
UM, I KNOW THERE IS A TRAIL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A DA COMPLIANT, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN A DA COMPLIANT TRAIL WOULD DO TO THE GRADING, IF THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL GRADING REQUIRED.
I'M SEEING NODDING FROM THE APPLICANTS.
SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF DISTURBANCE AND THUS INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF RESTORATION REQUIRED.
SO THAT, THAT ONE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
WELL, I DON'T MIND, UH, NOT LEAVING THE, UH, PEOPLE IN A WHEELCHAIR BEHIND IN CASE OF A FLOOD.
UH, IF EVERYONE ELSE IS OKAY LEAVING THEM BEHIND, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A SECOND EXIT FROM THE PROPERTY IN CASE OF A FLOOD SINCE, UH, THE MANDATE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS FLOODING IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY MANDATES.
I THINK IT'S WITHIN OUR PURVIEW TO REQUEST THAT IN A FLOOD ZONE, YOU KNOW, AN AREA THAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED NEAR A FLOOD ZONE, THAT WE HAVE A SECOND EXIT THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE AN EMERGENCY METHOD OF EXITING THE PROPERTY IN THE EVENT OF A FLOOD.
AND IF WE DON'T WANNA MAKE IT A DA COMPLIANT, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THAT TOO.
UH, BUT I JUST FEEL THAT MAKING IT A DA COMPLIANT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
UM, I GUESS THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IN A WHEELCHAIR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT ON THE DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS, I ASSUME IS HOW THEY WOULD'VE ARRIVED.
WELL, THE, UH, ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE ROAD IS FLOODED BECAUSE IT'S, THE BRIDGE IS OVER THE TOP OF THE CREEK AND THE CREEK IS FLOODING THE BRIDGE.
SO WE NEED A SECOND EXIT FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
AND IF THEY CAN'T GET OUT VIA A VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ROAD'S FLOODED, THEN THEY NEED SOME OTHER WAY TO GET OUT.
SO I, YEAH, I GUESS MY, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO SHELTER IN PLACE IN THAT SITUATION.
IF THE, IF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLOODED, THEN WE COULD ASSUME A, A SIDEWALK WOULD ALSO BE FLOODED AND NOT SAFE TO, TO, UH, TO TRAVERSE.
SO I THINK SHELTERING IN PLACE IN THE BUILDING WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION IN THAT SITUATION.
WELL, THE APPLICANT INDICATED THAT THERE ARE EXITS, UH, THROUGH THE FENCES OF VARIOUS, UH, NEIGHBORS ALONG THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE
[01:05:01]
RESIDENTIAL AREAS.UH, BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER AREAS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT PRACTICAL, THAT'S FINE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THIS, THAT THAT'S OKAY TOO.
I'M PROPOSING THAT WE DO THIS FOR A SAFETY PURPOSE IF THAT'S DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, MEET THE REQUIREMENT.
UM, PROCEDURALLY AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD ACHIEVE THIS IF THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO OFFER UP THE IDEA OF, WITH THE AMENDMENT WE JUST PASSED, MAYBE IN THE LANGUAGE ABOUT AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN, SAY, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO FOLKS WHO REQUIRE A DA ACCESSIBILITY.
AND THEN THAT ALLOWS, UM, IN THE EXPLORATION OF WHAT AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR EVERYONE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR WITHOUT US HAVING TO DICTATE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
COMMISSIONER PRIME, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? I THINK YOU SAID? SURE, SURE.
I'M JUST WONDERING 'CAUSE WE ALREADY VOTED ON THAT IF WE NEED TO, HOW THAT WORKS, ELIZABETH, IF YEAH, I WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS.
YOU'RE AMENDING IT, SO AS LONG AS THERE'S A SECOND AND EITHER NO OBJECTIONS OR A FULL VOTE, IT WOULD BE FINE.
SO WE'LL JUST TREAT IT BASICALLY OKAY.
OKAY, SO I GUESS I'LL OFFER IT AND THEN PRIMER.
WOULD YOU SECOND THAT? I'LL SECOND THAT.
ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? I DO HAVE ONE.
UM, 'CAUSE THIS IS LIKELY TO COME UP AGAIN.
UM, AND THIS IS PART OF BUILDING CODE TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN, CORRECT.
SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO THINK THROUGH FLOODING AND FIRE AND GETTING OFF OF THE SITE AND HAVING A BACK ENTRANCE.
SO ARE WE GONNA REQUIRE THIS WITH EVERY PLAN THAT COMES AROUND AS FAR AS EMERGENCY EVACUATION? I LIKE THE SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS ASPECT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
WE'LL JUST CLARIFY LATER THAT, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE THIS REQUIRE AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN FOR FLOODING FIRE AND THEY'VE ALREADY CONSIDERED YEAH.
THAT, THAT MAY WELL BE, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN, IN THAT.
UM, UM, I, I KNOW, I DO KNOW THAT OUR FLOODPLAIN REVIEWERS LOOK AT SAFE ACCESS WHEN THEY ARE APPROVING THESE PLANS.
AND SO THE DRIVEWAY PR PROVIDES SAFE ACCESS FOR THE A HUNDRED YEAR STORM.
UM, ADDITIONAL ACCESS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS TYPICALLY REQUIRED.
AND WELL, I MIGHT, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND ADD THAT.
UM, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, LET'S SAY A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH A NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD HAVE A BACK EXIT.
YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HAVE, UH, TWO ENTRY POINTS AS, AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR BUILDING.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE LIVE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMEWHERE THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GONNA BE USED ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
SO IT'S, IN THAT ASPECT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE A CHURCH, UM, OR A PLACE OF FAITH, UM, THAT IS USED DURING CERTAIN HOURS.
UM, AND NOT, NOT ALL DAY, LIKE A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANNA PUT THAT CONTEXT IN THERE A LITTLE BIT TOO.
COMMISSIONER BRIER, WAS THAT ALL THAT YOU HAD ON YOUR, UM, UH, FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS? UH, YES, MA'AM.
I, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE OTHER POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IN CLARIFICATION THERE.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL, UH, IN THAT THIS IS A ITEM THAT'S BEING DONE WITHIN A FLOODPLAIN, UH, OR ADJACENT TO IT.
UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DONE MANY TIMES AND I'M JUST PULLING THIS OUT OF THE AIR.
WE CONSIDER A PUD AND IF IT'S NOT NEAR A FLOODPLAIN, THEN THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT UP BECAUSE, WELL, IT'S NOT NEAR A FLOODPLAIN, BUT THIS ISN'T A FLOODPLAIN, SO THIS IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
UM, WITHOUT ANY OTHER ADDITIONS, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, UH, HAVE A VOTE ON, UM, THE ENTIRE THING.
DO YOU WANT ME TO REREAD THE WHOLE THING OR CAN Y'ALL REMEMBER, REMEMBER HOW IT GOES, SEEING SOME HEAD NODDING, SAYING DON'T READ IT, PLEASE.
SO, UM, UH, LET'S, UH, SHOW OF HANDS, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UM, THE MOTION.
SO WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
UH, ANY ABSTAIN OR OBJECTION? AND WE HAVE ONE KRUGER, JUST CLARIFYING IF THAT IS AGAINST OR AN ABSTENTION? IT'S A NAY VOTE.
[3. Presentation of Development Assessment Report for 600 East Riverside Drive, located at 600 and 600 ½ East Riverside Drive, CD-2025-0001 (District 9). Applicant: Richard T. Suttle, Armbrust & Brown, PLLC. Staff: Marcelle Boudreaux, Planning Department, and Leslie Lilly, Environmental Program Manager, Watershed Protection Department]
I HAVE PAPER HERE THAT'S GONNA TELL ME WHAT'S[01:10:01]
NEXT.UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM, PRESENTATION OF DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT REPORT, UH, 600 EAST SIDE RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ONE.
I KEEP FORGETTING TO DO THAT TOO.
UM, WE'LL HAVE THE PLANNING STAFF KICK US OFF WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION AND THEN WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I'M MARCEL UDRA WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WITH AN INTRODUCTION ON THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT APPLICATION FOR 600 EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OR PUD KCD DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 600 AND 600 AND A HALF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE.
IT IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPED WITH A COMMERCIAL RESTAURANT USE WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING AND IS ZONED LVNP AND CS ONE VNP.
IT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY, THE LADY BIRD LAKE WATERSHED, WHICH IS AN URBAN WATERSHED AND IS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DISTRICT.
THE PROPOSED PUD IS IN AN AREA.
UH, IF THE, IF YOU NEED THE SLIDES TO ADVANCE, PLEASE SAY NEXT SLIDE.
UM, ACTUALLY THE PRESENTATION IS NOT MINE.
I BELIEVE THAT'S FOR THE APPLICANT'S.
THE PROPOSED PUD IS IN AN AREA THAT INCLUDES 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN AND CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A DEVELOPMENT SECOND.
GIVE US A, HANG ON ONE SECOND.
'CAUSE WE, WE DON'T HAVE SLIDES UP SO WE'RE, SO, SO THAT'S CORRECT.
SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE PRESENTATION.
OH, THE APPLICANT HAD THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS, SO SHE'S JUST GIVING AN INTRODUCTION.
TRYING TO MAKE IT AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL IN THESE.
UM, THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT IS AN APPROXIMATELY 1.75 ACRE MIXED USE PROJECTS.
AND IN THEIR SUBMITTAL LETTER, APPLICANT STATES THEY ARE SEEKING L LAKE, COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ZONING AS THE BASELINE WITH CODE MODIFICATIONS OUTLINED IN THE STAFF REPORT AND EXHIBITS.
THE PUD WILL SEEK 22 MODIFICATIONS FROM CODE REQUIREMENTS.
THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED IN THEIR SUBMITTAL MATERIALS THAT THE PROJECT WILL MEET ALL OF THE APPLICABLE TIER ONE PUD DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, TIER ONE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, AND OFFER ELEMENTS OF SUPERIORITY IN SIX TIER TWO CATEGORIES.
THAT IS THE END OF MY INTRODUCTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A QUICK REMINDER ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP AN APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO TAKE PRIOR TO FILING A PUD APPLICATION.
THIS IS A PRELIMINARY REVIEW THAT PROVIDES FEEDBACK FROM THE CITY TO THE APPLICANT.
FOLLOWING THIS BRIEFING TONIGHT, THE DA WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND AFTER INCORPORATING FEEDBACK FROM THE STAFF COMMENTS, REPORT AND BRIEFINGS, THE APPLICANT CAN FORMALLY SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FOR THE P.
UM, AND, UH, THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE MORE DETAIL.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
JUST TO GET STARTED, TO GIVE YOU AN ORIENTATION OF WHERE WE ARE, DOES ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION REMEMBER WHERE STEAK ISLAND WAS? AH, HOW ABOUT MAGIC TIME MACHINE? WE'RE GETTING ABOUT JOE'S CRAB SHACK AND CIDER CADE.
UM, SMALL SITE, 1.75 ACRES LOCATED RIGHT ON
[01:15:01]
THE RIVER AT THE CONFLUENCE OF BLUNT AND, UH, AND I TOWN, LAKE LADY, BIRD LAKE, WHATEVER IT IS.UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR A PUD 'CAUSE IT'S A CHALLENGING SITE.
WE'VE GOT CRITICAL ZONE ON TWO SIDES.
WE'VE GOT WATERFRONT OVERLAY, WE'VE GOT FLOODPLAIN, WE'VE GOT IT ALL ON THIS SITE.
WE ALSO HAVE IT ALL IN THAT WE, UH, IT'S ALMOST ENTIRELY COVERED UP WITH, UH, PARKING LOT, WITH NO WATER QUALITY BEEN THERE FOREVER.
THE BUILDING SITS ACTUALLY HANGS OUT OVER THE WATER.
AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS A, A MIXED USE TOWER WITH MIXED, UH, COMMERCIAL ON THE BOTTOM AND CONDOS ON THE TOP.
AND WHICH BUTTON DO I PUSH ON THIS TO MAKE THIS GO? THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
BUILDING ON THE WATER PARKING LOT OUT FRONT, THAT'S COMING OFF RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
AGAIN, JUST PARKING LOT THAT IS LOOKING BACK TOWARDS THE CITY FROM THIS SITE.
IT'S BASICALLY ZONED L UH, LAKE AT A 200 FOOT HEIGHT LIMITATION, EXCEPT THAT IS FURTHER LIMITED BY THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY.
THIS IS, IT'S HARD TO SEE, BUT THE MAIN LINE THAT YOU SEE ON THERE IS, IS THE CURRENT CRITICAL AND WATERFRONT OVERLAY SETBACK ALONG THE RIVER AND THE CREEK.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A, IS A BUFFER ZONE FROM A RIM ROCK THAT IS ACROSS THE CREEK FROM US.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THAT ONE SHOWS, BUT I THINK THAT'S BASICALLY THE CRITICAL ZONE IN THE, IN THE SETBACK
AND THEN WE'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE.
THEY BASICALLY REVOLVE AROUND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE IMPERVIOUS COVER UP, WE'RE GONNA BACK OFF THE CREEK AND BACK OFF THE RIVER.
WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME LENIENCY ON THE SETBACK TO BE ABLE TO PUT CERTAIN USES AND A LITTLE BIT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER WITHIN THOSE ZONES.
AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THESE IN FINER DETAIL IF YOU WANT TO.
THESE ASSESSMENTS ARE ODD BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN, I BELIEVE, WHEN WE GET THE FINER DETAIL.
BUT THIS IS AN OVERALL VIEW TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK BACK FROM US ON WHAT YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE COME BACK TO SEE YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE CAN GO THROUGH ALL THESE IN EXCRUCIATING DETAIL IF YOU'D LIKE OUR PROPOSED SUPERIORITY ELEMENTS.
AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THAT AND OPEN, OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR US.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE, I'M HAPPY TO, I'LL JUST HAVE TO PUT ON MY READERS AND GO THROUGH THEM WITH YOU.
I HAVE NO DOUBT WE WILL GET TO EXCRUCIATING DETAIL AT SOME POINT.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START, UM, THE QUESTIONS HERE AND WE'LL GO TO ON, UH, OUR ONLINE FRIENDS, UH, ASK THAT.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONER
I FORGOT OUR FRIENDS OVER HERE.
BOBBY LAVINSKY SAVER SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I THINK I'VE DONATED TIME TO, I JUST WANNA KNOW HOW TIME, OKAY.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE VOTING ON THIS TONIGHT.
WE'RE PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT OF A LENGTHY LETTER TO YOU, SO THAT MAY, MAYBE YOU CAN REVIEW IT BEFORE THIS COMES BACK TO YOU.
UM, BUT HOPEFULLY IT COULD ALSO GUIDE YOUR CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
'CAUSE I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THE CODE MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED.
UM, THIS IS YET ANOTHER PUD ON THE LADY BIRD LAKE, LAKE FRONT THAT IS NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY.
THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1986.
IT WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT THE LAKE FROM DEVELOPMENT.
AND A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT DID, UM, GO UP AGAINST THE LAKE.
AND THEY KNEW THAT AT THE TIME THEY SET THIS PLAN IN PLACE.
SO THAT WAY AS THESE, AS THESE PROPERTIES GET DEVELOPED, THEY WOULD SET BACK AWAY FROM THE WATERFRONT, INCREASE THE RIPERION SPACE AND REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, THE APPLICATION THAT IS MOVING FORWARD WOULD MAINTAIN MANY OF THE ENCROACHMENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE PRIMARY SETBACK IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE, WHY WOULD WE WANT THIS? UM, SO LIKE THE FIRST, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE, UM, THE ADDITION OF AUTOMOTIVE SALES ON THE LAKEFRONT.
[01:20:01]
WHY DO WE NEED A CAR LOT ON THE LAKEFRONT? THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A PROVISION IN A LOT OF THE PODS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH, AND IT'S REALLY JUST ABSURD.WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A CAR DEALERSHIP ON LADY BIRD LAKE.
VEHICLE STORAGE, COMMERCIAL OFF STREET PARKING AND PERFORMANCE VENUES.
UM, LIGHT MANUFACTURING, UH, ALL OF THESE USES ARE, UM, COMMON WITH POLLUTANTS THAT THAT CAN GET INTO OUR WATER SOURCES.
UH, BLUNT CREEK IS INCREDIBLY SENSITIVE AS, UH, THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE WAS DESCRIBING, UM, AT THE MOUTH OF BLU CREEK.
THERE'S A LARGE, UH, UH, WETLANDS THERE WITH, I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME RESTORATION WORK THERE.
SO, I MEAN, THERE IS A LOT AT RISK, UM, IF WE GET IT WRONG.
AND THESE USES JUST COMPLETELY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR LAKEFRONT.
THEY'RE ALSO NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE, UH, SOME OF, SOME OF THE CHANGES ARE SO THAT THEY'D BE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED.
I'M NOT SURE HOW A CAR DEALERSHIP COULD BE CONSIDERED PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED.
UM, WITH, UH, THE REMOVAL OF THE, UH, THE BUILDINGS AND THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE SETBACK, YOU'LL SEE A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO ADD INTO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, INCLUDING BUILDINGS AND PAVERS.
UM, WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT SOME STRUCTURES CAN STAY, UM, WHEN YOU REDEVELOP A PROPERTY WITHIN THE CRITICAL, UM, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED SUPERIOR WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT A SUPERIOR DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS SITE, SHOULDN'T WE BE REQUIRING ALL OF THE ENCROACHMENTS, ALL OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER TO BE REMOVED FROM THE RIPERIAN ZONES, RECOGNIZING THAT IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SITE? UM, THEY'RE ALSO REQUESTING TO INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THREE DIFFERENT SPOTS OR THREE DIFFERENT PROVISIONS.
UM, FROM 15% TO 25% IN THE PRIMARY SETBACK FROM 5% IN PREVIOUS COVER TO 30% IN THE, UM, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UM, AND THEN, UM, UH, 50% IS THE STANDARD THAT WOULD APPLY TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS SUBDISTRICT.
THEY'RE REQUESTING AN EXEMPTION ENTIRELY FROM THAT PROVISION AS WELL.
UM, THEY'RE REQUESTING EXEMPTIONS TO MAIN, UM, TO NOT HAVE TO DO SCREENING FOR ITS PARKING LOTS AND TO REQUIRE PARKING LOTS UP, UH, CLOSER TO THE STREET.
WHY WOULD WE NOT WANNA KEEP THAT? LET'S GET THE PARKING AWAY FROM THE LAKEFRONT.
UM, THEY'RE REQUESTING EXEMPTION FROM THE, UH, REQUIREMENT THAT ESSENTIALLY, UH, LEADS TO BIRD FRIENDLY GLASS.
UM, THEY WANNA REMOVE THE PROVISION THAT WOULD, UH, REQUIRE THEM TO NOT USE MIRRORED GLASS THAT, UM, COULD HELP PREVENT, UH, BIRD STRIKES.
THEY WANT TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR DISTINCTIVE BUILDING TOPS FOR TALLER STRUCTURES.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE DON'T WANT JUST LIKE A COOKIE CUTTER WATERFRONT.
WE WANT THINGS TO LOOK UNIQUE.
IT'S ONE OF OUR GEMS IN OUR CITY.
UM, THEY WANNA REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FROM MANDATING BASEBALLS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT, UM, FLOODING RISK PROVISION THAT'S IN THE CODE.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE THEY'RE WANTING AN ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, 45, UH, FEET TO 200 FEET.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP TO PRESERVE, UM, THE SCENIC VIEWS OF THE LAKE AND ENSURES A MORE AESTHETIC, UM, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND THEY HAVE THREE CODE MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO EXTEND A REALLY LARGE DOCK INTO THE LAKE.
UM, WE DON'T NEED MORE DOCKS INTO THE LAKE.
WE NEED TO BE RETAINING MORE NATURAL AREAS, RETAINING THE, THE FLOWS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE THE LAKE, NOT JUST ALLOWING THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE SHORELINE, WHICH CONTINUES TO HAPPEN WITH EACH ONE OF THESE PUDS.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO REALLY, UM, UH, WHAT'S THE NICE WORD? UH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT PROVISION, UM, THAT WOULD PRE DESIGNATE A CEF ON THE LAND USE PLAN AND SAY, THIS IS THE ONLY CEF THAT CAN HAVE ANY BUFFER ZONES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT AT THE ZONING STAGE.
LET'S JUST WAIT FOR THAT AT THE SITE PLAN STAGE WHERE IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE.
WHERE IF THERE IS A CEF THAT'S CREATING ISSUES, THEY CAN REQUEST AN ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE.
THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DO THAT.
HAVE THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORIES DONE AT THE STAGE OF SITE PLAN.
WE, WE ALWAYS GET TOLD THAT'S NOT A ZONING THING, SO JUST DON'T PUT IT IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND THEN AGAIN, JUST PUDS ARE NOT THE WAY TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY IN AREA WIDE PLANS.
WE HAVE THREE PLANS IN PLACE FOR THIS.
THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DISTRICT, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN THAT APPLIES TO THE AREA.
WHEN YOU ALLOW A P ON A 1.75 ACRE SITE, YOU'RE DOING SPOT ZONING, YOU'RE DOING A SPECIFIC CODE ON AN INDIVIDUAL SITE, ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
IF YOU CONTINUE TO ALLOW WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND THE DECADES OF COMMUNITY PLANNING THAT'S GONE INTO SOME OF THESE, THESE EFFORTS, UM, WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE PLANS IN THE FIRST PLACE? THANK YOU.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UM, AND GO TO QUESTIONS.
UM, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND START COMMISSIONER CH? SURE.
[01:25:01]
FOR THE APPLICANT.I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY THE, THE CEF, UM, WHY THAT IS INCLUDED IN, IN THIS.
THE, THE REASON IS IT'S, IT'S SUCH A CONSTRAINED SITE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY UPFRONT SO THAT THEN WE CAN DESIGN AROUND IT.
SO TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY SO FAR, AND WE'RE GONNA REFINE IT MORE, WE'LL IDENTIFY THE CES 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY EASY TO DEFINE THEM 'CAUSE IT'S BASICALLY A WHOLE PARKING LOT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE THEM AROUND THE EDGES AND WE WANT TO DEFINE THE BUFFERS AS PART OF THE P SO THAT THEN WE CAN JUST FULLY DESIGN THE BUILDING.
BOBBY'S POINT IS WELL TAKEN AT ZONING.
IF YOU'VE GOT A GREENFIELD SITE AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE CEFS THROUGHOUT THE SITE, THAT'S ONE THING.
BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH 1.75, MAYBE A LITTLE LESS OF PARKING LOT.
SO WE KNOW WHAT THE CEFS ARE AND THEY'RE AROUND THE EDGE AND WE WANNA NEGOTIATE THOSE BUFFERS TODAY.
UM, ARE THERE PLANS TO, AND I MAY HAVE JUST MISSED THIS, BUT ARE THERE PLANS TO INCREASE THE RIP ZONE ON THE PROPERTY FROM WHAT IT IS CURRENTLY? WELL, RIPARIAN ZONE I THINK IS A TERM OF ART.
AND I, I MAY GET THIS WRONG, BUT WE'RE PULLING IMPERVIOUS COVER IN BUILDINGS OFF BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER AND THE CREEK.
SO IF THAT'S THE RIPARIAN ZONE, YES.
AND HAS THERE BEEN THOUGHT TO DOING RESTORATION AS WELL? YES.
YOU GO OUT THERE TODAY AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, OH, I'VE BEEN
OH, HAVE YOU? I'VE SEEN IT, YEAH.
AND YES, WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE IT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR RIGHT NOW, BUT MAYBE COME BACK.
I'M GONNA SKIP OVER TO COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, UM, SINCE HE'S WORKED SO MUCH ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
WELL, THIS IS ON THE VERY EDGE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF IT IS PART OF IT.
AND, AND I NEED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING OUT OF FAIRNESS.
UM, THERE'S A 200 FEET IS THE L ZONING HEIGHT.
IF WE HAD NO WATERFRONT OVERLAY, WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR 510 FEET OF HEIGHT.
BUT WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PODS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT GET AROUND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO BY HAVING ONE COHERENT PLAN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ON THE VERY EDGE, EASTERN EDGE OF IT.
WELL, I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST THAT WAS GLOSSED OVER ABOUT WHY IT'S SUPERIOR AND THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT INCLUDE MORE TREE PLANTINGS, LESS IMPERVIOUS COVER, STORMWATER DETENTION, ET CETERA, THAT DON'T EXIST THERE NOW.
COMMISSIONER FLORY, UH, WELL, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU DO SPEND TIME TO GO THROUGH THOSE SLIDES AT LEAST NEXT TIME, UH, IF NOT MORE, KIND OF THE, THE, THE WHY OF THE PROJECT SOMETIMES IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, THE, THE, THE TEAM TO HEAR.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA JUST TAKE TWO MINUTES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GO BACK OVER THAT.
CAN WE ASK THAT, UM, JUST SOME OF, SOME OF THOSE SLIDES OF, OF, UH, KIND OF AS, UH, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN PHRASE IT, OF HOW THIS IS GONNA BE A BETTER SITE THAN IT IS TODAY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORDS ON THAT, THAT PAGE.
I KNOW I CAN LOOK AT IT, UH, NOW, BUT JUST IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FOR NEXT TIME YOU COME, I THINK THAT'S I IMPORTANT TO OH, IT.
AND YOU, YOU START, I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST, I, I DON'T WANNA SOUND CONDESCENDING, BUT YOU START WITH SUCH AN AWFUL SITE THAT ALMOST ANYTHING YOU DO WOULD BE BETTER THAN WHAT'S OUT THERE NOW.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE MEASUREMENT.
THE MEASUREMENT IS WOULD IT BE SUPERIOR TO WHAT YOU COULD DO UNDER STANDARD ZONING? AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THINGS LIKE WATER QUALITY TODAY, THERE'S ZERO WATER QUALITY.
IT GOES STRAIGHT OFF RIVERSIDE, STRAIGHT OFF THE PARKING LOT INTO THE RIVER, INTO THE CREEK.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO DO CURRENT WATER QUALITY STRATEGIES.
NOT ONLY TAKE THE WATER FROM OUR SITE, BUT TAKE SOME WATER OFF OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE AS WELL, AND TREAT IT BEFORE IT ENDS UP IN THE LAKE.
[01:30:01]
UH, WE'RE PLANNING ON EXTENSIVE RE-VEG AND STEPPING BACK OFF THE CREEK AND THE RIVER OR THE LAKE AND, AND REPLANTING.UM, I GOTTA PUT ON MY GLASSES.
THERE'S SO MANY SUPERIORITY ITEMS. I I I'M ASSUMING YOU WANT TO NO, I WAS JUST GONNA KIND OF HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU TO WHAT, WHAT IT COMES TO NEXT TIME.
YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO KNOW DETAILS.
UH, DON'T, DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO READ, UH, THROUGH THEM.
BUT JUST FOR CLARITY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SUPERIORITY, THAT'S TO THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S THERE TODAY AND WHAT THE LAND AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FOR WHAT THE CURRENT LAND CODE CALLS FOR.
WELL, THE SUPERIORITY MEASUREMENT IS, IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT'S OUT THERE TODAY VERSUS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GONNA REDEVELOP, YOU GOTTA DO BETTER.
SUPERIORITY IS MEASURED, IS, ARE YOU DOING ANY BETTER THAN WHAT CODE WOULD REQUIRE IF YOU JUST CAME OUT AND REDEVELOPED IT? AND IT'S A TRADE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE DENSITY AND MORE HEIGHT THAN WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED.
AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING ARE SOME SUPERIORITY ITEMS ENVIRONMENTALLY AND OTHERWISE, IT, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN TERMS OF A NORMAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND THEY ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU REALLY QUALIFY FOR A PUD.
OTHERWISE YOU JUST ZONE IT, WHATEVER.
AND I GUESS JUST QUESTION MAYBE FOR CITY AUSTIN TEAM, MY OWN CLARIFICATION, IS IT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION THAT ULTIMATELY WILL, IS THE ONE THAT WILL BE VOTING ON THE PUD CLASSIFICATION? WE WON'T BE DOING THAT.
UM, ACTUALLY IT WOULD BE CITY COUNCIL.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S IN THE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT STAGE.
THIS IS KIND OF JUST A, THE INITIAL STAGE STAFF HAVEN'T DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THAT'S STAFF AND WATERSHED PLANNING AND ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT REVIEW THESE.
UM, SO ONCE THIS, UH, PART OF THE PROCESS IS DONE, THE FORMAL P WILL BE SUBMITTED AND THAT'S WHEN NEGOTIATIONS REALLY START.
UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF OF LIKE A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR THE APPLICANT TO PRESENT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEN GET SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY COME BACK.
SO YOU WOULD BE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WOULD THEN GO TO COUNCIL AT THAT STAGE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE HEARING IS YOU'RE GONNA WANT A MORE DETAILED GO THROUGH THAN ME JUST GLOSSING OVER IT.
YOU WILL HAVE A STAFF REPORT AND YOU WILL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS IN FRONT OF YOU ON IS YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL.
AND THEN WE'LL GO, WE'LL ADD ONTO THAT AND EXPLAIN MORE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TAKING BACK FROM THIS ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
UM, I'LL SAY THE 510 FEET, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, UH, HAVE ANY RENDERINGS OR WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, UH, ON THE LANDSCAPE.
IS THAT GONNA BE THE TALLEST TOWER ON, UH, THE RIVER RIVERSIDE OR WE ALREADY HITTING 510 FEET? WE ARE, UM, WELL, AS YOU GO WEST, THERE ARE TALLER BUILDINGS AND THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND REALLY QUICKLY IS THE STATESMAN SITE.
AND THERE ARE TALLER, TALLER BUILDINGS PROPOSED THERE.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'LL WANT TO, I I IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO SEE A A A A RENDERING, YOU KNOW, AS YOU HEAR, UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, UH, WHAT THE LIGHTING'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE PUBLIC USE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE FROM THE, THE, THE BOARDWALK TO THE NORTH.
UM, THERE'S SOME REAL NICE TREES AND JUST NICE SPACE TO DWELL AND WONDER WHAT THERE'S ANY PLANS OR, I DON'T KNOW.
AND I KNOW THIS IS ZONING HIGH LEVEL RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION FROM OUR, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT ON, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY SPOKE TO WAS THIS, UH, INDUSTRIAL USE PART OF P DEVELOPMENT, AUTO SALES.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT? SURE.
UM, AS FAR AS VISION, AND YOU COULD SEE FROM MY HAIR AND MY WRINKLES, I'M OLD AND I WOULD HAVE THE SAME RESPONSE.
WHAT YOU WANNA DO A USED CAR DEALERSHIP THERE ON THE LAKE? CAR DEALERSHIPS HAVE CHANGED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE RIVIAN DEALERSHIP OR THE TESLA DEALERSHIP.
IT, IT'S BASICALLY LIKE GOING INTO A STORE.
THERE'S NO CARS, THERE'S NO OIL, THERE'S NO ANYTHING.
BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE A SPACE WHERE YOU COULD COME IN AND ORDER AN ELECTRIC CAR, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AUTO DEALER AND AUTOMOTIVE USE AS A PERMITTED USE IN YOUR, IN YOUR THING.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, TRYING TO SAVE THAT POSSIBILITY BECAUSE I MEAN, YOU DON'T, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED, BUT THERE'S A RIVIAN DEALERSHIP GOING ALMOST ON THE LEG AT CONGRESS, BUT IT'S A STORE, IT'S NOT LIKE A DEALERSHIP.
AND HOW ABOUT THE APPLICATION WA WAS IT, UH, INDUSTRIAL USE? THERE WON'T BE ANY OR LIGHT MANUFACTURING? WELL, IT'S INTERESTING.
LIGHT MANUFACTURING IS, IT CAN BE THE TINIEST THING.
UH, I THINK I HAD TO GET A ZONING CASE DONE ONCE BECAUSE SOMEBODY, IF YOU BROUGHT IN
[01:35:01]
A LOGO ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND PUT IT DOWN ON THE DESK AND SAID, I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, A LITTLE SIGN PRINTED OUT FOR THAT ON YOUR LASER PRINTER.AND THERE WAS A USE DETERMINATION THAT SAID TO DO THAT AT THAT OPERATION.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE THE NEWER HIGH HIGHER TECH USES, BUT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO DESIRE TO HAVE MANUFACTURING ON THIS SITE.
AND THE, AND THE SAFETY VALVE ON THAT IS, IT'S 1.75 ACRES LESS ALL THE SETBACKS.
SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE HEAVY USES LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, I'M MISSED THIS IN THE PRESENTATION, WHICH I THINK YOU LIKELY TOUCHED ON, BUT, UM, JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE PROPOSED PARKING FOR THE, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU, IT'D BE WITHIN THE BUILDING.
IT'D BE WITHIN THE BUILDING, YES.
SO IT'S ON THE SAME STRUCTURE.
THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW.
AT, UH, 500 FEET, I'M ASSUMING THIS IS A 50 STORY BUILDING.
PROBABLY NOT, PROBABLY NOT 50, BUT IT'S GONNA BE TALL.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE DOCK.
UH, IS THERE KIND OF, UH, AN IDEA OF HOW FAR OUT INTO THE LAKE THIS IS GONNA GO AND THE COMPLICATION OF THE, UH, BOARDWALK BEING RIGHT THERE AND THE DOCK IS GONNA GO UNDER THE BOARDWALK OR PROBABLY THIS IS, AGAIN, IT'S A PRESERVATION OF AN AMENITY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA LIVE THERE AND PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THAT AREA.
ROY, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? NOT THAT I CAN SAY IN PUBLIC
UM, IT'S TO PRESERVE AN AMENITY THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD BUILD AS PART OF THE RESIDENCES THERE.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF YOU PLOP A KAYAK IN THE WATER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET UNDER, UNDER THE BOARDWALK.
DO WE KNOW HOW FAR OUT INTO THE WATER? I DON'T DO WE KNOW HOW FAR THE BOARDWALK WITH THE DOCK, SO A SMART PERSON IN THE ROOM SAYING, WE WANT TO TIE INTO THE BOARDWALK WITH A WALKWAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CALLED A BOAT DOCK OR NOT, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA WANNA PRESERVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE KAYAKS AND CANOES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
RIGHT NOW, THE, THE KI THE THE BOARDWALK CUTS OUR PROPERTY OFF FROM THE WATER.
IT'S A, IT LITERALLY, IT'S A FLEXIBILITY PRESERVATION.
IS ANYBODY ELSE GETTING THIS KIND OF TREATMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO THE BOARDWALK FROM ANY OTHER STRUCTURE THAT'S ALONG THAT LOCATION? I AM, UH, LIZ JOHNSTON, WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY AT THIS MOMENT.
UM, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO CONFIRM WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN PART, UH, IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S PLAUSIBLE THIS IS SETTING A PRECEDENCE RESIDENTS.
AND OF COURSE, DURING OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, COORDINATION DURING THE REVIEW, YOU KNOW, WE REACH OUT AND, YOU KNOW, TALK TO STAFF IN PART AUSTIN WATER FIRE, DSD TO GET THEIR TAKE ON EVERYTHING AS WELL.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONFIRM DURING THE, UH, REVIEW OF THE P VERY SIMILAR TO IF, IF THE TRAIL WAS HAD BEEN ABLE TO HAVE BEEN BUILT ALONG HERE, WE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE TRAIL.
IT WOULD JUST BE POTENTIAL ACCESS TO THE BOARDWALK.
THE, I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. YEAH, I KIND OF, I WANNA ECHO WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN OR YOU WERE SAYING, LIKE, IT'S KIND OF HARD JUST BY LOOKING AT TWO SLIDES THAT HAVE NOTHING, UM, TO LIKE, DECIDE ON WHAT, WHAT ELSE TO CONTRIBUTE? I FEEL LIKE MY MAIN THINGS THAT, MY MAIN CONCERNS IS LIKE, UM, AS A RUNNER, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE BIKE AND TRAIL, UH, BIKE AND HIKE TRAIL THAT GOES RIGHT THERE.
AND ALSO LIKE THE WORST OF LIKE, IT'S GONNA BE BETTER.
UM, I, I FEEL ALL OF US GO TO THE CIDER GATE AND I WOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UM, AND I PERSONALLY DO SEE LIKE, UH, I, THE FACT THAT IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE EDGE OF THE TRAIL, UH, OF THE, IN A TOWN LAKE, I DO SEE LIKE A LOT OF CONCERNS AND POINTS THAT JUST FROM LIKE, THE LITTLE INFORMATION I HAVE RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE VOTING ON IT, I WOULD SAY ABSOLUTELY NOT.
UM, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY NEED MORE, I WOULD APPRECIATE MORE INFORMATION ON REGARDS TO ALL OF THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF RANDOM PERMITS FOR THIS TINY
[01:40:01]
SPOT RIGHT THERE THAT MAKE NO SENSE TO ME IN MY BRAIN, JUST KNOWING THE LOCATION SO WELL.UM, AND I WOULD HAVE JUST, UH, KNOWING THE, HOW THE QUALITY OF TOWN LAKE, THE WATER QUALITY AND HOW POLLUTED IT'S GETTING FROM ALL THE OTHER INDUSTRIAL, UM, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND INCLUDING TESLA AND WHATNOT.
I, YEAH, I JUST SEE NOTHING GOOD OUT OF THIS OTHER THAN ANOTHER FOR-PROFIT, DEVELOPER DRIVEN.
UM, BUT YEAH, JUST, JUST MOSTLY WHEN I CALL THAT LIKE, WE WOULD NEED MORE INFORMATION ON LIKE WHAT ALL OF THESE RANDOM PERMITS AND A RENDERING OF HOW IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, I WOULD APPRECIATE TO HAVE THAT AND ALSO NOT, IT NOT AFFECTING AND ALREADY VERY PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY FOR THE PEOPLE AREA.
SO YOU'RE SAYING I GOT A CHANCE,
BUT, YOU KNOW, DO THE HOMEWORK AND THEN COME BACK TO US.
SO IT IS THE CASE THOUGH THAT THE, UM, NORTHERN EDGE OF THIS POD IS, UM, RIGHT ALONG THE BACK OF THE BUILDING THAT'S THERE NOW.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT INTERFERING WITH THE TRAIL OR THE BOARDWALK, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA INTERFERE WITH, WITH THE TRAIL OR THE BOARDWALK.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING THAT IF WE DO ANYTHING TO IT, IT WILL BE AN IMPROVEMENT.
AND, UH, UH, AND THE NATURE OF THIS ITEM, ARE WE VOTING ON ANYTHING? NO, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS THEM GETTING OUR INPUT OKAY.
TO SAY LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE GOOD AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NEXT STEPS.
SO THIS IS HOW THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO SAY LIKE, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
SO, UM, WE LOOK AT THIS AS A CONVERSATION.
WE'VE ONLY ASKED FOR THREE ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS.
BUT WE'VE ASKED FOR 18 OTHERS OR 19 OTHERS SINCE.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S ALL CONNECTED TOGETHER, BUT ONLY THREE ENVIRONMENTALS.
WELL, I COULD MENTION ONE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
AND THAT'S THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE SEPARATE PUDS, WE WANT THIS TO BE A POROUS AREA WHERE YOU CAN TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AS OPPOSED TO GOING OUT ON EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
SO WOULD THERE BE WALLS OR ARE YOU PICTURING THIS AS HAVING WALLS AROUND IT, OR? NO, IN FACT, WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW.
THE PARKS HAS GOT, THEY'RE KIND OF JAMMED UP BECAUSE THERE'S SORTA A WAY TO THROUGH THAT SWITCHBACK TO GET DOWN TO IT.
IF YOU'VE BEEN DOWN THERE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE SEEN IT.
WE'RE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO GET MORE PARKLAND, TO GET THE POROSITY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM RIVERSIDE MM-HMM
DOWN TO THE, DOWN TO THE RIVER AND DOWN TO THE TRAIL.
BUT LIKE THE NEXT DOOR, THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, THAT HASN'T BEEN, THERE'S NOT A REDEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR THAT YET, IS THERE? NO, NO.
SO THE POINT IS THAT IT'S NOT, THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN THIS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE CELL CENTER FOR WATERFRONT.
BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT UP BARRIERS SO THAT YOU CAN'T GO WALK BETWEEN HERE AND CONGRESS AVENUE AWAY FROM EAST RIVERSIDE.
WE HAVE NO INTENT OF WALLING THAT OFF.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT WHOLE AREA.
EVENTUALLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO, EVERYBODY WILL BE ABLE TO GO.
AND THE KEY IS DON'T HAVE A BUNCH OF WALLED OFF GARDENS.
THE KEY IS TO HAVE, BE ABLE TO GET ON YOUR BIKE OR YOUR SCOOTER OR WALK YEAH.
AND GO UP AND DOWN THE RIVER AND MEANDER IN OUT RIGHT.
NOT NECESSARILY ON THE BOARDWALK, NOT NECESSARILY ON EAST RIVERSIDE, BUT THROUGH THE PARKING LOTS, AROUND THE GARDENS.
UM, ONLINE COMMISSIONER BRIER
UM, I GUESS WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, AND YOU USE THE WORD SUPERIOR, I'M LOOKING AT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
THIS IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UH, THERE'S NOT ANOTHER ONE LIKE IT IN THE CITY.
IN FACT, ANYTHING ALONG THE RIVER IS, OR THE LAKE OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, IS UNIQUE.
SO, UH, WHEN YOU SAY SUPERIOR, THE CITY HAS SOMETHING THAT IS SUPERIOR TO OFFER A DEVELOPER.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS TRULY SUPERIOR.
NOT SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME TIER ONE, TIER TWO CHECKPOINTS.
SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY EXCELS WAY BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN GET.
[01:45:01]
UH, AUTO DEALERSHIPS, WHICH WE JUST APPROVED ON 500 SOUTH CONGRESS NOW, THE EXAMPLE THE DEVELOPER USED IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE WAS, ODDLY ENOUGH, RIVIAN.NOW I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW MANY RIVIAN DEALERSHIPS WE'RE GONNA NEED WITHIN TWO MILES OF EACH OTHER.
AND, UH, HOW MANY LIGHT MANUFACTURING SITES.
SO IT'S ALL RIGHT FOR YOU TO SAY, WELL, I'M PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, BUT IF THIS IS TRULY AN EXCEPTIONAL, YOU KNOW, BEYOND GOOD SITE, THEN WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO PUT THERE.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA SAY WE'RE GONNA ALLOW LIGHT MANUFACTURING THERE, JUST BECAUSE SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA ALLOW MANUFACTURING, AND THEN SOMEONE COMES IN AT A LATER DATE AND ACTUALLY DOES LIKE MANUFACTURING, THEN WE'VE OPENED THE DOOR TO SOMETHING WE DON'T REALLY INTEND TO DO.
AND THE SAME THING IS TRUE WITH CAR DEALERSHIPS.
IF WE SAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA ALLOW CARS SET UP, AND THEN WE HAVE LEAF JOHNSON FORD SET UP A DEALERSHIP THERE BECAUSE IT SAYS, WELL, YOU CAN DO IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE, YOU'RE BEING FORTHRIGHT WITH US RIGHT NOW AND SAYING, WELL, IT'S GONNA BE RIVIAN JUST BECAUSE THEY UNDER NO, I'D SAY IT'S GONNA BE RIVIAN RIVIAN.
WELL, IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE TESLA, IT CAN BE ANY ONE OF 25 OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC DEALERSHIPS.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT ONCE YOU START OPENING THIS STUFF UP, YOU REALLY OPEN IT UP TO LEAF JOHNSON AND OR COVERT OR ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO OPEN UP A DEALERSHIP THERE.
AND SO REALLY YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT, IS THIS TRULY EXCEPTIONAL OR IS THIS JUST ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE JUST OPENING THE DOOR TO? AND I THINK I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING IS TRULY EXCEPTIONAL, SOMETHING THAT IS WORTHY OF THAT LOCATION THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND SO FAR, REALLY, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
I SEE THIS AS NOT ANY REALLY DIFFERENT THAN THE 500 SOUTH CONGRESS DEVELOPMENT.
WE APPROVE, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR WEEKS AGO, SIX WEEKS AGO, WHATEVER IT WAS.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS IS ON THE RIVER.
NOW YOU MENTIONED A BOAT DOCK.
I JUST LEARNED WITHIN THE PAST WEEK OR SO, DON'T HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BECAUSE THEY DON'T.
AND, UH, PARTS DEPARTMENT IS BUILDING A BOAT DOCK.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EXACTLY ACROSS THE RIVER, BUT I DON'T IT, I MEAN, IT'S, YOU GO FLOAT A BATTLESHIP UP NEXT TO IT.
SO IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT WE NEED ANOTHER BOAT DOCK AS AMENITY ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER.
UH, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY WE WOULD WANT TO PUT ANOTHER ONE THAT IS PRIVATELY OWNED WHEN THERE CAN BE A CITY OWNED ONE ACROSS THE, UH, ACROSS THE RIVER.
I, I SEE A LOT OF STUFF THERE THAT DOESN'T MAKE THIS EXCEPTIONAL.
I SEE IT BEING, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT MAKE IT EXTREMELY ORDINARY RELATIVE TO THE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THAT APPROVE.
AND I WOULD ALSO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, WE'RE TRYING TO GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF UNIFORMITY IN THE, UH, IN THE OVER, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OVERLAY IN THE WATERFRONT DOWN THERE.
AND IF WE'RE JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, DIVIDE THIS UP INTO A LITTLE BUNCH OF LITTLE FIEFDOMS WITH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, PUDS, THEN THERE'S NO POINT IN HAVING TO OVERLAY A DISTRICT AT ALL.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN I'LL LET EVERYONE ELSE GO WITH THEIRS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE FOR THE CONVERSATION.
I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND, AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, UH, TO HEAR EITHER FROM STAFF OR A RESIDENT ZONING EXPERT, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN ABOUT THE CRITERIA DIFFERENCES IN THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY VERSUS THE PUD AND WHAT WE POTENTIALLY LOSE REGARDING PUBLIC GOOD AND ALSO WATER QUALITY AND MOVING FROM A WATERFRONT OVERLAY TO A P OR IN, OR IF IN FACT THERE ARE POTENTIAL GAINS FOR US BOTH FROM A PUBLIC GOOD STANDPOINT AND FROM A WATER QUALITY STANDPOINT BY TRANSITIONING FROM A WATERFRONT OVERLAY TO A PUD AT THIS PROPERTY.
WELL, REALLY I OPEN THAT QUESTION TO ANYONE WHO HAS THOUGHTS ON THAT.
UM, I CAN TAKE A STAB AND MAYBE, UM, MY COLLEAGUE IN ZONING WOULD CHIME IN AS WELL.
BUT SINCE THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY IS A ZONING SETBACK, UM, THE INTENT IS NOT, ESSENTIALLY IT'S NOT WATER QUALITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE WATER QUALITY SECTION OF THE CODE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WATER QUALITY AS WELL.
OF COURSE, WE DO TAKE INTO CONSIDER THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY SETBACK WHEN WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE
[01:50:01]
KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS TO IT, BUT IT'S PRIMARILY FUNCTION IS NOT NECESSARILY WATER QUALITY.SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN HOLD THAT INTO YOUR HEAD, IT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED.
UM, SO AS FAR AS WATER QUALITY TREATMENT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THEY WILL BE PROVIDING STORM WATER CONTROL, UM, FOR THE REDEVELOPED NEW AND REDEVELOPED IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT MEETS OUR, UM, UH, GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WATER QUALITY OF THE SITE ULTIMATELY SHOULD BE BETTER THAN IT IS TODAY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF WHAT WE LOOK AT AS FAR AS SUPERIORITY GOES, IS THE WATER QUALITY, WHAT IS THERE NOW, WHAT DOES CODE REQUIRE? WHAT WILL WE GET IN THE FUTURE? UM, SO THAT, THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE, THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, AS FAR AS THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY GOES, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE SETBACKS THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S THE PRIMARY SETBACK THAT IS USUALLY AROUND THE SAME, UH, DISTANCE AS THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF SIMILAR IN THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, LIMIT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF THE SHORELINE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER SETBACK, UM, ALONG THE, THE CREEK AND THEN THERE'S A SECONDARY SETBACK.
AND SO THEN HEIGHTS AND THE VARIOUS IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS APPLY, UM, WITHIN THAT SECONDARY SETBACK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW THAT, THAT THAT IS AGAIN, NOT A WATER QUALITY SETBACK BECAUSE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE IS THE WATER QUALITY SETBACK, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
OH, I THINK THAT WAS JUST MY VOICE ECHOED.
UM, I UNDERSTAND TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY FOR THE PUD, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT THE APPLICANT CAN MEET.
MANY ARE RELATED TO WATER QUALITY, UM, WHICH I THINK IS PROMISING.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AT THIS JUNCTURE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, UH, THOSE CRITERIA WOULD BE THAT THE APPLICANT WOULD SPECIFICALLY BE PURSUING, BUT RELATIVE TO, YEAH, PERHAPS ASKING ABOUT THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY WASN'T THE RIGHT WORDING, BUT CURRENT ZONING VERSUS BEING, YOU KNOW, TURNING INTO A PUD IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE BETTER WATER QUALITY THROUGH THESE ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY STANDARDS.
UM, AND ALSO I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD DIFFERING UH, INFORMATION TONIGHT AROUND THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT THIS WOULD BE ULTIMATELY A REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT ON SITE.
IS THAT RIGHT? OH, THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I MEAN, YEAH, I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR MORE FROM COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS IS AT THE KIND OF OUTSKIRTS OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DISTRICT AND YOUR VISION PLANS FOR THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE THINKING AT A SYSTEMS LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CREATE THESE CODES, WE CREATE THEM FOR A REASON, CODES, VISION PLANS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SO TO PIECEMEAL CREATE THESE, UM, EITHER, YOU KNOW, VARIANCES OR EXCEPTIONS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE, I THINK ERODES THE INTENT OF CREATING THOSE DOCUMENTS AND IDEAS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT AND WOULD JUST LOVE TO HEAR YOU TALK MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED EITHER FITS INTO OR DOES NOT FIT INTO THE VISION PLAN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S A QUESTION TO ME THERE.
THERE'S NOT A VERY SPECIFIC DESIGN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BASICALLY ONE GIANT P BASICALLY.
UM, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE A LOT OF MIXED USE IN IT.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HAVE STORM WATER DETENTION, IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GREEN SPACE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF EACH INDIVIDUAL PUT CAN DO THAT, THEN THAT'S GOOD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF NICKEL AND DIMMING IT GOING ONE PUT AT A TIME, WHICH IS, HAS BEEN TROUBLING TO NOT JUST TO ME, BUT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE, THE SCHWAB SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
AND, AND WE'RE NOT SEEING A DESIGN RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ONLY SEEING, YOU KNOW, THE ZONING AND THE HEIGHT AND IN A, IN A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT'S IN THE BACKUP ON THAT.
UM, HAVE A LONG LIST OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A POINT THAT A NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS HAVE BROUGHT UP, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, BUT TO ASSESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY OF THE SITE WITHOUT FULLY UNDERSTANDING ITS INTENDED
[01:55:01]
USE IS CHALLENGING.SO I KNOW WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT IDEAS THROWN OUT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT COULD BE THERE.
BUT, UM, MR. SUBTLE, IF YOU COULD TALK MORE ABOUT HOW YOU'RE ENVISIONING THE INTENDED USE, EVEN IF IT IS IN SOME GENERAL TERMS. I THINK THAT WILL HELP GUIDE MY QUESTIONS A LITTLE MORE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN PULL THE SCREEN BACK UP, BUT I, I THINK I CAN DESCRIBE IT TO YOU, 1.75 ACRE SITE, IF YOU PULL BACK AWAY FROM THE RIVER AND YOU PULL BACK AWAY FROM THE CREEK, THEN YOU'RE BASICALLY PUTTING A TOWER IN THE, WHAT WOULD BE THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THIS SITE.
AND IT WOULD BE A SINGLE BUILDING TOWER WITH PROBABLY PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED USES ON THE BOTTOM PARKING STRUCTURE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BELOW GRADE OR ABOVE GRADE, PROBABLY ABOVE GRADE BECAUSE IT'S TOO, TOO DIFFICULT TO GET THIS SMALL A SITE TO DO BELOW GRADE AND THEN RESIDENTIAL ON TOP.
SO IMAGINE A, UH, A BASICALLY A RESIDENTIAL TOWER WITH COMMERCIAL ON THE BOTTOM, AND THAT'S THE VISION.
IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE THE OTHER PUDS THAT YOU'VE SEEN WHERE THERE'S ACRES AND ACRES WHERE YOU CAN DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
ANOTHER POINT TOO IS THAT A P GENERALLY IS SUPPOSED TO BE 10 ACRES.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS DONE HERE IS ASKING FOR IT TO BE A SMALLER LOT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE CODE MODIFICATIONS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
BUT IN OUR CURRENT, JUST LIKE IN ANY, OUR, OUR CURRENT CODE, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO A TOWER ON THIS SITE IS THROUGH A P.
THERE'S, UNLESS WE WANTED TO BRING CBD ZONING ACROSS THE RIVER, WHICH HADN'T BEEN VERY POPULAR WHEN BRING THAT UP.
SO YOUR ONLY OTHER TOOL IS TO DO A P AND FRANKLY, IT'S A GOOD TOOL BECAUSE THEN THE CITY CAN NEGOTIATE IT AS WE GO ALONG AND GET THE BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS.
UM, YEAH, I'M THINKING FURTHER ABOUT THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS.
UM, ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS REGARDING BIRD FRIENDLY BUILDING DESIGN AND STATING THAT YOU ALL MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR EXCEPTIONS FOR THAT.
I KNOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THAT CODE RIGHT NOW, WORKING WITH CITY STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMETHING TO BRING TO COUNCIL, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, FEW MONTHS TO A YEAR.
UM, BUT CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS ON BIRD FRIENDLY BUILDING DESIGN, WHICH IS CERTAINLY OF, OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT SURE.
I WANNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THAT.
I THINK BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN WILL BE DEFINITELY PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN, IN READING ABOUT THAT, THERE'S A WIDE VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES TO MAKE 'EM BIRD FRIENDLY.
SOME OF 'EM ARE ACHIEVABLE, SOME OF 'EM ARE ACHIEVABLE, BUT NOT VERY APPEALING, PUT IT THAT WAY.
SO I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A SWEET SPOT IN THE MIDDLE.
UH, I THINK ON SOME OF THE OTHER PUDS WE LEARN THAT THE BIRD ZONES ARE DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND MAYBE YOU DO DIFFERENT BIRD FRIENDLY STRATEGIES AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS OF THE BUILDING, BUT THAT'S ALL GONNA BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
YEAH, I MEAN, IT, IT, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO, AND I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE COLORADO RIVER AND THE RIPARIAN ZONE AND THE UNIQUE PLACE THAT THAT HOLDS, NOT JUST FOR BIRDS, BUT FOR BATS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER DIFFERENT CREATURES THAT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY IMPACTED.
SO, UM, IF, IF THIS IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION NOW, LIKE, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, THAT, UM, AN ACT OF GOOD FAITH, I THINK TO THIS COMMISSION WOULD BE A DEMONSTRATION THAT THOSE THINGS ARE BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, THE POINTS THAT COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN BROUGHT OUT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WALKABILITY, BIKEABILITY THROUGH THE PROJECT, ET CETERA, WHICH I KNOW IS PART OF THE CRITERIA THAT CAN BE USED FOR, FOR PUTT SUPERIORITY IN GENERAL.
SO I'LL JUST, UH, REITERATE MY SUPPORT OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
AND WE AGREE THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, THE PROPOSED DOC, UH, NUMBER ONE, HOW MUCH OF A SUREFIRE THING IS THAT RIGHT NOW AS PART OF YOUR PLANS? AND IF IT IS PART OF THE PLAN, WOULD THAT BE A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DOC? IT IS A, UH, IT'S AN ASPIRATION AT THIS POINT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A DESIGN, WE DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE THINGS WE'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT, TALKING TO PARKS ABOUT CONSIDERING AS AN AMENITY FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE LIVING THERE.
SO THAT'S, WE'RE AT THIS POINT, IT'S A PLACEHOLDER.
UM, I, I WOULD JUST SAY I, YEAH, HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL DOCK ON THE WATER THAT IS FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY FOR SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE
[02:00:01]
TO THE ENTIRE PUBLIC.SO I'D HATE TO IMPEDE A PUBLIC WATERWAY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE A RIGHT OF EVERY AUSTINITE TO GET TO ENJOY THAT.
UM, TO HAVE THAT IMPEDED IN ANY WAY BY A, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PRIVATELY ACCESSIBLE DOCK, UH, DOESN'T, DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ANYTHING I'D WANT TO SEE ON THE WATERFRONT PERSONALLY.
SO AGAIN, UM, JUST ADDING THAT TO PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A PRIME SPOT, UM, WHEN WE BUILD, LET US THINK THAT WE BUILD FOREVER AND THAT WE BUILD FOR EVERYONE.
AND I WOULD REALLY WANNA SEE WHAT IS THE PUBLIC BENEFIT FROM THIS PROPERTY THAT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH ENHANCED WATER QUALITY, THROUGH ENHANCED WALKABILITY, VIABILITY, UM, BUT ALSO JUST AMENITIES THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY AND NOT JUST WEALTHY PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN A HIGH RISE CAN ENJOY.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, MR. SETTLE, I HAVE A LIST.
AND, AND I MAY NOT BE WRITING IT ALL DOWN, BUT I HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS OVER HERE THAT ARE GONNA MAKE SURE WE GET IT ALL.
AND I CAN ALSO HAND YOU THIS SHOULD YOU WANT IT.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, WHERE THE PROPERTY SITS AND BECAUSE OF THE SLOPE COMING IN FROM TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE RIPARIAN AREA NEXT TO IT, I'D LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE OF THE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN, WHICH IS NORMALLY AT A HUNDRED FEET.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT TO GO UP TO 150 FEET.
I THINK THINK THAT'S PRETTY ACHIEVABLE GIVEN THAT THE PARKING AREA IS GONNA BE ABOVE GROUND.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT GO UP TO 150 FEET.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE, UH, THE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES.
UM, YOU ARE NEXT TO THE RIVER, YOU'RE NEXT TO BLONDE CREEK.
YOU'VE GOT, UH, THE SLOPE COMING DOWN FROM THE WOODED AREAS FROM TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE THIS, KNOCK IT OUTTA THE PARK, UH, WITH, UH, BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN ELEMENTS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE, UH, OF TREES ON THE SITE.
I MEAN, THAT'S NOT HARD TO DO GIVEN, UH, WHAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.
I JUST ALSO WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEHOW YOU COULD REPLICATE, AND THIS IS NOT ON MY LIST, YOU COULD SOMEHOW REPLICATE A MAGIC TIME MACHINE WITHIN ONE OF THOSE AREAS OF, OF USE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY BIRTHDAYS I SPENT THERE,
UM, AND ALWAYS I PROBABLY, I PROBABLY WAITED ON YOU.
UM, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF, IF POSSIBLE WITH THE INCREASE OF, UH, THE TREES, ALSO POLLINATOR GARDENS, UM, THAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, OFTEN TALK ABOUT.
AND THOSE CAN, CAN BE, UH, ADDED INTO, UM, HOWEVER YOU'RE GONNA MANAGE, UH, THE WATER, UH, RUNOFF, UH, INTO RETENTION AREAS AND STUFF.
UM, I I, I'D LIKE TO SEE A TIERED BUILDING OF SOME KIND.
IT ISN'T A GLASS RECTANGLE BOX THERE.
UM,
SO RESTAURANTS, UM, THAT KIND OF THING.
IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOWN ON THAT PROMENADE AREA, YOU KNOW, THAT LOOSE TRASH RIGHT INTO THE, INTO THE RIVER, UH, LIKE JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT BE AT A MINIMUM.
UM, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, ENSURE CONNECTIVITY, UH, WITH THE OTHER PROPERTIES, UH, AS WELL AS THE OTHER, UH, SIDEWALKS AND, UM, AND WALKWAYS THAT ARE IN THE AREA.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PERFORMANCE VENUES, AND YOU HAVE THIS LISTED IN A COUPLE AREAS, UM, ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT INDOORS TO REDUCE THE NOISE, UH, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE, ARE CONCERNED OBVIOUSLY ABOUT NOISE, LIGHT POLLUTION, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THIS PROPERTY COMES PROBABLY ONE OF THE CLOSEST TO, UM, THAT TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'D LIKE TO, LIKE TO HONOR THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WITHIN THE BUILDING SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, UH, TURNING OFF ALL INDOOR LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT, UH, THAT ARE IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN USE AT THAT TIME, UM, AS PART OF THE BIRD FRIENDLY, UM, UH, KIND OF PLANNING.
UM, SAME THING IN THE PARKING GARAGES.
A LOT OF TIMES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU PASS BY PARKING GARAGE, THE LIGHTS ARE JUST ALL ON ALL THE TIME, WHETHER ANYBODY'S IN THAT AREA OR NOT.
SO IF, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING WHERE THE LIGHTS COME ON, MOTION DETECTION, UM, WHEN PEOPLE ARE USING THAT AGAIN TO REDUCE THAT, THAT LIGHT POLLUTION, UM, IN, IN THE AREA.
[02:05:01]
I'D LIKE TO SEE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HEIGHT REDUCED.I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY TALL TOWER.
I KNOW YOU'RE IN A LITTLE TINY FOOTPRINT.
UM, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY, PRETTY HIGH AR, UM, TOWER FOR RIGHT NEXT TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT EARLY ON AND ALWAYS THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, UH, PROTECTING, PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AND I KNOW YOU'RE READY TO GET TO, TO THE LAST, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT DOCK AREA.
I MEAN, IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ASPIRE TO, YOU KNOW, A PER ANOTHER PERMANENT STRUCTURE RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER, I JUST THINK OF FLOODING, UM, AS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALL ON OUR MINDS, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THIS SUMMER.
UM, SOMETHING THAT CAN, CAN BE, UH, REMOVED QUICKLY OR, OR PULLED OUT QUICKLY SO THAT IT DOESN'T END UP DOWN AT LONGHORN, UH, DAM DURING A FLOODING EVENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT CAN, CAN BE PULLED BACK.
SO, UM, IF YOU COULD DO ALL THESE THINGS, I WOULD BE HAPPY.
ANY OTHER LAST MINUTE, LAST DITCH QUESTIONS HERE? I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
[4. Update on Environmental Commission Annual Report— Jennifer Bristol, Environmental Commission Chair]
IS, UH, UPDATE ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT.DO I NEED TO GIVE THAT? I DIDN'T BRING MY REPORT.
OH, DO YOU HAVE IT, UH, ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED.
IF YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS IT, MAYBE GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IT IS FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO DON'T KNOW.
LAST PILE OF PAPERS RIGHT HERE.
UM, SO EVERY YEAR WE GIVE, UH, OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY THE MAJORITY OF THE FRONT PART OF THIS IS COPIED AND PASTED FROM YEARS BEFORE.
UM, THE, UM, THE LAST PART HERE WHERE, UH, WE HAVE A LIST OF BOARDS, UH, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, UH, FOR THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR.
SOME OF THESE ARE PULLED FROM WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY THIS YEAR, UM, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR, OUR PLANNING MEETING THAT WE HAD ON THE 16TH.
UM, AND SO I JUST TRIED TO PULL THOSE IN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND KEEP THEM, UH, PRETTY SHORT AND BRIEF.
UM, IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE KIND OF HAD A WHOLE LOT AND I THINK WE DIDN'T REALLY GET TO THEM, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT SHORTER LIST.
UH, DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THIS OR Y'ALL WANT ME TO KIND OF READ THROUGH SOME OF THOSE AND IF WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON 'EM, WE CAN
EVERYTHING ON THE, ON THE BOARD AND, AND YEAH.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING.
IT'S FOUR, FOUR PAGES, FIVE PAGES OR WHATEVER.
UH, SO, UH, FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, INCLUDING SPECIES PROTECTION, AIR QUALITY, LIGHT POLLUTION, AND CONSTRUCTION, MATERIAL REUSE, UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT FLOOD MITIGATION POLICIES, UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT PRIORITIZE CREEK AND WATERWAY CLEANUPS TO ALLOW WATER TO MOVE DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS.
UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT, UH, THE NEW ATLAS 14 MAPS AND POLICIES THAT SURROUND FLOODPLAIN AND, UH, FLOODPLAINS AND DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THOSE NEW MAPS ARE COMING OUT AT A POINT LATER.
UM, YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE TIMELINE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE CAN, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON A BRIEFING, UH, RELATING TO FLOOD AND THEN EITHER THE NEXT MEETING OR THE ONES IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, UM, WE WILL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AT THAT TIME.
UM, SUPPORT CLIMATE RESILIENCY AS IT RELATES TO TREE CANOPY AND URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY, UH, AFTER EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
UM, SUPPORT ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES RESILIENCY THROUGH HABITAT PROTECTION, WILDFLOWER MEDIC, WILD FIRE MITIGATION, CAVE PROTECTION, AQUIFER AND RECHARGE, ZONE PROTECTION AND BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN.
UNDERSTAND HOW FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS WILL IMPACT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN AUSTIN IN THE SHORT AND LONG TERM REVIEW AND ADDRESS, UH, POLLUTION ISSUES AND SUPPORT, BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN, PUBLIC INPUT AND IMPLEMENTATION.
THIS WAS ALREADY SUBMITTED, SO I CAN'T ADD ANYTHING TO IT.
UM, IT'S SUBMITTED ON THE 31ST, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, SO IT'S ONLINE IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS WHERE DO WE WANNA GO? UM, AND, UM, AS, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO GIVE US, UM, REPORTS OR BRIEFINGS, YOU KNOW, KEEP US UP TO DATE, UM, JUST LIKE WE MENTIONED ON THE ATLAS 14, THOSE KIND OF TYPES OF THINGS.
[02:10:01]
UM, ON THE, UM, THE CREEK AND RIVER, UH, KEEPING THOSE CLEAN, OUR DRAINAGE AND STUFF, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE REPORTS.I DON'T THINK WE HAD ONE IN THE PAST 360 DAYS, BUT THOSE ARE ALWAYS GREAT REPORTS.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT.
AND OF COURSE, WE WANT SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO ASTROTURF.
I THOUGHT I PUT THAT IN THERE.
NO, YOU HAD ASKED US FOR IT, SO WE'RE PLANNING ON A BRIEFING, BUT, UM, YEAH, I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I CAN, I KEEP SEEING MORE AND MORE YARDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE ASTROTURF AND IT'S REALLY BUGGING ME.
YEAH, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE IT BE A SAID PRIORITY SINCE IT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT INTO THE REPORT, BUT YEAH.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, UM, COMMITTEE UPDATES OR ANYTHING.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, COMMISSIONS, UH, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU ARE ON A COMMITTEE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO GET THOSE UPDATES TO ELIZABETH BEFORE THE FRIDAY DEADLINE SO THAT SHE CAN PUT 'EM ON THERE.
I'M SAYING THAT ALSO TO MYSELF.
JUST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? YEAH, FUTURE AGENDA
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE 'EM? I THINK WE JUST HEARD TURF, BUT WE'RE ALREADY HAVING THAT COMING.I HAVE ONE ITEM, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO UH, THROW OUT.
YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, CHAIR BRISTOL, UH, CAME BEFORE THE, UM, PARKS BOARD.
THEY BROUGHT IT UP IN THEIR MEETING, UH, WITH THE CUTOFF IN FUNDING.
UH, WHAT, UH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT, UH, WATERSHED FEELS AT RISK IN THE COMING YEAR FOR THEIR PROGRAMS THAT FALL UNDER OUR DIRECT OVERSIGHT OR REVIEW OR WHATEVER THE TERM IS.
WE'VE GOT, I MEAN, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU FOLKS ARE WORKING ON, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A HAND IN ON A SEMI-REGULAR BASIS.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THINGS THAT YOU FEEL ARE AT RISK AND, YOU KNOW, THE SCOPE OF THE RISK, WHETHER IT'S MINIMAL OR LIKE, GEE, THEY PULLED THE FUNDING LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'D BE SOMETHING I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT IN AN UPCOMING MEETING.
UH, BRIMER, I, YEAH, AND I, I KNOW THERE THE, THERE'S A BRICK GRANT THAT WAS RELATED TO, UM, FLOOD PROOFING AND IMPROVING RESILIENCY OF THE, UM, SOUTH AUSTIN, UM, REGIONAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND, UM, THERE'S ALSO A SUBSTATION THERE, LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, FACILITY THERE.
SO I KNOW THAT THAT ONE WAS A BIG ONE THAT IS BEING, UM, THAT MIGHT COME BACK.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT UP IN THE AIR.
I THINK RIGHT NOW IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST IF WE SENT AN, UM, SENT AN EMAIL OUT TO THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE QUITE ENOUGH FOR A BRIEFING.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT WAS THE MAIN ONE THAT WAS, UM, AFFECTED BY US.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW, WHATEVER'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, I DUNNO, THE PARTS PEOPLE WERE HIT PRETTY HARD, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING ON DOWN THE LINE, BUT, UH, AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, WE GET ADEQUATELY BRIEFED, THAT'S REALLY ALL I WANT.
IF THAT'S AN EMAIL OR IF THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION, THAT'S OKAY TOO.
WHATEVER, WHATEVER IS APPROPRIATE.
I'LL, I'LL, UH, TALK TO THE FOLKS INVOLVED IN THAT AND GET A RESPONSE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADD ON TO THAT.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE STAFF COME AND PRESENT AS WELL AS SHARE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH PARKS.
I MEAN, THAT IS RELEVANT TO US.
UM, IF THERE'S, SO A REQUEST FIRST PARK STAFF TO BRIEF YOU ALL ON THEIR IMPACTS.
UM, I THINK IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S PARK STAFF OR IF YOU WANNA KIND OF COMBINE SOME OF THESE TOGETHER JUST SO IT'S LIKE, HERE'S THE OVERARCHING, HERE'S HOW WE'RE BEING IMPACTED PARKS WATERSHED, YOU KNOW, DSD, LIKE WHOEVER IS IN THAT.
SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T FEEL THAT WE NEED TO BOTHER THE PARKS PEOPLE TO COME TO PRESENT TO US.
I MEAN, THEY'VE ALREADY PRESENTED TO THE PARKS BOARD.
I, IS MY UNDERSTANDING MEAN I DON'T, DON'T KNOW.
[02:15:01]
SO IF THEY ALREADY HAVE A THING THAT THEY'VE DONE, THEN YOU CAN JUST FORWARD THAT OVER TO US IN AN EMAIL.BUT IF YOU WANT TO ROUND THEM UP AND HAVE 'EM PRESENT, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
ALSO, I, I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, INTERRUPT THEIR EVENINGS TO DO ANOTHER PRESENTATION.
I AM INTERESTED IN WHAT THEY'VE GOT, BUT, UH, AGAIN, WHATEVER WORKS BEST IS, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA RUN DOWN.
LIZ, DO YOU THINK THAT CAN BE COMBINED IN A 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION? UH, WELL, I, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE PARKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO CONFIRM WITH THEM IF THEY'D BE ABLE TO, TO ATTEND.
UM, SO LET ME, LET ME TALK TO THE, THE FOLKS AT WATERSHED AND AT AT PARK AND WE CAN FIND OUT MORE.
ANYBODY ELSE FEEL FOR, SEEM TO REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT RECYCLING CONCRETE ALSO IS A FUTURE ITEM.
IS THAT STILL SOMETHING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, DAVE? UM, WELL WHO BROUGHT FIRST? I, I SECONDED IT FROM WHOEVER BROUGHT IT UP.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S ON THE LIST FOR SURE.
ANYBODY ELSE? I THINK I'M EXCITED TO SAY AT EIGHT 18 WE ARE DONE.
WE BEAT LAST, LAST TIME, SO I'M JUST EXCITED.